The first step is to check to see what the problem is. If you turn on the disposal and it makes a noise, then most likely it is just jammed. If it doesn’t make a noise, then there is a possibility that the circuit breaker has been tripped. Check your electrical panel, and reset the circuit breaker. Now look under the unit, and you’ll see a small red reset switch. Press this button or flick the switch and it will turn the unit back on. Turn on the disposal again and it should either hum to designate that it is jammed or it should work properly. If it still doesn’t turn on, then you have a much bigger issue and should contact a professional in order to remedy the issue.

The first step when doing anything with the disposal is to ensure that the power is shutoff to this area of the house. This means that you are going to wait to turn off the circuit breaker, located in the electrical control panel. Once this is in the off position, flip your disposal to on to release any remaining power in the line. You’ll hear you disposal slightly engage, hum, then nothing. This is a sign that it is completely off and that all the power is purged from the line.

After doing this, I generally turn off the water as well. You really don’t need to do this, but as a common practice, I have just gotten used to doing it. This prevents you from accidentally turning on the water in the process and creating a mess to go with your problem.

After you have done both of these steps, take a long handle, like a broom handle or something similar and place into the disposal. NEVER USE YOUR HANDS! While placing it in there, gently try to rotate the blades. If you can easily rotate the blades and don’t feel anything in the way, there is something bigger wrong with your disposal and you should call a professional. If you notice blockage, then you have an obviously jammed disposal.

To clear the jam, take an allen wrench and attempt to clear the jam manually by inserting it into the bottom of the disposal spinning the blades until they come free and can rotate completely. Now again take the broomstick handle and jab at the jam downwards to make sure you clear it from the blades. After you have done this, you can reach down inside the disposal with a set of long nose pliers and pull out whatever is causing the blockage. I generally wear nose plugs because I often get sick by the smell and sight of what comes out. It can be pretty disgusting at times.

Now, turn the water back on and turn on the cold water. By doing this, you will harden any grease inside the disposal, which will allow the disposal to break it up, which it can’t do when the grease is loose and warm.

Turn on the electric, test it out and it should work. If it doesn’t work, then repeat the process ensuring that you have indeed removed all of the blockage. If the problem persists it is a sign of a much bigger issue and will require a professional for assistance.

WARNING : Never use chemicals to clean out your disposal, this could cause a variety of issue within the system.

For more articles by this author, go to Helium.

In a common electrical daisy chain all of the wires color codes are matching throughout the chain. The daisy chain scheme permits assignment of device priorities based on electrical position of the device in the order of the chain. Common uses for daisy chained electrical is for power distribution, analogy signals, digital data and a combination of these components.

There are several benefits to using a daisy chain in electrical sequencing. The first is that electrical wire is saved. Added to this advantage is the fact that less wire means less storage space needed to hide wires from view. Another advantage is that only one power supply is needed to supply power for the entire chain of electrical devices.

In areas such as a tradeshows daisy-chained electrical is a big time and cost saver. With an exhibit that has daisy chained electrical one would only need a single electrical source with the required amperage / wattage for the equipment. This would mean that only one cut would have to be made in the carpet to fish the electrical line though the carpeting as opposed to several cuts that would have to be made to supply each item individually. This saves the life and look of the exhibitors carpeting. Also, each additional line of electrical power comes at a cost, so having fewer power supplies is a much more cost effective method of powering the exhibit area.

The downside of daisy-chained electrical is that if one device fails all of the downstream devices will fail. An example of this failure is seen when Christmas tree strung lights fail. When one of the strung lights fail then all the lights following it fail. Not until a replacement light is completed will the rest of the string of lights become illuminated. If this happens with electrical components that burn out or blow fuses then the component would have to be replaced to get the other components down the line to work properly.

Sometimes daisy chains just refer to the physical connections formed when using devices such as multi-outlet strips. In this reference the power is distributed by the chain. One must remember when using this method of power distribution that each item connected in the power strip is pulling a certain amount of wattage. Once the wattage is maximized then the power line is in danger of failing. This can result in causing the fuse in the multi-outlet strip to blow, or can result in a fire starting. It is best to use only one or two power strips to distribute power if absolutely necessary to try to avoid a potentially dangerous situation.

For more articles by this author, go to Helium.

Since there are many different sizes, styles, and types of architecture that we habitat, I can only tell you where, within your home, is the best place to install a thermostat that will then properly regulate the temperature, and maybe save you a whole lot of money.

First of all, the equipment that produces heat and/or cools your home must be in complete harmony with the thermostat that measures the indoor temperature. So too, that thermostat activates the heating or cooling equipment until the desired temperature within the area where your thermostat is located is achieved. As a result, the temperature within your dining room could be several degrees higher or less than the temperature within your bedroom or any other room in your home.

Do you have multi-zone temperature regulation for your home? If not, you have only one thermostat, so you must regulate the amount of heat or cold that is sent to or produced within each room in order to properly balance the temperature within the entire space of your home. That can be accomplished by increasing or reducing the amount of hot or cold air that enters each room. For a hot water system, you must reduce or increase the flow of hot water that flows through the radiators within your home.

The truth is, the rooms next to the exterior walls of your home usually cool faster or warm faster than any of the interior rooms of your home. As an example, during the winter it can be 20 degrees outside and, in spite of the best insulation available, that cold will be transmitted to the interior room directly behind that wall. That is known as an exterior wall. All of the other walls within your home are known as interior walls.

If you haven’t already guessed, your thermostat should be mounted on an interior wall that will be as far away from an exterior wall as possible. That being, the only influence that will cause your thermostat to activate your heating and/or cooling equipment will mainly be determined by the current air temperature, rather than the temperature of the wall.

With the above in mind, if your utility bill is higher than expected after doing all of the above you must seek the services of a professional who might discover the problem that you didn’t discover. So too, I sincerely hope that your efforts prove to be successful.

Article by Joseph Malek. For more articles by this author, visit Helium.

If you made home improvements in 2009, make sure that you have what you need to claim the credits on your 2009 taxes. If you missed out in 2009, these credits still apply for 2010. Start planning now so that you can take advantage!

Here are some of the basics; for detailed information go to EnergyStar.Gov.
1. The eligible improvement must be placed in service or work must be completed between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010.
2. A maximum of $1,500 can be claimed for qualifying products.
3. You must have a Manufacturer Certification Statement for the product in order to qualify. Save receipts and the Manufacturer Certification Statement; for new windows, keep the Energy Star label.
4. Improvements must be made to your principal residence. However, certain products also qualify for second homes.
5. Claim improvements made in 2009 on your 2009 taxes using IRS Tax Form 5695.
6. Tax credits for windows, doors, insulation, roofs, HVAC, and non-solar water heaters are not available for new homes. Certain other improvements do qualify for new homes.

Items that are eligible for the tax credits include:
1. Exterior windows, skylights, storm windows, and doors that have a U factor below 0.30 and a Solar Heat Gain Coefficient, or SHGC, of less than 0.30.
2. Certain types of insulation – specific lifespan and warranty requirements apply.
3. Energy Star brand metal or asphalt roofing – specific lifespan and warranty requirements apply.
4. Central air conditioning
5. Furnaces – either natural gas or propane
6. Heat pumps
7. Hot water boilers
8. Hot water heaters – either gas, oil, or propane
9. Biomass stoves
10. Photovoltaic solar panels
11. Wind energy systems
12. Residential fuel cells and micro-turbine systems

All qualifying products must meet certain energy-efficiency levels; thus, not all products qualify for the tax break. Only those with higher energy efficiency ratings are eligible, and these products typically cost more than standard products. Also remember that the $1,500 maximum (as a percentage up to 30% of the cost of the upgrade) is cumulative for ALL improvements.

If you’re thinking about making home improvements this year, the time is definitely now! Your home improvement professional can provide you with additional information on qualifying products and exceptions.

Set aside several hours for this job. It will require some careful measuring. You will have to run extra wiring if it is not a replacement. Make an afternoon of it and invite a couple of friends to help. Buy the opener a week or so ahead of time so that you can have all of the supplies and tools on hand when you start the installation.

Like any DIY project, you always want to open the box and inventory the contents to familiarize yourself with the garage door opener. This will also give you an opportunity to make sure that nothing is missing. Read through the directions to make sure that you understand any special problems that your new toy may bring. This will almost always result in a trip to the home center to buy an extra tool and some other needed products to make the installation work.

When doing a replacement, take the time to learn how the old unit was installed. This will give you a head start on installing the new one. Plus, it will give you a chance to see if all of the old wiring will work with the new unit.

Once you have everything in place, you are ready to start the installation. For a new installation make sure that you have identified a source for power to the unit if you are not doing a replacement. Turn off the power and run any necessary wiring. It is good if you can find electricity in the attic above the opener without having to run wire from the breaker box. Use wire nuts and junction boxes when appropriate. With wires at the installation point of the motor, you are ready to attach the garage door opener to the ceiling or trusses of the garage.

This may require an extra board or two be put into place to give you something solid to anchor the opener. These units can be pretty heavy. So, make sure that you have done a good job of providing a secure place to attach it. Point the business end of the garage door opener toward your garage door. The position should be roughly in line with the center of the garage door.

If you are not sure about precisely where this should be, measure the door. Divide that amount in half. On the ceiling above the garage door mark a light line to guide you. If necessary, sketch these lines the entire distance from the door to the position that the opener will occupy. Bolt or screw the garage door opener into place. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for clearances and type of fasteners to use.

Attach the portion of the opener that extends from the motor to the garage door. It may be belt, chain, or screw driven. Fasten the bracket to the door. Make sure that the door is strong enough to withstand the pull of the opener without separating. If it cannot, you will need to brace it with wood or metal depending on what is suggested by the door and opener manufacturers.

Once all attachments have been made, go back over the entire mechanism and tighten up all bolts and screws securely. Run the wiring to the electric sensors and switch or switches and install them. There should be sensors near the floor on either side of the inside of the door to keep the operation from shutting if something or someone is in the way. Test the manual release a time or two to make sure that it works. You will need this if you do not have a backup power source.

Open and close the door several times with the wall switch or switches and the remotes. Test the safety stops with some small objects to make sure they work. It is probably time for lunch or supper. So, go treat yourself to a reward for taking care of this tough job.

Written by Allen Teal. For more articles by this author, go to Helium.

Benefits of Electrical Underfloor Heating
The principle advantage of electrical underfloor heating is that it is energy efficient. If installed in a room with adequate insulation, an electrical underfloor heating system can provide the same level of comfort as a traditional radiator system, but at an air temperature 3 or 5 degrees F lower. Traditional radiator systems heat the surrounding air, which rises to heat the space below the ceiling of a room first, whereas electrical underfloor heating systems heat the entire surface of the floor first. This creates a more comfortable temperature gradient, with an even distribution of heat and no hot or cold spots.

Not only that, but the increased efficiency of underfloor heating means that you can save anything up to 20% on your domestic fuel bills and, in turn, reduce your carbon footprint. Traditional radiator systems can also create convection currents in the air, which circulate dust and other allergens, so underfloor heating can be beneficial to sufferers of asthma and other respiratory ailments.

Of course, underfloor heating is also effectively invisible, so there are no unsightly radiators or pipes to interfere with the interior design of a room. Electrical underfloor heating is also cost effective and can be installed by a reasonably competent DIY enthusiast.

Floor Coverings
Underfloor heating obviously relies on thermal conduction, so materials with high thermal conductivity, such as natural stone, ceramic, etc. are ideal for use as floor coverings. That said, however, electrical underfloor heating cables, mats and films are available in a range of output wattages, to suit a range of environments and floor coverings. An area of high heat loss such as a conservatory may require an output of 150 or 200 W/m2 (”Watts per square meter”), but underfloor heating elements with lower outputs, suitable for installation beneath laminated wood, vinyl, carpet, etc., are also available. It is, of course, important to abide by manufacturers’ guidelines with regard to both heating elements and floor coverings.

For more information on heated under floors, please go to Hot Floors.

If you’re tripping your main safety circuit box that could be a sign that you’re overloading the electrical outlets and an indication that an electrical contractor should examine your wiring. Oftentimes, homes are renovated several times without any electrical wiring updated. Yet, this is a part of the house that can cause huge problems if it isn’t kept up-to-date.

Outdated circuit boxes
When a home hits the 40-year mark the biggest area of electrical concern is the circuit breaker box. Zack Israel, owner of Mike Electric, says that when the circuit box becomes outdated, “it doesn’t do what it’s supposed to do.” He says that as the house ages, the brand of the circuit box becomes obsolete “and today, a new generation of improved boxes is being installed.” Israel cautions homeowners about the danger of not replacing an old and outdated circuit box. “If the breaker doesn’t trip then the wire might melt and cause a fire,” says Israel.

Kitchen wiring upgrades
An area of an older home that typically needs upgraded wiring is the kitchen. “The kitchen is an area that always needs to be upgraded after 40 years. Several decades ago we didn’t have microwaves and all the appliances that we have today,” says Israel. He says that what can happen if the kitchen wiring isn’t upgraded is that when appliances are used, the circuit breaker trips or, even worse, it doesn’t trip at all. “So the kitchen is an area that you want to upgrade and bring more power to it,” he says.

The electrical code requires two circuits of 20-amps, 120 volts for GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) receptacles for the kitchen/eating area. However, more might be necessary depending on appliances being used.

Heavy-duty appliances need dedicated outlet
A common problem for homeowners occurs when there isn’t proper distribution of the electrical circuits. Israel says homeowners often don’t understand this. “Let’s say for example that [depending on the weather] a homeowner tries to use a portable air conditioning system or heater and plugs it into just any plug – and boom! there’s no power – it trips the circuit. This is common. People don’t know that they need a dedicated circuit for that kind of appliance,” says Israel.

Wire insulation cracks
Another big problem for older homes is that electrical wiring insulation cracks. “Especially in the ceiling lights, the heat from the light rises into the box and causes the wiring insulation to crack,” says Israel. When homeowners consider tackling the task of rewiring their home they’re often overwhelmed by it—feeling like it will be too expensive and too much trouble. While it is true rewiring can be a major renovation that, in some cases, even means the homeowner must leave the home for a period of time – due to electricity needing to be turned off or just the inconvenience of living with workers in your home — the end result of peace of mind from knowing your electrical system is working properly and no longer at risk of causing a fire – (a major concern of home insurers) – is well worth the expense and any temporary hassles.

Written by Phoebe Chongchua as found in Craig Lilly’s Newsletter.

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