Should I be able to run some 1.5" PVC chase conduits from attic to basement next to a cold air return?

I take it you're hoping to poke sticks of conduit up from the basement and hope to come out in the attic without hitting anything? It could happen, but I'd be rather surprised. 1.5" conduit is fairly chunky, I think you're likely to hit something. If you wanted to fish a few runs of Cat 6 I'd say your chances were good. But conduit? (BTW, bonus points for knowing better than trying to run inside the duct.)

Even if there's obstructions, it may be possible to make the run by cutting discrete access holes to cut out the obstructions, assuming they are non-structural. If you haven't yet done so, examine each floor carefully to determine if there's enough space to even make the run. Measure carefully to arrive at accurate void dimensions, and ensure the proposed run aligns on each floor, which may not be that simple. Once you've determined it's feasible, start pushing pipe, keeping track how much length is pushed up. You'll likely hit something. Figure out where it is vertically. Gain access and clear the obstruction. Repeat as necessary until the attic is reached. Good Luck!


You are using the wrong wire

I ran about 90 feet of direct burial 14/2 wire from an existing breaker box from a 20 amp breaker to my new breaker box also 20 amp.

For 20 Amp, you normally need 12/2 wire, not 14/2. 14/2 is for 15 Amp circuits. Do you need bigger wire (e.g., 10/2 for 120 V or 10/3 for 240 V)? I'm not sure, that depends on how much of an issue there really is with the voltage drop, and also depending on what equipment you are actually using (or planning to use in the future) at the end of the cable.


A brief google search indicated R value of vinyl siding is 0.6 and that of brick is 0.8 (https://www.archtoolbox.com/materials-systems/thermal-moisture-protection/rvalues.html).

So yes, brick is a slightly better insulator than vinyl. This website may prove useful: https://www.remodelingcalculator.org/brick-prices/      Less than 0.5 R-value difference alone cannot justify the cost differential. Many other factors must be taken into account to determine whether it is worth it--including install costs, time to install, projected length of ownership, and many subjective considerations. Good luck in making the best decision for your circumstances. The 'best alternative' is impossible to state objectively given the myriad variables and subjective considerations involved.


OK to cut double top plate to clear exhaust duct?

Do not cut the double top plate.

A double top plate acts as part of a giant horizontal beam that resists wind and seismic loading. Cutting the top plate is the same as notching a regular beam holding a floor up.

Having it in the corner of your house is good, but I wouldn’t do it until a professional could check it out.

Btw, the Code requires continuous double top plates lapped at the corners and lapped a minimum of 48” elsewhere with a minimum of 8- 16d into each side. of the joint. (See ICC 2308.5.3.2.)


Adding a (stair/baby) gate without facing walls

They make a variety of gates for just this kind of thing.  They typically have 3 segments with adjustable angles.

For example at Amazon:

That middle segment is the normal gate, but the whole thing can swing/fold if needed.


Why are only 2 of the 14 posts in my radiator heating up?

I am assuming it is a steam system? Verify that the radiator is installed with a slight pitch, the inlet pipe side should be slightly lower than the exit. If there is a vent installed you should hear a hiss as the steam forces the air out and lets the steam in. The hiss should stop when the steam reaches the vent.  If you can remove the air vent and shake it, you should hear a rattle that is normal. You can clean them by soaking in CLR to remove the scale or just replace it. They cost about $15 at the big box store.


Can I use brake fluid or steering fluid to stop a fan from squeaking?

Brake Fluid is not a lubricant, but a glycol based hydraulic fluid designed to have a high boiling point and to absorb water to prevent corrosion (why the brake system should be completely bled out every so often).

Power Steering fluid and Transmission fluid are petroleum based hydraulic fluids, more useful for their ability to transmit pressure, resist heat and work with fluid filled clutches (friction systems) and are not general purpose lubricants, except in the special case of the systems for which they are designed.

You'd almost be better off using engine oil, but its detergent properties are not useful for this type of operation.

Any box store will have 3in1 or turbine oil which are more appropriate for lubricating the shafts on an electric motor.


Is it possible to patch a crack in a toilet?

I'd try a marine grade epoxy (loctite makes such a product) to just seal the crack for a short time. If you still have the chunk that was broken off the marine grade epoxy should work but it's probably not going to look pretty. I've used it before and it mixes up to a rather ugly dark gray/black color and dries the same, but if you can live with the color difference it is VERY strong and waterproof. I used it to seal a leaky PVC pipe for a number of days until I had the time to fix it properly and not a drop of water came out.

EDIT: Found a link to the product here


With a few exceptions, current code requires that you use 14/3 (or 12/3) wiring for switches in almost all branch circuits. (NEC 404.2(C)).

While basic switches do not use the neutral wire (white), many more complex switches do, and current wiring standards require the availability of the neutral to allow use of such devices without rewiring.

If the switch is being used to control the outlet itself, that is one of the exceptions that does not require a neutral.

Also be sure to use the bare or green ground wire on the switch as well.


It largely depends on the finish of the "existing painted stucco", but most exterior finishes are rough enough that they provide a good mechanical key for anything plastered on top. You can use a PVA based primer as insurance, but [under usual circumstances] what is most likely to fail in the future is not the key between your most recent stucco and old one, but rather the key between the old stucco and the wall or the key between the old paint and the old stucco. So if want to rotohammer something, the best thing to do is use a wide chisel and remove the old stucco completely.

Since you're covering the old stucco eventually, you can test in a small and less visible area by apply your new stucco on top, let it dry/cure then try to remove it and see what comes off. You'll have to repair/refill a small area probably but if you want to be certain on the adherence issues this is what most pros do.


NEC Compliance: Removing a wall switch in favor of a remote for a ceiling fan

You're correct, there's a huge Code problem with that. It's stated in the Electrical Code, but mainly because it's also stated in the Building Code.

I mean nobody cares about the fan.  Have a field day controlling that with your phone or whatever.  The core issue is that, as you might have noticed, almost every room has its light switch in an easily anticipated location; you can walk into a room you've never been in before and your hand knows where to reach to find the light switch.  Like a lot of really good UX features, that one is subtle and almost unnoticeable.  Anyway, you anticipated correctly: You're not allowed to break that.

A core doctrine of US cities is "No hovels". You are not allowed to build a home in which practical occupancy is only possible by you.  So "Secret" methods of turning on basic things like lights are not allowed: you can't have all your house's lights controlled by your phone only.  Aside from community standards and its effect on real estate prices, the #1 reason is visitors.  And the #1 kind of visitor they're worried about is first responders.  The EMT trying to intubate you, the firemen searching rooms, and the cop needing to see that's a gaming mouse not a gun.

Home Depot stocking something is about that thing being UL listed, and UL only makes sure the product won't kill you through inept quality or some design glitch that has proven troublesome in the past.  Home Depot sells lots of things that are legal in some ways (NEMA 10-30 recep to replace identical recep) and illegal in other uses (to replace a NEMA 14-30).   Instructions are part of what UL certifies; and UL will generally try to avoid approving instructions which definitely, always violate the electrical code, but that fan's remote with its on-the-switch hangar would not always violate; it'd be legal in cases where the fan and light are controlled separately. So the instructions/UL would not disallow it.

Depending on how your wiring is laid out, there's a fair chance you can wire the remote to control the fan remotely and leave the light to the switch.

Depending on how cleverly the remote is designed, it could even allow fan+light to be turned OFF by the switch (or remote), but cause the light to definitely come ON when the switch is thrown ON (that is to say, after power loss, its default is to turn the light on).  That is the ideal scenario since it provides positive light-turn-on from the switch (to satisfy building codes) and positive system disconnect from the switch also (for safety).


TL;DR: Whoever installed your ceiling fan had some terminal screws loose

The good news is that the green wire is unmistakably tagged as an equipment grounding conductor, and was likely not the current return path in the original  wiring configuration.  The bad news is that whoever originally wired this did a hack job, deciding to use some blue wire they had left over from the last hack job as a neutral wire (grounded conductor), which grossly violates NEC 200.6(A):

  200.6 Means of Identifying Grounded Conductors.

  (A) Sizes 6 AWG or Smaller. An insulated grounded conductor of 6 AWG or
  smaller shall be identified by one of the following means:

  (1) A continuous white outer finish.

  (2) A continuous gray outer finish.

  (3) Three continuous white or gray stripes along the conductor's entire length
  on other than green insulation.

Now that that facepalm moment is out of the way, it's possible to fix this by nutting the blue and black conductors from the fan to the black wire from the ceiling, and the white wire from the fan to the blue wire from the ceiling.  While you're up there, please, please, please tag the blue wire from the ceiling with a piece of white electrical tape -- there's no way to bring the current situation fully up to Code without ripping out the offending neutral wire and replacing it with a white or grey wire, but a tag will at least keep the next electrician's eyeballs from frying when he or she stares at your ceiling fan's wiring.


attempting to paint over a darker colour of paint

The walls need to be prepared first.

Light sand and then TSP cleaner over all the walls.  If the old paint is oil based, you then need a coat of primer before you paint.


Should I put insulation in a shower wall if it's NOT an exterior wall?

Yes, I would always insulate bathroom walls.  Bathrooms often have separate heat to keep them at a warmer temperature than the rest of the house so it's good to have the thermal insulation.

Just as important, it will also provide some acoustical insulation.


Installing electrical sub-panel at future above-ground pool

This gets seemingly odd because of the Article 680 rules specific to pools and other water features.

First off, pool feeders are not allowed to be direct buried as per 680.25 and the Exception thereto which AFAICT doesn't apply to outdoor cabling, so unless your AHJ disagrees with me and applies the exception, you'll have to dig up the existing UF and re-run it in conduit (either red brass RMC or IMC, or Schedule 80 PVC or RTRC-XW IF you protect the aboveground portions from physical damage).

Second, your pool will have an equipotential grid of some type associated with it (at least for the pool surround, if not under the pool itself) -- this is a Code requirement to avoid hazardous step potentials in the pool area.  All conductive things directly associated with the pool (i.e. within 5' of it or part of the water circulating system) must be bonded to this grid as per 680.26 -- this includes the pool pump motor.  From there, the pool equipotential grid is connected to the regular bonding system by the pool pump motor's EGC.  While the AHJ can't make you put a direct link between the equipotential grid and the subpanel ground bus in, it's a good idea to do so, using the same 8AWG that's used for the equipotential grid.

Last but not least, your 8/2 should have a 10AWG ground -- 12AWG copper ground wires are only good for 20A circuits, max.


How do I build an ice rink in my backyard?

I've been making a rink in my yard for over 20 years. I don't use plastic or boards. To my mind that gives you the nasty task of getting up wet muddy stuff in the spring, putting it away somewhere etc. We use nothing but snow and water to build our rink, and we can have it whatever size and shape we want as a result. When the rink melts, it melts, and the lawn never shows any signs of stress.

First, wait until you have good snow cover and you're confident it isn't going to melt away on a warm day. For us, Boxing Day (Dec 26th for those in the States) is the traditional rink-starting day. If the snow is "packing snow" we can stomp as is; if not we put a spray attachment on the hose and spray water on it as we go. Working in squares about 8 feet on a side, and wearing thick heavy boots (visitors in delightful city boots with narrow pointy heels don't get to help, or get to borrow boots) we just stomp down the damp snow into almost-ice, walking over the same sections again and again to eliminate the holes and ridges from the time before.

This packed snow won't hold water indefinitely like plastic, but it will hold it long enough to freeze, especially if you water lightly at first and keep the hose moving. Use a spray nozzle.

The hose is hooked up inside the house (you can use your laundry sink tap, which almost certainly is threaded to take a hose - we have a takeoff on a tank in the utility room that our well pump trickle-fills) and comes inside after each watering. Also, use brass nozzles on the hose end - plastic will shatter when you drop the hose, especially on hard ice. This is discussed more, with pictures, in a Gardening question. Buy warm work gloves at a building-supply store, too, so you can turn the nozzle on and off even when water is coming out of it. Rink-making is pretty much the only time I wear my adult snow pants (sold as ski or snowmobile pants.)

We usually start by stomping just 3 or 4 squares. Then each night we add one new square and water all the old ones. This way, part of the rink becomes usable in a week or so. The minute it looks like ice, skate on it. Skating on lumpy ice is like sanding it - you'll cut off the ridges and give the water a place to stick. The only time it's bad to skate on it is if you might make a giant hole and let the water escape. If that happens, pack the hole with snow and carry on.

After a while you might not need to water every night, but we generally do. The colder it is, the more often you can water. Above -5 (all temps are C) leave it alone. -10, you can water once each night. -15, you can do it twice, three times if you stay up late. -20, you can do it as often as you can stand. Shovel off any snow, get everyone out there to skate, then clean up with a quick scrape of the snow shovel, water, and go to bed. It's a peaceful time, outside in the quiet and the cold. (We have Christmas lights up around the edge of the rink for when folks skate in the evenings, but I often just water by moonlight and starlight. Heaven.) Every mm of ice you build up on cold nights is that much longer your rink will last in the spring.

The only maintenance other than shoveling and watering is keeping dark debris off the surface. A large, partly rotted leaf, for example, can melt its way completely through the ice on a warm spring day, and then there's a hole for water to escape. Pick that sort of thing up if you see it, or cover it with a little handful of patted down snow. You can't get it perfect (especially not on a rink the size of ours with trees all around it) but you can make a difference.

We lift the shovel carefully as we clear snow to make the edges, and we water those too which hardens them enough to mostly keep pucks out. We have over a hundred pucks (gathered by a bored younger brother hanging at the arena during years of skating lessons) so if a few go into the snow we don't worry, we can gather them in the spring. You can also water the hillside if you have older children who can handle it. The non-flatness of the lawn is a feature - beginners can be put at the top of a slight slope to give them a boost, and coming up that slight slope slows you a little before you need to turn.

It's less work than you think, and incredibly rewarding. Ours is at the bottom of a hill so it also adds fun to tobogganing, but the real point is that anyone can skate any time, for 10 or 15 min if that's all they want, or all evening, and you can have skating parties. It doesn't really take any skill or equipment other than the hose and a snow shovel.

Minor update: if you have a child who takes skating lessons, buy a second set of skates for home. Used skates are best anyway, because it's a rare child who manages to break in skates with just 3 or 4 hours of skating a week, but no matter what level your child is at, buy some used skates for home. Also, some moves may not be ok to practice at home (either due to a small rink or to the skate difference.) You want to sharpen the arena skates and the home skates differently - a good sharpener will ask, but if they don't you should offer. The home skates will go dull faster because they are not on such smooth ice, and there might be the odd pine needle or whatnot on the ice. Also, at least at my house, the home skates got more usage.


How do I heat my basement using a wood stove on the ground floor?

There's two questions here.

1) Will my pipes freeze in my unheated basement?

Probably not. Provided you don't have a lot of the foundation wall exposed to the air outside, the basement will likely always remain above freezing due to ground temperature. Ensuring that you properly insulate the stud bays and the like will make that even less likely to freeze.

2) how do I heat the basement with a wood stove above it?

I'm not sure that you can short of there being perhaps some sort of duct-work system designed for wood stoves where you could force warm air into the basement.

The alternative would be to move the wood stove. Put it in the basement allow it to heat from the lowest point.


Sprinkler valves are surrounded by tree roots

Literally working on a similar problem, minus the gigantic roots...

The problem with the roots is the roots: if you work around them, you work around them. If you cut them, you may kill the tree, which is a whole nother ball of wax.

Before you dive into the roots or replacing valves, consider just checking the valves for simple issues and troubleshooting around those principles. There are a plethora of videos on "how to fix a leaking sprinkler valve" - try some of those; if you have a screwdriver and won't melt from getting wet, the experience can provide a wealth of information just by diving in. This one is descriptive and educational - it might not solve your problem, but might give you enough insight to narrow your search. Worst case scenario, you break something and hire the professional you were going to hire anyway to install a new valve.

TL;DR: Troubleshoot the valves with online videos. It's not as scary as it sounds.


What size breaker should I use to feed an electrical panel for our addition?

Each baseboard heater is probably 15A (if not then check what they actually are), and the dryer is 30A. So you're already at 90A. The washer (is it frontloading?) will need 15A/2 (it's 120V), and so will the bathroom, so that's 105A. I can easily imagine all those running at once. Then you have some plugs and whatnot, but you probably won't max all of them at once.

Looks like 120A will be OK, but just barely. Is electrical heat really your only option? Can you use a gas dryer?


Solution for A/C Condensate Drain Line that doesn't require emptying a bucket of water every day?

While you can't have it drip off the balcony, you can turn it into a fine mist and blow it off. Even a fine sprayer would work fine, but you'll need a float switch to auto-activate it, and a pump.  On the plus side, this will air condition your balcony as well.

Home Depot has a  bucket-top misting fan that looks like it would solve your problem. You would need to hook it up to a battery or adapter.


Try twisting the ring around glass part, or twisting the entire thing.

I suspect it's just the glass bit.


What kind of window crank is this, and what brand is it?

The logo on thew crank handle is Milgard.

You may be able to get a rep out there and perhaps they will replace it for free. Sometimes the lifetime guarantee is transferable if you are not the original owner


Is this Termite or Carpenter Ant Damage?

Tell-tale of carpenter ants would be sawdust on floor or surroundings of the tunnels. Carpenter ants do not eat wood; hence, when they bore tunnels through wood, they push out the bits of wood through the holes in the wood which then accumulate in piles.

In the photographs appear to be the typical termite mud tunnels. Termites consume wood and then cover their tunnels with saliva, mud, and fecal matter. The dirt trails you see are called “mud tunnels.”


How can I patch my slab around a rough-in pipe in a difficult to access location?

You can mix a pourable patch for this repair, but I don't recommend it.  That's when you would experience bleed water.  You just wait for it to reabsorb after floating and before finishing.

You would be better served with a moldable but not wet mix that is used for deck mud.  As such, it will pack and smooth down with a wood float, but won't run or bleed.

After floating, let it rest 10-15 min or until a thumb press has some resistance (as opposed to sinking).  Then use steel trowels for a smooth finish.

Be sure to dampen the edges of the cut slab and spritz the gravel (check for an intact vapor barrier under the gravel, you might add one if missing).


Is it safe to simply replace a heating element in an electric water heater?

Possibly, but without seeing the extent of the damage no one will be able to tell for sure.

Given that you have already replaced the element I'd keep a close eye on the heater for a few days to make sure that there are no problems.

Did you clean everything and check for further damage before you reassembled the heater?


6" Ducting straight to in-wall rectangular ducting

I'd just get a length of rectangular 3-1/4 x 10 duct, capped on both ends, and connect to it low and high with starting collars. Seal things up nicely with silicone caulk or foil tape.

                           _____
                         ||     || <-- end cap
                        __|     |
                          .     |
starting collar in -->    .     | <-- box duct
                        __.     |
                          |     |
                          |     |
                          |     |
                          |     |__
                          |     .
                          |     .   <-- starting collar out
                          |     .__
                          |     |
                         ||_____||


How do I cut a beveled fence post cap on already installed fence posts?

I use 2 large C clamps to hold a board in place. You can screw a guide board to the post if you don't have large C clamps. Then use a circular saw with the blade adjusted to the angle you want. By using a board the cut will be straight. Then move the board to the next side and repeat. There will be small screw holes in the post if you use screws but I have done this in a pinch when I did not have my clamps handy.


New home has 240v Nema 14-30R for Electric Dryer I have A gas dryer Needing Nema 5-15R

If the 120V receptacle is a simplex (single) receptacle just replace it with a duplex. You can share it with the washer. This assumes the cord from the dryer will reach.

If you are unsure of how to do this please comment back.


removing glue from felt pads on chair legs

If the glue is still tacky at all (or ever was), Laquer Thinner or "Goof Off" may be a good solvent.  If the glue is a hard type glue such as Elmer's or a Wood glue, your best bet is to try to chip off as much as possible with a sharp pocket knife. Then a block sander or electric sander may work OK for the rest.  Or if you have access to a flat bastard file ($4.99 or so at Sears Hardware or Home Depot, Lowe's, etc..), then you can really put some muscle into it.


How do you keep vertical siding on a house from leaking?

Ed's suggestion is fine. Another option is to assume it will leak and built to allow it to happen as a rain screen wall.

A rain screen wall has a waterproof interior, an air gap, then the exterior siding. Any water getting behind the siding can air dry within this gap.


How do I hang drywall where the wood is uneven?

Went through this recently myself.

I'd try to limit the joist-to-joist out-of-flatness to 1/8" or less.  If it's an obvious part of the ceiling, try for 1/16".

Get a long straightedge and a pile of drywall shims.  High joists are pretty easy: add shims to bring them down to flat with the others.  Low joists require you to build up the adjacent joists gradually over a few joists to meet that 1/8" (or 1/16").

I attach the shims with staples, but many people like to glue ceiling wallboard in place, to prevent dimples at the screws/nails in the future. If this includes you, then the shims should also be securely glued.

Once you get the drywall up you can somewhat correct ridges and valleys with a repeated skim coats of joint compound.  However, it's difficult, messy, and much easier to fix the framing first.

36" Drywall Shims: (menards.com)


How should I go about installing a 12 volt DC residential circuit?

What you're describing is basically what you'll find in an RV. However, it's not likely to be as useful as you might wish.

The "12V" in the name of a lead-acid battery is nominal. The actual voltage might vary between 10V and 15V. Most electronics can't tolerate that kind of variation. Audio components can suffer from ground loops. Even though many devices in our homes run on DC today, AC is still a good choice for power distribution.

In an RV, most of the 12V goes to lighting and fan motors, which simply get brighter/darker or faster/slower, within that range of voltage. The variation may not be ideal, but it still works.

Since your voltage is 1/10th that of conventional house wiring, your current will be 10x as much. That means the conductors will need to be much thicker - more copper, and more expensive.

Once you have both 120VAC and 12VCD in your house, it's annoying to switch back and forth between 120VAC and 12VDC. Whatever you set up, consider a 12V converter for when you have shore/grid power, so your 12VDC devices can be used all the time.

A widely-used standard for DC outlets is the "cigarette lighter" plug. If you install them in your walls, I recommend labeling each one with the max current.

Be sure to put fuses on each circuit, at your distribution block. And a master fuse as close to the battery as possible.

When a lead-acid battery charges, it releases hydrogen gas. If you're going to put that system indoors, you need ventilation to clear the gas, and prevent an explosion. Alternately, you can use sealed lead-acid batteries ("SLA"), but they're more expensive.

Be very careful to keep your two wiring systems separate. Don't ever run them in the same conduit or junction box. Labels on the low-voltage will help avoid mixups in the future.

The cheapest, simplest, most reliable way to provide emergency backup power to a home is a generator with a transfer switch. Even RVs with batteries and solar panels will have a generator.


Hot water stops flowing after clunking noise

It sounds like it could be the cartridge slipping off the shaft and closing off the water supply.  Not at all sure on this, but be worth removing the cartridge or taking a look at the washer/ O ring carrier.  If this is a newer fixture, you can buy a new cartridge, if older and the shaft is broken or stripped, it may be time for a new faucet set.  The only way to really know is to open it up and take a look.  Make sure to turn off the water supply first!


Drop height from Exterior door to driveway

I guess the inspector does not believe in handicap access. Aside from that, 7 3/4" is the maximum height of any step. When given the choice, I always keep the outside surface lower than the interior by about 4". This is for snow build up, just something I always did.


How can I best create a motorcycle tie-down point on or through my cedar fence?

I like the buried chain idea. In fact, you don't even need to use cinder blocks. They make 'earth screws' which are large auger-looking thing that you literally screw into the earth. Typically used as playset tie-downs or party-tent tie downs.

Alternatively, maybe attach a bar to one of the fence posts. I'm thinking one of the stainless hand-bars you'd normally mount in a shower. It's one piece, shouldn't rust, and would look OK.


You should be able to tell from the number and size (rating) of the fuses/trip switches in the consumer unit.

The mains circuit should have a higher rating than the lighting - 30A/32A (UK/EU) vs 10A/15A for the lighting. So you should have 2 32A circuits, 2 15A and a separate 32A with thicker 6 mm core wire for an electric cooker or shower.

Source

To test which is which turn off any sensitive equipment (computers etc.) and plug in a desk lamp to one of the sockets. Remove a fuse or flip the switch. Then test to see if the light works. Repeat for all the sockets until you've identified which are connected to this circuit.

Repeat for the other fuse/breaker.

If in doubt consult an electrician.


Do you know how I can tell why I have two hot wires?

You have the right idea that a neutral may be open.
This is common with back stabs (the push in connectors on outlets)   I start closest to the service panel checking receptacles. Looking for the first one on that circuit  that gives the problem. Check that and if it is good back up to the last working one if things start working and there were backstabs they will fail again. Many of us never use backstabs and recommend the screw terminals or replace with new receptacles. There can also be a broken wire or a loose wire in a wire nut but the most common failure is the backstab from no visible damage and they start working when checked to the wire burned off and part of the receptacle melted.
So find the first failed one or the last working one and it will be in one of those 2 locations.


How to seal a unused thimble in exhaust chimney

I think you can but I also think you are going to loose this fight.  Do what the inspector says.  Life will go easier for you.  If in the future, someone wants to install a wood stove in that spot, it is not that hard to re-chink a hole. (BTW the oil furnace probably should be vented through a chimney liner.  And any future wood stove will probable be required to have its own flue-way.)


How do I restore paintbrushes ruined by dried latex paint?

I use a product by "Clean Strip" called roller and brush cleaner. It usually works well even on badly hardened paints.  Word of caution however, try to use it outdoors as it really has a lot of very offensive fumes. Also wear plastic gloves as this stuff will burn your hands. Heed all the warnings on the can, this is nasty stuff, but works well.


Ceiling fan light will not turn off using pull cord

Check for a wall switch that may have been overlooked. Also check for a remote that may control the light. Check with a voltage meter the power wire to the light (usually Blue or Black) is energized. Check the pull switch with Ohms setting to verify continuity.


Insulating basement - foam walls or pour floor first?

Unless you plan on allowing your basement slab to experience extreme temperature swings, expansion isn't really an issue.

It's common to create thermal breaks where beneficial to energy efficiency, but that could simply be a strip of 3/4" foam around the bottom. You don't say how thick your wall insulation will be, but that's probably too much of a gap for the slab.


It looks like a vintage roller catch, similar to this:


There are many ways to do this and which of them to choose depends on many things including what tools are available and the skill of the person using the tools.

Back when I was a carpenter I would choose to use a reciprocating saw but this takes a decent level of skill to use to both get a good cut and also not hurt yourself. Upside, will cut through nails.

Alternately, you could use a good pull saw and do it by hand. This is more effort and slower, but the slowness will work in your favor because it will allow you to focus more on the cut than the tool. Downside, any nails will ruin the saw.


What type of material is my countertop made of and how should I clean/maintain it?

It is going to hard to tell precisely what type of surface you have. Too many man made look a likes out there.

But to guess, and that is all it will be, that it is a flamed surface granite. I have seen it used in lieu of natural cleft slate which has a great look, but terrible for counter tops. Granite could be sealed, but it does not take it very well, it is just really dense. If it is Quartz, then typically that is man made and does not need to be sealed. The resins bonding the quartz together provides that function.

I have seen, when sealer is applied too heavily and not wiped off well enough, that it will turn white from moisture, otherwise where untreated stone or other material will not. I would consider using a stripper of some sort for your sealer you are using, let it set and see if the white goes away, if you can get it down to bare stone again.

The area around the faucets is my clue as to what is going on, since those tight spaces are hard to access for getting excess sealer up.

As a mention, if it is Corian, it definitely does not need sealer. Nevamar is a Corian competitor, same thing. Silestone and Ceasarstone among many others, are quartz providers. So if you get a chance to look in your records, if you can find them when they installed, will give you and us a better idea on how to proceed.

And yet another mention, about the chip on the corner, there are epoxies specific for these types of tops, as well as colorants to make that chip disappear. If you got a stone top installer over for a visit, they could fix that for you in a jiff. Besides tell you what the material is that you have...


Definitely mold.  Yes you can clean it off - use a mixture of bleach and water.

I would however be concerned with the original cause. If you don't fix this, it will just happen all over again.


Do I have emergency heat? Why is my compressor making crazy noises?

When it gets extremely cold outside air to air heat pumps don't work very well.

That is why they are usually set up with auxiliary resistive heating coils. Referring to it as "emergency" heat is a little over the top since you will probably have to use it often in the deep winter.

Just turn the auxiliay heeting on and see if your compressor quiets down.


Must I replace drywall after very small fire?

No you should not have to replace the drywall if the paper is not burned. Drywall is a fire barrier and can withstand high heat for short periods without losing strength or integraty. I would clean it well first repair the patch and use a good primer like Kilz and repaint.


What size wire for 70 amp sub-panel to garage?

#3 copper will provide 70 amps at 240v with a 2.74% voltage drop or #1 aluminum at 2.83% drop at 200 feet.

Source


Should I be concerned about my house settling?

I'm not 100% clear as to whether you bought the house with the cracks and the popped out nails, or whether it has happened since you bought the place. If it has happened since you bought the place then I would be concerned and have it looked into. If it was like that when you bought it the damage could have been there for decades, there's no way to know for sure unless you can speak to the former owner.

I'm assuming you've done this or you have a slab foundation, but if you have access to the foundation like a crawlspace or a basement have a look to see if there's any evidence of settling. Try and mark off the cracks and the positions of the nails in ways you can later go back and check for movement. Use a ruler to draw a pencil line perpendicular to the cracks every inch or so, and use a grease pencil for the nails, or a permanent marker. Keep an eye on them every few weeks and see what happens.


What kind of electrical outlet is this? Red, winking-face shape

The formal technical term is Ms. Winky (sockets are female)...

That is a NEMA 6-20. It provides 240V at up to 16 amps continuous.  The fuses must be 20A, that is the only size allowed here.

As a general rule, you can never give yourself more power by up-sizing fuses or breakers, so put that idea right out of your head and never consider it again.  It's not like we randomly use excessively large wires for no reason.  Fuses and breakers are already the max the wires will allow.

There is no neutral here, which means you cannot derive 120V except with a transformer.  You cannot take neutral from anywhere else for a variety of reasons.  However if the cable supplying this outlet also includes a (capped off) neutral, or if the wires reach this outlet via conduit, an upgrade is possible - ask.

Also as a general rule, any load that requires 25A @ 120V (3000W) is very stupid.  That's not how power is done in North America.  Common receptacle circuits are 15-20A.  The vast majority are 120V (permitting 1440-1920W maximum (80% is the max for a plug-in appliance).  However, 240V is well supported, giving 2880-3840W maximum.  Therefore: Any appliance that needs 3000W would be manufactured to use 240V.

You are keeping your load a secret, so we have to guess. You say it needs 25 amps (3000W).  If it is an array of PCs or other load that is capable of running 120V or 240V, then you are in luck.  You can get 4800W (3840W continuous) out of this receptacle.  Just get a NEMA 6-15 power strip and cords and you're off to the races (6-15 is more readily available than 6-20).

If your load absolutely requires 120V, then buy a different thing, or  get an isolation transformer (not a stepdown transformer) of appropriate size.


Would my fridge wear or be damaged when I unplug it for a week?

Warning: A refrigerator unplugged with the door closed will become a factory of disgusting mold.

The cure is to leave the door open.  However, it is impossible to keep other people from closing the door the moment they see it open.

We have 4 fridges at a lodge, which we unplug to save electricity.   Every single time I unplug a fridge and block the door open, I return to find the door closed and the inside of the fridge a disgusting nightmare.  When I have asked these people "why mess with it", they said either habit, or that it was sticking out, or that it merely offended their sense of order.

Electromechanically, the fridge won't care.  It will save ocmpressor wear, and also energy (though not as much as you think on a newer Energy Star model..)

In fact, the off-grid solar folks have stopped recommending super custom 12V fridges with 6” thick foam walls, and just say to choose well among the readily available Energy Star models,  and run it off an inverter.


Is it a legal requirement / building regulation to have a stopcock within a property?

If it is a requirement to have independent control of the water supply now then it won't be applied retrospectively unless and until you have some work done on the water supply.

The first thing you should do is arrange with your neighbour a mutually convenient time to fit individual stop cocks. Then when this is done you can then arrange with the water company to fit the water meter.

Having said that, we have a house built in the 1890's that has it's own stop cock so it might be that you just haven't found it yet. Have you checked close to the house?

Another possibility is that the stop cock has been buried in a floor. This was the case in our previous house where the kitchen floor had been relaid and the stop cock - which was just below floor level inside the house - had been partially buried.


No, the 30A breaker is not allowed to protect 12-2 [see NEC 240.6 (D)]. One option is to swap out the 30 amp breaker with a 20 amp breaker. Then you would be okay as it sounds like you only want to run some lights and 110 receptacles. The larger wire is good for 30 amps, but you have to protect the 12AWG with a 20. On the bright side, it is very helpful to have that larger 10-2 wire to cover the voltage drop that would otherwise occur over the distance you mentioned. Another option would be to set a fuse box at the end of the 10-2 cable there in the storage building with a 20 amp fuse to protect your branch circuit. That, however, means the 30 amp breaker and wire converts from being a branch circuit to a feeder and you'll have to drive a ground rod at the outbuilding [NEC 250.32(A) with respect to the exception as well].


Is there a way to get an oil stain off painted drywall?

If it is a lot of oil you may need more than paint.  I would go over the area with something like drylok and let it sit for a week or two.  If nothing comes through then just repaint over the drylok.  If you see any sort of oil coming through - even a tiny bit - then I would skimcoat the area with drywall mud.  Then repaint after that.  I have personally tried to repaint over oil stains totally wasted my time, noticing the same oil coming through a few days later on new paint job.  I am sure this has to do with what kind of oil, how much, and the paints you use (oil based paint will hid this better than latex).


Purpose of Fill Valve Tube Going into Overflow Drain

That tube provides water to refill the bowl. Without it, you'd only refill the tank.


A block plane will work up to a point. Use it parallel with the grain, and in the direction that the wood grain is rising (since no grain is perfectly parallel) to avoid tear-out. They make some wood planes without sides, which can be useful for corners, but may risk tear out for your purposes.

Instead, the design with a blade near the very front may be the best for this task:

With each of these, you'll eventually need to carefully chisel out the corner.


What tool and technique do I use to achieve this finish in plaster?

I just got an answer by email from the owner of a company in France that specializes in artisanal plaster work. He recognizes it as a very thin lime-plaster that was applied with a bundle of leaves like these:

with a whipping motion. He calls this type of finish an enduit fouetté which translates as whipped lime-plaster. He suggests that we mix a very thin lime plaster and use a bundle made of olive leaves to achieve this finish.

Here is a pretty good explanation of how these enduits fouettés are prepared and applied (including some videos). I don't see my exact pattern, but some of them come pretty close.


You don't need a UHD projector - you could probably use one or more "discarded or for sale cheap as not new enough" projectors at HD or lower resolution. This sort of thing seems quite common (if tacky, to my taste) in modern art installations for the sort of effect you seek - best example I recall as closest to yours was raindrop ripples all over the floor, and I happened to recognize the 1080P projectors they were using.

As for water ripples (specifically), any point light source (need not be a projector - some LEDs would work well), a (clear) tank of water, and a ripple generator of some sort. We used to do this with overhead projectors and a 12x12x1 inch tank to illustrate waves in physics classes. Bounce off mirrors if you need it anywhere other than under the projector, gravity is uncompromising when it comes to water.

But do realize that when looking at movies these days, most of the effects are added in post-production and never got any more realistic than numbers in a computer. So what you see and how it appears that they did it are generally unrelated.


LEDs stay on (very dim) when switch is off

We see this a lot.  "I don't have a dimmer" -> some oddly reluctant exploration eventually reveals they have some other device with the same effect.

the light kit has its own remote-control switch -- you just answered that yourself.  That remote control switch isn't fully turning the light off.   Since you mention LED strip and remote in kit, I assume this is one of those very common LED strip controllers that lets you select 33 colors, rolling colors, all that.  The kind that costs $6 on eBay, which explains everything.

Those controllers' real purpose is dimming/color control.  They could be built to provide a hard off, but clearly this one isn't, and in any case, the DC power supply is still on.

It really needs a separate hard switch, and not be left on 24x7.  Many of these products are cheap in a way only one nation can do, and you don't want one of these running unattended, catching on fire and filling your house with toxic smoke.

Since the other light is also an LED strip, you may be up against the same problem, just in a different way.  If you start measuring various points for AC and DC voltage, bet you'll find voltage past a point where you shouldn't.


Run mini-split heat pump heads at different temperatures

It's complete BS. If that was actually a problem, then the system wouldn't let you do that.


Using the outlet on an electrical stove for small appliances

The reason it is safe to plug small appliances into these kinds of outlets is because the wiring is enclosed in the frame of the stove and possibly high tempature rated insulation there is only 1 15amp outlet. The house wires are sized to protect the insulation as the wire can actually handle more than 5x the max code value but the insulation starts melting. Your house is wired with many plugs in parallel. As far as these devices needing to be on a 20 amp circuit this is not true almost no appliances require a 20 amp circuit and if they do 1 blade will be 90 degrees. From normal 15 amp plug so it can not be plugged into a 15 amp outlet. Current code requires 2 20 amp small appliance circuits, the reason for this was to reduce over loading with multiple appliances being used at the same time.


JQX-115F relay switch triggers when moved. Is it faulty?

From your comment, it seems most likely that one or more of the solder joints that connects the green terminal block on the right to the PCB is dry, cracked or is somehow otherwise failing. Strain on the PCB connections from the wires pulling on the terminal block is the likely cause.


Why are hanging icicles on my home yellow?

Most likely the water is absorbing stain from the new shingles.

This will change over time as the new shingles weather.


It looks like you plan on using the pull chain.  If that’s the case I think you need a black wire from the fixture to the black marette and a white wire from the fixture to the white marette. If there is a terminal on the fixture for ground you would join it to the other grounds as well which I think have their own marette if I’m looking at that picture correctly. There are several experienced people involved with this conversation who you should consult with first, but I believe it’s the easy answer.


a tree company
That's the key. When you hire a company, you get insurance information from that company. Ask for it. If they are reputable, they will gladly email it to you to seal the deal. I've done this a number of times. Any employees will be covered under the company's insurance policy.
(May vary outside the US, but you said Florida.)


Why does my utility sink faucet vibrate and pound loudly?

Although the faucet looks to be an older style faucet it looks to me more like a model that is currently still in production and still available. Based not only on the photo but also on the video.

That faucet has a cartridge instead of a stem valve like older faucets might have. Could be as simple as something stuck in the cartridge or the cartridge has worn out.

The first thing I would do is try and swap the hot and cold water cartridges to see if the noise follows the cartridge. If it does, replace the cartridge.

If that's not the problem make sure everything is tightened down properly where the spout meets the faucet body and check that all the fasteners for the piping are secure.

There are a couple of manufacturers that make that style of faucet which you'll need to contact for a replacement cartridge. Home Depot currently has one from Glacier Bay which would be my first guess since they've been around a while. Here's a link to the faucet on HomeDepot.com for reference.


Trying to fix a leaky faucet, structure was not I expected after removing the knobs

The base in the first photo will unscrew (counterclockwise). It will have to be removed in order to free the faucet base so it can drop through to the bottom. Check the base first for a recessed (set) screw that may keep it from loosening. Set screw can be loosened with a hex or slot driver.  The faucet base may not unscrew easily. In which case you should use either an  adjustable pair of pliers, pipe wrench or vise grip pliers. To prevent damaging the surface of the chrome base you can: wrap the jaws of the pliers with duct tape, wrap a rag around the base or do both.


Aprilaire 700 install no outlet for 120vac hookup?

Alright -- while that box looks pretty stuffed, best I can tell, it has enough room for a couple more wires (being a big ol' 4-square with a mudring to boot).  If you can get an EMT conduit run from where that box is to where you're sticking your humidifier (half-inch'll do quite nicely as all you're shoving through it are 2 14AWGs) and some black (or some other color than white, grey, or green) and white 14AWG THHN run through it, you're 90% of the way there.

From there, just get a self-grounding, single, 15A receptacle (not a duplex receptacle) and whack it in a surface mounted single gang "handy box" attached to the wall -- black to brass, white to silver, and let the EMT be your ground.  In the ceiling box, with the power off of course, cut the orange wire in two, strip the ends, pull some slack out on the orange wires, connect your new black to the cut ends  of the orange wires, and connect the new white in with the big bundle of white wires. Once everything's hooked up, flip the power back on, and you're good to go.

This arrangement is allowed by 422.12 Exception 1:

  422.12 Central Heating Equipment. Central heating
  equipment other than fixed electric space-heating equipment shall be supplied by an individual branch circuit.

  Exception No. 1: Auxiliary equipment, such as a pump,
  valve, humidifier, or electrostatic air cleaner directly associated with the heating equipment, shall be permitted to be
  connected to the same branch circuit.

  Exception No.2: Permanently connected air-conditioning
  equipment shall be permitted to be connected to the same
  branch circuit.


5W COB led recessed light on a parallel circuit having different Brightness

Look at the label on the 'power supply' which came with each of those LEDs.
There's a reason its's called an "LED Driver" and not a "Power Supply".
That box supplies a constant Current to the LED, not a constant Voltage because LED brightness depends on Current, not Voltage.
LEDs are 'non-ohmic' devices which means they don't follow a linear voltage/current relationship like an old incandescent light bulb.

Measuring the output voltage of one of these drivers with no LED connected will only tell you what the maximum voltage is that it can provide with no load - not what it will provide when it's actually driving an LED at its rated current.
Measuring the voltage with an LED connected will tell you what the characteristics of that one particular LED are and should not be extrapolated to other LEDs.

By applying a constant voltage to your LEDs and not controlling or limiting the current (other than the 6A overall limit of your new power supply), it's entirely possible that you've already damaged some or all of them.

Remove your 24V 6A power supply, put the original LED Drivers back on, and hope the LEDs still work ...

The only reliable way to run these LEDs off a single LED Driver is to connect them all in series (not parallel) so that they all have the same current flowing through them (and therefore the same brightness).
The single LED Driver will need to be able to supply a voltage of at least 7 x each LED's nominal voltage (because the voltages add up when they're in series).


How do I install can-less down lights in new construction?

It's pretty straightforward.  These lights require a junction box, but they provide it.  The junction box includes the driver for the LEDs.  The spur cable going from the "j-box" to the LED itself is low voltage DC.

You can see the j-box on the right here, and there's a closeup showing the color temperature switch.

The "j-box" and LED head are mates; you can swap LEDs among J-boxes, but cannot just throw the "j-box" in the trash and connect 120VAC straight into the LED cable. Won't work.

You are meant to be able to access this junction box by unmounting it (if your jurisdiction requires mounting it) and pulling the "j-box" down through the LED hole so you can get your hands on the wires.  Weird, but shrug UL approved it that way.


How do I cover large gaps of floor from wall with baseboard?

The easy way to cover the gap is to use your same flooring material. In this case the laminate flooring would be cut in a strip to fit the gap. Measure the gap width every 16 or 24 inches and transfer that to a flooring piece minus the normal wall gap clearance. Then cut the strip along a line through the measurements points and fit the piece in place.

Any kind of other strange scheme you come up with to avoid making the long strip is going to look terrible.


Yes, you need that - it's plumbing code in most areas. It's an air vent which prevents forming a siphon from the sink into the dishwasher.

The most widely used term seems to be "Air Gap" though you will get better results with "dishwasher air gap"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_gap_(plumbing)

If you remodeled your kitchen to provide a dedicated, vented in the wall, drain for the dishwasher, you would not need it, as the vent in the wall would serve the same purpose.


How can I repair a loose T joint connecting pipes under my kitchen sink?

Those are simple "slip-joint" connections.

Judging from the angle of the lower pipe assembly (the tee, and trap parts) it appears that you may have a loose connection downstream at the wall as well, or it would not have swiveled down and away like the picture shows.

You can fix this yourself. Unscrew the nut at the top of the tee, there will be a plastic or rubber slip-joint washer under the nut. Slide the nut way up onto the black disposer elbow, followed by the washer. Carefully swivel the tee up until the disposer elbow is well inside the top of the tee, then slide the nut and washer down until you can thread the nut into place.

Contrary to some people's opinion, these are not "hand tight" connections. Tighten all the slip-joint nuts under that sink with a wrench (I use Channel-Locks). Do not "pinch" the nuts when tightening or you could break or crush them. Do not overtighten them by impersonating Arnold Swartzenegger either. Check for leaks, sometimes the washers need to be replaced if they are damaged or stiff.

Now get some ice for where you bumped your head and have your partner rub your sore back while you have a well deserved beer.


What is the best width router bit for cutting ply?

Rough out the cut with a jig saw (or band saw), followed by a router with a small-diameter large-shank bit for a smooth finish.


What size conduit should I use for Coaxial and Ethernet?

After a quick google search, I've estimated the dimensions of the cables as follows:

RG6 - diameter = 0.33", area = 0.08552 sq.in.
CAT6 = diameter = 0.25", area = 0.0491 sq. in.

So to run just these two cables, you're going to need 3/4" conduit (based on NEC Chapter 9 Tables). If you run two of each cable (4 total cables), you'll need 1" conduit. Three of each (6 total cables), you'll need 1 1/4" conduit.


When using fiberglass insulation, the conditioned space needs be air-sealed.  This eliminates drafts, losing heat, and reducing the amount of moisture going through the insulation.  This is why they recommend caulking all light fixtures on the top story of a home.  I am sure that using the paper-backed batts would help create a seal of some sort and offer some R-value, but you would be losing heat through all the little gaps between the joists and the batts.  Would stapling plastic up be possible?
Warmer air is going to rise and make its way to the attic space.  The air under the roof sheathing needs to remain cold, or ice dams is a real concern.  Are you planning on heating this area?  If so, the air leaving the attic space needs a way to be replaced by COLD air, not by pulling warm moist air from below.
I have my garage door and walls insulated, but not the ceiling.  I run a 240 volt heater in it so that I can play my golf simulator in the winters, here in Ohio.  I don't have any issues with moisture on the walls or ceiling and the attic above has soffit vents to allow cold air to get pulled into that space.  I plan on insulating the ceiling as well.
If you run a heater that burns a fuel, it will produce water vapor.  I advise against that.  I find that my garage is 20 degrees warmer than the outside temperature as the heat from the one interior wall migrates into the space.  I would not doubt if insulating the ceiling would add another 10 degrees.
If I were in your position, I would use the paper faced insulation and an electric heater while I worked out.  Just keep an eye on the moisture in the air.  If you have an issue, you will see it condense on the walls or the facing of the insulation.


Unfortunately I must agree that the entire assembly should be replaced. You will need a completely new "waste and overflow kit". I have encountered similar situations and was able to repair it without removing the tub. It won't be easy, but if you enlarge the hole in the drywall enough to give you more room, you can probably fix it without removing the tub or additional concrete.

Both leaking areas will cause significant problems if not repaired correctly, and I have to say I have never seen a tub shoe that was sliced and offset in that manner. Good luck.


How long you can keep gas furnance heater bypassing thermostat

The furnace will be safe running for any extended period of time as long as the only problem is the thermostat. The only question is how much heat and temperature can you take, since the living space will get very hot with nothing controlling the temperature. If it were me, I would get the house warm and shut it off and go to sleep. If it gets cold overnight you can get up and reheat the house.


What size breaker and wire do I need for a subpanel in my shed?

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. It's tough to beat a 60 ampere sub-panel. You might be able to get by with a 40 amp setup, but it's always nice to have future expansion possibilities.

At 90 ft., you're probably okay to use 6 AWG copper, or 4 AWG aluminum conductors. You'll have to pull four conductors, either through conduit or via a cable.

Since it's a separate structure, you'll need a grounding electrode system. Which you'll have to bond the grounding conductor from the feeder, and the grounding conductors within the building to. You'll keep the neutral conductors isolated from the grounding conductors, which will likely mean removing a bonding jumper within the panel.


All homes have variation in heat loss. Yours seems to correspond with the soffit vents. It could just be that the additional airflow in that area leads to more melting in marginally cold weather. It doesn't take much heat to melt snow on a 35 degree day.

It could also be that there's another vent directed through the soffit vent. It's all guesswork until you inspect the attic, but I see no reason to be alarmed.


Does the NEC require armored cable in kitchen islands?

The relevant NEC is 334.15B

  (B) Protection from Physical Damage. Cable shall be protected from physical damage where necessary by rigid metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit, electrical metallic tubing, Schedule 80 PVC conduit, Type RTRC marked with the suffic -XW, or other approved means

This is more of a "It's a really good idea if you do this" area (with regards to the island). It depends a LOT on the design of the island itself. I've seen BX wires that were overkill and I've seen NM wires that were unsafe the way they were routed.

What I would do is find an electrician who isn't in the Always BX camp. Look at the design with them and figure out if there's anything that could cause damage to the wire. If it's always going to be in an inside corner, the risk is low enough you could get away with NM (and I would say most islands could). If the wire will have to run tight to, say, metal tracks for a drawer (where it could make contact), then run BX to be safe.


Can I reuse lightly used oil when I change an oil filter?

This is more of an opinion based question rather than a "how do I do this" question.  Opinion based questions are discouraged here.  But I'm going to answer anyway and this is just my opinion.  The new oil got slightly contaminated by the old oil left in the filter. In the distant past it was a common practice to change the oil filter with every other oil change (cars and trucks) .  Some ppl did that, others replaced the filter every time. You should be fine re-using the drained oil with a new filter, but if you are really worried about, what is the cost of a the oil? It can't be too much for a lawn mower, so if it gives you peace of mind to get fresh oil and it only costs $10-$15, go for it.  That's pretty inexpensive to get peace of mind these days.


How does a contractor determine the water performance rating needed for a sliding glass door?

Generally speaking, there is no formal guide to choosing a door. However, a thoughtful contractor would have considered the potential for heavy rain and wind-driven rain (especially the direction weather comes from) when choosing a door. That said, it sounds like you did approve the materials, so this is partly on you.

Short of replacing the sill (which is tough), my best suggestion is to attach an additional piece at the bottom of the door that will slow driven rain down. This can either be a drip cap, a sweep, or a combination. Look at google images for "CR Laurence Door Rain Drips", for example.

Note that there might be factors that haven't come up that drove the choice: some homes don't allow a sill like that to be dropped enough that the lip at the interior isn't a trip hazard. Cost/timing may have played a role (ie, high lip = special order = $$$/slow delivery).


By definition an extension cord is a flexible cord and is covered under NEC Chapter 400. NEC 400 will tell you a flexible cord is not approved as a permanent wiring system. In the strictest interpretation of the NEC the minute you secure a flexible cord to a dwelling with just one staple or other permanent method, it becomes part of the permanent wiring system.

So NO you can't use an extension cord to connect to your light fixture as you have described.

You can only use a permanent wiring system that is approved for running in an exposed area and all of those methods and materials can be found in NEC Chapter 300.

No need to answer the related question.

Good luck.


Is continuous exhaust from basement level closet a good idea?

If there is no water source explaining the moisture in the closet, and your basement has a vapor barrier, it is possible that the moisture source is airborne.
The closet may be sufficiently cold and the air in the rest of your house may be sufficiently humid that psychrometrics causes the relative humidity in the closet to be high enough to grow mold.
if the cause is psychrometric...
Installing a continuous fan that exhausts outdoors would help only insofar as the increased airflow is able to maintain a higher closet air temperature than before.  If the makeup air flowing into the closet is warm and dry enough, you might solve the problem.
Perhaps a better solution is to insulate the closet to bring it closer to the temperature in the rest of your home.
You probably should get some wet and dry bulb thermometers and learn how to read a psychrometric chart, then run some basic experiments.  Once you wrap your mind around the psychrometrics at work in your case it should be obvious whether they are the cause, and if so, what you could do about it.


How about a "T Nut"?

Drill a hole for the central threaded part, then knock it in so the teeth grip & hold.


Why would angle grinder cutting wheels of the same diameter have different thickness?

Quoting from the Norton Catalog:

.035, .040, .045, .060 Where fast cutting and low kerf loss are
desired
.090, .125 For tough cutting and notching applications where
stability is important

I would also expect that longevity plays into the equation for industrial applications (not something a DIY-er needs to care about)


How can I prevent ground wire buzz in my wiring?

Yeah, recording gear + gypsy electrical is a recipe for more kinds of disaster than just buzzing.

On the other hand, a carefully set-up system can provide for all your needs with both safety and capacity, even with existing wires.  Mostly it's a matter of getting details right, not expensive gadgets.

First, a "tree" topology with several branches is a normal way to wire a circuit.  When trimming back the excess electrical branches, no need to tear the wire out, you may regret it later. Just disconnect it inside the box, cap it off with a smallish wire nut, and wrap it with electrical tape so the cap doesn't fall off.   Anyway, unused branches won't cause buzz.

Second, check out the grounding system.  look for 2 features:

a ground wire run all the way back to the main panel, to protect you from electrical faults, and if your wiring doesn't have that, that's a problem but we can fix it definitively for about $200.
a grounding rod, to protect your gear from lightning, static electricity etc.  It is optional if there's no breaker panel.

Safety Options

Now if your system is not grounded, the first safety feature you really will want is a GFCI protection device, and I want you to use a deadface unit.  Why? It forces you to pause to understand how GFCI's actually work, which means you'll be able to protect the whole place with one of them ($25) instead of several.

A GFCI won't help with hum but it'll do worlds of good for safety.

The extreme option

I don't normally go to this option so quickly, but an isolation transformer was suggested, and why not go whole-hog and lick your grounding problem too, while also upgrading circuit capacity.  Giving a modern, state of the art service.

Instead of a 120-120 isolation transformer, find a 240/480-120/240 supply transformer.  A 5 KVA unit should suffice, and I see them used for $100.    It takes power from the old supply cable, and isolates it, giving 120V or 120/240V at the shed.   Since it's isolated, it doesn't need the ground wire from the house, just the grounding rod.

If your supply is 120V, you can feed that onto one 120V secondary and draw from the other 120V secondary.  Or, you can change the supply to 240V and put that into the primary jumpered for 240V, and draw 120/240 split-phase off it at twice the power.  (you could even punch it up to 480V with a second transformer, if you have a long distance to go.)

Double extreme

As ThreePhaseEel notes, the problem is often your own gear.  But I'll discuss your old fluorescent lights and things like that.   You can get a second supply transformer and use it to supply the non-music loads.  This would put 4 windings between your lights and your music.


Electrical Outlets not working after pressure washing my house

Probably one GFCI protected receptacle outside got water in it. This could trip a GFCI. If it is a GFCI that has tripped, then some GFCI receptacle or GFCI breaker should be in the tripped state. The GFCI receptacle itself may be inside and not gotten wet, but if some outside receptacle on the load side of a GFCI gets wet it can trip the dry GFCI.
You can dry these out by removing just the cover plate of any outside receptacles that could have gotten wetted and blowing dry air such as a hair dryer on low heat high fan. Better might be a leaf blower or shop vac exhaust. Even any vac on suction might work.


What type of fasteners should I use when replacing exterior deck boards?

Decks have been built with screws for the last 30 years where I live. Nails are unheard of for the reason you mentioned. Your local hardware store will have a selection of epoxy-coated or galvanized screws in various colors that will serve you well. 2-1/2" is typical for 5/4 decking, and 3" for 2-by decking.

You can use a standard drill to drive deck screws. You don't need a screw gun, though the auto-depth feature they offer can save time on large projects.


Unable to seat Eaton CH breakers side-by-side in my Eaton CH panel

Try snapping them both in at the same time. I have the same breakers with a Cutler Hammer panel and the breakers need to be seated correctly on the back bar before they will snap into place..


Why does the plumbing for my whole house filter produce a buzzing/humming sound?

If your asking what might be causing the sound the first thing to come to mind is a solenoid controlled valve ,but I don't see any in the photo. It may be that it's further along your plumbing system and out of frame. This is common with pipes as the easily transmit sound and vibrations.
It also may be the water traveling through the pipes which does sometimes sound like a hum. This can be amplified by the pipe itself if it is loose and not secured snugly. Air trapped in the line will also cause noticeable odd sounds, but it will eventually get released when a tap is opened.
Sudden opening of valves can cause noises if the water pressure is high enough.
Plastic pipes are also known for not being able to dampen sounds like heavier (metal) pipes do.
Does the U.V. light make any sounds when working? The metal canister on the right edge of the photo.


Here is what I determined after some research

Some (many) people seemed to think that this was caused by water freezing in the pipe and expanding the tubing but others debunked that because it tends to split the pipe and there would be other evidence of the freezing. I also don't believe that it was a freeze cycle.

Pipe and tubing sizes were set in the early 1900's BUT apparently Westinghouse supplied an 11/16" pipe which was more commonly installed on the west coast but can also be found throughout the country. Some plumbing supply houses carried fittings through the 1980's until they were considered obsolete and unnecessary.

The problem was solved in a couple of ways:

use a swage tool to sweg it out to receive a 1/2" pipe soldered on to it
have couplers made out of copper stock on a lathe


This is why you are not getting helpful answers:

  "the dispenser is leaking water right at the bottom of the door. Not sure exactly where"

Without an idea about the source, location, and nature of the leak it is impossible for anyone to tell you how to fix it. Most assuredly, any attempt will fail unless you pinpoint the leak source.


Heat pump causing high humidity in house when in heating cycle

If your drip tray in the inside unit has standing water this will cause high humidity when heating. Other than this there is no way for a heat pump to generate moisture in heat mode.


What are the differences in the wiring standards between the USA and the UK?

Many, many things.

First up, voltage. For historical reasons just about every domestic installation in the UK uses the same European standard voltage of 230V for every socket. In turn, almost all sockets used indoors are the same size and shape and deliver the same maximum current. (Some farms have three-phase 415V supply, but  I don't think that's often run to the house itself...!)

Just in itself that introduces a whole level of complexity as the higher voltage is much keener on using a human being to find its way to earth.

Secondly, current. UK domestic power sockets are all rated at 13A, whereas in the US there's typically different sockets for different kinds of jobs. However, these sockets are joined in a "ring main" which is typically rated at 32A in total for all the sockets on the ring: so in theory connecting live and neutral on a ring main can deliver 230V * 32A = 7.3kW.

Makes for a nice bang. So it's wise to be careful.

Power in the UK is distributed from the supply company's meter to a "consumer unit" (these days, RCDs and circuit breakers) from whence the ring mains for sockets, lights and heavy equipment are powered. Like sockets, breakers are double-pole. The power company generally only provides a single-phase supply from their meter, it's an offence to tinker with anything upstream of that.

Earth is typically a earth rod (TT), separate earth from the supplier (TN-S) or combined and separate from the supplier (TNC-S) combined with separate connections to the water main (if it's metal) and the gas main.

Most houses have two ring mains, typically upstairs and downstairs, and for convenience most have an upstairs and a downstairs lighting radial circuit. Electric cookers typically and water heaters (immersion heaters) typically get their own circuits rated at 32/40 amp and 20 amp respectively Lighting, the ring mains, and high-current circuits use different sizes of cable and m.c.b's (miniature circuit breaker).

The UK has been described as one of the most heavily fused countries on earth. As the ring main can in theory deliver 32A to the socket, each appliance has its own fuse built into the plug. That, along with the higher voltage and current, is one reason why the UK has such big plugs. These fuses are (these days) clipped into their own holder which can be (reasonably) easily extracted without taking the plug apart; they come in 3A, 5A and 13A sizes.

There's more, much more: bathrooms and other wet areas have their own special restrictions known as a special location, there's regulations about how wires can be joined together, how many sockets can be on a ring, the distance between sockets, the number of spurs permitted, and so on and so on. A three year apprenticeship is a good start, as is careful digestion of the Wiring Regulations BS 7671

What can be done by a DIYer? Notionally buildings regulations have always required a "Competent Person" to do any electrical work. Since the introduction of Part P of building regulations a recognised contractor needs to inspect major work or work in bathrooms and kitchens.


removing bacteria from bathroom and toilet

1/2 cup laundry bleach (5-6% sodium hypochlorite) in 1 gallon of water kills darn near everything. (31 ml/l if you are metric.) If the bleach is more concentrated, use less of it.

Please don't be an idiot and add ammonia, which will result in "everything" including "you" as it reacts to release poison gasses. This information is widely publicized but people seem to keep doing it anyway, thus the warning repeated here. Stick to bleach and water, only. Turn on the ventilation fan or open the window, apply, let it sit for several (5-6) minutes, rinse with plain water.

If bacteria are not the actual cause of your issues this won't help, but it will certainly take care of any bacteria on the surfaces.


How can I make a switch activate two circuits, when both are normally switched independently?

The easiest way is to replace the manual switch with a double-pole switch, such as this example. This allows you to switch two independent circuits with the same switch. Connect the original switch connections to one pole of the switch. connect the other switch pole in parallel with the motion detector (extend the wires connecting to hot and switched-hot at the motion detector to connect to the other switch pole). If the motion detector has built-in wires, you can add the new wires to the existing wirenuts. If the MD has screw terminals, it would be best to add pigtails (short wires) from the MD to new wirenuts and then to the existing and new wires.
If you are unsure which terminals are which on the double-pole switch, try connecting just in place of the old switch. Once you have that working ysing two terminals of the switch, use the other two terminals to for the MD connection.


I decided to fill the hole with something called "duct seal" from my hardware store.  It's like plumber's putty.  I stuffed it in the hole and molded it around the wire.  It seems to seal the hole up pretty well and is supposed to be weather-proof.

In retrospect, I probably should have bought a junction box that has a hole in the back and put it directly over where the wire comes out of the wall.  I noticed that some have caps that can seal unneeded holes but not the model I bought.


How to wire a 3 way switch that was a light fan and now only a light. Way to many may wires in one box, not sure how to connect

Let's get some colored tape, okay?  A 5-pack variety pack is $4-5.
Now, on the lamp, mark the black wire RED. Red is the preferred color for switched-hot, and presumably you want the lamp to be switched.
BLACK is preferred for always-hot.   YELLOW is Harper's preferred color for travelers.
These "preferred" colors are not Code requirements, but holy cow, they make life easier - especially next time you are in the box!
Up at the lamp, cap off the black wire with a small (orange) wire nut - won't be needing it.  Attach lamp white to ceiling white with a wire nut.  Attach lamp red (former black) to ceiling red with a wire nut.  Attach grounds and we're done there.
Now, you have no earthly idea which of the /3 cables goes to the 3-way vs ceiling, do you?   OK.

On the remote 3-way switch, cap off all 3 wires individually. Stuff is about to start getting hot.
Pick ONE of the 3-wire cables in the main switch box. Wire nut its white wire to the "supply" white.  Wire-nut its red wire to "supply" black.   Go turn the breaker back on.
Does the lamp light up?  We got the right cable, woot! We're done.
If not, turn power back off, unhook, and try the last step  with the other 3-wire cable.

Now you have identified the /3 cable going to the ceiling.  In the main box, cap off its black wire, you won't be using it until you sell the house.
Also disconnect the black from red wire that you temporarily nutted for testing.
The remaining /3 cable is the 3-way branch.  On both ends, use yellow tape to re-mark the black and white wires to yellow.  These are travelers and will go on the brass screws of both switches (brass = yellow, get it? :)
Back in the busy switch box, the two red wires are nutted together. These are switched-hot, thus, red.
At this point, in each box, only 1 wire remains unattached.  And the black screw of each 3-way is empty.  Do the obvious. And yer done.


How can I resheathe behind brick fascia without removing the brick?

"Is there a good and code-compliant way -- and barring that, just a good way -- to rectify this situation WITHOUT REMOVING THE BRICK OR INTERNAL STRUCTURE?"

No.

  "I am planning to remove all of the sheetrock and insulation in the affected rooms, cut the brick ties (most of which are rusted anyway) after supporting the fascia from the exterior, slip housewrap between the studs and the fascia, and then slip a sheet of 4x8 1/2" (or less, I think I saw 1/4") of extruded foam sheathing between the studs and the housewrap. The entire thing will be re-anchored and affixed from the outside using CTP Grip Ties or a similar product. This should provide a watertight, sheathed, and even (insufficiently) thermally broken envelope without having to do any tearout work beyond the sheetrock."

Your plan sounds like it could work, (except for the challenge of slipping 4x8 sheets of anything between studs and your bricks).

As a suggestion, I would use diagonal metal strapping for lateral brace across the studs if you are not using structural sheathing (i.e. foam).

See this article (goto page 2) and below image from finehomebuilding.


That is not a professional job. Good thing you have not paid in full. That needs to be removed and redone properly with bull nose and polish the edges of the glass tile so they meet properly and not show such a wide grout joint to cover the edge of the rough cut glass tile. This is something THEY need to do. What I suggest is common practice that is done by professional tile setters. I hope they can do you justice.


popcorn ceiling in old building but ceiling looks new- asbestos worries

There's no way for anyone to say if there's asbestos in it by looking at it. You'd need to get it tested.

Is it a worry? Probably not. It's not friable in this state, so poses no real risk. It's only if you disturb it that it becomes an issue. For the amount you'd have to disturb to mount a projector I'd not lose sleep over it. If you must work with it a little bit, wet it down good before cutting/drilling (spray bottle--cuts down on dust), wear an appropriate mask (make sure it's asbestos rated), and get an appropriate filter for your shop-vac (also asbestos rated).


How can I cut the tiles outside of the cabinet?

You can just cut the tile off at the edge of the cabinet toe board and along cabinet ends. Particularly for vinyl tile as others have suggested. However keep in mind that when you come with new flooring that simply butts up to the edge of the cabinet toe board and along the ends of the cabinets you may then have to add some additional molding over the edge of the new flooring.

This molding would be necessary to hold down the edge of new flooring (particularly important if you are coming with new tile or single sheet vinyl) and it will cover the edge seam for aesthetics.


How do you block cold air flow from an AC vent without blocking the vent?

They do make sheet magnets if your register is steel and not aluminum. Generally they have dampers in the registers for just such a reason. Just a word of caution, the heating and air conditioning system does require a certain amount of air to operate properly. If the system and duct work has all been sized properly then shutting off a small vent will probably not be a problem. But if the ducts are too small to begin with you could run into issues with the cooling coil freezing or liquid refrigerant getting back to the compressor. Or the furnace overheating. It is basically the same problem as a continuously dirty filter.


How do I wire my bathroom fan with a new switch?

You need a 12/3 (black/red/white/ground) cable between the fan and the switch location.
You can no longer use a "switch loop" which is how that "used to be done" with a 12/2 cable, because current codes require a neutral at the switch location.
Black (hot)  to the switch, red (switched hot) from the switch to the fan.


Why is the load circuit on my GFCI outlet dead?

My standard advice on hooking up GFCIs (of any type) is leave the warning tape on the LOAD terminals and hook up the GFCI LINE only.   Then, run the GFCI through its paces.  Make sure it tests and resets definitively.  If it has sockets, make sure you can plug in a (non-ground-faulting) load in and have it work.

Your testing of which was LINE side was correct, since you confirmed one side was LINE.  I would hook up only that cable, and nothing else for now.  Then see where you are.

If you do not get a working GFCI able to power things, then attaching anything to LOAD would be counterproductive.  Don't even think about it, it's not worth the brainwave.

Just make sure you are clear on which side is which.  People do get them confused.


With a proper sized breaker for the feeder you can splice in a junction box, make to use splices that are approved for aluminum wire and a oxide inhibitor like deox or noalox but it can be done at an accessible location like your attic.


A wire brush is too large for these small spots. You would damage the area around it. You do not have to remove the drain.

First clean the whole area with whatever mild abrasive cleaner you have been using. Scrub carefully with cleaning powder and a soft cloth. Get the abrasive powder out of the rust, then dry with a cloth.

Then put a dab of porcelain paint on it as is. Or try to remove the rust with a very abrasive eraser stick (like we used to use with a typewriter) and then put on the paint. The paint color will not match and will show, but it will look better than the rust and the rust will be stopped for a long time.


How can I figure out why my bedroom light won't turn on?

First thing I would do is check the bulb on another verified working fixture. Sometimes even two bulbs are dead so you thought it wasn't the bulb. If not, then:
Next I would see if there was power coming to the wires that connect to the the light fixture.

But note that you need to test the wires going to the fixture, not just the fixture itself. You are ruling out the fixture as the cause of the problem.

If there is power going to the wires connecting to the fixture (with the correct light switch on), then you have found your problem - the light fixture itself.

Third, if power is not going to the wires that attach to the fixture, then you know at least that it is not the problem, or not the only problem (the fixture could also be bad, but you have another problem somewhere else as well if no power is coming to the wires).

So, the third thing I would check is whether there is power coming to the light switch. If there is power going to the wires connected to the switch, then the problem is somewhere between the switch and the light fixture.

If there is not power going to the wires connected to the light switch, but like you said the lights are wired in serial (one after the other), then since there IS power going to the bedroom light like you said, which you mentioned is the fixture before it, and the switch is wired in serial AFTER the bedroom light fixture, then your problem is the wire between the bedroom fixture and the light switch for the porch light; or, perhaps the wire is detached from the previous fixture.

That should be a good starting point. If there are only wires between the light switch and the fixture, and between the light switch and the previous fixture, then one of those wires is bad, if you have gotten to this point in troubleshooting.

If it is not in serial like you said but wired in parallel, then it is a little bit more complicated to find, but it should be pretty intuitive from here and this it a good starting point for you either way.

Update: I made a quick photoshop for you to help visualize. This is of course assuming it is wired in serial like you said in the same manner, but this is effectively how you will go about troubleshooting. Just change it a bit if it's wired differently, but this should answer your question fully.

I put a question mark with an arrow to the points of failure. It could be

the part connected from the previous fixture (could be disconnected, etc.)
the wire to the switch
the switch itself
the wire to the fixture
the fixture itself
the bulb itself

Note 2:

You asked in a comment above how do you test if there is power going to the wires? Well the unsafe but easiest way is simply to attach a wire to the wire to the positive and to the negative and the just put the two wires to a working light bulb (side and bottom of the light bulb) to see if there is power going to it.

Here is a quick photoshop of this hack. Please use common sense and don't shock yourself. If you do this, screw each loose wire on top of the other wire, ON the light switch where it screws onto it. This will prevent the wire from flopping around. Be sure to put electrical tape on the loose end of the wire so they don't hit each other while you/re getting situated and blow the fuse or shock you while hanging.

If it lights up then the wires are fine and it's one of the things between the switch and the porch light. If it doesn't light up then the problem is either the wires or the connection to the previous fixture.

You can also test the voltage with a voltage meter but may not be necessary, although this is the better and safer way.


Water heater inlet corrosion after 4 years? Installer claims they did everything right

My educated guess without being there is that the flex connector joint was not installed correctly or is just leaking. I never liked this type of installation since it was made for the novice and not a professional. I always used hard copper and a non-lead solder containing silver. I also never used galvanized piping, just brass fittings and copper tubing. Whoever installed this did a sloppy, non-professional job.


What are these things that look kind of like sprinklers in my ceiling?

Shape, location, and wiring but not pipe strongly suggest that they are heat detectors - part of a fire alarm system (whether or not that's an active alarm system, you get to find out somehow.)
Modern ones tend to be "sleeker" and combined with smoke detectors, but this is a fairly common form for older ones.
They are useful for locations that have nuisance smoke but real fire potential, and also I'd guess were commonly available earlier than smoke detectors were.


"European" to US screw nomenclature mapping (and reverse)

These are metric sizes.
4.8mm is a mighty peculiar size - usually they go in for round numbers.  4.8mm is 0.19 inches.
ASME #10 screws are 0.19 inches diameter.
These are #10 wood screws.
19mm is 3/4".  So they are 3/4" long.
Any #10 x 3/4" wood screw should do the trick.

By the way, 3.5mm is 0.138" which is the diameter of ASME #6.


Can I run data cables in the same cabinet as a service panel?

In the same decorative wooden cabinet, yes.

In the same conduit, raceway, gutter or service panel, no, unless the entire low voltage circuit, and the involved appliances, are all built to mains wiring standard...

So for instance the Ethernet cable could not run in a power conduit, come out to an RJ14, and go to a computer in the normal way with a commodity ethernet cable, since neither the RJ14 jack nor cable is rated for mains power.

The problem they are concerned with is any random wires in the raceway shorting together, so suddenly there's 240V on your ethernet cable.


replacing flooring with no subfloor - walls sit on top of finish floor

if the wall parallel to the joists is not over a joist it is not a structural wall, and so your blocking plan would work to support the wall you will probably need further blocking between the blocking to support the edges of your new floor, unless you plan to remove the remnants and install your new flooring under the walls.


Can anyone identify this old wiring in my walls?

Partial answer: the larger cable is Belden 8290 shielded twin lead TV antenna cable, which was introduced the 1960s and so is probably original to the house.
It's been literally years since I posted this question so in all likelihood nobody will happen upon this, but while working in my attic today I uncovered an old UHF/VHF antenna that was laying on the rafters and buried by the blown cellulose insulation. After digging it out a bit I immediately recognized the wire it was connected to as my mystery large wire and could finally get a good look at it.
There was no sign of the smaller wire in the attic so what that was used for remains anybody's guess.


How to heat a bathtub when the water heater isn't doing enough?

What about good-ol-fashioned heating or even boiling water on the stove? You'll need a thermometer to ensure your water doesn't go over 120 degrees.
When I was working on my water heater recently, I used spare aquarium heaters to heat up 5 gallon buckets. You can buy up to 300w on those....some aquarists guide will say what wattage heater for say, a 60 gallon or a 100 gallon tank. You can calculate the number of gallons you intend to heat in the tub before you buy any heater.


IMO if it's open it's not an attic, and running along a strongback is FINE.

May I ask, WHY 8/3 for a table saw???


With the new photo your trap appears to be perfect.
I find that traps have a fairly large operating range the important thing is that they hold water and yours will hold enough water to prevent sewer gas from backing up into the home. If you are having any issues let us know but with the air admittance valve and your setup I don’t see any problems.


How to calculate stair stringer when total RISE is small?

Yes, there is a ratio of height of riser to width of tread. Exterior stairs are not generally as steep as interior stairs. The ICC Code requires a minimum of 4” high riser and allows residential stairs to have a maximum of 8” high risers. All risers in a run must be within 3/8” difference of largest to smallest. (See R311.7.5.1.)

A commonly used formula for calculating the depth of tread to height of riser is established in “Graphic Standards”, commonly used by architects and engineers. On page 7 they give this formula for interior stairs:

Riser plus tread = 17.5”.

Thus 7 1/2” riser + 10” tread = 17.5”

Or

Riser times tread = 75

Thus 7.5” riser x 10” tread = 75

You have two steps 6” high...so I’d use 12 1/2” tread.


8 AWG copper wire or 6 AWG aluminum. For the ground wire, 10 AWG copper.

Most on-demand heaters need 2 wires + ground, but check your installation instructions to be sure it doesn't need 3.

Keep in mind a 40A on-demand is a pretty small heater and you may need to reduce flow to get hot enough water.


Seeking LED advice for toddler "busy board"

For light, you want to use red, green, and blue, due to colour magic. You can buy LED packages that contain these in one piece of plastic. Something like this.

Setting brightness is just picking the right resistor value. More resistance means less current flows, so less light. You could also use a potentiometer (in series with a resistor too) to allow variable amounts of each colour.

For power, I'd probably use 3xAA batteries in series.


If both switches are not working correctly someone messed up the wiring! We will need a schematic to figure it out.

A schematic is a explanation of the wiring in each of the switch boxes and at the light fixture.

Many times it is a simple screwup when a new switch was installed the person swapped the common with a traveler .

We need pics or a full description, but can help, @harper has some good 3 way posts if you don’t want to provide photos reading up on one of these will give you a path forward.


Not all of those "portable car starting box" products are suitable for being permanently connected to a system with a trickle charger, which is what you would have to do. The batteries will cease to accept a charge if not sufficiently discharged periodically. So you need a system that can be on a trickle charger all of the time to be ready for action when called upon.

Normally on a piece of equipment that is used on a regular basis, like a lawn mower or tractor, the starting battery is re-charged by the alternator once the engine is running. But on a backup generator you don't run the engine often enough (you SHOULD test it monthly, but hardly anyone does...). Hence the need for the trickle charger to keep the battery ready to go. That then also adds the necessity for periodic battery maintenance as well, so keep that in mind. These are the reasons why a lot of backup generators are pull-start; all you need to start them is some Wheaties.


Hot water recirculation pump suggestion in home with return hot water line

This is something that I have had experience with in commercial Energy Management Systems. I can tell you that the first thing you need to look at is the "Payback" or will the cost of this system save enough energy to be worth the installation?

I say this because what you are suggesting can be done but probably not with standard residential grade material. So you are either going to have to buy the control equipment separately or buy a commercial grade product. One requires more manhours and the other requires higher priced equipment and both will need someone with a control skill set to install.

The least expensive control to install would be the time clock either mechanical or digital. I would go with digital where you can program a seven day schedule to come on and off at certain times. They are very common and inexpensive. Almost anyone will do.

Since I am not a plumber, I can't help you with a check valve but that would seem to be a fairly easy install.

The real trick would be the thermocouple which you would have to develope a logic that connects the circulatory pump and the water heater to come on and off at certain times. I would bet that some of the "mumbo jumbo" you read, would recommend that you somehow restrict the flow to get you the proper heat drop (delta T) from the beginning of the line to the end. That may be a better way to go and might be able to be coordinated with the check valve.

In conclusion I would say, you probably won't find a single unit that would do what you are asking for and you would probably need build it yourself. This might include a plumber and a control electrician. So try and get an idea of what you can do for a reasonable cost and work the problem from there.

I usually close with I hope this helps, but maybe I should say to use this answer to start your research and good luck.