Can I install cellulose insulation without a blower machine?

Having just done this, I'll report: doable, but a huge PITA. In order to get a good "fluff" on it, I ground it through expanded metal mesh (having tried a few other things which did not work as well first) - it's time consuming and dusty, but certainly possible if all you have to do is a bag/block or two. I've done one block, I might do another just to check the quality of a different supplier before placing a large order.

In my case it was a deliberate experiment, and the result of the experiment is that I will rent a blower ($70/day at the local rental place) and blow in (actually, I'll check against the cost of "having it done," as well); also that I won't be buying HD's "cellulose", which had a significant amount of plastic scrap in it (one does get up close and personal with the insulation when hand-grinding it through a sheet of expanded metal mesh.)

Methodology was to pry out a chunk of compressed insulation, place it on the expanded metal (an old patio table, in this case) and use a block (or your hand, but the block is more efficient and does not mind grinding on metal) to work the insulation though the mesh - then shovel/sweep to where it's needed (open attic application, not wall-stuffing.) A better setup could be made by building a box with sides and a mesh bottom to work it through, but it's not enough better to beat just using the right equipment on a larger-scale job. Certainly possible to do, however, if you have the time and patience and a dust mask - when what needs doing is small, and the rental of a machine exceeds the cost of the insulation.


How to remove strange looking strike plate

(This isn't its original shape, is it? I'm guessing that it was attached flat to the frame, and you bent it while trying to get it out?)

Maybe it's meant to reinforce the strike plate, to make it harder to kick the door in. I never saw anything like this - but if you can't yank it out, even with pliers, then obviously it's attached to something behind the door trim. I see these options:

Pry off the door trim piece (on the left in the photo) and see what the hell is under there.
Cut off the exposed part of the metal thingy with a Dremel.
Leave it in place, attach the new strike plate on top of it. (If there's enough space between the frame and the door.)


Something better? Get some oil-based paint from 1975. Related: How do you choose when to use oil vs latex paint?

I'm just messing with you (they don't make real oil-based anymore), the problem is when you try to paint oil-based over latex, not when you paint latex over oil-based, which is what that green goodness probably is (oil-based). So you're probably good to use either "based".

Your required surface prep sounds minimal: wash the wall with TSP or the equivalent, and go nuts. Do not use sandpaper or abrasion to prep; that green-goo likely contains lead.

Spraying is always an option, but masking off everything had better be worth it. Add to that, the time it takes to clean the machine, the cost of it and its hoses and spray heads; over spray drips; stiffer learning curve, etc.

I've sprayed entire factories when it's worth it; a single room or a basement isn't worth the trouble, unless there's pipes absolutely everywhere making rolling it unfeasible.

$20 in painting supplies, plus paint, will get the job done in a few hours. If you're looking for an excuse to buy hundreds of dollars worth of stuff however, don't let me stop you ;)


What paint to use on particle board for a shoe rack?

Particle board is often covered with a plastic laminate instead of paint, but there's nothing inherently wrong with painting it. You don't want to glop on massive quantities of paint, but there should be no issue in painting it.
Use your favorite paint, so long as it's designed for wood, not plastics or metal. i.e., just about anything you'd get custom mixed that the paint counter at your local home improvement center.
If you want to go with a spray paint for a bit of an easier, smoother finish, that's where you'd want to be sure to avoid the ones that specifically indicate "metal" or "plastic" (though if they include those in addition to wood, you should be just fine).
Covering the particle board with a laminate isn't terribly difficult, if you do want to go that way. It simply takes some laminate and contact cement. How to do it would be the topic of a new internet search and/or a new question here.
Contact paper would probably not be a good material. In my experience, it would likely come off in your described use case far too soon, and it would be difficult to get good sealing coverage from the top to the edges to protect against water/snow melt/mud that might drip off the shoes and down the edges of the boards.


Understanding ground to earth and neutral, trying to make my home safe

I suggest that if you are really concerned about electrical safety, hire a professional to look at your electrical installation.

You going around with a tester screwdriver and seeing it light up MEANS NOTHING as these testers are very sensitive and light up at the smallest of signals. Capacitive coupling between wires is enough to make it light up. That means an unconnected wire (which is perfectly safe to touch, it is not connected to anything) running next to a live wire is already enough to make the tester light up when you test the unconnected wire.

Also nearly all power adapters and phone chargers can make that tester light up while they're perfectly safe to use. Power adapter also have some capacitive coupling to the mains which these devices need to prevent them from disturbing other devices.


How can I heat up my apartment to kill bedbugs in Southeast Asia?

The bigger issue is that if there are bedbugs in your apartment, the whole building is probably infested.

Your best bet is probably to isolate yourself from the bedbugs and set a CO2 bedbug trap. Look into finding a new apartment.


Is grout faulty if it has some color variation, or just drying out?

It's important that the installer mixes the grout very well. Pigments can be unevenly distributed in the dry compound. After 3 days I'd suspect this as the culprit, assuming that the bath hasn't seen any use yet.


Rewire wall switch to an on/off switch, for a ceiling fan that has nightlight, fan & lights?

Reference the UC9031 installation instructions (PDF).  Your picture shows:

And the backside of that model:

Is there another wirenut not shown?  Otherwise, there is no separate connection for the nightlight.

In order to be able to switch off everything at the wall you will need:

Short length of #12 or #14 wire for pigtail(s).
Larger wirenut sufficient for joining 4 wires. Those yellow nuts are not big enough.

The new switch should be wired like:

Make sure power is off and consult an electrician if you're unsure about anything.
Label all the wires from the wall before disconnecting the old switch.
Leave the neutral alone.
Wire the fan, light, a 6 to 8 inch pigtail, and the nightlight wire (if any) together.
Connect the other end of the pigtail to the switch as shown.


Because the standard tub drain has a sharp right-angle T junction where the overflow and tub drain meet (this is also where the stopper is located if the stopper is operated by a lever on the overflow plate, as opposed to an in-the-tub stopper or rubber stopper over the drain.)

The sharp right-angle is not friendly to snakes passing, and the stopper, if present, even less so. Coming down the overflow is, on the other hand, a straight shot, and the stopper comes out with the plate if it's that style of stopper, so it's not in the way.

I highly recommend using a hair-catcher over the tub drain to reduce this problem going forward - a little more frequent easy cleaning of somewhat less disgusting collected hair .vs. dealing with the gunked up mess collected over a longer period in the pipes.


Should I install a damper above my return air duct for better upstairs cooling?

All the things you've done should have helped some, except the duct boosters.  They can't add much flow to the system unless the return ducts were increased proportionally (or similarly boosted).  You get increased flow by increased pressure or larger ducting.  Keeping upstairs doors closed will help by slowing the 'fall' of cooler air downstairs. Try leaving fan "ON" for a 24 hr period to see if your house will equalize better.

You can force the system to concentrate on the upstairs by reducing both the supply and return  vents in the main floor and basement.  You may have to do some makeshift blocking (reduction
) of the returns with plastic sheeting and 'no residue' duct tape.  If successful, I believe magnetic covers are available.

AFA blocking above the upstairs ducts, by all means.  Save yourself some expense (and trouble, that much foam is hard to scaffold in a vertical shaft) and make 2x4 blocking (essentially fire blocking) to go above the vents.  If you have typical framing 16 inches on center, a 14 1/2 inch piece will span stud-to-stud.  Use a pair of pocket screws on each end to secure the blocking in place.  Use fire caulk/foam for any gaps.


How can I fix the issues I'm having with large double gates?

The first thing I would do is cross-brace the gate. You need to do something like this:

If you Google search for "wood gate diagonal bracing" you'll get lot's of images showing the proper way to do this.


Why is my aircon increasing relative humidity?

For an A/C unit to reduce the % of relative humidity in your home a properly sized A/C unit coupled with a dehumidifier must run a long time to decrease that humidity. When the A/C unit is first turned on, it begins to cool the room temperature which may actually increase the relative humidity. Just because the room temperature is reduced does not mean that the humidity has also been reduced. It usually takes a long time to reduce the % of relative humidity, that is why you should set the temperature and let the unit run 24/7. Remember, every thing in that room is at the same approximate relative humidity and temperature, (floor surfaces, furniture, etc).If you look up or search for the explanation of relative humidity you will get a good understanding of the term and how it is derived. After the units have run a couple days the % of relative humidity is still excessive then I would look for sources of the excessive humidity, say a leaking pipe, a wall opening, or a source of moisture.


How to tell one (unconnected) underground dead wire from another

I would go for the tone generator, because I already have one anyway and use it for business, so it's paid for. But if I didn't have one and did have a multimeter (everyone should have a multimeter), then I would actually test as follows, knowing that there are 12/3 cables rather than random individual wires:

Connect Black/White/Red together on the end of one cable. Mark this cable 1.
Go to the other end. Test until you find the one where black/white/red show continuity. Mark this cable 1.
While you are at that end, connect black/red/white of another cable together. Mark this cable 2. Mark the other cable, cable 3.
Go to the first end. Test until you find the one where black/white/red show continuity. Mark this cable 2. Mark the last cable, cable 3.

If you have some resistors around of known values, you could do everything in one batch, but with only 3 cables, this is about as easy as it gets. Actually, thank you @cube for a way to do essentially that, by treating different combinations of wires in each cable differently, which allows you to differentiate 3 cables at one time without any resistors. This could actually be extended up to decoding as many as 5 cables at a time:

Black/Red/White
Black/Red
Black/White
Red/White
None

Extending to more than 5 would actually become 4-at-a-time because you wouldn't know the difference between any of the "None" cables.


Can I temporarily remove the bottom stairs on a staircase to help move furniture?

They are what is know to me as "housed stringers" the sides, have notches cut into them to allow the treads to set in the notches. The small vertical pieces in the corners are wedges driven in with glue to snug everything up tight to reduce or eliminate squeaks. To remove the treads, you would need to cut out the treads, and install new ones... Not what you may want to read, but it is what it would take.

For what its worth, if there were no glue involved, the wedges could be removed, the nails pulled and the treads could be pulled out of the slots from the underside, if there are no nails in from the sides covered by the walls.


Kitchen Light Toggle Switch Replaced, Now tripping

What you are describing is a low impact overload. If it is a 15A circuit and if it was pulling say 17A it may take 2 or 3 minutes for the breaker to heat up and trip. Some breakers do go bad basically due to overuse. Do you have an ammeter or could you borrow one to see what the circuit is actually pulling? Without amperage information it would be hard to analyze what could be wrong.


One of the joys of actual ceramic tile (as opposed to various plastic tile products) is a high tolerance for moisture.

The major consideration for any ceramic tile job is how solid the floor under it is - what it won't tolerate is much movement/flexing. Depending on the specifics of your existing deck/floor, that may be a reason to add layers to stiffen it.


Window and door spray foam a good solution for this exterior section underneath a window?

Great Stuff foam will not last exposed to the elements and it's not water resistant it's mainly an air barrier. My suggestion is to cut a piece of treated lumber to fit space. It looks like a 2x4 will fit between sill and slab. It can be rip down to be flush with to outside edge of the sill.  Run a good bead of caulking first to the inside then install board and finish sealing.


Removing old paint from brick wall of house

Colin, according to your tags, it sounds like you're wanting to remove the paint off the brick walls on the outside of your house.
Anyway you do it, it's going to be messy. Do you want to remove the paint off all the brick or only where you want to repoint the mortar?  Either way, I would use a pressure washer, since you mentioned the paint is already peeling.  The pressurized water will be able to get under/behind the paint and separate it from the brick facade. that's where the mess comes in because pieces of paint will most likely go everywhere.  I would start off with lower pressures, gradually increasing it until it starts removing the paint.  Hold the wand at a shallow angle to the brick to best get behind the paint. this will also reduce the amount of pressure being applied to the brick. too much water pressure might damage the brick and mortar.  I've seen concrete drives/sidewalks damaged being cleaned with too much water pressure.
If you don't like that idea, then you might try spraying a solution of muriatic acid and water on the brick wall with a pump sprayer.  Follow the directions on the label and first test on a small area to check for effectiveness and if there's any discoloration.  Muriactic acid is fairly inexpensive and readily available at most hardware and home improvement stores- maybe even walmart?  Of course, use the appropriate PPE and protect any vegetation you want to keep.  You apply the acid solution, let it work, maybe even help it with a metal brush, and then rinse it off with a lot of clean water. this is a must.  You can gradually increase the strength of the solution, if needed. just depends on what kind of initial results you get.
After thinking about it, the pressure would probably be the same regardless of the angle of attack. It's the distance between the end of the wand and the brick that will affect/reduce the pressure.


Receptacle connection with aluminum wiring?

First off, the first electrician is wrong in saying that the use of a crimp-type terminal in house wiring is categorically unsafe.  Crimp-type terminals listed under UL 486A for use on solid wire of the given gauge are considered acceptable for use in building wiring, as per UL 486A section 1.1:

  These requirements cover pressure wire connectors and soldering lugs for use
  with copper conductors according to the National Electrical Code, NFPA 70.

and NEC 110.14(A):

  Terminals. Connection of conductors to terminal parts shall ensure a
  thoroughly good connection without damaging the conductors and shall be made
  by means of pressure connectors (including set-screw type), solder lugs, or
  splices to flexible leads. Connection by means of wire-binding screws or studs
  and nuts that have upturned lugs or the equivalent shall be permitted for 10
  AWG or smaller conductors.

  Terminals for more than one conductor and terminals used to connect aluminum
  shall be so identified.

However, I would be quite hesitant to call this specific application fully Code-conformant -- garden-variety listed crimp terminals are listed for use with copper wire only, and it would be unlikely that the previous homeowner had access to terminals identified for use with aluminum wiring.

EDIT based on updated info about the devices:

Since the existing devices are copper only, your options go as follows (in order of preference):

Find an electrician in your area who is qualified on the Tyco/AMP COPALUM system for pigtailing copper to aluminum -- these have a long, successful field service history, but require a specially qualified electrician to install, and are rather expensive -- you might be able to get the seller to shell out for this, though...
Use the AlumiConn connectors with a torque screwdriver for pigtailing.  This is something that most electricians can do, or you can DIY if you know your way around electricity and have a torque screwdriver -- the AlumiConn must be torqued to spec to meet its UL listing.
Replace all the devices with modern CO/ALR types.  This is a last resort as CO/ALR device performance has been historically variable, unfortunately.


Small blobs of tar on a (5 year old) flat tar and gravel roof

There is probably a pocket or thick point there I probably would not mess with them as some may be connected. I probably would get some white paint and paint that area white, the tar is getting hot and bubbling up. White will help it to reflect the heat and not bubble up making a low point.


Can I use a vent that was over an electric oven for a dryer instead?

In general, it is a good solution.

There are a couple of potential issues:

Most dryer vent hose is 4" diameter, some oven vent is 6", so you might need an adapter

The other aspect that may need to be addressed is the louvers on the outside.  Be sure you dryer exhaust is strong enough to open the louvers or you may have to replace it for one with lighter duty springs.


How to handle huge amounts of mold in my wall

When you say concrete walls are you indeed referring to a poured wall of concrete as they do in many overseas countries or are you referring to cinderblock walls back poured with concrete?

If you mean cinderblock walls: Building a carwash we would thinset over the cinderblock walls and then apply a coat of Watertite LX. It has been about 10 years now and we have yet to see any mold or water seepage through the carwash bay into the guest walk areas, in which both slides are bare cinderblock.

It is guaranteed for 15 years when used according to the directions.

Link to product and I do not work for Walmart. :P


What kinds of items should not be put into a sink waste dispenser?

From the operation manual of the most expensive Insinkerator:

  This product is designed to dispose of normal household food waste; inserting
  materials other than food waste into disposer could cause personal
  injury and/or property damage.

Not a surprising disclaimer.

  Do not put the following into a disposer: clam or oyster shells, caustic
  drain cleaners or similar products, glass, china, or plastic, metal (such
  as bottle caps, steel shot, tin cans, or utensils), hot grease or other
  hot liquids.

Why no hot grease though?

  Do not dispose of the following in the disposer: paints, solvents, household
  cleaners and chemicals, automotive fluids, plastic wrap.


Page 17 of the manual linked in the question has the information you need to wire up remote thermostats, that is, to connect wall thermostats rather than using the control panel on the unit.  You will have to run five, six, or seven conductor thermostat cable (depending on the unit) from each unit to its thermostat.

You could follow those instructions to install multiple smart thermostats to control multiple units with the smart thermostat app.  There are also instructions to control two units with a single thermostat (twinning) so you don't necessarily have to install five thermostats to control five units.


It all depends on what's in your toolbox.  I'd cut along the grout line with an angle grinder with a diamond blade and then score a few checker board lines in the mortar and then chisel it up with a small cold chisel and a hammer.

Looks like a nice wood floor you used to have in your kitchen.


Risk of leakage when changing open-vented to sealed-system boiler

While it's difficult to quantify the risk, based on my experience, I believe it's quite real.

I went ahead with the sealed system, and I've experienced since then a couple of leaking radiators (e.g., at the venting valve). I think the system might also be losing water from somewhere else that I haven't realised because the system pressure went too low on a few occasions, and I had to top it up with water manually.

So, I'm not saying it will happen, but if you're facing a similar choice, I think you should weigh in this risk as well.


Can I Replace This Junction Box with a Subpanel?

A new subpanel here is legit.
As always, "Go BIG".  All reasonably sized subpanels currently on the market are 14.25" wide, intended to fit between two joists. Nobody ever lamented "Why on earth did I buy so many breaker spaces?" but they sure complain about the other thing.
It will need a 4-wire feeder. It looks like there are currently 15 wires in a 1" metal conduit (four MWBCs of Hot-Hot-Neutral each, plus a #8 H-H-N  for the 50A circuit).  If that is non-flex, that's your ground wire and you only need 3 more wires.
That's a codevio on 2 counts: first the MWBCs are not distinctly identified which hots are with which neutral... and second, 5 circuits in 1 conduit without a 310.15(B)(3)(a) derate - the most egregious being the #8 running at 50A (which only works if it's the ONLY circuit in the conduit; the derate takes it down to 27.5A).
So all those wires must come out of that conduit and be replaced SOLELY with one set of conductors (H-H-N or H-H-N-G if the conduit isn't metal).  The existing #8Cu is good for 50A.  I would fit the biggest wire  you can fit in the conduit - 1" conduit will support #4Al for 65A (breaker at 70A) or #4Cu (85A breaker at 90A).
The eight branch circuits need to be brought into the new sub with appropriate cable clamps.  They need to come in at least 1/4" of sheath, then 6" of wire length.  After that they can be extended by wire nuts.
50A is plenty to power the 8 circuits given that there will only be 4 circuits on each 50A leg, and they won't all be maxed at the same time.  Just the same,  think about maxing the feeder.


Samsung washer trips breaker during spin

Hallways have typically AFCI protection to protect from fires in the wiring in the walls.

Laundry rooms must have GFCI protection to protect humans from being electrocuted by faulty appliances.

It's likely the laundry room also has AFCI protection, since circuits that need GFCI can also have fires from wiring in the walls. So from the purple button, we know that is a dual-mode AFCI+GFCI.

So by moving the washer from the laundry room to the hallway, you removed GFCI protection.

And the problem went away!

Well, no, actually, your ability to detect the problem went away.   Problem is still there.

A GFCI problem means that the appliance is leaking electricity internally due to failing insulation or perhaps a bad capacitor.  If it wasn't for ground, it would be giving you a nasty shock (> 5 ma).  It's repairable.


I fixed it. Inside the connector there is a flow restrictive: I popped it out and needed a needle to pick some particles out. My hot water tank probably needs a good flushing. But the flow is fine now.


What is the proper way to insulate a cantilevered bay?

In ascending order of cost, difficulty, and expense:

Bump-outs are notoriously leaky because of their complicated construction. Seal all air leaks in the applicable areas that you can find using caulk for small holes and gaps and expanding spray foam for larger ones. Cover any exposed spray foam with drywall or spackling compound to protect it from ignition, especially near a gas fireplace.
Remove any drywall or flooring materials in the area and insulate any stud bays that are currently empty or full of crappy fiberglass insulation with far superior Roxul mineral wool insulation, then replace the drywall and/or flooring.
Remove any siding materials on the outside to expose the housewrap or tar paper over the sheathing, and cover it with rigid foam or rigid mineral wool boards and re-install the siding. Note: to do this properly, please read http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/bareports/ba-1204-external-insulation-masonry-walls-wood-framed-walls/view?topic=resources/retrofits


I am having a lot of problems with the voltage where I live, having both brownouts and surges.

That could be a couple of different things at once.  Or it could be the same actual thing.

Manassehkatz has floated the theory that both these things could be a lost neutral. That is a very serious defect that causes your two legs of power to "teeter-totter", one below 120V and the other above 120V, (but together adding up to 240V).  This alone would explain both brownouts and loss of equipment due to excessive voltage (which you can call "surges" if you really want to).  A lost neutral puts the two "legs" of service into a tug-of-war, the pulling force is based on current drawn on that leg.  The heavier draw leg gets the lower voltage.

The way to spot a lost neutral is notice when voltage is far askew of 120V, and then, turn on a big load like a heater, hair dryer or microwave that's on a different circuit.  If the number moves more than a volt or two, you have a lost neutral.

A lost neutral is a genuine, bona-fide power outage. Contact the power company and tell them you have a power outage.  If they ask you kindergarten-tier questions like "do your lights work", give them kindergarten-tier answers that tell them to roll the truck, like "No, they do not work" (properly, but keep that to yourself).  Power company operators are trained to make you go away, or to be more precise, solve your problem without rolling a truck.

  One of the receptacles started to smoke so I replaced it.

That wouldn't be caused by a lost neutral. That's caused by loose blades in a worn out socket, or poor wire connections in the usual place (correctly used backstabs being the #1 culprit, poor torquing of screws being the #2. NEC 2017 now requires you use a torque screwdriver, after science proved master electricians weren't any better at setting torque than their secretaries! Like literally, like not even 1% better.)

  What I noticed was that contrary to other outlets in the house, this one has two black and two white wires but I did not find a ground wire. What I did find were two additional black wires taped together at the back of the outlet.

And you leave that the heck alone.  You are in a dangerous place right now. You know a tiny little bit about wiring.  And you've developed a sophomoric tendency to "look down upon" the work of others.  When you see techniques you are not familiar with, you think "that's a defect".  Don't count on it.

While you will surely find bad work, most of the time it will be proper technique that is new to you.

  After I replaced the receptacle I decided to install a surge protector. It has two green lights. One says Protected and the other Grounded. Of course, it is not grounded.

Don't be so sure.  Many wiring methods ground via the metal box and the conduit or armored cable.  I have four buildings with EMT conduit in them. There is not a ground wire in any of the buildings.  I own 10 reels of #12 THHN wire, and none of it is green. Yet our grounds are tip-top, and have been put to the test!

Switches can ground through their mounting screws.  Receps can ground through their mounting screws if certain rules are followed.  Otherwise, look for a hole in the back of the junction box tapped #10-32 (sometime it's being used by a nail or screw). Stick a 10-32 ground screw there, and pigtail that to the recep.

So look closely at your installation. Especially given the dissimilar number of black and white wires, I suspect your installation is conduit of one kind or another.

  Could one of those two black wires in the back be a ground wire?

Absolutely not. Grounds are green, yellow-green or bare, except in the former Soviet bloc, and they too have harmonized on yellow-green.

  Why are there two? Why would someone just twist them together like that? How can I know for sure? I have a voltage tester and those two black wires seem to have current.

Those wires are passing through, on their way to doing some other important job that doesn't involve this socket.  If you mess with them, you will find out why, because it will stop working! LOL!

Wires passing by in the back of a junction box is something  you'll see a whole lot of, in any wiring method.  They should never be dismantled, especially not at the same time as everything else!  Everyone thinks they can put it back the way they found it, and everyone is wrong.  Allowing for curious noobs is why I use 10 colors of wire.  In my boxes, purple always goes to purple!


Wire sizing for built in oven and microwave

According to Table 310.15(B)(16) of the National Electrical Code, #8 Gauge AWG Copper is good for 40 amps.


How do you secure wood framing to a concrete basement floor?

Pressure treated "PT" lumber is made for damp areas, where there's moisture and direct contact to concrete or earth. Make sure to use the proper coated anchors for Pressure treated lumber. such as hot-dipped galvanized or stainless steel fasteners. there's more detail about this below.. keep in mind pressure treated is not only a preservative it is also a poison to prevent termites..

An alternative you can consider using fir or pine as your bottom plates, if on concrete you can't have direct contact. lumber will take the moisture from concrete and either cause dry rot. To prevent that from happening lay down sill gasket a foam like material in a roll.. made for this reason.. and can be found in most home hardware locations..

Commencing in early 2004, the pressure treated wood industry ceased producing CCA treated wood for many residential uses.
 A number of replacements have been developed including Copper Azole (CA), Alkaline Copper Quaternary (ACQ) and Sodium Borate (SBX).

With the change, ACQ and CA will almost certainly be the preservatives used in generically designated “pressure treated” sawn lumber
in use in building construction. SBX treated lumber is available but would need to be specified as such.

Practices and customs that were adequate with CCA treated lumber may not be appropriate for use with the new products.

Some of these “next generation” wood preservatives are significantly more corrosive to metal than was CCA treated wood.
Current information suggests that this increase in corrosion particularly applies to CA (and ACQ but not to SBX)

The use of hot-dipped galvanized or stainless steel fasteners with the pressure treated wood, and avoidance of
contact of aluminum with pressure treated wood have been long standing recommendations; although, in practice,these
have frequently been overlooked with no serious consequences (other than pitted aluminum flashings).
With the new preservatives these recommendations should no longer be ignored. Thus it is important to specify and
obtain appropriate corrosion resistant materials to ensure adequate service life for fasteners and connectors.

Aluminum should not be used in contact with pressure treated wood. Spacer materials or other physical barriers are
recommended to prevent direct contact of pressure treated wood with aluminum products.

I realize this is an old post but i hope this information helps people looking for the right answers. if you would like help with anything else look up my page up on facebook- RCM Construction


What type of window is this and how can I remove it with minimal damage to the wall?

You have about a depth of about 5/8" to 3/4" of material to remove back about 1 1/4" from the frame you see protruding from the wall.

The aluminum nailing fin is about 1/8" thick and 1" to 1 1/8" wide.

I was lucky in that the base on the DeWalt cordless saw I used spaced the blade the perfect distance from the aluminum frame as a cutting guide. I used a carbide blade, set to depth, cut a strip out all round the window and then finished cutting the corners out with a chisel. This was on wood siding, Stucco, being cement will require some sort of masonry blade and dealing with the heat involved cutting through.

After pulling the nails out of the fin, the window dropped out. Follow directions for reinstallation, there should be a special section for stucco. There are other questions asked on DIY here for Stucco repair which will be the next hurdle.


the screw should thread directly into the wall of the box (there is no nut that may have fell away). To check that the screw isn't stripped try turning it without the wire bracket in place. If it doeesn't want to thread in easily look at the screw threads and confirm they are intact and not stripped or damaged.
If they look damaged replace with a new "round head machine screw". I believe the thread size is a 10-32 x 1 inch (it may be 8/32?). Bring it to the hardware store and match it.
If the threads are damaged on the back of the box purchase a self-threading screw slightly bigger and drill it into the original hole.
If you'd rather not attempt the repair your self (always good to know limitations) there is a very low chance of any hazards occurring until an electrician arrives. the clamp is used to prevent the cable from being yanked out of the box and there is probably a cable staple close to the box as back-up.


I am guessing that you have copper wires, right? Not aluminum, right?

Replacing receptacles is almost certainly not necessary. If your receptacles are connected with push-in, "back wire" connections with spring connections not screws, then an over-current event may have burned and loosened the connections. If your wiring is done that way, then changing the wires to the side screws would be strongly advised.

The fact that you can affect the light by banging on the wall indicates that the problem is in a wall receptacle (most likely or in a wall switch box (less likely but still possible).

You would need to check all the receptacles on the circuit. If you are providing care for a person with special needs, it might be best to call an electrician to fully check out the circuit. Electrical work can be dangerous and if you were to be injured you might not be able to perform the essential work you are now doing.


This appears to be a rather strange sort of "meter main" or "all-in-one" type of panel

The general type of panel you see here, with a meter socket, utility termination compartment, and loadcenter integrated into a single cabinet is called by various names: "meter-main", "meter-loadcenter", "all-in-one", or "CSED" (for Combination Service Entrance Device).  However, this appears to be quite an unusual device, even for its general type: most meter-loadcenter combinations have a single loadcenter interior, or a loadcenter interior and secondary main disconnect, not two separate loadcenters with separate (backfed) main breakers.  (This isn't a "split bus"/"rule-of-six" panel, either, as it appears both main breakers are fed separately from the metering compartment.)

As to the maker of this thing, my hunch is that this is a GE unit, based on the appearance of the upper half's main breaker; the general case style of that breaker resembles that of prior photos I have seen of older GE TQD(L) double-frame breakers, with the ridged front and single handle.  The general design of the neutral bars is also similar to those I have seen in pictures of older GE panels, as well.  However, it also seems to have suffered a terrible alien invasion of some sort, as the branch breakers in the upper half appear to be a mixture of Bryant/C-H BRs and Murray MPs.


With what do I stick hard rubber together?

It isn't clear what the materials are.  Some of the likely materials are very difficult to bond; even tougher if it is two different hard-to-bond materials.  It is also an application where there will be a lot of stress and distortion, which is especially challenging.

If you really want to try it, one thing that might work is to heat-weld the two using a third material that bonds with both.  For example, there are plastic welding sticks like this that are supposed to bond with virtually any type of plastic, including polyethylene, polypropylene, and hard rubber-like materials, which are common materials for those kinds of glides.

They're used for tasks like repairing plastic/rubber car bumpers.  If you don't have a plastic welder, you can use a soldering iron if you're careful to not overheat the materials.

That said, A better solution would be a single glide that does what you want, or wheels rather than a glide.  Also look at plastic chair mats that sit on the carpet.  They protect the carpet from being crushed and make it easy to move the chair.


I would try turning the black ring anti-clockwise - it may be threaded or could need turning with sufficient force to pass the clips.

Also try gently pulling down on the black ring as it may just have clips that work vertically so it does not need to be rotated.


Electrical Outlet arc burned the wire. Do I need to replace the entire line?

The rest of the NM cable should be fine. When I install outlets like this, I pigtail the wires and connect the single wires to the outlet and still use a shepherd's hook behind the clamp.
The closeness isn't a problem if done right. You can have a split outlet with different legs so you've got 240 volts just that close.


How can I find the loocation of a break in a 240V underground circuit to an outside storage building

You need a cable locator this is very much like a wire tracer but it uses the ground as part of the circuit. You transmit a signal over the cable and the signal returns through the ground to your receiver.

You normally use it to trace where a cable is located but you can use it to find a break in the cable as the sound will drop out suddenly where their is a break in the cable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP_-TEKMNXc


In what situation is a slant top register boot the preferred choice?

The slanted boot makes it easier to install near a sharply pitched roof.  source

A slant top ceiling box provides an easy transition from round pipe or flexible duct to the air register near a sharply pitched roof. source


How should I prepare a wall painted with sandpaint and construction adhesive?

Remove the existing drywall or go over the existing drywall with new drywall.  Depending how much electrical work you want to do or if there's any insulation work to be done.


Use a volt meter to find out which of the two hots is switched and which is not.

Use a wire nut to cap the one you don't want to use, and push it back into the box.

Install the usb outlet per its instructions.  If you don't have a ground wire to connect to it, hopefully the outlet box itself is metal and grounded.  If not, then you probably don't need to worry about grounding the usb outlet.


How can I paint over a glossy surface that might contain lead paint?

Rather than just seal in paint that might be lead-based, especially as you mentioned that you're stripping off the bad coat, it might be worth finally just removing it so you don't have to go through these concerns in the future.  (especially if you don't have kids now, but think you might in the future, so you can get the dust over and done with).

New York has some recommendations for removing lead paint.  The important thing is to keep it from becoming dust and getting spread around the house, which just makes things worse.  I believe there are some chemical paint strippers that can be used with lead paint, although that website didn't mention any.  I also found mention that Massachusets used to require licensed contractors and require it to be disposed of as hazardous waste, so it might be worth checking before you attempt this.

...

If you were going to attempt this without stripping it all off, I'd follow the New York guidelines (contain the area), wet sand to rough up the surface, then prime it and re-paint.

Oh ... and you can also get test kits for check for lead paint.  Odds are, being gloss and trim, it's more likely though, and even if the top coat isn't, there might be lead in an older coat.


Anchor for insulated double plasterboard

These toggler anchors will work for thin to very thick walls.
You do not say what the insulation is, The insulation may be a factor in getting them to toggle into place properly. I sometimes use a wire to push fiberglall insulation aside a little so they sit properly.
I have posted several answers about installing these anchors read a few for info and tip/tricks.
https://diy.stackexchange.com/search?q=user%3A56737+toggler


how to adhere a stainless steel backsplash to painted drywall surface

I would assume that it'll get warm at times and use a product that won't goo apart as a result. Anything that's stiff will leave you with ripples visible from the side.

A panel adhesive that lists suitability for metal will give you a smooth finish and lasting bond. Use a small v-notch trowel to distribute it flatly and evenly to avoid rippling.

Alternatively, attach a sheet of felt to the back with double-sided tape to act as a vibration and noise dampener and just use the four screws.


Cut wire too short when installing light fixture - now what?

Judging by the photo, you can probably remove the chain link from the fixture and replace it with a smaller one (to add maybe 1cm (1/2") to the length), you'll then want to wirenut on an additional length of wire that you would attach in the box.

Alternatively, you may still be able to return the light to the store if they're nice enough.


Is it necessary to power-stretch when installing carpet?

According to CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute, a non-profit industry supported professional standards and certification organization)

  The use of a Power Stretcher is MANDATORY.  Devices used as a substitute for, or an attachment to such devices that penetrate through the carpet backing may cause injury, damage carpet or substrates, or result in inadequate stretch.  Such devices are not acceptable.

They also publish installation standards (CRI-105 for residential carpet installation).

Now, the reality is that I have installed carpets using just a kicker, but I always had a helper with a makeshift "T" shaped stretcher/holder and this was in small rooms only.


Do I need to unplug my hot water recirculating pump when I turn off the water to the house?

Running the pump dry for an extended period can damage it. You should unplug it rather than let it run dry.

If it sits idle for longer than a couple weeks for vacation, minerals in the water could cause it to stick when put back in service. It usually just means you have to disassemble the pump and free the impeller before it will work again.

Good luck!


How to troubleshoot heat that's always on?

If you had a DMM or VOM and know how to use it, that would make diagnosis easier.

However, the approach to take is to divide and conquer.  Identify what component(s) are causing the signal for heat.  Is it the boiler controller, the thermostat, or a defect in the wiring?

I would begin by inspecting the areas where anything has changed since it last worked okay.  Look for anything amiss:  stray wires, debris, bird nests, junk.

Next, I would disconnect the thermostat from the wiring to the boiler.  This should be just a couple screws to loosen and then pull the wires out from under the terminal.  If they are not naturally stable, wrap each individually with tape—masking, electrical, scotch, duct:  whatever you have handy.  If the system continues to heat, the defect is probably1 not the thermostat.

At the end where the wires leading to the thermostat connect to the boiler controller, disconnect them, being sure to record which goes where—use a camera, labeling the wires, or writing on paper.  If the system continues to call for heat, the fault must be in the boiler controller.  Otherwise the wire itself has a flaw.  If there are unused wires in the bundle, you could try swapping unused wires for the needed one.

If you get here, it is likely the new controller is either defective, or more likely, not correctly connected after its replacement.  Double, triple, quadruple check the connections and everything else which could go wrong.  Reread the installation instructions to see if maybe there is a configuration option which might relate to the problem.

1 There could be several problems at once, so repeating tests of all items might be needed after the first round of repairs.


Would missing check valve make it seem like heat is always on?

there may be a thermal siphon feeding hot water to the new zone and a check valve could stop that flow.  but it really should be an anti-siphon valve, not a regular check valve. (anti siphon valves have increased back pressusre compared to regular check valves)


Led, light replacement to ABB 1062UC-84 dimmer switch?

These switches are not meant to be taken apart and repaired if something breaks or burns out in them. Doing so would void any warranties on the switch and also hinder any safety precautions built into them. Call their customer service to check on guarantees and if none, the safest and wisest solution is to replace the switch. Good luck and stay safe out there.


How should I support upright posts on a slab with no footer?

First of all, the ground directly under the center of your house is unlikely to freeze, because the house is sitting on top of it protecting it from direct exposure to the cold.  Freezing under the foundation is mainly a concern at the perimeter.

In order to support the ridge beam of your roof, which means the weight of the entire roof, you definitely need to carry that load all the way from the beam down to a footer.

So - directly below where you want the support to connect to the beam, using a plum line mark the foundation.  Cut through the foundation and down to a depth of at least 2 feet (whatever code requires).  Install a new footer in the ground and level the new concrete with the level of the slab.


What future-proofing should I include when refurbishing an apartment?

Although all those things are good, and in fact I always do the first three on your list, the important thing is not actually installing them, but ensuring you run cable ducts.

If you have ducting, then you future proof the apartment - need another cable? just run it through.

So plan as follows:

Decide where you will need Ethernet, power and audio wall plates
Plan your server closet
Identify ducting size to cope with the planned cables plus more as yet unknown ones
Ensure ducts for power cabling are as far away from signal/low voltage cabling ducts as possible
Install cable ducts to all those points
Also install cable ducts to useful positions on walls in other rooms

I typically also leave a pull-wire in each duct just to make life easier if I do need to add something.


Plastic central heating pipe - cover up in built-in cupboard

If they are heating pipes just box them in. You shouldn't have any issues with condensation. Just be careful not to nail/screw through them.


Sealing open space behind kitchen counter in rental with shoddy rehab?

This gap is too large to fill with caulk alone, but you can fill it and then caulk over the top. Using rubber tubing is an OK idea, and should work, but there are other products which are specifically designed for this purpose.

You can use foam backer rod, also known as caulk saver to fill the space behind the counter top. It comes in many different sizes and you should find one that will fit that gap. The benefit of the backer rod is that it can be compressed more easily to fit tight areas. It usually is also a cheaper solution.

To hold the rod in place before caulking you can put a few dabs of caulk on it to keep it from dropping down too far if certain areas of the gap are too big. You should position the backer rod about 3/8" to 1/4" below the lip of the counter so there is enough space to put a good layer of caulk down without having a raised bump there.

I would recommend a silicone caulk that is specifically designed for kitchens and bathrooms. Also, try to find one that matches the color of the counter top as closely as possible. A trick to get a clean line of caulk is to put masking tape on the wall and counter and leave an even gap. Squeeze out a bead of caulk, and then use your finger to smooth it out. Wait about 5 minutes, and then carefully remove the tape. This should leave a clean line, and there shouldn't be any excess caulk.


No, you absolutely cannot do that.

For starters, they will be on different legs of your hydro connection. You will create a short circuit.  There is 240v between the hot wires of those plugs. Even if they were on the same leg, it's still not allowed or advisable, because there is no way to make sure they share the load evenly.  Either way, you'll end up damaging your circuit breakers by continually tripping them, or start a fire.

What you need is to run a new 15 or 20 amp circuit with appropriate gauge wire (which might be thicker depending on length of the run) outside.  Since you know you'll be using long extension cords with it, I'd add the length of my longest extension cord when calculating the length of the run, and see if that makes you need to upsize the wire further.


What's the minimum safe distance from the back of a dryer to a wall?

The minimum recommended distance is one inch:

  Additional spacing of 1" (25 mm) on all sides of the dryer is recommended to reduce noise transfer.

The allowable distance seems to be zero inches.


Cause of only hot or cold water from bathtub faucet?

Usually a bad cartridge in the control valve.
Those can be replaced, with more or less trouble depending on design and the particular installation.


Should I be concerned that my sump pail is regularly half full?

My last home a daylight basement had a similar issue when we purchased it. A deep French drain in front of the house with drain legs going down the side of the home completely solved our problem along with epoxy coating the entire floor of the lower level. The drain legs down the side of the house were dug 2 ‘ below the foundation level at the bottom and extended a few feet until the slope left the drain open. Perf pipe in a sock and back filled with rock the lower area was always green even in late summer +jhw20.  so I think we had a small spring  or the drain was just very efficient at collecting the rain water as that home is on a very steep hill.
I have had good luck epoxy sealing slabs but not cinder block walls.  Creating a French drain that ties in with the rock under the slab and or foundation and extends below the dump level below the house may eliminate your standing water issue. In my last place I was not sure if we had a spring but the runoff from up the hill was washing out a paved lower driveway and I was adding a new circular one so I added the drain to divert any water around the home and then continued down the hill several feet away from the house but at the bottom corners worked back until hitting the rock. Make sure if you rent a ditch witch on a steep hill to get insurance when you rent , let’s say they will roll down a hill if the bar is not in the trench Oops.


That button is a circuit breaker, which is protecting your wiring from overload.

The fact that it pops out means that your pump is drawing too much current for some reason. It's time to pull it up and check it out. There's either some corrosion or something is blocking the impeller.


Nest customer service is probably your best bet, but I'm going to give you a guess.

In a two wire install the Nest charges itself when the boiler is off, using the difference in voltage between the two sides of the on/off relay inside the Nest itself.  A small amount of current is allowed to flow through the charging circuit, and back to the power supply via the boiler's on/off circuitry.  This current is small enough to charge the Nest but not signal the boiler to turn on.  When the Nest wants the boiler on it closes an internal relay and shorts the two wires together.  Enough current flows to signal the boiler to turn on, but there is no longer a difference in voltage to charge the Nest.

It has been very cold in the US recently.  My guess is the Nest has to turn the boiler on for long periods of time, probably long enough that its small internal battery has not had enough time to recharge while the boiler is off.

If you are handy you might try tracing the thermostat wiring and look if it would be possible to install a new cable with more conductors so the Nest can have always on power available to it.  If you can run the wire (available at most home improvement and hardware stores) a heating technician could switch over to the new cable in a single short visit.


Why won't my Central Heating Boiler turn off with Nest thermostat installed?

I fixed it myself. In the manual (page 18) there is the following image.

As shown on the photo in the question:

From left to right:
The red "bridge cable" is meant to close the circuit in order for the next two (bus +/-) to work. But the bus connectors only work with with an eBus system. Which is not compatible with the Nest Heatlink.

The two wires that are used to connect the boiler to the heat link (the left brown/blue wires) should be connected to the 4/3 connectors instead. So after removing the red bridge cable and connecting the heat link to 4/3 of the boiler, it worked fine.

Disclaimer for those with the same problem: I'm not a electrician, although I did check the solution with one. Try this at your own risk.


Why does one range burner only turn on when another is turned on?

You clearly have a wiring problem.  It sounds like you have lost one phase to the burner that has the problem.  When you turn on the second/support burner, that switch is back-feeding power to the problem burner switch.

Also inherent in these kind of problems, you may be getting the 240-volt to all the switches but somehow the wiring connections or wire leads have lost the ability to carry a load. Look for burned and or worn leads and connections.


Can insulation touch the roof sheathing in a sloped garage roof without soffit vents?

With a ridge vent you need space for air flow so move the insulation or add more vents .


Can I step down a NEMA L15-30R 90A 250v outlet to 110v?

No. You can't use this for 120V power. The NEMA L15-30 receptacle is intended for 3-phase power applications. Most likely, it is a 208V three phase power outlet lacking neutral. Because there is no neutral, there is no easy or reliably safe way to get 120V power from it. Even if there were a neutral, it would be questionable whether it would be a good idea to apply a load to only 1 phase. There could be circuitry upstream designed to trip on unbalanced loading.

If you want to confirm that it really is a three-phase outlet, simply measure the voltages from phase to phase. This involves sticking voltmeter probes into the receptacle. There is a shock hazard doing this kind of thing, especially if you are using a cheap multi-meter. If you don't feel comfortable doing it, then don't do it. Please don't blame me if you get shocked.


Can I repair the warping in this laminate flooring

If you mean the flooring is warped with the shape of the 2x3s from sitting on them for months, maybe you can save them by unwarping them.

First I would try setting them on a hard flat surface (like a concrete garage floor).  If sitting on some shape deformed them, the same process should reform them.  Keeping them at elevated temperature (80–110°F) should speed up the process.

If that proves unsatisfactory, perhaps setting them on the "reverse" of what they sat on before:  Create a 2x3 gap underneath where they sat on support before and with the rest of the bottom solidly supported.  The pressure is much less this way so it would take much longer to change shape than they did before.  Presumably it did not take the whole four months to warp, so with a little luck, perhaps they will reform in a matter of a few days.


Have you considered artificial turf?  They have some now that looks like real grass, and is relatively affordable.

Mulch is bad because bugs can live there, and the dust will make it somewhat "muddy" when wet.  Well, maybe not muddy, but enough for the dogs to leave footprints in the house.  And there's no good way to clean pee out of the mulch, it will move or wash away with rain, etc.

The quality artificial turf will last for years and can be cleaned with a water hose.  You'd have to pick up poop, but I'm assuming you would do that with mulch anyway because... yuck.


On demand water heater using a propane tank

I usually encourage DIY projects, but when it comes to gas applications, I have to strongly caution you to consider using a licensed gas installer to connect an on demand water heater. Nothing in a home is more dangerous than gas and it MUST be installed correctly and pressure tested. Venting the exhaust is extremely important as well, and a mistake can be fatal.

An on demand water heater is a great idea as long as it is sized correctly. I don't thin you will be happy with a 20 or 40 pound tank however.  Your local propane dealers will usually supply you a larger tank at no charge as long as you buy the gas from them. The other advantage is that they will come and swap out spent tanks or refill them on site so you don't have to be lugging a tank back and forth to a refill station, and re-priming and firing the system every time you change tanks.

Bottom line is that if you are not experienced with gas installs, don't take a chance with the health and safety of your family. You are not hooking up an outdoor BBQ!!


Where does this gasket go? Countertop dishwasher faucet adapter

I figured it out. I’m not sure if this is the groove @ojait was referring to or not, but I was able to maneuver the rubber gasket into the spot inside the female side of the adapter below the ball bearings. I used a chopstick. The seal now is slightly leaky, exactly like it was until I messed things up yesterday. Thanks to all for taking a look!


When replacing non-grounding type receptacles is a GFCI receptacle required, or can any GFCI device be used?

The NEC simply states "where supplied through a ground-fault circuit interrupter" in this instance, so you can achieve this either by a GFI receptacle, a faceless GFI device, or a GFI breaker.

You cannot however use an AFCI breaker, unless it is one of the new (and rare) AFCI/GFCI breakers. Good luck finding one though. I find one Siemens on Amazon and that's about it.

See "(c)" below.

From the 2011 NEC:

  406.4 General Installation Requirements

  Receptacle outlets shall be located in branch circuits in accordance
  with Part III of Article 210. General installation requirements shall
  be in accordance with 406.4(A) through (F).

  (D) Replacements.

  Replacement of receptacles shall comply with 406.4(D)(1) through
  (D)(6), as applicable.

  (2) Non–Grounding-Type Receptacles.

  Where attachment to an equipment grounding conductor does not exist in
  the receptacle enclosure, the installation shall comply with
  (D)(2)(a), (D)(2)(b), or (D)(2)(c).

  (a) A non–grounding-type receptacle(s) shall be permitted to be
  replaced with another non–grounding-type receptacle(s).

  (b) A non–grounding-type receptacle(s) shall be permitted to be
  replaced with a ground-fault circuit interrupter-type of
  receptacle(s). These receptacles shall be marked “No Equipment
  Ground.” An equipment grounding conductor shall not be connected from
  the ground-fault circuit-interrupter-type receptacle to any outlet
  supplied from the ground-fault circuit-interrupter receptacle.

  (c) A non–grounding-type receptacle(s) shall be permitted to be
  replaced with a grounding-type receptacle(s) where supplied through a
  ground-fault circuit interrupter. Grounding-type receptacles supplied
  through the ground-fault circuit interrupter shall be marked “GFCI
  Protected” and “No Equipment Ground.” An equipment grounding conductor
  shall not be connected between the grounding-type receptacles.


Trouble wiring a Leviton DZ15S (originally a single pole with two black?)

On this switch, black is line. That is the black wire coming in from the cable on the right to the black terminal block. Red is load. That is the other black wire on the old switch, which goes to the fan. Neutral is the white line coming in from the right.

Move the existing wires from the old switch over to the new switch. Add a white jumper (a short piece of wire, maybe 6") from the block terminal holding the other whites to the white terminal on the switch.


I'm assuming your wanting to power some 240V appliance with this circuit.  In that case, if you switch off only one of the two HOT wires, you will likely cause a problem with the appliance, depending on what it is.

Yes, you would definitely want to use a double-pole 240V rated relay for this application.


It's an intriguing proposition, but no. You wouldn't move enough heat with a small loop like that. Geothermal systems move a very large volume of water to extract a relatively small energy differential.


Scientific paper on thermophysical properties of kapok

Research Journal of Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology


How to seal gym floor mats along the edges to protect your floors with knobbles facing downward?

Just going to throw the relevant suggestions into an answer:
Sheet plastic under the whole floor I think is the most thorough and cheap option.  Well placed double sided tape will prevent a slipping hazard.
I second the recommendation of jwh20 in throwing down a layer of plywood or similar to reduce the risk of drop damage.  The crushing destruction of the wood fibre will absorb an immense amount more energy than the rubber mat. It is possible to inset a tile level with an existing floor, but it is a huge pain and it won't be many tiles that make you wish you'd laid plywood.
You can mostly lay them button side up as FreeMan suggests to make them easier to tape together, and I'd note if you apply it warm to clean surfaces, many types of tape are flexible enough that button side down isn't a huge issue.  Wider tape will work better as well.  However, taping long seams tightly on the underside of something is a huge pain.


Water flowing through tank even though cold water valve is shut off

There could be several reasons for the water to keep running after you shut down the cold water inlet and opened the drain on the tank. If your water heater is in the basement or otherwise below the domestic hot water system as your water drains the hot water that is in the system will continue to drain down toward the hot water heater - simple gravity. However, that should only be for a few minutes. Opening the upstairs hot water faucets will speed it along. It will never take hours.
Your problem is the cold water valve is apparently not shutting down completely. If it's a gate valve it's not uncommon for them to get stuck in a partially open position even after the handle is fully in the closed position. If that's the case you should replace it with a quarter turn ball valve. They are much more reliable and easy to turn off in an emergency.


By Googling for "chipboard sealant" I found a UK vendor of "work top edge sealer" that seems to be designed for that sort of job.

  Seals & Waterproofs Sawn Or Drilled Edges, Joints, Sink Cut Outs etc.
  Excellent sealing and waterproofing properties.
  Ideal for use on MDF, Chipboard, Timber etc.
  Prevents water ingress into sawn edges.
  Easy to use and fast drying.


What should you do first paint ceiling and walls or strip and finish hardwood floors?

My general rule is that paint should generally be one of the last things that you do.  Refinishing a floor can make a horrible mess, and dust from sanding is going to end up all over the place. It's probably going to be easier to clean up from the floor job before prepping the walls and ceiling for painting than it would be to clean up freshly painted walls.  Also, if you're taking any of the trim off (i.e. shoe molding) to do the floor the finish will look a lot better if it's done in one go after it's reinstalled.

As for getting paint on the refinished floor, interior latex paints are incredibly easy to clean off of a newly finished floor (even after they've dried). Not as much so on bare wood.


Finishing drywall: How do I finish over screws that refuse to recess/dimple into the drywall?

Though you might be able to mud over them, you're looking at 1-2' of mud (feathered) around each screw to make it not noticeable, which basically means you'd be covering the entire piece of drywall with mud. Like pretty much everything in construction, it will be much easier to do it properly now rather than try to fix it later.

If your driver is slipping out, you are probably not using the right bits (or your bit is worn out) or are not pushing hard enough on the drill to prevent the bit from slipping out. Make sure the bit fits well in the screw head: it should not have any room to wiggle in any direction, and should not slide around. #2 Philips is the usual here, but depending on the screw head it may need to be a sharper/longer or blunt tip.

It could also be that your screws are not the right type. If you're going into wood studs, generally you should use coarse thread screws. If you're going into metal studs, it should be fine-threaded screws.

Since the board is also 5/8, it may be that the screws are not long enough. Try longer screws, which should get a better grip on the studs behind so once they start going in, they'll go in as deep as you need.


How can I repair the degraded surface of a concrete slab and wall?

Vinyl cement patch is what you're probably after. It's designed to bond well and handle impacts and movement in thin applications much better than concrete or mortar. It can be feathered to a thin edge.

Mix per the instructions on the package and apply with a wide putty knife or trowel.

Be aware that you won't have good results spanning from one concrete object to another. There's almost certainly seasonal movement between the two that will tear the patch apart. Use a control joint where necessary.


I'm more concerned with what earthly forces could have possibly broken that hinge.  There just isn't that much stress on them normally.   Doors are lifted from the bottom by the edge cables, so when the door is down, the door panels are merely stacked and the hinges just help keep them there, resiting only wind loading.  When up, they support half the weight of the door panel (maybe 10 pounds). I suspect your door has serious problems and is tearing itself apart because of those problems.
"But that can't be!  Twice a day I lift that door by hand.  The action is smooth as silk and I can do it with one hand.  If the door was binding, surely I would have noticed.”
Oh wait.  You have a power opener!  This has made you blind to problems that have been developing over the past few months, binding worse and worse, overstressing other parts and damaging them.   The problems are now severe enough to kill somebody.  Doors are dangerous.  And openers make them a lot more dangerous exactly this way.
If it were me... First thing I would do is get a set of winding bars that fit, and unload the spring, i.e. Slack the lifting cables but not enough for them to jump their pulleys.  Mind you, I know how to use winding bars and have a healthy fear of doors.  I don't think there's anything wrong with your spring -- I just want to unload spring tension to make it safer to change hinges.
Next I would change hinges, one at a time, worst first.  Because you still need the hinges to hold the door together.  This is best done on a calm day, the door panels are stacked by gravity, the only load on the hinge is wind load.
They make tougher hinges.  However the door would still have failed, just somewhere else that's harder to repair.  These cheap hinges kinda did you a favor by failing first, since they are easy to replace.  Each hinge has an offset, postioning the roller farther from the door the higher they go. Look for a number on it, e.g. 1, 2, 3, etc.  The numbers are standard "hinge numbers" which reflect the offset, not the positions on your door.
With me so far?  Now the real work begins.
You have fixed the symptom.  Now fix the door.
Reload the spring (don't lift the door with the spring unloaded; even if you were able, you would just slack and birdcage the lifting cables, and then the door would drop.) And disconnect that darn opener.
Now lift the door by hand, cautiously. It is better to lift it from outside because the frame of the building will keep garage door panels from falling on your head.  Just for reference, it should go quite smoothly.  I have 12x14 industrial doors I can open with one hand.
My guess is it won't go quite smoothly, and you will find your door has a serious problem, or a variety of problems that are stacking.
Leave the setscrew wrench in the toolbox.  Every time I messed with pulley timing or spring tension, I regretted it.  If a pulley really has slipped, there will be subtle forensic clues of movement on the shaft, or  the two pulleys will be visibly out of phase with each other.
If the door is trammed, look for lifting cables (on the ends of doors) that are frayed or broken.  A stretched one will give near as many problems as a broken one; both will lift the door unequally, tramming it and causing a lot of binding.  Replace both cables with a new matched set.
Also look for any rollers that are seriously messed up, but don't worry so much about them - a merely wobbly or dirty roller won't bind a door.  If a pulley isn't entirely broken, I would replace it after the door is otherwise fixed.
Your spring is not broken, so don't waste your time thinking about that.  The line of spray paint affirms that it's working.  People always run to "it's a spring problem" and it rarely is.


In the short term, try 5-10% bleach solution in water, not just water. i.e. a cup of bleach to a gallon of water (1:15, or about 6.7%)

It may be a "floor drain to soakaway" rather than connected to septic/sewer, but those can still get quite nasty (especially if something crawls down there and dies).

A "test plug" can give you a way to reversibly plug it until you decide what to do about it in the long term. Image for illustration only, does not imply endorsement of any particular brand or store:

Responding to Comment:

To determine if the drain is or is not connected to septic/sewer: Access manhole at septic tank or sewer connection. Pour non-toxic septic dye into drain. See if it shows up at the septic/sewer. On a public sewer you will need the cooperation of the sewer department as they take an understandably dim view of the public opening their manholes for safety reasons, unless you have a sewer cleanout before the street that you can look into and spot the dye (or lack.) If you don't see the dye, the pipe presumably does not connect to the septic/sewer.

As for why it might not connect to the sewer/septic - to reduce volume handled by septic/sewer, or because the sewer pipe is higher than the floor and the drain was installed before drain pumps were popular/common. Floor drain waste should not be particularly pathogenic or contain septic waste, and particularly in older systems design to limit "non-septic" waste going into the septic was quite common, to limit the load on systems that were quite small by current standards. In a fully configured city environment it might connect to a storm drain rather than a sanitary sewer for similar reasons.


Is it normal for A/C performance to improve when vent covers are removed?

It's possible.

And may make sense if you think about how the system is working...

First the temperature near the thermostat goes above the set temperature, which causes the thermostat to call for cool air.  The A/C unit kicks on, and starts blowing cool air.  Once the temperature near the thermostat reaches the set value, the thermostat tells the A/C unit to shut off. The A/C unit shuts down, and stops blowing cool air.

While the A/C unit was blowing, the 30 year old vent covers were restricting the air flow from the ducts. So while the proper temperature was reached at the thermostat, not enough cool air was supplied to the other areas of the house. So the area near the thermostat may actually reach the proper temperature sooner, because that area had unrestricted air flow and received a bulk of the cool air.

When you removed the vent covers, you allowed more of the cool air to enter the other areas (away from the thermostat). So it took longer for the area near the thermostat to reach the desired temperature. Now, because the majority of the cool air was supplied to the other areas (away from the thermostat), those areas were cooled more than the area near the thermostat.

In a perfectly balanced system, all areas would reach the same temperature at the same time. Alas, we don't live in a perfect world. So you end up with a hot office and a comfortable temperature in the rest of the house, or a frozen office and a comfortable temperature in the rest of the house.

To fix the problem you could try to balance the system yourself, or you could call in an HVAC company to balance it for you (which will likely include installing dampers and new vent covers).


Wiring a sub-panel with an equal sized breaker on each end of the feed, which will trip first?

If you're anticipating overload, this is a sign you've underdesigned your electrical system

The fact you are anticipating breaker trips from overloads is a sign you are about to underprovision the circuit in question.  A better alternative would be to simply provision more power to the location; I would simply trench in a 2" PVC conduit, as that will let you run as much power as you'll ever need out to your tiny-house, anything from the RV-sized 30A@120V you're considering to a full 200A residential service, with a simple change of wire and breakers required if you want to upgrade later.  (Using direct buried cables means you have to dig up the cable in order to upgrade, and who wants to rent a trencher again six months down the road?)

Selectively Discoordinated Breakers (or, don't try to make any guarantees here, because you can't)

In most electrical distribution systems, there will be at least two breakers in series between the service point and any given outlet (light fixture, receptacle, etc).  This means that your situation isn't all that odd.  However, you cannot make any guarantees or predictions about which breaker will trip first here, as the properties of breakers connected in series are complex to predict.  Unpredictable dynamic arc impedances during the trip process, variations in magnetic trip coil and contact timing, and tolerances during thermal trip calibration all will cause variations in breaker trip timing.

This is undesirable in some situations, such as those involving emergency power systems or continuous industrial processes.  Hence, the major makers of commercial/industrial (i.e. molded case) circuit breakers publish tables that can be used by an engineer to select compatible sets of circuit breakers from the same model and series so that the furthest-downstream breaker trips first on a short circuit.  This process is called selective coordination.

However, it's considered impractical to selectively coordinate the loadcenter-type miniature circuit breakers used in residential and light commercial applications; their trip characteristics are not as well documented, and selective coordination requires significant engineering effort vs. the mere nuisance an upstream trip poses in a residential environment.  Compare this to the stakes of an inadvertent feeder trip in a hospital emergency room, where critical life-support equipment could be taken offline, or a continuous industrial process, which could cause a serious safety hazard due to a disorderly shutdown.

There is also the factor that selective coordination only works for short circuits; in fact, the upstream overcurrent protection device needs to be somewhere around twice as large, or larger, to have a hope for selective coordination to work at all.  Two equal-sized breakers simply cannot be coordinated on overloads due to the limitations of trip calibration.


How do I check if the plastic tube that comes out of the water pump of my furnace/AC does not leak?

I was reading this webpage http://inspectapedia.com/aircond/Condensate_Drain_Problems.php and I came across a comment that inspired me a method to check if my tube is OK. That would be to use a smoke bomb (search this keyword on that page) in a shop vac and to pump the smoke through the tube to see where it connects. This will work assuming that at the other end the tube is connected to a drain in one of the ways described here: http://inspectapedia.com/aircond/1633s.jpg If that is the case then the smoke will come out at the other end in the kitchen or bathroom and with that we located the other end of the tube. Having that location then we can easily conduct a pression test as suggested in one of the comments above


What is the ideal lumen output and temperature range for my computer room?

"Calculate the correct lumen output" &  "ideal lightbulb temperature"

implies a lot more definition to "correct" and "ideal" than seems likely to apply to a matter of individual tastes. For some folks the light in the computer room comes only from the screens, and it goes up from there. There may well be architectural standards, but whether you like the result is going to vary anyway. So:

**

Try different bulbs until you like one.

**

Or: Replace switch with (LED-rated) dimmer and adjust to suit. This can actually be tricky as many LED dimmers have minimum loads for stable operation that are more than a single bulb. Also, the LED needs to be "dimmable."


White Smoke coming out of Briggs and Stratton engine

My guesses without more information would include the crankcase being overfilled with oil, a blown head gasket, or damage to the piston, rings or cylinders.

I doubt that you have the generator running while it sits at an angle, which could let oil slop over into the carburetor float bowl. Although that's a possibility, too, if you have it sitting on a slope.

Since the engine apparently always produced a little while smoke, and since the smoke doesn't start for a while, then doesn't stop for a while after shutting the engine off, it's probably heat-related in one way or another. As the engine heats up, it expands. If there's a damaged head gasket or something like a hairline crack in a cylinder wall, it could open up just enough to let oil seep through once the engine is hot. Or if you have something like damaged or ill-fitting piston rings, oil might start squeezing past the rings once the engine heats up and the cylinder expands.

You mentioned that if you hold your hand in the white exhaust, little oil droplets condense on your hand. The same thing is happening inside the exhaust manifold/pipe, and the heat will cause that condensate to keep smoking until it is all burned off or the temperature drops low enough for it to stop smoking. If the exhaust valve is open at all after the engine shuts off, any oil in the cylinder will burn off and push white smoke out the exhaust, as well. Especially if it's some kind of hairline crack letting oil into the cylinder, which then closes back up as the engine cools.

Of those possibilities, aside from overfill or running the engine on a slope, the head gasket would be the easiest thing for you to fix yourself. You would need a torque wrench and specifications on the correct bolt tightening pattern and torque for the head bolts for your specific engine.

Or it could be something completely different.

Here's a potentially handy page from Briggs and Stratton, but it might be time to call a local small engine repair shop.

https://www.briggsandstratton.com/us/en/support/faqs/engine-emits-white-blue-smoke


I am not sure what a mist coat is but it looks like there was dust that kept the mud or paint from sticking. If you had used a skim coat of mud without cleaning the surface as it dries it can flake off. The same is true on top of the mud--if it's dusty the paint may stick to the dust and flake off when dry, so in both cases a good wipe down is needed to prevent these kind of problems.


How can I mount a railing in concrete steps when I encounter rebar in the hole?

New bit and a hammer drill will get you through it. Spent my 1st summer between college installing iron railing and that's the way we did it for railing that had tabs on the bottom and there was nothing we couldn't get through. If you hit rebar tip the drill at an angle and go on the side of the rebar.

For non tab installs we core drilled and used hydraulic cement.


Identifying My Main Water Shutoff Valve / Setup

Yes, that looks like your main shutoff valve.  It's normally the first valve on your water supply from where it enters your house, and typically before the water meter.    In my house there is another valve on the other side of the meter that makes it possible to swap out the meter without draining the house.

The copper wire is part of our house's grounding.  It jumps around the meter and ensures that there is an electrically secure path "through" the meter.  Because of the union joints and that some meter bodies are not electrically conductive, it provides a secure path.  Also when the meter is being replaced.


How to fix spacing with a California corner

Sounds like you know the answer, and I'm sure the drywallers have seen way worse than that.


why did my mower suddenly start running slower?

In my experience, unless the engine is running roughly idle problems are usually related to the throttle and governor.

From your description, it sounds like you may have a problem with the governor spring that tensions the governor vane to the throttle body.  These can get stretched out and lose tension creating a slow idle.


That's more than just "varnish". It is some sort of thin material, most likely plastic laminate or similar. You can't just "patch it" beyond the tiniest of holes or cracks - and that damage is far beyond that.

I suggest getting something either really similar color or nicely contrasting to use as a corner bumper/guard. If you put it on all 4 corners then it may actually look like it was designed that way. Unfortunately, most of what I have found so far is designed for childproofing - i.e., cushioned. Unless you actually need childproofing as well, I would recommend something thinner as it will look more "natural".


Why is part of my wall shiny after cleaning it?

You should get some extra paint keep on hand anyway while the brand is current and the color mix is valid. Since the home is new, you can simply roll over the washed area and blend out in a radial pattern, working to a dry roll. Your shiny spot should all but disappear.

If the color isn't an identical match, paint the entire wall to the corners without bothering to mask or edge to the base trim or ceiling. It'll be quick and the edging shouldn't show much at all.

If you're new to painting, do a little reading and dive in. It's a great skill for any homeowner to possess.


Portable air conditioner produces nasty smell in fan mode after running AC

I'd be careful with cleaners, the manual online specifically says not to use any harsh cleaners. Personally, I'd use my judgment on this though. I'm not sure how much you can get at the insides, but I'd try and brush the coils with an old toothbrush and warm water with a drop of dish soap.

I'd also see if I could clean the evaporation tank. Water condenses on the coils and drips down into the tank. Heat from running the unit should evaporate the water (just like your fridge) so it's normal not get much out of the drain hole. You should be able to take the lower drain out, spray warm water on the coils and see it drain out.

You should also wash the air filter weekly, it's collects dust and not just lint, so visual lint isn't a useful indicator of anything.

Personally, I'd never use the AC just in fan mode. If you want to just move air around, an actual fan is going to be more efficient.

If these are the only two rental units left from your apt complex, you might see if they'd buy a new one, or consider buying a new one yourself. It looks like a model similar to this is around $400, so depending on what you pay to rent it, it might be easy to recoup that cost in a short amount of time.


Is it possible to recognize a flickering LED from its technical data?

Is there something hidden in the numbers of watt, lumen, or something which might gives a hint whether an LED flickers or not?

No.

Flicker of LED based lamps is dependent on technical details of the implementation of the driver electronics. Any flickering LED won't flicker if driven with a continuous stable regulated DC current.


The main reason for having doors that I can think of is that UV light will fade clothes and degrade some materials over time. As a commenter said, this might more of a problem depending on what direction the rooms window faces.

Having doors also will help to some degree with smells from cooking or smoking.


Is this safe extractor fan wires exposed bathroom

The extractor fan should have a junction box for the splice. There should be a cable like Romex or conduit encasing individual wires. As this is a rental, in the US electrical work in most jurisdictions is required to be done by a licensed electrician or possibly a handyman if it was a replacement,
From your description it would not meet code.
A photo of the wiring would get a better answer.


Alt hot white and red wires, neutral black? How to connect motion detector switch

I'm hearing a lot about the traveler.  3-way switches don't have a traveler.  They have two.

This is what a 3-way circuit looks like:

As you can see, one of the travelers is hot and one is not.  Throwing the first 3-way switch switches which one is hot.

So anytime you have a 3-way switch, notice the two wires that are on brass screws, or not on the "common" terminal.  Those are the two travelers.  What I do is go straight for my roll of yellow tape and tag both of them yellow on both ends.  In your case that is the red and white wires.  They are not neutral or hot or anything else you want them to be, they are travelers.  But depending on your smart switch they can be re-tasked to be something else.

Since you are operating in 3-way mode, you must read the Hubbell documentation for how they want you to wire the circuit.  It also depends on how the 3-way complex is wired.  Sometimes you do not have a choice and are not able to install the smart switch in the location of your preference simply because there needed wires are not present in that location.


Steelcase desk drawer stuck in unlocked position

There are anti tip mechanisms in steelcase desk drawers. 1.)Open center drawer all the way open. Looking under center drawer, far back on right & left edge are metal square shapes sticking up -try lifting its insert up (like a guillotine blade). How it works is when drawer closed a pin goes through this and slides freely, if tipped the guillotine drops down and prevents pin from pulling out) So by manually disengaging (lifting square up) should unlock it. The key thing is getting center drawer pulled open enough to access area. I will try and get some photos added.
I figured it out after the steelcase desk drawers were opening fine, then we moved desk on its side, upside down so could slide it on a blanket etc and afterwards had locked drawers :-( But figured it out.


What Are the Standard Thread Sizes Used in Faucet Aerators?

There are many sizes of faucet aerator threads. You can get an idea from the picture of the thread gauge below that you will typically see at a better equipped hardware store where aerator units are sold. (In my experience typical for a USA hardware store. Your situation may vary depending upon your geographical region).

The thread gauge above supports the following thread sizes:

1/4-18 (M)

1/4-18 (F)

3/8-18 (M)

3/8-18 (F)

1/2-27 (F)

1/2-IPS (F)

9/16-24 (M)

5/8-18 (M)

5/8-24 (M)

5/8-27 (M)

11/16-24 (M)

11/16-27 (M)

3/4-11 (F)

3/4-27 (F)

13/16-20 (M)

13/16-24 (M)

13/16-24 (F)

55/64-27 (F)

15/16-24 (M)

15/16-27 (M)

*(F) Denotes stud used to determine female thread size

*(M) Denotes tapped hole used to determine male thread size

Add in metric sizes from other parts of the world and this list is likely to grow considerably.


How can I 'share' lights between multiple circuits?

The problem is, whenever you turn one set of lights on, power can go through that shared light into the other circuit.  So each switch controls all lights.  While it -might- be possible to make 2 light groups (1 common light) work the way you want with two 4-way switches back-wired through each other, you're asking for something even more complicated.  Each switch interacts with 2 others, which means you'd need at least triple-circuit switches (likely paired 4-ways).  I don't think they make those.  Certainly not in home light switch form-factors.

This will be much easier if you start with home-automation tools.  Most vendors make an in-wall module for a slave device; then you just need to install and configure smart switches to manage them.  Or you could go for all wifi bulbs, and have the option of other light patterns if you wanted.  And maybe even programmable color.


Do you have to have (or does it help) to have a garbage disposal with a dish washer?

Dishwashers usually have a built in food disposer, so having one is not required.

I also suggest just replacing the existing disposer instead of removing it altogether. Cheapest ones cost around $60 and since they usually feature a quick change mechanism, the whole process takes 15 minutes. But if you remove one, then you will have to reroute a drain pipe to accommodate for the missing disposer. Really not fun to do in the cramped space under the sink.


How do I build an on grade foundation for a shed?

This looks to be an excellent tutorial: http://www.finehomebuilding.com/how-to/articles/firm-foundation-backyard-shed.aspx


Why does a single radiator need regular bleeding?

When you do your daily bleed of this radiator if you don't actually get air coming out, just water. You don't have an air problem, you have a water flow problem.

If your system a diverter-tee system (a "one-pipe" system), check to make sure that the tees that feed this radiator are installed the same way as the tees that feed your working radiators. The diverter tee for this radiator should be on the return side, and the stripe (or other indicator of orientation) should be between the branches. An incorrectly installed tee could cause the exact problem you're describing.


How to deaden the noise that bounces from cinderblock wall in backyard?

Plant climbing vines at the wall, let them climb and cover. Take note of the "sound walls" around the interstates or beltways around the cities. Many have vines growing over them to aid in the sound deadening. Find what the specie is and go from there.


Any reason not to ground the sheathing of MX wire?

TOTALLY DIFFERENT ANSWER FROM THE ORIGINAL:

The original answer was not complete and had some misunderstandings. I hope to clarify here.

First off, there are many types of armored cable, most of which are colloquially called "BX". By "older BX" I assume you mean something like the wire at the bottom of this image:

Two conductors, no ground wire, no bonding strip. This kind of wire is an older design predating the grounding requirement. If the wire is original to the house, it was not designed to have the armor grounded (because it's 20 years older than the NEC grounding requirement itself). It's still available (hence the newer PVC insulation and overall new condition of the wire in the picture) because there are still situations in which it can be used safely (and jurisdictions that don't care); however, your situation and location probably falls under neither of those.

It can be dangerous to use the armor of older, "non-bonded" BX cable as a ground connection because:

The armor of this older cable was never rated to transmit current, much less 15+ amps of it; if it is too thin, or the run too long, it can present high resistance to current along its length, meaning less current will flow through it in a failure situation, and so the breaker may not trip when it is supposed to.
The armor may be aluminum (in fact it is likely to be), which is highly "anodic"; where aluminum touches copper (such as your proposed join between the copper Romex ground and the armor), or iron/steel (nails/screws/pipes), or really any metal besides other aluminum, zinc or magnesium, the aluminum will corrode preferentially when given any excuse at all (humidity, salt, high temperature, electrical flux) and eventually your ground path will fail.
Continuity of the armor becomes a primary concern; if the armor is damaged, its continuity can be reduced or destroyed. This can be problematic when the primary purpose of the armor as designed was to take a beating.
Aluminum, when an electrical current passes through it, heats up more than copper. In a sustained failure situation that doesn't pop a breaker/fuse, this could end up being a fire hazard, especially if there is increased resistance due to damage at any point in the armor.

It's possible, and it may even be likely, that you'll never have a problem, but electrical codes are extremely pessimistic for a reason. When "possible" takes another job on Murphy's side, and "likely" don't want to come in to work that day, that's the day you have a problem.

Nowadays, type AC cable (modern "BX") looks more like the following:

Notice the bare wire. This type of cable is designed specifically to have its armor and this "bonding strip" form the ground path in combination. You do still have to be careful about what you connect it to:

The bonding strip may still be aluminum, as in the picture (though copper-bonded AC cable is available); if so, it should not directly touch any copper or steel. You should instead ground the J-box (typically galvanized or zinc-plated steel; the zinc coating in either case protects both the steel and aluminum from galvanic corrosion) through the wiring clamp by bending the bonding strip backwards so it's also held by the clamp, then attach the copper wire somewhere else in the box (there are usually other attachment points in the J-box for just this purpose).
The bonding strip is 16AWG, because it's designed to complement the armor; if the armor is fully compromised at any point along its length, however, the bonding strip is all that's left, and it's 2AWG smaller (and aluminum provides more resistance) than the minimum gauge of copper wire rated for 15A.

This all just means you should be careful when installing it, to make sure that you don't abuse the armor or create a galvanic cell in your J-box. You also must not install this wire in any location where water could be an issue; instead, you should use a Type MC cable with a PVC outer jacket. However, if installed properly, this type of wire is perfectly safe.

Looking at the first image again, the middle cable is an example of non-bonded, grounded BX, known in the NEC as type MC (though newer MC has an extra PVC jacket between the conductors and armor; it's basically armored Romex). Because it doesn't have a bonding strip, the armor of this cable should not be used as ground. Instead, the green wire (in the image it's a very blue-green) should be used as the ground connection. MC severs these two responsibilities; the armor is there to take abuse, the ground is there to add electrical safety to the circuit.


Shop for a stainless steel sink with integrated drainboard. Some designs even have an apron front to eliminate the strip of countertop in front of the sink.

If you can find a suitable one in the right size, you can make the countertop out of strips and the drainboard will cover the joins. The strips should be synthetic lumber such as polyurethane or High-density polyethylene, containing no biodegradable material.