It could be stucco or cement, cement's just a little stronger. Some people just peel off the big pieces and glue them back on with Masonry Adhesive to then caulk and paint everything...pretty much a requirement so repairs aren't obvious. Here are some examples of how quite easy it is https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=stucco+a+block+wall

Or, you can screw the popped and pulled away pieces back to flat to then caulk and paint. Otherwise, it's actually much more forgiving than doing deep joint compound, keep laying it on in one-application, in this case, until you're flush. But, no shame in blowing $200 for a mason to do it if you don't have the time or experience and don't want the mess.


Should I put a moisture barrier between a single ply of pressure treated (PT) plywood and a second non-PT ply when constructing a shed?

Dont put moisture barrier between, it will just trap moisture and rot quicker. Moisture for shed should be under structure. But if it collects rain water on top you are just making humidity worse. Pt plywood is generally dried out when you buy it so there shouldn't be an issue.


How can I replace 2-prong receptacles in a code compliant way?

According to the National Electrical code, you have a few options. Depending on the situation, there are a few code sections to pay attention to.

National Electrical Code 2014
Article 406 - Receptacles, Cord Connectors, and Attachment Plugs (Caps)
406.4 General Installation Requirements.
(D) Replacements. Replacement of receptacles shall comply with 406.4(D)(1), (D)(2), and (D)(3) as applicable. Arc-fault circuit-interrupter and ground-fault circuit-interrupter type receptacles shall be installed in a readily accessible location.

Where a Grounding Means Exists
If there is a grounding conductor in the box, or the box itself is properly grounded. Then a 3-prong grounding type receptacle should be installed, and the receptacle should be grounded using approved means.

(1) Grounding-Type Receptacles. Where a grounding means exists in the receptacle enclosure or an equipment grounding conductor is installed in accordance with 250.130(C), grounding-type receptacles shall be used and shall be connected to the equipment grounding conductor in accordance with 406.4(C) or 250.130(C).

Where No Grounding Means Exists
If there is not a grounding conductor in the box, and the box itself is not grounded.  There are a few options.

(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).

You can simply replace the 2-prong receptacle with another 2-prong receptacle.

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

You can replace the 2-prong receptacle with a ground-fault circuit interrupting device. Though the device must be labeled "No Equipment Ground", and a grounding conductor should not be connected to this or any downstream devices.

(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.

You can install a ground-fault circuit interrupting device upstream, and install a 3-prong receptacle in this location. Though you'll have to label the receptacle "No Equipment Ground", and "GFCI Protected". No equipment grounding conductor should be connected to the 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.

Provide Other Protection Where Required
Where GFCI Protection is Required
If ground-fault circuit interruption is required, a ground-fault circuit interruption device should be installed. These devices do not require a grounding conductor, so can be installed in a circuit without a ground.

(3) Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters. Ground-fault circuit-interrupter protected receptacles shall be provided where replacements are made at receptacle outlets that are required to be so protected elsewhere in this Code.

Where AFCI Protection is Required
If arc-fault circuit interruption is required, an arc-fault circuit interruption device should be installed. These devices do not require a grounding conductor, so can be installed in a circuit without a ground.

(4) Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection. Where a receptacle outlet is supplied by a branch circuit that requires arc-fault circuit interrupter protection as specified elsewhere in this Code, a replacement receptacle at this outlet shall be one of the following:
(1) A listed outlet branch circuit type arc-fault circuit-interrupter receptacle.
(2) A receptacle protected by a listed outlet branch circuit type arc-fault circuit interrupter type receptacle.
(3) A receptacle protected by a listed combination type arc-fault circuit interrupter type circuit breaker.

Where Tamper-Resistant Receptacles are Required
If tamper-resistant receptacles are required, a tamper-resistant device should be installed.

(5) Tamper-Resistant Receptacles. Listed tamper-resistant receptacles shall be provided where replacements are made at receptacle outlets that are required to be tamper-resistant elsewhere in this Code.

Where Weather-Resistant Receptacles are Required
If weather-resistant receptacles are required, a weather-resistant device should be installed.

(6) Weather-Resistant Receptacles. Weather-resistant receptacles shall be provided where replacements are made at receptacle outlets that are required to be so protected elsewhere in this Code.


Tools or Techniques for Removing Grass and Moss from Brick Patio

Round-Up 365 will stop frequent reoccurrence. But, with Round-Up 365 only, you spray everything down & when dead & dry in 2-weeks, just scuff the remnants away with your shoe or a string trimmer.

Birds & wind are your enemies & the only way to avoid this entirely is to go with slab concrete. Not a good option unless it's colored concrete, your pavers look worlds better. You'll need to repeat the Round-Up 365 & shoe or string trimmer annually or bi-annually.

Filling the paver joints won't do anything good. It would ruin drainage, looks & the pavers much needed movements.


Wrong Jack
That is NOT a normal CAT6 (or even CAT5, or to be honest, not even CAT3) jack. That is an "old style" phone jack, just happens to have 8 pins.
I can't tell easily whether you have the wires matched up correctly. If they're not matched correctly then it is guaranteed to not work. However, CAT6 (and CAT5 and even CAT3) normally:

Use colored pairs (Blue, Orange, Green, Brown) in T568A or T586B configuration. Even if the actual wires are not in those colors, the jack will have markings to indicate how to match your cable wires to the jack.

Use a punch block rather than screw terminals. This allows for very consistent and reliable termination using a punch tool.

Use twisted pairs except for the very end. In this case you have separate wires from each screw, not twisted pairs, which is I think a key reason for a punch block instead of screw terminals.

What you need is a CAT6 jack such as:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-Category-6-Jack-White-5016-WH/206428120
and a surface mount box to install it in, such as:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-2-Port-Category-5e-and-Category-6-Surface-Mounting-Box-5322-WH/206428219
and a punch tool such as:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-Impact-Punch-Down-Tool-with-110-Blade-CE70804/202039354
Actually that particular jack includes a (effectively, as it will likely break) single-use punch tool. But if you have more than 2 jacks to install, get a punch tool. The same punch tool (make sure it is 110 type, not 66) will work for CAT 3, 5, 5e, 6.
The brand of the parts does not matter much. Leviton is a big name brand, but I've used plenty of others as well. What does matter is that the jacks & the surface mount boxes (or wall plates, which mount on a standard electrical box or box eliminator) are compatible - there are some variants with slightly different sizes. Cat 3, 5, 5e, 6 all work pretty much the same. However, using an older type will not necessarily get you full error-free operation at the higher speeds of the newer types due to differences in twists and other factors. In other words, if you use CAT 3 jacks with CAT 5e or 6 cable, you may find that you can't get Gigabit speeds even though simple testers will show a good electrical connection.
Most good CAT 5/5e/6 jacks (even from "off brands") will show color-coding for both T568A and T586B. It doesn't matter which one you use, as long as you use the same on both ends of the cable.


How can I switch between three devices on one 50A circuit?

If you are trying to connect switches to three different outlets the easiest method I can think of is mount a sub panel closest to the receptacles and connect each receptacle to a different 50A breaker. I think trying to find and purchase a heavy duty 240V/50A 3 position switch would probably be a little out of a DIY price range, as it is an industrial piece of equipment.

Hope this helps

FYI - From a commercial standpoint you can connect 50A receptacles together on a single circuit. I have done but the AHJ made us label each receptacle that only one receptacle could be used at one time.


No, you can’t change the framing from beams at 4’ on center to trusses 4’ on center, because you’ll overload the exterior wall footings.
Currently, one-half the roof load is supported by the center beam and footings with one- fourth the roof load transferred to the exterior walls and footings. By changing to trusses, you’ll transfer one-half the roof load to the exterior walls and footings.
I’m sure the exterior footings are not designed to accept double their current load.
Why not add beams at 4’ on center to match the one side with beams? This will keep the basic roof system the same. (You should double check the size and span of the ridge beam to insure it’s still acceptable.) You can still remove the center wall, just add posts and footings where needed.


Does it matter if my newly installed GFCI reads "open ground"?

No. In fact, GFI protection is a safe and legal way to install 3-prong receptacles on non-grounded wiring.

You are likely reading a ground in some area because armored cable will show a ground with a tester but it is NOT a safe or acceptable means of ground in all cases. Only one type of AC cable will provide an acceptable ground.


When the radiator is leaking and it's throwing out water

Most likely not hazardous. The "yellow brown spots" are probably just from rust, and that's perfectly normal. When antifreeze is used in a hot water circulating system, it's pretty much always a non-toxic form, and it's actually unusual .vs. just using plain water.

In a system with iron components and no leaks, the oxygen in the water causes rust for a short time, and then stops rusting as the oxygen is used up. When the system leaks, more oxygen is available and more rust happens. But there is always rust in a heating system with iron components exposed to the water, and that's normal.


Can I install a GFCI outlet downstream of another GFCI outlet?

You can daisy-chain GFCIs if you really want to.  They will still protect just fine.

But you have more annoyance dealing with trips...  because all the GFCI's will trip, and you will have to do more walking to find and reset them all.

The only way it's dangerous is: If you have put double protection on circuit A, and no protection at all on circuit B, then you are wasting resources; you could protect circuit B and you haven't.  Circuit B can still kill you.

If you put the GFCI outlet on the already-protected GFCI circuit hoping only the nearer one will trip, and save you the walk down to the service panel... well, you just wasted your money.  GFCI's do not work that way.


How do I connect a WiFi thermostat to my furnace's primary control?

Judging by the Honeywell R7184A Controller manual, you have one of these:

You described it as terminal 4 but the diagram just shows two terminals labelled "T", but that is fine:

I found a manual for an EnviraCom device which shows terminals 2 and 3 are 24vac power:

This means we have the right connections, and according to the R7184 manual:

EnviraCOM™ Current Available: 150 mA

So the liming factor here is simply the current available. I can't find any specs at all for the thermostat you posted, but so long as it needs 150 mA or less (at 24 Vac) then it should work. You would make the following connections:

Burner             Thermostat     Desc
Terminal 4 T       W              Heating call
Terminal 3 T       R or Rh        24Vac
Terminal 2         C              24Vac "Common"

Note: your current wiring may not have W and R connected correctly, because with the two-wire system it doesn't matter. Now that you need a C wire, it is important to have R connected to constant power. If wrong, your thermostat simply won't get power.

If your thermostat draws more than 150 mA, you're going to run into various strange problems that may range from occasional glitches to your burner not working at all, and I'd highly advise against doing this.

If you do need more than 150mA, normally you could upgrade the transformer -- but in this case, it's all an integrated solid-state unit. I'm actually not sure you could wire this up without damaging the burner controller. The safest thing would be to use a separate circuit with a relay, but that is far beyond the original scope so I won't post how do to that unless necessary.


Should I use 3 wire or 4 wire for a range?

You must always follow the most recently adopted code when installing new wiring, no matter how old the house is. With that said, the cord of a cord-and-plug attached device is beyond the scope of the National Electrical Code (NEC).
Installing a new range
When you purchase a range, they will also sell you the attachment plug.  If you opt to install the stove yourself, they will ask you if you need 3 or 4 wire.  This is because if you already have a 3 wire receptacle that was installed before the code change then you are not required to update the house wiring when installing the range.
When you're ready to install the range in the house, you'll follow the manufacturers installation instruction for a 3 wire attachment plug. Once the cord is attached to the device, simply plug it in and you're done.
Installing or modifying a range circuit
If you are installing a new circuit for the range (which it sounds like you might be), or modifying the existing range circuit, you must follow all currently adopted codes.  This will likely mean running 4 conductor wire, and installing a 4 wire receptacle. Remember, the code is applied during installation, not when the materials are purchased.
Side Note: Technically, code applies at the time of inspection. However, the inspector will usually use the date the permit was granted.  So if there was a code change after the permit was pulled, but before the inspection, the inspector will usually use the old code.
If your range has a 3 wire attachment plug, you'll have to follow the manufacturers installation instructions to change to a 4 wire plug.


Need help identifying this drywall anchor used to lock in a ceiling air diffuser

I have installed quite a few registers like that but have never found them for sale. I have made them out of scraps of polypropylene, and UHMW. Most had to be shaped on 1 side a belt sander worked well for that holding the plastic with pliers. A few I could put in without shaping but not very many.  Note if you drill the hole with a drill it needs to be smaller than the screw size the screw needs to bite into the plastic and rotate out when tightened.


In Washington, DC you want to remove as much water as possible from the dank soup that passes for summer air. Your AC does that. You definitely do NOT want to add any more humidity in the summer, there.

In a desert climate you might, but then you'd probably also be looking at a swamp cooler, which does both cooling and humidifying - in a DRY climate.


My thoughts? EEK! I think this is a recipe for trouble. I hope this was not suggested by the contractor?

These floors need smooth surfaces underneath, with underlayment that will support the flooring. If there will be serious problems like that, they need to be fixed before you put down flooring. Otherwise, you will have flooring that flexes every time you walk over a spot. You will have loud squeeks. The joints between the pieces will open up and close, allowing dirt to lodge in there, unsightly lines will appear in the flooring. With enough flexing, the hard surface coating on that flooring will start to crack.

While padding is used underneath these floating floors, the flooring is simply not stiff and strong enough to resist the flexing I am talking about.

Do the job right the first time. You don't want to tear it out and redo it later. If the cost of repairing the subfloor is too much, just replace the carpet.


Water coming from the cistern is not capable of flushing the commode?

Flush toilets with the usual non-pressurized water tanks don't need significant water main pressure to function. The depth of the water in the tank is what provides the pressure. Low water main pressure will increase the time to fill the toilet tank, but once it's full the flush process will be the same.

In your case, it's likely there's something wrong with the toilet flushing mechanism, or the drain pipe.


How could I repair the following bathtub chip?

Nothing you use to repair the porcelain tub fired frit will be as hard and durable but you can look for two part glass filled epoxy resins to repair the porcelain chip. If you are using the tub right now, any shower, shampoo or conditioner residue MUST be completely removed from the chip area prior to or before filling and leveling the epoxy resin. Alcohol followed by acetone swipes will remove most soap residues quickly.

Finding a good color match may be difficult. Looks like a light Almond Beige on my cheap monitor. There are kitchen and bath installer adhesives that are availabe to the trade that allow a good color match but they are usually big kits with many pigment tubes and designed for bonding many linear feet of stone or man made synthetic countertops and bath liners. Did you save any of the porcelain chip for a color match at the store?

Another problem is leveling the repair adhesive bond after applying it to fill the chip. You want a smooth gloss fill to match the surrounding area gloss and color. If the chip is on the bottom of the tub or shower enclosure, then things are easier than if the chip is on the the side of the tub. For side and vertical wall fills, a layer of clear plastic tape can hold the fill in place until it has polymerized to a non sticky high solids fill. In any case, spot sanding to lower and smooth out the patch would be another additional step after applying the bonding fill agent to the chip. Good luck

If you search on "Porcelain Repair Kit Almond" you will get at least a dozen different kits to choose from. Devcon, Permatex Loctite and many others are name brands for epoxy repair and all should work when the directions are followed. Keep it clean and dry before during and after repair for at least 24 hours. There are also tub restoration paints but avoid those unless you feel like re-spraying a well masked complete shower and or tub interior.


Can I get away with 12" round supply and return for 2 ton?

Yes, my “Ductulator” says a 12” diameter duct (with insulation on the exterior of the duct) is a little small, but barely adequate for a 2 ton unit.
If I was sizing it I’d use a 14” diameter with a friction loss of .09 per 100 feet of duct on the SUPPLY side and .07 on the RETURN side.
However, your 12” duct will make the air travel a little faster than recommended, but it will not “whistle”.


How can I fish cable through a 90 degree turn?

Your "intake vent" is better referred to as a "return air vent in the stud wall cavity". The reason there appears to be a 90 degree turn in it is because there is! Behind the drywall, at the base of the wall, there is a hole where the floor would be, this transitions into a metal duct which travels back to your HVAC unit, just like you see if you open up your floor registers; the air is just moving the other direction.

I would not drill a hole for your Cat6 cable in the attic OR the basement in this stud cavity for this reason. Rather, pick an interior wall stud cavity where you have basement access (try the utility room) and there aren't preexisting electrical runs. Drill a hole from the attic and basement (alignment doesn't need to be perfect, just hit the same cavity). Use a paperclip & string from the top, and magnet from the bottom, to fish a line between the two. Then use that line to pull your Cat6 cable through.


Whats more efficient for AC and Blower Fan, lower temperature/fan auto or higher temperature fan on?

Whatever you do, use the blower fan on auto only. The blower fan is ineffective for circulation compared to ceiling fans or to fans on stands or to box fans. If your ducts are in a hot attic, circulating air will pick up heat through the relatively thin insulation of the ducts. If your ducts are in the crawl space
of a pier-and-beam foundation, then maybe using the blower on for circulation might do some good.

I am well into my 70s and can't stand being hot so my recommendation is to set the thermostat at 78 F and leave it there. We keep ours at 74 F and just pay what it costs. If you have standard thickness filters, change the filter once a month or two months at most. Let everyone (including the dog) enjoy life at a civilized temperature and humidity.

Where are you? What was your monthly kWh last summer, say for July?

Edit
Our electric power use kWh (so you can judge the validity of my answer on your question) for two retired people who stay home a lot and don't travel much, share one automobile (~one tank of gas per month), electric kitchen range (never eat out), electric clothes dryer, gas water heater.

2016 electric power use kWh
Mar 500
Apr 500
May 700
Jun 1000
Jul 1700
Aug 1950
Sep 1500
Oct 1000
Nov 700
Dec 600
2017
Jan 750 (space heating of garage for painting)
Feb 500
Mar 500


We can't guess.  It's something to do with your neutral hygiene.  You have circuit neutrals that are interacting with other neutrals.  We would need photos of all the wiring in all the boxes associated with any one failing circuit, which in your case is pretty easy since your circuits are so somple: the wiring at any failing outlet, and the panel itself.  I bet we could get to the bottom of it right quick.

Also, make a mental note.  Next time you're building a panel in a vehicle, "plug-on neutral" is not a feature you want.  "Plug-on anything" is not a feature you want.  Next time go to the Siemens, Square D or Eaton dealer and get their panel series that use bolt-down breakers.  Normally those are used in factories where they don't want line workers tampering with the panel (the bolts are energized at all times). That's wrong for a homeowner, but the generator makes that not a problem.  You want it because it's a vehicle and stuff vibrates out.  You'll have less trouble with that.


Could it be that smart light fixtures are the future and not smart switches? At least for retrofits?

I fear that my answer will lend itself to opinion, and the question you asked is definitely written so that you are asking for an opinion, but given some important facts, and assumptions you made that are at least in part mistakes; perhaps this will help:

  In my house built around ~1970 all ceiling lamps are wired in a way
  where neutral wire is in light fixture's electrical box and the wall
  light switches do not have a neutral

Unfortunately, this is true for many many many residences, and fortunately; is no longer allowed. This is written in article 404 of the 2011 NEC.

  If I understand correctly, then somewhat newer houses built around
  ~1990 are wired the opposite way where light fixtures do not have
  neutral, but the light switches have neutral.

This is not true. A light fixture has to have a neutral. Any circuit in existance needs the supply and return sides. Ground is a safety ground, or ... a safety neutral in essence. But it should never be used like this. If you ever see a fixture that does not have a white neutral, chances are, another wire in there is (and should be identified).

The third option you linked is just a pathing approach. This is nothing more than how electricity got form A to B to C... and most electricians wire a home with some mix of: cost efficiency, use as little copper as possible, and common sense, future expansion and smart routing.

Another thing that exists you did not mention is 3 way switches. This is a little bit more complex, but regarding neutrals, they are all present at each location inside the box.

  However, it just occurred to me that maybe the future of smart
  lighting is not smart switches, but rather smart fixtures? Especially
  for retrofits?

Have to disagree, but this in itself is an opinion. Smart switches have an advantage. They are "permanent" and separate and take the place of existing switch circuits. Not having them as you later suggest leaves you pretty much up a creek without a paddle when the IOT goes down. Having a hardwired switch has its value for sure. People buy smart outlets/fixtures, and smart bulbs, etc - but then you have one more "wall-wart" (large unsightly blob) that makes your bulb too big, or stops you from using the second plug in an outlet, or stops you from pushing that couch against the wall.

  eliminate almost all physical light switches in my house (currently I have to upgrade them to CO/ALR rated switches anyway)
  simply pull out some old aluminium wiring that runs behind walls as it would not be necessary anymore and my house will have less
  wiring in attics overall (currently I would have to trace all this
  wiring and replace splices with AlumiConns)
  still be able control my lights with help of voice, motion, phone or with a touch on smart hub screen as I would with smart switch. But
  I would not be able to have easily accessible physical switch that can
  turn it on or off.

For these points, I've adressed my answer above about value of one smart appliance over the other, but regarding aluminum... You should copper pigtail everything, you should retrofit and remove aluminum whenever the opportunity presents itself. This is a different topic from *smart switch anything. It's just smart! :)

Found this after reading Ed's note *(thanks Ed):  Simple notes on room requirements for switches
Local-mechanical means has its value. The internet is not perfect, and we all know technology is not either. But since you have a breaker, that technically is a mechanical off switch. Do you really want to have to use it?


Bathroom ceiling vent has a fan cover, and a duct behind it but no wiring. What does that do?

It is possible there is an "inline duct fan" half way along the duct.

These are "designed to produce higher working pressures for applications that require high air flows, with low relative noise." compared to cheaper surface-mounted fans.

Your duct presumably runs through your attic/loft and is accessible from there.

There will probably be an isolation switch for the fan somewhere just outside the bathroom. This may incorporate a fuse. If so, you could check the fuse is Ok and that the switch is working.

Typically, power to the fan is provided via a pull-cord operated light-switch and often there is a separate permanent-live feed so the fan can continue to extract damp air for several minutes after the room has been vacated.


Pressure relief valve stuck - leave alone or force it?

You should remove and replace the valve.  If you cannot open it using the lever chances are good that it also will not function properly when needed.  So you have a dangerous condition.
It looks like you have limited space to work in so you may need to remove the downpipe from the valve before you can remove it.  But a new one is cheap insurance vs. a thermostat failure leading to a rupture or worse.


Use clear silicone caulk, super strong as an adhesive when cured and waterproof.


Ok this looks like orange peal it is tough to match. Unless a large area is tapered . be careful don't try to tape off and. Make a zone area I did this many years ago and after 3 tries I could still see the lines from the tape but the owner was happyI have learned to never use tape because there is always a line even with sanding.


Do i still need the insulation in an old ceiling light if I'm no longer using incandescent bulbs?

As long as it's possible to screw an incandescent in there, someone will.  So the insulation must stay, otherwise you are using the product inconsistent with its labeling or instructions, voiding its UL listing by altering it, all of which is a codevio.

The CFLs overheated because they were in a confined closed fixture, the insulation had nothing to do with it.  Been there, done that.  The root problem is you were using CFLs somewhere they should not be used, such as 2017.

That is your basic "tenant grade cheapie" fixture, and if you're absolutely in mad love with it, I would look for some ~8 watt LED screw-ins to put in there, might still have overheating problems though.

If money is no object, get a nice soldered-in-LEDs fixture where the LEDs and their heat sink are integral to the fixture, and which aims the LED light properly.  Almost everyone wants a cone of light, and fixtures try to give it to you with inefficient reflectors.   LED screw-ins don't avoid that, they corncob them around to try to light a sphere.  But purpose built fixtures can be aimed or even lensed.


How to get a flat-head nail out of a piece of wood?

This style of nail puller does a good job of pulling out nails that are flush or deeper.

It won't leave the original surface completely untouched, as it needs a tiny bit of clearance to get a grip on the nail.
And here are a few videos demonstrating how to use it.

https://youtu.be/sWC0hkTH250
https://youtu.be/573UbJ3tgQI
https://youtu.be/kPh8GkComL0


Roof Safety: Proper way to adjust position of carabiner/lanyard on rope attached at the top of the roof

It's called a rope-grab and is mostly pretty foolproof - they also allow a lot of freedom of movement so you are mostly likely to actualy use them!

See fall protection guide (pdf) for more info


Edging options for newly paved asphalt driveway and parking lot

Unless your neighbor pulls up his timbers to check their condition, it's impossible to say if they're truly holding up well; wood in the ground will rot from the bottom up, so the top can look great but underneath could be a soggy mess.

That said, ground contact-rated, pressure-treated lumber (typically pine here) should last 10 years without issue, especially if you wait long enough to use it that you water seal it or stain with a moisture-sealing stain. Alternatively, you could pay more (3x or more) for a wood that is naturally moisture-resistant like cedar or redwood.

However, while I'm not very familiar with the behavior of asphalt, I do know it will flex a lot more than brick pavers, so the wood lining your driveway may well crack over time due to that.


Your plan seems sound enough. You are right that joint compound and spackle are not the right material for your upper fill.

I would not cut down through the wire, but would cut to the depth of the wire in a straight line across, which should leave you a fairly uniform depth. Then use a piece of plasterboard to fill the area up to the corner, fastening your corner bead over it. Use plasterboard as close in thickness as you can but not over (under is better than over).

Then use successive coats of patching plaster or joint compound to match surfaces, feathering way back over the existing plaster and sanding smooth.


How do I increase the water pressure in my shower in spite of water-saving hardware?

If Jeff's suggestions don't fix the problem, it could simply be that the water-saving showerhead doesn't allow the pressure / flow rate you want. This was the case in all of the apartments I lived in; I went to Home Depot and bought a decent new showerhead for $30, and moved it with me from apartment to apartment. Each time I moved out I simply put the original one back on.

They aren't difficult to replace; all you need is:

A pair of pliers large enough to grasp the collar (tongue-and-groove pliers work best)
A rag to wrap around the collar, to prevent damage from the pliers
A small amount of Teflon pipe thread tape

Take the old one off and clean the threads of any old sealant or Teflon tape. Apply 2-3 wraps of new Teflon tape in a clockwise direction - direction of wrap is important so that when you thread on the shower head, you're going in the same direction as the wrap and not unraveling it as you tighten. Thread on the new showerhead until snug and check for leaks.


Is this slot on a European style lock cylinder normal?

Heracles calls your type of lock the "carénée sésame" (according to Google Translate, the "sesame fairing", though a better English translation would probably be the "sesame edge" or "sesame strip").
An example Euro cylinder from Heracles is the model SR series. In the pictures on that page, you will see that they are mostly standard Euro cylinders but there is one picture of a cylinder with a notch like yours. If you look at the datasheet, you will see that this model is labelled "Spécial remplacement pour carénée sésame" ("Special replacement for sesame fairing"). As far as I can tell, Heracles only makes some of their cylinders for this lock.
Because of the notch, they need to sell separate left-handed and right-handed versions of the cylinder, but I could not find anywhere they explain the purpose of the notch. The most likely reason would be to make sure you don't insert the cylinder backwards (since it is twice as long on one side, which doesn't seem to be very common), but according to the datasheet Heracles also makes other models of 30mm/60mm cylinder without the notch.

It also appears that the newer "SESAME 2" model of the lock no longer has this restriction, though it is hard to confirm that for sure.
Given all that information, the implication is that this was really just a method of controlling what locks you could use. That said, don't go grind off the notch on my say-so, because I don't speak French and can't confirm all this information for sure.


Why does my air conditioner say not to shut it off and restart within 3 minutes?

Seems like this will answer your question. Found on another Stack Exchange site:
https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/4695/do-air-conditioners-need-a-3-minute-break-after-being-started-or-stopped


Looking at the actual code...

National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 2 Wiring and Protection
Article 210 Branch Circuits
210.11 Branch Circuits Required.
(C) Dwelling Units.
(1) Small-Appliance Branch Circuits. In addition to the number of branch circuits required by other parts of this section, two or more 20-ampere small-appliance branch circuits shall be provided for all receptacle outlets specified by 210.52(B)
210.52 Dwelling Unit Receptacle Outlets.
(B) Small Appliances.
(1) Receptacle Outlets Served. In the kitchen, pantry, breakfast room, dining room, or similar area of a dwelling unit, the two or more 20-ampere small-appliance branch circuits required by 210.11(C)(1) shall serve all wall and floor receptacle outlets covered by 210.52(A), all countertop outlets covered by 210.52(C), and receptacle outlets for refrigeration equipment.
(3) Kitchen Receptacle Requirements. Receptacles installed in a kitchen to serve countertop surfaces shall be supplied by not fewer than two small-appliance branch circuits, either or both of which shall also be permitted to supply receptacle outlets in the same kitchen and in other rooms specified in 210.52(B)(1). Additional small appliance branch circuits shall be permitted to supply receptacle outlets in the kitchen and other rooms specified in 210.52(B)(1). No small-appliance branch circuit shall serve more than one kitchen.

The receptacles supplying the countertop, must be supplied by at least two 20 ampere circuits.  However, these two circuits can also supply receptacles in a "pantry, breakfast room, dining room, or similar area of a dwelling unit", as well as "receptacle outlets for refrigeration equipment". One of the more common ways to meet this code, is by splitting the duplex receptacles. One circuit powers the top outlet of the receptacle, while the other powers the bottom outlet. Another option is to supply the countertop receptacles with one circuit, and the refrigerator with a separate circuit.
As for the receptacle in the kitchen, supplied by the living room circuit. While this is likely not a violation. This receptacle does not count towards the two 20 ampere small appliance circuits required in the kitchen.


my furnace fan stays on even when at temperature

There is often a "fan" switch on the thermostat, which can be set either to "auto" or to "on" - the "on" setting runs the fan all the time, which can be helpful with distributing heat (or cold) in houses that otherwise tend to be very cold downstairs and very hot upstairs due to natural convection currents, especially if the furnace/AC does not run for quite a while.

It can also be helpful in running more air through the filters. It does use more electricity running the fan - how much depends on the fan.


Does a bathroom exhaust fan have to vent to the outside?

Bathroom vent fans must be vented to the out of doors. Venting this fan into the attic is simply asking for problems.  The excessive moisture will cause condensation on the roof members, insulation and eventually cause mold. It is never OK to vent directly into an attic even if the attic itself is vented.

So, the simple correct answer is NO.  Your friends are misinformed.


Cutting ceiling joist for attic ladder install

Yes, you can typically cut through joists, but you must make some additions known as trimmers and headers to the framing as well. Like this...

Note that the trimmers run the whole length of the joists in place.

The ceiling joists will not hold much weight being only 2x4’s. I would not expect to be able to install plywood and flooring and walk around up there, but you could possibly store some lightweight things at the edges of the space and over the wall below.


How should I attach a toilet flange and toilet with this particular situation?

Since there is no flange installed yet you could just fill in the void with materials such as plywood or hardy backer to bring it up close to the level of  The existing floor  then solidly secure the new flange with long screws.

The wax ring mounting system of a toilet to a flange is fairly forgiving so you do not have to be precise.  You could leave it the way it is and use a  extra thick ring or you could fill it as I suggested and use a single thickness ring or one of the newer rubber  gasket options.  Having the  flange above the level of the tile floor is not necessarily the right thing as this could be problematic in getting the toilet to  sit tight to the tile floor without rocking .  I would shoot for having the top of the flange be at the same level as the tile floor( or slightly lower ).  You want enough gap for the wax ring or mounting system but not so high that it interferes with the toilet.

There is more than one way to skin a cat, there is no one correct answer for your question.

Many times when I lay a new bathroom tile floor I am able to unscrew the flange and lift it up and slide the new  cement board underneath it but sometimes that is not possible and I have to use a thicker wax ring or a flange extender.

I saw a new product on this old house that was a thick squishy foam type ring that looks much nicer to use then wax.


Replacing a dimmer switch to a normal switch

Red's just another hot(-ish)

For the switch going to where the dimmer was:

Green wire to green screw
Each of the free black wires to a brass screw (the switch doesn't care)

For the dimmer going to where the switch was:

Bare wire to the green screw (the screw that was hooked to the green wire)
Black wire to one of the brass screws
Red wire to the other brass screw

If the dimmer doesn't like it, switch the black and red wires around -- this shouldn't be an issue for a regular dimmer though.


Both 3-Way Switches Upstream of Multiple Split Receptacles

Entering at Switch 2 works...
The good news is that you can bring power in at switch 2 without issue.  The three-way complex becomes an ordinary "spur" setup at this point, with a common wire and two travelers in the cable between Switch 1 and Switch 2, and thus doesn't impose any complications on the rest of the wiring, which looks the same as if you were wiring any other set of half-switched receptacles.
Note that since neutral is available at Switch 2, that covers the 404.2(C) requirement for neutrals to be present at switch locations, so you don't need to worry about bringing neutral over to Switch 1 in this case.
However, your plan for entering at switch 1 fails the Code test
Your problem with your preference for entering at switch 1, though, is that by splicing the neutral from the always-hot "alternate" feed and the neutral that traveled along with the traveler wires together, you've created a parallel, or "looped", neutral path.  The resulting split in current flow creates a magnetic field between the two wires, which is bad because that field can heat ferrous metal pieces in your walls up like pans on an induction range.  (It's also an EMI  issue, but not one modern gear is susceptible to, due to CRTs being obsolete.)
As a result, the NEC prohibits such a configuration as an effect of how 300.3(B) and 310.10(H) are worded. In order to fix this, you have to bring always-hot to the second witch box alongside the travelers and neutral, which requires a 12/4 cable instead of the 12/3 you were planning on using (or 5 12AWG THHNs in a 1/2" ENT aka smurf tube, if you wish to roll that way instead).  Once you have that straightened out, though, you should be good to go.


I'd echo what Tester101 is saying. Going with vinyl vs cermaic is really a question of the style and price of home in relation to others in the area. Whether the price of the house is dramatically affected by this decision is hard to tell.

Does it match the rest of the house? For example, if your bathroom has a walk-in glass shower that's done in granite tile, granite counter tops, and a $600 vanity, then yes, using vinyl tile will make the whole thing look cheap. If your bathroom is more modest, then you can get away with these tiles.

Houses in a given area typically sell in a certain range. If you put several thousand dollars into high-end everything then you'll probably be able to sell at the top of that range, but no one is going to pay $350k for a house in a neighbourhood where all the houses are $220 to 260k.

That said, the straight-up price difference to DIY is not that much. I actually just installed these exact vinyl tiles in my bathroom. I went with them for a couple reasons:

I don't really like cold tiles, and so factoring in a in-floor heating ups the cost
My house does not have a lot of high-end finishes, and is not worth enough overall that I'd get a return on investment from this.
To put in tiles, I'd have to significantly beef up the subfloor, and I didn't want to put that much money or time in.
I have not tiled before, and was trying to complete this project in a weekend while the wife was gone as it's our only shower and she was not thrilled at not having a shower.

Overall I'm pretty happy with them. They do take some playing with to get them perfect (especially if your walls aren't perfectly square, like mine) - the first row is critical. I messed mine up a little bit, and there's a very slight crack between them, but it's not too bad.

I also noticed that the "grout" lines on the edges are not perfectly uniform. Some are skinnier than others. I unfortunately ended up with two planks with skinny edges butted against each other, next to two with thick edges. It's subtle, but it's the sort of thing that once you see it, you can't un-see it. If I used them again, I would take a whole bunch out of the box, and lay them out before hand to make sure the edges are balanced.

I am happy with the way they turned out. It's about equivalent to a normal vinyl sheet floor. It's not even comparable to the old peel-and-stick tiles. I definitely noticed in the store that there are some that don't look that nice, and if you do a bad job at installation for sure they won't look good. My first try at it, I had the first row misaligned and so by the time I was just a few planks in, it was horribly offset. I had to go back and redo it all (which luckily, you can do).

Here's part-way through the installation, to give you an idea of how they go down:


Continuous Load Definition for Feeder Wire

Under the NEC there is no differentiation between residential and non-residential with regard to continuous loads. A continuous load has a very clear definition that most people interpret wrong. It's not any load that "is on" for a certain amount of time. It is a load that is expected to run at maximum current for a certain amount of time, three hours.

  Continuous Load.

  A load where the maximum current is expected to continue for 3 hours or more.

The key words here are "expected" and "maximum current".


Sure, could be an exhaust fan...but it could be a supply fan too.

To check, tape a piece of paper over about half the vent opening and wait for the fan to come on. Does it blow or suck?

Btw, look under the toe kick of the cabinet to see if there’s another vent.


What is this stranded silver ground wire in 40 amp circuit

Noting the irregularities in the way the strands are spiraled, that is certainly SE type cable, or "Service Entrance" cable.  Service entrances (weatherhead to main panel) are run hot-hot-neutral with no ground, so naturally, SE cable provides exactly that.  The bare wire is neutral, not ground.
Use of SE cable for ranges was legal in the 1970s, and as such, it is "grandfathered" today.  It is neutral, not ground, which means your range has a 3-wire ungrounded connection, also legal in the 1970s.
While it's grandfathered to the inspector, it is not grandfathered to the reaper.  3-wire connections have a fatal flaw: in this setup, the chassis of the range is bonded to the neutral wire.  If it  has a simple and common contact problem, it energizes the chassis of the range with lethal voltage when the oven light is on (i.e. door is opened).
When fatalities happen this way, it is reported by the press as miswiring which is untrue: it was wired correctly but neutral had poor contact. Which happens.
The new doctrine is to provide a separate ground wire; or; fit GFCI protection at the breaker.  Both of these solutions require removing the bad-news bonding strap inside the range that ties the chassis to neutral.
Merely removing the bad-news bonding strap is not enough; now the chassis will be energized by any ground fault (which grounding or GFCI would have detected).


How much weight can a 3.5" deck screw hold before pulling out?

Deck screws are unsuitable for that use. They are light in gauge and usually have a bugle style head. You spaced them very close together so you are 'getting away with it' for now.
Most installations don't have a lot of direct pull out pressure, it's often mostly a shear load. Your installation is almost wholly in the pull out category.
In this situation I'd want a screw with flat bottomed head of a decent gauge (10 or 12 at least) and maybe even a washer to further resist pull out. You can increase the spacing but you'd still want at least 8 big screws. You can use a flat spade bit to drill small sockets or recesses to hide the screw head and washer.
There are various deck building framing screws which would be suitable, choose ones with large heads and thick gauges.


Tips on how to check if this guest house in ADU was built with permits?

Very easy to resolve.  Have seller put in writing that the ADU was legally permitted when built.  He has put you on notice with "seller is 'convinced' that it was legally built."  If you accept that statement, you are making the purchase "as is" based on what he believes, not factual evidence.
Only if he puts it in writing that the ADU is legally built would he bear responsibility for misleading you if you later have an issue with the "ADU".
Ways to validate if ADU was built with a permit.
Go to the planning department and request a copy of the blueprint. The permits would not have been issued without the drawings. Also seller, claims the ADU is on the plan, so ask the seller for the plan showing the ADU.
Edited based on additional information:
The "guest house" was originally built as a "workshop".  Later converted into livable space, “ADU”,  conversion most likely done without a permit.   So your underlying questions has been answer.
Per your added comment, “If my understanding is correct, then Workshop does not count towards "legal livable area", but yet they still included it.”.
I do not believe there is a California law that regulates how a home's square footage must be calculated.  Livable space needs to meet certain requirements, i.e., heat, ceiling height, etc.”,   The bottom line is you are purchasing the “ADU” feature “As Is”. Whether you believe the seller should include it as part of the "livable" space is your opinion.  Even if the seller removes the footage as part of the livable space, the price would still be the same.


Why are boards replaced in a laminate floor duller than the others?

Interesting question. It sounds like the installed flooring has become polished by wear or was at one time sealed with a gloss finish.

If you have additional replacement material you can test various finishes to match the installed ones. Laminate manufacturers recommend sealing the flooring after installation primarily to protect the joints from spills and from absorbing water from humid air but also to make the floor easier to clean.

Try the manufacturer's recommended sealer first, then matte, semi-gloss and gloss, then compare to the installed sections in various lighting scenarios.

If you determine a suitable match, mask the original planks, apply and rejoice.


Could home phone wiring cause a one-sided phone call (where I can hear them but they can't hear me)?

One-way voice with VoIP is a networking issue, which is a bit off-topic for this site. This article may help: What causes one-way conversation in a VoIP network?. Unless you set up the voip accounts and hardware yourself (in which case you would have done things dealing with the acronyms SIP, RTP and/or NAT) then call your provider, because it's their problem. It sounds like you're getting service directly from your cable company, and frankly, if they can't get this right I'd be scared - that is not a good sign of the quality of service you'll get.

What your cable modem has in it is called an Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA) - it basically interfaces an analog phone line with a VoIP account. Once you're on analog, both send and receive are on the same pair, and only a single pair of wires are used -- typically red and green (or blue and blue/white in Cat3+ cable). If these are connected, you have two-way voice between your analog phone and the ATA. If not, you get nothing at all. It's pretty easy to conclude that this is not a problem with your wiring.


Which tile cutter to use for commercial flooring tiles?

Buy yourself a steel ruler long enough for the job, and a few quick release clamps.  Just clamp the ruler and tile to a workbench and score along the ruler with a utility knife.  It's a bit slower, but for a single room, the savings is significant.

As well, you should only be cutting the edges that go against the wall.  Remove the quarter round and baseboards before you lay the tiles, and reinstall them after you're done.  This will cover any imperfections in your edge cuts.


Why does the maximum deck overhang sometimes decrease with joist spacing?

Looks like data entry error to me. The values were reversed for several rows at some point.

Considering that they spelled 'fir' as 'fire' in one case, one can assume that accuracy was not a high priority here. That's not a flush beam, either, nor is '2x8' a 'length'.


What is this conservatory door part called?

This is one of those questions without an answer--the part is a proprietary component of the door's astragal, the dividing bar between slabs that provides a latching face and weather seals. You can contact the manufacturer or supplier, or you can attempt a repair.
I'd look at using pop rivets or sheet metal screws along with caulk and some plastic or aluminum sheet to overlay a plate that matches the original size and shape of that part. Add weather stripping if needed to help seal any remaining gap.
Show more photos from different angles for more specific suggestions.


How to install vinyl tubing for bathroom vent?

Make a 4" dia plug from a 1x6 or plywood, screw eyelet into center, clamp plug into dryer vent with worm gear clamp.  Pull through with your fish tape.  Perhaps a taped cone could be centered over the plug (and the fish tape lead through the center, for better insulation tracking).

Down the road this lint brush will remove any buildup.  This one has a 10ft shaft.

I'd urge you to convert to smooth walled metal duct and add a screened vent wall cover or a spring loaded damper.


Water only come from hot water faucet when I turn on both

Sounds like you are draining your hot water heater by gravity ,then it slowly refills . The slow refill is because of a restriction in the supply lines or very low city pressure, Right now I also have the very low city pressure ( E TX). First verify what is the situation of your city water pressure.


I'm not a licensed engineer, but I've been involved in building structures, block, skirted, footing with a kick wall. I do have a BA in Industrial Techlology (the guys that fix what the engineers thought was a good idea) twits.. The biggest issue with what you are trying, IMHO (in my humble opinion) Site preperation.  You have to get that exposed rock shining.  Then you need to use cord for leveling so you Identify your site high spots.  A chalk line might help with that. you'll have to try.  Next is your anchoring.  Even if the frost goes down 5' 2-3' anchored into the bedrock ought to be enough.  This is going to require a drill on a platform, one you rent. You will need a 36" carbide teeth, x 1" masonary bit.  I'd get 2, oh yes they are expensive!  Talk to your county engineer, explain this to him, it will NOT go anywhere. Drill a 24" x 1" hole in the rock.  cool it with water, a good flow.  Get your drill on a GFI if you want to live! From the contractor desk have them order a case of rebar epoxy.  you may want the pheunuematic tube gun, save your arms & hands. After this is all approved...

cut 4' sections of 3/4" rebar, fill the hole you've drilled and lived, (after 3-4 hot days) cover them tight maybe a cork.  That gets you to the wine/beer making store. LOL  When the holes are fully dry, use the epoxy to fill the hole, put in the rebar.  You can cut the top off at a hight agreeded upon with your engineer.  Personally, I'd put these every 12".  If they end up being 18" high, then wire tie 2 full length's or 1/2" rebar around the whole foundation, minus the door. You'll make this  then ~12" of foundation, epoxied into the rock, with 12" concrete. If there are specs on your frame for pre drilled spots, use those spacings. Then on the top, drill a 1/4 or 3/8" hole just above the frame line, room for a big 1" washer.  Find the company that still cuts nails, they are tapered.  You slam that nail, just above the washer, and pound the narrow end down. with those 12" footings, it will give you a nice base for a level concrete floor. That thing is NOT MOVING.  IMHO in my humble opinion... but I live in an 1854 post & beam, hand adzed timbers house.  I tend to over build. It really sounds like a fun project.  work out the rebar anchors w/ the engineer, and a poored futting 12" high that has horizontal and vertical rebar. The square nail for the wedge in the locked hole, should top it all off.  Hope this works for you... let me know ok?   JLH


What's the best way to repair this floor joist?

Considering you are probably putting the shower on top of this, you should definitely sister on a joist as large as is feasible. Be sure it runs as far as possible, hopefully to the bearing points (walls, etc.).

I am assuming the joist in question is the one at the bottom of the picture. If not, the advice should still apply.


Try by-passing the hi-limit on the furnace.  Sounds like it may be weak.  If this helps, replace it. When you say that you cleaned you flame sensor, what do you mean?  You need to buff it good with cleaning pad.  Also follow the flame sensor circuit, making sure all connections are tight.


You'll have to eyeball it. You'd stain the unstained & wipe off the excess where it looks pretty close...test wiping here & there. Then, let it dry & see how close or far it is from the inside portion.

If it's too far or too dark, then you can sand it out a little, but that's a crap shoot & it's better to just let it weather & sun down by itself. If it's too light you just add & immediately wipe off without waiting or waiting much at all. Adding stain to the inside portion will be very difficult to eyeball if it's not in the sun, so I wouldn't try doing anything there.


What is this closed off pipe under my kitchen sink?

It is a drain cleanout. You can try turning it clockwise to see if it tightens enough to stop the leak. If not, have a bucket or pan to catch any spillage, turn it counter clockwise, remove the plug, clean it off and the inside of the pipe. Wrap some Teflon tape around it and screw it back on.


Broken push to close latch, drawer closed

Most of this style I have installed are magnetic. If you can’t get a finger behind it a screwdriver may be needed to pop it open.


Will a make up air vent cause an issue in the winter?

The make up air would only be pulling fresh air in when your furnace is running unless you add a small powered duct. If you use the furnace to circulate the house air without the heat on yes it will be cooler but make up air is a good idea especially in winter when the house is closed up tight.


What should I know about radon levels at home? What levels are safe and do they affect resale value?

I gave a pretty detailed answer on radon mitigation systems in a related question.  Rather than repeat myself, I suggest that you read that and follow the links, particularly the EPA's guide on radon mitigation for home buyers.
Radon levels outdoors are pretty much always going to be zero.  It's only enclosed spaces you need to worry about.
As long as you can get a radon system installed without significantly destroying the home, and the radon levels aren't insanely high (100+ pCi/L), radon is not the end of the world.  Tell the seller to pay for a radon contractor, or have them knock a few thousand off the selling price and hire your own guy.  I would suggest getting a bid from a reputable radon contractor in the area so you know how much is reasonable for the sellers to concede.  Make sure you also factor in the price of someone doing a re-test on the radon levels!


Is Duck/Duct tape safe to use to insulate mains wires?

Use an appropriately listed and labeled electrical tape instead if you must use tape -- duck tape is an unknown quantity when it comes to insulating properties, and also is more likely to combust if hit with sparks than a proper electrical tape would.

Of course, if you can use heat-shrink tubing or some sort of wire connector (wirenut or push-lock) instead, that's a much better solution -- electrical tape doesn't last the way a proper heat-shrink job does.


The Kohler Cimarron toilet comes with a Reveal Quiet-Close with Grip-Tight Bumpers Seat. You can swap that for any elongated seat, though obviously with a new toilet you wouldn't normally want to do that - except if it came with a regular seat and you wanted a soft-close seat, which this already is.

Supposedly, it has "Unique Grip-Tight bumpers hold the seat firmly in place and prevent shifting." That would seem to imply that it would do the exact opposite of what it is doing for you. Since it is brand new, I suggest contacting Kohler directly.


Do I need to shut off gas water heater if I turn off water?

I don't think that you need to turn off the gas to the hot water heater.  I believe that it is likely acceptable to leave the appliance on the 'pilot' setting.

I would obtain the manual for this device (try searching online, you will likely find it that way) or call the support number for the manufacturer.

However, what is acceptable practice is not necessarily best practice.

Personally, I would be hesitant to leave a gas appliance unattended for more than a day or two without physically disconnecting the gas (usually a 1/4 turn valve on the feed line).  However, I feel comfortable lighting the pilot light myself.

Perhaps your should check with the local utility that provides your gas and see if they offer a service to visit your home and relight the pilot light upon your return?  Mine does and it is free.  My wife knows to contact them in the event I am unavailable because she is not comfortable at all in doing this herself.


Never do random things in electrical. You will stumble upon combinations that will work but will kill you.

Pause to learn what exactly it is you are doing.  Only then proceed.

OK, so you had a GFCI that was previously installed and worked before, and now suddenly is tripping.

The most important point is that GFCI devices are capable of protecting downline loads.  Those are the ones that are now dead.

First, unplug all the appliances that are downline from the GFCI device, and plugged into it if it's a receptacle.  That will clear up 99% of your problems in a "didn't trip before, now does" situation.  Once it clears, start plugging stuff in again When you plug a certain appliance in, it will trip.  Try that in a different GFCI and see if it still trips there. Off to the appliance repair it goes.
Second, unwire the GFCI device and disconnect and cap off the LOAD wires only.  Now, see if the GFCI device clears.  If it does, the problem is in either a hardwired device (lamp, fan etc.) or is in the wiring itself.

Then, you reconnect LOAD and start removing hardwired devices.  You need to remove both hot and neutral to have an effective test.  Obviously when you remove a device and it stops tripping, you found the problem.
If you have removed all hardwired devices and it still trips, then you must do a bug-hunt for any crossed neutrals - anywhere a device uses one cable's hot yet another cable's neutral. Also check for this in the GFCI itself.  If you get stuck or confused, take photos and post them here.

Third, if the GFCI device still won't clear with nothing on LOAD, and (if it's a GFCI receptacle) nothing plugged into it, then you definitely have a bad GFCI.  Otherwise, you do not.


Why can't I get this plastic drywall anchor into the hole?

I actually really like those linked triple grip wall anchors (linked by OP). The package often comes with its own drywall drill bit as well. The trick to using them is to pinch the "shoulders" in until they are flush with the sides of the anchor body before pushing them into the hole. Drywall is fairly chalky and brittle, so it will give a little bit where needed to let the shoulders through. Once in, these are nice, strong, low-profile anchors. The auger ones are a lot more destructive and tear up a lot of drywall if they fail. But I've used those successfully in the past as well.


How to connect when there are 2 cables of ceiling light

This is a switch leg or that’s what we call it on this side of the pond.
How we would wire it here is to connect the hot or L of the consumer unit to one of the wires going to the switch then the line coming back from the switch is the switched hot L. The switched hot goes to the L the N from the consumer unit in the n and connect earths
I did not put colors in since you did not mention them and I believe there are 2 or 3 possible combinations based on when built.
The wire going to the switch with the consumer unit hot we would use our normal color wire for N or white so that line is always hot and the switched hot brown or whatever is hot when the switch is on but the neutral always being hot can’t be mixed up as a neutral then we put tape or mark it as a hot.


How can I add a switch into an existing circuit but only control some of the circuit?

As you have drawn it, these lights will be always-on.  Most people do not want that, though it is becoming more popular due to LED lights drawing so amazingly little power.

Imagine with your mind's eye, if the colors of wires were related to their function.  Start with

black for the "hot" wire, that is always hot regardless of any switch positions.
White for the "neutral" wire, which is the normal current return.

Current flows in loops, so the two wires above are bare minimum.  Now let's think about a third:

Red for "switched-hot", a wire that is hot when the controlling light switch is on.

Normally we are stuck with the colors that are in cable, and don't get to color-code like this.  But in this particualr case, I think it will work out.  If not, they make colored electrical tape.

Now, light switches need all 3 wires.  If you heard that light switches only need black and red, and you can do that with black/white cable, that knowledge is obsolete.  Switches need all 3.

Lights need 2 wires: switched-hot and neutral (red white). They don't need always-hot (black) unless you want the option to jumper them on 24x7, but it's ok for always-hot to pass through their box untapped.

So the deal is, you need to run /3 cable (red black white) between all the controlled lamps and the switch.  The switch taps black and red, leaves white capped off for future smart switch use.   The lamps tap red and white, and black passes through.


Dishwasher malfunctions with blinking lights

The wiring diagram document for your model is available here:

http://manuals.frigidaire.com/prodinfo_pdf/Kinston/A03589801A.pdf

There is quite a bit of good information on that sheet that may be worth reading. The wiring diagram shows a number of sensor devices that could be marginal and should be checked. As indicated on that sheet always make sure to disconnect the power before opening or attempting to service the unit. Items to check:

The door switch could be marginal or intermittent. This switch has two pairs of contacts which actually switch the 120VAC power source to large parts of the circuitry. Inspect contacts and check with a multimeter in continuity testing mode.
There is a float switch in the bottom of the dishwasher that will cut power to the water fill valve if the water level rises too high. Check that the related switch opens and closes properly. Gunk can build up in the float mechanism and may need to be cleaned. The float needs to be able to freely move up and down.
There is a high-limit thermostat sensor that will cut power feed to the heater if the temperature gets too high. Check that this is electrically closed and not in some intermittent state of high resistance.
There are thermistors and optional turbidity sensors. You could inspect these and assure that the wiring to these is secure with non-corroded contacts.

I would most likely suspect the door switch as being intermittent or the wiring connections associated with it since it is involved with switching the AC power connections. There is a note on that sheet that indicates that OPTION LED'S flashing can be an indication of a power failure happening. The door switch can get a lot of abuse as the door is open and closed a lot on a dishwasher.


Can I install a humidifier on a horizontal duct?

That's plenty of space to install a humidifier, provided it's air intake scoop is designed to operate or can be installed horizontally. Freezing of the supply line or its drain is a concern; steam humidifiers are recommended for unconditioned spaces. Drain it inside, install a catch pan and a shut-off switch, like you have for your AC coil. Sharing that installed pan's drain and safety switch will not help; it only shuts down the AC condenser, not the entire furnace.


Is there ever a reason to fuse the neutral rather then the hot line in a small appliance?

If your wiring analysis is correct and the neutral is fused, this is most certainly atypical. The hot is fused to prevent a ground short from burning out the appliance and is the reason that a grounded neutral or reverse-polarized electrical plug can be dangerous. Fusing the neutral would not prevent this, which is exactly why the breaker tripped instead of the fuse blowing.

As for why it was done this way? Beats me, unless it is an error. Have you considered contacting the manufacturer? It may simply be an oversight in the U.S. wired models.


Open ground on all outlets, voltage meter beeping on metal boxes and MC cable

Well, don't trust the no-contact tester to tell you anything but the presence of voltage somewhere close to the end of it. Beyond that they aren't much use.

From what you said in #4 you have an open ground. Also, if you used a 3 light tester and it told you you have an open ground, I would believe that.

Check your equipment ground connections for a bad splice and terminations for a loose connection. Also, if this is a garage with a sub-panel it is possible they miswired it and your ground back to the main is open somewhere.

Good luck and stay safe by working with the circuits off!


How to best connect anodized aluminum and wood posts

Use wood. I would cut 1x4 or 2x4 pieces and miter them to match the angle(s). Then prime and paint black. This is a simple, strong, durable method and you could rip them to whatever width is aesthetically pleasing to you.


You can, but only if the breaker is 15 amps, and it creates possible confusion for someone who looks at the breaker box and thinks "huh, that's 12GA, I can change that to a 20A breaker." So you might want to leave that person a note in the box.


Acetone or denatured alcohol will dilute and dissolve liquid urethane glue. However, they may not work on hardened glue. There are no practically-available solvents for that. You're left with mechanical removal of the crusty material.
More on that


How can I set these nails flush in my beadboard paneling?

Unless I've got the scale completely wrong, those aren't finish nails. These are finish nails, since they have tiny heads. A finish head nail is used when there is no force on the head, such as trim and other decorative pieces.

What you look to have are common head nails. These are used when the force on the nail head is significant and avoids pulling the nail through the wood.

You can still countersink these, but not with the nail punch you have, which is designed to completely cover the nail head so it won't slip off. You'll need a ballpeen hammer to get that done. You use the rounded end to pound in the nail. This is done either by using it like a regular hammer and risk missing the nail, or you put the hammer on the nail and use another hammer to hit it.

And no, hitting a hammer with another hammer isn't going to make either explode. This was busted by the Mythbusters years ago. You can break chips off the hammer, if it's old and already showing signs of stress, but it's not going to explode.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MythBusters_(2006_season)#Hammer_vs._Hammer


Wires Physically Move When Breaker is Enabled

Is the disposal starting? If the disposal is stuck it could be drawing locked rotor current many times the circuit breaker rating causing the wires to jump even if it is starting a motor normally draws 3-5× its FLA or full load amperage for a fully functional motor. This combined with possibly a longer than normal length distance to the first staple it could be somewhat normal. If you hacer ever watch welding leads jump my big welder when on high the leads may jump a couple of inches with a heavy or thick rod. To further explain your home circuit breakers are inverse time they will hold 10x there rating for a very short time 150 -200 amps in that 14 or 12 awg wire will cause to jump. Hope this helps.


Is it possible to override building-wide air-conditioning settings?

From inside your apartment, no, the best you can do is use a fan, open the windows, block the sun with blinds, or walk around naked.  And if you do that last part in the building, the management may decide to turn on the AC sooner.


Two dryers connected to the same exhaust via a "Y". Backdraft problems?

@Peter: I think you answered your own question in your comment to ChrisF.  What you want is an "inline draft blocker."  And you'll want two, one for each dryer.  Here are a few on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Lambro-Industries-Blocker-1775L-Accessories/dp/B000H5PTJA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1304804320&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/DEFLECTO-BD04-Draft-Blocker/dp/B00009W3HB/ref=pd_cp_hi_2

http://www.amazon.com/Dundas-Jafine-DB4ZW-Dryer-Blocker/dp/B000DZDPPE/ref=sr_1_34?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1304804226&sr=1-34


OK you don't really give us much information, but I thought I should address what we know. First I recommend to all DIYselfers to never make branch circuit changes like you did since you really do not have the experience level. If the original electrician install 14/3 you have to assume he had a reason, and we may never know why.

So I would advise you take out the 12/2 and reconnect your circuits back to 14/3 connecting color to color. If nothing else at you new receptacle addition you can wire nut it off and label it "unknown" and leave it as such in the back of the box where it can do no harm. Also I am bothered by your splice in the attic I am assuming you have installed that splice in a box and cover and not left it exposed in open air.

If this doesn't satisfy your question I suggest you take @isherwoods advice and maybe even bring in an electrician to help you trace out wires and explain what is happening in your system.


How to darken a room without hurting airflow?

The only logical that comes to my mind is an awning of some sort.  If you get a big enough one, most direct light will be lost and you should have the same amount of airflow.


How can I prevent damage to fire sprinkler heads in workshop?

You can get sprinkler head cages to protect the sprinkler heads from damage.  Some have bright colors (easier to spot and avoid) and somewhat rounded edges which probably would hurt less if you bumped your head into them.


Does voltage in my PC's case indicate a circuit grounding problem?

I concur with your theory that the case is under power.  This may be due to a ground fault in the PC's power supply.  It could also be some other appliance raising ground due to its ground fault combining with a gap in the grounding system.

It's possible to have "islanded grounds" where a bunch of equipment grounds connect to each other, but do not connect to the actual earth. In an islanded-ground situation, you have the lowest common denominator; a ground fault on any of them lights up all of them.

The Equipment Safety Grounding System (outlet to panel), combined with the Grounding Electrode System (panel to ground rods), should be handling that properly.  I'd say it's time to give both systems a heavy inspection with a 10 foot pole... sorry, I mean with a fine-tooth comb.

If your grounding electrode system is faulty, that's where the 10-foot poles come in.


Is there a way to put Taco zone valves in a closed position?

TL;DR:

  is there a way to put the zone valves into a forced-closed position?

Taco zone-valve (wax piston actator):

disconnect top wire at contact marked #1 and wait 2 mins, or
disconnect all wires, wait two minutes, rotate head and remove.

Zone valves with a synchronous motor

remove the head.

Further to Tkw's answer, heres the inside of a zone valve. Note the two springs that close the valve when the motor is not powered.

With some zone valves, where the manual-opening lever is located you can peek in and see the toothed segment that is moved by the motor's gear (which typically turns at only 3.5 rpm)

What you show in your updated question looks like a Taco zone-valve

The bottom cast-metal part is the actual valve.

The top part, in a plastic enclosure, is just the Zone-Valve Power-Head. This is a separately purchased part and is designed to be replaced without disturbing the plumbing.

Once the power head is separated from the bronze valve body, the valve will be shut and there is no way for any of your heating controls to open the valve.

If you look at the cutaway diagram in the manufacturers brochure you'll see there is a very strong spring in the base.

That spring holds the valve closed when the power-head is disconnected.

If you want to be 100% sure the valve remains closed regardless of what your controls are doing, just pull the power-head off.

  Procedure to remove power unit and replace with Taco 555-050RP, 555-151RP,
  555-154RP or 555-173RP (as applicable) replacement power unit:
  1. Turn off room thermostat.
  2. Mark wires; 1, 2, and 3, according to terminal strip numbers on power unit.
  3. Disconnect wires from power unit terminal strip. Do not allow wires to come in contact with each other or other objects.
  4. Wait two (2) minutes for power unit to cool down.
  5. Push down slightly, and rotate power unit clockwise (as shown) to remove, and lift off.
  6. Position new Taco replacement power unit on valve body, push down slightly and twist counter-clockwise to assemble onto valve body.
  7. Reconnect wires marked 1, 2, and 3 to their respective terminals on the replace-ment power unit.
  8. Check to make sure that the manual operation lever is in the auto position before returning the thermostat to normal operation.
  (Note: no manual lever on 555-173RP.)

Though just disconnecting the wiring (or just wire #1) ought to be enough.


Why should I not use standard "house" bricks for a patio?

My wife and I collected an assortment of old house wall bricks from various sources on craigs list and put them down in a patio in the mid-Atlantic a couple years ago. They're on packed gravel and sand with no mortar, laid flat in a herring bone pattern. We've had only one issue which is that some of the bricks were of the softer, less dense variety (light orange and easy to cut). These didn't make it through the first winter. They seemed to have trapped moisture, froze, then exploded into very small pieces. We'll be pulling these out and replacing them.

Other than that we found the old bricks to be great. Patina and slight variation in size make the patio look older than it is. Lots of character and other than a few exploding bricks, little maintenance.


Is a sagging floor possibly detrimental?

I had to have a structural engineer take a look at my house before I closed on it.  I have a roughly 1" sag in the middle of left half of my house where a pole was removed.  According to the structural engineer this would not get any worse and is "safe", aside from any annoyance it causes.  Yours may be a different situation, so I'd recommend having someone come out and take a look.  I believe mine ran me about $450.00 for the consultation.  Money well spent to know I won't fall through my floor at night.


What weather resistant, non aluminum quad cable can I use to run an overhead line to a 220V 20 amp subpanel?

You'll need to field assemble this

You will need to field assemble the correct cable for this job from a few different parts.  First, you will need a messenger wire, made from stranded steel (yes!), to provide this assembly with the mechanical strength needed to withstand the rigors of being out in the open.  Second, you'll need some 10-3 UF cable, just like the stuff you'd stick in the ground for this circuit.  Third, you'll need to use a wire to lash the UF cable to the messenger out in the field.

Once this is all installed, with the messenger wire going up first and tensioned correctly according to a sag and tension chart or corresponding sag and tension calculation, followed by the UF and field lashing (don't forget the drip loops on the UF at each end!), you'll then need to run a split bolt and 10AWG bare copper ground wire down from the messenger to a junction box at one end, where it can be connected to the circuit ground wire in order to bond the messenger wire.


What is the easiest way to remove this stump (under wall)?

Easiest? Saltpeter. If you drill holes with a spade bit, fill them with a liquid stump remover, then wait for a week or so it should convert the wood to a punky black consistency that's much easier to dig out. If the chemical you used is saltpeter you will have converted the wood to an oxidizer. Should the stump somehow become saturated with kerosene that was left in the holes for a day or two and set alight it would burn even underground, destroying all of the roots.

Your best bet is probably a reciprocating saw. It won't take a week and a half or attract the fire marshal. It's also safer, in my opinion, than using a chainsaw in very tight quarters.

There are wheels that would allow you to grind the rest with an angle grinder. I'm not too sold on them from a safety perspective, so it'd be a last resort for me personally.

On the professional side of the house, makers of large oscillating saws for masons offer general purpose blades that cut wood. (ArborTech's AS170, for example) Unfortunately it's probably not a common enough tool to be available at most rental places. I'd call and ask, but not get my hopes up.


How to fix leak at PVC/galvanized stubout

Are the threads still good on your galv. stub?

I have a trick where I use a bastard file to "flatten off" the front end of the stub-out, then run my 1 1/2" pipe die on to chase the threads, then use a rubber slip-joint washer instead of a plastic one.

The reason for using rubber is that the plastic washers rely on an even squish provided by the washer pressing into the i.d. of the old galv. pipe, which is often out-of-round due to age/corrosion. The rubber washer just butts against the end of the galv. pipe and the squish is provided only by the slip-joint nut.

P.S.- slip-joint connections need to be tightened with a wrench. Folks are often mistakenly instructed by Big-box teenager that "hand tight" is sufficient, it is not.


My receptacle tester is giving confusing results, what should I do?

That would seem to indicate a failing neutral connection, if you get a voltage tester it will likely report something well below 120v. You'll need to trace the circuit back to find the point where the neutral first fails and then check the connections for anything loose or arcing. If you can't find any bad connections on either end, then it could be a nail or faulty wiring and you'll need to replace that section of the circuit.


How can I repair a shattered clay pot lid?

White glue (Polyvinyl acetate) will fail in the oven.
So will regular superglue (cyanoacrylates).

However, there are specialty Cyanoacrylate Adhesives that are good up to 250°C (480°F).  Look around, you may be able to find something at a reasonable price.

Epoxies, liquid nails and the like do not seem to me a safe choice to use near food.


Should I install a gutter above my garage door?

Gutters are for water management. If you have a paved drive and it drains well then you don't need gutters in front of the door. If water tends to flow back toward the garage when it runs off the roof then you should put a gutter in. Having a gutter will mean less splash on the bottom of your garage door which may help the door last longer.

What others do with their gutters is fairly irrelevant to your situation.


Sealing a water pipe leak with hardening compound without disassembly

A temporary fix could be achieved by using a gauze / cloth tape, plus something like Fernox LS-X.

If you apply the Fernox to the joint, and then wrap it with the gauze, ensuring that the gauze is fully impregnated with the goo, you should get a good seal. Ensure you remove the pressure from the supply first.

Fernox actually uses the water to cure, so it can be applied wet. It's magic stuff - I always keep a tube handy for emergencies.
(I think this suggestion is probably remembered straight of the back of the box, btw)


switching out a heat/cool only thermostat to one with "auto" feature

Yes, the wires you describe are sufficient for an auto-changeover thermostat.  In fact, The Honeywell T8602D series already includes both an AUTO fan setting and an AUTO changeover setting.  See page 7 of the manual posted on the Honeywell website:

https://customer.honeywell.com/resources/techlit/TechLitDocuments/68-0000s/68-0164.pdf


Consistent way to sand and repaint doors?

Priming the doors will do the most to ensuring your previously stained doors have a consistent, even finish.

I also like to lay a door flat and paint with a roller - makes the job a lot easier because you're not having to mask off each doorway, worry about runs and drips, etc to paint the door while it's hanging.  We didn't have enough space to set each door aside while it dried so we had to wait for each side to dry before we flipped the door over (and was only able to do one at a time), but they turned out really nicely so the extra time spent waiting was worthwhile.


Too many wires coming out of ceiling fixture

If your wiring is standard and NEC-compliant:

One cable is the feed, one is te line gouing to next lamp, the third (that has 4 wires: red, black, white and copper) is the wire from the switch.

Just connect whites together (the 4 from wall + one from the fixture), the blacks coming (from wall) together, and the black from the fixture to the red (from the switch)

If you're not sure / don't know how to check, hire an electrician to have it fixed


Remove thick, painted joint compound from walls

Sanding is going to be extremely time consuming and also very VERY messy.  The best approach I've seen is to wet the material with a sprayer and then as it begins to soften, scrape it off down to the drywall.
After that you will likely need to touch up the surface but I think you'll be a lot better off in a lot shorter time than with sanding.


Is it possible to power/turn-on LED lights through a lamp switch?

The easiest way to run an LED off of 120VAC is to use an LED that's already designed for 120VAC, like a 120VAC LED Panel light. They come in a wide variety of sizes, colors, and form factors.

(Photos from Digikey's catalog).

Just keep in mind that 120VAC is dangerous, and if you're not actually going to panel mount them where only the front of the LED is exposed to the user with the rest of the LED shielded by an insulating or grounded panel, make sure that you keep them safely isolated so the user can't inadvertently come into contact with the back side of the LED housing or wires.


Pergola on flat roof: Can it be done safely?

Yes, I’ve done this, but it was designed into the roof. That is to say, we tied into roof beams with round steel pipes. The pipes were bolted into the roof beams and extended up through the roof about 12” or so. We caped the pipes so they didn’t leak and then used “plumbing jacks” (like ones made for plumbing vents,) to keep the roof from leaking. We then bolted cross beams to the pipes for the gazebo floor and kept the floor off the roof about 6” or so for drainage and cleaning. We then installed posts and a roof. (The structural system used bolts not just nails.)

Also, the roof beams were designed to hold the gazebo up, but it was also designed to hold it down (I live in a high wind area.) That means the beams need to be secured to posts and the posts need to be secured to the foundation adequately.

If you use your concrete block idea, be sure that the roof is designed to support that much additional weight. Remember, roofs are usually designed to just support snow loads not live loads with all your drunken friends celebrating your 30th birthday.

Wind factor increases the higher you go up. The effect of putting your gazebo on a three story structure means you’ll have significantly higher effects (lateral loads and uplift) of wind than one sitting on the ground.

BTW, if you’re creating a roof top gathering place, you’d better install a guardrail to keep your friends from wandering over to the edge and falling off. (Blood is difficult to get out of sidewalks.)


Could clogged exhaust cause codes 13/33 on my furnace, and how do I check and clear?

To me it sounds like a motor lubrication issue, your fan motor that sounds like it is struggling is probably the issue. Check for lube ports on the fan, if there is a port on the motor case both front and back try a few drops of motor oil in the ports, if there are no ports the bearings may be zz or double sealed and normally need to be replaced, in a pinch one of the shields could be pulled and fresh lube added in the form of a light grease as oil will just drip away if not designed for oil and grease is used.  The last type is an oil light bearing. These are not usually used on quality fans but possible the bearing is a sleeve that wicks oil from a wadding adding oil until the wadding is saturated will usually give new life to the bearing (these are usually found on low load fans like bathroom and low cost window ac units). There is probably a cane switch or a pressure switch that monitors the flow and may be triggering the fault code, oiling may help the fan to produce full speed/flow and solve your problem.


What is the size of light bulb for my ceiling fan, socket number E307185?

That's an intermediate base.  I found them on Amazon.  http://www.amazon.com/Watt-Light-Bulb-Intermediate-Clear/dp/B000QUXZTC


What is my drill hitting and not penetrating when I hang curtains?

Are you sure the walls and headers are wood?  It is possible if the construction is new, it is built with steel studs. Check with your landlord. If they are steel, you can pilot a hole with a titanium bit or use self drilling screws made for steel framing.  It would be very unlikely to find wiring and nail guards that close to the edge of a window or door frame.


Repair old cracked wall spackle from foundation shifting

Obviously, this is a structural issue with the building and not something that you can correct. All you can do is make a sort-term fix which you can probably do with drywall.
 However, it sounds as if this apartment is part of a cooperative. Are you an owner in the cooperative or are you only renting? The owner(s) should be responsible for the damages in your apartment and the others. If you as an owner are responsible then you might want to work with the co-op to try to find (A) solutions to the structural issues and (B) a common approach to handling damages.
In the meantime any drywall repairs will only be topical and probably short-lived.

Edit

Whatever action you take should depend on what the co-op board is doing and how quickly. In the short-term, if the concrete wall has furring strips on it you could just cut out that bad section and mount a piece of drywall to the strips. Mud and tape the cracks and ten paint. YouTube can show you how to do that. If there are no furring strips, I would mount only a few with concrete tap screws and attach to that. I would not use adhesives to attach the drywall to the concrete since any additional minor shift will probably crack it again. The less contact you have between the drywall and the concrete the better the chance it won't crack - but nothing is certain in this situation.
What I would do is hang a picture or tapestry up there until the co-op board comes up with a real solution.


What happens if I paint a concrete floor without pre-treating it?

The point of the sanding or etching is to encourage adhesion by removing contaminants and roughing up the surface to give the paint something to stick to. You may or may not have problems - hopefully you won't but if you do you'll know what to do before you repaint.


Does mold in a loggia means that the loggia must be replaced?

With the amount of condensation I see you may need to take multiple paths forward to reduce the condensation that is creating the mold growth.
The first and least expensive thing I’d to add a dehumidifier to reduce the moisture
.
The second thing would be to upgrade the framing and insulation.
One of the window pics looks like double Pane the others look single upgrading to fully insulated windows and frames can reduce the amount of condensation further than dehumidification alone.
To eliminate the mold I would use a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide and water sprayed onto the ceiling and wood surfaces to kill the mold.
The great thing about hydrogen peroxide is it doesn’t stink and when done it leaves no chemical residue it breaks down into water and oxygen.


Normally a wood screw, but a sheet metal screw would also work. a national course /fine thread won’t grab the plastic and will easily pull out. The type of head matters in some cases like a flat head that sits in a beveled or counter sunk hole, a button head more common. Hope that helps


If a GFCI tester trips a circuit breaker is there a problem

GFCI tester test + GFCI = tripped GFCI

A CHGF is a GFCI and circuit breaker in the same package, using the same breaker contacts and trip mechanism.  So, when your inspector pushed the test button on his receptacle tester, shunting a bit of current to ground, the GFCI-breaker saw the difference in current between hot and neutral generated by this and tripped, just like it was designed to.

This also means you don't need to connect a GFCI receptacle to that circuit -- it's silly and redundant at that point, and also leads to the coordination problems you're seeing where two GFCIs are tripping in reaction to the exact same ground fault.  Thus, the easiest way to solve this is to replace the GFCI receptacle on that circuit with a regular receptacle with a "GFCI Protected" label on its front and let the GFCI breaker do its job.

(P.S. a more reliable test of a GFCI is to use the "test" button on the unit -- that shunts current from load-side-hot to line-side-neutral, which will also trip the GFCI, but does it independent of any problems with the equipment ground to the outlet.)


Why does my freezer suddenly have more frost than it did?

Could be that the defrost drain line is plugged (water frozen in the line).


If metal expands when heated, how does heating a bolt loosen it?

The answer is surprisingly simple: the bolt expands, but the nut expands more.

What is happening here is good old thermal expansion:

The bolt is heated and expands outwards, its radius increasing
The nut is heated and... expands outwards, its radius increasing

Now, since the nut's radius is slightly greater than the bolt's, and since the increase is proportional to the rest length, the nut expands a little more.

Iron has a thermal coefficient in the 10-5 / K ballpark. It means that for each 1 K increase in temperature you have an increase in size of 10-5: a 1 m rod becomes 1.00001 m long.

If your bolt has r = 1.5 mm, and the nut has R = 1.501 mm, what happens is temperature is increased of 500 K? Well:

r = 1.5*(1+500*10-5) mm = 1.5075 mm
R = 1.501*(1+500*10-5) mm = 1.508505 mm

As you can see, before heating R - r = 1 μm, while after R - r ≈ 1.001 μm. It increased!

Please note my numbers are quite wild and used just to make an example. I am sure that I got the starting values wrong, but I hope they help to get the message across anyway.


The conduit size will not affect the current, you probably have skinned the insulation and that will cause tripping like you have if the breaker is a GFCI. If a non-GFCI the skinned part is much worse but could still be the cause.

I would get a megger (high voltage ohm meter). I have seen hand crank meggers for around $100 this would probably be cheaper than having an electrician check it.  You disconnect the hot from the breaker and put 1 megger lead on the hot 1 on the ground and crank, with the switch turned off or disconnected the reading should be high 100 mega ohms. If it is low - 10k or less - you have damaged insulation.

I have seen this many times as you found pulling the #12 UF in conduit is a real chore. I am surprised you got it in 1/2", but both metallic and pvc conduit can easily skin the wire and cause the problem you are having.

Most folks don't realize conduit needs to be chamfered to reduce insulation damage when pulling.


Can someone what kin of audio input that is

It is a 13 pin 3.5mm aux input or din connector 3$ on eBay To stereo just the plug 2$ the 3.5mm is important as there are many different sizes of 13 pin connectors.


Can I just replace the heating coil in my dryer, or do I have to do the whole element?

Yes. The coil[s] can be replaced. I've done mine twice. Coil failure indicates inefficient venting, so it's worth looking at the the vents while doing the job.


Where can I find parts for attic pulldown stairs?

I suspect you'll need to go directly to the manufacturer for this one. The only thing I've seen from the HI stores are fold down style of stairs.

For your pull down style, the first result I found in a Google search (so no affiliation or endorsement) is Bessler Stairway Company. They have parts for door and stringer spring tension drums, pulleys for the door cables, and the cables for the door and stringers. If you cannot identify your model, you may want to contact a manufacturer to see if their parts are generic or interchangeable with other manufacturers, or if they can help identify your model.


How should I fill these large cracks/voids in this brick porch?

This is a standard case of brickwork needing to be tuck-pointed.  You can find several sources on how to do it, but this one is nice:This Old House