Putting in GFCI outlet where none existed

I think I understand what you are asking.

My understanding is that you are not needing this light to be protected from the GFCI receptacle (since it wasn't before). You would just like to add a GFCI to the existing circuit.

It sounds great that you have figured out that the wires going to the light are "line wires". However I think you might be using that terminology a bit different than most electricians would. To us "line wires" are generally wires that are constantly hot. As in not switched power. This being a light I presume that the hot wire is actually switched power. Do you need to turn on a light switch for these lights to come on?

So the question is. Is it switched power going to your light?
If the black wire going to your light is switched power, is the red wire switched power? You might need to trace back to where that red wire is fed from to see if you can get constant power from the previous box on the red wire to bring to this current box.

Basically you will end up with one of two scenarios.

Scenario 1 - Either the GFCI will only work if the light is on (because the hot is switched). Which you can still wire up. You will take the black and white "feed" wires in your box, and attach two pigtails on each wire. One of the pigtails will go to the light, and the other one will go to your Line side of your GFCI (for the black and white wires). You do not need to put all the cables on the GFCI or use the load side. Since you don't actually need anything protected by the GFCI.

Scenario 2 - You are able to get in your box a "switched hot" a "constant hot" and a neutral. You will wire your light up like before, and take the new "constant hot" you might have just found and put it on the line side of your GFCI and the neutral and also put on the line side of your GFCI.

Enjoy


How to increase the height of a wooden cabinet?

Jack brings up a good point, you can create height in both directions. If you want to add height to the top, the process of selecting the method of construction would be determined by the look or style you're trying to achieve. If, for example, you want a Greene and Greene look, the riser might have a pinned finger joint like so:

If you want something a bit more reclaimed looking, maybe you could build a rough box to create your height and then wrap it in rusted sheet metal.

If a more classical look is desired, turn to architecture. This picture shows a cabinet with what's called a frieze between the crown moulding and the top of the cabinet. This is called Greek revival because it's based on the buildings of ancient Greece .
Note the small moulding below that conceals the joint between the frieze and the case.

In any case the methodology for affixing the top to the riser and riser to the case would be similar.

Assemble your riser in whatever fashion you choose and add some ribs that delineate the opening for your lift.

This is overkill but you get the idea, which is to give yourself more places for attachment points and to create a chase for your lift to pass through.
Lay the completed riser on the case and mark out where the perimeter and ribs will be when assembled. Set the riser aside and pre-drill the lid of your case.
Pocket screw (and glue if you wish) the riser to the top. If you don't have a Kreg jig for pocket screwing, L-brackets will work.
Set the top/riser sub assembly on the case making sure to orient it in the same way it was when you marked out for your holes.
Run screws up through the pre-drilled holes into your riser. You may want to pilot holes into your riser depending on what materials you're using.

Hope this helps, good luck!


House wired with Cat5e, but no central access?

If you don't have a basement and the builder didn't want to put a cover plate in a closet somewhere, the attic is the only place left inside.

It is very common for a builder to simply run the low voltage wires and leave them un-terminated. A builder can say "wired for cable\internet" without any terminations being made. Hopefully there's an outlet somewhere up there because you'll need power for the router and if you're lucky there's a breaker you can toggle instead of having to climb back up there to reset it.

If you find coiled lengths all piled-up in some location, the builder might have planed on dropping them down one of the walls, otherwise have fun making all the connections hunched over in your attic and dealing with having equipment up there.

Why are most of my cable/coax wires disconnected?

This would be no different than many people's basements I've seen.


How should I repair a loose marble door sill?

Mix up some thinset mortar and spread out out evenly and then place the door sill on top... Try to even out the area between the sill and the tile as it looks uneven from the photo. The sill can be a little bit slanted to even off the edges of the tile and wood floors. You can fill in any cracks or spaces with the thinset too.


Will this ceiling fan box replacement work in old work hole?

Pictured is a random one dollar 4" octagon box.

That is acceptable for a lamp, but won't do at all for a ceiling fan box.

Since you're rewiring anyway, you'd be better off to spend a latté worth of cost to put a ceiling fan box here and use /3 cable from the switch.  That way the next occupant has a choice about putting a ceiling fan here.  Obviously the last occupant thought it was worthwhile.


What are these dead insects under my kitchen cabinets?

Hard to tell from that dark grainy picture, but blowing it up, they might be dead "pill bugs", also called "roly-poley" bug, "doodle bugs" "wood louse", etc. etc. If so, they are harmless, don't spread diseases, don't destroy anything and are about as benign as you can get. They hide in dark moist places and eat decaying plant matter. So likely someone had garbage rotting under the cabinets at one time and it attracted them, then once it was cleaned out, they died of starvation. To be sure you can take a dead one down to a nursery and see if anyone there can tell you.

Enhanced capture:


My estimate from the information given so far is that the nearly 18 foot high pole is not adequately anchored just by embedding the end of it in smallish block of concrete and a couple of U-bolts into a plank at ground level. (The block and u-bolt locations are smallish when you consider the overall pole lever arm length).

This thing should have a set of three guy wires coming down from about the 13 or 14 foot level that come down at angles to the ground and are anchored to their own piers of concrete in the ground. The bottom end of the guys would want to be out 13 to 17 feet from the bottom of the pole and spaced radially around the pole at 120 degree spacing.

This procedure will ensure that a high force wind will not take down your bat house and crash it upon someone or some other property.


Will I need to change out box to hang 16lb ceiling fan?

How much force does an 3 pound hammer hit with?  Just 3 pounds, right? Just place the hammer atop the nail and the nail drives in from the fearful force of 3 pounds? No, that's not how hammers work, hammers involve a dynamic force that is much larger.
That's not how fans work either.  Fans are mostly dynamic force because of their spinning and vibration.  It would be 16 pounds if you never started the fan; likewise the hook on my tool rack only has to contend with 3 pounds.
If you use a non-fan-rated box to hold up a fan, the fasteners will walk themselves out from the vibration, and you'll drop a fan on somebody's head.    If that's a welded steel box, it could even crack the welds.  (drawn steel boxes won't have that problem, at least).
So you'll need to do a box-ectomy, and the trick is to confine the drywall damage to what will be concealed by the fan shroud.
Tape the 2 wires together (obviously, do this with the breaker off). Since it's conduit, you'll have to find the other end of that conduit and pull back the red and white wire so it's just an inch inside the pipe, then unbolt the conduit (the castellations on that wacky nut are to give you a place to put a screwdriver so you can bap it to make it rotate; remember lefty loosey.)
You have to be careful positioning the new fan-rated box so a knockout on the box will align with the conduit pipe; it's probably EMT and hard to move. There's no benefit to removing the fitting from the end of the pipe unless you need the clearance to work. It's only an inch of clearance anyway.  The fitting has to go back on the pipe before the box is fitted because you must tighten it (for grounding; that's the ground).
Then go to the box from which you pulled the wires back, and push them back toward this box. Pushing usually works if there's only one 90-degree-bend in the pipe. Or reach into the pipe with a narrow needle-nose and grab them.  This is why you bundled them together: so you could grab them now.


Straightforward enough job.  We stabilize wood like that all the time.

I'd start by painting the piece with a thin coat of either Amercote or West System Epoxy, just to freeze the splinters so they won't keep redeveloping as you prep.  Then a very thorough sanding with a jitterbug sander until there are no high spots whatsoever.  Then one more shot with the West System, then a sand-down just to knock the high spots off, if any.  Then prep & paint.

How much money did you say you'd be saving by using OSB instead of finish plywood?


What could be causing my air conditioner to make a humming sound?

The usual culprit is resonance. Your pump vibrates at a particular frequency, and while the mountings are usually damped using rubber bushings enough vibration passes to the floor/wall that anything else nearby that resonates at that frequency will vibrate if not fixed securely.

Ducting should be your first check, but also floor boards, drywall panels, or anything really.


Why does my water heater stop heating when some outlets don't have power?

Reading your description of the problem, the first thing I think of is a dropped phase or possibly a neutral. So I would start by checking out the panelboard. Look for breakers that are turned on and not reading any voltage on the load side, including the 2 pole breakers and the main.

It may be a faulty breaker, a failure at the meter, or a utility problem. Since you admit you don't have much electrical experience, you may be uncomfortable about opening and inspecting a panel. You will also need to have at least a voltmeter. So I would suggest you bring in someone with experience to help troubleshoot your problem. you can also have the utility company check out there side of the meter.

The most important thing is to stay safe.


How can I seal a two inch gap in the floor along a wall?

Without seeing it, my first inclination is to get some extruded foam board (not beadboard/Styrofoam--it's too messy) of suitable thickness (3/4" for just the depth of the hardwood, 1" or 1-1/2" for hardwood plus subfloor). Using a utility knife and a straightedge, cut strips that will fit snugly in the gap. Press them in by setting the inner edge against the floor and tilting the wall side down.

If you fit them well they'll be self-supporting and make a great seal. That said, this probably isn't the only air access to the floor framing. If there's significant air movement between floors you may not solve the problem with this patch.


What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a thinner thickness of hardwood for stairing/flooring?

Most stair treads are a true 1" thick also known as 5/4" milled. Anything less than that might sag when you walk on them depending on how it's framed. You can use 3/4" thick boards for the risers.

Flooring can be all sizes for thickness depending on the application and manufacturer because you have a subfloor to attach it to. Thinner floors make transitions from a room with the flooring to a room without it a little less drastic.


What's the recommended order for completing these bathroom remodel tasks?

I have done quite a few bathrooms from start to finish.  You don't always have to do things in a certain order but I can tell you generally how to do things the easiest.

You start with your shower pan and/or tub in the bathroom.  These are specific sizes.  You don't want to have to find something that fits exactly what you need - unless you plan on making your own cement based pan.
Make sure framing fits your choice of tub/shower.  If not adjust/make walls.
Start with the subfloor for the tub/shower area.
Do exit plumbing and install tub/shower.
Make sure that you have bought vanity and any other fixed pieces (mirrors/medicine cabinets/whatever) for the bathroom at this point.  It is important to know the height of new vanity, height of backsplash pieces and other things so that electric/plumbing considerations can be taken.  For instance with taller vanity you might need to bump the GFCIs up a few inches too.  If you have a vanity with drawers sometimes your exit plumbing hangs to one side or your faucet water needs to come from the middle.
Do rough-in for plumbing.
Do rough-in for electric. Also if you have venting that runs to fans I would do this here.
Do the rest of your subfloor if needed.  Your tub/shower subfloor is a different world.  Different needs and the rest of the floor probably has to match up with the next room.  For instance you don't backer board under a shower pan - but would for tile in rest of the room.
Lay your tile.  Everyone has their opinion on aesthetics.  But I will say the easier - and it looks good too - way to do it is to start opposite your vanity wall.   Get most of your cuts hidden under the vanity.  Also try to plan your toilet across two tiles if using large tiles.
Hang drywall.  Mud and tape.  Also if you are tiling shower - then hang your backboard and waterproofing at this point.  Backerboard and drywall should be done at same time because they need to meet at pretty much the same depth.
Prime and paint.  I would redgard the shower area after priming the other walls if it needs it.
Tile shower area.
Install lighting, cap off the rest of the electric.
Install vanity, hook up sink to drain, install faucet.
Put up mirror, medicine cabinet, shower trim, all that stuff.
Install Toilet - you can do this much sooner if you need a place to go but I leave it close to last because I have chipped a few toilets, dropping whatever.
Put in trim around room.
Install any kind of glass enclosure/doors/panels for shower/tub if needed.


How to connect 4” PVC to broken sewer line?

I know that plastic convertors exist(ed) as the plumber used one for us...

You would need to remove material aound the pipe to provide sufficient connection.

I am not aware if they make an internal plastic version - but that would mean cleaning and sealing the internal surface which tends to be in worse condition that the outside...


Is there a wireless thermostat that will make relocating easier?

I'm really happy with my Honeywell wireless thermostat. Battery lasts a very long time and it works through 4 floors. A quick Google search shows several options below $100... Something like this for $65 perhaps? Not the one I have though and not sure if it includes the receiver.


Why won't my new exhaust fan wired between switch and light fixture work?

They should be wired in parallel instead of being in series.

The light bulb is limiting the amount of current that can run the fan, like a resistor.

Kudos on including that diagram.  It makes the situation very clear.  Upvote.


How can I pull/push a PVC pipe closer to the wall?

You could use plumbers tape to try and restrain the pipe but if the force required to move the pipe is significant and you already have the wall torn open you might want to just fir that wall out before reapplying your drywall.

After seeing the picture you will probably want to just drywall around the protruding bit, which is almost certainly a clean-out. It's bad karma to bury them anyway and there are these sharp looking clean out covers made specifically for the job. It will save you miles of heart ache.


What temperature should I set my water heater to?

There are two main and opposing risks:

Too high, and users get scalded
Too low, and you risk pathogens, particularly Legionella bacteria, which causes legionellosis (Legionnaires' disease)

Minimum temperature

Legionella risk

According to the paper "Legionella and the prevention of legionellosis," found at the World Health Organization website, temperature affects the survival of Legionella as follows:

Above 70 °C (158 °F) - Legionella dies almost instantly
At 60 °C (140 °F) - 90% die in 2 minutes
At 50 °C (122 °F) - 90% die in 80–124 minutes, depending on strain
48 to 50 °C (118 to 122 °F) - Can survive but do not multiply
32 to 42 °C (90 to 108 °F) - Ideal growth range

Dishwashers

Most current-model dishwashers have a minimum requirement of 49 °C (120 °F). Most have heaters and will heat the interior as needed. If yours is older you may want to check specifications.

Dishwasher detergent varies, but "works best between 50 and 60 °C" seems to be a fairly common statement. There is also cold-water detergent on the market that works at basically any temperature.

Maximum temperature

Burn risk

Setting too high can scald someone using the water. This is particularly easy because when you first open the tap, the water in the pipes has cooled down some, and so its temperature will rise (possibly dramatically) once the water from the tank reaches the point of use.

Young children are at higher risk because their skin is thinner. Some people, especially the elderly, are at higher risk because they may be less sensitive and slower to move away from scalding water.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends setting to 49 °C (120 °F)

Piping Concerns

From LegionellaPrevention.o:

Dead legs

Dead legs (branches that are capped off or rarely used) contain stagnant water that can be an ideal breeding ground for bacteria which can contaminate the entire system. This should not be surprising as the water in the dead leg would get warm, but never hot to the temperature of the main flow.

If unavoidable, a valve should be installed as close to the main line as possible (no more than 1 pipe diameter away) to minimize risk.

PEX vs Copper

In a study, Legionella seemed to grow a bit faster in PEX than copper (over a period of 500 days), however, over a period of 800 days there was essentially no difference in growth and both pipes had identical biofilms formed inside them.

Copper in theory would cool down faster than PEX (Ed: I can't find any studies on this) but given enough time (likely a couple hours), the temperature of both would cool to the ambient temperature. There's a separate question that discusses if it's worthwhile to insulate pipes, but even with insulation, the water in the pipes will eventually cool to ambient.

PEX vs Copper is irrelevant

Conflicting Views

From Heated Debate about Hot Water:

  The country’s top experts, represented on the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes (CCBFC), have rejected the lower maximum hot water tank temperature of 49 °C. In spite of this, trusted organizations are telling homeowners to lower their hot water tank temperature to 49 °C as a precaution against scalds from tap water. Some even offer tips on how to find the thermostat so you can adjust it yourself.

  The bottom line is that water must be stored at a high temperature as a precaution against bacteria. It can be delivered from the tap at a lower temperature to prevent scalds.

Conclusion

The article Residential water heater temperature: 49 or 60 degrees Celsius? published in the Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases concludes:

  In our opinion, it is important to reduce both the risk of scalds and the risk of legionellosis associated with domestic water supplies.

  For water heaters servicing a single housing unit:

  Electric water heaters should be set at 60 °C to limit the risk of Legionella contamination, and equipped with anti-scald devices to deliver water at 49 °C to the entire household.
  Gas or oil water heaters should be set at 49 °C, because the risk of scalding is greater with these devices.

  For water heaters servicing multiple unit housing complexes:

  More complex water distribution systems are more likely to be contaminated, and the recommendations from the WHO should apply no matter what type of water heater is used: hot water must be stored at 60 °C inside the water heater by ensuring, at least once a day, the temperature reaches at least 60 °C in the entire tank.

  Moreover, water should reach the tap at a temperature of at least 50 °C.
  Taps in these buildings, especially in the bath or shower where most scalds occur, should be equipped with anti-scald devices to decrease the water temperature to 49 °C or less.

Absolute Ideal Scenario

The best scenario seems to be to install anti-scald mixing valves at each human point of use (e.g., sinks, tubs): whether it be integrated in a shower valve, or installed under the sink.

The tank gets set to the WHO-recommended 60 °C.
Each human point-of-use is limited to the CPSC-recommended 49 °C (120 °F)

You may even want it lower (e.g., 110 °F) in kid's bathrooms.

Other uses -- dishwasher, washing machine, humidifier -- can get the full 60 °C with no issue.

The downside to this, of course, is cost: you need to install the valves on each hot water tap. For sinks, this is relatively easy to retrofit; for tubs/showers it may be more difficult.


does the spin on that impeller (at a high velocity) really create enough momentum to move water up seven or eight stories?

It doesn't have to create momentum as it isn't throwing water ballistically. It just has to create a small difference in pressure.

Note that you ask about circulating water, not pumping it up into a tank. The pump does not have to overcome the head of water because the water is in a sealed circuit that also returns downhill. The weight of the water in the down-pipe balances the weight of water in the up pipe.


Why is my dryer taking longer to dry clothes?

This usually happens because the dryer vent is getting clogged with lint (the lint-catcher isn't 100% effective, so some does escape).  You should clean it out regularly because a clogged vent can cause fires.  If the vent is short enough, you may be able to use a vacuum cleaner to clear it; otherwise use a dryer vent brush (can also be called a dryer duct brush) to reach the places the vacuum can't:


Can I steal neutral from fixture for 3-way switch device with no neutral?

It appears pretty clear to me that you can't run the neutral separate from the existing cable, it would be prohibited by NEC 300.3(B) that requires all conductors of a circuit to be contained in the same cable raceway, cable or cord.

We don't know the configuration required for the specific smart switch you are using, at least one model I have used only required one "traveler" between switches, so I was able un-reidentify the white for use as a neutral.


How do I seal seams between bricks on a patio without using sand?

What you are looking for is a joint sand stabilizing sealer.  That should prevent washout as well as weed growth in the joints.


How can I determine circuit breaker requirements for an electric range?

One of my favorite code sections, which basically says RTFM...

  National Electrical Code 2014

  Article 110 Requirements for Electrical Installations

  I. General

  110.3 Examination, Identification, Installation and Use of Equipment.

  (B) Installation and Use. Listed or labeled equipment shall be installed and used in accordance with any instructions included in the listing or labeling.

If the installation manual says that 40 ampere overcurrent protection is required, then 40 ampere overcurrent protection is all that's required.

Extra Reading.

If you read further through the code, you'll get to article 422. There you'll find 422.10, which says.

  Article 422 Appliances

  II. Installation

  422.10 Branch Circuit Rating.

  (A) Individual Circuits. ...
  ... Branch circuits and branch circuit conductors for household ranges and cooking appliances shall be permitted to be in accordance with Table 220.55 and shall be sized in accordance with 210.19(A)(3).

This says that instead of simply using the rated values directly, you can use values found in these other code sections instead. If you look at Table 220.55, you'll find that if you only have 1 range, you can use 8 kW instead of the rated 12 kW.

  Article 220 Branch Circuit, Feeder, and Service Calculations

  III. Feeder and Service Load Calculations

  220.55 Electric Ranges and Other Cooking Appliances — Dwelling Unit(s). The load for household electric ranges, wall-mounted ovens, counter-mounted cooking units, and other household cooking appliances individually rated in excess of 1 3/4 kW shall be permitted to be calculated in accordance with Table 220.55. Kilovolt-amperes(kVA) shall be considered equivalent to kilowatts (kW) for loads calculated under this section.

This means that you'd only have a demand of 33.33 amperes.

8000 W / 240 V = 33.33 A

However, we also have to take 210.19(A)(3) into account, which says...

  Article 210 Branch Circuits

  II. Branch-Circuit Ratings

  210.19 Conductors -- Minimum Ampacity and Size.

  (A) Branch Circuits Not More Than 600 Volts.

  (3) Household Ranges and Cooking Appliances. Branch circuit conductors supplying household ranges, wall-mounted ovens, counter-mounted cooking units, and other household cooking appliances shall have an ampacity not less than the rating of the branch circuit and not less than the maximum load to be served. For ranges of 8 3/4 kW or more rating, the minimum branch-circuit rating shall be 40 amperes.

This means that since you have a range with a rating more than 8 3/4 kW, the minimum circuit rating is 40 amperes.  So despite the fact that you used Table 220.55 to calculate a rating of 33.33 amperes, the circuit cannot be less than 40 amperes.  Therefore, you'll install conductors rated for 40 amperes, and a 40 ampere overcurrent device.


How should I mount a TV to a wall that slants inwards 8 degrees?

Your approach sounds perfect to me.  3 tips:
1.  Err on the side of thicker plywood.  3/4" sanded pine is what I'd be thinking.  3/4 MDF would probably do fine as well.
2.  You can use pretty much any CAD program to tell you the correct angles/dimensions for the upper and lower wedge-shaped 2x4's.
3.  Upper wedge?  Yes, I'd cut a thin wedge of 2x4 to put at the top as well, so that the fasteners aren't trying to bend the top edge of the plywood as you draw them up tight.


Depends on the building codes where you are located to determine if a pole barn is an acceptable structure for habitation. In most jurisdictions it would still require all of the same creature comforts such as insulation, plumbing and electrical to be habitable.

At that point it's really just a house framed like a pole barn which would give you the ability to have lots of free interior space without the need to put in supporting walls. You would most likely need some interior beams and posts but no need for full walls.

I've been to several "venues" that were old barns converted into entertainment spaces. On really hot days it seemed like you could smell the 100 year old wood leaching out the chemical smells of urine from decades of farm animals peeing on the walls. So just a thought when considering living in a barn. If it wasn't used for housing animals you probably wouldn't have the smell issue.


The cause of buckling in hardwood floors is nearly always from failure to leave adequate space (generally concealed under trim) at the sides of the room.

Wood shrinks and swells as the humidity changes with the seasons, and mostly across the width of the boards (very little end to end.) If installed without adequate space to allow for this to occur the floor will buckle when it's reached the walls and swells/expands more.

If in addition to normal seasonal changes you have excessive moisture, the "normal" expansion space may prove inadequate.


This will require you to repair the area (similar to the repaired areas a few inches to the right of your current problem, which looks to be a previous issue identical to your current issue).

After repair, you will need to select and use appropriate hollow wall anchors, of which there are many types available depending on the weight and service of the material being attached. My presumption would be that either your curtains are heavy, or there is some other reason that the bracket was torn from the wall.

Use your Google-Fu to research different styles/types of anchors for different applications; there are just too many options to go into depth about here...

BTW, I have had good luck with these:

You will have the best luck if you are able to choose a new bracket location where you have some confidence that the wall is sound, rather than trying to anchor in a location where there was previous damage...


Can my apartment's electricity harm my computer? Is there an easy way to test the electricity?

Yikes, it sure sounds like you have several issues with your electical wiring there. I won't speak too much to your power supply issue, but really think you should invest in a UPS to mitigate any power related damages to your equipment.

Now lets correct a few mistakes in the previous answer.

The 120VAC legs of your electrical service are supplied by two separate hot feeds from the power company. The neutral is not there to split the 220VAC, but rather to supply a return path to the service panel and ultimately earth ground.

The neutral should be at the same potential as ground. An open neutral is checked by measuring neutral to ground, if line voltage appears, then in fact the neutral path to ground is open. Unless you have a situation where both 120VAC legs are in contact with one hot connection, you cannot produce more than 120VAC on any open neutral. If you were to see 140VAC on any hot to ground or neutral,  or neutral to ground, then you have some serious problems and time to call the landlord before you fry all your lights, appliances, and electronics. This situation is very rare, and I don't think it is your problem.  Your problem sounds more like a bad connection, either hot or neutral in some device that feeds your downstairs outlets.

This can be a frustrating and time consuming job to track down this type of problem. It may involve pulling several devices out of the boxes and testing voltages with the power on, and also testing conductivity with the POWER OFF. Unless you have the experience and you feel very comfortable working on hot wiring, I'd suggest you have the landlord call in an electrician ASAP.


How to check if cabinets are wood or laminate

Easiest way is to cut one in half, but I'll assume you want to do this non-destructively.

One way that you can check is to remove one of the hinges.  If it's a recessed hinge you'll find yourself looking at the inside of the door.  If it isn't recessed you can examine the screw holes and/or probe them with a dental pick.


Two dryer vent connections in the laundry room

I believe the second capped dryer vent is a cleanout particularly if it is located in an area where it would NOT be covered by the dryer.  My guess is that the capped vent is beside the dryer and exposed while the vent opening is behind where the dryer would go.  The push today is to use fixed steel piping not the flexible junk since the plastic flex junk has been known to catch on fire when plugged up.  That means dragging the dryer out to get it out of the way is a major production involving contortions and likely at least once dropping a screwdriver behind the dryer while fumbling with the clamps.  It would be much easier to just remove a cap and stuff your vent pipe vacuum up into it and leave the dryer be.
But since this is a brand new house why don't you just ask the builder?


Proper way to protect cables above surface-mounted electrical panel

Surface wiring is often allowed in areas not readily subject to damage. I'm surprised it was flagged. The panel in my unfinished basement from 1993 has a fountain of cables coming out of it and it is (was) considered acceptable.

I'm no code wizard, but I'd put lumber alongside the cables, flush on the sides of the box, between the box and the ceiling. I'd overlay a small piece of plywood (using screws to keep it removable) and call it done.

--------------------------- < -- ceiling
   ||    |   |   |   ||
   ||    |   |   |   ||
   ||    |   |   |   || < -- framing lumber with cables between
   ||    |   |   |   ||
   ||    |   |   |   ||
   -------------------
   |                  |
   |                  |
   |                  | < -- electrical panel
   |                  |

Cables need to be secured as they would anywhere in a circuit: Every four feet and within 12" of the box. Since they should already be clamped at the panel entry point, you really only need to staple up near the ceiling. If there's a gap behind the cables where they enter the ceiling, install a board of suitable thickness crosswise behind the cables and staple to that.


I'm not entirely clear what you are asking. If the water table is 3' from the surface, I agree with your neighbor...a basement is a bad idea.

Concrete is porous so in and off itself will do absolutely nothing to stop the water. You can waterproof it by applying a rubber based membrane to the outside, but with a high water table, it will always try to find a way in. You'd have to definitely install French drains and a sump pump as well.


How do I add an exhaust fan to an old attic?

There are solar-powered gable fans - an Air Vent-brand fan can be picked up at Lowe's for just over $200:

The solar panel is on a cord, so it can be installed in the most sunny area while the fan sits in the gable.

From the Air Vent website:

  The Gable-Mount Solar Vent is an exciting alternative to traditional attic ventilation. That's because it is powered by a solar panel that collects energy directly from the sun and converts it into electricity -- naturally -- to power a durable, high efficiency 24-volt DC motor. As a totally solar-powered solution, it's also environmentally friendly.

  Painless Installation
  The best installation feature is that the fan requires no electrical hook-up. That means no electrician and no complicated wiring is required, making the installation of your attic fan fast and easy.

  It mounts in the gable end of the home, behind a decorative shutter (not provided, see below). The solar panel comes with brackets that allow for mounting on the roof.

  Smooth Operation
  The solar panel collects energy throughout the day under direct sunlight and converts it into "free" power to operate the fan -- providing ventilation during daylight hours, when it's needed most.

  It creates up to 800 cubic feet of air movement per minute to remove uncomfortable heat in the summer and damaging moisture in the winter. And, the solar panel is wind-, hail- and impact-resistant to stand up to the elements.

  Specifications

  Moves up to 800 cubic feet of air per minute
  Solar panel collects and delivers power under direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day without electrical cost
  Wind-, hail- and impact-resistant solar panel
  High efficiency, durable 24-volt DC motor
  5-year limited warranty

  (source: airvent.com)

  Model #SHT15W

  Plastic
  Sold in the color white only but it can be painted to match a home’s exterior
  Automatically opens when the power fan is running and then closes when the fan is not running


How should I frame around a basement window to allow for drywall finishing?

Just frame up flush, as you suggested, and let the cornerbead (your "L bead") die into the window.

Good luck!


The one on the left appears to be a for a vanity sink. Though sinks usually connect to 1-1/2" pipe, anything below slab level is usually upsized to 2" for clog avoidance and easier cleaning. You'd reduce it above floor level. It's positioned to be either in the wall or in the cabinet.
The center is the toilet. 4" stubs are often used so that you can install an inside (hub) flange, reducing the inlet to a standard 3" toilet connection. You'd cut it off and install a cement-in flange over your flooring. It's positioned to be centered 12" off your finished wall surface.
The right one is for a shower. They're typically left with a box around them so you can fine-tune position for the pan or tub you select by adding a trap assembly. The pail is simply a concrete form/barrier.
If you're going to eliminate the shower, just cut the stub below floor level, cap it, and fill in the boxed area with concrete. There's nothing to bust up.
Disclaimer: Plumbing is like a box of chocolates. You never know.... The pipe on the left could be a vent for the toilet. I'd run some water in each, with them all opened up, and see what you see (or hear).


Proper construction for load bearing header

The only beam that will meet modern design standards for a span that long will be LVL (laminated veneer lumber) or steel. And it'll take an engineer with detailed information about your home to tell you what dimensions are required.


we are the manufacturer of this device.  We've never recommended to a customer to replace an AFCI with a non-AFCI breaker.  What we recommended is simply to get your AFCI circuit breaker replaced with a new AFCI.  Our BedJet is in 9000 bedrooms and we've had a total of 3 customers experience issues with an AFCI breakers flipping.  In every case changing it to a new one fixed the problem, which means the AFCI was faulty or too sensitive. In my own home with new wiring my Dyson vacuum cleaner flipped our breaker in the bedroom all the time until we had it replaced.  It seems the consistency of these AFCI's is not very good.


Vent a portable air conditioner with a 6 inch hose through a 3 inch hole in the wall

The reduction of the diameter from the 6" of the hose to 3" through the wall may not cause a significant problem. The resistance to fluid flow of a pipe is [inversely] proportional to the square of the diameter and directly proportional to the length of the pipe. So if the length of the 3" diameter hole is short compared to the length of the 6" hose, then the constriction to 3" may work OK. You could ask the mfgr, but you may have to try it. I bet it will work fine.

The key to making it work would be to make a gradual transition from 6" diameter to 3" diameter over say 8 inches to 1 ft of length. This would prevent the creation of turbulence which could restrict flow. Presumably the 3" hole in the wall is lined with a pipe, right?

I wonder if those 3" diameter holes are positioned vertically so that a ductless mini-split a/c could be installed. How high above the floor are these holes? How far are they from the ceiling? Would the building management allow that?


Do both legs in 220V have to be switched?

Switching both hots is necessary here as you have a two pole relay

Since you have the switch wired as a bypass switch, you need it to have the same number of poles as the thing you're bypassing.  Otherwise, closing the bypass switch wouldn't do anything as the circuit still wouldn't be closed when the relay was open.

If the relay was single pole, your bypass switch could be single pole...

If the relay was a single pole relay that switched one leg/side of the motor circuit, you could use an appropriately rated manual motor controller as a single pole bypass for the relay.  Motor controllers do not need to be all-pole devices as long as they aren't serving as disconnecting means, as per 430.84.

But you may need to get one of those two-pole switches no matter what

If you can't see the breaker box from the pump, then you'll need a two-pole switch, separate from your bypass switch, at the pump anyway to serve as a motor/controller disconnecting means satisfying 430.102 and 430.103. (You'd need this even if the bypass switch was not present!)


Flouresent lamps do go bad over time, If you have replaced several starters the next step would be new lamps especially if the ends are dark or black. On older fixtures with mag ballast (requiring starters) the ballast do go bad but I have seen them last over 50 years. If the fixture will not light with new lamps the next item would be the ballast (most of the time it is cheaper to purchase a cheap fixture with a ballast and use the ballast in the old fixture. It amazes me that you can find entire fixtures for 1/2 the cost of a ballast. You may notice quite a bit more light with new lamps I recommend going for 5k or higher color for a true light color where 3k looks a bit orange/yellow in comparison.
When purchasing a new ballast make sure to get one rated for the size and length lamps your fixture uses if saving a high quality fixture. Just thought I should add this if a t8 or t12 4' lamp is in the fixture I have started going with 22 watt led replacements easier than replacing a ballast and more light from what I see. Most of the UL approved. LED retrofits have the neutral on 1 side of the tombstone and the hot on the other side (I get the ones that do not need the ballast) I have completely relamped 2 workshops and 1/2 of my shop at work with these for just a couple $ more than quality lamps cost with no ballast to fail.  Less power used instant on to full power and longer life.  There 18 watt that is supposed to be the same light output as a 4' t8 lamp but the price difference was less than 1 dollar per unit, I have requests to do 6 more areas every one loves them and they don't flicker when it is cold.


Can I connect a portable generator to a subpanel to backfeed my house?

NO.
You'll likely end up backfeeding the grid, which can easily lead to linemen being injured or killed.  A generator should never be connected to the electrical system without a proper transfer switch being installed.


My Refrigerator Water Tastes Like Peppers!

My refrigerator also has as a through the door water dispenser like yours. Inside the refrigerator behind the bottom produce drawer there is a large coil of plastic tubing that is designed to pre-cool the water that is delivered to the door spigot.

You should check your refrigerator to see if it also has this same tubing arrangement. It is entirely possible that the previous owner of the refrigerator had left vegetables in the drawer for such a long time that they became severely spoiled and contaminated this tubing. Contamination could also have happened if spoiled food was on a shelf and decay liquids ran down the back wall into the tubing area. If the lower drawer was cracked and leaked out into the bottom of the refrigerator this problem could have been even worse.

If your refrigerator has this system I would highly recommend that you simply replace this coil of tubing with new.


Bathroom vent terminates to attic not outside.

You could vent out the wall with one of these guys

(Louvered Exhaust Vent)

Or out the roof with one of these

(Roof vent cap)

Either way, your inspector is correct. Blowing warm moist air into the attic is probably not the best idea.

It's also not a good idea to vent out the wall too close to the soffit vents, as the exhaust will just be sucked back into the attic through the soffit.


If you're running it through conduit, just buy single strand.  It's cheaper.  e.g. this
And obviously you'd be buying this at a proper electrical supply house, not the bigbox since they probably will not have it, and bigbox is really overpriced anyway.   With wires of these sizes, it is not required to buy white or green wire for ground, you can designate that with tape.

Besides, it'd be murder to pull a 4-wire cable through conduit.  Four single wires will be tough enough!  Might want to bring in a commercial electrician simply for the pull because he has the gear on the truck to do the job easily.


Run wiring across hardwood flooring to a mid-room aquarium

I would use a hard plastic or metal version of the channel you describe, and run foam tape under each edge. It'll handle any unevenness in the floor and will be removable, even if an adhesive remover is needed.

Start with a "removable" version of the tape. If the floor has a good finish on it, you could then try a "permanent" version if the removable version doesn't hold up well.


I think you might have answered your question. Ideally, you want drywall to be supported and secured. You don't want a someone to lean (or even brush) against it, and then you have a torn strip of drywall. Put some wood behind it, make sure that it doesn't move.

For better stability, I would even consider taking an inch or two of drywall off of the corner on the outside, and with a single new piece of drywall, extend as far as you need into the closet space, with new studs behind what overhands the corner.

Refer to the doodle below. Black being the existing drywall. Red being new drywall. Blue being the frame of the closet doors (usually wood). Brown being the new stud.


Which wire should be capped when replacing an old 4 wire smoke alarm with a 3 wire alarm

I'm assuming you also have a ground wire? You should use the orange wire as the interconnect, and cap the brown. You could even go as far as to use red electrical tape to wrap the orange wire near the marrette so it's properly labeled, but it's not necessary. Just make sure you're using the same wire throughout and it will be fine.

However, do be advised that you will need to replace all your smoke alarms.  Interconnected smoke alarms generally do not communicate between brands.  You will usually need to buy multiple of the same model for them to work properly.  This is especially true switching between 4-wire smoke detectors to a 3-wire model.  Is this a condo or apartment building?  If so, the smoke detectors are all interconnected, no?  In which case you probably should not be replacing just one, as that won't trigger the alarm throughout the building.

Lastly, 4-wire smoke detectors are often tied into a security panel.  Do you have a security system installed?  If so, firstly, contact your security company before disconnecting your smoke alarm, or you may get a visit from the fire department.  Secondly, you may not be able to switch to a 3-wire model.  It will prevent your monitored smoke alarm from working.


Your best bet for a good finish relies on doing three things:

Making sure that the foundation for the extension is well compacted and onto good material
Cut back and scable the joint with the existing 10x10 slab so that there is a good bond when the new concrete is cast.
Drill and fix dowel bars into the existing slab across the joint with the extension.

The number and type of bars will vary depending on the load from the new shed but you should be fine with something like 8mm (3/8") bars at 200mm (8") centres.

You should probably note that this will give you a full structural connection and so may be too much for your particular problem unless you want to be absolutely sure that the slab and the extension don't separate.


One "hot" wire be pigtailed into multiple "hot" wires. How does that affect the electricity going through them?

Analogies can get you in trouble when you extend them past the point they are useful.  I will present a different one that is more applicable to your situation.

Electricity in your house is basically a pull system.  If I plug (turn on) an electrical device, it will attempt to draw its rated power.  A 60 W light bulb will draw 60 W, a 1000 W hairdryer will draw 1000 W, a small TV may draw 200 W.  For a North American system as this appears to be, the power is supplied inside your home at 120 V.  We convert Wattage into current using I = W/V.  So the light bulb will draw 0.5 A, hairdryer, 8.3 A and TV 1.6 A.

The wiring you show appears to 14 AWG which is typical household wiring and is rated at 15 A in most applications.  I would expect a circuit breaker is protecting the wire and it will trip above 15 A.

The single circuit into the pigtail will be able to handle a maximum of 15 A.  The two downstream pigtail circuits will provide as much current as needed by your loads (like the light bulb, hair dryer, or TV) up to a combined 15 A.  Some more math here, in = out1 + out2.  So if it is 15 A, either pigtail can handle up to 15 A, one at a time but not simultaneously.  Or your can have any value where the two pigtails add up to 15 A.

So a pigtail with multiple outputs can supply multiple loads without any detrimental effects as long as the combined load can be supplied by the input wire and circuit breaker.

Additional details to be ignored:

I have ignored many factors here that are not relevant to this question.  Sustained current may be limited to 10-12 A not 15 A.  There will be voltage drops as the load increases.  My 60 W equivalent LED is much lower actual wattage than the older light bulbs.  I have assumed the correct breaker is installed and wiring is to code.


How can I completely disengage a GFCI outlet?

Just don't -- you can't "panel over" boxes and make them inaccessible as a result and you must have at least one receptacle installed and hot on a 24" by 12" or larger peninsula.


What are the major drawbacks of using an electric lawnmower?

By far the biggest con is charging battery(ies), although that's becoming less of an issue as battery technology gets better. Any issues with not cutting well, not mulching well, etc are largely issues of older mowers.

Consumer Reports actually starts to recommend some electric mowers as of ~last year. You can read more about their recommendations, but they boil it down to a few points:

Electric mowers tend to cost more up front, but tend to cost less to operate and maintain (by ~$20/year according to their estimates). Payback period is on the order of 10 years, though, making it a long-term investment. You'll want to run numbers using the cost of your electricity and gas for an accurate comparison, of course.
You'll probably want a spare battery (unless you go corded, but those options seem more limited), meaning even more cost. At some point, the battery(ies) will need to replaced as well, potentially eliminating any cost savings compared with gas mowers.
At least right now, there aren't any riding-style electric mowers for large yards. If you have more than ~1/2 acre, electric probably isn't for you.

That said, it seems that the good mowers have good (enough) batteries to last long enough to mow a typical 1/4-1/3 acre lawn on a single charge. You could also go corded and eliminate battery worries entirely.


Can I use two wire nuts instead of one to connect 6 wires inside a 3-gang box?

You could also use a 6-wire push in connector - the light blue one is the one to look at.


need advice for installing electrical outlet inside soffit/eave

I suppose if you put an access panel in the soffit and a receptacle inside the attic. As far as the NEC is concerned there doesn't seem to be a problem. However if you install a piece of equipment with a standard cord connection on the exterior and run that connection through the soffit. That does violate the NEC.

I may not be correct, but I imagine everyone including myself who has viewed this post is wondering, "If you are cutting in an access panel in the soffit, why not just install a duplex flush in the soffit?".

Personally I am against installing devices in remote, concealed areas since they could potentially become faulty and create a fire hazard. There is a potential that this type of condition could go unobserved until a fire is out of hand.

Hope this helps and good luck


How do I remove carpet tape from a painted wall?

An iron and a very sharp wallpaper removal knife.  Heat the carpet tape, zap it with some steam... do that twice in about 3-4 mins.  Wait another 3-4 mins to let the moisture soak in - longer if tape is thick.  Heat it again, zap it with steam again...

Then you need to hit it with the blade.  I have taken down 15-20 types of wallpaper and carpet tape in my own house (yes that many and no I wouldn't do it for $$).  Most will work doing it this way.  Sometimes adding vinegar (inside the iron) will help.  The key is the blade work.  Push your blade flat and fast.  If you have to dig in on the tape - then the tape hasn't absorbed the moisture to come off or maybe it embedded into the paint (soft latex).

Heat, moisture, vinegar, sharp blade - I feel confident that it will solve 90-99% of tape/wallpaper issues.  Now the key is how many times you have to hit it with the heat, moisture, vinegar...  If you have a small area then just take your time.

If you are like me start off really slow with the first wall looking perfect, then a couple hours later... start to chip the paint and drywall off because you are hurrying everything, cuss, smack the wall and repair the next day.


Should I Add More Static Vents On My Roof

I would not anything more to the roof.  You probably have enough flow through the ridge and gable vents.

If you're really concerned, soffit vents should be next.  But a lot of them I've seen do not have enough free space area, or net free area to be effective.


Can I make a switched outlet which is connected to light hot all the time without running new wire?

The only hot leads going to the outlet box are switched (both fan and light black wires). Since there is no unswitched hot lead, you cannot have constant power to the outlet without running new wires.

If you could tolerate one switch controlling both fan and light, you could create a constant hot at the outlet by bypassing either the fan or light switch and connecting the two switch wires together. Then one of the blacks at the outlet box would be constant hot. That would be your hot lead to the outlet, rather than continuing up to the fixture. You would cap the unused wire to the fixture on both ends. Finally you would connect both the fan and light hot leads to the one remaining switched hot. But, obviously you lose independent control of the two functions.


Leveling first row of CMUs on uneven slab

Starting at the highest corner or spot, and level from there.

It can be done a few ways, first you could set the first 2" block far enough from the high side so that it is level with a thin setting bed under it, and fill the rest of the area that is too thin, with masonry cement.

Or you could set the 2" block at the highest side, using enough mud to run it level, until there is enough drop to add 4" block to keep it level.

Another way is to figure out the amount needed to cut off of each block, so a relatively uniform level/layer of mud is under each block. This way may look the best if there is no other surface to be applied to the block to hide the build up.


You're going to have to get under the sink on this one. Once there reach behind the tailpiece coming out of the drain. There will be a knob attached to the tailpiece that has a lever running through it. Unscrew the knob and the lever which is what you see when you look down the drain will pull out. Simply drop the stopper in the drain and reassemble it running the lever through the hole in the bottom of the stopper stem.
Tighten the knob just enough so that it doesn't leak and when you open the drain the stopper stays up.


Rubber air seals along the bottom will be your best bet. An automatic bottom seal may work slightly better, but its a very slight difference over a properly installed gasket seal.

Make sure your door is perfectly balanced in the frame before installing a gasket. You need to make sure the gap is uniform across the entire bottom of the door.

Foam tape would work just as well across the top and sides, and may be cheaper depending on what bottom seal you choose.

Its worth mentioning, unless you have an inch or more gap, its unlikely this extra gap-seal is going to solve the underlying issue. So much of the sound is still going to be transmitted through what are most likely uninsulated interior walls. Soundproofing tends to be a project that just keeps going.


How to create or find a PVC coupling for a 2" diameter PVC to a 2" 1/8 diameter PVC?

A Fernco type coupling may work.  These are available to fit a lot of different pipe types. They are available at the BB stores or the plumbing supply houses. They provide a lot of flexibility. I would get a very inexpensive caliper and get the exact outer diameters.  Then talk to someone in a plumbing supply house about the right or closest Fernco size. Good Luck. P.


What are the possible reasons I am not getting cold air from my air conditioner?

If all is well with your outside unit, I would double-check your AC coil in the main unit indoors. It could be frozen over and thus not cooling the air. This same exact thing happened to us about 3 weeks ago. We moved into a "new" house (new to us anyways, haha) and not many things were being taken care of well... in simple terms, a freeze-over like this can happen because the coil drain is clogged with dust particles and/or sludge. This means there's no where for the condensate to go and leads to a frozen coil. Hopes this experience can help someone avoid a big maintenance bill in the future!
To fix the issue, use a hair dryer or heat gun to melt the ice away. DO NOT CHIP AWAY at the ice since the coils are very delicate and you could puncture one easily.


Is it ok to paint walls now and doors and casing later?

Other than cost, which will depend on the painter, there isn't that much of a difference. The concerns I know of are:

Matching Paint Colors
That is (a) not nearly as much of an issue with white as with other colors and (b) if you are talking about a short amount of time (weeks as opposed to months or years), you could get all the paint at one time.
Aging
Painting part of a room 2 years after painting another part of the room may not match exactly due to aging effects from sunlight, etc. But a few weeks, even a few months, is not likely to cause a noticeable difference.


I couldn't find such an adaptor, but you may be able to make your own. Find a section of small copper pipe with 1mm thick walls, with ID greater than 6MM and OD greater than 8MM. Cut a length to match the D-shaped section of shaft, and then squash it to a tight fit around the shaft. You'll probably need to cut it along the length to reduce some of the circumference; do that on the side opposite the flat of the D (that's where the stress is). Then see if you can get the knob to be a straight fit. It will be iffy, and may not last, as indeed there will be a lot of stress on that flat.


How to cut a rectangle out of a STEEL ruler?

Drill a round hole, and then square the sides with a file.

You might also get lucky by calling metal working shops in the area. If they have a punch of the right size, it would take only seconds for them to punch the hole for you.

A maker space might have the tools to help you here. Possibly a laser cutter.


In the 60’s all the roofing I put down we used roofing felt 90 lb per roll. Some people call tar paper it is heavy and black and makes a good barrier. I would be guessing since we don’t know what your original vent system was or is now, but with some homes we did just prior to my knees saying no more roof jobs we had to add vents or a complete ridge vent this may be the reason you feel more drafts in the attic but air movement is needed to extend the life of the roof and the structure. New venting may be the same but you just happen to notice because you just had work done and there is bad weather. I would say if you don’t have leaks don’t worry about it.


connecting a light to a half switched receptacle

I know of no regulation that would limit you from connecting a light fixture to the switched side of a half hot receptacle. Essentially, you would simply be controlling two items with one switch.


What is the recommended Temperature setting for dual zone homes when not at home?

tl;dr Trial-and-error is your best bet. There's no standard answer.

There's really no such thing as "working hard". Efficiency is mostly a matter of minimizing total system runtime needed to keep you comfortable during a given 24-hour period.

Since every home and every HVAC system is different, you have a few considerations:

How quickly your HVAC system can recover X number of degrees
Whether the humidity that accumulates during the day is a concern

A couple tips:

Discontinue cooling up to an hour before you leave, but keep the fan running at least periodically. Your home won't probably start warming up enough to be uncomfortable.
Gradually increase the "away" temperatures until you find that recovery isn't happening in a timely manner or humidity becomes a problem.

Your climate and mine are similar, and I find that I don't need to maintain cooling at all during the day for all but a few days out of the year. Again, keep the fan on a periodic cycle to prevent stagnation and hotspots due to solar gain.


In some countries I've heard that it is not illegal to take a ground from the water system. This would allow ground-fault current to travel through the water pipes. This could be happening, and it is not safe.

Alternatively, you could just be arcing off static electricity especially if it's cold and dry and you're wearing fuzzy slippers and synthetic thermal pajamas.


Small seam like line of tiny bubbles patched drywall

I think that is mesh drywall joint tape showing through.

To fix it you would want to scuff up the wall area where you can see it, with fine sandpaper. Then apply joint compound, in several successively wider coats, sanding between each coat and also after the final coat. Then repaint.


Would pipe from radiator to bottom of hot water tank be supply or return?

Why has this radiator been attached directly to hot water cylinder

Seems like a bodge to me.

Traditional UK systems have the radiators completely separate from the hot-water (which supplies taps only). The radiator system is usually a closed loop - with some means of topping up the water - either a header tank in the loft (US: attic) or a valve next to a pressure vessel with a pressure gauge.

 Source: Honeywell

The hot water tank usually has four connections, two for supply and return from boiler which connect to an internal helical loop, there is no transfer of water from this loop into the tank, only a transfer of heat.

The tank is supplied with cold water at the bottom (e.g. from a separate header tank) and hot water to taps is drawn out the top.

 Source: Potterton, modified to show pump, three-port zone-valve, vents and cold water to taps

  Will the pipe attached to the bottom of the hot water cylinder be supply or return ?

Generally you remove hot water from the top and supply cold water into the bottom.

  Where logically should other pipe attach.

Your arrangement seems illogical. Probably the top of the cylinder.

  What could stop it from working?

Sediment clogging the supply pipe or radiator
A valve turned off, blocked or broken.
Lockshield valve (that "other" radiator-valve) needs adjusting?
Air in the radiator
Failure of a circulation pump (if present†)
Bad design or design reliant on specific characteristics of removed radiator.
Programmer/timer set to CH on but HW off.
Failure of HW thermostat or set too low for magic radiator to do its thing.
HW thermostat set too high or insufficient call for HW to sustain temperature gradient in tank needed to support magic for radiator?

† I believe some very old heating systems used natural convection but I've never seen one‡.
‡ I'm not a plumber.


What is considered Greener/Greenest laminate flooring option available?

In my last kitchen remodel, I used linoleum, mostly because it was a natural and "green" product. Note that vinyl flooring is often inappropriately called linoleum. You can read more online, but I thought it looked great, was easy to install and care for, and supposedly lasts a very long time.

Here is a Georgia Tech labelled paper that discusses the different choices, rating them on environmental impact and other factors.

  Linoleum is made from all natural ingredients. Linseed oil is derived by pressing flaxseed and it is dried and ground into a powdery binder. This is combined with limestone, which is extremely abundant, pine rosin, and cork and wood flours to form a doughy material to which color is added. Once pressed, it is rolled onto a jute backing and dried. Jute is
  spun from fibers of jute plants grown in India and Bangladesh (Forbo Industries).

Resilient Flooring: A Comparison of Vinyl, Linoleum and Cork

Edit: I just reread your question more carefully, and see that you're specifically looking for click-lock products. Forbo makes a product like that, Marmoleum click tiles which is their brand of linoleum "Marmoleum" applied on top of an HDF and cork backer. Note that my comments about linoleum apply to the linoleum material and jute backing. I don't know what glues or other materials are used in that specific product. I used glued-down tiles.


They make special screws just for your problem. After you screw it down they break off, leaving the screwed portion below the level of the carpet pad. Do an internet search.


You should not add an upward bend to the pipe, as that will more likely lead to water always sitting in the pipe.

Instead you should add a check valve (one way valve) to the line. This will allow the pump to push water out, while preventing ditch water from flowing back in.

If the pump is strong enough, it should be able to push water into the ditch even when it's full. Unless the outlet is pointed upstream, in which case you should redirect the pipe downstream.


How to Align vanity flush without creating a gap from baseboard?

You either cut the back bottom of the vanity to clear the baseboard, or the baseboard to clear the vanity - in this case, with "legs" rather than cabinet sides, (so small rather than large support for the base) cutting the baseboard seems like the obvious choice. With plywood cabinets that reach the floor and sit on it full-length, coping out for the baseboard would have no significant effect on the structure.
Third possibility would be to return the vanity and get one with legs positioned differently, but that may not be practical.
Either the wall or the back of the vanity is not plumb, evidently, based on the first picture with no baseboard.


False positive from a non-contact voltage tester?

Trust the multimeter. No-contact testers should only be used for a preliminary test. If the no-contact indicates power a regular voltage tester or DMM should be used to verify.

A no-contact tester is susceptible to induced currents from wiring running in the same conduit or in close proximity to the wiring being tested.

Safety first though. Make sure circuits are de-energized before working in them.


Why don't new flush valve seals have the same bump in them as the original?

The bump is most likely not necessary for a good seal.
Bumps like that are usually location devices for assembly (at the factory or on site). There's probably a corresponding dimple or slot on the hard parts of the toilet. They allow for quicker and more accurate manufacturing.
So just be sure that your new seal stays in the correct position as you tighten things up.


First of all, you don't need special telephone wire. You can use the same wire you use for networking - e.g., Cat 5, Cat 5e, etc. I used to use leftover old Cat 3 for telephone wiring, but once I went through all that, I switched to using Cat 5 for everything even if it costs a little extra for the phone wiring than absolutely necessary.

Telephone wiring does have polarity - i.e., red/green is different from green/red. But it does NOT usually matter.

The middle pair on T568A/B wiring is the same as the pair (aka red/green) for standard phone wiring. You should use RJ11 (1 pair = 1 phone line) or RJ14 (2 pair = 2 phone lines), but you can actually use RJ45 network jacks and just connect a pair to pins 4/5 for one phone line, though the patch cables may not hold as well as with RJ11/RJ12.

Troubleshooting:
Ideally you should have three tools to test:

A telephone test set. But for very occasional use, you can simply use a phone - preferably a phone that does not require any power beyond that supplied by the phone line. Plug it in at each point that you need to test, and if you get a dial and can make a call then you are good, and if you can't then you need to keep working on it.
A tone generator/detector. Mainly for checking when you are trying to figure out which cable is connected to which port. Keep in mind that there can be false positives - i.e., it is good for figuring out which cable is which, but not so useful for figuring out which pair is which.
A wiring tester. This one is just a random example - there are many different types but basically something that lets you put a remote on one end and a master on the other and see which wires are connected correctly, reversed or not connected. This is extremely useful for Ethernet cabling, but helps with phone cabling too.

Just work through it step-by-step. First check the Comcast modem and make sure a phone (or test set) works there. Then put in the splitter and make sure each connection works there. Then put in the next patch cable and check there, then the long cable run to another room, then its patch cable, etc. At each step if you can't see the problem then use the wiring tester to see what, if any, wires are actually connected.

I also recommend NOT using a long cable with plugs on the ends. Wire up (same for Ethernet) jacks on each end and use short, easily/cheaply replaceable, pre-made patch cables for jack-phone, jack-splitter, etc. Properly installed jacks rarely go bad, but plugs on the end of long cables often go bad.


How can I non-destructively remove hardwood transition strips?

It's really hard to see but it looks like your moulding is a peice of your hardwood flooring with a relief cut to fit the tlie under it. If the flooring guy put that peice down before the rest of the room (that's how I would do it) it would have nails closer to the hardwood side with a towards the tile from top to bottom angle to them. To remove it without damaging it I would use a small but sturdy flatbars with a lever point under it as close to the threshold as possible and push down firmly working the peice up from one end to the other.


Electrical outlet is reading “correct wiring” but doesn’t work

Ah, the "magic 8-ball" testers.

The legends are useless.  Hot ground reverse suggests it is seeing power between hot and neutral, and neutral and ground.  Nothing says the voltage is 120V. For lack of a neutral, HN and NG lamps were in series seeing 60V each. This was a lost neutral. Hot and neutral were never reversed. I hope you did not reverse them in an effort to clear this message!

A hot-neutral reversed combined with a lost neutral would also read "correct" and yet not work.


What type of tradesman do I need if the downstairs of my house is too cold

I'd look for a local "Heating Engineer".


Silicone adhesive will bond to wood and many plastics (and most things).  Most silicone will deal with high temperatures, but there is silicone designed for very high temperatures (for engine gaskets, fireplaces, etc.).  You can find it at auto supply stores, Harbor Freight, most hardware stores, etc.  Examples:

https://www.harborfreight.com/3-oz-rtv-silicone-red-90026.html
http://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/3M-High-Temp-Black-Silicone-Gasket?N=5002385+3292638826&rt=rud
https://www.permatex.com/products/gasketing/gasket-makers/permatex-high-temp-red-rtv-silicone-gasket/
https://www.amazon.com/Rutland-500-Degree-Silicone-10-3-Ounce-Cartridge/dp/B000DZBLNC


How can I install heat tape on a hard to reach PVC drain pipe?

This is actually similar to another answer I just gave.

It's generally referred to as "heat line" when it goes inside a pipe, which may help you find some products.

You don't give many details about your application, but in general, I'd recommend self-regulating heat line instead of using a thermostat. This line basically turns on as it needs to in response to temperature, and this actually happens just on the particular spot that's cold (eg, the whole line doesn't have to be on or off).

The insert adapter that lets you connect the line can be installed anywhere.


Do I need to prime/seal new drywall behind cabinets?

Yes, you should prime the whole surface.

Sealing/priming helps prevent penetration of vapors and moisture from the air into the drywall.  If you don't seal the entire surface, even though it's behind cabinets, penetration can happen - mind you it's not going to be significant but it can happen.

Plus the time involved to paint behind those cabinets that aren't there yet is minuscule.

This is unrelated but I don't understand your painter's objection.  Painting a wall with no cabinets on it is orders of magnitude easier than painting a wall with cabinets already mounted.  With cabinets in place, you've got to tape edges, you risk getting paint on your new cabinets, you've got a much harder time accessing the exposed wall (cabinets get in the way), and so forth.


Replacing bulb in Janeiro surface mount ceiling light (not LED)

I see you're new to the site. Let me help you make a better post. This is unfocused and needs some work. Please review this article, and bear in mind a question like your's if not edited often end up getting closed for a number of reasons described here.
Right now, your post is more about venting frustration than soliciting specific advice for a specific action (leading to your desired outcome or end state).
As it stands, you have asked three questions, and I will give you answers to those questions to demonstrate the problem with your post. Please don't be intimidated, as we want to help you learn how to turn this into a good question because there are bound to be other people out there with the same problem who you will help by asking your question.
So as it stands, your questions will not help you replace your bulb or get your light mounted again. You have not asked the right question(s) or given us the right information to get you there. If you see where I'm coming from after reading my answers to your questions below, you will need to edit your post with a more appropriate question or questions if these answers aren't what you need to solve your problem:

Your questions:

I am wondering if we have a faulty fixture?

It is impossible to tell with the information you've provided. Given what you've described, nothing indicates fault with the fixture or the installation: It has functioned without issue for seven years and you claim it is not LED (though you don't know what type of bulb it has), which means that is great performance out of a fluorescent or incandescent bulb assuming regular use; and, it's mounting failed because you didn't know how to properly remove the globe and your actions damaged the mounting (or maybe you just don't know how it sets back onto the mounting and you don't realize it's fine, but since you haven't given us any photos we have to assume you describing it as damaged is accurate).

Or if the electrician sealed it with glue instead of using screws?

Do you see glue? We have no way of telling given the information you've provided. However, chances are strong that you just don't know how to pop it off.

Anyone have any ideas?

Sure, here's my idea (I'm going to be cheeky): Try asking a better question, one that is targeted at the solution or end state you want to get to. Ask us a question that is focused on what you want to do about your situation.
That said, the answer you're probably looking for is this: If twisting doesn't work, and there are no visible screws, and you're not married to the fixture so if you damage it (as it sounds like you might already have done), try approaching it as a pressure fit or captured component. See if you can pry it out (gently). As for remounting it, you will need give us more information as to what state the mounting hardware or substrate is in right now. Chances are you can fix it.
Good luck, and I hope you find this helpful not offensive! I mean this to be encouraging, not insulting!! Your post is almost there with getting us the right information, it just needs a little more work!
Also, here you go: the manufacturer is Illuminating Experiences, the product line is Janeiro, the type is 100W incandescent, and the globe is counterclockwise twist lock.
If this is your solution, please click the checkmark to accept this answer.


I would buy a lot of wasp spray and and spray it all around the overhang area. You might eventually start seeing dead wasps in one general area and be able to find the entrance that way. Of course, you may need to wait until summer since it's winter time now.


How should I finish a basement with a pitched floor?

I would stop and make your floor level before you proceed.

Home Depot/Lowes/etc stores in my area sell 2'x2' subfloor 'tiles' that is basically tongue & groove OSB with dimpled foundation membrane on the bottom side.  However, you can do this yourself using the foundation membrane and sheets of plywood or OSB.  The flooring looks like this:

As I see it, you have two choices:

Leave your subfloor as is, but install sleepers and plywood or OSB on top (will reduce ceiling height a bit).
Rip out the subfloor, and install something like the dimpled foundation membrane, then the sleepers and the plywood or OSB.  This is better, in my opinion, because it would allow any water to run downhill instead of being trapped through capillary action.


Help Identifying Frost Free Faucet Manufacturer

Looks like it's made by Mueller Industries

(source: muellerindustries.com)

Maybe an older QuarterMaster brass Anti siphon frost free sillcock?


CFL technology is entirely obsolete, so pouring additional money into that tech doesn't make much sense.

Replace ballasts/lampholders if easy and cheap

The only reason to continue with non-integrated CFLs is if the ballasts and lampholders are readily available and cheap.

For instance, that is exactly what I do with 48" tube fluorescents, but ballasts and lampholders for those are dirt cheap.

Switch to "integrated CFL" (???) fixture

An "integrated CFL" is the product most of us are familiar with, with a commonplace screw-in lamp base and the ballast on-board the "bulb".

The lamp base is usually the Edison E26 screw base, the one we're all very familiar with.  Sometimes it's the smaller candelabra screw-in base.

There are other goofy bases, such as GU24 - designed to stop you from using incandescent bulbs.  This meets some misguided energy-efficiency requirements, and means manufacturers don't have to certify fixtures for the high heat of incandescent bulbs.  Total waste of time: people just get adapters so they  can use the far cheaper Edison-base CFLs and LEDs.

So if you're changing fixtures, get a fixture with the common Edison E26 base. You can get  E26-base "integrated CFLs" if you really want to, but I recommend you take advantage of the very good pricing on "integrated LEDs", which are superior in every way including color temperature and light quality.

I just got rid of several dozen "integrated CFLs"; our household has gone LED.  I went with quality GE units on sale for $4 each.

Modify your existing fixtures to Edison base, no ballast

It's the way to go if you're in love with the fixture and/or cost is a factor.  This will require some handyness. Sockets and lamp parts are readily available at respectable hardware stores, and to a lesser extent at big-box home improvement stores.

Again, this will allow you to use common off-the-shelf integrated "bulbs" of any technology you choose; limited to wattages below that of the old fluorescent bulb (since the fixture is not rated for any more heat than that.)


My door was locked but the handle came off, uses non-traditional unlock

Using a pair of needle nose pliers, grab the upper metal part where the plastic is broken away enough to grab both sides and pull it.

If needed, jiggle the door in and out as you pull to help release tension on the latch bolt, so it will pull easier. It may not need it, but if the bolt is engaged in the strike hard, you may need to...


What should be cleaned or examined after an air conditioner drain pipe leak?

Wet/dry vac to clean up the standing water and a few fans blowing over the wet area until it is fully dry.


Can I use liquid floor leveler on a previously tiled wood bathroom floor where I could not get up all of the thin set

1/4” is not a problem with all the self leveling compounds I have used, self leveling compounds work best in a large area if you get them close with a wide trowel, I usually mark the edges or use a laser get it in the ballpark and it dose it’s job.


How do I get a dishwasher to fit with pipes in the way?

What can you do?:

Move the pipes: This is ideal, because that is .... UGH.
Move the/a/some cabinets: reconfigure the counter arrangements such that the pipes are behind/under a cabinet
Raise your counter in this area, trim it off up top and box in a platform on the bottom, so the dishwasher can be mounted above the pipes
Find a short tub dishwasher with a rather open back. There are hundreds of dishwashers on the market, you could find one, but knowing how they are framed, it is very very unlikely.
Don't install the dishwasher here, put some other device here, and locate the dishwasher somewhere else. (same basic idea as #2) but leave cabinets where they are, put a garbage can here
Cut a cabinet down, re-frame it (customize the cabinet) to allow room to the right to mount the dishwasher

I vote for #1, because what you have here is just, unpleasant. But these are "all" of the things you can do that I can creatively dream up.


Generally speaking, appliance repair parts are most easily found at an (these days, mostly online) appliance repair parts specialist dealer, as they are not generally "standard" parts (or if they were, you already found those ones by other means.)
Another option (if you just can't find one) is to make your own replacement part using something like silicone rubber that you can form yourself and let cure.


You must search for the source of this leak by inspecting the walls immediately above where you see water. In many cases like this you will see damp spot on the walls above and these must be cut open to inspect pipes for the  leak. If the walls are covered with gyproc or similar this is not a difficult job. Finding the leak is essential or it will destroy walls and flooring.


Kitchen faucet only gets lukewarm, never gets hot

I would recommend that you start by unscrewing your hot line, of course close the valve first. Then open the valve into a large bucket to make sure you have sufficient pressure and flow and hot water. If everything is good then you probably have a block in the line from the valve to the faucet or you have a bad faucet. Sometimes faucets get plugged or the a lever doesn’t open fully. Good luck.


Should I erase pencil marks on primed trim before painting

Pencil marks will not have much effect on paint adhesion, and will not cause stainiong, but they may show through light-coloured paints.
So yeah either do a test to see if they show through, or just erase them.


Securing two sections of 'floating' molding together and to wall

I added some comments to get clarity on the solution, so I'm going to answer with some generic options you could combine or use individually based on your particular solution. These are roughly sorted "best to worst" in terms of my preference for creating the best finished look.

Remove and discard the piece on the left. If the wall behind it is not flat, replace it with a flexible molding (ie flexible polyurethane molding) - attach to the wall with construction adhesive and nails to hold in place until the adhesive cures.
If the gap is because it's too short, replace it with a correctly sized piece.
If you can remove both pieces but don't want to replace either, or the above options don't sound ideal, remove both pieces. Assuming they're wood or another material that will hold screws, use a pocket screw or two in the back of the pieces to hold that seam tightly together. Reinstall as if it was one single piece of molding.
Easiest, but ugliest: Leave as-is. Use paintable latex caulk to hide the seam. Paint afterwards.

Edited to add, based on your edit above: If you don't want to remove the pieces, there won't be much you can do. Construction adhesive (common brand: Liquid Nails) may hold it down but it will be challenging to get it in there without removing the piece from the wall. Similarly, if you had that piece off, you could put a drywall anchor in the wall, then use a trim screw to hold the piece down. You mentioned the trim is mdf, which doesn't hold fasteners well, so the pocket screw idea is out (although that would require the pieces to be off the wall as well.)

In short: Without removing or replacing the pieces, there may not be much to do other than try your best to hide it with painter's caulk.


Ok.  The fundamental rule is that currents must be equal in every cable or conduit.

Yes, current travels in a loop.  But in actual practice, we squeeze that into a "tree" topology.   Imagine you draw a tree on a piece of paper, and send an army of 2-dimensional ants (current) to explore the tree.  They are not allowed to hop across branches, but they can wander from branch to branch without going back to the bottom of the trunk.  At any point on the tree, if you count the total ant passages, exactly the same number of ants (current) go up any branch as come back down.

This equal flow assures the current does not induce magnetic fields and eddy-current heating into nails, sinks, piping and other metal parts of your house.

Now it's OK to have 3 wires, 10A going out on one, 2A going out on the other, and 12A returning on the third.  That's still equal.  That's how a sometimes-on switch wire can travel with an always-hot.

Multi-wire branch circuits

That is also how a multi-wire branch circuit works, which is what you have on 14L and 16L.  It's not an accident they are 2 numbers apart; they must be on opposite poles or they will overload the neutral.

And it's perfectly fine for part of a multi-wire branch circuit to have one side branch off in another direction, as in 16L.  However its neutral must run with the partner hot.  So whatever is going on in 16L, you must make sure that wherever the hot runs, the neutral is right next to it.

If you're working in conduit, as I suspect you are, your local actual electrical supply house sells THHN wire in 11 colors and tape in 10.  Use different colors.  Gray and white are both legal for neutrals, so when you have two circuits in close proximity, ask them to sell you some gray neutral wire.

You see where there are points where the MWBC splits off to just one hot with just one neutral.  That is a prerequisite for working with GFCI+receptacle devices.  That is fine, again, keep the hot with the neutral at all times.   Now, a few new Code requirements with MWBC:

Anywhere both sides rely on the same neutral, the neutral must be pigtailed. You must be able to remove the device without interrupting the neutral wire for either side.

Both sides of the MWBC must have a common maintenance shutoff, which in practice means thet must be on a 2-pole breaker.   When dealing with duplex, you get a "quadplex" that is a 2-pole in the middle and two singles on the outside, like this one.


What factors need to be considered to get the most powerful shower possible?

Official term is "water velocity" but for domestic plumbing this isn't really a thing you need to concern yourself with stick to pressure and flow rates. To answer some of your questions all in one:
The flow rate can vary between showers due to the plumbing that supply's them also the pressure can vary for the same reason, they can also have water restrictors  that slow the flow rate down.

In Australia this is due to regs stipulating maximum flow rates for water conservation reasons, ( I will always remove these as I hate a weak shower).

As for the flow rate you can use a flow cup to check the flow rate on a unrestricted tap and a pressure gauge to check pressure available.

You can attach a booster pump to your water supply but if this is legal in your location I do not know, the use of a booster pump will also depend on the supply pipe you have to connect to and what the pressure is already if it is near the output of the pump there is no point installing the pump.


Depending on the size of the rod, you might be able to use Closet Bar Brackets.  You can typically find these in wood but sometimes you can find them in metal.  And if that doesn't work, try some Pipe Flanges.


Compatibility for Thomas & Betts breakers

This handy chart seems to show that the Eaton CL230 breaker is a "Classified" replacement for the Thomas Betts TB230 breaker.

Since this is a pretty common breaker sold at national big box home improvement stores it should be straightforward to compare the two.  These cheaper breakers are normally not even in a package, making comparison even easier.

The comment from isherwood about the type of panel you have is valid.  This is meant to point you in the right direction, but its not a definitive "certified" answer.


Can I do anything to make my gas oven better?

Is it safe to make it reach higher temperatures? The oven will contain metals, chemical coatings, seals, glass, and so on, and therefor the construction of it may only be safe for a certain temperature. Over heating it may make the materials expand too much, damage the seals, and heat adjoining units and cause extra damage (worse case scenario = house fire). I would suggest cooking for little longer at lower temperatures.


Is it possible (and safe) to adapt a 4-prong dryer outlet to a NEMA 6-20?

The answer is it depends on the appliance. As long as the appliance does not expressly forbid using it on a 30A circuit you should be fine. You'll be able to change the plug and put on a 14-30P plug, just ignore the silver terminal (neutral).


Attic was built to be living space in 1945, but are the trusses strong enough to keep doing so?

Unless you are putting unusual loads up there (king size waterbed, full kitchen, concrete sculptures), normal bedroom/living room furniture and a couple of people should still be fine.

Ceiling cracks in the lower level will be the first indication of undue stress.


Breaker trips after attempting to install a new outlet

Are you saying that you were changing outlets when they were hot? Or simply that the last outlet sparked? If the latter, it could be a defective outlet or defective install. And it's possible that the sparking incident damaged a previously functional outlet. Don't re-install something that's charred. Look closely again for nicks in the insulation.

I'd try again with a new receptacle, but leave the outlet hanging out of the junction box temporarily and see what happens. If that works, then turn off the power, mount the receptacle and see what happens.

It should go without saying that all circuits should be off when you're working on them.


What is this small L shaped bracket thing called?

Looks like an L corner bracket/brace. Probably worth upgrading to a metal one if it would fit:

Amazon product link


How to make a wooden box with a hidden lid

The trick here is to actually have the lid start out as part of the box, so that the grain of the wood all runs right across the separation between box and lid.

One way this can be accomplished is to build a solid "block", and then turn that into a box.  You first cut off a "lid" off of the solid block, and then by one means or another, hollow out the inside of the box part.

Then you would often use a belt sander or just sand paper on a flat surface and tidy up the two mating pieces (lid and box lip) so that imperfections from the sawing go away and leave an imperceptible gap between the lid and the box.

Since the lid "came from" the box originally, it will all match up and look like a single piece of wood if you get your gap perfect enough.

To better understand the techniques, search on YouTube for "bandsaw box".  It is a "thing" in the woodworking community.  Some people specialize in making small boxes similar to what you've described but for decorative rather than deceptive use.


Basement insulation w/ existing tar paper and studs

Building Science Corporation recommends the following model these days for basement insulation:

rigid foam (or spray foam) directly against wall
stud wall (I prefer steel...easier to put up, no mold substrate, really lightweight)
finished wall (I prefer paperless sheetrock again, to avoid having a place for mold to grow)

Note the absence of any vapor barrier...of which tarpaper could be considered one.

The foam board acts as a vapor retarder so it slows moisture movement, but doesn't completely prevent it in case one side has to dry to the other.

For more details, see my answer on this question: Should I use steel or wood studs for basement exterior walls?


As fixer1234 suggests, your heating system is probably not designed to heat your house to 64 Fahrenheit degrees above the outdoor air temperature.

You can provide more heat by running incandescent lights in most rooms of your house. You can also find reasons to cook things that do not require running your kitchen exhaust fan more than usual.

To prevent this problem from happening in the future, you can improve the insulation of your house (such as by adding storm windows).  If there are any drafty parts of your house, you can seal cracks to minimize the drafts.

For example, Seattle's Energy Code mandates that builders design heating systems that can heat a house by 46 F° above the outside air temperature.  A typical house built to the 2006 Seattle Energy Code loses its heat as follows:

40% to intended draftiness ("Infiltration" or "Air Changes per Hour")
20% via the roof, basement floor, and basement walls
20% via doors and windows
20% via the remaining above-ground walls


100W LED floodlight indoors, diffused by concrete ceiling 1 foot away

I think it is a CYA situation.  What would we do without lawyers?  I would point the beam somewhat at an angle so you won't get radiation bouncing directly back at the light source.  Otherwise, I see no problem. Shine-On!


How do I connect my new tap's flexible hoses to my copper supply pipes?

I found some adapters which are designed for Flexi tap to quick connectors.

You simply screw one end on, then insert the other into the quick connectors like you would any other pipe.

Now that I've done it, it seems straight forward. But at the time i wasn't sure of the connection types or possibilities. Or how they worked.

Really cheap and easy to do. Tool-less infact.


Get that bond screw pulled, and get a PK7GTA in there, then you can add a circuit here

The first step is to sort out this morass of a spa panel box.  The good news is that it's a QO612L100RB, which means that you can get just about any sort of breaker you'd ever want to put in there.  The bad news is that the original installer butchered the neutral/ground handling, leaving the bond screw in and spamming all the ground and neutral wires onto one bar, so we have to fix that before we can start adding circuits.

You'll need a PK7GTA ground bar and a screwdriver to fix this, in addition to the breaker for the deck outlet.  First, turn off power at the feeder breaker for this panel.  Second, you'll need to remove the green screw next to the neutral lug; this removes the bonding screw from the panel, and separates ground from neutral here.  Third, you'll need to install the PK7GTA in the panel, screwing it to the raised holes bottom left or bottom right.  Finally, you'll need to take the two bare ground wires out of the neutral bar and connect them to the new ground bar instead.

Once this is done, you can add your branch circuit as normal. The decision as to whether to use a GFCI receptacle with a regular breaker or a GFCI breaker with regular receptacles is yours; the NEMA 3R enclosure of the panel might provide marginally better protection for a GFCI than a receptacle box would, but GFCI breakers are much more expensive than even a weather-resistant GFCI receptacle, so there is that as well.  Don't forget to size the breaker appropriately for the wiring you are running for the new circuit (15A for 14AWG, 20A for 12AWG), use properly outdoor-rated wire (UF instead of NM, or THWN in conduit if you are going the conduit route) and boxes (with while-in-use covers), and torque all breaker and loadcenter screws/lugs to specification with an inch-pound torque screwdriver (as per 2017 NEC 110.14(D))!


Should I add a vapor barrier in this situation?

Foam board, especially the one in your pics, act as a vapor barrier.  The only issue with it is when you cut it and install between joists or studs.  Then it needs to be taped, caulked, or foamed.  You said you caulked them so you have completed your air seal. Adding another vapor barrier will only cause moisture problems and wood rot.  I have been insulating homes for over 30 years and have seen the entire sides of homes that have had to be tore out and rebuilt because of the second vapor barrier.


What is the effective difference between an inline air separator vs a air vent at the high point in a recirculating water system?

The air separator is in the wrong place (it should be right after the heater/boiler) in the loop, as hotter water holds less air/gasses in solution than cooler water, so that's where it's most easily/effectively separated. The cooler return side is a poor choice of location.

The high vent serves to trap bubbles that escape the separator out of the loop, since circulating pumps are poorly suited to pushing large bubbles around.

I need to check, but I'm pretty sure the expansion tank is in the wrong relationship to the pump, as well. Yes, indeed. The arrangement shown increases the liklihood of cavitation, which accelerates wear and damage to the pump, shortening its life