The OLD UK color codes are red for hot - and black for neutral.
The NEW EU color codes are brown for hot - and blue for neutral.

You have some of each era of wire in your house.  I have no idea what happens after Brexit. For now we'll vote to Remain in EU color codes.

Get some brown and grey electrical tape

The reason to mark wire will become apparent at the very end, when the hookup instructions are simple.

The red wire with the piff of white paint on it is a hot-at-all-times wire. It needs to be marked with brown tape, e.g. wrap it around the wire a few times maybe 25mm back from the end of the wire.

The red wire with a U-shaped bend gets marked gray*.  That is switched-hot to your older lamp.

The blue wire currently "marked" with crumpled brown tape... mark that gray.  It is switched-hot to your newer lamp, though I am at a loss as to why they are using blue here - why not brown?  What is the brown doing that's so important it can't be used as a hot?  How does current to the lamp return?  I sense trouble here. I would go over this work with a fine-tooth comb.

Now on the switch, this is a tricky switch since it's designed to be used as a 2-way (USA 3-way).  Any 2(3)way can be used as a 1-way, simply by using common and 1 other terminal (not the third).  Your switch has very terse labeling saying "in that case, don't use L2".  So cover both L2 terminals with tape (just as a reminder, it doesn't serve any electrical purpose).

Now it wires just like your old switch.  I would sanity-check whether use of a jumper is OK (to be more precise, landing two wires on one lug), that would either need to be generally allowed by UK/EU Code or specifically allowed by that switch's instructions (meaning it was tested/listed for that use).  If it's not allowed, get a 4-terminal jumper block, create another brown jumper (buy more wire, don't cut this short thing in half), and put all four browns (including the red-taped-brown) into the 4-terminal block (including the 2 jumpers not yet connected). Regardless...

the COM and L1 at one end of the switch get brown
the COM and L1 at the other end of the switch get those remarked grays
If the wrong switch controls the wrong light, exchange grays.

If you are very fastidious, you can put the browns to the COM and the grays to L1s, but on a simple switch it really doesn't matter.

* Using the new EU color codes for hot wires: brown, black and gray, avoiding black because it conflicts with your old-wiring neutral wires.


When does it make sense to use a grout pen?

Use a grout saw (manual) to remove all the loose/failing grout and re-grout with black (or dark-colored - blue perhaps) grout.

White tile with white grout is dull even when it doesn't have issues. Dark grout also does not require the cleaning effort that white grout does. Tile is easy to clean, grout less-so. Here's a handy image of white tile with different grout colors.

I don't believe the "miracle" product will do anything useful for grout that is eroding. This should be a "one day out of the weekend" project, it's not a remodel. If you have an alternate shower/tub to use it could also be an "hour or two a day" project for a week, unless it's a gigantic shower with tiny tiles.

Looking into this a bit more I found several mentions of having no effect on mould, other than when you next scrub the mould, you have flakes of white paint coming off (since that's all it is.) Indeed, anti-mould spray was recommended for cleaning the grout. But given that you already have the grout failing I stand by the advice to replace it.


It's possible to change the motor, but doing so may not change anything. In fact, blindly changing the motor could actually cause the system to perform worse.

Without knowing a ton more about the system, it's impossible to diagnose the actual problem.  It could very well be poor duct design, an undersized system, or a whole host of other problems.  The best bet is to get the system assessed by a local reputable HVAC company.


What is this tool with a notch at the end of a shaft?

It could be used for any of the following, depending on size:

A Schrader valve core tool, used for automotive tires (see examples)
A wing-nut tool, useful in tight places or to apply more force
A wire-wrap tool, if there is a recess at the end of the shaft
A tool for hand-bending metal contacts or light wire


Fixing substantially warped table top planks

Have a bonfire and go buy some straight 2x4's (those certainly appear to be 2x4's)
Or possibly some nicer wood, depending what you intend for this table. My eyeball assessment is that this is ordinary framing lumber ("studs") which is commonly "spruce, pine or fir" and nothing special to look at.
Salvaging what you have will be tedious frustrating and largely pointless, IMHO unless this particular collection of wood has huge sentimental value.
The only "get rid of the twist" method I can recommend is to remove wood until the boards are thinner, but flat. That is a somewhat challenging prospect if you have limited experience with woodworking. Wetting generally only makes a difference while it's wet, and when it dries out it goes right back where it was. Steaming is a huge operation, then you need to move the wood somewhat beyond where you need it to end up, as it "springs back," and clamp it there until it cools and dries. If you have correctly guessed the amount to overcompensate for the current twist and bow you might end up close to straight.
Meanwhile, you could have had that bonfire and gotten some straight dry wood...


How can I seal a mouse hole with a refrigerator water line running through it?

Whooooaaaa!
Leaking refrigerator lines are the #1 cause for house damage.   They are usually on the main floor, in an expensive area of the house, and once they start leaking water just pours out.
So mouse issue is one thing.   A mouse issue (they bite EVERYTHING) next to a fridge water line - disaster waiting to happen.   Ticking time bomb.
You are going to do a 2 for 1.   Have less of a chance for water issues and get rid of that hole.
Step 1 - Buy a fridge shutoff valve

Step 2 - Take out drywall and install  valve
You need to cut out a small rectangle - 12x18"ish.   Put Shutoff valve on a stud, attach it.   Put water line into the valve - test it.   Replace drywall over it.
Step 3 - Basic mud and tape and plug back line to fridge.
It's behind a fridge so you don't have to be perfect.
So hole is gone and your fridge line meets modern plumbing code.


How do you release the wires from a push-in wire connector?

If you're talking about an outlet - or a similar concept fixture - the best tool I've found is a flat head jeweler/precision screw driver.

The wire is being held in by this:

You can see you'll need to push that "tab" away from the wire, from the back of the outlet you should see a small rectangle hole next to each circular hole that the wires are in:

MAKE SURE POWER/BREAKER IS OFF YOU WILL BE TOUCHING A "LIVE" WIRE
Insert a small jeweler screwdriver in the rectangular hole/slot, use the box as your pivot point and the screwdriver as your level (bring back end of screwdriver towards wire to force "tab" away) and gently pull the wire out.

* If the outlet is old/weak or the wire wasn't inserted in deep you can sometimes get away with just twisting the wire back and forth while pulling.


GFCI Electrical outlet near outdoor fountain wall - Shutoff switch needed?

Electrical drownings are deadly serious
If you understood how gruesome they are, you would earnestly want to do everything possible to avoid them.  Imagine someone drowning, and a rescuer jumps in to help them and starts drowning too, and another rescuer does the same... that happens.  It happens A LOT.
As in the linked case, it's not enough to GFCI-protect the device alone, because water could get behind the GFCI device and contact unprotected AC mains. So it's also important to protect the wiring that even approaches the fountain.
Also in that linked case, the critical 10 minutes needed to get the girls on CPR and save them from brain death, was spent frantically searching for a way to disconnect power. Hence...
GFCIs can protect downlines.
A lot of people look at GFCIs and think "That's a receptacle.  It protects things plugged into it. It doesn't protect anything else".  That's true if you wire it that way... but it's also possible to configure GFCIs so they protect onward wiring runs.    In fact every GFCI device has terminals specifically for that purpose: the LOAD terminals.
So you can use a GFCI some distance away to protect both the wiring to the fountain, and the switch, and the receptacle all at once.  This can be a GFCI receptacle located somewhere earlier in the circuit, or a GFCI breaker in the panel.  It's also wise to locate GFCI devices indoors - they last a lot longer.
There's one more thing. Some GFCI devices do not like being downline of a switch, and will often trip when shut off or turned on.   All the more reason to site the GFCI before the switch.


They sell  "850 watt" power supplies for gaming PCs.  When you look at the power supply sticker (we're talking the responsibly built, UL listed ones), they indicate 10A / 1200VA.  How much power do you need to provision to such a machine? 1200VA, not 850VA.  The difference is conversion losses inside the power supply (which is why power supplies have fans), including power factor.

So I'm a little skeptical of where this "216 watt" figure came from.  It is precisely a multiple of both 6 and 4, and "36 watt" and "54 watt" are standard ratings for fluorescent tubes.  However, extrapolating from nominal tube spec totally disregards:

over-unity ballast factor (meaning the ballast drives the lamp harder than its nominal spec)
internal ballast inefficiencies and conversion losses
power factor of the ballast (VA vs watts; you must provision VA).

I also don't put a lot of weight on your 18A (2A per fixture?  Exactly?) number.  I would be happier if you obtained a Kill-a-Watt meter and plugged one of the fixtures into it, and see how it actually performs at operating temperature.  Look at amps, and VA.  (Watts is useless).

I think you will find you have significantly oversubscribed this circuit.

The cable being under a carpet of insulation isn't helping either, but I'm not an expert on Romex installation rules, so I leave that to others.

Continuous loads must be derated to 125%

Lighting is a continuous load.  So it must be derated: you must provision 125% of the VA that the lighting actually requires: NEC 215.2a1.

Another way of looking at this is, if all the loads on a circuit are continuous loads, a circuit can only support 80% of breaker rating.  So a 20A circuit is good for 16A only.  (16A * 125% = 20A).

Even with your perfect 216W number, your 9 lights would draw 16.2 amps (they don't) and that's a tick over limits.  In actuality I think you will find your lights are even more than 2.00 amps each, so over 18A requiring you provision over 22.5 amps of power to the circuit.   Upsizing to 10AWG wire would reduce your wire overheat, but you would not be allowed to upsize the breaker to 30A, because you are not allowed to put NEMA 5-15 or 5-20 receptacles on a 30A circuit (table 210.21B3).

Break it into 2 circuits

The most straightforward solution here is peel off 3-4 of these lights onto a separate circuit.  And, you know, if you want to be able to switch some of the lights separately from the others, this is a great time to do that.

Or... switch to 240V

Pull down a light and read the labeling carefully.  Given these T5 lights are super popular in Europe, and given trends in the lighting industry to make multi-voltage ballasts that work on 100, 120, 208, 240 and 277 volts, chances are these luminaires are already capable of running at 240V.

So convert the circuit to 240V. The switches won't care. The lamps won't care.

The plugs and sockets must be changed from NEMA 5-15 to NEMA 6-15 or 6-20.  (they look practically the same and use the same cover plates).
The lighting circuit must be punched down onto a 240V breaker
White wires in conduit must be replaced with colored wires.
White wires in cables must be taped black or any color at both ends.

What will this do to wire heating?  It will cut current in half, which will cut voltage drop in half, which will reduce wire heating by 3/4.   it's a very good deal that should solve your overheat problem.  As long as you don't add even more lighting or other loads.


Should I use a quick or gradual 90 in my flexible A/C ductwork?

Sharp corners in the duct work are not preferred. They create eddy currents in the air flow that results in greater pressure drop than a straight run of pipe. In some situations the eddy currents can also create increased air turbulence noise as well.

Instead of using elbows for ducts you should consider using the newer style of non-metallic duct material. This has many advantages including:

It is much easier to work with.
There is far less thermal drop across the duct material than metal
duct.
It is lightweight.
You can easily snake it in any direction during installation.
The insulation material is built right into the duct itself as
opposed to having to be installed separately.
Duct tape sticks to it like a champ.
Tools needed for installation are very simple ones that most DIYers
will already have.


Outlets are dead, but electricity is coming into the box

What you describe says that the neutral (white wire) is broken somewhere upstream from these outlets.
Try to trace the wiring back along its path and I'm certain you'll find a bad/broken/loose connection on a white wire somewhere.


Regardless of if this was ever standard, it's a bad idea.  I lived in a 60's built house and the dryer vented under the house from a hole in the floor.  The lint and moisture issues there were pretty bad to say the least.

The same issue is happening in your attic (crawlspace?).  The moisture in the exhausted air can cause problems for sure.  The air can also contain grease and other contaminants that will build up and cause... general grossness.

It's true that if you don't use the hood very much, it might not be a big deal, but if you want to to be done right, it needs to be in a duct from the hood, all the way until it exists the house through a wall or the roof.


Pipe is fine, solenoid is fine, but can't get hot water into my washing machine?

If it is delivering cold when you call for hot only then it is opening the wrong valve (assuming your statement that the hoses are correct now is true).

Return the unit, it is malfunctioning and it seems like a controller issue not a valve or solenoid issue.

However; you state that you replaced a "valve/solenoid". Are you certain you did it right? Are you certain you wired it right? If the unit was "brand new" why did you do that yourself instead of having a factory approved technician troubleshoot and repair the unit under warranty?


How to determine gas leak on a water heater?

Time to call a professional; either a plumber or the local fire department. They can use more sophisticated leak detectors to pinpoint the leak, and know how to do so safely. Leaking gas is not something to trifle with.

Liquid leak detectors (the type that bubble up when gasses are leaking) are great for simple threaded connections, but you've got a whole host of potential leak sources, some of which appear to be not conducive to slathering soapy water on. I think an electronic combustible gas detector is in order.


Can I replace a mechanical doorbell with a digital one?

As long as both require the same voltages you will be fine. If you are in the U.S. the line voltage to the transformer is standard house voltage (120 volts AC). The output voltage of the transformer to the chime is nominally 16v.


Why does my dishwasher back up into the sink, but running the disposal allows it to drain?

There is a very simple answer to your question.  Your dishwasher is draining into the side drain adapter on your garbage disposer. this was a common practice for many years. All the water draining from your dishwasher is being pumped into the upper basin side of the disposer. Solids from the dishwasher are blocking the drain in the disposer, so when you turn on the disposer, it grinds the waste and drains the water. This is actually the way it is suppose to work. Current codes require a separate trap for the dishwasher and not plumbed into the disposer. If you look at the side of your disposer, you will see the hose from the washer attached there.  Only fix is to install a new separate trap and drain for the washer.  Good luck.


How to utilize the free water from my well drawn sprinkler pump

We would need more information about this "well" if it is a true ground water well of course you can do anything with it , I have a well we drink from and water the lawn and water the horses, if it is just a in ground water storage of rain water still filling the pool watering the lawn and washing the cars is fine but I would not drink or water livestock without having it checked surface ground water has lots of nastys that are filtered out in most wells but not in ground water recovery systems.


Can I install 6' 6x6 fence posts onto a cement driveway?

A fence post has very little vertical force...mainly just the weight of the post and panels it holds. Your driveway slab would work fine as a footing for that. HOWEVER, the primary force on a fence is typically lateral--especially a 6' fence. The reason posts are put into the ground is to counter lateral forces on the fence (typically the wind).

I imagine there are types of brackets that could be used on the concrete to accomodate the lateral forces, but the type you have in your post is not that type...that's typically used to attach structural posts to concrete (it handles the vertical force, but not lateral).

The type of brackets you'd need would be something akin to a shelf bracket where there's a diagonal brace between the two plates.

So, one option is to cut holes in your slab and dig proper holes there. Alternatively, you could find plates designed for this (or have someone weld some up for you).

A third option would be to not build a straight fence, but rather stagger the posts in a zig-zag pattern.


Drilling above laundry, hit something hard

If you had hit a copper or plastic pipe, you probably would have drilled further after pushing a little harder.
I think it is most likely that you hit a nail plate. These are steel plates that are attached to the studs in locations where electrical cable or various pipes pass through. Their job is to prevent these items from being damaged by a drill or nail, so it seems the plate is doing its job here. Unfortunately, there isn't really anything you can do about it. The presence of the plate indicates that you picked a spot where you won't be able to hand your shelf. You will need to find out which direction the pipe/cable runs and find a different spot to drill that's out of the way.


Do no flange low profile shower bases present an increased chance of leaking?

If you look at the installation instruction for the base you linked (instructions linked right from the link you provided: instruction pdf), you will see on page 6:

Attach tile flange # 790112 (not included).

Follow instructions included with the tile flange.

So a simple web search for Duravit 790112 will lead you to a variety of vendors where you can purchase the flange that is required to be installed with this particular base for tiling.
It would seem that it would be best to follow the manufacturer's recommendation. If you are not comfortable with attaching the flange yourself, hire someone to do the install and get a warranty from them, or choose a shower base with pre-installed flange.
The reason the base does not have a pre-installed flange is so it can be installed in a variety of scenarios with either 2 or 3 tiled walls, glass or shower curtain, etc.


Do 240V receptacle use the same connectors as 120V receptacles for the same amperage?

No, the plugs are different for different voltages. There are many different NEMA receptacles for various combinations of voltage and current, and also a "twist-lock" receptacles. Some common ones are:

(From Wikipedia).


how to attach gutter when there is an additional trim board on fascia?

Well I can tell you term for the 1X on the angled portion of the roof, it is rake mold. Most rake molds have a bit more elaborate profile, but there is no rule saying it can't be a simple piece of 1X.
The term for the same piece running horizontally might be eave mold, but I have never heard or used it in all my years. This may have been a call made by the installing carpenter, for the idea of keeping things consistent, what is on the rakes, is also at the drip edge.

The blocks are there to keep the gutter from hanging at an angle under the roof edge so the rain does not over shoot the gutter, since it is fastened to the projecting 1X.  If it was lowered, to eliminate the blocks, the rain when heavy enough, would shoot over the gutter, only light rains would be caught. If you are using aluminum gutters, you will need fasteners only 24-30 inches apart, unless you have heavy snow loads sliding off the roof, then you may need the fasteners every 16 inches. These blocks would only be needed at each fastener location. The composition roof may not let the snow slide, but the roof has a pretty high pitch.


What is the purpose of these spare rings for an HVAC blower motor?

(Credit for this answer to user d.george, who has not responded since posting as a comment.  I'm posting as an answer so this question can be closed and marked answered.)

The rings are to make the motor mounts of a 48 frame motor adapt to a frame 56 base. If the old motor was a frame 48 and the replacement is the same, you do not need the rings. If the base was originally for a 56 frame motor then you slip these rings onto the ends of the motor before installing. (1 per end) If your motor does not fit into a base or if you don't them , then you discard them.


The key question would be: How many winters has this pipe been like this and lasted without bursting? If it has made it through for many years, it should probably be good for many more.

Does it have an indoor valve where you can turn it off and drain the water, similar to this:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-3-4-in-Brass-Sweat-x-Sweat-Ball-and-Waste-Valve-with-Drain-119-4-34-EB/205812172

If so, then you can just shut off the valve and drain the water.

The safest/best/permanent solution would be to install a shut-off valve like above (make sure the drain hole is on the "to the outside" side of the valve) and also replace it (or have it replaced) with an anti-siphon frost-free outdoor valve like this:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/1-2-in-x-12-in-Brass-Anti-Siphon-Frost-Free-Sillcock-Valve-with-Push-Fit-Connections-P140-8-12x12/203518399

For a "quick fix", you could wrap it with a short length of heat tape:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002YFAHAW/ref=twister_B0048BPXDG?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

and then some pipe insulation:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-3-4-in-x-6-ft-Foam-Pipe-Insulation-ORP07812/204760801


As far as I know the more jagged and porous the material is the better. In our library, there is porous material put on walls which are faced toward the source of the sound so that it eliminates reflection. Maybe I would try eliminating those reflections between your house and the fence. But given it is in an open space I doubt it will be significant enough.

If you are very serious about it, try active noise reduction: ANC - wiki


Make sure that any operating device and the thermostat are made to be used with a thermopile/powerpile system. The contacts of all devices are special for that type system. Thermopile systems produce around 3/4 volts so any added resistance reduces the voltage to operate the gas valve. Make sure that all connections are done with clean wire and are tight. When the system was converted did the person or contractor convert/replace the pilot, gas burners or gas orfices and the gas regulator. It may be a good idea to check these items or have an HVAC contractor check them.


Why does the breaker trip after I replaced some outlets?

Double check the first 4 outlets that you rewired. You probably have the wires swapped or touching. Something like the black and white wires swapped, or a bare ground wire touching the side of the screw terminals on the side of the outlet.


My stovetop is very hot - should I disable the pilot light?

When living with stoves old enough to have pilot lights, I and my family have always had them turned off by the repairman to eliminate the fire hazard. The pilot lights were controlled by a small valve under the stovetop, in the small-diameter lines feeding the pilots.

The risk from turning them off that I know of is that the valve may not shut off completely, leading to a small leak of unburned gas (since the pilot flames are no longer burning the gas constantly).

After the pilot lights are turned off, I recommend using a handheld piezoelectric or flint lighter to light burners; these can be found in camping stores. (They are easier to use, safer, and simpler than the more widely available butane lighters which have their own flames, because they directly ignite the gas with just a spark. However, they cannot be used to light candles or other non-gaseous-fuel fires, and in our experience are not effective in lighting ovens, for which we used matches instead.)


Send this switch back
This is cheap Cheese junk dumped onto your shores, illegal and unsafe for its purpose, and the seller knew that and took your money nonetheless.  Send it back.
The various logos on it are the ones they stick on all their fakes. None represent a real testing lab. The fact is the switch will cause safety problems, and if anything else causes a safety problem, this switch will make things much worse.  E.G. the plastic it's made of will burn like a freak and start a fire in the walls, while emitting toxic fumes, not self-extinguish like the correct (but expensive) plastic.  100 details like that are what makes safe switches safe.
Don’t buy junk for use in AC mains. And  buying mail-order is buying junk, especially Amazon Marketplace.
Companies use direct mail-order because it allows them to sneak illegal stuff around the safety schemes that keep dangerous junk out of your retail shops. Somehow Amazon Marketplace sneaks around this too, even when it dropships from an Amazon warehouse. If you have a retail chain of brick-and-mortar stores, mail-ordering from them is usually pretty safe as they typically just offer the same selection.  They can also do curbside pickup if COVID is an issue.
A switch like it still won't work with that remote 2-way (3-way).
That switch is designed to replace four 1-way switches. Dining and kitchen are 1-way switches.  The living room switch is one-way now... However...
The "Entrance" switch is a 2-way (US: 3-way) that is powered from the far end.  In other words, this switch works just like the switch you just took out.
There is no way for a 1-way switch at this location to interact with that 2-way, except using a rather advanced technique called a relay.  If you want to smart-switch control that switch, you'll need to put a smart switch at the other end, and in this box, put whatever that other smart switch needs to interact with, probably its partner smart switch.   And again, buy quality products from local shops that have passed AU safety standards so they don't burn your house down.


Where should I start laying a nail down hardwood floor in this room?

I'd start in front of the fireplace with a parallel line off the same wall. Work it out so that you have a reasonably-sized finisher strip at the wall.

You could also do the reverse and start at the bookshelves, but then you're travelling over your work for most of the job.

But this is a subjective question, so expect a variety of opinions.


Is this Landscaping Caulk on Outdoor Retaining wall Steps

Is this some kind of landscaping caulk?

No, that is an adhesive (glue) of an unknown type. It looks like regular construction adhesive to me.

  Would this product be an example of this...?

Yes

  should I... use it? Will it last for several years? ...would it be better to buy some kind of Mortar and use that to keep the stone steps in place? Do you think there's enough surface area to adhere to...?

I feel that the reason for the failure was poor original application. Also, since the original adhesive type is unknown, that also may have contributed if it was not a glue for exterior use.

Use the glue in your link but use way more of it than was used for the original bond, and try to scrape off all the old glue and clean all the mating surfaces first.


How do I repair a minor scratch in wall tile?

This looks more like a cracked tile than a scratch (but it is difficult to say from the picture). Was there work done after the tiling that may have put stress on the wall? I must admit that it is unusal to see this on a wall tile. Replacing it is not rocket science and the preferred method (there is really no other way to fix this).


How can I make suction cups stay securely to a tiled shower wall?

You could definitely just silicone the suction cups to the tile.  This is kind of permanent in the sense that you will not be rearranging this, but not so permanent that you are hurting the tile.  To take it out a putty knife would do the trick.  Might have to use a solvent to get rid of the remnants but not a big job at all.


What size grounding wire for a main lug?

It actually depends on whether the ground is going to be installed ahead of the main breaker or if it is installed after the main. Most of the contractors I know will install a #6 simply because it is less expensive to stock one size than two and it covers everything up to a 200A main. So I would go with a #6. 2014 NEC reference Tables 250.102(C)(1) and Table 250.122.

Use extreme caution when working around panelboards. I recommend DIYers make sure the panel is disconnected from all power sources before performing any work.

Hope this helps.


If it's cord-and-plug, you need a GFCI breaker...

If you are cord-and-plug connecting your EV charger, then you'll need a 50A GFCI breaker instead of the regular breaker as per 2017 NEC 625.54 (as specified in TIA-70-17-2):

  625.54 Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection for Personnel. All single-phase receptacles
  installed for the connection of electric vehicle charging that are rated 150 volts to ground or less, and
  50 amperes or less shall have ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel.

...but, leaving the wires nutted off in the box is OK for a hardwired setup

If you intend to hardwire it, though, you can simply terminate the circuit into a junction box with some wire nuts (and a cover if you intend to install it after the final electrical inspection).

As to the rest of the bits...

Getting the cable into the box requires a cable clamp, made of either plastic or metal; this goes into a knockout in the box and holds the cable jacket firmly in place. However, some plastic boxes have integral cable clamps instead of knockouts; with those, you do not need to install a separate clamp.

Attaching the cable to the studs near the endpoints is done using a NM cable staple or strap; these have a somewhat rectangular profile to them to match that of the NM cable itself.  (The clip you depict in your photo looks to be intended for low voltage wiring such as coaxial and communications cables; a NM cable will simply be too big to fit into it.)


How do you calculate the safe working load of chains?

Another thing to consider is that the effective load on the chains is increased if the chains are not vertical, as would be the case if the chains are attached to the corners of the item, but are all attached to a single central attachment point above. Multiply the chain's working load limit by the cosine of the angle between the chain and vertical to get the adjusted limit. For example, if 1000 lb rated chains are at 45 degrees to the vertical their safe working load limit is reduced to 707 lbs.
For overhead lifting where human safety is involved you should use Grade 80 or above. You would probably have to go to a specialty dealer to find it. Proof Coil, Grade 43 (Hi-Test) and Grade 70 (Transport Grade) are not rated for overhead lifting.


The space does not have to be filled but should not be between the two foam layers.
The required R value does have to be met.
To find your total R value: add the specified ratings for both foams.
Why are you putting the vapor barrier on the inside? Is this code compliant where you are?


I use my fan for this very reason. 'Fortunately' mine makes enough noise that simply turning it up to high works well enough so I use the fan speed and location within the house to fine tune things to my needs.

White noise from the fan is caused by the sound of air movement, especially turbulent air flow as it moves around items and itself in a pattern much like river rapids. What will tend to cause more of that is inefficiencies in the air flow. The primary items interacting with the air flow is the blades of the fan. Therefore to create more white noise, I suggest roughing up the surface of the blades so that it creates more turbulence.

The front edge of the blades is what hits the air first while the face of the blade is in contact with the air much longer. I would expect that roughing up the front edge would tend to create more loudness while roughing up the blade face would create more white-ish noise.

This could be done permanently by marking up the blades with something like sandpaper, or a grinder, or a razor knife. To do temporary, which also allows for more adjustment and experimentation, you can add tape, or even better, hot glue melt pieces on in a 'bumpy' pattern on the surface of the blades.

Note that this will be adding weight to the blades and we want to add weight to each blade evenly to keep the overall rotating fan in balance. When out of balance it will wobble and and likely make undesirable non-white noise, and tend to wear out the fan much faster due to stress on the bearings.


Is it safe to flush newspaper down the toilet?

No, that would not be safe.  If you want to use something other than regular tissue (like paper towels), you would need to dispose of it in the wastebasket.

Toilet paper is made to fall apart quickly when it gets wet and doesn't contain any chemicals that would harm a septic system or a city's sewer treatment.  Newspaper isn't the strongest paper, but it doesn't fall apart as easily and the ink and paper itself might contain harmful chemicals.


Mounting / Support requirements for an oversized book case

The angle brackets alone should be adequate if two things are true: Your case is well-built, and it's fastened securely to the wall. The spindles will do little to support the unit should they be accidentally knocked out by children, pets, or you. They shouldn't be considered a critical support component, in my opinion.
No, don't use nails. They don't have the pullout strength of screws and aren't removable (practically speaking). Use large wood screws (#14 or so), or lag screws (1/4" to 5/16" or so if the bracket holes allow). The key is penetration into the framing lumber. I'd want 2" of depth into the lumber itself. Pilot properly for maximum strength (slightly smaller than the screw shank). Also a factor is the number of screws per bracket. I'd want at least two. Also a factor is mounting of the cabinet to the wall. If you have a stout back panel, or a set of rails through which you can fasten, decorative or hidden screws into the framing will take much of the load off the brackets.
I addressed this earlier. Any support legs must have adequate diagonal bracing to prevent knockout. This means that the effort and expense may make them impractical. In any case, 1" is probably too small. Look to heavier oak stair balusters in the 1-1/2" or 2" size, with the milled dimensions being slightly smaller.


I Assume your set is like the one in the video and has wood 4x4 legs and that you have cut the correct angle on the bottom of the leg so it is flat to the ground.

You could cut a square piece from a 2x6 ( or 2x8 if you like, treated or outdoor wood ) and attach it the bottom of each leg.  This would spread the weight out over a broader area. IF you leave them on top of the grass You could use a router or a saw set at an angle to round over the all the corners and edges to eliminate all sharp right angles both top and bottom ( top for safety and bottom so you can drag it to a new location without the edges digging in the grass ) With this method the base/foot will travel with the set if it get moved.
But i would recess them into the ground to avoid a tripping hazard.

Another possibility is buy a some pre-made concrete pavers but these are very hard obviously and i would recess them into the ground and glue foam padding all over them or cover with a layer of sand. You do not want a kid to fall and hit their head on them ( or the wood for that matter.) This option would not allow for moving the swingset with out re-setting the pavers.

Or go full  child safety and do like they do on school playgrounds and anchor the set deep and put down sand or shredded rubber to lesson the IMPACT when child falls of the swing.


You can buy brackets like this one that attach to the walls.  You still use a spring loaded rod, but the ends go into the brackets and the brackets keep the rod from falling.

Typically the brackets are attached to the wall with standard drywall anchors.


How to wire a USA 50amp 2 phase double pole breaker supply for a UK 240v high capacity shower pump

Ed Beal nailed it: it needs to be a subpanel.  That will serve you so ridiculously well that you'll be back here saying "enough already!"

First, tear out that 30A Breaker!  Common plug-in circuits are only wired for 15A or sometimes 20A (if they have the larger 12 AWG wire) and you're tripping a 30. This is how you burn down houses.  Replace that breaker with a 15A And Stop Overloading It.  This is the work of the last guy, a fool who upsized the breaker because he was sick of it tripping and just kept upsizing breakers until it stopped tripping.  He couldn't be bothered learning how not to trip breakers.

Now let's talk about what options you have for that 50A circuit (assuming it is a 50A circuit -- is the wire really 6 AWG?  Or did the same fool put a 50A breaker on 8 AWG?  (if so it must be a 40A breaker, but that won't affect anything that follows.)

Option 1: Pump only

This pump may not enjoy American 60Hz.  However you hook up the two hot wires (black/red) to hot and neutral on the pump. Doesn't matter which.  White is unused, cap it don't cut it.  Bare/green ground goes to earth on the pump.  In your main panel, change this circuit's 50A supply breaker to a 20A 2-pole GFCI breaker.  Yes I know how much those cost.

Option 2: Dog dryer(s) or A/C; pick 2.   No pump.

This scenario lets you run 2 dog dryers, or 1 dog dryer and 1 AC. You cannot power the pump.

In the main panel, change this circuit's 50A supply breaker to 20A 2-pole.  It doesn't need to be a GFCI breaker, but if it is, you won't need GFCI receptacles.

Back in the room, bring the fat #6 cable into a junction box. From there, use #12 cable to fork off 2 more junction boxes.  Each of the end junction boxes gets a 20A NEMA 5-20 receptacle, and it must be GFCI (except as above).  In the central junction box: all grounds go together.  All white neutrals go together.  Red goes to one of the hot wires from the receptacles.  Black goes to the other hot from the other receptacle.

Option 3: Subpanel

This powers both dog dryers, the A/C and the pump at the same time.  And actually has a full circuit's worth of power to spare.  And it will be a safer installation, as things associated with "wet" will have GFCI protection.

Get yourself a modest sized panel such as a Siemens 12-space main-lug panel.  Don't go smaller than 12, you'll hate it later.    So this is what it looks like.  Neutrals and grounds omitted for simplicity.

Now let's take a look at what's happening here.  You notice the odd bus routing in there?  That's because the panel has two poles and the buses are arranged so adjacent breakers are on opposite poles. I also took the liberty to use black for wires on pole L1 and red for pole L2.

Everything but the A/C needs GFCI protection. For the pump there's no choice but a pricey 2-pole 20A GFCI breaker.  (15A would also be acceptable, it's just such an odd duck that I hate to spend $80 on one.)

For the dog dryers, I used 20A plain breakers the cheaper GFCI receptacles, note they are the 20A variety. A 17A device needs to use the funny plugs with sideways neutrals.  Since the dryer maxes out the circuit, I would have preferred to use 1-socket receptacles (like for the A/C) - but those are not available in GFCI @ 20A.  Don't plug any other big load into these dryer circuits!  Cell phone chargers and LED lamps are fine.

The A/C unit gets a 15A breaker and a 15A single socket.  You could also use a 20A breaker and 20A single socket (with the T neutral).  The single socket is so we can avoid GFCI.

Now let's tally up the amps on each pole.  For continuous loads, we must derate by 125% - so your 10.8A air conditioner becomes 13.5A derated.

L1: 4A pump + 17A dog dryer + 13.5A air conditioner.  Max load on L1: 34.5A.
L2: 4A pump + 17A dog dryer.  Max load on L2: 21A.

It would be bad if both dog dryers wound up on the same pole with the air conditioner, so that's why I put their breakers adjacent.  In fact, just tape them together.  No need for a handle-tie.

Let's assume further that the last guy was a fool and used 8 AWG cable on his 50A circuit.  8 AWG cable is actually rated for 40A, and in that case the breaker in the main panel should be changed to 40A.  Even then, we are in good shape.

We could definitely support one more 20A circuit on the L2 pole. And here's an idea: the circuit that comes into this room that is constantly overloaded: cut it in two at some middle point.  Feed half from the main panel and half from this panel.  It would really matter where you cut it, so you would have to do a careful load survey of the sequence of the outlets and where the heavy loads are.

If the service is honest-to-goodness 6AWG 50A, then you could even support 2 more general circuits in addition - though not at max load of course.  It's OK to oversubscribe panels a fair bit; you just can't do that with known loads.


Glass cooktop sealed to quartz countertop

I am not sure if dental floss would work on such a large area but if you can get floss in the crack and pull it back and forth it cuts silicone like a hack saw. I find unwaxed floss cuts faster but waxed will also work. I have used this method to remove plastic placards from machine centers when equipment was changed some as large as 18" square I am sure your stove is much larger but it may be worth a try I took the last one off in maybe 2 minutes.


Light switch won't turn off after fitting a new light bulb

Since you mentioned the switch would make an audible "click" sound before the replacement and afterwards it doesn't, you should investigate the switch further.
This is easy when you use some sort of instrument that tests continuity. Use a Digital meter set to Ohm's or assemble one by wiring a battery in series with a flashlight bulb.
By connecting a lead to the switch terminals both instruments will show if there is a continuous flow of electricity through the switch. If they don't the switch is bad.


Need wood size identification (or suggestions) on barn door picture

If you're doing the herringbone inside you won't use 1x8. You'll run 1x6 all the way out. This design probably ends up the thickness of a two-by (1-1/2"), so your front frame probably shouldn't be two-by. I'd use the same 1x6 for everything (tongue-and-groove for the herringbone, square boards for the frame). If you don't use tongue-and-groove for the herringbone you'd need to apply a backer of something like plywood. It'll tend to crack up and be unstable otherwise.

You'll need to decide whether you want exposed fasteners (for a truly rustic look) or hidden fasteners (for a cleaner and more modern look). If the former, you probably want conventional nails. Screws would destroy the illusion. A good quality wood glue carries most of the load.

Here's one simplified plan:

Build your front frame using dowel or biscuit joints, pocket screws, or whatever you have available or meets your skill set. Square the frame by measuring from opposite corners. Skew as necessary to equalize those dimensions.
Flip the frame over and draw a 45 degree diagonal line as a reference. Lay some boards out and shift the line as needed to vertically center the angle joint rows.
Assemble the herringbone. Use appropriate nails or screws to fasten the ends to the frame, and use wood glue on the tongue-and-groove joints.
Sand edges and corners, or use a router to bullnose.
Stain and seal or paint.


How to anchor brick vertically to concrete slab

I've used this Loctite Premium for many types of concrete. It's waterproof and should work well with your pavers. Good luck


How do I remove this Schlage double-cylinder deadbolt with no visible screws?

Those are just metal "caps" that push into the screw heads..

The screws are located under those metal "pins"
The metal pins are actually screws that have metal caps pushed into them so they look like you can't unscrew them.  Take a very sharp small screw driver and pry under those caps and they will pop off revealing the screw head.

See here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxtUFCHXBF0


Is there an option to replace the vacuum seal in the main valve of a sprinkler system?

That sounds like the vacuum breaker valve that prevents back-flow. They are generally required by law in sprinkler systems. In 1996 our county started requiring spring loaded types. There are many designs . If you can't find a replacement part from the manufacturer , you may need to replace the valve. If you replace the valve , the city or county may want to inspect it.


How can I safely connect a subpanel in a detached garage to the main with a 3-wire connection?

If you are in a situation where a 3 wire feeder can be used, you will need to bond the grounded (neutral) conductor to a proper grounding electrode system in the detached building. So yes, the diagram is correct.

NOTE: The grounding electrode system, may be required to be made up of more than a single ground rod.


Why does my electric fence arcing cause my LED lights to flicker?

LED fixtures use a tiny fraction of the current of an equivalent incandescent lamp, and it could be that you're seeing induced current from adjacent wires. In other words, the arcing circuit is "transmitting" energy to adjacent wires and the LED circuits are "receiving" enough electrical energy to make some of the LEDs in the arrays glow dimly.

It's possible if you have an AM radio turned on you might hear the arcing fence through the radio from a mile away.

There may be other contributing factors, such as a poor ground connection to the fence charger, or maybe the LED circuits don't isolate both the hot and neutral lines at the circuit breaker.

Ideally you would have the wiring inspected by a qualified electrician in case there's a safety issue.


Seeking name of a small natural gas generator that will run in all weather

IMHO all of these 'don't run in the rain' rules mean, "don't let it get wet"

So the easy answer is to build a small shed for it, or locate it under sufficient overhang.

I have a gas generator with the same proviso -- don't operate in rain.  I took a barrel, split it in half verticaly, and the generator wears it like a hat.


Rheem RPLB-030JAZ - is it a Heat Pump or AC unit?

Rheem's own website does seem remarkably unhelpful in suporting your equipment. Searching for RPLB there turns up no results...a sad effort indeed. You should contact them and request information and a manual, and perhaps vent a bit about the website not admitting your product exists.

This document from NYC.gov does suggest that what you have is probably a 30K btu/hr heat pump, though it only gets as specific as

RPLB 030* and * leads to a note of "with suffixes"

Do you have an "inside unit"? if so, look for an access cover on that, which may have your manual stuck inside it (possibly in an envelope taped to the inside of the panel.)


What gauge wire is typically used for the input to a home breaker box?

In the 2011 version of the National Electrical Code, there was Table 310.15(B)(7). This table was quite handy for determining the service conductor size.  In the 2014 version, it looks like they've done away with this table. However, the long code trail that has replaced it, seems to basically say the same thing.

National Electrical Code 2011
Article 310 - Conductors for General Wiring
II. Installation

Typical services (in the US) are 100, 150, or 200 ampere (though 60 is common for older dwellings). Which means you'll be dealing with a possible range from 4 AWG copper to 2/0 copper (2 AWG al to 4/0 al).  Which means you'll want a device that can accommodate conductors from about 0.3 in. diameter to about 0.7 in. diameter, if you want to cover the whole spectrum of possibilities.


Cracked toilet seat hinge: repair seat or replace seat?

I see universal hinge replacements online for $10, but a new seat (low-end) would cost $10-$20.
This is somewhat of a personal decision. My recommendation would be to start by trying to glue the hinge back together if that makes sense. Use a glue that says it works on plastic. Will this work? Maybe, but you probably have an appropriate glue lying around the house somewhere, so there's little actual risk. I think it's likely that it'll break again after a while, but that might give you a few more months of use for free.
If that doesn't work, I'd just buy a cheap replacement. I did a quick look over Lowes, and they don't seem to offer seats with nylon hinges, and while they have "chromed" options, that phrasing sounds dubious, and the design doesn't look strong; I doubt it offers much more in the way of durability over plastic. What it looks like is that paying more money can get you more style (a wooden seat, or a padded seat, or different colors), but not more durability. On the other hand, my experience has been that the cheap seats are actually okay, and won't snap in half after a month or disintegrate when humid. My usual recommendation is to buy the cheapest option that is actually designed to last, and even the cheap seats seem to pass that test.


Are tamper resistant receptacles really safer?

TRR are required by the NEC as of 2008 and contain built in shutters that prevent the insertion of an object into a single hole at a time.  I could say that its obvious that most kids are going to try to only insert a single sharp object into the outlet, but I don't have any study to back that up.

However, there is a widely cited research study done by the Biokinetics Research Laboratory of Temple University that shows how ineffective many of the plastic outlet covers are.  This study was done way back in 1997, but these plasic covers haven't changed much over the years.

The main points here are that 100% of kids age 2-4 could pull of one of the types and almost half of 4 year olds could pull off all three designs in less than a minute.

Now, it's true that this doesn't directly answer your question with a study of TRR outlets, but it does show that "standard" child protection was not adequate.  Since TRR's have a physical shutter inside and should then prevent a non-zero number of accidents, they are probably better than no cover or a cover that can be removed (or forgotten by an adult).  This should help with your research if nothing else.

Additionally, this blog from Leviton states (without a citation... I know...) that:

  TR receptacles have been mandated in hospital pediatric wards for over 20 years and have proven to effectively prevent electrical injuries.

How do they know?  Well presumably because they design and sell the devices to hospitals, but some hard numbers would be good.


In IKEA kitchen marketing, what does 'kvm' mean?

This is short for m^2 which stands for kvadratmeter. This is the total area the kitchen will cover. The two terms are user interchangeably in the Swedish language. Wikipedia article (in Swedish)


Help installing a dimmer switch in a 3-way

You'll have to take the black wire that was hooked to the black common screw and hook it to the black wire that went into the hole marked "common". Then both of those wires get connected to the "line or hot" wire for the dimmer. The other two wires get hooked to the dimmer per the instructions as does your ground wire.


What would cause a slight thumping noise in water pipes on toilet and washer?

Can you locate the noise (tricky because I am sure it is also traveling along the length of the pipe)?  Is it coming from a particular wall?  It could be a loose pipe that is moving a little (only when water is running through it) and hitting something.


Well pump won't shut off or get above 32 psi

You are probably having a pump problem that may require you to pull the pump and have a well guy clean the impellers, repair the pump or replace the pump and/or motor. Usuall, if the pump has a reduced supply or pressure the impellers are at fault.


Why would lights plugged in to lamp holder outlet adapter be testing as live?

I would advise checking the wiring of the switch.  It sounds like it might be a case of the switch for the lamp is switching the neutral instead of hot. The result of this is that when the switch is off, there is no visible light because there is no return path for the electricity (broken by the switch), but there is still eletricity making it up to the fixture.


If, by "a square" you mean that you have rigid vinyl tile flooring (that typically comes in 12"x12" squares) you can pull up and replace a single tile (or have that done, depending on your preference.)

If you have sheet-type vinyl flooring where one piece covers the whole floor, you either need to accept some new seams or replace the whole thing.

Or put a rug over the damaged area ;-)


Can I use individual wires from romex bundle?

Short answer: NO

You may be able to use individual wires taken from a non-metallic cable (Romex is a brand) within a fixture, but not between fixtures or switches.

NEC 300.3(B) requires that:

  All conductors of the same circuit ... shall be contained within the same raceway, auxiliary gutter, cable tray, cablebus assembly, trench, cable, or cord [with certain exceptions that do not apply here].

If you give us a diagram of your fixtures and switches, we may be able to suggest a solution.


Low pressure with shallow sand point, increased pressure tank to 86 gallon, how do I use more of the water in the tank before the pump turns on?

Water storage in a pressure tank is a function of what pressures it swings between as well as size. The most storage for a "common" setting is at "20PSI on / 40PSI off" - for the usual pressure switch that has a fixed 20 PSI differential, water storage reduces as you move to 30/50, 40/60, 50/70. A setting lower than 20/40 is not normally used. One 86 gallon tank I'm looking at has a capacity of 31.8 gallons liquid at 20/40, which shrinks to 23.2 at 40/60. The 20 gallon tank in the same series is 7.4 and 5.4 gallons at the same pressures, so something is clearly wrong with your installation if you have no increase in capacity.

Since you mention better pressure, I see one of two possibilites -

You (or a plumber) altered your pressure switch setting as well as changing the tank.
You bought a tank that was pre-charged to a pressure above your lower working pressure and did not adjust it when installing on your system.

In the latter case, the tank stores essentially no water below the pre-charge pressure, so it will run out and pressure will drop precipitously - but what water is stored will be at a higher pressure. This would match up with your perception that the pressure drops as the pump kicks on.

To resolve - Set your pressure switch to 20 on, 40 off, assuming it is the typical 20PSI differential, adjustable setpoint switch. Turn the pump breaker off when adjusting the switch, as the mechanical and electrical parts are often under the same cover.

With the system turned off and water drained, set the air pressure on the tank to 18 PSI (2 PSI below the cut-in, if you decided to change the setting to something other than 20/40.)

Or - simply record what the pressures are when your pump starts and stops - then drain the system and set the pressure tank air pressure to 2 PSI below the start point. It seems unlikely that your pressure switch is so far mal-adjusted that you'd see no capacity increase, so I'm leaning to an over-pressurised tank as the most likely situation for the conditions you describe.

Incidentally, if you have not discarded the 20 gallon tank and it's still in good condition, you can connect it to the system for additional capacity.


Adding a receptacle to a wall with an insulation blanket on the wall

Anything less than 1-1/2 plus the sheetrock is about the shallowest you can do and meet code.
This will hold a receptacle and allow a nm cable routed down the wall but no room for splices in the receptacle box.
the 1-1/4” space then the nmb on the wall but trying to put this in after the fact it would be best to surface mount. As junction boxes at the ceiling would need to be accessible or each run a home run lots of wire.
Surface mount conduit can be done it may not look as nice as hidden but is more common in basement spaces and may be the only legal way depending on how thick the insulation board is.


Why will my pilot light on the gas water heater not stay lit for more than 15 minutes?

It could be that the Thermocouple has failed or is failing. This would cause the system to think there is no flame present, and shut off the gas supply for safety (so it doesn't fill the house with gas).

If you don't feel comfortable working on the heater; or you don't have the knowledge and/or tools to do so, call a trained professional to come take a look.


Wiring Help Lutron Diva Dimmer and Claro 3-Way with Claro First in Line

In many 3-way diagrams you will have the feed come in to one switch, and the outgoing wire to the light at the other switch.  You have the feed and the output in one box, so you need an extra hot wire to go between the two boxes.  Because you have a green wire, I think you might have conduit.  If that is the case, the best option is to run another colored wire between the two switches to act as the common wire to the Diva.

If you cannot run an extra wire, you can use the white wire as the common return, and you note that by marking the white wire with black tape (because it will be a hot wire in this scenario).

In either case, the wire connections should be as follows.  On the Claro, connect the black wire that is the power into the box to the different-colored screw on the outlet.  The red and black "travelers" that go from box to box will connect to the other two screws.  The whites from the feed and the output to the light should be connected together.  The common return (new wire or black taped white wire) will get connected to the black wire that goes to the light.

In the Diva box, the taped white wire will go to the different-colored screw, and the red and black get connected to the other two screws.  And of course, all grounds get tied together and attached to the two switches.


Will adding a gas line wick heat out of my house?

Keep in mind what the pipes were made of and what they were full of.

Copper is nearly the best conductor on earth, and the pipe was full of water, which is literally the best heat transfer fluid known to exist, and also convects, i.e. circulates freely.

Iron is not as good a thermal conductor, the pipe will be much thicker, and natural gas is a fairly terrible heat transfer fluid.


How can I remove oil/ATF from a newly paved driveway?

First fix the leak! Then attack the stain with a bristle brush and some dish detergent; if that doesn't do it, there are commercial cleaners for asphalt or concrete, like this that are a bit stronger. Don't expect 100% results, but the stain will fade over time:


Yes, it could lead to wood rot and a severe mold problem.  Don't do it.


"Built-in corrosion inhibition" - Does it work? How?

The plastic contains Volatile Corrosion Inhibitor (VCI) molecules that are adsorbed onto the metallic surface, protecting the metallic surface by forming a film. The Zerust FAQ claims that the inhibitor “passivate the electron flow between the anodic and cathodic areas on metal surfaces and interrupt the electro-chemical corrosion process.”

Zerust products for storage are advertised as being effective for five years, but I would expect them to be effective for a much shorter time in a toolbox that is frequently opened and used. You may find numbers in the specs for their military products.


First, de-energize the cable entirely until you are sure.

Dip a rag in paint thinner, not dripping, just slightly moist.  Wipe the spot.  If it spreads all over the place and eventually cleans off the cable entirely, it's tar.  Burn marks won't wipe away.


From your comment "re-plumbed for code reasons" and the odd behavior you're experiencing, I suspect the hot water circulation system might have been patched/crossed into the cold water system and/or the pump is faulty.

For a hot water circulation to work, the hot water pipes must be in a closed system (other than the obvious exit points like a faucet, dish or clothes water connection). The pump will draw hot water from the tank and circulated it back into the tank, for as long as the pump is running. You'll always have hot water on demand.

The pump is usually a passive device, meaning if the pump is off, water can freely move in and out of the pump without obstruction. But if you're not getting hot water when the pump is off, the pump maybe faulty.

And you want to check to see if any hot water pipes got crossed/connected into cold water pipes. I suspect they are.


Is there a safe way to de-ice an unsealed driveway?

Personally, I like to use sand. I keep a large barrel of it inside the garage door. Yes, it can be dragged inside the house on shoes, but then so can salt or anything else. When I come inside, I take off my shoes, so no problem there. I've used it under the tires of those people who occasionally get stuck on our road when it is icy.

Sand absolutely does not hurt plants, or the paws of your four legged friends, and it cleans up in the spring with a broom or a hose.

Sand is cheap too, especially if your town maintenance department lets you use their supply. (Make sure you don't use sand with rock salt mixed in already.) You can also buy what they call tube sand - coarse sand in a burlap bag. Its used around here typically as weight in the back of cars and pickups. When the bag gets old and starts to leak, I'll use that sand to spread on our driveway.


Switch Loop / End Line Switch - Adding a Ceiling Fan

You can if you’re willing to make the receptacle always hot, in which case you can repurpose the white wire to the switch box as a neutral. Basically, after turning off the power, you remove the switch first. Then, you reconnect the receptacle with your usual middle-of-the-run recertacle wiring, white to silver, black to brass, though you may have to replace the receptacle if it has the tab joining the brass terminals removed. After running new 14/3 cable to the fan from the switch box, simply join the two white wires together. If you want the fan and light controlled independently, you can put in a double switch, one switch controlling the black wire and the other controlling the red.


Actually what you seem to desire is a motion activated light switch. I have one of these for a water closet - seems I would forget from time to time to turn the light off in that room; when I had traveled for a week or two - I would get that aargh! thought. So I bought and installed a motion activated light switch - I had the option to run it in normal mode or motion mode - works like a charm.
Take a look here:

http://www.lutron.com/en-US/Pages/Sensors/Sensors.aspx

EDIT 7-8-2018
Just to clarify: You desire the room lights to operate automatically when people enter the room EXCEPT when there is sunlight or enough light in the room already?
If this is the case Look no further a simple solution exists already See my link below ~

Leviton Motion Activated Wall Switch with Ambient Day/Night Light Hold Off Sensor
Leviton LED  Motion Activated Wall Switch with Ambient Day/Night sensor

If perhaps you need a 3-way I am sure if you contact leviton product support they can provide you with options for your needs.

By your Edit of my post - I can see the above assumption is not what
you want - you are only concerned about these solar lights turning on
and off and the other normal mains room lights - don't matter one bit,
you don't care if they are manual automatic or otherwise - you just
want to add these additional solar lights - like big night lights if
you will. That being the case you have only one route - and that is
below - to use an interrupter for Day/Night but set for the lighting
in your room , the big issue is you need it to keep the lights on when
you have just the solar LED's but not allow the lights to be on when
room lighting is sufficient.  A small window between somewhat lighted
and lighted - you will need to play with the setting on such a device
for optimum - do not be surprised if it takes time to adjust it there
and different conditions make it harder (also in time dust collects on
sensors).

If you really desire to have those Solar Lights - you can use something this GEM in a 5V version: GEREE DC 12V Light Control Switch The Photoresistor Plus Relay Module Photosensitive Sensor.

https://www.amazon.com/GEREE-Control-Switch-Photoresistor-Photosensitive/dp/B01FXFMQRQ/

Be sure to use the Control lines to interrupt the Lighting Circuit of those LED's and not the Photocells circuit, after all you just want the lights to be off when the room lights are on. You do not want any additional complexity in the detection circuits. This unit is pretty versatile - it is adjustable and can be mounted internal to your lights, except the sensor of course has to show up somewhere facing the room lights.


Vent kitchen hood vent to roof turbine vent?

TL;DR:

It is explicitly not to code to exhaust into the attic or to use foil pipe
It's a bad idea anyway because it puts smoke, grease and warm humid air into your attic which can cause mold growth

2015 International Residential Code, Chapter 15:

  M1501.1 Outdoor discharge.

  The air removed by every mechanical exhaust system shall be discharged to the
  outdoors in accordance with Section M1506.3. Air shall not be exhausted into an
  attic, soffit, ridge vent or crawl space.

Foil pipe is also not allowed:

  M1503.2 Duct material.
  Ducts serving range hoods shall be constructed of galvanized steel, stainless
  steel or copper.

I'd also say aside from the material, foil pipes don't meed the requirement of having a "smooth interior surface":

  SECTION M1503 RANGE HOODS

  M1503.1 General.

  Range hoods shall discharge to the outdoors through a duct. The duct serving the
  hood shall have a smooth interior surface, shall be air tight, shall be equipped
  with a back-draft damper and shall be independent of all other exhaust systems.
  Ducts serving range hoods shall not terminate in an attic or crawl space or
  areas inside the building.

Also note that range hoods are very explicitly not allowed to exhaust into an attic, though there is an exception for hoods that are specifically built to exhaust elsewhere:

  M1503.1 Exception: Where installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s
  instructions, and where mechanical or natural ventilation is otherwise
  provided, listed and labeled ductless range hoods shall not be
  required to discharge to the outdoors.

This of course can vary by jurisdiction (eg: your jurisdiction may follow a different version of IRC, have their own amendments, or not follow it at all), and the final call is up to the AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction, aka inspector). You can likely call your local building permits department to be sure.


How much of a damaged shower wall should I replace?

Yes, you want to square off the drywall so your cement board will fit snug so as to lesson the amount of repair to do. Use cement board mesh tape to do along joints and any where the tile meets a joint.

Down on the bottom is that dark area the shower pan? If so make sure it is behind the cement board so it doesn't leak. The area you had to use tape you now want to take some thinset mortar and using a 3/16 notched glue trowel, take the flat side and smear thinnest along the seam to fill in joint so you won't have a leak. Be neat and as flat as possible--you don't want up and down tiles! Let that set over night and next day if you have a sanding stone go over any rough areas with it before starting repairs.

You will use thin set (no latex) to attaché tiles to cement board. When you are done allow overnight to dry. Also clean any thinset on tile or stuck in grout joint. Use a utility knife to clean joint and clean with moist sponge.

Next day it is time to grout. You want to take a sample of your old grout and try and match it at your local big box store or a tile store. Do the best you can. To grout you will need a grout float a margin trowel and it looks like unsanded grout. Mix grout with margin trowel to the consistency of peanut butter. Smear grout on wall with grout float. Use float on a 45 degree angle to work grout into grout joints.scrape excess off with float and allow grout to dry for 10to15 minutes. You will see the grout haze over on the tile and this means it's time to wash off. Take a damp sponge and wash over grout joints on a 45 degree angle. Take sponge and wash out in clear water. Now take sponge and make one pass straight down, turn sponge over and make one more pass over dirty tile. Now rinse sponge out in rinse water and repeat whole process over until whole wall is clean. Change water after you finish and wash again in 2 hours.

Good luck.
Mike


Possible to add 240V plug to my condo electric outside?

You can tee off it, with 100A rated wire (3Cu/1Al).

Also, the run to the apartment will have to be upgraded to that.  It is no longer entitled to the 83% "whole service" derate, since it's no longer carrying tge whole service.

And then, carry it over to a 100A subpanel.  There, you have appropriate breakers for your charger.


Why is a previously wet light fixture now getting dimmer?

I would replace it.

However, replacing it means turning the power off to that circuit and removing the fixture completely from the wiring after using a tester/multimeter to confirm power is off at the fixture connections. That gives you an opportunity to disassemble the removed fixture as far as you can and look for corrosion and dirt. It might be possible to clean it up and remove any corrosion.


How is a sump discharge normally set up in freezing climates?
Short and wide, with plenty of slope, so that ice cannot build up in the bottom of the pipe. A 2" pipe to a 4" pipe with a fall to a gutter or ditch leading away from the house.
Alternatively, completely below frost line to a dry well.
What can I do in the short term
Buy 350-450 feet of garden hose (or enough more than you already own to get there) and run water in the far end of the sump pipe. You'll have to keep the water in the hose flowing so it does not freeze up on you, and get it back inside a warm area when you stop.
Depending upon your builder, you might also try complaining that the extravagant mess they built (a 300+ foot underground sump drain fully qualifies for that description, IMHO) isn't working right, and you'd appreciate some help from them correcting it. This might clear up which pipe is which, if nothing else - you don't want to waste a lot of effort on the wrong pipe.
Contact a plumber with a pipe-thawing rig - the modern ones involve a pump that drives heated water into a smaller pipe inserted in the frozen pipe, which can normally be done from inside the house where power is easy to come by. Given the absurd length of your setup a portable generator or large heavy-duty extension cord may be required to work from the other end as well.
The town I grew up in had a portable boiler for thawing frozen culverts by blowing steam into them, but I don't think such a thing is easily found for rental. If you get back to long, heavy extension cord or portable generator I guess you could try a wallpaper or cleaning steamer.
What is the correct long term fix for this issue?
Hard to be sure without knowing where the problem actually is. If it's just frozen at the outlet end, an immediate red flag is "the smaller pipe is the outlet" and I'd start with digging that up, going back in at least 10 feet and replacing the exposed end of the pipe with a larger diameter pipe, ensuring that it is sloped a minimum of 1/4" per foot. When burying that again, dig out 2 to 4 feet wide for 8-16 feet of pipe and lay a sheet or two of XPS insulation on top of the pipe, centered, which makes it act like it's buried deeper. Or apply more dirt and bury it deeper, which might mean building a retaining wall on the face where the pipe comes out. If the original pipe was not properly set, it may have lost slope with ground movement due to frost, causing water to pool and freeze.
If it's frozen in the middle of the run, that's a very expensive proposition to fix and is clearly your builder's fault for doing it wrong. Well, the whole mess is clearly your builder's fault for doing it wrong, it's only two years old.
There are electrical internal pipe thawing devices, usually intended for water supply lines, which can be placed and only powered as needed.


how to correct a crooked joint of brick veneer and drywall

I pulled some of the bricks off from the bottom and the top and reset them to give it a more even appearance.  There wasn't any problem with the mortar being from different batches, you can't tell once it is dry.


Where is the ledger supposed to attach to the rim joist?


Thanks to suggestions from noybman and Kris. You are absolutely right. I bought the sink drain kits and putty from Lowe's and installed it, that fixed the problem.


Technically the floor below the last step is considered a landing, and stair risers may be measured from tread to tread, not landing to tread. The 3/8", depending on your exact local codes, may not apply to the tread to landing at the top and bottom of the stairs. It may have a different standard, or it may have the same standard.  Of course if the height difference is large it's going to cause tripping and stumbling, but for minor changes a little more than the 3/8" code it may not make much of a difference or present a safety hazard.

However this can be fixed by putting a thin board on the bottom tread, then half that thickness on the next tread, then half that thickness on the next tread until the requirement is met. If your subfloor is under 3/4 inch higher than it used to be, then it should only take one 3/8 piece of wood on the bottom step to make the first two risers only 3/8 shorter than the rest of the risers, for instance.

You can, of course, replace the stairs or stringers entirely to meet the code requirements and account for the new floor height at the bottom landing.  If the height difference is large enough that you'd have to modify more than half the stairs you'll probably have less work replacing the stringers than adding height to each tread.


Drilling hole in Aluminum i-Beam - weakening

The reason an “I-beam” works so well is that the “meat” (strength) of the beam is in the flanges, NOT the web.

Drilling a large hole(s) in the web will not decrease its strength, especially if it’s in (or near) the neutral axis. I’d keep the hole away from the flange’s connection to the web. I’d also leave about 10x the thickness of the web between holes.

BTW, don’t let the bolt rest on the flange.


How can I temporarily finish a basement without actually finishing it?

You could pin up several runs of Backdrop Drapes along the walls. They come in many colors and are less than $40 for a 10' wall span. You could cut out around the windows and even hang a temporary blind. If you already have all of the electrical installed it would be easy to pull some short extension cords underneath or in between the curtains for TV's.

Some cheap indoor/outdoor carpet for the floors would be cozy if you threw down some temporary rugs. You could use a few screws and pin it to the bottom plate to prevent too much sliding.


Equivalent of union for rigid conduit installation?

What you're after, traditionally, is a three-piece coupling
The fitting you're after to join a pair of rigid conduits where you can't turn one or both conduits is called a three-piece conduit coupling.  As its name implies, it consists of three pieces: a doubly-threaded (inside and outside) chase nipple, a female threaded ferrule, and a female threaded hex coupling.  The chase nipple threads on one end, then the hex coupling is slipped over the other before the ferrule is threaded on.  Finally, the hex coupling is pulled over the ferrule and joins to the outside threads of the chase nipple, completing the joint as depicted in this video by electrical-fittings manufacturer/distributor Garvin Industries, who I have utterly no affiliation with.
There are other options, though
However, three-piece couplings aren't the only game in town.  There are set-screw and compression-type couplings available for rigid conduit (in addition to the EMT versions that folks usually know about).  Furthermore, there are also split couplings that are placed over the threaded ends you wish to join together and then bolted closed much like a pipe clamp.


There is a pvc pipe that goes into my floor next to my water heater and central ac unit and its overflowing..but why?

Though a photo might help, from your description, this is most likely a drain, as you surmised, meant to take the flow from the water heater, should the over-pressure valve pop open or leak, and condensation from the air conditioner that has not evaporated.
Since this drain receives little or no water on a regular basis, it could be blocked somewhere down the line and not be noticed. The blockage could be before the main drain pipe, and after the shower drain, so that water from the shower is backing up into the pipe and overflowing.
You might try using a drain snake from the shower, and from the overflow pipe, if you can feed it in, but since you live in an apartment, you likely would be responsible for any damage. My inclination would be to put some old towels around the pipe, and give written notice to the landlord and to the building superintendent warning them of possible damage to carpet, underlayment and to other apartments should this not be promptly repaired.


How do I identify drywall that does not have fiberglass to add strength?

Your best source for information about drywall, is going to be the manufacturers.

USG
National Gypsum
Georgia Pacific
CertainTeed


How can I stop a barbed coupler from leaking?

That looks like a very flimsy coupling, as it barely has anything to hang on to. Better to use a regular PVC barbed coupling, which looks like this:

Usually you use a stainless steel clamp around the connections:

With bigger/thicker pipe, you sometimes need to heat the pipe using a torch slightly -- just get it a bit pliable so you can get the fitting in, but not "melty".

Here's a finished connection (using "white stripe" 75psi poly - in this case as a non-pressurized drain line):

Here's another example showing connections to soaker hoses:


How to attach a drawer without screwing?

Easy:
Make a box that is about the size of the space.  The front should fit fairly close.  The box itself should have about 1/4" spacing all around it.  That's 1/2" narrower than the opening and 1/2 shorter than the opening is tall.
On the back side pieces put felt furniture glides top and bottom. On the front put them on the bottom of the space.
In use the front of the drawer rides on the felts at the front of the space.  The back of the drawer rides on either set of felts depending on the combination of upward force (most of us lift a drawer while pulling it) and the amount of drawer in the space.
When you move, set a hot water bottle on the felt for 20 minutes.  It should peel off easily.  If there is adhesive residue try goo-gone, or mineral spirits.
The glides I'm referring to are 1/8 to 3/16" thick made of beige felt.  One side is adhesive with a protective paper on it.


I'd suggest looking for soft close cabinet hinges. Unless I misunderstand your situation, what you have is equivalent to a cabinet on its back. These are commonly available at most home improvement stores. There are also retrofit kits that are basically a tiny piston that'll slow down the very last bit of closing, which is the important bit.


Why does my breaker keep tripping after power failures?

If you have two PCs, it's possible that the inrush current could be 8A each.  That's a fairly common problem for switch-mode power supplies - their normal current draw is fairly low, but on power-on they can briefly draw a lot.  16A is lower than we'd use for a ring main in the UK.

You should also look for a genuine problem in the wiring though.  If you have any RCD plugs, try putting them on the mains cables to the PCs, in case there is a fault inside a PC.


Why aren't my PIR security lights working through my window?

Passive infrared sensors (PIR), use Infrared (IR) light to detect motion.  Unfortunately for you, infrared light does not travel through glass so well.


How should I insulate a wall I opened up?

Roxul is great stuff. There are 3.5" and 5.5" depth batts. With a combination of those, you should easily be able to entirely fill the stud cavities (leaving no voids inside is important). You can use a bread knife to really shape the batts to perfectly fit around obstructions and make slits for wires and things like that to get a very neat installation. The material is super DIY-friendly, and much easier to work with than fiberglass batts.

As for your windows, if you like them and they're attractive and in good condition, there's no reason to replace them; just get storm windows with your desired glass characteristics (laminated, Low-e, etc).


Liquid aerification doesn't really sound like a good idea to me, but I quite honestly know nothing about it.

What I'd do: Rent an aerator, spread compost and/or some good fertilizer, and water the yard. Repeat at least once a year. If you don't have any grass growing currently, bring in some compost and mix it in with the existing soil with a tiller (or something bigger).


How might a person of limited strength pry embedded lumber out of soil?

I would use a shovel and a short piece of wood. Drive the shovel under 1 end ov the board to be lifted pry with the shovel, when the end raises up slip a short piece of 2×4 or other scrap wood under the board, move down and repeat.
I live in the PNW also and sometimes wood gets stuck in the mud, if done while wet a wrecking bar should not be needed. A constant pull on the shovel handle should pop it out of the mud. One of my grandsons had 5-6 pealing poles for a fort down by our creek 1/2 covered in mud, I showed him how to pop the end out (I used a rock to support the first end) then the second so he could start building again. He got the rest out by himself and he is only 11.


My garage lift only works if the light switch is on!

It sounds like they ran power to the motor and light via the light switch instead of directly to the motor which would have a much smaller, separate set of low voltage wires running to the garage door button.  If you flip the light switch the motor and light now have power which then makes the garage door opening button able to do its job.

The only way you can confirm this is by pulling out the light switch off the wall and looking to see how many sets of wires are in the box. I really can't imagine they've somehow split the power to the light and motor for the garage door at the destination though.  If so, then they aren't utilizing that functionality by having one light switch control it all.  This sounds like they wanted to do something cool, didn't think it through very well, did the work and then realized it wasn't going to do what they intended and left it.  Either that or a bad wiring job.

If you're sure this is how it's controlled and there are no other factors involved, and there is one set of wires running to the single gang light switch, then no, you would not be able to split the power to the light and motor without isolating the power to the light alone and then running power to the motor on a new line that would bypass the light switch.  You'd could check the motors docs though, there may be a way to split power at the motor already which would at least make the job a bit easier.  Bathroom fans with built in lights are doing this to make splitting the fan and the light to separate switches much easier now a days.  You just have to run separate *edit (control power wires) to the unit.

In my opinion, I'd remove the switch from the equation completely, and just make that a junction box with a cover and power the door the way it was intended.


How should I add lighting to a low ceiling basement?

I have fluorescent tube lights in my crawlspace (talk about low headroom..). There's two fixtures each with two bulbs, which adequately light an area about 20' x 10' (and 4' high). They're mounted so they are centered between joists, and the middle of the bulb is right at the bottom of the joist (so the bulb hangs down about 1/2" below).

One of these was already there when I bought the place, it is hung using chains from hooks screwed into the subfloor above. I actually just put the other one up on the weekend, and I just cut a couple pieces of 2x4 to span between the joists, mounted them at the correct height, then just screwed the fixture to them (they're placed at both ends).

I should also point out, I had an electrical inspection done after I moved in (for insurance because of aluminum wiring). The existing fixture had an extension cord end on it, so it plugged into a socket. The inspector told me that wasn't allowed, as a permanent fixture couldn't have a plug - so I had to hardwire it (there was another switched screw-in type bulb in another part of the crawlspace, so it just went to there). The new one I just put in is obviously also hardwired to that.


Add manual light switch to Genie Garage door opener

Lights on garage door openers are normally controlled by a proprietary wall console like this:

Genie Wall Console (I have no idea if this is the one you really need, just an example)

They use the same two wires as the pushbutton does, but send special signals for other features such as the light and lock functions.  The wall console wires might even need to go to different terminals on the opener depending on brand.

So, if the question is "can I wire up a regular light switch to control the opener light", the answer is no, but you can probably make it work with the right accessories.


It looks like water damage to me.  Likely either a roof leak or a condensation problem with one of the ducts (or something else entirely that you don't know is there?).  It's also possible for the leak to be elsewhere above the ducts and this is just where the water found its way down to the ceiling.

Do you have access to the area above(attic)?  If so, maybe a couple pics  of what's there might help.

Also, you can buy a moisture tester help diagnose this.  If the ceiling at the stain is the same moisture content as surrounding ceiling, then the problem isn't currently happening but that doesn't mean it won't come back.  If it gets wetter during or immediately following a storm that almost guarantees a roof problem.


Why’s my new outlet tripping the switch in the panel?

TL;DR Remove the tab on the hot (red/black) side
"A/B" plus the symptoms sounds like you have a Multi Wire Branch Circuit or MWBC. With an MWBC, you can have the top receptacle's hot on one part of the circuit and the bottom receptacle's hot on the other part of the circuit. Each receptacle is then 120V hot-to-neutral but the two hots are 240V apart. With the tab removed on the hot (red/black) side, the two circuits are separate on hot but share neutral. With the tab in place (factory default), you have a short circuit between the two hots - 240V at maximum possible current, which quickly (and correctly) trips the breaker.
Remove the tab, only on the hot side, and everything should work.
While you're at it, check the "A/B". There should be a common shutoff - i.e., either they are part of a double-breaker or have a "handle tie" between the two parts. If you are not sure, upload a picture of the breaker panel.
GFCI
Because this is in the kitchen, it should be (must be on many new installations, depending on location) GFCI-protected. With non-MWBC circuits, this can be done at the receptacle or breaker. With MWBC, this can be done (practically speaking) only at the breaker. If your breaker has a "TEST" button, then you are probably fine. If not, upload a picture to get some advice.


No
The reason (aside from "code says you can't") is that if somehow one of the two conductors breaks or (more typically) disconnects at one end, instead of a dead circuit (annoying but safe), you have an overloaded wire that can set your house on fire under normal load without ever tripping a breaker.


Since this is outdoors, and a location where it shouldn't be subject to physical abuse (such as being stepped on, weed-whacked, or run over), nor will it see much if any sun, go ahead and run a UF cable under your porch.  You can either run it in the porch floor as if it were a NM cable (so, NM cable staples, bored holes through joists, or cable clips attached to masonry by whatever-means-needed), or leave it laying on the ground (it's direct burial suitable, after all).  You can even dig a trench under your porch and bury it if you so wish.


Electrical wiring question - How can I get 1300 watts x2 from a 15 ampere breaker by splitting amp

Hire an electrician before you burn your shop down with all those computers in it.

While I can try to educate you, the fact that there's PLENTY of information already available and yet you clearly have done no research or just don't understand your power system makes the above my succinct advice.

In short, neutral has nothing to do with a 240V (only) circuit in the USA/Canada system.

You replace two 15A one-space breakers with one 15 amp two-space breaker, and both legs are hot. You need to replace the receptacles on the circuits as well.

Alternatively just add 4 more single-pole 15A breakers and wire new 120VAC circuits to them.

Please hire an electrician rather than forge ahead half-understanding; or take a good long time to actually understand before you touch a wire.


Will window shrink-wrap make a noticeable difference in heating bill in house with single-paned windows?

You will almost certainly save $100 on your heating costs by using film, assuming you install it well and stop drafts through the window seals. It may also make the home feel more comfortable, which can be the primary benefit.
Also, properly installed film is virtually invisible. You hardly know it's there.
In my former home here in Minnesota we put the tape on the face of the casing, applied the film, shrunk it, then trimmed the edges close to the tape. My wife usually did the job and could do it in a few hours. It was a no-brainer for us even with storm windows over the single-pane double-hung units from the 1950s.


Why doesn't my furnace fan run in cool mode?

The blower motor works on heat, That means your problem is in the ac unit or the thermostat

To determine if it's the thermostat you can use a couple bypass methods since the thermostat is just a bunch of hidden switches that eventually go bad, Run a piece of wire from the R terminal to the W terminal, that says you want heat on to the furnace without a switch, Then run that same wire from the RC terminal to the Y terminal, that's the method for your ac unit, if it kicked on then it's your thermostat, if it didn't then make sure you have 24 volts coming to your thermostat from the ac unit, if the ac unit don't have a transformer then you need a jumper wire from RC to R in your thermostat

Look in your ac units panel and make sure the switch is getting 24 volts on the both of the small wires and that there aren't any bugs stuck in the contacts, you should be getting 240 in and 240 out on the switch when it calls for cool air... also make sure to check the run capacitor, shut off the power, disconnecg the wires, touch the terminals with a metal screwdriver and a rubber handle to discharge it, then test it, herm to fan and herm to C for compressor, you do not want any under voltage at all, that would cause a higher amperage call when your fan is running at lower rpms

Also if you notice any bulging or oil on the capacitor unit itself that means it's bad.


Replacing pavers with grass, what do I do with the sand?

I would check the base under the sand. Did they put in crushed stone for drainage? If it is just a few inches of sand over existing soil, then I would add compost, and then till it all together. The organic matter in the compost will greatly improve the soil.

If there is a stone base under the sand, then you may need to take it out.


How can I make my concrete countertop smoother?

Instead of just using sealant, it sounds like the best approach is sanding/polishing.

Pour-in-place produces rough concrete, as you have discovered.

Begin with very coarse sandpaper then as it gets more smooth you can use ever-finer grit until you achieve the surface you intended.


There are lots of ways to calculate the intended load, etc. However, the simplest thing to do is to buy a speaker splitter. Generally, they are specifically designed to combine multiple speakers in to the load expected by your amplifier.

And the device you linked to is exactly that: "... and maintains load at 8 Ohms".

Also, I have used that particular speaker selector. It's a pretty decent device.

One thing to watch out for is that some amplifiers don't like being suddenly disconnected from all speakers. Make sure that on the switch that you never turn off all of the outputs on a particular channel if your amp is on. The Yamaha amps I usually work with have no problem with this, but I have seen lower quality devices fry.


Welcome to Power Factor. Amps times volts only equals watts for loads that have a power factor of 1.0, such as a pure resistive heater or incandescent light.

Typical loads such as motors LED or florescent lights and most computer power supplies (though some newer ones are well-adjusted and may hit 0.99) have current that is somewhat out of phase with voltage. Some items are actually rated in VA (volt-amperes) rather than Watts, and that commonly reflects a non-unity power factor.

You may also have the simpler situation where you are reading a label with the maximum load and the actual load may be less than the maximum; or the "maximum load" may ignore a starting surge for a motor that may briefly be much higher than the label states for running load.


How can I add insulation above my finished ceiling?

Depends on construction details. if it's merely "the contractor was too cheap to provide attic access" (a very typical issue of cheesy contractors), you cut a hole and put in access, then apply insulation as you like. If it's a cathedral ceiling sort of arrangement (roof deck on one side of rafters, ceiling on the other) then some sort of spray/blown insulation (might be foam, might be cellulose, might be fiberglass but I would not go there based on published research results) is the most likely option, though not the only option. If you are considering "taking off the roof" then it's usually more cost-effective (labor cost, mostly) to leave it in place & build on top of the current roof with a layer of insulation, for instance.


I would consider stainless preferable in every way. However, there evidently are UL listed aluminum liners for venting gas appliances. I'd still put stainless in my house (if I had a gas line on my street.)

Stainless has better corrosion resistance, higher temperature tolerance, higher strength, and some decades of experience (in general, not specifically with flexible chimney liners) of having far more fatigue and corrosion failures of aluminum items than stainless steel items.

The only reasons I would normally choose aluminum over stainless don't really apply here - better thermal conductivity and lighter weight.


Where do I connect C-wire to Burnham boiler?

You've got two yellow wires on the lower left.

One of those two is the C wire -- according to the wiring diagram it is the upper one, but check with a multimeter. Remember to set it to AC mode.

Once you figure that out, the easiest way to do it would be to connect it to a new terminal block.  Then connect the C wire from the thermostat to that terminal block -- this will support additional new smart thermostats as you acquire them.


All three pipes are hot near the water heater because they are warmed by the heat from the water heater, through conduction and convection. This does not indicate an incorrect water heater install.


Do I have to worry about Bimetallic corrosion corrosion in this compression fitting?

requested to make an answer:
I believe you will find it is nickel plated brass, This is a common type of fitting and there would not be a problem. One of the largest problems for galvanic corrosion that I have seen is between copper and galvanized. A dielectric union helps but with a high mineral level in the water some corrosion can bee seen in just a few years. Most of the compression fittings for bathrooms & kitchen sinks are nickel plated brass it keeps them from growing green stuff on the brass and it is quite common.