What is this difference between these two 4 pole (3 phase) GFCI breakers?

I see what's going on here.

You have a 3-phase RCD, but  your supply is only single-phase.

Let's look closer at that picture.

The top is the line side.  The orange wire is the real incoming hot.  The grey jumpers take the hot wire over to the other 2 phases.

What this brightened picture shows clearly is that the load side of the breaker is wired as 3 phases.  The apartment wiring takes 3 conductors, one off each phase, to be distributed to various apartment loads.  So the apartment is "3-phase-ready" even if the service is not (yet) 3 phases.

This is a danger area.  Each phase could pull 40A before any breakers would trip. I doubt that gray jumper is rated for 80A.  I also doubt the orange wire is rated for 120A.  Maybe it is downline of other breakers.

Your new RCD won't trip because there's no voltage difference

And therefore no current flow.  All phase (LINE and LOAD) conductors, all 6 of them, are at the same voltage potential. As such, there is no current movement through the TEST circuit.

So the upshot is, this device's Test functionality will not work here.  If your house is grounded, you can use external GFCI testers.

30ma isn't that great for human protection anyway

It's certainly better than nothing at all, but 30ma can be lethal for humans, and will definitely stun.  That is the motivating factor behind 5 ma protection on US devices; stunned people drown or fall, so a stun is the same as a kill.  Generally Europe does RCD for parallel arc fault detection.


How to reroute a circuit that goes through a return air plenum

Is that acceptable for new construction?  No.
Does anything compel you to fix it now? No.

I'd check very carefully that the insulation on the black & white wires is unaffected (sounds like it is).  Then slip something over to mechanically protect those wires.  A stiff bit of plastic sheet rolled up and slipped through the joist should do it.

Then caulk the hole for airflow purposes, and consider replacing the entire return plenum: there is no caulk and it leaks air.  At best you're getting basement air into the plenum because the pressure is lower.


Baseboard heater powered by a switch, not thermostat

What you need is a line voltage thermostat.  Non--programmable ones are very common. Programmable (digital as you call it) line voltage stats are available but rare. I attached a pic of one that I found. Search for "line voltage thermostat" and you'll find a few.  If you don't care about programability, simple line voltage stats are as common as dirt. Just be sure it's two pole.   I don't know if single pole stats are still available, but for 240, I don't consider them safe.
Not sure what NoSparksPlease was getting at regarding the disconnecting switch (???), I would assume the existing circuit is on a breaker and that would satisfy the code.


What methods exist for filtering air to alleviate allergies?

If mold is an issue in your house I'm not sure a furnace filter is really going to help, even a HEPA filter as all it will do is filter the air passing through the filter; it won't do anything to prevent the mold spores from entering the air where they are growing.

Generally the best solution to mold issues is to solve the moisture issue.  If you have any leaks (roof, pipes, etc.) then you need to fix those otherwise you'll never stop the mold growth.

If it is caused by high humidity then a dehumidifier would probably be a good investment.   Air conditioners dehumidify as part of their operation, so if you don't already have one it might be worth looking into adding one, alternatively if you already have one and it's not doing enough, a stand-alone dehumidifier can be used.


Can I legally drill a hole of 4" diameter in concrete load bearing beam through core cutting method?

No. You shouldn't drill any hole in a structural member without a structural engineer's or manufacturer's (who probably has an engineer on staff) approval, and they will tell you where you can locate it.


un-installing a microwave that does not have any visible top cabinet attachment

I helped a friend solve this very mysterious situation recently. Although every range hood microwave I'd ever seen or installed had screws run through the shelf above, this one had screws from the side, through the faceframe of the adjacent cabinets. The screws were covered with plastic caps set flush with the rails, so they were nearly invisible. I don't recall whether it was 2 or 4 screws in total.

Also look underneath any hinge leaves in that location.


If you can shut off the water to the valve, you can usually take the valve apart and clean it up, re-pack it and put it back together. Or as said above, cut it off and install a new one as you see fit, soldered or shark bite or if threaded, unscrew the old and screw on the new, as this looks from the picture.


Depends on where it snapped. If the '8s' just pulled apart, then yes, bend it closed again around the anchor it pulled off of. If the ball chain broke and one part is long enough, remove the connector between the '8' and the ball chain and remove the short piece and insert the longer piece then reassemble. You can also get a connector that attaches two ends of the ball chain or just get a fresh new length of ball chain.


What's a good way to customize or recess a lightswitch?

I would not recommend this. Switches are tested to electrical safety standards which includes making sure they have adequate insulated properties that prevent you the user from getting a shock. They are also designed to drain a short circuit to the earth/ground by cross bonding metal components built inside the switch. Modifying a switch could invariably invalidate those safety features. Making it a hazard for you and anyone else using said switch.


How can I protect ultra thin paint on new kitchen cabinets?

That's probably not paint/stain, it's veneer.

They build the cabinets out of medium-density fiberboard (MDF), then cover the exterior with veneer to make it look nicer.

If the doors truly are hardwood, then they should hold up well against scratches. If they show wear over time, they can always be refinished.


What percent adjustment is left for this chain saw bar?

Given new information that reveals details not disclosed in the original question:

So, nothing in there about taking the bar off to adjust the chain, though it is just after the point where they describe removing and replacing the chain. Since you appear to have (from your linked parts diagram, where I found the model number so I could find a manual) an electric pole saw, not a normal chainsaw, and it evidently has a complete lack of oiling system I kept that in the picture when taking a clipping from the manual for the purpose of this question. You'll want to be dedicated about oiling the thing. The adjustment range is likely plenty, since the bar and chain are tiny by normal chainsaw standards.
End of edit from New information provided
The pin moves the bar. The movement of the bar tightens the chain. The position of the pin, diassembled, is mostly irrelevant, though it might indicate a nearly worn-out chain. The odds that you've worn out a bar (yet you are asking this question) are minscule.
When assembling the bar and chain onto the saw body, the pin is normally as far back as it needs to be to allow easy assembly. At that point, one tightens the chain, by moving the adjuster, either via a screwdriver or using one of the complex "easy" mechanisms that have crawled all over homeowner saws in recent years. For the screw adjustment you typically have the blade nuts snug but not tight, and adjust so the chain moves easily but does not come all the way out of the slot when you pull on the chain at the bottom of the bar. Regardless of the mechanism type, the adjustment procedure is detailed in your owner's manual, which is almost certainly available on the web if you don't have a copy you can find at home. Follow it. Mine requires me to hold the tip of the bar up while tightening the nuts after adjustment, for instance.
As noted in my comment, one way to kill a chain is that as you use the saw, the chain heats up, gets longer, and becomes slack. You need to tighten it to continue to work safely. But when you stop working for a while, you need to slack it off, or it will shrink as it cools, and having been tightened while hot it will stretch as it cools - this also stresses the sprocket/shaft more than is desirable.
A used-up or worn out BAR is assessed by the depth and condition of the slot the blade teeth ride in - that assessment has nothing to do with the chain adjustment pin. Few people who are not using a saw professionally wear out a bar.
Chains are a consumable item. You should have at least one spare, and perhaps several if you don't do your own sharpening - or even if you do. In the event of chain damage, it's usually less disruptive to swap to a sharp chain and keep working, rather than having to fix the teeth that ate a rock (for example) while in the woods.  When a chain is worn to the point that it's either past more sharpening, or can't be tightened due to wear and/or stretching, retire it.


GFCI protection is mandated.
Switching is not mandated.
In the event of an emergency that's actually an emergency, switching off the circuit or the whole house is perfectly reasonable regardless of what else is on it. Emergency does not imply "Well, that would be inconvenient for my fishtank, so I'll just let little Suzy fry after the GFCI failed non-safely." If you desire a switch for convenience, you can have one, it is not required by code.


Can I mount a projector shelf to drywall?

Do (or will) you have kids that will want to try to do a pull-up (or sit on) on a convenient shef?

If not, then using the proper anchors should be fine.  Many anchors will support far more than the weight you indicated (which is good, due to the leverage the shelf will place on the mounting points.

I'd look at toggle bolts instead of screws or thin plastic plug-style anchors to be sure the projector is solid.  The holes are large, but will be easily patched when you decide to move things around (eventually).


For the R-Value of your walls and roof, it will depend on the depth of the framing, but assuming you're using 2x4 studs in your wall, then R18 is pretty standard.  For your ceiling, again depending on your framing, R30 or R38 is typical for batts.  Remember that you may be able to squeeze a higher R-Value batt in between the framing, but compressing the fiberglass effectively reduces the R-Value by creating thermal short circuits.

For the floor, install the rigid insulation, then the vapor barrier, then the floor boards.  Here's a pdf which talks about vapor barriers:


How to choose a kitchen faucet compatible with old sink and new counter top?

Faucets are standardized, and should be able to be installed in either situation. Anything you buy will almost certainly work with your new counter top.


Is my rapidly failing foundation dangerous?

I think you need to get a structural engineer out there ASAP to investigate; I would be worried too!

Your city's by-law office might be able to refer you to someone who can help.

It might also be worth getting in contact with your insurance company - they might have their own engineer come out.

If you think it's really about to fall over you might opt to call the gas company to come shutoff the gas - the last thing you need is a fire added to this.

You need to make a judgment call on whether to stay in the house while you determine what's going on.  Being dislocated at a hotel is not fun, but if your life is in danger, its a small price to pay.  If you do leave, turn off the water and electricity too.

Good luck!


Height of uprights for "twin slot" wall mounted shelving

The concern is mostly pullout strength, and not shear. The bulk of the leverage of the shelf pulling away from the wall is above the shelf. Therefore, screws above the shelf carry most of the pullout load. It's unlikely that you will have insufficient shear strength if you use 3-4 screws per standard.

My point is that you probably won't need the standards to extend downward from the shelf, but some length upward is a good idea.


Can a homeowner without a Section 608 EPA license legally connect his own gauges to his own air conditioner if the unit uses 410a refrigerant?

The law against "unlicensed" refrigerant handlers (whatever that means) does not specify any penalties, it just says it is "prohibited", so from a legal standpoint it is an unenforceable law. In order for a law to be prosecuted it must have a penalty specified, otherwise it is moot in court. For this reason, noone has ever been indicted for violating this so-called "prohibition".

In general, only companies are sued by the EPA for refrigerant issues, not individuals, with the exception of refrigerant "smugglers" who are indicted on trade laws, not Clean Air Act violations. In the last 10 years only one (individual not company) person has ever been domestically convicted of a Freon-related violation. That was a guy who was brazenly selling Freon on Craigslist. Even in this case, he was convicted of filing false documents with the Feds, not of actually selling the Freon.

No individual householder has ever been criminally charged for maintaining, charging or otherwise working with refrigerants, illegal or otherwise, in their own home or business.


connecting a 2-wire (red, blue) ceiling light to a 3-wire (red, black, green) ceiling power source

See Australia: Which wire is hot / active and which is neutral? for some more details, but basically:

Hot: Red -> Red
Neutral: Blue -> Black
Ground: Green

Typically, if you have a fixture that does not have a separate ground wire then there will be a screw attachment point on the fixture to connect the ground wire.


You have a few options:

Don't put any more Brand B on.  Go get more Brand A and finish the rest of the floor.  After it has all cured, place a 5' x 7' area rug over the Brand B area.
Continue with Brand B over the rest of the floor.  Yes, it will look different than you originally expected, but at least it will seem like it is supposed to be that way.  Who knows?  In time you may prefer the accidental finish.
Rent a floor sander and either strip off the Brand B area, or the whole floor.  With the former, you could get lucky and be able to re-polyurethane the one section to match.  If so, stop.  But odds are you'll never get it to look seamless.  So either use one of the methods above, or strip the whole floor.


Will my plan work to temporarily power an irrigation pump?

This will be no problem with those wire sizes.
160’ of copper#8 with 28 amps is 2.58%
200’ of aluminum #2 will be 2.13%
So a total voltage drop of 4.71% this is below the NEC recommended 5%.
Note the actual voltage drop at startup will be higher but a standard water pump should be fine with class 10 overloads (standard fuses and breakers are usually ~ class 10 or can handle motor starting currents 3-5x there rating for 10 seconds.
I would bet that pump will be to speed in 1 second with that wire possibly 2 seconds but well below the trip value. So it should work.


how do I know if my wood floor is damaged?

The floor will certainly dry out given time. If you want to speed it up, aim a fan at it. You could use a hair dryer, but don't get it too close and keep it moving.


Will coefficient of performance rise in the future for heat pumps?

Absolutely they will get better! Every year company's invent new methods of controll that have increased performance, research is on going to find better forms of "Freon" that are more efficient and don't have a global warming or ozone depletion problems. How fast will it happen? Right now there are small increments of improvement every year and who knows someone may have a groundbreaking discovery that takes us to a whole new level of efficiency. Would I wait to purchase a unit for my home? No I would do it now, well I did do it to my latest home not long ago. The advancements are usually small but continual as each of the big players try to be the best so if you wait 5 years the rating of the best units may improve 1 or 2 seer. 20 years ago 13 was a good value now we are getting above 20- 22 with many mfg's. Note seer is seasonal energy efficiency ratio. The higher the better.  I use that instead of the coefficient of performance since seer is the standard comparison in the trade. To further answer your question we would need to know why you ask.


Why do I see 240v between hot and neutral when one breaker is out in my mobile home?

Neutral to ground should not be 120.  It should be at (or very near) 0.  Neutral and ground are generally bonded at the service panel.  When only one breaker being on causes this (and the other doesn't), it seems unlikely that you have lost your neutral service from the supplier.  There is likely a fault on the neutral associated with one of the circuits.  It's also possible that there is a faulty or mis-wired MWBC (explanation of MWBC here).

You could try disconnecting the wires from the breakers in the service panel and testing directly from the breaker to the neutral and ground.  If everything tests as expected, you're looking at a wire fault.  Otherwise, the wire isn't the first problem to fix.


How can I create a platform on my stairs strong enough to support a ladder?

If you're using an extension ladder, they sell Ladder leveling feet.

I also stumbled across this product The PiViT Ladder tool, though you'd need two for a step ladder.


Another thing that could be wrong would be that the drive belt had snapped. They do wear out. Replacements exist. How hard they are to install varies from model to model; mine wasn't bad, but did require disassembling the drier to the point where I could lift out the drum, and then required some access from the back to get the belt hooked around the drive pulleys properly. (I'm sure a pro could have done it entirely from the front, but this is the approach the maintenance manual I found online recommended.).

I'd suggest looking for the repair manual first. That'll generally have some problem analysis tips, and you'll want to see where the part is located and how to replace it before you decide to do it yourself.

Reminder: Disconnect from the wall before servicing!


Why don't they make wood cutoff blades for 4.5" grinder?

They are made, they look like mini chainsaws and are commonly used for carving bowls.

A common brand for these blades is Lancelot

You can also get smaller saw blades in the 4.5" form factor. I suggest you go to a saw store or woodworking shop. Here is a product on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/KwikTool-BB450-2-Inch-1-Inch-8-Inch/dp/B000O3IOEW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1357252670&sr=8-2&keywords=angle+grinder+wood+blade


What do I need to do to raise a subfloor?

You could simply install a transition piece between the two rooms.

But if you're determined to get them to match up, then 1/4" luann board will do nicely.  Glue and screw - 1/4 bead of glue distributed evenly over each board, screws on a 1 foot grid.

NOT going overboard is what leads to squeaky, shifting sub-floors that make for a shoddy looking finished product.


How do I stop mold growth on greenboard behind my shower wall?

No

You are trying to seal the wrong side.

There is a reason greenboard is no longer IRC code approved for tile in wet locations  without waterproofing.  Its because its NOT waterproof, and neither is grout.  You can improve grout's water shedding on vertical surfaces with the better sealers.

The Redguard (2 coats, at right angles) must be between the tile and the greenboard.

Other waterproof membranes would also work, (Kerdi or Nobleflex for sheet, Hydroban for liquid)

You must fix the source of the water intrusion to have a hope of saving this wall from demolition.  Mold will stop growing if the moisture is removed.


You're fine, no need to make any changes here
Switches are permitted to ground through their yokes by NEC 404.9(B):

(B) Grounding. Snap switches, including dimmer and similar
control switches, shall be connected to an equipment grounding conductor and shall provide a means to connect metal faceplates to the equipment grounding conductor, whether or not a metal faceplate is installed. Metal faceplates shall be
grounded. Snap switches shall be considered to be part of an
effective ground-fault current path if either of the following
conditions is met:
(1) The switch is mounted with metal screws to a metal box
or metal cover that is connected to an equipment
grounding conductor or to a nonmetallic box with integral means for connecting to an equipment grounding conductor.
(2) An equipment grounding conductor or equipment bonding jumper is connected to an equipment grounding termination of the snap switch.


high water pressure in bathtub but not from the shower head!

Take a gallon bucket and measure how long it takes to fill the bucket from the tub faucet, the shower head, and the shower pipe without the head on it.  If the time to fill is relatively close between filling with the tub faucet and the headless shower, then it is probably the shower head.  The shower head you buy must not allow more than 2.5 gallons per minute in the US, many are below 2.0 GPM.  There are ways around it, such as modifying your shower head or putting in more than one shower head.


Preparing for laying ceramic tile - clean up after removing vinyl tile

I have successfully used orange oil to soften the adhesive holding vinyl squares. I used it undiluted in just enough quantity to soften the adhesive. Then I scraped up the softened adhesive with a floor scraper frequently scraping off the floor scraper with a 3 or 4" putty knife into a trash can.

I then went over it again with more orange oil wiping with paper towels. Finally I used an electric floor cleaner and mopped. The concrete was still glazed and the tile installer used some kind of floor grinder to roughen the floor. I was not present for this; I was out of town. (The serious professional installation specifications for ceramic tile state that fresh concrete is not to be finished with a metal trowel prior to ceramic tile installation.)


Can I repair a shower without pulling everything out?

Since I can see holes in the pan that look like they were used for installation purposes - nail holes. - An absolute certainty of failure - Tear the whole shower out.
Save yourself money in the long run.  I have replaced showers that are only 4 or 5 years old with small penetrations in the pan which caused major water damage to structural members.
If those wholes had been covered by a sealant compatible with the pan - that would be different.

There is no way you will achieve a water tite system with the wall opened up. - Remember - thinset and grout are porous materials.  It is not the tile that makes a shower or tub water proof.  If a surface membrane had been used you might have been able to break off a couple rows of tiles and bonded another surface membrane like Kerdi  and worked your way down - doing the same to the floor.  But that still is a chancy bit of work.
Bite the bullet and start from scratch.


How should I size an air conditioner for a room in the attic?

Do not go by square footage alone. When calculating heat gain/loss, exterior surface (walls, ceiling and foundation) are the main determining factors. In your case you need to consider all the extra heat gain from the roof and also that cool air falls. In an attic you'll get all that extra heat gain plus all the cool air from the air conditioner is going to drop down effectively pushing the warmer air up. You can offset that effect by keeping your door closed when using the A/C. Assuming the same amount of exposed ceiling square footage as wall square footage I would triple the "recommended" size based on floor square footage.

This answer is just a guideline based on limited information. It is by no means an accurate calculation.


This is the typical explanation given, and the diagram is normally of a fan on the ceiling and a couch sitting under the fan to represent the furniture and people in the room...

In the summer, you want the fan to blow down and that blowing air will hit your skin and make you feel cool.  It's not about air temperature in the summer, it's about air movement and blowing air down at people and allowing the air to blow from the center towards the walls.

In the winter, you don't want that air blowing directly on you, but rather than just idle that fan for 6 months out of the year, they give you a new idea - use the fan (on a lower speed) to gently circulate the air to give an even temperature throughout the room.  The fan should pull air up from the center of the room and thus push air in a gentle curtain around the outside of the room to "get the warm air off the ceiling".

Now, some of that is pretty sound advice and in a lot of situations it works well.  That's really the definition of a "rule of thumb".  Seating arrangements, ceiling height, and fan position can change that generic diagram so the final rule is "do what makes you comfortable".  I've had great results running the fan on high in "winter mode" when the seating was on the edge of the room.  The air flow down the walls was very cooling.  Then of course, Dan comes over and says, "You know, that fan is in the winter direction and you should really..."

As for your stairwell - fans can blow a long way, but they can only suck air that is immediately behind them.  In reality, a fan in reverse (winter) probably wouldn't pull much air out of the first floor and move it to the second.  Think more about how the blown air will affect things (blowing up or down) and assume that the inward flow won't do a lot.


Why does my GFCI outlet trip when a vacuum is plugged in downstream?

GFCI breakers do wear out, but before you go out and buy a new one, do you have any other GFCI circuits in the house that you can try with the vacuum?  That would help isolate the issue to the breaker vs. the vacuum itself.


Can I stack headers in a load bearing wall?

Yes, you can stack headers like that when you're not attempting to combine them to meet loading requirements. Here we assume that the new LVL is adequate by itself.

Crush probably isn't a concern unless there are more than two stories above the beam, and strapping probably isn't necessary if there are other means of laterally fixing the components (end nailing or toenailing).

All that said, there may be factors I can't see from my house. What you've shown us looks fine.

By the way, the new king studs aren't necessary. Eliminate them if you'd like to maximize rough opening width under the new beam.


Where to get solid aluminum "battery" replacement cylinders?

Why are you making them out of metal???   Make them out of wood.  Much easier to find a wood lathe than a metal lathe.

Just cut it about 2mm short on the active ends, predrill a small hole, sink 2 washers and a wood screw, and attach the wire between the washers. With screw, washers and wire, it's the same height as an AA.

Beware drywall and deck screws with insulating coatings.  Brass screws are a good choice.


Insufficient voltage to dryer receptacle; what next?

a broken wire or loose connection can pass voltage but as the current draw goes up, the voltage goes down. depending on the quality of the break, the voltage at no current draw (such as with a multimeter) could vary from full voltage to almost nothing.

to really figure this out, you'll need to remove the cover of your breaker box. measure the voltage between the neutral bar on the side of the box and the incoming wires from the meter at the top. they should all read 120V or 0V. if not, then the power company needs to investigate.

also measure between the neutral bar and the two screws on the side of the breaker that feeds the dryer outlet. those should read 120V. if not, then the breaker is likely bad.

otherwise, the problem is likely a broken wire or loose connection somewhere between the breaker and the outlet.


combined doorstop

no idea why it is called that

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Combined-Doorstop_120756102.html?spm=a2700.7724857.main07.63.6fab1fe1FMcc4F


Metal camera housing sparking on a metal building

Treat grounding seriously

This is a "canary in the coal mine".  And what its warning you to do is do a serious evaluation of the Grounding Electrode System for each of the buildings.  However I would advise only a cursory inspection - that the Grounding Electrodes are present and intact, and that the main panel has an intact neutral-ground bond - until you have evaluated and eliminated from suspicion the PoE camera. See if they have done something dumb like grounding one side of the PoE.  (If the injector grounds one side, and a load grounds the other, poof!)

If the PoE injector and camera check out on the bench, then do an exhaustive search of the complex's Grounding Electrode System - ground rods on each building, netural-ground wired separately to each building with N-G bonds definitley absent in subpanels, etc. Start putting GFCI breakers/devices on circuits under suspicion. Etc.

Grounds first, then circuits

Other than that, this sounds like the classic "I hooked up the circuit and it works, but when I hook up the grounds the circuit fails. What's wrong with my grounds?"   The grounds are fine. This is a perception problem: the circuit is actually dangerous, and ground is protecting it.  If you hook up ground first, then you see things as they actually are... because connecting live conductors  is the last thing you do, so the problem is obviously there.

So ground that box.  Then hook up the camera!  The problem will "move" to where it actually is.


What are my options to repair a broken tab on a bus bar?

I got an answer from my electrician. Here are the options in order of preference with pros and cons

Replace the panel - Pro: all new box and breakers; Con: Somewhat expensive
Replace with "cheaters" to make space - Pro: Cheaper; Con: Still expensive (labor) and the wires may not be long enough to reach where they need to reach.
Replace the 220v A/C disconnect with a fusible disconnect - Pro: Cheap; Con: Not entirely to code, have to replace fuses, in my case the outside box would have to be replaced too.

I went with replacing the panel. It cost $1600 and took about 6 hours. Expensive but its the right solution and I have a few free breakers to add some circuits if I ever need them. The old box had a few other tabs that looked fishy, it was a good idea to let it go.


Pre - Flared copper pipes for HVAC Unit? Advantages / Disadvantages?

I always prefer to flare my own copper tubing (not pipe). By making my own flares I do not have to allow for a line that may be longer than what is actually needed. My preferred flare block is a Ridgid ratcheting flare block that I bought in about 1970 and still makes perfect flares.


This really isn't that odd and yes you can replace them with GFCI's. It is common with multi-wire branch circuits, or in cases where one outlet is switched and another isn't.

In the case of the black and red wire, one is hot and one is neutral. You can identify which one is hot with a multi-meter or non-contact tester (though NC testers can sometimes be misleading).  Do yourself a favor and mark the neutral with white electrical tape wrapped around it once you identify which wire is which.

Don't get too caught up with the wire colours - while you hope people adhere to the standard, there are lots of cases when it's perfectly OK to deviate.


If you mean what mortar to use before applying waterproofer (e.g. Redgard), then use unmodified with an alkali-resistant cement board tape.

If you mean what kind of mortar to use after the application of waterproofer (i.e. to apply the tiles), then use whatever mortar is correct for the tile of your choice.

For instance, larger or natural tiles usually need a modified mortar, while smaller tiles can use unmodified just fine. The packages of mortar will describe their appropriate tile use.


How should I connect a new timer switch?

That third wire is feeding power on to the next item in your house.  No worries.  Just connect it in with the full time power lead.  PCL


What options do I have to rotate a horizontal 2-gang switch box?

Your plan ain't gonna happen.  There's no way to do that.   I realize from your perspective it seems obvious that somebody ought to make "kit" for that, but they don't. Nobody installs junction boxes sideways like that.

Since you won't turn the box, you are married to this sideways arrangement.   That's OK, it may still work out.

Your particular line of switches, there, is called Despard which is largely obsolete.  The problem with Despard is they use bizarre and largely unobtanium switch plate covers.  And part of the problem with their covers is they don't have a good answer when you use fewer than all three voids, or all six in your case.  For instance I have a 2-gang switch plate with 3 switch positions populated (out of 6). They improvised the cover plate by wrapping a 6-hole cover plate with wallpaper.  You don't have much other choice, you can't leave empty holes for curious fingers to explore!

However, the market has plenty of dual switches which use either the common "dual oval receptacle" cover, or the "Decora style" rectangular cover.  They even have a few triple switches in Decora, in case you want to just have switches 1-2-3 in the first rank, and nothing in the second.  That may be the option for you.

Note that all double/triple switches on the market have the throw going sideways.  That means in your sideways box, the throw would be up and down.  Which would validate the designer's original vision after all.

You realize, of course, that a single switch throws nominally "up and down", so in your application would result in a sideways single.


Covering lead-painted wood paneling with seamless transition to drywall (1/8'')

If it is all 1/8" then you could get 1/8th sheet of plywood from the big box stores, cut it to size and then cover it. Personally, I'd just rip it off and continue with the drywall. Unless you plan on sanding or chewing on the lead paint panels I think you are fine.


It sounds like your ceiling fan is controlled by a single wall switch, with fan speed and light being controlled by pull chains on the fan. Therefore, connect both the blue and black from the fan to the black in the ceiling box. Connect white to white, and green to bare copper (ground). The orange wire nuts that typically come with fans are appropriate for all connections.

If your fan doesn't have a light kit, or you decide not to install it, just put a single orange wire nut on the blue wire instead. You'd still connect black to black, white to white, and green to bare copper.


When taping cement board do I need to tape at the walls?

The cement board must be properly backed at tub edge to keep it stiff. The gap between it and the tub is grout filled. I don't tape corners. I do tape bevels simply to make a flush surface for the tiles. I generally silicon tiled corners. I use 1/8 inch gap and that give me more room for silicon on the corners. That's enough room. The idea is to avoid buckling from settlement and let you get more silicon in there.

You will notice the bevel edge on 2 sides of the cement board. When butt end joints are required it's a good idea to rasp a bevel into the ends using a wood rasp. The idea of the bevel is to allow you to get more joint compound in there making a stronger joint. The minimum for tub joints is Fast Set. It doesn't rot.

I silicon tub ledgers to avoid future squeaks. Just because you screw or clip the tub to the wall doesn't mean it won't squeak later if settlement occurs. Yes, fill the tub full when setting it.


What is the "wobble" adjustment on a jigsaw for?

It has to do with how far back the blade goes on the down (non cutting) stroke.  It's usually called the "Pendulum Stroke adjustment."  The idea being that it will move the blade back, out of the way of the material on the down stroke.

It reduces the load on the saw when cutting thick materials, at the cost of a bit more splintering.   Use a setting of 0 for fine finish work, and go slow, and 4 for more aggressive cuts where a bit of surface splintering isn't an issue.


I have built walls just like that small ones with no weep holes larger over 24” I start adding weep holes , the mortar base is a plus some only use gravel if anything at all.  Some of the terrace walls at my cousins house we did 25 years ago 8 each 2’ walls all 100’ long almost identical with chicken wire in the bottom with the mortar , she mows it every week with a lawn tractor it has held up quite well.


Is fiberglass mesh tape a good choice for drywall?

I've found that it works OK, but it's more difficult to get the surface smooth than paper tape -- as the mud dries, it shrinks, so the mesh starts to show through.  Obviously this is not a problem if you're going to be doing some heavy texturing afterwards.


What tools do I need to make a straight cut in laminated chipboard?

You can make straight cuts parallel to an existing edge by using a circular saw with a guide.

To make the bottom edge of the cut clean, be sure the saw does not cut much more deeply than the thickness of the material. You can also put tape on the cut line, before cutting, to prevent the saw from breaking off small pieces of the material on the top edge of the cut.


How to secure opening to prevent access?

I'd put a single 4x4 fence post at the alley end (or the other end, depending on your aesthetic preference), set flush on the face with the building wall(s) or recessed slightly and centered. This essentially leaves you with 5" gaps on either side--too small for most people to pass. Paint it to coordinate.

Plan view

|             |
|    gap      |
|             |
|    ____     |    garage
|    |   |    |
|    |___|    |___________________________________
|
|      ^ --------- post
|
|

I'd then lay heavy landscape fabric (not plastic) down the entire length of the gap and place 2" landscape rock on top. You should have very few weeds and it'll look finished.


Where should I place nails when installing crown molding?

What is important when nailing crown molding is hitting a solid background. This can be plates for small crowns or studs. What I prefer to do is add a profile (triangle) piece of scrap wood, such as mitered plywood or ripped 2X4 stock into the corner and nail it into the plates and studs. No problem if you miss or have to use a lot of nails to find a good solid backer because it will be covered by the crown.  Now when you go to nail the crown, you will have a good nailer everywhere.  I usually use nails along the top edge down 1/2 inch from edge and same along the bottom edge.  This helps close any gaps along the ceiling and wall. You can go back after and fill any gaps with painters caulk and touch up to match the crown (if painted) or the wall/ceiling colors respectively.


How to properly link 2 phone cables with different diameter?

Typically the line from your provider is, or should be, terminated in a "customer interface" or "network interface device" which also usually have surge-suppression for the telephone line built-in - and those have large threaded studs or other screw connectors for the larger wires to connect to.

I frankly find it odd that this would be missing, as it's remarkably standardized across many countries; and the surge-supression is not something you should be without, since telephone lines can pick up all sorts of unpleasant things in thunderstorms.


I did exactly that some years ago, replacing the light switch with an X10 remotely controllable switch, and hang the remote on the wall at the other end of the room. However, that approach will NOT work with LED bulbs, due to the way it powers itself, and may not work safely with fluorescents. (X10 is the low-budget brand which introduced carrier-current control signalling; there are better versions of the same system and alternative systems but they cost twice as much and require more planning in the house wiring.)

Remote-controllable devices do exist that screw in between the bulb and its socket. However, those obviously add significant bulk, and may not fit in the fixture (or may look pretty darned ugly).

A better solution may to be leave the room fixture alone and set up remote control of a floor- or counter- mounted lamp. That would provide sufficient light for you to navigate the room until you can get to the far end and turn on the overhead lights.


How far can you safely drill into 100mm thick brick for expansion plugs

I think 75% of the brick should be fine.. normally there is a "blow out" of the brick within 1cm of reaching the other side... but this is really dependent on the type of brick (cement, clay, etc), moisture contnet, age of brick, diameter of hole and strength of the hammer action of the drill

If it were me, I would drill to about half way, then add some water to the hole and start to reduce my force on the hammer drill in order to slow the drilling speed. -- do not attempt to drill if you have an SDS type drill since the hammer action is not dependent on your applied pressure.

once the plugs are in place, you should have no issue hand tigtening the plug. just dont over-tighten


Garage roof eaves missing closure strips

If you can get the exact size as your corrugated panels, removing the screws and inserting the strips would be the best way to do it and give you the best results. If you can't get the exact size, then you could cut them to fit or you could use Great Stuff expanding foam. Again, getting the right ones would be your best bet.


What is this fastener attaching electrical box to concrete wall and how do I remove it?

I call them "pin anchors" but I think they have a longer actual name like "mushroom head drive anchors". The anchor is set by driving with a hammer, but can be "un-set" by unscrewing the pin because it has a twist thread on it. Just unscrew then pry out.


That appears to be a damper (given the location I'd call it a "main" damper, as opposed to the ones for various smaller branch ducts) and having it "wide open" may be overloading your furnace fan motor, causing it to overheat and shut down.
This involves one of the counterintuitive engineering principles that the internet has trouble with because it's counterintuitive, but anyone can spew their intuition on the internet.
A centrifugal blower (which most furnace fans are) is moving less air, and thus doing less work, and thus drawing less power when it is restricted, rather than "wide open."
When a properly trained and equipped HVAC technician "balances" or "tunes" your hot air furnace system, one thing they will do is use an ammeter to check the load on the fan motor while adjusting the damper setting(s) to keep the load within what the fan motor can actually push. The right setting is generally neither "on" nor "off" but somewhere in the middle.
When a homeowner or other person starts fiddling with the settings, they are inclined to follow intuition and "OPEN IT UP!" Physics being physics does not care what their intuition says, and the motor (may) overheat, and if it's protected in the usual fashion, shut down.


How can I add a piece of timber to my metal shed wall without creating a leak?

I would use some neoprene washers between the exterior bolt head and metal wall.  Also put some silicon sealant in the hole/bolt. This will keep water out and stop bolt head from scratching the powder coating and causing rust. Should work fine.


Code requirement for depth of Counter Flashing and material sealant?

The IRC covers roof assemblies briefly in Section R903 but it's not very specific.

It does say (and this is a common theme throughout the IRC and virtually all building codes):

  Roof assemblies shall be designed and installed in accordance with this code and the approved manufacturer’s installation instructions such that the roof assembly shall serve to protect the building or structure

So if you know what specific product was installed and can find installation instructions from the manufacturer (maybe call them?), then you would have something more specific to point to.

It may also be worth calling your local building inspector and find out whether there are any more specific local building code rules that may be applicable.


How can I install a Honeywell Wifi RTH6580WF1001 thermostat in place of a Honeywell RTH2300b?

Honeywell thermostats (also Nest, and probably others) require the C wire to come from the cooling system, in systems that have multiple transformers.


How do you calculate the right size furnace to maximize efficiency?

With a Manual J heat loss calculation. The number depends on your house's size, insulation, and air sealing, among other things. So you (or the installer) need to know those things first. You can do a rough, ballpark calculation yourself at http://loadcalc.net/ (no affiliation). It won't be 100% accurate, but it's a heck of a lot better than using antiquated rules of thumb. Dismiss anyone who tries to use rules of thumb or blindly recommends replacing equipment with something of identical size. They don't know that they don't know what they're doing.


How to open the lid of this toilet water tank?

The solution was similar to one of the ways Michael Karas suggested in his accepted answer. I used a pliers wrench to grap the outer ring around the flush knobs and turn it counter clockwise. I used considerable force, risking that I would break some of the plastic parts. This was the solution.

I managed to open the lid this way and found something similar to Michael's second picture. Turning the ring should have unscrewed it near the top, but it got unlocked near the bottom instead. (I plan to add pictures.)


Can you mount a floor-standing bookcase on the wall and which fittings would you use?

You don't say how high off the floor you'd like this cabinet mounted. To mount the cabinet properly on the wall, you'll have two forces you must counteract properly. If you fail to counteract either of the forces, you'll hear a crash sound.

From this point on, when I say cabinet, I mean the cabinet and the heaviest contents it would ever have.

Force 1: The weight of the cabinet. This is a shear force. It wants to slide the cabinet down the wall.

Force 2: the tension (pulling force) caused by the weight of the front of the cabinet. This is strongest at the top of the cabinet, and would want to pull screws out of the wall. This is probably a much smaller force.

To counteract the shear force #1, consider adding back legs to the cabinet. This could be as simple as cutting a piece of plywood as wide as the cabinet and as high as the gap between the floor and the cabinet's bottom. The weight of the cabinet will press down on the plywood, which will press on the floor. We'll assume the floor can carry the weight of the cabinet (and the plywood!).

Alternately, you may be able to only screw a shorter strip of wood to your wall (a rail). This strip might be 5 cm tall plywood, slightly narrower than the width of your cabinet. You'd use strong screws fastened into wood behind your wall covering. This is how Elfa closet systems hang from closet walls- using a rail or cleat.

To counteract the tension force #2, you could put front legs on the cabinet, but that defeats the hanging look. Instead, you can use screws that resist pulling out and screw them through the back of the cabinet into wood behind your wall covering. Keep these points in mind:

The back of the cabinet must also be securely fastened to the cabinet sides and top. If not, the cabinet will tear off the wall, leaving the back of the cabinet nicely attached to the wall. Not a good result.
The screw heads must be large enough not to tear through the cabinet back material. If the cabinet back material is paperboard, you will need a rail on the inside of the cabinet back to spread the force across the entire cabinet back. Otherwise, the cabinet back will tear around the screw. You'll see screws poking out of your wall with little bits of cabinet back stuck to them. Also not a good result.


Why are my brand new, daylight led bulbs flickering?

Keep in mind that the LED bulbs made with Edison bases have the electronics in the base.  They produce heat.  Many fixtures out there mount the lamps upside down.  So the heat concentrates in the base and overheats the electronics.  Try one of those brand of bulbs that starts flickering in a table lamp (BEFORE it starts flickering of course) where the bulb is mounted in free air, right side up.  I will bet it won't start flickering.
Electronic parts are manufactured to run at different temperature levels.  Lower temp electronics are cheaper.  While Ed is right about the certification, even certified LED bulbs will run with a far longer lifetime if the bulb has good air circulation and heat dissipation and is oriented so the heat doesn't concentrate around the driver.  My preference would be that LED bulbs were certified in both "right-side-up-only" applications and "universal" applications. as the "right-side-up-only" ones would be cheaper and would allow the discerning consumer to save money.  Unfortunately too many consumers are ignorant and that scheme likely would not work out so well.


Reset or repair stand alone dehumidifier?

The dehumidifier has lost it's refrigerant charge. It will cost more to repair than to replace.


Tracked down thanks to Ken at BugGuide.

It's a booklouse


There is no way to fix that.  Just replace the bathroom flooring.  A small area won't be expensive if you DIY.

Maybe wait until you are ready to move if the dog could repeat this.  It wouldn't hurt to talk to the landlord.  If the flooring needs to be replaced, they might prefer something different, in which case they might agree to just taking an amount you would have spent on the repair (without you having to be responsible for the work).


A pipe wrench on the inside on this side of the threads to hold the indoor plumbing in position and a pipe wrench on the outside to unscrew the spigot should do it.
It doesn't look like there's any thread tape in there, though, so it might be rough going.
Additionally, it looks like they sleeved the copper pipe in something else to get it through the wall, which is good, but if that's steel, there could be galvanic corrosion holding the copper to the steel.


What wire size should I use to repair a circuit containing some #12 and some of unknown size?

The wire gauge you need can be determined by checking the breaker for that circuit - if it's a 15 A breaker, you can use #14 gauge wire; if it's a 20 A breaker, you need #12. In general, lighting circuits are on 15 A breakers and wired with #14 wire, and receptacles are on 20 A breakers and wired with #12 wire. This convention is relatively modern, though, so your 1975 wiring may not follow it.

There is never a problem using bigger wire than needed, so even if the existing wiring was #14, you can replace it with #12 - just don't replace the breaker! A 20 A breaker needs #12 wire throughout the entire circuit.

You can also get a tool to measure the size of the wire. Something like this:

Or this multi-purpose wiring tool:


I'm thinking of upgrading to a 200 amp service

If you are in the USA, the National Electrical Code is used in most areas as the standard for electrical installations. The NEC requires a minimum of 100 amps for a dwelling service.

From there, it only goes higher with the default for most medium to large homes being 200 amps. Without doing a full load calculation most homeowners choose the 200 amp panel that will be almost the same price as a 125 to 175 amp panel.

In most areas, the utility is responsible for the wire to the service drop, or meter socket if it is underground, but the homeowner is responsible for the meter socket on into the house. So, if they decide to upgrade their wiring it is up to the utility. In my area, the utility provides meter sockets for free but the homeowner or contractor must install it.

Good luck!


If you “jack”...you crack.

That slab weighs a minimum of 5,000 lbs. (4” thick) and will crack when you start jacking it up a few inches.

Little known fact, concrete only has a tensile strength of 55 lbs. per square inch (as compared to compressive strength of 2500 psi ). When one edge is lifted, the top of the slab is in compression and the bottom is in tension THROUGHOUT the slab.

No amount of levers (regardless of fulcrum points) will keep the slab from cracking. In fact, where the lever is placed could accelerate the cracking process. If you’ve ever seen a contractor remove a sidewalk, you’ll know what I mean. They use an excavator to pick up an edge so it will break and they can load reasonably sized pieces in a dump truck.

Now, if the slab is reinforced and the reinforcing is properly placed, it could hold...but what are the odds that old shed slabs are reinforced.

In addition, even if you were to lift the slab, how are you going to EVENLY place gravel under the slab and then COMPACT it? Impossible. It would tip and put a stress point on the slab...causing the slab to crack.

I like the idea of trying to control the drainage around the shed and if that doesn’t work, I like the idea of removing the wood portion, using the existing slab as a footing, installing a higher slab and then reinstalling the wood shed.


Best Conditions for Sealing Asphalt Driveway

Pick a sunny day, with ABSOLUTELY no chance of rain that day. If it rains within a few hours of the sealing job, you won't be happy. 24 hours will be plenty of time for it to dry though.

The perfect day would be sunny, but not incredibly hot, as sealing a driveway would be miserable work on a blistering hot day. Remember, you will be standing on black pavement in the sun.

Start work in the morning, to give it time to dry in the sun. Keep anything off it for a day.


How can I seal up this gap on top to make it smellproof

Tape plastic over it. If you tape the perimeter fully, it should work pretty well.


Installing An Outlet In Garage - Unexpected wires?

From what I am looking at it appears the box is being used as a transition from the underground UF conductors to Metal Clad Cable (BX) and yes it is really BX since it appears the ground is back wrapped around the metal cable at the connector, quite common back in the day.

Also if you look at the third wirenut from the left, you can see where a wire was cut but not made safe. You need to remove the wire nut and remove that tail and trim up the conductor and replace the wirenut. If you can you need to see if that wire is a true circuit or just an abandon wire.

Looking to the far right the it looks like the red conductor is being used as a grounding (green) conductor. You need to verify that this is true or false. If it's true, you need to get some green phase tape and mark it as such and everywhere else it appears in the circuit. If false, you need to figure out what it is.

Now that you have cleaned up the box. If you want to still put a receptacle there, you can purchase a handy box extension ring (an x-ring). This will extend the box out past the bottom stud and you can attach the receptacle to the Black and white conductors to the far left. I would check and I would make sure it's 120V before I did that. Also if you look at the back of the box you can see a bare grounding wire coming from the UF (probably attached to the back of the box), that would be where you need to ground your receptacle. I would use an industrial cover to protect the receptacle.

Now a quick safety note. Looking at the use of BX. This method hasn't been used since the late 1970's and it wasn't a very good system even then. It was part of the NEC but many municipalities outlawed it. So take your time, identify and label all of your conductors and make sure everything is operational. In fact I would recommend you tear out the entire BX system and install the new AC or MC type of cable which has a full ground.

So hope this helps, stay safe and good luck.

I need to ad that if this is a true garage the circuit/receptacle needs to be a GFCI.


Will repointing solve water leakage issue?

Doesn't look like the roof has a proper overhang to minimize water running down walls. A gutter would help but the mortar on the outside really needs to be fixed. Fixing the mortar on only the inside will trap the water in the blocks and cause freeze and thaw issues.
The moss is bad for the mortar as well. Kill and remove it.


How do i connect a Commmon wire to Heat Controller Inc air handler?

According to that wiring diagram, C is not available on the terminal block for the thermostat and outdoor unit. You'll have to find it by locating the 24V transformer. According to the wiring diagram, the yellow wire on the transformer would be C. You can verify that it is the correct wire because it should be connected to a couple of relays, and the other wire coming off the transformer should be red and connected to the terminal block for the thermostat.


Install the wax ring pressing firmly all the way around the toilet. Use your level again. You can add wedges on one side by sliding them in gently. I would use more than one for stability. Don't slide them in too far or you will break the wax seal. Once you get them where you need them, tighten up the floor bolts. To finish, cut the excess from the wedges and caulk around the base.


Hardwood Floor Squeaks - Fixing Squeaks or Removal of Hardwood Floor for LVP

Pull it.  You can probably remove it easily enough that it comes up undamaged for the most part.  Save it if you want / put it on CL someone will take it off your hands.  Material wise that stuff is $3.50 a sq ft new it is only 1/4" thick and yours has probably been refinished in the last 70 years, probably has some dents and not as thick as it was previously.
If you remove it you'll be able to address any issues with the subfloor.  When you pull it you'll likely find that your floor is diagonal laid solid wood.  Use screws to make sure the subfloor is well fastened to the joists.  Run a straight edge around the room and build up any dips (SLC, wood, etc).  Make sure there aren't any squeaks - if you are living in the basement you'll hear everything.
If the subfloor looks dicey pull it and you can put roxul insulation into the joist bays to give yourself better sound protection.  Put back 5/8 or 3/4 tng plywood.  Put a radio on loud and go into the basement to see what you'll need to tolerate.  I'd also get some friends to do some running like children do upstairs while you are down so you get an idea.  I have 2" concrete, 3/4 subfloor, spray foam, roxul and 5/8" drywall - I can hear that conversations occur I can't make out the words unless people scream or are really loud.  Music is pretty dulled, I think it comes out through their windows and back in mind easier than through the floor.
If you need wiring updated in the basement this can be a good time to access the portion in the lights without ripping out your ceiling.


How do I install a cabinet door underneath a breakfast bar?

I think I get the picture without one :) I've seen this many times. I'm assuming the wall under the bar you want to cut into is a typical wood framed, wallboard sheathed stub wall. If not, ignore this answer.

You first need to cut out the outer layer of wallboard. If done carefully, no additional finishing will be required, though it may be easier to not be careful and just refinish. It would depend on how easily you think you can match the existing finish. Things will be easier if you plan the opening to fit between two studs, but the opening will possibly be rather small and possibly not in the ideal location. To do things for an ideal size and location, you will likely need to cut out a stud and frame in horizontal 2x4 plates at the top and bottom.

If you're refinishing, remove wallboard from floor to bar top underside and frame the opening properly so the horizontal plates support the new wallboard edges. If you do not want to refinish, place the plates below and above the wall board edges, leaving the wallboard edges unsupported and the plates exposed, they will be mostly covered in the end.

Cut out the wallboard of the opposite surface that is the back wall of the corner cabinet. This time all the edges can be supported. Now you have full access to the depths of that cabinet, but no door. The door can be anything, what I've usually seen is a cabinet face frame applied to the surface of the wallboard, which will cover the exposed horizontal plates. Then a standard cabinet door is attached to the face frame.

If you have decent woodworking skills, you could build the face frame and order the door from a cabinet supply. If not, you could order a plain face frame to match the cabinet door.

It's also possible to case the opening and install a hollow core door, sort of like a little closet. You'd need wide casing to cover the exposed plates. A simple panel door made of MDF could be fabricated and painted. You could just hang some fabric drapes over the opening. The possibilities are only limited by your creativity!


How can I get a 60 Hz refrigerator to work on a 50 Hz system?

You face many challenges with this refrigerator.

It is a discontinued model.
It is made for North American electricity.
It is made for North American kitchen space.  It will probably be too big for 95% of European kitchens: width, depth, and height.
Many European kitchen floors will not be able to hold its empty weight of 324 pounds/147 kg, let alone loading it full of stuff.  Its weight loading is 36 pounds per square foot (empty) which should be okay in most buildings (less than an adult standing on the floor).
It will be very expensive to ship.  Probably at least half the price of a new fridge.
A sufficiently hefty non-switched UPS (uninterruptible power supply) intended for North American power can do the frequency and voltage conversion, but it won't be just any off-the-shelf UPS.  Maybe one like this for around $900 will do.  Some models allow input range from like 90 V to 250 V.  Most heftier, non-switch-through do the proper frequency conversion.  I looked for awhile but didn't see any less than $750.


Refrigerator not cooling: told to unplug 24 hours

The odds of that working are very low. The guy probably said that because he was too busy to come so he just said that to give you something to do in the hope that you would call again later when he had more scheduling availability.

The most likely possibility is that it is the internal overload breaker. Usually it is easy to reset with a screw driver. Here is a picture of a typical one:

The hole has a little slot where you insert the screw driver and give it a half turn to reset it.

Of course, it could be a range of other problems, like a broken controller or a broken temperature sensor, too, but the reset is an easy thing to try.


Insect pods on walls...how to eradicate?

The casebearer requires high humidity to thrive and plenty of food sources.

So run your Air conditioner and dehumidify the inside air.

Clean everything in sight - spider webs, food crumbs, seal up cracks and crevices. Wasps will kill them  but I don't think you want those nests on the outside of the home. There is a chemical I heard of called Physan 20 which kills them with in 10 minutes - you might need to do several applications over the weeks as the gestation period of the larvae can be about 45 to 50 days.

How old is your stucco and how damp is it .. you might have moisture in it. You will need to resolve that issue if you expect them to leave. If your have the house fumigated - get the stucco sealed up and painted.

You said the house was fumigated before you moved in ... done by the previous owners? or you requested it knowing the insects were there ?
 I ask this because certain other remedies might be available for you to look into.


Clean-out plug in p-trap won't screw back on

This sounds like the plug in a floor drain. If so, sometimes the threads get mucked up. Often you can just clean them with some Limeaway or another decalcification product. If that's not working go to your local hardware store or HD and buy an expandable rubber drain plug. These plugs are about 1 or so inches in diameter and have a wing nut on one side and a metal washer on the other. You pop it in the drain plug hole and as you tighten the wingnut the rubber between the wingnut and the washer compresses and expands. Works like a charm.


It would appear from the pictures that the blue and orange wires (wire nutted to the red thermostat wire) should go back to the transformer for one of the two 24 volt wires. The other 24 volt wire on the transformer is the common to hook up to the thermostat. There should be 2 other wires that are line voltage coming out of the other end of the transformer. Don’t mess with those. Depending on the transformer there may be multiple taps, without seeing the transformer it would be difficult to tell which ones to use unless the transformer is marked.

Great background on thermostat wiring is at:
How can I add a "C" wire to my thermostat?


Can flow of gas be too strong to ignite in oven?

I would speculate that the MIXTURE of gas and air may be off, in the "too much gas" direction. There are lower and upper limits of the gas to air mixture beyond which the mixture will not ignite (too little gas to light, or too little oxygen from air to light.) Removing the oven floor may provide just enough extra outside air to allow it to light.

Check the color of the flames - if they are more yellow than blue that's a pretty good sign the mixture is too rich. There is normally some sort of air control on/near the burner inlet. They are not too prone to move of themselves, but they more often get plugged up with dirt, hair, or spiderwebs. However, it may need adjusting if merely cleaning it does not solve your problem.


When UL lists the device, they list the instructions along with it.
The reason for the "DO NOT" instruction is because the instructions in the GFCI device are written for the specific case of one cable in; and 0 or 1 cable out.  UL would not approve more complex instructions to handle every case; so the instructions say to get professional help if your case is more complex than the instructions.
The way to wire it is to identify "Always-hot" (which is hot at all times) and true Neutral.  Pigtail "Always-hot" to the LINE brass screw.  Pigtail Neutral to the LINE silver screw.
GFCI devices have the ability to provide GFCI protection to a downline.  If you want to protect downline points-of-use, then for each downline load, hook its Hot wire to LOAD brass screw, and its Neutral wire to the LOAD silver screw.    Only do these in pairs - both hot and neutral of any downline.
Note this can get quite confusing where switches are concerned.


How can I transition from carpeted stairs to an engineered hardwood floor?

One potential location is on the last rise on the stairs.  This is depicted below on my crude diagram.  Make the cut of the carpet right under the lip of the top of the 2nd floor.  Use a piece of trim to hide the cut and make it finished.

Other options include:

Create a small carpet landing at the top.
Take the carpet off all the stairs and make the stairs hardwood as
well.

Your second question:

Probably.  When you take the carpet up, see if there is a gap under the baseboard.  if so, see if the hardwood fits in the gap.  If so, you can leave it on.  If not, you should be able to carefully remove the baseboard, install the floor, and the re-attach the existing baseboard pieces when floor is finished.


Why is XHHW more costly than other similar cable?

Different insulators, different properties

The THHN/THWN-2 we know and love is a thermoplastic insulation (most commonly a plasticized and flame-retarded PVC) with a thin nylon outer jacket extruded over the PVC that helps protect the PVC from damage.  This means that:

while it's flame-retarded, it produces ugly things (HCl) once you get it going in your bonfire
It can have annoying behaviors when pinched for a while (like cold flowing)
It is prone to certain breakdown behaviors that can be undesirable especially at higher voltages

XHHW and XHHW-2 wire, on the other hand, use a thermoset insulation, almost always a cross-linked polyethylene very similar to what PEX pipe is made from.  The cross-linking makes the wire insulation stiffer and harder to handle and requires more specialized processing which is probably the explanation for the price difference you're seeing. However, XLPE insulation is more thermally robust than PVC and is also a better electrical insulator as well -- it can handle higher voltages, is less breakdown-prone, and won't flow under pressure nearly as easily.

Usage differences

XHHW(-2) is generally a better choice for applications in unkind environments (exposed outside, on roofs, or directly buried) due to its improved ruggedness.  THHN is cheap, and is considered to work well enough for benign environs such as the insides of jacketed or armored cables and inside conduit, so it's generally what's used when XHHW(-2)'s superior properties aren't called for.


How do i waterproof the joists under my bathroom floor?

I've never seen or heard of this being done.

Water in a bathroon should never make it to the studs or supports in any significant supply such that it actually creates or promotes damage or rot.

The appropriate solution is to remove/stop the water source that caused the damage before it gets that far/in the first place. The flooring choices is most important in these cases. Protecting the joists wont hurt them, but is most likely wasteful from a time/cost=reward/value perspective. Spend the time and money on quality water supply, drain, and routing (removal/protective, like caulk, grout, etc) components.


Should the underside of a deck be stained?

This question is somewhat opinion based, but I'm going to answer anyway. If it's just a stain  or oil, rather than a more solid surface/coating finish like Varathane, you're probably OK to just stain one side.
With a solid coating, the problem is the wood will absorb moisture at different rates on the top of the deck from the bottom. This can lead to cupping, warping because wood "moves" with moisture.   If you are in an area that's dry most of the time, that would be less of an issue. Here in Western Washington, where we get a lot of rain and it can be quite humid at time, it's a consideration when finishing wood that will be outdoors.  Personal note: I would never again build a wood deck here, too much maintenance and short life span.
EDIT:  Giving credit to JimmyFix-it's comment, I'm adding to my answer.
Using a solid surface coating like Varathane or Urethane, etc. usually ends up being a disaster in just a few years if the wood is directly exposed to weather (rain, snow, sun), even without seasonal wood movement.  It will crack, peal, split and to re-finish you have to sand most of it off!  Penetrating oils also require maintenance every few years, but often just a good cleaning followed by application of the oil.  If you want that "new wood" look, it might require a light sanding first, but much easier to deal with than a solid surface coating. Products generically referred to as "wood brightener's" can also be used to remove stains, mildew, etc. but I find that a light sanding works pretty well.


Should (or even Can) I use epoxy to repair a previously PVA-glued load-bearing wood joint?

I think you are over thinking this.

I made this exact same repair a month ago and I used wood glue, you could use construction adhesive. Sand both surfaces, and glue and clamp.

Add extra screws for strength, one every 8 inches ? .

No need to fill in counter sunk screw holes, with box spring/mattress in place that part of the frame in not seen.


This sounds like a loose connection in the junction box holding the outlet that works when wiggled. It may be a poor screw connection on the outlet, a bad wirenut connection or even a bad connection internal to the outlet itself.

The power in the bedroom is likely being fed from that bad connection.

Turn off the breaker that controls that outlet. Remove the outlet cover. Test the wires with a non-contact tester to make sure they are not live. Check all connections (screws, wirenuts). If nothing looks loose, replace the outlet itself, wiring up the same way as before. Mark each wire before removing it from the outlet so you can attach them to the new outlet in the same way. Replace cover. Turn on power.

If any of this seems daunting, you probably need help from someone with more experience.


A random check of a manufacturer shows 3-1/2 x 1-1/2 octagon boxes are 11.8 cubic inches. It may also be stamped on your box.    You need:

1 wire unit for all the grounds
4 wire units for your hots
3 wire units for your neutrals
1 wire unit for the internal clamp
2 wire units if a receptacle is inset into that box.  If the item is surface mount, 0 wire units.

Total 8 wire units.  A wire unit takes 2.0 cubic inches for 14AWG and 2.25 cubic inches for 12 AWG.   So that's 18 or 20.25 cubic inches.    Your box has 11.8?

You have a few options.

Add a box extension, a 1-1/2" extension would solve your space problem. Nobody cares which holes the wires come in, I never use knockouts in extensions because then it's hard to remove.
Put a second nearby box to offload some of the wires.
Convert to a 4" square box (21 cu. in.) with a mud ring (? cu. in.)giving a face similar to a 3-1/2" octagon box.  This may also help you address your depth problem mentioned in the other post.  It's ridiculously easy to change boxes since all your wires are flexible and terminate in the box.  (by "ridiculously" I'm contrasting it with thru wires which must be pulled, steel conduit, substituting a wider box so you have to cut the conduit, and doing it 21 feet in the air in a boom lift!)


Before using any adhesive to secure a shower curtain rod, I think you'd have more success keeping it in place with an expanding or screw- type rod. It's the same idea as the chin-up bars that mount in a doorway. The rubber stops at each end of the rod prevent mars and wall damage. I've seen them turned so tight the tile cracked! But if you still need some adhesive types: '100 % silicone' (any brand as long as it is 100%) not only seals out liquids it has surprisingly good adhesive properties. If you have no intention of ever removing the rod then use a 'urethane' caulking. This is silicone on steroids! It is used in the construction sector to positively seal joints of differing materials (forever). Those are the only two I would use in a wet environment. 2 part epoxies might hold for awhile, but any flex in the shower rod will over time loosen from the epoxy. Good luck.


Plank T&G subfloor / girder repair in bathroom 48" OC

You may need to make a hole in the subfloor wall of your house to pass the new beam under the floor, there may be a conveniently placed vent grid.

replacment planks should probably span between girders.

Trim the rotted planks back flush with the side of the good girders
then fit a ledger board along the girder to support the ends of the new boards


Absolutely not. Epoxies are formulated for different cure times, cure temperatures, bonding to different materials, performance in various extreme environments, etc. That said, amongst the various hardware store 5 minute general purpose epoxies, I doubt there is a lot of difference between brands. I know nothing of the specifics for this application, I would expect there is a specific adhesive to use and recommended by the sink manufacturer. If not, I would check with the stone supplier for recommendations.


The notch at the bottom is fine - not even close to hitting code requirements... which gives you 1/4 joist and that is the best place to notch - near the edge.
You get 1/3 the joist height for holes.   I don't think yours meets that even if you add the inch shaved off on the bottom.   You could sister something over the hole but for something that small your sister would be for aesthetics as the joist is not going to feel any tension near the end like that.


How far from the kitchen sink can a vent pipe be?

In my area, a kitchen/bath waste arm must be no more than 3ft long unless an air admittance valve is used at the fixture. If an air admittance valve is located 10 feet away it won't do anything.


The sliver of a gap between lapped "boards" is normal, and those boards should be left to move with respect to one another. Normally laps are installed such that they have the least visual impact from one particular direction, such as from the front entry.

You've discovered one of the primary drawbacks to vinyl siding. Steel can be had in seamless lengths, but to my knowledge vinyl cannot.


Must I completely remove tile adhesive before I paint my basement floor?

Rent a concrete floor grinder from a local tool rental. It should get rid of the majority of the adhesive and any other surface coatings. Then, you should be able to go through the normal process of proper concrete painting (make sure to read up on proper surface preparation for your selected product to ensure best adhesion and results).


How do I stack a washer and dryer without a stacking kit?

personally i'd take the chance with a 20ft endless ratchet strap wrapped around both machines.  with maybe a slim rubber mat between to increase the friction.


Replace load bearing studs with 4x4 posts

Studs are vertical.  They are present to transfer the weight from the top plates (which are the top pieces that frame the wall) to the bottom plates, all of which then gets transferred to the next level down.

Beams and top plates are similar in function but beams carry more load over a wider span, and usually rest on either solid walls (foundation walls) or columns - which are functionally the same as studs but further apart and stronger.

The spacing of studs or columns is determined by the relative beam strength of the to span - or distance - covered by the beam.

So - upgrading the studs to 4x4 isn't necessarily enough - in fact just doing that could potentially be devastating if you widen them and the top plate is not able to handle the wider span.  In all odds it WON'T be, but why take chances?

If you are going to widen the spacing of the studs, then I would recommend you basically build a door frame, where you have 2 2x6's installed vertically instead of the top plate (or under it), held up by 2 2x4s installed 20" apart.

That will more than compensate for any structural weakness otherwise created by the seemingly minor change.


why is there a concrete pole in my wall?

Either it is a load bearing pole or someone who built the post was just practicing their pole making skills.  You can remove it when you offset the load to another part of your house.  Usually this would involve putting up an overhead beam and 1-2 poles to hold that.  This is very specific to your house and taking out a concrete pole will definitely involve an engineer.


Should I hire a structural engineer or an architect?

At least in the USA both architects and structural engineers will do this type of work.  Not all architects will want this small of a job (but you may be surprised how many will) and not all structural engineers will want to draw up plans.  Basically you are on the right track; I would just call around to the architects and structural engineers in your area and talk to them about the job.

I have used a structural engineer in the past but I did not have him draw up plans (it would have cost more).  He come out and looked at the situation and wrote a report on what was needed.  However my job was even smaller than what you are discussing.  I would start with local architecture firms and see if they will do what you need, if they don't want the work they may refer you to a local structural engineer.

The important thing is that you get plans created by (or at least signed off by) a certified architect/engineer.  This should make getting a permit really easy and you will know you are doing the remodel in the right way.


If it is a 30mA RCD and there is a strict separation of Neutral and Protection Earth downstream of the RCD there could still be a problem with the wiring resp. with other electric devices that are connected to the same RCD.

A bubble search should disclose more infos, i.e. disconnecting /switching off half of all devices/appliances that are connected to that RCD iteratively. If there are breakers downstream of the RCD, same procedure would help.

The wafer iron or toaster serve as sensitivity booster, one or both should be switched on during the test.

This issue is often a multiple problem. The RCD does not trip below 30mA, but 25mA are still too much leakage current. In these cases here this might be a sort of "team work" of more appliances and/or the wiring/panels to get this high level. Moisture, condensation, dust, overheated isolation, detergent etc. can produce leakage current in not well ventilated installations, in wirings of walls with damaged roofs, in washing and dish washing machines and elsewhere.

Of course a direct measurement of the current would help, via clamp meter, but here it is supposed to be not available. A digital multimeter DMM could also measure the variable leakage/ground current, but the PE would have to be opened near the Ground/Earth bar which could be more difficult and inconvenient.

Last but not least if there had been a shortcut somewhere  downstream of the RCD  sometimes in the past, i.e. a  circuit breaker tripped for high load, the RCD could have been damaged.

Measuring the resistance between hot and Protection Earth resp. between Neutral and Protection Earth of the appliances when disconnected - first suspects would be the wafer iron and the toaster - could disclose a (too) low resistance. Mechanical on/off switches should be in on position, the toaster handle should be kept/clamped down.

If a DMM reads only some kilo-Ohm, there surely is a problem with the device.

But if the measured resistance is very high, e.g. Mega-Ohms or even infinite, this is NOT an indication of a good device.

The reason is the fact that insulation resistances can be non-linear, i.e they seem to be fine with the low voltage measurement via a DMM (mostly not more then 9 Volt from a battery), but could be much less with the line voltage of 120V or 230V.


It is a Nibco 90. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=nibco+90+hydrant&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images  ...........


How do I get under shingles to replace the roof edge flashing?

I eventually figured out how to do this on my own. I am posting the answer in case anybody else has the same problem.

The secret to doing this kind of repair or rebuild, as any kind of shingle-related repair, is that you pull up the layer of shingles above the one you are working on. So, in my case, I need to pull out the nails from the last row of shingles (or whatever row is over the flashing) using a nail puller. This will allow me to lift up the shingles and expose the nails holding the old flashing. I then will pull up those nails and remove the old flashing. Next, I lift up the shingles, and attach the new flashing by nailing, screwing (or whatever). Finally, I will nail the upper layer of shingles back in again.


Flex Drain - personal opinion from an experienced user

The flex Pipe is very light duty compared to other drainage pipe I have used I would not recommend it for shallow underground use because it crushes quite easily when stretched to full length. The one thing I do like about it is that if you use it on the surface to extend gutters for a couple of months it is easy to collapse and store during the summer months. It is also easier to bend around shrubs than standard corrugated pipe. I don't know how long it will last collapsing and stretching out each year because I only purchased it just under 2 years ago.


Adding a light switch inside another circuit

The switching should be OK, as far as I know, because you are adding a light that isn't absolutely required.
However, there is a big difference between the existing lights and the new lights. Ordinary bathroom lights (and fans) do not require GFCI protection. The exception is lighting above a tub or shower. There are, I believe, some special fixtures available that would not require GFCI, but normal fixtures do. Since you can't have the GFCI itself in the ceiling (and you wouldn't want to anyway - it would get hit by steam from the shower!), you need to protect the entire lighting circuit, either at the original switch or at the breaker. The problem is that means if there is a GFCI trip then you are in the dark. But not just in the dark, in the dark while in the shower. Not a good thing.


So sistered floor joists need to touch the wall?

It’s complicated and it depends. You’re using 2x6’s so there can’t be extra large loads, so you’re probably ok.

The reason the joists need the correct amount of bearing area is so that the joists don’t crush where they bear. Extremely large loads tend to crush the fibers of the joists at bearing points, unless they have an extra amount of bearing area. You are using 2x6’s which don’t support much so I’d guess you have plenty of bearing with one joist.

A bigger problem is deflection (bending).  If you over load the attic, the joists will bend and crack your plaster. I’d keep the heaviest loads against the walls and the lightest loads in the center of each span.


In the US the kitchen is a central focal point in a home. An open floor plan lets folks congregate in the kitchen and also socialize/communicate easily with others in the home.

In older homes with closed in kitchens those in the kitchen feel isolated from anyone else in the house.


Can I upgrade from a 240V 30A circuit to a 240V 50A circuit?

To increase the amp rating of your circuit breaker, you almost certainly need to increase the gauge of all the wiring on that circuit. Circuit breakers are there to protect the wiring for overloading, overheating, melting the insulation, and eventually starting a fire.

Typically, you have the following wire gauges (this may vary with long circuits and your local codes):

15 amps: 14 gauge
20 amps: 12 gauge
30 amps: 10 gauge
55 amps: 8 gauge
75 amps: 6 gauge

So going from 30 amps to 55 amps requires you to rewire that circuit from 10 gauge to 8 gauge wiring.

For your oven, check the specs on the oven itself. It may simply have a plug that's designed for multiple ovens and will work on a 30 amp circuit.


Absolutely do not leave the wires alone wrapped in electrical tape. Electrical tape does not have enough longevity to safely protect the exposed leads and can create a hazard in the future.

The blue wire exists to support the future addition of a light. The polite thing to do for your future self or future owner of your home would be to connect the blue and red wires. However, it is not necessary; if you do not want to, you can cap both leads with wire nuts.

Note that it is also legitimate to connect the black on the fan to the red from the ceiling, and the blue on the fan to the black from the ceiling. Assuming you have two switches, that will swap which switch controls the fan and which switch controls the light.

If the existing black-black connection doesn't work, you can try the black-red. If that does work, it would suggest that the switch for the fan has failed, although it could also indicate other wiring problems.


If it was my house I would not worry about it if it was intact (but I would not disturb it either), significant friable spread by convection alone seems unlikely. If I had kids... better safe than sorry, hire an asbestos abatement firm to test and remove/replace if necessary.

OSHA PEL (Personal Exposure Limit, max exposure over 8 hours on a time weighted average) is 0.1 fiber per cubic centimeter, max exposure over any 30 min. period is 1 fiber/cm³.


How much weight can I hang on my cabinet doors?

Here’s a typical loading chart based on height of door and number of hinges. See page 3 near the bottom.

http://downloads.cabinetparts.com/auto/SaliceGeneral.pdf

Notice there are heavy duty hinges too.

If the shelving is only 3” wide (deep) rather than 10” or so...that’s a clue too.


Is this singe-handle shower valve servicable? If so how would I find the source of a steady drip when the valve is shut off?

Glad you found your answer.

I've also had slow leaks (drips) like you experienced due to (1) solder spatter inside the valve that prevented a good seal on the rubber, and (2) plumber soldering the pipe with the cartridge in place which hardened the rubber so it didn't seal well.


What are the things to look out for when buying a motion detector?

Well is it to be used indoors or outdoors? Because a lot of the technology is generally used for detection indoors. That is not to say you do not get them for outdoors it's just in my experience the ranges are more limited.

You get detectors that work on four different technologies they are:- Passive Infared (PIR), Microwave, Ultrasonic and Tomographic. The last two are more uncommon in the general market. More and more these days you will find the first two technologies have actually been combined into a single detector commonly known as a Dual-tec the idea is to limit false activations.

Apart from the detection technology detectors are based around two types of usages. One type of detector tends to be used as an activator for mains voltage lighting. And are commonly fitted these days for reasons for saving power as they switch the lights off after a person leaves the area. The second usage of these detectors is for intruder detection. Since you seem to be interested in activating a light and or sounder I would suggest using the low voltage intruder detection version as inside of the device they commonly use an alarm circuit and a tamper circuit and a 12v power source. The alarm circuit is normally a open/closed circuit which can be made to do what you so desire. You can run the sounder and light directly off the device as long as it's low voltage and low current usage or within the detectors specification however if not you can stick in a relay that will do the job. This option will most likely be the cheaper option also

Another advantage of low voltage intruder detection detectors is that quite a few have ability to adjust the detector range this is normally done via a dial which takes the form of a variable resistor built onto the printed circuit board of the device. Some manufactures also give you interchangeable lenses for the front of the device which alters the spread patterns of the microwave/infared radiation. This can increases or decrease the height and width of the beams. Another thing to watch out for which is not hugely important but can and i have seen it cause issues is that if you have multiple devices and they overlap make sure that you are buying different frequency devices. By that I mean that a manufacture will sell multiple versions of the exact same device the difference is what frequency the radiation is put out at this is designed to stop devices interfering with each other.

I have tried to cover all the bases with the little information you provided. If your after more detail on anything just let me know, I have extensive knowledge in this area.

Edit: After reading your post again I noticed the key word "Portable" this could change the outcome entirely. Could you explain the usage of your device so that i can revise changes


What kind of screw is this? It's meant to be paired with a grommet

This is referred to as a "shoulder screw" because the wide section above the threads stops it from going in any further.  They can be used so that soft or brittle materials like plastic of a certain thickness are held in place without being pinched or over-tightened.

I've also seen these used as a type of "standoff" that you could hook a spring or cable onto, but the basic term "shoulder screw" is what will help the most.


What drainage slope does artificial grass need?

Default minimum drainage slope for "flat" surfaces is 1/8" per foot.

Bring on the short answer complaint robot!


Is it possible to raise beams like these?

You'd have to literally raise the roof (and build up the walls to support the raised roof), and the cost is generally prohibitive as that's a rather major alteration to the structure. In the specific case of "cottage" it also messes with "what makes a cottage a cottage, as opposed to a house."


I have voltage on my neutral wire for a 220 volt ac inverter and blew up some of my house appliances

It sounds like this is a custom-made piece of electronics, so I would contact the manufacturer to find out how you're supposed to use it. It may be defective or maybe there is a misunderstanding of how it is supposed to function.

As a side note, I think it's dangerous to have a US-style 110V outlet wired with 220V... that's just asking for an injury or fire when someone plugs something into it. There are standard receptacle shapes for 220V (such as those used by generators, clothes driers, etc.). Also, the outlet itself and anything you plug into it is probably not rated for the higher voltage, even if you know what you're doing.


What is this black cylinder on the side of my electrical junction box?

That is an obsolete thermal detector and shut off if the can light gets overheated. It is probably why your can light is not coming on because it has ceased to operate. You can no longer get a replacement since they stopped manufacturing it sometime ago. If you find someone that still has one in stock you can replace it, but I ran out of them years ago so good luck. The only thing that can be done is to install a new can with a new built-in thermal detector. This could be a little complicated and may not be something a DIY could handle since you have to purchase the right part which is not a stock item and rewire the box to make it work properly. Sorry I can't be of much more help.

Good luck and stay safe


New junction box, or pigtail within receptacle?

If you have enough wire to have 6" from the back of the junction box where you tie in a junction box would be the easiest way. Most of the time the wires are tight. then there are 2 options. #1 to pull the wire down from the outlet to your box using the wire to pull a string or the new NM cable down to the box some times the easiest is to pull a string when pulling the NM down then use the string to pull the new NM up. #2 Option would be to pull into the existing box from downstairs this can be a challenge getting the NM into the outlet box (if there is enough  room in the box to make the junction). I usually use #1 It cost a few dollars more but saves in time trying to fish wires in a closed wall.


Go for 3/4" plus the thickness of the drywall.  So for standard half inch, the 1 1/4" should be fine.  When we double up the drywall on a fireproof ceiling, we switch to the 2"+ screws for the second layer.

You can go for longer if you have some difficult joists to hit.  There's no real downside to longer screws other than more work on the drill and more costs.


Should I install a drain trap on the main pipe before it exits my home?

Soil traps are now banned. I think they were common prior to the 1950s and since your pipe is terracotta that would indicate it predates this time.


Should I be concerned that the furnace fan is making a loud noise when it turns on?

Some motors have a start up noise, and is normal for that type of motor. My table saw does this. Starts out a loud 60 Hz hum which quickly increases in frequency as the motor spins up, then gets inaudible or washed out by rushing air when full speed is reached. Motors that do this are not really appropriate for residential blowers.

It also possible it's not a normal noise and there is a defect. Very hard to differentiate on the internet. The rhythmic noise sounds like the squirrel cage is slightly hitting something. Perhaps it is misaligned or out of balance. Misalignment or balance issues could also cause the motor to make unusual noises. Something is not right and warrants further investigation. Could very well be minor, or a warning of something that will get worse.

Even if the start up noise were normal, I would be unhappy that a formerly quiet motor was replaced with a noisy one.


I would say this is not a DIY project for at least 3,4,5+ reasons the major ones opening a HVAC/R system requires a license, yes you can find R134 In less than 1 lb cans for cars or a duster or electronic troubleshooting freeze spray if you can find the adapters and it would work if you could install new parts and remove all the compressibles (air) and dehydrate the system (a vacuum pump to pull the system to at least 500um). A new filter dryer on the suction line would pickup any metal from the old compressor. I have seen techs "get away with" 1000um but this is risky because any moisture in the POE oil will become acidic and that eats the varnish off the motor windings in the new compressor and then it shorts out.  Bringing me to the point is the oil already acidic? We know it is contaminated because of the leak stop being used (leak stop may work on high temp AC like automotive but will plug the capillary tube on most refers).  UV dye and or leak stop will void the warranty on almost every compressor I have purchased. Now another non DIY reason you want to repair the leak, how and where did it start leaking? My bet would be in the evaporator, almost all refers have aluminum evaporators and sealing a contaminated aluminum line that has been punctured is almost impossible,  I don't do service calls on fridges but have Tryed to help friends that have tried to solder the aluminum lines to watch the line melt (had to replace the evaporator) another friend had a vending machine he tried to use some special 2 part epoxy and thought it was working until he unplugged the system loaded it up and took it to a break room, that warm day caused the Freon pressure to go (calculated) to 275 or so and blew the plug out and sprayed oil and Freon inside the machine (did I mention it did not cool at that point). Now for the last point, did you know there are fines up to $25,000.00 for doing this kind of work without a license?


Do you just want to consolidate the loose surface stones for walking/tool storage?

If so, a concrete resurfacing mix, spread with a floor squeegee, will make a nice, smooth surface.

Understand that the underlying loose mix won't support much more than foot traffic (people walking on it) and the resurfacer may crack if overloaded.


How to reduce brightness of recessed LED?

If the light is mounted inside of a reflective can you can try to sand or paint the inside of the can to reduce the reflected light.