primer not adhering to oil based painted ceiling- help

Sounds like either the liquid sander didn't, or the liquid sander is leaving a residue which is interfering with bonding with the new primer.

I have never heard of a "liquid sander", and I would expect the recoating industry would jump all over that if it works. So I suspect it is "snake oil".  But I mostly paint over alkyds (oil paints), maybe it only works on old latex coats; that wouldn't be a surprise, latex is very chemically different from aklyd.  Also, etching an alkyd would require extremely harsh chemicals, and I doubt they'd be allowed to be sold at Home Depot.

Regardless, it should be perfectly obvious that the new primer has to go, as it will be the "weak link" for any coating painted over it, and will cause that coating to fall off too. Do it ASAP while it is still soft.  I would use a scrub brush and water; water makes still-curing latex paint/primer softer.

Sorry you have to go through that, but not too sorry; that's what you risk when you try to take shortcuts.

Adhesion has two parts:

The old surface is roughened, so at the microscopic level there are many jagged grooves and peaks (like a mountain range) so the new coat can physically attach.
The old surface is entirely clean of contaminating material.  An example of contaminating material would be "snake oil".

You don't need to go crazy with sanding.   All you need is a "scuff sand" to remove the gloss and create those jagged edges.  My favorite scuff-sand method is a 3M Scotchbrite sponge with the green abrasive, wetted if necessary. You'll know when the gloss is gone because the surface will look dingy.  I mean honestly, I don't see how rolling out a chemical and the cleanup that follows is any easier.

Also, I realize people like latex products because of less smell and easy cleanup, but since you're dealing in primer, they come in both latex and oil base.  Since you're painting over alkyd/oil, oil-based primers are a perfectly reasonable choice.  Primers like Kilz Original, BIN etc. are designed to have latex laid over them.


How do I silence a creaking wooden spiral staircase?

The number one reason for creaking floors, staircases and furniture is they are assembled using regular nails. The problem with regular nails is the following.

When you put load onto any board in your assembled staircase the board bends slightly and this causes it to slightly pull the nails at the places where the board is connected to other parts. After this repeats for thousand times the nails remain slightly extended out of the part and so the board is no longer tightly attached.

Now every time you put load the board bends and the walls of the nail holes rub against the nails and this causes the creaking sound. When you remove the load the board restores its original form and the same rub-and-creak process repeats in reverse.

So the bottom line is you have to reassemble the staircase using some fasteners that withstand extreme alternating load. I had great success using wood screws for furniture. One answer to this question mentions that wood screws are brittle and so maybe less reliable and so you could use some advanced nails. Anyway you have to use fasteners with extreme resistance to pulling out.

You likely don't need to dissassemble the staircase completely. In most cases adding new fasteners or replacing old ones one-by-one will be sufficient.


Did I miss the stud when I drilled into the wall?

It sounds like you may have metal studs. That would explain the difficulty drilling through, followed by the void beyond.


Chances are, now that the leak has been repaired, the moisture will dry up and you won't have further problems. You may have some subfloor to replace when/if you ever replace the finished floor, but it's probably not an urgent matter.

Since you have an overhanging faceframe you can add a veneer to the side panel of your cabinet without showing an edge at the front. I'd visit your local home improvement store and see what they stock in the way of paneling or pre-finished plywood. You could also buy raw birch plywood and finish it to match.

You'd then carefully cut a panel to fit the shape of your cabinet and use panel adhesive or contact cement to adhere it to the side of the cabinet. Sand or scrape any bumps from the existing surface first.


Can I fix my leaking downspout without taking it apart?

Downspouts aren't sealed because gravity prevents much water from coming back up through the lapped connections. So if that's happening something's usually plugged.

In this case, it's because of the ice blockage. If you were to seal the system you'd just move the "leak" to the gutter, and your icicles would form there instead because the entire pipe would be full of ice.

Eliminate the ice plug at the bottom and be happy.


Is it OK for OSB3 boards to get wet during construction?

OSB won't be completely destroyed by water, unlike MDF or similar interior laminate materials; however, like any wood product, it will swell and shrink as it absorbs and releases water, so you should typically avoid more than casual contact with water.

If you watch homebuilders putting up a typical light-frame construction home, you'll notice that the framing lumber and OSB are typically delivered on pallets wrapped with Tyvek or similar "moisture barrier"; the wood is allowed to "breathe" and so to acclimate to ambient humidity, but the covering is impervious to liquid water like rain. You'll also notice that the roof of the house is sheathed, papered and shingled as soon as the frame is developed enough to support it, and if the crew is caught in a sudden downpour while the roof is going up, they'll drape and tie tarps over any section of the roof that hasn't at least gotten a layer of tar paper. This is all to protect the OSB; the framing lumber, while it doesn't benefit from getting rained on, is much more water-tolerant, as long as the lumber is allowed to dry out completely after a good soaking before it's closed in by walls and vapor barriers. Once the roof is up, the next priority is the outer side walls, again primarily OSB, and which nowadays also get a layer of Tyvek as soon as they're up even if the final exterior siding isn't put in place for days or weeks after.


How to split 1/2" OD male pipe for sink/dishwasher?

If you use that valve and your dishwasher starts leaking one day and your replacement takes a few days to arrive, you'll have no hot water to your sink. You should use a tee with a valve on each end of the tee so you can control the water flow independently. In fact, some cities require this. I learned this the hard way by failing my plumbing inspection by using the valve you linked.
The label you describe is kind of confusing. OD is typically used to describe pipe size, not fitting size. 1/2" FIP is used to describe pipe thread size. If 1/2" is indeed too large, maybe you should try a 3/8" sized fitting? Just to be sure, can you update the question with a picture of the label?
Finding copper/brass FIP/MIP fittings is going to be difficult and/or expensive. It might make more sense to buy a cheap cutter and get some shark bite fittings. Or if you want to be adventurous, solder it yourself..


Is an explicit ground wire required through steel conduit?

Conduit (RMC, IMC or EMT) is an NEC-accepted ground path. So, if the wires are in steel conduit, no OTHER ground wire is required.
If that gives you concerns, you might find this link reporting research into the effectiveness of conduit as a ground relieves them.
Updated link to NEMA Technical Services Department Bulletin 97.


It looks like you've ruined it.  The stranded wires (such as the black one visible in the picture) are usually permanently attached to the lamp (Inside those cloth tubes).  The solid wires are your household wiring.  Normally you'd attach the stranded black to the solid black with a wire nut, and the same with the whites.  Then attach the bare copper ground (or green) to the brass tab in the light.  But it looks like someone just ripped it off and detached the stranded wires from the fixture.

Buy a new one, and if you are unsure of how to remove the old wires or correctly wire a new fixture, the safest thing to do is hire a qualified electrician.

Also, make sure your housemates read this: http://www.wikihow.com/Change-a-Light-Bulb


how do I level the floor in a sunk in living room

Install a new plywood subfloor elevated on sleepers to match the existing adjacent floor surfaces.

A sleeper is a piece of dimensional lumber (such as a framing stud) ripped to the desired thickness.


Drilling into stone wall with plaster on top

I have found mounting a scrap piece of wood to use as a guide helps drill through the wood and place the bit in the hole so you have exact alignment, use a couple of screws to hold the board in place not screwed tight but create a divot from at least 2 screws 3 is better. Now press the board tight and use your masonary drill bit (hammer drill will make this go much cleaner and faster so borrow one if you can).  usually you only need to drill in about a 1/8 to a 1/4" and the hole will then guide the bit. Remove the board and finish drilling the hole and then patch the divots. I have done this without creating the divots but I am a really big guy and will still usually create at least 2 so the board dosent shift.


What is this layer of material in the kitchen floor?

Looks like hardboard, often used as underlayment. Likely 1/8" thick. If so, you can remove or go over if in decent shape. Follow directions for additional underlayment for product you're installing either way.


Ceiling fan installation in masonary ceiling - Anchor failure considerations for dynamic loads

It reads like you are at 'industry standard' as most installs wouldn't go further than a concrete anchor. I understand your concern, and appreciate the level of detail you're delving in to figure out alternatives.
In terms of industry knowledge, most of the folks here have experience with residential, single family home classification, not industrial, or commercial application, it's all wood.

If you're looking for other options, find the exact weight of the fan, and find a hard rubber (or soft plastic) washer that only partially compresses from the weight(very partially, gross up your concrete anchor by a 3/16th (or whatever the net distance increase is from the washers, and add first a metal re-enforcing washer, followed by the soft washer. this will provide a break between the fan and the anchor.

One important point to cover everything is that you'll need about a week of curing before you'll hit the 2000psi (assuming 20mPa). A day or two less if you're using 25mPa.

Disclaimer of course is that I'm not a fastener guy, and do not have extensive knowledge of the failure rate of in tension concrete anchors with vibrations applied.


Without opening up the boxes and looking at how they are wired, it's impossible to answer with 100% accuracy.  However, even without seeing the wiring, I can say it's doubtful that the wiring for all the lights meets in a single junction box.  More likely, the lights are "daisy chained" together.

To do what you want, you're likely going to have to modify some of the wiring. This could include pulling new cable through walls/floors/ceilings. There's no way to know for sure what's involved, without actually seeing how the circuit is wired.


It sounds like they may not have leveled the ac unit and the condensate is dripping into the your vent, if they did level the unit they may have moved the drain and it plugged up.
In my state a roof mounted system requires a drain line to the edge of the roof at a minimum.
Checking the condensate drain would be my first check.


Electrical plug at bathroom sink, can it be located in a cabinet next to bathroom sink?

No, the receptacle within an adjacent cabinet does not satisfy the code requirement.

  210.52(D) - Bathrooms.

  In dwelling units, at least one receptacle outlet shall be installed
  in bathrooms within (3 ft) of the outside edge of each basin. The
  receptacle outlet shall be located on a wall or partition that is
  adjacent to the basin or basin countertop, located on the countertop,
  or installed on the side or face of the basin cabinet. In no case
  shall the receptacle be located more than (12 in.) below the top of
  the basin.

  210.52 - Dwelling Unit Receptacle Outlets

  The receptacles required by this section shall be in addition to any
  receptacle that is:

  (3) Located within cabinets or cupboards


Why does water surge out of the shower head after being turned off?

By surge of water, I'm guessing you mean a quick trickle that would fill a cup and not a hard spray that would let you wash your hair. Like Steven says, the shower head will still have water in it after you shut off the water.

My guess for why you see the surge is that the water is held in the shower head by water tension at each of the nozzles. Eventually that breaks from vibration, water contracting as it cools, or drying out. This allows air to be sucked into the shower head while water drains out the rest of the nozzles.

There's nothing much to fix. But if it bothers you, give it a shake or run your finger over the nozzles to break the surface tension. Another suggestion is to make sure your shower head is mounted at an angle, rather than spraying downwards.


Neutralizing concrete floor after cleaning cream with muriatic acid

I have rinsed with clear water and a large rubber squeegee 3 times. On the inside basements I cleaned I made a u shaped dam slightly wider than my squeegee, I set my shop vac to suck the water as I pushed it in, it really worked better than I thought it would, I used some scrap angle iron but I bet some 2x4 scraps would work.
On the basement I may have rinsed it 4 times.
But on all the garages I spray & squeegee 3 times. This probably depends on the strength you used. I usually use ~15% depending on how bad the floor is. Baking soda will neutralize the acid but still need to rinsed. The reaction actually dose change the ph but not totally, I started using 3 rinse cycles after working with acid processing equipment (3 rinses is what they required).


Coming in the bottom is fine.
You can use either neutral bar, you can see a black insulated bar going behind the main breaker that bonds the two. There is no actual restriction saying which side to use, or actually to use the same side as you mount the breaker. The right side of the panel is so congested that to me there seems no good reason to use the bar on the right.
Generally you can mount the size and type of breaker specified on the panel cover any place not prohibited by the instructions on the panel cover. In this panel there are likely no restrictions for the available spaces.
Do as @Harper instructed and make use of the bottom space to loop extra wire long enough to reach anywhere in the panel.
The length of the stripped conductor is not conclusive evidence that the wire is or isn't fully inserted into the lug, but without looking directly at I can't say you shouldn't be concerned. Unless you have what is sometimes called a Fireman's Disconnect Don't attempt to service this yourself. Call a local electrician. He will know the procedure to work with the utility to temporarily disconnect power.
Also note the 2020 NEC requires 240v receptacles to be GFCI protected in locations that only 120v receptacles previously required protection.

210.8(A) Dwelling Units. All 125-volt through 250-volt receptacles installed in the locations specified in 210.8(A)(1) through (A)(11)
and supplied by single-phase branch circuits rated 150 volts or less
to ground shall have ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for
personnel.


Use Rivets for old corrugated Metal Roof

I know aluminum boat manufactures use rivets with rubber seals. I have not seen rivets used on corrugated roofing. I would convert the leakers to screws with washers that’s how most metal roofs are put on and if the wood is a little compromised at the leaky nail hole a screw will hold better than putting in another nail the seal on the screw makes it dry.


My wall socket is wired to my light switch

Is it something i can fix?

You are probably able to fix this but you are probably not legally entitled to make changes to the wiring without the landlord's permission.

My guess is that he connected a wire to the wrong side of the switch.

In the UK you cannot mix outlets and lights on the same circuit but I don't know if this is permitted in Spain.


How should I stop condensation on my roof that's leaking into my home?

The two main reasons I know of for condensation in an attic are a lack of air circulation from soffit to ridge vent and air leakage from the house typically due to an improperly vented exhaust fan or insufficient vapor barrier between the insulation and top of the ceiling.

I'd focus on the first cause by making sure your soffits are vented and there's a clear path from the soffit up to the ridge vent. Too often dirt and debris block the vents and homeowners force insulation all the way to the roof blocking the air flow. After that is checked, follow the ducts from any bathroom exhaust fans to make sure they vent outside the home. In a best case, they go out the side of the house, well away from the soffit vents, or at least out the roof. But at a minimum they should go out near the soffit (where much of it will get sucked back into the attic) and not left venting into the attic directly. Lastly, check under the insulation to be sure there's either the paper facing of the insulation or a plastic vapor barrier between the insulation and the ceiling below.


Is this an s-trap and can I vent it in the cabinet?

The definition of an s-trap is where:

There's a drop in the pipe downstream of the trap weir (or outlet), and
That drop occurs before the vent connection

You hit both points, so yes, it's an s-trap. However, if it's not vented properly anyway (as your diagram seems to indicate), it's all moot. Such a situation always acts as an s-trap.

The solution is simply to extend your tailpiece, assuming you end up within maximum drop (might be 18").

Whether you can retrofit a local vent depends on your community's code authority. In the U.S. air-admittance valves and other internal vents are no longer legal, generally speaking. You're required to vent through the roof.

In no case can you simply add an open tube, as that would allow sewer gas to escape and defeat the purpose of the trap, and it needs to be the size of the drain pipe anyway or it won't vent adequately.

There are other venting retrofit options and exceptions, but we'd need to know more about your plumbing.


Are there any built in cabinet 'kits' available?

If you are not averse to designing/building the cabinets yourself, it is not a terribly difficult project to execute.  You don't even need a wood shop, only a few select tools.

Seek out a local full service lumberyard or specialty wood shop (not a big box store, a real lumberyard).  If you bring a cut list of panels that you need, they will usually charge only a nominal fee to break down the plywood sheets for you.  This will save you from trying to accurately cut all of the large sheet stock (if you do not have the capacity to do so yourself).

At the lumber yard, you can also purchase dimensional stock to produce the face frames for the cabinets.

At this point, all you should need is a miter saw to break down the wood for the frames, a pocket hole jig for the assembly, and the hardware/hinges/etc.

When it comes to the doors, you have a couple of choices.  You can follow the same kind of pattern above (purchase dimensional stock, buy an entry level router / rail and stile bit / edging bit, have the lumber yard break down the inner panels for you).  Alternatively, you can order unfinished custom cabinet doors online.  All you need is the dimensions for the doors, and then you can just choose the style you want.

Of course, this will take a significant effort to design the cabinets specifically for your space, and it will take some time for you to assemble them and work out all the issues.  It all really depends on your schedule vs. how much you want to spend.  Doing it all yourself will save you money, but will take a good bit longer than hiring the job out or grabbing off-the-shelf cabinets.


Garage Door weather stripping replacement -- single groove

Yeah, I had that type of bottom on one of my other garage doors. The big center slot was meant for a compression fit seal that I couldn't find a replacement for.

I ended up filling that slot with this being modified. I cut the 2 tracks free, stacked them & screwed them into the top of the big slot to then put in the Clopay type single T-end bulb. A pain to setup, but totally worth it for the ease of replacement twice before I moved out of the house.

However, your old seal's design is fine & just needs to be screwed-in to the door's face every 3-feet to be fully secure & still easy to replace. Something like this is what you'd be doing with aluminum or stainless steel screws through the shoulder that wraps up the door.


I have a very similar yard as yours.  I too went through this process my first few years living at the house.  Paid for people to haul leaves away and such.  After a few more years of honing the process it is really simple.

Identify good areas for leaves to end up.  For me it is depressions near the driveway, the street, and right next to the large trees.
Rake leaves out of hard to reach places or rake to the point that it makes doing step 3 easier.
Start away from your target areas.  Mulch your leaves and spit them out towards your target areas.  You will have to inch your way with the lawnmower to the target areas back and forth.  Yes you will leave deposits in your yard but unless you are leaving huge amounts these will only enhance your grassy areas.  (For some parts of the yard you may need to rake leaves to grass or to driveway - yes I mow my driveway!)
Use blower to better disperse clippings.  An example here is 50% of my front yard clippings go to street.  The first 8-10 feet of yard near the street obviously contain more clippings on them.  I use the blower to get them to the street.  Then when in the street I use the blower to disperse the clippings.  On day one I might have a 1 foot mound of clippings near my edge.  After a few days of blowing a little of the clippings at a time... clippings gone, happy neighbors.  The blower breaks apart the clippings piles.

Any plan to not mulch the leaves is futile in my opinion.  My way is raking maybe for 2-3 hours twice a year, lawnmower 5-6 times times an hour, and blower 5-6 times times 20 mins.  I was spending 10x that my first few years trying to move leaves or bag leaves or send them to a compost.  Even putting them on a tarp and burning them took forever.


Is there a tool like a ratchet clamp but for pushing?

The comment is correct but there is an answer.

Measure accurately the length between the pressed in wood support and the opposite wall. Cut a 2X4 to this length Minus half an inch or so. With some paper or such on the wall opposite to protect the paint put the 2X4 against the shelf support and add more wood to shim it into place. Shims are sold as very thin wood wedges and it would take several of those. That might be tough to manage. Once you see the goal as I describe it the solution will be seen within the pieces you have.


What is the recommended way of removing a siliconed in tub jet tube

That would not be silicone caulk. It is PVC glue. You can see the blue primer on part of the fitting. The PVC tubing would have been coated with PVC glue as would the interior of the fitting and the two of them twisted together. The tubing probably goes all the way into the fitting. It's almost impossible to get that apart without damaging it to the extent that you wouldn't be able to reglue it. When I've had repair jobs like that, I have replaced the fitting and added some extra PVC to connect to the PVC tubing.


Does the type of sheet rock behind a glue up tub surround matter?

Although the material may be covered there is still a potential for water or humidity to come in contact with it. A small leak may go unnoticed  until mold or rot are evident. The water resistance is dependent on a seal whether it is chaulk, grout or some other material. Water resistant materials are chosen for their "just in case" or "what if" properties. Think of it in terms of your roofs. Shingles alone may keep the rain out but it is comforting to know that the ice shield or roof felt are backing up the shingles just in case.


How to prepare walls after skim coating?

Damp towel. It picks up the dust, it doesn't really get the wall particularly wet.


Plywood underlayment over plywood subfloor - how to secure

First, I'd counter your plans to orient the second layer perpendicular to the subfloor. Plywood and OSB have a strength axis that should run across the joists. Instead of turning the top layer, simply stagger its joints with respect to those of the subfloor. Start with a ripped half sheet and stagger the butt joint by two joists.

I've never heard the advice you mention about avoiding joists with underlayment fasteners. It's probably not critical to run screws into joists, but there are a couple reasons why you would.

Running through between the joists creates some possibility that you'll hit something underneath that shouldn't have holes in it. Using 1-3/4" screws it's not likely to be a problem, but it is possible.
You may find your screws stripping at the threads before the heads are completely sunk. They should be at or below flush, and that takes quite a bit of pull from the threads.

I wouldn't worry about gapping butt joints with plywood. It's stable enough that it shouldn't be a problem unless you happen to be installing very dry wood in a very humid environment. OSB is usually undersized to allow for swelling, but not plywood.


Ceiling fan capacitor acceptable alternative?

The 250v cap will work on a 120v circuit. Many fans used to come with caps rated for 260v and today they have changed to 250. The higher voltage is needed to account for the peak to peak voltage what we measure is RMS or .707 of peak 1.414 of peak to peak.
So the 250v will be fine.


What kind of bathroom tile is this, and what kind of drill bit does it require?

I still don't know entirely what type of stone this is, but a 1/4" carbide-tipped hammer drill bit went through it with no problem, and no cracking. I didn't end up using a hammer drill, just an impact driver. The main challenge is that the bit wanders at the beginning, but I think that is a general challenge of drilling in tile.


The second set goes to an A/C compressor (or was provisioned for it). You can double up two wires under that C terminal with one of the spare wires.


Is a GFCI allowed to be below a washer water connection?

Well, the GFCI receptacle will protect things plugged into it.  However nothing protects the GFCI receptacle, and if water gets into the junction box behind the GFCI, it can potentially "go around" the GFCI and electrify the walls or a puddle.

The right answer to that is to move the GFCI to a location that feeds this location. This might be another receptacle somewhere, or it might be straight to the circuit breaker itself.  Locate a GFCI there, either as a receptacle at that location, or a GFCI breaker.  Then, place the line to this washer location on the LOAD terminals of that GFCI.  Fit a plain receptacle here.  Now, if water gets into the junction box, that upstream GFCI will trip and protect the wire, receptacle, and everything plugged into it.


Can I build an adjustable slanted table by placing bearings between the legs and the desk?

I would use a hinge on each leg as the attachment, with the hinge facing forward. You want something reasonably tight so it doesn't shake the desk around.

You'll probably have to put a wood block on top of the legs, so that the legs and hinge both have something to attach to.


Try adding a single halogen along with a few LED's, and see if that fixes things. If it does you probably do actually have a dimmer, you just don't know it. Or the power supply doesn't understand the load and keeps switching itself on and off.

And note this:

  CAUTION: Recommended for use with 50-60Hz AC magnetic transformers or regulated DC power supplies/drivers only. Not recommended for use with high-frequency electronic AC transformers, as this usage will either create non-functional lighting, or if functionality occurs initially then internal MR16 LED bulb damage may result in premature product failures. Use of high-frequency transformers will void the warranty.

I suspect this is what is happening to you - the transformer is actually making high frequency A/C mixed inside low frequency A/C. And the LED power supply can not handle it. And/Or the transformer doesn't understand the LED load and keeps switching itself on and off.

This page explains it better. (It's too much text to copy into here.)

Your choices are finding a different LED (the page lists an option), or bighting the bullet and changing the transformer. Or switching to regular 120V power lines.


Marble flooring at my house oscillates when we walk over it.How to rectify or resolve this issue?

There may be several causes for tiles becoming loose. The most popular are:  1). sub-floor not level. An un-even floor won't fully support the tiles. The unsupported area of the tile will slightly flex and overtime will magnify its' motion until it loosens completely.  2). Thin-set not mixed or not properly applied. The cement adhesive needs to be mixed according to the instructions. If there is too much or not enough water the tile will not bond properly. If the thin-set is troweled onto the floor with the wrong sized notched trowel or too thin a layer the tile may not adhere fully.  And 3). the sub-floor must be rigid and secure with no bounce or movement. If it is not prepared correctly by nailing or screwing loose boards down it will flex and transfer that movement through the tile resulting in a failed or loose tile.


I have had trouble cleaning them with everything and had the same problem,  until I found a jar large enough to put the brush in filled to the bristle level with thinner keeping it tightly sealed. (I do clean them prior to putting in the jar).
When I need them take out shake dry and they work like new brushes for months without being used or when I have a project that gets a new coat every day for a week. (I find the higher quality brushes provide the best coverage so I hate to toss them with just 1 use)


In a switched outlet, the following is correct:

Switch on = normal (2 yellow lights)
Switch off = "open hot" (no lights at all)

The yellow light that comes on for "open ground" indicates whether an appliance will have power in that outlet.  As you might guess, it is connected between hot and neutral.

The other yellow light is connected between hot and ground.  It'll light if ground is good, but it'll also light in a number of nasty failure situations - Check out this link.

The red light is hooked between neutral and ground.  It should not light because there should be very low voltage (not zero) between neutral and ground.

For outlet 1, the "appliance power present" light is always on. That says the switch doesn't work.  It doesn't turn off power when you turn it off.  It does seem to interrupt ground -- what the heck???  Can the switch be switching the ground?  That's a very, very weird situation and I suspect you have a problem that exceeds the ability of the outlet tester.  It's possible someone didn't want that outlet to be switched, and rearranged wires until it wasn't.  Put it back.  Or at least put the grounds right.

For outlet 2, it sounds like normal behavior if the ground is not connected.

I think it's time to shut off the breaker and pull the receptacles and switches out and have a looksy.  If that isn't comfortable to you, then hit a library's home electrical repair section and school up.


How to cover seams on a board & batten interior wall when calculations won't add up?

Rip down the 4 x 8 sheets into a width that will cover the length without a noticeable difference in batten spacing. 16 inch width works well with no waste on a sheet. While the finished look is a matter of preference, the smaller sections do have good look and disguise minor differences in panel sizes. MDF is my go to for the panels if you are painting the wall.


What does it mean when my fridge sounds like a machine gun?

There may be an accumulation of dust and debris behind the unit and near the compressor. Also the bolts or fasteners that hold it all together there may need a little tightening- give it a good cleaning and look for accumulated dust on the fan and fan blades.


Thorough removal of uncured silicone sealant

I think the products sold as silicone removers will work fine, but I think mineral spirits work too.  I'd use an abrasive pad like a Scotch-Brite and maybe a toothbrush-sized wire brush.


What is the proper way to run wires along/across basement ceiling joists?

I realize this is an old question, however I just wanted to mention something... Tester101 indicated not to drill too many holes within the joist, as it could weaken it and cause structural damage.  I thought I should clarify something... The principal force that is applied to a floor joist is moment.  With that, you get tensile along the bottom edge, and compression along the top edge.  The other force would be shear, however moment is your main one.  Being that it is primarily a moment force, the relative force implied to the joist would zero-out the closer you are to the centre (width).  In other words, the centre (width) of the joist is your pivot point.  That being said, as long as you drill in the centre, or as close to the centre as possible, you won't significantly reduce the joist's load-bearing capacity.  (Just think of a truss joist, or an I-joist... that will give you an idea of how little the force is in the centre).  So for a 2x10 joist, you would drill about 4.25" from the bottom or top, as that should be smack in the centre.  The amount of holes doesn't matter, as long as you don't touch the edges.  Of course, this is within reason, if you drill out 90% of the entire centre you would leave very little shear resistance.  Coincidentally, this is also why an I-beam is shaped that way.  There's relatively little load in the centre (the thin part), whereas most of the loading is tension along the bottom and compression along the top.  I should also note that if the joist is cantilevered, than the whole thing reverses on the cantilevered section (compress along bottom, tension along top).

As a structural engineer, I can tell you that the worst thing you can do is "notch" the joist.  By that I mean cutting out a section of the bottom or top edge of the joist.  If you cut out a section of the bottom edge, which becomes under tension when a moment is applied, the joist would be significantly weakened.  Similarly, if you cut out a section of the top edge, which would be under compression when a moment is applied, the joist would be significantly weakened.

Sorry for the long answer... it's a slow day.  But hopefully this knowledge comes to good use for someone.


Would diagonally bracing studs on either side of a load bearing stud be safe to remove the load bearing stud?

No. Or yes. It depends on your risk tolerance.
Because the load applies vertically (gravity goes down) there would be both bending and sliding forces at play. Unless you accommodate that with appropriately stiff boards and adequate anchoring it's asking for trouble.
Instead, a conventional header is needed. Trimmer/jack studs along the remaining studs and a properly sized header between is the only good answer. It's also possible that you could use a "flush beam", which is basically a header integrated with the floor system so that it doesn't interfere with a full-height opening in the wall.
Maybe describe your project as a whole instead of asking such a specific question.


Laying plywood over floorboards for a vinyl floor

Underlayment for vinyl flooring isn't screwed down, as this would require that every screw be skimmed with patch material to create a flat surface. Ordinarily, narrow-crown (1/4") staples are used to prevent the need for skimming. Underlayment must be fastened on a 6-8" grid to prevent movement.

No expansion gaps should be left. In fact, any gaps that aren't tight must be skimmed to fill and smooth them. Vinyl flooring does not span gaps without showing them through.

Normally vinyl is installed, then base trim or base shoe is installed over the edges. It's caulked against the bathtub. Rarely have I sought to "waterproof" the perimeter of a room's floor. If you have that much water sloshing around on the floor, a lifestyle change is probably in order.


What could be causing the copper green smells in my house when the furnace turns on?

If by Copper-Green you mean any of the copper-naphthalene wood preservatives out there used to prevent wood rot, and it was applied to the studding, etc. that supports this fireplace shell:

These products are not to be used within living spaces or in construction where the fumes will be pulled into the living space.

Apply caulking to seal up the air gaps that allow air to get in from the external structure.

If any of it is inside the living space, it will need to be ripped out.

If no Copper Naphthalene products were used for wood preservation and rather it's the acrid creosote smell of air being drawn down the chimney despite the damper being closed, then you've got another problem altogether. Your secondary air intake for your furnace is plugged or you are missing one and the negative pressure in the living space is drawing air from wherever it can find ventilation.

Note: Hardi-Plank as produced by James Hardie is a cement board product that needs no preservatives to prevent rot.


Can the sum of the individual breakers greatly exceed the main?

There's no problem.  The Electrician may have been worried about the inspector failing the work after doing load calculations, but it doesn't sound like he did one.

As long as the installation is proper, there should be no problems.  You might trip the main if you run too much at the same time, but you're already aware of that limitation.


Light bulb suddenly only turns on for a moment, tried multiple bulbs

The symptoms fit a loose connection in your wiring somewhere. You NEED to call an electrician before something catches on fire.


You'll need to pull a 10/3 from the panel to your new dryer receptacle location

The old way of wiring dryers (NEMA 10-30 with the dryer's chassis grounded using the neutral) was a terrible kludge, and rather unsafe at that since a fault in the dryer circuit neutral will render the dryer's chassis live, right next to the most-likely-grounded washing machine.

Since you're putting in a new receptacle in a new location, you'll need to do it right and pull a 10/3 W/G cable from the breaker box to the new dryer location -- neutral to neutral bar, ground to ground bar or combination bar if they are combined in a main panel, and the two hots to the existing 30A breaker, with the breaker turned off for all this of course.  At the new receptacle location, a NEMA 14-30R will need to be fitted -- black and red to hots, white to neutral, and green or bare to ground.

Don't forget to change the dryer over to a 4-wire (NEMA 14-30P) cord and pull the dryer's bonding jumper while you're at it!  You'll also need to use a torque screwdriver to tighten the breaker and panel lugs to the manufacturer-specified torque value (printed on the labeling for the breaker and panel) -- this is required by 2017 NEC 110.14(D).


Where Should the Sub Panel Go? What Size Wire?

Put the subpanel closest to where the branch circuits exit

I would put the subpanel as close to where the branch circuits exit the house as possible.  This prevents routing and spacing/derating issues with a "bundle" or "trunk" of branch circuit wires from biting you in the butt when you go to hook the branch circuits up to the subpanel.

I'd use 4AWG aluminum for the feeder between the two panels

The folks who say 6AWG is sufficient for 50A are correct, as 6AWG copper wire can handle 55A when limited to a 75°C maximum temperature, which is the general limit for wires connected solely to distribution equipment.  However, at 60A, you are at the threshold where aluminum wires become a cost-effective choice.  As a result, I would use 4AWG aluminum THWN or XHHW-2 in the conduit for the hots and neutral, along with an 8AWG bare copper ground wire.

Your choice of conduit is fine

While 2" conduit may sound like overkill, it's a good choice here as oversizing the conduit both makes the pull easier and provides plenty of space for future expansion.  One could use EMT instead of PVC if they wished to not have a ground wire in the conduit, but that's up to you, really.  One note with PVC, though, is if this garage is not a conditioned space, then you'll need to use expansion joints in the run to keep it from doing the worm on you!

Either way, you will want to provide ample pull points to avoid needing to ask your electrician to swoop in with his truck full of pulling tools and bail you out.  While the inside bends from wall to ceiling will need to be made using prefabricated sweeps, any 90° bends in the ceiling-supported run should be made using LL or LR conduit bodies instead.

Given your outside wiring scheme, I would go "trunk and branches" here

Given the diagram you gave for your outside wiring scheme, I would run conduit (1" Schedule 80 PVC will do for this) for the main outdoor runs.  In particular, the run from the panel to the first receptacle and from that receptacle to the deck/firepit lights should be done this way, with the pool wiring run as a separate conduit homerun from the panel to provide room for future upgrades to the pool setup.

In the homerun from the panel to the first receptacle box, then, we have:

a 14AWG THWN hot/neutral for the batting cage lights
a 12AWG THWN hot/neutral for the receptacles
a 14AWG THWN multiwire (hot/hot/neutral) branch circuit for the remaining lights
and a 12AWG bare or green THWN ground wire

This conduit gets stubbed up to the first receptacle box, a 2-gang FSS box that has an extra 1/2" nominal (7/8" actual) knockout field-made in its bottom (with a step drill or hole saw) in addition to having 1" hubs molded into the box.  The 1/2" knockout gets used for a 1/2" PVC conduit sleeve (with appropriate fitting) that protects a 14/2 UF cable going down into the ground for the batting cage lights, while the other 1" hub is used for the conduit onward to the deck/fire pit lights.  In this conduit, we have the 12AWG for the receptacle branch circuit, the 14AWG multiwire branch circuit for the deck and fire pit lights, and a 12AWG ground wire.

When we reach the deck/fire pit light switch location, we stub up into a 2 gang FSCC box with 1" factory hubs.  This box houses the light switches, or if you prefer, just splices with the light switches in a 2 gang FSC box mounted further up on the structure.  From the light switch box, we then head up to the light fixtures in more conduit; if you need to, you can split neutral in half at the switch box and have two neutrals in the conduit from the switch box to the lights, even.

The other stub-down, then, can either be a 1/2" conduit to the ground with a reducer at the box if you are running a 12/2 UF to the other receptacle location, or 12AWG THHN in conduit (either 1/2" or 1", your pick) for the entire run to the other receptacle if you prefer.

TORQUE ALL LUGS TO SPEC

One other note is that when you are installing panels these days, 2017 NEC 110.14(D) requires that you use a torque tool (torque wrench or screwdriver, reading in inch-pounds in practice) to tighten all lugs on devices labeled with torque specifications to that labeled torque.  Even if your jurisdiction has not adopted the 2017 NEC yet, it's a good idea to do this anyway, lest your electrical system loses you the race.


Flexible duct behind dryer looks a little sketchy

That looks like standard flexible dryer duct to me. Pull your dryer out and it will probably be connected to the back of the dryer. I would look as there is probably a pipe connection that this flex duct fell off of. I don't think the pipe is a standard flex duct used for HVAC that has an inner and outer flex chamber with insulation in the middle.
Look close at the bottom left the connection point to the vent may be right there. Connecting the pipe will help the problems you are experianceing when the dryer is running.


Is there a way to cover a hole for cables that does not require a wall box?

These work nice. I use them often.

http://www.mycablemart.com/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=850

You can use them with these:

http://www.mycablemart.com/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&relate=1&p=885


Since the garage is not within the conditioned envelope, then no

The key to understanding a "vapor barrier" (really, an air barrier) is to understand that it is part of the system that separates "inside" aka conditioned space from "outside" aka unconditioned/outdoor space.  So, your air barrier needs to go with the other barrier layers, in particular your thermal barrier (insulation).

From this, we can determine that since your garage is unconditioned space, the air barrier should sit on the ceiling along with the insulation there, instead of being on the wall behind the panel, divorced from the insulation and letting unconditioned air get through the insulation as a result.


Can I have confidence in copper sweat joints that were repaired without disassembly?

The best long term way to repair a leak is to remove the fitting and stuff some white bread with no crust into the pipe ends to keep the moisture away from the fitting. The reason most folks disassemble is to dry the line (the white bread in my case). If moisture was in the joint you may have sealed it up but there may be a bubble that is a weak point.

In one of my own houses I totally missed one elbow. I had the water on for over 24 hours until it blew apart. It held that long without dripping by just flux. So a possible bad joint may hold for a few years before leaking if it ever will is a guess but I would want to make sure there is a good seal before closing up the walls., edit: I thought I should explain better on the white bread if there is any moisture in the pipe the steam can cause a weak joint, I stuff the pipe on both side with white bread, after soldering I remove the airator on the closest faucet and run the water until the dissolved bread has been flushed out then cycle the valve a few times to make sure everything is out of the line after this is done put the airator back on.


How to improve sound isolation of an interior door?

A sound blanket on the laundy side would be simple.  See my answer here

Drilling and foaming the door with low expansion, door and window polyurethane foam.  The trick will be figuring out where the cardboard internal baffles go.  I would fill a horizontal row of 3 holes equally spaced, every foot.  Allow some time between fillings to let foam setup. (but not so long for the nozzle to clog (10 min?)


How to deal with baseboard heating causing problems with a headboard?

Attach some spacer blocks to the backside of the headboard or the wall  that match the thickness or distance from the headboard  to the wall.  You could use raw wood or wood covered with a matching fabric,  you could build a nook or shelf space to fill that space for storage.  You could reinforce the headboard to the bed frame  with beefy hardware and or gusset braces  so that it will withstand the flexing.


How do I clean a kitchen sink spray hose?

I would just replace the hose.  You would probably have to take it apart to clean it anyway.  I found replacement hoses for around $4.  The directions seem fairly straightforward.


Is my hot water circulation pump plumbed correctly?

To awnser your first question I would advise checking your local plumbing and electrical code before relocating the switch as it may be required to be within sight of the pump (this is so a service tech can easily see that the powers is off and no one has turned it on when they weren't looking) Instead you could add another switch in series and locate that beside the heater.

Isolation valves are always a good idea (as you said for future service work)

Instead of getting a pump with a thermostat built into it you could buy a clip-on aquastat and mount that on the copper piping in the kitchen and run a cable back to the pump as it may be cheaper. And then there will be no need for a timer.

For your second question there should (hopefully) already be a check valve after the pump but before the tee fitting

This is to prevent the cold water going back through the pump (one this will make your hot water cold as you said and two it can spin the impeller backwards and damage the motor). If there is one it might be worn down and have failed in which case you will need to replace it. If there isn't one then you might want to add one.


Correct way to orient laminate flooring planks?

"Running down the long axis of the hallway" is just a specific case of "running along the long axis of the room".  I think this is very important, especially in a hallway.

In your case, I would do both.  Lay the living room and dining room planks north-south, along the long axis, in one continuous piece.  Then, put in a transition at the hallway and run the hallway boards east-west.  Even though the transition isn't ideal, I think it will be much better than having either the front rooms or the hall seeming "compressed".

Then, at the bedrooms, you could revert back to the living/dining room orientation.  This would have the effect of the hallway being "different", pulling all the similar rooms together.

In fact, if you're feeling inspired, you may even choose to use a different wood color for the hallway.  Your mileage may vary :)

One thing to be aware of is that a house usually isn't square.  If you have any features with parallel lines, such a tile hearth, make sure that these areas are lined up precisely with the laminate planks.  The eye will easily pick out any problems there.  On the other hand, you won't even notice if you have to taper by an inch or so over the length of a room.


Does a GFCI receptacle provide overcurrent protection?

A ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) uses a current transformer (CT) (or similar device), to detect slight current imbalances between the ungrounded (hot) and grounded (neutral) conductors that pass through it.

On its own, a GFCI does not offer any purposeful type of overcurrent, nor overload protection.

This blog entry explains a bit about how a GFCI works, if you're interested in a bit more reading.


Water leaking from sprinkler system (by house) after opening up this spring

That part is probably an anti-siphon valve, required by code for sprinkler systems. These have a one way valve which prevents back flow of water in the sprinkler piping from flowing back into the house in case of a pressure reduction in the house. Turn off the water to the sprinkler system and open up the unit and examine it.

Simple cleaning of the seal may restore functionality, but you can get rebuild kits for these anti-siphon/back-flow valves. I think it has a replaceable seal which may deteriorate.


Why are the lights in my 60 year old house flickering?

Our house is old..1846 old. We had this issue in our home as well. All breakers were good, nothing was shorting out, tripping breakers, etc.
First thing I did was call the power company. Turns out the service line connecting to our house was loose. They tightened it up free of charge and the problem stopped.
This can happen over time, after a storm with lots of wind, from a branch falling and catching it some, etc.
I'd have the power company check the service line and if it's all fine and good, then I'd call and electrician.


Will this non Contact voltage detector be adequate for my use case?

A Non Contact Voltage Detector doesn't replace the need for a Voltmeter but it is an item I keep in my pocket as a quick verification of AC Power.  If I cut the power, I'll do a quick test before I go into a wall box to make sure it is cut.  If it indicates power when I don't expect it, I will use the volt meter at time to see what it is.

I do get a number of false reads with the device, so if your life depends on it use a volt meter instead.  Also this is a safety tool, real cheap doesn't really sit well with me.  I'll rather spend $15 dollars at a hardware store for this from a known brand than get an unknown brand/quality.


Shock when Installing Fluorescent Bulb 50VAC between frame and GLASS of Lamp - New Ballast Installed

After scratching my head - I decided to pull the tombstones out and inspect the wiring to make sure there was no sneaky connections and also nothing out of the ordinary. The older ballasts (original diagram are Magnetic Ballasts with PCB) the new ballast are electronic. I contacted the manufacturer and they suggested to verify my grounds for the ballast assembly. Since I had several that were fine and all inline - I verified ground from good unit to ground on unit that I was shocked with. Grounds were good.

So upon pulling the tombstones out and checking the wiring - I tugged on each of the wires, one of the wires just slid out of the connection. While it was inserted in the tombstone connection just fine; it just kind of slid out as if the spring clamp had not locked it in. I removed the wire and installed a new wire into the tombstone making sure it clamped down on the wire.
After I had done this there was no longer an issue. I assume the wire was close enough to conduct but far enough away to cause the issue.

I do not understand that engineering wise - but maybe it has something to do with RF, High Voltage and an Air gap.


Of the two lower screws on the tan panel one is already connected to your thermostat, the other one is he C terminal.  (probably the left one is C)

in a typical extra-low voltage thermostat system a transformer provides 24V AC , one terminal goes to the thermostat and the other terminal (called common or "C" ) goes to the relays and solenoids that control control the equipment,  that shiny thing looks like a 24V doorbell transformer and the tan panel is mounted over the output terminals, so the terminal with most wires is almost certainly "C"


That's what happens when you use a 3-prong cord on a dryer or range!

3-prong cords are bad.  This is why.

The 3-prong plug is a throwback to the days when nothing was grounded. The dryer uses 240V for most things, and also uses 120V for the timer mechanism, motor or display, which is why it needs neutral.

When the NFPA started requiring grounds, the appliance industry pushed back. They were afraid they would lose appliance sales into millions of homes that only have 3-wire (NEMA 10) receptacles, because homeowners would not want to retrofit.  So they haggled with the NFPA to allow them to use neutral as ground, which would be bootlegging anywhere else.   Their logic was the plug is rarely disturbed and unlikely to fail.

Clearly that is not the case.

There's some sort of problem with the neutral wire somewhere, and it's not returning properly and is flowing current from a hot to a 120V device to neutral/ground to chassis to you to the washer.  The problem is probably in a wire termination.   You could fix it, but then you'd just be betting your life on the neutral wire again.   That's not exaggeration, this problem kills.

I recommend you retrofit a ground wire, and convert the receptacle to 4-wire, grounded NEMA 14.   The dryer is new enough that it's designed to be wired for either a 3-wire or 4-wire connection.  If you do the latter, it will be properly grounded and unable to shock you.  Just get a NEMA 14 cord and rejumper the dryer per its instructions.


It would be best to wait for a couple of dry, sunny days before applying exterior sealant, but if you fear that rain will enter through the window edges it may be necessary to execute an emergency repair. If you have a 2-3 hour window of no rain in the forecast start the repair by removing only the sealant on the window edges that show the easiest routes into the house (lower horizontal edges?). The sealer will remove easier if you slice both edges with a razor knife. Coax the sealer off with a putty knife. Once removed apply (in order of best at sealing): 1) 100% silicone caulking, 2) window putty or glazing and 3) latex caulking. Use a caulk gun for all 3 suggestions. 100% silicone is hard to shape but seals the best. #2 and #3 are the easiest to work with; they seal sufficiently, but need at least 4-6 hours to become rain repellent (a hair dryer will shorten dry time).


What could be causing my condensation dryer to have standing water under the heating exchanger?

Condenser dryers generate water, just like an air conditioner does. If water is leaking out, then either the water collection tank is full and overflowing, or the drain is clogged and overflowing.


As I see it, this can be one of a few things.

Leaky flapper, which has already been suggested
Pull chain is too tight allowing water to seep under the flapper
pull chain too slack and can get caught under the flapper.
Water level too high allow water to drop into the overflow

I'd replace both the ball cock and flapper, it'll run you about 15 bucks if you do it yourself. It's very easy.


How should I add a rail on a carpeted stairway that's open on one side?

You'll have to cut the carpet to attach the railing properly. Go grab the latest newstand issue of Fine Homebuilding. They have a full article on it:

(Not affiliated with the magazine in any-way other than I am a fan and find it to be the best construction magazine out there)

Also, heads up that this will likely be caught on an inspection and/or appraisal. The current homeowners may be required to do this to even get a mortgage approved.


How can I choose the best lag screw / lag bolt?

The bigger question is how many vertical supports and how long are they?  1/4" lags 2” into the 2x4 has 510lb pull out strength (255lb/inch) put 2 or 3 in each piece of strut and each one can handle hundreds of pounds.
5/16” lags 266lb/inch; 3/8"lags 305lbs/inch.  You don’t need a very big lag bolt when using multiples. My examples have a small safety factor added in and these won’t degrade the strength of the 2x4. I usually drill pilot holes,
But not all brands of screws need pilot holes. The depth into the wood is the threaded part that provides the pull out strength over ½" sheetrock I would make sure to have at least ¾" -1” smooth shank that provides the sheer strength as the weak point is the start of the threads.


I would start by adding more stones to that sand only area. This will create even pressure across all of the stones when you drive over them. Those stones really should be set in concrete.


Is this electrical junction in my attic up to code or reasonable?

The junction is not to code because it would need to be made in a box. The wire is wrapped for a mechanical connection but I was taught 7 turns for a tap with old knob and tube, and without even counting we can see the insulation is burned. this happens when there is a poor connection.

The best option would be to purchase two construction boxes boxes and blank covers and a couple of feet of the same gauge wire. And 6 wire nuts and last some electrical staples 5 will be needed (the wire looks like 14 gauge). If you cannot read the size get 12 gauge. Or take a chunk to the store to match the size--bigger is ok.

With the power off, cut the cloth braid wire to the right of the splice in the photo route the cable into the box. You need 6” of wire and the covering needs to enter the box--1/4” beyond the clamp staple that cable to the wood you mounted the box on.
Run your new piece of wire into the box same thing 6” minimum and the covering needs to extend 1/4” inside minimum staple that wire.
Mount your second box to the left where the two original cables can enter with 6” just like the others. Staple each wire separately unless you got staples rated for two cables.
Bring the new wire to the second box and staple within 8” (note on boxes that do not have screw clamps or clamps that lock the wire in place, 8” from the box is code; if the clamps hold the wire from moving the staple can be 12” from the box).
Strip the wires and use wire nuts to combine the 2 whites, 2 blacks and the 2 grounds. Twist the wire nuts until the wire has 2 twists. Do the same for the 3 wires in the other box install the blank covers and you are done.

This really should be done right away. (Is that burned spot on the wood from the bad splice on the white wire?)  You don’t want a fire and this would be the least expensive way to make a proper repair.


How do I cap a T junction on a roof ridge?

The lower roof shingles are capped by upper roof.


Is a vapor barrier necessary beneath blown in cellulose insulation in a garage ceiling in a cold climate?

It depends on how much ventilation you've got in your attic.

This article provides the most useful and thorough information source that I've managed to find.

For what it's worth, my attic above the garage has the blown in insulation resting on the sheetrock, but then again, I live in Alabama.


Can oscillating "multi-tools" sand vertical surfaces?

If you're talking about tools like this, then you can use them vertically.

The manual for the tool I linked to doesn't have any mention of the words horizontal, vertical, level, flat or upright, so if they don't warn you not to, you can assume it's OK to do it.

One thing to note is that to sand a vertical surface, you're going to have to hold the tool more tightly than you would if you were working on a horizontal surface.  This will cause more vibration to be transferred to your hand and wrists, which will tire them out more quickly.  If you're doing a large area, this can cause repetitive strain injury; when I sanded some window frames a while back, it took a couple of days afterwards for my wrist to feel OK again.


Why am I getting arcing on my neutral bus in a sub-panel?

Loose lug nuts can lose you a race.  Loose neutral lugs can lose you your house

The arcing and failing branch circuit neutral connections in the subpanel are likely doing so because they're loose (i.e. insufficiently torqued).  Retightening them isn't enough though -- you will need to get a torque screwdriver in, turn the subpanel off, undo all the neutral screws, cut the burnt ends off the wires and restrip them, then reinstall and torque the neutral lugs to specification with the torque screwdriver.


Water pump that can shut down if no water from supplier

The HC6000 can turn on an outlet at a certain water level and turn off the outlet at a certain water level.  Attach an AC pump and this is an example of a pump that can turn off when the water level is too low.

https://www.amazon.com/HC6000-Hi-Lo-Controller-Float-Switch/dp/B006AU4L4U/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=hc6000&qid=1554961547&s=gateway&sr=8-1


How to fix a vanity mold built up as a result of valve leak?

If the particle board is stable I would suggest spraying the affected areas down with hydrogen peroxide.
The hydrogen peroxide will kill mold and not smell as bad as using bleach. (Bleach will also kill the Mold but may cause more damage than peroxide.)
After you are sure the mold is gone if the wood is stable it should be ok. Left untreated this could cause a health risk.


using hollow wall anchor in double plasterboard

If the first one is already set in place I would probably leave it alone, especially if the additional anchors will be sharing the load.

I would not continue using additional anchors of the same type, they are not designed for that wall thickness. You should procure some appropriate anchors, such as toggle bolts or long molly anchors:


Ideas to install stand-alone light on ceiling without nails or screws

You can use Pattex Double Sided Sticky Pads, it is strong enough to hold up to 4 lbs.
I used it also in bathroom, it works great.


GE THQL1120GF Equivalent replacement breaker

You're looking at the right thing, either way
The THQL1120GF was replaced with the THQL1120GFT when the UL 943 mandate for automatic self-testing in GFCIs went in; the P suffix is likely simply for blister (retail) packaging vs a breaker sold loose, as you'd get at an electrical supply house.


Can I swap out cinch clamps on a piece of PEX pipe?

There is a tool made just to remove cinch clamps from PEX. After removing inspect the pipe for cuts and nicks if there is none you should be ok. If the pipe is damaged you could try cutting the pipe back some install a coupling and replace the bad end


If things gurgle when the toilet is flushed, it sounds like it is improperly vented. Or NOT vented or "closed".

To repair it, you need to have venting added in the right places to allow air pressure equalization.

Hire a reputable plumbing contractor if you need it repaired or learn a whole lot about plumbing.

Good Luck!


Can I have a wand installed in tub in addition to a 3-hole faucet?

In order to have an integrated wand attachment you have to have an integrated wand setup if you only have three holes there are options available. If you're set on the fixture that you found it may provide much trouble to add a wand attachment. Try looking up the part number for the one that you have and see if there's an attachment available for it. Retrofitting a third-party wand attachment depends highly on the configuration of the faucet that you have in mind.

Here's an example of a 3 hole setup

from The Home Depot


Adding a switch to control a basement light

The switch you plan to add will work fine without a ground.  Do make sure there wasn't one tucked away in the lighting box, or trimmed back.  It is very rare not to have a ground in every cable unless it's a very old house.

If you want to comply with the strictest codes start by ripping out the existing light circuit, then run an all new circuit to the switch first, then to the light.

The conduit is not necessary to run down the wall if it's stapled properly to the inside of the stud cavity.

As for the outlet, you should branch it off of something grounded, or go to the effort of running a new circuit, so that you can have gfci in an unfinished basement space.

Or if it's something you won't use often, or doesn't have a grounding pin, consider those adapters that give you two ungrounded outlets and a light socket from one light socket, and an ungrounded extension cord.  Iirc, there are ones that have pull chains for the light too.


One thing to check: measure the return and supply air temperature inside the ducts. A rule of thumb is a temperature difference of no more than 20 degrees. If it is more than 20 degrees the air delivery is too low ( you need more air flow ). Yes, the trunk lines and all the supply duct work in the unconditioned space should be insulated since you cannot control the humidity in that space. Adding insulation to the trunk ducts will do very little to change the efficiency of the overall system. Since You have a single return grill which you said you had in one of your answers, then all return air from rooms with doors will be from the space at the bottom of the door. If that gap is too small air delivery will be reduced. Think of each room with a door as being a balloon; you can only put in a certain amount of air. I would insulate the duct work and use insulation designed for that purpose available at some Home Depot, lowes or hardware stores and measure the temperature difference in the ductwork.


You can simply pigtail them in the panel - splice those two wires to a short third wire (pigtail) of the same gauge and type, and land the other end of the short wire on the breaker.

Wire nuts are most commonly used for splices, but they do take some skill to use successfully.  Push in wire connectors are also commonly available, and are much easier to get right on your first attempt.  In either case, you must be very careful to select connectors compatible with your wiring.  In particular, be very careful if there's any aluminum wiring involved.

There is a persistent myth that the NEC prohibits splices in panels, but there's really no such rule.


How to safely and neatly demo a block wall?

This may be a bit overkill, but put a netting on her side of the wall, then climbing on a ladder/scaffolding (which may well be entirely on your property) start hitting the wall from her side through the netting, starting at the top of the wall. The pieces should fall entirely on your property that way. Depending on the netting, you might still get some dust on her property though.

For the dust part, you could offer to temporarily install a dust sheet over her plants. Also, you could probably use/rent a (powered) demo hammer, although using it (from the top) at slight angle from her side may be a little tricky, unlike swinging a sledge hammer. If she gives you access to her property for the scaffolding as well, then using a demo hammer would probably be best. You might be able to regularly demo just from your side using the demo hammer horizontally, but it will take a strong netting to contain all the stuff if you're pushing it into the netting on purpose all the time.

You may be able to do that last bit (demo from your side with a demo hammer) as shown in this vid by just loosening the mortar holding the bricks/blocks together, but it depends on the mortar (strength) and it takes a bit of experience/finesse.


Can i use larger/smaller circular saw blades on my circular / plunge / table / miter saw?

Especially within the same size class of saws (eg. 8.5", 10", 12") you will find that machines sometimes have blades which differ in size up to 5 mm / 1/5" (12": 300–305 mm, 10": 250–254 mm). For the less common sizes the size difference might be even more obscure: consider Mafell’s MT55 requirement for 162 mm blades, which is slightly smaller than 6-1/2" (165 mm).

Disclaimer: To avoid injury you should always only use circular saw blades recommended by the the manufacturer for the model of circular saw you are using. The following answers are from my personal experience with working with many different saws on a daily basis. Follow the advice on your own risk and use common sense when doing so.

Can I use larger blades?

Short answer: No.

Long answer: You should only ever use larger circular saw blades, when the difference is fairly negligible (1 mm / 1/16").

The reason for that is that for safety reasons most saws are built to tight tolerances. The tolerances accommodate slight differences in size due to production tolerances or design differences for the same diameter saw blade. Especially with newer models these tolerances are fairly small. Using a larger blade risks damage to the tool and danger of injury from resulting debris.

Blade geometry: Make sure the blade you want to use is built with a geometry intended for the type and model of saw you want to use it on. The angle of the teeth is usually significantly different on miter saws where you can clamp down the material to be cut. Also make sure that the kerf,  blade width and max RPM speeds are compatible.

Asserted force: The more powerful your circular saw is and the larger your blade diameter becomes, the more your circular saw’s motor has to work to apply the same torque to to the teeth of your circular saw blade. This can lead to increased stress on the motor and the motor burning out prematurely.

Example: A 216 mm / 8-1/2" circular saw blade will not fit on a Festool TS-75 (210302.4 mm, or 8-1/4"). Even though you adjust the riving knife, the larger diameter of the blade will not clear the blade housing.

Can I use smaller blades?

Short answer: Within reason, you can.

Long answer: For safety reasons the blade gap should not be larger than 1/8" (3 mm). If you do not care about workplace safety, you can use smaller circular saw blades in most cases.

Blade geometry: Make sure the blade you want to use is built with a geometry intended for the type and model of saw you want to use it on. The angle of the teeth is usually significantly different on miter saws where you can clamp down the material to be cut. Also make sure that the kerf,  blade width and max RPM speeds are compatible.

Asserted force: The more powerful your circular saw is and the smaller your blade diameter becomes, the more force (torque) is applied to the teeth of your circular saw blade. Depending on blade geometry (teeth geometry, material, kerf) this can be an issue when the used blade is significantly smaller.

Cutting depth: Depending on the type of saw you need to adjust for the reduced cutting depth.

Miter saws: The nature of the technical construction of miter saws limits the reduction in size. Any further reduction will prevent you from making cuts. On miter saws the reduced diameter will also result in accelerated blade wear (as you cannot adjust for the reduced cutting depth).

Dado blades for table saws: The only case where it might make sense to use a significantly smaller blade on purpose, is when you install a dado blade set on a low powered table saw. See Can I use an 8" dado blade set in a 10" table saw?

Example: It is safe to use a 160 mm blade on a Mafell MT55. In fact Mafell offers both 162 mm and 160 mm blades for the MT55.

Can I use blades with a different kerf / blade width?

Short answer: No.

Long answer: Within reason you can.

Kerf: From my experience if the difference in kerf is reasonably small (max. 0.2 mm, or 1/120") it should work out just fine.

Different blade width: Depending on the mechanism for mounting the blade to the hub you can use different blade widths. Refer to your owner’s manual to determine which blade width is okay to use. Using out of spec blade width can lead to wobble, increased wear, and damage to the motor, hub and blade housing.

Example: I am using a circular saw blade with 2.8 mm kerf / 1.8 blade width on a Festool TS-75 without issues. The owner’s manual states a blade width of up to 1.8 mm and a kerf of 2.4–2.6 mm. Festool officially sells blades with a kerf of 2.2–2.6 mm for the TS-75.


You still may have a vapor lock.  'Bleeding" alone may not be enough.  You need to find someone who specializes in circulating hot water heat.  This system is far more complicated than forced air.  If there is air in those lines, water won't circulate.


Any imperfections in the wall will be easily visible through the drywall. It will form waves that conform to the surface behind it. When laying out walls in a new build, we make sure every stud has the bow or cup facing the same direction to minimize this. And any stud that is too badly twisted is re-purposed (usually for shorter cripples under windows).

I would recommend taking a long flat surface (either a straight board or a level) and making sure all the walls are flat, both vertically and horizontally. They can be out of level by a bit, but flat is important. If this reveals lots of bulges or cups in the wall, flatten it while it's exposed.

If you find it's not flat and pull the lath, you may still find the studs are not flat. For any studs that have a significant cup in, you can sister a second stud beside it to give a good nailing surface, just be sure it's not on a seam between two sheets of drywall. And if any studs have a significant bow out, you can plane them down slightly (though if you have to remove more than a half inch, I'd sister another stud for structure).

One other consideration, junction boxes for outlets and switches are standardized for installing on studs with drywall, so you'll have an easier time replacing them at the 1/2" depth if you're down to the studs.


Adding an EV Charging Station to an AC Circuit

Nope. EVSE's need to be on a dedicated circuit.  That's a Code requirement.

The amps of the service don't decide how many spaces are in the panel. "spaces" and "amps" are totally different numbers, you can have 12-space 200A or 42-space 100A. It sounds like you need to add a subpanel somewhere convenient.  I recommend counting the spaces (not circuits) you now have, subtract that from 50, and get a subpanel with about that many spaces.


How can I extract broken off shutter-lok fasteners from brick?

The best solution I have found so far is to take a long wood screw, drill it into the plastic fastener that is stuck in the wall, then take a hammer and pry it back out - hopefully with most of the plastic fastener still attached.  It isn't great, but the best I can do until I find a better method.


Go ahead

The terminal blocks on HVAC control boards can generally handle two wires per terminal, so landing the C wire to your thermostat on the furnace board's C terminal directly is fine.


How do I stick a plastic clock hand to a metal spindle?

Put a nice big glob of hot glue (glue gun type) on the end of the gear and press the hand into it. You want enough hot glue that some gets onto the gear teeth to help hold better. A slit piece of scrap paper (or two with the slits in different directions) would catch any excess if you used too much, and it's easily trimmed away from the gear when cold if you used too much.


Water going out badly from sinks and shower - how to locate the issue?

I would get a small bucket, put it under the trap for the slow sink. remove the trap, check flush, and clean out the trap. After you reinstall this trap see if the problem is corrected. If cleaning out the trap doesn't fix the drain check the piping between the trap and the vertical larger stack. If the drain problem is not fixed either buy or rent a snake to snake the drain or call a plumber for help. Where I live plumbers will come out for around $100.00. (money well spent)


How can I raise a bonus room subfloor level with the adjacent floor?

2 1/4 inches height difference could be made up with 2 x 4's on their side screwed in and glued over the existing joists and 3/4 OSB sub-floor on top. That will be 1/32 lower than the abutting sub floor when you take into account the actual thickness of the lumber.

You could use 2x2's, but often they're more expensive than 2x4s

Glue and screw everything to prevent squeaking.

The tricky bit will be the hardwood - carpet transition.  From your photo, which gets pretty pixelated at high zooms, it looks like you have 3/4 inch hardwood. If there is still a tongue on it, you can buy a reducer piece that will drop the height down 3/4 of an inch smoothly.  If it's a groove, you can buy a double tongue, which converts a groove to a tongue.

Otherwise, you may wish to have a threshold specially made for this purpose.


How can I tell if this is wood or drywall?

This is an example of a typical framing of the wall you describe

The drywall covers the framing and the white areas in between.

In general, when mounting anything on the wall (other than the lightest of pictures), it is better if you can attach to a stud (one of the framing members, usually wood, but sometimes thin steel).

To find out where the studs are, you can use a stud finder.

Or you can poke a series of holes until you find where the hollow (drywall) ends and the solid (stud) begins. To poke the holes, you can use an awl or a very small drill bit.

In your particular case, figure out where you want your speakers. Then check to see if there are studs in the immediate vicinity or close. sometimes it's worth shifting an inch or three to get a solid mount.

If there are studs within reach, use wood screws to attach to the studs. If there are not, use drywall mounts.


What's the easiest effective way to handle this?

You could

Clean it, scrape/sand it and slather it with yacht varnish annually.
Replace it with PVC or Aluminium.
Brick it up (maybe with glass bricks?)

The easiest and most effective way to do anything is to throw vast amounts of cash at tradesmen until everything's OK or you are declared bankrupt.


Correct grit and sander for sanding a cedar railing?

cedar is soft, grit not critical, I would use 150


Looks like a wireless garage door keypad.


I have a number of sagging drawers due to broken rear brackets on sliding drawers. Can anyone help me find replacement brackets (pictured below)?

You may be able to find metal replacement boots from the manufacturer but it might be easiest to add some blocking as suggested by RedGrittyBrick. If that's the path you take I would suggest creating a vertical standard as opposed to horizontal applied blocking because it bears the weight of the drawer down into the floor of the cabinet instead of relying on the side wall (which may be very thin and week if the cabinets are of low quality) for structural integrity.


What gauge wire do I need for basement sub-panel?

Never, ever scrimp on a panel

When I hear "100A panel" I tend to think very small panel.  Don't get caught by that.  Spaces are cheap, and you want loads of extra spaces. Firstfor future expansion (it's frustrating not to be able to add a feature for lack of spaces). And second, when the inspector comes 'round and says "these circuits need AFCI".  My goal is to finish a project with less than 50% of spaces used (but without using double-stuff breakers).  A neat thing about panel pricing is you can get industrial tier panels like CH, QO, GE or Siemens for about the same price as tenant tier lines like Homeline or BR.

Wire size

In aluminum wire, you need

60A: 4 AWG ($92)
80A: 2 AWG ($137)
100A: 1 AWG ($167)

There is a "100A bump" because circuits >=100A get to pull out of the 75C column in NEC Table 310.15B16 instead of the 60A column. However in your case the numbers don't quite line up; 2AWG is rated 75A@60C and 90A@75C. You can "round up" to the next breaker size, so 60C gives you 80A breaker.  Sadly, 90A breakers do exist, so you can't call it a 100A circuit (unless your AHJ agrees; worth asking since this is quite close and there's precedent).

100' is below the 115' threshold where anyone even starts to care about voltage drop.  If you want to upgrade wire sizes to deal with voltage drop, that is fine, but feel free to upgrade breaker sizes also.

I don't know what your total project cost is going to be.  Obviously if this all DIY the wire cost is a significant fraction, but this ignores the value of your time.  Contracted it's at least a $600-1000 job.  A small increment in wire costs can give you a lot of headroom in the future.   It'll even help with home resale value.


Why do the water pipes around my water meter vibrate when water is flowing?

Hearing a small amount of noise from a water meter vibrating is not uncommon, however if the noise is loud enough to be distracting, you may have a worn impeller in the meter. You can try holding the meter securely or applying some pressure to the meter to see it that reduces the noise, but also you will be able to feel if the vibration is coming from the meter itself.  If simply holding the meter or the lines attached reduce the noise to an acceptable level, then securing the pipes to a wall bracket or clamping them securely may be all you need to do.  If this test does not lower the noise and you can feel the vibration through the meter housing, then I'd suggest calling your water utility company.  They own the meter and would come out to replace it if necessary, usually at no cost to the consumer.


Snaking should be the answer, but if all else fails then you may want to try one of these fun gadgets:

I have used this successfully on my main drain. The trick is you want to block as many alternate places for the air to go as you can so that the pressure goes down the drain rather than out to other fixtures.


If you'd rather not replace it and have some time to kill it is possible to re-surface the door.
Door skins are thin veneer sheets meant for this purpose. The difficult part is ensuring the old doors exterior is flat and secure to the frame.
Remove the knob and window frame. Patch and sand the old surface. Glue and nail and bowed/loose sections. Apply contact cement to old door and press new skin in place.
Paint or stain as normal.


Bowed laminate flooring on slab: How to proceed?

My first thought is that laminate flooring on top of concrete is seldom a good idea, especially if you're in an area where basements are common. There are ways to make it work, all of which require some subflooring and a waterproof membrane, but one of the cardinal rules of carpentry is that wood does not touch concrete, for exactly the reason you are seeing; concrete absorbs water, and will wick it into the wood which will then swell (and eventually rot, if it cannot breathe). You also cannot nail directly into the slab, so forget about the standard installation method with a flooring nailer to secure the planks. So, if you are going to stick with the laminate, you MUST have a waterproof but breathable barrier such as TyPar or Tyvek between the concrete and any wood product. That may include running it up the side of the wall for a few inches either behind the baseboards or even behind the drywall of the room. A plastic sheet such as vapor barrier is a no-no; it will trap both water and air, preventing the wood breathing and accelerating rot if and when water does get under it. You should probably also have an OSB subfloor, so you have something to nail the boards down into.

If all of this is present under your floor and the floor is still bowing, I would go ahead and pull up your baseboard and check the expansion gap. There should be AT LEAST 1/4" between the sides or ends of the board and the wall. I would also feel the drywall and/or studs behind that; do they look or feel damp? If so, your problem is actual water leakage; water is somehow soaking or leaking through the roof or exterior wall in this area and dripping or seeping down to the floor. To fix the floor, you must first fix the leak, or it's just going to happen again with the next heavy rain.


Why does flushing one toilet cause another to back up?

Yes I recommend a good sewer line cleaning, from a good rooter.


I'd guess the switch. But as has been noted in previous questions, there are several configurations of this switch (different terminal arrangements, low/med/hi versus hi/med/lo), so replacing it requires examining both old and new switches and, ideally, having the circuit diagram for the fan available. Unless you're pretty confident with such things, you might want to have someone more experienced deal with it.


Can I use any shaped bulbs in a lamp if the base is the correct size?

No problem at all as long as:

The bulb doesn't touch the fixture (except the base, of course)
Heat is dissipated properly. Usually not a problem as newer CFL and Led bulbs often use far less power and generate far less heat than the fixture can handle


83% of rated load on 30 AMP 240V dedicated circuit - safe?

Nope

The heater designer was super dumb for designing a heater that is a skitsch over the 5760W limit for a continuous load on a 30A circuit.  Most other heater manufacturers build to just shy of the continuous circuit limits, like the apocryphal 23A that almost every water heater and dryer is built to.  But they may have built to 6000W because it sounds cooler than those (circuit limit compliant) 5500W heaters.  That jibes with their strategy of selling direct to consumers via big-box stores.

Now you have to pay the price for that.

On the upside, your working circuit limit for your inevitable 40A circuit will be 7680W, so you can squeeze another 1500W heater in there.

You could go back to the heater manufacturer and say "are you super sure your device is 6000W and not, ahem, 5600W" like every other heater intended to work on a 30A breaker?

Probably not, though.  You must use it in accordance with labeling and instructions, because that is how it was tested and approved (listed). So if it says use 8 AWG, there you go.


This looks like telephone or doorbell cable.  It can safely be left alone.

This is allowed to be in an orange backless junction box.  It appears in this case they used a blue box rated for mains power and cut the back off of it.


This appears to be a Grässlin switch.

Model FM1 DIGI14-120

Here is the manual (and another similar model)


How to lay tile backer board on sandy cement floor

You have to get rid of the sandy area/sand.   If there is just a thin layer and you have solid flooring under you can use a filler like a floor leveler - there are other options but I would need to see pictures.   If there is a thick layer or no solid flooring you are going to have to pour concrete or frame (which may be impossible).

There are solutions like floating a floor over the sand but these would break down over time - probably a lot faster than you think.   This is maybe an alternative in some climates and some situations.


Should I remove the baseboards and trim for built-ins?

If the plan is to take it with you, leave the base and make the appropriate notch in the Murphy bed. It should not harm the integrity of the structure of the bed frame. Do what you can to confirm this.


Smells from bacteria tend to be "foul", the kind of odor that makes your stomach queasy.  Heavy concentrations of the minerals and sediment normally found in water can have an "earthy" smell, and these can collect in your hot water tank.

Your hot water tank should have a spigot near the bottom.  It's there for periodically purging the minerals and sediment that collect at the bottom.  Stick a basin under the spigot and open the valve.  What comes out into the basin will likely contain a lot of particles that look like sand.  You usually don't have to let it run for long, the sediment will wash out quickly.  It's a good idea to do this periodically (maybe once a year or so).


First I want to mention that your tile guy is 100% responsible for this.  He should be fixing this alone and paying for any plumbing issues.   This could end up being something that could cost you a few thousand dollars or more if you are in a city.  There is a chance that not only do you have grout (cement) blocking one section but it could be layering your whole line on the bottom.  Which you think might not be a huge issue if there is a 1/2 inch grout on a 4 inch pipe but this will build up constantly, especially if it isn't PVC.

There is very little you can do other than replace the pipes.  You can try liquid hammer.  My guys use this to clean their wheel barrows and tools from concrete and it really works.  However I am not sure it is suitable for pipes.  But really what do you have to lose?  I would contact the manufacturer of liquid hammer and ask them if you can pour it down a drain legally and what effect it will have on those pipes (my guess is your pipes will last).  Then pour if it is legal and see if first if your main clog is gone and then later if there are no issues with your main line.  Since it is your house you can monitor if the concrete is causing buildup on main line, and then repeat cleansing or having plumber come out with a bit to break it up.


Does a compressor with a short to ground really require a complete system replacement?

The compressor is the "engine" of the AC system.  It, and a few valves, and the condenser fan, comprise all the active portions.  Everything else is passive.    The compressor is an electrical motor connected to a precision pump.  The pump has to be lubricated by sufficient refrigerant (Freon or substitutes).  If a compressor seizes, it may burn out the electrical motor, causing the electrical windings to short out.

Long story short, a failed compressor may be a reason for system replacement.  You would be well advised to get a second opinion from another contractor.  Get quotes for both repair and replacement.

Another reason to replace the system, is the mandated phase-out of R22 refrigerant.  If your system is older than 5 years, it probably uses R22.  While an existing unit doesn't need to be replaced, per se, because of the phase out, practically, it will, due to the price of the refrigerant.  I just paid $5/ounce for my system recharge.


What is the most suitable material to use for baseboards in bathroom

Real wood.  Poplar trim is what I use for bathrooms or basements.  It is hard and holds up to moisture well.  If you get the plastic stuff it will look like... plastic.  It would have to really be in modern room or business setting to look right.

I would suggest getting poplar (pine is cheap and has moisture bulging issues) or some other hard wood.  Give it a first coat with drylok.   Follow up with whatever you want.  I would suggest an oil based paint for bathroom trim though - it is tougher and cleans up better.


What you just described in paragraph 3 is a bog-standard 3-way switch loop of the type used before 2011 (no neutral offered).

Power is delivered to the lamp proper; the 14/2 cable brings down always-hot (white due to a Code exception) and switched-hot (black).  That is all that is required on a switch loop for a simple switch.

A nest of 3/4-way switches acts like a single switch.  This 3-way complex is installed like a "switch loop".   Neutral is not present, ergo these (and most) smart switches cannot work here.

You have two options:

Run a replacement 14/3 cable from the lamp to Switch A, providing always-hot (black), switched-hot (red) and neutral (white).  Now the master switch can go in the switch A location.  In the old, inter-switch 14/3 you re-task red and white to be comms and neutral, respectively; black is capped off.
Go with a different smart-switch line where it uses a module inside the lamp dome, which talks to smart-switch remotes in the current switch locations.  Then, reallocate the wires in the existing 14/2 and 14/3 to be actual always-hot (black) and neutral (white), to power the smart switch remotes.


How concerned should I be over scraping/sanding a small area of lead paint

Don't sand, that puts lead dust all over the place.  Get some medium plastic and taped it to the wall and extend it out 6-12 feet to catch all the chips.   Scrape it carefully so all the chips fall on the plastic.  When done, roll up the plastic to trap the chips and dust, tape it closed, and dispose in the trash. (I don't like that step, but last I heard, there was nothing better).

Wipe all surfaces down with damp towels until no more dust is removed.

Wash your clothes thoroughly; be careful not to track through the rest of the house.

If you have a HEPA vacuum, use it!  :)

You may not have kids now, but it's the lingering lead dust that is most dangerous.


Is it OK to create a third prong ground from a cold water pipe, for a 2-wire circuit?

When or is it NEC code compliant to upgrade a 2-wire circuit, by adding a third prong equipment ground from a nearby galvanized cold water pipe?

Never!

Article 250.118 of the National Electrical Code lists the approved methods of equipment grounding. Water piping systems are NOT listed there.

Metal piping systems within buildings are required to be bonded to the electrical grounding system to prevent them from becoming energized. They are not used AS an equipment grounding conductor for circuits.

Spend the time, effort, and money to run a separate equipment ground back to the service panel or to another circuit with a ground as you cited in the other example.

Good luck!


Wrap vertical wooden column with drywall

Look for a corner bead at your local home improvement place:


Electric water boiler .. how is the system supposed to work? (UK)

I've not used a system like you have, but I'll give you some information based on what's common for heating systems in the UK.

As you've discovered, the immersion switch immediately switches the heater on. It's usually used as an override when you want water to start heating outside the timed period. (I'd hazard a guess that having the immersion on for 10 minutes won't be long enough to heat sufficient water for a shower).

You'd usually set the heating on timed, but it will take a while to heat up the full tank of water. For example, if you get up at 07:00 and have a shower, you might need to set the timer to come on at 06:00 to give you a tank of hot water ready for when you get up.

It's common to set the timer to come on twice a day, so you get hot water in the morning and again in the evening - though you'd adjust that dependent on your usage pattern. It might take a little experimentation to find out when you need to set the timer to come on to give you the hot water you need.

If the T&P valve is flowing quite an amount of water, it sounds like something is amiss with the system.


Inovonics Wireless   SKU: EN1723

  The Inovonics EN1723 provides internal measurement and external thermistor options in a single device. The on-board sensor is excellent for monitoring ambient indoor temperature, and the external sensor is user selectable to match your application.

(source)

Like Tyson notes, these are used in zoned systems.  The receiver should be located near your equipment: presumably a larger white box; most likely with the name Inovonics on it.

These are wireless; should you ever have a problem with a single zone, check their batteries first.


Riser is more for industrial /commercial work. In a residence you can run the cable through drilled holes inside the walls. But a riser in a large building is a chase that is verticle and has fire blocks at each floor.


This is easily achieved with a mini-split unit for each room - that is also usually the most energy-efficent approach.

There are split systems with a single outside unit feeding up to 4 separate inside units (perhaps more, but that's the most I've noticed) but they have worse efficiency numbers than the one-head, one outside unit systems.

And, of course, a window unit in each room also achieves the same end, but less efficiently and with a somewhat cruder look (and without heating, normally.)

While you can set up zones via dampers in ducts from a central unit, the central unit will be operating inefficiently most of the time since it has to be sized for the entire house load, but would often be cooling a much smaller load.


You're  going to need to replace the existing cast iron tee with an elbow (or just plug the top), and install a sanitary tee lower in the galvanized pipe to connect the bathroom drain. I probably just cut off the galvanized down near the floor and use a no-hub coupling to run new PVC to the sinks.

The next question is what to do with that HVAC register.