Low flow bathroom appliance doesn't activate tankless heater

Thanks to MonkeyZeus suggestion. Here's the answer I'm trying. If you look around you can find a 12VDC Circulation pumps that do 2 GPM for under $50.
Simply install an outlet in a location safe from water near the appliance or fixture that has some means to control it whether a switch or motion sensor.
Install the pump between hot and cold lines. Plug the Pump's AC adaptor into the outlet mention above. And life is good. A bonus is no water is wasted getting the water heater up to temperature.
Edit: I'll mark this as correct once I have mine installed and made sure it's working good.
Update: installed and working good!
I used these parts:
1/2" Back-Flow Preventer: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EDUTN6
Hot Water Heater Circulation Pump with DC Power Supply Adapter 2.1GPM: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01G305PK0
The incoming hot water line is 1/2" pex, going to the bidet, and the out going cold line is 3/4" pex, because the shower line was easier to connect to for that. Per the comments, I added a backflow preventing valve. The pump didn't come with one.
You can hear the pump running, and once it kicks on there's hot water in the line in less than 20 seconds. Works so good I'm going to install one on the kitchen faucet.
The pump it's self is submersable, 12VDC, and low amperage. Parts including the pex connectors, crimps, and such was less than $50 and took less than an hour to do. Most of it was figuring out the in and out on the pump.
The install is less than 10 feet from the water heater, so this may not work for longer runs, or narrower pipes, or some other variables. I mention this because the pump isn't rated for longer runs. It works good for my loo, that's all I know.
Haven't yet put the motion sensor switch and outlet in yet, but I'm confident about those.


No, the walls around the bar and closet do not appear to be load bearing walls, except I would not remove the North-South wall between the Kitchen and Lounge.

The dashed lines on the Ground Floor Plan indicate the structural floor framing for the the First Floor Plan (above).

As you can see, a steel beam has been added just South of the Bar area and extends over the Kitchen. However, none of the new floor joists rests on the walls around the Bar, except the North-South between the Kitchen and Lounge.


Why isn't shed insulation working as I expected?

Sorry, qtron. You really should've mentioned you were using this shed as a workshop or something & trying to cool it. I realize you might say "why would I have insulated it otherwise". We have no way of knowing unless you say, we see many weird actions taken by people. Cooling changes everything!

In that case, you have the foil of the adequate insulation facing the wrong way, it's currently retaining any heat that literally seeps inside. You do want it facing the metal to literally reflect heat back out as soon as it tries to enter, that's actually the specific purpose of the shiny side.

You do still want some minor venting & a small air-space between the insulation & the shed walls (just a few mm's), to let any heat out as quickly as possible. Venting could be a series of small holes drilled directly under any roof edge or lip that you might have & would only be for venting the insulation air-space & not the entire shed's volume. You may also have a roof ridge cap where the same could be done. If these areas or opportunities don't exist then you'll need to attach a roof vent box & wall grills.

As well, do definitely fill or cover that door gap, even with just a sweep type strip will make a big difference. Please explain the cooling unit if it's not a rolling portable or standard window type unit that's dumping heat & humidity directly to the outside & bringing in fresh air during the cooling process.


Wiring Baystat240a to Honeywell RTH2510 w/ picture

I'm going to base this on this manual, page 8, even though the diagram doesn't exactly match up in terms of order or number (terminal names and advice are the same). I suspect that this should work but proceed with caution. I would try calling Honeywell to verify this first

Based on the manual

Blue - Wrap in electrical tape, do not use
Brown - Wrap in electrical tape, do not use (T was not listed anywhere)
Black - Put in the W/Aux terminal with the white wire that's already there

If I were you, I'd clip some of the bare wires back to minimize the chance that they short against each other. Also, be sure to set the jumper as outlined on Page 9


No problem, only question is how good you want it to look

Doorbell transformer, made to order has connector to go into an electrical junction box.

Head to home depot, or lowes - find an electrical box you like, plastic, weatherproof, metal and a cover plate for it

Add a doorbell transformer

A small pack of romex connectors (nmb might be the name on them)

a couple of wire nuts, yellow

A round extension cord that appeals to you.

Cut off the female end of the cord, and assemble as it appeals


Where can I find good resources on solar thermal backup options?

For me with a solar system in New Zealand, we've found the following quite effective: we've got a solar tank with 2 electrical elements in it, one at the bottom of the tank, plus another one about a third of the way down from the top.

We run the bottom element overnight intermittently during the winter months when the whole tank is cool, the forecast is poor, and we know we'll need hot water the next day.

We have the top element on a separate booster switch which, on the rare occasion that we want a shower and we can see from the control panel that the water at the top of the tank isn't hot enough, is set up to heat the top of the tank; when the thermostat drops out as the water gets hot enough, the booster switch turns itself off, so we don't have to remember.


Rewire a string of lights using 14/3 or can I add a red wire?

With traditional switches

You are using the word "traveler" in singular.  3-way switches do not work that way.  They need 2 "travelers".

So if you are currently supplying hot and neutral down that /2 cable, you cannot simply add "a traveler" to the pair.  You need to add 2 travelers, so you need /4 cable, which is expensive, or in some cases, /5 cable, which is unobtanium.

So you are actually better off leaving the /2 cable in place doing whatever it's doing... and adding a /3 cable between the two switch locations.  This will keep the wiring simple.

With smart switches

Smart switches either need 1 traveler, or 0 travelers, depending on their particular design.  With the right smart switch, you may not need to do any modifications to the wiring.  Shop carefully and save yourself some trouble!


Finding a shop with a large enough planer or drum sander would be your best bet.   But I have found when I plane a rough, warped board I end up with a smooth, warped board!  To do it properly, you may need to make a "sled" and support the board so it doesn't rock.   Run it thru the planer or sander and get one side truly flat, then remove it from the sled and plane/sand the other side. Sounds like a lot of work for an $8 garage sale find. Up to you of course. If it's not badly warped, just planing it might get the job done.  Good luck!


Insulating small area in attic-like space

One possible solution maybe to construct walls from 2" thick, R-10, foam insulation board. You might be able to make it rigid enough using 3" drywall screws and duct tape. (and perhaps Gorilla glue(?)). If this proves not to be strong enough, you can use some cheap strip furring to add strength.  R-10 will certainly not be sufficient if your low outside temps drop and remain in the 20s or worse.

The foam board is NOT cheap however. It'll probably cost you around $250-300 for that (10 sheets 4x8 @ ~$25-30ea.). You might can even use one of the sheets as a door--with duct tape 'hinges'. (if that doesn't work well, you can just fashion some handles to it and remove/replace as a door entry way.).

It you are running computer equipment in the area, that will reduce your heating needs if you leave the equipment running. Good luck.


How can I install a vanity over this unfortunate plumbing?

Cut that pipe out in 2 places. One place is above the bottom shelf of the new cabinet and mid way between the 2 fittings on the upper pipe that goes at a 45 degree angle. Recouple it back together when the cabinet is installed. The supply lines need to be relocated too, but you may be able to move them around to get past their issues.

The cutting of the vent pipe is still taking a small chance it will be difficult to get the pipe back together. As it is you will need to shorten the pipe you cut  out at least by a 1/2" to make room for the stop built in as part of the coupler. You will also need to account for how much out of square the cut has too.

If the upper portion of the pipe has a little upward give to it, it will be a lot easier to rejoin. If not you will need to be really assertive on getting it back together again.


Is it worth refilling these fire extinguishers or should I just throw out?

Depends if it's disposable or refillable. Many cheaper extinguishers are disposable (only) and not designed to be refillable. After that it's just math (cost of service, possibly including hydro testing, .vs. cost of replacement extinguisher.)


Do smoke detectors have to be hard wired in New Jersey?

According to the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, New Jersey has adopted the 2009 version of International Residential Code (at the time of writing). The 2009 IRC has this to say...

International Residential Code 2009
Chapter 3 - Building and Planning
Section R314 - Smoke Alarms
R314.4 Power source. Smoke alarms shall receive their primary power from the building wiring when such wiring is served from a commercial source, and when primary power is interrupted, shall receive power from a battery. Wiring shall be permanent and without a disconnecting switch other than those required for overcurrent protection. Smoke alarms shall be interconnected.
Exceptions:
1. Smoke alarms shall be permitted to be battery operated when installed in buildings without commercial power.
2. Interconnection and hard-wiring of smoke alarms in existing areas shall not be required where the alterations or repairs do not result in the removal of interior wall or ceiling finishes exposing the structure, unless there is an attic, crawl space or basement available which could provide access for hard wiring and interconnection without the removal of interior finishes.

Which means that not only do the smoke alarms have to be hardwired, they also have to have a backup battery and be interconnected. Unless of course you are generating your own power, or you're retrofitting a home and hardwiring is impracticable.


How to keep dirt away from wood on shed?

You want to fix this, it will only get worse. You only have to replace the wood that's rotten but make sure you get it all. Cut out the rotten wood and square off the remaining strips. Frame some concrete backer board, wonder board, where the rotten wood was. Finish off the job with some stucco over the backer board and texture it similar to the wood grain. Paint it and you're good to go. That's one repair you won't have to do again. Good luck.


How do I build the support structure for a 36"x14' built-in desk?

This may be ridged enough,  however I would recommend going with a torsion box design.  This is how a professional furniture maker would attempt this.  You can use 2x4 for the "core" and two skins of 3/4 inch ply.  I would put a perimeter of 2x4 around the core (not shown in the picture) then lag bold the perimeter into your studs.  You may have to cut a hole in the bottom skin to make this work.  The key to making this work is to glue (subfloor adhesive) and screw (2") the skins to the core.    Woodworkers have been using torsion boxes for years to create large desktops.

If you are using standard 8' plywood for the skins you will probably want to stagger the seams between the bottom and the top tortion box.  For instance in the top use 2 7' pieces of ply.  In the bottom skin use a 3' a 8' and a 3' piece of ply.

This will probably be your safest best.  After you build it and before you install it you can test it out with two saw horses.  I would be very surprised if it did not hold 200 lbs or more.

if you are still worried about flexing move up from a 2x4 to a 2x6 for the core and you should be able to support several people standing on it.


Installing a New Electrical Outlet in a Modified Closet?

On a 3 gang box with 12 AWG wire I would not use a plastic old work box the tabs are not large enough. I would use a metal box with wings the wings expand among each side, they come in single gang that 1 side can be removed off each end box and both sides on the center box then they attach to each other. Screwing to a stud as Harper suggest is also a good idea. I have no problem installing outlets in a closets I have added some for things like dehumidifiers many times. The lighting you are going to need to be careful with because this is a closet look at NEC 410.16.C for the type you can use in a closet and the allowable locations.


How do I find the water main entry point to my house?

Everybody wants to save money
Builders and utility companies are not in the business of wasting money, which means the main line will be as straight and as short as possible.  This is a big help to you, since it will narrow your search.  Walk out to the curb shut off, and look back at your house.  Try to determine the straightest, shortest path between the curb shutoff and the house.  Now you'll have a general idea of where the line enters the home.
Trace the line
In most cases utilities bury a tracer wire in the trench above utility lines, to make the lines are easier to locate later.  If you call 811 (assuming you are in the US, though I believe this service is offered in other areas as well), they should be able to send somebody out to locate the line for you. This will show you the approximate path the line takes to the house.
Don't let pipes freeze
Because it's a water line, it will likely enter your house below the frost line.  If you can determine the frost depth in your area, you'll have a more targeted area to search.
People are idiots
It's not uncommon for people to do dumb things, especially when they don't know how dumb they are.  Water meters and shutoffs are ugly, and nobody wants them in their newly remodeled living space. It's possible that your valve has been walled up, and you'll have to remove some finish material to find it.  Look in closets, and keep an eye out for access panels.
If only you had X-ray eyes
There are a few tools that can help you search a wall where you suspect the valve might be. A stud finder should be able to locate pipes in the walls, depending on the stud finder you buy.  A metal detector will find anything metal, so that could also come in handy.  If you've got a bunch of cash to throw around, a thermal camera may be able to actually see the pipe through the wall.
Where does service enter?
After reading the update to the question, and then reading through building code.  It seems that it may be possible that there is not a shutoff valve where the line enters the building.

International Residential Code 2009
P2903.9.1 Service valve. Each dwelling unit shall be provided with an accessible main shutoff valve near the entrance of the water
service. The valve shall be of a full-open type having nominal
restriction to flow, with provision for drainage such as a bleed
orifice or installation of a separate drain valve. Additionally, the
water service shall be valved at the curb or property line in
accordance with local requirements.

According to this, there must be a shutoff valve "near the entrance of the service". However, in most cases the water meter has to be near the "entrance of the service" too.  In your case, it may be that the "entrance of the service" is at the property line, and not at the building. So there may actually be no shutoff valve inside the house.


How can I diagnose my fridge's evaporator fan?

If the fan is not working, you need to focus on that first.

If you spin it manually, does it work? If so, the motor may just be old or clogged so starting friction is too high - try cleaning, then replace.
If you cannot spin it, check for obstruction. If none, replace.
Check voltage across the fan motor (with door switch open then closed) - if it doesn't turn on, then check electricals.

(It is a cheap and easy self repair)

Once you have got the fan working again, then check to see if problem is solved.


Is the full-height newel post for this oak railing structural?

It's almost certainly not structural. Posts like that never are unless they've been installed by someone with no training or guidance. This seems to be a modern home, which makes it even more unlikely that it's structural. Depending on the home layout, there's a probably a beam or girder truss inside the corner passing over the post.

That said, I'm looking through a peephole from the other side of the internet. The question is not answerable with certainty. Get some local help and provide appropriate access to the attic or other areas of the building.


This is typical for spark-ignition cooktops
Electronic (spark) ignited cooktops generally run all the igniters when any burner is engaged in the ignition position.  This is done for both simplicity (easier to have one ignition module feeding HV to four sets of electrodes than to have an ignition module per burner or to switch the high ignition voltage on/off) and safety (to limit the size of the FWOOSH that a failed igniter could otherwise give you).


10 stout men to tip the slabs on edge, then log rollers, Egyptian style. Maybe a bit of ramp to get them up to their final resting place.


How to repair warped sliding door frame?

To me, “a warped frame” means twisted. In order to “fix” a twisted frame, you’ll need to 1) remove the track (threshold), 2) clean the track and where it’s placed, 3) straighten the track, and 4) re-secure the track to its correct position.

Straightening the track could be the most difficult. I’d try heating the track so you can twist it back to it’s original shape. I think a tool like an electricians conduit bender will work. (We use it to heat and bend Trex Decking too.) It looks like this and you could put the “warped” end of the frame into it...

https://jet.com/product/Greenlee-PVC-HeaterBender/1519c3795e4b4943bccec436d81b0447?jcmp=pla:ggl:nj_roc_gen_appliances_a1:appliances_heating_cooling_air_quality_space_heaters_a1:na:PLA_1062463102_53743929562_pla-306111780120_m:na:na:na:2PLA15&pid=kenshoo_int&c=1062463102&is_retargeting=true&clickid=7f0505b1-7b91-4390-9fd6-468b0e8922f7&kclid=7f0505b1-7b91-4390-9fd6-468b0e8922f7&gclid=CjwKCAjw54fdBRBbEiwAW28S9sAKKhrHWzpb6aTbi4bOTQiwt6dy6WvLDGMN5IDvVVJWvS0hC-ItIhoCvVkQAvD_BwE

After it’s heated, you could remove any bumps or twists in the frame before you reinstall it. (You may need to drill a few extra holes so you can add a some screws to keep it aligned until it cools.)

To keep the threshold watertight, I’d install flashing under the threshold and set it in sealant.

BTW, don’t over heat the frame or it will flop around like a piece of spaghetti and you’ll never get it back to it’s original shape.


The breaker is 20A, it HAS to be 12 Gauge. No 14 gauge anywhere on a 20A circuit, and the bathroom circuit has to be 20A.


With no load on a circuit, I measure approx 15volts

Is this normal

It is most likely a capacitatively coupled voltage from "hot"/"live" wires running adjacent to the wire being measured using a high-impedance multimeter. If your meter has a "low-Z" setting, try that. If the voltage is zero using a low-Z setting, there is nothing to be concerned about.

See

Fluke - Ghost Voltages
NEMA - Phantom voltages

  Due to the high impedance of measuring instruments, a voltage reading may be
  detected on open conductors where there is no hard electrical connection to a voltage
  source. Conductors that are installed in close proximity to one another, and are
  capacitively coupled to each other, can cause this a.c. voltage reading. Such a reading
  could be 2 or 3 volts, or it may be as high as the voltage on the adjacent conductors.
  This is what is referred to as a “phantom” voltage.
  ...
   NEMA recommends the use of a Listed low impedance multimeter in
  place of a high impedance multimeter or other high impedance measuring device for
  testing on open conductors where there is no hard electrical connection. Without a low 2
  impedance measuring device, a high voltage reading is an inconclusive indication of
  possible faults in the cable


That shutoff looks super old.  I would turn off the main shut off, cut off the old shutoff and get a push-fit shutoff and toilet supply line. The new shutoff will be about $10 and the supply line will be about $5. You will also need a copper cutter or hack saw and possibly a meter key and pliers.


Once we bought an old pallet factory, so I really got to "see how the sausage is made".

Pallets are made in extremely, extremely high production because the typical corporate customer orders thousands and pays about $6 each for them.  There are also an infinite number of pallet sizes and styles, though most fit a 40x48 footprint.  These two requirements force the industry into extreme levels of automation with CNC machines and very high production gang nailers.

As such, the nails are not really recognizable as nails in the normal way.  They are a very heavy industrial version of power nailer nails, made in very long chains with wires spot-welded to the nails.  They are made to not break and not jam, because that stops production.  When driven the bits of wire just get driven too.  They have a spiral shank and have virtually no head, being one-shotted in by sheer pneumatic or electrohydraulic force.  (The air system was surprisingly lightweight, so I suspect the latter; the machines took copious amounts of 480V.)

Being woodworkers, we evaluated the wood since there was a fair bit of it laying around never nailed.  The wood used in pallets is positively awful.  It is the junkiest of junk hardwood.  Cleaning it up in a jointer and planer was not worth the blade wear and did not produce anything we would call good lumber.

As such I see no point in cleaning up the wood. Just use it rough, and then you don't need to remove the nails.

Also in the future when you want to salvage pallets, pry the deck board about 1/4" off the stringer then tap the deck board back down.  The nail should pop up with head exposed.


Different toilets use different means to refill the bowl.


How can I safely open, wire & close this E27 lamp holder?

Slide a flat-bladed screwdriver into a rectangular hole in the back (rounded) end. Pry the inner (deepest) end of the locking tab outward gently while applying pressure to separate the bulb socket from the back cover at the joint that jogs its way around the middle. If you're not able to release the tab from the back, use a knife point from the outside, prying the tip of the tab outward.
When it releases slightly, do the same on the other side to fully release the back cover. You may want to slip a folded paper or other tool in the gap after you release the first tab to maintain separation.
Slide the wires through the back cover ports, make the connections, and snap the cover back on, making sure that both tabs engage.

Image source


Backwater Valve Access Sleeve Cap Broken... sewer gas smell?

A sewer back water valve should seal tight but needs to be accessible incase they plug up. Silicone should be ok if a bead around the cap, if this valve is close to the plumbing riser it could very well be the source of your bad smell , I would have also sealed nobody wants sewer gas coming in their home. I think you may have found the root cause I was skeptical in the electrical room but not with this find. Good job at tracking it down.


How can/should I mount this porch light?

A pretty common approach is to build a small platform for the lamp to sit on, something like this

This has the advantage of giving you more depth to mount a receptacle box. You can use 3/4 inch material (nominally 1x ) or larger, such as 5/4 stock. You can then cut a hole, using a hole saw through the new block and the siding underneath giving you enough depth for a much deeper box, like this one

It also has the advantage of making it easier to get the base of the lamp vertical.

After the box is set, I would caulk the entry point of the wire and around the box itself. After the lamp is mounted, unless the fixture has its own gasket, caulk around the top, sides and all but a small section of the bottom (a weep hole just incase any moisture gets in.)


sliding door leaking air, is it installed correctly?

0.1 CFM air leakage is not exactly what I would call "very tight," but it's not terrible for a sliding door. Regardless, this looks like a problem with the installation more so than the door. The trim is covering the gap/joint between the door and the rough opening; if that's open to the exterior or not perfectly sealed off from it, then the trim is doing the job of preventing air movement. Caulk the heck out of it! If you want to get really serious, you could remove the trim, spray foam the gap, and then reinstall the trim.


Where does the ground wire go in a 3-prong dryer cord configuration?

DO NOT connect the ground wire to the grounded (neutral) conductor, as this could lead to current flowing through the body of the dryer (and potentially through you).
The installation guide for the dryer will have wiring instructions for both 3, and 4 wire configurations.  Check the manufacturers documentation for proper wiring, but I would say the first image is likely correct.

Instructions from random Maytag Installation Instructions (PDF)
3 Wire Cord

4 Wire Cord

Update:
After doing some research, and looking at dryer wiring diagrams. It turns out that the green/yellow wire is not a ground wire, it is a neutral to case bonding wire. When this wire is not in use (in a 4-wire installation for example), it is simply connected to the neutral terminal and is unused.


Framing interior non-bearing wall with 24" on center for sound proofing


Have you used a core drill on a foundation wall?

I have used several different core drills. For horizontal drilling I have anchored the machine one I used expanding sleeve anchors others are held in place by hand and that one can be like a torture device these drills are slow and make a mess if inside.  Keeping constant pressure on the cutter will allow the cutters to do there job.
For the mess I found making a plastic sheet taped to the wall to direct the water into a bucket and pump it out to be the best method inside to control the mess.
I have had to split the slug of concrete once when the forms may have blown and the wall was thicker but breaking the slug allowed the cutter to go in further and finish the cut.


Why isn't this water softener shutoff valve configuration preventing water from running in my house

In my experience, quarter-turn ball vales are extremely reliable. I've seen some incredibly rusted out plumbing, including where the valve handle has completely fallen off after rusting through, and you can still reliably shut the valve with a pair of pliers or replacement handle.

It's hard to check if it's faulty 100% (without cutting pipes, anyway), but as a first step:

Disconnect the softener.

It looks like you have the right head to be able to do this. Turn the valves off, then turn the handle on the front to drain (may want to do it a couple times until you hear no more water draining) -- if you skip this you will get quite wet, trust me. Unscrew the two metal clips on each side, then the softener should pull straight forward -- there are o-rings providing the seal.

Alternatively, turn the dial to Drain and listen to the water flowing in the next steps. This might be a bit less reliable but should still help.

Open the supply side valve a bit, you should get water coming out.
Open the service side valve a bit, you should not get any water out (other than maybe what drains out).

If you do, SOMETHING is wrong: the bypass valve is faulty OR there is a cross-connection. By operating the bypass valve, you might be able to tell if the pressure increases (indicating cross-connection) or does nothing (faulty valve) but this isn't 100%.
If nothing comes out, then with the service side open and supply side closed, open the bypass a bit just to verify that water comes out.

With service side open, and supply and bypass valves closed (there should be no water coming out of the softener connections), check the rest of the taps in the house. Report back here, I can't even really speculate what's happening in this case, other than perhaps your softener is not actually connected at all.


Why won't the bulbs light up brightly in my European chandelier?

If your bulbs ARE 120 volt and some are half lit then some are wired wrong.

They will be in series not in parallel.

To test this switch the light on and remove one bulb that is 1/2 lit. Another will go off- they are in series. Maybe even 2 will go off. They need to be re-wired in parallel.


How does a water meter affect the continuity of a grounding electrode system when a jumper is present?

The grounding electrode is only required to be 8' and buried 2-1/2' deep for a pipe or rod. The conductor is required to be continuous as you note but you stopped reading prior to the 4 exceptions 250.64.C.1 through 4.  But the pipe is the electrode.
 With many home owners having to replace old galvinised pipe a problem has started when the old pipe is removed and replaced with plastic. I have had to drive new rods where ther was no longer 8' of pipe in the ground. This can cause problems especially if there are no other grounds (driven or Ufer) the most common. If you are concerned about the quality of your ground it is fairly easy to drive a new rod close to your panel and run a #6 copper conductor to the service. Many older homes the water main was the only ground. Adding a driven rod or pipe can only help if located close to the service.


Your initial response was pure alarmism

Note that there is just one person that won a lawsuit for mesothelioma based on a 67 day exposure on board a ship.  That is considered a short exposure to cause a problem.  That's sixty seven days of intensive exposure on a ship.

This is like freaking out because someone snuck into your room and smoked cigarettes all night, exposing you to second hand smoke.

Yes, second hand smoke is dangerous.  To a degree.  But not like that.


wiring switch and plug to flourescent fixture

Because switches don't take neutral (which you call common).  Only hot wires go to switches.  That thing you think is "the other one from hot", is not neutral.  It's switched hot.

First, connect all the grounds/earths.

Second, connect the neutrals to each other.

Third, take the switch out of its retail packaging /shipping box. .

Fourth, you should have two hots left over, one from the cord, one to the ballast. Those two go on the switch.

If you want to get some colored tape and color-code (which normal wires are not), then put red tape on the black (non-neutral) wire from the ballast, and tape the two wires on the switch so one is black and the other is red.


Heating above ground pool by re-circuplating pool water through tankless, on-demand water heater

Per the NWS, the [base 65 heating degree days][1] for Washingtion (or BWI, anyway) are 205 for October, 465 for November, 786 for December, 899 for January, 728 for February, 568 for March and 270 for April.
What is a "base 65 heating degree day?" a day with an average temperature of 50 degrees adds 15 to the HDD count. A day with an average temperature of 30 degrees adds 35 to the count, and a day with an average temperature of 65 (or above) adds 0 to the count.
I'll assume a basic 20x20 two car garage since you haven't specified and it fits a 15 foot pool. Your basic 8" thick cinderblock is R1.11 and a typical uninsulated roof is about R1. ignoring roof slope, 400 square feet of R1 and 640 square feet of R1.11 (that is optimistic if the garage doors are uninsulated metal, as is typical for uninsulated garages, but let's ballpark it for now.) That calculates out to 976, or to be simple since it is a ballpark, 1000 BTUs per hour per degree F, so 24,000 per 24 hour degree-day.
So, October, 205 degree days, 4,920,000 BTUs - for 65 F. For 78 F rather than 65 F, add 31*(78-65)=403 and you now need 14,592,000 BTUs for October. There's 91,502 BTUs per gallon of LPG, reduced by your heater being less than 100% efficient. If it were 100% efficient you'd need 159.5 gallons, just for October; you'll actually need 10-20% more for typical gas heater efficiencies.
In January, you'll need 31,248,000 BTUs or 341 gallons of propane in the mythical 100% efficient heater, or 414 with your chosen heater at (apparently without spending too long delving the documentation) 82% efficency.
Right - your question was "gallons per day" so it looks like an average of 13.35 in January and 6.27 in October. You can work out the other months if you like, or compute the whole heating season.
[1]: https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=lwx


How to remove vent assembly from Kenmore 665.16262400 dishwasher

Photos would definitely confirm but I believe your Kenmore is manufactured by Whirlpool and has an "open vent" style vent that is not electrically activated. From your description it seems that you already figured out to remove the top 6 T-15 torx screws on the upper inside of the door panel and lower the control panel to reveal the rectangular outer portion of the vent.

If you shine a flashlight into the rectangular "throat" of the outer vent piece you will see how the round inner piece interlocks with it. Your intuition is correct, this two piece assembly simply unlocks and locks together when you rotate the round inner vent piece. If it is stuck you might spray the rim of the inner piece with a penetrating lube and use a hand towel to improve your grip upon it. Wipe off the spray lube afterwards to prevent any damage to the plastic. It is supposed to be tight because both pieces have a rubber seal which prevents water intrusion.


How can I brace a freestanding downspout?

This isn't a downspout problem, this is a grading problem. The ground has either eroded over time or was never properly graded in the first place. Probably a combination. Either way, the end result is that water collects in the low places and only dissipates by absorbing into the ground (not good; that can cause foundation problems like liquefaction of the soil underneath a slab or P&B foundation, or weeping and frost heaves against a basement wall) or evaporating.

You're not going to fix this by extending the downspout; you may reduce the amount of water collecting, but rain will still fall naturally into this valley next to your house, or fall against the side of your house and then run down into it. You're going to have to solve the problem by creating a continuously-downhill path for this water, directing it away from your house.

This sidewalk; is it sloped in a V with the lowest point at its center? If so, it was probably built as much to direct runoff as to be a walking path, and you should investigate where the sidewalk should be sending the water (probably around to the front of the house and down the driveway) and make adjustments accordingly. If not, why does it slope? It is really old and sloping due to erosion underneath it, or did the contractor who put it in just not have his level with him that day?

Can we get some real pictures of the side of your house and this valley, with indications of where the water currently pools?


Sounds an awful lot like coaxial cable.

This is used in cable TV and rather old computer network cables.  While not directly hazardous, homes with it have been statistically linked to high cable TV bills and an obsession with something called "Game of Thrones".


What wire gauge is needed to replace old wires in a vintage chandelier?

If you're in the US, NEC likely applies. Article 402 covers fixture wires, and explains what types and sizes are allowed.

Type

Table 402.3 lists the types of wires allowed to be used as fixture wires. If you're going to rewire the fixture, you'll have to use a type of wire listed in this table.

FFH-2
HF, HFF
KF-1, KF-2, KFF-1, KFF-2
PAF, PAFF
PF, PFF
PGF, PGFF
PTF, PTFF
RFH-1, RFH-2, RFHH-2, RFHH-3
SF-1, SF-2, SFF-1, SFF-2
TF, TFF
TFN, TFFN
XF, XFF
ZF
ZFF
ZHF

Size

Table 402.5 lists the allowable ampacity for different sizes of wire. You'll want to use a wire that's sized properly for the load you'll be serving.  In most cases, the maximum bulb size you'll have to account for is 100 Watt. Which means you'll likely only be looking at about 833 mA (100 Watts/120 Volts), so you can probably get away with 18 AWG wire.

402.6 says that fixture wires cannot be smaller than 18 AWG, so you'll have to use at least that size wire.

Overcurrent Protection

402.12 points to 240.5 for overcurrent protection of fixture wires, which tells you what size overcurrent is required for different sized wires. 240.5(B)(2) lists the size and length of fixture wires, when connected to circuits with various sizes of overcurrent protection.

  National Electrical Code 2014

  Article 240 Overcurrent Protection

  I. General

  240.5 Protection of Flexible Cords, Flexible Cables, and Fixture Wires.

  (B) Branch-Circuit Overcurrent Device.

  (2) Fixture Wire. Fixture wire shall be permitted to be
  tapped to the branch-circuit conductor of a branch circuit in
  accordance with the following:

  (1) 20-ampere circuits — 18 AWG, up to 15 m (50 ft) of run length
  (2) 20-ampere circuits — 16 AWG, up to 30 m (100 ft) of run length
  (3) 20-ampere circuits — 14 AWG and larger
  (4) 30-ampere circuits — 14 AWG and larger
  (5) 40-ampere circuits — 12 AWG and larger
  (6) 50-ampere circuits — 12 AWG and larger

Conduit/Tube Fill

You may also have to refer to Table 1 of Chapter 9, to determine the maximum number of wires that can be in a conduit or tube.


Hot water and cold water switched in shower

I did this a while ago in my shower. I can't remember exactly, but that stem sticking out is part of a bigger cylinder/canister that fits inside of the big pipe. When I did it I worked the whole canister out of the pipe (it was stuck in there pretty good), took a look at it and played with it until I got the right rotation.

Like Daniel suggests, you want to make sure each limit of the movement is fully hot or fully cold. If you get it wrong you can miss the full range, or even have a dead spot in the middle with hot and cold on either side.

It looks like you have to take the front cover of that pipe of to get the canister out. Have fun.


Refrigerator cycles off/on, comes on fully when condenser fan is unplugged

The fridge now works perfectly. I had to replace the main logic board. On closer inspection there was a resistor which had charring on the back and front of the board. Perhaps I could have replaced the resistor but I don't know what else might have been effected and I was running out of time.

This fits with the symptoms in that there were seemingly unrelated sub-systems effecting each other.


Can I use 1/4 inch copper tubing with a compression needle valve to run propane to a gas light?

You'll need to look into your local code to find out if it's approved. Where I live, compression fittings aren't allowed for gas but flared fittings are. If you're not sure, you should contact a licensed gas fitter in your area.


Subpanel breaker sizing in detached shed with electrical feed from breaker in main house panel

Will a new 8-slot,

You seem very wrapped up chapter and verse of complying with NEC. You're missing the point. We are not serfs to electricity.  We are the masters of this technology.  Electricity works for us.  Bare compliance is for slumlords.  Make electricity wonderful!
#1 mistake is getting the smallest panel that will serve immediate needs.  This creates a nightmare later when you want to add more stuff.  More spaces are a trivial amount of money, so while we certainly are interested in saving you money, chintzing out on panel spaces is not the place to do that.  Go BIG or go home. Bye bye 8-space. Hello 30-space.
And if you want to save some money, avoid "QO".  Eaton CH is just as good and just as compact at 2/3 the price for the breakers.

125A Square D 125A subpanel with a 125A main breaker that I want to use for a subpanel and disconnect in the shed satisfy NEC code requirements ?
(I want 2nd opinion on early advice saying I'll have to swap out 125A main for 30A main)
And if so, can you please point me to the applicable NEC code section(s) ?

Yeah, people get sucked into this mistake all the time. They get told to use a main-breaker panel as an outbuilding subpanel, but don't understand why they're doing that, and they make too much out of the main breaker, like "shouldn't that match or something?"
You do not need any main breaker at all in the subpanel. (NEC nothin'.nothin').
The only purpose of using a main-breaker panel is to provide a "main disconnect" as required in outbuildings per  (NEC 225.31).

225.31 Disconnecting Means. Means shall be provided
for disconnecting all ungrounded conductors that supply or
pass through the building or structure.

However... if you plan to carry the feeder some distance within the building before it gets to the subpanel, you will need a separate disconnect near the entry point.  If you do need that separate disconnect, then this satisfies 225.31 fully, and you do not need a main breaker at all at the panel.

225.32 Location. The disconnecting means shall be installed
either inside or outside of the building or structure
served or where the conductors pass through the building or
structure. The disconnecting means shall be at a readily
accessible location nearest the point of entrance of the conductors.

Needless to say, saying you need to downgrade to a 30A breaker is utterly laughable advice, the person is just "making stuff up".

Will I need two ground rods at the shed ? or just one ?
And if so can you point me to the applicable NEC section(s) ?

Two needed unless you can get free services from an electrician.

250.53 Grounding Electrode System Installation.
(2) Supplemental Electrode Required. A single rod, pipe,
or plate electrode shall be supplemented by an additional
electrode of a type specified in 250.52(A)(2) through
(A)(8).

You can evade this requirement if your electrode tests out as having good conductivity to earth; however the cost of doing this test is a great deal more than driving a second ground rod.  Other code calls out a minimum 6' distance, but more is better.

Wiring in the shed will be with (3) 12awg THHN wires (B/W/G) in 1/2" EMT. IF I run the three wires for power from a 20A breaker in the subpanel to a light switch near a cornner shed door, can I run the switched wires part way back to the light in the same EMT conduit ? And if so, the applicable code section(s) ?

You can't use green wire!

250.119 Identification of Equipment Grounding Conductors. Conductors with insulation or individual covering that is green, green with one or more yellow stripes, or otherwise identified as permitted by this section shall not be used for hot or neutral circuit conductors.

I would suggest "red".   Green is reserved for safety ground, but you don't need to wire that if it's EMT pipe.

358.60 Grounding. Grounding and bonding EMT shall be installed in accordance with 358.60(A) and (B).
(A) EMT shall be permitted as an equipment grounding conductor

As far as how many wires / can you do that switch, again can't prove a negative.  Certainly any number of wires or circuits are allowed in conduit, if you're willing to pay the derate in 310.15(B)(3)(a)...

However all related conductors must be together in the same conduit.

300.3 Conductors.
(B) Conductors of the Same Circuit. All conductors of the same circuit and, where used, the neutral and all safety grounds shall be contained within the same raceway, auxiliary gutter, cable tray, cablebus assembly, trench, cable, or cord...


How to fix water leak between tub and shower walls

I would avoid caulking again as it's likley to become a re-occuring problem, it's best to fix the source issue.

Contact the original contractor, they may repair the work if it's under warranty.

If they are unwilling, check with your local regulations as your original contractor may be liable for repairs, certainly seems like a fault with the original installation.

Home insurance may also cover you for repairs, if you are insured contact your agent even if only to register a case number early on in case it blows up to something that will need coverage.

If you are stuck without any of those options and don't want to overspend, there are companies that specialise in sealing bathrooms over tiles/panels using specialised  sealents, you should be able to find one that will do the job for under $200/$300 - ensure they provide at least year warranty. Google 'over tile waterproofing'.


What can I do if drain alignment doesn't allow enough space for p-trap?

When you purchase a P-trap from the hardware store, you'll end up with these pieces (or something similar).

You'll also want to pick up a 1-1/2 in. PVC 90° slip-joint elbow while you're there.

You'll then want to connect the pieces something like this...

You'll then have to twist the pieces around, until you can get them to fit together. You'll end up with something similar to this.

Though I'm not sure this is code compliant anymore.
In the 2003 version of International Residential Code (IRC), there was this section.

International Residential Code 2003
Chapter 31 Vents
Section P3105 Fixture Vents
P3105.3 Vertical leg for waste fixture drains. A vertical leg (see Figure P3105.3) is permitted within a fixture drain of a waste fixture in accordance with the following criteria:

Minimum trap diameter shall be in accordance with Table P3201.7.
The diameter of Section A shall be equal to the diameter of the trap.
The length of Section A shall not be less than 8 inches (203 mm) and in accordance with Table P3105.1.
The diameter of Section B shall be one pipe size larger than the diameter of Section A.
The length of Section B shall not be more than 36 inches (914 mm).
The diameter of Section C shall be one pipe size larger than the diameter of Section B.
The total length of Section A and Section C shall not exceed the distance allowed in Table P3105.1.
Bends shall be the diameter of the largest connected section.

However, in the 2006 version, this section is gone.


Why would the electrician use 8 gauge wire on a 20A circuit?

There can be many reasons for using a larger than normal wire, including but not limited to.

The person desinging the installation thinks that the breaker rating may need to be increased in the future.
The circuit is unusually long and the larger wire is needed for volt drop reasons.
Thermal insualtion or grouping concerns require the cable to be de-rated.
The electrican was in a hurry and simply didn't have any smaller cable of the appropriate type on-hand.
Someone simply made a mistake.


Dryer connection changes from 10-3 with ground to 10-3 without ground

What a fiasco.  That was very bad work.

Unless the ungrounded 10/3 is running inside steel conduit all the way back to the panel, in which case the steel conduit is the ground, and the work is complete.  However running cable inside conduit is the work of a dullard.

The good news is it sounds like the ungrounded 10-3 is quite old work, making it grandfathered.  As such, you are allowed to retrofit a ground wire.  It must be 10 AWG, can follow any practical route, and must go back to either

the panel the circuit is powered out of,
a junction box served by another circuit served by that panel whih has a #10 or larger ground wire back to the panel, or
somewhere along the Grounding Electrode System: the bare wires from the panel to the ground rods/water pipe.


Mobile home shocking (actually it is a nearby chain link fence)

Thanks for the answers and the offers of help
 I had to give up
Our number three son  came running and was able to isolate and find the problem.

He found that even though the ground lug looked good and actually showed good when testing it was actually broken.
The bolt that pushes aganist the ground rod was broken completely into.
 They purchased a new ground clamp and installed it.
  He then ran test again and had 0 volts on the metal side of the house and 6 volts on the frame. This was way better than the 97 volts that was on the side.

He then took the ground lug  back off cleaned the ground rod and the ground wire and reinstalled.

After a second test he had 2 volts on the frame which they believe is a couple of bad outlets
  They are changing them out today . I am concerned about 2 volts but using a Fluke meter may be static volts or something
  Just a good lesson that proves putting good eyes on equipment can be better than testing and taking for granted it is good
 He found the problem by two means.
One was actually looking at the ground and associated parts and  second actually taking apart to make sure he was getting a good ground at the start


Do I need to clean out/fill in cracks in wood floor?

In my 1920's house, the cracks between oak floorboards where caused by house settling, and sometimes compressing floorboards. They vary in width by time of year. That makes filling impractical. I do glue down any potential splinters with wood glue and a 5 Lb weight.


What is this "appliance control" power strip?

A quick search came up with this: (Amazon)
The disk is a touchpad which controls dimming of the lights plugged into the strip.
This took me less than one minute, entering "38AF APPLIANCE CONTROL" into Google. (Actually, I didn't type it, I copied it from your question.) In the future, I'd suggest using a web search before posting.


Can you replace just the lever of this deadbolt latch?

Since your lock has a set screw, then yes, you can replace it. The set screw is used to hold the current lever in place. You would simply need another lever that fits that type of deadbolt.

The catch here will be finding another part that fits but is sold separate from a deadbolt itself. A quick search turned up no sites selling just that one part.


I would avoid using the baseboard ground for the outlets since the baseboard is on a different breaker (circuit). Per NEC:

NEC 300.3(B) All conductors of the same circuit, including grounding and bonding conductors shall be contained in the same raceway, cable, or trench.

You can certianly replace the home run and associated branches with 3/12 (20 A) or 3/14 (15 A) depending on the circuit breaker size.


Microwaves go in the kitchen.  I would suggest that it is up in a higher spot so kids can't play with them.  That is a good reason they are often over ovens along with the venting.

Also from an electric point of view almost all microwaves require a 12A dedicated circuit.  For a kitchen you will probably have several runs like this and it is just bundled with those.  For a bedroom you would be basically running one circuit into a room for one outlet, where the rest of the room is on another.  Just a little odd.

From a safety stand-point microwaves draw a lot of current.  I guess there is more of a chance (albeit very low) that microwaves cause more fires due to current fluctuations than most other things.  I would much rather a fire in my kitchen than my bedroom or anyone's bedroom.

And practically speaking I remember living in the dorm and my roommate burning popcorn in the microwave... Good luck falling asleep with burnt popcorn smell.


What are the pros and cons of vinyl gutters?

The weak points in any guttering system are where the various sections join. If the gutters aren't fitted correctly then any system will leak.

So look for a system that has an easy to fit joint, or perhaps one where the joints are bonded.

As long as they have the capacity to carry the volume of water you expect then any correctly installed system will be OK.

One more thing, make sure you maintain them. Check them at least one a year to make sure they're not blocked, more often if you have overhanging trees. Don't lean your ladder on the gutter itself. Lean it just below or get a device to push the ladder away from the wall.


Dealing with nicotine stains in a Victorian property

Ummm.  Primer might be the least of your concerns.  I have flipped a few houses in my life and many have had heavy smokers and/or animals.  If you remove all soft surfaces - carpet, curtains, anything that can retain the smoke smell - then you can try to prime it if the odor isn't insane.  So after everything is out let it air out a day or two or longer.

If the smell is coming from the walls then you can try to prime and paint but it might be a total waste of time and money.  I have had to redrywall the living room areas of more than a few homes.  There is a good chance the insulation is soaked with the smoke smell too so that may need to be replaced - and another reason why painting hardly ever helps the extreme cases.


Best / easiest way to remove old electrical connectors?

Use a pry bar through the eye of the anchor. You are correct, rotating top left will bring them out. Alternatively, an adjustable wrench over both sides of the eye works very well. Turn it right out, don't cut it off, because it's much easier to caulk shut a hole or put new flashing over it if there's no stub sticking out. There are some eye bolts that go through the wood and have a nut on the inside. In those cases, you can remove some soffit and put a wrench on the nut inside. Don't get hit on the head when it comes out, and don't stand on the top step of a ladder.


Refrigerator is warm but freezer stays cool

three main points come to mind (in this order):

Door seal(s): even though you may think the door is closed all the way, a weak magnet or bad seal will cause this problem EVERYTIME. Try the "dollar bill" trick: place a dollar bill in the area around the door seal and do a full series of tests the full perimeter of the door. The dollar bill should be held in place by the door seal when closed and should require effort to pull it out. If it is "easy" anywhere, then the seal is poor and moisture is getting in greatly accelerating frost buildup
Air fan: While you identify the fan is working, is it working properly? The motor itself can be marginal, running poorly, or not at all, check contacts and wiring, and also confirm the bearings are firm but the blades spin freely. Also (and this is critical), ensure the supply and return ducts are not blocked. Make sure they are fully defrosted, and clean. Any food, mold, plastic bags, etc are removed and do not store products in front of or blocking the ducts
Refrigerant cycling: if there is a flow issue (pinched lines etc) or too low refrigerant, the unit can be cycling on and off or never off, either way allowing the ice buildup, but this is usually only found in old or damaged units. Try setting the freezer to its warmest acceptable level, and make sure it is cycling off vs. running 24/7

As noted in the other answer, but amplifying it a bit further, make sure that if the unit has a defrost tray that it has water in it - it is possible the ductwork is bloxked by plastic debris or mold/food. Make sure all tubing is free and clear


How wide to trench foundation slab for new plumbing?

That's a good rule, if a bit over-complicated. For most residential work that's within 24" of slab level, 12-16" is plenty, assuming that it's placed accurately.

You can always bell out the trench under the slab a bit if needed for a large assembly. Of course, plumbers would always want more. :)


What might cause garage door opener sensors to work intermittently?

if sunlight on the sensor isn't causing the issue, then the problem is either bad opener, bad wiring or a bad sensor.

when the sensors are not working, use a multimeter to test the voltage put out by the opener. if that's not right, then you might have a bad opener.

next i would try disconnecting all of the wires at both ends, cutting off the exposed conductor and stripping the wires fresh, then reconnecting. make sure to thoroughly clean any corroded terminals.

if neither of those are the issue, then you need to decide which is easier for you: replacing the sensors or replacing the wiring. do one of those, and if that doesn't fix it then do the other.


Front-loading GE washer makes loud noise

Sounds like your tub's supporting bearing at the back is shot. I'd start there, even just to see how your tub is actually operated.

This is important because your tub may not have a support bearing at all & may rest on front & back rollers with a bottom wheel or a belt connecting to a pulley on the motor. 1 or more of these rollers or just the drive-wheel may be worn down.

If you have this roller setup you may be able to adjust the drive-wheel height by an adjusting screw. If just a or the bottom rollers have worn but the tops are still new, then just swap those around.

Once you determine what's what then you can go online-line to any appliance parts website & see if it's worth your time or if $100 or more would be better spent on an Appliance Repairer doing a full assessment of the washer along with the necessary repair.


How should I fur out cement board in shower stall to match the original mortar position?

You should build out the framing with... more framing. Either sister studs at the correct projection depth, or cut furring strips. Fitting full sheets as filler is a waste of time and materials.


Should I supporting a load via anchors in brick or mortar?

With only 15lbs, two screws (one on each side) ought to do just fine.  Just drill into the mortar with a hammer drill and an appropriately sized bit, then use either a sleeve type anchor with the screws, or you could just use a couple tapcon type screws as well.


I do not think you will have an issue with either place that you locate them. However in the jack studs you are next to the door and your door casing and fit might be cleaner / easier - no bulges ripples waves etc. just a nice smooth straight surface for your casing.


Top of stairs wood tread to carpet transition level issue

If you happen to have a double-layer subfloor, remove the top layer and build back up under the tread using material of appropriate thickness.

Otherwise I would make the top tread thinner where it laps over the subfloor. You can do this a couple ways. Either use a hand planer and take multiple passes, or use a tablesaw or circular saw, shifting the fence 1/8" with each pass. Be sure to stop short of where the tread drops down to the riser.

Either approach has the added benefit of bringing the top rise back to standard. I would still use a small bevel against the carpet to make it easier on feet.

Note that the second option will weaken the tread. The nosing needs to be supported well to prevent cracking. Use shims and construction adhesive to create a solid bedding.

Regarding Ecnerwal's good suggestion of a full-depth tread extending past the door casing... Those are two different trim assemblies and shouldn't be expected to align. You could nip the corner off the tread at a 45 to meet the casing, though, or simply bevel both the edge and the end slightly and not worry about it. If you're able to get the tread low enough you may be able to leave it as you have it now, too.


GFCI outlet issue: downstream tests wired OK but upstream will not reset

Well, this is certainly full of red herrings, isn't it?

Sounds like a disconnected neutral wire somewhere

"Hot Ground Reverse" is how a "magic 8-ball tester" tells you the neutral wire is not connected back to the panel, but a load is plugged in and switched on.

So check each of the outlets in the string to see if they actually work.   The trouble will be either at the last working one, or the first defective one.

The usual culprit is backstab connections.

Here's what's really going on inside those magic 8-ball testers.

The printed legends, however, are notoriously wrong and misleading.  This one has a more useful legend:


In my state having a freezer or refrigerator without a GFCI is acceptable in some states it is not.
There were some GFCI devices that required a reset with a power loss.
This is likely the problem.  A replacement GFCI receptacle would fix the problem (they were very unpopular for your exact problem).
A new GFCI usually only requires a reset when first powered up.
If you are in a state like Oregon that has an exception to the GFCI requirement for such cases I would install a non GFCI receptacle.
Make sure to turn the breaker off before replacing however you do it.


No.  You've created a wiring loop.

There's a fundamental rule that currents must be equal in each cable or conduit.   The way you accomplish that is by laying your cables in a tree topology. Any number of branches, but branches can't ever rejoin each other.

You need to air-gap either the two things in box 5, or air-gap the two switches in box 1.

Stick a partition inside the box and no wires cross it. Partitions are mandatory for separating low-voltage wiring from mains wiring in the same junction box.   Truth be told they're not physically mandatory in this case, but the idea of total separation is mandatory.

In fact, I really do recommend physical separation because if you don't, it's a matter of time before some gooberhead decides he wants to put a smart switch in a 3-way remote location, so he crosses the partition to poach a neutral wire.  And now you have an illegal loop.

Also remember you can take power to the lamps first and double-back to the switches in a "switch loop", but if you do, Code requires you to use 14/3 in the switch loop. That will leave a spare wire, which is future neutral for use by smart switches.


Plastic models are made out of polystyrene. The cement that is used to glue model parts together melts the parts and forms a weld. It is not an adhesive and actually works much like PVC cement. Applied properly what you wind up with is a solid weld rather than a glued joint. Use sparingly.


Plumbing water heater with manifold system

On manifold systems, I have never seen the hot water taken after the cold manifold. It has always been a tee off the main line. If you are running dedicated lines to each fixture in all locations, 1/2" lines will work in all cases. If you are going to branch off to other fixtures using one line to do multiple fixtures, say one line to do a bath, another to do the kitchen and another to do a hall bath, you need to start with 3/4" lines from the manifold, then reduce to 1/2" after a few fixtures have been fed.


Without seeing your particular system it is impossible to tell how it is configured.

Generally, the device called a boiler is for heating water to heat the house. This is a closed system and does not supply hot water for the house.

A device called a water heater is used to heat potable water for the house that is safe to drink and all other personal needs. This is an open system and takes in cold water from the domestic water supply to heat for use.

It is possible your system does both but the two piping systems should be kept separate so the potable water supply is not contaminated. Your system may pre-heat water while the boiler is running to heat the house and store it in a tank.

To get a better answer you need to post pictures or diagrams of your system.


Can I connect a 100 amp sub-panel to a 200 amp main through a standard breaker?

Can you add a 100 amp breaker to your main panel?
  Yes you have 12 slots the double pole breaker will only take 2 slots.

Will you have enough ampacity to run everything with the new sub panel?

There is not enough information to answer fully but probably.

What are your other loads for the home?

Do you have gas or electric appliances / heat?
If your major appliances are gas (water heater, oven & furnace) I would expect there to be more than enough to run a 100 amp sub, if your appliances are all electric you may have enough but the size of the home would also be needed to calculate your current demand.


Should I add air ducts when finishing my basement or rely on space heaters?

Summary...  100% add the duct work.   It will be cheaper in long run, look better, and will increase resale value of the home.
Few things here:

Once you add those walls/ceilings (given it is not a drop ceiling) adding duct work will be very costly and messy.   This is sort of like running ethernet cable throughout the house, but air ducts probably have little chance of being under spec in your lifetime.   Adding a damper with access to manually turn it off and on is common.   (forgive the price here... usually about $15, just an example)

Most inspectors will not allow a place to be label "finished" without it being conditioned in all rooms.   This depends on where you live.   So what I am saying is... before you ask this question on here and research options - Have you asked your inspector?   I can't think of one place that would allow me to "finish" a basement (that's something I have done more than any project) and not require each room to be conditioned.   I have had some inspectors require that I condition (add ducts) to the unfinished areas if any of the basement is considered finished.    Yes I said that right - I have had to put ducts in unfinished storage or laundry room because I was getting the rest of basement signed off on.

It makes no sense to have 1000 sq feet done by space heaters.    That's just too big.   To do it right you would need a few faux fireplaces with their own safety and shutoff devices.   These would probably require special electrical.   Running ducts in an unfinished space is cheap.   Doing "nothing" sounds cheaper until it isn't.

Even if you ignore all of the above just do it for the resale value of the home.   If I were scoping out a home to buy I would notice the lack of duct work in a basement that size, would assume I would rip apart a lot to fix it and would adjust the price in my head.   Worse though is that I would assume other things weren't done right.   And even worse to the non-handyman is that the "fireplaces" or "heaters" probably make the finished area look a bit tacky.

Note: If someone were only finishing a small part of their basement - two small rooms (workout room + whatever) I could see the justification of not adding ducts as the bleeding of the heat would be costly and not efficient.   This probably gets into what % of the basement is being finished.   I think once you get over 60% or 500 sq ft the answer is probably yes you should.
Note to the note:  In the case above if you don't condition those two rooms, likely the city will not consider that finished space when you are selling the home, no matter how nice it looks.  (this also could be actual home square footage in a walk out basement)


Why does a single pole tandem breaker allow connecting the switch handles?

The question isn't whether the breakers are able to accept a connecting pin.  The question is whether the manufacturer makes a UL-listed handle tie for those pins.   I would bet they do not.

There might be a reason to handle-tie the inner breakers of two adjacent duplex breakers; i.e. In an A1 A2 B1 B2 arrangement, tying A2 to B1.  That would be for the normal uses of handle-ties, e.g. Multi-wire branch circuits and 240V-only loads.

Also keep in mind, handle ties do not assure common trip; multi-pole breakers have an internal mechanism which does that.  (Which also means a multi-pole breaker is much more than two singles bolted together).  The purpose of handle ties is common maintenance shutoff, needed for 240V loads (which can have each leg separately fused), MWBCs (so you don't get nailed by the other leg), and 2 circuits on 1 yoke (ditto).


You answered your own question. This is a ground fault. Your TV circuit isn't in a wet or unfinished area, so it doesn't have or need ground fault protection, so it doesn't have a problem. Since the problem happens on two different GFCI-protected circuits and didn't happen when the refrigerator was brand new, there likely really is a problem. Multiple opening and closing as a trigger would indicate either some sort of interference that happens (e.g., perhaps there are fans/motors that stop when you open the door and start again when you close it and repeated action causes the ground fault) or maybe some part that has an insulation breakdown and repeated opening/closing of the doors allows condensation to drip down to just the wrong place.
Bottom line: GFCI with refrigerator is generally not a good combination, because if this happened while you were out and didn't find out until the next day, your food would all be spoiled. Or potentially worse, you had the problem and didn't know it and reset the breaker because of something else, you might not realize the refrigerator had been off for several hours.
The ideal solution is to fix or replace the refrigerator. Realistically, the problem is probably not a true safety hazard, but we can't be sure. In many cases, a refrigerator can be plugged into a non-GFCI circuit, but normally the exception is based on the circuit not powering any countertop kitchen receptacles, which typically requires running a separate circuit exclusively for the refrigerator. Extension cords are only a temporary solution.


How do I safely install a pole/mast on our roof?

You may want to consider one of the various style of commercial bracket assemblies designed to mount antenna masts onto chimneys and concrete columns. Here are some examples:


Screwing into the underside of countertop - can it support a little weight?

You could glue another board onto the bottom of the counter top with a wood glue, clamp it, and when dry it will give additional wood to screw into.


How can I find the cleanout for my cast iron drain line?

You basically have three main options for a cleanout:

Roof.  Most home during that era, especially with cast iron have a full clean out on the roof vent.
Main stack on lowest level.  This would be basements in some homes but guessing you don't have one.  Without a basement these can be on the first level or crawl space, usually first level.  If there is a cleanout opening it should have an access panel which could be any sort of panel size and less than 1' by 1'.  I would look in the center of the house or close to bathrooms/kitchen, really close to toilets.
Closer to the street, probably on you front lawn.  You should see a small manhole or some other sort of contraption for a cleanout to your street sewer system.

Things to think about...

You need something to snake this.  Snaking old cast iron is not easy.  As it corrodes it becomes smaller inside.  You shaking metal inside that always isn't a good scenario.  Pieces break off and make a bigger mess.  So make sure you are using the proper tool.  We have no idea how big your yard is but in mine I need a 300 foot auger out ever two years to get tree roots.  I of course don't own one so I call someone.
Calling a plumber is not going to help you if you just want it temporarily fixed and snaked.  There are other companies that will do this for you local for $75 or so.  There are a ton in my area that for $50-75 will send someone out and let them snake for an hour for that amount - or until issue is fixed.  Calling a plumber could run you 4x the costs.
Which brings me to the real answer...  Just have a plumber convert your lines to PVC.  Most of the time this is a one day job and ranges in price from $750-1500.  I know you are trying to save money but having a plumber troubleshoot one time could be $300-400, and he very well may never touch the root cause of the issue.  Something like this isn't worth half-assing because it isn't something that is just broke but it is broke and getting worse.


you need to drain the system and after using the cleaner, so put that in (and run the system a bit) before you start your maintennce.  the inhibitor goes in with the new water when your maintenance is done.


How can I repair a wall with cracked paint?

If it was built in 1947, there's a decent chance there's lead paint there. That means you can't sand it. I would buy a lead testing kit to make sure (they're readily available online and in some stores. If it is, you'll need to take some precautions first or call a professional removal company.

Provided there's no lead, you might want to go with a no-shrink vinyl spackle instead of straight joint compound. I've found it cracks less. Sanding and spackling should do the trick. I'd go a primer route as well. Will give you better coating over the old paint.


Can I repurpose pine tree stump grindings

Depends.  I use substantial amounts of chipped wood in my tree farm operation.  I find that I like to wear gloves working with it because the ends are sharp, and it's a source of splinters.  It's painful to walk on barefoot.

If you use it as garden mulch, it should be composted for about 3 months first.  Pine in particular is loaded with terpenes which is tough on other plants.  3 months kept damp and the terpenes decompose or leach out.

If you have a garden plot, or an annuals bed, compost it for one season, then spade it into the plot.  Wood chips hold moisture and will reduce the needed frequency of watering.

Do NOT use it as a thin layer in muddy areas.  It mixes with the mud, and you end up with a region that never dries out.  If you wish to use it this way, put down a layer of geotextile first, then put a layer of wood chips on that.

You can also just spread it out with a rake, and after a rain go over it with a roller.  It will gradually decompose into your sod.


You can't. You don't have a constant hot conductor at the box. You have a switch loop:

You can probably pull a cable from another nearby box to power the outlet, depending on how the device is set up. You want to keep the circuits separate. If it only has one hot screw this won't work.


Smart wall heater thermostat line voltage from high to low.

The key specification is the VA specification -- the RC840T only has a 1.2VA transformer in it, which is quite small.  In fact, it's too small to run a power-hungry WiFi thermostat -- it was sized to be barely large enough to run the relay itself, although old-style programmable 'stats draw very little power and probably would work as well.  Standard thermostat transformers are 40VA, which is more than beefy enough to run any thermostat you can find.

So, get a separate thermostat transformer to go with your relay.


How to remove magnet paint from regular drywall?

Locate the studs on either side of the area affected.
Cut down the middle of the studs, and horizontally above and below
the affected area.
Remove drywall and bad paint.
Insert new drywall
Mud/feather/etc as per usual for patching
Paint.


What are the possible solutions for an uphill septic system in rocky area around lake

Forget a septic system and instead get a waste water treatment system. The output is drinkable, clean water. However, most people prefer to just use the water for watering the lawn.

This Old House installed one recently. See http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/tv/house-project/show-descriptions/0,,20587082,00.html


What is this metal part around the fan's motor in my freezer and how to prevent it from rusting?

From my point of view this metal part is a base plate which makes it possible to mount the fan onto the plastic parts.

As RedGrittyBrick noted, it is (or better was) zinc-plated. It seems to me, that most of the zinc layer is oxidized and cannot provide galvanic protection anymore. So why did it loose the zinc layer so quickly?

If it was behind a cover before, it might be, that the cover was to protect the fan and the base plate from humidity and corrosive vapours. Food can emit corrosive vapours like vinegar and almost certainly a lot of water even at temperatures below freezing point.

But the usage of bathroom cleaner might have been the death sentence for the zinc layer, because bathrom cleaners are highly acidic and can dissolve zinc quickly.

Anti rust primer can do the trick but you will have to coat the part carefully and without gaps. After that you can coat it with an additional protective layer. And you should try to get some stainless steel screws equivalent to those used there, as it is impossible to coat the screws.

There's one major drawback on using anti rust primer and other coatings inside your freezer. They tend to evaporate VOC and other nasty things in return which may enter your food. Something I wanted to avoid.

Alternatively you could clean the part thoroughly from any rust and screw some magnesium or zinc liner onto it. This liner will jump in for the lost zinc layer. And put the cover back on to reduce the amount of humidity reaching that part.


Prevent cupping and splitting of wet PT deck boards?

Ideally a person would hold off using freshly treated lumber and let it dry out in a controlled stable environment. At this point, after installation, I think I would try to keep it out of direct sunlight. If at all possible, put up some sort of a sunscreen to prevent the rapid drying of the surface. You might even go so far as to lay down a lightweight, fast drying carpeting while the wood dries out.

If it's drying out that quickly, I see no reason why you wouldn't go ahead and apply a good quality penetrating sealer. The wood will continue to dry out from below and the edges over time, but at a slower, less damaging rate.


Which floor should be done first when updating a multi-family residence?

I don't think there's a good answer to this because plumbing needs a full stack, from the drain in the ground, to the vent in the roof. When you move utilities from one location to another, if you haven't changed the room above, you're stuck with lines on both new and old locations in the floors you've renovated until you're done with the renovation. And if you try to move utilities without first renovating the rooms below, you either have to open the rooms up below or run connections from the new back to the old location. In the end, I fear that you're going to spend more money trying to do it one part at a time rather than saving up until later and doing it all at once.

To partially answer your question, when we are building a new home, we construct from the ground up, for structure, and it's also the source of utility lines so they go the same way. When we finish the build, we go from the top down. This way we aren't tracking dirt over finished carpeting and scratching up freshly painted walls.


How can I secure a workout rack to a wooden platform?

A: Drill some holes and bolt it.
B: Straps (pipe hanger strapping) or brackets if you don't want to drill holes.
C: The wooden approach to B: - surround the "foot parts" with 2x2's screwed into the platform, then screw or carriage bolt short sections of 2x2 or 2x4 over the metal foot parts into the 2x2's on either side to capture the foot parts.


I'd go for a custom made wooden bracket (but then I'm a carpenter!) but you could try searching the 'shop fitting' or 'point-of-sale' industries as they have all kind of different display related stuff. I searched for "POS display shelf brackets" and saw a few different brackets.
Just a thought...


There should be no problem doing what you want to do. These smaller wires are called "fixture wires". They're allowed to be smaller than the rest of the wiring on the circuit, because the manufacturer knows the device will consume less current than the wires can handle.


How can I frame a wall in a confined space?

I recommend that you should insulate this room like a basement: with rigid foam covering the exposed masonry walls, with the seams and edges sealed off to make it an air barrier. No need to frame anything at all if space is at a premium. I wouldn't frame anyway without rigid foam here, since the thermal bridging of the studs will compromise the insulation (especially steel framing), and a less-than-perfect air barrier will cause condensation on the walls that will drip down and rot out the bottom plate or rust steel studs from the bottom.


Can I wire this three wire fixture to my two wire junction box?

You could try it it will work or it won’t but it will not fry it.
I would pull a ground from one of the boxes that has it.
Pulling in a separate ground has been code compliant for a while now.
The ground has to come from a circuit fed from the same panel or you could tie at your grounding electrode system if closer (not usually)
There are a few motion lights that require the ground if this is one of those it won’t work but it won’t fry it so try it and you might want to pull a ground even if it works just to be safe.
Updated for additional photos that were added.
The ground may be from the conduit ? (if metallic) in that case the screw that shows the ground symbol would be a proper ground.
The motion sensor output is red tie the red to the black of the new fixture and white to white.
the concern with the new fixture getting fried is even lower as the existing fixture is controlling the motion sensor, as long as the maximum wattage for the motion light is not exceeded it should not be a problem.
The only issue that may still come up is the new fixture may not work on the output of the motion sensor but again it won’t fry it as long as the maximum wattage is not exceeded.
Electronic lights like CFL & LED’s may not work if the motion sensor is a simple SCR or silicon controlled rectifier / electronic switch that only turns on 1/2 of the sine wave. TRIAC’s or relay driven controls will normally work as they pass the entire waveform when turned on.


Smart switches don't like being upside down and backwards

What happened with your smart switch is that you swapped the Line and Load terminals -- it would not surprise me if something is acting goofy, or if the switch is somehow damaged even, as a result of that.  Try connecting the red wire to the Line terminal on a new smart switch with a proper pigtail (instead of the current configuration) and the black wire to the Load terminal -- you wired up the neutral and ground fine, though.

If that doesn't do the trick, I'd make sure nothing is shorting when you stuff it into the backbox -- wrapping the device with electrical tape and ensuring screws are tight helps.


It sounds like someone has painted latex over an oil-based paint. One way to tell is cut out a small bubble, or scrape some of the top coat away (in an inconspicuous place) to reveal the underlying paint. Take a cloth and put some denatured alcohol on it. Rub the underlying paint for a few seconds and look at the cloth. If the cloth has the same color of paint on it, then it is a latex paint. However, if the cloth has no color on it, then the base coat is an oil paint.

If the base coat is oil, you will need to strip off the top coat. It should be really easy to strip since it isn't adhering anyway (it is rolling off when you sand it). I would suggest going back with oil paint. It is highly effective in damp settings and will last for years. It's also really tough and will stand up to cleanings. However, if you prefer latex you will need to do as you suggested and use a primer between the oil paint and the latex top coat.


Name the architectural feature of thin strip of roof on side wall connecting gabel end points?

As answered in the comments, it looks like this feature has a few names:

Just an "eave", like any other eave on the house
"eave return", or "full eave return"
"cornice return" or "full cornice return"

There are a handful of colloquial terms for specific types of "eave returns" - "pork chop returns", "mutton chop returns", "bird boxes".

Sources:

http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/cornicer.html
http://www.contractortalk.com/f14/what-type-eave-called-see-picture-38794/
https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2287882/why-are-full-cornice-returns-aka-mutton-chops-disliked-here


What leveling precautions should one take with plywood subfloor for engineered hardwood nail down installation?

Depending on the size of the sub-floor and what type of material it consists of, leveling is fairly straight forward. If you are leveling a  plywood sub-floor the most critical factor to focus on is the joints and edges of each adjoining piece; they must be level to each other. With a long (48") level and straight edge check each seam screwing down any wayward areas or high spots into the floor joists below. Screw down any sections that when tread on produce a "squeak" or bounce. Use a leveling compound for leveling low spots.


What can soak up moisture from a closed space

I'd be surprised that you'd have this much moisture from condensation, especially since condensation doesn't change the net moisture level, it's actually removing moisture from the air.  Double check for leaks, signs of corrosion on pipes, particularly at the joints, for caulk that is cracking in the showers, and the drain pipes.

Edit: One more thought, check where the bathroom vents are blowing.  It should be outside, but a lazy installer may have them venting into this space.

That said, without knowing more about the floor plan and what's above and below this space, it's hard to give a good suggestion, so I'll give several:

While you've got the opening in the wall, consider turning it into an access panel to more easily get to the plumbing in the future.  This can just be a few pieces of trim that are attached over the joint between the wall and cutout drywall.
If you want a vent in the wall, you can put in a simple hvac return grill.  That could also double as an access panel.
Insulate the pipes to prevent the air from interacting with the cold pipe and to reduce loss from the hot pipe.
If there's an exterior wall involved, check the insulation and make sure the vapor barrier (paper on fiberglass) is intact.
If you redo the entire wall, use moisture resistant wall board (green board may be more than enough, but they make stuff that's even more resistant).  You can also install an extra vapor barrier behind this.


Circuit breaker door shocked me. Static?

Like Captain Kirk said when he sensed a trap, "It's never a bad time for a battle-stations drill".

It's never a bad time to go through and thoroughly inspect your Grounding Electrode System to assure it's in good order.   You may have gotten blindsided by something like the water company severing your water pipe ground by inserting a plastic smart meter.


How can I sand the underside of an enamel sink?

If you could sand on the bottom of the sink - by the time you removed 1/2 inch you would be way through the sink thickness. So I think that the sanding of the sink is a non starter.

Since it was the counter top guys that screwed this up you should demand that they be the ones to take the steps to correct this problem. If that means ripping out the counter top to install a new one then that is a cost that they will have to bear.


Electricity tripping off after installing Nest

The guidance we are/have been providing in the comments.

The direct answer, is that you have a current carrying wire directly tied the return. (E.g., Neutral & Live In wired together). While this may not be exactly what happened, its an example.

Unfortunately, the diagram the book shows you is possibly misleading and therefore it is likely you were able to either misinterpret the wiring, or just juxtaposed a wire. It i also even possible that the Nest could be damaged or faulty, but vetting the wiring used will help ensure that is not the case. If it is, return it for a new one.

The pictures help to ensure any guidance given is sound, since there are many possible things that could actually come into play to cause an issue like this.

If you have a multi-meter it is invaluable. It is best when doing these types of connections to always ensure without any doubt each wire is what you think it is. So performing OHM tests between L & N, or End to End on a wire is a great way to have this surety.

Only then, would you turn the power on. Nearly eliminating any chance of damage to the equipment, or you.


does "clear opening" on rafter loading tables mean horizontal projection?

Yes, the “clear opening” is the horizontal distance from support to support. (We often call this the clear span.)

In your case, the clear opening is about 14 feet. In fact, the clear span is the horizontal distance from FACE of support to FACE of support. It doesn’t matter the length of the member or if it’s a 4:12 pitch or a 12:12 pitch.


Tub Faucet Sticks Out From Wall. How do I fix it?

I would cut two pieces of wood to fit, that can squeeze in there and hold the pipe where you want it. Test the fit and then put construction adhesive on them to hold them in place.


From the pictures and the diagram, the best I can tell is V3 and V4 are the two valves with yellow handles further back on the sides of the two valve bases in your picture and they cut off the water inlet and outlet. V1 and V2 are the valves you have labeled as V3 and V4. They open the threaded ports so you can do the flush. A closeup picture from the right would help.


How do I insulate a living area below a former porch

Normally the insulation is on top of the sheetrock, and venting takes place just below the roof boards, or anyway between the roof boards and the top of the insulation - unless you have a lot of space to work with, more insulation is better up until you block the venting, and then it's not.
Given that it's a "converted porch" the high side of the venting may be difficult, or at least involve getting creative, if it butts up against a wall rather than connecting to a vented attic - in which case you'll need to install vents on the top part of the roof surface. Intake vents at the eaves/soffits should be more normal.
Buildings of that age, never assume with respect to insulation - there may be other areas completely lacking it that you'd expect to be insulated.


How can I remove an electrical box that's screwed into a ceiling joist without attic access?

A picture of your box, instead of generic picture from the internet somewhere, will get you more specific help, but...
Without going into the attic for access from above or cutting open some drywall for access from below you're really stuck with one option: Cutting and/or breaking up the box to get it out of the ceiling.
If you cut, use extreme care:

Turn off power to the box before you start.
Be sure you do not cut into the wire insulation.

Once you've got the box out, see if you can get a 90° drill/driver adapter in there to get the screw removed. If not, you may need to cut the screws off flush or use locking pliers to slowly, very, very slowly get the screws backed out. If you don't they'll most likely end up in the way of the new box.
When you're done, make sure you install an old work fan support box. If you buy a new work box, you'll have to return it or cut from below or gain access from above to install this one.
I have removed boxes this way. I used an oscillating cutter to attack the box, being extremely careful around the wire entry points. When I got close to the wires, I used linesman's pliers to break out chunks of the box.
The worst part was that I'd just installed the boxes and drywalled and painted when we realized we needed 2-gang boxes instead of the 1-gang we'd just installed. :(


The z flashing probably has a good pinch on the top of that 1x12. Also dried paint likely has bonded to the surface

Try to get a thin putty knife worked under the lip to separate the flashing from the trim board.
Be aware that your idea for a new trim board will only work if the new one is same thickness as the old one.
Try to avoid deforming the z flashing.


How can I build a mantel around my fireplace?

The studs are likely following a standard layout such as 16 inches on center (16 oc)  this is so that plywood/sheetrock will typically fall on a stud without the need to cut the 8 or 12 foot piece.  For your application, I would recommend (based on similar jobs in the past):

Inserting 2 x 4 blocks horizontally in between the vertical studs at the edge of the sheetrock and the edge of the insert  It looks as if three would be more than enough. Secure with framing nails or screws (screws would be practical in this application).  This will provide vertical anchor points for the vertical section of your wood surround.
Mark on the sheetrock the location of the studs for future location purposes
At this point you can secure the surround to the framing, or you can attach the backerboard for the tile to the framing and then attach the surround to the backer board.  In this case, attaching the surround directly to the framing may give a cleaner final look.  Typically surrounds are made to attach to a ledger board (basically a piece of wood secured to the framing), and the surround then rests on the ledger and is secured with trim nails, etc.
Attach your backer board for the tile.  (dura rock etc.)  Be sure to use screws about every 6 inces in the studs.  You want the backer to be as secure as possible in order to prevent future cracking.

Here is a link that shows a similar project, take a look at the ledger.  in most cases, guys will use a simple 2 x 4 for the ledger (Note, I have no affiliation with the link).

I would recommend taping the seams of the backer board with fiber tape, and and filling the tape with thinset when attaching the tile.

I hope this helps!


Why does a motion detector provide enough power for an LED but not a class 2 transformer?

The problem is the electronics used by the motion detector modifies the since wave. Most power supplies today are switching supplies most will not function with a modified since wave. An old school transformer that steps the voltage down and a full wave bridge to change it to DC would do the job. I have a battery powered motion activated sprinkler close to my pool to scare ducks and geese away that has lasted for years with fresh batteries every few months. Like this. Not an endorsement but the one I have is several years old and still works.


I would call a chimney person to inspect the chimney and make recommendations to fix the chimney. He will be able to give you pricing on your repair options for the chimney. The cost of the chimney repairs will vary depending on the type of fuel you will be using and what the codes are for your area. Where I live the cost for a chimney repair for natural gas is much less than the cost to burn a solid fuel (wood) etc. Depending upon the condition of the present insert, you could see if it can be repaired.


Is there a good way to store and organize try/combination squares?

If all your tools are steel or other ferromagnetic material, I would try something like this:

It's a magnetic knife holder that you should be able to buy at any kitchen store.

Alternatively, you could build something along the lines of a traditional knife block by glue-laminating pieces of wood and leaving appropriate gaps for each square.  Although, some types of squares might not fit.


How do I prepare an interior cement floor for painting?

About a year ago, I prepared my concrete floors to be covered first with an overlay and then stained. My situation was a bit different, but I bet the prep needs to be about the same. You can read my blog post about the preparation we did on lauramakes.com.

For your situation, you will want to use a floor scraper to remove anything loose on the floor, like paint chips and the glue, or you won't get your paint or overlay to stick well. I found that wetting down the floor made the scraping go much faster.

You will definitely need to get the carpet glue up. I was interested in non-toxic products, so I looked into two soy based strippers. I tested Soy It, and it definitely worked for paint and is supposedly good for adhesives too.

After you get up the glue, you will need to take care of the grease stains. If you don't, it may show through your paint. The Eco Safety Products support person recommended that we use a floor buffer that you can rent to clean the floor first with orange degreaser and then water. Our grease stains didn't come completely out, but I don't think we found a heavy enough buffer to rent.

I can't really answer much about etching because I decided early on that the process was too toxic for us because we would be living in the house with our pets at the same time as we were prepping the floors.

Anyhow, I hope that helps a bit and let me know if I can elaborate on anything.


You shouldn't need to have any additional adhesive on the rod or wall for it to stay up properly. You can try to clean the wall and rod thoroughly to see if that helps. You can also try to tighten it (making it longer). If you find that you have to tighten it to the point where the rod itself it starting to bow, or it is pushing out the wall, then it it way too tight. If you have to excessively tighten it, then that would indicate that the rod has worn out and should be replaced.