What is causing my Craftsman push mower to run erratically and quit after a few minutes?

How far apart did you disassemble the carb? Did you clean the metering valve assembly? these are usually super tiny that you need a single strand of stranded wire to get in there and clear the ball bearing or check valve parts.

If you provide the model # I'll try to find the engine diagram and point it out.

You also want to check the float and make sure it is seated correctly and no liquid inside of it.


Ballast TLE54 won't light 2 circline bulbs

It's not unusual for ballasts to fail.

It appears they make two variations, one with that exact form-factor which I expect is the exact same unit with a fake American brand stamped on it... and a more rectangular unit from several vendors including reputable Philips.

If the better unit can fit in the fixture, I'd try that.

Alternately, you could decide to make the leap over to LED and never worry about ballasts again.


My electric water switch using 240v broke again is there something wrong with the switch?

Too much current for switch (probably - so check it)

  Previously, the light indicator(switch) was a half dimmer

The neon indicators don't last forever, they are not essential to the working of the switch.

  same thing happened ... no matter how i smack it, turn on and off, it wouldn't work

I think that switch is not rated for the current it is passing. It may be only rated for 20A. Passing a higher current can cause the contacts to burn out over time due to arcing.

An electric shower is usually on a 32A circuit in older houses or on a 40A circuit in newer houses.

A 9 kW shower at 240V uses 9000/240 amps = 37.5A.

You need to install a dual-pole 45A switch designed for use with an electric shower. These kinds of switches are sometimes physically larger than the "20ax" switch you show. 20ax suggests 20A only. It isn't capable of handling the current and is just waiting to set fire to your home.

  I wish to know if I could use a test pen on certain parts to test if electric is passing through?

Most non-contact testers test for voltage only, not current.

However, testing for voltage is probably sufficient.

If there is a voltage drop across the switch, when on, it would indicate that the contacts are burned or pitted, or that you didn't tighten the wire connections enough. The switch would also get warm or hot.

To measure current you would need a clamp-meter around one of the individual wires connected to the switch (not round the whole cable)

Take extreme care when testing this, it is lethal.

See When doing electrical work, what do I use to check wires are safe?

Bottom Line

Replace that switch with a 45A dual-pole switch. If possible, make sure it isolates both live AND neutral.


A well maintained door is easy to open and close.  We use power openers so we can open the door without getting out of the car.  The problem is, this denies us "tactile feedback" of a developing door problem and we don't know until the door goes BOOM.  Assuming this is a broken spring, it would have suddenly failed in any case, but other problems may have contributed.

Doors are dangerous because they are in tension: the weight of the door is counterbalanced by a wound up spring.  The force of either one can kill you.

Doors are DIY repairable, you just really, really need to do your homework on the safety stuff.

Your first step is put the door all the way down, so it's at rest, thoroughly inspect it.  Now when they initially installed the spring, before they tensioned it, a guy shot a line of spray paint down the spring.  With the door down, it should look like a candy-cane with typically 7.5 loops.   If you only see 1 or 2, that's either broken or has come loose from the shaft.

Then disconnect the opener. If you don't see anything mechanically wrong, then try operating the door by hand and look for anything binding or sticking.  It takes about 20 pounds of force to start lifting a sticky old 12x14 industrial door, so yours should be a feather.


Can I remove the framed wall on the outside of my basement?

The 2x4 wall is certainly not load bearing in terms of the floor joists, etc.  The floor joists will be supported by the concrete walls, and possibly by a beam or wall somewhere along the span.  Since the wall in question is right next to the concrete outer wall, it won't be supporting the joists.  If the ceiling isn't finished you can likely see for yourself that the ends of the joists extend out over the concrete wall.

If a mid-span wall is supporting the joists, it should have a double top plate, and king studs around doors and such.  Otherwise, it is likely just a non load-bearing dividing wall.  You can also measure the joist depth and length and compare to span tables to see if a mid-span wall is likely to be load bearing.  If you have TJI joists (OSB web with laminated top and bottom) it may be a little more difficult to identify your joist.

If you have a suspended ceiling or such, it may be involved with this wall.  And you might have wiring or plumbing in it.  But it's not holding up the house.


The quick answer is yes, it is ok however I'd advise to switch the wires. That is, wire nut the two white wires and connect the black wires through the dimmer switch, I'll explain.

You switch box is a hot box, any switch system has a hot box or hot lamp. If power is run directly to the lamp and only switch cables run to the switch you have a hot lamp. In this case you have a hot box, one set of those cable is live and the other set runs to the lamp outlet. On a hot box you want to bridge the neutral lines together(white) and switch the hot lines(black) that way your lamp isn't powered when change a light bulb (and the switch is turned off).
Side note to complete: a hot lamp typically runs a black and white to the switch so you'd have one color on each side of the switch.


Nest Door Bell Works Fine but Mechanical Doesn't

I've owned my home for 21 years, and have had to replace my doorbell switch twice.  What happens is typically corrosion and dust collection, and if enough builds on the points, the circuit can't get enough current for it to ring/too much voltage is dropped across the switch.  It's cheap and easy enough to replace, and they're built accordingly - IP 55 rated switches are made [they handle being hit with a garden hose], but I've never bothered.  Before you go buying, first check to see that you have voltage at that doorbell: an open switch will should show something if your transformer connections are good.  As I read specs on Nest equipment, 16volts is minimum to work with 24v maximum - anything in between should work fine.  What you need to know is this: if no wiring was added for your nest doorbell, then you can't use both.  The Nest needs it's 16-24v present continuously, whereas a standard doorbell has it's power interrupted by the switch: somebody may have abandoned/bypassed your doorbell to provide power to the Nest device, as paralleling the two would make your doorbell run continuously.  If that's the case, you want 4 wires going to your door: a pair for each.  3 could be made to work, but complicates working on one device while leaving the other in service at any point - if both use the same voltage.  Two pairs gives you the freedom to have two different transformers in the future in case two different voltage requirments exist.  I buy my doorbell for sound, and deal with whatever the system needs to work.


How to attach replacement beams to column when repairing pergola

Try Simpson's Outdoor Accents Product Line. Catalog here


How to deal with the trapped air in a loft attic?

First off the bathroom should be sealed from the attic space, any venting from the bathroom should be to outside.  Venting moist bathroom air into the attic space is a recipe for mold and should never happen, fix that first.

Next the attic is supposed to get hot, this keeps the heat away from the living space, if you are using the attic as living space it needs to be properly insulated and ventilated.

Don't skip the insulation step keeping the heat out is a great first step.

As for ventilation you can either as you said, add a vent fan to send the hot attic air outside, and setup other attic vents to either draw air in from outside (normal for an attic space) or draw air up from the living space (not normal, but might be what you want as you are using the attic as living space).

Another option would be to setup interior fans to increase the air exchange between the attic and the other living space, allowing the living space HVAC to cool the warm attic air.

A big thing to consider here is that cooling the attic space with living space air is likely to make the other living spaces warmer in the summer.


The typical thing to use when joining the two slabs would be epoxy, clear or tinted to match the color of the stone.

It's been a while since I've used it, so I don't know how easy it is to find 'pourable' epoxy that's intended for repairs after installation.  (we used to use it for making composite structures, as you can spread it really thinly).  You'd likely want to find the thinnest (least viscous) formula if it's a very narrow crack.


Need help wiring switches with several wires

First thing to confirm would be which direction the switches are being fed from. There are 2 ways that you can do this - feed from the switch:

Or feed from the fixture:

When feeding from a fixture, you'll notice that one of the white wires is actually being used as a black wire.  It is common practice for this to be "coded black", usually with a single wrap of black electrical tape, but not everyone does this.  By the description in the comments, it sounds like everything was being fed from the fixtures except for the porch light (although it seems odd to do a lamp post that way given the extra wire required, but I digress). My guess is that the box where the recessed light went was wired correctly, just using the bottom method from the 2 pictures above.

The second step is to confirm that the wire you have marked as "Service Box" goes to the distribution box. If it does, your previous wiring set up was probably like this (in which case there should have only been one wire nut in the box other than any used for grounding):

Until you do these two things, it would be premature to decide on how to combine switches or re-wire.  You could reverse the wiring for the garage or lamp post to combine switches, but you'd need to figure out what to do about the hot running into the fixture (capping it may not meet code in your area). What you would basically be doing is changing from fixture feeds to box feeds and figuring out what to do with all of the fixture hots.  Multimeter readings likely aren't going to be much help - pictures of all of the boxes at the fixtures would help more (or diagrams of each box with wire connections noted).

I'd start with confirming the wiring the diagram above, get the wiring back to how it was originally so everything works again, and then posting an update with the information above for advice on how to change how it is wired.

EDIT: Porch and lamp post can be combined like this:


How do I weigh a kitchen island to determine what size castors to get?

When buying castors, they're generally marketed as a set that can carry a total load.
ie a set of 4 '200 lb' castors are meant for an object that weighs under 200 lbs.

I'd simplify your problem by estimating then doubling that. If an average person can lift 50 lbs, is the kitchen island something 2 people can lift? Get a set of 200 lb castors.

Would it take 4 people? Get 400 lb castors.

The difference in cost of castors is small enough that I might just get 1000 lb castors and call it a day.


Do I need to dismantle the ballast on a metal halide bulb fixture before replacing with an LED bulb?

LED light bulbs generally need to be connected to the mains directly, assuming they are designed for 120/240 Volts AC.

LED light bulbs do not need a ballast, a ballast is only needed for gas discharge lamps like Metal halide and fluorescent lamps. You might even damage a LED light by leaving the ballast in place.

So yes, you need to remove it and connect the 120/240 V AC LED bulb directly to the mains.


I'd probably bang and trim things back into position and then install a latch wrap (link for reference only) with some stainless sheet metal screws. This will reinforce it and conceal the damaged area.


Can water supply lines touch or rest on each other?

The only real issue is rattling noise due to vibration, or creaking due to thermal expansion. In this case, since one pipe is plastic, it's probably not a concern. I'd try to lighten the tension between them by flexing the plastic a bit, or place a rag between to act as a silencer. Be sure that by doing so you don't create a tight spot against the lumber, which can also cause noise.


Installing an "In-Wall" Light Timer, But it calls for"Load", "Hot", and "Neutral"

Is this in a bathroom? Do you want this timer to control a light or to control an exhaust fan?

In either case, the load wire is that wire to the light or fan (the load) which will be switched to hot when you turn on the switch and which will be automatically switched off at the end of the timed period.

I assume here that the line cable enters in the switch box so you have a neutral in the switch box. If the line cable enters in the load box, then you almost certainly do NOT have a neutral in the switch box and you will not be able to install this new switch without running a new cable.

The load must also have a neutral connected to it. This is so that all that is needed to "complete the circuit" is for the timer switch to switch on the line hot. But the load and the neutral must NOT be connected to each other.

Your new timer evidently also requires a neutral connection to it which your older timer may not have required. The neutral from the line cable and the neutral to the load (usually both white) will be connected with a wire nut in the switch box. Remove the wire nut and add a short pigtail white to the other two and twist back on the wire nut (so then 3 white wires would be under the nut). This pigtail supplies the neutral required by the new switch. This pigtail may be a provided lead on the switch or you may have to use a short piece of wire with white insulation.

With the old type timer switches if one would do this, it would trip the breaker. If you did this and it did not trip the breaker, then maybe these new switches have a built in protection against a wrong connection.


Buy a drywall pole sander and give the entire surface a good de-glossing scuff. I would use 120 grit rectangular paper designed for your pole sander rather than the mesh sheets, which I think would clog quickly.

Do not use your power disc sander.


What could cause two of my receptacles to stop working?

If you are using a simple outlet tester you could get a false positive.  You should always use something that draws some decent current, like a lamp. Here is a related story.  I unplug the electric clothes dry recently while cleaning the ducting. My wife plugged it back in afterward.  From then on, although the drum turned fine, the heat was intermittent. After checking a couple other things, I pushed the plug all the way in. Apparently, the motor ran on 120V, where the heater coil ran on 220V. Needless to say, I checked the plug and outlet for burns.


Why do high efficiency water heaters require outside air vents and drains?

Low efficiency water heaters are low efficiency because their exhaust gases are very hot. Since the gases are hot, they will rise up a chimney flue with ease, but this also means you lose all that energy and warm air up your flue. Older heaters tend to be in older homes where there are enough drafts and air leakage to not worry too much about ventilation. One other thing: the hot air also carries also the moisture produced by combustion up and out the chimney.

High efficiency heaters try to reduce the temperature of the exhaust gases as much as possible in order to recover as much energy as possible. But as the exhaust gas is almost room temperature, it won't rise and thus has to be forcibly expelled. The moisture that is produced by combustion will also condense in the cooler air and will have to be drained out of a separate drain line.

High efficiency furnaces are also designed to be used in high efficiency houses that are well sealed, so you need to bring in fresh air lest you run the heater too lean and produce carbon monoxide. Another reason to bring in fresh outside (cold) air is that it is a waste to use the inside (warm) air for combustion and blow it outside the house.

Heat exchangers are used on the intake and outtake gases which further increase efficiency. This necessitates both intake and exhaust vents.

Thanks to commentator keshlam for additional material that was brought into the answer


In the 30's they still used lead quite a bit, lead solder was used into the 70's for copper pipe. In my early years I had removed lead pipes and drains most of these homes were a bit earlier Victorians but there have been a few cabins that we remodeled that were from the late 20's early 30's and most was on a 2nd or 3rd remodel and mostly the drains were lead but we did find a few lead pipes on drinking water pipes in angels camp California. Running the water for a few seconds similar to normal ussage is a good idea to get a idea what is in the water because even copper pipe from the early 70's may have lead solder joints, if the water is run for a short time the lead levels will be much lower.


Why is it a bad idea to install self-stick tiles over luan plywood?

Luan plywood tends to have a ton of resin and other chemicals in it (due mostly to the species of wood used). This can leach out and stain tile grout or vinyl flooring (or cause adhesive issues due to salts, etc.).

It's a very soft plywood, so it may not have enough rigidity to support the floor and prevent dents.

It tends to have voids in the interior plies. See previous point.

It isn't made with an exterior grade adhesive. This means any water can cause quick delamination and swelling.

In general, it's cheap crap and not up to the task. Use it for theater props instead.

If you were to seal it against stains, and if you were comfortable voiding your flooring warranty for puncture damage, you can probably get away with it. If you've already primed I'm not sure how you'd accomplish that.
To preempt any grumbling about Big Orange, et al, selling Luan plywood, when I worked there (many years ago, granted) they made every effort to inform customers about its unsuitability for flooring. People demand cheap, and so they sell the stuff, but it's not their fault if it's misused.


Two Part Epoxy.

But I wouldn't use it to hold the clip in; I'd use it to attach a tee nut, which is then fastened with a bolt to the clips on the dishwasher, facilitating removal or replacement in the future.


Does the specific gravity of a lead-acid battery  indicate degradation?

Neither choice is perfectly accurate and specific gravity is going to vary based on temperature and the quality/purity of electrolyte in the water over the life of the battery.

The fundamental change to a battery over it's life is that the internal resistance of the battery increases and therefore the same level of chemical charge will end up resulting in less delivered energy to the load. So, from that perspective, #1 is the most correct, assuming the electrolyte has not broken down and is in an ideal state.

However, in many practical circumstances, the electrolyte solution becomes polluted over time and the relative ratio of the water to acid mix changes making it hard to use specific gravity alone to assess the state of charge of the battery.

See this reference for some more specifics on the topic.


Are licensed electricians required to perform code-compliant repairs?

If the AFCI was required in the first place, ie: the code in place when the circuit was originally installed (regardless if they are required now), then yes, removing it and replacing it with a standard breaker created a violation.

The rest is a legal issue and not appropriate for this forum. Have your friend call the building dept for the ONLY accurate answer.


What is the ideal method of supporting a 27" deep floating desk across 10 feet of wall?

I built a floating desk with brackets like these.
It is critical to fasten the brackets in solid structure (studs).
I used  fasteners like these.


What is the dry time where can you pressure test a DWV system after glueing?

The manufacturer of the solvent should have a specification on the container but if not specific, I'd go by the "dry time for use".
Keep in mind that a DWV pipe is unlikely to experience 5 psi under normal use so you don't want to test too soon and risk blowing your joints apart.


Can Arrow brads (BN1810) be used in Stanley staple/brad guns (like TR250)?

My personal testing shows that Arrow BN1810 brad nails load into a Stanley TR250 stapler and work without any problem.


Filling 1.5 inches wide gaps between newly fitted metal door frame surround and brick wall

If it's a hollow metal doorframe, it's generally intended to be filled with a cement mortar mixture, and I'm surprised if the job was considered complete without doing that. I've lived in a cheap apartment where they didn't bother to do that, and was burgled since the unfilled doorframe easily flexed far enough away from the door to clear the lock bolts when the thieves pried it.

I suppose it's also possible that it's simply the wrong size door/frame, in which case filling in with material similar to the wall (right - the title says bricks, so split bricks and mortar) might be appropriate - or getting the right sized door, but that's a step backwards.

That building was so poorly constructed that a few years after I moved out, the roof tore off in a thunderstorm (it was not a tornado.)


Heat Pump doesn't work in AC mode, but heat mode is fine

Your blower motor's HIGH speed died

Most furnaces and split-system air handlers run their blower at a high speed in FAN and COOL, and at a lower speed in HEAT. As a result, it's possible for the blower to work when the system is set for one mode, but not the other.  I would consult the manual for your existing air handler/furnace for instructions on changing the blower speed used during cooling and fan-only operation.  This will change the latent/sensible balance during cooling, but will at least keep you running until you can get the blower, or the whole system, replaced.


Can I bury a 1 1/2" shower/tub drain pipe in an earthen floor?

I'm not aware of any restrictions on the minimum size of a drain pipe encased in concrete in either the BC or National plumbing codes.

If the floor is truly classified as concrete, there may be issues on how literal the inspector's interpretation of the code is.

The 1998 BC Plumbing code included the following:

Section 7.3.5 Protection of Piping, Subsection 7.3.5.3 Isolation from Loads:

Where piping passes through or under a wall it shall be installed so
that the wall does not bear on the pipe.
All pipping shall be
installed without undue strains or stresses and provisions shall be
made for expansion, contraction and structural movements.
No piping shall be embedded in concrete or masonry.

The BC building inspectors issued interpretation 98-0056 regarding this issue. The bottom line was that pipes embedded in concrete needed to be sleeved. However, the current BC plumbing code (2006) has removed both sentience 2 and 3 from 7.3.5.3. The national code (2005) also reflects this change. (The BC Plumbing code is almost an exact copy of the national code).

The short answer is that it comes down the the inspector's opinion. It would probably be beneficial to contact your local inspector to discuss.


Ceiling Fan Junction Box Converter/Bracket 1/2 inch width difference

If your box is that small it is almost certain that it is not a fan rated box. If it is not, then the box MUST be replaced with a fan rated box.

Sorry, but even with approval, someone unlicensed, uninsured, and unqualified SHOULD NOT be doing electrical work in a place that they rent.
This is a perfect example; something as "simple" as changing a ceiling fan turns into a project since the box has to be replaced, and in an older house this can be met with issues.


Should cement be placed under concrete slabs for driveways or is sand enough?

You do not want to just place the concrete tiles on native ground soil. A proper installation would be to dig out the native soil down to a solid base. Then lay in a layer of crushed rock to aid in water drainage. Directly under the concrete tiles would be some sand that makes it possible to level and even out the tile installation.

With the correct materials that are properly packed in and if the water drainage from the area is implemented correctly an installation should stand up well without adding concrete under the tiles. But keep in mind that they will move around if there is winter frost action, an unstable base soil, very large vehicles driving over them or if there is a regular flow of water over and between the tiles down into the base materials. This movement can be mitigated by placing concrete under the tiles but there is a tendency to make this layer fairly thin and this can still crack and allow tile movements.

My recommendation, if you want a driveway that will stand up to these stresses, would be to not use these tiles at all. Instead put down the crushed rock base and sand as a base. Then place in heavy duty wire mesh AND rebar in both directions in a manner that it ends up in the concrete as opposed to laying on the sand. Pour concrete to a good thickness (using 2x6 forms is far better than using 2x4 forms). Once the concrete is poured and being finished there are any number of techniques that can be used to make it look less like a slab. The simplest would be to surface groove it to look similar to the tiles. Other techniques include embedding brick borders, pebble surface finish, or even brick like patterning rolled into the surface. The latter is often done with the concrete dyed a reddish color.


I use large needle nose pliers if I don't have a drain wrench. The pliers need to be opened and in contact withthe outside edge of the metal cross member. Turn counter /anti clockwise. These parts are usually brass and or plastic so they don't usually rust. If the assembly starts deforming with needle nose a drain wrench will be needed drain wrenches slip over all 4 points and provide more force without damaging the existing flange. Here is an example One of the less expensive ones I saw with a quick look.


How would you plug this old weeping drain hole, in a brick/concrete retaining wall

Since it is leaking I would guess it is below grade, lucky it is only a couple of feet. First I would dig out the area at the crack now the tough part , clean the wall at the crack (a pressure washer is handy in this case). I would fill the crack with hydraulic cement and let it cure then coat the area with a water proof coating last refill the hole.


You can use your cable modem itself as the tool.  Do a search for "[your modem manufacturer] cable modem diagnostics" and you'll find out how to access the modem's diagnostic page in a web browser.  This will give you upstream & downstream signal levels and lots of other useful info.

Here's a page with some information about a few different manufacturers.


Can I vent a dryer from the same mechanical closet as a water heater.?

Very likely not.

The codes around heating and cooling are very specific about the sizing of vent pipes - if the pipe is too small, you'll get back pressure and carbon monoxide issues.  If the pipe is too large, you'll get condensation issues.

Adding another appliance to an existing vent pipe (whether a chimney or a PVC pipe) will almost certainly put it out of code compliance.


Substituting lumber sizes for ground contact bridge sill and ease of handling for one person

I’ve posted several issues with other answers...I won’t repeat here.

Recommendation:

I prefer the solid 8x8 member idea, but if too difficult for the OP, due to physically trying to move the members around, then laminated members laid FLAT and anchored with straps (as suggested by @Solar Mike) and anchor with straps or hooks over the top , rather than any bolted or nailed connectors.

Having the members flat will help with the shifting of the bridge, due to movement (dynamic load) or water movement.

I’d definitely have the straps or hooks installed over the top of the “beam” so it doesn’t float away and doesn’t move off the solid base.....but I’d avoid using bolts to hold everything down.


Could switching from a dimmable to a non dimmable LED bulb have caused a light fixture with dimmer switch to fail?

To be clear... you still have a dimmer, rather than a switch? If so, that's your problem in all likelihood.  In terms of trouble shooting, if you know how to safely check the output of the dimmer, I'd bet you find out it's fried. Otherwise for 2 dollars, replace the dimmer with a switch.  Should take ten minutes and I bet that's your problem.


Why is my two month old dishwasher exuding a terrible smell?

Modern water saving appliances seem to be prone to this. Usually using proper detergent keeps this in check. Since the smell goes away after a wash, it sounds like you are doing this. You might try a different detergent anyway. It may also be a plumbing issue if standing water is consistently left at the end of the cycle.

Unless you're on a septic tank, start a empty wash cycle and let it fill with water. As soon as the water starts circulating, add 1 cup of household liquid bleach. Use 1 pint white vinegar if on a septic tank. Close the door and let the water circulate for 10 seconds, then stop the cycle and let it sit for 1 hour. Restart and finish the cycle.

Clean the filter and screen with hot soapy water. This should get rid of the smell, but it will eventually return.

Clean the filter and screen on a regular basis, perhaps weekly. When the smell returns, redo the bleach treatment.


What can I do about these exposed grounding rods?

Never assume a rod that is not being is not needed!
If the #6 copper has been ripped out it probably needs to be replaced.
The short one is easy dig around it and drive it below the sod.
Next dig a trench to the other one and I would use a piece of metal pipe to straighten it out and drive it below the sod.
Using the acorn nut on the rod connect #6 or larger copper wire rod to rod to your service panel. I have worked on a few homes that for some reason the ground was removed (this can be hazardous to your health)
So unless you can verify you do have a solid ground drive them a bit further. If new rods were driven they can be pulled up or cut off.


Can you disconnect and reconnect a gas flex pipe?

International Fuel Gas code prohibits the reuse of any Pipe, fittings, valves, or other materials.

International Fuel Gas Code 2012
Chapter 4 Gas Piping Installations
Section 403 Piping Materials
403.2 Used materials. Pipe, fittings, valves and other materials shall not be used again except where they are free of foreign materials and have been ascertained to be adequate for the service intended.

It also specifies not to reuse them in the installation instructions.

DO NOT reuse connectors, fittings and valves;  they are designed for use on
original installation only. Removal of connector and additional handling may
damage connector making it unsafe for reuse.

Overall this is to help prevent leaks caused by dirt, debris, and damage that may prevent good connections. In this specific case, it's because the threads on the fittings involved  are actually mashed together when the connection is made. This type of connection does not require pipe dope (which it also mentions in the installation instructions), since the seal is created when the threads get squished together. See the National Pipe Thread Fuel (NPTF) section of this answer for more detail.
Usually when replacing these type of fittings ("hoses"), you'll have to replace right back to the black pipe.  If you have a valve with a flare end that the fitting ("hose") connects to, you'll want to replace the valve and fitting ("hose"). If there's an adapter with the flare, you'll replace the adapter and fitting ("hose"). Make sure you clean the threads of the black pipe really well, to insure there's no foreign material in the threads, before you connect the new fittings.
You might also have to replace the flare fitting on the dryer as well.
The other problem with these fittings; though usually only fittings that have been in use for some time, is that they can actually be damaged when they are removed.  Sometimes the threaded nut doesn't spin, and the pipe actually ends up twisting.  This can cause damage to the pipe, and so it should not be reused in this case.


There are some green gunk near my shut off valves and my sink faucet. Do you think my water warrants for health concerns?

The corrosion is on the outside of the pipe, not the inside.
It's normal green copper oxides.
It says nothing good or bad about your water.
It says nothing bad or good about your water.
If you are on a municipal supply, ask them where you can see their required test results. They might even be willing to use your tap for one of their upcoming required tests (then again, with covid raging, they might not.)
If you are on a private well, send a water sample out for testing. That normally involves getting a kit of sample bottles with instructions. follow the instructions carefully - that is normally mailed to the laboratory, and they will email or mail results to you.


What is a good exterior wall composition for a wood frame house with pine chink siding in a moderate climate?

As a forenote, I'll be cribbing heavily from BSI-001, BSI-061, BSI-068, and BSI-086 for this answer.  Also, 2x6 studs are good, especially when used in conjunction with the rest of the advanced framing package -- whoda thunk you could get more wall for less wood?  However, I'd switch to rockwool for the cavity batts instead of fiberglass -- you get less sagging, a bit more R-value per inch, and easier handling to boot as the stuff doesn't flop all over the place on you.  Finally, use latex paint for the interior wall finish, never an alkyd paint, and never vinyl wallpaper (spoiler: vinyl wallpaper is a very effective vapor barrier on the wrong side of the wall, leading to mold-manufacturing condensation in the summer).  Now that the rest of your wall is out of the way, we can address the stuff you are asking about.

Sheathing

The exterior sheathing performs multiple functions in a typical stick-built wall assembly:

It serves to resist shear and racking loads on the wall
It provides a uniform surface for the barrier layers, if it is not taped to serve as a barrier layer itself
It often helps control vapor even if it is not a barrier layer in its own right
It also helps resist penetration (piercing) of the wall (by windblown debris in a storm, for instance)

Plywood is excellent at all four of these functions, which is why it is traditionally used for wall sheathing.  Wood boards can be used instead, but we're talking 1x8 boards mounted diagonally here as a dedicated sheathing layer, not your cladding, which is always separate.  Good OSB can also be good, but you need to be a bit more careful with it as it will rot if it stays wet -- in a good wall, it works well, but it's less tolerant of oopsies like the arrival of some nitwit interior designer who's obsessed with vinyl wallpaper.  Maximizing oops tolerance is possible, but requires going to glass-faced gypsum board exterior sheathing (the yellow stuff you see used over steel studs in commercial work), which sacrifices some of the penetration (puncture) resistance you get with OSB, plywood, or boards, but gains you the ability to do a vapor permeable wall assembly, through and through.

Given all that, go with a a good grade of OSB if you are cost-conscious and not terribly concerned about fire performance; if all the OSB around is cheap stuff, then go with the plywood -- the wood boards pose a compatibility issue for adhered or fluid applied barrier systems.  If you were going for a masonry or steel stud structural wall, then I'd go to the gypsum in a heartbeat -- it's less common with wood structural walls, but is still a good option if you want to spring for the premium approach or are like me and are a bit paranoid about fire.  The glass-faced gypsum board simply will not burn, for that matter, which is a good thing in your case.

Air/Water Barrier (Housewrap)

This is actually the next layer out in the wall -- unless you're using air/vapor impermeable foamboard insulation that serves as the barrier itself when taped, it must be applied directly to the sheathing.  Taped OSB or even taped plywood provides a good air barrier, but OSB especially needs to be protected from moisture ingress by a water resistive layer that's at least somewhat vapor open (look for about 10-20 perms).  Given that, you might as well just use a suitable WRB layer -- modern self-adhered or fluid applied products perform well for both functions, and don't have problems with blowing off or getting holes punched in them.

Exterior Insulation

While foamboard is an option for exterior insulation here, I'd recommend using rockwool here to provide a degree of fire protection to the readily cookable stuff (WRB, sheathing, studs, interior) on the inside.  You'll want plenty of the stuff, too -- considering you're using 2x6s for the studs, 6" of exterior insulation is going to put you into good territory regarding the overall R-value considering that exterior insulation is continuous, and thus counts for more R-value, inch for inch, than cavity insulation does.

Furring

A half-inch metal hat channel provides adequate air gap for most claddings (save for masonry veneers) that have been properly prepared.  Also, it won't catch on fire even if the siding's a roaring bonfire.  It's not as nice from a structural engineering perspective as 1x2s on the flat for furring, but it'll do the job considering that you're using a fairly lightweight cladding.  Attach these on your stud centers\ with long fasteners through the insulation to the studs -- that's the only way they'll do their job, considering they have to run vertically in order to allow air and water flow vertically through the assembly.

Speaking of the siding, I'd have used fiber-cement instead of the pine simply because fiber-cement won't burn.  However, the pine siding is probably OK for your case as long as your landscaping is appropriate (i.e. won't let a forest fire easily reach the house).  Make sure to back-prime the siding though to avoid reservoir cladding woes!

Ventilation (and a bit of flashing while we're at it)

The bottom of the gap needs to be detailed with welded wire mesh to allow water to get out and air to get in while thwarting the entrance of critters (not that they enjoy rockwool, that is).  You'll want to flash the bottom of the rockwool under the inside of the wire mesh so that water can drain out cleanly, as well -- this flashing detail also helps protect against critter intrusions, and needs to terminate to the foundation wall in order to do that.  (It's far more important if you decide to go with foamboard BTW -- ants will happily gnaw through your foam to find the wet spots in it and then proceed to chill out there, and furry, squeaky critters will gnaw on well, almost anything they can.)

As to the top? I'd detail it with a similar welded-wire-mesh vent to the outside -- this prevents a stack-effect coupling of the wall-space to the attic-space.  It also works with unvented roofs, which are a definite option in your climate.


#1- Plastic Buckets are cheap. Use one 'til it is no longer usable, buy three.  (My favorite are the Lowe's buckets. I have put all kind of nasty stuff in them.)
I lived for many years with a water jug on a shelf above a double sink with  plastic buckets under each bowl (and a camp toilet in the bathroom).  The key  to remember is LOOK UNDER THE SINK to see how full the buckets are.
A small galvanized trash can would hold more liquid. I am not sure how water tight they are. I have had ones that held water. Maybe a stainless steel one from a restaurant supply house would be a good investment.
A galvanized bucket would be a good choice.

Photo courtesy of It's still life No affiliation.


heat is not responding to thermostat set temp but comes on when turned off and back on with the thermostat switch

Three possibilities...

It's a programmable thermostat and it's programmed incorrectly.
The internal clock is set to the wrong time so the programs change at the wrong times.
It's been zapped with static electricity and needs to be replaced.


Electrical outlet fried 3 USB chargers and causes projector to shutdown.What to do?

You should only do the following if you are electrically competent. Working live is dangerous and could lead to ventricular fibrillation and death.

There are a couple of things to try. However, these are only basic checks that in all honestly will probably reveal little. A more comprehensive set of tests should be carried out but are beyond the scope of most people.

Firstly checking all the terminals are tightly connected as arcing and overheating is a possibility of loose terminations.

Check the phase to neutral, phase to earth/ground and neutral to earth/ground are correct. You seem to have done a part of that. However, earth/ground to neutral voltages are not uncommon depending on what is connected and certainly 1-2V is nothing to be worried about.

It is highly doubtful the outlet is at fault. Most outlets are at their fundamental level mechanical electrical switches, they posse no ability to inherently damage appliances.

That being said if the socket is one of these new USB chargers that are built directly into the sockets plate then it is certainly a possibility the transformer has become faulty as this is actually quite common from experience as they are always overloaded by larger devices such as iPads.

The real cause is more likely to be one of the following but is difficult to diagnose as it requires specialist tools.

It could be electrical surges coming in through your main supply even though it is supposed to be regulated against such surges it is certainly a possibility. In these cases it tends to wipeout several appliances that are not protected against such surges but this doesn't seem to be the case here.

Do not use cheap or fake/imitation USB chargers (I cannot stress this enough). There are a thousand articles out there about them. They use cheap sub-standard electronics that produce horrible rippled direct current output and introduce harmonics back into the alternating current supply side. They also tend to overheat a lot.

While on the topic of harmonics it is actually one that not many people truly appreciate or understand yet it is a likely cause of electronics to fail.  Harmonics can come from within the property or from outside. These harmonics can be produced by other electronics and devices such as switched mode power supplies, fluorescent lighting, UPS, magnetic cored devices. Without analysing the supply you would not be able to tell other than devices overheating and prematurely failing.

In the end it is difficult to diagnose your issue over the internet without more information.


Q: What is the safest way to clean soiled concrete for tiling in a small kitchen?

I'd go with a decoupling membrane - like ditra.  The membrane technically requires the substrate to be clean for bonding as well but the failure is less likely for the whole membrane vs a single tile.  If you bond the membrane to the floor using the recommended thinset and then bond the tiles to the membrane the tiles will be held tight.  If the membrane bond isn't perfect that shouldn't really matter as it will move as a whole and derive strength from the overall bond and weight of the tile on top of it.

I'd still scrape the concrete with a floor scraper.  I don't know if I'd do much more than that.

You could grind but as you mention it can be dusty and expensive.


Does my plan for 240V subpanel to planned shed 200' away sound reasonable?

The experts will come along to discuss a ton of issues, but I'll point out a few to get you started:

Conduit Size

The big cost with PVC conduit is not the conduit. It is the digging. Whether you do it by hand or with a machine, the digging is the hard part. At current Home Depot prices (and you may do better elsewhere), the difference between 3/4" and 1" is $ 1.20 for a 10' piece, or a grand total of $ 24 for 200'. Go "big" now. It doesn't cost much, and the cost of having to redo it is a lot more than $ 24.

Subpanel

Even if you only need one circuit, a subpanel makes sense. There are a bunch of reasons. One of them is GFCI protection. With a single circuit, a GFCI trip will turn off the lights as well as the tools. With a subpanel, you can easily separate the lights from the receptacles. The main breaker on the subpanel will also function as a shutoff switch for all power to the shed. You can also put in a 40A or 60A or much larger subpanel even if the feed is 30A (which would typically be enough to provide for 4 15A or 20A 120V circuits). Again, the big cost is the labor involved, so don't put in a "just big enough" subpanel, go up a size so you have expansion room - e.g., if you decided later to turn the shed into a real workshop then you would only have to replace the feed wires and the breaker in the main panel but not replace the subpanel.


Is there harm in using a GFCI outlet as a switch?

Certain GFCI+receptacle devices are rated for this purpose.

Use one of those.

There are GFCI devices whose buttons are specifically labeled Off/Test and On/Reset.  The reason the "off" and "on" are there is because these devices are built and rated to be on/off switches using the GFCI function.  The difference between these and regular GFCIs is these are made for many, many cycles.  However, these are difficult to find (especially on the Web, where plain GFCI results bury them) and you will probably need the assistance of an electrical supply house to locate them.  One example is a Leviton 8590-RB, however that's a deadfront and you'd want one with sockets.  Leviton calls it a switch-rated GFCI.

src

If you're fitting a deadfront GFCI to gain this functionality, just mount a box next to the receptacles and put the GFCI there, using the LOAD terminals on the deadfront to feed the receptacle(s).

Far easier to find is the GFCI+receptacle w/ switch device.

src

Typically on these, the switch is two pigtails.  The GFCI+receptacle uses all 4 terminals (LINE hot/neutral LOAD hot/neutral) plus ground, of course.  In this case you would not use Test/Reset to turn the load on and off, you'd use the switch.  The switch and its load can be placed on the LOAD side of the GFCI protection (carefully).


issue with closed loop hot water heating

If the radiators are in series, bypass valves in the basement to adjust the energy flow by "short-cutting"  would be a solution.
Sometimes the size of the radiators are adapted to the hot water flow in old systems.
Also a flush of all radiators can help to improve the throughput - sometimes they are clogged with metal oxides and dirt like old car radiators.
If the first radiator is only hot in the upper part, and cold in the lower part, it could be also a failure of the pump (blocked by the dirt in the system) resp. the capacitor of the pump. Often this capacitor is defect thus blocking the pump from running on its nominal power. This can even happen with new pumps.
A photo of the pump might help to identify that probability.
Air bubbles in the radiators are another reason for cold radiators.
Could be easily checked by the bleeding valves. Thus the color of the water can be seen (f.e. in a white cup).


Foundation next to salt water, on bedrock

What I have done in a similar situation (not bedrock, but a huge boulder) is to make (rather tediously) form boards that closely fit the rock, and drill holes into the rock to insert steel reinforcing bars into, which are tied into the slab reinforcing steel. Similar holes would go into the existing foundation.

Neither may strictly be needed - bedrock is about as firm a foundation as you will get, so there should be no relative motion, and no tie-in whatever may be just fine. But it might be reassuring to at least have the bolts anchoring the walls drilled and grouted well into the bedrock, when the wind gets howling....

A local concrete company would be a better source of information about details relating to the satwater exposure and any specific details related to that (hasn't been one I've had to deal with, but I vaguely recall that there are things one does to seaside concrete to increase the longevity in that hostile-due-to-salt environment.) Presumably at least one part would be to wash down the area where the new slab will go with fresh water to remove any salts, before pouring concrete.


Odds seem excellent that it was  coiled spring closer, and the spring (having been overstressed by wide opening, and/or simply from old age) is now snapped, so "adjusting it" won't happen. Replace, with any suitable door closer (ie, it need not be this particular type, if it's hard to find, which seems likely)

Here's some info, though it does not directly confirm or deny my suspicions: http://www.epivots.com/mpowr-mp-800.aspx


A number of guilty teenagers, a broom or two, a shovel, a wheelbarrow.

Your job is to point out when the job has not been completed to your satisfaction, until it has been. Your job is definitely NOT cleaning up the sand.


which type vaccum cleaner is used for cleaning window grills?

It isn't necessarily the type of vacuum you need, it's the attachment(s) that it either comes with or are available for it. The attachment type most applicable for the scenario(s) you are asking about is generally called a "dust brush", of which there are multitudes of types and sizes.

As for the brand and model of vacuum unit, there are way too many choices to list; a product-review web site may be able to narrow your search to the most reliable.

I prefer the "shop vacuum" canister type unit, as my experience has been that they are the most powerful versus cost (but they are less versatile, they are not for vacuuming carpets).


Is there something I can do after not putting a moisture barrier between grade and concrete of a garage?

Possibly dig (or have someone else, with equipment, dig) around the outside and put in a curtain drain to lower the water table in the immediate vicinity of the garage. Or lay a barrier on the surface and add a 2 inch (or so) topcoat over it.


Can insulation foam expand around window framing and cause warping?

I have personally seen it bow "trimmer" studs in a framed window opening. It could easily warp, bow, or move a window frame itself. Breakage would likely be caused by users messing with/forcing the out of plumb/square/true window?

Note: you can buy "low expansion" foam specifically designed to avoid this issue.


Should I grade my property or put dirt against chain link fence?

I would shave down the high side (left side in picture) from a distance of 2 or ft and use that to fill under the fence. Assuming the fence is on the property line this would transfer some soil to your neighbor's property. You could assume he won't mind, but it would be best to discuss it with him first.

If this fence is designed to contain a dog who is or might be a digger, you might have to place cobbles or concrete "stone" blocks with decorative side toward the neighbor, under the fence and fill on the back side. Of course, it might look strange to have blocks only under some sections of the chain link fence.


exposed doorbell transformer inside a walk in closet

The worst hazard here is snagging your clothes.  The transformer is low-voltage, so you can touch the wires and probably not feel anything.  If your hand was wet, you might get a buzz, but it's not dangerous.

Some transformers can get warm, but doorbell transformers normally do not because they are very low power devices.  You could hang a shoebox on it or otherwise cover it to avoid snags.


Don't sweat it, you improved the situation. The inspector can see it is old original framing and the header shrunk. It is what happens. It could have been left as it was, but what you did will be fine.


Try searching "mouse bucket trap". There's a ton of different variations, so I'm not going to go into too much detail. But basically it's a bucket, a ramp, some peanut butter, and a rotating mechanism.

If you want to kill the mice, put some antifreeze (or other poison) in the bucket. If you're looking for less lethal, leave the bucket empty, or put in some wood chips or similar.

Notice that I said "less lethal". If you leave mice in the bucket too long, they will get hungry. And mice have no qualms about going cannibal.


How can I create a pocket door locking mechanism?

My pocket doors have large, easy-to-use, visible latching mechanisms.  We had the pocket doors installed in extra-wide door openings, so that 4 inches of each pocket door is exposed when the door is in the fully-open position.  This leaves room for a large handle and the latch.

The latches are labelled JAKO® INOX.  The handles are labelled JAKO®.  My door handles are 3/4" thick and about 7 1/4" from center-to-center, so they are more similar to Don-Jo's door handles than to Jako's current model.

Inox also offers a line of pocket door locks.


How can I remove this flapper alternative?

This is what your flush valve looks like, when it's not in your toilet.

This bit should be flexible enough, to allow you to bend it out of the way on both sides.

The pins holding the actuating unit in place should slip out of the holes, and the whole piece can be removed. The best method to remove the actuating unit, is to gently pry the bracket with a screw driver on one side, then twist the actuating unit so that the pin on that side pops free.  Once one pin is out, it should be easy to get the other side out.


How to patch a hole in stained wood (oak) so that the patch material matches the wood as close as possible?

Using a plug is your best option.  Getting an exact match is pretty much impossible.  A drill press is the tool of choice for a perfect plug if is conjunction with a good hole saw bit or plug cutting bit.  If you can cut the plug from the same stained material in an out of sight location, this would save a lot of time.  Color matching is tough to do. Keep in mind that nobody will be looking for the hole after you patch it like you do.  You would be surprised how little people notice unless you point it out :)

Good luck.


How to turn this switched duplex receptacle into half-hot

The two white wires are "common coming in" and "common going out". Leave them alone.

Your red group might be "power in" and "power out to switch", with the separate red being "switched power returning from switch". Or the red group might be switched, or something entirely different.

I'd suggest that you turn the breakers back on, and see what wires are switched. That will tell you if the red nut group is good to use.

If the red nut group is switched also, then you'll have to take power from the black nut group for your unswitched half.


Is fine stranded wire ok for main supply line?

I can call it right now.

I don't see any markings on the wires.   Now, perhaps the wires come out of a multiconductor cable, whose cable sheath has markings that indicate it is one of the NEC/UL rated types of wire legal for mains wiring.  But if not...

Wires without insulation markings are no wires at all.

You don't even know what you're looking at here.  You don't know what insulation temp column you should be pulling out of for 310.15(B)(16).  You don't know if it's 600V insulation.  We don't know if the insulation will hold up over time, in the environmental conditions, or with the heat of the wires working normally.  For all we know it could be Chinese car battery cable.

Given that it's all 4 colors, there's a fair chance it's cable in sheath, or was shucked from cable in sheath (there go the markings).  This is why you can't shuck NM to get wires for running in conduit.


Can I carve a portion out of the side of a floor joist to accommodate a Fernco Clamp

Usually we find plumbers notching the bottom of joists, not “trimming” the sides of joists.

Structurally we check for three things: 1) bending, 2) shear, and 3) deflection.

1) Bending is critical in the middle third of the joist. You indicated that the side trimming will occur close to the end. So, bending will not be an issue.

2) Horizontal Shear generally occurs with large concentrated loads on SHORT spans. That is to say, normal joists spaced evenly across a floor, usually fail because of bending or deflection not shear, (unless you have a refrigerator or water bed located directly above this particular joist, I doubt if horizontal shear is an issue.)

Vertical shear occurs when large loads are imposed on joists at the bearing point. Usually this becomes evident when the the joists start crushing. For this to happen, you’d have to have a very large load (like a post carrying a large roof load) directly on the joist.

3) Deflection is a problem with longer spans (in your case I’d guess 20’ to 22’ span or longer.) When joists deflect too much they will first crack the gypsum board on the bottom of the joists and will first become evident in the middle third of the span. You’ll also “feel” the floor bouncy or spongy when you walk across it. In your case, I doubt if you’ll notice a difference.

The Code does not have a “rule of thumb” or limit to the amount of side trimming on any one joist...it just requires you to calculate the strength. Fortunately, the code allows an increase in stress values when joists are used repetitively. So, I’m sure you’ll be fine if you trim no more than 1/2” off the side of a 2x12 near the bearing end.


Wiring question from EMT to opposite side of wall

Keep in mind that everything has to be rated for the location;  the boxes, fittings, conduit, wire, all have to be rated for the location in which they are being used.  The question doesn't say this is an outside or wet location, so this answer presumes it's a dry location.
To connect EMT to a box through a knockout, you use a connector.  If the conduit is attached snug to the wall with one-hole straps

you have a small challenge - the knockout in the box won't be quite snug to the wall.  If you have the tool and are adept bending conduit, you can bend a small zig and zag into the conduit so it enters the box square, but that's probably not the case.  So you'll want an offset connector, also called a box offset, which has that zig zag built in, so things mate up square.

If you use hangers to attach the EMT to the wall

they do not hold the conduit tight to the wall, and will not require an offset - things will meet square with a plain straight connector.

Hangers do make things simple, but they cost more than one hole straps, the attachment is not quite as strong, and they have sharp edges and bits that tend to catch on things, and one hole straps look a little nicer.
The NM cable that you're going to fish in the wall must be clamped where it enters the boxes.  You can use a fitting like this one to clamp NM cable in a knockout in the back of the surface mount box:

You'll want to drill the wall a little bigger than the outside diameter of that button so the box sets flush on the wall.


Is electrical tape enough to insulate contact that may be touching wall?

You can use the other contact not the common for the hot and then there would be no connection to the other contact point when the switch is in the off position but will work just fine just switch the hot to the other contact and the load to the common and you don't even need tape on the other side.


I will try to answer this question without seeing a picture, or knowing what exactly kind of tap you have.

Typically with an old tap that is not in good condition, it would make more sense to replace the entire thing instead of trying to replace parts on it. Plumbing fixture manufacturers are notorious for constantly changing their designs and making them incompatible with their older models.

If you can see the screws, then I am assuming there is a plastic cover over the screw. If you take a thin bladed screwdriver, or a similar tool and push it between the cover and the tap, then you may be able to pry it off.

If you are unable to remove the screw cover, then you could try using a mini hack saw to cut the cover off. Alternately, you can try using a drill to get to it. Obviously, this is a destructive approach.

Once the taps are removed, then you should be able to unscrew the fixture from below and remove the entire thing. As long as you have a standard sink, then you should be able to find an inexpensive replacement.

EDIT: It is less common, but some of the covers are the screw off type instead of pry off.


Installing cable trunking on ceiling without damaging the ceiling paper

3M command strips have been nice to me, even on wallpaper. If the wallpaper isn't tool old and it's in good condition, I recommend them.


The system is designed to dial out on a phone line to a central station or a police monitoring system. These alarms have built in warnings for a failure in the phone line. This is a safeguard so you know the system is not working properly.

So long as the system is operational and cut off from the phone line, it will continue to beep. By removing parts of the keypad and circuit board, you have apparently shut down at least part of the system. If you truly don't want the system on, you need to remove power from the entire system.

The power to the system is probably controlled by master box (probably where the battery was) that has a wire running to a transformer on or near your main power panel. The simplest way to stop the system is to disconnect the wires going from the transformer to the alarm control panel.

The transformer wires are low voltage (usually 24 volts) on the outside (inside the panel they are 120 volts). To be safe, it is better to turn off the breaker connected to the transformer before disconnecting the wire. If you cant figure out which it is, have a flashlight handy, turn off the main breaker, then disconnect the wires. Then turn the main back on.

Once the system is disconnected form both the mains and the battery, it cannot send a false alarm or activate the safety beeper.


I'm in a similar climate, and what you describe is standard aside from the insulation. Rock wool is no longer used in favor of fiberglass or spray foam where I am. I have no reason to think that it's a problem, though.

Convection isn't a concern outside the heat envelope. Condensation isn't either because it's on the cold side.

That said, some recommend against vapor barriers in basements due to the dual-membrane situation they create in conjunction with the foundation waterproofing. This can trap moisture and promote mold and decay. It was probably installed as temporary covering for the insulation.


How to paint exterior wall when ladder needs to go from a roof section?

There are ways of setting up portable scaffold towers to handle this:

Setting them up is usually left to professionals though.


Shower grout moisture prevention coating

Grout is porous which allows water to sit and grow mold. You need to use a grout sealing product.
Example:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Custom-Building-Products-Aqua-Mix-Sealer-s-Choice-Gold-24-oz-Penetrating-Sealer-AMSC24Z/202907686
After cleaning your grout, you can use a product that will soak in to the grout and seal it from water entering. You should do this about once a year to prevent mold.
Use a foam brush and/or grout sealer applicator to apply it on cleaned grout. Do a second coat within 30 minutes to an hour or so (follow the product directions). Foam brushes are easer on wall grout IMHO.
To test after sealer dries, take a drop of water and put it on the grout. If it soaks it in, you need more sealer. If it beads on top or rolls past it, your good to go!
Sealing grout is an easy win in home care! Make sure you have good ventilation when using these products as they have a lot of VOCs!


Should I let my contractor drill and set rebar dowels in my concrete storm shelter to secure a concrete patio that will be poured around it?

I don't consider it appropriate to hang slabs on foundation walls. First, it doesn't keep the slab up. If the interior of the slab settles the slab will almost certainly crack and sag, creating a saucer with raised edges. Secondly, it threatens the foundation walls with undue stress.
I can see connecting multiple slabs with such dowels, but not foundation walls. My $.02.


The source of leaks can be very difficult to track down.  Water runs downhill, except when it is between layers of material.  Then it can seep uphill, sideways, through other layers, where it then can drip to another surface to repeat the process almost indefinitely.  Leak paths are routinely more perplexing than the Warren Commission's Magic Bullet Theory.

A photo from the top of the roof would be very helpful.  But in general, walk the roof and look for the leakiest-looking areas and replace the shingles.  Then look for gaps, cracks, and holes and fill them with roofing goo (this one can be used while it is raining).

Carefully scrutinize all valleys for cracks and punctures.

A common source of leaks is through-the-roof devices.  Check specifically the seals on the side and top vents for water entrapment.  For example, this photo highlights problem areas:

Sealing around through-the-roof devices should be done with the roof dry and using silicon caulk.  Even the goo on there must slope away from the fixture, otherwise it creates a "leak reservoir".

I once had a leak like this, which didn't look like it could be source of the near-waterfall underneath.  But it was.


Adjustable steel column is raised too high - can I lower it?

Jacking buildings looks simple, but can be complex. I've done quite bit of it for a non-professional, but I happen to be related to a Licensed Professional Civil Engineer who directed the work I've done. As a brash youngster I often could not quite see why we had to take it so slowly - as a somewhat more experienced adult I grasp the fact that you can break a building by jacking it incorrectly.

With "3 levels of condo on top" you'd be well past "fool" and into "darned fool" territory not to have any such work guided by a Licensed Professional Engineer. It only looks simple.

There's also the pesky possibility that the column is right where it should be and other parts of the foundation are sinking.


What are the recommended settings for a dual-zone air conditioning unit?

A simple solution is just to set the thermostats up with an allowance between them to compensate for the thermal convection. This allowance is usually around two degrees, depending on ceiling heights on each floor.

For example, if your preferred temperature in the Summer is 74°F, set the downstairs thermostat to 73°F, and the upstairs to 75°F, in effect bracketing your desired set point. The same two degree difference will usually be sufficient in the Winter as well. Just remember to always have the higher temperature on the higher floor.

For three story homes, a one degree difference between each floor may be sufficient, depending on how high the ceilings of each floor are. Just as with the two story home, the highest temperature always goes on the highest floor, no matter what the season.


What is the best way to improve counter tops without completely replacing them?

As DA01 mentioned, there are epoxy-based methods for refinishing laminate counter tops in the $100-200 range. They seem to have fairly positive reviews:

Rust-Oleum Countertop Transformation Refinishing System

$194.21
Covers 50 sq ft
(cheesy how-to video showing how 'ridiculously easy' it is)

Counter-Coat

$179.95
Covers 35 sq ft
(application instructions)

Giani Granite

$79.40
Covers 35 sq ft
(equally cheesy how-to video showing how 'ridiculously easy' it is)

Note: I have not personally used any of these products, and I am in no way affiliated with them.


how to install 1 single pole and 1 2 pole GFCI breakers with common #12 neutral

I find it highly improbable that these circuits were wired with /4 cable back in the age when people were using aluminum.  So I will proceed assuming that there is a 12AL/2 cable for the 240V-only pool pump, and a 12AL/2 cable for the pool light/recep.

12 AWG Aluminum wire requires a 15A breaker. Using a 20A breaker is out of the question. This will be ample for lights/recep and a 1-horse 240V motor.

I would use a common, 120V, dual-mode AFCI+GFCI breaker on the 12AL/2 cable for the pool light/recep.  That's done and dusted; any GFCI receps on that circuit which are outside can be replaced with plain outlets and used indoors etc. In fact they should be replaced with plain CO-ALR outlets; because most GFCI outlets do not support aluminum wire.

The reason to use AFCI is the aluminum wire. Small gauge aluminum has a history of problems, but 90% of that is because of using inappropriate receptacles which are not rated for aluminum (or, hastily rated for aluminum with inadequate testing, e.g. "AL-CU" per the 1970s; the R in CO-ALR stands for "revised"). The AFCI takes care of that.

A 240V, 2-pole GFCI breaker (about $80) goes on the other cable to the pool pump.  The breaker  pigtail goes to the neutral bus, but the neutral terminal on the breaker is unused.

All aluminum connections should either land on CO-ALR receptacles or switches; or on Alumiconn (mini lug connectors).  If able, a CO-ALR recep makes two aluminum-copper splices and it's cheaper than an Alumiconn. I'm not sure they make 220V receptacles in CO-ALR.

If the pool pump for any reason has tapped the neutral of the other circuit, you will need to remove that. A normal pool pump does not need it.  If yours is a 120V pool pump, you'll need to rewire that other circuit as 120V instead of 220V, but I doubt that.


Depends on if you want it to look good or not.  If you don't care just go to local big box and grab a can of spray paint - I use the rustoleum auto body primer for any metals.  Then I go over it will whatever type of spray paint - usually a bronze or satin finish.  If you don't sand it you will have rust bubbles in your paint and unless you use an obnoxious amount of paint, you will have pitting and bursted bubbles, given that these plates are hitting each other constantly.

It is really all about the look you want.  I have seen people keep rust for an antique look and just a light spray of metal paint.  And then I have seen people make them look like new which involves sanding and painting as I prescribed above.


How can I safely collect and store water for extended periods of time?

Your catchment and cistern (the part that's open to air and thus to contamination by insects/bacteria) should be as small as it can be while still providing enough capacity to take in the rain as it falls. Once rain enters the cistern from the catchment, it should then be pumped into a holding tank which is air- and water-tight, and from which you draw your water for general use. That way, water doesn't stagnate in the cistern. To make this work properly, you'll want a drain in the cistern. Normally the drain would be kept open to prevent standing water in the cistern between rains. When rains start, the first few minutes' worth should "wash" the catchment and cistern relatively clean of contaminants like dust, pollen, bird doo, etc; then the drain can be plugged and water diverted into the holding tank. You can do this manually, or set up some sort of rain-sensing system that will control the drain for you.

Once water is in the holding tank, a small amount of antibacterial and algaecide agents will keep it clean. Iodine kills both bacteria and algae, and you need to take in a little of it anyway (good for the thyroid), but the water will smell a little funny, will not be suitable for laundry (iodine permanently stains cotton and most fabrics so over time your whites will become yellow) and too much iodine can be poisonous. Chlorine is a no-brainer antibacterial but is less effective against algae except in large (harmful) doses, and will also make for funny-smelling water.

You could consider a saltwater chlorination system. These systems use a small amount of sodium chloride (3.5g/L is the threshold for human perception of salt by taste; saltwater systems generally work with salt concentrations between 2-3g/L) along with electrically-charged plates to create free chlorine ions that disinfect the water. Saltwater chlorination is used for pools to avoid chloramines ("combined" chloride compounds, which give the water that distinctive smell) and similar systems are available for producing potable water.

Understand that any chlorine-based disinfecting system can produce "disinfection by-products" that can be harmful; however these are mostly a concern in large pools where lots of people are shedding organic material (bacteria, dead skin, etc) that forms the raw materials for these by-products. Rainwater that you're not swimming in, and that you're actively keeping new contaminants out of, shouldn't have this problem. Despite that, you can also consider a simple carbon filter coupled with a UV sanitizer; these systems are also commercially available for water sanitization in systems like yours.

Lastly, you'll need to keep the bottom of the tank relatively clear of sediment. The easiest method in an above-ground tank is to have a drain at the bottom which you can open for a short time to flush sediment. The next-easiest way is to vacuum it, just like you would a pool. Every few years you may want to drain the thing completely at the end of the dry season and give it a scrub, to clean off scaling and other build-up.


Wasps only use these nests for a year and then abandon them.  If you haven't seen any activity it should be safe to just knock it down.  By the looks of your picture and your description it does seem like an old, unused nest.  Have a fly swatter with you to be safe, but a nest that small isn't going to have wasps pouring out of it.  I'm sure you could just run around the corner to get away even if there was a stray wasp or two.


Should there be a cap next to my furnace ac drain?

Yes, that should be either plugged, or plumbed as a secondary drain. A 3/4" MNPT plug should do the trick.


A common design in my area is a heat exchange tank upstream of a traditional gas or electric water heater. They use ethylene glycol (antifreeze) that circulates by thermosiphon action from a solar panel to the tank. The illustration below shows a more complicated (with pump and controller) version. So, you heat a tank of water with a coil full of antifreeze that is naturally heated and circulated.


My Goodman a/c motor fails due to high voltage

thanks for all the answer guys.. finally resolved the problem. It was due to incorrect wiring.. Explanation from the guy who fixed it.. Instead of plugging in 220 v to the fan, they plugged one end of the hot via the capacitor.. So it was able to run only for sometime till the capacitor drains.. Once it reaches 120 v it is not able to keep up and the fan stops.. I can try to get more details if needed..


How to put main breaker in Square D Hom612L100 breaker panel?

You can do this, but it burns up two panel spaces in the process

While the HOM612L100 is a Main Lug Only panel and thus cannot accept a QOM main frame breaker, it can be fitted with a main breaker.  How?  By backfeeding the panel's busses via a two-pole Homeline branch breaker that is held down with a HOM1RK hold-down kit, as required by NEC 408.36.  As a result, the incoming hot wires go onto the lugs of this held-down breaker, and the main lugs can be left unused, or used as feed-through lugs in case expansion is called for.

Note that this requires the main breaker to be a regular (or triplex/quadruplex) Homeline branch breaker, not a GFCI or AFCI (they cannot be backfed as it would damage their electronics), and also costs two panel spaces in what is already a tiny panel; depending on your application, moving up to say a 12-space panel that accepts a main frame breaker may be a better solution as a result.


Is 31v too much for a Ring doorbell calling for 24v?

With No Load, a transformer will have a higher nominal output voltage.
I am assuming these are the wires from your old doorbell system.  Try pressing and holding an existing doorbell button and measuring the voltage with the doorbell active.  That should give you peace of mind.
I believe you'll be fine.
(Or your voltmeter could be off!)


If you resurface concrete the cracks from the original concrete will eventually come out to your new surface (Even with the fiber in it, infact thats the only type of concrete we place).  Its really better to remove the old concrete and pour in a new porch but that's not really the cost effective way to do it.  But if you do decide to resurface it any part of your walls and pillars you want to cover with plastic, and tape down the ends, its very tough to get concrete off of brick and almost impossible to remove it from wood.

But what would be nice if you could do it would be a colored stamped overlay.  That way after it is stamped any cracks that might come out wont be noticeable.  To do this you need a stampable overlay mix, concrete die, release (I like powdered release over liquid), you can rent the stamps, and a gauge rake to spread it out. Stamping concrete is a little difficult especially with an overlay, the concrete has to be just right (not too wet but not too dry) for the stamp to come out correctly.


How do I know if a house built in 1940 in Ontario, Canada has lead pipes?

Step one - look. Lead is unlikely inside the house, but you might see a lead pipe coming in from the street, if there is one. Copper pipes soldered with tin/lead solder are pretty common. But so are threaded galvanized iron pipes.

Step two - ask the water supplier, if it's on a municipal system.

Step three - have the water tested - it won't tell you if the pipes or solder have lead, but it will tell you if you need to worry about it. Most municipal systems that have lead distribution pipes in service take care to adjust the water chemistry so the lead stays in the pipes, not in the water.

If it's on a well, the odds of lead pipes go way down, IME. But the odds of water chemistry that might release lead go up quite a bit, depending on the water source.


Do I have to add a ground wire that has been missing for 20 years?

You need to run a ground wire. NEC 250.114(C) requires dishwashers to be grounded.
You cannot use a GFCI protected circuit as a replacement for a ground. When the GFCI method is used in place of a ground for a receptacle the NEC makes a very specific requirement to label the receptacle "No Equipment Ground", then follows with an informational note to refer to 250.114 that gives a list of equipment that requires an Equipment Ground, which includes dish-washing machines. Usually the installation instructions included with the dishwasher will also instruct to connect an Equipment Ground, the code requires following the installation instructions since they are part of the Listing (UL or other).
You can connect the Equipment Ground to another ground originating at the same panel, to the ground bar in the panel, or to the grounding electrode conductor.


What material should I use for a tent house like this?

Traditionally, that would be duck canvas. You'd want treated canvas designed for tents that will help with water resistance and UV protection.


Can I move the posts under the beam in my basement?

Possibly, but you should consult a structural engineer.  For the cost of less than a day's work for an engineer you will get an answer that you can rely on.  I know, it's unfortunate that you'd have to pay for this, but if you've invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into this house, or value your life it's probably money well spent.

The short answer, in the absence of engineering work, is no.  The reason is that those posts sit on footings that are below the slab, if you move off the center of the footings they won't actually be structurally supported, and could punch through the slab and cause the beam to collapse.


How do I replace the LED bulb in this ceiling light?

How do you change a flat-faced PAR light bulb?  Do not remove bezels.  Rotate the light bulb by its face.
How do you grip the face of a PAR?  With a suction cup.  They make suction cups on sticks for expressly this purpose.  That is why the face of the light bulb is smooth and has all the Fresnel lensing on the inside.


How to track down control/switch for light fixture

Once you've tried the answer in the comment:
Get an edison screw outlet adapter (basically the bottom half a lightbulb with a socket at the end).
Get an electrical tracer, and attach the leads to some wires poking out of the socket (this just makes it easier -- you could also take the socket down and attach to the wires in the ceiling).  Now wave the wand around and trace the wire.  It should go to a junction box or a switch.


What kind of drill bit can I use for a small hole on Silestone countertop?

Silestone is natural quartz aggregate, held together by a polymer binder.  I believe it's something like 85% quartz. You'll need a diamond coated bit like this one; it's a tiny hole saw where the rim is covered in diamonds:

It's a bit tricky to start, you need to hold the drill at a slight angle so that only one side of the circumference is grinding, and then as you start to develop a crescent-shaped groove you gradually move your drill perpendicular and continue with the rest of the hole.  If you don't do this the thing will walk all over the place since it has no positive center like a regular hole saw.

For drilling upside down you'll want a spray bottle with water to keep the surface as wet as possible.  That Hitachi bit I linked to has a spiral groove going in the opposite direction of a normal drill bit, which serves to draw water into the hole, which will help you when drilling upside down.

Obviously you want to be careful not to drill too far and pop out of the top of your nice counters.

For fastening the dishwasher you'll need a plastic anchor into which to run your screws, and I've found this type works great.  In a solid material the plastic will extrude around the screw threads and hold really tightly.  They do sell them at my Lowe's but I can't find them on their website.  The 3/16" size is probably what you need for your dishwasher, and the diamond bit I linked to above is also 3/16".  Good luck!


Decent Brand Names for Beginner Carpentry

I think the typical "you get what you pay for" rule of thumb applies for the most part. That being said, sometimes things are cheap because they are not designed to last under heavy load like drills that use plastic gears instead of metal. In these cases, assuming you only lightly use the tool, they might last for decades.  Some other tools are cheap because they are just poorly made.  An example of this is a tablesaw whose guide isn't accurate or that slips when used.  But again, it really depends what you are doing with it.  If you are just doing rough cuts, a 1/16th slip might not be a big deal for you, but for precise work, it will.

The good thing about online shopping is that many of these products have customer reviews on them where you can read about actual experiences. I suggest that you review these for the tools you are considering and come to your own conclusions.  Also talk to the staff at your local tool store - they usually have good insight on this type of thing.

Always keep warranty and return policy in mind - even expensive tools can break and the warranty makes the difference between years of service or a paper weight.


What's with this weird kitchen 120V circuit with 240V on it?

It's a Multi-Wire Branch Circuit (MWBC)
Which is a thing that is new to you, and you'll probably need to do some learning about it.  To cut to the chase: To hook up a GFCI outlet here,

note the warning tape on the GFCI that says "Do Not Use. For Wizards Only."  Do not remove that tape. In fact it will be important that you follow that rule anywhere on this or any MWBC.
Most GFCI receps have a mechanism for accepting 2 wires on the LINE screws.  Both black wires go on LINE brass.  The white pigtail (after you put all that back together) goes on the LINE silver. Don't even think about using the "2 wires under a screw" feature to attach the 2 white wires and skip the pigtail. That's a safety issue!
Ground wire of course.
Button it up and you're done.

More on this "Multi-wire branch circuit"
A MWBC is a setup with 2 hots wires sharing a neutral.  The neutral carries only differential current, which can never be larger than the max current on a hot wire.  Thus the circuit breaker is able to protect the neutral.   Certain rules must be followed for safety:

The neutral wire, where shared, must be pigtailed. That way a device can be removed without severing the neutral wire for the other half of the circuit.  As you saw, when you do that, things got wackadoodle.
The two breakers MUST be phased opposite, so there is 240V between them.  That means breakers must be very carefully placed, especially if double-stuff breakers are involved.
The two breakers need to be handle-tied so that turning them off together is compulsory.  You can buy special handle-ties for those breakers, but a far better plan, especially for a novice, is to use a 2-pole breaker.  This has a factory built-in handle-tie, and better yet, it mechanically enforces the correct opposite phasing.
Because neutral is shared, the LOAD terminals can never be used on GFCI receps.  (and novices should not be using them anyway unless they know exactly what they do, and I don't mean "give me a place to land these other 2 wires" :)

You know how many GFCI receps you have to install, and how much they cost.  If you use a GFCI 2-pole breaker, ka-zam! you GFCI protect the entire circuit (both sides) in one step. Not only is this safe, it can also be more economical if you have 4+ receps to replace, depending on the obsolescence of your panel.
Those measurements
The measurements you took were 100% consistent with a MWBC in which an appliance on the other circuit had been switched on.  The red wire is 240V away from the black; imagine there's a resistor between red and "Hot White" (really downline white).  With zero current flow (since you interrupted it), the "hot white" is being pulled up to the red wire's voltage.
I suspect this circuit also has a 240V load somewhere on it; that would act like a resistor connecting red and black.  That explains why supply-side black was 240V away from downline black.   Given that a 240V load is present, you cannot use a handle-tied breaker, and must use a 2-pole breaker. Although a GFCI 2-pole will be just fine.


Dual kitchen sink disposal causes water to shoot up in non-disposal side, drain connection is horizontal

The cause of the water shooting up through the other sink is not caused by the disposal being on the lower sink. It is because the plumbing is not set up correctly.

When using a disposal you need to have slip joint baffle tee with tail piece. The baffle is inside the tee and it directs the water, that is being ejected from the disposal with force, downward.

With out the baffle the pressure is to great and the water will shoot the wrong way.

In the photo below the water comes from the disposal on the right, the baffle is in the tee. When the water hits the baffle in the tee it is directed downwards.


Honeywell thermostat doesn't seem to be connected to standby generator

There is likely a 24V transformer somewhere that connects to both the thermostat and furnace. From what you described, my hunch is that the thermostat is on a separate circuit, not together with the furnace.

It could be a wall wart like this one or it could be a direct wired transformer like this one, in which case it may be mounted in or on the furnace (though then it would normally pull power from the same circuit), or it could be mounted to a junction box nearby.

Once you find it, you need to either move the circuit to the generator panel, or move the transformer to a different circuit that is already on the generator panel.


What caused my paint to alligator and how to fix it?

Pattern cracking (alligatoring) can be caused by:

1) applying a hard coat (oil base) over a softer coat of paint.

2) applying too much paint per coat.

3) applying one coat over another coat before the first coat can dry...often because the first coat is too thick.

4) inability of top coat by to bond smoothly to glossy finish.

Repair is by:

A) scrape and sand down to original finish.

B) apply primer.

C) apply finish coat of SAME manufacturer as primer.


Electrical wiring problem in panel when using 220 volt log splitter

With multiple dead outlets on each side you have lost a leg as I said so there will not be power on the odd or even breakers under load with no load there may still be a conductive path creating some voltage at an outlet but no ability to support a load. When you turn on a 240 device the power is being delivered to the the bad leg through this device or log splitter. All the odd breakers are connected to 1 leg and all the even are connected to the other leg for single pole. The supply to the panel from the main has a problem. It could be the breaker in the service panel that feeds the sub or 1 wire connecting the breaker to the panel or someplace in between so all the breakers on the odd or even side (L1 or L2 will be dead). Check at the service panel for 120 to neutral on each then 240 across the 2 then check the sub the same way. If you see 240 at the service connection but not at the sub and the connections look good the feeder wire has a break someplace in between.


Because the lengths of brick mold are usually fairly short, less than 7 feet usually, expansion or contraction of a wood product is negligible. We often install exterior trim in cold temps here in Maine and really never see a problem. A couple of tips that will help insure tight joints year round are to put some waterproof wood glue, like titebond III on all the joint faces and be sure to put a finish nail through the joint. Use a good quality siliconized, paintable acrylic caulk. This product will set up fine in cold weather as long as you are not sub-zero. Temp specs are usually on the product, but don't be afraid to push it a bit, won't really matter. Also there is now low temp exterior paints available.  Good luck


Why is GFCI Receptacle Tripping From Downstream Fluorescent LIght on Switch?

Well, this is embarrassing, but hopefully it helps others in the same situation. I used an old 3-way switch I had lying around and I mistakenly connected the ground wire to the other switch terminal rather than the ground terminal. So when I switched it to the off position current was leaking to ground and tripping the GFCI.
I wired it correctly and it's all working as it should.


From what I can tell from the photo, it looks more like rust than mould. I'd wash off the loose dirt first to be sure though.


How can I repair cracked stones around a drain in a wet room?

That looks just plain done wrong to me. The drain entrance should be below the membrane that should be below the stone. Cracks in the grout should have no impact on the waterproofing effectiveness. Drain entrance level with stone surface = designed to fail.

A minimally invasive fix would be to lay a membrane on the top of the current stone and lay new stone above that. Making the connection to the side wall membrane will be somewhat tricky - assuming that's even there, which I have to wonder about...

If you want to save the current stone the options are purely invasive/destructive; and that's if you can get the stone up without destroying it.


Unlike painting you cannot fix this by painting/staining over it seems. The only working solution is to remove stain somewhat uniformly from the overlapping areas using thinner. I'm not sure for how long after staining you can still use thinner. If that stops working, you can try paint/varnish strippers, which may remove some but not all staining because stain sinks into the wood fibers rather than forming a film like paint. Failing all that, you have to sand the wood to remove the marks.


Tried to replace light switch but circuit breaker flipped with new switch, so put old one back and that flips the breaker too??

If the switch you are replacing is in an electrical box that is grounded there is a possibility that insulation in one if the hot wires is compromised and shorted to the box. This would create a direct short when the wire becomes energized and cause the breaker to trip.

The other possibility is that this switch controls an electrical outlet in addition to a light. Switched outlets are common in living rooms and some bedrooms. In bedrooms with a switched outlet a ceiling light may have been added after the original installation so that the switch controls both. In your case you may have replaced the switched outlet and wired it incorrectly. The error may not have become obvious until you came to work on and replace the switch.


Does pooling rainwater pose a threat to my roof?

There are situations where water pooling on a flat roof is a problem, but this probably isn't one of them.
The cases where it's a problem are where water pools, the weight of the water deforms the roof structure, so more water pools, so the roof deforms more and collapse results.
You appear to have a relatively small area of poorly graded surface near the drain, which is unfortunate and poor quality work, but not particularly threatening to the integrity of the roof. Correcting it would be a matter of fixing the level of the underlying foam surface and waterproofing over that corrected surface with the materials that the roof is made from (unless re-doing the entire roof).
While unsightly, the collection of some dirt and debris is not a concern for the health of the roof. Holes drilled into the surface might be, however.


There are only a few types of anodes out there -- different materials (aluminum, magnesium, aluminum/zinc) and different form factors (rigid vs flexible/segmented, hex head vs combination).

Your heater comes stock with an aluminum hex anode (all American/Whirlpool/US Craftmaster heaters use aluminum, and the manual for your heater has a parts diagram on page 30 that depicts a hex anode -- so you should be able to replace it with a standard hex anode, unless you have overhead clearance problems that require a flexible unit.  I'd get a magnesium anode for your replacement if at all possible -- our bodies don't get along particularly well with aluminum ions.


How can I remove a mark from a freshly painted wood cupboard?

Touch the paint up with a tiny dab of paint and a small brush.  Paint takes about a month to cure, and little touch up jobs like this should blend right in by the time the paint finishes curing.


How do I fix a bathroom light Fixture that is falling off the wall?

You'll know more when you undo the screws or thumbscrews holding the fixture onto the gangbox.

If the gangbox itself is secure, then you have some mechanical problem with the fixture or its screws or the threads on the box.
If the gangbox is insecure and is being pulled out of the wall,

You can use Madison Straps (less than a dollar) to keep the box in the wall: the long part of the strap slips in next to the box and behind the wall (slide up the long end first, then slide the short down so both top and bottom are providing support), then the short straps bend over right into the box to keep the box from coming of the hole.
You can pull out the loose box and replace it with an old-work box, which has surface-flush flanges to keep the box from falling in, and little clamps that flip up when you tighten their screws, pulling the box tight to the wall.

If the gangbox is insecure because it's falling into the wall, perhaps you need to firm up the crumbling hole you're trying to secure something into: new drywall from stud to stud, or some other mechanical reinforcement of the wall itself.  If you're opening up the wall, use a new work gangbox that can be fastened to a stud instead of the relatively flimsy drywall/plaster.

Does it go without saying here that you should only do things you understand, and that the circuit's power should be off while you're doing this?


Sure.

Pull four appropriately sized conductors from the main panel, to the new shop panel.
Install a properly sized double pole breaker in the main panel, and connect the four conductors properly in the main panel.
Connect the four conductors properly in the shop panel, making sure the neutral bar is isolated from ground.
Install a grounding electrode system (if the shop is detached from the main building).
Bond the shop panel to the grounding electrode system.