Repair crumbling edges of deliberate (wanted) hole in plaster ceiling

Extractor fan types can vary widely. The type that you describe sounds like a terrible design. My suggestion is that you replace the unit with one of the type fans that consist of an in-ceiling rectangular enclosure that mounts to the ceiling framing material.
If properly installed the edges of the enclosure should fit down into the hole in the ceiling plaster board and come down just even with the ceiling surface. These units come with a baffle piece that attaches to the enclosure structure to hold it in place. Retainers for the baffle may screw on, clip in or use spring clips. A very common type uses spring clips that allow the baffle to be clipped into slots in the enclosure and as the baffle is pushed up into place the spring spreads some to hold the baffle firmly to the ceiling.
For your situation you should look for a unit that has a cutout hole size that is bigger than the current hole plus the damaged area around it. Depending upon the location of the framing members in the ceiling it may be needed to add an additional piece of blocking between two existing ceiling joists to provide a place to secure the fan enclosure. Actually the best situation to provide the most secure mount for the enclosure is to have there be framing material along two sides of the enclosure.
Using this technique will eliminate any repeated fraying of the plaster board edge. In addition the fact that the fan enclosure extends to the ceiling surface it helps to isolate the edges of the plaster board from the damp air that the fan draws up and out the vent pipe.


Start by clearing out any loose particles that are still clinging to the wall.

Once you've got it cleaned up, wood filler will take care of the missing plywood patch. Apply it with a putty knife and sand it smooth after it dries. It will be easiest if you use a putty/taping knife wider than the patch you're repairing. Otherwise, you'll have to do a little more sanding to smooth down the ridges created between passes - either way, it's not a big deal. (If you've already got a smaller putty knife, I wouldn't go out and buy a big one.)

After sanding, wipe the area down to remove all dust, then apply a coat of primer.

After the primer dries, paint the patched area. Try to feather out the new paint overlapping the original. It looks like you've got plain white semi-gloss or high-gloss paint here. Don't forget to match sheen as well as color, unless you're lucky enough to have some of the original paint left over. One or two coats should be fine, especially if you primed beforehand. Also try to use the same method in which the paint was originally applied - it looks like a brush was used originally, so go with a brush for this. A roller will leave an 'orange peel' effect, which will stand out from the surrounding area.


Low Sloped Asphalt Shingle Roof Remediation

A) No. Nothing short of an unbroken membrane will resolve the issue. Even if you were to tar each row of shingles, you'd likely miss a few spots and have long-term damage. The right solution is a rolled roof or rubber membrane, possibly underneath shingles if aesthetics are a concern.

B) See A.

C) The question is too broad for the SE Q&A format. Ask for estimates from your local roofers, or price a flat roof solution at your lumber supplier.

D) Sure. If you carefully pop up each shingle nail, you could put them on Craigslist for sheds, hunting shacks, or whatever. Many folks would be glad to have a decent roof for half price (or less). This would take some time, obviously.


Please suggest occasional heating for garage used as work room

Workroom...shop...dust...occasional use...gas...electricity...seems like lots of variables.

This guy seems to know what he’s talking about:

https://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/videos/shop-heating-options/

Remember, the difference between infrared heat and forced air is that infrared heats the objects in your shop BEFORE it heats the space (air) and forced air heats the space BEFORE the objects. This could be important depending on how long you’re going to be working in your shop.


Putting 4 wires to each breaker input & Torques required

There are breakers made with a lug that can accommodate two wires, but most breaker lugs  will only take one wire.  You may get away with stacking two wires - it may not fail or burn up - but sometimes it does.  It's not a reliable way to make a solid connection.

You can easily pigtail the two wires - splice them to a third short wire of the same gauge - the pigtail - and terminate the other end of the pigtail on the breaker lug.  So it's pointless to take a chance doubling up.


What is the difference between alkyd and enamel paint?

You are falsely separating "enamel" and "alkyd", because you can have an alkyd based enamel as well as acrylic based enamel.

Alkyd paint is oil / solvent based paint. Acrylic is water based paint. Some places will not allow you to use alkyd paints any longer because the solvents are VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) that are classified as hazardous. Even in areas where not banned, many people who feel they are sensitive to VOCs will not want to use them either, they can out-gas for years after being applied even though you can't smell them any longer. On the other hand many people prefer alkyd based paints because they perceive them as more durable than acrylics. That may be true, but you must also consider that the difference may be 20 years vs 25 years and most people will change colors on something before paint actually wears out.

Enamel is the type of FINISH a paint has, meaning it will be glossy with a hard coat that is resistant to stains or wear and can be easily cleaned. Applying enamel paints of either type is different in that brush strokes will show more in a glossy finish, so you want high quality brushes and you should practice on scraps before doing a final finish if you have never worked with it before. Let it dry in each practice session so you can see the effects of your technique.


Should this 3 ply LVL bear on a single 2x4?

None of us can really answer this with confidence, not having all necessary information (or, in my case, an engineering degree). I will offer a few assumptions and suggestions based on the engineer's drawing:

A tripled, relatively squat beam is probably being used to maximize head clearance. More typically this would be a doubled 9-7/8" beam, which rests more comfortably on a single trimmer stud and fits within a 2x4 wall. You might consider whether that's a more desirable option than having a beam that exceeds the width of the current wall.
A single trimmer stud is apparently adequate for the load on the beam (though it wouldn't hurt to ask the engineer rather than us), and the attached full-height (king) stud provides the stiffness that I was concerned about in my comment above.
On second thought, this looks like a "flush beam" situation, whereby the beam is at and above ceiling line. Concerns about beam width in relation to wall width are probably moot, and the beam will rest on doubled studs per spec.
Otherwise, you could always double the trimmer studs to alleviate concern. This is a low-cost solution that may bring peace of mind.


Sure.  The shellac makes a barrier that the tannins can't get through.  If you shellac over primer, it's still effective.  I have verified this through experience.

As a side note, an oil based primer (like Kilz Original) that blocks tannins by itself will, for most applications, be sufficient to block knots from bleading through.  It's also easy to sand out brush marks with the oil-based stuff.


Craftsman garage door opener works intermittently

Verifying that the door operates correctly and without excessive force with the opener disconnected is a required first step. If the door jams, the opener cannot be expected to work well.

Given a mechanically sound door system that operates properly by hand, odd behavior in "modern" (25 years or less, perhaps) garage door openers is almost always a sign of "time to replace the logic board."

It's actually a slightly fraught choice, since a logic board is typically 1/2 the price of a replacement opener, and the replacement opener comes with a warranty, while the logic board often does not, and there's always the possibility that it won't fix the actual problem.

That said, I've replaced one and it did cure the problems that opener was having (which were life-threatening and probably resulted from a nearby lightning strike - I also added a surge suppressor to the outlet.)


Can I reuse cold water copper pipes for hot water?

There is absolutely no difference between the materials used for hot and cold water pipes (at least there isn't in the UK!). The same copper is used for both and if you have a piece of pipe that was previously used for hot water you can use for cold water and vice versa.

As long as the pipes are connected up properly then there'll be no problems.


Do I need to lay plywood before I lay down cementboard?

If those T&G boards are your subfloor, you'll be fine putting the cementboard panels right over them. Just screw them down to the wood subflooring with plenty of screws; don't use thinset for that.  DO use thinset to cover the cementboard seams and screw holes, then tile right over it.


Tub Drain SLOWLY Drains - If You Hold "Knob" Down It Drains At Regular Speed

I assume you mean the "knob" is the drain open/closed lever located on the wall of the tub,.just above the drain, right?

If so, your most likely problem is that the drain mechanism is out of alignment. There is an "overflow drain" that runs down from behind the drain lever that you are holding, connects to the main tub drain, and continues out to whereever.

Inside that downward drain is a metal arm that connects to the tub drain open/close lever (the "knob"). When you move the drain lever up or down, it causes that metal arm to move up or down in opposition (It's like a seesaw, when this end goes up, the back end goes down.)

The metal arm is attached to a metal plug that will block the main tub drain, or release it.

You can unscrew the face plate behind the drain lever and pull out the face plate with the lever, the metal arm, and the plug. Once you have them out, you can almost certainly adjust the arm, changing the position of the plug up or down. That lets you set the position exactly right.

It may be that your drain lever doesn't stay put any more. If so, you will need a new set- these things come in packages from your local home center. According to my smartphone app with the orange icon, they sell for $20 USD upwards, depending on color and style.


How do I troubleshoot 2 light switches in the same box with 4 black (hot) wires?

So the neutrals were all pigtailed together and you didn't disconnect any of them, right??  So one black wire is your always hot and is strung across both switches. It is also connected to one of the black wires that feed the outlets that are not working. The remaining two black wires go to each switch to control the light and fan. Your job, should you choose to accept it, is to determine which wire is which by process of elimination, connecting wires two at a time and see what turns on or with a good meter. Naturally, you'll be turning off the breaker every time you touch in wires.


If you have a house wide ground fault current interrupter then you could connect a lamp across the yellow and green and see if it trips.
Your box has 3 inputs, the black and green both come from the left and bottom (in your picture) while the yellow comes from the right. Presumable to switches and other lights. They are meant to be connected together either in a pigtail or in the fixture if the connection is rated for multiple wires.

The color code looks to be "UK prior to 2004" based on this page, which is consistent with the fact that the building predates 2004 and that the UAE often uses British standards.


Should I be worried if my A/C ran with the cover on?

It should be fine. Air conditioners remove heat and dump it outside; sounds like the heat got dumped into the cover. Remove the cover, let the unit cool down, and don't do it again. If it stops working, call a service tech.


No, it is not safe.  That screw terminal is made to take just one wire.  Since it doesn't use the switch as it's intended (by its UL listing) it's a code violation.  It will make a poor connection, which can heat up and potentially cause a fire.

As long as there's room in the box, it can be corrected by pigtailing.  You would connect one end of a new short section of wire (the "pigtail") to the terminal screw, and splice the two wires on the screw and the other end of the pigtail.

Very basic task for an electrician, doable for a DIY that knows the basics of working safely with electrical.


Does the law require sheetrock on interior walls in a house?

Depends.

What law does your area follow?  The building inspector can tell you.  Then you can look that up.

No inspector? Then likely no codes to follow.  Then call the fire dept - as rental housing, they may have you follow a different standard than a homeowner might be required and you'll likely need Sheetrock or similar for fire resistance.


What size ceiling joists and rafters should I use for a 14' span?

As @TheEvilGreebo mentions, 2x6 is not enough for a floor that will be used as "habitable space". I know because when I remodeled my attic to convert it to a bedroom, the existing 2x6 floor joists (over a very similar span) were not enough and I had to sister them all.

At a minimum you will need to check with your local (municipal or county) building department.  They should be able to tell you what you need.

It might be easier to get a structural engineer or architect to come out and tell you what to do.  If they are not drawing up plans you might be surprised that their prices are quite reasonable (they should be able to give you a quote for what it would cost for them to come out and generate a report up front).  It will also help when you get your building permit to be able to submit the report written by a certified professional to the building department.


Shower fixture close to above lighting fixture

The fixture needs to be rated for Wet locations and should be protected by a GFCI.


Recomendations or information on adding biocides in furnace pan

Furnace? No. You might mean your HVAC condensate pan. Yes, these treatments will help keep the bio slime away and help keep the drain lines clean.

Do an internet search for "condensate pan tablets". Each product will tell you how many tablets to use and how often. They also have treatment mats that you unroll into the pan and they dissolve.


How to mount handrail to drywall over concrete

You can drill holes into the concrete with bits made for concrete. Depending on how dense the concrete is you can sometimes do this with a regular drill. (This takes some patience, it's not like drilling into wood. Don't push too hard or you'll break the bit. Just have patience) If the concrete is too dense, a hammer drill may be necessary. And yes they have concrete anchors. They also have special screws made for concrete that don't require anchors.

Another idea would be to put a railing on the other side. Not a hand rail. A railing that attaches to the floor instead of the wall.


How can I prevent echo from footsteps on a hollow, temporary stage?

Are you sure echo is the main problem?  It shouldn't echo much unless it's on a hard floor.  Setting it up on top of something soft like carpet remnants should pretty much eliminate echo under the stage.  But even if there is some echo under the stage, it's unlikely to be the loudest sound you're hearing.

Maybe you're hearing the clattering noise that happens when the stage's joints are compressed and different parts clap together.  This type of sound is going to be a lot louder than echos under the stage.  You may need to identify which joints are to blame and stuff bits of felt in them.

One more suggestion is to check your dancers' shoes.  Hard soles landing on a hard stage are going to make noise.  Padding the stage and/or the shoes could help.  Just make sure they'll still have the traction they need to dance safely.


Doorbell transformer wiring to an electrical outlet?

The ac going to the transformer doesn’t matter because the low voltage on the other side is isolated.
However there are several issues as I see it
The high voltage between the transformer and metal box the wires are not in flex or rated for being in the open not a big deal but a code violation.
Next with the transformer not mounted to the metal it is not grounded so a fault could end up on the low voltage side and not tripping the circuit breaker.
Most door bell transformers are made to mount on a box and the 120v connections are made inside the box, this is the case with your new one
You will have knock out one of the slugs on the side of the box )make sure it will fit first)  you may have to add a spacer behind the box so the transformer can mount on the side but the mounting creates the ground path I mentioned as the fitting on the side of the box makes it very tight in a single gang box I would wrap electrical tape around the terminals after you connect the wires again the high side the colors don’t matter if they are the same color.
If the receptacle doesn’t look like it will fit you may need to change to a single receptacle and use one of the knockouts on the top side or bottom side (not the ends as the cover usually caused problems on the ends)
The good news is you now have the correct type of transformer to be mounted on the box.


How can I remove a deadbolt from an interior door and close the bore?

You can get a blank hole cover such as this:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Prime-Line-2-5-8-in-Satin-Nickel-Hole-Cover-Plate-U-10446/202258423

You can also get "blank strike plates" and "blank latch plates"


How do I fix a broken microwave door hook latch?

If you don't want to disassemble the door or replace it, then don't fix it. The dual-hook latch system is designed to ensure that the door is completely closed. Both hooks have matching sensors and both must be actuated for the oven to run. If you don't fix the door, then the only other option is defeating the sensors, which defeats a critical safety feature.


Reduced hot water pressure after closing and reopening water supply in one upstairs tub

Yes, there could be a connection between the two. In fact several things. Sometimes scale buildup (lime deposits) will occur especially in hard water areas. If the hot shutoff valve is old or your water is particularly hard you could have builup in the valve that is preventing full flow-through. Sometimes turning the main off and then on will loosen some of the scale resulting in a partial blockage. First make sure the shutoff is turned completely on. Turn the valve on and off a few times to loosen any debris. If it looks corroded I would replace it with a new quarter turn valve. The other trouble spot is in the cartridge which could be having the same issue. It could be either.
There are some tests you could run to determine if the problem is the shutoff but without knowing your setup and your knowledge level I would suggest that you replace the cartridge and if that doesn't work, replace the shutoff valve - in that order.


Unsure where to find "C" connection on furnace

You want pin 5 instead

The connection you want is pin 5 of the connector you have marked, labeled "24V GND" on the diagram -- it has a black wire running form it.  You can also tap the low-voltage junction between the white wire from the transformer and the black wires -- it's the same thing.


Hanging vertical tile in powder room, cement board or drywall?

I am generally apprehensive about fixing tile directly to gypsum wallboard, and recommend using cement board if you have the choice. It is imperative that you do not use wallboard in a wet location.
That being said, I have seen tile attached to wallboard work perfectly well in locations with low moisture and where any rough use (impact) is not likely.
As for the stud arrangement and attaching the wallboard, I would consider it mandatory that all the edges are supported with wood.


Did I damage the breaker by incorrectly wiring a generator?

You probably overheated and burned every component in that line, including the wiring and the GCFI outlet.

You probably melted/decomposed the insulation on that circuit. The GFCI is tripping because you have significant leakage on the hot or neutral lines, which means they're leaking to either the ground or to some other path within the house.

You may have damaged wiring on other circuits in the house, even if they appear operational.

I don't think it's possible to burn out a breaker unless it was already defective. It interrupts the hot leg and has no grounding, so it has nowhere to short to, and will shut off it senses too much current, saving itself and whatever is on that circuit.


I've never heard anything as strange as trying to adjust your water pressure with a tap running, this makes no sense at all.

Turn your pump off, run the water until your pressure drops to about 30 psi, then flip on the pump again and see what pressure the pump stops at. if it's below 45 psi then turn the adjusting nut clockwise until the pump restarts and wait to see what pressure it stops at. If you want 60 psi then just continue adjusting until you reach the 60 psi you're after and that's it. If it won't go up to 60 psi then it could be the regulator isn't designed to go this high and you need the proper one to get the pressure you're after.


What is the grey wire dangling from my ceiling?

You need a multimeter, in voltage measuring mode.

And please post pictures of the overhead and two wall junction boxes.

Without further information, most likely Brown is hot for fan, Black is hot for lighting, and Grey is wired through some dimmer you haven't yet discovered, or neglected to mention you had.


What are "Straight Corner Fixing Brackets" used for?

They can be installed in various ways. You can install them to join corners straight from one surface to the other, or diagonally from one surface to the other. You can also use them in a situation where you want to allow the expansion/contraction or slight movement of a fixture. This would allow say a table top to expand or contract with temperature or humidity changes. This would then keep the table top from cracking.


How should I repair crumbling joist pockets in a brick wall?

You remove the old brick and rebuild the bottom of the mortise.

If it was me, I would get a tile saw and cut a single rock that would exactly fit. Why use crappy brick, when you can use a rock that will last for a million years? If you cut the rock so that it exactly fits (and I mean EXACTLY to a hundredth of inch). Then you hammer the rock in tight and you need no mortar.

If you don't want to spring for a tile saw, you can use cold chisels.


Wire switches so fan comes on with lights

wire a double pole switch pole A connected to fan and pole
B connected to light
have a regular single pole switch (pole A) connected to fan


I have had those rings break on me also.  The adjustment of the tool has to be just right.  I don't use them anymore.  I would use the copper compression ring.


Depending on the extent of the damage (how large an area) and what time you can invest, either way will work.   If the drywall damage is an area of more than 2-3 , 4 x 8 foot panels it would be less costly and faster to install new drywall (depending on how the wall is situated and it's location). If the wall has no natural transitions or "breaks" you will need to install panels so all of the wall is covered.   If the damage is not extensive than patching is a fairly straight-forward process. It involves cutting loose flaps of drywall paper off the wall face, filling deep gouges with joint compound, covering any broken or severely damaged drywall with joint tape (or replacing small pieces with drywall) and than sanding the dried patched sections and applying a second coat.


Ideally the manufacturer has engineers that put a lot of thought into this, and the manual spells out all the recommendations for even the most extreme operating conditions.  But, lots of times you don't get that, it just says "use 10W40" and that's it.

If I think my operating conditions are likely to be way out of what the manufacturer's recommendations account for, I might deviate from those recommendations.  I might use a more viscous oil to deal with the heat, or less viscous oil to deal with the cold.  Your conditions in Chicago are typical for huge parts of the country, I bet the manufacturer's recommendations are fine for Chicago.  I'd probably leave well enough alone and stick to the recommendation.

If the engine has a lot of miles / hours, and seems to have significant wear, I do switch to something a little more viscous.  If a car is burning more than say a quart between oil changes I will suspect it's worn.  I figure an engine with some wear is a little looser and will blow by a little more oil (past the pistons into the combustion chamber) so a more viscous oil might make sense, like switching from 10w30 to 20W50, especially in the summer months.  I have seen this make a measureable difference many times with high mileage cars.

I haven't really seen the extra viscosity make much of a difference in starting in cold weather.  I think the drag you get from viscous oil is pretty minor, better to focus on a good quality battery with adequate cold cranking amps and good cold weather performance if you're concerned about hard starts in cold weather.


How to permanently join 2 cut Pergo pieces?

jut cut a tongue into one and a groove in the other.  glue and you are done


3-way switch tied to box, one switch removed, can't make sense of it

Going three-way with a relay

In order to have a normal three-way switch between the two locations and have receptacles at the far end, you need four wires (plus ground): a hot, two travelers or a traveler and a switched-hot, and a neutral.  Since you only have three wires, and can't really replace the cable between the two boxes, you need to do something else here, as the way it was working (using the bootleg jumper to use AC armor as a neutral) was shockingly bad.

There is an alternative though -- a device called a relay, which acts as a switch that can be remotely controlled by an electrical signal.  In particular, we'll be using a RIBU1C from Functional Devices: this is a SPDT relay that can be controlled using either 24VAC from a transformer or 120VAC from the wall, using an on-off signal to determine which position the relay is in.  Thus, we can use the SPDT contacts of the relay as a 3-way switch that's controlled remotely by a single-pole switch somewhere else, using only an always-hot to the switch and a switched-hot control wire.

In your case, I would install the relay at the far-end box (where neutral is present), then repurpose the wires in the existing /3 AC cable as follows:

Black -- always-hot.  Leave it as is.
Red -- relay control feed. Leave it attached to the near-end 3-way switch, but unhook it from the far-end 3-way switch, as we'll need it when we install the relay.
White -- neutral.  Connect it to neutral at the far-end box, and to the receptacle neutral at the near-end box, unhooking it from the 3-way switches at both ends.

This means that with the bootleg jumper gone from the near-end box, we now have a situation where the 3-way switch is acting as a single pole switch, so that it can turn the relay coil on and off.  Once all this is done, the far-end box is fitted with a RIBU1C (mounted to a 1/2" KO on the box somewhere), and the RIBU1C is wired as follows:

White/Black -- to the Red wire from the /3 cable
White/Yellow -- to the neutral wires in the far-end box
White/Blue -- capped off (unused)
Blue -- to one traveller screw on the far-end 3-way switch
Orange -- to the other traveller screw on the far-end 3-way switch
Yellow -- to the always-hot wires in the far-end box

As to the ground at the near-end box? The armored cable's armor provides something of a grounding path -- old armored cable is no longer current Code in this regard, but it's better than no path at all, and if it's type AC with a "bonding strip" wire under the armor, then it is fully Code-compliant  as-is.


If you were planning on a single front rail you can expect substantial sag over time. The cedar would probably deflect 1/4" to 1/2" initially, but will continue to deform for the first several months.

I'd install at least one additional rail behind the front one, probably using pressure treated pine. A 4x4 wouldn't be excessive. Be sure to crown all rails upward.

Alternatively you could screw a full length 1/4" by 3" aluminum plate to the back of the cedar rail using pairs of 1/4" by 1-1/4" lag screws at 12" intervals.

If you don't like that plan a single leg fastened well to the front rail should do, or extend the two shelf support verticals to the ground, notching around the front rail.


Is it safe to replace Type A plug with Type C?

You need to learn to tell the difference between a plain plug and a power supply with a built-in plug (known as a wall-wart).

There are several giveaways that indicate something is a wall-wart and not a regular plug.

Wall warts are typically much larger than regular plugs.
The output cable of of a wall-wart will typically be thinner and more lightly insulated than a mains cable.
The output connectors of a wall-wart will typically be of types that are only safe for use at low voltages.
A wall-wart will typically have a label indicating input voltage range, output voltage, power requirements and safety approvals.

Not every wall wart will have all these indications, but most will have at least one of them.

Both of the items in your pictures are wall-warts, if you remove a wall-wart and replace it with a regular plug you will almost certainly destroy the equipment and create a serious electric shock hazard.

Russia apparently uses 220V, which is similar to most of Europe (the EU is nominally 230V but with a pretty wide tolerance band) and much higher than used in the USA. Before connecting a device with a US plug to Russian mains you need to check it is suitable for the higher voltage.

Some devices, especially older ones, may need to be reconfigured for different voltages either by moving a switch, turning an insert, moving fuses inside the device or a variety of other mechanisms. This is unlikely to be the case with wall-warts though.

The label on your wall-warts should indicate the acceptable range of input voltages, most but not all modern wall-warts will be designed with a wide input voltage range (e.g. 100-240V) that covers essentially all mains voltages in the world. If your wall-warts have a suitable input voltage range you can use them with a plug adapter, otherwise you will need to source replacement power supplies.

Unfortunately sourcing replacement power supplies can be a pain. There are a wide variety of combinations of voltage, current, output connector and sometimes even output polarity out there.


No clue what happening with this dimmer connection

Neutral on White, continuing to elsewhere.
Unswitched Hot on Red, continuing to elsewhere.
Switched Hot on Blue, going to whatever fixture the dimmer controls.
Following new information that the receptacle on red/white is controlled by the dimmer:
Switched Hot on Red, going to at least two locations. Presumably one is the receptacle?
Unswitched Hot on Blue, going to the dimmer..


Powering Subpanel from CSED via Feed-Through Lugs

Conduit would be a good idea, even if not strictly required

The main advantage running wires in conduit gives you is that you can put fatter wires, or more wires for something this large even, in if you find that your original run was insufficient.  In fact, a 2.5" EMT provides plenty of room for 3 250kcmil aluminum XHHW-2 conductors for now, and even expansion room for 3 more of them should you, or the next bloke who wants this place, want a 400A service later on, in addition to being the obligatory equipment grounding conductor.  If EMT is too costly an option, 3" schedule 40 PVC run within the structure could work as well, although you'd then need to run a separate equipment grounding conductor.

If you do go with the cable route, I would go with a 250kcmil-250kcmil-250kcmil aluminum SE-R cable; this gives you the full 200A, but limits you to that all the same.

That's an awfully small subpanel you have there

A 30 space panel is rather on the small side; 42 or even 60 spaces would be a much better use of your money and time here, given that it's far cheaper to buy the spaces now than it is to rip out and replace a too-small panel down the road.  Also, you can use a main lug panel on the inside of the house as it's a subpanel in the same structure (so it doesn't need to provide its own disconnecting means) and is not fed by downsized tap conductors (which are protected from overcurrent by the downstream OCPD).


Should I use underlay when tiling a bathroom?

If you have wood underlayment that has been water logged, you really should get rid of it. i would remove all layers of old flooring and underlayments down to the primary flooring. If the primary flooring is still wet, dry it and seal it with a primer.  If there are any signs of rot, replace it.

Let's assume the primary floor is salvageable. Tile should have a full 1.5 inches of solid base so flexing is not an issue. Any flex or bounce in the floor will cause grout to crack and tiles to come loose.

Tile is best laid over a cement based underlayment. Concrete board or "Hardy Backer" is a good choice. This underlayment should be screwed down and screw indents filled with leveler or embossing compound.  Plywood sub-floors have been used for years and tile installed on them, but with that said, masonry underlayment is still so much better, just as easy to install and not much more expensive.

The main issue here is not to install tile over a wet or damaged sub-floor. It would be a waste of time and money when your tile lifts or the grout cracks. Mold is always a possibility where moisture is trapped.


If the surface is nice and smooth then go ahead and tile, it makes no difference that you covered the screws with grout instead of thinset. The tiles will bond just fine.

The real reason not to use grout for that purpose is that grout is expensive and thinset is cheap.


Yes, I think you are correct, having two kinds of flooring that look like wood laid at right angle to each other could look odd.

However, having two different appearing wood floors could look odd too. If you can’t match the living room flooring EXACTLY, I’d choose a different style, color, texture, etc. of flooring in the kitchen.

The kitchen is a totally different use than the living room, which gives you an opportunity to change the flooring.

Often, when we design, we want to “define” each space separately. That is to say, we want to give each space it’s own character. Changing floor color, texture, etc. is one way to do that.

Consider a tile floor in the kitchen.


It isn't going to cause mold or permanent issues to the drywall or wood.  That means there are basically two issues - aesthetics and cleanliness.  From a cleanliness aspect bleaching and normal cleaning is pretty par.  Crap can be hard to get out of lumber though.  If you have exposed wood framing and it has crap on it and it will remain exposed, they should replace it if you can see even the faintest trace.  Simply if you can see it, then it exists.  Meaning if there are brown marks, you can still touch crap particles.

From an aesthetics point of view everything should look exactly like it did before or better.  So the advice I am giving is set the expectations for them.  I don't care if they need to repaint, so be it.  They messed up (literally) and now have to fix it.


Is this circuit correct for controlling old 750mv HVAC with NEST

It was my fault. I did not check the Furnace Control board before posting the question. The system is 24VAC.
The C wire was not connected on my control board by the previous owner/installer because it was not needed.
Connected the C wire, and now I read 27v AC between R and C.
Tried connecting Nest, and that works too. Tested Fan, heating and cooling, all good.

(P.S. I feel stupid for not realizing the control board was on the bottom panel, I thought the board was hidden somewhere inside, and I was reluctant to unscrew anything major on the furnace)


Concrete base for 21' 6x6 wood poles with cross arms

That's more of an engineer's decision to determine wind loads on fixtures, but here's some advice:

Modern commonly available 6x6's are a bad bad bad idea. BAD.  Every knot is a weak point, and will fail in the wind. Not MIGHT fail, they WILL fail.  You need wooden light poles. They are usually locally available for the power companies, and they are just as available to you guys. Price is comparable to a 6x6, they are properly graded lumber, and properly tapered.

Keep in mind that making the wrong decision here could result in injury, or death. Make the wise decision.

Past that, tapering your footing isn't a bad idea, but it can be done simply. Install the Sonatube above ground only, let the concrete go wide to the undisturbed soil below grade.

Size of the Sonatube should allow at least 2" of concrete around the pole, so long as you go the depth you stated.


Where should I place a stove master switch on an island?

You'll want to place the switch in a convenient accessible location, where it will be out of the way but still usable.  Without some type of plans/drawings/pictures of the island, the answer will have to be fairly generic.

Do Not:

Do Not place the switch where liquid is likely to be spilled on it.
Do Not place the switch where children can easily access it.
Do Not place the switch where it could be mistakenly toggled.
Do Not place the switch inside a cabinet or drawer.
Do Not place the switch where you will have to lean over (a presumably) hot stove.
Do Not place the switch where it could easily be confused with a light switch.

Do

Do place the switch where it can easily be reached.
Do place the switch near the stove (within arms reach preferably).
Do place the switch in an obvious easily visible location.
Do use a protective cover plate to protect against accidental toggle (by yourself/children/pets) Not a locking cover, you want to be able to access it in case of emergency.


How can I insulate a room without tearing down walls?

Foam insulation can be injected into the stud cavities. A contractor will drill one hole in each stud cavity to inject the foam through. Then you can patch the holes and paint over them.

You should also check any windows in the room. Look specifically at the caulking around the frame. If it's old and dry/cracked, remove the old caulk, use window/door expanding foam to fill large gaps, and apply fresh caulk.

You can also purchase window insulation kits that use double sided tape and secure a plastic sheet all the way around the window frame. Then a hair dryer/heat gun is used to shrink the plastic sheet in place. The trapped air provides a bit of insulation, and the plastic stops drafts.

If there are any exterior doors in the room, check the weatherstripping for wear and cracks. Consider replacing/upgrading the weatherstripping to stop drafts.


Replace single pole light switch with 12 gauge backstab

You have a single pole switch

It is wired in a way that lacks quality workmanship, to save a moment's time, and a wirenut

The top backstab (i like that much better than push-in) is connected electrically to the top screw. The backstab has almost no contact surface area, and this is the reason that they are frowned upon.

So rather than making a pig-tail to but under the screw, they just used both attachment points.

Any device that is rated at 20 amps must allow for 12 gauge wire, and I have never seen a 15 amp device that will not take 12 gauge.

Take the 2 Black wires together with a 6" or so piece of 'spare' 12 gauge Black wire, and put a red or yellow wirenut on the 3 wires. The other end of the short wire will connect to the top screw on the switch. The Red wire moves from the bottom of the old switch to the bottom screw on the new one.

I have been wondering who has been turning on and off my light - so stop flipping the switch, thanks


Definitely a clog. If it backs up rather quickly you might assume it is a "local" issue, meaning your responsibility. If it takes a while then it's probably farther on down the line, and perhaps a communal responsibility.

Talk to your neighbors and see if anyone else is having any problems.


I think that's a partial wrap overlay hinge.  Overlay means the door sits on the front of the faceframe when closed.  Partial wrap means the cabinet side of the hinge wraps along the edge of the faceframe where it is attached.  There are more components in the hinge though - maybe it's self-closing?


It seems that in Oz, ordinary folk are not trusted to make electrical connections ...
According to OzLighting.com

Whilst the laws do vary slightly between the different states in Australia, it is clear that only licensed professionals are authorised to install new light fittings in your home.
Lights that are classified as “DIY” generally do not require an electrician. For example, you can buy a DIY Pendant light that has a batten-fix attachment at the end of the cord. This is designed to connect directly to your batten-fix lampholders in your ceiling, the same way as you would install a globe into these lampholders.

According to some installation instructions for a Hamilton lamp

This fitting is a DIY (Do It Yourself) product, no
electrical wiring connection or disconnection is required.
The service of a licensed electrician is not required.
This fitting is designed to be used with a batten
holder (not included).
The installation location must have an existing bat
ten holder (not included) pre-installed.
If you don’t have a batten holder (not included), please contact your licensed electrician.

A Batten-Fix Lamp-Holder from the Bunnings mothership

Before I blow something up can anyone give me advice on what to do with the second neutral?

Meekly show it to your licenced electrician as you hand over a large bundle of Boonies.
You could, as a matter of scientific interest only, edit your question to include some good sharp photos of the wires, the old lamp and the new one. You might then get some suggestions for what you might hypothetically do if you were allowed to do anything.
In many parts of the world, you can't 100% trust wiring colours to tell you which wires are live and which are neutral. For example, sometimes a neutral-coloured wire is used for a switched-live. Often you can work out what wire does what (and needs to go where) by carefully studying the arrangements before disconnecting everything. Otherwise you may need to use a voltage tester, carefully, to work out what wire does what.
Often, wires that are part of purchased lamps don't have specific colours because, with AC voltage and no exposed metal parts, it doesn't matter which is connected to live(line) and which to neutral.


How to replace bottom plate on non-load bearing wall

That's pretty much it. You'll know when you start cutting the stud nails whether there's significant pressure on the plate (the saw will move instead of the blade, and you along with it--it's a fun ride with a reciprocating saw :) ). If there is, you might use a jack to (gently) life the ceiling adjacent. Pad it well and don't punch through your drywall. Move it barely enough to relieve the pressure.


drain pipe for washer over flowing! Help!

If you've never used a washer successfully at your new house, then you haven't yet ruled out the possibility of a clog or blockage in the standpipe or anywhere else in the waste plumbing system.

Regardless, it sounds like the washer you have now empties a larger and/or faster volume of water into the standpipe, which is undersized for the new load. It's possible that your former washer used less water or emptied more slowly masking the problem of an undersized standpipe.

A more water-wise washer will alleviate this issue, but the real solution is to allow the water to drain more freely, either by unblocking a blockage in the pipes or replacing the standpipe with a larger-diameter one (usually 2" or larger nowadays).

Alternatively, you can rig up a graywater system by attaching the washer hose to a garden hose directed to something outside that you want to get more water. An overview of this sort of system can be found at http://oasisdesign.net/greywater/laundry/


How can I make wooden stairs slip-proof?

A few options.

1 - Grip/tread tape (easy/cheap but maybe ugly):

2 - Rubber treads (modern/industrial look):

3 - 'tread/grip' additive for paint (easiest to 'blend in' to decor):

3b - DIY 'tread/grip' additive:


Bare neutral to subpanel in detached garage

The Power Company did that, didn't they? :)  They gave us a very similar setup; thru lugs off the bottom of the main panel, back up the pole to another pole to another panel.  They're installing that according to NESC, which is their electrical code.  Not ours.
Yes, in that case, you need to install the garage exactly like a whole separate service -- neutral-ground bond in the panel, 2 grounding rods etc. (assuming the concrete guys weren't kind enough to give you an Ufer ground).  And this also counts on this being old enough to be "grandfathered".
The bare neutral is not a big concern; that's just how pole line is done under NESC.
If you want or need to modernize that, yes, you'll need to go 4-wire, and if you ask the PoCo to do it, they'll look at you funny.  They do have 4-wire; they're just not used to putting it on the truck for residential jobs. It's used to serve 3-phase to businesses.


What are my options for framing a thicker than average piece of artwork?

1cm isn't really "deep" for artwork. You won't find a photograph frame to fit it, but pretty much any frame for a canvas will be deep enough. You should be able to find these in arts / crafts stores that have a lot of frames. Often department stores will have only photo frames, so you'll probably have to look in more specialized shops.

Otherwise, any frame shop will have a ton of frame styles they can custom size for you. This will be a more expensive option, but you can get the artwork installed in the frame you select with very little work on your part.


How can I clean exterior pebble dashing?

I doubt brickwork would leach through the typical 1" or more of mortar.  It would have to be something near the surface.

A mild detergent with a mildewcide added should be sprayed on, allowed to soak per directions and then scrubbed lightly, followed by a rinse.  If the red dye comes out, I would use a sealer to help the surface dry off more quickly after a rain and it will keep the walls cleaner.


If your objective is not limited to locating a vanity mirror of this sort (I failed to do so), you may discover that your objective can be gained by searching for parabolic trough reflector or parabolic trough mirror. The returns I found from those terms cover mostly solar collectors designed to focus light on thermally related energy systems. Some of the links also point to engineering documents regarding design and construction.

An advantage of such a design in thermal energy collection is that it can be aligned in one direction and rotated on the long axis to provide near-continuous exposure to the sun.


Is it okay to glue mirror cabinet to tiles ? (IKEA LILLÅNGEN)

In a word no. First issue is you are renting. The owner has specified no holes in the tile. There is no guarantee the adhesive, if it held won't damage the tile when the cabinet is removed. I would suggest getting some sort of a base cabinet, perhaps a bookcase size piece and mount the mirror cabinet to the top .


You are looking for an "outdoor spigot key" or a "sillcock key".  Googling those terms returns several options, including a 4-way "universal" chuck from Amazon, Lowe's, Home Depot, Ace Hardware and more.

Most options seem to be $5-10 USD.


Can I safely brush down old spray foam that is very dirty?

The dust by itself isn't dangerous since the foam's not breaking up but large quantities of regular dirt and dust are not good to breath under any circumstance. You would be better off getting a good shop vac and vacuuming the foam with the attachment brush. If you could get one with a long hose so the pump wouldn't be exhausting into the same room it would be better. You should also wear a mask to keep from inhaling the dust.


Sealing porous basement common-wall for smells

You could go the olde-fashioned route and gypsum plaster the whole thing.

You could go new-fashioned and mud it with a skimcoat of drywall compound.

You could also slap up a layer of drywall first and then just tape and mud the joints. This might well be the cheapest & quickest option.

After checking VERY carefully for larger holes that might need something like ductseal or plaster to plug them, if the wall itself is really "porous" you could use a water-based "waterproofing" paint, such as UGL drylock (they have "paint" and "Waterproofer" - the former is thinner and covers more per gallon, the latter is thicker and covers less area - either might work but the waterproofer would be more like what you are asking for.)

You might need to caulk around the edges. You can get clear silicone caulk that is rated for food contact and aquarium use (check the fine print) and all it "gives off" is a bit of vinegar during a fairly short cure period.


Placing stone over metal fireplace face. Is this possible?

The manufacturer of the fireplace is okay with it, so you definitely can. I have done it many times and I found it the best option is to use cement board and then the appropriate application method for the finishing material. I've always used high temperature morter of various kinds and never had an issue. The key to remember is, accessibility to service the fireplace. Any openable panels must remain that way. Avoid man made stone that has epoxy in it as it tends to discolour. Many fireplaces I have installed are actually unfinished everywhere except the glass and require a stone finishing right up to it.

From the Safety data sheet


Water pressure low after hose was left on overnight

I'd guess that the recovery rate on your well is sufficient for your daily use, but not for the extended used that occured with the hose.  As a result, the water level in your well has probably dropped to the point that the intake tube isn't completely submerged, so it's drawing less water.  If you can reduce your water usage for a few days, it will likely recover.


There's really only one right way to do this. It takes a bit of time, but it's not difficult or complicated.

You'll want to replace the tape to ensure that the seam doesn't propagate through the paint. Pick up some premixed topping compound (available in gallon or smaller buckets), and a short roll of joint tape (cheap enough to not bother experimenting with other types of paper).

Cut a length of tape just shorter than the repair, then cut 1/4" or so off one edge so it fits comfortably in the depression. Fill the depression with mud using a taping or putty knife, then lay the tape into it. Drag the knife over it to embed it in the mud.

At this point you can opt to walk away and let it dry, or try and skim over it now to save time. By letting it dry first you eliminate the risk of pulling the tape around or wrinkling it.

Skim once or twice more, dragging the knife at a low angle and pressing firmly. There should be very little sanding to do if you do this properly.


Can Old wiring be safe to run high currents through?

If the wiring was done properly in 1963, it should be fine carrying 20A in 2020.
1963 is hardly the dark ages, electrically. A 12Ga copper circuit from that era, IF properly constructed (tight connections, etc.) does not need the wire changed from old age. If anything is likely to need to be changed from aging, it would be the receptacles, and that's not a "must do" but "if they appear to be loose or otherwise making poor connections, show any signs of soot, have broken plastic, or are abnormally warm in use, then change them." And if you change them, use quality receptacles and use the screw terminals to connect the wires.
Receptacle springs can and do age to the point where the receptacle contacts make poor connections to the plug contacts.
Backstabs (push-in backwire connections on outlets) are not rated for 12Ga wire (at least any I've seen) and in any case are a terrible system that should never have been approved. There are quality screw-clamped connections that appear similar to a backstab if you don't know the difference, but they are screwed to clamp, not poked in and held by a spring. Normal side screw connections with the wires curled around them (clockwise, please) are also fine.
If you happen to have 10 Ga Aluminum wire, check back, as there are some things to deal with differently there, and more concern if you don't, but your house is from a couple of years before that was common, so you probably have 12Ga copper, unless something was done wrong with wiring your 20A circuit.
As for the load level, you can run up to 80% of the breaker trip as a continuous (more than 3 hours at a time) load, so 16A on a 20A breaker. which means 15A continuous is fine.
Now, the other part that "might need changed" depending on what it is, specifically, 57 years on, would be the breaker panel. Certain panels are notorious for performing poorly, causing fires, or having breakers that fail to trip in an overload (and then cause fires.) Federal Pacific and Zinsco are two that spring to mind commonly, there may be others. Those are not so much "because you are planning to run a 15A continuous load" but "you are simply lucky that they have not burned your house down, yet" and every day is another opportunity for that to change. Other 57 year old panels and breakers may well be fine for another 50 years


How can I attach/seal around an exhaust fan duct at the roof?

A proper roof vent would mate to your ducting. The seal will be between the duct and the vent via an integrated collar. You don't seal between the vent and the roof (at least for this purpose--rainwater is another issue). The vent flange should cover those corner gaps without issue.

I'm not sure you really need 8", though. Most such roof vents are going to be 6". I can't see a typical kitchen vent needing that much capacity. I'd get a vent with a 6" collar and a reducer. It'll be dandy.


As you've noticed, someone has wired this 20A 120V receptacle for 240V at 30A.  That is very dangerous, and it's quite lucky your house never burned down.  Most likely your old AC was designed to accept either 120 or 240V, and so it didn't notice the difference.

Based on your pictures of the current wiring, I believe you have 10 gauge wires (wire looks like orange sheathed NM) which can handle the 30A it's breakered for.  It would be wise to double-check this with a wire gauge before upgrading to a larger air conditioner though.

To replace the current unit with one that requires 30A of 240V, assuming you already have 10 gauge wire in the wall, you'll only need to change the receptacle to the correct one, such as a NEMA 6-30.  Or, if your new AC wants 20A of 240V, use a NEMA 6-20, and also change the breaker to a 20A one.


How can I determine if a mirror is tempered glass or not?

First really look for the watermarks.  These are usually ultrafaint in a corner.  They could even be upside down.

Second look for any chips on the edges.  If there are chips it isn't tempered.

Third if you need the hole just drill it.  Use the smallest bit you have to start and work your way to the size you need.  Wear gloves but putting a tiny hole in tempered glass will probably cause a shatter but probably not the whole sheet.   There is probably a 1% chance this is tempered if that as a vanity has no code requirement for that and I don't know of builders willing to pay triple for no reason.


Water won't touch most of those tape remains, sorry.

Do you have other people who can do this for you, while you spend a day away from the smells at home?

First option is a citrus based cleaner, which tends to have a sweeter and more-pleasant smell.  Normally these are Orange-based.

Something like acetone or isopropyl alcohol have an odour which should dissipate fairly quickly.  Avoid using kerosene or turpentine because their smells linger longer.

The main risks are of damage to the underlying surface.  If you're cleaning in order to repaint, then that's less of an issue.  Start with the "more-gentle" solvents and work up.

Once the tape residues are softened, you might be able to scrape them off with a blunt scraper (not a razor-blade)

And in the future, consider other ways to hang things on your walls that aren't tape?   Magnets can be good if you have metal in the wall though are a risk to babies, pets and children.


What tools and techniques are required for moving & re-sloping a cement slab walkway?

The best pry bar model that I know of for lifting concrete slabs is "big" (as in, the bigger, the better). Use a block of wood or something else that's large, to distribute the weight on the ground, for your pivot. You'll likely have to dig out one, if not two sides to pry and maneuver these blocks. Avoid putting too much pressure on a single point, since that can cause the paver to crack.

For the level, away from the house is good if this is draining against the foundation. You don't need much, but keep it consistent by using a level and measuring the rise over the run.

When resetting the paver, don't just build up one edge. That would leave an air gap in the middle that can result in cracking. Don't disturb the ground below the paver other than to remove any high spots, you don't want it to settle after you're done. Just add stone dust to make a level surface. Then replace the paver, wiggle it a little to work the stone dust into a tight contact, and replace any ground that you dug out from the sides.

For weeds, I'd ask over on the Gardening Stack Exchange, but they make lots of weed killers. You can also place a barrier in the ground, or just go with hand pulling. I've also seen suggestions to mix some cement and sand, brush it dry into all the cracks, and spray it with a light mist of water, but that would make any future repairs very difficult.


Connect light with 3 wires to box with 6 wires

Color distinguish wires in cables, it does not connote wire function. If you want the latter, you can mark wires with tape.   There's one exception, neutral wires must be white but white wires don't have to be neutral.

So the all-white gaggle must be neutral, and since your lamp actually does need neutral, your lamp white should go there.  The pigtail probably fell out of that.

The black-white gaggle cannot be neutral, since black cannot be neutral.  Therefore neither can the white wire.  This is surely an always-hot wire, going onward to the switch in a switch loop. The third most recent Code change requires in switch loops, white must be the always-hot, so it is obviously hot and is not confused with neutral*.

Grounds are simple, all grounds connect together.  Green, yellow/green and bare a reserved for grounds and vice versa.

That leaves the two blacks plus the black on the lamp.  These are all accounted for: one is switched-hot from the switch.  One is onward power to the other lamp.  The third is obviously the lamp.  All these go together.

*The second most recent Code change requires white wires so used actually be re-colored with tape. The most recent Code change requires actual neutral to be wired to switch loops, so white is reserved for that.)


Does my LED replacement bulb need to screw in all the way?

The problem isn't the base being exposed.

The problem is the tip not going down far enough, and arcing as a result.

The #1 reason for this is the new bulb being wider on the bottom than the original, because of the LED driver being located there.  And it is hitting a part of the fixture.


The best way to see if you have knob and tube wiring is to inspect the attic and see if is running through the rafters up there. Other than that you can open up a switch or receptacle and look for small ceramic "tubes" that will be used for bushing in the boxes. Also knob and tube is an ungrounded system so look for receptacles that have only two slots instead of three and of course ground wires in any boxes.

The areas that are remodeled thirty years ago would have to be wired under the 1984 code which would include ground wires, but that does not mean the areas that weren't touched by the remodel would be updated even though it would have been a good idea. Usually what happens is the Panel is upgraded and maybe relocated and the new addition is run and the existing wiring is back fed into the new Panel.


Can a plumbing vent pipe be vented horizontally?

You really don't want the vent pipe opening near a window, because of the possibility of the sewer odor coming back into the house. That's why vents are on the roof in the first place — any breeze quickly carries the odors away.

To answer your specific question, yes, vent pipes can have horizontal runs, as long as there is no possibility of them becoming plugged with water. In other words, any water that gets into the vent pipe opening must be able to run freely all the way to the sewer, without creating a "trap".


How to calculate size of electrical service?

It's 100 amp service.

Confusing the issue does not help matters. (Virtually) all US household service is supplied at 240V, so whether the service is 30, 60, 100, 125, 150, 200 or 320, it's that amperage at 240 Volts. It is NOT, in fact 120V at 200 amps, because you cannot run a 200 amp 120V load off a 240V 100 amp feed - you can run a pair of 120V 100 Amp loads, but not a 200 amp 120V load - the "pair" are opposite phase and cannot be combined like that.


How do I remove mineral stains from tiles?

i would suggest you try CLR.  It is available in most stores and hardware stores.  If this doesn't work, my question would be what type of tile do you have? Almost sounds like you may have an unglazed type of tile, not a highly glazed porcelain. If you are successful cleaning the tile, you may want to seal the tile to help in the future. You can find tile and grout sealers at any home center.

.


Can I glue two 1" solid oak treads to make one 2" tread?

why dont you just buy 10/4 rough sawn oak and plane it down to 2"?  this is a totally normal day for most staircase guys.  i am kind of surprised you are asking this question.


Verify that the door is leaking and not some other place. Have a helper with you and on a dry week spray with a water hose against the door where it meets the jam see if any water leaks in from that. Give it 30 min to show up and if that doesn't work try spraying around the outside of the frame and see if it leaks in then.
Follow the stains to the wall. It is entirely likely that the leak is somewhere else and the door is the first break in the seal so it leaks there. You may need to pull moulding and or wall sections around the door. Following rusty nails can do it to.  I have an addition to a mobile they did not keep a solid pitch so the add-on is about 4" below the main roof.  If ice starts damning it will go down under that roofing all the way across the roof and in to the outside wall 16' away before leaking out. We had a bay window dripping last winter because of that.


How can I connect a bath wall spout intended for copper to a brass water supply outlet?

Stock fitting - Male Pipe Thread to sweat (ie, soldered copper) Solder to a section of pipe, screw in, enjoy.


Does condensate on a skylight indicate a broken seal?

It's possible that your double pane glass has failed.  You should examine it closely under less extreme conditions.  If the interior has a "fog" in normal conditions, then the gas has likely leaked out.  Sealed window assemblies are only warranted for about 10 years.  Some last longer than that.  YMMV

I replaced all my Velux window panes a few years ago, when I was getting the roof redone.  They were fogged and had interior condensation frequently in the winter.  I contacted the manufacturer, and was able to special order replacements via the local Home Depot.  Though it can depend on if the model is still in production.


Finding Ground/Neutral Wire in Switchboard

I don't believe there's a neutral in this box.  I say this because neutrals are generally not switched, and as far as I can see every wire in the box is connected to a switch terminal (except the grounds).

The bundle of bare wires twisted together capped with a yellow wire nut are grounds.  Grounds can be bare or green.

This will be a problem.  the instructions for this device state a neutral is required.

There are a couple wiring issues there, bit of a train wreck overall, the two screw terminals on the switch are wrapped the wrong way, counterclockwise rather than clockwise, and the white one in particular looks like it's not too solid.


How to install a 4 wire outlet to a 3 wire junction box

In any recently made appliance, green is only legal for one purpose: equipment safety ground.  Green wire cannot be re-tagged as a hot or neutral so it is guaranteed to be ground.

Bare wire is also only legal for ground.

They are all grounds.  Simply wire them together.

Fixtures sometimes have 2 ground wires if there are 2 parts of the fixture which each should be grounded, e.g. a chain-hung chandelier: a chain is not a valid grounding path, so a ground wire must be in the cord running down the chain. The other wire would ground the rose.

Ground is strictly an emergency current path, and does not flow any current normally.  Electricity needs 2 wires, so 2 more wires must be connected: black and white.  The fixture would work without any grounds at all, but it wouldn't be safe.


MDF isn't a terrible choice since it's cheap, easy to work with, and dimensionally stable, but it will be ruined if a decent amount of moisture ever penetrates into it, and the glue used to bind the wood particles together is full of formaldehyde, which is a known carcinogen. Wear a respirator while you're cutting it. If this stuff is for a kid's room, definitely prime all sides after cutting to seal as much of the formaldehyde inside, and maybe even leave the cut, un-primed boards in a ventilated area of the garage for a few weeks or months to let it do most of its off-gassing there rather than inside the house.


Yep, you've got to cut it and should then use a Fernco coupling to plumb a modern PVC flange into the system.  In the past I've tried unscrewing cast iron but it always breaks, sometimes shattering past a convenient cut point!


It's hard to advise without knowing more about what other lighting will be in those areas and the type of activities you will have going on in the larger room. LED strip lights are great for kitchen task lighting under the cabinets. Personally, I prefer LED over traditional halogen in that situation because they produce less (almost no) heat, more even light distribution, and of course, lower energy usage. Putting them on a dimmer also allows an evening night-light in the kitchen, providing just a very dim glow when you are stumbling to the fridge. Here is a video that shows the differences in the various LED strip lighting.
LED Strip differences - Epoxy vs Silicon, 5050 SMD vs 3528 SMD

SMD 3528 is a single chip and SMD 5050 has three chips sometimes known as “Tri-Chip”. SMD 5050 chips are generally three times brighter than SMD 3528 chips. Also, 5050 is widely used when the application for the LED strip requires multi color (RGB). For example, each 3528 emits approximately 7 lumens per chip and 5050 emits 14 lumens per chip.

SMD 3528 LED Flexible Strips

Its dimension is 3.5mm * 2.8mm, power watts is 0.08W per LED chip

These lights are great for single color splashing of walls for both interior and exterior applications, accent lighting for plants, pictures, LED under cabinet lighting, bars and many more. 3528 LEDs can be most cost effective, but will not be as bright. However, SMD 3528 LED Strip lighting will also emit the light more evenly as these LED chips are arranged closer together on the circuit board than SMD 5050 LED chips.

SMD 5050 LED Flexible Strips

Its 5.0mm * 5.0mm, power watts is 0.24w per LED chip

5050 LED chips have 3 LED chips in one housing (Sometimes called tri-chips), and are a lot brighter than 3528 LED chips. They are used when you need high illumination for your project area. Theoretically, SMD 5050 LEDs can offer a light output of approximately 3 times that of the 3528 strips, and therefore 5050 LED chips are perfect for lighting up areas that may be subject to high levels of ambient light

Even though 5050 LED’s produce more heat than 3528, it is still drastically lower than other light sources such as halogen and even fluorescent lamps. 5050 LED’s are different from the 3528 LEDs in that 5050 can combine the three different chips to create millions of color variations which is why they are widely used in RGB LED Strip Lighting. As mentioned previously, 3528 SMD led strips come in single colors only.

Source

Edit to add my personal summary to your comment:

  If you want the LED to be a "main" source of light, then you want the
  5050. If the light is just as an accent to add some even illumination to an area, then you want the 3528. The 3528 can change colors, but I
  assume you want white. They are not as bright, but the light is more
  continuous because the bulbs are closer together. 5050 is much
  brighter but can be dimmed, so I don't see a reason not to go with
  5050 unless you want to change colors.


Makes no difference, generally speaking. Do the method that saves you wire and/or distributes connections more uniformly to meet box capacity standards (and make life easier).


If your LED is an integrated package, rather than a series of sockets into which you insert bulbs, it would indicate that the electronics of the device has failed due to the surge-like return of the power. LED illuminator devices at the board level are quite reliable and resistant, but the power circuits, especially on the lower cost devices are not quite so reliable.

I have a number of bulb-type lamps, all with LED units. A storm in the not-too-distant past caused quite a few power flickers and I had to replace too many of the bulbs. I disassembled a few and found that the LED portion worked fine when fed with an external DC power supply, which left the un-repairable power circuitry as the culprit.


Roofing : Pros and cons of re-roofing or re-layering

Do not relayer. Here are some of the reasons.

The added layer adds needless extra weight to the roof.
Second and third layer shingles do not last as long as a new base layer.
The added layer will never lay as flat as a base layer and creates more chances for pockets to form where water can backup under the shingles.
Full rip off and replacement allows for inspection of roof boards / sheathing and replacement if necessary.
Full replacement allows for much better re-do of the flashing. Relayering generally makes a total mess of the flashing trying to add new on top of old and inviting new leaks.


What is the easiest method to fish cable through the ceiling?

Consider through the crown molding, or installing some to hide the dable.  See my response to wiring rear speakers


Is it necessary to protect a (half full) propane tank from freezing temperatures?

Actually, no.  You need to keep it exposed to weather to keep it warm.   Yes, you heard right.

Or any other heat source would do.

Propane is stored as a liquid, but used as a vapor.  As you use it, it must convert from liquid state to vapor state (i.e. Boil). That requires it absorb energy, its latent heat of vaporization, from its surroundings (i.e. the liquid propane in the tank). This will make the liquid even colder than ambient air.  You may have seen propane tanks condense water or "ice up" when in heavy use. That's because they are colder than ambient.  This is that effect.

If the liquid propane can't absorb its latent heat of vaporization, it won't boil. So when the liquid propane falls below its natural boiling point, then you will have no vapor pressure at all, and your propane accessory won't work.  Much like a boiler gives no useful steam if its temperature is below 212F (100C).

You rely on heat transfer from outside into the tank to keep the propane "warm enough" to boil on its own.  Trouble is, heat transfer works best when there's a big temperature differential.  When the outside is already cold, heat transfer is slower.    You want the opposite of insulation, you want a heat exchanger to speed it up.


Chimney still leaking despite reflashing and coating

Water gets into a chimney by one (or more) of five ways:

Via the actual opening of the flues
Yours have metal covers, so this is probably okay.
Via missing, cracked or deteriorated flaunching on the top of the chimney
This is very common as the mortar has a very hard life. Your right side flue isn't sitting vertical which means it's dropped and unlikely to have a good seal to the flaunching.
Via the brickwork itself.
Mortar erodes to the point where perpends or cross joints are non existent. Water can run in and down such erosion. Difficult to tell what condition your is in from the pic. Plus the chimney is a poor design with very little oversailing to throw the rainwater away from the main body of the walls.
Via the brickwork to roof connection Usually metal flashing.
Your's look to be in a bit of a state, repair on top of repair is unlikely to be effective. Plus, it looks like the long horizontal section looks to be in one piece. If this is lead then it's almost certainly cracked. Max length for lead is around 1.5m usually. Thermal expansion and contraction will crack long lengths of this 'thin' lead.
The roof material adjacent to the chimney
Very common for tiles etc. to be broken underneath the metal flashing etc. They never get replaced as the flashing makes this difficult. Heavy handed installation of flashing often leaves tiny cracks in the tiles which form into full splits over time due to weather (hot/cold/frost etc.)

My best guess is the flashing wasn't great to start with and the repairs haven't been effective. Plus the top flaunching needs to be in one piece.
If it is the flashing you might find that the waterproof sealing of the brickwork has made leaking worse, by the simple fact that the water now runs straight off the brickwork surface and onto the ineffective flashing in greater quantity. Brickwork naturally soaks up a certain amount of water and naturally evaporates the same in dry weather.


Can 6x6 Glue Lamm Post be installed on the exterior and be exposed to the weather?

It must be an exterior/wet use rated beam, like this one from Boise  If you are going to bury one end of it, it must meet one of the exterior ground contact categories.  You should discuss this with your inspector and list it on your permit submission drawing, so there are no surprises during inspection.

The AWPA rates wood by its usage category, you should pick a glulam assembly that will meet one or more of the various EXTERIOR categories:

  Use Category  Brief Description

UC1    Interior Dry
UC2    Interior Damp
UC3A   Exterior Above Ground, Coated with Rapid Water Runoff
UC3B   Exterior Above Ground, Uncoated or Poor Water Runoff
UC4A   Ground Contact, General Use
UC4B   Ground Contact, Heavy Duty
UC4C   Ground Contact, Extreme Duty
UC5A   Marine Use, Northern Waters (Salt or Brackish Water)
UC5B   Marine Use, Central Waters (Salt or Brackish Water)
UC5C   Marine Use, Southern Waters (Salt or Brackish Water)
UCFA   Interior Above Ground Fire Protection
UCFB   Exterior Above Ground Fire Protection


Acceptable to install whole-house evaporative cooler with only a single supply vent?

The optimal CFM is related more to the cooling capacity than house size, since you have low pressure (usually the other major factor). The cooling capacity is related to house size, climate, and many other factors, so there is some indirect relationship. I couldn't tell you what that is. Consider this a verbose comment and not an "answer".

For the bedrooms to be adequately cooled with that setup, the living area would need to be colder than normal, assuming the unit is adequately sized for the whole house. On the average, your house will be kept properly cool, but you will find the temperatures will vary noticeably from room to room. Neither extreme may be all that comfortable.


Encapsulating a cottage crawlspace built on bedrock

The "less complicated" solution is as typically found under mobile homes in cold climates, where the "skirt" if any is typically not insulated.

Pipe insulation and heat tape. Or these days, your better quality, less failures option (at least on the supply side) is an INTERNAL pipe heating cable. In either case, plenty of insulation on the outside of the pipes (both supply and waste) and preferably a "hard shell" of some kind to prevent animals from chewing at it.


How do I wire new bathroom exhaust fan with light?

IF YOU ARE IN THE US... the Black and blue wires are the HOTS for the Light and Fan  This allows for them to be controlled separately if desired.  If you want them both to go on with the switch, they both connect to the Black Hot wire (which should already be the switched one from your light switch).  White goes to white and the copper ground wire should have a copper screw on the base of the new fan to tie it under to provide a ground.  Colors are different in different countries, so please provide that info and the model of light or some pictures.


Does a 240 volt single phase air compressor need a starter

The starter is a very good idea.  It precludes an accidental restart in the event the power is interrupted and then reestablished up stream. With this kind of a load you want redundancy; for safety sake.  That overload is very important on this type of high torque load.  It helps to protect your motor; the most expensive replacement part.


Only if it is a split 220 volt circuit as Steven points out and it It must be on a two pole circuit breaker. This ensures that the circuit is two different legs and not just one, also the entire circuit will be disabled with only one breaker. Each hot leg returns on this shared neutral. The reasoning is that no more than the rated (breaker) current will pass through the neutral in this configuration. The two "Hot" legs will tend to balance the return current. Example: If both legs draw 5A, then no return current passes through the neutral. If leg 1 draws 3A and leg 2 draws 10A then the difference, 7A is returned through the neutral.

It is NOT permitted to share a neutral in any other situation. If you were to share a neutral with two breakers on the same leg of a panel, both circuits could draw the breaker limit (lets say 15A) making the shared neutral as much as 30A return current! That will exceed the limit of the wire size and could cause a fire. Also, GFCI and AFCI breakers will not work on a shared neutral circuit.


Can Self Leveling Compound be Poured Over 2 Inches Thick?

If I understand your question you are creating a raised floor section, 2 1/4 inches higher than the floor below it and you want to place you tub at this height.

I think that you have some sort of frame in place into which you want to pour the LevelQuik, filling it up, so that it will cure into a level surface.

I suggest against that. The maximum thickness of the LevelQuik is stated because, among other reasons, it may not cure properly when poured too thick and it may lose structural integrity when poured too thick.

I'd suggest you use a Deck Mud mix and scree it to your level. If you're nervous about the trueness of the level you could pour the Deck Mud slightly below your line than pour LevelQuik on top of it.


Are these drywall blisters normal settling, or is there something wrong?

Do the wall bumps occur in regular intervals? If that's the case, it could be popped nails. If there is a pattern to it, open up the drywall at one of these bumps to see if there is a nail.

Sometimes in older houses, especially if the drywall was nailed (instead of screwed) into the studs and the structure has been working a lot, the nails can "pop", which means they work themselves out beyond the surface of the wall. You can fix this easily by finding the studs, screwing the drywall onto the studs above and below the popped nail (like 2-3 inches away). Then, remove the bumpy material around the popped nail and drive the nail below the surface with a nail set. Finally, patch with joint compound and sand/paint to cover everything up.

Here is a good guide with pictures. This article gets all philosphical about it if you care. Google drywall popped nails to confirm via image search whether this is what you're seeing (scale is hard to tell from your pictures, so you'll be a better judge of it).

This could apply to the walls, and maybe the ceiling, but I've personally only encountered in walls in my place, so I can't say for sure whether your ceiling situation may have a different origin and requires a different fix.

In any case, drywall issues can usually be fixed easily, as long as you have a joint knife, drywall screws, joint compound, and sand paper handy.


Fitting new dimmer to old wiring but I've got four wires and an earth

The instructions for that dimmer switch assume that you only have a "switch loop" wired to the switch.
A "switch loop" brings an always-on Live wire down to the switch and carries the switched Live back up to the light fixture.
In this case, the always-on Live should be Red and the switched Live return should be Black.
The Neutral side of the power connection stays up at the light and is not brought down to the switch.

But what you have there is the always-on Live and its associated Neutral both brought to the switch, and then the switched Live and Neutral sent up to the light.
The Red wires are the Lives and the Black wires are the Neutrals.
There's no way to know for sure just by looking at your picture which of the Reds is always-on and which runs up to the light.
The switched Live should be marked somehow and it's possible that the red tape wrapped around one of the red wires is intended to be that mark.
But in your case it doesn't really matter because your dimmer doesn't care.

Just disconnect the 2 red wires from the old switch and connect them to the 2 terminals on your new dimmer which the instructions tell you to use (C and L1).

Also, as RedGrittyBrick pointed out, your new dimmer has an Earth terminal which your old switch did not.
This terminal must be connected to the green Earth wire in the box using a wire with green/yellow insulation.


Feedback on ideas for stopping water from coming under garage door

Try this idea before you mess up your doors. Cut small drainage grooves on the outside of the depression to allow the water to escape. A small kerf at either end and maybe one in the middle should be all that is needed.


Do you have to pull up vinyl flooring before tiling bathroom floor?

There's usually some type of underlayment beneath the vinyl.  When I did my kitchen floor, it had luan board.  I would remove the vinyl.  You really just need to remove the luan board and the vinyl comes for the ride.  Then you can put down cement backerboard or even the rubber membrane.

Unfortunately/fortunately, the luan board is stapled down, which is easier than if it was glued down, but there's a lot of staples.


Discovered neutral line has juice with breaker off

Most Likely Not OK
You probably have neutrals mixed up. The one exception is an MWBC (multi-wire branch circuit). I doubt that is the case based on your description), but that is a possibility. Assuming that is not the case:
In addition to the (obvious) hazard when working on wiring, there is another problem. In normal US residential service, neutrals are not protected from an overcurrent condition. Normally this is not a problem as the current on neutral = the current on hot, and hot is protected. However, with two circuits sharing a neutral, there is no guarantee that the neutral currents will equal the hot currents, and this can be very dangerous.
For example, if you have two 20A circuits and each one has a 16A load and the neutral fails on one of them then you will now have 32A on one neutral wire, which is more than the standard 20A circuit wiring is designed to handle. The hots will still have 16A each, so the breakers won't trip. But the neutral wire with 32A will burn up.
In order to fix this, you need to find out where that neutral wire comes from and what hot wires it is paired with. Even though all the switches were off, you may have a hot for another circuit passing through this box that is on the other breaker. If that's the case, it just needs to have its neutral separated from the others. But you may find nothing from the other breaker (except this neutral) in which case you have to look elsewhere, starting with any junction boxes for anything (e.g., lights, receptacles) that is powered by the other breaker and see if you can find something that is connecting back to this box that shouldn't be there.


Can you spray paint one color on top of another color of spray paint?

You should be able to do this. The success depends on a few factors as follows:

Make sure that the first color coat is fully dry before applying the second color.
Make sure to try out a test run before committing to your master art project.
Some colors will cover better than others.
Some paints are better than others for color hiding. Paint quality and price play a role here.
Spray painting with stencils can be tricky to get sharp edges so special care and technique need to be developed.
Stencils often get taped onto the first coat of paint. This will demonstrate how well the first coat adhered to the substrate when removing the tape. This means that it is very important to properly prepare the first coat surfaces to ensure maximum adhesion (including primer if applicable).
Keep in mind that the best success with spray paints is to use multiple light coats instead of heavier coats. Done carefully this can eliminate runs and uneven application of paint. This is mentioned because the initial light coats through the stencil may not provide the full color hiding capability of your spray paint.


Is sealing a leak from the inside of my roof a bad idea?

You will save money by fixing the roof properly from the top-side.

A bottom up repair has almost no chance of working. On the contrary, it has a high probability of moving the leak to somewhere less visible, which has a high likelihood of causing expensive future damage. (Damage that's usually found in a home inspection prior to sale, which will either need remediation or reduced price. Don't even get me started on the damage to the future sale that occurs when the word 'mold' appears on an inspection report.)


How to replace loose 4x4 wood fence post with a steel post

Have you tried tightening the nut on the bolt that holds the post to the saddle anchor?
I had a very similar setup though my saddle had two lag screws.  My post was quite wobbly so I pulled the lag and drilled through the saddle to get a setup like yours.  Once I tightened the saddle to the post it was quite a bit more stable.  My setup has two bolts and nuts.  If tightening the one in your saddle doesn't work then you might want to consider drilling the metal and adding an extra bolt and nut.
Since the legs of the saddle are facing the direction of swing for the gate the force should be put against the saddle.  If you wobble the post does the saddle wobble or is the post wobbling within the saddle?
If the saddle wobbles then I'd chop it off and drill a new hole, epoxy a new saddle in place and put a new post in.  You can get heavier duty saddles or you could even add lengths of plate steel (choose a sufficiently thick piece and bolt it to the saddle to extend the vertical resistance).
Since the saddle wobbles I'd remove it.  I've attached an image of my setup.  This post does not wobble at all in the direction of the saddle legs.  You can drill into the concrete and epoxy threaded bar to secure the saddle to the concrete.  I didn't originally install this saddle but it seems to me it was installed after the concrete pathway so I'd bet my saddle is only secured by wedge anchors and they appear to be doing a fine job 25 years on.


Should I store my staple gun with the handle up or down?

I can't say for every stapler, but this works for all the ones I've used;
While in the Open position, pull the lever handle backwards. This will disengage it from the spring mechanism, and you can then lower the handle and use the storage loop to hold it in place. When you subsequently release the loop, the handle will engage itself on the spring.


How do I protect people walking around my deck from banging their head on this overhanging platform?

Put something underneath it, or cordon it off somehow. This prevents them from walking close enough to hit their head in the first place.

You can plant some shrubs or flowers underneath it; make sure to get appropriate sun / shade tolerant plants. You could put a little sculpture, or just landscape it with mulch. People tend to avoid walking on mulch, even if there's nothing planted.

The other option is to put some kind of barrier around it. A small fence, some large rocks / boulders, etc.

Edited after your edit: Make the BBQ slightly bigger than the overhang, or stick out further than the overhang. Supplement with plants or other ideas from my answer if needed. This prevents people from being able to walk where they would hit their head in the first place, negating the need for any foam or other material on the overhang itself.


How do I determine how much water is in my water heater's tank?

If your water heater has a drain port that uses a conventional garden hose type fitting, consider to attach a short piece of hose to the port. It can also take a standard washing machine hose. Ensure that you have no pressure, as "almost nonexistent" is still some pressure.
Open the valve for the drain port while the end of the washing machine hose is at the height of the top of the water heater. There should be no water visible when the end is higher. As you lower the end of the hose, you will begin to see water approaching the opening. It will match the level of the water in the tank.
If there is pressure in the system, none of this will work, as the water pressure, even if low, will force water from the tank into the hose, regardless of the level of the hose end.


Is it safe to combine 2, single pole 20 amp circuits?

Depending on how it's connected, and how the breakers are oriented in the panel. Yes, it could provide a 240V 20A circuit.

If this is how it's being used, then the breakers should have their handles tied together.


What material to use to patch a hole near a heater?

Use a fire retardant expanding foam:

Be sure to turn off the electricity to the heater first, then simply spray it in the gap, wait for it to expand and dry, then cut it flush with the wall and paint over it.


How should I build up stair stringers (instead of cutting them out)?

Our wood working site might have some good ideas.
If I was doing this, I'd be gluing the triangles to the 2x6  and then use dowel rods, one vertical and one horizontal, for additional support. You could also use screws depending on how you wanted to finish the stairs. Since you're reclaiming the triangles, the dowel rods might be more appropriate.


What underlayment should I use to reduce traffic noise under a hardwood or bamboo floor?

You probably missed "the best option for reducing noise to below" if you put down new subfloors and didn't put insulation under them (assuming you actually removed the old subfloor and had open joists.) Your next-best option would be to blow in insulation from below.

If you are already committed to nail-down flooring, I don't think the underlayment will make much difference, as the nails will transmit sound into the structure. An actual floating floor on the thin, dense foam underlayment sold for that purpose would be the best option on top of the subfloor for traffic sound reduction - or a "no shoes on the second floor" house rule.


Pulling treads and risers back into position in a housed / closed stringer staircase

Screwing an eye bolt into the front of the tread then pulling might work, but it leaves you with the extra work of patching up screw holes on every single tread. It might also lead to splitting your treads! If the tread is nailed in place/stuck near the riser and you pull too hard on the nose, you could crack it and that will be an even more difficult repair.
Prying on it, as you've shown in your picture probably has a 50/50 chance of moving the tread forward into its dado or pushing the riser even further back.
Unfortunately, I really think your best bet for getting this repaired properly is tearing out the ceiling below it and going after it from the back side, as you've Seen on The Internet!™ That's probably why that's the advice you've been finding.
You may want to cut your teeth on some easier projects to build your skills and confidence before tackling this one. You may also seriously consider hiring a professional to fix up the plaster work (if it's truly plaster, not just drywall) when you're done. You may find that several projects will require some plaster repair, so you could do them all, live with ugly plaster for a bit, then have someone come in to do all the plaster work at once. (Probably cheaper - and more convenient for you - than having them come out multiple times to do each individual repair.) Of course, if you've really got the DIY bug, you can learn to do the plaster repair yourself, too, just know that there's as much skill/art to a good plaster job as there is know-how.
Just remember that so long as you don't end up doing structural damage, most of your screw ups (and you, just like the rest of us will have screw ups) aren't catastrophic and aren't final. Just consider the additional breakage "lesson learned" and "opportunity to learn another fix"! Welcome to home ownership!


Pool chemical balance - 0 FC and High CH, CYA

A high CYA (cyanuric acid) will cause the chlorine levels to appear lower than they actually are. Unfortunately the only way to lower high levels of CYA is to add fresh water. You ideally want the CYA level to be in the 20-40ppm range. CYA is the stabilizer which slows down the process of chlorine evaporation due to sunlight. Trichlor tablets have stabilizer in them so you don't need to add any yourself. Likewise, shocking your pool with trichlor will also add stabilizer. CYA levels are usually lowered during the season via splash out.

There's nothing wrong with having high levels of CYA, you'll just have a hard time monitoring your chlorine levels. If you're close to the end of the season, I would say do nothing to correct the problem and then drain your pool when you close it, add some fresh water for the cover to sit on and let the rain fill it up in the spring. If you want to fix the problem now, drain your pool and refill it with fresh water. The amount to drain is dependent on the current level of CYA and the target level.

Another observation is that both your Total Alk and hardness levels look too high. TA should be around 100. Your hardness may be right on the verge of the high range. Personally, I'd bring it down closer to 300-350. Draining your pool and filling it with fresh water will accomplish this as well.

When it comes to adjusting chemicals, the Taylor recommended order is:

Total Alk
Calcium hardness
pH
Chlorine


How can I slow the cold air coming in a furnace makeup vent?

The makeup air ducts I've seen have been in a U-shaped arrangement where the exit end is high, near the ceiling. This leaves a puddle of cold air sitting in it that doesn't just fall out like it would here, whereas you essentially have a reverse chimney effect happening. It acts like a trap on a sink drain, and the slight vacuum that your furnace creates draws air from the duct as needed.
You could buy a length of 6" insulated flex duct and attach it to the existing outlet. Loop it back up and hang it near the ceiling. I'd also insulate the rigid duct with foil-faced fiberglass. You'll lose less heat to conduction.
Really, the outcome would be the same if you'd shorten the duct to a higher point and install a U-bend up high. There's no value in dropping it to the floor if you're just taking it all the way back up.
You could have success with the bucket idea, but the volume of the bucket outside the duct would need to be adequate to counter the weight of the air in the duct. That would take a large bucket.
Note: I'm not familiar with current code requirements on the subject.


Which direction is the airflow through my furnace?

That's an upflow unit, so the air flow would be in the direction of the red arrow. The air flows in through the lower side, up through the heat exchanger/evaporator coil, and out the top of the unit.

The first clue, is that the filter will always be where the air enters the unit. Secondly, the blower is typically on the inlet side of the furnace/air handler.


What is the best way for a DIY'er to work with contractors/inspectors?

You might find such a person, but it'll be tough. I suspect you'll spend a lot of time on the phone, reading your 4 points out, before you get someone that's willing. My guess is that you'll end up finding an older, semi-retired handyman type.

Concerns/roadblocks include (but aren't limited to) the fact that you're asking the trade to take some measure of responsibility for your work. (I know you said 'inspect', but sometimes things get buried/missed/fail later, and that would make a trade nervous.) The initial "brain dump" sounds good, but I sometimes find that I can only make choices once I'm elbow deep in a job. That, and you'd need someone that communicates well. The last thing that springs to mind is about specialty tools: if I've invested a grand in door hanging stuff, it's easier/faster/more cost efficient for me to just hang the door than to instruct you on how to work through it with non-specialty tools. (Though maybe you're heavily tooled up and this wouldn't be so much of an issue...)

Anyway, I do wish you luck. I think this approach can work for some jobs, and won't be as applicable for others.