Meet grandfathering: the idea that if it was legal at the time it was built or renovated, it's still legal. However, fitting ungrounded 3-prong outlets were not legal in 1965.  What else could it be?

It is legal to fit a GFCI (Europe: RCD) device. Circuits are typically wired in strings, and a GFCI device can provide GFCI protection to downline points of use.  This means those are GFCI protected also.  However, those points of use which are receptacles should have a "GFCI Protected" label.

If an ungrounded outlet has GFCI protection, it is legal to put a grounded receptacle there. However, the receptacle must have the "GFCI Protected" label, and it must also have a "No Equipment Ground" label.

So that settles it.  It's legal if those labels (and GFCI protection) are present.

"But on this ungrounded outlet, I pushed 'GFCI test' on the outlet tester, and it didn't trip."

That is correct.  If the outlet has no ground, the GFCI test should not trip.  The tester can't create a ground fault if it doesn't have any access to a ground, which is kinda obvious if you think about it that way.

There are a couple ways to test for GFCI protection.

Trip GFCIs and see if you lose power here

Push "Test" on one GFCI device in the house.  If this outlet loses power, then presumably it is in  the protected zone of that GFCI.  Repeat for each GFCI device.

Hack the tester to use an external ground

Get one of those 3-prong cheaters (the ones you would use if they were 2-prong plugs) that have 2 prongs sticking out and a tab or greeen pigtail for ground.  The green pigtail ones are preferable; unfortunately they've been outlawed.
use any wire to extend that tab or pigtail across the house to the location of a reliable ground.  To attach to an outlet or service panel, attach to a cover screw. Any wire will do; I've been known to use fishing tape.

Tester into cheater; cheater into wall. At this point the tester should indicate "grounded" and the GFCI test should work.

If this fails, either the ground you are connecting to isn't a ground, or there is no GFCI protection here.  Or your test rig is broken.

If it tests out OK, then contact the landlord and demand they come out and fit the mandatory labels.  Then, next week, tear them off because they're ugly.

No grounds and no GFCI

This is a can of worms.  The nightmare scenario is -- nah, Oakland is a rent-control city, they would never condemn the occupancy because that would make it an easy way for the landlord to evict protected tenants.

So the landlord has several options.

Roll it back to the previous condition that is grandfathered, by changing the 3-prongs (likely put there illegally by past tenants) to 2-prong outlets.
Fit GFCI devices at appropriate locations, such that the 3-prong circuits are protected, then sticker them.
Retrofit "just a ground wire" to each of the outlet locations.  Thisis the ideal option.  2014 NEC made this a legal option. This would most likely require an electrician.
Rewire the circuits in question with all new cables.  The 2014 retrofit-ground rules make this unnecessary, yay!

Many jurisdictions allow landlords to do trivial repairs, such as exchanging an outlet, switch or light fixture.  All other repairs on rental properties must be done by a licensed electrician.  Oakland's permit office would know whether a particular activity a) needs an electrician and b) needs a permit pulled.


How can I protect laminated floor from casters on office chairs?

Replace the casters on your chairs with "hardwood floor" casters.

These have a rubberized edge instead of typical hard plastic. Should cost in the order of USD$20-40 per chair, and takes only a few minutes at most to replace.

It's cheaper than those acrylic mats, works everywhere (not just a 4x6' area), and doesn't look stupid (in fact you probably don't notice at all, especially if you get all black). They also make moving your chair a bit quieter.


What are the pros and cons of UV window film?

This is not meant to be a complete answer, but might help with your understanding of it. My understanding of the physics of windows is as follows -

Nearly all radiation (visible, UV, infrared, every other type too) that travels from outside the house into the house and is absorbed (not reflected back out again) is converted into heat. I would expect that exceptions (such as the energy from UV light causing a chemical change, such as when it fades your couch, or waves that induce a current in a conductor) are relatively negligible.

This means any radiation that can be reflected from the window to prevent it entering the house reduces the heat load. Also, if the radiation is absorbed into the window glass (eg through tinting it), then some of the heat from the window glass will be lost to the outside (through both conductance/convection and some radiated heat) which is an additional benefit.

A heated window pane would like lose more heat to the outside than the inside because the wind would help keep the temperature difference between the glass and the adjacent outside air larger than the temperature difference between the glass and the inside air.


I am assuming Chinese plumbing works the same as most other.  In such case, the only place in common to the sink, shower, and toilet is somewhere past the last one.

You might check with neighbors to see if they are having any problem.  If they started having trouble when you did, the block is downstream of them too, in which case a longer auger is called for.

The toilet has the largest diameter pipe of all of them, so that should provide the best route into the pipe, unless there is a convenient cleanout port.

If the toilet's trap is tight, it may well be expedient to temporarily remove the toilet:  there are only two bolts holding it to the floor, a wax ring (which should be replaced before re-installation), and the water supply connection.

The pipe beneath the toilet should be at least 3 inch inside diameter, so a more stout auger (1/2 inch or larger diameter) is better than a light duty one (1/4 or 3/8 inch) as the light ones tend to curl up inside the pipe and resist being fed (their place is less than 2 inch pipe).


Fireplace ash cleanout.

In the back center of the fireplace, there will be an ash drop opening.

The popularity of these date to when the fireplace was used 24 hours a day.   You could safely drop ashes with hot coals, and later remove the cold ash.


how to wrap/weatherproof corner when replacing corner trim

Traditionally you'd have just caulked the siding to the corner board, and that would act as the drain plane. However, modern standards do tend to provide a secondary plan, as you've surmised.

You should be able to gently pry the siding out from the wall just enough to slide any flashing you like in there. Use a flatbar or a chisel, and align the tool as closely as possible to the siding nails. It might also work to drive wood shims in behind at those locations.


Splitting a hydronic zone. Zone valves or separate circulator pump?

The problem with one pump and valves is that you can't ensure that you always get the flow you want when one of the valves is closed vs. both open.  So things can be difficult to balance.
With two pumps there is more control and you should get more even heating.
Unless you have a strong reason to do it another way, I recommend you take the advice of the plumber you choose to do the work.  Otherwise it could end up being a "you told me to do it this way" scenario.


Can I use separate circuits for Light / Ceiling fan combo for future backup power integration?

No, you need to keep neutrals separate.

YOU CANNOT RUN SEPARATE CIRCUITS ON 14/3

That thing you're thinking of, is called a "multi-wire branch circuit" (singular).  It is one circuit.  Note that they share a neutral, and that's what makes them one circuit.

The only way you could conceivably ham-bone 2 circuits onto 14/3 is by using the ground wire as the second circuit's neutral, but that's so outrageously reckless that I mention it only to assassinate it.

Actually, you have a bigger prob^H^H^H^H challenge

Speaking of assassinating, I am assuming you will NOT be using one of those atrocious 6-8-10 circuit transfer switches that cost a fortune, aren't well built, are by shabby suppliers like FPE->Republic, cost 4 times as much, and have spaghetti wiring. Their only virtue is ease of retrofit, and that's no virtue at all on a ground-up rewire.

Generally the way smart people do it, is with a separate subpanel for  the circuits to be switched between sources. Then you have a simple 2- or 3-pole transfer switch or interlock; this can be as simple as a $25 strap that ties together 2 backfed breakers in the panel. That, with a

And another alternative is DC power.  For a modest "lights, refrigerator, few other things" supply, it may be better to "stay" in DC power, if your auxiliary source is battery plus solar/wind/microhydro/simple-gen.   This avoids the significant energy overhead of an inverter running 24x7 merely to run loads that can work on DC.  You can still use mains wiring and mains panels, however, the challenge I'm about to mention will become even bigger, because these systems must be rigidly separated from Mains.

The challenge

When you are in auxiliary-power mode, or when switched to it, you will have two separately-derived power sources, and certainly, two separate panels.  Because of this, wiring must be carefully separated, in particular, neutrals cannot cross. That means things like the 14/3 MWBC trick are right out.

In fact, you'll need a fan-light which has two separate neutral wires: one for fan and one for light.

Low voltage would need to be in different boxes or with listed partitions, and separate cables.  If both sides are mains power, even if they're separate panels or sources, they can commingle in the same box or even the same cable. But still, neutrals need to be separated.   And there's the trick. You need some way to "mark" which cable is coming from which service.

For instance, you could do a really diligent job of marking cables with colored tape (and leaving a bit past the cable clamp). (in particular, tape panel 2's white wires with gray tape).  Or you could wire the alternate service in UF or MC cable instead of NM.  Anything like that would be acceptable, but you'll need to do it, or you'll lose your mind trying to work inside boxes.   I work in conduit and have as many as 4 circuits in a conduit at a time, and you have to color-code or you will make mistakes!


I appreciate everyone's help with this, but I'm posting an answer myself a I'm the only person who can in this case.

The final cause of the oven not heating was a broken selector switch. See image.

With a new fan element, thermolimiter AND switch - the oven is heating up fully on all settings. Spare parts cost about £90.

I think I may have a further issue with the ventilator, but I'll post a new question about that if need be.


Surrounds are rigid for a reason. You're likely to have bulges and edges coming loose just because vinyl flooring is flexible.

The adhesives designed for vinyl floor are not instant-grab. This means that you'd need to somehow hold the vinyl tight to the wall and perfectly flat for a day or more. You could use panel or contact adhesive, but this means you get one shot to get it right. It's partly for that reason that surround kits are in multiple pieces. I shudder at the thought of installing a three-wall sheet in one motion.

It's not the worst idea ever had, but it's a recipe for a lot of sweating and swearing, and it may not hold up to the test of time as you'd hope.


It could be but you won't know for sure unless it's tested. You can have a professional company come in or you can get a home test kit that you mail in after taking a sample. The 2nd option is cheapest.


water in some corners of cement crawlspace

What the contractor is "full of" is excellent advice.

If you really want to spend money like you have a firehose connected to your wallet, dig out around the outside of the house to the footings and put drains there which slope out to daylight (or a sump if you want to be beholden to a sump, and its pump forever) - and coat the walls while you have it open, but the drains are the important part of that job. It's the ultimate drainage retrofit (and SHOULD be done as a matter of course any time a footing/foundation is poured, as that's the only time it's CHEAP to do, since the hole is already there and open), and it STILL goes with fixing the grade around the house when you refill the hole.

If you "dig back on the corners" and coat them, you'll "magically" get leaks elsewhere along the walls - if you are going to dig, dig all the way around and get that over with so you can drain it properly.

It's a far more economically sensible approach to start with removing the source of water trying to drain into the basement in the first place by fixing the grade. There are other relatively less expensive steps you can take as well while doing that, such as laying a plastic or EDPM rubber barrier under the soil that slopes away from the house for some distance, without involving digging all the way down to the footings. But you don't have to be economically sensible, if that's against your principles.

Unless you are 10 feet tall, 7 feet is a basement, by the way. Not one with a lot of headroom, perhaps not one you can finish under some codes, but if you can stand up in it, it's a basement...


What is an open ground and why would the neutral wire measure 50v?

When you see a phantom voltage like that, it's the hallmark of a sensitive meter. Though sensitivity sounds like a feature, most cheap meters have it too.  Disregard.

Well, we can read a few things from the tea leaves.

You know this wire runs near a "hot" wire for a little bit of distance - enough to pick up an SLF radio signal from the adjacent wire.  If you've ever built/used a crystal radio that uses a tiny earpiece and is passively powered (from the AM airwaves themselves), you understand tiny amounts of power can be induced from radio.

You know this wire is rattling i.e. not connected to any supply.  You know in a North American panelboard you have 4 wires: L1 that's 120.4 volts to ground, L2 that's 119.6V to ground, neutral that's 0.4 volts to ground, and ground that's 0.0V to ground. (assuming a 0.4V neutral-ground drift; YMMV.)  You know two things from the rattling/floating wire.

it is not connected to any of those (because if it was, it would read that voltage).
it is not connected to a load whose other wire is connected to any of those (because if it was, the load would "pull the wire" to the voltage of the other wire.)


Can I move my washer and dryer within the laundry room?

Short answer:  Yes.  But it sounds like you do, otherwise you wouldn't be asking.

Long answer:  Check the manuals for your appliances.  The washer manual will tell you how far it can push drain water, follow it's instructions and limits.

The dryer will be more complex.  It will say it can push exhaust X distance, then give you math for bends, joints, vertical distances, etc.  For example, a 90 degree bend in a smooth-wall exhaust line usually counts for 5'.  So if the dryer can push 100', and there's one 90 degree bend, it can now push 95'.  Flexible pipe, like is typically used between the dryer and wall, is terrible for exhaust.  But again, the manual should tell you how to account for it.  Also take this opportunity to clean your exhaust, and plan to do so more frequently in the future.

Unfortunately, the correct answer to whether you can move these appliances depends entirely on factors of your home and the appliances themselves.  Where the exhaust lines go through the walls, pump or blower motor strength, etc.  Oh, and older appliances may not be able to reach full drain/exhaust distances.  Be careful.


What kind of tool do I need to access this bolt?

I believe the tool to get a proper "bite" on the nut is a crow foot wrench attachment. You'll be able to get a cockeyed bite on the nut using a typical wrench in order to unscrew it from above, but just for posterity, a crowfoot wrench is used for these angles. I've also had deep sockets that are hexagonal at the end so that they may be used in a wrench. Seeing as how you cannot unscrew from the top, I suggest using a socket with a hexagonal end fitted into a flex head gear wrench.


Entry light switch controls adjacent bedroom lighting

@Ed Beal @NoSparksPlease - so yes, these 2 wires needed to be wire nutted together, leaving only the red connected. That resolved the issue, and i've found this video to explain what was happening https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRSgemIxamU (Scenario 2 at the 2:47 mark)
@manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact 2 - yes the diagram is showing the light box, not the switch box
@ThreePhaseEel - I will indeed post pictures if this ever happens again -- assuming I can't get a hold of an electrician as the first option.
Thanks for the feedback everyone!


More routers is always better! But here are things that I would look for when buying a single general-purpose router:

Adjustable speed. Large bits have a larger diameter and thus higher linear speed at the cutting edge, so you want to use a slower RPM to compensate. An adjustable-speed router will be useful in a wider range of applications.
Multiple base options. I have a fixed base mounted upside down in a homemade router table, and a plunge base for freehand routing. They came together in a kit, if I recall. Having at least two bases lets you leave one mounted.
1/4" and 1/2" collets.
Soft-starting motor. This isn't super important and I think a lot of current models have it. Instant-on routers always startle me and jump a little when you turn them on.

I wouldn't worry too much about the horsepower. Stay away from the small "palm routers" if you're looking for something general purpose, but otherwise there's no need (in my mind) to get a monster. 1.5 hp or so should be suitable for general purpose work. Bigger models will let you remove more stock quickly, but unless you're in a commercial setting with a sturdy table I doubt you'll want to push the limits of a large model.


Is their a Radiator Safe expanding Foam?

See if you can get some drywall scraps (you certainly don't want to buy a whole sheet for this) and fill in the corner, then fill the remaining gaps with drywall compound (both of which are fine with hot metal.)

For a dire kludge if you can't manage to beg some scraps you could build up the whole thing from drywall tape and compound, but ANY place that's being drywalled generates scraps (and they are throwing them away) - anyone who has needed to do a large repair probably has the remaining part of the sheet they had to buy sitting in a basement or closet - you should be able to find some.

You might want to use silicone caulking between the drywall patch and the pipe itself, just because it will be less prone to cracking (so more resistant to bugs) than drywall compound right up against a hot pipe.

As to your question, yes, any of the polyurethane foams (read the label) are safe with a hot pipe, and you could potentially use the "low-expansion" type to augment this approach to sealing the wall - but I would not recommend it as the only method. Actually, given that you are in an apartment (and that a single can will probably do you) I'd suggest the "fireblock" type of foam if buying a can of foam.


How do I make sure that a new washing machine doesn't overflow?

The only real answer is to fix the root plumbing issue.  You are basically begging for problems by not fixing it. This can do serious damage to your house over time.  There might even be health issues if the traps are not holding water (water flowing out of them due to incorrect slope) and sewer gasses are escaping into your house, not to mention the likelihood of mold too.

As a temporary measure, I would recommend putting in place a laundry tub and have the washing machine empty into the tub. This way, the tub acts as a buffer and holds the water while it drains.   New HE machines don't use that much water compared to top loaders so this might help too.

But seriously, get this fixed.


Yes, you can. Although I'd watch what you use with these receptacles as you could easily trip the breaker with the refrigerator on there too.

Also, I doubt those LED lights are 50W. They're probably much lower unless each fixture is like a chandelier with multiple bulbs.


How would you go about installing shelves _in_ the wall?

We need a whole lot more detail here to give you any helpful answers.

Your wall is more than sheetrock. Sheetrock is just the outer part. Inside there will be studs (metal or wood) and possibly insulation, wiring and plumbing.

As stated, built-ins aren't 'inside' walls...merely built into the house as a whole.A built-in can be as simple as buying a bookshelf, sticking it against the wall, and then trimming it out to give the look of it being originally built as part of the house. On the other end of the spectrum, you could take down the entire wall and construct a full-wall storage unit that also acts as a supporting wall.


The best kind of tiles for using on floor and walls

The article you linked in your question was a good one. Good guidelines to follow for choosing where to use various kinds of tile. That will give you a good start. I am partial to natural stone tile, but that it my preference, but beyond my price range. It may be more affordable in India. Porcelain is also a good choice, hard, non staining. Whether you choose natural or manmade, always seal the surface and grout lines of stone, and the grout line of the non porous tiles. Get your color scheme in mind and use the various kinds of tile to create your decor


Why is a neutral wire needed for most 'smart' light switches?

Put simply; the smart switch contains electronics that needs power to operate, while a regular switch just mechanically cuts the load.

Regular switch:

Smart switch:

Source: http://www.vesternet.com/blog/2014/09/why-smart-switches-cant-be-used-without-neutral/


What should base kitchen cabinets sit on top of? Why? Why not?

Always an interesting choice. Most new construction puts cabinets on the subfloor. One of the reasons for doing this is to avoid damaging the new floors during construction. Floors are one of the last items to complete so it is much easier to install cabinets first.  The downside is that when a future remodeling is done, the footprint of the old cabinets rarely matches the new plan. Now you are faced with stitching gaps in the floor, matching color, materialt etc. The other consideration is that if the flooring is thick, like hardwood or ceramic tile, it locks the base cabinets in place and they can be very hard to remove if for some reason one needs repair or replacement. This method is most common however.
The second option is to lay the floor first and install the base cabinets on top of the finished floor. I personally like this method if using a very long lasting durable floor like hardwood or upscale tile. I would not do this over vinyl or cheap flooring that will not outlast the cabinets.  For a DIYer, this method can be much easier. There is much less detailed cutting and fitting around cabinets, the fit to the walls does not need to be perfect where it is hidden by the cabinets, and less trim may be required along kick panels. If the footprint of the cabinet layout is complicated with lots of different depths, or if islands are involved, this method is popular.

So, there is really no right or wrong. The decision depends on the kind of flooring you select, grade of cabinets, and long range expectations.
Side note: Kitchen cabinets are one of the most important fixtures in your home. They get a lot of use and abuse. A good investment is to purchase the best quality your budget can handle. I am not a fan of IKEA products. They do offer lots of bells and whistles for budget minded consumers, but the intrinsic quality does not compare to even mid grade cabinets constructed with hardwood frames, five piece boxes etc,  fastened together with glue and screws and have quality drawer slides and door hinges etc.


Yes, try another three-way lamp.

Three-way lamps have two filaments. One on for low, the other on for medium,and both on for high.

The screwshell is the neutral and the center button and outer ring are energized together for high. If you have a voltage tester, with the lamp switch on high,  you can carefully test from the center button to the outer shell. And then test from the ring to the outer shell. If you get 120 volts both times the switch is good. If not replace the switch.

If the switch is good it must be a bad lamp.

Good luck and stay safe!


How to safely add power switch to power strip?

Those power strips are available with switches built in, in fact I have several...


Are these LED panels suitable for lighting above dining area?

To give you a rough idea, a new 4' fluorescent tube puts out in the ballpark of 3,000 lumens, which decreases with age, and a substantial amount is lost in the fixture.  LEDs are directional.  So each panel will deliver roughly the amount of light of a one-tube fluorescent fixture with a fresh bulb.  The light will be fairly concentrated under the LED fixture.  The total light from the four panels is in the ballpark of what you need for a room that size for good illumination, and it sounds like they are dimmable from there.

In a dining room, you typically want most of the light over the table.  The amount of spread will depend on how high the ceiling is.  Figure out the best location by looking at the spread pattern in a dark room.  You can shine them at a wall from the same distance as the ceiling is from table height.

You will probably get the best result if you overlap the illumination so that the weaker edges add to a brightness more comparable to the center of the light from each fixture rather than acting like four spotlights over different areas of the room.  Depending on the shape of your table, you might get the best illumination pattern arranging the fixtures in a square array, a diamond array, or a linear sequence.

Depending on the amount of spread, you may have to compromise (the ceiling may not be high enough to achieve a lot of light spread).  You might improve the spread by putting the fixtures behind diffusers.  You can assess the effect with the wall test.

LEDs put out the least heat vs. light of the common home lighting sources.  Even incandescent fixtures can be mounted against the ceiling, so there isn't a safety issue mounting LED panels against the ceiling.  However, heat can shorten the LED life, so it wouldn't hurt to leave a small air gap for circulation.

Look at mounting the panels at a slight angle from the ceiling.  This can accomplish several things.  It may give you more control in positioning and aiming the light.  Light from the angled fixture will fall on a larger area, spreading the light more.  And the angle will create an air flow above the fixture to provide some natural cooling (air will flow toward the higher end).  If the panels are in a square or diamond pattern with the center of the pattern lower (so the panels are aimed out), it may naturally circulate the room air like a ceiling fan at a low setting, rotating in the direction of blowing the room air upwards.


Using construction adhesive to connect 2 wooden panels

I would run the adhesive bead 1” from the edge and then fill in with lines or waves (shape won’t matter) about 3 or 4” apart.

When putting together I would hold the edges open by 1/8” and work out from the centre as you plan.

You could get a similar result by working from one end along the length tightening from the centre out to the sides and removing spacers as you go - centre sag won’t be an issue as long as you get reasonable clamping. Putting bricks on the surface will help but make sure the support prevents bending.


How do I remove this wall plate with no visible screws?

It's not complicated, you just haven't used one before.
I use ones like it all day long.
The screws are hidden under the little rectangular plastic bits at top and bottom. Typically you push one end in and pry the other one sideways until it pops up. Sometimes you just have to pry one end until it bends far enough to release, but usually it slips under the other end if you push the other end in.
Here's one fresh out of the bag, with one opaque and one clear plastic screw cover (it comes with two of each, the clear ones normally have labels under them, which hides the screw)

OK, the other two pictures I tried to take came out even worse. The two screw covers have a lip that keeps them in place, but they are flexible so that they can bend to allow insertion/ release, and there's extra space so they can be pushed back at the end to slide sideways (on most of them, this is a design cribbed from Ma Bell back when there was only one Ma Bell.)


Modern mortise locksets for bathrooms usually have a deadbolt release on the outside, opposite the deadbolt knob (or thumbturn) in the inside. The release is intended to be operated using a coin or screwdriver.

Your lockset presumably lacks this external release feature. However it is likely that the lock body itself has openings on both sides for the deadbolt. So, in the worst case, you could remove the external lever and cover-plate and then cut a hole through the wood of the door at the position of the deadbolt knob to gain access to the deadbolt shaft.


Should I run outlet circuits through the studs or up and along the top plates?

I prefer the "up and over" method rather than drilling thru the studs, esp. since you don't intend to finish the walls.   Not sure what code says about that.  I believe that exposed cable below a certain height needs to be protected (8 feet?) So that would mean running the cable in conduit for the 4-5' from the outlet to near the top plate.
When I built my shop, I used surface mounted Wiremold 4000.  But because my shop is partially earth sheltered, I have very high (4.5') stem walls.  I went with the raceway because shops are often "evolving" with new tools, changed layouts, evolving requirements, etc. Conduit would be less forgiving.  So now when electrical needs change, all I do is pop off the covers and run whatever wiring is needed to the sub-panel, install the appropriate outlet and pop the covers back on.   This may be over-kill for your needs, but wanted to let you know what I did.   Also attached is a pic of the actually installation in my shop (wood-working oriented).
Some other advice:  What are you planning on using your shop for? I spent hours laying mine out thinking about workflow, staging, benches, storage for small tools, etc.  I have 2 basic work areas in my shop:  1) basic milling where I have the table saw, jointer and planer in one area, and 2) A free standing heavy duty bench for more detailed work like dove-tailing, sanding, gluing, routing, etc.   I know this answer goes way beyond what you were asking, but I just wanted to share.  Have fun setting up your shop.


Tile over Luan which is glued to a cement floor

Can you do it: yes.  Will it come back to bite you:  probably yes.
Trapping wood between two cement building layers, in my opinion is asking for problems.
If there is any moisture wicking through that cement slab it will be trapped beneath your tile in the wood -
Do the work and scrape that floor.  I have spent days scraping a floor to prep for tile properly.  It is worth it knowing that I will not get a call back in 5 years.


Concrete cure time before laying hot asphalt beside?

Concrete institute recommends not removing forms 2-3 days after a pour.

Concrete will reach 50% to 60% of it’s final strength in 7 days.

I’d wait 7 days so there’s no (minimal) deforming of the concrete edge.


When is the best time of year to apply mortar in New England?

Mortar (along with all other Portland cement-based masonry products) doesn't "dry". Well, it does, but the critical point is that it cures. It absorbs and chemically combines with the water used in the mix. For this reason, it's crucial that it not 1) dry out too quickly due to solar or other heat, and 2) freeze before it's had a chance to cure over several days, at least. It also doesn't shrink or expand appreciably.

Essentially, any temperature between 32F and around 90F is fine. Outside that range and you need to protect the mortar with tarps or other means, and you may need to mist it with water to keep enough moisture present. Inside that range and you're generally good to go.


Looks to me like a drywall screw or nail has "bubbled out". It happens sometimes due to wall movement, especially with weather swings (like a real wet winter or a long drought). It also happens when moisture gets to a nail or screw and causes it to corrode. Hopefully your kinda new roof is not leaking. I don't see any signs of plaster discoloration indicating a leak.

Get a ladder and bang the nail back in (or give the screw a turn) and spackle over it.


Can i use normal extension cord for a Surge Protector

There are two separate issues here - power and protection:
Power
Extension cords are (or should be...) rated for the amount of power they can handle, but basically the thinner the wires, the less power it can safely handle. The rating of the surge protector (2,500W is actually a lot - in the US typically I see 1,875W which is based on 15A @ 125V) is not actually the most important number. What really matters is the power you expect to use, which is the power required by the computer, monitor, lamp, etc. A typical computer might be 200W - 600W, so you are typically looking at well under 1,000W of actual usage. One big exception is if you are connecting a laser printer - they can draw quite a bit of power when printing.
Safety
Everything needs to match, with no shortcuts. Your sample picture doesn't match at all. The surge protector shows one type of receptacle (European?), the extension cord shows a US-style 2-wire polarized receptacle (no ground) and the wall receptacle is a US-style 3-wire grounded receptacle.
If any devices require grounding (i.e., 3-prong plug) then everything should be grounded with the same style plug. Typically computer power supplies require grounding, and surge protectors definitely require grounding. So that leaves the extension cord and the wall receptacle. It is easy to find 3-wire grounded extension cords. It is not always so easy to change the wall receptacle to provide grounding, so if you only have a 2-wire receptacle then this becomes an entirely different question.
Assuming you have a 3-wire ground receptacle and you have 3-wire everything else to match and your extension cord is rated at or above the combined rating of your attached equipment (computer, monitor, lamp, etc., fan) then you should be fine. But for safety's sake (including tripping hazard) get an extension cord as close as possible to the required length - e.g., don't get a 100' cord (even if it is on an awesome sale) if a 10' cord will do just fine.


Putting a plug socket on a cable which was previously wired into a heater?

SMH how is that simpler??

You get a new heater of the same basic form-factor, bolt it up in the old location, and connect the wires to it like it was to the old one.

Clearly the skill to attach wires is not absent, since you plan to wire it to a receptacle.

Do you possibly have a mental block about "gosh, I don't know where to get one of those" or "surely they must be expensive"?  Home Depot, and $50-100 depending.

I know it's not at the top of your list of things to spend $100 on this week, but life happens.  You'll be getting something that'll last 20 years, as opposed to those little plug-in heaters that won't last a season if they're your primary heat. You could easily spend more on junky little heaters than you do on the proper one.

Further, the proper one is surely 240V -- and that means you'll need to use a NEMA 6 receptacle, and you'll be paying a lot for weird heaters. You could buy a $50 Cadet made-for-permanent-installation heater and put a cord on it, but why not just permanently install it?

At best, a plug-in heater isn't going to be cheaper enough to justify the trouble.  Might as well just do it right.


Should I install gutters before addressing draining in the yard?

You can do the drain system and gutters/downspouts in either order. Assuming you are installing an in-ground drain system, you'll need to use the appropriate fittings to receive water from downspouts. You will want to install these when you're first burying the drain system, so you don't have to dig it up later to add them.

If you do gutters/downspouts first, you'll just make sure to route your drains so that you have intakes at the right spots. And you'll likely modify the ends of the downspouts slightly so they go straight down into the right spot.

If you do the drain system first, you'll have to place your downspouts such that they can flow into the drain intakes. Also pretty easy to do at installation time.

No matter what order you go, you should have a design for the whole system in mind before you start. The shape of your building and site may constrain both the gutter/downspout system and the drain system in different ways. For example, you may need a certain minimum number of downspouts to handle the expected rain flow.


How should I encapsulate a basement wall with chipping paint on a porous surface?

If you follow the advice of others and use a wire brush to knock off the paint, be aware that the dust particles from lead paint are the main hazard.  There are some precautions on NY's DoH page that I'd recommend, including disposable coveralls, respirator, and goggles in addition to completely sealing the area from the rest of the home (remember the air vents).

If you want to cover the area, you can frame out the wall with thin wood slats or even 2x4's turned on their side. Be ready to shim out each board so they are perfectly vertical and align with each other (you don't want wavy drywall). With concrete, there are moisture concerns, so use pressure treated lumber, a vapor barrier, and the foam separator. In this case, I'd probably apply the vapor barrier to the wall first to lock in the paint and any dust. Then install drywall on top, using mold resistant if you have any moisture issues in the basement.


How do I crimp an F-connector onto RG-6 cable?

I have the same problem with the two piece, so I use the compression type.  They cost more money, but they are simply worth it.  I've never had one pull off.

This is the style most cable and satellite companies use.

Never use electrical diagonal cutters or dykes to cut cable. They flatten out the end.  Use cutters like this.

Always use a good cable stripper, never use a razor knife.  You never want to nick the inner copper wire.

The compression connector can run as high as $200.00.  I've seen this economy compression tool at Lowes for under $25.00 and it includes a hand full of connectors.

I can't say you will never have problems with them. but I've never had a problem with ghosts or snow on my tv's since I started using these tools.

Added  Please remember for every splice or connector you loose around 25%, or it could be worse for bad connections.  Don't daisy chain connections.


A clean refrigerator will not smell. The air inside would be entrapped and accumulate no other odors. If not fully clean, anything inside that might decompose would not do so at a suitably low temperature. Clean is still better than cool and old, however.

There is no harm in powering off the refrigerator. One can place a magnet on the door frame to prevent complete closing, which would allow any minor odors to escape. I have a dorm sized refrigerator configured in this manner and it does not smell. The door is about 12 mm open (1/2") and when started after three years of being unplugged, cooled properly and ran normally.

You will save energy at the warmest setting but not what I would call considerable. With the door closed and not opened for extended periods, the compressor should not operate as frequently as when in use, but will operate to bring the temperature back to the dial setting as needed. Temperatures outside the refrigerator and the insulation quality comes into play for that determination.

Not a duplicate, but another post to contribute to your question:
Unplugging vs running an empty refrigerator


Can I install a sprinkler system timer underground?

You would not use the existing good sprinkler wires to bring the 120VAC out to the valve box. The wires are not rated and approved for that type of use. Place the converter transformer indoors to step the 120VAC down to the 24VAC. The "good" wires could then be used to route the 24VAC outdoors.

I would not use the sprinkler timer in the valve box. It would be very inconvenient to use it in that manner and the underground environment is highly likely to not be friendly to the control unit circuitry. Instead you should install an outdoor timer unit on an exterior wall above the valve box. (Use "outdoor sprinkler timer" in Google to see a selection of possible timers). The better outdoor timers have a lid that closes over the controls to protect the interior from the elements. You could then use a PVC conduit to route the necessary wires from the timer down into the valve box to keep things neat.

Do select the timer as one that works off the low voltage.


Entrance cable size for a 800’ distance to feed a 100 amp breaker box

Throwing aluminum at the problem is bad for your wallet
The problem with runs of this length is that simply throwing aluminum at your problem adds up fast (don't even bother with copper for this).  In particular, you're looking at parallel sets of 250 or 350kcmil Al if you are bent on making this run at 240V within your voltage drop criteria; even doing it as cheaply as possible by using paired URD triplex with a single 3/0 neutral + 3/0 EGC in 3" PVC, you're still looking at upwards of $6k, and that's fudging things a bit with the 250kcmil Al to get a voltage drop of 3.3%.
Interpreting your criteria strictly, with paralleled 350kcmil pairs for the hot legs and a single 4/0 neutral with the other 4/0 used as the EGC, puts us well over $7k at the time of this writing, and it only gets worse from there if you need to control voltage drop on the neutral over this length.  From this, we can conclude that something has to give, whether it be your voltage drop criterion, your wallet, or something else.
Transformers to the rescue!
The good news is there is something else that can give, and that is the voltage you make this run at.  Nothing in the NEC prohibits you from wielding the reason Tesla won the war of the currents to your advantage by installing a pair of distribution transformers, one at the main disconnect and the other at your load.  While the transformer pair alone will set you back $2k + another ~$200 in shipping and handling (which is understandable, given that a 25kVA single phase transformer tips the scales at almost 300lbs by itself), the savings on wire you get makes the investment more than worthwhile.
In particular, with a 100A load, 3% drop on the wires, and an 800' run, it's possible to step the voltage up to 480V with the aforementioned transformers for the run, allowing you to use a single 2/0 triplex cable in 2" PVC conduit.  This puts you out a mere $2k for the wires and conduit in the long run; you'll need appropriate wiring methods for main-panel-to-transformer and transformer-to-load, as well as a 60A, 600V rated, Class RK5 time-delay fuse and matching fuseblock to protect the long run itself, but none of those are a major setback cost-wise. (You could use liquidtight flexible conduit or type SE cable for the the 240V runs, and the fuse and fuseblock mentioned will set you back about $50 while living quietly at the bottom of the meter-box transformer's wiring compartment.)
Transformer wiring notes
First off, if you're not comfortable wiring up 480V yourself, there is nothing wrong with calling in an electrician for this work; anybody well-versed in commercial or industrial work should be able to handle wiring this up without an issue.  Nonetheless, if you want to know more about how this is wired once the conductors are in the ground, read on.
We start at the meter-box transformer, where the 240V hots connect to X1 and X4, while X2 and X3 are jumpered together, and the grounding wire from the meter-main connects to a case grounding lug on the transformer.  The fuse block then gets bolted into the bottom of the transformer's wiring compartment; once this is done, H2 and H3 are jumpered together, and H1 is jumpered to one fuseblock terminal.  The outgoing wires (taped brown/grey to avoid confusion with 240V wiring!) are then landed on the open fuseblock terminal and H4, while the striped wire in the outgoing triplex lands on the transformer's other grounding lug.  Finally, a stacked lug on H4 is used to connect the system bonding jumper to a third grounding lug on the transformer case, thus grounding the transformer's secondary side via the combination EGC/GEC running up to the meter-disconnect and its ground rods.
We then move onto the load-end transformer.  Here, H2 is jumpered to H3 again, with the incoming wires landing on H1 and H4, and the striped wire landing on a transformer grounding lug, of course.  However, we wire the secondary for 120/240V split-phase, with X1 and X4 connecting to the outgoing hot legs, and X2 and X3 connecting to each other, the outgoing neutral wire, and a system bonding jumper to the other transformer grounding lug.  (This seemingly redundant bonding jumper is permitted by Exception 2 to NEC 250.30(A)(1) provided you don't have any other metal paths between the transformer and the load's distribution panel.)
Finally, we land the incoming secondary wires from the load-end transformer on the main terminals of the load's distribution panel.  Given the situation you're in, you'll want to use a 100A main breaker panel (you can get larger busses, but you need the main to be 100A in this case) for this job.  Note that you'll need to make sure this panel has its bonding strap or screw fitted, as well, as we're bringing hot/hot/neutral up from the transformer to the panel in this case.
If you'd rather bring 4 wires up from the transformer to your load, though, that is possible, but requires you to decide whether your system bonding jumper for your load lives in the transformer enclosure or in the distribution panel.  You can even have the transformer live inside instead of outside as I have been presuming in the above discussion, but that requires you to use a 4-wire connection between said transformer and the load's distribution panel.


Identify this plaster cornice coving from the UK

Looks like pretty generic coving to me.

If you're not sure if it's a generic size... then find out! Easiest way to check that is to walk into your local DIY store (B&Q, Wickes, whatever) with that small bit and check to see if they stock something similar.


Do coal stoves lead to creosote buildup/chimney fire risk?

Yes, to the best of my knowledge all combustion creates some form of creosote regardless of the fuel source. Wood tar and Coal tar are the most abundant and well known forms of creosote.

Wikipedia


How should I connect a new outlet with two pairs of wires?

Yes, wire the black wires to the brass screws and the whites to the silver screws. The black wire that is not hot is feeding a receptacle downstream and being fed by the wire that is hot via the receptacle. Do not remove the tabs on the outlet in this case.

If it's a direct replacement, when in doubt wire the new one the same as the old one and you'll be fine. If you have any doubts as to the connection, post up a few pics.


How do I add wire to a rusted electric box?

I would recommend cleaning the knockouts first. Sand them completely free of any paint or rust. Then scrape clean the circular groove of the knockout on both sides using a sharp pointed tool like an awl.

After doing this, the knockout should come out with a sharp block from a ball peen hammer and screwdriver.

If this does not work, the next step would be to use a tool called a knockout punch set. They can be found in any hardware store and they look like this:


what is code for jboxes in celing joists that I intend to cover with plywood?

They must be "accessible without removing any part of the building or structure".  If they're accessible from below (ceiling fixture box, etc.), then they can be covered. If the only way to access them is from the attic, then covering them with flooring violates the code.
If you create an easily removable cover, then you might get it approved. But simply nailing/screwing down plywood, is likely not acceptable.

National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 3 Wiring Methods
Article 314 Outlet, Device, Pull, and Junction Boxes; Conduit Bodies; Fittings; and Handhole Enclosures.
314.29 Boxes, Conduit Bodies, and Handhole Enclosures to Be Accessible. Boxes, conduit bodies, and handhole enclosures shall be installed so that the wiring contained in them can be rendered accessible without removing any part of the building or structure, or, in underground circuits, without excavating sidewalks, paving, earth, or other substance that is to be used to establish the finished grade.


Trying to identify this box on the outside of my house

If this is somewhat new construction, these might be anti-pest defense tubes. The exterior box resembles "Tubes in the Wall" pest defense system. Liquid pesticide is shot via CO2 at the exterior junction box and the liquid will travel throughout the house by means of the tubes.

http://www.pestdefense.com/taexx is an example of this sort of system.

Further Readings:

Tubes in the Wall


Is it possible to separate air return vents when you have 2 different furnaces?

Yes.  Both either should not be from the same room and/or the room should be very large and can pull make-up air from elsewhere.


Mounting plumbing to existing outdoor deck. What kind of pipes and fittings should I use?

You will need to adapt from PVC to hose thread if using hose thread quick disconnects. If you can find pipe thread (on the fixed side) quick disconnects that would be one less fitting to adapt, as PVC to pipethread is a standard fitting, and I'm not aware of any direct PVC to hose thread fittings (may exist, I've never seen one) so I expect you'd need a pipe thread to hose thread adapter as well as the PVC to pipe thread adapter to use a hose thread quick disconnect.
PVC outside needs to be protected from the sun - a coat of paint will do, locating it under the deck may do if sunlight does not penetrate the deck. Any exposed PVC needs to be painted or otherwise protected from sunlight, and you need to be religious about draining it before freezing weather. Other types of plastic may be more forgiving of both sun and freezing (black polyethylene, for instance.)
Not much in the way of design details provided to critique, other than items already mentioned in 1 & 2.


How can I get wood filler to match the adjacent wood when staining a floor?

The short answer is that filler isn't commonly used to repair the surface of a wood floor. It may be used to fill gaps between planks where shrinkage has occurred, or to repair holes drilled for wiring, etc., but floors are usually either sanded aggressively to remove all surface damage, or the damage is left as "character".

You may be able to lightly dampen the areas of concern with water to check for remaining filler. Keep sanding until it's gone, then stain and seal the surface.


No.  Find any other partner device.

Microwave + garbage disposal, fine.   Microwave+dishwasher, fine.  Microwave + 1 of 2 kitchen receptacle circuits, fine.

Nothing shares a circuit with a refrigerator.

Because food spoilage is serious business. You really don't want a situation where someone comes into the kitchen, looks at the time, the microwave is dead, so they go downstairs and reset the breaker then set the microwave time.  Hours later they grab some food out of the fridge, it's nice and cold, so they eat it.  Unbeknownst to them, the fridge has been off for awhile, the food spoiled, and they just poisoned themselves.

A separate refrigerator circuit isn't a Code mandate, but it it really improves safety for less than the cost of a GFCI outlet.

NEC does not require kitchen refrigerators to be on any protective circuit - not GFCI nor AFCI.  That's what you want.  You don't want dueling safety systems, and frankly, a refrigerator is not a shock risk warranting a GFCI.

Of course you know, the two breakers must be handle-tied. The handle ties must be UL-listed and made for the breaker (i.e. By the manufacturer). Those are pricey and hard to chase down, so we recommend a 2-pole breaker instead. It doesn't cost anymore than two 1-poles, and they're easy to find.  Handle-ties don't guarantee common trip, but they usually cause it... And 2-poles do guarantee it!

MWBCs are obsolete, anyway

The larger problem with MWBCs in general is they are being made obsolete by the new requirements coming down the 'pike, like AFCI and GFCI on increasing numbers of circuits.  And those absolutely require 2-pole breakers, you cannot use 2 singles and a handle-tie (expept GE AFCIs, and those don't allow GFCI at all).

There's also a problem when people use "double-stuff" duplex breakers.  A lot of people cheerfully throw a MWBC on a duplex, but they are overloading the neutral because both sides of a duplex are on the same pole of power.  Also they can't be handle-tied, so there's a codevio right there.  (You can't improvise a handle tie with a nail, you need a listed tie, and no manufacturer sells that).

I have basically stopped installing MWBCs, although I will do them if I expect interest in 240V appliances on that circuit.  An MWBC allows you to tap hot and hot for a 240V load.  So if you have a chef with European appliances, or 240V tools in your shop, MWBCs are a great option then - but you will also be using a 2-pole GFCI+AFCI breaker, which means you won't be in a GE panel.


What type of outlet has a button and small hole in the middle?

It looks a lot like a GoControl W015Z-1 Z-wave smart receptacle.  See here


How to install coat hooks securely when holes don't line up with studs (batten depth?, length of screws?)

I would think that if you used a nice hardwood for the wood strip that it can work well if it is 0.75 inch in thickness. Attach it to the studs with screws that are 2.5 inches long. Then use 0.75 inch screws to mount the hanger bracket to the hardwood board. Remember to drill proper type pilot holes for the screws rather than just trying to force the screws in without pre-drilled holes. It will be MUCH stronger if installed this way.

The hardwood such as oak or birch is recommended because it will hold the screws much more firmly than a soft pine board can. Would a pine board be strong enough and hold the screws OK for this application? -- Probably.


The adapters that you purchased should be unaffected by the so called "cheaters".

Power strips and surge protectors include basic electronic components that can cause noise or other interference to the powerline adapters, but the basic two-prong adapter is just a few sicks of metal.

Also, the adapters you chose use the "AV1000" standard.  That, along with AV500 and the newer AV2 HomePlugs only use two wires for communication.  The newest HomePlug, AV2 MIMO, makes use of the grounding conductor for better reliability and faster speeds.

http://www.homeplug.org/explore-homeplug/faq-consumers/#AV2a

You should be fine.  I haven't used any of the newer Poweline/HomePlug adapters, but the older ones that I used never delivered anywhere near the speed they promised, so keep that in mind.  Maybe they are better now, but buy the books at least, your two conductor solution shouldn't be a problem.


Is there such a thing as a 1 1/8" water spigot reducer?

Search for: 1" female NPSH to 3/4 GHT male

  The thread standard for garden hose connectors in the United States and its territories is known as "garden hose thread" (GHT), which is 3/4" diameter straight (non-tapered) thread with a pitch of 11.5 TPI (male part has an outer diameter of 1 1⁄16 inches (26.99 mm)). –Wiki

1 1/8" pipe does not exist. More likely, you're trying to put a 3/4" GHT hose on a 1" NPSH spigot. You're measuring the OD, standard pipe goes by ID (e.g., 3/4" pipe has a one inch Outer Diameter).

According to jgbhose.com, female NPT is not compatible with male NPSH (although I think it might work well enough). You could try NPT if you can't find any NPSH fittings in the isle. Just make sure that whatever it is, it has a rubber washer.

Most of this is research and also some guess work, as I've never dealt with 1" garden hose. Verify your fitting size and thread type before making any purchases.


I have more than 1 submeter off my main service do I need a (8ft 5/8"), grounding rod for each sub meter?

Well, it's not prohibited to drop another ground rod.  It's a good idea.  Can't hurt, might help.   The ground rod would be required if it's a building.  This is wobbly if it's an RV outlet, but some jurisdictions seem to require it, and most consider it the right thing to do.

The whole idea of trying to get electrical ground from a rod is, after all, hit-and-miss.  Dirt doesn't conduct electricity reliably or well.  The objective is to get neutral as close as possible (in voltage, not distance) to ground, to reduce the chance of getting shocked when the earth is conducting well enough to matter.

You need to be very clear on the difference between the main service panel and a sub-panel.   If it's a sub-panel, the ground must also be carried from the main service panel.   Neutral must be bonded to ground only at the main panel.

Sub-meters are a totally separate issue, they have nothing to do with a panel being a main or sub panel.

Sometimes, main panel vs. sub-panel is a matter of structuring.  If you have a campus with 6 buildings, how do you do that?  Eithe A) they are all sub-panels, distribute 4 wires to each building and do not bond neutral to ground in each panel.  Or B) they are all main panels with bond and mandatory ground rod, and you are your own electric company, distributing 3-wire service around campus.


Yes, they appear to be on the same leg.

Unless there's something I'm missing.


Connecting two joists with a wooden piece to hang a projector screen

Search for ceiling fan joist hangers - sound like that would be perfect for what you need.


Should I caulk window gap behind casings?

No. It would take a massive amount of caulk and you'd have a real mess. Or yes, if you consider spray foam "caulk", which it is in a sense. Water sealing is done outside. The seal(s) at the outer face of the wall handle water and and air intrusion concerns, ideally. Modern techniques for that involve flexible tapes and housewrap membranes.

Traditionally that void would have been filled with fiberglass insulation. In recent years we've taken to using spray foam from disposable cans, which provides both insulation value and a nice air seal, and it offers the added benefit of stability for the window. It should not be relied upon for water management, however.

Also, be sure to use the "minimal expansion" variety, as the original version is very likely to bow your window frames (jamming the sashes) and will end up all over everything once it squeezes out. Once urethane (foam, glue, varnish) dries on something it will be there a very long time.


Installing Basement bathroom exhaust fan in a side wall rather than a ceiling

Yes you can mount the fan on the wall. if the wall exhausts to the outside it would be no different than a wall mount exhaust vent in the main floor bathroom. You cannot mount it on an internal wall and just dump the air into a stud bay (I have seen this tried and failed).


Why does the riser go before tread when installing hardwood on stairs?

The riser is installed first for the reason that you want a nice tight fit along the top of the riser to the tread above it. There is always the possibility that there is a small variation in the width of the riser boards or the height of the notches cut in the stair jacks. The back edge of the tread can then be slid right up to the riser for a nice tight fit. Since the tread bull nose generally overhangs the next riser down small variations in the width of the riser or the width of the notches in the stair jack are not noticeable.

There are other considerations as well:

As shown above it should be obvious that the treads can be easily removed if they require repair or replacement.
If you try to simultaneously get a perfect fit of the riser on both its top and bottom edges you will have a huge task in hand.
An experienced carpenter will install the risers and treads from the top of the stairs down so that they can always be fitting the next riser against the bottom of the previous tread.

When alternate installation methods are used additional molding is sometimes installed to cover up imperfections of the fit. Some folks may really like the added cove molding but it does detract from the clean lines of the installation as shown above - particularly when a thicker tread is used. Do remember that when ascending the stairs you get a straight on look at the quality of the workmanship. Lastly when the riser sits atop the tread some of the tread depth is lost.

(picture borrowed from this other question)


How to fit curtain poles so they won't be pulled down by children?

"It's 4.6kg for the curtain + pole" + a hundred pounds of children (or one or more idiot adults). That calls for steel pipe and structural pipe base, preferably threaded and not setscrew, 1" or larger, with long enough masonry screws to embed 1" into the masonry.

If it's in a 'curtain catalogue', that's not good enough. If it needs to not fall down, then it needs to be able to take me doing pull-ups on it, which is a base prerequisite for anything I mount in a home.

If it's not going to be, then it should be flimsy enough that falling on someone's head won't definitely kill them. If it isn't going to be flimsy, then you'd better mount-the-shit-out-of-it. It basically is a pull-up/grab bar, and some poor sod is going to use it as such eventually.


It looks like the yellow one going to the 3-terminal Wago is the common from the nearby switch, and is supplying switched hot to the lights in the left and right conduit.

The other two yellows going into 2-terminal Wagos are travelers.  The center conduit brings those, and also neutral, which is the return for the light, and two unrelated oranges that look like an unrelated switch loop.

Someone might send a memo to this electrician reminding him all those different colors of THHN wire are on his truck for a reason.  Using the same color for common/switched-hot and travelers is kinda confusing.


Why is electricity turning off as soon as fixture is connected

In layman's terms: "Pen testers" will detect an induced voltage in a conductor. Similar to a static voltage. As soon as you put a load on that conductor the voltage does not have any power behind it so it disappears. (Imagine trying to use a 9 volt battery to start your car. There is voltage there, but very little power.) If you have a solenoid meter (wiggy) or a digital multimeter you will get a more accurate reading. Which apparently is zero, since when you connect the fixture the voltage disappears.

Recheck your wiring. If you added an electrical box I would suspect that first. Caution, a white wire running to a switch is NOT a neutral wire. It is used to supply the switch with power and the black returns from the switch. The white should be re-identified with tape as black.

Good luck!


RCD tripping with fault on live wire only

AC power does not have positive and negative,  it has active (or live) and neutral

The voltage between active and ground is much greater than the voltage between neutral and ground, so connecting a weak fault between active and ground will trip the breaker while connecting it between neutral and ground does not.

The only temporary fix is to stop using the faulty wire. You could run a temporary wire on the surface of the wall.

Next time use electrical junction boxes and conduit inside the wall so that the cables do not bind to the concrete and can be serviced or replaced should they develop a fault.


To directly answer your question the aerator of a typical kitchen faucet is located as shown below by the arrow.


It sounds like you may have tripped a Arc Fault Interrupt Circuit - a safety feature to prevent electrocution in modern homes. Try turning off all the switches on your breaker box and turning them on again or try looking for a switch which is slightly raised from the other like pictured here:

You might also notice a little window with an orange, blue or green indicator or a raised button similar to one of these:

This switch will need to be turned off and on again to reset the circuit and restore power to the outlets.


Layered with crushed stone for concrete slab, but heavy rain came

If the gravel is that thick it would need to be compacted to keep it from settling over time. It should be done in stages (lifts). Add a layer, tamp that then add a layer and tamp that until it reaches the height needed. An engineer provides this type of info regarding how much gravel at a time for each lift. I know this is not what you asked, but it is good to know.
With that in mind, I do not understand why the wait on the pour since the gravel is so deep, and the contractor is just using that as an excuse. Perhaps it will put his schedule behind if he did your job the next day. He is most likely going to the other jobs he already had scheduled for the next few days until he gets a new opportunity to pour your slab


Based on the International Residential code (which may or may not apply where you live), this installation is not compliant. Things that I see that need to be corrected include (but may not be limited to):

The vent must be held at least one inch away from wood and other combustibles.
The total rise of the vent must be at least five feet, to insure proper drafting.
The vent must be sloped so that water/condensate will flow towards the appliance, by at least 1/4 inch per foot.
Screws must be short enough that they do not pierce the inner metal of the vent.
The length of the horizontal section (defined as sections at less than 45 degrees) must be less than 75% of the total rise.
The vent cap outside must be a "type B" cap.
Don't use tape because it would burn. Any small gaps should be OK since the exhaust will pull extra air into the vent, instead of letting the exhaust into the room.

Also, I see that one of the corrugated copper water tubes is a little flattened. You may want to replace it. Also, I see the plastic dielectric at the end of the tube on the right, but not on the left. If there is not any plastic dielectric, I'd suggest replacing it with a tube that has a dielectric. These connections do NOT need plumber's tape or dope. Also, these corrugated tubes should be replaced when the water heater is replaced.


How can I determine what is wrong with my lighting circuit?

Sounds like you have a break in a wire or a corroded terminal somewhere. Usually, breaks and corrosion happen where the wire connects to things, and not in the walls.

So first thing to do is to take each device off (switch, outlet, light) and inspect the wire that you can see for break. Inspect the device, too, especially outlets with back-stab connections. While you have the outlets out, switch from back-stab to screw terminals.

If you can't find the problem there, it's time to call a professional. Intermittent connections like this can be dangerous because broken wires and the like can cause arcing, heating, and fires.


What could be preventing the heat boiler from circulating water upstairs to the radiator, frozen pipes?

You could have a frozen pipe (actually, it would take two in this case to completely isolate the upstairs bleeders.) You might not. Don't know the layout of your pipes...

Circulation pump does not need to be running for bleeding. System pressure alone should suffice for bleeding. "Hissing" when you bled before sounds like trapped air. When you start to get water mixed in, close the bleeder, wait a few minutes and re-open. You should eventually get just water, no hiss, no bubbles.

I'm going to suspect that you have low pressure in the system, so air is not being forced out the top bleeders by water pressure in the system. You should have a pressure gauge (often on the same face as a temperature gauge) on the boiler - what does that read? Normally it should be 20-30 PSI. You may need to add water.

If you can't sort it out yourself, call for professional help sooner rather than later, as letting the system freeze can result in considerable expense.


Can you use plug-and-cord on a baseboard heater?

You probably could install a cord. However, you'll have to install a 10 AWG cord, and a 250V 30A plug (NEMA 6-30P). And you'll have to plug it into a 250V 30A circuit, with properly sized conductors and overcurrent protection. Unless, of course, the heater is rated to work at lower voltage/current.


What should I do about a screw jammed in my deadbolt?

You can try drilling the head of the screw, which will allow you to remove the cover of th lock and use a vise grip to un-tighten the old screw.
Good Luck


What is too high of a pressure for irrigation systems

Update:  Sounds like your irritation is fed from the main spigot that is before the house pressure reducer valve, in which case 90psi is normal but may be too much for some irrigation systems.  Depends on how the system was designed and how the pressure is diversified.  You could easily put on a pressure reducer and see if that helps while still maintaining good overall pressure.


Grounding help: steel studs, ENT, and NM + M boxes

As for grounding screws, you buy a bag of 50 of them (or generic 10-32 screws), and the (threaded) holes for them are in virtually every metal box, usually in a "dimple" so that the grounding screw can be screwed in even if the back of the box is hard up against a wall as mounted. They are not supplied with the box.


What is the technical name for this flexible metal hose?

It's just a "sprayer hose". Each faucet manufacturer has its own proprietary design. You won't find generic parts. All it has to fit is the other parts they make. There's no motivation to use standard fittings. In fact, the design can change mid-stream during a model's production run.

Contact the manufacturer or an aftermarket vendor for exact replacement parts.


What type of wall sheathing is on my house?

It was made by Celotex as well as some other companies. It comes under the nickname Buffalo board and Beaver board depending on where you're at. I don't know that it's manufactured anymore, however I viewed the link from the previous answer and it appears it could be the same thing.

If your house is older then it is probably the original buffalo board material. If it is newer it could very well be the exact same thing that is sold at Home Depot mentioned in the link that was provided in the first answer.


Does an adapter exist that can convert a rotary tool in a oscillating multi-tool one?

There are no universal solutions.  All the powerheads are proprietary (as are the batteries/chargers)

An angle grinder is too fast, too heavy and too powerful for the precision that the oscillators provide, as a class.

Any combo you would jury rig in this fashion would not be worth the time, money and frustration.

I have the Rigid oscillator, and I think it's a bit heavy, vs the Fein single function, but I like the right angle impact driver for close quarters use

Good luck if you invent something, let us know.


What is the best short-term solution for fused neutrals?

I understand the theory of what you're trying to do, but I also understand the theory of the electrical installer that put fuses on both wires.  You still have a wire running through the house that is only designed for 15-20 amps even if it's the neutral that should be fused via the hot.  If there was ever a short that resulted in 25 amps going down the neutral, you could be looking at a dangerous situation.

My suggestion, if you want to fix it, is to go all the way and modernize the wiring with a full rip and replace.  Although the reason I avoid older homes is because I would end up ripping and replacing so much that it's cheaper to get the newer home (think insulation, wiring, windows, weather seal, etc).  And until then, if a fuse blows, don't assume the wires are safe unless you have personally removed the hot fuse.


Are dark stains that show up when wet embedded mold?

All wood products are loaded with mold spores.
I work in a lumber mill all the lumber is sprayed with a fungicide to stunt the growth for a month or two. When the wood is dry and not exposed to moisture there will be no growth. There hundreds of different types of mold and only a few are hazardous, so yes there is mold and fungi in your wood. Do you need to do anything? No . You have fixed the moisture problem now close things up and don’t worry about it. Untreated wood at the mill is black in a short time. When I worked n ply wood actual mushrooms would grow in the edges of the veneer stacks.
Not trying to scare you but the only way to get rig of the mold and fungus is to replace the wood with metal.


Replacing LVL beams by some lower depth ones

Probably not.  Height adds much more strength than width does.  A beam that is 1 3/4 x 11 7/8 has an I of 975 [I = (b*h^3)/3].  A 7 1/4" tall beam would need to be ~7 3/4" wide to provide roughly the same capacity (as @isherwood said, WE ARE NOT PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS).  This seems that it would be more inconvenient to your design.


I roll everything to achieve a consistent finish, or "stipple". Thus, I roll my brushed edging immediately after application, and along with the rest of the rolling, regardless of the coat number. The longer you wait to roll your edging the more likely visible brush marks become.

If you don't care about brush marks, the wall doesn't care in which order you paint it.


How do you clean up tung oil that has dried on a concrete porch

Caustic soda.
Sprinkle on and dampen to a paste, cover with newspaper and plastic sheeting.
allow to sit several days, sweep off, scrub,  and rinse off with plenty of water.
Danger: corrosive: Keep away from aluminium, Wear water-proof gloves and eye protection.  Wash with water without delay if you get any on you.


Can a floating floor of click connected strand bamboo cup

Cupping will happen with most laminate floors eventually if the laminate gets wet and is not cleaned up right away. You can get waterproof laminate that is made from vinyl as an alternative but it is a little more pricey and may still get damaged when furniture is slid across it. There's also stick down vinyl planks which go over luan and it is easier to replace damaged pieces in the middle.


Check and make sure the leak is coming from the bottom sometimes water will run down the panels and the side collecting at the bottom. As for as sealer I always use bath and tub caulk it is designed for use in wet areas and resist mildew.  I use blue painters tape for a nice clean line and so I can work the caulk making sure I have a good bond remember to remove tape while the caulking is still wet.


How can I insulate the floor of a room above a porch?

Actually, since you are primarily concerned with heating conditions, the vapour barrier goes on the warm side of insulation, meaning right up against the sub floor boards. This is to keep moisture from the house from condensing in the cooler insulation. Outside moisture would not condense in the insulation as it should always be warmer than the dew point of the outside air, though in the UK it may often be a close call.

Loose fill generally provides a more complete insulation job, filling the whole space completely. Batt insulation is much easier for DIY work. Even if you access from below, loose fill may be possible. You could actually install loose fill by cutting a hole in each joist bay, instead of removing the ceiling. The main problem is you have no way to verify the void was completely filled. It is highly dependent on the skill of the installer. It also negates the ability to place a vapour barrier, but depending on the flooring system, it may not be a serious issue. In your case though, it is probably an issue.

If any recessed lights are in this space, if they are not rated for placement in insulation, they will need to be replaced. If you go in from the ceiling, it will be hard to get a good vapour barrier. Just do the best you can, sealing it well to each joist. You'll have to allow the joists to be part of the barrier. It may be worth spraying them with a quick latex primer coat to help make a better barrier.


Retrofit grounds

In recent Code changes, they greatly liberalized the rules for retrofitting ground wires (alone).  You can do it pretty much any reasonable way.

Each ground wire must run back to the same panel as the conductors are served out of (this is relevant if you have a subpanel).
Circuits out of the same panel can share grounds, so your ground wire only needs to reach a point which is grounded.
while sharing and branching are OK, the entire ground path to the panel must be big enough for the circuit.  So a 14AWG circuit only needs to reach a 12AWG ground wire... But a 50A range circuit can only be grounded to a path the required ground size (10 AWG?) all the way back to the panel.

It makes sense to run the biggest grounds  (range, dryer, water heater) as a backbone, then branch the other grounds off of that.

This forking and splitting is allowed only because grounds normally do not flow current, and only momentarily while the breaker trips, and it's rather unlikely for 2 circuits to need to use their ground at the same time.  You can't do this with neutrals.


Should I vapour barrier an (inside) sistered wall when the exterior wall already has it?

No, you only want a single vapor barrier. A second vapor barrier would create a moisture trap that would cause more mold issues. If there's a condensation issue, I'd replace the section of HVAC ducts with an insulated duct. The insulation inside the duct prevents the outside metal part of the duct from getting cold enough to result in condensation.


What would be a good way to run a ground from the existing grounded circuit to the new power outlet from another circuit?

As per this question: https://diy.stackexchange.com/a/185137?noredirect=1 I do not need to run a ground wire as my wire already has a ground.


How do you wire multiple outlets between three way switches?

First off, you CANNOT use #14 on a circuit wired with #12. If you do you'd have to replace the breaker with a 15A and this is simply foolish IMO. Why loose 5 potential circuit capacity amps over such an issue?

OK, you need to forget the physical orientation of the items. The fact that the receptacles are physically in between the switches is irrelevant.
You can wire it this way, but not with what you have and it gets complicated.

You should re-wire the receptacles with the proper 12/2 wire from one of the switches. Then use 12/3 between the two switches and feed the other switch.
The only problem with this is that all three receptacles will be switched. This does NOT seem like a convenient setup, unless of course that is exactly what you want.

You can follow this wiring scheme shown as it is the easiest for DIYer and beginners, but remember that there is no one correct way to wire things. If you Google "3-way wiring" you'll find hundreds of diagrams people have drawn with just as many ways to wire.

Just think of your receptacles as the light in this diagram and continue on to the rest.


Can Home AC Electrical Whip Cause Compressor Failure?

Yes, your whip is bad and has shorted out. Since the casing is split it needs to be replaced. Your best bet is to remove the whip from the unit and bring it to an electrical supply store for replacement. You could try a home store but most of those people don't know how to change a light bulb.
Once you remove the whip, try pulling the wires out of the casing and look for the burnt wire as confirmation to the problem.


How do I mount this box without drilling or damaging the shelf?

You could try these heavy-duty mounting squares

They're rated for up to 1 lb.  According to the specs, your switch weighs 0.6 lbs.

It will fall every time someone trips over a cord, but that is preferable to the whole shelf coming down like with a screw or zip-tie.


Is there any problem building a wall under floor joists at mid span?

There should be no problem adding a partition wall under trusses or floor joists. The only connection you will need is some nails or screws holding the upper plate of your wall to the  joists. This will simply hold your wall up and plumb. There are no structural or load considerations in this simple wall addition.


Need help choosing t&p replacement valve

Same pressure/temperature, greater BTU rating. That part looks good.

But, half the extension, I guess.

Since you are shut down water wise, shut off the heat/power/gas to the water heater and take the old valve with you when shopping.


What you want to do is fine but, it would all depend on how many puck lights you have and the distance between them. Or for example if the puck lights connect to other puck lights on a different cabinet.  Using a typical 12 Volt electronic transformer may not be ideal because of voltage drop.

Due to how electronic transformers "chop" the sine wave, the frequency on the load side is increased by a factor 400% or more.  A typical puck light transformers load frequency is 28,000 Hertz compared to a magnetic transformer at 50 or 60 Hertz.

This increase in frequency directly affects the voltage at longer runs.  The higher-end electronic transformers use 24 Volts to help compensate the voltage drop.

When using electronic @ 12 Volts anything over 10' I think should be avoided, especially if multiple lights are involved.


Attach aluminum tube securely to base without welding/soldering?

I would use an aluminum safety rail floor flange.

Something like this Hollaender 45-5 square floor flange:


Hot water without hot water supply and electricity

Install a holding tank or a coil of supply line, hidden under the sink.

It wouldn't last long, it'd only be ambient temperature at best, and its recovery would probably be hours, but it would be above the incoming water temperature at least long enough to wash your hands without getting frostbite.


Zeno's Toilet: Toilet fill valve cranky about shutoff

There are several potential causes

It might just need lubrication.  Try greasing things up and see if that helps.
The float itself might be bad.  Try replacing that (they're quite cheap).
You could have a flapper or stopper that is old, which would make it sometimes not align properly to shut off the water flow.  This is easy enough to test, just smear the edges with vaseline and—if the flapper/stopper is the problem—the problem will go away for a while.  It's not a permanent fix, but it'll last long enough to get a replacement in there.

Great title, by the way


how to treat regular lumber for outdoor use

Copper Naphthenate is the stuff I use it looks like a green stain , now o days the % is much lower than in years past so I will apply several coats if in contact with earth but for rails and things not touching earth 1 coat works fine. Edited for correct chemical thanks Jimmy


How to seal edges of plumbing work for noise isolation.

In many locales, fire protection regulations require that all holes between levels be sealed to prevent easy spread of flames.  This is most often done with a fire retardant foam spray.

This should also reduce noise transmission between levels. Two for the price of one!

 Images and links are illustrative only, not an endorsement of goods or sources.


Will this breaker box accept a quadplex breaker?

This thing is a shut-off switch, basically.

Many air conditioning units have a shut-off switch near them.  This panel is designed to be that, and also provide overcurrent protection, and optionally GFCI.  It is a 2-space "panel" which is designed to fit exactly one 2-pole common breaker.  (any of the THQL THHQL TXQL or QPF types).  It is designed to provide a) a shut-off, b) overcurrent protection, and optionally c) GFCI to a single load.  It'd be a great hot-tub shut-off.

GE's slick design with THQP and THQQP breakers uses a clever way to do double-stuff 2-pole breakers.  Since it uses half-width breakers, it simply uses a 2-pole breaker that sits in the halfway position, one contact on each bus bar.  Any number of 2-pole breakers can be stacked like this, if your panel is wide enough.  which yours isn't.  As such, the only supported 2-pole configuration with these breakers is the 2-pole THQP sitting in the middle, in the 2-3 position, with a half-width breaker on either side.  You cannot handle-tie the two outside 120V breakers because GE is quite specific that these breakers have an internal common trip mechanism.  Handle ties only assure common shut-off, not trip, so one side tripping could leave the other side energized - bad!

However GE doesn't seem to make a quadplex 2-pole for it.  That makes sense. The whole selling point of THQP is to avoid the duplex/quadplex model entirely.

The bigger problem is your wiring.

This really nags at me:  Why would someone run 6 AWG to a shut-off switch to a single 30A load?  Makes no sense.  An installer would install 10 AWG throughout, unless he was some sort of visionary genius, and if he was, he'd have installed more than a 2-space "panel"!  So I deduce the wire back to the panel is probably 10AWG and cannot support a second circuit. You would need to replace it with 6 AWG to support a 23-30A main air conditioner and a 15-20A auxiliary load.  In fact, in some conditions 12AWG would be legal here!

Given that you may have to replace all that anyway...

...you might go ahead and replace that tiny panel

Normally changing panels is a bugbear, but you've only got 2 cables coming in/out of it so far.  So now's the time.

I recommend people get 2-3x the panel they think they need.  In your case since you need 2 240V circuits (4 spaces), I'd say go for a 12 or even 20 space panel.  Panel space is cheap, unlike regrets, and panels often come with free breakers!


The ground clamp should be connected to the (electrically conductive) workpiece that you're cutting.

Make sure you're wearing all the proper safety equipment (gloves, eye protection, flame retardant clothes, etc.).
Work in an area that prevents others from coming too close.
Work in an area away from flammable materials.
Make sure you are familiar with the operation of the equipment, and safety gear.
Have a fire extinguisher nearby.
Don't burn yourself or anybody else.


The guard that came with the grinder properly adjusted would be the best protection. The next is using the tool properly so the tool is pulling away from body parts not at them. Would a Kevlar shield or sleeve help to reduce damage to the body, Yes but only if the protective device is covering the area that the tool comes in contact with. I have seen a contractor get injured when using cutting disk and forcing it so when the blade broke it grabbed and took a big chunk of flesh if he would have had the guard on he probably would not have been injured.


How can i remove my rusted and stripped deck screws from my deck boards?

You can do that, but some screws are very hard and you'll have a slow, noisy time of it. You'd want a high quality metal-cutting blade. Getting a gap between the decking and joists makes it much easier, too.

If you aren't trying to salvage the decking, just pry the boards off the joists and then bend the screws that remain back and forth a few times. They'll snap off fairly easily, and you can pound any sharp stubs flat. You could make some circular saw cuts through the decking between joists to help you pry things loose.


I agree with Jim.  Just cap the white wire in the box.  You are fortunate to have a 4 wire feed, in most cases here people have the opposite problem:  "Requiring a 4 wire feed for a new cooktop but only having 2 hots and a ground".


Building new shower, how can I control the flow of water to two different shower heads?

What you want is called a "Diverter Valve".  That will give you something to search for, because you will find all different types depending on they style you want and how many shower heads it needs to handle.  And example can be seen here:

http://www.signaturehardware.com/three-way-in-wall-shower-diverter-lever-handle.html


Without Access to the Garage Interior, How Can I Replace the Handle/Lock?

If the lock is separate from the handle and turns freely, my guess is the handle is the issue, not the lock.  Overhead garage doors almost always latch by extending pins through the tracks on either side of the door. It is likely that one of these just got bound due to expansion, contraction, ice lifting, or whatnot. I'd try a couple things before doing anything with the lock itself. First, grab the handle and alternate between jerking the door up and down while you try to turn it.  If this doesn't work, you may be able to carefully remove the trim on either side of the door.  Usually there will be enough of a gap to slide in a flatbar or something similar to tap on the latching pins. If they're stuck, knocking them up and down a couple times will usually free them.


How can I convert this cast-iron cleanout to a proper air-gapped drain?

I agree with Ecnerwal, definitely use the threads for a much better solution. Don't worry about the iron's threads AT ALL, they'll cut and correct the wimpy PVC's threads as needed.
As a side note, concerning the VERY WRONG information out there about Air Gaps...usually from Home Inspectors. Air Gaps have absolutely nothing to do with sealing out smell, gases nor anything else. Air Gaps are nothing but a terrible back-flow prevention device.
Since this is a drain, you'll need to handle it, mostly (see below's opinion), like a sink drain, or more specifically, a laundry washer's standpipe to get it legal most anywhere.
You'd have a bottom shorter vertical straight pipe that leads up to a P-trap and another longer length vertical straight pipe (longer so volume can force out a clog) that goes up 30-inches, if possible, that you stick in or strap/wire-tie your hoses into.
I don't feel the vent and AAV in the image below are needed for your situation, as the open top of the Standpipe would be plenty of vent for your low-volume situation to flow properly. BUT, regulations may indeed require it, even though the pipe you're draining into is twice the size and doing the venting of anything nasty (technically, a wet vent)...you just need good flow.


Can I attach a extract fan on a portable a/c unit exhaust hose?

I wouldn't without first consulting the manufacturer.  You are messing with the design parameters.  With that distance, you will loose all legitimate warrantee coverage. I'm not saying it couldn't be done but you would probable need automatic variable speed control based on discharge air temperature as well as built in purge delays and base airflow settings.  Or you could just play with it and try to hold discharge temp of between 110* and 120*.  Good luck. One day you are going to forget, not have enough cooling to the condenser, run the head pressure up and damage the compressor.


Cutting Ceiling Molding Wihtout Removing It?

One approach to this problem would be to use an oscillating tool, of which there are many brands available. Different blade options are provided with the tool, including a toothsome flat blade with a square face.

Home Depot is one source of these tools and blades:

It won't necessarily be fast, but it will be a clean cut (depending on operator skill). If you need a cheap solution, Harbor Freight is likely to be a good source. They have a twenty dollar (US) tool that does not specify that it comes with the cutter, but those are seven bucks each in the same location.


What's the best way to recreate exterior wood trim?

Tracing is the first thing I would try.

If the trim detail is not super fine, sand lightly to remove burrs and bumps, and then tape (painter's tape probably, or whatever you have on hand that is close) along the the path the pencil will take to bridge valleys and pits.


Can a wall hung toilet in a basement be tied into existing drain from upper level or does it require dedicated drain?

Provided that the connection does not require waste to flow upwards, yes typically. However, checking that the waste pipes and septic system if present can handle the additional fixture is still necessary.


Yes, you can do exactly what you want to do. If you are using fiberglass, be sure to wear gloves and other protection, and take a shower when you are done.


Given the black finish on my pipe, I conclude it is either not galvanized, or if it is, it has already been painted with an appropriate coating. My universal primer (Universal except for galvanized)Should adhere fine. Thanks to dopeyBob.


It's difficult to completely prevent theft. The illegal tap could have been installed long before your presence. Such taps can be nearly impossible to locate. It's even difficult to prevent new taps from being installed because meters and overcurrent devices need to be accessible and you cannot reasonably monitor external wiring 24/7.

While it's difficult to stop, it's not too difficult to detect, though somewhat inconvenient. Turn off all the branch circuit breakers in your unit, then inspect your meter. If the meter indicates current is flowing, you are paying for power you are not using. Of course, if you run this test when the thief is not using your power, you cannot detect it. You need to catch them in the act so to speak.

Also, if the thief has tapped into your branch circuits, you have also shutoff their access so they are undetectable. To identify this kind of theft, you need to disconnect every single thing in your unit that uses power. This includes doorbell chimes, smoke detectors, clocks, furnaces, stoves, etc. Then once again check the meter. If the meter indicates current flowing, power is being consumed that is not under your control.


Heating mystery following replacement windows

OK Let me try. Originally you had your single zone heat on. My experience is first floors are usually warmer than second floors. Hot air wants to rise but it can't unless there's some cooler air replacing it. That's where the drafts come in from the older windows on the first and second floor. So heat rises to the second floor in addition to the second floor heating and all is well.

Then you change the windows. No more drafts from outside. Now the hot air on the first floor can't rise like before because there's no air coming in because no drafts. The second floor now has to rely on only the second floor heating which is usually lower then the first floor heating, single zone.

End result, a warmer first floor and a cooler second floor. Try to regulate the first floor heating, close the valves a bit so hotter water get to the radiators on the second floor. Good luck


How should I connect mains wires to those in my exterior light?

All connections should be made inside an enclosure with access to it. It could be even the fixture itself. You may use a connection box approved by your local electrical authority.
For connecting two or more wires use existing practice by electricians in your area. In North America we typically use wire nuts. Soldering is not the best practice if you are not experienced in that. Bad soldering may cause oxidation and loss of contact over time, especially outdoors. Other connecting methods require less qualification and effort.


Studs cut to fit the sewer pipe -- is it ok?

You are right to be concerned, there's been a lot of support lost with such deep notches. The question is whether this is a load bearing wall or not. Given the fact that it's still standing I'm going to assume it's non load bearing. Building codes often state that notches can't be more than 40% of the width of a stud, which looks like it's been massively exceeded, it's more like 75% which isn't good. The studs are mostly doubled and tripled, but not all of them are.

Kitchen walls often bear a lot of weight in the form of shelves or cabinets, even if they aren't holding up the house itself, so it makes sense to strengthen these. I'd at least double all of the studs and add stud shoes. Keep in mind that may still not be up to code in your area.

This related answer has useful information on guidelines.


Well... it looks like the silly USB wired keyboard was the culprit. I made it a point to disconnect it after I use it and the TV hasn't turned on since. One time it came on and I thought it wasn't the keyboard but when I went to turn it off I noticed the keyboard was connected. Weird how a passive USB keyboard would make the TV turn on. Hope this helps someone else. Thanks all.


How can I adjust my thermostat to account for solar gain?

Regarding the cooling problem: first, I presume it is a forced air system which should have some dampers in the cool air ducts. Try partially closing the dampers (2/3 to 3/4 closed) in the ducts that carry the air to the shady side rooms. A similar effect can be made by closing the floor/wall/ceiling vents on the cool air ducts. (This is essentially what Isherwood recommended.) Additionally, set the fan to manual to keep the air circulating all the time. This will help even out the temperature throughout the house by mixing the air from all the rooms.


What is the purpose of the valve between these two pipes?

It is a bypass valve meant to be opened when the other two valves are closed.

The horizontal pipe above is connected using two diverter tees:

In a one-pipe system, each diverter tee restricts flow to direct a portion of the hot water through the local radiator and then return that flow back to the main line.  If the radiator in this room were shut off using only the vertical ball valves without opening the horizontal bypass valve, then the water flow would be restricted for the entire system, hurting heat delivery to the rest of the house.


Knowing where to drill holes in steel plate?

Lay the steel plate on the concrete where you want it.  Draw a line around it.  Cut a piece of paper to the same size as the steel plate.  Place it on the concrete in the same position as the marked outline.  Locate the concrete holes by gently pressing down where you think they are (tracing paper makes this even easier).  Poke a hole through the paper at the center of each hole.  Place the paper on top of the steel plate, and mark the centers of the holes.