If you haven't burned to a crisp yet...BURNINATE THIS PANEL

This box is very definitely a FPE Stab-Lok, and thus needs to be burninated with extreme predjudice before it burns your house down!

I'd simply replace it outright; ordinarily, an Eaton retrofit interior would be an option, but your panel is stuffed to the gills with tandems, and since tandem GFCI/AFCI breakers are not a thing, you will need far more spaces on your new panel than will fit in a cabinet that size (a 24 circuit CH main breaker retrofit interior requires 29" of height, and you only appear to have about 24").  I would get the largest panel I can, however, to avoid having "overstuffed electrical panel" syndrome again in the future.

As a result, a bare minimum replacement for this application would be a 30 space, 100A, main breaker unit; however, I would splash out and get a 42 or 54 space, 200/225A unit and downbreaker it to 100A (either through swapping to a lower amp main or using a backfed 100A branch breaker with a hold-down as the main as not all 200A panels can accept a 100A breaker in the main breaker position).


A possible cause for your problem could be air in your radiator.

You need to open this valve (try "unscrewing" it) to see if there is air in your radiator. It's simple but it can be dangerous : when there is no air anymore (assuming it is your problem) you will get very hot water, possibly with some pressure, so be careful. Then tighten the valve again, wait ten minutes and see if there is a difference.


How much weight can floor made of plywood over joists on concrete slab support?

You should be fine in terms of compressional strength, the more important issue is the point stress load. If the heater has feet of some kind they might punch right through your plywood if they're not over a joist. If you want to be safe you could cut out a square in the floor the size of the heaters footprint, then install blocking around the holes opening effectively creating a form. Then fill the void flush with concrete, just make sure to install sill seal first to prevent rot and provide a little room for expansion and contraction.


How can I best prepare a nozzle for a gas cooktop so it doesn't lock into place?

High temp anti seize , auto parts stores carry this product type.
On the burner side of the gas valve there is no pressure so messing down stream of the valve is not a problem.
The stuff I use at work has copper in the name but it is a paste with the consistency of tooth paste doesn’t take much.  Just make sure it is high temp.


The simplest answer here is to continue what you are doing, but use an appropriately rated power strip. Standard 110V wall outlets on ordinary branch circuits in a US household are rated for 15A service. You can easily find power strips that are rated to 15A and beyond. If you want to be extra safe, verify the amperage of the circuit breaker (it will be marked) and make sure all power strips are rated for that amperage. Then the breaker will act as a protection device for your power strip wires.

The daisy chaining of power strips is okay too, but you need to effectively treat the longest length from outlet to last plug as your "wire length." The ratings on the power strips might all be 15A, but if you chain 5 together, the combined length might exceed the gauge wire used internally. If you want to be safer, consider one very large power strip and then oversized, heavy gauge extension cords coming from that power strip to devices too far to reach directly to the strip.


What is the purpose of this inverted Philips head screwdriver bit?

The bit that you are asking about is what is called a "concave Phillips" or "inverted Phillips" bit. They are used for removing screws that look like this:

(picture found at ebuy7.com)

The cross pattern on the screw head is actually raised.


Non-permanent way to cap a clay cleanout pipe

A big stone is very good. Or, a 12x12 or small concrete paver from the store will also work great. Or, you may find smaller metal (you need UV proof) trash can lids at the store. A rock can go on top of the lid or a rock can be attached or hung from the lid inside the pipe. Or, you can get some concrete or cement mix & make your own custom cap.


I did some poking and was able to break and remove the silver ring with needle-nose pliers. The lid beneath can now be pried open with a screw driver.


How can I remove an energy gel stain from my carpet?

No need for vinegar yet. The stuff is very water soluble.
If you get the carpet too wet, you'll just transfer the sugars to the floor under the carpet.
I'd put a wet, not slopping wet, towel on it, and let it sit overnight. The sugars should be drawn into the towel. It might take several applications. Once you've got most of it, go ahead and attack w a wet sponge/vinegar.


Converting outlets in 3 3/4 boxes to GFCI

If the box is not deep enough, as sometimes happen, get a "box extension". If it's a finished room with the boxes embedded in the wall, try a "surface conduit starter box".

If it's simple, industrial style surface mount metal box, you want either a "4x4 box extension" and/or a 2-gang mud ring, as needed to provide depth.   Then you use any common Decora faceplate. Do not use dome faceplates, unless absolutely necessary, because this.

There is no earthly reason you should need to shop for these online. Most home improvement stores will have most or all of this; a local electrical supply will be able to hand it to you in 30 seconds (and be cheaper lol).

Remember you only need one GFCI device per circuit.  The GFCI protection can be passed on to other plain outlets, if they are connected to the GFCI's Load terminals.

If you do not intend to avail yourself of this feature, do not use the Load terminals at all - leave the "For Wizards Only" warning tape on them.  Load terminals are not for onward connections (unless you mean to protect them obviously).

And especially, do not waste GFCIs by connecting the Line inputs of one GFCI to the Load outputs of another. That is sheer silliness and will create real complications when you try to reset them after a trip.


Need standard naming description of shape of mirrors on wardrobe

That style of panel, whether it's a cabinet door or some other type of furniture, is typically called Cathedral.
Note that depending on where you are in the world there are certainly bound to be other local/colloquial names for it.


Can ground attached to neutral fool a receptacle tester?

The tester can't tell the difference. One way to look at is that electrically, since neutral and ground are already bonded at one location (normally the main panel), the electrons don't know the difference. But the other way to think about it is to look at what the tester is actually doing.
What do the Lights Indicate?
These testers are actually 3 simple lights connected as follows (left to right on your particular tester, others may vary):

Hot to Ground
This will light up provided that Hot is indeed Hot (and not Neutral) and Ground is functional.
Note that Ground being functional in this context does not mean "connected to a water pipe or rebar or a ground rod", though that alone might be enough. It means "ground connected to neutral in the main panel".
That also means that if Ground is connected directly to neutral in this receptacle box, the tester does not see that as a problem.

Hot to Neutral
This will light up provided that Hot is indeed Hot (and not Neutral) and Neutral is functional.

Neutral to Ground
Since Neutral and Ground are bonded in the main panel, this light is normally off. Connecting them inside the receptacle box won't make any difference. Where this does light up is if something else is really messed up so that current flows between neutral and ground. The most likely scenarios are Hot swapped with either Neutral or Ground, so the tester "identifies" those conditions but those are really not guarantees as there are other possible situations.

What do the Light Combinations Mean?
There are 8 possible combinations. But "all on" would be really strange (but possible if someone wires a 120V receptacle to a 240V breaker) so that is not included. The other combination not included is Off, Off, On. That would mean current flowing only between Ground and Neutral (the exact opposite of this question), and no current flowing between Hot & Neutral or between Hot & Ground, which would be pretty hard to do (Open Hot + Hot/Neutral swapped?)
Just remember, the titles assigned are based on the most common scenarios but are not the only possible problems.

Off, On, Off = Open Ground - Hot to Neutral but no Hot to Ground

On, Off, Off = Open Neutral - Hot to Ground but no Hot to Neutral

Off, Off, Off = Open Hot - But really means "nothing at all" - e.g., could be "Open Ground + Open Neutral but Hot OK" - so don't assume this means there is no hot wire present - that could be a deadly mistake!

On, Off, On = Hot/Ground Reverse - Hot to Ground OK, but not Hot to Neutral, so the likely situation is that the Hot & Ground wires are reversed but it could be something else.

Off, On, On = Hot/Neutral Reverse - Hot to Neutral OK, but not Hot to Ground, so the likely situation is that the Hot & Neutral wires are reversed but it could be something else.

On, On, Off = Correct - Except, it really only tells you that Hot is in the right place and that all Ground & Neutral are, collectively, correct. It does not tell you, for example, if Ground & Neutral are reversed or, as originally asked, if Ground & Neutral are combined.

Could Such a Tester Be Made?
The one possibility I can think of is based on any wire (ignoring superconductors - we are talking about normal residential copper wires) having some resistance. So a "normal" neutral to ground path (i.e., round-trip to main panel) would have some resistance - a quick search showing 2.525 Ohms/1,000 feet) on 14 AWG - you could measure that resistance. If you have 50' of neutral in one direction and 50' of ground in the other direction, that would be a total of 0.2525 Ohms - small but measurable, compared to essentially 0 Ohms if ground & neutral are connected in the receptacle. But this would require some pretty careful measurements that you simply aren't going to get from a $10 receptacle tester. Plus it would need even higher accuracy to work on 20' length of 12 AWG wire. Just open the receptacle and check it out...


Is it possible to install pocket doors in the cavity of an external wall?

One thing that comes to mind is that the pocket would not be very well insulated and so you might have heating/cooling issues with that wall (depending on how the conservatory is used).


What anchor type should I use for mounting a pull-up bar installation into concrete?

Tapcon makes a heavy duty masonry screw designed for applications like ledger boards. They come in the longer lengths as well. You'll have to drill holes with a masonry bit first (you can buy bits for a standard drill if you don't have a hammer drill), but they bite really well.

I have a pull-up bar mounted on wood studs (had to cleat it with 2x4s since the holes didn't line up). Just to be sure the cleat can't move I have 2 4" lag bolts driven in the top with 3" screws driven in the bottom. I would want a minimum of 3" on this to make sure it doesn't move.


Waterproofing plumbing stack in bathroom

What does waterproof the pluming mean?
Plumbing is designed to keep the water    on the inside of pipes.
If there is a leak in a pipe then the pipe should be repaired.

He was also unsure he was allowed to waterproof inside the stack. Is
this correct?

We can  not say what the plumber can or can not do.
Waterproofing the inside of pipes is not  normally done unless it is an underground or otherwise  an inaccessible pipe. In that situation there is a  procedure, internal pipe coating, to coat the inside of pipe instead of digging it up.

And are there any issues with waterproofing my floor?

If the pipes are not leaking then waterproofing the floor is not necessary, If the pipes are  leaking then waterproofing the floor is not the correct coarse of action.


Wiring new 'c' wire to heat pump system. Do I need to connect at both air handler and condenser?

You should connect the C wire, from whichever unit supplies the R wire. Typically it's the air handler, but since you've given no details it's impossible to say for sure.


White solid drain pipe vs black flexible corrugated pipe for a french drain

Tim Carter at AskTheBuilder.com has a lot of articles on French/Trench drains. He likes solid pipe and I agree. You are correct in that the holes point DOWN. Here's why - the water won't magicially find the holes if they are pointed up, but if they are down, the water can fill the trench and then flow into the pipe. Put a cleanout on the upper end if you can, if you don't want it sticking out of the ground, then come up with a 45 elbow and bury the cap right below the ground. I would NOT put a sock on the pipe. That will just clog. If dirt gets into the pipe, most will flow out because its rigid, and hopefully you can put a cleanout on it, or you can run a snake in from the outlet. I would put some straw or landscape fabric right under the top soil. Use 3/4 gravel as filler, not smaller. Read Tim's articles if you get a chance.


Intermittent power failures in a new build

I'm with @Tyson, my money is on the utility side. Outages like this are frequent especially if you are in a newer area where there is a lot of construction or in an old area where there hasn't been much maintenance on the lines. Check with the utility company if it is on their side they will have a list of recorded outages, right up to your meter if you have a smart meter. If it is not the utility company then your problem lies somewhere between the load side of your meter and the bus in your main panel.

Good luck


If it stopped after painting, then I would guess that it has nothing to do with what's behind the wall. (Unless they were able to get behind the walls themselves) Could be just bad luck, but I'd suggest checking the wiring connections on the bells. Take them off and reconnect them if needed.

Could your system be connected together at the bells?

After the comments below, I've (terribly) tried to draw up what it sounds like it looks like.

My best guess is that there used to be an old transformer that was used for the old bell and button. The contractor that added the new transformer would have removed the old one and used it's box, or wherever it was located, as the junction location to reconnect everything.. Does this sound reasonable? Since you have power to the light switch, but neither bell works, the issue must be between the button and the junction box or between the junction box and your new transformer. It could be a wire that's come loose in the box or something that's interrupted one of those two wires.

You might call the old contractor and ask about this possibility? If they did something like this, they should know where the box was.


Is there any chance you've cross-threaded it?  If you're sure it's not cross-threaded, then I'd check for a missing washer or O-ring.  It may have blown out of the aerator when you were backflushing it with the hose.


Squirrel or rat; and do I trap first or exclude first?

Get tin snips and a soup can.  Cut 'teeth' so that each tooth is about 1/6 of the circumferrence of the can and staple them points pointing toward each other, but spaced out a bit.  The curve should point away from the wall.  My first guess is that you should be able to slide a broom handle through the space between the teeth.  Your squirrels may vary, but they are smaller than you think.  Another estimate 3/4 of the size of the hole they carved.

The idea is that a squirrel can push the teeth aside to exit, but they jab when trying to enter.

Another method may be to tack a piece of hardware cloth with fence staples as a hinge.  In essence you are building a 1 way pet door. Tie a small weight to the bottom edge so that if fits fairly close.  This one may be opened by smart squirrels.

You may want to run a microphone on a stick into the hole and see if you can hear inhabitants.


Drywall work adjacent to painted surfaces - problems with adhesion?

It's not usually an issue unless you're dealing with glossy paint or some of the older enamels. If you're concerned, rough it up or spot-prime the painted areas with a good bonding primer and carry on.


How can I pour a concrete floor over a particle board subfloor?

Frankly, Stacey, the thought of a concrete-over-wood floor frightens me badly. IF you can determine that your existing framing can carry that much additional "dead load", then definitely rebar and remesh (the mesh) well or it'll crack. You should know that the floor will want at LEAST 2" of thickness, which means each square foot of flooring will weigh at least 25 pounds, so the floor for a 12'x12' room would weigh a total of 3600 pounds (nearly two tons).

Talk with your local concrete companies - they may be able to mix a batch of lightweight concrete for your purposes - if you're dead-set on this. It WOULDN'T hurt to employ an engineer to verify that your structure will tolerate that much extra loading, though.

You do know that the concrete floor will be very cold underfoot, right?

EDIT: ...and that it'll always generate "concrete dust"?


Is it OK to block off an unused root cellar to mitigate moisture problems?

It probably sweats because it isn't vented properly to the outside and blocked from the inside. If it's truly a cold area, it should be vented to the outside and also vapor blocked from the inside. Most likely hot wet air from your house is mixing with cold air in the cold room and condensing on the walls or something.

They deal with these on episodes of Holmes on Homes all the time.  In one episode I think they removed the vents and spray foamed it to be part of the inside house and in another they added vents and a better door to make it separate from the house.


Furnace won’t stay running and when the blower motor runs it sounds like it is sucking up water

Your furnace drain is clogged

No, seriously.  From the appearance of this furnace, it is a condensing (aka "high efficiency") type furnace.  In a non-condensing ("medium efficiency") furnace, the water produced by combustion goes out the flue as vapor along with all the other things that you don't want in your house.  However, condensing furnaces extract enough heat from the burner exhaust gases that the water in them largely condenses out as liquid, which is drained to the sewer system, while the rest of the gases go on their way out the vent pipe.

As a result, a condensing furnace like yours needs to have a free-flowing drain to function.  If the drain is clogged, condensate backs up and into the furnace as you are observing, causing it to shutdown for one reason or another.  Fixing the clogged drain with a thin plumber's snake or compressed air (not Draino, as you don't want drain cleaner getting on furnace parts) should get the furnace going for the moment, but you'll want to have a technician examine your furnace closely at the first opportunity to make sure that condensate hasn't gotten places it shouldn't have (such as into the electrical workings or the gas system).

The owner's manual recommends inspecting & cleaning the condensate line semi-annually.


The contractor should have busted up the top of the pool sides and cracked the concrete basically everywhere else.  I have filled a few pools.  We jackhammer the crap out of everything.  There are holes punched every foot or two everywhere.  You then totally chop off the first couple feet on the sides - especially on the downslope side to allow drainage.

Most water never makes it more than a couple feet deep during a rain.  So water is traveling 1-2 feet underground and what does it hit - the side of your pool.   So you are going to have a little pond until you fix that issue.

So at the very least you will need to dig out the entire side of the downslope.  If you have a flat yard then I would dig out all three sides not adjacent to the house.  You then need to bust out the first few feet and poke some holes further down.  Your contractor really half-assed this job - call him back if you have a warranty or contract that allows you to.


Do front loader washing machines need more electricity?

That 1500W is the maximum motor power of a front-loading washing machine, relative to the maximum of a top-loading washing machine. Front-loading washing machines only use that much power when doing high-speed spinning, and that's only a small part of the cycle; generally they're just gently turning the wash over. More significantly, front-loaders use much less water, and specifically much less hot water, saving heating energy as well as clean water.

Another reason for a high peak load may be that it's a cold-fill-only unit. These are designed to only draw cold water, using their own heating unit for when a warm or hot wash is desired. Of course, this uses energy, but in return saves the energy that would be used by your hot water heater. This may seem like a wash [sorry about that] but the hookup is simpler, which can be important in large buildings. More importantly, if the washer is a long way from the hot water supply then there may be more water in the pipe than the washer uses to fill itself. In that case, a hot-and-cold unit would try to fill itself with hot water, but just get the cold water from the pipe, leaving the new hot water slowly cooling in the pipe, ready to be cold for the next load. A cold-fill-only unit would just heat the water it needed, leaving you with the desired temperature wash and no wasted heat.

Finally, with that powerful motor the final spin is much faster, and so they extract much more water from the clothes before they go into the dryer, so the dryer will use far less energy (electricity or gas) to dry them.


Smoke detector placement in long open concept space

I would place it halfway between B and C as well
I would place the smoke alarm halfway between B and C, or in other words, about in the middle of the living/dining space.  If we look at the NFPA 72 prescriptive criteria for smoke alarm/detector siting, we first note that we can't place the alarm within 10' of the range (29.8.3.4 point 4), which means that A is right out.  This is indeed for the reason you state: a smoke alarm in a kitchen would have far too many nuisance alarms to be useful, even though modern alarms are better at rejecting nuisance smoke than older units thanks to enhanced UL testing.
Likewise, B would be a bit nuisance-alarm-prone as well, as it's within the 20' radius that requires enhanced nuisance smoke rejection, while C is out of range of the back of the dining area. (No point in the room can be over 21' away from a typical smoke alarm as per the 17.3.2.3.1 point 2 prescriptive criteria.)  As a result, roughly midway through the living/dining area is probably going to be the best place for the smoke alarm to go.


I'd start by LIGHTLY power washing with a detergent, or if you don't want to rent a power washer and need a workout, use a stiff bristled scrub brush to scrub down the deck with detergent. That'll remove the black/slimy stuff, and will probably resolve most of the problems with the deck itself. Don't really grind into it with the power washer.

The main thing you're going to need to figure out before you can replace portions of it is precisely what the material is. Did your parents have the deck built, or was it there? If you can find old receipts or quotes, that might tell you what the material is. It also might be under warranty -- most of the early composites had a warranty for 15 or 30 years, and if it's only ten years old, then the spongy boards might be replaced by the manufacturer if they're still around. Hard to tell without actually having a product and manufacturer name.

The difficulty with replacing boards in a deck like this without exposed nails is that you have to take off most of the boards to get to the one you need to replace. You start at the edge and remove the facing board, and then you have to remove the hardware holding each board down in turn to be able to safely remove and slot in a replacement. The replacement also won't match, and unlike wood, the composites don't weather to the same color quickly. If the money's there, you might just consider having the entire deck resurfaced, especially if your parents are elderly and the house is going to be sold as they move on in life.


What can I use to fill a 5mm gap between a PVC window frame & a double-glazed window pane that it too thin?

There may be a possibility of finding thicker glazing strips to hold the glass in tighter. Window manufacturers sometimes use thinner glazed units in other windows they make, so if you can find the producer of the unit, you may find a glazing strip to cut to length that will hold it in. That is the better of the options I will suggest, although it may be really difficult to get it.

The other is to, I will write this with my head down and my eyes not meeting yours, metaphorically speaking, cause I think it is really a second rate way to fix it.
That is, use silicone caulk to back the glazing to hold it to the seal on the outside. The biggest problem is the silicone will not press the glass against the seal to do the job it needs to keep the rain out. It will be messy if you are not familiar with caulking, especially with silicone, and the window may still leak because the pressure is not being applied to seal the window at the outside face. Laying the window down flat so the weight of the window is pressing the seal, then apply the caulk, let it cure, then set the window sash back in place in its jamb.


Propane appliances throwing orange flames suddenly and generator's back firing

Kris' comment is likely a good reference. Consider to perform a test by operating only one device. If the duration of normal operation increases, or normal operation continues throughout the test, it's an indication of too-low temperatures preventing the tank from allowing evaporation.

The backfire of the generator is another indication of insufficient evaporation. A generator takes a substantial amount of propane compared to other devices, increasing the cooling on the remaining liquid.

If you can operate appliances other than the generator, you may discover the evaporation level to be sufficient to continue.

Pouring warm or hot water over the tank will improve conditions inside the tank, but I don't have the math to determine how much heat has to be applied to accomplish continuous running of the generator and other devices.

Because the propane gets colder as it evaporates during use, the amount of heat you can apply will improve the circumstances of operation. If you can manage really hot water, you'll come out even farther ahead.

I can envision a "camp fire" environment, with a kettle of water. A hose running from a water source to a set of coils inside the water kettle will create hotter water for the propane tank. One does not really need the kettle, if one constructs the coil directly in the fire but hat may raise the temperature too high for safety's sake.

Using water as a means of increasing the tank temperature reduces the risk of overheating the tank to an overpressure release.

The mention of ice freezing on the tank shows you how cold the propane is (and of course low ambient temperature doesn't help!) One very good reference mentions that 60°C (140°F) water is used to assist vaporization of the propane in cold conditions. We used to keep our hot tub at 100-110°F and it was pretty darn toasty, so you won't likely overheat the tanks.

According to the article on the linked site, propane boils at -42°C/-44°F, which tells you that the evaporation during use is causing the propane to chill itself below those temperatures!


Can 12-2 Romex run close to the floor and the back up to the box?

Two concerns that I know of:

Water

If the wire is at least a few inches off the floor then this is a non-issue. But if it is literally on the floor then water - whether deliberate from washing the floor or accidental from an overflow - could get into the cable and cause problems because standard NM cable is not rated for wet areas.

Physical Protection

As with any other cable up to (I think) 8 feet above the floor, cable needs to be protected from damage. This can be conduit or raceway (wiremold) or it can be wood screwed into place around the cable to protect it from accidental damage.
As noted in a comment, conduit + THWN wire would take care of both potential problems.


Years ago, every room had a cold air return. Today, most HVAC systems have a central return air grill. In order to get air delivery into that room, the bottom of the doors need to be trimmed. I am from the "old school" and still believe in a return grill in every room except the bath room and the kitchen. Why the central return grill, installed cost, of course. Now we see questions as to "how can I reduce the noise coming into a bedroom"? Easy, insulate the walls, add a return in that room, and replace the door which has had the bottom cut off to enhance air flow.  My 2 cents.


In all the nail sizes specified in the charts, 10D (3") nails are also an option. In the building trade, that is the size pretty much used everywhere when it comes to nailing up framing in anyplace.

In answer to the 8D question, 4 nails will easily fit into the bottom of a 2X4, yes they will cross each other, but only in the plate where the split resistance will be optimal. The angle used to drive them in and the height the nails enter the stud to get a good grip into the plate, should not allow them to collide in the stud.

If the 3" nails are an issue, 3 1/4" nails are available too. I have never seen 16D nails on a shelf in any supply house either.


It should be buried at least 18" or have at least  4" concrete cover extending 6" to either side of the conduit. Or, as mentioned, it could be attached to a wall/fence above-ground.

Pouring a 4" slab that extends 6" to either side (i.e. minimum 14" wide, centered on it) would be the straightforward solution.

Burying it 2" would be just as bad as it is now, from a code point of view.

See NEC table 300.5

If trenching rather than pouring concrete, you might want to make it a more direct run (lacking a diagram, I'm guessing it turns to run along the fence, rather than being a straight run now) in which case there would be no splices needed if the resulting run is shorter (one side of a triangle rather than two sides.) Assuming a right angle turn, you'd go from 120 feet now to about 102 feet on the diagonal, leaving you 18 feet "extra" (roughly 3 of which you would use going down to the proper trench depth.) If digging, beware of your own services (septic tank, sprinkler lines, possibly underground conduit between garage and house?) and call whatever service (dig-safe or similar) marks utility underground services in your area sufficiently in advance to have them mark any of their services. You do NOT want to dig through a utility line without having called (if you call, they mark it, and you hit one where it's not supposed to be, it's on them, not you.)


What amperage panel do I need for a hair salon?

The usual way for an electrician or engineer to size a service is to do a load calculation that takes into account everything on the service - not just the receptacles at the stations but also the microwave in the break room, the water heater, the lights, etc.  The load calculation takes into account which loads are likely to be on for long periods continuously and "diversity."  In this context diversity means taking into account that you won't turn everything on at once.

I am a little surprised at what the electricians are telling you but if they're saying the same thing they're probably right.  The size service available to you could depend on a lot of things - the size of the conduit that feeds your space, power company rules, utility transformers, local NYC electrical regulations, etc.


How can I pour a concrete patio under my existing deck without surrounding the deck posts in concrete?

Support either side of each post, cut it off, insert a steel stub base or pour a new concrete base to a height slightly above the planned slab, pour the new slab.

Or, just make sure the "expansion joint" around each post is actually around each footing, boxing out the whole area, and fill with pea stone or marble chips after pouring the slab.

Or skip pouring a slab and just put in a base for pavers and build the patio from pavers.


If it's been working fine with it off, I'd leave it off. That way you always have a backup. 2 60 amp double pole breakers, that's a lot of juice. The incoming wire may be two small. Or if your house is a 100 amp service it could trip your main breaker.

How cheap is electricity where you live? I'd freeze before I ran that thing here in Toronto.


Is it safe and legal to tape cable with a damaged sheath?

You would have to inspect the individual wires inside that outer sheathing.

The black, red, and white insulations should be 100% intact and not nicked/torn in any way or else you run the risk of serious problems.

Whether or not this "fix" is acceptable per code in your area would be determined by the code in your area so when in doubt contact your county/city engineer and they will make sure you do it right.


I recently learned on a trrick on ajob site for this problem. Use a utility knife to cut around the hole. Use some thing as a template to trace aroud before cuttng.
Then use the same template and cut anew pice of sheet rock the same size. But taper it like you would if you were cutting the top of a jack o lantern. It will slide in perfectly with a little mud around the edges it will stay in place and stay flush or just slightly off.
You can then fill or sand to get it flush.

It works perfect and is very easy. Not a lot of skill involved


How can I improve the wiring under the sink for a garbage disposal?

The answer to your question depends completely on whether this node in the circuit is GFCI-protected. GFCI protection is an absolute must for your disposer; it's a high-amperage electric motor hooked up to your kitchen drain.

Since this J-box doesn't have a standard 3-prong outlet, you'll need to find another outlet on the same circuit; look for a countertop outlet nearby. Plug in an outlet tester (like the one below, available for $5-10 from your local big-box home improvement store), turn on the disposer, and hit the black button on the tester to short hot to ground, inducing a "ground fault".

If the disposer has GFCI protection, it will cut out, and you're golden as far as circuit safety. If not, you definitely need to rewire this J-box with a GFCI outlet.

Even if the disposer is GFCI protected, you have other problems. The outlet is in a "wet" place; you hope that the under-sink area never leaks, but there is always, always, a plumbing emergency at the kitchen sink at some point. To avoid a continuous ground fault through contact with standing water in the J-box (which would prevent you from resetting the GFCI until the whole area dried out), you should seal this area as best you can. A little adhesive spray foam to fill the gap between the wall and the back of the cabinet, followed by a layer of silicone adhesive caulk to waterproof the spray foam (people think spray foam is waterproof, but it really isn't), and a child-resistant outlet and plate with a rubber or neoprene gasket (and/or another dab of silicone) should keep the water out in any situation less than a full flood.


Does an outdoor hot tub receptacle and breaker both have to be GFCI?

GFCI is not a receptacle or breaker.   It is a zone of protection provided by the GFCI device.  It protects everything down the line from the GFCI device.

Sometimes the GFCI device itself has a couple of convenience outlets that are on the protected side: a GFCI+receptacle combo device.  This is what you mean when you casually say "GFCI", because this is the most visible form of GFCI device.

You are also familiar with the GFCI+circuit breaker combo device. This obviously protects loads downline, since it has no convenience outlets of its own, just two "LOAD" terminals.  GFCI+breaker combos are $40-ish.

Then there is the GFCI-only (not a combo) device, a "black box" which does only the GFCI function.  It has two LINE inputs, two LOAD outputs, and that's all.  It typically comes in a rather familiar looking package, hence the slang term "deadfront".  Deadfronts are about the price of the cheapest GFCI+receptacles since they don't need child-safe sockets nor outdoor rating, around $15-18.

Since this is a dedicated circuit for 1 appliance, you also need a single plug. Common and $5 in plain sockets - rare and expensive in GFCIs.

Why do we care where we protect?

First, are the wires protected?  If the GFCI+receptacle gets wet, or water gets inside the box, water can contact the non-protected wires directly. The GFCI tripping won't help you at that point. Not an issue with GFCI+receptacles upstream.
A GFCI outdoors is also ravaged by the elements and will have a much shorter service life, which is a shame because it also must be an "outdoor-rated" GFCI at extra cost.
Anti-tamper safety doors over the blades are required, these are much cheaper on plain receptacles than GFCI receptacles.
Cost -- GFCI+breaker combo devices are around $40 and you are married to your panel brand*; if your panel is an obsolete like Pushmatic, you're out of luck.   Deadfronts cost $15-18 + $5 for a plain breaker.  Outdoor rated, anti-tamper GFCI+receptacles cost $25+.

* Siemens makes breakers specifically for Square D QO panels; and UL lists them for QO panels only (they don't fit Siemens panels). However they are not any cheaper than Square D's QO breakers, so these "classified" breakers are a waste of time. So Don't mix and match brands, even if they "seem to" fit.


Skill level required to install new windows

I don't think it's that technically hard.  It does take some time and care.  A number of years ago, I installed 21 replacement Andersen windows in my house.  I was able to do about 2 to 4 a day working part time.

Replacement Windows avoided issues that putting in a "new construction" window requires.
You have to deal with the exterior and interior finishes.  On the exterior side, its about the flashing and waterproofing. And fitting with the siding.  Inside, you have to fit the jambs to the wall, fix any insulation & drywall issues, and fit the interior trim.

Even on replacement windows, I found myself having to fix and replace rotted and failing parts of the existing window sills, jambs and trim.

The job entails attention to detail, ability to cut,shim, and fit, understand the house wrap and sealing.  Eventually mounting the window level, plumb, and square.

For the unpracticed, it can be a learning curve that takes time and fiddling.  But if you are persistent you will pickup speed.   There are instructions that come with the windows, and videos you can watch online.


Current state of the art foundation waterproofing

Current state of the art is a dimpled drainage mat applied against the foundation and lapped over the footing, with a drainage pipe at the bottom to carry off water. The pipes can drain to daylight if there's enough slope on your lot, to a sump pit, or to the sewer/waste plumbing if that's legal in your location. The whole thing looks like this:


Connecting an exterior outlet to an interior outlet

The question I would have is the box large enough to have 7 conductors and a device for wire fill calculations. I would turn the power off remove the wires from the back stabs and connect the 2 existing blacks with the new black and a short pig tail to the inside outlet. once that is done I would do the same to the Hot side making sure to keep the polarity correct to the outlet. Tie the ground for the new outlet to the existing grounds. With that done install a GFCI outlet outside with a "in use" or extra duty cover and it would be fine. Make sure to use the same gauge wire to the new outlet (you can use larger but that affects the box fill calculations. With 14 awg wire 18 cu inch box would be needed (if plastic no clamps +2 if it has clamps) for 12 awg wire 20.25 cu inch box would be needed if no clamps (+2.25 for clamps).


There are a number of solvents out there that will remove that with no more effort than applying it to the spot. I use lacquer thinner for many problem spots, Goof-off may work, Goo-be-gone, things of that nature that will not even begin to harm the stainless steel.

Do not use a steel wool pad!!!! Or anything of that nature, a solvent will do it.

To try it, put some on a clean rag and rub the spot a little on the thinnest place the oil is, if the removes the thinnest places, carry on with the rest, if not, try another.

Come to think of it, alcohol (denatured or isopropyl)is used to prep teak for gluing. It removes the oils on the surface of the wood so the glue bonds better.


Consumer unit tripping and hard to reset

As a follow-up, there were a couple of issues:

The RCD was broken. It was tripping correctly, but it should have been able to be reset. This has been replaced and now works as expected (and as an aside, I'll soon be replacing the whole CU).

The washing machine was defective. Once the RCD was fixed I was able to perform some tests. The heating element had failed. Disconnected it stopped it tripping the RCD. I've installed a new heating element and it now works perfectly.

Thanks for everyone's help & suggestions.


How should I repair rotten load-bearing porch posts?

This could be a DIY project, but it's pretty big. Anytime you start messing with support columns you can get yourself into a big project. But, that said, this is most likely doable.

You need to get the bottom of the post off the ground with some sort of concrete footing and replace the bottom (or all) of the post.

Basically, if you hired a contractor, he'd prop up the roof using doubled 2x8's on each side of the post. Then he'd either replace the whole post or cut off the post about 2 feet from the ground.  He'd probably (based on code) also dig a hole and pour a concrete footing and then bolt the new post base back in. The size and depth of the footing can vary by local regs and the contractor's preference.

If it were me, I'd prop up the porch, take out a post, dig a hole (2 foot+, unless you are concerned about frost heave in which case 4 feet+), put in a sono tube up to about a foot above ground, fill it with concrete and put a new post in.

Based on local code, this would probably require a permit (but depends on where you are and the nerve of your contractor - personally, I'd do this myself without a permit...)

You reuse the metal bracket by embedding in the top of the new footing (sand it and paint it with rust proof paint), but you might not need it. Home Depot has lots of various bracket to attach vertical columns to footings. Also, google images is your friend on how this can look.


How do I clean a 96-gallon automated trash can?

Dilute chlorine bleach and your garden hose (assuming an adjustable nozzle that can give you a focused spray).  No scrubbing required.

You can't really prevent it from getting smelly, but keeping all the trash in plastic bags will help.  I use 13-gallon drawstring bags in the main kitchen trashcan and plastic shopping bags in my others.  Tie them off before dropping them in the trashcan.


Retrofit ground is allowed, so you should be OK. There are 5 possible issues with that ground wire:

It is stranded (though rather thick strands). That is a bit unusual for ground. One of the pros can speak up as to whether that is a code issue or not.

It might be aluminum. For a bunch of reasons, that would be a problem. However, from the picture it appears that it may be either coated copper (in which case it is fine as long as you have a good connection) or just dirty (also fine, once you clean it off). If it is aluminum then the dissimilar metals problem comes up, but if that is the case then I think there are bigger problems as a single aluminum wire would not normally be installed as a retrofit ground, so that may be an indication of improper installation.

Where does it go? It must go back to something connected to the primary ground (i.e., in the main panel). That could be direct, or it could be via another circuit (which is OK). But you need to find out. While technically it may be OK, connection to a copper water pipe is not a great solution here, because plumbing could be changed at some time that would end up leaving the ground disconnected.

Color. Grounds are normally bare wire or green. There are exceptions at really large sizes, but that does not apply here. Electrically the color makes no differences (electrons are color-blind), but it does matter for code. From a practical matter, wrapping the exposed white area and the white area on the other end of the wire where it connects to the building ground takes care of making sure that the next owner doesn't get confused.

Is the ground working? Simplest way to check that is to check for continuity between the ground wire and the neutral (white in the cable) wire. But remember that even if you have continuity, the concerns noted above still apply.


Electrical boxes are required by code for some wiring methods.  300.15 specifically mentions conduit, tubing, Types AC, MC, MI, nonmetallic sheathed cable, and other cables. However, 300.15(H) says that insulated devices do not require a box, as permitted by 334.40(B).

300.15(H) Insulated Devices. As permitted in 334.40(B), a box or conduit body shall not be required for insulated devices supplied by nonmetallic-sheathed cable
334.40(B) Devices of Insulating Material. Self-contained switches, self-contained receptacles, and nonmetallic-sheathed cable interconnector devices of insulating material that are listed shall be permitted to be used without boxes in exposed cable wiring and for repair wiring in existing buildings where the cable is concealed. Openings in such devices shall form a close fit around the outer covering of the cable, and the device shall fully enclose the part of the cable from which any part of the covering has been re-moved. Where connections to conductors are by binding-screw terminals, there shall be available as many terminals as conductors.

There's also 300.15(E), which allows devices with an enclosure integrated into the device.

(E) Integral Enclosure. A wiring device with integral enclosure identified for the use, having brackets to securely fasten the device to walls or ceilings of conventional on-site frame construction, for use with nonmetallic-sheathed cable, shall be permitted in lieu of a box or conduit body.

So, yes. If a receptacle was designed and listed specifically to be used without a box, then it can be used without a box.


How to install this cheap metal curtain rod?

You're not showing all the pieces. What we see is a curtain rod and the center support.

There are brackets for the end that the rod hooks over.

Pictured is a dual curtain rod hanger bracket. The hole in the rod catches on the tang and it drops down onto the bracket.

The answer to your problem might be shown in the picture, use a nice board that spans across the window opening about six inches above. Use screws to hold it to the studs and then mount the curtain to that using stronger screws than came in the hardware pack. Graininess of the cellphone picture doesn't do the spar varnish finish on the hemlock board any justice.

For spanning that window (10') there are heavy-duty three piece curtain rods constructed exactly like these but with two of the screw-in supports available in addition to the end brackets.


Can conduit just be left laying on the ground?

No way.  For PVC, it's actually 18" of cover.

  352.10(G) Underground Installations. For underground installations,
  homogenous and nonhomogenous PVC shall be permitted
  for direct burial and underground encased in concrete.
  See 300.5 and 300.50.


Lawnmower stopped working after the outlet it was plugged into bent

Check your breaker box.  If you have a kicked breaker, you may have pulled a wire loose, which caused a short, which kicked the breaker.  The second outlet may be on the same circuit.   Do not reset the circuit until the short is fixed.
You may have broken a wire in the lawnmower's cord, probably near the plug.


"Can I install tile over this material..."

No, not without further treatment. Composition/asphalt/rolled roofing materials are not an appropriate substrate for tile

"do i need hardy board. Would that be an ok solution to my ponding issue?"

No, Hardiboard alone will not work and will not solve your ponding issue, the water will continue to pond under the cement board

"Is additional weight a problem in the future?"

Weight might be a problem now and in the future, but weight as it relates to deflection is likely to be your biggest concern

I am afraid that you may be in for a bigger project than you envision if this is to be done properly. Rolled roofing materials are not an appropriate surface for walking on regularly, and ponding should not occur on an exterior deck surface designed for walking as they should always be sloped to drain or to a drain. It leads me to be suspicious of the original design and install.

To do it right would mean ensuring the deck is sloped to drain and meets minimum deflection specs (in other words, when a live load -person(s)- is/are on it, it does not flex too much). Then you will need to completely waterproof it (not just water resistant which is what rolled roofing is, water proof).

Down and dirty: install appropriate perimeter flashing, float concrete or "dry pack" over the existing surface to provide a slope and eliminate ponding, asphalt hot-mop (or apply some alternative high-tech waterproofer), float more concrete on that, then tile.

If it was me I would cut the deck off flush to the house and let it drop into the street, it's just a ledge for water to collect and cause damage (sorry to be pessimistic, but that's how I feel about balconies).


Beam size and material for 15 feet long swing

I would use the 4X8. If I had not seen the recommendation that you have posted, that is what I would have suggested.

The round pipe is not suited for the support of weight. "I beams" and such are. The round pipe where the swing will be attached has a high potential the colapse.
The round pipe can work if a truss configuration would be made of it, which would require welding.


How suitable is a reciprocating saw for cutting lengths of firewood (at home)?

A reciprocating saw WILL do the job. If that is what you have and you do not wish to buy/borrow/rent a chainsaw, then you can use it. Get a long blade, designed for cutting wood. These blades have large, sharp teeth with wide gullets between them.

The reciprocating saw will take longer to do the job, and it does have some vibration issues, but I can assert that you can use it for hours at a time. A good saw is a beast, designed for heavy duty work. (I did so to cut up the wood after we had an ice storm once. It left piles of wood behind that can only be measured as many cubic yards. My chainsaw was dead, and was painfully unwilling to be revived. Amazingly, I used only 3 blades for the entire job. The final pile of wood and brush was roughly 10 feet wide, 6 feet high, and 60 feet long.)

If you do use a reciprocating saw for this purpose, you might buy some gloves with padding in the palms. Good gloves will be a necessity anyway, so use them. Ear protection is a good idea too.

If you already have a reciprocating saw and a circular saw, and want to just buy the right blades ... I'd consider a carbide blade in the circular saw, using it for wood that is up to 3 inches thick. Choose a blade with few teeth and large gullets. Then use the reciprocating saw with a wood blade only for those pieces that are too thick.

Having said all that, perhaps another solution if you do not wish to buy a gas powered chainsaw, is an electric chainsaw. These saws have no issues with gasoline, so are slightly simpler to deal with. It is still a chainsaw though. You will still need to use oil, and kickbacks are still a problem to watch out for, but a circular saw can also be dangerous if used unwisely.

Replace or sharpen dull blades as appropriate. A dull blade is a dangerous blade. It takes more effort to use, so you push harder. A good saw with a sharp blade should almost glide through the wood.

Finally, if you are cutting up a large amount of wood, then be careful. Do not work when you are tired. This is true using ANY saw. Stop and finish the job another day, a far better idea than spending time in the emergency room.


Does it matter if the power in goes into fixture before switch?

What you are proposing is called a switched neutral and is not a good idea, as well as being against code. The problem is that if you turn off the switch, there is still power being applied to the light fixture. If you go to, for example, replace a broken light bulb (where the base was left in the socket), even with the switch off, you could be electrocuted!

You should add the wire loop so that you can switch the hot side.


Outside garden hose bib plumbing - 1/2" or 3/4"'pex

I think you should take off for the outside faucet from the 3/4" PEX. This will have a lesser effect on the water pressure inside the house than taking off on the 1/2" line that goes to the kitchen. You can always throttle back at the outside faucet if you need to.
EDIT
You could run a 1/2" line to the outside faucet, split off from the 3/4" PEX.


How should I repair old drywall tape seams showing at wall and ceiling?

Is it normal for a contractor to use very little mud on a tape joint? Yes the thinner the coat the faster it dries. When recoating I would use topping mud over or instead of hot mud, you won't need much to hide the lines and topping mud is much easier to sand. Since your tape is well attached I would clean the area and skim coat it and sand. I don't use corner tools, usually a wide knife to taper the skim coat.

If you have high humidity in the room this may have caused the problem and a thin skim coat should last longer than the original because of the additional mud.


It sounds like the 23V is “phantom voltage” from capacitive coupling (read: picking it up like radio waves) from the adjacent hot wire.   Sort of the way a crystal AM radio can make an earphone sound solely off power picked up from the airwaves, except instead of an earphone it’s a highly sensitive meter (most cheap DVMs are highly sensitive).  That only happens if the neutral is disconnected at both ends.
It’s disconnected at the load end because all loads are turned off.
Go look for the reason it is disconnected at the service panel end.  Either the connection at the breaker isn’t very good, or at the first receptacle, or (rather unlikely) the wire is broken enroute.


I would:

rip down all the remaining lath and plaster.
check how level the joists are
fix up any crazy out of levelness with shims/wedges (depending maybe apply new furring strips)
rent a drywall lift - they typically reach 15'
install the drywall boards
hire a drywall guy to do the mud / tape / sanding (unless you already know how or feel like learning that part).


Someone probably misunderstood the requirements or changed plans. One conductor is probably unnecessary at the end of the circuit.

Refer to standard 4-way wiring as a guide and see if you can replicate it with your wires.


How are multiple switches in "or" setup functional?

Your switches are in parallel as the other answer.
You only have 1 phase of power - so there is no way the same phase can be out
of phase with itself in your example.
I would venture a good guess a DIY'er replaced the 4 way switch with something other than a 4 way switch like a 3 way or something else and passing through the hot to the load.
While not a code violation - the possibility that something could pose an issue exists .. my reasoning is that it is not normal and I suspect a DIY'er was in the switch boxes and wired things - the possibility to have a live wire floating around or some other unknown is enough to make me fix it right.
So here is what you should do to fix that - take a look at the wiring of the switches and see if they match the drawing below.

Grey in drawing is Neutral (really your White wire), Red is your travelers (they are hot at times), black is the hot wire, green or copper is ground.

Example 4 Way Wiring source first load last:


The screw eyes are not rusting. That's staining from the steel rope which i doubt is galvanized. The rust stains will come off with a little emery paper rub.


How to keep door open or closed automatically?

For an "off the shelf" solution, just use a door closer that has a "keep open" or "hold open" function. It will close the door, unless it's fully opened to the point of engaging the "keep open" function (or in some cases a knob on the close arm needs to be engaged to "keep open".)

It will not do any "open if here, close if there" games. It might be possible to configure one to keep the door open unless latched closed, but I haven not ever seen/tried that, while the stock "keep closed" function is utterly standard.

Spring hinges (more common for home "door closer" function) and a doorstop with strong magnets for the "keep open" would be a less obtrusive method.


Motion sensing light triggered by fan on the same circuit

The motion sensor's circuits are probably being confused by a voltage spike caused by an inductive kick from the fan.  The voltage levels in the device are disturbed, reversing some voltage comparison so that the light is activated. The problem can be attacked at either end.  Containing the surge at or near the fan, or preventing its entry into the motion detector.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snubber

Perhaps the fan has no snubber mechanism in place to mitigate inductive kicks when the motor is switched off. Without schematics for the fan and its control circuitry, it's impossible to give a specific recommendation such as "get such and such type of diode and solder it across such and such points".

A suitable film capacitor connected across the power terminals of the fan maybe able to contain the spike, and would make for a very cheap fix. The capacitance doesn't have to be very large (I'm guessing, on the order of .0nnn microfarads), but the capacitor should have a decent voltage rating, of at least a few hundred volts (i.e. beyond the line voltage) so it can take the spike.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_capacitor

The small capacitance of the surge cap appears to be nearly an open circuit to 60 Hz power line AC (a very high impedance). But a voltage spike looks like high frequency content which passes through the cap. The cap will "take the edge off" the spike, so to speak. It just has to do that well enough so that the motion sensor isn't falsely triggered.


Stair Handrail loose, but not due to screws loose

A cardboard or soft aluminium (from a drink can) shim sounds like an excellent solution to the problem.  You want it just thick enough that the screws into the handrail cause the loop to grip tightly when they are done up.


What do I need to know for wall-mounted desk

This is perfectly feasible, but you need different brackets. They should extend at least 2/3 of the way to the front edge of your table and be about 2/3 as tall as they are deep, at a minimum. There are a number of similar questions on DIYSE which may give useful details, but the gist of it is to use heavy-duty brackets and robust fasteners.

I don't know what "black screws" are, but I recommend 8mm (5/16") lag screws in purpose-built anchors, carefully placed in solid portions of your wall and penetrating at least 5cm (2"). For a 2m desk I'd use four or five such brackets, with all provided holes filled with screws.

You'll  need to fasten the top through the brackets as well, particularly at the rear, to prevent tilt. Use thick screws that penetrate about 3/4 the depth of the top, and pilot appropriately for them. A wrap of tape on your drill bit to indicate depth will prevent catastrophic mistakes.

If either end of the desk contacts a wall, install cleats to carry the load there. They'll add considerable stability to the top. Keep the front ends back a few inches so they don't show, and you can taper the end cut back as well.


Can I use a same brush for primer and paint

You can use the same brush with several types of paint in a short day.
Pro tip from a professional:
Thoroughly wet the brush with water. ( doesn’t need to be hot or warm.) give it a few shakes, tape the medal part on your shoe or tree, wipe it off back and fourth aggressively on your pants or cloth.
This prevents the Paint from being pushed so deep into the fibers.
Paint as you wish
Wash it right away
And repeat.
This DOES NOT dilute the paint whats so ever.
Sometimes when I’m painting commercial jobs or any type of paint that ends up drying more quick than I would like it to after an hour or so I will wash it clean and keep going.
Using a brush without wetting it is referred to applying with a dry brush which is not a normal application.
Some people disagree with this as they believe it will increase the chance of leaving a halo mark at the first 4 inches at the top of the wall Due to the fact you will be using a dry roller this does not hold true.  If a painter is getting a hail at the cut in line then they are not stippling it with a 4 inch roller.  When an artist paints a picture they continue to use the same brush for several colors with no problems what so ever.
Hope this helps !


What are the qualities of a top end paint versus a low end paint?

I have always been pleased with Behr paints from the Home Depot, though I know they are a bit pricey.

From my experience less expensive paints tend to have the following in common (and I'm sure this is by no means comprehensive)

less covering ability ... the pigments used don't seem to be able to provide as good a barrier to bleed through from what's on the wall now
less coverage ... probably related to the first point, but they also don't seem to get the same amount of square footage per gallon
more spatter/drips, the paint itself seems thinner leading to more cleanup
less selection of colours
less durable, the less expensive semi glosses that I've used don't seem to retain their finish as long leading to repainting earlier.
more marking, again related to the finish, the walls seem to mark up much easier

Again this is only based on my experiences, Sears used to have a good quality paint but lately I've bought Behr.  CIL is probably good in most cases as is Benjamin Moore.  I've used a number of bargain brands and don't really recommend any of them, and the last time I used a gallon of Walmart house brand was the last time I used a gallon from Walmart :-P

Hope this (mostly opnion) helps.


12/3 to disconnect box for mini split install?

Pull the neutrals out of the ground bar and join them with a wirenut
Routing neutral through an A/C disconnect is rather easy once you realize that you can splice inside it just the same as you would with an ordinary junction box.  So, all you have to do is remove the neutrals from the disconnect's bonded bar, nut them to each other with the appropriate sized wirenut, button the box back up, flip the breaker on, and call it a day!


Dishwashers are no longer being connected to garbage disposals, though that was the previous way and it grandfathered in for anyone that already has it installed this way. If you are plumbing a new trap in another part of your kitchen for the dishwasher, remember that it will require a vent.

See also Shirlock's answer here.


What is "sealing compound" for attaching a sink

There are several silicone or silicone-based adhesive caulks specifically forumulated for kitchen/bath use.  My personal favorite is DAP in the flexible tube.  But whatever trips your fancy...


In my experience, which is admittedly limited, you never want to glue hardwood to cement. Most hardwood manufacturers will tell you that you shouldn't put hardwood over a cement subfloor to begin with, but if you do you want to float it on a plywood subfloor or on plywood float strips. The problem is that the wood expands and contracts at a different rate from the cement, so when it does so through the season, you end up getting buckling and separation. Your best bet for a long-term fix is going to be to pull out the entire floor, salvaging as much as possible, and put in a plywood subfloor over the cement before nailing the hardwood to the plywood.

Having said all of that, I am not a contractor or professional floor installer, and I realize this could get very expensive very quickly. Unfortunately, IMHO, you're in a bad position thanks to faulty information from Home Depot, and your only good way out is the expensive way.


How should I prepare a wooden mould for casting plaster of paris?

You may find more (quantity) of plaster casting/release advice looking at ceramics sites on the web - plaster is frequently used for ceramics molds, while "house plaster" is (now) uncommon and may tend towards "hire us to come do this arcane art" more than "here's how you do it" advice (possibly including bad "here's how you do it advice," I have not really looked for such, but I've seen similar things on the web in other "arcane" fields...)
Typical release agents include "products sold for the specific purpose", (again, see ceramic suppliers) vaseline, liquid soap (rubbed on & allowed to dry in place, typically several times) cooking spray, vegetable oil. Priming is not needed, the release product will soak into the wood.
Given that you are looking at releasing a flat board, the simplest approach might be to cover it with something like waxed paper or plastic wrap, but any of the release agents mentioned above should work fine. A film product like paper or plastic wrap may release too easily (while you are working) and thus might not be as good as the usual methods, in fact.


How to reattach door handle where wood behind has deteriorated?

Traditional mortice door knobs were attached with grub screws to tapped holes in the spindles, so the force of pulling acted on the knob on the other side of the door, not the small screws holding the rose on. If you can replace with this sort of knob.


I see what appears to be threads at the top of the cover/diffuser. A counter-clockwise turn should remove it. I also see paint and drywall mud that MAY be preventing you from turning the diffuser.


I don't know what a "red cap" is on a toilet, but if it's hissing then water is passing somewhere and the most likely is that the float-valve is letting through.

It might stop if you bounce it a couple of times, if some grit has got in the mechanism, but otherwise it's a new valve or washer/diaphragm depending on the type of valve.


I would try a Dremel type tool with an abrasive cutoff wheel. Of course you need to be careful of the porcelain. I've cut many screws and bolts this way.

If you can't cut the bolt, you may be able to cut the nut, in the direction of the bolt's axis, then pry the nut apart at the cut line.


How can I connect a portable dishwasher to laundry hookups?

Thank you both for your comments and suggestions! I think I took a similar route to what you did. Here are the parts that made it all happen. This is for the water input.
And this is for the drain hose.

For the water input hose, I used a clothes washer size hose (3/4 inch) and converted it down two steps. First to 1/2 inch. Then to 3/8 inch. Then I put a brass barb converter on the end of the water hose from the dishwasher.

I used a Y splitter at the pipe hookup.

For the drain pipe, I used a regular dishwasher to sink drain pipe, but then left the top open so my washer can drain down the top and the dishwasher drains into the side.

So far I have ran two cycles with no issues. We'll see how it holds up in the long run!

I took more detailed photos each step of the way, so if anyone is interested in them just let me know!

Thanks!


Are there any advantages to using metal post spikes set in concrete when building a privacy fence?

The main con is that since its designed to be driven down, the tapered tip will offer less torque, even set in concrete, than a post set to a similar depth.
Another consideration is frost heaving.  The bare adapter should not heave, but the combined concrete/adapter might, unless the pour goes below the frost line.  This can be mitigated with SONOtubes use.
I wonder if using 2 ez-mender, set in concrete, might not give a more stable base.

(from the website: "Post bases do not provide adequate resistance to prevent rotation about the base and therefore are not recommended for non-top-supported installations such as fences or unbraced carports")


Need a hinge that pushes outwards as the door opens

I think this is as close as you are going to get, because of the width of your face-frame:


How do I build floating shelves in a nook with a mirror behind it?

You could mount support bars on the walls that touch the ends of the shelves. The bars should be screwed into studs that form the framing of the inset walls. Square tubing, either aluminum or steel would do well.

The shelves would need to be fairly thick.  They would have a slot (dado) cut into in the middle of the end edges, slightly wider that the thickness of the support bars. The front edge of the shelf could have a strip of matching wood glued to its face, hiding the slot. The remaining edge of the shelf, especially the top edge, should be substantial, preferably at least 1/2"

An alternative would be to use an angle iron instead of a bar. This would allow a thinner slot.

A blind mounting system on the sides only would allow you to mirror the whole wall. This assumes that the span of the shelf is not too long and there is not too much weight on it.  If the support bars (or angle irons) and shelves are solid, you probably could go up to 30" without too much problem


Should I switch from propane to electric heat?

You should consider a few conditions when deciding what is the most efficient (often cheapest) method for heating your home.

The Department of Energy site has some good resources about regional heating fuel costs.

Their heating fuel comparison calculator is a useful example:
http://www.eia.doe.gov/ask/conversionequivalents_faqs.asp#compare_heating_fuels

Consider installation costs as well as operating costs. There are obviously some pretty efficient heating techniques (geothermal and solar) that unfortunately, still have extremely high installation costs. This often makes their installation untenable.


Mounting a heavy (21 Kg) fan on a shed wall

(1) The fan as shown in the photo is upside down. Mounted in this position, the weight of the fan will pull the plate away from the beam. Turn it over so the weight will push the plate against the beam.

(2) The beam will hold the fan but the weight will apply a twisting force to the beam.

To overcome this, you should mount a board vertically from the beam to another anchor point, perhaps the steel beam directly above. Mount the fan on the vertical board, not directly on the beam.

Alternately you may be able to brace the fan mounting with a chain or other tension member between the end of the fan mount arm and the steel beam directly above.

Of course I'm not there so you'll have to identify and calculate the forces yourself.

(3) If you can, use through bolts with fender washers rather than large wood screws.


Slate is very porous, so however you install it, note that you're going to have to seal it well before it will be practical as a shower surround. As for grout, I'd use standard grout for shower tiles (as that's essentially what you are installing). Standard thinset should work for installing it on the wall.


How do I best build up concrete driveway where it meets the basement foundation of house?

You are correct about the thin layer of concrete not working.  The best way to fix it would be to cut and break out that area and raise it with packed dirt and then pour a new 4" slab.  Preferably giving the water another place to flow like off to the yard.


Why don’t I have power to new light fixtures I installed?

The thing about GFCI

GFCI isn't a special kind of socket.  It's a zone of protection.   Inside that zone, the current going in and out is monitored.  (electricity flows in loops, that's why every plug has at least 2 prongs).  If the 2 sides of the loop are equal, all is well. If not, current is leaking and could be shocking someone.

Here's an example of a zone.  Some GFCIs are circuit breakers.  The GFCI breaker places the entire circuit in its zone of protection.

You're well familiar with the GFCI receptacle.  Obviously, the GFCI socket places the sockets into its zone of protection, I mean duh :)  But actually, on the back of the GFCI receptacle, covered up with a warning tape that says (very roughly) "For Wizards Only", are two special terminals marked LOAD.  They have one purpose: extending the zone of protection to more of the circuit. (And they should never be used, ever, except for that one purpose - that's why the LINE screws take two wires).

So even a GFCI socket somewhere else can protect other stuff - lights, fans, and other sockets.

Think about it:  That socket in the bathroom must get its power from somewhere, right?  Very likely that place is itself some sort of GFCI device.   That would explain why the bathroom doesn't have a GFCI receptacle if it's already under the protection of a GFCI device somewhere else, it wouldn't need one!

Anyway... I have a sneaking feeling that you changed these lights with the power turned on.  And I have a feeling you touched a neutral wire to ground, or did something to cause imbalanced current to flow, and this tripped a GFCI somewhere.

So you need to go hunting for that GFCI recep, breaker or deadfront that has tripped.


Code compliance of running EMT on exterior of exposed chimney inside

Your fine as long as you can properly mount it. Rock is not normally a smooth surface and a little hard to anchor to in a neat workmanlike manner.


Yes I would call 5 to 10-minutes with a heat pump is a short cycle. You or someone needs to trouble-shoot to see what is interrupting the signal to the compressor contactor. If it is coming from the thermostat it could be programmed wrong. If you want a non-programmable Heat Pump stat try Honeywell #RTH3100C.  Many companies make this though.  Google non-programmable heat pump thermostat.


How can I tell if two outlets are on different phases?

If there are two separate duplex receptacles there now

Set your multimeter to measure AC volts.
Carefully stick one probe in the ungrounded (hot) side of one receptacle (the smaller slot).
Carefully stick the other probe in the ungrounded (hot) side of the other receptacle.

If you measure 240 volts (or there abouts), then the receptacles are on separate legs. If you measure 0 volts, they're on the same leg.

Keep in mind that the breaker and/or conductors that supply the circuit, could have been changed at the same time the receptacle was changed.  So you'll have to make sure the breaker and conductors are sized properly for the appliance you intend to install.

WARNING: If you don't feel comfortable jamming metal objects into an electrical outlet, you might want to contact a local licensed Electrician.


Steve, from the looks of the picture it appears as though part of the bracket is fastened to wafer board. In this cas it may pay you to put a steel plate (1/8" should suffice) under the bracket for support. Hover I do suggest doing it to both sides, since it is a matter of time before the other one loosens. Good luck!


1923 house with wood fireplace converted to gas problem

Any type of photo or even a rough drawing might help get more suggestions from the community. As far as the opening at the hearth being to large you will need firebrick to enclose it to the size required. In place of common cement mortar a refractory-type is used to bond the bricks together. It would be wise to dry- stack the bricks in the proposed location and see how it affects the draw from the hearth. That way you are able to add or remove bricks to control air draw before they become permanent.  Also, unless the chimney was upgraded at the time the fireplace was changed from wood to gas fuel, you should make sure the flue is the correct type. I seem to recall that the smoke from burning natural gas may cause an accelerated deterioration of the original brick and mortar chimney. It would be worth having it checked and looked at.


What is the best method for carrying a 4x8 by yourself over tough terrain?

Here's a low-tech method that's worked well for me:

Attach a loop of rope around the bottom corners and pull it up in the middle on the outside with your arm going over it and your other arm holding it stable in your armpit.


To answer the question in the title "Can disconnecting the cold switch on a shower pump save money?"  The pump you linked to uses 345 watts.  Assuming you use the cold water only in the bathroom for 10 minutes a day - cold tap, toilet flush, then you're looking at 5 hours per month at 345 watts.  Call it 2 kilowatt hours.  My local utility company charges about 15 cents per kilowatt hour.  Your net savings will be $3/year.


Can a room be very cold because of the floor?

Yes, the room can be very cold because of the floor.

Concrete slabs do not insulate well (R-value around 0.6!), and they lose most of their heat along the outside edge of the slab (the ground beneath the slab is a decent insulator).  Using a Heat Loss Calculator, I assumed you had a 10x10 room with a completely uninsulated floor (concrete), uninsulated walls (stick built w/drywall), and ceiling (drywall ceiling with an uninsulated attic).

Heat loss was 4050 BTU/hour from the floor, 5440 BTU/hr from the walls, and only 1540 BTU/hr from the ceiling.

So, while your ceiling may be a factor, it's probably not the most major factor.  Given that your floor is very cold, you probably don't have much (or any) insulation on that slab.

On the outside of the building, see if you can see the edges of the concrete slab.  If you can, then it's not insulated.  Buying some one-inch R-5 foam insulation and affixing that to the perimeter of the concrete slab drops the heat loss from 4050 BTU/hour in half to 2050 BTU/hour. Two-inch, R-11 insulation drops the heat loss to only 1050 BTU/hour.

Placing a rug on the floor would likely be insufficient, as carpet only gives an R-value of around 1.3 (and an area rug isn't going to cover the entire floor, anyway).

Edit with more information:

Consider a house built on an uninsulated concrete slab.  Insulating the slab can lead to a reduction of 10-20% in total heating costs.  Of the heat lost through a concrete slab, up to 80% is lost through the exposed outside edges.


Midway Neutral disconnects whole house supply

You have a broken neutral, and that is an emergency.  Stop using anything right now that is downstream of that neutral break and having voltage problems!!!

Those appliances meant for 120V could see 240V, and appliances made for 230V could see 400V.  This could fry them and start a fire.

Seriously.  Now!

Then go back and thoroughly go through all your wiring, especially anything that guy touched, and find that neutral problem and fix it.


Can I just extend this blue wire in furnace for Nest thermostat?

Yes, you can use the blue wire the way you have described.

Instead of all of that work to attach an extension to the blue wire, I would just cut back some of the brown sheath. That's assuming that there is enough slack in the cable for that to work.


Because "continuing the circuit" is a completely different thing than "placing a load inside the GFCI's protected zone". Especially where switches are present!

I get it. You've installed receptacles for decades.  You know (other than split receptacles) the extra 2 screws on the receptacle are for continuing the circuit onward.

Now you also know there are some receptacles (eg. USB) that only have 2 supply terminal screws.  They do not provide any method for continuing the circuit onward.  With those, you are forced to pigtail the receptacle and use a wirenut to splice its supply with the onward wires.

GFCIs are like that too, GFCIs only have two supply screws.  They are conspicuously marked LINE and they are the only terminals not covered with warning tape.  (The warning tape says, in so many words, "For Wizards Only".)So, similar to a USB, these should be pigtailed with a wirenut for continuing the circuit onward.  Only the LINE terminals should be used.  This is especially true in a retrofit situation like this, and double especially when there is a switch in the same box.

Everything I have said so far is about continuing a circuit onward, which is what you are trying to do.   Now we're going to turn the page.

GFCi devices come in several packaging styles.  There,s the GFCI+breaker, the plain GFCI deadfront, and our friend the GFCI+receptacle.  All of them provide a "GFCI protected zone".  Obviously, on a GFCI+receptacle, the protected zone is the built-in sockets.

However, all of them can extend their zone of protection beyond the device itself. (That'd be kinda necessary on the breaker and deadfront, eh!?)  How to do that is beyond the scope of this answer.  But you may know a rule that currents must be equal in any cable.   That rule applies in spades to any GFCI zone of protection.  This makes it rather tricky to work with them in switch boxes.

However there's generally no value or benefit to putting hardwired bathroom lights, fan, heater etc. on a GFCI.

Bottom line, pigtail everything to LINE and call it good.


How can I temporarily soundproof my bedroom window?

If you have single pane glass, which transmits a lot of sound, and heavy curtains (as suggested by BMitch) don't do enough, you could try making a panel from 2" sheathing foam (it comes in 2"x2'x8' pieces for about $17/piece; it may be pink or blue depending on brand).   Cut it to fill the inside of the window frame (you can use a sharp utility knife and a straightedge; make several cuts of increasing depth).    Paint with latex paint to go with your decor and to protect the outward-facing side from UV.   This would be light weight enough to easily put into place and could be slid under a sofa or bed when you don't need it in the window.

If your window is more than 2' wide, it's a bit more of a project; you'd need to get foam-safe construction glue (it will specifically mention that it's safe for foam) and glue the tounge and groove sides together, and add some thin strips of wood cross-ways (ideally on both sides) to stiffen it.


From my research for that particular model, I can see that it's a chain drive lifting system. If this is incorrect, please advise. The videos I've seen show a centrally located coaxial spring acting on a rod over the width of the door. Not visible in the video would be a set of spools with cables lifting the door from the edges/ends.

Machavity would be suggesting to disengage the lift mechanism by pulling on the red handle. The door springs should be powerful enough to allow you to lift the garage door manually, as when the power goes out and you want to leave anyway, or maybe return home, or just mow the lawn.

If you are unable to lift the door, examine the spools/pulleys at each end to ensure the cables are not wrapped over previous layers causing excessive friction and possibly wear.

Examine also the spring for breaks or slippage. Some people recommending using a spray lubricant on springs of this type. I'm not sure if the reasoning is to reduce friction, prevent rust, or both.

If you are able to easily lift the door, make note of the rollers in the tracks. They should move freely as well. Lubrication on the axles of the rollers is a good idea. Lubrication of the wheels in the tracks is not particularly effective, although it may quiet the roller noise by an insignificant amount.

If you have spring or pulley problems, the drive mechanism may be taking on a greater load than design allows. If the internal gearing is plastic (which is likely), the gears can slip, wear and occasionally have broken teeth. Manually lifting the door will bypass such failures.

With the door in the down position, with the red handle disengaged, actuate the opener and listen for slipping or skipping gears. Reverse direction once it reaches the open position until it locks into the red handle. It may be necessary to lift the door somewhat to make the red handle click into place.

A big part of repairing a problem of this sort is to isolate the source. The above steps may provide you the key information to solving the problem.


Can I branch from a water heater's supply and output lines for a utility sink?

You should be fine. Take the cold water off of the line coming into your hot water heater, and the hot off of the line coming out.  Do this by placing T joints in the line.  I do suggest that you put turnoff valves in the lines from your heater.  This will let your house have water again while you're still connecting your utility sink.


1 - Check that your valve under the sink is open, someone may have knocked it mostly shut.

2 - Or, it could be that debris finally got washed up into the hot water valve or sink supply hose under the sink or in the faucet. You'd turn off the valve under the sink & disconnect the hose from the faucet, but not from the pipe & hold the hose in a bucket while you turn the valve back on & hopefully see the debris shoot into the bucket.

3 - If the flow is reduced in the existing hose. Then, you'll need to shut off the Main water supply valve to remove the sink pipe's valve & hose. To then, put on a garden hose or bigger long hose to fit over or around the pipe & clamp it down with a hose clamp or band clamp. Put the other end of the hose in the shower or tub, weight it down with something heavy & go turn on the Main valve to flush the pipe clear & hopefully find the debris in the shower or tub.

4 - Or, which is very common, that the hot water has deteriorated the hot side of the faucet's internal cartridge or seals & springs. Call a Plumber to rebuild it or take it all apart (with pictures all along the way) & match up what you need to a rebuild kit at the store, if you don't know what model it is.


It sounds like your roof has failed. Unfortunately, if that's the case, there isn't anything that can be done inside the structure. The water will always have to go somewhere. Short of building a second ceiling inside, you're stuck.

I'd say call in a roofer to take a look, they'll know the warning signs and can tell you if it's a repair or a replacement kind of job. Might be a couple tiles have broken, or a problem with the roofing underlay (tar paper or similar).

You may be in luck though, that plastic (I'm guessing) roofing tile may be removable/patchable without being destroyed, which would make the roofer's job much easier.

There is a very small chance that this is internal condensations collecting on the new panels, or just above them. Did it do this before you installed the panels?


Is a propane supply necessary for a standby generator?

Let's look at your loads.

Your furnace loads are fairly minimal; you can look at the nameplate data but water is easy to circulate. 600 watts wouldn't surprise me.
Your refrigerator requires about 120 watts when it is running. Overall it needs about 1 kilowatt-hour per day.
Your freezer requires about 120 watts when running.  Overall it uses about 0.7 KWH per day.

So far that's only about 850 watts... won't even make a small Honda generator sweat.

You want a well pump to operate.  Most well pumps are "hard start" meaning they presume an unlimited amount of power available from the utility.  As such, they need a large generator to start.  So you are probably at a 6000W generator just to be able to pick up the well pump without tripping out.   (It's a shame; many wells go in with 3-wire+ground wiring because they put the start capacitor at the top of the well. Those same wires could run 3-phase delta driven from a VFD up top, so soft-start would be easy).

Your electric range requires as much as 6000 watts when it is running.

Holy smoke!  Now we need a generator 8 times larger, +++.  Do you really need to cook Thanksgiving dinner during a power outage?
Yesterday's tech
Psst: Furnace oil is close enough to diesel that an older diesel generator won't care.  The newest diesel generators may have emission controls that will not work with the sulfur in furnace oil.   Do not put it in your diesel car unless you like very hefty fines for evasion of road tax.
The good news for your range is diesel generators tend to be fairly hefty, so no problem with Thanksgiving dinner.
Also, they often tend to be water cooled, and that's free heat you can use!
By the way, fred_dot_u hit on an important limitation of propane.  Propane is stored as liquid, and it must boil to deliver to your generator in gaseous form.  Boiling requires the latent heat of vaporization to be absorbed.  This is why propane bottles get colder when they are in use, and even "frost up".  Look at how the air conditioning cycle works, and you will realize what's needing to happen inside the propane tank.  It's a serious complication during cold snaps.
Tomorrow's tech
Given your small loads other than cooking, a battery system may suffice.   The fridge and freezer need less than 2 KWH per day.  Your furnace if it runs 33% of the time (8 hours out of 24) needs - well, look at its nameplate but 600W x 8 hours = 4800WH or 4.8 KWH per day.
Your well is all about the surge current; once it's running it is more reasonable. And it only runs when a spigot is on.
A big lead-acid battery is about 1 KWH ($150).  A used Tesla Model S module is 6 KWH ($1100).
Size your battery charger so it can take in the full output of a little gas Honda generator such as an Eu2000.  That means the battery doesn't need to make it through the entire outage: you can fire up the Honda at a time of your choosing to top up the batteries.
You want a fairly large, say 4000 watt inverter anyway, so it can handle the startup surge of the refrigerator and freezer (which will sometimes start at the same time).  So it isn't a huge stretch to bump it up to a 6000W unit to handle the well also.  At that point you have some headroom to run the stove under.
If you crunch the numbers, you can see that batteries, inverter, and battery charger are costly, but not as costly as either a diesel generator, or a propane generator + propane tank provisioning.
It simply becomes a matter of your choices of how much you choose to run the various utilities.  If you hunker down in survival mode and do minimal cooking and water running, you won't need as much battery as if  you decide to have long showers and cook Thanksgiving dinner.


why central heating systems are not more modern

Because the established systems like Honeywell Y-plan or S-plan have
many benefits ...

Low cost parts, simpler and sold in volume.
lower cost maintenance - heating engineers are used to these arrangements
and know how to diagnose problems.
Fail-safe. A fault in a sensor can't turn on a boiler without turning on a pump.
Compatibility - the traditional programmer has a common backplate
used by most manufacturers. You can snap in a new programmer
without rewiring.
Reliability - most failures are due to wear in pumps and zone-valves, or
due to lack of maintenance of the boiler.
Internet appliance makers have an appalling record for security, privacy etc.
I can buy parts and accessories for a 30-year old system. There's
no track record for companies like Nest - we don't yet know whether
they will be around in 30 years time or whether they will make
drop-in replacements for current products.
Vladmir Putin's henchmen can't hack your heating to improve GazProm revenue.

So far as I can tell, systems like Nest only have significant benefit if your
lifestyle is erratic and you need to remotely instruct your house to keep cold to save money.

  Why isn't there a central controller

There seems to be a trend where more of the functionality is incorporated into the boiler. For example it is becoming more common for the boiler to control the pump so that it can run-on after the boiler stops, thus removing residual heat from the boiler.

Of course, systems like Nest don't change much of the above, they are designed to slot into those types of system. Often they function as a combined programmer and room-thermostat replacement with additional features.

Hacking Nest

Random example showing industry standard backplate interoperability:


How does one identify a type of ballast?

Modern retrofits do not use a ballast at all like this. Most have universal drivers, they can run on 100-277 VAC 50Hz or 60Hz. Here is another example. Things to think about, the color of light 5000K will be a very white closer to sunlight, 3000K is more yellow orange. With the same lumens I think the 5000K and higher wavelength lights look brighter with the same lumen count.
The type of lamp is the part that gobbles up the energy. florescent are more efficient than incandescent largely because they do not generate large amounts of heat to create light. florescent lights work on a gas plasma. LED's work with a diode junction. As technology has evolved the amount of light a LED can produce per watt of energy consumed has increased many times. There are many types of Ballast's and the type of Lamp you have will determine the type. The majority of homes have 4' T8 lamps (1" in diameter tube) some are T12 1-1/2" tube in both 4' & 8'. some of the retro kits have a strip of lights screwed to the fixture some have tubes similar to the florescent. Investigate a bit more and you will find there are hundreds of options out there and most don't use the ballast.


How to wire three-way switches to light fixture with a fan?

You can't. You don't have enough conductors between the switches. It takes 2 "hot" traveler wires plus a neutral and a ground to do a single 3-way "traveler" circuit; that's 4 wires total. The neutral and ground can be shared between multiple devices, so to do what you want you need 2 more traveler wires for the other device (fan).


Which thermal circuit breaker should I buy?

replace like with like.

look at the print on it and see what amperage it is rated for and get one with the same rating. the one picture is a double pole breaker that will shut down both leads when either one is overloaded.


Replacing MC panel with separate meter and service panel

Will this be an automatic transfer switch or a manual one?  If manual, you might be able to relocate a couple of breakers to make room for a mechanical interlock, there are many available and are code legal. They prevent the main breaker and the generator breaker being turned on at the same time. If a portable generator, you'll need a generator inlet to connect to. If a permanently installed generator, it'd be hardwired to the generator breaker. This assumes it's not a split bus panel, in which case, this wouldn't work AND BE DANGEROUS.
If an ATS... IF and this is a big IF!  I couldn't find detailed images of your meter panel combo, but IF (THE BIG IF!) the feed from the meter is wires and not a bus, it might be possible to run conduit to the ATS and rewire it to put it "in front" of the breakers.  Technically then the breaker part of the meter/ breaker combo becomes a sub-panel and you'll have to isolate the grounds from the neutrals, which might require some re-wiring.
What you're attempting is a pretty big deal, and my advice is only a suggestion. Probably Harp will weigh in with one of his "novels" and give better advice than me, but this is a starting point.
As much as I hate to say this on a DIY site, you may need to call a pro.


Unlock an Omnia privacy lock with sliding mechanism from the outside of the door

I dissembled the knob to figure out how the privacy lock mechanism works.

The slider moves a sleeve around the square axle between the door knobs.
When the round part of the sleeve is around the axle, the axle can turn and the door is unlocked.

When the square part of the sleeve is around the axle, the axle can't turn and the door is locked.

The little metal flange I found under the knob outside the door is supposed to be able to turn and work the slider.

At this point I realized that it had all been installed incorrectly.  The two parts need to match up like this:

The mechanisms must have been installed in a different way such that they didn't match up correctly.   When I went to put them together properly, I found out why.   The gold pin is so long that it doesn't fit when installed in the proper position.   When I tried to assemble it with the parts aligned properly, there was a 1/8" gap.

The lock manufacturer probably made the pin oversized so that the lock could be installed on multiple width doors.   For doors less than the maximum thickness, the installer should trim the pin to the correct length.   When the pin was untrimmed, it couldn't be installed such that it was in the correct position.   The person that installed this knob, found a way to get it to fit, but the "unlock from outside" feature was non-functional.

I used a pair of pliers to cut 1/8" off the end of the pin.

When I re-assembled the lock and knob, the privacy feature works perfectly.   The door can be unlocked from the outside just by moving the protruding metal nub under the handle with your finger.


Circuit still powered after switching off circuit breaker and light switch

I would be looking at a multi wire branch circuit that was not handle tied OR possibly someplace the neutrals for 2 circuits got mixed up. Kind of the same thing but if the neutral was returning current from a different breaker you have turned off you could get a shocking experience, I have found both issues in the past and that is where I would be looking.