Is it OK to use old (30+ years) heating oil in my central heating furnace?

Storage temperature (especially in the low direction) does not matter much; cold would actually be beneficial.

If the cans were clean when filled and sealed, the fuel oil may be fine - if it has a biotic slime, it may be practically unusable, or at least require a lot of processing (biocide and filtering) before use. I think @FiascoLabs means (and what I know is) that old diesel (fuel oil - same thing, different taxes) WITH slime Bacteria is notorious for clogging filters. You also do NOT want to start a slime bacteria colony in your (presumably clean) fuel tank.

Clean old oil can be fine - folks have reported successfully using old caches (sealed drums) from WWII era 50+ years later.

I suppose the better safe than sorry approach would be to purchase some biocide and treat each can as if it were contaminated, give that time to work, then run it through a funnel with filter to visually examine the extent (or lack) of evident contamination. If it appears to be clean, proceed with use; if not, deposit at an oil recycling facility. If that seems like too much bother, proceed directly to the oil recycling facility.


Is it correct to put plywood outside front door?

Nope, it's not normal, but it isn't necessarily incorrect. Actually, you can see the ends of the original planks under the plywood...just above the old rot in the top stair riser and next to another plywood patch. However, it can continue to work if polyurethane or paint were maintained.

There is pressure-treated plywood for exterior use that could be used when this rots out, if you like the look. But again no, traditional natural exterior grade wood is the only "correct", but many today even go with backyard deck type pressure-treated planks (not panels).


Does a 125 AMP panel require a heavier supply cable than a 100 AMP panel?

This one popped up for some reason, so I'll edit in some new thoughts.

Corroded or arcing power feeds are "burn your house down" serious business. Fix immediately! Aluminum feeder wire is fine stuff, but you do need to use the anti-ox goop, and torque it correctly.  Many electricians in the 80s and 90s did not get the memo.  Nip it in the bud fast.

Likewise corrosion (read: arcing) on breaker contact points is absolutely unacceptable. Catch it early and you may be able to save the breaker space, otherwise that's a dead space in your panel.  The #1 cause is using the wrong brand of breaker.  Brand X breaker won't engage Brand Y buses with the correct contact shape or clamping force, causing the arcing.

If the panel is a goner, swap it. Let me come back to that.

The cable between main and sub doesn't need 2 breakers.  It needs a breaker upstream (in the main panel) to protect the cable. A 60A breaker is correct to protect #6Cu or #4Al.  At the subpanel, the cable/wire can land on main lugs (provided the subpanel is rated for 60A+) or on the subpanel's main breaker (of any rating - a smaller main protects the panel, a larger main is just a shutoff switch, which you do not need since it's in the same building.) So if the subpanel has main lugs, use them instead of backfeeding a breaker.

One more thing.  If the main panel is breakered at 100A, and the cable supports 100A, and the subpanel supports 100A, then the main main breaker protects them all. You don't need any breakers for the sub. You can use thru-lugs or snap-in lugs in the main panel.

With that in mind, back to replacing the panel(s). Talk to the power company and see if your service drop/meter can support 125A.  Even if not, you can order a 125A main panel and swap the main breaker to 100A.

See if you can upgrade the main-sub cable to 125A.  If so, order a main panel with thru lugs, which will save 2 breaker spaces, and a 125A sub. Voila, no breakers needed, space maximized!

You can also look at the CH or QO panels, which use 3/4" high breakers, so more spaces in the same panel footprint.  GFCI and AFCI breakers are available for them.

What doesn't work is "double-stuff" breakers (including GE's 1/2" Q-line breakers). Those are useless as almost all new work today requires GFCI, AFCI or both - and you cannot obtain those in double-stuff.  So a "24/48" panel is actually 24, period.

Original:

Wire gauge is decided by what NEC requires (and those are in stair-steps) and what your electrical distributor has in stock.

So with numbers as close as 100A vs 125A, you might get lucky: imagine the original installer found #2 wire was good for 95A, #1 for 110A and #0 aka 1/0 was good for 125A.  He can't use #2, the distributor does not stock #1, so he uses 1/0. You get a happy surprise when you aim to upgrade.  Hey, it could happen - check.  If not, you need to pull bigger wire.

Check the markings on the aluminum conductors to make sure they are stranded and the modern AA-8000 series alloy, which are legal and safe. (NEC 310.106b). The problem alloys from the 1950s are now outlawed, and your distributor won't even sell them.

Your reduced voltage to 108 is more likely to be a problem with your neutral.  Poor connections can't drop 12 volts without destroying themselves from heat (volts x amps = watts of heat), more likely your other leg went to 132 volts because of a lost neutral.  This is an extremely dangerous condition that needs to be taken out of service immediately because the imbalance can be much worse than 12V, and that will destroy appliances and start fires.  If you know where the problem is, but can't de-energize your house now, a short-term work-around is disable one "hot" - doesn't matter which one.  Look at how the hot busbars are arranged inside the panel, pick one leg, and remove every breaker which uses that leg.  Rearrange as necessary to keep the lights on.  At that point, if the neutral fails, the circuits will shut off instead of giving dangerous voltages.

Look for other options (i.e. other brands or suppliers) that will give you more spaces in the panel. You don't want to be forced into using duplex breakers, because - especially when you remodel - you'll be forced to follow current code, and will need more kitchen breakers and GFCI and AFCI breakers in many slots.  Those are a lot more expensive as duplex.  You can completely fill the panel with double-stuff breakers (in fact, doing so is the basis of their "48 circuit" marketing claim).

Don't buy this at the big-box home improvement stores, go to a real electrical distributor such as Greybar - they tend to be locally owned. They will have better options (eg more breaker spaces in smaller boxes, Homelites are huge), better quality and sometimes better prices.  For instance, Homelite is Square D's bottom-tier brand. There's better out there, and it's worth an extra $100 to not have problems like the ones you are having.


How to install security cameras on ceilings?

Since the hole in your "ceiling" is bigger than the anchors you might have wanted to use, your best alternative is to use toggle bolts similar to the one pictured below.


Is It Okay To Keep Relighting The Pilot Light on A Water Heater?

You should properly repair the problem. You are dealing with gas, there is some risk in that. You're also burning your time messing with it so often.


I'm assuming you're asking about drilling holes in the jamb and the door because the new hinges have different holes. If I've misunderstood your issue, I'll edit.

Mark your holes from the hinge with a sharp pencil. Punch a divot in the middle of the circle with a nail or screw. If you look at it and it seems a little off center, do it again, but angling toward center. Keep making the divot deeper until you think it's dead center. (Nothing wrong with practicing all this on scrap. Nobody was born with these skills.)

Now drill. (3/16" sounds a little big to me, but I haven't consulted any charts, so maybe you should ignore me on this point. Steel screws will be different from brass screws and different woods are, well, different.) Keep the drill bit perpendicular (use someone to look at your angle and guide you if available). If you creep off center, angle the drill toward the center and resume.

If one of your four holes is a little wrong, screw that one last. If they're all wrong (hopefully in different directions), use them to push/pull the hinge to the right place.

If, when assembling the door, the hinges are a little off, feel free to tap them gently with a wood block (to protect the finish) and hammer to encourage them to mesh. If they're way off, loosen the screws, mesh them, and tighten the screws again.


How to check the heater element of an Electrolux ESI 6160 dishwasher?

You can check the heating element using a multimeter on the Ohm settings.

Disconnect the two wires and test the heater plus and minus - It should show a value between 35 to 50 ohms.  If it shows 0ohms it is broken.

Keep on measuring it and knock it with your hand or with a hammer lightly in it is in a tube or something. If it the ohms jump around then it means it is broken has micro short circuits.

Where and how to get to it we cannot really help here. You need to check you manual. There are allot of websites that have the manual to download. I am sure the manufacturers website will also have one.

I strongly doubt there is any security feature- expect for short circuits. So if it has problems heating.. then most of the time the heating element is broken the other time it is faulty heat switch.


1 Yes, it's possible to light a room with LED light strips. Lots of people do it. But it requires doing your homework.  If you are impatient and fly past your skills, the project will probably fail.  There are a variety of ways to do it.

2 You'll need a significant amount of 12V or 24V power (24V means half the current, which greatly improves the situation with voltage drop and fading).  You will probably want dimmers and amplifiers.  And appropriate wiring.

3 Given that this will be your primary light,  you should place importance on CRI aka Color Rendering Index. If you remember green fluorescent and some CFLs and very early LEDs, that thing that made them look awful was bad CRI.  Hold out for 80+ CRI preferably 90 CRI.

You should also be thinking about color temperature.  4000K is similar to fluorescents in an office.  Old incandescents are 2700K.  5000K is similar to daylight and 6500K is a cloudy day.   You don't want colors that are too blue in a bedroom in the evening, because they will make it hard to sleep.  If you just buy random LED strips and don't pay attention, you will probably get 5100K, which will be pretty blue.  LEDs naturally make blue light and use phosphors to convert it to other colors, so they like to sell you the more blue LEDs because they require less phosphor and are therefore cheaper.

RGB or RGBW lights let you dial in any color temperature you want, including some insane ones, but the CRI is fairly poor.  I'm not sure I'd want to use RGB as primary lighting.

4 The product bundle you linked is a complicated bundle of products, including an LED strip, a smart WiFi based controller (RGBW dimmer), and a power supply.  You probably don't want to use that.  If you want control via WiFi or Alexa, then look for a-la-carte controllers or dimmers that do that.

Keep in mind that the electrical and building codes require that you have a light in the room that responds to a physical switch in the usual location.  That can be a smart switch talking to a WiFi or Alexa type system, but it has to work when you push it.

All the wiring needs to be done consistent with NEC low-voltage rules.  If your power is over 55 watts (which is actually a lot in LED), pay close attention to those rules.


I think it should be fine to use the one outside to shut off your water.  It is recommended to use the inside stop valve but if that is broken or if the leak is in the section of pipe between the outside valve and the inside one you can use the outside valve.  Also check that your outside valve isn't shared with a neighbour which is sometimes the case.
At least in my area the water company provides instructions on how to use the outside stop valve, see https://www.thameswater.co.uk/help/emergencies/how-to-turn-your-water-on-and-off/how-to-find-and-use-your-outside-stop-valve .


Why is my hot water running out quickly regardless of other household water usage?

If you have an electric hot water heater, it may mean that one of your two elements has burned out.   Most electric hot water heaters have an uppper and a  lower element; the upper runs until the top of the tank is hot, which provides quick recovery time, then when the top thermostat is satisfied, it transfers power to the lower thermostat, which heats until the entire tank is hot.

If you are getting less than a full tank of hot water, the most likely cause is the bottom element burning out.   Less likely, either of the thermostats could be faulty, which could be keeping the lower element from turning on.

If the upper element were burned out, you most likely wouldn't get any water, since the lower element is usually not turned on until the upper one shuts off.


Can I hang a hammock from basement joists?

400 lbs is not so large (consider that 2 or 3 people standing close to each other could easily exceed that), but you must be careful not to mount the hammock in a way that compromises the joists. Since the hammock supports pull at a diagonal and not straight down, the force exerted at each contact point is actually much more than the weight of the occupants.

It would be best to mount the hammock in the direction of the joists, so that one end is near the outer wall and one end is near the main center beam. The bending load on the joist will be far less than if you mount at the midpoint. Plus, the load from the hammock will be mostly in the axial direction, which is not a big deal.

If you must mount the hammock perpendicular to the joists, suspended from their midpoint, it would be best if the hammock attach point were at the location of cross bracing between the joists, and/or blocking if you have that instead. The bracing prevents the joists from twisting or shifting laterally, which otherwise would be a weakness. If you have no bracing between joists or they're not in a convenient spot, I would add some at the suspension points——say, 2 joists in each direction. If you mount the hammock this way, you must ensure that the joist do not twist or get deflected laterally, as that will severely compromise their stability.

As for attaching to a joist, I would not drill a large hole through the joists if you can avoid it, although it would probably be OK. Try to find a metal bracket at a construction supply store that will fit on the 2x8s and provide a support for your hammock chain. E.g. Home Depot carries several Simpson Strong-Tie products that look promising.

(If this is sounding like too much work or too risky, you could always pick up a free-standing hammock stand.)


Water coming into garage from outside when it rains, no basement

Change the grading so that the garden area is lower than the garage floor and slopes away from the building by at least 1/8 inch per foot (or "1 %", as 1/8 inch [1/96th of a foot] is very nearly 1/100 of a foot.)
Or make it 1 centimeter per meter if that suits your local practices better. Try to maintain that slope away from the building for at least 12 feet or 4 meters.

I should perhaps say "fix" rather than "change" as I consider what you have to be evidently incorrect, if all-too-common.


Replacing a washer in a 3 knob tub faucet

Can I replace the washer by just shutting off the hot water?

YES- on 3-handled tub/shower valve units the supply water is delivered seperately to the hot and cold sides; turning off the hot water supply will allow you to work on the hot side valve.

Because multiple units will be affected you should do some research on how these are repaired prior to turning the supply off, to minimize down time.

Your description of the problem ("leak from the hot handle... when the water is running") is indicative of a problem with the valve's packing. I recommend rebuilding the whole valve while you have the water turned off (bibb washer, packing, grease the stem thread, seat if necessay, etc.) Keep in mind that there are many (many, many, many) brands, models, and configurations out there and there are no "standard" parts. Washers come in a bunch of different sizes and types.


What size gas line do I need to run to my garage

Step one would be to check with your local inspection authority. Gas work by non-licensed professionals is prohibited in many jurisdictions.

If it's not prohibited, they may offer advice on material and installation requirements. You can also talk to the employees at a local gas supply store.

A good option for your project would be a direct burial flexible gas line, a.k.a. poly gas pipe. Such a line could be installed so that you have no buried fittings.

Whatever you bury, make sure you place a layer of AT LEAST 6 inches of sand over the line. You should also put a marker tape over the line. The marker tape and the sand serve as indicator to future diggers that something is buried below. Pea gravel below the line is a good idea so that any water that seeps in leaches away quickly and does not stay in contact with the line.

For an example of how to use the sand and marker tape, see the segment of this video from Ask This Old House where they install a blue stone patio. And here's a crude diagram:


Motors do create a fair amount of electrical noise especially if the blower has a variable speed controller, an RFI filter may help as isherwood suggest or possibly an isolation transformer , in my riding arena we pipe music and I had to use step up transformers at the amp and step down at the speakers to get rid of. Ham radio and 60hz buzz on the feeds that were close to 180' but the poping is probably just motor noise. You could also move the feed for one of the outlets to the opposite leg so they are separated this may be the easy fix.


How to run drywall backer parallel to I-joist?

Yes, 2x2s attached to a joist will work as a nailer, use screws to secure the drywall there, although the drywall mounted to the wall will support it if it is tight to it. Another way to get nailers in place is to use short scraps of 2X material and nail them perpendicular to the joists, flush to the bottom of the joists at 16 or 24" on center and set your wall to them. That way you do not need to limit yourself to position your wall under a joist.


Why only a few volts between the legs of a 240 V 3-wire dryer outlet?

Is it possible that both poles are connected to the same phase (e.g., if your house only has 120-volt service)?


Two Switches to Separate Lights and One Constant Hot Outlet

I ended up playing with the wiring for a couple more hours and this is what I needed:

To be clear, I just wanted two switches that controlled two separate lights, and off of those wires I wanted to create an outlet/receptacle that was always on, regardless of switches. The diagram above accomplishes this.


Do I need exterior rated electrical cable to add a house mounted electrical outlet or disconnect switch

If the cable is concealed entirely within the wall, then non-metallic sheathed cable (NM) is fine -- the inside of a wall cavity is dry unless you have some serious problems with your house!  You only need underground feeder cable (UF) if the cable's buried, put through an outdoor conduit that can get water inside it, baked in the sun, or otherwise exposed to the elements.


Proper gas pressure for Samsung DV457GVGSGR natural gas dryer

5" WC is a reasonable pressure which is about 0.18 PSI. There should be a sticker on the dryer that will say what the max inlet pressure.

Sending 2PSI without a regulator will likely damage the dryer or not have it work correctly. It'll probably blow the flame out and never dry your clothes.


What is the best way to mount a tankless water heater to a concrete wall?

I think you should mount a plywood backer plate with tapcons or ramset nails. The advantage of having the heater mounted to the plywood is that it will be easier to place and screw on once you have the plywood secured well to the wall.  If for some reason you need to remove the heater for service, you won't have to deal with removing tapcons which rarely go back in again.  They always strip out the concrete and won't grip properly when you try to reinstall them.


Putting a birdhouse up a tree without harming the tree

I work in a lumber mill, we see all kinds of things in trees wire and rope do affect the tree the best thing would to use an eye bolt / screw. Drill a pilot hole for the screw and screw it in. This will affect the Cambric layer the least. The wood inside is not the active living part of the tree it is the outside layer. Putting wire or straps around can affect the sap movement and thus the health of the tree but drilling a small hole will not affect it much at all.
Edit: when I read the comments about top and straps I was thinking a hanging feeder like I have with a steel cable holding it up.
Our bird houses are very similar and a small lag bolt at top and bottom ~2-1/2 long hold our houses to trees and posts of our riding arena, our birds come back every year and really help with the flys


How can I tile the raised edges in my basement?

If you want to ensure a perfectly straight and level corner along the entire length, then I'd suggest you build a two sided "box" to rest on the raised surface.  Build it out of 1x1s, making a frame that consists of 3 long straight edges connected at perfect 90 degrees by short supports (cripples) spaced 12" on center.

Lay that box over the concrete edge, and use shims to get it perfectly level.  Glue in place.

Then apply plywood to the frame and proceed with tiling as normal.  (You don't need to ditra the box in this scenario, just tile to the ply)

Rough sketch showing cross section of wall/floor and stick diagram of proposed box framework:


How do I fix a sewer snake cable that has kinked inside the spooler cage?

I found a solution in time to get the rental unit back to the store this morning. This whole ordeal was painful, but I think if I can share it in a way that helps someone down the road I'll feel better about it. So this is what worked for me: I took a crowbar and, after examining the loop and twists inside the cage more carefully, found a place to pry part of the loop out of a side opening in the spooler cage. It definitely wasn't easy, but from that point on it suddenly got really easy to untwist it and work the cable back in and then out the way it was supposed to exit.

Here's a similar machine like the one I used. From a websearch, I see some others out there that don't have the cage but a more or less solid spooler. My crowbar method probably wouldn't work on some of them.

When this type of cable kinks it creates an almost 90-degree bend in the inner core of the cable at the apex of the loop. This would not work very well as a drain cable anymore. So, when you finally get it untwisted the cable kinks themselves have to be straightened out. I used the method I mentioned in the question to straighten it out as I had the others. I clamped the cable in the bench vise just below the bend and then, using a lot of strength, forced the cable backward over the bend. I had to go beyond the straight mark so that it would spring back straight. I hope this answer helps anyone else that might find themselves in the same predicament.


Should columns supporting a beam be fastened to the floor?

Either the plate with bolt holes as suggested.

Or you could bolt some blocks to the floor on each side of the beam to stop it moving - especially if it does not have a plate already.

But some method of stopping it moving too easily is sensible - "just in case"...


Is hydro air more efficient than gas/oil?

I live in Pennsylvania and almost every large building would have what you are calling a "hydro-ai system. They utilize a hot water or steam boiler for the heating side and an optional chilled water system for the A/C system. I never worked on the chilled water systems but have 40+ years on the boilers. These systems work great as long as the system is designed correctly. I have only seen these systems installed in very large houses of the super rich since the installed cost is extremely high. They are not for normal size houses due to cost. I would recommend that you hire a professional engineer that specializes in these type systems specifically an engineer that does large buildings and ask for an overall assessment of the system including operational efficiencies and projected costs. My neighbor has a geothermal heat pump that provides heating and A/C and also partial domestic hot water heating tied to a duct system (forced air) at a fraction of my cost to heat and cool the same size house. My own preference for a 2500 approx. house would be a forced air furnace with A/C. (geothermal, if you can afford it). Your house may more than 1 system due to it's size.


Why are some bricks crooked in my attic wall?

There's a double layer brick wall between the two residences and the chimneys tied into this. It looks like when your neighbour's chimney was removed some of the bricks in the wall were disturbed and then replaced slightly crooked.
crooked bricks look untidy, but are not signifiantly weaker than perfectly aligned bricks. If there were cracks, that would be a warning sign, but crookedness by itself is not something to worry about.


How to fix hole in yard with/from burst irrigation pipe?

I think your suggestion/idea is the solution. Unfortunately, when it comes to filling in earthen holes with earth, it's a very simple operation involving digging tools and excess clean fill.

Personally would excavate around and fix the broken end cap, and backfill. It's no more complicated than that.

TL:DR = Grab a shovel and order some dirt.


Will I get electrocuted if I contact a live wire on an earthed appliance?

You may not be electrocuted, but you will surely be shocked if you provide a path from hot to ground. Grounding (earthing) a device helps prevent you from being shocked by touching the equipment. If you grab hold of the live wire, the equipment being grounded (earthed) will not help you.


Wiring up a subpanel in attached workshop

Right
Right. At the subpanel, the neutral and grounding blocks should remain separate.
Now is not the time to skimp. 60A looks OK for now, but if you add a 30A dust collector, you've run out of capacity. If you add any lights, 120V receptacles, etc to that subpanel, you're limiting yourself even more. 100A panels are not much more expensive than 60A. Related to this, get a physically bigger panel than you think you need, too. Your plan calls for 8 spaces, but I'd go with at least 16, maybe 20 or 21 or 22, depending on what's available from the manufacturer. Again, bigger panels are cheap now, and they give you a lot more flexibility in the future.
As this answer indicates, you'll want #1 Cu or #1/0 Al for 100A, unless everything is temperature rated for 75C in which case #3 Cu or #1 Al would work.
This is not only OK, this is the correct and safe way to do it. See this answer or this question and its answers or this one for an explanation of why. The gist is that, with the neutral and ground bonded together at both the main panel and subpanel, any ground fault would energize anything that is grounded.
Same as above.
Sounds reasonable.


Echo is normally caused by wood/ Assuming that is indeed what you have, I would try laying carpet in there such as a rug. Sheetrock/drywall doesnt cause echo and when we actually soundproof rooms, add sheetrock. add a 2 inch space and another layer of sheetrock. So again, I am assume you have a wood or laminate flooring.


dripping sound in ceiling when central heating gets warm

is this likely to be a leak?

If it has been happening for more than a week and there is no sign of water, like a discoloured or damp patch on the ceiling or wall, then no.

  is there another explanation?

When pipes heat up, they expand, as they expand they rub against the woodwork or other material they are fixed to. Frctional forces cause the pipe to be trapped until accumulated expansion pressure is enough to overcome friction momentarily. This produces a series of annoying but harmless clicks, taps, knocks or bangs.


Cracking noises as wood expands near heating pipes

Many times the ticking sound is the expanding metals pipes pushing against the wood. If the sound is coming from where those pipes are touching the wood, you can insert some felt to separate the pipe and wood plank.


The green stuff is cupric chloride, a byproduct of corrosion of the valve body or possible copper leachate in the water.  Either way, it's typical of water leakage where the water is of low pH.

The white stuff (sometimes feels fibrous like cotton candy) is just efflorescence.  This is from dissolved minerals in the water precipitating out as the leak drips, then dries and deposits miniscule quantities of calcium, sodium, etc on the valve body. You often see this where residual flux was left on a pipe and over time, condensation or outright leakage causes these buildups.  It's always more pronounced at joints between dissimilar metals (due to galvanism).

Wearing gloves, as copper chlorides are toxic, you can remove them with full strength vinegar or dilute muriatic acid, lemon juice or even more flux and a bristle brush.  Once it's cleaned up, repair the leak or tighten the packing gland on the valve stem.  Then when all done, just liberally apply a paste of baking soda and water. It will neutralize the flux and retard further reaction (if it's condensation related).  It would be wise to have your water tested for acidity.  If you have highly acidic water, it can cause the same problem or just dissolve pipes outright.


How to address gaps between underlayment and drywall before waterproofing?

Leave the gap and cover it with trim. The gap is there to prevent the drywall from wicking moisture up from the floor and molding.


Is it possible to smooth over these drywall imperfections?

Is it possible to fix it?  yes, but there is an awful lot of work to be done in order to do so.  Each of those gaps has to be filled with mud and covered with tape.  Given the shrinkage that occurs as mud dries, most of them are going to require several layers to fill properly.  In particular, filling in around the ceiling fixture is likely to be problematic as gravity will be pulling the mud down, keeping it where it needs to be without building up a large bulge will take some time.

I would not necessarily make someone rework the drywall over these images, but I definitely would not sign off on the work until I was satisfied that everything had been properly finished.  Make sure you are happy with the way things look before and after it is painted. Often putting paint on makes the imperfections stand out more.


Should I move all my window air conditioners to the upper floor for better efficiency?

Just as the hot air goes up since it is lighter the cold air will fall since it is heavier. If by chance you have a forced air heating system, you could run the furnace fan while the A/C units are on to help distribute and mix all the air in the house for better comfort. My son did this in his house for many years and it worked fine.


Can my pex line freeze if I use 90 degree elbow connectors?

I doubt you need the second 90 (#3)  - PEX is bendable at large radius, and if you work with that, you avoid fittings that may have freeze damage (PEX itself does not mind freezing.)

If you think of it as if it was rigid pipe, you end up with a lot of fittings. If you work with its strengths, you can avoid many of those fittings, but you don't get tidy pipe-like runs.

I would be concerned with complete drainage ("slightly angled down while running under floor joists" may work for properly hung rigid pipe - pex is not rigid pipe.)


How to mount powerboards with strange holes?

Orienting the keyways in different directions makes it less likely that an accidental nudge in any direction will disengage all the keyways at once.

The best way to find the proper screw locations for devices like these, and indeed for any keyway mounted devices, is to place a short screw in each keyway, pushed all the way into the narrow end of the slot, and then press or tap the device against the wall in the desired location. The sharp screw points will mark the wall, indicating the proper position for the pilot holes and mounting screws.


With most brackets, there is an easy-to-find specification for the range of spacing between the joists.  Alas, Saf-T-Brace does not publish one I could find, though Home Depot says it is for 16 to 24 inch joist spacing.

If the joist spacing (gap) is more than about 12 inches, you might be able to shorten the braces to fit, however spacings less than 14.5 inches seem to be a specialty item.

I checked dozens of hardware and electrical suppliers and finally found this one which adapts to 8 to 16 inch spacing:

Platt has a slight presence in your area; alas it likely a 50 mile drive for you to go get—either Fremont or San Rafael.


How can I prove my kitchen exhaust vent egress

You can rent a "fog machine" or "smoke (not really smoke) generator" at a rental place that caters to "party supplies" - you can also rent a portable ventilation fan with a flexible duct. Set the fan to blow in the suspect duct and run the fog machine at its intake.
If you have smoke alarms, be aware that the smoke/fog may set them off.
Beware of using actual smoke, more than one fire has started from "intentionally trying to make smoke" getting out of control.


What type/thickness of drywall should be used in water heater closet?

Modern codes generally require 5/8" fire-rated drywall (Type X) between a garage and the living areas of a house.  Double check with your local city/county/state as they may have more stringent requirements.


Is raceway wiring allowed in a bathroom?

There is nothing in the NEC that prohibits the installation of surface raceway (metal or nonmetallic) in even a damp or a wet location provided the conductors inside are rated for said damp or wet location.

That said, many AHJs do not consider the area outside of the shower zone to be a damp location to begin with.  So, go ahead with the raceway -- just remember to use a wire (such as THWN) suitable for a damp or wet location when running wires inside the raceway.


How to know when an asphalt shingle roof needs to be replaced?

Yes.

Short of actual leaks (which are better avoided by replacing before you notice them) aging in asphalt shingles (if you don't know when they were installed) is assessed by observing loss of the mineral covering and any signs of cracks developing, or loss of bond allowing the tabs to "flap" in the wind.

If you do know when it was installed, and it was 25 years or more in the past, assume you should plan to replace it unless you are quite sure it was claimed to have a longer lifespan and actually appears to be in good shape. If you don't know the claimed lifespan but it appears to be in good shape, start saving money for a replacement, at least.

In no case should you do any business with "drive-by" roofers nor should you let them "inspect" your roof. Contact a reputable local roofing contractor if you have concerns. The "drive-by" sort are a long-running but obviously effective enough (as they have been running for decades) scam of doing shoddy work and leaving town, and sad to say they may actually damage your roof while "inspecting" it to make a quick sale.


Use existing cat6 wiring in apartment for data

What you have here is a "voice distribution panel", and it is just like a big dumb junction block for all the cables that are punched down onto it.  What this does is allow you to plug in a phone to any of the jacks in the apartment, but it is NOT usable for data.

So, you can use those cables for data, but you will have to pull them all off that distribution block and terminate them with RJ-45 jacks or a patch panel and use short patch cables to connect to your switch.  It looks like what I described is one of your questions written on a picture, so yes, you can do that.

Since it was wired for voice, the wall jacks may also need to be rewired.  You'll have to open up the jacks you would like to use and see how they are terminated.  My house was punched down to a T568 standard, but the apartment I was in only had 1 or 2 pairs connected like you would for 1 or two phone lines.  Depending on how the jacks are wired, you could terminate the cables the same way in this box and not have to change them.

Keep the pictures that you took, and I would go ahead and punch everything back down the way you found it when you move out.


Funny "thump" sounds sometimes at night, what could be the cause?

If your basement has a honey bucket sump or water sump pump, what you might be hearing is it shutting off. I have both in my basement. The regular water sump (which gets water from the drain tile and from A/C) runs quite regularly, especially during the rainy season. It is rather noticeable when it runs and shuts off ... it's sounds off when shutting off, but not too badly. The honey bucket sump (sewer evac for basement bathroom and grey water) kicks on every now and again. When it shuts off, there is a large noticeable thump from it. I don't know how to fix the issue, but it does do it. I hardly pay any attention to it because it is a known sound in the house which usually doesn't happen very often.


Minimum height of step between two interior rooms

Maybe not official, but this (old) link from National Association of Certified Home Inspectors gives 4" as the minimum height for a riser.


What to do with broken outdoor lights that left the bulbs exposed?

Exterior light fixtures are designed so that the casing protects the electrical components inside them from the elements. Without an intact case, hail could break the bulb itself in the next storm, or rainwater could get in to short out the electric circuit.

Your options are:

find the manufacturer's name on the light fixture, and look them up to see if you can buy replacement covers either directly from them, or they may list retailers.
buy a new light fixture and replace the broken one. They are often so inexpensive that this might be the cheapest for you.


Is there such a thing as hardwired/powered keyless door locks?

The word you're looking for is "Electric strike".

In this system, the door latch is not powered or operated at all.  The door striker plate is.   In essence the door frame lets go of the door.

Obviously, since the strike is in the door frame, it's not moving, and running power to it is trivial.


Does my vented septic tank even require traps and vents near the actual fixture connections?

Take a straw.  Suck up some liquid, and put your finger over the top.  Notice how the liquid doesn't fall out the bottom of the straw.  That's a vacuum lock, and it is one of the reasons why you need to vent your drains.  Poorly vented drains don't drain well, and you'll get clicking and bubbling.  Your toilet may fail to clear the payload.    So regardless of any venting in the septic tank, you need to have appropriate drain venting.


Does water dripping through my soffit indicate a problem?

Oh, wow. I'm sorry, but your roof is probably bad. If you can get the money you paid four years ago back (doubtful), I would, but you probably need to get that entire mess torn off all the way down to the decking, and probably quite a bit of the decking near the edges of the roof too. You can tell because the shingles look "lumpy" and have a rolling look to them -- like someone's melted them, especially near the edges -- and the valley is curved instead of sharp. I can also see the lines running across where different runs of roof sheathing panels meet (every 4' or so); that it's sagged in between these lines is a sign of sheathing damage.

Your roof isn't the shingles, so it doesn't matter that the shingles are only four years old. Your roof is actually the tar paper and ice and water shield that is underneath underneath the shingles. Multiple layers of shingles are bad; it means that they didn't replace the actual stuff that keeps the water out of your house, they just replaced the stuff that you see that goes over top.

If you go up into your attic when it's been raining quite a bit, see how much more of the underside of your roof sheathing is damp. If there's a lot, you need to get it torn off and replaced as soon as possible. If there isn't much, you have a few years to save up for it, but it looks bad now from the top. Make sure when they re-do it that they tear everything down to bare wood, remove all the nails and staples and junk, use Ice & Water Shield along the roof edges and in the valleys, and then put new 30 year tar paper and shingles over it. The tar paper and ice&water shield is what actually keeps the water out of your house. The shingles only protect the tar paper from abuse.


Prep is the key

You can make it look good for 3 months with a rattle can.  If you want it to look good for 10 years, paint prep is called for.  Prep has 2 components: de-gloss(microscopically roughen) the surface so paint can bind to it, and cleaning the surface to remove contaminants.

A 3M Scotchbrite pad, green pots and pans style, for scuffing the surface to remove gloss. Even if it doesn't seem glossy now, give it a rub.  The objective is to degloss the chrome surface, not blow through to the aluminum layer.

Common bathroom alcohol e.g. Isopropyl, with a double cloth wipe, to remove contaminants.

Rattle-can spray primer such as Rustoleum 7779 rusty metal primer.  Take the time to learn to apply paint competently.

Nickel and aluminum are a challenging surface for Rusto metal primer, but I gather a mil-spec aluminum primer (the green stuff on unfinished airplanes) is out of the budget.  (It doesn't come in cans because it's 2-part; you mix the 2 parts minutes before you apply it.  Also, the B-part is toxic until it cures, so, not a thing they want in the consumer marketplace.

Rattle-can spray paint for your paint layer.


Should I drill a large hole through a double paned window?

NO!!!
The vent will expand and contract and break the glass.  You need to go through the cinder blocks (preferable, but if you must, go through the concrete).

Also, with double paned glass, there is usually an inert gas (or Nitrogen) sealed in between
the panes.  Drilling it will break the seal.

My advice: Get someone to do it for you. It is unlikely you have the drill/bit combination required for the job. It's cheaper to pay someone than to buy the tools.


How to protect this foundation sill from elements, rodents?

An L or Z-shaped metal flashing is often used to bring water from behind a cladding out to the front of the wall (for example, when the upper part of a wall is clad with stucco/siding/etc and the lower part is clad with brick/stone/other masonry). Metal also makes a nice barrier against things that chew, burrow, and otherwise damage structures.

You could clear away the soil from the top of the foundation (probably a good idea anyway to keep insects at bay) and insert this kind of flashing. Ideally it would slip up behind the fibrous insulation layer and would project forward to the outside face of the siding. In this way the metal blocks access to both the furring strip gap and also the insulation. Secure it in such a way that critters can't pass between the foundation concrete and the metal, nor between the metal and the bottom edge of the siding.
Avoid applying a sealant between the bottom of the siding and the metal. Up to now any moisture that gets into the wall can freely drain out the bottom, but sealing this flashing to the siding would trap liquid inside the wall.
Alternatively, use a flashing that is perforated along the bottom edge so that liquid can drain out. This kind of drainage flashing is sometimes used at the lower edge of EIFS stucco installations. The one I've used was extruded plastic, though, so it wouldn't keep out rodents with sharp teeth so well as metal could.


Washing machine not agitating (very loud)

I had a similar issue with an LG. If the basket is overloaded too often, the weight stops the agitator spinning and it eventually strips out the plastic teeth inside, especially when it flips back and forth. I'd imagine it's a design decision and saves on repair costs.

The metal teeth still look in good shape from what I can see. It looks like you probably need part W10609480.

When assembling the washer again, clean the bolt with a wire brush or similar and use a little blue Loctite to stop itself working loose.


How to make layout batter boards for shed level without rotary laser?

When using a water level like you have, you need to make absolutley sure there is no air trapped in the middle. I used a water level for laying out the batter boards for the foundation work of my home. I set a stake approximately in the middle of the floor plan, after I hung the water level in the air with the open ends bundled together and corks in the ends. Left it hang there for a while. If the water level was just filled and there is a bunch of tiny air bubbles in it, thy need to leave. I don't know why, but whenever air was trapped in the tube with the water I got a bad reading. Make sure the only air in the line is in the ends!!!

Back at the layout. Drive all your stakes, just like you have. Strap/tape the water level to the center stake and pull the cork leaving the cork in the end you are operating. This part of the the level must be as plumb as you can get it set to the stake. Tape it at the top, and neat the bottom, NOT kinking the tube. Vacuum will keep the water in place. Also have a mark on the center stake that you can see from a distance and an appropriate height, whether it be the top of foundation, top of piers or even if it is a reference point.

To start marking the batter boards, set your water level your best guess to level with the mark on the center, and pull your cork. Set you level marks on all three boards at the corner, and cap the pipe, move to the next corner, doing the same process for the other corners.

That should get you accurate.


I replaced the inverter and that solved the problem.


It it is a new build, then removing the trap under the sink will not be an issue.  Just loosen the nuts, remove the trap (have a pan underneath) and then clean the trap.  This is most likely the source of the slow draining.  If the trap looks clean, then get a hand auger  (snake) to clean the drain line.  It is best to do this with the trap out.  Hand augers are typically half the cost of a plumber call.  If it is still slow, then your drain vent might be clogged.  At this point, it is usually cost effective to call a plumber to clear the line.


Do I need concrete footings for a free-standing deck

If code calls for footings, you need them for code compliance, at minimum. Typically code-compliant footings increase the odds that the deck remains level over time.

You will also want them (or more than the minimum) for resisting uplift if you are going to attach a roof (think of it as a sail or kite, when the wind blows.) As such a "mushroom" or pad type footing (where there's a concrete column/post and at the bottom of it there is a larger diameter pad) will help to resist uplift - be sure to use adequate reinforcing steel to hold it all together and tie in your anchor bolts.


Well, you want the capacitor, if it's not attached already/still.

Attaches to the two black wires per the diagram.

Blue to line neutral Red to line hot for high speed Yellow to line hot for low speed. So perhaps you want a switch for that.


How to change wiring in outdoor electrical junctions filled with gel?

It looks like something that used to be done for pool niche lights or landscaped fountains and ponds. This was a non-conducting waterproofing gel that was used to prevent corrosion and power leakage in wet location areas. It was usually applied in a time, post new GFCI and grounding requirements. I haven't seen it used in quite a while.

If you are trying to reuse the circuit in a newer application. You really need to verify that it is still active. Then you need to verify if the conductors and cabling are working properly.

Basically do everything necessary to upgrade the circuit to current wet location codes. Even if it means replacing the entire circuit. It is important to remember that you are dealing with a type of circuit that has a high potential for electric shock (electrocution). So it is important to follow the strictest protection codes.

Hope this helps.


What mortar should I use for 8x10 and mosaic wall tile?

Color
This is the easy one.  If you're going to use dark grout, you can use grey thin-set. If your grout is a light color, or you're installing glass tile or a porous stone, use white thin-set. If you use grey thin-set with light grout, glass, or porous stone, the color may show through.
To modify, or not to modify
In most cases, you'll want to use some form of modified thin-set.  Unmodified thin-sets are typically only used by professionals, and are modified at the time of mixing (using the pros secret recipe).
Standard
This is the economy thin-set. It will work well in most situations, and is a bit easier on the wallet. It should not be used with impervious materials such as glass, and porcelain.
Fortified
A fortified thinset like VersaBond®, is an "all-purpose" thin-set and an excellent choice for DIYers.  It will provide a good bond between just about any tile and substrate you can use, and it's good for floors, walls, and counter tops.
Flexbond
Flexbond is a polymer modified thin-set. It is a good choice when working with porcelain or glass tile, or when tiling over a plywood subfloor.  It provides a bit of extra flexibility, which can prevent cracking in some situations.
How much to buy
First you'll have to determine the square footage, of the area you'll be tiling.  I'll use a tub surround with 2 walls 3' wide, one wall 5' wide, and tile 6' up each wall as an example.
The total length = 3' + 3' + 5' = 11'
height = 6'
sqft = 11' * 6' = 66 sqft.

I usually estimate that a 50lbs bag of thin-set will cover about 60sqft, so in my example I'll need 1 50lbs and 1 25lbs bag of thin-set.  Don't worry, if you overbuy you can always return the 25lbs bag when you're done (just don't open it, unless you need it).
How much to mix
The bag of thin-set should list the Pot Life, which tells you how long the thin-set is good for once it's mixed and in a bucket.  You want to mix only enough thin-set that you'll be able to use in this amount of time.  This will depend on how fast you work, so you'll have to experiment to figure out what works best for you.
How much to spread
The bag should also list the Open Time, and Adjustment Time. Open time, is how long the thin-set can sit on the substrate after being troweled. Adjustment time is the amount of time after laying the tile, that the tile can be adjusted. In most cases you'll want to ignore these numbers, and simply spread only what you can use in 5-10 minutes.  Again, this will depend on how fast you work, so you'll have to figure it out as you go.
Trowel Size
You want to make sure you get 100% coverage under tiles, which may require back-buttering on larger tiles. You also want to use a bit thicker mortar bed when setting floor tiles, since floor tiles may be subject to more abuse.  This trowel guide from JAMO Inc., is a good baseline for which trowel to use.

Though you may find that you have to make slight adjustments, depending on the thin-set and tile you're working with.


Vapor barrier on Bathroom tub exterior wall(s)?

The liquid membrane acts as the vapor barrier so you don't need plastic behind the cement board.  Redgard data sheet says 0.35 perms at 30 mils so you can get away without an additional vapor barrier if you put on enough of the redgard.  Do the same for the interior walls as well.  Use a good quality primer and paint for the ceiling above if that gets drywall.  Both Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams make vapor barrier primers you can use.
When looking into this before, I went with Mapei AquaDefense which is a similar product but with better specs and a less "redrum" appearance.  I think RedGard may have updated their specs since then.  Leave a narrow gap between the cement board and tub, make sure to paint the redgard over the bottom edge of the cement board, and caulk the gap.


Tips for drilling two directly opposite holes in a square steel tube with a step bit and no drill press?

A Black and Decker Drill Guide #71-055 may be what you need. While no longer made they are available used. I have had mine for 30+ years. The various profiles allow drilling squarely through most shapes. The bonus is if drilling overhead the cup will capture and chips or debris.


If I sand this bump down will the drywall start to fall?

Drywall is not held to ceilings or walls via mud/tape.   The mud/tape is used to hide seams.   So sanding should not effect how it is fastened to a wall/ceiling.
In your particular pictures you have a seam that almost surely has tape at the top right in the picture and then a stress crack down to the left.   The stress crack may or may not have tape.
I can bet on two things from the picture above...

I don't think there was a repair in this section.   Well there could have been but not at the border of the entire crack.   It would be very hard and silly to cut out drywall at weird angles.   To me this is original job then a crack patched up.

If you do sand it down and do whatever to it after, more than likely whatever you do will end up looking like this.  There is a buckling of this drywall going on and sanding it and retopping it may work for 2 months, maybe 6 months but go through a full seasonal cycle and you will be back to this eventually.

What can you do?

you need to clean out the cracks that have been patched.   I would take a chisel and scrape out everything that is raised.  If you can get the full mud strip that would be ideal, until you are a good 2-3" past the "issue".
I would then create a "v" notch along the seam with a full 1/4" gap at the bottom of the "v".
Fill the gap with caulk.  This is messy and may require 2 layers.
Reinforce the drywall with more screws.
Resume with normal mud/tape schedule.   If this is an extremely sensitive area it may be better to use spackle or some other wall topping that has more elastic properties.   (There are also additives available for joint compound)
If it is a REALLY sensitive area you may also want to use an elastomeric paint.   This is a bit extreme and I am not sure if they even make these for indoors (but I have used outdoor elastomeric paint for stairs areas in homes that kept cracking).


How to properly refinish & maintain exterior siding behind circuit panel

I'm not sure what to do in terms of sanding down the surface, but, since nobody can see it anyway, sanding it nicely probably isn't an issue.
For the finish, I'd suggest spraying your finish (stain and/or sealer) behind the panel. You may need to mask up the area around it to prevent over spray onto areas that have already been finished.
If you haven't yet finished the rest, you could try pouring some of the stain/sealer down the wall, above the panel and just let it run behind. It certainly won't be 100% perfect, but since it's hidden from view and the main goal is protection not appearance, that shouldn't matter. Since the flood of liquid will make a bit of a mess beside & below it, have brushes/rollers at the ready, and, as it's running by, make it look nice where it is visible. Now that you've got this wall wet with finish, do the rest of the staining on this wall before this area starts to dry and you end up with a line from where new stain overlaps old dried stain.


Remove the smell of cigarette smoke from upholstery

You could see if anyone you know has access to any upholstery cleaners, like "Bissell Little Green Multi-Purpose Compact Earth-Friendly Deep Cleaner" or you can try and find some place where you can rent a Rug Doctor with an upholstery attachment, you might be able to find one at hardware and some grocery stores depending on location.  You'll probably want to use some odor neutralizer in with the water while cleaning which I think rug doctor sells a specific one to use with their machines if you go that way, but baking soda might be just as effective, I've never tried that method.


How can I replace a kitchen cabinet hinge with no visible screws?

I believe that flat metal plate against the door is a cover that will pry off.  You'll find screws underneath.


Fridge has a weird smell coming from where the compressor is

Is it a rotten food kind of smell, or an "oily" or metallic kind of smell? If not a rotten food type of smell, it may be a refrigerant leak, in which case your compressor is probably toast by now.


How do I get 2x6 and up pine, or a close alternative, in California?

If you want it affordable, you're going to have to dig around. Up north in Washington, the majority of dimensional material is Doug Fir, but if you dig through the piles, other species do show up. Spruce in particular may fit your bill, it's very light, and has less pitch than Doug Fir. Boards in each lot will be stamped with a code that typically includes the drying method (KD for Kiln Dried) and species (Doug F, SYP, Hem, etc).

So if you are really attached to using dimensional lumber, go ahead and dig through the stacks. Spruce, Common Pine, Hemlock, and Southern Yellow Pine should all work fine for you, if you can find them.

The difference between Douglas Fir and stuff like Southern Yellow Pine in practice is fairly minimal. Even if the wood "feels" wetter or dryer, it's all going to move. Any dimensional lumber will have a good chance to exhibit checking, curling, and splitting. Pick your pieces carefully at the store, and either build it quickly with some heavy duty fasteners, or let the boards acclimate first and re-mill them.

Further Reading about wood codes on lumber: http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,1639800,00.html


Ceiling fan with light, 3 way wall switch and remote

... and here's how you do that thing.

Travelers marked with purple tape, since every other color seems to be used :)

Note the power entering at the switch means the 3-way complex (3-way+relay) is reversed: Power comes from the 3-way, via one of the 2 travelers, to the relay then onward to the fan/light.
The /4 is used to carry 2 travelers, always-hot (black) and neutral (white) onward to the rest of the circuit, including to the receiver.
Since we have 2 groups of neutrals in close proximity, neutrals on the receiver side are now marked with gray tape
Dimmer 3-way changed out to plain 3-way.  It doesn't really matter though; it could be left a dimmer 3-way.


I need a C wire connection for my new Glas thermostat

Yes, the green wire is likely an "extra" unused wire that can be used as the C wire.


How do I drill a hole in a shelf without going all the way through?

Yes, the drill chuck will mar the finish of the shelf.  There is a slight chance of damage to the chuck. Plus, choking down on the bit, like that, obscures your view of the hole (the drill and chuck block it) -- making precision harder to accomplish.

The correct way to do this is to use a drill stop.

Drill stops are less likely to slip than tape or zip-ties, and are much better for precise and/or repeated drilling.

If marring the finish is an issue, clamp a piece of 1/8th plywood over the site and adjust the drill stop accordingly.

PS: A piece of wood over the hole is usually a good idea anyway, when drilling finished surfaces.  It helps reduce both splintering and the scratching that occurs when flakes of drilled wood or metal whip around the bore site.


Light fixture still live when power turned off

Typically there are 3 connections involved for lights, receptacles and small appliances (some larger appliances like ovens, air conditioners, heaters, clothes dryers are different).

Hot
Neutral
Ground

Normally, hot is switched. Neutral and ground are not switched. Normally, that results in a safe environment where this is nothing "live" when hot is switched off.

This safety is based on neutral being the same as (or very close to) ground and the exposed metal of appliances, light fixtures, etc. being connected to ground. There are a number of things that need to be done correctly for this to be the case, including (but not necessarily limited to):

Neutral and ground connected together (bonded) in only one place (typically the main breaker panel).
Ground (and by virtue of the neutral/ground bonding, neutral as well) being connected to the actual ground via ground rods and/or connection to rebar and/or connection to metal cold water pipes.
Fixtures wired correctly so that the wires that should be hot are hot and the wires that should be neutral are neutral.
Ground wires used correctly so that there is really only one connection between neutral and ground.
Ground and neutral wires used correctly so that neutral is never piggy-backed onto ground or vice versa.

Anything that can go wrong, will. That's why when working on even something as simple as replacement of a fixture that is controlled by a switch, we don't rely on the switch to provide full protection but instead turn off the breaker or pull the fuse to make sure that the circuit is off and will stay off.

All that being said, with a properly wired house, changing a light bulb should be a very safe activity.

It sounds like you have a number of possible problems, which could include swapped wires (hot vs. neutral), neutral/ground not connected properly (too many places or none at all) or other problems.

In a case this extreme, I suggest getting a professional electrician to check things out.

One quick test you may want to do is to check various fixtures & receptacles with that multimeter. The values should be similar throughout the house - e.g., in the US that would be in the 110 - 120V range for most things. If you get wildly varying numbers then you likely have a very serious problem such as a "lost neutral" that would require immediate professional assistance.


How do I release a bit from a jammed keyless drill chuck?

I recently had the same issue and tried numerous solutions with no luck. In the end I purchased a strap wrench: This kind of wrench grips the object via a strap or a chain:

You basically put the strap around the chuck, tighten the strap and then use the wrench handle as a lever to gain more torque while trying to undo chuck. This worked extremely well.
I simply wouldn't bother with any other solution in the future.


Can I use a spare #6 aluminum cable with no neutral to supply a subpanel?

Without a neutral, you cannot provide 120V in the subpanel - 240V only.  That may work if all your loads are 240V, or can be made to be 240V.  For instance modern fluorescent and LED lighting can often run on 120-277 volts.  It's also possible to provision a small transformer to provide 120V off that (don't use a stepdown transformer! It's not compatible with this!)

If you want 120V and 240V in the subpanel, you need two hots and neutral and ground.

However, anytime you install a 240V-only subpanel, some dimwit will decide he wants to do a 120V circuit.  He won't see a neutral bar, so he'll think "Oh, main panel rules apply here" and stick em both on the ground bar.  So you need to label the panel clearly "240V loads only no 120V" or something that will penetrate their skull.

Or a 120V-only subpanel

You could also set up a subpanel 120V-only with this cable.  Here, the ground is ground, one wire (that's white or has a white stripe) is neutral, and the other splits to both legs of the main lug/breaker. 240V breakers will not work in this panel.  Multi-wire branch circuits must not be used in this panel (not least they need to be landed on a 240V breaker).

You could use it in-situ for a range or dryer

If this stuff is SE cable -- meaning the ground wire is a web of wires around the two hot conductors -- that was legal in 1976 for hooking up dryers and ranges via a NEMA 10 connector, where you define the wire as a neutral.  You can't do it today, even with old cable - but you could do it a) if the cable is SE, b) if it is still in the original location and c) if it powers a range or dryer.

Recasting it as neutral is important. Why?   Because it's not legal or safe to retrofit neutral - but it is legal, safe and wise to retrofit ground.  So you can install the ground separately, even on a different route back to the panel. Copper 8 AWG solid-core bare ground wire is sold at hardware stores.

That ain't 60A

You may have seen an ampacity chart that put 6 AWG Al at 60A.  You are reading out of the 90 degree C column. Even if the wire is legal for that, the terminations usually aren't.  Normally we work out of the 60C column. That gives you 40A on 6 AWG Al.

There's nothing wrong with aluminum wire at these larger sizes, though it is a deprecated alloy called AA-1350 (new alloys are AA-8000) that had a lot of problems in smaller wires because of dissimilar metals. Do not put aluminum wire on copper lugs/terminations unless they are specifically rated for it (usually, not). Be very careful with your terminations.  The terminations in the subpanel probably won't be a problem since the lugs are aluminum.  Likewise on the neutral and ground bus in your main panel. But pay close attention to the circuit breaker, make sure it has a modern Al rating.  What caused all the problems in the 70s and 80s with aluminum wire is the devices/terminations had an "aluminum rating" which was approved carelessly.  They rewrote the ratings, look for new ratings on new products.

As always, get at rather large subpanel; running out of space is a major hassle, but a few extra bucks spent at panel-purchase time guarantees  you'll never have that problem.  What's more, larger panels usually have some circuit breakers tossed in as a bonus, and that ends up paying for the larger size!


Screws for mounting exercise rings on concrete ceiling

There are two primary types of anchors for concrete. I'd trust either if properly installed. Holes must be drilled cleanly and to the proper size. Bolts must be of the correct diameter and length. Both require fairly large holes (7/16" to 5/8" or so).

Sleeve or Wedge Anchor (with integrated bolt)

Lag Shield (with standard lag screw)


Fencing yard and then cementing Area - What to do first?

There are local landscaping companies that would do all of this around me.  I would call a couple.   Also with a small area some pavers might look a lot nicer than a concrete slab and might save you a lot of money.

But before you start anything you need to make sure that your townhouse board is OK with any of this.  There might be a specific type of fence that you need to get and bylaws on doing cement work and stuff.


Gas Furnace blowing hot air into room, flue is cold

First:  The situation you describe I would consider borderline hazardous if not clearly dangerous. (CO poisoning hazard) Please do not continue to run this appliance under these conditions.

Now to my practical input;  I worked on boiler (we call this type of appliance a boiler) once that displayed this type of problem. The firebox in these things is lined with a fireproof insulation.  One of these blocks of insulation fell from the 'ceiling' of he firebox and dropped onto the top of the heat exchanger.  This blocked the normal flow path of the products of combultion up the vent and they were generously spilling into the room/house.  Once I reattached that block of insualtion back in its rightful place, everything was fine.  However, the boiler required a couple of hours of my time with a long handled wire brush and a shop vac to rid the exchanger of the resulting abundant soot buildup.

When natural gas does not burn properly, efficiently and completely the result can be and often is the generation of CO gas. This is a dangerous substance when inhaled especially for children and little ones; in can be fatal.  Please, when making decisions regarding the operation of these appliances, always put the health of your family first.


If you are removing this unit to replace with a new unit, then I would either:

drill out the setscrew - not much care needed as it’s being replaced. But if it was to be re-used then putting the drill in a jig to save the threads would help.

just use a grinder to cut the old unit up - protect the worktop and surrounding surfaces from the debris.


Peerless Boiler proper pressure causing flushing sound?

Air trapped in the lines. There is usually an automatic air vent in the system but not always. It should be mounted to an "air scoop" or air separator which may also connect the expansion tank. Though that setup can vary. One name brand air vent is the Hy-Vent. If you don't have one, you should have one installed. If you are handy, install it yourself.

And this could be a sign of bigger problems as air doesn't magically appear in a hot water system. Have you noticed any water on/near the boiler? Your expansion tank diaphragm could have failed and air has leaked into your lines. You can test that with with a tire gauge as the fitting is the same as a car tire and is under a cap on the opposite end of the pipe. CAUTION! Let the system cool down a bit before you do this otherwise you might get sprayed with scalding water.

Another thing to check for is leaks around the baseboards and piping. That could be admitting air into the system.


What exactly is a "deep" (or "shallow") scratch on a vitrified floor?

Shallow would be just a scratch in the protective layer.

Deep is into the wood layer, and that looks likely from your pictures.


I have laid a mortar skim coat many times to even out an uneven surface. I would use mortar not plaster as you have seen what happens to sheetrock when it gets damp plaster is the same. Make sure to cover and check your tile width just to make sure the evened up area matches up with your tile I usually feather 2-3 times the tile width so there are no noticeable height differences.


Stick a box and receptacle in the ceiling and plug the thing in there

This is a job for an old work type box mounted in the ceiling, with a receptacle mounted in the old work box.  That way, you'll be covered under NEC 400.7(A) point 2 which allows flexible cord to be used to wire luminaires, instead of violating NEC 400.8 point 2 which prohibits running flexible cordage through building surfaces.

If your device doesn't have a plug on it, get a field-fit type of NEMA 5-15 plug from the hardware store and put that on the end of the cord.

Powering the receptacle then can be done using a chapter 3 wiring method (such as NM) run through the attic to a box where constant power (always-hot and neutral) are present, such as the receptacle box pointed out in your photo.


New gas range setting off smoke/gas detectors

Yeah, you really need an externally vented hood. Sorry, but gas stoves put out both carbon dioxide and even worse, some amounts of carbon monoxide, which is much worse.  While it may not be an enormous risk, it's still important enough to vent combustion gases from a gas range to the outside. Really!  All you have to do to kill yourself is forget to turn off a burner or oven and go to sleep and not wake up again.   Sorry, dude, but you need an externally vented hood.


Most garages have no insulation in outer walls or in the attic. If the pipes are exposed in the attic (especially near an outer wall), they might be freezing in that area.


Why does my fluorescent ceiling fixture trip the GFCI sometimes?

Interference
The problem could be caused by Electromagnetic interference, or an attempt to filter the interference.
Older Ground-fault circuit interrupting (GFCI) devices may be more susceptible to EMI related nuisance tripping. If you have an older GFCI device, you should first try replacing the GFCI device.
Some fluorescent fixtures have an EMI/RFI filter built into the device, to try and prevent any interference produced by the fixture (ballast or bulbs) from leaving the fixture. In most cases the interference is bled off through the equipment grounding conductor (EGC), which can lead to an imbalance of current between the ungrounded (hot) conductor and the grounded (neutral). This current imbalance may be large enough, and long enough to trip a GFCI device.
Ground-fault
It's quite possible that there may actually be a ground-fault somewhere in the fixture, or the switch. Could be a stray arc somewhere in the fixture when it turns on/off, that causes a small amount of current to leak. It might be worth trying a more modern fixture.
Why is it GFCI protected?
You may want to figure out why the fixture is GFCI protected in the first place. If the protection is not required, removing the GFCI protection will certainly solve your problem.


What is the proper deck footing depth in Connecticut?

You need to place the footings deeper than the frost line.  Some research says the frost line in CT is around 42" so you'd do well to put the posts down 48".

The city will be able to verify this when you get your permit approved.

Count yourself lucky...  In Ottawa, Ontario I had to put them down 60"...  and they still heaved one year.


How can I soundproof my room to reduce street noise?

I am by no means a professional 'sound guy' but I do enjoy playing my music and movies  without any outside noises. It sounds like you are suffering from a similar situation I deal with. Often it's not about preventing 100% sound from coming in, but preventing it from reflecting and propagating.

Some common anti-echo techniques I employ are:

hang framed Canvases (cheap oil paintings or blank canvases from a craft store)
Rugs/Carpets (thicker the better)
Foam Panels hung on doors

I always imagine if every hard surface is mirror plated and you shined a light from where the noise comes from. It can be reflected off just about anything. The softer and less dense, the less reflective.

If it comes right down to it, and the window truly is the source of problems, an inexpensive project can be making a frame for a single piece of poly-carbonate to mount/hang over your window. It essentially would make a crude "triple pane" window.

I've never had to go this far for noise, but I have for apartments with drafty windows and it was noticeably quieter.

Good luck and let us know what works for you.


It will be absolutely fine, so long as you store it clean and dry. We have had a few over the years, of various types, and they've all been fine.


Nest thermostat installation to furnace and heat pump

Thermostat User's Guide, pg 168, Fig. 160

Here is the wiring for 1 stage heat with aux heat and emergency heat from the Nest E Pro Installation Guide

I don't think you're compatible with the Nest E since you have separate controls for both auxiliary heat and emergency heat. A Nest Learning Thermostat would be compatible:

If you had a Nest Learning Thermostat, you would wire:

G -> G
W -> W2/AUX
R -> Rc
X -> * (Emergency Heat)
B -> C
O -> O/B
Y -> Y1


How do I dispose of the waste water after cleaning a brush or roller?

Modern Latex paint has very low toxicity. I don't hesitate to wash the brush in whichever sink is available (being careful to make sure that I then wash all the paint off the sink in turn).


Why do my bedroom and kitchen lights switch off or on without operating them from the switch?

Guesswork: in the absence of any timers on the premises, something is wired wrong and an exterior light with a photo sensor is completing a path.

Diagnosing any problem usually begins at, ever since I...


Once there is a crack with high water it is just about impossible to stop the leak unless a complete perimeter drain is installed. Since you already have a sump directing the water to it is the normal procedure , sometimes a internal drain drain is added this is less expensive than a perimeter drain.


It goes in the bedroom because it will have a door, and that door may become blocked or might be inadvisable to open during a fire.

If there's no walls yet in the basement, or at least no doors, anywhere in the basement will serve your current requirement. There's no reason to not put it where it eventually belongs.

The idea is that the entire rest of your house could be on fire and when you wake up in that bedroom you have somewhere to go. In an open floor plan, consider the basement as one giant bedroom that needs two means of egress: the window and the staircase.

Proximity to gas fired equipment isn't really a concern (I don't think). It might be best if it wasn't near them but not if that's where it should go, which is situation dependent (this may warrant further research, see *below).

IIRC most home fires stem from electrical faults and from open flame or space heaters. So you need to be prepared for anything.

*This is all off the cuff, your codes may be quite particular about these things and your contractor should be well aware of them, or they shouldn't be your contractor. IMO that is the difference between a handyman and a contractor.


2H/1C Heat Pump (with aux heat) seems like the correct option, as it sounds like you have a heat pump and a secondary heat source (furnace, etc.).

The jumper between E and AUX makes it so that if the thermostat calls for emergency heat, the second heat source will be used instead.


Manufactured home light fixture junction box mountings

You could replace the box with a braced box, something line this one.

They're designed for the bar to slip up into the hole, and then expand to bite into the nearby structural members. Once the bar is securely in place, the box can be attached to it.


Should my A/C compressor come on when I turn only the fan on?

This is not normal.  When the thermostat energizes the G terminal, only the blower fan should come on.

Check for a jumper/short between Y and G either at the thermostat, or the air handler.


If this hole is in a stud bay in your wall then you're likely looking at 1/2 inch OSB or plywood. If so then you need a 4 inch plywood disc. In order to secure it in place you should get a piece of plywood that's about 1.5"x6", place it behind the exterior wall, and fasten it to the wall with a screw on each side. Once this cross-brace is in place then screw your 4 inch disc to the brace.
If this is through your rim joist then you'll need a 4 inch disc that's as thick as your rim joist. You should be able to put the disc in the hole and secure it with wood glue if it's snug or epoxy if there are gaps. You could also choose to support it with a cross-brace from inside your home similar to the plywood method.
If you have no idea what I am talking about then this image should help:

Courtesy of https://www.dreamgreendiy.com/2019/01/21/how-to-patch-a-hole-in-drywall/


Affixing a 5kg mirror to an outdoor wall

Depending on how permanent you want it to be and the surface you want to fix it to, a backboard and or adhesive would do the trick.  For less permanent options, build either large or many mirror clips out of some similar wood or pre-set a backboard of the same size and drill and countersink nice screws through the edge of the frame where there is no glass.  If safe frame thickness is substantial, you could recess the backboard 15mm from the edge of the mirror frame and add indirect weatherproof RGB lighting strips in the recess for a nice garish touch.  Mirror clips are probably your best option as they are secure and won't damage the frame and a wide array of aesthetics will be available even if you have to make them yourself.
To elaborate on what I mean by building your own mirror clips:
Here is an image of 3 common types of mirror clip, all far too small for you to use:

You need 3 mirror clips to firmly secure a round mirror.
The first type has a lot of meat to it, so you could build a variety of similar shapes out of wood.  The type of fasteners you'd need depend on the wall you're attaching to.
The second type Would work well in wood as well.  Note the convenient seam shown in the picture.  The bottom clips could be solid and the top clip made in two pieces so the front can be screwed on once the mirror is in place.  With the right design, screws can be hidden on top for a flat face.
The third type would be easy to make in 1/8" thick flat iron.  For the size mirror you have I'd use 1.5" wide.  You can see that a slot is provided for the screw so that two screws can be used to hold the bottom clips without moving and a single screw can be used on the top clip so it can be slid to remove the mirror.  The modification I'd make for a large version is to have the base about 4-5" long and have two slots cut in it so it can slide up and down but not rotate.  1/8" flat is very easy to work with, I built this exact shape just last year for ladder hangers.  To bend round 90 degree bends, use a blowtorch and vise, heat directly the part you want to bend and clamp extra layers of flat or angle to the parts you don't want to bend.  Heat and bend.  For tight 90 degree bends, make sure your vise is firmly mounted to the workbench and the workbench strong, clamp the flat in the vise so the top edge of the vise is where you want your bend.  Apply a small amount of pressure 20" away in the direction you want the flat to bend and use a 3-5 pound sledge hammer to strike the flat close to the jaw of the vise.  Don't try to do it in one hit.  To make the second bend, the jaws of your vise may not be deep enough because of the L shape sticking out from your first bend.  Use a steel block to extend the vise jaw.


Water from sink draining into dishwasher, no air gap

having just redone the dishwasher, sink, disposal and faucet/drains in my kitchen I can hopefully help you here.  You shouldn't need an airgap for one.  I actually removed mine when I redid them because I found it to be ugly and both the dishwasher and disposal manuals say one was not necessary.  What you can do is loop the dishwasher drain hose so it reaches above the connection to the disposal, this should keep stuff from running backwards into the dishwasher.  I am however concerned that this is happening in the first place and might suggest checking your disposal to see if it is clogged or having other drainage issues as the water level in the disposal shouldn't ever get high enough for water to backwash down the to the dishwasher.

Also running the dishwasher into the disposal is beneficial so any large food waste goes through the disposal instead of directly down your drain so I wouldn't change that part out.

I would also double check your manual for your dishwasher to see if it has special instructions for the connection without the airgap.


What can replace this PVC toilet flange in iron pipe?

See how the broken remnant of your old flange is marked "For Cast Iron"? The product you linked to in your question specifically says it's for PVC.

You should use a heavy duty product made for use with cast iron, and screw it securely to the floor with stainless steel screws after you set it. Something like this:


How to fix toilet spacing doesn't meet minimum 15"?

It reads like you have already answered your own question: either get rid of the vanity or move the toilet flange over, if you need to abide by a toilet side clearance code.

Google "offset toilet flange" for hundreds of hits, including Amazon and the big box stores.

It may be easier and better drainage to just place a new (straight) flange where you want it. A jack hammer would be overkill. A 1/2" hammer-drill will do on the concrete basement floor.


Is it ok to use pneumatic tools underwater

I do light underwater work as a part of my job. One thing I do is drill in rock underwater with a CP9 rock drill. This is a pneumatic tool but is designed to work both above and under water. It works great as long as it is properly lubed before and disassembled and lubed as soon as possible after the job is done.

I have no first hand experience of other tools, but according to a colleague it is perfectly fine to use more or less any pneumatic tools underwater, he often uses cheap ones and says that they do get the job done.

Edit: I have since I posted this answer used multiple cheap pneumatic tools underwater. I can report that I have had no problems at all in doing so, as long as the tool is disassembled within a day (preferrably ASAP) after being used and lubricated throughout.


Do Federal Pacific baseboard heaters have a reputation for poor quality?

The only problem I have ever had with FPE base board heaters is the thermostat. I am not saying there was a flaw. The contacts fail after many years of service and have required replacement. Your total of 5000 watts would be 20.8A so a 30 Amp breaker would be normal with #10 wire supplying them. If you cannot find a replacement thermostat (for the ones in the base board) I have added a wall mounted thermostat for the room and bypassed the thermostat but not the over temp sensor that is a safety if the contacts weld closed in the thermostat. Added Today I just did a power survey on an older 25kva 480 to 240-120v transformer that has been in use for? It wal lightly loaded at 54A at 240. I increased its load to 91A at 240 even ballanced loads (120) and it is still running cool on a hot day here (mid 90's) so I would still say FPE products other than "stab lock" are good.


It sounds like the line voltage is low.  I have had this issue before with some cheaper and counterfeit bulbs from China.  Check your line voltage at the socket (the thing the bulb screws into) and see how much of a drop it has from, say, a nearby outlet.  You can then get a general idea of how much voltage drop the 4 LED bulbs are causing in total.  What happens is that the little inverter type power supply board in the LED is really fussy in the cheapies, and if the voltage at the junction box is already low (old house, end of a trunk , other loads in line, etc.), the voltage is too low to run five, but just enough to run 4.  you can sometimes see this if you take a high frame rate HD video (70fps and higher) of 1 led bulb installed, and then with 1 less than the number that is stops working at (5 in your case, so 4 for you).  Then playback the videos on a player at slow speed.  You will see a flicker with 4, but no flicker with just 1.  T322his is due to the driver voltage being just sufficient with 4 lights, but too low with 5.

If you have a dimmer, try all 5 without the dimmer.  If that works, you either need a magnetic driver type dimmer or you have non dimmable bulbs.  If it doesn't work, your line voltage is too low and it simply won't work.  And remember, this is all assuming you have checked for shorts, bridging, etc in the fixture, wiring and sockets.


Drill getting stuck about two inches into stud

Hope you haven't done any significant damage to whatever you are hitting, and choose a different stud  - or else open up the wall and look. At "1.5 to 2 inches" there's no requirement to put protective steel plates over things in the wall like wires and plumbing, so you have probably found something like that with your drill bit and very long screws.


How to wire a new Honeywell RTF6580WF thermostat to replace a Chronotherm IV?

Make a list of all the terminals, and the color of the wire that connects to each.

Rc - Red
R - Jumper
W - White
etc.

Next turn the breaker off for the furnace, and/or switch off the serviceman switch for the furnace.  Then open the service panel on the furnace.  You should be able to locate the control board where these wires connect, which should tell you everything you need to know.


For your situation, I would cut the gaps like you suggest and add blocking to force the alignment of the edges. Plywood clips should have been used to keep the edges in alignment, but the gaps should have been there too. Over cut the gaps enough to make sure the butt joints are open totally

You will only need to use scraps to block the edges, you could even use 3/4" plywood for the blocking using 2 screws on either side of the gap. I would do the same with 2X if you used that as well, that way one screw will help the other draw the blocking tight to the plywood. The blocks do not need to go over the gap parallel to it, it can go perpendicular to the gap to bridge the two. That is how I described the screw install.


"deck sealer" or plain old linseed oil. Re-apply regularly.


What is the best type of insulation to use on a hinged metal attic door?

A rigid foam (or ductboard) box in the attic which sits over (is larger than) the door opening. When you open the door, the box is still there. When you enter the attic you lift the box out of the way. When you are done in the attic, you lift the box back into position over the door, then close the door.


How to remove a sheet metal screw from the threaded end

If there's enough sticking out that you can grab on to, a pair of locking pliers would likely help turn it but it will be hard to fully unthread since there will come a point where the pliers don't have enough to grip on to.  If you're lucky, you might get enough clearance to cut it or turn it from another part of the screw.

Another option is to simply drill it out and then tap new, slightly larger threads to use with a larger screw when re-installing.


That looks like the city meter in picture 2 ; In TX the home owner is not supposed to operate the 90 degree cock type valve at the meter ( not that it hasn't happened). There is another valve between the meter and the house . My valve is inside a large plastic pipe which I found while gardening near the foundation ( buried in leaves).


Do joists need to be attached to the beam they're resting on?

The Code (See ICC Table 2304.9.1) requires joists toenailed into beams by:

3 - 8d common nails, or
3 - 10d box nails, or
3 - 3” x 0.131” nails, or
3 - 14 ga. Staples with 7/16” crown.


12/3 w/ ground run from switch to ceiling fan. Way to jump 12/2 for new light with independent switch?

Yes, providing there is enough capacity in the j-box, you can just run 12/2 w ground to the new light location from the fan j box, attaching black to red and white to other whites.

12 awg requires 2.25 cu in per insulated conductor, plus adding one conductor to the count for all grounds. The fixture wires from the fan don't count.


Line loses power when light bulb is put in

To me this sounds like a bad connection. My first look is for backstabs prior to the switch or at the switch, it can also be a broken wire sometimes a Knick on the wire when striped the wire can break over time, and last a wire not fully in a wire nut.
All of these can show full voltage without a load but once a load (the light) is added it opens. I see this most often with backstabs the push in wire connections , I have found a few broken wires and a few more loose wire nuts over the years but most often a bad backstab.

Although I have found this problem hundreds of times on outlets I have found it a few dozen times fed from an outlet on a lighting circuit,
Usually lighting circuits are not as heavily loaded but in a daisy chain feed the bad connection is usually close to the switch a outlet that feeds the switch within a few feet. Or the switch itself.

You mentioned a double pole breaker so it might be a multi wire branch circuit, but since both hot to ground and hot to neutral voltage are good I would be looking for a bad hot , black or red wire.


What is the best way to get rid of plants growing in my walls?

Call in the landlord.  The plants have to be getting water to grow from some source.  Either it's penetrating the siding of the house, it's found a way into the plumbing system, or there is a leak (e.g. plumbing or roof) that is getting water into the wall.


How to make custom stringers for wooden/picket fence?

A few options (ordered by relative ease):

buy the premade section and cut to fit
use regular 2x4 (1.5x3.5) material and ignore the size difference
find a tablesaw and rip stock to the exact size you want

Alternately, you could run the panels full width and fill in any gaps at the bottom with triangular pieces.


Does the NEC have a table for oversizing wire for extended lengths?

Southwire has a voltage drop calculator here:  https://www.southwire.com/calculator-vdrop
The resistance for 250' of 12ga is indeed around .4 ohms.

You also should remember that you'll only be drawing 13 amps when the saw is fully loaded. According to the calculator when drawing the full 13 amps you'd see a voltage drop of almost 10% on 12 ga wire. For 10ga at full load it would be just over 5%.

Up to you if you want to save some money on wire and risk higher voltage drop or spend quite a few more bucks and get 10ga.


Will a double pole, 240V thermostat work here and here? Wiring for 1.5v old brain

You don't have any Neutrals - you appear to be working in North American 120/240 VAC and for a 240V heater setup you have hot, ground, and hot - whites should have been re-marked (red, or black, or any color other than white, grey, or green.) You should do that (I reach for red first in this case, but it's not required to use red, just one of the hot colors.)
You mention 10 gauge wires, and that sets off an alarm bell since typical 240V heater circuits are 20A, and the usual reason you see 10 gauge in that case is that you have (the bad kind of) aluminum wiring. If your thermostats are not specifically rated to connect to aluminum wiring, and the wires are not copper, you may have some additional work to do. OK, you did say this is a 30A circuit, which might make finding suitable thermostats difficult, but should mean the wires are copper.
So, at the junction box where power comes in, in the dining room, you need to join the black wires from the feed and the black wires leading to the living room, and a pigtail to connect to one line side of the dining room 240V two-pole thermostat. If the wires are aluminum, use one side of an alumiconn to connect the two aluminum wires, and the other to connect a copper pigtail. Then you also need to join the whites (remarked red) from the same cables in the same way, and a pigtail to the other line side of the dining room thermostat.  The dining room heater connects to the load side of the dining room thermostat - again, use alumiconns to transition to copper if needed.
All the grounds should be joined, and connected to the box if the box is metal.
That gives you unswitched power to the line side of the thermostat, and unswitched power to the living room thermostat location, so that the heaters work independently.
In the living room, connect the cable from the dining room to the line side of that 240V two-pole thermostat, and the cable to the heater to its load side, again, using alumiconns if you need to transition from aluminum to copper.
In the summer, you might as well shut off the circuit breaker feeding this circuit. That kills the whole thing, while the two-pole thermostats only kill the wires from the thermostats to the heaters.


Correct voltage of hot wires with common neutral

Having had to rewire a factory after someone stole all the breakers and all the wires up to the edge of a panel, I see it in the converse manner as ThreePhaseEel.
I don't say red and blue need to be on different neutrals.  I say red and blue breakers need to be on opposite phases.  I.E. the breakers are mispositioned.  I wouldn't do anything to the garage wiring, other than understand it.
I suspect it was wired correctly originally (albeit lacking the handle-ties now required) and then some years ago, a previous maintainer rearranged some breakers and did not realize these were MWBCs. .
So I would reposition the red/blue breakers back to where they belong: on opposite phases... and declare victory, myself.
In other words, I'm saying "fix it at the breaker panel by correctly phasing red and blue"... and don't "try to rearrange the garage wiring to change how the MWBCs are grouped".
For right now, swap the 3 breakers around so red/blue are opposite phased.  It's not a handle-tie, but it's what can be done right now.  (I assume you have a panel full of tandems/double-stuffs, and those get VERY confusing).

However, separate from that, it's a Code requirement that the neutrals be identified in association with their partner hot(s).  Things like that are why my electric toolbox has 10 colors of tape.  I would simply tape the white wires with the colors of the hot(s) they support; there's nothing wrong with that *when it's individual wires in conduit; as remarking individual white or gray wires does not convert them into a hot.
So wrap them or tape them as pairs/triplets, at both ends.  The ground is shared and doesn't need to be associated with one or the other.


Is it advisable to use EPDM for flooring around the pool?

Anyone who says that "EPDM does not do well around water" is ignorant of what the material is. It is used specifically as a water resistant membrane for roofing and many other applications, including around pool decks.

It is not the material itself that is an issue, it is how you intend to use it and how it is applied/installed. Your question doesn't specify exactly what you intend to do, but assuming that you will have a professionally applied EPDM coating, with the surface properly prepared and the material mixed and applied as required by the manufacturer.


How do I rust proof a garage door track?

Carefully determine where the wheels of the bottom of your door stop being used.  Any point below the bottom of the wheels when the door is completely down should be safe to remove.  The track shouldn't have to go all the way to the ground.

I would not paint the track, for fear that it will interfere with smooth motion.  If anything I'd use grease to lube up the track, which will put a protective surface on the inside of the track where you need it and improve performance (less resistance).

Rust on the outside of the track won't matter except aesthetically.


If you have a crawlspace with an earth bottom, it's possible the humidity is coming up through that--check whether you have a vapor barrier below your house. You probably don't, given the age of the house.

Getting a dehumidifier is definitely a possibility. Or a 'swamp cooler' arrangement, where cold water is used to make condensate that you then pipe out of the house, but that really only works in higher temperature air.

(edit) You may find some of this writeup really helpful.


Interior door handle with privacy lock for 2-inch think interior doors

So, this is a little out-of-line, as shopping advice goes stale fast out there in the world, but do this:

go to build.com and search "interior privacy lockset 2" door"
in the side column, headed "Narrow Your Results", under 'function', select privacy.
same column, under 'door thickness', select 2"
sort low to high price and you'll find an array of decent options