How do I make this wiring inside cabinet safer?

There is nothing you can do with old wiring that doesn't meet code that will make it meet code. Old NM cable with no ground may have been "grandfathered" into an existing building, so long as you don't alter it. But that would not apply here because the WAY it was done was never per code.

Do you really need a circuit there? I would just find out where it comes from and disconnect it there, then pull it out. If you DO want another circuit there, you can attach new NM cable with a ground to the end of this before pulling it out, then get an "old work box" that can be mounted into the wall properly. An old work box is designed to go into a cut-out in the wall, then has "molly bolt" type fasteners that turn behind the wall and snug up against the back of it to hold the box in place (make sure you put the wire through the KO first!). Once the wire is in there, you can put in a receptacle for a light, fan etc.


WDT710PAYM4 Whirlpool Dishwasher part needed

I was finally able to happen upon the whirlpoolparts.com website and entered what I thought was the correct name of "cover latch". It ended up being the whole assembly called "Whirlpool Dishwasher Detergent Dispenser WPW10195175".


How can I repair this broken bathroom tap?

In the long term, I think you need to replace the faucet, but in the meantime:

You could try an epoxy with metal added (J-B Weld is the most famous, but the SuperGlue company makes a light-duty metal epoxy that I've used for a bunch of jobs; the one-use packages are available at the 99-cent store).
In either case,

clean and dry the surfaces (turn off the water to avoid mistakes)
mix the epoxy and apply it (making sure not to block the water flow, of course)
CAREFULLY clean any excess from the outside surface - it will be much harder to remove once it's set
line things up carefully, and stabilize the joint while the epoxy sets.  I recommend a "dry run" - try to tape it up and see whether it will hold, or whether you'll need some sort of clamp.  There's nothing worse than finding out that your joint isn't stable when you've already glued it!
Pay attention to the directions and DON'T remove the tape (or clamp) or try to run the water until after the recommended curing time.

I don't know whether I'd trust the resulting joint to hold pressure, but since this is beyond the valve that shouldn't be a problem.


Aprilaire 700 humidifier not working properly

humidifiers can be complex devices.  first step is check power at the board and make sure you haven't blown a board fuse or a fusible link.  assuming the board has power, check to see if the fan gets power when you turn on the power.  if no power to the fan, and all the wires are good, then chances are the power supply on the board is shot, or the control module is shot.  does it have momentary switches or good old fashioned "click" knobs or switches )ie SPST or DPST?


Whooshing sound in water supply lines in my house

Have you considered the possibility that the main water shutoff valve is the culprit here?   It may appear to work fine, but perhaps it's allowing air to enter the pipes?  Maybe the valve itself is faulty, or the installation of the valve is faulty.

From what you've written, the only difference is the new main water shutoff valve.
 It seems like it's the culprit.  If you didn't have air getting in your lines before, then it seems likely the new valve is the issue.  Replace it.


You can:
A) Install the new trim and fill the remaining gap with Spackle and/or drywall. Or:
B) Install a section of drywall to fill this gap and han install your trim on top of it. (This is probably the best route to take.


Dishwasher won't stop filling with hot water

Definitely sounds like the inlet valve is stuck open or otherwise damaged.

It may need to be replaced, depending on exactly what was damaged.

To turn the water off, follow the water line from the dishwasher, there should be a valve where it attaches to the house plumbing, this will stop the water.  Depending on how it is plumbed it may also shutoff water to the kitchen sink as these water lines are often combined.

The inlet valve is usually right next to where the supply water hose connects on the underside of the dishwasher.

A repair technician could repair it, or an online search with your model number will find you replacement parts and instructions on how to replace it yourself.


I'm picturing a felt or paper backing that has been partially dissolved and then dried out. It's probably not much different from what happens when you accidentally lay a magazine in a bit of water on your countertop at breakfast and return after work to find it glued down solid. The binders in the paper dissolve and create a weak glue.

You haven't mentioned what you've tried, but I'd start with a simple dishsoap solution. Water caused the adhesion, and water may remove it as well. A bit of soap won't hurt.

Otherwise, I'd look at something fairly mild like wallpaper paste remover first. Harsher products are likely to damage wall finishes and grout. You could also create your own solution of white vinegar and/or lemon juice. More on that.


How to deal with a thick wire in a mounting nipples for a chandelier?

Call the manufacturer for assistance or see if you can get heavy duty hardware at an electrical supply store. The included hardware may be low-grade & drilling the nipple hole more than a millimeter larger may cause a safety issue. The heavy duty stuff you can drill no problem, if needed. The canopy cover will likely then also need to be slowly drilled so a bigger nipple can fit through.


How to install 4-prong dryer in 3-prong receptacle with 4-wire cut ground?

That would be fine, as long as you make sure that unused ground wire is in tact and properly terminated back at the panel.

Testing continuity to ground is not IMO a sufficient test, since a neutral and a ground would both show continuity to ground.  Hopefully the cable is run exposed where you can see it and verify that it goes where it should in the panel.


Best way to drill square tubing (Without drill press)

If I have to drill square tubing with a hand operated electric drill I will use a square and mark a line all the way around the four sides of the tubing at the location along the length where the hole is to be located. Then mark the center locations of the holes on the two faces of the tubing on opposite sides.

Then use a center punch to dimple the center mark for the holes on both sides. Next step is to drill a small diameter pilot hole, one from each side, at the center punch locations.

Now you are ready to drill the finished hole size with the appropriate sized drill bit. The pilot hole helps to guide the larger sized drill bit. Drill each hole separately from its side.

Using careful marking and measurements this technique is the best way to get the two holes aligned nicely across from each other. It removes the worry of the angled drill bit not making the hole in the second side in the right place. It eliminates the possibility of an angled drill bit binding in the first drilled hole and breaking. And finally it gives you the benefit of the pilot hole on the second side which you do not get when trying to drill the second hole from the inside of the tubing.


Easy and effective way to clean a very dirty plastic broom

Vacuum it.

You could also comb it, with a hard metal rake. Since you didn't tell us what it is dirty with, this is my best (fits most cases) answer.


You should be able to unscrew the upper part of the drain, the part that's in the basin where your stopper is located, from the tailpiece.


The GFCI is tripping for a reason. Older ones sometimes tripped for false positives, but that's very rare with modern fuses/interrupters.

Especially if the outlet interrupts with the same appliance every time then the problem is the appliance not the outlet. Do some troubleshooting on the grill to find out if you can repair it, or need to replace it. It might be that the grill is operating as it was designed to, and it's simply drawing more current than is safe for a typical outlet.

Meanwhile, go thank the GFCI for doing its job and saving your life/apartment.


Water won't flow uphill. You need to either raise the input (shallower sink) or lower the output (opening the wall and finding a way to rework the plumbing). This is why it's important to look at the drain height and counter top height plus any difference created with something like a disposal before selecting the sink depth.


Why do my clothes smell when I dry them outside on line but they are fine when tumble dried?

Smells generally come from bacteria which thrive in a moist environment. A dryer heats up clothing to the point where most of these bacteria are killed off.

It's possible that the bacteria is coming from your washing machine, if you usually do cool or cold cycles and haven't cleaned it out in awhile then it is a breeding ground. Try running an empty load at its highest temperature, or better yet running an empty load with a washing machine cleaner to get it gunk-free. That should get your washing smelling fresh when using a line.


What purpose does this PVC pipe in my crawlspace serve?

Since its under an addition I think your guess about being part of an irrigation system that was abandoned is the most probable.


Am I required to replace a non code compliant balustrade?

We would have to talk to your building department to answer that question.  For something like this there may be a serious safety issue.  If a small child got hurt or someone got knocked over you would be liable if you didn't fix it and knew about it...

It is customary in the US to get the replacement cost of something that isn't code built into the price of the house.  If it costs $1000 to fix then I would expect to pay about 1K less for the house.  Also in the US (and I am pretty sure Australia) that you must disclose the issue to other potential buyers once one inspection finds the issue.  Meaning too that if you buy the house and potentially want to sell you have to tell everyone looking at your house about the issue.

Also you might need to think out of the box.  I don't have a picture of your balcony but if it is pretty close to 1 meter - then how about a decorative top plate on top of your current setup?  This would be cheap, easy, and a DIY.


Why doesn't my dehumidifier stay on the humidity setting I select?

You set a Relative Humidity value with a humidifier, not a temperature (as indicated on the control pad). The reason for your confusion may be that when you set some humidifiers, the set point is displayed for a short time, and then the actual RH is displayed on a long-term basis. You won't see the set RH again unless you adjust it.


Can't remove wires from a circuit breaker

The dilemma: do I cut the load neutral at the breaker, or is there a way to remove it from the breaker?

Remember: the load line is purple; the load neutral is white; the panel neutral is white with a black stripe; the short loop from one side of the breaker to the other is dark grey (may look black in the photos).

The first 3 photos (below) show different angles of all 4 wires and where they connect to this ITE GFCI breaker. Notice: There are 3 ports where the wires connect. 3 wires (the white, the striped and one end of the grey loop) enter a single port. The purple and the other end of the grey loop have their own port for connection.

https://i.stack.imgur.com/M2OWE.jpg
https://i.stack.imgur.com/0LGLP.jpg
https://i.stack.imgur.com/5oVE0.jpg

The second photo (above) also shows the top of two set-screws. (Look at the breaker in the middle of the three shown.) The one on the right releases the line load (purple) wire, and looks normal. The one on the left releases the stand-alone end of the grey wire loop; but you can't see any groove for a screwdriver or other tool because ITE put a cover/block over the head of the screw. Clearly, they don't want someone removing that screw, especially accidentally.
The third photo (above): Look at the broad side of the breaker. Notice 4 small shallow holes with something somewhat bright inside each one. These bright objects are either rivets or another type of fastener that either hold the breaker case together or hold internal parts to the breaker case.

I mention this because when I found no set-screw(s) to release the 3 wires in the same port, I looked for a hole in which to insert a tool to push on some kind of spring release of the wires. As you can see, there is no such hole, and this is the broad side of the breaker closest to those 3 wires. You can also see fairly well, from all of the first 3 photos, that there is no such hole on the thin side of the breaker to which all the wires attach. There are also no such holes on the opposite broad side of the breaker (no photo).
The fourth photo (below) shows the same broad side of the breaker as above. Notice:

You can see all 4 wires just above the top of the image of the breaker.
You can see two of the four rivets/fasteners.
You can see 3 embossed labels. I couldn't get a half-decent photo of these labels, but...

The one just under the 3 wires in the same port identifies those wires. It says, one under another: "Load Lug", "Plain Wire - Load Neut.", "Stripe Wire - Neut. Bus"
The one in the center of the breaker includes "Use only UL approved..." and "ITE Imperial Corp...Pennsylvania".
The one in the upper left corner says "STRIP GAGE" and has an embossed line of the length to strip the wires.

There are a few identifying codes stamped in white, not all still entirely legible, even in person.

https://i.stack.imgur.com/OWLui.jpg

In the fifth photo (below):

You can see directly into the 2 set-screw ports, and see that you can see the screwdriver slot at the top of the set-screw on the right, but not the one on the left, which is covered/blocked. (There's no need to access the one on the left in order to replace the breaker.)
The L-shaped yellowish-brownish area below the set-screws is the residue from the glued-on breaker label, which came off during my handling of the breaker, probably when I pulled off the tape that I used to hold the switch in the off position while working. The label included:

i) "Class A 1 Pole Unit Issue A-345"

ii) "Current Interrupting Rating"

iii) "Gould Corp. Circuit Protection Division Philadelphia, Penn. USA"

iv) "I-T-E Circuit Breaker & Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter"

v) "CAT. NO. OFI-B015" (The letter "O" may actually the number zero and the letter "I" may actually be the number "1" in "OFI". The number
"0" may actually be the letter "O" in "B015". I think I got it right, but my own handwriting is unclear and I don't have the label anymore to double-check it.)

https://i.stack.imgur.com/KRyjj.jpg

In the sixth photo (below), our breaker is the highest one. Notice:

You can see all 4 wires.
If you follow the white load neutral, you can see that it connects with either two other wires or a split wire, which is/are grey, under a yellow wire nut.
(Note: These wires at the wire nut are irrelevant to changing the breaker, except in one case:  If the load neutral has to be cut from the breaker and it ends up too short to reach the new breaker when that breaker is properly attached to the panel, then you have to replace the load neutral (white) wire with a longer wire (of the same/correct gauge), which means undoing the wire nut to remove the "far" end of the old load neutral wire and replace it with the "far" end of the new load neutral wire.)
It's not all in the picture, but if you carefully follow the striped panel neutral, you can see that it heads downward, then curves back upward and proceeds above the breaker, along the right edge of the line of the breakers. (It's hard to see the highest part.)

https://i.stack.imgur.com/Ah9J6.jpg

7)  In the seventh photo (below), the breaker is not installed into the panel. Notice:

You can see the striped panel neutral where it went above the breaker and finally turns and connects to the neutral bar.
You can see the yellow wire nut containing the "far" end of the load neutral (white) and the two grey wires. (It's hard to see both grey wires.)
In the lower left corner of the image, you can see the empty slot from which the breaker was removed.

https://i.stack.imgur.com/YOQP4.jpg

8) The eighth photo (below) shows the utility side of the breaker.  Notice:

You can see the white "TEST" button and the ON/OFF switch of this GFCI breaker.
You can see the yellowish L-shaped area where the glued-on label used to be.
You can see part of the "back" broad side and two of the four 'rivet-holes' there.  There are no holes to insert a tool to press a spring to release those 3 wires in the single port.

https://i.stack.imgur.com/EYi8v.jpg

I included all the details I could about this breaker for those who really want to "see" what I've been looking at and who may want to research further.  Especially, because the issue was finding a way to remove the load neutral from the breaker, I wanted to show you every square inch of the breaker so you could look for yourself.

It turns out that one of my relatives has a friend who has been a master electrician for over 40 years, has lived in this area for his whole life, has not only worked for many years for the county where this house is located, but done so as an electrician and as an electrical inspector.  He agreed to come here to give me some honest input about some significant electrical work we have been considering doing. ("Honest", because he is a good friend of my relative and because he will not be doing the work.)

I also informed him that I need help with the breaker.  I sent him a photo at his request because he also couldn't picture it from my description.

Before he arrived, I saw a former neighbor and good acquaintance who also happens to be a master electrician who I trust, also with over 40 years' experience.  I described the breaker to him, and he was also puzzled by my description.

When the electrician arrived, we went right to the breaker.  He turned it every which way to look it over, then looked where each wire led.  After assessing everything, he told me he had never seen a breaker like this, not the short wire loop and not the 3 wires in a single port.  Then, he confirmed what seemed obvious to me as the answer to my question, but what I did not want to act on without such confirmation:

There is no way to release those 3 wires.  The load line has to be cut at the breaker. (Fortunately, after cutting it, it was still long enough to reach the new breaker.)

The design of this breaker may be a dinosaur that went extinct long ago.


The round piece that is around the valve stem appears to be threaded into the outer body of the valve assembly. The internal hex shaped hole is used to accept a tool that fits over the valve stem and engages the inside shape to allow that round piece to be screwed out.

It is unlikely that a standard tool exists to extract the valve assembly and it may be necessary to contact the manufacturer to check on the availability of a specialized tool.


Will a GFCI device work on circuit where the neutral is switched?

A GFCI is only measuring currents and does not care about the voltages on either of the two wires going through it.

As long as the net current is always zero, it really doesn't matter how it is switched on and off.

The real problem with a "switched neutral" is that the contacts inside the fixture are live with respect to ground even when the switch is off. If you should accidentally touch the contacts while grounded, the GFCI will protect you by tripping. But if the fixture were wired correctly, that particular risk wouldn't exist at all.


How to Snub Voltage Spike Created by Appliance?

If it's a spike, a surge suppressor on the dehumidifier should fix it. Surge suppressors are non-directional.

If it's a drop, that won't help. A drop could be from a poor connection with high resistance that is more noticeable when the large load of the dehumidifier starting is applied, or it could just be that the circuit is heavily loaded.


Does anyone know how to remove the wires from this light socket, does anyone know how I find information about this type of socket?

Why not just remove it at the terminal blocks visible in the background? You may have to pull them out of the wall.

These are single-use "backstab" connections.  The wire can be removed either by firm pulling or jabbing a screwdriver in the slot release there, but then, the spring will be damaged and will no longer hold reliably. You would need to replace the socket at that point.


Why does one outlet trip the breaker, but not others?

On the contrary, that outlet is probably the one that has the most direct connection to the breaker. The additional wire between that outlet and the others is what reduces the current that the vacuum cleaner draws just enough to keep the breaker from tripping.


Yes, he's right.

Imagine this scenario.  You happen to be "going to town" - air conditioner is cycled on, dryer running, water heater heating and range/oven has the works turned on.  That's 30+30+30+50 = 140 amps* of power from the large appliances.

You are only served by mains power.  OK, the 100A main breaker snaps to protect the bus-bars in the panel.

You are served by mains + solar.  Your house draws 95 amps from the mains, and 45 amps from the solar+inverter (it's a sunny day).  The 100A main breaker does not trip.  The 50A solar breaker does not trip.  You have 140A moving on that panel with 100A buses.

Now, if the breakers are cleverly arranged (e.g. solar at the bottom, other loads stacked on the left side, sides don't matter) you might still get away with it, with the solar serving the bottom breakers and the mains serving the top breakers - no point along the bus flowing more than 100A.  But Code doesn't assume such a happy configuration.  Hence the requirement.

Move this over into a subpanel with 200A buses, and now 100A of mains can come through from the mains panel (use a subfeed lug "breaker"), and 50A can come off the solar panels, and still cheerfully power 150A of stuff in this 200A-bussed panel.  Happy dappy.

* I'm speaking apocryphally. Most appliances must be provisioned for 125% of their actual draw.  Take 24A x 125% = 30A.  Appliance builders intentionally size their appliances to just snake under that requirement, so your A/C, water heater, and dryer probably have a 23A load. Realistically 23+23+23+50 (ranges aren't thus derated since they don't expect you to use all spots continuously), so 119 A, etc.


If your boiler is truly a steam system with no return pumps, or any other device using electricity, you could convert to a thermopile  or pilot generator and have a system that uses no outside power. It would not be cheap but it can be done. The thermostat, gas valve and all other parts  and devices in the circuit  would have to be replaced with parts  compatible with a pilot generator. This would allow you to go off the grid so to speak. I would have an HVAC company do the work just to be safe. Also screwing around with a steam boiler or other heating devices without extensive knowledge could get you to an early grave. All these devices are extremely dangerous if you don't know what you are doing and even sometimes when you know what you are doing.


Turn on and off well, water pressure goes up drastically

Check the pressure switch that cycles your pump on and off, it may be malfunctioning.

So you are using water and the pressure is dropping/low; the pressure switch should sense the pressure drop and kick on the pump, which would fill the tank (compressing the air in the tank) and cause a steady rise in pressure. In theory, when all system components are working correctly, you should never see drastic rise or drop of pressure.

It sounds like maybe the pressure switch did not kick the pump on at the appropriate setpoint. When you shut the system down entirely and the pressure dropped way low, the switch activated and the pump kicked on.

There are other things it could be I guess (like an electrical malfunction or pressure tank problem of some sort).


Is a moisture barrier needed over gyp-crete (gypsum concrete) for wood / bamboo flooring?

The answer is :

It depends

Above grade doesn't mean above ground, necessarily.

If you are referring to concrete that rises out of the ground - then yes, you should put down a moisture barrier.  Concrete is porous and moisture will (slowly) permeate the concrete if there's enough moisture around.

However, if the concrete is suspended - a concrete floor above ground with air below it - then no you won't need a moisture barrier.


Crushed cinder block a substitute for crushed stone?

Depends on the height of the retaining wall and what it’s holding back.
We like footings on undisturbed soil. In fact, depending on the soil we might compact it too.
If the soil is soft, we may require a few feet be removed and replaced with compacted gravel. This will help distribute the load over a greater area (the gravel area is usually 2 times wider than the footing) and rests on soil several feet lower so it will be stronger.
However, the gravel is not a random mix. The gravel is uniformly mixed with specific set of type, grade, amount, etc. that is designed to be compacted. So, if you just break up the cinder blocks, the breakage will be random and cannot be compacted properly.
If the retaining wall is only 2-3’ tall, then this will not be a problem. However, if the retaining wall is 8’ or more, then the compacted gravel must be done properly, including doing the lifts in 6-8” each and compacted as it’s installed up to 95% by volume.


How can I wire two switched outlets but power is connected at the first outlet?

If the power enters at the first receptacle outlet, then you can wire it as follows:
At the receptacle outlet box

14/2 feed into the receptacle outlet box.
14/3 between the receptacle outlet box and the other outlet box.
Connect white wire from 14/2 feed to the silver screw on the receptacle, and the white wire from the 14/3 cable going to the other box.
Connect the black wire from the 14/2 feed, to the black wire of the 14/3 cable.
Connect the red wire from the 14/3 cable, to the brass screw on the receptacle.
Connect all grounding conductors to box and device.

At the other outlet box

Connect the white wire from the 14/3 cable to the silver screw on the receptacle.
Connect the black wire from the 14/3 cable to one of the switch terminals.
Connect the red wire from the 14/3 cable to the brass screw on the receptacle, and the other switch terminal.
Connect all grounding conductors to box and device.

Grounding conductors not shown for simplicity


Do I need to put a second layer of damp proof membrane under my laminate flooring?

Concrete wicks water, so even if the membrane under your screed layer is undamaged, if any moisture gets into that layer it's going to be redistributed as evenly as possible throughout that layer.

What you don't want to do, with a DPM under the screed, is create a moisture trap - which a second DPM would do.

Instead of a membrane, use a foam underlayment material which will keep the wood from touching the screed directly (avoiding any moisture transfer) but which will also allow the screed to breathe and thus dry over time.


Easiest/affordable way to monitor what's using power in your home?

I use a "Kill-A-Watt" like this one here for plug-in devices.

For hard-wired device you would have to connect an attachment plug to the device and plug it in to the Kill-A-Watt.

You could also take amprobe and voltage readings of your equipment to verify it's power draw.

Good luck!


Should threaded pipe be torqued to spec?

Torquing a bolted joint serves a very specific purpose - to set the clamping force exerted by the bolt on the joint.  By applying some specific torque to a bolt with a certain thread pitch, the effect is to stretch the bolt by a specific amount.  The bolt then acts like a spring, clamping the joint together.  Overtightening the bolt applies too much clamping force and can actually deform the joint.  Undertightening means the joint can't take as much force before it "floats" and fails.

Threaded piping is completely different.  In this case, the threads aren't used to apply force to a joint, the threads are the joint.  Their primary purposes are to keep the pipes from separating under pressure, and to seal the cavity inside from the outside.  For strength, tightness is of little importance.  For sealing, tightness matters, but no matter how tight, the pipes will never seal without a soft interface material like dope or tape.  Therefore, thread pipes need to be tightened until they seal under pressure, and no more.


Some table leg brackets and screws should be all you need, besides the rails which makes no difference in this concept.
Using table leg brackets will allow you to fasten and sandwich the pieces of wood material nicely with minimal unintentional industrial look. :P
4 Table leg brackets per drawer

Place one bracket on top of each corner of the plywood and screw to the plywood.

Next add the fencing around the sides and fasten with screws.

I was going to suggest other methods, like creating a table temp drill press in a table saw style and also using L-brackets but the more I thought of it, the more I realized this may simply be the easiest and best looking results. If you have any other concrens please feel free to ask. Cheers.


Do all wires on basement walls have to be in conduit?

2005 NEC
ARTICLE 334 Nonmetallic-Sheathed Cable: Types NM, NMC,
and NMS
334.15 Exposed Work.
(C) In Unfinished Basements.
Where cable is run
at angles with joists in unfinished basements, it shall be permissible
to secure cables not smaller than two 6 AWG or three 8 AWG conductors
directly to the lower edges of the joists. Smaller cables shall be run
either through bored holes in joists or on running boards. NM cable
used on a wall of an unfinished basement shall be permitted to be
installed in a listed conduit or tubing.

So basically if the cable is on the ceiling, it does not require conduit. If the cable is run along walls, it requires some form of protection. This protection can be conduit, or some other form of protection. You could use a scrap piece of 2x4, for example. Simply attach the 2x4 to the joist, and then attach the cable and box to the 2x4 (following proper NEC procedures of course).
When running cables on the ceiling, only 6/2 and 8/3 (and larger) NM cable can be run along the bottom of joists (perpendicular to joists). Smaller cable must run through bored holes (following 2005 NEC 300.4), or along running boards (boards that run perpendicular to joists e.g. main support beams). When installing cable on the ceiling that runs parallel to the joists, you can attach the cable to the face of the joist (as per NEC 300.4(D)).
As always, check your local codes before installing cable as your location may not follow NEC 2005.


Can pressure treated wood be buried in concrete?

"Pressure treated wood" isn't one thing. It's many things. Some is rated for ground contact or below grade use. Most isn't. You'd need lumber that is.
You won't keep it from getting wet underground, but you can keep it from being constantly saturated by giving the concrete sleeve a drain at the bottom. One strategy is to set the post on gravel and just pour the concrete around the post, not under it. This only works if the surrounding soil drains well also, though.


Does this gas range valve need replacing?

If you're concerned that the valve is ok, call your local gas company. They'll come out to re-light pilots, and will also come out if you have any questions about something you're doing with any gas lines.

They really don't want you to have any problems. They will also do easy simple repairs, but tell you to get a pro to fix something bigger. For example, I called them once about the gas valve to our pool heater was really tight, it seemed to be rusted and I couldn't close it. The gas guy came out, took the nut off the back, pulled it apart and applied some grease and it was like new. It was apart for only about 20 seconds and he didn't even shut off the gas! He also checked the heater that it was working ok.


Is flashing required to attach a landing to the exterior of a house

Typically, concrete steps are set onto a slab and not physically attached to the building. There should be about a quarter to half inch gap between the step unit and house. In most installs, a piece to flashing or ice & water shield is placed under the threshold down to the foundation, then covered with a 3/4" trim board. This protects the house from water invasion and also gives a nice look, as the trim can be painted to match the siding etc. The steps are then rested near the trim board. I use pressure treated lumber for the trim board. If you put the steps hard up against the trim or house, expect rot in a few years if it is not pressure treated.


How do I build a form and pour a concrete pad?

This was a project I did earlier in 2012. We wanted to install central air conditioning for our new furnace and there was no better place to put the outside unit than on this side of the house. Unfortunately, the pad there was a wedge shape. So I made a form and turned it into a rectangle. Couple hours of work including a trip to Home Depot for concrete.

Determine the depth of your pad - For mine, I used 2x6's to build my form. You should use a material that will determine your depth, ie: a 2x4 for a depth of 3.5 inches

Use screws to connect the wood together - this will make disassembly of the form easier when you're finished.

Mix the concrete per the recommendations on the bag.

If you're concerned about strength, you can use rebar rods or wire mesh inside the pour. Pour half the depth, lay the mesh or rebar, pour the rest.

Make sure the concrete is level or sloped if need be. A 2x4 can be used to do this or a wooden level. Make sure to wash the level when you're done.

Make sure to tamp the concrete down into the corners of the form and into the field of the form. You don't want any air pockets. Use a trowel to help move the concrete around. Use the edge of the trowel to help remove air pockets.

You want a nice flat surface. Use the level or 2x4 that spans from edge to edge to "screed" the surface flat. Use a flat trowel to raise a bit of water to the surface to make it nice and clean.

Let the concrete set per the instructions on the bag - if the weather is colder, give it another day or 2.

Once everything is dry, remove the forms.


No. You're likley to gum up the works. Graphite is common but not actually recommended. Not knowing the brand of your lock, I went and looked up one of the best-regarded lock makers (Medeco) and they recommend 3 products, two of which are not their house-branded product:

Medeco KeyLube 2.0 Multi-purpose Lubricant PX-KYLUB2-03 (5.25 oz.) Aerosol can with spray tube

Sandstrom Poxylube CP-200 Air Drying Solid Film Lubricant Poxylube CP-200 (4.5 oz.) Aerosol can with spray tube

Synco Super Lube Dri-Film Lubricant
Super Lube Dri-Film (11 oz.) Aerosol can with spray tube

This existing DIY StackExchange question which will probably mean yours is closed as a duplicate has another suggestion LAB Locksmith Lube, (and another diss on graphite) by another respected lock maker, Yale:

What Should I use to Lubricate a Lock?

Looks like the best consensus (there is a lot of conflicting information in that thread alone) is probably a dry-film spray-teflon product, these days.


If the paint color is both:

similar to (or the same as, but similar would do) the previous paint color and
significantly different, especially darker than, the (probably white/off-white) primer color

then the newly primed area will not show the paint color as "completely" and an extra coat or two in that area should do the trick.


Is a 240vac (2 pole) outlet a "single phase receptacle"?

If you hard-wire the EVSE unit, then you're covered because the unit has GFCI built in and you never have an open unprotected receptacle.

Presumably you are talking about a residential application in the U.S., since you seem to be doing it yourself and you are referencing the 2017 N.E.C.

This applies whether your 240V supply is single-phase or 3-phase (in which case it will probably be 208V).

As a curiosity, it might be worth mentioning that if you're dealing with a 3 phase service typical of commercial installations (say you're doing this at a rented commercial office or store space rather than at home), then your service is probably 3-phase with neutral, in which case your outlets will either be 120V, or 208V (there is 120V of potential from any of the phases to the neutral, and 208V from any of the phases to another phase).

In a residential situation, you are served by a single phase (from the 3 phase distribution lines), which is stepped down to 240V in the transformer outside your house. This is split, in the transformer, by a center tap neutral into a pair of 120V legs. This means you get 120V from either pole to the neutral, and 240V from pole to pole. But either way it is still only 1 phase.

Sidebar...

The poles of your residential transformer are 180 degrees out of phase with each other, because the AC sine waves are shifted 180 degrees apart. I believe this is one of the sources of occasional confusion, and this plus the fact that both circuits derive from one phase is one of the reasons that some people refer to the 120V legs as "phase legs", and is also why some people sometimes seem to perceive "phase leg" slightly differently than other people. The bottom line is that this entire setup is a branch circuit off of just one phase of the nearest 3 phase transformer that ties you into the long haul power transmission lines that serve you. Thus, the entire 240V circuit that feeds your house, and both 120V legs of that circuit, are all one phase. And yet the two 120V legs actually are out-of-phase from each other.

Summary

But again; if you are connecting the EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment) unit to an approved power source, and you hardwire it in, then you are covered by the GFCI built-in to the unit because you don't have an exposed, unprotected receptacle.

If you run power to a receptacle that you then plug the EVSE into, then you're probably required to use a GFCI breaker because you have created a situation where there may be an open receptacle in an area that requires GFCI protection.


What is the purpose of this joint in my wall stud?

Those are called "finger jointed studs".  These joints are weaker than regular 2x4 or 2x6. I do a lot of woodworking and when gluing boards together (for like a table top) the glue joints are actually stronger than the wood itself.  But for some reason, that's not the case with finger jointed studs, they are just much weaker than the intact 2x. That and the alignment issue between the pieces make this product junk if you ask me.
The contractor that built my house started using them for interior walls. Some of the joints were off by as much as 1/4", which would have made sheetrocking much more difficult.   My plumber said he hates them because unless you brace the stud when drilling, they'll break at the joint. To demonstrate, he got a short length (about 4') with a joint in it, elevated one end on a 2x and then proceeded to kick down on it.  It broke right at the joint.
After a few interior walls were built with that crap, I inspected and found many cases where the joint wasn't at all even.   I told the contractor to tear those walls and not use that crap anymore.   He didn't like me for it, but later, when he used them on a project for himself, he admitted they were crap.
To answer, since they are already in place I wouldn't worry about it.  The vertical load capacity isn't affected, esp. not an issue in a non-load bearing wall.
Sorry for going off like this, but finger jointed studs are just not a good product.


How is ground path formed between EMT and painted metal boxes? Is the paint conductive?

Surely the latter would be hit and miss.

Not at all. If properly tightened, it's guaranteed.
Since data can be fun: My multimeter reads open circuit/infinite resistance (more than 2 Mega-Ohms, I forget what the top of its range is, could be more than 20MΩ) for any distance between probes on the painted breaker box surface. It reads less than 1 Ohm between a galvanized cover screw on the painted breaker box and a junction box cover connected to a (galvanized) junction box connected to a fitting connected to EMT connected to a fitting connected to the main panel. The fitting in the main panel painted box was simply installed and tightened, no paint-scraping or the like.


The black and white from the fuse panel is the constant power feeding two circuits: The bath light and the hall light. I take it the single pole light switch was used to control the old ceiling fixture. The two wires going to the hallway light need to be attached white to black from the fuse panel. That is one complete circuit.

CEILING FIXTURE: The two wires going to the light switch should both be considered "hot". Attach the switch black wire to the black wire from the fuse panel and the switch white wire to the black wire of your old ceiling fixture.  Attach the white wire of the old ceiling fixture to the fuse panel white wire. That's a complete circuit.

NEW FIXTURE: The switch can also be used to control the new fixture. Attach the black wire to the black wire on the old ceiling fixture. This will supply power to the new fixture when the switch is activated. Attach the white wire to the panel white wire.

In the end, the panel white wire will have three wires connected to it (all neutrals tied together). The fuse panel black wire will only have two wires connected to it because the switch will feed power to the ceiling and the new fixture at the same time.


Is heating feature in an air conditioner bad?

It's not clear if you're talking about mini-split AC systems with a heat pump or window AC units with resistive heating. If you mean the former, those systems are becoming more popular and are a very efficient way to heat your house, especially if your climate stays within the external temperature range supported by the unit (down to 20 or 30 ºF in older units, down to 0 ºF or less in newer ones).

On the other hand the window units with resistive heating is probably not worth your time, they are inefficient and you are probably better of removing the unit from the window when it gets cold and getting a space heater.


I would say no don’t use a crowbar unless you are good at repairing/ replacing
brick work. I would grind the head off that or burn it off with a oxy-acetylene torch.
I have put anchors up and use a torch to make it look like a rivet. In doing this it makes the bolt impossible to pull without cutting the head off.
Expanding anchors are usually used so pulling may blow the bricks out then removal and replacement will be needed.
Those look like drive in anchors notice the pin in the center. Again grinding or cutting the head off is the only way to do it without the possibility of blowing the bricks out.


Converting switched outlet with 2 black and 1 red for a smart switch

You're pretty much right on target. Wire nut the two black wires in the box to one black wire from the switch. Check to make sure the switch instructions don't specify "line" and "load" on the wires. One of your black wires in the box is your always hot and the other one is a tap off the hot to another location, probably the always hot on the outlet. The red wire in the box gets wire nutted to the remaining black wire from the switch and then the neutral, white, and grounds get hooked up.


Can I hammer nails in this type of brick?

You will not want to try hammering a nail into that type of brick. The brick material will simply chip away and make a depression and eventually a larger hole.

I have my doubts that you would have any good result from trying to drill into this type of brick using a masonry bit in an electric drill. The thin walls and many open spaces indicate that there would be poor engagement for most expansion type wall anchors.

If it was me I would attach a wooden hanger rail horizontally across the wall using a construction adhesive to attach it to the bricks. This could be placed at the height if the pictures or could be installed near the ceiling. You then attach your picture hangers to this wooden rail. In the latter case with the rail near the ceiling you can hang the pictures using two vertical drop down wires from the rail to the picture.


Existing 40 amp breaker with a 50 amp range spec?

In general, no. Installing a 50A breaker on wiring only designed to support 40A is dangerous and can result in a house fire. 40A circuits need #8 copper wire, whereas 50A circuits need #6 copper.

It's possible, although very unlikely, that the wiring used in the circuit is #6 and thus could support 50A (maybe somebody was planning for the future), but for some reason a 40A breaker was used. The only way to know for sure is to open it up and look at the wiring. The size and other specs should be printed on the sheath; as isherwood mentioned, you're looking for AWG #8 or something similar.

In the more likely case that the existing wiring is #8, you'll either need to pull new #6 wire or get a different (lower-powered) stove that will work with the existing 40A receptacle.


How can I avoid wiring when drilling into walls?

Wires 'NORMALLY' travel down into the socket; however if the sockets are daisy chained (and an outlet most likely will be) in other words you will have more than one socket on a circuit; you will have wires traveling horizontally to the next outlet. I said normally - because you never know how those wires were stretched across the space etc.. unless you physically saw them before the dry wall was fastened.

You can use a stud finder with a wire detector to determine where wires are (~ $40) - to some extent they work.
There are non-contact voltage detectors that might find it for you.
Then Of course there is a product advertised on TV that will allow your android or iPhone to see through the wall .. the wires, the pipes and whatever. While not cheap it is probably the best tool you could use.

1: Smartphone-sensor-lets-you-peer-right-through-wall

2: 3d-sensor-walabot-vayyar


How to remove an Accuride drawer rail on a Diebold fire-safe filing cabinet?

We believe this is a 3620, a pocket and bayonet slide. For those type of drawer slides you have to move the drawer away from the locking tab, then lift the bayonet out of the cabinet pocket.  Below is an image so you have a visual reference.


How do I wire a 4 prong plug into a an old receptacle with only red and black wires with metal conduit into metal box?

Warning: You'll be working around live electrical wires during this procedure. If you don't feel comfortable doing so, please contact a local licensed Electrician.

Okay, going off of what you have, you need at least a 3/4in conduit back to the panel. You are going to need to pull a white and a green from the panel to the receptacle box and install a ground stinger in the metal box to bring it up to code. The wire will need to be sized to the amp draw. If it is not a cost thing I would pull all new wire in using the old wire to pull it in.

You can turn of the main breaker to the panel, but the feeders from the meter will be hot.

  Warning: You'll be working around live electrical wires during this procedure. If you don't feel comfortable doing so, please contact a local licensed Electrician.


1: You state you made a sun room out of your carport ? Just making certain we are on the same page.

Here is your problem : Before you enclosed the carport it was exposed to the outside temperatures just like the roof was, now that it is enclosed you have a temperature differential. It is warmer on the underside than it is on the top side. Insulate the roof / ceiling and you should not have the problem any more.


Dog-Leg stairs

  Structurally, the flights of a dog-leg stair are usually supported by the half-landing, which spans the adjoining flank walls.

Image: Bill Bradley. CC by SA 3.0

In this arrangement, the stringers are joined to a newel post. The lower landing is also partly supported by the newel post. The upper by only the flanking walls and, I guess, effectively braced by lower stringers.


Staining and varnishing a new floor board to match the rest of the floor

The only way to get close is to use a scrap piece of the lumber that was used in the repair, then test different stains/finishes until you get real close. From your picture, I would start with Minwax Golden Oak stain followed by clear water-based varnish.


Are there major stability differences between simple table legs and plain ones?

Given that your table is reasonably heavy (19kg), I'd choose the second leg ("plain"). (And for what it's worth, I can't come up with a good description of them either, except to call them steel box legs.)

The only thing I would want to do is attach a panel across the back of the two legs that would prevent the table from swaying left to right. If that's not clear, leave a comment and I'll include a sketch.

I'm less impressed by the standalone legs... for starters, the description seems to say that they can carry a maximum weight of 50kg. Somebody climbing on the desk could easily overweight that. The place where they attach doesn't seem very wide, so they aren't likely to take abuse.

Regarding leg length, you could fill up any gaps with felt pads.


Bathroom fan sizing in 2 room bathroom with always open doors

You shouldn't have to count the room with the sinks, but you may want to.  If you find that the mirrors in that area tend to fog up, during normal use of just the sinks. Then you might want to include the area in the calculation.

400 ft³ at 40' EDL, means you need at least a 60 cfm fan to meet the minimum air changes per hour required by International Residential Code (and others).  You'll also want to make sure you run the fan while you shower, and for 20-30 minutes after you're done. A timer unit is the best way to manage this, but you'll have to make sure you get one that's rated for motor loads.

Every time you exhaust conditioned air out of the house, you're losing some efficiency. However, in the case of steamy bathroom air, it's worth the lose to reduce the chance of mold and mildew issues.  You want to exhaust the moist air, but you want to exhaust as little conditioned air as possible. So it becomes a balancing act between wasting conditioned air, and preventing mold/mildew.


Try to slide something flat in that is the width of the drawer. I've used a plastic flexible cutting board for this purpose before. Slide it open that 1/4 inch, and try to get the flat sheet to ride over whatever is jamming the drawer--you may have to nearly close the drawer with the sheet in place to get it up and over.

Then try to pull open the drawer and sheet at the same time, or leaving the sheet in place--whichever works.


How to replace a light fixture that has a 3-way light switch

Ok first you're going to have to take the cover plates off the two switches and take photos.

Chances are two of those wires are meant to be hooked together as the "traveler" between switches.  Or, perhaps, that one hot wire is power feed to this setup, you need send hot down some line (maybe the other black) for the circuit to work.  In that case one of the whites is neutral, the other is switched hot to the bulb.

You can see a bunch of wiring options for 3 way switches at https://www.easy-do-it-yourself-home-improvements.com/3-way-switch-wiring-diagram.html

Next time, take photo before!


Is it up to code to do a parallel circut with 220V? Is there a limit to number of splices?

The bad news

You can't run the GFCI outlet off of one half of the branch circuit as you propose, as it's illegal to put a 15 or 20A receptacle on a 30A circuit.  (The receptacle itself isn't protected properly against overload in that case.)  You'll need to scrap the receptacle, or put it on a different circuit/run.

The other problem you have is providing a disconnecting means for the pump -- right now, the only disconnecting means for it is the branch circuit's breaker in the panel, and in order for this to be Code, the pump location needs to be in sight of the panel as per 430.102(A) and (B).  Otherwise, you'll need to toss a disconnecting means for the motor and controller into your box instead of that GFCI you wanted to stick in the 3rd gang, and clearly label both switches as to their function.

The good news

In turn:

Article 404 won't stop you from connecting switches in parallel like that at any voltage, provided everything's running off the same branch circuit and the switches are being used within their ratings.
Leave the panel bonding in its current state (i.e. bonded for a main panel, unbonded for a subpanel).
You can put a SPDT (3-way) switch on the 24V side as Harper describes provided you have a spare low-voltage wire to bring 24V down to the pump location.
There is no limit on splicing as long as the individual splices are made in accordance with 110.14 and the box fill is not exceeded
Stranded THHN is not a problem as long as the terminations are rated for stranded wire


Dropped Ceiling Configuration and Main Runner Splicing

The advantage of going with 3 main tees is it will get the mains away from the wall farther, using cut 4' tees. this way if the main is above or below the wall angle, the resulting skew the cut 4' tee will have will be no where as bad as the main being 2' closer, using a cut 2' tee.

The main tees simply snap together

Your issue with the 5" shortness, you will need to buy 5 mains total, so you can add the 5" needed. 5" off one end to finish one full run, and 5" off the other end to add to the other end of the next main tee. This one you would turn around so the cuts are in the same side of the room. The second extra piece would be cut for the 3rd main tee that goes in place. You will have a lot of scrap left, but that is the way it goes. I tried recently to use a regular tee to add a few feet to a main, but the connectors are slightly different, so it does not work.

One more tip. You should not necessarily add simply 5" to complete a run. If you want a professional look, calculate the spacing of the slots for the intersecting tees so when assembled in place you will have an even cut tile on opposite side of the room. This means your added cut piece will not be 5", but perhaps 14 1/2" instead. while cutting off 9 1/2" on the other end so the border would be 14 1/2" along those 2 walls. Do the same for the other direction. This is important for setting the screw eyes that hold the support wires, getting them reasonably close over the location of the main tees.

If my math is off, please understand the concept, not relying on what I may have calculated in my head, it hurt a lot.... smoke was coming out my ears....


How to detect whether there is a signal on TV cable

You do not need to know if there is a 'signal' you just need to know if there is a connection.

A basic tool that can tell you evetrything and costs a few bucks/quid at local hardware store. Multimeter

Never in my life did i have to use a tone generator, a oscilloscope to test if my CCTV, Satellite or TV connection is giving me good enough signal.. LOL

You use that type of equipment for digital/analogue testing where you control several if not hundred outcomes, synchronization and high speed data transfer.

You just need to use a few simple free (brainpower) tricks.

Point A being nearest to your TV and Point B being the other end of the cable.

Disconnect all TVs
Short point B (so connect the signal and shield with a wire)
Test point A with a multimeter set at Ohm

Results

~0Ohm or very close to - Woohoo you have a nice connection from a to b!

  0Ohm More than dead short - You have a bad connection somewhere

No reading - Cable form Point A to Point B has no connection

There is no need to analyse the signal or test for a signal because you know you have a signal in the other TVs (assuming the coax is connected to the same place)

Alternatives

If you know the coax for all the TVs is the same cable you, you can leave Point B terminated - which is most likely closest to the antenna or after the junction. Test Point C,D...Z respectively to make sure there is a good connection.

Take your TV and connect it to a working plug to make sure the TV is not broke - or as pointed out use TV that works and plug it into your outlet - same difference I think? (but does not eliminate double jeopardy - your TV might still be knackered as well as the signal be broke :) )

Alternative 2

Also requires for all plugs to be disconnected from all TVs. Connect a 9 volt battery to one end and test all the ends for a voltage. If you get ~9 volts then the route is good. If you get a <9V then you have an issue on the route (micro short?) if you have 0V then there's no connection

Good Luck

Multimeter F.A.Q

And a photo to make it look pretty.


How can I prevent a secondary condensation drain line from dripping down the side of my house?

It sounds like the water is running along the underside of the pipe back to the house, instead of free-falling off the end. If that's the case, you could just slip an elbow on to the end and point it down. The water won't be able to travel up the elbow to the wall.


Will an attic fan in a garage also cool the adjacent house attic?

To ventilate a garage you want to exhaust air from inside the garage to the outside of the structure and not into the attic. The garage gets so hot that I think you should keep the ventilation separate from the rest of the house. Also there may be code requirements to separate the garage from the living space due to fumes.

If I were going to ventilate a garage, I would put in an exhaust fan in the ceiling or in an outside wall and have a fresh air inlet vent as far away as possible, on an opposite wall if possible.

Another possibility would be to have a power exhaust fan like a kitchen hood going out the roof and a vent coming in a wall or through a soffit to keep the inlet air as cool as possible.  I wonder if the largest ceiling exhaust fan of the type designed for a bathroom could be vented out a soffit to avoid a roof penetration.

For example


Do I really need buildup strips under laminate countertops?

Assuming you don't care if removing them will take a sledgehammer, a tube of polyurethane construction adhesive would be one "alternative method of attachment."


How can I get rid of bumps and other damage?

That looks to be particle/press board (basically glued together sawdust which is pressed into a flat board) covered with a laminate (might be melamine), which is not very friendly when it comes to repairing. The wood itself tends to crumble when messed with. The "bumps" are where moisture has gotten to the particle board under the laminate surface.

The best you will be able to do would be to either live with the bumps or try to carefully plane them down using a "cheese grater" plane, then sand out all nicks scratches and bare spots to blend. Fine sand the entire top and clean thoroughly with mineral spirits. Use a "difficult surface" primer like BIN, then coat with a quality high gloss paint. use a professional grade brush or it will look like crap. All products mentioned are available from Amazon.


How can I wire my bath fan to have automatic humidity control and manual switching?

Option 1: smart switches

In this case you locate and obtain a "smart switch" transmitter/receiver combo, where the transmitter sits in a wired switch location and the receiver sits up in the fan housing.  The switch and receiver must communicate wirelessly.

Then you re-task the black wire in your switch run to be always hot for all of these loads: the smart switch, the reciever, and the automatic humdity sensor.

Option 2: you are lucky and the power goes to the fan first

It sounds like you don't... But if the power comes initially to the fan housing (2 Romex's there and only one in the switch box) then the fan housing already contains everything you need.  The supply gives ground, neutral and always-hot.  The switch loop provides your switched-hot.  You are all set.

(Though I don't think you'd be here if that was the case).

Option 3: You don't.

Aside from the smart-switch method I described, you are out of luck.  You cannot bring always-hot and also switched-hot using a single black wire.  White must be neutral and bare must be ground.  Cheating ground in some way is a recipe for disaster in a bathroom.  Even a GFCI does not make this safe.


I need to install a lockbox in a refrigerator to keep a medicine locked up. What is the best way to do that?

I had the same problem with my mother who was unable to remember how often she was taking pain medications.  The solution was a locking "cash box" from a local office supply store.
The medications were in the box, which fit nicely into the refrigerator and was easily removed.  I kept one key and the other key was in a "realtor" style lock box on the front door that the visiting nurse had the combination to.  So the nurse gave her the meds in the morning and I gave them to her in the evening.
Obviously this is not highly secure but for an elderly person it was secure enough.


That's exactly what you're supposed to do.  The back stab terminals on receptacles are designed only to accept #14 wire, and typically are labeled as such.

If you're using #12 wire, you'll have to use the screw terminals. Keep in mind, however, that you can only connect one wire per screw terminal.


Garage door does not close flush along the top

The screw that holds the lift bar in place may be loose. It should be taut enough to allow the top of the door to hit tight up against the outside weather-stripping when the door closes and hits the floor to prevent drafts. If it is loose and wobbles around, tighten it enough to make it stable and not visibly loose, but not too tight that it becomes too rigid and inflexible.


How to check which wire is switched live?

You figure out the live by using a voltmeter or voltage detector.  If a voltmeter you compare it to neutral (or earth will suffice for testing, if present.)

You figure out the switched-live by noting which of the  live wires is off with the switch off and dead with the switch missing.

Generally you are stuck with the colors that twin-and-earth come in: blue and brown (or black and red, I assume you're going back to those colors after Brexit completes?)   So using a different color wire is not a luxury you have.  Thqt's why I own 10 colors of tape, but many installers do not bother especially if the usage is obvious.

If power (always-live and neutral) are coming through the switch, the wire past the switch to the light will need neutral, so its usual neutral wire color must be used; the live color gets used for switched-live.  i.e. You will see two blues spliced together in the back of the box and two browns on the switch.

If it is what we Yanks call a "switch loop", power comes to the light and only a single twin-and-earth goes to the switch. Neutral is not in the cable even though a neutral-colored wire is present.   One is always-live and one is switched-live, anyone's guess which.  The switch either connects them to each other, or does not.  Dimmers might care which is the always-live, but if it's wrong, they just wouldn't work.


How should pressure treated wood post foundations be protected?

I live in the Pacific Northwest of the US where it is also fairly damp. In 2000 my neighbor and I built a 140 ft long stretch of fence between our properties. For materials we using 6"x6" 8ft pressure treated Douglas fir posts every 10 ft with a pair of 2"x6" 10ft p.t. cross members between each. The posts were rated for ground contact against insects and rot and came with a lifetime warranty.

After doing a fair amount of research, we ended up digging 3 ft deep holes and put about 4 inches of crushed gravel and a few hand-size rocks in the bottom of each. This is to raise the post above any standing water that might accumulate there. Since it's also very windy here certain times of the year and it tends to blow perpendicular to direction of the fence, we filled the holes with concrete.

Probably a bit of overkill, but it was so much work—especially digging the post holes in the rocky ground—we just wanted make sure it was done right. That's going on 17 years ago now and it's still standing and remains very sturdy.


Why are baseboard miters not straight even after tuning saw?

Not every corner is perfect, and some adjustment is needed for every cut in some cases.

Either the cut is not square, and the saw is still not adjusted, or the wall is bumped out at the bottom. If that is the case the wall can be carved back behind the base or the base can be thinned down on the back to get the corner to come together.


Furnace shutoff switch outlet only hot when furnace is running

Right after I asked this question I realized the blower needed to be running for EAC to have power.

:facepalm:

I moved HOT HUM to HOT EAC and now the humidistat will start the blower, which will power on the outlet that powers the humidifier's fan unit.  I also unplugged NEUTRAL EAC since I'm no longer using it.  Let me know if I did anything stupid here.


Have an office cube with sliding door I want to control with an Arduino and rack/pinion gear. What motor should I buy?

Scavenge the motor from a battery drill motor and use that. It would still not move freely as you will have to spin the motor while opening or closing the door. Unless you figure some way to disengage the motor when it is off. You also need to make sure it is a reversible motor to close the door, again the drill motor could do this.
You are going to need a gear set to down gear just about any motor as they all spin too fast for this application unless you control the voltage going to the drill motor and limit it so it does't spin so fast. Possibly the PWM output on the Arduino through a solid state relay for speed control. Good luck


If they did not use boxes I would consider this a code violation unless they used romex splices , the splices can be made without a box romex to romex other than that I would take a photo of the point of connection and post it but it sounds shady to me. In the states I have worked to get a rough inspection signed off for cover all the boxes need to be in place.


How to PROPERLY test that your smoke detectors work?

Proper test methods depend on type, as there are different technologies employed depending on model. Some use a photo-sensitive element to "see" smoke, others use a radioactive element to detect products of combustion (even invisible ones), others "see" flames with an infrared detector and others detect heat.

You should test them exactly according to manufacturer's instructions and if they do not perform then replace them immediately. Like any other consumer product, you should deal with the seller and/or supplier and manufacturer for grievances related to defective products.

Exercise your right not to buy crap products and you will end up with reliable smoke/fire/CO detectors.


Drywall surrounding vent no longer supports screws;

My default fix would be just to put in some type of anchor. Given the damage and the fact this is on a ceiling, I'd be inclined to use a screw-in type anchor, because they hold on to a larger area and would deal better with some damage.

If that couldn't work, the next thing I would look at would be getting a new surface to screw into.

Normally the method is to use a backing board, which is basically just a small piece of wood -- perhaps 3/4" x 2" x 4" -- to screw into on each side. Unless the vent can be moved easily, this will be difficult.

In this case I'd actually construct some "wings" using some sheet metal to wrap around and over top of the drywall, which the vent would then screw into. They'd anchor into the vent itself.


Extending internet signal to all outlets

What you are showing in the photo is the internet provider's "modem".  In this case it appears to be a FTTH termination with 6 "Ethernet" outputs.
There also appears to be a single, poorly done, connection to one of these Ethernet ports that is going somewhere, presumably to the working downstairs location.
The photo doesn't appear to show any additional Ethernet wires that might be used to distribute Ethernet signals to other parts of the home.
While you might be able to do it yourself, what is needed is a new Ethernet wire from another of the "LAN" ports to the new location you want to have a connection to.  The simplest way would be to purchase a ready-made Ethernet cable of the suitable length and "fish" it through the walls in order to route it to the new location.
If that's beyond your capabilities, it might be wise to have a professional installer do this for you.  While they are at it, the existing wire should be checked and possibly replaced.


Will installing a 2inch fitting in a 3 inch water line decrease water pressure?

Reducing the pipe diameter from 3" to 2" will not decrease the static pressure in the down stream pipes if all valves are closed and no water is flowing.

The restriction to 2" will cause a decrease in flow rate to the down stream piping assuming that the head pressure in the 3" line in front of the meter stays the same as with the original 3" meter.

If your water usage at any given time is quite a bit less than the flow rate available through the 2" restriction then you will not notice a great decrease in delivered pressure. However if the demand flow rate approaches the capacity of the 2" restriction you will start to see a pressure drop off at the outlets due to the head pressure trying to push more water through the meter than can flow due to the smaller 2" size.

My recommendation - If your pump setup is configured for multi-family service with 3" piping then go with the 3" meter.


Dual hose portable AC unit creating negative air pressure

I've heard that a lot of portable ACs are cheaply constructed and may have significant gaps in the construction of the — not sure what to call it, the condenser compartment, the hot side. Such gaps, if larger on the intake side of the blower than the outlet, will pull in more air than they leak out and produce a net negative pressure, like a simgle-hose unit but less so.

If you can find such gaps, sealing them up should lessen the negative pressure effect.

However, also remember that a door is a fairly large surface, and so a small pressure difference creates a lot of force on it. The amount of air moving may not be all that much; you've got a sensitive detector.


If you are close to an IKEA I know that have all hardware for all there merchandise at the customer service desk for people in your situation, and it's free


Allow downspout discharge to cross a sidewalk in a freezing climate?

The preferred solution that I've seen is to discharge the gutter through a couple inch air gap into a catch basin that outputs into the underground drain. The air gap allows for water to drain into the yard when the catch basin freezes solid.

And while it's a bit late to change your underground drains, I prefer the solid pipe installed with a slight slope over the corrugated tubing. It's less likely to collapse over time and water doesn't have anywhere to be trapped in the tube.


I searched far and wide to find a solution for this for my own remodel.  The orange connectors used by most of the lighting manufacturers is a standard IDEAL product - you can order them online in large quantity or on auction sites in smaller ones.  You can retrofit the HALO cans to be compatible, or even use the connectors (as I did) to connect to GU10 sockets to enable use of LED spots with LED cans.  The IDEAL model is Ideal 182 30-682.

Then you can just quick connect to your wires, plug together and you're good to go.  Surprised these are so hard to find given how prevalent they are in the LED cans and retrofit bulbs.


How do I fix a stripped hole in a vinyl casement window?

I mentioned a longer screw in my comment, I need to expand on this. A longer screw of the same size may need to be inches longer to contact wood framing because of shims. But a longer screw that engages with framing will not affect the gear box functions. A larger screw as some suggest may affect the gear box. I have used longer screws on high precision gear boxes that worked as well or better than the original that stripped out. But going larger may cause offset or problems with the gears in simple from the larger head and or shaft.


All mixed up

Your single set of travelers has been split between the two switches in the dual switch set.  In order to unconfuse things, I'd move the wire from the A1 terminal to the B2 terminal on each switch in your diagram.

P.S. there are two travellers between a pair of 3-way switches, not a traveller and a "hot".


My outlets have ground wires twisted together and bonded to the metal box, but not the outlet. Is this ok?

Ground wires were not implemented on a large scale until a few decades ago (possibly after your home was built). Outlets themselves may not have even had ground screws.

You should definitely add pigtails to the existing connection and ground your outlets. Use the same size wire as the existing ground conductor (or slightly larger if that's what you have on hand).

In case you're new to house wiring, be sure to 1) create good loops and wrap them clockwise on the screw, and 2) not put more than one wire under any screw.


Receptacles rated 15 amps can be used on 15 amp circuits.

They can also be used on 20 amp circuits as long as you have more than one receptacle (one duplex or two single receptacles) on the circuit.

If you have a single receptacle on a circuit it has to be rated for the circuit, e.g. a 20 amp circuit would require a 20 amp receptacle. A single receptacle in this case is not a standard duplex receptacle. If you have a device with a 20 amp cord then you would need one of these. Otherwise, everything else is just fine with 15 amp receptacles.

Good luck.


Toilet leaks 4-6 months after wax ring replacement

Get something like this http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KHSLV2G or this http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BQUJEA (there are other types, those just came up first when I searched).

In case the links break: They are wax ring alternatives that are made of flexible plastic instead of wax, so they can take some movement without leaking. There are a bunch of different types with lots of different designs. I have never used them so I can't recommend any particular one.


Is the gray insulance material asbestos?

Asbestos insulation was only manufactured as: loose fill, spray on or block types. I do not know of any roll-type purely asbestos insulation. The EPA began banning some asbestos products in 1973 and continued a series of bans all the way through 1989. The EPA has allowed a panel-type asbestos to be used in some Government facilities and allows some products to contain small amounts of asbestos. Depending on the age of your home, the likelihood of that being asbestos would be slim. FHA homes require an appraisal before selling them. FHA appraisers probably would have seen the exposed asbestos because their appraisals are more strict. If asbestos was found, the home seller would have been required to remove it.

There is now an asbestos test kit available for homeowners...


Whole house filter/water softener affect water pressure?

Either or both can affect the pressure.
Pressure gauges on both sides would show how much, (if checked while water is flowing through) and in the case of the filter should be there as an indication that it's time to change the filter element. Have you tried that yet? They do require regular replacement (or cleaning, depending on the type of filter element.)
Water softener typically would have less impact, though it's also odd (or frankly poor plumbing layout) to have the hoses on soft water in most cases. Perhaps one specific hose outlet if the water is so hard it leaves spots when you rinse the car, IF you even wash your car at home. Hard water is generally better than softened (with sodium) water for watering plants.
The other element that can commonly affect this is pipe sizes (and/or partially closed valves.) Most water softeners (that I've met) have 1" inlet/outlet, but it's not uncommon for the installer to cheap out and use smaller pipe to connect them, which causes a restriction and pressure drop in use.
It's also possible that the PRV/pressure regulator may be of inadequate size, or have a filter screen of its own that needs to be cleaned. If you have a pressure gauge on it, check to see if it's dropping there (before it even hits the filter and softener) when your water use increases.


My ceiling fan light turns off then back on after I replaced the switch from a dimmer to a standard

If the lights flicker (or just occasionally blink off then on) when the fan is running, it could be that one of the wire connections is loose and vibrating as the fan runs, causing an intermittent disconnect.
Turn off the power and double check that all of your wire nuts are securely tightened. Hold the nut and pull on each wire to ensure it doesn't wiggle at all or worse, just come out.
As a side note, a standard, fully variable dimmer will allow the fan to run at speeds it's not designed to, thus creating the annoying humming/buzzing sound you don't like. If you purchase a 3-position dimmer - usually labeled as a 3-speed fan switch - it will allow the fan to run at the 3 speeds it's designed to, so you can have different settings from the wall.
We've used these on all of our ceiling fans for nearly 30 years and nary a buzz. Once installed, put the wall switch on "high", then pull the fan-speed pull-chain on the fan until the fan is actually on it's highest speed. Now the wall switch will correctly control the fan speed without issue.
You will, though, need some extra wire in the wall to control the lights & fan independently. If you don't have that, then ignore the fan speed controller suggestion, but do double check all your wiring.


How do I make my gas furnace throw out warmer air?

You can't.  Furnaces are either one stage where they output a single temperature, or two stage where they output two different temperatures depending on the temperature difference they make up.  Your thermostat controls this.

The air coming out of your furnace is far hotter then your thermostat setting, but your thermostat shuts off the furnace when the ambient air temperature reaches its setting.

Your only real option you can control is how long you run the furnace for.


Can I add bathroom/closet in place of 2nd entry door?

Contact an local architect.  They will be able to create design drawings (and/or computer models), which will allow you to visualize the change.  This will allow you to make a more informed decision, than asking a bunch of dopes on the internet.

The architect should also be able to produce the blueprints, that can be used by a contractor to make the changes to your home.

Architects do charge for their services, but it's going to be much cheaper than building an addition you're not happy with.


How to clean dried wood stain from paint brush?

You don't.

Once paint dries on a brush, it is uncleanable. Into the trash it goes.

Even if you soaked it in paint stripper and spent hours working it through the brush, you'd never get the dried paint out of the heel of the brush, nor out of the fine areas on the end of the bristles.   It would never paint right again.

I don't consider that to be any big deal, since I paint a lot in epoxies and 2-part urethanes.  The brush is a total loss every time, because it would take $10 worth of the exotic solvent to rinse out a brush that is definitely not worth $10.


Toilet occasionally runs shortly after flushing

Usually you can adjust the float so that it shuts off at a lower water level. Also, sometimes the float is just getting stuck (and it needs to be cleaned).

Edit: If adjustment or cleaning does not work, then you need to replace the fill valve (it's not an expensive part).

Edit2: Reiterating Ed Beal's comment- you may want to start with turning off the water to the toilet and flushing the water out. Then you can inspect or replace the fill valve. A fill valve kit can currently be had for under $10.


Replaced circulator on gas hot water boiler and still no heat upstairs only in the basement

For making the system work properly you need to follow a few steps.

Make sure that the system pressure is enough to reach the upperfloors.
1 Bar equals in almost 10 m water (Europe)
Make sure that there is no trapped air anywhere in the system.
Therefore you need to find the bleeders on the heaters.
They must be there.
If you are sure that there are none you could carefully loosen the upper pipe connections one by one until air starts to escape and wait until it starts leaking. Then tighten the connection again.
Once you are convinced that none of the heaters and /or pipes contain trapped air you should verify the water pressure in the system.
Verify that the expansion tank is in working order. Knock on it.
If it sounds hollow than the membrane should be good and the tank working.   For this step you need to be sure that there is water everywhere in the system. If the tank is faulty you will start to loose water when it becomes hot. Finally resulting in the same situation you have now.


What do I use to cap a kitchen sink sprayer hose?

If 3/8" is the correct size, I believe you need a 3/8" FIP cap (FIP stands for Female Iron Pipe) also known as a 3/8" female NPT cap. If the size is actually 1/2", then obviously you'd need in the 1/2" size.

You would also need pipe dope or teflon pipe dealing tape The dope comes in a smaller size in a tube or larger size in a jar. IP does not mean you'd get it in iron or steel. You'd probably get it in brass.


Receving 120 and 220 volt readings when testing a home outlet

Are you sure you're really seeing 500 v, and not 500 millivolts? Those meters can automatically switch scales. – Mark 6 mins ago OMG this was it... im kicking myself now. Everything looks ok im getting 120 between slots, 120 from one to ground and like 2 volts from other slot to ground.. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH, i was running around thinking my house was going to explode!


Yes and possibly no. Considering it is an AC control - what lines need to be shielded ? The possibility exists that it will make no difference that they just need to be shielded from the externals (if the instructions call for a 12 conductor cable and tell you two of them need to be shielded - this would be odd - as cable is usually shielded as a bundle or all wires in the cable are shielded individually).

I am of the persuasion that this shielded cable would be acceptable as typically your wire runs internal to the bundling sheath are twisted to cancel out stray induction forces.


You should have only attached the white grounded (neutral) conductor from the cable leading to the other receptacles, to the grounded (neutral) terminal of the GFCI.  The white grounded (neutral) conductors for the lights should be connected with at pigtail to the neutral feeding the building.

Unless you want to provide GFCI protection to the security light as well, then you'll connect the wires feeding that to the load side of the GFCI.


roller shadowing after painting long walls

There are a few factors that contribute to a quality job, or conversely, shading when roller painting walls.

1) Original color, 2) surface prep & priming, 3) quality of application equipment, 4) quality of paint, 5) technique used.

Drastic color changes usually require a prime coat. The proper primer base color or tinting can be an important step to hide the original contrasting color. Cleaning old walls of all soap, grease, smoke and other residuals goes a long way to assure a good bond of new paint/primer.

The quality of the paint you select is extremely important. A spec grade paint or bargain basement product will be low in pigments or use a lower quality acrylic base. A cheap paint in a light color over PVA on new drywall may pass and be fine, but rarely cover well when changing color over existing paint.
Over the years, I have applied hundreds, if not thousands of gallons of paint. I have migrated between brands as technologies changed, but always found that a mid to upper grade gives the best results. Expect to pay $30 to $45 per gallon.  The most important traits of a good paint is the workability time and spreadability. Very thick paints are hard to spread evenly and require a 10% to 20% addition of Flowtrol. If your paint tacks or starts to dry too quickly, it is difficult to work the wet edge or blend with the cutting lines. Very thin bodied paints tend to dry very quickly and should only be used in sprayer.  applications.
I have been given sample gallons of the super expensive "one coat" paint/primer, and guess what, they don't perform much better than any other decent grade paint. I have yet found any situation other than covering the same color, when one coat is satisfactory.

Use only high quality roller covers. I will only use Perdy White Cloud 3/8" covers for most applications. If the nap of your covers flattens out too quickly, the coverage will be inconsistent.

The most important factor in getting good coverage with two coats, is technique. Everyone knows to work into a wet edge, but that is only half the deal. Good consistency is a directly related to evenly applying the paint. Cover smaller areas at once, not more than about 8 to 10 square feet per roller load. Do not work too much paint out of the roller between reloads. This does not mean to put the paint on too heavy, rather it means try to maintain even wetness of the roller.  Use long, light overlap finishing strokes, but do not overwork the area. When working alone, do not cut more line than you can roll before the cut starts to dry. About every 6 to 8 feet of wall, inspect it at an angle so you can see any thin spots or holidays. Looking at steep angles uses the available light to highlight imperfections. You should still have time to go back and touch up problem areas if you look carefully before getting too far ahead.

If you are seeing a lot of uneven shading after your first coat, the technique may be wrong. One coat is never enough, but it should be applied with the same care as the second coat. A poor quality first coat application makes a lousy background for the second or finish coat.


I am guessing B is common in your case. In that case Y and B.

I have drawn a line though the terminsals you will not be using since you have straight cooling and are using the air handler like an electric furnace.  R goes from the thermostat to the air handler but not the condensing unit as does W1 which is your heat strip. O is not used since you do not have a reversing valve. Y goes from the thermostat to the air handler then carries on to the condensing unit.  Note the common 24 volt is labeled B or B/C (this is typical with Trane products).  The B is likely labeled C on your wifi thermostat.  So C from the thermostat goes to B on the air handler and then on to the condensing unit. It does not matter which wire from the condensing unit goes to B or Y. I hope this edit clears up any confusion.


The lack of insulation on the ducts in the floor is of no concern as the floor is in the conditioned space (ie, the area around the ducts is supposed to be cooled.) If the ducts were in the attic that would be a BIG deal.

The very low insulation in the attic seems like both a contributing problem, and the most easily solved one. Either rent a blower and buy some insulation or hire a company to do the whole job and insulate the attic a lot better. Read up carefully before deciding to try the "free blower with 10 bags" at the big box stores. 12-16" is a good number to shoot for, where possible, but you may (probably will) need to baffle for your roof vents at the edges to go that high.

Better windows will HELP but they are more costly and complex to do and involve a smaller area (thus, less overall contribution to the problem) than the attic does - grab the low-hanging fruit first.

Improving attic ventilation along with or before the added insulation will help with both cooling and with ice dams by keeping the attic space above the insulation closer to outside air temperature.

If you find that your system is still undersized, adding a couple of higher SEER mini-split heat/cool systems (on the upper floor, perhaps one at each end of the hallway) might be a better approach than replacing the whole thing. Might not, as well, but should at least be considered, IMHO.


How can I mount a desk on a wall with L-brackets?

L Brackets are not going to be a good idea for this type of project. As a minumum you will need to have a triangle type bracket - if you can find something large enough. If you want to avoid any type of legs right at the front edge you could build your own equivalent of a triangle bracket out of wood.

If I was setting out to make a built in unit mounted onto a wall I would secure a wood piece along the wall to every stud at the table height minus the top thickness. Then I would use this horizontal strip as the rear side mount for the table top. Then I would install supports under the table from near the front edge and angle them down toward the bottom of the wall where they could be fastened into the wall stud and/or the floor.

At the end of the day I would really suggest that you step back and evaluate if it really necessary to fasten your table to the wall. Having it sit on its own supports makes for a huge bunch of flexibility. It can be moved, taken away when all computers of the future fit into a pocket and a computer desk is no longer needed, and lastly you can easily get it away if you ever want to sell the house.


Can you mount a plastic junction box to metal studs?

You usually see wood framing with plastic electrical boxes and nonmetallic cable in residential construction, and metal framing with metal boxes in commercial construction.  However there's nothing that specifically prohibits the combination of metal framing and plastic boxes.
NEC* article 314.23(B) addresses how boxes are mounted, and there's nothing in there that would prohibit you from mounting a plastic box to a metal stud.

B)  Structural Mounting.  An enclosure supported from a structural  member  of  a  building  or  from  grade  shall  be rigidly supported either directly or by using a metal, poly-meric, or wood brace.
(1)  Nails  and  Screws.  Nails  and  screws,  where  used  as  a fastening  means,  shall  be  attached  by  using  brackets  on  the outside of the enclosure, or they shall pass through the interior within  6  mm  (1⁄4in.)  of  the  back  or  ends  of  the  enclosure.  Screws shall not be permitted to pass through the box unless exposed  threads  in  the  box  are  protected  using  approved means to avoid abrasion of conductor insulation.

There are NEC rules restricting the use of armored cable with plastic boxes, but if you are using nonmetallic cable (type NM B, such as Romex) and following the NEC rules for running NM in metal framing, that could be compliant.
Like other electrical equipment / materials, the box has to be used according to its listing - that is, you have to follow the manufacturer's instructions, specifications, and restrictions - and the listing may restrict the use of the plastic box in certain fire rated walls, etc.  But that's not necessarily going to rule out plastic boxes with metal framing.
*The National Electrical Code (NEC) applies to most electrical installations in the US.


How can I insert a receptacle into this junction box?

Box Fill
Box fill might be an issue.  There are 8 current carrying conductors, if they are 14 AWG, that's 16 cubic inches (18 if 12 AWG).  Plus another 4 cubic inches for the receptacle (4.5 for #12).  And another 2 cubic inches, if there are grounds (2.25 for #12).
Equipment Ground
If there aren't any grounding conductors, you'll either have to install a 2 prong receptacle or a GFCI receptacle with a "No Equipment Ground" label.
What's What
You'll also have to figure out where all the wires are coming from, and where they are going.  You can't just tap circuits all Willy Nilly,  you have know what else is on them.
Which Neutral
As for which neutral to use, you should defiantly use the grounded (neutral) conductor from the same circuit as the ungrounded (hot) conductor you're using.  You could end up overloading a neutral, or other problems if the circuits are out of phase.


It shouldn't be a problem.

The pipes will be sealed so there'll be no air getting in, so the water won't actually go stagnant (in the sense of "bad/smelly").


Did I harm the integrity of my house trying to run a wire?

First - you have done nothing that will harm your house other than give a few bugs a raceway, but this is the 50th raceway, not the 1st.
Second - you will have to open it up from below to see what is there.   You went through bottom plate and subfloor.   You probably (almost definitely not) don't need a longer bit.


Checking voltmeter on my Honeywell Wifi Programmable Thermostat

Are they suggesting that I touch the red cable to the R or G wire screw and them COM into the other wire screw?

Yes.

Voltages are potential difference, they are relative not absolute. You can often measure with respect to protective ground but it is usually more appropriate to measure between two current-conductors (e.g. between circuit ground/common/neutral/negative and circuit supply/line/live/positive)

In extra low voltage DC systems (<50V), screws in the case may not be electrically connected to the circuit under test and so may not be useful in measuring voltages.

  why does my voltmeter sometimes read 13.0 (for instance) and at other times read -13.0?

Because sometimes you connect the voltmeter leads the other way round.


You're looking for a relay which is designed for use in Electrical Code approved installations.

First, do you want to upgrade to a safer and far more versatile 24V thermostat?  The sky is the limit with those, you can get programmable, touch screen, even Internet connected thermostats like the Nest.  They can also control heaters and even multi-stage.  They also let you place the thermostat where you please, and do the long wire runs with easy-to-install low voltage thermostat cable.

If so, you'd want a 24V transformer to power the thermostat and remotely control the fan relay.  A 40VA transformer should be plenty, and these are readily available for about $12, as they are a common heating/cooling part.

Then you can use an air conditioning relay (about $12 also).   This one works on 24V or 120V and mounts on a junction box knockout, saving you the trouble of mounting it in a junction box.

Here's a combo transformer and relay which mounts on a junction box cover.  This keeps the 24V on the outside and the 120/240 on the inside, as required by Code.


How do I remove this old bathroom exhaust fan?

I am assuming that new fan is bigger or same size.

You have joists that this is nailed/screwed into.  Try not to damage adjacent drywall.  I am going to guess from this picture your joists are on the top/bottom of picture.
This is because your exhaust/and electric look to be coming from the left.  I would cut straight along the top and bottom (using picture) of the fan cut-out and extend that about 2 feet to the left.
Remove drywall
Take out old fan with hammer or screwdriver or just club it out gently.
Install new fan - with the 2 feet you have room for maneuver duct into fan slot and electric work.
Put new piece of drywall on and then you have 3 pretty easy seams to mud/tape.


What tool is used for this tight plumbing situation?

If you haven't already, the cross-hatched drain cover in the tub can be removed with this wrench, called a bath tub drain wrench (or similar):

There should only be plumbers putty underneath it, so it will be hard to turn at first, but then quickly becomes quite easy.

Once that is out of the way, running a small drain snake down the drain is comparatively easy.  There is probably no need for you to go under the floor.


Clean sticker paper residue off of a wall

Try apply heat to the glue with a heat gun, or hair dryer. If it is on drywall, don't over heat, just scratch the softened sticky material, and clean with gentle wipe with damped clothe.


Dryer smells like gas after hiatus and reinstall

This statement concerns me:

The plumbing hasn't changed much except that I had taken off but then reinstalled (with yellow Teflon tape) the 2' appliance connector.

Per the instructions appliance connector hoses and fitting are single-use. Simply put: you need to buy a new appliance connector.
Additionally, no pipe dope nor teflon tape is to be use on flared (tapered) connections. Do not apply pipe dope nor tape to the threads as it can make its way to the flare surface and prevent proper compression.
The male flare is designed to compress against the female flare to produce a gas tight seal. The threads are not gas tight by design because they need you to be able to compress the flare to a specific torque.
The flare metal is usually soft enough to allow microscopic deformation. These connections are single-use so once a flare has been tightened once you need a new flare connector; both male and female.

From the proverbial horse's mouth:

DO NOT reuse the gas connector or fittings. The connector, fittings and valve are designed for use on original installation only. Removal of connector and additional handling may have damaged connector making it unsafe for reuse.

From the Safety precautions section of https://images.homedepot-static.com/catalog/pdfImages/ea/ea7dc718-95fd-4033-b680-3a9d0c17db69.pdf
Product:
1/2 in. MIP x 1/2 in. MIP x 48 in. Gas Connector (1/2 in. OD) w/Safety+Plus2 Thermal Excess Flow Valve (60,500 BTU)


Duct tape + spackle to fix hole under window ledge?

Nope. Use proper drywall tape of either the paper or fiberglass varieties. Both are cheap and won't leave you with a gooey, hollow, fragile mess. I also recommend proper joint compound. Spackle is very light and soft and not suitable for filling large depressions. If you're dealing with concrete or regular moisture, consider a setting-type compound for toughness. (It comes as a dry powder and requires water.)

Prefill the hole with joint compound using a small taping knife and allow it to dry completely. Deep fills can take a day or more to stop shrinking and look completely white. A fan helps.
Skim again to wet the entire area with compound.
Overlay a patch of tape and press it in lightly with the knife.
Either now or after the skim coat dries, skim again to overcoat the tape. Let this dry and repeat as necessary, seeking to apply the thinnest and smoothest coat that seems to do the job. There's very little sanding with a good taping job.
Sand, prime/seal, paint. Be proud that you aren't a hack doing pretend repairs.