What options are available for insulating interior walls myself with minimal damage to the wall?

Retrofitting walls with insulation as a DIY project isn't really viable if you don't want to tear open the walls.

The options that I am aware of:

blown in cellulose (they come in, drill 1 small hole in each stud bay, and then fill the bays with insulation)
spray in foam (same general technique as the one above)
exterior foam boards (they remove the siding, insulate with foam panels, add new siding)

Alas, none of them are really DIY.

The only DIY method I can think of would be to take down the sheetrock and insulate yourself, but that would be a huge amount of work and likely not save you much much money in the long run.


How can I install drawer slides so that they line up and work properly?

There are a few tricks to drawer slides.  The main things to get right are to make them parallel and co-planar (same distance from the case bottom on the right and the left side, as well as level front-to-back in the case).  It helps if your case is perfectly square, so really focus on that.  You'll want to determine your drawer width based on how thick the slides are.

A good rule of thumb is to always try new drawer hardware in a scrap case to get a feel for how it works.  That way you'll work out any issues and not-so-obvious dimensions without having to fill in bad screw holes on your real project.

Here is a brief blog post on some Kreg jigs that assist in this process, and here is a YouTube video on how to do it using just spacer blocks to get everything flush and level.  Here and here are some succinct points to follow and another good video.  And last but not least, a good article on Rockler's site with some recommendations for jigs that ease the process.


The parts you are looking to cobble together, are already cut to the proper profile for an exterior door jamb on the shelves of the big box stores. The aluminum/wood sills are there too. The jamb is cut and ready to receive the typical weatherstripping used these days. here is a link to the product at one store


First thing is you need to determine if that box (picture) is two circuits with a shared neutral, called a MWBC.
You weren't clear what lights are on that box, and what lights you are going to have on the smart switch.
I presumed the smart switch is going to control the recessed lights and all that is going to be in the bedroom?
What do you have to test voltage with?
(How much is already on the circuit/circuits?)
If it is split (MWBC), then you will only be using one circuit (a hot and a neutral).
Warning, you must have BOTH circuits turned off before you do this (or you can blow something up on the live circuit!
You could also get electrocuted.
Do NOT mistake the red wire in your box (pic) for the Red wire in a smart switch diagram!
[UPDATE-adding question (can't comment yet, until I get 2 more up-votes)]
Did you mean 12-2 wire?
12-3 has a black, red, and white wire; 12-2 has black and white.
12-3 w/g (with ground) has black, red, white, and bare ground.
If you mean 12/2 G, then your project makes more sense to me.
Also, mostly curiosity; is that box (pic) mounted on a stud?
It looks like the drywall is patched on all four sides.
I would recommend adding 'F' clips, but the plaster ears are not on that box,as far as I can tell. (and that patch looks wafer thin anyway at the ear ends.)
So does the switch fit in that box? Looks like it is in another box, no room here, and no pigtails visible...
If you meant 12/2, then my advice above is still applicable.
@FreeMan Thanks for the assistance, fixed those in my post.


Notch more than 25% deep on a load bearing wall stud. Help!

user71123,
With the 2x6's notched uneven, you won't get optimal support for your tv. The     1 3/8" notch is fine, but I wouldn't go deeper. You'll want to sister in (along side) your existing studs with 30" 2x6 blocks placed above and below the notched studs. In other words your sister blocks should be placed so the notched part of your existing studs hit center of sister blocks. Then you can cut new notches for your tv mount.

I know it may be a lot of work since the drywall is already hung. The only other advice I can give is to return your tv mount, and buy one that's suitable for hanging tv's without notching, unless your local codes won't permit that type of tv mount. If permitted, so you can use a mount without notching, then you'll have to adjust placement on other studs or even a different wall. Good luck


Per the installation guide:

Connect the yellow wire from the receiver to the black wire from the fixture
The blue wire from the receiver won't be used, so just cap it. (This would be connected to a blue wire (or possibly black with white stripe wire) if your fixture had a fan)
Connect the black from the ceiling box to the black on the receiver
Connect all the whites together
And finally connect the grounds together


LED light bulbs turn off immediately after being switched on

This question is old, but it just hit 1000 views so I thought I'd post the answer.

The 12V PSUs were all at end of life, and were failing. It may have been that the 3.5W bulbs were too low power to work, but either way I ended up replacing the lot with new sockets and LEDs. If I recall these are not stepped down 12V but run off 240V so don't need transformers. I could be wrong about that, it's over a year since all this happened


What finish should I use for concrete on stairs?

You don't have to finish them. If you like the look of concrete, you can leave it as-is.

If you do want to finish, I'd suggest a concrete stain. You can then seal it with a variety of clear coat products. Epoxy based clear coats are more durable, though harder to apply. You can even just apply a wax as a final protective coat if you like.


Do cold air return vents also supply combustion air?

Depending on the age and type of your furnace, it either draws air from a dedicated intake duct running alongside the exhaust pipe (in the case of modern, direct-vent high-efficiency models) or from the room in which it's installed.

In the latter case, there's sometimes a "makeup air" duct leading into the utility room from outside. It's often simply a length of insulated flexible duct with an unterminated (open) end near the furnace.


Carpet padding with bi-fold closet doors?

I would take the little piece of pad out and place a scrap piece of 3/8" or 1/2" plywood in there if you have it. The pad will compress, the plywood will not. The doors are height adjustable, the bottom pivot in the door has threads that allow it to rise up or drop down. The original holes are not critical to keep. Place the bottom pivot guide onto the carpet and set the screw into the plywood through the carpet, the bracket may go at an angle, but press it down at the jamb end and set the screws into the jamb. Adjust the bottom pivot for height if needed.


Should exterior stucco be sealed to prevent water damage

If your house's wall was built correctly (maybe not), then the stucco should be able to get wet--soaked, even--without it impacting the structure beneath. You would be in the danger zone if:

You live in a very rainy climate
Your roof has stingy or no overhangs
the water-resistive barrier layer under the stucco is something less than two layers of grade D building paper (common in houses built after 1980)
The sheathing underneath the water-resistive barrier is OSB (common in houses built after 1980)
There is plastic sheeting underneath your house's interior drywall and you use air conditioning (common in houses built after 1970 in Canada and the northern part of the USA)

The more of those that are true, the more risky stucco is on your house. By "risky" I mean "more likely to cause hidden structural decay and mold growth inside the walls."

So if you decide that too many of those factors apply and you want to do something about it, what do you do?

First of all, don't paint the stucco with standard paints. It makes future repairs more expensive, and it's also dangerous because they don't breathe, so water that does get into the stucco becomes trapped there. Water stays in the wall longer and the paint will bubble as the water tries to escape through it. You'd be signing yourself up for a lifetime of maintenance.

You can paint the stucco only with special masonry sealer products called "silicate mineral paints." These are paints that seal out water but allow any trapped water to escape as a vapor. A basic one can be created yourself using pure sodium silicate. These products harden to rock so they do not have any maintenance associated with them.

You can also apply a new thin layer of stucco on top with these silicate mineral paint waterproofing additives into it--or other suitable waterproofers. The important part is that you need something that blocks liquid water but is permeable to water vapor.


Should we use plasterboard, MDF or wood when blocking up a window in our pantry?

In most localities it is illegal to permanently block a window from the inside only. The reason being in an emergency fire fighters may waste time trying to enter a blocked window. The amount of difficulty to do it properly will vary based mostly on the type of exterior siding. I would remove the window, frame it in with 2x4's or what ever the wall is framed with. Install any blocking that will help with mounting the shelves. Install sheathing to allow the siding to fit flush with the exterior. Install plasterboard to fit flush with the existing interior wall including any insulation.


If built properly, a porch floor slopes away from the house, and (being a porch) is also covered by a roof, so it should only get incidental blowing rain, not the full brunt of every storm. The slope (1/8" per foot, 1 inch in 8 feet) ensures that any water that lands on the porch drains off of it.
It's also common to oil (linseed oil) or paint the boards as well.


What is the white, crusty, crumbly stuff I find in my kitcken sink drain pipes?

It sounds like calcium build up to me, are you sure it's not mineral? Is your water hard? When I have replaced the PVC pipes in my sink, I occasionally see exactly what you describe, but in my case it is because of our hard water.


Trying to understand how to lay cork underlayment mats with duck tape. based on discussions

As mentioned in the comments of my answer most quality underlayment (minus cork) now comes with one taped side.  To install the manufacturers recommend laying out the taped side in the same direction much like you will lay out the wood on your floors - for example if you have to make cuts on a row stagger them.

Let's imagine a small room.  It is 12 feet by 12 feet.  Your underlayment is 3 feet wide and comes in a big rolls of 50 feet long.  You cut your first row at 12 feet and put it down on one side.  You would at a minimum tape the three outside edges (I know this isn't easy to tape sometimes).  Also the tape that DA01 used in his install - Gorilla duct tape -  is high quality and not spongy like "normal" duct tape.

Now for normal underlayment I would wait until my next row was put in to tape the inside seam but for cork I will tape that to the floor too.  Basically half the tape on and half the tape on the subfloor.  So now all four sides are taped down.

Next row.  Start with matching up the two rows and taping the pieces of cork together.  Then tape your top and bottom (2 feet each).   Then tape the side exposed to subfloor.

Keeping going like this.  If you have cork underlayment that does not span the entire row then simple make sure that at least two sides have tape attaching it to subfloor and also taped to next pieces.  And as I said you want to stagger these like your wood if you have to cut small pieces.  Should never have seams within a foot.

Really it is hard to mess this up.  Tape everything and match up pieces.  Make sure your tape is pushed flat so your don't form ridges where your underlayment meets.  If you will have a ridge (shit happens) then simply space your underlayment out from area 1/4-1/2".

Also cork is a little different because you can lay the whole room out from the get go.  A big room is only an hour or two.  With padded underlayment you really want to only put down the area you are at because it moves/rips/tears/messes up easier.


Cold water from both taps only in kitchen

If you have a dedicated heater for the kitchen, then the obvious conclusion is that it broke. Thanks to @ratchet freak for pointing this out.

I had a similar problem without a dedicated heater where the hot tap in the kitchen was slightly warmer than the cold one. I turned the boiler to a higher setting and now it works fine. I have no idea why the rest of the hot water in the house worked fine.


CPU heat pipes are filled with low-boiling chemicals, such as water or alcohol. At 180°, likely above the critical temperature of the coolant, there would only be supercritical fluid in the tubes, and the heat pipes would no longer function. Further, they might burst, whether soldered or brazed.
Why not just add an auxiliary fan -- perhaps a squirrel-cage (centrifugal) blower, if there is high back-pressure? These blowers produce high airflow in limited area, and are used for cooling devices dissipating tens of thousands of Watts, such as transmitting valves (AKA "tubes", to the US).


How to determine if a circuit breaker has GFCI

They'll typically have a test button and a pigtail that attaches to the neutral bus.

Image courtesy of Amazon.com. Not an endorsement of the pictured product or vendor.


Replacing gfci and switch lost with wiring

OK.  So the zoom-in and brightening makes clear what is happening. Imagine there is a physical partition between left and right sides of the box.

On the left side

Goes the GFCI.   Since you don't care about protecting any devices downline of here, this is super easy:  Leave the "For Wizards Only" warning tape on the LOAD terminals, and everything goes to LINE.  Almost all GFCI devices allow you to screw-to-clamp 2 wires under each screw.

On the right side

This is a simple 1-way (as the Brits call it) switch.  2 black wires and you're done.

You're welcome to use a 3-way switch, just make sure you put one of the wires on "common" (the black screw).


how to wire two switches in one box with three wires , two of the go to different lights, which one is hot

White is hot, per NEC.

However your installation is already a code violation, so it might be two.    Also, this particular instance is one of those rare times experimentation does not hurt; switches either short their terminals or do not, so you have already seen the worst case symptom.  So go ahead and try all 3 possibilities.

The hot wire is the one that is split to go to 1 terminal on each switch (doesn't matter which). The remaining 2 wires each go to 1 switch, on the remaining terminals.

Here  are the relevant Code bits:

in a cable, if the white wire is not needed for neutral, it can be re-marked for use as a hot.  It must be marked with paint or tape and the tape must be a valid hot color (not white, gray or green).  Black is fine.
A re-marked white wire must be always-hot, if always-hot is one of the wires in the cable.

As to your timer problem

Either GMOs, vaccines, Roundup, or HFCS is  turning young people's wrists into things that can only hold phones.   However, for those of us with wrists, we can use a traditional (if 1980s is defined as "traditional") timer.   These don't need neutral for power, because the power comes from the aforementioned wrists.

These come in a variety of runtimes, and you can choose a model with or without a "continuous hold" position. These have 2 screws and install like a plain switch.  (The cover plate is NOT Decora, it is very clever but weird, and you must, must read and follow the instructions. NEC 110.3(B).)


Can I use a pool pump to drain a shallow well?

Priming one will be a pain in the posterior, after which it will probably work until it loses prime. I know, because I've done it (well - almost - not a well, but a large amount of water from about 8 feet down). I'd suggest buying a pump that will be less of a pain in the rear to use if you are going to spend money on this. I did have a free pool pump sitting there. They will not self-prime at all - It takes a large amount of water and a degree of persistence to get all the pump and hose full of water, put the output hose in a large buckefull of water, drop the inlet hose in the well and plug in the pump before it back-siphons all the water out of the bucket. If you have too many bubbles trapped, it won't go and you have to try again. Expect to spend at least half an hour fiddling with it to get it to start. If it's a long way down to the water, it gets more difficult to start or re-start.

A typical shallow well is sand-bottomed, so you'll be sucking sand through your pump. Not generally a good thing.

If you have a hill available, grab enough hose to run down it to a level below the bottom of the well, fill it with water, cap the ends, get one end into the well-water and the other to the point below the well, and uncap the ends - a siphon. Be sure to keep the well end submerged - it will move water until it sucks a significant quantity of air. With enough drop on the hill you can use a siphon to suck some sand or muck out of the bottom, too, with no pump to mind the debris. With a big enough hill you can put the end of the hose in the well, pull the lower end of the hose uphill a ways, fill just the lower end of the hose with water and then run it downhill, and the slug of water in the lower hose will pull water through the upper hose. If the water level to the highest point of the siphon is more than about 27 feet, you're out of luck for siphoning.

I would agree with @gregmacs comment to pull the pump up for service rather than pumping the well dry (if indeed, you can keep up with the inflow rate when pumping) - that is the way that sumbersible pumps are serviced. If your setup is missing the magical pipe joint (the pitless adapter - a cute little tapered wedged affair with an o-ring) as used on drilled wells, figure out a way to get one in place. If the pipe comes out the top, you don't need one, just pull the pipe up, pump and all.

You speak of digging the well deeper - how is the well cased/lined now? Does it have concrete well tiles in place? If not, digging it deeper can be a rather hazardous affair due to potential collapse. There are other hazards inherent in digging in a well (drowning, having buckets of dirt dropped on your head, gas pockets...), which is one reason that drilled wells are more common now.


How do I connect PVC to this non-threaded metal sewer pipe?

You need a Fernco Donut.

It's likely that other companies manufacture these, and thet they may be known by a different name.

If you were connecting to a cut section of pipe, instead of the hub. You could use a Flexible Coupling


What is the function of this electric part on my unvented water heater cold water inlet?


What could be damaging my furnace control board and/or what can I do to protect it?

To me it sounds more like bearings in the fan are going out. Or a bad electrical connection.
Surges that would cause a motor to jump around would blow just about every electronic device in the home up.
A motor that had bearing problems may spin up and when the bearings get hot start stalling or moving around.
If the motor was drawing two much current it could be damaging the board so I would not be looking at electrical surges from a service as much as for loose connections OR bearings going out.
Surge protection will not stop either problem from damaging the board.


No power coming from c terminal on furnace

The problem I see is that your 24vac transformer isn't really doing anything in your system.  It might be there for an accessory that you don't have, but it's not hooked up.  If it was doing anything, there would be a wire connected to the R and C terminals, and that is not the case.  Use a multimeter to measure between the R and C terminals to see if it is outputting 24v - if not the transformer might not be getting power at all.

In a typical HVAC system, the thermostat acts as a series of switches that connects the R wire to Y, W, and G to activate 24v relays in the system that turn on the compressor, heat, and fan respectively.  Assuming the thin white and red wires in your pictures go to the thermostat, that's not the case for you.  Your heater just needs the white and red wires to be connected, but they don't carry voltage.  It operates like a "millivolt" system and expects the (mechanical) thermostat to only provide a contact closure to connect red and white when heat is needed.

This is not strictly compatible with the Nest thermostat, but it can be made to work with the help of a relay.  In the diagram, the connections on the nest would be: Red - R, blue - C, and black - W (meant to be the white wire, but I used black).

You have all the items on that diagram except for the relay.  You will need to find a "normally open" relay with a 24vac coil.  It is a pretty common item if you know what you're looking for and here is an example.  (I just noticed, one of the reviews on that relay also talk about using the nest with an old millivolt heater.)

The diagram for that relay is:

Where terminals 1 and 3 are for the coil, and 2 and 4 are normally opened (note the diagram is flipped compared to the one above).


Just looks like someone drilled a hole for a wire or something and didn't use it. We might be able to speculate more if you gave more details about the location.

It's not really a concern unless the floor is spongy there, in which case something more serious is going on.


Trim Cuts along staircase with angled wall

If the molding has any thickness to it, yes you will need to make a level transition to get the surfaces to line up properly.
Here is a little insight on doing the same thing with a handrail, on an outside splayed corner.
How to make Handrail Transitions with Rotation?


You likely have a short somewhere in your circuit. When a breaker trips immediately after being turned on, it's a good indication of a short. Check your wiring and make sure all connections are correct, both at the oven (plug and receptacle) and the junction box. My bet is it's in the junction box you made.

But, you need to replace that 30A breaker immediately! Not doing so is an extreme fire hazard and could result in your house burning down. You need to pull new wire before putting in a 40A breaker.

Unless...

The breaker is sized to protect the wiring and receptacles (and hardwired appliances) in the circuit; in this case, the "weakest link in the chain" can only handle 30A. If you're lucky, that was the old oven and the wiring in the walls is actually big enough to support more than 30A - but you can't know that without visually checking it. Look on the sheath of the cable, and somewhere there it should indicate the gauge: AWG 10 or #10 or something similar. If you're lucky it will be #8 or even #6 wire, good for 40 or 50A, respectively. Chances are, though, if the old oven was a 30A, the wiring is only #10 and good for 30A.


Why do many concrete blocks have this strange shape on either end?

As with most building materials, there is a balance between strength, weight, cost and other attributes.
Solid concrete blocks would weigh roughly twice as much as these blocks and cost twice as much too. But they wouldn't add that much strength. In addition, the hollow sections make it easy to grip, move and place the blocks, whether by man or machine.
With the blocks stacked in a wall so that the hollow areas are vertical or horizontal, the visible faces of the wall are solid. With the hollow areas vertical, they can be filled with concrete and rebar for additional strength, particularly including anchoring to a foundation: rebar embedded in the slab poking up into where the blocks are placed and then filled with concrete. Here is one example article explaining how to do this.
As far as the "I" shape, that little gap in the middle of each end allows for mortar to hold the blocks together while still having the faces of the wall "just blocks".


A single receptacle has to be full circuit amperage [NEC 210.21(B)(2)], so the 15A (NEMA 6-15) receptacle would be connected to 15A breaker or you need a NEMA 6-20 or a duplex 6-15. Normally a 6-20R is a T-slot and will accept a 6-15P.
Also the 2020 NEC specifies 240v receptacles in garages now require GFCI protection too [210.8(A)(2)].


LG TROMM washing machine says door is open but it is closed

According to this parts page: http://www.searspartsdirect.com/model-number/wm2688hwm/3204/0153200.html

you probably need a new washer door lock switch: http://www.searspartsdirect.com/lg-washer-parts/6601ER1004C/0026/795/model-WM2688HWM/3204/0153200.html

Part number 6601ER1004C; it's available from Amazon, both quickly (and more expensive) and cheaper (and more slowly).

To confirm, see if you can figure out how the door latches closed, and where the switch is, and then try operating it by hand.


How do I connect a 240 to 110V transformers that measures 55V AC on both the "hot" and "return" wires?

The output appears to be ungrounded or center grounded.  It could be a transformer intended for outdoor tools in UK.  If there is also a safety ground 3 wire plug, it could be coupling some of the harmonic current from the switch mode active power supply (which should be flowing equally on hot and neutral) on the safety ground.  That would be unbalanced current and trip the GFCI.  The smaller transformer could be wired with normal grounding or it may have a plastic case.  Adding filtering to the mains input could fix the GFCI issue.


Can an AC condenser be wired inside the wall, underneath siding?

You could in theory do it inside of the wall, but the "device box" would have to a a Flush Mount 3R box, and that's not something I have ever seen for a simple AC disconnect. In other words you can't just exit the wall through a hole in the siding and run into the bottom of a surface mount box, and for all of the surface mount ones I have seen, you can't enter the box from the rear because that's where the disconnect device is. So although it COULD be done, I don't think you will find the hardware to make it happen (at least not to Code).


Replace Dimmer Switch with normal switch

The only wires that should be connected to the new switch are line, load and ground. The old switch likely had circuitry that required a neutral for operation. Basic switches do not use a neutral, just line, load and ground.


Assuming these doors are exactly the same size, you should switch the doors by unscrewing each door's hinges from its frame, and then reinstalling in the other frame. You will probably need to mark the outline of the hinges in their new positions and carefully countersink the outline with a sharp wood chisel. You will need to switch the strike plates as well, to the other side of the frame, so that the door can latch. You may be inclined to touch up the holes left behind when you remove the strike and the hinge screws - I would use wood filler for the strike hole and wood filler/spackle for the hinge screw holes.

You can remove and switch the frames, but that involves removing and later reinstalling the casing from both sides, and cutting the nails attaching the jambs. And unless the frames are exactly the same size, you run the risk of one of the rough openings being too small for the frame, which is a headache even if you are a professional. There are additional disadvantages if you are considering doing this with exterior doors (siding may be disrupted). If you do go this route, you will need to ensure the hinge jamb is installed plumb and straight (using shims behind your nails), and then ensure the reveal around the door is even (again using shims behind your nails in the strike jamb).


Seeking suggestions for switch workaround

While that sounds like it might work, you need to consider the design of these kinds of switch matricies.  Often there are diodes that present a predictable voltage drop to the microprocessor so it can sense which switch you are trying to press.  Simply shorting it may fool the microprocessor into thinking an entire row or column has been shorted.

If I were an Alaska Bush Man I would try this, for sure.

But I think you are better off simply replacing the keypad assembly.

You might be amazed at what kinds of parts like this you can find at the usual sources.

That being said, try this:  begin with a Google search and see if I could find a service manual for the unit in question before beginning surgery.


How to choose a valve to use when plumbing a huge valve handle to my hose station

It's true that is a lot of leverage for most valves that would be appropriate for a water hose.  A large gate valve might work, but you would get a full stream of water even when the valve was opened 1/4 of the way (depending on size, of course).

What I would propose would be a few gears (worm/screw drive?) between this large handle and a 3/4" valve.  If using gears, you can make a large, strong axle to hold the large wheel rather than having it mounted directly to the valve.  The torque available with the large handle could still be a problem, but mechanical stops could prevent over-torquing.

Another idea - use an electric valve to open and close the water hose, sense when the wheel is turned, and activate that valve.  This way you can turn the wheel as much as you want and as fast as you want and the real work is mechanically separated by the electronic valve.  Also, you could design in a timer to automatically close the valve after being on for a set time.

I realize building something like this might be beyond a small DIY project, but it's the best I could come up with beyond using a large valve.  And who knows - you might really enjoy the mechanical or electronics challenge.


Should I plaster the walls in my new house?

When I built my house 20+ years ago, my wife and I opted  for 2 coat, hard coat plaster instead of drywall with taped joints, since she wanted to paint all the walls with a semi-gloss paint finish. The semi-gloss finish would have been impossible since it would have highlighted the taped joints. We were told that if you use taped joints you could only use a flat finish that tends to hide those taped joints. The whole house is now painted with a semi-gloss finish which she can wash or remove any marks put there by people and grand-kids. If you opt for a plaster finish make sure you use enough paint coatings. We used 2 primer and 2 finish. She is happy, so you know I am also happy.


Shower drain clogs yearly after clearing - call plumber or DIY?

in homes with lots of women, or men with long hair, this is a constant battle.  the only way to prevent this is to put a hair catcher over your drain, but these are a nusiance.  primarily the problem comes from hairs getting stuck at some bend or sticky area in a pipe, and this acts as a scaffold for more hairs to accrete and so on and so on.  if you regularly pour a bottle of some sort of sodium hydroxide based drain cleaner down the shower drain (say once every week), it will be the best you can do to prevent it, as it will regularly be cleaning the pipe and attacking any hair that has accreted in the previous week.

the only permanent solution is to convert the drain pipes to a larger size and a smoother finish (eg. remove old 1.25 inch copper and replace with 2 inch abs) all the way from the drain to the main stack.


After having a number of shower walls deteriorate in just a few years, I paneled a stall shower with an underlayment of cement board and covered it with fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) wall board and corner molding (links are for reference purpose only).

The project cost less than US$100 and has held up for ~15 years. In fact, the shower base needs cosmetic touch-up, but the walls are fine, and water infiltration has been eliminated.


How could I extend a baby gate at the bottom?

Measure your baby. The 3" gap is based on (a) minimum baby size across all babies expected to use the units, plus (b) a generous quantity of CYA on the manufacturer's part. Thus, 4" is likely just fine, and you can verify this by figuring out the minimum gap that your actual baby can squirm through, plus enough extra to satisfy you and your wife (reasonable and sane people) rather than lawyers who smell blood (and/or money).


This is Canada's National Building Code, but unfortunately they seem only to sell copies of it on CD or printed form.


In the "old days" there were a ton of stop valves installed that had the flex supply line integrated into the valve, i.e. all one piece. Thankfully, they started disappearing from the market. Now we are seeing Chivese stop valves with integrated flex supply; I suspect yours might be one of those.
I suspect that to replace your flex you will need to replace both the valve and the flex. However, you say there is "a leak from the bowl", which shouldn't have anything to do with the supply flex because the supply flex goes to the tank fill valve, not the bowl.


How do I use a hole cutter drill bit (ø 6.3cm) such that I get an intact wood disk?

Use TWO hole saws. One with the standard pilot bit and one with the standard pilot bit replaced with a much shorter bit such that it can drill the large hole without the pilot bit getting into your piece of wood.
Get a scrap piece of wood, at least 1/2" thick, maybe thicker. Clamp it on top of the piece you are trying to cut.
Start each hole using the regular hole saw. Drill into the top piece of wood until you have a good "starter circle". Switch to the second hole saw and drill through both pieces of wood.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
Easier if you have a second drill. If not, be careful as hole saws can get really hot in use.


What is the soil type in this area? If the soil is sandy, it will not turn to mud when wet. A layer of the right kind of gravel might be both functional and pleasing to the eye, but don't put just anything down. Look around at what are others doing.

Parking cars on a bed of pine needles sounds to me like it would be a fire risk (catalytic converters get very hot). Ask the fire control authorities about whether the pine needles should be raked away from the car parking area.


Safety hook on double pole circuit breakers

This is a breaker lockoff device
The gizmo on your water heater breaker is a lockoff that's designed to let you turn the breaker off, then attach a padlock with a 1/4" shackle (or a lockout tag with padlock(s) on it), so that you can then lock the padlock, stick the key in your pocket, and be sure that some bozo isn't going to flip the breaker back on while you are servicing the water heater.  Code often requires this when the breaker is the only disconnecting means for the load in question and the breaker box is not visible from where the load is located.
And no, it won't screw up the breaker's ability to trip
Modern circuit breakers are universally trip free (UL489 and related standards require this behavior, even), which means that they will trip properly, no matter what position the handle is held in.  As a result, it is possible (and even required, for breakers feeding fire alarm control panels in larger buildings) to safely lock a breaker on with the appropriate hardware, even, and you do not have to worry about mechanical blockages outside the breaker itself keeping the breaker from tripping.


Cutting out existing steel duct in bathroom vent

One way to cut away the excess metal would be to use a rotary Dremel type tool with abrasive cutoff wheels. This method allows the metal to be removed without bending and deformation that other cutting methods would typically cause.

If you go this route be prepared to use up a good sized quantity of the cutting wheels. When I am using my rotary tool and have a large amount of cutting to do I have about ten of the mandrels that hold the cutting wheels preloaded with cutting disks. This way when  one wears down or breaks I can quick load another mandrel into the chuck on the rotary tool and continue cutting.


Take some duct tape and seal it around the seam between the frame/door from outside. Then get some proper weather stripping and adjust the door frame when it's not in the middle of a hurricane.


Can disconnected knob-and-tube wiring be left in place?

Yes, you can leave the knob-and-tube wiring in place. Labeling is neither required nor common, but if things are confusing enough that you think it's warranted, it can't hurt. It's also a good idea to rip out whatever wiring is accessible (e.g., in an unfinished basement).

If you have an electrician do the disconnection work, you should ask the electrician to sign a form certifying that all knob-and-tube wiring has been removed. Such a form is sometimes required before blowing in insulation, or when selling the house.


How easy is it to cut down a timber external door frame for use in a small door?

Wow, those are pretty spiffy! You get bridal joints at the header and mortise & tenons at the threshold. Here in the US, we just get simple butt joints, often just stapled together.
If you're willing to put some elbow grease into it, making a new mortise for the tenons isn't too difficult. There are a ton of videos on the tube of you (Paul Sellers is a widely recognized, highly rated guy, also check out Mattias Wandell) on how to make a mortise & tenon joint. Since you'll already have the tenon, you'll only need to remake a mortise.
The simplest way to do it with some hand tools is:

Very carefully mark out the location for the new mortise. Use the tenon from the side of the frame and mark on the threshold where it should go. This is, generally, more accurate than trying to measure.
Using a drill bit the same width as the mortise needs to be, drill a series of holes for the mortise, removing most of the material.
Using a chisel, remove the remaining material left in the mortise and square up the corners & edges

You'll want to purchase just one chisel, preferably exactly the width of the smaller dimension of your mortise. If it's narrower than that dimension, it's fine, but wider will not work at all. This can be a cheap, off-brand chisel if you don't expect to do much more work like this in the future. There are chisels that are hundreds of <currency units> per chisel, you'll do just fine with one that's ten or less.
See also Paul's videos on how to sharpen - some cash spent on a single tile & some sandpaper and some time spent sharpening (yes, even a brand new chisel is too dull to use easily) will more than pay for itself in reduced working time & frustration.
Make sure that you do NOT oversize the mortise. You want it to be a snug fit. A loose tenon isn't your friend here. Though, since the jamb will be nailed/screwed into the door opening, it's probably not as critical as it would be if the M&T joint were holding up your kitchen table.
You're better off starting out ever so slightly small then enlarging the mortise just enough to let the tenon slide in with some force. That's much easier than adding wood back in to a mortise that's already too big.

Follow the original assembly instructions to assemble your new, narrower door jamb.

Spend some time watching some videos to get the details and watch how it's done, this was intended to be an overview. I believe these instructions are complete enough to get you through the task, but, if you're not a woodworker, there are probably some gaping holes.
You probably don't want to use a door jamb set designed for interior use. The exterior jambs are either made of wood that is naturally rot resistant and/or are treated for rot resistance. The interior jambs won't be treated, and only the more expensive (i.e. "custom grade" or similar) ones will be made of an exterior appropriate wood.


They chew, rather determinedly. Keeping them out when they want in is no small task, indeed. One approach with moderate success is to cover the opening with hardware cloth (heavy wire mesh) molded to fit and nailed carefully in place, and then spray foam. Board over the top if you like for appearances sake. The missing wood may well have been chewed away rather than knocked loose, given their usual mode of operation. Keep an eye out for new holes being chewed elsewhere on the house.


It's a matter of degree. As the pressure tank discharges, the water pressure will go down. When the pressure goes below a certain threshold, a pressure switch will turn on the pump, and the tank will start filling and raising the pressure. When the pressure goes above a different threshold, the switch will turn off the pump and the pressure should be maintained as long as no water is used. When water is used the pressure should fall slowly. The difference between the two thresholds is called the hysteresis; too little and the pump will be turning on too often and running too briefly, and too much and the pressure vary too much.

If the pressure fluctuates "too much" (where the speaker gets to define "too much") then it might be a problem with the pressure tank, the pump pressure thresholds, or (escape clause!) something else. But that all depends on what the system is designed for. In a recreational vehicle, the water pump generally turns on as soon as you turn on a faucet, which is fine. In a house, though, this would be a problem, and cause pump wear and tear as well as annoying fluctuations.

I'd talk to the inspector and get details about the problem he saw and what he thinks the solution might be. You might also talk to a plumber with expertise in well systems.


I don't see any direct issues here.

However, to prevent any issues in a "what-if" scenario where the valve springs a high pressure (spraying) leak:
For the junction box in the wall, have the wires enter the box from the bottom, and have the wire form a "U" loop at the bottom.  This way, if there ever is some kind of spraying leak from the valve (unlikely) that any water that gets onto the NM jacket would drip off at the bottom of the "U" loop and not run into the junction box.  If you have the wire running in from the top of the box, its possible that in a leak situation the water on the NM cable could drip into the junction box which would be very bad.

Make sure the box is installed correctly, with the NM jacket coming just into the box.


Can I fix a mold problem in wall-to-wall carpet myself?

No you can't unless you will buy pro cleaning equipment.  First if your carpet has mold it is settled into the pad.  Carpet has to be rolled up and affected pad replaced.  Subfloor cleaned and dried too.  A pro cleaner would scorch your carpet - you can't get the heat from rental cleaners.


Stain and seal bathroom tiled floor grout - remove upper grout layer?

That layer below is likely the normal tile adhesive.

The grout is the finishing layer above that, so that broken or missing part should be regrouted.

There are tools for removing old grout. You can do as little or as much as you feel you need, but I would just repair faulty sections if there are only a few. When most are faulty then you have to do all of it.


How can I have a pond but prevent mosquitos from nesting there?

A couple options:

Make it small enough that the waterfall will keep the water moving.  Mosquitoes like standing water, but not moving water.
Add some fish.  Fish love to eat Mosquito larvae.


In the main panel, put the neutral where all the other neutrals are.   Put the ground where all the other grounds are.  Good chance they are all going to the same bus, that is fine in a main panel.

In the sub-panel, yes, ground and neutral must be separated.


"...stick with the same spar urethane...?"

YES

  "Should I expect a fresh coat of urethane to give the stain a more even finish"?

KINDA The spar varnish will slightly darken everything, making the wood look like it would look if wet. Take a damp sponge to it to see if you like the look.

  "do I just need to re-stain first?"

SEE ABOVE

  "How many coats of urethane should I do?"

FOLLOW DIRECTIONS I usually start with a coat that has been thinned a bit, to facilitate penetration, then follow up with 2 coats.

  "Should I expect... 3 coats to last... 3 years?"

DEPENDS There are so many variables that affect finish longevity... but I don't think it is unreasonable to expect to get 3 years out of it. I would plan on giving it a "freshen-up" coat every year.

  "How should I prep the surface before refinishing?"

Hand or machine sand lightly with fine grit paper. make sure any bubbled up, cracked, peeling, flaking finish is removed and the surface is smooth.

  "Is it important to thoroughly clean all the grit off before applying the finish?"

YES Blow or sweep off the table when done with prep, then wipe it down with a damp cloth. Any debris left on the surface will end up in the finish.

  "Is sanding between each coat of urethane really necessary? Does the same apply for cleaning the surface after sanding and before the next coat?"

YES Follow directions

  "If I... re-stain, do I need to sand the surface down to bare wood?"

PROBABLY NOT Whether or not you need to sand at all prior to staining depends on whether the old finish prevents stain penetration. If the stain penetrates, no sanding required. I would recommend an initial fine sand prior to checking for stain penetration (if you decide it needs to be stained, I kinda like it as it is).


How to protect a new wood floor from renovation traffic

1/8" (or 1/4" if it's cheaper) hardboard (Masonite is a brand name you might or might not know better than the generic term) which can be laid in place and taped together at the seams without taping to the floor.


schlage deadbolt key just spins back and forth

Turns out it was either the key (a copy of a copy) was going bad, or else the deadbolt needed to be slightly adjusted to open and close more easily without catching as much.  Or that you needed to "pull on the knob" while twisting to ease up on tension.  Some combination of those three, my hunch is it was the key needed replacing.

If it just spins "forever" I'm told that's either a detached or broken "tailpiece" (the little rod that goes out from the key into the middle).  If it's just broken you may be able to replace it.  I asked a local keyshop they said they had generic that "might" work for like $3 for the part.  Google it "deadbolt tailpiece" for videos etc.


Not from the picture.  Unfortuantely, the information had been there, but you destroyed it when you took all the wires apart without documenting what was there.

Your best bet now is this:

1.

A cable is several wires in a sheath.

Cap off the black and white wires from one cable (individually), and connect the lamp's black and white to the other cable.   If the light now works off one switch, and not the other, then you can go to the next step.  Otherwise switch cables.

Now the light works, off one switch.

2.

Keep the white wire from the lamp with the white wire from the ceiling. These are neutral and they need to stay this way.

The white wire in the ceiling that is capped off, mark it with black or colored electrical tape.  Uncap it.

Unhook the lamp's black wire from the black ceiling wire.  Join this  black ceiling wire to the white wire you just marked.  This is switched-hot from the master switch (which may not be the one you think).

Remains is one black wire that is capped off, and one black from the lamp.  Join them.


Who knows?  Europe is in the middle of  harmonizing their wiring standards.  There's a lot of old and new work out there.

In one of several old standards, black is neutral.  The new standard is blue for neutral.  What you know for sure is that green is ground.  The other two are hot and neutral.  If your lamp doesn't care, that may be enough.

If it does care, measure voltage between one of the wires and ground.   The hot will be around 230V to ground.  The neutral will be 0-2 volts.


Ventilation when using water-based stain & finish

The application instructions on the can include safety requirements. Do not reference the SDS for common use application safety considerations, just follow the directions, which incorporate the info from the SDS, but in terms meant for the consumer in the practical world.


Did you already remove the other fan?

If there is another fan already there then just replace it using the same wiring configuration if it worked the way you wanted it to.

The new fan may have a light kit (you didn't mention that) and it sounds like you only have one switch so you will have to decide if you want the wall switch to turn on the fan or the light. The other one you will have to operate with the pull chain.

Happy New Year!


Fruit fly type bugs always appear in the kitchen when the weather heats up

These small flies are very hard to keep out because they are so small, so I think looking for what is attracting them is a better long term solution.  This is a guess, but I think that using bleach in the drain is probably masking the scent of what is truly attracting them.  A small flying insect making it's way through a water-filled P-Trap under the sink is unlikely, and unless you also have a sewer smell coming from the sink, the P-trap is probably working correctly.

Look for dead portions of houseplants, fruit or veggies that have fallen behind a cabinet or the fridge or in the cracks next to the stove, etc.  Clean, clean, clean.  Pull out the stove and the fridge and clean.  Empty out the cabinet under the sink and clean that very well.  Pull out everything from the pantry and get rid of the expired stuff, and clean.

I'm in Texas as well and anytime we have had tiny little flies at our house or my mother in law's, its been from potatoes that were forgotten or something else that was leaking or rotting out of site that we didn't know about.


Do I need a replacement attic vapour barrier after asbestos removal?

Safest bet is to replace it of course - but in your case I wouldn't call it necessary.

There's an easier way to replace the vapor barrier.  Run the barrier over the trusses.  Keep it flush to the drywall but run it up over the truss and down again.

Of course, if your house is that old that it had vermiculite, I'm going to bet that you've got about 8 coats of paint minimum on your ceiling.  Undamaged that will serve as a vapor barrier in its own right.

If you do batt insulation, however, then the way to install the insulation is paper side down, and staple the paper to the trusses down at the bottom.  Not as good as wrapping the plastic over the trusses but its that or paperless.  Do not put the paper facing the attic.


How to insulate metal roof on shed and avoid condensation?

You need to prevent air from getting to the metal. If no air circulation there is no moisture will condense on the inside. Spray on insulation works well but is fairly expensive, Fiberglas works but needs to be in contact to prevent air movement. This is one area that I compress the insulation some to make sure it stays in contact. This looses some of the R value But eliminates the sweating. Those are the 2 methods I have used.


You are asking about relative humidity, which is a measure of the total amount of moisture in the air relative to the amount of moisture the air could hold at its current temperature. Humidity measured this way will change if the temperature changes even if nothing else is different. I.e. the same exact slug of air will have different relative humidity, depending on its temperature.
Attics are typically vented to the outside, pulling fresh outside air in while warmer air in the attic is exhausted, usually via vents on the gable or the rooftop, but sometimes with a fan.
Unless there is an incorrectly installed vent from the house (e.g. bathroom vent), the air in the attic is basically the same air as outside, but possibly at a different temperature.
In the winter, it will be a little warmer, because of heat losses from the house coming into the attic, warming the attic air. In the summer it can often by much warmer, because of heating from the sun on the roof radiating into the attic space. Either way, this heat difference provides the convection that drives the air movement through the attic, drawing fresh air from vents under the eaves or soffits, and exhausting air through the gable and/or roofs.
Bottom line:

The absolute amount of moisture in the air should be the same in the outside air as in the attic air. If it's not, something in your house is exhausting humid air into the attic, and that should be fixed.
Assuming the absolute amount of moisture in the air is the same as the outside air, then if the temperature is different, the relative humidity will also be different. Since the attic is typically warmer than the outside air, the relative humidity in the attic will typically be lower than the relative humidity of the outside air.

So to answer your question:

is it normal the humidity level in my attic same as the humidity level outside?

Exactly the same? No, I wouldn't say that's normal. Humidity in the attic generally will be at least a little lower than outside, because the attic air temperature is generally higher than outside, while the content of the air is generally the same as outside.
The exception to this being in weather where the air in the attic is at the same temperature as outside. This is more common in the Fall and Spring, but can also happen in the Winter in zones where the outside temperature is relatively mild (i.e. when the attic air temperature is as cool as the outside air temperature).
It's not clear why you believe that 50% relative humidity is "ideal" or "typical" for an attic. The actual humidity in the attic can vary a lot, and there's no reason to believe it's going to always be right at 50%. In Arizona, it may never ever get that high, and in Florida it might be higher than that all year round.


How should I fix incomplete insulation on a skylight shaft?

You do not want a vapor barrier on the cold side of the insulation. Switch your plan to use an air barrier (or an open mesh, since you should have little air movement in the space) and it makes more sense. On the other hand, if you already bought the plastic, just poke it full of holes (but do not poke through to the warm-side vapor barrier.)

But - this will leave you with essentially uninsulated areas at each stud, and compressed insulation near them - particularly galling since they are "flat-ways" (1-1/2" thick.) It would be better to attach ~6" wide boards to the studs (sticking out from the wall), so you have a nearly 6" deep cavity to fill with insulation, and no compression where the plastic or mesh is attached.

Edit post-comments: You could also fill in between the flat studs with 1-1/2" rigid foam cut to fit (and/or sprayfoamed at the edges), and then sheet over the whole thing with 1-1/2 to 2" foam covering the studs (with a bit more sprayfoam sealing any joints or gaps), but your question indicates that you already purchased materials, so I don't want to send you off on a mission to spend more money if it's not really needed. But if you'd rather do that than add boards, it should work fine - especially if you can return the materials you bought.


My concrete is brittle like the density of a cookie

It’s too old.
An obvious clue is you stating you have to break up large chunks.
You may find it better to buy the separate components and mix your own mix.
This would mean you can get the cement fresh per batch. The other components won’t « age » so much or at all - thinking of gravel sand etc but any moisture content needs accounting for.


Should I apply car wax to the outside of my air conditioning unit?

I seems to me that waxing the outside of the AC unit is only going to protect cosmetic appeal. If you're interested in keeping the unit looking nice from the outside, then  it could help. Otherwise, I wouldn't put in the effort.


Installing a 50 Amp breaker for 220 circuit, using a direct burial cable for 100' for use of electric 220 welder

A welder is defined as a non continuous load so the wire can be sized at 100% of the listed nameplate  per table 630.11.A. But a 50 amp breaker you would need at least #6 copper. I would upsize a bit and put a sub panel in so more could be done than the welder only.


What's the best way to reduce odor in my well water?

You said the water smells bad unless run for 10 minutes this points to air in your pressure tank. With a failed bladder in an old tank air contacts the water in the tank and it develops a bad taste/smell. If I wanted to sanitize a well that deep I would pour several gallons of bleach into the well and let it sit for at least several hours then pump the well until the bleach smell is gone. As far as the stone shower I would not be concerned as much, if you want to sanitize that I would use a 3% hydrogen peroxide and water, spray the stone work then rince. Since your smell disipears after several minutes check your pressure tank as it may be the source of the bad smell.


How to select the most appropriate indoor LED bulb color

This is really an opinion question, so I will just explain the color frequency and a listing to look for so that you have the information to make your decision.
First, the different lamps have color ratings: 2500k through 6500k is the normal range. The color at 2500 is a yellow orange; many street lights using sodium vapor lamps are this color; very easy on the eyes, but they do not make the area as “bright” as perceived with the same lumens at 6500k.
At the other end of the spectrum is 6500k. This is close to bright daylight and is perceived as much brighter than the lower 2500k light. Many industrial facilities & offices have moved to 5500k and above as it is closer to daylight.
6500k and above are used in many office buildings in the Pacific Northwest to reduce Seasonal Affective Disorder (sometimes called cabin fever here); the wavelength and perceived brightness reduce the problems associated with a lack of natural daylight.
The down side to 5500k and above is your brain now thinks it is not time for sleep, so having a +5500k lamp in the bedroom is not the best choice. For a home office, kitchen, and living rooms, the 5500+ may be a better choice, keeping the 2500-3500k in areas of sleep and relaxation.
What I have in my home is the bedroom ceiling lights are 6500k and the bed side lamps are 3500k (2500k is just two yellow/oranges for me). When getting up in the AM, the overhead light is on, while at night prior to bed the bed-side lamps are on,. This works really well and I would recommend it.
The last big advantage is power savings. Most screw-in bulbs today are based on the incandescent 60w Edison lamp; a standard 60w provides ~800 lumens, a CFL bulb produces similar light using only 13 watts and a quality LED uses 6 watts. There are some lamps that are more efficient and some that are less efficient, but this can show that changing from all incandescent to LED could cut your lighting cost to 10% of what it is or 1/2 if on CFL/fluorescent. In my case the production areas appear much brighter at the same time.
The listing on your lamps I recommend you look for is DLC (design light consortium). These normally have a 5-year warranty and UL and CE listings. I have had really poor experience with non-DLC lamps, I find the electronic driver (power supply) in the lamp usually fails (I support a lumber mill that has thousands of lamps, tube style (T12, T8, T5) and flood lamps (400w to 1000w), and I have replaced almost all the T12 & T8 lamps with hybrid T8 lamps that can be direct wired (they will work with a ballast but I want to eliminate the losses and failure possibility of a ballast). Most of the big, power-hungry floods were my first swap outs with a 240w-320w LED flood replacing 1000w floods, and the equipment operators love them. (I love them because I probably won’t have to change the bulbs and repair ballast for the next 5-10 years.
I hope this info helps you to make your decision.
Added, I just remembered there are some new tunable lamps, (the color spectrum can be adjusted). I have not tried any of these smart lamps yet, but suspect they may be the next level in home automation and livability.


Adding 240v (NEMA 14-50) outlet right behind breaker panel

You can do this it takes a simple bushing or clamp from the main panel. Since the cable is breaker protected as long as it is protected going out of the panel and into the new one it is code compliant. Well if you have a permit,


Why do windows generally open to the outside in Ireland but not in the rest of continental Europe?

I've found some details about use and locale usage of window directions and some arguments for both choices:

http://www.luxal.co.uk/inward-and-outward-opening-windows/

Summing up the claims by Frank Tate:

The direction is more seperated between northern (Scandinavian, UK) versus central and southern countries (Pt, Es, Fr, De, It, ...).

Both solutions have unique advantages in regard to climate and handling:

Appearence: Inward opening windows are hiding themself behind the frame when they are open.
Cleaning and Installation: Inward opening windows are same easy to clean from inside and outside. For modern outward opening windows there seem to be solutions as well.
Flowerpot: Inward opening windows are best decorated from outside, while outwards opening windows are best decorated from inside.
Shutters: For inward opening windows external shutters can be used. They are providing much better isolation for radiating heat than internal shutters. They also enable ventilation while keeping radiation heat outside.
Weather: Outwards windows tend to be more resilant to wind and rain, while they have to be secured when open at stormy weather.
Security: Outwards windows can be more secure.


Bunch the screen over the end of the pipe bent back along the nearby sides of the pipe, Then secure in place with a suitably sized screw gear clamp.

Picture Source


I am not so sure that the Common of the transformer connects to terminal TH of the ignition control module. It looks more like the TR terminal and it looks like another terminal is labeled TH.

I would encourage you to locate the wire join point depicted below and add your C wire into the existing 3 wire join to make it a 4 wire connection. If you are lucky this may just be a simple wire nut that you can remove. If it is a crimped wire termination then you have a little more work to do cutting it off and then re-stripping the wires to allow use of a proper sized wire nut.


How is it that two breaker switches control the same things?

Unraveling this mess may be difficult. Seeing the 30 amp breaker join the two sides indicates that the two hot lines go straight down each side in the back of the panel rather than alternating every other breaker. If it were alternating, then any 220 circuit only needs two vertical slots rather than taking up all the space of both sides as well. What this means is that these two circuits can be joined anywhere since the lines are in phase with each other.

The easy fix is if you have an incorrect connection in that breaker panel, rather than each line going its separate way. If that's the case, you remove the connection and the problem is solved. So as others say, the first step is the open it up and take a photo (with the power off and being careful to avoid the lines feeding the main breaker).

The difficult fix is if the connection is somewhere else in the house. Unless you know how the home is wired, you are left with breaking the connection at various points until you find the location that roughly splits the circuit in half. To do this, you open up an outlet in one of the rooms, disconnect the load side of the outlet (pick a side if you don't know which is which), and see if only half the outlets turn on when you reset one breaker. Try to make the split in the circuit between two rooms.

Once you decide where to split the circuit, you're left with an extra wire from the other circuit in the J box to cap or remove. The proper solution would be to remove it, but doing so will likely require opening up the wall. If you cap it, make sure each wire cannot touch anything else to avoid the risk of a short, and then label the wire so no one hooks it back up in the future. I would also go through the extra effort to find the other side of this connection and disconnect it and label it on both sides.

Edit: Seeing the separate red and black wires makes me wonder if they continue through each outlet with two circuits like mgb suggests. If so you just need to locate where the two lines cross. If the two circuits are separated in the outlets themselves, then it should be obvious when you open an outlet up and see a red and black going to the separated top and bottom. In that case, turn the power off to both circuits, disconnect an outlet, cover the exposed connections, and turn the power on to only one circuit. If you now have two separate circuits, then then crossed connection is in the outlet you disconnected or one of the dead outlets in the home. If the circuits are still joined, then the problem is in one of the live outlets. Use the process of elimination to avoid opening too many outlets.

As always, when working with electricity, ensure the power is off before you risk anything touching a wire. Test ever wire in the outlet before beginning work, especially in your situation. And when you open the panel, the line side of the main breaker is still hot even when that breaker is shutoff. If you feel nervous about doing any of this yourself, then hire an electrician.


Is there a way to remove the mildew smell from under tile without damaging the tile?

If your renting, your only concern, I would think, is the smell.  If there is a smell it will disappear as soon as the water dries up.  When I fixed my mothers house the smell was supposedly there for years. It was caused by a slowly leaking toilet. When it was fixed, it took some weeks for the floor to completely dry, and the smell went away.  You may have other problems later like dry rot, and mold dust if you ever remove the tile.  SO don't.  If the smell continues then there is still a leak somewhere. Tell the landlord to repair it again.


Repair paperless drywall or tear out and install new?

As long as some of the drywall paper is still there, the drywall is still intact enough and it's safe to skim coat it. Either approach will work. Only you can answer the question of which one is "worth it." Among the factors:

Which of the jobs you can do yourself
Which of the jobs you enjoy more/hate less
The relative money costs of the two jobs, whether you do them yourself or decide to hire them out
The relative time costs of the two jobs
The amount of mess and inconvenience of the two jobs
Whether or not there's anything behind that drywall you wanted to expose/replace anyway

Etc.


Can I have a sub panel right below the attic access?

As Steven said, it depends on the applicable code. I doubt any code is going to be that specific. So it will be up to the local authority having jurisdiction to interpret what the code does say and decide if it applies to your situation. As such, no one here can accurately answer this unless they happen to represent your LAHJ.

For example, the NEC simply says that over-current devices be readily accessible. Readily accessible in part is defined as devices need to be able to be quickly operated without the need to remove any obstacles. So the attic access alone would seem to comply as it does not affect access to the breakers.

However, to effectively use an attic access, one must place a ladder, which could block access to the breakers, requiring removal before operation is possible. This would cause the panel location to not comply.

In cases of contradicting interpretations, the LAHJ must decide what interpretation best represents the code's intent. Since access to breakers could be most important when someone is working in the attic with a ladder in place, I personally would rule that this arrangement is not in compliance. But I am not your LAHJ.

The short answer is you have to ask your electrical inspector.


According to the instructions, it appears that there are six washers and nuts holding it together. If you only used four, that might be a problem. ;)

I would go back over the piece, checking the tightness of the nuts. Side-to-side motion is likely a problem with the nuts, not the legs.


Well, it will work IF the poor connection is not capable of passing 0.35A...

You don't get "phantom" readings of 120V, it's either 120V or it is not. But what you can get is a bad CONNECTION on a 120V circuit so that as soon as the load starts to pull any appreciable current, that connection increases in resistance and the voltage drops to where it can't even make your 25W lamp glow. 350mA is not a lot of current and it may end up not causing that voltage drop, so it will still "look" good, but it really is not.


Is it possible to varnish a section of of wooden floor?

You can certainly varnish a section or a spot. Far better than leaving it bare, if it is, where it will just get harder to fix while you wait - even if it does not match at all.

Making it blend is more trouble, though some of that can be helped by "just using it" rather than worrying about about it when it's freshly redone and the rest of the floor isn't - it will be far less noticeable after a month's wear, in most cases.

Since you mention "colors" I'm a bit concerned that you are dealing with not just varnish (which may vary from water-clear to various amber-yellow colors depending on formulation) but stain, which is a lot harder to match.


How to fix electrical system that feeds a studio unit

First, that 20A dual breaker does not have common trip.  It needs common trip.  Get a 2-pole breaker (about $10) or a handle-tie (about $3).

That thing you have pictured, the tiny Cutler Hammer (BR?) panel, is your main breaker box, since it's the first stop from the meter.   Here, and only here, neutral should be bonded to ground.

This is actually rather good news.  It is not realistic to DIY replace a main panel, because there's no way to completely de-energize it. By having this "runt" main panel, you will be doing pretty much all the house's wiring in a sub-panel which will replace the fuse box.  And that makes DIY easy and safe, just shut off the main breaker in the exterior panel.

Get yourself a nice 40/42-space subpanel and you're good to go.  (you can get away with a smaller subpanel, but that is no place to scrimp - ask anyone who has run out of space in their panel.) I suppose you could do a 30, but you'll have a happier kitchen if you give it decent electrical service - one circuit per half-receptacle is not excessive, ask any cook who's tripped a breaker!  These bigger panels tend to come with a lot of free "bonus" breakers, and that helps with the finances. But the main criterion is sanely priced AFCI and GFCI breakers - because many of these will be required in the future.  Since AFCI and GFCI are full-width, "half-width" or "duplex/twin" breaker schemes are useless, so avoid "20 space/40 circuit" panels.

You may think it odd to hook a 225A subpanel to a 20A breaker.  That is actually fine because the 225A subpanel can handle 20A.   (a 60A subpanel off a 100A breaker, no.)  Given that all modern service must be at least 100A, the city will probably require 100A at the very least, the reason to go 150++ is more spaces, and more future expansion.

Why would you ever want more amps?  Four words, On-demand hot water which are great for studios because they're small. Some fine ones can take 120 amps all by themselves (but 0A the rest of the time, hence the cost savings.)  Also the usual - electric range, dryer, EV charger, etc. There's always another thing.

In the future, you upgrade by contacting the power company to talk about your options (your subpanel size is a limiting factor here, if it's 100A you cannot get 200A service etc.).  Then you obtain a new meter pan with main breaker onboard, and run appropriate sized wiring to your fine subpanel.  Or you could run that wiring to your current mini-main panel today, it's aluminum wire and not terribly expensive.  (this aluminum wire is fine.)  You would need lug splices to go from the fat stuff to a smaller wire size that would fit in a 20A breaker, but that's no big deal.


Do I need to worry about air bubbles in the first coats of drywall mud?

The purpose of sanding (or scraping) between coats is to knock off the high points. NOT bonding.
Mud (compound) fills the low points, but it shrinks, requiring multiple coats.
The goal is to have something close to a flat surface, which you get most easily by removing the high points and filling the low points.
If you don't remove the high points, you end up filling a larger area with more mud since the knife rides on the high points. More mud shrinks more, so there's more remaining low spot to fill with the next coat. If you knock off the high points, you are just filling the low points, and the amount you add each coat is less, so it shrinks less.


Cut 2'' thick bamboo butcher block for table top

A router with a template (and template bit or guide collar) is the only way I can think of to get top quality results. An ugly second choice would be a belt sander, but getting your edge to be square to the top and your lines straight will be incredibly hard.

Let's assume you're using a template bit, because the math is easier. Create an exact template out of 1/2" mdf. Rough cut your top to whatever tolerance works with your jigsaw. (I'd suggest 1/4", but if you're getting lots of blade bend, maybe 1/2" is safer.)

Attach the template to the butcher block (hot glue/ doublesided tape/ clamps that you'll have to move around). Take small bites with the router until you're actually being guided by the template. (Note, taking small bites with the router takes practice... work on scrap before you go to town on the real thing.)

Don't rush, but similarly, don't take too long on the final cut, as there's a high likelihood of burning, which would then have to be sanded out.

Although I love DIY, if you're not extremely comfortable with a router, this is something I'd outsource to an experienced (and tooled-up) woodworker.


Wiring a combination switch/GFCI outlet with lightswitch downstream

Based on the diagram so far, here's how the GFCI switch/outlet combo should be wired:

Black from breaker to LINE HOT on GFCI/switch
White from breaker to LINE WHITE on GFCI/switch
White from switch-cable and white from light nutted together and pigtailed to LOAD WHITE on GFCI/switch
Black from switch-cable and one black from GFCI/switch nutted together and pigtailed to LOAD HOT on GFCI/switch
Other black from GFCI/switch nutted to black from light

(If your GFCI has the two-wire, clamp-plate terminals as in the diagram depicted, you can save a couple nuts and the pigtail wires by terminating both wires to the clamp plate instead -- they are designed to terminate two wires, one in each hole.)


Any reason not to use Tyvek to cover exposed insulation?

Dupont does not recommend Tyvek for interior walls. That said, I've seen DIY sites recommending it over studs to protect insulation as you suggest.

What might be the concerns that Dupont has for interior use? Offhand, I can think of two:

A vapor barrier can cause condensation in walls. However, Tyvek is not a vapor barrier
Fire safety might be a concern.Tyvek is NFPA 285 compliant, but that rating is for exterior walls. Tyvek® FireCurb® is fire-retardant, but still is recommended only for external walls.

Apologies, then... this is really not an answer: Tyvek is being used inside, yet the manufacturer states it should not be.


Your plan sounds good, except for one thing you do have to check.

Anytime you remove an outlet, make sure you are not falling below the minimum outlets required.   In particular, a 6-foot cord from an appliance anywhere along the wall needs to be able to reach a power outlet.  It appears your old outlet is near a threshold, so if it's moving farther from the threshold, that is fine.


window top flashing/channel against flat surface

If I understand this correctly, you need a way to connect the flashing to the parging. I would advise studying the way that chimney apron flashing is attached to chimneys. In short, (maybe call a contractor to) cut a 1/2" deep groove (aka kerf or riglet) in the parging to insert the flashing. Use window and door flashing tape (aka double stick) and silcone to adhere the flashing.

If you hare having trouble attaching the flashing to the window or something, then (maybe upload a picture and) describe the problem more specifically.


Whole house dehumidifier- freestanding vs vented

I have installed dehumidifiers in the past. The only difference I saw was that free standing models have a catch basin.

The built-in models require a drain or a pump in the tray, to pump the water to a drain, but otherwise, they work the same way.

For ducted models using the pressure of your HVAC system, there is a flow switch to start the compressor when the blower fan is running in "heat mode".


You may look into installing a vent in the furnace room if you have one next to that area. This may allow you to draw heat from the furnace room, into your finished basement area, up the stairs to the first floor and back down again. Depends on where the return is and how things are "zoned".

If you do install on the drywall get as low as possible so the heat sweeps across your comfort area to the nearest return. Heat rises... Install dampers so you can tweak the amount cool feeding into the basement during the summer. Follow the path of airflow and calculate as much as you can. In tools such as Revit (warning: steep learning curve) it is called a load analysis; though, it can be done back of the hand.

If you already have a ducted system, I wouldn't install an electric heater. Nice for a small area such as a desk/bathroom, but do keep in mind how they affect humidity.


Why does my digital multimeter report small voltage between a battery and unattached metal and my fingers?

On some ranges, a digital voltmeter (DVM) may have very high input impedance. A small static charge builds up on any non-grounded conductor. Atmospheric electricity is always present. The potential averages about 100 V/m height difference, so there is might be a 200 V difference between a 2 m tall person's head and toes. Of course, the wet, salty body is a fairly good conductor, so it effectively short-circuits most of the charge to ground... unless, perhaps, you're wearing rubber-soled shoes. So the DVM could have been measuring charge buildup.
A DVM also may be subject to self-rectification of AC pickup. Even though the scale is set to DC voltage measurement, RF pickup from radio stations and 50 or 60 Hz pickup from the power mains can still show as an erroneous DC reading.
As an experiment, I just set an inexpensive (US$6) DVM on the 200 mV scale, separated the leads at arms length, but with no contact to the probe tips, and walked around the room. Motion on the carpeted floor generated a large static charge, that bled off in a few seconds. Placing the leads near a WiFi router picked up a small signal, i.e., accidentally rectified RF.
You can make an even higher impedance voltmeter, an electroscope, with household materials. BTW, a spark jumps an air-gap at, very roughly, 1,000 V/mm, so a 1 cm spark made by walking across the floor and reaching for a grounded object might be 10,000 V. Shocking!
But you ask could you power something. It depends on the current (I), i.e., amount of electricity (compare with amount of water, whether a drop or a bucket full), as well as the voltage (compare with water pressure). Wet human skin, in series with the body, may have a resistance as low as ~500 ohms, and dry skin as high as 100,000 ohms. Resistance impedes, or partially blocks electricity, so you would not have much current, measured in amperes (A), milliamperes (mA, 1/1,000 A) and microamperes (µA, 1/1,000,000 A). Current = voltage / resistance (I=V/R), so at 12 V DC with 100,000 ohms, that would yield a current of 0.00012 A (0.12 mA), which could light a LED (light emitting diode) dimly. It would be safe to hold one lead of the LED, touch a finger to one side of the battery and the other LED to the other side of the battery. If it doesn't light (dimly, so this won't be visible in daylight or a brightly-lit garage), reverse the leads of the LED.
There would not be enough current to power an incandescent lamp, motor, or almost any other device than a lone LED, or perhaps a LCD clock, though.


Mini Split Condenser in Garage? With ventilation?

According to this webpage, "the answer is an emphatic NO."  The page goes on to say this is because the total volume of air in an enclosed space is insufficient, including a garage with an open door as the air isn't likely to circulate enough.

From this we can deduce:

There is nothing in most codes preventing you from doing it.
If you are planning to do this, you'll need to pay very close
attention to where your intake and exhaust air are coming from.
If you don't design your ventilation perfectly, your system may not
be able to cool your space


Can you deburr copper pipes with a fitting brush?

The fitting brush will work if you use it with the proper sized copper pipes. When I say it will work I refer to cleaning oxidation off pipe and fittings. You should expect reasonable results for both the outside of the pipe using the holes in the tool and for inside of fittings using the brush.

This brush will not work well for removing burrs on the end of cut pipe. For that you need some type of reamer tool for the inside of the pipe and a file for the outside edges if you are cutting with a saw (a rotary pipe cutter will not leave a burr on the outside that would be of any note).

In the end, sans the tools of various types, there is still emery paper to clean up pipes and fittings too. Steel wool works too but may leave more debris inside pipes and fittings.


Typically the gas comes through the floor, so what you are planning may make a difference.
There may be some general tendencies for gas line location, most I see are close to the floor, usually within 6" or less. Whether it is on the left, right or center is usually defined by the maker of the appliance.
To insure the hook ups are in the right place, do your reasearch, check the reviews for the range you wish to use and download the install guide for that particular unit, and set up everything (gas and electric) for that unit. You can't go wrong.


New Circuit Faceless AFCI tripping with no load

I thought I had the same problem with the Leviton AFRBF-T.  After doing some bench testing I found that you have to Fully depress the reset button and hold it down until the system inside actually resets (you will hear it reset with a loud click).


You are within 6' so it would be allowed in my state.


Why not use a standard round junction box? They come in several widths and depths, for example

If the space is very shallow, there are round pancake boxes as well

Two safety issues:

It is imperative that a fixture be solidly mounted, so, if it attaches to the box itself, the box must be attached to framing members or an adequate brace.
Small round boxes have limited space, so you must be careful about overfilling them with wires and attachment devices. If there is a single cable with two or three wires, you will usually be okay, but pancakes generally cannot handle several cables.

SUPPLEMENT: As to the question about a square box in a round hole, NEC Section 314.21 says

  Repairing Noncombustible Surfaces. Noncombustible surfaces that are broken or incomplete around boxes employing a flush type cover or faceplate shall be repaired so that there will be no gaps or open spaces greater than 3mm (1/8 in.) at the edge of the box.

Section 314.19 also says that flush fixtures have to be have to be completely enclosed at back and sides, so gaps around a box behind the fixture would probably be considered to violate that as well.

That said, it is routine to apply spackle and other noncombustible fillers around junction boxes that have gaps where they meet the wall. But it is critical to ensure that whatever box is used, it is securely mounted to underlying structure.

Finally, cites are to NEC which may or may not be applicable in your jurisdiction, but is generally viewed in North America as standard practice.

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


The very likely outcome will be that the structural engineer will go away to do the necessary calculations, specify the requirement for the underpinning to be carried out by a contractor, and the tree will be converted to firewood (tree preservation order permitting).

The underpinning will be carried out and leave the building stronger than it was before. Any additional remedial work (eg to the cracks) will be carried out. Over time (once the repairs have weathered), you probably won't even be able to tell that the work was done.

The problem has been identified before the worst case has happened (crater), so now it can be fixed to mark sure that it doesn't happen.

Without a thorough assessment by a qualified individual (or company), I can't say for absolute certain, but I'd say it is very, very likely that a satisfactory solution to remedy the subsidence will be found.


Please see my comment on your original question but yes, direct buried cable can be spliced with the correct components.  Check with a local electrical supply shop (not a big-box home center) and get their advice on the correct product for your local area and the wire you are splicing.  Here is a link to an example of this type of product:

Direct Burial Splice Kit Example


Defrost cycle. Your defrost timer, element or thermistor are probably bad. If you unplug it and after it has warmed and defrosted, then you plug it in and it works for what seems to be a day, then ice builds up again, then its not defrosting as it should. This ice build up will block the fridge vent and not allow the fridge to cool. This non-defrost will make the freezer think it has cooled to the temp you selected because the thermistor is covered in ice. Its hard to figure out which part unless you have the tools. A multimeter would allow you to test the defrost element and the thermistor. Just your ear and hands would allow you to check the timer (assuming it is a manual timer) by manually rotating the timer to different spots. Make the unit click on, run for a bit, listen and feel for cold air. Turn it and make the unit turn off. If you can do this successfully, the timer is most likely ok. Another test to check the timer, is to move it just before or after the flip on/off time, and let the fridge do it by itself. If it does, then the timer is ok.

Once you have verified the timer is ok, you can test the other two with the timer. Set the timer to the defrost cycle and let it run a complete defrost cycle. Check for water and ice in the areas you found them before. If present, then the element is not defrosting/melting the ice. Move on to the next test.

The thermistor is a tricky test, I had a bad one, but it never tested bad. You can take it out, place it in warm water and get an ohm reading, then place it in ice cold water and get a different reading. Compare those to the specs listed for that thermistor. Out of spec means the thermistor is bad. I would bet that the thermistor is most likely your culprit. It is what tells the defrost element to turn on or off to defrost and melt the build up of ice.

Before you test the element ,if you have a bad thermistor, replace the thermistor and run the unit for a day and monitor it. Do the timer test to see if it is now defrosting. If not, then continue to the element test.

The test on the defrost element, you do need to remove it or isolate it from the rest of the fridge usually by unplugging it, you use the ohm setting on your meter again, and test for continuity. Open circuit, bad element, closed circuit, good element.

I would do these tests in this order as the parts get harder or more complex to remove or find.


How to properly seal a leaky pump coupling on a hot tub/spa?

Your coupling or pipe might have a crack, too difficult for you to see or notice.

You are correct they are supposed to be hand tightened and that should be enough .

The connection on your coupling needs to be straight against your pipe this is where your seal should be. The coupling will not have a seal on the back side and should not - you state no-o-rings and that is correct.

Normally at the pipe to pipe connection is where your seal will be (You seem to indicate a silicone rubber seal). If the pipes are offset a bit - you can end up with a poor seal and the coupling will not perform. To exaggerate a bit think about a  shim stick is wider at one end then the other - your connection of pipes might sit like that. In this case hand tighten will get so far and then will not function. You would need to wiggle your pipes into better position as you tighten to get rid of any offset. Given this coupling is by a pump and the way it is connected - the vibrations of the pump can cause some issues.

Your coupling might be worn at the threads and the fitting (or possibly a hair line crack).. might be better to simply replace it with a new one - I would replace it rather than play around with a $5 part - just faster, also I could ensure that my pipes were straight together perfect - so I have a nice fit.

Your liquid thread tape - if the pipes are fine threads use it and it might be ok, you will need to let it set up follow the directions.

I personally do not use it, I don't like it at all.
I use the thread tape - I stretch the tape as I wrap and I roll backwards off of the tape core - wrapping my pipe. I make sure I stretched a little so it fits nicely in the threads of the pipe - in a coarse thread like that coupling I would have several wraps - the tape is cheap enough and I want a good fit and good seal - the coupling should go on a little snug to turn but not so difficult that it could break.


Masonry protruding entrance water protection

I don't like the plan & only think your plan, which will work fine, would only perpetuate errors. You got rid of the siding, so now it's time to get rid of the trim.

The trim should not be there AT ALL & top rightfully want's off anyway. The bottom entrance should be exactly like the top window. Nothing sticking out & stucco right over the existing top lentil, which is currently covered by the entrance trim.

That trim looks to be just face applied 1x3 enveloped in flashing & should pop right off. If anything goes on the wall, I'd vote for giving yourself an upgrade over the doors. Do a 2' or 3' Awning Roof over the door, just Tapcon & Lag a 12" tall (whatever pitch you desire) triangle cage into the brick mortar (never into the brick) & then Tapcon aluminum flashing over the awning roof's seam to then stucco over.


Can I drill extra holes in entrance panel

It should not be a problem making a new hole for the service cable, but you should check you local codes. Where you make the hole depends on other factors, that a licensed electrician would know. This is done with a Knockout punch, not a hole saw. If you try to use a hole saw, you will only make a mess of it. A good set of KO punches are expensive. You can get cheaper sets, that will work a few times before they get dull such as this one or maybe you can borrow one. If you need to go from 3" to 2-1/2" then you may be able to use a doughnut (if code allows it!) reducing washer.

This is quite an ambitious job for a newbie! I suggest you hire an electrician. You can not just add a bigger panel to the service, the lines at the house drop need to be sized bigger and possibly the lines to the house from the utility. You will need to change the wires from the meter, and then you can go through the back of the panel and forget about the KO hole. There will undoubtedly be code upgrades like grounding, that need to be implemented as well. And then there is a final inspection, and yes you need it, if you want your insurance to pay off in the event of a disaster.

Putting all the Romex wiring through one hole is not acceptable. You can put as many as two through an approved (for two Romex cables) type connector. Also "bundling" of cable has restrictions as well, usually only 2' at a point. Romex must be stapled before entering the box (usually within 12"). Again, You need to find the NEC (US) code and local code requirements.

If you still are thinking of doing this yourself, I would apply to your town hall for an electrical pre-inspection. An inspector will come to your house and you can lay your plan out to him. He will tell you if things need to be done different. You as a homeowner can file to do electrical work on Your own home. After the work is done the inspector will return and hopefully give you an approval. Nice and legal, and your insurance co. will accept it!

EDIT:
Here is another cheap KO set with smaller sizes. Note that electrical hole sizes are not dimensional, such as a 1/2" electrical KO is actually a 7/8" hole, and takes a 3/8" Romex connector!

EDIT2:
It may be possible to use a junction box and a raceway to the new panel. A raceway can be say a 3" conduit connecting the two, or an approved raceway. The splices would be made inside the Jbox to single conductors going through the raceway into the new panel. You could ask for a pre-inspection meeting to see if your inspector will accept this. If not he may offer other solutions. It is hard to evaluate your situation without seeing the whole picture.


How do I keep my shower handle's entire stem from spinning?

The answer to your dilemma as I understand it, is answered Here.


From your description it sounds like a small amount of tap water landed on the exterior of this surge protector and not much went into the receptacle holes. If this was tap water, then the surge protector will be safe to use. If this was water with vinegar or salt added, then it might be different.


How do you determine how much electricity is used by a device?

Sounds like you could use one of these...

http://www.amazon.com/P3-International-P4460-Electricity-Monitor/dp/B000RGF29Q/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1294406639&sr=1-2

Then you could take this power saving feaver beyond the computer.


Beam where joists meet in center of room

You should enlist the assistance of a framing vendor with design software or an engineering firm Along with your contractor.

They can design an LVL or steel beam to carry the load. Running the full length of the house is probably not possible but creating an archway with a beam and support columns is certainly possible.

This modification should be designed by a professional though.

Good luck!


Bird sleeping and eating soffit. How to make sure it is not coming back?

The slightly scruffy plumage and a flash of red on the tail but not on the head makes me think it is a juvenile red-shafted flicker - do you happen to be in the west of North America? - so it may not have quite figured out what a tree is yet.

First, you'll want to repair the damage and re-paint. Take the opportunity to check for insect boreholes as that will need to be taken care of too.

Then, various sites, e.g. www.birds.cornell.edu and There is a woodpecker pecking on my house! Why is it doing that? How can I make it stop?, recommend plastic netting to cover the area in question.

Other methods are suggested, but I would think that black netting would be aesthetically the least intrusive unless you want to go to the effort of applying aluminium sheet and painting that to match.

It might be that scaring it off every time you see it would suffice to put it off returning, but you're going to have to get up there to repair the damage anyway, if only to deter carpenter bees and such.


Help explain how this receptacle is wired?

I was having a hard time making out where the neutral with the bad insulation came from. it did not look wrapped on the other screw or no wire left there I can see. That bothers me unless there was a back stab on the receptacle then the long strip would make sense it pulled out.
One common place for solid wire to break is at the strip point if the wire is nicked or not (the reason most electricians won’t use solid  wire in industrial locations or where there is high vibration).
The grounding conductors in the box should be connected to the box and the box can be the ground to the receptacle.
To me it looks like the hot jumper between top and bottom receptacles is intact so there is probably another receptacle that was not working since this one was dead. But if the hot tab is broken one of the receptacles is probably switched.
Last the wrap on the neutral is the wrong direction, the hot conductors are correct.
Code specified wrap is 66-75% the code book shows this as aluminum wire but inspectors use that as a guide for copper also.


Can mould be leaking through pipes cracks/holes?

The pipe connected to the radiator has a deliberate space because it is really hot.
Can air leak through walls that has mold? Don’t want to scare you but just about every breath you take may have a mold or fungus spores, in the Forrest 100%  In  most living spaces.
Can you seal the pipes, I mentioned the radiator but there are special collars made to insulate and seal these, water pipes usually can be foamed to seal them. Make sure you know what you are sealing and use the proper material.


I did the pour today.

It was 50° F with about 80% humidity.  It looked like rain so I mixed by hand in plastic tubs on tarps inside a garage.

Quikrete recommends 6 to 10 pints of water for one 80-lb. mix.  I used exactly 7.5 pints for each bag, which gave me a very stiff mix that held its shape until vibrated.

I mixed four bags in two tubs and it took a good 20 minutes by myself just to get those two 160-lb. tubs mixed thoroughly enough using a hoe and shovel.  Then I was able to completely fill 3 of my 7 molds with these two tubs.  Filling, vibrating, placing mesh, and screeding these 3 molds took another 50 minutes.  I was able to catch a long enough break to clean tools and tubs.  Then I mixed the last two bags in one tub and finished the last 4 molds, which were smaller and already had rebar and mesh secured inside.  This took another hour.

Short answer:  I easily had over an hour of working time.


The shingles will eventually seal, but it will take more than 40 degrees to do so, although it may start the process. As long as there are not protruding nail heads and everything looks straight, I wouldn't worry too much.


Why is my new refrigerator hot on the sides?

The condensing coils in some refrigerators is under the skin of the unit. The heat is transferred to the living space. The harder the fridge is working the warmer to hot depending on how hard the system is working or trying to cool the interior food space.