How can I determine if my neighbor is hooked into my meter?

You have a tough bit of detective work to do, but it should be possible.  The good news is a very large load is likely to be a continuous load, so it shouldn't be too hard to catch.

First check for weird outside wires.

The usual drill with pot growers is to bury Romex (NM) cable just enough to conceal it. This shabby workmanship is usually fairly easy to spot. Proper underground cable is at least 12" deep, rigid conduit can be 6" but that's because you won't damage it with a shovel.

A sneaky cable would explain all this even if they took away their grow lights. (you have inspected the unit, yes?) Imagine they were stealing power from the neighbor, then also stole it from you but hooked it up backwards. It would be a dead short, limited by the long wire run, and that might be enough to not trip the breaker.

OK, no luck?

Next, get educated.

I know some people don't like learning and don't want to be seen as smart. But frankly, the alternative is pretty expensive.  Upside, this is a big enough deal you can afford a few toys to make learning easier.

Learn how pressure (volts), current (amps), power (watts and VA) and energy (watt-hours and kilowatt hours) all relate to each other, because you'll be using them a lot.
You need to be able to multiply and divide.  It doesn't get any harder than that.
Get a book on wiring a house and read it through.  There are a few things you can skip but the main thing is you need to be comfortable working around wires and inside panels.
Figure out how to get instantaneous kilowatts out of your electric meter. (smart meters should cycle to display it, old meters are trickier.)
Toy: a $20 "Kill-a-Watt" meter which will let you measure most of your 120V loads.
Toy: A $100 clamp ammeter which lets you clamp around a single "hot" wire and see what current it is drawing.
Toy: A "whole-house power monitor" which wires into your panel and analyzes your power consumption.  It shows you exactly which appliance uses how much power, and give you a very complete picture of your power usage.  These are in the $300-500 range and permanently install two clamp ammeters in your service panel.

Once you are able to easily read your instantaneous watts (e.g. at the meter), you can try flipping off one breaker at a time and try to narrow it down to one breaker.  If your two units have separate panels but are fed off one meter, you may be able to use a clamp ammeter to measure both main hots (one at a time) to see which house is the source of it.

If an answer doesn't become obvious at this point, you'll need a more methodical approach.

Map your circuits

This is tedious but very useful to know. You know about all  your hardwired loads (lights, oven etc.), get some dollar store night lights for testing receptacles.  Shut off one breaker at a time and see what got turned off.  Mark the service panel with what things that breaker controls, and mark each device, switch or outlet with the breaker number.

Next, use the Kill-a-Watt to measure the actual power draw of everything that plugs into a receptacle.  I have been known to measure fixed loads also, by opening up the box and using a stinger extension cord.  You cannot measure 240V loads with a Kill-a-Watt, but then you don't have to - 240V loads have nameplate labels which state their power usage.  You just have to figure how often (percentage of time) the big load is on.   By now you should have a notebook or excel of each of the circuits and the Kill-a-Watt power usage of each of the devices on that circuit.

Look for anomalies

Now put the clamp ammeter on each of the "hots" coming out of a breaker.  Compare that to the Kill-a-Watt data from your known loads on that circuit.  It can help to just turn those off while you're measuring.  The goal is to account for all the power exiting every breaker.

For 240V loads, measure both hots separately.  A significant difference in amps should raise alarm bells.  Dryers have been known to be unequal, turn the dryer off and see if it all goes to zero.

The goal is to narrow the unexplained draw to a single circuit, then tear into the circuit to find exactly where the draw is.  You can follow the circuit down the chain of receptacles and put the clamp ammeter on the hot wire in each receptacle until you find the leakage.

Be prepared for the possibility that it isn't any sort of theft, but something left on (heater in vacant apartment?) or just appliances that take a lot more power than you thought (air conditioning).


I have a car EV charger with a NEMA 6-20 plug and a different 220v receptacle -- adapter?

A NEMA 6-20 plug "implies" a current limit of 20 amps but more accurately, one should avoid approaching that figure. Your charger should be rated around 15-16 amperes, which is 80 percent of the alleged capacity of that plug.

The photo is a bit dark, but odds are good it's a NEMA 14-50 if there are four pins/sockets. As the number implies, that should be a 50 amp (40 at 80 percent) socket.

If you connect your charger to that socket, and something goes amiss, you would be getting up to 40 amperes of current before the circuit breaker does its job.

Such a consideration would not stop me from purchasing a 14-50 plug and 6-20 socket and wiring the two together, but I would also attempt an additional level of safety by putting a 20 amp breaker inline to the adapter.

Because of the disparity of current ratings, you'll not find an off-the-shelf adapter and any construction you create is at your own risk.

The numbers imply a 3 kw charger, kind of on the low side for a home charger, common in the wild, but superior to using a 110v version.


How to accurately judge economics of converting from oil heat to liquid propane?

First, check to see if there are any tax breaks on the LP system for your area.

My rule of thumb on energy savings savings is, it must pay off in less than 10 years or half of it's usable life (which ever is shorter).  Since you have to replace the unit, see if the difference in cost - expected savings in energy over 10 years justifies going LP.  A lot of times, the energy efficient items don't pay off unless they have a tax break or you have to replace an entire system anyways.

Edit:  I was curious about the results and looked up the values.
Assuming you are using 800 gallons of oil each year at a rate of $4.21 a gallon = $3368 year.
You would need 1060 gallons of propane to match the 800 gallons (taking into account different efficiency) at a rate of $3.80 a gallon = $4028 a year.

Cost data came from here: http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_wfr_a_EPLLPA_PRS_dpgal_w.htm
BTUs of propane: 91,500 per gallon
BTUs of heating oil:  135,000 per gallon
Conversion from oil to propane used:  oil gallons * oil BTUs * oil efficiency = 92,880,000 effective BTUs used each yet.  92,880,000 / propane efficiency / propane BTUs = 1057.38 gallons of propane used.


How do I fix a sticky spot on furniture made by a rubber ball?

It depends on whether the stickiness was caused by the ball leaving a residue on the finish or the ingredients in the ball (probably solvents) ate into the finish.

If the former, you may be able to remove a residue using a wood cleaner like Murphy's Oil Soap (just one example). These cleaners are generally safe for wood finishes. If this fails, you could try stronger cleaners like Goo Gone. This type of cleaner is more likely to adversely affect finish, so try it in an inconspicuous place. However, if the milder soap doesn't clean it, you probably are risking the finish anyway.

If that doesn't work, you can try solvents, beginning with mineral spirits, but you are highly at risk of damaging finish. After wiping with the solvent, carefully wash off, again using wood soap or a mild detergent.

You can also try alcohol and lacquer thinner, either of which is highly likely to eat away the finish, but by then you are past preservation.


Neither device is probably pulling the rated amount, though it might hit those ratings at peak.  If you started the vacuum and saw at the exact same time, you might trip the breaker.

Assuming the breaker isn't defective, if it hasn't tripped you're OK from a capacity point of view.  Keep in mind there might be other devices on the circuit too.

Ideally you wouldn't use an extension cord at all for this. While you probably won't run into any problems, you might consider a heavier wire gauge for the extension cord.  If you don't need all 50', you're also better off with a shorter extension cord.


How to connect 2 hot wire to a 2 pole MCB?

The output of an MCB is indicated by voltmeter testing.  I'm serious.  That's what Code says, you're not allowed to guess at voltages, you must measure.  Because a MCB goes into a panelboard aka loadcenter aka service panel, and the voltage depends on how it is wired.

I'm planning to install a 2-pole Square D QO panel next week where one pole will be neutral because of a peculiar requirement.

Europeans in North America, or anything having to do with the Philippines, is likely to have this issue as well, and it will vary depending on where you are in the Philippines.  That is one place you cannot make assumptions.


Why does my dusk to dawn light go off when the furnace kicks in?

Understanding the problem
Think of your wiring like a pipe full of water, and each device like a pump. Each pump draws a specific amount of water, but not necessarily the same amount as any of the other pumps, and the water in the pipe can only be supplied at a fixed rate.

When the light turns on, it "pumps" a small amount of water from the supply pipe. This amount is far less than the pipes supply rate, so there is no problem.

When the furnace comes on, it "pumps" a huge amount of water (for a short time). This amount is close to, or greater than the amount of water in the supply pipe. This means there is less water in the pipe for the light, so the light cannot function properly.

This is an over simplified, and arguably inaccurate analogy.
Solving the problem
First off, Having the light on the same circuit as the furnace is not correct. This should be fixed as soon as possible, and will likely solve the problem you are seeing.
This could be an indication that one of the components of the furnace is reaching the end of its life, and needs to be serviced.   High current draws in an appliance are commonly caused by motors. Motors will draw more current while starting than they do when they are running, this is known as inrush current and can quite a bit higher than the devices full-load current.  This large current draw during start-up can be increased if additional force is needed to get the motor spinning, for example if the bearings are going bad.  You'll want to inspect the furnace, and pay close attention to any motors.  Make sure they are properly greased, and working normally.
If this has always been an issue all along, the furnace is probably operating normally and there is nothing to worry about.  If this has only become an issue recently, you may want to inspect your furnace (or have a professional inspect it).


Is my plan for adding a sub-panel reasonable?

You are severely under-sizing your cables/wires. Depending upon cable, independent conductors in conduit, over the air, etc. considerations.
For a starter your 100 amp feed to the first sub-panel should be 1 gauge copper, or 2 gauge if THHN/THWN.   The feed to the 50 amp sub-panel should at least be 6 gauge.
In your shed, 14/2 is fine on 15 amp breakers for lighting. Easier to work with than 12-2.
On both your planned sub-panels, you'll need to float the neutral (isolate from ground) and have 4-wire (2 hots, neutral and ground) to them.  In the separate outbuilding (shed) you'll need to also float the neutral and install ground rods and connect them to the grounding bus bar in the sub-panel.  You don't need to do this in a sub-panel in the same structure as the main panel, but you still need to isolate the grounds from the neutral.
Ampacity chart search results
In response to the comments:
It doesn't sound like you've done much load planning.   What are you planning on running in the shed, as well as on the sub-panel?   I would power the shed's sub-panel from the main panel, even if that means moving a couple more circuits to the sub-panel.   Also, 6 ga aluminum wire is considerably less expensive than 8 ga copper. Depending upon how long the run to the shed is, you might want to consider that. And yes, 40 amps on 8 ga copper or 6 ga aluminum is fine.   To connect the 100 amp sub, I'd go with a short length of conduit and individual wires. Depending upon your current configuration (in wall or surface mounted), you may need to "assemble as you go" because it would be difficult or impossible to install the conduit later.
You don't need to "buy 4 wires", buy 1 length of 1 ga copper, 3 times the length you need and cut it as you install it.  Code tape (wrap) the neutral with white tape. A 6 ga green neutral is fine for ground. Alternatively, I THINK if you ran metal (EMT or rigid) between the main and sub, that would serve as the ground connection. (not sure!)
Also, others may chime in here, but panels are pretty inexpensive compared to the work involved in have to swap them out later if too small, so go big!
Lastly, and please don't take offense to this, but you are asking some pretty basic questions and initially made a pretty bad and dangerous proposal. Electricity is pretty dangerous if not handled properly.  If you still want to DIY, it would be a good idea to find a buddy that knows electrical well or even hire an electrician to check your work or get his advice before work is started.
I'm not a licensed electrican, but know quite a bit about it and the code and have done a lot of wiring.   Even so, when I wired my son's new house, I paid a licensed electrician to do a "pre-inspection" in case I missed something.  And he did find a few things that would have been called out in an inspection.
Hope this helps.  There is no honor lost in getting help / advice from pros.  In your case, you might need to do that locally.


How can I repair a torn out cabinet hinge mount?

I have had success with 5 minute epoxy. The epoxy bonded well with the particle board and allowed for re-drilling of torn out screw holes.  If the hole is really big then you are looking at a "dutchman" patch.


Add new outlet in pantry to one of the two existing 20 amp small appliance branch circuits

National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 2 Wiring and Protection
Article 210 Branch Circuits
III. Required Outlets
210.52 Dwelling Unit Receptacle Outlets.
(B) Small Appliances.
(1) Receptacle Outlets Served. In the kitchen, pantry, breakfast room, dining room, or similar area of a dwelling unit, the two or more 20-ampere small-appliance branch circuits required by 210.11(C)(1) shall serve all wall and floor receptacle outlets covered by 210.52(A), all countertop outlets covered by 210.52(C), and receptacle outlets for refrigeration equipment.
(2) No Other Outlets. The two or more small-appliance branch circuits specified in 210.52(B)(1) shall have no other outlets.
(3) Kitchen Receptacle Requirements. Receptacles installed in a kitchen to serve countertop surfaces shall be supplied by not fewer than two small-appliance branch circuits, either or both of which shall also be permitted to supply receptacle outlets in the same kitchen and in other rooms specified in 210.52(B)(1). Additional small-appliance branch circuits shall be permitted to supply receptacle outlets in the kitchen and other rooms specified in 210.52(B)(1). No small-appliance branch circuit shall serve more than one kitchen.

So if this is really a "pantry", and is considered a pantry by the AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction). Then yes, you can supply the receptacles in the pantry with the one or more small appliance circuits.
NOTE: There is no official definition for "pantry" in the NEC.


Are pocket screws strong enough for a bed frame?

Pocket screws are NEVER adequate for structural support. Something like this bed should be assembled with lags and carriage bolts, or better yet, Simpson brackets. Having said that, the most important joint in this piece is the connection between the bed rails and the posts so you could just use a combination of ship laps and bed bolts at those intersections. Glue and screw the ship lap together but don't glue the long rails. This will be strong but allow you to disassemble the frame into manageable pieces. I also think you should consider adding cleats to your ladder rungs to keep them sturdy. Cheers!


Looking at the installation and service manual, it appears to run to a feed and expansion tank to allow the water in your system to expand and contract safely as it heats and cools.


Add-on electronic ignition for gas stove?

We looked at this for a commercial unit in our church, and the consensus was to just buy two residential-class stoves with electronic ignition rather than pay for the retrofit. It was that costly. I would imagine that residential stoves, which aren't designed to be messed around with much, would have a similar problem; you're basically replacing everything from the burners back to the pilot lights. I imagine replacing your pilot-light stove with an electronic-start model would be less expensive, especially if you were able to get some sort of trade-in.


How do I avoid stripping paint off of my walls with painters tape?

Remove the masking tape immediately after painting so that there's no time for the skin to form over the join between the tape and the painted surface.

If the paint has already dried, use a craft knife and a straight edge or ruler to cut it along the edge of the tape.


When did it become illegal to use lead solder in residential plumbing?

The main site before your link shows that is was in Jan 2009 (par 3)
, with the regulations before 2010 being 0.2% for lead solder.


I've never noticed that before, but Home Depot sources their lumber from different mills, so they may vary slightly from batch to batch.  It may also even out a bit as the wood dries.

One thing I did find, at least in my area, is that the 5/4 deck boards from Home Depot are significantly different than the ones at Lowes.  The Lowes ones are slightly narrower but a bit thicker and the depot ones are thinner but slightly wider.  Was very annoying when I got some boards from one place and more later from another only to find that they weren't really the same dimensions.


Why did the water pressure in my bathtub change but shower is fine?

Your water temperature went down.   As a result, you are using much less cold water when you mix it to preferred temp.  With less cold, total flow is reduced.   The shower doesn't care because it was already restricted below that flow level, so nothing changes for it.


Do newer GFCI receptacles still trip due to inductive load from motors?

Quick answer:
Unless your disposal leaks current via ground or via the water/sewer line, you won't have any problems.

More details:
GFCI is really great for appliances that interface with water during the cource of their normal duties. Sumps, washers, disposals, sprinkler systems.  As they degrade, they are especially able to cause dangerous leakage current that can hurt people nearby.

I hate answers that make decisions for the asker.  But this is one of the cases where its really pretty clear.  Even if it was a nuisance, it would be worth it.

If you want an EASY way to gain confidence that it won't be a nuisance, wire the outlet to an old computer power cord for a few days and run the disposal a few times to see if it ever trips.  If it does you should check resistance between hot and ground, neutral and ground, hot and your sink, and neutral and your sink.  They ought to all be infinite resistance.  If not, then you have a significant safety problem with your disposal.


Sussed It

From trial and error located live switch. It was one of the 3 all red cables.

This wire went into live wire junction from fitting

Next was 3 earths into earth for light fitting

Next was the 2 black neutrals into neutral from fitting.

Finally left with 2 red cables and they went into the 4th hole on the junction box on there own.

Power on... Light fitting working with correct brightness and upstairs and downstairs switch both working to turn light on and off.

Only took me 3 days on and off.


Roof eave missing knee brace - how to mitigate problems as snow season approaches?

If the knee brace has simply fallen from its original position then it was clearly never meant to support anything.  These things are often uses as appearance items much the same way window shutters are used.  It is understood that the shutters will never protect the windows, but still they go up for appearance. If you have a problem with the roof heaving and sagging, I suspect that the cause is something else. P.


What kind of lightbulb is this and how do I change it?

I had very similar lights.
It looks a bit like this once unmounted:

So basicly you just have to pull the outer circle down. It's held by two springs, so it should resist a little, but not too much.
Once you've taken it out, you will see what kind of light bulb it is.


Hooking aftermarket drain hose to Frigidaire dishwasher

You should be able to fit the hose over the fitting to the washer. Then get a hose clamp and install it over the hose and tighten it.


GFCI equipped machines into GFCI receptacle

There is no reason one GFCI should cancel out another GFCI. Don't trust that the device is GFCI-protected unless it specifically states so. As Ed Beal mentioned in his comment, it seems likely that the device is actually leaking current, and thus causing a (not unreasonable) trip in your GFCI-breaker.

My advice would be to call the maker of the device to ask specifically why it states not to plug into a GFCI outlet. They should also be able to tell you what they recommend you use, since you don't have a non-GFCI outlet.

If, as you mention, the GFCI protection is in your breaker, you are correct that there aren't any outlet tricks you could perform to create a non-GFCI outlet, and in most cases you should avoid removing this protection anyways.

UPDATE: I'm updating my answer in response to more information from the OP in comments.

Since you have confirmed the device has it's own GFCI, I would recommend calling your local planning/permitting authority, or a licensed electrician, and asking them what your options are. It may be possible to install a dedicated outlet, or perhaps hard-wire this device, within code. Without knowing exactly what your local code is, I can't recommend any other action.


I don't think the size of the pieces matter as much as the uniformity in size between pieces. Granted, the smaller the space, the smaller the size I would use, but the uniformity is your current problem. I'd also recommend putting a weed barrier down under the flagstones unless you're planning on having moss or grass grow between the cracks.


A quick google search turns up several common issues with that model refrigerator.
The top three most common causes, according to the website are:

Frozen water line.
Insufficient water pressure.
Clogged water filter.

Frozen water line
Sometimes, the water line in your refrigerator can freeze inside the freezer door. This is caused by a combination of poor design (It's frigidaire, what do you want?) and having the freezer temperature set too low.
You can check for this by doing the following.

Remove the bottom skirting from the refrigerator.
Disconnect the coupling on the water line near the floor.
With both ends of the water line pointed into a pan/towel/something to catch the water, push the lever for the water dispenser.
One of two things should happen. Either you get water pouring into the pan/towel/whatever, or you don't.
If you get water pouring out of one end of the tube while you have the water dispenser engaged, then you likely have a frozen water line in the freezer door. Proceed to step 6. If you do not, skip to the next section.
Reconnect the coupling and reattach the skirting.
Using a hair dryer or heat gun, heat the outside of the freezer door, focusing below the water dispenser for 10 to 15 minutes. Check if water has been restored. Repeat as necessary.

Insufficient pressure
The inlet valves, according to Frigidaire spec sheet, have a minimum operating pressure of 20 PSI. If your house's water pressure is set, or dropped, below that threshold, then the inlet valve will not be able to operate properly.
Check the water pressure at your holding tank to make sure it's above 20 PSI. If it isn't, raise the pressure of your system.

Clogged water filter
As you use it, your water filter will become clogged with sediment and other nasties. As a result, it should be replaced approximately every six months. Generally, the procedure is as follows.

Locate the filter housing (usually near the top of the refrigerator compartment.
Push the filter body about 1" deeper into the housing, then remove.
Push the replacement filter into the housing until unable to go further.

The procedure for your refrigerator may be different. Check your owners manual.


Of course, the ground wire or 3rd wire is desirable & preferred. If you can't ground the circuit or can't afford an Electrician to do so or to re-wire the circuit, then it's fine to use. A GFCI will work anywhere & still provides protection without the ground wire. They're specifically approved for ungrounded old homes, but it won't pass a plug-in tester's scrutiny.

Here's a good article on the subject for your understanding.


Pressure Reducing Valve at water meter--need some assistance--how install, what parts, tools. Newbie

The picture of your neighbors is a PEX pipe. The first PRV is national pipe thread. The Second one is  PEX and it's very easy to do this work. If you're using PEX then the second one is the obvious choice. You need a crimper and a pipe slicer. That's it. That being said, by the time you buy those tools and the PRV you could be pretty close to 600 bucks anyway.


So the main issue is that the area isn't flat and to make it flat you do not want to chisel out the thinset over the board because the bottom row could loosen.
I would add some primer to the wood, thinset it to as flat as I can then install some metal flashing over that.   If the area is deeper than the picture you could just install some tiles that would go with your setup but I would want them generally out of view.
Also there is building code on combustables near fireplace.   You have to be further than 2" - which this isn't.   I don't think any inspector near me would OK this so you might as well fix it, as you would probably have to when selling house.   Did your home inspector not catch this?


Where are the flies in my Toronto condo coming from?

Try fitting insect mesh to the air vents...

If, well when, you notice one that starts to collect dead flies then you have an indicator for the source.


Why do several of my outlets not have power after replacing a GFCI?

How can you tell it's low voltage? What are your points of reference for measuring voltage:  hot to ground or hot to neutral? If hot to neutral, then the low voltage difference could indicate that the hot and neutral both have high voltage on them (e.g. 119.8V between hot and ground and 119.2V between neutral and ground which would show a low voltage difference between hot and neutral of only 0.6V). If the neutral has high voltage, this would most likely indicate an open neutral (i.e. a disconnect somewhere on the neutral leg of the circuit).

If all the other outlets on the circuit are working normally, I would check the ones closest by for a loose white (neutral) wire as they most likely daisy chained to feed the outlet you are currently having issues with. If so, I would guess the issue was probably due to plugging/unplugging something on these outlets that jostled an old "stab-in-back" receptacle connection loose. That said, without seeing your homes wiring diagram, it could potentially be anywhere on the circuit so my suggestion may just be a starting point toward finding the open neutral.


Can I drill holes into the front of my fridge to attach a new handle?

It depends on the refrigerator, of course, but a typical sheet steel unit can take short sheet metal screws without issue. You'll want to be sure you don't penetrate any wiring, tubing, or the inner panel or seals.
I'd consider backing up the screws with the strength of permanent double-sided foam tape. Screws under regular strain tend to work loose over time, and the added stability this would provide would help prevent failure.


What is this nut clamp called and how do you remove it?

The hex is irrelevant, don't turn it.   The black part is the heart of the matter.  This is an E-clip.

Pop it off with a small screwdriver but control it with your finger - it WILL go flying!


Cabinet hinge broke, what are my options?

Remove one and see if you can get a part number and manufacturer name.  That will narrow your search.  Usually companies like Rockler (who sells hardware for cabinets) have a wider choice available than a big box store.


Is operating a 66' boom lift something that a non-construction type homeowner could likely manage?

A snork lift is something that you could rent, and it is not that hard to use, as long as you are comfortable.  With large equipment, it is always better to hire someone.  If something goes wrong they will have insurance to cover it :).  I am sure you are capable of doing it yourself, but sometimes the feeling of hiring a professional is better then the feeling of screwing up.  I have operated this type of equipment, and I have to say, for jobs that require heavy machinery, hire a professional.  It will be better in the long run.


What is this extra wire in my light fixture box?

I wanted to follow up with the correct answer for anyone who might find this thread in the future. We're in the middle of a kitchen/dining remodel, so I waited until the electricians were here for their rough-in and asked them about this hall fixture. One little detail I forgot to mention regarding the two wires from the pipe: The pipe is "filled" with some kind of black solid or foam. Turns out the two wires from the pipe should have been twisted together, but there was no wire nut for them, and they were not making a good connection. This made our DOORBELL not work. It has not worked for the 7 years we've lived at this house. Directly above the ceiling box (in the attic) was the transformer for the doorbell. I've looked for it a bit in the past so I could repair/replace it, but was never able to find it. Also, the electrician noted that the hall light circuit was sharing a neutral with a kitchen circuit. They said that was not ideal, and fixed it.
So in summary, in addition to its normal ceiling box duties, this box was doubling as a junction box for the doorbell transformer AND doubling as a junction box for a kitchen circuit. Mystery solved. Thank you everyone that contributed!


Power bar with manual reset to protect from "flash on" during power outage

You might consider a GFCI cord with a manual reset.  Run a google search for "gfci cord manual reset".  For example, see https://towermfg.com/gfci-in-line/ (not a recommendation).  Per the description "Tower offers models in both Automatic and Manual Reset. An automatic reset turns on upon being plugged in or after a power interruption. A manual reset requires the user to press the reset button after initial plug-in or after a power failure. Both automatic and manual reset GFCI types must be manually reset after a ground fault occurrence."


When to use different fire suppression systems?

I would say that your best bet is to go to a fire protection contractor and get their expertise, but I can give you a quick overview.
Your system is comprised of a sensor, your pipes, and the type of sprinkler head you choose.

Sensor: at what stage of the fire do you want to douse it? In order from early to later detection: Incipient phase uses an ionizing detector. The smoldering phase, where smoke particles are visible, uses a photoelectric detector. The flame phase uses a UV or IR radiation detector. The heat phase uses a fusible sprinkler head that is set to activate the heads at a certain temperature above the ambient room temp. My house has a sprinkler system that uses fusible heads.

The pipes can either be a wet or a dry system. Basically, wet means you have water in the pipes, ready to go on signal. Good: quick when you need it. Bad, need a propylene glycol mix if you are in a zone that freezes (my garage, for instance). A dry system has empty pipes, which can either get filed by the fire department running water into the system or by a preaction system, where the water is stored in a tank, the detector sends a signal that the pipes should fill, then the individual sprinkler heads open up when needed in that section.

The sprinkler heads can be crafted to your situation. Like I mentioned before, you could have the fusible head run the show. You can also have a mist head, which will leave less water damage. A deluge system has open heads on dry pipes, which can flood the area if needed.

Now this all presupposes that water is what you want. I don't know what you are burning, but there are four classes of fires to fight: A is ordinary combustibles, B is flammable liquids and gasses, C is electrical and D is metals. For a burning liquid fire, for example, you certainly don't want water, you want those heads to release a foam to effectively smother the fire. CO2 would cool the flame, but that would cause problems if you were stuck in there, too.

Whatever has the potential to burn requires the triangle of oxygen, heat, and fuel. Remove one of those, and you have no more fire.

For your problem of the kiln, I guess I am having trouble picturing it. It seems like a lot of money and trouble to install a fire suppression system if it is a small pottery kiln. For a more industrial kiln, I don't know...Perhaps talk to the kiln's manufacturer and ask what their clients typically do for fire protection. I don't want to lead you on the path of something expensive and unnecessary. Good luck!


Changing loft bed's beam to diagonal braces?

I'm really concerned about the stability/safety of what you're proposing. The diagonals seem under-sized to me but even with heavier diagonals I don't think the bed verticals would hold up. A 12 year old clambering up and down that ladder is going to put a lot of lateral stress on those vertical supports without the horizontal strut..
Have you considered moving the horizontal strut on the left of the picture all the way to the floor? That would give the stability you will need.
Also if there is a way to attach the verticals to the back wall - better yet.
Edit
Your idea of moving it up instead of removing it is much better. I would keep it as close to the center of the verticals as you can. Again - if you can attach it at the top to the back wall would be best. If you did that I think the diagonals properly attached would work well.
Second edit
If you want to do diagonal struts I would through bolt them with no more than 1/4 inch diameter bolt and washers. With only 6 cm width to work with you don't want anything larger than that.
However, I strongly urge you to attach the posts and/or preferably the bed frame to the wall and not rely on diagonal struts. That's the solution you need. Put wood spacers between the frame and wall and attach it into the studs with  Timberlok screws. All you need is two attach points through the frame. They are easy to install and remove and when you get rid of the bed at some point you only have two 3/16" holes to patch in the drywall.


Horizontal Fence on a slope; what's the best design?

I have only done this once, in my own backyard, but I am also in the business of aesthetics, so I thought I would chime in. In my situation we went with option #2.

I would not recommend option #3, due to purely aesthetic reasons, unless you would like to keep the fence low all the way down for some reason (light, neighbors wishes, view). Having the gate suddenly jump up by 4' at the end would be quite strange looking, in my opinion.

If you go with option #2 the fence will be high in the back corner, which will allow for taller plants and more landscaping options, and will just look better in general. You get the same effect with option #1, however, it is more of a pain to do all the cuts necessary to slope the bottom, which after a little bit of growth from the landscaping you will never see. It would really be a pointless detail. In my experience, once we got building we were very happy that we had decided against doing that very thing- it's enough work already! And after just a couple months of growth the bottom of the fence was totally obscured anyway.

I wonder if your house is a mid century style? Horizontal fences always look great with this style of house- I also prefer them over vertical for almost everything. I wish I could send you a pic, but I don't live in the house anymore and am renting it out. Anyway, I hope my two cents helps you decide!


Doorbell became very soft, battery replacement only necessary?

Seeing screws with wires attached to them is a good sign the doorbell is hardwired (not battery operated), in a battery operated fixture the wires would be soldered to a circuit board.

If you live in the U.S. you are probably dealing with 12 to 24v at the chime, though the power should still be shut off at the main panel before you start working.

Here is a good guide to troubleshooting a doorbell.

  Troubleshoot a doorbell switch

  Unscrew the switch from the house and pull it away to tighten any loose
  wires.
  If that fails, bypass the switch by shorting across the terminals with
  a screwdriver blade or by removing the
  two wires and touching them together.
  If the bell rings, replace the switch.
  If not, twist the two wires together
  and move on to the next step.
  Connect the two wires to the two terminals; push the wires back into
  the wall and screw on the switch. If
  new mounting holes are required, start
  the holes with an awl and drive in the
  screws.

  Troubleshoot a transformer

  Locate the transformer, and inspect and tighten low-voltage wire
  connections to it.
  If neither doorbell works, use a multitester set to the 50-volt AC
  range to test the transformer. Touch
  the probes to the two terminals. If
  the reading is within 2 volts of the
  transformer's rating, troubleshoot the
  chime. If not, go on to the next step.
  Shut off the power to the transformer's circuit at the service
  panel, and remove the outlet-box
  cover. To test for power, pull out the
  black circuit wire and remove the wire
  nut. Probe the black and grounding
  wires with a neon tester. Repeat the
  test for white and grounding wires.
  Tighten any loose connections.
  To replace a faulty transformer, remove the low-voltage wires. When
  there is more than one wire at a
  terminal, tape them together for
  easier rewiring.
  Shut off the power to the doorbell circuit at the main service panel.
  Remove the outlet-box cover and
  disconnect the wires from the old
  transformer, then disconnect it from
  the box or the box's cover.
  Attach and wire the replacement. Connect the transformer's green wire
  to the bare grounded wire and its
  other two wires to the black and white
  circuit wires. Attach the outlet-box
  cover and secure each low-voltage wire
  or set of wires under a terminal.

  Troubleshoot a chime

  Remove the chime cover, which may snap or screw onto the base, and
  inspect all wiring connections.
  If the connections look good, set a multitester to the 50-volt AC range,
  then touch one probe to the
  transformer terminal and the other to
  the nonworking front or rear terminal.
  If it fails the test, replace the
  faulty wiring (see "Replace doorbell
  wiring," below). If the chime has
  power but neither doorbell works,
  replace the chime (go on to steps 3
  and 4).
  To replace a chime, remove its cover. Disconnect and label the wires
  for easier rewiring. Remove the
  mounting screws and the old chime.
  Thread the wires into the back of the new chime and mount it to the wall
  with the provided screws and anchors.
  Attach low-voltage wires to their
  respective terminals and replace the
  cover.

  Replace doorbell wiring

  Disconnect the faulty wire at both ends and loosen or remove all
  accessible wire staples.
  Twist together one end of the existing wire to an end of the new
  wiring and tape the splice, using very
  little tape. Pull the existing wire to
  draw the new wire through holes,
  staples and wall or ceiling cavities.
  Pull it through one section at a time
  rather than all at once. Staple as
  needed.


Dryer vent pipes touching copper hot water pipe

This is not likely to be a major problem, but I can think of two ways it might cause trouble. One is noise, which can occur when the pipe moves due to thermal expansion or rapid water shutoff. Another is galvanic corrosion, which can occur when non-copper metals contact copper water pipes.

Either of these issues can be easily addressed by placing a section of foam pipe insulation around the copper pipe in a way that prevents contact with the duct.


How can I determine what type of washer/gasket to use for an antique shower?

I would just take one of the old ones with you to a home improvement or plumbing store and find a close match.

If you are trying to order them, you need to measure the outside and inside diameter along with the thickness.

Sometimes it is necessary to stack two of them if one set of threads is not that deep and doesn't make contact with the washer even when it is fully screwed in. In this case, adding a second washer ensures that the shower head makes contact with the washer and creates a proper seal.


Is it possible to replace just the inside handle of a screen door?

You can go to places like Home Depot , Lowes, Ace hardware, or any large hardware type store, show them the part a they should have what you need.


Two black wires into same terminal on light switch

A and B are already connected.  The switch in the photo provides both backstab and screw connections which are internally connected within the switch. The builder prefers backstab connections (because they're faster; their poor reliability isn't his problem), and when he needed a second connection he used the screw also.

It looks like A is a pigtail from the wirenut to the switch.  I imagine that before, it was a jumper to the other switch, but then, you added that smart switch, which necessitated a pigtail.  Given the presence of the pigtail, sending B to the switch is stupid.  B should immediately be pried out of the switch and added to wirenut C.

From there, if you are replacing that switch with another smart switch, I imagine A will be replaced by the smart switch's pigtail.

To help you lose your mind less in that box, look at the wire that attaches to the left smart switch's red wire; I would tag that with red tape.  The right wire on the right switch, I would tag that with blue tape. They are both switched-hots going to a light or fan.

Remember you must never, ever put a dimmer on a fan or receptacle! Check all your receptacles and make sure they are not switched by any of these switches (this is a common "feature" in newer homes). If you really, really want to do that, there are a couple of technical solutions.


Can a ceiling light shade be replaced? Where can I find a replacement?

For the kind of light fixtures that you typically get in apartments (i.e. not terribly nice), you could look in the big-box stores.  If you're in the US, I know Lowe's has a selection of them (though admittedly not a huge one).

If you can't find one there, look for a specialty lighting store, where you should be able to find a much wider selection.


Are these dishwasher symptoms consistent with a blocked drainage hose?

Where does your dishwasher drain hose go? It should go to either an air gap or a high hose loop. An air gap is a metal/plastic gadget, normally on top of the sink, that has the dishwasher output come in one hose and another hose that goes down to sink drain/disposal. A high hose loop has one hose that goes from the dishwasher, loops up to just under the counter (and at a minimum, above the bottom of the sink) and then goes down to the sink drain/disposal.

If you have a high hose loop but it fell down then that would explain at least some of these symptoms. If you're not sure, post a picture of the hose/drain/etc.

The manual you linked is for use, not installation. I found a Bosch installation manual and while it does not include a diagram of a high hose loop connection, it does reference that in the text, so that is definitely a possibility - and therefore a "high hose loop that isn't high or a loop any more" is also a possibility.


What problems could occur if I plugged a 3-prong plug into a receptacle labeled "No Equipment Ground"?

Any equipment that uses a two prong plug will be as safe being plugged into this setup as they would be if they were plugged into a properly grounded three prong outlet. Two prong plugs (obviously) do not use the ground pin. As for three prong plugs, this depends on what is being plugged in. If the item is a laptop power supply that is sealed in a plastic shell, the ground pin is pretty much ISO-proforma [meaning, that is the standard cord- whether the equipment needs a ground or not.] I would be hesitant to plug in something with a metal shell, like a full size desk top tower, because the power supply is enclosed in a metal shell and attached directly to the frame of the case, this could present a shock hazard if the power supply were to malfunction.

A GFCI is a good start. If they are functioning properly, they will guard against lethal shocks, but you may still get a tingle if the electric is not quite right.

A possible suggestion: Use a 2->3 pin converter and attach a ground wire to the grounding tab. Attach the other end of the wire to a radiator if you have steam heat or possibly a metal water pipe. (no gas pipes.) This will get you a ground and you can use those items safely.


What to do about water under interlocking floor?

We had to remove the flooring as there was no easier way to prevent mold underthe flooring. Then run a dehumidifier until the floor no longer smells muggy and wet. then replace new flooring. That was our experience.


Proper way to ground a 240v metal outlet box?

Take the #10 AWG ground from your cable and loop it to your metal box with a 10/32 grounding screw. There should be a threaded hole for this in the box.  Extend the ground outward an attach it to your outlet.


How to wire 2 gang smart switch with two neutral wires and wire connecting both COMM

You have it.
But all 3 neutral wires go to the N terminal only if you're allowed to splice onward power like that. Otherwise you'll need to pigtail off the neutral splice and oh look, a spare pigtail just became available!
Also, sanity-check the quality of this switch.  Most multi-switches like this come straight from China and are cheap dangerous junk.  If you bought it mail order, if it came from China, or if it came from Amazon Marketplace... send it back. CE marks are certain to be faked, unless you bought it in a responsible bricks-and-mortar store inside the EU that has a well-managed supply chain.
It's probably OK if it has a UL or ETL (or other NRTL) stamp with a file number.  If it has that, that'll be the biggest mark, not CE.  Big CE = junk.


Ledger for Exterior Stairs - Attach to Existing Wood or Remove and Add Ledger

The board is a fascia board, which hides the rim joist.  It's only nailed or screwed in.  I need to remove it, so I can attach the ledger.


Can I reduce dryer vent through basement wall?

You can probably convert to a rectangular vent that equals the cross-sectional area of a 4" duct. You may have to get creative. The area of a 4" circle is about 12.5 inches square, so 3 by 5 would do, for example.

I would not reduce the area (as with a 3" round vent) as you'll increase backpressure and create a lint trap.


How should I put a gutter downspout on a corner of my house surrounded by pavement?

A rain barrel with weep holes drilled in the bottom could provide a buffer to catch sudden rain flows and let the water trickle out over time. It could be above or below ground, though if above ground you could have trouble with it freezing before the water all drains out. Above ground wouldn't be terribly attractive; below ground sounds like too much digging! Also, the barrel has to be sized with consideration for the number of square feet of roof that drains to this point and the depth of rainfall you want to handle. It doesn't take a large roof nor a heavy rain to overflow a 55 gallon drum, for example.

I suggest the DIY horizontal bore as well. (background: I've just completed a 25 foot bore under a driveway and a 3.5 foot bore under a footing in my own yard.) Sandy soil may make the job easier for you -- my soil is pretty heavy in clay and a simple garden hose doesn't dig through it. I'll describe some of the techniques I used in that long bore, but yours will be much easier because it's shorter and has more favorable soil.

Water tightness

Sometimes it's important that a drainage system move all the water away with zero leakage. That doesn't appear to be the case here. I focus on the "limited leaky" approach because it's simpler. Leaky by design allows one to forgo gluing pipe joints and gives more flexibility about the terminations of the pipe.

Consider the grade

In an open ditch water runs strictly down hill. In a pipe, however, water can be forced up hill -  we need only to ensure that the discharge is lower than the source; the discharge doesn't have to be the lowest point in the system. We take advantage of this to route water under a walkway and bring it back up to surface level on the other side.

The drawing illustrates one approach. The downspout pours water into the left standpipe, the connecting pipe across the bottom fills, and the water level rises equally both standpipes. Eventually water spills out of the right-hand standpipe. Water continues to flow from the downspout through the piping system and spills out onto the lawn/soil on the other side of the walkway. There's no need to seal the downspout to the piping. To avoid water spilling out at that joint, simply make the elevation of the left standpipe higher than the one on the right and choose a pipe that's large enough to handle the flow (ie, larger cross-section than the downspout). For small amounts of rainfall the piping may not fill enough to spill over at the outlet end; in this case the piping itself acts as a dry well.

To avoid the connecting pipe remaining always full of water drill drainage holes in the bottom of that pipe or the elbow at the outlet end. Over time after the storm ends the water will drain out through that hole, and if the joints aren't glued together, it'll seep out there too.

Prepare to bore

To prepare for a bore, dig a trench on the lawn side of the walkway to the depth, slope, and direction that you want. Make it at least 2 feet longer than the width of the walkway.

Choose a sturdy pipe for the section going under the walkway. It may be necessary to drive the pipe in with a hammer, so the light weight corrugated or thin wall stuff may not work well. ABS or SCH40 PVC in 3 or 4 inch are great choices. Cut a section of pipe about 1 foot longer than the width of the walkway. For the sections of pipe that aren't under the walkway you can use the rest of the solid pipe and/or lighter or even perforated pipe.

There are basically two approaches for low-buck boring: a cycle of using a hammer to drive the pipe in a few inches further than it was before and pulling it back out to clear the soil from the interior of the pipe, or flush soils out of the bore as you go. I often use a mix of these.

Drive and remove

If the soil will be sticky (ie clay) then lubricate the pipe exterior and several inches of interior. Cooking spray works well. Lay the pipe into the trench ensuring that its slope and direction are appropriate to emerge at the right place and avoid running into the bottom of the walkway. Hold a block of wood to protect the end of the pipe and drive the pipe into the soil with an 8 pound sledge hammer. Firm bumps are all that's needed; it doesn't need to be struck with the same force one would use for breaking concrete.

After the pipe has advanced several inches -- maybe two to six, depending on pipe size and soil type -- pull it all the way back out. A twisting motion can help. It may be necessary to use a pipe wrench or strap wrench to get enough leverage for twisting. Press the core of soils out of the pipe, re-lubricate as needed, and repeat the process.

Flush as you go

Soils can be flushed out in (at least) two ways: running water or vacuum. As the bore diameter becomes larger it becomes easier to use a wet/dry vac to pull soils out of the bore. It may even be possible to drive the pipe in as above, then vacuum the soils out of it rather than pulling the pipe out of the bore.

Usually soils are too heavy to be vacuumed dry. Pressurized water is a great way to erode these soils. In sandier soils it can work to use a garden hose directly, or to adapt the garden hose to a length of metal pipe and push the metal pipe through. If the soil is stable one can erode a tunnel with the water and insert the permanent pipe later. If not, it could be necessary to drive the pipe in to keep pace with the the water erosion.

Some soils (mine) don't respond to garden hose pressure. In these soils a turbo nozzle on a pressure washer does amazing things. The turbo nozzle sprays a 0 degree stream of water in an orbiting pattern making a cone of high pressure spray about 2-3 inches wide.

In a challenging bore like the 25' job I just did it may be advantageous to alternate between the turbo nozzle and the wet/dry vac. The nozzle cuts the soils and makes a slurry, but the water doesn't carry the spoils out of the long bore very well. One can cut a few inches up to a foot of new bore with the turbo nozzle, then pull that out and insert the wet/dry vac (using pipe as an extension) to extract the spoils.

Finishing up

If there's enough slope in the front lawn, it may be possible to cut the pipe on an angle and simply let it emerge from the lawn. Otherwise, put an elbow at the end and use a grate or a pop-up to allow water out but prevent people being injured by stepping into the hole.

On either side of the walkway use perforated pipe, or drill holes through the pipe, so that after the rain has ended the pipe can completely drain. Position the pipe so these holes are on the bottom: this allows water to drain out and prevents soils trickling in, which would soon block the pipe.

It might be necessary to install heat cable to avoid the pipe being filled with ice in winter. This depends on climate -- how cold it gets at the depth the pipe was installed, what kind of sun exposure there is, etc. It's a fairly simple thing to fish heat cable through the downspout and drainage pipe if that should be necessary.


what kind of transition strip do I need to use to transition from 1/8" vinyl tile in dining room to low pile carpet in adjoining living room?

You may not even need a transition if they are both laid down well. Otherwise, you could use whatever you want. I'm thinking a thin metal or wood one would look decent.


Shelf liner (contact paper). Cut it into an oversize mouse pad shape with rounded corners and stick it down. You want it large enough that you aren't snagging the edge with your arm, keyboard, etc. It'll feel like nothing but give your mouse a better view.

You could use black so it's not so conspicuous, but a bold color pattern might be spiffy. Change it out when it gets polished or worn.


Will a few weeks of exposure to the weather damage cementboard?

I would wrap it in plastic.  The rain won't intrinsically hurt it but mud and other particles could ruin some of the ability for the thinset to adhere.


A $3 can of wasp spray will do the trick. Hit them at dusk, soak down the nest. The nest will be empty come morning. Some sprays say on the label that they will repel wasps for a couple of months.  I always carry several cans of spray in my truck as I run into them constantly when working on houses. Go get um !!!!


How do I get these toilet shut off valve out?

Typically, the valve solders to the 1/2 inch water source pipe. the outlet is a pretty standard 3/8" compression fitting.  It is a little hard to tell from your pics, but it is rare that the valve would be a threaded fitting to the water source, but not unheard of. The differences between the valves pictured are that the top pic is a 90 degree 1/4 turn valve and the bottom pic is a straight multi-turn valve. If you are going to replace them, do yourself a favor and use nothing less than a  1/4 turn stainless steel ball valve. They are available in both straight and 90 degree styles.

Assuming they are solder on, you must heat them to melt the solder and remove them, or cut them free with a tubing cutter as close to the existing valve as possible.  If you unsolder them, take great care to remove all the old solder and clean/smooth the pipe end well before attempting to solder a new valve on. A basic knowledge of sweating pipes is needed for this project as well as basic plumbing tools like a tubing cutter, torch, abrasive cloth, flux and solder.


Can a occupancy sensor switch and a timer switch be installed in the same three way circuit?

Keep in mind, you're asking quite a lot  here.  You want a 3-way switch (why?), and a motion sensor, and also a time of day timer only because your sensor is not performing to your satisfaction.   Also you are driving 8 flood lights which I suspect exceeds this sensor's rating.  And you bought a "no neutral" switch which makes me think you don't have a neutral.

Let me be blunt: it isn't gonna happen like that.  It can't.

3-way switch

First, think through this "3-way" business. How is that supposed to work? If you throw that switch, will the light come on for 5 minutes? All night? Forever?   If it's already on, does it turn off and if so, when does it revert back to sensor control?  What if you throw the switch in the daylight?  You're pretty much at the mercy of the motion sensor to define what that does, and it may not be what you want.

If you need better motion sensor coverage, that can be had by configuring multiple motion sensors.  That, however, requires neutral to the sensors and 2 hot wires between them.

Daylight sensor.

Not turning on during daylight is one of the most basic functions of an exterior motion sensor. That feature is not as common with an interior sensor, but it should Just Work, you shouldn't have to tell it twice.

That said, the better daylight sensors have to "learn" what daylight is. Consider sensor A, directly under a streetlight illuminating white concrete, and sensor B which is deep in the back of a carport: Sensor A may see more light at night than sensor B sees by day.  As such, both sensors need to "learn" what a day-night cycle looks like, for them. They have internal clocks and memory, and record hour-by-hour luminance averages over several days, and figure out which hours are dimmest.  I bought a cheapie Christmas tree light controller and installed it on a dim porch, first day, it ran the lights all day.  By day 3 it had figured out what "night" was.

Trouble is, when you cut power to one, it loses its memory and starts over.  That can happen from experimenting, or a miswired 3-way switch, or an upstream timer shutting it off.

TLDR: give your motion sensor 3 days uninterrupted to get oriented to what "night" is.  If it still doesn't work, get a better one, perhaps one listed for exterior use, and perhaps one made to take neutral if you have that.

Neutral

If you have access to neutral, consider using sensors that use neutral.  These wire very simply: aside from ground and neutral, they take an "always hot" connection and a "switched hot" connection like a plain switch. They have a guaranteed always-on power supply (via always-hot and neutral) so they remember... And since they're not leaking power through the bulb, they work fine with any bulb type.  Simply put, neutral-using sensors are better in every respect.  You can parallel several sensors or switches; if any is on, the lights are on. Between power supply and your last sensor, you need 2 hots and a neutral (14/3 wire).

LED

With 8 lights, you are pushing the capacity limits of many sensor switches unless you use LED.  I recommend you do. Price and selection is quite good now.  However many non-neutral sensors don't play well with an all-LED circuit. The workaround is to leave one incandescent in the circuit... which works until it burns out, which they frequently do... So use two.


Adding that EPDM weather stripping will help if the leak is between the sash and the window sill.  I actually had a piece of that stuff in my car to stop a door frame air leak for many years.

I would also check to make sure the air isn't leaking between the sashes of the window as well.

Once you put the weather strip in place, I would go back and double check the perimeter of the window frame for leaks using the old candle test to check for any drafts.

Additionally - Aluminum windows are notorious heat transmitters (they let in lots of heat from outside in summer and cold in winter).  I've noticed on cold days aluminum window frames can be so cold relative to inside it almost feels like a slight draft due to convection or whatever effect is in place there.

One more overlooked spot you may want to look at to seal up is your electrical outlets - they are responsible for leaking a lot of air as well.  You can get gaskets which go on underneath the cover plates that will seal that leakage up.

Good luck!


Is there a way to make a thermostat based heating system more accurate through either adding probes or hacking?

The temperature probe is internal to the dial mechanism.

Due to longer lag times of steam systems vs forced air systems, many steam thermostats have an anticipator setting which compensates by shutting the system off "in anticipation" of its reaching the correct temperature soon.  Research your thermostat brand online for this possibility.

Your real problem is one thermostat is attempting to average the output of multiple radiators.    A better solution is individual thermostatic controls at each radiator, but this solution must be designed from the outset for the whole building.  You should research whether you have a one or 2 pipe steam system.

Steam thermostatic valves (google search)


Outlet box has voltage when a device is plugged in on another circuit

This very much sounds like a case of what is called Open Neutral.  This can be a very serious condition, depending on where it is.  Where you plug something in that results in a voltage somewhere else, do plugged in equipment or lights operate properly?

An Open Neutral is when the neutral wire of a circuit is disconnected or not making proper contact.  The result is the one or more receptacles are in series with a different group of on or more receptacles and 240 volts is being applied.  If the loads are unequal, one load will get a higher voltage (more than 120 volts) than the other.  Where more than one load is in a group, shutting of or unplugging one thing can raise the voltage on others in that same group.

This condition requires a licensed electrician to resolve.  The only action you should consider, in the mean time, is shutting off the main breaker or main disconnect or pulling the main fuse block.


Can I drywall directly over cinder block (ceiling) using 7/8" hat channel?

the hat channel should make a nice support for the sheetrock. dosent leave much room for electricial unless you have surface mount boxes (for lighting).


Can I use a portable air conditioner with a casement window?

The easy, but ugly solution is to cut a sheet of plywood that will fill the entire opening, and cut a hole in that to attach the AC exaust hose.  Or cut the plywood to fit in beside the exaust hose, whichever is easier.

Then insulate and seal the crap out of it with foam boards and metal tape.

I would recommend avoiding portable AC if you can get one that will fit the window though - I have 2 of them, and they do not work as well as one that sits in the window.  They take more power and take twice as long to cool the room.

Depending on the window, you might be able to easily pop the window out of the frame to fit a normal window AC, with plywood to fill the rest of the opening.


How do I level areas of a wall that had peeling paint removed?

A skim coat of drywall mud ("joint compound" when you are shopping - "mud" to anyone that uses it, normally.) Fill with a small (not wide) knife first, let it dry, scrape or sand any high spots (leveling), fill again with a wider knife, dry, scrape or sand any high spots, fill again with a yet wider knife (4, 8, 12" is my usual progression of knife sizes.)

Don't overwork trying to get it perfect when wet. If it's imperfect in the low direction when dry and leveled, do another coat (and let it dry, and level it) until it's as perfect as you need it to be. Strong, glaring light from the side will help to spot imperfections.


What adapter do I need to connect this shower hose to valve?

There are countless plumbing adapters made for the seemingly infinite number of combinations a person might want to connect. It's nice when we can find a single fitting that does exactly what was needed, but a home center like Home Depot carries a relatively small selection of adapters. A person can almost always make a given connection by using a combination of two or more in-stock parts. It is not viewed as wrong, improper, nor unprofessional to use a combination of whatever is available to get the job done.

It would be great if you could find a reducing coupling -- that's a part which is female threaded on both sides, but one side is threaded smaller than the other. Sometimes called a bell reducer.

If you can't find a reducer of the right size then try for a reducer where at least the large side fits (ie 1/2 IPS to fit your valve). Failing that, get an ordinary coupler. In both cases you can use a bushing to reduce the final size to match the thread of your hose.

I can't quite tell, but it looks as if the hose has a female connection. I have on occasion seen male-to-male adapters of different sizes. You might be able to find one of these that fits your hose and steps up to, or closer to, the 1/2 target size (and then finish the connection with a coupler). If not then just use a regular nipple if needed.


Re-anchoring in existing (failed) anchor holes in brick

Simpson Strong-Tie has an epoxy system for permanently setting structural anchoring systems in cement. It's probably the strongest you will come across. The bolts need to go as deeply into the wall as possible for maximum surface area. One of your problems with this mounting is that steel is quite strong in shear but leverage increases pretty swiftly when they pull out.


Why does my Whirlpool washing machine's lower agitator rotate, but the auger does not?

Turns out I needed an Agitator Cam Kit. I found one on Ebay for $3 and $5 s/h. A video I watched on Youtube shows that this is about a 10 minute repair.
Basically the Agitator Clutch Dogs were worn down and no longer catching. So the lower "agitator" worked just fine, but the upper "auger" didn't spin very well and could be stopped with one hand.
Follow-up
The repair was far from 10 minutes... more like 2 or 3. This was a super simple repair, and I didn't need to replace everything... just the clutch dogs.


Installing a repair kit on an old toilet

What you have may not work. The Douglas valve or flush valve (The brass looking piece in your toilet) extend through the toilet and the Ell goes into the valve and the whole thing setts with  a nut. If the repair kits flush valve does not have enough to set, go through the tank, allow the ell to set and screw down with a nut, it is not going work. You may need to go to a plumbing store and get the correct kit for your toilet.


FYI, a "cable" is a bundle of several wires.

Yes, that's a good move - run "four wire" cables (I assume you're talking about /3 wire i.e. 12/3 or 14/3, the fourth wire is the ground wire.  If you're talking /4 or /2/2 or 4 wires plus ground, same logic still applies.)

The real cost here is the labor to engineer the layout and drill the holes and fish the cable and do the ugly nasty pulls.  The extra cost of a cable with 1 more wire is pretty small compared to his labor.  It's a smart idea even if the extra wire is simply unused. It can be used later.

I don't know how your contractor is pricing things. I personally find GFCI breakers to be annoyingly more expensive than GFCI receptacles, though GFCI breakers are a tiny bit safer.  Your electrician should certainly know that you only need one GFCI receptacle per circuit.  If your kitchen has 12 double receptacles fed off 3 circuits, you only need 3 GFCI receptacles. They "feed" the other receptacles in the circuit.

In the /3 cable (4 wires with ground), that third wire (red) allows you to add an entire second circuit with just one more wire.  The trick is called a "multi-wire branch circuit" and is wired in a special way that allows the second circuit to "share" the neutral (white) and ground (bare) from the first circuit.

In the /4 or /2/2 wire (5 wires with ground), you can have 2 complete circuits in the same cable.  Two circuits can share a ground wire.


How fast does moisture seep out of the ground in a crawlspace?

Sealing up the crawlspace vents are the last thing you want to do (IMHO).
If anything you want to improve the "natural" ventilation to the crawl space, doing so will (greatly) aid the evaporation of moisture and prevent mold taking hold. A sealed (stagnant air), moist space, is a pretty good environment for mold to take hold and grow (spread) in.
If you really want to stop (or at least greatly reduce the) moisture entering the crawl space from the soil underneath, you need to put down some kind of physical barrier eg

Concrete slab poured on top of a DPM.

Having read up a little about "Conditioned Crawl Space", I see that it be should designed and constructed to be dry, almost like a "traditional" useable basement:

Crawl spaces must always have a drying mechanism. One of the most effective ways to provide a drying mechanism to a crawl space is to condition a crawl space by heating and cooling the crawl space as if the crawl space is included as part of the home. Air must be supplied to the crawl space from the home in order to provide this conditioning. This air can be returned back to the home or it can be exhausted.
Crawl spaces must always have a ground cover that prevents evaporation of ground moisture into the crawl space. There are many ways to provide a durable ground cover or liner. The option used depends on the resources available, the frequency of people entering the crawl space to either store possessions or to maintain equipment. One of the most effective is 6 mil sheet polyethylene that has taped/sealed joints and that is attached to the crawl space perimeter walls. This ground cover must be continuous through piers and supports.
Crawl space perimeter walls should also be insulated.

The above quotes come from, Conditioned Crawl Space Construction, Performance and Codes (direct link to PDF).

Comment by Matt Chambers: Obviously a sealed moist space is bad, but what's bad about a sealed dry space, kept dry by a dehumidifier which drains outside the crawlspace?

I think you will (or anyone else in a domestic situation would) find it nearly impossible to seal & keep dry enough a space so that problems don't develop, occur...
I stand corrected, if the crawl-space has been designed and built as a "Conditioned Crawl Space" in the first place, or has been retrofitted to act as one (though I would imagine the "retrofit" option comes in at a reasonable cost, therefore makes me wonder if it's a worthwhile project to undertake), then it would be dry enough and ventilated properly to prevent the space from developing problems...
Example related to above deleted text: In the UK during the 60's, 70's & early 80's "everyone" was sealing up their homes, covering over brick vents, blocking roof vents with insulation, etc
Then in the mid to later 80's they finally discovered, realised that such practices were bad for the building itself and its inhabitants.
Nowadays in the UK under Building Regulations any kind of building ventilation system shouldn't be blocked, covered over...
In fact, the Building Regulations have increased the amount of "natural" ventilation a building needs, along with greater thermal insulation requirements ie
It's all about striking a good balancing act between ventilation and insulation that is vital to a healthy building and providing a healthy environment for the inhabitants within...

Comment by Matt Chambers: But in that case I still want to know how fast moisture comes out of dry ground.

Sorry, I don't believe anyone can tell you that, without first conducting some tests on the soil under your crawl space or at least carrying out a thorough evaluation of that soil and the surrounding soil/environment eg

What type of soil do you have.

How high or low is the water table in your area.

How much annual rainfall do you get in an average year.

What are your average weather patterns in an average year.

Etc.

I honestly believe there are currently too many variables (unknowns) to give you a realistic answer to that particular question.


Laying your own telephone cable (from demarcation point)

Step 1: Bring your router to the demarc point and verify that it works there. You did not mention if you had done this, but if not, you should, as the whole point of a demarc is to say: "If it does not work here the provider needs to fix it. If it does work here the problem is in your wiring." So you need to test that.

THEN you can start to concern yourself with the wiring onward from that point. Which appears to bear no resemblance to the North American standards I'm familiar with...


What is cable reinforced rope used in playground nets called?

Wire core rope is the thing to search for. You probably want the polyester and maybe a bright and attractive color if you are doing something for kids. Good luck.


Do attic vents or rafter baffles need to be as wide as the rafter bay?

A vented soffit allows air to flow in.  The ridge vent allow the air to flow out.  The purpose of this attic venting system is to keep the roof deck at approximately the same temperature as the outside air across its surface so that melting snow won't form ice dams.  The venting system is not there to cool the attic volume itself.

If the baffles are not properly installed so that they guide the incoming air up to the underside of the roof deck, air may be blowing through the insulation, a process called "wind-washing".  This will displace loose fill insulation like cellulose and will reduce the R value of batt insulation which relies on still air for its effectiveness.


Metal door frame; the screwholes holding the strike plates are stripped out. What to do?

If you have sufficient space behind the material in which the hole has stripped, you may be able to make use of a rivnut. It's a threaded insert which matches the required threads (machine screw, not sheet metal or wood screw) and requires a larger hole to be drilled. Once inserted, the tool compresses the back side in the same manner as a pop-rivet or blind rivet and secures the threaded portion for return to normal use.

The image above shows a metric version available from Amazon.com, but SAE sizes are also common enough. Some tools for installation can be expensive, or as simple as a wedge with a bolt to apply the proper force.

The above, also from Amazon.com is obviously not a wedge type, but is not the hundred dollar version.


Where do I connect a C wire in an old Furnace?

So I am assuming the wire you want to use as a common is the blue wire. Of course you are going to connect the blue to the C terminal at the new t'stat. Now you have to ground your blue wire at the furnace, but in order for you to get it to work you will also have to make sure your one conductor of your 24V transformer is grounded also. The power (red) conductor is attached to the ungrounded side of the transformer and your blue is attached to the grounded side.

You need to verify that the transformer grounded. There is usually a schematic on the door of the furnace that will show you where it is done. If that is not there then you need to trace out the wiring to see if you can find it. If it is not grounded then you will have to ground it yourself. I really can't tell you how since I am not on site.

There is one other option. Most t'stats do not need a common if the stat has a battery back up. The stat will just run off of the batteries and you will need to change it out every six months to a year. You might want to check with the manufacturers help line to make sure it has that capability.

Hope this helps.


How to use an MR16 bulb in a 5"/6" can housing

These are pretty common for 6" lights. I don't think I've ever seen a 5" retro kit for art lighting.

They're called retro kits.

6" Retro Slotted Trim

Retro Transformer


Reliability of a compression barb fitting for a water hose

Answering own question: I disassembled the connection with the purpose of removing possible traces of leftover silicone oil from it. When I removed the compression nut and pulled the tube off the barb, I noticed that the end of the tube has become noticeably flared, because the compression nut, well, compressed it and pulled somewhat forward on the barb. Since the tubing is on the hard side, I am sure this natural flaring alone is more than adequate to prevent the tube from coming off the barb through the retaining nuts, despite some hydraulic hammering from faucet operation and jiggling of the tubing caused by it.

I wanted to post a picture, but the transparent tubing material did not allow for a good snapshot.


How do I remove this drain pipe from my garbage disposal?

That should be a slip fit and simply pull out.
It's possible that some prior worker glued the joint between 1&2 with 3 inserted, and it got stuck that way. It's also possible that it's merely stuck with years of crud. In either case, it should pull out, twisting it while pulling may help to break whatever is sticking it loose, and if it just won't go you need a whole new set of parts 1, 2, & 3


Those instructions aren't very clear!  I read step #7 this way:

7: Cut notches in the seat posts. Here's hints on how to do it:
   a) Don't assume both braces are the same size.
   b) Use the seat brace itself to mark the area to be cut out.
   c) After you've marked it, start the notch by making a cut with a circular saw.
   d) Now that you have a nice cut, use a router to hog away the rest.

This is the notch they are talking about:

Does this help?


Zoned Forced Air System Runs 2.5X Upstairs vs. Downstairs

What you are seeing is actually normal IMHO and as a result of the second law of thermodynamics.  Heat travels from hot things to cold things.
You are under the impression heat rises.  That is only true for AIR.  It is NOT true for solid objects.
I assume this is house-on-slab not house-on-crawlspace or house-on-basement.
Your downstairs is like a piece of melted cheese in a double-cheeseburger it is nice and toasty from the Earth and from the Sky.   On the bottom is concrete and soil and carpet which is really dense and makes a good insulator as heat does not travel quickly through it.  On the top is the ceiling and air space in between joists which is also a good insulator.  PLUS on top of that ceiling insulator you have the upstairs which you are heating to the same temp - so the heat from downstairs isn't going to travel through the downstairs ceiling to the upstairs because the upstairs is already at that same temp.  Then you have the walls which are insulated and they are close to the ground you likely have bushes and shrubbery and such that blocks some of the outside airflow around the structure, and you might have brick facing over part of it that insulates more, and you likely have less total window space.  And those windows might even be triple paned.
Now for your upstairs.  First I would bet you have more heat loss through the walls.  Second I would bet you have larger total window area and you might even have cheaper double paned windows.  And lastly your attic - even though you think it's insulated just how insulated are we talking?  If it is below freezing outside and you can go into your attic and the temp is above freezing then your attic insulation is allowing heat loss.
The last thing you should do for the upstairs is check the return air.  A big mistake people make with HVAC in residential settings is they pay a lot of attention to the hot air ducting FROM the furnace.  Well it does no good to blow hot air into a room if you don't have some way for the cold air in that room to exit, preferably straight into the return air duct of the furnace.  It's much better of course if you can suck that cold air out, which is done in commercial settings.


Sudden shots of cold water from shower and sink faucets

If it was just the shower, I would look at the shower balancing valve.
But you say this is happening almost identically in the kitchen?  It is possible that the valves for the kitchen are not both opening at the same time.
You could appraoch this as two separate problems, even though they seem related.  I suggest these steps:

contact the manufacturer for the kitchen no-touch, and describe the problem to them.  They will walk you through the diagnosis.
When that issue is resolved then go after the shower.  What happens when running a sink faucet and the toilet is flushed?

A likely area in general is restrictions in hot water heaters, but you get this with flushing the toilet.  What kitchen faucet model, and what kind of shower control do you have?  What kind and style water heater do you have? Tank, on-demand?  Meanwhile chase down the steps above.


Do I really need 140 lbs of cement for a 5", 5' high vinyl fence post (31" in the ground)?

A 12" hole seems overkill for a plastic fence post that can never really withstand a lot of force applied against it, at least not like a wood or steel post.
A well placed 9 or 10" hole will do very well in my opinion, and reduce the amount of concrete you need.
Keeping the concrete down a few inches will allow grass to grow around the post or you can set sod "plugs" aside for resetting after the concrete is finished. No need to wait for it to set up, for what it's worth, no need to add water to it until the dry mix is in the hole then water it.
I typically figure 2 bags per hole when I am doing posts. either 80 or 60 lb bags. Some take more, some take less.


When I turn the light on/off on one circuit, it makes the light "blink" off/on on another circuit

LED bulbs are extremely susceptible to voltage spikes. Mine flicker whenever I adjust incandescent dimmers on the same circuit. Welcome to the new world of energy efficiency.


Does the ground bar on a subpanel need to be bonded to the subpanel?

Yes the grounding side needs to be bonded to the metal case the neutral or grounded side is isolated from the case. The only place both the grounding and grounded conductors are connected together is in the main but both panels need the case bonded to the grounding buss.


How can I fill a void in a concrete seawall?

I believe there are cement products that will cure in water, however I would wait until the winter. Cold is not a problem here, except for your fingers. And you can always find a day in the middle of winter when the temperature is quite moderate.

Find a high strength patch filler. Make sure that it attaches solidly to the existing hole. If possible, I would drill some holes into the sides of this hole, then put some non-rusting (brass, aluminum, etc.) bar stock into the hole so that it sticks out into the void area. The idea is to put a set of fingers into the cement patch area to prevent this patch from popping out.


compressor running constantly but ice not dropping

Sometimes the ice gets stuck in the tray -- there's supposed to be a heater that melts the outside of the ice so it can be pushed out.

Check if there is ice in the icemaking tray.

When this happens, I use a hairdryer to loosen the individual crescents, and push them out with a wooden spoon handle. The cycle usually resets and starts producing ice normally afterwards.


What's the best approach to repair a wedge/corner crack in my foundation?

I worked concrete one summer while I was in high school, but I'm no expert and it was a long time ago. That being said, here's what I would try:

I'd give both of your solutions a shot first. However, if you end up completely destroying the two chips, I'd try to pour a new corner. Drill two holes into the corner of the foundation and dowel into it with a few inches of 3/8" re-bar. After you've hammered in the steel, form up the corner and pour the concrete.

Also, this forum includes discussion about how to repair similar cracks.

This website also explains a bit more about this type of foundation crack:

  Brick that is laid directly in contact with concrete foundations can cause angular cracks like this in the top 12 - 16 inches of a foundation. These cracks are caused by the brick expanding and pushing the outer corner of the foundation with it. The cracks are not major structural problems.

  It is often pointless to repair them as the next time it gets hot, a crack will likely appear in your repair material.


What is this sleeve in this toilet tank?

All the answers thus far are correct, in that it's an (early) attempt to save water on flushing.
The important part I don't see in any other answer is that it's an early attempt, and they did not work very well. It's like watersaving toilet version 1.0 or 1.1, and watersaving toilet version 12.3 is on the market now.
If you'd like to save water while actually flushing waste effectively, upgrade the toilet to a current version. They work very well. That's a slapdash retrofit to a toilet that's designed to use a lot of water to flush well. The current ones are designed from the ground up to flush on less than half the water that probably uses, which is probably half what it uses without the plastic tube.


Connecting detached shop to home network via fiber

Direct burial is a mistake, IMHO and IMProfessional, less H, O. Trenches are expensive, conduit is cheap, and things with teeth that burrow can and do find direct buried cables. Dig the trench once.
Fiber is far preferable to wire for electrical isolation alone, not to mention potential capacity, if ever needed.
In most cases (shopping is off-topic and I haven't shopped lately) a small switch (4-8 ports) with an SFP or SFP+ slot is less expensive than a "media converter" - unless you need a larger switch anyway, then get the size you need with SFP or SFP+ slot(s).
The usual constraint for home projects is termination - you either need conduit large enough to pass a pre-terminated cable, or you need to hire someone to come terminate the fiber, or you need to invest a good deal of money and time in becoming equipped to terminate the fiber yourself. I did the latter on a "non-home" project where it paid off to the tune of 10's of thousands of dollars, but that won't be the case for 2-4 terminations at your home.
My personal recommendation on fiber is to use single-mode (9um core) not multimode (50µm core, or severely outdated/slow 62.5µm core) - "used to be" the SFPs were far more expensive for single-mode. That price dropped a lot, and decent multi-mode cable costs MORE than single-mode cable. Singlemode has essentially no speed limit, while multimode has sharp speed limits.
Be sure to use cable rated for wet locations. An indoor-type patch cord may work for a while, but it will fail eventually in wet service. "Drop" cable may be particularly good for the purpose, as it's designed for "pole to house" service and somewhat more rugged than the average fiber cable to withstand handling. Be sure to get the fully non-conductive sort (no tracer wire, or removable tracer wire that you remove) if putting it in with the power wiring. "All Dielectric" is a term that means the same (Usually seen with ADSS - "All Dielectric Self-Supporting" which is commonly more expensive than drop cable, even though the drop cable is technically also self supporting and all dielectric...since you are putting it in conduit (or the ground) you don't need self-supporting at all.)
Get whatever works out best when you shop - you can do it on a single fiber with "bi-directional" SFPs that use different wavelengths, or the more normal 2-fiber method. But you may find 6 or 12 fibers costs no more, or even less.
RBR (reduced bend radius) fiber is typically available for almost no cost increase from a good cable supplier, and makes the fiber installation much less sensitive to how tightly it's bent (the sales-dudes like to wrap it around a pencil.) Don't be a sales dude on your install, but if you can get it without an absurd up-charge, it's better to have it than not.


How do I remove a brass pipe that has been jammed into a larger iron pipe?

I'd slip a cheater bar into the drain and see if you can pop it loose by turning it clockwise (so you don't unscrew the tail-piece).  If you can get it to turn without twisting it you should be able to get it to pull out. If you can't and it starts to twist the pipe without breaking it loose, cut it off with a hacksaw close to the tail-piece leaving enough of outside to grab with a pair of vise-grips.  Then take a hacksaw blade and carefully cut through the pipe from the inside.  You should then be able to use a vise-grip or pliers roll it in to a smaller diameter and pull out the last bit.


Did I break my Kwikset SmartKey lock by trying to rekey with a key that doesn't fit all the way?

take the lock to your local home store that carries this line of locks. they will remove the core and put it in a SmartKey Reset Cradle. this returns the lock to an unprogrammed state.

there is no way to do this yourself without disassembling the lock core, and there's about a bazillion point 2 pieces in there.


How can I prevent the hose in the toilet tank from popping out of the tubing?

That tube is supposed to be attached (often with a metal clip) to the overflow tube.

It shouldn't just be inserted down into that larger diameter plastic tube (overflow tube), since as you've found, it will pop out again.


Samsung model UN22F5000AF will not pik up any channels when I scan with antenna only... Do not have cable

Based on our discussion amplifying the original question, the cut to the chase answer is: You are not getting any channels on your TV because there are no channels to receive.

Unfortunately, the above answer is the precise reason you are frustrated. You noted you did not have this problem where you lived before, that is most certainly because you lived in a better area for TV signal reception.

Using this map you can get a pretty good idea of what types of signals the FCC expects one would receive at any geographical location:
https://www.fcc.gov/media/engineering/dtvmaps

using that, type in any major city, or where you lived previously, then type in where you live today. As you see the number of channels drop off to near none, it gives you a solid feel for what you could expect to receive.

If you see channels on the list that are within your reach & interest, you can install a TV antenna. But this TV antenna will not be rabbit ears. As you have already tried an internal antenna to no success, you have to try different antenna options. You can try an omni-directional antenna, mounted on a pole, or on the roof You can try one outside of your window, but basically, the bigger (and bigger does not mean size) the antenna you use (which will be directly proportionate to cost, and time to install it) - the better odds you will have of receiving more signals.

I realize you mentioned there is direct TV in the home. I suspect an installer will charge between $30-$100 to install a new outlet in your room. Since you would have to install an outdoor antenna in either case, your best chances are to add to this service and pay the additonal cost for an added tuner box from Direct TV. I suspect the cost will be less in the short term. In teh long run, the Direct TV route will be more expensive since you will pay service charges and taxes, until, termination.


No ground on any receptacles in my entire house?

From looking at your photo's, I see your main breaker (first pic) is connected up properly, and I am assuming the bare conductor is your system grounding conductor. What I don't see is a properly sized ground conductor coming from the main beaker to your subpanel. It should be attached to your ground bar in the subpanel. That would be the buss on the left and attached to the large lug on the bottom.

So when your subpanel was installed someone pulled two phase conductors and a neutral conductor but no ground conductor. That would mean your panel has no ground and neither do any circuits coming out of the subpanel.

Needless to say this is not a good situation. In fact potentially dangerous. Assuming this is a 100A service you need to pull a minimum #8 ground wire between the Main Disconnect and the Subpanel. If you want to be safe pull a #6 ground and that would cover everything up to a 200A service. Of course this should be corrected immediately.

Good Luck.


How can I extend an old ceiling box to fit a SmartHome relay?

Add hickeys until you can hang a box like this from it. Grind off the tabs if you don't like them, paint it to match the ceiling. You will probably need a bushing to make the connection from the last hickey to the new box.

Having pulled the wires through the hickeys, install the relay. Add a cross bar to hang more hickeys, from which you hang the light. Without a 'gap' in the hickeys, you've nowhere to put the relay.

Take the relay with you to the store, find a box and add a hickey; check if it will still fit a cross bar with another hickey sticking into it, with the relay inside, and still have room for wires coming from both hickeys.

I would endeavor to use that company's switches instead of the relay you can't fit, however I am not familiar with them or if they would fit your setup.

The relay doesn't need to be in that box; it just needs the wires... somehow.


Extending wood studs or adding wood to cover over the studs

That wall system is a “sound control” system. There are special metal framing members running perpendicular to the studs. They are secured to the studs that allows an air space between the wallboard and stud.
The metal stripping is called “RC-1 channel “. You can google it.


I've had two masonry contractors out.  They both agreed the flue  is unused, both stated  it is a dummy flue. I'm not convinced, but it doesn't matter.

Both noted the water getting inside.  Booth discussed the cream of the crop solution,  New crown.  Neither oversold it.

One liked the idea of metal cap,  one never heard of it,  lol.

Both suggested to cementing cap the dummy flue and sealing cracks. As I know I'll never use this flue,  it made enough sense, I went this approach.

Job done as it was the simplest most immediate solution.  I suspect in the near future,  maybe next season,  I will do a stainless,  or all out copper top,  with a drip edge,  as its astute top lady longer than concrete in wet snowy buffalo weather.


Using Water Supply Pipe to Connect the Earth Wire

Many homes do not have a waterpipe that would provide an adequate ground. The water supply line is now often plastic. Even if you have copper pipes inside your house they may not be grounded if they are attached to a plastic pipe that runs underground.


What happens to foam insulation board after you pour concrete slab?

By way of example, the pink Owens-Corning FOAMULAR 250 product and the blue DOW STYROFOAM Brand SM product rated for 25 and 30 psi compressive strength respectively. If weight is distributed and applied evenly a square foot of FOAMULAR 250 could support 25*12*12=3600 pounds at its limit while the STYROFOAM could support 4320 pounds. A footnote in the data sheet qualifies this as "at yield or 10% deflection, whichever occurs first."

The weight of concrete varies but 150 pounds per cubic foot is a common approximation. Then a square foot of concrete, half a foot thick, should weigh about 75 pounds. That leaves at least 3500 pounds of weight carrying capacity before the foam below the concrete would fail.

The weight of a vehicle sits on the contact patch of its tires. If we consider a hypothetical 8000 pound pickup truck with 70% of its weight on the front tires, that's 2800 pounds per tire. (Maybe a 70/30 distribution of weight is extreme; I don't know.)

The tire contact patch is much smaller than the square foot we've been thinking about, so it would seem that the load might be too concentrated and would crush the foam. Indeed if the tire rolled directly over the foam it likely would be crushed. Fortunately the reinforced concrete does a pretty good job of spreading the load. The weight on that tire contact patch is spread over a larger area of foam and it all works out.

On a related note, enormous foam blocks can be used instead of soil as fill in construction projects like bridge abutments, roadways, etc. See Geofoam.


Where can I find plumbing diagram for my home?

In a typical residential build, the plans are not that detailed.  You've probably seen movies and TV shows, where they lay out a blueprint of a building that contains all the plumbing and wiring in the building.  Unfortunately, detailed plans like that, almost certainly don't exist for your home.

The blueprint for the home will show where each plumbing fixture should go, but it's up to the plumber to connect the dots.  The chances of the plumber taking the time to map out where each pipe was installed, is slim to none.