Yes, you can do this. But there's no reason to cobble it together yourself; the Huber company (no affiliation) manufactures something called Zip-R that's an all-in-one version of what you're describing, plus a weather-resistant outer face that can be taped and doesn't need an additional water-resistive barrier (like Tyvek or tar paper) over it. Other companies make something called "nailbase" that's basically the same thing, but without the weather-resistant outer face. However, other aspects of your plan are more problematic:

Red flag #1: you talked about using spray foam between the studs up against foam board. That could be dangerous. Two-part spray foam heats up substantially as it cures, and polystyrene-based rigid foam boards (i.e. EPS and XPS) have a low melting temperature; about 170f, and they can liquify or ignite at higher temperatures. Don't spray foam against existing polystyrene foam board or you could start a fire. Additionally, depending on the blowing agent of the spray foam, you may destroy the foam boards; polystyrene is melted away by many common aerosols. Finally, it's a huge waste of expensive spray foam due to the thermal bridging of the studs. With the thermal break of foam board outside the studs, you're better off using cellulose, mineral wool, or high-density fiberglass between the studs and saving your money for something else.

Red flag #2: you mention a vapor barrier. Most walls south of Canada don't need or want vapor barriers. They can benefit from vapor retarders on the inside, and the paint on the drywall is generally sufficient. The water-restive barrier that goes outside the OSB or plywood sheathing (usually Tyvek or tar paper) is not a vapor barrier, it's a water barrier.

Red flag #3: you imply that you want to attach siding over the OSB surface because all the foam will constitute a vapor barrier. You are confusing vapor barriers with water-resistive barriers, which serve different purposes. All wooden exterior walls need a water-resistive barrier outside of any wooden surface and underneath the siding. Even if you followed your plan and spray-foamed between the studs against other foam board and didn't set the house on fire or destroy the foam board, you would still need a water-resistive barrier such as Tyvek or tar paper over the OSB to have a code-legal house that won't become a mold-and-rot machine. There's a reason they sometimes call OSB "vertical mulch!" Keep it completely dry all the time.


What is the difference between floor and subfloor? Is subfloor a part of floor?

Subfloor is a part of the floor but has a different purpose. Without a solid sheet that spans the joints and the ends are supported, how can you install tile or wood flooring? In the oldest residential constructions I’ve seen, they used either two layers of thick wood planks (bottom acting as a subfloor) or boards run diagonally as the subfloor. Today, we almost exclusively see OSB, but the purpose is the same. It provides even support for the floor.


If a lamppost circuit is installed at least 18" below grade then the lamppost and the circuit does not need to be GFCI protected. If you install a new receptacle to the existing lamppost the the receptacle must be GFCI protected. In fact reference NEC Table 300.5 column 4.


Can I wire a GFCI so that each receptacle is controlled by it's own switch?

If you mean a GFCI duplex receptacle, no.

The way to do this would be to use a GFCI (either duplex receptacle type or barefaced) for the GFCI function, and from its "LOAD" terminals provide power to two switches, which you would connect to the outlet you wanted to control - if part of a duplex outlet, you would break the tabs connecting the two sides of the outlet (at least on the hot side) to have independent switch function.


Cartridges (and most every other part...) for shower valves are specific to brand and model. You can't just go looking for a part the way you are thinking you can. It has to be designed to fit your valve exactly. You need to hunt by brand and model...


Will big box home supply stores cut Zinc-Plated Slotted Angle pieces to size for customers?

They may.

But if not, you can do it with a reciprocating saw using a metal blade (but watch out; some are only rated for copper or brass) or a manual hack saw. The steel in these angles is pretty mild (soft) and is cut with just a little effort.

The most important thing is to firmly brace the metal before trying to cut.  If you have a vise, that is ideal. If not, you can place the metal over a piece of 2x4 so that both legs are sitting against wood. Clamp the steel to the wood. Firmly attach the 2x4 to some rigid item, screwing or nailing it on temporarily if necessary.

Cut slowly. If the metal binds, you can use a little light oil to lubricate the cut. Each cut will only take a minute or two.


Can a water softener bypass value be used as a temporary shut off value?

Some valves can, some cannot. Yours, unfortunately, cannot act as a shut-off.

If  you're going to go through the trouble of modifying the plumbing, don't cap the line: add an inline valve on your softener line. It doesn't matter if it's before or after, as long as if you put it before, it's before the T that (you suspect) splits water to an outside tap.

There's some other ways to tell as well:

If you don't have a T that splits off between your supply line (pump/pressure tank, or municipal supply) and softener, then the outside taps must be softened.
Get some hardness test strips. These are good to have anyway, as they'll help you calibrate your softener. Check the hardness before your softener, after (eg: at a bathroom tap), and then compare to what you measure on your outside tap. It should be the same as before the softener.

Bypass valves

For the record, here's some different bypass valves:

Works as by-pass, in-service, or shut-off

Turn valves to opposite directions (one in bypass, one in service):

Move to "off" position:

Shut all three valves:

By-pass or In-service only


How do I repair a small rips in roofing felt from inside the loft

You can purchase self adhesive flashing which, in small pieces, should adhere well to the felt, and should be suitable for the heat and cold experienced as roofing underlayment.  The rips are small enough that this should be sufficient - if you run into a larger rip you may need to choose a different method, or support the flashing as it may fall off due to its weight if it's larger than a few square inches.

Alternately, get more roofing felt and a tube of roofing caulk, and glue felt patches over the rips with the caulk.  Make sure the caulk is rated for the temperatures, and apply it liberally so you don't create a water pocket.


I'm unsure of typical Russian construction techniques but this appears to be standard non-metallic house wiring cable. You need to determine if there is current available continuously or if it is switched somewhere. A non-contact circuit tester would help. You would not hang lights from this. My best guess is you somehow mount the fixture base over the spot and cut into the cable to connect the fixture in parallel. If the cable is unswitched, the fixture needs to have it's own switching provision.


Why does water appear just below my basement slab in one location and not another?

Yes, gravity exists under your house and I’m pretty sure Sir Isaac Newton would agree, but I don’t think he could explain this...

But here are some ideas: 1) a small underground spring, 2) a bearing wall between the two locations, 3) Major addition separates areas

1) Because there’s different soil conditions at the two locations, it makes me think the original builder knew of a small spring and installed some gravel and a discharge pipe. The pipe is located about 12” down so the water never gets too high.

I’d check around your house and see if a pipe extends to a ditch, street gutter, etc. (Follow the roof drains too.)

2) If your house has a major wall separating the two areas, it could be keeping moisture from infiltrating your new hole.

3) Likewise, a major addition could have added a new foundation area, which is separate from the wet area.

I’ll check with Newton and see if he has revised any of his theories regarding basements...and then get back to you.


How do I handle an unterminated wire behind my wall?

To answer your question about handling the wire, I'd suggest you turn off power to the whole house, pull the wire to where you can work with it, spread the black/white/ground wires so they aren't touching, and strip a tiny bit of sheath off the black and white wires. Secure the wire so it's not likely to move around and inadvertently short out. Now you can turn the power back on and poke at it with your multimeter.

As far as handling it in the longer term, the following is based on the assumption that the wire is live, or can be switched live, so should be dealt with properly. If you do a bunch of exploration and convince yourself that it's always going to be dead, then ignore the following.

The textbook thing to do is follow it back to the source and nip it there. However, that might result in a lot of drywall repair.

Failing that, the best code compliant approach I can think of is to put an old work box in the next stud bay and pull the wire back and into it. Strip a bit off the wires and nut them individually. Apply a blank cover plate and you're good. (Turn off the breaker while cutting nearby and working with the wire.)

It does look like you could probably pull the errant wire into the existing junction box, which would be good, but you'd probably not get enough wire in (6") to be code compliant.


What is this thin metal wire in wall of 50s home?

I believe it is as you surmised an  ground wire for the houses (old?) electrical system. My first thought was wire for the exterior wall stucco, but there would have been several levels of wire.   This type of ground wire would have been typical for a 1950's residence.


You hook the new lamp exactly the way you found the old lamp

All the white wires from the old lamp went to one place.  That place is where the white wire goes for the new lamp.

All the black, red and/or blue wires from the old lamp went to one place.  That is where the new lamp's black wire goes.

You don't mess with anything else.

Particularly, you do not group wires by color code if they weren't before.  Color codes do not have the purpose you wish they did, they don't tell which wires go together or what the wires do.  Cable colors are part of manufacturing the multi-wire cables, because making all the wires the same color wouldn't work.

When you see wires bundled together, those wires are not "spares".  They are already engaged in other tasks and need to stay the way you found them.

If both blue and red wires went only to different wires on the old lamp, then pick one and cap the other.
It's not unusual for there to be no grounding wire in old fixtures.  Don't "island" a ground by attaching it to something, what you did was fine.

Oh. You messed with anything else.

Well, the good news is, given the blue wire and combinations you stated in your comment, this work is plainly in conduit, so there's a fair chance the wire colors are in fact meaningful.  What a refreshing change,  Usually they don't mean much.

The ground will automatically get picked up via the mounting screws when you mount up the harp. (This "via the screw" method only works on lamps and switches, not receptacles).  So grounds are no worry, I love metal conduit.

The whites look OK, with one remotely possible, critical exception.

Based on what you say it's the blue wire.   They were kind enough to color code the wires and it looks like blue, being a solo, is for this light.

You could also try the red, but Ihave a feeling that's for the fan.

Beyond that you are going to need to bring in a pro. Do not just repeatedly experiment.  You are likely to discover combinations which do what you want, but that create a dangerous situation.


Sure, you can drill a large hole in a rim joist, provided there isn’t a large post directly above the hole.

Loads will be “transferred” around the opening, whether the rim joist is parallel or perpendicular to the joists.


Has anyone seen a plug like this before? It is supposed to be for a portable cooler. Wondering what it plugs into?

That would be a NEMA 6-15 appliance plug. It's different so you don't plug an appliance expecting 220v into an outlet delivering 120v, which would multiply the current to dangerous levels.

Apparently they're also used in 12v (RV) applications sometimes.

See https://diy.stackexchange.com/a/89242/35141.


First, let me say I'm mystified as to why your question has been migrated to Home Improvement - your question is about a Landscaping product, so posting it on SE Garden and Landscaping was exactly the right thing to do. Unfortunately, it had been moved by the time I logged back on late tonight, so too late for me to give a no vote.

ACO themselves do supply replacement grids, as they're called, rather than grates (well, in the UK) but they need to know the size and whether your grid was an ACO in the first place. If not, they may not be prepared to supply, or may not have a product of the right size and shape. It may be that the drain and grid itself are no longer of a size that is produced, regardless of who the original supplier was - if you can establish which company made your grids (isn't that a name I can see embossed on one side of the grid?), then that's who to contact to see if replacements are available.


Mixing North American Panels and Breakers

The magic snap is not magic. Contact blades are not flat.

One thing you will notice about US breakers in matching panels is that they "Snap" in with a definite resounding snap.  And when you try to remove them, the initial force needed to pull them out the first 0.1mm is considerably greater than the force needed to pull them the rest of the way.

That's because the bus bar in the service panel actually has a little "nub" shaped into it, of a specific shape.  That shape engages matching curves on the breaker's spring clip.  It works like a detent, creating the snap.  However the good contact also creates a lot of mating surface area.  As such, it runs at sane temperatures during high current flow, which is why UL approves it.

Every panel manufacturer uses a different shape of bus bar, requiring different shaping on the breaker's spring clip.  They are different because of patents.  Each manufacturer has patented their shape, because they think it outperforms their competitor's shape (and avoids violating their competitor's patents). Eventually patents expire, such as Square D's QO (queue oh) patent expired, permitting Murray/Siemens to manufacture its QD (queue dee) breakers for QO panels.  Still, Siemens is unable to make breakers that fit both Murray and QO panels, because they are still different.  They are locked into the old designs because new breakers need to fit old and new panels alike.

So when you use an alien breaker, the clips and nubs don't mate as intended by the two manufacturers, and this is not an accident, it's by design. They are not trying to keep you from using alien breakers, they are (were) trying to keep from being sued for patent infringement.  Anyway, you end up with the clips only mating at 2-4 points instead of flat surface contact, and point contact like that is only good for a couple of amps before it starts melting, opening, arcing and burning.


Can property changes be made to change flood zone determination?

The same thing happened to us.  We hired a surveyor who specializes in contesting FEMA flood zone determinations.  He handled all of the paperwork, filed it with FEMA, and got our flood zone designation removed.


How to bore a hole from inside the crawlspace?

An electric chipping hammer makes short work of difficult soil removal in tight spaces. It can also chip rough holes through masonry.


What is your best wire management solution for an entertainment system and a home office?

It's by no means an all-in-one solution but I've personally found Velcro Cable Ties to be INVALUABLE. You can reuse them over and over; great for those "oh darn!" moments when you need to remove or replace a cable.

-M


The mud ring sounds like it would work as long as the cu inch is listed, but now you're stuck using a plastic cover.  You could use a box extender with a regular 4x4 cover -

The one above is a Garvin BEX-450, a 1/2" extender for a 4" box, but there are many many variants available.


Upstairs shower running out of hot water almost immediately

You just replaced the tank so it shouldn't be a broken dip tube as I had first assumed. My next thought is there might be a blockage somewhere, but you should notice that as a loss of total pressure (compare the flow rates of your hot and cold coming out of a faucet somewhere).

You should probably remove your shower valve's cartridges and clean them while you're purging the entire system and flushing out debris.

I have a single handle shower valve that doesn't get as hot, or for as long as I'd wish, so I have cut back the cold water by closing its supply valve a little bit. This adjustment alone has increased my acceptable temperature dilation from ten minutes to upwards of half an hour.


How to remove the tap head from this kind of tap?

It looks like to me that you need to tap the inner ring indicated with screwdriver and hammer.


Which Neutral for a Single Pole Leviton Dimmer?

The neutral is the bundle of white wires.

The "3 hot 1 neutral" is not a neutral at all. It is a white wire which has been repurposed as a hot.   Think that through: a case where color does not depict function.

It's not the only one: the line north from the 3-way is a switched-hot that I prefer to mark red since it's switched-hot, and the red-black pair leaving the 3-way are messengers I prefer to mark yellow.

Code, however, does now require you mark your re-purposed neutrals.  Before it was allowed to not mark them if the usage was obvious.  Which was a pretty editorial threshold, as you see!


Thermostat turned off and furnace no longer works after doing some electrical work to a switch outlet

You need to figure out which cable is the feeder, the one from your service panel and the one going to the outlet. Connecting black to black , white to white and bare copper grounds will get that working in most cases.

The switch and lights may take a bit more information and photos to get correctly connected. Remember when switching sometimes the wire colors don't follow black is hot and white is neutral.


Joint compound will stick to paint with an eggshell sheen just fine.

I am guessing they didn't paint the fresh patch with a PVA primer so the mud on the wall hasn't even been sealed yet.  Unless they put a lot coats of topcoat pain over the patch in which case they could of sealed it up with the more expensive paint.  But, regardless you can move forward just fine.

To get the new patch though to blend in and not show up later, make sure you use a PVA or similar primer, they even sell some special paint for fresh drywall sealing (which is just a PVA primer anyway with a fancier name).  If you don't seal it with a primer, the patch and existing painted surfaces will each take the paint differently and still show.  PVA primer is sandable so you can take the primer out onto the wall a bit and sand your patch edges thinner without it peeling up.  The PVA will kind glue the thin compound together and bond it to the wall, especially so if you are using a "lite" topping compound.


Is it safe to use a 50 metre (164 foot) mains extension cable?

Hazards

I believe the main issue is that they can get warm if you don't fully extend them and then draw a high current through the coiled wire.

See Leads & Extension Lead Safety

RCD (Residual-current device) or GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter)

Most advice is to use an RCD with extension cables over 15m. I use a plug-in RCD. You can buy replacement outlets(wall-sockets) that incorporate an RCD.

I suspect this advice is simply because the length of cable increases the likelihood of accidental damage to the cable (spades, shut in doors, etc)

Voltage drop

The voltage in the UK is nominally 230 V with a tolerance of +10% to -6% (in much of the EU it is +/- 10%) - In practice most wall outlets are likely to be at 240V as this is the standard voltage prior to EU harmonisation and is within the tolerance.

This means that equipment must be able to work with voltage as low as 216.2 V.

If plugged into a 240 V wall outlet, your 50m cable would have to lose nearly 24 volts before it dropped to a level below the UK tolerance in supply.

That means, at 13A and 50m the voltage at the end of the cable would be OK so long as the cable had a resistance of less than 30 mV per amp per meter. This means you want a copper cross-sectional area of at least 1.5 mm². Ref, Table

The details for your specifc product don't mention the conductor size so you can't do the calculations for yourself.

You can check the voltage drop easily with a "kill-a-watt" type device or a suitable multimeter or voltage-tester rated at least Cat-II 600. If the drop is too high you have the statutory right (in the UK at least - SOGA 1979) to return the cable as unfit for purpose.

Generally, when voltage is low, appliances stop working or work poorly (dimly, slowly or intermittently) in most cases this wont cause a hazard.


How can I use toggle bolts for kitchen shelves on 30 mm plasterboard?

There is an anchor that has similar characteristics to a toggle bolt, known as a toggle anchor

These have a long straps holding the metal backing toggle. The straps are slid out of line to turn the toggle parrallel for insertion in the hole. Then the straps are aligned to turn the toggle perpendicular. The outer collar is slide along the tracks to the face of the wall and the excess straps are broken off.

This has a significant advantage over spring toggles because the bolt can be removed without losing the toggle.

If the shelf is heavy, be sure to use numerous anchors to distribute the load. Plasterboard is not a very strong support.  And see Tester101's comment above.

You can see a general discussion of different types of anchors here.


Yes, this allowed according to recent versions of the IRC building code. (If your state or region has a different building code you will need to look it up yourself or specify.)

To quote the code:

  R310.1 Emergency escape and rescue required. Basements and every sleeping room shall have at least one operable emergency and rescue opening. Such opening shall open directly into a public street, public alley, yard or court.

So in short it only counts as an emergency exit if it leads directly outside. It can't just be a route outside.

Since there are no bedrooms in this basement, a single exit from the basement is allowed. If you convert the "office" to a bedroom, that is also allowed, but you could not convert the "family area" into a basement without adding an additional exit. (You may wish to read the rest of that section since there are additional requirements and definitions, but that is the gist of it.)

However the short answer to any code question is always "whatever your local inspector says", since they are the ones that have the final say or not.


You could have it scraped with a small excavator and apply fresh, clean topsoil.  The best time to do this would be early-spring.  Then you can plant grass seed right away.  When I've done this in the past, it took a couple months to grow and look nice.  Doing that for a half-acre will be expensive but if you only need to do it in the immediate area of the old shed it shouldn't break the bank.
Sod is another option depending on your budget.
If you don't care about getting rid of all the glass, sure, raking or whatever isn't a bad idea.  I'd start by using Roundup or similar to kill most of the existing vegetation to make that easier.  Then use a line trimmer & lawn mower as low as you can.
After that, consider if the raking is doing as good a job as you want; if not, rent a tiller and turn the soil over then re-compact it with a lawn roller (also easy to rent.)


AFAIK, you don't even need the glue, though I'd probably use it myself.

8d might be a hair short. 10d driven at a slight angle (to avoid stickout with whatever size they shaved 2" lumber down to in the latest revision, 1-1/2" is so late 20th century...) might be better, especially if the old joists are from a thicker time in the history of 2" lumber.


So long as there's no corrosion, the metal screws that attach the light's mounting bracket to the metal box are what provides continuity from the grounding wire attached to the metal box through to the ground screw and wire attached to the light fixture itself.

If your new light has this same set up (which is very likely), then you can continue to use the same system for your grounding.


What kind of electrical fixture is this?

It's a transformer, most likely for your doorbell.

Some security systems use them too.


Ceiling light controlled by switch stays on permanently once something is plugged into an outlet

Sounds like poster is not coming back... Short answer is

Look in the receptacles

Usually, receptacles that control lamps are split.  This is done by breaking off a tab of metal that resides between the two brass screws on the hot side of the receptacle.

It happens all the time where a novice decides "I'm going to replace all my receptacles for some reason" (color change, weak old receptacles that don't hold, GFCI, you name it.)  Because they are a novice, they have no idea how the "tabs" work, and don't even realize "tabs" are a thing.  They end up defeating the switched light, have no idea why that happened, don't even know where to start, so they shrug, decide "fix it later" or  live with it, and switch the lamps on and off at the lamp.

Or, they do something weirder like break off the neutral tab by mistake.

Regardless, something like that has gone wrong.   Look for abnormal wiring in each of the receptacle boxes.  Shoot us a photo, and edit your question to add them.


Yes, you can wallpaper directly over the wall, but it is not recommended. Prepare for the future, you may want to change the wallpaper someday. If you don't use an appropriate primer you will never be able to remove the wallpaper without damaging the wall.


How can I fill the gap between layers of a stair tread?

Here's what I'd do to avoid hacky patch solutions that will probably fail:

Carefully remove the cove molding from under the original nosing.
Cut the original nosing and the overlay flush with the riser to create a flat vertical plane. Use a circular saw, jigsaw, and a belt sander, if available.
Screw and glue down the overlay if it isn't already, so it's solid.
Glue and screw a replacement nosing in place, matching the original size and profile, flush on top.
Reinstall the cove molding under the new nosing.
Fill fastener holes, sand, prime, paint.

This will leave you with a result indistinguishable from the original and just as solid.


How can I combine two wall switches into one?

Assuming that the black and red wires that are connected to the same side of the switch power either light fixtures or standard outlets...

Mark the wire that's on the side by itself with tape or something else.
Remove all wires from the switch.
Clip the loops off the two unmarked wires, then strip them 1/2" to expose fresh wire.
Use a suitably sized wire nut to combine those two wires, along with a 6" length of #14 or #12 solid copper building wire.
Bend a loop into the pigtail wire using a needle-nose plier or similar.
Install the two loops onto either screw of a standard two-way switch, wrapping the loop clockwise under the screw head. The loop should fit snugly against the screw shaft and wrap at least half way around.
Install the switch and a cover plate into the box, tucking the wires in carefully so as not to kink them.


Is there a way to remove condensation and clean inside a double pane window?

No. You're limited by what you can do from the outside, and obviously that's not much.

Energy efficiency is only slightly reduced in such cases, as airflow into and out of the compartment between panes is minimal, but the aesthetic problem will only get worse.

Chances are you can replace just the sash, which might cost about half of what a new window would and doesn't require carpentry work aside from a little hardware swap.


How can I direct heat from a fire pit table?

Reflection of radiant heat is what you would be after. If you could magically hang it, one of the best would be a metal surface above the fire reflecting heat back down to everyone. Using an upside down cone or pyramid shape, with the middle point centered over the burner and the angles set so that the surfaces would reflect the fire and heat (radiant heat and the light of the fire follow the same path) right at the seating area. A hanging flat surface would go a long way too, such as a hung metal plate or even a tarp (don't start a fire). I'm not sure that this is that feasible. I don't think much else would help since the heat is mostly radiant and any that is in the form of hot air will just rise away if not in some sort of enclosed structure


How do I change the bulb on my kichler ceiling fan?

http://pdf.lowes.com/installationguides/999903421_install.pdf
Page 9/10
Looks like it twists off. Like others said try a bit more force or slightly push up to get it started.


How to build a toilet under the sewer level?

This type of toilet pump combo allows you to lift all bathroom waste and water  up to appropriate level so it can be tied into your sewer system.

Here's a picture of how it sets up.

http://www.saniflo.com/products/index/show-product/lang/en/type/part/id/54

http://www.saniflo.com/?gclid=COLar4KYzckCFUcvgQod11kL4Q


Options for insulating a ceiling that is already finished (former 3 season room)

In most cases it's more effective (insulation-wise) and cost effective to either insulate on top (Add sheets of rigid foam, plywood over, new roof surface on top of that) or to tear out the interior ceiling, insulate, and put up a new ceiling.

Depending on the structure, some sort of blown-in (cellulose, or fibreglass if you like insulation that gets less effective in the cold) is the only reasonable option without opening the ceiling up - you still have a bunch of holes you'll need to patch. Foam is problematic in closed-off spaces due to over-expansion. That is probably best hired - it's easy to DIY in an attic where you can see what you are doing, while blind insulating is helped by experience.

Or (rather less expensively) face the fact that the "room" is still really a screened porch (now with windows) and don't try to heat it in the winter - use the gas heater to extend fall and spring use a little, but close the door and leave it be in winter...Even with perfect roof insulation, a room with walls that are mostly windows is going to cost a LOT to heat in Massachusetts in the winter. Floor insulation, if any, is probably not great either, based on the porch conversions I've seen...


Is it safe to leave light socket without a light bulb?

Depends on what you mean by "safe". I wouldn't entirely trust it with a kid in the house, but it's probably fine for adults.

On the other hand, you can make it a bit safer by screwing in a dead bulb (which, like everyone, you'll acquire over time), or one of the edison-base-to-outlet adapters available at hardware stores. I'd consider either of those approaches reasonably child-resistant, especially given that the fixture is presumably out of reach of kids anyway. Not worth the effort, I expect, but you did ask.


How to determine what type and gauge of wire should used for underground wiring to a detached subpanel?

You're in conduit, use individual wires - they are cheaper, they pull easier, and the conduit fill on cables is terrible.

Typically we shoot for less than 3% voltage drop at rated current. Less drop is OK.

I'm fairly sure you need 6Ga wire minimum for a 60 Amp feed - given a short 30 foot run, this is also probably perfectly adequate. I'm getting 1.8% drop for 60 amperes at 240V on 30 feet (one way) of 6 Ga. Edit - Copper!

The limiting temperature rating if using THW, THHN, etc wire is generally the temperature rating of the connectors on the service equipment (breaker or panel) which is usually 75 C - even if using 90C wire, you have to follow the 75C section of the table due to the connections.

Copper .vs. Aluminum.

Copper (Cu) costs more, Aluminum (Al) less.

Copper has better conductivity - effect being, smaller wire to carry the same current. In this case, 6 gauge copper .vs. 4 gauge aluminum.

Copper oxides are conductive. Aluminum oxide is an insulator, forms quickly, and sticks very tightly to the wire. Aluminum connections need special procedures and materials to make a solid connection that won't get loose over time and overheat. These include things like brushing the wires with a stainless steel brush and an aluminum wire connection compound that coats the wire to prevent contact with air. The connections themselves must be rated specifically for use with aluminum, but most large ones will be (generally marked Cu-Al meaning they work with both, where unmarked connectors are assumed to be copper wire only.)

Aluminum connections are further complicated by cold flow, but that gets long and complicated to get into, and is supposed to be addressed by using the proper connector types. Essentially the connection gets hot, the wire swells, the swollen wire deforms, the wire shrinks, the connection gets looser, so next time it gets hotter, repeat until fire.


Replacing chandelier, I have 5 different colours of wires coming out of the ceiling

I'm guessing you're in Australia (or NZ), and assuming the original installation was done correctly

the black is is the neutral, the blacks go together and connect to the chandelier Neutral terminal. the red is active, all the reds go together and connect to nothing else, all the green and green-yellow are ground and go together and connect to the body of the chandelier (if it's metal, else nothing)
the white is the power feed, from the switch and connects to the other chandelier terminal power terminal.

If the chandelier has a "loop" terminal you can use that for the reds, if not get the modern version of the screw connector like the one on the green earth wires.
https://www.mitre10.com.au/hpm-connector


Should I install an indoor or outdoor sump pump, or both?

I wouldn't even consider one or the other... both.

An outdoor sump pump in our could climate (I'm in Minnesota) is a real pain in the neck. A good friend of mine has one in his old house and he has to bring it in every winter and put it back out when the snow starts melting, which often means a few hours digging to find the top of the sump pit, then every couple days checking and adjusting the position of the pump as the solid ice on the bottom of the pit melts. Worse was the year it melted, then re-froze with the pump in it... I recall he had a number of very unpleasant things to say about it the next day at work. ;)

Depending on your levels of radon, the mitigation could be pretty simple. Several of my co-workers have a small bathroom exhaust fan in the utility room where there sump is located that ducts out of the house. It's on a timer that runs it for X minutes every Y hours, depending on what the levels were in their house. Most of us agreed that that was better than having to deal with flooded basements every few years.


Why are lights flickering, but only in one room?

It's possible there's a bad connection between the fixture and the supply wiring, I've had situations where I screwed down a chocolate block (nickname for a screw-down terminal block in the UK) as much as I could but there was still a bad connection in it. I've since started using Wago splice connectors as they are much more reliable, and very quick to use.
However, this sounds like bad wiring to me, either the wiring supplying the switch or from the switch to the fixture has issues. This could be the wires themselves being faulty, perhaps the insulation is breaking down, or the gauge of the wire can't deliver the power needed for the fixture. This is potentially dangerous as it could cause a fire, so I would not mess around. Try replacing choc-blocks with better splice connectors, if that doesn't work it's probably best to get a pro in to track down the source of the issue and replace bad wiring.


Broken Nest

Either the output driver for the W output on your Nest is toast, or the Nest's solid-state output drivers can't put out enough current to drive the load of your system.  Try switching the wire connecting the Nest's W output to the Nest's G output and seeing if turning the fan on causes the boiler to fire up.  If it doesn't, then you can't use the Nest with your setup, sorry!


How to level sloped concrete ceiling, and is it worth it?

If you want it level, cut furring strips and put up drywall.

If the precise shape of the ceiling is going to bother you, that might be worth the agony and is a heck of a lot easier than trying to get that much mud onto the ceiling, much less on the ceiling and actually level. I wouldn't bother with it, personally. The slight angle would not offend my sensibilities, and is also better acoustically than a dead-flat ceiling.

For smooth, drywall compound or actual plaster will do. I'd lean towards plaster for concrete, but I'm not sure there's anything to my bias, there, other than my bias. Grab a big ol' knife (or trowel) and go. If using mud, probably the 90-minute setting (aka "hot mix") compound, unless someone else has a better reason than my bias in support of my bias.

Then again, USG (and probably others) has a compound specifically for concrete.

  COVER COAT® Compound is a premium mixture ideally used for filling and
  smoothing above-grade, monolithic interior concrete ceilings and
  columns, embedding paper drywall tape or acting as the first fill coat
  on bead, trim and fasteners. The compound dries white for a quick,
  easy finish.

Further reading:

Gypsum Plaster over concrete  and Portland cement "plaster" (stucco) over concrete


AC won't turn on after replacing thermostat batteries

If your thermostat requires you to remove it from the wall to replace the batteries, with a wall plate left affixed to the wall, then it sounds like you didn't properly reattach it to the wall plate. There will be electrical contacts between the two halves, often long pins, that need to properly align. A bent pin, incomplete attachment, dirt on the contacts, etc, can all result in the symptoms you describe.


I can see the concrete blocks inside the house through the paintwork

There's nothing wrong with simply leaving the cinder block surface and painting it.   It will look like painted cinder blocks.

It has a few advantages, it's tough, easier to clean, and much, much, much, much easier to clean up after a flood.

Covering that up with plaster or drywall is just a matter of aesthetics.  It's not like it's bad architecture, it's just a different design choice (of course the hooty-tooty crowd consider it more lowbrow, but whatever.)

If someone aimed to do that, and missed, then yeah, that's bad work.


What's the widest two-by size for a door frame I can use without warping becoming an issue?

You are correct for the most part if buying what is in stock at big box.   However if you have a local lumberyard that can get you something comparable to kiln dried SPF, I have never had an issue - or maybe 1 issue in 20 years.

I do recognize your statement though because if I do buy 2x10/12s from big box half of them will go back with a few days - I way over buy because of this.   If you are worried about them warping after install then you should cross block the gap every foot or so and brace it in.

I have had to do many many doors with 10by lumber.   I just make sure I buy good wood from lumberyard and get it installed within a day or two of buying.   I am not sure really what alternatives you have because I am assuming the door is load bearing.  I mean you could go with an LVL that is rated for vertical install and have them rip it to 10" - this seems to be way way overdoing it but just giving you a "perfect" option.


First the heater needs air flow prior to turning on the heat. If the blower is working then the contactor pulls in and energizes the heating coils. Since it is tripping the breaker at this point I would be looking for a broken nichrome wire in the heating element that is touching some metal or shorting to ground. Many times a visual inspection can find the problem a broken coil of wire or a hole in the metal where you can’t see the actual wire.


redirecting some air from outdoor A/C compressor into the attic to cool it down

Directing air from outside compressor into your attic would reduce the air flow from your compressor and probably decrease the cooling ability of it. A better solution would be to install an attic fan that vented to the outside. The problem with that is that you suck in humid air from the outside.  If you've got good insulation on the attic floor why is the attic temp a problem?  I live in S. Florida and my attic temp is really hot but with great insulation it doesn't affect the living space below.


Need help removing KitchenAid range's control panel

I finally figured this out.  The rear is kind of held on with a loose "clip".  First, clean out all the gunk that accumulates in the crack between the display/touch panel and the glass top (I used a thin putty knife).  I think that "glues the back on" which was part of my problem.  Then, (after you remove the three screws), just lift the front display up like the back is hinged.  You may need to pull forward just a bit after you pull it up an inch or so.  As the front lifts up, the back eventually pulls away.  (There's very little force holding the back).


How can I construct a lightweight privacy panel 3-4ft high by 8ft long or thereabout?

How about using the systems that are used to hide A/C units? they are 3-4 feet high, attractive in appearance and you can link together as many as you wish. And when you want to take them down they are light and can be easily broken down and stored. They come in white, but with a little PVC paint they can become any color you desire.

Another option would be creating a frame with boards and attaching trellis boards.  With this option you can use hinges and make it fold for easy removal and storage.  You could also add some pretty artificial foliage for extra privacy.


The boiler should not significantly affect your water pressure. Tankless boilers do put water through a somewhat more twisty path than a traditional water heater, but if the unit is properly sized for your installation and properly piped, the impact of this on water pressure should not be noticeable. If your hot water pressure, ideally tested from multiple faucets within your home, really is lower than your cold water pressure, your system may be incorrectly installed or require maintenance.

If your boiler has a pressure reducing valve, it is most likely the valve that regulates the pressure of cold water supply into your hydronic heating system. A picture and/or model number would help confirm.

Though you haven't said it explicitly, I'm guessing you are getting less water pressure from your shower than you'd like. If you aren't seeing lower hot water pressure at other fixtures, then it's also possible you have an issue with the mixing valve in your shower faucet. These can clog due to mineral buildup or perform incorrectly due to wear. You may also have a shower head that doesn't let much water through.


all power to one room not working outlets read hot

This is almost certainly a neutral problem. The trouble will be in the last working device or the first dead one. If everything on the circuit is out it could be a bad termination in the panel.


What are the pros and cons of various styles of dormers?

There are a few considerations to cost, I don't consider reliability to be a major factor in either style of roof. Dormer and shed style roofs have been used for many hundreds of years successfully. The main choice for either of these is aesthetics, and simplicity of assembly.

First, if you have to deal with a large snow load it is cheaper and easier to go with a peaked roof. The size of members required in a shed roof of any size with a significant snow load is prohibitive.

I believe that it is slightly more cost effective to go with a shed style roof. You have less material required to finish the roof due to less surface area. If your span is not too large you can get away with laying boards across your walls and not having to build trusses. In the end this is possibly slightly more difficult to construct properly though, great care has to be taken to ensure the landing points of your load members meets the walls well and it can make for some interesting finish work.


To drain it, you need gravity working with you; you don't have water pressure because you've turned off the incoming cold water.

Your sink us attached to the top of the water heater, and in most cases is located even higher up. You can't drain that way unless you turn the house upside down.

So instead you open a hot water tap somewhere to let air into the system, then open the valve at the bottom of the tank to drain its contents. You'll presumably want a hose and/or buckets to move that drained water somewhere appropriate -- route it into a sump, perhaps.


Forgot to update. The water conditioning company said it's not because of the regeneration time.

They said that it's a fairly common issue where drain and/or control valves are dirty and either need to be cleaned or replaced. In my case they replaced both types of valves.

They also advised me to run cold water (not hot) until the saltiness passed. That way the salty water wouldn't get in the hot water tank.


Once you jam that closet full of heat, the head pressure will start to climb on the A/C unit. Then the unit will start to go out on high limit.  Then it will just die. The butt end of a wall air conditioner cannot be installed in an enclosed space.


Does Polyurethane foam also stabilize soil?

All buildings settle as they are constructed. What we attempt to do is minimize the settlement and have the building settle uniformly.

Unfortunately you live where the soil moves (expands) due to moisture. This movement is caused by the wetting AND drying of the soil. As the soil gets wet, it expands...and vice versa. Using a “filler” in the soil, will not solve this problem.

Polyurethane foam in soil works if you have “weak” soil conditions. It will not work in expansive soils. I live where the soil is “mush”.  When we want to stabilize the soil we’ll use something like poly foam. When we’re done the soil is stabilized (no movement).

You can inject poly foam into the soil, but the soil will still be expansive. As soon as it rains or the soil dries out, it will expand or contract and cause movement in your house.

You should use drill piers or drive piling through the expansive soil. Then, when the soil starts moving, it won’t matter.

For new construction, we’ll often over excavate the site and then install a gravel base 6-7’ deep and extending 4-5’ past all the footings. This is expensive, but gives a “uniform” base so the house settles uniformly and we can calculate the amount of settlement based on the size (height and loads) of the house. Obviously you don’t have this option and I don’t think it would work where you live anyway because the soil under the new base could expand and cause problems up through the new gravel fill.


Why is my A/C drain line not draining at all?

Take your shop vac outside and hook it up to the drain line to suck out whatever gunk is in the drain line. If that doesn't work, you can also use an air compressor at the air handler end of the drain line to push out the clog. Or get a helper and do both at the same time.

Once it's running clean, you'll want to flush out the drain line with some bleach. Mix a 1/4 cup of bleach in to 2 liters or a gallon of water, turn off the air handler, and pour the bleach water in to the drain. Let it sit for 15 minutes or so, and pour fresh water in to flush out the bleach.


Can drywall harden or become brittle over time? Or, am I dealing with plaster?

If you're hanging curtains I'm going to assume that you are drilling above the window. In that case you've probably hit the lintel.

This will be either a piece of concrete or wood (depending on the construction of the house) designed to spread the load of the wall above the window around the window.

If it's concrete you'll need to use regular rawlplugs in the holes.

If it's wood you can just drill a pilot hole and screw directly into that through the plasterboard.


How do I identify and replace unusual screws?

A well-equipped hardware store will have a drawer with many common fasteners used in this type of flatpack furniture.
I mean well-equipped.  Home Depot is not a hardware store.  ACE or better.  Preferably that family-owned hardware store that has been there for 80 years and has creaky floors and weird little mezzanines with things just crammed everywhere.
Anybody who's enough of a Maker to be 3-D printing things, honestly, ought to make themselves familiar with the 3 nearest such hardware stores, if they aren't already :)


How can I expand a fireplace box in a framed wall?

You would normally use a plane to remove the wood needed to get the fireplace in.  If it is just a little bit of wood needed removed you could try a belt sander.


First simple answer, you may want and or need to call an electrician since a short can lead to a fire.

Simple things you can do first:

Make a list of EVERYTHING that is on the breaker downstream
Add up all of the rated labels for every component
Make sure you truly have EVERYTHING listed. Keep in mind, chandelier lights, with 12 bulbs in them, and 40w each bulb is actually pulling 480W.

4.For anything that is a major appliance or heavy motor or heat load add 25% to its label for good measure

Total the items up, if you are over 75% of a 15AMP circuit for example, you should really re-balance your loads. This is really a safety concern and the fact that it worked for x amount of time and now is causing issues is a real concern.
Over time, drawing too much current from a circuit causes the wires to expand and contract, and can even break down the metal wire & contacts, from burning and oxidization. Also, plastic parts that hold those metal contacts can melt, warp, or become brittle and break. Thus, your short *(or high current) situation.
Are any of the items plugged in or connected via cords exposed to people or pets? Check the cords for frayed or broken conductors, feel exposed cords for any warmth - the should not be hot
Of the list of items you made, are any on a duty cycle? Like a sump pump, a fridge, an A/C, an outdoor flood lamp?
Has any part of the home been remodeled or have any switches been intermittent at all? if so, then they need to be inspected or replaced, or the workmanship checked.
Any of the items on the list themselves behaving erratically? Any unusual smells from a Fridge or an A/C etc can be signs of a fault in the appliance/component.

If these things all check out, and the load on the breaker is not at 75% or greater before any changes are made, then it is probably a bad breaker. They can go bad! What is the age of the home and the wiring?

A side note: if the house has aluminum wire or has been remodeled at all, have a professional check it. There are specific methods that can be employed to keep aluminum wiring safe but it has to be done correctly. Conversely, if something was remodeled, they should own/warranty any work they have done.


The rubber/neoprene washer on the end of the valve stem needs to be replaced, a very simple cheap fix. If you choose to go the route of a cap for the spout will work too. Search online for a brass 3/4" threaded hose cap


Feasibility of using corn seed as a sandbox

So you want to spread a viable, sprouting, organic product several inches deep in a container exposed to the environment?

Hope you like birds, 'cause every flying creature for kilometers will be coming by for lunch.

Also hope you like small rodents, at least the seed-eating types. The local squirrels will love your place.

Also hope you are in a rather arid area. Rain will soak everything and it will start to rot, high humidity will cause things to start growing.

This might be practical if it is indoors. As in climate controlled. An open (or fabric) sided gazebo in the back yard is not "indoors"


How do you keep from dropping grout all over when tiling?

Hold your hawk under the area you are applying the grout. It is normal to drop quite a bit, especially if it is something you don't do everyday, so let the hawk catch it before it hits the floor.


At the botton of the dishwasher, there's probably a basket-like cover over the drain.  You should be able to pop that off, and under there you'll find a nice collection of disgusting bits.

I used a turkey baster to blast a lot of it loose, then scooped the resulting soup into a bucket, but next time I'll just use a wet-dry shop vac.


Do I have to wrap electrical connections with electrical tape?

As long as the twist-on wire connectors (colloquially known as "wire nuts", though that's a trademark) were the right size, attached firmly, and left no un-insulated wire exposed, electrical tape over them is unnecessary (and I believe is not recommended).


Using just cement to plug a narrow channel/hole

Portland cement mixed alone (called "slurry") will result in a brittle and soft compound. It may fill the void you're seeking to eliminate, but not with ideal results. It may break up and wear away faster than actual concrete. A 6" channel is more than "just a gap". It's a substantial structure in the end. I wouldn't pour less than 3" thick for strength or you'll have a broken surface in no time.

A typical concrete mix contains 60 to 80 percent sand and gravel, also
known as an "aggregate." This aggregate compound is more than filler.
It plays an important part in the concrete's composition. The amount
of sand and gravel in a bag of concrete determines the mixture's
strength and texture. In fact, when you remove sand and gravel from
the concrete mixture, it becomes a completely different product.
Sand and gravel in concrete serve several purposes. Because they act
as a filler, they also add more volume to the concrete. More volume
means less air and a stronger product. The size of the gravel also
helps to determine the concrete's strength. Though larger pieces of
gravel produce more friction and make it harder to mix, they also make
a stronger concrete.
source

The bottom line: Find some sand or gravel.  It can't be that rare almost anywhere.


Propane and Natural Gas Are Supplied at Different Pressures
A propane stove orifice size is about 0.082 inches (drill size 45), but the valve on a similar stove that uses natural gas needs an orifice that is almost 0.125 inches (drill size 35).
If you are running your range from propane but using the orifice for natural gas, you will get this behaviour.  You may need to buy or install the correct orifice for propane.


Best solution to protect the floor while painting the walls

Drop Cloths
The most common solution, is to use canvas drop cloths. This has been the choice of the pros for many, many years.

Heavy Paper
36 mil paper is a common choice when working over hard flooring. It provides good spill protection, while also providing a bit of added drop protection.

Masonite Sheets
In higher end homes, where flooring can be quite expensive (and may be installed before construction is completed). 1/8" - 1/4" Masonite sheets can be laid over a medium weight or Rosin paper, to provide good spill and drop protection.


Should I use Gorilla Glue or Crazy Glue for broken off handle of a ceramic mug?

The one with the biggest advertising budget.

No seriously... 2-part epoxy.

Toxicity -- the inside of your food cans are lined with it,  this is why tomato paste doesn't rust the can.  It can add trace amounts of BPA but only if you botch the mixing heavily toward the B-part.

Dishwasher safety - make sure this epoxy is good up to 100C temperature.  It is impervious to water once cured.

Speed - epoxies come in every imaginable speed from 1 minute to 24 hour cure.

Durability - let's do the math,  epoxy + carbon fiber = Boeing Dreamliner.

Surface fit - not super picky, as it is fairly thick... for better results modify it with a powdered adhesive filler like West System 404, which can gap narrow imperfections giving full strength. You're supposed to use West System fillers with West system epoxy, but I won't tell.  If you know a boatmaker, ask him for a teaspoon of the stuff.  Mix in til it's like maple syrup, not too much.

I gather you would favor an epoxy on the fast side of the range.  Have a razor knife handy to scrape off any excess, during that sweetspot when it is solid but still rubbery.  It won't be like that for long.


Do not enter the pit.
Without proper ventilation, old septic tanks (and this sounds not enough different to matter) are prone to collect gasses that will kill you (without you noticing. And the people who go in to try and help you, until one is smart enough to use a self-contained breathing apparatus to recover the bodies that died before them.)
It should have been filled with gravel to prevent access (and deaths) when it was decommissioned.
Direct link to top result for septic pits with vegetation killing people.


Does a copper or brass 1/2 or 3/4 to GHT fitting exist?

I have never seen a GHT to copper sweat fitting, so your next best thing is sweat a copper X pipe adapter, similar to the picture, and then get a pipe X hose connection. The GHT hose connection can be bought in either 1/2 or 3/4 and in male or female threaded.


Is there any easy way to mount multiple single gang low voltage panels in a multi-gang box?

Standard approach is to use "Keystone jacks" (for whatever type of wire connection - there are all sorts.) and slot them into a plate that takes them (up to 6 will go in a single-gang box, with the right cover, double-width with 12 holes are common, 1, 2 or 4 for a single-gang is also common.)

A picture (or several) would help to inform further.

Presumably you have 2X Cat5e or Cat6 (house network), one coaxial cable connection (Comcast), and one phone line connection, given your described service providers and assuming that "AT&T's modem" is a DSL so that it would be connected to a phone line. If that's not the case, there are probably still keystone jacks for whatever you have - you may even have some keystone jacks in single-port plates that could just be moved to a multi-port plate.


Tile will hold up fine on the blue board / green board in areas that are not wet. in the 50's it was common to install tile on regular sheetrock in bath / shower areas. I saw many jobs that lasted 20-30 years before the sheetrock failed in wet areas but in dry areas it last longer (than wet areas)and is less expensive to install.


You should be able to find a suitable self stick hook of some sort that can hold up the clock. With proper pre-cleaning of the smooth tile surface I would expect a good brand of self stick to stay adhered for a long time.

Some folks have suggested energizing the self stick glue on this type of product by painting on a layer of clear nail polish varnish before before sticking it up to the wall. If you do this make sure to let it dry well before using the hook to hold up the clock.

Note that if the hook style is a bit to long to accomodate the mounting feature on the back of the clock it is easy to cut off part of the hook tip.


Dimensions available for a gang toggle light switch cover

From you measurements, what you have is a single gang box.  If you have a duplex switch (two switches stacked on top of each other), then those use the same box cover as a duplex outlet:

If for some reason, a duplex cover does not fit, you must have a very old duplex switch style that isn't made anymore.  In this case, the easiest thing to do is to replace the switch and get a standard cover for it.


I am in the appliance repair business. I have never seen a Whirlpool oven and microwave that are vented. The only brand of wall oven that I ever saw vented was an older Thermador.

If it is coming from your oven/microwave combo, it would be vented out the top and you should be able to see that in a false cabinet above the unit.

They used to vent the old Wedgewood stoves with a 4 inch vent. I'm wondering if it is an aol vent left over from the original kitchen.   These old vents were always run up through the studs, the vents from the wall ovens that I have experience with were not run up between the wall studs.

Crawl back up in the attic and take a look at where this vent is coming from. If it is coming from between the studs, it is most likely an abandoned vent.


Schlage passage lockset, unable to remove either handle

The round escutcheon should just be pressed on. There should be a very small slot that you can get a thin, small, flat blade screwdriver into and pry it off. (away from the door).
Once the escutcheon is off, the two screws that hold the mechanism together will be accessible and you can UN-install the doorknob.


How should clothes and books be stored in an unconditioned space?

I can offer my suggestion for storing clothes and fabrics, but not books.

When my wife and I had to store a TON of clothes, towels, sheets, jackets, sleeping bags, pillows...you get the idea....we used vacuum storage bags.
Everything sat in a storage facility for over 2 years, the facility was unheated in the winter and zero air con in the summer.
Being in the northeastern united states the temperature band is pretty broad.
The VSB's worked awesome, no bag failed, everything came out clean and did not have a musty odor.
The only issue was items were very wrinkled, but unless you plan of storing a wedding dress or items that you do not want smooshed, you should be fine.

Other factors that we liked, easy to find items since the bags were clear.  Easy to stack and carry. The bags were really cheap in comparison to other alternatives.
They also provided basic water proofing, as the day we put it all into the storage facility it rained.


How can I determine why my furnace is not blowing enough heat?

After posting this I noticed that the furnace control board has an LED that was flashing. Checked the manual and it was an error code saying the pressure switch contact did not close after the inducer was energized. This means nothing too me but before I was going to call a pro I wanted to take a look inside. Pulled out the blower motor and everything looked spotless. Heat exchanger pipes are very clean and there is plenty of room for air flow, no need to worry about internal blockages.

After putting it all back together the error code went away and the LED is green (everything working). Maybe cutting the power caused the electronics to reset and everything is fine now. Seems to be working but who knows. If the issue comes back I will be having a pro come take a look at it.


90 degree angle in air conditioning ducts, should I avoid them?

The reason that 90 degree turns (or any tight radius bends) in duct systems are discouraged are because they reduce air-flow. The friction that is encountered by the moving air as it hits the wall of the turn slows it down decreasing the distance it can travel.   There are equations that can be used to calculate the number of bends  before air performance is affected. Duct size and shape, motor wattage, register opening, etc. will need to be considered. If you can orient the duct system and configure the shape with "gentler" turns such as using (2) 45 degree bends in place of (1) 90 degree bend. This would restrict air-flow less. Installing a motorized fan duct in-line with the new duct branch would allow for longer runs if needed and account for sharp turns.    Is it feasible, when viewing the drawing you posted, to branch off the main duct sooner with a 45 degree duct and circumvent the restroom with 45's? Or consider using flexible insulated duct which is much more bendable than stamped sheet metal ducting. I'm not positive that code will accept this type of configuration ( rigid to flex back to rigid), but someone should comment about it either way).


Yes it can be sprayed, and says so on the bucket. The spray tip orifice needs to be large though, because drylock is more like pudding.  At least .025" which is bigger than the usual size used for latex paint.


You will need a phone switch to make this work. I think these phones use a Siemens HiPath switch. The phone line from the phone company connects to the switch, then the phones connect to the switch. The switch will require detailed programming. You can probably find one cheap on eBay. However, I don't recommend this path.

Instead, I recommend buying an "expandable business phone" from some place like Office Depot. I know RCA makes a decent line, and that AT&T has a competing product but I have no experience with those. Unlike the OptiPoint phones you have, no switch is required. The phones talk to each other over the wiring you get from the phone company, but in such a way that phone company doesn't think you're making a phone call through them.

To make this work, you just have to get the phone company (or a wiring contractor) wire all of your phone lines (or just your single phone line) to every desk. Then plug the phones in. Any phone can answer any line, you can make internal calls, you can make conference calls, and you can transfer calls, just like you would with your OptiPoints.


Type AC cable -- why is it still made/used?

People could use the older style cable for things like low voltage control lines to industrial machinery. Or in place where the metal is just used as protection for the wiring not as a conductor.  Or maybe in repairing old systems. I;m sure there are a lot more uses other than its original purpose.


How to tension toilet handle nut without handle sticking?

Buy the kind that look like this:

Notice the 'ears' that wont allow it to sink into the hole and the full length square body that would make it impossible to over tighten it (at least, not enough to inhibit functionality - you'll have broken it way before then).

If I had to guess, you're still using metal ones or you're dealing with offset (angled) toilets, the handles for which are also available in plastic.

There's lots of different kinds out there. I think you're getting the wrong replacement type for the kind of toilets you have.


Most likely your switch is going bad or it is at the switch, but I do agree with @Martin Bonner and think if it's not that it's a loose connection. These are not that hard to find. It's the loose connection.

Good luck.


Replacing oven broil element. Will this replacement work?

I would be looking for high temperature female spade fittings similar the one below that fits onto your heating element and crimp them on to your wires. My advice would be to take your element into an appliance repair store and get the fittings there so you get the right type and size. You will probably have to buy a crimping tool unless you can talk the guy into letting you borrow his.
You could also remove the wires from the back and have the appliance guy crimp the fitting on the wires and them reinstall them in your oven... just remember how to hook them back up.


What kind of timer can I use to maintain 7 day timing on an old setup?

I am familiar with those systems:  They don't actually use relays, but solenoids.  They were made by several manufacturers including GE, Remcon, Bryant, and Sierra.  One instantly knows these systems by pressing an on/off button and hearing a 120 Hz buzzing somewhere (usually in the attic).

Each controlling rocker switch has two momentary contacts, one "on" and one "off".  Those are wired to separate coils around opposite ends of a common solenoid to either drive it in one direction or the other.  The presence of the solenoid (which has no spring) either pushes against or pulls away from a 120 volt switch to turn the circuit on or off.

With the most minor of maintenance, these systems continue to work reliably 50+ years later!

Any controller which interfaces with the system must do no more than a momentary connection.  Applying power to the solenoid continuously is "bad".  The existing switches can be left intact.  One of the big advantages of that style of system is that any number of switches can control the same circuit.

I am not aware of any controllers from the era.  Current aftermarket dealers, such as this, provide replacement switches, faceplates, solenoid assemblies, and transformers.

There are home automation systems which integrate with these, but they all seem to be pricey—$1,500+.

If you just need some security lights, maybe just use lamp plugged into a timer which plugs into an outlet?  (It's okay to ignore the existing system.)


The image attached to this answer, shows what the flush valve is.

It typically includes the overflow tube, but more specifically it's the flapper (or a device that controls the flow of water into the bowl).

Measure the tank discharge (flush) tube (the hole the flush valve (flapper) covers), to determine the size flush valve you need. The hole might be slightly larger or smaller then 2", but close enough is close enough.


How to make the door shut on its own after opening?

You could use a hinge pin door closer:

or try replacing one hinge with a self-closing hinge:


Power requirements for hot tub (reading from label)

Looks to me like it needs both 120V and 240V.

The 120 is likely for the water pump and controls while the 240 is for the water heater.

Here is a typical wiring diagram for a SPA.

As for what the various current ratings are for on the 240 it is difficult to know without more information. Different heaters for different sized units perhaps, or different heat settings if there are any.


Somehow you have lost the neutral to the basement outlet.  One way I have found that will often fix this is not rely on the device (switches, receptacles) to carry the power on down the circuit.  Put them all under a wire nut with a short pig tail for the device at that location.  Good Luck, P.


Installing night-light switch on hot-neutral-ground circuit

That won't work.  The problem with this and any other powered switch, dimmer, motion sensor, etc. is that the switch itself is a load.

As such the powered switch needs always-hot and neutral all by itself, and of course it also needs a switched-hot wire so it can operate the light.  That is three wires, and the ground doesn't count.

I see where you have only one /2 Romex with two wires in it.  That means it is a "switch loop" (that's a google word) and will not have a neutral.  (Or perhaps it is wired backwards, and it has a neutral and no hot).

Since you have the wall off, consider replacing that /2 run with a /3. That will provide what you require.  Use the red for the switched-hot.

This is now required for new construction.

Another option is to use a "smart switch" to control the light, which talks wirelessly to a control module in the light fixture.  In this case the control is wireless and the switch loop wires are redesignated as always-hot and neutral.


Switching 15 amp breaker to 20 amp for AC unit

Yes you can swap breakers out, but take extreme care to match wire to breaker.  Don't use 14 gauge (generally white) wires for a 20 amp circuit.  Also note that most 220V circuits in the USA require a tandem breaker taking two slots.

Investing in an electrical permit is highly recommended, if your jurisdiction will inspect at the end of the job.


How to fix double-tapped 14-3 cable to boiler

If that is the red and black from the same 14/3 cable it is anyone's guess why they did this. In any case they are using the same circuit on both wires, obviously. If there is no problem at this time just splice the two wires to a tail of the same gauge and put that one tail on the breaker. Those GE breakers are NOT made to accept two conductors, but it's also not the end of the world either. Since you are working on it is worth fixing.

IF you do feel that stongly that you want them on separate breakers you MUST use a 2-pole breaker, and NOT a tandem, or twin, breaker.


Does a device with a two prong plug need surge protection?

Grounding the 2 prong adapters has nothing to do with it.  The point of a surge protector is

  to protect electrical devices from voltage spikes. A surge protector
  attempts to limit the voltage supplied to an electric device by either
  blocking or by shorting to ground any unwanted voltages above a safe
  threshold

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

In other words, the idea of the surge protector is to prevent surges of electricity from ever getting to your device.  As long as the surge protector ITSELF is grounded, your devices being ungrounded is irrelevant.

The chargers/adapters you're using are little transformers - they convert 120v AC power into a certain amount of DC power using magnetic conversion fields (wires wrapped a certain #'s of times around one side of the magnet for incoming power and a different number of times around the other side of the magnet for outgoing power).  An electrical surge (say 1000V instead of the usual 120) into this device will, in turn, cause the magnet to convert that much more power - so when the output should have been 9v it could be as much as 900v.

So yes - absolutely - use the surge protector, regardless of the number of prongs your device has.


Is using the second terminal hole on the back of a switch electrically the same as bundling it with other neutral wires?

The two push-in terminals in those holes are directly connected, electrically continuous, or equipotential for a really high priced term.  Connecting the two neutrals to them would work just like the pigtail connection illustrated would.
 There are a number of reasons NOT to use them though.

Number one, the push in connections on receptacles and switches generally don't make a good connection, even though they are approved, legal, etc., they often cause problems, some minor, some major.  I never use them.  Ever.  (Now the push in connectors are not to be confused with the backwired connections that operate with a screw clamp - those are fine.)

But you could use the screw terminals to achieve the same end;  the two neutral screw terminals and push in terminals are all connected.  This would again be legal and a good reliable connection.

If this circuit is a multi-wire branch circuit that shares the neutral with two 15A or 20A circuits, there is a code issue using the screw terminals:  there's a rule that devices on those circuits must be wired in a manner such that removing the device does not open the neutral.

This may be why the illustration is as it is:  pigtailing the neutral may not be required, but it never hurts.


Why do my pipes creak 10 minutes after using them?

I don't see why not.

The creaking is caused by the pipes rubbing on the joists as they expand and contract when first the pipe heats up as hot water runs through and then cools down as the water left in the pipe cools down.

If you wrap the pipes in insulation this will have the dual effect of stopping the creaking and keeping the hot water in the pipes warmer for longer.


Is there a good way to test water quality in your house?

There are MANY things that determine quality of water, common ones being:

"Nuisance" Bacteria

Not always harmful, but they do release iron and sulfur into the water during their life cycles, and form a biofilm on the well surfaces

Disease-causing bacteria

Most common are e. coli and coliform, but can also include fecal coliform and fecal streptococci among others
You don't want any of these in the water

Iron

Yellow or orange color, may cause stains on laundry and fixtures, and may have a bitter taste

Manganese

causes black or purple color in water and may stain fixtures, and cause a bitter taste

Hydrogen sulphide (sulfur)

Smells like rotten eggs
Can be naturally occurring, and sometimes be caused by bacteria

Hard water

Caused by calcium carbonate (salt)

Lead

Can be caused by leaded solder, and old brass plumbing components.
It's a neurotoxin which is quite dangerous to drink

Sand or grit

Most jurisdictions have their own set of guidelines for acceptable levels of about a hundred different attributes (eg, here are the EPA contaminants limits, to my knowledge in North America, the local standards are is at or below these levels).

There are currently (to my knowledge, at least) no continuous processes for checking bacteria -- though I do know of at least one company who has been working on it for commercial applications (I would guess it would cost upwards of $20k). There are some sensors that can monitor other attributes. Most are prohibitively expensive for a home (conductivity and pH come to mind that could be done for a couple hundred dollars).

Here's the thing though - most of the quality attributes are unlikely to change, definitely not fast enough to actually monitor on your house. Contamination from bacteria can increase over time if your well is biofouled as the bacteria grows, but otherwise, unless you have a source of surface contamination (such as a poorly-constructed well that is not sealed properly, a dug well, or a well with direct influence from a body of water) then generally the water quality will be fairly steady.

In Canada at least, most local public health units will test for e.coli and total coliform for free. You can also take your water to a lab to do a full analysis, or to a company that specializes in water treatment to do this for you. Be sure to pick one that uses an accredited lab though -- some fly-by-night/shady treatment companies will test "in house" looking for some really basic attributes, but are actually more interested in selling you a softener and a salt contract than treating the real problem (eg, doing a clean-out and then shocking your well every month or two may kill off the bacteria causing the iron or manganese in the first place -- but they make a lot less money if you do that).

One option for home testing is water test strips (eg, like SenSafe makes). These are relatively cheap, and you can do them at home. Becareful though, it's not really possible to measure your water quality or safety using just these strips. They can help give you an idea, and check that your treatment is working, but don't base your health on these alone. Talk to a professional that understands the chemistry of the water and how all the different factors interact to come up with treatment options.

The EPA has a decent site about Private Wells, you may want to check it out for more information.

(Note: my dad ran a water treatment company for over 25 years, so although I am by no means an expert, I did pick up a few things)


Any issue with running 240v and 120v THHN in the same conduit and can they share a ground?

There should be no problem doing what you want, as long as all the conductors and overcurrent devices are sized properly. As per National Electrical Code, you'll size the equipment grounding conductor (EGC) based on the largest overcurrent device used. Which means the EGC will likely be sized based on the size of the breaker protecting the 240 volt circuit.

National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 2 Wiring and Protection
Article 250 Grounding and Bonding
250.122 Size of Equipment Grounding Conductors.
(C) Multiple Circuits. Where a single equipment grounding
conductor is run with multiple circuits in the same
raceway, cable, or cable tray, it shall be sized for the largest
overcurrent device protecting conductors in the raceway,
cable, or cable tray. Equipment grounding conductors installed
in cable trays shall meet the minimum requirements
of 392.10(B)(l)(c).


3 white wires and 3 black wires. Only need 2 of each

Connect all the whites together and connect all the blacks together. This is known as wiring the two lights in the fixture in parallel.


How can I remove this strange bath vanity light?

That looks to be a built in LED light. No (easy) way to replace the light when it burns out, you are supposed to get a whole new light. This is a newish trend in lighting that I'm not in favor of. Its great for the manufactures, not for consumers or the environment.

If you are handy with electronics and know how to solder, you can replace it.

The white chip on the bottom of the large heat sink, that is the LED. Desolder it and see if there are any identification marks on it. If not  you will have to figure out what new LED chip to get from the power supply in the light. Look at the voltage and the wattage it supplies.

Assuming you can deduce the correct replacement chip, and you found a source to buy one. Then you will need to apply a thermal paste to the new chip before you screw it back down to the heat sink. Last resolder the electrical connections.

Is it worth it? Sadly, probably not.
Just get a new light fixture.


Why do I have smaller than expected floor joist components?

Those are modern engineered floor trusses, or truss joists. They often have flat 2x3 or 2x4 top and bottom chords and a web of diagonals and verticals between.

The 2x you see is a stiffener, or "stiffback", which ties the trusses together to spread load and minimize movement and vibration.

It looks a bit like someone cut out some of the stiffener, maybe to get a duct in the space below. The builder may have added additional stiffeners nearby.


Where's the capacitor usually located at the bottom back of fridge?

Most motor capacitors are physically attached to the compressor or under a plastic cover. You don’t mention why you are looking for it but it is usually attached on the compressor or close to it physically.


What is the formula for fence height and fence post length?

Are you setting the posts in the ground, or in concrete? How deep is the frost line in your area? Have you contacted your local building department? There may be local codes and ordinances that stipulate the depth.

A common rule of thumb, is to dig the hole 3 times as large as the post, and to a depth of 1/3-1/2 of the post height above ground. so for a 8' high fence, using 4x4 posts. dig the holes 12" in diameter, to a depth of 2 1/2 - 4'. Of course, that's assuming you're setting the posts in concrete.

If you're going to put gravel at the bottom of the hole, you'll have to dig the hole that much deeper. Gravel is optional, and dependent on the drainage characteristics of the local soil.


Turning regular door switch outlet into an outlet with USB

I've never seen 120V+USB which were splittable in the way you want.  (And we're not a shopping-aid site, so helping you find one isn't really our thing here).

The answer is, this is a drywall job: replace the single box with a 2-gang box... keep the existing receptacle and put the USB receptacle right next to it.

You will need to pigtail at least the hot wire, as you won't have enough screws to land supply, hot to the switch, hot to the USB receptacle, and hot to the downline.  Don't use both screws and backstabs (actually using backstabs generally is asking for trouble).

I for one think USB receptacles are a waste of time since they're expensive and become obsolete quickly, because it takes time for them to grind through the UL listing process.   e.g. very few can charge a tablet at full power while also charging anything else, and two tablets is out of the question. Many are built around an obsolete TI controller chip which provides a 10W and a 5W USB port and you must pay attention to which is which (why????) Genuine Apple iPad charging blocks are about $8 on eBay, I just do that.


Is this wiring safe and is it according to code?

There is one safety issue here

It appears that the original installer took the ground wire from the 12/3 cable, looped it around one switch ground screw, then attached it to the other switch ground screw.  This grounds the switch yokes fine, but leaves the (metal) box ungrounded save through screw threads.  The solution to this is to cut off the existing ground wire with some slack left, then nut it to pigtails to the switch ground screws and a ground screw (10-32) into the provided hole in the back of the box.

While you're at it, you should wrap the white wire with black tape to make it crystal clear to the next bloke looking inside the box that it's hot and not neutral.

As to Code...this used to be OK, but not any longer

Back before the 2011 NEC, an "old style" switch loop like this was permitted by the Code -- a single pole switch only needs always-hot and switched-hot, so a 12/2 cable could be used for a single switch or a 12/3 for a pair of switches sharing a hot feed, as you see here.

However, due to the increasing prevalence of remote-controlled switches, motion sensors, timers, and advanced dimmers, all of which benefit from having a neutral at the switch box to provide power to the electronics inside, the 2011 NEC added 404.2(C) to ensure that the neutral was available for such devices, in lieu of them powering themselves via a hack such as using the ground wire as the return path or trickling their operating current through the load (quoted from the 2017 NEC, save for vernacular terms in [square brackets]):

  (C) Switches Controlling Lighting Loads. The grounded
  circuit conductor [neutral] for the controlled lighting circuit shall be
  installed at the location where switches control lighting loads
  that are supplied by a grounded general-purpose branch circuit
  serving bathrooms, hallways, stairways, or rooms suitable for
  human habitation or occupancy as defined in the applicable
  building code. Where multiple switch locations control the
  same lighting load such that the entire floor area of the room
  or space is visible from the single or combined switch locations,
  the grounded circuit conductor  [neutral] shall only be required at one
  location. A grounded conductor  [neutral] shall not be required to be
  installed at lighting switch locations under any of the following
  conditions:

  (1) Where conductors enter the box enclosing the switch
  through a raceway, provided that the raceway is large
  enough for all contained conductors, including a grounded conductor [neutral]

  (2) Where the box enclosing the switch is accessible for the
  installation of an additional or replacement cable without
  removing finish materials

  (3) Where snap switches with integral enclosures comply with
  300.15(E)

  (4) Where lighting in the area is controlled by automatic
  means

  (5) Where a switch controls a receptacle load

  The grounded conductor  [neutral] shall be extended to any switch
  location as necessary and shall be connected to switching devices that require line-to-neutral voltage to operate the electronics of the switch in the standby mode and shall meet the
  requirements of 404.22.

  Exception: The connection requirement shall become effective on January 1, 2020. It shall not apply to replacement or retrofit switches installed in locations prior to local adoption of 404.2(C) and where the
  grounded conductor  [neutral] cannot be extended without removing finish materials. The number of electronic lighting control switches on a branch
  circuit shall not exceed five, and the number connected to any feeder on
  the load side of a system or main bonding jumper shall not exceed 25.
  For the purpose of this exception, a neutral busbar, in compliance with
  200.2(B) and to which a main or system bonding jumper is connected
  shall not be limited as to the number of electronic lighting control
  switches connected.

  Informational Note: The provision for a (future) grounded
  conductor [neutral]  is to complete a circuit path for electronic lighting
  control devices.

and the 2017 NEC followed up on this with the addition of 404.22, which provides a phase-out for the hack of returning current via ground in lieu of neutral:

  404.22 Electronic Lighting Control Switches. Electronic lighting control switches shall be listed. Electronic lighting control
  switches shall not introduce current on the equipment grounding conductor  [ground] during normal operation. The requirement to
  not introduce current on the equipment grounding conductor [ground]
  shall take effect on January 1, 2020.

  Exception: Electronic lighting control switches that introduce current on the equipment grounding conductor [ground]  shall be permitted for applications covered by 404.2(C), Exception. Electronic lighting control switches that introduce current on the equipment grounding conductor [ground] shall be listed and marked for use in replacement or retrofit applications only.


Epoxy would work, though it would be troublesome to get in there.
If it was me and I knew that the sink would be trashed after a couple of years, I'd just support the lip, get a tube of normal white silicone caulk and start loading up the crack. Let it dry for 24 hours with the support in place and then you're good to go. (The silicone will compress a tiny bit, but not much.)


Leak in wall behind push/pull bathtub faucet

I think it is leaking around that main escutcheon. Re-caulk around this escutcheon.  leave a weep hole at the bottom.


How can I attach structure via oval holes in panel struts in a panel van?

This is sort of a modification of what @FreeMan said, but what I would suggest is you get bolts with flat washers, where the flat washer is less than 20mm diameter so it will fit through the hole. The head of the bolt will need to be smaller than the flat washer (obviously). You will need six pieces total per mounting bolt, including the bolt itself. Put them together in this order: bolt, flat washer, flat washer, (supported structure), flat washer, lock (or split) washer, non-self locking nut. The bolt itself will need to be long enough to accommodate whatever you are going to mount to the vertical structural beams. It would look something like this when put together on the beam:

(NOTE: This is a quick PowerPoint rendering and is not to scale by any means.)

The idea here is to use the bottom half of the washers to grab the wall support. About 1/3 of the washers would be grabbing the wall support, but this will be more than enough to hold it in place. Of course, you'd want to choose the correct length of bolt so it doesn't protrude very far. The lock washer is there so you can tighten the bolt from the nut end without the need for a wrench on the other end, and so it will stay put once it's tightened. If you find that the bolt still moves without a wrench on the other end, you can put a lock washer between the bolt head and the flat washer, but I've found on blind holes like this, if you just hold the threaded end of the bolt with your fingers and use an open ended wrench to turn the nut, the bolt will tighten down without issues. If this is a permanent fixture, you could also put thread locker on the nut to ensure it stays put.

EDIT NOTE: If you are looking for added holding power, move the bolt to the left or right in the hole. This will provide the side and bottom of the hole for something the bolt/washer/nut can hold onto.


Broken door jamb - What's the easiest way to fix this?

You should drill out the hole with a large drill bit and glue in a wooden plug. Then you can drill a pilot hole into that and screw the bracket into that.

Toothpicks will work in the short term but if they are not glued then they will pull out pretty soon. Drilling out the chewed out wood and glueing in a plug will create a new place for screws to bite into.

I would also suggest going for longer screw and making sure that they attach firmly to the wall rather than just the door trim.


Stopping wheelie bins blowing over in the wind

If you're able to drill the wall and attach metal fixings you could use nylon webbing with some heavy duty velcro to make simple retaining straps. They'd be anchored to the wall fixings so  you'd just need to do/undo the velcro to fasten/release. Here in the UK our wheelie bins have a 'loop' as part of their hinge structure and this has proved perfect for looping the webbing through.


If the gas flow is too high to maintain a flame, and it seems like the pressure is too high, then yes your regulator is bad.

I didn't watch your link since I'm on mobile, but some amount of hissing is normal if it seems like it's running normally.


Can Vent Flashing Nails Be Exposed On The Roof?

They probably should be dabbed with roofing cement, but they tend to self-seal to some extent. It's unlikely that they'd leak significantly.

Also concerning is the fact that raw steel nails were used. They'll rust and stain the roof over time. Cement will mostly remedy that as well.

FYI, I don't consider those nails necessary anywhere short of a hurricane zone. Hidden nails and the sealing strips on the shingles hold it all down just fine.


I have had success sawing through them with dental floss. Get an 18" piece of floss. wrap each end around your fingers or a pencil. Slide the floss behind the plastic section. while applying a downward pressure on the floss, move it back and forth left to right until the hook separates from the adhesive. Once you have access to the adhesive you can scrape it off or use an adhesive remover like GooGone, rubbing alcohol or citrus based cleaner.


Not too hard to find the product that you need without having to resort to adapter fittings. See picture source link.

Picture Source


Top element is drawing amps but no hot water drawing 19amp

Check to make sure that water's getting to the bottom of the heater
If an electric water heater is drawing nameplate power but not appreciably heating water, then one of two things is wrong.  Either the dip tube in the heater has broken off internally, causing water to "short circuit" past the heating elements, or the heater was plumbed backwards with cold water trying to enter via the exit port and hot water exiting via the dip tube, which will cause similar symptoms as you're then drawing from the coldest water in the tank.


Sump pit filling very quickly from inlet pipes

To raise the float level without adding any additional points of failure, just move the whole pump up - shorten the pipe, put concrete blocks under the pump to raise it in the pit. Your power bill will thank you.

You could try putting a strong dye [food coloring or fabric dye can work, but "septic dye" is probably the most effective] in the water, though it may be hard to tell what's happening with that - I have to suspect that you may be pumping in circles (outlet insufficiently far from the house, so the "discharged' water shows up in the pit a few minutes later) but that will be tricky to trace with dye.  If all the water is "new" the dye should just get progressively paler, and the water coming in the drainage pipes should be clear, not tinted. You can also look for dye coming out into places away from the house.

A more complicated approach that might work would be to mix up or buy a strong dye solution and use a tube to "inject" it very near the pump intake as the pump is pumping (trying to minimize what gets in the sump itself) and then you might see the sump get darker if it's recirculating.

It sounds like the water may be passing in from one or more of your pipes and out again from one or more of your pipes (when the pump is not powered up) - a little bit of dye squirted near each pipe in turn (with the pump off) may diagnose this and show if there is "flow-though."


Without seeing the floor, makes the question tougher to answer but that said, there are transition strips to compensate for differing height floors. There isn't a commercial one made that will accommodate that height difference but you may be able to buy one of these strips and double it using a layered technique.


What's the right way of removing an indoor telephone line?

If you are removing it, remove it.
It's only "short-sighted" if you have any conception that you might want a landline phone there.
You MIGHT be able (depending on how snug it is, and how many layers of paint are on the cable making it fatter) to just stuff the (uncut) cable down the hole in the floor once you have it unstapled.
But simply snipping it off is perfectly reasonable under the "you never envision a landline in that location, or perhaps anywhere in your house, again" premise.


Is it possible that this GFCI receptacle is grounded without an equipment grounding conductor being connected?

When you say the receptacle tester read "correct wiring", I am assuming that the existing receptacle was a three prong (had a ground pin) and that the tester was also a three prong, something like this.

If that is the case, it is probably reading ground through the metal box and the armored cable.

Before plastic boxes and non-metallic cable that used a continuous run of a separate bare or green ground wire, there was a grounding system that used the metal strap of the receptacle or switch, firmly screwed to the metal box, firmly screwed to the armored cable with was also firmly screwed to the service panel and through that, to ground. In later years, a bare aluminum wire was also included with the hot and neutral which (I believe) was intended to be a bonding strip.

This system worked. Sort of. It assumed that the metal connections were direct and firm at each juncture. The weakest part was probably the strap of the receptacle, which often sat on plaster and never touched the box. No metal-to-metal connection, no ground (although the aluminum wire, if properly connected, would provide ground). The connectors holding the armored cable to the box were also sometimes loose, leading to poor connection and poor ground. I think it is still code compliant and may be fine if proper techniques are used to install it.


Are pipe unions made to a standard size / threading?

As far as unions from different mfg's of different sizes being compatable my experience is no they are not, even the same brand I checked going from 3/4 to 1" would not mate up I was able to find one that was 3/4 on 1 side and 1" on the other but next time I will probably just use a reducing fitting as the "special" union was more expensive than a standard 1" union and a nipple + a reducer but I had a space limited amount of room to make the repair so in that case I paid the extra. Also make sure if going from copper to galvanized to use a dielectric union. The failure of a home owner to do this in the past has caused plumbing failures in under a year in past repair jobs.