What should I do with these old cleanouts?

My personal style is to leave them 6" deep with carefully positioned annual flower beds on top of them - give those beds rock walls, if you like, and document the heck out of it.  But if you'd rather extend them to surface:

Those plugs have pipe threads, so a PVC to MPT adapter in the correct size seems the obvious solution to connecting PVC to them.

I guess annual flower beds may not work so well in the desert - idea being to have a surface feature that maps to the subsurface feature of interest. You need a gazing ball right there, say. This method is subject to loss of documentation and/or memory.

A "hand-hole" would be another approach. Leave the plugs in place and extend access to the surface. You might know them as sprinkler-valve-boxes - a bottomless box with sides and a lid, in plastic or concrete.


A very large plate hanger?

But I think it would be hard to find a plate hanger in the 40 inch size range. In the picture above you would need one twice the size of the one on the left.

But making one isn't that hard. Its two bent wires and some plastic padding with the bent wires connected with tension element commonly a spring but picture wire and a tensioner could be used instead.


How do I remove a stuck moen 1224 cartridge

In the absence of a puller (which you can usually borrow from a local hardware store if you buy a cartridge) you can use the handle screw to attach any flat iron bar stock (even a piece of wood maybe) to the stem and twist and pull the cartridge out. I've done it many times.


How to reattach brick to the top of a fireplace

On fire box repairs I use fire clay. It can handle the heat and if tightly packed and dried prior to use it should hold. This is the only thing I have ever tried over the years, there may be products out there that can tolerate the heat but I just use fire clay.


How to install Trex decking board as top rail?

First, make sure you get the right plank type.  Trex (and some other brands) have planks designed specifically for use as decking.  These have a fastening system that involves hidden grooves, which won't be hidden if you use it for a top rail.  See: http://www.trex.com/products/accessory-hardware/.

There are special screws for composite decking, but they often contain multiple threads designed to have the right thread in the right material when you fasten down through the composite board.  So verify the designed usage if you use these.

The planks are heavy and you aren't really trying to secure them against "falling up" or being pulled off.  The screws in this application are mainly to keep the planks from sliding.  You don't need massive holding strength on each screw, which is good because these composite boards have little structural strength.  The material crumbles and breaks easily.  Once screwed in, a small amount of prying force will pull the planks off, either stripping the screw hole or leaving hunks of material behind around the screws.

So to your question of what kind of screw to use.  Several things are important:

You need exterior grade screws, either stainless steel or specially coated.
The composite material doesn't compress like wood; pressure just makes it fall apart.  So it isn't good to use normal wood screws, which have a thick, wedge-shaped thread.  You need either:

a thread that is coarse and thin, more like a knife that causes minimal displacement of the material, like this style:

Or use one that taps a thread, like this style:

Both styles are often advertised as not requiring a pilot hole, but I wouldn't trust that.  I would still pre-drill a pilot hole.  Also, don't screw much more than about half way into the composite plank.  The pressure of the displaced material can cause the top surface to protrude if the tip of the screw is too close, or even push out a plug of surface material.


Want to run a new Electrical cable to new shed

Can you abandon the old wire in place? Sure. Well, technically I think I recall reading something in NEC about removing permanently-abandoned wiring where feasible -- let's just say it's infeasible to remove that direct-bury cable and move on.
Yes, if you up-size to a 20 A breaker you'll have to replace the 14 gauge wiring in the shed with 12 gauge.
So far as circuits and wiring from the house to the shed goes you have options. A detached building is allowed to have a single branch circuit or a feeder circuit. Choosing the feeder option entails installing a subpanel in the shed and a grounding electrode system too (it's not terrible, just a little more work and cost than you had in mind).
"A single branch circuit" actually means more than a person would expect. If you wire that as a "multi-wire branch circuit" (MWBC) then you can have two 20A, 120 volt lines going out there while still calling it one circuit.
There is another trick for gaining an extra circuit: Add some kind of outdoor lighting on that shed. You can have a switch in the house that controls the power to that lighting circuit. You can also have a switch in the shed that controls the light. And if there are a few outlets on the circuit too, that's ok.. To complete the idea, just leave the switch in the house turned on all the time so that the outlets are always live and ready for use.
The new wiring to the shed needs to be UF-type cable which can be direct-buried or pulled (wrestled) through a grossly-oversized conduit, or else conduit with wet-rated loose conductors like THWN. Don't use NM ("Romex") cable for the underground portion. The conduit wiring method is unfamiliar to many people, but it's worth consideration.


Can a Knob & Tube live hot wire be left disconnected without the neutral in a switch box?

Knob and tube is no longer listed and approved, it should be de-energized and abandoned when encountered within the scope of any new work after being replaced with listed cable assemblies suitable for the location (in your case, non-metallic bonded cable, aka Romex).

That said, it sounds like what you have in the box used to be a switch leg where the original knob and tube feed part of the leg is no longer present (hence, the absence of the neutral), and through the process of removing it the lighting circuit was changed so that the leg ended up being always hot. What you should do is just disconnect it from whatever fixture is now back-feeding it. Be gentle, that stuff is brittle and the insulation can just disintegrate in your hands as you handle it.

If that's the case, then you probably don't have a multi-feed (two circuits on the same phase sharing the same neutral) going on, it was just a switch leg, but you should probably consider retiring the rest of the old wiring anyway.

If you can't find where it's being fed, your immediate concern is now to ensure that the box is suitably grounded if it's metallic, you can test this by attaching one end of a voltage tester to any known hot leg, and the other to the box itself. You should read around 120V and be able to confirm the presence of some kind of physical ground connected to the box. If that's not the case, call an electrician and have them straighten it out.

Still, the best guidance in these cases is just get rid of it where / when you see it, especially if it's been disturbed recently. That old feed is probably not going to cause you any problems, but please consider erring on the side of caution and having that old lighting circuit re-fed.


How can a non-working corroded tub plunger with a broken linkage assembly in the open position be fixed?

Yes a coat hanger really helps and on some hard to snag models a bore scope may be helpful.
I have used a long screwdriver to push on a stuck stopper sometimes it’s not corrosion but hair and soap buildup under the stopper that is the problem,
removing the drain will occasionally pull a rat of hair up that is preventing the stopper from dropping into place and blocking the flow.
Make sure to check for obstructions below as the stopper is gravity closure so a chunk of hair could be the problem also.


How do I add a filter to the return air vent of my retrofitted forced air system?

Of course, shortly after posting this question, a little more searching yielded the answer, as detailed in this video.
The vent has been cut and prepared for the installation of a filter rack, but one has not been installed yet.
A U-channel needs bent and installed to hold the filter. After installing the U-channel, it needs snap locked and riveted in place. A cover can be slid into the s locks on the edges of the hole.


Brick Walls are usually load bearing or non-load bearing. Generally you can identify them by their width. While not "best practice", in some cases a connecting non-load bearing wall may act as a lateral brace to a long load bearing wall. This may be an issue in an earth-quake prone area where bracing walls are very important. Check with your local building codes for that.

Other than that, make sure you disconnect/reroute all services that run through- and inside and then demolish away. You may want to perforate the wall first, by either cutting it or drilling holes, especially where you want to disconnect the wall from the building.

The impact of a sledgehammer might cause unwanted superficial damage outside the area you are busy demolishing. Perforating and then using a crow bar/ripping bar may be a better solution.


Concrete driveway cured too soon and surface cement washed away

Go back in time and wait 24 hours before using the hose. Then use it a couple of times a day for a month.

Other than that, or replacing the whole driveway, probably not. You could do various things to the surface spots, but they are exceedingly unlikely to match the rest of the surface.


Replacing light fittings with ones with a battery backup

To answer the OP question is generally no,  wiring changes are not needed for bulbs with battery back up.  There are pros and cons to battery backup bulbs, so do your homework. Some people don't understand how they work and how to test them so give them bad reviews.  You can't test them by turning off a breaker with no other loads on the same circuit turned on.

The lamp determines the difference between a power outage and simply being turned off measuring the resistance between the neutral and hot.  If there is a low resistance between the hot and neutral, the power is off, the resistance measures thru other devices on the same circuit that are "on".  If there are no other devices turned on in the same circuit, the bulb could be fooled and not illuminate. If there is very high resistance (or infinite), it assumes the switch is off. One other thing to look out for on these "battery backup" lamps, is they generally do not operate at full luminosity. They light up, but somewhere around 30%-50%  or so of normal, to preserve battery life.


Is this "sunken scew head" on the underside of a pan head a thing?

PhilippNagel's comment is correct.
The bottom of the screw head is flat except where it tapers to the threaded shaft.
This taper seems to be no wider then the outer dimension of the threads so a countersink would not be necessary. (unless of coarse you wanted the top of the head of the screw to be flush with whatever it is installed in but that would not really be the correct fastener for that application.)


36” allows you to plug it in and keeps the cord off the floor so you don’t push the refrigerator on top of the cord when you push it back.


How do I replace a door hinge with no screws?

That hinge is welded on. The only way to remove it is to take a grinder with a carbide wheel to the welds, then An abrasive disk to clean it up and smooth the metal frame.  You will then have to drill pilot holes for the new hinges.


Can corroded terminals cause occasional power flickering in house?

Yes, that is a very serious situation.  You have a breaker in direct weather that isn't made for that service, and worse, you have aluminum wiring in and out, which is vulnerable to corrosion from weather.  That needs to be looked at every year or two to clean up the wires and lugs and refresh the No-Ox.

Yes you can de-energize it.   You need to pull the electric meter that is before it.

However, when you call up the electric company to have them do this, they will probably inform you that you have a smart meter and they can shut it off remotely by typing a few things on a keyboard.   So do that.

And then, do something about all that gear being exposed to weather, because that is the root of the problem.


Is it possible to "push" a leaning concrete wall upright?

Absolutely, but hammering won't work very well with that much mass. You can simply flex a stout board, like a 2x10, downward, then release it. The straightening action will push the wall. Leapfrog a couple of them so that one is always holding position.

A couple caveats:

Concrete is insanely heavy. Expect it to fall the wrong way and be safe.
Have a solid plan for securing it in place once you move it.
Never work alone.


I would use a toilet snake as @Wayfaring Stranger suggested. The home depot treatment you looked at is not a drain cleaner but a septic treatment. You might try warm water. When the water is low in the bowl (as in after plunging), slowly add a large pot of warm water to the bowl. Use warm water from the faucet not boiling water. Boiling water may crack the porcelain. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. Plunge it again. then flush. The warm water may soften soap or grease that is in the trap.


A high sand content sounds like mortar that did not have enough cement in the mix.
Any new bonding procedure you use will fail if you do not remove the sand.
I would use thin set with a modifier (some thinset comes with an acrylic add mix).
The modified thinset is better than standard thinset but either should be used and mortar will be what is needed to match the height.
Construction adhesives will squish out when stepping on the tiles where the sand in the thinset or mortar will provide the spacing similar to the original adhesive.
Make sure to mis the appropriate amount of water,
Back butter the tile or put a layer of thin set on and scrape it off it will leave a residue, this helps bonding.
Put the stuff you scraped off plus some on the floor work it back and forth then use the notched side of the trowel to remove the excess set the tile into the rows of mortar and position firmly pressing to settle the tile.
Repeat with the other tiles. When dry add grout some outside tile jobs actually use mortar as a grout grey in color?
Jet set, if really warm put a old cloth over them and keep it damp for the day the dampness helps the cement in the mortar to hydrate and not crack.


Finishing half of basement, should I insulate all?

You do not have to insulate the part that will be unfinished, but you will need to insulate between the finished space and unfinished space and include an appropriate moisture barrier.  All things being equal, if you don't have moisture problems in the unfinished area now, you are not likely to create them as long as the unfinished space has adequate ventilation.  I will follow that statement with the disclaimer that there are a lot of site specific circumstances that can cause moisture problems whether you insulate it or not.


How to get rid of 4-5cu yards of topsoil/sod/dirt

Post it for FREE on Craigslist.

People are always looking for fill for various reasons.


When wiring multiple outlets on one circuit, whether splicing or chaining is the better way depends on whether your devices are made to be chained.

If you are using North American type devices, your second illustration is the best way, even though it requires the two wire nuts (or other splice connectors) ("splice"="derivation"). It is not good to rely on the tab or other connections inside a N. A. device.

If you are using devices like the one in your fourth picture, then you do not normally use splices. For the middle outlets, you can use the two wire positions on each terminal to chain the outlets together, similar to your first picture.

I live in the U.S. but I have seen pictures of switches, outlets, and ceiling light rosettes from the U.K. and Australia that have multiple screw terminals electrically joined, and are made to be chained. Some outlets used in the U.S. look like they could be chained, but they're not really designed for it and often fail in ways that are difficult to diagnose.

Your first illustration is correct for the kind of outlet shown, which seems to be a GFCI protected outlet. These usually have two screws labeled "LINE" and two screws labeled "LOAD". These labels are not shown in the picture but I guess the top screws are the LINE and the bottom screws are the LOAD.


Which limit switch controls the blower motor on my furnace?

Your control board's likely shot
On a newer furnace like yours, the fan limit/thermostat function is performed by the control board and its onboard fan relay.  This means that a continuously running blower is generally the fault of the fan relay getting welded shut, or occasionally something else failing inside the control board's logic.  Either way, replacing the control board should cure the issue.


Whats the best way to secure a loose flooring joist where mortar has crumbled over the decades?

I had a similar problem.

support joist
rake out old loose motar
fill with new mortar - force to full depth
allow to cure
remove support

Worked fine for me.


Do 2 bulbs with 500 lumens provide the same illumination as one with 1000 lumens?

I agree with our local Retired Master Electrician's answer but if you want to put on your physicist's hat, the answer is no.

You need to understand (at least in a basic way) the difference between

Illuminance (Lux)
Luminous Intensity (Candela)
Luminous Flux (Lumens)

Lumens are a measure of luminous flux not of illuminance (which is closest to what you probably mean by illumination).

Two 500-lumen bulbs might produce very different values of Illuminance as one 1000-lumen bulb.

Two 500-lumen bulbs produce the same luminous flux as one 1000-lumen bulb.

If you were specifying some office space and needed to meet some regulations, you'd need to understand these distinctions.

If you are a home-owner choosing between light fittings or bulbs made 8,000 miles away, it is likely that this sort of distinction is unimportant to you.

You can buy light-meters that measure illuminance. I suppose an old-school photographer's light-meter makes a reasonable substitute.

The marketing departments of different manufacturers/distributors lie in different ways and different light-fittings are likely to make a difference to illuminance.


What is this cable in my yard, why is it exposed, and what can I do about it?

That is a Homac 600V rated splice so it's probably part of your electric service. I would be calling the power company right now and report a dig in to an exposed  service or secondary lateral.
Stay away from it until the power company inspects it. It could be an abandoned line but you want to assume it's hot. It looks like a ground rod has been driven close by so maybe some old facilities have been relocated.


What the heck are these L-shaped screws and how do I use them to hang my vanity mirror

The black things are wall anchors in case you are not screwing into solid wood, but plasterboard (or holes drilled in concrete.)

The hanger holes are large because the entire end of the "L" goes into the hole, and then the mirror drops down so the "L" holds it until it's lifted up again.

Hopefully obvious that the end of "L" should point up.


How can I strengthen attic rafters for storage?

Depending on the specific structure of your ceiling, this could be a very bad idea.

If done badly, it will simply increase the weight on the structure, not add strength at all.

As a general rule, you should be able to put reasonable storage in the roof space without added effort. (boxes of books ok. crates of lead not ok)

If you have concerns though (and you do, because you're asking), you need to speak to a qualified engineer as each roof is different. (Age, Design, Materials, Climate, Prior Use, Condition, supporting structure are just a few important factors)


What does "roll" mean in the context of hardwood flooring?

It looks like a typo for rows. Perhaps it was transcribed from a voice recording.


Is it OK to drink water from newly-cemented PVC pipes?

Your different methods are causing you to notice the smell more than normal.

I'm making a few assumptions, but if you create an airtight PVC pipe, where did you expect the glue to off-gas? It's going to fill the inside of the pipe, especially if left for weeks. The air volume of the inside of the pipe is pretty small, so it's a high concentration. You probably shouldn't be breathing in the test pressure exhaust when you vent it.

Next you said you "flush" it for several days, but filling a pipe with water and letting it sit, then draining it, and doing that twice isn't a flush. Again I'm making assumptions, but that's what it sounds like you did. Run fill pressure water through the pipe for several minutes with it going to drain to actually flush it.

The volume of water sitting in a pipe is miniscule compared to running water.

I don't disagree, PVC glue and primers aren't good for you. We all just "waste" more water than you to rinse the pipe more, so we probably don't notice it.


Best way to affix downspout to vinyl sided house?

Honestly, I'd use nothing. The problem is if you ever remove the screw, then the hole needs to be filled. Mount the bracket high-up, tucked under a lap, so you don't buckle the siding while installing it. Check both ends of the siding for play first. Affixed in the middle with room on both sides, it should be fine. Use screws with a fully threaded shank; you're only going into plywood. They sell gasketed screws if you want to go nuts:


Usually you can wrap the tape around the pipe as you install it. You can then add or subtract wraps to adjust the length and make it come out where you want. This works well for just a short amount of slack.

OR

For longer amounts of slack, most heat tape has a bump on the outside of the cable every 18" or so. You can cut the heat tape and install a plug or terminator just after the bump to shorten the tape. Refer to your heat tape's instructions before doing this.

Good luck!


What is causing discoloration on my bronze-finished lockset?

It's called a tarnish or patina and is caused by oxidation of the copper in the bronze.  The sun's heat will accelerate that reaction somewhat compared to one in a cooler place.

If you don't like it, simply clean the lockset with Brasso when it starts to look discolored.  It will take some elbow grease the first time because the tarnish has had time to build up, but if you keep up with it, subsequent times will be a lot easier.


You furnace looks like it is an approximately 20-KW model.  It requires no neutral.  It is not asking for a neutral.  It requires A phase and B phase from a single phase residential service.  And the wiring layout will be as follows: from the top, first breaker, A phase on top and B phase on bottom, and Second breaker A-phase on top and B-phase on bottom. You will need two runs of 6-2 copper or two runs of two 4awg aluminum with ground.  In the house panel you will need two each new 60-Amp breakers.


How can I get rid of gnarly roots in an outdoor French drain without hiring/renting a roto rooter

Is the pipe completely clogged (water doesn't flow)? If so, I would attempt to find a solution quick, especially if the temperatures where you are at are below freezing. Standing water would not be your friend in the near future, and you may end up having to replacing some drainage pipe.

I am going to have to agree with Carl Witthoft on this one. I'm not sure a home-made solution would be of best practice here unless you have a manufacturing shop and an engineering degree. I would suggest renting a drain auger from a home improvement store, or local rental supply company, and feed that down the pipe. That thing will make quick work of any loose roots and get water flowing.

In the warmer months, I would look at root killer. There are some that you can poor down the drain and it will coat the pipe in a film that will prevent some of the nasty roots growing in the pipe.


You have a rough opening size (if you have removed the old window first) and the actual "in the wall" size of the replacement window, which must be smaller than the rough opening size to allow for shimming, out of square, etc. The default is to have it quite a bit smaller to allow for lots of shimming, but if you have checked the actual (.vs. planned in new construction but not yet built) opening you have, and checked that it is square and the sill is level, you can use less generous amounts of slop. i.e. I use "Masonry" rough opening sizes (smallest relative to the actual size) for the window openings in my structural insulated panel walls - they are not made of concrete, but they don't have the slop that studwalls are prone to.
When looking at windows you need to check what size they are claiming in the large print .vs. what the actual size (smaller, usually) is because of this, and the tendency to go for the bigger number for market purposes. There's also a matter of if you are doing the work in a way where you can use a "new construction" window that involves getting the window flashing under the siding, or if you need a "replacement window" that may be fitting into the old window's gutted frame, if the old window's gutted frame is solid, so it can use the old window's flashing and no siding disturbance is needed. Those are always smaller (glass area) than the window they replace, since you now have two frames around the glass.


How to identify electrical panel busbar rating

This is a 125A panel
From the labeling on your panel, in particular the note about field upgrading 100A mains to 125A by replacing the main breaker and the meter-to-main-breaker wire jumpers, we can tell that this panel has 125A busbars in it, since UL wouldn't have permitted the manufacturer to provide such an upgrade as an option otherwise.
The fact that it's center-fed may or may not be an issue
If your jurisdiction's adopted the 2017 NEC, you're good to go, since it provides new language for this situation in 705.12(B)(2) point 3(d):

(d) A connection at either end, but not both ends, of a
center-fed panelboard in dwellings shall be permitted where
the sum of 125 percent of the power source(s) output circuit
current and the rating of the overcurrent device protecting the
busbar does not exceed 120 percent of the current rating of
the busbar.

Note that this 120% rule is the same as the rule in subpoint 3(b) that'd be used if your panel was end-fed with the solar breaker at the other end; this means that the 120% math works out all the same, and gives us 150A for the combination of main and solar feed breakers.  With a 125A main breaker, this lets you put a 25A solar breaker in, which limits your system to 6kW.
If you have an AHJ that's not quite with the times, you may run into trouble as the standard load calculations tend to be more restrictive when applied to center-fed configurations such as yours.  In that case, I would talk with the AHJ about a written variance to use the above center-fed calculation method.
Before you go...
The one other issue you might have with this panel is finding breakers for it.  Siemens has discontinued the Murray MP line of breakers, and it appears that the other breaker types it is labeled to take are either GFCI (ITE/Siemens QF1-B, Westinghouse/Eaton QPGF, Bryant/Eaton GFCB) or double-stuff (Bryant/Eaton BRD).
If you don't wish to take a minor gamble on New Old Stock Murray/Siemens MP breakers being available and in good shape, I would use a Siemens QP breaker, based on the subsitution letter Siemens provides, although that's subject to AHJ acceptance of the subsitution.  If you can't get your AHJ to accept Siemens breakers in this panel for some odd reason, you can Eaton CL for the solar breaker as that's UL classified to play nice in Murray (including Arrow-Hart/Crouse-Hinds) panels.
If none of those are an option, your AHJ might be willing to accept an Eaton BR (not BRD or GFCB) breaker in the panel based on it being crosslabeled for BRD and GFCB types, but that's a judgement call considering that UL never tested it for that precise configuration.  (Granted, it's not much different from putting a NOS MP120AFC arc fault breaker in the panel, considering it's far too old to be labeled for type MP-AT2 breakers.)


Name of connector that connects wires to washer drain pump

I'm afraid there's a good chance the connector could be proprietary or custom. Also, the connector housing and the two terminals inside are separate parts. Amana likely won't offer these in their parts catalog.

Amana might have bought that component from a connector manufacturer. The major players (Molex, Tyco, Hirose, etc) usually have their name or symbol somewhere on the parts they make, but if you can't find a recognizable mark, it's not likely to be a catalog item available through an electronic components distributor.

The connector looks fine; I don't see any signs of damage (discoloration, deformation, etc). I'd solder and heat-shrink the wire and resolve whatever damaged it in the first place.


The concern the manufacturer is apparently trying to address is stability. Given the weight of that quantity of water the posts (or worse yet, some of them) may sink into a soft lawn possibly causing one side of the pool to collapse. This is even more likely if the pool base isn't completely level.
Given the surface conditions you describe I can't see that as a high risk but you have to determine that since you are the one on site. It's another case of the manufacturer playing CYA.
Having said that, it's not a big deal to put a piece of 2x6 under each post just to be certain.   I think more important is getting the area as level as possible before you fill it.


What kind of plumbing should I use to replace PB tubing?

If you want to re-plumb with copper you may want to invest or rent a tool to use fittings made by these companies: Nibco press system, Parker Zoom Lock, Ridgid Pro-press, or Viego. I have used 2 of the above and they work great. You cut the copper to length, add the fittings, then use the tool to crimp the fitting and you are done, No soldering. It makes a professional out of a novice.  Myself, I would solder or silver braze. (my choice)


Neither. The rubber gasket replaces both. Plumber's putty is mostly obsolete these days (almost everything comes with rubber or neoprene washers) and can stain fixtures, and silicone is never a good material for joining water-bearing plumbing components.

You could use PTFE tape as a secondary measure and a thread lubricant. Be sure to wrap it the correct direction.


How can i add a common "C" Wire to this old system?

The transformer in this model is in the Oil Burner Primary Control. It does not look like there is a terminal to add a C wire. You're out of luck, bub.

From the manual: https://customer.honeywell.com/resources/techlit/TechLitDocuments/69-0000s/69-0617.pdf


If you use the switch for the light and the pool pump, they will always be on simultaneously.  What you can do is splice in a new line and add another switch to the same box as the pump switch.  But it will not have GFCI protection unless your entire pool circuit is GFCI protected at the source.


No, this is not OK. Standing water will deteriorate any membrane and eventually cause the roofing and roof structure to deteriorate.

The wetting and drying process puts stresses on the roofing. The edge of a “puddle” has different coefficients of expansion and contraction. This different movement will reduce the life of the roofing.

Good roof design is intended to shed water. (There was a short time in the 1980’s that designed a “pond” on the roof to create an insulated barrier to the elements, but we soon learned that any imperfection will allow the entire “pond” drain through any pinhole.)

Steep roofs seem to perform better and lasts longer than flatter roofs. (Have you ever noticed that old barn roofs don’t seem to leak, even though you can look up and see daylight coming through the roof?)


How do I wire my ceiling fan with two switches (one for lights the other for fan)?

I suggest marking your wires with colored tape to indicate their function.

Black=always-hot
Red=switched hot (fan)
Blue= switched-hot (lamp)

In your setup, the white wire in the /3 would get black markings on both ends.  So would the white wire between the switches.  The upper switch's red pigtail also needs a black marking; it is always-hot.

In the /3 cable, mark black on both ends as blue.

In the /2 cable between the switches, the black wire gets tagged with red tape on both ends.

Now, considering that the tape color overrides the wire color, you simply match up by color!


How can I cut copper water pipe to add a fitting?

All depends on you. You can cut the pipe with a hacksaw, Sawzall, a copper tubing cutter like these:

You might have to cut a length of pipe out to fit your valve.
You could also use a piercing valve.
I don't endorse these products although good.


Gas , oil, and wood need air( oxygen) to burn , then the flue gas can be vented. So , let in some air, A K A -open a window. When I lived in a colder climate , I always provided an air inlet , generally a duct pipe from outside to near the furnace, or fireplace in this case. Newer furnaces are generally required to have an ejector fan on the exhaust vent because newer houses are well sealed and it is difficult for a natural draft to work. The lower the outside temperature , the more the problem.


What would happen if I used a 3 speed fan control with a 4 speed fan?

Your 4-speed fan only has four speeds simply because of the remote that it comes with. The fan by itself can work with any controller, as long as the controller is rated to work with ceiling fans.

If you're able to connect your new wireless remote to the existing fan (with no electrical snafus), your fan will happily work with the 3 speeds your remote comes with. It's harder to determine which setting you'll lose, though your highest speed will probably be the same. Individual settings are determined by a controller, and these can vary.

I don't believe you can make adjustments, unless you're willing to open the controller up and experiment with it (not the wireless remote, but the actual controller that sits in your fan's housing).

Do keep in mind, however, that you don't want to use a stepless dimmer with a ceiling fan. That can bring about a whole lot of humming (and more importantly, reduced life for your fan motor).


Is it acceptable to install new cabinets parallel with the floor rather than plumb and level?

Step one of redoing the slab is pulling those cabinets back out. IMO, only you can define acceptable. 1-2y, eh? So, like anywhere from 5 years to "temporary-permanant"...?

Just do it right or the doors won't stay closed and all your carrots will roll off. It'd be easier and better to shim the piecemeal cabinets, instead of the entire counter top along each and every one of its contact points all at once.

You have to shim one or the other (sometimes both), why not do it from the get-go? Resign yourself to pulling them out when the time comes and life will be a lot easier. Having "plans" is no excuse for schlock in the meantime.


The line coming from the street is a much higher pressure. Once it hits your meter there is a regulator reducing pressure to about 7” from about 15# or so. The piping charts you are looking at should be for house pressure not line pressure.


How to find or make a 72" tall interior solid door

Search the internet for "architectural salvage"* in your area. Here you'll find everything from old doors & hardware to tubs, door knobs, shelves, and who-knows-what.

Look for a door that's 32" wide by at least 73" tall. If you're anywhere near a major urban area, you'll probably have several hundred to choose from. When you find the one you like, you've got about a 99.9999% chance of it being made of solid wood so you can safely & easily cut the extra height off. If the one you like is wider, you can most likely cut some extra width off, too. You can cut some from the top and bottom to keep the panels centered, or cut from only one end to re-center the panels (it's entirely possible that someone cut off only one end previously, leaving them off-center).

If you don't have the tools to do the cuts, they'll probably be happy to make them for you for a small additional fee. At the places local to me, I've seen doors with the old lock mortises very professionally filled so you can install modern lock/knob sets on them. They were happy to cut holes for a modern lock set for me, as well. They can probably fill the old hinge mortises, as well, so you can put new ones where you need them if you can't use the existing ones in the door.

While you're there, enjoy looking around at all the amazing things that have been pulled out of old houses. Be careful, though, you may end up buying more than you came for!

*There are other terms for this, too, but they're just not coming to me yet. It's early and the coffee hasn't fully kicked in.


Service Entry Wire/Ground Location (100 amp service)

You'll have to use a cable or wires that are rated for wet locations. You'll most likely use Underground Feeder (Type UF) cable, Underground Service-entrance cable (Type USE) , or THWN wires.

You'll have to install a proper grounding electrode at the cabin, and bond the grounding conductor to it.

You'll have a grounding electrode at the pole, where you'll bond the service neutral and the equipment grounding conductor. From there you'll run four wires (two "hots", one neutral, and one ground), and you'll keep the ground and neutral separate.


Can I use (share) a 120 leg of the 240 with the neutral to a 120 duplex receptacle in the same box coming off the 240 circuit breaker?

Check what breaker you have first!

Amazingly enough, this is actually permitted by Code under certain (common, but not universal) circumstances!

What you are creating is a multiwire branch circuit as per 210.4.  Normally, only line-to-neutral loads are allowed, but IF the breaker for this circuit is a two pole common trip unit (most two and three pole breakers are, although if the circuit is fed from the outer sections of a quadruplex breaker, you definitely can't do this as there is no way to get two common trips in that form factor), Exception 2 to 210.4(C) allows the circuit to feed both line-to-neutral and line-to-line loads (and even three phase loads for wye connected three phase MWBCs)

  210.4 Multiwire Branch Circuits.

  (A) General. Branch circuits recognized by this article shall
  be permitted as multiwire circuits. A multiwire circuit shall be
  permitted to be considered as multiple circuits. All conductors
  of a multiwire branch circuit shall originate from the same
  panelboard or similar distribution equipment.

  (B) Disconnecting Means. Each multiwire branch circuit
  shall be provided with a means that will simultaneously
  disconnect all ungrounded conductors at the point where
  the branch circuit originates.

  Informational Note: See 240.15(B) for information on the
  use of single-pole circuit breakers as the disconnecting means.

  (C) Line-to-Neutral Loads. Multiwire branch circuits
  shall supply only line-to-neutral loads.

  Exception No.1: A multiwire branch circuit that supplies
  only one utilization equipment.

  Exception No.2: Where all ungrounded conductors of the
  multiwire branch circuit are opened simultaneously by the
  branch-circuit overcurrent device.


I don't believe it to be a structural issue but a bad tape joint as @Tester101 mentioned in his comment. There's a slight possibility that this is a byproduct of a small roof leak too, tho not likely in a 5 year old home. Also, as @Tester101 mentioned, it's difficult to say without being able to physically inspect the structure ourselves.

Bubbles in taped joints are caused by not having enough mud behind the joint tape. If I were to fix this, I'd cut out most of that seam and redo it.


Draft coming out of water heater vent intake

Yes terminating down is a code requirement. It'll be more problematic if it's windy for a few days and you can't get hot water because its pressure switch continually trips.


Should my light fixture be grounded through the box?

Your wiring method is conduit.  Your box is grounded through the conduit.
The conduit is used as the grounding method.
You can see the locknut on the conduit in the box.
The other clue is colors, like the purple, in use meaning individual wire pulls through a raceway.  Actually all the wires are labeled, which is another indication that individual wires were used.
If non-metallic conduit was used, there would still need to be a grounding wire to the box, but you can see it’s metallic.


Does water run through a kitchen faucet sprayer when the faucet is off?

There is no water pressure to the sprayer unless the faucet itself is turned on.  You can verify this by simply depressing the handle on the sprayer while the faucet it off.


How to patch concrete as invisibly as possibe?

Coloring powders are available, but be sure to follow the directions exactly if you are targeting a specific shade. These can also be expensive, and tricky to use because because the color appears very different when mixed into wet concrete, compared to the final product. If your porch is bare concrete, I would skip the coloring powders and go right to a good ol' bag of Quikrete.

For prep: Using a concrete saw to cleanup the edges before filling the hole should help the seams appear less obvious. Whenever patching concrete, especially when that concrete is aged and weathered, it is very difficult to match the color. If you use Quikrete, you should be able to get a fairly smooth seem. Just use a trowel to smooth it over and gently "slap" the surface to ensure the aggregate sinks down. It would also be a good idea to prime the edges of the hole, to help ensure a good bond with the new concrete. Since this is outside, make sure the concrete does not freeze, or dry out too quickly.

*Tip - Use dirt or sand underneath the patch to build a 'foundation' for the concrete to rest on while it cures. Fill the area underneath the hole with dirt, then slowly pour a few gallons of water on it to make sure it fully settles before you put concrete on top of it, otherwise it could shift and disturb your new concrete.

Once you get a good idea of what the finished patch will look like in terms of color, you can decide from there if the color match is satisfactory. If you do not like the color of the patch, you can always stain the concrete. There are a lot of good concrete coloring products, like concrete stain and Concrete Etching Stains available. This will add an extra step, but if you were to stain the entire porch, not only would the patch all but disappear, but you would also improve the look and durability of your porch.


What are these large pieces of plexiglass?

They look like high-end desk chair mats, perhaps for use on carpet.


What's the difference between dimmable and non-dimmable LED lamps?

Most LED bulbs on the market are in fact dimmable, IF you use a CFL/LED dimmer.

Your "standard" dial or track dimmer is either just a big potentiometer or Rheostat that reduces voltage through resistance, or a slightly more efficient design called a TRIAC dimmer, which uses a specialized transistor design to attenuate the line voltage by turning the line on and off based on where the AC is in its "rhythm" or "phase".

These dimmers work just fine for incandescents, but cause problems for CFLs and LEDs. A CFL needs a big power spike to get started, but then as long as it gets enough power (about 13w for a 60W-equivalent) it'll happily produce full light. LEDs are similar, but instead of needing a power spike to get started, they need DC current, produced by first "stepping down" the AC current and then running it through a diode and capacitors to restrict the flow to one-way. This is the same technology used in AC adapter "wall warts". The problem here is that the capacitors, which charge when the power is flowing the "right way" through the diode and discharge when the power is blocked by it, hold plenty of charge to keep the LEDs going when the power is cut off for slightly longer periods, such as by a TRIAC dimmer. In fact, many of these AC/DC converters have some sort of rectifier, like a TRIAC or SRC, built in to attenuate the power (the transformer will exchange voltage for amperage, or vice-versa, so you have to further cut down the current from line level), so the capacitor bank is DESIGNED to handle this type of current.

CFL/LED dimmers reduce power in a different way; they turn the power on, then off for set periods of time (i.e. "on for 10ms, off for 5ms"; as opposed to TRIAC dimmers' "on as long as the phase isn't x degrees or closer to peak power"). This still reduces RMS power over the entire waveform, but it does so in a way that CFLs and LEDs respond to more readily.

You still need special bulbs as well as special dimmers to dim energy-efficient bulbs. CFLs need a ballast that can charge and discharge very quickly (the technology found in "instant-on" CFLs that can "ignite" within just a few milliseconds) in order to turn on and off fast enough to make a difference. LEDs, for their part, react more naturally to the longer "off" periods of a CFL dimmer than a TRAIC, and so most LEDs can be dimmed to some degree, but you don't get a very smooth dimming across the full range. Many newer ones instead use integrated circuitry (yes, there are computers in your freakin' light bulbs now) that will "sense" the on-off pattern and translate it to a more rapid succession of "clock pulses" to "blink" the LEDs. This bypasses any problems with the capacitors keeping the LEDs going and results in more gradual dimming.

Now, there are brand-new LED bulbs that are dimmable with TRIAC dimmers; the IC controller in the bulb is designed not only to correctly distinguish CFL dimmer "on-off" patterns, but TRIAC "on-off" patterns as well, so it can translate both of them into the rapid pulsing used to control LED light levels.


I would replace the spark plug and remove the air filter to make sure it isn't plugged up.  Then, while the air filter is still removed, spray a little starting fluid into the carb through the hole under the air filter and start it up.  If it runs for just a couple seconds and dies, that means the gas in your carb was probably bad.  Starting it with the starting fluid a couple of times will work that out, and it should start running fine.  Keep your face and other body parts away from the hole you spray the starting fluid into so you don't get burned by a backfire.  Put the air filter back on after you get it running.

Other common fixes are pinched or clogged fuel lines or a clogged fuel filter, but if you're smelling gas, that probably isn't the problem.

You should also check that the spark arrester in the exhaust pipe isn't clogged up with carbon. Undo small bolt adjacent to exhaust pipe and remove insert. All small holes should be clear.


It's bonded, alright
Meter-main boxes like yours have their neutral bars permanently bonded to the case at the factory, and thus have a notation on their label saying that they are "suitable only for use as service equipment" (emphasis mine).  In your case, this is done through the mounting of the left-hand bar; if you look closely at it, you'll notice that there is no insulator between it and the case, unlike the neutral bars on a typical loadcenter, which are mounted on insulators (whether they be part of the backpan the busbars are attached to, or separate standoffs).


There should be zero difference in the safety between the least and most expensive furnace.  The major differences will feature related.  Any modern furnace purchased in the US meets the appropriate ASTM, NFPA, et al, specifications.

More expensive furnaces will features like:

Humidifers, multi zone heating ability, economizer, multiple heat exchangers for additional burner efficiency, VFDs to vary the blower fan speed, more advanced burner ignition systems, improved filtration and some even come with electrostatic precipitators built in to help improve your IAQ (indoor air quality).

However, you will not get a "safer" furnace by purchasing a more expensive one.  I guess there is one caveat - eliminating a pilot light ignition is safer as you don't have to worry about the light blowing out and having that gas leaking, but I don't think anyone is building pilot light furnaces anymore (don't quote me on that).  So if there's any recommendation I can make - buy one sans pilot light.

And just like any other consumer product - a lot of times you will pay a big premium to purchase products from a marketing company which has an HVAC division... (if you catch my drift)

Make sure to get at least 3 estimates to replace that furnace from reputable mechanical contractors (not big box store resellers who just farm out work to a mechanical contractor).


Closed-cell foam insulation is a vapor barrier itself. If this closed-cell foam is continuous, then you shouldn't have any issues. If it is just in the cavities between wood studs, then the studs may act as thermal bridges which may result in condensation on the humid side if the studs get cold enough.


How can I remove the switches that control outlets?

It would have been simpler to just connect the bottom outlet's live (the black) to the top outlet live on each pair.

The switched live wire (red normally) should be connected through to the end and labeled in each spot (this allows the next guy to restore some outlets to the switched setup).


How can I build an insert on a desk that adjusts the height of a sewing machine?

My sister has a working surface for this purpose as well. Except there isn't a mechanical swivel to raise and lower it.

There is simply a drop in the desk where the machine fits. Like a small cubby, lowered from the surface. If you were to search for "sewing desk" I'm sure this is what you'd see.

Then, when she isn't sewing, a piece of glass fits into a shallow rim around this hole to make the work surface completely flat.

Consider this log at IKEA Hackers:
http://www.ikeahackers.net/2012/07/melltorp-to-sewing-desk.html

A simple cut-out, except that the surface piece is removable.


How do I protect myself from bad contracting jobs?

Comfort level, commonsense and walk away is about all you've got on your side. Yes, services like Home Advisor and Angies List do have some pull, but if the contractor's gone bad then those services can't reason with them.

First off, don't give any down-money and cancel everything with that contractor. Short jobs of a week or 2, by good contractors, will only require payment or start of payments upon completion.

Longer projects of a month or more, with a good contractor, won't require money until demolition is done and a discovery of any obstacles is discussed and planned with the "estimate" being converted to an "Invoice" with an updated Contract...if needed.

Then, the written Contract will spell-out the agreed payment schedule with goals achieved by the contractor before another payment is made or the establishment of a payment plan or financing. A payment schedule should start with no more than 25% and a payment plan should be no more than 10%.

Once the money is fair and square, then you need to possibly force constant communication and take an active interest in the project. Ask how things are going, ask to be shown any problems and ask about sub-contractors or materials that were to have shown up.

If things change and the project is falling behind, communication ceases, work turns sloppy or daily clean-up stops. Then, stop everything and calmly discuss your concerns before the whole crew (if any). Yes, you may have to take off from work to address the changes you're noticing.

If you're met with attitude from someone you thought you had a good relationship with and nothing's getting re-planned nor resolved, then fire them and provide a partial next payment. You must always be prepared to have another contractor take over regardless of project delay.

This is your money and your home or business and he, she or they better shape up back to how it all started or it's time for them to ship out, period. Building Inspectors, the BBB, Lawyers and the contractor's Insurance Company won't and don't act or do any good until there's gross rubber-stamp negligence.

It's always a gamble and the pressures of any work can get to anyone. But, a professional will re-group, slow down and re-trace or apologize and thank you for picking up what they dropped and get things right back on track. You act professional and they'll act professional.

Don't get paranoid and do realize the stage or phase of the project before jumping to the worst your mind can imagine. Observe, take pictures and notes and give it a day or 3 to correct itself. The contractor and crew want to hear your interest in their process and your praise of their work, but whining and complaining will kill their morale.


Lighting in the hall: How to substitute a missing wire?

My instinct would be to either go ahead and pull the third wire, or to try to solve this with something like the Lutron remote switches.


How much space do I need at the top of the stairs?

Yes, a landing is required at the top and bottom of residential stairs. The simple answer is it should be 36" in the direction of travel. (There is an "exception" to that, but does not apply to you. )

To solve your problem, (and I get points taken off my "reputation" for offering advice that doesn't stick to the question, but I'll offer it anyway...) try a 2 or 3 step winding step stair (pie-shaped treads) for the last few steps. Basically you're making a 90 degree "left-turn" at the top of the stairs. There are several requirements to those steps, which I'm not smart enough to figure out, but basically each step should not be less than 6" wide "where you walk". Where-you-walk is defined as a point 12" from the narrowest point of each step... Oh, the widest depth of a "winder " step can't be more than 12" at furthest point out...

Don't forget the handrail (mount between 32" and 38" from nosing of each step.) Handrails in residential construction is required on one side of stair only.


How can I keep lizards away from my room?

Get a cat

Get them jobs
I've heard they tend to enjoy selling insurance.

Mothballs?
Mothballs seem to be a popular recommendation.

Garlic: Not just for Dracula anymore.
Ever since Twilight, garlic has lost popularity as a vampire deterrent. Give it new life as a lizard repellent.

Onions
They keep my boss away, maybe they'll keep lizards away too.

Call Captain Kirk


Are the plastic covers where the plug is inserted remove able so a different color one can be used?

There are cover plates which cover the receptacle and not just the surrounding space. I don't know if there are problems with them or not. They do cost more than a standard cover plate. There are different shapes of receptacles and one might have to get a cover which fits the type of receptacle one has.

In any case one never has to "change the entire box". The box is not visible when a cover plate is in place. The box is fastened to framing in the wall. What one might have to change is the receptacle inside the box. The receptacle is screwed to the box and has the wires attached to it.

The usual procedure for changing the color exposed to the room is to change the receptacle and its cover plate together. This may be what you meant by changing the entire box. If so, one shuts off the breaker to that circuit, removes the cover plate, unscrews the two screws holding the receptacle in the box, pulls out the receptacle, detaches the wires from the receptacle (usually by loosening screws) and the receptacle is free. Installing the new receptacle is just the reverse. This is a simple and straightforward procedure for an experienced DIYer, but for someone who has never done it it has pitfalls.


Flood safe/auto-shutoff hose triggering for no reason

When you look at the amazon reviews on Floodsafe hoses, most of them say the same thing, great idea, but they shutoff too easily. That, and they won't stop a small leak, only a catastrophic rupture. So your best bet is to replace them with a non-floodsafe high quality hose.

If you're going to be away for an extended time, have someone check on your place from time to time, and it doesn't hurt to shutoff the water.


water pressure high after using hot water

Interestingly, working check valves (you noted in the other question that they were replaced) are essentially what cause this problem, your water heater is raising the temp of the water in the system (it's expanding) and it has nowhere to go, it can't flow back toward the street to equalize pressure thanks to the backflow preventing check valves, so it builds.

This is exactly what hot water / thermal expansion tanks are meant to mitigate. You either don't have one or yours is malfunctioning. They are typically made of a tank pressurized with air and a bladder inside to let the water push against it as the pressure builds, since air compresses relatively easily compared to water.  If there is a leak on the air side of this tank, it will fill with water and not react at all to the changing pressure.


Cons of Not Refinishing Worn Wood Floor?

It really depends on how tough you will be on the floors.  Big difference between a man living alone vs. a family of 8 with two dogs.  Note that the areas that are worn are probably the high traffic areas, so you will probably be hitting those the most too.

The issue is that if there isn't any sort of protective layer, the wood will wear substantially quicker.  Meaning if you just leave the floors and you really abuse the already worn layers, they may have to be sanded further down and therefor the rest of the floor has to be sanded further down.

My suggestion is, before you move in put a couple of quick coats of poly down on the floor.  This is about $100-150 and a DIY job.  Since you are planning on having them refinished in a couple of years you can use this as a barometer if you can do it yourself in a few years (it is easier than you think as most wood is very forgiving).


Options for fixing leaking polybutylene water service line

I would either minimize the repair and have them spot fix the line and at that time inspect it to verify its structural integrity, or maximize the repair and run a new polyethylene pipe including going under the footing and inside properly due to the reasons mentioned.  This is invasive and will require multiple trades (concrete, excavation, possible wall repair, etc) for access and repairs but running main lines external to the wall sounds like a problem waiting to happen.

PB usually reacts with the additives to the city water and breaks down or it stays just fine.  But deterioration is usually from the inside out though so you have to cut the line to tell.  So if your line is still structurally intact there is a chance having the leak repaired could be a long term solution.

How many times can you have a leak repaired over how many years before it equals the cost of a new main line?


How can I tell if my gas fire is fitted correctly?

Um, wow. Rule #1 of home improvement: If it doesn't look right, it probably isn't. Looks like you can see the manufacturer's tag there behind the bar with the ignition. I'd contact them and see what they say; they're the only ones who can say for sure.


One method, if you have spare tiles left over from the original installation, is to remove the damaged tile and the grout around the tile. Removal of the damaged tile needs to be done carefully so as to not damage adjacent tile. One recommendation is to drill holes in the tile and then break it up in smallish pieces with a chisel between the holes. Then after cleaning out the whole area under the tile a spare one can then be re-set in place and re-grouted.

A patch may be possible by filling the divot with a white epoxy. Doing so on a vertical surface will require some finnesse. Fixing by this method will require the hole to be clean, very dry and all loose chips and crumbs to be removed. (From looking at your picture it appears that there is an additional small part of the glazed surface that would have to be removed).

Note that you can also purchase ceramic tile chip and crack repair kits.


Is it better to have two A/C compressors running or just one?

I would install a split system with a single compressor. A mini split system is very efficient and is designed to supply cooling seperatly where needed the compressor condenser units only run at the speed needed to supply the load on the units I have installed. Electricity is expensive but a 2nd compressor will end up costing significanty more compared to 1 compressor with 2 evaporators (or more) because with 2 you now need 2 disconnects and the extra wiring since they will be in the same location. The only time I would suggest to have 2 compressors is when the home is large and the pressure and suction lines to the evaporators get long in this case it can be cheaper to have units located on opposite sides of the home reducing the line set length. But since the compressors will be located in the same location I would go with a single sized for the evaporators you need.


Reverse Osmosis Tank Not Filling After Filter Change

I can only think of two things to check and the first I hate to even ask. 1) did you forget to open the valve at the top of the tank? 2) Check to make sure none of the tubing became crimped or pinched anywhere. Unless you removed more connections than needed, system flow should not have changed but here is diagram of system (you may have one more filter in line with the charcoal filter) http://www.waterfiltersonline.com/installation-diagram-4-5-stg.asp


What are my vapor-barrier options under Hardie siding?

You have asked several questions at once so a little difficult to give you the answers you want.
First, Hardy backer board is a newer, lighter,  substitute for concrete board and usually used in bathrooms and under tile installations. I have never seen it used on exterior walls as a sheathing.

Second, the huberZip system is from Advantec. I love Advantec sheathing and subflooring. I'm sure it does what it says, but it is pricey compared to OSB sheathing and tyvec. Selecting a product because of price is not what we do here. An OSB, or any T&G exterior sheathing with properly installed and taped Tyvec or a house brand wrap also works very well.

Third, a true vapor barrier is installed on the heated side of the wall studs, not under or over the exterior sheathing. the wall cavities and insulation must have a a way to breath. They will breath and excessive moisture should escape through the exterior siding. Tyvec is not a vapor barrier, it is an air penetration barrier, just like the new Zip system. they both stop liquid water infiltration, but water vapor is a different story, it must be able to pass through. On wet, foggy or very humid days, humidity gets into the wall cavity, the vapor barrier keeps it out of the living space. When the weather conditions are better, the moisture migrates out of the wall cavity through the siding, thus drying the wall.

I hope this has answered some of your questions.  Good luck on your project.


Short answer, no.

From my personal experience with replacing the gas line for my water heater:

Don't buy on Amazon. Go to your local store if possible because if you buy the wrong thing (which you'll inevitably do if you don't know exactly what you're doing), returning it is a pain. Besides that, some plumbing products on Amazon seem to be more expensive for some reason.
All pipe should have NPT threads. Lead free brass is only useful when you're dealing with potable water. Gas applications shouldn't matter
I just used black steel because it's significantly cheaper than brass and since there's no water running through it to rust it, it'll work just fine.
Make sure you use a teflon type tape that is rated for gas lines.


Unfinished basement electrical re-wiring, protecting cables on cinderblock, also corrosion concerns

Having lived in Dayton in the 80’s and having a basement, I had a similar experience 1 switch for a light over the washer dryer and 1 120v duplex and a single 240v for the dryer. I used Romex for the wiring with EMT down the walls to the boxes that were anchored to the walls with a strap  close to the top and box. since I had the receptacles at 4’ this met code. I used tapcons or that type of concrete screw for the straps and boxes.  I pulled the main panel loose from the masonry wall and anchored a 3/4” plywood behind the panel with screws holding panel to the plywood.  I had planed to finish the basement so I had receptacles placed on the walls (at 6’ intervals not 12 as code allows) today unfinished basements require GFCI with the 2017 code  (I haven’t checked the 2020 code) but Ohio has had a similar adoption of the code to my current state so the 17 code will probably be enforce until May and 2020 code enforcement in November.
As far as wet damp location, other than bathrooms I have never been questioned using Romex inside a building envelope or in the living spaces. You can check with your local inspectors, I had no problems back when I rewired my entire cape cod as it was wired with white as the hot! Yikes !  And finished the basement. The inspector liked the panel mounted on the plywood and verified that I did not use wood plugs. Other than that I really don’t remember him checking anything other than polarity and ground. I did create 4 lighting zones , my man cave & bar area, the washer& furnace, the bathroom area and the stairway lights that also lit the area to the panel no more pull strings. When I added the internal walls I tapped the receptacle circuits for the new walls and added 3way switches at the entry to the 3 areas that were originally a single switch at the bottom of the stairs the stairwell was always 3 way I added the lights to the panel to that circuit.
This is what I did back then GFCI was not required but today since it will be unfinished you will need GFCI protection by an outlet or breaker for the receptacles, I don’t know if Ohio has an exemption for dedicated washing machines like Oregon has but knowing how often GFCI protection fails on motor loads if you have the option to have a dedicated non GFCI I would recommend it.


I Did Something Really Dumb With My Oven, Suggestions? - KitchenAid kebs107sss00 Woes

To unlock the oven door, fashion a hook out of coat hanger wire. While putting moderate opening pressure on the door handle, disengage the latch by pulling it to the side with the hook.


Calculating Battery Size for 2 Channel NVR Security Camera System

Battery Size
I would want a battery sized, as already suggested by others, roughly 2x your total expected daily output (based on summer days = more usage). That would keep you to 50% discharge on the shortest nights (but remember, you have a couple of months of those in a row) and less on the longest nights (all confusing because this is the exact reverse of the typical "charge with solar in the day and discharge at night"). In other words, calculate your total usage, multiply by the number of hours of the longest day (i.e., longest discharge time) and then double it. That is your battery size requirement. Let's say (for simplicity) it is 70W x 16 hours = 1,120 Wh x 2 = 2,240 Wh. 2,240/12 = 187 Amp-hours. So using your 100 Amp-hour 12V batteries, I would go with 2 of them.
Make sure the batteries can handle the cycles - you are talking about a significant (~ 50%) cycle EVERY DAY. Some battery chemistries can handle that a lot better than others.
Charger Size
Get a MUCH bigger battery charger. 12V 5A = 60W - that is roughly the same as your discharge rate, so at best on a 12/12 (spring/fall) day you would be breakeven. I'd want to charge at least 2x the expected discharge rate to have a fighting chance for long nights and other factors. Obviously the batteries have to be able to handle it, but if your batteries can support it then I would look for a charger that, at peak, charges on the order of 140W for your 70W usage.
AC/DC
Why convert from DC to AC if your equipment (a) can't ever use AC directly because the AC isn't available during the time you need power (which is also quite unusual) and (b) your equipment is all electronics that generally run on DC anyway. You may need some sort of regulator (perhaps as simple as a "car cigarette lighter power adapter") to use 12V DC, but that will avoid the losses of DC->AC->DC conversion, which will further reduce power usage.


Can I use a wood top plate on top of a steel track to build a roof-bearing steel frame?

We design from the top down and build from the bottom up. I’ve learned that staying with “standard building techniques” in both the design and construction phases will save time and money.
We design custom homes and when we use a product that’s never been shipped west of the Mississippi, then we’ll pay extra for that particular product and pay extra for the labor to prep and install, because the local contractors are not familiar with that product.
Likewise, if we design a 12’ diameter curved wall in the house, we’d better have a good reason, because that wall will cost extra.
Likewise, if you design a composite wall construction detail, you’d better have a good reason because you’re going to pay extra.
Standard building practices tend to use either steel or wood, but not combined because they are not familiar to 1) codes review technicians, 2) building inspectors, 3) sub-contractors who will need to adjust their products to fit the new technique, and 4) General Contractors who will need to coordinate scheduling, miscellaneous materials to finish installations, etc.
There are some issues with your assumptions. Steel construction does NOT make rooms more or less soundproof. (Staggered stud construction, double wall construction, types of materials used on and in the wall, etc. all help with sound control.) Steel construction (non-combustible construction) is for better fire resistance, not better soundproofing.
Summary:
There’s a reason that you’re not finding “typical” construction “details” (as you call it) because it’s not done often or frequently. Mixing construction systems will increase costs and may eliminate some contractors from participating.


You’ll need to determine the cause of the broken tile, or you’ll need to remove everything down to a solid base.

The broken tiles could be from: 1) settlement, 2) heat expansion, 3) bad original installation, 4) extra heavy load applied, 5) tenant vandalism

BTW, when you add your wall base, mortar, grout, etc., make sure it’s resistant to heat. Otherwise it will sag when heated.


How to solve Hot Upstairs but cold basement

George Anderson is right. Balancing air flow is the easiest and most cost effective solution. Obviously, cold air is heavier than warm air. In the summer you need to direct AC air flow to higher floors and restrict it on lower floors. In the winter you reverse this directing heat to the downstairs and letting it rise via convection to upper floors.
Ceiling fans also help if used properly. To cool use mid to high speeds blowing down in the summer. In winter use slow speeds blowing up in order to bring warm sir from the ceiling down the walls.


How do you wire and replace an old bathroom vanity light fixture

Not all fixtures need junction boxes. Some fixtures have a built-in junction box like florescent light fixtures or bathroom fan/light combination fixtures, so it will depend on what you're putting up there. If one is needed, then you're correct with your plan. Turn off the breaker that controls the circuit. You'd want a metal old work box and would connect your armored cable to with with the connector from your old fixture. Test you wires for voltage, 120V, black to white and black to the armored shield, which would mean the armored cable is grounded. Make your fixture connections and mount it to the junction box. Turn on the breaker and flip your light switch.


If you're using Redgard as a moisture barrier (which I assume is what you're doing) you tape and mortar all the joints.  Once that's dry, you Redgard over all the cement board and mortar with two coats (1 coat = crack isolation for concrete floors, 2 coats = waterproofing membrane).


Shower drain: plunger helps but only momentarily

A slow-draining shower is often caused by hair caught on the crossbar where the screw that holds the strainer attaches. Unscrew the screw in the middle of the strainer and lift out the strainer and the screw. If there's a bunch of hair there, pull it out. (Ewww...).


How do I replace an A/C diffuser attached to flex duct?

It's a butterfly style diffuser damper. Home depot sells them, but I don't see one that has the long collar that you would want to attaching to the flex tube.

Your best bet is finding an online retailer that supplies parts for the flex duct systems. I see this one from a google search that includes the grille and damper box:


How do I remove this recessed light bulb?

That conical thing in the ceiling and it's white flange that fits against the ceiling will typically pull down and be removed. It should have springy wire fingers that fit up into part of the fixture. Once you have that out of the way the bulb will be easy to access.


I'd add a mortar plasticiser to a cement to building sand render mix made at a ratio of about 1:4 - I believe your namesake Travis Perkins offer a suitable product ;)

Damp the wall thoroughly before applying the render to slow down the transfer of water from the mortar to the wall.

I guess you could also use a layer of PVA ontop of the wall before rendering to provide some kind of barrier but that's not something I've done personally.


Carpet badly burned, do I need to replace the whole thing?

It is possible to replace a section of carpet if you have a piece that is large enough. To tell the truth you will be able to see the section in most cases, to see other splices look at the doorways that have carpet you can usually see a line, sometimes the “grain” of the carpet is wrong so it even shows worse.

If you have a large enough pice and want to try you can rent an seaming iron (or buy one for ~50$,  seaming tape will also be needed, the place I used to rent my iron from usually had tape for .50 per foot.

Once you have your scrap, iron and tape a good sharp razor knife is needed cut your hole out. Place the scrap over the hole and rotate it 90 deg and see if one orientation looks better. Cut the scrap pice for a very tight fit.
Cut 4 strips of the seaming tape longer than the sides,

Heat the iron make sure to have a place to set it as the hot glue will mess up the carpet between pieces.
Make sure to do the most visible strip first and do the strip that will be least visible last.
Place the first strip of tape under the first edge overlapping on the back side, place the hot iron on the tape it will take a second to heat the glue but you are also heating the back of the carpet. Start pulling the iron until it reached the end pressing the carpet into the glue. Pull iron out set on tray. Wait for that to cool.
Once that is cool put another strip under and repeat, let cool, then repeat making sure to let each section cool before moving on until done.

As I said you may always see the spot but if you do a good job others may not notice it, don’t over vacuum this area it will look slightly different for a while but the beater bar on a vacuum can cause a runner, clip them if you see them at just slightly below the average height.

If you take this on let us know how it turns out. And good luck.


heat pump/air conditioning wiring to thermostat

I found the solution by playing with it. On the new thermostat, remove the blue and grey wires, as they are just relays to the temperature sensor. Black goes to C, and link E and AUX. In the thermostat settings, go to option 170 and change it to option 2 for heat-pump settings. This process did the trick for me.


Just get a stainless steel sheet and run over it with a propane torch.  It will oxidize the steel and you can get a variety of colors.  Lighter temps give yellows, golds, bronze going to purple and blue as the heat is higher.
Once you get what you want you will need to put Urethane or something tough over it because the oxide layer is thin and can scratch off.  If you make a mistake you can steel wool it off and try again.


Plumber Broke A Wire Doing Repairs, Can I Charge Them for Electrical Work?

First off....WOW! Two grand to troubleshoot and repair a broken wire? That's sounds waaay high. That should cover a Journeyman electrician for a week. I think they based their price on the value of your home.

Second, if everything was working fine prior to the plumbers visit I would definitely ask for a back charge from your HOA.

Good luck!


Causes for fireplace insert not heating house

Fireplaces (insert or not, though insert is typically better than not) are usually a poor choice for heating a building, and are generally not intended for that purpose, but rather as an entertainment device.

As for the thermostats, they will simply stop circulating hot water if the fireplace is helping - making a dent in alternate fuel use - the temperature will only rise if the fireplace is supplying more heat than the building needs, which might require a very mild day and a hot fire, depending on the construction and insulation of the building.

As a rule, a woodstove is generally a far more effective heater than a fireplace of any sort. Some with a good window setup can still be pyrotechnic entertainment as well.


Far from being an expert, here is my personal experience: silicon dry spray alone inside the cylinder, and  WD40 on the sliding mechanism.

As for the cylinder, I had been advised to use  graphite dust or silicon dry spray (non-greasy) by different key makers. I first used graphite dust, but it tended to agglomerate, so I finally used air duster cleaning to remove graphite dust and grease employed by former owners, during a hot day so that the old graphite & grease mix was liquid enough to pour out of the lock.

One important lesson I learned to never leave keys plugged inside the lock, because it prematurely ages the mechanisms.

Additional source: LocksOnline : help  maintain  locks


What is involved in installing a free-standing electric oven range?

In most cases when you purchase a free-standing electric range, you'll be required to purchase the appliance cord separately.  The sales person should ask if you need a 3 or 4 prong cord, at the time of purchase.

NEC Article 250.140 Frames of Ranges and Clothes Dryers. requires 4 prong receptacles and appliance cords to be used in new installations, but allows 3 prong receptacles to be used  if the following conditions are met.

1) The supply circuit is 120/240-volt, single-phase, 3-wire; or 208Y/120-volt derived from a 3-phase, 4-wire, wye-connected system.

This will almost always be true in a residential setting.

(2) The grounded conductor is not smaller than 10 AWG copper or 8 AWG aluminum.

It's not likely your wire will not meet this condition (unless it's really old).

(3) The grounded conductor is insulated, or the grounded conductor is uninsulated and part of a Type SE service entrance cable and the branch circuit originates at the service equipment.

Again, the supply cable will almost always meet this condition in residential.

(4) Grounding contacts of receptacles furnished as part of the equipment are bonded to the equipment.

This just means that if there are receptacles on the range (I havn't seen this in many years), they must be bonded to the chassis (which should have been done by the manufacturer).

Plugging in a new electric range will not require the circuit to be brought up to current codes, so you should have no problem using a 3 prong appliance cord (in most situations).

It's a good idea to get somebody that has some experience with electrical work to install the cord, since improper installation can lead to injury, fire, and death. The basic idea is that you don't want to restrict conductivity in any way, so you'll want to make sure the terminals are tightened to the proper torque (a conductive paste is sometimes applied to insure adequate conductivity).

While you may be tempted to save a few bucks using the old appliance cord, this is usually not the best idea.  Over time the cord may become brittle or develop corrosion, which can both lead to increased resistance, which leads to excess heat buildup, which leads to failure and/or fire.  It's not worth the risk, spend the ~$20.00.

Make sure you read the manual before installing the range, and follow any and all manufacture instructions.


Why would there be a timer in the master closet?

Thus looks exactly like the timer we used to have hooked up to our water heater. We had it set to turn the water heater on at certain times right before we knew we would need hot water.


100 + 100 ≠ 200

First off -- you do not need a 200A service to feed two 100A panelboards, provided the total load as determined by NEC Article 220's calculations does not exceed the service ampacity.  This is a consequence of the how 230.90(A) Exception 3 interacts with 230.40 Exception 2 and your specific setup (bold running text mine for emphasis, italics theirs):

  230.90 Where Required.

  Each ungrounded service conductor shall have overload protection.

  (A) Ungrounded Conductor. Such protection shall be
  provided by an overcurrent device in series with each ungrounded service conductor that has a rating or setting not
  higher than the allowable ampacity of the conductor. A set
  of fuses shall be considered all the fuses required to protect
  all the ungrounded conductors of a circuit. Single-pole circuit breakers, grouped in accordance with 230.71(B), shall
  be considered as one protective device.

  Exception No. 1: For motor-starting currents, ratings that
  comply with 430.52, 430.62, and 430.63 shall be permitted.

  Exception No.2: Fuses and circuit breakers with a rating
  or setting that complies with 240.4(B) or (C) and 240.6
  shall be permitted.

  Exception No.3: Two to six circuit breakers or sets of
  fuses shall be permitted as the overcurrent device to provide the overload protection. The sum of the ratings of the
  circuit breakers or fuses shall be permitted to exceed the
  ampacity of the service conductors, provided the calculated
  load does not exceed the ampacity of the service
  conductors.

  Exception No.4: Overload protection for fire pump supply
  conductors shall comply with 695.4(B)(2)(a).

  Exception No.5: Overload protection for 120/240-volt,
  3-wire, single-phase dwelling services shall be permitted in
  accordance with the requirements of 310.15(B)(7).

(Note that exception 5 has to do with the 310.15(B)(7) allowances for residential service conductor sizing -- they need to be taken into account when determining the total ampacity of your service and the ampacity of your individual sets of service entrance conductors, but stop there.)

A tale of a misplaced panelboard

But, there's more! While what the electrician did (putting a second main panel on your service) would have been OK when done properly as it would fall under 2014 NEC 230.40, exception 2 (bold running text mine for emphasis, italics theirs):

  230.40 Number of Service-Entrance Conductor Sets.

  Each service drop, set of overhead service conductors, set
  of underground service conductors, or service lateral shall
  supply only one set of service-entrance conductors.

  Exception No.1: A building with more than one occupancy shall be permitted to have one set of service-
  entrance conductors for each service, as defined in 230.2,
  run to each occupancy or group of occupancies. If the
  number of service disconnect locations for any given classification of service does not exceed six, the requirements of
  230.2(E) shall apply at each location. If the number of
  service disconnect locations exceeds six for any given supply classification, all service disconnect locations for all
  supply characteristics, together with any branch circuit or
  feeder supply sources, if applicable, shall be clearly described using suitable graphics or text, or both, on one or
  more plaques located in an approved, readily accessible
  location(s) on the building or structure served and as near
  as practicable to the point(s) of attachment or entry(ies) for
  each service drop or service lateral, and for each set of
  overhead or underground service conductors.

  Exception No.2: Where two to six service disconnecting
  means in separate enclosures are grouped at one location
  and supply separate loads from one service drop, set of
  overhead service conductors, set of underground service
  conductors, or service lateral, one set of service-entrance
  conductors shall be permitted to supply each or several
  such service equipment enclosures.

  Exception No.3: A single-family dwelling unit and its
  accessory structures shall be permitted to have one set of
  service-entrance conductors run to each from a single service drop, set of overhead service conductors, set of underground service conductors, or service lateral.

  Exception No.4: Two-family dwellings, multi-family dwellings, and multiple occupancy buildings shall be permitted
  to have one set of service-entrance conductors installed to
  supply the circuits covered in 210.25.

  Exception No.5: One set of service-entrance conductors
  connected to the supply side of the normal service disconnecting means shall be permitted to supply each or several
  systems covered by 230.82(5) or 230.82(6).

However, your electrician screwed up when he put the second panel on the outside of your garage, as that ruins the grouping required by 230.40, exception 2 and 230.72(A):

  230.72 Grouping of Disconnects.

  (A) General. The two to six disconnects as permitted in
  230.71 shall be grouped. Each disconnect shall be marked
  to indicate the load served.

So, in any case, you'll need to have the electrician move the second panelboard inside to a spot next to where the first one lives, or replace the first panelboard with an exterior unit that can be mounted next to where the new one lives.


It depends on soil conditions. I build on the flat many walls with stable soil behind the wall I build flat to flat no mortar straight up but will back fill with pea gravel or river rock to allow it to drain.

In some cases I will stager each block back a 1/4 or ~ 6mm back this works without mortar with stable ground.

With the above cases for loose soil that may shift I will mortar in place without pillars.

I have seen pillars used and rectangular blocks on edge , it was interesting and much less expensive but I did not think it would hold up as well, I cannot say if it has held up as I haven’t been in that town for years. 1 meter is not a lot but it depends on soil conditions and I like free standing blocks or rail road ties pinned together  for small walls so some opinion and some soil conditions make a difference.


How to attach beadboard to plaster walls without blowing out nails?

Nail guns into concrete need big power behind them, I almost said "powder" and that's the truth.  Concrete rated nail guns use a black powder charge. They are literally nail bullets.

Random screws made for wood aren't going to go into concrete either.  That expectation is completely unrealistic. There are screws specifically made for concrete, but they require pre-drilling.  There are drills specifically made for concrete.

The fact that the concrete is cracked will present a problem for drills. (Tunnel boring machines making railway tunnels have the same problem.)  The BANGnailer probably won't mind so much.


What could cause a brand new fluorescent fixture to not work?

It's most likely just a defective ballast in the new fixture. Failure rate of course varies brand by brand, but none of them are immune to having a wonky ballast fly through the QA process.

I keep replacement ballasts around just like replacement lamps. Since they are rather cheap in most cases, I'd buy one (to test), then keep a small stock for the various types of fixtures that you have.


(Memorializing the answer I suggested in comments, since OP says it’s correct)

If it looks like RG6 and an RG6 connector is hard to slide on, then it’s likely RG6Q or quad shielded RG6 cable.  You’ll need a connector marked for RG6Q, such as this:

RG6 and RG6Q “look” very similar but the specs are different enough to require RG6Q connectors.  (Also RG59 is much smaller than RG6 so if you’re having trouble getting an RG6 connector on then it’s most likely quad cable.)


Do I need to rip 1/4 of an inch off of my 2x8s to build box steps

You don’t set the fence at 7” and try to control wobbling.  You set the fence at 1/8 inch plus a 1/8” kerf.
Easy cut that way.


How do I know it is safe to hammer a nail into thin wood?

I would be using small screws - easily available in lengths less than 1/2" but you are also helped by the bracket thickness.
Also you should drill pilot holes for the screws - make sure you plan the positions so that you don’t coincide with any letters.
Messing this up will affect the stability of your home life so measure carefully twice then cut once.


Why does turning on one light turn off a different light?

You mentioned having a 3 way switch for the pantry.  Is there actually a second switch somewhere that is also supposed to control the pantry light, or did someone just throw in a 3 way switch in a situation where a normal, single pole switch would have worked?  How many screws are present on the switch that controls your fan and fan light, not counting the green grounding screw?

Where does the power enter this circuit?  It could enter the box with the double light switch, the box for the pantry light switch, the box the fan is mounted on, or the box that the pantry light is mounted on.

Helping you rewire this mess to work properly is going to require detailed information about exactly what wires are present in each location.  There are several "right" ways to do the wiring in this situation, and picking the RIGHT "right" way for you will depend upon what wires are already present.

I'm going to go out on a limb with one possible answer to your question.  Just keep in mind that it's only a guess since I don't have all of the information needed to know for sure.

You know how a duplex receptacle has 2 sets of connections on it, and you can run power in to the top two screws and out through the bottom two screws and on to the next outlet, right?  Well, it may be possible that some very inexperienced person in the past saw a 3 or 4 way light switch and thought they could do the same thing.  If they tried to daisy chain the power between light switches the way you would do it between receptacles, and they chose just the right (or, in this case, WRONG) way to attempt it, it could lead to your current situation.

In any case, the situation needs to be fixed sooner rather than later.  The fact that your lights are functioning this way indicates that whoever did the electrical work had absolutely no idea what he was doing, and he VERY likely created unsafe conditions in your home.  If you aren't up to making a diagram of the current wiring configuration for us to look at here, then you really, really need to get an electrician in to sort out your problems before your house burns down or someone gets electrocuted.


How to find houses on types of land with less risk of damage from earthquakes?

If you're in a first world country, talk to your local planning commission.  They should have huge amounts of data about seismic stability down to a block-by-block resolution.  They will have information in a detail that is far beyond your current understanding of the field, so be prepared to learn a lot!

They can tell you block by block, even property by property, where the risks are, where they are not, and how to build for best survivability.  That last bit will be mandatory, actually.

Having licked the earthquake problem, you really ought to think about the far more dangerous factors in earthquake country: the brothers Wildfire and Mudslides.


How to tell if 2x4 is untreated and safe for indoor project?

Easy way: did you buy it INSIDE the store? - then it's not PT - they store that out where it can stay nice and wet.

That's a KD (kiln dried) stud - it's not PT. It's not greenish, as well, which is a somewhat blatant clue.


How do you (safely) test a GFCI circuit breaker from the outlet when the circuit has no ground?

Get a three to two prong adapter and run a wire from an actual ground to the little tab, then use your button tester.


Rattling noise in Bosch WFK2401UC Compact Washer on spin

I found the problem. Indeed it was change in the washer. I removed the lower trim panel, drained the water out (there is a small hose with a cap), then removed the cover for the pump. Out fell a penny. That's right, a single penny made all that noise. The edges of the penny were silver from rolling around in the pump area. What uncovered this process for me was the manual detailing how to clean the pump:
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/19311/Bosch-Wfk-2401.html?page=19#manual
What a relief! Machine works great, no issues or noise now!


First Co Air handler + Gas Hot Water boiler: Connect thermostat for gas or electric?

I'm going to try to explain this as simply as possible. Most air handling units having several speeds available on the motor usually at least 4. Normally the board will have at least two speeds, one for heat and one for cool. In the old days the lower heat speed was to eliminate the possibility of flue gas condensation as the units, be it oil or gas were not designed to handle the slightly acidic condensate. Nowadays most units are high efficiency condensing units. Everything is still designed around the lower fan speed, and that's a good thing. It's quieter, allows for a longer and thus more efficient heat cycle. All the heat loss calculations, duct sizes, unit capacities and fan speeds are set up with this lower fan speed in mind. Electric resistive elements generate alot of heat for the resistive metal handle and need the higher fan speed to remove the heat before burning themselves up.

Air-Conditioning has a very specific cfm(cubic feet per minute) per ton of cooling. 400 cfm per ton of air across the evaporator. So if you have a 2 ton air-conditioner you need 800cfm.

The thermostat on cooling energizes R(24v) to Y(compressor) and G (fan). On heat with gas selected, as you know energizes R to W(heat).

In your case, running a hydronic coil it's a balance between comfortable noise level, capacity and efficiency. Being connected to a water heater and not a boiler, return temperature is irrelevant. So that rules out efficiency concerns. If it was connected to a boiler then the lowest return temperature possible is ideal. So that leaves comfort vs capacity. At lower fan speeds capacity is diminished. As long as your house is comfortable at the lowest fan speed then that's the way to go.

On modern units there are sometimes dozens of available speeds. By setting dip switches you can select the desired speed in cfm for the application you can even set a baseline continuous fan at say 200 cfm. Then have a separate speed when the board senses power on G(fan switch on the stat set to ON) say 400 cfm. Then for your 2 ton air-conditioner when the board senses power on Y it goes to 800 cfm. Units with this capability are often modulating and the heat speed is set by an algorithm in conjunction with the burner speed. It will start on a very low setting at the start of the heat cycle and ramp up over time or based on indoor temperature readings.

Conclusion

Yes it makes sense
Gas is a good setting
Run the heat as low as possible to maintain a satisfactory level of comfort balanced with noise. And don't touch the air-conditioning speed on the board.


I'm thinking you'd be alright the way it is. An easy fix would be to go to your home store and find the rack where they have pieces of steel in various lengths and pick up a piece 1/8" by 1" by 36" or whatever size is appropriate for your unit. Attach it underneath that top corner lip and wedge it into the concrete by the bottom lip. The bottom lip looks pretty corroded so no sense in trying to attach it there but a tight fit against the concrete should hold it firm. Spray it with some Rust-oleum that's a close match and you're good to go.


For the purpose of soundproofing, do I need to comply some building code when renovate my bedroom? If yes, what it is?

Usually during normal day time working hours there is no problem with noise issues. However I did live in a town that if someone complained the police came and gave a warning. If you had a permit 8am-5pm was legal for normal construction.


Brick chimney with no smoke chamber: is there some type of metal insert that would work instead of rebuilding inside of chimney?

Yes chimney liners are available depending on the local codes. Stainless steel and aluminum flex are common. You may need to contact the logset manufacturer to find out what is approved. If the mortar is in good shape you will not get better draft with a liner. Sometimes because it's not cool enough outside or your chimney is too short you don't get good draft until the chimney warms up. That's when a liner comes in handy. If sized properly it will warm up fast and draw within minutes. Talk to someone about doing the work for you as chimneys are not a do it yourself kind of job. You are dealing with carbon monoxide.


How do I paint a metal sheet fence with a spray gun?

You'll have some waste with spraying. Considerably more than with a brush or roller, anyhow. Find the square footage---both sides---and divide 325 into it. You'll get about that amount, 325 square feet per gallon, if you're careful. You will likely need more than one coat…

Also, make sure the surface has been well prepared by removing loose paint and sanding rust spots. You'll want a good primer, preferably oil-based, on those bare spots.


Try looking up / googling the colour codes for your area. For instance: -

Then google your plug wiring information to see which one is regarded as live (hot) and which one is regarded as neutral. You shouldn't swap live and neutral - stick to convention.