Where is A/C switch? How to turn it off?

That panel does not appear to have a main breaker in it, so that would mean the Main is somewhere else, probably outside next to the meter. In that box, there is probably another large 2 pole breaker to feed the A/C unit. You are allowed to have up to 6 breakers in that service entrance box, so because this panel looks full, when someone installed the A/C, they put the breaker out with the main.
But also, is your A/C a central air system, where is it combined with the heating system? If so, there must be a separate switch in the closet with the HVAC unit, usually just a toggle switch, sometimes with a fuse holder too, either on the wall or sometimes on the side of the furnace (see picture below). That is required for doing exactly this; it is JUST the control power for the furnace/AC unit so when you turn off that switch, your little 24V transformer for the thermostat circuit is off too. For what you want to do, that's all you need.


Installing long 20ft metal poles in concrete around a football pitch

The primary stress in this case will be wind. Typically you'd embed a pole at a ratio of 1:4. In your case, if the poles are 20' above ground, you'd want to be 4-5 feet down. If your poles are 20' in length (16-17' above ground), 3-4' may be adequate.

I'd probably use form tubes (or cleanly-dug holes) of a 10 or 12" nominal diameter (at least 3 time the pole diameter). You wouldn't want less than 3-4" of concrete outside the pipe to prevent breakout.


Thermostat is completely blank. How to troubleshoot

Since you have a multi-meter, you can check the voltage of the wires at the thermostat.  Make sure the meter is set to AC (Alternating Current) in this case, and if there are ranges, something safe for 24v.  Probe the Red and Blue wires and see if there is 24v.  You can also check the voltage between the red and any other wire.

If there is no voltage, the low-voltage power supply for the furnace is bad or not getting any power.  There is probably a breaker in the main cabinet for the furnace, but there will probably be a breaker located on the furnace/air handler as well.  Make sure they are both on and recheck the voltage.

The power supply will typically look like this and should have two 120v wires and two 24v wires coming off of it.

If you can find it, check the voltage going to it to see if 120v is present.  Troubleshooting will move on from here if there is not 120v.

Thermostat information

Assuming the wire colors you have are standard...

To turn on the fan, the thermostat makes a connection between the red and green wires.  If you place a jumper between these wires, the fan should run.

To turn on the heat a connection is made between the red and white wires.  The call for heat will always be accompanied by the call for fan.

The blue wire doesn't signal anything - it just supplies voltage to the thermostat in conjunction with the red wire.  To draw a parallel with your house wiring, the red wire is like the black "hot" wire, and blue is like the white "common" wire.


Can I power seven 54W LED light strips from a 400W supply?

Yes.  If you connect one 54 watt strip, it will draw 54 watts through the power supply.  If you connect seven strips, they'll draw 378 watts.


Do I need to sanitize my air vents after I remove a bird from them?

There are a lot of diseases that vector from bird droppings.  The Illinois Department of Public Health mentions Histoplasmosis and Cryptococcus and several other diseases in HEALTH HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH BIRD AND BAT DROPPINGS.  They also recommend washing the area with soap and water if the area is small or contacting an environmental engineering consultant if the area is large.

NYC Health on their Pigeon-Related Diseases page recommends the following for large droppings:

  Large Amount of Droppings
  If you are planning a large clean-up of a structure, such as removing droppings from an air shaft, you should take protective measures to avoid health risks. Once the structure is cleaned, you should wash it regularly to prevent further accumulation of droppings.

  To minimize your risks for getting a pigeon-related disease, you should take the following precautions:
  Wear protective clothing, such as disposable coveralls, boots, and gloves. You can also wear a respirator to better protect yourself.
  If you are using a high-powered water hose to strip off dried droppings, be sure to control the dust. You can use plastic sheeting to contain the area, or you can wet down the work area. This will prevent inhalation, reduce the risk of infection and prevent dust from spreading outside the work area.
  You can avoid the risks of using a high-powered water hose by soaking the droppings in water and then shoveling them. Collect the wet material in heavy-duty plastic bags or other types of secure containers and discard it with the regular garbage.


What purpose does a 3+1 outlet/circuit provide when the neutral bus is grounded?

Yeah, the root problem is, you see they are both tied together in the panel, but you don't know what that thing is... or you don't even realize that is a thing.

Its name is the Neutral-Ground Equipotential Bond.  Since we don't know what it is, let's get rid of it.  SNIP!

Life without an Equipotential Bond

Now, your 2 hots are 240V apart, and neutral is in the middle, giving you 120V from neutral to either hot.  None of these have any relationship to ground at all. We cut that, remember?   So our old assumption that "Neutral is always near ground" is now void.

Neutral is probably near ground.
But it could be 120V from ground (I actually had that happen once, when the "snip" happened for real in a panel and I didn't know it).
There could be leakage in the 9600V supply transformer, and L1, N and L2 could be 9600, 9720 and 9840V from ground, respectively.

See, having the hots and neutral "rattling around out there" at random voltages isn't good.  We want to do something to peg neutral at a relationship to earth.  Hey, it could be through a 1 volt 2000A transformer - now neutral is pegged 1 volt AC from ground.  But it's pegged.  It could be a car battery - so now neutral has a 0 volt AC and 12 volt DC bias from ground. (both of which would be cool for diagnostic purposes).  But the point is, it's no longer floating.  We've pegged it.

2kA transformers and car batteries are neat in theory, but if you have 100 houses to wire this week, you want a simple/cheap equipotential bond - one with 0V bias -a piece of copper.

Actually, you can go cheaper still, simply by using the neutral bar as the equipotential bond, i.e. just putting neutrals at one end of the neutral bar, and grounds at the other end.  Actually, we could just inter-mingle them.

And this is where you show up.  And see a bunch of neutrals and grounds spammed onto the exact same bar, and go "WTH? Why 2 wires to the same thing?"  The whole logic of how we got here is not apparent to you, and it just looks redundant.

Well, you can do your part to fix that. Go out and get accessory ground bars for your panel.  Move all your grounds to the ground bar.  (and while you're at it, fix any illegal double-taps, especially the deadly "put a circuit's N and G under the same screw" nightmare... because if that loses connection, you have the bootleg scenario below).  For more style points, remove the bonding screw/strap and replace it with a nice big fat copper wire between N bus and G bus.  Route it so you can put a clamp ammeter around it (why would you want to do that, haha! ;)

Now we can return to our assumption that neutral is relatively safe.

Fault current return

The other thing is, electricity travels in loops.  Power doesn't want to get back to ground, it wants to get back to source.  Source being e.g. the neutral at the transformer.

So suppose our safety grounding actually worked, and it caught a bolted ground fault.  Do we want that fault to just be "caught" indefinitely?  No, we want a breaker trip to occur, and that means we need to flow enough current back to source (neutral) to trip the breaker for sure.  Again, the neutral-ground  equipotential bond gives us that path: Down the ground wire, over the N-G bond, and over the neutral bus back to the transformer.  A satisfying 500A of bolted fault flows, and the breaker goes SNAP!

Or if we're in GFCI-land, a satisfying 0.007 amps of current flows, and the GFCI goes "Unequal current! Snap!"

Let's bootleg ground everywhere! What could go wrong?

When you say "Hey, we don't need 2 wires", and just attach ground to neutral since they're the same thing in the panel, that is called bootlegging ground.

Now, in ranges and dryers, appliance manufacturers got a special exception cut so they wouldn't lose appliance sales to people who had 3-prong dryer/range outlets.  They said "For grounding the dryer and range, let us bootleg ground legally. The socket is behind equipment and is rarely disturbed."

Of course you can do the same at any receptacle you please, just by jumpering ground to neutral.

So what happens if the neutral wire breaks?   Think about it.

Normally, the appliance quits, but its conductance pulls the neutral wire up to 120V, since the power can't get back.

Since we bootlegged ground, the ground is also pulled up to 120V.  We have electrified the chassis of the appliance.  And yeah, this has killed people.  It's always written up as "defective wiring", implying it was wired wrong... and that's true, except in the case of dryers and ranges which were legally bootlegged.  There, the wiring was "correct" by Code (certainly not correct in any real world evaluation), and a simple wire failure caused it.

The electrical system ought to endure simple failures like a loose wire without it becoming hazardous.


tapping power from a 3 way switch to an adjacent 2 way switch

Most likely, the hot wire is coming first to the other 3-way switch. From there, power comes on one of the two travelers to the 3-way you're working with. You've probably connected your new switch to one of the travelers. I'd bet if you switch the other 3-way, the light will come on and off together.

Without the hot coming to this 3-way, you cannot have independent operation of the new switch.


How can I repair the start button on my LG washing machine that is hard to press?

Ok well I managed to take off the control panel. There is a little plastic arm behind the start button that had been worn down on the end and wasn't making contact with the electronic button underneath.

A little bit of tape on the end of the plastic arm did the trick.

To access the control panel on the WD14700RD:

Disconnect the unit from power and water
Remove the top: take off two screws at the back, push it backwards one inch and lift it off
Take out the soap tray and remove two screws on the soap tray compartment.
Remove the control panel: push down on the two arms on top of it so that it can pop out, and pull it out at the top and then lift it off the bottom hooks. Pull it out a little from the machine, about an inch.
Remove the front plate from the control panel:  there are 7 screws behind it.  Rotate the control panel up or down in order to access the screws behind
Now that the front plate of the control panel is loose, identify the arm of the button that has stopped working. Wrap a small amount (2-3 times around) of electrical or plumbers tape on the very end of the plastic arm.  Or if there is a nib instead of an arm, a small dab of epoxy resin allowed to harden does the trick.
Refit the control panel and test the button now works.
Reassemble the control panel, top, and turn on water and power.
Test once again.

And that's it! All you need is a screwdriver and some tape. Too easy :)


Is 50 amp subpanel allowed in Seattle area?

TLDR: DO NOT put a 30/50 where you plan! It can't go there!
More spaces are ALWAYS better, and cheap. Think Really Big.
Don't overload your service. You need a load calc; see Ed Beal above.
Use conduit, not cable, to connect the panels. Reroute branch circuits.
Pay close attention to what Ed Beal is saying about load calculations.   However, where I'll differ is that "number of spaces available" is a completely unrelated matter.  They are separate issues, and you should think of them independently.  Break the problem into 2 sections.
DO NOT put a 30/50 quadplex across from a 40/40 quadplex.  You'll overload the bus stab. (This.  An easy error to stumble into when dealing with overfull panels.  Another reason overfull panels can't be tolerated!)
Section 1. Number of spaces
TLDR: You always want as many spaces as you can possibly get.
Electricity is there to serve us and do what we want.  As you know, limited spaces are a serious problem, and so we here recommend that you have a very comfortable number of spaces.  A lot of novices think the game is "have JUST enough spaces for your needs" on the logic that spaces are expensive.  They're not. Spaces are CHEAP. Running out of spaces - that's expensive.
I gather you partially grasp this already; since you're adding a 12-space when I'm sure a 2-4 space would suit your immediate needs.  I'm saying it's the right plan, but take it a lot farther.  I like to finish an "out of spaces" upgrade with 48-ish total spaces.  If you have a 30, add a 20.  If you have a 16, add a 30.  However in your case, since you already have nearly 40 circuits, I'd go for 60 total spaces.  Get another 30.
The "circuit" number (12 spaces/24 circuits) is baloney.  That's because most new circuits require AFCI, GFCI or both, and those are not made in the "double-stuff" breakers, and never will be.  In the case of your 30/50 quad that you want to use, you're relying on a) the 30A being grandfathered and b) the 50A being a feeder.
Now as far as your 50A "feeder" to the subpanel, there's no reason to be demure there, either. Wire is cheap when you're only going 3 feet.  Feel free to go as large as your main breaker.
You can have any size you want (unless you're dealing with a split-bus panel). So feel free to go 125 instead of 50; it can even exceed your main breaker.  It's max that out. You can have a 125A feed to the subpanel if you want to. "More" might help, can't hurt, costs fairly little.  Especially when your wiring is 2 feet.
The feed breaker has no bearing whatsoever on what loads are actually drawn. Your electric bill will be exactly the same whether your feed breaker is 25A or 125A.
Section 2. Load on the service
TLDR: Don't overload your service.
Now this is what Ed is talking about.  After all,  you're not installing a new subpanel for no reason; clearly you want to add something.
When you add circuits to a service, you must revisit the load calculation for the service.  That applies to all the circuits on the service, regardless of which panel they are in.  In other words, putting circuits in a subpanel is not a "free lunch".
On the other hand, there is no penalty whatsoever for putting circuits in one panel vs the other. There is no penalty for a huge subpanel feed breaker. There is no penalty for plenty of spaces.  You might as well max them out; it's cheap, and being demure buys you nothing in terms of the load calculations.
You need to get the sharp pencil and run your load calculations based on the circuits you plan to add (which you have not discussed).
Use EMT conduit to connect adjacent panels, not cable
Of course, cable is what you know.  I get that. But metal conduit is really good to get to know.  It's literally perfect for panels right next to each other, and it's usually easier - well, it's 2 easy steps instead of one PITA step.
The only hard thing in conduit is the funny thread-nuts; but you'll have to use those even with cable,  because you must have a cable clamp/strain relief where the cable exits and enters a panel.
Look at the 2 panels for where the large knockouts are.  Position the panels so the large knockouts on main and sub "line up".  Then you knock out the largest knockout hole they both have... get fittings that size and a short length of conduit (called a "nipple", which is awesome because you get to say "nipple").  Goes together like LEGO... when it's all just right, tighten all the fittings. And you just made your safety ground connnections.
If you want to come out the side of one into the top/bottom of another, look at prefabricated 90 degree sweeps in conduit.
Now if the smaller knockouts line up, I like to have a couple of additional 3/4" or 1" (whichever the pre-punched knockouts allow) conduits between adjacent panels.  That gives you freedom to route circuits coming into panel A, over to panel B.  The hot(s) and neutral must come over; the safety ground can stay in the panel it entered.
For the feeder, get 2 hots and 1 neutral of the biggest feeder wire that your feed breaker will accept. (a few feet of wire is too cheap to care about; again a silly place to scrimp). If the wires are #4 or larger, neutral can be a black wire.  Metal conduit is the grounding path.
Edit: Given what I see in your photo and comments
I would measure your box size, then get an Eaton BR "main-lug" panel of the exact same "box size".  That means all the knockouts on the sides will line up.  That also means probably another Eaton 30-space 200A panel.  That is fine.  This could include an Eaton panel with a built-in surge suppressor, as a "neat" way to add a whole-house surge.
Then I'd measure the joist spacing in the bay to the left and right of this panel.  If one of them is the standard 16" on center, I'd put this second panel there and embed it in the wall, preferably to the right as it'll fit out real nice.
Next I'd do exactly as I said: drill holes through the joist to connect some knockouts. Your box size is X5 (if 29" tall) or X6 (if 34" tall) and their right side doesn't have a lot of knockouts, so if the joist is non-load-bearing, I'd connect both top and bottom large ones, and one of the smaller ones also.  Your feeder wires will only need a 1" knockout, so you might be able to get it done with all smaller knockouts as long as one of them is 1".  You can't just have sharp box edges and wood, so "sleeve" the passage with a 3" long nipple of Rigid conduit, with conduit nuts clamping it down. That takes care of grounds.  An oscillating tool is perfect to remove 2x4 material for the passage.  (also for cleanly cutting the drywall).
With the conduits installed,  I'd pull that 30A quadplex, route its wires through a knockout, and land it in the new panel.  If you don't have enough wire slack you can extend with wire nuts.  The reason I'm going after the 30A quadplex (instead of the easier 30A dryer) is stab limits. I want to put a 125A there, and that'll have a 20A across from it on each stab. The dryer has an 80A stab load across from it, so putting a 30/50 there will set that bus stab on fire.
Now you have two spaces free.  A 125A breaker goes in there, and #2Cu THHN wire - 2 hots + neutral - all 3 wires through the same knockout to the main lugs on the subpanel.  Normally I'd use Aluminum, but we're only going 2 feet, so keep the wires smaller (and they'll just fit inside a 1" knockout).   If you want to wire a ground, that can go through a different knockout.
The multiple conduit passages give you the liberty to land new circuits in either panel, and move existing circuits over to the new panel if you want to.
If you had thoughts toward a generator, panel purchase time is the time to make sure there'll be an inexpensive generator interlock available for it. Chosen well, it's a $60 bolt-on. You would make this new subpanel the generator-fed one, and move any circuits you want on generator into this panel.
Lastly if you ever wanted 400A service, the way that is normally done is two 200A "main panels" side by side.  Which is partly why I'm suggesting two 200A panels side by side :)


Do lapped joists need to extend over the beam the same distance from each side?

As long as both joist go over the beam your are fine. Remember if it bothers you you could always cut one of the joist so it was equidistant over the joist but its total unnecessary.


Will removing shelving screws from studs damage the studs?

As long as they are normal screws and you unscrew them they won't compromise the studs or their integrity. If you rip the screws out (with a hammer for example) that could compromise the studs.

If you plan on reusing the exact same holes there are things you can do to help future screws grip just as well by adding toothpicks to the holes, but otherwise you don't need to worry.


Deciphering an Asian Bladder Pressure Tank + Pump

That label describes the motor specifications, not the pressure tank.
Single Phase, 220 Volt 50 hertz, 1/2 horsepower (.5 HP), 2850 Revolutions Per Minute (RPM), Continuous Service (SERV C), Suction 9 (possibly BARS).

I'm not sure what the other abbreviations are, but they could be related to the pressure tank.

Most pressure tanks work based on what you want your target pressure to be.

In english, my large 80 gallon pressure tank keeps my household water pressure around 60PSI (~4 BARS). In most cases, the bladder in this tank would probably be set to a similar pressure (size of the tank shouldn't matter, pressure is pressure).

Your tank looks a little small for a water heater supplying a shower or something using a similar volume, so you can expect it to cycle more often, and in fact, because of the CONTINUOUS rating, it's probably designed that way for on-demand pressure.


This is EXACTLY what GFCI is for
GFCI was created to handle exactly these types of situations. A properly functioning GFCI cuts off power when there is a ground fault, such as contact between power conductors and water, fast enough to prevent injury or death.
That being said, you should always be careful with any electric devices around water. Sometimes, as many questions on this site have shown, GFCI and other protective devices are not installed properly or fail for other reasons.
Does it reset?
Every GFCI has Test & Reset buttons. Does it reset? If it doesn't reset then either it still thinks there is a fault, or it is damaged.
Check the wiring and look for ANOTHER GFCI
If the GFCI is the only one on the circuit, then every receptacle (except the one that is together with the GFCI) is either before or after the GFCI. Every receptacle after the GFCI has the same protection as the GFCI receptacle itself, but that means a ground fault on any of those receptacles (or any equipment attached to them) will prevent the GFCI from being reset.
So check any receptacles that are on the same circuit. Unplug everything plugged into them, even if you think they have nothing to do with the problem, and try to reset the GFCI again.
Also look for any additional GFCI units. Sometimes there is more than one on a circuit, even though that is not necessary if wired correctly. The circuit breaker in the panel may also have GFCI built in to it, which protects the entire circuit. When a fault occurs, any combination of GFCIs in the circuit between the panel and the location of the fault may trip - with no guarantee of sequence. You could have a breaker plus two receptacle GFCIs and have the breaker plus one receptacle trip...any combination is possible.
Other damage?
With "traditional" short circuits, so much current can flow so fast that wire connections, switches, etc. can burn up or weld together before the circuit breaker trips. That should not be the case with a GFCI ground fault trip, but anything is possible. So if you rule out additional GFCIs and other ground faults then you need to check every receptacle and wire connection in the circuit to look for burn damage, faulty back stab connections or other problems.


Other options for an air admittance valve besides underneath the sink?

You can (in some less strict locales, like rural areas) put an AAV inside a wall or ceiling. The catch is that you will have to have some way to service it, meaning you need an access panel of some sort.

A lot of cities, however, may frown on an AAV that's not readily accessible. Your mileage may vary.

If I were you, I'd simply leave it as you have it dry fit and get creative with some fittings to make it work. It's the path with the least questions (virtually all jurisdictions allow them under-sink).


How close can speaker wire be to a recessed light before heat is a concern?

On most of the non-IC (insulation contact) rated cans I've used, they state a minimum 3" clearance from any insulation.  Verify with the inspector that this is an acceptable distance.


Pushing your switches back into the box is causing something to short together - your screws, grounds, or any exposed wire sticking out of backstabs (of which there should be none).

Are you getting intense arc flashes? If you look closely at your screws, grounds, and any exposed wire sticking out of backstabs -- you will probably find arcing marks that will tell the tale.

If you are not getting arc flashes of any size, this part of the circuit may be protected by AFCI or GFCI.

To protect screws, wrap the switch or receptacle with electrical tape so the screws are covered.


Add additional circuits after 3-way switch

You are correct -- there is no way to add independent circuits off the second switch.  Here is another way to look at the switch configuration using three-way switches (the black wire being the 'white wire taped black' in your diagram, the red wire to the light being black, and the neutral being white).

As you can see, the right-hand switch -- where you want to branch from -- does not receive the hot connection independently of the left-hand switch.  You'll have to run an additional, independent 14/2 through the conduit, or replace your 14/3 with 14/4 as Tyson suggests.


I always use diluted muriatic acid to remove rust stains from masonry, but it's a dangerous chemical that can cause burns, blindness and lung injury if misused. It's also known as hydrochloric acid.
There is a product called Bar Keeper's Friend that looks like scouring powder, but it contains oxalic acid, which removes rust stains and is not as dangerous as muriatic acid. You might make a thin paste of it, glop it on and brush it around before rinsing it off. Don't get it in your eyes.
There's also a product called Iron Out that comes in several forms, one of which is a spray-on gel that seems made for this application.
Needless to day, test on an inconspicuous area before attacking the whole stain, and see about re-routing the boiler overflow or you'll have another stain next time the boiler relieves itself.


Can I lay stepping stones over a french drain?

Admittedly guesswork, but...

I would expect that, over time, the flagstones would settle into the gravel and mostly stabilize themselves (outside of frost heave and similar issues). There still could be tripping hazards, though, just as there can be with bricks after frost heave and tree roots lift them...

Note that the french drain doesn't have to be exposed through the full 360-degree circuit of the house. If there's a short section where you have a walkway, that probably won't make much practical difference, as long as the whole thing is able to drain properly.


Can't isolate my water heater with shutoff valve

Single handle faucets can allow water to flow from the hot side to the cold if turned on at all. Not sure if some of them will allow the flow when turned full off. Fix would be to turn off the hot water shutoff valve under your sinks. If the flow is coming thru a bathtub or shower valve, that would be more difficult.  Might be easiest to simply remove the flex pipe on the hot side where it connects to the galvanized pipe and cap it off for the duration of your project. You'll probably have to replace the flex pipe as the gaskets tend not to be very reusable.


You have several issues: 1) hold the insulation in place, 2) vapor barrier, 3) vent space above the insulation

1) I’ve seen string installed across the joists to keep the insulation from falling down. They usually install it about 6” apart at the ends of the batts and about 12” - 16” apart elsewhere. You can staple the string to the bottom of the joists.

2) Using string will not provide a vapor barrier. If you use poly sheeting stapled on the bottom of the joists, it will provide a vapor barrier. Depending on where you live, you may not want a vapor barrier.

3) The Code requires a 1” air space above the insulation. That is to say, you must maintain a 1” air space between the bottom of the roof sheathing and the top of the insulation so air can circulate. (You’ll need to verify that attic vents are installed so you don’t get condensation in the attic.)


I assume that you're hoping to install a swinging glass door set that would normally require that the tile and shower pan walls be on the same plane, with the problem being that the hinges won't align as you have it now. I see two options (aside from redoing your tile):

Install spacers for the upper hinge mount points. These could be made of faux marble or constructed with your tile so they match. They could be simply small blocks or essentially short walls that reach to the height of the door glass. If you go with small blocks the gap between the door and wall will be larger, but it may not be an issue.

Profile view:

|    |
|    |< -- door glass edge
|___ |
    ||
    ||< -- hinge location with spacer block (or stub wall)
 ___||
|    |
|< --|---- tiled wall
|    |
|    |
|    |
|    |
|___ |
    ||
   <||- -- pan wall
    ||
    ||
    ||< -- hinge location

Order a custom door kit. Glass shops will be able to accommodate you with notched glass and/or custom hinges and/or chrome rails for above the pan.


How to find underground cavities below properry?

Yes, aerial photography is still used to find archaeological sites.
But if the tunnels are too deep they will not show up.
The resolution of the camera used and the height are also important factors.


How should I cut through hardwood floor?

If you are going to salvage your floor, that is, try to set your new stairs with its landing nosing to meet the original floor, you need to make a rough cut with a carbide saw blade say about a 24 tooth blade. This cut is to be made smaller than you need at first to find the limits the stair will fit. After the area is checked for how the framing is in the area and the place is determined where the nosing will stop against the original floor, that cut is made with a new carbide tipped blade, if the other blade found nails. If a nail is found with the new blade, cut through it, then change to a new blade and continue cutting  until another nail is found, then replace the blade again.

If you are going to do a new floor "tie in" and flooring is to be reset anyway, then the final cut does not need to be this critical. If you are getting floor installers to do the tie in, they will cut back, tooth in, all that for you.  Just make sure the landing nose is securely set at the stair.

This is a start, other will factors determine how to cut the floor to make the install of stairs simpler, that would take photos of the area in question. As in, is it a stair well closed on the sides, or a open stair well with the new stairs exposed to the room to start?


How can I replace this unusual kitchen sink drain pipe?

very easy fix,    just cut the pip from the water under kitchen sink, start fresh.
remove all drains,
you need:  1 two part waste      1 trap kit   1 no-hup 1"1/2 to 1"1/2 tuppler and ask for an under sink AC adopter to connect the hose to your garbage disposal to.

very easy, but maybe YouTube might have some photo to show you.
also i advise you to use brass parts, and make sure you have a copper cutter big enough to cut pipes to size, but you will new a saw to cut drain under sink.

i hope this helps :)


When connecting LED tape lights to a transformer, should I daisy chain the strips or install home runs for each strip?

LED lights can typically be chained several times. Read the package. It's almost always stated quite clearly. To be safe with in-wall wiring, you could halve the recommendation and have confidence that it'll work fine.


What is the proper concrete ingredient ratio for a patio?

Concrete obtains its strength due to the cement-water ratio. This means water is not a "relative" thing, but critical, in fact.

The fine and coarse aggregate (sand and stone) are basically just fillers. The space in between the aggregate needs to be filled with cement paste (cement and water). The more paste, the more cement you need.

A concrete mix design is based on the principles mentioned above. Depending on the source of your aggregate, your cement paste requirements may vary.

The "rule of thumb" ratios are based on experience, but don't guarantee a particular strength concrete.

A nice source of standard mixes for various requirements can be found at the South African Concrete Institute website


Any way to fix a shower handle dripping through the stem?

I did as Jack mentioned in the comments. I got some graphite packing compound and placed it around the stem between the two brass nuts. After tightening all down, some of the packing squeezed out around the stem and the silver nut where the drip was. That has stopped the water for now. I guess this is going to be an ongoing maintenance task until the packing wears away.


How to attach a "lean to" shed to a garage?

I see no reason to use Option 1.  My daughter would just find a way to loose her hula hoop (and everything else she owns) in that little space between the garage and shed.

I like Option 2. Attaching the wall AND roof directly to something solid will keep the shed rigid. Also, having the back wall installed will allow you to fasten machinery and equipment to the wall without affecting the existing garage wall.

Option 3 would give you a few more inches of floor space, but you’d have to “hang” everything directly on the garage wall. Also, if you ever decide to insulate the shed, you’d have trouble insulating the common wall.


LG Electric Range - Infinite switch burning up repeatedly, burner staying on high no matter what the setting

This can happen if the L1/L2 connections are swapped when a control/switch is replaced.  The element will work fine by itself.  Turn on another element at the same time that has the L1 connection to the other wire color, and the control will POP.  Both switches/elements will work separately.
The L1 tab of the switch is manually connected to the pilot when you activate the switch.  With the input wires swapped on one switch, you are putting L1/L2 together when both switches are turned on.
Both the switches that are connected to the same pilot light must have the same color wires connected to the same tabs, say red to L1 and black to L2.


Can I connect the UPS neutral to my mains neutral permanently?

If the neutral is just a straight wire through the UPS, and it almost certainly is, then this would have no effect. If not, then this would be a very bad idea. I wouldn't connect the neutral at all. (Of course, this may be a bad idea for other reasons, not the least of which is it would certainly violate code.)


It is OK to use a surge protector with 15 amp breaker on a 20 AMP circuit?

No, a surge protector is not rated as a PDU or subpanel.
Your concept does not work. You can't use a "power strip" with an onboard snap breaker as a substitute for a proper 15A circuit and breaker in the panel.  Not least, those 50 cent "breakers" are hokey-dokey compared to the real dual-mode things in your panel.
You can still do it, for other reasons
Given that you're doing everything with plug-in appliances and not doing anything with wiring in the walls, you are fine with doing that.  The WiFi switch (assuming it is UL listed; that's a big "if" for anything mail-order) only needs to be ready to handle normal current from the appliance.  UL has supervised its design and torture-tested it plugged into breakers as large as 20A.  UL has assured the design will not catch fire before the 20A breaker trips.
UL tests "NEMA 5-15" (15A socket) things to 20A, because an NEC rule is that 15A receptacles are allowed on 20A circuits, and UL itself requires that 15A receptacles be certified for a 20A pass-through.
This is the only case where NEC and UL allow mismatched breakers to sockets.  In all other cases, breaker, socket and load must exactly match.  (noting that 40A sockets are not a thing; therefore 40A circuits use 50A sockets).


How to wire GFCI together with two switches controlling light/exhaust fan and vanity light

First, the 14/2 wire will need to be upgraded to 12/2 wire or you need to downgrade the breaker to 15 amps to protect that section 14/2 wire from possibly overheating/causing a fire.

The vanity typically does not need to be on the GFCI but if the light/exhaust fan is close enough to the shower/tub that you can touch it (if you are not tall enough, image if you were tall enough) while standing in the shower/tub then the light/exhaust fan should be protected by the GFCI.  The closet does not been to be protected by the GFCI, but it wouldn't hurt if it was.

GFCI receptacles have two different sets of terminals.  One set will be marked line, this is where power from the panel is connected, and other other set is load.  The load terminals will protect any outlets downstream that are connected to this.

For anything protected by the GFCI, the neutrals will need to connect to the load neutral terminal.  Same as for the hots as well, they need to be connected to the load hot terminal.  But in the case of the fan (if it needs to be protected), wire the hot terminal to one of the switch terminals and the other switch terminal to the hot on the fan.  The neutral will just be wire directly to the load neutral.  If any downstream device does not feed the neutral back through the load terminal on the GFCI, the GFCI will trip.


Leaky anti-siphon valve on exterior faucets

I contacted the manufacturer and once I had some part numbers and basic information, this was easy to track down.  This answer should apply to most people with a similar problem.  The short answer is that the leakage is not normal and it is easily repairable; in most cases by the average homeowner.
If you've searched out this problem and arrived here, it's more likely that you are in the same boat I was than that you are an experienced plumber.  So I'll write a fairly detailed answer with the kind of information I would have found useful, myself.  I'll start with some general information so people have an idea as to what's involved.
How they work
The purpose of the anti-siphon valve is to prevent contaminants from siphoning back into the potable water supply.  On ancient spigots, the valve may be added to the spigot nozzle, but the valves are now generally incorporated into the spigot at the top.  I'll just address this type.
It appears that most of the devices consist of three parts.  The cap keeps out debris but is not air-tight.  Under the cap is a seal with a vent hole in it.  Trapped under the seal is a small plunger.  When the spigot is open and water is flowing, the water pressure pushes the plunger against the seal, closing the vent.  When there is no water pressure, the plunger drops away from the seal, allowing air inside.  The availability of air prevents any siphon action because any vacuum pressure sucks air instead of water.
In normal operation, you can get a little momentary dripping before the valve seals.  However, ongoing dripping or a stream is not normal operation.
How they fail
"Stuff" (minerals, dust sucked in, etc.), can build up on the seal and plunger so that the plunger doesn't seal the vent.  This is fixable simply by cleaning it.
The valve parts can also degrade and crack, rubber parts can get old and stiff, or the valve can be damaged by water freezing inside the spigot.  In these cases, the valve can be replaced.
The anti-siphon valves are designed as a serviceable item.  On most household spigots, it can be handled by the average homeowner with a screwdriver and a pair of pliers.
Repair Parts
The catch is the parts.  The anti-siphon valve is not a universal component.  Often several spigot manufacturers will use the same parts, but the parts are generally unique and you need the ones designed for your spigot.
If you can identify the spigot manufacturer, you can contact their customer service and get the part number of the repair kit.  The kit, itself, is likely to be widely available (hardware chains, Amazon, etc.; you can Google the part number).  A kit of just the valve replacement parts is inexpensive.
For anyone who happens to have the same spigot as shown here, Mansfield sold their spigot line to Prier Products and the repair kit part number is 630-7500 (which apparently applies to all Mansfield spigots, since customer support gave me that part number without asking for a spigot model).  I found it online for around $6.  This is what the kit looks like, to give you an idea of the parts:

If you can't identify the spigot manufacturer, it gets more complicated.  The parts are often redesigned over the years.  So if you simply remove the old parts and take them to the hardware store, they may not look like the current version if it is in stock, or it may not be in stock.
If you can't identify the spigot manufacturer, it may be trial and error, or you might need to bring in an experienced plumber who might recognize the brand.  It's possible that the parts only need cleaning, but you take a risk if you aren't prepared to get replacement parts if needed.  If you just open it up and disassemble it for cleaning and inspection, and lose or break a part in the process, it may be harder to identify the replacement parts.
How to fix
If you Google leaking anti-siphon valves, you'll find a few videos on how to fix them.  They probably won't match your model, but the procedure will be generally similar (I had done that but had no idea how much variation there might be between different spigots).  I found a video for my own model here, which is very well done and should generally apply to many spigots: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSqw0u3rrrk.  The gist of the procedure is this:

On some models, you may need to close the shutoff valve inside the house for the spigot and then open the spigot to release the pressure.  On mine, this is unnecessary.
Remove the cap.  On high-end models, the cap may unscrew.  Most snap on.  You pry it off by wedging a screwdriver under the cap and prying straight up.
Remove the seal (on mine it's called the vacuum breaker body).  Most of these unscrew from the spigot.  You might need pliers to loosen it.  Some may pry out.
Remove the plunger.
Clean and inspect the parts, looking for any signs of degradation.
Turn on the water briefly to flush out any debris.
Reassemble the spigot using either the cleaned parts or replacement parts.  It's just the reverse procedure.
Test for leakage.  If you only cleaned the old parts and it still leaks, it probably means that the parts are degraded and you need replacement parts.


how to control all shop lights from one motion sensor shop light

Code requires that you use every device according to its labeling and instructions (because the testing behind the UL listing didn't test it any further than that).  So your first stop is back to the labeling and instructions on the lamp, and see what it says about using the receptacle to control other lights via the motion sensor.

Knowing Feit Electric, I suspect it does not permit that use, and the motion sensor does not switch the receptacle, and it is there to serve general loads like drills or trouble lights.   Or, their vision for this product is that you simply enable all the motion sensors and allow each light to decide independently.

I am no great fan of Feit's reliability and would not miss an opportunity to return a Feit to the store and get something quality. Generally everything electrical at CostCo is the pinnacle of Cheese junk.

If you really want to do motion sensor for the whole garage, they (not CostCo) sell individual "stalk" motion sensors, that screw into a junction box cover.  If you use the type which has a neutral wire, you can have 2 or more motion sensors for better coverage.  From those you power your lights.


Is 11 - 12 inches of overhang on a shelf too much?

As long as you don't heavily load the shelf you should be fine. Make sure that you hit the studs when you install the shelf brackets. The brackets should have a load rating on them. Use properly sized screws and balance the load across the shelf placing heavier items above or between the brackets. If you get some flex in the shelf at the center you can always add a middle bracket using properly sized hollow-wall anchors.


What to do with baseboard for this basement with concrete box?

Some tile would look good. You can attach the tile easily with some Power Grab or other construction adhesive. Once the tile dries you can grout it and then seal it.


What is the best way to fix laminate flooring to tiles underneath?

Modern laminate flooring is "floating", meaning you typically have an underlayment (often doubles as a vapor barrier) and then the laminate click-locks together. Finally, you add edging (base board and/or quarter round or toe nail) to lock the edges down.

Screws are NOT how you fix this. You can potentially damage the flooring doing that. Instead, it sounds like you simply have unlevel parts of your floor. What I would do is pull up sections near the unlevel parts and then use a floor leveler concrete to level the underlying tile. Then you put everything back after it's cured up solid. Should remove the "bounce"


How can I add breakers for a new HVAC system to a full panel?

Option 2 is probably not an option at all - that setup is almost always for a special-rate storage electric water heating tariff and is only on for a few hours when demand is low overnight (which is why it's a special lower rate) or else it's switched off whenever loads are high (a different scheme, similar concept.)
For my utility, you can keep them if you have them from decades ago (when they had a nuke plant idling away all night), but you can't get a new one done this way. You certainly cannot add to it, (for my utility) you don't own the water-heater associated with it - it's part of the overall deal, they own it.


Replaced Outlet and Switch, Now Light Won't Turn Off

Looking at the 3 way switch in the photo, the black is the hot (common terminal) on the switch and the white and red are the traveler wires between both switches. And on the diagram for the junction box,15 and 11 looks like the two 3 way switches controlling the outlets on the red wire (switched) and the black feeds the hot side (hot all the time).
These receptacle outlets look like their split controlled (one half hot BLACK and one half switched RED). The taps in the junction box (separate of course) has all the blacks HOTS and whites NEUTRALS and red SWITCHED wires feeding the rec outlets. Hope this helps.

regards,
lariet


Flooring in an attic that's mostly used for storage needs very little in the way of fasteners. Nails are certainly fine, though they're more likely to squeak and work up over time.

For the few that are needed, and to minimize trauma to the ceiling below, and because I may want to lift the sheets to access wiring later, I'd be using screws. I wouldn't do a full "screwdown", however. A half-dozen per sheet is adequate.


Options to fix an old leaky shower valve

It looks fairly standard to me. I'd contact Eljer & see if Danco, Brasscraft or someone else has put out a replacement that fits. Otherwise, have you tried to rebuild the old valve with O-ring replacements & such? Eljer should be able to direct you to the right kit for the valve.

On the other hand, soldering will be difficult & could cause a fire in the wall if you're not experienced. So, either get a Plumber or get a SharkBite Threaded connector so you can just cut the old valve loose & wrench in the new one. I updated the picture to show the correct valve that has screw shut-offs or stops (the silver screw).


If they were the "exact size of the previous ones" you may have them rotated "the other way" - many shelf brackets are not the same length on both legs, so you may have had the longer leg on the wall and the shorter leg on the shelf in the previous installation, and the longer leg on the shelf this time.
Flip them around and see.


How can I figure out why my washing machine is tripping the GFCI receptacle?

(Summarizing the comments above)

To narrow this problem down, there are three places that could be causing the GFCI to trip, a malfunction in the washing machine, a problem with the downstream wiring (aka load side of the GFCI), or the GFCI outlet itself. If there isn't anything downstream, then plugging the washing machine into another GFCI outlet, or simply swapping out the outlet for a known good GFCI outlet, will identify if the outlet itself is faulty.

If the outlet trips when the washing machine isn't running and isn't even plugged in, then there's a fault in the wiring on the load side of the GFCI outlet.

If the issue is neither of the above, then running the washing machine and monitoring to see which step is occurring when the trip happens will isolate what part of the washing machine may be leaking current to a ground. It could be a certain water level, a motor being engaged, a transition step in the controller, etc.


Calculating daily energy production of PV panels

"Average hours" on "Average roof" have no particular bearing on a specific roof located in a specific place.

Specific places have specific weather patterns, which do have local averages that can be used for estimation that's a lot more relevant. In the USA, roughly 30 years of month-by month data are typically available for some weather station/airport near you, though exactly how "near you" it is will vary and may impact how applicable the data is. But in general, the Southwest USA is a lot more productive than much of the rest of the country.

The Northeast in November is certainly dire, as I know from several years spent facing the possibility that I'd have to install an off-grid system. That was the "design month" for getting storage and array size to be adequate - eventually circumstances changed and the power company became more amenable to providing a grid connection I could afford.

With a typical grid-tie, you get to take advantage of "excess" production on long sunny summer days, rather than having to make enough power even in November, and then having excess power (and no place to send it) in sunny months.

Specific roofs also have specific relationships to trees, other houses, and terrain; and specific orientations and angles, all of which affect the specific amount of power an array on that specific roof in that specific location will produce. There are tools a solar installer may use to assess those details.


Is it a bad idea to put in replacement windows in the winter?

I see no particular reason that installing windows in December is a bad idea--assuming it can be done quickly enough to not freeze to death or have rain/snow ruin anything. You may want to make temporary living arrangements for a few days while the windows are being installed.

My recommendation is to go somewhere other than a big box store. You may be able to get them MUCH quicker else where. HD told me it'd take 12 wks to get in Andersen windows-- I got them thru a local HW store in 4 weeks--for less money.


Oven Hood Light Fixture Borked - Help Please

The socket itself is probably shot, but you should be able to fix the range hood by replacing the socket.  It looks to be held into the chassis by a couple of retaining clips and should come out pretty easily from the back, although you'll probably have to remove the cover to take it out properly.  It looks like this part is what you would need to fix it (but don't take my word for it -- make sure to do your own research and verify that the replacement part looks the same as the original).  I found this by Googling for "Nutone Allure range hood replacement parts".  If it is indeed the correct part, then it should just plug right in.


30 Year old faucet cartridge replacement

Looks like a Price Pfister (or import copy thereof). Looks like a good quality faucet that is worth saving.
Note- you don't necessarily need to buy new "cartridges", these are totally rebuild-able unless physically damaged. The washers and o-rings should be readily available at a good hardware shop or plumbing shop (maybe not at big-box center). Waterproof grease and washers it will probably perform like new.
Look for Price Pfister widespread faucet parts. Bring the old because there are several configurations/types. If replacing stems/valves be aware that there are specific "left" and "right" because the levers move opposite of each other.


How to install tile over area with no drywall

Patch the hole with cement board. This may require removing addition tiles and cutting more cement board to reveal half a stud on the right and most of a stud on the left  but it will be a better solution then a quick fix. Once you have the cement board make sure adequate waterproofing, per regulation where you live, is also done. Then re-tile.


2 wire light fixture with black and green wires

No - don't confuse old fixture colors with current wiring colors.

If your fixture only has 2 wires, then black to black, white to what's left.

Use a metal box and attach the ground to the box.


Well, that's a bit messy looking!
The best repair would be to remove the two damaged planks and replace them with new ones.
Next best would be to cut back the planks away from the hole and replace the pieces that cross the hole.
Next best would be to install flashings that cover the hole.
Mold is definitely a possibility. I see moss growing on the insulation.
Pull or push some of that insulation out of the way and check for mold. The mold can probably be sufficiently treated though this hole without a need to disassemble the whole wall.


Tips for replacing a wire inside a wall?

It's significantly more likely that the first "working" outlet or the first "dead" outlet is bad, rather than the wire being bad. Outlets are inexpensive. Try replacing one or both of them first.


@Ecnerwal and @UnhandledExcepSean, I believe you are correct. Looking at this thing from below, I can see screw holes where a speed bag was probably mounted in the past.


Turns out that fibreglass insualtion does not retain its insulation properties when wet and is inferior for my given application of weatherizing a cabin.  Tar oakum expands when wet and continues to produce a wind/weather barrier therefore it is a good option for outside facing insulation.


My suggestion is to dig it up from outside and work through the pipe from there over under the basement floor. If it is a simple blockage you should be able to get it from there. It is a collapsed red clay time then you can measure accurately so you will know more accurately where you may have to cut into the basement floor. If the blockage is tree root growth into the drain the outside access will be much better for getting in a power chopper/rooter device.

Lastly when you do go to cover the dig back up consider adding an inline access to that part of the pipe for the future or re-access the TEE joint with some gradual turn joints.


Personally, I'd never do this because of the risk of damaging an expensive window, but if someone forced me, I'd place the window from the outside, loosely fix it in place (in other words, prevent if from falling outwards) with a 2x4 across it (you'll probably need some spacers), then go inside and fiddle with the fit.


What to do about a cracked stair when I can't find how the stair is held in place?

If we begin with the assumption that the broken piece is to be replaced, then anything that involves destroying only that one piece is fair game -- unless you'll be wanting to create a careful replica of the broken piece there's little reason to restrict yourself to removing it intact. Open up a hole in that plank so that you can feel and then see into the space and you'll gain understanding of how the builder assembled the stairs.
To open such a hole consider a saw that can do a "plunge cut." This means it can cut into the surface of a board as opposed to beginning at an edge. A reciprocating saw with a hook-tip blade can do this, as can an oscillating multi-tool. Another option is to drill a hole through the board and then use a jigsaw to enlarge the hole.
Things to watch out for:

The tread boards could be tongue-and-groove. If so it'll require some care to remove the rear board without damaging the front board.
The riser board is likely to overlap the broken rear tread board. You might have to cut the tread board into pieces that can be slid out from beneath the riser.

As you remove more pieces of the tread board it'll become more clear how the board was secured and which other pieces, if any, will have to be removed to make a good repair possible.


How difficult is it to cut a big (flange) hole in brittle marble tile?

A diamond hole saw will do the job, use plenty of water and light pressure.

You will do better with a single hole, AFA breakage goes, compared to making 2 edge semi circles.

Update

If we are talking about a toilet flange, there are 2 methods, each with variations, depending on your equipment.

With a tile wet saw, raise and lower the blade such that you cut diameter lines edge to edge.  Rotate the tile 10 degrees and repeat.  Flip the tile over and repeat from below.  Remove teeth with an angle grinder fitted with a diamond blade.  If you are connected to a GFCI outlet, a helper can slowly spritz the cutting with a water bottle.  It will keep the dust to a minimum.  I would recommend a continuous edge (not segmented or stepped) diamond blade for this.  The cheap table type tile wet saws actually excel for this cut, allowing fast and accurate cuts, all from below.
The whole cut can be made with an angle grinder setup described above, you just have to tip the blade at 45 to the surface of the tile and sneak up on the line from the inside of the desired cut out.  With marble you have to go slow and minimize pressure. This method also works nicely for electrical boxes.


Toilet not flushing properly because flapper is closing too soon

Sounds like the chain is too short. The flapper has to come up past vertical, so that it's out of the way for the full flush. Once the tank starts to fill again, the flapper will slam shut.

If the chain is too long, it won't lift the flapper enough. If the chain is too short, it won't let the flapper fall into the full open position. The chain has to be just right, for everything to work.


How to keep my air conditioner from freezing when it is cool outside?

A typical AC shouldn't freeze over in that temperature range unless it's running 24x7. Try turning it onto energy save mode and adjusting the thermostat so that it turns off for at least 10-15 minutes every 2 hours.


Which way should an internal star lock washer go?

The jagged side should be to the bolt nut, not the washer. You're trying to prevent the bolt nut from turning, thus unscrewing. The jagged side will, to a small degree, bite into the metal of the bolt to increase the holding power. (The majority of the holding power is from just the compression of the lock washer.) Turned the other way will work, just not quite as well. (you don't really care about the washer turning.)

Edit: correct my stupid mistake!


Finding "C" wire on old heat pump HVAC unit

The highlighted wire is NOT the C wire.

If you read Note 3 it says "Transformer factory wired for 240 volts. Use red and blue leads for 208 volt applications".  The only time you'd use that blue wire, is if the system feeding the furnace was a 208 volt electrical system.

If you look at the other side of the transformer in the schematic (labeled 24V), you'll see two yellow wires.  One is R, while the other is C.


Hallway light switch also controls electricity to adjacent rooms

And this is why people shouldn't slap wires on screws willy-nilly

The previous installer apparently thought that all wires belong on screw terminals, which isn't true here, and combined with the 3-way to yield the bizarroland behavior you see here.  Fortunately, this is easy to fix.

Make sure the breaker's off. Take the two wires off the left hand side of the switch and wire-nut them to a short length of the same size wire to serve as a pigtail.  Land this pigtail on the black screw on the switch.  Turn the breaker on, and enjoy your outlets working all the time now.


Faced or Unfaced Fiberglass in a basement stud cavity that has IPS Foil Board?

You don't want to apply a double barrier as this may result in the dreaded "moisture sandwich" inside the wall.
Use unfaced batts. In fact I'd recommend rockwool over fiberglass for your use case due to its moisture resilience and easier working.


A suspended ceiling may help a bit. They are not designed to be insulators, but it will keep the hot air lower. Right now in the room, you should be able to feel a gradient where it gets warmer. I suspect that more or less you'll have the same gradient, but moved down by roughly the same amount you move down the ceiling: eg if you put a drop ceiling at 8', the warm air will effectively move down by 5'.

Now, I think the real trouble here is not the ceiling height, but the existing insulation, circulation, or heat source. Let me address them:

Insulation

If you continue to put heat into a space (whether forced air or radiated), it has to go somewhere. Right now, if you're heating the room and only the top part is getting hot, it means the heat is escaping: either through a hole (window, door, vent, etc), or through the walls. To some extent (because you can't have 100% insulation), heat is always going to escape eventually, but if there's not enough insulation and the heat is escaping faster than it's being added, you end up with a cold room. Addressing this is a matter of figuring out the source of the leakage. Keep in mind any drafts will cause significantly more heat loss than just poor insulation.

Circulation

The other side of it is circulation. It's hard to provide specifics here without knowing more about the room, but in some cases installing an air return vent (if you have forced air heating) up high may help, as it will cause greater mixing of incoming air to make the whole room feel warmer. Another option may be a ceiling fan, running in reverse. This also causes the air to mix better, without actually having a noticeable down-draft below the fan.

A tool that may help you identify insulation problems is an infra-red thermometer, which can be found online or in any big hardware store for anywhere from $30-$100. (A thermal camera is even better and much more detailed, but they are significantly more expensive).

Heat source

It's also possible that your heat source is simply inadequate for the space, or set up wrong.

If you have forced air, maybe this room is too far away, the supply pipe is too small, or the system isn't balanced properly. This is common in homes that have had additions, where the HVAC system was not considered.

If you have radiators, they may be too small, or maybe the controls (if they can be individually controlled, or you have a zoned system) are in the wrong place. For example, if the thermostat is in a small room that (for whatever reason) heats up faster, it will shut off the heat before your problem room gets warm enough. Relocating the thermostat may make sense, or you can use dampers to change the air flow to the rooms.

I would recommend at least figuring out if you have one of the above problems first, as the worst part would be if you install a drop ceiling and then find it doesn't have any major effect on the room temperature.


If you have doubts about the ability to solidly attache the screen with two screws into the wall, I'd consider putting up a 1x2 or 2x2 strip, then attaching the screen to that.

You should be able to use a number of screws to attache the strip to the wall, and if you're not concerned about removing it you could even glue it.  Then you can screw the screen to the strip, which should hold it without any problems.

If you need a completely flat mount for the screen, you can build a frame out of the same material.


If your subfloor is questionable, you should tear up the section surrounding the flange, between the joists, then block between the joists on either side (or front and back, depending on orientation) of the flange, and replace the subfloor material.  Then you can screw the flange to the new subfloor, with a spacer or shims.
You don't need the CBU or tile to fit under the flange.


Brush and just touch up. Possible foam brush would be best, but if the paint was done years ago, the color difference could be noticable. Even if you have the same color of leftover paint, the degradation from earth, wind, and fire (sun uv ray), it may not match perfectly. But that is the quickest most simple way.


Possible to ground-fault protect both legs of a MWBC with two single-pole breakers?

Never gonna work. Sorry, but even if you might be able to get one at a time to work, GFCI on MWBC is based on the breaker comparing "all hot" to "all neutral". Two electrically separate breakers simply can't do that. The handle tie requirement satisfies the general MWBC safety issue of making sure that if one is off for maintenance then the other is off as well. Options:

Double GFCI breaker
Two single regular breakers with handle tie and install single GFCI where needed at point of use (e.g., kitchen or bathroom).

GFCI is perfectly effective at point of use. AFCI is best at breaker or very close to it.


Multiple 30A outlets on the same breaker

No, as long as you don't overload the circuit of course

This is stated most clearly in NEC 210.23(B):

  210.23 Permissible Loads, Multiple-Outlet Branch Circuits. In no case shall the load exceed the branch-circuit
  ampere rating. A branch circuit supplying two or more outlets or receptacles shall supply only the loads specified
  according to its size as specified in 210.23(A) through (D)
  and as summarized in 210.24 and Table 210.24.

...

  (B) 30-Ampere Branch Circuits. A 30-ampere branch circuit shall be permitted to supply fixed lighting units with
  heavy-duty lampholders in other than a dwelling unit(s) or
  utilization equipment in any occupancy. A rating of any one
  cord-and-plug-connected utilization equipment shall not
  exceed 80 percent of the branch-circuit ampere rating.


With that thermostat it would be easier to tell if the air handler and heat pump are working rather than the thermostat.  The thermostat doesn’t send a signal it closes switches just like a few automatic light switches. So you just need to see if the switches are closing. With that thermostat it may be a little difficult especially if it is not battery powered.
To test the air handler connect a jumper wire to the R terminal and to the G terminal. That will turn on the fan. To test the emergency heat connect a second jumper from R to W2. This would turn on the emergency heat. Remove the jumper from W2 and place it on Y/W1 to turn on the compressor.  Placing a third jumper between R and B will energize the reversing valve and cycle between heat and coil. Whatever you do, do notjump anything to C or at best you will blow a fuse and at worst let the smoke out of several components.  If all that works but does not work after reconnecting the thermostat it is most likely a thermostat problem.
If the thermostat is battery powered you could use an ohm meter to tell is each switch is closing or not. Each one of those pins on the bottom go to a terminal. Find which terminal they go to using an ohm meter. Then insert test leads into the corresponding holes in the thermostat and do the same as above except instead of different pieces turning on your ohm meter will go from OL to 0


What kind of wood is recommended for replacing kitchen cabinet shelving?

You did not say where you are located so direct advice is not possible....but:  Here in the USA many of the "big box" stores will happily cut a plywood panel up into the sizes that you require. Just commit yourself to the purchase of the 4' x 8' panel and they can cut you three or four shelves to the sizes you need.

These stores have a special setup called a panel saw that makes cutting up panels a piece of cake. Do stress that you have to have close tolerance on the dimensions of each piece so it comes out proper for you. Sometimes the young folks employed at these stores will think that "within a quarter" of an inch is good enough.

Also note that if you go to the shelf at the store and buy the ready cut 2' x 4' pieces be aware that:

Usually four of the 2x4 pre trimmed panels costs more than a whole
4x8 panel.
You will get 3 shelves out of each 2x4 piece instead of 1 with lots of waste.
The large panel may have a nice sized chunk left over that you can
take home for a future DIY project.
There may be reluctance on their part to cut the small panels for
you.


The user manual for your unit can be found here. According to the document the following are possible when no codes are displayed:

Clean inlet water supply filter.
On new installations ensure hot and
cold water lines are not reversed.
Check for bleed over. Isolate unit from building by turning off cold water line to building. Isolate the circulating system if present. Open your pressure relief valve; if water is flowing, there is bleed over in your plumbing.
Ensure you have at least the minimum flow rate required to fire unit.
Ensure turbine spins freely.
Measure the resistance of the water flow control sensor.
Check for DC shorts at components.

In short, the more likely cause for a unit that's worked before is a lack of flow; either the device isn't getting enough from a clogged filter, or it's not detecting the flow from a failed turbine.
If you can't get anything to work on the controller (set temperature, etc), then it's also possible the power connection has failed or that the controller itself has failed and needs to be replaced.


Where can I find furniture screws that lock into embedded metal parts?

Do an image search for "cam lock fastener". You'll find what you need.


When using using 3/4 PEX for cold water in a bathroom that has shower, sink and toilet, do I need to reduce to 1/2 when I am branching to the fixture?

"Need" is defined by the connection you want to make. As you've discovered, shutoff valves (supply stop valves for use with a fixture) with 3/4" inlet practically don't exist. Therefore yes you'll need to adapt the plumbing to the inlet of whatever shutoff valves you can find. Shutoff valves are widely available with inlets of either 1/2" female iron pipe thread or 1/2" nominal compression (the latter is called 5/8" tube size by some). With those two sizes as your destination, it's time for another visit to the "which fittings are readily available" department.
A copper stub-out is a common choice. It crimps to the in-wall PEX tubing and stubs a section of copper pipe/tubing through the drywall. After the room finish is completed the capped end of the pipe is cut off and a compression inlet shutoff valve is installed. You'll have a hard time finding a 1/2" stub-out that fits 3/4" PEX, though, so that indicates you'll next have to hunt for something like a 3/4"x1/2" PEX reducing tee, elbow, or coupler.
Another possibility is to arrange to emerge from the wall with PEX tubing directly. In this case you might get a 3/4" PEX x 1/2" male pipe thread adapter and pair it with a 1/2" FIP inlet shutoff valve.
There are few rigid requirements in the practice of plumbing -- mostly it consists of following a few principles and getting the job done with whatever parts are readily available.


How can I minimise damage to a moldy patch of plywood?

A dilute solution of bleach sprayed on it will kill and neutralize the mold. Then wire brush the damaged spot. If you want to prevent this later, seal the plywood with something, primer or polyurethane.

(While bleach contains chlorine which is not good for you, the chlorine is volatile and quickly evaporates. It is typically used by brewers to sterilize equipment for this reason.)


Wow that is still too coarse unless you had bubbles. I actually use steel wool or 400+ grit. With 220 and even light pressure you cut through the layer, the second you use anything to scuff the surface it will look dull or even white this is normal clean and apply another coat, when you sand between coats you are taking off the high points and roughing it up so the next layer will bond better. On high end projects that I want an absolute glass surface that looks to have depth I will use 400 grit until the grain no longer shows, then I jump to fine steel wool or 600+ until I get the depth or look of depth I want. When you add the next layer if well cleaned it will become clear and look great again.

One trick to save your brush, I use a glass jar that can be sealed, fill with solvent to cover the bristles, immediately after finishing I clean most of the varnish out (you never get it all out) I put the brush(s) in the jar and seal it I have had quality brushes last 6+ years using this method, time for a second coat or 10th, pull the brush out shake off the excess load the brush and go. Cleaning at the end and returning to the sealed jar.
I use +20$ brushes and prior to doing this I could waste 1/2 a gallon of solvent and the next day the brushes were ruined as the fine bristles were hard and sticking together, so a nice coat was impossible. Using this method I have had to replace some smaller brushes that fell apart after many uses but the big ones have lasted all these years and work as well as a new brush.


Make a built-in desk level with uneven floor, or true level

1/2" isn't bad.  I'd make it true level.  You'd never install cabinets out of level I don't see why you'd make your built-in desk follow the floor.


How can I move hot air from a cathedral ceiling to colder bedrooms?

I suspect this will be a DIY project.

Note that an alternative would be to simply install ceiling fans in the cathedral ceiling room to circulate its air better, removing most of the stratification you now experience.

(I've got upstairs/downstairs zones myself, with definite air exchange at the stairwell. I've considered installing a vertical tube with a boxer fan or two to get some counterflow there. Simpler alternative might simply to be to close the doors of the upstairs rooms, or to install a door at the landing, to limit the airflow.)


Need to add common "C" for thermostat; can anyone indicate where to connect it?

First of all, don't make any assumptions about wire colors. There is no standard, everyone does it differently.

Secondly, there is a very clear C terminal in your picture, at the bottom right of the control board. It also looks like you have an air conditioner connected.

This "blue" wire you're talking about looks like it's not connected at the board. If my assumptions on the wires are correct, then all you need to do is connect the blue wire to the "C" terminal, and you'll have a C wire at the thermostat.

If I'm wrong about anything, or just for more background, you can refer to our go-to thermostat-c-wire question: How can I add a "C" wire to my thermostat? (or read any of the other questions with the thermostat-c-wire tag).


How should I flush my refrigerators drinking water system after storage?

When using a home that has been left unused for quite some time, typically all you need to do is flush the lines before using.  I suspect a refrigerator would be the same.

Clean out ice maker
Flush water lines by running 1 - 2 gallons though it
Turn on ICE maker and dispose of first 2 full loads of ice


Since there doesn't appear to be any grounding conductors in the box, and the box appears to be plastic. You've done all you can do, aside from installing a nonmetallic cover plate.

This answer might also be helpful.

If you're concerned about it, consider that it's been operating without a ground since the switch was originally installed.  If you're really concerned, you could install a GFCI breaker to protect the circuit. If you're really really concerned about it, you could install an equipment grounding conductor from the panel to the switch.


What is this yellow powder under my carpet?

Looks like degraded carpet glue.
Asbestos seems highly unlikely, but you can have it lab tested if you have asbestos-paranoia. If the house is less than 35-40 years old, it's exceedingly unlikely to have any asbestos anywhere. If it's older, it becomes more likely.
The "classic" asbestos-containing floor adhesive is "black mastic"


How to prevent batteries leaking out in devices?

Acid cell and Alkaline Batteries function by a process of controlled corrosion of two different elements which creates a voltage potential and a current if the circuit is completed.

This process is in continuous motion from the day of manufacture, while it sits on the shelf in its packaging, while installed in the equipment during off/idle periods. It accelerates with higher discharge rate during use, and continues after the cell is unable to produce useful power to run the device

Alkaline batteries have a sealed container that serves as one of the electrodes. While it undergoes a lot slower corrosion than the case on the old Acid cells, it still corrodes. It is part of the process that allows the battery to function. You don't prevent it.

Dead batteries should never be left in equipment, their process is nearly complete and the shell is close to breach.
Live batteries have a date on them for a reason. Chemical reaction occurs even if the battery is live and able to run the equipment. Often with today's LED technology, for example, the batteries will corrode through and start leaking long before they become too weak to run the flashlight.
Prevention is worth a pound of cure. Remove batteries from the device when not in use for extended periods of time. If it is part of a crash kit where you need batteries with the device at all times for emergency use, store them in a separate ziplock bag and check their dates periodically as well as for leakage.
Don't mix different cells in a device which takes more then one cell. Alkaline cells tend to leak when a potential voltage is applied, i.e. when you try to charge them. This can happen in devices with more than one cell in series if some of the cells have less capacity than others. This is why one should never mix cells by type, brand or age in devices where the cells are connected in series (which is virtually all devices that take cells in the same compartment).


How to fill a narrow crevice around my toilet waste pipe with concrete?

Anchoring cement is designed to be pourable and, while not a great finished surface with respect to wear durability, should secure your plumbing with excellence and aplomb.


Would it be out of code to switch a receptical this way?

You are probably OK on two counts:

the room is not considered habitable
the wiring is a switch loop controlling a receptacle rather than a direct wired lighting load.

This is covered by NEC 404.2(C). This is the 2014 version.

Note that not all jurisdictions subscribe to all NEC code, and some use older version.


Does the NEC allow for smaller than 15 amp / 14 gauge circuits?

It looks like the NEC allows only specific circuit ratings. From the 2014 NEC:

  210.3 Rating
  Branch circuits recognized by this article shall be rated in accordance with the maximum permitted ampere rating or setting of the overcurrent device. The rating for other than individual branch circuits shall be 15, 20, 30, 40, and 50 amperes. Where conductors of higher ampacity are used for any reason, the ampere rating or setting of the specified overcurrent device shall determine the circuit rating.

The exception specified is if the circuit supplies only a specific item, an "individual branch circuit":

  Branch Circuit, Individual. A branch circuit that supplies only one utilization equipment.

There are also some other exceptions that don't apply here, like for motor loads and in industrial settings.


Where ever I had you situation, I used a colored latex caulk that was a close a match as possible to the existing grout in the tile floor. After all the caulk is leveled, everything cleaned up, and while the caulk is very wet still, sprinkle dry grout over the wet caulk and let that set on the caulk while it dries. It will give you the flexibility that the wood floor to move against due to seasonal changes since regular grout is not flexible enough to handle the wood movement.
If you choose you grout "topping" carefully, it should blend in fairly well with the existing tile grout.
After the caulk/grout combo is dried, use a vacuum to pick up most of the residual dust from sprinkling the grout. then with a damp cloth, carefully clean the rest of the haze that will be left over. If you choose you may want to tape either side of the joint before you start everything.
A tip that may come in handy... Latex caulk shrinks as it dries, so keep the thickness to a minimum to help reduce the amount of shrinkage. Do this by using "backer rod" to fill most of the depth of the gap so the caulk is only about 1/4" thick, more or less. If the gap is already that deep, then no backer rod is needed. I am assuming the gap is 3/4" deep, since the flooring looks like old school wood flooring.


Can You run two 2, 20amp Ground fault circuits using 12/3 wire and duplex 20amp plugins

Nope, does not work because you would need a fourth wire past the GFCI to carry protected neutral along with protected hot.  You cannot share unprotected neutral and protected neutral on the same wire.  This problem defeats the purpose of a Multi-Wire Branch Circuit, which is the formal name of what you're trying to do).

It is a big part of the reason MWBCs are a time-lost wiring method.

Also, you can't use 2 breakers because you must provide a method to assure that they are on opposite poles (otherwise you overload the neutral) and you must have common maintenance shutoff (impossible to turn one off without the other).  That basically compels you to use a 2-pole breaker.

Also, there are no tabs to break off on a GFCI.

I want to do it anyway, and AFCIs are not required here

In that case you can use a 2-pole GFCI breaker, and wire the MWBC in the classic style.  Remember you must pigtail neutral wires to every device, so the device can be removed without interrupting neutral.

Alternately, you can wire it with a 2-pole breaker without a GFCI breaker, use GFCI receptacles, and not use the LOAD terminals at all.  This moots the issue with the neutral since it is now non-protected neutral in all locations.

I strongly recommend not using the LOAD terminals unless you are very sure of what you're doing, this causes more trouble than it's worth.  While it is slick when you can do it, the savings of avoiding a few GFCI receptacles is wasted when you have to spend $150 to call out an electrician to make it all work.

I need AFCI, though

AFCI protection must be at the breaker.  A 2-pole AFCI  is available, but no such thing as a 2-pole AFCI/GFCI breaker. So you would need to exit the panel and stop in a junction box, and fit a 2-pole GFCI-only device (deadfront) there.

One extreme option there is to come off the service panel to a hot tub subpanel, which has a GFCI master breaker.  Then fit as many AFCI breakers as you need for the various circuits that need GFCI.  Of course, one ground fault would trip them all, so don't put GFCI on the fridge but that is good advice regardless.

I am willing to use /4 cable downstream of the first GFCI

Actually, you need /2/2 cable.  In that case the wiring is fairly straightforward: white is black's partner neutral.  Red and white-red are GFCI-protected.

At the first box, you pigtail neutral to the GFCI Line neutral.  Supply Red goes to GFCI Line hot.   In the /4 cable, red and white-red go to GFCI LOAD.  Down the line, the two neutrals can't touch each other.

In the second box, supply black and white go to the GFCI Line inputs, no pigtailing needed here.  Then downline black and white go to GFCI Load outputs.   At this point black/white are one Protected pair, and red/whitered are the other.

At the third and subsequent outlets, you can split the outlets but must break off BOTH tabs and either pigtail all 4 wires, or use the $3 Leviton Pro outlets that provide screw-and-clamp for 2 wires per screw.  Do not put one on the screw and one in the backstab, because backstabs are not reliable.

Also use deep/large boxes, because you'll have 8 wires + 1 yoke + clamps + ground for 12 units of fill, so 27 cubic inches of box space.


Can I touch the metal frame or do I need to ground it?

It's class 1.

  With Class 1 appliances, the user is protected by a combination of basic insulation and the provision of an earth connection, thus providing two levels of protection. When PAT Testing Class 1 appliances, Earth Continuity and Insulation Resistance tests are carried out.
  (source)

It needs a ground connection on the metalwork. There should be a grounding screw there somewhere.


Which glue/grab adhesive type to use with OSB 3 boards and joists for shed + spacing

Adhesive is used for sub-floors in homes to help eliminate squeaking from flex/movement.

Since this is a garden shed i do not know that is necessary. Just use lots of deck screws. If you want to there are several that would be sufficient. Here is link to a page that tested several, You can choose.

I think using 2x4 as floor joists is not a good idea,  I do  not know what size your shed is or how much storage weight it will hold so i cannot advise on joist size.


You should have fixed the walls before they put up the counter tops up.  I understand the company's frustration with your set up.

However the real frustration should have been with the sales person or the person taking the measurements.  They should have noticed this and discussed possible solutions during the initial phase.

The fabricators/installers were basically screwed and the installers made the situation worse.  First I am sure your contract talks about an overhang.  Having a consistent overhang is part of any countertop installation.  This should be fixed.

However I do not think them scribing the entire back of the counter to fit your curvy wall is normal.  Again they missed this.  You are paying for a service and part of that is them being able to measure things.  (If no one came out to your house and you just sent in measurements though my opinion reverses)

If you just have drywall above countertops there is a solution... If it works in your kitchen you can.  Have them install counters with an consistent overhang.  Then you could add another layer of drywall -thickness determined on how much you need to notch in your worst spot (and you can notch existing drywall too).  Then you will cover drywall notch with backsplash.  If they gave you some 6 inch pieces of your counter material it would probably look great.

On the other issues... The 90 degree thing - tops don't need to be at 90 they need to match cabinets.  So again worry about the overhang consistency.  On the joins - they should be sanded properly.  There should be no ridge.  It would be normal to have a very small amount of filler.  The really good companies make it almost seamless and the bad ones have huge joins.

Focus on the front of the countertops.  Make sure they line up the same with all cabinets.  Mention that you will let them notch into your existing wall - help them out and give them options.  If they can scribe one straight line in the back - that might be an option too and combining that with notching might work without additional drywall.  Also I would really ask them about a matching backsplash since tiling might not cover a wide gap in the back.


Mysterious drain going into sewer cleanup

Here is a suggestion for investigation. Start by removing the perforated sewer-cleanout and temporarily capping the suspect drain with a size reducing fitting. Then try one or more of the methods in this answer to a similar question.


Can I put a convection toaster oven over the range?

Try searching for an over the range convection microwave on Google Product search. This type of oven combines the quick heating ability of a microwave and the browning feature of a convection oven.

As for your question of safety: Yes it's safe, as long as the oven was designed to be installed over a range/stove. Since you'll be boiling water, cooking, etc. on the stove below it, the design should incorporate some sort of exhaust fan or other method to deal with the resulting steam. Otherwise accumulated moisture could damage the appliance or possibly create a safety hazard with the possibility of an electrical short.


I suppose you could use it, but unless you need the splitter function, you do not want any extra splitters in your antenna line, as each one cuts your antenna signal (tiny) by half. Use a straight barrel connector if you need to join two cable ends.

The "DC pass" part of the one you have was to permit power to be passed up to an amplifier built into the dish receiver for the satellite. If does not make you any more or less likely to "get shocked or something." If you are installing an antenna, you should learn about not causing the antenna cable to look like the best place for lightning to run into the house. (not affilated with the linked content, nor is it directly relevant to this question, so I'm not going to copy it here, either. Might make a good question for someone to ask.)


Does my new bathroom plumbing need a cleanout?

Looks reasonable, other than the (hopefully just a sketch issue) shower trap looking S rather than P on the sketch.
Presumably the drawing fails to show whatever constraints keep the shower connection from being more direct (i.e. from the sketch, seems like the Wye could just roll over to point more at the trap and simplify your connection, but I assume there are obstacles. If there are not obstacles, do that - it does not need to enter the 3" line facing up - 45 degrees up towards the shower would be dandy, 2 degrees up towards the shower would also be acceptable - it IS a wye. They do that. Taking the dry vent wye off the top is correct.)


Can a non-professional drill holes in a granite countertop?

I am a granite top fabricator, and every time I drill a hole in granite or marble, it always scares me. I think, "what if I crack this top by making the slightest error; I better pay attention and take my time!" Because the slightest error can break your stone top; even with experience it is nerve racking.

First you need a hole saw guide. Cut a guide hole with your hole saw out of a scrap piece of ceramic tile or a thin 1/8" to 1/4" piece of wood and clamp it or have someone hold that with two hands firmly. With this guide, start your hole dry until you cut down about 1/16" to 1/8 into the stone. Then, remove guide and now you have your starting guide to finish your cut. Cut slow and have some one with a water bottle applying water at all times. Though, put a sponge on both sides of the bit so you don't make a mess. If you already cut out your plywood, be careful when you get to the end of drilling your hole because you can easily plunge your drill through the hole, slamming the drill onto the counter and breaking your top. Remove your guide bit on the hole saw and pre-cut your plywood with a wood hole saw with guide bit.

Not to many people are successful their first time without a pro by their side so good luck! Or you can keep calling granite guys for a better price.


How can I cover the unfinished edge of particle board?

I'd still take it apart, but I understand your reluctance.

What you need is "edge banding tape". You should be able to find it online in black. (The big box stores don't usually have a good color selection, but you might get lucky.) Anyway, once you have it, you'll want to iron it onto the edge. (A couple of layers of aluminum foil will keep your iron clean.) After ironing and while it's still warm, rub it with something like a block of wood or a wine cork to force the tape down. Let cool, cut the edges that hang over with a utility knife and you're done.


Replacing receptacles - why are white and black wires crossed?

Check the tabs.

Check the tabs.  That is the #1 trouble spot.  If a tab is broken off on the old receptacle, do the same with the new.

When there are 2 wires on a side, what that means is totally different if the tabs are broken off, versus not.

White wires on silver screws, black on brass screws

The old one should be like that.  If you see a case where it is not, take some good photos of the back of the box and both sides of the receptacle, and ask a new question.   Because there might be something special going on there.

What you call "crossing" should simply be the wires getting to where they belong.

If you have been disregarding this, and "uncrossing" the wires, then you need to go back and correct that.  In those cases the outlet will probably function normally, but will create an electrocution risk situation.

If the tabs are not broken off, then the wires simply need to obey the above rule: you can swap two whites on two silver screws if that fits better.

If the tabs are broken off, then position also matters.

While you're in there, ground the receptacle

The one in your photo is grounded.  If you find any that are not, get some #12 bare wire, and some wire nuts, and run a pigtail from the group of grounds to the receptacle.

If you can't ground, then have a conversation with someone knowledgeable about GFCI protection (don't simply slap in a GFCI receptacle in every location; but if you insist on doing so, only use the LINE terminals and leave the warning tape on the LOAD terminals).

On switches, screw color is vital, and wire color is unhelpful.

I gather you'll be doing switches too?  In switches, wire colors are almost meaningless.  In 1-way switches (2 screws only), it doesn't matter.  However, 3-way and 4-way switches absolutely require care in matching wires to screw colors.  I like to mark travelers with yellow tape.  Travelers are on yellow screws in 3-ways. On 4-ways, one pair is on yellow, the other pair is on black.


Can I install a sink with a drain pipe that's 21" off the floor?

If I'm understanding correctly, your drain pipe is coming out of the wall 21" from the ground?

That's fine, provided you can connect it to the sink properly.

Vanity height is anywhere from 29" to 36". The old "standard height" was 32", however often new construction uses kitchen height or "comfort height" at 36".

A typical bathroom sink basin is from 5 to 9" deep.

A side view of the drain connection looks like this:

So if you have a 32" high vanity, with a 7" deep sink (outside dimension), that gives you about 4" for the tail piece connections, which is somewhat tight but should be enough room.

If you go to a 36" high vanity, you can do a deeper sink.

This doesn't directly answer your question about having drainage problems, however. What I'd be concerned about there is venting. For 1 1/2" pipe, there must be a vent within 3.5' of the trap:

I'm not sure what the status of your project is (eg, if you have access inside the walls to verify the plumbing), but it's easier to validate and fix this problem if necessary before you install a cabinet, sink, tile, paint, etc.


What wire is needed for a double 3-way switch on fan/light

If you're going to use wiring similar to the first diagram from that thread, and you're planning to use 12 AWG wiring. You're going to need five conductors (plus ground) between the switch boxes, so I'd probably use two separate cables.

In the case that the power originates at the fan/light, I'd make use of some 12/2/2. Using a length between the fan/light, and first group of switches. Then another length between the two groups of switches.

NOTES:

Grounding conductors have been excluded from the diagram, to make it a bit clearer. Make sure all grounding conductors are properly installed.
Notice that the white wire that's being used as a traveller between the switches, has been reidentified at both ends using a bit of black tape/marker/paint.
As @Wolf Harper points out, make sure the two cables between the boxes stay in close proximity with each other. Or use conduit with single conductors pulled through it.


How to remove 3M Scotch Super 77 from finished hardwood surface

You're gonna have to play and see.  Spray Super 77 on some scrap and use it for testing.
Then roll through every chemical in the house - canola oil (one kind of food oil will suffice), each kind of alcohol you have (no no, not Bud and Jack Daniels, I mean ethanol, isopropyl etc.), then each kind of mineral spirit you have: gasoline, paint thinner, naptha, acetone (aka nail polish remover), etc.
Once you identify some winners, try them on an inconspicuous area of that finish to see which ones if any attack the finish.


Found two different sites that seem to suggest a broken timer for that same model:

http://forum.appliancepartspros.com/washer-repair/411851-maytag-washer-cycle-issue.html
http://www.justanswer.com/appliance/6798o-maytag-lat8826aae-will-not-rinse-drain-spin-regular.html

Which would make sense if only some modes work while others don't. It's a pretty cheap part to try replacing too (not enough rep to post 3 links, but remove the space):

partselect .com/Models/LAT8826AAE/


Why is my GFCI recpeptacle slow to trip?

It may be a faulty tester, or a faulty ground.  The tester relies on a wired ground to simulate the ground fault.  In fact they won't work on ungrounded connections, and that's not a defect.


Water backing up into Refrigerator Freezer

I have had this issue myself. I had a good service tech who explained the issue and said if he fixed it the cost would be $300. Or he could explain how to fix for it $75. You have already figured out how to take the freezer apart. I used a turkey baster with a small hose attached to force warm water down the drain. After the water cools suck it out with the baster and replace it with more warm water. When the drain is completely free the water should flow through and collect in the drain pan under the fridge.