In general, no. The reason is that you have quite small contact surface of each brick with the brick above or below, and also the vertical shape makes the wall less robust against shear stress (roughly speaking: force applied horizontally is multiplied by the height of the brick to compute the momentum, and the momentum is divided by the length of the brick to compute resulting forces in critical points).
However, for a small patch of bricks like you plan to do, this might be less of an issue. Still, you should interleave them, which means cutting them in halves for one of the two layers, that's not gonna be fun to do precisely.
I would personally still go for standard laying and make 4 layers by 215mm. Note that including the masonry mortar (I hope that's the right word for the glue you put between the bricks), that's basically the same size as stacking them vertically, and the wall will be stronger.


No it is not safe. NEC requires all conductors to be installed in an appropriate enclosure or totally removed. I suppose I should give you NEC Article 110.3 for the reference that does not allow what your picture is showing.

You might want to quote this to your property manager and contractor.

Needless to say this is an unsafe situation and you might mention that they have a certain amount of liability if in fact some one is injured because of their lack of action. I am not sure if you are dealing with the installer or directly with the owner of the contracting firm that left it that way. Usually the owner is a lot more concerned than there employees. If that doesn't work I advise you to contact your AHJ have have them deal with the problem.

Stay safe and good luck.


Refrigerator freezer is building up ice on inside bottom floor

Two likely possibilities that I have seen over the years:
Blocked drain
This used to be quite common on GE side-by-side refrigerator/freezers, but maybe on others as well. Frost-free freezers aren't truly frost free. They create frost and them melt it away, it then drains into a pan somewhere to evaporate. If the drain hole clogs, ice builds up in the bottom of the freezer.
Gasket
When the gasket wears out, moist air can get into the freezer. The moisture condenses and then freezes on the bottom. If this is the problem replacing the gasket is the solution - usually fairly easy but also a relatively expensive part and specific to each model because it has to be exactly the right length & width.


Sound of water running after bath taps turned off

If the tub doesn't have a P-trap, or the P-trap is being emptied (by a nearby toilet flush or washing machine drain pump) due to a venting issue, you might be hearing water running elsewhere in the drain system, possibly even the main sewer line.


How can I confirm that an exterior door is hollow core or solid core? And prove it to a skeptical father?

Since you're going to replace it anyway, drill a small hole in it. It's the only way to convince your dad. You can easily patch the hole afterwards. Good luck.


Two 20 amp circuit breakers installed with copper wire bridge

The nail/wire is not a legal handle tie, but a proper electrical supply who deals in that brand will cheerfully sell you one for $3 - or as Ed Beal points out, anyone will sell you a 2-pole breaker for $9.  Whether that is legal: It depends.

If the breakers are powering device(s) that use both 120V and 240V (classically ovens (for the light) and dryers (for the motor)), then that device requires common-trip.  Handle-ties cannot provide common trip.  Only a 2-pole breaker can do that.

If the breakers are powering a variety of loads, every single one of which is a 120V-to-neutral load, or every single one is 240V-only (no neutral: water heater, A/C, EV charger), then common trip is not required; you need common maintenance shutoff.  That is what a handle-tie does.  But you need to use the proper one that is UL listed for the breaker type.


What does it mean to drill holes "128mm on center"?

(What will be) The center of each hole is the measuring point, and the hole centers should be 128mm apart.


8'x8' platform 8' off the ground. If 4x4 steel columns, do I need bracing?

You could have a tremendous amount of dead weight on the platform without any trouble -- it's the liveliness of the load that causes problems. A single person weighing under 200 pounds can cause some sway in a 20,000+ pound bus by standing in the aisle and throwing his weight about, for instance. Consider the activities that will occur up there.

Have you considered a railing for fall safety? If the corner posts are chosen long enough to extend above platform level then they could support a railing; if the railing incorporates diagonal bracing or a shear plane (ie a sheet of plywood) it'll help stiffen the structure against swaying too (though not as much as bracing below the platform could do).

Does the storage of objects below the platform defeat the height of the platform? In other words, can the predators you're protecting against push the storage around and then use it as a step stool of sorts? If so then maybe you need to enclose the space beneath the platform. The enclosing walls could protect any bracing against being used by climbers.. but now the whole thing is starting to look a lot like a shed with a flat roof.


2 independent GFCI (or 2-pole GFCI) outlet in 1-gang box. Does that exist?

Generally speaking, unless you are making changes, you don't need to add AFCI or GFCI to existing circuits. That being said, GFCI is of potentially major benefit in the kitchen. As you have found, you generally won't find AFCI + GFCI in a double-pole breaker, and you also won't find a GFCI/dual-receptacle that supports MWBC.
Assuming you don't need AFCI, my recommendation is to add the GFCI at the panel - a double-pole GFCI breaker. That gives you the really important human-safety part.
The flip side is, you may not need the same GFCI protection for your dishwasher, particularly if it can be hard-wired. Actually, you may not need it for the disposal if hard-wired, but my gut feeling is that the disposal is (because you touch the sink and the switch when the disposal is in use) is far more of a real-world ground fault concern than the dishwasher. In which case the other realistic alternative if you really want AFCI is:

Double-pole AFCI breaker
Change the dishwasher from cord & plug to hard-wired (which is usually a standard installation option)
Install a GFCI/receptacle for the disposal.

If you do this, you will connect split the neutral before the GFCI. Assuming black/red/white:

Black hardwired to dishwasher hot
Red to GFCI Line/Hot
White pigtailed to dishwasher neutral and to GFCI Line/Neutral
Nothing connected to GFCI Load


Will this moisture problem persist after drywall is installed?

You need vapour barrier (the plastic you put up before drywall) and air barrier.

To count as an air barrier you stop air flow by using sheathing tape on:

OSB joints and edges
Vapour Barrier (this is most common)
Tyvek Housewrap seams (becoming more common)

Some people think that you only need a vapour barrier or that the vapour barrier is also an air barrier. This is not true. You can make it an air barrier by sealing the joints and seams with tape and mastic, but otherwise it is only to stop Vapour Diffusion and not Air Flow.

Long story short: you had condensation because you did not have a proper vapour barrier, air barrier, or both. Since you seem to have a VB built in to your insulation, all you need to do is tape the seams and seal the edges at the top and bottom plate to make an air barrier.


It's a long wooden bar, about 5' long, about 2" round at the top, tapering larger to about 6"x2" oval at the bottom, with (usually) steel wheels, and a steel "lever" at the bottom. Kind of like the design of a hand-truck.

It's used for moving or shifting heavy items.

I agree, images are impossible to find.

Edit: Found one:

Search for "Pry Bar Lever Dollies" and you'll get all the Murphy bars you can handle. lol


Fit shutters, been “standard” on chalets in Switzerland for over 200 years.
You could make the shutters perform even better by making them with an insulation layer as well. Fitted well that would start to get closer to the r value of the wall.


Should a roof drip edge be placed above or below roofing felt?

It depends on where the drip edge is.  At the side, or gabels, of a roof, the drip edge goes over the roofing felt.  At the bottom of the roof, the drip edge goes under the roofing felt.  I have no idea why Ask This Old House did the drip edge the way they did.  The main purpose of underlayment is to keep water away from the decking if it gets under the shingles.  Water will pass right under that drip edge.
But don't take my word for it.  Your shingles will come with instructions that say how to place the drip edges.
Example Installation Instructions
Timberline® Shingles Installation Instructions (PDF)

Oakridge® Shingles Installation Instructions (PDF)

Example installation instructions located using a simple google search. Products listed are not recommended nor endorsed by the author of this post.


Minimal gap between basement ceiling and main floor floor

If the "gap" you speak of is between the floor/ceiling surfaces, it's probably already minimal, as typical floor framing is about that size.

If it's between the ceiling surface and the bottom of the floor framing, you'll have to find out what is running in the gap, where, before knowing if (or at least where) you can raise the ceiling to be attached to the bottom of the floor framing (or some intermediate framing/resilient channel attached to the floor framing.) Commonly there will be some plumbing and/or ducts in the space, for some parts of the basement.


Installing Cement Board 16 inches on center

Yes.

You're only really talking about making three more cuts than you would if you were working with sheets that had lengths of say 64". Your runs are only two sheets long, and you'd have had to cut one sheet for each row anyway. The short wall doesn't have this problem.

You can get 32" cementboard, which you could run vertically (assuming manufacturer approval).


Is a high electric bill for a pump house caused by a well pump running constantly?

If this is a submersible pump in a fairly shallow well and it is running continuously and only putting out 20psi, you have several possible problems:

The impeller assembly is coming apart and there is excessive internal leakage in the pump.
There is a leak in the pipe leading from the pump to the well-head, either the pipe has split, or the barb fitting nipple in the top of the pump has a hole corroded in it. The pump basically is recirculating the water back into the well.
Submersible pumps with iron pipe to the wellhead that use a below frostline casing fitting have an o-ring in the slider coupling assembly that can rot and cause a leak back into the well.
Not sure where the main water shutoff valves are. Are they in the pump house or at the residences? Any unexplained water bubbling out of the ground with quicksand like mud?

Note: A leaking foot valve will have one of two effects. On an above ground pump, you will lose prime, on a submersible, if there's air leakage, you get a slug of air into the system every time the pump starts (chugging faucets, etc).


Using Different Screw in Drywall Anchors

No one can tell you for sure since there are many varieties and sizes of drywall anchors.  I suggest you get some anchors which have screws roughly the same diameter as your shelf screws.  Then try them out in some inconspicuous spot on your wall. See if the anchors are holding firmly in the wall. You could even try mounting the shelf and testing it. Ultimately, it also depends on the weight of the items that will go on your shelf.


Groundwater cooled heat exchanger - forced air

Using only cold water to lower a buildings temperature was common many years ago. I have not seen any of the systems that still work but I do know  or was told that they worked. This would be similar to a typical A/C system except that the cooling medium would be water instead of a refrigerant cooling the air.  Know this that most large buildings, schools, hospitals, and office buildings use cooled water to do the A/C since it is easier to circulate a cooled water than to have spot cooling everywhere. In your case, instead of using a refrigerant to cool the water, you will use a dedicated cold water source as your cooling medium. A cold water source is located, a well, an underground stream, or an aquifer that is tapped into and the cold water was pumped into a water coil similar to an A/C coil and the discharge water, now slightly heated is returned back into the source. This idea will work if the source water is cold enough, you can remove and return enough water to suit your needs, and it is allowed by the codes concerning this action. Will your idea work, yes, is it allowed, ?, is it cost effective, I do not know.


Can I insulate flat roof using this method?

Certainly seems like it should be some improvement over the traditional method - how much is not clear, since the bags will presumably pack down and lose most of the insulating air spaces under soil pressure, but even "more or less solid" LDPE would be a slight thermal improvement over soil, if you have access to a lot of cement bags.

A rigid foam insulation (or foamcrete) would be more effective in this application, but presumably expensive or hard to source locally.


Cut the heads off using a reciprocating saw. If you do it correctly, the bracket will prevent the blade from damaging the wall.


How can I best connect this metal gas flue pipe to the old asbestos cement chimney pipe?

What I did.  I purchased a new flexible elbow and borrowed a five blade HVAC crimper from my local Tool Library.

I carefully spray painted the transite asbestos flue pipe, just to make it a bit less powdery if touched. Then crimped the standard 5" pipe down to about 4.5", and sent it home with improvements to the straps holding the entire pipe up.  I wore a P100 purple mask the entire time.

This should hold things for now.  It's impractical to replace the pipe itself, but one day a heat pump or direct vent gas furnace will come, and this pipe will be obsolete.


What is the proper/recommended way to tile a window sill in a shower?

First, make sure the rough sill slopes toward the shower. Measure it with a level; if it's not appropriately sloped, build it up with more mortar to create the requisite slope.

Then, once you've painted all that cementboard with RedGard, the whole assembly should already be waterproof. Just tile over RedGard on the sill however you like. Any water that gets behind and under the tile (and it will) with harmlessly drain down the wall. If the tiles are too big, cut them. Or use dedicated bullnose tiles, which may be the right size and are likely to have a nice lip to them.


how install a new ourdoor digital aerial

There's no such thing as a Digital Antenna, the radio wave being intercepted by the antenna doesn't care what it looks like, only that its electrical specs capture the signal. Those fancy cut weird antennas that are made to look digital are just a sales ploy to increase the selling price.
You probably need a new antenna with clean connections to the active elements and more gain that the old one you're replacing.
Digital TV is very sensitive to signal strength. Passive splitters decrease signal strength, long cable runs reduce signal strength. If you're going to have long cable runs, use a distribution amplifier instead of a passive splitter and use low-loss quad-shielded RG-6 for all your runs to reduce signal loss both before and after the amplifier.


how can i attach a t-post to my well casing to allow an outlet to be mounted?

This is easy with strut channel such as Unistrut brand.

You can attach the strut to the casing with strut pipe clamps.  You can get these in just about whatever size you'd need.

These clamp the strut perpendicular to the pipe.

With two pieces of strut clamped perpendicular to the casing, spaced the same distance of the mounting holes on the box, you have a very solid structure to attach to.  You can then use fender washers inside the channel with nuts and bolts to secure the box to the strut.
That will be about bomb proof.  It might seem like overkill, but I agree that even heavy duty hose clamp style clamps don't really do it, and this is quick and easy.
Alternately you may be able to use U-bolts to strap the strut to the pipe, depending on the size of the pipe, but I prefer strut pipe clamps.  I think you get a secure attachment without stressing the wall of the pipe as much as the U-bolt does.


There is not a convincing reason this has to be any sort of box structure. In fact for a bed support like that a single USA type of 2x8 (actual 1.5"by 7.5" 38mm by 190mm) on edge on each side of the bed would be way more than enough support. The overall weight can also be accommodated by using proper means to join the ends to the vertical posts.

If you like the wider top surface of the beam next to the side of the bed then that could be easily attained by using two of the typical 2x8s side by side or spread them a small amount and then cap the top and bottom with thin plywood. MDF would work for the cap too but is going to be more susceptible to damage over time if it gets wet.


200 Amp Service upgrade Failed Inspection NJ

Heres my guess.  It's an easy one indeed.   By "multi wire circuit" he actually means multi-wire branch circuit.  This is a special method of running 120V circuits where you get 2 circuits' worth of power on one /3 cable, by sharing neutral.   You can google it, but the highlights inspectionwise are

the circuit must have neutral pigtailed, you can't use a receptacle etc. as a splice point for the onward neutral or you'd knock out both sides of the circuit if you removed the device.
Both legs must, must, must be on opposite poles.
both legs of the MWBC must have common maintenance shut-off, so the usual technique of "turn breakers off until the radio stops playing" turns off the whole circuit.

That last one is what you are being written up for.

In a residential breaker panel (as opposed to fuses or industrial), you do that one of two ways.   You use a 2-pole breaker  (like you would for a water heater, but the correct amperage)... Or you use listed "handle ties" that are correct for that breaker type. These are weird and specialty, and big-box rarely carries them.  Sourcing them is such a hassle that I just advise people to use 2-pole breakers, which are sold everywhere for $10. This also leads them into correct decision making when selecting AFCI or GFCI breakers later.

Where

So you need to search your panel for circuits which have 3 conductors, not including ground: two hots and a neutral.  In a panel like yours with all cables, the dead giveaway is a red wire for the second hot.

Follow each of them, and make sure every one lands on a 2-pole breaker.   If you find a pair going to two singles, measure the voltage at the breaker between the two "hots".  It had better be 240V.  If it's not, congrats, you just dodged a house fire.   Move those two "hots" to a 2-pole breaker of same amp rating.

The reason I advise 2-pole breakers in your case (besides the annoyance of finding listed handle ties) is that way, you don't even need to chase it to figure out if it's an MWBC.  2-pole breaker, done...


What tool(s) should I use to make a hole in a wall and then put a screw in?

Like StrongBad mentioned, it depends on what your walls are made of. If you're in the US, they're most likely drywall on top of wood studs, in which case you either drive screws directly into the studs, or use anchors to secure the screws in the drywall itself. Studs are the best option, but they rarely line up with where you'd want them to be. For a kitchen utensil rack, anchors should be fine.

Tools: depending on the anchor type you choose, you'll probably need a drill (as an apartment-owner, a 12 or 18V cordless drill/driver combo will be invaluable) with a drill bit to drill the hole that the anchor goes into, and a Phillips-head screwdriver (or screwdriver bits for your drill) to drive the screw into the anchor.


You must use the same neutral as the hot or every time you plug in the gfci will trip. GFCI'S work by detecting an imbalance from the hot and neutral. To find the neutral trace the hot wire back to where it enters the box if 1 cable entering the box black, white, and ground that white is the neutral you are looking for, remove that one from the buss and install it in the gfci breaker if only 1 white on the breaker then the white from the breaker to the neutral buss. if your gfci breaker has 2 white wires the white with a black stripe is usually the load neutral. tie white black stripe with the white you removed from the buss  the 2nd white from the breaker goes to the location on the  neutral buss you removed the wire from or one that is closer to the breaker but it needs to go to the buss now put the hot (black) on the hot side of the breaker , turn off the breaker plug it in then turn the breaker on. Breakers should always be in the off position when removing or installing for safety.

Added from deleted answer info,  having multiple wires is a little tougher but not two hard, first turn OFF every breaker that wire comes in from that pipe or the main, this will keep you from being shocked when trying to find the correct one. With the power off on every hot wire that enters the pipe Re there equal numbers of hots to neutrals? If there are less neutrals jump to the bottom where it says MWBC)
go to the outlet that you are trying to protect with the GFCI breaker. Pull the outlet, remove the neutral and hot from the outlet and put a wire nut on the 2 wires. Now go back to the panel and use a continuity tester or ohm meter and remove the neutrals that come from that pipe and check for continuity from the hot for the gfci that is turned off and the neutrals. On of the neutrals should have a very low reading less than 10 ohms for most homes. Once you find the correct wire showing a very low value mark that neutral and tape them together hot and neutral. Now if only 1 neutral pull the wire nut at the outlet and separate the hot and neutral and re check the hot and neutral it should not show continuity or now a very high resistance value if so hook the neutral to the gfci breaker explained above install the outlet now time to turn on and it should work.

MWBC if there are less neutrals than hots you have multi wire branch circuits where a neutral is shared by 2 hots on opposite hot legs (L1/ L2). You can use a double pole GFCI and hook the 2 hosts and neutral to the new double pole gfci or pull a new neutral pulling a new wire won't be that hard in pipe but dpGFCI's are expensive and you already have one. The hard part here is finding where these 2 hot wires and neutral go. It will usually be close to the outlet we started with if this was the first outlet on that circuit, once you find where the hot and neutral split at that location I would pull in 2 New neutrals back to the panel using the original neutral as a pull string (you could reuse the wire you pull out by attaching a string and 1 new neutral. But I usually just pull 2 for cases like this). Now you have a neutral on each hot so your gfci will work making sure to get the correct neutral with the hot to do this without thinking I will pull a gray and a white both are legal neutrals but in large facilities gray is usually for "other voltages than 120" like 277 or a 230 3 phase system,,,. In residential it helps to identify multiple neutrals in the pipe., hope this covers every thing, if not comment below this and every one will try to help clear things up for you.


Acid Water Neutralizer - How To: AquaPure Neutralizer use and maintenance

"Clear water iron" would be a search term to help you understand that side of the problem. While it can be treated, an acid neutralizer is not going to treat it - it needs to be oxidized (aeration/spray or chlorine are typical approaches) and then filtered out.

An acid neutralizer (generally, no idea on your specific model) does pretty much what it says, often by using a bed of limestone chips (low tech and simple) or possibly a more soluble alkaline chemical. The probably closely related "APUN100-LM" manual does say "Media, calcium carbonate" which is fancy language for limestone; you'll just need an appropriate size (too coarse, not enough surface area - too fine, doesn't stay in the filter housing.) Actually, I think that -LM nomenclature simply means "less media" (it's shipped without any, you source it locally) so that probably IS your manual.

Since the green stains in the plumbing  are from your copper pipes corroding, it's probably a good idea to get that working again or functionally replaced - especially if your copper plumbing is old enough to have been assembled with tin/lead solder. Acid water dissolves copper and lead, which both poisons you and will eventually perforate your pipes.


What sort of handle would fit this main valve?

Not the answer you want but the only way a handle will fit on that chewed up stem is if the stem is replaced.

Anything that the handle used to engage with the stem is gone, whether it was square shoulders, knurled, fluted or flat spot. I do not see anything for the handle to engage to turn the shaft.


Locking or not, it makes no difference.

Most likely yes you can. Provided the item does not stipulate that it must be on a 15A circuit.
No, you cannot install 14-20R receptacles and only wire some of the terminals, if that's what you mean.
Re-reading it I think you want to install the 14-20's normally and only use what you need as per each item. This would be OK.


Should cement board be glued and screwed to the studs?

Yes, but not just for rigidity.

Cement board is made of, well, cement - and cement is brittle.

When you screw the cement board in you create a pressure point or stress point.  Even though the board is screwed in with lots and lots of screws, each screw hole is a stress point prone to breakage.

By gluing the board as well as screwing, you ensure that a much larger surface area of the board ultimately bonds to the wood (as the glue cures) - which means that if a single stress point fails, it won't matter, because the glue holds the board tight where the screw hole may have failed.


Hanging pictures on a sloping plasterboard wall...?

If the frames aren't important & are at least a few mm's wide, then it would be best to actually secure the pictures by drilling the frame & screwing them directly to the wall. Either, directly into the structural framing or into one of many available wall anchors, I prefer one's that flare-out behind the plasterboard.

You can also accomplish the same result by using large washers on screws applied to the outside of the frames (2 on bottom & 1 on each side), so there's no drilling. But, the washers can be a bit ugly. So, the better option would be a Mirror Hanger type of Wrap From Behind clip (left) or Perimeter Offset Clamp (middle) or you may have to bend & possibly cut your own out of L-Brackets or Corner Braces (right) to accommodate thicker frames (Wrap From Behind application).

These will handle a very good deal of weight & frequent bumping into & can be padded with tape or felt to protect the frames.


Can you screw something that will not loosen?

I think you're asking "How can permanently anchor a screw so it doesn't back out on it's own?"

If that's the case, adding glue to threads before screwing is likely the best bet. Epoxy would be the strongest, but for holding keys, likely overkill. Wood glue would probably be sufficient.


Are new "low noise" whole house fans actually quieter?

Noise should be a main concern when shopping for a whole house fan, because the hours while you are sleeping offer the coolest temperatures of the day. More important than simply exchanging the air, the cooling of the thermal mass of the structure down to the core simply takes time. Unfortunately, you can not wring all of the heat out of the thermal mass like a sponge - it just takes time - and a bit of stady, constant airflow. In this way, Running a fan overnight while you are sleeping will take advantage of these cooler temperatures, making your fan more effective on more days of the year, and reducing your need for A/C to a minimum.

Some manufacturers have incorporated ECM (electronically commutated motor) technology  into whole house fans. This not only delivers AMAZING efficiency numbers, but the brushless motor design also offers extremely low noise levels.

With older, brushed motors, turning them down to a lower speed using a rheostat can reduce the noise level slightly, but you will notice that the power consumption stays roughly the same. On the other hand, ECM technology allows you to not have to trade efficiency for noise level, and you can actually maximize efficiency while minimizing noise level.

Whole house fans + ECM motors = A perfect combination for quiet, effective, efficient natural cooling.

They may cost a bit more, but considering the outstanding efficiency numbers and low noise levels, a modern whole house fan (especially those using an ECM motor) is definitely a worthwhile investment.

Cheaper whole house fans are too noisy that they in many cases go unused, or they are turned off too early in the evening, before it has really cooled off outside.


Why do I have 4 brown (live wires) in my light switch - and no blue (neutral)

Box for light switch may not have neutral, because switch interrupt only live wire. Just two wires to light. Neutral is in lighting fixture. The dimmer designed to replace regular switch. If it has some sofisticated electronics that powered by small current going via light in off condition.


Do I need to sand oil-based lacquer before painting?

It is always a good idea to sand before painting, though that is one way to do the prep work. De-glossers will prepare the surface too, although I have no experience in this type of prep. The name brand cleaner will not dull the surface, but it will help in the surface prep. If there is soot present, this is good to remove that, then sand or de-gloss.

If you chose to sand there are sanding blocks with a foam center that will help conform to the irregularities of the brick.
It is always good to prime a surface after sanding or deglazing, primer is formulated to grip the surface to hold the finish paint better. The primer can be tinted to the final color if there will be a big color change. That way the finish color has a better chance to cover in one coat.


Possible To Put an Epoxy Coating on Particle Board?

Possible, yes. Recommended - probably not. What purpose to you intend it to serve? Why do you think epoxy coating (intended for application to concrete) makes it better for the purpose? With or without coatings, is particle board even remotely suitable for the purpose?

Responding to comment: Marine plywood would have been a much better choice of material - if the business lasts long enough for you to discover why that's the case, remember that when you have to replace the particleboard. Particleboard falls apart when it gets wet, and it will, no matter what you cover it with. Given that it's a food truck your choice of flooring will have to pass the health department inspection applicable to to the locale where it operates, and they may well have a preference, or even a list of approved materials; check with them before proceeding. Properly applied vinyl tile flooring is very likely more durable than epoxy - epoxy can be chipped. The solid vinyl tiles common in commercial kitchens take a lot of abuse, and if they are too badly damaged, can be replaced individually.


How high to raise water heater above floor?

Regardless of code, I like to get them off the floor just in case the basement floods. My preferred (and easily available anywhere) solution is a few solid concrete blocks; one under each foot. You can stack them if you want, too. This is an easy way to increase the height in 4" increments.

I don't suggest using lumber. If your floor is the least bit hygroscopic, it will rot from the underneath even if the tank never leaks.

16" x 8" x 4" Solid Concrete Block:

(source)


Can I drill diagonally through the top of my beam?

I’ll try to answer anyway. I’ll make some assumptions and you tell me if I’m wrong.
The contributing load on the beam is 40 pounds per square foot (psf) Live Load plus 15 psf Dead Load for a total load of 55 psf.
If the joists on one side of the beam (and supported by the beam) spans 9’. So, half the 9’ floor load is transferred to the beam and the other half is transferred to the next support. Therefore, the floor load is :
55 psf x 9’ / 2 = 248 per linear foot along the beam, plus:
The weight of the wall above is about 15 psf x 4’ high = 60 plf
Therefore, the total weight on the beam is 248 plf + 60 plf = 308 plf
(I don’t think the stair connection contributes to the beam because it occurs at (or very near) a post. )
If the steel posts are 10’ - 12’ apart, there should be no problem drilling a diagonal hole within 3’ of the end of the beam. (Each 2x10 will support about 160 plf depending on the species and grade. 160 x 2 = 320 plf which is slight more than the required 308 plf.)
If the steel posts are 14’ apart, the allowable load goes down to about 120 plf, depending on the species and grade. (120 x 2 = 240 plf which is less than the required 308 plf.)
Holes not drilled in the middle third of the span are acceptable up to a certain size...and you are not approaching that size. (Btw, don’t drill multiple holes along the beam, especially in the middle third of the span.)
Note: make sure your refrigerator is not resting along this beam in any way.


What glue should I use for glue-down engineered flooring installation?

There is no reason to glue down engineered hardwood floor to an underlayment.  This is just for initial aesthetics.  The glue will NEVER last (in a residential setting).  The only thing the glue will do is give you fits and make your install seem tighter.  Within weeks or months the glue will come loose and you will have a floating floor.

Nothing wrong with a floating floor.  But the fact is you should be gluing the pieces together, not under them.  The big boxes sell the generic engineered wood flooring glue.  Buy that and glue your pieces together, not under them.  The only time I have seen gluing to the floor to be an option is thin flooring onto concrete for commercial purposes.  The only thing I would glue down in someone home is vinyl sheets/squares.


How to secure the bottom of a moving box?

The strength of an unmodified box comes from the folds of the flaps at the bottom (or top) and creates a long lever arm of sorts that is secured at the point where the tape is applied. If you trust the material from which the box is constructed, your efforts to secure the flaps properly will prevent a drop-out of the contents.

If you do not trust the material sufficiently, you can reinforce those folded points with corner material. I recently received a shipment of long slender metal rods. Inside the box, the rods were secured to heavy weight card-stock angles, similar to aluminum or steel flange-type material.

Of course, if you don't have easy access to such material and yet do not trust the existing material, reinforcement of those folded points with load-spreading design is your best bet.

I've applied hot glue angles for the same purpose, extending the angles up the sides about three inches and into the box floor the same amount. Liberal application of hot glue provides for reassuring stiffness. In my more recent case, the shipment was a machine tool base of 75 pounds of rectangular steel.

Your previous method of using foam sheet would tend to distribute the load more evenly than without, presuming that you do not have point-force items in the box.

A table leg will bypass all of the above suggestions, causing higher forces on a small segment of the box. Sometimes it's not how you close it up as how well the inside forces are spread around.

Good quality packing tape, perhaps a 3M or Gorilla brand product is suggested. Some of my tape purchases barely made it out the door before it started peeling away!


Why is my fuse board buzzing when I'm using the shower?

Any time you have buzzing coming out of a fuse panel or breaker panel, you need to get a qualified electrician in immediately to find out what's going on.

These things contain large buss bars and depending on your local electrical code, unfused power entry. Any minor loss of connection integrity that causes a loose connection anywhere whether it's inside a breaker, where the breaker/fuse attaches to the buss bars, broken buss bar insulation stand-offs or in the cable connection to the bars can unleash an arc in the 8000-10000 degree F range that burns through metal and instantly sets fire to any wood surrounds that heat gets transmitted into.

The best demonstration of the power of 220V (which did not blow the 50A range fuse) was a cook stove that had a weak spot develop in the element. It glowed bright orange in the break, burst into arc and burnt through the muffin tin my mother threw on it to contain the arc flame. The ion plume reached the ceiling and scorched a 3" dia area black. A water heater pulls enough current to cause such an arc wherever there's a loose connection.


Instead of paint or stain you might want to look into Rust-Oleum Restore or Behr Deckover. They are tintable in many colors, will fill small gaps, water based, thicker than paint, will make your deck look uniform. Just follow the instructions.


That's a water proofing hard'ish plastic called air gap waterproofing membrane, commonly referred to as dimple board. it's not a part of the vapour barrier and it's primary function is to stop water from the water table entering the foundation. It's is good practice to run that it up higher so that it's flush with the finished grade upon completion. The missing morter is actually a requirement to allow condensation for the space between the wood structure and the brick to dry or drip out in extreme cases. The builder will likely do nothing because any landscaping should always be sloped away from your house anyway. I'm from Toronto and see this stuff almost daily. I did have to look up the official name as everyone just refers to it as dimple board.


Which lumber to use to rip my own molding?

If you're in the Pacific Northwest, Hemlock is the wood of choice for soft-wood molding. Pine would have to be clear (knot-free) and fine-grain Douglas Fir is expensive and tougher on the shaper blades.


What is the right way to run ethernet wiring and electrical wiring in a house?

If your only question is in regards to pulling CATx cables near Romex/NM cable, then you need not worry as long as you cross your electrical cables at right angles. This will minimize the chance of any noise being introduced.

You should not pull Ethernet cables right next to and parallel to your electrical cables.


Wood screws like most other types of fasteners are made in standard sizes. You can find tables of data online that will show the size information that you are looking for. The image below shows one such table that should be able to guide you as to the screw head diameter for various common wood screws.

(Table Source: https://www.metalsheets.co.uk/wood-screw-guages-in-metric/)


Is there any value in using higher interrupting current rating breakers in a residential loadcenter?

The interrupt current rating is only for the purpose of a high current fault like a ground fault or short circuit. (This is also sometimes referred to as a withstand current.) As long as the breaker can interrupt the fault safely it can be used in that application.

This is nothing you didn't already know.

The robustness of the product for a higher interrupt rating will not add any value in a lower rated installation. Since a residential installation will never exceed 10,000 amps short circuit current there is no need for a higher rating.

The higher cost of a higher rated breaker has no payoff in a lower rated system since it will never be realized in the lifetime of the product. If the product reaches its end of life without ever having used the extra robustness, where is the added value?

I had my well driller tell me to use #12 wire and a 20 amp circuit to feed the well pump when the manual specified a 15 amp circuit with #14 wire. His justification was "bigger is always better". That is unless you are the one paying for it. I elected for the smaller circuit. The extra cost is wasted since it is never used.

I am an overbuilder myself but I try to resist the temptation to spend money on things that will never pay off.

Good luck!


Is a cracked brick sign of a deeper problem

I'm not a structual engineer but it's probably the foundation settling a little unevenly. If it was me, I wouldn't be concerned by the couple of cracks you have now but I would certainly keep an eye on it for new cracks, cracks growing longer and cracks going wider.  I'd probably get a professional opinion if it got worse. Keep an eye out for interior cracks too.


Repairing (Aesthetically) a rusty washing machine and dryer

I agree with Ed Beal. If you want them back to Like New you'll need a can or 2 of Auto Stripper from an Auto Parts store. But, you'll treat the rust the same whether you strip them or not.

If the rust is light then a putty scraper to remove the paint blisters & an S.O.S. pad or steel wool will take that away to get you back to bare metal. Or, best is to use a wire brush on a drill to get all of the rust spots back to shiny clean metal, this will open the paint blisters too.

Then, it's just a really stinky re-painting, no primer needed. So, good ventilation & a large drop cloth with at least a 3-foot (6-foot preferred) clear perimeter are needed. The below Appliance Epoxy is unbeatable & the spray version will get you factory results. Stay away from the lidded can version.

Finally, you'll need to address before or after the above, all of this excess moisture in the basement. If it's just the dryer venting into that area, then stop that nonsense immediately. Drill a hole through the top side of a wall & run rigid vent piping, not any kind of hose or corrugated garbage. As short & straight a pipe run as possible with an exterior sealing damper cap end.


Why are there gaps on the garage door seal of my garage door?

Looks like you need a new garage door seal that's the actual length of your garage door width, not several inches shorter.
I know my "nominal" 10 foot wide door is "actually" 10 feet 2 inches wide, for instance. But if I forgot that and got a "10 foot" seal it might come up short like that.


Basement bathroom -- acceptable wet vent to use wye into main sewer line?

My thought is that the Laundry line (up between the joists) might be what you really want to tap into for a wet vent in this situation, as opposed to dropping into the main line. 4DFUs of drainage in a 2" pipe is what you have (washer plus laundry/utility sink, each 2 DFUs), and is the maximum amount allowed for a wet vent of that size. Buys you a few inches over the main line (and will be effectively a dry vent 99% of the time.)


Re-purpose 240v wiring from electrical baseboard heat as 120v circuits

MWBC
There are two ways to turn a 240V circuit into a 120V circuit:

Downgrade
Use one of the previously-hot wires as hot and use the other previously-hot wire as neutral, or if you already have a separate (3rd) wire for neutral, use one of the hot wires plus neutral. Super easy but you get only get to use 1/2 the circuit - i.e., 1/2 the power.

Multi-Wire Branch Circuit
An MWBC uses 3 wires - 2 hots + neutral - to provide 2 full 120V circuits. This can work provided the hots are on separate poles with common shutoff (which you already have) and you have a 3rd wire for neutral (see below). It saves a wire compared to two separate 120V circuits because the neutral only carries the difference between the current in the two hots instead of adding them together.

I'm not going to try and explain the details of MWBC. Search elsewhere in DIY SE and you can find plenty of information. But a few things to watch out for are AFCI and GFCI - now that you are redoing circuits, one or the other is likely to become a requirement and you can do that in the panel (easy) or elsewhere (gets complicated with MWBC).
Neutral?
The key question is whether you have neutral in the cables or not. 240V heaters do not necessarily need neutral. By comparison, clothes dryers and ovens typically do require neutral in order to provide 120V to controls & lights.
The problem is that neutral must be white or gray. There are certain exceptions (due to the way standard cables are produced) where a white wire can be used as a hot or switched hot but not, as far as I know, the other way around.
There are 4 possibilities:

Wires in conduit
If you actually have wires in conduit instead of cables then this is super simple - just add a white neutral wire (if you don't already have one) and then wire up an MWBC.

Black/White cable
You can't add a 3rd wire (you would have to replace the entire cable), so move the white wire at the breaker to the neutral bar, replace the double breaker with a single breaker (you get the other space back for a new circuit) and you have a standard 120V circuit.

Black/Red/White cable
Black & Red on the two poles of the breaker (as originally installed), white on neutral bar and you have the perfect setup for an MWBC.

Some other cable
If you have two non-white color wires in a cable (e.g., black/red) and no white wire then I believe you are stuck. You can't turn a colored wire into neutral and you can't add another wire without replacing the entire cable. You could use the cable to power many LED lights (they typically have a wide voltage range) but not ordinary 120V receptacles.

Ground
If your existing circuits have ground (either a ground wire or metal conduit) then you are all set. If not then you may or may not be able to reuse the existing wire without retrofitting a ground (basically connecting a ground wire from the new receptacles to some existing ground elsewhere in the building).


There should be a notch, slot, groove, or other marking on the shaft. Which should align with a similar marking on the knob.

If not... Simply turn the shaft to one of the extremes (all the way up or down), then install the knob to indicate the appropriate setting.


Refrigerator fresh food section not cold enough

Seems like an air flow issue. Did you stock up on food for the pandemic?

Recheck the air flow vent between the freezer and refrigerator to be sure it is fully functional. Especially for ice build up

Make sure that there isn't items in the freezer that are in the way of the vent

Make sure that there isn't items in the refrigerator that are in the way of the vent

Make sure that air can flow around in your refrigerator (too much food and items stuffed in there). Remember that warm air will rise and cold air will sink. There must be room for this natural air flow to occur


You have to change the stack size. I'm pretty sure there's a mechanical code requirement for solid fuel burning appliances have a 6" flue minimum. Only tested and listed appliances can have smaller. The stack needs to outlet well above surrounding roof. For adequate draft, it should be at least 10 feet high and have minimal horizontal offsets.

You cannot load from the top, it must be from the end opposite the stack exit. This is also where combustion air should enter. The air intakes must be controllable. This can be by any simple sliding or rotating plate arrangement that can be moved over the openings at any time needed.

I'm sorry for being blunt here, but you don't know what you're doing. You do not understand in the least anything about the physics of combustion. You stand a very real chance of either burning down your building and/or poisoning yourself and anyone with you with carbon monoxide. There's many little details you must know to install a safe solid fuel burning appliance. Too many to put forth in a forum like this.

If you choose to proceed anyway, at least invest in a carbon monoxide detector and a large fire extinguisher. PLEASE.

Edit 12/3: Nepal! That paints a different picture. While my concerns for your safety remain, your access to resources are severely limited. Here's a few more thoughts on making your installation safer and more usable.

Be sure there is plenty of clearance between components and combustible materials. At least 30" from the box to combustible walls. If there is less space available, place sheet metal heat shields on the walls with an open air space behind.

To minimize creosote build up, if available, use double or triple wall flue pipe. Consider constructing your own from different single wall sizes if necessary. In any case, ensure there is good clearance from flue pipe to combustible construction, especially where it goes through walls or roofs. 2" for triple wall to maybe 6" for single wall. Use sheet metal to fill the gaps. Obtain a proper size chimney brush to clean out the inevitable build up. Use it often.

The flue outlet needs to be well above the roof as I mentioned, specifically, at least 18" above any point of the roof within 10 feet of the outlet. The outlet should be screened to prevent large hot embers from flying out and igniting something in the area.

As Fiasco mentioned, fire brick lining is important. Besides protecting your box, it buffers the heat output to a more constant, comfortable level. Otherwise, your heater will perpetually be either too hot or too cold.

A good draft is your best insurance against carbon monoxide leakage. Do not use your heater unless you've determined that it is inducing a good reliable draft. While a little back puffing when you first open the door to stoke is acceptable, you should not otherwise observe any smoke leaving the box through any opening, ever. Except for the flue of course.

Be safe!


It is a drip edge, it is usually applied on the outside face of a door that swings out. I have seen them on inswing doors too

There is no specific piece of molding for it in wood, but you can buy a metal door bottom with a sweep that has one integrated in with it. The ones of wood are simply a piece of molding or even flat stock with a sloped top attached to the face of the door at the bottom to direct the rain water over the threshold better


Should I replace a sump pump that's not keeping up?

I would favor a strategy that maximizes reliability.  I would go for a pump that is rated at double the estimated worst case flow.  That will mean there is a margin of safety and also mean the pump is not running at full capacity.  This will be better for a longer life, as friction and heat are an electric motors worst enemies.  This may be hard to estimate, but double the GPM (gallons per minute) might be a good starting point.

Take care that the larger motor is within the capacity of the circuit.  50% of the maximum circuit capacity is a good rule of thumb, especially for a motor circuit, which has large start-up current requirements.  Since this circuit is so critical, it would be advisable to make it a dedicated one, ensuring no other device would cause a nuisance trip of the circuit breaker.

Finally, large rain related increases in sump flow might suggest some runoff improvements around the house might be in order..  Extending downspouts, berming any reversed pitch areas (places near the house that collect water).


How do I remove polyethylene that's melted to a nylon carpet?

Using a household iron works, with caveats.

First: several sheets of paper towel between the iron and the carpet. These are here primarily to protect your iron (and your shirts!). I was hoping that it might also might be something that the plastic preferred to stick to, but that didn't happen.

Second: no steam, and set the heat on wool (about 1/2). I slowly worked my way up the heat dial: the synthetics settings weren't hot enough (as expected), the cotton setting (3/4) wasn't appreciably better, and the linen setting (full) made the plastic adhere more tightly to the carpet (fortunately, I tried this near the end, to get the last bits out, and it actually had the benefit of making them disappear).

The process: put the paper towels over the spot, then let the iron sit for 20-30 seconds. This will soften the plastic, such that it can be removed either by pinching between your fingers or using tweezers. Fingers are preferred, as tweezers tend to tear out small pieces. In retrospect, a dull knife (such as a table knife) would have been a good tool: it would go on bottom, pulling the plastic away, with a finger on top to apply pressure.


How to measure total stair rise with uneven floor?

(For anyone looking at the history, I think I misunderstood the question to mean "what should I measure" and not "how should I measure".)

Geometry

You can measure the exact length of the diagonal (a string from bottom front of first step to 2nd floor landing). Measure the angle of the string to the (assuming it is level) landing. Imagine the total rise and total run as the other 2 sides of a right triangle. Since you now know the 3 angles and the length of the hypotenuse, you can calculate the lengths of the rise and run. The fact that the intersection of the (virtual) rise and run may be above or (in your case) below the actual first floor is irrelevant.

Measurement

If there is a constant slope (not necessarily even but all one direction) then measure 2nd floor landing to first floor. Then place a long straight piece of lumber on the floor from the spot beneath the landing to the location of the first step. Shim it until it is level. Then measure the height of the shimmed gap between the lumber and the first step location. If the high spot is between the two key locations, simply add an equal amount to both - e.g., put a scrap 2x4 under each end, get it level and still add just the amount of the shims on the lower end, since you would just subtract the same extra piece on both ends it doesn't count at all.


The “inside jaws” are a bit tougher to use than outside.
first they have to be in the hole both straight and at the widest point (for a round hole). I usually wiggle mine back and forth and let them “find” the maximum diameter of a round hole.
If a square shape I measure at 1 end to maintain the position or measure a specific distance away from the end on both edges to make the measurement. In this case I am looking for the smallest distance.
So for round I am looking for the largest distance and square the smallest.
This tells me my measurement is true as long as the holes are round or square in the methods outlined.
To clean calipers a piece of paper is usually enough clamp on the paper and slide out was the way a machinist taught me to clean the outside jaws. I haven’t had a problem with the inside jaws because they are close to knife edges I guess.


50 champion generator plugged into a Generlink 40 Amp Meter Mounted Transfer Switch

Doesn't appear to be a problem.  Supposedly, UL approved the instructions along with the device, and the instructions plainly invite you to plug in any generator with a compatible socket.

The instructions state the meter device has internal overload sensing/protection, and if your generator delivers more than 40A (because you drew that much), it will automatically disconnect the generator for you.

This doesn't even require any extra hardware; presumably if you overload the generator, it simply throws the transfer switch to utility power (which is dead, obviously).  Rather clever.


What window part do I need for this window?

It's a window latch and keeper. Unscrew a good one, head over the your local hardware store, and see if they have a match in stock. Pay close attention to the distance between the screw holes and the how tight the two parts are pulled together. They come in a lot of styles, e.g. this would work if the keeper was on a horizontal instead of on a vertical surface:

You can also look online, and worst case scenario, you'll have to go to the window manufacturer to get the replacement parts.


Can I connect a water heater to an existing dual-pole breaker?

With having 4500W elements, the 2-pole 20A breaker will not handle the load.  Based on 4500W at 240V the heater would be drawing close to 19 amps and will likely trip.  You could swap the elements for 3800W which would draw closer to 16 amps.  Your water will just take a little longer to heat up to temperature.


Water coming in through weep holes during hard rain?

"is it possible the rain is being driven into the weep holes?"

yes, but the weep holes are supposed to be on the outside of a moisture barrier, so rain driven in still should not enter the house.

"is this more likely clogged weep holes?"

no, the holes are designed to "weep", and are difficult to completely clog.

"is this an issue with the way it was built?"

yes, I suspect a structural defect such as incorrectly installed flashing above the window or inadequate/incorrectly installed moisture barrier.

You absolutely should pursue repairs through the builder's warranty.


Is there a good way to keep cats/animals from scratching on a door?

you can use an automated air jet/spray that activates when the cat comes close to the door

(just a link I found wile googling "cat repellent door" no affiliation)


Old question but to answer it...

Yes you can seal it.   You cannot use regular paint or it might take 50 coats.   You need an oil based sealer to do this right.   That will still take 2-3 coats and you will be fine, and then add your paint over it (given it is appropriate to be installed over that sort of sealer/primer - if not you will need a latex prime in between).

There is little chance that drywall is compromised unless it has gotten wet for long periods of time.   Drywall is really really good at getting wet, drying and maintaining integrity.   The key with water is mold not the stability.


Biscuit, dowel or simple braces for making unit top with inset lid and slim sides?

Part of it depends on what material you're using for the top. If it's hardwood or plywood, a good quality wood glue and biscuits / dowels / pocket screws will likely hold it together just fine.

If it's something like MDF or OSB, then I'd want some additional joining mechanism such as dog bone fasteners.

Braces below are fine, as long as they don't interfere with the attachment of the top to the cabinet. Rather than thin braces, though, you could do wide flat ones, and glue, preferably with nails and/or screws. That would give you lots of surface area for the glue to adhere to.

I'm a belt and suspenders kind of guy, I typically glue + screw or glue + pin nail things together.


How can I find out why my washing machine trips the outlet?

The shaking probably shook a wire loose besides causing a leak, or the leak flooded over a set of wires and shorted the wire to the casing. The GFCI did its job by detecting the current to ground and shutting down the power. Reconnecting with the fault in place will cause the GFCI to trip again.

The dryer is protected by the same GFCI so when it trips the GFCI will shut down all power.

Get someone qualified to inspect it and be prepared to shell out for a new washing machine should it be irreparable.


Why does a driver bit shank have an indentation?

Impact (or hammer depending on your region) drivers have a locking mechanism which holds the bit in place:

Usually the drill bit will just snap right in. To remove it you need to pull the collar forward and the bit will pop out.
Typically you would buy impact-grade bits such this one which are designed to twist at a specially designed weak point so that the phillips end does not fail and break.

A hammer drill is typically used to drill holes in concrete as it exerts a hammering action to break up the material which it drills into.
You can get a dedicated hammer drill or lots of standard drills have a hammer option (not as effective as a dedicated hammer drill but good enough for small-ish holes).
An impact driver does not exert a hammering action. This can be confusing depending on the terminology in your region.

Not to be confused with an impact wrench which natively accepts sockets for automotive work.

Milwaukee also produces a 6 inch locking bit extension which will hold the bit in place using the same principle as the impact driver's collar:

So you could attach this to a regular drill and always have the convenience of a locking collar for quick bit changes.


So long as the lags make it into a stud or multiple studs (presuming it is a wood frame house) if the mount is that large, any wall  should be fine. Load bearing walls are not needed for mounting a tv They ARE needed for supporting a higher floor(s) and/or roof; that is the load they are bearing.

The keys to successful wall mounting are following directions and ensuring the mount is rated strong enough for your tv.


York Diamond 80 HVAC - Fan Only Works With Heat

Thank you for pointing me to the problem - we were too close to see it. Replacing the thermostat cable has resolved the issue - it was pinched between ducts in the attic and had worn through the insulation and developed a short circuit on the green wire.


The "minutes per air change" is a design value chosen for the type of space and use that space has.  In common situations, that number is ignored and simple rules of thumb for air flow are used instead.  (Living rooms don't vary greatly in size, and the target numbers usually have a magnitude range of 2 to 4 anyway.)

However, a common design for bedroom space is 1 to 4 air changes per hour (15 to 60 minutes per air change).  Living room space which is uncommonly occupied can be once per hour (60 minutes per air change), whereas a crowded smoky bar is comfortable at 15 to 30 air changes per hour (2 to 4 minutes per air change).

There is an extensive table here mostly covering commercial spaces.


Can I use a regular E26 LED bulb as a replacement for a refrigerator light bulb?

In theory, any LED bulb should work. There are bulbs designed specifically for refrigerator/freezer use like this one. The bulb you listed is a 60-watt equivalent, which might actually be too bright - due to glare you really don't want your refrigerator to have too much light as it can actually make it harder to see things, as counter-intuitive as that may seem. The bulb I linked to mentions vibration resistance, among other things. In theory, "appliance bulbs" in general should be a bit more "heavy duty" than regular bulbs.


Hang blinds inside window frame on drywall only?

No, you cannot support your blinds with two pieces of paper, because that's all there is in drywall to resist the tension force pulling out or at an angle. The contained gypsum is strong to compression, you can stand on it if it's flat on the floor. But if you screw in and then exert force to pull the screw out, with very little force you'll either have the screw fall out, the drywall blow out, or the drywall screws attaching the drywall to the building structure will pop out the back side and the section of drywall will collapse. You need to install the blinds and other heavy objects to the building structure like studs or into concrete you have behind your walls.


Self leveling underlayment - should I tile first?

personally i don't tile atop plywood.  i'd pull the 3/8 then concrete backerboard would go down first over the subfloor.  then i'd shim the shower.  if the shower is heavy i might then give it a week to let it compress the wooden shims and re-test for level and re-shim if needed.  then i'd tile.  some people are less retentive than me though and that's okay too : )


How do I drill a hole flush (or nearly flush) against another surface?

You could try a 90 degree drill bit adapter.


I agree with Ecnerwal. Given the retail space below, and the desire to not disturb that space with future construction needs, it's probably a conduit for power or data cabling.

I'd remove the cap (assuming that it's not glued on) and do some sound testing to find the other end. It's likely in a utility room.


Do Tamper resistant receptacles violate ADA barrier-free requirements?

No, for several reasons.

To the extent there is a conflict, there is no conflict.

State laws adopt NEC.  ADA is a Federal law.  Federal law preempts state, as was decided at the Appomattox Court House in 1865.

The essence of ADA is You must do what is easy.  That never goes away, but a few things are specifically exempted, including how single family homes are constructed.  The core rule still applies, for instance, to a landlord renting to an ADA tenant.

NEC does not require ADA-inaccessible sockets

NEC requires listed tamper-resistant receptacles.  They delegate the definition of "tamper resistant" to Underwriter's Laboratories.

It does not require they be frustrating and difficult to use; that is decided by the individual manufacturers, and to a certain extent the UL's testing rules (which may be a place to make some legal progress).

Not surprisingly, cheap ones are cheap.  You can't just grab a terrible one and go "See?" You must make a reasonable effort to find a quality unit, or show that the nature of UL's certification process makes that unlikely.  It's on you; you're claiming tamper-resistant receptacles are not accessible, and bold claims require bold proof.

Be prepared for compromise

The people enforcing NEC are your local electrical inspectors, which NEC calls  the AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction).  Be prepared for some back-n-forth with them.  For instance the AHJ may borrow a page from NEC 517.18C and allow a tamper resistant cover.

As long as they can come up with a reasonable way to comply, you probably wouldn't be able to pop an ADA exemption.  This is where ADA works against you: You must do what is easy.


Material for short-term sealing of cement patches in EPDM roof?

If it's a short term fix I would use aluminum duct tape. It seals pretty well and should hold up to the heat of a roof.


The spring goes into the bottom of the cartridge followed by the rubber bushing/washer. The leak is probably coming from some of the other "o" rings or seals in the cartridge. You might want to consider just buying a new cartridge.


Graphite packing rope squeezes out between valve stem and packing nut

Using the graphite rope isn't as easy as you would think. First off, you need the right size rope that fits in tight with one wrap. You don't use a continuous piece. You cut a piece equal to the circumference and push the rope in and butt joint the ends. Then do it again with another piece of rope and rotate it so the ends don't even up with the previous layer ends of the rope. Keep doing this until the nut is full.
Better yet, get one of these kits. Picture from Granger.com


Using pressure-treated wood to make a sandbox

Pressure treated wood is treated with chemicals. You have to ask yourself if there is any risk. Best strategy if you have any concern at all is to avoid the treated wood and go with something natural. You could use cedar and leave it unfinished use something like fir and paint it.

When I made a sandbox for kids years ago I used fir and painted it with safe paint. I also made the box with legs in the corners so that it was held up off the ground about 6 inches. Spaced fir planks for the bottom with landscape weed control fabric in the bottom allows for drainage whilst at the same time keeps the sand from escaping through the quarter inch spaces between the bottom planks.


Wood isn't pressure-treated just because it may touch the ground. It's a sponge, and it'll always be damp inside unless you're in a desert. Whether you need it is your prerogative, but why would you pay a premium for redwood pickets and not use something of roughly equal longevity to support them?

Brand recommendations are off-topic here. I've removed that portion of your post.

Screws don't need to be protected. They're presumably corrosion-resistant, or they're not suitable for a fence.

Important: I don't know what post bases you're planning to use, but most aren't designed to hold up a fence. They're merely connectors and/or spacers. Be sure yours are up to the task.


I would typically assign something like this to an interior trim carpenter, but it depends a lot on the quality of their work.  In my experience  I would avoid the painting company that also does trim.  They are fine for baseboard and crown, but for this job I would want the interior trim carpenter that does built in entertainment center cabinets, wainscoting, and things like that.

Again, It depends a lot on the quality of their work.


How to open this air return duct between joists

The thing that runs perpendicular to the duct sheeting looks like a standard z folded clip. Not sure of the mechanism of the sides, but they are probably simple slots.

After laying plastic sheeting on the floor and donning a dust mask and gloves, I'd try simply shoving the bottom of the duct upwards. It should buckle and come apart, dumping everything onto the floor below.

Re-assembly is probably easier if you use sheet metal screws and foil tape.


How can I remove a portion of a hardwood floor board?

For close cutting, either horizontally or vertically in very close quarters, I  recommend a multitool.

It has different blades for wood, metal, and can do some limited grinding and tight sanding. You do need clearance of at least the width of the blade plus about 1/4 inch.

If you do not have that much clearance, you may need a Dremel-type rotary cutting/grinding tool. It can cut or grind down to very small widths.

Failing that, or if you are hand tool inclined, you can use a chisel.


Is moisture a concern with solid hardwood flooring over a crawl space?

I had a similar situation with a house redo with a crawl space. This house is near the coast in Maine and both the contractor and flooring company strongly recommended against using tradional wood flooring on the first floor. They were concerned with cupping of the wood. It got to the point where the flooring company - all they do is wood flooring- would not warranty the work unless we used engineered flooring. It was about $1.5 more per foot but it’s been 3 years and have been very happy


So you have 2 switches one that control is the fan and one that control is the light on the same circuit. Just cutting the wire off is not safe on the unused hot at a minimum I would cover it with tape but would preferr a wire nut for better safety.
Wiring the light if there is a rib or stripe on the wire with the writing it would be the neutral, since we can't see that examine which wire connects to the center of the screw in shell and the outside the neutral goes to the outside and the hot goes to the inside or center pin. With some fixtures I have found things were not to the standard so I will check to verify this. I have found some really nice older fixtures that the quality can't be matched today unless you win the lottery, make sure the power is off before connecting things up.


Filling a chain link fence end post with concrete

That wont solve the problem.  The best way to make a 'solid' fence post is to bury more into the ground.

Putting a cement ball at the bottom is not the best solution and filling the hollow cavity will do nothing to help


California building code design requirements for bathrooms

No, that is totally untrue. There are plenty of rules for bathrooms, but what you are describing would make all "master bathrooms" that are only accessible from the master bedroom illegal, and that is definitely NOT the case. And it is perfectly legal to have two "master bedrooms" in a house, in fact it is becoming a desirable feature on smaller houses because of the proliferation of shared housing.

Now, if you don't have a bathroom accessible from the general living area it means all of your guests must go through a bedroom to use the bathroom, something that I personally would not want. But that is not codified anywhere.


How far should a CAT5 cable be from a power cable?

There is, in fact, an applicable standard.

National Electrical Safety Code (NESC), Section 320 (B) (2),

  Separations Between Supply and Communication Conduit Systems: Conduit
  systems to be occupied by communication conductors shall be separated
  from conduit systems to be used for supply systems by 75 mm (3 in.) of
  concrete, 100 mm (4 in.) of masonry, or 300 mm (12 in.) of
  well-tamped earth.

Only one of those is practical and affordable for a project on a budget, so I bolded it. You can be 12" apart at the same level, 12" above (power deeper, communication shallower) or a diagonal that works.

Type of conduit makes no difference - only the material separating the conduits changes the spacing required.


Do I need both AFCI breaker and receptacle for run over 70 feet?

I could be wrong here, but the way the code is written, the circuit length should only matter if...

The AFCI protection is provided by a receptacle type device installed at the first outlet.
A supplemental arc protection circuit breaker is installed at the origin of the circuit, and a receptacle type AFCI device is installed at the first outlet.

210.12(A)(1) allows the circuit to be protected by a "combination-type arc-fault circuit interrupter", without any mention of the length of the circuit. So I would expect as long as you're installing a combination-type AFCI, and not a "supplemental arc protection circuit breaker". Then there should be no problem. But I've been known to misinterpret code from time to time.

National Electrical Code 2017
Chapter 2 Wiring and Protection
Article 210 Branch Circuits
210.12 Arc-fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection.
(A) Dwelling Units. All 120-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere branch circuits supplying outlets or devices installed in dwelling unit kitchens, family rooms, dining rooms, living rooms, parlors, libraries, dens, bedrooms, sunrooms, recreation rooms, closets, hallways, laundry areas, or similar rooms or areas shall be protected by any of the means described in 210.12(A)(1) through (6):
(1) A listed combination-type arc-fault circuit interrupter, installed to provide protection of the entire branch circuit.
...
(3) A listed supplemental arc protection circuit breaker installed at the origin of the branch circuit in combination with a listed outlet branch-circuit type arc-fault circuit interrupter installed at the first outlet box on the branch circuit where all of the following conditions are met:
...
b. The maximum length of the branch-circuit wiring from the branch-circuit overcurrent device to the first outlet shall not exceed 15.2 m (50 ft) for 14 AWG conductors or 21.3 m (70 ft) for 12 AWG conductors.
...


Does wire brought into the house have to immediately enter a box?

The box is only required if you're making a connection just inside the wall. For example, you're pulling THHN/THWN wires through the conduit, but you want to run NM-B cable through the walls. In that case the junction between the cables must be in a junction box. If you're continuing with THHN in conduit (through your walls or surface mounted), and you have a continuous run there's no requirement for the box at all. Note that if you've hit the end of your spool of wire and need to join to a new spool, you'll need to make that connection in a JB, no matter what.
If you're simply changing direction, a box, another LB or even a sweep (if there's room in the wall) could be used. As a matter of fact, the short stub of EMT coming out of the LB in the picture could be replaced with a sweep elbow that immediately turns the wire in the direction you need to go. It may not be the easiest pull, but with the LB right there, it shouldn't be difficult.
Disclaimer: I'm not an electrician. This is based off of knowledge gleaned from reading and applying common sense, not an in-depth knowledge of the NEC.


What is this plastic insert inside of copper pipe?

It's a flow restrictor. They are usually installed in shower heads or other types of plumbing fixtures. It was probably left in a tool box and found it's way into the pipe or was intentionally not installed... I hated those things.


How do I mount a TV bracket to a plasterboard/drywall ceiling?

If you are able to mount enough screws into the joists then that might be sufficient.

However, you'll inevitably find that the joists aren't in the right place to match the screw holes in the bracket properly and using bolts will be more secure, as your tv is pretty heavy.

Having access above is great though. Personally I would mount some study batons from above attached to the joists exactly where you want them, then bolt the bracket through the ceiling into the batons.

So...

find exactly where on the ceiling you want the bracket to go and mark on the ceiling where you want the bolt holes to go.
drill small holes through the ceiling at the marked points (you can then shove something like straws or bbq skewers into the holes and leave them there to make finding the holes easier from above).
go into the attic, find the holes and note their position.
get something like some 2x4 and make batons/a frame that will go between the joists, directly above the holes (making sure that the holes won't go at the edges of the batons).
Securely attach the batons to the joists, making sure that they are pressed right down against the plasterboard. (Exactly what the last two steps look like will depend on the positioning and alignment of your joists relative to the holes. Play it safe and go sturdier than you need, it'll be ugly but hidden in your attic).
go back down and drill the holes again going through your new wooden supports and wide enough for your bolts.
bolt on the bracket. Get a friend with one of you above and below. Alternatively you can use something like coach bolts on to, but this will be trickier.
mount tv. Sit back, relax and realise there's nothing on anyway.


Do I have to remove all caulk before reapplication?

If only a small section of the caulking has opened it may be worth re-applying fresh caulk to them with the hopes that it won't happen anyplace else. Since the repair is small cut out the compromised caulk and clean the surrounding areas with denatured alcohol. Apply fresh caulk forming it into place to match existing caulk. FYI: It is recommended, but not required, for longevity and resiliency to use a 100% silicone caulking. Pure silicone won't dry and become brittle in time and are able to flex if any of the two materials (wall and/or tub) move or shift. If you are adamant in using latex or a siliconized  caulking use one which is advertised for exterior use (the quality brands will be touted as having a 30-40 year guarantee, usually for doors and windows). Also, if you can find it, look for a mildew-proof or resistant-type caulk. I've re-caulked jobs several times because mold had established itself on and in the caulk.


What's this bolt head type and how can I open it?

It looks like a spanner tamper-proof security bolt. Either buy a set of tamper-proof security bits, or modify a cheap standard slotted screwdriver with a dremel tool. Here is a cheap set: https://www.amazon.com/Performance-Tool-W8659-Security-32-Piece/dp/B002KS19PK/ A good chance that something in this set will work, but no guarantee.


Should fan on heat pump be delayed turning off when system stops?

The reason furnaces (as opposed to heat pumps) keep running is to cool them back off since the burner is pretty hot. It may be a safety issue (too much undistributed heat could make the furnace hot to the touch and possibly result in a fire), but I suspect it's also done to extend the life of the furnace from large temperature swings with the side benefit of a bit of extra heat distributed through the home rather than up the flue.

From a heat pump, I suspect the temperature inside the blower is below the setting used by a high temperature switch in a furnace (which is what keeps the blower running). Also, circulating the coolant in the lines is what causes the heat to be generated, so if you were to do this, at what point would you stop?

And finally, the heat that is in the vents will naturally rise, so turning off the blower will not result in that heat being lost. If your vents are in the ceiling, the rising hot air will go back into the vent over time even if you blew it out. And if your vents are in the floor, the heat will rise as colder air displaces it, without having to run the blower.

So can you get a little more heat out of the system? Perhaps. But I believe it will be very little. And since drafts in the home make you feel cooler in the winter, the result of saving that extra heat may result in you feeling the need to turn the thermostat up a bit more.


How to tell for sure if paint is eggshell or gloss?

One paint company defines the various finishes as follows:

  Satin: A finish with a low luster appearance. Washable surface, reflects some light.
  Semi-Gloss: A finish that has noticable gloss and sheen. Washable, sometimes scrubbable surface, but shows surface
  imperfections. Reflects light noticeably
  Eggshell / Low Gloss: A finish ½ way between satin and semi-gloss with a noticeable gloss and sheen. Washable, sometimes
  scrubbable, but may show surface imperfections. Reflects light
  noticeably.
  Gloss: A finish with a high degree of gloss and sheen. Scrubbable surface imperfections. Reflects light very well. If
  properly applied almost gives the impression of ceramic or glass
  finish.

  They also explain gloss and sheen:

  Gloss: Measured at a 60° angle, it's the shininess or reflectiveness of a coating.
  Sheen: Measured at an 85° angle, it's a moderately low degree of gloss that appears flat when viewed near or perpendicular, but
  glossy when viewed from a low or sharp angle.

There is no industry standard for paint sheens, so one company's eggshell can be another company's satin, matte or low gloss.


These are designed to permanently wired through a fused switch. As gregmac points out in his comment there may be insurance issues if you use a normal plug and socket, particularly in area of fire risks.

However, you can replace the current socket with a fused switch panel. Make sure you get one with a hole in the surface for the wire to go through.

Something like this


Can outlet circuit ground wires be connected to the panel ground wire?

NEC 250.130(C)(2) Allows connection of ground for replacement receptacles to "Any accessible point on the grounding electrode conductor".
How many wires per connector and size would be subject to the NRTL Listing of the device you are using, which includes the instructions with the device. It seems the smallest wire permitted by the device you show may be larger than the wire you are using.


Electrical breaker and outlet wiring question

You can run a 20A breaker and 12-2 copper (with ground, but that's a given unless you have found some antique wire) to a single 20A receptacle for any purpose. Including an air compressor.

However, for an air compressor "dedicated circuit" the FIRST question I'd ask is whether the motor can be converted to run on 240V, and if it can, I'd strongly suggest doing that unless you have strong reasons not to (such as this being a portable compressor that you often take to job sites where 240V is hard to come by.)

If that is the case, I'd then look at provisioning a 240V (two-pole) breaker of appropriate amperage to a 240V outlet of the appropriate amperage rating on appropriate size wire for that amperage (or 12/2 if you are already sitting on it, even if it's larger than needed for 240V and fewer amps.) Rewire the compressor for 240V operation and install the matching plug.


Is there such a thing? Wall access panel with a water shutoff -> so I can turn off water to outside spigot in the winter?

You want to install a freeze-, frost-proof silcock. That will allow you to turn the water off from outside, while eliminating water sitting outside the conditioned space of the home.

They are available in many different lengths, so they fit most applications.


Can two kitchen disposals share a circuit?

Which code are you referring to? I am not aware of any requirement in the NEC that requires a dishwasher or a disposal to be on a separate circuit. However it is considered good practice.

Since you are asking about two disposals, we are talking about two motor loads. 2017 NEC Article 220.18 (A) Motor Operated and Combination Loads, states that the calculated load of motors or loads, shall be 125% of the largest motor and the sum of all the other motors and loads. HP to Amperage conversion can be found in NEC Table NEC 430.248.

For example if you are installing 2 disposals that are both 1/2 HP the required amperage would be 9.8 amps, 9.8+9.8+(25%*9.8)= 22 amps. So that would be too large for a 20A circuit. If the disposals where 1/3 HP it would change to 7.2+7.2+(25%*7.2)= 16.2 amps, which would fit on a 20A circuit.

This example shows that it would not be wise to put any disposals on the same circuit. Since even though you might install 2 1/3 HP disposals or less, someone in the future could change them out to larger HP later and overload the circuit.

Remember I said it was good electrical practice. A good electrician will always size a circuit to handle all future loads, not just the ones present at the time.

Good luck with your project.


Happened to me. The rubber washer fell off the bib screw and blocked the valve when it heated and expanded.

Take it apart and take a look.


What wood joint can I use to connect railing members over a post?

You have a couple things going on here, so let's clarify:

There's no joint that makes anything "stronger" here if you're using adequately-sized railings and appropriate fasteners to begin with. You don't need the rail boards linked together in tension. It's not important. Railings don't fail by falling off the post along the rail assembly. If they fail, it's due to the lumber cracking or getting pushed off the fasteners somehow.
Therefore, it's entirely a matter of aesthetics. How do you want it to look from the most common perspective?
The main point of using something other than a square butt joint is so that, after the railings shrink, you don't see the resulting gap as readily. A bevel joint hides the gap visually. This applies to decking, siding, and any other joint in wood. A half-lap requires substantially more effort, but allows you to use fewer fasteners, which has both cost and visual benefits.
You can make things weaker with the wrong approach. The half-lap as you drew it in your previous question will weaken the railing, because you've halved the thickness of the boards all the way to the edge of the post. If you imagine a cartoon dumbbell sitting on the railing just beyond the right edge of the post, all the weight is being supported by half the railing's thickness if we assume that it'll easily split lengthwise along the grain. Bad news.

If you're bent on a half-lap joint, the solution is to make a narrower connection, such that it's just wide enough to securely fasten it to the post, but doesn't compromise the strength of the board at or beyond the width of the post. 1-1/2 or 2 inches would do nicely.

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can KY jelly be used in a pinch if no silicone plumbers lubricant is available? this is NO joke!

KY is water soluble, so would be pointless as a lubricant for plumbing fixtures. In a pinch, maybe petroleum jelly would work.


Ventilation
This is basically what you're trying to achieve, with respects to ventilation and insulation of the roof.

Soffit (eave) vents
Start at the bottom of the roof, with soffit vents.
Baffels
Baffels are used to provide a channel along the underside of the roof decking, to allow air to flow from the soffit to the roof vents. You don't necessarily need baffels, but you do want to provide at least one inch of free space under the roof decking. Baffles simply make providing this gap easier.
Roof Vents
You can use either pot vents, or a continuous ridge vent here.

Pot Vents

Ridge Vent
If you don't already have a ridge vent, you'll have to do a bit of work to install one.

Remove the existing ridge cap shingles.
Using a circular saw set to the appropriate depth, rip a straight line along both sides of the ridge.

Install the ridge vent.
Install ridge cap.

Insulation
Now that you have proper ventilation, it's time to think about keeping the conditioned air in the conditioned space.  For this, you'll need insulation.  If you used baffles in the previous step, insulating the roof is easy. If not, make sure you maintain a one inch gap below the roof decking while you install the insulation.
You can use whatever type of insulation you'd like, just make sure it will provide the R-value you want in the space available.
Vapor Barrier
Once the insulation is up, you'll want to install a vapor barrier to prevent any indoor moisture from getting up into the insulation. If moisture is allowed to get into the insulation, it could condense and cause mold problems and other water damage such as rot.
You'll want to use polyethylene sheeting, at least 4 mil thick. You're also going to want to seal all seams using house wrap tape, to ensure a good seal.
HVAC
Now that the space is sealed, it's ready to be conditioned.  You'll have to install appropriate heating/cooling elements in the space, which completely depends on what type of heating/cooling you have. If you have forced air, don't forget the returns.
Carry the Load
The next item to address, is to make sure you and your stuff don't end up on the floor below. You'll want to make sure the floor of the attic is adequate to support the load. If it's not, you'll have to take steps to beef it up.  For this, you might want to contact a structural engineer.
Access
Since you've been getting up and down to do all this work, I'm going to assume you have adequate access to the space. If not, you'll want to install a ladder, stairs, etc.


Computer Monitor vibrates rapidly, electrical equipment stabilizer

It really depends on what exactly is vibrating.
If the base is not manufactured precisely and isn't sitting flat on the desk, you could get some rubber mat of some sort to pad where it sits. Of course, most monitor stands are designed with rubber feet to serve this exact purpose, so if you think it's the base rattling against the desk, check to make sure no foot has fallen off.
From your description, it sounds though like you are actually seeing physical movement of the monitor from vibrations. This can also be caused by a poorly-manufactured base, or the monitor support itself might be poorly made, such that it's not rigid enough, or has too much play in its mechanism. A good monitor stand is made from thick enough material, and if its height can be adjusted, the adjusting mechanism is designed so that the parts remain in contact at all times throughout the range of adjustment.

Are there any weights/material we can paste to electrical equipment to make it more stable?

There is a small chance that it's just an unlucky combination of the monitor's weight and position, and the monitor's own degree of rigidity and height. You could try using some mass loaded vinyl (typically sold for sound damping purposes), to change the weight of the monitor so that it doesn't resonate so easily with whatever vibration is causing the problem.
All that said, I wouldn't put too much effort into the issue. There are plenty of monitors with stands on the market that don't wiggle around at the slightest provocation. The most reliable solution is to just return these monitors and purchase ones that are better built.
If you really can't stand to give up the monitor, due to technical specs or whatever, that particular monitor (like most these days) has a VESA-compatible mounting interface, so you can just purchase a different monitor stand or mount, one that works better than the one that came with the monitor.


Should I have replaced my water heater's shut-off gate valve with a ball valve?

I'm not a professional plumber (though I did work on water treatment systems for several years), but in my opinion what you did is fine.

Gate and globe (stop) valves are prone to corrosion and generally wear out over time. Ball valves are much more durable and reliable. I've seen many, many old stop valves that are leaking or don't shut off properly, or more often, leak as soon as you open/close them after they've not been touched for years. I can't say the same for ball valves - I've seen many that were installed for many years and still worked. I can even think of a couple where the outside looked totally corroded, and though it took a lot of force to turn (and sometimes a replacement handle), they still reliably shut without leaking.

On top of the reliability, the fact they use a 1/4 turn (instead of several full turns) and a quick glance tells you whether it's open or closed, ball valves are just vastly superior to gate and globe valves for almost all residential applications. Worth the extra dollar or so they cost.

The only thing they are not as good for is applications where you want to limit/control the flow rate (such as an outside tap or sample port). They can still do that, but are harder to finely adjust, and especially when one hasn't been opened for a long time and is a bit stiff, tend to suddenly give and open to full blast (I've been sprayed while trying to take water samples many times).


Wall socket tripping out when putting the two screws into the faceplate

Which country? As some regs limit the number of spurs you can have and if you did not check...

However, what is most likely is that one of the screws is pinching one of the wires inside the socket. Check and reposition them, but if there is damage to the conductor as well, you need to replace it.


Sump Pump Trips GFCI Receptacle. Is a single, dedicated non-GFCI receptacle safe?

There used to be an exception to the code, that said that a sump pump didn't have to be on a GFCI if it was on a dedicated circuit, and it was connected using a single receptacle*.  And by "single receptacle" they meant a non-duplex receptacle.  One like this...

With that said, "officially" there should be no problem with having a sump pump on a GFCI circuit.  Unofficially, there are sometimes problems with sump pumps on GFCI circuits.  The manufacturers are supposed to reduce or eliminate any leakage current, However, nobody sent the memo to manufacturers so they don't always get it right. Because of this, you may find that a sump pump does trip a GFCI from time to time.

If the GFCI was tripping every time, and immediately. You'll want to first verify that:

There is not a ground-fault in the sump pump.
The GFCI wiring is correct.
The GFCI is not faulty.
The GFCI was manufactured within the past 3-4 years.
The GFCI is rated for the proper current draw.
The circuit wiring is correct.

If all of this checks out, you may wan to consider using a single receptacle to connect the sump pump.  While it's not up to code, a slight electric shock hazard may be preferable to a flooded house. Though a house flooded with electrified water, might not be the best thing ever.

WARNING:

It is not safe, or up to current code to install a sump pump using a non-GFCI receptacle. And I am not telling you to do so.

I will say that a sump pump installation does not require the circuit to which the pump is connected to be upgraded, if the pump is connected to the circuit in a cord and plug configuration.

**citation needed*


Porch lamp outside house not working, and changing bulb trips the RCD

If the bulb fits in the base, it is the right kind. It could be a problem with the fixture, but it could be anything else along the line as well, a bad switch, bad connection somewhere, faulty insulation, chewed by rodents, etc. RCDs are very sensitive, it doesn't take much current leakage somewhere to set them off.

If a careful visual inspection doesn't reveal anything, about all you can do is take various components out of the system until you find the one that was tripping the RCD. For instance, test the fixture by removing the wiring and connecting the wires to a simple keyless base with a light bulb installed. If the RCD does not trip and the bulb illuminates, then you know the fixture is at fault.

If the RCD still trips, then the fixture is not at fault. Next try taking the switch out of the system by wiring the switch wires together so that you have an unswitched circuit. Test again. If the RCD still trips, identify intervening junctions and connect your test light at each one, starting at the switch and working back towards the distribution panel. You will eventually make a connection that does not trip the RCD. Then you know the bad section is immediately upstream from the successful connection.

I've left out many safety details here in order to outline basic trouble shooting. If you are at all uncomfortable working on building electrics, do not do any of this, find someone that knows what they are doing. Also, if you have an older UK ring system, these confuse most people, you need to find someone familiar with this rather unusual arrangement.


Cost effective insulation for a 100 year old home?

I'd go with rock wool batt insulation in the stud bays.
Rock wool has several advantages over fiberglass.  Better sound deadening ability.  Better fire resistance.  R-value unaffected by moisture.  Low air permanence ( slows air down = slows heat loss ).  Higher recycled content.
Tape and acoustic seal poly on the interior stud surface for your vapor/air barrier (climate zone 5 is vapor barrier on the warm side of the insulation).  Once you've got your drywall up if you want better air sealing get aerobarrier to come in.
Spray foam insulation over time will crack so the air sealing ability is over-rated.  The propellants for spray foam are not typically very environmentally friendly.  While the foams are treated with a chemical to prevent fire spread they will burn when they burn they emit toxic fumes.  The fire retardant chemicals are not non-toxic - avoid putting chemicals in your house if you can.  Spray foam if improperly installed can be stuck in a non-cured state and continuously release volatile organic chemicals (VOCs).
I still use spray foam but I try to minimize where I use it.