Cutting smaller rectangular holes in ABS

If the material is thin (around 1/16th inch give or take) then a hand held nibbler can be good for small square holes.  You can drill a round hole to remove some material and then square it up with the nibbler that makes straight cuts.  An added bonus is that the tool works when you only have access to one side of the workpiece.

Nibbler Tool

The tip you see moves up and down as you squeeze the handles and it takes a little rectangular nibble out of the material each time.


Congratulations!  You just found a Carter 3-way!

This configuration switches each "side" of the lamp between hot and neutral, as depicted in the illustration below:

(source: Wtshymanski/Wikipedia)

However, due to the switch in the neutral wire, it was possible for the shell of the lampholder to be hot even if it was switched off, leading to a shock hazard!  As a result, this configuration was banned by the NEC and remains forbidden to this day.  You were correct in removing the Carter 3-way from service.

The second circuit feeding the Carter 3-way was also a rather egregrious Code violation (300.3(B)/310.10 if nothing else), but your work has cured it as well.  (While the current configuration isn't completely Code-conformant, you've gotten as close as you reasonably can without running new wire.)


For small buildings like this I'm not a load calculations guy. I'm a seat-of-the-pants experience guy. This is because lumber is usually grossly oversized for such short spans anyway, so it comes down to your carpentry techniques.
Yes, that design is plenty stout from a lumber standpoint (even 2x4 rafters are plenty), but you must fasten the joints together very well. Due to the steep nature of your roof and the lack of direct rafter bearing (without a bird's mouth cut) there's a lot of shear force on that connection. Nearly all the roof load gets carried by the fastening.
I might use three 2-1/2" construction screws from each side of each joint. For a lesser sloped roof with 2x4 rafters I've even used timber screws through from the top into the wall plate (with countersunk heads). Ecnerwal rightly points out that construction adhesive is a good idea here. I've used it for OSB gussets. It'll add a lot of rigidity to the connection.
Whatever you decide, it needs to be stout. If you bounce your weight on the peak and there's any flex at all in the joints it's not good enough. Do that right and you'll be golden.
One other tip: Build all trusses from the same prototype (jig) and mark the ends so they stay oriented. Trusses are rarely perfect and if you swap ends with any you'll have a wavy roof and fascia.


Can I build a retaining wall along an existing fence?

We had a raised garden built along our new fence joined on one side by a deck.
It's raised by about 1/2 a meter.

The way they did it was to use the fence as part of the retaining wall.
However, they did add some reinforcing.

In your case, the posts may be too wide apart and you may not like the idea of using the fence for this in case of rot.

I suggest putting new posts into the ground and putting treated 4x2 along them to form the retaining wall.  Put it as close to the fence as practical.
Then line the dirt side of the wall with a suitable plastic (the kind that's used for building ponds).  And fill up the ground to level it.

As for the area between the fence and the retaining wall, you could attach a run of 4x2 or 6x2 along the fence line to form a beam for which you can attach joists and lay some decking timber all the way along.  If you raise it up about the dirt level you could use it as seating if it's wide enough.

Remember to add weep holes to the wall to allow the water out.

Alternatively, as you suggest you could use cinder blocks or even just pour concrete.  Your choice may depend on price.


How to clear outbound blockage using the snake/auger?

I can't see to the back of the fitting would it be possible to cut the pipe and use a coupler or union to repair when done? Each 90 causes a large amount of force to be required, with a 90 at the start then probably another 90 in a few inches that will make it tough now go down to ground level and another 90 some may be sweeps or t's but the force still jumps with each one.  Next are you spinning clock wise? You want the augger to pull into the plug turning counter clockwise actually pulls the snake out while you are pushing. Plugs can be tough to work through with a small snake but if you are pulling stuff back up you are getting close , I have power snakes and have had to hit a plug 20-30 times where other times 1 times clears the plug. If totally stuck look for another entrance to try, the roof vents are usually a good place but may require a longer snake. Some homes have a main back bone with a plug at the washing machine in the garage so there may be other ways to tackle this but if nothing else in backing up I would keep trying.


How to figure out if regulation allows imported fuses that are higher quality than what is legally required, but is not readily accessible?

Type B only affects the magnetic-trip overcurrent portion of the breaker, designed for detecting short circuits. It doesn't affect the RCD part of the RCBO, or the thermal part of the MCB.

Using Type C breakers is fine unless you have such a long run of thin cable that there isn't enough fault current available to trip it at the far end. Hong Kong codes should force using either a smaller breaker or type B breaker in these cases, but usually volt drop will cause people to use a smaller breaker first.

Using a type B makes you more likely to suffer nuisance trips from motors starting, inrush current from switchmode power supplies (turning on a bank of LED lights can be a serious issue for this), and other similar issues.

Unless you have circuits over 50m in length, according to my copy of AS/NZS3000 which is likely similar to your rules, in most cases Type C is fine.

Commercial vs residential doesn't play into it.

I can't comment specifically on Hong Kong code.


Could stepping down from 220V/50Hz to 110V/60Hz cause issues with household electronics?

That is very likely the problem.  The stepdown transformers step down the voltage, but do not increase the frequency - that is why a hair dryer, for example, will operate slower on 220V/50Hz when it stepped down to 110/50hz.  The audio processing components of the receiver are likely depending on the correct input frequency.  Its also possible that you might have damaged the receiver from doing this.


Removing cabinets and matching Ceiling knockdown underneath

One way to reduce the visible ridge effect is to use sandpaper to taper down the old knock down material along the ridge to smooth it out some. This job will be a bit harder if the old material has coats of paint on it. When I have sanded like this in a similar situation I used 120 weight sandpaper on a hand sanding block.

Note that there will be the urging desire to perform this sanding with a power sander but this is generally not recommended because it is so easy to sand too far and end up tearing up the paper covering of the drywall.


A good way to tighten nuts in very close quarters?

I'd bet money they used a box wrench to tighten this; you can see where it damaged the wood ever so slightly to the left and right of the nut (and the scrape it made in the center while on its way onto it).

Try using a twelve point box wrench. You might also need a hammer ;) ... and you might have to disassemble the headboard to get it out of the way. It looks to me like that lightly colored piece of plywood is an add-on, and that's why you can't get in there.

That supposed piece of plywood was the bed, so there's your access.

It needs to be an offset box wrench, or you won't have room to turn it, and you may need to seat it with a hammer for the first few turns. And as the other answer suggests, grinding down the outer edge of the tool is an option.

(source)


Ceiling fan with remote control and 2 wall switches

Unfortunately this type of ceiling fan remote isn’t made for your situation, and won’t work as you’ve described.

The remote and its receiver were created as a solution for locations where no provision was made for switching fan and light separately.  It solves a problem for those that needed to use pull-chains to provide separate controls for fan and light.

This site doesn’t do product recommendations, and I wouldn’t know which to recommend for your location anyway.  The product you desire is available tho (at least it is in the USA).  Search “fan control wall switch with remote” (I got the best results with that search, omitting “light”, however most of the products in the results also had the light control.). This product is different and manufactured to replace wall switches, allowing you to retain from the wall control as well as using a wireless remote.


I cannot recommend that.

The battery temperature sensor is an absolutely necessary piece of safety. Substituting it for a dummy is not an option.

Substituting it for an equivalent sensor is an option, but not based on the amount of information you have.

So, lest you want your deadline to actually have something to do with the death of someone (or at least a battery pack and inverter), tell your boss or client that you'll need time for components to arrive. Engineering is about knowing where to put priorities.


What sealant should I buy to secure cable in brick?

I normally use a paintable silicone but with brick would use clear , silicone is what the cable and satellite company's used on my homes and I use it at work also for sealing small holes.


How do I uninstall a receptacle when the wires are stuck?

A small flat-head electrician's screwdriver should do the trick.  The release mechanism is spring-loaded, so with the wire in place, pushes it to one side.  Angle the screwdriver slightly and you should be able to disengage it.


Is it possible to wire this diagram the way I want?

Here is one way to wire your lights. The diagram does not include switching half the outlet because you don't have enough switches and wires. If you use S2 to control half the outlet, how will you control the mudroom light?


Water is a common destroyer of brick, even if it isn’t freezing and thawing. Water will dissolve bricks and mortar over time. Brickwork must be designed carefully to keep it reasonably dry. The next time it rains, go and look at the damaged areas of brick and see if they are getting splashed from water falling off of a roof edge or something similar. A wider picture providing more context for the location would be helpful for us.

How is the wall capped, if at all? Is water permitted to enter the wall from above? Brick walls need caps on them, wider than the wall itself, that will shed water. Water entering open joints at the top of a brick wall will ruin it quickly.

Not all brick within a batch are created equal, especially older bricks that were fired in kilns with uneven heat distribution. Some brick in the batch will be underfired, making them softer and more absorbent, and weaker in wet situations. So a brick can fail while the one sitting right next to it hangs in there just fine.

I won’t say it’s the only cause of your problem because there are many factors at work and I’m not there to witness them all, but I will say - the condition of those mortar joints is not doing that brickwork any favors at all. In a wet environment brick joints should be finished as below, except for the “raked” and “struck” options.


Sealing space between counter and stainless stove

I use foam rubber weather stripping gaskets:

Alternatively, rubber hose works equally as well.

Just buy it in a profile slightly wider than the gap, then tuck it in the gap. Friction will hold it in place. And easy to replace if you ever need to pull the stove out.


How to quickly fix botched latex paint area on exterior door?

I wouldn't try to scrape off the messed up area while it's wet because you'll leave ridges at the edges of the area, which will look even worse.  Leave the area to dry before trying to fix it.

To get it to dry quickly, higher temperatures and low humidity are your friends.  I've used a space heater and an oscillating fan when I needed paint dried quickly: arrange the heater and the fan so that warm air gets blown past the work piece continually.  Leave it running overnight: it looks like you're using a higher-gloss paint, which will form a skin quickly, but underneath will remain wet for a while.

(See here for a technique for removing drip marks.)


Fixing vintage glass doorknobs with loose glass to brass connection

Try #2: Cyanoacrylate

This worked much better.  The local hardwood distributor recommended and carries super thin "super glue". Turn the knob in the usual direction to set it tight, then apply glue to the glass/metal junction (it will wick right inside).  Keep acetone handy in case you dribble.  Scrape excess off with a small screwdriver. Done.

What will we do when local stores no longer exist?  Sigh.


Can salt be used to create a slip resistance surface in concrete?

I don't think you'd want to use salt for a couple of reasons:

if you have any rebar in there, salt will increase corrosion
salt will affect the concrete mix, possibly badly affecting strength

Instead, use one of the polymer grip additives designed for this purpose - they can be very cheap, and some are transparent so do not affect the appearance of the concrete.

An example - I haven't used this one, but there are many available.


How do I build a basement that does not leak when I have a high water level?

There are a few different ways I've seen this done.

The best way is to trench around the outside of the foundation down to the footer, seal the outside of the wall, and install a drainage system (gravel and pipes) at the footer to redirect the water to a sump pit where it can be pumped out.

Next best way is to do basicly the same thing, but on the inside of the house.  You bust up the concrete floor of the basement along the walls and install gravel and PVC pipe under the floor to drain the water to a sump pit where it can be pumped out.

Both those options are going to be pretty expensive, and probably not something you would want to tackle on your own.  Which is why many people opt to simply seal the inside of the walls with a product like Drylok as Scott mentions.  It's pretty effective if you only have minor moisture problems, but if you regularly get lots of water in the basement, it's probably not going to solve your problem.


Store Refrigerator, Keeps Doors Open How Often

I have an unused fridge in our shop that my son always closes.  I open it but it may not be until a weekend when I find it. So I can say it has been out there for 3 years and regularly is closed on a Monday or Tuesday and I find it on Friday or Saturday. It is a backup we had repaired so I don’t need it, but may so I want it clean. 1 time it started growing mold but sure how long it was closed. I added a bowl of baking soda to each side and doors are open at least 2 days per week, result with no mold for ~3 years. The one time mold did grow, I was gone for 2 months. I added baking soda after that with no issues so far (I did add new baking soda about a year ago and probably should again. I live in Oregon so relative humidity is not high like back East. But I would say a few days a week of being open have worked so far.


Probably the most useful thing you can do is to get a young volunteer from church who is willing to crawl into the attic while the electrician volunteer stands below the hatch or whatever. The electrician tells the crawler what to do and the crawler tells the electrician what the crawler sees.

The protocol for reducing the hazard of this procedure is patience. No matter how much they yell at each other, the crawler must think before each step. If anybody feels unsafe at any time, everybody stops and you call a professional.


No Hot Water in Kitchen Faucet, hot water runs to dishwasher but not to faucet

Disconnect the flex hose from your hot supply valve to the faucet and test for flow with the faucet disconnected. Ideally you do this with spare 3/8" hose, but a towel, sponge, bucket, and some care will also work.

If your unconnected valve supplies decent water flow when disconnected from your faucet, the problem is in your faucet. Figure out the brand/model and you can get a repair kit.

If hot water doesn't flow even when the valve is disconnected from the faucet, then you have a problem with the valve or plumbing.

My guess is, unless your water lines were actually frozen, the heater is a red herring and the reason you have all hot or all cold is because there's a worn-out washer in your faucet's mixing valve. Possibly a chunk of it has broken and is moving somewhat freely within the valve, blocking one side or the other.


Live wire spliced in a switch to provide power to other parts of the room!

Your analysis of the current situation is correct and quite normal. The fact that this type of switch allows two wires to be attached under the switch makes it that much easier to do, as opposed to hacks (MPO) such as one wire under the screw and one in the back-stab.
Yes, it is perfectly fine to have a pigtail to the switch and connect the three wires with a wirenut.


Should I replace my trunk-and-branch setup with a PEX manifold?

If you increase the diameter of the branch you also increase the time it takes for you to get hot water.  In my climate I also like to get ground temperature water so having large branch lines increases the amount of water I have to dump before I get rid of the water in the pipe from the supply entrance to my faucet.  This also wastes heat as the branch lines will have hot/cold water and heat or cool the wall spaces - eventually heating or cooling your house.

I like the manifold arrangement but one quick thing to try would be to just plumb the washing machine into the end of the branch line.  I this this would allow the other fixtures to have pressure preference over it.

The other thing I'd do is eliminate the crazy 90s if you are redoing a section.  The plumbing might look neat but you loose significant flow when you make sharp turns.  Really the best way is spaghetti with gradual bends.


Sizing a window AC for bedroom, but with extenuating circumstances

I would go larger, I have installed many heating and cooling systems and when the systems are running properly the AC will cycle more often, icing is more of a problem with very high humidity and or low air flow and this can happen even in the desert on a hot day if the filters are dirty reducing the air flow while the system is working at its maximum cooling capacity.
I find customers are happier being able to turn the thermostat up a little verses when the room is still hot with the AC at its lowest setting running full blast. An over sized unit may cost a little more because it may cycle the compressor on and off more often but this cost will be a small percentage of the annual cost to run and you have a better chance of keeping the room comfortable.


That's a three way switch.

In these pictures, it appears the red wire coming off the black terminal screw goes to the light, but you should confirm that.


Can I use #16 duplex wire extension to a 2800 watt chop-off cutter?

Definitely dependent on voltage and cord length. All modern UL listed portable motor-driven tools have wire gauge/length specs. included in the owner's manual. If you do not have the manual you should be able to do an internet search and get one. When in doubt, use heavier wire: a voltage drop across a cord that is too long and/or lightweight will damage the electric motor; bye-bye cut-off saw.


Why does water rush through pipes when no water is being used?

This sounds like the backwash on your water softener.

It should be set to cycle at 1 am or so when you wouldn't hear it, but the clock could have been reset from a power outage. Normally, it will trickle for 20-30 minutes as it brines the resin bed and then it will backwash the resin bed with clean water for 10 mins or so. This water must all be dumped to a drain somewhere, possibly in the laundry standpipe. That's where mine dumps to.

Check your softener settings,and look for a correlation.

Good luck!


A caveat, I am a US building inspector but I after some reading I think I can help you.

It appears that your home uses the pre-2004 coloured wiring schema and your newly-bought pendant has the post-2004 schema.  Your current pendant has the post-2004 colour schema as well.  At this point it will be as easy as replacing blue with blue and brown with brown.  The protected ground/earth (yellow and green) needs to be attached to the copper block where there are other copper grounds.

The issue I can foresee with your new fixture is that there are multiple leads and cramming those all into the existing wiring block could possibly be difficult.

I personally would go to my local hardware store and buy a half-metre of similarly coloured, single strand wire (blue and brown) of a similar or larger size and wire-nuts that can hold 8 strands of wire; ask your store clerk, they should be able to help you.  Cut the single strand wire down to a comfortable size that you can work with and still fit inside the fixture housing when you are done.  Strip off a couple centimeters of jacket on both ends of the single strand.  Remove the 2-3 cm of the wire jacket on the ends on the fixture, gather all the leads together along with one end of your single strand and use a wire-nut to bind them.  Then take the other end of the single stand and attach it to your wiring block.  Do the same thing for the other colour.

Finally, I don't see how your fixture is going to be able to support its weight.   The current fixture is actually being supported by the wire that passes the weight to the plastic studs and then the plate.  The fixture base you are holding appears to be much larger and have a hole where a threaded rod might pass.  You probably also received another component that would replace the clear, plastic box plate that is there currently.  If so, it appears that the black and brass block might have to be removed.  If so, here in the US you can just use a wire-nut to splice the strands together (which I think is more self-explanatory then the ambiguous black block that everything is wired to), though it might not be code in the UK or your county/village.  Just black to blue, red to brown and bare copper to green/yellow.

As always, do the work with your mains switched off at the breaker, don't depend on the wall switch. If it appears to be too much confusion for you, hire a licensed and insured handyman and electrician and ask if you can watch so then you have seen it done.


What sort of things should one look for in a water-softener?

For the most part, softeners are pretty simple. Softening water works by exchanging positively charged ions with sodium ions.

Because softeners backwash periodically to recharge, they have a timer (and sometimes a meter) to control when this happens. One of the problems with a mechanical unit is when the power goes out, the time freezes, and just picks up where it left off when the power comes back, so it will start backwashing at strange times - most (if not all, now) electronic timers have battery backup for the time. Electronic ones have been in use for 10+ years now, and are quite reliable now. If you use a metered timer, it will regenerate during the night only after using a certain amount of water, so it wastes less brine (salt) water.

Get one that is easy to service. Although softeners only have to be rebedded about once every 10 years, it should be possible to turn a bypass valve and disconnect the softener. I've seen some old units where you actually have to cut the plumbing to disconnect them, although I'm not sure if those are still on the market anymore. You don't want one of those.

Pay attention to how it is connected: All of your hot water should be soft. Outside taps should be hard (you don't want to water your garden/grass with soft water), with perhaps the exception of a hose in your garage for washing cars. Some people leave their kitchen cold water tap hard, so as to reduce the amount of sodium they are drinking and cooking with, but this partially depends on preference and partially on the amount of hardness (and thus amount of sodium being added). Obviously this is a bigger concern if there are people on low-sodium diets in your house.

Personally, I would avoid electronic/magnetic softeners. There has been some evidence that this can help with very low levels of hardness, there is a LOT of junk out there.

I used to work summers for my dad who ran a water treatment business. We replaced one of these electronic softeners (it had wires going from each end that wrapped around the pipes) with a real softener one time, and took the electronic one back to play with. We tore it apart, and could not find any active electronics in it except for the ones that drove 5 LEDs on the front that flashed back and forth. We hooked the wires up to an oscilloscope and all it was doing was alternating between about +10 mV and -10 mV, with almost no current. I can't see how this possibly did anything -- and the home owner was replacing it with a real softener, so what does that tell you..


Yes, there are codes against running nonmetallic sheathed cable (Type NM) along the edge of studs. The cable must be protected from physical damage (NEC 300.4), which it would not be on the edge of the studs.

If you don't want to bore holes, you can use schedule 80 PVC conduit (or any conduit rated to protect cable).

Even if you do bore holes. Since you're not covering the wall, the cable could still be considered "exposed".  In which case, it would need to be protected from physical damage.


Dryer isn't drying clothes. I've tried all of the common solutions (I think)

There should (must?) be a vent on the roof.  If you can get up there, take the hat off of the vent and run a fishtape though the vent.  (A fishtape is long, skinny, flexible steel or fiberglass rod that electricians use to run wire through conduit.)  Once you've got the fishtape to the other end, tie a nylon rope to the tape and pull it through.  After that, tie an appropriately-sized round vent brush to your rope.  I'd also tie a rope to the other end of the brush.  Now pull the brush though both ways a couple of times.


Removing drip pan on a Frigidaire FFTR1821QS

From the manual for that fridge:

  Drain pan (not removable) You may hear
  water dripping into the drain pan during
  the defrost cycle.

This seems pretty odd to me, but that's what it says.  The toe grill on the front of the fridge does come off to possibly provide a way to see into the drip pan.  I would try to spray or pour (with funnel and tube) some water with a mold cleaner/killer diluted in it.  I would probably try something more gentle than bleach as to not harm the plastic of the tray.

Of course, before any of this, pull out the fridge and make sure it's not something spilled behind the unit or under it.

P.S.  Anything is removable... "not removable" just means it's not going to be easy.  If you're convinced the tray stinks and really needs cleaning, it will come out, but the fridge might need to be on its side.  Possibly not recommended depending on your experience level, but hopefully it doesn't come to that.


Protecting a finished wood exterior door

You mention the door is "finished" by the manufacturer. Can you tell me what type of finish ? Most exterior doors that are stained can be sealed with a product such as spar varnish, or marine grade epoxy. Seikens makes some very good marine sealers that work great on exterior wood doors exposed to direct sunlight. If your door is shaded and protected by a storm door, than  it can be sealed with urethane, however urethane is not recommended for direct exposure to the elements or direct sunlight.


Cutting a door isn't hard: clamp a straightedge to the door and go at it with a circular saw.
If you wanted to maximize height, you could use the beam as the head of the jamb. Maybe skin it with 1/4" luan to hide the rough lumber. That would leave you a 79-1/4" height, which is probably indistinguishable from a normal door.
That said, however, your adopted code might actually specify 80" height for egress, so you need to decide where you stand on that sort of thing.


Able to / good way to cover / handle cleanout in the floor

I would fit your flooring neatly around the clean-out rim, and then screw down a stainless steel cover plate that laps onto the flooring. You can run the screw right into the cleanout plug.

The clean-out is presumably for your main sewer line, which probably runs under the floor and out to the street or septic system. If you ever have a backup you'll kick yourself if you had covered it up.


Where can I find fireproof caulk backer?

You could try and fill the majority of the gap with furnace cement, allow it to harden, and then seal the remainder with the caulk.


Wiring up a shop with underground conduit

NM in conduit under a deck (or a slab) is NFG

You cannot legally run NM cable in a wet location, and the inside of a conduit in a wet location (such as under your deck, or buried beneath a slab) is still a wet location.  Don't believe me? Well, we start with NEC 300.5(B) for what's going on sub-slab:

  (B) Wet Locations. The interior of enclosures or raceways
  installed underground shall be considered to be a wet location.
  Insulated conductors and cables installed in these enclosures
  or raceways in underground installations shall comply with
  310.10(C)

and 300.9 for the under-the-deck case:

  300.9 Raceways in Wet Locations Abovegrade. Where race‐
  ways are installed in wet locations abovegrade, the interior of
  these raceways shall be considered to be a wet location. Insulated conductors and cables installed in raceways in wet locations
  abovegrade shall comply with 310.10(C).

then move onto the fact that 334.12(B) point 4 prohibits the use of NM in wet or damp locations, as NM has a paper separator in it that will wick moisture up the cable, leading to failures.

What you should do instead

While you could use UF cable instead of the NM inside your conduits, that's not a good idea because cables:

Gobble up astronomical amounts of conduit fill compared to individual wires -- the fill calculation for a cable in a conduit is run by treating the cable as a round cable with a diameter equal to the major axis dimension of the cable's cross section, as per Chapter 9 Note 9 in the NEC.
Are quite stiff and hard to pull down a conduit compared to individual wires -- you'd rather not call an electrician in to bail you out of your conduit pulling now, would you?

What's done instead is to use individual wires (THHN/THWN-2) inside the conduit.  Since you're using PVC, you'll need 12AWG and 6AWG THHN in black and white (twice as much black as white for the 6AWG, even), as well as 10AWG bare copper for ground wires (as table 250.122 lets you use 10AWG copper for grounds on circuits up to 60A).

The good news is that conservatively assuming your PVC is schedule 80, you have 178mm2 of fill available in the existing 1" PVC under the deck and 320mm2 of fill available in the 1.25" PVC you are putting in sub-slab.  The three 6AWG THHNs for the 60A circuit use up just under 100mm2 of that fill, and the 10AWG EGC adds just over 5mm2 of fill, leaving just under 75mm2 of fill spare in the 1" conduit.  In the 1.25" conduits, we add just over 17mm2 of fill for the 12AWG wires to this, leaving just under 200mm2 of fill spare, which should be plenty.

Furthermore, since we have a maximum of 4 current-carrying conductors in the 1.25" conduits (the neutral in the 3-wire 6AWG branch circuit does not count for this, as per 310.15(B)(5)(a)), and since THWN-2 wire (what most THHN is dual-rated at these days) is rated for 90°C in wet locations, we can use that as our starting point when applying the 80% ampacity derate from Table 310.15(B)(3)(a), yielding a derated ampacity of 60A, which is still in excess of the 55A that the 60°C rating on most receptacles limits us to.  The 12AWG wires do not suffer either, as their derated ampacity is 24A, which is again above the 60°C ampacity limit for 12AWG (aka 20A), as well as the 240.4(D) small-conductor limit on 12AWG wire (again, 20A).

While you are pulling all this wire, I would replace the existing NM cable inside the 1" conduit under the deck with individual THHNs + bare ground of the appropriate size, by the way.  That NM will only be fit for the scrapper, for that matter, since it will have suffered internal damage from the water exposure, which is why it shouldn't have been installed there in the first place.


Why is it OK to put multiple ground wires in the same bus hole in an electrical panel?

Grounding conductors are designed to only carry fault current, which is typically a very short burst of very high current.

Neutral conductors carry circuit current, which means they go through heat/cool expansion/contraction cycles. Multiple neutrals under one screw can lead to loose terminals due to different rates and levels of expansion and contraction.


Gas Forced Hot Air seems to be blowing extremely hot air

Check the return air -- ensure the filter is clean and the flow through the return grille(s) is good. A furnace should have high temperature cut-out and possibly even low airflow safeties, but I suppose these could be absent, failed, or bypassed.


Why do my new basement lights trip the breaker?

Am I right in thinking that its the new pocket light tripping the breaker somehow, or could it be the cable, or is it still too many items on that run?

Probably none of those.

You have probably miswired a switch. You might have miswired a wiring box. This is easy to do since a white wire is not always neutral, particularly where there is a switch-loop.

  I then upgraded that breaker to a two 20 amp breaker

That is a good way to burn your house down without solving your initial problem.

It is extremely unlikely that your light fitting draws more than 15 amps - that would be an unbearably dazzling and roasting 1800 watt fixture using at least 18 of the brightest and least efficient old-fashioned 100W incandescent tungsten-filament bulbs you could normally find. Maybe fewer if you are cooking your dining table under a large bank of those halogen floodlights designed for exterior use.

It is dangerous to respond to a short-circuit by installing equipment that allows even more current to flow and allow the wiring inside your walls to run far hotter than designed for.

It may be that your circuit wiring is sized for 20A (but why?) in which case my alarm is unjustified (but if so, you should say so in the question).

  I am a novice DIYer.

Trace out the wiring, take clear well-lit well-focussed photos of it all and draw a wiring diagram. Figure out how it is actually connected. You'll likely find the problem that way. If not, post the photos and diagrams here.

Useful references

Electric shock - was I stupid, unlucky, or a combination of both?
When doing electrical work, what do I use to check wires are safe?


How do I get the glass cover off of a shower light?

Its been painted, and badly at that, which is going to make everything stick together. Get a utility knife and score around the edge of the flashing, a.k.a the baffle, and see if it will come off after that. Modern day recessed light baffles are held in place by three metal tabs that push on the side of the can. They are like springs. When I take my down to replace the bulb it feels like I"m going to pull the whole thing out of the ceiling. The thing has a death grip on the can. Could be similar with yours, in which case the flashing will pull straight down. On my cans I had to use a metal L shaped dental pick to get under the lip of the can so I could get my fingers under it and start pulling.


Intake valve failure (F02) in dishwasher, anything to try?

If it says bad solenoid, then it's probably a bad solenoid.  Return it or get an exchange, if it's still under warranty.


As @BilWeckel has pointed out it was a standard method for making joints in 1955. Then shortly after a company called 3M came out with a "twistlok" (the first wirenut) and life changed as an electrician. Try and imagine what it was like before wirenuts. First you twisted all the joints together. Then you heated up a solder pot with a torch and ran around dipping each joint into the pot before it solidified. Then you went through the house taping each joint first with rubber tape and then with friction tape. That is a tremendous amount of labor, but it made a very secure joint.

Later it was discovered that over time the solder corroded due to age and dissimilar materials and became high resistance joints. So you may want to look for indications that this might be happening such as abnormally high heat from a box or device and an unusual drop in voltage from the panel to the end of a circuit.

In most cases where I have seen this, the joints did not pose an immediate fire or shock hazard but it does cause problems. So you might set up a schedule where you go through your dwelling and replace as many joints as you can. If you are working on a circuit like you are now simply go through the circuit and replace the joints. You really don't have to clean off the solder the as long as the wirenut cuts into the copper and gives you a secure electrical connection.

Hope this information helps.


How can I tell if this is a load bearing wall?

I wouldn't trust a random individual on the internet to correctly identify bearing walls. There are general guidelines for identifying bearing walls, but many exceptions to the rules.
Get a competent person in your house to look at the structure. From there, you can figure out the engineering.

quote from https://diy.stackexchange.com/a/75057/2025


Do air compressor quick disconnects seal on both sides?

No.  Only the female end self seals.  The male stays open, at least on my cheapo version.


Primers sand well.  Oil based (alkyd) paints sand beautifully to a powder. Latex paints do not sand well in my opinion; they gum up.  I have not had experience with sanding flat latex products.

There is a new product on the market that is a water-borne oil paint.  It cleans up with water but apparently levels nicely like 100% alkyd.  I don't know how it sands but it might be worth asking someone at a paint store.


Break the (non-ignition) end of a balsa-wood kitchen matchstick into the screw hole, then thread the screw into the hole. This will compress the matchstick and provide a snug fit for the screw.


how to wire a timer without negative using ground

No.  The device you have requires a grounded (neutral) conductor to be connected to function.  There's no other way to hook it up.

I believe Honeywell offers timers that don't require a grounded (neutral) connection. You might want to purchase one of those instead.


Can I remove individual conductors from a 12/2 cable to act as jumper wires for a switch?

You're talking about a pigtail and it's perfectly OK to shuck down NM cable for pigtails.  (or UF cable if outside).

I'm a little concerned your built-in wires are not long enough.  The wires should stick at least 3" out of the box, although even that is uncomfortably short.  If the box is large enough to get your hands in there, then 6" from entry to the box will suffice, but this too is fairly short.  Electricians prefer more like 8".

Pigtails do not count toward box fill.

If you are having trouble physically packing all the wires into the box, then you have definitely exceeded the allowed box fill.  It's time for a box extension.   A variety of box extensions are made.  For boxes sunk into finished walls, try Legrand Wiremold "starter boxes", which give a 1" or 2" lift to allow you to start running surface conduit off them.  Don't attach any surface conduit.

If the bulky thing that won't fit is a GFCI+receptacle combo device, you only need one GFCI device per circuit, and it can be located elsewhere.  It can go anywhere upstream on the circuit (closer to the breaker panel) - such as another receptacle, a GFCI+circuit breaker combo device, or an added location near the service panel.  I do a lot of the last one.


How do I attach a drywall corner bead to a wood door jamb?

It seems to me that there are two possibilities here. If the opening in the wall is just a pass through without an actual door itself then you would band the opening with drywall material and then put normal metal corner edging around the outside corners of the drywall.

On the other hand if there is a door jamb in use with an actual door then the width of the jamb wants to be equal to the stud width and then the drywall is installed out over the edge of the door jamb and finished off with an end cap type metal edging.


How do I nail plywood to flat roof framing?

First concideration, I would encourage you to use a T&G roof sheathing such as AdvanTec instead of standard CDX plywood. This will give you a better fit and not have to worry about spacing gaps in the plywood. The price is comparable, so there is no cost advantage to using regular plywood.

The sheathing should be secured with 6d galv ring shank nails at apx 8" spacing. 1 5/8" coated drywall screws are great, but more time consuming to install. Don't use non galv common nails, as they tend to back out after a few years.

If your sheathing fits properly on the joists with 3/4" overlay, nailing straight down is fine as long as you bite into solid wood. A slight angle towards the joist is OK  as long as the heads of the nails or screws don't protrude above the sheathing. Protruding nails can damage your roofing material, assuming you are not planning on using a layer of Grace Ice and Water shield under your final roofing materials.


Is a push-fit end cap a temporary or permanent solution?

They are meant to be a permanent solution, at least I hope so, I used them in my master bath renovation to convert from PVC to copper. Real easy solution, follow install guidelines.


It is very difficult to tell based on a photo. There are a number of factors that could indicate insulation problems and melting patterns is one of them. But it depends on the current outside temperature, sun exposure, how well the shingles absorb heat, wind conditions and how hot the interior is.

I'd say a better way to determine if there are issues is to examine at the utility bills. The seller should be able to provide them. Realistically the insulation is there mostly to keep cost of heating down so the expense should be a decent indicator of how well insulated the house is.

Another thing that will indicate poor insulation is if the room feels cold. Let's say the temperature on a thermometer in the room reads 72°F but it is not comfortable. That's another indication that the walls are poorly insulated. It happens because the heat radiated from your body is not adequately radiated back from the wall. You can also place the back of your hand on the exterior wall and quickly compare it to an interior wall. Knee wall cavities are often problematic due to confined work spaces upon construction and limited soffit ventilation.

If all the houses around have snow on the roof this one is the only one that doesn't, it's probably not well insulated.


Upgrading from 100 to 200 amp load centre with 100 amp service shutoff

You can use a 200 A panel with 100 A service with no problem; it's done quite regularly. You can just put a 100 A main breaker on it (saving the 200 A one it may have come with for later). A lot of times the 200 A panels are cheaper, have more slots, and/or are just physically bigger (easier to work in), which is why they are used even if the service is less than 200 A.


How can I fix a garage door that opens randomly?

If it didn't open randomly before you changed the frequency (to avoid your neighbor) then you probably stumbled onto another frequency in use in your area, and that's why it continues to open unintentionally. You might want to record the frequency variations you have tried, then switch to another (most remotes support dozens of possible choices) until you find one that results in no unintended operation.


How should I drain an area of gravel between a sidewalk and retaining wall?

The direction of drain should be from the house toward the end of patio. I'll consider to provide French drain along the retaining wall, then discharge to storm water system, or a sandy pit in your own yard.


Why would 2 different sprinkler zones cause pressure at the pump to drop to 0?

I ended up fixing this issue by capping off the heads and turning the system on for hours at a time as opposed to just a few minutes. This extended time running the system while capped off allowed buried line breaks to be revealed. There were multiple line breaks and crushed heads run over by vehicles in the past. I fixed all this last summer. As a preventative for future breaks I placed concrete doughnuts around each head.


Can I safely hang pegboard between studs, rather than across them?

Yes, you can place pegboard between studs, but as you stated, you need some clearance behind the pegboard. You could use 1x1 attached to the side of the studs to screw into. This will give you better holding power than brackets alone.
When I did mine, I used 1x2, but I screwed them in across their width, so I'd have more surface area to screw to. My studs were not exactly spaced and straight so I needed a bit more area to attach.
No glue in my opinion.


Looking for a part: I want to put a vertical hinge onto a standing pipe

I'm interpreting the question as: I'd like to clamp on some hardware to a pipe which would allow me to attach and rotate another pipe on the same plane as the original pipe.

If you already have the part in your post and you want to figure out a way to make it fit, you can use that part along with two u-bolts, just position the u-bolts at the width of the bolt holes.

Your other option would be to buy some purpose built hardware from the local industrial supply. Here's a page that has some hardware that I think will spark your interest: https://www.zoro.com/modular-pipe-and-rail-fittings/c/5624/

Good luck on your project!


Should I sand baseboard before painting it?

If you select boards with knots, there is a good chance that they will bleed through, even if you use a sealer or shellac based primer. The resins in knots is persistent.

Clear boards are usually used for moldings, including baseboards. You could also use MDF (medium density fiberboard) or solid vinyl composite molding. When painted, they are hard to distinguish from wood in most applications. (I think they look a little too smooth and I prefer wood). For painted applications, there is also fingerjoint molding, which is made of interlocked short pieces and is cheaper than clear boards. Much pre-primed molding is fingerjoint. Occasionally these joints may show if the quality is not high.

For wood or MDF, a light sanding with 120 grit paper is recommended to remove milling glaze and to give the wood a tooth to better take paint. An orbital sander is fine

Then prime and paint. Many prefer oil based primer on raw wood and MDF. Some vinyl says it can be painted directly, but I would also give it a sanding (or avoid it unless necessary, such as in outdoor uses).

Latex paint is fine for a finish coat, but it tends to look less smooth than oil (alkyd) based finishes. Adding a leveling agent like Floetrol helps, but nothing lays as smooth as a good oil based enamel.

(P.S.  To me, using a really smooth straight clear board, in furniture or in molding, is appreciating and honoring the wood, the tree, nature. But to each his/her own.)


Since it sounds like the film is disintegrating when you try to peel it:
Tape the whole surface, peel the tape (and film) off. You'll need a tape with an adhesive that's more stubborn that the film-to-cabinet bond. I'd probably start with plain old packing tape - fairly strong, usually has good adhesive, inexpensive, can be had wide. But you may need to experiment to find the best tape for the job.
Using a roller on the tape after application and before attempting to peel may help to achieve a better/more uniform bond to the film.


What kind of chlorine solution do I use in water treatment system?

This looks very similar to a pool chlorine feeder - these could use cal hypo or sodium hypo, either way you would need to know the concentration to mix and the dosing for your qty of water to treat. Not sure we'll be able to answer those questions directly.

Sodium hypo - bleach - would be the cleanest option, but also will become ineffective the quickest.

Cal hypo is granular (and cheapest) and has the most shelf life, but you'd probably want to source food grade supply for long-term use.

Concentration of chlorine would be determined by the qty of water to be treated at one time, level of final level of chlorine needed for decontamination, how the chlorine solution is dispensed (continuous or on demand) and how much chlorine is dispensed at any given cycle.

Chlorine would only be used to correct organism growth not other chemical/mineral constituents of concern.

Due to the health risks, I 'm not sure how much I'd trust free advice at this point.  Spend the money and be sure this is set up properly.  Your health is worth it.


Can I use an LED bulb in a incandescent only fixture?

There are a few reasons you might not want to use an LED bulb in a fixture:

If the fixture is dimmable and the LED bulb is not, the bulb may flicker or not come on.
If the fixture is enclosed, an LED bulb may overheat. (LED bulbs generate much less heat than incandescents, but they do generate some... and they're a lot more sensitive to overheating). Some LED bulbs say they're OK in enclosed fixtures.
LED bulbs are often larger (even if the mount is the same), so an LED might not fit.
If the fixture or circuit runs a small amount of current through the bulb at all times, this can cause a LED bulb to stay lit. This is usually an issue with light switches that have some electronics in them and don't have their own neutral (e.g. a timer or night light). I can't really tell what's going on with your fixture, but this might be the reason.


240v plug, converter or transformer for EU kitchen appliance in the US

As far as frequency difference and motor speed, note what Ed Beal says.
Your worst case play is to get an "online" UPS from the European world. Most UPS's just pass-through AC power as they get it, while also using it to charge the battery.  Only when power fails do they switch to battery+DC-AC inverter.   For an online UPS, it's different. They convert all incoming power to DC, and the DC-AC inverter is used at all times - so a switch to battery is seamless and instant.  As a result, it always outputs 50Hz even if the input is 60Hz. But that only matters if your motor cares.  Let's see the nameplate.

Use the existing 240v outlet in my kitchen with an adapter. That would require calling an electrician to do the work.

No. That "existing 240V outlet" is for the oven/range.  It has a 40A or 50A circuit breaker.  That appliance is designed to fail in a way that would trip a 13A or 16A  breaker.  If a 40A breaker were "protecting" it, the breaker wouldn't even notice while the appliance burns.
We really need to see the nameplate on the appliance, but I'm guessing it's between 6 and 13 amps at 230V.   It would take a 15A (or tops, 20A) breaker to provide adequate protection.
If you don't plan to use an electric range or oven, it is possible to change both the socket and the breaker to 15-20A, using the existing wiring in the walls.  While you're at it, you might want to use something like Legrand Wiremold surface conduit to bring the socket somewhere more practical.  Code requires kitchen appliances have cords no longer than 2 feet, and strongly discourages extension cords.
Keep in mind the 240V outlet will NOT be GFCI, which means if it falls into the sink, you are dead. So don't do insane things like draping an extension cord across the sink area, or having socket+cord such that it could get near the sink.    However if you are one of the several US states that has adopted NEC 2020, your 240V circuit will need to be GFCI - upside no worries; downside requires $80 GFCI breaker.

Use a transformer. Based on the fact that the KM096 can draw up to 1500W, I'm thinking 3000W to be safe

No.  The problem is, EU wall sockets can deliver 3000W, But USA wall sockets cannot.
The downside of our safer 120V is that less power is available, and for many EU heating appliances, that's just not enough.  That's one thing that endears EU appliances to Americans, actually; they work better because they have more power to work with.
What you'll need to do is have an electrician add a dedicated 240V kitchen countertop circuit. You won't find too many electricians who will be will be willing to do this without that $80 GFCI breaker, which will require 2 full spaces in the panel.  If your panel is full, that will require some rearranging which will be extra work and $$$, which may also expose other flaws which also need addressing.  Upshot, this could snowball into $500, or even as much as $2000 of work if the electrician arrives and finds a hopelessly miswired FPE main panel, for instance.
You may get very lucky and find an existing "Multi-Wire Branch Circuit" configured in a way that lets the electrician swap in a dual-voltage receptacle and you're good to go. That would be an easy $100-ish job.


Can I use an existing range circuit for a new sub-panel?

You'll need a pull box to make this splice
Since, from your measurements, it looks like your range circuit was wired using 4-4-4-6 Al SER with THHN conductors, you can't splice onto this cable in a regular old junction box, because it just wouldn't be big enough.  Instead, you'll need to use a NEMA 1 (indoor) rated pull box; these are the bigger brothers of the junction boxes you are familiar with, and are available most places electrical supplies are sold.
Furthermore, since we're using a pull box for this, we need to use the pull box sizing rules in NEC 314.28(A)(2) instead of the normal box fill rules.  For your application with a single 4-4-4-6 Al SER cable entering, we translate the conductors in the cable to an aggregate fill area of 47.10 * 3 (hot, hot, neutral) + 14.47 (ground) = 155.77mm2, as per the last paragraph of NEC 314.28(A)(2).  Continuing with that logic, we then transpose that fill area to the smallest conduit that can fit those conductors, which is a ¾" Type A PVC conduit that has 168mm2 of fill area available.
Now that we have the equivalent conduit size for the cable entry, we can continue with the logic of the first paragraph of NEC 314.28(A)(2).  In this case, this gives us a minimum box size of 4" square; however, given that you are planning to use a conduit to continue this run, we have to take that into account as well, which gives us a minimum dimension of 4¾".  Of course, nobody makes a box that size as a stock item, so we go up to the next larger size, which is a 6" by 6" by 4" box.  You'll also want to get the matching flush cover for whatever box you pick at this point, otherwise you won't be able to make a clean transition from the box to the drywall.
Inside that box, you can either use 3 14-4 Al/Cu rated 2-port mechanical splice connectors (Polaris™ or equivalent) or a single 3-pole, UL 1953 listed, 14-4 to 14-4, Al/Cu rated power distribution block (such as the Mersen MPDB63103) to connect the incoming hots and neutral to their outgoing counterparts.  For the grounding conductors, then, I recommend using a 10-32x1" machine screw to attach an Ilsco NBAS-002-1-B or equivalent UL467 listed, Al/Cu rated grounding bar to the grounding emboss in the enclosure.  Just remember that if you use the PDB, it needs to be fastened to the back of the box! (Sheet metal screws work fine for that, though, since there's no need to ground the distribution block's plastic base.)
From this, while one could use a 6/3 NM-B cable to extend the feeder, your plan with the THHN wires in ENT is a better one as it lets you run the THHN at 75°C.  Your 6AWG copper is indeed the correct wire size for the ongoing hots and neutral, while an 8AWG will do the trick for the grounding wire, yielding a conduit fill requirement of 32.71 * 3 + 23.61 = 121.74mm2, which fits neatly into the 137mm2 available in a ¾" ENT.  (One could use a bare 8AWG grounding wire instead of green THHN if they wanted to conserve conduit fill.)  Of course, if you wish to carry on in aluminum, that's an option too; just use more of the 4-4-4-6 Al SER cable that was used for the original run.
Note that with the THHN-in-ENT plan, the ENT must run continuously from the pull box to the new subpanel, with boxes or bodies in-line as needed to break up the pull so that you don't have more than 360° of bending between any two access points in the conduit.  (If you exceed that limit, the pulling forces will most likely remind you why the Code authors put it there!)  Obviously, the SER cable can simply be run by itself in the joist/stud bays, as it's a cable, and thus doesn't need conduit help unless it's run in a place where it could be subject to serious abuse.
GO BIG OR GO HOME
Once you get to the new panel location, there's no sense in shortchanging yourself on panel spaces, especially since your existing panel is full to the brim already.  Your best bet here is to get a 24-space or 30-space, 125A, main lug panel with factory-fitted ground bars for your subpanel; if you get a panel that doesn't come with grounding bars, you'll have to buy and field-fit one of the appropriate type.
The wiring here is simple: hots to the main lugs, neutral to the neutral bar, ground to the ground bar, and pull the bonding screw or strap out.  You don't need a main breaker to serve as a disconnect here since this panel is fed from within the same building, and the four-wire feeder supplies all the grounding this panel needs for the same reason.
While we're upsizing your plans, the fact that this run is a mix of 4AWG aluminum and 6AWG copper, running from a recent-make Siemens main panel rated for 75°C wire terminations to a new panel that will also be rated for 75°C wire terminations, means that you can replace the 40A breaker with something that gives you a bit more headroom.  You can go up to 70A breaker-wise as the feeder itself is capable of 65A at 75°C; if you'd rather go with a 60A breaker, that's fine too, and lets you use a 10AWG grounding wire in the ENT instead of the 8AWG mentioned above.
Note that if you want to determine the maximum load you can place on this panel, you'll need to run an Article 220 load calculation for the area/circuits it serves; this is a fairly complex process, but means that you aren't actually limited to a half a dozen 20A circuits in your new panel, depending on what loads you're serving from it of course.


Can you just put drywall up in a basement without providing electrical outlets?

To meet electrical code you need outlets at certain minimum spacings, at least one on each wall that's more than 2 feet long, no more than 12 feet apart, etc - but code does not give a rat's patootie if they are IN the wall or surface-mount.

Your future resale may be helped by putting them in the wall, however - but it's not code, just typical buyer preference against seeing surface mount devices in "finished" spaces.

"Only running outlets where you need them" generally does not meet code, unless you need them in enough places that you happen to cover the code-minimum spacing requirements.


Shower tub leaking - is this the washer I replace?

"Can anyone verify if this is the likely cause?"

I can't verify but I can tell you that you are on the right track. The flattish washer in the middle is called a bibb washer and (as @Tyson's comment relates) pushes up against a hole in the faucet through which water flows.

The "hole" is not just a simple hole, it is actually a (normally) removable faucet seat which is also replaceable/repairable, but likely requires a special tool to remove.

The rubber bibb washers get a rough groove worn into them, break apart, or become soft over time, compromising their ability to hold back the water flowing through the hole in the seat.

The pic below is probably nothing like your faucet, but it does illustrate how a "bibb" style valve functions (in the pic they call the bibb washer a stem washer- lame):


Is there any reason not to use a radiant barrier in the attic?

Radiant barrier in the attic is an excellent idea. At the typical roof temperatures you see in the summer, even in a temperate climate, radiant transport of heat is significant and a properly installed radiant barrier can be very effective in blocking or reducing radiant transport of heat.

California Title 24 now requires some kind of radiant barrier. My house was built just before this requirement took effect but I elected to pay the small premium to use TechShield radiant barrier anyway and it has been worth it. I reviewed the AtticFoil site and they seem to have a good product for retrofit applications. Your plan sounds like a good idea and I don't see any major issues aside from the usual ones of "work carefully, try to avoid falling through your ceiling, prepare for the high temperatures up there, watch out for dust etc".

Do try to stay away from the "over-insulation" method as that loses effectiveness as dust builds up on the top (working side) of the barrier. Your plan to use the "open-ridge" method is the best as dust buildup on the bottom (working side) of the barrier is not as much of a problem.

Insulation of the ducts is not a binary yes/no question any more than attic insulation is. funkadelic understands this and that is why he plans to increase his attic insulation from R19 to R50.

Yet duct insulation is typically no more than R4 to R8 while carrying the coldest air in the house. It is the part of the HVAC system that has the least insulation while needing it the most.

No doubt there are some installers who think that as long as "cold" air comes out the register there is no problem but this ignores the question of how cold is the air at the end of the duct vs the air that went into the duct and how much cooling power has been lost in the duct.

Who would accept a water pipe that leaked half of the water it carried?

The Federal government has done many studies of ways to reduce duct loss because it does make a difference in your energy efficiency. There are even suggestions to move the HVAC ducts into conditioned space as this would cut duct heat/cooling losses to zero. I did this in my house.

For retrofit, moving ducts is impractical so the next best is to bury the ducts. You have an excellent opportunity to do this when you upgrade to R-50 of cellulose.

http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/building_america/ns/eemtg082011_a8_duct_retrofit.pdf


Adapt a 3prong dryer outlet for other use

The best way to do this is with a step-up transformer (like this one) that is rated to handle the amps your coffee pot needs (most convertors will not handle that much amperage so be sure to double-check).

You can't really adapt a dryer plug to Type G because they get to 240v by using two phases (120v x 2 prongs) and Type G uses a single 240v. Also, UK us 50Hz and Ecuador/US is 60Hz.


What is the purpose of horizontal blocks on a bearing wall?

Can't say for sure why they did it in your situation, without knowing a bit more details.

Typically blocking is installed to prevent framing members from twisting or warping, and to stiffen and add strength to the wall. Though it's also common to install blocking, where fire stops are required by code. Blocking can also provide an attachment point for cabinets, chair rail, counter tops, etc.  In walls where the studs are spaced further apart, blocking can provide support to the edge of the drywall between studs.

But again, this is all speculation without knowing more details about your situation.


Can I run an extension cord through my crawl space?

Would it be to code and pass a city inspection? I highly doubt it, particularly because it is through a vent and there are specific code requirements for running electrical cables in that scenario.

Will it work? Yes.

I'd say if its for a short-term/temporary measure of light loads (a light) it will be OK, but if you plan on it being permanent or running heavy loads (an electric lawn mower), you should really have a new water tight outlet properly installed.


How to lock this closet with a non-standard knob size?

I can't tell what the existing backset (distance from front-side edge of door to center of knob shaft) is, but you can buy mortise locksets that lock. A bit of chisel work would expand the existing mortise.
I shudder to offer this link, but as an example of widely available things, mortise lockset
The linked one appears to have a 2-1/2" backset.
I'd suggest an architectural scrap yard, except that their locksets don't always come with keys...


How likely are polished concrete, decorative concrete overlay, or epoxy flooring to delaminate if our house floods?

If you already have a concrete floor, have that stripped, polished and stained. It will stay even if the house goes away.

An overlay that is well bonded to the existing floor will hang in there pretty tough too, but the floor will need to be stripped down to bare as well.


Can a hammer concrete drill bit be used with a regular drill for a small project

Block and brick, maybe. That's a pretty large hole. I've drilled up to maybe 3/8" through mortar without hammer action, but it's slow.

Concrete, no. Unless your "regular" drill has a hammer mode, you'll spin that bit for an age and not get through concrete. You need impact action to break through the stones.


Outlet tester results for open ground on mixed circuit

You're about correct on the ground wire being floating loose at the other end

The other end of that ground wire is indeed most likely floating loose; this is OK if the outlet is GFCI protected, though, as the GFCI will trip and save you if something plugged into it tries to bite you.

As to the NCV tester...

Since the neutral is bonded to ground at the main panel, a normally functioning neutral will not light up a NCV tester (you can test this by sticking the tip of the tester into the neutral slot on a normally wired outlet).  It's neither a problem with the tester, nor the outlet.


How can I wire an HD antenna into my attic?

There's no substitute for it:  You're going to have to fish that wire.  A couple observations:
1.  If you were the "cable guy" you'd probably take the easy way out:  Drill from the living room through an exterior wall, then go up the outside of that wall.  Pretty cheesy, but common enough that people pretty much accept it without much question.  I'd recommend against it, since you don't need any extra penetrations of your exterior walls, but it is commonly done.
2.  The right way is to fish it up an interior wall or chase:  You could cut into a wall, fish the wire, then repair the drywall.  Or you could run it up a corner and make a mini chase by covering the wire with some kind of molding.  Or you could run it in a surface mount wiring tray. I've even seen some people get pretty creative with removing door molding and running wires in the space between the jamb and the framing, then drilling up through the header to get through the ceiling.  But I wouldn't recommend it, because you'll more than likely weaken the header when you drill it.  What this all adds up to is, unless you're feeling pretty ambitious, you may want to call in a pro.

Edit after all this typing:  There are TV Tuner-over-ethernet products out there.  Perhaps you put the antenna in the attic, put the TV Tuner sending unit up there, and put the TV-Tuner receiving unit in your media cabinet.  Whereby you can ignore my entire first paragraph.  :-)


How to double up an existing single beam without disturbing the structure?

How about  drilling holes and using bolts, washers and nuts? This will be structurally stronger than a million nails driven in from both sides.


I would look for an additional shutoff valve as the pipe comes in the house possibly a pressure regulator or both , water supply pipes made of plastic don’t plug up like old galvanized pipe did so a 2nd shutoff usually in the garage or close to the water heater is probably turned off.


Should I install an air conditioner pad on existing unit?

Most units require a pad when installed . at the age of the unit I would probably not try to put a pad underneath as this may create a leak. In 99 the common refrigerant was R22 and the cost of a recharge if a leak is created may cost close to $1k as r22 is being phased out and local shops in my area charge 100 per pound.gravel around the unit could keep grass or weeds from growing close to the condenser coil but at this age I would not want to move it but want to keep it clean so it will last as long as possible.


Leaking tile shower at corner near glass door

once a pan is compromised, its best to replace it. by now it is almost certainly 100% saturated and clearly isnt doing its job. the longer it goes the more damage to the structure it will cause, not to mention mold. the tile in the picture is all square set meaning you may be able to take the tile out about 2 ft above the pan to do a replacement. assuming you can get new tile that matchs the old.


Generally only 30A receptacles are allowed on 30A circuits, and 15 or 20A on 20A circuits, and 15A on 15A circuits.

210.23(B) Says a 30A branch circuit is permitted to supply fixed lighting units with heavy duty lamp holders in other than dwelling units...

So if the building occupancy in County records is residential you likely wouldn't be allowed to do that.

Alternately you install a $20 6 space electrical panel in the grow room and break your lighting circuits down to easier to handle 15A or 20A circuits and wire.

If in an allowed occupancy you are allowed to use cord and receptacle connections, but there are additional requirements in Article 422, including the receptacle is required to be directly above the light and stain relief issues.


What type of duct should I use for a clothes dryer exhaust?

Assuming the 16' distance, plus any other lengths and elbows falls within the manufacturer's guidelines, I would use sheet metal round ducts, usually 4" diameter.  If you mount them so the lengthwise seam is at the top (or close to it), then you don't have an issue with any moisture that might collect on the bottom leaking out.
Join the duct sections with metal duct tape (no screws that could collect lint) and, if you want, run a length of metal duct tape along the seam.


Drum sander was the best solution. The pine boards being uneven was a big enough problem on it's own. Even with 40 grit paper on drum sander it took multiple slow passes on an angle just to get the floor flat enough to be able to sand the entire board. Oscillating sander would have taken forever.

As far as paper, 5 sheets of each grit should be plenty to refinish that amount of space. I may use closer to 10 with the lowest grit, because some of the pine floors are so uneven.


Is it possible to fry a lamp's internal wiring if I put the wrong bulb in?

TL;DR: The dimmer's toast. Replace it.

The short circuit or overload condition indeed likely smoked the switching element in the dimmer; modern dimmers use a special type of transistor-like switching element known as a triac to cut part of each half-cycle of the AC wave out in order to reduce the power being applied to the lamp.  Unfortunately, triacs are very intolerant of short-circuits, and to make a short-circuit resistant dimmer would drive the dimmer makers out of business, so dimmers just let out the magic smoke whenever shorted (such as when a portable lamp is on a dimmer, and the bulb is broken).


How can I remove a large obstruction from a storm drain pipe?

Depending on the location you could install a 4 inch or suitable size floor grate to prevent large items from entering the pipe. You could also fabricate something out of coarse screen, which in some locales is called "hardware cloth". Removing any obstructions will depend on whether you have access to only the entrance or also the exit. If you are clearing normal silt, sand, etc a power drain snake should work. If you are clearing a solid obstruction like a ball, you could try a large shop vac with a long length of hose attached. Swimming pool hose is fairly rigid, is flexible, comes in long lengths and more reasonably priced than regular vacuum hose. If both ends are exposed you could try blowing the ball out with a leaf blower from the exit end.


Replacing ceiling light with fan/light combination

If you don't know how to use a test device of some sort -- at least a voltage probe light -- you really should not be taking apart and reassembling your house wiring. The chance of hurting yourself or someone else is too high. Get a more knowledgeable friend to do the project with you, teaching you as they go.

Having said that...

The house-wiring color code is fairly well standardized, at least if whoever installed the circuit was vaguely competent. A table giving the conventions for multiple countries can be found at http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_5/chpt_2/2.html

In the US, the black wire would normally be the "hot", or powered, connection and the white wire would be the "neutral", or return, connection. The switch should be on the hot side. So a lamp is normally connected to the black and white wires, with the safety ground (green or bare) wire running to the body of the fixture to ensure that a short circuit, if one ever arises, causes the breaker to blow rather than zapping a human.

A red wire, in the US, is the "second hot". This is used when two circuits are run through a single cable. It's sometimes used for the connection between two-way switches (the first switch selects which of the two will be powered, the second switch selects which of the two will be connected to the controlled circuit, so the two switches have to agree before electricity flows). It's also sometimes used in exactly the situation you're describing, when there are two wall switches independently controlling two parts of a single fixture (the fan and the light, for example).

The fact that the red wire is present at all in a US installation would tell me that the box the fixture was mounted to had probably been wired in some specialized way, or at least that whoever installed that wire expected to need that wire later. (In the latter case, it may not be connected to anything at all right now.) If you can't figure out what controls that red wire, capping it with a wire nut and tape was almost certainly EXACTLY the right thing to do.

So... If that's what you've done, and you aren't getting power, either your connections are wrong or they're bad electrically. Cut the power, dismount the fixture, review the instructions that came with it, review how you actually had things connected (no assumptions!), make sure that you have connected the wires to each other properly, make sure no bare wire was exposed that could have caused a short and blown the breaker... did you check that the breaker hadn't popped? ... and fix whatever you've done wrong. If you can't figure out what you did wrong, go get that more experienced friend and have them look at it. First thing I'd do, since you didn't note how the old fixture was connected, would be to determine whether the circuit really is wired as the colors promise, and  whether the wall switch you're using controls the black wire or, possibly the red. (Or was installed in the neutral, which would be WRONG but is unfortunately possible in circuits installed by amateurs.)

WARNING: Ceiling fans are heavy and they vibrate. It is generally considered a Bad Idea to hang one from an electrical box that previously carried a lamp fixture unless you KNOW that it is unusually well secured and will not work its way loose and drop the fixture on someone's head. If the box isn't screwed directly to a joist -- and I suspect even if it is, by code -- you'd want to replace that box with one designed for the purpose, screwing the ends of the hanger bar into the joists on either side of the opening and bolting the box to that bar.


Building parts, building tools, building techniques, and building skills are all based on square walls. With building parts, you have things like bricks with 4 sides, wood sheathing with straight edges, not to mention studs, drywall, and most other building materials with factory edges. With tools, framing squares, levels, speed squares, and corner tools for drywall mud and paint, are all based on 90 degree angles.

However, the big reason to me are building techniques and skills. With 90 degree cuts, a top/bottom plate for framing the wall doesn't matter if it's upside down. You don't have to worry about which side of the framing the measurements are based on because it should be the same measurement. When checking that walls are aligned, builders use 3-4-5 triangles and measure the diagonals of a rectangle to ensure that they are square.

Finally, many homes are built on lots that often have parallel sides and homes are often built to maximize the utilization of these lots.

When building things that aren't square, there's also an increased risk for waste due to mistakes. Construct the framing with the 60 degree angle reversed and you'll likely have to throw out some of the framing. And for the exterior siding/finish, you'll end up with lots of cuts for bricks or custom corner pieces for siding. With the added materials and labor, this significantly increases the expense of building a home.


While building a bed frame, at what point should I start worring about cross beams?

Lateral support is probably very important. Over time your bolts will not grip as strongly, and the legs will start to wiggle. Bracing the legs to each other or to the top of the bed will counter this rotational tendency. You'll need to fasten each leg at two points to make this work right, so you might consider the following options for securing each leg to the adjacent legs:

Strapping a wide (probably 6+ inches) board across two legs, fastening at the four corners, or
Trusses, fasten the bottom of the left leg and the bottom of the right leg to the same point on the lintel, or
an X shape between each pair of legs, with a fastener in the center.

As this is a bed and will be subject to... ahem... use, you'll probably want some sort of bracing.


Is convenient/needed to relocate while asbestos is removed from external panles in my flat?

The risk is someone could inhale asbestos fibers and develop health problems far into the future. It's impossible to estimate the level of this risk, yet you need to do so in order to decide whether to vacate or not. Furthermore, if fibers could enter your flat, even if you vacated during the work, the fibers could still remain upon your return.

If the contractor doing the removal work is fully qualified to do this sort of work, the risk to your family should be negligible, yet there is always some risk even if infinitely small. Only you can decide if you're really comfortable with this or not, and what an appropriate response is. This is of course difficult without hard data, but there just isn't any.

One thing you could do is some airborne monitoring. This is often done as part of removal procedures anyway. I've no idea of the costs, and it only reflects levels during the testing period, but it may buy you some peace of mind.


While replacing a GFCI I find it has 2 circuits running into it. New GFCI trips

Modern GFCI devices will not set if the LINE and LOAD are reversed. If there's power on the LOAD wires, the device will not (and should not) set. It sounds like the GFCI is working as designed.

You're going to have to figure out how both circuits are wired, to determine if this is intentional or accidental.  If it's intentional, you can simply cap one set of wires in the box.  If it's accidental, you'll have to disconnect the crossed wiring, and then connect the LOAD wires to the GFCI.


TL;DR
You will probably compress your roof and make things structurally worse using "permanent" ratchet straps.

With the ratchet straps you are only hiding a symptom which can be seen from inside your home. It would make things structurally worse in the long run.
Look at your roof line from the outside, is the ridge starting to do something like this? Ratchet straps will exacerbate the issue.

I'm sorry but there is no easy fix. Either the roof was engineered wrong, built poorly, or someone took out a load-bearing wall.
You could try filing a claim with your homeowner's insurance. Hopefully they're willing to get this fixed before it becomes exponentially expensive and/or deadly. If you involve a structural engineer before calling your homeowner's insurance then you would have verifiable proof of the issue and the insurance would not be able to easily cancel your policy to avoid honoring your claim. Do note that this would very likely raise your premium.

One final thought:
Talk to a real estate lawyer. A 15 year old house should not be having this issue. You might be able to sue the builder or previous owner for this issue.


Is there a masonry filler tough enough to drill into once it's set

clean the holes out well with vinegar and water.  then put epoxy dough in the gaps, smooth and point as well as you can.  once cured, drill new holes, but larger diameter and deeper.  then use anchoring epoxy (like redhead a7 or c6) to mount threaded rods.  attach your gates with nuts and washers and you are done.


Can you use Direct burial MC cable? YES. Looking at that long of a run you are pushing the voltage drop limit of 3%. Here is a link to a calculator, 3% is the standard limit. 240V At 80 amps the voltage drop was 2.74% on #2 copper. With 100 amps it jumped the wire to #1 and it was 2.48%. So the real answer will be load dependent. If your expected load is going to be ~80 amps it will work with that size wire and a 80 amp breaker. If you really need 100A the wire size will need to be adjusted.


Slot is wider than the blades it comes with

Their was junk at the bottom of the blade fixture, and it only took a fraction of material for the blade to behave erratic. I took apart the blade runner completely and cleaned it. I don't know what I did other than that, but after that it ran completely fine.
Inside the slot down past the top of it, I believe it's a taper from 0.1mm down to the size of the blades. This allows the blades to flex so they don't completely snap when horizontal force is applied to the blade.


You have several code violations here, and there's a better way to do it anyway.

You can retrofit a ground like you did, but you cannot retrofit just a neutral.  The main reason is that all conductors must run through the same cable or conduit, and currents must be equal in each cable: power must go back the way it came.  This is because it is AC power: it will induce eddy currents (turn metal things into transformer cores, heating them up), induce vibration which damages cables, and produce lots of EMF radiation (which is normally very low because we follow that rule).

Proper wiring methods (NEC Chapter 3) must be used.  It's not allowed to simply toss a single THHN wire alongside an existing Romex because THHN isn't listed to be installed that way.  Even worse would be using one strand torn out of Romex, since that lacks its protective sheath, and isn't even labeled.  You can't use random unlabeled wires.

1 wire per lug*. For one thing, it interferes with setting the correct torque - yes, that matters.

You can't run a new cable from lamp to switch? OK, but you can run a neutral wire from service panel to switch.  How about a whole Romex cable?  Run a Romex /2 cable from the service panel to the switch.  Change the wiring from a switch loop, to a power-to-switch arrangement.  Then, up in the lamp, cap off the power supply that goes to it, so it is fed from the switch.
Now your switch has always-hot and neutral from the panel, and neutral and switched-hot off to the lamp.  Done!
House wiring uses a tree topology.  You usually see it as more of a vine topology, but that's not required.  You can have branches anywhere, including 6 inches from the circuit breaker.  Yes, you can wire-nut in a service panel.  And you can use stripped down Romex for a 6-12" pigtail. (the markings are every 12" anyway).
So you take your existing circuit's cable, and this new cable you just added.  Join its two hots to a black pigtail with a wire nut; that goes to the breaker.  Join the two neutrals to a white pigtail; that goes to the neutral bar or the GFCI/AFCI breaker.  Now you're safe and legal.

Another way is to use a smart-switch/dimmer/whatever you are installing that needs neutral, take it back to Home Depot, and get a similar thing that does not need neutral.  We're starting to see models appear on the market that do all the smart-switch things, require ground and not neutral, and UL is approving these, so there you go.

*  unless the panel is rated/listed/labeled for 2 wires per lug (e.g. Pushmatics are, but they use screws not lugs).


I would propose that you go to a pawn shop or thrift store and get an open end wrench.

You could then grind away as much of the sides or the shoulders as you can but still leave enough so that it is structurally sound.  ( will not bend )

If you do not have a bench grinder then clamp it to a work bench and use an angle grinder.

OR, try a universal style wrench,

This kind fits over the nuts and allows you to tighten it in one direction and then rotate it back without having to take it off of the nut. You may need to grind it as well.


How to wire 3 switches and a receptacle in a two-gang box

I'll split it up below into three pieces: wiring at the switch box, wiring at the above sink light (at least with it being second in line), and wiring at the fan/light unit in the ceiling. The grey wire throughout is the neutral, the yellow boxes are wire nuts (you'll need more than shown to splice the hots and grounds at each box), and the ground wires are not shown just for simplicity. Make sure to run a ground and tie it together with every device and (if used) every metal box.

I'm assuming that nothing has been wired yet and so this is starting from scratch. For the easiest wiring, you would want to run the initial homerun wire from your panel directly to the switch box.

Fan/Light combo unit wiring: - - - >

Above-sink light wiring: - - - - - - - - - >

Wiring in box: - - >

Power comes in at the switch box. Pigtail off of the hot to feed the GFCI and the common on the switch. Pigtail off of the neutral and connect it to the GFCI. Run your second set of wires between the above-sink light and the box and re-identify them on each end so that you can keep up with which wire powers what. Tie the neutrals together and screw in one wire to each terminal on the switch. (This is where you pick which switch controls which device.) Connect your grounds in the box and you're ready to move on to the above-sink box.

Connect whichever hot that you want to use for the above-sink light to the fixture. Pigtail off of the neutral and connect to the fixture. Run your next set of wires between the fan/light unit in the ceiling and your above-sink box. Remember to re-identify the wires so as to stay consistent and make it all easier on yourself. Connect the grounds and move on.

The same process goes for the fan/light unit in the ceiling. Take one hot and connect it to the light. Take the other hot and connect it to the fan. Finally take your neutral and pigtail off of it to feed both the fan and the light. Connect your grounds, mount your fixtures and devices, and add your switch cover. Now you should be clear to power it all back up.


House receptacle/s with 120 vac but nothing works in them

My guess is that some part of the wiring chain from outlet to outlet is using back stab wiring connections at the outlet. These can develop intermittent faults that will pop in and out of connection depending on how much current is being asked for by the load. In the case of your multimeter it represents almost no load on the circuit and the intermittent connection stays connected and permits the AC voltage to be read. Light loads cause the on/off behavior that you are seeing. A heavier load results in the intermittent opening up until the load is removed.

You will want to inspect the outlets to see if there are indeed back stab wire connections. If so remove them and replace with new quality outlets that use screw terminals or screw clamp connections for the wire.

As always advised when working with electrical fixtures turn off the circuit at the breaker panel (or fuse box if it is really really old). If you are unsure of working with electrical or not at all familiar with it then call in a licensed professional electrician.

Also keep in mind that intermittent electrical connections can be very dangerous and create heat and cause fires so address this problem as soon as possible. Be advised it may be in your best interest to shut off this particular circuit at the panel until it can be properly repaired.


Looks like a "puller", for pulling string or cord or wire through things.

That one could be for mattresses or cushions for the "buttons" or similar.


Why does my old table saw power switch cut both hot and neutral?

The technique is called double-switching. According to this article, on AC equipment the technique is used to avoid dangerous conditions when hot and neutral are reversed, as often happens with outlets that have been improperly wired.  It is permitted by this exception in NEC 404.2(B):

  404.2(B) Grounded Conductors. Switches or circuit breakers
  shall not disconnect the grounded conductor of a circuit.
  Exception: A switch or circuit breaker shall be permitted
  to disconnect a grounded circuit conductor where all circuit
  conductors are disconnected simultaneously, or where
  the device is arranged so that the grounded conductor cannot
  be disconnected until all the ungrounded conductors of
  the circuit have been disconnected.


What would cause a circuit to become hot when a breaker is turned off?

The circuits are “crossed” at one, or possibly more, points. Be very careful when sorting this out.

This is how people get killed by electricity as they think they have isolated something but it is still live.

The method to find it is to disconnect at each junction until the relevant part goes dead and label wires to work out what goes where.

Had a similar problem where a site had been wired with additions over 30 years and most was not labelled... the law changed and it all had to be identified. Relatively easy as it was between buildings, switch of a breaker and 15 seconds later the phone went : “we have no power.. oh, where are you?” That was that breaker labelled... Good fun, but we did not mention those power cuts were deliberate... :)


Can 250V mains damage my 100-240V devices?

You'll be fine

The voltage rating on mains devices and components is a nominal rating -- tolerances on the mains voltage need not be taken into account here, as it is understood by equipment designers and rating agencies that mains voltages vary slightly for a given nominal voltage.


When should I consider using Plastic Round Cap Roofing Nails?

Those nails are used only for holding down the roofing underlayment. They excel at doing so whether it be old school tar paper, or the newer more durable, hi tech roof underlayments.


Coping stone mismatch on corner of roof causing water damage to my wall

I'm guessing that the root of the issue isn't so much the joint as the drainage profile being wrong. It looks like the greenhouse was a later addition on what used to be an open deck (that would have been sealed and drained either with a floor drain or scuppers.  The cement capping on the top of the wall is crowned, but the greenhouse walls are attached below the crown.  This basically makes a water trap for anything that runs down the glass, and is exacerbated by the lack of gutters on the greenhouse.  The crack between the caps is just the most convenient place for it to have failed, but it has probably been begging to leak since it was installed.

I'd do one of 2 things (in addition to repairing the mortar joints) - either put a gutter at the bottom of the glass with a drip edge running into it (probably cheaper and easier)...

...or have a metal cap made to correct for the improper placement of the greenhouse walls (likely more expensive but would look a lot better):

Neither of these solutions are ideal, but without removing the greenhouse and re-capping the wall your options are a bit limited.


The crack will show back up in short time if you just skim coat over it. Id take a utility knife and cut out the crack (v notch).  When you do this the reason it cracked could reveal itself. It could be that the previous guy didn't tape properly. If that's the case fill up the cut out crack with hot mud. Tape it with all purpose mud (id use Fibafuse Tape). Then finishing coats use plus 3. However depending on what you find you might just need to replace a small section of drywall.


This is most likely some type of homebuilt radio antenna such as used in amateur radio.

The “lightning rod” — which, note, is not actually directly grounded as a lightning rod was, but appears to be insulated from the ground or roof — is one antenna element.
The connections to ground serve as the other antenna element.
The “thick black wire” is coaxial cable for carrying the RF signals between the antenna and the radio receiver or transceiver.
The glass and copper device visible inside the box looks like a vacuum variable capacitor, which can be used as part of a matching network to match the electrical characteristics of the antenna to those of the cable. I can't tell from the photo what else might be in the box (which is presumably there to keep rain off).

It looks like it could have been built a lot less messily, but its maker may have other priorities or not want to spend money on better tools and parts.

Further questions on amateur radio and radio technology in general are welcome over at Amateur Radio Stack Exchange!


I personally think you are going way overboard with what you propose. These days all your newer stuff charges with 5V on USB Type A connectors. The charge controllers inside your phone / tablet / GPS / whatever else are smart and will service the internal battery in the proper way. So there should be no need for this two hours per day timed behavior.

So if you have five devices to charge get one of these. For ten devices get two.


With only 3 wires plus ground you don't have a neutral on an existing 3 way switch. You have a hot. I was taught on switch legs to run the white as the always hot. Then you have 2 travelers until recent code changes this was the red and black and the ground bare / green wire.  I have seen so many different ways to wire 3 ways over the years many that were code violations it would be hard to describe them all but for a mechanical spdt switch combination to work the 3 wires are required, just because you have a white wire don't assume it is a neutral especially with a home that is 20+ years old. If you don't have access to the wiring how can you rewire it would be my concern.


The sash were set in place with the guides. To remove them you will need to remove the inside window stops to expose the edge of the track. You will also need to remove the fasteners that are in the track, one of which is visible in your picture at the bottom. There may only be that one fastener, but there should be another at the top, and depending on the whim of the fabricator, there may be more. Two are only ever needed on each side, top and bottom.


As explained in my linked answer, I cut a half-lap joint into the 4x4 post. I set the post on top of the step with the lap hanging over, then drilled holes and drove sleeve anchors through the wood and into the concrete.
Here is a highly non-technical Paint sketch of what I'm talking about. On the left is the view looking toward your door (essentially the view of the picture you shared), on the right is the view from the right, looking at the steps. Grey is the concrete step, brown is the wooden post, red represents the sleeve anchor.

You would want to be sure the post is sitting on a level spot of concrete. Either grind the concrete flat right at the corner of the top step or move the post in, away from the bulge around the current pipes.
To avoid having to deal with the mound of concrete entirely, and to avoid cutting the 4x4 post, you could put the entire 4x4 post on the "outside" of the steps, like this:

I used 6" anchors for my half-lap solution with roughly 2" through the wood and 4" into the concrete (I actually bought 7" bolts because that's all they had in stock that day). If you go with the full 4x4 on the side, you'll want to use anchors at least 8" so you have 4" through wood and 4" into the concrete.
Put one post at each end, put a railing (plain and simple or fancy and decorative) between them and Bob's your uncle!


What can I do to avoid tripping over HVAC drain line?

I'm imagining it's only a 1/2" pipe, in which case maybe an on-floor cord protector might work: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Legrand-Wiremold-5-ft-Over-Floor-Cord-Protector-CDBK-5/100669770

Or you could re-route the pipe around the perimeter of the room to avoid the heaviest traffic.


I had a similar problem and here's what I did.

using a scraping tool I removed the old grouting-glaze
I used Zep (incredibly effective with mold but really stinky)
then I cleaned the shower with water and let dry
purchased a tube of silicone caulk from Home depot
applied the a new layer of caulk where the old one was removed

To maintain a mold/mildew free shower I use Arm & Hammer Clean Shower every day after I take a shower. I spray the stuff around the shower cabin right after I get out of the shower. It has a nice scent and it does a really good job keeping mold and mildew out!