Does the cord/plug-mounted GFCI really trip every time power fails?  Or are you assuming it will because other GFCIs do?  That is a design choice by the GFCI manufacture, and that would be a rather stupid design choice for a cord-mounted GFCI. For this very reason.

Change the order of things

Right now the sequence is:

Breaker panel
Place you would like to put the timer
GFCI

Change the order so the GFCI is before the timer.

Since this appears to be an appliance with a GFCI integrated into its power cord, this gives you three ways to do this, in order of increasing badness:

replace the appliance power cord with a better GFCI cord which does not trip when the power is cut.
Hack the appliance to include a timer.
use a GFCI upstream of the receptacle, and then replace the appliance's power cord with one that is not GFCI.

Your insurance company will not like the last two.


The simple way to "achieve that shape" is, of course, to buy it precast, which is almost certainly what the picture is - depending on size, it's either a section of well-casing, drainage pipe, or a manhole extension.

@BrownRedHawk is correct that it may (indeed, probably will) destructively deteriorate if used as direct fire containment - the interior should be lined with firebrick or castable refractory cement. The picture is clearly of the first time the thing in the picture has been fired, as it's remarkably clean as well as being intact - it probably has not held up well to the use, but pictures of that won't likely be forthcoming.

It will also burn relatively horribly unless some air inlets are made near the bottom.


What are the three copper connections to my water heater?

Depending on the specific system installation and type of tank it could be any of these:

Cold in, hot out, and overflow:  Standard water heater.
Cold in, hot out, recirculate in.  This configuration has diverse uses:

typical for a solar water heating booster.
In heavy use applications, it could be for an external hot water reservoir.
In long lines applications, this could be for recirculating hot water so that a faucet 400 feet away has hot water available just a few feet away.  Many motels and hotels are plumbed this way.


Can I install a subpanel on top of boards instead of of between studs?

You may notice that the panel has knockout holes all along both sides.  Mounting them in the void between joists is not a requirement, and those side knockouts are for when you surface mount the box.

Generally in that situation, you mount the service panel on a sheet of plywood somewhat larger than the panel.  Leave yourself room for externally mounted things like the electrician's outlet, whole house surge suppressors, power monitors, datacomm, etc.

I'm not sure about mounting it to a couple sticks of 2x4.  Certainly if you finish the basement later, it's a lot easier to mate up drywall to a sheet of plywood to make it presentable, rather than a couple 2x4s.

Since this is a "best practice" done almost universally, needless to say, I recommend doing it.


Same meter, then yes, you can, But --

A wise man will not use all the circuits in a new breaker box.

The day you find the one you forgot about, there is no place for it to go.

The prewired tail on the reliance manual boxes are just not designed to work the way you want.

Each circuit has to run from the wire that is under the breaker, to the reliance box and back to the breaker. So you will have to run more than a few wires between the panels.

It is easier to move 3 breakers from one box to the other than to try and wire 3 transfer circuits into each box.

It is wiser to spend the $250 - $300 and get another 6 circuit box. Then put one on each panel, and you will have spare circuits in each panel. You will find a use for some of them in the future.

It will also make it much less difficult to change to 50 amps of back-up, if/when you outgrow the 30 amps that only the one box will give you.


Just NO
NEMA 5-15 is, by definition, designed for 120 V operation.

If you put 240 V on it, you are not using it as designed, therefore violating code.

Plus risking serious hazards because the parts may not be over-engineered enough to operate safely at 240 V.

Plus risking serious hazards if anyone ever forgot that this particular ordinary looking outlet was actually 240 V - e.g., what if you are doing some troubleshooting and need to plug in some other piece of equipment and unplug one of your servers to plug in a piece of expensive test equipment that gets destroyed - or a piece of cheap test equipment that starts a fire.

FYI (but not relevant, because you just can't do this!), such a change would not increase the ampacity (that would still be 15A) but would double the power because power = voltage * current.
But just don't do it. Not legal. Not safe.


Check out Saniflo up flush toilets; they're great for basements above/below grade. You can have a sink/shower/toilet that all drains to a pump/macerator unit either behind the toilet or in the vanity cabinet. Outlet pipes are usually 3/4" or 1" PVC that can be pumped up as high as 20 ft in order to reach most of your smaller drain lines, which are usually easier to tie into from the PVC pipe. No need to raise the bathroom.


How to reduce amplification of solar inverter relay due to drywall?

Look around your home store for some rubber grommets and put them on the inverter then put the mounting screws through them.


How to remove caps on circular faucet handles?

You're correct, its similar to the shower control.

You need to unscrew the cap anti-clockwise.
There is a good chance that there is a decades worth of crud jamming the cap.  You could trying pouring hot water (from a kettle) over.  this may dissolve some crud, and may also loosen it by expansion.
You could try using a "jar-opening" gripper, to ensure you have a really good grip.
Alternatively, try wrapping cello-tape around the knob as protection, then CAREFULLY using multi-grip pliers.


Should I run cable through an always damp crawl space or a dry soffit in the living area?

The crawl space case

Wiring in a crawl space (wet location) can be done successfully using a variety of means:

THWN (pretty much all building wire you buy at the borgs these days is both THHN and THWN) in either rigid metal conduit or schedule 40/80 PVC conduit
Type UF or NMC multiconductor cables, but not ordinary NM-B, or
Type MC cables rated for wet locations (i.e. those with an overall PVC jacket and THWN or XHHW-2 internal wires)

However, given the circumstances (i.e. the persistent wetness in the crawlspace), I'd be most comfortable with THWN in PVC and nonmetallic junction boxes down there, with the risers being THWN-in-PVC as well.  The main downside, though, is that not only is this an expensive way to wire a house, most "wet location" electrical equipment will not survive being bathed in another storm surge!

Wiring in soffits

The soffit proposal is elegant; however, the main problem is going to be providing access to junction boxes -- you'll need to have blank plates interrupting the molding (preferably on the bottom of the soffit) in order to provide access to junctions:

  314.29 Boxes, Conduit Bodies, and Handhole Enclosures to Be
  Accessible. Boxes, conduit bodies, and handhole enclosures shall be
  installed so that the wiring contained in them can be rendered accessible
  without removing any part of the building or structure or, in underground
  circuits, without excavating sidewalks, paving, earth, or other substance that
  is to be used to establish the finished grade.

Further more, you'd have to use an "old work" type of junction box in this application as you wouldn't have framing members inside the soffit to attach the boxes to.  While the 3" by 3" soffit interior should be adequate for cabling, I would not use a conduit inside it due to the soffit interfering with conduit body access.  I do not know of any fire code requirement for horizontal cable chases other than them requiring firestopping when they penetrate a firewall; however, as mfarver pointed out, your AHJ has the final say on that, and internal firebreaks in the chase would be wise.

Could a busway be the best way?

Another option for the soffit wiring case would be to use a plug-in, non-ventilated, totally enclosed busway system with branch circuit breakers at the outlet taps and type MC cable run exposed or NM run in surface raceways for the drops/horizontal runs to outlets and luminaires.  While unusual for a residential application, plug-in busways offer a high degree of flexibility in layout, and can be subdivided so that branch circuits can be moved with only modest impacts on power to other parts of the house.

There are two drawbacks to this approach, other than it being relatively costly, though:

A means of access into the soffit that does not damage the soffit would need to be provided: either the soffit side panel could have hinged access panels in it, or the screw system designed so that the side panel can be removed and replaced without causing any damage to it.  See NEC 368.10(B) for details.
You'd need to locate the branch circuit breakers at the tap-off points -- while this doesn't limit the height of the busway, as per NEC 368.17(C) and Point 1 in 240.21(A), there has to be some sort of rod, chain, or what-have-you attached to the breaker handle so that it can be operated from floor level.


From a payback standpoint, its might be hard to justify much above 90%.

One feature I really liked was a variable speed fan direct drive and two stage burner.

Having the variable speed blower means you can leave the fan on and it will circulate at low speed. This helps equalize temp and humidity, plus there is less dust, as the filter cleans continuously.

The two stage burner means most times, the gas fires slowly and the system recovers the most heat.


Googling "acoustically transparent fabric" returns a variety of companies that provide materials that advertise the characteristics you require. For example:

https://fabricmate.com/fabric/acoustic-fabrics/
or
https://www.audimute.com/what-is-acoustic-fabric

Transparent cloth is available but putting a picture on it is another challenge. The printing process needs to be one that does not reduce the ability of the cloth to let air pass through it. Painting for example would change the acoustic properties.

The people at audimute build sound absorbing panels with a customizable picture. Maybe they can build a panel with your picture that is transparent.

It would be great to hear how this comes out for you.


How to make or find a wall plug cover for mismatched double plugs

What you want is a decorator/duplex combination wall plate
What you're after is a 2-gang wall plate with a decorator (Decora) opening on the left and a standard duplex opening on the right, like so:

You should have no trouble finding one of these at the local big-box store.


What is this device on my water heater intake?

I have not found an exact match for it, but I'm fairly sure it's a backflow preventer / siphon breaker / vacuum breaker.
Nothing else makes sense with that low of a pressure marking, and I have found similar examples, just not this exact model.
The intent would be to prevent water siphoning back out of the water heater into the cold water line in the event of a pressure loss on the cold water line. Or perhaps preventing siphoning to the hot water outlets is the intent, per this section of the UPC:
UPC 608.7 Vacuum Relief Valves.
Where a hot-water storage tank or an indirect water heater is located at an elevation above the fixture outlets in the hot-water system, a vacuum relief valve that is in accordance with CSA Z21.22 shall be installed on the storage tank or heater.
The IPC also wants them:
504.1 Antisiphon Devices
An approved means, such as a cold water "dip" tube with a hole at the top or a vacuum relief valve installed in the cold water supply line above the top of the heater or tank, shall be provided to prevent siphoning of any storage water heater or tank.
504.2 Vacuum Relief Valve
Bottom fed water heaters and bottom fed tanks connected to water heaters shall have a vacuum relief valve installed. The vacuum relief valve shall comply with ANSI Z21.22.
Among the various reasons for that would be preventing the water level from falling low enough to allow the heating means to be exposed above waterline, resulting in damage to the electric element, or tank itself in the case of fuel-fired heaters.


Would a 120/240 V whole house surge protector work with 120 V single phase?

I have done exactly that in a similar situation. It did not explode or anything.  The unit I used was a HEPD80 from Schneider.

I capped one of its hots and wired its remaining hot, neutral, and ground in parallel with an L5-30 plug and receptacle to improvise "an L5-30 surge protector" which otherwise does not exist or I couldn't find one.

I have no proof that it suppresses surges.  But it seems not to have contributed negatively.  I could not imagine any way it would hurt.

As expected, only one of the "OK" leds light up.  That could be confusing for future residents, so you might want to label it appropriately.


Refrigerator not cooling, freezer is cold, no ice obstruction

There should be airflow from the freezer down to the fridge, but this can become blocked by ice, especially in some specific models. Try doing a complete manual defrost and see if that solves the problem. If it does, a modification to the defrost heater may be possible to keep this from recurring.


A lot of water heaters (that I've seen anyway) are in unheated spaces -- basements, garages, attics (in some countries).  The rate at which you lose heat from the water depends mainly on two things:

the difference in temperature between the water and the outside environment.  The greater the difference, the faster the heat loss.
the R-value of the insulation between the water and the environment: the higher, the better.

The tank will provide some insulation, but adding a blanket for another layer of insulation will definitely help.  How much it will help depends on the temperature of the water and the environment the tank is in.

(The surface area of the tank is also a factor in the rate of heat loss.  While adding a blanket will increase the surface area, the savings by having the extra insulation will more than offset the loss the extra area will provide).

If anything, insulating should lengthen the life of the heater because it wouldn't have to work as hard maintaining the water at the set temperature.


Nail gun driver doesn't return after firing

Make sure the supply air pressure is within the pressure range specified by the manufacturer. If the supply pressure is too low, there may not be enough pressure built up to return the piston to the firing position.

Also make sure that all the vents are clear, and unobstructed.  If the vents are blocked, it could increase the resistance on the returning piston.  This added resistance, can prevent the piston from returning to the firing position.


Rating for #2 Aluminum XLPE underground utility feed

Being in conduit vs direct burial makes no significant difference on ampacity.

Since it is on the utility side of the meter, and the wire was provided by the power company,  this is a big bag of Not Your  Problem.

The power company has two smart  meters
that record your peak energy usage. They will know when your usage is of concern, and will send out a truck with marshmallows and graham crackers.

Now what is the deal with the three loose conductors stapled to the side of your house? Please, tell me they are 2 AWG XLPE telephone lines, and the one with the white stripe is cable TV...


My home is built on a slight slope and my shop (attached) is partially earth sheltered, it has about 4.5' stem walls. To ensure it was water proof, I had a contractor who specialized in this, spray the outside of the stem wall with a tar like compound and then they applied Delta Dimple Mat" over that  (see link below). Then a well designed foundation drain to carry away and water that seeped thru the dimple mat. Fortunately for me, being on a slope I could simply let gravity do it's job to move the water.  Depending upon your topology, you may need to drain it to a sump basin and use a sump pump to pump it to a good location away from the building.
Sorry for the product recommendation, I try not to do that, but in this case, I think it's justified.
https://www.dorken.com/en/our-products/products/residential/delta-ms.php


Ice maker to sump pump has water run back into it, any ideas for a fix?

It appears to me that your problem is that the ice maker drain is BELOW the trap.  So anytime there is water at that level, gravity will draw it into your ice maker drain.
I think you'd be better off locating the in the vertical section of sink drain ABOVE the trap.


Why do a lot of old houses have drop ceilings?

It is a "design trend" driven by several things boiling down to $$$$
In general ceiling heights in the 1800's were pretty high across the globe, 3.5 meters in Europe was not uncommon.  Remember that "nice" single family homes back then were not common among the peasants, the upper class people wanted high ceilings because of several reasons - the soaring "look", a place for the smoke (produced by lanterns, gaslights, etc.) to rise to, (as well as pipe and cigar smoke)  much better cooling (gave a place for the heat to rise), the perception of "healthier rooms" as well as just the plain old "I'm richer than you are, nannyer nannyer nannyer" notion.  The higher the building the more materials and more expensive it looked.
In the US this trend came across and by the time the 1900's came along 9 feet and higher ceiling heights were common, as well when electrification came along it gave space for a ceiling fan.  During that era fuel was cheap so people would have stoves and such and burn entire forests up heating 3 rooms.
Later on when they started installing gas furnaces heating became expensive so people put in drop ceilings to push the heat down closer to the people.  During the 70's and 80's the standard ceiling height in new construction became 8 feet high as a way of saving money on heating.  Your drop ceilings in older homes are almost certainly tacked on after the fact (and I would guess they look terrible, eh?) for this reason, saving heating costs. Just beware since a drop ceiling could have been used to conceal an original asbestos-impregnated "popcorn" or "acoustical tile" ceiling.
Nowadays the "standard" in new construction is 9 feet high ceilings, and "tray" ceilings seem popular now (I think they are stupid dust catchers but what do I know)  The trend once more is back to the "I'm richer than you are, ha ha ha ha" notion I think - because the price of single family detached homes is so high we are really returning back to the way things used to be in Europe where only the wealthy and upper middle class owned single family detached homes, and the lower middle class and poor are crammed into rack, stack & pack apartments.  (and it is a sad and dangerous trend which is going to have a serious negative effect on the economy in the future)
Throughout history one of the biggest marks of wealth has been space - if you are poor and you want to look rich - buy a "spread" with a few acres out in the country - everyone will immediately assume you are worth at least $1M because so few people understand land pricing in the country.   The illusion of wealth is created by ceiling height so if you want to rip down the drop ceiling and go back to the original real ceiling, more power to you!


You'll need to remove the old mortar - you can't just slap on some new mortar and expect it to hold if the old stuff hasn't been removed. Chisel and brush with a stiff wire brush.

No form should be needed - if you appear to need a form, you need to add more dry mortar mix to your bucket - preferably, don't add too much water in the first place. Consider a brick wall - there's no form on that. The stuff should look a bit too dry when you mix it, but wet up when smacked around with a trowel. If it looks wet when mixed, it's usually too wet.

If you have actual mortar rather than "sand mix" there's a degree of self-levelling from the small stones in the mix - they are trapped between the base and the step, and set a minimum thickness for the joint. Normally you want exterior steps just a hair off level so water drains off them, but not so much as to make them hazardous to step on. A level and a mallet (or a hammer on a block of wood) will get you there. If you run out of adjustment, pull the step up and add more mortar where needed, then smack it back down.

Weather matters - if the mortar freezes before it cures, it will fail. A quick-fix now may need to be redone next spring in order to hold for the long-term - or, you buy a bale of straw and bury the step before the cold front comes through - or make a plastic bubble and run a heater in it.


How can I repair severly water-damaged interior wall plaster or sheetrock?

How old is the house? Looks like that may have slats/plaster rather than drywall. Regardless, if it got wet, it needs to be replaced to prevent mold damage. Remove the trim, cut away the wall till you encounter no moisture.. most likely you'll have to replace the insulation as well, then put up some new drywall. Tape the edges, plaster, sand.. prime, then wallpaper. If you try to simply even it out, it probably won't be too long till the wall crumbles.


You should resign yourself to the idea of not finding an exact match. All such products (whether natural or man-made, i.e. "cultured") have a large variation of color and pattern, even amongst tiles that come out of the same box. Manufacturers, distributors, and installers typically warn end-users of this.
The best you can likely hope for is something similar, but even that will require searching around...


Must bathroom linoleum be sealed and water tight?

I would say that it absolutely should be sealed well all the way around the bathroom, and so that water cannot get underneath fixtures.

However, even on a floor that had no sealing at all I would not expect this kind of damage simply from mopping and minor spills. Do (did) you actually observe water being wicked out from the edge? Could it be that the toilet or another fixture was leaking and getting under the linoleum?


How do I change the remote frequency options in my ceiling fan?

The switches for the fan are either in the lower bell housing or on top of the motor assembly.

Check the lower bell first.  There should be 3 or 4 small screws holding this on, remove them and carefully remove the light assembly.  Look inside the bell to find the RF receiver, the switches are on this (you may have to pull it out to access the switches).

If the RF receiver is not there it is probably on the motor assembly, in which case the fan will have to be taken down.  Even if you have to take the fan down you should not have to disconnect any wiring, there should be a hook on the assembly so you can hang it from the mounting bracket while you adjust the switches.

Depending on the ceiling clearance you may have to remove the blades, then remove the decorative ring near the ceiling.  Carefully remove the screws that hold the fan to the mounting bracket, you should be able to hang the fan from a hook on the mounting bracket (so you don't have to hold the fan while you work).  Inside this assembly you should see the RF receiver, adjust the switches and re-mount the fan.


Why does my thermostat require 240volts?

You kind of answered your own question: "hard wire power source, no batteries".  If the thermostat requires its own power source and doesn't use batteries, then normal line and neutral household power is needed, that would be 120/204 volts. The line and neutral more than likely feed a transformer inside the unit that steps down the voltage to what the display requires.


Electrical Insulation in Built-in Barbeque

What is the best kind of insulator to use

What does the manufacturer say ...

I suspect the roof seal doesn't get too hot in normal use. You can get "heat-resistant silicone" intended for use with flues etc.

Personally, I'd get the metalwork properly earthed (grounded) to help avoid killing family or guests.

  the problem is moisture getting in-between the steel casing and the brickwork, flowing down the wire

That is possible, inspection of the fitting may make this clear

  I don't really see another way.

As Ed Beal pointed out, soot is largely carbon and carbon is conductive. Maybe soot is getting somewhere it shouldn't.

I would examine the light fitting and its connections very carefully to try to identify what is creating a conductive path from the hot (live) wire to the metal frame.


My son had a Craftsman 10” saw that the shiv or pulley connection to the shaft was loose. It would spin up but was noisy and when he tried to cut the blade stopped. I checked it out and the set screw had backed off a bit and it did damage the shaft because he had tightened the belt and it worked for a while before he called. I tightened the set screw on the shaft the shaft to pulley or shiv is not perfect because of the spinning damage but with the screw tight it works fine.


How to diagnose an occupancy sensor that always detects motion?

My bet: you have turned off Off-While-Occupied
Lutron occupancy sensors have what's called an Off While Occupied mode, as described in Lutron's advanced programming guide.  With this mode enabled, turning the lights off manually with the tapswitch while you are in the controlled space causes the sensor to keep them off as long as it detects occupancy.  However, if you disable this mode, turning the lights off manually with the tapswitch while you are in the controlled space turns the lights off for 30 seconds, but if you are still there once that 30 seconds is up, the occupancy sensor turns the lights back on for you.
So, following the instructions in the advanced programming guide to re-enable the Off-While-Occupied mode should fix your issue.


What do you do with a company who did a bad install who will not come out to inspect the job or return your calls?

I'm almost certainly in a different country form you so my answer may not apply - but you may have some equivalent options

I would write to them

stating the problem clearly,
listing the attempts made to get a response from them (with dates)
and saying that time is of the essence (legal phrase in my jurisdiction)
saying that if they don't contact me within n days to resolve the problem
I see no option other than to get legal advice on what steps to take.
(n needs to be a reasonable amount, perhaps 14 days rather than 2)

I would send this by registered-post or recorded-delivery. It makes more impact if someone has to sign for it.

Keep a copy of what you have sent. Copies of written communication may carry greater weight later than your transcript of what you think you said in a phone call.

In my locale there is a trading-standards body to whom consumers can complain about
shoddy work or goods. I'd check if they could help.

In my locale there is a small-claims court which can be used for low-cost proceedings
there is a limit on the size of claims, hearings are heard in front of a judge and
court-fees are low. I would check whether this service is available and what limits apply

Getting a lawyer to write a short letter to a company may help, even if the letter is
relatively innocuous it can help persuade them that you are unlikely to go away quietly.


How can I figure out why my water pressure is basically zero?

Check your hose bibs outside the house, those typically are first in line.  If those are low pressure then its before your house.  If those are good, then it's in your house.  As for water company checking pressure, what they said is correct.  They just don't install the monitoring equipment to do that.  They will install pressure gauges at key points in the distribution network but that's it.  From water main to your house there will be no way for them to check.

Also, check your water meter.  If its spinning with no visible water use then you have a leak.


What kind of sand and gravel for artificial grass

At the quantity you will need I would be purchasing yards of sand (beach sand) for extra smooth or river sand for a bit corse but probably cheaper and acceptable alternative buying in bags is crazy expensive unless you only need a dozen bags.
In my area there are places you can get free beach sand but I am close to the coast.


I can think of three possible explanations:

The wax ring under your toilet just wore out and needs to be replaced. This seems unlikely if your house is only 16 years old; a properly installed wax ring should last 20-30 years.
Your toilet is not seated securely. This can happen if the bolts are not tight. If you can rock the toilet at all, this is probably your problem. When the toilet gets loose, the seal with the wax ring breaks. In this case you'd want to remove the toilet, fix the wax ring (or replace it with a new one) and then reinstall the toilet, being sure to tighten the bolts all the way but not overtighten.
At some point water pooled on your bathroom floor. (There could be lots of reasons for this: Someone took a shower with the curtain open, the faucet overflowed, someone tipped over a bucket, etc.) The water found its way down through the toilet flange hole. It picked up dirt along the way, hence the yellowish color.

Based on the information available, it's hard to say which of these three scenarios, if any, is the cause. If I were you, I wouldn't do anything at this point. I would keep observing: Go down in your basement once a week and see if you see (or smell) anything new near the stain. If you don't see signs of change, this was probably a one-time event, like water pooling on the floor, that you don't need to worry about again.

I'd also check to see if there still is water pooling on the bathroom floor. Check especially behind and alongside the toilet; it's possible the toilet tank is leaking, or the water supply line is leaking. But if you can't feel any water anywhere on your floor, then you most likely don't have an active problem.

You could replace the wax ring if you want. It's cheap (wax rings cost under 3 dollars) and relatively easy. But if I were you I wouldn't bother at this point because -- unless the toilet is loose -- I doubt the wax ring is the problem.

For what it's worth, I can't think of anything that could be wrong here that would result in catastrophic damage. Worst case, you have a small leak in your drain system somewhere, you caught it early and it would have to be left unchecked for months or years before it caused real damage. Best case, this was caused by a one-time event in the past that will never recur.

If you were suspecting leaking from a water supply line, I'd tell you to be more worried, because if that were to burst it could do significant damage very quickly. Not so with a drain line in this type of situation. The fact that the leak is over unfinished basement makes it even less concerning.


Probably the supply to the GFCI itself is what you need to check at both ends, since the tester is reading open ground there. Load wiring has nothing to do with that.
Presumably you didn't test before starting the work?


Should my bathroom's plumbing vent be downstream of the toilet connection?

That tub needs a trap.  For testing, stop up your tub and run a little water in it. Then exhaust any existing odor from the area. If your smell goes away, then you know it's coming from the tub.


Installing bathroom exhaust fan (light, fan, and heater) with three seprate switches on wall

Not being there, it is hard to say for sure.  But a fair guess is the the J-box wiring takes care of the heat. This wiring includes the wall stat/timer. (Hopefully this is the 12-gauge wire.)  The other two cables take care of light and exhaust fan. So: j-box cable to red and white in fan.  The other two, take your pick, color to color.


The vapor barrier should go on the hot humid side of the insulation . In Kansas, the critical season is winter and the hot humid side will be the interior heated space. It will not be the ground or the exterior side of the insulation.


MBWC using two twin breakers with middle handles tied

This is almost right

While circuit 2 tripping won't cause the breaker for 3 to trip (nor will it happen the other way around), it won't need to -- since there are only 120V loads present, a fault on circuit 2 will be de-energized by the breaker for circuit 2 tripping, and likewise for circuit 3.  (You'd need a common trip breaker to have both circuits de-energized at once should the breaker trip.)

But, you need a proper handle tie for this

However, a screw does not a handle tie make.  All current production breaker lines have a proper handle tie available for them, although you will likely need to go to an electrical supply house to obtain one, or order the correct one for your breakers online provided you know what make and model breakers you have.

In your case, by the way, your Eaton BD1515s need an Eaton THS1 handle tie.


I can't shut of the hot water completely

Go back and once again turn off the water main valve where cold water enters your house. Then go to various sinks and bath areas and turn on the faucets there. These will allow the water from higher level piping to drain out and break any potential siphon action that may have been occurring in your shower where you were trying to do the repair.

There are a number of reasons why a replacement of part of that hot water valve insert may not be working:

The wrong style of insert is being used.
The insert may be too thin.
There is debris in the faucet body that prevents the faucet stem from being turned completely in to bottom out the insert.
There a crack or corrosion damage of the seat part of the valve that prevents the new insert from even working.


How to replace this washing machine valve/faucet?

The threaded part on the valve where the hose connects seems, from the picture, to be rather short. It is possible that the part on the end of the hose is interfering with the valve body (represented by the green arrows in the diagram below) before the rubber hose washer gets a decent amount of compression on it.

If this is the case you may be able to purchase a thicker hose washer that is more supple than what is currently in the hose end to allow for the proper compression to seal the joint.
Also, as stated previously in the comments, it is often necessary to use a tool to turn the hose coupling tight to get a good seal.


I fixed it! I tore it down to below the main board and gave the Dmd/main board socket a good clean with some Servisol and reseated (if someone else comes across this, here's a good video guide - https://youtu.be/8iLR2viox8U) and it's back to its usual self. And I only damaged one ribbon connector holder and left one spare spacer on reassembly. £500 saved for now.


Installing a cleanout for 4" corrugated black pipe foundation drainage

The problem with this approach is that using a sewer auger in the corrugated drain can actually damage the soft plastic drain tile. The cutting edges on the auger can tear into the pipe and then allow the collapse of the drain. The corrugated pipe is used because it is cheap and quick to install. Solid PVC pipe with holes is a better choice if you want to be able to clean the drain. I would use a garden hose to flush the system from the clean outs you install. Splice in the wye style style Tees with a rigid PVC riser near as many corners as you can, and keep flushing from one corner to the next. You will need multiple access points because you will not be able to push the hose around the corners.


Old oil forced air heat only system (R/W wire only) - Is adding a C possilbe to use Wi-Fi

This is an interesting case since your oil burner control integrates the 24VAC control transformer.  Normally, you'd look for either a C terminal on the control, or the control transformer itself.  However, your control lacks a C terminal.  What it does have, though, according to the internal schematics from Honeywell's manual, is one of the F terminals for the flame safety photodetector (CdS cell) that goes back to the opposite side of the transformer from the upper T terminal that goes to the red wire.

You'll need a multimeter on continuity (or its lowest ohms range if you don't have a continuity buzzer on your meter) mode for this procedure.

Turn the service switch or disconnect OFF before starting to avoid damage to parts (it may be a switch on the unit, or you may need to use the circuit breaker to disable it).
Put one meter lead on the upper T terminal (the one with the red wire on it) and the other on each F terminal in turn.  The one that beeps (or reads low ohms) is equivalent to the C terminal, and can be used for a C wire connection.  The other is how the CdS cell connects to the internal circuitry, and will not cause your meter to beep (or reads a high resistance on the meter).
Connect the C wire to the correct terminal (it should be the bottom terminal according to the manual).
Hook up your new thermostat.
Turn the service switch or disconnect back ON.
Enjoy the new thermostat!


Sharing my 240V 30amp between two dryers

No. The wiring and the breaker are sized for the needs of a single dryer. To connect several would create a situation where overload is likely, or at least a possibility.

A possible workaround, with questions of legality outstanding, would be to install a lockout mechanism or switch that would prevent simultaneous use of both dryers.


You will need a ohmmeter. Disconnect the IR Controller (the white box with white wires). If you check the the voltage drop (in the connector of the white wire) between the Positive (+) and the different wires. If you find that they all respond to commands from the remote... except for the port for the blue wire (which controls the blue light), then the problem might be with the remote or the receiver. Again, if the "blue port" always reads 12VDC (despite trying to turn it off), then the problem is with either the remote or the receiver (and not the strip).

However if it does turn on and off upon command, then there must be a short in the strip or connectors (powering the blue wires).

If you look carefully along the strip you might be able to see where the short is (often looks like a burned/discolored spot (or a discolored LED). If you bought the non-waterproof strip, then you might find some debris or dried soda or something on the strip. Or if you have the waterproof strip, you might see a crack in it where humidity has collected and is causing a short between + and B.

If everything seems to be looking okay, then you could get some short pieces of wire (strip the insulation off of both ends) and insert them into the connector- making sure to only connect one wire to each port- and perhaps diagnose which wire is connected to the Blue lights by connecting one wire at a time... then two wires at a time... and (if necessary) three wire combos. Unfortunately, this may not be a fruitful piece of information, because it seems that the problem is with the strip or one of the LEDs anyway, and if you don't see any obvious faults then there's not much you can do figure out where the issue is on the strip.

So of course, if you have no idea where the fault lies (just on the strip somewhere) you'll have to cut out the bad section by cutting the strip in half. One half of the strip should be okay... then you cut the bad half in half... and just walk-it-down until you're satisfied. Then you can reconnect some of the lengths worth keeping.


Puzzling leak in my 2nd floor tile shower

For any leak, you have to find the source, and also note that leaks travel along surfaces so sometimes where the water is seen is not directly under the leak.  Often this will involve cutting up walls and causing more water damage.

You need to find out if the leak is coming from a supply line or waste line, and also when the leak occurs.

First thing - when there is no water running and no water in the tub, is there a leak?  If so the leak is before a fixture in a supply pipe.

Now plug the tub and fill it up.  While the water is running (but not draining), is there water leaking?  If so, the leak is at or beyond the shower valve and possibly in the shower itself.  You mention that the leak is pretty big, so if present at this point, stop filling the tub and watch to see if the volume of the leak subsides. If so it could be a leak in one of the shower valve fittings or the diverter stem, or it could be water splashing up and getting behind the tile.  In this case your best bet is to open the wall behind the shower (if possible) and look for leaks.

If the water is still running with the tub full but off then the leak is in the drain pan.

If not, pull the plug and check again for leaks.  If you see water now, the leak is in a waste pipe. This is the scenario where you can end up cutting lots of drywall to find the source.  Start at the tub and go from there, follow the pipe.

If the drywall/plaster is already water damaged, you may as well rip it out before it grows mold - you are going to have to replace it anyways.


Where do I connect a C wire in a Rheem Furnace REAB 1415J?

In thermostat wiring, C stands for Common. Look for a terminal labeled Com, which is another abbreviation for common.

I did not look up your thermostat, however it is likely that it needs the common wire to work properly. Many thermostats don't really need a common wire but it is almost always recommended to have one especially with these "smarter" thermostats. More information about the common terminal can be found here and here. Some thermostats have a couple of batteries that they can run off of instead of using the common but that would likely not include a wifi enabled one because it uses more power than a simple programmable model.

I hope this helps.


From your question I can make two assumptions:

1) It worked appropriately for a period of time (week, a month or longer).

2) There are very few settings, possibly one for duration and maybe one for sensitivity.

If neither of those are true, bring it back to the store and get a different unit.

If they are both true, try changing the sensitivity to a lower (less sensitive) setting and the duration to a longer setting. This will help to troubleshoot the unit and indicate whether there is some unknown motion that was too small to trip it previously but has become more significant. I had one in a hallway that tripped when the furnace came on and blew the tips of some flowers in a vase. If there weren't any flowers or they became dry, the motion sensor worked great but if there were fresh flowers it would trip (only when the furnace came on) - that almost drove me crazy!

I'm also assuming that you don't have a dog, cat, mouse, ferret, bat, bird, etc. that is running/flying through the room when you aren't looking.

If that doesn't take care of it, then replace the unit. You didn't say how you were using it either, but if it was to turn the light on when you entered the room (the switch is across the room) you might consider getting a motion sensor integrated into the switch rather than the ceiling. They tend to be a little higher quality, have better settings and easier to put in without a ladder.


How can I install Z-Wave switches in these different situations?

Light 1. Yes, you will pigtail and put the 3 neutral wires together in 1 wire nut.

Light 2. Correct, it will not work. You will need to add the control at the junction box with the light or receptacle.

Light 3. I would put a pigtail in with the black wires, and put under the top screw. Add the pigtail and put the 3 neutrals together. The red wire to the bottom screw. Are the wires in conduit, or do they come from a cable? I would expect that the red is a 2nd hot wire, but that would lead one to expect a black wire to be somewhere close.

Light 4. Pigtail into neutrals for the switch. Another pigtail with the 2 upper black. And put the single black back in the lower terminal.

2 wires under 1 screw is a no-no, and using a screw and a push-in is just poor form.


Using left over pergo boards instead of 2x4 to mount a peg board

Will it work? Yeah probably. Will it work well? Probably not.

When mounting pegboard, the furring strips, 2x4s, or in this case pergo really doesn't take any significant tensile load. What holds the pegboard up is the compression from the fastener pre-loading. 2x4s aren't even necessary, many pegboard kits come with a bunch of plastic spacers. All the pergo has to do is maintain the space between the wall and the pegboard, getting that compressive strength is not very demanding.

So, using your pergo, it's pretty wide, so you are sacrificing a lot of pegboard holes wherever those pergo boards are. If you really want to avoid spending any extra cash, rip the pergo down to 1.5" or 1" wide, it just needs to seperate the pegboard from the wall.

If your wall surface is flat, you don't even need any 2x4s or pergo boards, just use spacers, either plastic spacers from a kit, or just epoxy some hardware store nuts that are large enough for the concrete screws to pass through on the backside, for easy mounting. If the surface is bumpy like a stone wall, then build a frame out furring strips or 2x4s, depending on the level of unevenness.


How safe are flammables as indoor cleaners?

Using any volatile and flammable fluid indoors can pose serious health and property damage if used in a reckless manner. By reckless I should say "not adhering to the warnings by the manufacturer". If the item to be cleaned can not be relocated outside than precautions should be taken to limit the build up of explosive vapors. Allowing outside air to circulate through the room to remove the fumes will reduce the chance of a serious "flash over". It would be wise to note any appliances (water heater, stove, heater, etc.) that have an automatic or standing ignition that could ignite fumes. Also realize that even an electric spark from something as innocuous as an electrostatic spark from a carpet can be enough to initialize an explosion. As for knowing when the fumes have dissipated enough to be safe: leave the windows open long enough (after you've capped the fluid and sealed any rags containing residual traces in a metal container) to allow stale air to be replaced. Use your olfactory (nose) senses; if you smell fluid than it's still in the room.


Does a new manufactured home on permanent foundation need a shutoff within 30ft?

NEC 550.32(A) Mobile Home Service Equipment. ...in sight from and not more than 9.0m (30ft) from the exterior wall...

Note the NEC in 550.2 says "For the purpose of this Code...the term mobile home includes manufactured homes and excludes park trailers..."

I would expect the ufer ground to be  good, but you probably should check with the local inspecting authority to make sure they don't have some odd interpretation or specific legacy additional requirement for mobiles. Other bonding requirements are usually factory performed, but you should check.

It could be interpreted that the 30A RV receptacle renders the available power at the pedestal for the mobile to be less than the minimum requirement on the HUD label. You could probably do a load calc if a "modular" home, but not a "mobile".


Connecting 12ga wire to 14ga that is connected to 15 amp breaker

Yes as long as the breaker is sized for the smallest wire in the circuit you can use a larger gauge and it will even pass inspection. Many of us frown on using smaller wire when the connection in the panel is a larger wire because some one may up size the breaker seeing #12 in the panel not realising there is #14 in the branch some place down the line. But 14 in the panel on a 15 amp breaker going to additional devices wired with #12 is legal. I have done this on lighting circuits when I ran out of 14.


What could the discolored areas on the underside of my roof be?

I doubt if it's mold, but don't trust me or any other so called expert. Have it tested.

The dark areas seem to be along plywood joints and not in "irregular splotches". Mold tends to grow in random shapes...

However, it appears there is a lack of attic vents. There should be vents along the eaves and I don't see any daylight along the eaves in the picture. When moisture gets in the attic and then condenses, it will form on the plywood sheathing. After a few years of this it will discolor the plywood, especially at plywood joints (where there is less resistance from outside air to attic air) and around roofing nails. Are there dark areas around protruding nails?

Mold can form anywhere, but I think this is moisture and a lack of ventilation.


What tool do I need to cut groove along edge of floorboard

There are two possibilities - create a channel in the trim or create a channel in the floor.

For network and TV cables, you probably need at least a gap about 1/2 inch wide and 1/4 to 3/8 deep. The trim looks too shallow to put in that channel. You could cut a channel like that and cover it with the existing or comparable trim.

While a router can cut channels, it needs several inches around its cutting bits for the base of the unit, and your cut would be too close to the raised hearth.

A good alternative might be a multitool

These are specialized power saws that can cut in very close quarters. The saw blade (it has several others) is offset, so you can cut downward into the floor right up to the edge of the hearth. They come in various price ranges starting at about $60.

I would remove the molding, draw a line about 5/8 out from the hearth all around. Then I would cut downward through the floating floor using the half circle wood blade following along the line. You probably will need to use the straight saw blade at the corners.

The wood strip you cut off should be easlily removed if it is not glued down. If it is, a small prybar, cheap screwdriver or chisel should easily pop it out.

Lay your cable, replace the trim. You may want to use cable clips to keep the wire in the channel until the trim is in place.


how do you turn the overfow drain in tub upside down

I could be wrong but If read this correctly, it is not a case of it not working properly, it is a case of the water level in the tub being to shallow ( reaching the overflow before it covers her toes.) As lover of soaking in a tub i sympathize with her and wish for her to have a deep soaking tub, but short of a new tub there is not much one can do.

I believe she is asking how to change the Height of the overflow opening to allow the water level in the tub to be deeper.

The opening is on the underside of the chrome overflow escutcheon, You could try and take off the escutcheon,  put a wash cloth over the drain so you do not drop the screws down the drain. (three screws, two for the cover one for the handle, take the handle of first then take the escutcheon cover off) turn the escutcheon 180 degrees so that the opening is on top. you would have to caulk around the bottom. This would result in gain of maybe in inch and half of water depth.

what i do is, when the water reaches the overflow i cover the overflow with plastic kitchen wrap, the suction will pull the plastic tight to the opening. This will buy you some time.  but you must not do this and walk away from the tub while the water is on. I an not responsible for any water damage that you cause. i will take credit for your happy toes.


How high should the tops of concrete piers be above grade?

If your posts are pressure treated, you can set the concrete level to grade. If the posts are not pressure treated, I would set the top of concrete at 8" above grade. more would not hurt. Also use metal fasteners that hold the post up off the concrete 1" in either case.


How can I safely mount a pull-up bar on a suspended stud wall?

Your studs and framing should be fine. You need to screw into the existing studs and odds are that the pull up bar won't do a direct attachment very well connection bigger than the width of the stud. Also, the current framing layout will dictate where you place it.

Your idea of attaching a board to the wall and the pull up bar to it are a good one and what I would suggest even if you hadn't thought of it.

I would use a 2x6 or a 2x8 (the wider 2x8 might look better) and screw it to the studs with (3) #8 x 3-1/2" screws per stud to a minimum of (2) studs. Be sure that there is a stud on each side of each of the two pull up bar attachment points, which will likely require attaching the board to three studs. You might want to extend the board the full width of the opening for a better look.

How far out from the wall you place the bar has a significant affect on the force applied to the board, so keep it to 6" maximum.

Then attach the pull up bar per its instructions


GFCI breaker with GFCI outlets trip with no load

This is probably a leakage problem

GFCIs are differential trips -- if too much current (more than 4-6mA) is going out but never getting back to the GFCI (remember that current flows in loops!), they trip on the assumption that current is going somewhere bad (like through you).  As thus, a variety of leakage sources can trip them:

Cable leakage due to water in non-wet-rated cables, degraded insulation, or physical damage
Faulty or intentionally leaky appliances or fixtures
Capacitive leakage on long lines
Water in splices and boxes causing leakage currents to flow
Miswiring that routes current around the GFCI

In your case, even with 350' of cable, you should be fine -- you'd need a cable running at 200-300pF/foot of capacitance to get into trip territory from capacitive leakage alone.  (I can't find any figures for UF, and only a passing mention online of 20-30pF/foot for NM, nor do I have a capacitance meter and cable samples otherwise I'd test it myself.)

So, once you rule out a miswire, I'd have your nearest friendly electrician megger the cable hot-ground and neutral-ground to make sure the insulation is good -- make sure to disconnect the cable at both ends when doing so though!  If the buried cable passes the insulation test with flying colors, then I'd check the devices at the load end for water infiltration or insulation damage.


How can I stop a desk from vibrating when I type?

Is the ledge that the monitors are sitting on actually attached to the desk? It kind of looks like it's just resting on the speakers (Btw, I swear I had those same speakers like 15 years ago). Since there is some natural bounce in any kind of wooden surface like you have, my guess is it's transferring to the upper support which will naturally be prone to movement due to not being attached. If you add at least 3 supports so it can stay up on its own (not relying on speakers) I would guess most of the movement will go away.


Can induction in parallel ungrounded cables lead to false continuity readings with a multimeter?

All the neutrals are tied together. If there are devices on both circuits that complete the circuit (light bulbs, etc.), it's possible to measure continuity as you've described.

You'll measure from probe 1, along the neutral of circuit A, back to the panel. Then along the neutral of circuit B, across the load (light bulb, etc.) to probe 2 on the hot of circuit B.


How to make a ~90 mm diameter 50 cm forearm roller as cheaply as possible?

Since I live in a region where millimeter measurements aren't common (yes, that region) the first thing I did was convert to inches to get an estimate of size so that I could look for something. I noticed 90mm is very very close to (approximately 1mm larger than) 3.5 inches.
3.5 inches happens to be the outside diameter of pipes (plastic/pvc and steel) that are nominally 3 inches (inside is approximately 3 inches).
Since you're looking on the Internet for pipes, you may be able to buy US stock (either from a US outlet, or from a manufacturer that makes goods overseas for sale in the US). I don't know that 88.9mm would be a common size outside the US market though, so if you're not able to purchase these online you'd have to find something completely different.


Turns out the hole I drilled was close to a stud which wasn't letting the anchor lay flat against the wall. I sawed off the plastic front bit of the anchor, let the metal anchor fall into the wall, and put up another one but with the wings in a different orientation.


Here is one option i found.

This lock will work, it comes in brass or silver color. Here is a YouTube video showing it in action.
It only requires a drill, the proper size drill bit or hole saw (1 inch) and a Philips screwdriver.


How can I hang a shelf on a paneled wall of a mobile home?

Most mobile homes have studs, though they are often smaller than the 2x4s you'd find in a house.  If you can't find the studs, or don't want to attach the shelf to the studs. You can use toggle bolts to attach the shelf to the wall, though the weight capacity of the shelf may be limited.

Follow the manufacturers installation instructions, to install the shelf using toggle bolts.

The manufacturers documentation should also list what materials are suitable to use the toggle bolts with, and the load capacity of the toggle bolt.


Is this a condensation problem or. A roof leak problem?

I went up onto the roof and looked at the vents.  The rubber around the pipe was cracked with large gaps on both.

I added outdoor rated caulking to reseal them.

Edit - We had a good rain yesterday (3in + with periods of heavy downpour as well as gentle soaking).  I had placed some plastic sheeting under the vent in the attic above the bathroom.  The bathroom leak did have some leaking still.

The kitchen leak did not register any additional moisture using a moisture meter (I still haven't climbed into that side of the attic) and the moisture (~5%) matched the surrounding ceiling.  When I climbed back on the roof, I noticed that the caulk job I did missed some cracks on the bathroom vent (not sure if it bubbled due to air escaping from the attic or if I just missed it).

The kitchen had no such spots.  I re-sealed the bathroom and will wait for more rain (tomorrow according to the forecast).


Garbage disposal trips breaker when it is switched off

Are you in the USA?  The green screw should be Ground (green or bare wire), not Neutral (white).

Generally:

Line is "hot", with the active AC voltage present.
Neutral is the return path for the current.  All current should travel from Line, through the load, and then back through Neutral.
Ground is there for safety only. It should only carry current in the case of a fault.

In a standard circuit there is no indication that current is flowing through ground, as long as it's not enough to trip a breaker.  However, your garbage disposal unit is connected to a GFCI breaker.  This kind of breaker is specifically designed to open up when there is ground current.

It sounds like your circuit's Neutral is tied to the junction box.  The junction box is also likely grounded.  This ground connection is generally made by a bare copper wire attached to the back of the junction box.

At the same time, your disposal has a big motor in it.  When you turn off a motor it creates its own current for a small amount of time as it spins down.  Since this current can't return through the switch , it returns through ground.  This trips your GFCI.

First, verify the wiring connections. It is possible that the ground was wired correctly, but that someone did it with white wire (instead of green or bare wire) just to confuse everybody.  Ideally, there should be one connection from the green screw to the junction box, and a totally separate connection between the white wire from the breaker box and the white wire to the disposal unit.
If, in fact, all the white wires are tied together then you should disconnect your white wire from the green screw.  Then run a wire from this screw to the grounded junction box.


Installing a tankless water heater next to electric service panel

The 30” requirement can start at the left side and be measured to the right. As far as the vent you will want to extend it through the roof. The amount of heat coming off a tankless is much hotter than a standard tanked water heater.


How can I hide the gap at the base of the stairs and the door, when installing laminate flooring?

Typically the solution at the bottom of the stairs is to use a quarter-round (Usually 3/4" thick) to cover the flooring and the bottom of the carpet.

You'll need some long nails to get through the carpet, so it's best to pre-drill the nail holes so you don't split the trim.

This is the best image I could find.  It lacks carpet, but will demonstrate the basic idea.


Running extension cord and Cat6a through wood closet shelf?

I'm not 100% clear on your description but the NEC and CEC prohibit extension cords in the walls.  There is more info at this link, obviously biased but in this case correct:

http://www.powerbridgesolution.com/info/extensioncordwarning.html

From NEC:

  400.8 Uses Not Permitted (ref. Extension Cord) Flexible cords and cables shall not be used for the following:

      (1) As a substitute for the fixed wiring of a structure
      (2) Where run through holes in walls, structural ceilings, suspended ceilings, dropped ceilings, or floors
      (3) Where run through doorways, windows, or similar openings
      (4) Where attached to building surfaces
      (5) Where concealed by walls, floors, or ceilings or located above suspended or dropped ceilings

The Cat6, generally nothing to worry about, may not be code compliant depending on the locale, but believe me telcos and cable tv companies do worse things on a daily basis most places, low voltage is much safer.


Can I splice the common wire of two different circuits in the same junction?

Every neutral needs to stay with its partners hot(s) in the same cable.  You can't have promiscuous neutrals.   There are a bunch of reasons, but let's just touch on a few of them.

Neutrals don't have breakers.  That means, say, a hot/neutral pair rated for 15A will have its hot wire on a 15A breaker, and the neutral is assumed to be protected since how can the neutral flow more current than the hot?  Well a promiscuous neutral could be returning its own 15A plus another 15A from another circuit; overloading at 30A. Nothing would prevent this.

EMF imbalance causes eddy currents and wire movement.  A single wire carrying AC power throws up a lot of EMF.  A reed relay laid alongside a wire will actuate if current flow is > 10 amps. They intentionally wrap wires in loops big enough for ships to sail through, and test EMP resistance and degauss ships.  It can also cause "eddy current heating" in anything metallic that isn't specifically laminated to avoid this.  The pulsing magnetism can also cause physical vibration of the wire in the walls, which can fatigue and break the wire, cause arcing. Arcing can set things on fire inside the walls where the homeowner can't detect it or put it out while it's small.

However, when all the wires in a circuit run together, it means currents are equal and opposite among the wires, and the EMFs cancel each other out, which eliminates the above problems.  Since current flows in loops, that's guaranteed to happen as long as all the wires in that branch of the circuit are in the same cable.  So it's a code requirement that all wires in a circuit branch run together in the same cable or conduit.

GFCI/RCD's don't permit cross-wiring.  They work by detecting unequal currents, using the abovementioned "EMFs cancel each other out" trick.  A promiscuous neutral will obviously cause unequal currents and guarantee a GFCI trip.  That means using this very sloppy wiring technique will backfire on you badly if you ever upgrade the circuit to GFCI protection.


What should I consider when converting a double-basin sink to a single-basin?

Remove everything currently under the sink that is not glued and use a rags to plug the drain pipes.  Next, let the counter guys do there work and install the sink.  There is nothing to do until they are done.

After they are done, follow the install instructions on the disposal.  After that is done, mount a new p-trap kit from one of the drain pipes to the disposal outlet.  Choose which one works best.  The other drain pipe you will need to cap.  Since this is under a sink, you can use a compression based cap so if in the future you decide to go back to a two sink setup it will be an easy job to removing the cap.

There is no harm in trying and if you find it doesn't work/leak just call a plumber.  The plumber I use, this would just be a service call charge ($45) to install.

Also if you plan to reuse your current disposal, remove it and the mounting ring before the counter guys come.  I had a friend who had they counter/sink redone and the counter guys left with the disposal mounting ring still attached to the old sink.  They had to buy new hardware to mount their old disposal.


Who can you call to check on odd smells?

Who you gonna call? Ok, I'll admit that Ghostbusters is low on my list of choices.

One possibility is to look for water damage somewhere. This will manifest itself in the form of mildew, mold. Perhaps water is getting in through your roof, or a problem with a window, etc. You might even have leak in the plumbing. (For example, we had a contractor redo a bathroom, but they knew nothing about plumbing, leaving behind 6 leaks in the walls.) To track that down, a pinless moisture meter is a relatively inexpensive idea here to locate wet places in the walls coming in. As a woodturner I have one, so it was a useful tool that i already had. Another key is to look for soft spots. Are there black spots appearing on interior walls?

There are specialists who can look for mold problems, but another good possibility is to look for something dead and decomposing in the walls or the ceiling. I'd bet on something large enough to smell, perhaps a raccoon. Second choice might be a family of squirrels or other small animals. Had you heard noises in the walls or ceilings? Those things that go bump in the night are animals.

In any event, there are animal removal specialists. Find a GOOD one. They can figure out where it is and how it got in, and if they know what they are doing, can even arrange to prevent such an event from recurring.


what's the easiest way to fix this door?

You can replace the door or purchase a new skin and glue it on. A buddy of mine has quite a few rentals and when doors are damaged like yours he pulls the pins and knob , lays the door on a pair of saw horses runs a bead of adhesive around the Premier then a x in the center and drops the skin on and clamps until the adhesive is dry. Then he uses a router with a bearing tip to trim the edge and cut the door knob hole. This actually makes the door stronger and usually the skin is thin enough where  trim adjustment is not needed but some times the trim adjustment is needed. It sounds like a lot of work but it can be done in about an hour and is much cheaper than a new door and takes less time than setting new hinges and installing the door knob.


Hoover windtunnel bagless vacuum stopped spinning only when it is not on upright position

It is possible that the belt has stretched or worn to the point that it is unable to spin the brush whenever the brush has to push against the carpet. Often in these conditions the belt may very well be able to spin the brush freely when the brush is not trying to push against anything.

Belts can also get old and hard with a glazed surface that prevents the motor shaft from getting a good grab against the belt. When you install a new belt you may note the difference in the rubbery grab of the new belt to the motor shaft.

So with that said - do try a new belt.


What can/should be done to mitigate asbestos danger after a disturbance?

Professional air monitoring is the first step: expect a bill in the range of $500 (a technician stays on site for the entire hour or so test).  A little compressor draws air into a sampling can, which is analyzed in a lab.  They physically look for captured fibers and can find a single fiber in a sample.

Asbestos removal is surprisingly expensive, and must be done by a licensed firm (at least in the USA).  In California USA I was quoted $750 in tipping fee alone for one square foot of asbestos paper, though a bigger firm can combine with other jobs.  Everything is registered and tracked.  As usual get multiple bids: you may have trouble finding a firm willing to clean up after someone else's mess.  The full procedure involves huge quantities of plastic, creating a negative air pressure zone where the worek is done.


On the plus side, the people who did your ductwork made an attempt to seal it! On the minus side, they used tape instead of mastic. Tape can come off, as you've discovered. If you really want to do an A+ job, seal those joints with a generous application of mastic. It's basically a sort of putty-like substance intended for duct sealing.


How would I, or how much would it cost, to remove this stone pond?

This is called a grotto, it's essentially a shrine to the Virgin Mary.  Since it is not a structure designed to support anything more than the rocks and contain the water, the concrete is most likely just an inche or two thick and easily busted up with a sledge hammer.

The statue has value to a Catholic, you might want to put an add in Craig's List and offer the rocks and statue free to anyone for busting it up and hauling it away.


How to tighten a pipe while keeping it at specific angle?

Your picture doesn't quite give enough information. I think you are saying that whatever that box is (a water heater?) connects to a threaded pipe coming out of the wall. Am I right?

If so, the other end of that pipe is probably also threaded. Remove the water heater, then use a pipe wrench to remove the threaded pipe from the wall. Get a new pipe that is a bit longer.

FYI- Teflon tape isn't a sealant. The Teflon reduces the friction so that the joint can be tightened further than it could without.


Is it possible to store air compressor filled without damage from water?

Pressure tanks are usually steel, steel is somewhat flexible, it stretches a bit when filled, if the tank is left full it can shorten the life of the tank, I used to have a small scuba shop and did tank inspections as required annually, with hydrostatic testing every 5 years , the recommended pressure for long term storage for all tanks was 500 psi this is for tanks that range from 2200-3500 psi working pressure. I once purchased 4 steel tanks that had been sitting for close to 15 years at 3300 psi they were 3000 psi tanks, I dumped the air and had them hydrostaticly tested in fact all 4 tanks passed by enough to get the + rating that allowed them to get the 10% over fill. After that I did not pay much attention to that guide line but did tell my students the guideline and my experience so Can it be left full sure it may shorten the life of the tank , just make sure to blow the water out of the tank prior to letting it sit full of air.


Do I need to remove the oxide coating from steel before painting?

Red or black oxide is essentially a primer. It does help prevent rust a bit in the short term. I'd degrease, sand a bit if needed, re-prime, and paint. No need to strip the steel bare.


should 30 yr old home have some/all breakers replaced with AFCI /GFCI? If so, which ones?

An AFCI is more a protection from "fire issues" than anything you'd typically associate with "having electrical issues."

NEC allows use of NM cable in residences. NM cable is sadly prone to being gnawed at by rodents, and rodents are sadly prone to be in houses, even nice ones. Some folks estimate that a human is rarely more than 15 feet from some form of rodent (mouse, rat, squirrel etc.) I've seen multiple-feet-long sections of NM cable gnawed back to copper in remodeling jobs, and those were live, operational, and not having any electrical issues - because the copper had not touched the next bit of copper in the cable yet. IF a solid connection was formed between them, you'd expect a breaker to trip. But if something not as robust made a connection, you could get a hot plasma carrying current between the conductors without necessarily drawing more current than the breaker was rated for - and that hot plasma can set anything combustible on fire.

An AFCI is looking for the "signature" of a plasma discharge, and some of the early ones were rather terrible at discerning the difference between a fault and a brushed motor, which has tiny arcs between the brushes and the rotor. I believe they are somewhat better now.

People who should STRONGLY consider AFCI retrofitting when not required by scope of other work requiring code updates would be those with 15 & 20 amp circuits on the problematic old Aluminum wiring (1960's era, vaguely) that is a particular fire hazard, and those with other "very elderly and suspect" wiring. Lacking those signature items, consider it, sure, but how critical it is will be a personal call, possibly influenced by your level of thinking your house is utterly rodent-free or otherwise.

Other things can cause arcs, such as poorly done work (loose wire-nuts, using backstab connections) or the classic 'nail into a cable' when it does not trip the breaker.


Can flow rate (or pressure) at the end increase if the diameter of pipe increased and then gradually reduced along the way?

Reducing the pipe diameter progressively would not increase the pressure nor flow rate at the tap. The idea is based on a nozzle at the end of a hose giving rise to a high speed jet of water. The nozzle actually reduces the flow rate (volume/time) through the hose and so increases the pressure just before the nozzle. This gives a higher velocity stream but lower flow rate. I assume what you want is a higher flow rate from your faucet.
Notice: I think I am right on my claim in the above, but frankly I am not sure. See edit below*.
You would get a higher flow rate from the faucet if you remove (unscrew) the aerator on the end of the faucet. This is a flow restrictor. Increasing the head would also increase pressure and flow rate.
*EDIT
The most basic formula for laminar (smooth) flow of water in a circular cross section pipe is Poiseuille's equation. To paraphrase, this states that the volume flow rate for an incompressible fluid is equal to the applied pressure times the cross sectional area of the pipe divided by (the length of the pipe times viscosity times 8). This means that progressively decreasing the diameter of the pipe would decrease flow and not increase it.


How do I patch sections of polyurethane coating on a hardwood floor?

I have had repairs done on oak floors that resulted in refinishing small areas.  It looks remarkably good.  The process is straightforward: sand the area, clean it with a solvent afterwards (denatured alcohol), apply polyurethane, let dry.

Use solvent based polyurethane and get the same finish type (gloss, satin, etc.) and apply a few thick coats.


How do I frame walls on an uneven concrete slab?

You could lay your top and bottom plate, then measure and cut each stud. But since it's not structural you can prefab your wall a little short of your finished dimensions and then shim under each stud. Either way a chalk line and a laser really help


What are some causes/solutions for poor drainage?

Since all of your drains are slow, you could have blocked or broken connection to the sewer system. There are companies you can hire that will come in and put a camera down the drain pipe so you can see blockages or breaks. It's been quite awhile since I had it done, so I can't remember exactly what it cost, but it seems like it was $200-$300.


I don't think it would be possible to have a device to prevent a typical thermo-siphon arrangement, as the circulation path is the same as the normal path that heated water takes from tank to point of use. If the arrangement is not set up properly then you might not get circulation (i.e. check valve at return line).

Picture stolen shamelessly from the internet.


Should I use a wire or soft sponge to clean a solder tip?

I use a semi-soft wet sponge along with the brass wool; the brass wool is good for  removing excesses of solder from the iron's tip, while the wet sponge is better at getting oxidized crud off.  As an aside, you need to be very careful when sanding tips; many cheap tips are plated and aggressive sanding will destroy that plating, rendering the tip worthless.


It would be helpful to know what devices were powered by the black / yellow / red wires.  Providing more information will make it easier for others to help you.  It would also be helpful to know if you are working in a 120V environment (USA) or 240V environment.

I would attempt to identify the hot and neutral wires with a volt meter.  This is the minimum.  If you do not have experience working with volt meters, I suggest that you find someone that does to help and provide safety guidance.

It would not surprise me if the red and black potential difference was 120V (assuming you are in the USA).  Drawing a diagram is helpful to understanding the wiring system.


Contractor not using thin set between sub floor and cement board

This is a subjective question. Here are the factors as I see them:

Hardi apparently doesn't require mortar under its cement board if it's screwed down properly. The guide referenced above seems to be more suggestion than warranty requirement. If the fastener schedule provided is followed closely, problems are not likely to occur. However, a mortared system will be more rigid, potentially reducing tile and grout cracks between floor joists.
Your subfloor is OSB, so it's questionable whether a mortar bond is wise at all. OSB is widely considered to be unsuitable as a tile substrate due to its tendency to swell and delaminate from moisture, but this is a bit different. It may have worked out with no ill effects. The mortar would serve to prevent any gaps between the layers of the substrate system, improving stability.
Your contract apparently doesn't stipulate mortar in this case. With Hardi's blessing, you probably have no legal standing to insist on mortar.

In my opinion, you'll probably be satisfied with the results if only screws are used. It's difficult to predict how much floor movement will occur with the information provided. That said, a mortar bond would generally be considered a higher-quality installation.

In the end, the decision comes down to your willingness to settle for 95% quality or to deal with the dispute between yourself and your contractor.


An "upper limit" or "high limit" in a forced-air furnace is generally intended as a safety device, not for ordinary use to stop the burner. The thermostat controls of a properly designed system will only stop the burner when the room temperature reaches the desired temperature. In other words, the furnace should run constantly, with fan air-flowing, until the thermostat shuts off the burner.

The fan may have a dirty filter, closed registers or other obstructions that restrict the airflow and trigger the safety of the upper-limit switch. The system may be too large for the target living spaces. A gas-fueled fire may be burning overly hot for some reason. A good technician may assist in pinpointing the exact cause of a high-limit problem.

In many systems, such switches require a manual reset and can only be reset once without knowing additional "magic", to avoid untrained homeowners from bypassing the built-in safety.


How can I figure out cordless drill terminal polarities?

Based on an Instructables article about rebuilding a Black and Decker battery, it would appear they have chosen to use the outside terminal for positive and the inner terminal for negative.

In another part of the article, he shows another brand of battery that has a very similar terminal but the connectors are in a different position.  It's easy enough to just move the terminals as needed.

Of course, this might not be true for 100% of the B&D line, but it's pretty good evidence.


How can I make the surfaces of tile and drywall flush?

Tile and drywall is not supposed to be flush.  Yours looks a little off because you have not put a row of bullnose tile to round into the drywall.


Should I go with a stainless steel or copper based tankless water heater?

Instead of focusing on the materials, you should focus on the significant differences between condensing and non-condensing units.

Condensing units are more efficient but can be more difficult (read: expensive) to install as a retrofit because they generate acidic condensate (water) and you have to be able to get rid of that water. This is a big deal if they are installed inside the home, maybe less of a big deal with an exterior installation. This being said, there are standard solutions for the problem.

Non-condensing units are less efficient but you do not have the condensate issue mentioned above.

Both types require a different venting system then your traditional tank heater. Condensing units exhaust cool vent gases and can be vented with cheap PVC pipe. Non-condensing units exhaust hot acidic gas and must be vented with special corrosion-resistant vent piping.

Manufacturers require that their units be installed by qualified persons. I would suggest (I know this is a DIY site, but...) that you consult with a qualified installer, as they would be able to outline the difficulties and cost differences between the two types in your specific circumstances.


How to choose location for kitchen rough-in plumbing

Production cabinets are made in standard sizes. If you can make some general decisions about what the future kitchen layout might look like then you can forecast reasonable locations for the plumbing.
First is to decide the shape of the future kitchen. Would it be a single-wall layout, L shape, U shape, peninsula..?
In the US kitchen base cabinets are generally offered in 3-inch increments from 9 to 42 inches wide. Drawer stacks are commonly 15 or 18 inches but sometimes as narrow as 12 or as wide as 21 or 24. Ordinary box cabinets are probably most commonly 18-36 inches wide. A full size sink would usually sit above a 36 inch sink base, but because this is a secondary kitchen space may be tight and you might plan for something narrower.
You've mentioned that the cabinetry would run along an 8 foot long wall and is near a corner. Because it's a small kitchen a narrow sink of 30 inches or less may be appropriate/proportionate. My personal thought is that a sink at either end of the 8 feet would be unpleasant to use so plan on the sink base being the second cabinet from either end.
Assuming a one-wall layout I suggest the 8 foot space be divided into four cabinets: 27 inch, 30 inch sink base, 24 inch, 15 inch drawer stack. There are only a few ways to arrange these. I'd put the 27 inch in the corner and the 30 inch sink base beside it. Then the sink would be centered about 42 inches from the corner and the plumbing could be roughed in near there. You'd still have some flexibility to go 3 inches wider or narrower with that first cabinet as well as with the sink base.


Upgrading Doorbell Transformer for Ring Doorbell Pro

For my Ring Pro, I hooked one wire (the red) to the leftmost screw and the white wire to the rightmost for 24v. It's worked fine for a few years now.


If the kitchen light(s) are tripping the GFCI then there is a problem in one of the lights. They should work just fine on GFCI whether connected to 3-ways or not.

Do not ignore the problem.

Track it down and repair it. The reason GFCI's or circuit breakers trip is because something is broke (technical term). This is your first sign of a problem. Ignore it at your own, and your family's, peril. The next sign could be someone hurt or a fire.

Good luck!


How do I make channels in plaster for electric lines?

Channelling chisel on SDS drill.

For short runs a brick bolster works reasonably well (and produces much less dust)

Deeply scoring the plaster with a knife beforehand to define the edges of the channel may help to prevent large irregular chunks being removed.


Is there a paint sprayer suitable for both large areas (exterior) and finish work (cabinets)?

There are several good professional grade airless paint sprayers out there at reasonable prices. The base unit is the airless pump and the different nozzles used in the sprayer head make the difference in the style of application.  The spray pattern and volume the nozzle allows as well as the types of paint or stain it can handle determines how it can be used on different projects.

I for example have a Graco Pro LTS17. I have a variety of tips that range from 14 inch wide high volume which makes shooting out a house a one day job, down to much finer spray tips that shoot properly thinned cabinet enamels in very tight patterns.  One of the advantages of this type of pump sprayer is that you can feed product directly from a 1 gal or 5 gal can.

As with all sprayers, using the right paints/stains for the job and thinning them with Flotrol for latex or mineral spirits/linseed for certain oil based products makes all the difference on how the sprayer preforms and how well the product covers.

i kick myself for not having used one years ago. Once I started using mine a few years back, projects for painting a house exterior, decks with hundreds of spindles, priming new construction drywall, and refinishing wood cabinets became so much easier, faster and with not that much practice, a very nice finish.

Don't go cheap. Be sure whatever unit you buy is versatile and accepts all the tips you need for your varied projects.


Does my Remote Light bulb use power when not turned on?

Yes, but we're talking minimal usage. The bulb has to listen for your remote so it's using something.


Keep it Easy
If you're not looking for a specific finish, and just want something shiny and better than what's there now, and given it's the attic stairs and not your Grand Entrance:  I recommend you start with an easy approach.

Sand the stairs down with an orbital sander.  Go for 80/20 approach, stop sanding when it looks pretty good. That will take about a day. Don't spend another week making it 99%.
Apply two coats of tinted water-based polyurethane.  That's another day but mostly just waiting.

Very little effort, very little money, and it'll look pretty nice.   Then you can spend a year perusing woodworking sites, watching youtube videos and historical renovation sites to see if there's something you like better.


half of the electricity is out in my house. Breakers not tripped. Reset Main breaker...nothing happened.

It sounds like one of the two legs feeding your house died. Inside your panel, the slots for the circuit breakers alternate like so (full explanation of circuit breaker panels

Your power company will connect two wires to this box via the meter. Most likely one of the wires has gone bad. In my case, a wire between the transformer (underground) had gone out. They used something called a dry transformer to get us service on both legs until they could repair the damaged wire.


When will drilling through wall members affect structural integrity?

Just found this useful document (direct link to PDF) on the web. It explains in a much clear manner than I can, plus it contains some good, easy to read diagrams.

Notching & Boring Guide for Floor Joists & Stud Walls in Conventional Light-Frame Construction by Western Wood Products Association


COAX to RCA adapter

You could get a "Y" adapter but it doesn't matter because you are getting mono.  The Y would just split the mono in two.

For stereo it is doable but the only thing I know is S/PDIF - so search for a COAX to S/PDIF adapter.

Either way I wouldn't spend a lot of money on adapters.  You are getting mediocre end product no matter what you spend.  Go to the local radio shack and enjoy your music today.


how to achieve a reduction of noise of -60 dB in as little thickness as possible of insulation material?

Think about what you are hoping for. A 10dB reduction means reducing the sound power by a factor of 10. Dropping the sound power by 60dB therefore means reducing it by a factor of 1 million, or stopping 99.9999%

To put this in context, this is equivalent to building a wall that blocks 100% of the sound, (let's say the wall is 9' tall by 10' wide), and then leaving a 1/8" diameter hole in it.

See also the wikipedia article on sound transmission class, which suggests that typical interior wall construction gives STC 33, and that STC 45 is sufficient for loud speech to be inaudible. STC 45 can be achieved with double layer of 1/2" drywall on each side of the partition, over wood studs with batt insulation in the wall.


Should I drain my winterized pool after a large rainstorm?

Yes, you will need to drain, perhaps multiple times depending on the amount of rain/snow you get.  I bought a Wayne PC4 pump to remove excess water (Caveat: I made a mistake and used it with my saltwater pool, so it's rusting).

Your mesh cover manual will provide guidance on the height of your cover relative to the water level.  If you drain too much, the mesh cover can tear under heavy snow.  I have a Meyco and it says about 18".  But in my case, I keep the pool at about 13" below the level of the mesh covers, which gives me 5" of clearance on my skimmers.


how to wire a light with only 2 wires available?

You only need two wires. The earth, or ground, wire is a safety measure should something go wrong with the wiring inside, exposing a live wire. Older homes don't even have such a thing throughout the home and often include a three prong electrical outlet through "updating" without wiring up the ground connection.


How do I connect my kitchen sink sprayer

What it looks like is you shove the hose in, then pull the plastic clip outwards to lock it in. If water sprays out of it, you need new o-rings. If the hose shoots out, either that's not the clip, or some of the plastic is chipped making an unreliable lock.

If this isn't the case, could you tell us what you've done to try and fix it already and what moving parts you see? Perhaps a photo of the top of the faucet may help too


My last house had all sorts of awful water issues like this, so I feel your pain...

In a flash-flood type situation, there isn't much that you're going to do with a pump. You didn't describe the terrain too much, but you need to find a way to redirect some of the water  in a different direction. If you have gutters that empty in the area, direct the water further away from the house.

Other things that may help:

Remove paved or other water-impervious areas.
Plant vegetation that will absorb water flow. Google "rain garden"
Build a French drain around the area.
If it makes sense, dig a drywell.

When municipal systems have issues with flash-flood rain, they install cisterns to capture some of the overflow if redirection can't work.


How to secure outlet boxes to studs when running surface mount EMT

Don't look at device boxes, which are one gang, two gang, etc.  Handy boxes are OK for a switch or etc. but not what I'd use here.   I wouldn't want plastic faceplates for shop use, even though the nylon ones are pretty durable.
You want 4x4 boxes

and raised industrial covers

The 4x4 (aka 4-square) boxes will have the holes where you want them.  You can get raised covers for a single duplex receptacle, two duplex receptacles, single round receptacles, GFCI receptacles, just about anything you want.
They look good, and they are extremely durable.


Why does my fluorescent light fixture take minutes to turn on in high heat and humidity?

By the sound of things you must be using the older ballasts with a starter plug. These ballasts cause flickering of the bulb and this constant flickering causes damage to the ballast itself.

The ballast has to generate a very high voltage to "spark" the tube. Once the tube is glowing the ballast can relax and give a constant power output. The state between changing from high output to regulated is very stressful for the components and the starter plug is also responsible for handling this change.

Tubes need to be replaced every 12-24 months because the gas inside the tube loses it health properties even though it still emits light. So technically it becomes bad for your eyes because it starts to produce unwanted UV light.

I would suggest removing the old light fitting and buying a new one and INSIST on an electronic ballast. The electronic ballast does not need any starter plugs and handles the initial output voltage much better. It does not cause flickering (but if there is a problem it just does not turn on). These ballasts MUST match the wattage of the tubes. Higher or lower wattage will result in shortened life of the tube or not turn on at all.

The electronic ballast will not be influenced by humidity or temperature that much. It just runs.

The differences...


Would you expect a plumber to put up plastic to contain dust for a basement bathroom rough-in?

I will tackle this from three ways.

I work as a general contractor when doing flips.  I would hope to remember to put up plastic or block off areas.  First because I do not want things in other areas to get damaged and secondly because I can allocate someone I am paying $15 an hour to do this.
If I didn't think ahead... I don't have 1 plumber out of the 5-6 I use that would ever let this happen.  First they would get fired on the spot.  Second they are just good guys that care about their job.  They would give me a call and say "Hey you don't have this area ready, you want me to wrap it for you?"  And often they are chuckling because they know their time is 5-6 times what I would pay someone else.  I might tell them $40 for a wrap - but guess what they would do it anyway.
In my area if there was work done to part of your house that caused damage to another part then the person doing the work would be held liable.  I have seen your EXACT case happen and it ruined not only electronics but also expensive clothing.  This plumber could be sued.  Unless he stated in his contract that his job could expand into other areas and things could get damaged unless XYZ happens - he is liable.  That is why he is bonded.

My last point.  Why the hell would a plumber be doing the jackhammer rough-in by himself?  I always hire a laborer to help plumber with this and sometimes two guys.  It is not rocket science to bust up concrete and it certainly isn't plumbing.  These laborers would have covered things.  I know if I am in someone else's home doing work that keeping their house clean is #1.  You should be really pissed and this is 50% on the plumber and 50% on the GC.  If the GC is paying the plumber he is liable to fix your damages.  Depending on your relationship with him I might just bring up the issue and then try to resolve it after the job is over - and hopefully before your last check to him.

Note: And this is me ranting because of the lack of accountability that the other answers seem to have for the trades...  It is NOT the homeowners responsibility to have expertise in how you will do things or how "things work".  If a plumbing rough-in needs to be done the owner has to completely understand the method of excavating?  Also give me 2 20-year-old guys and a few sledgehammers and we can rough-in a basement bathroom 40 feet away from stack in 4 hours with minimal dust.  How the hell is a homeowner supposed to know what might happen when an expert is doing their job.  If they understood everything they wouldn't need the expert!


How can I identify the brand name of bathtub?

There should be an access panel of some type, to get to the electrics. Start by looking within that compartment. At the very least, there should be a label on the motor (nameplate). If you send that information to the plumber, it should give them a clue.


If your loads are evenly spread across two legs, i don't see any problem on using 80A double-pole breaker, just size wires properly. You'll have two 80A legs. But using 100A breaker on main panel will be better (it'll allow you to load the legs not perfectly even)


A couple of options
1 Look for metal legs for example these (perhaps too ornate) ones

2 a pair of legs made custom for those large square holes near the front.
Either way add basin brackets with spacers at A plus adhesive at B.

You need front legs.  People will lean or even sit on it.


How far from the water intakes and drain do the receptacles for a stackable washer/dryer have to be and does code require a GFI?

The 2017 NEC does not specify minimum separation. In a dwelling unit 125v receptacles in laundry areas require GFCI protection. In other than dwelling units laundry areas are not specified, but within 6' of a sink 150v to ground or less single phase receptacles 50A or less and 3 phase receptacles 100A or less also requires GFCI protection. (Each leg of a 240v circuit is less than 150v to ground.)


Can a wifi thermostat to control milivolt operated fireplace?

No problem.

First, the furnace must be designed to have an external millivolt thermostat.   A millivolt thermostat is a very simple creature, it has 2 wires going to it, and it shunts those to call for heat.

Second, the smart 'stat will need a 24V power supply.  This is available from any $15 thermostat transformer, such as many designed to mount in junction box knockouts or on the cover of a junction box.  The 24V wires go to R and C on the smart 'stat.  It goes without saying, this smart stat will not work with the power out.

The smart 'stat cannot directly talk to the millivolt furnace.  However since a millivolt 'stat simply shunts the two wires, a relay can be used to shunt those same two wires.  The NO contacts of the relay go to those two wires.   The coil winding of the relay goes to W and C on the smart 'stat.

And that's it.

Now one more thing.  A wonderful feature of most millivolt furnaces is that they are able to run normally when the AC power is knocked out.  It's the difference between shelter in place, or needing a hotel room.  ** Now, the smart stat will lose its 24VAC when the AC power fails, so it will not be able to command the relay to turn on.   For that reason, leave an analog millivolt stat in parallel with the relay.  Set it to 40F so it stays out of the way, then when you need it, you can set it to your desired temp and it will shunt the wires and make the furnace kick.

** Difference between your pipes freezing or not.   (As if anyone would install a millivolt furnace in the snowbelt, ha ha, they are all used in Florida and California of course.  You can't even buy them in the snowbelt, nobody carries them and your HVAC guy doesn't know what they are).


How can I remove chalk line stain and clean concrete residue?

Mix CLR and water and apply to the chalk line.  Brush with a stiff brush, wipe up the residue, and rinse.  Works perfectly every time, for me at least.