You have broken it, buy another and get one with a higher maximum so it does not break again.

It has either broken or popped the Bourdon tube or cracked / broken the gearing...


Is roloc abrasive available in an elongated cylinder / tube shape?

Roloc is primarily an attachment system for quick-change of abrasive pads/discs.

The (usual) abrasive material attached to those mounts is "non-woven abrasive" (which you might know a specific example of by the trademarked brand-name Scotch-Brite®.) It comes in many grades/grits as with most abrasive products. They are commonly color-coded, but color codes may not be consistent across different manufacturers.

Searching for "non-woven abrasive drum" (as in drum sander) or "non-woven abrasive flap-wheel" may yield results that will function as you want, but they won't click into a Roloc mount, as far as I'm aware (I've never seen one that does, anyway.)

I did happen across "Roloc Bristle Discs" when researching this answer, which might work for some applications.


Why did my leaking pool light trip the circuit breaker, but not the GFCI?

An underwater GFCI doesn't matter

That is to say, it doesn't perform any useful function underwater. It does nothing to prevent the water from being electrified, which is its one job.   Here's how a GFCI is laid out.

As you can see, if water can get to the "Line" side of the device, then it electrifies the water.  And the GFCI cannot do a thing about it.

So this is a lost cause. I really don't care whether your friend thought he saw a GFCI down there; if it exists it is useless.

Besides, having a "test" button in such an inaccessible location is a blatant code violation. It simply makes no sense, unless it's a holdout from the early days of GFCI requirements - maybe it's something the light manufacturer put in there to CYA.  Regardless: treat it as if it doesn't exist.

GFCI and overcurrent are different things

A breaker trips on overcurrent, when the total current flow exceeds the breaker limit by a wide enough margin or a long enough time. (breaker trip curves are pretty generous).

A GFCI actively looks for current differential on the two conductors. When it detects a small amount (8ma) of unequal current, that means current is seeking a third path, and it trips.

While they both relate to current, that is the end of the similarities.

That said, if the breaker is a combo GFCI+breaker device, it may seem like an overcurrent trip.  You have to pay close attention to its indications to see whether you are dealing with a GFCI or overcurrent trip. If it is a GFCI breaker, it will have a TEST button.

Otherwise if the breaker tripped, it's because either a massive amount of current flowed, or the circuit was mildly overloaded for awhile. This could simply be from too many appliances plugged into the circuit.

GFCI protection is required for pool circuits

As said, the GFCI units underwater don't count.  Every circuit within 6 feet of the water (length of a common appliance cord) needs GFCI protection.  Fortunately any GFCI device can confer GFCI protection to devices down-circuit of it.  At extremes, a GFCI+breaker protects the whole circuit.

So the right way to protect the circuit with the pool lights is find a point along that circuit before it nears the pool, and fit an appropriate GFCI device there.  E.G.

a receptacle not likely to be splashed with water,
inline in GFCI-only (deadfront) devices,
part of a GFCI+receptacle+switch combo device
a GFCI breaker to replace the regular breaker.

Alternately, make the pool lights low-voltage DC

12 volt DC power is incapable of shocking swimmers. Old incandescents draw too much current for that to work with existing wiring, but LED is so efficient that it works fine at 12V on existing wiring.  So why have special devices which require constant testing to protect swimmers from shock, when you can moot the entire point by switching to 12 volts DC?

I recommend fitting a 12VDC power supply at least 6' from the pool and running all the pool lighting on that, using LED.  This also means you never need to change another bulb.  It's even possible to do it using existing fixtures, since they make Edison base LED replacements that are 12 volts DC.


Can water-damaged drywall be repaired, or does it have to be replaced?

The risk would be that the compound wouldn't bond to the scraped-away area, or that the remaining drywall would crumble over time. It would be much better to cut out the area and patch it, and it wouldn't be that much more work.

If you do decide to try it though, you might want to use some fiberglass mesh tape to reinforce the patch.


How can I separate two panels bonded with urethane glue?

A saw, a chisel, or brute force. Cured polyurethane glue is largely impervious to solvents, and if there are any exceptions to that, they are probably absurdly hazardous to people.

If you don't actually want the small piece, setting up a router jig to plane it off the painting would be a relatively tidy/controlled way of removing it.


Depends what you have to work with, pier/post wise.

Also depends how much "fix" you want given that the foundation is moving, unless it was just poorly built at the start.

If you have enough extra post above where the rough 2x10's are bolted in, you support, unbolt, level (slowly....) then drill and rebolt.

If not, you can do the same, but lower all to match the lowest one, trimming off the post tops if they don't have room to move up.

Alternatively, you could probably "sister" the piers/posts so that you could raise the 2x10's

If you actually want to address the inadequate footings, you have to support the house, then remove and rebuild the footings and piers. Which is quite a bit more work...


The valve that worked was the round blue one underneath (and not the black ones). At first it was hard to turn, but it finally opened and the pressure went back up. Once it got to 1.5 I fully closed it and it now works.


Can I reuse the aluminum feeder wire when I replace a sub-panel?

That sub has a laundry list of issues.  It probably has to go.

First, it can't be in a space unless it can be walked to by an erect human being, who can stand up, and there's a never-blocked space 30" wide x 36" deep x 78" tall in front of the panel.   Crawlspaces are Right Out unless "crawlspace" is slang for an underfinished part of your basement.

Generally the best place for panels is in mandatory pathways that cannot be blocked with stuff, such as hallways or entrance thresholds.  Because that required working space overlaps with the pathway space which is already reserved, and it is unlikely to be blocked in since it's a practical pathway.

Second, it's wired "3-wire" with 2 hots, a neutral, and no ground.  First, there needs to be a ground wire (this could be retrofit if the location wasn't prohibited), and second, neutral needs to be entirely separate from ground.  Not sharing a bar.

You can retrofit an accessory ground bar in those panels which don't include them from the factory.  You can force-fit them anywhere by drilling and tapping #10-32 or 8-32 screws, but the manufacturer usually leaves you some holes perfectly spaced, formed and pre-tapped for their ground bars. Ground bars are one of the few things that are OK to mix-n-match across panels, but then the holes won't line up, and they're so cheap that who cares?

A ground could be retrofit normally, but since this panel location is no good, the panel must be moved anyway.  So you can't upcycle this cable for a new panel installation - you'll have to run modern 4-wire including ground.

Third, this panel is much too small to be useful. It's likely that a lot of projects were not pursued because of the lack of sufficient spaces to support them.  Aim for a 24 or 30 space.  It's OK if the panel ampacity exceeds the feed breaker, just as it's legal to drive 70 mph on 130-mph-rated tires.


Will silicone caulk seals affect the bond of mortar and tiles to backer board?

Your silicone seals should never be wider than about 1/2", and you should avoid smearing caulk onto the face of the backer board. Your mortar and tile will span those small gaps without an issue. Keep in mind that the boards should all be securely fastened to the framing such that there's no movement with respect to each other.


Upstairs wooden floor, covered in glue after removing tiles. Advice?

You gotta do what you gotta do. But before you knuckle under and decide to start ripping out the floor boards do a little investigation. If the floor boards extend out under the lower plate of the wall (especially load bearing walls) you will want to reconsider outright removal as remediation at the walls can be very problematic. Get yourself a good chisel or two, a heavy hammer and some ear protection and go at it. It often takes good old labor and hours of time to achieve what you want.

If the glue is hard and dry it is sometimes not that problematic to remove with wide sharp chisel to get the biggest parts off and then use a scraper to remove the rest. A heavy duty floor sander can also be used to remove dried glue but often the heat generated by sanding will soften the glue to the point that it just gums up the heavy grit sand paper.


I was able to reuse hose by just replacing the o-ring.


Much beautiful furniture has been made of Walnut over the past centuries. I see no reason why it wouldn't be an excellent choice for your table.


How should I center a light fixture when there's a vent stack in the way?

Throw four 45s at it and get vent out of the way.  Mount new work box in center.  Use Acme cable stretchers ;-).

How to mount new box, you ask?  How about toenailed jack stud floor to ceiling.


Can you? Sure. Should you? Nope. It's probably not legal and there's a good chance you'll end up with a poop-smelling house and a completely explicable headache.


Why do my LED Christmas lights glow when plugged into a light fixture via an adapter?

If the switch is a dimmer, remote operated switch, or a switch with a neon backlight, it may allow a small amount of leakage power even when off. It's not enough power to light an incandescent light, but it may be enough to dimly light led lights.


How can I safely put a plug on an old furnace motor that has just two wires

You shouldn't just attach a plug directly to the leads coming off a motor.

Mount the motor in or to the rest of the machine, and assuming it's metal, this establishes a grounding bond between them. You can then mount a small junction box, and terminate the wires from the motor in there. Be sure there is continuity from the motor housing to the junction box -- it may be necessary to add a ground wire for this purpose, especially if the motor itself has a ground lug. Grounding all the metal parts of the machine is important for safety. If there is a short, without a ground, anyone that touches an energized metal part will be electrocuted. With a ground, the electricity will follow the path of least resistance (the ground conductor, instead of the human touching it) and in most cases, enough current will flow that within milliseconds the upstream fuse/breaker will trip and the power will shut off.

To add a plug, use some SJO-type wire (that has two conductors plus ground) and connect the ground to the junction box (thus grounding the junction box, housing, and motor housing), and make the connection to hot/neutral in the junction box as well. Your connections should be either wire nuts or a terminal strip of sorts. Be sure to use a strain-relief connector for the SJO. It's also not very hard to find pre-fabricated lengths of SJO with a plug already moulded on the end -- just ensure it is rated to carry the current the motor draws.


What is the easiest way to tear out a bathroom subfloor?

As HerrBag suggested, it's much easier to go through the ceiling below than to open up the floor. Cut open the ceiling back to a joist on each side, do your plumbing repairs there, and install some replacement drywall. You'll have to mud the joints, which is a bit of an art to make them disappear. And then prime/paint your patch.

Trying to tear out the floor from above would require removing everything that's on the floor, it's much more costly to replace the flooring, and structurally you don't want a lot of joints in your subfloor.


How can I install the drain for my reverse osmosis water filter?

I don't see any problem with installing it horizontally on the run between the two sinks. You'll probably need a new slip nut (the part that goes on top of the trap) but otherwise it can probably connect into the existing union that's there now. Just keep the piece that goes to the RO on the top (facing up).


I want to run 75C wire. Can I overcome 60C receptacle ratings with a pigtail?

If you use a j box with terminals rated at 75 you can use the higher 75deg table or even 90 for the main run then the last few feet with the larger wire at the 60 deg table we do this using the 90 deg table running large +500mcm for hundreds of feet then the 75 degree temp for the last 10 feet or so at both ends same thing works for 60 degree table.


Is it safe to plant shrubs or flowers in the soil above my septic tank?

It's not a problem. Your septic tank should be full enclosed and the vent/access pipes should be sealed. It's unlikely that roots from small shrubs will make their way in and cause clogs.


Is it normal for water to drip from a shower head for a bit after a shower?

The "problem" may be that in a shower-only configuration, the only exit path is up. The line may siphon for minutes until an air bubble breaks the siphon.  I see this a lot on hand-held shower wand only setups.  There usually is an anti-siphon valve that breaks and drains the wand line

In a shower-tub or other diverter configuration, @chriscudmore 's suggestion will help purge quicker.

In a new configuration, I'd be tempted to add a water hammer arrestor (though an air admittance valve would make more sense) just above the drop ear elbow that the shower arm attaches to.


Why is my Honda generator running rough, if at all?

These Honda EU engines are known for carburetor issues when they're not exercised regularly. I tend to run mine under a load about monthly. It's quite a common issue in RV circles.
But given that you've already cleaned it, I might look at replacing the fuel pump. Or, honestly, I'd probably swap out the carb for a new one.


I believe it is best to purchase a level of unit that meets the needs of the home.  80% single stage is good for basic heat where the fuel is not too expensive and the climate is not too cold.  More sophisticated technology has higher initial costs and repair costs, so it is not advantageous to go up the efficiency scale unless justified by the fuel savings.  The quiet operation and more even heat distribution that comes with a variable speed 2 stage unit is loved by some homeowners, but again that adds complexity and cost.  Also, 2 stage variable speed does not save much in operating costs.  If one is not sensitive to cost and one wants to buy something fancy to show to the neighbors, I see no fault in that.

I would also say that correct sizing of the unit, correct installation, and a reliable contractor are all much more important than brand.


Can i use two AC sources to power one load?

Yes, but it depends on your inverter. Many of the high quality inverters that have an AC input have a mode just for that. When the generator is running, they will meter how much power is being used and if it exceeds the internal (adjustable) set point power level of the generator, it will "support" the generator. i.e. it will produce just enough power to keep the generator loaded to the set point that you program. When large loads need to be run, the inverter augments (supports) the AC source, adding inverter and battery power to ensure that the loads receive the power they demand.

Outback power calls this mode "support mode," Schneider (previously known as Trace, or Xantrex) calls this mode "Generator Support," Magnum Energy calls it "Load Support."

Note from Outback power support-

  IMPORTANT:
  If the AC loads exceed the amperage limit setting, the inverter will draw energy from the
  batteries. If the loads are sustained, the batteries may discharge to the point of Low
  Battery Cut-Out and the inverter may shut down with a Low Battery error.  To prevent the loss of backup power, load use should be planned accordingly.

The only thing that I see that could be a problem is that you specified that (if I understand you correctly) you wanted it to primarily draw off of the solar, and supplement with the generator. The inverters however are designed to primarily pull off the generator and supplement with the solar/battery power. This is so that you don't drain your batteries too much. Generators are actually much more energy efficient (more power per fuel consumption) when they are loaded down (as opposed to running near idle) so most people will advise to primarily use the generator power while it is running so that your batteries will be closer to full when you turn the generator off. But I guess if you wanted to use more of your battery, you could set the "max generator power" lower so that the inverter offsets more of the power.

Edit based on comments below: Here is a brief illustration to show a way you can do this.
MAKE SURE to have a large enough load. 3kW should be enough but too much is better than too little. Program the inverter into grid interactive mode (I'm not sure what that's called for schneider). Just program it the way the manual says to in order to sell power back into the grid. It won't successfully push any power back into the grid (or generator) because your resistive load will fully consume it. The only hurdle that might arise is finding a high amperage 220 outlet to plug it into for your demonstration. I don't think this method would work with a 1kW generator... just too small to support the load.

P.s. This sounds like a pretty expensive school project but it should work and when you are finished with it you can use all the parts for something useful (except maybe the resistive load).


I want to install a combo switch/outlet to my existing bathroom light switch

No not if there's only 1 cable in the box. That's not Hot and Neutral, but Hot and switch leg.


Replace switch with dimmer for lights on two fans

Yes you can do that. Turn off the power and remove the two wires from the old switch and hook them up to the two terminals of the dimmer.


What are the pros and cons of louvered gutter alternatives?

The Rainhandler Plus might be OK if the ground around your home's foundation slopes at least 1 inch per foot for 6 feet or more and you haven't had water leaks in your basement or home. But you'll find gutter-guard systems that are better at capturing water for far less.

Consumer Reports 2010

My gutters are 3 stories above the ground level (it's a townhouse), so we had Gutterglove installed. It's been a year and we haven't had any problems. I previously had some cheaper screens on my gutters that lasted about 8 years before buckling from leaves (there's a steep hill behind my house so we do get leaves even on a roof that tall).  I haven't had any problem with the gutterglove system, but it also hasn't been long.


How to inspect an apartment before renting?

Maybe it's a good idea to ask people that already live in the building about problems they had and how well does management handles them.


Is it appropriate to sand a hardwood floor with a 20, 60, 100 grit sequence?

I've only refinished two hardwood floors myself but I do know a bit about woodworking given my dozen years of experience as a cabinet maker. The first floor was done with a rental rotary sander. This violates one of the cardinal rules of wood sanding: always sand with the grain. A rotary sander will leave swirl marks and you'll have to spend a lot of time with increasingly finer grits to remove all of the swirl marks. I started with 36 grit which was necessary due to some staining of the oak and progressed through 120 grit in roughly 20 grit increments. This gets expensive fast! The second floor was done with a belt sander like the pros use. You sand with the grain so overall you have less sanding to do since you don't have to remove swirl marks. There are two major caveats with a drum/belt sander. First, the ones from rental places are usually way out of adjustment. Which leads to the second caveat, it really helps to know what you are doing, both for the adjusting and the sanding. Otherwise you end up with lap marks where there are seams between the adjacent passes. Another issue is ending up with a washboard effect. Tread cautiously! There might be some YouTube vids on how to use a drum/belt sander.
To answer your question directly, don't use anything courser that 36 grit and in fact given how good this floor looks you could probably start with 50 or 60 grit. Good luck!


Can I put the burner head in the oven during self cleaning?

The self-clean temperature won't get high enough to melt the metal -- and the burner pieces are subject to pretty high heat anyway.  I have cleaned aluminum and enameled parts in a self-clean cycle and the only time I have had problems is with large surface-area part (think a frying pan or something) -- in this case you might warp the metal by subjecting it to such high heat.  I think the pieces you have will be just fin.


There are two different methods to choose between.

Method 1: pressure switch turns the pump on an off.  This method is most often used when the pump supplies water to more than just your irrigation system, or if you want to have a standard water faucet that always has water on demand.

With this method you need a small storage tank (20-30 gallon, perhaps more depending on the flow rate (how fast the irrigation system can use water) to stabilize pressure and give the system water to use while the pump starts up.  When water use starts, the drop in pressure triggers a pressure switch which starts the pump at min pressure, and the same pressure switch shuts the pump off when pressure reaches a max.  Googling your pump it has a pressure switch attached to the side of the pump.

Method 2: Pump start relay controls the pump.  In this case case your pump will be controlled by the irrigation controller.  Bypass the built on pressure switch on the pump, and use a pump start relay compatible with your irrigation controller instead.  The low voltage side of the relay connects to the master valve/pump start relay terminals on your irrigation controller.  The irrigation controller starts and stops the pump when it runs.  Typically no storage tank is used in this setup.

Method 2 is simpler to install but doesn't allow for on-demand use of water (turning on a faucet).

Hint: Your pump is a dual voltage pump, 120/240.  Wire it up at 240V, it will run cooler, last longer and cost half as much to operate.


Help mounting trimmed hollow bifold doors

You could order doors that are built to fit your openings. They may be more expensive up front, but should be just as strong and durable as standard height doors and not require regular replacing.
You could also reinforce the mounting area by cutting it a bit shorter and installing a bit of metal plate to help take the stress.


What could cause taps for both hot and cold water to suddenly stop working?

The pipes are not likely to be blocked. The problem will most probalby be in the tap. Most taps usually have a aerator before the exit and that could be blocked up from dirt.

To clean the tap there is a tool to remove the aerator but it is not necessary. You can use pliers or a the correct size key.

There is also a helpful video here

And this is what the part looks like when its a bit clogged.

With the clog that you mentioned it must be pretty bad- So when you remove the aerator you will most likely see allot of dirt follow it. Open the taps for a minute to get it out of the system.

This dirt usaully comes from the main water supply so installing a filter for your main supply for the house if a good option to stop this nuisance. There also options to improve the drinking qualities. Ask you local plumber depot for advice.

DIY TIPS

To avoid damaging the aerator body it is a good idea to wrap it with some cloth and gently try to unscrew it. It could be a bit stuck but wiggle it back and forth and should let go easily.
Many aerators  go into several pieces. The can help in cleaning them. Try to remember the order.
The aerator is not mandatory. It helps make the water come out silky and uniform which helps to prevent splashing. You can use the tap without it if it clogs up frequently.


240 Volts - No Neutral Required - How does Power Return to Earth?

Power doesn't want to return to earth.  It wants to return to source.

For natural power, ESD and lightning, yeah, source is earth.  However, for human power, source is the transformer or battery.  So hot wants to get back to neutral or the other hot.

As it happens, there's an equipotential bond to keep the three voltages (240V and neutral in the middle) from getting too high compared to earth.  This bonds neutral to earth. As such, wayward current can work its way through the grounding system, the neutral-ground equipotential bond and back to neutral. But power would prefer neutral or the other hot.


Experiment.  Along one stretch of joint, apply a new layer of your preferred caulk directly over the existing caulk.  If you like the result and the new layer holds up, complete the other walls.  You are most likely to succeed with this approach if you first give the area a really good scrubbing to remove any soap scum.

If the new caulk does not stick, it could be that the old caulk was silicone caulk: nothing truly sticks to silicone (including silicone).

Regardless, if the result is not to your satisfaction, then scrape/peal/clean the joint really well before re-applying new caulk.

FWIW, the guy that did my old bath also used the wrong color caulk. As I get older, I'm learning not to trust contractors to handle any aesthetic decisions. :)

(If, on the other hand, you are asking about grout, then that's a whole other question and likely will involve a dremmel tool and a whole lot of dust.)

UPDATE:

Oh, one more tip while we're at it. If you are wanting to match the caulk to the grout, note that many grout suppliers also sell sanded caulk color-matched to the grout.


How do I find air vents that are covered over with popcorn ceiling?

If the vent pipes are made of iron based metal or any covered over grate is made of similar material you could go hunting with a magnet.


How to adjust when hinge mortises are cut too deep?

1) A couple layers of duct tape on the back of the hinge leaf.

2) A layer or two of paperboard or non-corrugated cardboard scavenged from discarded packaging.

3) Simpson tie plates, trimmed to fit.

4) Apply spots of a thick spackle or wood filler, then install the hinge leaf, compressing the filler to achieve an exact fit. To prevent the hing from adhering to the spackle,  a) wax the back of the hinge leaf with a candle, b) use a layer of kitchen-type wax paper, c) wrap the leaf with kitchen-type plastic wrap.  When dry, remove the the hinge leaf and fill any voids with additional spackle.

Note 1: It's odd to me that there is no word for the opposite of deepening: https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/11047/antonym-of-deepen

Note 2: 'Frenchman' is the term for a piece of wood shaped to fill in a mortise or similar recess. For example, when converting a doorway to a passageway, one fills the hinge mortises and striker plate mortise on the jambs with frenchmen.


I would suggest that you replace the rigid gutter to pipe adapter with a new one. Adjust the downspout as necessary to make it fit.
What you've got now looks like it will restrict water flow because the flex pipe has a dip in it - effectively a shallow P-trap. Not something you want in an rain gutter. Also, if that's not a tight fit between the flex and rigid piping, you're going to end up with dirt and plant life in the buried section and it will end up backing up and flooding this area.
I can't tell from the picture which way the rigid pipe goes once it's underground, but you may have to dig up a few inches of it to move it so it will once again meet up with the downspout and adapter.


Should shingles have bubbles in a new roof?

Bubbles in a roof like this are NOT normal. They indicate a problem underneath. Is it serious? Possibly. It will probably decrease the life of the roof.

The shingles will have been nailed down, so this is not a case of the shingles simply pulling loose. Especially if the roof is soft there, it seems this must be a case of the plywood underneath having gotten wet and as it dried out, then warping and bubbling up underneath. The plywood should have been replaced where there were problems.

Edit: After seeing the interior picture, it looks like there was some water contact there at some time. Is it still happening, or is this old, perhaps when you had the hail damage? I find it useful to use a moisture detector - Wagner Moisture meters. It is something I have for woodturning purposes, but it is useful to resolve problems like this. You may be able to rent one, since it hardly seems worth buying one for one use though.

If there is still moisture there, it is possible that water is still getting in, that the roofer made a mistake somewhere. Water can be insidious that way, getting in the tiniest of cracks.


Why disconnecting one outlet kills power in other outlets?

The evidence gleaned from your question and the conversation in comments strongly suggests that the shorting bar between the top and bottom half of a "partial switched outlet" has not been removed. If it has been already removed from the outlet that you have open then there is a strong possibility that there is another switched outlet on that circuit.
The cable in the switch box with the red wire may very well daisy chain to another outlet box before eventually terminating at the outlet box that you have open. Check all other outlets on that circuit to see if you find a box with the red wire cable both entering and leaving the box. Good chance that the shorting bar at that location has not been removed.


What steps to take in painting this damaged wall?

Did you go too far? I don't think you did. It is best to remove the loose material. I would use some topping compound and fill the area and lightly sand. This will give a normal look. If you just prime and paint it will be visible for years. I use topping mud where I need a thin coat. It sands easier then prime and repaint and you will have a professional looking repair.


It's known as a Spanner Screw. It sometimes is slots, other times two small holes.


Dropped my ring in a shower drainage. How do I get it back?

“Curse us and crush us, my precious is lost!”

Perhaps a -

Endoscope - Inspection Camera - Endoscope camera- Snake Camera

for your phone and a wire bent into a hook ?


What type of wood should I use for a washer/dryer platform?

I assume you must mean a platform (or separate platforms) resting on the floor. I think the commercial steel ones are called pedestals. ("Shelf" suggests attachment to the wall.)

I would use 2x4 frames with 3/4" plywood on top. It could be that 2x2 would work (at least in front) to give more room underneath. If you already have the 2x4s, then lay the front ones on their sides to give more clearance.

A homemade platform might not be able to handle the vibration from the spin cycle of the washer. Washers do sometimes move across the floor. This platform should have a slight raised rim, short enough to permit lifting of the machine onto the platform but tall enough to prevent it from sliding off.  I think lockable casters or at least plastic skids would be a terrifically useful enhancement. One does have to slide these out from time to time.

We have a tall top loader washer which my wife has trouble reaching down into. Think about the appropriate height. Also she cannot easily reach the cut-off valves behind this washer. I had put short extensions on the supply lines when we had a shorter washer and I replaced the original sweated on rubber washer globe valves with ball valves, but longer extensions are what we need now (and I have plenty of room for it) but that's down on my list. If you have room in the box, you might consider whether you should raise the height of the cut-off valves.

Edit

I asked someone who built one of these platforms for his washer and dryer and here are his comments.

I did make it because I thought that the manufactured ones were outrageously expensive.  It is a box constructed with a 2x4 frame and sheathed on 4 sides (I didn't do the bottom and back--but if I ever move it I plan to sheath the back also) with particle board and painted.

The dryer is light enough to lift off.  I move the washing machine by moving it onto a temporary step that I create in front of the platform using the lift and twist approach.  Then I move it onto the floor. (I have access to one side of the washing machine.)  If I had to slide it, I would lift up each side and place a rug under the feet.

Height from floor 17".  Wife at 5'4" tall picked that height. The platform is 5' wide by 38" deep.  The washer sits back 5" from the front and about 3" from the side. There is no lip or foot depression.  The "rubber" cap on the metal feet provides adequate friction to prevent movement.

The commercial metal platforms are built with drawers in them as a selling point. You could fit 12" deep drawers or an open shelf under mine.  My front face provides a lot a structural integrity to prevent racking or vibration of the frame. If you did drawers you would need to compensate for that loss of integrity in the design.


How to caulk stone backsplash to granite countertop?

It looks like a sanded caulk.  The big box stores have these in their tile areas.  I would find something that matches your backsplash grout.


How to install a safety barrier-post in garage, between house and vehicle

You can rent a core drill for under 200 dollars including the dimond bit. You would need to make a substantially larger diameter hole than the pipe because you need concrete around it, not just in it.

This is a picture of a very serious bollard

https://www.concreteconstruction.net/how-to/creating-a-bollard_o

If you are really worried about a teen driver or similar crashing into your bed, go with the example in the picture. A reasonable compromise with a fair amount of stopping power would be 2" pipe in a 6" hole at least a couple of feet deep. Most of the bolt down ones are just for show unless, you get some really serious anchors bolting down through a very thick peice of metal and deep into the concrete spread out on a large bolt pattern.


Help understanding the wiring in this electrical box

OK, so it sounds like Cable 2 is your actual power supply to this circuit.  Black is hot and white is neutral.

Cable 5

goes off to a 3-way switch.  There may also be one or more 4-ways in between the 3way and here.  The 3 wires in  cable 5 are:  (all the way through any 4-ways to the far 3-way):

Always-hot (white, by law, but also requires black tape or sleeving)
Traveler (black; I recommend yellow tape or sleeving)
Traveler (red; I recommend yellow tape or sleeving)

The 3-way's job is to connect always-hot to one or the other travelers.   If there are any 4-ways in the line, they will swap the travelers (or not), alternating which one has always-hot.

The always-hot must be white because neutral is not present, so white is being reused for a hot, and if always-hot is present, it must be the white so it is more clear that it's not neutral.  It also requires the sleeving.

Cable 4

Cable 4 carries the other fork of the 3-way circuit.  Down cable 4, there will be a 3-way switch, as well as any number of 4-way switches; and then at one of those switches, a branch will come off going to the lamp.  The three wires are:

Neutral (white, by law)
Traveler (black; I recommend yellow tape or sleeving)
Traveler (red; I recommend yellow tape or sleeving)

So that pretty much "wraps up with a bow" the cable 2-4-5 relationship.   But now, we've got a problem.

Cables 1 and 3 seem unrelated to the others

If cables 1 and 3 were both downline circuits that got their "hots" from cable 2, I'd be like "Okay, that's normal enough".  But what you seem to be saying is that their hots only connect to each other, not cable 2.   If that's the case, the neutrals mustn't connect, either.

If cables 1 and 3 are shut off by a different circuit breaker than cable 2, then it's absolutely vital they be separated.  You cannot mix neutrals of different circuits!

Granted, you're supposed to clump together all grounds.  But because of this, people often think they can do the same with neutrals.  No.  Nothing prevents both circuits' current from returning on the same neutral (e.g. if one wire broke).  This can cause a 200% overload on the active neutral wire, and what will detect that? Nothing. Neutrals don't have breakers.  Also, it will cause trouble if a GFCI or AFCI breaker is fit to either circuit, because they monitor differential current between wires.

If separation is called for, you might want to just break this out into a totally separate junction box, to reduce further chance of mistake.


What is the proper way to sand live edge piece of wood in preparation for a polyurethane finish?

The reasons to sand before applying finish are to scuff the surface to give the finish something to cling onto, clean the surface of any dirt in the fibers of the wood and to flatten any imperfections.  Poly will generally stick to a good clean surface that is as porous as wood.  I would just go over it with a wire brush to make sure it is clean and evenly scuffed.


You need a junction box or other access every 360 degrees (or rather, no more than 360 degrees between junction boxes or access points.) It's to make it possible to actually pull the wire into the conduit, so embrace it.

Things like an LB count as an access point and are frequently used to make this practical, but where needed, simply inserting a junction box in the run is easy to do - no need to cut wires or make a junction in it, you just need the access.

As for bending, yes, large radius sweeps can be purchased pre-made (real electrical supply .vs. home cheapo, etc.) and yes, you can use heat to bend PVC conduit - I've done it with boiling water, or you can rent the heat blanket type benders. I would not suggest direct flame for bending heat. You do need to take care not to kink the conduit when bending it.


how to run ceiling joists across a 15' room with no ceiling

To span 14' or more with a ceiling joist with an uninhabited attic with no storage, you need 2x6s or larger.  If you want something smaller, you need an engineeered product rated for the span.


Correct wiring of 4-wire cooktop to 3-wire 240V supply

(Building on a ton of comments)

Your cooktop needs two hots + neutral + ground.

Your supply cable has two hots + ground. That is a problem.

The cooktop instructions allow for two hots + neutral, using the neutral for neutral + ground together. This is supposed to be only for old installations (i.e., grandfathered), which is (a) not recommended for safety reasons and (b) likely not allowed in your case anyway. Not an option.

There is, often, an allowed fix (again, supposed for old installations only, but it is safe). That is to retrofit a ground from elsewhere. But that only works if you have two hots + neutral and are missing ground. But you have two hots + ground, and that means the third wire is not insulated (and if it were insulated, it would be green, which is a ground-only color). Not an option.

Unlike ground, you can't pull a neutral from another circuit. That would run the risk of overloading that neutral - and neutrals are not protected by breakers like hots are. Not an option.

I only see 2 options:

Switch for a 240 V only cooktop.
Run a new cable that includes two hots, neutral and ground. Maybe you can run a cable the ugly way - up to the ceiling (i.e., through cabinets) and along the ceiling around to wherever the breakers are? Or use the old cable (depending on how it was installed) to pull a new cable in to replace it.


Two 20 amps GFCI outlets used for kitchen back splash

If your wiring looks like this.

Then it's basically right.  The only thing I'd change, is to use a pigtail for the neutral, instead of the backstab on the receptacle. In fact, this is required by code (300.13(B)).
Depending on the devices you're using, the backstab terminals may only be rated for use with 14 AWG wire.  In which case, the 12 AWG you're using is too big anyway.

National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 3 Wiring Methods
Article 300 General Requirements for Wiring Methods and Materials
300.13 Mechanical and Electrical Continuity — Conductors.
(B) Device Removal. In multiwire branch circuits, the
continuity of a grounded conductor shall not depend on
device connections such as lampholders, receptacles, and
so forth, where the removal of such devices would interrupt
the continuity.


How can I drill conduit hole through plywood firestop I can't reach?

When I come across problems like this I go in from the floor boards above. It can be the same amount of work but leaves the finish and colours of the existing ceiling as you mentioned wanting.


You can do this, especially for rim joists if the house has a basement or crawlspace. In fact, that's the perfect application for this "cut & cobble" approach. For walls it can still work too, and can be especially cost-effective in a situation like yours where you have access to a lot of cheap or free material that's not in board form. You can either cut the pieces loose and seal them to the framing with spray foam, or cut them tight and seal them to the framing with caulk. Your choice. Not a big deal wither way.

There's not much else you'd need to consider. You don't need a vapor retarder like the kraft facer on fiberglass batts. Just make sure you cover it up with drywall on the interior side and that the sheathing on the exterior side is intact and covered with a water-resistive barrier like Tyvek or tar paper. Ideally there would be more rigid foam outboard of the sheathing to cut down on the thermal bridging through the studs, but that's another matter.

Here are some more details on how to do it right: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/cut-and-cobble-insulation


Do tool cross-manufacturer battery adapters work without damaging battery or tool?

Logically, you're correct, but practically, you might run into problems.

For the purposes of this answer, I'm assuming you're only crossing lithium ion batteries from different manufacturers. (Crossing battery chemistries is even more fraught.)

Lithium ion batteries don't like being run down to an extremely low voltage. (This varies subtly by chemistry, so I'll suggest you look up your specifics. You're in the ballpark of 3.2v per cell, which will multiply out to whatever number of cells is in series in the battery.) If you run them "dry", they get damaged internally, and either won't recharge or might (in extreme cases) catch fire. You really don't want lithium ion fires in your life. (Google "Hydrogen fluoride".)

So power tool manufacturers have built a deliberate cutoff circuit in to prevent overdischarge and protect the battery. You'd have to know whether that cutoff circuitry is in the tool or the battery. Crossing manufacturers might leave you without a cutoff circuit. (And I frankly doubt that any cheap adapter has the smarts to have a cutoff, though I could be wrong.)

If you absolutely had to do this, you need to figure out what the cutoff voltage is for your particular battery and be sure that you don't overdischarge your battery. (You need a voltmeter of some description for this.) You also need to use the manufacturer's charger with their battery. (Even if the adapter works on the charger... just don't!)


Is there a way to turn on the air conditioning only on certain days?

If the camp has internet access, you may want to look into a WIFI-controlled thermostat. Most allow you to remotely monitor and control the temperature through a mobile phone app or with a laptop web interface. This will allow you to have the most versatile control over your temperature settings. The only other piece of equipment you'll need to make this work is a compatible wireless router - you won't need to install an entire home automation system.

Otherwise, you need a true 7-day programmable thermostat. Check the specifications on the package, because each one will have different capabilities. The one I have allows for four different temperature settings per day, for all 7 days of the week individually. You may not need something with that high of a resolution, and can get by with a single set temperature for each day of the week. The general rule will be the less features a thermostat has, the lower the price.

There are also thermostat models labeled as 5-1-1 and 5-2, which allow separate temperature settings for Saturdays and Sundays. Note that a 5-2 will only allow a single setting for the weekends. As Chris mentions, you could fudge the week day settings and get by with one of these.


Can I connect a shared neutral to my Wemo smart light switch?

Yes, you can connect to the same neutral that's currently part of the switch circuit (the source neutral, really). Be sure to leave all existing neutral connections intact.


The fuse is there to prevent your wires from burning up in the walls. A UPS is for a short supply of backup power when the power goes out - not to bypass the tripping of a fuse/breaker. If you're not able to move these loads to different circuits, then you shouldn't use them all at once or allow them to be used together. You don't want to bypass a safety device.

As for your second question to alleviate the problem.. Yes, you should push something off to a different circuit. However, extension cords aren't intended to replace hardwiring not for "on/off" appliances like a heater or refrigerator. Of your situation, I'd say move the computer to a different circuit or extension cord as it's not a huge load.


(this answer has a UK perspective)

As I understand it the main advantage of compression waste fittings is that they are not too fussy about the exact size and material of the pipe. This means they can be used with both the pipe designed for solvent-weld fittings and the pipe designed for pushfit fittings. They also have more wiggle room during assembly which is handy when trying to insert a new fitting into an existing pipe run.

The downside is they are bulkier and cost more than push fit fittings.


What dual function CAFCI+GFCI breaker fits an older Murray Breaker Box?

PON (Plug On Neutral) panels are a relatively new development. Given the date of your panel there's virtually no chance its a PON panel. You'll need to find a breaker with a pigtail.


How should I add new joists and flooring to a loft space?

Q. Hard lines are the walls on the first floor underneath, joists on the first floor landing run left to right so does that mean the central wall running front to back is 'load bearing'?

If your house is in the UK (which I'm guessing it is), then without a doubt the central wall running from front to back is load-bearing.

  Q. Initially I thought of putting 8x2s front to back, supporting them on internal walls where possible. Problem is that the angle of the eaves would not allow me to rest the ends on anything substantial so could I just bolt them to the rafters as long as they were supported by the walls downstairs too?

Refer to this question here on SE, and read all the answers and comments found within.

Running parallel to the existing ceiling joists is the easiest and preferred way to go.

Removing the binders "locally" to allow the new floor joists to pass is "normally" considered acceptable (then connecting/pinning them back to the new joists passing through), though you would want to check such a detail with your local Building Authority before doing so.

Otherwise if you go the other way (perpendicular), you end up going above the existing ceiling joists, which causes a major re-work of the existing wall plate area that sits on the exterior wall and the roof area above.

  Q. Then I got thinking that I'd need to go left to right .. a) because the load bearing walls go down the centre of the house and b) because if I don't the ceiling binder will be in the way. Same problem however with regards to getting the joists to sit on the external walls and I'm guessing I'm not allowed to bolt a plate to the chimney wall and hang things off that.

Whatever you do, do not connect anything to the chimney wall. Doing so is an absolute no, no in the UK (if I have your location correct).

Again, refer to this question here on SE, and read all the answers and comments found within.

Of course another option is to remove the existing ceilings (lath and plaster), binders, etc. Leave the existing ceiling joists and install new appropriately sized floor/ceiling joists parallel to the existing, then fix a new plasterboard ceiling to the new joists. Granted, such an option adds considerable mess to the job, and a reasonable cost increase.


How can I clean sticky and dirty hand tool's rubber?

Rubber can usually be de-gunked with a good dishwashing liquid and a brush. Avoid abrasive sponges as they will abrade the rubber as well as the gunk. Products with citrus oils like lemon or orange oil will be very good at cutting really stubborn gunk; then you just wash off the oil with a detergent.

If you really want to recondition the tool, and you can replace the rubber, then go ahead; there will be more gunk and rust under the handle coating, and even completely clean the rubber will be roughed up from general use. For most pliers, you can just cut off the rubber, clean up underneath, and then get yourself a can of Plasti-Dip and re-dip the tool handles.


Need help with electrical wiring for lights

Not sure you need a junction box at the light. What’s weird is it sounds like the switch controlled a receptacle and light in two different rooms on different floors? Are you wanting that switch to still control the basement light or are you wanting a different switch? Have you tried connecting the outlet back to see if it gets power?


How do I remove wax or Mop-and-Glow from Pergo floors?

I won't suggest a brand in particular, but there are commercially available cleaners meant specifically for stripping hardwood/pergo/laminated flooring. A quick Amazon/Google search for 'Floor Polish Remover' brings up many options. It appears that this could be quite the project.

It appears as though some people also use a large rotary floor buffer/polisher to even out/remove any waxy buildup. This could also be a 'Pro Project' or something you could contract out.

Good luck.

(P.S. Whatever the outcome, I'd be interested. I also have hardwood floors that may need to be stripped)


Running wire through sole plate and joist at an angle

First off that's an amazing question!

Most codes would frown upon touching the top or the bottom of a joist in this fashion.

That being said it's probably totally fine to make a tiny hole in the manner you are describing. I've seen some awful things done that caused no problems and if I saw your scenario on a job I wouldn't even notice.

edit

2.5" is pretty big I would definitely notice that.


Tighten steel wire across several wood posts

You might use a "barrel strainer" to tighten each horizontal run of wire.

Otherwise you can buy tensioners and "through-collar" kits specifically for cable fencing systems.


Fact-check on metal roof quote by roofing company

Metal roofs are not fragile, that's complete baloney.

The gold standard for long lasting roofing are standing seam copper, slate or quality tile. Standing seam steel won't last quite as many decades, but it's good.  All of these have high up front cost, but will save money over the long term.  Composition roofs must be thrown in a landfill every few decades.  Yes, metal can dent with heavy hail, but a few dents is not failure by any stretch.  And if you're in a fire prone area... metal is really hard to beat.

ArrowLine Slate Roofing is a good product for a slate look steel.

A lot of roofers only install composition shingles, it's all they know.

If you go with true rock based slate, check out http://www.slateroofers.org/

Re-roofing is also a chance to get an energy and building performance evaluation done.  There's a lot of detail on venting and deck top insulation that can be fixed as part of roofing job  --- saving energy and cost and increasing comfort for the life of the building.


What is the purpose of these ducts in HVAC/laundry room ceiling?

Make-up air
Vented clothes dryers and bath fans exhaust air to the outside.  Something has to provide a replacement for that air, and in old buildings, that was done by simple leakage of outside air into the structure.  However, that means we can't control anything about the outside air that gets in, which is an issue from an energy-efficiency (heat/cold) and building-performance (humidity/moisture) standpoint.  It also means that they can depressurize a building, which can send things like combustion exhaust gasses flowing the wrong way, with the attendant CO hazards that poses.
So, modern buildings seal up the leaks and cracks and then bring make-up air in explicitly when and where needed.  This provides the opportunity to direct make-up air supply to where it's needed, damper it off if it's not needed at a given time, or precondition it (such as in a heat-recovery or energy-recovery ventilator) before it gets dumped into the room in question, improving energy efficiency and humidity control.  It also means that the supply of combustion air for appliances is brought in explicitly, guaranteeing its presence vs. relying on random leaks to get the job done.


You didn't say how the wires are connected, and what is already in the junction box. I'm assuming there is already a switch in the junction box, and that the switch is connected to the black wirenut and the the red wire.

In all cases, the white wires all go to the same wire nut. However, your existing wirenut may not be larger enough for 4 wires. You would have to know the color of the wire nut and the gauge of the wires, then look up a wire nut table.

If you want the light fixture to be switched, then you connect the black wire from the light to the red wire. If you want the light to be on all of the time, then you connect the black wire of the light to the black wire nut. Again, make sure your wire nut is not too small.


There's no way we can say. The doubled joists may be sufficiently stout to carry the cross-beam. Or they may not. It's a question for an on-site engineer. Strategically there are no concerns, and there's nothing "hack" about it. It's no different than a break in the joists at any other beam. Almost every home in the U.S. has such a scenario.

By the way, those are called "joist hangers". Teco is a brand that manufacturers many products. I've never actually heard them called that, but I've heard the heavy-gauge 1-1/2" nails referred to as "teco nails".


Replaced Blower Motor, but A/C won't stay on unless power button is held down

I don’t think that is a power switch. That is a safety switch that is depressed by the cabinet panels when you put everything back together. It should not work unless it is depressed. You should be good.
Not sure how you got shocked though.


If the lights actually light then apparently the lamps and wiring are good. I would suspect the ballast.

Is your ballast rated for T5 or T8 lamps?

The 'F' on the lamp is just the wattage rating.

I believe the two lamps are incompatible with the ballasts designed for them respectively. A lot of the T5 ballasts are listed as high output or HO. shop for ballasts and I think you will find they are lists for one or the other but not both.

You need the lamps that match your ballast.

Good luck!


What is the maintenance schedule for a concrete driveway?

Wash
Driveways should be cleaned on a somewhat regular basis (at least 2 times a year). If you have a power washer, use that, otherwise a hose with a strong stream will do it.
With a power washer, you can use driveway cleaning solutions to add a little soap into the mix. If you don't have a power washer, use a bucket and a stiff brush.
Obviously, not all driveways are created equally so this could be quite the project depending on how long and wide it is. Concrete is like any other porous material exposed to the elements; your looking to wash away salt, acid from rain, from car exhaust, from general traffic, etc...
Repair
Secondly, you'll want to repair any cracks in the concrete. Cracks in expansion joints can be filled in with a non-hardening UV safe silicon, while cracks in the actual driveway should be repaired with a concrete repair mortar.
In colder climates, water can get into cracks and when it freezes over winter, it can cause the concrete to shift, causing more damage.
Seal
If you choose to, you can use a concrete sealer; this is usually rolled on and seals the pours in the concrete to prevent water penetration and generally makes it easier to wash the concrete the next time around. You'll do this about once a year.
You can go a bit extreme and use a concrete epoxy with some aggregate (sand) mixed into it to further protect the concrete. This is usually used in a garage to provide an easy to maintain and clean work surface, but this can get expensive and is usually found in automotive shops.


Lennox G16Q3-50 Furnace with AC, Door Interlock Switch and Main Circuit Breaker

As I commented, my G16s have a hardwired power switch on the side. Or as others suggested, you should figure out which breaker controls the furnace circuit, and turn it off. (You should not have to shut off the main unless you are working inside the panel box itself)

But after looking over the wiring diagram for my G16, it does seem that the door switch does break the AC hot before it connects to anything else (including the thermostat transformer).  So if you kept out of the blower control box, you would be safe to work on the thermostat and related wiring.


Can I use self leveling compound to level old thin set over plywood subfloor?

Yes you must remove all of the thinset - FOR SURE.  Thinset is not meant to be exposed and a leveler on top of it will not protect it enough.  From walking and moving furniture you will end up with chunks of thinset/leveler and it will just be a mess.

You either have backer board or plywood under the thinset.  You have would really grind off thinset in this scenario but you can:

pry up the first layer of subfloor and redo it.
try to hit it with a heavy scraper.
and what I would try first... pound it out.  Most thinset will disengage with heavy vibration.  Try a hammer or mallet on a small area.  Strike the thinset repetitively pretty hard in a circle pattern.  See if you get some chunks disengaging after the first few minutes.  If this works it get much easier after you start.


Is it safe to attach a bath screen to a steel stud behind tile?

As long as there aren't any wires or plumbing in the area, because your entire drill bit length will plunge into the void & get whatever's there when the hole is complete. You can avoid the plunge with a Depth Stop, Depth Gauge or block of wood or 2 (screwed together & screws protruding outside the girder edges to prevent spin) on top of the girder to catch the drill. But, if all's clear then yep have at it.


Does a drill press or a hammer drill have more torque?

If torque is your objective, the drill press is going to provide more. It appears to use the same gearing as my quite-old Sears Craftsman drill press in that one releases a sliding motor mount, pulling the motor forward. Re-position the drive belts to a different pair of stepped pulleys for ratio change, then re-tension by pushing the motor aft and tightening the clamps/levers/bolts.

Any time you reduce speed by a gearing change, torque is increased. The hammer drill likely uses some form of electronic speed change, pulse width modulation, for example. As such, the amount of power transmitted is reduced for a specific period of time. Reduced (electrical) power, reduced torque.

One can bog down a variable speed hand drill by running it at a low enough rpm. It is nearly impossible to do so with a belt drive drill press, if one had one geared low enough to match.

I see that your hammer drill is not 12 speeds, but fully variable across the speed range, by the way.

Each tool choice is a compromise of sorts. The drill press will provide a stable surface on which to place parts and provide for greater accuracy with respect to squareness and precision. It's not going to be something to drag out to the backyard or driveway for an assembly project, however.

The hand drill has portability and light weight, but lacks precision and stability. A hole saw bit in a drill press is a good combination for comparison. Put the same hole saw into a hand drill and you won't get quite as smooth a hole and if the saw is large enough, it will be challenging to hang on to.

On the flip side, you won't be using a drill press to prepare concrete for anchors, as you can with the hammer drill.

Why not buy both?


Your options are:

Replace the motor with a single phase motor (preferably also 240V)

Use a solid state variable frequency drive that can take single-phase input and provide 3-phase output. Be sure it it rated for the horsepower load, and DON'T exceed the rated speed of the motor (the drive may offer the opportunity, I've never seen a NON-variable speed solid state inverter drive, but if you make the motor go faster than it's rated for, it may mechanically fail.) You may also need accessories to keep the electrical noise generated contained.

Build a Rotary Phase Converter, generally done with a much larger 3 phase motor and a means to get it started.

For a tablesaw, the VFD offers little advantage (IMHO) unless you can do it for much less than a replacement motor. On a lathe, the VFD is a very desirable thing in its own right.


Wiring dimmer in box were hot wires are joined

First off, good for you. You want to figure out what's hot and what's the load wires before disconnecting everything. With the power off, pull the switches out of the box and pull out the bare copper ground just a bit. If there's a group of white wires, neutrals, you can remove the wire nut but don't untwist the wires. Make sure none of the groups of wires are touching each other. Now you can turn the power back on. Take the common (usually black) probe from your multi meter and touch the group of white wires and take the + probe, usually red, and touch it to the black wires one at a time where they are screwed into the switches. With the switches off, when you get 120 Volts +-,  those are your hot or feed wires and those will be pigtailed to both switches if one breaker controls both switches. The other wires connected to the switches are the loads.
Once you determine the hot wires by doing the above, take your black probe and put it on the bare copper ground wire and the red probe on a black hot wire. You should get 120 Volts+-.
Now you know you've got a ground and if it's connected to the metal box, the box is grounded too.
Make sure your meter is set to "AC Voltage" and the proper range. Since it's AC and not DC, you'll get the same readings when you reverse the probes.
Turn the power back off and connect your dimmers according to the diagram, recap the white wires, and connect your switch ground wire to the ground from the dimmers and push the switches back into the box and screw them in. Turn the power back on and test everything.


How can I know if I damaged any electrical wire while drilling a hole in my wall?

The strict answer to your question is that you can't, practically speaking, at least without a visual inspection. You'd need a boroscope or access to the area. Partial severing of a conductor would not disable the circuit, but it could cause a hot spot in cases of high, sustained current flow.

Wiring is not run level with the outlet boxes. It's typically 8-12" above them, with drops into the boxes from above. The cables might also run along the studs from above or below.

However, wiring is supposed to be bored through and mounted to studs at their depth center. Screws 1-5/8" long should not contact them.


The unit in your kitchen is the boiler and looks like a very simple gas model with a simple temperature control. There should somewhere be a time clock to control it. The plumbing near the tank looks like you have radiators for room heating so there should also be a room thermostat somewhere.
The water in the tank is normally heated by the boiler. The two pipes that go around to the back of your tank will be fitted to a coil of pipe inside the tank, and the boiler circulates hot water through these to heat the water in the tank. The electric immersion heater is there because it can heat the water faster than the gas boiler, however it does cost more to run. Typical uses for this are:

In an emergency if the gas boiler has broken down
If you need a lot more hot water than normal e.g. several guests staying all wanting hot showers in quick succession.

In your photo there is a second switch on the same wall nearer the camera. This is probably the master switch for the system, it looks like it is on in the photo and should normally be on. The immersion heater switch you should only turn on when you want the extra heating power (and are willing to pay for it). If you hare having some work done, you could think about moving the switch outside the cupboard and changing to one with an indicator light so that you don't forget to turn it off once the extra need is over.
The timing of the boiler running should be mainly controlled by a time clock somewhere, but it will only run if there is need, that is if the cylinder thermostat (white cuboid on the front of the cylinder) indicates that the water in the tank is colder than it should be, or if the room thermostat indicates that the radiators should be on.


What is the best tool for cutting up scrap wood?

Reciprocating Saw
Most fun.

Miter Saw
Fastest.

Circular Saw
Most likely to have on hand.

Jig Saw
Slow.

Hand Saw
Slower.

Butter knife
Slowest.

Pruning Saw
Longest reach.

Fire
Cut right to the chase

Beaver
Requires lots of training, food, and cleanup (thanks @SteveJackson for pointing this method out).

Chain saw
By popular demand (don't use on PT wood)

No affinity to Ridgid, just the first brand in the list when searching for reciprocating saw.


Is it normal for a siphon in a toilet cistern to tilt to the side when the toilet is flushed?

That's going to depend on the type of valve and the material it's made of. In your video, the valve moves because of the force to lift the flapper. That's normal. You just have to make sure the valve is tightened to the tank correctly so water doesn't leak out each time you flush and the valve moves. There i no reason to try and design a method to secure it, just install it correctly.


How can I tell if a slab foundation can be built on?

The first step is to look at the foundation that supports that the walls of the garage. If the walls have foundations separate from the garage floor slab and those foundations are similar in construction and depth to those of the main house then this is a good indicator that you are in a good position to proceed with the remodel plans.

On the other hand if the slab was poured with integral footings around its periphery that are similar in size and depth to those of the house then you are also probably good to go forward.

If the garage is simply a thin floating slab then a whole lot will depend upon the climate in your area, the type of soil, the lay of the land and local code requirements. You may be in a good position if the "attached" structure of the garage to the house is sound, the slab shows no signs of cracking and shifting and the construction technique is up to code.

In any case it may be well to check with the local permitting authorities and/or bring in a consulting local contractor to give you ideas and make suggestions.

One last thing that comes to my mind regarding this potential project is the evaluation of whether the garage slab is below the floor level of the original house or not. If it is below you may very well want to consider the possibility to build up the floor to the level of the house. This will help to make the added living space feel like proper part of the house and make movement into and out of the space a whole lot more natural.


Should I use Ditra for my slate floor with radiant heat and 2 layers of plywood?

Gypcrete is about 27% lighter than concrete (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gypsum_concrete). If it's not too late and you don't mind tearing up the second layer of plywood, the gypcrete will be a LOT more favorable in every way. Better for heat transfer. You can tile right over it.

That said, if you're already set on the path you're going, yes, I would use Ditra. You have to use something (a lateral anti crack membrane like Ditra, or hardieboard etc.) Ditra comes highly recommended as apposed to hardieboard. There are also Ditra alternatives that are the same basic thing (lateral anti-cracking underlayment.)


2014 Florida Code: Section 1506.5 NAILS - The corrosion resistance shall meet ASTM A 641, Class 1 or an equal corrosion resistance by coating, electro galvanization, mechanical galvanization, hot dipped galvanization, stainless steel, nonferrous metal and alloys or other suitable corrosion-resistant material.

Stainless Steel -  Made of type 316 stainless chromium-nickel steel with molybdenum which icreases corrosion-resistance, improves pitting resistance and increases strength at high temperatures.

These fasteners provide the maximum in corrosion protection. These would be ideal in your part of the country considering the salty conditions. Very defined ribbing in the shank which provides maximum protection in high wind conditions. Cost averages at about $11.00 per pound.

Hot Dipped Galvanized - These are steel nails immersed in melted zinc. The zinc coating is much thicker than standard electro plated steel nails. The steel is manufactured with a ribbed shank, but the hot dipping fills in the grooves which reduced the strength of the ribs. Cost averages at about $5.00 per pound.

Electro Galvanized - These are zinc plated steel nails. The zinc is not nearly as thick as hot dipped galvanizing. These nails are often not even recommended for outdoor usage. They usually have a smooth shank which will result in a lot of nail pops. Cost averages at about $2.25 per pound.

Is it worth it to pay more? The better the fastener, the more likely they are not to fail in extreme weather conditions. All of these nails meet the required criteria. I would suggest either stainless steel or hot dipped galvanized. The electro galvanized are okay for felting and roll roofing but not really a good choice for shingles.

Note: Costs are based on current metal prices and will change over time. You can always expect stainless steel to be the most expensive. The hot dipped will be usually at about half of the stainless cost and the electro galvanized is usually a little less than half that of the hot dipped. You get what you pay for when it comes to nails of all types.


How can I locate and deal with mold between floors?

Mold goes away when the water goes away, so unless your toilet is leaking again, you have some other source of water or leak on the upper floor. This could be any number of things, even things not plumbing related, like water getting behind the siding, or a leaking roof with water running down the inside walls. As far as killing the mold that is there, I wouldn't waste my time. If you don't correct the water problem then the mold will return very shortly.

  I need to figure out if there's still a leak or some kind of humidity problem. Is it safe to assume that because the problem got worse there is? Should I try to find the pipes and see if they're leaking?

Since you have had issues with the toilet in the past that would be the first area I would check.  If the drain pipes for your upper floor are leaking then I would expect to see discoloration bleeding through the paint on the ceiling and the walls.  If this turns up nothing then in the hole you have already cut, I would get a professional moisture detector device like the one a plumber would use.

These can help detect moisture and humidity in the air which can give you clues if you found the potential problem areas.  Don't buy a cheap one because they don't work very well, I would instead see if a rental place will lend you a good one.

  I think I'm seeing some black wood in there (need a better flashlight!).

This doesn't necessarily mean anything, it could be discoloration from previous water damage.

  I would still like to hire someone to fix the plaster ceiling. Is it going to cost a huge amount extra if I cut through the mesh and they have to replace some of it? Does area make a massive difference in price for that kind of job? For what it's worth, I'm fine having drywall put up instead of plaster.

How big is the hole that you had cut?  You can sometimes repair a hole by cutting a small piece of drywall and fitting that back in place, then using some thinset or spackle around the edges.  Sand and repeat thinset or spackle two or three times until you have a smooth paintable surface.


Should I bond a water softener's in/out pipes?

It is important to understand the reason for grounding/bonding the water pipe system in a house.  The electrical service panel is typically grounded via an 8 ft or more ground rod at the meter and/or panel AS WELL AS via a bonding conductor to the metallic water source pipe. (Plastic feeds are not bonded.) The grounding wire is typically #4 copper.

The grounding of the water pipe is not necessary for the proper grounding of the electrical system if there is a separate earth ground supplied (ground rods, etc.), however it is necessary in order to assure an equal ground potential between the electrical system and metallic plumbing system.

The reason for having both the electrical and plumbing bonded at the same potential is to eliminate any possible voltage potential between the two when electrical appliances that contact water are used (electric water heaters, ice makers in fridge, garbage disposals, etc.), and to deal with any accidental contact of voltage to the water system. If this was not done, it may be possible for voltage to appear on the plumbing fixtures.

Regarding your first question about bonding the two sides of the water softening system, the recommended bonding is to assure the upside metallic system is at the same ground potential as the downside piping, for the reasons described above.


I would suggest a 2-part white epoxy putty. You will need to clean/prep the area then knead the putty per the mfgr. instructions. Don't use the fast-setting variety, you need time to shape the repair to match the tub (shape using knife, file, planer, sandpaper, etc.) It won't be an invisible repair but it will stick, be waterproof, and be hard when cured.


As long as you're not stepping off the ladder then either will be fine. If you are stepping off to a roof you want the ladder to be taller than the roof line.


Why not put a vent that pushes air from the attic into house?

Aside from the fact that your attic can be very dirty, you need to be concerned about the following:

If you have any gas heating equipment in the attic (central heat, water heater(s)), they may not meet regulations to allow them to be connected to the house's main air supply. You can run a major carbon monoxide (CO) risk from improper ventilation of gas-burning equipment.
Pest control companies can use harsher "dusting" pesticides in attic spaces - stuff you really don't want joining you in the house. Insulation is often loose and can irritating. If you have a much older house that might have asbestos insulation, then you have other problems as well.
When you pull air out of the attic, it's repopulated by the air from outside. If the air outside is very cold, your attic could reach new low temperatures, freezing pipes or causing other damage. (This may or may not happen, but it's something I would make sure of before attempting this.)


How to install DWV piping for new toilets added to current system

You'll want to match your 4" house line with 4" to both locations. And yes, if you can toss in an in-line vent halfway along those runs, that would only be beneficial.

And yes again, you'll want to continue the 4" at each location as their own separate vent stacks. Through the roof or higher than all fixtures through the wall.

Additionally, in order to avoid having to vent other fixtures (if any) separately or by tying them into the location's vent stack, you'll need to keep those other drain inlets (if any) no further than 5' from the vent stack. Otherwise no, the vent stack would be just be for the toilet.


The gasket on the freezer door actually has magnets in it.
Sounds like your gasket isn't making good contact with the door -- either replace the gasket or clean it, or make sure that the hinges are perfectly aligned.


Is a gravel layer necessary under sand for a paver fire pit base?

The gravel is a good idea because reasons. Reason one being that gravel provides much better drainage than sand which will help keep the rather nasty water (rainwater through ashes is the traditional way to make lye) out of the yard or from freezing and heaving in the winter.

The second reason being that gravel compacts better than sand, and can be compacted by beating on it where as sand must be vibrated. A compacted base obviously means less settling down the road.

So while it's not essential it does add a bit of durability for the low price of a couple bags of paver base and thumping on it with a tamper. It's pretty cheap insurance against resetting pavers. But really the biggest recommendation is that you need not be concerned with the drainage and compaction properties of your existing soil.


Can I use an over-rated transformer for a low-voltage lighting circuit?

You can use either.

54 watts is the load from the bulbs. The transformer must be larger than the load.

In theory you could use any transformer 54 watts or greater. In practice though inefficiencies such as splices and voltage drop mean that exact 1:1 ratio doesn’t work anymore, so upsize 20% to take into account inefficiency. Meaning in this case use any transformer greater than 67 watts.


Teach your baby daughter to swim as soon as possible - there's plenty of water to fall into that is not in your garden.

A pump rated for 0.7m head should be fine with a 0.6m lift.

If you cannot find a pump with  lower minimum flow (though, to be honest, you may find the "waterfall" aspect of 100 l/hr or 1.6 l/minute a bit more like a dull trickle) you can place a pipe from the pump output to the pump input, with a valve that you can adjust so that the actual water pumped out is, say, 100l/hr while the pump is pumping 400l/hr, but 300 of that is recirculating in the pipe.

I suspect the pump rate advisory is intended for a minimum flow rate of ponds with fish, etc. in them - that does not sound like your actual situation, so 400 l/hr (or more) may be a perfectly acceptable flow rate for your application.


Can a toilet be moved 6 inch to the right?

If you strip down the floor, it is an easy job to extend the 4 inch PVC to the new closet flange.  You have to have a new closet flange anyway, so a coupling, 6 inches of pipe, a new elbow and you're in business.

Re-plumb it and avoid a lot of grief in your life, like leaks coming down through the ceiling. The Micky Mouse adapter in the last answer is completely unacceptable for toilet waste.


There are two travelers on each of the existing switches, no neutrals. If there's nothing else in the single box, that common wire goes to the fixture. The second box is where your feed comes in. Don't mix up your white traveler and connect it to a white neutral. You will probably end up with two white wires going to the switch in the second box, one traveler and probably one neutral... don't mix them up or connect them together... tape the travelers at both locations with some yellow tape to prevent confusion in the future.
Don't all it a day with an unconnected ground, You need to extend it to the switch.


Installation Ecobee3 Smart Thermostat Confusion

The Ecobee3 automatically handles the Rh vs Rc thing, so just connect your R wire to either Rh or Rc.
You can connect Y to Y only on the Ecobee3 and configure it for heat pump operation
W2 connects to W1 on the Ecobee -- this is your axuiliary heat
Yes, O on your old 'stat does connect to O/B on the Ecobee.

See this diagram for more info.


First off, You mention the water escaping the ledger flashing - it's doesn't look like there's any flashing on that ledger board at all to me.  Is that something you were planning to add?  (I certainly would if I were you).

As for weakening the decking by moving those blocks back - I wouldn't worry about it.  An overhang of an inch or two shouldn't cause any problems.


Mixed Up Neutrals
GFCI does not, despite the name, care about the ground wire. In fact, GFCI can be used in certain circumstances where there is no functioning ground wire in order to improve safety.
GFCI is all about making sure that the amount of current on the hot wire(s) + neutral matches. Anything that doesn't match is current leaking "to ground", which can be "through a person and deadly."
Regular circuit breakers do not do anything with neutral. They don't even check to see if there is way too much current on neutral, the way they do for the hot wires. There are all kinds of ways that neutral can be messed up that won't trip a regular circuit breaker but will trip a GFCI.
In addition, older houses often have a lot of stuff on a single circuit - e.g., lights, receptacles, fans, etc. for multiple rooms. Any problem in any part of the circuit can cause a GFCI trip.
Actually, there is one place where "ground" can mess up a GFCI: If a device uses ground instead of neutral (oops, no neutral here, ground "works" so I'll use that instead...) then GFCI is also guaranteed to trip.
The NEC currently requires bathroom receptacles to be on a bathroom-only circuit, but that has not always been the case, and people break the rule anyway. So this becomes a detective job:

Figure out every single device (light, receptacle, fan, etc.) on this circuit.
Open up each box in the circuit and look for neutrals mixed together with other circuit neutrals (e.g., two circuits in one box with all the neutrals together), neutral (white) wires connected to ground (green, bare or a screw into a metal box) or ground wires connected to neutral or other "strange" things.
If you can't find something obvious, start disconnecting things (take pictures and label every wire so you can put everything back together again) and see whether the GFCI problems go away. Once the problems go away, fix that specific problem (post another question here if you need help) and put everything else back together.


Can I repair a plaster ceiling with drywall?

Depending on the thickness of the existing plaster, a drywall patch with suitable support behind it (with "mud" or patching compound over it to merge the edges with existing plaster and achieve a smooth surface) may be a perfectly reasonable solution. Getting it really smooth and level so the patch doesn't "telegraph" through the wallpaper will take some work and patience; sand, mud, sand, mud, repeat until a raking light shows no irregularities from any direction.


TimberTech (i.e. AZEK Building Products itself) now offers a joist tape product PRO-Tac which is made with butyl with a PET liner and TPO backing. In addition to PRO-Tac there are other butyl products such as Trex Protect and Imus Seal, the latter claims to be compatible with a wide variety of deck boards from real wood to composites and PVC. Pricing through my local lumber yard for PRO-Tac was similar to Amazon pricing of Imus Seal.


Why do light bulbs all over the house burn out disconcertingly fast?

One reason bulbs can burn out quickly is if the voltage applied to them is higher than the expected voltage (120V in The USA). Wiring problems and bad transformers can cause the voltage to be out of spec. Another reason is if there is a loose connection somewhere, and the light flickers (causing unnecessary heating/cooling cycles). A third reason is if the light is in a confined space, and overheats.

In order to check the line voltage, you will need to use a voltmeter. The Kill-A-Watt is a very safe product to use to check the line voltage. Note that you should try a few different outlets, since there are generally two different phases of power (not really phases, but opposite polarities, 180 degrees apart) going into a typical house, and you need to check both of them.

Identifying a bad connection is trickier. Generally, you would see flickering lights, but to be sure you would want to use an oscilloscope or spectrum analyzer (expensive equipment). Sometimes a bad switch will cause a short flicker when the light is turned on. Replacing the light switches with new high quality switches could help.

Finally, have you noticed that the bulbs go out more quickly in certain places? Are those places more confined, causing the bulbs to heat up more? If so, you need to use lower wattage lights (such as CFL, halogen, or less bright incandescents) so that the bulb is less hot.

LED lights, halogens, and CFLs are all more efficient than incandescent lights. For the same amount of light output, they use less electricity, and generate less waste heat (keeping them cooler). In order to check if they meet your needs, compare the light output (in lumens) to that of the bulbs you are currently using. Don't go by the "equivalent" rating (such as 60W equivalent).... The amount of heat generated is nearly proportional to the wattage of the bulb (generally between 10 and 25 W). Another thing to look at is the color temperature, as measured in Kelvins. More orange lights will be around 2700 K, while more blue (daylight) bulbs will be around 5000 K.

PS: Advertised bulb lifetimes are usually assuming use of perhaps four hours per day. So, a seven year bulb may only last a bit over a year if it is left turned on continuously.


Toilet Water Shoots upwards When Flushed like a volcano erupting

Water probably isn't "shooting upwards", but rather not draining fast enough based on the inflow of water.  Per your plumber, it is probably partially clogged.  With a toilet, you want to use a toilet auger instead of a snake as it is designed to get around the bend without damaging the finish of your toilet.

If you want to confirm its a draining issue, try pouring a bucket of water into the toilet. It should drain almost instantly without the level increasing.  If it doesn't, it's clogged.


Can I thin thick PVC cement with primer?

I use MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) available at most hardware stores. It has always worked for me and I've never had a fitting failure yet. I have had fittings fail from using thickened glue. Granted it's not the best thing to do, and I always buy a new can as soon as possible. But I do know where you're coming from when you need to do something to be able to finish a job, and can't run to a store at 3 am, or when you are 30 or more miles from any supplies.

Being that is the main ingredient in most welding adhesives or glues. Look at any MSDS Sheet and you will see the solvent used in it. For example:
http://www.speedlinepvc.com/user/pdfs/5152-pdfs-5-file.pdf

I know I'm satisfied with my results.
And storing that can upside-down always helps. I've even spread a bit of the glue around the top of the can to dry into a seal if I know I'm not going to use it for a really long time.


Leak from the pipe in the basement that connects to kitchen sink

Your drain might be backing up , a 1-1/2 or 2” sink dumping into a 4” drain should not have any back pressure . I see your arrows but can not tell why it would leak there , I would try a silicone sealer . If there is not a vent close to the sink this could cause issues but at the point where the size jumps would be a new one for me. If you run water for a few minutes will the leak get worse?  How long after turning off the water will that spot leak?  If it leaks for a while after stopping the water flow I would want to run a snake down the drain and see if it is backing up.

Added per op request;
On fernco or no hub rubber connectors I regularly use silicone sealant (cast iron and concrete always) I would loosen the pipe clamps move the hub and clean it the I would add some silicone and retighten the clamps.  This will help seal the rubber for the life of the coupling.


Can I install a switch upstream of my service panel for regular shuttoff duty?

A much better plan would be to install a subpanel near the service panel.

Then, move the circuits you want to shut off to this new subpanel.

At that point, you have two ways to solve it: First, the individual breakers in the new subpanel could be SWD.  Second, you could shut the feed breaker off to the subpanel.

Depending on the subpanel, you could also install Arc Fault protection, which will help a fair bit with animals chewing on wires and feisty old devices.  I presume there is already a whole-house RCD.


Rewire switched bathroom receptacle to always be hot

I doubt anyone would intentionally wire a bathroom receptacle this way.  They either made a mistake making the connections / splices, which can easily be corrected, or they ran the wiring wrong, which is more much difficult to correct.

You can correct the problem without correcting the wiring if you convert to a smart switch.  If the switch box doesn't have a neutral present, this will limit your choice of smart switch, but it is still doable.

You could also remove the switch so the light and receptacle always have power, and use a light with a pull cord switch - it's perfectly sound electrically, but it's not really done in the US any more.


Difference between geothermal and regular hydronic zone valves

There may be other differences as well but the geothermal valve is designed for a higher head pressure.  The standard hydronic system is built around reduced pressure. The geothermal valve is expected to deal with standard water pumping and or city pressure.


No, no, no!  Not only would it totally not do what you want, but would make the cost splitting even worse, as one tenant's other load would wind up on the other tenant's bill, simply due to the way electrons seek the path of least resistance.

It would also create neutral and ground loops that would make heat in unexpected places, and your circuit breakers wouldn't protect you from that. It could burn the building down.

A less-unsafe way of doing that would be seek out a water heater with two separate heating elements on 2 circuits.  For instance larger on-demand heaters have this.  Put one circuit on one service, and the other circuit on the other service.  If they operate together, that would split the cost.  Check with the manufacturer to see if they do that.  However there'd still be an issue of ground.  If the apartments are served by 2 service panels, each getting their grounds from different locations, then you would be entangling grounds from two different systems, and my gut reaction is code would prohibit that.  If there's an exception to be found, or a way to rejigger the panels' grounds to make this safe, a proper electrician could tell you better.

In the apartment business, the normal way that's handled is by a third meter for commons areas.


You will be fine with the 1 1/2" screws. If you think about your install it's exactly what the manufacturer expects (99% of shower doors are tile over hardiebacker). That said if you are bothered there will be no harm in using longer screws with the same diameter.


Furniture needs to be attached to the wall, but my tenancy agreement doesn't allow it

As a landlord I would say it's not the putting holes in the walls that I don't like, it's the leaving holes I have a problem with. As long as it's a normal sheet rock and paint wall, not paneling, finished woodworking, or masonry, that's a different story. A few holes for a noble cause (keeping your bookshelf from crushing a toddler for example) is not an evict-able offense, unless your landlord is out of his/her mind, so the worst thing that can happen is getting dinged on your damage deposit when you move out. And if you properly patch and paint your holes that won't be an issue either. I'd still ask first though just to be safe, we landlord's hate the old "ask for forgiveness instead of permission" trick:)


Why does my water heater's drain line rejoin the outlet pipe?

What you describe sounds like a Gravity Fed Hot water re-circulation system.

It's designed to keep hot water available at the kitchen sink without having to flush cold water out of the pipe first.   The trade off is waste heat because the line out to the kitchen sink in your case is always kept hot.

Sometimes these systems have a pump, but they don't need to especially if the piping is above. As the water cools it becomes more dense and thus heavier, which creates the circulation.

The following diagram is shamelessly stolen form the internet.

Strictly opinion follows: it seems like an experienced plumber would recognize this method, it's been around a very long while.


Installing a Pilot Light Electrical Switch

It appears the switch you've purchased requires a neutral and you do not have a neutral wire available at your switch (only the hot and the switched hot). You'll need to either run a line to the switch that includes a neutral, which is now a standard practice, or you need to find a switch that will work without a dedicated neutral. Finding the latter may be difficult as the versions with a dedicated neutral are fairly standard.


Can water be pumped from an unused well to a home site?

One method would be to subdivide in such a way that you own the well - kinda like a gerrymandered congressional district. The other would be some form of right-of-way - but that does veer off into legal questions we don't address here, so I won't go there. But that assumes many things about its worth that we don't know; Many of which you probably don't, either.

In many cases the presence of two wells on a property, one unused, indicates that the (apparent) "spare" was the first, unsuccessful, well and is disused for a good reason.

Depending on how far the well is from your building site, the cost of trenching and supplying power to the pump can greatly exceed the cost of a new well. Trenches are not cheap, and neither is wire, especially if it has to be large wire because it's a long run. There are many good reasons to keep the connection to the well short and sweet (I kinda liked the house that actually had it in a small extension of the basement, though that can be somewhat difficult to arrange.) If it's a long way from the well to the house there are many more things that can go wrong, simply due to the length of the run providing more access to modes of failure.

To get to the meat of your question, in practical terms, assuming the legalities we don't get into are covered, and the well is worth anything (that's a big one) you have a long trench dug to a depth below (ideally well below) frost line and install pipe (possibly of a larger diameter than you might otherwise use due to length of run) and wires or conduit, and wires in conduit (also possibly of a larger diameter than you might otherwise use due to length of run.) You connect those pipes and wires to the pump in the well on one end, and your plumbing and electrical supply on the other. Backfill with sand for at least a foot, and place tape over the wires indicating Buried Electrical Line Below - refill to within 6" of the surface and place another line of BELB tape just below the surface, then fill to grade.


PVC threaded fitting broken off. How can I remove?

There are also internal pipe wrenches available just for this situation:


Correctly wiring GFCI with two hot lines

Pick a circuit and stick with it

It appears that the existing wiring is confused, as it so often is in buildings of such vintage, and as a result you have one receptacle device that somehow got fed two circuits (one always hot and one switched hot) in a way that probably simply rendered the switch useless (as it was backfed power from the always-hot circuit to its load side).

Your well-intentioned-but-naive GFCI hookup attempt failed because the GFCI was seeing at least some voltage on its LOAD side and tripping/refusing to reset as a way of signaling "hey, dude, I've been wired wrong and can't help you because of it!"  This is a very important safety feature in the current generation of GFCI receptacles -- instead of silently offering an illusion of protection, they will do everything but scream to tell you about outside power appearing at their LOAD terminals, as that backfeeding both can render the GFCI unable to provide protection and can damage the GFCI's internals.

So, you need to decide whether you want the GFCI on the always-hot circuit or the switched circuit, and cap off the wires in the box for the other circuit with wire nuts, then connect the wires on the circuit you want to use to the GFCI.  Just make sure to keep which hot goes with which neutral straight to avoid a giant loop in your wiring.


Do I need a moisture barrier outside my garage wall insulation?

Placement of vapor barrier depends on location.

In cold climate you place it on the inside before insulation.  So from the inside out, the layers are typically drywall, poly, insulation, sheathing, water resistive barrier (house wrap), rain screen, cladding.


Is there any way to stain white pine to match a natural red pine?

I have had good success making pine look like maple, walnut, teak or semi-transparent blends by mixing deep colors and adding latex paint to an oil based stain to make it more pastel like to tone down the contrast. I even made K3 particle board stain like old mahogany with many thin layers of brush grain stain and urethane for a dining room table extension . Usually I might brush on and wipe off excess for contrast  or apply a sealer first lightly for less contrast.

If you like my idea towards a slightly semi-transparent stain rather than a clear stain consider taking 1/4 cup in  yogurt container then add teaspoon of latex white or any colour you are inclined towards . Then experiment on a hidden side with untinted and tinted then add more latex stir and try again until you get a blend of clear stain and semi-opaque or "milk-stain".

THe above are the typical mini-wax stains.