What are the drawbacks to having the bathtub on a different floor from the bedrooms?

If you plan to stay in the house until you are old, consider what amenities you'd like to have when stairs become difficult, impossible, or risky for your aging self to use. Stair lifts have their limits, and having to move out of your house due to factors you built into it is annoying, if you would otherwise prefer to stay. In some cases this may lead you to choose to build a single-story house rather than a two-story house.
If you don't have long-term plans, make your choices as you will.
There are many "common things" that either never made sense, made sense only in the age of "hired help" or "roving bandits," or that only are "common" in one part of the world and not others. Try to look at them with a fresh eye when you get to build the house, rather than following "the norm" blindly.
To wit:

Bedrooms on the second floor - harder to get out in the case of a
fire, which you are already at disadvantage for from being asleep. Second floor views are generally better for the living spaces. Bands of marauding peasants breaking in downstairs and being held off at the stairwell by sword-wielding inhabitants is a bit outdated as reasons go, but there you are.
"Laundry in the basement" = sure, when it goes down the chute you
can't now have for fire regulations to the laundress you don't employ who
gets to carry it back upstairs. The bulk of laundry is generated at and used in bedrooms, and the laundry processing should be near those and the bathroom(s) near them for efficient plumbing and not dragging most of the laundry around the house needlessly. In my area second floor bedrooms and basement laundry are the norm. It's nuts. Quiet machines, sound insulation, and/or scheduling use deal with the "noise of the machines while I'm sleeping" reason sometimes trotted out for locating them inconveniently. In other places, laundry in the bathroom is the norm.
Who the heck decreed that shower/tub must share the room that the toilet/WC is in? They are both plumbing, and plumbing inside the house is a relatively new concept that humans are very slowly adapting to, so they got thrown in together when running those new-fangled pipe things into the existing house. Then that carried over into new houses. They are not the same, and making use of one block the other is at times VERY inconvenient. The privy/outhouse did not have a bathtub in it...
No doubt other things that are not coming to mind at the moment...


The water to fill the water heater comes from the cold supply to it and the rest of the house - there's not normally any way to fill it without supplying water to the rest of the house, unless you have valves to shut everything else off, and have shut them all off.
How long your water heater takes to fill depends on the size of the heater and the flow rate of your supply. You need to open a hot tap to vent the trapped air in the heater, to allow it to fill.
You may have other leaks you have not fixed - you will have to look for those, we can't see them from the other side of a computer screen.


TV Fixings - 40" LED fitted to drywall using one metal stud and snaptoggles is it safe?

I must say that the "carpenter" son seems to be a bit of a non-professional if the description you gave of the installation is correct. Mounting a cantilever arm as described seems to me like it asking for trouble. Even with a smaller sized TV the cantilever arm, when extended, will put a rather large pull out force on the fasteners in the drywall.

To avoid any unfortunate mishap I really suggest getting that short piece of board removed. It should be replaced with a sturdy piece of 0.75 inch thick plywood that spans at least two studs and has a height of at least two feet so that fasteners into the studs can be spaced a good distance apart near the top and bottom of the plywood. Then remount the cantilever arm plate to the plywood. That should give a very reasonable and secure mount for the TV.

The plywood piece can be sanded and painted up nice before attaching it to the wall. If the color matches to the wall it would blend in well and not appear to be out of place behind the TV.


Are there any alarm system panels, control boxes, etc. that have a kind of API for software to access?

Try the following brands of panels:

Elk M1 **Best Panel on the Market**
Inner Range Concept
DSC Panels


Why does my computer have a ground fault only when a peripheral is attached?

You most likely have poor grounding to or from the breaker box in your home.

The first thing I would do is get myself one of these nifty devices.  I generally dislike the cheap tester lights as they don't tell you very much.  It is called a Voltimeter and it will be able to tell you if a current is passing and how much voltage exists to your ground.

It has many settings, for testing your typical 120v AC home outlet you can set it to test AC voltage at the ACV 200 setting.  Test hot to neutral first and make sure that you have 115-130 volts on the meter display.  Next test hot to ground and make sure that you get the same reading.

If you get a lower number than this or if it remains close to zero then your outlet has not been properly grounded.

Test the other outlets in the home and they register the same then it could be a problem with your breaker box not being properly grounded.  It could also be if your house is older that the original outlet boxes were never grounded to the breaker, and someone had just installed three pronged outlets throughout the house without bothering to ground the outlet boxes.


Is the fuse correct on my 3-phase circuit?

3mm2 is a very unusual wire size for that location.
Since many years the standard sizes are e.g. 1.5, 2.5, 4.0, 6.0, 10.0 mm2. Maybe the size is 4mm2?
But even for 4mm2, the maximal current would be 40A, but only if the cable is running in free air and only for 2 loaded wires, certainly not within a pipe and/or insulation and certainly not for a 3 phase cable (= maximal 3
wires under full load).
A pipe and insulation will reduce the maximal allowed current to 20 to 30 ampere, dependent on neighbouring cables/wires and the dimensions of the pipe and distance to the insulation.
--> Yes, this fuse/cable installation combination is not suited to protect against fire hazards or cable damages, it is not in line with the EU standards.
The Neutral wire is never loaded with more current than a single Phase. Exactly that is one of the important advantages of the 3 Phase power system. If only 1 Phase and Neutral is used, i.e. 230V, obviously both are loaded with 40A in this example of maximal unsymmetry. If all 3 Phases are used in a symmetric load of 3 x 40A, f.e. for a motor in a star configuration, the Neutral current is zero, since all 3 phase currents add to zero current. The Neutral can not be loaded with >40A current.
ABB has a good overview of wire installations and the maximal load.


How do I go about leveling out streak marks in my wood stain?

Have you ever used Rubio Monocoat?  It is an interesting an unique one application product - oil.  Solves issues like the one you are experiencing.  At this point, assuming your wood is properly dried and doesn't have some strange grain pattern causing inconsistent absorption, you can try another coat of evenly applied stain.  If it still is darker on part of the plank. either the grain is different, the stain is unevenly applied, or there may be something that seeped deeply into the wood causing parts of the wood to adhere differently.  If the latter is the case, ponly sanding beyond the absorption point would likely work.


Using existing gas connection for new gas range?

I would call this a very simple job, if you can change a car tire this would be easier.  The basics are proper sealing compounds or tape at the joints, usually 2 adjustable wrenches or a pipe wrench and an adjustable wrench are the only tools needed. And last a bubble leak solution to check the new connections.

Some fittings use special pipe tape it is yellow or an approved for gas pipe dope going from pipe to the flair fitting.  After leak checking your fittings I will literally a match at a burner and turn it on, it may take a minute for the air to be purged from the lines, once a burner lights I do the others and the oven. I do the oven last because many of the ones I have had use a hot surface ignition and I like to reduce the amount of time that is firing.
It really not difficult at all. Using the proper gas rated flex pipe and make sure the fittings are the correct size is critical. Depending on your connection to the gas system you may not need any sealant at all. It could be flair fittings then being clean and following the instructions like hand tight and 1/4 additional turn then checking for leaks. It is quite simple but some basic safety checks are important.


Why are fire sprinklers and extinguishing systems failing?

If you're not from the wildfire west, it's hard to get it.  This isn't a dumpster fire, it's a firestorm.  You might as well be putting the building in an autoclave and expecting it to not burn.

Anyway, sprinkler systems do protect buildings, but from the normal scenario of fires started inside occupancy space.  The goal is to suppress it before it heavily engages the building.  When fire is consuming the rafter holding the sprinkler pipe, it's much too late, and wildfire attacks sprinklers from the wrong side.

Far and away the #1 defense in the firelands is defensible space. Keeping vegetation (fuel) down to bare minimums within 100' of any buildings. When people follow the rules, they tend to do dramatically better.  This is one reason you have random vineyards relatively untouched - this is the heart of California wine country, some say best wine in the world.

The problem is, homeowners and landscapers absolutely hate defensible space, and either neglect it or actively ignore it.

Google Earth tells the tale; fire up Google Earth on the area and go see how well they did with the 100' rule.

Worst of all are eucalyptus trees; these were imported from Australia because they are fast-growing and were thought to make good windbreaks.  They are an extremely oily tree with very high fuel value, and they go absolutely crazy in a firestorm.  For some reason, Californians just love the distinctive smell and love to landscape with them.  Makes no sense.

It's true that endothermic building materials help (materials which aren't fuel). But that only takes you so far; occupant contents are often highly exothermic, which is what finished WTC.  That can be managed in a hotel with good furnishing choices, since hotel guests don't bring much and will take it with them when they evac.

If I were trying to build for wildfire survival, other than defensible space, I would go for reinforced concrete construction with non-flammable insulation on the outside, with non-flammable cladding designed to keep the insulation intact. These also happen to harmonize very nicely with passive solar design, which is precisely my point: the big insulated thermal mass that resists day-night thermal changes, will also resist the fire's heat.

Another scheme, an amplification of the above, is earth-sheltered design, in which case you could let the fire roll right over the building.

There would be a place for water in defending from wildfire, but you've got a big sourcing problem because everyone will want water at the same time, and you're already in a desert. Wine country wasn't a desert, but it became one when a million people moved in.  California water supply is a big-dam problem, so you would have to have a local supply of some kind, e.g. a pool.


why are all the lights in the house dim then when the range is turned on they get brighter?

You have a power outage. You have lost one of your "hots".

Immediately call the power company and report an outage.

Normally you think of an outage as losing a "Hot" wire, so half the circuits in your panel stop working.  Far worse is when you lose "Neutral", which is what makes sure each half of your panel is 120V (and not less or more).

Fortunately you have an out "Hot".

When you turn your oven on, it is powered between the two hot wires and it has very low resistance.  It has the effect of connecting the two hot wires together, putting energy back on your defective hot wire.  That's enough to light your lights.  It won't be enough to do much more.

Half your panel is dead. It just happens most of your lights are on one leg.


Combining 2 110v wall plugs (different breakers) to be 220v?

Huge problems with this. Gigantic.

If a breaker trips, you'll be backfeeding the tripped circuit.

"What could go wrong?"

So your machine is loaded between circuits A and B, and SNAP! Circuit A breaker trips.   Your machine stops working, of course.

But what happens to the other loads on circuit A?  They're dead right?  No sir, they are not.  Power from circuit B is traveling through your machine and ending up on circuit A. Now, it's pulling circuit A's voltage toward circuit B's voltage.

What does this mean for other appliances still plugged into circuit A?  Oh, they're getting power alright, from circuit B through your machine.  So they're going to power back up, even though one of them just tripped the circuit.  But it will be weird, because those appliances (together) will be in series with your machine.  So voltage will be rather wack-a-doodle, and that can cause problems for some machines.

You insist that nobody will be affected but you.  Except you want to tap a circuit that's shared with your neighbor. Which means not only could they cause the breaker trip, they could be the victim of the above effect.

Current will be traveling in a big circle.

And that's a huge no-no when you are dealing with AC power. That is because AC creates inductive effects - this is the reason transformers work.  You are causing high EMFs, which in turn cause vibration, which causes fatigue and arcing failures, and eddy current heating in anything metallic anywhere near the imbalanced wires.  And the wires are running through all-metal conduit.  That reduces the chances of fire, but wildly increases the eddy-current losses; you're essentially turning the conduit wiring system into a giant electromagnet.   That could cause voltage drop at the appliance, which for a switching power supply will  cause it to draw even more current.  So all of your numbers could be wrong.

These eddy currents/heating/rattling-vibration problems are much worse at higher currents. And you are planning to run this circuit near limits.

Two plugs on the same cable

You're violating the "No cable should have two pointy ends" rule.  The reason for that rule is it's possible for one to be plugged in while the other is in your hand.  So that means you can get nailed by it, since one prongy end plugged in will make the other prongy end hot.    You can trip over a cord and pull it out and have it hit you.  Or it can short against equipment, causing arc damage (kind of a big deal in a rental) and potentially starting a fire. There is no (practical) way to make this thing fully de-energize until both plugs are plugged in.

Oh, snap. It's not 220V anyway.

Dude.  You're in a large commercial development.  You don't have "220V" (actually 240V).  You have "190V" (actually 208V) 3-phase.    When you figure the additional losses from turning your building into a giant electromagnet, say your practical voltage is 180V.

Now take your "3200W" load.  Is that load really 100% power factor?  I kinda doubt it.  It's probably more like 80% power factor, which means if it's drawing 3200 watts, it's drawing 4000 VA.  VA is the number we have to worry about with breakers and provisioning power.

So your 4000VA into 180 useful volts - you are now at 22.22 amps.  Whoops-a-daisy.  Even if we assume ideal 208V, you're at 19.2 amps.   Even a power factor of 95% puts you over 20 amps!

Now, you're not allowed to run circuit at 100% (or 96% as would be the best case here).  Your maximum continuous load can only be 80% of circuit capacity - or 16 amps.

Even if the circuit was perfect, even if you had no losses, even if your power factor was 100%, your ideal load at 3200VA/208V = 15.38 amps.  Even at 96% power factor you're a tick over the permitted 16A.

In other words, not even close.

But go read your machine's labeling and instructions and see what it says about 208V operation.

You can get a 240V^H^H^H 208V  circuit anyway

The thing about this building is, it's a commercial building.  It's wired in metal conduit.  That means a competent electrician can fish a couple of blue wires through the existing pipe, and hook you up with a 208V dedicated circuit that's all yours.  It can be a 20A circuit if your device is able to work on that (given the above provisos), or a 25A or 30A circuit if the numbers show that it needs that.

So the right answer here is to ask management for the service you need.  It's not far out of their way.

They even make a "dual voltage" 120V/208V receptacle that can go in any normal (non-GFCI) receptacle location.  That will comply with certain Code requirements that require 120V receptacles at a certain spacing.


Step One, which I do for every home I occupy, is to do a thorough map of the circuit breakers by simple trial-and-error. Check every outlet, light, and wired appliance in the home. Print a nice list of what each breaker protects and tape it over the cryptic scribbles left by sparky.

Here's my Google sheet for those who'd like it. I left my data in it as an example. Simply make a copy and replace the data with yours. I fold it down the middle, book-style, and tape it to the panel door at the fold so it fits nicely inside.

The device you link doesn't locate GFCI outlets, just the specific breaker you're on. I honestly don't know why a homeowner with just one residence to inspect would need it.
There are likely only a few GFCI outlets in your home. They're commonly located in bathrooms, kitchens, and garages, among other potentially wet areas. Try them one at a time and you'll get there.
If your outlets are not protected, but are on the same circuit, you should be able to simply replace the upstream outlet with a GFCI outlet and connect the downstream run to the LOAD side, thereby protecting the other outlet (and anything else downstream).

A 20A outlet is at most a few dollars more than a 15A outlet, so it's probably worth going that route. It may be legal to use a 15A outlet, however. Our resident code geeks can tell us for sure.


It looks like you have a standard box and not a light box. So you don't need the light box receptacle cover. In theory, you should be able to add the receptacle without issue and just use a standard outlet cover.

You can split the hot side by breaking out the tab. Assuming the nutted blacks run to the switch, you can add another hot and wire it to the top "always-on" outlet, and let the switch power the bottom.

The only downside I see to this is they're grounding to the box. Without knowing if the box is grounded, you might not be getting any ground at all if they just screwed it to a wood joist. If the box is grounded, what you'll need is a grounding clip and then run a wire from the clip to the outlet.


How should I lay my engineered flooring to account for a hearth?

Most installs I have done we have trimmed around the fireplace.  There are several ways to do it.  If your fireplace hearth sits on flat ground we try to meet even - which is almost impossible unless you did the floor and hearth all in one install.

Most of the time we trim around the fireplace first and then cut to the trim.  This is very very very time consuming because you will potentially have a lot of boards meet the trim and they need to be within 1/32".

An easier way to do this, especially if the hearth material is not as even, is to add a riser then maybe an optional board (or partial board).  So you would layout your wood and just get as close as you can to fireplace then nail down the riser around the fireplace.  The corners take some work but this is pretty easy.  This looks really good if it is brick and you can get (or notch) the riser so its back sits in a mortar line.

And a note on floating - I would probably use a riser.  Because you could set the floating wood 1/4 inch from fireplace, giving it a proper gap, and then staple the riser just to the underlying floating wood.  It would still be floating then.


You should be safe to leave a gap of ~3/16", based on the coefficient of thermal expansion in the table here (https://insulationcorp.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/ICA-LITE_Spec_Sheet.pdf). With a value of 35x10e-6in/in per deg F, assuming a 100deg maximum temperature delta x 48" wide piece-> 0.000035*100*48=0.168". This would assume 100deg from your install temperature I believe... so 1/8" may be more appropriate @30deg (F).

You should look-up and find your particular mfr/model spec sheet to find a similar table for the product you plan to install, and perform the calculation for it.


How to shorten or replace this cabinet door?

How would you go about shortening or replacing these two doors?

I'd only attempt this if

The door was to be shortened by more then the maximum width of the top rail.
I could find router bits that give a reasonable match to existing profiles.
I had a plan B in case I wreck the door.

I would cut the top off at the new height and see if the panel is loose or glued. In my kitchen the panels are loose and retained by slots in the rails and stiles. If loose I would remove the panel to cut the new arch in it. I would hope to use the cut-off top as a template.

I would then try to salvage the rail from the cut-off top. You only need to preserve the visible front edges, so you can be reasonably creative about how you remove the tops of the stiles. Ideally you'd find a router bit of the required profile but lacking that, some careful work with chisel or rotary tool might succeed.

Then its a matter of working out some new way to rejoin the rail to the stiles. You could probably use through-dowels or screws from the sides

Then I'd use a router bit to re-cut the top profile. Worst case is to grind an old chisel to match the profile and insert that into a block of pine to make a moulding plane for the job.

Finally I'd use filler where needed at the back, sand smooth and repaint.

You have to ask yourself if it is worth the effort.


What kind of wiring to add light switches in condo

It's quite likely that being in a multi-unit structure like that, you'll need to work to commercial standards in conduit.  Ask when you pull the permit to do the work.

The multi-conductor rule also applies to conduit.

The rule has to do with current loops.  All the current going down one cable or conduit must come back in that same cable or conduit.   If you sum up all the current in all the wires in a cable, counting the return (neutral) current as a negative number, this must always sum to zero.   This is so magnetic fields will cancel each other out.

So for instance you go from

Cable 0A: always-hot and neutral from power supply
Switch Box A:  switches a hot. Neutral passes through.
Cable AB: always-hot, neutral and switched-hot
Lamp fixture B: uses switched-hot and neutral for the lamp.
Cable BC: always-hot and neutral
Receptacle C: Uses always-hot and neutral.

Suppose you have a 10 amp heater in receptacle C and a 1 amp light in lamp fixture B.   Obviously in Cable BC, currents are equal at 10A hot and -10A return.  However in Cable AB, always-hot carries 10A, switched-hot carries 1A, and neutral carries -11A.  So even though several wires are in play, currents are equal.

If all you had was 14/2 cable, and you needed to make the connection from A to B, you would run two cables.  It would be wrong to use the same neutral wire for both hots in that case since they are in different cables.  You would use one hot and its partner neutral for the lamp, and the other pair for the receptacle.

Occasionally you have to think these things through is all.


There are sealing systems for pinhole leaks in copper water piping water under slabs. The pipe is sandblasted or media-blasted in place and then coated in place with epoxy. This may or may not work for the high temperature water or steam you are using here.


Can I connect power supplies to each end of an LED strip?

Basics

A 12-volt, 300-LED 5050 strip needs 6 amps, or 2 amps per RGB channel.   That's 72W.

DC power supplies can be ganged in parallel if they're  of any quality.

On an interconnected system, there must be only one controller, period.

A system can be of any size, if extended by amplifiers and/or feeders.  So if you want to put mood lighting on the USS Intrepid, good news.

Amplifiers take the output of the one controller and use its signal to drive more strips.  This is used if the strip load exceeds the controller's capacity, or if you want/need to use multiple power supplies.

Everything I said above applies to the eBay cheapies. You don't need to go to exotica for any of it.

That kit is random leftovers

The stuff isn't even meant to work together. Obviously they're supplying 3A power supplies with 6A LED strips. That's why it's dimming out on you.   If you ganged both dc power supplies, you might have enough power to operate one 5m spool properly.

You assumed  it would work together merely because it was sold together.  Nope, those people do not care.  You have to watch your wallet when dealing with that bunch.

That said, you did not get ripped off.  The parts you can use, 2 reels and 1 controller, are worth the price on your link.

What you really need

Your 45’ loop will take almost all of 3 whole 5m/16' strips, or 18A, or 216W.  Per RGB channel, 6A or 72W per channel.

You will not find a controller that can drive 216W.   However, you can have the controller drive amplifier(s).  You can obtain a single amplifier that can drive 216W.  Or you can segment the strip and drive it with many smaller amplifiers, driven by multiple power supplies (or one), which may be easier to hook up.

You cannot drive 3 strips from one end.  The internal "wires" (PC traces) inside the strip cannot carry enough current to power more than barely 2 strips (10m) and even then, they will "dim" dreadfully down their length.

If you are seeing dimming down even one 5m strip, I would not be surprised.  Passing 6A (round trip) is a lot for those narrow PC traces. In that case, either split the strip or feed it from both ends.

Option 1: big power supply, 1 amplifier, feeder

Here you use at least a 300W DC power supply and the controller feeds one big amplifier.   The internal PC board traces on the strips can't handle nearly that much power, so you run parallel feeder wire.  This is 4 wires (RGB and common) that run parallel to the LED strips and tie back into it wherever feasible.  At the least I'd feed each end of each strip.

Option 2: split the strips and use smaller amplifiers

I notice they make some very inexpensive amplifiers with 4A rating.  That can comfortably power half a 5m strip, so you would cut the strips.   You would need to feed each amplifier from the one controller.  Each amplifier could be powered from its own power supply, or from the same supply, or any mix you please. For instance you could use two of those 3A supplies you have to power two half-strips, and then power the rest from a single larger supply.


layman terms: Lengths of not more than 6 feet from an outlet

As the cable flies

Length limits on cables and cords in the NEC are measured in the length of the cable or cord you need to get there by the most direct route.  Keep in mind that instead of type AC (nee BX) cable, you can use type MC cable instead.  (In particular, I'd do some research into what's generically known as a type MCI-A cable -- these are basically a cross between AC and MC that beats both of its parents on most things.)

Outlet != receptacle

An "outlet" in the NEC is any point where the house wiring stops and other wiring (cordage or utilization equipment whips) begins.  Receptacles are simply devices that make outlets convenient to use -- an outlet under the NEC for a hardwired appliance that's not in yet will simply be a junction box with nutted-off wires tucked inside and a cover slapped on.


Is this loft bed flooring strong enough?

2x6 framing would be strong enough, but I have a couple of concerns.

Racking - I think you should put a cross brace on the back (2x4 would be fine)
Mechanical fasteners - for the elevated frame, you definitely want to use either lags or structural screws to attach it to the verticals. The rest can be nails and/or construction screws (largest that don't protrude through the other side).


How should I prepare a concrete slab for plank porcelain tiles?

You should try to get things that have height off your floor.  A little glue stained on your floor, paint, stuff like that - won't hurt anything.  The thinset will bind to that just as good as the concrete.   So you want to make sure anything sticking up is scraped and anything that is loose.

Leveling is not a must.  Most basements slant towards the drain.  Whether you level your basement is based on:

How big the tiles are.  The bigger the tiles the more level the basement needs to be. If you were doing mosaics you could handle any slant.
Whether you care about drainage.  You may want to keep the slant on a basement predisposed to have water issues.
How good of a tiler you are.  If you don't have experience tiling, a floor far from flat can be really challenging.  You basically have to use different amounts of thinset to even out your tiles.  I have seen this turn into a disaster for some.  Definitely takes some planning.


What does this answer about old residential home grounding mean?

Don't rely on MC as a ground

What he is saying is that it's not reliable to count on the metal jacket of MC (metal armored cable) as the ground.

In other words, for grounding purposes, treat MC exactly like it is NM.  If there's a ground wire inside the MC, that is an acceptable grounding path.  Otherwise treat the cable and boxes relying on it as ungrounded.

Retrofit your heart out

Go ahead and retrofit grounds if you want to.  The post is saying since MC armor is not a valid grounding path, you will want to retrofit a ground in parallel.   Keep in mind the ground retrofit rules have eased since that post.

When retrofitting grounds, think first about your biggest loads, because once you lay the thickest ground wire, it can also serve as a ground path for any other circuit(s) which require that size or smaller.  For instance when running your oven's ground, stop in a couple other junction boxes and use them as a hub for other grounds you are retrofitting.  That way you don't need to do a home run for every circuit.  The concept is that ground doesn't normally flow current, and it's rather unlikely for 2 circuits to develop a bolted ground fault at the same time.


What kind of screws are used for plywood subflooring?

It should be noted that the above linked screw is a sheetrock screw, not a subfloor or underlayment screw, which you will probably find in real life labeled something like "deck screw" if you're working on the cheap.

Sheetrock screws are brittle and prone to breaking under the flexing/shifting of a floor. DO NOT USE sheetrock screws.

My apologies to the OP for not viewing this page 18 months earlier.

If you're installing tile, or doing anything involving concrete (like self leveler), you'll want to look into screws that are alkali resistant. The cement board that you'll grout to the latex primered (better bonding, moisture barrier) subfloor will also be attached with these screws, and the fiberglass tape you'll use to "mud" the seams between the cement board (just like installing drywall) will also be of an alkali resistant variety. In both cases of subflooring and cement board, leave a 1/16" gap between sheets for building shift/expansion.

One final note, if you're adding plywood subflooring over an existing subfloor, screw the original sub to the joists anywhere it's loose, and screw the new sub to the old sub but NOT to the joists. This will help the floor float during the inevitable expansion and contraction of temperature and humidity swings.


Perspex is a brand name, but I've most often heard the name used by British English speakers. A similar product is Plexiglas which is also a brand name. In the US, people use the word "Plexiglas" generically and I believe that's true of the word "Perspex" in Great Britain. If you go into Home Depot in the US and ask for Perspex you're likely to get a quizzical look. If you ask for Plexiglas, you may not get that brand, but they'll know what you're talking about.


Installing a Tension Chin Up Bar - Can I Use Shims to Minimize the Pressure on the Drywall?

As you have found out there needs to solid structure in the wall behind the drywall, I.E. a stud. Typically these are mounted in doorways that have solid structure and i am not sure where you are mounting yours.
A stud  in a wall is only 1 1/2" ( " = inch ) wide so the bar would need to be perfectly center, but even if centered the whole width of the mounting plate of the bar may not be on the stud and drywall is relatively soft so the movement of you on the bar could cause the bar to weaken the drywall.
Studs are usually spaced 16" on center, so A better approach would be to use a thick board to span across some structure, two studs. (or what ever structure you are dealing with, adjust the mounting board accordingly)
A 2"x 6" board 18" or 20" in length would span two studs. You need to find the center of each stud so you can screw the board into them.If you do not have a stud finder then you can find YouTube videos to learn alternative methods.  Mark the center of each with tape. place the board on the wall so it spans the studs and transfer the mark on the tape to the board.
Pre-drill your board with drill bit just smaller then the thickness of the screw, place the board on the wall, position the board so the holes line up with the marked tape on the wall, use a level. (You can eyeball it if you need or use a tape measure from the ceiling)  The board opposite it will need to be in the exact same height/position. Use a drill bit slightly less then half the thickness of the screws  to punch through the holes in the board, this will mark the wall where you need to   pre-drill the wall/studs.
Pre-drill the drywall/studs to 1 3/4", put tape on you drill bit so you know when to stop drilling. You can skip the pre-drilling of the wall if you have an impact driver and you use torx head screws. (Phillips head screws suck) Mount your boards to the walls and mount your bar to the boards.
EDIT: After thinking about this a bit it occurred to me that your shim idea May (?) be sufficient Without the need for fasteners to screw it into the studs. Use a large thick square board, pinch it between the ends of the bar and the wall. You do  want to make sure that you are centered over a stud otherwise you could punch an 8 inch hole into the wall instead of the smaller one  you already did.


Circuit Fails when wires capped but not when light is inline

A Simple Short Circuit
when the porcelain single bulb light is hooked-up the Black and dotted white wire, the light works and break is Not tripped. Also works fine whether switched off/on. When I cap those two wires together, the break trips to off position.

Black wire going to bulb is "hot"
White wire going to bulb is "neutral"

A circuit is panel -> "hot" -> load (e.g., light) -> "neutral" -> panel.
When you cap the two wires together without any load between them, you let ALL the possible electricity flow through. Otherwise known as a "short circuit". The breaker then trips, as it is designed to do to protect your wiring and prevent your house from burning down.


What is an alternative to a cement truck that would allow more working time?

The time from when the cement, water, sand and particulate are mixed till the time the mix should be in your forms is limited. That is a primary reason that a delivery truck can only stay at your lot for a max time (they have a secondary consideration of keeping the truck on the road delivering other jobs but many companies may stay longer for an overtime charge).

Since you need a lot more time and 10 yards is an awful large amount of material for one person to handle all at once you are left with two choices.
1. Order raw materials and rent a mixer and perform small batch mixes on site.
2. Prepare all your forms and rebar ahead of time and then prepare to have a crew available to get the job laid down in the time that a truck can be there.

Note that if you are doing something in small batch mixing this is not the best approach when there is slab work and continuous foundation that you would like to all bond together. There is also the issue of getting a slab surface finished right when it is poured over too long of time in small pieces.


How do I remove THIN layer of carpet glue from concrete?

We ended up using Krud Kutter Adhesive Remover, several pots of boiling water combined with a sturdy long handled floor scraper (& elbo grease) followed by a large orbital sander with 60 grit sanding screens.

This still didn't get all of the adhesive off :( but we have enough off and it's smooth enough for us to paint the floor, based on what I've been told & read online.

Hopefully, this will be helpful for someone else later on :)


Go ahead

You can run cables or conduits into a modern electrical panel anywhere it has a KO of the right size that is accessible and free.  You will need to fit a cable clamp (for NM/UF) or cable fitting (for AC/MC) to the KO, though.


Sizing HVAC: 3 vs 2.5 ton AC, 60k vs 40k BTU furnace for 1200sqft?

What was the previous size of the AC?  It's typically encoded in the model number, and there are online decoders for your manufacturer.
The size of your AC is based on the heat leakage for your home; but, many AC contractors believe that adding an extra 1/2 ton doesn't hurt.  It is generally a safe practice if it is only done once; but, if it's already been done, over cooling a home can have some pretty nasty consequences,  Humidity build up (like the water on the outside of a cold soda can) can collect within the home due to air temperature being dropped to rapidly.  This typically occurs behind the sheet rock, where it won't be immediately visible.  In addition, your unit will run for very short periods as it cycles, likely leading leading to more wear on the installed system.
In any case, the home hasn't moved, the insulation hasn't changed, and unless you had a bad system before, the new one shouldn't require a new tonnage rating unless it was mis-rated previously, or you intend to maintain the home at a lower temperature than before.
Should you believe the home was mis-rated, pay a company to have a "Manual J Load Calculation" done on the home.  If it is possible to have this done without installing an AC at the same time, you'll have a better confidence it isn't influenced by the impending sell.


Sounds like a hack-job approach to me.
That wall could be built from concrete blocks (aka CMUs or concrete masonry units), with bond-block rows and reinforcing steel, and grouted full, making it effectively solid, without abandoning forms in place - or rather, the forms would be the block wall.
Of course, poured concrete contractors and masons are not usually the same people, so this would not be a solution a concrete contractor would be liable to think of.
Alternatively, a form never intended to be removed and not made of wood that will rot - the insulated concrete form or ICF. Two sheets of styrofoam tied together.
But your pictures imply that this is a done deal.
If termites are a problem in your area, they may find that form tasty.


How to wire a duct fan, pressure switch, and fan speed controller

Wire to the pressure switch, then to the speed control, then to the motor and back to the junction box.  Just a thought; these small fans make more noise than air. there is usually a better way to get more air into a room.


Can I use two 2x8 beams instead of one 4x8 beam for deck?

If you pair the beams up, you should glue them with construction adhesive. Just nailing or screwing them together won't really distribute the load across both beams. Although; you're probably not planning on hanging or resting anything on just one beam and expecting the other beam to help with the load anyway.

A pair of 2x8 beams are going to be 3" wide (typically 1/4" is planed off each side of dimensioned lumber to give it the finished surface).

A 4x8 beam is going to be 3-1/2" wide. The extra half inch is going to add some strength to the 4x8 beam.

The 4x8 might be more prone to warping than a couple of 2x8's if it's a solid beam (but not if it's a laminated beam).

If this was for indoor use, you could sandwich a strip of plywood between the 2x8 beams and glue (not nail) all three pieces together to create a laminated beam that would be stronger and less prone to warping than the 4x8. But since you're building a deck, the sandwiched plywood would soak up water and be a problem.


Need ceiling fan remote that also uses controls at existing wall switch

I beleive that you can do this using a remote control switch set such as this one

You will need two switches, one for the light and one for the fan. The remote shown has two channels. You need to check that the fan does not exceed the wattage recommended and that the dimming circuit in the switch can handle a motor, not just incandescent lights.

Several manufacturers make these types of devices, so search for ones that meet these criteria. Here is another version


Which fitting do I need to run a modern fridge's 1/4" ice maker supply line to an older supply valve with a larger flare outlet?

You could use a water line tap, easily installed.

That said, check local codes to see if it's allowed. Also note that these piercing taps may be more likely to leak, particularly on older, brittle, pipe.


What's the minimum depth that an electrical box can recess into a finished wall? Does it have to be flush?

They make box extenders (an example is depicted below) that can be used to extend boxes to meet the finished surface.

The 2014 NEC says...

ARTICLE 314
Outlet, Device, Pull, and Junction Boxes;
Conduit Bodies; Fittings; and Handhole Enclosures
314.20 In Wall or Ceiling. In walls or ceilings with a surface of concrete, tile, gypsum, plaster, or other noncombustible material,
boxes employing a ﬂush-type cover or faceplate shall be installed so
that the front edge of the box, plaster ring, extension ring, or
listed extender will not be set back of the ﬁnished surface more than
6 mm (1⁄4 in.). In walls and ceilings constructed of wood or other
combustible surface material, boxes, plaster rings, extension rings,
or listed extenders shall be ﬂush with the ﬁnished surface or project
therefrom.

This might also be relevant.

406.4 Receptacle Mounting. Receptacles shall be mounted in boxes or assemblies designed for the purpose, and such boxes or assemblies
shall be securely fastened in place unless otherwise permitted
elsewhere in this Code.
(A) Boxes That Are Set Back. Receptacles mounted in boxes that are set back from the finished surface as permitted in 314.20 shall be
installed such that the mounting yoke or strap of the receptacle is
held rigidly at the finished surface.


Where can I find a cheap diamond stone-cutting blade for my Dremel Multi-Max?

This online store has them for $15.90 each, and claims to be compatible with Dremel Multi-Max.

EDIT: Taking shirlock's advice in mind, the right tool for the job can make all the difference. I did a bit of searching, and DeWalt has an angle grinder for pretty cheap - only 4x the cost of the multimax blade! Ryobi has one for about half that price too.

Masonry wheels for it are fairly cheap as well. (Although shipping will get you - might want to go to HD or Lowe's for these.)


How do I keep my conservatory roof drain clean?

There are devices called gutter guards that allow the water to enter the gutter/drain but the debris continues over the gutter and off the edge of the roof.  Not sure if you could get one of those for your conservatory roof but you might try looking into them.


Must I upgrade this bathroom circuit from 15 amps to 20 amps?

GFCI lights and fans

  Naturally, the electricians did not GFCI-protect that light, so I want to move it to the GFCI-protected line coming into the master bath

Naturally.  Lights and fans don't need GFCI protection.  However fans do have a tendency to have minor ground faults.  Is there a reason you want to protect them?

Keep in mind there's a side effect; if you feed your lights off the same outlet as your bathroom appliance receptacles, and you have a ground fault in an appliance, it will kill your lights.  So you'll be standing there in the dark holding a 400 degree curling iron with no idea of where you can set it down.

Bathroom receptacles must be GFCIs.  Nothing else need be, but you might want to GFCI (or convert to low voltage) lights inside showers.

Bathroom circuits, grandfathered

If the scope of work does not allow you to easily replace a wiring run, it should be grandfathered, i.e. you are allowed to keep the old run and do the best you can with it.  If the scope of work is large enough to make changing the wire easy, then the grandfathering is broken and you must replace.

installing a new 15A circuit to a bathroom is Right Out, since obviously, if you can install a new 15A circuit, you can install a new 20A circuit just as easily.

Bathroom receptacles must be on ...

A bathroom receptacle must be on a 20A circuit that is shared only with other bathroom receptacles (in any number of bathrooms).

Or, a bathroom receptacle must be on a 20A circuit that serves only loads (of any kind) in this same bathroom.

Take your pick.

That said, there's a big problem with either setup.  Almost every heat-making bathroom appliance (hair dryer, curler, straightener) is a 1500W heater.  It would be better if they were higher wattage (they are in Europe), but UL caps them off at 1500W.   You cannot run two 1500W appliances on a 20A circuit.

So once again, as NEC constantly says, it is a code book of minimum requirements, not a design guide of best practices.   So anybody who puts one (1) 20A receptacle circuit in their bathroom because Code tells you to ought to think again.  This is exactly where a DIYer should use his powers of DIY to build the system that works for you, not do the bare minimum  like a contractor would.


What water:cement:sand ratio gives the strongest mortar?

The less water the better, to a point. Excess water will weaken the mix. At some point in the other direction, there is not enough water for the hydration process(around 0.25:1 water:cement). In general though, to have a workable mix, there will be enough water for hydration. Use as little water as possible to make a workable mix, around 0.45:1 is fine. Don't use mortar for bulk fill, it's a waste of cement. The gravel in concrete is just filler, saving cement.

The concrete you mixed is sort of the standard DIY ratio, I don't know why it didn't work. While 0.5" gravel is a bit small, it can't be the reason for crumbling. Perhaps the cement was old? It may have absorbed enough humidity to partially hydrate, but not so much that it bound together.


Is water from the bathroom sink any dirtier than water from the kitchen sink?

All water coming into your house comes from the same single source, so unless you have two separate storage tanks for your kitchen taps and bathroom taps (highly unlikely) then the water will be identical.

The water should be potable without any additional filtering, but obviously you may want extra filtering if your water is particularly hard - i.e. has a high mineral content.

Where you site the filter raises another issue. If you site it just after the water enters your property and after the main stop cock then all the supply is filtered - including that used to flush toilets (which you could see as waste), but it does mean that the water going to boilers for heating and hot water will be filtered and reduce the build up of deposits in the heater itself (which is a good thing).


Is an interior laundry room without an HVAC vent a code violation?

Although most are based on the National Building Code, code should always be assumed to be local. Pretty much every local regulating body has their own alterations. If you really do care about being in compliance, check with your local Building Inspector or appropriate department.

The Internet is NEVER the place for the correct answer to "is this code-compliant?", unless you include your municipal web site.


How to convert a fluorescent fixture to led?

There are loads of questions with answers on this site that address this question and loads of YouTube tutorials on how to do it.

I prefer to remove the ballast, its wiring and the tombstones.

Replace the tombstones with Non-shunted ones and wire directly to one tombstone. Use wire nuts to pigtail 18awg wire to your black and white ( line and neutral ) house wiring and wire them to the two wire inputs on the non shunted tombstone. ( ground to the metal fixtures body. )

Use a direct wire or ballast bypass led tube.

I do not see the point in powering a ballast if it is not needed other than for people who are not comfortable making the electrical changes. ( its a waste of power )


My AC and Heat systems are separate, Can I wire one or both fan(only) controls to my thermostat?

You can certainly connect and use the fan-only wire for the AC.
Whether you can also drive the heating unit's fan-only input depends a great deal on your configuration and is probably not a good idea.
A breaker popping for one fan is not a concern for the thermostat system as the controls operate via 24V relays.  As long as the appropriate 24V transformer is still powered, the other fan/system will operate normally.  No additional harm will accrue to the dead fan other than what caused the breaker to trip in the first place.

First you must determine your exact control configuration, especially if you have one 24V transformer or two.

Provide a picture of your thermostat's base-plate (wiring terminals).
You should have 1 to three power terminals, typically labeled: R, Rc, and Rh.  Is there one wire connected to these or two wires?
Is there one Common (C) terminal or 2?  With 0, 1, or 2 wires?
Verify you only have one fan-relay terminal, typically labeled G.

The biggest problem with one thermostat for 2 separate residential systems is usually the power supplies. (2 different 24 VAC systems tied together often leads to one 0 VAC system and possibly smoke or a blown fuse.)
Your thermostat is designed to keep these 2 supplies separate; trying to drive both fans at once can tie them back together (and release the aforementioned smoke).

If you have 2 or more power wires and/or 2 or more common wires,
then you have 2 separate 24V transformers (this is the normal configuration) and driving both fan wires will do one of three things:

Not drive one fan at all (usually heating) due to the thermostat applying Rc power to an Rh circuit, both un-closed, for the heater's fan relay. This is the most likely scenario.
Immediately blow one or both transformers and possibly one or both control modules.
Appear to work (transformers roughly paralleled) but transformer life will be shortened due to current loops and slight phase differences.

In this scenario, you would need to bust out your Electronics-engineer skills and add a low voltage relay to safely drive the heater-fan relay (and not blow any transformers).  That's beyond the scope of this question and there might be some commercially available solution an HVAC pro could hook you up with, maybe.

If you have only one power wire, and zero or one common wire(s),
Then the last installer might have driven everything off one transformer . And it might be a third transformer installed just for that purpose.
In that case, it might be okay to connect both fan wires to the same thermostat G terminal, see below.
The next question becomes whether the thermostat and transformer can supply enough current for the fan relays on both systems.
The thermostat can probably handle it, but the transformer might not supply enough current.
It would be prudent to:

Locate the 24V transformer(s).  Each air handler should have one, and one or both should be disconnected (in this 2-wire scenario).
There may also be a third transformer installed to meet the demands of the combined system.  In this case, you're probably good to go.

If labeled/possible, note the current or wattage the transformer is rated for.

Test the furnace fan control.  Unplug the thermostat and jumper the power wire to the heater's fan(only) wire.
Does the heater fan come on right away and the air stay cool after 10 minutes?
~~~ Do not attempt to run both fans just yet. ~~~

If the fan failed to blow cool air in step 3, then your heater may not really have a fan-only mode.

If you can, measure the current across the jumper in step 3 for both the heater fan relay and the AC fan relay (separately).   The total of both currents should be less than 95% of the transformer's rated capacity.

If the conditions of step 3 and 5 are met, then you should be able to connect both fan wires to the appropriate (usually G) terminal of the thermostat.  There is a small chance that it will burn out the thermostat, but it probably won't.


Bulbs don't really fail intermittently. 99.9% it's your socket that wants replacing.
And, yes, I would do it soon, because intermittent contacts like this can in rare circumstances cause fires due to arcing. This is extremely unlikely on a low-current device like an LED bulb, but it wants addressing sooner rather than later.
As pointed out in the comments, though, it's a simple matter to swap with another bulb and see if the fault follows the bulb or stays with the socket.


Any working coil is going to sweat, or it isn't working.

You need a pan or a properly ducted return that will catch the drips and protect the drywall, or a combination of both.

If it still functions, you only need a new coil if the drain tray is cracked. Even then, the pan itself might be a 'simple' replacement part.

"I read on the manufacturer's website (Bryant) that if the installation is on the first floor then a secondary drain pan must be installed." – Hemant Patel


How can I remove a stone fireplace that is attached to drywall?

Those stones are just facing and can be knocked out with chisel/hammer combo.  The shelf might need a sledge hammer or a lot of whacks with hammer.


How should I accommodate thinner replacement deck boards?

I would stay with 2 X lumber instead of 5/4 "decking". that will solve your dimension problem .  Regular 2 X lumber is twice as strong, twice as stiff and lasts much longer, compared to 5/4 decking. My deck is 2 X 6 , 25 years old and I have made a few repairs. The community pool has some 5/4 decking ,it has been replaced twice in that same time and does not look so good right now. More objectively ,the strength is proportional to the cube of the thickness; that cube is 3.38 for 2 X lumber and for 5/4 the cube is 1.95, so not quite 2 : 1 difference. Update- I went to the pool today ,5/ 23, a new deck had been put on during the winter ,so 3 decks in about 25 years. But, this time someone got smart and put in 2 X lumber instead of 5/4.


How do I repair splits in a wood cabinet going with the grain?

Colored wax is very minimally disturbing (to the existing finish) and easily reversible, should you want to redo the repair.  Buff it with soft cloth to match sheens and you can even overcoat the whole piece with a good paste wax, afterwards.

For wood grains that have a range of colors, I like to blend (rub in) several colors along the crack.  That way, the repair is less monochromatic and therefore more natural looking.


Capping light fixture box with two white and two black wires

If this is in the middle of the run to the other lights being controlled by the switch (i.e. capping each wire individually means that some lights won't work, and there's no reason the electrician would have installed a temporary porcelain fixture if a simple capping would have done the trick) then:

Turn off power at the breaker.
Remove temporary porcelain fixture.
Using a yellow or red wire nut* connect the two black wires.
Using another wire nut, connect the two white wires.
Double check both nuts are tight by holding the nut and trying to pull each wire out.
Push the wires into the box.
Attach a round, blank cover plate.
Turn on power at the breaker.

*Check the package labeling to ensure you're using nuts of the correct size for the wiring you're using. My box of orange says it will not support two #12 or two #14 wires, only 1 of each with something #16 or smaller. My box of yellows says it will support two #14 or two #12, as does my box of reds.
Of course, it strikes me as very unusual that the electrician wouldn't have done this in the first place. Surely he would have had a blank cover plate on the truck just as readily as having a porcelain. OTOH, he may have made more profit by charging you for the "temporary" porcelain than he would have for just putting a cover plate on it in the first place. :/


This is obviously unsafe. There are two problems:

Safety: the wires are uninsulated at their joints and present a shock hazard.
Connection: the wires are twisted together with no screw clamping. As they oxidise the resistance will increase and may over time develop into a hotspot with arcing and potential to start a fire.


From a distance view the project in the first photo appears feasible. There are many factors at play here including:

Whether you even need the shed roof at all and could simply fully remove it.
What may be inside the wall area already including wiring or plumbing vent.
Locations of existing studs in the wall and how framing has to change to accommodate the window.
Restoration of the house siding in area where roof is removed.
How to properly flash the window so that rain does not get into the wall.
Opening the shed roof to re-frame one end may result in need to re-shingle it.

Due to the nature of the questions you asked, including the question of what tools would be required, I would suggest that you at least get a couple of contractors to give you some bids on what they think it would take to complete this project. Being on site to see first hand they can give you a lot better idea of what is needed overall than we can from several photos. Even if you decide to do the work yourself the consultations will put you way forward in the process.


How do I remove this stuck faucet valve cartridge?

My cold side cartridge needed replacement. (My valve assembly has manufacture date of 2007.) I have a number of same Kohler Lavatory sets and have had to replace a few valve assemblies a few times. Kohler has sent me entire retrofit valve set because many times, as was described in prior comments, it's difficult to break the seal of the top nut to get at and replace the cartridge. I decided to get brave after reading the ideas from comments and decided to try to get at the cartridge.

This is what worked for me. I used a vice grip and attached it right below the threads of the assembly (just above where the water line attaches to the assembly). It's machined there to accept a wrench and the vice grip secures perfectly. I took my ball pain hammer and tapped the nut area all around to hopefully break the seal. I attached a 5/8" socket and ratchet wrench to the cartridge top nut (You do not have to take off that cotter pin). I then placed the valve assembly on the garage floor with the vice grip attached. I then secured the 5/8" socket to the top nut and used one foot to make sure the valve set doesn't move and used my other foot to apply leverage to the socket wrench and with a few stomps on the ratchet handle the nut loosened and the cartridge came out of the assembly.


There's a much easier solution

On your furnace you have mounted a Aprilaire MK 500. Inside that humidifier is a 9" x 9" opening. You simply need to remove the cover by by depressing the top or bottom tab, pull the 1/4" diameter water line out of the humidifier pad and then pull the humidifier pad out.

You should now be able to see inside the furnace with ease if the foam has fallen down you can run the fan to blow it up and tried to catch it if it didn't already move downstream. If it's not stuck down at the heat exchangers I wouldn't be overly concerned. If it was stuck down on the primary heat exchanger the worst thing you could expect to happen is it would smell a lot like burning foam beyond that it would be unlikely to sustain a flame but not out of the realm of possibility.

For the record bypass humidifiers are supposed to be installed on the return air but it's not the end of the world and this time it worked out to your benefit.


For a single 12-2 NM cable, what hole size should be drilled?

Big enough to run the cable through without damaging it.

Personally I would not go smaller than 5/8", and would really say 3/4" minimum, but this is based on experience and practice, nothing more. Typically I use 7/8"-1", but it is rare that I am running only one cable.


What is the bedroom section of a master bedroom with foyer called?

If the door to the suite is in the foyer section, it could also be called the antechamber.  That would make the bed section the main chamber or bedchamber.

...and of course, no discussion of chambers should ignore the chamberpot  ;)


How do I connect touch panel 3 gang switch?

Be VERY Careful What You Install
With plugged in items, if there is a problem it is usually quite obvious and, very importantly, very easy to resolve quickly - just unplug it.
With hardwired items, including smart switches, timers, touch switches (like this one), motion sensors, etc., if there are problems they may manifest themselves by simply dying (annoying but no big deal) but occasionally a little more dramatically, like burning your house down or killing you.
You should always make sure that hardwired mains-voltage (120 or 240) items are appropriately UL Listed or similar. There are other labs that provide real-world useful certification. CE is not one of them - it is just a mark that anyone can print. Fortunately, actual fraudulent UL Listing marks are much more unusual, though it would be nice if there was an end-user easy & reliable way to double-check UL Listing - if there is, I don't know about it.
In addition, the Chinglish wording (I count 5 problems in a quick read) and a number of other design "features" point to this being a cheap and non-certified device that is very risky to install in your house. It is possible that the internals were designed by a good engineer and manufactured to acceptable tolerances. It is also possible that any or all of the following could be present:

Insufficient insulation or design such that the "touch" part of things is designed in a way that could result in current going through the user in a wet environment.
Components incapable of handing a full load (800W per section, 2000W total) - which may be OK when used with a smaller load (e.g., 50W per section of LED lighting). In fact, I think that is extremely likely as the typical incandescent max. load is 600W per section and a 15A device (the usual design) is typically limited to 1440W by code. 2000W as a maximum would almost certainly not pass even the most basic certification for a consumer light control in the US.

and I could think of more things if I took the time. But just don't do it. If you ever have a problem, your insurance company will take one look at it and determine that it was not installed according to code and likely refuse to pay. You can't argue "but residential straight switch replacements by the homeowner are OK" because while in most areas that is OK, it is premised upon the materials and workmanship being up to code. In this case, the materials would definitely not be up to code.


How do I attach a new pipe to this vertical ABS pipe?

The ideal solution is to cut the pipe and insert a Tee. You'll have to lift the upper part of the pipe enough to slip in the T junction and then lower the pipe down into the T and glue it. Sabre saw works to cut pipe, but it makes the pipe wobble a lot, which is not a good idea, it could break the tee fitting shown in the picture.

I would rather secure the pipe to make sure it doesn't move, perhaps cut a length of wood to place between the pipe and the background, and then gently cut it with a hand saw. Less risk of damage this way. Make sure to be really careful when you cut the last bit of plastic, that's when the saw gets caught between the two halves and snags.

If that is not possible, I'd use this kind of fitting:

You get the idea. Drill into the existing pipe with a hole saw, then slap this fitting on it with enough glue to make it stick. I'm not really a fan of these though. They're supposed to work fine if properly applied, and they sure come in handy when there's no other choice, like when both ends of the pipe can't be moved...

Also check your code.

EDIT: It is called a "Saddle Tee" -- google that, there are several types so make sure you pick the correct one, especially wrt pipe material.


Fence-post bedding is a non-challenging job and on that basis, don't stress about it too much.

Your mixture sounds perfectly good - the usual place folks go wrong is adding too much water, but see the first sentence of this answer.


That last piece should have been cut to match, well fill, the gap on the left.
If there is a waste piece available then you can cut a bit to just drop in at this point, unless you have a spare full board to cut properly.
As for the end trim - it needs securing properly either gluing or screwing as needed.


Can multiple 2-way occupancy motion sensor switches be used together?

For American readers: I cannot find any language in the NEC expressly prohibiting the use of switches (motion-sensing or manual) in parallel for ORed lighting configurations such as the OPs.  However, there's another problem, and that's user expectancy; even with manual switches installed, most people will see this setup and think "three-way switch", not realizing it's really been wired differently.  I, personally, would insist on having labels on the faceplates of both motion sensors mentioning that this is not a three way setup, and pointing up or downstairs at the other switch, as appropriate -- there's an off-chance it could get a clumsy bulb-changer bit because they only overrode one of the sensors, not both.

Considering that you have stairway coverage accounted for, and a way to label this, I'd go ahead with it.


Trim - Casing and Baseboard Installation

I would always run the baseboard consistently through a room.

So this suggests that you do something with the window casing. You could rip your window casing and have it touch the base... I don't think that would look terrible. Or (and I'm making assumptions that your window is cased 4 sides like a picture frame, here) you could install a stool/apron at the bottom of the windows and use a much smaller apron to give a bit of room between the base and the window.


The reality is that it doesn't matter all that much, and optimizing for whatever allows them to reuse the most material or minimizes cuts should be your first priority (I see you have another uncovered wall that you might want to factor in).

That said, if you are sure you only want to cover the area stated in the question, then it would seem you are in for 2 pieces of backer board no matter how you slice it.  Thus, you might consider cutting boards twice so that you will have vertical seams for drainage reasons.


For the reason why you can't strip the cable where it enters the conduit, that has to do with rating of the individual wires. While it is possible that the individual wires inside a UF (or NM or any other) cable may be the same type/quality (THWN) that can be run directly in conduit, there is no guarantee. Even if they are "basically the same thing", if the wires are not individually marked to indicate they are manufactured to THWN specifications, you can fail inspection. On the other hand, if you run a cable through conduit where the only purpose of the conduit is to provide protection from damage (e.g., UF cable outside, NM cable inside) then the rating of the wires inside the cable doesn't matter.


If there is another switch in or near this room that also controls the same light or device then you need a 3 way switch to replace the old switch not the 2 way you are using. If this is the case, then the black wire is probably the feed and the 2 reds are the travelers to the 2nd switch.


Should I connect the ground wire to the panel when the conduit is grounded?

First, don't use obsolete cable because it may not comply with current Codes.

Rule of thumb: If the cable has a ground wire, you have to use it.  Only certain types of metal-jacketed cable are allowed to use the jacket as the ground wire.  On the types that are not, they include a ground wire.

Since you are in all metal boxes, you ground this cable to the ground screw in the back of your junction box.  Most junction boxes do not come with a ground screw, but they do come with a hole tapped #10-32 for the purpose of adding a ground screw.  Any #10-32 machine screw will suffice -- however they make cute little green ground screws, with or without pigtails preattached.

If there is no hole tapped, add a mounting screw and then remove each of the existing mounting screws in turn, just to make sure they didn't accidentally use the tapped ground hole for a mounting screw.  Otherwise, you can tap one yourself, it must be #6 or larger and -32 or finer.  Common sheetmetal screws are Right Out.

If you need to land more than 1 wire on the ground screw, pigtail it.

Lastly on the panel's neutral-ground equipotential bond, don't misinterpret that.  Neutral Is Not Ground. That one bond in one location in your electrical system (at the source) has a special purpose.  Neutral and ground must never connect anywhere else, and one should never be used as a substitute for the other.  Each wire has an independent job to do (one returns normal current, one diverts fault current) and conflating them creates a dangerous situation.


I mounted a vinyl picture window sideways, can I drill small weeping holes into the frame?

You will certainly need to provide for some drainage of the now "lower" track of the window so that accumulated water can flow out.

One thing to also consider is the overall design of the window itself. Many window units are designed with a definite UP and DOWN side to them. When you rotate such window by 90 degrees certain aspects of the window may be less than optimum for proper operation of the window. In particular with a window designed to be opened you may need to adapt certain aspects such as locks, latches and mechanisms designed to hold the window open. In the worst case a slide for the movable part of the window which was on the side now ends up on the bottom. Accumulated dirt in the track could make the window hard to open. The exterior top edge of some modular windows are also designed with a upper water drip edge which you may now have to substitute with a separate part in the installation.


How do I fix an exterior door knob that will unlock but not turn?

In its currently disassembled state, there is nothing locking the mechanism. You are correct that the C shaped half-circle shaft is what pulls the latch back when turned.

If you cannot push the latch back with your finger, the anti-jimmy device has had a piece break in it.

I had this happen on a bathroom door latch about two weeks ago, probably made by the same manufacturer as the shape of the lock actuator rod and latch actuator are exactly the same.

If you look at it, the lock actuator rod (the center piece you were turning) has a taper section just where it passes through the latch pull which means that during assembly, you manually push the latch back and it passes straight through.

In order to get clearance so the lock actuator rod will pass through, I pried the folded piece that they pass through till I got clearance so the shafts would pull out. I then squeezed the folded piece back together and pushed the latch out. It didn't even require taking the door off the hinges.

Replace the whole door knob/latch assembly with new and you're back in action.


Repair water leak around gas line in foundation

I would chisel out around the pipe a little about 1/4" wide 1/2" deep. clean it up good. Pipe and concrete. Then use a concrete sealant.  $75 is overpriced.
This is under $10 and makes a flexible water seal.

Sikaflex 10 fl. oz. Crack Sealant


What is this foil-backed bitumen in my garden. Asbestos risk?

It tested negative for asbestos, though the surveyor (in to check out the house) did recommend testing as it was reinforced with some kind of fibre so potentially asbestos.  I've dug up several large sections so I think Ecnerwal was right - old shed roofing.


It appears that type L  copper tubing is used for LPG / propane "distribution" in the US,  but is not allowed for natural gas. https://findanyanswer.com/what-type-of-copper-tubing-is-used-for-propane-gas.


What can I use as a thread "tightener" compound for a free-running bolt?

Based on the clarifications, I would recommend using a reusable thread-locking liquid.
Here is a link to one I found that may work. I have not used it.
Vibra-Tite VC3 Threadmate  http://www.vibra-tite.com
(I am in no way affiliated with the Vibra-Tite Company)


Is it common to have a pressure shut off for Jet Water Pumps?

It is not a standard feature. The pump often hooks into a manifold that connects to the pressure tank and that has a check-valve, pressure gauge, pressure switch, tank drain valve, main shutoff valve, and over-pressure relief valve. The assembly looks like the following once assembled (note: check-valve not shown in this setup).

You will have to consult the manufacturer's spec sheets to see if it comes with an integral pressure switch. Even if the manufacturer won't respond, often they have spec sheets and manuals available online that will give you this info.

Note: the bottom pump is a no-brand Chinese manufacture pump, you might be able to trace it through Ali-Baba, but you'll have to take the Amazon description's word for what it does as there's not much else available about it online.


You really need a sealer. White is chosen to reflect the heat AND this will last longer than black. When we used hot tar on roofs we then painted them silver or white. If we did not do this the tar would end up in puddles.

Primers are made to seal wood and wall coverings, not a concrete roof. You need a coating with some “body” that maintains flexibility and don’t go cheap, get it sealed before it gets worse. Multiple coats may be needed but a quality product will probably work with one coat based on your description.

So get the right product for the job and don’t go cheap.

Edited: I noticed the link for the Elasto lock , read the instructions this product suggests power washing, they mention acid etching to clean newer pours and do not mention primer at all. DO NOT USE PRIMER WITH THIS PRODUCT!. It needs the porosity of the concrete to bond as I have mentioned in several comments.
But I believe it would be a good product to use to seal your leak.
As I have not used the satin sealer in the original question I looked up some info. A question was asked about a concrete roof leaking here is rustolium’s response:

Rust-OleumSupport
March 04, 2019
Thanks for reaching out, Richard. Rust-Oleum Sealkrete Clear Seal Concrete Protective Sealer will offer waterproofing qualities, but you may need to consider two coats for adequate coverage. You will get 150-300 sq ft of coverage and you can recoat the product in 2 hours. - Rust-Oleum Product Support 1

So so as I said I would not use that sealer it only had sealing properties,  but the ElastO lock you linked to looks like a good flexible product made to seal cracks. And no priming is required but cleaning is.


Nec Article 348 allows FMC to be used as a conduit system. However, NEC 348.12 (1) does not permit the use of FMC in wet locations. So assuming you water heater room is not wet during normal operations FMC can be used. However, if you determine that the wiring might cause a shock or burn hazard during non-normal working conditions some AHJ might have a problem with it.

Due to the fact that this is probably a short run and so material cost would not be a real factor, I would suggest you run it in LFNC "carflex" or LFMC "sealtite" and avoid any conflict.


Calculating current draw for an old freezer

I would assume this label to be correct.

The newer freezer may well have a higher maximum rating than the old one but draw this much power not as often or as long as the old freezer, so that the overall power consumption of the new machine might be lower, as expected.


My ex came in the house, unplugged the garage door opener and jammed the doorknob of the door into the garage. How do i get the garage door open

Virtually all doors that are between the house and garage open into the house. This means that the hinges are visible from the house side. One alternative is to remove the hinge pins and the door should be able to be pulled inwards toward the house. Modern doors of this type will be a fire break type of door and may be fairly heavy so get assistance if needed to handle moving the thing.

Now you can then figure out the door knob issue from both sides now. If the knob has been broken to the state of non-usability you can replace it at fairly low cost. If necessary there are semi-destructive ways to cut off and removing a broken knob if it has been damaged beyond normal removal methods.

Do yourself a huge favor and get the other entry door locks re-keyed or replaced as soon as possible to prevent access by unauthorized persons that may have copies of the original keys.


Exhaust fixture for venting bathroom fan through roof

Such a vent terminal can work, depending on your roof's micro climate. Depending on prevailing wind, solar orientation, drifting patterns, etc. there is often an area of the roof, usually near the ridge, which is relatively free of snow. If you must vent on the roof, this is where it should go, regardless of the type. As B. White indicated, a wall outlet is preferable, though even that can be partially blocked by rime ice.

Even when covered with snow, depending on the duct configuration in the attic (if there is one), enough heat can be emitted even when not in use to maintain a free air passage through the snow. When actually used, the heat serves to enlarge the path. However, it also causes an ice surface to form around the passage, limiting further expansion. In addition, the expelled moisture contributes more ice, such that the passage can get smaller, and possibly even blocked. Much moisture though, ends up collecting as rime ice, which can grow to block the passage as well. Fortunately, it is a fragile structure that collapses during any occasional thaw.

If not located in a relatively snow free region, the terminal can be sheared off by moving snow, or crushed. Even if the roof does not shed snow, if it is sloped, the snow pack will slowly creep, eventually crushing or breaking fragile roof appurtenances.

If your roof gets heavy snow pack everywhere, you can use stack terminals such as those used for gas vents. They can be extended up any distance to remain above the snow pack. They still need to be located near the ridge to avoid damage.


Well, it's certainly not pretty. But going to a floor drain rarely is, unless the drain happens to be positioned remarkably conveniently.

An alternative would be to drain into a small container with a pump, whose output could be routed as needed. That's what was done in my house. This does require providing power to the pump, of course, but since I have a condensing boiler it actually has an outlet for that pump built into it.


Temporary "emergency" electrical power supply improvisation

You cannot rely on procedures to avoid backfeeding

So it is not enough to switch off the main breaker and then tie a string on your finger to remind you not to turn it on.  You must actually remove the meter, or output wires from the house side of the main breaker (many European panels have wires run between main and branch circuit breakers). The panel must be rendered safe from someone turning on the main breaker or any other breaker unawares, and backfeeding must be impossible.

My usual approach is to rewire the panel "permanently", then rewire it back

The hot and neutral from the various circuits can be attached to an inlet or if your Code allows, a short electric cord with a proper strain relief and fittings leaving the panel.

Internal to the panel, you jumper it around so any circuits which need power are pulling hot and neutral pull from the inlet/cord.  Do all this properly, using permanent wiring methods to Code.

Then, when power returns, you put it back the way it originally was.

You must be careful not to "paint yourself into a corner", i.e. don't disconnect anything that will be energized when power returns.  In fact, while working, assume the power company could restore power at any moment.


Do electrical circuit systems break down without use?

To answer your question... no.  Electrical circuits do not break down if they're not used.  Most common wiring is made of copper and doesn't break down over time.  Some wiring can be  aluminum but again, it doesn't break down.
However, to expand.  The connection points can corrode overtime, especially in moist environments, and create connection problems in outlets, switches and light sockets.  Depending on the connections you can clean these up with some steel wool or in bad cases get new switches, outlets, etc...  If you don't feel comfortable doing it an electrician is just a phone call away.
As well, animals (rodents such as mice, rats, racoons, etc...) can chew on wiring and cause major problems that you might not see.
Also, depending on the age of the building is the service amperage.  If you don't have enough amps you could be blowing breakers when everyone is using their hair dryer at the same time or the DJ/Band (if you are having one) starts plugging in their equipment.  Lots of older homes have two or three rooms connected together on the same circuit so this could be a very annoying problem.
So while the circuits do not break down, you can have a host of other problems.


How can I solder a wire onto a piece of metal?

Soldering electrical connections is not difficult but there a couple of things you need to know.

First, you need a soldering iron that gets hot enough (but not too hot) for the conductor you are trying to solder. You also need to use a resin solder (not the same solder you'd use for plumbing).  All of the surfaces need to be clean; if there is any oxidation it will not "stick". You can clean copper surfaces with steel wool.

If you're using a new soldering iron, you have to tin the tip. To do this, heat up the soldering iron and touch the solder to the tip of the iron so that you cover the tip in a thin layer of solder. Wipe the excess off with a damp paper towel or sponge.

Now, heat both the conductor you are trying to solder and the pad you are trying to solder to.  When it is hot enough, touching the solder to the pad (don't touch it to the iron) should cause the solder to melt and flow into the connection. If it doesn't, it's not hot enough. Once the solder is sucked into the connection, remove the soldering iron and let the connection cool. You should be able to pull the wire with a bit of force. If it pulls away easily, you have a bad solder and will need to try again.


Pry that tile up, it sounds loose on that corner - i.e. not only unsupported, but some of the thinset in contact with the tile did not adhere.

That looks like unglazed clay tile (aka mexican clay tile), which you must moisten on the bottom to get it to adhere well.  If you don't, the tile sucks the water out of the thinset before the thinset can bond, and you get what you have with that "klonking" tile.

If it was just voids at the corners, you could just "pipe" some more thinset under the tile with a pastry bag, but after watching that video, I would pry up that tile.  Hopefully you have some spares.


Can I drill into basement concrete wall to hang a mirror?

Shouldn't be a problem at all - look in your local hardware store for masonry bits and concrete wall anchors.


Get a long sweep PVC elbow, and you'll save yourself having to make junctions on either side of the flawed regular elbow.  Or, caulk it and hope.


Installing pendant lights - no junction box available/feasible

When I remodeled, and moved my kitchen from one side of the house to the other, I installed an electrical outlet above the stove for a microwave. The inspector said that was fine, however I had to use an extender to get the box into the cabinet. He didn't want to see a cut out in the cabinet and the cord going through to the outlet. So I installed an extender to get the box into the cabinet. He said it was perfect and signed me off. So I say install an old work box in the upper older soffit and install an extender on that to get it out to the plywood. Another option, if you have a junction box now, you could install external pendant lights that swag and hook to the underside. Just would need to wire both into the central box you have now and swag the cords to where you want.


How long does it take to make money back on a new air conditioner?

It'll depend on the SEER of the current model vs. the one you're changing to, how much you run your A/C, and the total cost of the installation.

When was the last time the current unit was inspected?  It's possible that it might have lost pressure, which will affect its efficiency, but you typically notice that the system's not able to keep up with its cooling.  Of course, depending on the coolant used, it might not be that easy to get a recharge, as the regulations on freon have changed over the years.

(note -- my knowledge of A/C recharging is based on dealing with cars, I've never done a whole house, as I have window rattlers, not a centralized system)

What I'd personally do is try to identify the model & SEER of the current unit, so you at least have an idea of how much of an improvement you'd get.  I'd also contact your local utility company, as most either have a program to check for leaks & insulation problems, or can tell you what companies in your area can provide the service.

Sealing drafts is likely going to give you the quickest ROI as it's a DIY type thing, and it's going to be useful if you change out the unit or not.


Can I repair this corroded shutoff valve on my own?

That's a soldered valve, with a drain cap (typical for things that you might drain for the winter after shutting them off, though not always employed that way.)

Replacement is not the only solution, and may not be the best option.

The packing nut leak (right side) might be as simple as using a pair of wrenches to slightly tighten the nut on the handle stem. The wrench close to the valve body is just holding still so you don't twist the pipes while tightening the nut closer to the handle. In more extreme cases you might need to repack it (shut off water, remove handle and nut, replace packing material.)

The drain cap (left side drip) may either need to be tightened slightly, or else shut off the valve, remove the cap, with a bucket to catch the water that drains out (if the valve was installed in the correct direction, you don't have to shut off the main supply) and replace the gasket in the cap, or get a new cap with gasket.


PVC vent pipes or concentric vent pipes for tankless gas water heater?

Concentric PVC is a thing. I like concentric pipes because they only require a single penetration rather than two. Honestly, any of your options should be fine for a high-efficiency gas appliance and a three foot pipe run. The exhaust temperature of condensing, high-efficiency gas appliances is pretty low, which is why PVC is an option. PVC might be expected to have greater longevity since it can't corrode, while stainless steel can (it's stainLESS steel not STAINless). And it should be cheaper in materials and labor too. Your gas plumber probably prefers it for those reasons, whether he passes the savings onto you or pockets the profit.


How do I make two wall switches work in coordination, wirelessly?

There are half a dozen ways one could do this, but I would do it this way

Purchase 2 Lutron RF Maestros. ( The RF part is important, as they sell none RF Maestros too) ( for non dimming use MRF2-6ANS )

One Pico wireless switch

One Pico switch plate adapter

One 2 gang decor plate

Change both switches to the RF Maestro and put the Pico next to the switch that controls the recessed lights using the Pico adapter and 2 gang wall plate. (No cutting necessary).
Program the Pico to turn on both RF Maestros and you're done.
If using electronic or magnetic LED the Maestro will need to be compatible and same goes for the recessed lights.  But since you are not dimming these you do not need to worry about that nor would you need to worry about the wattage.


Why does AC unit need condensation drain trap?

The trap in the condensate drain, prevents the unit from sucking air from; or blowing air into, the drain line. Without the trap, the condensate may not drain until the blower turns off. This could lead to the pan overflowing. So you can't remove that.

The secondary drain is typically for situations when the main drain is blocked, or otherwise insufficient.  In some units, condensate only reaches the secondary drain when the pan overflows. If this is the case, using the secondary drain as a main, would allow water to sit stagnant in the pan. So you probably won't be able to use it as the main drain, but it may vary depending on the unit.


What can I do about a jammed tub drain plug?

There may just be a bit of gravel or something wedged in the mechanism. Water will drain, but the mechanism doesn't work. Ensure the area is fully clear. If the linkage has failed outside of the drain, it may require removal of finish material either below or behind the tub drain to access and repair/replace the mechanism. If you're lucky, there's a removable panel somewhere.

It may be easier remove the current stopper and use an old fashioned rubber plug. If the current stopper isn't easily removed, and it's of a low enough profile, a 'universal' stopper may work. It's just a flat piece of rubber that seals against the tub floor. This will also work if there's some sort of fixed strainer preventing the use a conventional plug.


Does the Long Leg of the Grounding Clip go Inside or Outside of the Electrical Box?

I contacted the company. The long side goes inside the box.


Hooking up a home theater system with both analog and digital devices?

I have the same receiver and hit this problem when initially setting it up as well.

Essentially, the receiver outputs the video signal in the same format as the input, so: for HDMI inputs use the HDMI output, for component inputs use the monitor out (component) jacks, and for composite inputs use the monitor out (video) jack.  For your scenario, you'll need to have a component video connection to the TV as well to show the video from your DVD player.

This isn't made very clear in the manual, but you can find information about it on page 19 under the "Component / composite video connection" section.


Do any home thermostats have an adjustable control range?

"Swing" is the term you want to look for. Some thermostats allow you to adjust the swing which usually changes when it comes on and turns off.  For example, say the swing is set to 2 degrees and the thermostat is set to 72.  It will then turn on at 73 and cool to 70 (two degrees cooler than set temp) then stop.  Some thermostats might use a number that doesn't directly correlate to degrees, but it works similarly.

If you look at the manual for this thermostat it says:

  TEMPERATURE SWING
  A thermostat works by turning your heating or cooling system on and off whenever the
  room temperature varies a certain number of degrees from the set-point temperature. This
  variation is the “swing.”
  Your system should cycle on about 3 to 6 times per hour. A smaller swing number
  increases the number of cycles, so room temperature is more constant. A larger swing
  number decreases the number of cycles, to save energy in most cases.

It seems that it uses a number from 1 to 9 that doesn't map to degrees.

I just looked at the help page for the smart thermostat I use, and they don't use the word "swing", but instead have a variety of "thresholds" that are adjustable.  So I guess that is another term you can look for.  I highly recommend the Ecobee thermostats, but they are pricy and don't make sense unless you really want high tech.


Why is the sand in my cement mixes so thirsty?

The cement/sand ratio for mixing mortar or mixed aggregate varies depending on what you are rendering or making. In the building industry different qualities of mortar/concrete are required. The usual standard is that water and cement are measured by volume and are the same amount.
However in real life, proportions are not so exact.
If for example you are laying aggregate on a dry base, for example earth, sand the water will be sucked out of the mix, and the mix will be weakened.
Laying on dry earth or sand must be avoided, and the area must be soaked before laying, or the area should be covered in plastic to keep the water in the mix.
As mentioned elsewhere, sand can be bone dry, or in any state up to totally water logged - you need to adjust the amount of water added to the mix to allow for this.


Is it safe to use an HVAC system even though the duct wrap contains asbestos?

If you don't trust the expert brought in by the landlord, then you might want to pay to have your own expert validate your concerns.

As far as to what the landlord does and does not have to do, you'll have to review the lease and laws in your state.  At this point, he has paid for a report of a presumed expert that says the ducts are safe as is; it will be difficult to challenge this without an alternative expert opinion.


How to remove silicone from a porous wall?

this works fine

http://www.rona.ca/en/paint---silicone-remover

you may have to find a supplier of it or something like it near you.  it takes a lot of time and patience on brick, and you will have to reapply it many times to get it all off, but if you are patient, it removes all traces of silicones.


Yes. Maybe. Yes.
To remove a seat use this tool
You can see at the 10 Oclock position on the seat (2) chips are missing which may cause a opening when the washer is pressed down to stem the water flow.
A beveled washer may make a complete seal rather than a flat washer, but your better off, as you mentioned, to replace or grind the seat. Check/replace both. Replacing is probably the easiest and most assured  way to repair the faucet. Any well stocked hardware store will have an assortment of seats. Take the damaged one with you.
A seat dresser will have a guide for the dressing wheel that keeps it steady and at a 90 degree position for a uniform removal of seat material.  Replacing the seat is easier and more likely to be successful at repairing the problem.
stepped washer


Is it ok to use three sequential 30 amp breakers for my new well pump install?

I don't see a problem the 3rd breaker provides a local disconnect and this can be a safety factor issue. If you remove the local breaker you will need a lockable breaker at the house because the pump house location is not "within site".


Should I use pressure-treated wood for a firewood shed?

It probably depends on how much effort you're going to be putting into it.

If you're just planning on slapping something together quickly, then sure, go for untreated, and if something goes wrong, you can rebuild it in a couple of years.

I'd personally use pressure treated, as I'd have to make a larger structure due to local ordinances.  (I can't store firewood within 18" of earth; I don't know if it's an attempt to deal with an invasive species that caused a ban on exporting firewood from our county)  Because of the extra work involved, any savings on cheaper materials would be wasted if I have to rebuild.

I'd also be interested in the anti-insect properties of pressure treated, not only the anti-rot aspects.


My first suggestion would be to get 18 AWG fixture wire (TFFN/AWM) instead of lamp cord -- portable cords aren't rated for use within fixtures, and I'd cite one inside an originally permanently wired luminaire as a 400.8 violation.  As to grounding the actual fixture -- I'd use a standard conduit grounding bushing such as this one for 1/2" pipe where the fixture attaches to the ceiling box (presumably through a conduit knockout faceplate).


Top loader washing machine fill valve drips continuously

The Solenoid Valve is leaking.  It is an easy repair if you are comfortable with disassembly and re-assembly of the machine.

It should be about a $20-50 part depending on your machine.  It may be possible to replace the soft goods in the valve and repair it, but its probably not worth it as all the work is in taking the machine apart and putting it back together.


Assuming the rectangle is a 10" x 3-1/4" and the dryer is 4" round, you can get something custom made ($$$) or do this with two pieces;

rectangle to round:

round 6" to 4"


Why does my heating system only blow cold air?

Several possible issues:

Bad thermostat
Pilot light out (if a gas furnace with a pilot light)
Heating element out (if electrical furnace)
It's cold outside (if heat pump - coupled w/ #3)
Electronic ignition shot (gas furnace w/ no pilot light)

Without more information, that's the best guess I can make.


What is involved in replacing a missing speed selector on my two speed hammer drill?

I imagine is pretty simple and inexpensive

Spare parts for older machines are often either unavailable or surprisingly expensive (e.g. armature £37).

  is this repair more complex than I envision?

You'd need to open up the case and see if there is any other internal damage.

You might need to fabricate or improvise a speed selector. For example you might use polymorph or adapt a metal part.

A new Bosch drill of that sort can be purchased for £35-£50 (PSB500RE PSB680RE are often available on special offer at 30% lower price). A cheap store-brand drill might be £20 or less.

Links and prices are illustrative examples, a web-search will find local equiavalents.