Which adhesive sealant for bathroom fixture escutcheons?

I did mine with clear silicone.  Everything must be bone dry before application.  Just push the escutcheon flush to the wall and apply silicone around the outside where it meets the wall. The key to a good job with silicon is to make sure you don't over apply. Nothing is worse than having silicone spread out an inch past where it's supposed to be, especially on nice stone.  To prevent this, put some masking tape down first, both on the escutcheon and the wall.  It is hard to get tape to go around a circle, but the taping job doesn't have to be perfect. Leave a 3/16" gap for the silicone to adhere to the surface.  Apply the silicone and smooth with your finger.  For best results, dip your finger in mineral spirits (not water) before you smooth the silicone.  Make sure you pull the tape up before the silicone cures.


How can I empty a bucket of stinky water under my sink?

You should siphon the water out using a tube or flexible pipe.  I have included an article containing instructions on how to do this here. You will have to adapt it to a much smaller scale, but the principle is the same.  If you just do a search for siphoning, maybe you will find a better/more applicable example. I just chose this article bc it wasn't about stealing gasoline. Let's not promote that slimy practice, shall we?

I had to do this once when the grease trap got clogged at work backed up into the sink. It was 11 pm and I had to get the "water" out of the sink so it wouldn't sit there all night and stink up the whole place. There was no WAY I was sticking my hand in there to scoop it out. Siphoning works. Give it a try.


Fix circuit so power is constant, instead of controlled by wall switch?

From the junction box where the power runs into garage....   you say you have one wire that runs to switch?  so hot or switch leg is on either white or black wire on that "wire" that runs to switch?

You simply need to open junction box and identify wire that has power incoming to garage, wire that goes to lights, and wire that goes to garage door openor...  From the hot wire...  connect white and blacks to outlet that garage door is hooked up to.  Then if you have a white or black being used as either power or switch leg to the lights from the switch....   identify which is constant hot and which is switched... either white or black and splice the the non constant hot (switch leg) to the light hot in the junction box.

Or provide more details....


First the good news: Electrically it would be fine as long as the PAR38 bulb's wattage does not exceed the receptacle's maximum wattage.  In the case of an LED bulb replacing an incandescent household bulb, you'll most likely be replacing a higher-wattage bulb with a lower-wattage bulb, but you should check the specs to be sure.

Now the bad news: PAR38 and PAR30 refer to the physical characteristics of the bulbs.  PAR = Parabolic Aluminized Reflector, 38 = thirty-eight eighths of an inch, or 38*1/8"=4.75".  30 = thirty eighths of an inch, or 30*1/8"=3.75".  As you can see, PAR38 has a larger diameter than a PAR30 bulb or can.  Depending on your fixture, the PAR38 bulb's connector may not even reach the receptacle, and if it does, the bulb will protrude past the fixture rather than being recessed.  Some people use extensions to bridge the gap and use the PAR38 bulbs anyway, but personally I think it looks horrible.

Also, keep in mind that a PAR-type bulb may produce more of a spotlight effect, whereas a BR-type bulb typically produces broader illumination, so you may want to look at BR30 bulbs unless you have high ceilings or prefer a more focused beam.


Should I fill 3/4-inch gaps along the wall before laying ceramic tile?

I wouldn't bother for two reasons. One, it's unlikely that there will ever be any load placed on the tile close enough to the wall to cause breakage. Two, you may be installing baseboard trim or base shoe, which will cover most of that gap anyway.

If you have reasons to disagree, fill the gap with mortar as you tile. Consider laying a row of fiberglass tape along the wall to help prevent cracking.


How does denim insulation perform at low ambient temperatures?

you can use this far better frost avoidance and cold draft reduction . good to -40’C
https://www.homerepairtutor.com/how-to-weatherize-windows-with-plastic-film-insulation/
I made insert frames and heat shrunk onto then remove and store in spring. But getting an air flow seal is best. They will inflate if not tight.  Easy to install with a hair dryer,  not too close .(6”)


What does "Split" label mean on circuit breaker panel?

Friedo's answer is essentially correct regarding the multi wire branch circuit except if these are 15 amp circuits they could not be used to feed the kitchen receptacles. Those are required to be 20 amp circuits.

The code requires multi-wire branch circuits to be fed with either a multi-pole breaker or two breakers tied together with an approved handle tie. You appear to have the latter.

I just wanted to clear up a misconception many people have about how to calculate the total load of your panel.
You said-

  I have three sets of these, which would make a total of 90 amps. Quite a bit considering the house only has 250 amp service

We don't add all the breakers up to determine the load on the panel. The main panel is required to be sized large enough to supply the calculated load of the house not the sum of the installed circuit breakers.

(If you had a 200 amp panel (the normal maximum size for a residential service) with 40 breakers installed and they were all 20 amp breakers that would total 800 amps. Far exceeding the maximum of the main breaker. If the breakers were 15 amp breakers it would still add up to 600 amps.)

A residential load calculation is a fairly involved calculation but even an all-electric house of average size wouldn't normally exceed 150 amps so a 200 amp panel is plenty of capacity.

So your breakers are good. It is a safe installation according to the National Electrical Code and a normal practice in electrical installations.

Happy Day!


Yes, the light fixture counts as a device/yoke.
The rest of your box-fill math looks correct.


It's possible that the valve has failed or that something is blocking it.  At this point, your best bet would probably be to turn off the water upstream and remove the valve.  Watch for anything that might have come loose from somewhere and clogged it up.  You should also be able to shine a flashlight in one end and see the light looking in the other.  When the valve is open, you see some light, and closing the valve darkens the side opposite the flashlight.  If moving the valve has no effect, you would likely benefit from replacing it.


What you are looking for is a 3 way switch (2 ea 3 way switches) check out this post, or search the site there are probably over a hundred with examples Of proper wiring. The basics are if the light is off flip one of the switches the light is now on. Flip one switch the light is off. There are also digital models that can dim, or turn off from both locations one switch is a master or the control the second switch is a slave or remote.


Pre mixed joint compound, ( UK vendor) either a low dust mix or a topping compound, is a LOT cheaper than a tube spackle.  One 'recipe' is to add a bit of water to make it creamy, like your Polycell product.

It still requires sanding.  Invest in a few knives (6, 8 and 12" wide blades), a pole sander and some sanding sponges. A hawk and a bucket scoop are optional, but very handy.


How can I replace an old dial thermostat on an oil furnace with Hydrostat 3250 Plus?

It looks like you're out of luck. It appears that the transformer is inside the hydrostat, and it doesn't expose a C terminal. You could contact the manufacturer, and ask them if there's a workaround. Based on the documentation, there's no obvious way to connect a WiFi thermostat to the system.


Standing up extension ladder in narrow space

About 2-3 feet from the side of the house, lay the ladder down parallel to the house placing the feet of the ladder as close to their desired location as possible (the length of the ladder may not allow you to place it exactly where you'd like it at this step).

Brace or have a second person brace the feet of the ladder, and from the opposite end, lift the 'top' run over your head and walk your your hands toward the base (monkey bar style), until the ladder is fully vertical.

Once vertical pivot the ladder on the foot closest to the house, squaring the ladder to the house. If your ladder is not yet high enough you can extend it now. Walk your hands back toward the top of the ladder until the ladder rests against the house (usually only is about 1 rung).


How do I fish a wire into an existing electrical box?

At some point of agony, it's easier to repair drywall than to try and fish everything without opening any new holes. There may be a few situations where you can actually get the job done without opening walls, but there are a lot where that is the only option (depends on where the wires run and the construction of the walls.)


If the primer or walls were outside the temperature range specified on the primer can, it's hard to demand the primer to perform to spec, and any number of poor results should be expected.
Despite having mixed "as much as we could" if it was still cold, it's highly likely that it wasn't mixed properly. Therefore, what went on the wall wasn't the prescribed mixture of solid & liquid, and, therefore, what's left in the can isn't the proper mixture, either.
It's likely that what's left in the can will no longer perform as expected. Once warmed back to the manufacturer specified temperature range, there's a good chance you'll get a smooth coat if you choose to apply what's left, but it's likely not to cover as you'd like it to.
I'd suggest that this can is now likely a good learning experience.

Cold temperatures will not, in my experience, permanently harm paint. We have what could generously be described as a "three season porch" on our house. It was, for many years, uninsulated and unheated. We use it to store paint, among other things, and the temperature back there has probably dropped below freezing, if not below 0°F more than once, yet paint stored there, once warmed to room temperature, has been applied successfully. It may not have been a "perfect" coat, but it was quite presentable.


Q. Should I be able to push up shingles on edge of new roof?

According to GAF Roofing manufacturer’s installation guide, the shingles should overhang the rake between 1/4” and 3/4”.

Here’s their website that explains it better: https://www.gaf.com/en-us/document-library/documents/residentialroofing/shingles/glenwood/glenwood_shingles_application_instructions_english_spanish_french.pdf

Yes, you should be able to push the shingles up about 1”, but if they extend too far beyond the edge of the roof (especially in a high wind area like you live in) they’re more susceptible to blow off.

Also critical is the correct number of nails per shingle. In high wind areas, 6 nails are required.

GAF is a major Roofing manufacturer in the U.S., but I’d check with your shingle manufacturer’s instructions.


The heat with such a miniscule load is not really an issue. I wouldn't worry so much about the temperature as I would about using NM cable to wire pumps (I assume circulators?), and securing them to water pipes (which is not allowed). A much more professional job would have been to use MC cable and secure them to the boiler housing or simply tie wrapping them together.


Can I use my wet-vac to shampoo my carpets?

The Rug Doctor type of carpet cleaners heat up a relatively large amount of water to a very hot temperature, and spray it fairly evenly into the carpet along with the cleaning solution, then vacuum it back out.  Although they are often referred to as "steam cleaners", the rental ones I have used don't actually produce steam, but very hot water (below the boiling point).

A wet vacuum like you indicate will do the last portion of vacuuming up the solution, but the missing piece will be the heating and spraying of the solution.  I have definitely had carpet stains that no amount of spray-on cleaner (like "Resolve" spray) would remove, but the rental cleaner would.  I believe it is the super hot water that makes the big difference.


Outlets in bedroom, top outlet is working, bottom outlet is not

In addition to Daniel's comment above about any wall switches in the room with unknown function, I suggest adding one of these 6-dollar outlet tester tools to your DIY bag.  Just plug it in and it will diagnose/report many common issues with wall outlet wiring (just in case.)

Note, if you plug one of these into an outlet that is 'switched' by a wall switch somewhere, then the lights will show the 'open hot' condition which is all three lights out. (I know, it's not intuitave: "no-lights means what?")

So you plug it in and leave it in one of the bottom outlets, then go around flipping only one switch at a time until it shows "off-on-on" which signals "correct."

Remember (while it is unlikely) it could be that the lower plugs are wired in 3-way so, continue flipping switches one at a time, just to make sure the plug doesn't go on then off again.


What is code for stair treads and risers in Georgia

It looks like Georgia revises its building code frequently.  I didn't find a revision for 2005, but the 2006 edition was OCR scanned and published here.

In section 1009.3, there is this:

  1009.3 Stair treads and risers Stair riser heights shall be 7
  inches (178 mm) maximum and 4 inches (102 mm) minimum.
  Stair tread depths shall be 11 inches (279 mm) minimum. The
  riser height shall be measured vertically between the leading
  edges of adjacent treads. The tread depth shall be measured
  horizontally between the vertical planes of the foremost projection of adjacent treads and at a right angle to the tread's leading
  edge. Winder treads shall have a minimum tread depth of 11
  inches (279 mm) measured at a right angle to the tread's leading edge at a point 12 inches (305 mm) from the side where the
  treads are narrower and a minimum tread depth of 10 inches
  (254 mm).

(I have cleaned up OCR defects.)


What Type of Ducting Should Be Used for a Bathroom Exhaust Fan?

I used insulated flex ducting like below for my bath vents.
Try to keep it flat or sloping toward the outside to avoid condensation pockets.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Master-Flow-4-in-x-12-ft-Insulated-Flexible-Duct-R6-Silver-Jacket-F6IFD4X144/203420974

Edit 1:
I'm not familiar with a code that requires rigid ducting for bathroom fans. (Mass local here)
Unlike dryer ductwork, it's not going to be subjected to high heat or a potential for significant lint accumulation.   That said, there is nothing stopping you from using regular rigid metal ducting.  (rigid plastic ducting eg: pipe, might even be acceptable)

There is also available pipewrap insulation,  I'm looking to use some on my dryer ductwork, if I ever get the energy to go back into my attic.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/8-in-Dia-R-6-Ductwork-Insulation-Sleeve-INSLV8/100396954?MERCH=REC-_-PIPHorizontal3_rr--302000644--100396954-_-N


Remove the pop-up drain - some just need a quarter-turn to disengage, some you have to fuss with the rod that pops them up, some can be either way (and end up as quarter-turn when I put them back together - I suppose the other way is for making them harder to steal in public bathrooms.)

There is probably a (revolting, sorry, them's the breaks of plumbing) mass of hair and glop hung up in the stopper. I typically need to do this every year or so to our main bathroom sink as hair does get in there, and there's a point where trying to prevent that completely is more work than just cleaning it out when needed.

You may want rubber gloves, depending on your personal tolerance for revolting drain glop.


The first part of your question was addressed well over on woodworking.SE, at this link.

For the second part, there are a few reasons that I might not want to do a decorative detail on a piece of wood- 1. The wood and/or project isn't worth the effort, 2. The wood is hard on tools, or 3. The wood is hard on the wood worker.

Routing decorative detail can be a time-consuming process. I might need to create jigs or fixtures to guide the router. I might have to make a profile with multiple bits, each requiring set-up time. If the wood is especially hard, I might have to make a cut in multiple passes, sneaking up on the desired depth a little at a time.

Regarding #2- some woods (Teak, Cumaru e.g.) contain silica, and will quickly dull router bits that are used on them. I might limit the profile carved, or use an old bit that I don't mind sacrificing.

Regarding #3- some woods produce dust that can cause allergic reactions, and others (pressure treated, e.g.) contain chemicals that are harmful to people without proper protection.


That is a drywall trim piece and it hooks back around behind the drywall which is why it is not budging. The only way to remove it is to remove the drywall. For your purposes, you could continue to break off the outside visible leg and then cut off any left over exposed pieces with a razor knife


Removing Joint Compound with Paint Over It

The only way you'll get at the joint compound is to remove the paint. Products exist to dissolve even dried latex paint, or you can sand or scrape it off. Once that's done, a simple damp cloth will allow you to rub away the joint compound.


This is a part of a security hanger set:

Security Hanger Set

Two of the straps you have pictured go on the top of the mirror, and the clips on the right side of the picture go on the wall and hook into the straps.

One strap is installed in the bottom center of the mirror and the T-shaped screw in the center of the picture gets installed in the wall horizontally.  The mirror is hung and the T screw fits perfectly in the horizontal slot of the strap.  Then the wrench at the bottom of the picture is used to rotate the T-screw vertically to lock it into the strap.

If you only have one on the bottom of the mirror, chances are something else was used along the sides or top to hang it and the bottom strap was used only for the security T-screw.  Or the straps at the top were removed by someone to be used on another hanging.


What is the maximum voltage you can have on exposed rails?

690.31(A) nixes your diabolical plan

Unfortunately, unless you could find a racking system specifically listed to connect the contained panels in parallel as you describe, you can't do what you're after, as 690.31(A) requires a Chapter 3 wiring method, or a wiring method explicitly listed for use with PV panels, for all PV system wiring:

  690.31 Methods Permitted.

  (A) Wiring Systems. All raceway and cable wiring methods
  included in this Code, other wiring systems and fittings specifically listed for use on PV arrays, and wiring as part of a listed
  system shall be permitted. Where wiring devices with integral
  enclosures are used, sufficient length of cable shall be provided
  to facilitate replacement.

  (1) Identification. PV system circuit conductors shall be identified at all accessible points of termination, connection, and
  splices.

  Where PV source and output circuits operating at voltages
  greater than 30 volts are installed in readily accessible locations, circuit conductors shall be guarded or installed in
  Type MC cable or in raceway. For ambient temperatures
  exceeding 30°C (86°F), conductor ampacities shall be corrected in accordance with Table 690.31(A).


Seeing that it runs from spraying starting fluid directly into the carburetor this means that the ignition system is producing a spark and the compression system is moving the piston. Process of elimination shows that no fuel is reaching the carburetor (when you stop spraying fluid into carb the engine stops running. I would check the carburetor again. You didn't say if there was gas in the tank for three years, but fuel gets stale after a month. If left in the engine the fuel starts crystallizing and becomes less viscous (less fluid-like). The small orifices that the gas is moved through become blocked. Before a carb rebuild check on line to price a new one. Depending on the type and seller it may be easier and less expensive to buy a new one. To repair a clogged or dirty carburetor you will need to: purchase an appropriate rebuild kit,  remove it, disassemble it (separate plastic parts) and let the parts soak in a cleaning solution. Than its best to use compressed air to force air into any port and opening you see. Reassemble using the new parts from the rebuild kit.


How do I properly seal an exterior door?

Depending on your siding material, it is possible that the door isn't properly flashed, or the existing flashing needs replacement/repair.  If this is the case, I would recommend two things

1) using some expanding foam, fill (but dont over fill!) the void between the door frame and the surrounding studs.

2) Properly flash around the door to make sure water can't get behind the door frame.  Depending on the flashing material used, this may involve some caulk to seal the flashing (though peel and stick flashing won't require any caulk, and is quite easy to work with).

I am going to leave the info about the flashing, as it might be helpful to others, but in regards to your re-worded question-

Depending on where the water is coming in, you might need to either replace the rubber gasket/seal that fits to the outside of the door stop (if water is coming in on the sides/top of the door) or you may need to replace the door sweep (the rubber or bristle bit that hangs down from the bottom of the door itself, and seals everything shut when the door closes).


That's an odd place for caulking to be applied.

Chances are very good that you have a leak above this that is dripping water down onto the drywall and softening it.


Does a contract to build a deck need an occupancy clause?

To me it sounds like boilerplate contract talk. Normally, when you get a building permit and there is a final inspection on something and it passes you will then get an occupancy certificate.

Can't say I've ever seen it for a deck, but depending on your municipality or whatever "authority having jurisdiction" requires, maybe you do need a certificate of occupancy before you can use it.

Ask your contractor about it and have them explain it to you. Don't sign something you are not comfortable with or don't understand.


Will ceiling junction box support fan mounting?

Mount the fan to the joist or block behind the box, not the box

The two screws in the back of the box in line with the mounting tabs appear to land in a joist or cross-block in the ceiling.  I would attach the fan to that using two 1/4" by 3" structural wood screws (not drywall, deck, or lag screws -- look for something with an ICC-ES or IAPMO rating, such as a FastenMaster TimberLok or Simpson Strong-Drive SDS) through the fan bracket and ceiling finish board into the structural member.


What is the correct cord and plug for my forklift charger?

Sure, there is a mating plug: you need a L16-20P.
The charger may not have come with a plug because it is built for different voltages/frequencies, meaning it is sold in other parts of the world that have different standards for their plugs and receptacles.
NEMA sets the standards for plugs in the US, which is where the L16-20p standard comes from. Other countries use different standards.
I missed the cord side of the question, if you use a hard service cord like SOOW or SJOOW a #12 or 12-4 SOOW/SJOOW would be what I would recommend.  This is because of the nameplate rating of  13.1 amps @480v and the point that chargers are considered a continuous load.


How can I attach two pieces of wood in an invisible way?

I would suggest a tenon cutter.

It will mount in a drill. You put a tenon on the end of your wood of a specific diameter, then drill a hole (a round mortise) in the wood it will be attached to. The tenon slips right in. Use a little glue, and it will stay firmly there.

As well, this will yield a very strong joint. For example, look at how the legs on Windsor style chairs fit into the seat from underneath. Such tenons are also used on the braces between the legs in such chairs, where one member is tenoned into another.


Dropped ceiling for small area (6ft by 3ft)

Sure. I assume you're using 2x4 tiles. If you fit your cross tees well there's no reason they need to be fastened in at all. Just lay them in there as you set your tiles. You might make sure that the wall angles are fastened as close as possible to where the tees come in. Otherwise, I'd have no concerns.


Replacing an operable window with a fixed window. Can I glaze it directly into the jamb?

It sounds like you want to leave the existing wood frame and remove the wood sash (the operable portion of the window).

Yes, this can be done, but it’s difficult. Glass is stopped (set) into a frame and the frame is nailed into the opening. I’d recommend you purchase a custom sized vinyl frame from a window shop and have them install it.

If you don’t want to do that, I’d install pre-glazed double pane glass between a pair of “stops” (small pieces of wood). You’ll need glazing blocks for the glass to sit on and glazing tape to seal between the glass and the new stops.

Also, I’d pre-paint the new stops before they’re installed to help rot and decay.

As you can see, this is complicated. Often it is easier to remove the entire window and reinstall a new window. Contact your local window company and they’ll give you a bid both ways.


How do I repair this friction ABS kitchen sink pipe fitting

The white fitting should be on top of a small compression ring, so when reassembling the pipes you would add the white female threaded fitting, the compression ring (thin side pointed down), and then the black male threaded side of the fitting. When you tighten this by hand, the compression ring will get squeezed between the two pipes and make a water tight seal.

For the slope, 1/4" per foot of run should be your target.


What are some inexpensive options for replacing a single-stall garage door?

These look nice

You could probably build a simpler version pretty cheap.

Also if the doors are large enough, and you are ambitious enough you could put a smaller "man" door in one of the doors.  That way when you go in and out you don't have to open the large doors, but you still have the large doors for getting large projects/lawn tractor in and out.


Indoor sliding doors now stick at the top after replacing rollers

Thanks for everyone that asked questions.  There were a few things I had to change to finally get it working.  I had just bought the house and I assumed that the previous owner had the door's rollers fitted properly, basically I had to:

Use the old wheels and brackets as the ones i purchased were not sticking out the same length
The wheels were put on the wrong side of one of the doors
The bottom guides were not screwed in the correct spot
The wheels had to be adjusted as they were not the same height

Once all of these factors were fixed the door finally worked!


Using a heater and toaster oven trips the breaker. Can an electrician fix this?

There is something you can do:  Do not turn on both appliances at the same time!

This is relatively straightforward for the combination of a heater and toaster.  Unless you are a toast making factory, the toaster runs like 3 minutes per day.  During that time, turn off the heater.


Main 100 amp breaker reads 2 different volts

That’s not a big deal. There is probably a imbalance in the load on each line; at that small difference, I probably would not even try to rebalance.


They make rug pads just for this:

You can find them at any big-box home improvement store.


What to do with an apartment with only 2-pronged outlets

My primary concern would be for your safety with the circuits with GFCIs.    I find it hard to believe that just those two circuits would have been upgraded to grounded cable in a remodel, and I can't see any way that a GFCI could work with ungrounded cable.  Test that the GFCIs work correctly on their own.  Does your receptacle tester also have a GFCI test function?  If so, use it on the GFCIs too.

It's OK to have two-prong outlets if they're not grounded: see this answer to this earlier question for more information, but a surge protector simply prevents sudden changes in supply voltage from reaching the equipment it's protecting, be it on live, neutral or ground; it doesn't do anything to provide a good, stable, ground level where one didn't previously exist.

Electronic equipment often likes to have a stable ground level as a reference point.  Under normal circumstances, the ground conductor in NM cable doesn't carry any current, so it's all at the same electrical potential as the ground spike outside your building.  Without that stable level, a piece of equipment's internal "ground" can vary.  This usually isn't a problem internally within a single piece of equipment, but can cause problems if electrical signals are shared between two pieces of equipment: mains hum in hi-fi systems would be one example of this.  You can mitigate the effects by keeping related equipment close together to minimize the amount of electrical wire between them (like plugging them into the same duplex receptacle) but, depending on exactly what equipment you have, you may still run into problems.

As far as code compliance, permit applications and inspection results may be a matter of public record (they are in my locale), so you could do some research into what was done during this remodel.


Can I disconnect a neutral whose hot is disconnected?

Be very careful.
If you disconnect the neutral from a device while the hot is still connected then the disconnected neutral conductor will become live.
Hots and the corresponding neutrals are normally supposed to run together and neutrals for different circuits are supposed to be kept separate. However just because something is supposed to happen doesn't mean it always does happen.
What I would personally do is turn off all power (not just the circuit you think is involved) and disconnect and cap-off the rogue Neutral. Then turn the power back on and go round the house to see if anything stopped working.


Are these walls around the closet load-bearing?

I do not think those are bearing walls. The nearby shear walls are more likely to be such, but modern roof systems don't usually bear on interior walls like those anyway.
Do I know they're not load bearing? Nope. Look in your attic. If you're taking them out you'll be in there anyway.


Can air in pipes cause a faucet to catastrophically fail?

Air in pipes causes what is called water hammer. With air placed in a controlled position, it can be beneficial, acting like a shock absorber. In random places, it can be bad, rapidly accelerating water mass in an uncontrolled direction until it hits a closure, causing the 'hammer'. It is possible for water hammer to damage plumbing systems, especially if allowed to persist over a period of time. The risk is greater in larger pipes because of the greater mass of water involved. The problem isn't so much increased pressure (which can be briefly much greater than normal), it is fast moving water mass impacting on fixed portions of the plumbing.

In your case, I suspect the faucet was close to failure in any case. Any involvement of water hammer would only be the straw that broke the camel's back, not the root cause of the failure. A healthy faucet should be able to resist water hammer at the levels normally seen in residential plumbing. Your faucet was probably greatly weakened by any combination of age, corrosion, inferior materials, improper service or assembly techniques, etc. I wouldn't say it's a common problem, but I've seen it happen a few times on old, cheap faucets. Commonly, faucets develop unrepairable leaks more than actually blowing apart. Then on investigation of the leak, some major faucet part breaks and it becomes obvious it needs to be replaced.

I'm glad my kitchen faucet fell apart. It was an annoying cheap thing. It's replacement is much nicer :)


What is the purpose of the rear end of a roofing hammer?

One reason for the offset design for the type of roofing hammer that you showed it that it can be used to guide or tap the roof covering piece into place.

The type of hammer with the offset spike end can be used as a shingle tab exposure guide. The point slid under the shingle being applied with the offset step at the edge of the shingle the hammer head would be adjusted till it is even with the previous course of shingles. Some types of roofing hammers have an adaptation of this idea to allow for an adjustable shingle exposure.


Neutral wires are burning hot, saw an ember

No, normal heating will not scorch the insulation and certainly won't make an glowing connection. I'd definitely disconnect that space heater before a fire starts and you probably ought to turn off that breaker to be safe.  Get it checked out, it could be nothing more than a loose connection, it could be something more complicated.


4 units 400 amps split from 6 gang meter box

600a is crazy large even if all electric if your current load with 3 is less than 200. if you have gas I would not use anything larger than a 30/40,  300 amp continuous with peaks to 400. This service is much cheaper and would fulfill the code requirements. If all electric I don’t know if I would go over 400 because the cost of the service. I would have each house have there own service drop, this eliminates legal issues you will run into if renting unless you provide power as part of the rent. If you plan on selling later there could also be issues there. 6 gang meters would not be diy and would be off topic. Your service only needs to be as large as the calculated load, multi family dwellings like this you don’t just add 100 for each dwelling you do load calculations per article 220. I would be using aluminum feeder wire, I am surprised you did not require a plan review, I have been out of Ca.  For close to 40 years but thought we had to have reviews back then but that was northern ca (Sonoma, Mendocino and San Francisco county’s). I may be getting mixed up on locations. But you should have the load calculations completed prior to doing anything unless your wallet is large and you don’t care.


How long before I can move a concrete lid?

As a teenager, I had a summer job pouring concrete to cast septic tanks and their lids.  The lid of a septic tank is exactly what you're creating - we made them in circles about 5 feet across and three or four inches thick with rebar inside and three rebar hooks for lifting.

Each morning, we would use a front-end loader (tractor with a bucket on front) to pick up the lids we had cast the previous day.  These would be set aside to cure for another few days before installation.  Then, by the afternoon, we would have the forms set up for pouring again.  The concrete arrives at 1pm, we pour by 2pm, and then mist the tops to keep them from cracking until sundown (Texas heat).  Like I said above, by morning, the lids are able to be moved and we start the process all over again.   Based on this, I would say that the lid can support its own weight after 24 hours, and will fully harden over the course of a few days.

To give yourself a safety factor, double those numbers, so go with this:
Wait 2 days to move it at all, and wait 5 to 7 days before putting it into place.


Minimum recommended thickness for self-leveling concrete topping (skim coat)

The only drawback I can think of is that self-leveling products don't tend to feather themselves to a knife edge. They tend to leave an edge similar to what you'd see with a puddle of water on a glass table, with a bead of approximately 1/8 inch thick. So if your layer doesn't cover the entire floor you'll need to deal with that by tooling at partial cure, or by skimming with another product such as a vinyl concrete patch. Otherwise I have no concerns.

Be aware that most such products are not intended as a finished floor. They're somewhat soft and can gouge and wear easily.


Do the guidelines for holes in joists apply to band joists?

No.  Since the band (rim) joist is continuously supported by the foundation wall, the boring and notching rules do not apply. You will, however, want to use common sense.  Try not to notch or bore directly under a window or door, especially right where the king/jack studs are. You also don't want to notch or bore the entire width of the joist, in other words don't remove a section of the rim joist.

You'll notice the rim joist is a common place for dryer vents, furnace vents, electrical service cables, and other utility openings.  This is due to the lack of notching and boring guidelines, which accommodates the placing of such openings.


what causes the red light to continue blinking even resetting my gfci outlet

Why would a GFI blink red

Red Status

Blinking = Initial self-test upon first power up
Solid or blinking = Press TEST and RESET buttons to reset GFCI
If GFCI will not reset OR solid or blinking red continues, replace device


Wood stain is not tacky but still leaves residue on cloth

A stain only application will rub off even when dry this is one of the reasons poly is used to seal the surface. The pigment that is on the surface is the issue once the solvent evaporates the pigment is left on top of the denser wood. Wiping the excess will help but without sealing the pigment on the surface residue can rub off for years.


How much cement and sand to buy for a garden edging project

Assuming 2" around the sides and bottoms, you'll need about 19 cubic feet. 5 bags of cement and 10 bags of sand should do it for you. If you come up short, go and buy some more. If you don't want to come up short, buy more first then return what is unused later. Mix 2 sand : 1 cement.


Can I run my attic HVAC/Furance without an Air Cleaner/Purifier Filter

The Aprilaire 1410 air purifier is a larger, more efficient, longer lasting version of the typical 1 inch filters. I'm not really a fan of these frame-less filters as they can be hard to find locally. You can always get them online and have then in a day or two.
In addition to filtering out fine particles like dust, a filter also protects the HVAC system from larger particles that can damage the fan or condenser coils.  You should not run the system if there are no other filters besides this one.


What are these wire connectors and where can I get replacements?

The first (2) photo's show a Female "Bullet" crimp connector. The third shows a Female "Spade" connector. Both are available on Amazon.
They are sized according to wire gauge; that is the color coded crimp connector's only accommodate certain wire diameter's.
You may want to consider that a new bullet connector may not fit securely enough to stay in place. You may want to consider soldering the wire at the break and wrapping it with shrink tube. I've made repairs similar to your's and had to reduce the opening of the new bullet to keep it secure.


Apparently they hold most paint for a given nap size. I came to this conclusion after looking at Purdy Colossus. The downside seems to be that polyamide cannot quite be made lint free (even by Purdy). The ones I purchased (not by Purdy as it was not available locally) kept shedding fibers which was annoying.


Can I use wood to build my apt or do I have to use drywall?

I doubt that 1/4-inch plywood on studs would satisfy fire codes. You might be allowed to use it on top of 1/2" or 5/8" drywall.


Does amalgamating tape adhere to wet surfaces

Duct seal is commonly used to seal around cables through holes.

Depending on what you're trying to accomplish, this might be a good choice for you.


How to fix deck board at edge not lined up with beam?

.  Put the last boards down but don’t use the universal clip on the rim joist side. screw the side toward the rim joist but do it at an angle and bury the screw inside the groove  So that the board looks normal and is securely attached (the screw will be hidden).  Secure a board the length of the underlap (or whatever you want to call it) next to the last board so it looks normal.  Get underneath the board and snap a line right next to the rim joist.  Take the board off and rip it for the final piece.  Screw it down from the top knowing it will get covered by whatever railing system I use.  I think that will work just fine and I don’t have to add material.


How to finish 1" gap between tub and tile

What you should have done instead is leave a 1/4 inch gap between the backerboard and the vertical flange, and let the tiles hang down past the vertical flange to 1/4 from the horizontal tub deck surface. That keeps everything nicely separated while allowing water to flow down past the flange.

At this point you need to remove the bottom row of tile. If you can find the same style tile in a rectangular shape that will come down far enough, go for it. Other options would be a completely different (but complementary) tile for the bottom row, or a thin decorative row between the second-last row and the fixed (lower) bottom row.


What tool is a solid metal cube with dimples or half spheres on every side?

Die for creating sheetmetal hemispheres. There should be a set of punches with round ball ends somewhere in that mix, unless someone misused them for something else or lost them.

Doming Block and Punch Set is one term for the tool set. The die is also called a dapping block. You can find them at jewelry tool suppliers.


I suggest replacing that jamb board. Measure the board and purchase a new board to replace it. Cut it completely out, top to bottom and install the new board. Cut your lockset holes and paint to match.


From a similar question's answer

  If the toilet still drains slowly, then you have a blockage that may
  not be solved with a new toilet. It could be an improperly installed
  wax seal, perhaps the drain line isn't properly sized, or there's
  something that can be snaked out. It's also possible you could have a
  venting issue, but I'd expect bubbles, gurgling, or bad smells with
  your other plumbing if that were the case.


Do I have to remove asbestos tiles in my house before applying epoxy floor coating?

I had the same issue. You do not have to hire an asbestos removal company for this. I purchased my epoxy from epoxyplus.com.  They told they always recommend that their customers put a product called perfect primer down over their old tiles or glue floor  (as long as the tiles were not loose), then apply their epoxies on top of that.  I took their advice and it was easy and came out great.


Your explanation is confusing.

However, the one thing that stands out is you said you connected the black of the light to BOTH of the blacks in the cable AND the red.

  Hooked up black of light to black of both 14/3 and 14/2. Hooked up red (switch hot?) To black of light.

A device can only be connected to one wire that is either always hot or switched. You have apparently connected the light to all three hot wires in this circuit.

You need to study standard electrical wiring diagrams a little more and check your wiring again.

Good luck!


What kind of compound for taping with paper tape?

The initial 1-2 coats should be with All Purpose joint compound. It will set slower than fast set, but dries much harder, too. Use fast set on top if you need more coats.


What's with the different FHR ratings of these hot water tanks?

The power output of the water heaters is the crucial point. The "high performance" heater is 76 kBTU/Hr, while most water heaters only are around 30-40 kBTU/hour. This larger burner allowed the smaller tank to be able to "keep up with the demand" for quite a while. Another reason is because it maybe would be configured to heat to a much higher temperature, and then use the mixing valve that in includes to reduce the temperature to the reasonable level. I'd consider this "cheating" if it is what they are doing, though it is allowed by the government.

I'm guessing that the listing says one person because it is a small tank, and not based on the FHR (which they should have paid more attention to).

I don't think that you are missing anything based on the specs on FHR. But, you do need to pay attention to the size of your natural gas line. You'll need a higher flow rate with this model since it's usage rate is much higher. You also might need to provide more "leaks" in your house (and room containing the water heater) to allow for it to get sufficient air for combustion. This particular model uses air from its surroundings, instead of having a pipe to bring air in from the outside. Insufficient fresh air will generate CO (very bad for living things) and will decrease the water heater's efficiency. Make sure that you have a CO detector installed near the unit, whatever your choice ends up being.

The first hour rate is an odd metric. It measures the number of gallons that can be supplied at above 110 F, with an initial temperature of 135 F. This is very difficult to use in calculations.

I'd approach the calculations as an energy conservation problem. Use the recovery rate to calculate the burner output (1080 kJ/min in this case). Then (ignoring that entropy is gained in the mixing valve and the heat capacity and density of water depends on  temperature), decide on what temperature shower you want, and what temperature water you want in the tank. Use the heat capacity of water to calculate the amount of energy stored in the water heater, the energy usage rate (power out), and the burner energy rate (power in). Assuming use of 6 gpm, input water at 7 C, the tank at 75 C, and using water at 38 C, I calculate that you would have about eight minutes of water. With the 55 gallon tank, you'd have about 18 minutes using these assumptions.

Just by looking at the 90F recovery rate, you get about 80 gallons/hour. So, you could use 80/60=1.33 gpm indefinitely (with a rise of 90 F). But, you probably only need a rise from 45 to 100 F for your shower. In this case (55 F rise), you could use about 2.2 gpm indefinitely with this particular burner.


Why won't my heater turn off when it reaches my desired temperature?

If the room temp registering on the thermometer function is much higher (80 for example) than the thermostat set temp,(72 for example) chances are good that you have a defective unit.


Wiring for 2-stage thermostat and 2-stage furnace with single stage cooling

Ok so I figured it out. I probed the pins on the back of the thermostat to see which pins were being energized when it was calling for cooling. Turns out it energizes Y1, not Y2. Makes sense since it does support 2 stages for both heating and cooling. So I have my "cooling" wire at the Y1 terminal at the thermostat and Y/Y2 at the furnace. This wiring allows the cooling to work at the required high flow. Works as expected now. Final revised wiring diagram below.


You are correct, the instruction sheet is worse than useless. It doesn't even match the apearance of the product. Also, the lamp is very poorly designed. And I notice that its safety certification comes from el Cheapo knockoff Intertek instead of an established lab such as Underwriters. All this means that you can have the elegance of a $250.00 lamp for, like, $84.00, but you're gonna have to do a little work.

You can safely assume that the green wire is intended as a fault ground for the ceiling box cover plate (the part installed in step 4). This leaves the three wires in the transparent cord to be identified.

You have two sockets in the fixture. Each socket has a shell, the part with the screw threads, and a tip, the little strip at the bottom that contacts the metal dot in the center of the bulb base.

Very likely, one of the cord wires is connected to the metal casing of the fixture (the part with the threaded rod). This is the fault ground for the lower part of the lamp. One of the other wires is connected to both shells. The last wire is connected to both tips.

Your problem is that the three wires appear identical and are not clearly marked. You can't go by what is most likely; you'll need to determine which wire is connected to what. One of the wires has a bit of insulation left on, and is marked with a tape printed with lines. Another wire seems to have the letter L stuck onto it. But what does that mean? Without a diagram you can only guess. Frankly, given the quality exhibited so far, I wouldn't trust these signals even with an included diagram.

So you cannot use this fixture until you know which of the three cord wires are connected to the shells and which to the tips. You will need to learn how to measure continuity. You can buy a continuity tester at Wal-Mart for under $7.00.

You can verify that the continuity tester is working by touching the two probes together.

Simply hold one probe against a shell and try the three wire ends with the other probe. Only one wire will present continuity. This is the "shell" wire. Check that the other shell is also continuous with the shell wire.

Do the same thing with the tips to find the "tip" wire. Label the wires as you find them.

Connect one probe to the remaining wire and poke the metal fixture with the other probe until you get a continuity indication. This proves the fault ground wire.

Now, in step 3 on the diagram, connect the cord's fault ground wire and the green wire to the house fault ground; connect the shell wire to the house neutral; and connect the tip wire to the house switched hot.

If you are in the U.S.A. and your house wiring is not ancient, the fault ground will be bare, green, or green+yellow. The house neutral will be white, and the switched hot is never white and usually black or red.


Which carpet for a swivel chair to roll easily?

Ease of rolling is a function of the surface and the wheels. There are casters for rolling furniture that are specifically intended for carpets rather than hard floors

Additionally, low pile loop carpeting is used in offices because it wears well and is better for rolling furniture.

If you still have difficulty, there are chair mats made of plastics that sit under a desk and chair over the carpeting to allow easier rolling


How long must be the vertical leg of support brackets?

The first option would be vastly more appropriate for a heavy load. Pullout tension is inversely and exponentially proportional to the length of the mounted leg, so you'll have many times more stress on fasteners with the second option. For that matter, your backplate may not be up to the task of resisting that much torque.

As to how long the legs need to be, that depends on several things. First, what will you use to mount to the block wall? Can it handle the stress? Next, will the blocks in the wall take the stress? If you put all your anchors in the block web you're unlikely to break the blocks. If you were to anchor to the hollow cavity faces, you just might tear them out.

Keep in mind that the length of the horizontal leg isn't as important as is the actual depth of the countertop. I'd see to have a vertical leg that's at least 50% of the counter depth. I'd also put double fasteners near the top, where the most pullout force exists.

It's difficult to offer more specific advice without dimensions, weights, etc., but this should get you in the ballpark.


Is it a reasonable approach to resolve the current/future sagging issue?
Yes, adding 2x6 lumber should resolve your issue. 12 feet is still a long span for unsupported 2x6 boards, but it'll be a definite improvement. Be sure to crown each rafter to maximize benefit.

Could I potentially use a 4x4 instead of a 2x6 to get the same support and save myself the 2" of head room?
This is inadvisable. The additional weight and lower rigidity of 4x4 lumber make it a poor rafter choice. They'd also be quite expensive.

Am I ok stopping at the wall with the new 2x6 joists?
Yes. 2x4 rafter tails should be adequate. It's not critical that the new rafters bear either on the wall or the ridge beam. Fit them as close as is convenient. The short spans of 2x4 beyond the 2x6 boards have the strength needed to carry the load. You might level off the bottom ends of the 2x6 boards to create a taper into the 2x4, like so (but obviously with less pitch):

                /      /
               /      /
              /      /
             /      /
            /      /
           /______/
          /    /
         /____/

Am I ok to sister the 2x4 and 2x6 joists using screws every 18 inches or so?
Yes, if your screws are 2-1/2" gold construction screws (or better--no black oxide), you use two per 18", spaced widely, and you be sure to clamp the rafters tightly together as you progress.


What advantage is there to a larger hot water tank with a lower FHR?

Interesting question. I had an initial guess as to why this might be, and in the process of convincing myself, ie testing whether the guess holds up under inspection, I discovered a curious thing.

The Water Heating Basics page at hot-water-heaters-reviews.com explains that First Hour Delivery equals (tank capacity) * 0.7 + (recovery rate). When I tested the numbers on the Rheem data sheet I ran into a problem.

For the 50 gallon natural gas fuel heater they claim recovery of 42.4. The formula yields 50*0.7 + 42.4 = 77.4 and approximately matches the table's First Hour Delivery of 78.

But look at the line for the 40 gallon: they claim recovery at 40.4 and the formula yields 40*0.7 + 40.4 = 68.4. That's nowhere near the table's FHD of 86 -- but if somebody fat-fingers the data and transposes the digits, 68 becomes 86.

Could it be that the data sheet is mistaken?


Low slope roof (2:12) - acceptable for metal roofing?

It depends on the product. Some are rated down to that low a slope, and some aren't. I've seen 3:12 specified as the minimum for many, but there are some that allow 2:12. Make sure you choose one of those. As for installation, just follow the instructions. Don't try to get creative. The people who design these products are very explicit about how they are supposed to be installed. Screwing down through-fastened panels is the easy part; pay close attention to the trim.


How to install and wire up a 30 amp breaker box acceptable to plug my RV in

RV's typically take 120VAC with an oddball 30 amp receptacle: this.

Note the center hole is not a terminal.

It will work fine with your 10/2 wire, but your breaker is 2-pole unnecessarily - a single-pole breaker would do.  (Though, a single pole 30A breaker is kind of an orphan, hardly used for anything - the 2-pole breaker is commonly used for several purposes.)

Neutral goes to your neutral bus, ground goes to your ground bus.  Hot goes to one side of the 2-pole breaker, the other side is unused.

If you wanted to use a NEMA 14-30 connection, you bought the right breaker but the wrong wire.  But it would surprise me if you wanted that since 240V/30A is not common with RVs, usually it's 50A if it's 240V.


Is there any way to use a UPS properly when there's no ground wire in the outlet? (Uninterruptible Power Supply)

While a UPS, and many surge protectors as well, will show wiring faults equivalent to a magic 8-ball, a UPS should never actually use ground, except if there is a true fault. A brownout or blackout should trigger the USP battery/inverter but not actually put any current on the ground wire. In fact, if it did then it would immediately trip the GFCI (assuming that some of that current should have been going on neutral).
More likely is a faulty UPS. The most common fault, unless it is brand new, is a battery that no longer holds a charge properly. UPS detects fault, switches to battery/inverter and promptly fails. Most small UPS now have user-replaceable batteries, though whether that makes sense or not depends on the age of the UPS (other parts can fail over time) and whether it might be time to upgrade to a larger UPS for other reasons.


Furnace Troubleshooting- Inconsistent Error Codes

Yes it sounds like the pressure switch may be working correctly. If you'll be in constant attendance and feel confident about your ability to detect any problems, you could use a jumper in place of the pressure switch. You'll likely find that the controller verifies that the switch is open when the inducer is off and closes when the inducer is on -- so the jumper will have to be placed and removed at the right times.

The fact that the furnace sometimes ignites but other times not, and that sometimes the air blower remains on, suggests to me a problem with the flame proving function. Maybe have a look at After blowing heat the fan won't stop, continue blowing cold air for prolonged period of time (30+ min). Power cycle the furnace and observe its operation through several run attempts as described there.


Repairing Hole Drilled Vertically in Joist

There's nothing about that old joist that's really worth trying to restore it to full strength, which would be iffy at best.

I'd sister a second joist right next to it and nail it to the original - no need to glue it.  That should be simple, quick, and inexpensive.  You'll need to get the new joist in so it rests on the beam or wall that supports it at either end, but that's usually not too difficult.

You could just remove and replace the old joist, but I don't know if that's worth the trouble, the extra joist won't do any harm there.

One possible confound to replacing the joist that came up in the comments:  if there is plumbing and / or electrical running through the joist, it may be a lot harder to double up or remove and replace the whole joist.

If it's a lot harder, I would not hesitate to repair the joist, I'd sandwich the joist between two pieces of 3/4" plywood glued and nailed on.  I'd want a minimum of 2' on either side of the damaged spot.

If there's not even room to place 4' of plywood, you could add 2x10s on top of 1/2" plywood or OSB and bolt the whole thing together, making a three ply flitch beam in the repair section.  (Flitch plates are usually made of metal, but that would be a bit over the top for weak floor joist.)

Keep in mind that one weak joist could cause some sag, may mess up your tile floor, etc., but it isn't going to make the house collapse.


Should I use mastic or thinset for ceramic tile backsplash in kitchen?

This is an old question but I simply must put the idea that using thin-set on walls is a good option. Thin set is a motar designed specifically for floor installation it's gritty doesn't stay on the wall well when applied. Now that isn't to say it won't work it will, provided you use a cement based backer board such as durarock or hardi-backer. But here is a key walls tend to move and swell more than floors do and thin-set being concrete and gritty isn't great at holding up to the stress. Even the modified/fortified variations have limits.

Mastic is designed for walls has outstanding bond and durability ease of application etc. And the only way water would be an issue is if it was soaked with it and remained so for weeks. In a kitchen that isn't a problem. I also use it for tile showers/tub splashes. Sheet rock isn't recommended for wet areas like showers and tub splashed but in a kitchen it's okay. Thin-set will not bond to sheet rock reliably. So if anyone decides to use it instead of mastic make sure you use a good cement based backer board.


Choosing a soundproof apartment - how wall and ceiling material predicts sound levels

Not really a home improvement question, but this does seem the best match on SE...

It's all about mass and decoupling.

Stone or brick walls have a lot of mass compared to stick-and-plaster walls. That means it takes more energy to get them moving, wich means your side of the wall doesn't vibrate as easily, which will block a lot of noise.

Hollow plaster walls can't give you that without special construction -- offset studs so vibration isn't passed through the studs from one side to the other -- which costs more and is rarely seen outside rooms constructed specifically for sound isolation. (In a studio, mass is sometimes added back in by filling the space between the plasterboard walks with sand -- and yes, you hope you'll never have to alter that wall!)

BUT... Remember that sound can travel through floors and ceilings too. If you can get an apartmenton the top floor you'll pay more in heating and cooling but won't have noises coming from above.

Usually being in an apartment means putting up with some noise, and negotiating with neihbors on how much and when that's acceptable.One reason I finally bought a house was wanting the freedom to make a reasonable amount of noise at 2AM occasionally.


What are watertight storage solutions to protect objects from flood water?

While this borders on being a "shopping recommendation" question, I think a "dry box" or "dry bag" is what you're looking for.
These are often used by backpackers, rafters, kayakers, etc. to keep their items dry when out in the wilderness. Obviously, you'll need something larger than those folks will use because they usually don't take large items with them. However, once you're on the right track, you should be able to find a supplier that makes bigger ones.
You may also look at a waterproof travel or shipping case. People who take photographic or other expensive gear need sturdy, waterproof cases to protect the gear, so that's another avenue of research for you.
Finally, while I realize that a "century flood" can happen at any time, if you've only had your 2nd floor flood once in 26 years, it seems that moving the most critical items up to the 2nd floor is going to be your best bet when the waters start to rise. If you have an attic, reserve "emergency storage space" up there and you'll be above the areas you've had flooded while you've been in the house.
While it's a major hassle, your home insurance (especially if you have specified flood insurance) should replace any items destroyed in the flood, so unless the items have sentimental value and can't be replaced, I wouldn't go too overboard.
Finally, I'll reiterate my statement from the comment to be sure to have an offsite backup of any critical (or valuable/irreplaceable) computer data (like family photos/videos). This isn't the place to discuss that (hit up Super User.SE for info on that), but hard drives die, even if they haven't been swimming.


How to soundproof a wall between two apartments in a 1950s NYC structure?

You don't need both quiet rock and green glue, they should be seen as alternatives.
Also you're going for higher frequency noise: footfall or low frequency noise would be a different answer.

I'd do this: identify and mark stud locations, have a contractor drill holes and dense pack insulation into the wall (see video), patch the holes, find your marks then green glue and screw 5/8" drywall and be done with it.  No framing needed.

But your next problem is likely flanking: sound coming through the floor, heating ducts, over the top plate of the wall, out and back in a window, etc.  You'll likely still hear that TV without some pretty detailed work to find all the paths.


What did the plumbers do / say?

Seems like you'd just remove the braided sink line coming from the hot shutoff under the sink and then test to see the water pressure and flow.

If they replaced the shutoffs, that implies they did the above and didn't get water flow, why they'd replace the faucets at the point seems like a waste of money.

If the shutoffs don't supply water then you have a problem somewhere between your hotwater tank and your kitchen faucet.

Could the pipe be frozen somewhere?  How cold is it where you are?


Can I convert a radiator to radiant floor heating in a room?

You may be able to use the existing radiator piping to some extent, but a number of other changes will be required:

Lower water temperature. Because the radiant heating runs under your entire floor, it is typically run at a temperature similar to a hot summer day (around 85 degrees Fahrenheit). Cast iron radiators are usually run at around 150 degrees F, which would be painfully hot to stand on. So if you are keeping any radiators, your system will need to support running at multiple temperatures. According to this piping schematic from hydronicpros.com the device that can both control your boiler and mix water for a lower-temperature section is called a "variable speed pump mixing control".
System balance. Changing the way a room is heated may take it out of balance with the rest of your home, leading it to get too hot or too cold. You'll want to get a professional to assess whether this will require additional thermostats / control modules, or whether there's a simpler way to balance things.
Under-floor access. For hot water radiant heat, you'll need to install PEX on the underside of the subfloor. I don't think you can do that without access from underneath. Probably not a problem for your kitchen but may add some work for the upstairs bath. Correction 2 Feb 2012: Actually, there are hydronic systems that can be installed above an original subfloor (inside a newly poured cement layer, under tile). These may cost more and would likely change the level of your floor, but are worth considering.

One alternative you may want to consider is electric radiant heating. Electric radiant is available in mats that are layered with thinset between the subfloor and tile. The mats can be custom made to the shape of your room, e.g. to flow around a kitchen island. The system will come with a temperature sensor and control that is typically mounted in a wall box next to the light switches for the room. In this case, you'd simply remove the radiators, and use electric heat for those rooms instead.


What kind of repair do I need for water damage from second floor?

Tim,

diceless is right about drilling holes to let out any water. If you get all of the water out quickly, chances are you will only be left needing to patch the holes you drilled, which is pretty easy. If a lot of water comes out of any spots, you may want to cut a small square hole (like 3x3) to make sure all of the water comes out and to allow air to get in for drying out. Then you can get a patch kit from the hardware store to fix the hole.

Drywall is fairly resilient and can tolerate a moderate amount of water for a short period of time, especially if the ends did not get wet.

And if it dries out quickly enough you will not have any mold worries.

So get drilling those holes!

Brad


Breaker in circuit panel doesn't appear to do anything?

Could there be simply an unused breaker in the panel? If it's unused, why wouldn't the electrician just leave the blank piece of metal there instead?

Yes sometimes spare breakers are inserted as part of the contract to allow for future expansion. Or someone discontinued a circuit and left the breaker.

Either way it is nothing to be too concerned about. At least now you know you have an open circuit if you wish to add something later.

Happy Day!


It is a slotted "L" bracket. It's available at most home stores.


Should I replace my conventional interior water heater with an exterior tankless model?

Your salesman is evidently an idiot. Perhaps you want to do more shopping and find a vendor with smarter people working for them.

You already have the space.
The space is well-located for short pipe runs to the bathrooms and
has plumbing in place.
Presumably the old water heater has a fuel supply and venting means, or you might have mentioned that as a concern.
Evidently it freezes in your area.


Concrete slabs and block paving - painting

Inside, the painting would work & should last 10-years before needing to be scraped of bubbles, peels & cracks before a repainting. But, down the long road it'll need to be completely stripped off & re-done, which is a huge pain. But outdoors, no, I haven't seen a paint or paint re-surfacer last very long at all & they fail miserably.

You'd probably be much better off with something like this that actually soaks into the surface to become part of the surface. Scroll down to just above Reviews & to the right side in order to check out the numerous real world pictures.

The garage floor & its driveway apron I did at my old place came out like veiny leather & looked amazing. The real benefit is you just keep re-applying clear sealer, every 5 or more years for me (I only did an early 2nd time for re-sale), so there's no color matching & the stain beneath doesn't lighten nor deteriorate.


What parameters (torque, speed, impact, impact energy) are more important when drilling into reinforced concrete?

It depends on what you are drilling.  For small holes, (1/4"-1/2") a hammer drill is not usually enough impact in hardened concrete so any SDS style drill and bit will usually do as they have alot more impact than a hammer drill.  Torque is not usually a problem.

For bigger holes 1" +/- torque begins to affect how much the bit can actually spin as it is doing its work if using a cheaper weaker drill.

For coreing holes 3-6"+ you absolutely need alot of torque to keep the bit moving and the impact becomes less important.  This is why for larger holes only thin wall SDS bits exist otherwise there would be too much torque exerted on the smaller SDS shaft.  The larger sizes that are not thin wall are typically SDS-MAX with alot thicker shaft for the increased torque required due to the additional contact area of the bit face and wall.

Increased impact can help speed the process on larger holes but without enough torque the bit just does not spin the teeth fast enough to let them do their job.

Another way to think of it is if you could have only torque or impact when making a hole, which one is more important?  Torque.  Spinning without beating you get a really slow drilled hole.  Beating without spinning and you don't get a hole; you get demolition with a drill bit which is slower and not hole shaped.

Speed is not usually an issue unless you just dont have any as drilling larger holes is typically a rather low RPM endeavor.


Can an electrical panel be behind a locked door in North Carolina

If you own the building, and provide "continuous building management supervision". Then yes, the panel can be locked up. Otherwise, no. Tenants need to have access to their panels.
Well, technically... The door can be locked, but the tenants must have a key.

National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 2 Wiring and Protection
Article 240 Overcurrent Protection
240.24 Location in or on Premises.
(B) Occupancy. Each occupant shall have ready access to all overcurrent devices protecting the conductors supplying that occupancy, unless otherwise permitted in 240.24(B)(1) and (B)(2).
(1) Service and Feeder Overcurrent Devices. Where electric service and electrical maintenance are provided by the building management and where these are under continuous building management supervision, the service overcurrent devices and feeder overcurrent devices supplying more than one occupancy shall be permitted to be accessible only to authorized management personnel in the following:
(1) Multiple-occupancy buildings
(2) Guest rooms or guest suites.
(2) Branch-Circuit Overcurrent Devices. Where electric service and electrical maintenance are provided by the building management and where these are under continuous building management supervision, the branch-circuit overcurrent devices supplying any guest rooms or guest suites without permanent provisions for cooking shall be permitted to be accessible only to authorized management personnel.


Can built-in furniture be installed near sprinkler piping?

Since there are no sprinkler heads, valves, or such involved -- there's no need to maintain any set clearance from the pipe with nonstructural, non-fire-partitioning elements, such as furniture.  (NFPA 13 has no minimum clearance requirement for sprinkler piping that I can find, save for the 9.3 requirements on clearance through firewalls, and those are both a) driven by seismic concerns and b) on the order of an inch or so.)


Would vinyl plank flooring allow liquids to leak through?

Vinyl plank will allow the urine to seep underneath, unless you use a sealant on the joints/seams. Even if it is properly installed.

Using sheet vinyl will work perfect for your application. The only way urine or any other liquid could get underneath would be if a hole/tear was made into the vinyl from mistreatment or from a big spill seeping in from under the walls.

Also you can get the room floored cheaper. You can also get some sheet vinyl with wood grain in any tone/shade to match the room decor. If you do need a seam in the room a seam sealer is used - like epoxy, so no leaks

I've been installing for a long time and I have dogs that have accidents. I have sheet vinyl down in their room (12'x18'). No leak throughs. Easy cleanup, no joint lines to scrub.


Is it safe to use a 10 ft non-UL listed power cord for my dryer

You can make a cord using listed components. A 10awg 3 with ground SO cord (4 wires) and the correct cord cap you can make the length you need and it would be legal. a link to the wire and the plug  (normally called a cord cap). I would use crimp connectors on the end that attaches to the dryer because the SO is fine braided wire like this. Here is a link to a cord cap not sure if it is the same as you have but it will give you an idea if you were not sure what I described cord cap link.


Does paint flashpoint have any thing to do with drying time?

Flash-point only has an indirect relationship to drying or curing times. Generally , the warmer the curing temperature , the faster and stronger a resin cure will be.


Is there a way to easily split a wall register?

My parents' house has one place with vents that look exactly like that - the duct has two vents, one on each side, and there is a baffle inside such that you cannot look through the vent and see the other room. The baffle extends about 1-2 inches past the edge of the registers.
I spent some time trying to find a pre-made part (or even a picture of someone having done this), but I can't find one.


How can I secure this metal 1-gang electrical box without creating a bigger hole?

Before we even get started, there's a bigger issue here.

Before discussing the box and opening, note that the armored cable is not properly connected to the box.  There are boxes with internal clamps for armored cable but I do not recommend using those, I'd get fittings that connect the armored cable through knockouts with a locknut.  If you're not 100% sure of yourself using these fittings with armored cable, call an electrician to make this repair, getting it wrong can be dangerous.  It is extremely important to install these correctly without damaging the insulation of the wires on the sharp edge of the armor.

The rest of this task is pretty simple but like most things, the devil is in the details;  you have to select a suitable box, and the details are very important.  The details are more complicated than they may seem at first glance.

You probably can't use the existing hole as-is.

The original question is how to make this right without making a bigger hole.  However, code demands that there be little to no space between the box and the opening in the plaster / drywall.

You know how with a haircut, it's very easy to make it shorter, but just about impossible to make it longer?  It's kind of the same way with the hole in the wall.  It's easy to enlarge it, but a lot of work to make it smaller.

So for practical purposes, you either you need to find a box that's just the size of this hole, or find a larger box that works, and enlarge the hole.  I don't think you're going to find a suitable box the exact size of this hole that meets all the requirements.

What kind of box will work?

Metal Box

To simplify bonding the cable armor, it's simplest to stick to metal boxes.  A plastic box would be nice because they are a little bigger than metal boxes, but bonding the cable armor presents an additional challenge.  I think a decent solution is possible with a metal box, so I won't go into this more complicated possibility.

Device Box

You want a device box - one with threaded holes in the face of the box that you can screw devices (switches or receptacles) to.   Device boxes are also known as switch boxes, even though you can use a switch box for receptacles as well - that's why I prefer the less-used term "device box."  You can see that the existing box is a device box - but that isn't all you need.

Old Work Box

Old work (retrofit) boxes have plaster ears - flanges to keep the box from falling into the wall.  The existing box does not have plaster ears.  The box below has plaster ears on the top and bottom:

Some old work boxes also have hold fast clamps that swing out and move in when you turn a screw, and hold the box from the inside, to keep the box from falling out of the wall:

but those are optional;  you can also use F-clips to keep the box from pulling out of the wall.  F-clips are shaped like the letter "F" cut out of sheet metal, and are installed when the box is in place to keep it from pulling out of the wall:

(Edit:  in a subsequent comment the OP adds that the box will be going through a baseboard molding.  In that case, it's actually easier to use the screw holes in the plaster ears to hold the box to the molding rather than hold fast clamps.  So for this application, a box without holdfast clamps is preferred.)

Same dimensions or larger than the existing opening

As mentioned above, code requires that the opening fit tight to the box, and it's hard to make a hole smaller.  It will be difficult or impossible to find a single gang old work device box to fit the existing opening.  So you'll probably be forced to use a two gang old work device box, and enlarge the existing opening.

You can install a second duplex receptacle in the same box, or use one receptacle and a half-blank two gang cover.

Knockouts

To keep things simple, you'll want a box with pre-punched knockouts for your armored cable fittings, and you'll want them in places where the fitting won't interfere with getting the box into the opening. The existing box side knockouts may have made it difficult or impossible to get the box into the opening with armored cable fittings attached.

If you have to use knockouts on the back of the box, you may need to use right angle fittings unless the wall hollow is very deep.

With all this considered, you want a two-gang metal old-work device box, with usable knockouts.  If the box doesn't have hold-fast clamps, you need F-clips too.  (Edit:  as mentioned above - with the box set in a wood base molding, hold fast clamps nor F-clips are needed, you can screw the plaster ears / flange into the bade molding and it will hold it securely.)

This box would check all the boxes

Just as an example, the Garvin Industries MGSB-20W would work:

It has hold fast clamps on the sides, so you won't need F clips.  (Edit:  since you're going into wood molding, you can actually just pry off the hold fast clamps.) A deeper box would be ideal, but this one will work.  The KO's are probably too close to the face of the box to enter the box on the top or sides, but it's no big deal to buy right angle armored cable fittings, so this box would work.


How do I reverse the slope of my garage floor?

Install a drain at the low spot, or rent a concrete saw and cut drainage channels (run the saw on tapered shims so the channels slope correctly.)
By cutting channels you should be able to intercept and redirect much of the water before it reaches the low spot.
It might be possible to do that to the whole floor with a terrazzo grinder, but those seem to be a lot harder to find for rental, and it would be a LOT more work. I doubt most things you'd apply on top would hold up to vehicle traffic unless you have room for a couple of inches at the thin part.


How do I hang a wall accessory fitted with 'Wall Grabbers' by Pinnacle?

The manufacturer has a video on their website that demonstrates how to hang their products that incorporate their Wall Grabber technology.

pinnacleframe.com -> Products ->  Gallery Solutions -> Click to watch video

or

http://blog.pinnacleframe.com/Pinnacle_Video/GallerySolutions_Pinnacle.mov


What could cause a foaming clothes washer standpipe?

HE detergents create very, very little foam. She may have switched detergent brands. Or there was a load done with a soapy car wash rag or something similar in it.


Glow Worm Flexicom HX boiler F11, F22, F25 Error codes

The Solution which DID work

When our landlord let us have the heating engineers come round to have a proper look, the engineers discovered the system was clogged with rust and muck. They said it was the worse they had ever seen. The house is as around 20-25 years old, and they believed the system had never been flushed. So the heating engineers did the following:

Flushed the system
Used tools to vibrate all of the crud out of the radiators and flushed periodically
Fitted some kind of filter/ioniser which will attract all the particles into the filter and this can be flushed at every yearly service

Outcome

We now have all radiators really hot. The house is pleasant to live in. I have not even heard the central heating pump running since then, as I guess it needs to run less hard and less often to get the flow through. Tap water is really hot again, so have been able to turn boiler down to 70°C. I may be able to turn it down further over the next few weeks too.

Hopefully some information within this post will help someone who experiences similar issues with their heating system or boiler.


Should I use heat resistant paint when whitewashing a brick fireplace?

If you plan to "whitewash" it, I would highly recommend using whitewash (lime-based paint), not normal paint, though it's hard enough to track down these days that you may need to make your own. The face of the fireplace does not need to be particularly heat resistant (though the inside ends of the face bricks may get quite warm), but whitewash will be moreso than paint, and I think it works better with brick than most normal paints do. White painted brick looks ugly in short order.

As for black paint on the inside, good luck with that if you actually light a fire in there. That's asking a bit much, quite frankly. There are truly high-temperature refractory paints, but most of them are pretty-near white. Most (all?) black pigments burn off at high temperatures.


The best device to measure instantaneous energy usage

Without a doubt, it is the Kill-A-Watt meter.  You want to measure Watts.  And also Watt-hours.

Here is what they look like:

They are available from many vendors.  Worth every penny.

Every brand offers both instantaneous use, but also cumulative and max.

Since most work the same, I suggest you shop around, assure yourself they all do about the same thing, then look at prices and speed of delivery to make your decision


The new breaker isn't unsafe, the old one is.

The old breaker--which I presume is still powering the original circuit--is still providing electricity to a circuit which appears to have a problem hidden somewhere in one of your walls.

To be completely safe, shut off the old breaker (which will, unfortunately, also shut off power to everything else that is on the old circuit).

But if the electrician installed a new breaker and ran new wire to the old outlet box like you seem to be saying (and capped off the old wires in that outlet box), that new breaker and new line are perfectly safe presuming the electrician is competent.


As you suspect, pressure-treated lumber holds fasteners much better when it dries out somewhat. That would take some time, though, as you don't want to rush it or you'll get severe warping.

If you're in a hurry, switch to something like 1/4" carriage bolts. They don't depend on thread grab and will hold better in the long run anyway.

Otherwise go to a heavier screw. A #12 has several times the thread area and will hold much better.


Finishing Basement, Help with Plumbing Pipes

The first thing that is important to note is that the pipe size is imprinted on the black 'Jim caps" that are on the ends of the pipes. The twin black pipes are 2" no-hub cast iron and the white PVC looks to be the same 2" but the picture you have is partially obscured so I couldn't read it. Floor hole #1 looks to be the toilet roughing and by the looks of it appears to be 4". By cleaning the concrete off the cap you should be able to see the writing. The concrete needs to be carefully and accurately chipped away from around the cap so it can be removed for further inspection and eventual connection. You will probably find a stainless steel clamp like the ones on the other twin pipes on that pipe below the concrete which has to be removed to get the cap off. That toilet pipe should be about 12 inches off the left wall and that would make it the wall the toilet was intended to be installed to. The twin pipes are less certain. My best guess without measurements is that the pipe closer to the edge of the plywood is a waste pipe for a tub or shower and the other is the tub vent. A video inspection of the pipes should be done prior to completing the bathroom. If it is indeed the waste for a shower you will have to remove some of the concrete to facilitate connecting the base/tub. The PVC against the wall is probably the waste for a sink. All caps should be taken off and a visual inspection done to try to see which way they run once under the concrete slab. Then, running water through one at a time will give you a better idea of what was done
It was a common practice in my area in the 80's when you built a house to pipe out waste pipes for a basement bathroom at the request of new owners so that when the owner got around to finish the basement the concrete slab did not have to be broken up.
An accurate diagram of the measurements of the pipes and how far from the walls would help to confirm my suspicions. Also look to see if they left you a place (in the ceiling)to connect the plumbing venting for the bathroom.
FYI- It looks like you are planning on putting the wood flooring system under the bathroom floor. My experiences has made me prefer to have basement bathroom floors consist of ceramic tile installed directly on the concrete slab. This eliminates the possibility of any water that reaches the floor by any means doing damage to the wood subfloor. If you're in a colder zone and you are worried about a cold floor you can always put down a plastic waterproofing tile membrane first which will act as a thermal break.


Layering another type of paint on cabinet/how to fix

Yes, that is normal with brushing that kind of trim.  I had a door in a Victorian that drove me bananas for days.  Just add a 3rd or 4th coat and don't give it any more thought.  And be glad you're not painting lavender over deep purple lol!

You could sand it gently, but I'd be VERY careful around edges and corners; it's easy to blow through all the layers and expose bare wood, and then you have to prime all over again.

Also, I see where you hot-dog-rollered it and called it good on the flats.  That leaves a texture that is different brush vs roller.  To avert this, I use a technique called roll and tip, where I hastily spam down paint with a roller and immediately swish over it with a brush.

This provides brush stipple instead of roller stipple, which is consistent across the piece; however it also creates a bit of a "hybrid" for coverage, more even than pure brushing but not as even as pure rolling.  It also lets me use the end of the hotdog to lay paint in the grooves, which is a big timesaver since I need to dip the brush far, far less, essentially only at the start of the tip-out.


If the top layer of my subfloor is structurally sufficient, can I skip patching plumbing holes in the bottom layer?

You are correct in your thinking. The original layer, even with the holes will still add strength to your top layer. No need to patch the holes.


What type of tile should I install in a bath/shower surround?

If your tile is not secure, then the backer is not secure either. You will need to gut it to the studs and install water proof membrane, concrete board or heavy hardy-backer to tile over. The window frame must also be carefully water-proofed as well and trimmed out with a moisture resistant material. Get some professional advise on this one, a new tile job is not cheap or easy and be a shame to have a leaky, grout dropping job when you're done.

As far as the type of tile, ceramic or porcelain are similar products, difference being the hardness grade and the type of glazing. Porcelain is always a better choice in my view as the surface glaze is smoother, easier to keep clean and usually a harder grade.(3 to 7) prices can vary wildly, usually again because of the glazing and hardness factors. Designer patterns also effect the cost as well.


Motion sensor switch doesn't fit in faceplate

You can't use that kind of faceplate with that kind of device.  (Unless you're willing to hacksaw off the wings, but that will mean it can only be used in this type of faceplate, and will never be mountable elsewhere because you will have destroyed the screw threads that mount the Decora faceplate).

You need this

src

You install this cover ("mud ring").
Then, you install the Decora outlet (or any device) in the normal way. Those two nubs give you mounting holes in the normal location.  Remember to remove the paper squares if you're grounding via the yoke.
Then install a common/normal (e.g. Decora) cover plate.
This works with anything that will bolt into a normal box.
The only downside is the cover plate may overhang a bit, but a careful choice of cover plate will help that.

Technically these things are called "mud rings", because it's intended that you install the mud ring, then lay drywall over it. They are made in different depths for that purpose.  They also make flat (0 depth) plates, do not use those because the Decora cover plate screws will bottom out if you do.

The large opening meets the requirement for accessibility without tools.  Wires must stick out at least 3" beyond the surface.

What it's doing is emulating a common 1-gang "handy-box". Except with a many more cubic inches available to you.  You need the cubes practically for bulky devices like these, and you need the cubes statutorially for box fill.


Do I need a mixing valve in my boiler/water heater system?

Looks like you have a hydronic boiler that is heating your house through multiple zones as well as heating your domestic water via a heat exchanger within the tank to the right. If so, this would be referred to as an indirect fired hot water heater.

During the warmer months, the boiler only needs to heat the domestic water as the zone control valves for the heating zones would be closed. This allows for 100% of the boiler’s output to be used to heat the water.

Now in the colder months, the boiler must satisfy all zones, including the domestic water tank. Therefore the output of the boiler is being shared to each of the zones as they call for heat and the zone feeding the water heater will no longer be getting 100% out the output of the boiler.

There could be many potential reasons that your’s is not keeping up with he demand such as:

The boiler is undersized and cannot satisfy all the zones during peak demand
Improper balancing of the zones
Something piped incorrectly and causing a reduction in efficiency

A schematic diagram of your setup would be helpful in reviewing for potential issues. However, being that this seems to have always been the case, it might be that your boiler is undersized.

Regarding the addition of the a mixing valve and pump: where were they suggesting them being installed?

If you have turned up the tanks temperature too high, there is potential for scalding to occur at the plumbing fixtures. However it is often more efficient to run the water heater at a higher temperature and in these cases a mixing valve is installed on the outlet of the domestic hot leaving the tank to bring the temperature of the water as it leaves back to below scalding.

The only place I see that a pump might help would be on the heating zone that heats the domestic water tank. Similar to this setup:

However, a better understanding of your setup would be required to determine if feasible.


Tracing individual conductors most effectively

A method I have used in the past is to have all the breakers disconnected for safety (old houses are known to have "crossed circuits"...

Then have a very long cable back to the distribution board connected to a particular wire to test, then use the multimeter to test the object wires at the point of interest. Label as necessary (even down to tape with text...).


AC unit dripping onto crawl space vapor barrier

The short pipe looks like it's a condensate drain - which will trickle when the AC is operating. It needs to run to a drain or to the outside. It looks like the insulation over the pipes has been damaged by the condensate running over it, and will need to be replaced. Even if the drain wasn't running onto them, the pipes are cold, so will sweat unless they're well insulated - the C shaped insulation needs taping closed, or you can buy insulation with a ziploc type feature that closes it up.


Ceiling joists job in a cinder block house

Ceiling joists don't necessarily hold up the walls. What they do is prevent the outward force of the roof pushing the walls out. The joists 'pull' the outward forces together canceling them out so that the only force on the walls is then downwards.

Whether your walls are stick frames or masonry, they're strength is in compression from downward forces rather than deflection from outward forces.

If you're planning on removing the ceiling joists, you will need to replace them with something. Beams could work as could steel cables.

Alternatively, you could install a ridge joist. A ridge joist is supports by columns down to the foundation and will carry the weight of the roof.


Gas furnace air is cooler (but NOT COLD) during bitter cold days - why?

There should be a nameplate on the unit, which among other things will list the expected temperature rise across the heat exchanger.  This value tells you how much the furnace should be expected to raise the temperature of the incoming air.

Furnaces do not put out an exact temperature air, the outlet air temperature is always based on the inlet air temperature. For example. If you have a furnace with a 60°F temperature rise rating, and an inlet air temperature of 65°F. You should expect 125°F air coming out of the furnace. If you have an inlet air temperature of 45°F, going into the same furnace.  You should only expect 105°F air to come out.

Add to that the fact that some ducts might be run in exterior walls or unconditioned space, and you could be losing heat before the air actually reaches you.

It sounds like either the furnace is undersized, dirty, old, or the home is not insulated well.  Make sure the filter is clean, all registers and returns are open and unobstructed, and have the heat exchanger cleaned and inspected by an HVAC technician.


Three 15 A receptacles on a 20 A breaker

Yes, that’s fine. The NEC specifically allows multiple 15A receptacles on a 20A branch circuit. You must use 12Ga or larger (if in copper) for all wiring - any 14 and you must use a 15A breaker.
This is an exception to the general rules. You can’t put a single 15A receptacle on a 20A circuit and you can’t do things like putting multiple 20A receptacles on a 30A circuit.


Should I replace old drywall in closet before I tape?

Nope. It'll finish up just like new drywall would. If the areas with water staining aren't soft they're not a concern, and whether you replace some of it to reduce seams is entirely up to you. Well done butt joints are as invisible as recessed seam joints.
I would consider adding some screws to help prevent nail pops by securing the sheets better, but not too long ago all drywall was installed with nails and it was never really a problem. We use screws now mostly for speed.
Do use a quality sealer/primer when you're done, though to ensure a uniform paint color and texture.


Is this hard floor mat in our closet made from asbestos?

It is difficult to tell, but it’s the right age. The EPA regulates the testing, abatement, and disposal of asbestos. The one thing I’ve learned over the years is that it needs to be friable to be harmful. This is not friable and you can easily remove it if you like.

However, I’d be careful not to break it up and I’d wet it down before I tried to move it. That is to say, I’d spray it with water and wrap it in a large sheet in case it did break up.

Also, you can buy test kits to determine if it is asbestos from your local hardware store. If it is asbestos, call your local sanitation department and dispose of it properly.


You probably have a boiler that heats water (or steam) and then pumps it through the house to radiators or baseboards. The boiler needs to keep the water heated to a certain temperature so that when the thermostat calls for heat, the boiler can pump the water (at the design temperature) through the house.

So, the boiler will "kick on" from time to time to heat the water.

Also, some boilers can heat your potable hot water too (through a heat exchanger). It could be "kicking on" to heat your hot water.


How can I mount outlets securely where drywall was cut from around outlet ears?

The cut outs should have been filled with mud. large spaces around the box would not meet building code requirements. The contractor should be repairing the problem.


I would do the following:

support the roof - and jack it up a 1/2” extra to enable the new one to slide in.

drill and cement or epoxy the post support ( stainless is good) into place, these are usually adjustable so getting the roof level is possible.

measure the required length of post - from the support to the roof and the 1/2” can be accounted for in the adjustment.

fit the post - the bottom support may be a “cup” which might need one side reducing or it may only be a U, which means the post end can slide in easily.

adjust the post height while removing the jacking supports.

May be worth treating the post ends and painting before fitting though.