Is a peltier-based dehumidifier a good choice to prevent condensation?

Peltier elements need 2 separated air (or water) flows on the cold and warm side.
Even if those elements are run with only 20% of the rated current, the installation effort, space and power consumption will be still much higher compared to the solution of re-using an old PC fan and a small old plug-in power supply.

That power supply  should be available in one of the next drawers or boxes with redundant electronics, and a low voltage fan could be harvested from an old PC. Hair dryers normally do also use low power motors, but mostly 20V or more.
All should be also available for no or minimal cost at the next recycling yard. If the fan is a 12V type, any voltage between 7 and 12V should be working well.
Hair dryers anyway have a 50% switch where the fan's voltage is reduced accordingly.

From a similar question:

An alternate method avoiding high electricity bills and the water drain for the dehumidifier: Installing a fan of an old PC at the Luv side, connected to a small power supply from an old phone or similar and a timer. If the fan runs only in the night, it pushes in statistically colder and dryer air. In 1 or 2 weeks the space will be much dryer. Electricity cost below 1$ per month.


Repairing Hardwood Floor, Two Different Joint Systems

There are "tee" moldings, or transition moldings, that the flooring people make that goes with the new laminate that you are planning to use.


Wrong installation of tandem breaker for 240V burn water tank

Punchlist:

Paint the Square D breaker or a Challenger breaker red and put it on top of the burned up bus stab. Don't use it.
Replace all black Challenger breakers with Eaton BR/C
Check technicolor BRyant breakers and make sure they are cross-listed Type C; if not replace with BR/C
Make sure water heater wire is 10 AWG
Replace water heater breaker with 25A BR/C
Rearrange all breakers to avoid burnt up bus stabs
think future subpanel

Abducted by alien breakers

We talk a lot on this forum about alien breakers. This panel is the picture postcard example of why.  But it also has some interesting exceptions.

This is a Challenger panel. It requires Type C breakers.   Nothing else will do.  Yes, other types of breakers will snap in. But they won't fit, and this is what happens.

The breaker your plumber used was a Crouse-Hinds, which only works in Crouse-Hinds panels.  It uses a trick we've seen in the GE Q-line, which is to have a 1-space breaker straddle 2 spaces, with a 1/2 space hole above and below (which you're supposed to fill with companion 1/2" breakers).

Point is, that Crowse-Hinds is seriously wrong in your Challenger panel.  Obviously, the plumber had it lying around and couldn't be bothered to pop into any store and get a BR220. The Eaton BR line is cross-listed Type C.

A shame the classic breaker was destroyed by ineptitude. Unfortunately, its destruction also took out the bus stab. Certainly the melted one, possibly the other tapped one as well. That stab is dead; put any old 1-pole breaker there and don't use it. I would paint the breaker red to indicate it's not for use; you wouldn't want someone trying to use it by accident.

Additional breaker issues

With a Challenger panel, you are blessed that Eaton type BR is compatible and cross-UL-listed for Type C.  That means UL gives the fullest endorsement possible for a breaker. (The alternative is a UL-Classified breaker, made specifically for panel X by competitor Y and passed UL safety testing.)  Eaton BR/C is the correct breaker for your panel. And they're $5!

However,  actual Challenger branch circuit breakers are known to be defective. The panels and bus stabs are fine.  Well, yours are a bit corroded and could stand a pass with a wirebrush to see if they're solid underneath, power off of course! I presume this is an outdoor panel.

So every Challenger breaker should be replaced - those are the older all-black ones with the 7-segment-display style lettering.

The remaining ones are actual BRyant, you can tell from the multi-color breaker handles. Look closely at those and make sure they are actually cross-listed Type C; Bryant breakers are reliable but they might not fit the panel.  Modern Eaton Type BR/C are readily available at sane cost ($4.50/pole).

The only ouchy price in there will be that 100A that feeds your subpanel; bring $50 for a BR2100. That is on the top of the hitlist for being replaced.  Further, the breakers across from it must never  be larger than 20A and can't be double-stuff -- otherwise you'd put 130A++ on those bus stabs the 100A breaker is using.   They are only rated for 125A.

Lastly, there's the remaining alien breaker, the Square D HOMeline double-stuff. That is fine as only a hole-filler since the bus stab underneath it is  burned up and unusable.

However, it is in the wrong place.  I believe the burnt stab is the one below. The newer Bryant 2-pole breaker is there instead, and probably not working because the stab is burnt up.

The better plan: another subpanel

Replacing a panel can be heinous.  So I suggest installing a subpanel either right next to this one, or some appropriate place (like where all those cables go). Have this panel have nothing in it but two 100A breakers feeding said subpanels.  (And space-occupying breakers to nothing, to fill the holes).

Do not put the second 100A breaker across from the current one, for stab limit reasons.  Put it below.

That 20A water heater circuit

This is a 4500W water heater.  Applying the mandatory 125% derate, we need to provision 5625W of power. That requires a 25A breaker and therefore 10 AWG wire, as indeed called out on page 8 of the manual.

This we know. That plumber needs to stick to pipes!

Legionella bacteria kills

Looking at that manual, I see that it doesn't talk about the dangers of legionella and other bacteria breeding in a hot water heater.  This is a recent scientific discovery, and the didn't update the manual because it's part of the UL listing for hundreds of products; changing it voids the  UL listing for all of them.

It does warn about scalding, and you do indeed have to balance the risk of scalding vs the risk of legionella and friends. (Scalding is not an issue if you have thermostatic "joystick style" knobs).  I suggest reading the latest literature and making up your own mind.


Do I need to use any wood protector for my deck?

Some wood species hold up well outdoors even without a surface treatment (like cedar and redwood). I can't tell by the photos what type of wood your deck is made of. That being said, it certainly would not hurt to treat it. It would help stabilise the the color and protect the wood.

The type of coating is up to you, but my preference wood be a high quality semi-transparent stain. The amount you need depends on size and various other factors, follow the directions on the can.


Kitchen lights not working after changing bulbs

Sounds like a bad ballast. Ballasts do not live forever and need to be replaced from time to time.


When contemplating removing structural supports where removal improperly might destroy your house, the only sensible path is to hire an engineer to assess what a suitable structurally sound replacement for the support you want to remove is.

Otherwise, leave the post in place.


The typical way to pre-warm water is to install a standard tank water heater before the tankless, but leave it turned off.

Using an automotive radiator is a terrible idea. You don't want to connect something not designed for potable water to your plumbing. That's just asking for trouble.

The pex idea is interesting. The only reason that I can think that this wouldn't work is that 100 feet of pex introduces quite a pressure loss. Put a meter on the end to make sure you have enough pressure going in to your water heater. If you have the stuff to do that, you can try it out. But I wouldn't buy 100 feet of pex just to do it.

Using a tank water heater has a couple of advantages over the pex-in-a-bucket-of-water idea:

If your tankless water heater has a problem, you can just turn on the tank water heater.
You get pre-warmed water for much longer with a tank than your 100 feet of pex.

With the pex solution, most of the heat transfer is going to occur when the water is sitting in the 100 foot coil. When the water is flowing, heat transfer from the bucket water to the water in the coil is going to be minimal. So once you empty the coil, your pre-warmed water is gone.
With the tank water heater, the room temperature water in the tank will mix with the incoming cold water. You get a very slow gradual drop in temperature, but it doesn't drop suddenly after a few minutes like the pex solution would.

If you ever have your water shut off, you've got a whole tank of water available for you to use.


What do the "N" and "T" labels mean on junction box cable clamps?

From the UL White Book

Guide Information for Electrical Equipment The White Book 2012
Outlet Boxes and Fittings (QBPZ)
Metallic Outlet Boxes (QCIT)
CLAMPS
Boxes may or may not be provided with clamps. When clamps are provided, the carton is marked to indicate the type of wiring system or combination of systems for which they have been tested. The clamps are marked with the following letters or combinations thereof to indicate that they are suitable for use with armored cable ("A"): flexible metal conduit – "F," nonmetallic-sheathed cable – "N," or flexible tubing (loom) – "T." Clamps suitable for Type MC metal-clad cable are marked "MCI" for metal-clad interlocking armored cable, "MCI-A" for metal-clad interlocking armor ground cable, "MCS" for metal-clad continuous smooth-sheath cable, and "MCC" for metal-clad continuous corrugated-sheath cable. If suitable for all seven types, the clamp is marked "ALL." Clamps suitable for nonmetallic-sheathed cable are also suitable for multiconductor underground feeder and branch circuit cable where used in dry locations.

tl;dr
The letters indicate what type of wiring system the clamps should be used with.

A Armored cable
F Flexible metal conduit
N Nonmetallic-sheathed cable
T Flexible tubing
MCI Metal-clad interlocking armored cable
MCS Metal-clad continuous smooth-sheath cable
MCC Metal-clad continuous corrugated-sheath cable
ALL All


This type of damage in that area adjacent to a tub enclosure is common, and I am going to suggest that this area has seen prior repair attempts.

I also wonder (due to the vertical seam in plaster board) whether you would find wood members for adequate support and fastening of new plasterboard, if you were to tear out and replace all the existing questionable plaster/plasterboard.

If the remaining board is structurally sound (dry and firmly attached) your easiest play here might be to use a hard setting plaster (like fixall or water-putty) to cover over the area. Hard-setting plaster is tough to get smooth and practically impossible to sand, but is resistant to future moisture damage due to its hardness. I might patch with the hard-setting plaster but not to wall level, leaving room for a skim coat of regular plaster compound to allow sanding to a smooth finish.


How do I drywall over a partial cement wall?

Well, it rained pretty heavily the entire week while I was working, so I waited a day or two before drywalling to see if I could find a leak. I believe whatever was causing the problem was fixed. I think the mold there was from back when that window used to be a doorway.

Here's my fix:
The wall was very unlevel, so I went to Lowe's in search of Lath (my brilliant wife's idea)! I used it to level out the wall and pretty much re-build the wall without having to actually tear it apart. Here's a shot of the lath-ed wall:

I also put some plastic on the bottom to cover the cement area, just in case

And a two shots of the same wall now mudded & tapped:


How Is "Super Laminate" flooring installed?

It seems to depend on the range of flooring that you choose.  I found a video on YouTube showing it without the tongues, and I also found a seller with some photographs showing the tongues on the edges of a piece.

This review backs up that assessment:

  Loose Lay Vinyl Plank Flooring (you literally can just unbox the floor and then install without glue or
  anything!)

  Mid Level Vinyl Plank Flooring (this clicks together like laminate flooring and is INCREDIBLY well milled)

  High End Vinyl Plank Flooring (This is a wide planked handscraped floor that looks like wood and has a depth of  visual detail that can not be beat)


Should I replace my toilet's wax ring when I see moisture around the base?

Before you start verify that the supply line or tank isn't leaking , dripping down the back of the bowl and flowing around the base. If that looks good I would pull up the toilet and at the least replace the wax ring. I say at the least because most times the bolts get loose for a reason. It may be a cracked flange, broken bolt, rotted floor etc.  You have no idea how long it has been leaking before you noticed it. By taking up the toilet you can examine the flange, the floor, the subfloor and the bottom of the toilet to determine the cause of the leak. This will allow repairs to be done in the earliest stage. It will be easier to repair the flange if that is the issue then to wait and have to replace a piece of rotted subfloor.


Is it feasible to use a work bench without a vise for woodworking?

I have no vice and I've always been able to get by without one. In fact, in all the shows I've seen about woodworking, building houses, and doing home improvement work I cannot think of a single time I've ever seen anyone use a vice. I much more frequently use clamps anyways, which are much more versatile.

Good woodworking is as much about using your brains to improvise as it is having the exact tools for every single job. In many cases you can build what you don't have, which are some interesting projects.


Turn one light bulb ON and another OFF at the same time with one switch

A single-pole, double-throw switch would do the job. A common 3-way switch is exactly that.

You'd simply connect power to the common screw, and run power out from each of the traveler screws. All the neutrals tie together. Here's a nice animation showing the idea.

More on switch terminology


Under IPC (and probably other codes) anything other than "a double sink" with various short distance restrictions on what constitutes that requires its own trap.
https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/IPC2018/chapter-10-traps-interceptors-and-separators
1002.1 for the detailed language, but the short and sweet is you might be able to share a vent, but each needs its own trap.
Furthermore (under UPC, apparently not a problem under IPC) you are not allowed to put a laundry P-trap under (or within 6" of) the floor, which would work against sharing with any normal shower drain.


If it is copper pipe and was indeed soldered (using a tin-lead alloy or a more modern lead-free solder), then propane should work okay.  However, MAPP (originally methylacetylene-propadiene propane but now stabilized liquefied petroleum gas with propylene) will heat faster and, with a common sense caution, not melt the pipe.  That is, don't heat the pipe until it is yellow hot; red or orange is fine.

If the pipe was brazed with silver solder, which is common in HVAC systems, propane is not enough:  you have to use MAPP to get it hot enough to work.

Propane and MAPP both burn completely.  You need not worry about the exhaust:  in all cases the result is water vapor and carbon dioxide.  Just like when animals exhale.


You really need the manual for your air conditioner system.  There isn't one set standard and things vary quite a bit.  Further I have no idea how standard things are outside the US.

The base plate you show appears to be designed for a Heat Pump.  Do you have one?  (Provides heat in the winter, and cooling in the summer)  If so the aftermarket thermostat will also need to be designed for Heat pump use.  The one you have may not be adequate to handle the emergency heat and changeover valve signals used in a heat pump.

This is the best reference I've found over the years for thermostat wiring: http://wiki.xtronics.com/index.php/Thermostat_signals_and_wiring

My wild guess (not responsible if you damage the unit) is that the terminals labeled Gd (ground?) and R (red) are the hot and common of the 24VAC transformer.  If you have an AC voltmeter I recommend measuring them.

The rest of the signals are just abbreviations for colors.  You will need to look at the link to figure out what they do.  Gn (Green) should turn on the fan.  The Bk/Br lines are a mystery, one of them is probably heating call. P (Pink) might be the emergency/aux heat (usually electric heat strips), Y (Yellow) is probably cooling, and O (Orange) sets the changeover valve to Cool.

Again, there is almost no way to be certain without the installation manual for the AC unit.


Fluorescent lights will only work when it rains

Yes.  Unless there is a problem with the supply wiring or lampholders, ballasts are the only thing left!

Look at the old ballast and see whether it brings 1 or 2 wires to each lamp end (in most cases, 2 wires).    If it's 2 per end, then look for a rapid-start (not instant-start) type ballast that supports the number of tubes you have, and their particular size.  Pay close attention to T12 vs T8 (different diameters) - an F40T12 and F32T8 tube will both fit in the same plugs - but require different ballasts!

T8 is a bit more efficient than T12, but I wouldn't call it efficient enough to justify replacing a bunch of tubes you just bought.

Cut the wires right at the old ballast.  Use blue wire nuts (the small ones) to splice the old ballast wires to the new.

The new tubes are very good in terms of light.  To really see that, leave one corner lit with the old tubes, and don't look at the tubes, look at the stuff they're lighting up.  What a difference!

Instead, you can "make the leap to LED" at this point.  They make LED tube-replacements for as little as $6, but quality matters - the cheapies don't have nearly as good light as true fluorescents. Whereas it's hard to buy a fluorescent these days that isn't 90 CRI.

If you go LED, look for "ballast bypass" aka "direct wire" types - do not use plug-n-play types because they require a ballast, which is silly.  Also, seek ones where the 120V is fed from opposite ends of the tube, not on adjacent pins on the same end -- those little pins were not made to insulate 120V.


Is this adjacent to a restroom , laundry room , is there a restroom above, the wall adjacent to the tiles , is it a wet wall ( is called like that when all pipes are running on a wall) if it is a wet wall maybe a pipe could be leaking, you will say how ( pipes touching other metals inside the wall they rub against each other and make a hole small one it happened  to me, to much explanation .
See the plans of the house if you have them.
Also the water could be sipping from outside? check that too.


Can I wire a 3-4-3 way switch circuit with power to switch and lights at the beginning and end of the run?

If I understand you correctly you want to have 3 switches control several lights which land separately at the start and end of the switch run.
You can do that by using a 14/4 (if on 15A breaker, 12/4 if on 20A) to carry the neutral, travelers forward and switched live back.
That way you have a switched live at every location.
The other option is to split the light cluster and control them separately, but I'd need more detail to suggest a plan to do so.


What is the easiest way to remove the old grout?

Easiest:

Easy:

A rotary tool (e.g. Dremel) with a grout removal bit:

Also Easy:

An oscillating multi-tool with a grout bit:

Least easy:

A grout saw:

Downright Painful:

Dr. Pickems approach:


Vents could be

exhaust for dryers, bathroom exhaust fans, stovetop exhaust hoods;
intake (fresh air supply) for gas- or oil-burning appliances (furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces);
or plumbing vents. (Although plumbing vents would typically be through the roof.)

Can you follow the duct inside to see where it goes?


So much humidity in home over the winter

You get condensation because the windows (and evidently part of the ceiling, unless that's just a roof leak) are the most poorly insulated part of the building, so they cool below the dewpoint of the interior air.

Bay windows are particularly bad as they are a fairly large expanse of window stuck out into the cold, and not infrequently the non-window parts of the bay are not well-detailed from an insulation point of view. They also have a lot of joints making potential cracks to leak cold air.

Active ventilation can help remove some of the interior moisture (from whatever sources), but since your investigation has shown poor insulation, solving poor insulation is probably a good idea as part of the overall fix.

If you happen to be using an unvented gas heater for your heat, that
alone will add a huge (generally unacceptably huge) amount of water
to the indoor air (and replacing it with a vented heater will help
immensely.) Indeed, most houses are quite dry through the winter with
normal heat, which is why I mention that, as I half-suspect it.
If you have a gas range and your range hood is either not running
when you operate the range, or one of those useless range hoods that
does not actually exhaust air (merely recirculating it through a
filter) that will add water to the air.
Bathrooms without fans, or with unused or ineffective fans also add
water to the air.
Improperly vented clothes dryers or hanging laundry to dry in the
house add water to the air...

For a quick, inexpensive approach on the windows, consider using "window shrink film kits" for the winter. They effectively make an interior "storm window" and both reduce air leaks and radiative heat loss. If done carefully they don't look bad.


How to stop a whistling hot water tap which also has a mind of its own?

Per Tester101's answer a bit more information

There are two main types of valves - washer and cartridge. In the washer type, the stem of the valve (the part topped by the handle) moves up and down on a thread.  It has a washer at the bottom that, when closed, presses agaisnt the seat of the valve stopping the water. The higher the stem raises the washer, the more water that flows.

In a cartridge type faucet, the stem twists without rising. The water flows through holes in the cartidge and the body of the valve. The more the holes are aligned, the more water flows.

It sounds like you have a washer type. The tension on the stem, which controls how easy it is to turn, is usually controlled by a large nutlike cap that fits over most of the stem. The thin shaft of the stem comes through a hole in the center of this cap.  The cap can usually be adjusted by tightening and this should make the stem slightly harder to turn. It should also prevent the stem from turning on its own due to water pressure. Tighten the cap by turning it clockwise a very small amount.

Occasionally water temperature can change as the washer heats up or cools down. This is usually found on much older washers and faucets, but can often be fixed by opening the stem and changing to a modern washer.


Cover black gas pipe in basement ceiling

Also in Montgomery County, MD, though that probably doesn't matter much. My similar pipe had a leak once at a joint between two sections, and if it had been covered with drywall that would have been a bit of a repair job (which I have had to do for water leaks).
A drop ceiling or other easily removable (i.e., no tools needed) covering may be a good solution. You could also have a hinged "door" made out of plywood, painted to match the drywall of the rest of the ceiling.


How can I tell if a dimmer switch is LED compatible?

As a general rule:

Incandescent bulbs - will dim with any dimmer
Fluorescent bulbs - require a dimmer-compatible bulb and a compatible dimmer
"Simple" LED bulbs/fixtures (i.e., not much difference whether fixture + bulb or "all in one") - require a dimmer-compatible bulb/fixture and a compatible dimmer
"Smart" LED bulbs/fixtures (and technically speaking, smart "any" bulb or fixture, but normally only found with LEDs for a number of technical & economic reasons that are irrelevant at the moment) - normally require "full" power and any dimming will be handled inside the bulb/fixture.

In addition, as Harper pointed out, there are certain locations (especially stairwells for obvious reasons, but also in general "one per room") where there is an expectation, and code requirement, for a light switch to function to turn lights on/off (unless you just leave lights on all the time - which is practical in some situations). The catch is that if you use an ordinary switch with a smart bulb *and the bulb defaults to "off" when power is initially applied, or remembers previous setting, even if that was "off") then you could end up with the following situation:

Person A turns on switch and then turns on light to desired setting via an App or remote control.
Person B turns off light via switch - no power = no light.
Person C walks in (at night) and turns on switch - and nothing happens. And trips over the remote control that A left on the floor (or whatever...)

This is not a problem with:

Secondary lights - e.g., ceiling light has a regular switch (or a permanently installed wall smart switch) and the smart bulbs are in table or floor lamps as an additional source of light
Smart bulb defaults to "on" after any full power cycle (this may indeed be the default on some (many? all?) smart bulbs, but it is critical for safe operation if the smart bulbs are the only light on the primary switched circuit.
Wall switch is itself a functional remote for the smart bulbs.


How to identify the wall type and studs for drilling

If drywall, look for drywall screw holes. Typically, the screws are drilled into studs for better anchoring.
Try a magnet to expose screw heads.


Would tiling a basement floor provide any effective moisture barrier?

Depending on your location, basements will emit moisture in some degree or another. The concrete floor may appear dry, but moisture does pass through it and into the room. A tile floor probably wouldn't prevent moisture from reaching the room due to the grout joints. I've heard about heavy duty concrete sealers, but that would prevent bonding of the thinset when its time to tile. I've had very good success installing treated sleepers on top of plastic covered by plywood.


Take that last photo to a locksmith to be sure, but my money's on a Kwikset-compatible keyway

The last photo you provide (head-on shot of the outside, with the keyway clearly visible) tells me that whoever actually made the lock is probably irrelevant -- the keyway strongly resembles one of the de facto standard Kwikset keyways that are used on low-end door locks across the USA.  (It can't be a Schlage due to the "squared" shape of the upper warding piece, and it can't be a Yale either because of the lack of a "tail" at the top of the keyway.  The warding is also not nearly paracentric (across the middle of the keyway) enough to be found on a higher-end lock -- even Schlages are a fair bit this way, never mind an Abus or some other European make.)

Of course, IANAL (I am not a locksmith), so if you want to be sure, take that last photo and your keys to your friendly local locksmith and they'll be able to tell you far more confidently than I can what you've got.  They almost certainly will be able to rekey a Kwikset-compatible lock as well, as they're compatible with most "generic" lock pins out there.


Is it worth having two locks in exterior doors?

The lock in the knob can be set to be locked when the door is closed.  In other words, you do not have to do anything extra to lock the door, just pull it closed.  This can be good or bad depending on how you look at it (it can be easy to lock yourself out this way).  The dead bolt on the other hand always requires an extra step to lock the door (put the key in, lock it, and remove the key); this forces you to have a key in hand, preventing you from locking yourself out.

Depending on what you are doing/replacing, also check your local building codes.  Some types of deadbolts (the ones that require a key on both sides) may not be allowed in certain situations.


As suggested, I'm posting the (accidental) resolution as an answer.

Update: The problem appears to have resolved itself, and it appears to have been some sort of very minor obstruction - not in the drain, but in the garbage disposal. At the time I posted the question, I had finished the plumbing but not the electrical wiring for the island; the first time I ran the garbage disposal, the drain ran freely and hasn't had an issue since. I still don't understand the physics - why would removing the AAV have had an effect when the garbage disposal was the issue? - but I'm satisfied that the problem isn't/wasn't a venting issue.


Fitting a thermostatic valve onto a towel rail

Some engineers - in the uk - do not recommend fitting a TRV to the bathroom rad as a constant flow is required around the CH system for safety reasons. This is what I was told by a Gas Safe Engineer. The bathroom is a Wet Area so why do you need a TRV when all you want to do is keep it / get it dry. Unless others say so then no need to fit one. Two normal flow valves will suffice on a balanced system.


If the sub floor parts of the wall is made from OSB or particle board, the glue that binds everything together is usually urea based, so when it gets wet for long enough, it spells like old pee. You my have had water intrude from underground or around window casings during the storm and got it wet. Happened to me once, I had to replace the entire floor.


I changed my thermostat, not my heat does not work... help!

Change 3amp fuse on control board in furnace


How can I take apart this leaking outdoor faucet?

That nut should turn, but hit it with some penetrating oil (WD-40) first and let that soak in. Try to use a wrench or socket if you have one that fits snug, rather than pliers, since pliers can damage that nut. Finally, be careful when rethreading the nut back on since it's easy to cross thread or strip the threads.

If the plumber that installed this was nice, you may find the entire faucet is attached via a threaded pipe and can be spun off. My plumber was less kind and soldered the threads, so I'd have to open the wall and replace the pipe to change out the faucet. Keep in mind that when a faucet like this gets old, it may not be good enough to change the washers and repack the stem, so keep your option to replace the entire thing open.


Help identify these items attached to mains water just after the stopcock

There's some funky plumbing going on there to be sure...

Of the circled devices, #1 looks like a filter of some sort, but that's a nasty way to align the cartridge in terms of having to replace it. But it also appears to have a seal tag on it, as in something official? You might be able to get an answer from the water company on that one.

Circle #2 looks like the pressure regulator valve. It keeps the higher pressure of the utility lines from damaging your internal plumbing and fixtures.

If you can shut the water off at the street, you can remove the stem from that main valve and just replace the washer, seat and packing.


How can I get rid of ants in an environmently friendly way?

Ant Control on Simple Pest Control has a huge list of ant control techniques (even mentioning your boiling water idea, which I'd never heard of - I'll have to try that!). It includes a lot about behavior control, ie, keep them from wanting in your house to begin with, to keeping them out of the areas you don't want them in, etc.
The Biological Control section lists several natural ways of getting rid of ants:

Make your own boric acid bait to kill ant colonies. Ant baits are the cornerstone of all ant control. Instead of spraying poisons everywhere, which can split colonies up and potentially make ant control more difficult, you bring the ant to the poison. The worker/foraging ants then take the poison back to the nest to share with larvae and queen. This is how colonies die, or are reduced to acceptable levels. Boric acid is a perfect ant poison. It’s cheap, natural, and much less dangerous (though not harmless) than commercial poisons. Best of all, when mixed correctly, boric acid is a slow ant killer – it allows ants time to bring it back to the nest in sufficient quantities for an ant apocalypse. Here are a few boric acid ant bait recipes:

Mix three cups of water with one cup sugar and four teaspoons of boric acid. Pour around a cup of solution into separate jars. Pack the jars with cotton balls to about the halfway point. Seal the lid and poke a few holes at the center. Make a fun skull-and crossbones label and set the jars out in ant trails and hotspots.

Some ants prefer protein and grease over sugar (little black ants, thief ants, pavement ants, big headed ants…). Replace the sugar in the above recipe with canned pet food. Or try this recipe: Mix four tablespoons of peanut butter with six tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon Borax.

Use diatomaceous earth – the slow ant killer. Most ant species are susceptible to diatomaceous earth, a desiccant dust consisting of the fossilized shells of ancient algae. These shells are covered in microscopic shards which create cuts in the cuticle of crawling insects. The ants walk over the DE, start leaking, dehydrate, and die. You can apply DE as an ant barrier around the outside of your home or inside, around the perimeter of rooms and carpets (be sure it’s food grade). You can mix DE in water to make a paste to apply to trees. You can get proactive and dust nearby anthills. Using a duster, you can apply DE to the cracks, crevices, and wall voids, where it will remain effective forever.
Capsaicin – a natural ant repellent. Chili pepper, black pepper, red pepper, ginger, and paprika all contain capsaicin and so can be used to repel ants. I’ve heard of people using it as a barrier around homes, but it is best used in gardens. You can apply these powders around the base of plants or in wide bands (5-6 inches) between rows.
Citrus oils kill ants. Linalool and d-limonene - citrus peel extracts found in products like Orange Guard, Citra-Solve, Bugs’R’Done and Pro-Citra DL Aerosol – can be used for ant control in a variety of ways. They can be used as a direct kill spray, a repellent in gardens, as a drench for anthills and outdoor nests, or for treatment of cracks and crevices where ants are nesting indoors (may stain).


Why does my GCFI plug trip when I connect the ground?

First, you have to unplug everything plugged into any of the rest of the circuit downline.  It's pretty dumb to chase a wiring problem when in fact the problem is a plug-in appliance that would trip if plugged into the bathroom GFCI.

Now most likely you will have cleared the trip.  If you're going "wait a minute, this has to work with that appliance plugged in, because my house needs that", then fix the appliance.  Or if it's a fridge or freezer, it should not be on GFCI in the first place, and you need to rethink your wiring strategy.

Hook up ground first

You're getting blindsided by the fact that you hooked up ground last, as an afterthought.   "Correllation is not causality", but you get fooled into thinking ground had anything to do with the problem.

So now, you need to connect ground, and go to about the halfway mark in your circuit's length, and open up the junction box there and see what's inside.  Disconnect hot and neutral so the downline is no longer on the circuit, power back up and see the GFCI trips.

if it no longer trips, the problem is between here and the end of circuit.
If it still trips, the problem is is between here and the GFCI.

The rest can be excluded as positively good.  Reconnect what you disconnected. You still have a problem area. Go to the middle of that, find the nearest junction box, and disconnect hot and neutral as done here.   Continue divinding and conquering until you narrow it down.

Divinding. LOL, a typo, but not entirely.

Always keep all grounds connected.  When you see other defects, fix them.  However, switching hot and neutral on a receptacle will not trip a GFCI.  It might make an appliance trip a GFCI if the appliance is marginal.


Where can I find very strong wall brackets capable of supporting a punch bag?

I tried to think of an adaptive use of some common building product but drew blanks. That may be why purpose made ones are expensive. If it really seems exorbitant, you might be able to get a local metal shop to fabricate one for less. For that matter, someone with decent carpentry skills could build one from wood. The joint designs would be critical to ensure they are strong enough and don't vibrate apart. Something of welded steel would be a lot more idiot proof.

Is there a possibility of hanging the bag from the ceiling? This is more likely a DIY solution. There's been a few questions recently about this here. The key is to use multiple fasteners such as lag screws to engage multiple ceiling joists to spread out the load.


Those look like the metal contacts that the switch lever tips either up or down to make a contact - the pivot point looks to be the ends of the strip.


Gable Vent Fan to Make Usable Attic Storage Space - Useful or Trouble?

You'll increase energy costs and only make it marginally cooler. The only way this could work is to fully insulate and make it part of the conditioned space. But the kitchen ceiling/attic floor is not designed to support any kind of real loads, so it's only practical to store very lightweight items anyway.

So what lightweight items can you store there? If conditioned space, anything that will fit through the access. If not conditioned, only items that can withstand extreme heat without degradation could be stored there. I would not store any valuable clothing in that kind of environment.


My weld shop washroom's fan is vented indoors

If the area is covered by International Building Code, then yes it must be vented outdoors.

International Mechanical Code 2015
Chapter 5 Exhaust Systems
Section 501 General
501.3 Exhaust discharge. The air removed by every mechanical exhaust system shall be discharged outdoors at a point where it will not cause a public nuisance and not less than the distances specified in Section 501.3.1. The air shall be discharged to a location which it cannot again be readily drawn in by a ventilating system. Air shall not be exhausted into an attic, crawl space, or be directed onto walkways.


How to hang mosquito net on the security bars of a window?

Use binder clips and a needle and thread (or just just sew it all in place if you find the binder clips aren't pinning your screen well).

Fold back the net at the top and the base so you can secure the net to the squared barracking of your security bars.

Use a needle and thread the secure the two nets to one another.


Why is the neutral tab broken with only one neutral wire?

Let me guess, the room with that outlet, most likely a bedroom, doesn't have a ceiling light fixture. That or a ceiling light was added later on. And one of those outlets never worked.

The setup you described is typical of bedrooms in many homes where the primary light source is a plug in lamp. Since the lamp only needs one outlet, the other outlet can be left hot at all times instead of switched. So the electrician runs a three conductor cable from the light switch: white is neutral, black is constant hot, and red is the switched lamp socket. This way you can plug in an alarm clock or phone charger and not have it controlled by the switch.

My guess is the electrician was inexperienced and broke off both tabs without realizing they only needed to break off the hot tab. Probably a new guy tasked with doing the grunt work of wiring the receptacles and fixtures. No one ever bothered to check both sockets and the rest is history.


What and how many appliance can share a room?

It all comes down to "working space", clearances, exhaust, and combustion air.

Working space is the unobstructed area around (usually in front of) an appliance, allowing access to service the appliance.  This will some times be specified in local codes, and often spelled out in the manufacturer's documentation for the appliance.

Some appliances may have specific clearances specified in codes or manufacturer's documentation, to prevent the transmission of heat from the appliance to other (usually combustible) materials.

Fuel burning appliances require a supply of fresh air for combustion, which in most cases cannot be drawn from living spaces.  Local codes and Manufacturer's documentation should also specify how much, and where this air should come from.

Some appliances require a means to exhaust byproducts, in which case the room will have to take these in to consideration.  Exact exhaust specifications for each appliance can be found in local codes, and/or the manufacturer's documentation.

If a room is designed properly, it's possible to fit multiple appliances in a single room.


I had a similar problem with an old Wickes Mahogany patio door. Also the cylinder lock had come out as  I fiddled with it. Having read what Jimmy FixIt posted, I:

removed the 2 square, plastic screw covers on the inside handle,
removed the bolts,
removed the handle

This revealed at the top a mechanism which I pushed down with a screwdriver.
Taking care not to push the square turning spindle so far in that it falls out the other side of the locked door, put a spanner to the spindle, and, hey presto, it turned. Door unlocked.

Sliding patio doors in a Victorian house on London clay are always going to need adjusting from time to time. I had left it too long and was opening, closing and locking with heft.


How do I replace the pin on a tub rocker

Ecnerwal had the correct idea.

I cut off a piece of 10 AWG copper wire, fitted it it through the empty hole, and used a vise to bend it and mushroom the ends.


Outside hose bibb with very fine thread?

What you see there is a vacuum breaker spigot with its pants down. You'll need to try and procure the parts or just replace the whole works.

More on that


Why won't my ceiling light turn off with the wall switch disconnected?

It sounds like you're poking around in the wrong hole. The circuit you describe looks something like this...

Which obviously is not possible, since you say the light is on.  More likely, the switch does not control the light at all, and the circuit looks more like this...

It's possible (as previously mentioned) that the switch actually controls a receptacle, or some other device. In which case the ceiling box is probably wired directly to the circuit, and is intended for a fixture with a built-in switch (pull chain).


How can I convert two recessed lights on a single pole switch to two separate lights with light controls?

Conversion is too soft a word for what will have to be done, it is more than likely going to be a rework.

Somethings you need to figure out:

  I would like to add a ceiling fan/light to one of the receptacles

A ceiling fan is far heavier than a recessed can light and thus needs additional support.  The recessed light box will need to be replaced with a special box that braces itself into a ceiling joist or into a wooden block between two ceiling joists.  Looking at how the recessed light box is being fastened into the ceiling will tell you how to do this.

  and convert the other to a track light with its own light switch control.

This can be done but even in the best case scenario, you will need to run an additional cable from the switch gang box to one of the luminaires.  This is of course assuming that the cable coming from the breaker is coming into the switch box.

It becomes more complicated if the power to the breaker is coming into one of the two lights.  In this instance you would need to run a 3 wire and ground cable from the switch box to the light with the power line coming in:

NOTE: All of this of course is assuming that if one of these happens to be a fan/light combo, then the fan and light will be wired to turn on with a single switch, rather than separate switches for each function.

NOTE 2: This also assumes that you have already have a double gang box for installing two switches.  If you do not have one then you will need to open up the wall and install one.

NOTE 3: The following diagrams assume equipment grounds are properly wired throughout.


You don't have to install skirt boards.  Just like you don't have to install any molding in your house.

However there is a difference here compared to your normal baseboards.

you are usually moving with more force on stairs.
you are closer to the walls when on stairs.  You don't usually walk next to walls in your house much except for hallways.
if you damaged the bottom area of a wall by kicking it, well that is a pretty easy fix.  The drywall next to the stairs will not be as easy to patch and you may notice it a lot more.
you are often carrying things up and down the steps.  These nick this area and also cause your feet to hit the walls.
and then if you have baseboards already they look much better than when they meet a stair skirt.

Note that this is highly dependent on what function the stairs play and the overall finishes in the house.  If you are doing a high end house it is ludicrous to skip stair skirts.  On the other end if you have stairs going to an unfinished basement, generally not needed.


How can I fix multiple layers of paint on window trim?

Removal is your best bet. Whether you use a heat gun, which much care will be needed since burning what will be bare wood eventually can easily occur. Also you will need to wear a respirator to get past any harmful fumes from the off gassing of the heated paint. Various shapes of scrapers will still be needed to clear out the crevices to freshen up the look of the existing trim. You have some nice trim there it would be great to reveal it from under all the layers.

There is another way top go, with paint remover. There is a brand that uses a cheesecloth that is imbedded into the remover and it allows many layers to lift off at one time. Something to consider and research.

The heat gun treatment will only need a fine sanding and dusting to get a paintable surface.
Some paint removers will need a neutralizer in some cases, rinsing in others. All depends on the products recommendations. Fine sanding and dusting is recommended here too. I give you a chance to check the quality of the removal before priming.


How can I determine what size main water meter is required?

I (literally) dug up the information on our water meter: Currently we have a 2" Neptune T-10 installed. On their website they offer specifications for their different meters, including charts of pressure drop vs. flow-rate. I used some free software to quickly digitize the plots and stick them together onto one chart showing the pressure drop vs. flow rate for 4 different meter sizes:

So, if I assume (please correct me on these assumptions if they make no sense) that a 10% pressure drop would be noticeable (for us: 3.5psi), then I would hit this drop at 18gpm for a 3/4" meter and at 33gpm for a 1" meter. Given that the shower valve we installed provides 8gpm at 75psi (so probably less at 35psi), that means 2-3 people can take a shower at the same time with a 3/4" meter and more than 4 for a 1" meter.

So, I guess going with a 3/4" meter feels a little tight to me (unless we get a booster pump, of course), but a 1" meter should probably be just fine. I don't think we'd frequently be using more than 15gpm anyway, which would only imply a pressure drop of 1psi over the 2" meter.

Note: I'll leave @virtualxtc's answer as the selected one, since he pointed me in the right direction and summarizes things nicely.


What's the least intrusive way to find out what's in a wall?

There are some electronic inspection cameras on the market. Might be an excuse to buy one.

You would have to make one or more small holes to insert the camera.


Painting over bright color with Kilz and single-coat of one-coat paint: overkill? Underkill?

I agree on using the primer first. However, the combination primer/paint may be overkill. I would plan for 1 coat of primer and two coats of regular paint, as it is tough for the average DIYer to get full coverage with one coat of paint.


Furnace installation: What separates the good from the bad?

Planning.  A good HVAC technician will not install a system based on rules of thumb, intuition, or past experience. Years of experience might give them a good idea of what's needed, but a good tech will still run the numbers.

Not properly sizing the equipment, is the biggest mistake folks make. When it comes to efficiency, this is probably the largest detriment.  Calculating the heating/cooling load is not easy, and cannot be done simply based on square footage. Unfortunately, it seems as though loads of HVAC companies only ever consider square footage. X square feet = Y Btu/h. This is completely wrong, and will not lead to the most efficient system being installed.

If a system is being replaced, a bad tech will simply use the existing "plumbing" (duct work, vents, etc.).  Whereas a good tech, will determine if the old plumbing can be used, but won't use the existing plumbing simply to save time/money (unless told to by the employer (you)).

A good tech will also be up to date on the latest technologies, codes, and industry standards. It's easy to get stuck in a rut, and always do the same thing the same way (even good techs fall into this sometimes). To be a good tech, you have to be constantly learning and evolving. At the same time, you can't always follow the latest fads.  The latest and greatest isn't always the best approach. A good tech will research new technologies, to gain a better understanding of how it can help them do their job.


It is a 2020 NEC change

210.8(A) Dwelling Units. All 125-volt through 250-volt receptacles installed in the locations specified in 210.8(A)(1) through (A)(11) and supplied by single-phase branch circuits rated 150 volts or less to ground shall have ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel.
(1) Bathrooms
(2) Garages and also accessory buildings that have a floor located at or below grade level not intended as habitable rooms and limited to storage areas, work areas, and areas of similar use

If your state is still on 2017 or earlier, you're fine. If you are on 2020 then this is the rule (unless you have a local exception).
This would apply to typical dryer receptacles. Ovens, however, are sometimes connected to a receptacle and sometimes hard-wired. If they use a receptacle then specific rules about location will determine whether they need GFCI or not.


Based on your readings, the 1 side black, 2 side white(! retag this wire with black electrical tape!) and 3 side black should be nutted together and pigtailed, and the 1 side white should be pigtailed to the 3 side white apparently -- there looks to be some sort of load plugged into the outlets connected to the 3 wires, which'd explain why the 3 side white reads 120VAC with regard to the 1 side white.  From there, you can then connect the white pigtail to the silver screw, the black pigtail to the lower brass screw, the 2 side black to the upper brass screw, and the bare pigtail to the ground screw.

The funny voltage readings on 2B with the switch off are due to the high impedance of your meter seeing capacitive coupling of a small amount of energy into the switched-off wiring.


Based on the photos, it looks like the red wire is the switched wire, and the black wires are hot.  If you no longer want to use the switch, cap the red wire and connect the black and white wires as instructed.  Also make sure that the wires are properly installed on the receptacle, from your picture, one of the black wires looks loose.

If the switch will no longer be used, you can also remove it, cap the red and black wires there, and use a blank faceplate to cover that up.  That way, there is no risk posed by having the red wire energized if the switch is turned to on.


Gently tap an old screwdriver in there and consider it may be a left-hand thread.

Worked for me in the past.

That damage is due to drill bits spinning in the past when not the chuck was not sufficiently tightened.


I will to try to give a few numbers you may find useful based on what I have found over my years of connecting one thing together or the other.
On Tapcons, Philcons or Con-certs or just good old concrete screws, 1" embedment into is the typical depth I see referred to. The screws are sold at those lengths with that in mind. 1 3/4" for 1X material. I checked the website and it is mentioned that the depth can be as deep as 1 3/4" bury into masonry. In my experience, in hard concrete, or brick, a screw will break after 1 1/4" into a hard surface. If you are setting it in the joints of the brick or perhaps cinder block or a soft brick like older handmade brick that are not real dark, 1 3/4" into the material is pretty easy to do. There are 2 different diameters to chose from too. That can be as simple as the judgment call of "this thing is really heavy and I don't want it to move so I will use the bigger diameter one" or, "This will not be too tough to set, so the small one will do." If the item you are going to secure is going to vibrate, I strongly advise against using concrete screws, unless glue can be used in some way to help keep it together. Wedge fasteners may be a better choice for that, or better still an anchor bolt with expansive concrete set into a drilled, cleaned hole will hold the most reliable if strength and resistance to vibration is what you are looking for.

When fastening wood, once the piece to be fastened is gone through, generally I find 1" into the second, or the piece you are fastening to is enough to hold. Of course, there are variations on this, depending on the circumstances. On deck boards, IMHO, 3" screws for a 5/4  deck board is way over kill, 2 1/2" is plenty for that. For 2X deck boards, 3" is a good fit. I have also seen 3/4" or less, work well in thin material that you may not want to go all the way through, but there may be need for many screws needed in a given area to have a strong hold. When screwing into oak or other hardwoods, 3/4" will hold very well. When fastening a piece to the end of another, as in making a corner for a box, I heard a long time ago the screws needed to be 3 times longer than the piece you are fastening, because end grain does not hold a screw as well as going into the wood perpendicular to the grain. The part about end grain not holding a screw well is true, but I find the screw does not need to be that long at all. A 4 1/2" screw to hold 2X together?? A bury of 2" works pretty good in most cases, in a joint that does not have much stress applied to it. If the screw can be slightly angled, instead of going straight into the end grain, what it can hold will be greatly increased. Whenever possible/practical, it is best in any case to use pilot holes in the piece to be fastened, to reduce or eliminate splitting. There will be cases where the pilot needs to be in the other piece as well to prevent splitting. Oak is a good example of needing properly sized pilot holes in each piece. I might add more to this when I get more time, or depending on the comments received, if clarification is needed.


Lights start flickering on Luminous inverter when I connect my Desktop CPU

PCs, especially cheap PCs, have pretty big power supplies.  The "850 watt" power supply actually draws over 1200 watts.  It sounds like your PC is simply too much for the system.  It may be necessary to downsize the PC, maybe get rid of performance video cards, get a smaller power supply, etc.  One of the "micro-PCs or a Mac Mini would be a great choice.
You can also look at a DC power supply for the PC, so it draws directly off your battery instead of needing to go through the inverter.


Gap (2") between PVC conduit and exposed foundation (exterior)

No, there's nothing wrong with that and it's a fairly common scenario considering that conduit often runs out the bottom of meter bases with a similar offset.
If you're mounting the conduit to the foundation, simply install treated lumber or synthetic spacer blocks behind the clamps.

It's also a good idea to use washed rock or other loose fill around the conduit where it enters the ground and for a couple feet horizontally. The most common failure of this situation is when ground settles and pulls the conduit along for the ride, cracking the pipe and/or ripping it loose from the structure. Loose fill will help prevent that.


How to close gaps between laminate floorboards

A suction cup (~$12) and a rubber mallet:

From:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mmhet1bp9U

... its possible to stick the suction cup to the floor board and tap it with a rubber mallet. Glue can be applied in the gaps. The gaps should be cleared of debris first.


If it is less than an inch, caulk will fill it fine before you cover it with trim.

Use a caulk that has high flex characteristics like a polyurethane based caulk, actually latex with silicone would work too.

Don't need to be too careful, trim will cover up the caulk.


Is it a good idea to replace a net on a screen door without taking it down?

You might have to press pretty hard to get the spline into the groove. Your duct tape plan should work. And if you don't like the result, pull it out and try again.


Retrofit ground wire from water main ground

Yes, you are allowed to retrofit ground for a range, and that is top of the list of important ones to retrofit.
You can indeed  retrofit ground to the Grounding Electrode Conductor, which is the (typically bare) copper wire that runs between the service panel and the grounding rods/water pipe.
The typical way to do that splice is with a "split bolt" which is a bolt-and-nut with a slot cut down the bolt; you put it around both wires and then run down the nut to whatever the instructions say.  Tight enough to clamp, not tight enough to shear the GEC clean off (that would really, really suck because you'd have to run a whole new one; splices not allowed in a GEC).
I would give the GEC a spit-shine and polish with a bit of steel wool or green Scotchbrite pad, so the surface it'll contact is shiny. Don't use it for food afterwards, that green copper oxide is not super healthy.


Running heating pipe through beam under floorboard?

Go through the centre of the joist with the hole.
This means any future nails from either side are less likely to puncture the pipe.
Also the stress on the joist is zero at the centreline. But a maximum at each edge.
And I have seen people run pipes and wires like you suggest - fine for them but later owners trying to reduce squeaks or moving boards then have nasty consequences...
I spent weeks trying to locate why a circuit breaker kept blowing. Eventually found a nail through a floorboard into a wire that went over a notched joist just like you plan. The names I called the person that did that - if I had met them at that moment...


What can I do about this gap between my driveway and the street?

The gap exists for drainage.  Technically, it's a gutter.
In order to create a level surface to drive on, you need to fill at least part of the gutter - but you need to do so without impacting the gutter's drainage ability.
Any permanent change you make WILL need to be permitted by the city/county, or they will likely make you take it back out again at your expense.
A not so permanent solution, however, would be to assemble a ramp structure which can be removed and which can support the weight of your car without impeding water flow.  Something with a very rough design like this:

For the strength to surface area needed you're probably going to need to use metal.  Unless you're a welder/metal worker this may not be a DIY project at all.


What are the best practices for a low deck built half on a concrete slab?

I thought this would be a fun thing to do (and perhaps set a precedent on diy.stackexchange.com)- post a picture with the results of my question.

Thanks to the tips here on this question, as well as another I asked, I have completed my deck project.  I ended up with what was described above- a ground-level deck, mostly on the slab.  I took Shirlock's advice, and went with an 8" deck block at the two corners not on the slab.  I compacted the earth a bit with a hand compactor.  Since the deck is not attached to the house, if there is some heave, it wont do any damage, and I can always dig some concrete holes under those two corners next spring if it turns out I need them.  So, without further adieu, the finished deck (yes I realize we have some funky siding..  spring 2011 project ;) ):


It sounds like you have 2 outlets on one circuit (GFCI + 2nd on load terminals from GFCI) and 1 outlet that is on an entirely different circuit. So there are two issues:

Where does "outlet 2" chain to?

There are a few ways to figure this out. The simplest might be to push the TEST button on the GFCI. That should turn off the GFCI (obviously) and outlet 2. Assuming it does, then go around the house and see if you can find another outlet (or possibly even a light - that would be strange but nothing is impossible) that no longer works. You should find something, somewhere. Then RESET the GFCI to make sure you found the right "problem".

Where is "outlet 3" coming from?

First check the rest of the house (bathrooms, garage, circuit breaker panel) for any other GFCIs. If you find any, reset them and see if that solves the problem.

Also, obviously, check for any regular (as opposed to GFCI or AFCI) breakers that have tripped or fuses that have blown. If you find one, that is likely to be the source of the problem - and hopefully easy to fix.

If all else fails, then you may have a bad connection going to outlet 3 from someplace else, without anything else having failed. Then you have a few choices. You can either get wire tracing tools or just methodically check every outlet for backstabs or loose wires until you find the problem. Which may take a while.


Is it about time to replace the water heater?

Newer water heaters do not last as nearly as long as they used to. Nowadays, you are lucky to get 10 years out of one. This is due to the way they are manufactured.

There are still some water heaters around that are from the 1960s that work perfectly fine. The tanks on some of those heaters are made out of copper, and won't corrode like modern steel tanks.

Your tank most likely has replaceable sacrificial anodes in the tank. These anodes will corrode instead of the walls of the tank. The life of your heater will be much longer if the anodes are maintained. These are fairly universal, so you should be able to find ones that are compatible. The anodes should be inspected or replaced at least every 5 years.

The newer heaters do offer an energy savings, and some of them have a programmable timer on them which can turn down the temperature at night, and when you are away. They are also better insulated, so there is less heat loss. You can purchase a water heater blanket which will add an additional layer of insulation to the tank.

As long as there aren't any signs of failure on the tank such as rust spots, etc, then you should be good to go. Just as a warning, tanks can fail suddenly, and without warning. A leaking water heater could potentially flood your entire basement. There are water leak detection alarms on the market that are inexpensive which set off an alarm similar to a smoke detector if a leak is detected. It would be a good idea to install one just in case. Even newer water heaters can fail, so it is actually a good practice to have one of these alarms for any water tank installation.


Standing water is a problem for any wood-based product, as the water will eventually find its way to the unfinished sides of the planks and be absorbed, causing swelling, heaving, mold, and all sorts of unpleasantness.  At that point, the affected flooring will have to be removed and replaced, which isn't quick or easy.

Accidental spills of water or beverages, if cleaned up quickly, are much less of a concern.  A flooring that cannot withstand the wear and tear of everyday life wouldn't be very popular or last very long.

If you're concerned about long-term standing water (an appliance or fixture prone to leaking or dumping water, or a basement that regularly floods), consider a vinyl or tile flooring, which are much less susceptible to moisture.  If you're only concerned about the occasional spill, a wood-based flooring product is fine as long as you attend to the spill quickly.

Just as an aside, what you call "V-fit" is commonly referred to as "beveled" or "beveled-edge", and is generally aesthetic.  The beveled edges are still covered by the laminate surface (commonly mylar), rather than being "raw".


Leak between copper and braided supply line

I figured it out.  I'm used to always holding the backside steady with a second wrench when tightening anything, so I was afraid to try this here.  But after reading @brhans comments, I tried it, simply holding the brass sleeve with vice grips and tightening the connector a quarter turn and that did the trick.  I suppose the reason this piece doesn't have wrench flats is it's designed to be just finger tight, but in this case it required a little extra.  This connector has two rubber O-rings inside, so the threads do not make the seal.


I'm sure many of the experts will have their own tricks. Here are a few from a non expert. Use thumbtacks to position your light locations. Get a straightened out hanger and bend a piece equal to the radius of the hole you'll be cutting 90 degrees. Shove the radius piece through the ceiling at the center of your proposed light cutout. Work it in so the radius piece is now laying on top of the ceiling. Spin the hanger around while pushing it further up into the ceiling space. If you hit something, you'll know the light won't fit there and you can adjust the location.
Once you've checked out all your locations, you can start cutting the holes. Running the wires along the joists will be the easiest part. You can use a fish tape but I usually just use a tape measure because it lays flat and easy to navigate. The wires across the joists are more of a problem. You'll have to cut the ceiling at each joist location and notch the joist. Fish the wire through and around the joist and into the notch. Cover the notch with a nail plate. If a joist is close enough to the hole, you might be able to get up there with a drill and drill your hole through the joist. When all done, repair the ceiling with some mud and tape.
I've seen many ceilings that had the drywall attached to furring strips installed perpendicular to the jousts due to joists not being "perfectly" installed. Then your wires would just go between the drywall and joist..... you won't know until you look in a hole.


Wood between my windows is rotting, how do I fix this?

This was just a bad install and design.   I could go over numerous things that were done wrong but the easy solution is just throw a PVC (azec/hardi/whatever) board up there (they have ones with same wood footprint you have).   It really is that easy.


In general, it's the final layer that determines the amount of gloss in the finish. Adding another layer of matte should do it.
However, another layer of stain will deepen the color. I presume from your wording that you are actually using an all in one stain and poly finish (minwax?)... That's the hazard with using those - everything needs the same number of coats.
Alternatively, you could. Apply a layer of clear matte over the top. If sanding bothers you, you can also try steel wool, as it can be a little more forgiving.

Ultimately, the best advice for finishing is always to test on scrap. You will likely not be able to match the gloss level of the current finish perfectly, and the aforementioned steel wool (0000 type) may help there.


What are the steps to troubleshoot no hot water coming out of just one faucet?

Silly suggestion, but have you checked if somebody turned off the water shutoff for just this faucet's hot water pipe?

Is this faucet on an outside wall? You shouldn't have any pipes running within exterior walls, but this may be a factor.

Do the pipes out of your water heater show any indication of running water if all the other faucets / showerheads are turned off? That may indicate a broken connection somewhere.


Wiring disposal/dishwasher/outlets in island

The first rule is that you can't have any receptacles on a circuit if the fixed load is more than 50% of circuit capacity.  So on a 20A circuit, that means 10A.   Your 10.6A dishwasher cannot be on the same circuit with any receptacles.

The second rule is that if an appliance is able/likely to run continuously for >3 hours, you must plan for 125% of its capacity on the circuit.  I'm not sure if a dishwasher qualifies, but if so, it counts as 125% of 10.6A or 13.25 amps.  The disposal is definitely not a continuous load, so it counts at 100%, or 6.3 amps.  Together, they count as 19.55 amps, which nicely fits a 20A circuit.

This design seems to "write itself": the dishwasher circuit can't have receptacles, leaving it with a bunch of spare capacity nothing can use except the disposal.

That would leave the other circuit wide-open for receptacles only.


You should make two phone calls.  The first to your local building department, which should be able to answer all your code related questions. They may even have a handout or other documentation, that outlines the requirements of replacing a water heater.

The second call should be to a local Rheem dealer, or directly to Rheem. They will be able to answer any questions you have about the equipment.

Some things to watch out for:

Make sure you drain the old tank completely, as water can be quite heavy.
When draining the tank, make sure you open the hot valves at fixtures. This will allow all the water to drain back to the tank.
When opening valves at fixtures, watch out for mixing valves. These can accidentally backflow cold water through the hot water pipes, which would lead to an undrainable tank.
If you have to install an expansion tank, make sure you charge it properly.
Make sure you know where to dispose of the old tank, as some municipal garbage collectors will not take water tanks.


The video is wired differently, because the power (feed) goes to the switch first in that situation.  In your situation, the power (feed) is at the light.

In your box, the feed comes in and the white grounded (neutral) conductor is connected to the grounded (neutral) conductor of the light, and presumably a feed to another branch of the circuit. The black ungrounded (hot) conductor is connected to a feed to the switch (white wire), and again presumably a feed to another branch.  The other conductor from the switch (black wire), is attached to the ungrounded (hot) conductor of the light.

If you follow the circuit, power comes in to the box and goes to the switch. When the switch is closed, power comes back to the light. Once through the light, the circuit is completed back to the "neutral" wire.

To make this installation safe. Use twist-on wire connectors to make; and insulate, all connections.


What’s a proper way to wire a dishwasher

Ok the GFCI would need to be accessible I usually put them in the cabinet between the sink and dishwasher. (My state did not adopt GFCI for dishwasher so if the customer wants them that’s where I locate them). Romex as the connection is not the correct method. A metal clad or flexible conduit to protect the wiring is the code compliant hard wire method. The Romex can get pinched moving the unit so the Romex stops at the old work box then metal clad to the junction box on the dishwasher. Yes almost everyone has a dishwasher wired this way but an inspector will red tag this. I have been called several times to change wiring like this. Since the dishwashers are fixed in place the max load of 50% of the branch circuit rating. Per NEC 210.23.A.2 so normally a dishwasher gets a dedicated circuit.


How would you redo the grading of a brick patio?

Best is probably a combination of french drain and pulling it all up
   and regrading the base. Also the most hassle and expense, but in
   terms of function, the best option. And you would then have the option of running the drain under the patio, if that helped with discharging it.

The individual pieces of that that you have thought of are somewhere else along the expense and hassle line, as well as the effectiveness line. Obviously pulling up a few pavers and repacking under them is least expensive, but it will help the water to move away - but if the patio as a whole is not sloped to drain well, it won't help much if you are just moving the puddles around. So, if just a few spots are low, it might be all that's needed, but if filling one low spot will simply result in another, regrading the whole thing looks better eventually.


Probably not.

Without any particular input from you on actual required loads in your area, I tossed a 16 foot span and 48" spacing at the Wooden Beam Calculator here:

https://courses.cit.cornell.edu/arch264/calculators/example8.1/

And it spat out 4x16 and 6x16 as options (for defaults of 50 PSF live (snow, etc) and 20 PSF dead (structure). Thus, a 6x6 is going to be FAR less beam than needed, probably.

Beam strength goes as the CUBE of beam depth, so that's in the range of 12.5-19 times less beam that you'd need. Going to a 30 lb live load (which is the ICBO minimum if memory serves) only shrinks it to a 4x14, (a beam 8X stronger than a 6x6, roughly) and at a 1/2:12 slope you will need to be very concerned with roof deflection in rain events, however rare they are - once the roof deflects enough that it does not drain, the roof load can become quite extreme on the day it does rain, if it's a gully-washer.

You also add the problem of what you are spanning the 48 inches with - plywood alone won't be happy, so you'd need additional framing (purlins) to get the deck span in range, or you'd need to use a material that can span that distance at load, such as stressed skin panels.


Flashing and/or sealing for vent through built-up roof (BUR)?

As a temporary fix, spread a layer of Henry Roof Patch around the area where the Pipe Flashing will go. Then press the boot down into the cold patch. Install a screw into each corner and attach the boot to the roof. Make sure the screws are long enough to go into the decking material. Spread some cold patch over the entire boot, especially the edges and at the top. Then cut in some Glass Fabric Membrane at the edges and top. Finish it off with a second coat all over the boot. I usually tar all the way up the pipe and lip down inside the pipe as well.


Range hood exterior vent close to window?

there are not many specific guidelines .  all there is in the obc is this:

  9.10.22. Fire Protection for Gas, Propane and Electric Cooktops

  9.10.22.1. Installation of Ranges

  (1) Reserved

  (2) Clearances for and protection around gas, propane and electric ranges shall be not less than those provided in Articles
  9.10.22.2. and 9.10.22.3.

  9.10.22.2. Vertical Clearances above Cooktops

  (1) Except as provided in Sentence (2), framing, finishes and cabinetry installed directly above the location of the cooktop
  shall be not less than 750 mm above the level of cooktop burners or elements.

  (2) The vertical clearance described in Sentence (1) for framing, finishes and cabinets located directly above the location
  of the cooktop is permitted to be reduced to 600 mm above the level of the elements or burners provided the framing, finishes
  and cabinets,

  (a) are noncombustible, or

  (b) are protected by,

  (i) asbestos millboard not less than 6 mm thick, covered with sheet metal not less than 0.33 mm thick, or

  (ii) a metal hood with a 125 mm projection beyond the framing, finishes and cabinets.

  9.10.22.3. Protection Around Cooktops

  (1) Except as provided in Sentences (2) and (3), combustible wall framing, finishes or cabinets within 450 mm of the area
  where the cooktop is to be located shall be protected above the level of the heating elements or burners by material providing fire
  resistance not less than that of a 9.5 mm thickness of gypsum board.

  (2) Countertop splash boards or back plates that extend above the level of the heating elements or burners need not be
  protected as described in Sentence (1).

  (3) Except for cabinetry described in Article 9.10.22.2., cabinetry located not less than 450 mm above the level of the
  heating elements or burners need not be protected as described in Sentence (1).

and

  9.32.3.12. Outdoor Intake and Exhaust Openings

  (1) Separate air intake and exhaust outlet openings, when located on the same wall or roof, shall be installed so as to avoid
  contamination of the ventilation air by the exhaust air.

  (2) Intake openings shall be located so as to avoid contamination of the ventilation air from other local sources such as
  automobile exhausts and exhaust from adjacent buildings.

  (3) The distance from the bottom of an air intake opening to finished ground level or to any nearer and lower permanent
  horizontal surface shall be not less than 450 mm or the depth of expected snow accumulation, whichever is greater.

  (4) The distance separating air intakes from building envelope penetrations that are potential sources of contaminants,
  such as gas vents or oil fill pipes, shall be not less than 900 mm.

  (5) Air intakes shall be clearly labelled as such for identification from locations outside the dwelling unit.

  (6) The distance from the bottom of an exhaust outlet to finished ground level or to any nearer and lower permanent
  horizontal surface shall be not less than 100 mm.

  (7) Where air intake and exhaust openings are in exposed locations, provision shall be made to protect them from the entry
  of precipitation by the use of louvres, weather cowls or other suitable protection.

  (8) Air intake openings shall incorporate screens or grilles to protect against the entry of animals and insects.

  (9) Except for exhaust outlets serving heat recovery ventilators, exhaust outlets shall incorporate backdraft dampers.

  (10) Except for clothes dryers, exhaust outlets shall be fitted with screens of mesh not larger than 15 mm, except where
  climatic conditions may require larger openings.

  (11) Where a screen or grille required by Sentences (8) and (10) has a screen mesh less than 6 mm, the screen or grille
  shall be removable for cleaning.

  (12) The gross area of the screens or grilles installed in intake and exhaust openings shall be three times that of the duct
  served.

  (13) Screens and grilles shall be of corrosion-resistant material.

  (14) The net free area of an air intake or exhaust outlet shall be equal to or greater than the cross-sectional area of the duct
  served.

  9.32.3.13. Installation

  (1) Installation of fans and heat recovery ventilators shall be in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions for
  minimizing noise and vibration transmission and achieving the required sound rating.

  (2) Where flow-regulating dampers are required, they shall be adjustable and accessible without requiring the removal of
  fans, motors, or insulating materials and without the need for specialized tools.

  (3) Ventilation equipment shall be accessible for inspection, maintenance, repair and cleaning.

  (4) Ventilation equipment installed in unheated spaces shall be installed so as to avoid condensation of moisture on fans
  and motors in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

however, if you are looking for advice:

in a solid masonry wall, a penetration through the wall for a vent stack or discharge should not be within 300 mm of a window or door lintel (this way you avoid a collapse of the hole from a transferred overhead load.
if you have masonry lintel (caternary arch type), i would be very wary of doing a penetration anywhere near the foot of the arch without an engineer looking at it.  masonry lintels can exhibit huge horizontal compressive forces on a solid wall a long way horizontally from the foot.  you usually have to sleeve the interior of the penetration hole with a thick steel pipe section to take the load.
if you can't go through the wall for whatever reason, just go up.  you can either vent

a) directly up through the attic space, then through the roof (just remember to use insulated pipe and a proper roof stack, cap and waterproof boot
b) up into the attic space and come out through the eave with a soffit drop vent port (just make sure to use insulated pipe and a drop vent with a baffle valve).

do not, under any circumstances use flexible metal duct.  its not legal and it makes for a huge cleaning nightmare over time with a kitchen exhaust.  only use rigid galvanized steel duct pipe

hope that helps


The power that's intended for your bathroom stays in your bathroom!

First, the answer to #1 is yes, you are alright on that front -- the GFCI only has to protect the bathroom receptacles, not anything else on that circuit, as per 210.8(A)(1):

  210.8 Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection for
  Personnel. Ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for
  personnel shall be provided as required in 210.8(A) through
  (C). The ground-fault circuit-interrupter shall be installed in
  a readily accessible location.

  Informational Note: See 215.9 for ground-fault circuit-
  interrupter protection for personnel on feeders.

  (A) Dwelling Units. All 125-volt, single-phase, 15- and
  20-ampere receptacles installed in the locations specified in
  210.8(A)(1) through (10) shall have ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel.

  (1) Bathrooms

However, the answer to #2 is no -- neither the CO detector nor the hall receptacle belong on the bathroom (technically, bathroom receptacle, but many bathrooms invoke the exception to 210.11(C)(3) that allows the rest of the bathroom's outlets to be on the same circuit as the bathroom's receptacles provided that the circuit only serves one bathroom) branch circuit.  It's a 210.11(C)(3) violation:

  (3) Bathroom Branch Circuits. In addition to the number
  of branch circuits required by other parts of this section, at
  least one 120-volt, 20-ampere branch circuit shall be provided to supply a bathroom receptacle outlet(s). Such circuits shall have no other outlets.

  Exception: Where the 20-ampere circuit supplies a single
  bathroom, outlets for other equipment within the same
  bathroom shall be permitted to be supplied in accordance
  with 210.23(A)(1) and (A)(2).

So, I'd find another circuit to tap for both the new CO detector circuit and the existing hallway receptacle.


Plasterboard is quite reflective, actually.

Armstrong states that their "High Noise Reduction Coefficent" tiles absorb 70% or more of sound energy striking the surface. One version claims a NRC of 0.90, which would appear to imply 90% of sound energy absorbed. That probably is within a specific frequency range - I rather doubt the effectiveness of acoustic tile for low bass energy (musical) for instance. However, that probably smiles upon your application as it's likely weighted for human voices, given the typical use of the product.

As such, yes, they absorb sound, but check the NRC before investing in cheap acoustic tile, as it may not be inexpensive, just cheap, if the NRC is too low...


Valet stand. Or garment rack.
picture, no endorsement implied


The black wires are already connected together.   Connect in the red wire to this also, and the switch will be bypassed.

Remember you must put a junction box cover over the hole, you cannot bury it in plaster or otherwise make the cover inaccessible.


How can I replace the outlets when the boxes are too small?

Let me guess: the wall boxes are metal and the "ears" on the new receptacles are hitting the wall around the boxes, right?

The "ears" are scored to allow them to be broken off leaving small tabs with holes in them for the screws into the boxes. Just grip the ears with pliers and bend back and forth. In some designs the ends of the center tabs are  also scored for breaking off to allow fitting into the tightest space.

The ears have holes in them to allow them to be used as shim spacers to stand the receptacle out if the box is too far into the wall. The use of metal shims makes electrical contact of the ground of the receptacle with a metal box. Some receptacles have a paper "keeper" on one of the mounting screws and a metal keeper on the other end. This provides metal to metal contact on the end with the metal keeper. If you are using cheaper receptacles with paper keepers on both ends, remove at least one of the paper keepers to insure metal to metal "face" contact for the ground.

But you would be advised to use a better grade of receptacle. And I assume you are using the now code required "tamper resistant" receptacles, right?

Does your home have aluminum wires or copper wires?


Will a 3 inch (8cm) separation between CAT6 cable and 120V HV cable cause problems for 10-Gigabit Ethernet?

If you look to the NEC, which in the US is probably the only legal standard the install will be held to, you don't really have an issue.  The NEC doesn't require any separation between the NM and the Cat 6 cable.  (See 800.133(A)(2):

  Other Applications. Communications circuits must maintain 2 in.
  of separation from electric power or Class 1 circuit conductors.
  Exception  1: Separation isn’t required if electric power or Class 1 circuit conductors are in a raceway or in metal-sheathed, metal-clad, nonmetallic-sheathed, or underground feeder cables, or communications
  cables are in a raceway

Note that the two inches of separation applies to bare conductors - not your metallic cable!  This article applies more to routing cables in enclosures where you have both power wires and communications cables.  Does not apply to your white NM sheathed cable.

But the NEC is mostly concerned with safety, not performance, certainly not 10GBE.

In my experience / opinion - which is just a third opinion to add to yours and your electrician's - I doubt you'll have a problem with this, usually interference is an issue with long parallel runs at significant current.  Your 15' running 3" away along a residential 15A circuit is very very unlikely to ever cause a problem.

If however for peace of mind you'd rather re-route that power cable, by all means spend a few bucks and have it moved.  Every mysterious network problem you have, you'll be second guessing it.  Doesn't look like it could be a very big job.

BTW - Cat6 is available shielded, but I think what you have there is unshielded.


What grit sandpaper should I use between coats of polyurethane?

Read the instructions on the can.  See what the manufacturer recommends.

Sandpaper is fairly useless on polyurethane because the heat generated by the friction causes the polyurethane to melt and block up the grit.  And the finer the grit, the faster it gets blocked up.

I have been using polyurethane for more than 30 years.  Here is my routine to achieve a fine finish:

Note: If you do not have a dust-free environment, you should try to apply the polyurethane outside on a calm day.  Dust particles falling on your work are a major problem.  Stay out of the sun, though.

Sand work piece surface to 220.
Vacuum work piece surface.
Using a soft cloth, rub a very light coat of mineral spirits into the work.  This will give the polyurethane a head start penetrating and “gripping” the wood and will retard the drying time slightly.  This will also allow the grain to appear more vividly so you will get some idea of the finished product.
Wipe down the work piece with a tack cloth and immediately begin applying polyurethane.
Apply polyurethane with a fine brush, working across the grain first, then with the grain.  Work quickly, overlapping and moving the polyurethane along the piece.  Apply only a thin coat.  Do not attempt to re-brush the polyurethane once it has “leveled.”  (When the brush strokes disappear.)
After drying, sand first coat lightly with 220 paper on a sanding block.
Wipe off polyurethane dust with a soft cloth, then wipe with a tack cloth, and begin applying second coat.
I do not use sandpaper on the second coat.  I use medium steel wool on the second coat, and fine steel wool on the third coat.
After a few weeks, you can apply a light coat of carnauba wax using very fine steel wool or just a soft cloth.

Note:  Never work directly from the polyurethane can.  Pour the polyurethane you need into a clean plastic cup, then work from the cup.  Discard any unused polyurethane and the cup.  Never pour unused polyurethane back into the can.  If you do, you will just be adding more dust particles to your next finishing job.


Electric baseboards draw electricity, but produce no heat

If 6 kW of electricity's being drawn, then a little over 20,000 BTUs of heat are being produced somewhere (6000 watts * 3.41 BTUs per watt). If they're not being produced at your baseboard heater, then they're being produced somewhere else between the breaker and the heater. You could have a mis-wired system that is dumping heat into a wall or something, causing a fire hazard. I would turn off the heat and call a licensed electrician if I were you.


How can I figure out which valves should be open?

Losing water? As in your water level is going down? That is not a problem with valve position. You've got a leak somewhere and a professional needs to address that.


Plumbers Silicone Grease vs Dielectric Grease

If in a car or boat it’s probably fine but residential electrical anything you use needs to be listed. On my boat I fill but splices with RTV (silicone for mst people) this keeps the salt air out of the splice and they last as long as the wire vs nothing in the connection and they are corroded in 2-3 years.


Typically 100psi poly is used (it's a black flexible pipe with a blue stripe). You should be using brass or poly fittings. I personally avoid nylon, just because with the threaded parts it tends to have the tool grip worn down - it's especially a pain when you go to take it off years after it's been put on, and you need to apply a lot of torque: it tends to strip the fitting, rather than loosen it. Again, make sure the fitting you're using is rated for at least 100psi.

When you connect this pipe to the fittings, you'll need to heat it up (I prefer MEP gas but propane works as well) just enough so it can go on (you still need to apply a bit of force). If you heat it too much to the point it stretches, you'll weaken the pipe and probably cause a leak - if you do this, cut the end off and start over. Use two stainless steel gear clamps to ensure a reliable connection (you can usually get away with one -- but in an outside location like a well, an extra couple gear clamps is probably cheaper than the pain of having to do this repair again).

Wrap some black electrical tape around the gear clamps afterwards, especially if you have wires nearby. This reduces the chance of the sharp edges of the clamps rubbing against the wires and causing a short eventually (I've seen it happen - remember, these pipes will move a bunch every time the pump comes on). It also makes it easier to get the clamps off later, as they won't get full of mud and insects and whatever else. Inside, unless there are wires right next to the pipes, this generally isn't needed.

Most pressure systems are adjusted so they turn on at 40psi, and off at 60psi. The pressure tank in your house buffers this so the pump doesn't cycle constantly (which is hard on pumps). You want to use higher-rated pipes and fittings because sometimes pressure switches can fail and cause the pump to stay on. Most typical domestic pumps (up to 3/4 HP) can't produce above about 90psi, though it depends on several factors including the depth of the well and length of piping.


How do we extend, stabilize, and give a finished look to an outside faucet that is attached to the house?

A 4" block of pressure-treated wood, or cedar.

A drill.

A frost-free-sillcock 4" longer than the connection to the pipe inside to the outside wall surface.

Some screws, type dependent on wall materials.

Paint. Optional on cedar for certain values of "finished look"


How to install window screen without screen track

It does look like that a screen could fit where you're pointing.

I've included a picture of some screen hangers and a lock. The hangers would go on the top of the screen and trim allowing the screen to be lifted into your trim track. The locking device would be screwed into the center of the  sill and mounted to hold the screen securely into the trim. Any water that accumulated during rain would be able to run under the screen. The hardware would be permanently attacked to the upper frame, screen and sill so it could be caulked and sealed to prevent any water from migrating into the wood.


Do I need to leave the light switch turned on all the time for a motion sensor to work?

Unless the sensor/light is connected directly to power, the switch will always have to be in the ON position for the light to come on.

The switch is installed to interrupt the ungrounded (hot) conductor, so that when it's in the OFF position no power goes to the light.  If you want power to the light, you'll have to leave the switch on.

In other news, some motion sensors use switch toggling to change modes or settings. So turning the switch off/on could cause the sensor to change modes.

Read the documentation that came with the fixture, to determine how to properly operate the sensor.


Your valves appear to be a compression connection not   threaded  on to a threaded adapter. No need to un-sweat, you have plenty of pipe to work with, just cut below the tee.
Once your cabinet is put in over your stubs You will be able to build it any way you like. A water hammer leg at the top of each line is a good idea. You can choose any type valves you want, compression, threaded or soldered.
I prefer to have one valve for each supply line, as opposed to two lines off of one valve, so if the dishwasher goes on the blink you do not have to turn off water to the sink while waiting for it to be repaired. (same for fridge etc.)


I checked the spec on the Scotchlok 562 tap connectors. They are UL listed for solid and stranded wire and rated at 600 volts.  I have seen them used in manufactured housing before, but rarely.  Here is the link to the manufacturers specifications for this product.  http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/EMDCI/Home/Products/ProductCatalog/~/3M-Scotchlok-Electrical-IDC-562-BOX-Double-Run-or-Tap-Flame-Retardant-Yellow-12-AWG-solid-stranded-10-AWG-stranded-100-per-carton-1000-per-case?N=5430181+4294891913&rt=rud


Garage Door Opener Doesn't Work with Remote When Light Is On

The RF communication is degraded.  Energizing the wire to the light merely increases the noise, masking a weak signal.

The problem could be a defect in the remote(s) or a degradation of the receiver circuit or both.

Here's what to do:

First make sure that the remote batteries are fresh.  Use a battery tester (not just a voltmeter), or just replace the battery.
Double check that the receiver antenna wire (if any) is not mangled and has a good connection internally.
If the problem persists, it is most likely the receiver/control module.  On a unit that old, a variety of failures are probable, especially electrolytic capacitors.  Dirt or smoke residue can accelerate failure of IC's and transistors as well.
Given that the unit is 20 years old, and uses belts and plastic moving parts, it's about due for mechanical failures anyway.  Replace the garage door opener.
Make sure that the wiring did not contribute to premature failure.  Check all AC power to the opener for proper hot/neutral/ground configuration.  If you suspect spikes or brownouts, have that checked out too.


Fiberglass is an option.  I would go roxul though with your climate.

However insulation is the least of your worry.  If you want to run lines to an area of your house in your climate it must be a conditioned space - meaning it needs heat.

Really the only option you have in Denver is to run your lines to a shared wall with the inside of your house and install a shutoff on the other side that you can close up for a few of the coldest months (without a conditioned space).  Would this get signed off by local inspector?  Ask him.  It wouldn't happen in my area but who knows in colder climates the allowances they make if you take precautions.  Also make sure all plumbing after shut-off is heavily sloped down and out - I would say at least 10 degrees.


Is a wire coiled around a post adequate for grounding light fixture bases?

The wire from above in the left picture is most likely coming from the Romex that powers the fixture, maybe attached by wire nut to ground at the end of the Romex.

This fixture looks fairly modern but I can't see the wiring behind it so unless you pull it down some and look (fairly easy) this is not enough info to be sure.

To answer your question, no, coiling around the post is not adequate grounding.