How can I tell if this is a split bus panel with no main breaker?

The arrangement of the breakers looks like my 50-year-old GE split bus panel. With the dead front off I can see the wires that go from the lower right hand one of the four 2-pole breakers at the top to the lower bus. In my panel the lower right 2-pole breaker is a 60-A breaker which feeds the lower bus for all the 1-pole breakers below.

In your panel it looks to me like the lower left 2-pole breaker has two heavy wires which "disappear" under the 1-pole breakers and so may connect to the lower bus. If you switch off this breaker, does this cut power to all the 120-V circuits?

What are the four 2-pole breakers powering? In mine they are (CW from lower left) electric dryer 30 A, a/c condensing unit 40 A, electric range 50 A and "main" 60-A feeding the 1-pole breakers below.


Troubleshooting steps/questions:

Has this toilet always had this problem, or was there ever anything installed in this location that didn't clog like this? If the toilet has always had this problem then it's likely some issue with the initial installation; the drain pipe diameter may be too small, or there may be insufficient venting which is causing slow drainage in the wall because there's no "air behind water".
If it didn't always have this problem, then something has changed. Would that be anything obvious like a remodel, or something more gradual like build-up accumulation? If the toilet was replaced at some point, either as its own job or as part of a larger remodel, then most likely something was done during construction/installation that is causing an obstruction. If not, then mineral or organic build-up is the most likely culprit.
From the comments, what DID the plumber do, if he didn't scope the drain, lift the throne, and/or inspect the vent stack from the roof? Anything he did do, besides flush a toilet with nothing but clean water in it, may help to eliminate or diagnose potential problems.
Does the toilet always seem to drain slowly, even if it doesn't clog outright? Slow drainage of the bowl in all circumstances would point to an obstruction of the pipe diameter itself, such as an improper flange installation, a defect in the toilet, or blockage in the piping. Fast flow in a "normal" flush, but easy clogging, generally points to a foreign object blocking the pipe in such a way as to trap solids as they go down the drain, but allowing water without any solids to pass by normally.
Are there small children in the house? A child could have flushed a pencil, pen or other long, stiff object which is now caught in a turn in the plumbing and is trapping solid matter to form clogs. Scoping the drain will identify this blockage, and a professional snake will clear it (the homeowners'-variety snake with a coiled end won't do anything; you'll need a snake with bladed ends designed to chew into or through solid blockages, which require some knowhow to use without further damaging your drains).


How do I install a non-load bearing wall on a carpeted concrete floor and finished drywall ceiling?

Michael has a good answer in the comments.

You need to cut your carpet where your wall would be.  Roll back your carpet a few feet so it is not damaged, install wall (this should be its own question if you have a specific problem), retack next to wall for carpet, stretch carpet out, and place carpet on tack strips.


Mounting a relay socket to a junction box?

The base you show is ~1" and page 8 here:
http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/722224.pdf
Shows a standard relay at just over 2".

It should fit just fine in a 4" deep screw cover junction box if you mount the base to the bottom of the box. Don't mount it to the cover.

However, if you plan to use a time delay relay or some other type then check the dimensions before you buy your jbox.

Depending on your application, you might consider a solid state relay such as this:
http://www.amazon.com/AC-AC-80-280VAC-24-380VAC-SSR-40AA-Solid/dp/B00976EJXC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447848272&sr=8-1&keywords=AC+relay

It is only 1.5" high so could be mounted in a 2 ⅛" deep 4" or 4-11/16 box.
Happy Day!


Grounding a subpanel box in the same dwelling

A sub-panel connects to the main panel with 4 conductors (hot,hot,neutral,ground).  A sub panel must have separate ground and neutral bars. A sub panel does not connect directly to the ground rod.


What are the advantages and disadvantages to timber framing vs. platform framing?

I can think of one disadvantage to timber framing vs. platform or balloon framing, and that's the need of a crane.  Depending on your site, bringing in a crane to install the upper members might be a problem, whereas with stick-built, you're not moving as heavy of pieces, so it's not as much of an issue.  (it still might be useful when it comes to roof trusses, though, but it's not necessarily required)

An advantage is that timber-framed structures can span very large areas, so if you like an open design, great rooms, and the like, it's very easy to do.  As none of the internal walls need to be load bearing, you can more easily move things around should you need to add a bedroom or remove one down the road.

... but before you built, you might also want to consider comparing to other newer building methods, such as SIPs (structural insulated panels; built off-site, then get craned in and installed in over the course of a few days, so the building envelope isn't open for very long), or ICE (insulated concrete forms; install like blocks, rebar is placed, then you pump in concrete).  Both have great thermal characteristics, if you're in a climate that needs it.

With anything that's not platform built, you're also going to want to check with your local permits office -- anything that's not what they're used to dealing with is going to slow things down considerably.


Question about this DIY light fixture and grounding

In my opinion, nearly all DIY light fixtures are hazards. However, since ceiling fixtures are rarely touched, they're not so bad.

If you want to add a grounding conductor, it shouldn't be too difficult.  First find a point on the fixture that will hidden within the canopy, and that is metallic.  Figure out a way to attach a grounding wire to that point.  Using a multimeter or ohmmeter, test the resistance between the end of the grounding wire you've attached, and the point on the fixture where you attached it.  You should have a very low resistance, otherwise you've selected a bad location.

Once you have a solid ground. Leave one probe from your meter attached to the grounding wire, and use the other probe to check the resistance to other exposed metallic parts of the fixture.  If you have a low resistance path to all the exposed metallic points on the fixture, you're done.  If not, you'll have to bridge high resistance sections with wire. For example. If the swivel fittings are nonconductive, you'd have to use a pieces of conductive material as a bridge between the two pipe sections.

Now that you have a low resistance path from the grounding conductor, to all exposed metal parts. You'll simply connect the grounding conductor from the fixture, to the grounding conductor from the ceiling.


Yes, a two-way mirror works the way you explained.

In more detail, a mirror is a thin sheet of a reflective metal.  This is usually supported by being attached to a piece of glass (and often protected by being covered on the back), but the actual mirror is the metal layer.

A two-way mirror reflects some proportion of the light, and lets the remainder through.  If it is placed between a brightly lit room and a dark room, it looks transparent in the dark room (showing the light room), and reflective in the light room (also showing the light room).

If you put a two-way mirror over a display, the mirror will look reflective when the display is off, but show the the display (if it is bright enough) when it is on.


what should i use to wire this bathroom?

You'll need at least one 20 ampere circuit to supply the bathroom receptacles, which cannot serve any other rooms.

You cannot use 14 AWG conductors anywhere on a 20 ampere circuit, all the conductors must be 12 AWG or larger.

The likely course is to have one GFCI protected 20 ampere circuit to serve the bathroom receptacles.  One 15 or 20 ampere circuit to supply the lighting in the bathroom (this will include the exhaust fan).  And one 15 or 20 ampere circuit to supply the refrigerator.  Later when you want to add the microwave, you can install another 15 ampere circuit to supply it.


Replacing either the light socket or the whole recessed light fixture

This looks like a box for incandescent/CFL lighting that is not rated for insulation contact (IC).

It might not be easy/cheap to replace it. Even if it's a socket you might find it hard to find a replacement part. You will need to pay with either time (DIY) or money to fix it. I doubt contractors will be interested in repair of such a thing, too time-consuming for them and you are unwilling to pay "too much money". Where I live an electrician visits starts from $200

For the same money consider hiring a handyman to do remove the box, add some framing to support a new drywall patch, patch the seam, match-paint, paint the ceiling, cut a round hole and install an IC rated can like this.
[
That would probably also cost you about $200


Does it make sense to apply a (Minwax) wax paste on top of a polyurethane/stain finish?

You can wax it if you like, but it is not needed. The only time I would add wax if in the case there is slight imperfections like dust in the finish, and you would like a smoother finish. Wet sand the top with 400G wet sandpaper and work it up to 600 then 800. Then apply the paste wax. The trick will be is, if you have enough finish to do this much wet sanding. I do this with lacquer finishes but there are 3 or more coats in place to work with. This leaves a glass smooth surface when done, but it leaves a matte/satin sheen.

There are tutorials on "rubbing out" finishes online. This is where I picked up on this.


Which Component Is Broken in the Refrigerator

The easy thing to try replacing is the thermistor, they are cheap and you just cut the old one out and then crimp a new one on the wires. Biggest challenge is usually finding where they are hidden in your fridge (you'll often have 3, maybe more, and any of them can be bad), but it looks like you've opened things up enough to see them. Look for any small piece of plastic on the end of two wires, I've seen them 1" long by 1/4" in diameter. They'll be clipped on to the defrost piping, and probably somewhere else high, possibly behind the track that the shelves hang on, or near a vent.

I'd also check all the gaskets on the door to make sure you're getting a tight seal. If these first two checks come up empty, then I'd personally throw in the towel and buy something new assuming the fridge is older than 8 or so years.

If it's an old fridge, then you may be looking at low refrigerant and that isn't typically fixable in a refrigerator. The ice is an indication to me that this could be your issue, and if so, I'd find out if there's any way to recharge the refrigerant on your unit and that the repair man can do this before making a service call. Otherwise, that's just throwing away money.

One last possibility is a bad control board. They can be swapped out, but aren't cheap compared to the price of a new fridge, and I think the odds that this is your issue are relatively small. If you attempt to replace this, consider buying one from somewhere that lets you return it for a refund.


The G in the thread size looks like it denotes a British Standard Pipe (also known as BSP or BSPP) size of 1/2".  For whatever reason, Kholer decided to use this size on their hand showers, and that's what this valve is designed for.

You would need to find an adapter such as this one to convert to NPT. This listing mentions shower fixtures, so that is promising.  The title and description contradict each other on which side is BPT and which is NPT, but the product images look like it's what you need (they show female BPT threads).

Here is another possible adapter, but not chrome plated.  If you are in the UK, you may be able to find a BSP to NPT adapter easier.


Should I replace my septic tank if I don't need to?

Have the tank inspected. They should be able to give you an estimated remaining service life expectancy, based on the age and condition of the tank. This might make the decision easier.

Comment converted to an answer


Converting from a Trane XT500C AC Thermostat to Honeywell TB8220U1003 VisionPro 8000

Trane nomenclature's a bit different

Trane decided to be different (and a bit difficult) with their heat pump thermostat nomenclature: while O is indeed the reversing valve connection, they called the common B (blue) instead of C (for Common).  So, your correct wiring is:

White (W on the old 'stat) goes to W1 on the new 'stat
The jumper from W to X2 on the old 'stat gets discarded (X2 was emergency heat, but the Honeywell is smart enough to mux that onto W1 in heat pump mode)
Red (R on the old 'stat) goes to R on the new 'stat (the R-RC jumper stays put)
Tan (O on the old 'stat) goes to O/B on the new 'stat (some other people designate the reversing valve terminal as B, but Trane went and used that for the common terminal instead)
Yellow (Y1 on the old 'stat) goes to Y on the new 'stat
Green (G on the old 'stat) goes to G on the new 'stat
and Blue (B on the 'old stat) goes to C on the new 'stat (not to O/B where you have it now)


Your furnace definitely has a filter. To access the filter compartment remove the lower of the two metal panels on the front. The filter location is horizontal at the very bottom in the plane of the very bottom of the furnace. It will probably have a metal loop resting on it to keep it in place in the upward air stream. You may want to remove that metal loop to more easily put in the new filter, but it may be less trouble in the end to work around it.

(The upper panel is for inspecting and servicing the burner. This has nothing to do with the filter and you do not want to remove this.)

Before removing the panel turn the furnace off at the thermostat and at switch it off inside the closet if there is a switch there. Do not attempt to remove the access panel with the fan running. Carefully inspect the way the lower panel fits so you can return it to that state. You may want to have a new filter in hand so you can put it in right away.

To remove the panel grasp the top edge of the panel labeled TAPPAN Air Conditioning and move the panel enough to free it by pulling up, then work the panel out. It is a little tricky until you get experienced at it. The metal edge might be sharp. You might want to wear gloves until you are practiced at it. When you remove the panel you will see the squirrel-cage fan and the filter will be below that.

Using the standard grade of filter you might want to change the filter once a month or two or three. It just depends on how the filter is performing in your house. Here is a video showing the same type of furnace as you have, but I think you do not have to remove the upper access panel like this guy did. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZknWY1zAUk

Our house is 45 years old and we have lived in it 39 years. Ours is a Carrier natural gas furnace of the same configuration as yours, but at installation 25 years ago I opted for an extra filter unit under the furnace which houses a 6-inch thick pleated paper filter. These are $25 to $30 each and I change it once a year. It is accessed through its own panel so it has been a long time since I opened the regular access panel.

The original furnace was of the same type and when we moved in the filter had fallen down and was lying on the bottom of the plenum below.


Waterfall pump with broken off ground pin in 3 prong plug unsafe to use?

I will assume that you live in a region where fake ground pins are common. (In my own experience I've found that "fake" ground pins are uncommon or even abnormal in the USA, but I have seen them in the UK.)

To check if it really is a "fake" ground pin, you could:

Confirm if the broken pin was actually metal, not plastic or similar. If plastic, it was obviously not a conducting element. If metal, its still uncertain.
Cut off the broken plug. If there are 3 wires then for normal residential wiring, it is grounded. The ground wire would typically be a standard color (check what's normal where you live). Since it is broken, this is a harmless thing to do.
If for some reason you don't want to cut off the broken plug, then you could use the continuity (resistance) setting on a multimeter to check if there is a current path between the stub of the ground pin and a metal part of the pump. While this can confirm that it was a real ground, it cannot safely disprove that it was fake. If the pump has only a plastic casing then this won't work either.

Once that is settled, you will know what kind of plug to replace it with. In my experience (again - USA and UK) a matching plug from a hardware store will be fine. Plugs are designed for a certain level of current & voltage, and their shape determines which receptacles they can safely be used in.


Incoming water lines: Just a like to know what this is

Usually, the 1/2" lines go to a single outlet such as a sink, tub or laundry and the 3/4" line or lines run to multiple devices. For example, the 3/4" line can feed many devices with 3/4"X1/2" tees supplying each faucet with a 1/2" supply line. This way you will usually get maximum flow at your faucet even if someone else in the home is using water at the same time.


Would enveloping an attic in insulation cause any problems?

As you've discovered, an insulated attic doesn't really provide much comfort, even if it does reduce heat flow by some amount. In order to get true second-floor comfort with insulation, you need to really, really improve the amount to R-60 or greater, and you need to use insulation that's opaque to infrared radiation, which fiberglass is not. I suggest adding 10 to 20 inches of loose-blown cellulose on top of the layers of batts.

Insulating your attic at the roofline presents many problems. To build an unvented roofline insulation assembly virtually requires spray foam, which is incredibly expensive in the amounts needed to actually produce comfort. To do this without spray foam requires ventilation channels, reducing the amount of space available between the rafters for insulation unless you fur out the rafters to get more depth or fasten several inches of foam or mineral wool boards underneath them. Finally, you need an airtight layer under that, which usually means drywall, which is a waste if you're not planning to use the space as finished area anyway.

There is an experimental method of doing a much cheaper unvented roof without spray foam and drywall using 4 lb/sf dense-packed cellulose between furred-out rafters, held in place with a vapor retarder (not barrier) membrane like Intello or MemBrain (no affiliation) but, again, this is experimental.

The physics behind what's happening in your attic is that insulation doesn't do anything to reduce the heat flow, it just slows it down. If you don't have enough insulation to slow the heat flow down so much the heat fails to make it through the entire insulation layer during a daily cycle, the heat gets through your ceiling and you feel uncomfortable. Even if it's not a lot of heat, it's enough to raise the temperature of your ceiling plaster or drywall, and that heat radiates down onto your head, and you feel much less comfortable than the air temperature alone would suggest. Having less than the critically large amount of insulation necessary to slow the flow enough will reduce the heat flow and reduce your AC bills, but not enough to prevent comfort problems anyway.

This suggests an alternative approach to adding like  two more feet of insulation: actually reduce the heat flow itself with radiant barriers. Don't put it at the roofline; the best place is above the roof sheathing itself, but this may be hard if you don't plan to re-roof soon. The next-best place is above the existing insulation. To prevent dust from degrading its performance, use a type with multiple staggered layers, such as http://www.savenrg.com/upton.htm (No affiliation)


Can I add a slave to existing thermostat?

Placing a second parallel thermostat or moving the single thermostat to the colder room will not be an ideal solution for you. The reason being is that the second room will call for more heat and indeed warm up but the master room will get overheated.

The proper way to fix this is to re-balance the heat registers (or duct deflectors if they are present) to allow less warm air to enter the master room and proportionally more to enter the second room.


Possible to fix a safety cutoff on a Briggs and Stratton mower?

The answer is yes they can be repaired, my mower the cable to the break broke, type that 3 times fast LOL,
On my model the cable releases a spring loaded break shoe that stops the magneto quickly. Thx cable broke right at the connection point (the staged on end failed) in my case I was able to braze the cable back together but the cable was less than 20$ so I fixed it and ordered the new cable knowing it wouldn’t last that was over a year ago but it is getting close again so I will probably need to put the new one in before the end of summer, I had to remove my oil dip stick 1 bolt , the metal cowling 4 bolts flipped the cowling over and could access the cable not hard at all.


How can I attach a light to a tiled wall without having a socket (also avoid drilling)

The simplest solution in this case may be to just get a light weight LED light that operates on batteries. Then stick it up on the wall using some of that double stick foam tape.

You may be able to find some LED light that can be hung from a hook. Then there are strong stick-on hooks that you can attach to the tile wall.


Low-voltage lights turn on then start to flash

It is a common problem with Triacs on LV loads.  I am assuming you have a 12Vdc wall convertor on perhaps 1-2A for white LEDs.  The Triac conduction can fail to have the necessary holding current at low levels. The load is insufficient and nonlinear in that it does not present any load below 9V or a certain phase angle on the triac. The threshold is thermally sensitive so the Triac  triggers a flash then skips a few cycles until it cools which  then repeats like a porpoise or motor-boat bouncing in waves.  The thermal resistance and dynamic impedance of the triac with a small nonlinear load  causes these time constants and frequencies with the LED load.

It is a complex stability problem from insufficient load on the Triac dimmer.  Adding one small normal bulb would fix that. Perhaps only 8W or 25W.

Better dimmer designs, can also prevent this with trailing edge phase control instead of leading edge or smart current sensing with better triggering.

EE since 1975.


What are the levers on my washing machine hose connection fittings?

Those knobs are indeed quarter turn shut off valves. They have probably not been turned in years and have buildup of mineral deposits inside or some other type of corrosion.

The shutoff valves are there to allow it to be easy to attach / replace the washer water hoses.

Before trying to see if you can free them up you will have to figure out how to turn off the water supply up stream from where these are located. You may be having to replace the whole water hammer arrester assemblies to get valves that will work.

Note that it is quite common that those in wall laundry hose hookup boxe units having crappy shutoff valves. The ones in my house are similar but have a simple round turn knob on the top and are very difficult to turn after sitting for a long time.


Let me preface this with a disclaimer; I am not a lawyer nor a health professional.

That said, the smell is likely hydrogen sulfide which in high enough concentrations can kill you, but since the problem is fixed it probably isn't nearly strong enough for that; most likely you'd just experience respiratory irritation. I recommend trying to keep it aired out as much as possible, so the gas doesn't build up. You should contact your landlord and get them to address the issue.

As far as your rights, that is entirely dependent on your location. If your landlord won't address the issue, this is probably the point where you should get your local health department involved; in most jurisdictions they can force property owners to address issues that are public health concerns.


Is vinyl click-plank flooring appropriate for 3-season rooms in cold climates?

if you look at the manufacturers directions for the flooring it will tell you what temperature limits your flooring can take. For example:

  Make sure the temperature in the home is maintained between 65F to 80F
  year round.

If you are worried about temperature extremes consider something else like ceramic tiles. Another thing to keep in mind in our climate is that for a sunroom you want a flooring that can absorb heat during the day and release back heat overnight to keep the room warmer in spring/fall and cooler in summer. Click-vinyl plank flooring is not good for that compared to other material such as ceramic.


Many moons ago, last century, I used and appreciated a program known as winmiter. It no longer works on today's technological magic, but there's an online free alternative known as Pipe Joint Template with an option to purchase and download an offline version with more features.

The program allows you to print a paper template to mark the cuts necessary to have a clean fit to the joined tubing. The original winmiter program was quite capable and I suspect that this one is as well.
There are other similar options via CAD programs such as Fusion 360, solvespace and I suspect SolidWorks and others, but this is certainly among the simpler methods to accomplish a good fit.


Does decking board orientation really matter?

I would say crown side up and shed water. The deck that was on my house when I bought it was cup side up and is in horrible shape. That could be from the fact that the people never took care of it but being in a rather wet/snowy climate didn't help. I'm sure pooled water of any kind can't be good, even on treated wood.


Where do I find an exterior plumbing box?

Are you sure? You should have full access through the escutcheon plate for valve & shut-offs. Access panels aren't actually there for re-plumbing, since the plumbing's good for 100-years.

Access panels were there in the old days because valves didn't have cartridges & needed access for servicing & for operating shut-off valves, not that much of anything had local shut-offs back then. You rarely see access panels anywhere anymore because of the took way-way too long technology.

Otherwise, if you want one get just a panel cover at the store so you can insulate the valve. Instead of possibly having no ability to insulate with a tight shallow box of some kind.


PEX pipe burst: what else needs to be fixed to prevent it happening again?

PEX pipe does not corrode or otherwise interact with copper or other materials the way dissimilar metals do.  It's essentially an inert substance under normal circumstances.

The bulges and darkened areas, however, do appear to be signs of a problem and I agree with your assessment that these were caused by heat, probably from the torch used to sweat the nearby copper pipe joints.  The person installing the copper should have taken precautions to prevent heat from getting to the PEX pipes but clearly did not do so.

The damage has been done and the bulges show that failure is likely since it's the water pressure and NOT air in the system that is causing the weakened area to expand.  Once that process starts, it will keep "blowing up like a balloon" until it fails.

The damaged areas should be cut out and new sections should be put in.  Based on the obviously careless installation of the copper, an end-to-end inspection is called for.


8cm seems rather large but certainly the insertion depth can be a significant proportion of the length of a small drill bit.

There are a few factors to consider. First think of a really small drill bit - 2mm for example. if this is sticking out a long way, it won't take much sideways force to bend the bit and, as tool steel is quite brittle, possibly snap it. It will also wander if you're starting a hole.

Now think of a reduced shank drill bit (such as a 20mm drill that fits a normal 13mm chuck. This has a shoulder meaning the maximum insertion depth is about 2cm, and demonstrates that the back of the drill bit doesn't need to be up against the chuck fixing screw.

For an in between case you can choose - I sometimes start with the bit fully in until I've got a good start (to avoid wander) and then put it a bit further out. With masonry bits used with hammer action you may want the bit to sit right into the chuck. While the whole chuck exerts the hammer force on the bit, a small insertion depth can cause the chuck to work loose especially with hammer. Some of my masonry bits have flats and a shoulder so don't sit all the way in, but still insert to a decent depth.

This all applies to cordless drills as well, but I find that with a keyed chuck I can get away with a little less drill bit in the chuck.


Why does my fan increase speed when the light kit is switched on?

The light and the fan are on different wall switches. If these are on different legs (180 deg out of phase), then the net current in a common neutral in the fan will be the difference in the currents in the two hots.

IIRC when the light kit is installed on the fan there is a wire nut splice of the neutral of the light to a common neutral (whites), and of course there is a splice to the hot of the light (blues).

Suppose the fan and light have a common neutral in the fan and there is significant resistance in the neutral wire or in the splices where the light and fan neutrals join the common neutral in the light fixture or where the common neutral in the fan shroud connects to the neutral of the house wiring. When both the light and the fan are on the voltage at the fan motor and the light sockets is higher than when only one is on.

Easiest way to test this explanation is to remove all the bulbs but one from the light fixture. With the light off turn on the fan and let it come to constant speed, then turn on the light. The fan should speed up much less when all the bulbs were in their sockets.

If you can reach both of the wall switches with voltmeter leads, test the voltage across the two.hots. Zero volts indicates that the two hots are on the same leg and this explanation is wrong. 240 V means they are on different legs and this explanation is possibly true.

The remedy would be to redo the splices where the neutral come together. If the neutral wire itself is at fault, then the wire is damaged or you are using higher power bulbs (high power incandescents) than the fixture is rated for.


Hang item from top chord of 2x6 roof trusses?

This is dangerous and should be calculated.

1) The top chord of the truss is in compression. By putting a load between web joints, you are putting the top chord in what is called "double bending". What this does is puts an additional amount of compression load on the top half (about) of the 2x6 top chord. This could easily over stress the member (the piece of the top chord spanning from web joint to web joint) and snap the chord. We've repaired these and its expensive.

You must live in a high snow load area, because you have 2x6 top and bottom truss chords for such a small span. (Where I live, we'd use 2x4 because we have minimal snow loads.) So, the truss manufacturer has determined that a 2x6 is required due to the snow load. Maybe it's over designed, but I'd ask the truss manufacturer. Give your local lumberyard a sketch of the size (span) of your trusses and tell them you're adding 300 lbs. and where. They can run the calcs and tell you exactly how and what to use. The calcs are free. (There are specific methods to connecting to chords and webs. ).

2) You show an eyelet type screw into the bottom of the top chord. I'd advise against that for two reasons. (A.) I'd ask the manufacturer, but I'd bet they'll recommend a thru-bolt or clip nailed to cross members...probably 3 trusses. You do not want to over drill the size of hole for a thru-bolt. When we mount roof top equipment or equipment hung in attics, we suspend from rod bolted THROUGH top chord. (B.) A screw type fastener into the top chord will damage the integrity of the top chord (cause the 2x6 to split). The chord will dry out over time and split. Then, you'll loose all holding resistance.

The code requires roofs to be designed with a 15% factor of safety. Verify this with truss manufacturer.


What size ratchets do I need to assemble some new equipment?

So it has a bolt that is 3 1/2" long with a 1/2" head, and a 1/2" nut...

You're going to need a 1/2" socket and/or wrench, and/or a couple adjustable spanners. Looks like you're in the UK; so you probably use metric, So you'll need an 1/2" imperial socket and/or wrench, and/or a couple adjustable spanners.


How do I connect a new trap to an old cast iron pipe?

You would normally cut out the piece right before - 8 inches or so before the main stack.  You then connect PVC to cast iron with a coupling.


What structure is required for my neighbors adjoining fence?

Fences usually have posts of 2 sizes or grades.

Line post are smaller diameter and not as well braced, as they support only fence.

End posts are larger and better braced for extras like gates.
They are meant for tensioning  chain link fences.

If they've attached to a line post, it will probably not support a gate for long.

I would insist that they support the gate with a properly braced post ( usually involving concrete).


How can I find door hardware to match the fitment of my vintage hardware?

As I mentioned in my comment above it will be very difficult to identify the maker of your old lockset. However. you shouldn't have to if you're simply going to replace it.   It should be relatively easy to find a replacement lockset that will fit this door without too much adjusting of the door. However, you're probably not going to know until you remove the old lockset and search out replacement sets. Take the old lockset with you when looking for a new one. With this type of replacement I think that's a better way to find what will work instead of shopping on-line.
There are always some adjustments that need to be made, particularly to mortise in the lockset stile and the strike plate. The wood looks to be in relatively good shape so you might be able to get away with minor refurbishment such as, if necessary, filling in the old screw holes. I like to use wood splinters or toothpicks and wood glue. That's if you're lucky. You will probably have to relocate the strikeplate which may require some wood repair around the original site of the plate. Good luck.


In-Cabinet (sink base) electrical box - Metal or Plastic?

I am assuming you are trying to install a switch leg for the disposal and a continuous hot for the dishwasher and the disposal and, dishwasher are on the same circuit, and you are trying to use a split duplex for both devices. I am also assuming that you are trying to surface mount the box inside the cabinet rather than use a cut-in box.

If you are installing a surface mounted box the conductors or cabling would have to protected no mater what kind of box you are using. If you came out of the side you would have to protect the conductors until you could pass into the interior of the wall or some other protected area.

One other problem exists the dishwasher circuit requires GFCI protection and the disposal doesn't. So if you do not have GFCI protection for this circuit you cannot put a split receptacle in under the cabinet. You would have to install two separate receptacles (at least one GFCI protected) or add a GFCI breaker to that circuit.

Taking this one step further. Since the NEC requires at least the dishwasher to be GFCI protected, it would be safe to assume that the area below the sink is considered by AHJ to be a wet location which would mean an "outdoor gang box" would be required in a surface mounted box.

FYI - The new 2020 NEC has modified 210.18 (A) which will require every 120V outlet to be GFCI protected including disposals, as well as any other wet location inside and outside a dwelling.

Hope this helps


How can I best salvage my 240V GFCI spa disconnect wiring?

You CANNOT re-purpose a green wire smaller than #4 as a neutral, even if it is insulated. Is the #6 ground green all the way?
If so running a new neutral in this case is your only option.

The ground wire in the outside portion of the wiring for a hot tub in conduit CANNOT be bare. It MUST be green insulated.

I would use a GFI in the main panel and a regular breaker in the spa disconnect. Easy-peasy.


Add c wire to furnace for smart thermostat

Yes, the terminal at the lower right in the photo is C.

Here's the wiring diagram from the documentation, which I highlighted in different colors.

Here's your wiring, which I highlighted using the same colors.


Dehumidifying without an air-conditioner

The humidifier works well in the basement.  Two ideas:

If the humidifier's capacity is adequate and the basement is connected to the HVAC system (vents and a return, and ductwork shared with the main floor), run just the HVAC fan continuously to circulate the house air and let the dehumidifier dry the air for the whole house.
Otherwise, get a second dehumidifier for the upper level.  I see  isherwood commented a similar idea while I was writing this.  If you can set the dehumidifier on a counter next to a sink, you're in business, just like the basement.  If you don't have convenient counter space, you could set up some type of surface next to the sink that is higher than the sink and run a discharge hose into the sink.  If that isn't a good option (sink height is typically higher than normal table height), you can still do it using a condensate pump.

You don't describe the exact setup for getting the water into the drain in the basement.  Dehumidifiers typically have the ability to connect a hose to the collection tray.  Use adapters to connect a piece of vinyl tubing to that tray drain.

Run that tubing into a condensate pump (http://www.homedepot.com/b/Plumbing-Pumps-Utility-Pumps-Condensate-Removal-Pumps/N-5yc1vZbqoh).  You will need to raise the dehumidifier so the collection tray drain is higher than the input hole in the condensate pump and keep the tubing short enough so it is a straight shot and doesn't dip a lot lower (set the dehumidifier on a small stand or table).  Run the condensate pump discharge to a sink.

I've done that in an enclosed crawl space connected to a basement and it works well for unattended, long-term use.


Can i use plywood to build shelves for my stereo speakers?

Shirish, The answer is yes you can use plywood if you want, the small speakers are not going to create much vibration.

Your system has three components. two speakers that have handle the mid range and high frequencies and the sub woofer that produces the low frequencies. The speakers, (the smaller ones) that typically sit on the desk can be placed on a shelf. The shelf can be made out of plywood or solid wood or particle board, it does not matter to much because your speakers (tweeters and mids ) are not very big and the higher frequencies do not vibrate very much.

The important thing is the the bracket be attached to the wall securely and the shelf material also be attached to the brackets securely. Some speakers have holes on the back so you can hang them on the wall with a mounting system or a even a screw.

Your sub woofer is going be the thing that vibrates things in your house. Low frequency sound will travel though walls and floors. You do not need it on your desk, if fact it may vibrate your desk and the things on it to much. it can be anywhere on the floor. They make special feet for speakers and subs to raise it off of the floor or shelf, these are mainly to optimize sound quality. Test it out and if it vibrating your floor move it around to find a better place. Again the low sounds travel very well so it can be anywhere.


How do I calculate deflection in shelving boards?

Short answer: it will sag a lot.

Using The Sagulator I get a deflection of about 0.9" at the center, which will clearly be noticeable. (I'm assuming your "5/4 maple" is actually going to end up 1" thick when the finishing is done.)

Also I'm not sure what you are going to be using the shelving for but if this is going to be for books you should probably assume 30 lbs per foot, which would give you a deflection of 1.3".

(You can use that calculator to estimate sag for a variety of shelving configurations, but make sure you pick accurate values for all the inputs. Also note the footnote that says that long-term sag will be 50% higher than the calculated value.)


Straightening a bend copper tubing of an air conditioner filled with refrigerant

First, is that electrical box secured or just hanging on its wires? if it is just hanging that needs to be addressed as well.

Then, is there any spare length in the copper pipe, assuming it is covered by the tape stuff? I think the pipes will be too short if you tried to put two 90 bends in them with a pipe bender. Also, copper pipe work hardens so the original bending will have made the pipe harder to bend a second time around.

I would consider making new pipes to meet the proper run you want then refill the system.


Can I use a gutted sub panel as a junction box

You don't need to do that -- you can get a flush-mount box by itself that fits your needs

What you're looking for isn't a "breaker panel", really.  It's just the cabinet that the breaker panel came in, so just get a suitable box instead.  The term you are after is "flush mount NEMA 1 enclosure", and it will look something like this (illustration and link for exposition only):


When in doubt, RTFM:
StarTech Low-Profile TV Wall Mount - Tilting Manual
Product dimensions page clearly shows min 300 mm to max 810 mm.
30" = 762mm
300 < 762 < 810
That works. You're good to go!
Oops. As pointed out by OP, that is for the VESA bracket. The wall bracket is actually wider than that, 985mm. You can't go all the way to the edge, but based on the diagram, the usable holes on the wall bracket are clearly wider than the 810mm of the VESA bracket. So that still works out OK.


How can I secure an outward door swing to be safe inside without drilling holes?

I saw a device that looked much like a key hole in a steel plate. It slipped over the doorknob and it’s weight held it in place. I thought that was a good idea, even made out of 1/2” plywood if there was a few inches above and below it would be as strong as most cheap lock sets.
The keyhole looked like it was made with 2 different sized hole saws one that was larger than the handle and one just slightly larger than the shaft if you pulled on the door it did not move much. That would be something that could be made but I have not seen a commercial one.


Can I use a 10/3 cable to supply a sub-panel for a tankless water heater?

The existing single cable cannot be used by itself to power the ecosmart 27. You need three separate cables each from its own 40 A breaker. Each cable must be Cu 8-2 + gnd or larger (presumably Al 6-2 + gnd would work if the terminals in the ecosmart are approved for aluminum conductor).

See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lQw8Po2H04


Paint on copper pipe leaching into my water supply?

The Water is inside the pipe. The fitting you have on the left side connected to the painted pipe should be making a tight leak proof seal there should not be any paint at the point of inner seal. If you are concerned - remove the connection and sand the paint clean it and remove it then reconnect your fitting.

If the paint is lead based - you can try a lead test. Be forewarned that what is coming from your utility will probably be more than what you have from that paint area if anything at all.

Paint is not leaching from the outside of the copper to the inside of the pipe either.

Just thought I would add this picture to help you - see the insert sleeve that fits on the inside of the pipe - the white nylon piece. This seals the inside from the outside.


Can I connect a water hose to an irrigation system?

I'm actually wanting to do this myself. I've looked into it for quite awhile. There is one video on youtube that is amazing. His system has been up for nearly 5 years without any problems. I'm at work and cant search youtube, but if you look up "150$ diy irrigation system" you will find it.

Some things to consider.
 1. Water pressure from the garden hose won't be able to support more than 1 (maybe 2) sprinklers at a time. Depending on the type and GPM you get at your house. Test this with a 5 gallon bucket, I'm able to run one rotor 50ft throw and 2 very tiny low pressure nozzles at the same time.

If The larger pipe or hose you use, the more pressure you get. I just bought 1 inch irrigation hose with an adapter to 3/4 inch for the sprinkler. I have a smaller yard, so I can get about 90% of the yard with one 50ft throw sprinkler. The smaller the diameter of the main, and hose the lower GPM you will have.

Edit
Okay for people who think smaller water pipes will increase water pressure, no. It's about fiction, volume and speed. Below is a great read about it, with some quotes.

https://www.irrigationtutorials.com/using-a-smaller-pipe-to-increase-water-pressure/

  Grab your thinking caps for this.  As you well know, Bernoulli’s Principle essentially says (paraphrased) that as the speed of a fluid increases, the pressure of that fluid decreases.

  Obviously as you force a given amount of water through a smaller size pipe, the velocity of the water must increase for it to get through the smaller pipe.  According to Bernoulli’s Principle that will decrease the water pressure!  This is called the Venturi effect.  By suddenly forcing the water through a narrow passage you can actually create enough of a pressure decrease that it creates suction.  This is how many fertilizer injectors work.  It also is another reason why using a smaller pipe would not increase the pressure– it would actually decrease it!


Is there any additional sealing operation required after grouting for the bath shower

All Portland cement based grout benefit from a sealer.  I prefer the distillate based sealers, but I hear good things regarding the newer water based sealers.

One grout type doesn't need any sealer: 2 part epoxy grout.  A bit more care and effort during install, but nearly bullet proof afterwards.  Shower floors and foyers really stay clean.


How can I detect sub-second interruptions in mains electricity supply?

Personally I would solder your self-latching relay solution. It's simple. If you don't like working with 240V, maybe an AC relay after a transformer or even a DC relay after a USB charger could work. Of course, check to make sure it triggers on brief interruptions.
You can even connect a clock to the switched side (e.g. a timer - but one with a mechanical motor) and determine when the outage happened based on when the clock stopped.
Have you looked at "power logger" "voltage logger" or "energy logger"? You'd have to check the specs if glitches are recorded. A "data logger" and the "voltage logger" are likely the most versatile to log brief/glitch events.
Alternatively, you can

record the DC voltage after a usb charger and a tone generator using a voice recorder app, and use a simple computer script or audio editor to find the time and duration. Or record the AC hum/cycle, double it to 100Hz using a rectifier bridge, in case 50Hz is filtered out before recording.
use a video triggered webcam directed at a light to get the time info. The ensuing "dark flash" would have to trigger a recording, and it can even notify you by WiFi
hook up a relay to an alarm circuit, a cheap one with WiFi/internet notification and logging.

If any of these get close to what you would like to try, we can discuss the details if needed, to help you further along.


Screwing in to drywall is really the only thing on your list of questions to worry about. A drywall screw should be screwed in to where the head is just barely under the paper on it's face. They make drills, and drill accessory bits, specifically for this task.

For everything else, run the screw in until your material is tight.

As for what tools to use... This is actually personal preference. I personally use an impact driver 95% of the time. But, I've been building houses for 30 years. An impact driver, compared to a drill driver, is better for driving screws in to dense materials. A drill driver will work also but requires more force on the tool to get the results of an impact. For someone inexperienced, I'd recommend getting use to using a drill driver, utilizing it's different clutch settings, before moving on to an impact driver.


What is the proper replacement igniter for my York furnace?

Hot surface igniters are fairly universal it they look the same and have the same voltage. For example the igniters on this side of the pond they are usually 120v so depending on your area yours may be a 230/240v. I have had some bad luck with after market igniters coming cracked or with a fingerprint on the igniter in a sealed bag.
Make sure not to touch the element any body oils like a finger print can cause a very short service life.
Since you have some room the one you reference if the correct voltage should work if it looks the same.


Using Both Sonoff Wi-Fi Switch and Existing Wall Switch to Control Light

First, everything about the Sonoff stinks like cheap Cheese, so good bet it is not UL listed.  RoHS and CE is nothing, and UL/CSA listings are often forged by those offshore manufacturers.

Mains electrical is serious business, and the stuff is already very cheap - $20 for a proper smart switch for instance.  The only reason that price seems high is you have found this thing that is cheaper in several ways, most bad.  Who cares? There will always be a cheaper piece-o-junk out there. Your time is valuable too.

In NEC jurisdictions you cannot install things not approved by your local inspector, who does not run his own testing lab, but simply gets a list of approved appliances from UL or similar entity. NEC 110.

You cannot mount outside a junction box

An electrical device cannot be mounted outside a junction box as you plan, unless the labeling or instructions tell you to install it that way - the labeling and instructions are part of the UL listing, the listing is contingent on it being installed properly, and it is illegal to install it contrary to those instructions (NEC 110.3).

Parallel switches in your plan are semi-OK

The fact that the Sonoff has netural coming in is simply due to the fact that it is a powered device and needs neutral for its own power.  Whether it is switching neutral, I cannot guess:  It may be possible to bypass its neutral output and serve the neutral from the other side - that depends (again) on the UL approved labeling and instructions on the device.

If that's the case, then having both the smart switch and the plain switch feed the light should be fine.   The key rule is that in any cable, currents must be equal - cancel each other out.  That is to avoid eddy-current heating.

Low voltage remote switches are even better

If Deepesh Golani's method of accessing the internal switch works, and (again) is supported by UL approved labeling or instructions, that is an even better way since it does not involve significant currents.   If that power is low voltage, you would escape the requirement to use Class 1 wiring techniques, and could run remote switches with thermostat wire for instance.


How do I consistently drive drywall screws to the correct depth?

Buy a $5 drywall dimpler, the bit will slip off the screw head when the screw is at the appropriate depth.


A 12V generator would be more efficient than a 230V generator running a charger.

eg; a small engine driving a re-purposed automotive altenator


First of all even a tankless WH can leak, so in a vulnerable spot like an attic, you should have a drain pan under it to catch any leaks and route the water to a drain.  Same with a standard tank WH.  In fact, many AHJs require such for tank WHs at least.
If that's not present, you should shut off the water to the tank and drain it.  That will ensure that it won't leak until you get it replaced.
The house is not your responsibility until you close, so for now it's the current owners problem.  You could request a walk-through a few hours before the closing, and such things are not uncommon.  You should also be sure you get possession immediately upon closing so that you can go right to the properly afterwards and make sure it's all secure.


Need help for ice maker line splitter to be used for coffee maker

The problem with your idea is the risk of damage of the line and associated leakage.

While ice makers use thin copper or plastic lines, they are permanently attached and not handled once installed. The valve that controls the filling is built into the ice maker, and is automatic.

A similar approach to your coffee maker would require that you have a fixed mounting for the valve that is substantial and protects the line and attachment from rough handling. There are such systems used as pot fillers, like this one

These are permanently mounted on a wall very close to the point you fill pots, such as a stove.  The risk is spilling water in an area with no drain. These units are usually installed with standard plumbing (copper, pex, etc.), not lightweight tubing, although adapters probably could be used to accommodate small tubing.

While there are small plastic valves that are used on things like water jugs, these are also intended for fixed mounts of the valve.


How to fit waste water pipe into back inlet gully?

I'm assuming this is for storm/rain water runoff and now sewage waste. For a location that freezes in the winter I've seen the recommendation to run the above ground gutters to an air gap and then to the top of a catch basin (hopper) like yours. This allows the melting ice to run off if the ground below is still frozen. If drain is already below ground, or you don't experience significant freezing in your climate, then using the below ground ports should be fine. These side ports tend to be designed to easily knock out, either with a gentle push, or at most with a hammer and screwdriver.


Furniture pads for furniture legs...always comes off, how to remedy this?

There are nail-on glides that have a carpet bottom.

They also come in a swivel version in case your legs have a significant angle.

  Images and links are illustrative only, not an endorsement of goods or sources


How can I get the supply line brass valve seat on Pfister tub/shower mixer valve to stop leaking?

Don't know about that particular model but I have brass seats as well. I had a leak and carefully replaced washers on both sides properly. Still had a small leak. Replaced both valve seats (only $4 each so why not) even though I knew it was clearly the cold leaking. Checked and double checked and examined seats and washers carefully -- nothing odd. Still leaked. Finally cut some teflon tape lengthwise to match the width of the threads on the seat and wrapped kinda taught 2.5 times around. Put them back in and torqued fairly firm but not overly hard. Leak was fixed.


Electrical wiring issue with Ring Camera

Connect red to black here
I'm betting that whatever they did had the photocell on this light switching the other light on and off.  (You may be able to verify this through some logging facility on the old Ring, as it'd have been turning on at night and off during the day.)  So, I'd tie the red wire here in with the black wire and the new Ring's hot wire, and see if both Rings power up at that point.


Wire 2 separate lights from a dedicated outlet plug

You can't pull from the microwave circuit under Code, so use the range hood circuit instead
Your 1700W microwave is far in excess of the 50% limit set by NEC 210.23(B)(2) on the total wattage of fixed appliances connected to branch circuits that also have lighting and/or general-use receptacles on them:

(2) Utilization Equipment Fastened in Place. The total rating
of utilization equipment fastened in place, other than luminaires, shall not exceed 50 percent of the branch-circuit ampere
rating where lighting units, cord-and-plug-connected utilization
equipment not fastened in place, or both, are also supplied.

As a result, attaching your switches to the microwave branch circuit is no good.  However, since your range hood pulls far less than the 10A/1200W maximum NEC 210.23(B)(2) sets for a built-in/fixed appliance on a general circuit, running the lighting off the range hood circuit will be fine, barring any local amendment that requires a dedicated circuit for the range hood (which sounds strange, but does exist in a few places in California).


Why do my garage door opener remotes need to be reset frequently?

What is the condition of the batteries in the remotes? Make sure that you have good fresh batteries so that a strong signal gets to the garage door opener base unit.

Also evaluate if it is possible that something has changed in the area around the garage door main unit. Have you recently placed some large metal object nearby that may affect the RF signal path from the remote to the base unit. Maybe an alumimum extension ladder or a metal storage cabinet.

Lastly is it possible that a neighbor may have a similar model opener to yours and it uses a "rolling code" security feature. Your opener could be picking up some stray signals from their opener and making yours get out of sync with your transmitter dongles.


First time changing switches and outlets (receptacles). Anything special I should know?

Yes, aside from checking with a tester to make sure the circuit is actually off... there are several subtle issues that frequently catch novices.

Don't remove screws all the way - they are captive. After some distance they will start getting stiff. Stop there, don't force them.

There's your tab. This $1 outlet was ruined, by soldering (!) and removing the screws.

Receptacles - Tabs

Most common North American style receptacles 2 sockets and 2 attachment screws.  Between the screws is a "tab" of metal that can be flexed back and forth and snapped off.

Check the tabs.  If your old receptacle has any tab(s) broken off, you must break them off on the new receptacle.

If you break one off by accident, and the receptacle is valuable, that's fixable.

On receptacles, brass screws are for hot and silver wires are for neutral.

Broken tabs and GFCIs, USB or other specialty outlets

Replacing a tab-broken outlet with anything else is a specialty task that calls for more research. Don't just cram the wires on anyway! The answer might be "but you lose functionality if you do".

GFCI receptacles otherwise

Take care to distinguish LINE from LOAD.

If you are replacing a plain outlet with GFCI, leave the warning tape on, and hook up only the LINE terminals (cap off spare wires). Power up the circuit and test the GFCI.  After it works, shut off the breaker and consider adding wires to LOAD if you want to use this GFCI to protect that downstream part of the circuit, which is a cost-saver if you know what you're doing. Otherwise, add those wires to LINE. Most GFCIs support screw-to-clamp for 2 wires per screw.

Switches - 3-way (UK: 2-way)

Anytime you see 3 or more screws (besides ground), watch out.   3-way switches are tricky, because screw position and wire colors are meaningless, and that's usually what novices go for.  Screw colors matter (or labeling).

One screw  will be black, and is called "common".
The two other screws are brass colored, and are "travelers".

I'm a big fan of buying a 5-pack of colored tape, and marking both travelers with yellow tape.  (alternately: blue tape). This makes it a lot easier to tell what's going on in a busy box.  There is no need to distinguish them from each other, so use the same color.  Two same-colored wires in the same cable suggests travelers.

Marking is helpful because the native wire colors of travelers mean nothing. I've seen 3-way circuits in a how-to guide where 3 different pairs of colors were used in the same 3-way loop!

4-way (UK: 3-way)

These switches have 2 brass and 2 black screws.   Two pairs of travelers attach.  One pair of travelers attach to the brass screws.  The other pair of travelers attach to black.  In most cases, it's easy to group them in pairs - any pair of travelers is always in the same cable or conduit.  Just make sure that is so.

For marking, I typically mark all 4 travelers yellow, since you can easily see the grouping by looking at the cables.


No. You are safe.  The sch-40 black iron pipe and the natural gas can easily withstand any heat from that situation. These set-ups are notoriously inefficient.  A good upgrade, though somewhat expensive, is a gas fireplace insert.


What should I do about this unfinished corner?

This will be a variation of what may have been mentioned already, but this is how I would handle it.

For the tall vertical piece, assemble 2 pieces of 1X material to make an outside corner that will mimic the left side wall where it meets the door. At the top add an additional piece of 1X to fill the void at the wood joist or beam at the top of the door. The idea is to bring the new material out in the same plane so when it is all painted out, it all looks like the same wall around the door. The only difference being new surfaces next to the older surfaces. The illustration will help depict what I mean, take note of the stunning green parts of the drawing that is referred to


How to install/connect Miniature Circuit Breakers ( MCB )

The MCB can be MOUNTED in either direction, but the wiring LINE IN side is always the end toward which the handle points when the breaker is ON.

That doesn't mean people do it correctly every time, and it will technically function if wired the other way (referred to as "back feeding"), but there are potential safety issues with back feeding.


Ground wire in the house but not in the fixture?

Many light fixtures are not grounded. If once installed there is no exposed metal even a brand new UL listed fixture may not have a ground. With a metal box the ground wire should be attached to the box by code. Once you connect the fixture to the box it would be grounded if it needed it.


Water is the amount of water coming into your house.  Sewer is (usually) the portion of it that you use inside the house and that goes out through your drains, toilets, etc.  See #2 below.  Sewer charges may also include a portion for storm water if your downspouts feed into a municipal sewer system.
During the summer, it's expected that some of the water will be used for watering your yard, so your sewer usage will be less than your water usage.  During winter, the two should be very similar.
In general, water in bathroom fixtures should be safe to drink, boiled or not; there's only one water main coming to your house, after all.  You may have additional filters on the water lines going to the kitchen faucets, which would make that water taste better (by removing chlorine, say).


They are not standard, but there seem to be a few common patterns.

Rockler's website has a guide for choosing a mounting plate for your router. These are the router models that they support:

  Group A routers: Makita 1100; Milwaukee 5615-5624; DeWalt 616-618; Bosch 1617-1618; Ridgid 2930 Combo Kit; Hitachi M12VC (fixed and kit); Porter-Cable 690, 890, 7529, 97529 and 8529. Note: Current models of the Porter-Cable 892 require at least two screws  to be 1/2" long versus 5/8".
  Group B routers: DeWalt DW621 and DW621K; Craftsman Standard; Freud FT 1700E and 1702VCEK
  Group C routers: Porter-Cable 7518, 7519, 7538 and 7539; Milwaukee 5625-20; Triton TRA001 and MOF001
  Group D routers: Bosch 1619-1619EV; Freud FT2000; DeWalt 625

They also offer blanks that you can drill to fit your router if it's not in the above lists.

On the "Tech Spec" tab of that page, they have PDFs that show the pattern for each of the four above groups, so if you measure the spacing of the holes in your table, you may be able to find one that fits.


Can I pull a new single conductor alongside an existing 14/2 wire for a fan+light install?

You cannot pull a single conductor.  (Retrofitting grounds is another story, that's allowed now.)

However, there may be "smart devices" to help you solve that problem, such as Infineon modules which which sit up in the fan/light and listen to electronic signals from a matching light/fan switch.  They are most commonly used on tavern style slow spinning ceiling fans, but I believe they make them for bathroom fans also.   Some also work with wireless remotes, smartphone and home-automation systems.


How can I remove smeared latex paint from a wood floor?

How old is it? A few days and you should be able to remove it with some a lot of elbow grease, hot water, and a non-abrasive cloth.

If you own a random orbit sander (if not, go buy one) you should just put a fresh coat on the entire floor. I recommend 150 grit sand paper, and a lambs wool applicator on a pole. Try not to sand completely through the finish; you just have to open it up so it can key into the existing layer.

Try w/e you want, as long as a complete refinish is in the cards if that doesn't work - because you'll have messed up the floor trying to find out.

If all is said and done, and there's dull spots in your floor, are you going to be satisfied? Just skip straight to the part where you make it look better than it did.


Adding the Sense electricity monitor to my breaker box

Attach it to the dryer's breaker.  This is fine because Sense is entirely contained inside a steel panel, so even if it entered the worst case scenario of the device drawing more current than its wires can handle, yet less than 30A, the panel enclosure would contain the damage.

Look at your dryer's breaker and see whether its labeling or instructions authorize use of two wires of dissimilar sizes. If not, you will need to get some #10 wire and pigtail it.  When using wirenuts on #10 wire, tighten it with great fervor especially if it is solid wire.   This would also be a great place to use mini-lugs, i.e. alumiconns.


No slope is a bad idea - sure, you can have the joy of vacuuming up water on the platform after every shower or bath...no, really you want drainage.
If the tub (as usual) stays put, you can set the tub level, and slope the surface around it (or under it, other than where the feet sit, if it has feet) to drain.
Honestly, my first thought here is that the tub base/surround should be a non-raised extension of the shower base. A step like that invites falls in the bathroom. You step out of the tub, it's further down to the shower floor than your brain expects, or you slip off the narrow step, and hurt yourself.
It should still be sloped to drain, while the part exactly under the tub should be level (and full of plaster, since I'm old-school that way with making plastic tubs be solidly bedded. Tubs that flex, crack.) Either raise the side towards the drain to be level, so the tub sits on a very short plinth, or let the surround base & tile flow up the skirt of the tub to embed it the half-inch to an inch it might need on the high side.


Would running a new subpanel in parallel meet NEC requirements? If not, what should I do?

A sub panel must have the neutral and ground isolated. Panels come with a very long, rather thick (about 1/4 x 20) green bonding screw that connects the neutral bar to the can in the case of a primary panel. You don't get a neutral from your utility, you create one with that bonding screw.

Sub panels should be fed with 3 insulated conductors of appropriate size, and a ground that need not be insulated (but can be, if you want). So the first part of your question is, yes, that sub panel must be grounded, but the grounding conductor should be attached to the can using a ground lug, not by landing it to the neutral bar.

Sub panels must also have a fused disconnect, which means they need to be fed from a breaker, and there can't be anything else on that breaker. Don't double tap. You have two options here:

Increase the size of the existing sub panel
Put in a new double pole breaker in the existing sub panel and use that to feed your new sub panel. Land the circuits you had to pull out of the existing sub panel into the new one.

As others have noted, you need to watch your loads. If all you need are a few convenience receptacles or a lighting circuit, you should probably be o.k. (hard to tell with what you've given).

Either way, get an amprobe and look at what each incoming phase is pulling in your existing sub panel prior to doing anything. Make sure everything is on when you do. If it's only pulling 25 - 30A on average, you should be o.k. to add a small 8 circuit sub panel. Since it's directly in the line of sight with the existing sub panel, the new sub panel need not have a main breaker since the means of disconnect is right next to it.

A six to eight circuit sub panel runs about $80 without breakers, they typically start at 50A, but you don't have to feed them with 50A. You could feed it from a 30A breaker if all you want are convenience receptacles and lights.

Here is an amprobe being used:

(source: amprobe.com)

Do that on your sub panel first (one phase at a time) just to be sure you have room to add more. If not, you need to replace your existing sub panel, and an electrician is really your best bet there.

Another good thing to do is measure the draw of the circuits you'll have to move to the sub panel in order to make room for the breaker that will feed it. Obviously, you want to move the circuits drawing the least to the new panel in the end. Some re-arranging might be needed to make that happen.

Since this is a garage, take care what you connect to the sub panel. If you are going to be powering something like a compressor (or anything else with a decent sized motor), carefully consider the locked rotor amperage when determining the load. It will be printed on the motor.

Finally, if any of this sounds overwhelming, call an electrician. If you get into any kind of trouble, call an electrician.


How do I seal a gap between concrete step and wood at outside of house?

The best solution here may be to clean up that area of all debris, let it be fully dry and then apply a bead of qood quality exterior grade caulking material. Since some of the siding looks like it will need re-priming and painting make sure that you use a paintable type of caulk.

Note that there are various types of caulk. I suggest that you use one of the types that will stay flexible and pliable so that environmental condition with thermal expansion and contraction do not cause the area to open up again. Some of the older types of caulking or sealers that came in a can can dry out and get hard in a year or so and are thus not recommended.


I would suggest that you review the manufacturer's specifications for the products you're interested in installing. Nobody will know the products better or have tested them in more conditions that the manufacturer. They'll be able to tell you the environmental constraints, like minimum and maximum temperatures and water resistance.
If you can't find these items listed on the spec sheets, use the "contact us" link that's bound to be somewhere on their web-site to send them a question to ask specifically.
As to which one is better - that's a personal opinion, and we can't answer that for you, especially since you haven't defined what criteria you're interested in measuring to determining "better".


Wiring hanging pool table light into outlet plug?

A couple schools of thought. First is the easiest and as far as pool tables go very appropriate and that is the old swag lamp kit. You can get one fairly cheap at your local big box store, connect a couple wires, screw in some hooks and plug it in. They already come with a switch.

If you do plan the harder route as you outlined above, think about running 14/2 Romex and concealing it in raceway. This is more attractive and safer than running a bare wire along your ceiling and wall. If you want that industrial look and want to be safer. You can run 14/2 Romex in metal conduit and mount to your walls and ceiling with conduit hangers.

All three scenarios simply need a quick dab of plaster in the holes you make for your fasteners when you move out.


The old wiring in your house appears to be old-style AC (BX) with cloth insulated wires in a paper overall wrap under the spiral armor (no bonding tape).  Its fault current capability in the event of a ground fault is limited -- the armor in this early BX, while grounded, is not up to current standards for an EGC (equipment grounding conductor).  I would check the newer wiring to make sure that the EGCs are continuous to the main panel, and fix all the miswired outlets for that matter (i.e. reversed wiring on outlets).

You could replace the ungrounded outlets on the BX circuits with what are known as self-grounding outlets if you wanted some sort of ground connection on them instead of none whatsoever, but I'm not sure that's essential with modern levels of GFCI and AFCI protection.


A siphon might be better if it is a lot of water.
1:  No hose will fit in.  That drain hole has a flat side.  I wondered what sort of plug thing would go it.  The answer looks like "none".  The instruction manual https://c.searspartsdirect.com/mmh/lis_pdf/OWNM/L0702364.pdf
says that water should just drip out into a pan.  Another source recommended a bunch of towels.
2:  You will need to reach through all the water to unplug the drain.  Doable but not fun.  I hope you have long, orangutan like arms for this endeavor, and in general.

Siphon.  I think you might be better off siphoning the bulk of the water out.  You can siphon it out with a garden hose to the drain.  You wont have to get wet or use all your towels.  I change the water in my aquarium this way.  If you want every last bit you can get that with the drain hole and the pan.

Are walls strong enough for this use?  I worry that if this freezer is really full of water and ice it will produce a lot of lateral pressure on the walls.  I do not think the walls of a freezer are made to withstand that kind of pressure.  Make sure the environment of this freezer will be safe if a wall comes loose while you are out of town.


Line Voltage Dropping when Microwave runs

With these being on 2 different circuits call your power company and report a problem. You could have lost a leg or a neutral , you could listen for arcs and sparks in your panel but if you keep trying appliances they may all get fried if the service neutral opened.


Re-mounting electrical switch box between studs after removing plaster and lath

The common method for dealing with this situation is to cut a piece of material that is nominally the same type of material as the studs and nail it between the studs as blocking. The electrical box is in turn mounted to the added cross piece.

Here is a picture of what one such blocking insert looks like (also known as header or noggin).


Could I cut out the affected area in a termite damaged joist or would I need to replace the whole joist if it's rotted at the end

In my estimation, that is not at all load bearing, it simply holds the flooring above up to keep it from being bouncy.
As short as it is, I'd suggest replacing the whole thing. With termite damage that severe at one end, you don't know how far into the middle of the remaining portion they may have eaten, so might as well get rid of the whole thing. The hard part is getting the board long enough to fully bear on both sills while being short enough for you to be able to actually get it in place - I'd imagine the original was dropped into those slots from above before the flooring went down.
I would be tempted to cut it to length, then cut it in half. This would allow you to slip each end into the notch for it and have them meet in the middle. Of course, now that it's cut in the middle means it's not going to support much. To fix that, take the left over piece of that 10' 2x10* you bought and sister it across the entire span. Sure, a 5' scab is probably overkill, but you've got the lumber, so why not. I believe that the general rule is about 2' on either side of a split/break, so you're only exceeding that by about 6" so why bother cutting it shorter.
Unfortunately, this will leave the floor boards above not attached to the joist, so you risk them squeaking. Pick up a floor squeak fix kit that includes clips that will screw into the bottom of the flooring, then into the side of the new joist. Putting one on every other floor plank above will probably do the trick. Leave the ceiling open for a week or so to see if that's sufficient, if not, add more.

*The existing joist looks to be rather old and rough finished, as a matter of fact, it looks like much of the lumber in my house. That means there's a non-zero chance that it's actually 2" x 10", not a nominal 2x10 (i.e. 1.5" x 9.5"). If that's the case, make sure you buy a 2x12 as your new floor joist, then notch down the ends to the exact height you need to slip into that pocket in the wall. If you don't, your nominal 2x10 will sit on the bottom of the pocket and not reach up to the floor, or you'll attach it to the flooring, but it won't rest on the bottom of the notch.
Oh, and your nominal 2x12 won't be wide enough to fully fill the pocket, either. That's less of a concern, since you'll be sistering 2 pieces. The 3" bearing surface against the flooring above, as well as the squeak-fix clips, should prevent it from twisting, turning, or "sliding" around in the pocket. However, you could use some 1/2" plywood shims to get a nice snug fit into the pockets, if desired. Cut the plywood to fit and drive the shims home (hammer and a sacrificial scrap of 2x4) after you've got the joist in place. Remember, too, that 1/2" plywood is also a nominal size ranging from about 0.4" to about 0.6" so be sure that you're getting ply on the thicker end of that range. Easier to sand it down to fit than to try to add additional wedges/shims.


How to detect minor leaks in problem area below skylight?

Rather than trying to find the location of the leak, I’d re-seal and re-flash the entire skylight.
I’m sure it’s not that large and if you fix one side of it today, then another side will have a problem next year.
I’d follow the manufacturers installation instructions if you have them. If not, I’d use “peel and stick” tape on all sides and make sure the tape correctly laps previous laps.


Paint bubbling and peeling on a steel door

I'd bet on "poor preparation/paint job" (given that preparation is 90% of a good paint job.)

If you wanted to, you could use a high-temperature paint such as engine enamel (typically good to 450F or more) (no need to go for the exhaust-manifold paints unless your doorframe is charring, I think.) I strongly suspect that's not really needed; you could put a magnet on a thermometer and stick it to the door to get a reading for what the temperature actually is some sunny day.


What can I do to make my new bathroom vanity more stable?

Screw it to the wall. A typical vanity has a wood strip along the upper back. Run some screws through the strip into the studs in the wall.

Do not use long screws. You run the risk of screwing a long screw into a pipe in the wall.


How to turn the contact rings in an empty fluorescent bulb socket from closed to open?

Those black pieces are meant to turn 360 degrees in any direction.  You already have a key to turn them, in the form of a fluorescent tube.  Keep the tube as close as possible to its proper position (i.e. don't try to do this at much of an angle).  Turn off fixture power.

Worse come to worst, if you break the lampholder (aka tombstone) or if that type just annoys you (they annoy me), new lampholders are fairly standard, common and cheap.  I typically pay 60 cents each for them and keep a bagful on hand. You can mix and match types though I prefer to keep "circular" types separate from "v" types.  Height is also a factor, they come in 3 heights.  Yours looks like a medium.  You don't want a short but a long will probably suffice.


48" fluorescent light fixture with two bulbs, but only one side works. . Can that be fixed?

Remove the metal cover from the fixture. There's a black ballast inside that is probably causing your problem. Take some pictures of the wiring and then disconnect all the wires going to the ballast, after turning off the power. Bring the ballast to a home store or electric supply store for a replacement. Then just re install it. A bit of friendly advise: just buy a new fixture as it will probably be cheaper than buying the ballast.


How can I remove carpet adhesive from hardwood floors?

Re-did some floors a couple of years ago with the same situation, two layers of carpets on hardwood floor with the bottom layer glued down. We used heat gun and scrapers to remove most of it, and then some glue remover on the worst parts. After doing this the person that came in and re-did our floors said that was not needed, especially the glue remover. He said the sander  would have taken it all off.

So I would still probably try scraping up as much as possible and then let the sander do the rest of the work.


Is it normal for there to be a small gap between toilet tank and wall?

Entirely normal. Among other things, the tank cover extends a bit past the tank so space has to be left for that. I'd be much more surprised if there wasn't a space there.


Does the toilet flange need to be bolted?

The bottom of the flange needs to be sitting flush with (or not more than 1/8" above) the finished floor or else the toilet will rock.  The flange should be fastened to the floor.  Dry fit the toilet to make sure it doesn't rock.  If it does rock, use shims to prevent rocking - just tightening the bolts probably will not stop the rocking but will risk cracking the toilet or breaking the flange.


A 125A subpanel being fed by a smaller breaker is absolutely fine.  If anything, make sure the panel is big enough in terms of the number of spaces.  More spaces are dirt cheap when buying the panel, running out of spaces is expensive.  I generally go straight for 200A panels even if I mean to feed it off 60A - I'm a bit of a zealot about spaces.

Your 100A breaker is a wild mismatch for your #8 cable.   Not even close.

You have several options depending on your circumstances, all radical.

Change the breaker to 40A

A subpanel is not a service.  Wiring to a subpanel gets its ampacity off the same table as branch circuits, the common NEC 310.15(B)(16).    Since you must pull out of the 60C table, that puts you at 40A.

Revisit the air conditioner/heater load.  I find it astonishing that a window air conditioner could possibly be 6kw and draw the same as a massive whole-house unit, unless it uses resistive heating instead of heat-pump heating.  Maybe it can work on a 20A circuit.  There is a narrow exception for certain motors, hence ThreePhaseEel's question about your motor nameplate on the A/C unit.  You should shoot him a pic of the nameplate.

Change cable

If you really want the circuit to be 100A, then upsize your cable to 1/0 aluminum.  (Running large copper such a distance is just a waste of money, and invites dissimilar-metal corrosion since the lugs you connect to will be aluminum.)

While this is the minimum size for 100A, it will also satisfy voltage-drop concerns as its drop will only be about 2%.

Beast of both worlds: 100A on the #8

This is beast mode, and not for the amateur who likes living.   Great care must be taken in installation to keep the super-zappy stuff away from loved ones.

If the cost of replacing the cable is prohibitive, and you need most of 100A, then your only remaining option is to "step it up" for transmission with transformers.

The power involved is 24,000 watts.  This happens at 240V@100A, 480V@50A, or 600V@40A.  40A is within the current limit of your wire.

So you get two 25,000 VA transformers that have 600V on the primary (@41 amps) and 120/240 on the secondary (@104 amps).  These things are not cheap, but can sometimes be had used.  Canada's 575V is close enough IMO.   Transformers are bidirectional, so the house's 100A breaker goes to the 240V secondary of one transformer.  This steps up to 600V on the primary, which is attached to the long cable.  The other end of the cable goes to the other transformer's 600V primary.  Its secondary gives 120/240V.

The transformer isolates, so it must be treated as its own separate service, and the neutral must be bonded to a local grounding rod and the grounding system, since the subpanel now counts as a main panel.  Now you can use the service feeder table for sizing your wires (#2 aluminum) between transformer and now-main panel.

Of the works, only a tiny bit is 600V, and that is isolated, so a person has a chance to survive casual touch.  Still, the installation should be designed to minimize exposure, e.g. Have the wire go straight to the transformer, no splices or reroutes, and put the transformer in an enclosure or outside.


Should I install a moisture barrier before installing engineered hardwood in a partial basement?

Use a combined moisture & sound deadening barrier like Roberts Unison 2-in-1.  I put this under my engineered bamboo floor.  It was an easy install and works great.


Is it worth it to replace T1-11 siding just to install house wrap?

I looked in the 2012 residential building code book I have and there is no exception for the building paper/tyvek. It is to be used in all instances of siding. Whether it be brick, cement board, shingle, or T1-11(panelized covering)
I added the term panelized covering because in the 2003 CABO and perhaps earlier, for your case, that was the code book used to govern building practices. I had a lot of that book memorized for the areas I needed like siding, headers, stairwork. My recollection for that time, that the building paper layer was not needed for panelized wall covering. What I claim, may or may not hold up to scrutiny, since my copy of that code book is buried away somewhere. It also depends on your area you live in and which code book that was followed, since there were a few different code books that were used back then. Nowadays since 2012, I think all building everywhere in the states is using the ICC IRC for single family homes.

In your case, if there is window flashing missing, and places rotting where the wood siding is too close to the ground or covered by shrubbery where the moisture can get in or is constantly present, building paper will not help.

In my experience, if the material is installed properly, with all proper flashings, seams nailed at the studs, proper laps at the studs, and I "back prime" my cuts and bottom edges so water will not wick up or into the layers of the T1-11. Your siding will hold up.


How to go about building an aquarium into a wall?

I am not a licensed carpenter but I have replaced walls and doors in my old house. Here is how I would do it.

I think you should not try to use a cantilevered or bracketed shelf for this. Make a strong table to hold the aquarium.

In the following I am assuming wood construction, with your walls made of the usual 2"x4" studs and wallboard.

The front edge of the table can rest on the bottom edge of the opening, with the back edge resting on four legs.

When you make the opening, cut the lower studs 4 inches shorter than the finished opening, and frame the lower edge with two 2"x4" standing on their short sides. This forms the front edge of the table frame. Don't worry if the ends of the edge don't line up with the studs.

EDIT The single 2"x4" studs may not be strong enough to serve as legs for such a heavy load. You should add more short studs by inserting them into the lower wall and nailing or screwing through the drywall. If the boiler side of the wall is unfinished then you can toenail the new studs but this is not strictly necessary.

Make two of the new studs line up with the ends of the front edge. You should have eight studs in all under the front edge. END EDIT

Make the side and back edges of the table frame similarly of paired 2"x4" nailed or screwed together.

The surface of the table can be of lighter construction because an aquarium rests on its own lower edges. The table surface serves mainly to keep the frame rectangular. 1/2" plywood should be enough.

The legs can be more paired 2"x4" or single 4"x4" each. Use four legs evenly spaced along the back edge.

Here is a rough sketch of what it might look like from the boiler room:

EDIT As Kyle points out, this sketch is incomplete. I have not drawn in the table top, the leg bracing, the header at the top of the wall opening, or the finish framing of the wall opening. END EDIT

You will have to figure out a way to keep the bottoms of the legs from being accidentally moved during any future work in the boiler room. In my house I would use a sill plate nailed directly to the concrete floor. You might want to use angled braces from the frame to the foot of the legs. Make the braces of 1"x3" or 1"x4".

Give the whole construction a couple of thick coats of paint to keep the splashes from soaking the wood and starting wet rot.


How can I repair damaged epoxy grout in a shower?

It is usually always better to use like materials when fixing something.  If you use regular concrete based grout to patch a hole in epoxy grout, not only can you not be sure of a texture and color match, there is the risk that different expansion rates will simply cause the concrete to crack.

Not to mention, concrete grout is not stain proof, nor water proof.  Epoxy grout is both.  So eventually the difference will show...


Normally the overflows do not plug up so it should have cleared the problem. the Best way to find out is plug the basin and fill until it is draining into the overflows. If it doesn't back up in a few seconds after starting to run in the overflow your system is working properly.


Is there something wrong with this trap that would cause a sewer smell?

Yes, it's an effective S-Trap.

S-Traps are known for siphoning and new construction only allows P-Trap installations. You have a long horizontal run after a P-trap that prevents the siphoning effect.

The outflow on an S-trap is a straight drop which under high flow conditions can allow more water to be drawn out of the trap than is needed for a water seal, hence the sewer gas.

The short term solution is to allow the sink to completely empty, then run a quart of water down the drain afterwards to make sure there's enough water down there.

The long term solution is to figure out how to re-plumb so you can install a P-trap.

On checking the vent stack, I've had to run a long pole down them to clear out paper-wasp nests.


Anyone heard of painting asbestos insulation tubes?

Yes. I have heard of that. I believe the main issue with asbestos is when it becomes dust and floats in the air and is inhaled into the lungs. Painting over that seals it in and prevents that from happening. It probably should be repainted whenever it starts to show wear.

You will probably need to use a government certified painter who will use special equipment to prevent the process from filling the air with particulates. (You'll have to check with your local government agency for exact requirements.) Asbestos is a very regulated substance.

The EPA's website has an Asbestos Page that covers the topic from a concerned homeowner's point of view with links and advice:

  How To Manage An Asbestos Problem

  If the asbestos material is in good
  shape and will not be disturbed, do
  nothing! If it is a problem, there are
  two types of corrections: repair and
  removal.

  Repair usually involves either sealing
  or covering asbestos material.

  Sealing (encapsulation) involves treating the material with a sealant
  that either binds the asbestos fibers
  together or coats the material so
  fibers are not released. Pipe, furnace
  and boiler insulation can sometimes be
  repaired this way. This should be done
  only by a professional trained to
  handle asbestos safely.
  Covering (enclosure) involves placing something over or around the
  material that contains asbestos to
  prevent release of fibers. Exposed
  insulated piping may be covered with a
  protective wrap or jacket.

  With any type of repair, the asbestos
  remains in place. Repair is usually
  cheaper than removal, but it may make
  later removal of asbestos, if
  necessary, more difficult and costly.
  Repairs can either be major or minor.

That page includes a section on "Asbestos Professionals: Who Are They and What Can They Do?". Also, farther down the page, under the heading "If You Hire A Corrective-Action Contractor" (I'm assuming your painting contractor would fall under this heading.):

  Contact your state and local health
  departments, EPA regional office, and
  the Occupational Safety and Health
  Administration  regional office to
  find out what the regulations are. Be
  sure the contractor follows local
  asbestos removal and disposal laws. At
  the end of the job, get written
  assurance from the contractor that all
  procedures have been followed.

You should put removal of that onto your "someday list" because that will come up as a negative if you ever want to sell your house.


How do I bend a wooden edging for a tile counter top?

Unless the wood is rotted or extremely old I doubt its age will have an effect on shaping. Commercial lumber is kiln-dried to a relatively low humidity anyway.

I can think of a couple of options for bending the wood:

Depending on how thin the edging is and how much it's going to curve, you may just be able to bend it by hand as you attach it. If you're talking just a gentle arc along the counter edge I think this would work, but if you want a tight turn at the corner than definitely not. Of course there is a risk of breaking it, so I would only try this if you have a spare piece or don't mind buying another.
Making a homemade steam box is easier than you might think, especially if you're a little handy and only want to bend a few pieces. You just need a closed container that's long enough to hold the item (a PVC pipe, or metal dryer vent, or some scrap plywood assembled in a box), and an electric kettle as the source of the steam. Cut a hole in the side of your box and connect it somehow to the spout or top of your electric kettle. E.g. a piece of garden hose, some tubing, more pipe, etc. Get the whole thing sealed up as best you can with duct tape / caulking. Then just fill up the kettle with water and turn it on! Ideally you would stick a meat thermometer in there so you can tell when the wood reaches an appropriate temperature. Any insulation you can wrap around the outside of the box will make the steaming process faster.
If the piece you want to bend is small, you can actually just stick it in the microwave to soften it up.


I am re- pointing between patio slabs using soft sand and a standard cement.The cement recommends 1 : 5 but should it be 1:3 for these slabs? I

To give a quick answer, if you have masonry cement yes, 1 to 3 for the mix. If you have portland cement, it needs to stay at 1 to 5.
Portland is much stronger than masonry cement which has lime in it I believe. If you use too much portland with the sand, the mix will readily crack due to shrinkage.


How can I fit a door in a frame that is too small?

Ok Kenny, here is the plan.  You can remove one Jack stud and door header with a sawzall(cutting between the studs to cut the nails) and some work. You can then replace the jack stud with a 3/4" board cut to 3 1/2" width and the new 3/4" higher height.  Put a 3/4" block on top of the remaining jack stud and reinstall the header 2X4. It will still fit between the outside studs and be supported 3/4" higher then before.  Obviously, you will have to trim some drywall away to do this, but that can be pieced in and patched fairly easily and if you're careful cutting it before the demo begins. The drywall seam may be covered by the door trim.  The result will be a finished opening 3/4 inches wider and taller than you started with. Your new door should slide right in!  Good Luck.


Building on top of 3/4'' plywood subfloor

The 3/4 sub sub floor is sufficient.

I have some comments about Redguard on the shower floor.

While the product (and others like it) is rated for a directly-under-the-tile waterproofing, I have some cautions (directed at the installation in the DIY blog article) :

Be sure you do a minimum of 2 coats, at right angles (as recommended).  Be sure you lightly hone the cement base with a rubbing block, for a bump-free surface, before coating.  If you have any voids, fill them in with the thinset you will use, before coating (using a portland cement thinset, not a premixed mastic thinset)

Be aware that the unprotected Redguard IS NOT abrasion, scuff or scratch resistant.  A dropped tool or tile will cut it.  Be very careful walking and kneeling on it..

Consider using a sheet membrane product (Kerdi, NobleSeal TS) for the floor and using Redguard on the walls only.  I would put the Redguard at least 4ft high on the walls or a foot higher than wherever the direct spray would hit the wall opposite the spray head (whichever is higher).


How best to secure rigid duct near a ceiling penetration

I think you are being too concerned about support of your pipe down where the working space is limited.  Attach the hood fan itself rigidly.  Secure your round vent damper rigidly to the hood fan.  Then secure your vent pipe rigidly to the vent damper.  (Through away the 3-1/4" back draft damper.)  This will easily support four or five feet of 6" 30-guage round pipe with an elbow and insulation.  As soon as it is practical start using your plumbers tape at regular intervals. Insulate the pipe well. The entire length must be well insulated. Leave the insulation light and fluffy.  Don't strap it down tight.  This kills the insulation value.  Use another elbow as you pass through the roof.  Try to keep it tight to the roof line.  Cut some dove tails in the upper elbow on the top side of the roof.  screw them down to the top side of the roof. Install your roof vent cap over it. Now fry fish to your hearts content. P.