What is the difference between "Input" and "Output" values on power adapters? Which one represents the amount of power being drawn from a circuit?

Power adapters convert the electricity from one voltage to another voltage, and sometimes between AC and DC.

The quick answer to your question is to multiply the INPUT voltage by the INPUT current. In this case, you likely have 120 V input (if you're in the United States). So, the MAXIMUM power would be 120*0.24 = 29 W, though the actual power usage is likely less than this. With efficient power supplies, it will be better to look at the electrical requirement of your device rather than the power supply's maximum power rating. For example, if the device uses 1.2 A at 5 V DC, it would use a maximum of about 6 W. I would multiply this number by about 1.2 to account for power supply inefficiencies, so your system may use about 7.2 W max.

And here's some related information about power supply efficiency that is somewhat relevant to the question (that I wrote before carefully reading the question):

The INPUT is what sort of electrical system you need to supply to the adapter (i.e. what your power company supplies).

The OUTPUT is what is supplied to your device.

Note that he amount of DC electrical power is calculated by multiplying the current by the voltage (P=I·V). For AC, this product is the maximum power that could be used, though the actual amount could be lower because of the power factor (P=I·V·PF), and the power factor is typically between 0.7 and 1.0 (except for some motors).

Because of inefficiencies in the power adapter not all of the input power is able to be output. This extra power is turned into heat. So, the input power is always larger than the output power.

In your example, the power adapter is rated to use a maximum of 58 W (0.24*240), but can output only 5*1.5=7.5 W. So, worse case based on the label, it will use 58 W, but only supply 7.5 W to your device, so about 13% efficient. Efficiency is defined as the output power divided by the input power.

Power supplies usually do not draw their maximum power during usage: They try to draw only the amount of power the device wants. So, this adapter usually won't be drawing 58 W. In fact, modern power supplies will use less than 1 W when plugged in with their device turned off and have inefficiencies of >90%. So, knowing the maximum does not tell you their typical usage.

One quick test of the efficiency is to check the temperature of the power supply. The hotter the power supply (while plugged in), the less efficient it is.

When choosing a power supply to reduce energy use, pay attention to their efficiency and not their energy use. New supplies should be rated as to their energy usage using roman numerals (I,II,III,IV,V) based on an international standard. Class V is currently the best efficiency rating, and will mean that the drawn power will closest to the supplied power, in which case you should look at the devices required voltage and current to get an idea of the power used.


How do I clean thinset from Quartizte Wall Tile?

If you are reasonably careful you can pick up a bottle of muriatic acid (the trade name for HCL) at the hardware store. Dilute it according to the instructions and gently scrub with a nylon brush. The acid will dissolve the mortar while leaving the quartz.

It goes without saying that reasonable care includes not using excessive amounts or spilling it on any cement-based surfaces you're worried about etching. I'd suggest working from a pail with a brush so you don't apply too much. You'll see bubbles in the acid while it's reacting with the mortar which will slow and cease as the pH normalizes. Then you can wipe down the tile with a damp cloth and move onto the next.


The short answer is do the most effective of the available option for each room. You may not get them all set up exactly the same.
For most modern basements in Minnesota the supplies are in the ceiling near the windows and the returns are low on an opposing wall. That's the ideal, in my opinion. You get better flow over and around the window with this arrangement since the air can be directed downward, along the window. It's difficult to do that from a wall vent, so condensation and frost build up more readily, and the air near the windows feels colder (and therefore more drafty).
Obviously it's difficult to get a vent below a window on an exterior wall, and you wouldn't want to compromise your insulation and HVAC air temp by doing so anyway.


Daisy chain or dedicated outlets in wiring my RV?

If each outlet is on its own breaker then you have probably used more cable compared to having two or more on a circuit, as well as paid for a few extra breakers.

What you have not done is compromised your safety.

This way if any one outlet "sees" or detects a fault then the other outlets will continue - unless the inverter shuts down.


What is the name of this tool? It almost looks like an Allen without the wrench

This is just an Allen driver bit - you use it with a detachable head screwdriver.


My dehumidifier doesn't seem to be working, but my indoor humidity is around 22%. Is this normal?

Take my advice with a grain of salt – I live on an extremely humid island – but my dehumidifier can be set not to work below certain relative humidities, and those are 40%, 60%, and 80%. A quick googling turns up a number of sites that suggest 40%-50% as the ideal range for health and comfort.

It may depend on where you live (Arizona?), but the 16%-22% you're seeing strikes me as very low. If that's what humidity is like throughout your house, even without the dehumidifier, I think it's safe to say you don't need one. I would wager that they don't really make consumer dehumidifiers that can remove moisture too far below that.


Should I descale my Saniflo macerator after neglecting to do so for many years?

Yes use their descaler they recommend it for a reason. Life expectancy is 10 to 20 years. It is out of warranty by 14 years and close to end of service life. Take care of your poo squisher.


Add a ceiling access panel above shower valve area for future plumbing access?

Access panels installed in hidden locations like under cabinets or in a closet can be a great idea, but I wouldn't put one in a visible location until its needed.  There are repair panels that are made to be easy to install in a drywall hole cut in drywall.  You may never need it, so looking a that panel until you do seems extreme.

Plastic would be better in a damp location because metal will almost always rust over time even if it starts with what seems like a very good painted finish.  Even if you don't mind the look of the panel the next owner is going to be very suspicious of why the panel is there, and they will not like the look of it.


Should I pigtail from the bundle of neutrals in order to get the needed neutral connection?

Yes.  Just make sure the connector you use, is rated for the number and size of wires you're connecting.


Why do two of three bulbs burn out in my light fixtures?

I may not agree with others but many times it is the connection to the lamp that is the problem. The center conductor getting folded down a little more than the others and the lamp arcs until it no longer makes a connection.
I would try (with the power off) to lift the center tab a little. These tabs are many times brass and they do have some spring to them.
A kitchen knife to lift it up a little like 1/4” so it makes a solid connection may be the fix you need to have lamps that last closer to the same life time.


If there's a damper on the outside end of the dryer vent, and the water pipes are in at least occasional use, and the space gets some heat from the rest of the house, then you should be fine.

A more detailed answer would require more information, e.g. how cold is "very cold weather", a diagram of the situation, etc.


Is cleaning out the main sewer line a regular scheduled maintenance item?

It depends, if the sewer is well designed, well built and does not have any issues, and you don't put a lot of fat down it will be ok for a very long time with no maintenance.

However if it "has issues" then you may wish to have it snaked before it gets blocks and becomes an expensive after hours service call.

The problem is you wont know until it gets blocked next time if you should have done the maintenance….


Seeing that you have a solid wood door, it would be no issue to cut the bottom off the 1/4"+ to get it to clear the floor. If you have an electric door planer would be the simplest way to trim the bottom, using extreme care on starting and stopping the cuts. The typical way of cutting the bottom is with a circular saw, protecting the door from scratches from the shoe of the saw, and scoring the face of the door to minimize splintering from cutting.


How can I make a door open or close depending on the door position?

Doors tend to open or close automatically not because their hinges are loose or slightly rotated, but because their hinge pins are not plumb.  The doors could have been hung that way intentionally (or not), or their walls could have tilted as the house aged.

To have a door move on its own to the nearest open/closed position, the center of mass of the door needs to be at its high point when the door is at threshold for open/close, which in your diagram would be 60 degrees.

Imagine that the dark line at 60 degrees in your drawing is a vertical geometric plane strecthing from floor to ceiling.  Both (or all 3 if that is the number) of the hinge pins must be in this plane, with the lower hinge pin 'sticking out' into the room.  Thus hung, a free swinging door in a room with no significant air drafts will behave as you desire.

To accomplish this, you may need to do one or both of these:

A) shim between the hinge leaf and its mortise in the jamb

B) move the hinge screws left or right by filling the screw holes with wood splinters/dowels + glue and then re-drill pilot holes the the left or right of the previous holes.

Some ideas for shimming are:

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

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

3) Simpson tie plates, trimmed to fit.

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

Note 1: The farther 'out into the room' the lower pin, the greater the driving force.

Note 2: The heavier the door, the 'closer in' the lower pin can be to achieve the same opening/closing force.

Note 3: For uncommonly tight hinges, the door will swing freely only if the hinges are mounted such that the pins are co-linear as well.  A bit of lubricant on the pins may help in this regard in intermediate cases.

Note 4: For walls/jambs that are severely out of plumb, the jambs themselves will need to be first reset to plumb.

Note 5: 1972 Patent for Center-of-Mass Hinges


Why am I hard pressed to find framing nails that meet code at my local retailers?

You say, "For example, the IRC calls for 16d common nails (3-1/2" length, 0.162" shank) all over its fastening schedules."  This is true, but it also lists (in same schedule) how many 3" x 0.131" nails or staples are required. (See IBC Table 2304.9.1)

For instance, Item 16: Stud to Bottom Plate: 2 - 16d; or 3 - 3" x 0.131" nail; or 3 - 14 gage staples.

I don't think the Building Officials are ignoring the nailing requirements for various fasteners.  I think they know the required nailing for pneumatic nails or staples.


Is it common to have wire leading to dishwasher without an intermediary plug?

a 3-wire connection poking out between the drywall and the floor,
  hardwired onto screws on the dishwasher.

The poking out from a gap part is not right - there should be a junction box and cord stain relief. Likewise, there should be a cover for the connection on the dishwasher itself, not exposed live electrical screws. Other than those, it's not uncommon.


How do I install a WiFi thermostat with a Well-McLain steam boiler?

Yes - but you will need to run a new thermostat wire.  With your setup, the thermostat wire you run will need three conductors.  However, consider installing one with five conductors or more for a few extra dollars - helping to future-proof your wiring.

Old 'two-wire' thermostats worked like a switch.  The house got cold, the thermostat made a connection, 24VAC was sent to the boiler until the warm house broke the connection.

Your new thermostat needs constant 24VAC (that's where the C wire comes in) as supplied by your transformer, and uses the third wire to communicate with the boiler heating relay. Thermostat uses the 24VAC to operate, and when there is a call for heat, it sends a 24VAC signal to the boiler.


How to run an additional coax cable into into the attic for a TV antenna?

I installed cable for Time Warner for several years. There is no good way to get an additional cable down that wall and have it inside the wall, especially with those short slats holding it to the concrete. As you noted, the roof line right there makes it downright impossible to drill a hole from above.

You do have a number of options though that may meet your needs:

You can use the existing cable to connect your antenna.

I would recommend you run a RG6 coax line from your antenna in the attic to where ever all of your cables terminates (You'll also need something like this). This may be in a central location in the house, or it may be on the outside of the house. Most likely its in a spot that's easier to get another cable to than that wall.

Once you have the antenna there, you can utilize a splitter to connect your antenna to as many outlets as you want to receive the signal. If its only one location, you can use a barrel connector. If you have more than 5 outlets, you should utilize a signal booster; and in general you should try and use good splitters. A good splitter will typically put 3.5 - 5 db's of resistance on a line.

You could run the additional line on the outside of your house

Drill up through the eve of your house being careful to ONLY go through one layer (You don't want to go all the way through one layer and then through the roof). Utilize a grommet to cover the hole, stuff a bunch of RG6 into the attic, and then use a coat hanger hook on a broom handle or something similar in the attic to pull the cable and connect it to your antenna.

On the outside wall you'd then utilize anchors and screws or tapcons with cable clips to hold cable ties to neatly run the cable down the exterior wall. You would then drill through the wall with a masonry bit, and preferably a hammer drill (You can rent them at Home Depot). Have your cable go down past the hole, and then do a loop back up and through the hole you drilled. This makes it so that water dripping down the coax does not go in the whole.

On the inside of your wall, cut a whole where your drill came through and use one of the low-voltage short drywall boxes to hold your outlet. You're now good to go.

You could run the wire on the outside of your interior wall

Home Depot / Lowes sells a number of channels for hiding a cable. Carefully drill a hole through your ceiling into the attic and stuff a bunch of cable up there, get it with a broom with a coat hanger and hook it to your antenna, etc.

On the inside you can hide the cable in one of the electrical channel things you can buy at Home Depot.

You could try to put two holes in your wall to get the wire in the attic
I don't recommend you do this, as its REALLY easy to mess up with as close as your drywall is to the cement block; but it can be done. This answer best answers your specific question, but I don't really recommend it.

Get one of those low-voltage, short boxes from Home Depot or Lowes and cut out a hole in your drywall about 1-2" below the top of your wall. Utilizing a drill at an angle, drill a hole upwards through the furring strip on the top of the wall. Be VERY careful to not go crazy, or you can drill through that strip AND through the roof. Once you've drilled through that, stuff a bunch of cable into the attic and hook it like I described before to get it to your antenna.

Then cut a second box directly below the first hole, again using the low voltage boxes. Stuff a bunch of cable down the high up whole and utilize a coat hanger / hands to try and pull it down the bottom part. You can also use fish tape, or fish rods; but I wouldn't necessarily buy them for one job.

Once you have them down; finish them as before. You can put a blank wall plate over the hole that is up high.

Hopefully these help. I'll try to add some links to what I'm talking about with the various steps to hopefully help.

I think the first solution is by far the best solution.


Wiring the Auxiliary switch on a 3-way switch

After receiving help, I realized that the switches were just faulty and my wiring is correct. I did also consult with an electrician who also told me that 1 in 4 of these switches can be dead on arrival. In my case, 3 of the 3 were dead.

For some more additional information on the dead switches:

Measuring with a multimeter of traveler wire to ground.

Pressing "off" on auxiliary brings 120V to 95V
Pressing "on" on auxiliary brings 120V to 105V

My guess here that the internal wiring of the primary switch was fried and could not interpret these signals, which was my issue.

I'd 100% recommend turning off the power as if you send a 120V through the traveler wire in any way to the primary or the auxiliary switches, you will absolutely fry these switches.

Buying another one of these pairs and wiring them up properly did the trick.


LED Bulbs - Which Measure is the Best Indicator Of Efficiency

Watts per lumen is the way I evaluate With more lumens per watt  is the best way because you have to look into the numbers to figure out how it was calculated for savings based numbers. I have seen 2 LED lamps with the same voltage & lumens show quite different saving numbers. The last thing to think about is the color frequency. For my home and plant I go for higher numbers for 2 reasons, 5k+ helps to reduce SAD and looks more like daylight. Down around 3k looks yellow/ orange and althow some lamps may score higher energy savings at a lower # this is based on incandescent lamps that match this color.  the "warmer 6k lamp" used less power and to the human eye looks brighter the older technology led were advertised as more cost savings based on lower initial cost (due to older technology). Added per request; I live in Oregon where SAD is a problem because of cloudy sky's a broad spectrum higher color frequency light ( in the blue spectrum) helps reduce the affects when I worked at HP the plant was relamped with 6k lamps to combat this issue. Some rooms use only yellow light to prevent the photo masks from being exposed a test was done in 1 area where the operators that worked in the photo area spent at least 15 minutes with direct exposure to 6k & 6.5k at higher than normal light levels and the "sick time" for the area dropped after that they did the plant relamp and 3-4 years later the average "sick time" across the entire site was reduced by 3% according to the site health nurse.


Why is the water supply for my refrigerator not turning on?

When you first turned the valve on, did you hear any movement of water at all? If so, the problem lies in the fridge (to get any further help here, give us the model #). If not, there is an upstream valve somewhere, or the plumbing is disconnected. If you're unsure, you could always disconnect the fridge, and open the valve a tiny bit to ensure water does come out of the line (obviously be careful not to spray water everywhere).

If the lines goes down through the floor, and you can see underneath the kitchen floor, you should be able to trace the line back and find any valves. If it is going through the cupboards, then it probably connects under the kitchen sink.

If it's going into a finished space, then you'll have to do some guessing. Hopefully no one was dumb enough to hide a valve behind drywall, and certainly not in the 'off' position, but it's always a possibility.

See if you can find the same size tubing anywhere, probably wherever the closest plumbing to the fridge is. Not much else uses the 1/4" or 3/8" flexible tubing typically used. From an unfinished area, you also might be able to see between the joists into the space above the finished area, and this might help you locate pipes as well. If you can't fit your head in, a camera (possibly with a flashlight instead of the built-in flash) can be very handy for getting a peek.

Fridge supply lines often connect with saddle valves. These are terrible little valves that usually fail after being used a few times, but at usually fail in the 'on' position (or in otherwords, leak).

Since you already have a valve behind the fridge, it's probably not a big deal (eg, the saddle valve can be kept in the 'on' position), but if you do end up having to ever deal with it (or you have a plumber in anyway) you might want to replace it with a T and proper compression valve.

  Aside, I didn't notice till after I posted it, but in that random picture of a saddle valve I found, it looks like there is another saddle valves above, probably failed, with a crimped copper tube coming out of it (maybe in a sad attempt to seal it?). Perfect illustration of why not to use saddle valves. Pretty sure the one in the middle is just a ground wire connection.

Keep an eye out for any other (closed) valves as well, as it's possible there's a bigger line running to the fridge before it changes to the smaller tubing. Likewise, keep an eye out for disconnected tubing, as it's possible someone ran this line but never actually connected it.

If you still can't find it, the next thing is to call in someone experienced (eg, a plumber), and if you REALLY can't find it, cut open the ceiling below the fridge and start tracing that way. Depending on your skill levels and how destructive you're willing to be (aka, how much you're willing/able to repair) you will have to decide how far to go before calling a pro.

Good luck!


Should my furnace closet have this huge duct opening into the unconditioned vented attic?

All right, I found a manual for a nearly-identical unit and cross-referenced what it says with applicable sections of the 2012 International Fuel Gas Code. Now I feel like I have a much better idea of what's going on.

The huge duct is supplying input air for combustion and dilution through the attic, which is code-approved and is sized correctly. There's a hole in the ceiling of the furnace room that I didn't even notice; it's for the output air. It all corresponds perfectly to this illustration in the code:

The alternative is to get the air partially or wholly from inside the conditioned space as long as the building envelope's tightness isn't 0.4 air changes per hour at 50 pascals of pressure or better, which my house most certainly is not (that's Passivehaus-level!). In this case, I would need 50 cubic feet of interior airspace per 1000 BTUs of all interior gas-fired appliances. The furnace draws 125k (waaaay too high), and the gas range is capable of drawing 54k when the oven and all the burners are firing. So the worst-case scenario is that I need 8950 cubic feet (or 1118 square feet) of interior space when all these appliances are in use. I don't have that; the whole interior is only 1100 square feet, and I can't even count bedrooms and bathrooms that have doors, reducing the amount of square footage I can use for combustion air purposes to 650, or 5200 cubic feet, or a maximum of 104,000 BTUs worth of gas drawn by interior gas appliances. Even downsizing the furnace, I will still likely exceed that, and the deficit will get worse as I air-seal the building envelope.

So I have to keep the existing setup, which is all kosher with the code and perfectly safe. And I'll never get carbon monoxide poisoning. So that's good.

The question becomes how to offset the energy penalty of having two huge penetrations into the conditioned space where outside air can flow. I'm thinking that my best option is going to be separating the furnace closet from the rest of the house as much as I can. There are huge holes and thermal bypasses which I'll be sealing up, and if possible, I'm going to add insulation to the stud bays separating the furnace closet from the rest of the house. In essence, I'll turn it into a mini-unconditioned-space within the conditioned space.


Can't remove single handle shower handle

Confirming from the fine manual it appears you're on the right track-- remove the set screw then pull.

You may be able to use a faucet puller tool for slightly more leverage.
If there is a buildup of mineral deposit or corrosion you may need to use a chemical to loosen the threads.


Should I lubricate moving parts of electric dryer? If yes, then how?

Your Dryer manufacturer should have a part number for lubricants that are used for those components - if you want the correct lubricant - that is where to get the correct type maybe even find a second source for it if they provide a manufacturer and type.
However some bearings are sealed bearings and if they are sealed they aren't to be lubricated - but replaced.


Looks like a dry well. If so, then it is a drain of sorts.


What is this three-wire cable hanging from my ceiling?

If there was a black wire in there, I would say it was a telephone line. The fact that the crimps are on red and green supports that theory, as red/green are the first to be used.  (black/yellow were spares; they got a variety of uses such as Princess phone backlights, second phone lines and the like.)

It's also conceivable that it's doorbell or thermostat cable, or phone cable re-tasked for those purposes.  (phone wire is a little light for that).

It's definitely not AC power.


There are very small tank type units, but around 1gal is the smallest that seems to be available.

Here is one that is really small and quite reasonable, and from a reputable company.

You can gauge the size by the relationship of the typical pressure switch to the rest of the unit.

http://www.amazon.com/Senco-PC1010-1-Horsepower-1-Gallon-Compressor/dp/B0000AQK78


my house has old warped joists. Is joist blocking safe?

I would sister several of the joists, then add solid blocking in each span. The blocking might not be critical, but the ceiling is now open so why not? Solid blocking does not need strapping across the bottom.
Look closely where the joists meet the load-bearing wall at each end. A 2x6 ledger might give extra assurance. Look at the rest of the floor structure for any splits, sags, movement, etc.


Is voltage on the ground conductor a sign of short circuit?

I am not sure where you live, but I have never seen that particular type of conductor connector. In answer to your first question you probably don't have a short circuit. If you did you wold have your overcurrent protection tripping or blowing if it was a fuse.

In answer to your last question, yes you have a problem with the splices. I appears they are not making a good mechanical or electrical connection. This is causing a fluctuation in your normal current flow. From what I can see is that your splices are failing. You need to go through you residence and clean and  replace as many of these as you can find. I would use a standard wire nut.


Benefit to running electric wires through walls vs attic/basement? 1-story house

Doing the downstairs wiring in the basement is usually the way to go for the first floor, it's almost always easier to work in an unfinished basement than an attic.

If you can find someone that's experienced with homes with this older style of architecture everyone will be happier.


When to turn on backup water powered sump pump

Normally each pump has its own float switch . They are set to increasing water depths so each one comes on independently at successively higher water levels in the sump . So the first pump comes on at depth X. The second at X + 3", the third at X + 6" , etc. ( A neighbor had 4 pumps in his sump.).I suggest the final pump to switch on should be battery powered or ( I guess) a jet pump powered by water as you have. Must admit I have never seen a jet sump pump. In other words it seems to defeat the purpose of a "backup" pump if you have to be there to turn it on.


Basement rough-in. Converting plumbing from a tub to a fiberglass shower

That pipe that is pictured above the floor may be the beginning of a vent pipe. Yes it does look like there is a trap below the floor, from what I can see, a little more dirt removed would have been good, but it looks like it is there. If the tubs bottom is high enough, you will not need to remove more concrete, the drain of the tub can set above the concrete floor, most tubs do not allow that. Most likely you will need to break out about 8-12" more under the tub to set the drain. Typically the trap is glued in last so the pipe from the overflow and tub drain is a straight shot down into the J bend of the trap. With the way it is assembled now, you will need to add a few otherwise unnecessary elbows to get it to connect. If you leave it that way add a clean out real close in case it clogs. More elbows equals easier clogs.


How Do I Connect 00 AWG Wire to a 100A breaker?

Short answer - you don't. I'll echo what others have said - don't guess - find out what you have. Size and whether copper or Al. Find out if you can make splices in your panel per local code and (if allowed) splice down to the correct maximum size that the breaker will accept. Tester says it correctly - 4 wires needed -2 hots, a neutral and a ground, but the ground wire may be a size smaller than the required "hots".
ALSO - once finished, will you have two separate services both feeding off the meter pan? It sorta reads that way. I do not believe you're allowed to "Piggy back" wires on the meter pan and in my locale there must be one main to turn off everything. So- one main panel to feed two sub-panels. Draw and post a diagram if you can take a picture of it. Indicate hots in red and black, neutral in white and ground in green. This is the level of detail you need to understand it, if you do this as a DIY. About a year ago, I took on a sub-panel and ran flex metal cable throughout a new shop. I researched the heck out of. It was not that hard to learn and obey all safety rules, whether or not you have code enforcement.


Wiring up modern ceiling rose in old house

Based on the first and last images ie old rose and new rose, then:

1) the red wire goes to the brown on the new rose,

2) the two black ones to the blue wire on the new rose and

3( the green or earth or ground wires go to the brass terminal on the new rose.

You don't have anything to use "loop", which would be for feeding the "next" light.


There are fire stop caulks that are designed for use with CPVC. Just check the tube before you buy to make sure it specifies CPVC compatible.


Although difficult to see and you are not sure if you have exposed the base drywall, I suspect what you have is painted wallpaper. The drywall paper rarely comes off easily without taking some gypsum with it. Because you have described three distinct layers, you may have wallpaper that has been skim coated with mud or primer then painted. What typically happens when wallpaper is coated or painted is that the wallpaper paste is reactivated or wetted by the coating put on it. The added weight of the overcoat tends to pull the paper away from the drywall. Short of stripping a large area, you could try using a sharp utility knife and score a square around the area. Then peel to the score which should leave a clean border, hopefully at a point where there is still a good bond of all the different layers. you could lightly sand that border to ease the edge, then apply a coat of mud or spackle.  If the area is not too large, I prefer lightweight spackle because it dries very quickly and has less tendency to react with the existing wallpaper, wet it and cause it to separate from the drywall  even more.


Alright, a note on your diagrams -- line and load are purely electrical designations that have no relevance to the mechanical placement of cables in the box.  That said, your box is wired as follows:

"Line 3" is likely the actual circuit coming into the box
"Load" is carrying unswitched power out on both wires (black and red) for some odd reason
"Line 1" goes off to the garage flood light
"Line 2" goes off to the porch light
"Line 4" goes off to the foyer light

Given this, we can determine that your existing plan for installing the timer is incorrect -- the timer's blue load wire needs to go to the black wire coming out of Line 1, while the timer's black line wire needs to go to the junction that feeds all the switches.


Is this normal, is it trying to take 1 hour and 30 minutes to get to 70 degrees?

It depends. Let's back up and talk about what Honeywell likes to call "In Recovery".

When you set your thermostat up, the thermostat has to learn how fast your HVAC can change the temp. It does this during a natural cycle so you're not running your heater in Summer or vice versa. Once it knows about how long the process will take, it will then kick the HVAC in so that it reaches your desired temp at the time you set it for. In other words, when you set it to 70 by 6:30am, it's going to kick your heater in earlier to reach that temp by 6:30, not to start trying to change it at 6:30.

Now, 90 minutes for a 7 degree change sounds nuts but if it's stuck in learning mode it might be confused as to how long it takes. You might want to consult your manual (or call Honeywell) and see if there's something not correct there.


Why is the cut using a jigsaw not a perfect straight line?

Jig saws are designed for cutting curves.
You can cut straight lines and generally you followed the correct procedure - using a straight edge. Your picture of the cut is pretty blurry, so it's hard to tell for sure, but there are several possibilities:

The piece of wood you used as a straight edge isn't as straight as you thought. Usually one uses a metal or plastic straight edge - one that is manufactured to be straight. Either a ruler, a level, or a specifically designed cutting straight edge.

If you're starting in with tools, wood working and house projects, get yourself a level and plan to clamp it carefully to use as a straight edge.
Depending on the design of the level, this might be easy or difficult. Purchase one with the thought of clamping as a straight edge to get more than one use out of your tool.

You didn't follow the straight edge as carefully as you thought you did.

Note my initial comment that jig saws are designed for cutting curves. That means that the slightest variation from dead straight will end up with a wavy line.
You have to have a thick enough straight edge, clamped well enough, that you can actually continually pull the base-plate of the jig saw against the straight edge. If you don't, it will tend to wander off because that's what they're designed to do.

It does appear that your blade has a lower tooth-per-inch count. I'd guess it's between 6 and 9 teeth per inch.

These blades are good for "general purpose" cutting and especially for fast cutting. They generally do not make a "pretty" cut. They generally leave a pretty ragged cut edge behind.
If you want a smoother cut, a higher tooth-per-inch blade is what you want. Something that has 12 or more teeth per inch. Be aware, however, that these will cut slower, and are often designed for cutting metal. They will cut wood just fine, but they will cut slowly in comparison to the faster cutting wood blades.

Once you get some practice with the saw, you will get to be pretty good a following your pencil line free-hand (without a straight edge), but it's not likely that you'll ever generate dead-straight lines with a jig saw (especially not free-hand). It's just the wrong tool for the job.
Some additional thoughts:
Jig saws are used for curved cuts, but also for notching or stopped cuts where you need to cut into a board, but not all the way through from one edge to the other. You use it to cut straight in from the outside edge of the wood, straight to the corner, then you nibble away at the turn until you've got enough clearance to make a 90° (or whatever is called for) turn, then make the next straight cut. Continue this for as many interior corners as you need.
None of this is to say that you

Can't make straight cuts with a jig-saw (everyone has agreed that it's possible, but it takes practice and it's very unlikely they'll ever be laser straight), or
Can't use it for making full edge-to-edge cuts. Generally, though, a through cut is made with a circular saw because that's what they are designed for.

Since you've already purchased the jig saw (and may not be able to return it for refund), go ahead and use it. Make some practice cuts to get the hang of how to use it and accept that your cuts will likely never be perfectly straight. If you do need a really neat final cut, adjust your cut to give yourself a smidge (1mm or so) of room to manually clean up the cut using a different technique as noted in Joe's excellent answer.
Finally, it looks like your "option" blade is labeled "extra clean cut". That will help make a nicer cut, but what you really want is a wider blade - one that has more distance between the points of the teeth and the smooth non-cutting side of the blade. This width is what will help the blade track straighter, though it still isn't the magic bullet for straights cuts.
Another, additional thought
Some jig saws have an "orbit" function that causes the blade to move forward and back as well as up and down. The greater the amount of orbit, the faster but rougher the cut will be. This used to be a high-end feature, but seems to have made its way into the mid-range and even some low-end models. Usually, the amount of orbit is adjustable from "lots" to "none". Make sure the orbit function is turned off for a smoother cut


Does pickling wood with steel wool and vinegar harm the wood?

This treatment only affects the surface of the wood.  It's not going to weaken the table.

That said, the effect of a vinegar/steel wood stain is going to vary a lot depending on the type of wood you're staining.  It will be best to test your entire finishing process including the clear finish on the actual table.  You can use the bottom or some other inconspicuous place to experiment.


How can I find a replacement screw/bolt?

Most hardware stores have thread to test if there the right thread.
So your better of taking the stand or bolts  to the hardware and test it on the threads
When you find the right thread the packets are marked with the size an thread of tho bolt.
If you can't find the right thread ask a worker there to help you.


Dishwasher slowly fills with water after use

My best guess is that the impeller has worn down enough that it no longer makes a good enough seal to act as a check valve. That's drain water seeping back in.

The dryer on a DW is that metal rod running along the bottom. The hole on the side is the fill inlet.

If it is fresh water leaking in, having replaced the valve the only thing left is the control board. The original purchase price, replacement cost and/or repair parts availability and their cost will dictate your economical options (don't buy a $100 control board for a $200 DW).

Replacing the impeller is a relatively cheap lets see if this works solution; replacing the control board would be of the this had better work kind.

Tracking this down may be more work than it's worth. It's not uncommon for most dishwashers to have some water remaining in them. If it's not spilling onto the floor or growing mold, who cares? If this was a friend-house-call, I'd tell you to (a) call me back when it starts leaking on the floor (b) buy an impeller kit (c) stop throwing money at it and buy a new one (the cost difference between new dishwashers is noise level; they all work just fine).

That is of course, after having insured that the drain line is elevated to reduce back-flow and that it is free from blockage by doing a garden hose enema with the impeller removed. If you're lucky, there's a grease plug fouling up the works.

city-data.com


The short answer is call in a structural engineer to get a grasp of the problem and the scope of work necessary to fix it. I have a similar situation with a 170 year old home. The 1st floor foundation work was done by a licensed foundation company from the area. The 2nd floor sagging issues are being tackled by a licensed general contractor with a background in structural engineering. We contacted 5-6 companies for estimates on the repairs and got 6 different solutions. It's hard to compare quotes when the scope of work is different from quote to quote and we are not qualified to know which is the right solution. With a structural engineer on board, the engineer sets the scope of work and the companies bid on doing it exactly the way the engineer's report states. It's the only way to be sure the structural solution is the correct solution and compare quotes fairly.


Getting new drywall panels aligned to older ones on a wall

Do not coat the entire face of the drywall with compound to make it thicker. That is really hard to get right and will only serve to frustrate you. The way I see it, there are three options here that I would consider in your situation.

If I have to replace drywall in a room, replace all of the drywall. This is a bit of extra work, but the end result will be really good. Plus, it provides an opportunity to inspect wiring, plumbing, insulation, etc. that is covered by the drywall and repair anything else that needs it in the process. You can also make improvements such as adding outlets or switches.
Shims behind the drywall, which you already mentioned. This is probably the easiest way to get a consistent wall. I would attach the shims to the studs first. Maybe use a table saw to make some thin furring strips which you can glue horizontally across the studs before lifting the drywall into position.
Feather out the edges. The new drywall panels will be slightly inset from the originals, but at least there will not be any hard edges. As long as you are not painting with semigloss and the lighting is kind it should not be noticeable unless you already know to look for it.


Wrap the edges of the tarp around a 1x2 and then screw through the 1x2 and into the garage frame. The more times you can wrap, the better.

EDIT - just saw the last photo. You could screw a 1x2 against the side of the stud that the tarp is currently wrapping around.


Why would the magnetic switch on my refrigerator door trip when the freezer door opens instead?

Well, the problem is solved, thanks to a great insight from @bcworkz in the comments.

It turned out that there was another magnetic switch at the very bottom, below the fridge door, and this is what is meant to trigger the light.  For reasons unknown, the light had decided to activate only by the freezer door switch, even after I unplugged the whole unit and plugged it back in.  However, @bcworkz's comment about the control board having a problem got me thinking, so I started pressing buttons on the control panel at the back of the fridge.  I pressed the left-hand button that selects fridge or freezer when making temperature adjustments.  And lo, the lamp turned on immediately!

So I don't know why this whole thing happened, and pressing the button again doesn't make it broken again, but it's behind us now, presumably some strange bug in the embedded system logic.


Will my DIY wood and PVC cat cage hold up?

I think this will be surprisingly much harder than it looks.
Making two four foot squares isn't too bad, you could make a half lap joint.

Drilling the holes isn't too bad, you could clamp or temporarily nail the top and bottom together and drill through both so the holes line up.  I think it's going to be almost 100 holes if you use 3/4" PVC.  You could go with 1/2" or 3/8", either would be more than strong enough, and would let more light through for your cat.  It would be more holes, but smaller holes.
Getting a friction fit between the pipe and the wood will be pretty hard, the differences between won't fit, friction fit, and loose fit are tiny.  It might be hard or impossible to find a wood boring bit the right size.
Without a friction fit, the whole thing gets a lot harder to do and at this point I'd scrap this design and go back to the drawing board.
Suggestion, design inspired by

maybe it would be easier to build this with the 2x4 top and bottom frames built with the 2x4 on edge, with simple butt joints at the corners, and vertical strips of wood spaced 1" apart.  Maybe something from the moulding aisle, like a 1/2" x 3/4" pine strip.  You could use a heavy duty stapler to drive little brad nails to hold the strips to the frames.  The strips don't need to be that strong, their strength will be in numbers.
Not saying this won't still be a lot of work and trouble and unlikely to come out right as planned on the first attempt - that's just par for the course.


Can I run two cables through the same conduit?

TL;DR -- go right ahead

This looks to be a sound plan -- it's definitely cheaper than running everything in conduit, and probably somewhat easier too even with having to stuff two NM cables down a 3/4" EMT length.

Fill isn't an issue

Even though the Code conduit fill criteria don't apply to protective sleeves, you're fine on fill (albeit barely).  Encore Wire quotes .160" by .450" for their 12/2 W/G NM product -- multiplying and converting to mm^2 gives us a conservative area estimate of 46.5 mm^2 per cable.  Doubling this to account for the doubled run gives us 93mm^2, which is within the 106mm^2 (31%
 fill) available for two wires or cables in the 3/4" EMT.

Nor are derates

Normally, since you have more than 3 current-carrying conductors in the sleeve, you'd have to derate as per 310.15(B)(3)(a).  However, this derate starts with the 90°C column in Table 310.15(B)(16) as per 334.80.  Since we are derating by a factor of 80% for the 4-6 conductor case, we get 24A derated, which is above the 20A 60°C ampacity that's actually used for the cable as per 334.80, so we're good on that front too.

And the EMT is suitable

NEC 334.15(B) states that EMT is one of the allowable means for protecting NM from damage in an exposed application.  PVC can also be used, but it must be Schedule 80 PVC -- the cheaper/wimpier Schedule 40 stuff just won't do.  There shouldn't be any concerns with impedance, grounding, or the likes either -- protective sleeves are not required to be grounded or bonded as per 250.86 Exception 2, and it's grounded anyway via being connected to a grounded metal box.


Will 300W lights be too much for a 200W timer box?

Is the controller in jeapordy of having any dangerous meltdowns or will the lights just run a little dimmer?

Yes. By yes I mean without knowing exactly how the controller is built it is hard to say. It is likely a mechanical relay or a solid state relay switching the lights on and off. In that case, there is no limiting the power drawn, and the higher wattage can lead to premature failure of the controller's relay. Mechanical relays will weld and the relay contacts will fail. Solid State Relays will release the magic smoke. It is unlikely to catastrophically fail (i.e. house fire) but it is possible.

If its rated for less than your load, you already know it won't end well. Best case, the controller fails before it's standard life time. Worst, you will be outside while the fire department is hosing down your house. Or worse.


What can I use to stop drawers in an organizer from sliding out all the way?

You could consider drilling a small hole in the center of the back board of each drawer. Then drill a corresponding hole through the back side of the drawer cabinet unit itself. Remove the drawer and install a piece of heavy string through the hole in the back of the drawer. On the inside if the drawer knot the string so it cannot pull through the hole in the back of the drawer. (You could even tie the string to a small object like a large bead, or small washer). Make this string long enough that it can extend to inside the drawer cabinet when the drawer is fully removed.

Next reach into the back of the drawer cabinet and feed the other end of the string out through the hole in the back of the cabinet. Once pulled through the back hole then install the drawer into its slot and pull the excess string out through the rear of the cabinet. Now calibrate how much slack to leave in the string by pulling the drawer out as far as you think it should be allowed to go and still not pull free from its slot in the cabinet. Mark the string as to where it pulls back through the rear hole when the drawer is extended.

The next step is to secure the string at the marked position so that it cannot pull farther than the mark. This can be achieved in a number of ways as follows.

1) Knot the string at the mark with a large enough knot so it cannot pull back through the rear hole.

2) Tie a small object to the string at the mark position such as a large bead other object.

3) Pinch the end of the string under a washer and screw that is installed into the back if the drawer cabinet.

4) Fill the rear hole with some glue which would go in around the string and permanently affix it into the hole.


Unfortunately the quietness is often determined by the air restriction. Yes a poorly made fan can rattle or the motor can hum or buzz but even the best fans with no hum no rattle no buzz can still make noise if the diameter of the outlet pipe is too small.

This is the problem with installers

https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/57709/How-to-Install-Flex-Duct-Properly

Flex duct for all its Glory is installed incorrectly 90% of the time if you're going to run a flex duct and leave it all floppy you better run a much bigger duct or just run rigid or install the


What type of grout and mortar should I use for the compartment around my wood stove?

Yes, they have special epoxy mortar for heat sensitive locations.

To me, mortar is what is installed on the back of each tile that fastens the tile to the wall. Grout is what is used to “fill” the joint between each tile. (BTW, this is exactly opposite of terms used for laying concrete block walls...grout is what fills the cells and mortar is what goes in the joint.)

Each “stove” manufacturer have requirements for “non-combustible” clearances between the stove and combustible materials. You’ll need to get the manufacturer’s installation instructions (possibly from the internet).

BTW, you asked about the wall, but you’ll need a non-combustible hearth too. Verify if your current wood floor can remain.

Also, verify the size of your existing flue is acceptable, depending on fuel type, (i.e.: wood, gas, etc.)


replace load bearing post with steel column

The strongest possible thing to do would be dig down about 36 inches dump concrete in and put a footing in and a column before you put that beam in that'll suffice as a footing for the foundation to hold the floor. If you just throw a beam in you are supporting the entire floor with a beans sitting on 2 to 3 inches of concrete that's not quite strong enough


I'd just put a large pliers (channel lock) on that nut and snug it up. Clockwise from the top, assuming that the threads for that fitting are on the U-bend segment. Support the rest of the plumbing as you do so to prevent damage.

If that doesn't work, it looks like you have standard 1-1/2" (i.d.) plumbing there. Virtually any parts with the same configuration should be interchangeable.


What's the best way to repair this hardwood floor damage?

Remove the old, rotten wood and replace it with new stuff. This is a very common repair.

I've never seen anybody use a jigsaw to remove hardwood strip flooring before but I'm sure it's been done. There's an Ask This Old House episode or two where they tackle this exact project, google it they're good videos, and Tom uses a drill with a 1" spade bit to remove as much material as possible and then uses a sharp chisel to break the piece of wood in half. This seems like good advice to me.

Once you have one strip of wood removed then the others will be a little easier to remove because the tongue and grove are no longer locked. But some of your strip flooring pieces look very rotten and you might be able to just dig them out of there with a screw driver, chisel, etc.

The last board to be installed will need to have it's groove edge chiseled into a rabbit so that it can drop into place.

Good luck!

Also, if it was me, I wouldn't cut a big rectangular section of the flooring out as you described. I would only remove the pieces that are rotten and replace them with identical pieces of the same dimensions, length and species.


Best type of fan for sucking air through a small hole?

A centrifugal fan should be able to push maybe 300-500 CFM through that hole, it will be fairly noisy and will probably draw 200-300 Watts depending on the size. Maybe something in the 1/6-1/4 HP range. However fans generally don’t do much when they are taking in relatively warm air to begin with. A fan will help a bit but if it gets hot where you are drawing the air from it probably will not be satisfactory. Usually a server room using that much power would be cooled by refrigeration.


Wiring single circuit GFCI circuit breaker where a duplex GFCI breaker is shown in wiring diagram

You cannot combine neutrals from two GFCI breakers; it just won't work. A GFCI functions by comparing current flow between hot and neutral (for a 120 volt breaker) or hot 1 and hot 2 (for a 240 volt duplex breaker). Because you've combined the two neutrals, the current between the hot and neutral won't balance.
I have no information on modifying your spa, but if you cannot change it, you'll need a different panel and two duplex GFCI breakers.


Which humidistat terminals should I use for my humidifier?

W-C at the thermostat terminals on your furnace's control panel is the answer to your question. This way has a few drawbacks and pitfalls, so manufacturers don't recommend it. If you know what you're doing, then you'll probably be able to get it to work that way.

If you don't have a humidifier terminal on your furnace's control panel, manufacturers recommend switching the humidifier with a current sensing relay attached to the Hot 120 volt blower fan wire that is connected to the Heat terminal. The other wires coming from the blower fan will be connected to Cool, Park, and Neutral terminals, but we don't want to use them.

The most common switching voltage for humidifiers is 24VAC, but verify what you have. If you need to switch 24VAC, then use a Model A50 Current Sensing Relay. If you need to switch 120VAC, then use a Model A51 Current Sensing Relay.

Here is a link to the Installation Instructions for Models 50 and 51 Current Sensing Relays.


Several LEDs and LED bulbs in my house are failing at the same time and way before their estimated lifespan

In North America, we have whole house surge protectors that can be installed in your electrical panel and protect everything.  I imagine you'd have something similar but need the owners permission to have it installed.   I have this one:  EATON CHSPT2MAX 120/240V Max Standard Surge Protector.

I agree with jwh20 though - you've bought bottom of the line LED bulbs, even the LED bulbs that are top of the line I've had die around the hour rating.

Even after the lifetime that they note LED bulbs are supposed to still be working they are just supposed to be 30% dimmer or something but in my experience the transformer kicks it well before that.

The piece that is failing in your case is the transformer so probably cheap components.  It could be that you have surges and that this exacerbates the problem, cheaper components will probably not be as resilient.  Even the name brand Philips LED lights put a warranty of 3 hours a day for 3 years = 15,000 hours.  The led lights you've bought are cheap at $2 each or something is that the investment you are talking about?

Even the A19 bulb from philips that i paid $30 for only lasted around 15k hours.  https://www.extremetech.com/electronics/142134-philips-revamps-mainstay-led-bulb-a19-led-is-prettier-and-more-efficient - the transformer failed.  I feel like that was an investment.  I didn't even have any surge conditions and the house wiring was less than 20 years old.

Prices have come down though and now I can get a 3 pack of the A19 2700k for $13.  So if each bulb is $4 instead of $30 it probably pays back for the lower amount of electricity that it has used over the course of its lifetime.

The brand name ones are - more than likely - designed to fail after the warranty hours, the ikea/chinese ones aren't even designed - they'll just fail randomly and likely before 15,000 hours.

At the cost of your specific bulbs if they last close to a year then probably you could go for a hundred years before it would be worth the cost of adding the whole house surge protector and that might not even help with the bulbs lifespan.

Electronics in general tend to fail with heat.  Is your apartment climate controlled or subject to higher than average temperatures?

Here is an LED bulb that is around $1 USD but the prices you've paid are higher than I would have expected.


I soldered 2 AAA batteries together in series but am not getting double voltage

Measure each battery individually, you can still do that with the wires you have added attached to the battery. I suspect your batteries don't have a full charge. Your logic is correct.


I may be imagining this, but it seems like the breaker switches to the said outlets are a little weaker then the others, as in, they turn "off" easier....

An easy to move handle is the classic sign of a tripped breaker.

I think you have one of three problems:

You wired two circuits together. When you turn on the breaker for both circuits, you trip the breaker for both circuits.
You have a dead short in the circuits somewhere. This could be a bad outlet (not likely) or a mis-wired outlet (likely) or a damaged wire somewhere (likely). To troubleshoot this, find the first device (outlet, switch, light, etc.) in the chain and disconnect everything downstream. Turn the breaker on. If it stays on, you know the problem is downstream somewhere. Now keep connecting/disconnecting devices until you find the wire or device causing the problem.
You might also have a bad breaker. Take the cover off the breaker panel, and turn off that breaker. Measure the voltage with your multimeter between the screw on the breaker and the bus bar that all of the white neutral wires are connected to. With the breaker off, it should be 0. If so, loosen the screw on the breaker that clamps the wire. Pull the wire out and put a wirenut on the wire. Now turn the breaker on and measure the voltage again. If you get 0, then the breaker is bad. If you get 120, then the problem is elsewhere.


How should I install a french drain in this situation, and will it help?

The water table around my house is very high with a lot of surface water due to clay subsoil. My experience of 25 years in my current house (boat?) is adding a french drain around the house is a patch to a larger yard grading problem.  I've done this and eventually they clog and need maintenance.  Over time I've regraded most of my yard so water flows away from the foundation.  Gravity never fails and never clogs!  My guess is your patio is sloped incorrectly towards your house.  Short of replacing the patio, a french drain is the only alternative I can think of.  They work when installed correctly.

I just replaced my patio this summer.  We had a surveyor transit, built up the area with dirt/aggregate and put in a slightly steeper pitch. The one small part slopes towards a french drain to my downspout.  I was afraid the water would run into my neighbors yard and I don't need those problems!  The larger section pitches towards a special garden area that was dug out and filled with mulch and water loving plants.  It gets very soggy!  Again, my approach is to slope the water away from my foundation and then do something with it there.  Through hard knocks I've learned solving a water problem at the foundation is the least desirable place to address the problem.  Unfortunately for many, prior mistakes make it the only alternative.


Furnace blower comes on full time when the thermostat is set to Auto

Something here isn't adding up. Your post states that when you place the fan selector to auto, the fan immediately turns on. The fan should be running before you select auto. The fan selector switch has two positions on and auto. On - closes the connection from R to G bringing on the fan. Auto - does nothing at the thermostat and the furnace will bring on the fan as required.

So from your post I can deduce there is potentially a problem with the thermostat. The simplest way to diagnose where the problem is to

Unmount the thermostat, check the state of the furnace. It should be doing nothing.
Mark down the wire locations. Jumper R to G. The fan should come on.
Jumper R to W. The burner should fire and the fan should energize within about 2 minutes.

A thermostat is little more than a set of manual switches that operate based on temperature. If the instructions above provide different results then outlined my next guess would be that the board was somehow wired incorrectly.

The board could have a continuous fan selected by dip switches but it wouldn't shut off when setting the thermostat to off. So again it looks like a faulty thermostat. The only thing I can think of that wouldn't be the thermostat is a continuous fan speed set high and the cooling fan speed (G terminal) set so low that it is not noticeable.

If the stat checks out, more information is required to determine the problem.


Is this a stress fracture or natural cedar characteristics on a swing set?

This is typical of wood movement. The wood will eventually start to rot because of the "pockets" created by the cracks. Those will hold water, expediting the rot that will occur over the years.

Cedar is rot resistant, but with these cracks it will quicken the inevitable. If a well formed metal cap can be added to the length of the top which would be preferred so it can be fastened on the sides, or covered with a peel and stick waterproofing, so the movement of the wood will not affect the covering. This is another preferred fix, since a metal cap is a nice harbor for insects, depending on how close it is set to the wood.


How can I tell if an appliance is grounded?

If you have a known good ground nearby (or can get one by using an extension cord), you can check that the appliance plug (if it has one) or its chassis has continuity to ground using a multimeter.

In resistance mode (measuring Ω), you should read 0Ω (or very close).

Note that that will only tell you that it's connected, not that it's adequate for the load: the ground wire should be as big as the hot, because it will have to carry the current if it's ever needed. There's not a way to test that, that I know of, you just have to inspect the wiring. I'd definitely be highly wary of a random wire connected as you've shown being used as a ground.


Best cost efficient plug-in heating devices / radiators

Electrical baseboard heaters and plug-in resistance heaters are already 100% efficient, in that 100% of the electrical energy that goes into them is turned into heat. Whether it's a ceramic heater, oil-filled radiator, or radiant heater, they all are 100% efficient.

However, as you found out, even at 100% efficiency, electrical resistance heating is expensive.

This is why many people that need to use electrical heating will use a heat pump, which can actually be more than 100% efficient because instead of creating heat directly from the electricity, they pump heat from outside the house to inside the house. But this is not a simple retrofit, so you can't simply replace your baseboard heaters with a central heat pump system (though if you live in a relatively mild climate, you can find window unit heatpumps that might be more efficient than a baseboard heater)

One thing that might help would be to turn down the baseboard heaters, and use radiant heaters in places where you want targeted warmth. For example, if when you're in the livingroom you spend most of the time on the couch, you could turn down the thermostat in that room and use a radiant heater in front of the couch (but a safe distance away) to keep you warm even if the rest of the room is not comfortably warm.


Protecting a hardwood floor from metal chair feet

I don't believe there is a simple way. I'd epoxy glue a shaped wooden insert into the hollow part of the leg and then use a normal hammer in chair glide/slider. The glides/sliders with a heavy felt insert are good for wooden floors.


should I split the water tanks for harvested rain water and ground water

Rain water has (practically) no electrolytes. We've all heard that rainwater is acidic, but realistically, that is only relevant on a larger, ecological scale (tons of slightly acidic water will cause erosion). More importantly, rainwater will contain nitrates, oils, and other organic chemicals, and rainwater will contain lots of microorganisms, which will be difficult to filter out with an ordinary (ground-water) filtration system. Common ground-water filters are between 5 and 20 microns. Filtering water is extremely helpful for removing bacteria, but the water is still not sterile. Holding the rainwater may allow growth of bacteria, if the rainwater is "nutrient" rich.

The earth filters out nutrients and bacteria. It's not a perfect system, but groundwater is drinkable (usually after basic filtering). Rainwater should not be poured directly into ground water. Keeping the systems isolated would keep contamination minimalized. In terms of cost, try to think of this as rainwater will pollute the groundwater and could possibly ruin the well. Rainwater treatment can make it potable/drinkable, but I would reserve that option for the worst case scenario unless you have a good treatment system.

At a minimum, rainwater treatment (to make it potable) should include coarse and fine (5 micron) filtration, chlorine and UV sterilization, and carbon filtration.

I would do this:

Rain water (in order of priority)

Toilet

Garden

Outdoor hose

Ground water (in order of priority)

Drinking (Purified)

Cooking

Kitchen Sink

Washing Dishes

Bathing

Laundry

The list is prioritized such that if groundwater is low, then laundry could be done with rainwater. If things get bad, you could use rainwater for bathing. I would try to avoid washing dishes and cooking with rainwater. I would drink rainwater if my life depended on it.


Need help identifying my frost free outdoor faucet

Only manufacturers I know that make wall hydrants and Nibco and Watts. Other wise replace the wall hydrant itself.


Need to identify a common wire on my old HVAC

Whenever a furnace has a 24V low voltage transformer, the two 24V terminals are R and C.

If you can't find any other way to do it, pick one of these two low-voltage terminals to use for C.

Worst case, you picked R by mistake, and the thermostat will see 0 volts between R and C, since you are actually bringing it R and R.    In that case, use the other transformer terminal.

On your furnace, the low voltage transformer is in the smaller schematic to the middle left.  Within that drawing, it shows the transformer in the middle.  The R wire snakes through a limit switch to the thermostat connection terminal block on the lower left.   Your furnace does not bring C out to that terminal block.  You'll have to "go get it".


I doubt if it’s a fire wall that would require 5/8” gypsum board. The only place I can think that 5/8” Type-X (fire rated) gyp board is required is on the garage side of a common wall with an attached garage or  on the ceiling of 1-hour fire separation between units, or on a wall next to a furnace room or garbage room.

If any of the old gyp board is still around, you could look on the back and see if there are any fire ratings stamped on it. You could also look on the other side of the wall to see if a “Fire Rated” board is used on the other side of the wall.

There are “Fire Partitions “ required between units (or sleeping rooms), but that is for a building with 3 or more apartments and you could use 1/2” fire rated gyp board.

Remember, not all 1/2” or 5/8” gyp board is fire rated. If it’s a true fire wall (or fire partition) it must have a fire rated stamp on it and it needs to be applied on both sides of the wall, except between the garage and apartment.

There is a sound control rating required between units, but that does not require a fire rated board.


Converting 10 gauge 4 wire to 10 gauge 3 wire supply

The National Electrical Code allows an existing 3 wire cable to feed a new oven.
Here is the pertinent article from the 2014 NEC:

250.140 Frames of Ranges and Clothes Dryers. Frames of electric ranges, wall-mounted ovens, counter-mounted cooking units, clothes dryers, and outlet or junction boxes that are part of the circuit for these appliances shall be connected to the equipment grounding conductor in the manner specified by 250.134 or 250.138.
Exception: For existing branch-circuit installations only where an equipment grounding conductor is not present in the outlet or junction box, the frames of electric ranges, wall-mounted ovens, counter-mounted cooking units, clothes dryers, and outlet or junction boxes that are part of the circuit for these appliances shall be permitted to be connected to the grounded circuit conductor if all the following conditions are met.
(1) The supply circuit is 1201240-volt, single-phase, 3-wire; or 208Y/120-volt derived from a 3-phase, 4-wire, wye-connected system.
(2) The grounded conductor is not smaller than 10 AWG copper or 8 AWG aluminum.
(3) The grounded conductor is insulated, or the grounded conductor is uninsulated and part of a Type SE service-entrance cable and the branch circuit originates at the service equipment.
(4) Grounding contacts receptacles furnished as part of the equipment are bonded to the equipment.

If all of 1-4 are true you can do it.
The oven should have a bond strap from the manufacturer to allow the bonding of the neutral and ground on the oven. And then you can connect both the ground and neutral from the oven to the neutral wire from the 3-wire cable.
Good luck and stay safe!


Wiring pull switch ceiling fan to wall switch

You can use 14-2-2, no problem. Realistically, you could use 14-3. You will not draw enough current to pose a problem. Same holds for wiring both the fan and light together and using 14-2. That being said, some localities do not allow the use of 14-3 in residential.


Can I bury a bare ground connecting rod?

Yes, bury it, the depth is not critical, so long as the wire is protected from physical damage.  But why isn't the ground rod next to where the pvc pipe comes down?  That would be preferable to having this long roving wire.


Is a P-trap required for a shower drain?

You need the trap, for precisely the reason you guessed.  Toilets have the trap built into the toilet itself.

What you could do is get a strainer made to fit under the plug - often used in kitchen sinks.  They are easy to find at most home stores or even dollar stores.

That will stop any big stuff from going down the drain, and give you a chance to pull it out.


Properly lubricating the hinges should stop the squeaks.  In short, you remove the hinges from the door, lubricate them, and put them back.

You'll want to use white lithium grease.  It works very well for metal on metal contact.

I'm assuming simple door hinges here, like these

You'll want to do each door one at time.

Long Process

Have someone support the door while you knock the hinge pins up and out from the bottom of each hinge.
Lean the door up against the wall and unscrew the hinges from the door and the jamb.
Lay out the hinges on newspaper and use the lithium grease to lubricate the pins and the inside of the barrel.  The barrel is the tube that the hinge pin passes through,
Usually, you let the lithium grease dry before reassembly.  Follow the directions on the grease.
Finally, re-attach the hinge wings to the door and jamb.
With someone holding the door, re-insert the pins from the top.
Enjoy the silence.

Short Process

Have someone support the door while you knock the hinge pins up and out from the bottom of each hinge.
Lay the hinge pin on newspaper and use the lithium grease to lubricate it.
Usually, you let the lithium grease dry before reassembly.  Follow the directions on the grease.
With someone holding the door, re-insert the pins from the top.
Enjoy the silence.

Do one door first, and give it few days to make sure the squeak is gone.


How can I install a curtain rod so that it doesn't slide on the mounting brackets when opening and closing the curtains?

Typically curtain rod brackets will have a Set Screw, which is used to prevent the rod from moving.

If your bracket does not have a set screw, check to see if there is a hole where one should be.

If you have a hole but no screw, you'll have to find a screw that will fit in the hole.  Make sure it's a Machine Screw with a flat end (not pointy), so it will work properly. Finding the proper size screw might be a bit of a challenge, so it's probably a good idea to take the bracket with you to the hardware store.
If you don't have a hole for a set screw; or any other mechanism to prevent the rod from moving, you might be able to add your own.  Doing so will require a drill motor, the proper drill bit, a center punch (if the bracket is metal),and a tap.


Finding a normal looking kitchen faucet with side spray and filter

You may want to try at a local hardware store as opposed to going off to the big chain box stores. My local hardware store has a few catalogs that show many styles of faucets for kitchen sinks - including a lot of "normal" looking ones.

There are also a number of online sites including www.faucet.com although I have not always been convinced that their prices are all that great.


Can I drill a 5/8" (16mm) hole in concrete with a cordless hammer drill?

I am not sure why they would tell you that it may ruin your drill. It might not be the most powerful hammer drill but it should be up for the job if you take the time to do it in stages.

If you cannot rent and you do not want to buy a more robust hammer drill you’re only left with one option.

I would start with a 3/16 inch masonry bit and see how that goes. Then move up to 1/4 inch or 3/8 then to 1/2 inch and finally 5/8.

It will be easier for the drill to start with a small drill bit, once you have that hole cleared then successfully moving up in size will be less stress on the drill. If it struggles with any of those stages then you may have to do smaller incremental stages.


You're free to use any method you desire to make holes in brick. Most construction folk will use a standard 2-cutter masonry bit. If they need to make a really big hole and don't care quite how precise it is, they'll use a jack hammer.
There are diamond tipped hole saws available for coring into masonry, but they're rather expensive and I'm not sure you'd find one at only 5/8" diameter.


Wiring combo outlet & switch but box w/ 3 wires

Since you broke the tab, you have (electrically) two separate devices, so you will need one extra wire instead of two. But no big deal.
You will need one extra piece of black wire and one extra piece of white wire, and two wire nuts to replace the existing wire nuts.
Screw colors are based on the picture & instructions from the linked switch. Others may vary somewhat.

Existing black switch hot wire (the one that is combined with two others) goes to black screw on switch (top right if switch on top)
New black wire connected to the other three black wires in a wire nut and to the black screw on receptacle (lower right)
Existing black switched hot wire (the one that is by itself) goes to brass screw on switch (top left)
New white wire connected to all the other white wires in a wire nut and to the silver screw on receptacle (lower left)


Regarding the DETA Smart Inline switch, in Australia, this above pictured wiring is correct, if not a bit messy, cleaned up the connections and it works perfectly.


Can you feed a sub panel from a timer for outside lights?

Yes you can, as there is nothing in code that would prevent you from having a timer on a sub panel.  If it located on the home or a attached garage you are not required to add additional grounding electrodes, just take a 4 wire feed (2 hots, neutral, and ground) to the sub, or, if you run the feed in metallic conduit, the conduit can be the ground. Neutral needs to be isolated from ground; most panels today already have this, don’t add the neutral to ground bonding screw (it is a green screw, usually shipped in a bag); if already installed (that or a jumper), remove it so the neutral is isolated as required by code.


Moisture.  Given the sequence of events resulting in the appearance of the brown spots and an obvious source of moisture, from the piping, one can rule out "grease", "tar", "solvents", "oils", and etc.  Whatever caused the previous paint to "bubble and peel" is continuing to impact this area.


This is really a regional legal question more than anything. You'll have to ask your local building code enforcement office. Typically, though, no, no one needs an architect...just someone that can approve the engineering (be it 3rd party, or the jurisdiction, itself).

Now, there are arguments for and against hiring an architect in general (outside of sign-offs) but that's a different question.

FWIW, we just bought land and are designing it ourselves. Alas, I am not an engineer, so will be having to go 3rd party for that.


I would use plastic foam panels; they won't be damaged so easily as batts and never absorb water. They could be easily moved to prevent freezing in winter and expose cool soil in summer.


Can fig trees endanger neighbouring buildings?

In my experience tree roots have damaged foundations. The roots penetrate the smallest cracks and if they don't open it up wider, it still allows more water to enter than what the foundation should be designed to keep out.

When roots grow, and they will the displace dirt, and the dirt will go somewhere. At times it is the wall that give under the pressure.

You could root prune the tree by digging a trench, if there is room, cut back the roots, water proof the wall and fill the trench again.


How can I safely remove a large fallen tree?

I would get some heavy duty pipe jacks to support the trunk, placing them on a square piece of 1" plywood to distribute the weight. Prop the tree with 4x4 lumber to prevent rolling; one end in a hole in the turf, the other end nailed to the tree. Once stabilized, cut all extraneous non-supporting branches, limbs and roots including the portion that hangs over the fence.

Then use a trolley jack to lower the (cut off) tree top to the ground and re-stabilize with 4x4s; carefully chop up the bugger.

It may end up being easier to chop up if you don't let it rest on the ground but instead, land it on some wood cribbing.


It does not appear structural, as the seat itself is still flush to the wall.  If the seat were failing the seat top would be pulling away as well.

My guess is that the panel in question was installed with a slight angle there - poor cut or something - and that the caulk used has just given up, as caulk does.  However, more camera angles showing the seat would help confirm that suspicion.

As for do you need to dry it - as long as there is only marble back there, no, water won't hurt marble.  The problem is, you can't actually tell without pulling it apart.  If there is any wood there, however, I'll be very surprised.


Can I move warm air from 2nd floor to basement to help with heating?

I live about 30 miles north of Pittsburgh, Pa. so I am familiar with some of your problems. First: the office and basement should not be on the same zone. Since it is installed this way it may be impossible to change now. In summer the office needs lots of cooling to offset the southwest facing windows and the basement needs none or even some heating. Add returns, 2 or more, or as many as you can at the floor level in the basement, connected to the 1st. and 2nd floor unit. Do not disconnect the high wall return near the attic access, but add more if you can to take the hot air off the ceiling. Run the fan for this unit continuously, 24 hours a day on a low speed when the unit is not calling for A/C, to help recirculate the cold basement air.  Close any basement supply registers in the summer when the A/C is running. Consult a roofing specialist to see if it would be advantageous to add a roof mounted, thermostatically controlled, attic fan, to vent the excess heat from the attic area. You said that every room has cold air returns. Are there both high and low returns in each room? If so, the highs are used in the summer and the lows in the winter except in the basement. Multiple story homes with open stair wells, open to all floors are very hard to heat and cool. All the heat rises and the cold air falls, as you well know. In my experience adding Tjernlund fans to circulate air is just another noise you will have to contend with. Hopes this info helps. Good luck, in solving your problems.


Should backsplash be tiled before or after installing kitchen cabinets?

I spend a lot of time in France and in the midwest US.

Customary in France if you put up a backsplash is to extend it before putting up cabinets.  There is no caulking usually between the backsplash and the cabinets.

Also the cabinets would be floating on the bottom most of the time.  And the bottom cabinets are on legs - where in America they are almost always enclosed.  Maybe this allows any leakage from backsplash to hit the floor easy.

It is just a different way of doing things because people are accustomed to taking their cabinets and everything with them when they move.  I have seen this trend slowly change over the past 10-15 years though in that you will walk into some apartments or houses now with the kitchens already done but this is not the norm.

And obviously you do the backsplash last in the US because we like everything permanent looking.  You use less tile and it is just easier to do that.  Also - and just my opinion - but homes in the US are built... lets say faster.  So you don't always have right angles, your floors are slanted a little, the walls wave a little... Meaning that it looks better to have shimmed cabinets.  I have installed IKEA cabinets in kitchens in the US and people look at me like I need to fix their walls when the cabinets don't sit flush.

Personally I think it would be good to do a little of both.  First it is kind of dumb to take your kitchen with you - which may not work in your next space and then you sell off pieces for a fraction of what you paid.  But I am also a huge huge fan of keeping lowers on legs and having more mobility in your cabinets.


Figuring out the correct way to connect a duct fan (europe)

L = line, SL = switched line. It may be that the fan can be configured to run for a number of minutes after the light is turned off. It's probably a bathroom fan.


How to build a sturdy forest road gate out of roundwood?

Ideas here. One problem with wire mesh or guy wires is that birds may not see them. If you use open guy wires attach ~1 inch diameter wood around the wire so that a low flying owl or Cooper's hawk doesn't fly into it and get injured.


Troubleshooting hooking up ethernet switch in home office

So you need to break this down a bit further.
Do the switches blink any lights on the port from the router?
Can you hook up a laptop to the router with a local patch cable?
Can you hook up a laptop to the basement wire from the router?

If not, then you have a problem on that leg, before figuring out the switches.

Test and confirm each connection before adding another.
Many switches also have the concept of an upstream connection, make sure you're using that port for your router wire.


What is this paper/foil in between drywall and concrete block? Can I cut it and repair it?

The foil is either part of the insulation panels I think I see there or it's a separate product, but the intention is the same. It reflects radiant heat and stifles moisture movement.

You can remove it in small areas without substantially affecting the insulation envelope of your home, but you should attempt to re-seal the area using appropriate materials. Duct tape isn't a good long-term product. I'd use housewrap tape, which has a more durable adhesive and film, or at least a good packaging tape.


New water supply lines continue to leak at toilet tank connection

To answer your question could the plastic threaded inlet be the problem , possibly. That pipe could be cracked or the seal in between the fill valve and the tank could be leaking. This is a tough location to get a good look. Normally I find them over tightened but it sounds like you have been careful.
I might turn the water off drain the tank and hold the float up,
no water dripping turn the water on see if it starts dripping float still up, this would indicate a crack in the plastic and a need to replace the fill valve.
If it doesn’t drip but starts once a few inches Of water are in the tank drain again pull the fill valve and use a little silicone calking on the seal tighten it back in place let it sit for 15 minutes or longer to set, then try filling again it may have been a leak that you just sealed with the silicone.
At this point if it still drips look for hair line cracks in the tank itself.
Those are the things I normally check quite often I have found cracked plastic fittings after being over tightened.


How can I cut the face flange (no nail fin) off my replacement window to make it a box window for my masonry install?

Vinyl windows for "new construction" can usually have the nail fin cut off with a knife or saw. Then you install the window using the replacement or upgrade instructions. Usually consisting of screws in the sides, insulation and shims.


How can I configure my wireless power switches to default to on after power outage?

I have no personal experience with ETEKCITY. However, based on a quick, non-scientific, perusal of their web site, I get the sense of "pretty web page selling cheap junk". Not that I am against cheap junk per se - I often go that direction myself, for certain products. But for controlling 120V equipment, I tend to prefer the better stuff. The rules are a bit different (for good reason) for devices hardwired to your electrical system, and, partly as a result of the R&D and testing required, they tend to be more long-term feature complete, reliable and safe.

I would look at Leviton or Lutron or another manufacturer that specializes in electrical equipment, not a catch-all "USB mag-stripe reader, blood pressure monitor, digital scale, back massager, air mattress, etc." company that happens to have some WiFi controlled plugs too. (I have no problem with a retailer (online or bricks 'n mortar) that sells "everything under the sun". But a manufacturer can't possibly specialize in everything.)

Then you can check the online manuals and if they don't have enough details you have a reasonable hope of contacting someone who can answer your specific questions.


How to setup a shower timer to actually turn off the water?

This device may help. It is The Shower Manager


In my country, people prefer scuppers and PVC pipes. Make the floor sloped to four corners. Make gutters at the four edges. That's to say, the center point is slightly higher than the four corners and edges.

Edit: Do you want exterior eaves? If you do, you can have scuppers there. If parapet is solid, you might have to make scuppers on the parapet. Exterior pipes are suggested as you can easily handle the clog. Not only make the roof sloped, but also the gutters inclined towards the scuppers.


Does the NEC allow a 14ga branch on a 12ga circuit?

Is it within the NEC to wire ceiling light fixtures with 14ga NM from
  a switch wired with 12ga NM, where the power originates at the switch
  and the ceiling fixture is a branch?

  The breaker protecting the circuit is 20 amp.

Absolutely not. If the branch circuit is 20A then ALL the wiring on the circuit must be at least #12cu.

Yes, there are convoluted tap rules but they would not apply in this installation and IMO are not even worth mentioning.


First time testing old motion sensor outdoor light, with new LED bulbs, light flickers at constant fast hz, why?

This is due to the way older motion sensors worked.  Incandescent lights essentially ignore (or at least, don't put out any light) from small amounts of power coming through the fixture, which is how the motion sensor is powered.  However, LED lights will light up with very small amounts of energy, so that power leakage will cause them to flicker off and on.  It's the same reason LED lights have problems with older dimmers.

Basically, you have to either install incandescent (possibly halogen) lights into the fixture, or replace the fixture so it's compatible with LED bulbs.  Or get one of the combo led panels/motion sensors.


After long hours of testing, it happened that the lunatics that made my installation actually switched the live wire and the pilot wire on the main panel's differential.
This is very misleading and seems utterly dangerous as this wire is shared among several outlets. Therefore, despite turning the power off on another outlet, my pilot wire was powered on and could have shocked me!
Healthy fear and respect indeed. Respect for the power of electricity, and fear for the incompetence of others.


Get some flat bar and drill the hole size that you require. clamp the flat bar into position over the existing hole (in the correct position). Then drill or file into the flat bar hole (acting as a guide/template) to your desired position.


Closet door doesn't close completely from the top side - IKEA closet and hinges

Use a long straight edge (4-6' long, depending on the height of the cabinet) on the door (maybe use the level you used to ensure that the cabinet itself was vertical) to ensure that the door itself is flat and not warped. Though they seem to take pretty good care of these in shipping, things happen.
If you're certain the door is flat, use an accurate ruler to ensure that the mounting holes in the cabinet wall are all the same distance from the front edge of the cabinet. Despite these all being machine made, it's possible for the holes to be misdrilled. I recently purchased & assembled a (non-IKEA) flat-pack armoire and both side panels were incorrectly drilled - the bottom 2 door hinges would mount, but the top ones wouldn't. They sent me replacement sides and all is good now.
It is possible, BTW, to remove the screws for the hinges. With a little care you can install them several times if necessary. The particle board these are made of will get chewed up, but it is doable (again from personal experience). If you determine that the problem is with the door, you should be able to exchange it. Remove the screws from the door since it (and any damaged holes) is going to be returned.


What is the correct way to attach a receptacle to a metal face plate?

What you have there is called an RS (for raised steel) cover, which attaches to a 1900 or 11-B box. Since the 1900 box provides no support for the wiring devices, you really should be attaching them using the screws and nuts that come with the RS cover, in addition to the center screw. Don't forget to ground the box as well, using a green ground screw.

This opposes a similar raised cover called a mud ring, which provides the support that you would get from an ordinary rough in box. In that case, you'd be attaching a typical trim to the wiring device using just the center hole.


Are there any restrictions regarding power plugs and wiring in the same wall with plumbing (kitchen adjacent to bathroom)

Having your large appliances or standard receptacles on the opposite side of a bathroom wall is fine by code. There is nothing special you need to do.
Just a reminder the kitchen requires 2 ea 20 amp small appliance circuits, the bathroom requires it’s own circuit for the receptacles in there.


Is this electric water heater wiring correct?

I just did a search for John Woods thermostat wiring and found the John Wood website.

Then I used it, and your pictures to create the modified picture below.

It looks to me like you have it wired right. Also, it looks like the original wiring was done so that both the upper and lower heating elements would be on at the same time. With it wired the way you have it now, the upper element should go off when it reaches its set temperature, and simultaneously turn on the lower element.  I would check this with a voltmeter if I were you.

I AM NOT AN ELECTRICIAN: JUST A DO-IT-YOURSELFER OF ABOUT 50 YEARS. So, you might want to wait for a real electrician to respond.

Click for larger view


If an AC guy checks a system and finds it 100% out of refrigerant, what is the correct next step?

If the system still had pressure you could add the correct amount of refrigerant and get the system running again. However the correct fix should be to find the leak, fix the leak, add suction and discharge filter driers, evacuate the system, then recharge with refrigerant. Just recharging with refrigerant guarantees the service company another service call to again recharge the system, since it will again leak out. I would explain your options and let you decide. My unit is 19 years old and has no leaks and has never had to have refrigerant added. What a great cost savings for me.


What you can do is move the second from bottom right breaker to the top left and then replace the remaining breakers on the two bottom right stabs with a quadruplex breaker with an independent trip outer pair (15/15) and common trip center pair (30).  Then you can connect the EV charger circuit to the center pair.

Otherwise, you are a half-space short of room for a 240V breaker.  The only way to make enough space in the existing panel if the second-from-bottom-right breaker can't be moved would be to use a deadfront or receptacle GFCI to provide GFCI protection to the circuit that is currently GFCI protected by the GFCI breaker in your panel, and then replace that GFCI breaker with a regular half-width breaker and rearrange the rest of the panel accordingly.

At that point, you might as well just throw a bigger panel at the problem -- 42 space panels are cheap, and if you're willing to throw some more serious cash at the problem, commercial panelboards like the Square-D NQOD line can pack up to 84 full-width slots into a single enclosure.

As to the bar? It indeed means that a two-pole or quadruplex double-stuff breaker can be put there -- it represents the common-trip function in such breakers.  Normally, this is done by an internal linkage, not a handle tie, though.


Yes you can set drywall directly to the block wall. If it intersects with an exterior wall that is exposed to the weather, I would place a layer of poly of out of the intersecting corner, if accessible, out no more than 2', 18" would probably be better, vertically to prevent any moisture coming through the block and getting into the sheetrock. Use drywall clips to hold the corner, so no nails go through the plastic. If it does not, ignore this recommendation.

To mount the drywall use a glue in the large tubes, you will go through a lot. Blob on golf ball sized portions of glue on an approx. 16"X16" grid. Set your drywall onto that and secure directly into the block with drywall nails. that is if they pass the test.

To test your nails drive a few drywall nails into the face of the block before you start your drywall install. Do not nail in the joints, the mortar is much denser. On true cinder block, not slag block, (slag block is a newer process ) I have run 1 1/4" drywall screws right into the block, that may do what you need right away. Other nails to try just to hold the sheetrock long enough for the glue to grip are roofing nails. Find one of theses that is suitable for your install.

After you sort out which fasteners to use, hold the sheetrock tight to the wall in the place you want to nail or screw. Set your fastener, some help here would be beneficial and set a few more before you move down the sheet to add more. The amount of fasteners needed will be only enough to hold the sheet flat, the glue will do the rest.


How to safely remove this old hot water radiator?

With the boiler removed, if there is any water it will be minimal and not under pressure. Have some towels handy unless you want to go to the bother of figuring out where to connect an air hose or shop vacuum to the presumably disconnected pipes where the boiler used to be. And then have some towels handy anyway, but either of those will help get some of the remaining water out, if there is any.

You'd expect possibly some dirty and/or rusty water if the system has not dried out since it was disconnected. They often don't dry all the way out, as water ends up trapped somewhere.

Cutting the pipes should be fine.


How do I remove surface rust from a metal roof?

There at multiple products with which to remove rust from iron based metals. There are the mechanical methods which include sanding or wire brushing. Both of these methods can be done by hand or with a power tool.

The other method is to use a rust remover chemical. The common product is often referred to as "naval jelly". It is brushed on and then let sit for a while and then washed away. Often it is necessary to use a combination of approaches, the jelly and some concurrent work with steel wool or a wire brush. Make sure to use proper personal protection when working with the chemicals.

Another very important part of removing rust is the need to properly prime and paint the surface soon after the rust removal. The rust removal process opens up the bare metal surface and it will re-rust quickly in the presence of any moisture.

In consideration that you would be working on a part of your roof be prepared ahead of time how you plan to deal with matching in the paint with the reset of the roof. It could get to necessary to repaint a larger area or whole side of the roof.