What are possible environmental concerns that delay home construction/additions and why do they do so?

Social: 1) Neighborhood, 2) schools: Many clients come to us to “remodel” their existing house because they like the neighborhood. They could find better land values elsewhere and probably build new cheaper, but they like their neighbor’s, etc.

Economic: 1) Financial, 2) investment: You probably won’t own that investment forever. Review trends in your area for increasing value. Will you need financing? Lending institutions require adequate time for closing.

Regulatory: 1) Adequate review period for permits, 2) adequate time for sub bids, utility install, etc.

Environmental: 1) Weather acceptable for material installation: Where I live, we build year-around, but it costs more in the winter because it’s slower and we have to protect our work from the weather.

Design: 1) adequate time for design review considerations, changes, etc. 2) adequate time to obtain materials and equipment. If you’re adding a second floor bath, do you have adequate water pressure? Will you a new electrical service added by utility? If you are not hooked up to the local sewer utility, you’ll need adequate time for soil sample analysis, testing and design approval. Likewise for water and you’ll need adequate distance between water supply (well) and septic system (septic tank and drainfield.


Since these are individual 120V bulbs rather than a transformer/driver with low voltage DC bulbs, the rating is based on heat. It could be the design can dissipate 6W without a problem but the certification (hopefully UL or similar) was based on tests at 4W. Only the manufacturer of the fixture could honestly tell you if 6W is OK.

My hunch is that unless this is a totally enclosed fixture that 6W would be fine. But I can't guarantee that. There are two risks:

Minor: Shorter bulb life
Major: Fire

Not worth the risk. 5 minute test no problem but leaving on unattended has a small but very real risk. If there were a fire the your insurance company would not be happy to find a 6W bulb in a 4W fixture.


Does the UFER Ground require to be visible?

Wrong citation, right answer

Your inspector is right, even though their NEC citation isn't.  They're after NEC 250.68(A):

  (A) Accessibility. All mechanical elements used to terminate a
  grounding electrode conductor or bonding jumper to a
  grounding electrode shall be accessible.

  Exception No. 1: An encased or buried connection to a concrete-encased,
  driven, or buried grounding electrode shall not be required to be accessible.

  Exception No. 2: Exothermic or irreversible compression connections
  used at terminations, together with the mechanical means used to attach such terminations to fireproofed structural metal whether or not
  the mechanical means is reversible, shall not be required to be accessible.

So, you'll need to provide that access hatch for the "stub-up" connection from the rebar to the grounding electrode conductor, or provide some other way to access it.  If the connection is irreversable, using exothermic welding or a listed compression connector, instead of being a mechanical clamp, though, then you can cover it over -- this might be worth discussing with your electrician.


Should custom masonry mixes first be mixed dry?

Dry mixing all the ingredients before adding water ensures a complete homogenous batch. Mixing dry allows you to see how complete the materials have combined. Proper blending of the mix is necessary in order to produce a strong and workable mortar.    Of course if you are using a powered mixer you would just shovel in the proper amounts as it is turning and add the correct amount of water. No need for dry mixing.


Plywood Backed Drywall Equivalent to Studs for Hanging a TV?

If this were 1/2" plywood, I would have no concerns at all. With 1/4", it is a bit iffy. The plywood itself is relatively strong, particularly sandwiched between drywall and studs. The concern I have is whether the screws in the plywood have enough depth to grip well.
What would definitely work, if there is enough space behind the drywall/plywood, is toggle bolts:

This is a randomly selected assortment on Amazon, but you can get them from any hardware store. With drywall there is always a little concern you might hit a weak spot that was previously patched up. With plywood backing, toggle bolts can hold plenty of weight.


Is it ok to use 14/2 wire out of a light in order to wire a receptacle into the ceiling?

Yes, you can do that.
However, one possible catch is GFCI.
Generally speaking, GFCI is now required in many areas, including unfinished basements, workrooms, etc. GFCI is, in most cases, not required for permanently installed lighting fixtures. In addition, GFCI, when used, has to be accessible - not in a receptacle in the ceiling.
Assuming you need GFCI for a receptacle in this room (which is likely but not an absolute), and assuming the circuit is not already GFCI-protected (which is likely the case - lighting circuits are not usually GFCI-protected), that leaves three options:

Install GFCI protection at the breaker or someplace earlier in the circuit.
Install a receptacle but within reach (i.e., on a wall in the first 6', rather than in the ceiling) and put GFCI there.
Use hardwired (permanently installed) lighting instead of plug-in lighting.


Support is required as specified for the conduit - unistrut does not make any difference in the required support spacing.

For EMT, the required support is within 3 feet of each termination, and a minimum of every 10 feet.

I'm not as familiar with the support requirements for rigid, it's too rich for my blood. Whatever they are, they are not influenced by the support being unistrut.


How do you replace a Moen cartridge 4000?

It seems that Moen has an outstanding customer support, and after emailing them a couple pictures of my faucet to confirm the model they emailed me back instructions to replace the cartridge (along with a confirmation of the cartridge my model was using).

S o basically:

Turn water supply off
Use an allen wrench to remove the faucet's handle
Grab the collar and rotate counter-clockwise.
Using large pliers or channel locks remove the retainer counter-clock wise
Using pliers grab the white square of the cartridge and remove it from the faucet.

Documentation says that your bare hands should be enough for step #3. This was one of my problems I wasn't sure if I was going to need any tools. It seems that rotating should be enough and force can be applied.

To install the new cartridge you need to pay attention to the cartridge's 3 holes and 2 small tabs protruding. You need to look into the brass chamber to find the location of the 3 big and 2 smaller holes, align the cartridge and insert it making sure you are lining up the three big holes.

Gentle pressure should be able to rotate the cartridge.

After making sure that the cartridge is positioned correctly, you reassemble the faucet.


Replacing water valves for bathroom sink

First, I don't think you'd have to change the valves. The photos don't show it well (and everything is very dirty), but the outlet connections are probably threaded and will accept appropriate hoses or compression fitting parts. Anyway, it won't hurt to replace them.

You seem to have half-inch copper supplies and sweated (soldered) valve connections. The first valve you show should be correct. It has a compression fitting that mates to the copper supply once you cut the old valve off and clean up the pipe. A good alternative recommended in the comments is the new crop of push-on fittings, such as those from Sharkbite. When installed on properly prepared pipe they're considered reliable.

You'll remove the nut and the tapered brass washer from the valve and slip those over the pipe. Slide the valve onto the pipe until it bottoms out, then bring the brass washer up to it. Thread the nut on and tighten it fairly snugly, but not crazy tight, keeping the valve all the way on the pipe. Be sure to support the valve so as to not apply force to the pipe. Use a wrench on the valve body and one on the nut.

No tape or dope is required. The brass and copper deform to create the seal. This procedure is undoubtedly covered a thousand times on the web, so give it a search if you'd like more detail or a video.

Now you'll simply install either smooth lines using the compression fitting or a washered supply hose to the valve output.


How can I test if my powertool is getting enough electricity?

The most basic test: If the tool isn't struggling -- if the motor is maintaining its normal speed under load -- it's getting enough power for practical purposes.  If it does run into trouble, taking some load off it by cutting more slowly might help.

But in a normal building, since you aren't going to be travelling with anything huge, the odds of your needing more than 15A are low unless you're running multiple larger tools and/or there are other loads on the same circuit -- in which case, as @jack said, the breaker for that circuit should blow to keep wires from becoming a fire hazard.

(Normally. I've seen some wierdities in buildings with archaic wiring, such as a circuit that dropped from nominal 120V to something closer to 90V whenever someone used the photocopier. Still not sure how that passed inspection, but it did, repeatedly.)


I'm going to take a stab at this one, though I've never tried this for something large like a door frame.

Go get some self-adhesive fiberglass drywall tape and cover the area to be blended. Mud the seam, sand and repeat until smooth and the surface is blended with the wall.  Prime and paint to match.

Alternatively, you could try peeling the paper off some scrap drywall and gluing it to the wall, and then doing the same as above with drywall compound.

I think these will help prevent it from cracking.  You'll want to make sure the door frame is well secured to minimize any "give" that would crack it.


How can I add a switch to separately control a light and fan?

The easiest technique - ie one that won't require you to run a second line from the wall to the fan - is to install a remote control switch in place of the existing one.

The way that works is you disconnect the fan from the wiring, and insert a receiver unit which connects to light and fan separately, and then you replace the original switch with a control unit that talks to the receiver.  That gives you the control you desire without having to enlarge the switch box and run new wiring.  All the control elements are concealed behind the fan mounting and wall switch face plates, but still accessible.

These units can be purchased at pretty much any hardware store.

One such example.  This kind doesn't replace the existing switch but you mount the remote's base over the switch so it can't disable the fan/light.  Others actually replace the switch completely.


Is A Moisture Barrier Required/Redundant with Basement Waterproofing System?

I framed in a basement a few years ago and we first coated the wall with dry lock and then hung some thick plastic over the block wall before framing. Water getting to untreated studs is not a good thing. Which leads me to also mention that the bottom plate of your wall frame needs to be pressure treated. Hope my input helped a little!


In addition to the comment of adding feet to the bottoms by pop riveting rubber bumpers or cushions

and doing the same with 4 furniture cups. They are soft or hard plastic that you can fasten to the top top keep the newly aplied feet in place.


Why does an expansion tank need to be pressurized with the same pressure as the water supply?

Normally a pressure tank is charged to a few psi less than the cut in pressure of the pump. The reason is that this allows the water to be pushed out of the tank with out having to start the pump as often. If you are on city water and you have an expansion tank 3-5 psi less than the normal water pressure allows back pressure from the water heater to be absorbed. I have seen that water heater cycling actually can cause an increase in water usage because the water meters don't deduct if there is a reverse flow. Having the tank at a lower pressure allows for the maximum of space in the tank.


I have aluminum 12 2 wiring i want to add an extra light Daisy chain what gauge/amp copper wire do i use for a 3 ft span, i will be using alumiconns

You'll want 14/2 NM...

The rule for converting between aluminum and copper wire gauges is that in order to carry a given amount of current, you need an aluminum wire two sizes larger than the copper wire you would have used.  So, a 12AWG aluminum wire is rated for the same 15A as a 14AWG copper wire is, and NM is apropos since jurisdictions that don't permit NM also generally don't permit the use of aluminum, especially at branch-circuit gauges.

...and a torque screwdriver

While your choice of AlumiConns for this job is a good one, as they are the most reliable way of making an aluminum-to-copper branch circuit wiring connection available to the rest of us, they, like all mechanical setscrew splice/tap connectors, are sensitive to tightening torque.  As a result, a using an inch-pound torque screwdriver to tighten the connector screws to the manufacturer's specified torque value is highly recommended for long-term reliable results.

(Sidenote: if you're having trouble with the relatively chunky Alumiconns taking up too much room in the box, get a Wiremold ceiling starter box and use it as an extension ring to add extra volume.)


Pex is only legal for supply plumbing. It's not rigid enough for drain or vent use, as the lack of internal pressure could result in it being constricted.


How do I mount a shower curtain rod to tile?

Use a masonary bit (easier to get hold of)
Put a cross of masking tape on the tile to stop the bit slipping sideways when you start
Go easy, don't put too much pressure on the bit.

Tip: try on an old bit of broken tile ( or a broken mug/teacup from goodwill) before starting on the expensive tiles.


The problem with "electronics style" schematics is they completely ignore wiring methods.  Wiring methods are the heart of electrical. Understanding this craft (or lack of understanding) is the #1 difference between electricians and electrical engineers.

So I've redrawn, first using wire colors for function so I don't lose my mind... and second making a real effort to consider wiring methods and routings.

Now, I used red for both switched-hot circuits. In actual field application I would probably use orange for the second switched-hot, otherwise the next gal might mistake the 2 reds for travelers.

Now, with wiring methods considered, small problem: you need four conductors between the 3-way switches. Again back to wiring methods, you can't just hork this together with a couple of /2s, and you can't slapdash a solitary THHN wire along a /3.  You will need the less common /4 cable, or run conduit between and use THHN.

I snubbed blue for neutral because /4 actually has a blue.

Other than that, it's as straightforward as can be. We can plainly see it's a "tree" topology and no tricky loops, so currents will be equal in all cables.  It's all good.


Based on the feedback I got in the comments, I purchased some pin and socket connectors. They ended up being bigger than the ones already present, but they still fit and work for the intended purpose.


Pond Construction Calculator - have I left out any variables?

How did you determine a leak rate ? Will it be concrete or rubber , or ? Will there be high edges to keep out roots and prevent capillary action of soil. My small pond in TX ( 800 gal) , rubber liner , leaks over a gallon an hour which I can't find. But one data point ; swimming pool in northern IL essentially stayed full from precipitation Oct to May ( no swimming/splashing ) ; being frozen significantly reduces evaporation which I think will work even better in Maine. Depending on the location and size , wildlife like deer may be a factor. Deer drink out of mine but it leaks so much I have no idea.


What is the proper waterproof bathroom underlayment for vinyl tile flooring?

Concrete board would be your best bet as long as it is smooth if not you will have to use floor leveler and I would suggest using a mesh tape on the seams with floor leveler or other type of compound so the tile does not crack. There is many types of waterproofing you can just roll on with a paint roller and paint brush. One other thing to consider is using a glue both waterproof and keep the tile in place.


Floor joist attachment improvements in presence of existing ledger?

Simpson makes brackets that can be attached with joist hanger nails that are NOT joist hangers; I have them on the ends of my stair stringers. Most likley the:

L/LS/GA Reinforcing and Skewable Angles

I suppose other companies make similar things, though to some extent SST is such a behemoth I don't know of any others in my local market. Anyway, if the ledger is carrying the bottom load, these will provide reenforcing for the attachment.

They also make flat reenforcing plates that could be attach across the splits to stabilize them, at least temporarily (which can be a few decades in house work, often enough...)


How to connect multi-strand sheathed wire?

Sounds like a bad plan.

"We want to cut the current cable in halves, and connect a new section of cable in between."

And then what? Hide the splices in a wall or under cabinets? No. Leave it on the floor or stapled to the wall? No. Run a completely new wire into the stove and get a replacement plug? Yes.

Or do it the right way and install an outlet where the stove now goes.


One way to secure the concrete top to your cabinet is to use construction adhesive that is rated for bonding with both wood and concrete. The concrete and wood should be clean and dry before attempting to do the bonding.

After the adhesive has dried the top will be pretty much permanently bonded to the wood of the cabinet. If you want to have the top be removable you could consider gluing some wood blocks or strips to the concrete that are positioned in such manner that you can add screws through the side of the strip into the cabinet structure. Removing the top would then be a process of taking out these screws and then lifting off the top with its strips/blocks still attached.


No.

I'd hope to christ they used that ground conductor as the neutral and the two insulated ones as hots, which is probable because you're not dead.

But no.  It's not safe what they did. Undo it, and use the pullchains, or use a wireless controller


How to locate a cut low-voltage ethernet wire behind drywall?

You need a LAN Tracer

This one is from Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-VicTsing-Ethernet-Telephone-Tracking/dp/B008G8KE90

Connect the sender to one end of the cable, and use the tone receiver to track the cable in the wall. More expensive tracers can tell you the length of the cable up to the break - but I prefer the tone, which tells you exactly where the break is.

Trace it from both ends, and you should end up in the ballpark so one hole will suffice.


What is the procedure for replacing a new-build vinyl window with drywall returns?

Its installed by a nailing flange on the outside, it is covered by the window trim. Remove that and you will see the nails holding it in. The window jamb dimension is the outer diameter of the window where it meets the exterior trim, the RO is a 1/2" to 1" bigger than that.

There is a small chance it is held in by nailing tabs, attached to the round jamb and extend into the interior side of the RO. Set with nails in the RO to hold it in place, I seriously doubt this method is used.


Is 12 AWG ground wire adequate for a 60 Amp water heater circuit?

To the best of my knowledge, which has been failing lately, you can't get 6/2 NB w/ #6 ground or with a #12 ground. What you can get is 6/2 NB w/ #10 ground which would be OK. I would verify that your ground wire is really #12. My guess is that it's #10. Take a piece of it into an electrical supply store and they can verify what size you have.
There are no safety concerns with a #10 ground being used in this circuit. Enjoy your new water heater.


You have the right general idea

The rigid conduit is fine -- you will only need to dig 9-12" down for this, and a 2" RMC or EMT provides plenty of space to make for an easy pull and future expansion.  Furthermore, the metal conduit provides the equipment grounding conductor to the shed, which saves you a wire in the pull (two black hots and one white neutral is fine).  Also, finding a 60A breaker for your meter-main isn't an issue -- a THQL2160 will do the job, and should be available anywhere circuit breakers are sold.

You still will need ground rods at the shed though

You will need two ground rods (minimum 8' long and 6' apart) at the shed, with a 6AWG copper wire from there to the shed subpanel ground bar, though.  This provides a path to ground for lightning induced transients, while the metal conduit returns fault current back to the service entrance (aka its source).  As a result of this splitting of return paths, you will also need to ensure that the bonding screw or strap has been removed (or was never fitted to begin with) to the subpanel, and will also need separate neutral and ground bars there.

Other notes

You should use an inch-pound torque wrench or torque screwdriver (depending on the torque setting called for) on all breaker and panel lugs to torque them to manufacturer specifications -- this improves system reliability vastly, and is also a new requirement in the 2017 NEC (110.14(D)).

Also, the shed subpanel will need to have a main breaker in it to serve as a disconnecting means for the shed.  It is OK to use a big main breaker here, though, since the upstream 60A breaker in the service-entrance device will protect the feeder wires from overcurrent.  As a result, the simplest way to go here is to get a 100A or 125A, 24- or 30-space, main breaker panel and fit it with ground bars if it doesn't already come with such.  That way, you will have plenty of space for expansion -- if you want more current to the shed, you can swap the feeder breaker and wires for larger ones, and you can also add circuits fairly freely there without worrying about running out of breaker spaces.


Here's a diagram covering the grounding possibilities. There are new clarifications about lighting protection and grounding in the NEC 2017 code. By the way NEC 2017 becomes law in this state today.

Hope this helps. Good luck.


I've used 3xAA to D battery adapters for powering devices. The enclosure is professional in appearance and permits one to attach wiring as needed, or to use single contact attachments in the same manner as that of a D battery.

The image above is from Amazon but there are many sources of adapters of this nature.
It's easier to find AAA mini-flashlights, so I'm using this as an example only. I've opened up the cheap/free flashlight and soldered wires to the housing to create a 3xAAA enclosure with convenient power switch. You didn't ask for such a mechanism, but it was referenced in the comments and is a valid solution if you can locate a 3xAA flashlight, otherwise, the adapter provides an off-the-shelf solution to your objective.


What height concrete gate posts do I need for a 4 foot high gate?

The post should be 4 feet high above ground and deep enough to be set into concrete below the frost line.  A 4' hole (8' post) should be more than sufficient.  Probably overkill, in fact, but wouldn't go any less than 6' total, 2' below grade, and if you're in the north, definitely go deeper.


Trouble with identifying wiring for heat pump setting up Nest

First, the labels you need to look at are the ones on the outside - not the ones under the wires.  The labels under the wires are for a conventional system.  Looking at the labels on the outside, it's clear that the two yellow wires are Y and Y1, and the white wire on the left is AUX, which is normally Auxiliary or emergency heat.

Y and Y2 are normally used for a modern HVAC system that has dual stage cooling, so neither should be used for heat specifically.  On a conventional system, the W wire is used to call for heat, but on a heat pump, a combination of the O wire and Y wire(s) call for heat.

Choosing O for the switch over valve wire is a safe bet.  If you choose wrong, the heat pump will start in heating mode when you call for cooling or will not go into heat mode when heat is called for.  It shouldn't damage anything.

Also, some of those wires might not do anything for your system. For instance, I can't tell you what L, S1 and S2 do.  Maybe nothing, but you might need to look at the old thermostat instructions or the other end of the wiring on your heat pump to figure that out.


Removing kitchen sink drain pipe from behind a wall

As you suspect, if the drain is plumbed correctly, there is a vent pipe extending above the drain connection inside the wall. The connector is probably a wye, and there is no way to free the pipe without opening the wall.


Connecting Lights to a 12/2 20 Amp Circuit

The wiring for the circuit (cable or individual wires in conduit, through walls, etc.) needs to all be protected by the circuit breaker. Any/all of that wire could at some unpredictable time in the future be used to the full capacity of the circuit - i.e., 20 A - and so it needs to all be big enough to handle the load. You are only putting in very low-current LED lights, but someone in the future might say "Oh, a 20 Amp circuit! I don't need the lights so I'll bypass the lights (take out lights and splice properly in the junction boxes) and use the cable at the far end to power by 20A device." And then proceeds to wire up a 20A-rated device that pulls 16A continuously and overheats the 14 AWG wire.

The external wiring is different. The thin cord plugged in to power a device (lamp, tool, charger, whatever) is rated to handle the current needed by the device. Unless someone starts messing around with the device - e.g., taking the cord off to use it power something else - the cord should never have any current beyond the rated current for the device. If it has a short-circuit situation (== device failure) then the breaker should trip before any of the wiring burns up.

In addition, the external cord has air circulating around it. That is a bit different from a cable stuck in the wall. Related: Never use an extension cord while it is coiled up


Is it possible to split off a neighbor's Comcast cable to provide service to my condo?

The cable company will run ONE or more cable lines to a structure. Numerous things drive this decision, and I do believe there is a code they also must follow. This is just an FYI.

That said:

The only thing that would actually prevent the provider from splitting off to "other rooms on the same structure" is signal loss and signal quality measurements.

So is it possible to run multiple units from "one service line" via a number of splitters/taps? ABSOLUTELY and this is standard practice.

When the signal degrades beyond a serviceable quality and equipment cannot operate properly, or customers are complaining of outages, they may rerun cables (in near total futility) OR a wise technician will reduce the taps, use boosters, run another drop, etc.

So you know, every time you split a signal there is an inherent loss in dB. Drop below an acceptable level, and equipment will not perform optimally.


Yes, generally speaking you can have as many receptacles as you want on a circuit. There are limitations in some jurisdictions, but 12 - which is really 6 x duplex - is not very many and is unlikely to be a problem.
There are limitations on splitting circuits across multiple rooms, generally when kitchens or bathrooms are involved. But most other rooms have no restrictions.
A few things to keep in mind:

Total power consumption. Obviously, you already have this under control. When it is practical (relatively easy to run another circuit, panel space available), running an additional circuit is often better, as it allows higher total power consumption. That is not an issue for most consumer electronics, but if you plan to add a laser printer or any other high power devices then an additional circuit may be helpful.
Surge protection. I always recommend putting all high value electronics on a good quality surge protector. While there are 1 & 2 receptacle surge protectors available, most common are larger surge protectors - typically 5 to 8 receptacles. That can help a lot in terms of "where to plug everything in". That being said, more receptacles are still often better, particularly if they are spaced in more useful locations.


What the backflow preventer does is keep the water that is in the head when you turn the water pressure off from flowing back into the supply pipes. This is actually a good thing, and it's required on all fittings that have a hose ... if not all fittings at this point, so that soap (or dirty water) doesn't leak back into your house's fresh supply lines and potentially contaminate your food. You really don't want to remove the backflow valve or alter the hose in any way.

If it continues to leak out of the hose for hours afterwards, I would look at your valve assembly (specifically the diverter) as the culprit. You might have a small leak in the valve assembly that's flowing into your diverter and then up to the shower head. Does the tub filler operate correctly? What about taking the shower head/hose/etc. assembly completely off? Does water continue to leak out after you've turned the water off?

Once you verify that the diverter and valve are shutting off correctly, you want to make sure that there are no cracks in the hose or fittings. I generally need to replace these shower heads once every 3-4 years. 1 year would be fast for one to go bad, but you never know with manufacturing of mass-produced plastic products. Last but not least, did you use the teflon tape just on the metal-to-plastic union, or did you also use it on the plastic threads near where you circled? I know it says not to, but I found that there's something to be said for a little extra teflon here and there.


Is there a problem with a media enclosure box in a laundry room?

A standard laundry room inside a home is normally classified as a dry location. Sheetrock on the walls? This is a clue it is dry as defined by code.  There can be a washer or a basin directly adjacent to a breaker box. An outlet would need to be GFCI protected.
Other than a clothes closet and a bathroom your panel can go just about anyplace that has a 30” wide space floor to ceiling. Although you are asking about your media box it has less restrictions. Receptacles in a garage now require GFCI protection if you have line powered devices. If the house is older it may not have GFCI protection.


Those waterproof covers are only rainproof. They are open at the bottom for the cords to go through so they are not moisture and humidity proof. Outdoor rated cords have a heavier, much heavier, insulation to protect them from the outdoor environment, sun, UV, animals,etc. The male and female ends are also insulated heavier and are of higher quality. Connecting to a weatherproof box is not the same as indoor use and if the outlet is outdoors, it will have to be GFCI protected.


Why do LED lights with a dimmer stay dim and won't go bright again?

There is a fight going on between your dimmer and your lights, and the dimmer lost.

One of the (too many) bits of electronics in your dimmer died.

Dimming is not as easy as it seems it should be, well, dimming without huge size, weight and heat.

In dimming led's, you are turning them on and off, fast, really fast, hundreds (or more) times a second fast.

For each of the on/off cycle, there are parts having to do work in the dimmer. Everytime electronics turn on, they make heat. Heat is the fastest way to kill electronics.

Your dimmer likely died in its really dim setting, and simply is not going to change.

Dimmer is gone - wants to be replaced


Changing bulb in shower ceiling light fixture

Are you sure the whole fixture is spinning? The type of light rated for wet locations used to have a rubber seal and screw fittings. Most of the time the "jelly jar" type fixtures the glass needed to be unscrewed (and they do get stuck and feel like they are going to break). There were some the metal ring was threaded holding the glass in place. So it could be that you need to unscrew the ring. Also check the ring for a small set screw to lock the Glass / ring in place.


How can I hang artwork on a rented home's walls?

There are three ways:

Use adhesive tape designed for hanging pictures. This is the easiest method to install, and the easiest to remove when you move out, because all you have to do is stick tape to the wall. The downside is that the tape can only support several pounds, so it won't work for large pictures.
Use drywall anchors. These can be installed anywhere in your wall, but they can support only up to about 50 pounds of weight. That would be enough for most pictures.
Drive screws into studs on your wall and hang the frame from the screws. This method will support the most weight, but it requires you to find the studs inside your walls. Simply screwing into drywall but not into a stud will not work well.

Methods 2 and 3 would both leave small holes in your wall when you remove the drywall anchors or screws.


How to manage wiring if replacing ceiling rose with anchor for heavier light

I cannot believe that the ceramic ceiling connection block is to be removed unless it would be replaced with another one.

I would expect that the metal bar is to be held with screws through some of the pairs of holes in the ceramic block penetrating into the wood structure above. I see what looks like breakaway covers over extra holes just outside the ones with the brass wood screws. What is the distance between those holes? What is the distance between the slots in the metal bar? Are these the same?

EDIT

Yes, I am referring to the two on the same line as the holes with the brass wood screws with are being used to hold the connection block. I believe that the projections on the ends of the bar go up toward the ceiling. If the slots in the mounting bar are the same distance as the inner pair of holes, you could break away the covers on the outer holes and shift the brass screws to those outer holes. Then use the inner holes to secure the mounting strap. If there is not enough clearance for the wires (with the projections on the bar projecting up), you'd have to get some spacers.

EDIT2

Another possibility would be to drill two new holes further out in the mounting bar. You should find out how this type of ceiling fixture is normally installed in the UK. This is not something to try to puzzle out on your own.

EDIT

Looks like I was completely wrong! See this video for installation in the UK. Video

EDIT

It could be that one could remove the ceiling rosette temporarily to place the bar against the ceiling (end tabs down of course), then replace the rosette on top of the bar. The fact that the slots in the bar would line up with the holes in the rosette suggests that this was intended as a possibility. This would allow the use of the connection block instead of getting a bunch of individual connectors for the various wires. I don't know if the UK fixtures have enough clearance under the shroud for the rosette and whether this is a practice in the UK. To do this one would place the bar on the ceiling so that the mounting slots line up with the existing holes in the ceiling then mark the countersunk hole for drilling a pilot hole and secure the bar to the ceiling with a single screw in the countersunk hole in the bar, then secure the rosette over the bar through the lined up holes of rosette and bar.


Sorry if this don't help but if your asking why are both on 1 circuit, that's because they can be. A bathroom circut for lighting can be top all lighting in both bathrooms that do NOT include a heater. A 3 in 1 fan, heat, light must have it's own dedicated circuit

If this isn't answered by mid day tomorrow, I'll help. If it is, I'll delete this answer. Just sone questions. To assist others and myself later.

What gauge wire is being used?
What size breaker is it?
Have you tested the lines with the breaker off to verify that all lines are dead?
How certain are you of which lines are main supply lines?

Lines cannot be randomly spliced in the walls like your diagram suggests. I would personally use a 12/3 and use the 3rd hot line as a bypass through the switch, lights, and to the next switch. So what you think is upstream could be downstream.

Testing would entail disconnecting all lines, safely cap them, turn on breaker, test lines, turn off breaker, connect the verigied hot line to the next line directly and cap them, turn on breaker, test all lines to verify what line is what and that it isn't spliced randomly, and repeat till you have a definite diagram.

... this may just be me... but please also clean up diagram as power in, number of lines,  and where you want things. The "whatwass" and "what will be" party makes it hard to follow.


How to repair a rock maple table leaf support

Normal Wood Glue & clamped or strapped (the tough part) for a day or 2 should do the trick. Wipe off any glue that squeezes out with a damp paper towel, sponge or rag immediately.


Should I use steel or wood studs for basement exterior walls?

I did a lot of research when finishing our basement. I eventually went with a wall model recommended by building sciences corporation that, from outside in, is:

existing exterior wall (concrete, concrete block, etc)
foam board insulation (XPS or EPS, I went with EPS)
stud wall
sheet rock (I went with a paperless product called Densarmor

This is  a system that Fine Homebuilding magazine also recommends and is considered valid by the US Department of Energy. I know this because our local building codes were still using the antiquated 'fiberglass + plastic' model and I had to do a ton of research to educate the local code enforcers before they'd approve this.

I went with metal studs for the following reasons:

they're all perfectly straight
I can carry 20 of them at a time (makes it REALLY easy to haul into a basement)
easy to build in-place (no need to frame then tilt-up walls)
cut with tin-snips in a matter of seconds
mold can't grow on it
can be installed without screws (can be crimped in place)
at the time, were the same cost
wiring channels are built-in
you can use thinner studs (it's impossible to find straight 2x2's in wood around here)

There are a few cons, though:

you can't easily nail into them for attaching baseboard
you still need to frame out your doors with wood for the added strength
you can't mount cabinets to the wall with metal studs

As for baseboard, I decided to use the new synthetic foam pre-finished trim. It looks pretty good, is super light, easy to work with and...it's not wood. So I thought it was another great product for a basement. Because it's so light, it was really easy to toe-nail it in to the sheetrock with an pneumatic trimmer.

As for mounting cabinets and such, on the walls where I knew I wanted to do this, I added 2x2's inside the metal studs for support.

The only corrosion issue that I'd be worried about is rust, and that should only be an issue if you still have a moisture issue in your basement. It'd also take a really long time for a stud to rust through and be any sort of problem.

Some tips:

be sure to separate the floor plate from the concrete. I used 1/4 XPS for that and then power-actuated hammered them into the concrete. This thermal break will prevent moisture coming in through the concrete to condense on the metal
don't screw them in. I did and while it's not that big of a deal, they make crimpers just for this purpose. Invest in the crimpers as it'll make things go really fast.
be sure to buy plastic grommets for the electrical channels. You don't want your electrical cables rubbing up against the bare steel edges.
wear really good gloves

As for your plan:

  barrier (tar paper) on all exterior walls, Framing a stud wall, insulating, installing a vapour barrier, and dry-walling over top

...I STRONGLY recommend against that.

for starters, your plan involves two vapor barriers...that is a really bad idea. That will only trap moisture inside the walls. The modern recommendation (at least in colder climates) is to not use any vapor barrier in an old basement. Instead, use foam board for the insulation. Foam board is permeable, and the idea is that if water ever got on one side or the other, it could eventually dry to the other.

The other issue is that you want the insulation on the OUTSIDE of the stud wall. The foundation wall will be the coldest surface and is where moisture would condense. You want all of your framing on the inside of the conditioned space.

The proper way to put a water barrier in a basement is on the OUTSIDE of the foundation. Ideally, you'd have a water barrier and insulation on the outside of the concrete. But that's obviously really hard to retrofit.


What should I expect when using electrical equipment rated for 100V/120V at 110V

You can measure voltage and frequency with either a good-quality multimeter (e.g. a second-hand Fluke 77 on eBay

or a plug-in "Kill-a-Watt" type of meter.

Cheap $5-$50 new no-name Chinese-made multimeters are usually not really safe for use on 230V

Personally, I doubt a 10% difference in voltage will be critical for any of those devices apart from the Japanese 100V items, that could overheat. n.b. EU supply = 230V+/-10% US supply=120V+/-5% so running a nominal 100V device at 126V might be cause for concern.

Japan has a mix of 50HZ and 60Hz supplies so I'd expect Japanese made 100V appliances to be happy with either.


Widening cabinets to fit a OTR microwave

Picture(s) would help for your "move these cabinets over" statement. But, if you have room then it's just unscrew from each other & from studs...in that order. To then re-mount them to other studs & back to each other.

However, you may also be able to swap cabinets to get a few more inches. If you have cabinets on other walls there may be a thinner one in an area that can accept the fatter one.


How do I remove a stuck tap bonnet to change the cartridge?

You might try loosening the adjustment ring, the brass ring with two slots for a spanner wrench that's inside the bonnet of many single-handle faucets.

Those spanners often come with faucet repair kits, along with springs, O-rings and other parts, but could be easily fabricated with some heavy-gauge sheet metal and two bolts with nuts; file the end of the bolts to fit the slots.
That said, the adjustment ring could be frozen as badly as the bonnet. Recently, I had to replace a similar faucet; the bonnet was stuck so tightly that on turning it with a large strap wrench, a rusted bolt holding the faucet to the sink broke! In that case, it was not a loss, because I had planned already on replacing the ancient faucet.


Why are there extra pipes coming out of the ground?

I guess i'm confused why they would split above ground like that.

That's the sort of thing that can happen when a property is altered. Maybe the building originally had fewer washbasins etc on that floor and more were added. Rather than lifting the floor and making connections in cramped dark dirty spaces the plumber felt it was easier to make the solder connections in a more accessible space where his blowtorch was also less likely to set fire to nearby joists and accumulated dust and detritus.


Risks of buying vacant lot for new home construction with existing but unused septic system?

Yes, you're being paranoid.

If it was installed correctly, there really isn't much of anything that will go wrong with it from sitting - most septic problems are from using the system and not maintaining it, leading to material that should have been pumped out getting into the drain field and clogging it. If it's not used, that won't happen. The materials do not degrade in the ground. (Orangburg pipe does degrade, but a system built circa 2004 is a good 30+ years removed from the end of Orangeburg - nasty, hateful stuff - basically tar-paper pipes.)

If you keep hunting you can probably find someone who will take your money to run an inspection camera into the pipes. If you like, you could dig up (or open the access manhole, if your area was moving into modern ideas 10 years ago and did not allow the access to be buried below-ground) the septic tank access - but DO NOT stick your head into even an unused septic tank - they can still collect/generate poisonous gases and should aways be treated as if they were, in fact going to kill you if you did that - use a flashlight & mirror on a stick, or hire a pro. If the system is accurately mapped, the distribution box could also be dug down to for a look. If it passed inspection 10 years ago, there's not likely to be much of anything to see in either place, though the tank at least should be looked into (Title V inspection may, in fact, be required before sale, even though it's unused as yet) just to make sure it hasn't shifted or something, and to be sure you know where the access is if it's not above-ground access (consider adding a riser and manhole cover if you have to dig to find the access.)

Don't be surprised if you find it full of water - rainwater seeps in and won't flow out until the liquid inside reaches the outlet level. 10 years allows for quite a bit of rain to fall.

If it was not installed with a particulate filter on the outlet, you might want to have one retrofitted before starting to use it. It may have been - 10 years ago those were starting to become standard in many locales.


Raising and extending a concrete shed base, does the existing concrete need to be broken up?

In your situation adding a new slab over the old has more chance for failure then success.

Overlay slab might help underlying nonmoving cracks, but will not prevent active cracks in the existing slab from reflecting through.

With a tree root causing the existing cracks the root growth will reflect into new slab if not fixed first.

Adding welded wire or rebar should be added to the overlay to help reduce cracks reflecting through.

Better slope drainage is needed to keep moisture flowing away.

One large issue is the expanded section of the new slab being partly on a different base material.  Compacted underlayment will hot have the same settling and expansion/contraction as the existing concrete slab.  This would become a prime area for breakage.

The better approach is to break up the existing slab.  This material can usually be taken to a local sand and gravel pit for crushing and reuse as base material.   Once it is removed treat the tree root issue.
Lay base material, compact and pour a new slab.


Replacing bathroom switch from single to double switch

You'll connect one end of the red wire to a switch, and the other end to the fan.


Upon close inspection of the first picture, it appears that the backing piece behind where light is escaping was cut too small, which is unfortunate.
I'd recommend a sheet metal screw or two where the two pieces of metal do overlap, just to be sure gravity doesn't work against you over time, then a layer or two of duct tape to cover the gap and metal on both sides of it. Use the proper silver foil & plastic stuff available in the HVAC aisle at a hardware store, not "duck tape" available in 8,000 colors and patterns at your local convenience store/big box everything store. You can use it on the small corner, where light is peeking through, as well.
I'd actually recommend using tape on all joints to keep them from allowing air to escape. I believe that this is a fairly standard practice these days, and it's rather unfortunate that your HVAC contractor didn't do this for you.


Re-insulating/finishing a basement? options?

I think your best bet is spraying foam, then install studs and drywall over that, leaving the spacing of the studs free and able to breathe. Fully insulated walls or vapor barrier and similar practices is known to cause molding since the moisture will have no way to evaporate. So do not use any vapor barrier. Normally it should go underneath the foundation or on the outside wall.

Look what insulation and vapor barriers do.


The two-way switch in the picture switches a single conductor on and off. I expect you will find that the switched black wire and a neutral white wire lead up to the ceiling fixture. With this setup it's not possible to separately control the ceiling fan and light. But it should be possible to turn them both on and off together. It sounds like that's what you're trying to do.

The exhaust fan should have come with some instructions on how to wire it. We expect to find a neutral white wire, two hot wires (black and blue?) and a grounding wire (green or bare). If the existing wiring to the ceiling is non-metallic cable then you connect black to black/blue, white to white, and green to green/bare or grounding screw. If the existing wires are run as metallic shielded cable then the shield provides grounding and you will need to bond the grounding wire of the fixture to the metal ceiling box.

It sounds like you've attempted the first scenario but the fan is not switching on? Some bathroom exhaust fans are setup to run for a fixed period of time after detecting a certain level of humidity. These can be finicky and may not always turn on when switched on. You might read over the instructions to see if this is what's getting in the way. If it's a simple fan + light then tying the hot wires together should cause them both to turn on. Check your connections and if you can't get it to work try connecting one at a time to debug. It's possible the fan is a dud out of the box.


Where do I need to drain the footing drain when I waterproof a basement from outside

Two obvious options:

1) Dry well. Give the water a place where it can flow into the ground quickly, then leach away at whatever speed the soil will permit. Basically the same principle as a septic tank, but for the unwanted groundwater. If you really want a bottom-of-foundation drain, the well has to be that much deeper; not a small project unless you have a hill you can take advantage of. Does require that the soil be porous enough that the well will drain faster than you're filling it, at least most of the time.

2) Sump. Give the water a place where it can be collected and then pumped away. My area forbids connecting sump pumps OR roof gutters to either sanitary or storm sewers, so a common practice is to pump the water to the edge of your property in a place where it will drain across the sidewalk, into the street, and then into the storm sewers. Does burn some energy and requires replacing the pump occasionally, but avoids the need to excavate that well; the sump only needs to be large enough to gather enough water to make operating the pump worthwhile (it'll last longer and burn less energy if it's doing fewer, longer cycles rather than many short ones). Theoretically, you could even run some of the water from the sump out to rain barrels for gardening use, since it was in the ground anyway... but that's probably overcomplicated.

If you talk to the pros in your area, they may have other suggested solutions appropriate to your terrain, climate, soil, etcetera. I've found that a good contractor will sometimes be willing to advise even on projects they won't get, in order to build goodwill so they're the people you call when you do need more expertise/manpower/coordination.


Hard to tell in a photo, but looks like an E17 to me.  Smaller than Edison E26, larger than candelabra.  If the base screws are around 17mm, there ya go.

Tricky size to find LEDs in, not impossible but your choices may be limited.


It looks like time and weather have washed out the soil under the original steps. It is hard to tell if those stones were laid on a substantial foundation, or if the whole thing was just laid down on soil.

The cheap/dirty/quick way would be to shovel and pack dirt up into the hollow space under the step, then level the area in front and lay down one or more stones. Finish by "pointing" mortar at the seam between the riser stones and the new flat step stone(s) you just placed. This method will likely result in similar failure in a couple seasons.

Another option would be to pull out all that debris under the step and pack concrete up under there, then finish as directed above. This should last a bit longer, because the concrete will add strength and resist "wash out" by rain and snow.

The best long-term fix would be to tear out the old step entirely, form and pour a proper concrete step and landing, than bond new stones to the concrete with mortar and finish by grouting properly.


Code exception for not installing AFCIs in kitchens?

AFCI/GFCI is not the most important safety dollar

The ability to be flexible later is.  It is making sure you have plenty of spaces in your panel.  A 40/42 space panel is the right answer for anything bigger than a cottage, from having seen too many pictures of 30-space panels completely full.

It gives flexibility, and flexibility makes later safety upgrades cheap and easy. I would much rather you fill a 40-space panel with plain breakers (easily upgraded later) than a 24-space with AFCIs (and then you're stuck later, which invites unsafe hacks).

The cost differential (as compared to the panel the electrician probably bid to hit a competitive price) is very low compared to AFCI/GFCI breakers, which I note you are ready to install.

If you have any probability of wanting 2-pole (240V) breakers that are both AFCI and GFCI, avoid GE panels due to a glitch in the way they do AFCI.

Mind you, this is opposite of what the electrician will want.  The electrician will want to fit a 16-space panel and fill it with double-stuff breakers, because that prices the job slightly lower.  That will render you unable to fit AFCI/GFCI later; you'd need to upgrade panels again (see how that works for the electrician, why bill one job when you can bill two?) So you must spec a 40/42 space panel, or you won't get it.

You are grandfathered

Grandfathering means that if the circuit was correct at the time it was installed, it does not need to be upgraded merely because the electrical code is revised.  The electrician is correct, merely changing the panel is a unit operation and the individual circuits remain "grandfathered".  That means yeah, he could actually slap a 16-space panel full of double-stuffs and render you utterly unable to upgrade later.

One reason the electrician may be afraid of AFCI and GFCI on every circuit, is that those devices are sensitive to any wiring flaws - crossed neutral, bootleg ground, you name it.  He might install one of those breakers and have it immediately trip. He can't walk away from your house that way (certainly not with payment!) so now he has to go on a "bug hunt" through the house, identifying which loads are on that circuit, opening up every junction box and trying to find the flaw.   This could be hours per circuit and will obviously drive the price up considerably.  He needs to set your expectations on that.

AFCI/GFCI is still a great idea, though

Applying AFCI to almost every circuit, and GFCI to circuits with a probability of user shock, is still a great way to go, and I want to encourage you to go that way. Just maybe not right away.  In my opinion the best way to solve the "bug hunt" problem is to do the work in two phases: First urgently change that nasty Zinsco panel with plain breakers, and then swap them to AFCI/GFCI individually one at a time. (ideally yourself if you can skill up enough to do that, so you can roll it back if problems arise).

To do that, the work done today must make ready for it:

Enough spaces to accommodate these full-size breakers (not to belabor that point)
Hot and neutral wires long enough to reach a reasonable variety of locations, so neutrals can reach AFCI or GFCI, and so you have some freedom to relocate breakers. Some electricians, who I call "Captain Snippy", take great pride in nipping back all the wires so they are just long enough to reach their current destinations.  He must not do that here.

He is absolutely correct that refrigerators and freezers should not have AFCI or GFCI protection. They're not the use-case for GFCI, being a grounded all-metal box with inaccessible electricals that you're not likely to drop in a sink.  And you don't want to have "dueling safety systems", like a low-oil-level shutoff on a nuclear power plant's emergency generator, or locks on a fire escape so children don't play on it.  A GFCI on a fridge just converts the risk from (nonexistent) shock to (likely) food poisoning.  Most new fridges are labeled "Don't use with GFCI". AFCI provides a similar risk.

Other installed, hardwired machines like air conditioners also are unlikely to shock you (being well grounded) but likely to nuisance trip.

The only exception is the dryer and range.  Many dryers use a 3-prong "NEMA 10" type connection, and ground is bootlegged to neutral inside the dryer.  If converting this to NEMA 14 isn't practical (individual ground wires can be retrofitted), then put it on a GFCI breaker, convert the receptacle and dryer cord to NEMA 14 (including removing the bootleg ground jumper), and label the socket "GFCI Protected/No Equipment Ground".   Ditto ditto all that for the range.


What is this plumbing "temperature regulator" called, and how do I adjust it?

Thermostatic Mixing Valve
According to the installation instructions (PDF)

Let the water flow for at least two minutes to allow supply temperature to stabilize.
Calibrate the mixed water outlet temperature by placing a thermometer in the mixed water stream.
To adjust the setting of the valve, loosen locking cap screw with hex wrench, see Figure 4. Cap must be lifted 1/4" to adjust temperature. To increase the temperature, turn counter clockwise. To decrease temperature turn clockwise.
Lower handle and tighten screw.
Check outlet temperature.


You could get pretty close to this with three Insteon switches set up:

Switch "A" (the master) connected to line and neutral, load lead capped.
Switches "B" and "C" connected to line and neutral, with the load (light bulbs) connected to the load lead and neutral.
Create a scene where switch "A" acts as the controller, and "B" and "C" are responders.

Switches B and C will operate independently, but any action at A (on, off, bright, dim) will affect both of them.

Edit: @Matthew PK reminds me to point out that this could be any scene-capable smart switch.


How do I determine whether the existing fixture can support a ceiling fan?

You'll have to look at the inside of the box where the light is mounted. It should have printing inside it - although at the age of the house, it may not. Boxes that can support ceiling fans will be known as "acceptable for fan support":

If you don't see something like that, you're going to need to take out some of the ceiling and replace to box with a fan box or run the risk of the fan being too heavy and falling down at the worst possible time.


How to stop exercise mats from slipping on a hardwood floor in a multi-use room?

Look into non-slip rug pads. They work well for me on our laminate floor and come in various sizes.


ApplePly is a brand name for an all-hardwood veneer plywood that is higher quality than your typical construction or cheap hardwood plywoods.  (You may want to confirm that your "applewood" plywood is truly ApplePly).  ApplePly should be similar in quality to baltic birch plywoods and like baltic birch it is not supposed to contain voids.  You can find these higher quality sheet goods at a large lumberyard or cabinet supplier.
A router will work fine on the edges of either ApplyPly or baltic birch.  The glue in the plywood may dull the router bit slightly more quickly than solid wood but if you are only doing one desktop this is not really a factor.
From an aesthetic standpoint, you will be able to see the veneer layers on the edges.  Depending on the piece of furniture this may be what you desire, or not.
additional info and clarifications based on the comments:
As several have mentioned it's a good idea to take several shallow passes rather than try to get it done in a single pass.  This will help give cleaner cut.  What 'shallow' means kind of depends on what the profile and thickness is, but start with about 1/16" and increase from there. Use a carbide bit rather than a cheaper high speed steel one.  Make sure that you understand where the bearing of the bit will be riding, especially if you are profiling both sides.  You should test all of these by working on the scrap edges of the sheet (or other scrap of the same material) before you cut it to final size.  Secure the sheet with multiple clamps if at all possible.  This is for safety and it will also give you more control and a better quality cut.
The direction that you move the router when working is important.  If you are working on the outside edge of a plywood sheet with a handheld router the correct direction is counterclockwise- start on the right and push the router leftwards.  This keeps the cutter rotating against the wood- you will actually have to push the router where you want it to go.  If the router is pulling you along, you are making a climb cut which is useful in some situations but not really recommended for beginners because much more effort is required to maintain control of the router.


Can I put rigid foam on studs to prevent thermal bridging?

It's common to do the reverse...clad the outside in foam insulation to prevent thermal bridging from that side.

Your idea is sound. I'd suggest using full panels and then tape them. That would add additional insulation to the entire wall and also act as a Vapor barrier for you.

Another technique is instead of using insulation, install 1x2" slats horizontally across the studs every 16" and install the sheetrock to that. The theory is the same in that the only bridging would then be and the small points where the two pieces of lumber meet.


Can I curve an L-shaped shower curtain rod myself?

Perhaps.

It depends on how brittle/ductile the rod is.  Its likely steel, which has a wide range of properties.  There may be finish cracking issues.  The wider the radius, the more likely the success.

I would experiment on a similar but simpler rod.  The methods I suggested here would be the least expensive tooling.


Draining irrigation system for the winter

It's definitely a good idea to blow the water out using a compressor. Since naturally there will be sections of the system where water will sit, and the pipes are not very deep (typically 1 or 2'), they will likely freeze, and if that happens the pipes will crack, and you'll have a non-working system (and lots of digging to do) in the spring.

Check this question for advice on how to connect a compressor to the sprinkler system. It's best to blow out each zone one by one, so that you don't end up with water stuck in one line still while all the air escapes out another already-empty zone. Start with the zone with the highest elevation, if possible, and go down from there. You may need to cycle back through one more time.

Once you have the fittings ready to connect your compressor to the system, it's a pretty quick job, should only takes a few minutes really. Once there is air coming out of the zone, you're good and can move on to the next.

50 PSI is about the max you'd need on the sprinkler system side. Be careful going higher - 100 PSI is probably higher than the pipes/fittings used for sprinklers (or the sprinklers themselves) can handle.


Contractor cut joist hangers to make them fit

No, it’s not acceptable to cut the joist hangers.

In order to determine if they are acceptable anyway, there are several issues to review: 1) hangers are notched, 2) incomplete nailing, 3) wrong nails, 4) wrong install of fasteners (angled install in lieu of perpendicular to joist installation).

1) Notching the hangers voids the allowable stresses published by the manufacturer for each hanger. However, if the hanger is not stressed to its maximum allowed, the engineer can review and determine if it meets the “intent”.

2) 3) and 4) Published allowable stress values are determined by installing the hanger in the proper manner, as per the manufacturer’s installation instructions. When the fasteners are not correct, missing or improperly installed, then the designer will need to make a determination that they meet the required design loads.

If you have a Building Permit, I’m sure the Building Official will want the designer to provide “certification” that the installation is acceptable. If it’s not acceptable, it will need to be re-done.

So, if the correct wood ledger was used and it’s impossible to comply with the drawings, the engineer will need to redesign...and pay to have it done correctly. You can see that the engineer will do everything possible to accept the lack of nailing fully into the ledger/beam...but will probably want the hanger replaced (at the contractor’s expense).

It’s important to you to get this corrected or have the engineer provide the certification, because if there’s a problem in the future, they’ll both point the finger at each other and you’ll be in court forever.


Installing short 18"- 24" threaded black pipe for lp gas line in wall

Short threaded connections are generally acceptable, if your piping system passes required pressure testing. As @keshlam states, check with your local permitting authority.


Why not just use a ball valve?  These valves make it easy to tell if they are open or closed.

In the open position (gas is flowing) the handle (lever) will be parallel with the pipe, when it is closed (gas not flowing) the handle (lever) will be perpendicular to the pipe.

This should make it easy for you to tell if the gas is on, or off.


What does a receptacle tester reading of "Correct" really mean?

We like to call those 3-light testers "magic 8-ball" testers because their legends are often comically wrong and misleading.  The lights are great, though, and are very useful.

Now, many things about mains electrical can be surprising to EEs. It is wired as an isolated system with discrete current returns (not backplaned) because of  the need to avoid overloads and keep currents equal in all cables (so magnetic fields cancel; since it is AC, eddy currents are a big deal). There is also a safety shield called "ground" (not GND) that must never carry current.

To keep the AC voltage on the isolated system from floating, one conductor has an equipotential bond to safety ground. This "grounded conductor" is called neutral.  The bond is in precisely one place and should flow 0 amps.

So your center yellow measures between hot and neutral.

The end yellow measures hot to safety ground, which connects back to neutral via the official ground bond. This detector cannot detect an exchanged neutral and ground, but if you have good assembly skill that should be rather unlikely. It also cannot detect a shorted neutral-ground, nor either one bootlegged from the other.

The red lamp connects neutral to ground. You are most likely to see this in a lost ground situation, when H-G and G-N lamps are now in series with each other.

The GFCI does not interact with ground in any way. It simply compares the current outbound on one conductor to the current returning on the other conductor. The only way currents could not be equal is if something is storing a tremendous number of electrons (cyclotron?), or if current is leaking out of the loop somehow.

Your tester needs ground to create an alternate route for current to leak into.


...because you didn't empty its drain bucket/tank? Lacking the usual "outside part" where window air conditioners drip condensate, portables usually have a bucket or tank like a dehumidifier that you need to empty. It might have a float that is supposed to stop operation when it's full - like dehumidifiers, that float mechanism may not be completely reliable (if there is one.)


Chances are its the starter capacitor. This is the device used to give the motor an initial boost of power to overcome the initial load required to get the fan to start.

If you can open the fan, you may see this component swelled up and melted, if so, you will need to replace with a suitable candidate (read the text of the starting capacitor)


What happens if I don't replace my water treatment filter?

That series was sold with and without a carbon filtering system which makes it a little harder to described. If you have a carbon filtering system (there's is called a "HYgene Bacteriostatic Filter Media" containing Silver Impregnated Activated Carbon) which is the more typically and suggested unless you have well water, the manufacturer suggests replacing the carbon filter every 3-4 years. The carbon is porous and is underneath a few levels of filter media and will hold onto the smaller particles. Also, that series appears to be fairly typical and has a salt tank filter, I highly recommend checking and more than likely filling that up. The salt is fairly cheap in comparison and the system is designed for the homeowner to maintain that themselves. The salt aids in the life of the filtration system, the filter system washes itself out and adds salt as a Regeneration cycle.

The consequences, the regeneration cycle is an attempt to clear the debris and if the media is too old or too much media has been flushed away the regeneration cycle will either stop and your water pressure will drop (would probably take months for you to notice) or the regeneration cycle will happen significantly more frequently wasting your electricity and remaining salt. The less filter media the system has, the more likely it is to get things (bacteria, hard minerals, debris) through which is no worse that not having the filter. The carbon will "bleed" and release the bacteria it was holding onto but that is just what it does and will not typically effect smell or taste for many years past it's prime if it is kept wet (which it is as long as the bypass hasn't been on since you moved in).

The systems themselves are expensive, the filter system look to be < $300 USD with installation. So you may want to look into getting it all fixed up. You'll have to monitor the salt about every 6 months but otherwise it should be maintenance free for at least 3 years.

If you are still concerned, most people install a bypass value system for maintenance of the system (an for heavy gardening, filling up the pool, going on vacation). This series appears to have the bypass installed as part of the unit. The bypass value does exactly what it sounds like, it bypasses the entire unit. Looking at the Manual this unit has a single valve to bypass (Page 5/6 manual using verbage "by-pass"). Sidenote: most home-made/plumber installs for a bypass system will have two valves, one for redirecting the input around the system and one for switching the output from the unit to the bypass.


Replacement Bulb For Under Cabinet Lighting

What replacement bulb would work?

Any LED G9 120V bulb rated less than 25W. A LED bulb of around 6W probably has a brightness (see its Lumens rating) similar to a 25W Halogen.

Glossary:

Lumens are a measure of luminous flux and are a better guide to brightness than Watts.
Watts are essentially a measure of how much heat the bulb emits, not light.


Can a pilot on a furnace be on but the thermocouple still be bad?

It is absolutely possible for a thermocouple to "die slowly" where it will work intermittently for a pretty long time. But, what makes you think it's the thermocouple? Granted, that is a pretty common failure point in gas fired units, you don't mention anything that actually points to a thermocouple failure (or really, any specific component) as a possible culprit.

If you are really convinced that the thermocouple is causing the pilot to turn off, you can try rubbing it with some sand paper or one of those green 3M scrubbers. You want to take off any rust/corrosion/crud and get it as smooth and shiny as possible. Use the finest grit sandpaper you can find. If you do this and it fixes the problem, it's still very likely that it will come back within a few weeks, although you might get lucky and have it come out more or less as "permanently" fixed.

You really do need a multimeter to properly test it though. I found some instructions (which I will not link to) detailing how to "test" a thermocouple with a paperclip, which just seems like a bad idea.... please don't do that.

Personally, I would try the sandpaper first and see what happens, and maybe spend the $15 on a cheap multimeter (or borrow one from a friend). If you are in an area that is already getting very cold, you might not want to risk it. In that case, the TC is usually a reasonable bet. Good luck!


What is this pipe thread compound on my LP regulator fitting?

The tape you purchased is the correct tape for gas fittings.  However, the fitting in your picture is a flared fitting.  PTFE (Teflon) tape/pipe dope is only necessary on pipe thread fittings.

This is because pipe threads are tapered - as you tighten the fitting, the threads bind together and deform slightly to create a seal.  The pipe tape/dope helps lubricate the threads and make a better seal.

With a flared fitting like your photo shows, the flare at the bottom seats in a mating flare inside the female fitting.  The threads are only there to draw the two together.

Using tape on the flare fitting may not cause any problems, but I would not take the chance, especially with gas.  If any tape gets under the flare or prevents the nut from tightening down fully, you're going to have a leak.


How to keep a downspout extension from coming off?

White sheet metal screw through the overlapped sections. Or if you want to get fancy, a pop-rivet (converted from my comment).

Note to Jack - some of the other SE sites seem to discourage 1 (or 2)-sentence answers.  I have been asked on at least one occasion to convert an answer into a comment.


Judging by the diagram (Fig.2) at the bottom of the 1st page on the install instructions you've linked, you should be connecting your Black L1 to the baseboard's Black, Your Red L2 to the Baseboard's Blue, and your ground to the Baseboard's Ground screw.
This baseboard heater doesn't require a Neutral for a North-American split-phase 240V supply.
You only need Live/Neutral if you have European single-phase 240V.

There's a slightly clearer version of the instructions here, with this diagram on page 2:


Preventing Clogging/Flooding at bottom of exterior basement steps

Same sort of basement entry here in Seattle. Intermittent flooding and the hassle of sweeping wet leaves out of the stairwell for too many years.
  I love my current solution.
A friend drilled support-heavy screws into the concrete foundation.
We cut 3 pieces of heavy duty plywood to cover the space and fit around the bases of the railing at the top. One end of the wood rests on the screw-supports. The other end rests on the concrete on the other side of the stairwell. (3 pieces because they are heavy - so the dog would not crash through if he walked on them.)
Rain rotted my first try, so I bought sheets of that rippled Fiberglas roofing type material and cut them to size.
If you get the picture, you’ll be able to figure out how to keep water from getting into the wood through the seams in the Fiberglas.
The stairwell stays dry all winter.  I can store lawn chairs and such down there.  The cat can go there and sleep.  I can still access the stairwell if I need to get out fast by crawling out or lifting the plywood from below. If you don’t have animals, you might be able to use just the Fiberglas sheets.
PS make sure this cover slants so the rain runs off. My screw supports are just a little under the siding.


Is there a way to look through wall paintings for pencil writings?

Yes, but it's not necessarily easy to do without specialist equipment. It's done by forensic document examiners and art historians.

  we can retrieve under-drawings below paintings by looking at them in
  infrared light. This is because the carbon used by artists to make
  their under-drawing absorbs light at that range of the spectrum ...
  Ultraviolet light has often been used to look at faint text in medieval manuscripts,

http://archimedespalimpsest.org/about/imaging/processing.php

  Spectral imaging recovers faded or erased text by capturing details
  about the ink and the parchment at different wavelengths. And because
  different wavelengths of light convey information unique to that
  spectrum, traces of iron ink, for instance, appear one way in infrared
  light, another way in ultraviolet, and, perhaps, not at all in visible
  light. Multispectral imaging collects the different information and
  recombines them into composite spectral signatures.

https://www.rit.edu/showcase/index.php?id=325

  Infrared imaging has been used to analyze old documents and works of
  art since the 1960s. But the equipment typically used by conservators
  for this kind of analysis is bulky and pricey; the systems can run
  more than $100,000. Falco has developed a hacked hand-held version
  —not as precise in resolution, but cheaper and more portable, making
  it possible to image paintings right on the walls they adorn. ...
  Falco can also jigger his camera to photograph ultraviolet light,
  which can reveal otherwise hidden details, most notably fluorescence.

http://nautil.us/blog/looking-through-paintings-to-see-whats-hidden

If it's a couple of coats of emulsion paint, and stain blocker wasn't used, you could try with a close-up infrared and ultraviolet light sources (infrared LEDs are cheap and used for CCTV, ultraviolet is used for disco lights and insect killers) and see if you can detect anything.


Is there a revolving small flat file for a drill?

It sounds like what you are describing here (and in the other thread) is called the "seat" for the valve stem washer, and usually that seat is replaceable for this exact reason. If it is replaceable, the inside will have a geometric shape, usually hexagonal, sometimes square (or the corners of a square cut into the sides of a round opening, see below), to accept a tool that us used to unscrew and remove it. Here is an example of a bad faucet seat, one with a "groove" in it like you describe.

You typically cannot see anything but the end when you remove the valve stem, so you may not have known that this is a separate piece. But if you look on this photo, the insides are hexagonal, so you can use a hex key tool to remove it. They are almost always made of brass so that they do not corrode and become impossible to remove, but it sometimes takes some effort. Once you do so, take it to a hardware store and you can buy new seats, they are cheap. They will come in pairs, replace them both because if one is corroded, the other one probably is not far from it too.

Here is an example of the type that needs a square tool.


how to drill aligned holes in steel pipe?

Looks like this project has two main issues - getting all the through-holes in the same plane on the pipe, and making a straight hole all the way through a pipe.

To draw a straight line on the pipe, you can set the 2" pipe on the flat ground (like the floor of a garage) and place a common (straight) 1x4 board next to it.  Run a marker along the corner formed by the board touching the pipe and you'll have a straight line.

For drilling the straight holes, you can either buy a drill press (random example) or you can make a jig.  The drill press is pretty self explanatory, so here's an idea for a jig.

 Drill bit
   !
  _!_ top plate
 | ! |
 | ! |
 | ! |
 |_!_| bottom plate
 |/ \| - hole for pipe
_|\_/|_ footing
_______

Now, with my amazing artwork out of the way....  You make this structure with some 2x4 lumber and use a steel plate (thin is fine) on the top of the "top plate" and "bottom plate". The total hight of the jig will be about 11".  The square at the bottom should be just big enough for the pipe to fit in to keep it centered.  Get a 12" long drill bit and drill through the jig as straight as possible measuring as much as you can.  This pilot hole will make or break your jig.  The steel sheets/plates will help keep the bit centered over the long run but are optional if you don't have many holes to drill (the wood of the jig will waller out after repeated use). If you can get a perfectly straight hole, you should be good to go!  insert the pipe and get to drilling.


You'll need to either change this out or fit a subpanel and separate main breaker

Your panel is of a mostly-obsolete configuration called a split bus panel that relies on the rule of six (see NEC 230.71 and 408.36)  to turn off power instead of having a single main disconnecting means.  This configuration (split bus with no single main disconnect) is no longer Code compliant, as it violates the provisions in NEC 408.36 Exception 1 that allow for rule-of-six panels to continue in service:

  Exception No.1: Individual protection shall not be required for a panelboard used as service equipment with
  multiple disconnecting means in accordance with 230.71.
  In panelboards protected by three or more main circuit
  breakers or sets of fuses, the circuit breakers or sets of
  fuses shall not supply a second bus structure within the
  same panelboard assembly.

Furthermore, your panel violates the rule of six itself, as while the Code limits the number of handle throws needed to turn off power to six, your panel needs eight throws to turn off all the power (the 3 two-pole breakers need to be turned off, as well as the 2 single pole breakers immediately below the 2-pole breakers on the left, the single pole breaker immediately below the 2 pole breaker on the right, and both halves of the single pole tandem/double-stuff breaker top right).

As a result of this, while it appears you have slots available, between the twistouts with the "DO NOT REMOVE" labels on them and the rule-of-six issues, you have no usable spaces in your panel for what you want to do.  The good news is that the breaker marked "main" on your panel only controls the lower bank of breakers (everything below the "main disconnect" labels), so while that lower bank can only draw 60A, the panel as a whole can draw the full 150A stated as your service ampacity.

While you're at it, you'll need to get rid of a few pieces of shelving

Some of the shelving surrounding the existing panel is problematic, too -- in fact, the shelves violate the NEC!  (Betcha you never figured a shelf could violate electrical codes, huh?)  In particular, you'll need to rip out the shelves above and below the panel, to about 8" from the edge of the panel each way, and preferably to 16-18" on at least one side -- on that side, you'll also want to trim the shelves in line with the panel back about 4-6".

This will rectify the ongoing violation of NEC 110.26(A) that exists with your current setup, as it requires an 78" high by 30" wide by 36" deep box in front of the panel, albeit not necessarily centered on it, to be kept clear so that neither you nor your electrician wind up swearing up a storm trying to work on the thing!  (The shelving directly above the panel also violates 110.26(E)(1) as it would be considered "equipment foreign to the electrical installation".)   Furthermore, the extra space off to one side provides room for a full-width subpanel to be fitted there, in case you go that route.

Now as to the details...

As I said earlier, you have two options to rectify this, namely:

Replacing the panel wholesale with one that has more spaces (likely a 200A unit downbreakered to 150A to give you flexibility in panel selection)
Installing a main breaker ahead of the existing panel and fitting a subpanel to provide the extra spaces needed.

Either way, I am going to assume that the 150A service is adequate (i.e. you don't need a "heavy-up" to 200A service).  I can determine that given nameplate current ratings for the A/C units (attic condenser and rooftop unit), but for now, that's beyond the scope of this answer.  (Provide it and I can add a section on the need for a "heavy up", or lack of need as the case very well may be.)

Replacing the panel wholesale

A 30-space panel, while technically not inadequate (if you could use spaces freely that is), is somewhat on the small side these days as branch circuits and electrical accessories proliferate and as AFCI requirements obsolete the use of tandem/double-stuff breakers.  I recommend a minimum of 42 spaces with 200 or 225A bussing and a 150A main breaker field fitted to match the service size (putting a smaller main breaker in a bigger panel is fine as long as the panel can accept it, just like having fat wire on a small breaker is no big deal); if you can get such without too much additional cost (the parts price premium is somewhere around $100-$200), 54 and 60 space loadcenters are worthwhile to look into now that it's been a full decade since the 2008 NEC cycle removed the 42-circuit restriction on branch circuit (aka "lighting and appliance") panelboards.  An added bonus to this approach is that all that will be needed for a "heavy up" to 200A will be running a fatter set of service wires and swapping the 150A main for a 200A one.

Fitting a subpanel

First off, in order to fit a subpanel alongside this panel, you'll need to  do the extra shelf-trimming described above to get at least 16" (a full stud bay's worth) of space on one side of the existing panel that the subpanel can be mounted into.

From there, you or your electrician will need a suitable main lug subpanel  and breakers to match (30 or 32 spaces/125A is the minimum I'd recommend here, but bigger is always better), a QO2125 125A, 2-pole breaker for the feeder breaker, some 1/0 Al XHHW-2 (say about 8-10' tops, so not much in the grand scheme of things), a RMC nipple of suitable size (preferably 2" trade size) to go through the stud between the two breaker panels, a second RMC nipple to provide ground between the new main breaker and the split-bus panel, and an enclosed circuit breaker (2 pole, 150A) to serve as a main breaker (I originally suggested a backfed main configuration, but the PK5RK hold-down kit required for that is incompatible with your panel.)

The new main breaker goes in-line with the existing main service-entrance cable -- it will be (with the power off) a "cut the cable and insert it in the middle" operation.  The cable from the new main breaker to the existing panel gets stuffed down a conduit nipple connecting the two enclosures, and the bonding screw in the existing panel is removed as well as the neutrals and grounds in the panel organized properly (perhaps with the aid of a PK18GTAL or PK23GTAL ground bar kit).  Finally, the subpanel is fed off the QO2125 using the XHHW-2 aluminum wire in the other RMC nipple mentioned.


If the conduit is metalic, and at least size 3/4", and at least 8 ft. long.  Then you should be able to use it as the grounding electrode for the antenna.

If the conduit meets all these criteria, then you'll want to bond the antenna mast to it using at least 10 AWG solid copper wire (810.21(H)). You'll have to use a connector designed for the purpose, so you probably can't just tuck the wire into the bracket holding the conduit to the building.

  National Electrical Code 2014

  Chapter 2 Wiring and Protection

  Article 250 Grounding and Bonding

  250.52 Grounding Electrodes.

  (A) Electrodes Permitted for Grounding.

  (5) Rod and Pipe Electrodes. Rod and pipe electrodes
  shall not be less than 2.44 m (8 ft) in length and shall
  consist of the following materials.

  (a) Grounding electrodes of pipe or conduit shall not
  be smaller than metric designator 21 (trade size 3/4) and,
  where of steel, shall have the outer surface galvanized or
  otherwise metal-coated for corrosion protection.

  (b) Grounding electrodes of stainless steel and copper
  or zinc coated steel shall be at least 15.87 mm (5/8 in.) in
  diameter, unless listed and not less than 12.70 mm (1/2 in.)
  in diameter.

Since you're using the conduit as a grounding electrode, you'll have to bond the conduit to the main structures electrical system grounding electrode. This must be done using at least a 6 AWG copper wire (810.21(J)).

You'll also have to ground the coaxial cable, and install an antenna discharge unit at the house.  See this answer for more detail.


Should inline undersink water filter be put before cold water input to undersink recirculating pump?

Put the filter after the pump so only water being used at the  faucet is filtered,since filter life is based on the amount of water running through it.


Replace 7" metal duct with 6" flexible or 8" flexible?

You're probably fine with the larger diameter (I wouldn't go smaller), but I would install a damper where you tie into the main trunk and then have someone come and rebalance the system using flow meters. That way a professional can optimize your entire house so that the air entering each room is the same relative to it's size and heat load, and the house will stay more comfortable as a result.


Main burner for gas fireplace won't stay lit (pilot light is fine)

After dealing with the pilot working for periods of time, and then having trouble again sporadically, I finally ended up calling a repair tech to come out and look at it. His solution was to build a sort of "hood" or "shelter" out of thin sheet metal around the top, back and sides of the pilot light.

It's been almost a year, and I have had no problems lighting the pilot, or keeping it lit since then. The working theory is that the pilot was essentially being blown out by the oxygen that was being pulled into the unit by the flames.


Is this washing machine drain hose too long/ installed wrong?

I would agree the extra loop will create increased resistance and possibly not pump as well.
I would shorten the hose if nothing else to reduce the back pressure on the pump.
I know my washer has a check valve at the exit of the pump so it should not let dirty water flow back but I would think eliminating any flow restrictions and a longer hose is a resistance to flow that if eliminated may solve your rinse issue.


How to install a flush mount LED light over an old square recessed box?

I have installed a couple of those flat panel LED’s. I would go with that one.

The one I installed had some slots in the panel for screws, you would mark those locations on the ceiling and then drill and install anchors so that you could screw the panel to the ceiling into those anchors.

This one does appear to have a mounting plate  that attaches to the box but because the plate  is so big you could just  drill holes in the plate  that would line up with the ceiling joist  but it’s not a heavy light  so some good quality anchors would be sufficient if you can’t lineup with a joist .


Oven suddenly tripping circuit breaker...bad oven or bad breaker?

My suspicion is that it is a faulty igniter (glow coil) in the oven.

I had the same problem with my NXR oven.  At first the circuit breaker would trip somewhat unpredictably while the oven was on.  I had a service technologist come out who could find nothing wrong with the oven.  After a few more weeks the circuit breaker started tripping fairly consistently after approximately 1-2 minutes of turning the oven on.  Each time before the breaker tripped, I could see that the igniter of the main oven was heating up normally as it got hot and started to glow orange.  The igniter is a glow coil that turns on as soon as you turn the oven on and that stays on as long as the oven is on.

To pinpoint the problem, I tested several variations.  Turned the broiler on as this uses a separate igniter - This did not trip the breaker.  Turned the oven light and fan on without turning the oven on - This also did not trip the breaker.  Turned on other appliances that are on the same breaker circuit -  This also did not trip the breaker.  Based on all of the above, I deducted that the problem was most likely caused by the igniter of the oven.

I bought this new igniter on amazon for $16 to replace the old one:

(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001DPQN70?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00)

There are several sites with instructions on how to replace an igniter in a gas oven.  I used this one:

http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2288437/if-susan-fixed-her-nxr-oven-ignitor-u-can-2

Since I replaced the igniter, the oven has worked great and the circuit breaker hasn't trip anymore.

I think, although I was never able to confirm this, that after the igniter got hot (takes a minute or so), it somehow caused a short circuit.  I checked the resistance of the faulty igniter after removing it and it was normal (same resistance as new igniter).  Not surprising as I was checking the resistance when the igniter was cold and the circuits never tripped right away after turning the oven on when the igniter was still cold.


Is it safe to use a Philips Hue E27 9.6W in a recommended max load of LED 4W?

I don't recommend using an adapter for anything other than a temporary situation.

Now, the main question is: Is this safe?

The problem here is that manufacturers blindly apply equivalency tables when the shouldn't.

Picture a more common situation - a side table lamp with a small shade.  Typically you'll see a warning sticker saying "Don't use a bulb greater than 60 watts/9 W LED."

This is due to a mistaken idea that an incandescent and an LED are in all ways equivalent.   However, they are not.  An incandescent bulb is about 2% efficient in that it's output is about 1.2 Watts of light energy, and 58.8 Watts of heat and IR energy.    It is this heat energy which is the reason for the safety sticker.  More heat output, and you start to melt or burn the shade, which is a fire hazard.

Now, without getting into the efficiency of LEDs, it's obvious that 9W is significantly lower than 58.8 Watts.  That is, there is no possible way the LED bulb can produce enough heat to damage the lampshade and present a fire hazard.

For completeness, we should also discuss the input side.  Obviously, putting in a megaWatt bulb of any sort will, in normal circumstances flip a breaker or blow a fuse.  In abnormal circumstances, it can melt the wiring in your wall or the internal workings of the socket and any integrated switch assembly.   One would hope that all lighting fixtures could handle any reasonable load, with cheaper and cheaper products on the market, there may be smaller gauge internal wiring or other components that might not be able to handle the current draw of a 150 w bulb, thus the warning.  (But, the main reason is still heat and fire.) But, even if this is true, 9W is well below the spec, and it is safe to use a 9W bulb in a fixture designed for a 60W incandescent.

TL;DR: If a fixture is rated for a 60 W bulb, any bulb of equal or lower wattage (within reasonable geometry) will be safe in that fixture.


The purpose of backer rod is simply filler so that less caulk is required. This is desirable for (at least) two reasons: Caulk isn't free. Also, it cures because of exposure to the atmosphere; if applied too thick the caulk at the bottom of a joint may not be able to cure. Your joints look shallow enough that backer rod won't be useful.

The self-leveling sealants from Sikaflex are great. However, there's something to beware of: after the material is applied it remains flowable, albeit slowly, for some time. This can result in unpleasant time-delayed surprises for the beginner.

One is related to foam backer rod -- it floats. In case you use any foam fillers, ensure they're stapled, glued, or otherwise well-attached. Otherwise you may find that after some 10-20 minutes the foam floats up to the surface of the sealant. You poke it back down; it slowly surfaces again.. eventually the sealant sets with at least some of the foam visible.

Another surprise is that the sealant will drain, slowly, into large cracks. It looks like you do have a few of these. One way to deal with this is to plan on multiple applications. Apply sealant directly into/onto the crack, just enough to cover it, and wait for that to cure. Some may drain into the crack, but it'll coat both sides of the crack and the gap will be smaller. After one or more repetitions of this the gap will shrink to the point that there's no more appreciable drainage into the crack. Go ahead and fill the entire joint at this point.

After you've been working for 5-10 minutes go back and look at the area where you began. If the self-leveled surface is lower than you like then you can add a little more material. It'll settle and blend in. If you wait too long (the first application has skinned over) then the second application would sit on top of the first rather than blending in.


Yes, this type of repair can certainly be done with good results.

Remove the carpet and cut away all compromised wood. Now fasten cleats under the edges of the cuts wherever support is available, lapping under the remaining tread and into the repair area, using screws and heavy-duty construction adhesive. Drop in your repair piece and fasten it the same way. Once the adhesive is cured it'll be as one board.

Also take the opportunity to add screws and adhesive to any accessible points of contact between boards. This will stiffen the stairs and prevent noise.


What latch would work best for a front/top opening chest?

Sounds like you want something like a tambour door lock like this:

You can find it here.


Can you put a matte polyurethane over a semi-gloss polyurethane to make it a matte finish?

Yes (with some prep), however, you can try lightly sanding with 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper.  Use it lightly wetted. Buff dry with a soft cloth.  You may find this is matte enough.. DONE!

If its too matte (flat) you are now prepped and ready to recoat with satin or matte.


How do I determine the "hand" of the door?

The handle pictures in the second diagram is very misleading.  Since the outside handle is obvious, the second pic should be the inside picture, but thet are labeled wrong for this handle it appears.  My guess is that the second pic is meant for any interior door, and for exterior doors with special exterior handles, it is wrong.

You are right, your door is left handed.  I think you would be safe ordering the LH handles.  If you are still nervous, I would take a trip to home depot or lowes to look at similar handles and confirm that LH is the way to go.

Here is the link to the actual product on the Schlage website.  Unfortunately, I dont see much to help even in the documentation.  I do see that you can flip the handle if desired, but then the curvature would be up and not down on the handle.

Also FYI, most interior door handes are reversible.  But in your case, since it is an exterior handle, it does matter.