Door sticks and drywall cracks, ledger board not level?

The floor being level is really the test.   Not the levelness of part of a piece of lumber holing up the floor.   There can be a variety of reasons for this including the boards themselves aren't straight or not true to their supposed dimensions.
The ledger board off 1/8"... has nothing to do with your issue.   It really isn't probably part of any issue but for sure nothing to do with your issue.
The fact that the top of your wall is pulling in a couple of places is pretty normal.   I am guessing there is unconditioned space above and that that beams (joists/framing) cause the drywall to be pulled and you get a crack.   You can do a million things to try to fix this but it is cosmetic.
As for your doors being tight you need to make your doors smaller.
This involves shaving off the parts of the doors that are sticking.   If you have a really really good table saw you can take off 1/8".   If you have a really really crappy table saw the 1/8" will be 1/16" on one side 1/4" on the other...   So I usually would suggest people use an electric planer.
I am guessing that the door sticks on the latch side and/or possibly the top.

Take door off hinges.   The best way to do this is popping the pins off.  You can unscrew the door but then you may have to deal with possible stripped screw holes.   So unless the door didn't seem straight in reference to the framing, I try to leave hinges in tact.

Take off knob and latch plate.

Always try to plane facing down so you can steadily move planer through surface and make sure planer is in middle of the door.   If you have uneven pressure the surface will become uneven, curved, or your will take more off one side than the other.

Take a little bit too much off.   Remember that you have to prime and paint this thing.   Really almost 1/8" after you do 2 coats of primer two coats of latex... these things need 4 coats too.

Before you paint you have to pop the door back in (2 pins at least halfway in) so you can close the door and test.   It shouldn't even be remotely close to hitting/rubbing and you should be able to see at least 1/8" gap in the top/latch-side from inside the room.

Based on planing the latch side you may need to chisel out the latch plate a bit so that it sits inside the door (chisel and utility knife).

Paint.

Reinstall door.

(I can go over 10s of things to help door from sticking and the cracks from appearing.   If you would like to work on these things for days/weeks and find something that works for a couple years that is fine.   If it were my house I would fill the crack with something that moves a little easier and shave the door)


Replacing the railing on an old rock retaining wall

Cut the existing fence out in pieces, preserving as many of its original vertical support posts as you can.  Instead of solid 6x6 lumber, use four pieces of 2x4 lumber in a square, and secure them tightly to the original posts.  You might also be able to design a special pentagonal support this way that would work well in the middle corner of your wall.

Or if the original support posts are hollow below grade (which is a long shot), cut them off flush, and embed new threaded rod inside them with epoxy.

Anther option is to accept that you're going to damage the wall when putting in new fasteners, and also plan to add a new cap layer to the wall that would cover up that damage.  Avoid using high impact hammering, try to find a bit that can grind instead, and use plenty of water to wash it out while drilling.


Can I run #10 and #12 cables through the same hole in framing lumber?

In the US, as far as the National Electrical Code is concerned, you can run three cables through a hole bored in a joist or rafter as long as you can run the cables without damaging them.

If the bored hole was longer than 24", you would have to observe the rules for bundling and do derating calculations - that is, figure out the diminished current carrying capacity of the cables.  This would be very unusual in house construction, there are not many walls, beams, etc. that are 24" deep.

There may be local codes that apply in addition to or instead of the NEC - can't say what applies for your area.

Some people have their own rules about how many cables can go through a single bored hole.  Sometimes these rules of thumb are pretty popular, and can be confused with actual code requirements, even by inspectors.

The safest thing to do in these situations is contact your local code enforcement department and ask.  Of course, it's often a lot easier to drill another hole.


What are these holes in my concrete wall and how can I mount things to them?

Using these holes for a mount is feasible if you can use two or more of the holes for one rail.

One method is to make round wooden plugs that just fit into the holes. Make it so it can go in as deep as possible whilest not sticking out beyond the surface of the wall.

Next you cut the plug in half as shown below. Place the two halves of the plug into the hole and then pound in some wedges to make the plug fit into the hole as tight as possible. Be careful to use a wedge that does not have too much angle to it so that you can get expansion of the plug as far down in as possible.

After the thing is wedged in place cut off the excess length of the wedge. The plug can now be used as a screw point to mount a flat plank across the wall. It would be to this plank that you mount any additional harware for the monitor mount.


Liftmaster garage opener keypad stops working when temp drops below 40 degrees F

Have you tried replacing the battery?   A weak battery might work when it's warm, but, like all batteries, their performance is reduced substantially at lower temps.


No - It will never match the original pattern. But we had similar issues in many apartments where we couldn't just leave a bold spot. So we had to re do that "area"  area being keyword here.

Afterwards apply some undercoats to the area that was redone (we did ours with a concrete mix but some have silicone or other types)

Only you will see exactly where the repair work has been done but trust me. Nobody else will even notice the difference because they would really have to know they are looking for something.

Basically applying a similar patter and repainting the entire area will take the obvious repair work out of eye sight. Just don't tell any body because then everybody will see it.

(That is why I hate doing my own DIY work because I always find something somebody else messed up or the tiny shortcut I took that nobody else ever will even know about)


If the wire is copper, you can mount an electrical box in the attic and use wire nuts to join the old and new same gauge wiring. If you are joining old aluminum wiring to new copper wiring, call an electrician so you don't burn your house down. :)


Is there any considerable advantage to a forced air-to-air heat exchanger over just cleverly positioned positive pressure forced air intake?

This is a simple question requiring a complex answer...!
What you are asking is the cost-benefit tradeoff of installing a heat exchanger. How much will you save on heating costs, vs what does it cost to purchase and operate the exchanger. And you wish to compare that to forced air ventilation.
Factors to consider:

Required or desired ventilation rate, usu. depends on occupancy and your tolerance to flatulence
Number of heating degree days, from local climatological data
Heat exchanger efficiency, e.g. 60-80%, or 0% for ventilation without exchanger
Electricity consumed by exchanger, including its fan and defroster
Cost of heating, based on your local price of electrical or hydrocarbon energy
Purchase cost for the heat exchanger sized appropriately for your dwelling

This linked article shows a pay-back time of 5-years, but of course, it all depends on your parameters. The data in these calculations use imperial units, but it's a good example. You'll find similar calculations elsewhere, and I wouldn't be surprised if your local energy supplier has some detailed data, considering the cost of energy and your climate (Belgium? Netherlands?)
https://home-energy.extension.org/cost-effectiveness-of-installing-heat-exchangers/
Personally I have found that in mild climates (North West Europe, Western Canada / North Western USA) the heat loss due to cracked-open windows or natural ventilation pales in comparison to the house's heat lost through building envelope cracks & radiation losses. The heat exchanger makes much more sense in areas with long winters down to -10C ... -20C.
One reason is the obvious temperature of the taken-in air, but the other is the local building code for insulation. Milder climate regions often have looser insulation requirements, and so the total energy loss is less impacted by ventilation.


Can I build a wall directly underneath a steel basement beam?

Yes, that's quite normal. Since the beam bears the load, it's a simple non-bearing wall.


My front door frame doesn't appear to support installing a storm door; is there anything I can do?

You dont state what your problem is.  You can install the door to the outside of the door frame. It looks like the top sticks out farther than the sides so you either have to add a board the thickness of the distance to the outside of the side frame. If you need more room for the frame flange at the top you can add a 1x2 board to the top of the door . With the thick door frame the bottom of the screen door may not hit something so you will have to look at that.

Installing a screen door is not an easy project even on a standard door. Especially the first time so if you're doubting yourself you might want to hire someone.


No, no, no, a horizontal crack COMPLETELY THROUGH your foundation wall on 3 sides of your house is not normal and is not acceptable...especially if you’re able to stick a dime in the crack...this is not just a “hairline” crack.

I’ve designed hundreds and hundreds of concrete walls, slabs, etc. and NONE have cracked. People who have cracked foundations, slabs, etc. do not understand the difference between reinforcing rebar and temperature steel.

I suspect your problem is one of the following issues

lack of vertical rebar for the load
lack of temperature steel due to thickness of wall
contractor pouring a portion of the foundation wall up a ways (usually about half way) and then when they finish the pour they do not vibrate (consolidate) the two pours together by using a vibrator (contractors call it a stinger). This creates a “cold joint” between the two pours.

This allows a small “hairline” crack that can grow due to movement of the building or water penetration into the joint and then freezing and expanding, etc. (if you live in a cold climate, I suspect this is the cause of your problem.)

If the wall is still level, (smart of you to check,) I doubt if it’s a structural problem (lack of vertical rebar). and I’d definitely seal the cracks to prevent bugs, water penetrating the crack...freezing and continuing to crack the wall further.


Notch rules or guidelines for steel studs (non-load bearing)

International Residential Code 2009
Chapter 6 Wall Construction
Section R603 Steel Wall Framing
R603.1 General. Elements shall be straight and free of any defects that would significantly affect structural performance. Cold-formed steel wall framing members shall comply with the requirements of this section.
R603.3.4 Cutting and notching. Flanges and lips of cold-formed steel studs and headers shall not be cut or notched.

603.3.4 is a requirement of section 603, and so all cold-formed steel wall framing members must comply with it. Meaning that whether the wall is load-bearing or not, the framing members cannot be notched.


How to attach 10 AWG wire to LED strip lights?

Use a pigtail from the 10AWG wire to the strip light connector:

(this is just a representative image, not sure if these will fit your strip lights)

Just use wire-nuts to connect the 10AWG wires to the wires that go to the strip light connectors. Or solder and tape them.

If you have strip light connectors that aren't pre-wired, then create short jumpers with suitably sized wire to plug into the connector.


Ceiling Fan Not Spinning Normally, Replaced Capacitor Already

Looking at the manual for that fan, there is no "extra box" shown, but it does mention that

"This fan is remote control adaptable (remote control not included). Please refer to instructions provided with the remote control before proceeding with these wiring instructions."

So my guess is that your extra box is the remote control option, and the previous owner lost the remote, with the fan stuck on "Low". I would remove it and wire it as it should be without a remote.

Another thing to try is the Fwd / Rev switch. it may be old and/or dirty, try flipping it back and forth a few times.


No, you can't.

An extension cord is designed for temporary use. Many of us (myself included) will use an extension cord on a "semi-permanent" basis.

But it is quite different to have an exposed extension cord and a hidden extension cord. An extension cord is not designed - or rated & tested - for use in a hidden location. Use in that matter raises the very real possibility of damage to the cord from repeated walking on the carpet going unnoticed until it is too late (e.g., fire). Wires are also rated based on temperature, and a cord that is rated for a particular temperature based on being in open air may not be safe when used under a carpet, where it may heat up quite a bit more - also increasing fire risk.

The proper way to use a floor outlet is to have a cutout in the carpet around the outlet, and ideally a cover on the outlet when it is not in use to avoid dirt (or even worse, spilled drinks) getting into the outlet. I see that type of outlet in hotels & conference rooms and it is a little ugly but functional and safe.

If you are not going to use the floor outlet at all, covering it with a movable rug is OK. But you should never cover an outlet or junction box of any type (e.g., including if you removed the outlet, capped the wires and put on a blank plate) with any permanent flooring like wall-to-wall carpet. All electrical connections (with very few exceptions) need to be easily accessible.


Is it less than an inch long? I would keep the window trim and corners consistent throughout the home,although there can be exceptions, but I would strive to keep all details the same, and if it takes short pieces of siding to do so, so be it...

The siding you plan on using can be easy to break at the corners, let alone what a small piece will do. Using a small diameter masonry or glass bit, pilot the hole where the nail will go in. Hardie (r) siding is hung from nails anyway hidden by the next course of siding.


How to wire two loads when one depends on the other?

Simple:
 Line Hot-----SwitchB----------SwitchA----
                        |                |
                      LoadB            LoadA
                        |                |
 Line Neutral-----------------------------

This does require switches (typically a normal wall switch) you can wire to - hacking into device B after a built-in switch is going to void all sorts of things, not the least of which is your insurance if it causes a fire after your modification.


Domestic gas piping. Seems like it's trivial to connect a stove to the pipeline in an apartment - buy a pipe and two thunks, play with a wrench - what could be easier?

Then you overtighten or undertighten some nut or use a wrong type of "thunk" and you've got a gas leak and possibly a devastating explosion. Saved 30 to 100 bucks but destroyed your own and others' property and possibly killed and injured people. Bad Idea™.


I replaced my faucet supply line but it's still leaking. Any ideas?

These fittings seal by a soft elastomer seal in the hose fitting to a smooth mating surface on the faucet fitting. I would just keep tightening until the leak stops.

If you cannot get it to stop by tightening, you could cut off the fitting on the faucet  and put on a new fitting (compression or sweat on). Is the mating surface damaged? Are the threads on the faucet fitting damaged (e.g., from prior cross threading) so that the mating surface is not being pressed square onto the seal?

If you can see or feel a groove in the sealing surface of the faucet fitting, you could try to restore the surface by filing or sanding. If it is a deep crack, then you could try to fill it with super glue or other sealer, but probably this wouldn't work.

You could get an adapter which you could thread onto the existing faucet fitting (with pipe dope or tape) and which would have undamaged threads and sealing surface and to which the supply hose would make a leak free seal. This might require two pieces--a "nipple" and an adapter which screws into or onto the nipple and has the correct male ending for the supply hose to attach to. The pipe thread connections on each end of the nipple would require sealing with pipe dope or tape, but not the final connection of the supply hose.

EDIT

  I'm really baffled on this one. I noticed the male >threads are not completely in the round (they have flat >sides), but there is nothing unique about the supply line >that was removed. No sign of Teflon tape, and I didn't >use any.

AFIK the presence of flat sides means that these threads could never seal and are only "clamping" threads so my statement above about putting on an adapter w or w/o a nipple wouldn't work. Only round threads can seal.


How to stop water seepage in an elevator pit?

...which is to say, you need a sump pump, because you will NEVER reliably stop it from the inside, and there's not likely to be any way you can gain access to the outside of the pit to waterproof it properly - and "properly" does indeed mean "from the outside." If you cannot waterproof from the outside, all you can do is pump it away, in any basement (other than hillside ones where sometimes you can just pipe it away, but that evidently would let the tide in more effectively for your situation.)

You can TRY painting things on the walls and caulking cracks or filling them with hydraulic cement, but hydrostatic pressure usually wins and the leak returns.


I’m having a 12x24 cabin put on deer camp. What is suggested for sub panel in my cabin?

This could be served by a multiwire branch circuit in the cabing - one leg for the AC receptacle, the other leg for the rest of the receptacles and the lights.  This way all you need at the cabin is a disconnect, and you can run everything from the panel on the pole.

Assuming you're running conduit underground, I'd oversize the conduit so you'll have room to upgrade in the future.


How to get rid of a permanent old people smell?

This situation calls for a conversation with your property manager. Airflow is probably the only solution, and it may be necessary to ask the downstairs resident to keep an exhaust fan on for a larger part of each day.

You might also investigate ionization filters, though they have their own issues. Ozone can be problematic for some.


How can I resolve air leakage under wall sill plates?

This is an easy one. Caulk the gaps with a 100% silicone, polyurethane, or butyl caulk. Then reinstall your baseboards.


Is it OK to put hardwood flooring over 3/4" particle board that's over 1/2" wood subfloor?

1/2" subfloor is definitely insufficient, so I get why it was reinforced.

3/4" particle board... that is not structural.  It's paper dust and glue.  A little water and it loses all cohesion.

Simply for peace of mind, if it were me, I'd remove the particle board and put down either OSB or plywood.  Probably OSB, only because it's a little stronger (not much) but it's also more expensive so if budget were a concern, I'd go with equal thickness plywood.  Either will do you.

But the particle board?  Get rid!  Its probably not gonna fall apart on you, unless you have a spill... but why even keep that worry?


Where can I find or make a remote wireless light switch?

There are plenty of remote switches on the market, especially if your light is (or can be) plugged into a wall socket.

X10  is probably the best-known standard for home automation
INSTEON is a backward-compatible extension of X10, introduced in 2005
Z-Wave is a pure-play RF control system
There are lots of cheap'n'cheerful generic switches available.
The Zigbee wireless protocol is also starting to get some traction in home automation, after many years as a hobbyist's curiosity, but commercial devices are still rare and expensive.

One thing you should seriously consider, however: security.  X10 devices - and the cheap'n'cheerful stuff - DO NOT encrypt their control signals, so it's scarily possible that criminals might remotely turn off the lights in front of your house for their own purposes.  Unencrypted wireless signals should ONLY be used for stuff where interference or disruption won't cause any damage.

INSTEON, Z-Wave, and Zigbee were all built with security/encryption in mind; I'm sure none of them will make Fort Knox feel insecure, but they should be at least as hard to crack as your garage door opener, anyway.


Will a 15 amp circuit support the lighting I plan to install?

It looks like you have spent some time and research working on this, well done. We calculate general purpose outlet for dwelling units at 180 W/VA or 1.5A per duplex receptacle. If you have an NEC handbook illustration 220.4 is a great example.

The lighting is a bit of guess work and since we already know the outlets it would be safe to use 1.5 W/VA per square foot of living area to determine the load. Understand that the NEC isn't interested in what you are installing, it's interested in what may be installed by whomever at a later date.

That being said. I don't really see a problem with your thinking, but I do have one question. Are any of these receptacles being used for a specific duty such as a refrigerator or microwave or such. If so they must be calculated at the nameplate rating rather than the general purpose 180W.

My final thought is why not just run all 20 amp circuits and that would insure you for expansion or if you missed something. We call it Value Added Resource. For minimal cost it may pay off in the end.


In the right-hand box -- take the red and black that go to the traveler terminals on the switch, and cap them off.  There will be a likely white wire (hopefully tagged black or red) in that same cable that connects to a black wire -- unhook that nut and cap off the white wire.  This disconnects the switch loop entirely.  Then wire the black that was connected to the likely-white (maybe tagged) wire to the line terminal on the Insteon switch.  From there, you can remove the wire from the common terminal on the switch and connect it to the load terminal on the Insteon switch, and connect the neutral terminal on the Insteon switch to the neutral bundle in the box (with a white pigtail if need be).  Ground the Insteon switch, and put everything back together in this box.

The center box can be left as-is.  In the left box, your job is simple -- take the wires off the existing switch and cap them all individually.


Polesaw: electric v. gas? battery v. corded?

Most essential is keep the chain lubricated and sharpened.  I only fill mine with half a tank of gas because my experience it'll run out of chain lube before gas.  So do it everytime you add gas - a lot more often if it's electric!

A gas saw will be fussy and high maintenance.  A battery electric won't have a whole lot of guts.  A corded electric will be fairly strong if you can get power out to it. Those cheapie orange extension cords don't really cut it.

A stupid person can seriously damage a pole saw, notably by damaging the pole and shaft running up the pole.  An electric that puts the motor out on the pole is unwieldy but relieves that issue.

I'm taking note that you're buying this tool for someone else to use; clearly not a professional since those guys bring their own tools.  A homeowner must pay to fix his tool; a professional also loses revenue and reputation when he can't do a job because of bad tools.  Those non-professionals can be hard on tools because they don't have any personal stake in them.

Needless to say, professionals don't buy tools at Home Depot.  If you want the Bridgeport/Monarch/Sony/Apple/3M of chainsaws, that's arguably Stihl.


Glue for internal rubber seals on uPVC windows

The only thing I can see working here with rubber and vinyl would be cyanoacrylate (super glue). There may be other options, but that gets into product recommendation territory.
I'd use a gel type that will stay put and not flow everywhere. Take the sashes out to a clean, stable work area if possible, and consider masking sensitive areas first.
Do be sure that you're actually seeing pull-off and not tearing of something that's set into a channel, for example. Replacing the entire seal in the latter case may be the only reliable option.


How to remove air from water supply line?

You can use an automatic air vent for the water supply. It has a air chamber and a float that will automatically bleed the accumulated air. They are also relatively inexpensive.

The automatic air vent is commonly used for for hydronic water heating systems but make sure its approved for potable water in your case.

This Honeywell EA122A1028 should work.
Honeywell EA122A1028


Can I use a 50 amp GFCI breaker on 15 amp circuit?

Yes, you can use this.

GFCI breakers combine two different functions into one device.  The circuit breaker function of the device is rated for 50 amps.  However, because your 15 amp breaker is upstream from the GFCI, your circuit is protected at 15 amps, and will trip at 15 amps if there is a fault either before or after your GFCI.

The GFCI function on the GFCI breaker is not related to the 50 amp rating.  This will trip if there is a ground fault after the GFCI breaker.

As long as you size your main breaker correctly, you can use this GFCI breaker at the local disconnect for the spa.

See this article for more details on wiring a spa: SpaDepot: Wiring a Hot Tub


Connecting gas logs to small propane tank

I just did the same thing. I installed an Empire vent free log set in my wood burning fireplace that I plan to use mostly in a vented manner.  I ran black pipe from the outside on my open air back porch into the fireplace which attached to the gas log burner controls.

For the outside, I simply attached a standard BBQ replacement propane hose with regulator to a 20lb tank.  It works just fine.  My log set is around 32000 btu so I can expect around 10.5-11 hours on a 20lb tank.  I plan to get a 40lb tank.

One issue for you might be if your logs don't have the proper flame, it may be due to the hose used to connect to the tank being 1/4".  Try to find a hose/regulator that is 3/8" which should provide a bit more gas to the logs.

Be aware that local code might require you to have a gas shutoff installed inside the house.  Mine does, so I installed one.

One caution.  Be sure to get a gas log set that does NOT have a continuous pilot light.  A pilot light running 24/7 will use about 8 gallons of propane a month.  That's 2 20lb tanks worth of propane.


Paint and Application Method for Stair Risers

My recommendation is a gloss cabinet paint with a good paint brush.

We painted our stairs(after filling in the nail holes) with this type of paint. Put a carpet runner on. Now it looks like a staircase from a design magazine.


Should an optical cable inside a house be run in conduit?

Run Conduit
Then if you need a 2nd fiber later, or this one goes bad, or you want to add something else, you're all set.
Plus, one staple that hits wrong, and you've clobbered your fiber - you can't (realistically) splice and patch the way you could with copper Ethernet.


Remove plastic film from the outside of a metal door?

If Goof-Off isn't doing it, I'm thinking your best bet is to sand it and re-prime it.


White thinset on a light marble tile - tile turned dark - will it lighten?

White thinset is always used on light colored marble, you used the right stuff. Give it a few days, it will turn back to the dry color. I see Kerdi around the niche.  Are you planning on running Kerdi in the rest of the shower?


How can I strip and repaint a concrete porch?

Painting concrete rarely lasts more than three tto five years especially on a floor that has traffic.  I would think about acid staining it and sealing it, but that's a different question.

The best way I have found to get the paint off is a clean and strip wheel on a grinder.
Paint should last three to five years no matter what you do, but you may be able to open up the surface a a bit to accept paint better if you scrub it with some diluted muriatic acid.
Shark grip should be added to your paint for a non-slip surface.  You can findbit at any of the big box stores.  You can add it to concrete sealer also.


Carbolineum safety and removal from wood

This seems to be something that penetrates into the wood and will be very difficult to remove.
I would find the manufacturer from the empty cans and phone their customer support number for advice.
I'm no expert but I suspect your choices include

Paint over it with a "bituminous aluminum system" and hope for the best.
Replace the affected wood.
Move out and ventilate continuously until the smell has fallen to an acceptable level

Here is a description from one maker of carbolineum

Application

Suitable as supplied for application by brush, spray or dip.
Apply  copiously  in  one  or  more  coats  until  wood  is saturated.  Where  poles  are  to  be  set  in  the  ground  it  is advisable  to  stand  ends  in  CARBOLINEUM  WOOD  PRESERVER  for  several  days  to  ensure  maximum  impregnation.
Wash equipment with MINERAL TURPENTINE (AZH 1) immediately after use.

Warnings

Do not apply to surfaces that come into direct contact with food or feedstuffs.
Store away from food and feedstuffs.
CARBOLINEUM WOOD PRESERVER has a strong, long-lasting smell and is extremely dark in colour.
Even after prolonged drying, decorative paints or varnish must not be used over CARBOLINEUM WOOD
PRESERVER.  Only a bituminous aluminium system may be applied.
Do not use on seats, benches or tables  as staining of clothing is likely.
Toxic to birds and fish.
Keep water out of CARBOLINEUM WOOD PRESERVER.

Safety Precautions

Avoid inhalation of fumes and excessive or prolonged skin contact.  Use suitable respirator and gloves.  Wash with soap and water after use.
If eyes are contaminated, flush with clear water for 15 minutes.
Ensure adequate ventilation whilst applying.
Prevent contamination of eating utensils, water, rivers, etc. with
CARBOLINEUM WOOD PRESERVER
or mineral turpentine used for cleaning equipment.
Destroy empty container and do not re-use for any other purpose.
Keep out of reach of children.
Refer to Material Safety Data Sheet for complete information.

(my emphasis)


Difference between through the wall AC and wall sleeve replacement AC

A through the wall AC unit is more or less a window unit with slightly different mounting.  The heat vents out through both the sides and back of the unit.  A wall sleeve unit slides into the sleeve and vents entirely out the back.  Generally wall sleeve units are used on walls greater than 8" and through the wall units are installed in walls less than 8" thick.  If the sleeve is already there you'll need to buy a sleeve replacement unit.

See: https://www.ajmadison.com/guides/air_conditioner/wall/


Roof Ventilation and Insulation - Midwest - Gable and Ridge vents only, no soffit vents

Here is your problem Gable Vents and Ridge Vents do not go together period.

Your Gable vents are acting as Inlet Air Ducts for your Ridge Vents.

So your air flow comes in through each gable and flows immediately to the closest air outlet the ridge vents NEAREST the gables.

So the Air flow in the center of the Attic is basically NON-EXISTENT . And the Actual cooling from Gable to ridge vent is very limited.

Either one or the other but not both.

So here are some options:

Option 1: Close your ridge vents.

Option 2: Close your Gables and Install Soffits (I know you don't want to hear that - keep reading though) - these would need to be properly installed - a soffit guide is best - so your insulation and critters do not block them.

Option 2 will allow you to get rid of your Electric Fan as well, saving you money on the electricity of the fan. As for how much difference Ridge Vents vs. Gable Vents I can not tell you if there is a savings or not a savings, getting that info is like getting an act of congress for something that matters.

With Option 2 you have direct line air flow from outside upwards to the roof all working by convection - $aving you $$ .

Now if you do this a vent here and there might be expensive and time consuming aside from calculating how many and what size .. Instead of doing that - they make Continuous Aluminum soffit that is pre-drilled/cut with holes. You basically lay it in like aluminum siding and it is very easy to install. When I was living in FL my house there had it. This type of soffit is inexpensive, it works great and as I said easy to install. I had to replace a couple 3 foot x 6" sheets; if my memory serves me right - I think it had cost me somewhere around $8.00 - I think it was so much cheaper than what I thought I had bought a couple extra with out skipping a beat. Probably a bit more expensive than that now - I went to a local metal soffit fabricator shop and purchased it.


My GE front load washer not starting, all tests are good. No error code

In the GE owners manual it lists the symptoms you describe. It says the door will lock and unlock and will take 30 seconds to do a system check. If it still doesn't start open and close the door firmly; then press start.

Edit
If this doesn't solve the problem you probably need a repairman. If it's within warranty - terrific. If not call a GE recommended professional. It may be possible that someone on this site can help you but we would need a lot of more detailed information including pictures. Even then if someone here could diagnose the issue you'd probably still have to call someone to fix it. Good luck.


What sealant to use on a hole in the interior of the house on an external wall?

Attempting to seal this from the inside probably won't work. If insects are getting through, there must be a gap in the exterior sheathing or framing. Closing off that one gap under the trim won't solve the problem as the insects will find another route, such as through the carpet.

Find the opening on the outside and either repair the problem in the structure or use a combination of exterior caulk and spray foam, as needed.

You might also treat the area outside the building with an insecticide.


Is installing a packaged HVAC unit (PTAC) a realistic DIY project?

If you're willing to blur the line between homeowner and HVAC tech, sure. If this is a split system, hooking up the linesets, purging the lines with compressed nitrogen, pumping it down, measuring the vacuum, adjusting the charge, and ensuring that the system is leak-free are all likely to be the most challenging parts. These tasks require specialized tools and knowledge. You can certainly get the tools and acquire the knowledge, but once you do that, you're basically as good as an HVAC guy, many of whom don't actually know how to do this stuff very well themselves.

Duct design is also its own huge field. If you just haphazardly run flex duct off a main trunk, you're getting a pretty typical professional residential job. But if you're doing it yourself, you have the opportunity to fabricate rigid sheet metal ducting, seal all the seams and gaps perfectly, design the entire system to be balanced, have enough returns, etc. This information would all be found in ASHRAE Manual D (D for Duct). Keep those ducts out of the attic! A crawlspace duct install is fine as long as there's a sealed vapor barrier over the dirt and the crawlspace walls are insulated.


Should I use a vapor retarder in Missouri?

The US Dept of Energy also says 1/16" back drainage cavity for siding is appropriate even though capillary action occurs up to 1/4". Point being, the department of energy tends to lag significantly behind the latest in building technology. I did my undergraduate in environmental sciences at the University of Missouri and my masters in architecture at the University of Oregon (consistently #1 for sustainability in architecture). The belief that you shouldn't use a vapor barrier at all is terrible advice. You should include one and locate it as close to the center of your thermal barrier as possible (for this climate). This allows the moisture that condenses on the surface of the barrier from either side (interior in winter and exterior in summer) to dry. So, say you have a 2x6 wall with dense packed cellulose insulation, which is roughly an r-value of 20. You should place a vapor barrier to the exterior side of stud and then include 5" of eps (unfaced eps, and please use eps because xps is awful for the environment) to the exterior of the wall (equates to about r 19). This gives your wall assembly an R39 value and ensures that condensate can dry to the appropriate side. If you adjust your insulation type, thus adjusting r-values, you should adjust dimensions accordingly to ensure as close to a 50/50 split on either side of the vapor barrier as possible.


How to paint baseboard without painting the base shoe?

It would be quick and easy to mask the shoe. Slide a roll of high-quality painter's tape along the baseboard, tight to it, while pressing the dispensed tape against the shoe. Run a finger wrapped in a thin towel along to press it tight.

Pull the tape shortly after painting and scrape off any bleed with a soft (plastic or wood) tool while the paint is still soft. (Pulling tape quickly also results in softer, less-conspicuous paint edges, as the edge can contract minutely as it dries.)


Adding common wires for nest thermostats

First, if the Nest isn't reporting problems from lack of a C wire, then you don't have problems, so don't make problems.

If you do need a common wire, I gather by the grand tour of your system that you have no idea where C can be found.  The answer is the transformer has 2 terminals on the Low voltage side. They are  R and C.

Hypothetically, if you ran a C wire up to your thermostat and accidentally attached it to the R wire on the transformer, absolutely nothing would happen.  (The Nest would be trying to power itself off the voltage difference between R and R, which is 0 volts.)

You see where this gets pretty easy.

You can also tap "C" at any place it goes, e.g. Any solenoid, relay or actuator.


Do I need to remove a 2 inch screw I dropped down the toilet waste pipe?

It will wash down with the waste. The 2" screw in a 3 or 4" pipe should be of no concern....


Is there a way to treat wood siding that is safe to burn?

I lived in a house growing up that had some diagonal board & batten siding that had gone to a shade of grey like an untreated cedar fence, and I know it wasn't painted, but it's possible it was stained.

But I'd agree with DA01 -- there's lots of types of 'green building', and I'd rather go with long-lasting and locally produced (to minimize shipping) products.  If you take care of your wood siding, it reach its end of life until after you're gone.  (my house is 80+ years old, and although the sills have been replaced, the siding is still original)

If it were me, building today, I'd probably not go with wood, and look at some of the fiber cement board products, particularly if it's produced nearby.


There is nothing explosive inside a projector bulb, so "explosion" is the wrong word here.  The glass envelope, however, can burst and that can shower glass fragments around inside the enclosure.  I've seen this happen but I have never seen a projector destroyed by it.
An older bulb can be more likely to burst due to the extreme thermal cycling they go through so you should be looking at getting a replacement soon since this on has reached the end of its useful life.
The more clear danger with such a bulb is that the filament is close to breaking and that will leave you without your projector usually when you need it the most.


How to cover a gap between doors and hardwood floor?

The most common solution is to add "wood planks" to the floor, not the door. These are called saddles.  They are specialized moldings, usually about 3 to 6 inches wide with tapered edges. The usually are 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick.  They are centered under the door and reduce airflow and noise.

These are most commonly available in unfinished oak or pine:

They also can be found in other woods, prefinished, or matched to a floor system:


What could cause this ceiling fan and light issue?

It looks like the wiring is wrong. The fan and light are interconnected somehow and should be separate. As it was working, it's something you have altered or it occurred itself.

Separate all the wires. See which wires go the light. Connect a lampholder with a bulb to the incoming white wire and one of the other two not counting the green/bare wire

Try your dimmer, and see if it dims the test bulb. If so that non white wire is the one that controls the light. If not change to the other non white wire. That should determine the right wire for the light.

The one that did not control the light is the one that does control the fan, that when connected, should work from the speed controller. The fan and light should now both work but independently.


You should wire in a sub-panel at/near the "guest kitchen" (current terminus of the 4Ga wire.)

That sub-panel would be where you move the present 30A breaker to, for the outlet feeding the stove (only.) You feed that sub-panel with a breaker suited for the wires feeding it (copper being higher than aluminum for the same size) and the temperature rating of the wire insulation or terminals (whichever is lower rules.)

The sub-panel should have adequate space for the 30A breaker for the stove,  a 15A breaker (circuit for your 5A motor) and a 50A breaker (circuit for your 50A welder.)


Is running a portable air con unit on a highly loaded circuit going to be a problem?

The breaker will trip before the voltage sags, but if you're tripping breakers with any regularity, you have bigger problems.

It's time to have a marking party and label each outlet/device for which breaker it is (give them names like Thor  Hulk  Ironman etc).  Get a Kill-a-Watt measure the actual amps of the appliance.  Then label that too.  Now you aren't flying blind.  Tell the family "no more than 16" or whatever.

You will find that almost all the load comes from a very few appliances.  Don't make coffee with the A/C on, or whatever.


The ceiling I'm painting was never orinally undercoated and now my repaint is looking hideous.

You probably did not spread the paint out.

Please watch the following video it will help you.

How to Paint a Ceiling With a roller Video 1

How to Paint a Ceiling with a Roller


Regular glass
Not laminate or tempered
Yes, you can apply films to it


How to secure a doggy door from intruders?

Forget securing the door, and install a security system with a motion sensor. Put labels up outside saying there is a security system (some people only put labels up, and don't have a real system).

Even if you have a door with a locking mechanism, if someone manages to defeat it (eg, kicks it open) or you forget to lock it, you still have the alarm go off.

Most motion sensors are "pet safe" in that it takes something over eg, 40 lbs or 80lbs to actually trigger (they have a rating and there are different sizes, so you can get a lower rating if you have a poodle and a bigger one if you have a great dane).


GFCI conversion trouble: receptacle not screwing into outlet support plate

You may just need a better support plate, like this one from Home Depot:

"Mounting holes are pre-tapped to accept devices faster"


You'll need to do a bit of wiring work
Unfortunately, your unit doesn't expose the C terminal in a convenient place, so you'll have to do a bit of wiring to add it.  You'll need a ¼" "piggyback" tab terminal suitable for 18AWG wire like the Panduit one depicted below, a 3' length of 18AWG blue TFFN wire, and a wirenut suitable for 2 18AWG wires for this.

Crimp the tab terminal onto the 18AWG TFFN, then stuff it down through the grommet in the bottom of the wiring compartment alongside the other thermostat wires. Once that's in place, slide one of the tab terminals off of the C terminal (the one with the three white-ish wires on it) of the 24V transformer in your unit and slide the "piggyback" terminal on where the terminal you removed went, then slide the terminal you removed onto the tab provided by the "piggyback" terminal.  You can then wirenut the other end of that new blue wire to the wire in your thermostat cable you wish to use as a C wire.


Fire rated drywall for room next to garage?

The fire protection is for fire traveling from the garage to the living spaces, not vise versa.
The garage is to be separated from a living space with 1/2” gypsum board installed on the garage side and with a 1 3/8” min. solid core door. (See ICC R309.2)
In addition, if a living space is above a garage, then it needs to be separated with 5/8” Type X gypsum board AND no sleeping room can open directly into a garage.
Your existing wood paneling on the living side is acceptable, as is.


Yes, the fixture is currently not grounded, but it should be. The manufacturer has included a grounding wire because the fixture needs one to be safe and UL compliant.

Assuming there is a ground connection in the ceiling box (either a ground wire or a box grounded through an armored cable), this can be easily fixed. The power is turned off, the bare wire threaded through the chain, the canopy is lowered, and the wire is connected to a ground wire or grounded to the fixture box itself, and the canopy is replaced.

If this is an older home with no ground wiring, it may not be possible to ground the fixture. In that case, you are no safer or more at risk than our parents were before grounding became the standard. In that case, you may still wish to thread the wire up to the box. In that way, if you ever rewire the house or move the fixture to a location with a ground in the box, it is still intact. Just make sure the ground wire does not accidentally touch a live terminal in the box.

Your question sounds as if you have not had much expereince with wiring. If that is the case, you may want to enlist a more knowledgeable friend to help, or call a professional.


Solder? Very unlikely.  The bond is designed for electrical conductivity not physical strength (or, in the plumbing case, to achieve a certain strength via capillary action in a very small space).  But brazing, that could work, if you have the capability to heat the metal, such as a forge.  And welding of course is as strong as the metal you are welding itself.


You need to evaluate where the leak is really coming from. Use some paper towels to thoroughly to dry the whole fitting area. Then watch to see where water first appears. I suspect that you may find the leak coming from here:

..as opposed to the PEX joint. It appears that you did not use a Teflon sealing tape on the pipe threads.


What important factors should I consider when building a dog house?

I usually build people houses, but have built a dog house or two.  My research says that the size should be adjusted to the size of dog. It wants to be just big enough for the dog to lay down stretched out, and not too tall. A raised insulated floor is good. The reason for this is that the only heat source is the dog's body heat and too big a house will be too cold in winter.  Of course, it should be insulated and have a safe sheathing on the interior to cover the insulation. It should also have some type of flap door that the dog can easily pass through, but will reasonably seal the opening from the elements. I have seen several books with designs and decors for your pet's condo at building materials stores and book stores online. Don't forget to put it's name on a plaque over the door!

PS: If the weather is really bad, let the poor thing indoors, have a heart.


How can I extend my deck posts to support a pergola?

To accomplish the join I'd acquire some 1/4" by 3-1/2" by 24" steel plates and let them into opposing sides of the posts to act as gussets. I'd use countersunk flat-head sleeve bolts, piloted accurately and minimally, to sandwich the whole works.

Be sure to consider whether the existing posts are adequately anchored, as there will be substantial torque applied to them at their bases. It doesn't matter how well you attach the extensions to floppy posts.

That said, I think your plan seems flawed. A pergola creates some fairly unique structural concerns, namely the lack of diagonal bracing that a conventional roof would provide, as well as increased wind drag.

I'd be replacing your 4x4 posts with 6x6 posts that run all the way through. They'll do the job much better than spliced 4x4s, and they'll probably be more appropriate from an aesthetic standpoint, depending on your design. You don't want chicken legs under your nice new pergola.

If you elect not to do that, consider substantial diagonal bracing below the ceiling line connecting the posts to the primary horizontal members of your design in appropriate directions (where connection to a fixed structure doesn't provide support).


What happens when you accidently connect a neutral wire with a hot wire with a screw?

Normally if the proper breaker or fuse was used it would trip the breaker or blow the fuse. Normally the conduit would contain all the damage. Less commonly the fast arc in the pipe will vaporize enough copper that it will clear the fault before the breaker trips.
The wire could be very hard to pull out until the screw is removed, or if the wire is blown clear you can use the wire length to determine where the pipe was damaged.
The damaged piece of conduit should be replaced because the screw penetration will leave a sharp point in the conduit that will tear the insulation on new wire.


How to find a neutral to ground short on my main panel

AFCI's do have GFCI-like characteristics, because most of them include a "mini-GFCI" for detecting hot-ground and neutral-ground arc faults. That means you must handle their neutrals like a GFCI.  (certain GE breakers are an exception).  However, an AFCI will only trip due to neutral or ground mishandling downline of the AFCI.  You need not search for neutral/ground challenges on the panel side; even if you wrongly put the subpanel's neutral-ground bond back in, the AFCI wouldn't notice that.
It sounds like your subpanel's neutrals and grounds are wired correctly based on your description.
Neutral is not ground.  All grounds should be connected together.  Neutrals should only be connected when their partner hots (the ones in the same cable) are connected via wirenut, device, switch etc.  When 2 circuits are in the same box, their neutrals must be kept carefully separated.  "Gray" is an allowable color for neutral, so feel free to mark one circuit's neutrals with gray tape.
Next, you need to carefully review the instructions for the AFCI and assure you installed it correctly.  Seriously.
Next, it is a matter of "divide and conquer".   You have left several appliances plugged in and haven't tried unplugging them.  You really ought to try that!   Now try removing circuit hot and neutral from the AFCI device - if the AFCI still trips, that tells you quite a lot. Then, re-add parts of the circuit one segment at a time until it trips - that tells you what part of the circuit it is in.
Steady on; ask questions.


Can I wire 3-way switches so that when they are both in the same orientation the light will be off?

There are four possible combinations of two 3-way switches:

Both up
Both down
First up, second down
First down, second up

Two of these will have the light or fixture on, two will have it off.   I prefer #1 and #2 to be "off", with #3 and #4 on.

If your light is off for #3 and #4, and you'd prefer it the other way, you can exchange the traveller wires at (only) one of the two switches.   The travellers are generally connected to two silver screws, with the common wire on a darker screw.


What do I need for new home electrical service?

After reading your comments, it seems you should be alright with what you want to do.

The basic idea is that there has to be a circuit breaker style disconnect outside and away from the house, that can be operated by anybody (non electrician).  If you only have a meter socket a general worker would not have the tools, or knowledge to pull the meter if there was any need (emergency or otherwise) to shut off the power.  You also may not be able to use the load center as a disconnect (depending on your location), because at some point the load center will have to be moved into/onto the house. The general setup will look something like this.

The disconnect will have to be a weather proof, circuit breaker style disconnect.


What should I use to seal the ball rod on a pop-up sink drain plug?

Every lavatory faucet manufacturer also supplies the pop-up assembly; they are ALL different. There are also many replacement units from manufacturers all over the globe; again, all different.

Unless you know the manufacturer and source an identical replacement, you will need to find a tapered washer of some sort that fits the nut and ball. It might be shaped something like this:

You will likely need to change out the whole pop-up assembly or do what I have done: throw away the stopper, rod, linkage and nut. Plug the hole where the rod went in with plumber's epoxy. use a rubber stopper on a chain.


Fixing a (possibility) incorrectly wired 4 way light

Wow, this is a tangle.  Here's what's really going on here.

There are 2 lights!

Your photo doesn't document which (non-visible) terminal on the 3-way is common. But we can figure it out for 2 reasons: a) we can see one traveler, and both travelers are always in the same cable.  And b) the upper right has 2 wires, and there would be no earthly reason for another cable to tap one traveler.  So confidence 100% on that.

When the non-traveler in the cable is white, it might be neutral. But this one doesn't go to  the one neutral bundle. This one joins two other blacks.  That doesn't tell us whether it's always-hot or switched-hot.   But given that there are 2 wires on the 3-way common, that leaves only two possibilities:

The 3-way common hosts always-hot and the other wire carries power onward to some other point of use.  However, that means the other switch is "slaved" to the 3-way system, and only can be turned on if the 3-way system is on.  That might make sense for an "add-on" light, but is insane for a stairway vs porch light.
The white wire is always-hot, and the suppply hot (the black wire) serves a) the 1-way porch light via the pigtail, and b) the 3-way stairway complex via this white wire.  That feels more correct. However, the 2 wires on the 3-way common mean that this is being distributed to 2 lights, both from here.

The second one makes sense to me, so I'm going for that.  Here, I've installed "colored tape" and a tracer line on the appropriate wires to designate their function (I forgot the switched-hot for the porch light; tag that blue).

Black for always-hot
Red for switched-hot
Blue for "alternate" switched-hot (i.e. second switch)
Yellow for both travelers (no need to distinguish them).
White for neutral and when a white is used for non-neutral, marking it is mandatory.

If testing proves out this guess, I strongly recommend physically marking the wires as such.  Given the complexity of this circuit, it will save you or the next person much head-scratching later.

Really, wires should be marked the same on both ends, but I don't see a need to get out the fancy ladder to access stairwell lights just to mark the hot red; it should be obvious to anyone that a lamp's hot wire would be switched-hot.  The 4-way, on the other hand...

Colors mean nothing in 3/4 way circuits

So what we know, is if black and red are travelers on this cable, then that must also be true for this cable - this cable only - at the 4-way switch.  So if  you can measure the 4-way and figure out which terminals change when this switch is thrown (i.e. do not change when the 4-way is thrown), you can mark those 2 travelers yellow also.  You MUST mark that cable's white black. (red is legal, if it proves out to be a switched-hot after all, but you can't leave it white).

Now with half the 4-way switch's wires identified, the other 2 wires from the other cable must also be travelers.  Mark those yellow as well.  (as long as you can see how they're grouped in cables, introducing another color doesn't really benefit; travelers from one  cable go to the black screws, the travelers from the other cable go to the brass. Not hard.)

The remaining wire in the other /3 cable must be whatever this remarked-white proves to be. (presumably, always-hot).  Note that aside from marking reused white wires, Code says that if neutral is absent but always-hot is present, white must be used for it - that way it always tests as hot, leaving no doubt it is not a neutral.

Well, that was hard.  If you remark wires as I advise, it won't be hard the next time.

Y'know, old Code used to say you could skip marking the neutral if the usage was obvious - Code meant "like in an old style switch loop, 2 wires, no question".  There is nothing obvious about this setup!!! But obviously the electrician got in the "habit" of just never marking white wires ever, and this is the result.

By the way, marking is mandatory.  Marking for different kinds of hot (black red yellow) is entirely optional. For all Code cares, they could all be black.  I disagree, sincerely: I own 11 different colors of THHN wire, all #12 stranded. Taste the rainbow!

Which of these wires doesn't belong?

Speaking of colors, I note a brown wire in there.  Nope. Nope. Nope.  That is thermostat or doorbell wire, and it does not belong with the others.  I gather you're bumping this junction box out to a 3-gang box.  Make sure to install a divider to separate the low voltage in the 3rd gang from the mains voltage in the first 2 gangs.  You cannot mix low voltage and mains wires.

Unless all the low-voltage wiring and equipment is entirely contained within Class I wiring methods; i.e. if you used #14 Romex instead of that thermostat cable, and the doorbell was mains rated and housed in a Class I junction box, and so was the doorbell.  The reason for this restriction is a low voltage wire coming in contact with mains and being "lit up" at mains voltage, causing wire meltdowns, shocks and fires in the equipment not rated for contact with mains.

Most plastic box makers offer some sort of divider; however I'm a big fan of steel boxes because they will dissipate arcing heat instead of burning through. You can get dividers for some of those too.

I don't know how you removed the old box, but you will need to disconnect the wires so the cables can properly enter the new box on a cable clamp. That wire marking will really pay off!


What you want is a siliconized latex caulk. The silicone will resist the water better and the latex will make cleanup easy.

Pure silicone is another option, but it's much harder to clean up and nearly impossible to scrape off later in some cases. It's also got a LOT more VOCs, so expect it to smell bad for a while.


How to size an earth continuity conductor?

In North America equipment grounding conductors (circuit grounds) can be much smaller than circuit conductors. In fact it's only the first few circuit sizes (up to 30A) that require the EGC to be the same size as the circuit conductors.

In the US, grounding conductors are sized according to the NEC Table 250.122.


Breakers and fuses are sized to limit the fault current that can flow. Each is sized to limit the current to that which the cable connected to it can safely carry. For example a 32A ring main circuit will protect a 2x 2.5mm2 cable ring circuit. Another example will be the 6A lighting circuits. These could be a single 1mm2 cable (though 1.5mm2 seems to be more commonly used).

You aren't expected to be running everything at capacity at the same time. Just because a circuit can supply a given amount of current doesn't mean that it will be doing. As long as the current draw at any point doesn't exceed the capacity of the fuse or breaker protecting it, it won't trip.

You mention 3A and 5A "plugs". This is the current above which the fuse in the plug should blow (at some point - fuses have different "trip times" for different overcurrent ratings). The appliance supplied by these won't normally draw the current marked on the fuse. For example if you had a 1W appliance, it would be likely to have a 3A fuse (the smallest common fuse for a UK 3 pin plug), but would only actually draw around 0.004A. You could technically therefore connect around 3000 of these 1W appliances through one 13A fused plug without a problem (practically however, you might find it more of a challenge...).

The important number to be considering is the total power draw (wattage) of the appliances in use at any one time, not the total of the fuse ratings.

In relation to you aquarium, as long as you don't overload the ring main, you'll not have a problem. If you total up the wattage of all your equipment, you can run approximately 3000W through one 3 pin plug. (Note though that it's common for double sockets to be rated for less than 26A, but it's not often marked on them). Your 32A ring main is therefore capable of supplying a bit over 7000W.

In the worst case, you could always have an electrician install a dedicated circuit to supply the aquarium equipment.


Are there efficient ways to provide combustion air to heating appliances?

I am a little concerned that you are overthinking this situation. Naill C gave you some good advise in your last question. There are very few houses not built to be virtually air tight with an air exchange system that do not have enough natural air flow to support open combustion appliances.The simple act of opening a door to enter or exit the house allows large amounts of fresh air in during cold weather when windows are closed.  Unless you have made extreme attempt to block all air infiltration, there is probably pleanty of combustion air passing through your louvered/slat door. I totally understand your desire to minimize heat loss from the rest of the house. Before any external venting will improve the situation, the utility room will have to be somewhat sealed from air flow from the living space of the house. In new construction a vent of a calculated size is brought in from the out of doors, screened and baffled, and strategically located just above the floor by the appliance. The mechanical room is almost air tight, insulated and lined in a fire rated material. Since this space is indoors and only calculated amount of outside air is allowed in, freezing is not normally a concern if water utilities are also in the room. Drawing air from an attic can be risky. Obviously some think it a good idea, however there are drawbacks. If the attic is not well ventilated the air may not be sufficient. I simple vent register in the ceiling to the attic will let as much heat up as it pulls air down. In fact, any open path into the attic can be dangerous. A register, vent pipe etc. can act as an easy path or chimney for fire or natural gas to spread quickly into the attic. If you decide to proceed in isolating and venting your open combustion appliances, pick one of the proven techniques and run it by your local building code officer for local compliance. Better safe than sorry.


Is dropping a bromine tab in my sump pit bad?

It won't mess up your pump, there's much heavier minerals in the water than bromine. However, you have to be weary of where the water is discharged. Bromine isn't going to be healthy for your lawn or nearby trees. It's probably best to spot-treat the mold with bleach and maybe mold-resistant epoxy paint. If you use bromine, re-route your discharge into the sewer.


Germany - wire 3 core garage to 4 core mains

It's hard to say.  Euro power is 3 phases of 230V each arranged in 3-phase "wye".  (whereas America said "Wye not!")  Phase-center is 230V. Phase-phase is 400V. Draw an equal triangle with 230mm from the center to each corner. Now measure corner-corner. You got it.

Germany is fond of delivering all 3 phases to houses.  So one possibility is that someone brought 2 of the 3 phases to the garage for 400V tools.  In that case simply terminate it off.

Another possibility (common American trick) is that the second phase wire is switched.  Say there are lights in the garage or outdoor lights, the second phase is meant to be used to feed them.  Then they can be turned off from the house.  If all your garage outlets/lights are currently under the control of the switch, then check the black wire - it may be always-hot.  Move the receptacles to that wire instead of the switch.  Yes, it's OK to share neutral in that case.


I checked this list of capacities for Dewalt batteries, and most of them were above 1 amp-hour. Assuming they're not capable of running continuously for an entire hour, then they're discharging at a rate greater than 1 amp.

EDIT: I did some calculating off of rough numbers I could find concerning 7.2V drill operation, and here are the results:

A max 44 in-lb torque operating at 200 rpm for a 7.2VDC drill requires 2.3A.

The formula is:

Torque*RPM=Power
Voltage*Current=Power
Torque*RPM=Voltage*Current
Current=Torque*RPM/Voltage

if you've got torque in in*lbs and rotational speed in RPM, multiply your answer by 0.00188308048 to get the correct units of Amperes. (1 inch pound is 0.112984829 Joules, and 1 RPM is equal to 1/60 Hz)


Wiring diagram for light switch, GFCI, timer and bathroom fan

This looks correct to me. Key pieces:

All grounds together.
Light is switched and powered not on GFCI. This is normal and generally preferred, with the exception if the light is directly over a tub/shower.
GFCI blank face. My preference generally would be to make use of it as a receptacle for almost no extra cost. However, since bathroom receptacle circuits are supposed to be 20A, while existing 15A receptacles would be grandfathered I think new receptacles would not be. (Changing to 20A would require 12 AWG wire.)
Timer after the GFCI. Note that timer actually probably does not need to be GFCI-protected, unless the fan is over a wet area (tub/shower). But if it is going to be on a GFCI, it should be after (as you have it), not before.

I would recommend using wire nuts and a pigtail rather than directly connecting the timer to the GFCI. That will make any repairs/replacement easier.


How do I install electrical through "new work" stucco?

It sounds like your problem is stucco depth (1 in or more) versus drywall depth (1/2 in or 5/8 in).

Can you find a mud ring/box extender that's appropriately gasketed for use in a wet environment? If so, you can use that to bulk up the box depth.

You could also look for a deeper box. That one looks like a pancake.

Or, since you mounted the box on plywood anyway, just use several pieces of plywood to push the base of the box out to an appropriate depth.


Is it possible for me to convert my downlights to normal lights?

Your cheapest option is to purchase MR16 LED bulbs that are available online.  The MR16 cans are usually too small for any other type of bulb/retrofit and would require a complete replace to do anything else in them.


Why is my bathroom fan completely ineffective?

Various things to check:

Is there a way for air to ENTER the bath? A fan will expel air, but only when there is makeup air to replace it. Make sure there is a sufficient gap under the bathroom door. (An easy way to test this issue is to run the fan with and without the door open and see if there is a difference)
as others have stated, make sure the fan is clean.
as others have stated, check the flexible vent pipe
consider replacing the flexible vent pipe. Flexible pipes aren't very efficient in that they add a lot of resistance to the airflow and also snag lots more debris. Consider replacing with rigid vents.
as others have stated, make sure the vent on the outside isn't clogged (e.g. bird nest in pipe).
consider a larger fan. It could be that the fan is simply under-powered for the size of the room and length of the vent pipe.


Can I get my house assessed with my rebuilt deck not up to code

That should not be a problem at all, particularly since your construction is in process with a permit. The most likely effect would be a lowering of the assessment based on an estimate of what it would take to get it up to code if you stopped construction at this stage, and railing plus finishing touches shouldn't add all that much.

Technically you can even sell a house that not only fails code in a few items but is even unable to be occupied (e.g. major plumbing problems or structurally unsafe) though obviously an assessment in such a case would be quite a bit lower. An assessment is not a code review (neither is a home inspection which gets into far more detail than an assessment), it is just a professional estimate of value based on comparable homes and the general attributes of your home.


What is the right drill bit for concrete or stone walls?

For drilling stone or concrete you'll want to use a good quality masonry bit, and a good rotary hammer drill.

As Shirlock points out quality is important here, so you don't want to skimp on the tools when drilling stone or concrete.  You'll want to look for a carbide tipped masonry bit, as these tend to last a bit longer than the typical masonry bit. You'll also want to make sure the bit is rated to be used in a hammer drill, since a standard bit can easily be destroyed by the hammer action of the drill (causing personal/property damage and/or death).

If you're doing a small job and don't want to spend the money on expensive tools, you should be able to rent what you need from a local home center (Home Depot, Lowes).

A hammer drill is necessary when drilling stone or concrete, since grinding away the material with a standard drill would take far too long.  A hammer drill works similar to a normal drill, but with an added mechanism that "hammers" the bit while also spinning it.  The idea is that the hammer action will break up material at the bits tip, then the bit will grind up the loose material and carry it away along it's threads (clearing the hole).

To reduce heat on the bit you'll want to drill at a slower speed, and pull the bit out of the hole from time to time to clear the debris.  Remember the hammer action can be brutal on the bit, so you'll want to use a quality bit and keep it cool to reduce the possibility of shattering it.


Button Cover for Part 103 Without Full PCB Assembly

Unfortunately most appliance repair parts are assemblies, especially when you get into control panels.

Partially because its hard to inventory and sell the hundred pieces that make up just the buttons on your microwave vs just selling the entire section to replace.

Also because its faster to replace the whole assembly.  Its made to be taken out and replaced.  The individual pieces of it were not.  For the DIY people who don't mind spending an hour carefully prying plastic clips apart and replacing the button, the smaller parts would be nice.  But for the repair guy who just wants to get it done fast and move on to the next job, replacing the whole panel makes sense.

Besides, if that button broke, odds are there are others that have seen the same strain over the years and are close to failing too.


Leaking toilet, stop water supply; Supply Valve Stuck

Before trying to move a stuck shut off valve, determine how to shut off the water to your home or apartment. This is the main shut off valve. It also may be stuck, so you might want to try shutting off the water before proceeding.

To free a stuck shut off valve, first try opening the valve a little more, then try closing it. The back-and-forth motion may loosen the mineral build up sticking the valve.

Next, try a few short squirts of WD-40. WD-40 is a penetrating solvent. It will wick into the spongy mineral build up. You may have to remove the valve's handle to see the valve stem. Spray the WD-40 where the valve stem (shaft, like a pencil) enters the valve body. A little goes a long way here. A short spritz, followed by a 2-3 minute wait, then another spritz and wait should free up the valve.

Before resorting to pliers and other strong measures, shut off the main water valve and drain the pressure in your water system. The more force you use, the more likely you are to break the valve.


Why has my water filter made my water less clean?

No filter removes all contaminants.  Carbon is great for improving the taste. The white ones remove large sediment. Activated alumina removes some fluoride among other things. Distilled water will be free of most things but volatile chemicals will make it through. UV light and micropores (ceramic and "nano tubes") will remove most virus bacteria protozoa and cysts. Uv light will kill most if not all of those little nasties if the flow is right.

So the first step would be to go get your unfiltered water tested. Then see what's in it that concerns you then figure out what you need to remove those contaminants. Your filter might not be designed to remove the stuff you have a problem with.


Sink is coming off the wall (visible separation). What material do I need to "glue" it back?

It's probably not going to be as simple as "tighten up the bolts" - mysteriously unscrewing themselves is a low likelihood .vs. "there's some deterioration in the wall where they attach" which will need to be addressed. Or "Someone sat on the sink and stressed them/the wood they were attached to." So, the sink probably needs to come off to effect a lasting repair, unless you have a child that has discovered tools and unscrewing things who's running around the house unscrewing things at random (don't laugh too hard if you have one that could still reach that stage, or the laugh may be on you.) Sink bolts are inconvenient enough that it's probably not that, though.

Once reattached, caulking is the typical material for sealing up the joint line - look for "kitchen and bath caulk" - it's got anti-mold/mildew additives. Exactly what type (material) of caulk is a matter of opinion (which quickly goes off-topic as being a matter of opinion.)

Edit: Knowing now that the sink was stressed, the first step will be to see what you can find for fasteners - many sinks are mounted via a "bracket" (as @comintern notes) which may not even be visible until the sink is lifted off of it. If you do look under and see bolts or nuts, try tightening them, and (if that works, rather than they just spin in the wall) then give it a week or so to see if the sink stays put before deciding you're done.


What advantages do ridge cap shingles have over modified 3-tab shingles?

Less chance of cracking
Standard shingles are a bit thinner than ridge cap shingles, and can crack or tear when folded over the ridge.  Ridge cap shingles are thicker and come pre-bent, so there is less chance of cracking.
Better adhesion
Most ridge cap shingles have an extra dollop of adhesive near the end of the shingle, to help hold it to the shingle below. This helps to prevent blow off in heavy winds.
Thicker nailing surface
Ridge cap shingles have a thicker nailing area, which helps prevent tearing near nail holes.
No extra prep
Since ridge cap shingles are designed specifically for the ridge, there is not preparation required. Just open the box, and start slapping them on.


Correct torque settings for Polaris connectors

The torque range will be based on the wire and the connector size, I have the chart printed out so my guys use the right value. #4 connector with #6 wire = 35 in lbs, #10 wire= 15 in lbs.
Connector 1/0 #6 wire= 55 in lbs , #10 wire =25 in lbs.
If you have a different size connector it may not be rated for the wire sizes you have. I printed the chart out several years back but torque values don’t change.


Tri-Level Home, 3 Zone Boiler heat, Lower Level is FREEZING, No Heat???

If the bottom floor is radiant in the floor heat then you have a thermostat for that zone only. The thermostat is a Model T87 by Honeywell. Also in this zone there should be a thermostatic valve controlling the water temperature to the slab (floor). I would look for a zone valve for this system. If you can't trouble shoot this your self I would call an HVAC co. to do the work so you don't do something you can't fix.


How should I mount a rework box if it has to go through an MDF/wood panel and drywall?

Why does it need to mount in the MDF? Just put box outside the perimeter of the MDF.

But if you insist:

From my experience, the simplest and cleanest way to do this is to mount the box in the drywall. You can either put a box extender in the MDF, or cut a hole big enough to clear the whole faceplate. I typically prefer cutting a big hole for the faceplate because it results in a cleaner look by helping to hide the connectors.

First cut your MDF to size. Then cut a hole for the box in the MDF. You can either make the hole the right size to fit the extender, or you can make the hole big enough to fit the faceplate.

Hold the MDF in place or temporarily mount it to your ceiling. Trace the cutout in the MDF on to the ceiling. Remove the MDF, cut the drywall, and install your box.


Can I use Quikrete FastSet Repair Mortar to replace the mortar between stones in a fireplace hearth support?

Quikrete FASTSET Repair Mortar is a great product.  The biggest difference between it and a typical type S mortar is that it is "fastset" (duh) meaning it will be hard in about 20 min.  Not cured, but hardened. And that it is intended for commercial use as it will eventually reach 6000 psi after it's full 28 day cure. This product does not need any bonding agent as it is already added.
http://www.quikrete.com/ProductLines/FastSetRepairMortar.asp

Any regular type S mortar will harden in about a day or two depending on the enviorment. And will eventually reach 1800psi
 http://www.quikrete.com/ProductLines/MasonMix.asp

You may think "oooo  stronger is better" but not so with mortar. You always want the mortar to be weaker then the surrounding material (stone, brick, cinder block) That is why it comes in so many strengths. From strongest to weakest type, M S N O K.

Sorry to be so long winded.

Basically, go with the type S, and use the FastSet Repair mortar for repairs around the house.


Kenmore Elite Refrigerator Door Pinched / Broken Wires

There are a lot of splice methods, but most of them aren't going to allow the wire to flex and will probably fail very soon if they are flexed.  For the splice method, I say whatever is easiest for you to accomplish in the limited space available is best.

What I will recommend is that you make two splices and leave solid wire in the area that needs to be flexed.  In other words, make a cut in the wires above and below the area that needs to be flexed and make your repairs in two spots that don't need to flex.  Use a wire made for flexibility - even if you have to use the same color for all connections.  Finding a good flexible wire is better than trying to match colors.


Is there anything I can do to make it easier to remove plugs from receptacles?

This will depend in part on where you are in the world. Sockets in the UK can be very tight when new, but if you open them up you can often loosen the metal contacts so they don't grip the plug as tightly. I would imagine sockets in other countries will also have similar adjustments possible.

Make sure you turn off current at the breaker/fuse box first!

In general, though, I wouldn't advise doing this as it does increase the risk that you will get a bad electrical connection, which could lead to arcing and fire. This is still a low risk, so don't panic, but in general repeated plugging-in and removal will loosen and weaken the socket over time.

I do not unplug appliances in my kitchen, but just turn them off with the switches, which are designed for repeated use.


Do I need to replace the foundation under porch posts when replacing them?

I would say this home is C 1920. But I guess it could be built more recently like and older home.  It's possible those columns are not so load bearing.  The joists above the porch could be cantilevered. Like.. But even if load bearing I don't think it is that big of a deal. Just support them well under the porch. http://stairs4u.com/glossary/images/cantilevered-floor-joist-fr.jpg

I did pull out a column like this on a couple houses. I did use a jack to lift the corner of the porch ceiling a little to be able to pull the post/columns out. Once you jack it up you just jam a 2x4 under and going down to a support board on the ground.

If the corner of the porch has not sunk down much over the years, it seems what was there is working ok.  Or if you want a more substantial support you could pour a small square or round (they make tubes you can dig in then fill) foundation and embed a post base in to the concrete when wet. Like: https://resourcefulsupply.com/storage/products/107379-400x400-resizeupscale(1).jpg

You could put a concrete pier with wood top in a pad of poured concrete too. Like https://images.homedepot-static.com/productImages/87e13217-d9b6-4993-8dc9-9d855ba3000f/svn/cinder-blocks-100014754-64_1000.jpg

Sometimes those columns on the porch are not solid and just nailed to the deck of the porch. If they are solid 4x4 or 6x6 they could be nailed to the porch deck too.  They seem to have some finishing decorative wood around them.  You might be able to just use the same columns after removing them  then cut of a few inches of rotted material and reinstall on top of a 2x6x6 (or?) base that you could route the edges to be decorative.

If unsure or uncomfortable or in earthquake area have an engineer look at it.  Probably best to get a permit too and the city inspector might be able to give you and idea or two to be at current standards.  Best of luck!


I use an air chisel to clean bricks when saving for projects. There are usually 2 kinds of bricks in chimneys an inner layer that is fire brick, this brick can be hard to save as it is porous and not as strong as structural brick they hold the fire clay better but also are easy to crack. The structural bricks are heavier and stronger usually just a few taps at a sharp angle with an air chisel pops the mortar off, the same could be done by hand with a chisel and hammer.


A 60x30 shower is a pretty decent sized shower.  Most shower pans have the "floor" layer that recedes to the drain and the slope leaves a vacant/hollow layer underneath the pan.

I have only seen a handful of pans in my life that actually sit completely flat on a floor - it is usually just the drain part and the outside.

Felt is used when a pan does sit flat or if there is a bed that the pan sits on that is already "curved" for the pan.   Simply for a basement floor I would never put a felt pad down.

There is a good chance if you did just put a pad down then the pan would feel hollow standing on it.   And the other issue is that depending on how the pan is made it could "flatten" (yours would not flatten but the mortar would allow you to correct the drain height) and not drain right.   Not a huge issue if the pan top is plastic but if it contains cut granite/tile/whatever it may not dry out properly.

My advice would be to pack in the pan to achieve a proper drain slope.   The mortar should  be solid to pan and I would estimate fill 90% of the hollow area - you don't want it just spilling out.   Doing this right can make a cheap shower pan seem expensive and solid and its just the right way.

On a side note the mortar and bucket is probably cheaper than a felt pad.   You want to put the mortar in right when you are hooking up your drain.


Is connecting a 16A plug to 10A sockets for an electric water heater a problem?

It depends on the power rating of the water heater.  From an earlier question, I see that you live in China, so your electrical supply is 220 VAC/50 Hz.  That means that the maximum power draw on a 10 A circuit is 2.2 kW (220 V * 10 A).  In general, you should draw less to allow a safety margin, if the water heater uses more than about 2 kW you should get it rewired because you'll be coming close to the maximum rating of that circuit.

Note: I'm not even considering the presence of other appliances on that bathroom circuit (lights, electric razors, electric toothbrush chargers, etc.).

Based on the additional info in the question, if you only use the 1000 W and 1500 W modes on the heater, the existing wiring should be sufficient.  If there's a way to prevent people from using the highest setting (like mounting the whole heater in a box where it can't be changed inadvertently), you should be OK.


Was it very bright, once, and now it doesn't light?  That was you frying it.

LED strips do not have switching regulators on them, current limiting is done by dumb resistors.  They are running at absolute limits on 13.8V which is float voltage for an automotive alternator.

Looks like you're out $22.  Sorry.

Now if you really need to run off 19v, you can buy a type of LED strip designed to run on 24V.  Those will be notably dim, but it's worth a try.


Gas dryer connection adapter brass to steel nut

Good question. Your thinking of galvanic reaction of the two dissimilar metals. I don't believe it will be a problem and no reaction will occur as no standing water is present.


Filling post holes where fence was removed - suburban backyard environment

Why use any gravel? Fill entirely with soil.


Can I add a single pole switch to a 3 way switch with power?

Yes, what you drew in the diagram is fine.

To de-confuse the rats’ nest of wires in the boxes, I would get some colored tape and mark the 3-way travelers (the red/black in the cable between them) with yellow tape, to indicate they are travelers.  Mark both yellow, there is no need to distinguish travelers from each other.  Of course, travelers go on the brass screws on a 3-way.

You can also mark the black wires in the /2 runs up to the lamp and fan with red tape, to signify that they are switched-hots.


Toilet code - 15" from baseboard heater?

Most codes require at least 15 inches (measured from the center of the toilet) from any side wall or obstruction and not closer than 30 inches center to center to any other sanitary fixture. (The NKBA actually recommends 32 inches.) There should be at least 24 inches of clear space in front of a toilet or bidet.

Sourced from This Old House, emphasis mine.

If you have the clearance, do 15" from baseboard heating housing. If you don't, can you mount on a different wall, switch to a lower-profile model, or maybe use wall mounted or overhead heat?


What are some tips for soldering brass fittings to a copper pipe?

Very Important Make sure the joint is really clean when you solder - so use emery cloth or sandpaper to remove any contaminants in your solder joint and flux the joint prior to heating.  I like to wipe the joint with acetone before applying flux but I'm anal retentive like that.

Also you might want to consider using MAPP gas vs propane - those brass fittings take a lot of heat before you will get solder to flow into the joint.


Talk to some local installers first.

Unless you have a background in HVAC, I would say installing a geo is NOT a viable DIY project.


Can I connect 12 gauge wire to 18 gauge wire for an outdoor light post and plug?

The fixture is a listed device and manufacturers don’t have the same limitations for the wiring that electrical wiring in your home has. YES you can connect the 12 AWG wire to your light pole fixture. This is exactly the same as almost every light fixtures in your home mfg’s regularly use smaller wires because the load is limited.
 Note they have a maximum wattage listed for the light(s) when used according to the manufacturers instruction it is safe. So yes this is normal for a fixture.


Does this small clamp have a special use?

That style of clamp can be or has been used to compress or close soft tubes or pipes in many situations like drip feed water supply to plants as a simple example.


You can try putting a toothpick in the hole and see if the screw grabs better. You can also try a bigger screw.
To replace the box, remove the outlet and untwist the ground wires. Straighten out the wires and bent out the tabs holding the cables in the box being careful not to damage the insulation. Turn the two screws on the box counterclockwise while pushing the screws inward. This will turn the tabs that secure the box to the wall allowing you to pull the box out. Work the cables out of the box. Get your new box, insert the cables in the box, place it in the wall and turn the screws clockwise to raise the tabs securing the box to the wall. Twist the grounds together and connect the outlet using the terminal screws, not the backstabs, and attach your ground wire.


IANA plumber, but I just did similar work in my basement.

A few possible issues I see:

1) Many backwater valves require a certain length of straight, undisrupted pipe flowing into it to ensure smooth flow of water over the valve.  In my case it required roughly 2 feet on the upstream side.  Not the immediate 90 you have.
 "No branch take-offs may be made closer than 2 feet upstream of backwater valve to insure the smooth (laminar) flow of effluent over the gate of the valve." (from http://www.backwater-valves.com/Backwater-Valve-Installation-Sticker.asp )

2) In my area, at least, any section of drain that is on a toilet cannot also be used for a wet vent of another fixture.  My first inspection failed on this point.  So by that requirement, your shower doesn't have an adequate vent.  If you connected the lavatory drain to the shower line before the toilet, it should be ok.

3) Maybe it's just an assumed detail omitted from your drawing but washing machines need a P-trap and a stand pipe (above the washing machine overflow level).

And as an aside, think about your future self having to frame all of this when you are running your above-slab pipes. :)


Can I tie into a three-phase #10 circuit with #12 wire?

Feeding common NEMA 5-15 receptacles (plural), the circuit (i.e. the breaker) must be 15A or 20A.  You may not put these receptacles on a 30A circuit (breaker)!

You're always allowed to use larger wire.  A 20A circuit calls for 12AWG wire minimum, but you may use 10AWG.

So most likely you must change the breaker serving the wires to 120V/20A, then extend with 12AWG wire.

Safety first

Be very wary of strange and dangerous voltages including 136V, 208V, 277V or 480V.  These voltages will be happy to kill you.  If you don't know what you're doing in commercial panels, get out of them and call an electrician.

Add more wire

Since you are commercial, and therefore in conduit, you always have the option to fish additional wires into the conduit. You can have up to 4 circuits per conduit without complications.  Pro tip: You have a choice of like 11 wire colors, so use colors different than those already there.


What type of screwdriver should I use to change the light bulb in my range hood?

Ok i posted all of this and THEN saw the model was of a different number. It is the only INCA HC unit i see on there website i think it may be the same or close enough let me know if these instructions apply. i will leave up the info and amend if i can find the exact unit, faber contact page.

After a little searching  i found the documentation for . your unit

installation and use PDF

AND

Parts PDDF

I would suggest you replace the halogen bulbs with led bulbs. Your bulbs have a base that is called a GU10 BASE. they now make LED bulbs with that base such as these.
led gu10 bulbs They will last for decades as opposed to replacing halogens frequently and will use much less energy than halogens.

When you get your old bulb out you can take it to the store to make sure you get a bulb with the same base and the same size so it will fit in your unit. You may find em at the big box stores or you may need to go to a lighting store.

Having change a few of these i should say they can be persnickety. you kinda gota push in on em while turning em and there usually is nothing grab on to for purchase. Make sure you fingers are dry and oil free and push just the right amount. its tricky.

  NOTE: i am a man who does not assume that because you are a woman you need my assistance. :)


Garage door won't open or close when the opener light is on

It sounds like a bad circuit in the opener. I have installed and repaired many openers and don't know of anything that would lengthen the time the light is on,  but check the safety sensors as if they are loose or something is part way in their line of site,  it will let the door go up,  but not down.I have found the wires on a sensor loose and it acted like this one does intermittently. Most garage door openers have a feature where you can over ride the safety switch by holding down the wall button.  Also make sure the remote lockout button on the wall unit isn't lit,  because it will stop the remotes from operating the door. I have not had any problems using LED bulbs in openers.


How to check the type of installed insulated glazing

Louis it is a really good question.  First if you have the space to put the cheaper insulation then you can simply buy more of that to get the same results.  If the insulation type is the same but different U value then it only matters what total you are getting.

How to verify this?  This has been answered on the site many times - a couple by me.  There isn't an exact way but you can get a rough estimate.  Remember you are also measuring the installation not just the insulation.  If not packed correctly and there are gaps then you will have the same poor performance.

How do you know what a contractor installs?  You watch them do it.  If the insulation is covered in walls or whatever then there isn't an exact way to tell that they did or if it is the right stuff.  You need to be there and take pictures and ask questions.  A good contractor won't care if you are doing this.


How can I repair scratches on a painted French door?

Another option is to first, lightly sand away all debris which is unsalvageable. Next use a quality wood filler (paintable) to fill dents, valleys & nicks. Use fine grain sandpaper to (patiently) sand over the fully cured filler to a smooth finish.

The final decision: To match the existing paint (hopefully you have some) or to repaint? Your decision. Of course, you’ll want to match the frame paint.

If you decide to touch-up, seek help on color matching from a professional at a big box store or a paint store. Prime the raw wood & filler. Paint over the dried primer using a feathering technique to ensure a nice, seamless blend.

Good luck.


What structure is inside these stair walls between floors (for running wire)?

It should be a doubled-up (floor joist) header hanging between a doubled-up trimmer and a doubled-up stair header. "1905" - well, it's definitely not an engineered joist. (No light above the sink; that doesn't meet code ;)

– hometips.com

It sounds like you're trying to do this Can I drill vertically through this from the main floor to the upstairs?

"It will not affect it structurally  [citation needed]  . If we go by the 1/3 rule, that's .45 inch. So not even a half inch hole is ok. In my 30+ years of experience, I've never put more than a 1/4" hole through a 1.5" member."

"Any more than that and you've substantially compromised it. A 3/4" hole is effectively half of a member. Common sense should tell you that that's ABSOLUTELY NOT OKAY."

"Just don't go cutting it, OK?"

But what you do need to do is cut open the walls and stop asking moot questions until that's done. But if you wanted me to run some Cat5, the last place I'd be doing it is where I'd have to violate the structural integrity of a staircase and its opening.

As seen in the linked picture, you cut holes like that above and below every penetration you plan to make, so that you can get a drill in there, and make them where they should (or shouldn't) be, and feed the wire. If that's 'not where they should be', you get to destroy more drywall, which when running utilities, is the enemy.

I can't look at a picture of drywall and tell you what to do, nor answer this specific question w/o the actual blueprints, nor would I trust them anyway. Verify in field.


How can I open the latch mechanism on a Schlage keyed entry lock without the doorknob?

Turning the latch mechanism can work, but you need a shaft that closely fits the circular shape around the opening.
Instead, just slide one of the little ears with tools or fingers to retract the bolt:


Consider reinforcing the strip with self-adhesive foam weatherstrip. Stick the adhesive side to the flimsy backer strip, leaving a spongy foam surface exposed.

This might be a really simple and inexpensive way to add some thickness/stability to the flimsy backer, plus give you a kind grippy non-marking/non-slip surface against the pole: