Finding studs behind new build drywall to mount TV

The reason for your standard 16" OC stud measurements being suddenly interrupted with an 8" measurement is that beam in the ceiling is being supported by a post, and 8" just happens to be where it was located. It's likely, though not guaranteed, that if you continue to measure 16" from the last "standard" spaced stud, you'll end up hitting studs again as you move to the left across the wall. Studs are usually laid out 16" and pick up again after interruptions for things like windows, doors and beam-support posts. It's also possible that they reset their measurement point at the post and the next stud is 16" to the left of the post. They may have also started at the left corner and laid out 16" centers moving to the right, ending regular spacing at the post.
Now that you know 3 likely locations for the next stud, if your stud finder doesn't find anything there, you can use a slim drill bit (3/16" or less) to drill holes in likely locations looking for the resistance of a stud or lack thereof when missing it. A hole that small is easy to patch when you're fixing up the holes from the old mount and will be nearly invisible after doing so.
That plastic bit in the 2nd picture is one of a variety of standard drywall anchors. It's no one I would personally rely on to hold up a TV and TV mount, though if it's a non-moveable mount, 4 of those might have sufficient holding power.
The general advice is to mount a piece of 1/2 - 3/4" thick plywood to at least 2 studs using lag bolts, then you can attach the mount to the plywood with the screws supplied with the mount, and you can do that anywhere you'd like since the plywood will provide proper grip for the screws.
It is possible to hang your mount/TV directly from drywall - there are drywall anchors that are rated for as much as 100lb each, and 4 of them would be more than sufficient. These are not the plastic type anchors that you showed, they're toggles that will require a larger hole and bolt through the anchor & the mount. However, it's your TV, so you can make the call on whether you want to trust your TV to those, or if you want to make the extra effort to find the studs.
It appears that the "grey brick" behind your drywall might be steel studs, though the rough shape of the hole back there is a bit odd. Do you have any idea what's on the other side of this wall? If those are steel studs, you'll want to use anchors designed for steel studs, not lag bolts that would be sufficient for wood studs, nor "drywall" anchors.


New T&P valves on water heater leaking, pressure driven from 65 to 165psi

Follow the manufacturer's installation instructions, and install an expansion tank. "Up" or "down" doesn't matter, only the pressure the tank is charged to matters.

When water is heated in a closed system, the pressure increases.  When you install a check valve or regulator on the water supply, the pressure increase cannot push back into the supply plumbing.


What kind of paint should be used to protect gas meter?

The one at my house is new and it appears to be powder-coated. I'd let the gas company fix it though.


How do I keep a triple sat dish stable after directing towards the satellites?

My strategy with satellite dishes was to get the dish aimed close to the final alignment, and then hand tighten the bolts.  After this, I used light taps to change the alignment. Once aligned, tighten the bolts the rest of the way. Because the bolts are already snug, I never had problems with the dish moving further.


What could cause flashing LED lights when other LED lights in a different room are turned on?

Some LEDs with switching power supplies demand power in pulses, which can get coupled back onto the power line as small surges. If you have bulbs which are making that demand at different frequencies, and the current available is a bit marginal, this can sometimes make one or more take longer to charge than they should and cause flashing.

I have a chandelier which takes 16 bulbs, which is something of a worst case since they are all trying to draw power through the same ten-foot  lamp cord and am using a dimmer to control its brightness. When ask the bulbs were identical, there was no problem. When one failed and I replaced it with a bulb that drew a tiny bit more power, some dimmer levels would cause that new bulb to flash badly. Replacing it with a bulb that drew slightly less power than the others solved the problem. I have some guesses about exactly why, but they are more detailed than I think we want to into here.

So I'd try making sure all the bulbs are identical and see if that helps.

Some folks have  reported that replacing one of the bulbs with an incandescent or fluorescent may also solve the problem, since these draw power differently. Again, I have some guesses about why, but they are mostly guesses. Might be worth trying an experiment, though.

We're playing with a product that's still in the early stages of its evolution. There are likely to be a few hiccups before the manufacturers learn how to make them "as cheap as possible, but not cheaper." I am trusting/hoping that those companies are aware of this effect and will solve it eventually. Unfortunately, given the long life of LED bulbs, that may not help us early purchasers very soon.


Should I insulate a finished basement if there is only 3 degrees difference?

A couple things to consider.   If you have heat ducts in the floor of the upper level (i.e., the basement ceiling), you may be losing heat into the basement; insulating them (and especially sealing any leaks) may prevent heat from being "wasted" by warming the basement.    Depending on the floor surface above, insulation may make them a bit more comfortable (although I would not expect a dramatic difference with the basement that close to room temperature), and may provide some sound insulation if that matters.

If you don't have warm-air ducts in the ceiling, and sound isn't an issue, the payback on saved heating costs would probably be pretty long.


How to best keep floor vent by shower dry/mold free?

Cover the vent
They sell magnetic vent covers at nearly all hardware stores. Buy one, and cover the vent when it's not being used. This will prevent moist air from entering the vent, though it may not stop water if it pools around the vent.

Install an exhaust fan
Install a properly sized exhaust fan in the bathroom. Let it run during showers, and for about 20-30 minutes after showers.
WARNING: Make sure you vent the exhaust properly.
Sizing an exhaust fan
Exhaust fans are sized using Cubic Feet Per Minute (CFM), so you'll have to first figure out how many cubic feet your bathroom is. To do this, measure the length, width, and height of the room.

Length = 10 ft.
Width = 8 ft.
Height = 8 ft.

To find the cubic feet, simply multiply these numbers together.

10 ft. * 8 ft. * 8 ft. = 640 ft.3

Next we'll divide the cubic feet by 60, to figure out how many CFM is required to exchange the air one time in an hour.

640 ft.3 / 60 Minutes = 10.66 ft.3/Minute.

It's recommended that the air in a bathroom be exchanged 8 times per hour, so you'll have to multiply our CFM value by 8.

10.66 ft.3/Minute * 8 = 85.33 ft.3/Minute

So in this example, we'll need an exhaust fan with at least an 86 CFM rating.
Quick formula: (Length * Width * Height) / 7.5 = Required CFM rating.
Making sure the fan runs long enough
When installing an exhaust fan in a bathroom, it's a good idea to put the fan on a timer. This allows you to run the fan for the recommended 20-30 minutes after a shower, without having to worry about remembering to turn it off.
Warning: Make sure you get a timer that is rated for motor loads.


Can I install Whole Home Surge Protector into two single pole breakers?

That's what happens when Mr. Snippy gets into a panel and makes all the wires "neat" for the inspector, as if there were brownie points for that.  Hots and Neutral should be able to reach any space in the panel, neutral because of GFCIs.

Simply extend the wires with wire nut splices - it's ugly (by Mr. Snippy's standards), but it's no big deal electrically.

Can you use two 1-pole breakers on a 120/240V load? No.  As someone who accidentally bought a bunch of 30A 1-poles that are practically useless, I've researched this at length.

The two-pole breaker is because you have 2 hots and a neutral powering a single device.  Also, you want the amperage of the breaker to be fairly large so the surge suppressor can do its job - 15A is smaller than I'd want.  You're talking about a $10 breaker either way, so just use the one they recommend in the labeling and instructions - which is 30A.  And use an Eaton brand breaker (CH if your handles are Cutler Hammer beige, otherwise BR).  Do not use other random hardware store brands, no matter how much the clerk insists they'll fit.  That isn't brand loyalty, it's busbar compatibility).


Will an exhaust fan made for ceilings work in a wall instead?

In my experience, most decent exhaust fans are dual rated, ceiling or wall. If your fan is described as a ceiling mount only, it is probably one of many inexpensive units that use plastic bushings instead of sealed bearings. If you can easily jiggle the fan blade or squirrel cage axle in it's end bushing mounts, then I probably wouldn't waste my time using it in a wall. If it is a common overall dimension (10"X10") for example and the mechanical connections feel tight and smooth, I might give it a try. Hook some power to it and give it a test run horizontally before you install it. The worse case scenario is that you may have to replace it with a more expensive unit at some future time, which is a very easy job assuming the hole in the wall is the same or smaller than the one you need for your existing unit. The easy answer is to simply spend 50 or 60 bucks and buy a new fan rated for wall mounting. I almost forgot to mention, the orientation of the air back flow preventer is very important. If this flapper will not close by gravity or spring when wall mounted then don't consider using it.


What's the difference (if any) between these two types of PEX-to-copper fittings?

It certain makes a difference - apparently 70 cents.

Functionally, no difference, or possibly (hard to be sure from the small images and I'm not going to bother to hunt down the parts elsewhere) the brass is set up / sized to be a  male part for soldering into a female copper port, while the copper appears to be a female copper port to have a male copper pipe soldered into. The machined exterior on the brass part leans that way, but could simply be the way it's made. i.e. depending on what size the part is, it appears that it could be either.

Edit to add: the brass might also be slightly shorter, but that seems unlikely to matter 99.9% of the time.


well pump keeps turning on and off every few seconds

All sort of issues here - while there's a short list of things that one normally looks for with extreme short cycling (such as a blown bladder in the pressure tank) that doesn't touch the 90 PSI issue...

If, in fact, water is going back down the well, the check valve in the pump (there is pretty much always one built into deep well pumps) is bad. Depending how your system is set up, there may or may not be another one inside the house, which would also have to be bad. My own system, after considerable reading and opinion-gathering, has only the check valve on the pump 300 feet down my well. When it goes, it's pump-pulling time. That would be the case even if there were others, and others might actually cause that to happen sooner according to a number of experienced well folks, which is why the other one I bought is still sitting in a box, not installed. In another few years I'll put a new pump on the shelf for when this one dies, so it's not a panic buy when (not if) I need it.

80-90 PSI is VERY high and almost certainly indicates a problem with the pressure switch. Certainly on my well the emergency relief valve lets go at 100PSI. On 40 off 60 is usually the upper range of domestic well pump "common settings" (30/50 and 20/40 being the other two commonly seen.) Ideally you'd know what your setting usually is or it may be recorded on a sticker somewhere on the system. You mention it going to the very high pressure when first switched on after being off for a while - what was it cycling between when you found it?

You could TRY hooking up a garden hose and opening that valve, then turning the pump on to flush out the crud that's been stirred up. It's possible-but-not-likely that this MIGHT clear a bit of crud that is jamming the check valve open. If nothing else it will get the stirred-up crud out of the well before the pump is repaired or replaced.

If your well is prone to throwing dirt, you may want to add a "spin-down filter" (I put mine after the relief, but before the rest of the system - this was contrary to the manufacturers instructions - they suggested after the pressure tank - but in line with the whole point of having it.)


What sort of professional can I call for attic inspection and checking foundation?

A home inspection would tell you WHAT's wrong. An architect would tell you WHAT's wrong, EVALUATE the conditions (i.e.: cracked foundation, lack of attic insulation, etc.) and offer SOLUTIONS on how to fix it, but not provide a bid...(but they could recommend several contractors to get bids from). A contractor would tell you WHAT's wrong, offer a SOLUTION and provide a bid to fix/repair the problem...but I'd recommend 3 reputable contractors and 3 bids.


How can I convert my under cabinet lighting from halogen to LED?

Your G8s are probably 120VAC, right ?  As such, you are not going to replace with LED without switching to LOW DC voltage.  Most are 24V.

If you want dimmable LED (a good feature), you'll need a dimmable constant current driver and a magnetic transformer and a magnetic rated dimmer.  You can use a  standard dimmer, but the current surge will burn it out. (ask me why I know...)

Bottom line.. rip out the sockets.


Three coats of paint here is insufficient, or rather inappropriate. This surface needed a good sanding, and probably some ready-made drywall joint compound, to make it even and clean.

Then one coat of primer and two coats of paint (until nice). In the current condition, I'd be afraid whatever you put over will flake sooner than later due to the bad base.

Personnaly, I'd have gone

drywall compound till nice all around
sand evenly
primer
2 coats.

I assume all those racks and shelves were removed prior to painting, right ?

From the current condition, I'm not sure how much sanding would give enough for the new paint to hold.


Why do my dimmer switches keep burning out?

The problem is 'low voltage' lights on an incandescent/halogen dimmer.

Here is information on dimmer types, and will help you find the right one

http://www.lutron.com/en-US/Education-Training/Pages/LCE/DimmingBasics.aspx


Fill the gap with a plug at the space between the stair stringer and wall (2nd photo: where the floor molding disappears). Or cap the beveled end of the stair stringer with 3/4" pine with the stringers profile.
If that gap is closed the floor molding will butt against it. Than the quarter round can be terminated with a face bevel right equal with the stringer.
The gap has to be covered in order to have an flat (90 degree) surface to cut the molding's to.


Pressure revief valve - where to locate?

In my area, temperature/pressure valves are required on all storage type domestic and production water tanks and must be installed in the top or near the top of the tank. Pressure relief valves that do not respond to temperature  are required on all other heat producing boilers such as hot water heating and steam boilers.  To answer your question, more information is needed about the system and the tanks actual use.


My understanding is that you can do it if you use CPVC cement - but not ordinary PVC cement.

Here is one reference (from a commercial products supply company) which confirms this:

  Does CPVC to PVC Glue Exist?

  ...you cannot use just any PVC cement to join these two materials
  together. CPVC, as we explained earlier, is a stronger version of PVC
  pipe with a higher melting point and tougher chemical structure. This
  means old-fashioned PVC cement will not be fully effective on CPVC.

  There is no special “CPVC to PVC glue,” so chemically joining CPVC and
  PVC requires solvent cement and primer that are strong enough to fully
  bond CPVC pipe.

  To connect PVC to a CPVC fitting (or vice versa) follow these steps:

  Brush CPVC primer on the outside of the pipe and inside of the fitting about 2 inches deep.
  Immediately apply a light layer of CPVC cement to the area that is primed outside the pipe and inside the fitting.
  Slide and twist the pieces together then hold them together firmly for 30 seconds.

Also, here is a reference from Weld-On, one manufacturer of (C)PVC cements which also concurs with this advice:

  Q: Will CPVC solvent cement work on a PVC piping installation?

  A: Yes. CPVC solvent cement technically will work on PVC piping.
  However, we recommend that the correct ... primer and PVC solvent
  cement for the particular application should be used. Please note that
  PVC solvent cement, because of temperature limitations, is not
  recommended for CPVC piping.

Now, just because it is possible doesn't mean that you should do this. For one thing it might not be to code if you used materials in a way not recommended by their manufacturer. Aside from that, in a critical system (like sewage for instance) you should think carefully if it is worth taking any risk at all.

On the other hand in a nonessential area or in some kind of temporary / emergency circumstance, this might be a reasonable course of action.


Dryer cross-wired - loud pop and no longer works?

Are you sure you didn't trip the breaker or at least one side of it. Try turning the breaker all the way off. Make sure both poles are pushed to the off position. Then turn it all the way on. If you have a voltmeter then check to see if there is power on both poles of the breaker. It should read a nominal 240V.

If that isn't it, then try and locate the POP sound by seeing if there is a faint smell of smoke from the receptacle or the dryer. If it is the dryer, then chances are you have burnt up some of the wiring in the dryer and if that is the case odds are you are looking at getting a repairman on the dryer or buying a new one.

I say this because you have said you are not all that handy and tearing into a dryer to make a DIY repair requires a certain amount of mechanical expertise.

Good luck and sorry for the bad news.


Putting up posters in hard to reach places

If you're only going to ever need it for your own staircase investing in such an expensive adjustable platform may not be warranted.

you can probably build your own from some some 6x2 lumber

cut pieces to make the basic shape of the ladder ledge and fasten the parts together with structural screws, fit rubber feet or a layer of rubber anti-slip floor surface
to the underside,


What can be done with walls that are wet and moldy?

Mold (mildew) reproduces quickly. Once it starts growing it travels to other areas via the wind current. Once it lands on another surface it will begin growing there and the cycle continues. Mold requires a food source, the correct temperature and most of all it needs moisture. The recent rain might have something to do with it. Most mildew issues are from leaking areas like windows or pipes. Also, leaking roofs and flooring that doesn't dry could cause the issue. Moisture vapor passes through walls and ceilings and condenses on the surface during the winter. In the short term, I would start by buying or renting a dehumidifier to remove the moisture in the air. You should also get a few fans going to help evaporate some of the moisture. Begin wiping down the affected areas with a mildew remover. Bleach water is highly effective. Make sure you wear a mask. Once all of that is accomplished, I would focus on those areas where the surface is peeling. I would say those are points that have had a lot of moisture for a long period of time. I'm not so sure the answer is to start tearing out walls and running new piping. However, that will depend on what the source of the excessive moisture actually is. If you are going to remodel, consider using primer, caulking and finish paint that are mildew resistant. You could even go with a mildew resistant sealer.


Replacing compression fitting with push-to-connect

If possible I would cut the copper right below the compression ring as most times the pipe deforms slightly or worse if it was put on at an angle and then tightened. This might cause it to not seal properly when the push fitting is installed.

Otherwise its a gamble -- but not a bad one, if it leaks just pop off the push on connector and the cut the pipe.

If you have never used the push on connectors make sure you have the little plastic tool so you can pop it back off otherwise you'll be stuck.


Thin set or spackle to fill home before tiling

Drywall compound is the correct material to patch drywall with.  I'm curious why you aren't tiling to a fiber cement product, and suggest using a waterproofing membrane like Hydroban if you are really worried about water infiltration - https://www.google.com/search?q=hydro+ban&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiLspa0_7HZAhVnp1kKHbQ9DyYQsxgIKw&biw=1760&bih=839 is very easy to work with.


It matters because a brush transfers more paint than a roller and leaves marks in the finish. By cutting in the edges first and following with the roller you spread the brushed on paint further leveling the finish while removing brush marks. In other words the rolled finish, which is what you want, goes as close to the corner as you can get without bumping. (about 1/4" away) If you roll first the corners would have a brushed finish the width of the brush, which is much wider.

The same argument applies, and is more obvious, in cases like textured finish. You want the final finish technique applied last, for maximum coverage.


Low foghorn noise after new pressure reduction valve and expansion tank installed

Instead of flowing air which is used in instruments like flutes or trompets,  oscillations can be produced by flowing water as well. The complete system consisting of the spring in the reduction valve, the tube dimensions and the expansion tank could be in resonance depending on a certain pressure and water flow.
It should be influenced by the pressure that can be adjusted turning the black part of the reduction valve.
If there is a water heater downstream of the pressure reduction valve, a safety pressure relief valve must be installed, since the expansion tank could fail and the reduction valve would close if the water is heated up thus preventing the pressure to be relieved into the upstream net.


Does a GFCI-protected bath light/fan unit need separate neutrals?

Generally speaking, you don't want to have a fan/light - or more specifically, a light - on GFCI because if the GFCI trips due to something else on the circuit then you are in the dark. As I understand it (I am not an electrician, but I have seen other questions on this topic and I heard this from my own electrician years ago when he installed heat/fan/light for me in a bathroom), if the fixture is not above a tub or shower then it does not need GFCI. However, sometimes that is either necessary (no other reasonable location) or desired, and in such cases, yes you would connect it to the LOAD side of a GFCI receptacle.

The key is that all hots must go to the same place and all neutrals must go to the same place. Plus all hots and neutrals for any given use must be together in the same cable. In the case of a combination fan/light, that means one of two things:

Two separate pairs of hot neutral, each pair must be together and both pairs connect to the same LOAD side of the same GFCI receptacle.
Three wires - 2 hot, 1 neutral, all must be together and all connect to the same LOAD side of the same GFCI receptacle. This is your situation as described.

Of course, there will be switches in between. If you use 2 separate switches (so you can have fan or light or both) then your setup will actually be:

LOAD hot -> pigtail -> both switch hots (This could also be without a pigtail if the switch is a double switch with a common screw to use for hot)
LOAD neutral -> neutral on switch if you need it via a pigtail -> neutral (white) from fan/light
Switched Hot 1 -> hot 1 (typically black) from fan/light
Switched Hot 2 -> hot 2 (typically red) from fan/light

If your fan/light actually has two separate neutral connections, connect them both to the white wire of your 12/3 using a pigtail.


Number 1

It could cause a problem, however it it unlikely. Use the shower a few times, and see what kind of condensation settles on the wall above the tiles. If you can see visible droplets of water beading on the wall, you will have a problem over time. As your house settles, and expands/contracts over time the grout will develop fine cracks. These droplets will over time go behind your tiles, and weaken the structure of your wall. If it was cement board it probably wont even matter, and we are talking decades before damage here, but why take the chance for a $5 tube of caulk? There are several brands of caulking meant for the bathroom that can be painted.

Tip - when you apply caulk and run your finger over the caulk to get a smooth surface, make sure your finger is wet first. Makes a huge improvement to how the caulk spreads and looks.

Number 2

The silicone will affect the drying of the grout, and you will probably find it takes well over a week to match the color of other grout. Depending on how good the seal is (i.e. is the grout exposed to air or a porous surface underneath), it could take a very long time. I wouldn't worry about it other than for cosmetic reasons.


Is there an alternative to buying a tamper to compact the ground?

You can rent a power compactor which would do a much better job than a hand operated tamper.


Personally, I've never known of anyone to cover their outdoor a/c equipment. A quick Google found most saying no and a few saying yes...conditionally. This page summarizes their opinion as:

  Should you cover your air conditioner in the winter?  Probably not,
  but it’s worth a thought during hails and heavy winter storms.  Your
  air conditioner is one of your most expensive investments, so take
  care of it and service it properly.  I will say, one last time, that
  covering your air conditioner in the winter is not a necessary
  precaution in most cases.

It's worth pointing out, however, that they seem to be a heating and air company in California.

This page, which is a company in Wisconsin notes:

  In my opinion, it's best to leave the A/C unit uncovered. In the
  spring, our company handles more repairs for units that were covered
  during the winter.

..that's a compelling thought.

But you do have a valid concern with respect to seasonal maintenance. It would be wise to do some research on seasonal maintenance for outside compressors going into the Spring, prior to their return to use after a winter hiatus. I imagine checking for and cleaning away any debris at the least.


How does a microwave door interlock work and is a DIY repair feasible?

This particular model has three microswitches to detect the door being fully closed.

If any one of them are loose or defective, it would cause the symptoms you experience.  Each switch is pricey at $30 from GE or $23 from Amazon but there are many low priced sources (see comments below), so I would open up the appliance and have a look to see if a wire has come loose, or a switch is no longer seated properly.  With it open, you should also be able to trigger the switch and see if it sounds like it is working correctly.  With this type of switch, listening to it can successfully diagnose them 90% of the time.

If all the switches seems mechanically okay, then bust out a DMM and use the ohmmeter to see which one is not remaining closed when toggled.


Yes, keeping lags centered in studs is important.

The following is minimum for BOLTS IN WOOD:

Edge distance:

Perpendicular to grain: 4 times dia.
Parallel to grain: 1.5 times bolt dia.

End distance:

When in tension: 7 times bolt dia.
When in compression: 4 times dia.

Center-to-Center spacing:

Perpendicular to grain: 2.5 times dia.
Parallel to grain: 4 times bolt dia.

Spacing between rows of bolts:

Between 2 and 5 bolt diameter depending on l/d ratio


Trying to remove a bar sink faucet and we have nothing to unscrew to be able to remove it

Try using a pipe wrench placed directly on that studded nut which I point to with an arrow.


What can I do with these roof trusses to cover them up a bit?

In the US, you can find rigid insulation panels of polyisocyanurate foam

and polstyrene foam

These can be cut to fit tightly between studs or rafters, can be flush with the face of the wood and are thick enough to be self supporting.  They are usually sealed to the wood using broad tape, such as aluminum.

They are not cheap and not very strong if hit, but have a very high R value.

They also could be covered with either very thin drywall or the new ultralight drywall.


What is the name of this Allen-head furniture fastener?

While difficult to tell for sure I think it is an E-Z Lok threaded insert. It consists of a course threaded screw that is inserted into the wood. A pilot hole is drilled and the insert is screwed in with a Allen wrench until it is flush. The center of the insert is tapped for a machine screw. The advantage of this fastener is it can be disassembled numerous times with out stripping the wood.


How do I install this knee brace to my pergola post?

Prior to drilling the "through-hole", mark the location on both sides and use a paddle-style wood boring bit slightly larger than the O.D. of your flat washer, to make a large flat-bottomed hole.

Make the holes no deeper than necessary to make the nut, washer, and bolt end sit flush (you would need a shorter bolt).

For more precise creation of a flat-bottomed hole you could also use a Forstner style drill bit, but they are significantly more expensive than a paddle-bit. It depends on how nice and clean you want the hole to be.


Do recessed light fixtures with local switches exist?

To solve the problem of having only one switch per room but need for more lights, I went for a smart lighting system. By now there's plenty of systems available that you can compare and choose from, but based on my own experience, I can recommend Philips Hue system because it's well supported, it has lively user communities that you can easily get help from when you need assistance, they have quite a bit of different kinds of lamps (and now even other smart devices and products from other brands) that can be integrated to the system, and for LEDs (that can notoriously produce ugly dull light), the white light is good enough quality because the bulbs now use a slightly different method to produce it than what you might typically see.
Philips will seem expensive once you start out (I considered for about two years), but once you have it, I've personally felt that it does pay off because it's so flexible and can solve problems such as this.
Currently Philips Hue seems to have a few recessed lights that belong to the "White Ambiance" range, meaning that they are dimmable, and you can adjust their color temperature from a very cold bluish daylight, to white, to warm light that all the way resembles the color temperature of a candle. Your eyes really appreciate that in the late evenings.

Now, how individually?
The Hue App (or third party computer programs) will allow you to adjust single light bulbs individually if you need that kind of precision. But if you actually meant that you want to control this big bunch of lights as several sub-groups instead of all at once, you can use the app to specify which bulbs belong to which group. Then, at the time of writing this, Philips has two physical accessories that you can use just like wall switches: Hue Remote, or Hue Tap. They can be attached to a wall like a switch, or they can go with you like a remote control. I personally find Hue Remote a better product. The official Hue app allows you to program what the remote control does, so you can choose to give commands to all lights or just some of those groups that you created. There's several third party apps that will allow you to program even more actions to a single remote controller than is officially possible. For example, iConnectHue which is for iOS, is one of those. The Hue Remote has four buttons, but with a third party app, you can program extra actions to it so the buttons have more in them if you press it vs. hold it, or press it once vs. press it four times. This of course means that you'd have to remember what you've programmed as the extra actions, but it's one way to avoid having to buy multiple Hue Remotes if you're not up for it.
For the lights to work correctly, you leave the electrical original switch ON at all times, and only use the remotes or the app or other ways to command the lights to go off when you want. The lights will be switched off, but because the electricity in them is still on, they will be ready to receive the next remote command that switches them on again, be it one of them, some of them or all of them.

There are other brands, but I don't have personal experiences to share about their quality. There are people who make Youtube videos or blogs about comparing and reviewing products, but unless you know the person's agenda, it's possible that they're being paid money to endorse products, so you can't get an objective and realistic review. If everything seems too perfect and flawless, it might be a paid endorsement.
If you were to think of adopting a smart light system, do consider the future of the manufacturer of it: If you buy a cheap lamp from a firm that no one's ever heard of and you can't find a manufacturer's website with any signs of support and professionalism in sight, the chances are that it is just a really cheap go at competing at the market of smart lighting, and when you encounter problems or the lamp malfunctions far too soon, you don't have any support, guarantees or community help available. This is not to say that Philips would be the only viable option, there are others, but I'd advise not to go for the cheap anonymous replicas that you'd quite probably end up regretting.


How to prevent the slats coming off the side beams of a baby's cot?

You can see that the slats have glue on the ends. It was applied sloppily and the bonds let go. Get some good wood glue (Titebond, etc.) and use a cotton swab or similar to coat the entire inside of each slat socket in the rails. Also coat the slat ends lightly.

Assemble the railing (one or more helpers make this easier) and use rope or elastic straps to keep it together while the glue dries. Be sure that the rails are the correct distance apart to mate with other parts of the bed.

Use a damp cloth to wipe away any glue that squeezed out. Allow 24 hours for drying and reassemble the bed. Check occasionally for more leaking glue.


How do I connect a single pole light switch with three 2-wire cables in box?

If you are sure that there is only 1 (one) always hot black wire, then follow these steps:

Turn off power at the breaker.
Connect all of the ground wires together with a wirenut and stuff them in to the box.
Connect all of the white wires together with a wirenut and stuff them in to the box.
Get yourself a 6 inch piece of black wire and strip the ends. You've just made yourself a pigtail. Match the gauge of this wire (12 or 14) to the gauge of the wire already in the box. Connect one end to the switch.
Connect the other end of the pigtail to the always hot black wire and one of the other black wires with a wirenut.
Connect the remaining black wire to the switch.
Install the switch and cover.
Turn on the breaker.
Turn the switch on and off. If it controls the light, you are done.
If the switch doesn't control the light, turn the breaker off and repeat from step 5 but swap the two black wires that are not always hot.


Why would you ever choose open-cell spray foam?

Like most things, both have their benefits depending on the situation. Personally I'd default to using closed-cell unless there was a specific reason for open-cell, which can include:

Open-cell permits drying. If you already have a vapour barrier (eg: below attic rafters) this is good, as multiple vapour barriers can trap moisture and lead to problems (eg: in the wood for the rafters).
Open-cell remains flexible. This can be useful in some cases where the house is settling or shifting. Closed-cell does resist this to some extent, but when it fails it's likely to crack and leave a gaping hole, which compromises the insulation value.
Generally cheaper per same RSI. You'd have to price this out to be sure, but it uses about 1/3 the material for a bit over 1/2 the insulation (RSI) value.
Higher expanding. As an example, I used closed-cell spray foam to do most of my basement, but open-cell to fill the joist bay for a 4' cantilevered floor, because it wasn't possible to reliably get closed-cell to cover the bottom of the floor above. Using open-cell allowed the entire bay to be filled completely.
Less off-gassing than closed-cell. Most closed-cell uses a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) based blowing agent, while open-cell uses a water-based agent. This apparently leads to less smell, if that's a concern. (In my experience, having used it in two different houses for different applications, smell and off-gassing of closed-cell was a non-issue. If you search the internet for this though, you'll find lots of complaints.)


Although some may say this is an opinion but copper will outlast aluminum 10:1
Copper over years will have a patina that is either green or brown depending on the conditions. Aluminum if not coated will turn a dull tint and pit over time. Depending where the flashing is used it will also prevent mold growth.
As an example of long lasting I have worked on 100+ year old homes that had copper gutters and flashings that were still in great shape.  I cannot say I have ever seen 50 year old gutters or flashings made of aluminum.


Do I need to upgrade to a 400A panel with solar?

Short answer is "no"

There are a couple ways of fixing this short of going to 400A busbars in the main panel, which are not exactly the cheapest thing in the world.  Read on for options, although you'll need to discuss both with your AHJ and the latter option (using the secondary disconnect on a suitably equipped meter-main for the EVs) with your utility as well.

One other caveat with most of this is you're best off with 32A EV chargers (vs 40A) to avoid starving the house for power too much -- luckily, 32A@240VAC is a standard circuit size in most of the rest of the world, so you can get EV chargers that size fairly readily.

Easy fix -- downgrade the 200A feeder breaker in the main panel to 125A

Given the rules of NEC 705.12(D)(2)(3)(c) and that the total overcurrent protection for the planned EV chargers won't exceed 100A, the easiest solution to this problem is to downgrade the main panel's feeder breaker to 125A, which brings you back into compliance with the rules.  This does mean that if both the Powerwalls are charging at their full 30A rate, your solar system isn't helping at all, and you're pulling significant load (more than 65A) on the house side, you could trip the feeder breaker.

If you are OK with starving the EV chargers for current somewhat, or your AHJ is willing to apply 240.4(B) rules to this situation, then you can use a 150A feeder breaker, but that limits you to 70A (without 240.4(B)) or 80A (with 240.4(B)) maximum breakering for the EV chargers, taken together.  (If you could put a 75A breaker in, that'd work, but 75A is not a standard breaker size.)

If that's not an acceptable state of affairs...

If the above situation is not serviceable, then there is another option, but it involves replacing your meter socket with a specific meter main (or meter breaker), which may or may not be more costly than the 400A panel.  In particular, the Eaton/Cooper 2M2RP provides a 200A continuous socket with two load taps: one for a 200A maximum main breaker, and a second provision for an auxiliary service disconnect.  However, the lugs on the meter socket are limited to 125% of 200A (their continuous rating), or a 250A maximum, so the disconnects must sum to that (vs. the 225A maximum rating on your proposed main panelboard's busbars).

This means that you can use a maximum of a 175A main breaker in the unit (downbreakering it from the shipped 200A), and the auxiliary disconnect paired with that can be a maximum of 75A as a result; however, 75A isn't a standard breaker rating, so we can use an 80A breaker instead as per 240.4(B) (it's a feeder, we're protecting a set of lugs, and we're below the 800A maximum for the rule).  Given that the 2M2RP takes Siemens breakers (for historical reasons), and that Siemens has replaced the QJ line with the backwards-compatible QR, we need a QR22B175 for the main, and the provision for the secondary main can be left unpopulated for now.  When the EV chargers are installed in this scenario, a Q280 is inserted in that secondary main slot, and then a feeder is run from it to a main lug panel with the EV-charger branch breakers in it.

If your AHJ or utility rejects the application of 240.4(B) here, one can use a QR22B150 for the main and a Q2100 for the secondary, instead -- this does mean that pulling full power from the house while the Powerwalls are charging at full rate and the solar system is outputting nothing puts you in main-breaker-trip land, but that is quite unlikely.  Another option would be to use a QR22B175 for the main and a Q270 for the secondary, but that starves the EV chargers for current ever-so-slightly.


Outlet not working before/after replacement

No one I know of can tell you exactly what's happening. From a troubleshooting aspect, your problem is probably a disconnected or loose wire. It can be either a neutral or hot wire.

The procedure to find the wire is to first find the circuit(s) that are having the problem. Then check for power at the breaker and check the neutral and ground at the buss for loose connections (warning this would require you to pull the cover off the panel and expose live conductors). Once you have established that the problem is not in the panel then you need to pull each device and fixtures on the circuit and examine them for loose connections. Also look for burn marks or damaged components. Make sure every splice is secure and making a sound electrical and mechanical connection.

If your residence was wired by someone who used the push in back wire connection on the receptacles, remove them and reconnect to the screw lugs on the receptacle. You can probably go on youtube for the proper way to make a connection.

Remember you are looking for a loose or disconnected conductor so the problem may not be at the receptacle not working, but somewhere downstream of the problem. If all of this seems a little overwhelming, then you should consider to bring in a service electrician to assist you in finding the problem.

I should also mention that if you are removing covers and pulling components you can be exposing yourself to live parts and there is a risk of electrical shock or burn. So make sure everything is dead inside the boxes before pulling devices out for inspection.

Good luck


What can I use for a water supply for my electric hot water heater?

Theoretically, it's possible. Practically, it depends on the size of the pipes, distance, and layout of your plumbing. If the water main is 3/4" and the washing machine is fed by 3/8" lines, you'll lose a lot of flow going out and back. Depending on the type of valve on your shower, it could mean significant temperature swings when a toilet is flushed or another shower is running, or you could see the flow frequently drop to a trickle to avoid freezing you. It could also mean much longer waits before hot water reaches various fixtures.


How can I make outlet wall plates mount flush after removing wood paneling?

Presumably the issue is that the outlet boxes protrude from the drywall.

Before doing anything else, turn off the power to the outlet.

Generally these boxes are typically nailed into the studs.  If this is the case, simply pry the nails out, reseat the boxes deeper in, and re-nail them into place.

If you can't reseat the boxes deeper (e.g. if something impinges on the rear of the boxes), there's a few options.  Replace the boxes with shallower ones.  Use a dremel or similar to cut off the protruding parts of the box.  Or add a "frame" around the box.


3-way switching, switch loops, 404.2(C), and you

NEC 404.2(C) is where the requirement for neutrals at switch boxes lives (quoted from the 2014 NEC):

  (C) Switches Controlling Lighting Loads. The grounded
  circuit conductor for the controlled lighting circuit shall be
  provided at the location where switches control lighting
  loads that are supplied by a grounded general-purpose
  branch circuit for other than the following:

  (1) Where conductors enter the box enclosing the switch
  through a raceway, provided that the raceway is large
  enough for all contained conductors, including a
  grounded conductor

  (2) Where the box enclosing the switch is accessible for
  the installation of an additional or replacement cable
  without removing finish materials

  (3) Where snap switches with integral enclosures comply
  with 300.15(E)

  (4) Where a switch does not serve a habitable room or
  bathroom

  (5) Where multiple switch locations control the same lighting load such that the entire floor area of the room or
  space is visible from the single or combined switch
  locations

  (6) Where lighting in the area is controlled by automatic
  means

  (7) Where a switch controls a receptacle load

  Informational Note: The provision for a (future) grounded
  conductor is to complete a circuit path for electronic lighting control devices.

In particular, point 5 above is what applies to your situation.  Unfortunately, the normative text of that section wasn't a model of clarity, and this section was reworked in 2017 to try to fix that.

So, you'll need to talk to your electrical inspector.  My interpretation of the 2014 text is that you need a neutral at at least one location in a multi-way switching system, but not at every location in said multi-way switching system -- there is room for reasonable people to disagree here though.


How do I adapt my spiral ratcheting screwdriver to use with all bits?

I'd try to join one of your existing bits to a 1/4" socket. Maybe the slot will fit nicely into the 1/4" drive side of the socket? A bit of file work should get you to something pretty firm. Then apply liberal amounts of 2 part epoxy and you should be good. (Bonus if you can find a thin rare earth magnet to sit in the bottom of the socket to hold your bits better.)


can wood deck boards be installed over Hardiboard on balcony?

Although hardibacker board is a superior underlayment material for waterproofing I don't think it's designed to actually have water sitting on it very often. It is mold resistant but in reality it doesn't see water very often. I think the porous surfaces would fill up with organic compounds and allow mold and other funk to start growing. That being said I don't think I would remove it I would consider covering it with a smoother waterproofing membrane like Blueskin. Just to clarify covering it with the deck will allow dirt water and debris to accumulate and that will make short work of the grout. Then you've got a bigger problem, especially in cold climates. Water will work its way in freeze and pop tiles are so on.


although hammering will does not damage pipes, it can and will damage toilet and sink angle stop valves. I live in Arizona with 80-90 psi water pressure, and had to replace all. Water pressure surge absorbers cost about $35 plus installation, and is worth every penny spent. If you live in an area with high water pressure, my advice is to install one.


Best way to cover up this hole drilled when installing a ceiling fan?

This isn't common on an open wall, more for shadow boxes and such. However, you could remove that piece of molding and cut another piece with a 45° angle where it meets the corner. Then cut a small piece about 1ft. long with 45° angles on both ends. Then cut yourself a dead end on the left side. You will probably have to cope the excess wood at the corners for the wire to fit better. You can pinch nail both pieces at the top and bottom for a tight fit in that area.

Crown Molding Return


It depends if in your box you have also neutrals, if you have pigtailed (neutral), usually white, wire inside the box. In that case, you have a 'permanent' phase on the black wires (I'd bet the two wires going to single screw) and a 'switched' phase on the other black wire (that is the wire going to the lamp) and that in newer setups usually is red.

So you'll have all 3 wires needed: PE (bare copper), permanent phase (two wires that now goes on single screw), neutral (white pigtailed wires inside the box).

If you don't have other wires inside the box you should call an electrician to pull a new wire or just remain with current setup.


Putting a recessed light in over the shower unit

Different countries and even different jurisdictions within a country have different regulations. You should find out what is allowed inside a shower enclosure. One thing that comes to mind is whether this fixture must be GFCI protected (RCD). It could be that in Ireland RCD is present in the master breaker.

But as far as what works, you can just wire the shower enclosure light to the existing one which, I assume, is controlled by a wall switch. In new construction one might have separate switches, but for a retrofit I doubt it would be worth the trouble.


Should a light tunnel be positioned facing east or west?

There's no difference as your question is worded. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, so half the day it will be on one side, and half the day it will be on the other.

Consider timing how long the sun is hitting each roof since there could be obstructions, a slight angle north or south, or other factor we can't help with here. Note that the sun will be shifting in the sky throughout the year, so don't be too precise with these measurements. Also consider what times of the day you'd like the most light, whether you're a morning person, or will be home and awake for longer in the evening.


What’s this diagonal metal strapping between my studs?

In my opinion, that should not be cut. It appears to be a structural part of the house. There will be others like that in the wall, at least 1 more, and if the wall is over 20' it will most likely have an extra one, 3 total. That was code minimum back in the day, and probably still is.

There is a chance that nothing would ever happen bad if it was cut, but that chance, I cannot recommend removing it. Code guidelines are the minimum, never advisable to do something that reduces the effectiveness of a building component that is structural in nature.


Why would my pressure reducing valve fail after repairing my water main?

The most likely cause is that dirt or debris from the water line repair have gotten jammed in the PRV so that it cannot close. You can remove it and see if there's anything visible that can be cleaned, but at that point, you may as well replace it with a new one that you'll know is good.


Cut a 2" x 4" hole.
Pull the wire through.
Install a box eliminator.
Depending on what you are trying to do, either install a blank plate and route the cable around to where it needs to go, or install a plate with an RJ45 jack and cut the cable and attach it to the jack.

The worst result will be a blank plate for no apparent reason - but there are plenty of blank plates in buildings, so that is not a big deal.


does this look like an up to code support beam?

For an 8.5' span I'd say no.  The purpose of the jack studs isn't just to hold up the header - it also helps distribute the load more evenly to the foundation.  For that wide of a span the IRC calls for 2 jacks(see R502.5 Allowable girder spans).


Should I insulate a garage when converting it to a workshop?

To insulate or not to insulate, that is the question? That would depend on the amount of time you plan on using the room, how tolerant you are to the temperature changes, and what amount of money you would prefer to spend?    Insulating a much used room (especially a work space) is the best way to remain comfortable and focused while occupying it. Insulating your space will also allow you to spend less on the energy it takes to heat or cool it.    Insulating techniques are varied depending on your budget and the material that composes the room. Here in the States building codes are becoming more stringent regarding minimum R- values and were it can be placed. For instance, the IRC states roof  insulation (for rafters) must be a minimum of R-30 (for most N.A. climate zones).    Insulating a room can be as basic as adding weather-stripping to door bottoms and sealing electrical box gaps to the most involved upgrading windows to dual-glazing and adding another layer of attic insulation.    Most everyone would agree that no matter what type of insulation or how basic, in the long run your investment will save you money and increase your comfort-level in that particular room.


How to stop 2nd floor toilet from bubbling when 3rd floor toilet is flushed?

To be it sounds like the back flow preventer on multi story building is partially blocked open. Or a venting issue. The easiest is to check the main vent stack and make sure it is clear. I have found main vent stacks that had construction cloth covers blocked with spider Webb’s enough to cause problems, in another case a dead squirrel, and several others bird nests and dead birds in the vent pipe. I would check the cap and make sure the vent is clear first, I could not believe spider webs could cause a problem but did on a 3 story above 2 below grade building.


What kind of paint do I need to paint rubber?

Instead of painting pucks why not just order colored ones?

http://www.ministicks.com/colored_hockey_pucks_and_colored_foam_hockey_pucks_s/14687.htm

This page has 4 different colors for regulation pucks, and 8 colors for regulation size foam pucks.

This was my first search and I'm sure you could find others if you needed something specific.


Floor tile layout suggestion and backer board or not?

Direct to concrete would not require backer board, just make sure you use the right tile set thickness and back butter the tile, ensure the proper gap, and lay the tile any way that looks good to you. Factor in waste from cuts and make sure you get enough in case you break any.


How to add indicator on a light switch to indicate the outdoor 3-way light is on?

You need one or two 3-way switches with pilot lights. These are also called 3-way switches, illuminated ON. Some have an illuminated toggle, some are decorative style and some have a separate light. These are examples (not that none of the ones shown below are actually 3 way switches)

These switches generally need a neutral wire at both switches. Conventional unlighted switches do not need a neutral. They also need three wires (other than neutral) running between the switches.

If you only want the pilot light in one location, you still need two 3-way switches, but only the lit one needs a neutral.


Is the diameter of drain snake cable the bigger the better?

Bigger is better to a point. The problem comes when the size is two large to make a 90 or 2. If the cable is two large in lets say a 3" pipe the cable can chew through the side wall (I did this with a power snake) I find the smaller cable with a center core tends to hold up better and make it through more bends. You did mention "machine" On smaller hand snakes I have never found one to be two large If this is the type you are talking about. I use smaller hand style like a drill with snake drum for laterals and my big snake for main line work where I enter through a clean out or vent. A small snake can get twisted up in a large pipe when the clog is encountered.


Adding hot water feed to an outdoor spigot

Rather than trying to tie hot and cold together just add a hot spigot next to your cold spigot and attach a mixer hose like this one

Alternatively you could fit a mechanical mixing valve into the under house plumbing


What paint will work best with cardboard shelving?

Spray paint is normally lacquer and is made for more durable surfaces that won't flex. Like appliance paint.

Latex paint is more flexible and rubbery. Hence the name.

Use a good primer first to seal the cardboard.

Good luck!


What, if any, circuit elements are disallowed downstream of a GFCI?

The only restriction would be in a “smart switch” that doesn't have a neutral but uses the ground for a small amount of current I think these are limited to 5 but I would have to check on that to verify the number.


It doesn't matter if new or old but it sounds like one switch is wired correctly the other has a traveler and common reversed (quite common DIY mistake). The one plus here is by swapping one of the travelers and common it won't cause any hazards and may fix your problem. The common on the switch is usually a black screw the travelers are brass. Do this with the circuit breaker off and give it a try, if it only changed the switch position try the other side as the first try just swapped travelers the second try should do the trick.


What to do with wires from old outdoor light?

There's two "proper" solutions. First, you could install a box rated for the location (dry, damp, wet). Terminate the wires in the box, and install an appropriate blank cover.

The other option is to find where the wires originate, and disconnect them. Then you can either tuck the wires back into the hole in the wall, or if possible remove the wires altogether.


There are plastic shims expressly for the purpose of supporting plugs and switches. They come in a strip and one tears off as many as needed and folds them accordion style and slips it over the screws to allow the switch to be screwed hard to the box parallel to the wall and the right distance from it.

Edit, Addition

In the present case, if I understand the querant's comment correctly, the box is loose in the wall. If he wants to avoid replacing this box, a clamp is required on both sides of the  to secure the box and the switch. The switch cover plate can supply the clamp onto the wall cavity side of the drywall (or plaster).

One such clamp is a pair of grip-lok sheet metal clamps. The grip-lok clamps could result in the box being positioned a little way back into the wall. If that happens then some of the spacers might also be required to get the switch positioned properly. But if the box ends up perfectly in the plane of the room side of the drywall, then no spacers would be required.


I agree with Ed Beal, if the plastic gears are stripped, there is no practical way to replace them. But did you check to see if there is a plunger that is INTENDED to engage / disengage the oscillation? Some designs have that, some don't. On those that do, it's usually set up that you pull UP to engage the oscillation, push DOWN to disengage it. So when moving the fan, if you accidentally pushed the plunger down, you inadvertently turned off the oscillation. In the image below, the oscilation plunger is the device on the left.


Hopefully we can get you back on track

  he put the drywall flush to the floor. I know it needs to be off the ground 3/8 inch or so

I tend to hang drywall from the top down for this reason. It sounds like he might have started from the bottom up and left them sitting on the floor. You're right about needing a gap from the floor (I use a super bar myself to lift up when mounting)

  Can the wall be trimmed in place or do I need to take it down first?

You can trim it in place. I would suggest buying some chalk string and snapping a line around the room, then take a box cutter and cut along the line. You could also use a drywall saw, it's just harder to cut around the studs.

  He has only put 2 screws per stud and very few of them are at the floor level.

I assume we're talking 4' x 8' sheets. Two per stud is really slim. I would want a fastener (nail or screw) every 6 - 8". Two per stud can hold it up, but you don't want the board to move and that's not enough to keep it from doing that.

  all the sheets are flush together, whereas I thought there should be an 1/8 inch gap between sheets. Is there any way to fix this or should I just hang new sheets with the gap?

Nope. In this case your installer is right. The sheets should butt up to one another. You can leave a gap, but that's just more mud you'll need to apply.

  some of the screws are sunk in quite deep

Sounds like he's driving screws using a regular drill instead of a drywall screw gun (which is designed to sink them to the correct depth and no further). You want your screws to sink into the surface some, but just enough for you to fill the hole in later. If they've gone most of the way through the board then they're useless.

If you don't feel confident enough driving screws yourself (it's a bit of an art without screw gun) then use drywall nails instead. They're faster and cheaper. Just bash the heads in enough to make a dimple in the drywall (makes skimming over them easy).

  Can I add screws and cover errors with tape and mud?

Regardless of whatever fastener you use, you should mud all the holes. That's more or less what mud is for. Even if you make a mistake, mud covers all sins in this case.


Leveling bathroom floor with purlins (surface shims, leveling strips)under tub

Assuming your plan is to level the entire floor area, I feel that using tapered shims with the 3/4" ply would be the best of the options presented. You will have to deal with the extra floor height. I just don't like extending tile under the tub.

Anyhoo, if you were to level backerboard you would need leveled plywood under it anyway, for support, no?


Is the material behind my wall's surface asbestos?

It's probably just plaster. However, a test kit is the only reliable indicator.


I'm going to refer to the valve at the top of your picture, but the same would apply to the bottom.  Between the last tee and the final ell, there is enough pipe to cut off the ell and glue on a coupling.  However, there is not enough room to glue on a coupling and a new tee to leave the top valve in its current position.  That top valve is going to have to move.  That would be a lot of trouble.

Instead, I think you should dig to the right of the picture and tap into the main line coming in to this current box.  There is bound to be a straight section of pipe that you can tee off of using a few unions or a repair coupling.  Once you tee off that main line, you can place a new valve in a smaller box wherever it's convenient.  Running your spare wire to the new box should be pretty easy as well.


When mine leaked from a similar location, it was from the screw. Typically, they use self-tapping screws to hold the pieces together. Since this is just thin aluminum, the interior piece gets pushed up as the screw taps through, and/or it leaves a jagged piece so water can get out.
All I did to fix it was to smear the bottom surface of the upper pipe with a generous glob of silicone caulk, slide it in, and replace the screw again.


What's involved in moving a hot water tank to the garage

There are a lot of questions to ask before an answer can be given:

What climate are you in?
Is the garage heated or insulated?
Is the hot water heater gas, electric, oil, solar, nuclear, gerbil-powered?
Are going to do this yourself?

You can probably get some pretty good, free advice on this by calling one or two plumbers to come out and give you a quote and a recommendation.

It's a pretty big deal to move a hot water heater, even more so if it's gas or oil.  There's electrical code (220v?), pipes, etc.

What about just putting in a nice pan on the second floor with a drain under it...might be cheaper and easier...

source: none, i'm not a plumber or electrician, but I do a lot of my own stuff.


Does a GFCI also protect against arc faults?

You have it easy, since they added the GFCIs near the panel
So they did "my trick", which is install a junction box right next to the panel and use GFCI receptacles rather than GFCI breakers.  There are two reasons to do that, #1 GFCI receps are way cheaper than breakers, and possibly #2 can't get GFCIs for obsolete panels. For instance Pushmatic is the best consumer panel ever made, but no GFCIs available for it.
So with the hard part done, an AFCI upgrade is a piece of cake: Swap the GFCI recep for a GFCI+AFCI recep.
That was easy!
But before you do that, look closely at the existing "GFCIs" as you call them.  The "last guy" was pretty smart, and may be way ahead of you.  They may already be AFCI or AFCI+GFCI deadfronts.
By the way, they don't have to be deadfronts unless they power kitchen, bathroom or laundry room.  Feel free to use plain receps there for all other circuits, just pinky-swear you won't plug - no I'm kidding. Feel free to plug in anything you want.
GFCI's provide partial arc-fault detection
Generally we're interested in 5 kinds of arc faults:

Arcing between hot and ground wires  "parallel H-G fault"
Arcing between neutral and ground wires "parallel N-G fault"
Arcing between hot and neutral wires "parallel H-N fault"
Arcing in the hot wire, in series with the load
Arcing in the neutral wire, in series with the load

The first two, parallel arc faults to ground, are easily detected by a GFCI because they are, after all, ground faults.  In fact most AFCIs detect those by having a weak GFCI detection right onboard - that's why AFCIs need neutral.
Of course it's hard to have a parallel conductor-to-ground fault if you don't have ground.  Assuming you don't have ground. A lot of older wiring used metal jacketed cable, which provides varying degrees of grounding (certainly good enough to trip a GFCI)... and some uses metal conduit, which is an approved grounding method today.


Aprilaire 56 Humidistat not getting power

Wired in this way, this should have never worked.  W2 is the terminal that the thermostat uses to activate second stage heat. It is not energized by the furnace, but by the thermostat.

Also, it looks like the humidistat is not wired properly.  The wires from the furnace should be in the R, and C terminals. It looks like they're in the I-, and R instead.

  Figure H from manufacturer's installation instructions.


Well, it seems totally safe to me, it's not going to fall on you unprovoked. You won't be able to drive a truck into it, but you can sit under it. You can't land an aircraft on it, but it should be able to handle the rain and snow. It's not really load bearing, and it looks beautiful.

However, if you're afraid, grab a Kreg joint kit and screw them together at the notches. Do it from the sides, 1/3rd of the way from the edge to the notch. You can put a dowel in the hole, cut it off, sand it down and you'll barely be able to tell anything's there.


help needed to fit a new chandlier to a loop system

It looks like a fairly standard UK or similar ceiling rose. Therefore, of the top 3 blues, 2 are loopthrough and the fitting connects to the other. Of the 3 browns, they are also probably loopthrough plus a feed to the switch. Of the bottom two wires, the blue has a brown sheath so I would guess it is a switched return and the fitting connects to that. The earth block (green/yellow) would be connected to the earth on fitting. It doesn't look like it is connected at the moment; because of this, I suspect the white cable leads to a double insulated fitting that doesn't require it.

Your new chandelier appears to have a metal boss / stems, so the
 earth is now required. You shouldn't need the choc block connector, so wire directly to the rose fitting as a direct replacement of what is there. Obviously - you'll need to turn off the lighting circuit breaker and check it's safe before proceeding with a meter. How you fix the cover plate up is up to you.


Water filter effectiveness for lead removal

Lead isn't soluble in water (although some lead containing compounds are), so most filtration smaller than ~1 micron is typically quite effective at removing lead. Just look for a filter with a NSF/ANSI Standard 53 rating - it needs a 99% lead reduction to certify (link leads to a specific filter, but does list the qualifying criteria).

Other contaminants can actually be much more difficult to remove - I'd assume if any lead even made it to the carbon block, that vast majority of it would stop there.


Yes, that will work; coupling, additional length of pipe, adhesive kit, preferably sandpaper to clean the surface before gluing, saw or appropriate-sized tubing cutter if you need to cut the pipe section to length.

I presume you aren't going to have to redo the flashing around the wall or roof pentration; if that has to be disturbed add supplies to deal with that.


What kind of plumbing fixture or valve is this?

That's what we call a Ball Valve with Bleeder.

It's for when you shut off the water you can drain what is on the bleeder side of the valve.

Only problem with this one is it's missing the handle.


What is best way to compact styrofoam and discard it?

I'll assume from your question that you live in a place where it's not recyclable.

Here's an idea: turn it into a resource and use it to improve your house's insulation! I am currently re-using strips of styrofoam packaging material to insulate around my new windows. You could put the bigger sheets of it on your attic floor and then cover it up with cellulose. Etc.

You could offer it up free on Craigslist too. You'd be surprised what people can do with what you might consider a waste product.


Bringing aerial cable into an existing PVC Conduit Body

tl;dr I wasn't able to achieve the install without another hole, but it all worked out cleanly in the end.

Thanks to all who commented on this, your insight was helpful as I thought through how to do this. Ultimately, I wasn't able to find an actual port cover or extension ring anywhere -- seems like a potential business opportunity, but maybe this is a rare scenario :)

Today was install day, and ultimately it was quite successful. Since a slackbox was required to hold the excess fiber, and combine the outdoor and indoor cables, the tech drilled a 1/4" hole through the back of the interior junction box to exit the house to the right of the conduit body. The fiber enters the back of the slackbox and it's a nice clean look. It's sealed up with silicone, and just needs a coat of paint to make it blend in to the house. The aerial fiber comes from the pole and down behind the downspout.

On the inside, we attached pull string to one coax line in the wiring cabinet and pulled it into the junction box. Then, we attached the fiber to the coax (along with another pull string for the future), and re-pulled it back to the destination. It's basically a straight run along an interior wall, and worked out great. The ENT is 1.5" diameter, I believe, to answer a prior comment. It's got a bunch of wires in there, but there was plenty of room for the fiber. And yes, the interior cable they used is pretty bendable, so had no issues in that regard.


Move all wires to LINE

Placing any wires on LOAD is incorrect unless you have a very specific reason to do that.

"I have more wires to attach and don't know where else to put them" is not a specific reason.

If the GFCI fails with all wires on LINE, then the GFCI is defective.

If you have a specific reason to use LOAD, then attach the LINE wires first, stop and checkpoint your work, assure that the GFCI works in all respects.   Then attach LOAD.


How can I repair a desk with crumbled chip board where the cam bolt holes should be?

Dig out the bad/loose stuff. Fill with an epoxy based filler (such as Bondo). Redrill the holes. Reinsert the cam bolts.

Product references are for illustration only and not an endorsement


Should I replace my GFI outlet with a GFI breaker?

I would replace the GFCI outlet with a new one. The breakers do go bad and would be more of a pain to reset. I have seen gfci's that tripped every time the power cycled replaced and the problem was gone. If you want one that might last a bit longer get a weather resistant one. The electronics are coated so moisture won't affect the circuitry.


How do I correct variations in stain color/density?

That sounds like what we call "water marking", which is an unsightly doubling of color where the brush strokes overlap.  Typically it's what happens when you don't apply your subsequent passes of stain soon enough. Your best bet is to remove the strain with a cabinet scraper and resand. I've heard of wetting the whole area with mineral spirits first, to prevent this but I've never actually tried it myself. Just work quickly and maintain a wet edge and you should be fine, or better yet switch to gel stain which is much less susceptible to this problem.


Forgot to unplug fridge while replacing thermostat, smelled electrical burning

If you would have shorted something badly the breaker should have tripped. I say "should" have as long as you have a quality breaker that is not corroded.

I would definitely monitor the situation though until you trust that everything is OK. There shouldn't be any increased chance of a problem unless something was seriously damaged. As long as you didn't breathe the fumes for long then you are good.

Rest easy but keep an eye on the fridge until you are sure everything is working normally.


The mold and mildew won't "go away" but if it gets no more moisture, it will die off and not cause any further damage.

However, in my book it is NEVER acceptable to just cover up the damage to make it look good.  That's the lazy I don't give a ** way of doing things.


Can I extend 20 amp garage outlet? Or can I only move it?

So long as all the outlets are in the garage, you meet the language of the code.
The intent of the single outlet (marked freezer) would have been to minimize the possibility of the freezer being taken out by some other load tripping the circuit. You don't need to follow that intent, particularly if you are not also using it for a freezer.


Caulk/Drywall crack between Shower/Tub and Wall?

Get yourself some painter's caulk (not pure silicone--acrylic with silicone is ok). Cut the nozzle tip small at a 30 degree angle. Slide the tip flat along the crack and force caulk into the void. Gently scrape any squeeze-out off with a damp finger or bit of cardboard. Wipe any smears off the surface of your drywall with a lightly damp cloth.

Wait a day and see how much shrink you get. Chances are you'll want to hit it again. Then paint if you didn't achieve a good color match.


Roll-on epoxy over self leveling concrete

I saw on another thread that someone said to use a concrete resurfacer. Which means it isn't self levelling. So the work to get it flat will be about 3000 more calories than your self levelling idea. But from what i know about floors you have to wait 20 days after pouring concrete before putting the epoxy down. Because of moisture evaporation and the drying process. Good luck.


How should I connect my new light fixture to green and yellow wires?

Worldwide (except the former Soviet Bloc), the standard for safety ground wires is that they are colored Green, Yellow/green striped, or bare wire.   All grounds are this, and grounds are no other colors.

Safety grounds are never, ever used for working conductors in a circuit.   Since any circuit needs 2 wires, the ground must always be a third wire.

It is possible for yellow wires to be conductors, but cables aren't made in those colors, so that would imply the wiring to this location is in conduit (pipes optimized to hold wires).  All conduits must end at an accessible junction box.  So somewhere nearby would be the other end of that pipe.  If you can find it, then wires can be added to the conduit as needed.

Also, make sure your lamp is not low voltage DC; those don't mix with mains AC power.


You should contact an Electrician or HVAC technician.  There seems to be a short-circuit somewhere in the circuit supplying the heating unit. DO NOT reset the breaker again until the problem is fixed.

The reason I suspect a short-circuit, is because the breakers are reacting so quickly.  If this was an overcurrent situation, the main breaker would likely not trip (unless the panel is severely overloaded).


Waterproofing between wall and new sink vanity

Yep, PVC trim, Accent-strip Tile, Slices of a 12x12 (whatever size you desire) Tile or a sliver of Granite would probably be the best and not be problematic with future cleanings removing a finish or paint.

Or, you may want to reverse your thinking and frame around the entire mirror with a decorative PVC molding. This assumes the mirror is gapped all of the way around for the best look.


How accurate is a TDR (Time Domain Reflectometer) in determining the distance to the location of a cut low voltage cable?

I have a greenlee cs8000 that will work through just about any wall even through conduit, if your electrician has this or a similar tool they can pinpoint a cut or shorted wire.  Time domain meters depend on the information being correct if you thought you had copper wire but it was copper clad Aluminum the distance would be off. Also you need to know the exact path for TDR or you will miss the mark.
Edit; I felt I should expand on my answer because there is some question in my mind if those commenting and or answering have ever used any of these tools
I do not have have a tdr meter but used to use One to test coax on plasma etchers. And is an absolute waste in general construction because it provides a distance based on the wire type and size . I have the other 3 and cable tester.
A toner is not for tracing wires through a wall it is for identifying a conductor in a bundle for example a toner is used in a phone jack in an office building then you go to the switch and can find that wire quickly by running the toner down the punch down panel or in a loose bundle the range is less than 1/2” I have several of these progressive 77 , etch tek (cheap). Data cables Can be live not powered mains Depending on brand
A tracer like the cs8000 can identify a live or dead wire within 1/2” even through metal conduit drywalls and stucco. Any live or dead wire up to 600v direct connect and pickup scanner
tracers for buried wire if you know how to use them can get you within 6” . on wires buried 2-3’ I think mine is a 520 greenlee . Live or dead up to 600v suitcase or direct connect and pickup scanner
Electricians that have and use these tools with competence can identify broken / shorted conductors very close to the open or short.
I think some one mentioned a cable tester (transmitter receiver) you plug in that tests for the correct connections On finished cables they show opens crossed or incorrectly wired connectors I have a couple of these ideal brand is the one I use the most but I don’t remember the model This is the least expensive of the tools mentioned and if you have a mis wire or open at crimp this could be your problem. Anyone doing data should have one of these. Non powered single cable xmit rcv modules on each end  I think the ideal cost ~50$


When you apply varathane you're basically spreading around a plastic (polymer) dissolved in a solvent. When the solvent evaporates, the plastic comes out of solution and solidifies.
If its still sticky, the solvent is not entirely evaporated yet. You may need to wait longer because your room is cold. Or, perhaps your wood was not clean and had lots of natural oil on it (some sort of exotic wood) and this oil is slowing down the evaporation process.
Best option is to keep waiting (unfortunately) but if it does not set in a week+ then you may need to strip everything, clean everything, and start over.


Correct way to support a pipe run parallel to floor joists

whichever way you support the pipes, both types of piping will expand and contract. (The copper will expand the most). When they do, they will make creaking noises that will be permanent if the space is covered with dry wall or any other finish product. Any pipe in contact with wood or any hard object will make noise so I would use only connectors, hangers, clamps, etc.  that have a rubber type insulator to keep the pipe from contact with any hard material. A pipe passing through a wooden item will also make noise so use caution and install a rubber sleeve, even if you have to make one yourself with flat rubber gasket material. And use products that are compatible with the type of metal you are supporting; (copper for copper and metal with metal).Only protection and prevention will stop the noise from happening. Hope this helps.


What should I do about mold until the leak feeding it gets fixed?

If the wet area dries out faster than the leak, the mold will not grow.  Drill a hole to drain the water quicker.  Set up a fan to blow air over the area to dry it.  Don't cover it, that will just keep it wetter and accelerate the mold.


6x6 Deck post repair, Joining two 6x6 posts

Dry rot doesn't really exist but I'll imagine you said brown rot.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_rot
It sounds like your post is not 6" above grade.
I'd probably just put a 6x6 sonotube into the ground and have it extend up to where the wood is still good.  Add a Simpson CB66PC and bolt the post back into it.
https://www.strongtie.com/classiccollection_architecturalproductsgroup/cbpc_base/p/cbpc


How much can I do on my own (adding breakers and rewiring?

Looking online a home owner can do there own electrical start to finish.
If you want to work with an electrician and find one willing to let you pull wire and connect devices ahead of time the electrician will want to inspect it and if you wire the receptacles he will also want to look as well as an inspector will to verify there is 1/4” of the cable covering on nmb extending inside the box and 6” of wire and of corse properly wired at the receptacles, switches snd lights.
When you pull to the panel location since it is new bring your wires in and make sure there is enough to reach any point in the panel. For example when I wire panels if I enter on the left I land the ground neutral and hot on the right yes this consumes wire but when balancing panels once powered up I never have to splice and later remodels I always have enough wire. Other electricians won’t waste a 1/4” of wire so knowing what he wants is important.
You will probably want a service upgrade also most homes on fuses only have 60 amp sometimes 100 amp services I would suggest while you are at it go big and not only increase the service size but get as many breaker positions as you can.
The minimum panel size for a single family residential job is currently 100 amps.
The advantage of working with an electrician is he will know what is allowed and can advise of you in some cases saving quite a chunk of $. Also in my jurisdiction we have one inspector that must hate home owners and makes them do more than required by code. Make sure to mention it was wired by an electrician(s) and the inspection may go much faster.
When I moved to my current home it was in a jurisdiction I had not worked in often and my first job was similar to yours updating a 1930’s farm house with a new service.
The inspector was not going to sine off the job with multiple “violations” I asked him to cite the code references while getting a code book. After giving him my license number he started backpedaling big time saying that’s how he liked it and approved the permit with a green tag on the service.


Connecting two thermostats in parallel to control old millivolt wall gas heater

The quick answer is yes: if both of your thermostats are the "dry contact" type, meaning they're a simple switch with no voltage applied, then they can be wired in parallel and connected to your millivolt gas valve. When either one or both together calls for heat the heater would turn on.

You're also correct that most thermostats designed for 24 VAC controlled furnaces etc wouldn't work directly with the millivolt system. It seems that such a thermostat could control a millivolt system, though, if you wire things so that the thermostat operates a relay and the relay interfaces to the millivolt system.


In what order should I complete these projects?

1. New roof.
If you've got a leaky roof, you've got big problems.
2. New Siding.
Since it sounds like you'll be adjusting the thickness of the walls, it makes sense to complete this job before anything else that will be installed on/in the wall.
3. New Gutters.
Depending on what shape the gutters are in, this might move up or down the list.  If they are in fairly poor shape (leaking, sagging, etc.), they should be addressed sooner rather than later.
4. Replace Windows and Doors.
Assuming this is not simply an aesthetic upgrade, new windows and doors can increase the homes efficiency making it an important upgrade.
The Others
The rest of the items on the list are convenience items, and can be done in any order (assuming the deck is not causing damage to the house).


what kind of sheet-metal screw do I need for wood to 1/8" steel?

I'd consider 1/8" in the "thicker" category.

Thinner would be like steel ductwork, thick enough to receive & hold screws, but thin enough to use an ordinary sheet metal which just has a pointy threaded tip (looks similar to a wood screw).

I have recently drilled wood into steel on a few different projects which was about 1/8" thick and used screws like this:

Not pushing any particular brand but this type did work well for my application. The key element of the screw is the tip which is similar to a drill bit. The flutes of that drilling tip have to be at least as long as the metal is deep.

A tip is to make sure your screwdriver bit fits the screw head really well. Since it takes some time for the screw to bite (compared to screwing into wood) you need a good solid connection to your driver. If the wood you're attaching is thick enough that's not likely to be a major problem, however.


Should the neutral and earth bars be connected in this situation?

Better idea -- move that 50A breaker to the box, and put a non-fused safety switch at the pole

What you can do instead of having the redundant neutral/ground bonds at the pole and the house is:

Have the utility cut the power
Move the 50A breaker to the box on the house as it'll be the house main breaker.  Remove the box from the pole.
Put a 2 pole, non-fused, outdoor type (NEMA 3R enclosure) safety switch (UL98 listed, with a minimum fault current rating of 10,000A and a minimum working current rating of 50A) in place of the box on the pole that had the 50A breaker there.  Siemens, GE, Square-D, and Eaton all make quite suitable units, although they won't exactly be cheap.
Land the hots on one pole of the safety switch, and the neutrals on the neutral/grounding block in the safety switch.  Torque all connections to spec, and make sure that any grounding electrode wires at the pole that went into the old box go into the neutral/grounding block on the safety switch.  You will need to make sure this block is bonded to the enclosure as well.
Put a "METER DISCONNECT -- NOT SERVICE EQUIPMENT" label on the safety switch (inside cover is good, but don't put it over the existing labeling there).
Have the utility turn the power back on

This is a hot sequence meter disconnect as per NEC 230.82(3), and provides the best of both worlds:

You can cut off power to your house completely at the pole, allowing you to work on the box on the house safely
The neutral-ground bond, though, can still live at the house, allowing that to be the main panel, and allowing you to safely use the existing ungrounded feed from the pole.


How can I locate a wall from a crawl space?

Cut an opening in the wall for a low voltage box/bracket,and install the bracket.

Position a flexible drill bit into the hole, so that you'll drill straight through the bottom plate of the wall and into the crawlspace.

This is a poor image since the guy is not drilling straight down, but you get the idea.

Go into the crawlspace and attach the cable to the drill bit.
Pull the drill bit (and cable) up into the wall.
Make up the connections to a wall plate, and install the wall plate in the low voltage box/bracket.


Is it NEC-compliant to place a GFCI or AFCI receptacle or deadfront device in a location not readily reachable?

Check 210.8 Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection for Personnel.

  ...The ground-fault circuit-interrupter shall be installed in a readily accessible location.

And 210.12 Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection.

  ...The arc-fault circuit-interrupter shall be installed in a readily accessible location.

Then Article 100, for the definition of readily accessible.

  Accessible, Readily  (Readily Accessible). Capable of being reached quickly for operation, renewal, or inspections without requiring those to whom ready access is requisite to climb over or remove obstacles or to resort to portable ladders, and so forth.


Large hole in porcelain kitchen sink - is it fixable?

I think for a temporary fix you could use a good two-part epoxy. I don't consider it a DIY thing to completely restore a sink like that, but there are companies that refresh bathtubs. I'm not sure what they apply would be robust enough for a sink, though.

From the look of the nearby chips and the crack extending from the new damage, that sink has served its useful life and should be replaced. That's usually not an overly complicated project and tends to bring new life to a kitchen workspace.


Does electrical outlet in man made quartz backsplash require box extender by code?

I don't know what all the issues are that influence the code, but here is what it says:
2017 NEC 314.20 Flush-Mounted Installations. Installations within or behind a surface of concrete, tile, gypsum, plaster, or other noncombustible material, including boxes employing a flush-type cover or faceplate, shall be made so that the front edge of the box, plaster ring, extension ring, or listed extender will not be set back of the finished surface more than 6 mm (1∕4 in.).
If your electrician is trying to fit an Arlington BE-1 which often does not fit well maybe he could try a Raco 976.


What type of common materials can I use to detect water infiltration/leaks?

What you're looking for is called "water contact indicator tape".  It's used in cellphones and other electronics to detect when damage was caused by water for warranty-rejection purposes.  You get it wet, and it turns bright red, as shown on page 2, and stays that way permanently.

Though it's generally only sold by the 100-count reel.


Yes you can laminate hard wood to plywood. I have done this many times using a quality wood glue and clamps. In some cases with thinner hard wood I will use a 2nd sheet of plywood to help apply pressure to the veneer after it drys sand and finish like any other wood surface.


Does it make sense for a freezer to work , but the refrigerator to not work?

An alternative is that the freezer ran for so long that the air vent from the freezer to the fridge has frozen over with ice, so no cold air can get from the freezer to the fridge.

Ironically, you need to warm up the freezer for the ice to melt.


In door ice maker quit working after water was turned off for a few days (Whirlpool)

I have a GE side by side.  During the Texas deep freeze of 2021 we were very lucky, we never lost power.  However, we did lose water for a day or two.  When the water came back on, the Ice maker no longer made ice.  The problem was the tube which dispenses the water into the ice tray, froze up when water no longer moved through it every so often.  All I had to do was blow a hair dryer on in for a few minutes and the ice plug melted and water could once again flow into the ice tray.


Is it safe to ground/earth an extension cord with the radiator?

This seems extremely dangerous.  If the plumbing for the radiators is not grounded, and a fault occurs. You could potentially electrify the entire plumbing system.

Worst case scenario. The heating plumbing is electrically connected to the water plumbing, you electrify the plumbing, and everybody in the building dies when they wash their hands.


Protecting the bottom of the wall while painting vinyl siding

Mask it off, we used brown paper (1m or 40" wide approx) to cover larger areas like your flashing strip. We had 2" masking tape for that paper and 1" masking tape to sort tiny detail.


What box extender to use for dryer outlet?

Use an Arlington BE2

What you have appears to be a two gang plastic box, so you'll need a two gang plastic box extender such as the Arlington BE2 or equivalent (picture below is of a BE2, but for illustration only.  These should be available at any supply house worth its chops, and can even be ordered from the orange borg if you can't get it any other way.


Jenn Air dishwasher not circulating water properly

Here is what the User Guide has to say...

  Troubleshooting

  Spots and stains on dishes

  Spotting and filming on dishes

  Is your water hard, or is there a high mineral content in your water?
  Conditioning the final rinse water with a liquid rinse aid  helps
  eliminate spotting and filming. Keep the rinse aid  dispenser filled.
  Always use a high-temp option.  Is the water temperature too low? For
  best dishwashing results,  water should be 120°F (49°C) as it enters
  the dishwasher. Did you use the correct amount of effective detergent?
  Use  recommended dishwasher detergents only. Do not use less  than 1
  tbs (15 g) per load. Detergent must be fresh to be  effective. Heavy
  soil and/or hard water generally require extra  detergent.

  Silica film or etching (silica film is a milky, rainbow-colored deposit; etching is a cloudy film)

  Sometimes there is a water/chemical reaction with certain  types of
  glassware. This is usually caused by some  combination of soft or
  softened water, alkaline washing  solutions, insufficient rinsing,
  overloading the dishwasher, and  the heat of drying. It might not be
  possible to avoid the  problem, except by hand washing.  To slow this
  process use a minimum amount of detergent but  not less than 1 tbs (15
  g) per load. Use a liquid rinse aid and  underload the dishwasher to
  allow thorough rinsing. Silica film  and etching are permanent and
  cannot be removed.

  White spots on cookware with nonstick finish

  Has the dishwasher detergent removed cookware seasoning?  Reseason
  cookware after washing it in the dishwasher.

  Brown stains on dishes and dishwasher interior

  Does your water have high iron content? Rewash dishes using  1-3 tsp
  (5-15 mL) of citric acid crystals added to the main wash  section of
  the detergent dispenser. Do not use detergent.  Follow with a Normal
  wash cycle with detergent. If treatment is  needed more often than
  every other month, the installation of  an iron removal unit is
  recommended.

  Black or gray marks on dishes

  Are aluminum items rubbing dishes during washing?  Disposable aluminum
  items can break down in the dishwasher  and cause marking. Hand wash
  these items. Remove  aluminum markings by using a mild abrasive
  cleaner.

  Orange stains on plastic dishes or dishwasher interior

  Are large amounts of tomato-based foods on dishes placed in  the
  dishwasher? It may be necessary to use a stain removal  product to
  remove stains from your dishwasher. Stains will not  affect dishwasher
  performance

  Dishes are not completely clean

  Food soil left on the dishes

  Is the dishwasher loaded correctly?  Can the spray arm rotate freely?
  Did you choose the cycle that describes the most difficult soil in
  your dishwasher? If you have some items with heavier soils,  use a
  heavier cycle. Did you use the correct amount of fresh detergent? Use
  recommended dishwasher detergents only. Do not use less  than 1 tbs
  (15 g) per load. Detergent must be fresh to be  effective. Heavy soil
  and/or hard water generally require extra  detergent. Is detergent
  still in the detergent cup? Use fresh detergent only.  Do not block
  the detergent dispenser. Is the water temperature too low? For best
  dishwashing results,  water should be 120°F (49°C) as it enters the
  dishwasher.

  Dish Washer Care

  Cleaning the Dishwasher

  Clean the exterior of the dishwasher with a soft, damp cloth and
  mild detergent. If your dishwasher has a stainless steel exterior, a
  stainless steel cleaner is recommended.

  NOTE: Do not clean the dishwasher interior until it has cooled.

  Clean the interior of the dishwasher, with a paste of powdered
  dishwasher detergent and water or use liquid dishwasher detergent
  on a damp sponge to clean the cooled-down interior.
  A white vinegar rinse may remove white spots and film. Vinegar is
  an acid, and using it too often could damage your dishwasher.
  Put 2 cups (500 mL) white vinegar in a glass or dishwasher-safe
  measuring cup on the bottom rack. Run the dishwasher through a
  complete washing cycle using an air-dry or an energy-saving dry
  option. Do not use detergent. Vinegar will mix with the wash water

  Periodically clean the coarse
  filter cup located on the floor of
  the dishwasher drawer. Remove
  collected particles from the
  coarse filter cup.

  IMPORTANT: Do not start the
  dishwasher until the coarse filter
  cup is securely in place and
  flush with the coarse filter plate.
  Doing so may damage the
  dishwasher motor and/or spray
  arm.

  Cleaning the Coarse Filter Cup

  Pull drawer out to its full extension. Remove rack inserts from
  rack and set aside.
  To remove the coarse filter cup, unscrew the small cap, turning
  in a counterclockwise motion. Lift and remove the coarse filter
  cup out of the drawer.
  Empty the cup of hard objects and food soil. Rinse cup under
  hot water.
  Place the coarse filter cup back into the coarse filter plate and
  tighten the cap, turning in a clockwise motion. Make sure the
  coarse filter cup is flush with the coarse filter plate.
  Replace the rack inserts.
  Make sure spray arm rotates freely

  If you have a drain air gap,
  check and clean it if the
  dishwasher isn't draining
  well.

Have you tried all of this?

Is the dishwasher draining properly?

You might want to make a call to technical support, or a local appliance repair person.