I have a 1102 ic lightolier and the socket has gone bad

If by small bulb you might be talking about the thermal protection unit of the can.  Like you said heat will be a problem.  If corrected improperly then fire will be the worst case scenario.  If the socket has gone bad then you might be able to find a replacement.  But if the thermal unit (t/u) has gone bad, then that's another story.  Some manufacturers will not sell these separately because if you put them in the wrong product they will not function the way the original t/u was designed.   The only way to get the correct one is buy a complete can from a local supplier and change out the leads, thermal unit and socket, which means getting into the wiring compartment of the light.  You can always replace the can, but that's more work than needed.  Any doubt call a licensed electrician to do it.


What can I do about a damaged finish of Bruce hardwood floors?

Here is a link here for the kit and instructions on its use, if you feel this may do it. Depending on where the damage is, once touched up, furniture placement or rugs may do the rest which I would not recommend, but it is a shortcut instead of the alternative.

The alternative is selective plank replacement. I have seen this done in a few different ways, brute force with chop axe and hammer, more delicate but the same with chisel and hammer which I have done a lot of repairs myself with a chisel. My preferred way now is to use a set to depth circular saw to cut the middle of the plank length wise with 2 cuts about a 1/2" apart. This will keep the blade away from nails or staples that hold the floor. Of course, do not cut into the adjacent pieces, unless they need replacement too. Then with a sharp, wide chisel, say 1-2" wide, split the ends the rest of the way to the neighboring planks. when making this cut, angle the chisel so the crack is wider at the top from both directions so the center piece is easier to remove. There will be a tongue and groove joint to deal with on the ends, so with a smaller sharp chisel cut the center rip in the middle to allow to draw the tongue and groove apart from the adjacent planks. This 1/2" rip from the middle when cut in the middle and lifted out will provide a good "handle to grab to remove the center. Once that is done the groove side of the damaged plank is easy to remove. The tongue side take a little finesse and a dull chisel.

To reinstall the new section, remove the bottom half of the tongue. You will most likely need to cut it to length also. Slip the new piece in and nail the back edge where the modified groove is and use a colored wood filler to fill the set nails.


Putting shower head in the sink caused flood

If the water is not currently leaking that means that there is not an issue with a leaky pipe, but that water was flowing down the path of least resistance; i.e. the shower to the floor?

The circumstances that you have related seem to point to the shower head being placed on the floor as the cause of your damage. To rule out other causes it would be best to duplicate all possible scenarios (e.g. fill the tub and check for leaks; use the shower normally and check for leaks; lay the shower head on the floor and check for leaks, etc.)

Does the fact that the floor leaked mean that something is not caulked correctly or is it not possible for floors in bathrooms to handle a lot of water?

NO, unless purposely built as a "wet room" with a floor that slopes to a drain, bathroom floors are not waterproof and significant flooding will damage underlying structures.

I was able to put a knife pretty deep into the wood, can a single
water event cause the wood to get that soft or would it require
multiple events?

A single event might cause such damage but only if it was a significant event and there were conditions that prevented drying, and it would take a long time. That type of damage seems to have been caused by repeated events over time that kept the area moist.


How to measure the width of a door with an extra ring?

This looks like a Euro Cylinder Lock. You can find resources on the Internet explaining how to measure and replace them.

The silver ring is an escutcheon. It is a trim piece that covers the rough hole in the door where the cylinder goes through. It is likely to be fixed to the white part of the door. You might be able to remove it when the cylinder is out, but it is probably best left in place.

Therefore the measurement for the right side is 30 mm. I can't see what is happening on the left side so I won't comment on that. You can check the measurements more easily by temporarily removing the cylinder.

Try to get a cylinder size that protrudes as little as possible and also includes anti snap features.


What is the chance of success when clearing a downspout from the bottom rather than the top?

Your chances of success are high. I use the "bottom up" method but I use a garden hose on full blast rather than a drain auger. Do I get wet? YES Does it clear the blockage (packed in tiny leaves and sticks from a Jacaranda tree) every time? YES


If it was installed remotely correctly this is unlikely to work.
Even if it was not done remotely correctly it's still unlikely.
The cables should be stapled or otherwise fastened, which precludes pulling them out.
Even if they were not, the "bundling" of several cables would make pulling one of those cables out of the bundle difficult.
Indeed, even when a single cable is run through holes in studs/joists it's very hard or impossible to pull that out from one end, particularly if the holes were not perfectly aligned.
I would suggest that you start by disconnecting both ends of the cable in question and perform some basic tests on it with a meter, to verify that your guess that a break in the cable is the cause of the problem, before going any further. You may well be chasing the wrong problem. Or looking at the wrong cable.


How do I test a GFCI circuit breaker (without pushing the "test" button)?

They do make testers but it depends on where you live to the model used.
I will guess you are in the US since this is a new requirement.
The good thing about us power is the max voltage to ground is 120v
240v is 2 120v lines that are out of phase so the max voltage to ground is 120v where other places in the world have 240v to ground.
I have a fancy one that plugs into a wall socket and a precision 10 turn pot so I can verify from 3ma to 100 ma depending on the type of protection required (personal or equipment),
According to the NEC commentary in the handbook GFCI’s for personal protection is required the set points are from 4-6 ma  you can do like I did with my 180$ tester and turn it into a 4 wire tester with a receptacle and a plug mounted in a box (ok the first few times I did it I just used wires on the prongs but you can use a standard tester with an adapter to test Connecting the smaller prong (hot) to one of the hot(s) and the ground round pin on the tester to the ground on the stove receptacle
When the test button is pressed a 15.5k resistor is connected from ground to a hot this is above the 4-6 at almost 8 ma but a good test unless you want to purchase the pro model and record the exact trip point I have a switch on my setup so I can test both hot’s after checking 5 or 6 they all trip at the exact same level no matter which hot is connected.
I used a standard 120v receptacle single a single pole double throw switch And a 50 a 4 wire range power cord , plug my tester in and push the button on the cheap home owner one or dial the resistance until it Tripp's this fit in a single gang box with a 3/4 cord grip. I have not seen a commercially available tester so I made one that will work with either of my standard receptacle testers.
If you really want to test this was the cheapest way I could find to do it.


How does one upgrade garage electrical from an In-House main?

tl;dr - if you are going to all the work, and a subpanel, you presumably want a bit more than 20 amps (think it needs to be 30 amps minimum for code these days, and 60 amps is probably better.)

You'll have to dig a ditch. At that point, my opinionated opinion is that you should go ahead and put in conduit, and an additional conduit for any current or future possibility that you might want cable, phone, network, etc out there. Ditches are expensive and a lot of work - conduit is cheap, once you have the ditch...Often cheaper (with wire) than "direct burial" cable, and far more resistant to damage in the future - plus it does offer you the potential of pulling out the wire and pulling in new wire if there ever was a problem - but that's low odds of you making any use of it on he electrical side. Network, quite possible.

Before digging a ditch in a city (especially) backyard, call Dig-Safe and have all (Offically known about) services (gas, phone, electric, water sewer & things you may not know about) located. Turn off the circuit to the garage - I would not worry too much about where it is (unless it runs in a conduit that you might be able to re-use - which is not too likely), but odds are that you'll find it when digging, and it's less exciting if it's turned off when you do.

Any wire used must be rated for wet locations - not difficult, just be sure it is. Any exterior conduit is assumed by code to be wet (and that's generally true.)

If the portion of the backyard you are crossing is not travelled by cars and trucks (not crossing the driveway) depth is sufficient if the TOP of the conduit is 18" below finished grade. Be sure to lay "buried electric line below" tape in the top 6" of the trench fill. If you are not digging below frost line (4 feet or more where you are, probably) you definitely need to bring the ends of the conduit up vertically at buildings, and provide a slip (expansion) joint, as the conduit will move with frost. That's generally needed even if the conduit is buried below frost-line as well, unless it's going straight into a basement below frost-line, but its especially critical when the conduit is above frost line. If you don't find the cost phohibitive, a layer of XPS foam over the top of the conduit provides one more indication that there is something there (when someone else is digging, later) and can reduce frost movement a little bit (or a lot if it's wide.) Alternatively, 2" of concrete over the conduit provides some serious protection on top of the conduit, and reduces the required depth to 6" in Rigid or IMC metallic conduit (which may be well worth it in your situation to save on digging) or 12" in PVC conduit.

If you happen to want a walkway that would happen to run where the electric service would, a 4" thick concrete slab extending 6" beyond the conduit reduces the required burial depth to 4" (ie, right under the slab.)

Look for NEC table 300.5 for more detail.


How can you tell if your sink is compatible with a portable washer?

Most portable dishwashers use a quick-disconnect fitting that attaches to the threaded spout of a faucet. There are adapters available to allow attachment to virtually any faucet spout (with the exception of maybe a tub spout or an un-threaded spigot).


Will holes bored for radon mitigation cause basement flooding?

No. If you have that much hydro-static pressure now, water would've already found a way in. A basement is not a boat.


Finding where the C "Common" wire should be in my heating unit

Your system has no "C" wire brought out to the connector.  This is not uncommon as many systems don't.  If you need a "C" wire, you'll want to connect it here:


Why do you want to add a fan would be my question. Most new systems are sealed fire boxes with intake and exhaust being piped directly outside. If the old system that was possibly an open combustion chamber worked why do you think it needs to be changed? Look for 2 large pipes usually plastic 2-3" connecting to the furnace, if you have these they are your intake and exhaust. In my area these are required to be vented outside the home. + isserwood comment I agree.


Is this buzzing noise coming from various outlets around the house normal?

Transformers
The sound you're hearing, is likely caused by transformers. It's a common problem, and a normal phenomenon.
Most wall warts consist of a transformer to reduce the voltage, and a rectifier to convert alternating current to direct current. So anywhere there's an AC adapter, there's likely a transformer.
This document from Federal Pacific (PDF), explains the phenomenon that causes transformer hum well.

Transformer noise is caused by a phenomenon called magnetostriction. in very simple terms this means that if a piece of magnetic sheet steel is magnetized it will extend itself. When the magnetization is taken away, it goes back to its original condition....
A transformer core is made from many sheets of special steel...
If the extension and contractions described above are taking place erratically all over a sheet, and each sheet is behaving erratically with respect to its neighbor. You can get a picture of the moving, writhing construction when it is excited. Of course, these extensions are only small dimensionally, and therefore cannot usually be seen by the naked eye. They are, however, sufficient to cause a vibration, and as a result noise...

Loose Connections
If you're hearing the buzzing from receptacles (sockets), it could be caused by a loose connection.  If a connection in the receptacle is loose, there could be arcing taking place. Arcing could definitely cause an audible sound. However, arcing would also generate heat, which could lead to a fire.  It's best to contact a local Electrician to come have a look. If you're familiar and comfortable with electrical work, you could check the connections and/or try replacing the receptacle (socket).


Running NM and BX Cables – Stackable Staples – Rim Joists - NEC2017/2020

The height is usually the issue in a basement 8’ has always been ok but code really doesn’t have a height if on the ceiling or crawl space there is no minimum height. I have worked with inspectors that were ok with 7’.
My opinion would be because this is above a pipe it would not be an issue.
With that said at my current location I was doing some fairly extensive permitted work and I had just moved to this county and the inspector did not know me and was being a real jerk actually making things up that were not code.
I asked him for the code references and and pulled out my hand book.( He was not going to sign my permit off before that) when I gave him my license number he said well that’s the way I like it And he then signed off on the job.
Some inspectors are real jerks to home owners. If the height is above 8’ it should fly without problems. Below 8’ it might be an issue. But it should not be.
I might suggest to have enough slack to rotate it up to the floor joist if he flags it. a strip of plywood as a backer and put it there would be code legal even if below 8’. Your location is better in my opinion because of the stronger wood the clips are attached to and the pipe is also protecting the wires.


Do truly air-sealed electrically-actuated duct damper exist?

Truly air-sealed electrically-actuated duct dampers exist.
What you are asking for is also known as a electrically actuated butterfly valve for air.

They can be found at industrial supply stores such as Mcmaster Carr, and a makeup air duct sized one will cost around $600-$2000

If you are in a DIY mood you can probably get one of the cheaper manual ones around $200 and retrofit your existing duct damper motor to it


The best solution to this problem is to install a drain system that allows for easy inspection and cleaning.  Here is an example of "the right way" to plumb that:


Paint got ripped off when trying to remove double-sided foam tape

Double sided tape has a drawback. Well, it has two drawbacks.

It falls off when you least want it to do so.
It sticks like crazy when you want to remove it.

Having said that, you probably tore off more than just a layer of paint. I'll bet you actually tore off the surface layer of paper on the drywall.

Can you repair this by just painting over the spot? Well, it depends. Will anyone ever look at it? Sorry, but it will be painfully obvious what you did. So this depends on how critical the observer is. If I was your landlord and I saw a poorly done patch when you were moving out, I'd mutter a few obscenities under my breath, then quietly mention to you about how you just forfeited your security deposit.

The problem is that paint won't match that well. The color difference will be obvious. Plus, due to the hole in the surface, there will be small shadows that will be quite obvious, so you will need to fill in the surface so it is smooth, BEFORE painting. Anyway, if you tried to paint in just that small area with a brush, one would easily see the texture differences from painting with a brush compared to what was an original roller applied paint surface.

All of this means you really will need to spackle over the hole, feathering it out over the surface of the wall at least a few inches in each direction, and then sand smooth. Once you have done this far enough out, repainting the entire wall will make sense anyway.

Lessons to be learned:

Either don't use double sided tape,
or, be much more careful removing it if you do. This usually means to use a solvent that will break down the adhesive, but not the surface of your wall. They sell stuff to do this, usually called something like Goo-Gone. Another solvent that often works is rubbing alcohol. It evaporates quickly, and does not attack paint, although it will harm some surfaces like shellac. Always test any solvent on a small, inconspicuous spot before using it. And watch out for fumes, so use good ventilation.


I was concerned about this too. Not so much termites being in the mulch, but attracting them towards my house by surrounding it with delicious decaying wood that is often wet from watering.
I used rubber mulch that is made from recycled tires, which won't attract insects and looks reasonably close to regular mulch. Plus Recycling!
The main downside is that it gets SUPER hot in the summer. Enough to burn your hand while working in the garden bed in Texas summers.


The neutral in a GFCI may not open when it trips. So if you are reading an open neutral, that could very well be part of the reason it tripped.


Remove head from a quarter turn tap with no screw

Possibly the "newarc" logo disc is in fact a separate part which can be prised off, revealing a center-bore screw head beneath.  See if that's possible.
A more remote possibility is that the entire handle can be prised vertically, i.e. it's a strong press-fit onto the internal valve tubing.


Check your local building codes to be 100% sure but PVC is NOT permitted by many.  I'll reference one from TX but most are similar where it says:

  M1503.2 Duct Material

  Ducts serving range hoods shall be constructed
  of galvanized steel, stainless steel or copper.

Regarding size, I believe you'll find that your local codes also require adhering to the hood manufacturer's specification for duct size.

See: TX Code


Low water pressure at toilets after main supply valve replacement

Some toilet valves can be taken apart to flush the sediment out. Turn off the valve that supplies the toilet and flush it. This will allow the fill valve to depressurize. I have been able to clean two types. Both had some arrows / instructions, one you pushed down and rotated the top of the fill valve and it pulled straight up then slight turn the water on--this clears the stuff in the line (I found putting a glass on top allowed me to turn the water up and really clear the line).

The second type I have only had ~75% luck with they have 2 plastic clips that you slip a small screwdriver under and lift the cap same as above for flushing, but use caution the plastic breaks very easily and a valve replacement is needed. As for the other valve / tub, if it has a shower head or arrestor they need to be cleaned also. If it has washerless valves you may need to disassemble the valve flush and reassemble.


Can I use a dimmer on a fan IF I only use at 100%?

Speaking from experience with the X10 equivalent, no. Even with the switch at 100%, the switch will overheat. You need a switch with a relay. Do it right or not at all; it's not worth burning your house down over.


very fine solenoid wires won't burn from AC source?

Wire thickness doesn't relate to voltage.  It relates to current.  So a coil of that nature would either need to be externally current-limited (resistor in series), or internally limited due to its own practical impedance, being a coil and all.  In that impedance, frequency would be a factor.

Insulation thickness relates to voltage. And coil wires don't need enamel strong enough to block the entire voltage, only the worst-case voltage between adjacent windings.  If each winding layer has a separator with higher dielectric strength, that may be all that is needed.


I haven’t checked the 2020 code but I have never seen a requirement for a GFCI over a tub or shower stall for a listed wet location fixture! Others have stated it is required on other questions but the last home we did for our company last year had 2 bathrooms with wet location fixtures over a tub/shower and a shower passed inspection and the inspector did check the listing on the shower stall because he had not seen that type of fixture before all receptacles require GFCI protection in a bathroom including a receptacle integrated into a luminary but luminary’s only do not. In fact GFCI protection is only required if the manufacturers instruction required it.
I am sure some of the internet only electricians will downvote
Code reference 410.10.D & 208.a.1  in the code handbook the blue text also explains this.


That appears to just be the broken down remains of rubberized carpet padding. If you look on the tack strip (the little strip with the nails in it that holds the carpet in place), there appear to be larger pieces of it still embedded on the strip, probably from a previous carpet installation that was removed sloppilly years ago. That's not to say you don't have mold somewhere, but that's not mold.


All electrical outlets are working well except one

A problem like that is either at the faulty receptacle, or at the outlet before that.  Check the one that feeds it.

As far as your GFCI, you'll want to find that.  Have you checked the breaker panel?  Or near the breaker panel?  I like to run a short stretch of conduit off the panel, then a 2-gang box with two GFCI deadfaces (or livefaces).

A GFCI is a device, not a receptacle.  You may be accustomed to seeing GFCI devices that are combo devices which also provide twin 120V receptacles.  There are other kinds of GFCI device.


If it has been properly installed, you cannot be electrocuted. The metal parts of the boiler and any metal pipes will be connected to earth. If there is a fault, your breaker will disconnect the electricity. If you are concerned check that the electric  circuit that powers the boiler has RCD protection.


No they are not temperature sensitive. What may explain this:
Are the GFCI receptacles rated Weather Resistant? WR receptacles have the electronics potted so moisture is not a problem.
 In summer with higher humidity non WR GFCI receptacle’s May trip from moisture but not heat.


tall service mast for remote aerial drop

It's probably unknowable whether or not that 8x8 post is capable of supporting an 18 foot lever, er mast, attached to it. What is the strength of the wood? How deeply is it set in the ground? Etc.
Will the telecom make any requirements as to the materials of the mast? Steel tubing and pipe can often be had in continuous lengths up to 24 feet; you could set one of these in the ground and let it be your mast.
This seems like a lot of trouble to make a drop spanning only 30 feet.
I presume you're wanting that 30 feet aerial because it crosses something that can't easily be trenched -- a driveway, perhaps. I'd find a way to make the crossing underground and let the telecom attach conduit to descend the utility pole and meet with your underground conduit.
Underground construction can be soils dependent, but some techniques I'm familiar with are these:

Hire a contractor to bore a hole with a pneumatic piercing tool, commonly called a "missle" or "mole"
Bore (erode) a tunnel manually with running water, either directly from a hose or with the help of a pump eg pressure washer
Cut-and-patch: saw cut the pavement, trench normally, then backfill and patch


With a millivolt control valve your problem may be in the timer that shuts it down at night. You said it was a thermostat but not all thermostats are millivolt compatible. If it worked correctly and just recently started having problems I would suggest replacing the thermostat as it sounds like the contacts are becoming pitted or carbon fouled and that is probably why it is intermittent.


Surge Protector shows 'L' & 'N' reverse and 'N' open

L and N reverse; and Open Neutral  ... Is it normal?

No.

  Should I avoid using appliances?(untill corrected)

I would make getting this properly diagnosed and fixed a top priority.


You will probably have to replace the entire receptacle. Thats a special spade connector and you don't want to jury rig the contacts. The last I replaced one similar to this, it came with the wires already crimped to the connectors so all I had to do was connect the wires to the switches.


Why does the transformer on my furnace keep burning up?

Your transformer is undoubtedly burning up because something in the rest of the transformer load circuit also got fried in the lightening strike and is placing a load on the transformer that greatly exceeds its normal operating specifications. Could be your control board, could be the thermostat, anything that is a load on the transformer output.

The idea posted in comments to fuse one leg of the transformer output is a good trouble shooting scheme - fuses are going to be cheaper than transformers. So it seems like you will be replacing a few fuses whilst you try to isolate what component is severely loading the transformer. I would place my bet on a relay coil that has burned the insulation on the coil to a near short or a semiconductor that has suffered on chip meltdown to a short.


Does a 4 ft. chain link fence need concrete footings for the posts?

I understand that it would be difficult to dig holes for a concrete footing for your posts. Depending where you are located and the soil types, you could drive the posts in and still have a stable fence. If you are in an area with frost in the ground, I would encourage you to set them at least 3 feet deep if the soil is stable and compacted. The basic rule of thumb is to bury at least a third of the posts, but half the length is even better if you can do it.


closing cold water inlet valve to propane water while away for 2 months

If you turn off the water supply to a hot water tank, you should also turn off the heat so that there isn't a chance of heating an empty tank. Leaving the pilot on is fine, but leave it set to pilot only.

Other than that, it's a fairly standard practice to shutoff all the water, not just the hot water, in an unoccupied vacation home. I would recommend a 1/4 turn ball valve, instead of the traditional gate valves, because the latter are prone to failure when used. It's also important to set the thermostats in the home to keep it warm enough to prevent any pipes from freezing inside the walls if your location gets that cold.


What options are there for door stops away from a wall?

I'd look at hinge stops, and use them in pairs (or even triples). They apply a large force to the hinge screws and the door skin, so using multiples distributes the load.

For reference only.

If your doors are very heavy, consider a closer as recommended by Ed Beal.


What is the meaning of inverter on air-conditioing?

They are using the term "inverter" to describe the conversion of Alternating Current to Direct Current and then back to Alternating Current.

Industry uses a device called a Variable Frequency Drive to control the speed of Alternating Current motors for various purposes.

These VFD devices have become inexpensive enough to now be used to control light commercial and residential devices such as air conditioners and well pumps.

This use of a VFD in an "inverter" air conditioner makes it much more efficient than a non-inverter air conditioner since it can run at slower speed for lower demand. An old style air conditioner is either on at full speed or off. There is no speed control.

If you are updating your air conditioner then inverter technology will pay for itself over the life of the unit and save you money.

Read the article here for an overview.

Good luck!


Heat Damage to Laminate Counter-top Near Gas Range

There appears to be insufficient gap and the range appears to be too low. The easiest thing would be to raise the range by 3/4 inch to 1 inch. This might reduce heating of those areas.
EDIT
Might benefit from a stainless steel gap cover like this https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Steel-Counter-SILICONE-splatter/dp/B089B6G3XZ
Current gap covers appears to be guiding flame onto counter.


Why can't I get gas to our gas fire place?

I have no advice at this point other than to contact a professional, seeing as that you've probably tampered with what I assume is the flame adjust, 'trying' it the other way could prove disastrous.

Ok, the picture shows that's not a FA valve but I've nothing more to add without a response to BMitch's comment. - Which I forgot to mention that if both of those are a yes (as you say), I'd still be at a loss.

Shot in the dark: (I've never seen this happen but I guess it could) The packing nut on that valve is so old and deteriorated that it's blocking the flow of gas even when 'on'. Also, the fact that the valve is inside the chamber doesn't seem right to me.

Don't forget to open the flue if you get it working.


How do I prevent this bath faucet from leaking while the shower is running?

You need to replace the diverter, which in your case is also part of the spout. This should be a relatively easy and cheap replacement. Usually the spout is held on with a set screw located in the bottom - you loosen the screen and the spout will twist/pull off.  Replace it with a new spout and diverter, tighten the screw and enjoy!


How should I cut odd angle miters when working with molding?

The standard way to cut mitered corners is with a miter saw, either a hand saw with a miter box or a power miter saw.

I don't know how you're cutting your 45ºs currently. If you're using a hand saw and want good control, I would get a hand miter box with an adjustable angle, like this one on amazon. Usually they have stops at common angles like 45º and 22.5º, but you can set it to any angle (I don't have any experience with this model though):

If you want something quick and dirty I would just use a carpentry protractor / angle finder to draw a line and then freehand it:


Combining two water inlets into one. Does increase pressure

Here are some basic fluid dynamic examples that should help answer your question:

With no flow, the pressure is the same everywhere. If the capped pressure is not the same at your two destinations, that means that there is flow in the city main (left on my diagrams) and there are significant losses in the city main (may be undersized, nothing you can do).

As the water exits an open pipe, the pressure is zero. The flow rate depends on the losses in the pipe and the pressure difference. In the college Fluid Dynamics class I took nearly 40 years ago, we used published graphs for pipes to determine flow for pressure and length. There are probably computer programs and/or online tools to do the same now.

Combining the two pipes will double the flow rate, assuming that there are minimal losses after the pipes are combined.

If two pipes with different static pressures are connected, water will flow back to the city main. Assuming that your question is real, and that the city will allow you to do this, at a minimum they will insist on back-flow preventers.

If the pipes are not capped or open, if they are connected to a small nozzle, the solution is not trivial anymore. The best thing to do would be to add pressure gauges to see what the destination pressure is.


You need a disconnect by law, unless the troffer is cord-and-plug connected.  You can twist the wires out of the old disconnect, but then you'll need to go buy another one -- and they sell them in packs of 5 at most home improvement stores for about $5.

What matters is the wires on the ballast side

I gather the disconnects have some pigtails of wire remaining on them, and you're tying onto those? Okay.

Who really cares what kind of spaghetti they have on the mains side of the disconnect?  Those wires are cut off and not part of your circuit.  What matters is the wires on the on the ballast side -- one will be black and one will be white.  And you need to connect to whatever mains-side wires will make your hot wire talk to the ballast's hot wire, and your neutral wire talk to the ballast's neutral wire.

This is obvious on an Ideal style disconnect. If you have a Wago style disconnect where it allows 4 line wires, then you need to look closely at the disconnect to see how the wires relate to each other.  Typically the disconnect is plainly marked with 1 ballast side wire marked black, and 2 lineside wires marked black.  You just have to look for it; it's there.

If you don't trust it, yank the wires out, throw away the disconnect and go buy some Ideal style - they are less confusing to the novice, though they may require pigtailing.  I prefer pigtails for novices; they are more clear.

Never reuse disconnects. Their "stab connectors" are only good for one use, after which the spring is sprung and it won't make good connection again.


Why is my control panel for AC/Furnace not working when the fuse is ok?

Wanted to follow up in case this helps anyone else. I tested the terminals as Ed Beal mentioned in the comments and was pretty sure the transformer was not working. Since I was uneasy with replacing it myself I decided to call an HVAC professional. Turns out that was a smart idea.

He tested the transformer and confirmed it needed replacing: 120v in, nothing coming out. In the process of replacing it he noticed (and I had totally missed it!) that the power cord from the outlet to the furnace had a significant problem:

So after 20 years with just a bit too much tension on the power cord up in a very warm attic space, it sparked, blew the transformer, and fortunately did not burn the house down.

I have a feeling my installation of the smart thermostat and accidentally blowing the 3A fuse a week earlier was not a pure coincidence and probably made the wiring spark sooner. Me removing the furnace cover and plugging/unplugging a cord that had too much tension on it was probably part of the problem, too. Still, it was an accident waiting to happen.

Anyway, I had the wiring professionally repaired, the 24v transformer has been replaced, and everything is working ok now. Thanks for the pointers, Ed.


Lower power supplied by home network after power glitch

I would

Check the supply voltage at a wall socket (expecting 230 to 240).

Using a plug-in Kill-a-Watt or similar device or
Using a Cat-II or better-rated good-quality multimeter with care.

Ask neighbours if they have similar problems.
Report the problem to your electricity supplier.

It might be worth looking for any obvious damage at or near the supply-meter or consumer-unit but I'd be surprised if there is visible damage. Anyway, you'd need an electrician to fix damage in or around those items.

(Assuming UK from user name)


What's the height limit of a wood framed building?

There are probably various limitations per region and per type of code. It also depends on what we mean by 'conventional' framing.
For stick framing (platform) it appears the limit is 5 stories primarily due to fire code:

Source


Small neutral wire at service drop to panel

It is common in really old homes to find a #10 (10 gauge or AWG) wire for a 60-amp neutral.

However, it's underrated for today's more power-hungry world.  If I remember correctly (pros, correct me if I'm wrong), your house should have #6 wire for the two hot lines, #8 for the neutral, and #10 for the earth ground.

Are you at risk?  A pro would be forced by code to tell you yes, but it really depends on what you're operating.  There is no simple "rule of thumb" that will tell you if you're OK, thus the need for the pros (and the reason the code changed over the decades).

A simple test is to touch the insulated neutral when you have a high-average amount of power being consumed (dryer's running, stove's on, TVs & computers are operating, and the lights are on type of thing).  If the wire is warm, you have risk.  If it's not, you're OK (with the caveat that this is a simple test and can only be trusted to a degree).

Please be careful touching that wire.  Don't get shocked.  Your safety is more imporant than a simple test.  If you can't easily touch the wire without risking shock, call an electrician!


What conduit can I use to run 240v cable along outside of house, main to sub (San Francisco)?

Let's start with your options. First if you are running underground it would be PVC or direct burial cable type UF. Second if you are running above ground it would be any conduit system approved for such use. The most common PVC, Emt, nonmetallic flexible conduit commonly known as Carflex, and pvc coated metallic conduit commonly known as Sealtite. Or any combination of the above.

Personally I would run EMT with WT stainless steel connectors and couplings. Then transfer over to some type of flex to connect to your panel. Also I would suggest that if you are running conduit I would use 3-#8 w/ #10G THWN or Xhhw conductors instead of an 8/3 NM cable. It would be less expensive and since you are running conduit no extra protection is needed.


Is a tight fit acceptable when fitting a GFCI into an old metal box?

All GFCI devices are able to protect portions of a circuit downline.  GFCIs simply look for differences in hot and neutral current; they don't even need ground for that.  Because of this, putting two GFCIs on a circuit is usually wasteful.  *Connecting them nose-to-tail, elephant style, is playing a "Yo Dawg" trick on yourself!  It will drive you crazy if you ever trip one of them, because they'll all trip, and they won't reset except in a particular sequence.

Install it elsewhere

Because of the above, if a GFCI will not physically fit, then you have the option of installing the GFCI protection somewhere else.   You can use a GFCI breaker if they're made for your panel.  If it's it's not a kitchen or bathroom outlet, you can install a GFCI receptacle somewhere, and route the circuit via that point.  If it is a kitchen or bathroom outlet, you can use a GFCI deadfront near the panel.

A bigger box

Don't downgrade from a metal box to a plastic one.  While the old "handy-boxes" were small and sized for their time, modern joists-and-drywall metal boxes are perfectly large. Stay with metal, not least for fire resistance (better heat dissipation) but also because some older grounding schemes depend on them.  Also, plastic boxes are incapable of providing standard knockouts, and many older wiring schemes depend on them.  It's not Code legal to try to cram an AC cable into a plastic box intended for NM, and that won't ground anyway!  Metal boxes can be had with either knockouts or internal cable clamps, or both.

Note that if you're changing the box, you should consider moving the box too. The wires in that box are entirely too short - they must stick out at least 3" beyond the wall surface and 6" of length past the clamp.  If both cables come from the same direction, you can move the box that direction and regain some critical length.

Use a box extension

You can buy yourself some additional space in a too-small box with a surface conduit starter box, which sits about 1" proud of the wall surface.  If you don't actually connect any surface conduit to it, I won't tell :)

Retrofit ground, instead

(This harmonizes well with metal boxes.)

As of NEC 2014, which California adopted, you are allowed to retrofit just a ground wire.  (You are not allowed to do that for any other kind of wire, for very good reasons; but grounds only carry current during fault conditions).   There are some rules.

The ground wire must be #14 for a 15A circuit, #12 for 20A, and #10 for 30-60A.
The ground wire can be bare, and routed independently from the other wires.
It needs to reach any of these points:

the panel itself, obviously
any other point with a large enough ground going back to the same panel
Any non-flexible metal conduit that goes back to the same panel (at a junction box)
a Grounding Electrode: bared copper wires that tie to water pipes or ground rods

Retrofitting grounds like this is often much simpler than pulling whole new cables, especially when you strategize.  Start by laying a backbone of #8 or #10 ground wire to service large 30A+ appliances.  Then connect up the 20A circuits with #12, etc.

Be careful not to "island" grounds, i.e. Don't hook several devices' grounds to each other but not back to the main panel.  This will not ground any of them, but will simply cause them to share ground faults, so the light switch would shock you if the lamp had a ground fault.  If it doesn't go back to the main panel, it's not grounded.


I would do the following, assuming you have some scraps from making the panel:

Print out the photo and take it, along with a small scrap, to your local store with outdoor paint stains.  (big box, hardware, or paint store) and see if you can match the color.  If you are lucky, a person there might be able to narrow down the choices based on the type of wood. Purchase a few of the smallest cans that might create the same results.  On some of the scraps stain them with the different stains and let them dry.  Compare them with the original stained piece.  If they are not close enough, repeat the process.

If you still end up with differences, try getting it close and stain the new part of the door.  Then apply a covering type stain over both the old and new.


What is the proper way to wire a light switch,fan switch and receptacle in one box?

If you're trying to use a single cable with only 3 wires, one of the switches will do nothing.


Which trade(s) should I hire for structural repairs?

Talk to your city to see what they are going to require.  The inspector should come out and assess the home and see what work needs to be done.   There is a good chance that your inspector may say nothing.  I am not sure where on the joist the holes are drilled but really we are talking about something that is completely insignificant 99% of the time.  Also when it is significant it isn't like your joists will collapse.  They will simply start bowing, you will get cracks in drywall or dips in flooring.  I have never heard of a joist snapping due to a 1/2" electrical hole (I have also never heard of one bowing because of this).

So the inspector will probably do one of the following:

Says don't worry about it.
Says I have no idea what that means, hire an engineer (I really feel for you if your inspector is like this).
Suggests a type of bracing.  There are lots of braces and straps meant for situations like this.  They take about 2 mins per brace to install.  I have used braces like this for plumbing, albeit never for electrical.

Who you hire?  Depends on the answer you get.  If #3 then any general contractor will work,  if #2 then try to get a general contractor with experience doing this or one that has a relationship with an engineer to make it cheaper.  For example I could give an engineer I use your house specs and issues and he would OK a brace in about 5 mins because he knows potential deflection of joist due to hole and the amount the brace can handle - him knowing these braces are well over what is needed he wouldn't need much to sign off other than seeing pictures of the joists.  But that is him knowing I would do the work.  If I just contacted any structural engineer in the yellow pages it might cost me 500-1000, since I use someone all the time he might charge $50 or make me pay for next dinner.


Removing grout from perimeter of counter and backsplash?

Use a tool like this: http://www.homedepot.com/p/QEP-Handheld-Grout-Saw-for-Cleaning-Stripping-and-Removing-Grout-10012Q/100001353.

The link includes a brief video.  If the surface on one side is wood or Formica, be careful because the carbide will scratch it.  Typically, removing grout between tiles can only abrade hidden edges, and it gets covered by new grout.  You might end up needing to touch up where the grout line on the cabinet was using a cotton swab or a piece of cardboard as a brush.  If the Formica ends up with some visible scratches in the grouted area, you can typically find color-matched caulk.

If caulking is an option where the different materials meet, just remove as much grout as needed so that the finished job is neat.  The caulk can be a thin cover layer over the grout if the surface is clean.


How do I add an outlet between two other outlets?

I would run up to the attic, over, and down. Unless you have basement access, it's the only way you'll do this without cutting up the wall. (I also value the absence of cords across my walls.)

Carefully disconnect all wires in one box, removing the outlet and all nuts. Take photos or make notes if you think you'll need them later.
Depending on the box type, remove it by cutting the nails with a small saw. A hacksaw blade in a Vice Grip plier can be useful. If it's a brown fiber box you can break it up with a plier. Remove the box from the wall completely while taking care to not damage your drywall. A couple layers of painter's tape around the opening are a good idea.
From the attic, drill through the double top plate in the same stud bay as the box.
Drop a new 12/2 cable down to the box opening, ideally in front of the insulation but behind the vapor barrier. An assistant is helpful here.
Cut a new hole behind your tv, sized for a remodeler (old work) box. Double check stud locations first. You don't want to have to notch a stud. If you mess up there, a sharp 1" spade bit will make quick work of the stud. Be sure to consider your tv mount location as well.
Drill through the top plates in that stud bay as well, and drop other end of the cable down.
Install remodeler boxes at both locations and install the outlets. Be sure to use a deeper box at the original location as it'll have many connections.

Be prepared to do some sweating and swearing, but for the aesthetically-minded homeowner it's worth it to have completely clean walls around a hanging tv panel.


What to look for in a home security system?

It all depends on how much money you are willing to spend. Obvisly the contractor is pushing some ready to fit diy type security system.

In this case you need to ask him, will the unit allow you to connect to a security company such as ADT/Police via a phone line/ gprs module? as a future option. maybe get him to put a phone wire to the main box ready just to avoid redesigning later. Always good to run 1 6core and a spare 6core in case you want to add more sensors later.
Does it have a backup power supply and how often do you have to change the battery and how much will it cost. maybe buy 1 or 2 spare in advance. Will it let you know when the batteries life time is over.(nothing lasts forever)

That was the basic part.

Now thinking of intermidiete planning and costs at a later stage.

Does the unut generally allow you to upgrade to features such as remote access via internet (by purchasing an addon module to the main system), secure/desecure via Bluetooth, module to call another number on alarm trigger like your mobile, your partner (you set your mobile to always have a loud alarm even on silent when the alarm line calls you)

Now thinking of a more hightech and costly solution.

Will the system allow you to include cctv cameras with motion sensing and remote viewing of video via internet.These do not have to be wired- but jammers are easy to buy now a days, and cables are easy to cut--if exposed) Maybe run spare coax cables with power supply in places where you think you might want to have cameras installed and let them lead to the main box in the loft/secret space somewhere.

Ask him what is the make of the system.. and go google it. find a forum see what people have to say about- see if you can find your own prebuilt diy system that might meet your needs and has an option to expand.

If the contractor has no idea what you talking about.. get a specialist security person in to work with your building contractor.. otherwise you might regret it later.


How do I find the source of a constant high pitch whistle in bathroom?

Posting as answer:
Did you try shutting off power to your house at the main breaker? That would rule out any AC-mains connected devices.
What about your toilet? The fill valve can make noises like this and it can be continuous if it's leaking.


How much power should I run to my workshop?

power a small heat/ac window unit [ How much current will that use ?  I am thinking at least 20 AMPS ]
A microwave - fixed (like over range or in wall) it must have a dedicated circuit - moveable countertop models 20 Amp
Receptacles 20 Amp
lights 15 AMP

Will one more 20 amp be enough ? No - you will need at least 3 more depending .

Do you have a sub panel that feeds your shop or in the shop ?
Do you only have a 20 Amp run from the main to the shop sub panel ?
What CB Amperage is in the main panel feeding the shop sub panel ?

If you have 20Amp CB in your main panel feeding the Sub panel in your shop - you will need to upgrade the sub panel feed CB upgraded, Wiring from Main to Sub panel upgraded, Sub Panel might also need to be upgraded.


What can I do to mitigate radon while waiting for a full radon mitigation system?

Radon doesn't cause persistent coughs, and certainly doesn't cause miscarriage.  Radon is a non-reactive, radioactive gas that can increase your risk of lung cancer after being exposed to it for long periods of time (years to decades).  Reducing the radon levels in your home will do nothing to stop your cough or any other chronic health problems.

Mold on the other hand can certainly cause allergic reactions, and mold is commonly found in basements.

Even at the radon level you're measuring the risks are relatively low.  Assuming you don't smoke, if you lived in your current home your entire life you'd have an additional 1% chance of getting lung cancer.  And that assumes you live in your current home your entire life.  Even these risks are estimated risks, not measured ones.

If you look at the risks, a level of 4 pCi/L is the equivalent risk of dying in a car crash.  But yet nobody seriously advocates not driving.  The point being, we accept this level of risk all the time without serious issue.

http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citguide.html


I ended up creating 'access' to the ducts by removing the drywall from the basement ceiling with the help of a hammer and crowbar. Not really rocket-science.


May look new but the flapper is probably leaking. Put a few drops of food dye in the tank then keep an eye on the bowl and see if the color migrates to the bowl. If it does then the flapper is leaking.


Installed smart switch on switch controlling multiple lights, now they invert?

Figured it out! So the two wires I had in traveller - one actually controls the single light above the front door and the other controlled the two side lights. Hence when I hit the switch it alternated.
So what I did is combined both wires under one of the traveller terminals (the Kasa switch has two "holes" I guess for this reason). Now it works!


Don't replace metal pipe with PVC "just because it's what everyone uses today". Metal pipe is superior in every way.  And may also provide a valid earthing path.

You should not use cable in conduit.  You should use individual wires which are rated for pulling through conduit.  For instance, North America uses THHN, which has a nylon outer coating to make it slick for pulling. Surely any wires sold as individual wires will be made for this, because it will obviously be used in conduit!

All curves in your conduit should be broad turns.  If you have sharp corners, there will be a removable cover to access the wires.  You do not drag wires around corners -  you remove the cover, pull to there, then pull the next segment.


Two openings from inside basement to outside and not sure of the purpose

Until you said it was only 12 years old, I was going to say coal chutes for an old coal furnace. I had those in an old house built in 1910. The chutes led to a walled area near the furnace chimney (the furnace was long gone but the chimney remained because it formed part of a wall in the kitchen). The walled area was filled with dirt when I bought it, but I excavated the dirt to try to make the space useable and found it to be half full of old coal. I put an ad in the paper and someone bought it from me and removed it.
Any chance your 12 year old home was built on the foundation of a 100+ year old home?
My next guess would be vent fan ducts for a radon extraction system, the flap would be to keep pests from going in but let the air our when the fan runs.


When would a paint-roller be considered "worn out"?

If you can't get all the paint out then that's a good time to think about replacing it.

The problems you might get are some paint flecks from the old paint coming off onto the newly painted surface - which will ruin the finish, or some of the old colour leaking into the new.

I wouldn't worry about the colour of the roller material itself and it is a good sign that you can still get a nap on the roller.


real dimensions of 2 by 4 in inches/centimeters

A dimensional 2x4 is 1.5 inches x 3.5 inches.  The reason being, 2x4 describes the rough dimensions before the boards are milled down to their "dimensional" (flat/even) size.  So you start with a rough 2"x4" board that might be somewhat warped, crooked, rough, etc..  then it is passed through the mill, where it is planed/cut down to the final smooth/flat/hopefully not warped 1.5"x3.5"

Note that this applies to soft woods like pine.  For hard woods, you typically talk in terms of the number of sides that have been Surfaced, and there is less material taken off.  A 2x4 oak board that has been surfaced on all 4 sides, for example, ends up being 1 3/4" x 3 3/4"


With the wall behind the tiles being drywall you would be wise go rip the tiles and drywall down
Removing the tiles will tear the paper and possibly take chunks of the gypsum out. Even going very slow and trying the Sheetrock will be heavily damaged.
I would rip the tile down with the Sheetrock, we can’t tell how wide the wall is but it will be much faster to demo and replace.


If I do not go into a party wall dispute, can I still appoint a surveyor to ensure I am protected against any damages?

This is definitely best answered by a local professional, but the UK government has an easy-to-read guide to "Party Wall" law:
https://www.gov.uk/party-wall-etc-act-1996-guidance

That document includes many FAQs (including the ones you've asked here), sample letters, requirements about giving consent, etc.

It's not clear from your question what you're concerned about, but if you have a building near the boundary I think it would be wise to avail yourself of your rights, particularly regarding proper preparation and security for damages.


How can I insulate my attic in southern California?

If it was originally built correctly, the cathedral sections should already be adequately insulated...  There is actually a vapor permeable membrane that is used between the decorative side you see indoors and the functional side your roofing is attached to.  While this insulation is relatively thin, it serves the purpose as an air-tight barrier.  The rest of the R-value (in essence) of this style of ceiling is known as thermal mass, where thicker wood or material is used to prevent temperature fluctuations.  For some references to answer your questions in more detail see:  http://www.applegateinsulation.com/Product-Info/Technical-Pages/249234.aspx or https://web.archive.org/web/20120629164116/http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11430


What size black iron pipe should I use for a 45,000 BTU attached garage heater?

If the new heater would "home run" its supply pipe all the way to the meter then that pipe could be sized in isolation, but you've described a scenario in which the new heater would branch from existing piping. In this scenario the sizing of the entire system must be reconsidered. For a small appliance like your heater it's likely the existing piping can support the new load -- but for a heavier load, like another furnace or a new tankless water heater, it's likely that the existing piping ould not support the new load. In such a case one must upgrade some of the existing piping to a larger size, or else must run new pipe from the meter to supply the new appliance.
If you did run new pipe all the way back to the meter, the system of new pipe and its appliance(s) could be sized independently of the other system (the one that serves all the existing appliances in the house).
There are two common methods for sizing gas piping: "longest length" and "branch length." Both methods are concerned only with the appliance BTU input ratings and the pipe length; counts of elbows and elevation change aren't considered. The following is based on the longest length method as described in the document "Good Practices for Gas Piping and Appliance Installations" by Questar Gas (acquired by Dominion Energy some years ago). Unfortunately this document is no longer available from the original source, but copies might be found on various document archive web sites.
Longest Length method

Determine the type of pipe and the pressure of the gas. Pipe capacity depends on both of these figures. This exercise assumes schedule 40 black iron or steel pipe with 4 ounce gas pressure.
Calculate the gas demand in cubic feet per hour for each appliance. For natural gas the ratio is usually in the range of 890-1000 BTU/hr per cubic foot of gas. For example, an appliance with input of 136,000 BTU/hr would consume 136000/1000=136 to 136000/890=152.8 CFH of gas. Consult the gas supplier for an appropriate figure for their gas, err on the side of caution by assuming a low value like 890, or whatever suits you...
Draw a graph of the gas piping system. Include the length of each segment of pipe and the CFH demand of each appliance.
Calculate footage of pipe-path from one appliance back to the meter. Repeat for all other appliances. Review the list of pipe-path lengths and select the largest one. This is the "longest length." Round up to the nearest length shown in the pipe sizing table. Use this row of the table for all sizing in this system.
Beginning with the most distant appliance, working across the selected row in the sizing table, find the first column where the CFH capacity equals or exceeds the demand for this appliance. Use the pipe size corresponding to this column to build the line from this appliance to the nearest tee or branching point.
After the pipes downstream of a tee have been sized the pipe supplying the tee can be sized similarly. Determine the total CFH demand of things downstream of the tee, find the first column in the sizing table where CFH capacity equals or exceeds that demand, and use the indicated pipe size to connect from this tee to the next tee upstream.
Repeat steps 5 and 6 as needed until all pipes in the system have been sized.

An Example
Consider this example given in the Questar Gas document (images are copied from that document with annotations added by me).

Appliance A at 60 feet is the most distant. Use the 60 foot row in the capacity table.

The section of pipe from appliance A to Section 1 serves a demand of 34 CFH. Consulting the highlighted "longest length" row in the table below, we find that the 1/2" pipe's capacity of 65 CFH is sufficient for this portion.
The section of pipe from appliance B to Section 1 carries 29 CFH. Again, 1/2" pipe suffices.
With all loads served by Section 1 handled we can now size the pipe of Section 1. Its combined load is 63 (34+29), which is just within the capacity of 1/2" pipe.
We now turn to appliance C. The segment of pipe from C to the joint with Section 1 and Section 2 serves only appliance C with demand of 85 CFH. Consulting the highlighted row in the table we find that 3/4" is the smallest pipe having capacity equal to or greater than this demand.
Section 2 may now be sized. It carries the load of Section 1 (63 CFH) plus the load of appliance C (85 CFH) for a total load of 148 CFH. This is just a little too much for 3/4" pipe, so we'll have to use 1" pipe here.
The pipe from appliance D to the tee with Section 2 and Section 3 carries 153 CFH and must also be 1".
Section 3, the last piece of the trunk connecting to the meter, carries the entire load of the system: 301 CFH. The table shows that 1-1/4" pipe is the smallest size capable of meeting meeting this demand.


How can I prevent water from running behind my gutters and under shingles near a wall?

You will probably need professional assistance with this one.  Whether there is a drip edge or not, the shingles should overhang the edge of the roof by about an inch.  The bigger issue is that there is no brick flashing cut into the side of the brick where it meets the roof in the second two pictures.  Some shingles are going to have to come up to correct these problems.  A proper brick flashing should look something like this photo.


What is (very probably) wrong is that the shower is on an outside wall and poorly insulated, so it's frozen. Run straight hot water through the hand-held that is partly working before it can freeze solid, and that will bring some warmth to the affected pipe, hopefully helping it to thaw. Heating the room more (turn up thermostat) can also help. If you choose to use a space heater to help warm the room, be very, very careful (frozen waterline is much less trouble than burning the house down.)

You might also try using a hair dryer on the shower control and the pipe for the showerhead (idea being to warm those parts and help thaw parts frozen inside the wall) - don't let it get wet, of course.

Once you get it thawed, you should probably leave it "dripping" as if there was a slight leak until the weather warms to temperatures where you have not had this problem before. The flow of water will help prevent the formation of a complete ice blockage.


12vac Landscape Lighting Transformer - 12vdc?

Are they incandescent bulbs? (IE: Not LED).   Incandescent bulbs don't care about A/C or D/C. So yes, you can power the bulbs with a DC power supply.
Regarding A/C being better than D/C for range:  again, doesn't matter.  Wire size, distance and power draw determine voltage drop.   A/C and D/C voltage drop would be about the same, all else being equal.


This may be a good question for the new woodworking forum, since it is furniture related.

What you have there is good enough to support a small playhouse or shed, definitely good for mattresses and occupants.

Your main concern will be the side to side stresses, the fastening of the posts to the sides, and what it would take to make a "quiet" joint. I am certain you will not want to glue this joint since bed frames are made to be taken apart for moving purposes. Table legs are fastened in a way to allow the joints to draw tight. Following their example with a variation for added support would work as long as the joint stayed tight.

The variation would be a rabbet joint on the opposite faces. In other words, you would take out what you show being left as a stub for connection, my suggestion is to remove that 2"x1" on each side of the inside corner, leaving the faces intact on the outside. This would allow the bed rails to rest on the legs. It would not take a very deep notch, about and inch in would do it. It would change the look a bit too.

I will add a sketch later...

If you could get into mortise and tenon joints, I could elaborate more. what you have here is a strong simple joint, that could still be done as a rabbet joint, just done so it makes an inside corner, not an outside corner as your drawing shows. By the way, nice sketch.


Running ethernet cable from living room (main floor) to second floor office

As others have said without seeing you house there is no way to answer this question exactly. Some techniques that might be useful.

You have an unfinished basement (this is a great start as it allows you to move horizontally below the ground floor.

You don't mention it but you probably have a loft space that allows you to move horizontally above the 2nd floor. When you find the right wall simply drill a hole in the top plate and drop a weighted string down and you can pull a cable.

In terms of vertical runs look for where existing utilities already run the length of the house. Think air conditioning ducts, toilets, plumbing etc. I'm not suggesting you run in the ducts/pipe but there is often a space beside the duct/pipe you can use.

Something you fill find useful,

fish tape (ridged metal tape you can use to push/pull something at a distance)
weight and string (for dropping into cavities).

Ultimately it comes down to exploring the options in your house.


I don't see a problem with that, other than the existing duct doesn't look wide enough to fit both. You'll have to get/build a reducer that goes from something slightly wider (that can support both circular ducts coming out of it) to the existing square duct size. Most metal shops can build this sort of thing for you - I had a couple 45-degree elbows built to re-route some ducts in my basement, it cost me around $50 I think.

 | |   | |
 | |   | |    <--  existing two round ducts (one moved)
 | |   | |
+---------+
|        /
|       /    <-- new reducer
+------+
|      |
|      |     <-- existing square ducts
|      |

The main thing is to keep the number of elbows to a minimum. In fact, in your case it may work better as it looks like you'll reduce the number of elbows by one.

Another option would be to extend the main duct, and split the two round ducts off at the end. Not sure how long those are now, but the box stores carry a few regular square duct sizes you can buy and assemble/install yourself.


Do I need to use paint or just cleaning agent for marks on kitchen wall?

Many paints "chalk", allowing surface dirt to be scrubbed off gently (e.g. with a weak solution of laundry detergent), but this also removes a very thin layer of paint. If cleaning changes the appearance noticeably, then repainting could be done.

Depending on the type of paint, no pretreatment might be necessary. Flat latex paint can often be reapplied after washing (to remove any surface dirt, e.g. evaporated cooking oil). Other paints are less forgiving, and might require sanding. See PaintInfo.com, This Old House, etc.


How do I properly ground a light fixture?

Yes, if there is a ground lead from the fixture you must connect it. If the box is metallic, and properly bonded, then any metal crossbars or mounting will also be bonded, but do connect the ground wire to the box's ground wire.


Why does my gas oven not ignite properly?

Just thinking the jets closest to the pilot are clogged and when you fan the gas gets close enough to the pilot to ignite.

Sounds like you need to have all the burner jets cleaned.

Good luck!


Should I buy a drill or an electric screwdriver?

The screwdrivers are designed to work at a much lower RPM which makes them much more controllable.  They also have a lot more torque than the drill.  I've used both and the difference is night and day.  With the high torque of the screwdriver I have often driven screws into wood without predrilling at all.

Also the good screwdrivers have torque limiters that let you set the maximum torque--set the cutoff where you want it and when the screw is fully driven the limiter kicks in rather than snapping the head off the screw.


How do I clean a Moen kitchen faucet diverter?

Minerals in your plumbing system begin to build up on the pipes and faucets over time. Eventually, if not removed, the minerals can restrict water flow to a trickle. This may explain the decrease in water pressure from the kitchen faucet. To repair the hose sprayer: unscrew the piece were the water is sprayed out. It should un-screw counter-clockwise. Hold it up to a light and look for any blockage. Soak in a bowl of white vinegar or CLR or Limeaway, etc. After some time soaking  replace the spray piece. Also unscrew the faucet aerator and flush out any debris that may have collected in the screen. To disassemble the faucet but after the water valves have been shutoff,  you will first need to remove the handle. Look for a set screw on its back. Once removed unscrew the top cap. You should now be able to pull the faucet cartridge out of the faucet body (probably with some effort). Look into the faucet body for any foreign matter that may have lodged in the faucet ports. Similarly examine the cartridge. If possible have an assistant slowly open the supply valves one at a time while you hold a cup over the faucet. You just want to allow a moderate amount of water to flow from the faucet to flush out any blockage. When re-assembled confirm that each valve is fully opened.


Do I need conduit for an indoor sub-panel feeder line?

A brief visit to the code indicates that there is a bigger problem, in that the ampacity of 8Ga copper is only 55 at 90C (aluminum 45 Amps) so your wire is too small for a 100 amp service. You need a bare minimum (if everything is rated for 90C) of 3Ga copper or 2Ga aluminum, and probably larger after various derating factors are applied, or if 75C is the limit on any connection. There is a note that may permit use of 4Ga copper for 100 amp in a dwelling unit as a "service lateral" - you'll have to decide how you feel about taking that note seriously. I've linked to a handy calculator that might be instructive.

Ampacity calculator for branch circuits and feeders

Non-pickily, for a wire appropriate to the ampacity of the subpanel, no. If you are using an 8-3 w/g cable, the cable is probably fine, and being a cable would complicate running it in conduit (as opposed to 4 individual wires.)

Pickily, maybe, if the wire is running through an area where it's prone to damage, or through a floor - but in both those cases, the conduit is only needed in the affected area, and is a "sleeve" rather than a "raceway" for code purposes.

If you don't already have the 8-3 w/g cable bought, do compare costs .vs. THHN or THWN (or XHHW, etc) in conduit. Edit: Well, even if you do have it bought, you can't feed 100 amps with it, so shop around for bigger wire.

I have a personal bias in favor of conduit, but that's all it is. I've seen too many scary things in remodeling where rodents have stripped NM cables in concealed spaces. In addition, you are limited to the 60C rating when using NM cable.


Best way to temporarily relocate a radiator?

I think option 2 sounds easier, I can even do it without draining the system

Yes, not draining the system is a huge plus. You'll have to drain the radiator of course.

but (other than the weirdness of the valves not being next to the radiator) are there issues with that approach?

Yes, you have to avoid having high spots in the pipes because air bubbles will settle there and will be impossible to remove. The pipes must have a little bit of slope to allow air bubbles to rise into the radiator, then you can open the air trap on the radiator to let the air out. This means the new spot for the radiator should not be lower than the old spot, or the pipes will have slope in the wrong direction. If you use PEX pipe which is easier to work with, then it would be better for the new spot to be like 1" higher.

Or, are both these ideas stupid and I should do something else?

It's a bit of a kludge, but hey, it's your radiator, so why not.

One extra detail, just to make life interesting ... the radiator feeds are 10mm piping, but I would probably just use 15mm for the extension. Or is that a bad idea too?

No problem, but have a good look at what kind of fittings are used to connect the valves to the radiator. You will need compatible fittings, and probably more fittings to connect that to your pipe, which may decide what pipe you'll use if you want to minimize the number and/or total cost of fittings.
Also I'd really advise using PEX pipe or other type of pipe that is a bit flexible, because you won't drill the holes in the wall with absolute precision, so in the end the radiator may not be exactly where you want down to the millimeter, and if you end up with steel tube that is a few millimeters too short or doesn't end up exactly where you need it, well you can't bend it in place, so it's kind of a bummer. Worse, the weight of the radiator may end up resting on the pipe and not on the wall.


Can I move a GFCI outlet from the end of a circuit to the middle to protect another oulet?

You could move the GFCI outlet to the center box and have it protect a regular outlet by the sink.  A GFCI outlet has "line" and "load" terminals.  The line side is for the incoming power.  Load is for downstream, regular outlets that need protection.

Pigtail both outlets to the load side of the GFI in the center box. They don't need to be in a linear chain or anything.


Get rid of hornets: The nest has been removed, but the hornets keep rebuilding

I have had luck by spraying the nest with pesticide in the evening, when most should be at the nest rather than foraging, to maximize kill count and reduce danger to me because they are less active.

Then remove the nest and spray the entire nest area with the ubiquitous spray lubricant that comes in a blue and yellow can with the number forty on it. I do not know why this seems to deter them from rebuilding in the same spot, but have been told that it neutralizes the pheromone scent that attracts them to build in the same spot again. Try it on the vent pipe too.


Sink Angle Valve: Fully Open or closed Tiny Bit

These are 1/4 turn or ball valves, turn them fully on or off for best performance. Think of a bearing with a hole drilled through it. This is what a ball valve is there are 2 seals one on each side when the valve is turned fully off there is no way for the valve stem to leak when turned fully on again there is no pressure on the stem. At 50% open you do risk a leak but there is a seal it is not robust because the only time it is needed is when opening and closing.

With multi turn or gate valves we fully open then close a little to relieve pressure on the valve stem packing.
This may not be as big a deal with home plumbing but really makes a difference on high pressure valves like SCUBA , oxygen, acetylene or other high pressure gasses.
Opening fully and turning 1/2 to 1 turn closed will extend the valve stem packing life on a gate valve.
As far as closing I always fully close the valve when off I don’t want it to leak.


What went wrong with my Washer and how do I fix it?

Does it sound like a motor is still running in there when you turn it on?  My first guess would be that the belt that connects the motor to the drum either broke or is slipping.  If that's the case, it should be a pretty easy fix (replace the belt).  If not, then it's probably a bad motor.


Contractor suggests caulking cracks in chimney, is that the right solution?

This is the same question you asked a couple of days ago. BTW, NEVER use silicone caulk on chimney masonry cracks, especially if the crack passes through. There are special masonry high temp caulks for this purpose. In your case where water is passing completely through the brick joints, you really need to have it repointed.  Any competent contractor would not suggest silicone in this case. Find a new contractor.


Baseboard heater thermostat doesn't shut off the heat

First, are you really sure they are still powered?  Heaters have a fair amount of "thermal inertia" - they take awhile to warm up, and they also give off heat for some minutes after they're shut off.  Obviously, the sure way to tell is to pop the service covers off and test with preferably non-contact testers, ideally a clamp-on ammeter.  Although at some point you'll want to measure actual voltage.

One way to measure is your house's electric meter, as it has a spinning disc or similar digital readout that will show rate of power consumption.  A stopwatch and a bit of research will tell you exactly what your whole house is drawing.  To measure the heater, shut off all other large loads.

Here's a little secret about resistive heaters that I use intentionally sometimes. If you apply 120V to a 240V heater, you get 25% of the heat.  So, if you're still getting (roughly 1/4) of the heat an hour after you "shut the thermostat off", there's a good chance a heater is seeing 120V instead of 240V.  The very serious question is WHY?  Because whatever's doing that could burn down your house.


Framing a small open-walled outdoor structure

I'd run 2x10 outer joists with 2x6 rails inside, flush on the bottom. Suspend them from the 4x4 legs using double concealed-flange hangers set flush to the inside of the posts. This will leave an attractive 1/2" reveal at the outside. You could trim off the top of the inner flange where it protrudes above the 2x6 rail.

The 2x6 rails will provide a ledge for your deck. Run 3 more 2x6 joists across the gap.

I don't think the diagonals are necessary with this method. The hangers and tall joists will provide substantial diagonal bracing themselves, and your structure isn't that tall. Wind probably isn't much of a concern.


What is the official name for this metal bracket that sits on top of a concrete pier?

Post anchor is what I have always heard them called.  However, Home Depot stores sell them as a Post Base.


Aside from a few crackpots, which the internet is rife with, if the pipe is rated for potable water use (and it almost certainly is) it's unlikely to pose any actual health concern. That is the NSF/ANSI 61 standard, and is typically marked on the pipe as "NSF-PW" in the string of identification that's printed on the exterior. For plastic pipes, NSF/ANSI 14 is also applicable.

If you resemble believing those crackpots to any degree, it's easy enough to either put your drinking and cooking water through extra filtration or slightly less easy to haul it in or have it delivered.


Is #10 wire correct for my mini-split system on a disconnect?

You can use any wire you want, 10 AWG or larger... so if you have some #6 lying around, don't make a run to the store lol.
As far as circuit breaker, 30A is fine.  What the label is telling you is that if you get nuisance trips, it's OK to bump to 35A or 40A.   Or even 45A, but that is not a commonly made breaker size, so that basically means 40A lol.   It might be available in fuses.


Can I use three phase existing wiring for a single phase a/c unit?

Yes, a new single phase system can replace an older 3 phase AC system! However there may be problems.

With 3 phase there will be a need to increase the wire size when going to single phase, so if changing to single phase your wiring may be 1.73× smaller than that required for single phase. Other than this it depends on the cost of the system and available voltage/ phases.

Last year I installed a shaved ice maker that required 208V. We only had 480V but the transformer was much cheaper than changing the compressor. It's still working to my knowledge and was making the ice at a rate that it was supposed to.


Repairing broken epoxy interface on aluminum

If the original part is aluminum, that implies a home-made aluminum part would be of sufficient strength. You can use the existing part to create a sand-casting mold. The epoxy repair should hold your existing part well enough to create the casting mold, which would then be filled with molten aluminum.

One might consider that aluminum casting is not quite a home skill, but there are many instructables to cover such activity. If you have a makerspace in your area, you may also discover that a member has the necessary forge and perhaps the casting sand and mold material as well.

Here's a link at instructables.com to provide some background:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Learn-to-Do-Aluminum-Sand-Casting/d


No, at least not under the international residential code (IRC):

M1501.1 Outdoor Discharge
The air removed by every mechanical exhaust system shall be discharged to
the outdoors in accordance with Section M1506.3. Air shall not be
exhausted into an attic, soffit, ridge vent or crawl space.

And more specifically:

M1507.2 Recirculation of Air
Exhaust air from bathrooms and toilet rooms shall not be recirculated within a residence or to another dwelling unit and shall be exhausted directly to the outdoors. Exhaust air from bathrooms and toilet rooms shall not discharge into an attic, crawl space or other areas inside the building.

The reasoning is simple: the exhausted air is likely to contain a lot of moisture, and will therefore result in mold growth in your crawlspace. Your local codes may differ depending on where you live, but it's still not a good idea.


Can I split an electrical load across smaller wires for a bridged connection?

That would depend on the design of the appliance. If the appliance is designed to be wired that way - e.g., if each pair of L1/L2 is the connection for a 3,800 W heating element - then that should be OK, and possibly even desirable.

On the other hand, if the L1s are wired together (and the L2s wired together) - like the paired screws on a typical (not GFCI) duplex receptacle, then you can't do this because all current could flow on either wire - e.g., if one of the L1s came off of its screw then all the current would flow through the remaining wire, which would overheat.

Can't say more definitively without either instructions or schematics of the appliance.


What lamps available in the UK are compatible with BS 546 plugs?

Power (Watts) = Potential (Volts) x Current (Amps).
At 230 Volts a 40 Watt bulb uses 40/230 = 0.2 Amps. So a 5 Amp circuit will have no problem supplying this lamp.

Your choices are

Change the plugs on your lamps.
Use an adapter.

Changing the plugs is not difficult and should be within the competence of many people. If not you can probably find an electrician who will do this for minimal cost.

From a well known trade/retail store

Note that BS546 plugs are mostly not fused. I believe they should only be used on BS546 radial circuits that are individually protected at the fusebox ("consumer unit")

A few fused variants are available:

from an online retailer

If you can find a source, you can buy an adapter

 From Museaum of plugs and sockets


What failure modes are there for electric water heater elements?

There's a few problems. The most common is the tank rusting out. (This can usually be prolonged if you replace the sacrificial anode regularly, but it won't prevent it forever.) The second is sediment. If you have a lot of rust in your pipes or water with a lot of sediment, it can build up in the bottom of the tank. It can also build up on the elements.

Check out this website... What Kills Water Heaters


Why do the two bottom wires on my GFCI have power?

Your top wires are probably your LINE wires. Basically the wires that come from your panel. Your bottom wires sound like your LOAD wires. The way a GFCI works is you give the plug LINE power to protect that plug. But if you want to protect more plugs than just that one plug, you put the other wires on the LOAD of the plug. Basically anything down stream is protected if it is fed from the load side of the plug. So a regular looking non GFCI receptacle could stop working one day, because it tripped the GFCI that feeds it. So you would reset the GFCI and the plugs would work again, Your dishwasher, since it does not want to be GFCI protected (would probably trip the GFCI) is attached to the line wires. So it is not GFCI protected. It gets power from before it even goes onto the plug.
When installing your plug, look at the back of it. The top two terminals are usually labelled LINE and the bottom is labelled LOAD. Don't forget the silver screw is your white wire and the copper screw is your black wire. Green is ground.


What types of wood (other than plywood) can a staple gun penetrate?

Pine comes to mind immediately. Most big box home centers will carry a selection of 1"x pine- that is perfect for shelving.

Another option would be poplar, though it's a bit more expensive (generally).

Any softwood would do, but those two are the most common.


How to handle branch circuits cleanly when there are lots of branches

First, I gather that gang boxes are what you know, but don't use them.  For a nice pile of cubic inches, you can get either 4-11/16" square deep boxes (42 or more cubic inches) or 6" square deep boxes (quite a bit more).

For big boxes like this, go to a proper electrical supply house.  Big-box stores actually don't specialize in big boxes, surprisingly; they charge twice normal price when they have them at all.

Hide the hubs behind lights and switches

Other than that, your idea of doing "hub and spokes" is perfectly fine.  However, you don't need to bring it all the way down to the basement with a bunch of home runs, you can have 1 or 2 hubs per floor, and conceal the boxes as follows:

First, you can get a blank cover plate, and put the box anywhere, although buyers might be annoyed at the electrical cover existing for no reason.
Second, you can site it where light switches need to go, and use a 2-gang mud ring, to bring out the usual gang-box form factor you are familiar with.  From the outside it will appear to be simple light switches; but behind the switches, it's a major wiring hub in a very big box.
Third, you can site it where a surface mount light might go, and get a mud ring giving a 4" ”octagon box" style fitting, i.e. the standard junction box for lighting. Same deal: it looks like a simple light box, but it's actually covering up a large box that is a major splice point.

10A buys you nothing

You think "oh hey, I can use #16 and buy a big panel with my cost savings".  Nope. Any wire smaller than 14 AWG is disallowed for mains wiring.  It's a lost cause anyway; economies of scale make #14 Romex or THHN so insanely cheap compared to #16 with comparable jacketing that might be legal for in-wall use.  You can't just throw some random SJOOW extension cord wire in a wall.  You have to follow the rules of one of the Article 300 wiring methods.

You should have a big, big panel, though.

This is the #1 thing we want to communicate to people selecting a service panel.  Don't be that oh, so clever guy who says "I need 26 circuits so a 30 space panel will do". (Or worse, a 16 space/32 circuit panel will do; ”circuits" in the double-stuff sense of the word are useless these days).  Get PLENTY of extra spaces.  Don't even consider less than a 40 space panel for a whole house.  42 is the max before cost climbs dramatically, so if you are at 38 already, don't give up, go with a dual 30. Placing one subpanel cleverly may save you a lot of wire.


UV lights in both HVAC and water purification systems should be changed yearly.

This is also in the Honewell spec sheet for the UV2400:

  Lamp should be changed 1/year or every 9000 hrs to maintain its
  effectiveness

Many systems have a timer and will start beeping and/or flashing a light after 1 year to remind you to replace them.

It's not that they will just stop working after that time, but that their output is reduced over time and they're built so they have an effective output for a year.

Should also be noted that the runtime is cumulative: if you only use this for 6 months of the year (and turn it off the other 6), you can go up to two years. The Honeywell documentation states 9000 hours (1 year = 8760 hours), which is typical of all water treatment UV systems (of which I have installed/serviced hundreds).


How can I diffuse the light coming out of recessed LED lamps?

You need to talk to your local gaffer supply/film production supply.  Rosco makes a variety of gels and scrims to do exactly that, and they’re made to be near hot halogen lights.
Alternately, you may be able to find LEDs that aren’t crap and have proper diffusers on them.


What mix of cement and sand should I use to set cap slabs?

you could use a Construction adhesive like Liquid Nails or Beats the Nail.  This works well for cap stones, since they are usually not a structural part of the wall.


How to stop acorn-head supply tube from leaking?

if the compression nut is tight, then you should not have a leak.  dont put teflon on a compression joint face.  you can, if desperate pull it apart and coat everything with a good layer of pipe dope and then reassemble.  sometimes you may have a little corroded pore that this can fix.  might be time to replace the supply line, nut and ferrule.  other possibilities:

1) its not leaking from the supply connection.  in these setups, its sometimes hard to diagnose where the leak is due to access issues.  check the compression nut on the cross connection.  they often work themselves loose and cause a tiny leak that wicks down the threads of the valve body and makes it appear the leak is coming from the supply line connection.

2)  valve body itself could be cracked or leaking from one of the valve bushing nuts up above.  same logic as 1)

good luck


Hillman makes a "no stud" picture/mirror hanger that supposed to be good for 200 lbs for 1/2" or 5/8" drywall. (see below). I've used them for very heavy mirrors when studs were not available at the exact location I needed to hang them. You'd need two, one for each "circle" on the frame.


How do we wire a new bathroom exhaust fan to our bathroom?

There's several parts here
Can I tap into the junction box for power?
Yes, provided it's not overloaded with wires.
How do I wire it?
If I were you, I'd add a second junction box. You'll have

2-line power from the existing box
2-line cable run to your fan
3-line cable run to the switch

Find the breaker to the box you want to tap into and turn it off. If it's 15A, buy 14 gauge wire (Romex is white), if it's 20A, buy 12 gauge (Romex is yellow). Be sure to clamp the cables if any box is metal.
Inside the new box, wire

All 3 white wires together
All the bare grounding wires together (run an extra one to your box grounding screw if the box is metal)
The incoming black wire from the other junction box to your 3-line black wire
The black wire going to your fan to the red wire

Inside the junction box for your switch, it sounds like you have an existing switch. If so

Break the tab on the side of your double-switch
Wire the old switch wire to one of the switches
Wire the new black and red to the other switch
Cap your new white wire with a wire nut


Can a window A/C unit be installed on its side?

Absolutely not on its side!!! I know of NO compressors that can be installed on there side the lubrication will not stay in the compressor and it will fail in a very short time! This is not a uninformed opinion I have EPA 608 universal license (3) and a 609 license. Laying a unit on its side during shipping is enough to destroy a unit if not left in the correct position for a few hours to 24 hours to allow the oil to return to the compressor.


Can I attach corrugated steel to cinder block for added privacy?

I would not bother with that anchor bolt idea.  I'd go with a lot of small anchors rather than a few big ones.  Concrete screws, Tapcon brand are popular, should work.  I'd attach the metal top, middle and bottom spaced maybe 2' horizontally.

You'll need a masonry bit and a nutdriver bit the right size for the concrete screws, and a metal bit slightly larger.  I'd drill the metal first, then use the metal to locate the holes in the concrete, working bottom to top then side to side.
If you have a fairly flat concrete surface at the bottom of the wall, you could skip the bottom row of screws and hold it to the wall with either angle iron or a 2x2" strip of wood.  That would hold the bottom edge to the wall securely and might be quite a bit easier.


old american standard bathtub faucet still leaks after replacing 2k-2c cartridge

I have a number of faucets of a similar style and you will want to check and replace the seat.  In the image below, the seat is the little threaded part at the bottom.  It's placed behind the cartridge (contrary to how it's shown in the image)

You'll need a seat wrench to get it out:

Likely you will find that there are notches in it.  Get a replacement and screw it back in firmly.  Do not use pipe dope or Teflon tape (thanks @JimStewart.)  It should go in easily if it's in the right position.  You don't want to cross threads here.

They should have seats where you bought the cartridge.  Take the old seat in to make sure you get the right one.  I'd buy a handful.  You will probably be doing this again before long.

One problem I have run into with replacement cartridges is that they use a rubber gasket instead of the felt ones in the original cartridges.  After the cartridge is tightened, this gasket is compressed against the shaft and as the faucet is opened and closed, the gasket turned with it and caused the assembly to come loose.  This might not be an issue with this design but to solve that problem, I used a little plumbing grease on the shaft to allow it to turn without moving the gasket.


Removing hose tap/faucet from old hose pipe (outside) when half the metal thread is stuck

With the new photos added we can see you're working with a regular 1/2 inch coupler on the end of a piece of pipe. Both are probably "black" iron pipe (as opposed to being galvanized pipe).

I suggest removing and replacing the coupler. That'll probably be easier than cleaning out the internal threads. You'll need a pair of pipe wrenches, and heating the coupler with a torch could help too.

For reassembly, apply a pipe thread sealant on the outer/male threads. The white teflon tape is a common choice but my personal preference is usually a paste compound (often generically called "pipe dope"). Being wet it's a bit messier than the teflon tape but in my opinion it lubricates better for assembly and it seals better too.


How can I move my fridge in and out faster for repairs?

Provided you have enough vertical clearance, these sort of "appliance sliders" can be effective:

Then what about something like this if you don't have clearance:

Called "Appliance sliders".


Is it okay to not varnish wooden furniture before use?

Not finishing wood is perfectly fine.

It will be more prone to collecting dirt and stains than finished wood, but if you don't mind that, it's still fine.

If your budget allows, you can also apply finish yourself, some of which are quite inexpensive and relatively easy. But you don't have to.

If at some later point you feel that the dirt and stains acquired are annoying, you can sand the wood to remove them, and apply finish then if you want to; or simply repeat as needed.


Continuity on hot/neutral at dead outlet

Thanks to @manassehkatz I went to all light switches on the same circuit and disconnected them. The outlet retained continuity.

I then traced the wire through the crawlspace to a wall with another light switch that I did not realize was on the same circuit. Opening that box and removing the switches I found that the line to the outlet comes from that box, and I somehow failed to reconnect power to the outlet when I was changing out my dimmer switches. The neutral was connected, but the hot line to the outlet was just loose in the back of the box. (Yikes.)

I'm not sure what connection it was making when everything was crammed into the box. I'm guessing it was loosely connecting to one of the free ground wires. Once I removed the switches from the box continuity disappeared. And, once I connected the wires properly, the outlet works again.


How to drill a minute hole on a wooden pendant without a drill?

For drilling a tiny hole in a tiny object, you need to leave the world of home improvement and enter the world of hobby modeling. What you need is a pin vice. It's basically a tiny tiny hand drill:

This tool allows precise mechanical control and will drill extremely small holes.


It sound like that panel in the picture is the panel for all outside stuff, high voltage appliances, and other high demand applications. That 100 Amp double pole is for the inside panel.


That would be a tanked system with a recirculation loop but what you save on water you waste in power consumption. The best alternitive would to purchase a point of use heater they are smaller and lower flow than the whole house model but other than that not running without flow is how these tankless units save $.


Drag marks from piano wheels, how to fix?

I have heard you can use a steam iron on smaller nicks and dings.  Put a towel down on the floor then keep iron moving on the towel to avoid burning the wood, try a few spots, might be surprised with results.


Although it is a nuisance to remove all those banisters, it might be feasible to add a similar number of them.

Install new banisters between the old ones, but extending upward 25% to 50% longer. Connect their tops with a railing similar to the existing one.

In this picture, I haven't yet installed the new top railing, but you get the idea.

The banister spacing is now safer for toddlers, pets, and large heavy toys, and you can select the length of the new banisters to have your top railing at practically any height.


What can I use to fill a 6-10mm gap between ceiling and front door structure?

I think your third idea will work and look the best.

First fill the void with expanding foam, allow the foam to cure, then cut it off flush with the face of the existing door trim.

Then cover the area with whatever molding/trim you find most aesthetically pleasing. You may wish to miter or cope the corners to get a more finished appearance.


To me it looks like it could be a thermal cutout switch, which is designed to interrupt the circuit if the light fixture overheats.


Is it ok to enhance pipe insulation with fiberglass batts?

There's no concern unless there's moisture present. Fiberglass presents more of a mold trap than closed-cell foam.

Keep in mind that you'd have to wrap the pipes carefully enough that no airflow can move around the insulation. In other words, just laying batts over the pipe does little if the ends of the run are open to the air.

You might partially split the batt (think hotdog bun), slide it in place, and press the batt back together to create something of a seal.