What exactly is tested when a fire extinguisher is tagged?

Hydrostatic test is typically only on a 5 year cycle, and involves emptying/recharging due to the nature of that test.
Otherwise it's pretty much pressure gauge or weight, and overall visual inspection - hoses (if any) not deteriorated, pins intact and in place, and insurance company has documentation that they were present and appeared to be functional from an independent source


Forget about the stuck screw. Go to another point in the neutral bar and remove an existing neutral. Using an appropriate wire nut or other connector connect the existing neutral with the new neutral and with a pigtail of size to carry current from both neutrals. Insert the other end of the pigtail into the neutral bar.

Before disconnecting or even loosening any neutral, turn off the breaker for that circuit.


Rig a 10W DC solar panel to feed back into house power?

As the commentators have suggested, you probably could, but it would not be worth it. The big issue is that the solar panel generates DC electricity whereas your home outlets (and the power grid at large) are AC electricity. 10 watts is not a lot of power. Most home circuits provide 15 or 20 amps at around 120 volts, that equates to 1800 to 2400 watts. Keep in mind that in converting the 8V at 1.25A output of the solar panel into 120v AC you're going to lose a significant amount of that energy.

Can it be done? Yes.

How would you do it? Generally speaking you wouldn't. If you HAD to, you might consider something like a Tesla Powerwall scenario where you charge a large battery (over a long period of time) and then use some complicated circuitry to discharge AC power. As others have said, this would take an extremely long time to break even cost wise.


How can I determine why all the outlets in one room are out?

Something is seriously messed up! If you are not experienced with electrical work do not try to fix this yourself, call someone!

If you are knowledgeable (I guess you must have some knowledge to test like that), then most likely a neutral wire fell off of one plug and managed to land on the hot.

How the hell it did that I have no idea.

Or maybe there is some strange fault in the plug.

The outlets are usually chained together. Sometimes you can get lucky and guess the order of the chain from the layout in the room and where the wires from the breaker panel come in.

Figure out which is the first outlet and look for the fault there.

If necessary pick a random outlet and remove it from the wall and disconnect the wires and cover them with wire nuts secured with a bit of tape so they don't fall off. Then turn the power back on and check which outlets are working and which are not.

Continue in the direction of the working outlets and try to figure out which is the first in line, then test that one.

Good luck, and be safe! ALWAYS test the wire before touching it using a neon tester EVEN if the power is off. (Normally power off is fine, but with a strange situation like this don't take any chances.)


Cost-effective way to have good lighting for color-blind users

another solution that does not involve powered lighting could be to use 'Light Pipes' or 'Light Tubes' with 'Full' or 'Half' CTO (Colour Temperature Orange) filters clipped onto them inside the building.

Colour temperature orange filters are used in the TV and Film industries to transform the light source into a warmer more incandescent type of light in terms of its colour.  These gels can also withstand high temperatures.

Google 'CTO Gels'.  Wikipedia also has a clear article on 'Light Tubes'.

To dim the light you could then place 'Neutral Density' lighting gels over the CTO sheets.  Alternatively louvered shutters over the ends of the light pipes would allow you to fine tune the amount of light getting through.

The light pipe idea would mean free lighting after the install has been paid for and is a low tech but long term solution.


Can we safely hang a ceiling fan from our vaulted livingroom ceiling?

That's actually what I would suggest, but be aware of the problems in opening it up. Assuming the drywall was done correctly, there's going to be corner bead. Hopefully they didn't nail it together, or you might have to replace a lot more beading that you're planning to.

You might not need more framing, though, It's probably a full box already. Just take the old box out and put a solid fan box with brace in.


What could have caused CFL bulbs to glow during a power outage?

This is normal for fluorescent bulbs. You should be able to see the same thing when you turn off the light fixture using a regular switch instead of dropping a tree across your power line.

Fluorescent lights generate light by an electrical discharge through the mercury vapor in the tube; the mercury emits UV light, which excites electrons in the phosphorus coating the tube.  When those electrons decay, they emit visible light.  However, there can be a delay between excitation and decay, so you'll see some light emitted for a while after the bulbs lose power.

Variations in construction between manufacturers or even between individual bulbs mean that they'll glow for different amounts of time.


How should I run outdoor wiring under my second-story deck?

Provided you follow the same precautions as a NM run parallel to and/or through frame members, such as keeping it a minimum of 2" from the edge of the member, and secure the cable properly to the deck and walls (again, treat it like NM), this is A-OK.  (You'll want to use grommets if you go through metal joists, but again, that's the same as running NM through a steel stud.)

You'll need to put in a surface-mount box for your new fixture, of course, unless it provides its own wiring space (i.e. is volume marked).


How to wire telephones together as a intercom/party-line

A good starting point would be Google :)

It's not overly difficult to do assuming you don't need the phones to ring.  You just need a power source which depends on the length of the cable runs and number of phones.  You can build a small system with a 9V battery even.

If you need the phones to ring it's a bit more difficult as you need to apply 90V A/C at 20hz (I think).

Seriously though, Google it, you will find many walkthroughs and instructions on how to build these.


How to measure and cut oddly shaped tile

You can cut tile without power tools.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/QEP-21-in-Pro-Tile-Cutter-10521Q/305663365


Electrical problem - loss of power to fixture and outlet

Neutral to ground should never read 120V. This means your neutral connection back to the breaker/fuse box has gotten disconnected somehow. That needs to be found and fixed.


Best way to split an existing drain pipe

From a code perspective it's hard to say because they vary quite a bit. For specific details about that you could always make an anonymous call to your local municipality. On to practical stuff, you can do what you have proposed. Pipe is measured by the inside diameter That being said your pipe is inch and a half. For the rubber couplings, I always bring a piece of the pipe in with me and physically make sure that it fits. If you can get these Fernco couplings, they work well Always Clean, chamfer and deburr your pipe. If you find 8 inches is not enough space you could always cut further up and just pick up an ABS 45.


Solar Charge Controller and grounding the battery

Only if you want your installation to be code compliant and to minimize the risk of fire and electric shock. What are the odds that you'll "forget" to install the ground later when you expand the system to 10 or 20 panels, and add another 20 or 30 batteries? What if there is a fire? There will be an investigation, and if the insurance company can prove that the installation wasn't to code, they may not pay your claim. If, of course, you're alive to collect on it.

Good habits start early and last a lifetime.
Bad habits start early and last a lifetime. They also tend to shorten your lifetime.


How can I tell which wire to connect to a bayonett lamp connector?

Wouldn't  matter. Either wire to either side will complete the circuit once the bulb is in place.


A professional to test asbestos safety in furnace ducts

Based upon the description, the hazard of asbestos has been present on the property for many years and most likely through multiple owners. To date the current owner has not moved to mitigate the hazard, either through ignorance of its presence or due to disregard for the potential harm that may result.

As renters, the meaningful options are really:

Convince your landlord to deal with a hazard.
Stay and live with things the way they are.
Move.

Perhaps your landlord remains unaware of the asbestos containing materials, in which case they should be promptly informed so that they may take appropriate action toward abatement/encapsulation. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is the agency responsible for regulating construction related activities in your area when asbestos is involved.

Given the level of resources often entailed in proper removal of friable asbestos containing materials, proper removal is likely to be the source of substantial disruption to activities in your home.

A typical residential rental agreement may not allow a renter to contract for the scope of work required for abatement of the HVAC duct system. It would be wise to have your attorney review your lease before hiring a company to disassemble or partially demolition any building systems.

In the end, the home may not provide the sense of safety that people commonly expect without meaningful action on the part of your landlord and should it be necessary to consider forcing the landlord's hand as an option, the end result may not be worth the energy required.


Get a different water heater with larger fittings.


How wide does a 6x6 concrete post footing needs to be?

Since it is a structure that is not occupied in any way, I believe there are no codes that would govern footings for pergolas.

With that said, in my opinion, any hole worth digging for concrete should be at least 12"X12" or 12"  round. Just to make a point, the posts could simply be set in the ground, using the 6X6 bottom as the bearing surface. Even not knowing your soil type, or bearing capacity. I am sure that would hold anything that may grow upon your pergola, BUT you have the right idea about the concrete. With the concrete poured a little above grade and the post clip added to the bottom of the posts, you have a good set up for long lasting posts.

The biggest thing will be is, you will need to provide bracing so the pergola does not rack.


What's the mechanism to maintain this shelf stable

The general term for a hinge that allows something to move but keep the same orientation is a "pantograph hinge".  The general term for that type of bed would be a "Murphy bed".

The pantograph mechanism takes many forms, but the trick it uses is to have parallel connecting rods that pivot together so that the door or shelf that it is connected to can swing out, but maintain it's orientation because the pivot points remain parallel.

I know that is a bit abstract, but that will give you a starting point to research the topic more.  This is not a "standard" piece of hardware that you can pick up at the hardware store, so there't not a specific product I can link to.  I'm sure the design for that bed is custom.

Here you can see the basic concept with two parallel arms that allow the black leg to swivel downward while maintaining its vertical orientation.  If this was the "leg" on the bed that held a shelf, you could imagine another red bar connected to the head of the bed to actuate the leg movement as the bed is swiveled down.

The bars of the system can also be replaced by cables and a pulley system which is what could make it so compact and hidden in that Oslo bed.  I suppose they could even use a gear driven system with cables and pulleys.  Either way, it's custom designed and built just for that purpose.


Does the Stanley Intelli Sensor have a battery that can be changed?

Yes, it takes a 9-volt battery. And with the cheaper stud finders, anything but a fresh 9-volt battery yields unreliable results.


Refrigerator is not cooling, but freezer is working fine

The ice chunk is an indication of a low Freon charge, or a evaporator that has a restricted air flow. Some units only actively cool the freezer and use fans to move cold air to the reefer making sure these vents are open and clear may show the problem if the refer has its own coil I would expect a low Freon charge to be the problem. Most refredgerators don't have ports to recharge but one can be added and the Freon topped up. R134a is very common and r404/410 are other types that are common with a few oz added the system will work like new if there are no other problems.


How would I tell if a dealer sold me a refurbished appliance as new?

Completely new appliances come with packing materials. Everything from the box to the instructions sealed in a plastic bag. Stainless surfaces will have protective plastic films that are removed after delivery and installation. Shipping blocks and moveable parts taped so that they do not move while being transported.


A bar is very much like a kitchen island with a seating overhang. There are several sites that either have plans, discussions or links to islands that might suit your purpose.  See, for example:

http://www.diynetwork.com/topics/kitchen-islands/index.html

or

http://www.woodworkersworkshop.com/resources/index.php?cat=673

I made a fixed kitchen island from an unfinished base, a granite top I custom ordered, and brackets I created to match the style of the unfinished cabinet. A shallower version could serve as a classic bar. This is NOT portable (almost no stone top should be).

You could make it portable by substituting a wooden top covered in metal, a thin butcherblock top, or any other wood or even tile.  Portability could be enhanced by attaching wheels to the base, either caster type or larger wheels with axles, but if you are storing bottles and glasses, you may not want that much movement.


running a gas line to a gas heater hide do I hide the gas line

You might just have to box around it, if you can mount it right against the wall, fairly low.

If the line is the old black iron gas pipe, you don't have to worry about it getting crushed if something gets dropped on it. But you might have to worry about damage to the connections (and leaks) if something heavy enough is dropped on it.

If it's the yellow (or black) corrugated stainless steel pipe, you might need to be concerned about possible damage to the pipe itself, too.

But either way, your best bet might be to mount the gas line as close to the wall as possible, near but not on the floor, and build a box around it with moulding or plywood.

If it's a hose, you might be able to get away with using one of those carpet runners that you can stuff cables into on the bottom.

If you go with the build-something option, maybe you could create some built-in seating. Build a frame, put some particle board or plywood on top and throw some cushions on.

Or you could make shallow cabinets to hide the pipe and create some useful storage space.


I wouldn't submerge anything, and ensure that all post holes are filled in concrete and sealed from any water. . With stairs and  raised floors eliminate any source of water to prevent wood rot. With the cost of materials these days  you can't afford a failure due to rot Anywhere!


Short of opening up the end-cap, there isn't a good way to tell which it is. You could try banging/hitting a pipe elsewhere in the house, to see if you can hear the banging. Also, look at other exposed piping to see what materials were used for the various utilities.

Pipe like that could be water, but it also could be oil or natural gas.

There is a chance that it is a drain, but I find it unlikely.

Before opening the pipe, turn off the utilities for the building. Loosen the cap by using two pipe wrenches, one for the cap, and another for the pipe. As the connection is opened, some water will leak out, or gas (and you'd smell its characteristic odour). Retightening the cap may not completely seal it. It may need to be removed, cleaned, be applied with pipe dope, and reinstalled.

The pipe could be made of any of a few different materials, such as galvanized steel, "black iron", copper, or brass.

Black iron pipe is often used for natural gas while galvanized steel and brass are used for water (though sometimes the wrong type is used, so this is not a reliable way to tell its contents). Copper is used for both water and gas.


Can I tap in to a interior wall outlet for outside

Yes But keep in mind that the outside outlet must be GFCI protected.

If the inside outlet is not GFCI protected already you can replace that inside outlet with a GFCI outlet and attach the outside outlet to the load terminals of the GFCI.

To prevent overloads you can do a check for what else is on that circuit and add all the Watts together and divide by 110. This will give you a worst case current draw. If that is less than 90% of the rating of the breaker there is no issue of overload.


Why can't I measure 240V on this wall heater wiring?

You say the thermostat is "Single Pole". I take that to mean that there is one wire in and one wire out? Does the wire out happen to be white? If so, the reason you don't have any voltage on the white wire at the heater is because your thermostat is off. Set the thermostat so that it turns on and test again.

Alternatively, test from the wire on the in side of the thermostat (which is probably white) to black or ground and you should get 120V.


If they aren't hexed holes then they aren't replaceable, you might have to put a hex bit in to confirm removability. It sounds like you removed too much. If the seats were scratched, pitted or therefore defective, then you should've put new good ones in instead, if possible or returned the taps. But, you shouldn't touch the seats unless or until they leak & if you do it should just be a light few turn honing.

If the seats started out like most seats, being proud or raised from the shoulder, but are now flat or even with the shoulder. Then, you took way too much off. Only the seat is your seal, not the entire shoulder. You'll either need to get new seats, if they remove. Or, have to go to thicker washers. Or, get new taps with replaceable seats & not touch the included seats.


Basement sliding glass window (Pella) - how to remove the pane opposite of the sash

I cannot speak for all sliding windows but on mine the fixed section has some bracket things in the center corners top and bottom that keep it in place and prevent it from being lifted up to clear the lower track.

Removal on most of these involves lifting to clear the track on the bottom and then swinging the bottom away from the frame. Many times the movable section has to be removed before the fixed section can be removed. On mine both sections have to be removed toward the inside.


How to deal with clear flakes off my wooden headboard

Clear flakes are probably some type of varnish.

I would sand the surface to remove the loose flakes and to make the surface as flat as possible, then refinish with a similar varnish. I would follow the instructions on the container very carefully. Preparation is important for a good result. You can buy tack-cloths to remove dust before applying varnish.

Usually it is best to use the same type of product as was used originally unless you sand the whole thing back to bare wood. It can be hard to identify exactly what type of product has been used. I would start by experimenting with new finish on a small area that isn't usually seen (e.g. the back of the headboard)

In an apartment, if I had no access to the outside or a balcony, I would take the headboard to a room that has good ventilation and where dust can be cleaned up easily. Maybe a utility room with a window that can be opened? I would use a well-fitting disposable dust-mask when sanding. I would try to avoid spending long periods in the room when sanding or applying varnish.

Editing the question to include a good photo might help readers identify the flakes and suggest other remedial actions.


Typically an IP camera.

Features though vary quite a bit between brands.

Some do have the capability to record to a NAS and/or file server. You would need something like this ideally for what you want.

A fairly cheap option is edge recording, such as built in SD cards typically. Not all cameras have this and the biggest issue is theft of the camera results in loss of footage. It is usually though one of the most cost effective ways of recording.

The next solution is recording to a DVR or VMS system, there are some cheap and free options that may work on your PC.

In terms of actual recording, you can have it on motion detection. Another option can be a reed switch or other door contact that triggers recording. These can be wired to a camera that has I/O, not all do, or quite often a DVR/VMS has this capability.

What you want is definitely achievable, just comes down to budget. There are quite a few ways to do this.


TPI wall fan forced heater wiring question

Well the fan is going to need 240 volts. If the existing wiring has not been wired for a 240 volt fan then it needs to be changed. This would involve opening the main breaker panel. I would recommend an experienced electrician for this. If it is already set up for 240 then that part is good.

The owner's manual for the fan should explain the wiring but my guess would be since the fan is rated for 240 or 208 then one of the wires labeled L1 (possibly the blue) would not be used for 240. The other black wire should be labeled L2. The two blacks would then be connected to the black and white of the cable, and the green is your ground wire that gets connected to the bare wire of the NM cable.

If this is your first project with electrical work I would recommend getting the assistance of an experienced electrician to guide you.

Good luck!


I havent done one in years , not really hard if the sleeve is not two badly worn, pull the bolts that hold the end bells and slip the end that is falling apart off, examine the sleeve if it is worn you will need to get a shaft measurement and the outside diameter and replace it the ones I remember doing had wool packing but you said this was cotton, .there are 2 types some have an end plate (the easy ones) pull the plate fill with material and put the plate back on, saturate with oil and reassemble the end bell on the shaft and tighten the bolts, the tough  type ,. same start remove the end bell
 Carefully press out the end cap seal so you can re use it
once that is out you can press the sleeve out to the center, use caution this is very poris and may be brittle if it overheated, if in good shape repack the "void" and as you get close to full slip the sleeve back in 50% then continue packing untill no more will fit, it helps to oil the material prior to pressing the sleeve all the way back in because once it is damp it stays in place better once you have the sleve back in replace the end cap seal, saturate with oil , replace end bell and bolts and you should be good to go


I have had great results with my high quality drum auger, as opposed to some of the inferior models available at big-box stores. The design of the tip helps the cable to move downward and so helps prevent inadvertent travel up a vent line. I have had the same unit for 16 years and cleared hundreds of clogs. Not a recommendation for a particular brand, but good quality tools work better.


How to fix wall with paint and wallpaper?

Since the edges of the old paint/wallpaper are loose, you'll have to remove it back to where you get a tight edge.  The main problem that you'll run into if you just try to scrape it is that you're likely to remove way to much before you get a suitable edge.

The best way that I've found to deal with paint blowouts like that is to score through the paint/wallpaper with a utility knife around the raised area, and then scrape up to your scoring. A putty knife or drywall knife works pretty well for this.  This prevents you from raising more paint than you have to in order to get a decent looking repair, because the scoring will give a nice clean break in the paint.

When you have the area scraped with a clean edge, feather the edges with drywall compound and sand smooth.  Since you're dealing with some sort of fiberboard instead of plaster, I'd also skim coat and sand the exposed area too (which you'll have to do anyway in order to fill the holes).  After that, it should mostly disappear when re-painted.

Note that fiberboard can leech through paint pretty badly, so I'd hit it with a pretty good stain blocking primer.


How to run cable from attic inside an external brick wall?

I would cut out a square the size of a single gang box in the drywall, at your target height and see what's behind.  Depending on what you find you can use a set of drill bit extensions until you hit the top plate, then you can pull the wire back down with the bit as a guide.

Worst case you find you can't do it and you can stick a low voltage, old work, box in its place and screw in a blank outlet cover.


How would I convert a wood burning fireplace to gas?

The plumbing is not that hard, but you'll need a new fireplace and a new stove.

See if it's legal to use flexible corrugated line where you live. It's covered in a yellow plastic jacket. Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing (CSST).

It'll be MUCH easier to install, plus under a house where there is moisture it'll hold up better.


How does MDF fare as cabinet front insets?

As long as MDF is not exposed directly to moisture it is more stable than solid wood which will expand and contract with seasonal changes much more so than MDF or plywood, cheaper too.

I pretty much do not like MDF at all, except for this type of application. It also finishes out very smooth, some solid wood and plywood will show the grain of the wood through the paint finish.


What should I use to seal/coat interior of stone foundation wall?

I'd recommend using pure sodium silicate or potassium silicate for this. These chemicals will form a waterproof seal that is breathable, preventing moisture from becoming trapped and deteriorating the mortar over time. In addition, they will chemically bond to the mortar and actually strengthen it by introducing soluble silica, sealing the micro-pores in the mortar and reducing alkali-silica reactions and efflorescence. Highly recommended. Here's an example product that you can get on Amazon (no affiliation): http://smile.amazon.com/Rutland-146-Cement-Sealer-Fireplace/dp/B004YEDQOK


Can I install insulation behind a shower stall that is already in place?

There are two issues: 1) yes, you should add insulation, and 2) no, it should not have a vapor barrier.

1) Yes, insulation will help with the temperature comfort level you’re complaining about. It will help to maintain a constant temperature.

It will be difficult to install because it’s not very accessible.

2) A vapor barrier should not be installed.

Most people don’t understand that “vapor” moves both ways through a wall. That is to say, vapor moves from the warm side to the cool side. As the seasons change, vapor will move through the wall reaching its Dew Point, and turning from a vapor to a solid (water).

If this water is trapped in the wall, it could create dryrot or mold. With a vapor barrier, vapor will enter the wall but not be able to escape. In fact, poly sheeting can accelerate the problem and is no longer recommend, except in the coldest year-around climates.

Here’s an article that explains it better:

https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/75130/What-Happens-When-You-Put-a-Plastic-Vapor-Barrier-in-Your-Wall

It’s very important to understand this concept for bathrooms with excessive moisture. That moisture needs a way to escape from the wall. (Even the best installed poly sheeting will allow vapor into the wall around outlets, joints in sheeting, top and bottom plates, etc. )


Wood trim and new gutters: Gutters first or paint first?

You shouldn't just try to calculate this based on how long it will take you to paint the fascia one time.  Consider the fact that you will need to paint it and repair parts of it every couple of years forever if you don't get it wrapped.  My advice is to spend the money to get it wrapped.

To answer your questions more specifically:  Pull the gutters down and paint when the forecast looks nice.  If you get some rain, or even a storm, before the new gutters go up, that's no big deal.  It's constant runoff from your roof that would eventually cause problems.

Don't forget that your old aluminum gutters may have some value at the local scrapyard.


Why do my outlets start working when something is plugged in?

Try turning off the power to the bar outlet and also the power to the living room lights and outlets. Pull out the bar outlet and inspect it for loose connections, especially on the white,neutral, wire. The two breakers you turned off could be sharing the neutral and it could be loose in the bar outlet or connected by the backstabs in the outlet.


How do I stop bats from nesting in an attic?

I'd say the best way would be to find out where they're entering and close it off. If it's open for ventilation use something like a chicken wire that will allow the air to easily flow through.


Yes, it's mold. This happened in my apartment after an extended stay away from home during the summer. I used plain old soap and water and it has worked for me. I had no problems doing it this way. There is no way to indefinitely get rid of all the mold (you will inevitably leave some mold spores behind) as long as there is enough moisture in the air.

There are many ways to prevent mold growth. I bought a dehumidifier and it seems to have done the trick. I have not had any mold since. No mold will grow without moisture. Get rid of the moisture and you will get rid of the mold.

Update
I found an article that does a good job explaining how to get rid of mold.


Laying bricks/blocks into a concrete slab during the pour

We use “blockouts” to create a space for bricks or blocks to be mortared into after the concrete sets. (We use wood boards that are tapered slightly for easy removal out of the concrete.)

Anytime you thicken or reduce concrete you’re liable to get a crack. Therefore, we add rebar in the concrete perpendicular to where the blockouts are added.


How should I wire an exterior light where there's a load bearing post in the way?

You should be fine if you keep the hole less than 1" dia. In a column like that you will not compromise the strength like drilling through a beam. I did the same thing between my 2-car and 1-car openings when adding a motion sensor.


It looks to me like ribbed HDPE conduit used in directional boring.  Orange is the color that is traditionally used for telecom applications.  I'm guessing that this is either a fiber-optic back haul cable or an area trunk line, and the water that leaked out was due to a bad conduit seal somewhere.  Assuming that your phone is still working, I'd call either the "call before you dig" locator service that didn't flag it or local telecom utilities to see if it belongs to any of them.


What material is my damaged kitchen ceiling made of and how should I repair it?

Looks like basic plaster with a skim coat, which has released due to the moisture. The only question is whether you have wood lath base or gypsum panels.

I'd use a putty knife to scrape away all the lose coating material. Skim with modern joint compound to achieve a flat finish. Prime and paint. The scope of the individual steps is too broad to lay out in an answer here. There's plenty of information to be found.

If the plaster itself has lost its integrity, you'll need to cut out the affected area, replace it with drywall (shimmed down flush), tape, prime, paint. It'll be a mess because all your insulation will fall out. Here's hoping you can avoid that. Plaster is pretty tough and may have tolerated the moisture.


Does a 2100W angle grinder need an earth pin?

Your grinder is a Class-II Double Insulated appliance and therefore does not require a ground/earth connection.

But even if you did decide to fit a 3-pin plug, what would you connect the 3rd pin to?
There's no 3rd wire in the cord, nor is there a ground point in the device to connect it to.


Electric furnace doesn't perform a cool down stage

Gas and oil furnaces heat a heat exchanger so they have to run for quite awhile after the burner shuts off to cool down.
Electric furnaces don't have that issue since there is no heat exchanger.
If the air is still hot when it shuts off, the sequencer needs checked.
If the air is warm, it's normal.


Attaching a deck ledger to the concrete pad of a detached garage

Attaching ledger boards to a steel reinforced reasonably thick (12” or more) concrete pad is standard practice in deck construction. Use 4 1/2” concrete anchors 18” apart in a zig zag pattern - per engineered drawings for my high end deck projects


how much weight will a 1.5" long wood screw support when screwed into stud?

There are many factors: 1) species of wood, 2) moisture content of wood, 3) diameter of screw shank, 4) length of screw, 5) wood screw or lag screw (lag bolt), 6) Direction of loading.

1) Species: Where I live, we use Douglas Fir-Larch framing lumber. It's considered "dense". Other softer species have lower strength values...some as much as 40% less.

2) Moisture Content: Green lumber (unseasoned) will not tend to split as much as "dry" or "surface dry" lumber. Assuming your wall has been built and has been in a dry environment for more than a year, it should not split, even when you "shave it" (as you call it). Also, I'm going to assume the fasteners will be more than 7 times their diameter so they won't split the wood.

3) Diameter: Because the fastener needs to fit within the stud WIDTH, the diameter is limited to the minimum edge distance of 4 times the diameter...and that assumes you'll be equal distance from each edge of the stud.

4) Depth: Assuming a minimum of about 1 1/2" into wood, the screw needs to be about 2 1/2" long to account for the 1/2" drywall plus thickness of the metal hanger.

5) Screw or Bolt: You said screw so I'll use screw.

6) Loading: Fastening into stud will be side grain (not end grain, which is about 75% less). Also, because the TV is hanging on the wall, loading is a combination of shear and withdrawal.

Therefore, I'd use a #8 wood screw (0.164" diameter) x 2 1/2" long (to develop full resistance) which will give you about 95 lbs. withdrawal resistance in close or medium grain "dry" lumber per screw.

Remember, you can only "shave" a maximum of 1 1/2" off depth of stud (don't over cut or it will weaken stud) and don't over pre-drill diameter of hole. To develop full lateral strength, there needs to be lead holes drilled (pre-drilled). Lead holes should be about 7/8th the shank diameter. Therefore, I'd use a 0.1435" diameter bit. (1/8") If the screw doesn't go in easily, you can ease the installation by greasing it up by rubbing the screw in a bar of soap.


How do I improve the drainage of this grass driveway?

If it's heavily driven on, it's likely extremely compacted, which only increases the water run-off and retention (since it can't properly drain anywhere).

can you use gravel? A gravel driveway would likely be the easiest solution.

Barring that, you could look at using a grid 'pavement' system:

It lets you plant grass without the turf having to take the brunt of the vehicle weight, so it remains porous.


Is this odd device some kind of lightning arrestor or primitive fuse? Help identify

Based on this image and quote, I'm about 99.95% sure that it's an old telephone line suppressor:

Soon after telephone networks began to spring up across the countryside, the Bell Telephone Company realized that there was a danger to both the company's property, and the property of subscribers, from such perils as lightning strikes on the network, and accidental inter-connection with power lines. As a remedy, Bell Laboratories developed protective fuses, such as the one above, which were installed at the customer's location to protect the equipment and incoming phone lines against accidental voltage spikes on the line. While modern phone systems still use a fusible protective device in the terminal box coming from the phone company, evidence of these early 1900s relics can still be found in some older residences.
Image and quote source: http://www.museumofyesterday.org/museum/page3.htm - about 90% down the page.

Or, literally do an image search for Old telephone line suppressor and you'll find things that are at least nearly the same easily.


When half laping two 6x6s, what is the optimal length and ratio?

In a "half" lap joint, the thickness should always be half of the material for the most strength.  You're reducing the strength of the board because you're removing thickness, and the joint will only be as strong as the weakest piece.  If you made the thickness ratio 25%/75%, then the 25% side would be the weakest.

Lap joints are used often for 90 degree joints, and in this case, the length of the joint is equal to the width of the board so all the edges match up.  In a end-to-end joint, the same ratio can be used to provide adequate gluing, nailing, or bolting area.  Less length might not provide enough area for bolts, and more area isn't going to add more strength because the weak point still comes from the fact that you just cut out half the thickness of the board.

Picture: http://timberframehq.com/simple-half-lap-joint/


How should location on roof be flashed or sealed?

There are a few other ways to do the detail, just variations on the same theme.


Is there a device that will allow a bathroom fan to run for 5 minutes after it is switched off?

You want a timer switch. They are quite common. As Tester101 states, you have to make sure the switch is either:

a. rated for the load of the motor (most should be for a standard fan) or, if not...

b. you need to have the switch control a relay, which in turn will turn the fan off/on. I did this to install the lutron timers that I like on a ceiling heater unit (which was more of a load than the fan):


What is a quick and temporary fix for a cracked toilet waste pipe?

Epoxy putty, found in the plumbing repair section or adhesives section of your local big box store:

It's a two part compound that you work together like clay.  Blend a small amount, per instructions, then force it into the crack, ensuring it completely fills the crack.


Water leaking into house through sliding glass door, could missing flashing be the cause?

Since you have poured water onto the tracks and no water leaked inside; check a few more things. I don't see a gutter above the door. Use a step ladder and run some water from a hose onto the roof, downward toward the door. The water could be lipping over at the edge, into your soffit, across the top of the door and then down the sides onto the floor. Remember, water takes the path of least resistance, so it could be leaking into the soffit from somewhere other than at the doorway. Also check both sides of the sliding section of the door for any cracks that a side wind could blow water through. I would also suggest caulking that large crack across the bottom of the door...


All cables are the same exact colors: Black and white.  Or sometimes, black white and red.  This means colors are almost meaningless.  There are three rules:

a) bare and green are always ground;
b) White must be neutral if present, otherwise always-hot if present;  and
c) if the white wire is not neutral, it must be marked with tape or paint.

This is an old style switch loop. It contains always-hot and switched-hot; no neutral.  Therefore the white must be always-hot and must be marked.

The black and white joined together need to stay together.  These are "always-hot".  These two wires also go to the brass screw on the always-hot socket.

The remaining black wire is "switched-hot", it's preferred to mark it with red tape, and it goes to the brass screw on the switched-hot socket.

The remaining white is neutral, and goes to a silver screw.

Note that the tab between the brass screws is removed.


It looks like somebody nailed a board on the other side. If that's the case, it might not be worth worrying about as long as it's done right. I would think 2-3 2" nails in each component would be sufficient.


Upgrading 2 breakers to AFCI, always trips

AFCIs are also a bit like GFCIs in that they care a lot about crossed neutrals.  A LOT.   You will never get any AFCI to hold while a crossed neutral persists, nor should you!  Remember, neutrals do not have breakers, the only thing that keeps them from overloading is the fact that they are fed from only one hot.  If they are fed by 3 hots, one could return 45A and of course start a fire in the walls.

You will have to identify every outlet (including hardwired ones) on each circuit.   Pull the covers off and the devices out.  Document how they are wired.   It is likely you will uncover the problem at that point.

If not, disconnect them all and light up each circuit, one at a time, to determine which is the "first" outlet.  Hook up that outlet correctly (as opposed to  how it is now) and test.   Continue one at a time, thoroughly testing each time.

When you run out of things to hook up, and you still don't have problems, then you have licked it.   Otherwise, the problem will return at a particular step. That is your problem area.

You seem sanguine about some crossed circuits in a 3-way light circuit.  That may be one of your problems, and there may not be a legit way to regain original functionality without going to smart switches.


How to measure voltage AC using multi-meter

First, make sure you multimeter is set to measuring AC voltage. If your meter has multiple AC voltage range (e.g. 1000, 100V, 10V), use the largest one.

Make sure the black lead goes into the "COM" jack and the red lead into the the jack with a letter "V" (or something like "VΩ", but not "A" or "mA").

When measuring, remember voltage is always measured between the black wire and the red wire. So in your earlier question, you could measure something like "the voltage between (1) and (2)" by touching (1) with red and touching (2) with black. It does not make sense to say "the voltage of (1)" without mentioning a reference.

Of course you can measure the voltage between a point in a circuit and the ground, by sticking the black wire into the ground wire ("earth cable"). But if the circuit itself is not grounded, or the "earth cable" is not actually connected to the ground, that voltage doesn't mean anything.


How high is shower waterproofing treatment supposed to be?

When a 2-year-old shower is leaking, something is definitely wrong. Call the builder, and tell him to fix it.

Yes, there's supposed to be waterproofing behind the tiles. The tiles and grout by themselves won't be enough to keep the water out of the wall. I don't know if there are precise rules for how high the waterproofing should go, but I would think at least as high as the shower head. When I built my shower, I went all the way up to the ceiling.


Should I run laminate continuously through rooms, or separate with T moulding?

I think you should be more concerned with the expansion gap than other types of expansion.

In my opinion you should use some kind of separation between the living room and the bedrooms, because bigger rooms require bigger expansion gaps. And that difference in expansion could give some bowing.


Should I fill in gap between window frames?

Filling the gaps with wood will cause your windows to jamb as the seasonal change of humidity. I would not fill with a solid for this reason.


No, those things cannot serve 2 panels.
Technically, those 10-circuit transfer switches are a very bad choice generally.  Aside from being insanely overpriced for what they do, they also have severe limitations, including what you're running into here.
This issue comes up a lot. I realize the devices have a consumer appeal to you, but I strongly urge you to re-examine your options.
Let's start with a photo of your two main panels, or at least, the model numbers of them, so we can figure out what other options you have.  Are the panels right next to each other?  Also photos of the listing of circuits on both panels would be good.
Is there a reason you DON'T want to make generator power available to most of your circuits?  It seems a great inconvenience only being able to power 10.


Gas heater not turn on, but fan-only still works when switched on from thermostat

My first guess would be that there is a problem with the pilot light (if there is one) or the ignition (if there isn't), not the heat pump. The same thing happened to me about 5 years ago.


What breaker configuration does my new on-demand water heater need?

I don't know what a "double pull" breaker is.  There is single and double POLE, and single and double THROW switches (that aren't actually breakers but resemble them - used in transfer switches), but not 'pull'.

The breaker marked HW is the right side of a tandem breaker and the left side is the washer (presumably washing machine not dishwasher).  It is, in short, a single POLE double THROW breaker.  (Although not really - it's actually two SPST switches on a single breaker I believe)

What this means is that there are two different lines coming off this one breaker, running two different appliances.  It is 110V and can never provide more than 110v.

IT IS NOT OK TO REPLACE THIS WITH A 60A.

In order to run a 60A line to an on demand water heater you must put in a 220V, double pole single throw breaker which can feed 220V with 2 hot lines to the new on demand heater.

So yes, you must move to a new spot - and in fact you must move to TWO spots that are adjacent, in order to get the 220v 60A you need.


A suggestion to keep a pressure reducing valve from causing low flow is how I see this as a question.
The problem sounds like your valve is rated for a lower flow rate than you want.
An example of this you could install a 1/4” valve with no flow you measure 60-70 psi just as you do now. Opening the valve relives the pressure on the system and once any tanks like your water heater and the plumbing are equalized you have the flow at the maximum rate the valve can supply.
With a 1/4” orifice the valve is restricting the flow thus the pressure drops I have seen this with city water systems where the owner just grabbed a 1” PRV and did not realize it had 1/4” orifices and their sprinklers would not work on the low flow. I replaced the valve with a PRV rated at 20 gallons a minute  (the city max delivery rate) and the problem was solved.
So your valve internal orifices are two small in my case I actually had to get an 1-1/4 PRV to get the 20 GPM valve it was a bit more expensive but they never saw the drastic drop in water pressure after that and they used 60 psi as that was the max recommendation on some of the components in their system they said it worked better than it used to probably because the original valve had smaller orifices than the valve I used therefore more restrictions.


Mounted tv too high, OK to use same studs to remount?

Absolutely no problem.

The screws (actually called "lag bolts") bite into the wood immediately around them, and the wood fibers around that hold the bolt in place.

Yes the holes you made already weaken the fibers immediately around them but the amount is insignificant.  And, for a flat screen TV like you're describing, the weight you'll be putting on each bolt is hardly enough for the bolt to notice.


Are GFCI outlets allowed on new circuit installations?

The Code doesn't specify location of protection.
NEC 2017

210.8 Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection for Personnel.
Ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel shall be
provided as required in 210.8(A) through (E). The ground-fault circuit
interrupter shall be installed in a readily accessible location.

Th 2020 Code changes (E) to (F), and reorganizes paragraphs.
The biggest issue is interpretation of "readily accessible".(e.g. Is the receptacle behind the fridge or microwave readily accessible?)


Sure I think you could do this.  You'd need another set of supply lines at the other side, and a second valve.  You'd then run the pipe for the shower head to the other side of the shower and T it in with the other shower head pipe.

The only downside I can think of is the cost - a good thermostatic valve is expensive!


What is this type of traditional adjustable shelf support called?

This appears to be a "sawtooth shelf support" like the one shown in this article.


Any time you hear that sound, proceed with the utmost caution, there's an excellent chance there's an issue that's a fire hazard.  It might be better to get an electrician to look at this ASAP rather than chipping away at it DIY.

I'd be more concerned about the arcing generating heat at the arc and damaging your wiring and possibly starting a fire than the arcs damaging your breakers.

Most of the self-contained switches I've seen are pretty sketchy quality.  If the sound is really coming from the switches, just replace them, but look for any evidence of damage to the wiring from the heat generated by the arcing.

Arc fault protection certainly wouldn't hurt, you may be able to add it without too much disruption, or it might be a big project.  But you don't want to rely too much on arc fault detection, it may be helpful but it's certainly not perfect - you want to address any issues with the wiring ASAP.


Main Panel with separated neutral and ground

This isn't what "isolated ground" means in the NEC

What your customer has is not an isolated ground -- it's an ungrounded system, which is only permitted for specific industrial applications in the NEC where electrical system availability is critical and ground-fault detection can be provisioned separately. In an ungrounded system, there is no neutral wire, just hot wires and an equipment grounding wire -- this doesn't work well with the split-phase neutral system, so 120/240V split phase services are required to be grounded (neutral on this type of service is grounded at the transformer anyway, for that matter).

An isolated ground system, on the other hand, has a normal neutral/ground bond, but runs a dedicated ground wire to the receptacle ground contact from the main bonding point, perhaps via isolated busbars on its way, but not bonded to the main equipment grounding system; likewise, the receptacle ground contacts on isolated ground receptacles are isolated from the receptacle yoke.

As to fixing this...

Go to your local electrical supply house and ask them for a Square D 4028345850K, as per this FAQ entry, then, with the main breaker turned off, install it into the mating screw hole on the loadcenter's neutral tie bar (the metal busbar behind and below the main lugs or main breaker load connections that connects the two neutral bars together).


In some cases there may be a gasket or o-ring that may have cracked or fallen out. In other cases replacing the whole spigot may be the only option, unless you can actually get a replacement part for just the diverter assembly that actually fits your particular spigot.

It's often quite difficult to figure out exactly what model you have, which makes searching for parts rather difficult. The ones I have personally fixed, I replaced the whole spigot.


What type and gauge ground wire do I need when using 1/0 hot and neutral wires

So here's the deal, and here's how your friend "helped" you.  There's a rule of "thumb" floating out there that we shouldn't let voltage drop exceed 3% when calculating a long run.  This rule of "thumb" was invented by cable manufacturers, I'm fairly sure.  There's no requirement whatsoever in the electrical code for this.  It's just not there.  They do comment that you shouldn't engineer for a 7%+ voltage drop, but nothing says 3%.

Even so, this should be based on your actual, expected load on the circuit, not the number written on the breaker handle.  And when sizing a circuit, you shouldn't design it with >80% expected load, so if your actual load is 48A, you should run a 60-70A circuit not a 50A circuit. Follow?  So your actual expected load probably doesn't exceed 80A and may be only 40-50A.

And third, anytime you're at #6 wire or larger, you should seriously consider aluminum conductors.  Even the old alloy was reliable at these large sizes, and after all, the lugs are aluminum because Al lugs are compatible with both Cu and Al... so why create a dissimilar-metal problem when you don't have to?

So let's see how far off they threw you.  Looking at 310.15b16, your absolute minimum legal wire size is #3Cu or #1Al @ 75 degrees C.  (cost: $780 or $405)

If you are forced to use the 60C table, then #2Cu or #1/0Al.  (cost $1006 or $460)
(Note that #2Cu@60C says 95, but they don't sell 95A breakers so you get to round up).

Now we look at voltage drop. Over your distance at 100A, #1Cu ($1287) is going to give you 3.3% voltage drop @100A, or alternately #2/0Al ($538) would give 3.5% voltage drop.

But hey!!! By bumping up to #1/0Cu ($1474), we get down to 2.7% voltage drop, and similarly #3/0Al ($663) would give 2.8% voltage drop.
Golfclap

What went wrong?  Some fool decided that 3.00% was an absolute absolute when spending your money, so he disqualified #1Cu at 3.3%.  Wasn't his money.  And of course, it's stupid because you don't foresee drawing that circuit anywhere near 100A for very long, so really, your voltage drop will be proportionately lower, e.g. half at 50A.

Given the crazy expensive wire that is now in the ground, you could actually up-breaker that to 125A @ 60C (3.3% drop) or even 150A @ 75C (4% drop).

Or alternately, you can yank that copper outta there, sell it on eBay, and go with #1/0Al ($460), and just lump the 3.5% voltage drop @ 80 amps.  That'll pay for the new ground wire, and still leave you with a stack of twenties.

Sizing the ground wire

I assume you picked Schedule 40 PVC conduit, because nobody ever swerves out of their way to buy Schedule 80 unless they've done a lot of research.  That is nearly at the 40% conduit fill limit. There's just enough room for a #6 insulated wire (diameter 0.249) or the equivalent uninsulated wire (#3Cu, almost #2Cu bare).  Bare wires must be Cu.

Here's the problem.  When you upsize for voltage drop, you also need to upsize the ground wire in proportion.  Normally a #8Cu or #6Al wire would suffice, but you need to bump it. AWG is based on proportion. You bumped 3 AWG sizes for voltage drop, so you bump 3 AWG sizes for the ground. Done!  #5Cu isn't made, so you need #4Cu bare.  I did run the numbers on this and it worked out the same.

I also like a rule of thumb: Consider the maximum breaker that would be allowed on the circuit if voltage drop were ignored, and size the ground wire for that.  As discussed, you could bump to 150A based on 75C, so figure the ground that's called out for a 150A circuit. That would be a #6Cu.  (#4Al is not possible because you don't have room for an insulated #4, and Al can't be bare.)

So if you keep the 100A breaker you need a #4Cu bare wire, but if you up-breaker to 150A you only need a #6Cu.  Funny how that works out.

Conduit fill

If you have Schedule 40 conduit, you will be at the absolute limit with a #6Cu insulated ground wire or a #3Cu bare (or possibly #2Cu, very close call).

If you have Schedule 80 conduit, that has thicker walls and thus a smaller inside diameter (pipe trade size is defined by outside diameter).  You already exceeded fill when you selected 1/0 for the three conductors, so you are already out of compliance and you can't recover.  Your only hope would be to yank the neutral and replace it with #2 Cu, and that would leave you just enough room for a #6 bare ground. You would need to look at your loads and see if it is legal to shrink neutral.

In any case, we are kissing 40% fill, which means this will be a bugbear of a pull.  It's really easy for a DIYer to paint himsefl into a corner, when pushing fill limits on conduit. So we would have violently recommended that you use 2" PVC from the outset. I don't know if you have access to 260' of fishing tape, but you might have to pull the 3 conductors out in order to get the ground wire to fish.


Why do our baseboard heating pipes make a loud banging noise after a new furnace was installed?

It turns out the problem was that the zone valves were installed backwards.  They closed in the opposite direction of the flow of water.  Since the zone valves were fighting the flow of water, it was causing a great deal of vibration and banging.

I had the heating company come back and reverse the zone valves so they operate in the correct direction.  The banging is completely gone.


Slice them up into 1x4s then laminate them with a 1 1/2 foot overlap on alternating pieces.

That will give you a 6 foot 4x4 from two 3 foot 4x4s.

You'll need lots of wood glue, many clamps and either a good table saw or something equivalent.

The only other ways I can think of doing this involve spending more on hardware than a 6 foot 4x4 probably costs.


15 amp load trips 20 amp breaker instantanously

When you pull the trigger of the saw, the motor winding looks like nearly a dead short (maybe 0.6 ohms) for a few AC line cycles.  Until the motor spins up and/or heats up, the current is primarily limited only by series resistance in the building wiring and the motor windings.  During motor start, the type and length of wire makes a huge difference.
You didn't describe in detail the older circuit, but since it had a 15A breaker, they probably used 14AWG wire.  Compared with 10AWG of your new circuit, 14AWG has 2.6 times higher resistance per unit length.  And resistance goes up linearly with distance.  If your old outlet was 10 times as far away from the breaker, then it had ten times the 2.6X increase, or 26 times more resistance in the wire.  The additional resistance would have reduced the inrush.
Here is a real world calculation of inrush current for the 2 scenarios.
10AWG at 15ft has 0.03 ohms
14AWG at 150ft has 0.78 ohms
1HP motor winding has 0.6 ohms (assumption)
I = V / R
10AWG example: 120 / (0.03 + 0.6) = 190 A inrush
14AWG example: 120 / (0.78 + 0.6) =  87 A inrush
So you can see how you might be pulling 2X more inrush current (190A vs 87A) simply by plugging the saw into an outlet with heavier and shorter building wiring.  A little research on circuit breaker trip points revealed that SquareD QO breakers will trip in one line cycle (16.6 ms) or faster with as little as 120A (6X rating). But there is a lot of variation such that the exact same part number breaker from a different box could require 220A (11X rating) to trip that fast.
In the world of circuit breakers, they use terms like "high magnetic" or "high inrush" instead of "slow blow". Siemens, SquareD, and GE make these versions of their standard 15A and 20A breakers.  They usually have "HM" or "HID" at the end of the part number.  The QO-HM version is guaranteed to require at least 220A (11X rated current) to trip within 1 line cycle.
In summary you probably got a breaker that was at the very low end of the trip point threshold.  Couple that with lower resistance wiring and the inrush is just too much.  I bet you could replace the 20A breaker with another of the same, from a different store, and it would work.


That's a shame, those are some cool-looking handles..

I know you said it wasn't, but they do look like allen screw holes, just a little corroded. Better hit them with some PB Blaster and let them soak awhile, while you try to find the right allenhead. I predict you're in for a battle with those screws.

Even when the screws are out, they won't give up easily. Those handles are on splined stems sticking out of the wall, and more than likely they are a little corroded as well.

Tap with a hammer, pull, pry, spray PB, tap, pull, pry. Stay vigilant. It will be a long day removing those handles.

Once they are off, splines are easily matched up at most hardware stores. Well, easier than removing those handles, anyway.

Have you tried just unscrewing the porcelin section yet? Maybe you can find something that will just replace that?


Tips to get (close to) accurate bevel angle by handsaw?

I did something similar to this in my younger years when I needed a board cut with a 45 degree angle. I marked the cut line on the edges and face of the board. Then positioned the saw to the cut line and clamped furring strips on the top and bottom of the board up against the positioned saw the length of the cut. the two furring strips acted as a double fence for the saw and the angle turned out pretty good. If your miter saw ever quite mocking you, I'd use it but I totally understand your desire to use hand tools...


What are the pros and cons between these LED under cabinet lighting options?

The aluminum fixture is a classic fixture, comes in a box, has a power cord, you pick a spot and bolt it up and hook power to it.  It also looks like some installer just slapped a couple lights under your cabinets.

LED strips are, by nature, a bespoke installation custom fit to your kitchen.  It's going to look much better, though is more sensitive to the risk of an incompetent installer doing a bad job.

These strips are weird though.

First those strips are insanely overpriced; most of us pay $10 per 16 feet (5 metres).  This is a lighting specialist company who is trying to be a one-stop shop for lighting contractors, and is dealing with these lights reluctantly as a sideline because they are in demand.  They charge through the nose for the difficulty (for them) of supporting these "odd ducks" (to them).  If anything they want to overcharge to steer their customers into their more conventional lights.

And these are 24V (the almost universal standard is 12 V).   With either voltage, you are operating under the electrical code's low voltage rules, which are much easier to deal with.

The pictured tape lights are not the ones described.  The pictured ones have a clear "dome" over them, which splash-proofs them and makes them easier to clean.  This is one of two waterproofing options typically available, the other is a hollow silicone tube around the LED strip.

They are advising clips to fasten it, which is a good idea.  Most are backed with adhesive, and this can let go after a few years.

Their strip interconnection options don't see to be very good.

They are claiming 15 watts in 60 inches which may be more light than you want.  The common LED strips come in a lot of different power densities (watts per foot).  This gives you great versatility, and you can alter the lighting easily after the fact as you learn what works.  You are no longer married to a fixed "luminaire" that comes in a box.  However, this flexibility also rewards those with real skill... an installer may need to "skill up" or get left behind.

Their recommended transformer is bulky and ungainly, there are other options.  There are also dimming and multi-color options for those interested in that.  Not from this company.

You can also get any color temperature you want, from 2700k incandescent-like to 4000k fluorescent-like to 5000k claw-your-eyes-out LED color.


How to ground a junction box extension when using a non-metallic box?

Your inspector is right and wrong at the same time!

First off, the existing install is a violation of NEC 422.16(A), so your inspector was correct to point that out:

  (A) General. Flexible cord shall be permitted (1) for the
  connection of appliances to facilitate their frequent interchange or to prevent the transmission of noise or vibration or
  (2) to facilitate the removal or disconnection of appliances that
  are fastened in place, where the fastening means and mechanical connections are specifically designed to permit ready removal for maintenance or repair and the appliance is intended
  or identified for flexible cord connection.

As to the proposed fix, however, your inspector is confused or working from an old Code edition, as the 2014 (and 2017 AFAIK) NEC do not require a disconnecting means for a hardwired appliance if the breaker can be locked off (an electrical supply house will be able to order in lockoff devices for any modern breaker type).  This is 422.31(B) in the Code:

  (B) Appliances Rated over 300 Volt-Amperes. For permanently connected appliances rated over 300 volt-amperes,
  the branch-circuit switch or circuit breaker shall be permitted
  to serve as the disconnecting means where the switch or circuit breaker is within sight from the appliance or is lockable in
  accordance with 110.25.

So, I'd simply take an ordinary single gang metal faceplate with a 1/2" KO in it and use that instead of faffing about with a box extension that needs grounding.  (250.148 calls out metallic boxes, but not metallic faceplates on nonmetallic boxes...although it is still wise to attach a grounding pigtail to the faceplate in this case.)


How to add a two pole 40A breaker with corner tab(s) to Challenger panel?

Stop faffing with the Challenger breakers, pull out the bottom right 15A breaker, and install a BR115 bottom left and a BR240 bottom right

Buying "new old stock" or newly made Challenger-style (UBI/Connecticut) breakers is an expensive and frustrating exercise, so why are you insisting on trying to go through it? Eaton BR breakers are cross-listed and cross-labeled as type C (or type A for BD/BQ tandem/quadplex breakers) and can be safely and legally used in Challenger panels, as per this letter from UL to C-H (and see my answer here for more details); never mind that a BR240 is $10 and available anywhere in the USA, while the 40A UBI Challenger-style breaker is $50, harder to find, and probably not as good as the Eaton breaker (UBI seems to have...issues with breaker QC and QA).

If you really insist that the bottom left slot stay free, you can get a single, quadplex, BQ2402115 breaker and use it to replace the 15A breaker bottom-right as well as provide the new 40A circuit and a 15A spare.  This is costlier than using the two full-size breakers, but still more reliable than the UBI breaker, and no costlier than the UBI part for that matter.


How to calculate the influence on load bearing on beams cut/notched for connections?

You're overlooking a couple of important factors, starting with deflection. Smaller structural members will flex more than thicker ones, especially in the middle of the span. Sag also adds lateral loads to the connections at the end since it they must resist the pull of the shorter curved member.

Those connections are the second thing you've overlooked. You do need to fasten things together eventually and butt joinery puts all of the load on the fasteners. Generally two thirds of a beam is quite a bit stronger than two or three nails. It's worth noting that it's fairly common to use angle iron and bolts when the work will be covered up.

I suspect that notching wooden members in new construction is pretty much limited to timber frame buildings. It's getting harder to find solid wood beams than it used to be, and modern structural joinery tends to incorporate steel fasteners to protect against extreme weather events. For hurricanes or tornadoes you want the joint tied down; for earthquakes you want it to deform rather than snap.

Getting back to your original question, structural engineers have access to lots of data to work on the estimate. They can look up the strength of a given material, average weight of a building per story, strength of a given joint compared, etc. From there it's fairly straightforward physics.

Simulation is also a common tool. Once the plans are drawn in CAD you can specify the building and wind loads and get a detailed report on the expected performance. If you're really, really interested Autodesk Fusion 360 is free for hobby use and will let you run some simulations. You'd have to deal with the learning curve and it's not the right tool to design a building, but it'll do for mucking about with simple joints. (Alternately you might find just the tutorial video on simulation entertaining.)

Non-engineers generally rely on experience and rules of thumb (or the building code in these more enlightened times) and gratuitous over-building. Nobody would notch anything as small as you've got in your sketch. In the US they wouldn't be called "beams" either as they're too small. Joists would be at least 150mm thick and wooden beams 200mm or more.


What is involved in replacing leaking iron drain pipes in a house with a concrete foundation?

Vertical sections of cast iron rarely need replacement.  Horizontal ones do.  I would get a quote(s) from a plumber that does/has connections with sewer line installations.

They should start with a in-line camera review.

Chances are most of your work will be in the (hopefully you have) basement and yard to the main sewer, but again, don't panic until someone runs the camera


Immediately to the right is the best place for the subpanel

If I were you, instead of using either location #1 or location #2 marked in your picture, I would position the subpanel in the bay immediately to the right of the main panel, provided it is a full-sized (i.e. 14.25" wide) bay, of course.  This allows it to share the 30" width of required clear working space with the main panel, keeps the subpanel panel clear of minor flooding, and allows the nipple fill and derate rules to be used for the feeder, saving cost.  It also accommodates the desire to expand the window to the left, albeit at the cost of removing the insulation batt and temporary support jack that have already been fitted to that right-hand bay.

Your panel-alcove will need to be 30" wide, and clear from floor to ceiling

Since you are building a wall out from the existing basement wall, and the NEC 110.26(A) clear working space extends out from the front surface of the hardware in question (i.e. the existing panel), you will need an alcove that is a minimum of 30" wide and provides enough space for the doors on both the existing and new panels to open 90°.  Note that while this alcove need not be centered on the existing or new panels (and it won't be, in order to accommodate both of them in the same niche), it will need to extend floor-to-ceiling, due to the height requirements in 110.26(A)(3).

As to specifying the subpanel itself...

Given that your existing main panel is an Eaton CH, you are going to be limited to a 125A subpanel/feeder by the fact that the CH line lacks breakers upwards of 125A (CH2150s and 2200s used to exist, but were discontinued a while ago).  As a result of this, and the fact there is no 30-space, 125A rated, main lug or convertible loadcenter in the Eaton CH line, we have a choice -- either you can go with the Eaton CHP24L125X2 (less costly, but shorts you on spaces), or the Eaton CHP32L150X5 (costlier and harder to find).

For either choice of subpanel, you'll want a CH2125 for the main panel to serve as your feeder breaker, along with a 1.5" RMC nipple of appropriate length, a tensile-capable stud shoe such as the Simpson HSS2-SDS1.5 with its full complement of specified fasteners, 3' of 1/0 Al XHHW-2 to connect the feeder breaker to the subpanel, and a NL20 neutral lug for the main panel to connect the feeder neutral to, as well as minor parts such as locknuts and fasteners, and some THHN and wirenuts of the appropriate size to pigtail the wiring for the displaced breaker over to its new home.

...and installing it

The nipple will go through a bored hole centered widthwise in the existing stud, with the stud shoe over the top of the bore to reinforce it, as per the 60% rule for reinforced bores in IRC R602.6, which allows a 2.1" bore vs the 1.9" OD of a 1.5" nominal rigid metal conduit.  Furthermore, this hole will be located and the nipple placed to connect the bottom KO on the right side of the existing panel to the bottom KO on the left side of the new panel, as these KOs are 1.5" at their smallest, and our rigid nipple provides both a grounding connection from the new panel back to the old and 800mm2 of fill for inter-panel wiring as per the 60% nipple fill rule in the NEC, which is ample space for both the feeder wires (at just over 300mm2) and all 24 branch circuits fed from the new panel, if need be (at just over 400mm2, assuming they are all individual 20A branch circuits and they are all being moved over from the main panel). Furthermore, you'll want to invert the new panel's interior when it is installed so that the main lugs sit at the bottom (this will make wiring easier).

Once we have the conduit and new panel installed, then we can move onto the feeder breaker and wires.  You will first need to take the wires off of a 2 pole breaker or adjacent pair of one pole breakers (as well as any matching neutrals), transplant those breakers into the new subpanel, and run THHN pigtails through the nipple from the old breaker's new home to the existing wiring, making the connection in the old breaker panel using the wirenuts, since it appears your existing panel is a 32-space unit that is full to the brim.

Once you have space free for the feeder breaker, you will then install it into the main panel along with the feeder neutral lug, and then run the fat aluminum wires from the feeder breaker and neutral lug in the main panel to the appropriate main lugs in the subpanel.  You will need to ensure that all connections here are torqued to manufacturer specifications, as well, with am inch-pound torque wrench or torque screwdriver.  This is a new Code requirement, found in Section 110.14(D) of the 2017 NEC, and also important to keep your electrical system from pulling a Greg Biffle on you.


How big of a transfer grille do I need between two 500 sqft rooms if I want to balance humidity

Since the original plans seem to call for a 14x24 grill, that seems to be a really good place to start.
I'd plan ahead to either add a fan to encourage air movement if that's not sufficient and/or add more venting between the rooms.


How to install crown molding to ceiling only

There's no reason that you can't fasten crown molding to ceiling joists... except that they'll probably only be present along half your walls. Unless you happen to have a hip roof design, the other half will run parallel to the joists and you probably won't have backing. In that case, trim screws with hollow-wall anchors may work, or nails backed up with project adhesive.

It's also possible that you have a narrow ceiling backer at the corner (denoted below with #), to which you could fasten a larger backer (denoted with *). It might have the same angle that your crown molding does on the back. You'd then fasten your crown to that.

##_________
|*/ /
|/ /
| /
|/
|


How should I connect a new dimmer switch?

You are going to need to identify the hot and the switched hot. It looked like the hot goes to black and the switched hot goes to the brown. Connect white to whites and ground to ground as you thought.


What lower-profile options do I have to replace a triple 2x12 beam?

You can do it with LVL.
Grabbing the first LVL spec sheet I came across (Boise Cascade, from https://www.bc.com/versa-lam-lvl-span-size-chart/), I find a Versa-Lam LVL 2.1E 3100 has an allowable bending stress of 3100 psi. That will get you above the 2930 psi from your friend's calculations. So let's start there.
That LVL comes in (among other sizes) 3.5" x 7.25", which is really close to your existing doubled 2x8. In fact, it's enough bigger that it'll give you I (=bh3/12)) of 111.1 in4, up from the 90.4 in4 of your current beam.
Bending
So then your bending stress (fb=MC/I) becomes (74390 * 3.625)/111.1 = 2426.2 psi. That's below the 2930 psi allowable, so that will work.
Shear
The allowable shear for that LVL is 4821 pounds -- well above the 1725 pounds that you need to carry.
Deflection
The LVL also has a higher modulus of elasticity (E) than typical dimensional lumber, but will have a smaller I than the triple 2x12, so let's check.
Deflection = 5WL4/384EI = 5 * 20 * 172.54 / 384 * 2,000,000 * 111.1 = 1.04 inches. That's slightly over the 0.96 inches allowed. You could go up one size (to a 3.5 X 9.25 or to a 5.25 x 7.25) and that would get the deflection back under 0.96 inches.


non-metallic flex conduit permissible locations

The closest thing to reaching a prohibition is...

356.12 Uses Not Permitted. LFNC shall not be used as follows:
(1) Where subject to physical damage...


I’d replace the kitchen material or use a different material (like tile). If you must install similar material, I’d Install it in Direction “A”, because:

1) Installing material that is NOT identical in the same direction will look like a “mistake”.

2) Material across a hall will look like scraps were used.

3) Make a bold statement by using a different colored threshold material between the kitchen and living room.


Are cap staples eventually visible under asphalt roof shingles?

Probably. I wouldn't do that. Modern fiberglass shingles are fairly thin compared to the organic (paper) mat ones of the old days, and you will likely see the bulges after a few hot days.

The manufacturer probably only recommends using cap staples under the assumption that it will sit exposed for some period of time and needs to hold up to the wind. It's completely pointless otherwise, as a million shingle nails eventually hold it down anyway.


How big a problem is wood embedded in a basement concrete floor?

The concrete floor shouldn't be effected by the embedded lumber even if it should deteriorate. If the concrete floor was poured to an appropriate thickness and mixed correctly it's best to leave the wood in place. From your photo the first thought I had was they were used as striking boards when the floor was poured, but most people remove them after the concrete is leveled. On the positive side; they can be used as attachment points if you ever decide to install sleeper's for a finished floor.


If you're running the wiring along the floor of the attic; or within 7' of the floor, you'll have to protect the wiring within 6' of the point of access. Unless the attic is accessible via a permanent staircase or ladder, then you'll have to protect the wiring run across the floor (or within 7' of the floor) throughout the entire attic.

I've quoted the actual code on this elsewhere on the site


What can I use to automatically turn off a bathroom heater after a fixed time?

You don't say the power specifications of the heater so be very careful about the switching you select.  If it is a simple 120volt electric heater, you could go with something like a Leviton LTB02-1LZ but the wattage of your heater may be too high.

There are other switches available that will probably handle the load but you will need to know exactly what your heater requires.


3 Way Dimmer Switch Shuts Off When Dimmer Is Above 60% when turning on after inactivity

Well big ups to @ThreePhaseEel for the suggestion to call Lutron customer support. Did not expect them to have 24/7 support, and stateside to boot. I first verified that one of the switches was a 4-way switch (visible even with the panel plate still on as the switch is beefier than a normal light switch) and that I had not messed with that, so was good there.

Lutron support was indeed very helpful - I explained the scenario with what I was experiencing, and the guy said it is probably a "current limiter" on the fan. Apparently all ceiling fans manufactured after Jan 1, 2007 are required to have a light bulb wattage limiter per the Energy Policy Act of 2005 which caps the total wattage allowed to be used by all bulbs at 190 watts. I was using three candelabra-style 60w incandescent bulbs, and as mentioned they did work normally with the dimmer switch after the light and/or switch was on and presumably warmed up after 10 minutes or so. The tech. support guy with Lutron explained that the way dimmer switches work is that they basically cycle the power on and off at about 120 times per second, which matches the line cycle rate or something (I'm not an electrician, obviously). But, he thought the limiter might be interpreting that as some sort of power spike, and I guess when the limiter / light wasn't "warmed up". This made sense as I noticed there was a light but audible click whenever the lights would turn off during an episode of this annoying behavior.

So, to test this theory, I tried turning the light off for a half hour to cool it, and then removed one bulb to reduce the wattage used (now 2 bulbs), and when I turned the light on and moved the dimmer toggle slide up to full blast, the lights did not turn off. This told me that the regular incandescent bulbs in concert with the dimmer and the stock wattage limiter were causing the light to switch off as it had. I ran out and bought 3 60w equivalent dimmable LED candelabra style lights which use something like 6.5 watts each total, and I installed those, and sure enough, they worked perfectly when turning the light on. Good to go.


Can somebody help me understand this door chime wiring?

Since the batteries were there it probably did not have mains power connections. I have installed a few battery chimes and they last amazingly long time. Yours looks like a 2 location version (front door back door). I have not seen a chime that uses mains power that also required batteries , they may be out there but if you have a front door button and back door button I would bet that’s all there is no mains connections.


How to hang IKEA KUNGSFOR kitchen suspension rails, partly in stud, partly in plasterboard

I know you say you are not going to put a row of heavy jars on - but you are probably going to leave that in place when you eventually move out, and the new owner may have different ideas.

For this sort of application I would go for the strongest fixings available - which are a gravity toggle.  Fischer claim theirs have a pull-out strength of 20kg which gives you plenty of margin for error.

This page gives details of the various sorts of plasterboard fixing available, and their ratings. (Note: that is the Fischer site, but other manufacturers have very similar products available.)


Chronic Flame Sensor Failure - Furnace and Water Heater

Check with your local natural gas utility. That's the company that actually delivers the gas - the same one you call for leaks, but don't call the emergency line for this problem. They may have a pattern of problems, and you would be another point for analysis. Or they may even have a solution.

While different, this reminds me of problems in my area (Maryland) years ago where lots of people got copper b water pipe pinhole leaks. Eventually it was traced to the chemicals in the water and the problem was resolved, though not until after plenty of people (myself included) had to pay to fix their pipes.


How can I figure out what material my row home's interior and party walls are made out of?

Sounds like plaster walls and the ceiling is gypsum boards covered with just a skim coat of plaster. My house in the midwest US has a similar setup. It was during a transition period (40s-50s) from lathes to gypsum boards so the walls have lathe and then rough and finish plaster but the ceilings have gypsum boards covered with a thin finish plaster.

To hang pictures and stuff, I typically start the hole with a drill to get through the harder plaster layer and then tap the nail in the rest of the way. For heavy shelves in the closets, I've drilled holes and used those plastic inserts you tap in with a hammer and then put a screw into.


As of 2014 the NEC requires tamper resistant outlets. You are correct about how to install a GFCI at the head of a circuit and replace the old receptacles with new three pronged receptacles, But the NEC requires that the receptacles be labeled as “No Equipment Ground” . When you purchase the GFCI's those labels should be in the box with the GFCI's.


My basement has a 4 inch perforated drain pipe in 16 inches of washed septic gravel under the concrete floor.  It is reduced to a smaller diameter and taken up to the roof.  It is to vent any radon or any other gas that might be under the floor.  Could the OP's pipe be a vent?


How to get rid of mold behind garage door railing

It's mold. Spray some straight bleach on it.


Ceiling fixture crossbar with 45° rotation

They make a lot of different crossbars and adapters, including some that swivel. Have you tried one like these?:

I recommend a good ol' local mom and pop hardware store rather than some big-box warehouse chain store.


Can I add a retaining wall to the base of the existing face?

Wood exposed to earth, or even gravel, as you discovered, is a compromise at best. You can hedge your bet by using treated wood. Use wood with the maximum amount of preservative. "Outdoor wood" is not enough, the preservative levels must be at least adequate for ground contact. Preferably wood treated for foundation service should be used. Doing something to ensure any water that does contact the wood can easily drain away is also important, as well as trying to prevent water contact in the first place.

9" of soil does not impart much of a lateral load, so almost any retaining structure will suffice. Still, it would be better to not involve the fence if possible IMO. How far back from the existing structure would depend on what you end up doing to retain the extra earth. You could extend the existing structure, which would obviously have 0 offset. At the other extreme, relying on gravity to retain the earth, such as placing a row of large stones, you would want to see a minimum 45 degree slope between the existing wall and the tops of the new structure.

By using an impervious retaining material like stone or concrete blocks, you can backfill with plain soil, no gravel is required for minimal height walls. Taller structures often backfill with stones to prevent hydrostatic pressure from pushing on the wall. When back filling against wood, do everything reasonably possible to prevent water from contacting the wood, even if it is treated.


There needs to be a 1/4" gap next to all walls to allow the flooring room to expand.

This gap should be covered with trim of some sort.  The problem with baseboard alone, is that most baseboard is 3/8" thick, leaving only an 1/8" of an inch for the wood to contract without exposing the edge. This also assumes that the flooring is laid with tremendous precision, which it is likely not.

So your options are:

Find thicker baseboards.  Door and window casing comes in 3/4" thickness and can be used.
Use quarter round or shoe molding to thicken the baseboard.
Use door stop in the same way you would use shoe molding.
Undercut the drywall so the flooring can expand underneath and use regular baseboard (thanks Matthew)

I had the 3rd option done in my basement, and it turned out pretty nicely.

I would also recommend the caulk.  It makes everything look nicer.


How to restore marble and granite surfaces?

Assuming you don't have extensive scratching or damage to your countertops, sometimes a simple acrylic sealer/refinsiher will work great.  You will need to clean the tops thoroughly with a non abrasive cleaner and rinse completely.  After they are dry, simply apply the acrylic sealer with a lint free smooth cloth evenly over the whole surface.  Let this dry for an hour or two and repeat the application. After the last coat is completely dry, buff with a soft cloth.  Usually two or three very thin coats and a good buff will restore a nice shine. This should last a year or more depending on the amount of use the tops get.  Do not use abrasive cleaners in the future. Simple glass or all purpose cleaner is fine. You may also consider having some anti-bacterial solution (looks like water) in a spray bottle for quick safe cleanups.


Stuck, leaking water shutoff valve to toilet

If the drip becomes a flood, it's not the cost of the water you should be concerned with; it's the water damage.

You say the leak seems to be coming from the valve itself, and your reasoning makes sense; if the toilet's dry it means the valve is turned off, so it's probably not any fitting beyond the valve stem. This means that the shutoff valve gasket, or the valve itself, has worn out or corroded and needs replacing. This happens over time; just like the flapper valves in the toilet and other elements of your plumbing, the shutoff valves corrode with acidic water, calcify in hard water, deteriorate in highly chlorinated water, and just plain wear out from use and water flow of any type over the years.

This is definitely something that nobody would think less of you for if you called in a plumber. However, it is DIY-able. You'll need to shut off the water to the whole house (there should be a shutoff valve near your water meter, wherever that is, and you may need a special tool to turn it off), then bleed the remaining water out of the interior lines (easy as turning on the faucet on the sink to cold, or flushing the toilet a couple times). With a bucket or pan under the valve to catch any remaining water in the line, disconnect the toilet from the valve and open the shutoff valve, letting any remaining water drain out of the line and valve. If this is a first-floor bathroom, there may be quite a bit to drain as the upstairs supply pipes will drain out as well. You can help it drain faster by opening a couple of faucets upstairs (providing a vent for the pipe stack similar to what you have in drain pipes). If it never seems to stop, you probably didn't completely shut off the outside valve.

Once the line is drained, you can work with the valve. The first thing to check is the fitting between the valve and toilet, since you have that apart anyway. Check the gaskets/washers on either side of the fitting. Some are compression fittings, and work by sealing a copper or nylon line against a ball inside the fitting; it won't work well if the end of the line or the ball has deep gouges, scratches, or is generally deteriorated. Most toilet lines are steel-braided rubber with threaded fittings, and usually can be easily replaced if necessary.

The next thing to check, and much more likely to be the problem, are the gasket washers in the shutoff itself. There may be one or two depending on the valve's design; one to seal off the supply line, and another to make the valve stem watertight. The valve stem should be going through a fitting screwed into the valve housing; unscrew that with a crescent wrench and you can take the whole thing out. You can usually also unscrew the handle from the stem and completely disassemble the valve stem. Clean off any calcium deposits from the washers, and inspect them for extreme wear or other deterioration. You can buy a bag of these washers for a couple bucks at your local hardware store. Reassemble the valve with the new washers, close the valve completely, and re-pressurize your house plumbing (make sure to turn off all the faucets you opened to drain the lines) to see if that did the trick.

If that didn't stop the leak, or the valve stem or body appears highly corroded and/or calcified, it may be time to replace the whole thing. With the house shutoff closed again and the lines drained, look at the valve's connection to the wall pipe. There should be either a compression fitting or a threaded NPT connection between the two, and in that case  removing it simply takes your crescent wrench and some elbow grease. Some valves, however, are soldered directly on. If this is the case, I personally would stop and call a pro, but if you're handy with a soldering torch you can get the valve off yourself (careful you don't set the wall behind your toilet on fire). Then, simply take it to your local hardware store and buy a replacement with the same fittings; it should cost you about five to seven bucks. If the valve was threaded onto the wall pipe, get some Teflon tape as well. Use at least four wraps of the tape around the threads of the wall pipe (put it on in a clockwise direction, and stretch it a little to get it to mold to the threads), screw the valve firmly back on to the pipe, then re-pressurize the house again with the new valve closed (and all other faucets off) to check for leaks. If there are none, connect the toilet supply hose, open the shutoff, and make sure it still doesn't leak during and after the toilet fill-up.

If it STILL leaks, call a pro; you may have missed something, or done some damage in removing various parts.


Two showers with two different water temperatures

Your Cartridge comes from the factory with a temperature mix set point. You can adjust the set point on the cartridge - the manufacturers directions should show you how to do this - and since you replaced the cartridge yourself - it should be easy for you to do, and you can then check and adjust your other shower as well if you like.

I will say this - there is no indicator that says 110 Degrees turn to this point here. You will need to do a bit of trial and error ..


What are some DIY alternatives to drywall that I can carry up a narrow staircase?

What about cutting the sheets in half before you carry them up? It will give you more joints, requiring more mudding though.


Is it "normal" for a vacuum cleaner to trigger an arc fault breaker?

The arc fault breaker detects arcing between wires in appliance cords or house wiring which could cause fires.  Unfortunately, such similar arcing also occurs in electric motors as a part of normal operation.  The Arc Fault breakers are supposed know the difference between the two, but often trip anyway.  In my experience, they trip most often when the vacuum turns on or off.

The vacuum tripping the arc fault breaker, by itself, is not an indication of an electrical issue.


Why would all pizeoelectric plugs spark when igniting just one gas stove burner?

Yes, it is a typical for the gas stovetops to light all of the burners even when only one is needed. Note that this applies to stovetops that do not have a standing pilot light. The oven often will have its own ignitor that operates independently of the stovetop.

The reason for this may be in order to reduce the complexity of the stovetop design. With all of the sparkers running in parallel, only one set of electronics is needed for all of the burners, instead of each one having its own electronics (or requiring additional relays). Stoves will often come with schematics showing their wiring, and you could consult these to see how your particular stove is designed.

Note that it is perfectly fine to spark already lit burners (though this will slightly reduce the lifespan of the electrode as it'll erode more quickly at high temperatures), and burners that are turned off (since there's no gas available, it'll have no effect).

There's also a bit of a a safety factor involved. If you have a failed ignitor (blocked with crud or broken), the plume of gas will be ignited by the other burner before it fills up more of the room, thereby creating a smaller fireball than it would have otherwise.


Rotary hammers, how many joules to hammer through concrete slab?

It's mostly going to be about speed - if you are patient and like handwork, a star drill and 4 lb / 2 kg hand sledge will drill holes in concrete or granite. If you plan to drill many small holes and then hammer out the plug, the smallest rotary hammer drills will generally do that just fine. The bigger ones may do it much faster, and will do it with bigger bits.

The "nice way" to drill finished holes of the size you want is with a core drill (which just drills around the edge, like a hole saw, leaving a plug or core) but those cost serious money even to rent/hire, usually.


Two things. The battery is no longer charging or the battery charger no longer meters output from the charger circuit for a match with the battery voltage.
If you can borrow a charger you can check the battery charging capability. If not start with a new battery.


Why aren't siding nail holes a concern with tyvek housewrap?

While products like Tyvek do act as a drain plane to some extent, they're not truly waterproof. They're designed to allow vapor to easily pass, and therefore they're inherently an imperfect waterproofer. They should be considered a second line of defense against flawed siding installation and occasional wind-blown water intrusion.

The flashing around windows and other penetrations has as much to do with stopping airflow as it does with stopping water. Housewrap is mostly concerned with air leakage, which can dramatically affect the energy efficiency of a building's envelope.

The bottom line is that nails in the field are less likely to be subject to water on a regular basis, and they do somewhat self-seal. Window flashing is much better at self-sealing and is used in high-risk areas. Housewrap should not be considered a substitute for proper siding drain planning. Steel and vinyl siding channels, for example, must lap properly in order to direct the flow of water outside the siding.


Is it wrong to install both a whole house humidifier and a whole house de-humidifier?

The problem is that your air conditioner is probably over sized or the fan speed is set too high. An air conditioners primary function is to remove moisture from the air. To big of an air conditioner and it drops the temperature too fast and can't pull down the relative humidity. If the fan speed is too high then the interior coil doesn't get cool enough to cause water to condense and drip into the drain. There are a few ways to make the air conditioner do its primary job of humidity removal work better. The simplest is lowering the fan speed. This  link explains some tactics with a little detail. Air conditioning is tricky and it requires many measurements with specialized tools. It's not really a DIYer job but, with enough acquired knowledge anyone can understand it. Lots of installers and service techs don't actually know what they are doing. They often set the fan to the highest available speed, install the largest equipment possible, charge the system with the beer can cold method and generally accept that if it's blowing cold air it's perfect. That is not the case. Get a good, reputable service tech over and explain the issue. You don't need a dehumidifier, you need to set up the one you have. A good tech will have your house cool and dry in no time.

I'm from Toronto, we get a dry -40°F to a very sticky 110°F. If we can get by without dehumidifiers here, you can in Pennsylvania.