Is corrosion inhibitor paste conductive?

The paste inside the AlumiConn does not negatively affect the electrical connection. When the screw is tightened the paste between wire and the metal screw and the metal body of the AlumiConn is squeezed out.

You can use these for copper wires, but it is really unnecessary. In the upper picture the end of the wire is stripped too long. The insulation on the wire is supposed to be inside the skirt of the insulation on the AlumiConn. I think there is a strip gauge on back of the Alumiconn.

EDIT Memory failure! Just looked at my stash of AlumiConns and there's no strip gauge on the insulation.


My whirlpool Cabreo dryer isn’t drying put in heating element still not drying what can it be

The leading cause of a dryer not heating is a thermal safety on the power to the heating element.
These are usually attached to the heater or duct and usually easy to get to a plugged or limited air flow is the reason they usually open.


Duct Cleaning: Is Duct Sealer Necessary, Non-Toxic?

It depends (but likely no).
IMO, duct cleaning does have it's place in today's world (pet hair/allergen reduction for example).  However, it likely only needs done once every 10-15 years in most cases.
Duct sealer is basically like the sealant you can put in a bicycle tube to fix a leak except that since ducts aren't a completely closed system like a tube, it will either dry (sealing) or be evacuated when the process is complete.  Its also airborne instead of a sludge/goop since it needs to travel large distances.  It will travel through the ducts and seal any small gaps in corners of ducts or along the seams.  The intent is to reduce air loss into what would be presumably the structure of your house (inside walls and ceilings) by making sure everything that goes in (at the furnace/ac blower) comes out an open vent.
The following is what my HVAC installer (not the sales man) told me when they installed my new heat pump.  Unless your home was designed to be air-tight (with the appropriate filtration/recirculation systems in place to bring in fresh air), there is little to no gain to be had by sealing your ducts.  If you were going to retrofit an existing non-airtight home to be airtight, my guess is that the duct work would need to be mostly replaced anyway (especially returns since they frequently run between joists with no actual ductwork in places) and even if you didn't replace the ductwork, sealing the existing ducts would be near the bottom of the to-do list.  Lastly, They probably didn't tell you this but depending on the ductwork in place, it may take more than one application to actually seal the holes since the sealer, will seal only very small gaps and you will have to build up layers.  No idea if the price you were quoted assumed a single application or if they quote for a "complete job".
Since I declined the service, I didn't ask about the contents of the sealer itself but there is mention of this (that it is pretty much an unknown) in the EPA document below.

Here is a link to the EPA document that another answer mentioned:
https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/should-you-have-air-ducts-your-home-cleaned
The first sentence is:

Knowledge about air duct cleaning is in its early stages, so a blanket recommendation cannot be offered as to whether you should have your air ducts in your home cleaned.

There are two sections of that document that apply directly to your question:

Should chemical biocides be applied to the inside of air ducts?

And

Do sealants prevent the release of dust and dirt particles into the air?
Manufacturers of products marketed to coat and encapsulate duct surfaces claim that these sealants prevent dust and dirt particles inside air ducts from being released into the air. As with biocides, a sealant is often applied by spraying it into the operating duct system. Laboratory tests indicate that materials introduced in this manner tend not to completely coat the duct surface. Application of sealants may also affect the acoustical (noise) and fire retarding characteristics of fiber glass lined or constructed ducts and may invalidate the manufacturer's warranty.
Questions about the safety, effectiveness and overall desirability of sealants remain. For example, little is known about the potential toxicity of these products under typical use conditions or in the event they catch fire.
In addition, sealants have yet to be evaluated for their resistance to deterioration over time which could add particles to the duct air.


How to remove a doorknob with no visible screws?

post a pic . sounds like a kwikset titan and if it is you rotate cc about 15 deg and it should pop off. may be an old corbin where there are 2 rectangles at 12 o clock and six o clock. push them away from the latch with and the knob will literally pop off.


The valve is soldered onto the pipe. To remove it, you would need to cut the pipe just behind the valve. The new valve would also need a solder connection.


Does tar roof patch on EDPM rubber roof cause damage?

Never, ever, feed them after midnight!
Like gremlins, rubber roofs are very special and cool... But they have rules.  You can get a rubber roof wet. You can expose it to direct sun.
But you can't put tar on it!
Ever.  Not even a little.
That product has a lot of fancy-dancy language designed to convince you to buy it.  But it's tar-based, like any such product that doesn't specifically say otherwise.  Go deep enough into the data sheets, it says it conforms with the material standards for tar roof patch.
What you did is the common ending for many a rubber roof.  Consumer has a leak. Consumer knows nothing about rubber roofs. Goes down to the big-box store and grabs a can of goop that says it fixes leaks. (tar, naturally).  Smears it liberally on leak.  Leak stops, consumer declares victory.  Over the next year, the rubber degrades, bloats, crinkles and comes unglued.  Meanwhile the tar dries out (as it always does) and cracks, reintroducing the leak.  Now they find a crinkled, cancerous mess, and what does the consumer say? "Wow, rubber roofs suck".
/facepalm

Here sat a broom and a can of tar roof patch.  It had been used by amateurs 5-7 years prior, to patch the adjacent metal roof, and was forgotten.  The drippage/leakage completely trashed the rubber.  The rubber underneath where the can was, is pretty much liquified.  Beyond, you can see rubber roof seams done properly.
Recover from this mess immediately
Yes, the tar has to go. ALL the tar.  Including the tar splatter that wasn't even an intended part of the repair.
You'll need to find a local home store (mind you: this may need to be more upscale than Home Depot) that sells DIY EPDM rubber roofs.  Ours sells a system called Rubberall for instance.  Get their installation and repair guides, and read carefully what they say about patching rubber roofs.
It would be ideal to use the documentation from the actual roof you do have, but generally, an EPDM roof is an EPDM roof, so you should expect competing brands to be compatible unless they advertise theirs as superior/different in some way.
I expect them to specify:

The EPDM rubber roof material (which the store will happily sell you by-the-foot, though it will be 10' wide)... this stuff is cheap.
Glue for gluing rubber to rubber.  (not so cheap)
Edging caulk to put around the exposed edge of the rubber.

Then you need to completely cut away all rubber which touched tar in any way, including the places you randomly dripped it.  To be clear, you cannot simply overlay the rubber roof patch on top of the tar -- the tar will be touching the patch and will corrode it as well.
Your patch needs whatever overlap the instructions say. EPDM is cheap, rework is expensive.
Very important - on the patch overlap area (where old meets new) you need to clean (do surface preparation) according to instructions.  Do not use random chemicals like paint thinner to do the prep, or you'll have the problem all over again!


Attic ladder for tight space, little clearance

Telescopic ladders are available that fit in a very tight space


Should I caulk the top and bottom of my windows on the outside?

In these photos, it looks as through there is a foam backing strip -- this was probably put in to form a seal a long time ago, when the gap was smaller. If this is the case, you might want to get another foam strip and put it in the gap to seal it.

Also in the second picture, it looks like there is an old caulk joint at the bottom of the image, which has cracked over time.

It's possible that these gaps get larger and smaller over the course of seasons, but I don't think that caulking them on the edges would build up enough force to mess anything up. My guess for why they're there at all is that the components were aligned flush when the house was constructed, and there was no need to caulk them.

The major downside I'd expect is that removing those window frames might be slightly more of a pain if you ever decide to have them replaced.

The answers on a previous question regarding this subject mentioned a couple things about trapping water in, so this might be a good point to start off for more research:

Should Caulk be used around vinyl windows


How should I hang a 35 lb pool table light from my ceiling?

You could definitely design and build structure in the attic, get threaded rods, etc., that would support this light fixture, but it would be 10 or 100 times easier to get a proper ceiling fan rated box that would do the job. In this case get one that is rated for 70 lb.

You evidently don't have the instructions for this particular fixture and may not have all the mounting parts. Generic mounting parts would probably work, but would have to be mounting parts rated for a light fixture like this and not just metal brackets that "look like" they would do the job. Go online and get instructions for this particular fixture.

EDIT

If this fixture is designed to be suspended from more than one mounting point, then simpler mountings could be used because weight would be distributed. If the fixture that is 3 ft away is controlled a wall switch and you want to use that switch for the pool table light, then that would be a much easier install. You could run a 14/2 + gnd cable (if this is a 15-A circuit but 12/2 if this is a 20-A circuit) in the attic from the existing light to a new box for the new fixture.

I would imagine that two suspension points would be sufficient and these could be 24 inches apart on adjacent joists. If so, then fairly ordinary hooks could be screwed into the joists to support the fixture and one standard electrical box placed suitably for the wiring connection. In this type of installation the box would not be used for suspension.

EDIT

You use decorative hooks like these if the chain or a carabiner at the end is large enough to go over the hook oil rubbed bronze swag hooks and you wanted a finished look or you could use heavy steel hooks for a more industrial functional look.

EDIT

Some hooks that I like are decorative hooks but there are many choices. You could even drape a wire from the other fixture under the ceiling and have a connection in shallow surface mounted box, a so called "pancake box" which could just be attached to the surface of the ceiling with screws into plastic anchors since in this installation it would not be used to support the fixture but only the chain through which the wire would be intertwined. But honesty it looks a lot better to have the wiring hidden.


I would definitely NOT try to support the full weight of a tub with any kind of insulation.

I would not even use lumber since it can swell or warp.

I think I would find patio blocks or bricks the right thickness or pour concrete or mortar leg supports.

Good luck!


I found a solution.  You can buy these on Amazon:
The are called "Retrofit Recessed Downlight Housing C Clips with Self Tapping Screws for Down Light Can"
You screw them onto the wall of the can, and then you have slots to hold the torsion spring of the LED.
They seem to be available only on Amazon (not even the big box stores) so not an easy thing to find.


How do I lower the humidity in my non-vented laundry room?

Try installing a vent in the door, it will allow the room to breath.  Make sure the exhaust from the dryer is sealed all the way around where it exists the wall, then go outside and do the same thing.  Check the roof edge and make sure you aren't having water drain behind the gutter into the wall.  Then climb into the attic when it rains with a big light and watch for water.

Also, get rid of that mold.. it's really bad for you.


How can I stop my lights from dimming when major appliances start up?

Think of the electricity flowing into your house just like water flowing through a pipe.  If you turn on a faucet only halfway then you will probably not notice a drop in pressure elsewhere in the house.  But if your washing machine is filling (or your irrigation system kicks in, etc.) then you will see reduced pressure elsewhere in the house.

The electricity in your house works the same way.  Air conditioners, refrigerators, water pumps, draw a lot of electricity when they first start up and you may see a drop in "pressure" when any of those items turn on:

  Air conditioners, refrigerators,
  freezers, furnaces, etc. that have
  large motors require enormous amounts
  of power when the motor first starts
  to spin up to speed.  Once the motor
  is spinning, the energy requirement
  drops way down. This instantaneous
  need for motor shaft speed is what
  causes that momentary dimming of your
  lights.
  Reference: http://www.askthebuilder.com/QA_Lights_Dim_When_AC_Comes_On.shtml

As @Tester101 mentioned in the comments, you could look into a service upgrade to your house (which might not be a bad idea) but the problem might also be with your water pump.  The pump kicking on/off every 15 seconds may indicate a problem with the pump itself (capacitor or pressure leak) or possibly an incorrectly sized pump for your usage.  You probably want to look into a new/repair/upgrade of the water pump.


Reading your question and the other comments, I'm just answering to try and sum things up.

First a Weather Resistant Receptacle. Provides compliance with 2011 NEC Article 406.9 that states that all receptacles installed in wet and damp locations must be weather resistant.  “WR” designations provide visual identification. Weather Resistant Receptacles offer protection from rain, snow, ice, moisture, and humidity when properly installed in an approved weather protective or while-in-use cover. Weather resistant receptacles are for use in any residential or commercial outdoor location. Designed with enhanced nylon and corrosion resistant metal components Weather resistant receptacles are extra durable.

I think the electrician was just trying to give you the best job he knew how, even though it isn't necessary. Either that or that's the only receptacle he had on hand. There is no problem with installing better than code minimum.

Hope this helps.


Is the carpet in my condo one solid continuous piece?

Carpet is generally sold in 12' wide rolls.

Good carpet installers use a combination of seam tape and a good stiff comb to make seams vanish.

What they do is lay down the "tape" which is actually a 4" wide strip of cloth mesh coated in wax.

They then butt the seams of the carpet up together nice and tight, and run a hot iron under the carpet between the seams (see the label on the pic above) and while the wax is still melted, press the carpet into it.  Then they just comb the carpet together to hide what seam may still show.

Sounds easy but having tried it once - NEVER AGAIN.  I will hire a carpet installer any day of the week.


How can I seal a roof vent to resolve drafts in my home?

You apparently haven't asked yourself why that's there in the first place. Attic ventilation is a critical component of a healthy home, and you should not block it without good reason. A bit of errant of snow is not a good reason, nor is flawed sealing of your home's livable space.

Your habitable space should be sealed completely from the outside world via your ceiling, not your roof. Find what's leaking in your ducts or the penetrations they require and deal with that to solve your problem. That may require moving insulation to foil-tape or caulk duct joints, and adding spray foam or other sealer around where they pass through the ceiling.

It's not uncommon for a fine dusting of snow to be blown in past attic vent screens on occasion, which isn't cause for alarm. It'll sublimate (evaporate) away over time. Now, if it's a half inch or more thick you probably want to upgrade the vent housing to a better or more suitable design.


It may be strong enough to put that aquarium up there but there are a raft of factors that would seem, when taken all together, to discourage you from pursuing this idea.

Aquariums require regular servicing and having it up so high will be a total pain in the tush when it comes to cleaning and adding water and so forth.
Cleaning aquariums is usually a wet and messy job. The possibility of spilling water down over electronics or water damage to the "decent" looking furniture is a high risk.
The backer board in that shelving unit may very well be made of a thin cardboard material that has a nice wood grain printed surface. Such material would not stand up to providing side to side stiffening of the unit with all that weight on top even if you laid flat 2x12's across the top of the unit.
The upper shelving unit is not built into the lower unit as an integral structure. This leads to concern the unit could buckle out the middle under  possible earth quake conditions even if the top of the upper unit were to be secured to the wall.
If you have kids in the house, or ever plan, to be aware that they can and will attempt to climb up on shelves. An aquarium up there is bound to capture attention or curiosity. It would be extremely unfortunate if a child were attempting to climb and the very top heavy shelf and aquarium were to collapse, fall or be pulled down with said child underneath.
From a pure aesthetics standpoint even the empty aquarium looks very top heavy up there to the point of being almost ugly in this observer's opinion.


Ceiling fan light flickers whenever fan is turned off

Two gotchas here.

You can't put a dimmer on a fan.  Fans require a fan speed controller which is a different sort of thing.  Even if you never use the dimmer in middle settings, most dimmers are also doing that dimming thing at lowest (nominal off) and highest settings.  Since you don't care that much about dimming, change it to a plain switch.
You must not put a fan on a plain junction box.  It doesn't have the strength.  A fan's vibration will tear a normal junction box out of the wall. So change that box to a fan-rated junction box if it isn't one already.


Can I wire a dimmer in series with another dimmer?

No, this really won't work.  Suppose you have 2 dimmers at 20% and 50%.   You are hoping the effect will be multiplicative, that is, 50% of 20% is 10%.  It won't.

Two SCR dimmers in series will, at best, give you the lower dimming level of the two, i.e. 20%.

A PWM dimmer, commonly used on dedicated LED circuits, pulses at its own high frequency. If you have two of them, they will pulse at different frequencies.  This will create a much lower "beat frequency", in music this is what makes it annoying when instruments are out of tune with each other.  In light, this would look like pulsing or shimmering.  You won't like it.

Actual LED emitters can be dimmed very effectively to absolutely any light level. Turn the LED on for 10 microseconds and off for 990 microseconds, you will get 1% brightness - they can be controlled that precisely.   It's a lot harder in built commercial products, which have to work with a variety of existing dimmer technologies made for incandescents, and also hit a "price point" that will make you snatch it off the shelf at Home Depot.  The result of these compromises is lousy dimming range.


Removing old baseboard heaters and thermostat

I will assume you mean the thermostats that are on the wall separate from the baseboard heaters, not the ones built into the heaters. These should be installed on top of an electrical box.  You can remove the wires from the thermostat, cap them with wire nuts, tuck them into the box, and install a blank cover plate over the box.  When selecting wire nuts, read the instructions and find wire nuts that are rated for a single wire of the size you're capping.  Put a wrap of tape on there for good measure.

Hopefully the baseboard units were installed on top of boxes - sometimes they are installed with the wire coming through a hole in the drywall secured in the heater.  You shouldn't just cap these wires and tuck them in the wall, if there's no box I'd install a box just to hold the decommissioned wires.

You can also disconnect the wires from the breakers in the panel if there's nothing else left on those circuits.  You can cap the wires the same way in the electrical panel.

Some would say that if the wires are disconnected from the breaker, you don't have to worry about capping the wires in boxes, but in my opinion it's better to cap them in a box and maybe use them in the future, and if someone does connect them to power in the future, you don't create any hazard.


What happens when a vapor barrier is too close to the cold side?

You put the vapor barrier on the inside of insulation to prevent cold air from getting near the vapor barrier. If warm, humid air is touching a cold surface, the water will condense out, just like you see on a glass of ice water on a hot, humid day. This condensation is a bad thing, since the presence of water over a long period of time will cause mold to grow. The moisture may reduce the effectiveness of your insulation. It may cause dry rot in your home. It may cause other problems, attracting bugs who like moist places.

How can you fix this? Turning the insulation to lie in the proper orientation is clearly the best solution.

I suppose one could put an additional layer of vapor barrier on the inside. That will stop the inside, moisture laden air from getting to that middle layer. The problem is, this will create a layer of insulation that does not breath. Any moisture in there will never escape, and you will have the same problems as I mentioned above. So this could potentially be a bad solution.

Better seems to add more insulation to the outside, with NO vapor barrier on it. That will prevent the cold air from getting near the vapor barrier. It may not be possible, or even terribly easy. But this is why you try to do things the right way the first time.


How to operate automatic sprinkler system anti-siphon valve

The type of anti-siphon valve you are likely using is not intended be constantly under pressure. It is not intended to have down stream valves actually controlling flow. It is meant to only be active for the duration of an irrigation cycle, then to have pressure removed when the sprinklers are turned off.

The proper device in this situation is a reduced pressure backflow device. It is much more expensive than irrigation anti-siphon valves, but it can serve many stations instead of installing a basic anti-siphon valve for each station. It also allows more flexibility in control valve placement because you don't need an anti-siphon valve sticking up after every valve.

Yes, you could just run out and turn on the main valve before the sprinklers cycle, then turn it off when finished, but that defeats the purpose of having an automatic sprinkler system.

How do I know all this? I did the exact same thing and had the exact same problem!


Can previously stained pine logs be stained darker later?

Probably not if you have finished the logs with some type of sealer such as a varnish or polyurethane.

If not totally sealed you can with stain/finish products that basically paint on. This type of finish would be very similar to modern types of exterior semi-translucent water based deck stain/finish.


How can I prevent multiple socket from being damaged?

It's more likely that the problem you're experiencing is high inrush current. All the gear you have connected is going to use switchmode power supplies, which have characteristic high inrush current when first connected to power as large capacitors inside charge. The inrush current for a switchmode supply can be many times higher than its normal consumption, though only for a very short period (less than a second). See the inrush current row of this table.

It is possible that the combined inrush is enough to damage your board/pop fuses. The only way around this would be a board that can handle more current (may not be practical/easy to find one), or to stagger-start the devices - that, is don't have them all energise at once. Neither of these solutions is ideal, you may need to look at spreading the devices over two boards.


What are some tips/techniques for applying knockdown texture to drywall?

Preparation: definitely use a drop cloth.  Because it's a wet job, I'd also recommend a putting down a layer of painter's plastic on top of the drop cloth.  This will catch most of the splatter and makes clean-up a lot easier -- simply roll up the plastic.  I believe the texture compound has some adhesive properties, so as long as the walls are clean, it'll stick just fine.
Fixing mistakes: you'll have several minutes to decide if you like how the job looks.  If it doesn't, just scrape off the texture and start over.
Tools: a knockdown knife is much bigger than most taping knives, so you have to do fewer passes with it for a given area, so fewer places where you could have lines.  My texture guy actually uses a hawk instead of a knife (he puts globs of texture on the hawk, then presses it onto the wall), so the tool doesn't really matter.
Tips: don't use too much texture compound; each droplet will get spread out quite a bit when you knock it down.  Don't press too hard with the tool: you're spreading it out, not scraping it off.  After it dries, you'll likely have little pointy bits sticking out where the tool pulls away from the wall; go back over the surface with your taping knife to knock them off (otherwise they'll break off when you roll primer or paint over them and you'll have little bits of texture in your paint!)


Many dimmers need a minimum wattage load to function. Four of the LEDs is 29.2W and is probably too low for the dimmer. The single remaining halogen alone is 39W (I assume it worked with the dimmer alone) so it's close. Try replacing the dimmer with one designed for LEDs.


Replacing ceiling fan with regular light and new fixture won't shut off

... it was supposed to be a comment but I don't have enough rep to do that.

It looks like you have connected the 'live' of the former fan (that almost surely was turned on by pulling a cord) to the 'bulb' cable.

My suggestion is open the wall switch and taking note of colours: you have to connect to the light fixture the cable of the same color as the one coming from the switch

... my guess is that red was coming from the switch and black was the fan's 'live'. so just swap back with red and all should work (at worst the light won't lit)

PS: remember to insulate the unused cable

EDIT: my guess was right: black is the live (from brakers) and red is the swiched line. swap black cable (on the fixture) with the red one and your issue willbe solved

SO:
White: neutral (common)

Black: Live (uninterrupted) - not to be connected for lighting

Red: Live (interrupted by the switch)


Is painted shoe molding more expensive than stained shoe molding?

Well it is about the same unless you are using gold paint.   Both require a couple coats, and my opinion is nail holes easier to cover when painting.

Also you are right in making sure the shoe molding matches trim.   It is ultra awkward when it matches the floor.  (however if it is a new floor you shouldn't have to have shoe molding at all)

My take is get a quote for just the molding from someone local - see if there is a difference.   Take it to your contractor.   He didn't do the job.   So you take that amount off the bill or he does it.   It is that easy.


What's this thing (air gap?) in my hotel's bathroom?

At least they used chrome, if the tube went into the drain there could be reverse migration if the drain was slow the separation is a requirement for food processing chillers to prevent back flow. This is probably a safety for a boiler or the piping.


Replace or clean stained carpet after mold issues?

If it's coming back through, it's not dry underneath. Aside from who is going to be paying for it, builder or insurance, you need to get that up, test the floor underneath for damp & then, depending on result, get the builder back in or see if a dehumidifier can get it dry. I wouldn't lay any new flooring until you can assess the damp below and I wouldn't dream of putting that back down again.


Is it alright to run furnace and turn off gas?

I presume you want to do this just to circulate air? Do you have a thermostat connected to the furnace? If you do, you might have an option to turn the blower on manually.

If so, you could set the system "off" (cooling, heating, off), then turn on the blower and let it run without worrying about the furnace continually triggering the igniter or locking out. Or maybe you can put your thermostat in "heat" mode, turn the setting up higher than the actual temperature and turn the blower on. The blower will run, but the furnace won't try to ignite and it won't matter whether the gas is turned on or off.

For example, the Honeywell thermostat pictured below lets you turn the blower on whether the thermostat of set for Heat, Off or Cool.


Hybrid 1ph/3ph load center fed by rotary phase converter?

Yes! It can be done.

But it's fairly tricky.  L1 and L2 are a single phase which is center-tapped for neutral.  It is not possible to bend it to an angle other than its natural 180 degrees.  But it is possible to disregard neutral entirely, and treat L1-L2 as a single phase. And use them as two corners of delta configuration.  The rotary phase converter synthesizes the third corner of the triangle: L3, which is 240V from L1 and L2, and all in correct phasing.

This can be overlaid on the existing L1 and L2, so it does not need to be a separate service. Note this diagram is the rotary phase converter's perspective.  What happened to neutral?

source: installation instructions

Neutral remains exactly where it started: halfway (120V) between L1 and L2. This is asymmetrical: L3 is coincidentally 208V from neutral.  208V will not be available unless the rotary phase converter is spun up.  This arrangement is called "Wild leg delta".   Since L3 is the "wild leg", it must use orange wire or be marked. (NEC 110.15**).

source: Wikipedia

Use a panel meant for 3-phase wye

So the panel will have a separate neutral from ground bar**.

To connect a 120V load, use a single breaker placed on L1 or L2, and neutral.
To connect a 240V single-phase load, use a 2-pole (240V breaker) placed on L1 and L2.
To connect 240V 3-phase, choose any 3 spaces.
To connect 208V single-phase, use a single breaker placed on L3, and neutral.

Breakers need to be listed for their voltage, which means 125V breakers will not do in 208V slots.**

3-phase cabling should be done either with THHN/THWN-2 in conduit, or with /3 Romex -- with white wire re-marked as a conductor (good choice for orange, since then you only have to tape one wire).

If you are wiring something made for 240 wild-leg (seems unlikely) which wants 120V, it can be derived by carrying a neutral along too; for that you'd want /4 or /2/2 cable. You would have to  be very careful about loops and biases in connecting that - you could end-run around those issues by installing a small 240-120 transformer for its control power: install it on L1-L3 and that would assure the machine could not start up unless 3-phase power was on.

There's no particular difficulty in complying with Code with this setup, so there is no reason not to do it.  The only shortcuts are either trivial (orange wire) or dangerous (omitting ground).

** I presume OP's rejection of Code is merely because he does not want to be thwarted; and he is willing to comply when it's easy.


Does lowering the blower speed of a forced-air furnace lower its efficiency?

Empirical Engineering Answers:

Yes: you will save electricity costs by running your blower on low.

No: you will not save on gas/oil costs by running your blower on low.  Because the slower air velocity over the heat element is transferring fewer BTU units into the circulated air and they simply go up the exhaust pipe.

The NET difference of the above two figures is your savings or cost.

I am currently heavily invested in studying and learning the subject as I commit myself to reducing my winter energy costs this year.

With heating oil at $4.50/gal I can assure you without measuring anything that running my blower on low is NOT more efficient from a $$ perspective.  I'm in the process of re-wiring my blower to run on high with the furnace.  In support of this: I found the mfr owner's manual for my furnace and in it, it states, "if you have an air-conditioning coil installed, you should switch the furnace blower speed to high to accommodate the decreased air-flow caused by the cooling coil in the plenum."

I have also measured that on low speed my furnace requires AT-LEAST 1 hour of constant running to raise my home temp by 6 deg F.  On high speed it takes 30-40 min.  With a one-gallon-per-hour burner nozzle that saves me AT-LEAST 30% on fuel oil plus another 20-30 min of blower run time or at least 30-50% run time savings.  Now, I haven't done the measurement to learn how much electricity my blower uses on low vs high.  But I'm reasonably sure it uses less to run on high vs low then it uses to run on low vs OFF.  I do know that my entire furnace runs safely on a 15amp breaker with the blower on high, the burner running, the humidifier running, and the water pump to empty the humidifier running.  Thus, my blower can't be using that much electricity on high.

So clearly, running your furnace blower on low is only more efficient IF-and-ONLY-IF the cost of the heating fuel is much much less then the cost of the electricity to run the blower that little bit faster.


What is the most affordable means of storing 3,000+ gallons (11,000+ litre) of rain water?

Single large tanks
They sell plastic water tanks in the $1000 range for 3000 gallons (11000 litre).  Two such tanks were famously seen in Breaking Bad season 4, as the repository for both the magic “methylamine” they needed, and also for the (spoiler alert).
Figure on 8 foot (2.4 metre) diameter x 10 feet (3 metre) tall.
These tanks are absolutely enormous and come on a flat bed truck; the trucker will expect you to have a backhoe and rigging necessary to pick the tank off the back of the truck.
You could probably fetch one yourself, e.g. if you found a bargain on Craigslist; but to move it we’re talking a big 8 foot (2.4 metre) wide 2-3 axle trailer with a Reese hitch, and a big macho vehicle to pull it.  It’s not the weight, it’s the wind resistance - you don’t want your trailer or tow vehicle tossed out of control or flipped over entirely!

Arrays of small tanks
Country folk have a single “go-to” container: the  “intermediate bulk container” or IBC Tote. These are pallet-sized (40 x 48”, 1 × 1.2 metre) and hold usually 275 or 330 gallons (1040 or 1250 litre; note: multiples of 55-gallon / 208 litre drums). They are 4-5 feet (1.2-1.5 metre) tall.
Now, you can buy these new if you really, really, really want to... and I’m sure factories get quite a good price on them by the trainload. But the people proffering them in single quantity really stick it to ya - they’d brazenly charge $4 for a 2-liter soda-style bottle. (You can get ‘em full of soda for $2).
On the other hand, they’re usually single-use containers, especially food-grade ones, so industry winds up with a whole lot of ‘em.   Now, some clever people on Craigslist will clean them out for you and sell them to you for $35 to $75, but your best bet is call around to industry and service providers, and see who has way too many of them and will let you have em for nothin’.
I recently had a need for one, and a friend immediately offered me one from his workplace’s overstock, and driving through the local sawmill I saw another 30 or 40 piled up.


Why is Easy Sand not suitable as a skim coat?

Setting-type joint compounds set by chemical reaction with water. When a very thin coat is applied to unpainted drywall (such as the thin skim coat applied to new drywall needed to achieve a level 5 finish), there is a risk the board will suck the water out of the mud before it has a chance to chemically set. If this happens, it will revert back to powder and fall off the wall. Don't do it.

If you're talking about skimming an ugly old wall to make it smooth, Easy Sand is fine, maybe even ideal. Just remember that old walls will have multiple layers of paint that could be peeling or delaminating below the surface. As long the old surface is stable, go for it. Just keep it thick enough that it's not translucent.


First, be wary of the two big capacitors.  One is the large "beer-can"-shaped component against the inside wall of the enclosure, and the other is the smaller, silver oval-shaped can right next to it.  These can hold electrical charge, and could hurt you.  You'll want make sure that they're discharged.

Once you unplug the unit, wait a few minutes for the caps to discharge on their own.  Then, get a piece of insulated wire, or pliers with insulated handles, and short out the two terminals on the top of the cap.  It may make a good spark, which is why you're doing it!  Better to spark through the wire than through you :)

There's a third cap on the pcb (big silver unit with a wire coming out either end), you should probably discharge this one, too.

The white connector up top will be easy.  Generally you just grab all the cables together and pull it out.  There may be a latching mechanism holding things together that's not visible in the photo.

At the bottom of PCB (going by picture orientation), look at the black and brown wires that are connected to the board.  The are using "quick disconnects", which can get to be fairly tight.  Grab the connector (not the wire), and rock it back and forth (the long way) as you pull on it.  Needle-nosed pliers might help.

Those wires have wire nuts on them too, but I would leave them alone.  Once you are finished, give each wire coming from the wire nuts a firm tug, to make sure they haven't loosened up.

Oh, and I recommend marking the wires before you disconnect them.  You can make small tags on the wires using masking tape.

Should be pretty straight-forward.  Good luck!


Touching up black aluminium window frame

do exactly what you described just as you described.  put four or five coats on.  then:

1)  sand the new paint very carefully with 800 gr sandpaper.  use wet/dry paper and use water to lubricate.  use a block of wood as a backer to make sure you dont get too much pressure in one area or another and sand through the paint.  sand down until smooth and flush with adjacent paint.  dont worry if it looks flat and dull now.

2)  repeat with 1200 and then 1500.

3)  buff the repaired area and the adjacent area with a smooth cotton cloth (t shirt will do fine) with some brasso, toothpaste, or some other polishing agent.  polish with hand pressure and the polishing agent on the cloth until you get the same overall gloss to match. more rubbing, more shine.

4)  if a smooth finish is desired, you are done.  if you want a brushed finish (like many aluminum panels) rub very lightly with a scotchbrite pad in the same direction as the grain you are trying to match.

done!


Do I need to get professional water damage repair, or can I handle this?

Let it dry for a week or 2 & if nothing's gotten worse & you're not even or barely noticing it with your feet then let it go. Tearing the floor up for a cup or 2 of water that's already gone isn't worth it.

If it actually bothers you later you can sand the cupping down & back to flat. You'll have to re-stain & re-polyurethane the area after that.

Every floor cups a tiny bit all over the place from humidity eventually & you may find some parts of the floor elsewhere are worse. Think of it as character.


Disable noisy timer on a magic chef gas range model 6458xst

Fixed it myself by removing all the screws holding the front plate on taking out the wires and clipping the one going to the timer.


Yes, if you are running new wire, and ensure it is the proper gauge for the material (copper or aluminum), there is no reason you can't swap out to a higher amp breaker if you have an unused one.

I would suggest that you go to 50 amp if you're going to this much trouble.  40 amps is a bit of an odd duck, so you might as well have 50 amps available because you could end up with an appliance or tool that needs it.  The most common residential outlets will be either 30 amp, or 50 amp for 240.  If you're running this to another subpanel I guess that doesn't matter, but I'd still suggest scaling the circuit for 50 amps.


Hallway light switch makes bedroom light brighter

I'm willing to bet that there's a split circuit (Multi wire branch circuit) improperly wired here.
So when both switches are on, you're getting 240v between the two phases rather than the expected 120v between a single phase and neutral.


How to repair cracks in concrete overhang over entrance

You may need to approach this with some caution. It looks like the reinforcing steel is corroding from the picture. When this happens the steel expands and causes the concrete cover over the steel to spall off. Once the reinforcing bar looses its cover the rate of corrosion will increase and the bond between the steel and the concrete is substantially reduced.

The problem is that just covering up the steel with a crack repair mortar may not fix the corrosion problem and either another section of the concrete could spall off or the repair mortar could spall off. I would suggest you get it looked at by a specialist. It doesn't look like it is in imminent risk of failure but just covering up the cracks may mean that you are hiding a long term problem.


Yes, the ducts are behind that silver insulation.  Cutting the Aprilaire 600 in above the condensation pump as you suggested would be ideal.


All-around header dimensions for external wall

It's hard to provide a "straight answer" with the information given. Bearing wall vs. gable wall, rambler vs. two-story. Window position and wall height. There are many factors. I can tell you that triple-member headers are not common except where limited height is available.

We built nearly all our exterior headers with doubled 2x10s in a U configuration, with insulation between. This leaves no voids when drywalling, hanging window treatments, mounting exterior trim, etc., and we know they're adequate from a structural standpoint. It's only when dealing with spans over 5 feet or so that you start looking to LVL headers.

When in doubt, and when there are no drawbacks other than a little initial cost increase, go with the bigger option.


How can I build shower niches into an old plaster and lath wall?

What I did in that same situation was tear the lath/plaster down to the nearest stud and then install drywall.  It is very likely that the thickness of your lath/plaster will be thicker than drywall (1/2").  So what you will need to do is shim below the new drywall to even it out with the old covering.  What I did was use 3/8" plywood as substrate then drywall over it.  Then just regular drywall finish (tape+mud) to make the transition between the plaster and new drywall.


I have a general question about learning woodworking for a still somewhat beginner!

Practice, practice, practice is the best way of learning and retaining knowledge. The more time you actually do a task the more adept you become. Start a project at home and build on when you have free time. There are many publications available on wood working (Fine Woodworking by Tauton Press is one). Reading and doing should be your mantra.


Replacing GFCI receptacle behaving like the old one

Do you have a voltmeter? You need to check voltage from the black to the neutral and to the ground, also ground to neutral. If the new GFCI is not "clicking" that usually means there is no or incorrect voltage at the location and the GFCI is not resetting. If you really think it is the GFCI then connect it up to another GFCI or standard receptacle that is working and see if it works.

Also make sure you are not series connecting GFCI's. Make sure there are no other GFCI or AFCI devices ahead of it.

Good luck


Is there a UK equivalent to a BC Dry Chemical Extinguisher?

It seems that the new type "AF" is what is recommended. It is a watermist type extinguisher. While using water seems counterintuitive, it contains an additive that renders the water non conductive. When combined with the misting properties it smothers the fire. The other advantages are that it leaves no toxic residue and can be used in small areas without the concern of lung damage that can be a issue with dry powder.


Are two prong cords safe? Audio Interface

I don't know this device specifically, but it is possible for it to be designed to be "ungrounded". There are several reasons for this. One is that if it's using an external power supply.

Audio circuits can be designed with an audio ground and a power ground. If they are connected together and then grounded through the wall socket, you usually get a hum-loop. One way to avoid this is to build the audio device without an explicit power ground.

But whatever the reasons, if you are using the device as it is intended, including using the power supply it came with, there should be no problems.


How can I bend skirting for a bay window?

So, more of a bow window than a bay window, per the usual terminology where the smooth curve is a bow.

The typical approach is to kerf the back of the piece you need to bend. Depending on the profile, this can be simple or more difficult - the basic concept is to make a cut every 1/2 inch or centimeter (approximately - don't get fussy about measuring them!) that leaves only 1/8-1/4" of wood on the face intact, at which point the board should bend into place easily. If there is a molded profile on the face of the board, this becomes trickier, since you need to be careful not to cut through the board where the molded profile is deep.


no hot water in a single handed shower with low pressure

Since you do have hot water coming out of other faucets it is most likely your shower valve.

Many of the single handle shower faucets have a cartridge valve that is very easy to replace. The cartridges are specific to the faucet so you will need to look up your model. I had a similar problem with mine. The cartridge cost around $60 and took about 10 minutes to replace.


How many wires can safely be secured in a Marrette 33 wire nut?

Here is a catalog from Thomas & Betts, the makers of Marrette connectors. Pages 14-15 cover the black high-temperature wire nuts including the Model 33.

The graph on Page 15 shows limits of "Min. 1 #18 + 1 #14 Max. 4 #14", so four 14AWG wires is exactly at the manufacturer's limit.

There's also a detailed table at the end of the document (Model 33 is covered on pages 25-26) which tops out at 2 #14 + 1 #12, 4 #14, or 2 #12.


What are some tips/tricks to garage door lubrication?

The rail from the garage door should be lubricated with White Lithium Grease, whether it's a chain or a screw type. Run a bead of grease along the top of it, then run the garage door up and down a few times.

The wheels, track and spring should be lubricated with your favorite lubricant oil -- not WD-40, which is a cleaner and penetrant, not a lube -- but an actual lubricant. I think I usually use silicone liquid wrench.

If the garage door still does not operate, check the alignment of your tracks to make sure they aren't binding. The spring might need to be re-tensioned, which is NOT (in my opinion) a DIY project.


How can I calculate the number of solar panels required to power a specific load?

Calculate the required load for your house.  Call that L
Identify the rated power one panel generates.  Call that P
L/P = Q - quantity of panels needed.


How to decide if an old wood door is worth painting?

Is is too late?

No, I don't think so

What should I consider?

Does the door still operate or is it merely decorative?

i.e. will repairs to the mechanism be necessary? You may need to grease, repair or replace the wheels up top and/or fix up the rail it hangs from.
Or are you happy with it stuck open and you just want it to look nicer different?

There is some rot at the bottom, particularly on the right. Is that sturdy enough or does it need to be repaired to keep it from falling apart in use?

Do you have the skills necessary to repair the door if "freshening" it includes replacing the rotted wood?
Repair could involve replacing an entire board or just cutting off the rot and patching in a new piece.
Do you have extra old wood laying around that would match in width, thickness and general patina? Modern dimensional lumber probably will not match, especially in thickness.
Any new replacement lumber will look different, even if the whole thing is painted a solid color. They just won't have the same wear. You'd have to "distress" the new wood to make it look "right". (Using old wood that's in better condition would be the preferred option, in my opinion.)
Do you have access to a local lumber mill (that's open) that could supply you with lumber of the required dimensions?
Replacing entire boards (especially the two on the right-hand side of the pic) will involve removing the roller hardware and the handle. Can you get those bolts lose or are they rusted into one solid mass?

Do you want to paint it and hide all the patina or do you want to put a preservative/sealer on it just to keep it from falling apart more?

You will want need to scrape or gently (very gently at first - hard to tell what kind of condition those boards are in) power wash the wood to get all the loose dirt and gunk off of it before attempting to apply an sort of coating. If you don't, a preservative won't soak in very well, and a paint coat will just fall off in the next stiff breeze. i.e. you'll keep busy for now, but you'll be busy again next spring fixing up the mess you left behind.
Personally, I'd go with just a preservative or sealer to allow the patina to show through. Even this will change the color of the wood some, but it will have minimal effect in comparison to a stain or paint.
If you've got other painted wood on the barn and you paint this to match, that would make sense. Do you have, or can you get paint to match?

Do you want to spiff up all the hardware or leave it rusty?

I'd seriously consider hitting the metal work with a wire brush (drill powered, unless you're looking for a serious arm workout) to knock the heavy rust off, then paint it with a rust converter that will turn the oxidation into a protective coat. These are usually available in a variety of colors to coordinate with whatever color you choose to paint - I'd think just a simple black would look nice.
Converting the rust to a protective coat will definitely lengthen the life of the ironwork.
I'd include spiffing up the rail that it hangs from, too.
You could paint the iron work after applying the rust converter. Depends on taste and desired aesthetic, of course.


How can I protect window air conditioner from bird droppings from above?

For a long time I had several window ac units and had a similar issue with pigeons, a guy down the street raised them and they loved my house for some reason, I found a piece of sheet metal at an angle kept them from landing on them and when they perched on the gutter as they start to fly they would poop, the angled metal worked I used self adhesive Velcro to hold it in place, when it came time to pull them in the winter I popped them off and cleaned them in the bathtub, I did have to paint 2 of the 3 on the 3rd or 4 th year and after that I found motion activated sprinklers (I still use those today to keep birds out of my pool).


What's the best way/tool to cut a strip of drywall out of my window boxes?

The right tool in this case is the good old fashioned razor knife.  (handle with a razor blade in it).  Like this:

I suggest utilizing a strait edge to make sure you cut a good line.  I personally use my 4' aluminum level.


Should I have my contractor redo the underlayment?

The problem is that if there is an issue with the product at some point in the future, the manufacturer will deny any warranty claim because the installation instructions were not followed.
If this were mine, I'd insist that the installer follow the instructions for the products regardless of what everyone else does.


Electric Dryer Leg A drops to 0V Leg B spikes at 240V when start pushed

That NEMA 10 dryer receptacle is a hazard all its own, and may be creating a hazard for you right now.
AC power, as implemented in the USA, has many tricky twists that DC people aren't really prepared for.  Some are relevant here; I'll describe them.

I gather you know 240V AC power is supplied from a transformer with a center tap.  The center tap is defined as "neutral".  There is 120V between either phase and neutral.  Neutral has one job: be the one and only current return (in DC parlance, negative, Vss, or ground) for 120V circuits.
AC power has a Safety Ground which is tied to earth via water pipe or driven ground rods, and is carried throughout the electrical wiring (except in older wiring).  Safety Ground** has one job: to deflect faults away from humans.  Ground is not a current return, except during ground fault conditions.
In theory, neutral might "float" above Earth Ground by several hundred or thousand volts, due to capacitive coupling or leakage in the supply transformer. This would be bad, so neutral is "pegged" to Earth/Safety Ground via a tie in the main service panel. This tie is only at the main panel: never in a sub-panel, junction box nor appliance.  As a result, neutral is near earth, and any phase is no more than 120V above earth.
The tie has a beneficial side-effect - if a hot wire touches safety ground, it has a fat current path through the grounding system and the tie back to neutral.  This completes the circuit, flows high current and trips the circuit breaker.  (If a neutral faults to ground, not much happens, as the voltage difference quite small, being only the voltage drop in the wiring.)

Most dryers use 240V for the heating coils, and 120V for everything else. (120V controls are cheaper). So it needs split-phase 240V - both hots and the neutral.
If you've been counting, you know your 3-prong NEMA 10 is a pin shy of a ground. This is where true stupidity sets in. NFPA (the authors of the Electrical Code) compromised with dryer manufacturers -- reasoning that since dryers are rarely ever unplugged or moved, the receptacle isn't likely to fail.  So they authorize tying neutral to ground, even though this is dangerous and would be illegal anywhere else.  Sigh.
So if you lose/break/float a neutral anywhere between the dryer and the panel, the 120V loads will not have a return, and will "lift" neutral to the voltage of leg A. Voltages will measure 240/0/240 instead of 240/120/120.  Since neutral is now "hot" and it's tied to chassis ground, the chassis of the machine is also "hot".  This has killed people.
Which is your symptom.
I'd start by replacing that dangerous NEMA 10 receptacle with a modern NEMA 14 connector, which provides a fourth pin for ground.  I'd also retrofit a NEMA 14 plug and follow the instruction's (on the web) procedure to separate neutral and ground on the dryer.  Also carefully inspect the wires between the receptacle and the panel.  Somewhere in here I think you have a faulty neutral.
If you are unable to retrofit a ground wire, then replace the 30A breaker with a GFCI-type breaker, and label the 4-pin receptacle "GFCI Protected/No Equipment Ground" - but if you do that, make triple-darn sure that you remove that dryer's internal neutral-ground bond!
It's also possible your neutral problem is between the panel and the supply, in which case it would affect everything served out of that panel... but I doubt it.

** Electrical Code purists may dislike my careful choice of words "Safety Ground".  That is to convey that it isn't anything like Vss.  If you really want to know their Legal Names as specified in the NEC, Neutral is "Grounded Conductor" and Ground is "Equipment Grounding Conductor". Say what!? Of course this invites massive confusion, and both are wrong: Neutral is not grounded (except at the main panel), and Ground is not a conductor! (in NEC parlance, only wires which flow current under normal conditions are conductors.)  These are terms only their mother could love, and I suggest avoiding them like the plague.


How to tell if a ceiling junction box is braced to hold the weight of a ceiling fan?

If the box was installed recently in accordance with National Electrical Code (NEC), the box should be labeled if it's rated to support a ceiling fan.

  NEC 2008
  314.27 Outlet Boxes.
  (D) Boxes at Ceiling-Suspended (Paddle) Fan Outlets. Outlet boxes or outlet box systems used as the sole support of a ceiling-suspended
  (paddle) fan shall be listed, shall be marked by their manufacturer as
  suitable for this purpose, and shall not support ceiling-suspended
  (paddle) fans that weigh more than 32 kg (70 lb). For outlet boxes or
  outlet box systems designed to support ceiling-suspended (paddle) fans
  that weigh more than 16 kg (35 lb), the required marking shall include
  the maximum weight to be supported.

If it's not labeled, the box is still required to support at least 50 lbs.

  314.27 Outlet Boxes.
  (A) Boxes at Luminaire Outlets. Boxes used at luminaire or lampholder outlets in a ceiling shall be designed for the purpose and shall be required to support a luminaire weighing a minimum of 23 kg (50 lb). Boxes used at luminaire or lampholder outlets in a wall shall be designed for the purpose and shall be marked to indicate the maximum weight of the luminaire that is permitted to be supported by the box in the wall, if other than 23 kg (50 lb). At every outlet used exclusively for lighting, the box shall be designed or installed so that a luminaire may be attached.

If the box was installed before this code was adopted; or in an area that does not follow NEC, you'll likely have to cut/drill some exploratory holes to determine if the box is properly braced.


I'm not sure why you're going with DC.  I've put in many systems with 12 volt AC transformers with built in timers and or photo cells. The lights I've used are all LED or incandescent and they run on AC. I've got 15 fixtures in my backyard using LED bulbs hooked up to a 12 volt AC transformer. The bulbs will take AC or DC so I went with the AC. Check with some different manufacturers or do some checking at your home stores or lighting stores. They have plenty of fixtures, bulbs, etc that run on AC.


Line to GRN or Neutral to GRN blowing my GFCI?

It could be either one.  The point is the loop is leaking to earth, and it shouldn't do that,  and you should go through it and look at all the connection points.

It's unlikely to be the cable unless he used indoor rated cable.

DVMs are inconclusive.  Obviously a low voltage reading is a problem, but some ground faults act like VBOs - they don't actually suffer insulation breakdown until a certain voltage is reached.  Or they may require a certain operating temperature, etc.

Your starting point is to give all wire endpoints and connections a good once-over. Do that first, because you'd feel pretty foolish doing an exhaustive technical troubleshoot only to trace it to the lamp and find a mouse nest at the terminals lol...


What is the proper way to bring power to this pump?

The wire on the pump is not rated to be exposed or cord connected.

You will need to mount the pump inside an enclosure such as a Hoffman box or equivalent.

Then you can terminate a raceway or cable to the enclosure and the wiring will be protected inside.

Since RV's are covered by the National Electrical Code, this will satisfy the NEC.

Good luck!


Sealing middle of sliding window with portable air conditioner installed

I had this same problem and ended up using some foam piping I found in the window seal section at the home improvement store. The next best thing I could think of was cutting some foam to the exact fit of the window, compressing it before you open the window, then opening the window onto it, moving the foam into place as needed. If you use sound proofing foam, you might get a noticeable drop in noise. Other than that, I'd buy some good ear plugs.


Why doesn't the flange fit on a new bathroom faucet?

These photos both show Mistos parts, which of the 2 pop-ups look like yours?  The top one is for commercial use, the bottom one residential.  Kohler will replace the top one, if that is what you have.

Drain units also different, commercial top, residential bottom


Flush a gas powered water heater, not sure if it's ever been done in 15 years. Will it survive a flush?

Fifteen years is a pretty good lifespan for a water heater, so it could easily fail at any time -- especially if it hasn't been serviced regularly during its life.  Personally, I would prefer to be there working on it when it fails so that you can take care of it immediately (as opposed to, say, being away for the weekend while it's filling up your basement).

Before you start flushing, you should know how to turn off both the water and the gas to it.  You should already have some way of taking care of the water as part of the normal flushing process; a wet/dry vacuum will help clean up if you run into problems during the flush.  Since it's gas-powered, you should also have the number of a licensed professional who can install a replacement heater if the worst does happen.


Is this a safe way to extend this wiring?

You did a pretty good job of answering your own question. It will work. Get the right cable to box connectors. You might want to just connect the two junction boxes with some 1/2" conduit and get the appropriate size wire and color from you home store and shove them through the conduit. If all the wire will be copper, use approvd connectors. If the existing cable is aluminum then you'll need the appropriate connectors, like Alumiconn connectors.

Like Alaska Man mentioned above, the junction boxes will have to remain accessible forever.

If it is determined that the locations will not be accessible, then your solution would be to replace the run of cable to locations that are accessible.

Remember to turn off the power before doing any cutting...


Can I pour epoxy pebble flooring over electric warm floor?

You should first palce the hardiboard and leveler as needed then palce the heating elemetns. So the answer is going to be yes.

Is the expoxy going to be clear? If so it will shine through the emelents and cause some undesired effects. If that is the case then i suggest using tile adhesive to cover the heating elements and level it then place your pebbles masterpiece on top of that. Pebbles inheritly will take longer to heat up but they also take longer to cool down so that can be a plus for energy saving in winter.


You are using the wrong size plug. Measure the hole, go to the hardware store (ironmongers?) and buy the appropriate plug for your hole size. Also, make sure you are using the proper size screw for the plug. If the screw diameter is too small, it will not expand the plug and it will not grip tightly.


What is the best way to run underground electrical and low voltage in the same trench?

The National Electrical Code does not list a minimum cover requirement for communications circuits, so in theory you could put the conduit at grade level. Irrigation control and landscape lighting has a minimum cover requirement of 6" (150 mm), so I'd probably go with that as a basis.
Since you're not specific about the electric power circuit, I'll discuss a few different situations.
120 volts, GFCI protected, 20 amperes of less
If this is a residential application (which I'm assuming it is, or you wouldn't ask the question), and the circuit is 120 volts or less, and the circuit is GFCI protected, and the maximum overcurrent protection is 20 amperes. The minimum cover requirement is only 12" (300 mm).  In this situation, you could bury the electric power at 12", and the communication circuit at 6". This allows 6" of separation, which is likely enough to avoid interference.
Ideally you'll probably want to bury the power circuit at 18", and the communications circuit at 6". Then you'll have 12" of separation, which should be enough to prevent interference.
Over 120 volts, or not GFCI protected, or greater than 20 amperes
If the power circuit is 240 volts, or not GFCI protected, or the maximum overcurrent protection is over 20 amperes.  The minimum cover requirement is 24" (600 mm).  In this case, you can bury the electric power at 24", and the communication circuit at 6". Then there will be 18" of separation, which is surely enough to avoid interference.


How can I extend a concrete step without repouring?

I have used the thin little "fake bricks" (brick veneer) for this very purpose. It looks like it was supposed to be that way. The only trouble I had was when my kids were younger, they tended to "bang" their boot toes on those bricks a lot going in and eventually one cracked. But it was easy to replace.


Why do I have a vent stack if none of my fixtures are vented?

Your system is almost certainly vented. Plumbing vents provide a path for sewer gases to escape so they don't bubble up through the P traps into your house under pressure (the sewer gases will expand and exert greater than atmospheric pressure), and the vents also keep water pressure from siphoning your traps dry, which would create an easy natural path for sewer gases to infiltrate your home.

So the comment about "wet venting" is right on target. As long as the combination of pipe diameter, the slope of the pipe and the distance between the trap and the vent ensure that the pipe doesn't run full of water (creating a siphon), a single downstream vent can be just fine.


Need advice on moving a cable with a steel beam and stairs in the way

I'd be looking at a larger re-run to address the illegal junction box. You might be able to avoid this hurdle altogether. Aside from that, I'd do this:

Open up a little more drywall so you can get your drill and a drill bit in each of those openings.
Drill from below at about a 10 degree angle to the right, and to a depth of about 3" into the triple beam above. Roughly center the hole in the wall depth and keep it centered on that plane.
Drill from right to left through the triple beam, 2 inches up, intersecting the earlier hole. Angle slightly downward to ease the bend where the bores intersect.

I'd use a 3/4" or 7/8" bit. That should be forgiving enough yet not be absurdly large in terms of framing damage. It's important that you align the holes carefully. Then pull a light wire or string through as a fish line. Feed the cable gently though the bend to avoid sharp kinks.


You need to figure out what the finish is before you do anything.  I suspect it is some kind of solid stain or paint with a polyurethane clear coat, but it could be epoxy or any other number of combinations.  The type of wood doesn't matter much in your case.

Here's one resource to help with your analysis.  Keep googling.  And check the back and bottom for manufacturer and brand information.

I do very little with my furniture besides cleaning.  They wear their dings with honor.  The first one looks bad, but get enough of them and it's a "patina", "texture", or "interest".  Although they don't have the solid finish yours does.


Seeping moisture or leaking from cracks, either one is not good. Yes, sealing and or patching will be much easier but it's something you'd have to do every year as the problem gets worse. If those boards have been exposed to moisture over the years, they are probably starting to rot from the insides.
Give them a good pressure cleaning and check them out more thoroughly. If  they appear to be in good condition, I'd think about covering them with one of the many roofing membranes that are out there. If they show signs of rotting, then starting to replace them will be your best bet.


How can I mount a TV when I can't find studs inside my wall?

If you have a wall, you have structure.

If your wall is masonry then the TV mount can likely be mounted directly to the masonry (or mounts are available which can).

If your wall is drywall then you must have structure behind it... perhaps your studfinder is malfunctioning or you're using it improperly?

Studs can usually be found beside original electrical boxes (as the boxes are mounted to the side of the stud). Check your stud-finder against both sides of a nearby electrical socket for functionality. If you cannot locate a stud, try tapping a small nail into the wall board near an existing fixture. If it meets resistance behind the wall-board then you have a stud. Wall studs should be spaced in regular intervals (usually 16" on center in the US) so you can simply measure over to your mount area to locate them.

Once you believe you have found studs simple repeat the above test: tap in a small nail to verify structure behind the wall board. Studs should be 1.5 inches wide, so check that you can mark both sides of the side (to mount into the middle).

You may need to tap many small holes to accomplish this without an adequate stud finder.


How do I repair a canned light that's falling down?

Normally can lights are attached to the joists, so the housing itself wouldn't usually fall out.  What is probably falling out is the trim piece that fits inside the housing.

If you remove the bulb, you can usually pull the trim piece out partially.  Once you do that, you'll see a couple wires (look like coat hanger wires).  If you squeeze those you can pull the trim piece out the rest of the way.  Those wires are what hold the trim piece in the light housing. Over time they can lose their "springyness" and slide out a bit.

Just take the trim piece with you to a home store and you should be able to buy a replacement, or you might be able to bend the wires a bit to get them to fit in snugly again.


How to fix a part of a washed out asphalt driveway?

That doesn't look "washed out", as in storm damage. It looks disintegrated due to age or an inadequate base. The only right fix is excavation, installation of a suitable base, and reapplication of asphalt. Anything short of that will come apart again fairly quickly.

You wouldn't necessarily need to replace the entire driveway if this is the only troublesome area, but it looks to me like it was laid on soil that's at least partially organic.


As somebody in your other question noted, you probably have to attack this from the top. A hacksaw will be time (and arm) consuming. An oscillating multitool with a metal-capable blade would be good though slow-ish. An angle grinder would be fast but will also throw sparks and has the non-trivial risk of having the grinder catch and run into stuff you don't want ground, like the backsplash.

Alternately, you might try to drill out a weakness in the nut with either a large drill bit or linked smaller ones. That would allow you to pry it loose.


What screwdriver do I need for this 'star' shaped fitting?

You need a Torx bit also sometimes referred to as star drive.

You may be able to get a fixed screwdriver with the right size one but it's generally a better deal to just get a bit assortment and mount an adequately sized one on some sort of a socketed shaft, depending on the application.

Note: Torx drive invented originally by Camcar Textron to eliminate the rounding issue standard hex drive bits suffer.


Can I use this piece (see pic) as a replacement?

It looks like you have two female spade connectors and a female-to-female connector, and that's the part that broke.  The female-to-two-stacked-male connector you have pictured may work, you just wouldn't be using the female part of it.

I find that there are small differences between brands and things don't mate as well as they should.  If the wires are in good shape and not too short, a lot of times the easiest thing is to just cut off what's there and replace with your brand.

I don't see any compelling reason to use two female connectors here - I might replace these with one female and one male so you don't have the connector to deal with.  I'd also use the fully insulated connectors, just to be a little safer, less chance of accidental contact, shorts, etc., especially since it's line voltage.

You can connect these wires by any suitable means.  Crimp on connectors are easy to disconnect / reconnect without tools but you could use a wire nut, lever nut, etc. - anything listed and rated for the voltage and current.

Keep in mind that a lot of crimp terminal products are NOT listed / rated for line voltage, aimed more at the low voltage of the automotive market.  I stick to reputable manufacturers' brands.


Temporarily cap PEX pipe while laying new flooring?

Yes, they should work fine.  Do you have the crimp tool?
Another option is to use a Sharkbite end cap.


How can I salvage the walls after painting over wallpaper?

Rent wall-paper steamers to remove the wall paper. Unfortunately, the latex paint will make it harder. You need to find a way to allow the steam to penetrate the latex. Use a scraper to scrape the paint, but not through the paper, so you don't damage the underlying wall surface. I've used rasps, cheese graters, etc. Just be careful you don't damage the walls too much!


What tools are required to unclog sink drain with garbage disposal?

Have a look at the trap under your sink. Assuming it's PVC with large plastic nuts, all you should need is ChannelLock pliers:

Unscrew the trap from the wall and disposal, and clean the trap itself, or snake the drain going into the wall, depending on where your clog is. Be sure to have a bucket and towels handy since there will be water backed up before the clog and in the trap.

If you can't find the clog either in the trap or with the snake, and you know it's further down the drain (try running some water through the disposal and into the bucket with the trap out), then I have family that swear by these drain bladders that attach to a garden hose, get inserted into the drain (past the vent) and they swell up to seal your end of the pipe while sending water down until the clog is forced out:

Each one of these will cost around $20 give or take, well less than a visit from a plumber.


GE front load washing machine; emptying filter at least once a week

I have a newer front loader also and yes the filter is much finer than my previous one, we started cleaning the filter with each new jug of laundry detergent, since doing that we have not had the error.
So I would try a regular schedule of cleaning, it is much easier to do when the machine is not full of water. Once a week sounds a funny are you using the proper type of detergent? The high efficiency type. Your screen may be getting plugged with fillers that some detergents use.


Can I disassemble and re-nail a 2x4 wall with the same lumber?

As long as the studs were end-nailed (not toenailed), they will be fine for re-use. If you are remotely concerned and time isn't really an issue, cut 3/4" off the ends and put in an extra plate. (The extra plate might help with raising the wall, too.)


Installing dual fluorescent tube ballast electrical

The white and black wires emerging from the left side of the ballast are the neutral and hot, respectively.   Perhaps the poor condition and burn marks on the ballast label should deter you from re-installing this?


How to connect furniture without cam locks?

The subject of joining wood is vast.  Just look at the "woodworking joints"  Wikipedia article for a start. Usually cam locks are used for furniture built from kits such as IKEA.  Furniture made from scratch will use more traditional joinery techniques such as dovetails, mortise and tendon, tongue and groove, etc.


What NEC section, if any, covers an owner wiring their own home?

In general, the NEC (or any other code for that matter) specifies how the work must be done, but does not touch on who the work must be done by. The who is covered by local statutes (whether city, county, or state). Permits and licenses are entirely state, county, or city constructs, and various jurisdictions utilize different versions of the NEC.


How to identify if wood-framed wall is load-bearing?

“Load bearing” means it’s holding something up. It doesn’t need a wall DIRECTLY below it. Often we’ll provide a beam or a series of oversized joists to span an area directly below a bearing wall. Not all bearing walls align all the way to the foundation.

At a minimum, it appears the wall is holding up the ceiling joists to the right side. The OSB board on the ceiling joists is a clue that something is resting on the ceiling joists...perhaps a mechanical unit.

It also appears to have some kind of roof structure spanning PERPENDICULAR to the wall. It’s difficult to see if it rests on the wall. (I say roof structure,because there is insulation exposed.)

I’d get a professional opinion before you tear it out. Maybe you’ll need to add a beam to replace the wall.


Wire a 5 wire down draft remote motor / can this be done?

Yes, it should work. I found this wiring diagram below on Thermador's website. It's for a 4 speed blower, but it's basically the same concept for the electrician except one less wire. Black, red, and blue are the three speeds. White is the neutral. Green is the ground. This diagram might not be relevant to your model or installation and so any information that you still have on the blower would help out the electrician I'm sure. However, it should be as simply as just connecting power to the switch and then have it branch off and wire nutted together with the blower.


Unidentified pipe and smelly water trickling under slab into basement floor drain

The 3/8” pipe is a “primer” for the sewer line. We use primers when we’re afraid the “P-trap” will dry-out and allow smells to infiltrate up through the sewer line and into the house.

The 3/8” line is a little large, (we use 1/4” where I live) and it’s connected to a cold water line by a sink, toilet, etc. close to the drain. If you can determine where it’s connected, you could put a valve on it and slow the water flow...being careful not to turn it down too much and allow the drain to dry out.

The smell could be from wet/damp soil around the drain and seeping into the house through cracks between the drain and concrete.


Are transition strips necessary in doorway for laminate?

Yes there are a few tricks.

Lay out the flooring to find where the joints will finish at the door. If the run to the door is really far away, it can be done, care needs to exercised. You want to cut the starting piece to allow a lang seam to happen with in the width of the door jamb.

First, the door jamb and trim are cut to allow the flooring to slide under it by about 1" Cut it and check it, be certain it goes in at least close to 1", 3/4" is acceptable, no less. Also, at least on these pieces, make sure the length will slide under the drywall to the plate (1/2") as well. If base is in place, at least a 1/2" there, but it is really worthwhile removing the base everywhere first. The job is SO much easier.

Typically the pieces going in the door will be large exaggerated "L" shaped pieces. But for this it does not matter. Start laying the last 2 runs together. When you get to the door, set the piece under the door jamb first, pushed tight to the wall to allow the next to the last row to go in, Before that piece is set, you will need to determine where the piece in the door will engage it. That part of that piece will need to have the lip removed so the door cut can simply slide in place with glue in place. Use lots of glue and clean up the excess. Dry it and hold the joint together with 3 or 4 pieces of painters tape, the wide stuff. This approach works whether the butt joint is in the door or not. To finish the door, depending on the type of laminate you will only need to remove a portion of the lip where the angle to lock it in cannot be done, and keep the lip were enough warp can be made to lock it in, using glue where the lip was removed. You may be able to warp the first pieces going into the door as well. That depends still. It will save some gluing if you can.

Thes last pieces at the door can be done first as you go into the next room, once the door is finished, the other pieces can be back filled in.

Word of caution, when going through a doorway and establishing the true course the floor needs to run, get a long reliable straight edge to set the run going into the next room. Do not let the floor dictate "what is straight" It will mess you up. At the most you can set another piece to the pieces going from the door to get a line a little farther from the wall, but a critical line needs to set by a straight edge.


You can call one of the tinting places in your area and ask them to put up some ceramic film that will reflect up to 95% of heat. That's what they use on cars now days and it works but kind of pricey. What it does, is blocking UV and IR from heating up your floor and furniture  and unlike the regular tint/film, it will keep those window (glass) cool as well, preventing from radiant heat from seeping through.


Is 1/2" flexible gas pipe adequate for a 22000 BTU clothes dryer?

I concur, 1/2 inch gas pipe is adequate for the dryer. The only thing I would like to add Is, did the gas company run a 2 psi meter to your home?
 an easy way to tell is if there is a gas regulator at each appliance. This is a pretty common practice in the state I live in. If it is a 2lbs system, you'll need to have a regulator added to the new appliance. Just something to be aware of.


Daisy-chained receptacles with GFCI

Check every receptacle in the kitchen. Very likely one of them has tripped, possibly due to water getting on the disposal receptacle when you were working on the faucet. Reset it and your problem will most likely be resolved. The GFCI could be elsewhere, but my bet is "everything involved is in the kitchen".


When you plunge a sink with an overflow built into it you must first plug the opening with a plastic bag so a vacuum is created.
The overflow and the drain are connected when the sink is designed. Sometimes if plunging won't open the drain removing the trap and checking for obstructions is best.
If the clog isn't in the trap by removing it you can than peer down the drain from above at the sink. The stopper lever is also a location that is notorious for causing clogs.
Lastly, if you verify there are no clogs along the exposed drain line and plunging doesn't help, an augured drain snake pushed into the pipe gong into the wall may be your last hope.
I don't recommend any type of clog dissolver or acidic solutions to open the drain as they can do more harm to the pipes and septic system than good.


This is a pump control box made by BURCAM and this link is the datasheet.

From your comment about a pump sitting next to it, this looks like the previous owner had a project they either never completed or had to go a different route in completing that required a pump. As others have stated, this unit appears to have never been installed.


Can I cover my kitchen stone floor with tiles?

you can cover with anything you want to, it all has to do with how much money you want to spend.  the way it looks I would not lay any tile, that will be costly and it will still be cold. I would lay a free-floating that does not attach to the concrete at all, it just floats, that way if the concrete cracks are moves at all the flooring, will balance out and not crack are a break. that's why I was saying no tile, to much prep wood, floating all the concrete will cost a lot. and they make floating floors that look just like tile, wood, rock anything you want, and you can get it in waterproof, completely all of a rubber type material. with no kind of material that will swell up when it gets any moisture.


How do i replace the battery in this smoke detector? It wont stop beeping

I was wondering the same thing and noticed there is a little latch under the text "slide to remove" which had to be lifted (with a screwdriver) to get the unit out from the ceiling. At least in Finnish version there was a text "lift the latch to slide unit off" which I noticed when I took a picture below the lid.
I know it's an ancient post but I thought this might help someone! :)


One "leg" -- one of the two out-of-phase hot wires -- of the 220V supply is not being powered properly. You need to trace the circuits to find out what has gotten disconnected, or bring someone in who knows how to do so.


Pipe joint compound or thread sealant.  Should be near soldering stuff, plumbers putty, PVC Glue, Teflon tape, etc.  Comes in a tube or plastic jar.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Oatey-8-oz-Pipe-Joint-Compound-154202/100204007


Add a shim to the bottom hinge on the left side, and to the top hinge on the right side. If not sufficient, add a smaller shim to the middle hinge on each side and a larger shim bottom left and top right.

If that shimming makes the doors not close due to too much contact in the center, deepen the mortise on the top left and bottom right. Shimming is obviously easier so you try that first.

You are seeking to very slightly rotate the doors so that they align.

If the fit to the frame looks dubious for rotating the doors as above, remove the strike, drill out the screw holes, glue in dowels to fill the screw holes and strike hole, wait for the glue to dry, relocate the strike and drill new holes.


How to repaint an antique exterior door?

Do I need to sand or is a good wash down enough? Or maybe a liquid
  sander?

A good wash, followed by a thorough drying, followed by a light sanding with fine grit sand paper to rough up the existing surface.  Sanding ensures the new paint will get a good grip on the old paint.

  Do I need to prime, or is the old paint (cleaned a bit) good enough?

No, its been sealed long ago - just clean and sand.

  Is there any special paint, other than exterior trim (probably satin
  or semigloss) to consider?

Since there's already latex on it, exterior latex should be fine.

  Is there any additive I should use with the paint for flow, finish,
  hardness?

No.

  Do I really need more than 2 coats?

If it were white over black- you might need 3.  Black over white, you might only need one good thick coat.

  Is there something else I am failing to ask/think about?

Get saw-horses.  Lay door flat on saw horses.  Remove door from hinges, remove all hardware, tape all glass.  Paint ONE SIDE only at a time, let try completely, then paint other side.


Can I prevent my tub faucet from leaking by diverting the water to the shower, and shutting off the shower head?

Diverting the leak up to the shower head using the diverter valve should not be a problem, but your assumption that fixing it will be "pretty easy" may not prove to be true. You are correct in that hot and cold supply to the tub/shower valve needs to be shut off. Sometimes apartment shower valves have built in shut-off valves called integral stops.

Sometimes apartments are equipped with individual remote shut-offs. Sometimes the whole building will need to be shut down.
Removing the valves may require special tools like deep valve sockets.

The repair may be simple washer replacement or may require more complicated cartridge replacement.

I do recommend that you try it but make sure your landlord is cool with it in case something breaks, and have back up shower facilities available in case it ends up being out of service for a while.


The one hot is the supply to the switches and outlet your incoming hot should be a black wire that should be connected to 1 side of each switch and the outlet. The white neutrals are pigtailed together and feeding the humidistat, light and outlet. The grounds should be pigtailed and attached to the metal box. So 3 cables is correct: 1 for incoming power, 2 supplying the fan & light.


Why doesn't my replacement kitchen sprayer work as expected?

I am not sure what you mean when you say you "took the body apart", pictures may help.

Residential kitchen faucets with separate hand-held sprayers (as opposed to those where the sprayer is integral to the spout) do not charge the sprayers with system pressure until you trigger the sprayer.

They utilize a special diverter mechanism, usually located in the main valve body. The mechanism is a valve that only actuates and diverts water to the sprayer when the trigger/button on the sprayer is pressed. You need to replace the diverter valve.

The below illustration depicts one type of Grohe faucet that uses a diverter valve, there are very likely others:


What is expectation for plumber doing finishing work in bathroom?

I thought this was a bit short but.
It should have been spelled out in the contract. A good price usually means the homeowner doing some of the easy stuff. So if it is not covered in the contract the good price was you doing some of the work.
As I have been a licensed and bonded contractor I may lean a bit to there side. But there are some real crooks out there and they need to be put out of business.
This sounds like a mis understanding, and I am sure he will do all the work for a few $ more.


Is it okay to insulate some but not all steam pipes coming from boiler?

Any pipes you insulate, including elbows and tees will help contain heat and make it available to where you want it, in your case, the third floor.


How big of a beam for a load bearing wall

When modifying load bearing walls and betting your house on the results, you are well served to hire a civil engineer to analyze the situation and tell you what will work, rather than guessing. It should not be terribly expensive.


Should the flue always be open in a gas fireplace?

Your flue should always be open when the fireplace is operating.  It is a fire and smoke risk to close the flue while the fire is lit.

When not burning, the flue should be closed to prevent heat loss.


Can I bond gas plumbing via gas water heater's electrical connection ground?

The water heater's equipment grounding conductor takes care of its side.
Check the installation manual (example) for your CSST (Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing; the bright yellow, flexible gas pipe.)  You should be bonding the gas piping at your service entrance to the home's grounding system.  That's what the inspector is referencing.
Some additional information: http://csstsafety.com/CSST-solution.html


What is the difference between a professional grade drill and a non professional grade drill?

What exactly does professional range mean?

We can't say exactly because it almost certainly depends on exactly which manufacturer or brand-owner is involved. It is also worth remembering that these terms are invented in the first place by marketing departments not by engineering departments and so a lot of the differences are in non-technical areas. For example, how they are advertised, how they are decorated externally, what claims are promoted in the marketing, how support is delivered to the end-user and so on.

Tools that are taken out a few times a year and used for an hour or so at a slow pace don't have the same requirements as tools that are used eight hours a day five days a week for years.

That means that tools labelled professional are expected to be more durable for intensive continuous use. They probably wear out quicker in the hands of a professional worker simply because they are used more heavily and treated more roughly and in more challenging conditions.

Bosch are an interesting case as they often sell very similar tools in both their home-owner (green) and professional (blue) ranges.

Their professional range is typically guaranteed three years. The consumer stuff has (in the EU) only the one year warranty against manufacturing defects.

I guess that some of the differences are likely to be in areas that mostly affect durability more than performance, such as choices of materials (e.g. how much glass reinforcement/fill is in the plastic); size, type and choice of bearings (shielded, sealed etc); bushings vs bearings; quality of switches; potting or laquering of PCBs, etc.

"Pro"                                      "Home"
18V Li-ion                                 18V Li-ion
45 / 19 Nm                                 46 / 25 Nm
0 – 500 / 0 – 1450 rpm                     0 – 400 / 0 - 1340 rpm
10 mm in steel                             10 mm in steel
29 mm in wood                              30 mm in wood

At the bottom end of the market is stuff that is very poorly manufactured, with parts that don't fit as they were designed to, poorly assembled and not quality-controlled in any meaningful sense. You're lucky if it works out of the box and doesn't fall to pieces the second time you use it. Store-brand tools are usually from a mixture of low-bidding untraceable manufacturers in low-wage countries and are often copies of copies of generic designs that are poorly understood by the maker. There's no incentive for the manufacturer to make anything that lasts beyond delivery to the end user.


Assuming:

The cables themselves have one or more layers of unbroken, waterproof insulation.
The orange conduit is itself unbroken.
The orange conduit will be covered with a surface impermeable to water and steam before any water is present.

  Is it dangerous to have these electrical cables on top of shower?

No.  It is not the slightest bit dangerous.

Aesthetically and functionally it would be nicer to have the wires, and that beam, out of the way to have a more open shower.  But the electrical safety is not a problem at all.


Is it permissible to install a low-voltage fixture over an existing ceiling box?

You're overthinking it

All you need here is some insulating means to separate the 120V circuit from the 12V circuit -- while they don't make box barriers in the configuration you're after, a non-metallic cover plate of the appropriate size will do just as well provided you can route the cable around it.  You'll need to use slightly longer screws than what came in the box, though, as you'll have to mount the smoke detector base through the cover plate holes and into the box mounting holes.


Can I connect the exhaust vent from my range hood to the existing ceiling exhaust fan vent?

Your condo violates Code and is unsafe, and your HOA consists of idiots

First off -- your condo's existing setup, with a recirculating hood over a domestic gas appliance, is quite clearly a Code violation and a flagrant safety hazard, as IFGC 503.3 strictly prohibits the recirculation of gas appliance exhaust due to the unacceptable CO buildup that would otherwise occur:

  503.3 Design and construction Venting systems shall be designed and constructed so as to convey all flue and vent gases to the outdoors.

Second, that ceiling exhaust in the laundry room likely was installed to service the dwelling unit -- you'd need to replace that ventilation system in order to reuse the existing exterior penetration for the range hood duct, and that leaves you back where you started.

However, if you can have an engineer analyze your ventilation situation as per Chapter 4 of the IMC and determine that the vent fan in the laundry room is indeed not necessary to provide Code-compliant ventilation to the dwelling unit as a whole, then you can disconnect the ductwork from the laundry room vent fan and reuse that penetration for the range hood, provided that the duct meets the conditions given in IMC 505.1 for domestic range hood ducts:

  505.1 Domestic systems Where domestic range hoods and domestic appliances equipped with downdraft exhaust are located within dwelling units, such hoods and appliances shall discharge to the outdoors through sheet metal ducts constructed of galvanized steel, stainless steel, aluminum or copper.  Such ducts shall have smooth inner walls, shall be air tight, shall be equipped with a backdraft damper, and shall be independent of all other exhaust systems.


Condensing furnace in garage or attic safe for winter?

A condensing gas furnace needs to discharge it's condensate "waste" water.  If the furnace is in an environment that experiences freezing temperatures, this can become difficult. Typical condensing gas furnaces don't have provisions to protect the condensate line against freezing temperatures, so the line can freeze up and break.

This is one of the reasons you won't typically find furnaces installed in attic spaces in cold climates.


Should we glue above and below our rubber underlayment for wooden floors?

You’re right...we avoid two layers of vapor barriers, but that is for walls, ceilings, etc. with material in between the vapor barriers that can have moisture in the lumber or trap moisture within the void space as heat transfer the walls, ceilings and reaches it Dew Point.

In this instance you are “sealing” the DRY rubber underlayment. (Emphasis on “dry”.) You’ll have minimal moisture movement downward into the rubber underlayment compared to air movement up into ceilings or sideways into walls. (Most of the moisture will come up from below.)

However, I’d contact customer service (in writing) and ask them to clarify...and keep a copy of their response.

There seems to be two conflicts 1) sealing the rubber underlayment to the plywood subfloor, and 2) sealing the rubber underlayment to the engineered flooring. I like the idea of sealing the rubber underlayment to the floor, but we generally allow the wood flooring to move, depending on seasonal humidity, etc.

I’d re-read the instructions to be certain and then I’d follow the manufacturer’s instructions...after they clarify...for your location.