How can I hook curtains to vertical blinds?

I would suggest installing a curtain rod specifically for hanging the blackout curtains instead of trying to attach them to anything on the vertical blind mechanism. Attaching the curtains would likely prevent any operation of the vertical blinds at a minimum, and possibly damage the mechanism.
The new rod could be above the vertical blind, or, if the rod is long enough, the brackets could be at the same level as the blind mechanism and the top of the curtain essentially flush with the top of the opening. This would probably depend on how wide and tall your curtains are.
Doing it this way would allow you to use your existing curtains and to continue to use the vertical blinds when you do want light and to continue to use the sliding door that I presume is behind the blinds. You would have to spend for the curtain rod, but if money is tight, you can get a very inexpensive plain rod. If you'd like to spend a bit more, you can get something fancier and more decorative.
If you're renting and worried about damaging the wall, usually a few screw holes aren't enough to cause loss of a damage deposit. Or you can buy a small container of drywall spackle to easily patch up the holes before you leave.


Controlling two fixtures on same circuit independently

Without running an additional switched hot lead, it can be done using radio frequency transmitting switches which control a RF receiver/relay which you would have to wire into the ceiling box. Leviton makes devices like that. They are neither simple nor cheap. In my opinion it would be easier, quicker, and cheaper to fish a new wire or even open the wall. Patching is painstaking and tedious but not difficult.


This clamp is one type of a "Hold Down Clamp". Some types are direct bolt on clamps like this one:

Other types similar to the one that you pictured are designed to slip into the flanged head of a pin that pops up through a hole in the work bench.

Here is a picture of one in action where you can clearly see it engaging the pin coming up from the work surface. In this case notice that the work surface has an arrayed set of the attachment points.

When used on a work surface as shown above this type of clamp has a great advantage of being able to be used rotated around 360 degrees.

Be aware that this type of clamp has has dropped out of favor in more modern times and are hard to find. You could try this link or this link.

The Original Hold Down Clamp (Holdfast), tap with a mallet to set, tap with a mallet to release.


Yes. The extent to which that is "sealed" is debatable, but there's certainly no issue with finishing over cured stain - it's done all the time.
Just stay food safe (and be sure to check with your guests about nut allergies if using something like walnut oil, which is a good food-safe hardening oil, but not great if you have a guest with tree-nut allergies at a very sensitive level...)


Where to place the vapor barrier in a sunroom floor

The vapour barrier's task is to keep inside moisture away from the insulation and framing where it could condensate and create mold.
In your proposal your hot/cold interface induces condensation on the side of the vapour barrier where the insulation is.
However, you want the condensation and insulation on opposite sides of the barrier.
Your sunroom floor can be insulated as follows, with the following layers from top to bottom:

Flooring (finished flooring)
Vapour barrier
Sub-floor and framing
insulation between joists
Building wrap (optional)
Sheathing (PT plywood) with air gaps. Sheathing doubles as cladding and protects the entire assembly from rodents, abrasion etc...

(To be clear, this is the order of layers. Of course, this is not the order in which you'd build & assemble it)
The above has the plywood sheathing as the bottom layer since the aesthetics of the view from-under don't matter in your case.
If, however, if you wish to finish the bottom with something like a soffiting, you'd put the optional building wrap between the sheathing and the soffit:

Sheathing (plywood) with airgaps
Building wrap (optional)
Cladding/underside finishing, breathable

If you plan to cool the sunroom (e.g. with A/C, in the summer), then the moisture from the ground may become a problem if there is insufficient air flow underneath.
In this case you will need to add a vapour barrier / retarder to the ground with rocks over it, or pour a slab. A layer of rocks over landscape fabric could work too. A barrier keeps the ground moisture away and inhibits the growth of weeds. Weeds can reduce the free airflow and also draw-up moisture.
The rocks help prevent rodents from nesting under the sunroom. Don't dig a bed though, as this may cause water pooling.


Is joist sag at connection with header a problem?

Good question Paul, The situation with your framing is not really normal, but not uncommon  for a house that age. Any time there is separation of framing members, it is a reason for concern and should be addressed. However, I would not say it is a major or alarming problem. There could be a couple of different reasons for this separation. The joists may have shrunk over the years from not being well dried at the time of construction. The other reason could be settling of the outside supporting structure or foundation. A good first step is to confirm level of the joists using a long level or a laser. I prefer using a laser as you can check level and deflection at the same time. This may also help you determine the cause of the floor sag. Any irregularities can be corrected by slight jacking, sistering, shimming or adding supports.

Assuming your framing is fairly level or corrections are made, I would recommend adding joist hangers to all the members. It would be impossible to close the existing gaps, and the gripping force of the existing nails has been compromised over the years from wood shrinkage. Simply hammering them in tighter would not be a permanent solution.  When selecting the hangers, be sure to get the ones that have holes that allow securing to both the joists and center beam. Use the appropriate size joist nails or screws for the holes in the hangers, don't under size and never use drywall screws.  If you use joist nails, get or rent a pneumatic palm nailer, it will make the process a whole lot easier.

Once you have properly installed hangers, you can go ahead with your finishing project being confident there will be no further separation of the joists from the beam.


How large a span can a 4x6 hold safely for a swing set.?

Looking at span charts, such as http://www.southernpine.com/app/uploads/AL_33-38L.pdf
I see the Total Load for a plywood covered angled roof from SYP is as low as 34 lb/ft for a 2x6, and doesn’t simply double for a 4x6.

You are talking about a clear span of nearly 16’ with a total weight up to 400lbs swinging back and forth exerting greater than your listed weights when swinging hard — I think you’d want much closer supports and a lot of extra bracing. You might not immediately break the beam, but I can see it flexing a lot, and possibly pulling down the sides, especially if they are not attached to rigid anchors at the ground. From wood, for that type and use of span, I think you should look at a laminated, engineered beam.


How to fill large 1" gap between preform laminate countertop and wall

If the walls aren't square, I bet the cabinets aren't square as well.  And nothing says your counter top has to be square as well.  The best way to hide out of square rooms is to try and match the existing angles.  In this case you will need to make the miter cut a little bit off 45, probably 44.  A small angle change can make a huge difference when getting to get things to fit.  And even then a slight difference in the overhang on the cabinets will not be as noticeable as any means trying to fix the gap between the counter and wall.


So the problem is mostly the smell. Two ways to go at it, and you may need both - a respirator with a carbon filter cartridge as well as a particulate filter cartridge (stackable), or a combination type cartridge, and a "fresh air blower" to supply clean air to the space before, during and after working in it.

But since I see in the bits that were (IMHO) excessively edited out of your question this is not your own home, a call to the local (health board? or whoever has jurisdiction over landlords) is where you, as a tenant, should start, (assuming that you have already brought this to the attention of your landlord without results - if you have not, start there) along with perhaps looking for a different rental and considering breaking your lease for the property not being maintained in a condition that's safe to inhabit. Ripping out the insulation is not only not your responsibility, it's also undoubtedly not something you are allowed to do, either.


Is there a product I could apply on the wall before painting so that one paint layer only will do?

Use a primer, like Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 or any other interior primer. It's rather hard to get true one coat coverage, why do you want only 1 coat? Are you trying to use an existing paint leftover to match the rest of the room? If so, you can buy tintable primer to better match the final color. We had to to this in a bright pink bedroom, so we tinted the primer blue, applied one coat of primer and topcoated with 2 coats of regular blue semi-gloss; worked quite well to hide such a strong color. You might get away with only one coat if the tint is relatively close. Check your local Sherwim Williams, Lowes, HD et cetera to see if they do tinted primers. Sherwin Williams is usually the best bet for special stuff.


What are the steps to drain and refill zone for zone valve replacement?

I turned off both valves 1 & 2 figuring it isolated most things and valve 2 didn't seem to close all the way.
The steps I used to drain were:

turn supply off
turn return off
open hose bibb
open bleeder valve on register farthest away.  If you don't do this, it seems to drain very slowly.

When refilling/purging, it seemed to go better/faster if that bleeder screw opened in step 4 was left open until things are flowing well.  However, if you do that, by the time you get back upstairs to close it, there will be water on the floor.  If you want to avoid that, you'll either need two people, or you have to close it before turning on the water supply, go upstairs and then open it up to help bleed the system.
In step 3 of the original post for purging, I do now believe that opening the pressure reducer valve (bypass) is done to overcome the air pressure in the system.  If you don't see water coming out after say 30 seconds, do this as a short burst and it'll get water moving.  I never did come up with an answer about the pressure getting too high.  When I opened it up for a short burst, I didn't notice the pressure go up--probably because I only opened it up a bit and for a quick time.


How can I accommodate high washing machine drain flow rates with older plumbing?

As mentioned in other posts, in the old days, we had laundry sinks/tubs that the washer drained into. The tub would fill up and then slowly drain. The tub acted as a "buffer" to temporarily hold water until the drain would catch up. My solution was to replace the 1 1/2" drain pipe with 3" pipe. I used a 3 to 1 1/2" reducing coupler to mate with the existing drain, connected 24" or so of 3" pipe, put another reducing coupler on top for the hose to go into. The top reducing coupler is just so nothing accidentally falls in. A 3" pipe holds 4 times the amount of water that a 1 1/2" pipe holds for the same length (a 4" pipe holds 7x the water!). The 3" pipe mimics the old laundry tubs. Newer HE washers use a lot less water so we don't need big tubs. Here's a picture:


Use Hampton Bay in wall ceiling fan remote with Harbor Breeze fan?

The switch comes with the fan control you need. You have to replace the fancontrol from the fan with it. I'll include a pic highlighting the part I talking about.


I think it functions as a filter to keep the growing media from making its way to the lower level.
The holes would be smaller then the media, the holes allow the water to drain out but not the media. (the "media" in this case are  the small clay balls that hold the roots of the plants in suspension facilitating an oxygenated water  environment.)


Cooker and gas hob both controlled by 13 amp switched sockets under worktop and behind cooker

I assume your in the U.K as this sounds like a typical set-up for cookers in a kitchen area. The circuit feeds a control switch or cooker unit switch which may incorporate a one socket-outlet. The rating of the circuit depends on the current demand of the cooker. A 32A circuit breaker is normally sufficient for cookers up to 15kW. Wiring a cooker circuit with a rating more than 15A but not exceeding 50A may supply two or more cooking appliances where they are installed in one room. The cooker switch should be installed within 2m of the cooker but not directly above it. One switch may be used to isolate two cooking appliances where they are installed in the same room but neither are more than 2m from the cooker switch. A minimum cable size of 6mm flat twin & earth cable can be used for a typical cooker circuit (from the CU) with a maximum load of 15kW with a maximum cable run lenght of 28m (installed above a plasterboard ceiling covered by thermal insulation not exceeding 100mm thick).

In summary make sure to check the new appliance is the correct power/current rating. However normally to replace like for like is perfectly fine


Vintage help: How to install a 1902 pedestal sink

It appears that your sink is not set up for a cleat/wall bracket but judging on the ring of porcelain on the bottom it is for a pedestal.

I know the boss would prefer not to use legs but if you show her this web page. (Not affiliated). she may find something to her standards.

I did install a similar sink on wall brackets, the ones you show
do NOT seem to have a good solid way to attach to structure in the wall.

You could check with vintage plumbing supplier or habitat restore if, you have one, for a pedestal.


Surveillance System and Home Automation in Europe

If it is available in the UK, I would go with Z-wave technology.  While I have only dealt in the US, I hope this can help.  I've sold quite a bit of Z-wave and been trained in installation it's similar to installing regular devices like switches and dimmers.  Programming is simple with the remote, and I hear the computer interface makes it easier.

In the US there are many companies that make it, with most of them being able to be used with other Z-wave devices.  The system is considered a mesh system, meaning it goes device to device and the more devices you have connected, the better the signal travels.

By having many companies using the Z-wave technology then you can get basic dimmers, receptacles and switches to security systems, air conditioner controls, shade control & irrigation.

This link has both US and UK product links you can check out.  I've mostly dealt in Leviton, Cooper Wiring Devices and Intermatic as my sources but there are lot more plus the Audio Video and Mechanical companies.

The programming is done through the remote control or by computer if you buy the interface.  No wheels or dip switches to set.  A system can be conservative or lucrative, your choice.  The pricing used to be about double that of X10, but if you had to trouble shoot X-10, then the price difference is worth it.

If you are a techie (not Trekky) you'll find lots of information on the WWW.  Many forums to go through to help answer questions.


What's the effect of introducing bends into a primary-secondary heating loop?

That is actually a very good system you are proposing. My only reservation is that the cost will be excessive for only 2 apartments or zones. This is a new twist for me on a primary/secondary piping system. I have installed them before but this device makes it so much easier.The amount of elbows and other fittings should not be a problem as long as the total piping friction loss is included in the selection for sizing the primary pump. The use of 2 smaller boilers instead of 1 large boiler will lend itself to better efficiency by allowing for a lead/lag boiler operation and will be much more dependable than 1 boiler for each apartment.


is it ok to peel paper from faced fiberglass batt insulation?

You're asking two questions:

Is it ok?
Yes, it's ok. There's no substantial difference between the resulting fiberglass batt and a new, unfaced batt aside from marginally less fiberglass due to what pulls off with the paper. The batts may want to pull out as you remove the paper, so it might make sense to simply do it on the floor and reinstall backward so you have a cleaner face exposed to the room.

Is it necessary?
Your plan is sound: Don't have more than one vapor barrier.


while still wet, denatured alcohol will work.


Is a 4x4x18' enough to support this span. 12'x13' room. Ridge beam supported each end with a 13' open span

Depending on snow load, if any, “dead load” (composition of roof structure), species of wood, grade of beam, etc., I’d use a 4x8...minimum...for a 13’ span.


Insulating between boiler room and bathroom

In my opinion, public enemy #1 are the potential drafts that are coming through your structure.  Address point 4 and use expanding foam filler around those holes and pipes.

That being said, I think you need to tackle the problem head on and remove the plywood, ala point #3, and properly apply insulation to the uninsulated space.  It will not only beef up your homes thermal barrier, but in addition will insulate your bath, keeping hot-water bathes - hot.

Not sure about the door and wall venting, I'd hope you have the boiler exhaust piping heading outdoors..


Squealing faucet (water off, not necessarily running anywhere in house)

It's a type of water hammer enabled by an incomplete seal,  tighten it further if that silences it you need to repair the valve, a new washer might do it, or the valve seat may also need fixing.

Overtigtening causes accelerated wear on the valve stem thread, and so should not be treated as a fix.


Lattice is really cheap stuff. It's probably easier to just get new lattice and rebuild the gate. Or, for a simple fix, get a wire stripper wheel for a power drill and take at it. Get as much off that comes off easily and then cover it all with quality primer.

FYI, if a lot of the wood has been weathered for a while, it's going to be a chore to get primer to stick to it without a lot of sanding. Again, might be easier to replace the lattice al together. You can also usually find synthetic lattice that doesn't require any painting.


Bare wire says 120 but drops tall 1 when hooked to outlet

This is a classic sign of a bad connection. The neutral wire likely has a break, is loosely connected, or corroded or charred. You need to find the other end of the wire and inspect it.


You can use a left over matte finish (I'm guessing this is what you were talking about), but the blocks will soak it up and you may need a few coats for a decent look. I would start with a masonry primer first that will seal and fill the pinholes, then you can topcoat it with whatever you want.

You can paint the floor, but you're going to have give more information: Is it new concrete? Is it stained or sealed? Is it painted right now? Do you plan on parking cars on it?

H&C Shield-Crete and the Acrylic glaze to go over it may be your best bet.


Bathroom GFCI trips when I plug into different outlet on separate breaker, but in same bathroom

The neutral on the other circuit is somehow cross-connected to this neutral.  Possibly via bootlegging grounds. Possibly via a miswired light or fan.

All this miswiring is related to the LOAD terminals on the GFCI. Those are shipped with a piece of tape on them that says "Do Not Use.  For Wizards Only."  But lots of people don't read the tape.  Especially selling homeowners trying to pass inspection with GFCIs in all the right places.

The usual mistake is replacing a plain receptacle (which has 4 screws, meant for splicing) with a GFCI (2 screws, plus 2 special Load screws not for splicing). They just force it, and it causes things like this.

So the answer is:

search all boxes in the bathroom and remove any bootlegged grounds. If they are GFCI protected they are allowed to be 3-prong sockets and have no ground, but they need a sticker that says "No Equipment Ground".
remove all the wires from the GFCI Load terminals, and place them on the GFCI Line terminals.  Use any splicing method that is legal, e.g. wire nuts and pigtails.
understand your wiring.  If you know of any particular loads that you want GFCI protected, move their hot and neutral to the Load terminals.  Do this symmetrically, don't move hot while you get neutral from somewhere else.


Will my raised flower bed design be sturdy enough?

The floor is marginal, the deflection is almost an inch. This might be tolerable, but deflections also put a lot of stress on the screws. Damp soil weighs more than water, 96 lbs/ft3 according to one website, so it could be worse than these calculations.

Floor calculation:

Another concern is the strength of the corners. If this stand isn't level, there will be tremendous forces on the corners. Even if it starts level, settling could make it un-level. I would sink PT 4x4s 3 ft into the ground in the corners (or maybe 6 total), so there is no chance of the corners rupturing and it falling and hurting someone.

I don't know how to account for the corrugated steel, so I didn't calculate the side strength.

Edit for new design:

Floor calculation:

2x6 side rail calculation:

Both of these calculations are OK. I can't comment on the remainder of the design without seeing a detailed diagram. I don't know how to analyze screw and bolt strength, so I wouldn't necessarily be able to confirm a complete design anyway.

If you are going to rest the 2x6 on top of the 4x4s, you need to be sure that there is no chance that it can slip off.


Are builders generally unreliable like this?

Most are reliable. But like any other industry, there are some unscrupulous people who will take your money and run.

  If we can't find a reliable builder through our connections, what options do we have?

Personal connections is my biggest recommendation. Ask your friends & neighbors. Send an email to a local community email list (i.e., don't just ask some random person on the internet). If you talk to enough local people you'll likely find the same good and bad recommendations repeated, and then pick (obviously) one of the "good" ones.

  What is the best way to find a reliable builder?

See above.

  Should we make deal with large organizations that take on contracts rather than a one man band to do all the work?

That can work out well. But you will be paying for overhead (advertising, office staff, equipment, etc.) that the little guys don't have. On the other hand, you will often (but not always) have a larger company that can fix up the tough problems if/when they occur. On the other hand, a large organization that doesn't care much about its customers can actually be worse when things go wrong, for a bunch of reasons. So it is a bit of a toss-up.

In the end, I find personal recommendations to be the most effective way to find good service - whether construction, doctors, lawyers or any other professional.


How can I automatically open/close window blinds?

A stepper motor driver (shield, I suppose, in Arduino speak) a couple of stepper motors (if you want both functions) and a modest amount of creativity should do it.

The open/close motor could be fitted with a section of rubber hose to slip onto the handle - the up/down one would need a pulley or spool (as for sewing thread) to roll the cord up.


Split switched receptacles all stay hot regardless of switch position

Two things come to mind:

Make sure the switches are actually working by disconnecting the load wire and testing for voltage passing through or resistance between the terminals.
Verify that the red wire believed to be the switched hot at the outlet actually goes to the switch. Could do this by identifying which outlet is the first in the series, disconnect the red wire from that outlet, then confirm that toggling the switch causes the voltage on the wire to toggle.

After checking these you'll know whether the switch works properly and whether it controls the wire going to the first outlet in the series. This will help you isolate the problem to the switch itself (contacts welded closed), the space between the switch and first outlet (switch doesn't actually control those outlets, for example), or something in or beyond the series of outlets (the switched-hot is possibly backfed from same or another circuit somewhere).


The 2 blacks From the switch go to the red and orange.
Doesn’t matter clip the reds straighten and use a wire nut to combine the 3 wires. Then black to orange with a wire nut.
The white on the switch goes to that group of whites
If you have a white on the switch, last the green to the ground or bare copper.
That it was a 3 way doesn’t matter if the other switch was removed and you have an always hot.


After 10-12 years, it's entirely possible that the switches behind the light buttons are failing. This would be especially true if you use the garage door opener lights on a regular basis. Consider that you probably hit the opener button (the big white one) once in the morning to open the door on your way out (then close it with the remote in your car), then once in the evening when you return home (after opening the door with the remote in the car). If you go to the garage twice in the evening, that's 4 presses of the light button (on/off for each trip), therefore more wear & tear on that particular switch.
If you're good with soldering, you could attempt to open up the wired remote, desolder the actual switch from the circuit board and replace it.
However, it's probably easier (and probably wouldn't cost significantly more) for most folk to simply replace the wired remote. You could get a Chamberlain, LiftMaster or Craftsman brand to replace it (since they're all made by Chamberlain), generally, though, these are pretty generic and almost any one will do.
I'd suggest replacing one, then testing for a few days to confirm that the light button works consistently. If that's solved the problem, then replace the other.
Replacing the wall-mount remote should be as simple as:

Pop the white plastic cover off
TAKE A PICTURE NOW
Disconnect red & white wires that are attached
No, really, you did take a picture with your phone back there, didn't you?
Unscrew 1 or 2 screws that hold the unit to the wall, and pull it off the wires.
Feed the wires through the hole in the back of the new unit
Screw it to the wall (existing screw holes if they happen to line up, otherwise, it's just drywall, screw it in wherever the new mounting holes are)
Attach the wires to the new opener (most likely exactly the way they were attached to the old one, but check the directions, just to be sure).
Pop the new white button onto the newly mounted remote.
Test!
No, really, you took a picture before you disconnected the wires back there, just to be sure, right?


Installing Tile on a painted wall with satin finish

The safest way to do that is to apply a scratch coat first, using whatever mortar or mastic youll be using to install the tile. Make sure you let it cure out all the way. Most mortars and some mastics heat up as they cure. This means it can it can make the paint release from the wall, much like removing wall paper.


Keeping heating wires secured to roof during snow removal

Ice melting cables are just a stopgap. You should fix the real problem. The easiest way to get rid of ice damming is to improve the attic ventilation.

Assuming you have existing vents, the biggest culprit is usually the eave venting. Check your eave vents to make sure they are clear. If so, you need more of them. If not, clear them and then add more.

If you have modern soffit with perforated aluminum panels, pull some of them out and make sure that they are not screwed on to solid wood of plywood soffits (we see this all the time). If so, cut holes in the ply or wood and then reinstall aluminum.

If they are installed directly to rafter tails or the like, look up inside and make sure that there is a free passage way from the eave up over the wall and into the attic space. It's common for overenthusiastic insulators to wedge insulation into that joint, thus effectively preventing airflow from the eaves into the attic space. This is vital for proper ventilation, which eliminates eave icing entirely.


Keep the fan on for a week and all the solvents in the glue should out gass in this time, most water pipes are glued and charged with water within 24 hours and in a day or 2 the solvents are gone and don't show up in testing, have been through this several times. A total pain in my back side. After 36 hours the levels were not dectable on a MSA or RGA that the owner who insisted on CPVC when I suggested copper. I think his total bill on the 2 samples for each test was several hundred each + the cost of a technician taking the samples... Give it a day or 2 with the fan on and I believe you will find the same.


Can I run heating duct work through the attic?

I can't think of any reason not to run the duct through any open path. If the duct goes into any uninsulated space, you'll need to have the duct itself insulated. And on a vertical run between floors, I like to have a fire block between the floors, but that may not be code in a single family dwelling. Be sure to block any drafts, run a vapor barrier, and insulate where the line goes from an interior wall into the attic space.


What is this four connector-post, square electrical device mounted to my interior wall?

It's a beat up telephone jack. You can see the actual plastic jack off on the left, and there was originally a cover over the box.


Conflicting instructions on refill tube with Fluidmaster universal repair kit

I'm guessing that if the refill tube is placed fully down the overflow pipe it is possible to setup a siphon, pulling the water valve open and using large amounts of water.
The correct installation is to use the clip so the refill tube is aimed at and enters the overflow pipe. There should be a visible air gap between the bottom of the refill tube's nozzle and the top of the overflow pipe. See the attached image:


Why would a GFCI receptacle causes my electric tools to run slow?

It sounds as though the voltage at the appliance is reduced when the motor is running. This happens when the wire length exceeds the maximum limit for the expected current. Said another way, the voltage drop on the line between the breaker and the GFCI is too great for that amount of current. This suggests the wire size is too small (e.g., 12 ga vs 10 ga). If a light load (100W bulb, radio, etc.) is plugged in, does it work as expected?


Your question is concerning two things:
1. Proper fitting (wood planks to masonry wall).
2. Proper wood treatment (anti-moisture).

So that's how will my answer look like. Let's look at this.

1. Proper fitting.
I would advise preparing additional support planks going vertically with - say - 1 meter space (that spacing requires additional insight on how much planks will weight, what wall you got and what kind of bolts you will use; use your aptitude and experience or ask a prO). These support planks will be bolted to the wall on all wood-wall height and have only supportive purpose (don't need any beautiful finishing or something). The spacing also determines if (or HOW MUCH) your wood-wall would deform over time. Shorter spaces mean less visible deformations (in short).
Your proper planks - THE planks you want to see as a decorative - will be attached to these supports I mentioned before. That will make support planks perpendicular to these decoratives. Also, I would leave some few centimeters (or, preferably, more) space from the floor to avoid water to be in contact with planks (due to water from shower or cleaning tools) and to let air circulate between masonry wall and wood-wall. Similiar space would be needed up near ceiling.

2. Proper wood treatment.
This will require appropriate info on what you got in stores - all of these chemicals that render your wood water- and moisture-proof (at least for some years...). On that I advise to talk to some shot helper that seem to have proper knowlege.

EDIT concerning question edit :)

The space between masonry and wood is to be kept, I'm afraid. Here are some reasons:

it allows air (and often steam) to travel op the wall; moisture has an occasion to evaporate
using supportive planks lets you not to drill that many holes in a wall (cuz you will connect decorative planks to supportive planks with screws)
it allows planks to deform, avoiding some of tensions that would lead to look bad/destroy it

I'm aware that it may not look as intended with this visible difference between wood and tiles, but you may try either to neutralize that view or use it to your benefit (better visual effect). You can achieve that whatever you like (covering first line of tiles with last line of wood; plaing decorative hangers and so on...).
Of course, You can glue/attach wood to the wall with some glu-ish adhesive, but I guess that wood will 'work' and deform over time. If, later on, You would decide that any refinishing is to be done, it would be easier to unatttach the screws than tearing down (un-glue) all of them.

I would also wait for other DIY-ers to give their opinions as well. Mine is one of many, and I know it :)


What is this part called on a bathtub handle

I'd call that an 'adjustable stop'. But it's not a standard part.  It's something unique to that exact model of faucet.

So you will need to find the faucet manufacturer and ask them for the replacement part as you're not going to find it in a hardware store.

If the faucets were low quality or just a very old model, I doubt the original manufacturer, even if you an find them, will have the part to just give to you.  You may have to buy a new unit of that model faucet just for it.

If you can't identify the manufacturer or thy can't give you the part, things get worse.

You could replace both faucets with new. But I know I wouldn't want to deal with the tile work.

You could 3d print a replacement part.  You'd have to carefully measure the existing one in extraordinary detail though, or find someone with a 3d scanner that can do internal negative space like that part has, which is  going to be tricky.

You could remove the part from the other faucet so both work the same way, which may be better than the current state.

You could try to find a small hose-clamp.  They have a similar shape, and the screw one ones can go on tight enough to use for something like this.

You could 'slice' the existing part into two, perpendicular to its axis and use one half on each faucet.  This may be tricky if the keying on the handle isn't full length.  If that's the case, you could wrap some electrical tape around the shaft or fashion a spacer to hold it in the correct position.

This last one is what I'd do.


Looking at the photos provided, I don’t see anything that qualifies as a bad job. My guess is that if they’re newly laid shingles they probably just need to be exposed to some more sunlight/heat so they lay down properly, but that’s perfectly normal and nothing to worry about.


Your plan sounds right. Separating the grounds.  And 4-wire from main to any subpanel.  Using aluminum wire for service and feeder is also wise.

You actually need two ground rods at each building. Unless the one passes the magic test for 25 ohms. But you can't test it, and the cost of hiring it done is more than a second rod.  End of the day ground rods are for protecting you and yours, so they're cheap insurance.

You still need the ground wire; that's for returning human-generated current, which is much lower voltage than lightning and ESD, but far too high current for dirt to carry.


Concrete vs suspended floor over vapor barrier

Is your current setup like one pictured on this site?

What do you mean by "best"? Building a subfloor will be more expensive, but you can probably use your current radon system. Pouring concrete will be a cheaper floor option, but it might not be compatible with your radon system, and refitting it would drive the cost up.

The wood floor would be the easiest to do yourself if you know enough about carpentry to build a deck.


Why do I have almost no water pressure after installing a new kitchen faucet?

When you turn off your water valves or replace a faucet it is very common to kick up sediments in your pipes.  Most water pressure issues are because of these sediments getting stuck in the tap filter.  Look at your directions to unscrew the bottom of your faucet head.  Clean out the filter inside and screw back on head.


Could a chipped tiling flange on acrylic tub cause problems in the future?

It'll be fine. There's nothing there that'll rot or degrade over time.
(I know this is a short answer, but that's really all there is to say on the subject.)


Replace Furnace or Stick with Dual Zone Setup?

It's not clear to me how the second zone turns on and off.
Normally I would expect it to work by controlling the air flow.  So one zone (the one that gets chronically cold) is heated whenever the furnace comes on.  The other is heated when a damper to that zone is opened.
The problem with this:
Forced air furnaces are designed to output a certain volume of air.  Restricting the air flow results in a higher output air temp and a loss of efficiency.  In addition metal vent grates can be painful to touch. (But do a nice job of drying wet mittens.)
So a better way would be to keep the air flow constant, but split the flow between the two zones.  Visualize a 1x2 foot duct that splits into two adjacent parallel 1x1 ducts, and has a 1 foot square plate that can slide to any position from covering all of duct 1 to all of duct 2.  I've seen devices like this in commercial HVAC, but not in residential systems.
If you are doing a major refit to add AC anyway, you may want to take advantage of future differential prices of electricity:

Use the AC hardware at night when power is cheaper to chill a large tank of water to near freezing.
Circulate that chilled water though a fan coil to provide cold air for the house.

In winter the AC is turned off, and a small high efficiency gas water heater is used to heat the tank of water.  Since the tank has no circuity or fittings, it has very long life and is fairly cheap.  Insulate it well.
Potentially this also allows you to add warmer zones to the house. E.g. hot water under the bathroom floors. Hot water towel warmers. (Note that the requirements for embedded hot water, and radiant hot water take much different temperatures.) This however makes the system more complex.


West facing master bedroom getting hot from afternoon sun

Rather than go full mobile-home park and start boarding (or foiling) up the windows, they do make window film specifically for this:

Gila Heat Block Film (just one example)

That film might be enough to fix the problem, and if you install it carefully, management will probably not care if you leave it in place when you move.  If that alone doesn't block enough heat, you can also get "blackout" shades made of heavy, light blocking fabric.  If you don't want curtains, a light blocking roll-up shade is another option, and basic models can be very inexpensive:


No, do not join all of the neutrals. The GFCI load terminals need the neutral to remain separate. Your diagram is correct in that respect.

However, kitchen outlets must be dedicated; the circuit may not be shared with lighting as you have in your diagram. This is almost certainly a code violation in any jurisdiction.


Does flooring need to be done before built-in wardrobes?

I would recommend that any new walls, including those for built-in closets/wardrobes be done before the final finish flooring goes down.
You would want to build on the subfloor, nailing the sole plate of the wall down to the subfloor (preferably into joists below, if at all possible), and not having to worry about trying to cut through finish flooring in 10 or 20 years when you (or someone else) want to redo the floors again.


1: You are replacing switches and outlets room by room .

2: Since you said 3 way and two switches there - did you replace those switches with 3-ways and do you know how to correctly wire up a 3 - way switch  ?

EDIT 11/14/2017
 The light I assume was already in the circuit and had two wires to it. Your hot and neutral that go out to the light in the garage is what the LED would connect to just like the diagram above (parallel); try hot on one lead neutral on the other swap the wires around if it does not work. The previous owner might have wired it in series with your garage light- this approach may not work properly with an LED which is a Diode (that emits light) and passes DC only, thereby reducing the voltage to the garage lamp because you only have half the wave of the AC.

Given your description states Red, Black and White and that the led flickers  - sounds like he ran the light in Series with the LED You are half waving - half the time the LED lights (positive cycles / negative cycles) - half time on half time off 30 times a second it is flashing.

EDIT 11/18/2017

To verify - turn off your Circuit Breaker - verify the circuit is dead - use a volt meter and also a circuit on/off test.

Step 1:
Disconnect your black on the left side of the switch and the red from the right side of switch. Now being careful not to touch those wires to anything - hands included - turn the CB on and test for voltage at the black wire to the switch. If Voltage is present - flip your other switch - just to verify and check for power. You should have power - this means you have switch #1 per the diagram (should be) - your neutrals - the white wires are tied together in this box (hopefully they truly are neutrals).

If step 1 is correct:
Step 2
Check measure voltage on your black and red wires that you disconnected - DON'T touch the metal of your meter probes or any metal with your fingers/hands - measure the voltage from black to white (or copper) and also from the red to white (or copper )- this black and red share the same wire jacket. If voltage is present something is not correct. Your travelers are powered somehow on the other side - this should not be the case given step 1 and your picture.

If no voltage on Black and Red - they should be the wires going to your other switch (the traveler) - given your lights work with the LED removed - your second switch most likely has two sets of wires (red, black , white and copper) - OR there is something tied together that we are not seeing in your indicator wiring box.
So at this point we need to have a picture of the indicator wiring box and the second switch.

Step 3:
If all is well so far - in your second switch you should have one set of wires - the traveler and the indicator wires.
With your CB off verify what wires are which with an ohm meter. Measure continuity of black and red to your indicator .. if need be as long as the cb is off and you have no power - you can tie the black and red in your indicator wires together and measure at the second switch between black and red and verify continuity - this tells you what jacket goes where. (you could tie the black and red together - the ones that you disconnected from switch 1 earlier - and do the same thing to determine which set of wires is from where.

Now when you know which one is the lamp - you should have black and red as hot in any on position - so in your wiring that goes to the indicator - just leave the red wire nutted off on both ends. Connect your indicator jackets black lead (going to the indicator) to the common of switch 2 (per diagram below I have updated) and the white lead connect it to the neutral (at this point it should work) - so reconnect switch #1 according to your picture you sent the way it was originally (black on left and red on right). I usually take pictures for projects - because interruptions - I will forget how it was and I am too lazy to draw or write it down.

Turn your CB back on and test it.

EDIT 11/19/2017

As I am looking at the three pictures I find the one that is bothering me the most is the indicator connection. I see a R,B,W,C wire set (which means it has to come from either outside of this circuit (switch 1 and switch 2) or it is 'spliced' / wire nutted in somewhere along the path of the traveler wire set (R,B,W,C) from switch 1 and switch 2. and you said when switches on that white was hot too (wrong thing by code).

TO MAKE IT WORK

So if all are hot when switches are on - to make it work you can pick that wire nutted white wire (with the pretty red wire nut) back of box on the right hand side where the 2 two line sets are nutted together (verify that it is a neutral measure between it and the Red or Black of the (R,B,W,C) wire set; If you read 120V use that for one lead to your LED and then use the Black from the (R,B,W,C) wire set for the other - it should work.

That said I would not say the wiring is correct as the (R,B,W,C) set in the indicator box - where does it come from and how is it connected ?


How to prevent incandescent light bulbs from heating up the room, safely?

You haven't mentioned what sort of fixture these bulbs are in, but this sounds like a classic case for compact fluorescent lights (CFL).
Efficiency in light bulbs boils down to "for a given amount of power running through the bulb, how much is turned into light and how much is wasted as heat?"
Fluorescent bulbs are much more efficient than incandescents; LEDs are even more efficient, but they're a lot more expensive.  Here's a comparison chart from the US Department of Energy.

CFLs are marketed according to the incandescent bulb they could (theoretically) replace; 60-watt replacements draw 13 watts.
As I said, the replacement values are theoretical, and you may find that a 13-watt CFL is not quite bright enough; if so, you could step up to the "100-watt equivalent", which draws 23 watts, and still be generating far less heat than you are now.

The maximum-wattage labels in light fixtures are based on the power drawn and heat generated, NOT on the light produced; you could safely upgrade all the way to these bad boys (55-watt CFL, "250-watt equivalent") without worrying about overheating, but your room would be unbearably bright (and nearly as hot as it is now).


You should probably avoid trying to shut off the stuck stopcock by applying large amounts of force either from some type of lever or large adjustable pliers. The danger is that you may break the stopcock in the process and end up with water spraying everywhere.

The best way to look at this is to turn off the water supply at the main cutoff valve at the street or entrance to the building. Then replace the stuck valve with a new one that works and adapts to your new functionality. It is a fact that valves like this are rarely used and builders use the cheapest units available.

If it not convenient to replace the whole valve sometimes you can just use the main water shutoff so you can adapt the plumbing down stream from the stuck valve to get the dishwasher installed. But then make sure to put a note in your to-do file to get that stuck valve replaced as soon as feasible.


Can I splice wires in an old ceiling light box and should I add a ground conductor?

On this site there have been discussions from knowledgeable people about the importance of having every hot and its paired neutral conductor in the same cable or conduit. This is so the net time varying magnetic fields surrounding the wires are zero and so will not induce currents in surrounding metal. Induced currents cause heating of the metal.

I think you should find out what this pass through wire is being used for. This seems like a situation requiring a current clamp meter to find out the current (including the direction) in each wire under load. You may really need an expert electrician to look at this.


Which is the right screws to use to mount ikea pegboard to studs for heavy weights with noob skills?

Your studs are probably 2x6 to get the thickness for the latest higher level of insulation which requires more wall depth. Since the studs can bear more load, they can be spaced at 24" oc rather than 16" oc.

All of those screws would work. Most of your forces on the screws will be in shear, not withdrawal, so the screw only needs to go deep enough to engage the strength of the steel and bearing of the wood, rather than getting a lot of tread into the studs for withdrawal.

I would use the SDS screws at about 2-1/2" which will give 2" of embed with 1/2" drywall. They will support over 340 lb each and therefore the peg board will be the weak point. Add as many as needed, say 1 per 100 lb of gear, and a minimum of four. I suggest predrilling pilot holes for ease of insulation.


Two socket fluorescent lamp OFF switch hot / not working with single bulb

A quick search of ballasts revealed electronic ballasts that support (2) F15T8.

Go straight to that, don't waste any time with old magnetic ballasts that buzz and flicker on a good day.

An instant-start ballast does that by shocking the tubes lit, but this wears the tubes faster.  It typically needs 3 wires for a 2-tube setup, and they can run independently.

A rapid-start or programmed-start ballast makes use of the preheat coils in the tubes (automatically doing what the start switch did), causing an easier start.  The rapid-start ballast is guessing.  Both of them need typically 6 wires for 2 tubes, so you'd need to add wires to the neck conduit.  They usually need both to be present/working.


How can I intentionally make my toilet make this noise?

Sounds like a pissed-off fill valve, acting like a reed. You'd have to get your hands on a crappy toilet, swap out the fill valve, and hope it has a similar failure; not recommended. (all puns intended)


As the chrome cover seems to cover the hole then I would make a wood or plastic or metal collar that fits in the existing hole and has a suitable diameter hole for your new tap.

Make it sufficient thickness to suit.

If you still have an offcut of the worktop you could make it from that. Even consider gluing it into place but the next tap may need the larger hole...


Why does the Tesla PowerWall operate at 350v - 450v?

The Powerwall is/will be based on the lithium ion battery technology used in the Tesla cars, so instead of a few large lead acid batteries (like in PV battery banks) it will contain a zillion tiny 18650 cells, which work better if you put them in series and let the voltage soar.  This keeps the current low while still allowing the same amount of power output (good old ohms law).  The hardware to turn the current into a sine wave for consumption (called an inverter) also becomes simpler to design because it has high voltage to start with, so it doesn't need a boost circuit or a transformer to generate 120/208/240v RMS.


How to repair or at least hide cracks in wooden door panel?

You are correct. To get that panel out, you'll have to pull the top rail off the door, then the panel will slip out. You can then glue it up and glue the rail back in place. However, it's not that easy, as that top rail will be well and thoroughly glued in place.

You may want to try staining the edges of the cracks a dark color so that the bare wood showing through doesn't stand out.

You could put some wood filler in the cracks, if there are pieces missing, then stain that.

If the cracks have made the panel loose enough that it rattles, you'd probably be able to carefully pull the panel apart at the cracks, and force some wood filler in. Then squeeze the panel back together. You do not want to leave the gaps wide enough that the panel cannot move or you'll end up with more cracks due to seasonal expansion. The filler won't hold quite as well as glue, but, since you won't be able to properly clamp the panel, you'll have some glue or filler showing, and you'll be able to stain the filler to match, but wouldn't be able to stain the glue.

If you do want to attempt to remove the top rail, I'd suggest asking a question about how to do that Woodworking. There are loads of experienced wood workers there and you're likely to get an answer about how to properly loosen/soften the glue to get it apart. That would be the better solution, but it won't be easy.


Burn stain on unknown countertop material

This appears to be a laminate such as Formica, which cannot be repaired from heat damage. Your only option really is to replace the affected portion, either with another piece of Formica or with some kind of insert like a cutting board, trivet, etc.

You might also be able to put a new layer of laminate over top.

This video from This Old House shows some methods for replacing the affected portion.


What is this rocky area in my crawl space wall?

It's a "rock pocket".  The foundation wall is made of cement (a powder), water and rocks. They are suppose to be mixed throughly before "placing" in the forms. This either didn't get mixed properly or it was the last part of the pour, which often ends up with rocks that didn't get mixed in.

A small rock pocket like this is not a problem. It's more unsightly than a structural defect.

If it shows up on the exterior side of the foundation wall, we'll usually have the contractor apply a "parge coat" (a smooth coat of cement) over the rock pocket in an attempt to make it look like the rest of the wall. Depending on how long it's been there, a parge coat could "stand out" because it will probably be a different color. If you do decide to patch the rock pockets, then I'd test the color and keep the patch as small as possible...less noticeable.

It's somewhat unusual because it's located at a "control joint" in the wall. (Note the "V" groove vertically in the wall.)  if the wall is not leaking, I'd leave it alone.


recessed led worked fine for 3 months but today turned on today and its blinking on and off; not on a dimmer and not using a 3-way switch

I left it off a few days and even removed and tested on anther circuit but same blinking problem. Took back to HD given replacement...defective device. Thanks for your suggestions however.


can i safely turn on my heat with my water not turned on in my house

I'm no expert, but if your heating system is composed of hot water radiators, I would NOT turn it on until your water is on.

From what I know of these systems, even if they don't require new water to run, they still need to be plugged to the water system for when they need it.

For instance, right when you start to use them at the beginning of the cold season you need to bleed your radiators, which means you open a small valve and let the air come out.

Your system will need water to replace that air.


Two 3-Way Switches and One 4-Way Switch Controlling two lights. How do I convert the 4-way to a single pole switch?

Splice the travelers through at switch 2 and slap a blank cover on that box, then cap off and cover the hall light box
Getting rid of the switch at position 2 is simple, fortunately: all you need to do is splice each traveler on one side of the switch (from switch 1) to its corresponding traveler on the other side (from switch 3).  In your case, this is especially easy because the prior installer did sane things with the limited colors they had, so simply splice red to red and black to black in that box, then slap a one-gang blank cover on it.
As to ridding yourself of the hall light, that's simple too.  Just cap off each wire that went to the fixture individually with a wirenut, and then put a round blank cover of the correct size on the box.  Now that ex-lighting-outlet won't irritate anyone by being on all the time.


Can I run power from a GFCI receptacle to a standard receptacle then to a light switch?

In general, yes.  GFCI outlets have LINE and LOAD terminals.

You can connect several more outlets on the LOAD terminals, and they will also be protected from ground faults.

You can also add a switch, though bear in mind that highly inductive loads (like a large motor) can cause nuisance tripping of the GFCI.


What can I use for 25 watt bulb replacement

Yes, that's fine.  The 'maximum wattage' rating listed on a light fixture is actual watts, not incandescent-equivalent-watts.  So in this case, your 7W LED bulb is well under the 25W maximum rating of your fixture, so it will be fine to use.


Why does my illuminated light switch glow more dimly with an LED bulb installed in the fixture?

It's the LED cheap obsolete switch

Many switches need power for the electronics of the switch itself.  Smart switches, dimmers, motion sensors, and lighted switches.   Power comes from 2 wires: always-hot and neutral.  The switch also needs switched-hot, so it can switch the light.  So we're talking about 3 wires in the switch box.

However, back in the olden days, about half of all switches were wired in a "switch loop".  The switch loop only provided always-hot and switched-hot.  No neutral, since plain old switches are human-powered and don't need neutral.

So, when things like dimmers and lighted switches started getting invented, they had a problem.  About half of installations didn't have a neutral wire.  How to power the switch??

So they exploited a weird bug/feature in incandescent style lamps.  Before they are lit, they have very low resistance and resemble a dead short.  Designers found they could power their gadgets by leaking small amounts of current through the incandescent bulb, effectively putting their device in series with the bulb.  Since this was guaranteed to work everywhere, it became THE standard way of solving that problem.

Then in 1998 along came the CFL, using an electronic switching power supply.  This did not like small amounts of current being leaked through it. The industry needed smart, dimmer and lighted switches that sourced their power from neutral instead of leakage.  But, chicken and egg, too few switch boxes had neutral because of switch loops.  Classically at the speed of NEC, it took them until 2011 to absolutely require neutral wires in all switch boxes, and even that only applies to new work.  But at least neutral-powered products are being made.

Anyway, you need one of those to play with any random LED.

You may have better luck with LEDs rated as dimmable, since they have extra features designed to tolerate leakage style dimmers.

Whose fault is this? The electrician's.  LEDs are not a surprise (especially if an LED was already installed).  In this day and age, he should have selected a neutral-powered instead of leakage-powered lighted switch, or at least warned you of the issue.


Switch out a Dimmer Switch with 5 Black Wires

If the dimmer controls only one light, the four wire bundle is almost certainly a group of hot leads powering several fixtures or outlets in addition to the dimmer and its fixture. The single wire from the dimmer goes to the fixture it controls.

You can confirm this by checking the leads using a non contact tester. Make sure the wires are not touching the box or anything else. Turn the dimmer off. Turn the breaker on. You should read power on the bundled wires and no power on the single wire.

Turn the breaker off again.

A pigtail (a short black wire) should be connected between the 4 wire bundle and one terminal of the switch (if is is a basic switch, either terminal will do). Connect the other terminal to the single wire. Mount the switch and turn the breaker back on.


What are the must-have features for a Hackspace/Makerspace horizontal metal bandsaw?

From my perspective, I cut lots of metal and cant live without my horizontal bandsaw, I cant tell you what is must-have, but I can tell you the features I like.

Auto off switch at the end of the cut (sometimes cutting large sections you dont want to sit at the saw.
Clampable vice which firmly holds the metal, and is degree adjustable BUT with quick release/adjustment coupler so you dont sit there winding the clamp to get the desired with.
Bin for cutting fluid should you buy the attachment to spray cutting fluid onto the blade.
A common blade size which is cheap and readily accessible
Hydraulic assisted arm which you can adjust the effective "weight" so that you can set the machine to apply a constant pressure to the cut.
An additional feature is a vice with 2 degrees of angle, (up down, Left right) - this will enable compound mitre cuts.
E-Stop, for when the blade snaps

Hope this helps


You have not mentioned the size of the joist. If it is 2 x 10 or larger I don't see a problem (heck, 2 x 8 might even be fine). The band joist (I call it the rim joist) is primarily for providing an attachment point for the floor joists and for holding the floor joists plumb and true. The load of the wall and structure above is distributed across the bottom plate and all the floor joists, so I do not think there is a structural concern here.


What kind of paint can I use to cover wood baseboards?

Those are standard pre-primed baseboards. Any interior grade latex paint will work.  You do not need primer.  You should not use oil for several reasons:

The baseboards are primed already with primer - almost certainly latex based
The baseboards are for internal use
Oil is a real PITA to use, stinks, and takes forever to dry


Is it normal to see variation in manufactured quartz countertop sections?

Every slab is bound to have variations. One slab could even have variation from one end to the other.

If your top supplier got two slabs that were cut off a block right next to each other it should be common to create joints that butt the two ends of the pieces that came from the same end of the block. On the other hand if making two pieces from the same slab then the butt joint should be made near the end to end cut of the larger piece.

However that said there are likely to be many reasons as to what should be have been done was not done. Could be less skilled cutters/installers. Could be one of minimize cutoff waste to reduce cost. Plus others...


Adding a [3 foot] fence on top of a wall

That wording and picture suggest a UK location.
It isn't clear to me where exactly you intend to put this fence but if you are adding 3 foot to the height of a wall you are very likely to need planning permission.
The only exception would be if the existing wall is less than 3 foot and is not a boundary wall.
The Governments planning portal says

You will need to apply for planning permission if you wish to erect or add to a fence, wall or gate and:

it would be over 1 metre high and next to a highway used by vehicles (or the footpath of such a highway); or over 2 metres high elsewhere; or
your right to put up or alter fences, walls and gates is removed by an article 4 direction or a planning condition; or
your house is a listed building or in the curtilage of a listed building.
the fence, wall or gate, or any other boundary involved, forms a boundary with a neighbouring listed building or its curtilage.


Water line under the sink to fridge ice make isn't working. No water will come through the line. How can I clean it out?

Are you sure this is the part not allowing the water to flow? I would start by disconnecting the line everywhere there is a connection, turn the valve on and see where the restriction might be. It could be the ice maker not allowing water to come in. The valve on the ice maker could be bad. If you find a hose restricted, replace it rather than trying to clear it out.


min temperature to store an unused refrigerator

Yes, there could be a little harm.

For starters, your water supply to the refrigerator could freeze. A fix for this would be to insulate the water lines and getting a line heating strip:

This would be run right along side your water line, or wrapped around the water line, and would prevent the water from freezing inside the line. This is very common with water drains in refrigeration systems during defrost mode.

Other than the water supply to the refrigerator, there is no real harm outside of whatever your contents would be inside of the refrigerator, may freeze as well. If the ambient temperature is colder than the temperature inside of the refrigerator - then the refrigerator would not refrigerate since the thermostat would be satisfied.

Mechanically that wouldn't pose a problem. However, it wouldn't prevent items within the refrigerator from also freezing.

If you aren't going to power the refrigerator at all, then blow some air through the water fixtures to ensure there is no water still inside the water supply of the refrigerator itself. That will ensure nothing freezes and bursts within the refrigerator.

If you aren't going to store anything you don't care about being refrigerated inside the refrigerator whenever it is turned off, then there is nothing foreseeable that could harm your refrigerator when being stored within your garage, freezing temperatures or not.

However, there is another thing, in terms of refrigerators, to consider: mold growth. It is not advisable to store a refrigerator with the door closed - and not running - for long periods of time due to the growth of mold inside the refrigerator.

If that isn't a concern of yours, then you can clean out mold growth inside of your refrigerator by submerging a clean rag into baking soda cleanser and wring it out. Wipe the entire refrigerator and freezer out with the baking soda cleanser. Do not use bleach!


Can I change an under mount sink for a drop in?

Yes an undermount sink can easily be converted to a drop in sink.  If you can find one that is close to spec all that you have to do is drop it in and secure with silicone.  You will have a little wiggle room given that you have a lip but it might be harder than you think - as undermounts have few standard sizes/look and these are not the exact same as top mounted.

To make your life easier if you can't find a good 1-for-1 replacement with exact aligning you are probably better getting something a bit bigger.  That way you can cut counter to meet the exact needs.  The other factors are any holes for plumbing.  You cannot buy a sink that that just covers up half a hole.  I would need to cover the whole hole or be like for like.


Lateral force on posts resting on concrete deck blocks

You could add a diagonal brace connecting each post to the joists - that would definitely eliminate any change of the posts folding under the deck.
My bigger concern is that your rim joists are load bearing. I'm not so concerned about the short front joist but if the back rim joist is only supported at both ends then you are putting a lot of weight on the center of that rim joist. At best your deck will be springy at worst at some future point the rim joist will collapse in the middle of a party. To solve this you could add a few more posts equally spaced along the rim joist and/or double up the rim joist. Given the small cost and ease I'd suggest both. If you do double up the back rim joist make sure they are well connected along the entire length so they really are supporting each other.


I used a reciprocating saw with a metal blade to cut though my cast iron pipe.  It's $60 if you don't already have one, but they come in handy. You could also use a angle grinder with a metal blade, but that's louder, sparkier and smells more.


The type of roof truss design that you show is far from optimal. You should be thinking of something that looks a lot more like the picture below.

https://www.selecttrusses.com/truss-calculator/

This design provides a lot better support for the rafters and for the lower chord. You can get the rafters ready made where the metal finger plates are pressed into wood joints from both sides of the rafter assembly. Alternatively you can also easily make your own rafters by cutting plywood pieces that cover each joint that are then glued to the rafter members with construction adhesive and nailed with 8d sinker nails in reasonable quantity.

Many years ago when I worked on construction jobs we built rafter trusses on site using the plywood, glue and nails assembly technique. We laid out a template on a large flat work space with guide blocks to get all the rafters built to the same dimensions. (Note that the plywood pieces were applied to both sides of the truss and were not necessarily minimal sized. For example we would make pieces shaped like this for a couple of examples.


Can I power a lamp from both the switched and unswitched halves of a split outlet?

You will probably be better off overall to keep things simpler than the scheme that you think that you want. Mixing up the wiring could be problematic as indicated in the comments of the two parts of the duplex outlets are on separate circuits.

A better way to get the type of operation that you desire is to turn to the modern smart technologies. One example would be to look at the Lutron Caseta line of smart lighting products. With this you could setup something as follows:

Replace the switch for the other lights with a Caseta smart switch.
Add a Caseta plugin light controller to the always powered outlet to give smart control for the plug in desk lamp.
Acquire two Caseta PICO remotes (small battery powered remotes).
Either use wall mount kits to install the PICOs at a convenient wall location OR get desktop pedestals for the two PICOs.
Pair the PICOs with the smart light switch and the plug in light controller to get the type of control you desire. As described in you question, you would likely pair one PICO just with the plug in light controller to give independent control of the desk lamp. Then pair the second PICO with both the smart light switch and the plug in lamp controller to achieve the ability to control both the lights and lamp from a single control point.

(Note that I have no affiliation with Lutron or Caseta products other than having fully smartized my home with these products).


Is there a dimmer light switch with secondary constant 120V output?

Check out lutron SFSQ-LF-GR 120v 360w 1.5 amp 3 speed fan control light switch on 1 yoke this will fit in your existing space since that was your concern. I may have mis read your question, so here is a light dimmer with a separate on off switch for the fan, Lutein MA-L3S25-WH. Hope one of those works. Or a pir sensor and switch so the fan turns on when you enter and a light switch combo but those are really expensive.


I repaired and installed residential garage doors and openers as well as commercial and industrial doors and operators for twelve Years. The steel rollers don't make a really big differance. They will click as they turn if they are a year or more old but that can usually be stopped by using a lubricant.  WD-40 is great for cleaning out the grime/dirt but doesn't leave a residue being that will keep them quiet.

You are going to notice a big difference if you change your opener/operator to a belt drive though.

My recommendation is to buy a belt drive operator from a dealer. I say a dealer because they get the solid one-piece rail, whereas the 'sears' ones have to be assembled and retightened once every year or twp.


Should I put vapor barrier only on exterior wall of a bathroom?

The TL;DR -- vapor barriers belong on the outside only

You should only place a vapor barrier on the exterior side of the exterior wall, allowing the assembly to dry back to the inside if water does get in past the tub surround.  I would recommend paperless drywall over cement board for the tub surround, as well -- gypsum board of all types is vapor open (around 50 perms) while serving as an air barrier, allowing drying to the inside without letting a ton of humid air into the wall cavity, while cement board is a fairly severe vapor retarder at 4-8 perms, which puts more pressure on the ability of your tub surround to keep water out of the wall to begin with.

What happens when you try to stick one on the inside?

When you stick a vapor barrier on the inside of a building, all will seem well at first, until you go and turn the air conditioner on.  Then, the moisture in the warm, humid outside air that fills the wall cavity will start to condense on the cold exterior surface of the vapor barrier (assuming an insulated assembly), and you get mold as a result.

A similar problem will happen if you try to insert two vapor barriers in the same assembly -- the inside one will still generate condensation despite the efforts of the outside one to keep all that humidity at bay, and now there's utterly nowhere for the moisture to go!

Of course, there's no point in putting a vapor barrier on an interior wall -- the airspace of a partition should never communicate with that of an outside wall!

More info on why vapor barriers are like badgers can be found in BSI-073, aka "Macbeth Does Vapor Barriers."

Popsicles are for sucking, bathrooms aren't

One other mistake that can be made in a modern, tight house is to slap a "fart fan" in the bathroom and call bathroom ventilation done.  Doing that just means that your makeup air will come from all sorts of random leaks that have no business providing indoor air to people -- especially if one of them happens to be the range hood, or the exhaust of some appliance.

The easiest way to solve this problem is to provide transfer air to the bathroom from a zone that's being blown on, say the basement, if your basement is a suitable transfer air supply, as not all are!  (You'll need to provide, oh, 10% extra makeup air as this is a transfer air setup, as well.)

Of course, if the OP's house leaks more air than a SR-71 on the ground leaks JP-7, an old-fashioned bathroom exhaust fan like the one the OP proposes will serve him fine.

More on ventilation in general can be found in BSI-070, "First Deal with the Manure and Then Don't Suck", by the way.


The NEC doesn't have and actual limit for number of receptacles per circuit in dwelling units. It gives a complicated calculation initially based on watts per square foot, then says [NEC 210.11(B)] that the loads are to be "evenly proportioned among multioutlet branch circuits".
There is a specific rule for other than dwelling units of 180 watts per yoke which works out to 10 to 13 receptacles per circuit. Some people misapply that to dwelling units. In some installations that calculation works acceptably, but not always. Rules for receptacle placement in wall sections 24" or wider and distances between receptacles not crossing doorways can sometimes add up to more receptacles per square foot than is proportional.
That being said it sounds like maybe the house was out of compliance to begin with, and without knowing what the instructions to your electrician were it does sound like you may have is a breach of contract or at very least a misunderstanding by the electrician of your intensions. It is also possible he didn't understand the the full impact of the work he performed, and a larger scope and bill would be necessary to meet your needs.


Can I replace my furnace's high limit switch with a comparable third-party part?

I have replaced over temp switches in the past because the one that failed was no longer made.
I used a slightly low temp rating as the exact temp was not available. Most over temp switches are manual reset.
This is a safety so if there is something wrong you have to reset it by pressing a small button on the switch.
Don’t replace with an automatic reset because this can damage the fire box and possibly start a fire.


How can I affix this wood transition piece?

In view of the new information, I would remove the mortar in the gap.  Seal the edge of the wood floor at the sub floor with a waterproof caulk  and use a funnel and self leveling (cement based) underlayment to make a flat base. Tape both sides of the gap with some blue tape to make any cement spillage an easy cleanup. When setup (24-48 hr) and well cured, attach the transition to the gap, I prefer the polyurethane adhesives (PL) over LN.  (It is stronger, stickier and more flexible, over time).

As noted previously by Tester101 in chat, weight the transition in place overnight.


How do I fix this drill hole on countertop?

That's a tough one because plastic laminate is applied to the particle board substrate with contact cement, which is soft and rubbery. It's very good for large areas, but lousy for little fixes like that. To make matters worse, you need to remove the existing adhesive before carrying on.

If you can indeed get a repair disc from a hidden area, here's what I'd do:

Clean out this hole by drilling deeper... just enough to completely remove the old adhesive. You could also scrape it away with a square-ended hobby knife or whatever.
Remove the adhesive from your repair disc. The simplest way might be to rub the disc on a piece of sandpaper until it's clean.
Test fit the disc. Figure out the best orientation with respect to pattern-matching.
Set the disc with clear two-part epoxy or wood glue. The key here is going to be to get the patch on plane. See the glare in your photo? If you don't get the patch on plane it'll reflect differently and appear much darker or lighter than the surrounding area. Set it in the adhesive and periodically adjust it as the adhesive sets using a toothpick or hobby knife.
After the initial set has cured and the disc is stable, fill the circular joint with more epoxy or glue to seal it up and improve the appearance. Be prepared to wipe excess off the surface before it cures.
Once that's done, buff the area lightly with something suitable (like steel wool) to knock off any bumps or edges and make the sheen uniform. Be very careful here to not leave a large marred area. Test somewhere hidden and inspect your work often. This step could ruin the outcome.


What's the best way to connect two separate generators to a well pump?

Many generators (especially those for permanent installation) have optional automatic transfer switch assemblies.  If the backup generator is permanently installed, then I'd recommend buying its recommended transfer switch.  Wire it per its instructions.

If you're going to build your own transfer switch, then make sure that it is "break before make" or has some sort of interlock to prevent both generators from connecting to the load at the same time.  Mains should also be isolated from either generator if mains is present on site.


How do I wire my dishwasher and disposal back to my house wiring?

OK, let's see if I can make this clear:

White from feed spliced to both whites from the romex cables.

Yellow from feed to yellow from switch.

Orange from switch to black from disposal.

Black from feed to black from DW.

Be sure to splice all grounds and a ground tail to the box, and put a blank cover on the box.


If the hole is there but not threaded you can cut the thread deeper with a tap. You need to be sure of the size, which is easier to measure on the external thread of the mating part. Often the hole is also too loose though.


what's the term for double window in one window frame and why is it considered outdated technology?

Sounds like you're talking about "triple-track storm windows", which usually has 3 panels, 2 with glass, one with a screen; in the summer you slide the bottom glass panel up, and screen down; in the winter you slide it down. They were commonly retrofitted to older houses that had no storm windows.

Newer windows (the windows themselves, not the storm windows) usually have two glass panels with a vacuum or gas in between, eliminating the need for bolted on storm windows. The newer windows, besides being more energy efficient, also can block UV rays that damage curtains and furniture.

The reality is there's a lot of cheaply made windows out there that look modern, but transmit sound like a hollow steel drum; and properly maintained triple tracks can be almost as energy efficient.


Metal biscuit joiners, according to Lee Valley Tools.

Lamello, also offers a wide variety of biscuit type connectors.


If you have attic access you can use a standard construction box and nail it th a ceiling joist and put a cover on it when done
If you do not have ceiling access a standard single gang old work box is the rectangle device you are looking for. Yes the cover has to be accessible but if you like rectangles better that is the way to go.


Yeah, this is just a 4-space NEMA 3R breaker panel with a GFCI breaker fitted for you
There really isn't much special about "spa panels" like yours; they're just small, outdoor rated, main lug breaker boxes with a GFCI breaker already fitted in them. So, you could fit a 15A breaker (or even a 15A GFCI breaker, as your panel is a Midwest Electric unit, which means it accepts GE THQL breakers) in one of the spare slots and run your outdoor socket(s) off of that, or even have two outdoor socket circuits on two separate 15A breakers!  And since the hot tub's on its own breaker in the spa panel, none of what you do with the extra slots will impact it provided you don't overload the feeder itself.


What is the purpose of this outside air return in my utility room?

furnace and hot water heater are a few feet away

Combustion air intake which is necessary on an insulated and sealed buiding.

Otherwise negative pressure prevents combustion gasses from going up the stack. In the case of any carbon monoxide content, this condition can be deadly.

Partition the furnace and water heater off so they're not part of the office.


No C terminal on furnace. Workarounds? Possible the AC?

In your pictures, there is a 24vac transformer:

It has a red wire and a green wire coming off the bottom of it (wire colors are more apparent in the other pictures).  The green wire then gets grounded to the case of the furnace.  This is the common wire.  In the top left of my picture, there is also a blue wire attached to the case.  This is also the common wire.  Blue is the typical color for common, so splicing into that blue wire (it most likely already has a wire attached to it somewhere that goes to the A/C unit) is the best thing to do.

Note - not all blue wires are "the common wire".  The particular blue wire I pointed out is, but don't assume that all blue wires are ok to connect to.


What should I do with the wires before I put a cap over the hole left by my (broken) electric smoke alarm?

Stuff the wires in the hole and put a round blank cover over it
Hardwired smoke alarms, like your old ones, are required to be mounted to mains wiring junction boxes since they run directly off mains electricity, and all splices of or connections to mains electrical wiring in North American need to be made in a junction box.  As a result of this, what you're seeing here is that junction box, and junction boxes can't be left open/uncovered, so you need to put a blank cover of the appropriate shape (a 4" round cover should do the trick) on the box the smoke alarm was mounted to.


Which steel is stronger: Cold rolled, hot rolled, or stainless?

OK, a few definitions:

Yield strength is the amount of force required to cause the steel to yield, which means permanently deform (i.e. permanently stretch).

Tensile strength (a.k.a. "ultimate strength") is the amount of force required to cause the steel to actually break. This will be equal to or greater than the yield strength.

Minimum just means that the steel will be at least that strong.

Hardness is a measure of how resistant the steel is to scratching and denting. For structural usage it's probably not important, but would be important if you were looking for a durable finish, e.g. a workbench top or a tool bearing point.

Stiffness (you didn't ask about this, but it's another way of looking at the strength of a material) is a measure of how much something deflects when you put a force on it. Steel alloys tend to be pretty similar in this regard.

As you can see, "strongest" doesn't really have a specific definition, it depends on what you're looking for.

Here's an analogy for the difference between yield and tensile strength:
Imagine you have a spring. You pull on it a little, and when you let go it returns to its original shape. This is "elastic deformation", and no damage has been done. Now you pull hard on the spring and it doesn't return to it's original shape anymore. The material has yielded and you have "plastic deformation". This may or may not be considered "failure", depending on the application. Now pull really hard and the spring breaks. That's the ultimate strength. Clearly the spring has failed now.

As for the ranges: "steel" is a non-specific name for several alloys and it can be made in several grades, hence the ranges you've found. The material is usually designated with an alloy number. "Cold rolled" and "hot rolled" are methods for shaping the steel, and don't really tell you anything about the strength.

I should also point out that all of these properties that I've mentioned are for the steel material itself. If you want to know the behavior of an actual piece of steel, you need to know both its material and it's shape.


Replacing a doorbell transformer attached to power extension bar

Do not replace the junction box.  It is a standard junction box and there is nothing wrong with it.

Backstab connections fail more often than transformers

Look at the receptacle.  See how the wires are connected?  They're "back wired" with a backstab style connection.  That is only allowed for 14 AWG solid wire, the receptacle's labeling plainly says

  PUSH IN #14 CU SOLID WIRE FOR 15A BRANCH CIRCUIT ONLY.

CU = copper.  It is then repeated in French.

Looking at the transformer's ground wire it definitely stranded wire that has been tinned with solder to keep it from getting a case of the frizzies. The ground wire has been horked onto the already-occupied ground screw in an impressive display of bad workmanship.

Equally bad workmanship is obvious in the attaching of the transformer wires to backstabs.  The wires are stranded and certainly not 14 AWG.  This is a violation of NEC 110.3 which requires the instructions and labeling of the receptacle be followed (14 AWG solid only).

Since backstabs have a spectacular failure rate (open circuit) even when they are used to spec, we should expect this to be a failed backstab.

So, I would remove the transformer wires from the backstab (if it's possible to do this while also facepalming), and move each wire to the appropriate screw terminal.    I would also pause to inspect the wire for any arcing or galling, because that would explain the mystery.

As far as actually removing the wires, there should be a little slot into which you can jab a tiny screwdriver, and sort of pry away from the wire and that should reduce the extraction force somewhat.  Otherwise feel free to just use an excessive amount of force. Worst case the wire will break off inside the backstab and you'll have to strip off another 1/4" to attach it to the screw.

When removing #14 wires, just twist the receptacle back and forth about 60 degrees repeatedly while using serious force.  Don't cut; wire length is precious in most cases.

While you're at it, fix the ground

The ground installation was acceptable until this transformer came along. Now it is one too many wires on that ground screw. Move the "U" loop on the receptacle screw so you have about 2" of extra length sticking out (instead of the 1/2" now sticking out). Wire-nut the transformer ground wire to that.


The Code says the foundation need to be “adequate” for all loads.
Most people think of vertical loads, but there are horizontal loads, freeze/thaw loads, etc.
I too live where the ground is mush. Usually we install piling, caissons, etc. However, in certain situations we install a “floating slab”.
This system is a structural slab (with reinforcing steel) with edges that turn down about 12” at the edges. (We don’t have a frost freeze/thaw issue here. If you do, you may want to extend it somewhat.) We install about double the amount of reinforcing steel than we use in stem walls.
We use this system for small, simple, fairly symmetrical buildings...which sounds like your project.
You’ll have one additional issue of where it connects into your existing house. Because your house is on piling, it will not move (settle) over time. Therefore, I’d recommend the structure be a few feet from your existing house where you can plan for a few inches of settlement. The connection space between the two structures can fasten (rest on) on both structures and flex when the conservatory settles slightly.
In fact, installing augured piling, hammered piling, etc. next to your home may cause significant damage (cracking plaster, cracking windows, etc.)
Any plumbing or electrical supply lines should have blockouts through the slab so it’s flexible.
Because of all that glass in your conservatory and you don’t want any differential settlement in the walls, I’d recommend you design the perimeter foundation as a concrete beam. You’ll probably need an architect or structural engineer (not a civil engineer) to help you.


Can I have underfloor heating with solid oak floor?

We have a water based underfloor heating system fitted under wood (old pine I think, not oak) floorboards which works fine.

It will be less efficient than a tile or stone floor as wood has lower thermal conductivity than stone or tile. You would have to fit a more powerful heat source to gain the same temperature gain in your room. It might even be the case that you can't get mats that are powerful enough - the water pipes we have are too hot to touch with bare hands - if you had enough current to produce that amount of heat you might be in danger of melting the wires.


How should I attach a deck on the corner of my house?

I'm not a fan of ledgers, ever.

You can place a beam 3ft out from the house, cantilever the joists over the beam (secure them to the beam with hurricane ties) and wrap the joist ends with a rim joist.  Make the structure within 3/4" of the house.

Do a double rim joist in front of the doorwall side.


Why would an MR16 LED light only work when power is cut?

Could be reversed polarity - and the power supply may put out an opposite voltage spike when shut off.


Trying to patch areas of drywall texture

That looks somewhat like a "knock down" texture. The ceilings in my house look like this:

This type of texture can take on many variations of look which can depend on the consistency of the mud when it was spattered on, type of spray gun and nozzle used and how long the material has dried before you knock it down with a knock down tool or other wide drywall knife.

I had only moderate success trying to re-texture a bathroom where I had to open the ceiling to install some electrical wiring years back. I tried some of those spatter spray cans of texture that you can buy at the big box stores. My results after several practice sessions on scrap drywall were less than spectacular.

More recently I was trying to deal with matching a ceiling in a laundry room where about a third of the ceiling needed to be replaced with new drywall. Based upon my previous experience in that bathroom and the discussion on this question I decided to just skim coat the whole thing and leave texturing to the paint roller when installing the paint.


PVC conduit, service line with siding offset

My first choice: Use standoffs to keep the line clear of the house by enough distance to clear the bump, with straight conduit.

Second choice: Given it's PVC either rent a blanket heater or get creative with boiling water and bend yourself a section (rather like an inchworm) that fits around the bump. Make it rather gentle/sweeping so that it's not too much trouble to get wires through it. You could cobble something with 15 or 22 degree bends and couplings, but PVC is easy enough to bend with heat, and a straight stick that you bend is a lot cheaper than a bunch of pre-bent sweeps and couplings - it's also smoother inside.


What type of garage heater should I connect to my 30A circuit?

Common electric convection baseboard heaters are ridiculously cheap, in the neighborhood of $50 for a 2000W unit and $15 for a 30A thermostat.

Select your heaters so they total up to less than 80% of 7200W.

That plus some EMT conduit, a few junction boxes and some red 10AWG THWN wire to hook it all up, done.


How do you wire multiple lights and a split receptacle to 3-way switches?

If the switches you are using are typical switches and not the new techno type gizmos which require neutrals, then all you need to do is replace that switch with a three way switch and add a second three way where you want the second switch to be.  Pull a piece of Romex (3 conductor cable with ground) between the two switches.

Use the red and white in that cable as travelers between the (2)- 3 way switches and the black as your switchleg.  That black wire in that cable will terminate underneath the black screw at your new switch location but tie into your wire feeding the lights/receptacle ('red wire in your drawing') at your switchbox that you already have in place.

The hot feed (in your drawing above) will terminate underneath the black screw of the three way switch installed at that box.

Remember, put a piece of red or black tape on the white wire in the cable so that others servicing the box down the road will know that white wire is not a neutral wire.


How freely should a central A/C condenser fan spin?

If you replaced the start capacitor, and you are getting proper voltage to the fan motor than the only thing left is to replace the fan motor. If the fan turns at all without forcing, it should spin when powered up. If the fan turns freely or not is not a definitive indication that is good or bad.


The layer fields on the professional Ubakus-Site allows to input also metal foils, so it should take the reflections into account.
But those reflections do only have a tiny effect if the subject is building insulation. Much more important is the fact that metal is a barrier for waterdamp.
And in general, wet insulation material decreases the insulation effect. So in reality, removing a metal foil could improve the insulation.


How can I switch between a dishwasher and a 2 gallon undercounter water heater on same circuit?

You could run the power to the dishwasher and disposal through a current sensor and contacts on the sensor in series with a  coil on a relay. The power to the water heater could be taped ahead of the sensor, and connected through "normally closed" contacts on the relay. When current is detected in the sensor the contacts on the sensor would close, energizing the coil on the relay opening the N.C. contacts, breaking power to the water heater.


Help me find a way to get mold off my bathtub mat

Put it in direct sunlight for a day or two. (Also works great for removing tomato stains from plastic.)


If the wheels are wobbling, that could be either a symptom or cause of other problems. A symptom, if the wheel is wobbling because a bearing is bad or because the wheel has been damaged. A cause, if an unbalanced wheel caused excessive wear on a bearing.

As far as affecting the work goes, the answer is yes. There's no way to put a straight face on a wheel that's moving in an arc.

As for fixing it: if the problem is a damaged wheel, then you could replace them. But if the problem is a damaged shaft/bearing, then it's pretty much shot, and the new wheels would be wasted money.


Panamax Surge Protector says outlet is faulty; Radioshack tester says its AOK

Most of the cheap little 3 prong outlet testers with thee LEDs cannot detect a "bootleg ground", ie where the ground and neutral are swapped or connected together. The surge protector may be able to tell the difference because for that device, this is a more critical necessity, which would explain the discrepancy.


My ceiling fan isn't getting the right voltage

With the ceiling fan taken out of the equation, this will likely be a bad connection or a failing switch.  The first places to check are in the wiring above the fan, and the wiring at the switch.  Try this to track down the issue:

Shutoff the power at the breaker
Remove the plate covering the switch, pull out the switch itself, and inspect the wiring
If there are two sets of wires coming into the switch, one of these is the source, and the second goes to the fan.  Pull out the wiring so that you can easily access it without anything touching.  Remove the wire nut on the neutral (white) wire.  Turn the switch to the on position.  Turn the breaker back on temporarily and test the voltage from the neutral to the hot both before and after the switch.  Turn the breaker back off before doing any other work on the wiring.  Be sure to replace the wire nut when done at the switch.
If there is only one set of wires at the switch, then the power source is above the fan.  Turn the switch to the on position and expose the wires for the neutral, the hot from the source (that goes to the switch), and the hot returning from the switch (that goes to the fan).  Make sure the wires are not touching anything else, turn the breaker on temporarily and compare the neutral to the hot voltage before and after the switch.
If the voltage from the source is low, you'll need to track this down, on the circuit.  The next easiest place to test the voltage is in the breaker panel.  After that, you're left with identifying each switch, fixture, and outlet on the circuit and testing each one until you find where the voltage drop is occurring.
If the voltage from the switch is low, then just replace that and you should be up in no time.

Note: should you be uncomfortable with any of these steps, especially working with exposed wiring or inside of the breaker panel, then please call a professional.


Can I attach my mosaic tiles to wall in stages?

You can take all the time you want as long as it is kept clean. But the grout needs to be put on as you have suggested or it will show differences in color.


Cheap solution to cease creking sound of parquet floor

Sometimes shaking talcum powder onto the floors and sweeping it into the joint lines will help for a time. It acts as a lubricant to reduce the friction as the boards shift.


No... those expanding bolts aren't going to do the job, period. There are several reasons but suffice it to say your TV will find up on the floor.  Toggle bolts of some variety are the preferred way to do it... it's hard to believe that no one in a city the size of yours has them or something more suitable.  What you need is something that will spread the weight of your TV over a wide enough surface area and not be dependent on resisting withdrawal through the sheetrock, as the ones you pictured are.  You said you can't find the studs... how have you tried?  Is your home typical studs with sheetrock over?  If they are metal studs that might be why you're having so much trouble.  But don't use what you have pictured, they are not suitable.  Let me know your answers to the above and I'm sure we can figure this out.