Honestly, a 12 year old black and decker probably needs to go to the scrap yard. Low end saws are not built to be rebuildable, at least since the late 20th century (some 50 year old "low end" saws were a lot less "low end" in construction) - a 21st century low-end saw was usually built with "planned obsolescence" from the design phase forward.

Provide the exact model of your saw to check some details.

The one thing (if that's been left serviceable on this model) it might be worth trying is to replace the brushes if they are excessively worn. Beyond that, replacing the saw is far more likely to be cost-effective.


How to get squirrels out of inaccessible attic before plugging their entry hole?

To supplement the other answers that recommend a one-way pest exit door based on the comments that the current hole size and location will not accommodate such a door: You can always patch the current hole, create a new one for the door (preferably in an inconspicuous location if possible), and then either remove and patch up the new hole after you are sure all pests are gone or leave it in place should pests find a new entryway in the future.


Like the guys said - a faulty connection on the neutral. This in a light fitting a few feet away.


Is having cloth touching a grounding wire ok?

If your wiring is right, the ground does not normally conduct current, so it should be fine.  (The bare ground runs along paper inside romex after all.)


Can I hardwire a household fan with a 2.5A "fused" plug?

Greg in the states a UL listed device can not be modified this voids the listing. Removing the fused plug voids the UL listing for a 15 or 20 amp circuit, as a second code violation you said drilling a hole in the wall cordage is not allowed to pass through walls so I believe this would be a second failure point. There are fixtures both fans and lights designed to be hardwired theses usually require a junction box with a cord grip for the type of cord being used but removal of the fuse is not safe by itself.


You can try a few things:

1) Treat with odor neutralizer.  Pet stores and hardware stores usually sell products designed to remove odors.  For set in smells this may not be 100% effective.

2) Seal the wood. If you don't intend to use this surface as a final surface, a coat of sealant style paint (Killz is my brand of preference) will not remove the odor but it will lock it in the wood so you won't smell it again.


If you can Daisy chain from one of the existing outlets the correct way to do this would be to break both tabs to make sure you are using the same neutral as the hot. It is that easy and would be code compliant.


Will cutting the fridge capillary pipe allow the gas to evacuate?

The capillary is the small regulating tube if you cut it with side cutters it may partially seal keep this side of the system on the high side so you don’t loose all the oil.
If the cap tube is on the low side it will spray oil at what ever pressure It is charged to.
If it partially is sealed and a slow release this helps prevent the loss of the oil that a rapid release will pull the oil out.
If it seals because your cutters use pliers and squash the cut tube by crushing 90 degrees to the cut this usually opens the copper enough to vent.
What I mean by 90 degrees , from the cut turn the tube or rotate players 90 degrees and compress the smashed together part
use safety glasses as some times the oil vapor and oil come out at great force and have plenty of ventilation as mentioned on other posts.


Why is there dirt in my wall (by the tub)?

The dirt you have removed is probably from around the tubs drain pipe.  When the slab floors are poured all the plumbing has already been installed. When pipes protrude from the floor the contractor builds a walled surround that keeps the concrete away from the pipes. This is due to: 1) it is easier to have space to position a pipes' final connection and 2) depending on the alloy's used the alkalis' in the cement can corrode the pipe. If you enlarge the wall opening and using a flashlight you should see the tubs overflow and drain pipe going straight down into this dirt you excavated. Another possibility is the one you mentioned; it was fill dirt used to level the cast tub. Building codes aren't specific regarding what material to use when leveling a cast tub, as long as it is leveled and stabile. If the soil isn't in contact with any framing members and isn't annoying you leave it. If you feel more comfortable without it inside your walls than open the wall and remove it in 5 gallon buckets. Don't remove any dirt from under and close to the tub bottom. Watch for plumbing if you excavate.


JC : J From the word “Jod” – It means “Iodine” in German and indicates that it is a Halogen lamp.
C From the word “Cine” Indicates that the primary application for lamp is Cinema but can include Optics & Projection & Other Markets

This halogen bulb is a low voltage bulb, commonly found under counters, in desk lamps, or as accent lighting. This type of bulb can be be purchased in various low voltage amounts, ranging from 6 to 28 volts. This bulbs come in capsule shape and have two pins at the base of them. There are two different sizes, a G4, which is 4 millimeters between the pins on the base, and a GY6.35, measuring 6.35 millimeters between the pins on the base. Just like the J type bulbs, a JC halogen shouldn't come in contact with bare skin since it can damage the bulb.


Get rid of the external transformer, and pull a proper C wire.

It's not working because you have one side of the contactor coil connected to one transformer, and the other side connected to another transformer.  There's not a complete circuit.

When the thermostat is calling for cool, your circuit looks like this

If you follow the circuit, you can see that it's not a complete circuit.

I've highlighted the R wire in red, and the C wire in blue.


Reinforcing a load-bearing bolt in metal-to-metal assembly

In general, bolts are great fasteners, and unless the engineers did a particularly poor job designing the connection, you shouldn't have to worry about a properly assembled pull up bar.  The issue comes when bolts start to loosen up and move.

If that bolt were to loosen up a bit, it would start to jiggle and move as you worked out.  A pull-up bar will have 100s of pounds of force on it, so a loose connection will get looser and move more and more until the bolt strips.

You give the idea of "epoxy" on the threads, but there are actually "thread locker" compounds used on threaded connectors that are made for this.  Any automotive parts store (and most home improvement stores) will sell thread locker.  It typically comes in a "blue" color for removable connections and "red" for permanent, but you need to read the package.  For this use, permanent should be fine, because even if you want to take down the pull-up bar and move it or sell it, you probably don't need to take it apart.

I wouldn't bother with a reenforcement strap.  Make sure all the connections are tight and secure and you should be fine.


How can I tidy up a hole in drywall that has pipes coming through it?

From the picture you've posted it seems to me that the real problem is the plumbing of the pipes to the towel rail that needs to be sorted out.

You'll probably have to cut a bigger hole in the wall to do this anyway, so what I'd do is mark a squared off rectangle that has it's vertical edges on the studs. Use a sharp knife and a metal straight edge to cut the plasterboard (drywall) back to this rectangle.

Sort out (or get a plumber to sort out) the pipe work so that it looks less ugly and uses metal (probably chromed) pipes where it's visible.

Then get a new sheet of plasterboard and cut it to fit the hole - again using a metal straight edge to get a good line. You don't have to cut all the way through the sheet in one go. Use the knife to score through the paper and a few millimetres into the plaster then give the board a sharp tap. This will break the rest of the plaster along the line you've scored. You can then use the knife on the other side to score through paper and complete the cut.

Screw this into the hole and fill the gaps with a sandable filler (unless you have a lot of experience plastering you'll struggle to get a perfect finish just by smoothing the filler).

It doesn't look like the existing wall is skimmed - so it's difficult to say what you should do as a final finish.


Do I need jack studs for a [remodel] closet header that is perpendicular to ceiling joists?

I'd build a stub wall using construction screws (for better pullout strength), and I'd double the bottom plate. I'd then screw (not nail) to the joists through the top plate, and to the king studs through the ends. You wouldn't need to remove drywall on the ceiling if you use at least 3" screws.

This will carry drywall and trim just fine and will be laterally rigid enough for your purposes. Bifold doors don't normally hang on the header these days.

Note: If the ceiling drywall is mounted to something other than the ceiling joists, such as to sheet metal angles attached to the wall plates, this is to deal with seasonal truss lift. In that case you shouldn't hang your header from the ceiling joists as it'll possibly move on a seasonal basis, tearing up the drywall with it. You'd want to rest it on the wall using a conventional trimmer setup, and it'll need to be robust enough to span the opening without sagging.


how to remove a screw with head broken off

There are easy out sets that  allow you to drill a pilot hole in the screw then tap in a reverse spiral tool that many times will back out a broken bolt. there have been times I had to heat the bolt quite hot with the tool in place then the bolt came out like it was never stuck. This can be the case if some put some thread locker on the bolt heat will help. Here is a link so you know what I am talking about. There may be cheaper ones out there this was the first one I saw.


Can I change an outlet circuit to 240V (NEMA 6)?

No problem.  As long as you install a double pole breaker, make the white wire an ungrounded conductor (including marking as you describe), and change all the receptacles and devices to 240 volt devices.


These are usually flair seals, (metal to metal) no sealing compound is needed if they are and if used can create leaks, the best thing is to get some "gas leak bubble solution) or some soapy water and spray the fitting once pressurized, no bubbles you are good to start grilling.


As a general rule, if the device has two wires that are indistinguishable, it won't matter. Where there's some physical reason in the construction to differentiate between "hot" and "neutral" on the wiring, the distinction is made - and sometimes it's made on things where it really doesn't matter to keep questions like this from arising.

But it's essentially the same as any non-polarized two prong plug - flip it over, plug it in, it works just the same. In this case, connect black to black and black to white and don't worry about "which black wire on the fan" if they are indistinguishable black wires - it does not matter - either can be "hot" and it will make no difference.


How can I replace cast iron sewer drain that goes through the basement wall?

are you talking about an outside wall?  I only see one semi question relating to flush cutting the existing pipe.  Fernco or similar fittings can make the connection, but they need a portion of the pipe to make the connection


This can be done most easily with power tools as discussed in previous answers.

However, assuming that you can create a good guide using a metal straightedge clamped to the workpiece, and you can clamp the workpiece to a heavy table, and you have a long hand saw, you can do either of the following:

Saw/Drill Approach

Put your fence together to create a rigid straightedge aligned with one side of your groove.  Now saw down 15 mm while pressing your saw up against your fence. Mark your saw at 15mm of depth so you can see how deep you've gone.
Move the fence to the other side of the groove, and repeat.
Mark a 3.5 mm drill bit at 15mm of depth. Mark the centerline of of your groove with a pencil.
Drill multiple vertical holes along your groove to a depth of 15 mm.  This is much easier with a drill press; you will drill 40-50 holes per plank.
Using a small chisel, break out the remaining pieces, and try to make the bottom reasonably flat.

This will work, but is tedious, and requires your initial 2 cuts to be very accurate.  Most people would simply find someone who had the correct tool, and who could do this in 2 minutes with it.


3-way switch wired with jumper between load and traveller

The traveler isn't really hot unless it's wired to something

That 26V you are measuring isn't a sign that some weird wiring is making the other traveler hot.  It's actually a phantom voltage caused by capacitive coupling from the wired traveler to the unwired traveler -- your meter is high-impedance enough to see it, but since only a tiny current can flow through the small inter-wire capacitance that is coupling this voltage over, it can't actually deliver power, and should be treated as not-live for wiring's sake.

Since you have the wires sorted out at this point, you should be able to wire the Caseta as a 3-way according to Lutron's instructions on the topic, which require connecting the mechanical switch at the other end from the junction of the load wire (ex-traveler) from the Caseta with the wire powering the load to the other ex-traveler, which then connects to the traveler wire on the Caseta itself, assuming you have a model of the Caseta that supports multi-way switching using a mechanical switch.


Will increasing the temperature of my hot water cylinder's thermostat make my shower water supply last noticeably longer?

Absolutely. It will cost you more money to run the hot water heater, but you will have usable hot water for longer. You can calculate the additional time simply as well, it's an algebra mixture problem. I hated algebra, but let's walk through the math anyway:

Let's assume your cold water is at 10°C.
You want the output to be 43°C
Your tank holds 200L.

Given the above, without replenishing the tank, how many L of 43°C water can you get?

 temp = (hl*ht + cl*ct) / (hl + cl)

substitute figures to solve for cl: (200*55)+(cl*10) / (200 + cl)
cl= 72L of cold.

So 200L+72L = 272L of 43°C before it runs out at 55°C.

Now let's solve for 65°C: (200*65)+(cl*10) / (200 + cl)
cl = 133L of cold.

So 200L+133L = 333L of 43°C before it runs out at 65°C.

Comparing 333L of hot to 272L of hot, you will get about 20-25% more hot water before it starts cooling. Of course, there's other losses; hot water cool more proportionally before the faucet, the heater looses more waste heat with hotter water, it takes longer to heat water hotter, affecting the recharge rate, etc.

Using an online cost estimator, it looks like you'll spend 33% more money to get 25% more hot water.


Do I need to be concerned about moisture around dryer exhaust?

I think your venting is leaking.  If it was not leaking, you would not be having condensation.  Condensation in this area is a result of warm moist air - from the dryer - contacting a cool surface.  Seal the leak, solve the problem.

I've been working on dryer professionally for 40 years.


Metal screw stuck in middle of deep plastic (resin) hole

I would push the screw out the way it went in. That is I would use something soft like a wooden dowel to push against the point of the screw. It may help to first drill a small pilot hole in the end of the dowel that the point of the screw can go into, then turn the dowel clockwise as you push it in. turning the dowel has a chance to turn the screw and this will help the screw head move out of the hole.


Can I paint the cement under the fireplace hearth?

Yes, you can paint it.

Personally, I always use oil-based paints because they last longer, but you can use whatever paint you want (water colors?)

Concrete is porous so you might want to use a grain filler or sealer of some kind before painting.

There are thick paints specifically designed for painting concrete, but they tend to look pretty industrial.


Would insulating a door between my closet and attic help keep the closet warmer?

Better sealing is usually step one. You say a portion of the back wall can be lifted out of the way to access the storage behind. This makes me suspect the sealing isn't as good as it could be. (If you have a non-contact thermometer, you could point it at the edges of this removable portion to confirm, and compare to other areas of the wall. Otherwise, you could use you hand, and see if you can feel a draft; this will likely work better in the winter.)

As to how to fix this, you'll basically want some form of weatherstripping. This will probably need to be combined with a latch system to hold the access door shut against the weatherstripping, in order to provide a proper seal.


My 12V DC Amplifier

There are a huge number of completely different devices that can be described as an "amplifier". Only a subset of them operate using a 12V DC supply. Here is an example:

However, it doesn't really matter, the advice below applies for any device which requires an input voltage of 12V DC

  How can I use my 12-DC amplifier at my house?

Find out the power rating of your amplifier. There will be a label that says how many Watts it uses. Buy a 12V DC power supply of greater wattage that is designed to plug in to a 220 V AC electricity socket.

If you can't see any mention of Watts on the device, multiple the input voltage by the input current. For example - the device in the picture above has a label with 12V and 12A on it.  12V x 12A = 144 Watts. Don't multiply input voltage by output current (or vice versa)

You will need to make sure that the plugs at each end are compatible with your 220V AC socket and with the connector on your amplifier.

  Can I plugged it directly to my socket that has a current of 220 Volts?

No, the plug for a 12V DC device should not even fit that socket.

  Should it be safe?

No, plugging a 12V DC device directly into a 220V AC socket will very likely destroy the device and cause it to catch fire.

If in doubt, I suggest you just take your amplifier to a local electrical store and ask them if they have a "power supply" or "mains adapter" that will suit your amplifier.


Can fluorescent lamps work in low voltage grid?

Since you say 150-180V is low, I assume you live in a country where the standard voltage is 230V? The first thing I would do is contact the electric company to see what they can do. It's possible there is a defect in the connection to your house from the main utility lines that's causing the abnormally-low voltage.

There are probably all sorts of things that are not running well in your house: anything with a motor (a refrigerator, washing machine, etc); anything with a heating element (hot water heater, kettle); probably the only thing that could handle such a low voltage without a problem is modern DC electronics: most laptops, battery chargers, etc. work with 110V and 220V without requiring any adapters.

Anyway, to answer some of your questions:

Yes, running an incandescent that is designed for 220V at a lower voltage will cause it to be dim.
A fluorescent bulb is probably not so forgiving of low voltage. I would expect it to not start. You could buy one and see if it works.
A "voltage stabilizer" probably won't help you, since they usually are designed to smooth out momentary changes in voltage, not actually step it up. What you really would need is a transformer. I don't know if you'll be able to find something suitable.

Another thing to consider is getting an LED bulb that is capable of accepting a range of voltages. Since LEDs internally adjust the voltage to something much lower than household levels, some models will accept wide ranges of voltages (e.g. 100V - 250V), so that they can be sold around the world.


I'm trying to find the manufacturer and age of French Patio Doors

The actual glass was made by Ravensby Glass Co. And the company that made the doors is called Rehau. They mold(ed) plastic frames anyway.

Here's a link to their home page: http://www.rehauhome.com/default.aspx

I think that you'll need to contact them to figure out the age... but sometimes the date of manufacturing is part of the numbers... like 12608 might mean 12/6/08. In Europe that would be June 12, 2008... in USA, it's December 6, 2008... but then again, sometimes the number refers to the day that the design was created- not the actual door, and then of course the number might be meaningless- just a fingerprint.


I have a 120/240 dryer from Canada, and want to use it in a 240v country.

Very often, these types of dryers are also marketed in Pacific Rim markets where only 240V is available.  In this case, they build the dryer slightly differently, adding an internal 240V/120V transformer for the small number of 120V loads inside the machine (typically the motor).

I would start by getting the schematic for the 240V version of this dryer. Then compare it to the 120V schematic, and see what needs to change.

DO NOT - DO NOT - use a "step down" transformer without extreme care for how neutrals are bonded in the dryer and with your power supply.  If a step-down transformer isn't applied painstakingly correctly, it would end up energizing the chassis of your dryer at 230V.


How do I lay asphalt shingles on a roof, and what should be under them?

Asphalt shingles by themselves will keep out the rain.  Extra steps increase longevity.  You need to follow the manufacturer's directions (take photos!) if the warranty is important to you.

Careful preparation can double the installation time and increase the cost by 25%.  Whether it's worth it to you depends on how catastrophic a leak would be.  For me, my garage or shed gets minimal preparation since a leak doesn't matter that much - it can be patched when it stops raining.  For a house or any finished space like a nice studio, a leak will mean ruined drywall, etc. so more attention is warranted.

In order from minimal work to a complete, nice job:

Minimum is a double course of shingles at the bottom of the roof.  The bottom course should be upside-down with the tabs cut off.  This is the minimum I'd do, maybe for a shed.
Next up is covering the roof with roofing felt before installing the shingles.  This increases the longevity of the shingles and helps the nails hold. I'd do this for a garage.
Best, if you're in a cold climate, is covering the roof with roofing felt then adding a 4' course of ice dam, which is a self-adhesive rubber membrane, at the base of the roof.  This helps prevent ice dams from damaging the shingles.  I'd do this on any roof over a finished space.

The shingles are not self-adhesive, but you'll see strips of tar on the backside.  After you nail the shingles down, the sun will melt these strips and adhere each course of shingles to the one under it.

One thing about the double-course of shingles that you start the roof with. The reason you cut the tabs off and reverse the shingle is to get that strip of tar at the very base of the roof.  The tar will melt and glue the first tabs down, helping prevent the wind from getting under the shingles.  For some reason many people I know, including my father who I worship, will put an upside-down course of shingles first without cutting off the tabs, to save time I guess. To me this is pointless since it does not do its job, which is to lock down the tabs at the leading edge of the roof.


Why won't the heat shut off in one zone?

Try to replace the valve motor first.  It is much cheaper and easier, and many times it's the motor that has gone bad, not the entire valve. To test, set the zone valve to auto (which is what is likely is in) and note if it won't turn on. Then turn it to manual open.  If it turns on, your motor is likely bad.


Since some corporations are really grouchy about changing anything, and you may well run into this same problem when trying to charge up at some random location, I would go with either a 3-foot extension cord or a power strip.  In either case, make sure the wire gauge is sufficient for the expected charging current.
Keep this "adapter" in your car next to the charging cable and you'll be compatible with any outlet anywhere.


Ends of 25' 12/3 and short 14/3 extension cords get warm with 1500W heater

What you're learning is that wire gauge is only part of the equation. As you noted, plugs introduce resistance, and that makes heat.

You're right that heaters should not be run on extension cords. If you must, use high-grade cords with good plugs, and expect them to get warm. Monitor them for excessive heat which can melt the plastic and cause a failure of the connection.

FYI, those connections are likely crimped, not soldered.


Your control systems are incompatible

This is one we see all the time.  People try to dim their remote controlled fan.  Or a timer with a motion sensor.  Or get their modern era smart switch to play nice with a series dimmer in 3-way mode.

Bottom line: one thing must control the light.  One thing.  It must be the master of the light.  And then, other things which are compatible may interact with it, if they are compatible.  So for instance a smart dimmer that supports compatible remotes, and then, a compatible remote.

And if you need to glue a bunch of crazy contradictory control methods together, then you need to use smart-home/Internet-of-things technology.  Like a Wemo or Alexa hub.  Then, you install each control method so it talks to the hub, and write software code to define what each control does in each existing condition.

In your case, you need to tear apart that motion sensor kit (motion sensor + lamp stalk combo) and replace the motion sensor with a motion sensor that talks to your smart home platform.  Then, you define in software "if motion sensor detects and not daylight and light not on, turn on".


Is floor paint on concrete purely aesthetic or actually functional?

I would have said one reason for painting would be to create a stable surface, but you seem to have that covered by your use of PVA.

The main reasons for painting (that I can think of right now are):

Aesthetics (as you've mentioned), it will tone down the "industrial" nature of concrete flooring and match your colour scheme.
Durability, this covers physical damage such as scuffing etc.
Maintainance, it will be easier to clean up spills etc. from a painted floor and you won't get water stains etc. either.

So you've covered 2 out of the 3 I can think of, though a couple of coats of the appropriate floor paint might be more durable than the PVA. The question then becomes do you need to take care of the 3rd point?


You're fine
IFGC 503.8 is the governing Code passage here, and it sets no minimum spacing for direct-vent terminations from each other, just from features that could draw combustion gasses into room air (such as fresh air intakes and openable windows).


lennox furnace not working pilot light on but burner doesn't start

Have you followed the Troubleshooting flow chart from the user manual?

Click for larger view

You'll probably want to start with this bit...

Specifically, if the unit hasn't started in a bit (over the summer), I'd try cleaning the area of the burner nearest the pilot.


Is it ok to add an outlet from an Exit sign?

I don't know whether it's ok or not from a code perspective, but I wouldn't do it.

If I were you I would install access points and power them with POE. You'll get much better and more reliable wifi. It will be a little more expensive especially if you already own the extenders, but would definitely be cheaper if you have to run new circuits.


Spa/hot tub A/C pump hums, but does not run

After pulling the motor out (which required draining the spa and disconnecting the PVC connections) and removing the cover, I found another capacitor. Googling the part number indicates that this is a start capacitor.  It helps the motor start.

The motor also has a capacitor on the outside, and it's the run capacitor.  That's the one that was replaced first.

After replacing the start capacitor, the motor started and is running.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_capacitor

It turns out that Spa/hot rub AC motors like this have both a start and run capacitor, as do blowers on forced air furnaces and air conditioning units.  If an AC motor like this won't start, there's a good chance it's the start capacitor. The start capacitors tend to fail eventually, the run capacitors last much longer, apparently.

My spa motor

Start capacitor

Run capacitor


Adjustment of Door closer screws for holding door in fully open position

I've installed that brand/model of door closer before, and it doesn't have a hold open function as far as I know.

You'll want a floor stop, or get a different door closer that has a hold open function.


The curse of living in a wooded area. A pressure cleaner is a great way to clean your wood outdoor floor. Afterwards a stain sealer is a good finishing touch. This won't cure the dust but will sure look nice. A word of caution... stick with a pressure washer with about 1500 psi, you don't want to blast out the wood pulp.


How to cleanly remove pleated blinds from thermopane windows?

I wasn't able to remove the glue band from the window. The glue was too strong.

I noticed that if I push really hard with my fingers up on the glue tape it starts to pull together.

That didn't last for long since it was very hard to pull it together and as a result my fingers really started to hurt.

I eventually used medicinal alcohol to soak the glue band and make it more soft then using an alcohol damp cloth I pushed the tape together. The alcohol evaporated fast so the glue hardened again so I had to work 5-10 cm at a time.

After a few hours, some tired arms and hurt fingers I managed to remove it completely with no damage to the frame.


If it is a place where water can get in, it needs to be touched up. There are places where caulk should not be used so it will act like a weep hole. Since there is no picture to see the condition of the caulk, I can only assume the missing caulk is in a place where water can get in.


Will reducing the size of a pipe running to my bathroom reduce pressure at the fixtures in the bathroom?

Reducing pipe size will certainly reduce the amount of cold water sitting in the pipe, but it will also reduce the pressure at any given flow .vs. an equivalent larger pipe. However, you are proposing to shorten (and likely remove some elbows) from the pipe as well as change the size, and then it's very much "it depends" - there are online calculators for pressure drop you can use to compare options, for instance, but they would need type of pipe, length or equivalent length (where each elbow counts for extra equivalent length) pressure and flow to calculate a result.
How much that's an issue will depend on the type of pipe (smooth plastic flows much better than lumpy corroded galvanized iron) the supply pressure, and the demand at the end of the pipe.
It sounds like replacing all the pipe is not convenient. If it was, then 1/2" PEX "home runs" have a considerable benefit since they flow pretty well but have low volume. If this is galvanized iron or the like, and feeding only the one bathroom group, I would suggest 3/4" PEX for the easily replaceable (and shortened) part unless you live in one of the places with absurd plumbing restrictions against modern plastic pipe.
If the pipe is 1" to supply many other groups (other bathroom(s), kitchen, laundry), then think carefully about where it makes sense to have 1" pipe (due to large flow demand) and where it does not.


2 AFCI Breakers Tripping - One instantly and the other after a few minutes

If a swap reveals that the symptoms stay, i.e. other AFCI are also tripping in the same circuits, and all devices/lamps etc. were disconnected, there is most likely one or more problems with the panels/boards or wires.
Since the AFCI is tripping immediately, it seems to be a static fault and therefore an insulation tester would help to find the location via a bubble search, i.e. iteratively disconnecting half of the wires/outlets/circuits. Since an AFCI detects HF signals, a portable AM receiver may help searching when the insulation tester feeds that faulty location.
Possible reasons:

Water damage from heavy rain or moisture or plumbing, spilling/overfilling of bathtubes, sinks etc.
Rodents or insects having destroyed the insulation resulting in leakage currents
Any recent work like hammering nails or turning screws into the wall or ceiling
Earth movings/oscillations from earthquakes, underground activities, mining, construction activities, subways etc. causing stress to the building

If the AFCI are faulty, possible reasons are an overload, e.g. by a lightning strike or a shortcut or electric switching activities of the power supplier or any surges in the power lines. The main panel surge protection - if any - can not   cover 100% of all possible surge events. Maybe neighbours do have similar problems.


I wondered the same thing when I shopped for an antenna. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a set of specs or a way of comparing antennas from different manufacturers. All I found were reviews but they were all subjective and didn't help me rank one antenna over another, especially when the antennas were from different manufacturers.

That's when I bought various antennas and tested them myself using a Winegard Signal Strength Meter and my Tivo. Using the Winegard (which I have no affiliation with) was a very objective way of comparing them because you select a frequency and it gives you a signal strength.

I test the antennas in two different ways. For the first test I rotate the antenna for each frequency and record the maximum signal strength. For the second test I point the antenna in the same direction and leave it stationary (which is how most people use an antenna). I then run through the frequencies and record the results.

Even though I can only test the frequencies in my area, I figured these results might be useful to others so I put them on my website at: http://byebyecabletvbill.com/tv_antenna_side_by_side_comparisons.php. As time progresses, I'll be testing more antennas and adding the results there.


How often should I paint the exterior of my house?

There are just too many components to give you a definitive answer.  Atlanta doesn't have extremely harsh conditions, so if your house had perfect surroundings the paint could last 50-100 years.

Here are some factors:

How well was the house painted.  You ask if you should do a second coat.  Yes.  Basically if you have any paint "holes" were the first coat didn't fill this allows water to get in.  The water can expand during freezes (I know this is like 7 days a year there) but more importantly the water will sit there during warmer weather.  Do you need a thick second coat?  No.  But I would always do one on my house for non-"ceiling" areas.
What is the architecture of the house.  I have seen many many wood siding houses that have a flat cross rail.  Well guess what the water sits in these places, kills the paint job, rots the wood, and spreads.
Do you have anything else surrounding your house that hurts the paint or induces more moisture?  So ivy, big trees, large bushes, whatever.  I have big oak trees that drop limbs and acorns.  No big deal right?  Not short term.  But over years and years those tiny scrapes hold water and the paint starts peeling off.  If you have any plant life touching your house don't expect your paint to hold as long.  But this isn't a HUGE deal, the difference might be paint job every 15 years instead of 20.
Accidents.   Powerwashing, scraping it while making repairs, whatever.  Little scrapes turn into big things over 20 years.  (another reason for the second coat)
Gutters.  If your gutters don't properly work then the water will go down the side of your house.  Paint will not last as long.
Sun exposure.  Paint will fade in hard sunlight, even the best paint.  If one side of your house has extreme exposure then the paint will not last as long there.

There are just a lot of factors.  I would say the biggest ones being how well it was originally painted combined with the plant life around the house.  It is a science on where to plant trees and other things to properly shade a house but not cause other issues.  Can your paint job last 25 years in Atlanta?  I don't see why it wouldn't unless you have some issues mentioned above.


Calculate the support requirements for a load bearing wall -

There is unfortunately no way of calculating this unless given blueprints of the house.  Even if we did calculate it and even we overdid it, for something this big no inspector will pass it without an architect stamp.
I can mention two things before you start this...

given the current construction I don't think the beam will be a big deal.
you will almost surely will have to have new footings created.   You will be made to dump a bunch of concrete on both sides and this could potentially be a much bigger deal than the header.   (I get that the current footings worked for 300 years but they probably won't pass code for new work)

(also jealous because they stopped selling that fajita kit near me)


Anyone know what faucet brand this is? Its a ball tub valve, appears pretty old

A single handle faucet will have seals called o-rings they wear out over time, dissemble and take the the o-rings in to a plumbing or big box store and they should have replacements there are not that many different sizes of o rings in the range used for faucets.


Should I use 2 plumbing traps at either end of a drain extension?

Double trapping is both a bad idea and a code violation in most jurisdictions - from the International Plumbing Code (my emphasis):

  1002.1 Fixture traps. Each plumbing fixture shall be separately trapped by a liquid-seal trap, except as otherwise permitted by this
  code. The vertical distance from the fixture outlet to the trap weir
  shall not exceed 24 inches (610 mm), and the horizontal distance shall
  not exceed 30 inches (610 mm) measured from the centerline of the
  fixture outlet to the centerline of the inlet of the trap. The height
  of a clothes washer standpipe above a trap shall conform to Section
  802.4. A fixture shall not be double trapped.

The length of pipe between the two traps will not be open to atmosphere on either side - normally, the vent side is open to atmosphere through the vent, and the fixture side is open to atmosphere through the drain. What will happen when you pour water into it is that it will drain fairly slowly because after moving through the first trap it is compressing the trapped air between the traps.

On the other end, in order to go through the second trap, it would need to pull air through the other trap to avoid having to create vacuum.  This prevents the pipe between the two fixtures from completely draining.


Personally, I would not use flex pipe of any kind on a kitchen sink.  I know there is no "code" for that, but from experience it usually ends up bad.
The ridges of the flex pipe create areas that food or anything put down the kitchen drain can sit and rest and fester.  This will cause clogs and smells much quicker.
You also can't get the P or S shape that is often required by codes out of a flex tube which is designed to prevent sewer gases from coming back up into your kitchen sink (in part).
Also, the flex tube is typically not as strong as a schedule 40 or sometimes even a schedule 20 pipe and may be more prone to bursting.  This is also true for flex pipe depending on the location of the sink in the house (how close it is to an outside wall) and the location of your house in general (north where it gets cold or in the south where its always warmer).  If its near the outside of the house in a colder climate, water that didn't drain properly (which is a constant in flex pipes like that), will freeze and expand and possibly cause the pipe to burst, or atleast weaken and stretch the flex pipe over time.

In general I would not use this flex pipe long term, I know that is not answer you are looking for, but I would only use it as a temporary thing.  Look at getting some schedule 40 pipe for the long term.

As far as fitting that end of the flex hose into the wall drain....that opening is a regular PVC pipe it looks like from the picture.  What I would recomdend doing is getting 2 PVC pieces.  First is a PVC bushing (sometimes listed as just an adapter or reducer depending on size of pipes) with a female thread inside.  This you can find at just about any big box store.  Here is a link to Lowes (first in google search results).  Second is a PVC Adapter that will screw into the bushing/adapter/reducer.  This second one will have ridges on it, and you should be able to push the flex hose on to it and then THIRD use a standard pipe clamp ring to hold it into place.  You might want to glue the FIRST piece to the drain in the wall if this is a fairly permanant setup (less than a year I would say), otherwise don't glue it if you plan to redo it soon.
All together it should only run you about $10 depending on sizes and such.  I wish I could give you more specifics but we would need to know the size of everything.

Regarding the inlet for the drain for the dishwasher.  A plumbing supply store might have the adapter you need.  I would look locally for a plumbing supply store and they will say "oh yeah, its this thing" or "no, you need 5 fittings to go together".  The big box stores won't have something exact, but between a few bushings, adapters and fittings you should be able to make something work.  Again, I don't know the exact sizes of those, so I can't give you exact help with that.  Going to the big box store and having a few fittings to get what you want I would say is the last resort, but if so, bring it in and there is usually an associate that likes the challenge.


How do I estimate the energy consumption of a ductless mini-split A/C unit?

I doubt that any PV array which would fit on this camper could power this a/c unit. The power consumption of the a/c unit is far above what a small PV array could supply.  Based on my recollection of the circuit requirements of room a/c units rated at 5000 BTU/h, when running, this unit will draw about 10 A at 120 V ac so 1.2 kW continuously.

EDIT

One sees campers with 5000 BTU/h a/c units on top. I have always assumed that these were only for use in campgrounds with electric plug in sites.


You might want to consider speaking with drylok representitives to find out how to remove the product safely. It contains Silica which is extremely toxic in dust form. The products has warnings regarding it on the label. I'm considering using it on my basement fieldstone and my only reservtion is the possibilty of having to remove it if it fails. Or having someone else get sick trying to remove it in the future. I'm sure it's inert when its on the wall, just not so sure about any dust/debri created from sanding or grinding or chipping. Good Luck.


That small pile of dirt is an indication that moisture is behind your wall and is “escaping” by coming out from between the two walls. As the water runs out, it washes some dirt (fine particles) with it.

If you look closely, you’ll notice there is some very small amounts of soil washing out between the joints of the “stack block” wall too. (If you notice, there is more dirt lower on the wall, because the water “escapes” at the lower levels where there is more pressure.)

The wall on the left is made to be solid and not allow any seepage, but the stack block wall on the right is made to allow water to seep through the joints.

If you plug the joint between the two walls, additional water and dirt will seep through the stack wall joints...you probably won’t notice the difference.

Long term, water will continue washing soil out in order to reduce pressure on the wall. It’s annoyingly to clean up every year or so, but it’s not alarming.


Legality of hanging things outside your window?

Nothing to do with building codes, unless you are hanging an addition to your house out the window.

Your own (single-family) home on your own lot (piece of land) - depends what you have (or don't) for a home-owner's association, or if your house is subject to some sort of restrictive covenant such as a historic preservation district.

A home that is part of a multiple-dwelling unit where you own the space in the building, but not the land - more likely to have some other rules and regulations impacting what you can do from your windows, in the interest of protecting other people.

Note that on your own property you still have an interest in protecting other people, but it comes mostly from the fact that they can sue you, so if you plan to hang something very dubious safety-wise out the window, your insurance company may decide that you are a bad risk and cancel your coverage or raise your rates.


I would venture to guess that originally the shower had a properly waterproofed substrate; the common inspector's test requires plugging the drain and filling the pan with water for a period, checking for water level change.

There may be concern now, because cracked and failing grout can be a sign of movement (there are, however, other possible causes of this). I grouted my shower 23 years ago and the grout looks practically the same as the day it was done, so something is up.

If you have confidence, and you should have some due to the fact that you have not noticed any leaks, you could carefully scrape/grind out the remaining grout from the entire area and regrout. I have had some success using a combination of utility knife (get extra blades) and grout saw, and you don't have to remove all the old grout but try to get a channel at least 3/16" deep.

However, grout is porous and will not help over the long term if the pan is compromised. I feel that you should do everything possible to ensure there are no leaks. Slow seeping pan leaks can be difficult to detect, until the floor drops out from under you or a ceiling above falls in your chiles relleno. Even if it means having to open up a wall or ceiling for inspection hole(s), it will be cheaper to patch drywall than to repair the damage of a long-term pan leak.


How to identify type of asbestos used in home?

Get it tested by an asbestos testing company. Dealing with asbestos is generally not a DIY task and is best left to the professionals. This includes testing.


If the sap is really hard, you should be able to knock it off with a quick swipe with a scraper. The finish underneath might be compromised, though.

If its still a bit gooey, you might try hitting it with a spurt of compressed air from a can to cool it down.


How do I fix bare spots on my table after applying polyurethane?

Most likely you have spots of contamination such as oil or wax impregnated into the wood. As much as you may not want to hear this, I fear you may need to strip the table top again and sand the surface more completely. When the surface is clean and sanded, you can mist the surface with a little water to see if any areas repel the water. Don't let the water stand on the wood, dry it quickly after your test. This may help you determine if more sanding or degreasing is necessary to remove the contaminated areas.


Yes there is a rapid set thinset, big box stores have it. Fortified thinset that you have is good stuff, I used it in all my install for my bath renovations. 2 days time is not enough time for thinset to get a strong bond, enough to step on but easy to pull, any longer you would have had a tougher time.

The amount of thinset you use is crucial, it has to be placed so the tile is well supported at various heights, but can still be lowered if needed. If there is a high spot in the subfloor, grind it down, I have relived the back of tile in places where needed but that is really chancy. Those areas need a full bed of support under them, so the thickness is critical there, but time well spent.

Get your tile to set below the surface of the other tile uniformly, about an 1/8" to a 1/4" lower with no thinset under it, no rocking, then you can gauge how much thinset you need under it. Except were you may need to grind the back of the tile, floor grade tile can handle a small span with no contact to the setting bed.


Do I need a permit to open a wall up for a kitchen passthrough?

Assuming you are in the US, you generally don't need a permit for cosmetic changes. Everything else you do. To find out for sure contact your local government building department.


Why is my booster fan pulling cold air from outside?

It would appear to be a poorly tuned fresh air vent (aka a "Make-up Air vent")

Blocking it completely is not a good choice.

Tuning it correctly is a good choice.

The intake should not be bringing in more air than the furnace blows out (far less, in general)

A page from 11 years ago...

http://www.nchh.org/Portals/0/Contents/Read_This_Before_You_Ventilate.pdf


Locating (and, more importantly, removing) mysterious foot smell?

I had an apartment once with a smell like that. It was kind of a mix between stinky feet and wet hay (much worse when wet like after cleaning). That turned out to be the cheap carpet padding they had used. Like you said, you would get used to it fast, but notice every time you walked into the room.

I had to have them replace the padding.


There is a ground after all

The ground bars on most loadcenters, when fitted, are located on the far left and right sides of the enclosure, so they often get buried behind wiring in the gutter spaces, and this appears to be the case in your installation.  (In your third photo, you can just see one peeking out from behind the wiring in the bottom right-hand corner of the picture.)

Your fourth photo also shows the bare fat wire that is the ground in the feeder cable (what appears to be a type SE-R cable), running off what I presume is a lug on the left-hand ground bar, and the empty hole on the left-hand side of the neutral jumper bar, next to the red wire, is correct for a subpanel (it is where the bonding screw goes when this panel is used as a main).


Why does my GFCI receptacle trip when anything is plugged in?

It certainly seems like you have a ground fault somewhere. Is it possible there is water damage anywhere inside the garage?

Since you've already replaced the GFCI, I think it's safe to assume it's working properly and is tripping as it's designed to. That means somewhere current from the hot or neutral wires is leaking to the ground wire or somewhere else. (I'm guessing it's a neutral -> ground short, since it only happens when you try to use an appliance. A hot -> ground short should trip the GFCI as soon as the power comes on.)

Here are the things I would try:

Does the tripping happen at the GFCI, or just the downstream outlets? If it's easy to tell which order the receptacles are wired in, start by plugging something in to the first one downstream of the GFCI. Does that trip it? If so, the short is probably between that outlet and the GFCI. If it doesn't trip, move to the next outlet and see if that trips, etc.
Take the cover off all the outlets and inspect them. Look for any signs of moisture, or a loose wire nut, or a conductor touching the side of the box.
If you don't see anything suspicious, start pulling the outlets out and rewiring them. Disconnect them all and start adding them back one by one.
If you still haven't found the issue, it's possible the wiring inside the wall got damaged somehow. Possibly a combination of mice chewing on the wires and moisture from the storm? If you've reconnected the wiring to the outlets one by one, starting with the closets, you should at least be able to tell which section of wall the defect is likely to be in.

Other notes:

I'm not sure if the continuity tester will help much, the problem is a short not an open circuit. Especially if the problem is caused by a neutral / ground short, those are always going to test as continuous since they connect at the main breaker box.
I wouldn't worry too much about the voltage readings you got with the GFCI tripped, open circuits can sometimes have small but non-zero voltage readings.


Why won't my garage door remote work unless I push the button to turn off the light first?

CFL bulbs used in the opener cause signal blockage until fully lit. I don't know why but while the CFL bulb is flickering the signal gets blocked.  After the bulb warms up, and stops flickering (about 30-60 seconds) your garage door remote should work fine. This can be tested easily enough. Does the remote open your door when you just get home and open door? Door opened because the light was off.  But when you are leaving the garage, you use wall switch to open the door and can't close it by remote while trying to drive away.  That's because the CFL bulb is still warming up after you just opened the door to leave. Easy solution is to change out CFL bulb with incandescent light (old style bulb with filament).  I've heard that LED lights do this too, but my hunch is that some folks think CFLs are LEDs and are calling them by the wrong name. LEDs are instantly on and quite expensive, while CFLs flicker until warmed up and purchase price is pretty low.
So change to incandescent in Door Opener and happy motoring. Appliance bulbs are perfect for Garage door Openers.


There's no easy fix here.  The electrical code is quite clear on this, and the box must be "accessible".  Hiding the box behind permanently installed cabinets is a clear code violation, even if you cap the wires and install a blank plate.

You'll have to find where the wiring for this receptacle originates, and disconnect it at that point. Cap those wires together and label them as abandoned, or pull them out of the box so they can't be reconnected. Once that's done, you can leave the unused cable in the wall and abandon the box.

If the abandoned box was used to feed outlets further along the circuit, you're going to have to find a way to run new cable to supply the rest of the circuit.


Are these small bubbles on the base of the toilet tank normal?

It's fine. That's just air dissolved in the water forming on the nucleation points of the rubber.


How can I power multiple raspberry pi around the house?

I installed a non POE outdoor camera at a location on our property that doesn't have easy access to an outlet. The solution I came up with was to run the camera via POE with a POE to USB Splitter. A quick web shopping outlet search led me to these:

They are pretty cheap, and come in a variety of configurations / flavors. I opted for removable USB female adapter, but there are versions that have built in Micro USB plugs.

My Setup:

Indoors [Wall outlet -> POE Injector] -> 50 ft Cat 6 Ethernet Cable -> [POE Spliter -> Micro USB Cable -> Camera] Outdoor (in Plastic Project Box)

I could see this easily being implemented using a POE Switch, and routing Ethernet to where needed.


Which means if you install a vent pipe 10 feet or more away from the skylight then you can have a shorter vent pipe extension above roofline. I assume this is about a vent pipe from the kitchen outlet. As long as you do a proper and sound job that doesn't cause some silly damage, who's going to know if you only have a one foot vent pipe extension? I installed an additional downpipe in response to a poorly executed re-plumbing of my house (before i bought it.) I've joined the new downpipe to the only available connection the kitchen outlet, so now the rain downpipe acts as a vent pipe. I haven't had any problems.
If this is about vent pipe from water closet instead, then you probably want a long vent pipe extension to avoid the aromas.


Can I rehang a door in a metal-clad frame?

The foremost question has to be why you want to reorganize this door in the first place. After you read what I have to say about that process you may very well re-evaluate whether this change is worthwhile or necessary.

Metal clad doors and metal frames are made with pre-determined hinge locations and latch locations. You cannot make the decision to freely swap around how the door is hinged to the frame unless what you do is a total hack job that is almost guaranteed to give operational problems.

To change the swing of the metal clad door like this generally consists of removing the old door and the door frame down to the rough opening. And then replace the door and frame with a different one that gives the swing and opening direction that you require. Usually that would be a new door but may be possible for you to find something used if you looked around hard enough.


How to remove carpet tape from flooring?

Goof Off or WD-40 works great! Available at any hardware or grocery store.

http://www.goofoffproducts.com/


3-zone HVAC (HZ432) one zone's a/c stops working when hot in afternoon

I can imagine a case where the damper motor stops working in the heat of the day, or the heat somehow causes the damper to bind.  Those zone controller systems have a diagnostics mode that allows you to test many of the components from the control panel.  When it's hot and zone 2 isn't working, you can test the damper with the control panel and perhaps measure the voltage going to the damper motor when it's being activated.  I think there is even an error light if certain issues are detected with the damper motor.

You can probably hear the motor working (or not working) when running the tests and that alone can point you in the right direction.  Checking the voltage can help rule out a bad transformer or even a fault with the zone controller.

It's a hot job, so download the instruction manual for the zone controller and plan out which tests you need to do before getting up in the attic (assuming it's all in the attic which could be completely wrong).


What tools should I use to machine large holes in polycarbonate sheet?

Use a 30 mm hole saw for the hole going through, on the bottom side use a router with a rabbet cutter with a dimension of 10 mm from the bearing top the cutter edge.

When using the router on the bottom side, tape the surface where the router will be to eliminate the possibility of scratching the plastic.

Using a drill press to keep the hole saw square would help keep the router from making a slightly oval cut.


How to replace recessed halogen light from an eyeball fixture?

The eyeball or gimbal fixture has spring loaded clips. SHUT OFF POWER, take utility knife and score any paint that may have sealed the ring to ceiling, pull the ring from straight down, compress and release spring tension, pull assembly out of can. By holding the socket in one hand and twist bulb with other......yes/no...safety glasses, gloves, and a bag to put over bulb and assembly and break bulb.... sometimes you can just twist the bulb until it releases from its base, the socket will now be free from gimbal assembly, I use a pair of linemen plier to free the base from the socket...yes/no replace socket....MAKE SURE POWER IS OFF FIRST


Think about it.  If the LEDs were failing, they would fail individually one at a time, not the entire strip at once.  (strips typically have many LEDs, but in groups of 3-6, so if an LED was failing, it couldn't take out more than 6 at a time).
What's failing is the power supplies
And this is typical of the failure mode of cheapie LEDs.   The LED emitters are solid as a rock and will outlive us all. But they are bundled with a power supply that fell off a truck in Shenzhen.  This is especially likely with the mail order/China/eBay/Amazon Marketplace jobs.  Amazon Marketplace is third party sellers, and their junk is intermixed with real "sold by Amazon.com" listings. It's very hard to tell the difference.
Fortunately, these power supplies are commodity items and can be easily replaced. You simply need to look closely at its specs and find a higher quality one.  Meanwell is a popular balance between price and quality, and is widely used on better lights.


Do I need to cut under door jambs when installing laminate flooring?

You don't have to, but there's not a great alternative to prevent gaps from showing. An "undercut saw" can be rented cheaply at your local tool rental shop. It's basically a circular saw with the table configured for horizontal cuts. Try to run the blade teeth toward the wood to prevent tearout.

You can also use a fine-toothed handsaw with a scrap of your flooring. Lay the flooring on the subfloor and run the saw on top of it, taking care to not let the saw jump and scar the jamb.


Check out some of the fittings and repair parts from Oatey. Not sure what sizes of pipe you have. But if you have a 4 inch pipe, 43539 is supposed to slide inside of it. It has a rubber piece that expands using 3 socket cap screws.

Link to Oatey site product page for the fit inside, expanding rubber flange

I have been repairing my own toilet bend, which is a lead piece coming from a cast iron drain stack. I would have used that part above, but I think I'm going to go with a 3x4 repair flange instead because this non expanding flange was shorter and fit better. The "3x4" part means it will fit over a 3" pipe or fit inside a 4" pipe.

I hope this helps, every toilet flange problem is different. I had to buy many of the repair parts and test fit them before I found the right piece.


Fiberglass batts: how to cover the exposed paper?

At the least i would cover it with 1/4" plywood. At the most I would cover it with 4X8 sheets of cement board. Depending on the moisture present under the home, would temper the choice further.


Adding Venstar Add-a-wire ACC0410 to HVAC with Nest Thermostat E

Just follow the yellow brick road to your C terminal
Based on the fact that you have a two-wire cable apparently running out to your compressor based on the fact one wire of the cable is landed on Y, we can find your C terminal easily.  In order for the air conditioner to come on when called, its contactor coil has to connect between Y and C as the thermostat applies 24VAC to Y to call for cooling.  So, the other wire from the compressor cable must connect to C, and looking at the labeling on your control board, lo and behold, it does!  Furthermore, HVAC terminal blocks are designed to have 2 wires under one screw, on opposite sides of the pressure plate, so the fact there's a wire already there is no obstacle to your plans.
From there, it's no different than how the videos describe it.


How to remove inaccessible screws from window handle?

It is by design that they are not easily removed while the window is locked. After all, why pick the lock when you can just unscrew the hardware....

You could have a locksmith open it.
Or, if these are to be replaced, you could drill the lock barrel out or cut the handle off with a grinder, oscillating tool, reciprocating saw or similar.


How wide does a 6x6 concrete post footing need to be using an elevated post base anchor?

Well...I had to live and learn. I used 12 inch sonotubes with the same anchor and cheap cement (the fence post kind that was recommended to me)  and 6 x6 posts, which turned out to be a bad idea. 2 of the 4 cement piers cracked part way down where the achor ties were. My solution was to build 21 inch squares around the base about 12 inches down and past the broken areas and leave the rest of the existing footing intact with the more expensive extra strong cement surrounding the existing pier that goes 3 ft down. Hopefully this holds up well..but I am a DIY person so there is trial and error on my end. Get quaility cement and do a wide base to limit lateral breakage IMO. Of course I dont think there would have been and issue if I had not used cheap post hole cement. I am just glad I discovered the issue before the structure became wobbly.


There are two types of systems (I'll call them old and new) that I have seen when it comes to pilot lights.   In newer systems (sounds like what you have) you must press the valve knob or a separate pilot button to bypass a safety valve and allow enough gas to come out to light the pilot.  Once the pilot is lit, the flame heats up a thermocouple that allows the main gas valve to open.  Once all that happens, you can turn the valve fully on and light the main burner.  The idea is if the flame goes out (thermocouple isn't heated), the gas is completely cut off to avoid leaks.

On older style valves, you just turn the gas all the way on and light the burner.  When you are done, you can turn it all the way down to pilot and only the pilot remains lit so you can easily light it next time.  If the pilot blows out, you're leaking a small amount of gas (not good).

So, based on those two descriptions, do you still think that something is wrong?  Your description doesn't seem to really match either of those exactly, so something could be wrong with your valve.  At the very least, the safety valve that cuts off gas flow if the flame blows out could be faulty.  Today that's considered a problem, but years ago it was normal - again depends on the valve design.  I would have someone look at it just to make sure nothing else is wrong.  Gas is pretty deadly.

Try to light it again with the above description in mind, and if it still doesn't seem right, have it looked at.


Transformer going into receptacle obstructed by board behind it

Use a
metal box cover with a knockout in it.
I think you will have enough room to access the screws of the cover. You will need a plug for the knockout on the side.

Or, the box is surface mounted, add a spacer behind it.


How to “lock” a bathroom door without drilling or spending too much money?

I'd be inclined to replace the locking mechanism with a new similar one. Direct replacement. Always change back at end of lease. Who's to know? Not expensive.
Otherwise a notice outside the door - 'Do not disturb', or get used to whistling while engaged...
Or - a length of wood that spans from the door to the opposite wall, or some article of furniture closer
BUT - bear in mind it's not too clever to have a bathroom door that cannot be opened in an emegency, from outside. That's why a lot of folk use the sort of lock with a screwdriver hole on the outside of the door. As a landlord, it's his responsibilty to provide stuff like that - not ony probably fulfilling legal obligations, but sensible ones too.


Getting rid of black shadow/stain in toilet caused by interaction of iron sponge with anticalc + toilet gel with bleach

Try Iron OUT or similar cleaners with sodium hydrosulfite and/or sodium metabisulfite, which reduce iron and manganese stains, rather than bleach (Javel) which does the opposite. Place a paper towel over the stain and soak in the remover, so that it does not run off immediately. Let it sit for some hours and repeat as needed.

Do not use abrasives such as pumice, or hydrofluoric acid (HF), as in Whink Rust Stain Remover, which will remove the stain, but will also permanently damage the china bowl... which your landlord may ask you to replace.


What is the best process for a first-timer doing a small drywall finishing job?

Paper tape or mesh tape?

It comes down to preference. As a "beginner" (but not for long... haha) I feel that mesh tape will be easier for you. No, you do not have to use any special mud; premix will work just fine. Some say that paper tape is stronger; some say that it is less likely to form hairline joint cracks over time.

  Pre-mixed vs setting-type compound.

You should absolutely use pre-mix joint compound to bed and cover your tape, and pre-mix topping compound for subsequent applications. Setting-type compound takes some special skill gained with experience, must be troweled/worked rapidly, and is harder to sand. You have time, take advantage of that to make this difficult work easier for you.

  Dust control compound?

Yes, it applies just like regular pre-mix but is less dusty when sanding. If money is an issue and dust not so much, don't bother with it.

  dust

The vacuum dust collecting sanding pads do work, but you are talking about significant expense, the vacuum is loud, and they only work with drywall sanding mesh/screens which I do not recommend for anything except the initial mud knock-down.

Tips:

Buy quality knives/trowels and set aside plenty of time to clean and dry them after each use.
Buy 3" (for scooping mud from bucket), 6", 10", and 12" knives.
Cover unused mud in buckets with plastic cling wrap (Saran Wrap) pressed tight to the mud, then snap the lid back on the bucket.
Get a strong worklight and shine it from the side, oblique to the wall, when finishing and sanding. This will highlight uneven areas and imperfections with shadows.


Help decide course of action for rotting windows

If your timeframe is inside 5 years, you probably can't make an economic argument for new windows.

Suggest you attack one (neither the worst nor the best) and see what is in there when you pick away at it. New storms are easy. Brick mould is easy. The sill might be a little harder, but patience is a virtue.

Depending on the level of rot, don't immediately rule out bondo and/or capping the sill in aluminum.

If you don't have one already, get an oscillating tool. It'll pay for itself in this kind of work. Battery powered is vastly better than corded in my opinion.


How should I address my bathroom's flickering lights and GFCI tripping mysteriously? (Schematic included.)

Sure sounds like you may have a couple of unrelated problems. Usually, a nuisance tripping GFI is a sign of a worn or aged GFI device. This is assuming there are no down line devices or lights that are leaking small amounts of current to earth ground. This would be uncommon for a light or simple switch, more likely with a motor load on start up or shut down.  The more important and potentially dangerous problem is the whole house lighting flickering when the fan and shower light is on. If you have an accurate digital VOM, you can look at the voltage drop at the breaker that controls the bathroom. If you see variations of much more than 5 to 10 volts then isolate which device is causing the fluctuation. (fan or bath lite) by turning them on individually and test again. A older fan is a common source of your problem as moisture and humidity may have invaded the motor and causing larger than average voltage drop to ground. If this fan is in fact the culprit, the fan may be heating up more than normal as well and could become a hazard. If you do not have a VOM or know how to test voltages inside your circuit breaker panel, I'd advise you to seek a licensed electrician soon to correct the situation.


How do I properly bring in coax from the pole to the interior of my house?

Cable companies should not be penetrating the building with cables like the way you describe.  Water can flow down this wire and into the building if it's not sealed properly.  And if it is sealed properly, if the wire is able to be moved in and out because it's not securely anchored then it will eventually be able to leak should water get around it.

Have they also put a bend in the wire below the entry point to prevent water flowing into the house?  Have they anchored the wire so it can't move in and out ?

Several easy ways I've found to put wire into the building without drilling unsightly holes and that won't cause leaks.

1) Go under a flashing.  On my house we have an old iron roof with lead flashing.  I've been able to put a wire up under the flashing.  I just lifted the edge of it slightly and pushed it in. Then I bent the lead flashing back down over the wire.  As the antenna was downhill of the flashing, water couldn't go up the wire in any way and enter the house.

2) Bring the wire down to the guttering, and poke the wire up under the edge of the roof.  Usually there is a gap to allow ventilation.  This allows you to get the wire into the attic space and you'll then be able to put it into any room you desire.

3) Bring the wire down one of the downpipes.  Then if you happen to have a raised foundation like my house, put it through one of the ventilation ducts at ground level.  I then bring it up into a wall cavity from below.

4) You could also bring the wire in through a hole in the sofit and then into the ceiling space where you could then bring it down into the house through an internal wall.  Not as tidy or as easy as just ducking in under the iron though.

Important: Water can flow down a bent wire through surface tension.  So wherever it enters, make sure it can't do that by putting a sharp bend in the wire just below the entry point.  That way any water will run off on the outside and not into your home!

Update: I see that they have anchored it and added the loop at the bottom. And there does appear to be some sealant around the entry point.  It should be OK, but it is really ugly and doesn't pass any tests for beauty.

Update2: Since you want to enter from below this is what I suggest.
Re-route the cable down the down pipe that I see running down the wall.
Clip the cable to it using appropriate UV rated cable ties.
It appears to me that your house is raised on some concrete or wood piles. It looks similar in construction to my house where there is a concrete foundation around the outside of the house and probably concrete or wooden piles within.  If that's the case then if there are vents in this (there really should be) you can poke your wire through one.  If not, drill a hole through that outer foundation.  It'll require a long bit and a powerful hammer drill  - take your time.  Then once you are through, poke your cable through and you can then bring it into whichever room you wish.


Will a horizontal 2x4 support my body weight?

I expected to see a double 2x4 header while you have a single; I'd make it a double.  FYI, you can look up weight it can support on beam span table/calculator.  You can rely upon the jack studs to support the weight but I'd add metal brackets (e.g. Simpson Strong Tie) to add additional support (i.e. for the not strictly vertical forces) since you're jerking around and brackets are less than $1 each.  Bracket the king studs to the header and two more brackets for the cross-beam.
P.S. Your stamp means it's kiln-dried southern pine/fir


In a comment you said,

  AC unit is outside.

Assuming you're talking about a whole-house AC unit, what's outside is the condenser. There's another half to the system - the evaporator. it sits inside your "furnace" and cools the air forced over it by the circulation fan in your furnace, which in turn circulates through your ducts and cools your house.

AC evaporators tend to collect significant condensation, to the point that furnaces with AC fitted will always have a condensate pump to collect and dispose of the condensation. You said you mopped up about 8 gallons of water - where I live, that would be a fairly typical volume for a few days of cooling in a typical home. In other words, it's not really that much.

As mentioned by comments, the white box on the side of your furnace is the condensate pump. The hard white plastic plumbing going into the top of the pump is the drain line, which drains the condensate from the evaporator coils into the pump. The pump has a switch inside it that turns on as it fills with water, and the water is pumped out through the smaller-diameter translucent hose coming out the top of the pump. A good place to start troubleshooting this problem is to pour water in one of the empty holes on the top of the unit, and see if it runs and empties itself out.

If it does not run, make sure it's plugged in and has power. If it is, the pump or the switch inside it may be dead. It's not expensive to replace a condensate pump.

Condensate pumps have a check valve on the fitting for the output line, it's possible the check valve is full of debris or clogged and causing the pump to overflow even if it's running. So check that as well, if you can't troubleshoot otherwise.

If the pump is clean and functional, you may have a problem inside your furnace - the tray that collects condensate from the evaporator coil may be damaged (rusted, or there may be debris collected on it that's causing it to overflow instead of properly drain. If you're not comfortable opening the furnace up to check for these problems, it may be time to call a professional.


Can I apply polymeric sand only on a x inches wide stretch where the patio joins the wall?

So you want to put 3 foot strip in width of polymeric sand over existing pavers? You will be OK with how that would look? I am just not sure how well such a strip will stay together over the long haul.

I sure wouldn't do it, I would bite the bullet and pull up the pavers then regrade the base away from the house and put the pavers back.


What quality caulks are available in the United States of America?

We have several good/better lines of caulking available depending on your given project.

I worked at Lowes in the paint department for over 4 years total. Never had anyone bring back anything other than DAP...strange. We even had a rack specifically for returned products and mis-tint paints, filled with DAP.

Anyway, there are a few good brands that I've personally used that get my pick for this forum:

GE - general purpose, adhesive, and sealant properties GE makes some good caulk. Latex or PolyUrethane
3M - great specialty caulking, had to use this on the bottom of a sea-ray one time, stuff is amazing and is still holding to this day...
Loctite - great sealant and polyurethane caulking for outdoor use, specifically the ones marked 'PL' are the ones I've used.

Hope this helps...


How do I make light blue paint more interesting?

I like that blue and I choose something close too it for my room. I made one wall behind the bed an accent wall using wall paper.
White furniture and trims work nice with this color, black or dark wood items not so much.


Why does my microwave keep throwing the circuit breaker?

This sounds like pure luck that you haven't had problems before. Niall has the ratings right: My microwave says 1100W power output, and 1500W max power use (which is 13A), and a 1/3HP sump pump is 9.5A (or 10A for a 1/2 HP pump), with a peak around 15A when it first starts up. If this is a 20A circuit, you're likely over the limit, and if it's a 15, you're definitely over.

After rain is very easy to explain: your sump pump is coming on more often. The starting surge of sump pump is around 5A, and the microwave probably has a surge of at least 2A when it starts up.

Basement lights are easy to figure out, just add up the wattage of the bulbs (and current in Amps = # Watts / 115V). Likewise for anything plugged into the basement outlets.

Since the sump pump turns on and off at random times depending on the water level, it's likely that any time it tries to start while you have the microwave going it's tripping the breaker. When the microwave is on a lower power setting, it may not cause the same problem.

If possible, your best bet is to run a new circuit for the microwave: by the sounds of it, it's been retrofitted, and someone just picked the nearest circuit. I would try to find where it was added (assuming unfinished basement or at least access to the ceiling or other relevant areas), and add a junction box and a new line back to the panel, and give it its own 20A circuit.

Next best is to run a new circuit for the sump pump. You'll still have the issue with anything plugged into the basement outlets, but at least that's more controllable.


Ceiling leaking from upstairs bathroom ONLY when water supply is turned OFF

Maybe someone hit a drain pipe when drilling a wall anchor? That it only happens with the water off is odd, I'd just focus on finding the leak. The water is coming from somewhere.

I'd start by opening up any access panels you have to the upstairs shower. You're looking for blackened wood where the pipe enters the floor in the wall.

You're probably going to have to replace the drywall around the ceiling spot, you might as well open that up too. Try to drain the bubble by poking it in case it still has water in it. find the vertical source of the water that way- though occasionally water travels horizontally.

Follow the water. You make enough holes in the wall and you'll find the source.


How can I open a stuck, overfilled kitchen drawer that doesn't have a horizontal entry point?

If there are drawers above or below, fully remove them and attempt to access that way, reaching around.

If not, try pounding on the drawer face with a rubber mallet (or something else that won't damage the finish) to try to get the drawer contents to shift a little.

Finally, you can put a 90 degree bend in a chunk of wire (coathanger or whatever) and slip that wire (with the bent part horizontal) into the "tiny gap", then rotate the wire to manipulate the stuff in the drawer. You may want an opposing 90 dregree bend on the vertical part sticking out of the drawer to act as a handle. The bent part going inside needs to be shorter than the drawer is wide, of course.


Heat transfer from water to the metal of the radiator is much more efficient than the heat transfer from the radiator metal to the air. Or in the case you posed from hot air to the radiator metal.

It is also relatively simple and compact to pipe the hot water or steam from room to room and floor to floor to service a series of radiators. A duct work to move hot air in the same way would be a lot larger in cross sectional area to transfer the same amount of heat energy from the heater to the radiators.


New thermostat for electric radiant ceiling heat

I figured it out and installed a new thermostat today, wish I could have figured it out at the beginning of the heating system. I figured out what the Single Pole LR10499 22A-120/v240;18A-277VAC means. I just had to think about it longer. So it means 22 amps for 120/240 Volt system or 18 amps for 277 volt system, and since I am in the america 277 does not matter. So I need something for 22 amp system. The next part was to figure out the voltage. I looked the breaker box and the heating system was on a double breaker so that means I need a 220/240 thermostat. I ordered a King ESP230-R Electronic Line-Voltage from amazon. I found the king page has a lot info on there thermostats.

I hope this helps someone else and they can too start saving the plant and there wallet!


What are my options for ensuring that water pressure doesn't drop in the top floors when taps in the lower floors are opened?

Separate outlet pipes would do it, but pressure on the top floor will always be lower than pressure on lower floors, as it's closer to the tank level.


Are these on a dimmer, perhaps? Dimmable LEDs need an LED-rated dimmer to be happy, generally. If the dimmer is old that usually means replacing it.

You have not increased the wattage. The Wattage is 15W per bulb - the "equivalent wattage" is marketing organic fertilizer meant to convey the lumen output relative to an incandescent bulb. It has nothing to do with actual wattage.

You may have an issue where the base of the bulb is too fat, too soon for the fixture socket, so that no contact is being made to the center contact. Depending on how extreme this is it can sometimes be helped (circuit breaker for the circuit OFF, please) by gently, slightly, bending the center contact in the socket up just a bit - but if you overdo it you can snap the contact off, so don't overdo it.


UK Vented Heating Problem - F25 Error on Glow Worm Boiler

Looks like quite a few people still come across this question so I thought I would post what the problem was in the hope it may help others.

After trying everything it could possibly be, including replacing the thermistor in the boiler, in the end it was a good old British Gas engineer that fixed the issue with a couple of air release valves (automatic bleed valves) on the two bleed points in our airing cupboard. The air was getting trapped in and around the pump and valves no matter how much manual bleeding we did.

The end result is a working central heating system, and the odd short sharp hiss coming from the cupboard once and a while.


Drilling into outdoor stucco to hang bike

I live north of Pittsburgh, Pa. and that stucco exterior finish was used on older commercial brick, stone or masonry buildings as a cheap insulation. It consisted of 2" white styrofoam board, covered with what we call "chicken wire" fencing, then that was covered with an exterior plaster type coating. I believe that the whole process was often called DRIVIT. You could not hang anything on it. I would follow Jim Stewart's advice as a solution


Re-drilling into existing hole in plasterboard/breeze block

Another option is to use a pair of holes. I often do this for larger pictures and mirrors, it spreads the load over two fixings and helps stabilisation, no tipping out of plumb or level when the door slams or such like.
Re. the original hole, you're going to struggle to fill it well enough to be able to drill half of it out again, especially if it's more than 50mm deep. Difficult to picture half a hole making such a difference without seeing the location.


How much deeper sink can I get away with without having to redo waste drain?

You've got 3" of trap seal and you are allowed 4" (3" is better) and there is about 1-1/2" of space between the tee and the coupling nut. For a grand total of 2-1/2". You may be able to squeeze more with some reconfiguration but it seems you really need to.

If you need that extra inch you'll need to change the trap to abs and use a rubberized coupling like a Fernco coupling. The abs trap would need to be a hub trap (basically a U shape) with no union. This will allow you to make a 4" trap seal.

This shows where you can get the full two and a half inches

Hub trap

Hogwart

Instead of using the 90°(street 90) as shown use a section of pipe sufficient to create a 4" trap seal and turn the street 90 around and attach to the wall stub with the rubberized coupling. On the other side (tailpiece side) use a tailpiece adapter and a section of pipe. Done!


How do you stop basement waterproofing sealant that is coming into the sump pump basin from the foundation drain pipe?

I just called and spoke with the housing inspector who had been out here inspecting the contractor's work and he said that it's normal for some waterproofing material to make its way down into the foundation drainage system after a basement wall waterproofing job. He said that I will probably need to keep cleaning off the sump pump for another 2-3 weeks and then it will stop coming in and everything should be good after that. He said that he had spent many years as a new home construction plumber and that he often saw this issue happen whenever there was a long period of days with heavy rainfall right after a waterproofing job had been completed.

EDIT

Update: I decided to buy heavy tarps from The Home Depot and I placed these outside along the length of the two basement walls that had been rebuilt. I did this to stop any fast moving torrents of water that were probably coming down off the siding and then flowing down along the basement walls stripping off the waterproofing tar and then depositing it down around the foundation drainage system. So far, there has not been any tar coming into the sump pump basin. I hope that the hot dry summer weather will now cure all the tar on the basement walls and I can then remove the tarps.


Should I repair the kraft paper vapor barrier after remodeling work?

Yes, you should repair or replace the vapor barrier, depending on your climate. In most areas it's important to prevent moisture due to human activity from reaching the frost front inside the insulation, where it will condense and cause mold or damage.
Yes, you should use faced batts as replacements, unless you intend to install poly sheeting over those cavities instead.
Yes, it may make sense to simply blow in cellulose or fiberglass over a new vapor barrier, but we can't say with the limited information provided. (Cost questions are also generally off-topic.)
Minor debris is inconsequential, except where it's large or heavy enough to cause compression of the insulation medium.


Refill it, the trace amounts won't be an issue. Hopefully it should stop smoking after a couple of minutes running with the correct oil. If not you can shut it off and look at other causes.

It may be worth your time to inspect the muffler and replace it if needed. They do corrode over time which leads to noise along with the possibility of trapped combustion byproducts which can smoke or be smelly. If you've got one of those torpedo style ones it's also a plus if you can replace it before it crumbles and becomes much more difficult to unscrew from the engine.

Checking out the spark plug won't hurt either, since a fouled plug doesn't help combustion. It's not a big cause of smoke, but it's a real minimal amount of work to check.


What should I do about a gap between a quartz countertop and backsplash?

Did the countertop installers also install the backsplash? If so call them back and have them correct the issue. That seam should be sealed for appearance and to prevent any water from getting in there.

If the backsplash was already there it could be that they did a poor job leveling that section of countertop or the backsplash wasn't level.

Either way, call them in to look at it and correct it. Might just need to run a bead of caulk and they'll have the right color to work with the stone you selected.


Do I need builders risk insurance for a kitchen remodel

I see no reason for you to insure yourself during this project. I would advise you to be sure the individual subcontractors you hire carry contractors liability insurance. If for some reason a contractor makes a mistake that causes a major problem, you can litigate against that contractor and their insurance company. Example: carpenter drives a nail through a wire, gas  or water line that causes collateral damage, fire or water damage.  Ask for a copy of the contractors insurance binder sent directly from the insurance company to you.  Insurance companies do this at no charge and assures you the policy is in effect and current.


Do I have to replace my expansion tank, or can it be drained?

I have a gas hot water base board system with an expansion tank. The tank has a drain valve to which I can attach a garden hose. I drain the tank at the beginning of the heating system and check it on occasion. If the gas boiler pressure rises quickly then the expansion tank probably needs draining. I may drain mine once over the winter. I don't understand why your expansion tank does not have a means of draining but if it is fairly good condition I think it would be much easier to install one than replace the tank. If you go with replacement get one with a way to drain it.


How to fix a sewer pipe leak in a prefab concrete floor

You're not going to like the answer, but the way to properly fix this for good is to break up the concrete, cut out and replace the damaged section of pipe.

There are a variety of ways you could break this up.  A sledge hammer, a hammer and chisel, a SDS drill with a chisel bit, or a larger chisel like a Brute.  If you have a ton of time on your hands, you could use a standard hammer drill and drill tons of little holes around the area to remove and then break it up with a smaller hammer and chisel.  The concrete should not crack outside of the immediate area you are working on. As for the pipe, yes you might damage it further but you need to replace a section anyways.

Once repaired you would add new concrete and replace the finish (hard to tell from the pic).

Any other fix is unlikely to be permanent or without compromise.


Add bathroom light fixture to GFCI or not possible?

The NEC reference is Article 210.11 (C)(3) - It basically states that you must provide one 20A circuit to supply bathroom(s) receptacles(s) with one exception. "Where the 20 amp circuit supplies only one bathroom, outlets for other equipment within the same bathroom shall be permitted to be supplied ...".

All that being said, if your dwelling was built prior to this becomming code, you will fall under the grandfather clause which is pretty much explained by @Jim Stewart.

So if you want to upgrade you can or you can leave as is.

Hope this helps.


Energy Saver on new A/C doesn't work well

I would return it.

Energy saving modes work like this:
You set the temp and the fan and compressor run until the room is cooled to that temperature +/- a few degrees.  Once the set temperature is reached, the compressor AND fan shut off.  Every 2-5 minutes (each manufacture is different) ONLY the fan will turn on to get the room air circulating though the unit to check the temperature.  If the room got hotter, then the compressor and fan will turn on to cool and turn off when done. Repeat cycle.

Where as the normal mode the fan and compressor come on, and once the temperature is reached, the compressor turns off but the fan stays on continuously.


The short answer is no, natural gas does not go bad in any reasonable amount of time.

I wonder if you have a slow leak somewhere that is letting gas out, or air/moisture in.


what flooring can be installed over existing vinyl?

I've had great luck with vinyl planks that are sold by Home Depot under the TrafficMASTER name (and now some other names).  See: http://www.homedepot.com/b/Flooring-Vinyl-Flooring-Resilient-Flooring-Luxury-Vinyl-Planks/N-5yc1vZbzjz

It is a consumer grade of what was originally a commercial flooring.  It is slightly thicker than vinyl tile or linoleum, so it doesn't significantly change the floor height (you use a matching transition strip at the edge, like at a doorway).  It is like a vinyl tile with a laminate wear surface, somewhat similar to the surface of Pergo, although the woodgrain tiles have an embossed surface resembling wood.  The appearance is very nice.

There are two versions.  One has a pre-glued surface that bonds adjacent planks together.  The other has an interlocking edge rather than glue.  It can be installed on pretty much any flat surface, including vinyl tile or linoleum.  It "floats" on top, there is no adhesive needed to bond it to the old floor, and you can put it on embossed vinyl or grouted tile without needing to fill the irregularities in the surface.

It is designed for untrained consumers to install themselves (it comes with instructions and there are online videos, they may even offer free classes).  A room the size of a bathroom would be a fast job.  To give you a rough idea, I did an area over 800 sq. ft. by myself, beginning to end, in a little over a day, just reading the instructions.  The area included complications like closets, cabinets, irregular shapes and bump-outs, and a laundry room where I had to move a washer and drier.

About the only tools you need are a tape measure and utility knife (and something for your knees).  The transition strip and quarter-round molding take simple tools like a miter box and hammer.  Where you need to cut the planks to length at the end of a row, you just score it with a utility knife and then bend it to snap it (I used a tool with a round blade that looked like a pizza cutter).  The cut edges don't have to be perfect because they are hidden under molding.  It is impervious to moisture, so it's great for a bathroom.


Air Seal recessed cans without attic access

Your best option is to caulk the can's rim to the ceiling drywall and then replace the bulb with a drop-in LED replacement. These things are self-contained units that seal off the air leakage paths themselves, and you can caulk them to the housing too for extra assurance.


Front yard flooding, drainage help needed

A lot of the water is coming from the road.  I would recommend raising the grade closer to the road so the water pools along the edge of the road instead of on your property.  That is the road slopes to the side and continues sloping down on your property.  You need to change it so the grade levels off on the side of the road and then slopes back up a small bit to catch the water from the road before it pools on your property.

Or just raise the grade at your driveway only requiring a new section of driveway be laid after you raise the grade and get the water to pool on either side of the driveway in the same locations it pools now, but at least get a clear driveway.

A common hidden draining solution used is something called a seepage bed; essentially a big hole, lined, filled with permeable material like round rock, and then covered on top.  Then run drains as needed to the seepage bed.

The size (volume) of the seepage bed varies based on fill material, area to drain (including the road), percolation rate of the soil, and the amount of rain you get over a given time period based on the percolation rate of the soil.

It is commonly used under parking lots to drain water from the parking lot without taking up any more area on the lot.


Why are our toilets not flushing correctly after our septic system was cleaned?

As a retired country plumber, I would advise against suction or pressure systems.  They are a no- no in older septic tank installations particularly ones using salt glaze fire clay pipes with cemented joints.  Such pipes are very liable to collapse or obstructions produced by fillets of loose cement that clog up the free flow of the flush. Stick to conventional drain rods and muscle.


How do I repair a broken wooden door jamb?

First of all, some terminology.

What you want to replace is called the JAMB.

You can either replace the whole thing (prefered) or try and fit a smaller piece in to fix the broken area.

With a utility knife, score the paint on both sides of the STOP (The thin piece that stops the door when it is closed.

Pry it off with a small prybar, slot screw driver or whatever you can wedge underneath.

Remove the casing (The moulding, attached to the drywall surrounding the door and threshold if there is one)

Now you can get to the jamb.

Remove the jamb, and go to your lumberyard and get a piece of pine that approximates it in dimensions.  You'll probably have to have it planed to the right thickness, but you just might get lucky.  For about $1.00 a cut, you can usually get them to cut it to the appropriate width. Length you can handle yourself, even if you need to use hand tools. (Although, depending as to how the latch jamb connects to the upper jamb, you may need to mitre the end.

Now you replace the jamb, Nailing it where the stop will cover the nails, and chisel out the mortise for the catch plate.  You can usually just drill the holes for the bolt.

Replace the other pieces you took off with new nails.  -- TIP: Don't try and pry out the old nails from the head.  Grab them in a pair of vise-grips and pull the heads right through the molding.  It's a lot easier.

Paint.

You could also, instead of replacing the entire jamb, cut out the damaged section, and replace it with new, butting everything together.  However, even with careful sanding and gap filling, you will see the horizontal lines where it's joined.