Water Release Valve that doesn't look like a Pressure Release Valve

That looks EXACTLY like a pressure (only) release valve (as opposed to a pressure/temperature release valve.) I have one that looks like it on the inlet of my water system, though I do have an extender pipe to take the water nearer the floor attached to it.

As far as I recall (I tested when I installed it, but that's a few years ago now), mine resets on its own when the pressure is reduced below its threshold (it's just a spring seal) so I would guess that whatever  caused the part of the system that is being protected by this valve to be over-pressure was stuck there until you turned off the main valve. Identifying what that was and fixing it so it does not stick open would be my best guess on not having this happen again, but it might not be easy unless you have a pretty good idea of what it was (you suspect the irrigation system, presumably for some reason.)


"Hazing" within a dual-glazed window or door is a symptom of failure in the sealing that's supposed to maintain unchanged whatever (air, other gas, vacuum) is within the space between the two panes of glass.
Windows and sliding doors in my house were replaced with dual-glazed panels in 2008; several panels have recently developed a similar appearance. The manufacturer (Milgard) provided a lifetime warranty to the original purchaser, and Milgard's immediate reaction to my warranty claim was to schedule a date for replacement of the defective panels.


How to pave a small area but get maximum drainage / permeability

You can get permeable paving (sometimes sold as Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS)) which looks like solid paving but has nibs on the edge of each block so the surface is self-draining. Some are rated for driveway or commercial car parking use, so no problems about the blocks moving.

https://www.marshalls.co.uk/homeowners/driveways/permeable-paving


What is the best way to fix broken OLD plaster in a very old house?

tear it all down, replace with regular sheetrock / drwywall.


How do you calculate the horizontal force created by a load hanging from hinges with a hinged bend (as in a hangar door)?

Assume: The two halves of the door are of equal length and weight. (L and W)
Let Theta be the angle between vertical, and the upper portion, measured from the opening. Thus, when the door is closed, theta is 0, and when open all the way (impossible in real life) theta is 90
Constraint:  The door will form an isosceles triangle at all times when closing. (two equal length sides)
The X component of the length will be L sin( theta).
H will be 2L cos(Theta)
Let R be the reaction of interest.

Take the sum of the torques about P (hinge pin at top)  The forces P and T disappear as the moment arm is zero.
Sum Torque = 0 -> (L/2 sin(theta) * 2 W)(clockwise+) - R 2L cos(theta)(counterclockwise, -ve)
            = LW sin(theta) - 2RL cos(theta)
            = W sin(theta) - 2R cos(theta)
            2R cos(theta) = W sin(theta)
            R = W tan(theta)/2

Consider the results -  if the door is closed, theta is zero and tan(theta) is zero.
If the door is fully open, tan(90) -> infinity and the universe ends.
If the door is open 89 degrees, then the force at R is 57/2 W.
At 85 degrees, it's 11/2 W.
So you'll need to restrict the door opening with a stop in the track somewhere to keep things within reason.   The greatest forces will occur at the top of the track.


Should my stairs have less than 10 inch run?

Code dictates a tread depth of no less than 10". The rise should be no more than 7 3/4", but since your house had an original stair system that predated anything like that they require now, "grandfathered" is the term that comes to mind. If your structure, as in walls, floors etc., keep your steps from being brought up to code, there is an exception to the code that you can go to.

With that in mind, do as you plan, add the extra tread and increase the depth of tread to 10", that is a close as you can get to code without moving walls etc.

You will appreciate the difference...


How do I build a sound dampening box for a pool filter?

I think the point to the question was to build a soundproof box more than buy a new motor, although good suggestions for power and such.

From some research on similar topic and some personal experience I have discovered that looking at the mounting of your motors is very important. Sometimes placing a rubber or similar vibration absorbent material between the motor and whatever it is standing on reduces referred vibration and low level tones that are almost impossible to sound proof. Spend time getting the low level vibrational sounds sorted out.

As for a housing, for me their was already a small brick wall around the pumps. I used ply board against many recommendations to build a housing then lined the inner area with heat resistant foam and a lightweight insulation material called "think pink" (in South Africa).

The padding is lightweight enough for me to lift the cover off to get to the pumps and the gap and ambient temperature around the pumps when sealed is cool enough for the motors. Obviously not in direct sunlight helps.

Ventilation is always an issue as direct air exposure permits sound waves to "escape" thus one must use a bit of common sense to allow more ventilation if the pump house needs it to keep the motor cool.

I would not say the rig is 100% sound proof... Yet... Our bedroom is literally right next to the motor and you can definitely hear when the motor runs. So a lot better than it was. Can't hear the motor from any other room in the house.


Correcting Navien Tankless Hot Water Heater Installation

That installation is incorrect. You can tell because the cold supply line is connected to the circulating return. The circulation return needs to come from a loop at an end of the hot supply line.

The user manual for these devices (of which I own two) provides a pretty good plumbing diagram for proper install. Consider yourself lucky if this installation hasn't damaged your circulating pump inside the unit.


The bottom of my plumbing stack is rusting heavily. Do I need to replace it?

Cast iron rusts, but it rarely becomes a concern due to the thickness of the pipe walls. Those bell fittings are nearly a half inch thick. More likely is that the inside gets choked with corrosion and residue.

I'd wire brush it, prime it with a high-quality bonding primer, and paint it, merely for cosmetics and cleanliness.

I'm not sure what you mean by "an old connection", but you almost certainly have cast iron pipe from that point to the city drain line or septic system. My previous home had a lot of cast iron and galvanized that was choked down, and after replacing most of it I had the same situation.


Can I use 2"x6" as roof rafters for porch addition over concrete patio?

It looks like the answer is "probably not." If this calculator from the American Wood Council is to be believed (and if my assumptions about your materials and load are correct), the max span is about 10ft for a pine 2x6.

This table agrees that 10-12ft is the max span for typical grade lumber, at typical spacings, for a 5psf dead load.

While your particular circumstances might come up with slightly different numbers, I'm going to bet that you're in the vicinity of the max span for that material. How closely you want to shave that risk is up to you.


The answer to the question is: You do not need to replace the spout.

Water drips from the spout because the valve or valves are leaking.

Replacing the spout will not fix the leak.

The leaky valve will still allow water to drip from the new spout.

To stop the leak you must repair or replace the valve.


I can only water lawn by manually opening the bleed screw

Are you confident that the voltage necessary to operate the valve is reaching the valve? You are performing a manual mechanical operation with the bleed screw. A new valve will behave as you describe if the wiring is interrupted.

Consider to swap wiring with an adjacent valve. The new valve would operate properly and the old, formerly working valve should fail if the wiring or continuity is the problem/solution.


How can I check the refrigerant level in my air conditioner?

Yes you can buy gauges, but do you know what you are doing? Do you have a 608 small appliance licence?(systems under 5 lb most homes have larger ones and require the high pressure license). Next just having gauges will only give you a ball park, a dual temp gauge (at minimum a good single temp gauge) is needed to understand what the pressures really are. If you do crack your system with that huge hose set now you have just lost some of the charge by checking it. How do you know if it is sealed? the cheap-o freon detectors sound like they do a good job. Last year we fixed a leak that the 25$ detector barely could sense, my D-tek showed me the area but it was so bad the compartment was flooded. A spray bottle with bubble solution pinpointed the leak. The owner put the cap on tight but it still leaked out most of his R22 chilled water system, at 50-100$ a pound + a service call he was lucky it was only a 15 lb system. The last point is there are up to $10,000 rewards for turning someone in for the release of Freon (The EPA collects a fine for the up to $25,000 fine if you get reported releasing Freon). So I will say again yes you can buy gauges and look at the gauges. Using only pressure gauges will not tell you the charge level. (I don't do home service calls but I have friends that do not cheap).


How can I fix and cap my undersized sump?

Buy a steel or aluminum sheet metal plate big enough to cover the hole. You could use a silicon bead under the edge if you really need it to be gas tight, but if you do, when you add a new sump pipe remember to also add a hose to allow air to return into the sump when the pump runs.

Thickness of the plate will depend on the hole location and whether you expect anyone or anything heavy to stand on it.


If the ethernet wall sockets exist, and have wires connected to them, where do those wires go? Since the common layout of an ethernet wiring system is to have all wires going to a central point with a switch, or patch-panel and switch, the simple solution to connecting bedroom and living room is to connect the existing wires at the central location (plug a patch cable in between "bedroom" and "living room") or (depending on what you actually need) just put a switch there if one is not already there and plug all the cables into it (so everything is connected.) Normally the only place you need an isolated wire is from the WAN (connection to the outside world) to the WAN port on your router - everything on the LAN (your local network in the house) can be connected to a switch so that it is all interconnected.

Otherwise what you need to do depends greatly on whether or not you have conduit connected to the boxes that the ethernet is in, and the physical relationship of the rooms and ethernet wall plates in the rooms, and the type of construction of the walls.


Maximize fence post distance for wooden fence?

Since your landscaper is concerned with wind, I am going to assume you are putting in a privacy fence. In that case, the height could dictate the spacing, if you are willing to put in a lower fence then you could increase post spacing, but 8ft spacing is typical. Also, the lower your fence the less deep the holes would need to be.

Another thing to consider is installation method, if professionals are installing your fence, then they may use an auger to drill the holes, which may damage your tree. However if they are truly professionals, then for the 2 posts closest to the tree, they could use a manual post hole digger, and dig as narrow a hole possible to minimize effect on the tree.

Lastly, if you were to consider another fence type such as a picket fence with narrow pickets, then you could minimize wind loading and increase post spacing.


Replacing floor boards, then sanding and varnishing etc

If you're staring with raw planks... PLEASE apply the same finish to all surfaces (underside as well as topside). Otherwise, the surface with the lesser finish will tend to absorb/lose moisture much more quickly than the surface with the heavier finish, and the planks will "cup", "bow", and warp with seasonal humidity changes.

Better than starting with raw planks would be starting with tongue-and-groove planks. The tongue/groove joints helps lock each pair of adjacent planks together so they commonly bear the weight of people & furniture. The T&G joint also helps prevent dirt from dropping down between dried/shrunken planks, preventing the joints from closing again in humid weather & causing buckling of the floor. Last, it helps stop breezes from blowing up through the floor from the space below.

It's possible to install the new flooring as a "floating" (not nailed down) floor over foam insulation (mostly for thermal insulation, but there IS a little sound insulation value)... but that's a whole different type of floor and really begs for a completely different approach. If you try to install any resilient insulation under nailed planks, you'll just get "nail pop", where the nails pop up through the surface of the floor and trip you, possibly tearing bare feet. There are completely different materials available (google "pergo") for floating-floor applications.

If it were my floor... I'd leave all the original floor planks in place regardless of condition, and cover them with all new flooring, diagonal or perpendicular to the original planks' direction.

EDIT: ALWAYS allow new flooring to "season" in its destination room for several weeks prior to installation so it's in humidity equilibrium with the room, preferentially always install during the period of highest humidity and make all joints TIGHT, and ALWAYS leave at least 3/4" (18mm) gap around all edges. You'll probably need to remove any existing mopboards/baseboards & trim before flooring, then cover the gap with them after flooring.


Strange sink behavior -- sink fills partially then drains at a normal pace

My first thought was venting as well.  The washer and tub may have different vents and have no bearing.  I'm assuming, of course, that you tried the simple approaches, like pulling out the drain stop to ensure it isn't clogged with hair and gunk, and dropping the trap to ensure it is clean?  I had an issue like this with a tub drain where the vent was clogged, and there was no way to get to it. I worked at it with a hand snake and plunger for a while and it eventuially opened the clog.


Electrical pipe heated by heating pipe - against the code?

I have probably said this before but one of the first thing they teach in apprentice school is that there are two things that should be avoided when dealing with electrical circuits. Heat and Water. So how hot is hot?

Conductor ampacity charts use 30C or 86F for conductor size ratings. If your conduit temperature is higher then the resistance of the conductor increases making the conductor hotter, making the resistance higher and on and on. You can check the ambient heat of the conduit with an infra red thermometer. So hopefully the heat was taken into account and the conductors are sized accordingly.

Normal recommendation is minimum 3" of separation from hot pipe to give the heat time to dissipate into the air. If you can't achieve that then you might try a piece of welding blanket or some other type of insulation between the conduit and pipe. Welding blanket is fairly inexpensive and you can buy a small one from someone like Harbor Freight or a welding supplier.

Now everything I wrote here except for the sizing and temperature rating of the conductors (Table 310.15(B)(16) and 310.15(B)(2)(a) is not really code. Most of what you are asking about is training and developing skill. The NEC is more about materials and methods, and their safe and proper electrical installation not compatibility with other disciplines.


Can I use sprinkler cable for LED light strip extension?

The biggest barrier will be physical.  18 AWG solid is much too stiff to solder directly onto LED strips.  "The tail will wag the dog" as it were, and the strain placed by the wire on the strip will tend to tear the solder pads off the strip.

I prefer to use #20 or even 22 stranded, however it's fine just to run that for a short 6-12" pigtail.  Then transition to the #18.

Remember there is a lot more current on the common wire than the other 4.


Can you tell me if Neutral wire is burned?

To me it looks like the wire may have been loose in the past and retorqued notice the gouge in the wire a torque driver was not used to do that much damage to the wire. Since you are having flickering or lights / circuits out and you have checked the panel it is time to find the problem. If you have other outlets or lights on that circuit that are working the problem will be at the last working outlet or device or the first non working one.

The most common cause is a back stab connection being used, these are when 14 awg wire is used and just pushed in to make the connection ( not under a screw or clamp), the next place is broken wires at a connection or 1 wire pulling out of a wire nut. I listed them in the order I find them in over the years. The big problems with back stabs is they may look fine on the outside but with a failed connection there is usually some deformation of the plastic and or insulation but you may have to look close. When you find the problem if the insulation is intact cut the arc marked wire back to good copper, this is enough as only the loose connection area was heated not the entire wire.

There is a small chance the problem could be a bad breaker, or panel and an even smaller chance it is a very old MWBC that did not have handle ties and the 2 breakers got separated and put on the same leg. To see if it is a MWBC trace that white wire back to the cable coming into the box. If there is only a black you are done. If there is a black and red (the most common hot colors) trace the black and red back to their breakers. They should be next to each other and by today’s code have handle ties, or a single handle, many years ago they just had to be in adjacent slots. If this is true the panel wiring is correct. If the breakers are separated someone messed up and they need to be together a handle tie or double pole breaker is the safe way to go.

Go back and find the source of the problem it usually is the last working outlet or device or the first non working outlet or device.  And it could be the white or hot wire at those locations.


If you have conduit you will have to pull a black #12 or #14 copper wire from the light switch to the outlet. Pigtail this wire in the switch box to the black (feed) wire going to the switch. at the outlet connect the black wire to the screw next to the red wire. Now remove, break off, the tab by the brass screws.
If you have Romex wiring, you will need to replace the /2 cable with 12/3 or 14/3 cable, black, red, white with bare ground. Wire the switch and outlet with the new wire in the same positions as above.


How to cut out wall to install brace for pedestal sink?

There should be no reason to need to remove the drywall around the water pipes. That is unless you need to dig into the wall to relocate the drain pipe and water supply pipes in a vertical format to be hidden by the pedestal. If you are planning to install a piece of 2x6 between studs for the hanger bolts then I suggest that you need to cut out the drywall in a strip say 7 or 8 inches high and past the studs that the 2x6 will mount to. Cutting past so there is an opportunity to screw through the stud and into the 2x6 blocking.

Cutting the drywall can be done most easily with a saw that looks like this.

Picture Source

The stab saw is nice as you can poke it through the drywall to start cutting. Any power tool for cutting is not recommended because it makes tons of dust and risks cutting wires or pipes in the wall cavity.

If you are careful with cutting out the piece you may be able to use it to patch up afterwards. Best patching method is to overlap some 1x3 material in the wall along the edges of the cutout and screw in to it from the existing wall board and then this makes a good place to screw in the patch piece. Reuse of the piece does mean that you have to carefully check for screws or nails holding the piece in place after it is cut out. If you just try pulling it out an existing fastener can rip a big hole in the piece of cause it to break apart.

If I was doing this project I would plan to put the 2x6's 5.5" face looking out toward the room. If you plan things carefully you could tuck the lower edge of the 2x6 past the lower cut opening edge about an inch and use that as part of the edging for screwing in the patch. Placing the 2x6 flat like that also allows room behind it for pipes or wires in the wall to pass behind it.

Three 3" or 3.5" construction screws through the stud onto the 2x6 on each end will anchor and hold the piece in solidly. I would predrill the clearance holes through the studs to reduce chance of splitting. Torx drive screws are great because they drive nice and there is much less possibility of the driver bit camming out of the slot as there is with a philips drive type screw.

One last thing to consider is that if there is a stud located where the 2x6 blocking wants to go then you will have to install the blocking in two pieces. This increases the width of the cutout hole considerably.


How do I add a quiet blower or fan to a gas fireplace?

I would contact the manufacturer of the fireplace; either by phone or on the web, they should have a blower designed for your fireplace.  They may also provide instructions on hooking it up, or offer installation as a service.


Why do I have a reduced flame in my natural gas fireplace when the furnace or water heater runs?

It sure sounds to me like a problem with the gas pressure or regulator/meter. Since gas can be dangerous if leaking into your house if a pilot blows out etc, I'd be on the phone to the gas supplier. They should be able to check the input pressure and assure that the regulator is working properly. Trying to trouble shoot and repair this type of problem is not a job for a DIYer. Here in Maine, only a licensed pro is allowed to work on gas lines. I am a general contractor and if there is a problem, I'm on the line to a pro immediately.  Good luck.


UK 220v 3 wire cord hookup to US 240v outlet

You can't do it, it means exactly what it says.

The manufacturer wants "neutral" (EU blue) to be near the same voltage as ground/earth (green).  They are specifically saying DON'T do what you're trying to do, connecting line (EU brown) and neutral (EU blue) to two phases of hot (US black/red).

Transformers are your friend

A step-up/step-down transformer will do what you want.  It is an autotransformer that takes 120V hot and neutral, and gives 240V hot and neutral.  Neutrals are at the same potential.  These are packaged commercial products with the correct cords and receptacles for your market. They are heavy because they are full of copper and iron.


How can I remove rust stains from enamel sink?

Not sure about "Sure fire" but a product called CLR (Calcium, Lime, Rust remover) is a good start.


Looking at your pic and arrows, it looks like the bottom sash does not fit well. If all the factory weather seals are in place, not damaged or worn, I think they may be poor quality.  That is rare since most windows in the last 10 years or so are normally fairly tight. The area that really concerns me are the sides where you show the arrow. This area usually depends on a snug mechanical fit, not weather stripping to seal the unit. Does this lower unit seem loose? Leaking at the joint of the two sashes is common and can be fixed with new seals most of the time, but the sides do not.  Also, some windows need to be locked for the sash to sash seal to fully engage.

Caulking is not a good way to seal these kind of leaks if you ever want to open them again!

Maybe you can more fully describe the areas in question and the fit of the windows.


GFCI Outlet Trips with Receptacle TEST Button, but not with GFCI Outlet Tester Tool

Grounded circuit (green/bare ground wire wired properly):

Push "Test" on the GFCI protective device, and it trips -> PASS
Push "Test" on the GFCI protective device, and it does not trip -> FAIL
Push "Test" on a plug-in GFCI tester, and it trips -> PASS
Push "Test" on a plug-in GFCI tester, and it does not trip -> FAIL

A fail here indicates the GFCI unit is probably defective.

Ungrounded circuit (green/bare absent or defective):

Push "Test" on the GFCI protective device, and it trips -> PASS
Push "Test" on the GFCI protective device, and it does not trip -> FAIL
Push "Test" on a plug-in GFCI tester, and it trips -> FAIL FAIL FAIL
Push "Test" on a plug-in GFCI tester at the GFCI receptacle, and it does not trip -> PASS
Push "Test" on a plug-in GFCI tester at a downstream protected outlet, and it does not trip -> MEANINGLESS

Fail at the GFCI device probably indicates it is defective.

Fail on the plug-in GFCI tester (i.e. it trips!) indicates they have bootlegged ground at the GFCI receptacle- attached the neutral wire to both neutral and ground.  It will seem to work at the GFCI, but is still dangerous.

Bootlegging ground at a downstream GFCI receptacle is a mistake, because one of several electrical faults could put 120V on the the grounds, e.g. the cover plate screws or a machine chassis.  However this is difficult to detect, since a properly wired downstream receptacle will behave exactly the same way.  This means for ungrounded downstream receptacles, plug-in tester testing is completely meaningless.

Once you have settled the question of bootlegged grounds, here's how you test an ungrounded GFCI.  Plug your GFCI tester into your handy dandy 2-3 prong "cheater" - the kind with a short green wire as a pigtail.  Extend that green wire all the way to a reliable ground source, e.g. the panel in the basement. Now, the GFCI tester should work normally, since you have rigged a proper ground to it.

GFCI protection is pretty effective, and I would be confident in an ungrounded circuit if it has GFCI protection.  However if you are unable to get the external device to trip, you'll need to pop the cover off and see if the ground is present, missing or bootlegged.


House has no plumbing vent — is this a solution?

I am not a plumber but I think your plan is just fine according to these tables:

http://publicecodes.cyberregs.com/icod/ipc/2012/icod_ipc_2012_7_sec009.htm

http://publicecodes.cyberregs.com/icod/ipc/2012/icod_ipc_2012_7_sec010.htm

A 3" pipe is plenty for the number of DFU's in your stack and horizontal run. The 2" vents on the sinks are probably even oversized and so they should be plenty.

The only issue I see is you can't take sink through the roof as a 1.5". At least not here in the north where it could frost over.

Have you considered tying the kitchen vent into your main vent and avoiding another roof penetration? Just a thought.

The only time plumbers around here use 4" in a single family home is for the main sewer exit from the house, and then only a few feet of the exit itself.

Good luck!


What type of wood should I use for my wood fence?

No natural wood that I know of will resist termites. Cedar lasts best in Texas. I think redwood may outlast cedar but is considerably more expensive, at least around here. My 6' tall privacy fence has galvanized steel posts, 2x4 pressure treated rails and cedar slats.


Furnace keeps trying to ignite but never does -- no codes

Thermostats sometimes do fail...

You know how we keep saying that HVAC problems usually aren't the thermostat's fault? Well, it turns out, whatever hit the original control over the head took out the 'stat (a Honeywell CT3500A4453 from 2007) as well, but in a subtle way.  It appeared to work -- it responded normally to button pushing, and was trying to command heat.  However, the W wire output from the 'stat was sagging (down to 21V from the normal 24-28V), and this was the cause of the sagging voltage going out to the gas valve, as jumpering R to W via my ammeter at the 'stat end of it all caused the furnace to fire up without a problem.  Replaced the thermostat with a cheap non-programmable one, and problem solved!

Further analysis of the situation showed that the control board, instead of generating its own 24VAC signal to the gas valve, was switching the 24VAC W signal from the thermostat, which explains why the thermostat's sagging W output was causing the gas valve to malfunction.  Furthermore, while I could not prove it, the only likely candidate for why the thermostat was misbehaving would be a damaged relay contact on the thermostat's control relay.


I can't notch king studs to fit an electrical box, right?

I would re-frame the door opening, like you outlined, for several reasons:

41" is way to wide for a standard door, a special order exterior door this wide will cost a lot. It might be more cost effective to re-frame, so you'll be able to fit a standard size door (34" is quite wide enough).
80" high rough opening is a bit low for a standard-sized door. Standard doors are 80" high, but your rough opening needs to be higher.

You don't want stunted and fat door, it will look strange and not proportional, even if you can special-order door of these specific dimensions.

So, I suggest you buy (or at least know the exact dimensions of) your patio door first, and then frame the rough opening to accommodate it.

This is most probably a load-bearing wall... So, I'd also add a temporary stud in the center of the opening while replacing the existing studs on both sides.


Very old furnace- I need a technician to inspect it-What would be a good check up list?

No warranty is generally provided. A record of inspection is provided, with notes about what was checked and the readings that were recorded at the end of the adjustment procedure.

If you have been (as it would appear) in the habit of adjusting your furnace yourself, the fact that a licensed and insured service technician has looked at it in no way protects you from anything you have done to it, or may do to it again after the service person leaves.


Bypass a three-way switch for the next single pole switch in the same circuit to work on a different light?

A 3 way switch is typically wired with 3 conductors plus ground.  Ground and return are never interrupted by the switches.  Hot is fed into the first switch which then energizes one or the other of the two remaining wires (travelers).  The other switch then determines which traveler is connected to the fixture.  If the light is off, the switches are set to different travelers (first switch energizes traveler 1, second connects fixture to traveler 2).  Flipping either switch turns the fixture on by setting both switches to the same traveler.

You need to pull a constant hot for the standard switch, so you need to source that from either a different line (may have to be same breaker for code) or from the beginning of the 3-way switch setup, before the travelers.


Trouble With Wiring New Switch to Replace Old Switch

Since the setup now is two switches to control each light (what is known as a three-way switch) the new switches need to be the same type. A simple switch that is not a "three way switch" (they will be so labeled) won't replace those.

Return the simple switches and buy 3-way switches - then it will be easy to proceed.


In general, clear coatings today have been reformulated to product much lower levels of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) then even three years ago. Not knowing what product he plans on using, varnish, urethane, lacquer and the age of the product makes it difficult to guess how long the finish is going to take to gas off.  Most modern products gas off in about 24 to 48 hours. Although you may still smell a slight "new paint" smell, most of the irritating fumes are pretty much gone after a day or two.  Just ask your landlord to give the doors a few days to cure, not dry, before installing them.


Its a split/switched receptacle

And you forgot to break the tab off.

At the other end of this cable, one of the wires (most correctly the white) is spliced in with the hot wire(s) going to one socket of the outlet.  The other wire goes to the hot terminal of the other socket. This causes this one socket to be switched-hot with the switch, while the other socket is always hot.

This is done to support a floor lamp; it meets the technical requirements to have a light in the room that Code requires, without the expense of cabling an additional outlet (point of use) at the ceiling.

When you did not break off the tab on that receptacle, you caused both sides (black and white) to be shorted, annulling the function of the switch.

Hunt it down.  The giveaway will be a white wire where one is not expected (pigtailed with blacks, or on a brass screw).


@Mazura is right... you will NEVER get rid of the cockroaches in an apartment.  The best you can hope for is to control them and minimize their presence.

Some years ago, a friend was in your situation and she was unable to move out (the ONLY solution).  So, she packed every nook and cranny she could find with powdered boric acid.  That actually did an amazing job of controlling the problem.

Indeed, the EPA publishes a document that says to blow the powder into the cracks with a hair dryer, and then caulk over.

http://www.epa.gov/ncer/childrenscenters/pdf/pesticidespring07.pdf

You should fully expect, however, that you'll run across some from time to time.


"Landscape Timber" or, sometimes, "used railroad tie" - but "landscape timber" is what you'll find at most typical lumber suppliers.

They will typically last several years - if well pressure-treated, longer. It's hard to know if they are really well pressure-treated until they start failing and you look at a calendar to figure out how long it's been.

Concrete "fake stone" retaining wall blocks will last longer, generally speaking. So which costs less depends on how long a time you are considering when judging the total cost.

You probably want a geotextile fabric layer between the soil and the gravel to keep the gravel from migrating into the soil over time.


The fact that it's intermittent makes it hard to prove. I suspect the manual switches you refer to are the type with a separate up button and down button rather than a single button type control. If that is the case then I suspect the up button (or the wires from it) has made a connection (short). That would explain it not working when you push the down button because the up is still in effect pushed. It could also be as you say a short in the board giving the signal to open. Some openers have a push button on the board also. I would try disconnecting the wires at the opener going to the manual controls. If it works for a month or two without any problems then I would replace the switches.


Changing light fitting with red/black uk wiring

It worked when one of each the black and red were in both the neutral and live. But when I turned the light off, the electric trips, and won't come back on. What am I doing wrong?

It sounds like you have wired the switch across the light. When you "turned off" the switch you were actually turning it on and creating a short circuit.
The two red wires need to connect to each other, but not to the light fitting. Traditional UK ceiling roses had a dedicated terminal for this, but sadly most fancy fittings don't, so you have to add your own connector. The tranditional option in the UK would have been a peice of terminal block, but push-in or lever connectors from the likes of wago are increasingly becoming a popular alternative. Personally i'm a fan of the wago lever terminals.
The black wire from the switch should be sleeved red or brown and connected to the live terminal on the light, while the black wire from the supply should be connected to the neutral terminal on the light.
There are various ways to determine which is the supply cable and which is the switch cable, but I suspect the easiest for you is to connect the cables to the light one at a time while capping off the other cable temporerally with terminal block or wagos. Then turn the power on and if the light comes on you have the supply cable.


Yellow tub inside toilet tank is leaking

The stack of stuff on the left is your toilet fill valve.  Under normal operation it should allow water to enter until filled to the right level, then shut off.  The tub part is probably the float.  When the water reaches the right level it should be pushed up and shut off the water.

I see water coming from the side of the unit up high.  That's not how most units should operate.  The water usually enters the tank low, and a small amount flows through the tube to the overflow pipe.  So I suspect a leak or part failure.  Different units are made differently, so there's no one failure that I can guess has happened.  While I might try to take it apart to make sure it's not something that can be easily fixed, it is probably easier to replace.

For most toilets, you can replace the fill valve assembly without too much trouble.  Hardware stores stock different types.  I expect it would go easiest if you had a couple of adjustable wrenches, a bucket, and some towels.  As long as you can shut off water to the toilet, the job should only take an hour or so for someone that hasn't done it before, but is patient and follows the directions.

Directions will be on the packaging, or you could look up "replace fill valve assembly" to find several videos on it.

The only thing that would worry me is if the tank is non-standard and the $14 Box Store kit won't fit.  I've replaced several over the last few years with no issues.  But I have one toilet in my house that I know is weird (fits into an odd space) and I would expect takes non-standard parts.  If you get into that situation, you might be more limited in finding parts.  (Try to find exact model on manufacturer web site or take pictures and go to a plumbing supply store).


Keep in mind your water heater doesn't only run when you're using hot water. (assuming you have a regular tank-style unit, tankless are a very different beast) There's a number of things that COULD potentially be causing the noise but without more details it's gonna be impossible to say what. Unless you notice any other symptoms I wouldn't worry about it.


Electrical box in ceiling has too three cables coming in. How do we know which ones to use for hook-up?

Figure Out What You Have First
The instructions below are based on a typical configuration. This is very likely to be the case if:

The 2 Black/White cables are currently connected together
Power is coming in on one (and if you disconnect them, only one, of the black wires). You need a tester to verify this before continuing.

If these 3 cables are all sitting capped (wire nuts) in the box then this will be tough to figure out. More typically though, one set is "in", another is "out" (to other devices sharing power) and the third is "switched". All grounds go together, so they can be ignored for purposes of figuring this out. A typical configuration is:
In - Black, White

Black = Hot
White = Neutral

Out - Black, White

Black = Hot
White = Neutral

Switched - Black, White, Red

Black = Hot
Red = Switched Hot 1
White = Switched Hot 2 (note, this one of the rare situations where White is not Neutral) or Neutral in the Switch Box (required in most places in new installations)

If that's the setup, it is designed for a combination ceiling fan + light with separate switches for fan & light. That used to be very common. Now with inexpensive remote controls it is less common.
New Fan

Black = Hot or Switched Hot
White = Neutral

Connections - Using a Single Wall Switch

All Cable Hots (Black from all 3 cables) together
All Cable Neutrals (White from In & Out) together plus white wire from fan
Switch connects to Hot (Black) and Switched Hot (Red)
Cap the Switched Cable White wire on both ends - you're not using it right now.
Red (Switched hot) to Fan Black wire.


Attic insulation: Giving unfaced insulation a face

Nope, you don't need it. A paper facer on batt insulation is a vapor retarder, not barrier, and you don't want a vapor barrier or need a vapor retarder. Install it and be happy.

Additionally, save the loose insulation (assuming it's not asbestos-laden vermiculite...) and pile it on top of the batts once you're finished. If the final result isn't 12 inches thick, get more loose insulation, preferably cellulose or mineral wool, and keep on piling it up until you have 15 inches or more up there. Every little bit helps.


Four transfer switches do not seem sufficient to control numerous appliances through 120v panel breakers

NO, you can't do that. That would cross connect circuits which could lead to overloading the neutrals.  While you haven't said, I think the type of transfer switch you have is something like the pic below.
We hate to say it here, but those aren't all that great. They are expensive and limited in capacity. Many here prefer a power inlet for the generator, wired to a breaker with a mechanical interlock with your main breaker on your main panel. The obviously vary by panel but you can get a rough idea from the 2nd pic.  Taking this approach allows you to pick and choose which circuits to run off the generator by turning off or on various breakers.   It's code legal and safe, convenient and not expensive.
EDIT: Thinking about this for a few more minutes, your idea is a really terrible one. You'd have cross connected circuits and the end result is to do any kind of maintenance you'd have to turn off multiple breakers to depower a circuit. PLEASE don't do this. Others have commented just now saying a mechanical interlock is best and ironically, least expensive.  As 3ph said, please shoot us a pic of your main panel to better help you.


How to tidily integrate power into an island

I looked at the link you posted, personally, I think it looks a bit gimmicky and perhaps impracticable if you use it regularly. I think you would be well served with permanently built in GFCI receptacles. I would suggest that they be built into the sides of the island.  (never the top)  Assuming the island is fixed in position, simply run wires up from under the floor, install device boxes in the left and right side panels of your island. You can use old work plastic boxes with retainer tabs. Using the box as a template, trace the shape on your cabinet panel, cut it out with a jig saw, install the box, bring your wires up from below, wire the GFCI, done.  Now you will have electrical power available from either side,and not have to worry about dirt or liquids getting into them. Good Luck


How can I hang a wall mount on misaligned studs?

Even if your studs are 15" apart, and the holes are 16" apart, there will be a portion of the stud behind the mounting holes, just not the center of the studs.

Angling the lag screws a little, and using washers to buffer the head of the lags against the metal of the rack will aid in tightening.

Beyond that, I would not hesitate to elongate the existing hole to allow it to get a better centering on the studs, or even abandoning using lags, and drilling a series of 3/16" holes, maybe 4 or 5 or more and using drywall screws on each side instead. There has been mention that drywall screws don't hold a lot, since they are brittle, but if there is enough used, brittle don't matter. In a pinch, in my opinion, 4 drywall screws would hold 200 lbs. but I would not stop there, I would use at least that many on just one side, if I used the screws.

The screws would not have a tendency so much as to split out the side of the stud, compared to lags. But a properly sized pilot hole will allow the lags to perform in this "tight" situation.

Angling any of these fasteners will help deter the splitting out at the side of the stud.


why are 120v coming out of my light switch plate screws?

My guess, since everything works fine still, is that the ground to this circuit is disconnected somewhere and the hot or possibly a loose "disconnected" hot from another circuit is touching the switch yoke or box.

If your ground were in working order and connected properly to the box or device, the breaker would have long since tripped. I don't know what mess is going on with the hot or some energized wire, but this will be a problem within it.


They removed a portion of an exterior basement wall...maybe because, 1) started a remodel/addition and then changed their minds, 2) discovered something outside the wall that changed their minds, 3) noticed remaining walls starting to “move” and stopped project.

Yes, I’d get a structural engineer (not a civil engineer) to review.

You must live in a dry area if there’s no moisture problems with the wall gone, but I’d have him examine that too.

BTW, I’d be shocked if the structural engineer recommends removing the footing.


The only way to be sure about asbestos is to have it tested, or to be capable of looking at the material with a microscope and identifying it (but being sure of that identification, positive or negative, generally calls for a lab test.)

A picture can't really identify it, nor rule it out.

But that does look like normal horsehair plaster. Might or might not also have asbestos in it, the stuff got around, so we can't say "it's safe, since it looks like horsehair plaster" since the picture will not show if it's HH plaster without asbestos or with asbestos. But those large fibers are almost certainly horse-hair.


What's the cheapest temporary shower wall option?

Staple a vinyl shower curtain to each wall, lapping the sides fully. Let it extend adequately into the tub at the bottom.

If you use poly sheeting from a hardware store I recommend 4 mil. You'll want to roll the top edge several times before stapling.


Should I solder stranded wires when connecting them to a plug?

One should never apply lead alloy solder to stranded wires (often called "tinning") that are to be tightened under a screw. Eventually, the solder will cold-flow under the pressure and the screw connection will become loose.

This doesn't happen overnight; it can take months or years. I have personally seen this happen on several occasions.

It can be okay to just tin the very tip, to help keep the twisted wire strands together while tightening the screw. However, it is preferable just to leave some extra wire sticking out, and cut that off flush after tightening the screw.


How do I wire a pull cord ceiling switch?

The fan switch is a three pole switch - basically three switches that operate at once.

The switch should have two sets of three terminals, labelled L1, L2, and N, plus earth terminal(s). Connect one red wire to each L1 terminal, one yellow wire (with the red sleeve) to each L2 terminal, one blue wire to each N terminal, and the earth wire(s) to the earth terminal.

The yellow wires with the red sleeve is the switched live from the light switch, which turns the fan on. The red wire provides the permanent live to allow the fan to run on for a period when the light is turned off.


Does a ground need to be install in a 2' x 4' outside junction box?

If these are just junction boxes you don't need a ground rod. Why do you think you need a rod? If a transformer vault or the base of a power pedestal that would be a different answer. Grounding electrodes are covered starting in 250.50.


How to drive a wood screw to get a precise screw-thread fit

It's less to do with the screw, the wood species or how you did it. It has to with wood being a natural project that has a grain with different properties based on the orientation of the wood grain.

In the first picture, the screw is placed perpendicular to the grain, the 'normal' way to use a screw. Wood is strongest this way and the screw works as expected because the wood confirms to the screw as you drive it in

In the second picture, the screw is placed into the end grain (parallel to the grain) and has very low relative strength. As the screw was driving in the fibers just moved out of the way, there was not enough strength to hold itself together.

This is an EXCELLENT way to demonstrate why screws and nails should not be used in the end grain, especially for withdrawal. Sometimes it's ok, like a stud to a plate, but the forces ares not in withdrawal but shear and things are different.

To solve the issue, do not use screws in end grain, especially for withdrawal forces. To help the situation, predrill the hole with a drill bit close in size to the screw shank at the threaded part (but don't include the threads themselves)

That done, the top piece is a softwood (probably hem-fir or doug-fir) and the bottom wood is a hardwood, oak. Hard wood doesn't conform very well, so predrilling is necessary. That combined with the end grain resulted in the very poor performance of the screw


KitchenAid dishwasher not responding/requiring cold reboot

How old is the circuit breaker? I had similar problems in the past where an outlet or appliance wasn't working and the breaker appeared to be open, only to find out it in fact was tripped. I could reset it, but in a short time , I would have the same problem. It turned out that the breaker was old and weak. It would appear to be open, but with the slightest touch, it would trip. Does it take a bit of effort to trip (turn off) the breaker when you reset it? If not, then a new breaker may be the solution.


Frigidaire washing machine's agitator does not spin, but the drum spins. What could be the issue?

The "agitator dogs" are protrusions on the agitator that couple it to its drive shaft.

Often one side of such a coupling is made of plastic that self destructs when it gets jammed to avoid stalling and damaging the motor. (That it creates planned obsolescence is just a bonus).

So the part you need is either a new agitator or a new transmission.


How can I contain epoxy while it sets up?

I have built a few and I used casting resin.  i got it from a fiberglass boat builder. it set up very fast but is self leveling.  we let it drip off the sides and cleaned up the edges after it cured with a router and 440 and 1600 paper.  I have encased fishing lures, German coasters etc.  it cures hard as stone and very transparent.  It has to be poured monolithic and quickly.  We use plastic non stick auto body tools to move it around. The results are incredible. Like a 1/4 inch of glass.


Are alternative roofing types, such as rubber roll, usable for a typical residential sloped roof?

I think one could feasibly cover a sloped roof with that stuff, but it would be very odd.  Most HOAs and neighborhood associations would reject it.  You neighbors would be annoyed.  If snow or ice accumulations are possible for the climate, it probably would cause random ice sheet falls, which is not an issue for its intended use on level roofing.

As some comments hint, a properly installed composite roof becomes a single, seamless sheet of roofing.  It only takes one warm day for the shingles to soften and then seal together.  Even before self-sealing, the shingle and seam overlap makes the roof rainproof.

Anyway, the danger of a roof leaking is not the integrity of the initial installation's seams and whatnot.  It is the decades of abuse wrought by the weather (sun, hail, wind, snow), moss, leaves, tree branches, animals pecking or running, maintenance people walking across it, using shovels, picks, rakes, and brooms to clean it, blasting it with a power washer, etc.  Any of those can poke holes, cut slits, move flashing, or lift up edges.  That's the most likely cause of leaks.


All kitchen water supplies have low pressure

Your problem is caused by the plumber down sizing your piping to 1/2". This acts as a restriction to water flow. Replacing the 1/2" piping with 3/4" or 1" pipe will resolve your pressure and flow problems.


Install the switch on the hot wire for several reasons.  While installing on the neutral wire would likely work, realize that in 110v installations, the neutral and the ground are effectively the same wire (the neutral line connects to the ground within the breaker panel so you only get one phase of the 220v or 110v).  So switching off the neutral is akin to switching off a ground wire.  It also means that anyone replacing a bulb with the light switch turned off is risking frying themselves if they contact the hot contact and any ground.  And finally, any electrician working behind you will be confused at best or mis-wire things at worst.

As for the switch itself not being grounded, that never made much sense to me.  The only thing I believe you are grounding are the screws and metal tabs that hold the switch in place.


How do I determine the ideal height stool for a given height surface (table, counter, bar, etc.)?

There are common established heights for table/counter surface and seating combinations. They are:

Table height: 30in (750mm), with a chair at 18in (450mm).
Counter height: 36in (900mm), with stools at 24 in (600mm).
Standard bar height: 42in (1050mm), stools at 30in (750mm).
Extra tall bar height: 48in (1200mm), stools at 36in (900mm).

(Source: runmyhouse.com)

In all these combinations, the difference in height between seat and table/counter surfaces is 12in (300mm). Whether or not this is ergonomically ideal, most people will be used to these sorts of dimensions, so sticking with them is a safe bet.


Is it possible to link motion-activated flood light fixtures?

I use separate detectors from lamps, and here's how I wire them.

First, I use the type of sensor which has its own neutral (rather than the type which has no neutral and sits in a "switch loop".)  This is very important. The sensor needs to be able to power itself independently (via hot and neutral) and not care what if anything is on the output.

I run 4 wires down the length of all the sensor and lamp sites.  The 4 wires are:

Green - Equipment Ground
White - Neutral
Black - "always hot"
Orange or Red - "switched hot"

I connect ground, neutral and always-hot back to power supply at the service panel.

I attach each sensor to always-hot, neutral and switched-hot.

Each lamp gets switched-hot and neutral.  If the far end of the string is all lamps, you don't need an always-hot.

Grounds everywhere grounds go.

When you are working with integrated sensor-lamp combos, it depends a great deal on how they are wired internally.  Some are assembled from common off-the-shelf 120V components, and will keep the functions reasonably separate and you can access them.  Others may vary. For instance, LED sensor lights almost always use LED emitter heads that run on around 12V, often constant current; so they use a 12V-ish power supply.  They run the sensor off that 12VDC, for the simple reason that 12V sensors are cheaper than 120V ones.

If the sensor part doesn't work for you, but the other guts do, you may be able to bypass or replace the sensor - a great many screw into fittings like this, and  you may be able to retrofit your light with a different sensor.


Should I install GFCI outlets or run new grounded cabling in my older home?

Replace the outlets with GFCIs -- the operation of a GFCI in no way depends on the presence of the equipment grounding wire. You'll have to use the "No Equipment Ground" sticker that comes with them, by the way.

P.S. on the metal boxes -- since it sounds like your house is a mix of K&T and other wiring techniques (perhaps NM additions), you cannot ground to the boxes -- that technique only works if your house was wired with BX/AC, MC, or metallic conduit (RMC/IMC/EMT).

(Confirming that you have K&T and NM mixed in your house, based on your photos, by the way -- I also do not see a ground wire on the NM, but the angle of the photo makes it hard to tell.)


Install exterior window trim without puncturing nailing fins

Personally, we regard flashing tape as self-healing, to an extent. At least, to the extent that we don't worry about a few finish nails going through it.

See, that tape and those fins are really just to deter condensation, not full-blown rain leaks. A couple pin-holes are acceptable.


Do I need to paint my house siding under my deck

Cedar siding, while naturally rot-resistant, depends on a good sealer applied periodically to maintain its surface integrity and appearance. Whether you need to paint depends on the age of the existing finish, the conditions it's subjected to, and other factors not addressed in your post.

The bottom line is that you may extend the life of the siding by refreshing its sealer. Whether that's worth the effort is a judgement call.


How to attach ground wire for ceiling fixture, if mounting bracket does not have a green ground screw, and no ground wire coming from junction box?

Although 2 whites and a black would be unusual.
In the US code allows for a grounding conductor to be pulled from the service, or any point fed from that service panel.
2 wire fixtures did not have grounds for the first 75 years of electrical code so many fixtures were not grounded.
If fed by conduit and individual wires the box may be grounded through the conduit.


How do I remove floorboard nails from joists?

Another method is to get pliers and a block of wood about the height of the extended nail ( protruding out the wood). Grab the nail out the side of the pliers and insert the block of wood between the joist and the head of the pliers. then use the leverage to pull the nail out, this is also great because it will not damage your wood.


What is the style of this arched window?

Technically called, “Segmental Arch”. (A segment of a full 180 degree arch.)

Slang: “flat arch”.

Here’s some info:   http://csmh.pbworks.com/w/page/7309552/610%20-%20Chinese%20invent%20the%20segmented%20arch%20bridge


Can I move my sink drain connection to the parallel vent pipe?

I can’t speak to a specific code or have an alternative plan in mind, but I think you would have three problems with your proposed drawing.

First, if there is a blockage between the first and second floors, there is no longer venting for the first floor sink.

Second, if there is a blockage just below the first floor sink and the second floor is not aware of it, they’re water will back up into the first floor sink.

Third, first floor could end up sending some of their vent gas into the second floor sink depending on the path of least resistance.


Does adding new dedicated circuits involve new breakers at the panel?

If the electrician is going to add circuits then yes he will add breakers in the extra spaces in your panel.


So, the LCD current meter functions properly until you turn the unit off, upon which it flashes a few times before going completely dark?

That's no big deal. There's something odd about how the various power supply capacitors store and discharge their energy as the unit is shut off, but that's just iffy design, not indications of a real problem.


Combining multiple electrical runs into a single wire

I suggest doing exactly what TechShop does.  They hang conduit in the ceiling, and above each expected workspace area is a 120/240V twist-lock power connector.  From that, a cord drops down supplying power to the workbench. (In their case a 4-outlet box dangle on strain reliefs giving two 120V circuits in an MWBC configuration.)  I have to believe that arrangement is code legal, since the facility is tip-top and generally a class act, and it leases space from Ford.

You say "warehouse type space" which means commercial rules may apply, mandating conduit not Romex.  Be careful here, conduits can only hold 9 current-carrying conductors (hots or neutrals, except neutrals don't count in MWBCs) before you must derate amp capacity or use larger wire. That's because a stack of tightly packed wires at rating make a fair bit of heat. If I expect to be near limit, I'll hang 2 conduits instead of 1.


Can an electrical subpanel go underneath plumbing?

The National Electric Code strictly prohibits the installation of water piping above the service equipment you described.
Art. 110.26(F)(1)(a) states:

National Electrical Code 2008
Article 110 Requirements for Electrical Installations
II. 600 Volts, Nominal, or Less
110.26 Spaces About Electrical Equipment.
(F) Dedicated Equipment Space.
(1) Indoor.
(a) Dedicated Electrical Space. The space equal to the width and depth of the equipment and extending from the floor to a height of 1.8 m (6 ft) above the equipment or to the structural ceiling, whichever is lower, shall be dedicated to the electrical installation. No piping, ducts, leak protection apparatus, or other equipment foreign to the electrical installation shall be located in this zone.
(b) Foreign Systems. The area above the dedicated space required by 110.26(F)(1)(a) shall be permitted to contain foreign systems, provided protection is installed to avoid damage to the electrical equipment from condensation, leaks, or breaks in such foreign systems.

You can place the piping from the toilet above the electrical panel provided it's located above the 6 foot high dedicated space, and provided it "is installed to avoid damage to the electrical equipment from condensation, leaks, or breaks in such foreign systems."


Wasted space is not your friend

According to the 2017 NEC, a 1.5" Schedule 80 PVC conduit has 442 mm2 of usable fill.  Four 2AWG Al RHH/RHW/USE-2 concentric stranded conductors (the worst case for fill) take up 112.9 mm2 apiece for a total of 451.6 mm2.  This is too much for 1.5" PVC, and would explain why you are having so much trouble.

So, take those wires back and get a more compact set

The rub is that the RHH/RHW wire specification is very old, dating back to when natural rubber was the insulation material we were all stuck with, and calls for very thick insulation as a result.  Newer wire specifications, like the THWN commonly used for small gauge wires or the XHHW-2 used for today's large gauge wiring, use more sophisticated insulating materials (PVC/nylon for THWN, XLPE aka the same stuff PEX plumbing is made of for XHHW-2) and thus can use thinner insulation layers, letting you get more wire into the space available.

Furthermore, today's large gauge aluminum alloy conductors are compact stranded, further increasing the amount of conductive material that fits into a given area by removing many of the air gaps between strands present in concentric stranded wires.  This means that your best option here is to take those 2AWG aluminum wires (or the 2AWG quadruplex) back to where you bought them from, go to your local supply house, and get wires that use the space you have better.  This also gives you the chance to downsize the ground wire and use a bare wire for that function, as a 2AWG aluminum ground wire is larger than neecessary for a 70A, or even a 125A, feeder circuit.

In particular, a set of 3 1/0 (!) compact stranded aluminum wires with XHHW-2 insulation will carry 125A (!!) to your shed, while using 102.6 mm2 of fill apiece for a total fill so far of 307.8 mm2.  To this, we add a 6AWG bare copper ground conductor (this is the minimum size required for a 125A circuit by Table 250.122), which takes up a mere 13.3 mm2 of additional fill.  The resulting total fill of 321.1 mm2 takes up a mere three-quarters of the 442 mm2 available fill in a 1.5" Schedule 80 PVC conduit, and gives you almost twice the 70A you desire while you are at it!

If that is too pricey for your tastes, 2AWG compact stranded aluminum XHHW-2 will get you your 70A at merely a few dollars more than the RHH/RHW/USE-2 conductors you were using, while taking up a mere 65.61 mm2 per conductor, or 196.83 mm2 before we add the 8.37 mm2 of an 8AWG bare copper ground (suitable for 70A as per table 250.122) to get a total fill of 205.2 mm2.  This means that with the correct wire, you can run 70A through a 1.5" PVC conduit while using less than half of the available fill area!

If returning the existing #2 aluminum is not an option...

If returning your existing #2 aluminum wires is not an option, then you can use them for your hots and neutral, yielding 338.7 mm2 of fill so far, and then add an 8AWG bare copper for the ground wire, which adds 8.4 mm2 of fill for a total of 347.1 mm2 of fill.  While this is more fill than necessary for this application, this does still fit into your 1.5" PVC conduit, and is an option if you can't return the existing wires for some reason or another.

Go BIG or go home!

While we are shopping for bigger and better parts for your run, let us not forget the subpanel.  Many people skimp on subpanel spaces to save a few dollars now, but this is penny-wise and pound-foolish in the long run, as it is quite expensive to replace a panel down the road compared to the minor extra cost ($80 vs. $40) of a larger panel right now.  As a result of this, and the fact that your outbuilding needs a main shutoff switch at the structure to conform with NEC 225.31 and 225.32, picking up a 24- or 30-space, 125A, main breaker panel while you are buying the new wires is a good idea, even if you will only use a few of those spaces right now.

TORQUE ALL LUGS TO SPEC (so your electrical installation doesn't have to make unexpected pit stops)

The 2017 NEC added a requirement in 110.14(D) that all terminations must be torqued to the specification marked on the equipment with a calibrated torque tool (wrench or screwdriver); for the torques used for light-duty residential equipment, a torque wrench marked in inch-pounds is adequate.  Even if your jurisdiction does not enforce this, it is still a good idea especially with aluminum wire, as aluminum wires are less forgiving of termination mistorquing than copper wires are, and you don't want your hard work doing worse things to you than what Greg Biffle's infamous lugnuts did to him, right?


You should be able to pig tail the 3 blacks and run it to 1 side of the switch and the other black goes to the other side then put your ground on the yoke ground screw and you will be good to go.


These devices do go bad, but when that happens they often will not reset and the outlet itself will not have any power.  However, there are a lot of different designs, so its possible the LOAD side of the GFCI has gone bad, I guess.

Another thing that can happen when a surge is on the line is that already loose or poor connections can melt or break.

Your next step is going to get a multimeter and check for voltages along the circuit.  This will involve frequent trips to the breaker panel for safety.  Turn off the power when you are disassembling any wiring or taking an outlet away from the wall.

First, pull out the GFCI outlet (leave all wires connected) and check the LINE and LOAD terminals with your meter.  LINE should always be hot, even when the outlet is not reset.  Once it is reset, the LOAD terminals should have voltage.  If they do not, replace the GFCI device (label line and load wires before removing the old one).

If there is voltage, you will just have to move down the line to the next dead outlet.  On any other outlets the damage is likely to be melting or a loose wire.
You're looking for the outlet that has power coming in, but not going out.  Really scrutinize any outlet that just has wires pushed into the back rather than using the side screws - those push in connections fail the most.


Two part polyurethane is the way to go, Its food safe when hard, and the active hardener makes a really good hard surface.

I also like the finish that these products add to the surface, and you typically could add about three layers to make it really bullet-proof.

The stuff is a little bit expensive, but well worth the money!.


Are some power cables too old to be safe?

No, no 'Best By' date codes LOL.  However, your instincts are on track.  As the plastic jacket ages it becomes brittle and can crack allowing in moisture and presenting an obvious hazard.  However, if with inspection the jacket appears to be without defect; if it feels relatively flexible and supple then it may be ok. The cord ends need to be inspected as well.  Any signs of heat, burning or serious abuse chuck em. Thanks for being safety conscious.  P.


This is an interesting question because you are caught between different code sections.

If you are attaching a fixture to a plug, the conductor must be described as a flexible cord or cable. That would be covered in NEC Article 400.12 "Uses not permitted" (1) As a substitute for a fixed wiring of a structure. (2) See @Harper (3) Where attached to building surfaces. So in short you can't use flexible cord as a permanent part of the structure. Most AHJ will tell you the minute you put one support on the flexible cable it becomes a permanent part of the structure.

So then you might say, "well I'll use NM and that is approved as permanent wiring." That would be fine but attachment plugs are only approved to be mounted to approved flexible cords and cables (NEC Sections 400.6 (A) and Table 400.4.). Also in NEC Article 334.12 (B)(4) Does not permit NM to be installed expose in wet or damp locations, and a garage is considered a damp location.

So then the only way you could use the method you are suggesting is to call it temporary wiring, but that would mean you couldn't permanently attach the fixtures to the wall. Also temporary installations have a time limit then you must take them down.

Although this may not be the answer you want to here but you really can't connect lights the way you want to a receptacle and be code compliant. Unless that plug would be within about 6' of the fixture and you will have two plugs because you have two fixtures.

I am not sure why you are insisting to unplug the fixtures, but have you considered a switch with a lock out cover instead.


Which painting tool is better? sponge paint roller roller, woven roller or spray paint?. Do you have a preference?

They are all "best" in certain conditions.
Spraying is "best" for large surface areas when overspray can be mitigated for example.
Rollers are good for relatively smooth surfaces and
Brushes are good for tiny difficultly shaped areas and cutting in.


Any recomendations for low-voltage wires through walls?

The easiest is to get an extension cord for the low voltage cable on the AC adapter. Most likely the adapter comes equipped with a 2.1mm or 2.5mm center pin barrel type power plug. Extension cords for these are readily available. One would look like this:

The extension cable would allow you to power the router from within the same room from an electrical outlet instead of having to go off through the wall into the garage.

My favorite place to get various types of cables, including DC power extension cables, is PCH cables. Very reasonable prices. They have the 2.1mm size in 6 foot and 100 foot lengths.

You can also find such cables in eBay and at Amazon.

(Note: I am not affiliated with PCH Cables in any way other than being a very happy customer).


Securing range hood with tile & concrete behind—should I pre-drill wider?

Yes, that would be wise, particularly for the tile. You can drill a 1/4" or maybe 3/8" hole in the tile using a masonry bit in a non-hammering drill. Then switch the hammer mode on and pop in the 3/16" bit for the screw hole in the non tile layers.


Water is still dripping from tank connection

What can be wrong ? You have a leak. You closed a valve this probably trapped the pressure in the tank so yes it would continue to leak. If it is a large old school pressure tank it may be close to rusting out and the drip is the warning. Old pressure tanks were usually ~5+ feet tall and about 2’ Across these were referred to as diaphragm    tanks, modern tanks are much smaller and are called bladder tanks. Both tanks use air pressure to push the water out with out having the pump to turn on for a few minutes (extending the pump life).
Bladder tanks are smaller as almost all the water gets pushed out before the pump turns back on. Bladder tanks only about 1/2 gets pushed out.  If this is just a large holding tank the water in the tank can cause a leak and would be of great concern a non pressurized tank holding water only has ~ .4 psi per foot of water.

So what is wrong you may have a fitting that has become loose but more likely the tank is getting close to failure if no work has been done in the area and the leak recently started.


Help recognize / how to remove and reinstall this window

Just above the sash, in the 2nd pic, can you push that track in (towards the window frame)? If so, follow along, if not skip down to "Continue Here".
If so, you simply push both tracks in and pull the top of the sash out. This will allow you to tip the window horizontally into the room. Use this feature to wash the outside glass.
There will be some sort of mechanism holding the bottom of the sash into the track. Usually this is disengaged by lifting one side of the sash, allowing it to slide up, while holding the other side of the sash in place. This will disengage these lower clips allowing you to completely remove the sash from the opening. Take a look now to ensure you understand how the mechanism latches into place. Maybe even take a couple of pics so you don't forget. Are there moving pieces?  If so, how are they arranged immediately upon removal?  They'll likely move at some point during your work and you'll need to know how to put them back so you can reattach the sash later. Trust me on this - you'll save yourself frustration later. Don't ask how I know these things... :/
In order to completely remove the track, you'll want to first remove both sashes (top and bottom). Since these look like replacement windows in the original opening, it's possible that the tracks are simply screwed in place and once you've got the sashes out of the way you'll be able to unscrew them. If they don't unscrew then...
Continue Here
You'll need to remove the stop. That is the piece of wood you see on the inside of the house right next to the track.
Using a sharp (new) utility knife, carefully slice the paint between the stop and the window trim (to prevent the removal process from pulling up extra paint). Then gently work a stiff putty knife or other thin pry bar into that slight gap. If you have to pry, I'd suggest a scrap piece of wood under whatever you're prying with to prevent the metal from digging into the wood and leaving a gouge that you'll later have to patch up.
Once you've got the stops out of the way, you should be able to figure out how to remove the tracks.
I'm not sure if you'll be able to reattach the springs (the one in the pic looks like it's attached and stretched slightly, maybe it's the one on the other side that isn't). If the spring is broken, you'd have to replace it.
If a replacement is necessary... I'm not sure. You don't seem to know who manufactured the windows - maybe there is identifying info on the back of the track. Contact them to see if there's a warranty (our windows, replaced last summer come with a warranty that's transferable to the next owner), or if you can buy replacements parts or whole tracks. You'll probably need to supply them with the dimensions of the sash, as the springs are balanced against the weight of the window.
If there are no manufacturer marks on the tracks (unlikely, I'd think), you'll probably have to contact a window company to see if they can help you out. You may be able to get a "generic" replacement, or you might find someone with the knowledge to identify the manufacturer based on the track and attachment mechanism design.
In any case, it may take anywhere from a day to a few weeks to get replacement parts, so be prepared to replace the sashes while you're waiting. Reassemble in the opposite order of disassembly. If you have to pry the stop off, nail it back in, but leave the nails proud so it's easy to pull them when your replacement parts come in. You don't want to have to go through all that work of prying it off a second time!


My Toilet Keeps Making Sounds Like It Is Filling Up Every 3 Minutes

Since you aren't seeing water all over the place, your flapper is leaking a small amount of water which is causing the float to drop to a level (apparently every 3 minutes) where it detects the water is low, so it fills the tank back up. If you aren't familiar with the mechanics of the float/flapper system in toilets, take the tank lid off and flush it a few times; it's pretty easy to see what it is doing. You might be able to slight adjust the flapper by just running your thumb around the part that seats or you might need to replace it (it's cheap and easy).

As far as electric bill, it won't make your electric bill higher if you live in the city since water is fed by gravity, but in the country where water is pumped from underground, it would. The bigger concern would be water cost if you are in the city.


Is there a PVC piping primer/cement alternative for a non-plumbing project?

You should be able to find smaller/cheaper containers of glue.  You can definitely skip the primer for this application, using the PVC cement by itself will be plenty.


After thinking to search specifically for Kwikset locks with this issue, I found this video referencing it. Guessing it's an issue with at least some Kwikset knobs. Thanks for the helpful comments. https://youtu.be/skME0j8hsOM
ETA: at least some Kwikset knobs have these two metal nubs or dimples on them. The video's solution was to use a course metal nail file to grind the nubs down to not create the gap. He didn't mention the cut, but I'm assuming at least second-cut.
Isherwood mentioned above that these dimples serve a purpose, and, with enough tightening of the screws, will dimple the door, eliminating the gap. I tried this first, tightening the screws even tighter than I already had them and the gap disappeared, or at least was unnoticeably small.
So both would work, but I'm marking theirs as correct since the dimples are supposed to be a feature.


Need Comment on How my House Was converted from 120vac to 240vac

You should change the light switches to double pole switches that cut both halves of the power supply. These are commonly available (how hard they are to get where you are, I don't know.)

The breaker handles for each pair of circuits (that are now "one") should be "tied" if the breakers are not themselves double breakers (which is what I think you've described) - preferably they would all be replaced with double-pole breakers which do not need a tie. While you don't have local codes/inspections, this would be safest for you. This requires the pair of breakers to be located side-by side, not opposite as you have drawn.

You should also change the outlets (evidently still US-120VAC style) to the local common/standard 240VAC style, if only to prevent mishaps with 120VAC equipment being plugged in.


How do I replace electrical outlets that have two wires under same screw?

The NEC now prefers you use the pigtail method.Here's a quick image to help.


What could be causing a new 20 amp dedicated circuit supported by a GFCI breaker to trip?

A GFCI breaker only detects ground-faults on the circuit it's protecting. It measures the current flowing on the ungrounded (hot) conductor and the grounded (neutral) conductor, and opens the circuit if there is a large enough difference between the two. A ground fault on another circuit would not trip the breaker, unless it was adding or removing current from the circuit (i.e. it was at fault with this circuit).
If this is a dedicated home run circuit with only a duplex receptacle, there are only 4 places a fault could be occurring.

The breaker.
The wire.
The receptacle.
The device plugged into the receptacle.

The Breaker
Make sure the breaker is connected properly, and that it is properly seated in the panel.  The white grounded (neutral) conductor from the circuit, should be connected to the terminal labeled "LOAD NEUTRAL".  The black ungrounded (hot) conductor, should be connected to the terminal labeled "LOAD POWER". The white grounded (neutral) pigtail, should be connected to the grounded (neutral) bus bar in the panel.
It might also be worth replacing the breaker, as they can fail or be defective.
The Wire
If there is a fault anywhere along the length of the wire, this could cause the breaker to trip.  You'll want to test the continuity between the circuit conductors, but you'll first have to isolate them.

Disconnect all circuit wires from the service panel.
Using a multimeter set to measure resistance, or in continuity mode, test the continuity between each combination of wires.

There should be infinite resistance between all conductors. If not, you have a fault.
If you can manage it, inspect the entire length of the cable for damage.  Make sure a staple or nail hasn't accidentally punctured the cable.
The Receptacle
It might be worth it to replace the receptacle, just to rule out the possibility of a defective device.  You'll also want to inspect the wiring, to insure it's wired properly. The black ungrounded (hot) conductor, should be connected to the brass colored screw terminal. The white grounded (neutral) conductor, should be connected to the silver colored screw terminal. The green or bare equipment grounding conductor, should be connected to the green grounding screw terminal.
Also make sure that when the device is mounted in the box, none of the conductors are coming into contact with each other. This is especially true with the bare equipment grounding conductor, as it's easy to create a fault with the bare wire in a cramped box.
The Device
Try to plug in a few different devices, and possibly check the devices themselves for ground-faults.

I can't think of any situations where a ground-fault on a circuit, would cause the breaker to trip on a different circuit. Unless the two circuits are at fault with each other, of course.


Fixing wall mounted towel rail to plasterboard wall

Towel bars are routinely secured to the wall with drywall anchors, as even wet towels are well within the holding capacity of the anchors. Product recommendations are off-topic here, but any of the types of products you linked would work.

Note that towel bars are not grab bars, and if they are used as such the drywall anchors will fail. Grab bars must be installed into studs.


Would down-stuffed curtains stop heat loss through windows?

Absolutely. Down is a terrific insulating agent. It would work even better if you seal up the edges of the curtains along the window. A good way to do that is with either magnetic strips or velcro along the curtain seams on each side. That way you can let sun in during the day and seal rhem up at night to prevent heat loss.
I assume your windows are single pane. If you want to go a step further you can conserve even more heat by also installing plastic film insulation on your windows. Kits are available online and at most hardware stores.


The CDC has a technical bit about the regulations for respirators (in the US, at least). There are two types of respirators - particulate and chemical / gaseous / vapor (they also make combination).
Particulate respirators are the more important for the average home user, and are regulated by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). They fall into three main categories, depending on how resistant to oil they are: N, R, or P. Filters also have an efficiency rating, which is based on how many particles they are able to remove from the air. These are 95%, 99%, or 100% (or really, 99.97%). Put the two ratings together, and you have P100, N95, and more.
From the CDC link, they provide a summary for selecting a particulate filter:

If no oil particles are present in the work environment, use a filter of any series (i.e., N-, R-, or P-series).
If oil particles (e.g., lubricants, cutting fluids, glycerine, etc.) are present, use an R- or P-series filter. Note: N-series filters cannot be used if oil particles are present.
If oil particles are present and the filter is to be used for more than one work shift, use only a P-series filter.
Selection of filter efficiency (i.e., 95%, 99%, or 99.97%) depends on how much filter leakage can be accepted. Higher filter efficiency means lower filter leakage.
The choice of facepiece depends on the level of protection needed--that is, the assigned protection factor (APF) needed.

TH2P seems to be related to some kind of power / active filtering. HEPA is another standard, based on efficiency of removing particles. If you have allergies, you may want to look for a HEPA filter, but any of the standard NRP 95/99/100 would be suitable for you. Given that you likely will not have contact with oils, an N-rated filter would be sufficient. Get the N100 unless it's a lot more expensive than the N99 or N95.
Gas / vapor filters are color-coded by the types of vapors they filter, but that's beyond the scope of this answer.


Used paint with the wrong base, will painting with the correct base cover it?

The answer is yes, you can paint over the recently applied paint with a fresh coat of the proper color. Because your paint has a sheen (semi-gloss) you will need to de-gloss the existing finish with fine sandpaper or other abrasive media, clean well to remove dust, than apply proper paint with a high quality brush. Cheap brush = lame finish.


New toilet handle – not flushing all the way

Toilet tank flapper valve geometry varies all over the place. Some contain air and float when opened, some contain air but have a bleed hole and eventually sink. Some are made to tip over their hinge, counterweighted with water that then runs out through a bleed hole. The exact solution to your problem will depend on which kind of flapper valve you have.

In every case, though, the trick is to adjust the chain so it is just tight enough to pull the flapper open, and no shorter. Once the flapper has been pulled far enough to stay open, it must be free to continue moving on its own.

Your description suggests that your chain is too short. That's why @Jimmy Fix-it wants you to experiment with the chain -- not to see if the flapper is working properly, but to see exactly how far you need to pull to trip the flapper's action.

The other thing you need to do is to inspect and adjust the angle of the chain. At the point where it becomes taut, the top of the chain must be directly over the flapper or its hinge. Pulling at a large angle may not open the flapper far enough.

Trouble with toilet flush plumbing is very common. I am always surprised when a flush toilet in my house works properly for as long as five years without some kind of attention. Just be thankful your problem does not involve a leak.


To run it at 120v you'll need to have a 25 or 30A breaker and #10cu wire. Typical would be 10/2 cable.

Don't forget everything on the circuit would need to be rated 30a, the breaker can be 25 or 30a.


Will my refrigerator be damaged by pump operation on the same circuit?

The fridge should be designed to handle standard house hold equipment. With that said I would get a power strip that has surge suppressors in it to reduce the possibility of damage like this. if you get a supressor make sure it has indicator lights to show if the unit is still ok. Surge suppressors work by dumping the spikes to ground and when they take a large hit they are damaged. Once the suppressor fails the fridge will still work but the suppressor wont be dumping the spikes so one that has an indicator is best so you know that it is doing its job or it is time to replace it.


How do I tell if a contractor built my driveway to specification?

There is really only one way to check the construction of your driveway.  You will need to select a couple of locations and using a shovel, remove the top layer to expose the base layer, then remove the base layer to the grade fill and measure the layers.

If you are not comfortable that the driveway was built to spec, notify the general contractor or party you are purchasing the house from, as well as your lender and refuse to close until the driveway is properly built and proven to your satisfaction.  Stand tough, once you close it will be much more difficult to get this fixed. Insist they prove to your satisfaction the spec was followed.  Good Luck


High Wind-Resistant Retrofit Construction

Actually, it's not just "tying the roof down to the foundation."  Its more than just uplift. It's tying the roof to the walls (for lateral resistance), then tying the walls to the foundation.

Where I live, we get 120-140 mph winds every year, but they're "gusts".  Where you live, the winds (tornados...hurricanes) are "sustained" winds. Much tougher to design resistance for hold-downs and lateral resistance.

However, here we have seismic problems...both vertical and horizontal loads. Structural design is a process. I'd contact a structural engineer (not a civil engineer) or an architect.


Outlet drain hose of my washing machine must go all the way to the top of the machine?

I believe you want this in place, so before removing it, I'd check with the manufacturer to see if they permit it. I can think of at least three reasons you'd want the drain line secured at this height:

Drain hoses for appliances like dishwashers and washing machines that run into a sink drain are installed above, or as close to the top of the sink drain to ensure any clog in the sink backs into the sink itself, and not siphoned into the nearby dishwasher or washing machine. You don't want to find waste from the sink in the bottom of your washing machine.
You also need this line above the high water level of the washing machine so it doesn't siphon out while washing.
Keeping the high point of the line immediately adjacent to the machine with these security clips reduces the effort of the pump and how much water may drain back into the machine after it completes its wash cycle. The manufacturer will have a better understanding of their pump's requirements.


First, make sure the "hammering" you are experiencing is not the clutch, doing what it is designed to do.

It is not uncommon for the switching mechanism from drill to hammer-drill to break and stop functioning properly. Whether it is worth repairing depends, Bosch sells different grades of tools. A professional grade Bosch hammer drill might be worth repairing, a consumer grade one would not. To even get a quote on repair cost you have to pay to ship it to an authorized repair center (or find one and take it there).

Consumer grade Bosch hammer-drills sell for as cheap as $60 (U.S.) at discount hardware stores, your repair price would likely be equal to or higher than that.


The breaker size is decided by the wire connecting the panels.  For instance if the wire is 8 AWG, the breaker will be 40A.  Regardless of the wire size, the breaker cannot exceed 125A, presuming that is the rating of the panel.

As always, make sure you are buying a subpanel that is large enough.  It is very common for someone to save $40 on the panel, only to later have to spend a lot more than $40 for twin breakers and other work... because they got a panel that left them too little room for expansion.  Panel space is cheap.

It is totally fine to have a subpanel whose "main breaker" is larger than the breaker in the main panel serving it.  For instance I have a 60A circuit serving a too-small 4-space subpanel.  I replace that with a 42-space subpanel with a 225A main breaker.  That is fine.  The big main simply serves as a shutoff switch. (And I made out because the bundle came with 22 ”bonus breakers" which I use elsewhere.)


Tricking Oven to ignore intermittent door latch fault

If I am not mistaken there is a microswitch visible in the picture at the top, if that has gone bad (which is likely) then specifically that microswitch can be easily bought and replaced - they are a standard component which are used in many applications and are widely available.

If you must bypass it (not recommended) then you only need to short the relevant terminals.


Replacement thermostat wiring for new Honeywell Wifi model


Where I live if you do not get a permit and the local authority having jurisdiction finds out about it, they could do any (or all) of a number of things:

make you tear it all out
impose fines
get permits after the fact
declare your dwelling uninhabitable

If you ever want to sell your home, you must declare the un-permitted work, which could affect the price.


Can you change the color of caulk when staining grout in a bathroom?

Your concern that the grout and caulk might take the stain differently is well-founded. Since the materials are so cheap relative to the effort of re-caulking (or, heaven forbid, re-grouting), you should pick up new grout, caulk and stain, and do a test on a piece of plywood. Make sure the grout and caulk have completely dried, or the results won't be comparable to doing it in your actual bathroom.

If this test works, and you get the same color on the grout and caulk, then you're still left with the uncertainty of how to apply the stain without it discoloring the adjacent tile and fixtures. So, think carefully about how you'd apply it, and do another small test in an inconspicuous part of your bathroom.


For the switch turned off to short things, it must be a 3 or 4 way switch. The 2 white and 2 black could be travelers, the most likely connection then is lamp black to switched power red, lamp white to the 3 white, probably neutral. It's worth buying a non-contact circuit tester, they aren't all that expensive and can be a literal life saver. You can then quickly locate the proper switched power and deduce which is the neutral, because my guess at what to connect is only a guess. The circuit tester will tell you for sure.


The damage to the panel does indeed look like mold and mildew damage. It may not always smell musty, especially if it is thoroughly dry right now, so you can't always go by that.
The mold in your drink can is most likely not related. Mold spores are around us all the time, looking for food. Sugary drinks are good food for them...


How to prevent half wall (drywall, steel studs) from wobbling

Residential steel studs aren't rigid on their own. They get rigidity from the surfaces they are connected to along with the drywall that is attached.

For a wall like that, I'd want to treat it like a newel post on the end and have it be a 4x4 blocked and bolted to the joist below it for rigidity.

Otherwise, your idea to just make it a full column would work too.


How can I replace a 4-way mechanical switch with occupancy sensor(s)?

You could use some Insteon (or similar) home automation devices to have two motion sensors control the lights.

You'd need two wireless motion sensors and one dual-band switch. The switch receives the wireless signal from the motion sensors and activates the lights.

You'd then deactivate the other two existing switches (or add them back as "smart" switches, see below).

When one of the motion sensors detects motion, it sends an "on" command to the switch. The motion sensor then starts an internal timer and if it does not see motion again before the timer expires, it sends an "off" command to the switch.

The only issue with this is that as you add additional motion sensors, you have a race condition to turn the lights off. This is likely not a problem for most scenarios, but if you have a super-long hallway or a giant warehouse that you're trying to cover with multiple occupancy sensors it'd be an issue.

Hypothetically, lets say you have an infinitely long hallway with doors every 15 feet. Over each door is a motion sensor, they all control the lights, and they're all programmed to time-out at 1 minute.

Someone enters from one end of the hallway triggering sensor "A", which sends an "on" command and starts its internal countdown. As they walk down the infinitely long hallway, they trigger a new sensor every 15 feet or so, each sending its own "on" command. As soon as sensor A's one minute timer goes off, sensor "A" sends an "off" command, and the lights go out.

This is where a more sophisticated commercial light control network is needed. But if you've just got three doors into a three-floor stairway, the two wireless motion sensors should work fine. If you expected people to linger in the hallway, you may have an issue, though you could just increase the time-out time to try to get around it.

You could also add additional Insteon light switches if desired to replace the existing switches--though the motion sensors would still try to turn the lights off on you!

NOTE: I've used Insteon products, but am not affiliated with Insteon or Smarthome in any way.


In an old NYC apartment building built in the 50s. Would wires catch on fire if using a high powered AC?

Conduit may serve to contain heat in the event of extreme overload, but that's not its primary purpose (which is to protect the wires). Not all multi-family dwellings have wiring run in conduit even today. If your wiring overheats it's probably not protected with suitable breakers or fuses.
Wiring and associate devices aren't rated for wattage, but voltage and current (amperage). Capacity depends mostly on the wire gauge and the circuit breaker rating. 110v * 20A = 2200 watts, but you can't always max out a circuit due to other usage on the same breaker. You may also have a 15A circuit, which would be overloaded (or nearly so) by your unit.

You should have a conversation with the building superintendent. Your concern goes beyond just this question. If wiring ever gets that hot, something's wrong.


Those look like temporary steps to me. For carpeting you usually see 1-1/8" bullnose particle board treads and 1x8 or 3/4" plywood risers.

Rarely is two-by lumber left as a final product, as it's heavier-duty than necessary and creates very thick and squarish nosings when carpeted. We'd commonly do something like that, or doubled scrap plywood, until after taping and painting is done, then install the final materials using construction adhesive.

Yes, it should be done better, but that's my opinion. It really comes down to your relationship with the builder and your contract. Ask your builder if that's the final state.


Can I increase the size of my AC compressor with the same refrigerant lines?

You have a refrigerant leak and should probably replace the refrigerant lines regardless. Depending on the type of refrigerant, leaks contribute to ozone depletion and global warming.

A 2.5 ton unit will require a higher airflow rate (typically 350–450 cfm/ton). Your fan motor may or may not be able to be set to a higher speed by moving the jumpers.

With a higher flow rate, your ductwork will induce a higher pressure drop. This means you may not be able to actually achieve the required airflow rate.

A 2.5 ton unit may be oversized and short-cycle more often. This can lead to worse dehumidification performance (your home cools down but stays humid) because moisture condensed into the condensate tray re-evaporates before building up enough to drain.