if you are going to lay hardwood on to the subfloor, then i assume its going to be nailed down and not floating.  if this is the case, then the floor has to not only be flat, but also strongly attached to the concrete below (to prevent deflection over time from moisture changes in the oak and in the subfloor).  therefore, you would want the concrete to be hard, but not necessarily fully cured, before you start anchoring your 2x4's.  assuming you will use construction adhesive and concrete screws (tapcons or something similar), you will want a low moisture content as well.  since tapcons need a compressive strength of about 20MPa to work properly (a little less if its a smaller diameter), and since it takes about 7-10 days for new concrete to hit that as a minimum, i wouuldn't be anchoring anything until about 2 weeks later.  if you go to soon, your anchors will strip out more easily and your adhesive won't bond well due to the moisture in the slab.


As in the answers above, there are outdoor rated panels made specifically for RVs. The image below is just one example. You should choose the appropriate panel which is rated for the needs of your RV. If you are thinking of trading up to an even bigger RV in the future, you should take that into consideration as well.

These must be mounted to a fixed location such as on the outside of a building, or on a post/pedestal. The panel below will supply enough power for the entire RV, including the appliances.

Getting back to your original question, you could either use a panel mounted to a post, or a pedestal. The advantage to the pedestal is that it is directly buried in the ground and the installation is a little cleaner. If you don't mind the looks of a post with a conduit coming out of the ground to the box, then it would be a good idea to go with a post since the pedestal is more expensive.

Keep in mind that you should probably consult a licensed electrician for the actual hookup. The long distance from the panel will require a substantial feeder from the main panel. The run will also need to either use wire rated for direct burial and/or run inside of conduit. The sub panel will also need to have independent ground rods which would be driven into the ground near the panel as well.

There may also need to be additional modifications made to your main panel inside your house to make room for the additional circuit.


Filtration system for smoke from oil lamp

My suggestion is to replace the oil lamp with something electrical that uses LED illumination instead. The reasoning for this suggestion is:

A filtration system for the soot will almost for sure require some type of forced air movement to push the emissions from the oil flame through the filtration system. Most types of passive filter will likely snuff out the flame. A forced air movement would require a fan of some sort that would itself consume more electrical energy than the suggested LED lamp. It would be quieter too.
There are soot collection methods used for some types of oil lamps such as is typical for kerosene lamps. To get something like this to work you would most likely need to replace the current oil lamp with one that comes with a fitting for the lamp chimney and that would require cleaning from time to time.
A replacement lamp that generates less soot would be a pressurized type system such as a mantle type lantern that vaporizes the fuel and allows for more complete burning. These are more complicated to use and can be noisy during use and require frequent pumping.
There is a safety concern when using something with a burning flame in a situation where you may fall asleep. Accidents can happen and the results could be devastating.


How to manage water runoff on flat roof of accessory dwelling unit

Slope the surface of the roof to one corner - the black surround hides it.

The slope does not need to be much (0.5cm per metre or 1/4" per 3 feet roughly - my guess) but the roof should not have dips in it ie you should not get puddles after rain.

Then organise the downpipe as required.


This can be done with a torsion spring, or several other types of spring depending upon your design. Or it can be done with a counter-balance.

The counter balance only requires you to set the pivot point of the hinge forward a bit with a weight on the bottom close to the back of the chair bottom. You can practice with a few designs in cardboard to see how adding a weight to a beam and placing the hinge higher or lower and forward and back until you get a feel for how it will behave.

Drew K


3 Switch Wall plate to 1 Wall Plate Ceiling Fan

Splice all grounds.  Pigtail a ground to the fan-control smart switch.
Splice all whites
Splice black A, black B, red B, and a pigtail.
"LINE" side of your fan-control smart switch to the pigtail.
"LOAD" side of your fan-control smart switch to Black C.
Cap Red C.  Do not cut it off! You must cap it and you might want it later.
Cap Red D.  Ditto.
Black and white D to fan.


Switching 3-phase power between two appliances using a 3-phase switch

I really don't know why you couldn't. If the switch is made for residential use for that purpose I don't see why not. They said it was against the building code? Not the electrical code? I could not see why the carpenters would care what the electricians did (building code versus electrical code).


What is the cause for new swamp cooler's fan stopping after 15 seconds

15 minutes sounds like a control system issue. Being that it's a swamp cooler, my initial guess would be that there is a problem with the water flow or return. The system will let the fan run without water flow for 15 minutes, but no longer.

Could also be heat related; your motor is overheating and tripping a protection device intended to keep it from catching on fire. it takes 15 minutes for the temperature to rise to that point. The proof of that would be if you IMMEDIATELY restart it after it shuts down, it runs for LESS than 15 minutes the second time, meaning it took less time to over heat because it was already hot. If it still shuts down in 15 minutes, it's a timer of some sort.


Is an Aluminium or Plastic Paint Container Better for Air Painting?

Honestly I use a plastic cup and haven't had any problems, despite the fact that I shoot a 2-part LPU (what Boeing paints the Dreamliner with) and the solvent for the stuff is so caustic it's a paint stripper for latex and some aklyds. I expected it would have wrecked the cup, but it didn't.

I am partial to a very well rated touch up gun I found on Amazon.  Despite being cheap Cheese, it's a bulletproof little thing and about $35.


What should I do with the extra wire when intalling a new remote for my ceiling fan?

The "Common Out" lead on the old receiver module, is simply a grounded (neutral) conductor. Since the new receiver doesn't have this lead. You'll want to connect the white wire from the fixture, together with the white wire from the ceiling, and the white (neutral in) wire from the new receiver.

The new wiring should be connected as follows:

Ungrounded (hot) conductor from ceiling to Live In wire on receiver.
Grounded (neutral) conductor from ceiling to 'Neutral Inon receiver, andCommon` from fixture.
Light Out on receiver to light (blue) wire on fixture.
'Fan Out` on receiver to fan (black) wire on fixture.
All grounding (green, bare, etc.) conductors should be connected together, and connected to the ceiling box if it's a metal box.

Notes: I've tried to keep the answer applicable to all areas, however, wire colors used in this answer are for the US and may be different in other countries.


Installing railing pickets using dowel pins

To answer your last question - oak will last significantly longer than pine. It can be left untreated and will harden.

If you do use oak then dowels will be the ideal fixing mechanism as metal, particularly iron, will stain the wood.

See the answer to this question on dowel sizes for what size dowel to use.

They should be quite tight and if you get it right, there'll be no need to glue them.


With my experience, stainless steel counter tops are the best for outdoor kitchen considering the fact that its open to regular changing weather. Make sure you opt for good brand counter tops which are resistant to corrosion and rust which will last for years with NSF certified for food safety.


Like @Fizz says- the answer depends on getting all the paint out.  Stain will will make the paint spots stick out like several sore thumbs.

A chemical stripper will help, but it is still going to be a lot of painstaking work.  I would leave shallow scratches or pin holes that are paint free as is.  Deep scratches or holes that have some paint stuck in them would get the putty treatment from me.

My gut tells me that the crack in the middle of lower panel is going to be visible no matter what you attempt.  To a lesser degree and depending on how dark the stain will be, the same goes for the gouges around those screw or bolt holes.  Even with a good filler, the ghost outlines will still be there by virtue of the grain being interrupted.

The ghost outlines might be one of those things where you will always notice it every time you walk by, but the average non-obsessed person won't even see it unless you point it out.  If you can live with that, go for a stain.

If you go the stain and filler route, do the research and get something suitable for stain and exterior application.

Good luck- the door looks great.


Why are the deck footing blocks set away from the house several inches in this video?

The finished exterior wall is out from the concrete foundation somewhat. If the footing blocks were set tight to the foundation, there would be no room for the rim joists that wrap around the posts.


What are the main options for fastening MDF to MDF?

It sounds like you are trying to build something in one place, pack it up and re-build it in another.  If this is the case then screws are the way to go for dry fit, and then glue and screws for the final instal. I generally use Course thread dry-wall screws - because I feel they bite and pull MDF the best.

The only thing here is that there is a limited number of times that you can use the same holes with MDF, the Fiber-board looses a little meterial every time you screw into and out of it. So if you are building in a shop and then transporting onto site and reassembling once you are fine, if you are going to build and then rebuild this many times it will get less stable each time you do it.

As a side note, I also like to use pocket-hole jointery a lot because I like that it hides the screws from view.

Also, whenever I build boxes to be re-built I always make sure that I have some small square blocks with me.  I use these blocks to make sure the inside of the box is square, just screw them in and it helps to keep the box from racking side to side.


Best way to remove roots around a tree stump

A woody plant killer like crossbow is the only way I know of and it won’t hurt the lawn. I usually paint the stump just after cutting a tree around the outside just inside the bark with concentrated crossbow and let that sit for at least a few weeks. If any shoots come up hit them with crossbow it won’t kill the lawn unless it is all dandelion’s. This has worked for me on even cotton wood that will continue to put shoots up for years if not treated when cut down.


Do i need a subpanel for a single circuit with less than 4 receptacles equaling less than 600 watt load. Washington state

You state in your comment that you plan to run conduit.
In that case, do NOT use UF cable. Use THWN wiring - the conduit protects it, and it's much easier to pull than UF cable. It may also cost you less, and it can indeed be easily upgraded if or when you or a later owner wants to upgrade.
12Ga should be fine for your planned use. If your use increased, pulling one more wire and changing the feed breaker to a two-pole 20A GFCI breaker and making the circuit an MWBC would double your available power at the building.


How many outlets can be wired to the load side of a GFCI?

Check the specs with the GFCI manufacturer.

Square D for example has a few requirements for GFCI breakers.

Must be located no more than 250 ft. (76 m) from the load being served.
UL requires that
GFCIs must be operational at 85% of the rated voltage

Other than that, there is no restriction per se for how many outlets can be on one branch circuit,  residential speaking that is.


Does there exist such a thing as mini-scaffold?

For a professional system, Kee Klamps might be what you are looking for:

For more DIY accessibility, black pipe is a likely candidate:


First of all, just laying pavers on dirt is a bad idea unless you live in a bone dry place like Phoenix or Las Vegas.

A deck should be mounted on footings which are concrete blocks which stabilize the deck.

The footings should be below the frost line, otherwise the deck will move up and down every time it freezes and thaws. The frost line in Toronto is about 4 feet deep, so you want the footings to be 5 feet deep to be safe.


Is there anything that common house ants won't burrow through?

The best treatment is to remove the things that attract the ants. If that is your cat's food dish I suspect that eventually, no matter how many cracks you seal up, that the ants will figure out how to come around the end of the slab and over to what they find attractive as a food source.

So maybe you want to start a regimen with your cat. Put down its food for say half an hour at each feeding and then take it up. Cats can learn to eat on a schedule. But at the same time they will also remind you of the schedule each and every day.


How do I calculate the proper fan size for a bathroom exhaust and the number of pickups?

The usual rule of thumb is to equate square footage to CFM.

7x8= 56 SF => 56 CFM.  Rounding up to 80 is typical.

Y'd pickups are nice.

The ceiling mounted Panasonics are plenty quiet, though (meaning just 1 pickup).  I prefer exhaust fan closest to (or in) the shower (new Panasonic with recessed light is very nice) and connected to a countdown timer.

Be sure to have any shower electrics run from a GFCI.


This is not overly complicated and is quite typical.

The part of the old switch with two black wires: Remove both wires, splice them with a wire nut and one of the black wires from the dimmer.

The other single wire on the switch: Splice with the other black wire from the dimmer.

The green form the dimmer goes to the ground(s).

LEAVE EVERYTHING ELSE ALONE.


How can I blend sanded cedar into the surrounding darker wood with a polyurethane finish?

Wood naturally changes color over time and it looks like your cedar material was no exception. When you sanded the material in some spots you sanded away the surface of the material that had changed color leaving more of the raw wood exposed. It will be a challenge to try to fix this in any easy way.

Some things you could try:

Do nothing and see if over time the sanded areas naturally darken.
Cut out the worst boards and replace with new ones. You would have to carefully refinish those areas to get an even look.
Look at using a tinted version of the Minwax product to add some additional finish in those areas.
Sand the whole ceiling to a consistent look and re-finish. Although this could problematic due to having applied the second coat already so sanding would have to be pretty aggressive.


Mesh and paper tape are really all about adding strength, which is especially important at seams or wherever the paper bonding surface of the underlying drywall may have torn or weakened.

In this case, if you're sure the underlying drywall is sound, then it means that the entire area of repair will be strong and supported from behind. So, joint compound should get the job done and stay strong. I'd suggest using setting type compound (sometimes referred to as "hot mud") for your first layer since it sets up harder and stronger than the drying type topping compound.


There is a very good chance that these cracks were covered up before you bought the house.   From the general looks of it, they look cosmetic.

What is causing them is the change in temperature of the attic.

Now the co-conspirators here could also be a little moisture (I am doubting the venting of bathrooms are the culprits on that front), could be bad tape job, and I am going to guess the biggest is that extra weight.

I am going to guess you have a standard attic with joists either 18 or 24" spaced.  I am going to guess that they put a pad down for the HVAC but the rest of the attic has no subfloor.   It is this subfloor that helps bind and disperse weight through the joist system causing less variance during seasonal movements.   Me thinks these cracks started appearing 7 years ago and they basically ignored them before.   Looking at your pictures and I would need better ones but looks like there are perpendicular mud or paint strokes by the cracks (should have been taped).

So what can you do?

You can put in cross braces for the joists to disperse movement.   You could certainly put in a subfloor but that might be overkill.
Then you also want to make sure this space is very very insulated.   This is probably the easiest thing to do.
Then when the cracks are at the worst, and you have insulated and put in cross braces around the joists in question - tape and mud.   And in a different question you can get techniques and mud types best for this.

Or you can just look at your cracks because it is just drywall.   You have to understand this isn't a huge deal, you need more information to fix it right and quite frankly to fix it right might cost a bit and I doubt someone will give you a 100% warranty the cracks won't somewhat reappear.


What are the relationships between ground and arc protection in breakers and in outlets?

Definitions

GFCI is intended to protect humans against severe shock or electrocution.

AFCI protects structures (and their human occupants) against fire.

AFCI detects if there is an open arc on a circuit and de-energizes the circuit. Electrical arcs can start fires easily if they hit the wrong material.

GFCI detects a current differential on the "hot" and "neutral" wires. In a functioning circuit, both wires carry exactly the same current. If there is a difference in current between the wires, it means current is leaking somewhere else. The "somewhere else" could be through you and cause injury or death.

GFCI breaker + GFCI outlet

This is pointless, or at least overkill. GFCI's can fail, but the electrical code doesn't require you to wire up redundant GFCI's in series. The GFCI breaker protects the entire branch circuit. Likewise, one GFCI receptacle on a branch circuit can protect all of the downstream receptacles if wired correctly.

Do test your GFCI's from time to time to ensure that they are still functioning correctly.

AFCI breaker + GFCI outlet

This will protect against fire (the AFCI will trip if there is an open arc), and it will also protect against severe human shock/electrocution. This is a fine combination and combines positive attributes of both types of protection.

AFCI & GFCI combo breaker + GFCI outlet

As in the GFCI breaker/GFCI outlet scenario, the GFCI outlet is redundant and thus unnecessary to meet code requirements.

EDIT

Tester01 makes a good point about the possibility of getting shocked before a GFCI trips. You may get bit, but a properly functioning GFCI should trip within 25ms (0.025 seconds), at a voltage differential between 4 mA to 6 mA. Most people can feel electric shock starting around 1 mA, and it's a relatively mild to uncomfortable sensation up to 10 mA, after which it becomes painful. 10 mA is also the threshold where involuntary muscular contractions become strong enough that you may not be able to let go of the thing that is shocking you, and the current starts to become lethal between 75 mA where breathing becomes so difficult that it stops, and 200 mA. In any event, a properly-functioning GFCI should cut the current completely before you are permanently damaged.


How do I remake my floor using hardwood such that it will not squeak at all?

Use screws instead of nails to hold the plywood down.  If you can, screw it into the joists, not just the existing floor.  You can also put down some glue betwen the plywood & subfloor to prevent the plywood from moving at all.  Use tongue-and-groove plywood if possible.

If that doesn't help (and you should be able to do that & check to see if you still have squeaks before putting down the hardwood) you might need to beef up the joists, or add additional bracing, from underneath.  Not so hard if the ceiling below is open, a lot of work if it's finished.


Rewiring A Ceiling Fan - Add Wall Switch

The simplist solution is to replace the fan/light combinations with modern units that have wireless remote controls for both light and fan, and include multispeed settings for the fan.

Your current setup probably has a direct hot connection to the fan with a single pair of hot wires going to the switch for the light. This switch could be converted to turn the fan and light on or off together, but not separately without running additional wires.

You could snake new wires in to have separare controls for fan and light (a cable with three wires would do with a double switch), but this is requires routing cables through the walls and patching the plaster/wallboard after installation.

This also would not give you three speed controls at the wall.  The three speed switches in most fans (those that use pull chains instead of a wireless remotes) cannot easily be controlled by a wall switch without a significant change in internal wiring, not a job for a novice.

A retro conversion could be done, but a replacement may be easier and maybe even cheaper than hiring an electrician to do the rewiring (remote fan/light combos can be had for less than $100).


That's a cool idea but Google won't show me any commercial products like that, outside of commercial lighting intended for displays.  Are you quite sure this actually exists?  Make/model maybe?  I'm wondering if it's actually the lamp doing that for some reason.

It would not help extend LED life but would make them more pleasant. Look at the documentation and see what it says about working with LEDs, that is to say, there are several methods of dimming, which one does it use?  Get compatible "dimmable LEDs" and you should be fine. Even if they are not compatible, they'll come on when it ramps to full brightness.


Sure you can have one, no one is going to arrest you for putting it in.  However, concrete has a few distinct disadvantages in the north, most notably it is brittle so any heaving caused by freeze/thaw cycles will cause large cracks and there chances of a lip developing (a trip hazard unless ground down) are high. The only way to prevent this is to make the driveway and gravel underlay very thick (which costs more) to reduce the amount of frozen soil below it. Also, regular thawing salt (potassium chloride) is bad for common unsealed concrete.  You need to use Magnesium chloride (which costs more) to prevent damage to the surface.

Here is a good article that discusses more pros/cons: http://www.silive.com/homegarden/homeimprovement/index.ssf/2010/04/asphalt_vs_concrete_driveways.html


Do I really need an air conditioner filter?

Yes, you'll distribute crud through your ventilation.  On top of that, you'll accumulate crud in your AC unit.  BAAAAADDD idea.


There should be 120 volts AC between the red and black wire.  Or sometimes, 12 volts DC.  If there is not, there is no power there.

Electrical power works in loops.  There need to be 2 wires involved or nothing happens.  The way we do electricity in the US, the white wire is one of those two wires, but it is kept as close to earth ground as possible, so it is called neutral.

One way power can fail is for the white (neutral) wire to become disconnected or damaged.   This breaks the loop, obviously.  And since it is not connected, it will pick up stray voltage by induction.  In which case you can see a weak phantom voltage on the neutral.   If a non-contact tester shows voltage on both, perhaps that has happened.


Why am I getting hum and lights dimming with a new electric tankless water heater?

18KW is a 75 amp load at 240volts , which is a HUGE addition in draw for a very small house. For comparison, if you replaced a tank type water heater they typically have 2 4,500 watt elements but only one is on at a time for a current draw of just under 20 amps.  You say you ran 8 gauge Romex, I assume that's 2 runs one for each 240volt breaker.

LEDs esp. with dimmers can be very sensitive to voltage changes.  I have some in my home, on the same dimmer that dim at slightly different rates even though they are on the same circuit/dimmer.

Last, I agree with Mazura, your power drop from the POCO may have been adequate before, but now, with that much larger load, isn't anymore.


Enclosing cable run through living space

You can't use cable management systems. They are not listed for protecting mains wiring.  At best they're listed for extension cords, but probably not.

You can use UL-listed surface conduit such as Legrand Wiremold.   You can also use regular conduit if you don't mind the industrial look and chicken-choking the cable down the conduit. I recommend EMT because it's not bad to work with, and is easy to correct or modify.

Either way, you can use the conduit in one of two modes:

Using the NM cable wiring method, where you run it in the normal way you run Romex, and enter conduit ad-hoc (no junction box) merely to provide a damage shield where the cable may be subject to damage.  In this case any conduit that fits over the cable will suffice.
Using the conduit wiring method with continuous conduit between junction boxes. Here, if you insist on using cable, you must use 3/4" conduit*, due to conduit fill rules.  The pull will also be quite difficult.  However you are better off splicing to individual stranded THWN-2 wires, in which case you can easily get away with 1/2" conduit, and have an easy pull too.

For a 20A receptacle and breaker, you are perfectly allowed to use 10 AWG wire.  However, you don't need to... you can do it with #12 wire.  At 230V, #10 is best if you are going over 150 feet.

Also, for an air conditioner (NEMA 6-20 outlet), you don't need a neutral wire.  However, including a neutral wire will allow you to convert it to two 120V circuits later.  If you wind up doing the entire run in actual conduit (EMT or Wiremold), you can run individual wires, omit the neutral wire for now, and add it in the future when you need it.

If you use metal non-flexible conduit, that is a valid grounding path (indoors), which means you don't need to run a ground wire.  My air conditioning circuit is simply 1/2" EMT conduit with a black and red THWN-2 wire inside. That is it.

* I'm assuming you are using round 10/3 cable.  If you're using flat cable, measure its widest dimension. multiply by 1.37, and you need to use conduit whose inside dimension is larger than that.


The image below does not match the fitting you seek and you may not find exactly that type of fitting, but you may find something that works as well. It may be stronger, as most I found are made of metal:

Search for "pipe railing fittings" and examine the many options. The image search from the Google returned so many varieties, I selected one that was close.


Toilet flush tank leaking into bowl - unable to figure out mechanism

It's a pneumatic valve

https://www.wolseley.co.uk/product/sv93467-pneumatic-dual-flow-valve-15-pc93209-44/

according to this page:
https://plumbsparesdirect.com/store/sv93467-dual-flush-valve

  If the flush valve is letting by water into the pan the most likely problem is that the flush valve washer has failed
  To replace the Ideal Standard flush seal and clip turn off the water and empty the cistern then simply twist the body of the flush valve from the cradle, pull off the worn washer push on the new one twist the body back into the cradle and then refill the cistern
  Please refer to attached diagram for further fitting instructions


What size wire and panel should I use for a garage subpanel?

You haven't stated much about the subpanel in the pool building, and it would be nice to have 100A in the garage given the plans you have, and the plans automakers have for future vehicles.

So I would simply extend the pool circuit as 100A.  You can do that with lugging only - you won't need to add a bulky circuit breaker in the potentially small pool panel, since the 100A main panel breaker feeding the pool will also protect the run to the garage, being all 100A.

100A feeder is typically #1 Aluminum, unless you own a copper mine, in which case #3 copper will suffice.  I'm not a fan of copper because most splice lugs and subpanel lugs are zinc plated aluminum, and why introduce dissimilar metals and pay more for the privilege?

On the garage panel,  I see a need for at least 14 spaces (assuming you graduate to 240V compressor, table saw and welder, plus 4 120V circuits plus two 240V EV chargers.  The worst mistake you can make is short yourself on breaker spaces, so think big - like 30 spaces.  You do need a shutoff switch in the garage subpanel, and usually people just select main-breaker panels but the amp rating doesn't matter. 30 space panels typically have 150-200A main breakers, which is fine.

Never rely on 'double-stuff' breakers to solve full-panel problems.  Most breakers these days need to be AFCI and/or GFCI, and those are simply not available in double-stuff.

It would sure be nice if the pool panel had "thru lugs" for onward connection to the garage.  Think about changing the pool panel for one with thru lugs.


What are the current and voltage limits when determining low vs. high voltage wiring?

National Electrical Code (Article 250.20 section A) defines "Low Voltage" as it applies to home distribution systems as less than 50 volts.

  (A) AC Systems of Less Than 50 V. Alternating-current systems that
  operate at less than 50 V are not required to be grounded unless:
      (1) The primary exceeds 150 V to ground
      (2) The primary is ungrounded

This includes systems such as cable television, network and telephone, doorbell, etc. Note that standard telephone wiring can typically "ring" at 48 volts and still provide an electric shock.

The reason the code makes the distinction for low voltage is so that some types of wiring can be exempt from additional safety requirements such as conduit usage, breakers, installation method, etc. Even so, there are still violations where installers confuse the issue (Top ten violations in low voltage systems PDF).

There are (to my knowledge) no current limits for data lines, except for the rating of the cable itself. Since most UTP network and telco cables use 24 or 26 gauge wire, this would theoretically be around 3.5 amperes, but you have to consider length, temperature, etc. to properly determine current load (discussion at allaboutcircuits).

EDIT

Guessing that you might be wanting to use data lines for higher power applications, I thought I'd add some additional commentary. If you are wanting to use Cat5 for power-over-ethernet applications, you'll probably want to stay under 1A or less per conductor. This is because of the voltage drop and resistance on longer distances. Keep in mind that higher voltages are more suitable for transmission (longer distances) as long as you stay under the 50V "low voltage" specification. Even though charts show that 24AWG can carry 3.5A, I wouldn't consider this safe unless working with a very short cable. Power-over-ethernet standards are confusing, but generally they are 48 volts or less at 600mA or less.

Electrical characteristics (at Wikipedia) for UTP Cat5E show a max current of 0.577A per conductor and a max voltage of 125V.

EDIT 2:

In case the linked list of top ten low-voltage violations dies again, here they are in a nutshell:

Audio cables run in cable trays with other low-voltage cable. [725.56(F)]
Power cords run above ceilings. [400.8(5)]
Cables suspended from a cable tray system. [392.6(J)]
Unlisted broadband backbone cables run inside the building for more than 15 m (50 ft). [820.113 exception 2]
Secondary protection used in lieu of primary protection. [800.90(D)]
Patch cords run in plenum spaces. [800.154(A)]
Low-voltage cables run from multiple output power supplies with outputs not classified as Class 2 installed in the same raceway or cable tray with other low-voltage cables. [725.55(A)]
Ungrounded or improperly grounded primary or secondary protectors. [800.170(A) and (B)]
Unlisted communications cable coming into the building in EMT conduit and extending beyond 15 m (50 ft). [800.2]
Insulated grounding backbone cables run in air-handling spaces in the cable tray. [800.154]


Two appliances fried on same circuit after replacing receptacle. Did I screw up?

From your coments it sounds like you wired things correctly , Not sure ablut "voltage drop" meter I always check the ground to neutral vlotage if it is above ~2V most switching supplys will have problems but not usually fry, however if you have 2 seperate circuits could you have ended up with 220 there, I would double check especially your grounds as it sounded like they may be twisted together and not wirenutted, I would also verify white to silver, black to copper and solid grounds, let us know what you find.


This is a job for an easement, plain and simple.

There's another driveway right next to you that is well-situated.  You need to be as quiet as a mouse about your level of desperation, and just approach that property owner and say "hey having 2 driveways is stupid, couldn't we combine?"  And pay enough money to get a "yes".

Make sure it is an EASEMENT and get a lawyer involved. Easement law is a mess, that's not a thing to DIY.

Moving this pole seems super hard

I suspect moving this pole will be a nightmare, because I see a high voltage (well, 10kv-ish) up top meaning 2 poles must replace this one on the / route, then I see what looks like local lower-voltage service on the \ route, so maybe 1 but probably 2 poles to replace that.  Then I also think I see phone on both routes, and I definitely see what look like phone junction boxes there at the bottom of the pole - 2 of them.  Which means something needs to come in the vicinity of "here", and that may require undergrounding from where else that pole ends up.


Any way to mount this diffuser without screws?

Nothing should ever be mounted just to the drywall. Whenever possible, everything should be mounted directly to the substructure (studs,blocking, etc.) When framing is not available hollow wall anchors should be used, but only in light duty applications. In the case of your vent I would suspect that two sides abut the rafters or joists. Locate them and try to run the mounting screws for your diffuser through the drywall into the structure. If this is not possible, mount some 1x material to the inside of your duct with sheet metal screws and secure the diffuser to that.


A lamp connects to switched-hot and neutral.
The two blacks and a white nutted together are always-hot.  This is not of interest to you, unless you want the lamp on 24x7. Leave it alone.

For your information, there is an obsolete wiring technique called a "switch loop".  This is where power comes into the lamp, and the switch is a spur branch.   It carried 2 wires to the switch: always-hot went to the switch, and switched-hot came back. It goes without saying these two wires are in the same cable.
Since only 2 wires were used, they used common /2 cable, in which the colors are black and white.  White is usually neutral, but not here.   To reduce confusion, the rule is that the always-hot must be white, to make it more obvious to people with voltage testers that this isn't neutral.  The black, then, is switched-hot.

The white in the black bundle goes to a cable.  The black in that cable, which you have not mentioned yet, is the switched-hot.  That connects to the lamp's black wire.
The group of all-white wires are actual neutral.  Those wires are doing important tasks.  However, your lamp needs neutral, so its white needs to be added to that bundle.


How does one clean these filters after 6 months?

You don't. You just remove the fan and build a new 4 filter base. You could remove the bottom and vacuum all the filters to remove some of the dirt but but just replacing would be better. Don't count on this stopping COVID-19.


Where can I purchase push button electrical switches?

Amazon shows them as available. Search for 'push button light switch' to find more variants (including 3 way and dimmer units).


Bathroom and hallway lights keep turning off

If I had this problem the first thing I would do is to check to see if the switches in this application are wired with back stab connections. This type of connection can become unreliable and intermittent. They can be sensitive to vibrations, temperature and even current flow through the wires. Here is what back stab connections look like:

Picture Source

If you have connections like that you should take steps to replace the switches with new ones that have the wires properly installed under the screw terminals like this:

Picture Source

Several things to note:

There are some types of switches that have screw tightened clamp terminals for the wires. With these the wires enter from the back and then the screw is tightened to secure the wire. These are fine to use as well.
The switches shown in the pictures do not show ground wires connected. Your new switches will most likely also have a green screw for a safety ground connection and you should also provide for this.
When working with the switches and open electrical boxes make sure to turn off the circuit breaker that feeds power to this lighting circuit.
Double check any wires for power present with a non-contact electrical tester to make sure that wiring is deenergized before touching or working with connections.
If you feel at all uncomfortable with doing DIY electrical work then do make an appointment with a professional electrician to come do the work for you.


Is there a stronger glue for plastic than superglue?

I have used solvent glues with success in the past, weld on , locktight ,scigrip are brands I use depending on the plastic. You would need to get the super glue residue off first. Since you have had problems and it has been repaired I might try locktight plastic bonding set it uses an activator and a bonder or glue. The solvent type actually melt the plastics and the fuse the pieces together.


Are these red lights on my Honeywell HZ432 why my bedroom isn't blowing in heat?

I had one of these units in a two story house, and the red LED means that zone is closed, a green light means that it is open.  So, for the panel on the left, the system is calling for heat, and only the Zone 3 damper is open (so the Zone 3 thermostat is the one calling for stage 1 heat.

If any of the zone lights are blinking (may blink amber color), then there is a problem with one of the damper motors.

Here is a link to a PDF manual if you want to know more about it, but once they are set up, they don't require any maintenance.  You can test all the functions to troubleshoot things, but right now it seems to be working correctly.


Why does my circuit breaker keep tripping?

First choice:  Call a licensed electrician.
Second choice: Find all the outlets and lights which are affected by the breaker.  Start with the one closest to the panel.  Open them all up and visually inspect.  If nothing is seen, turn on the breaker with everything opened up - does it still trip. Sometimes movement in the boxes will re-position wires and remove a short.
If you still have a problem, start removing sections from the circuit - i.e., disconnect them from the line. Start in the middle - check breaker if no more tripping your problem is down line from that point.  Get the idea?


Should I use glue or o-ring joints on a buried PVC waste pipe?

Typically, o-ring fittings are used for larger diameter pipes (4 inch and larger) where the runs consist of longer distances with a low density of fittings. Examples would be outside of the building civil work and inside (below grade) storm drainage.

When you have smaller diameter pipes and a high density of fittings, such as a bathroom group, glue fittings would be used.

Some advantages of o-ring fittings are:

fittings can be reused
quicker to install for large diameter pipes (> 6")
no time constraint for adjustment of fittings

Some advantages of glue fittings are:

fittings stay in the place they were set to
available for small diameter pipes
quicker to install when there is a high density of fittings


Is "cutting in" necessary when painting vinyl siding?

You obviously have to coat the bottom face of each lap. How you do that is at your discretion, but full-size rollers don't make it easy. You'd need a big, sloppy paint load to get good coverage, and this leads to dripping and splatter.

I've traditionally used a brush for the undersides. Do that first, then roll over the brush marks on the vertical face. Don't work in direct sunshine if you can help it, since latex dries quickly and you won't get the brush marks rolled out well.

There's a plethora of edger devices out there. Some may be worth a try. There are no rules about this sort of thing, so use what works for you.


Is NM (Romex) wiring ok for a shop wired in 2006?

Determining whether NM cabling is permissible can be surprisingly difficult.

In my opinion, if this is an outbuilding to a residence, it's cut and dried:

  334.10 Uses Permitted. Type NM, Type NMC, and Type
  NMS cables shall be permitted to be used in the following:

  (1) One- and two-family dwellings and their attached or
  detached garages, and their storage buildings.

As long as you don't go afoul of 334.12 Uses Not Permitted (service conductors, embed in concrete, wet locations, etc.) NM is OK for single family dwellings, garages, outbuildings.

However, in reality there can be complications.  Again in my opinion there should not be in this simple case, but often there are complications, disputes, disagreements, etc.  For other than single family dwellings / outbuildings, the actual rules are convoluted involving building code construction type classifications, occupancy classifications, and the NEC.  Electricians, engineers, architects, and inspectors trip up on and argue over this stuff all the time.

In your situation, my concerns would be

safety
issues with buyer's inspection when you sell in the future

With respect to safety, properly installed, NM in a metal building is code compliant and generally safe, there's no reason for concern just because there's NM.  If it isn't installed in a manner such that it's protected from the sharp edges of the metal, that can be a concern.  The stuff that's stapled to the floor that's being used for storage sounds like a legitimate concern, but should be fairly easy to correct.

With respect to a future sale, since the NM is code compliant, you shouldn't have to worry about much.  You only have to worry about a future home inspector, working for a prospective buyer, that doesn't understand the rules.  The buyer's home inspector may think NM is not permitted in metal buildings and put that on his inspection report for the buyer.

If that happens, you can only try to refute the buyer's inspection report.  You could show them the applicable code section.  You could have your own inspector or engineer write up a formal report explaining why NM is OK.  You also may be able to refer to the permit and inspection records for the property with the local code enforcement.


If your pipes are not copper or are galvanized there could be blockage due to interior of pipe rusting/corroding. With that in mind, check your faucet aerator for restrictions made from debris build-up. It would be wise to invest in a water pressure gauge so as to check pressure at several locations. Most household water pressure is between 60 and 70 psi. Also look for forgotten/hidden valves that are partially open.


Just to clarify, a Toe Touch Stopper is smooth topped & doesn't have a knob on top to just pop up & down with no turning to engage. Yours is probably a 2-piece pop-up where the decorative coin-thick cover that must unscrew first.

Plan A - You can push or hold the stopper down & try to just use finger or palm friction to unscrew the thin top cap off. If that doesn't do it, then you need either a screwdriver or Needle Nose Pliers, along with a Large Plier, Monkey Wrench or Channel Lock Plier.

Plan B - With the Screwdriver, you would just press the head of the screwdriver firmly against the internal shaft to provide some minor resistance to spinning & then unscrew the stopper's cap by hand or by dropping a cloth on the drain cap to protect its finish & use the Large Pliers to spin the cap off.

Plan C - With the Needle Nose Pliers you would hold the internal shaft stationary & then drop a cloth on the drain cap to protect its finish & use the Large Pliers to spin the cap off.

With the cap off, a large screw should be revealed. You can replace the sealing washer here & screw the cap back on. If you're replacing the entire stopper, then you'll unscrew this large screw with the screwdriver & remove the rest of the stopper.


How can I waterproof wall sheathing along concrete steps?

Well, you aren't going to keep all the water out. The builder should've applied a water barrier before pouring the concrete. You'll have to decide whether the sheathing is degraded enough that you need to replace it. Here's what I'd do (after letting everything dry out well):

Procure some flexible waterproof membrane such as ice and water shield or window flashing tape. It should be gummy on the back side so it bonds to itself and seals around fasteners.
Apply it to the sheathing along the concrete, tight to the joint. Use staples along the top and wherever needed to hold it securely to the sheathing. It should run up the wall at least 6" or whatever space is available.
Caulk the membrane/concrete joint with a high-quality caulk. Silicone is ok. Latex is not. Urethane is better. Create a substantial, coved bead, but try to keep it small enough that it'll be hidden under the j-channel. Use masking tape on the concrete 1/2" away from the sheathing if you like.
Reinstall your siding.


Shaving off wood in 4"x4" to fit ez base?

The best option in hand tooling is a wide rasp. However given the eye-popping price of quality hand tools and the wide availability of cheap power tools either an electric router or hand held belt sander make reasonable alternatives.

If you need to take off more than millimeters the time honored approach is to make a bunch of cross cuts with a circular saw set to a shallow depth, then knock off the resulting "fins" with a chisel.


If it were my home, I would use paper faced batts, with the stapling flange set to the side of the studs, so the edge of the flange is flush or near flush with the face of the stud. Insulation that needs to be cut, cut it 1" longer than the space so it fills the cavity completely and give a stapling edge for one side. At the top and bottom, it will certainly fill the cavity there, giving that little extra in length.
If the stud cavity is 3 5/8" deep, you could fins R-13 insulation to go in there. Compressing R-19 will waste money thinking it will give better R value. If the cavities are 5 1/2" deep, then by all means, use R-19.


Overlap When Painting Stripes: Can I Sand?

Sure, no problem there as long as you get what you want. Or, you can very lightly & precisely cut or score it along a straight-edge with a razor blade & peel it off. Or, even very carefully paint white over any bleeding fissures.


Is this a correct installation for a doorbell transformer

The transformer is in a box so it’s not horrible but normally a doorbell transformer is mounted outside the box , the 120v connections made inside and the low voltage connections made outside the box.
In this case both high and low voltage are in the same compartment , that would not fly in my jurisdiction with out a non conductive shield (plastic insulator dividing the hv / lv. Unless the MFG instructions directed it done that way.


Modern half-bath copper DWV configuration

As I understand it, you are mainly just irked by not having combo-wye fittings.  Well, a combo-wye (short for combination wye and 8th bend) is nothing more than a normal wye with a street 45 bend (male AKA spigot on one side, female AKA hub on the other).  What you would do is solder the 45 into the hub of the wye, and, there you have it: a combo-wye.

The toilet vent can be downstream of the drain.  In fact, the IPC will say that it can be as much as 12 feet away if your pipe slope is 1/8" per foot.  That may be your easiest option:  Tie the toilet vent and toilet drain in separately.


Can I remove a furnace compartment vent that's obstructing roof repair?

It could be an intake. Furnaces require combustion air, which can only be taken from certain sources.  If the furnace is in a utility closet (or surrounded by living space), the pipe could be supplying combustion air.  If this is the case, it cannot be removed.

Without more detail, it's impossible to definitively answer this question.


You did not mention the material of the drum so I assume it is not Stainless Steel.

  Are you sure of the problem - because sometimes the lining around the
  drum at the opening itself wears and allows clothes to get snagged
  between drum and frame.

If it really is the drum you could replace the drum with a new drum, or Replace the dryer with a unit that has a Stainless Steel tub. I know it is a bit more $$ wise but things like knives and such are not going to simply cut into it.


Do we need steel beams when installing an Egress Window

In my area, qualified engineers are required to review modifications to building structures. From my experience, if the contractor is worried about the strength of something, there is probably good reason to have it reviewed by an engineer.

Also a 12' high basement wall is no small item, openings place in it can cause issues if not done properly.

As Joe and others have mentioned, often times when placing new openings in existing concrete or cmu walls, two different load carry elements are compromised.

Vertical Carry Capacity. This is where steel lintels are used to carry the wall above that was previously carried by the wall that is being removed.
Lateral Load Carry Capacity. Basement walls are designed to carry pressure perpendicular to their surface. Be it from wind, soil, water, or seismic. Openings (full height or partial height) create a weakness that must be compensated for. Steel beams (running vertically from foundation to floor system above) can be used to support the weakness created by placement of a new openings.

Personally I would insist that a qualified professional review any modifications of this type. They can gather the necessary information (something we cannot do here), and make the correct judgement call. This way you can get your second opinion, check the contractor, and rest easy knowing that your home is going to be safe.


Why is my timer tripping the breaker on my pool filters power cable?

Switching GFCIs line-side tends to make them a bit cross

Plug-type GFCI devices revert to the "tripped" state when unpowered, unlike receptacle-type designs, which mechanically latch in both "tripped" and "untripped" states.  This was done to allow them to protect against an open neutral, which'd otherwise defeat the GFCI protection and make it impossible for it to trip.

However, this makes them incompatible with being switched on the line side, as you see here.  The solution is to move the GFCI protection to a location upstream of the timer -- GFCI breakers are ideal here, but a receptacle or deadfront GFCI can be used upstream of wherever the switch or timer is.  Once you've done this, you'll have to remove the GFCI plug from the end of the plug-in pool's cord and replace it with a regular plug, with a big note on it saying "FOR USE IN GFCI PROTECTED OUTLETS ONLY".

Either that, or you can remove the plug and wire it into a timer that's then wired in series with another length of appropriate cordage that is terminated in the existing GFCI plug, effectively moving the existing GFCI upstream of the timer...


Is using epoxy this way on a kitchen sink installation/repair acceptable?

Considering you are having a problem and this unit was installed professionally and has a warranty on it. Call them back out to fix the thing right . If it had screws to retain it and one broke off on installation and now they need to fix it - too bad for them - they should fix it - why should you have to live with a problem or potential problems - you probably worked hard for your money - depends on how much you value what you paid for.

What I am guessing (from my experience) is that there was a mounting screw attached to the sink that held it in place and the screw popped off the sink itself - of course there could have been a metal piece attached to the quartz as well usually with an epoxy.

  What does the other mount side look like a picture of that would
  make it easier for people to know exactly what you are talking about. There should be at least 2 mounts if not 4.

I would call them back and say hey I have a problem and I thought to go fix it myself but this is what I found .. I want the thing fixed and fixed right. Where fixed right means you should not have a problem with it - especially with in one year!

EDIT 11/15/2017
Using your posted picture I wanted to outline something I noticed .. notice the ring outline near the repair - in your second photo with a correct mount shown you can see the metal ring - in the first photo you posted you see an outline where something was but it is gone - I am thinking the fish docks are wafting some air - smells fishy to me.


Do I need to level the outdoor AC cooling unit?

It should be as level as possible. The previous posts make good mention of rubber mat 6x6" squares and careful approach to only tip the unit as little as possible not to kink any lines. If you don't hire a professional and aren't confident by yourself to address the issue, having a second person watch the lines while you tip can save much potential trouble. Previous information from these posts also generate ambiguity over the importance of having the unit level in regards to the compressor. Leveling the unit will terminate any ambiguity. An additional concern not previously adressed is the compressor and/or fan bearings. An off level unit will put additional unintended mechanical stress/strain on these rotating components long-term. Therefore for best performance and longevity of your unit, level it and take special precautions in the process.


How can I cheaply refresh parquet in an apartment?

It really depends how clean the floor is.  Particularly where the finish (laquer) has worn off.  The purpose of sanding off the finish, as well as a thin layer of wood is to produce a clean, new floor look.

However, it seems that you are trying to just make it livable, not brand new. Here's what I'd do:

Mop the floor well, with some bleach in the water.  This will clean up some of the wood.
Let the floor dry completely.
Sand with whatever tools you have.  It would be easiest with one of these: Drywall pole sander  if you don't have any power tools.
Smooth out any obvious bumps, but simply just try to rough up the existing finish so the new finish will adhere.
Refinish.


Why does the pilot light in my propane heater go out when turned up?

A pilot light has a thermocouple that sits near the pilot flame, its tip impinging upon the pilot flame.
A temperature differential across the thermocouple from tip to base creates a small electrical voltage 30 mv that energizes the pilot valve that you manually depress to light the pilot light, after 30 seconds or so the thermocouple begins making 30 mv which energizes an electromagnet in the gas valve that hold the pilot valve open once you stop depressing the button to light the pilot.
When a thermocouple gets old or is placed to far into the pilot flame making the entire thermocouple hot with no temperature differential across the thermocouple from its tip to its base.
Sometimes the pilot flame will be turned up thinking adding more heat to the thermocouple makes it stronger when it is opposite, once the entire thermocouple is hot no temperature differential exists and it stops making the 30 mv and the pilot valve will drop out.
The thermocouple proves a pilot flame exists by creating 30 mv and holding the pilot valve open which allows the main burners to run safely.
The thermocouple is a flame proving device if it has not been recently adjusted or installed it likely needs replacement, not as often the electromagnet in the gas valve gets weak and fails as described as well.


Stop water pooling on a shower pocket shelf?

Short of taking the shelf up (which might not be possible depending on the relationship of the shelf to the wall stone, and will probably be difficult in any case) you are going to need to cut channels into the surface, as it has been (improperly, by my lights) installed flat, rather than properly sloped to drain.

If you can get the shelf out intact (or not intact, and you get a replacement) you can shape the mortar bed to let the shelf self-drain without surface cuts.

Fortunately marble is pretty easy to cut channels into, as stone or tile goes. Granite or porcelain tile would be a lot more difficult to modify in this way. Make sure that the channels are angled to drain (deep on the shower side, shallow towards the rear.)


Can different gauge wiring be used in the same circuit?

The OP has a great reason for using 12 ga. wire.  He already has some on hand, so using it is cheaper than going to get new 14 ga. wire.  It's perfectly safe to use it.  Don't worry about confusing future workers.  If they want to add something to the circuit, they will have to go turn off the circuit breaker first, and then they will see they are working with a 15 amp circuit.   Then, if they have any brains / experience at all, they will see that there is 14 gauge wire hooked up to that 15 amp circuit breaker, so they will know not to upgrade it to a 20 amp breaker.  Your plan is perfectly fine.


Do fluorescent fixtures rated for "Through Wiring" exist?

There should be a stamp/label on the fixture similar to

  MAXIMUM OF 8 NO 12 AWG THROUGH BRANCH CIRCUIT CONDUCTORS SUITABLE FOR AT LEAST 90°C PERMITTED IN BOX (4 IN 4 OUT).

Not sure that would be listed anywhere if you're shopping online, as most websites aren't great at describing products. Surely if you went to a physical store, you could inspect the fixture for the marking. You might also be able to find this information on the manufacturer's website, in their catalog, or by contacting them directly.


Why are my smoke detectors going off when I cook?

The obvious (but ultimately unhelpful) answer is that the heat/smoke from your cooking is setting off the alarm. So what you have to do is reduce the heat/smoke getting to the alarm.

There are a number of things you can do:

If you don't have a smoke alarm in the kitchen close the door while cooking. This will stop the fumes reaching the detector.
Use the cooker hood's extractor fan to help divert the fumes. If it doesn't have one, consider fitting one.
If you have a smoke alarm in the kitchen make sure it's of a suitable type. The standard ones are (quite rightly) designed to be sensitive to any smoke/heat. A kitchen one will be less sensitive to heat (for example).
Clean your cooker. This might reduce the particles being emitted. You might not be able to see them, but they are there.


How to precisely measure pipe inner diameter using digital Vernier caliper?

A few approaches:

Place a piece of paper or aluminum foil over the end and tape it in place so it doesn't move.  Press around the edge with your finger to emboss the inside edge into the paper/foil.  It should create a sharp edge.  Remove the paper/foil, and you have something you can easily measure by normal means.

Variation on the theme: make a "cushion" of compressible material (e.g., sheet of closed-cell foam or "felt", styrofoam, or even many layers of paper towel), and put the paper or foil on top.  Press the end of the tube onto the paper/foil, and it will leave an embossed ring that you can measure.
Use the end of the pipe like a big rubber stamp.  Apply slow-drying ink, like stamp pad ink, to the edge and press it against a sheet of paper.  It will leave an ink ring you can measure.  Variation: if you can still find carbon paper (as used eons ago with typewriters), put it face down on a piece of paper and press the end of the pipe against it.  It will leave a ring you can measure.
Measure the inside diameter roughly with a ruler.  Use a slightly larger hole saw to drill out an oversized plug, which will also have a hole in the center.  Use the hole to mount the plug to a shaft that you insert into a drill, drill press, or lathe, depending on what you have available.  With the disk spinning, sand it down until it just fits into the pipe.  That gives you a solid object to measure by normal means.

An alternative is to use a sheet of similar plastic material as your 3D printer filament.  Once you have a good fitting plug, just use it.  Fasten, weld, or bond it to your 3D part.

To ensure you're measuring the diameter by any of these methods, place the paper with the circle on a piece of wood or some layers of cardboard.  Stick a pin through the circle line at any point.  Align a ruler with the circle inside edge at that point at a major division on the ruler.  Swing the ruler across the circle until you find the maximum dimension on the other side of the circle.  That will be the diameter.  If you are concerned that the pipe might not be perfectly symmetrical, repeat the process roughly 90 degrees from the first point.


How can I prevent insects from entering my house? How can I find their entry point?

Get an IR camera.  You should be able to find cracks/leaks/whatever real easy.  Unfortunately IR cameras aren't cheap, so perhaps you can call a HERS guy to come over with one and pay him $100 for his trouble.

If that fails, I suppose you could fill your house up with a smoke machine and attach a blower door (you'd need the help of a HERS guy again)... or just use a smoke pencil.


How to open this smoke detector in order to change battery?

My suggestion is that you try pressing in (or up) on these two tabs:

And then that the lower part of the unit will hinge down. The hinge edge being along here:


How do I troubleshoot noisy power lines for power-line networking?

You could start by turning off circuits at the service panel one at a time until the noise level drops.  Once you have it isolated to a particular circuit, turn off or unplug devices until you find what's causing it.  The usual suspects for electrical noise in houses would be motors -- fridges, washers, etc. -- and fluorescent lights generally the 4' or 8' long tubes with magnetic ballasts, less so with CFLs (see Brian's comment below), so you should start with those circuits first.

If you can't isolate the problem that way, and if you can power your networking equipment from batteries (laptops, UPS, etc.) you could turn off the main breaker to the house and see if the problem is inherent to the wiring or environment.


What is the cleanest way to trim the drywall around this electrical box?

I ended up following suggestions from @PlatinumGoose and @Stanwood by extending the electrical box lower using a 2x8 cut to fit, as well as a electrical box extender.


Metal columns in basement span two beams

It is okay for a steel column to support two separate beams, but the steel plate on the top of your column isn't designed to do that.

The builder should have added a column cap on top of the column, and I suggest adding one now. You basically need to jack up both beams so you have a small gap, and then push the column cap in there and release the jacks. If that's something that sounds way over your head, a remodeling contractor should have experience doing stuff like that.

It looks like you have a 2 ply beam, then a 1" gap, then a 3 ply beam. Is that correct? That should be around 8.5" wide, and a Simpson CCOQ9-SDS2.5 is 8.875" wide so that should work here. People usually weld this to the top of the steel plate on the column, but however you attach it to the column will be better than what you currently have.

The column cap I referenced is 1/4" thick (3 gauge steel), so that's enough of a height difference that you would probably want to replace the steel column with a shorter one, and also center it better while you're replacing it. You could probably cut 1/4" off your current one and weld the column cap to it, but just do whatever is easier or seems safer. On the other hand, raising everything 1/4" might not be a big deal to you.

https://www.strongtie.com/sdsscrewcolumncaps_columncaps/ccq-eccq_productgroup_wcc/p/ccq.eccq


You need to add a relay to the system to independently operate the fan separate from the heat.

The simplest way is to buy a new high voltage 120VAC (20-30 Amp?) heavy duty relay/contactor that switches with a 24VAC control voltage and connect both relays to the high voltage circulation fan. If either relay is on the fan gets power. The existing fan relay will power the fan when you call for heat, and the new fan relay will power the fan when you call for fan only.

If you don't add a relay and still somehow hook it up, your heat will probably turn on every time it calls for fan only.


Chain saws have what is called a diaphragm carburetor as opposed to the carburetor with a float. The float bowl in those types hold gas and need to be drained and usually have a drain plug. The carb on the saw  holds very little gas so just run it until it conks out for lack of gas.


I borrowed this image from Wikipedia.

1-is the primary contact all bulbs have

2-is the secondary contact for 3-way bulbs

3-neutral


Want to solidly fill gap between concrete and exterior door plate

Personally, I would use plastic shims and simply caulk the front with a solid color to hide the gap.


Do I need one zone valve for each thermostat on a gas boiler?

If you have 5 zones (thermostats), then you need some mechanism to control which zones are receiving a flow of hot water. There are two typical ways to handle multiple zones with hot water heat:

Use a single circulator pump, plus one valve for each zone. The boiler and pump runs whenever any zone is calling for heat, but the valve controller only opens the relevant valves to allow water to flow to the calling zone(s).
Use a pump for each zone. When zone(s) call for heat, the zone controller triggers the boiler to run and powers the relevant pumps.

There can be some variation from these, especially if your boiler also heats your domestic hot water, but most systems will use either pumps or valves for zone control.

Also note that the valves or circulators used for zoning control are not really part of the boiler. They're attached of course, both to the plumbing and to electronically control the boiler, but are designed and installed per the needs of your home. And while they're typically located near the boiler, they could be elsewhere in your home, perhaps near your radiators.


You can buy special metal brackets for roof tiles:

Most of the roofs I have seen have used nails, and only in certain places, relying for the most part on the friction and weight of the roof tiles to hold them in place.  Whether brackets are required depends on wind speed, wind direction, subroof type, roof angle, roof shape, height, and other factors.

Regardless of whether you use brackets, nails, or screws, they must be stainless, galvanized, or otherwise protected from corrosion.  Nails must have ring-threaded shanks.

(Source: manufacturer's instructions for various roof tiles sold in Norway.  Check your local building codes and the instructions provided by the manufacturer of your roof tiles.)


Will a short length of smaller size pipe affect flow rate or pressure?

You're right to be suspicious. I'm not sure about code, but to me this just looks unprofessional. Narrower pipe does result in pressure and flow loss. Expansion also has the potential to create eddy currents which could accelerate erosion of fittings on the output side of the final 1" fitting... that said, contraction/expansion happens normally at most fittings anyway. The good news is, this is such a short section of pipe, that even if you absolutely require a 1" main the effect is entirely negligible. Since you effectively have a 3/4" main inside the house, doubly so.


The answer is "clean walls AND paint," if you're going to paint at all. Even if you do decide to paint over a stain you can't remove, you still need to clean the wall to make sure the paint adheres properly.

I use TSP to wipe down the walls or surfaces prior to repainting. It cuts the level of surface gloss, really cuts through grease, and gives you a nice clean surface for new paint - all with a quick wipe down and minimal scrubbing.


Flooring Options for Basement with Uneven Concrete Slab

Another option:
Self levelling low-spots only, and optionally adding plywood to smoothen the rest.
"self levelling" cement is not liquid as you think and you can apply it in patches without worrying that it will run like water. You have some troweling time to work low areas as large as say 5x5 ft.


What should I do about nails that are protruding through the soffit?

That's actually pretty professional of the Roofer & should work out fine, putty really does do an amazing job. However, see if the Roofer might go for one more step & put up a face or crown-molding that may result in an overall improvement.


Some tripped breakers do not appear tripped - they don't flip all the way to OFF. Try flipping off and then back on again all breakers you think might be the one.


Judging by the picture and your description I'd say those are indeed the adjustment screws that raise and lower the rail of threshold (the part that makes the seal with the bottom of the door). If the door is installed normally removing these will not help you remove the threshold. It will be attached to the jamb via screws that run through the jamb into the threshold and it will be silicon-ed down to the rough opening. Here's a link that shows the basic anatomy of removing and installing a threshold in place. The guy clearly doesn't know what he's doing but the pictures are pretty good. It is certainly debatable whether or not its more efficient to remove/replace the threshold in place or just pull the whole jamb and replace the threshold with the jamb out.


Can I use a Sharkbite connector to join copper to rubber pipe?

SharkBite® only officially supports 4 types of pipe, according to the FAQ

Q:  What types of pipe can SharkBite fittings be used with?
A:  SharkBite fittings are certified for use with:

Copper pipe hard drawn Type K, L and M and annealed Type M not to exceed 3/8 nominal, complying with ASTM B88
PEX pipe complying with ASTM F 876 or CSA B137.5
CPVC pipe complying with ASTM D 2846 or CSA B137.6
PE-RT pipe complying with ASTM F 276

If you're trying to use the fittings with other types of pipe or tube, there's no guarantee that it will work.

If you're plumbing a drinking fountain, you'll want to make sure you use materials listed and labeled for use with potable water. "Rubber hose" is not a technical term, so there's no way to tell what type of pipe it actually is. So before you continue this project, you'll want to figure out exactly what type of pipe you're using, and make sure it's safe to use with drinking water.
Since this fixture is going to be outside, you also might want to consider installing a check valve somewhere on the supply plumbing. This is done to protect the rest of the water supply, to help reduce the risk of contamination.


Did you check to make sure the bulbs were rated to be used base up? Not all of them are.


Gas stove sparks but won’t light. No gas smell either.

I started this as a comment, but it started getting long, so here goes.

Without more detail and pictures, I would recommend calling in a local expert to look things over, just on the basis of not having you taking a half-baked, uninformed guess from an anonymous person on the Internet as a reliable answer.

Having said that and meaning it...

Is there a control lockout feature on your stove? That would prevent it from supplying gas to the burners (leaking gas into your residence) after a power loss.

Is there a gas valve on the stove itself that got turned?

Otherwise, you probably just have the gas shutoff valve for the stove turned off. Typically (unless it's old), a gas valve will have a yellow handle or knob, or possibly a red or plain brass one. But it will tend to be a valve that rotates just 90 degrees rather than a round knob that you turn multiple times to open or close the valve. Although, it could be a rotary valve.

If it is a newer 90 degree valve and installed correctly, it will be open if the handle is aligned with the pipe, and closed if the handle is perpendicular to the pipe. Although, another caveat, there are also valves built on elbow fittings. I've attached a couple of example images below.

Offhand, it sounds like there just isn't any gas getting to the burners on your stove. Any link to the bidet is probably incidental, since you already know that you were turning both water and gas supply knobs around the house trying to make the water stop. I doubt that your bidet has its own gas supply, and the "flexy tube" is probably just water, right?

You should have a separate gas valve for each gas-fired appliance, somewhere close to the appliance. You have to be able to turn the gas off for just the stove so that it can be disconnected and removed (maintenance, replacement, etc.) without turning the gas off for all the other appliances in the residence. The gas shutoff valve for the stove should be somewhere near the stove so that if you disconnect it, you aren't evacuating all of the gas in the line between the stove and the main gas valve into the residence.

You could easily have the main gas supply valve open, have the gas valve for the water heater open, but have the gas valve for the stove closed.


Small pieces of trim on each tread and each riser would do nicely to hide those gaps. They'll be pretty fiddly to get a nice joint where horizontal meets vertical - you'll want cope those joints so they stay nice looking and don't open up over time.
Based on this picture, I would agree that they're not "real" wood. Where that paint has come off, it looks like MDF. Even with paint on them, I'm not sure how well they'll take the daily abuse of being walked on. The carpet protected them from wear, but the paint may not take the abuse as well. If you're going to remove the carpeting, you'll probably want to replace the treads with solid wood. The risers should be OK remaining MDF, if that's what they're made of.
Also, be aware that paint can be very slippery, especially glossy paints. You'll want to look at something that's specifically designed for floors, or something that you can add some fine sand or grit to in order to give traction. You don't want increase the chances of someone slipping on the stairs, tumbling down, and landing on that tile at the bottom.


LED T8 tubes: plug-and-play or direct-wire?

Direct wire.    Worst case you have to change a lampholder.

Plug-n-play doesn't allow a ballast, it requires a ballast!  And of a specific type - if the fixture has the wrong type, you would have the ignominious task of buying a new ballast and also possibly change lampholders too.  It's one more thing to maintain.


The left-hand part of the Ethernet connection is commonly called a keystone jack or a keystone module. All brands look more-or-less the same, but (to my knowledge) there isn't any formal industry standardization on the dimensions. One can rest assured that Leviton jacks will fit nicely into Leviton brand wall plates, but a Leviton brand jack might not fit so well into an unbranded wall plate from Amazon (purely as an example -- I can't tell from the photo what brand of jack it is).

You can try a wall plate such as the one linked. There's a fair chance the existing jack will fit well enough. If it doesn't, you can try again with another brand of wall plate or buy a jack and plate that are known to work together and replace the existing jack.


Can you "refresh" half-dried concrete just by mixing in water?

Depends on what it will be used for as the reaction has already started. If it is for fence posts it will be fine, if it is for a smooth drive then not.


Should I add Floetrol / XIM Latex Extender to my Exterior Acrylic Latex Paint?

Rules that I live by for painting doors:

always paint in the shade, and not when it is too hot (>75°F)
always remove doors and lay flat for painting
always brush doors, no rollers (unless "back-rolling" after brushing, for texture)
do not skimp on paint when applying
always maintain a "wet edge"
always use professional grade brushes- emphasis intentional, this makes all the difference

You purchased top grade paint, there should be no need for additives at all.


Why do some LED lights go dim while others go out completely?

Because it's not enough to have an LED rated dimmer.  You also need dimmer-rated LEDs.

What's happening is the dimmer needs to power itself.  Some dimmers power themselves by using a neutral wire.  But those which don't, power themselves by leaking a small amount of current through the light bulbs.  Historically, incandescent bulbs didn't mind that.  However, the more efficient LEDs see a small trickle of power as a command to "come on slightly".  Many LEDs made for dimming have an extra circuit to cope with this.

You should also check your dimmer to see if it has a "hard off setting". Some dimmers have a smooth range in the dimming zone, but if you push harder, you will click past a detent, and into a "hard off" setting.  That setting is to allow you to safely change light bulbs without getting nailed.


Replace a single wall swich (controls light and fan) with a decora dual switch

You don't have enough wires for a double switch
You don't have enough wires in the wall for a double switch, unfortunately.  You'd need a /3 cable (black, red, white, bare) for that, but you only have a /2 cable (black, white, bare), and all the wires in that cable are already spoken for.
Maestro to the rescue!
However, Lutron makes a solution for this problem in their Maestro product line; namely, a fan/light controller that uses powerline signaling to communicate with a canopy receiver module.  You'll want to get a MA-LFQM or MA-LFQHW in the appropriate color (WH for white or LA for light almond, for instance), and install it according to the included instructions.


How can I make my woodworking project square?

Having screwed it together, and as importantly made the holes for the screws, you may need to remake one or more pieces of this frame, or choose new locations for the screws.

In some cases, one can put a clap across a diagonal of a frame to draw it into square if it is not racked too badly. Then new parts of the frame can help to keep it all in the desired shape.

Clamp it up carefully BEFORE you put in those screws. Make sure that everything is in its proper place and stays that way. A large part of doing fine woodworking well is in how much care you take in the small stuff.


Wiring help for a Switch with LED Guide Light

Yes, the white wire is required for the light built into the switch to work.  It does not affect the switching of the bathroom light.  You will need to create a pigtail (a short piece [6-8"] of wire connected to the two in the box) to join to your switch.

In you picture, the red wire going to the switch is the load, and the black wire is the hot.


How can plywood edges be finished to conceal the plies?

Try iron-on edge banding. Iron it on (you will have excess probably) and then trim the excess. You can usually get it pretty close to the color of your stain that you choose.


They probably have a few names, but I've always called them shelf cleats.

There's no real trick to them...they are exactly as you describe: strips of wood attached to the wall for a board (the shelf) to rest upon.

You typically want them on 3 walls, though (sides and back). Without the back cleat, your shelf will likely sag with any weight on it.

Make sure they are anchored through wall into the studs.

I will often add a piece to the front of the shelf the same depth as the cleats to give the front of the shelf a finished look and also strengthen the shelf.


Can I tape rather than glue buried PVC conduit to make pulling wires easier?

This sounds like you don't know much about conduit, and you're proceeding anyway, which will produce a homebrew hatchet job.  Don't do it.  Follow Code, and skill up as needed.
PVC conduit must be buried with 18" of cover.  If you don't want to dig that far, use Rigid Metal Conduit  (RMC or IMC) which requires 6" of cover.  Cover means dirt on top of pipe.
I don't really care if PVC is glued (Code disagrees). Water WILL get in.  However, you'll want to glue it in the places where pulling forces will tend to pull it apart. The PVC needs to be stoutly anchored so pulling forces move the wire instead of move the conduit.
You must use outdoor rated wire for runs outdoors in conduit. Water WILL get in, can't be avoided; one outfit laid a conduit for a race-track in high ground (well above the water table).  Sealed well, no rain, but the next day they pulled over a gallon of water out of the pipe.  Condensation.
You are not allowed to use PVC water pipe for electrical, it must be PVC electrical conduit.  They don't make tight bends for that, they only make broad sweeps and conduit bodies.   ...That tells me the "the multiple tight bends I need to implement" refer to either plumbing elbows, or improper use of conduit bodies.  I've seen somebody push a "pulling elbow" type conduit body into a corner, access panel facing the wall, because the person was unaware of the existence of either sweeps or LR conduit bodies, or the purpose of that access cover.
To repeat, conduit must be pullable!  Don't build anything you can't pull wires into later!
You must assemble the entire conduit COMPLETE before pulling any wires into it.  Needless to say, the cheesehead who faced the pulling elbow into the wall assembled the conduit around the wires.  Had to redo all of it, and had to scrap expensive wire since it was glued.  If that's your motivation for trying to avoid gluing, then reboot your thinking about how conduit works.
As far as pulling around "multiple tight bends", you are only allowed four 90 degree sweeps in between pulling points such as conduit bodies or junction boxes.  You MUST make full use of pulling points; you cannot pull around their corners (that will shred the wire insulation). Further, all pulling point covers must be accessible at all times forever without removing any building finish or disassembling any part of the building. You are allowed to block them in with movable things like file cabinets, but not built-in cabinets.
If you are doing everything right and are still concerned with pulling forces being excessive, then I have several tips.

Use individual wires, NOT cable.  A very common "conduit novice" move is to believe that the only type of electrical wire is cable, and therefore, try to chicken-choke cables down conduit.  This is legal, but really, really hard.. and this difficulty is likely to fail the project and force them to bring in a real electrician with a truck full of pulling tools.  Pros don't pull cables, they pull individual wires.  Next time you're at a home store, find a spool of #12 stranded THHN.  Wouldn't you rather pull four of those? :) Yeah :) Also, these individual wires take much smaller conduit - 6/3 UF requires 2" conduit, four THHN wires fit in 3/4" conduit.
Use stranded, not solid.  All else being equal, #12 stranded THHN is much easier to pull than #12 solid THHN.   Yes, it's a PitA to put on screw terminals; don't - pigtail it to solid.
Use fewer sweeps.  Code requires no more than four 90 degree sweeps between pulling points.  For novices I strongly recommend 1 or at most 2.    (pretty much can't avoid 2 on an underground run).
Use bigger conduit. The same wire will pull easier in a larger conduit - i.e. don't push the limits of conduit fill.  If you are forced into multiple sweeps underground, go extra bigger.  Nobody ever wrote in here going "I need bigger feeder wires to my outbuilding, but my conduit has plenty of extra room. What do I do???"


Connect the green wire to the G terminal in the furnace, and the other end of that wire to the G terminal on the thermostat. Connect one of the black wires to the W terminal in the furnace, with the other end of the wire connected to the W terminal on the thermostat. Then connect one of the red wires to the R terminal in the furnace, and the other end to the Rh terminal on the thermostat. If it's a fancy WiFi thermostat, you could connect the other red wire to the COM terminal in the furnace, with the other end of the wire to the C terminal on the thermostat

If you ever add A/C, you'll connect a jumper between Rh and Rc at the thermostat. Then you'll run a wire from the Y terminal in the furnace, to the Y wire on the thermostat


Your plan to use polyiso foam board will work, but you must be absolutely sure to perfectly air-seal the insulation so that humid summer air cannot reach the cold metal duct surface. The only advantage of the spray foam approach is that it's easier to get this air seal. But you can get it with foam board using canned foam, tape, and caulk, it's just harder.


What to use to fill a gap where the metal face of the wood burning fireplace meets?

I have used rock wool around stove and fireplace inserts to close up air leaks, it is about the best in my opinion for this some stoves use it in the fire box above heat pipes to channel the heat and it lasts quite a while in there.


The easiest thing to do, would be to wire it up like this.

Grounding conductors excluded for simplicity. Make sure the grounding conductors are connected properly.

Install a 20 ampere breaker in the panel.
Run 12/2 with ground from the panel to the switch box.
Run 12/2 with ground from the switch box to the fan, and the light.
Connect the black ungrounded conductor to the two switches and GFCI receptacle, using pigtails.
Connect the white grounded conductor to the GFCI receptacle, and whites from the cables running to the fan and light.
Connect the black from the fan cable to one switch.
Connect the black from the light cable to the other switch.
Connect all grounding conductors.


Previous tenant did some shoddy DIY, should we be concerned?

That was not previous tenant work. That was shoddy handyman work over a long period of time. I'd venture to bet it was the LL himself trying to save money.

Bottom line is: You CANNOT do ANY electrical work in a place that you are renting (if that's what you are asking). Your only recourse is to contact the LL and tell him about it and ask him to make the repairs corrections, or have it done by someone. Than again, from the looks of it I bet he already knows and does not care. I'm curious, did you not see any of this before you signed the lease??

The wiring shown is phone wire and poses no safety hazard. Unless of course you are holding bare wires when the phone rings. Then you'll get a small shock.


Rebuilding porch stairs - what size for treads?

You can use 2 pcs of 5/4X6" to replace each tread. It will keep the same dimension as your originals, 5 1/2" + 5 1/2" + 1/4" gap = 11 1/4" This is a very typical detail. You should have an overhand at the front corner, call a "nose". Your originals may already have that, if so, simply follow the same detail, but using the two pieces per tread.

Edit added sketch of treads, etc.


You have a metal junction box.  It is properly grounded.

When you plugged in the tester into that receptacle, the receptacle moved a bit inside the box, and the screw came into contact with the side of the metal box.  Or possibly a ground wire was bent up somewhere it sbould not be.

Solve it by wrapping the outlet in a couple turns of electrical tape, after screwing down any unused screws as Tester101 mentions.


How do I connect this cables to my surface socket australia

If you know how the old light was hooked up, connect it in the same way, and ensure that all cables are suitably restrained (e.g. pinclips near the socket, or cable ties).

If you don't know, then this is almost certainly electrician time. It's likely that what's been done is no longer common practice, and possibly no longer legal. It's unclear simply from wire colours how it's hooked up; one would need to not just trace out how it is wired, but understand why.


Best way to seal gaps in sliding window?

Spray foam would be excellent. Until it's time to take the AC out of the window and you're left with a disastrous mess of sticky foam that you can't scrape off to get the window to seal again.
Get some pieces of foam rubber and cut them to fill in the gaps between the sashes where they don't seal because the window's open. You could use pipe insulation, pool noodles, or packing foam that came with some product you ordered in the past.
You may not have a perfect seal and may have to deal with a few insects that get through, but that's better than a hot, humid room. To be fair, though, I used to do this when we put a window AC unit in an upstairs window, but were able to seal it up well enough (with old, rickety, leaky wooden single-pane windows) that insects weren't a problem. Considering that we live in the Midwestern US where summer bugs can be a considerable issue, it worked pretty darn well for us.


Is this the proper procedure for attaching a mosaic to the wall?

I've never done or heard of this, but most of my small tile work has been with presheeted tiles

I did read about a mosaic system where the layout was done face up and a mesh was attached, and the tile was thin-setted and afterwards grouted.

I've also seen a TOH segment where the mosaic was attached to a thin cement board (1/4"), grouted and then the whole assembly thinsetted in place.

For me, grouting from the back would mean that you couldn't know or change the amount of grout that was pushing around the mosaic.  Normally, cleaning the tile of extra grout would be done in 20 to 30 minutes, before it is set solidly.

This method would let the front face be flat and the variations hidden in the back.

What would you glue the tiles with?  I assume some type of water soluble glue...

Found a tutorial here this is similar to your method, called the indirect method.  Do the reverse attachment to paper, install the tile on the wall (floor?), let dry and THEN grout.  This makes more sense to me and overcomes what I see as a potential problem area, not being able to control the grout removal.


Can I wire a GFCI outlet with 3 hots and 3 neutrals?

I thought I should expand on my comment and others about box fill.
With 3 hots 3 neutrals and at least 1 ground (I hope) using 14 gauge wire the calculation would be 7 conductors x 2 cubic inches + 2 more if there are clamps in the box. The device requires 4 cu inch so your box would have to have a a total 18 cu inch or 20 cu inch if it has clamps. NEC table 314.16.B.
 The largest listed box per table 314.16.A (single gang) is 3 X 2 X 3-1/2 with a volume of 18 cu inch. if you have 1 12 gauge wire or clamps in the box your plan would violate the box fill criteria for a single gang box.

#14 wire each conductor counts as 2.  #12 each conductor counts as 2.25 you only have to count 1 ground wire (no matter how many are in the box but the largest size must be used).
The device is 2X the largest wire size connected to it. 1X for clamps based on the largest wire size.

The last thing is the box volume must be stamped on the box or the volume from table 314.16.A used.  Measuring the box will not give the proper volume per code requirements. For example the 3 x 2 x 3-1\2 box would calculate at 21 cubic inches but code only allows 18 cubic inches for the box fill calculation.

I hope this helps clarify what is being said about box fill. some GFCI's do run warm and stuffing them in a over filled box can lead to a wiring and or device failure.


Any reason to get a table/countertop thicker than 1.5"?

Appearance and longevity. You can plane down the 3" one quite a few times, but it seems unlikely you'd be using cleavers on your desk. You might want to weigh the price difference between 6/4 and 7/4 against the ability to sand stains and dings out of the thicker one though. That extra quarter inch may add decades of life to the desk in the long run.


First, confirm the saw is unplugged. Then hold the guard out of the way with tape. Place a box-end wrench onto the nut. Position everything so you can tap smartly on the wrench with a hammer or metal bar. The inertia/mass of the motor will delay the shaft turning and, with luck, the nut will start to loosen. Remember it is right hand thread.
You could also use a cordless impact driver. Put a 3/8" square adapter into the hex chuck, then an impact socket. Use short bursts of the gun. I have used the tapping technique many times over the years.


Are these asbestos fibers in my plaster?

Often, people talk about “old-fashioned horse-hair plaster,” but the binding agent in old plaster walls was more commonly cattle hair. -searshomes.org

I am reasonably sure it's not asbestos.


1/2 HP sewer pump, outlet reduction 1 1/2" - 1 1/4"

Reducing the hose diameter will increase the potential back pressure on the pump but if properly connected the reduction will be fine. Since you already have the 1-1/4" get a reducer and install it right at the pump.


Sounds like you removed a 3 way switch and replaced it with a single pole switch.

If the old switch does not have on/off marked in the handle and it has three terminals it is a three way switch. You need to replace it with the same kind.

One of the wires is either the hot feed from the panel or it runs to the light. The other two wires are travelers running to another switch somewhere.


My room lights' brightness pulses when I turn on my toaster oven

I've been in my attic and saw that some of the wires have been chewed
  bare by mice.

Whether this is the cause of the dimming or not, you need to immediately get an exterminator to rid your home of the mice problem and an electrician to assess and correct the damage.  Bare/exposed conductors is an exceedingly dangerous condition that cannot wait.


How to remove this black stuff at my countertop corner joint

That looks like mildew behind silicone caulk. I'd scrape it away with a putty knife and razor blade, taking care to not damage the surface. Then use a mild abrasive cleaner to buff away the stain. Consult the surface manufacturer for products and procedures.

Re-caulk with pure silicone after a good drying interval. Use as small a bead as possible for the best appearance.


Sanding Screens vs Sandpaper for Cedar Deck sanding

80 grit is 80 grit and will work to some level but I would be worried about the life of the abrasive. 80 should rip the old stain up well but is really rough and  screens on a deck sounds like the wrong tool to me.


New home grading in backyard soil stays muddy for days

First might I say..wow that's a big back yard.

If it is a new home I'd get the builder to take a look. If it's heavy clay you, or they, may need to add a drainage trench, filled with rocks, out to the lowest point on the property line (Not the neighbors yard), then covered over with soil and turf..

I would not be too tempted to raise that area though. You want to keep the water AWAY from your house. The soil around the house will also settle with time so the higher it is there now, the better.


How can I reseal a shower drain on a pre-formed shower base?

Don't bother trying remove the drain. Don't try to renew the putty, you'll just have the same problem again.

Remove all the old putty you can. Roughen the surfaces that contacted the putty with coarse sandpaper. Clean the shower base and drain surfaces where the putty was a well as you can. Fill the resulting gap with self-leveling polyurethane sealant. Do so in a way to not trap air and to fully fill the void. Once that stuff cures, it'll never leak again!

If you do have to remove the drain in the future, simply cut thru the sealant with a sharp knife.


How can I repair cracks at corners of tiled walls?

The area on top looks like it was sealed with white caulk.  You can re-seal this with white silicon caulk.  The other cracks look like it's grout.  Do you have any of the grout the contractor used?  IMHO, clean the old grout out and regrout. I've never had much luck getting new grout to stick to old.  You can also run caulk over it as well but this will show up.


Yes, you have a couple different options in today's market. The cheapest would be a plug in timer that has to be manually set. As long as your schedule stays consistent, then this is a good option as it's well rounded and very useful. They make both ones with the push dials (as shown below) and ones with electronic displays, both are still relatively cheap.

The next option, and between 4-5 times the price of the manual timer, is a 'smart' outlet. These work over your wifi and can be connected to a phone, tablet, or other smart device to be programmed and controlled. The cheaper version of this allows you to turn the device on or off from wherever you are (with internet service) and set up a timed schedule for when it should come on/go off. The more expensive version (about $10 more) is a little smaller and has all of the same features as the last, but also allows you to track the energy usage of whatever is plugged in. Very neat product and if you go this route, then if you're ever home at some time that the item is scheduled to be off, then you can simply pull out your phone/device to flip it on.

Either way they'll both definitely provide some convenience to your routine.


The issue you are running into now is that end grains are poor for holding power. I would make 2x4 blocks 4” long and secure it in the corners underneath each side of the steps. The grain should run front to back, screw it into the stringer, then pull the stairs tight together, then screw the treads into the block; this will lock it into place.