Previous owner didn't get permits for remodel, am I now liable?

Sorry, I am going to have to disagree with some of the above posters.  It all comes down to the interpretation of due diligence.

Hypothetically, if you bought the place and know that work was done without permits, you have actually created your own problem, now, by advertising the fact that you know about the negligent work.  If you now rent it and there is a problem, you could be civilly liable (you could be liable for replacing a tenants possessions if there is a flood from a faulty pipe) or criminally liable (a faulty wire burns down the house and kills someone).  I can tell you of at least 7 instances of people we have done work for that their insurance didn't cover their repairs after problems.  It is usually when they have work done without permits and it creates a flood or a fire, but the legal logic is the same.

The very fact you know about it implies you have a moral obligation to repair the faults you know of prior to acting as a landlord.  The fact that you just put it out on the internet makes it vital.  As unlikely as it seems that a future possible catastrophe could be linked back to this post and you (your profile says Jim Garrison of Austin, TX - there are only 19 people with your name in Austin - see how easy it would be?), do you really want to take that risk?

You would be wisest to have the work inspected by a competent whoever (don't know the work done) and inform your insurance company of it in writing.  Also talk to the town and get an inspection by the town done.  If you can pull a permit and have them check it, you will be pretty safe.  Just get them to put it in writing that it passes.  Do not accept a private home inspectors report as anything.  They simply don't hold up in court, and I have seen that in multiple instances.

Good luck.


The answer to this is a wee bit complicated.

The Genie Excelerator II uses a DC motor and an electronic adjustable speed drive (ASD) to open a garage door quickly.   If you look at the “Operation and Maintenance” manual, you will see a slightly ominous note in “General Troubleshooting – Opener does not run”  that reads, “[Check for] a non-compatible GFCI.  NOTE:  A licensed electrician must replace non-compatible GFCI’s.”  They do not say why the note is there.

It turns out that GFCI’s are frequency sensitive and an ASD produces high frequency harmonics that are electronically generated.  If the ASD happens to generate harmonics in the GCFI’s sensitive area, then bingo, the ASD and the GFCI are not compatible.

Here’s a link to a helpful technical paper on the topic:

http://www.jonathankimball.com/pdf/gfci_ecce.pdf

In commercial and industrial environments, appropriately sized inductors called “line reactors” are installed upstream and/or downstream of an ASD to filter harmonics that would otherwise cause electrical problems.   In a residential setting I imagine such a measure is not worth it.  The implication of the language in the Genie manual is there are GFCIs for homeowners on the market that contain internal filtering to mitigate the ASD compatibility problem.

EDIT:  The specifications for GFCIs tolerant of ASD loads should indicate they are a "high harmonics" type.


What are these metal tags attached to my poured concrete basement wall?

Yes you can remove them. They are not a complete unit anymore. There was a wire extending from the center of the square disk, you will still see the nib that held the wire. The purpose of the wire was to push one type of insulation or another over it. The insulation was held in place by another disk that grabbed the wire and it would not allow the insulation to be pulled back off, at least not without some force to pull it through the disks.

Nowadays there are adhesives that will do the holding, and in some places, this type of retaining system is still used. For fiberglass batts or rolls is what would come to mind for using these.


Can I use paint stripper in my basement workshop?

Paint strippers have different chemical compositions so it is difficult to properly answer your questions.  However, in general,
1. recommend you wait until you can either apply the stripper outside or get proper exhaust ventilation
2. The package on paint strippers will tell you if you should be using a respirator
3. Consider using a non-toxic citrus-based stripper or sanding instead.  (Use a dust mask if sanding)


Can I attach vinyl siding to a concrete foundation with Tapcons?

I don't see why not, but that is a lot of little holes in the foundation and also lots of work.

You would have to make sure the tapcons are not too tight as well so the vinyl doesn't buckle.

I would do as others have suggested and add some plants/landscaping.


Strange problems that might be due to wiring

You can't replace 15A outlets with 20A outlets, even if the breakers are 20A, without first ensuring that the entire cable run is of appropriate gauge (and material) for 20A use. Otherwise you risk setting fire to your home.

I would check the voltages at the outlets using a CAT-II rated multimeter. You could alternatively use something like a Kill-a-watt plug-in meter.

I would also investigate how to get the supply quality assessed over time for surges, spikes etc.

Some better-quality UPSs allow you to log voltage over time, and perhaps events like spikes or surges, on a connected PC.


We have to assume that there's seasonal movement in the foundation that keeps these cracks alive. Therefore the best approach might be a flexible crack filler, such as painter's caulk (acrylic latex with silicone).

Scrape away all loose paint with a putty knife
Use a tool to gently groove the crack to remove loose material can create a cavity for caulk
Using a fine caulk tip, fill the cracks and tool it flat with a putty knife or similar
Allow to dry and repeat if shrinkage is substantial
Prime and paint


Installing fascia boards on uneven roofline

You have a couple options, but only one will make it look truly right without creating an oddly-shaped fascia or a ski jump in your roof. You'll need to raise the rafter tails. They're likely low in the middle because either the wall is sagging or the rafters weren't cut or fit well to begin with.
I would examine how the rafters are fastened to the wall plate. If they're not locked down hard, cut some wood wedges and begin driving them in a little at a time. Set a carpenter's line across the roof edge to act as a guide, and work each rafter up until you have a straight line.
Once everything is in place, re-fasten the rafters in some reasonable way. Hurricane ties might do, or timber screws from above.


If you notice none of the described symptoms when you plug the laptop adapter directly into the wall outlet then you should consider discontinuing the use of this surge protector / plug strip. This seems to me to be a serious safety issue that needs to be addressed immediately.

Once you get back to a safe usage scenario you should do some checking of the laptop adapter for safety issues as well. Remove the adapter from the wall power and from the laptop. Now using a digital multimeter in the resistance (ohms) measuring mode check for any low resistance readings (less than 10 megohms level) between any of the AC power leads and any of the contacts at the laptop charger plug end. If you find any low resistance connections from the AC to DC side of the adapter then you should replace that as well.

(Note that all of the numerous laptop adapters I have encountered are supposed to be 100% isolated from input to output. I.e. NO input to output electrical connection).

Now back to your surge protector. Some surge protectors may have installed components such as MOVs or high voltage capacitors between the AC lines (hot and neutral) and the earth ground connection of the AC wiring coming into the protector. If they are wired this way it is possible for some people to feel a slight shock when touching any grounded metal parts of equipment that is plugged into the downwind power jacks of the surge protector. In my electrical engineering opinion I do not think this type of surge protection wiring is the best idea. Now at the same time some manufacturer of a surge protector may boast that their unit is superior (and thus way more costly) if it has MOVs attached line-neutral, line-earth, and neutral-earth. This can lead to low level leakage currents from the AC line to the earth ground connection. If your "high end" unit is like this you should consider not using it!

If your laptop adapter has a connection from its input AC leads to DC output side and it is used in conjunction with a surge protector that has multi-MOVs causing leakage currents to flow then this can lead to the slight shocks that you feel when touching metal parts of the laptop.

My recommendation - safety first when dealing with anything electrical attached to the AC power lines. At first indication that there is something amiss discontinue use immediately.


"Floating" desk - Avoiding wood sag, aluminium right angle support

I would not waste time with an aluminium angle iron. It will being next to nothing in terms of real support for the front edge of your desk. Instead you should look at something like steel rectangular tubing. This you would simply fasten to the underside of desk a little back from the front and make sure it was supported on each end. The steel tubing could be painted black to hide or a standout contrast color. Alternatively you could also install an on-edge apron board in front of the tubing to hide it from view entirely. The apron board itself will add additional support.

For your longer span across the top of your diagram I see a length of 2170mm. Use a tubing with a 50mm width and a 100mm height and a wall thickness of 5mm. Such tubing, if supported on each end, should be able easily handle a center load of 100kg with less than 10mm of vertical deflection.

(I used the deflection calculator here).

In the corner where you have indicated "strength ???" you will want to arrange to join the two rectangular tubes into a "T" like joint. This could be as simple as drilling some through holes and bolting in a short piece of angle iron in the underside corner. Alternatively you could plan things out and weld the joint if you have that type of equipment available.

I would also purge the idea of the mortise joint and the construction complications that brings. Instead use a flat steel plate that lays across the joint and screw that to the bottom side of the desk surfaces. I could easily envision something 75-100mm wide with a 3-5mm thickness. Two rows of holes pre-drilled into the plate at intervals of 75-100mm should do well to support the edges of the desk. Best would be if its length went as long as feasible from the front edge back to the wall.


Mineral wool on top of fiberglass. Density and compression

Even though the fiberglass is getting slightly compacted by the mineral wool on top; the minor R-value that may be lost to compaction is easily outweighed by the increased R-value of the extra mineral wool. The only adjustment that could be made (and it is a laborious one) is to increase the height of the joists so they are above the fiberglass and support the mineral wool. Just to be sure the mineral wool is being installed at right angle to the fiberglass?


Why do my under-cabinet lights flash when two sets are plugged into the transformer?

Per IKEA, the 24" OMLOPP LED bar draws 7.7W of power.  A single 10W transformer will not be enough to provide power to two 24" bars at full brightness, despite the included transformer having slots for multiple bars to be attached.  You will need one of the larger ANSLUTA transformers (seemingly also available in 30W form) or to chain multiple transformers together (also permitted per IKEA).

In fact, it is noted in the reviews that the included 10W transformer, being unable to power two 7.7W bars, will induce a strobing effect if you exceed the rated power.  Presumably, the 10W transformer can provide enough power for multiple smaller bars and is simply the transformer included with all products in that line.


Was it a single pole switch to begin with? Before running your own wire, there should have just been two wires tied to the switch (and a ground); the power coming in and the wire running out to the old light. The other wires should not be wired to the switch unless you want the switch to cut the items off as well (if they are downstream of it).

I drew up a quick, crude sketch of what you'll need to run this setup, regardless of what else is there. Get it down to the basics first and work up is the best way to troubleshoot.

Coming into your box should be the main hot line, I believe you said it was red. Pigtail off of it to the two commons on your new double switch and wire nut them all together.

Next, take your old wire that ran to your light and connect it to one of the other screws. This is where you'd decide which switch to control which item.

Take your new wire that you ran from your fan and connect it to the last screw. Then back at your fan/light, wire one of the lights to the fan and one to the light. Twist together and cap off the neutrals and you should have a working system.

I'm not certain of what those other wires are there for based on your description.. were they connected to the old switch? But, this will get the fan and light working.

Also, like mentioned in Iggy's answer, this won't allow you to control the fan speed from the switch, it'll just cut it on and off.


Why isn't the spark gap lighting the pilot on my furnace?

I finally found some time yesterday to take a closer look at the furnace.
Gas Pressure
I started by measuring the incoming gas pressure using a gas pressure gauge. I found it to be 6 WC (inch water column), which is well within the acceptable range specified on the furnace.

Dirty Gap
Next I took a closer look at the spark gap itself, and watched closely as the spark was generated.  I even recorded the spark with my video camera, which allowed me to zoom in fairly close.  This is when I noticed a bit of carbon buildup on the electrodes, and wondered if it could be that simple...

Cleaning the Gap
I grabbed a bit of 220 grit sandpaper, and cleaned the electrodes up a bit. steel wool is probably the tool of choice for this job, but I didn't happen to have any on hand at the moment (not yet unpacked).
Success!
After testing the pilot ignition a few times, the problem seems to be fixed. We had a cold night last night, and the furnace fired up fine all night. As I write this, the furnace has just cycled successfully yet again.

Update
I found this YouTube video from Grayfurnaceman that describes the problem exactly, and says that the only solution is to replace the assembly. I'll be replacing the pilot assembly once the weather warms up, so we'll see if that solves the problem.


What should I keep in mind when building my house myself?

There is a lot to know. Shortest answer: you should let experts handle anything you're not sure of.

You need to comply with local building codes (This also means you need to know what those are. Inspectors don't accept ignorance as an excuse.)

The design needs to be approved by an architect or structural engineer. There are strict requirements on footings, beams, etc, that you must follow, or you simply cannot use the structure. If you do not comply with building codes and inspection requirements, the property can be condemned and in extreme cases, demolished (with the expense assessed against the property).

Once you start, you more or less need to make it weather tight. While the foundation is open (eg, a hole in the ground - whether it has the actual foundation itself built yet or not) it's going to fill up with water, which is not a great thing to have happen. Once you start building the wooden structure parts, you pretty much have to build the whole thing to be water tight. You don't want the wood to be exposed to water for long, and since interior floors are not designed for that, water tends to pool on them (which is how you get rot and mold).

Basically the first bit consists of:

foundation
framing
house wrap
roofing
windows/exterior doors

Once the structure is up, weather tight, and in compliance with building codes, you can now slow down and go at your own pace. You need to get appropriate permits (check your local permits department) for all the work as needed (hvac, plumbing, electrical).

There are a lot of aspects to construction, and you need to plan most of them in advance before starting anything. (eg: You need to know where plumbing and hvac is being routed before you do any framing)

Major interior considerations:

plumbing (supply, hot water heater, waste, vents, and fixtures)
electrical
phone/cable
insulation (and vapor barrier)
hvac (furnace, vents, exhaust)
drywall
interior doors
cabinets (kitchen, bath)
painting
flooring
trim

(Marked as community, since the question is extremely broad)


If you are not in the Southern hemisphere, wait 4-6 months and do this in the off-season for heating, not in mid-winter.
It's major surgery and requires shutting down and partially (at least) draining your boiler, unless somebody put in WAY more valves than is usual.

Shut down the boiler
Turn off the water supply to the boiler, if it's not nomally kept closed.
Drain system to remove water (or potentially antifreeze) from this portion of the piping (at
least.)
Cut or unsolder pipe to release convector, and remove it, assuming no convenient unions.
cut or unsolder more pipe to undo what leads here.
assemble pipe to lead to new location, taking care not to drill holes in things you should not, or set the building on fire while soldering.
If you have two sections joined by elbows, yes you can straighten the bend in the plumbing by replacing those with straight couplings. Your outer cover may no longer fit properly, however, since it was configured for the corner.
connect the new plumbing to the newly configured convector in the new location.
pressurize the system and check carefully for leaks
bleed air from the system - may need to repeat several times after the next step, as air dissolved in cold water comes out of solution in heated water.
restart the boiler
balance the system for heat delivery, using balancing valves, movable flaps on the convector (not that the style you show appears to have those) or system zoning. Installing balancing valves and/or zoning would have to be dealt with at the "replumbing" stage if not already present.


Possibly a sump pump.

Or, you can get about 8 psi for every 20 feet of height of the tub, such as on the roof or in a tree.

Or you can put it on pause, open the door and pour in the water.

Or you can remove the top cover, and find the vent in the top of the outer stationary tub, attach a hose and fill.

You could get poly drum 20 gallons or larger, or gang together 4 five gallon buckets with gasket lids.  Attach a bicycle or auto tire valve stem and a garden hose outlet. Put your 15 gallons water into the drum. Replace the screw-bung so it's air tight then pressurize it bicycle pump.  The smaller the air space, the less time to pressurize, but the quicker the pressure will drop.


Can service entrance and branch circuit cables be commingled in an auxiliary gutter?

It may be Code, but that doesn't mean it's a wise idea!

First off, I was under a mistaken impression about service-entrance conductors, so I'll clear that up now.  It turns out that the Article 100 definition of "service conductors" includes both "service-entrance conductors" from the service drop/lateral splice to the service disconnect and "service drop conductors" that go from the utility transformer or service tap ("service point" in the Code) to the drop/lateral splice that connects them to the service-entrance conductors.

  Service Conductors. The conductors from the service point
  to the service disconnecting means.

Second, an auxiliary gutter is not a raceway (unlike the physically similar product known as "wireway") -- this is based on the informational note to the Art. 100 definition of "raceway":

  Informational Note: A raceway is identified within specific
  article definitions.

and the fact that 366.2's definitions refer to auxiliary gutters as enclosures, not "raceways".

This means that the 230.7 prohibition does not apply to auxiliary gutters, as the service-entrance conductors and the branch circuit conductors are not in the same "cable or raceway".  However, the intent of 230.7 is to keep overcurrent-protected conductors away from unprotected conductors, and my proposed configuration would not provide that segregation.

Finally, in practice, auxiliary gutters are used with panelboards as they are similar in function to switchboards or distribution centers.

Options for similar situations to mine

If you don't want to do a dumb thing that your inspector may or may not flag as it's not against Code, you have two options in a similar situation to mine:

Segregate the protected and unprotected conductors into separate conduits and terminate them in separate boxes

This is what Harper did to recover from his encounter with some very nasty copper thieves.  This works provided you can get length in the existing cables to route them to multiple distribution boxes, and enough box space to accommodate all the splices (in addition to 4" square boxes for branches and feeders, Harper had to use a pair of 10" square NEMA boxes for incoming wiring).

Use divider plates in the auxiliary gutter to separate the protected and unprotected conductors.

This was Ed Beal's solution to having a feeder, branch circuits, and data wires in the same gutter -- partitions can be used to provide separated spaces within the gutter for each type of wiring.  This is similar to how boxes that contain both mains and Class II or data wiring are partitioned to separate the high and low voltage sides from each other.

This has the advantage that all the wires can be routed to a single, existing point instead of having to be spread apart to route to many junction boxes, but is costlier as it may require a larger gutter to accommodate the fills within the various partitions.


How should I reconnect my light fixture with red, white, and blue wires?

The blue wire, coupled with the very notable total lack of any black wire, indicates your house is NOT wired in cable.  It uses individual wires, which means it is in the conduit wiring system.  Given your ceiling being solid concrete, that is no surprise.   As such, wire colors may be whimsical as compared to diagrams you see on the Internet.  In conduit:

neutral will be white or gray,
ground will be green, yellow/green stripe, bare or the conduit itself
hot will be all other colors.  Hot will never use white wire because that is not allowed in conduit.

Generally speaking, when you see

a clump of hots -- note that a clump of hots might include one white wire
a clump of all white wires, and
a solitary hot

That connects like this.  The clump of hots is always-hot and you will not be using it.   The clump of all whites is kept together, and the neutral from the lamp is added to it.   The solitary is switched-hot for the lamp.


Can I use metal studs for framing a shed?

Yes.
But I have to have at least 30 characters to submit an answer.


Is it possible to use the GE Link bulb without a wink hub?

There are several emerging standards for home automation, but from looking online it seems like th GE bulbs use Zigbee 1.2. The Wink hub then serves as a bridge between that and your home wifi network.

So if you want to communicate with the bulbs from a Raspberry Pi you will need to get a Zigbee module. If you want the Raspberry Pi to the communicate with other devices (say, your smartphone) you will also need to connect it to your home network via wifi or Ethernet.


Recessed lights still getting power when switch is off

It's a Lutron dimmer with night light.

First, that should never have been used to control an outlet. You must not put dimmers on outlets, because if someone plugs in a non-lamp, the power-shaping issues can cause equipment to dramatically overheat and start a fire.  If you have any more dimmers controlling receptacles, remove them now and fit standard switches with no powered features.

Dimmers and night-lights are both features that require power themselves to operate.  Traditionally, powered switches like this got this power by leaking power through the light bulb.  On an incandescent bulb, at very low currents they remain unlit - in fact they are practically a dead short until they start glowing.  That is perfect for this.

However, LEDs actually put the power to good use - even small, defective power like this.

Pop out the switch and look for whether the switch takes a neutral wire.  If it does not, this is a bad choice of switch.  You need a more modern type, which requires neutral (I assume it's available there), powers itself between always-hot and neutral, and only sends power to the bulbs for lighting the bulbs.

The dimmer "clicking hard off", that is a feature of many dimmers, but here, it is a red herring.  It still has a night light.


Can pipe dope be used on water lines in a vanity

no - pipe dope can pretty much be used everywhere.  its not necessary though on anything but a thread to thread seal.  most vanities nowadays use flexible supply lines that have compression type fittings at either end with a rubber seal in them.  its not necessary on that connection at all.


To answer your question, the radiators in your home are a closed loop. If they are single-pipe steam radiators, then there is a small amount of vapor loss out of the little valve on the radiator. (The one that may hiss a bit while warming up.) If you have that type of system, the water level in your boiler must occasionally be topped up, but that would be a few gallons of water per month. But if your heating system was installed in the last few decades, it's more likely you have the much more common forced hot water, which is an entirely closed loop.

My guess is that your meter was misread, or the meter is faulty.


Should I caulk over grout where the bathtub meets the tiles

Mouldy material should be completely removed - sometimes there is more mold behind it.
The tub should be filled with water before caulking in order to avoid pull forces. Push forces are less problematic to caulk.
A slope of 25 degree or more prevents standing water on the surface of the caulk, which is a frequent reason for mouldy caulk.


How can I clean calcium deposits off my mirror?

Here is a little known secret, don't tell anyone!!!!  "Bar Keepers Friend"  powered cleaner works miracles with fogged, rain stained and calcium covered glass.  It contains acyclic acid and a mirco fine abrasive. It cleans glass, head light lenses  and fiberglass like crazy and give you a very smooth polished finish. you can also use it with a buffing wheel or by hand. You can find this product at most any grocery store.


How can I remove paint from a wood deck so I can stain it?

Rent a drum sander and run it in line with the boards.  You can take off a large amount of wood in short order depending on the grit of paper you use.  Then use a sanding disc with a backer on a grinder for detail work where the drum will not go.  We used 36 grit to bring some weathered wood back; probably took of over 1/4" off the top in that case!  Total out of pocket should be around $200-$250 for everything.


Before you decide on the flooring you'll want to do a moisture test. Vinyl floor will not allow any water vapor to escape the slab, so as moisture wicks up through the slab it will become wet below the vinyl. This can lead to mold issues and a breakdown of glues and patching compounds. There are plenty of effective ways to deal with a moisture in a slab, but without a test you won't know which to choose.

Now to the question of leveling the concrete, first step is to map out the slab to determine high and low spots. The easiest way to do this is to set up a rotating laser in the middle of the room, be sure it's sitting level and turn it on projecting a level line around the room (the height you set it at doesn't matter). Next take a straight stick, pole, broom handle, whatever as long as its straight, set it next to the laser and place a mark on it where the laser hits it. Then make your way around the room taking note where the laser is hitting the stick in relation to the first mark. Plot several points around the room (the more the better). Marks above the control line means the floor is low, below means high.

High spot are best ground down, low spots are best filled. Most jobs I've done require both grinding and filling. If you find more low spots than high the more leveler you need, more high then low the less you need. Remember to respect all control and expansion joints, and follow the manufacturer's instructions to the tee to insure a proper job.


In a brick layout for tile, how do I handle exposed cut edges?

In my experience it's usually not noticed.

You'll be grouting as well and unless you're very precise with the grout there'll be some variation with grout depth and width which will "even out" the effect.


15 amp line connects to -> 20 amp line -> 20 amp GFCI -> 15 amp outlet

The previous installer wired the bathroom GFCI backwards
The symptom of a GFCI that shuts off power to downstream outlets but not itself when tested is a classic indication of a classic mistake.  In particular, GFCIs are not symmetrical devices, unlike regular receptacles.  LINE on a GFCI is the power in side, and LOAD is a dedicated output, connected in parallel with the receptacles on the front.  If you try to put power into LOAD on older (pre-self-test) GFCIs, that power source will power the receptacles directly, bypassing the actual switching mechanism in the GFCI.  Then, when you try to run further loads from what are actually the LINE side terminals, those loads are now on the opposite side of the GFCI's contacts from power, so they appear to be protected when you push TEST.
However, this miswiring condition's bad for GFCI's in the long run (tends to fry internal parts), so your bathroom GFCI should be considered due for replacement now.  When you get the new GFCI in, there will be a yellow "FOR WIZARDS ONLY" sticker covering the LOAD terminals.  Do not remove that sticker yet!  Instead, what you want to do is leave that sticker on while wiring the GFCI LINE terminals to power and testing the results using the GFCI's TEST button and a plug-in tester.  Once you know the GFCI itself is correctly fitted, THEN you can unfasten it from the wall, remove the "FOR WIZARDS ONLY" sticker, and hook your additional receptacle to the LOAD side of the GFCI.
15A/20A doesn't matter here, but your mix of bathroom and outdoor outlets does
The good news for the rest of your situation is that 15A and 20A receptacles, whether regular or GFCI, are only distinguished by their faces.  UL and the NEC require both varieties to be able to handle 20A in a pass through configuration (from one set of screws to the other), so your concerns are irrelevant in that regard.  Furthermore, it's A-OK to have fat wire on a small breaker, since the breaker's still the "weak link", so to speak.
However, you have two problems with what you are doing if you want this to comply with current Code.  First off, the bathroom receptacles need to be on a 20A circuit to start with.  Furthermore, even if this was a 20A circuit, bathroom receptacles aren't allowed to share a circuit with non-bathroom receptacles in any case.  Due to this, to get this up to Code, you'd need to pull a 12/2 for the bathroom, either from your panel as a new home run, or from an existing 20A circuit that feeds nothing but bathroom receptacles.


Can I safely use a #12 extension cord on a 15A circuit temporarily for extended periods?

The heavier wire (12 AWG as opposed to 14 AWG) wire in the extension cord will reduce the resistance of the cord. For a given load there will be less heating in the cord. However you should consider using as short of cord as possible. Don't use a 25 foot cord if a 10 foot one would work instead. Half the cord length half the resistance.

Be aware that if such extension cord heats up too much it is likely that you are putting too much load on the circuit and the wires in the wall are going to be subject to heating as well. Over heating electrical circuits are dangerous and can lead to fires.


How do I connect my new faucet to my supply line?

Sure, you can buy the extension flex. If I were you, I'd call the store where you bought the faucet, and they will probably have it in stock. This happens to a lot of people, but it's simple to correct


Should I buy or hack a 240v remote controlled thermostat?

240V thermostats (of 10A capacity or usually greater) are easily bought off the shelf - they are commonly used to control electric baseboard heat from a wall-mount box. You could mount one in a freestanding box if you want this "portable" as well, or you could wall-mount one and have it control a (labeled) outlet that the heater would plug into.

While you could also use any thermostat and a relay with a suitable coil voltage for the thermostat, that's just more parts and complexity for a problem that there's a one-peice solution to, commonly available.


How can I hit studs and avoid cables when installing a TV mount?

Although you TV set may be light enough so that wall anchors will support the weight they may pull loose when the set gets re-positioned and adjusted.
Always try to secure the mount to a framing member (stud). Most mounts are designed for this installation as they have openings spaced at 16 inches (the distance between each studs' center).
A stud sensor is the easiest way to precisely find a stud, but locating a stud behind the wall isn't that difficult with out one if you know what to look for:
-Tapping along a dry-walled wall listening for a duller less hollow sound is good.
-looking for a nail head that has popped up works.
-floor molding is usually nailed through to studs.
switch and receptacle boxes are sometimes nailed off to studs (on one side of the box or the other).
You should be aware of cable and plumbing that may be in the vicinity. Usually electric cable is ran through studs so that it is recessed back from the wall about 2 inches so that an 1 5/8th's drywall screw won't damage it. Plumbing is also usually protected by the same location and/or a metal stud plate directly over it. Drill slowly and cautiously if in doubt.


What could be causing my electric hob to leak voltage?

You say the hob is old so I would get an estimate to replace all 4 or 5 controls (the others may not be too far behind the one in question in wear and tear) along with an assessment of the hob's overall condition and compare that against buying a new one.

My Mom has a ceramic cooktop and I'm going to take a meter with me when I see her later today. Now I'm curious.


What is this pressure release drain funnel?

It is a Tundish drain which allows the liquid to continue while preventing any reverse contamination through use of an air gap.


Widening the stone entrance into a crawlspace

Widening this opening to any width less than a foot shouldn't be any issue. Even if there's a bearing wall resting above the bottom plate from the story above, it looks like the bottom plate matches the floor joist sizes and it will have plenty of capacity for spanning such a short opening. Just make sure you notch the opening as vertically as possible and the base of the cut into the wall is not cut back more than the top.


What is causing the high limit switch to pop on my electric water heater?

The limit switch wasn't adjustable and the water was getting quite hot regardless of the temp setting. The temps were set where they were supposed to be, but then it kept popping even after I set the temps to the minimum level "hot" setting (this was below the A,B,C area even). I ended up just replacing the top and bottom thermostats and so far so good....total cost of 24 bucks and about ten minutes work. Calling a plumber would have cost me about $125 for anything within the first hour of work.


Can landscape adhesive be used for a masonry fire pit?

Regarding Loctite PL 500 landscape adhesive (mentioned in the asker's answer)...

Service Temperature: -20°F (-29°C) to 150°F (66°C)

No, landscape adhesive (or at least that specific product) isn't rated for temperatures encountered in a fire pit.
That said, if you put a bead toward the outside of the course rings I'd expect it to hold up fairly well. Temperatures out there may get high enough to soften it, but probably wouldn't burn it.
Of course, there may be landscape adhesives (or products that could serve as such) with higher temperature tolerance.


What is this component wired into a bench grinder motor?

Single phase bench grinders typically use Capacitor Start motors, which would typically use a centrifugal switch inside of it to take the starting capacitor off line once it is at speed. But because of what a grinder DOES, those centrifugal switches are prone to failure when they get loaded up with conductive dust. So some grinder manufacturers use what's called a "potential relay" as the way to detect when it is OK to take the capacitor off-line, utilizing the back EMF of the motor to know when it is close to full speed. If that potential relay fails open, your grinder will not start. Usually they are larger than what that appears, but it's hard to judge the scale of your picture other than using the butt splices as a reference point. If the motor just sort of hums and/or shakes, that's the likely culprit. If the motor does absolutely nothing, as in no power getting to the windings at all, then that would most likely be an open thermal switch. But a thermal switch would usually only have 2 wires, not three. Potential Relays have three.


Our power into US houses is 240V single-phase, with a center tap.  The center tap is called neutral. This is called "Split-phase" since you can grab the outer "phase" wires (hot-hot) or grab one phase and neutral for half the voltage.
If you're wondering, this was Edison's idea when power was DC.
The plug you need on the saw is a NEMA 6-15.  It is literally in the drawing (you are seeing a side view).

src
The socket you should install is a NEMA 6-15 or NEMA 6-20.  Note the family resemblance.

Due to an exception in NEC, you are allowed to plug 15A-plugged loads into either a 15A or 20A circuit.  Further, a 20A circuit is allowed to have 15A sockets on it (as long as there are 2 or more sockets, e.g. the above NEMA 6-15 will suffice).

If you cable this with /3 cable, simply cap off the neutral.
If you cable it with /2 cable, you MUST use tape etc. to re-mark the white wire to indicate that it is a hot.
If you use individual THHN wires, you MUST use a hot color (black brown red orange yellow pink blue purple) for the 2nd hot.  Both hots CAN be the same color, in fact, I recommend it. There's no useful purpose in distinguishing them from each other, but with up to 4 circuits allowed in conduit, you want to distinguish them from other circuits.

For instance suppose you have a 120V and two 240V circuits in a conduit.  The wire colors are blue white red red orange orange. Which ones are which? Easy. Orange-orange is a 240V circuit. Red-red is another.  What's left?


Bosch Drawer Microwave causes ARC Faults

Dealing with the problem now:
One of the first things to try is just swapping the breaker with an identical one in the same panel. In my experience, there's a lot of individual variation in the exact behavior of both AFCI breakers and appliances, that sometimes you can get the problem to go away just by using a different combination of individual components. It's harder to swap the microwave (typically), but you can also try exchanging the oven at the store to see if a different one (even if the same make and model) would work okay.
That said, the only real solution to this problem is to have the breaker replaced by the manufacturer. It is almost certain that you have no actual arc fault, and that the breaker is being tripped unnecessarily.
You can also report the problem here: https://www.afcisafety.org/home-owners/unwanted-tripping/
I have been struggling with the same issue, for several years now, in a newly-constructed home where AFCI breakers were required on almost every circuit due to relatively new code requirements. It has not helped that the electrician who did all the work for the construction shows little to no interest in doing anything to investigate, never mind fix the problem. But the one thing that has, for the most part, helped is to replace the breakers. It seems the manufacturer (Square D in my case) updates the AFCI logic in the breaker over time, to reduce the number of false positives.
Since the latest attempt by the electrician to deal with the problem by replacing the most problematic breakers, while they introduced a whole new problem (breakers tripping randomly even when there's not even any load on the circuit), almost all of the appliance-related tripping has been eliminated.
(The one exception is that now we have a breaker for the furnace that trips the instant the furnace blower motor turns on, but only if the utility power is out and we're running on the generator instead. As you can see, it's a bit like playing whack-a-mole.)
You or your electrician need to work with the manufacturer to report the problem, telling them the exact make and model of appliance that is causing the problem, and get updated breakers that will work. If possible, that is…this is hit or miss under the best of circumstances, and it requires that the manufacturer (and any electrician that's involved) are willing to be cooperative and support the breaker and installation.
Why does the microwave trip the breaker?
As far as how the microwave can cause the tripping, it's simply due to the switching of electricity that occurs in the appliance. Motors with brushes are among the worst (fortunately, more and more appliances are being designed with DC brushless motors), but other things like plasma screen TVs (which use tiny arcs to generate the plasma discharge that lights the pixels), higher-end toaster ovens (we have a Breville that modulates the heating element intensity in a way that can trip the AFCI), and yes, microwave ovens, can all have similar problems.
In the case of the microwave oven, it will depend on the individual design. But ovens have motors (which are a possible problem, depending on the motor), for the carousel, ventilation, and the "stirrer fan", and the switching on and off of the magnetron can also create signals that would fool the breaker.
I can't tell you exactly what component in the microwave is causing the false tripping, but it's not surprising that something is. And because of the chaotic nature of the AFCI behavior, you may or may not get the exact same behavior from a different individual breaker or oven, even if the same make and model, never mind if you tried a different manufacturer for either.
Why bother using the web form to report the problem?
Note that by reporting the problem on the form linked above, you can at least give the manufacturer a chance to investigate and update the design of their breaker for that particular scenario. It doesn't necessarily help your specific issue right now, but it could improve the situation for you and everyone else in the long run.


Under Floor Heating (Wet) - pipe coupler under the screed?

Can i use pipe couplers to connect then all the rooms to the system(manifold in the hallway)? and submerge the couplers under the screed?

With PEX pipe it depends on the fittings. Some fittings are rated for this (the crimp/slide ones), others are not (ie, the ones you screw on). Check your local code.

Personally though I wouldn't risk it. It would be easier to simply leave enough pipe in the corridor, then roll it and place it out of the way against the wall so no-one trips on it.


Would cork flooring underlayment help with vibration dampening in a sub floor?

I don't have any experience to say for sure one way or the other (except that I've not had any notable vibration problems with my front load HE washer on the first floor, which is just sheet vinyl on 3/4" plywood, near the end of the joists). But what I'd think you want is basically the same thing that that you want when you're soundproofing a floor; you don't want vibrations at the top to transmit elsewhere.

When soundproofing, what you really want is a sandwich of plywood, underlayment, plywood. So roughly what you're suggesting. Cork can work well, though rubber underlayments generally perform much better at the same thickness. You lose a lot of the benefit if you screw the top layer to the lower layer, though - you want the layers glued together, without anything hard bridging across the soft layer.


If you're feeling lightheaded/out of breath in the basement, I'd stay out of there until it's well ventilated and never enter the area without someone on the outside to monitor  you and call for help if needed (but that person should not enter the area). If it were my basement, I'd call the fire department to check for Carbon Monoxide and/or combustible gas and assist with ventilation.

One possibility is that Carbon Monoxide has accumulated in the basement, perhaps due to a faulty heating appliance and poor ventilation, or gasoline powered equipment in or near the house. This is extremely hazardous and potentially fatal -- it can cause you to become incapacitated and unable to leave the space.

Some signs of CO exposure include:

  Headache

  Shortness of breath

  Personality changes

  Unusually emotional behavior or extreme swings in emotions

  Fatigue

  Malaise (a generally sick feeling)

  Dizziness

  Clumsiness or difficulty walking

  Vision problems

  Confusion and impaired judgment

  Nausea and vomiting

  Rapid breathing

  Chest pain

  A rapid or irregular heartbeat

Another, less likely possibility is Carbon Dioxide (CO2). CO2 is heavier than air and can pool in low areas such as unventilated basements. It would take a fairly high concentration of CO2 to prevent a match from igniting. It is less dangerous than CO in that the CO2 doesn't bind to your blood like CO, but overexposure to CO2 can incapacitate you, preventing you from leaving the area.

CO2 can be generated by a combustion appliance like a natural gas or propane fueled dryer or heater with a faulty exhaust vent. Other sources could be something  that uses CO2 gas directly like gas from MIG welder, home brewing equipment, home water carbonator, etc.

You could have a natural gas/propane leak. I'd avoid any open flame or anything  else that serve as an ignition source (wuch as turning on a switch or even a flashlight) just in case  the problem is caused by a combustable gas. Propane is also heavier than air and can pool in lower areas (Natural gas is lighter than air and tends to dissipate, except when the gas is cooler than air and more dense, so  it can pool). It is possible for the odorant used in natural gas and propane to  fade, so lack of distinctive gas odor doesn't necessarily mean that  no gas is present.

There are certainly other gases that could also be causing the problem such as sewer gases, or other gases that come from the ground, or heavier than air gases that are released anywhere near the house.


What type of Cat 6 cable to run behind basement studs?

Riser should be fine unless you expect it to really get wet, in which case a waterproof version might be wise for a bit more money. Since you are using inside, a waterproof cable needs to be an "indoor/outdoor" rated cable - strictly outdoor cables are not tested for and may not meet indoor smoke ratings, and are limited to 50 feet from the point they enter the building.
We run plenum or riser attached to concrete all the time in industrial work.
I still recomend conduit for the reasons I always recommend conduit for networking (future-proofing and rodent-proofing (EMT), or at least resisting for the plastic stuff.) Perhaps metallic flex conduit if EMT is too daunting and you'd like tooth-proof. Comparatively expensive, though.
However, since it appears that you could run new cable as easily in the future as you can now, you can probably get away with just doing that. I would suggest using some cable ties with screw holes to support the cables by attachment to the studs, where accessible, rather than just draping them on the floor the whole way.


What is this thing on my wall? Some sort of alarm?

It is a DSC PowerG Wireless indoor siren.
The batteries are the sole source of power.  It's a good idea to replace them on the expiry date, which we can't see but you should have a look now that you have them in your hand, or six years after the installation date, which we can see in the photo.
The high voltage warning pertains to the strobe light.  There probably is a capacitor on the logic board that you would not enjoy discharging manually. That's why there is an interior cover that allows you access to the batteries.
Here's some gratuitous advice: You probably have other wireless components in your alarm system and ADT expects you to keep track of battery life and replace them.  It's a good idea to open up all the window, door, fire, heat, and other sensors to check the battery installation dates and if you bought the house with this system already installed, to just replace them all regardless.


Did the installers steam roller it when they installed it? There should be some sort of warrant on it. Call them back and have them compact it again now that it's hot out. That much settlement is not normal.


How do I add grounding to my old electrical wiring?

The rules on retrofitting grounds were greatly relaxed with the 2014 electrical code (NEC 2014). Yes, now you can simply run bare or green wire between all your electrical boxes and back to the panel.

The ground wires can follow any feasible route, they don't need to travel with the conductors.

The ground wire must go back to the same panel as the conductors come out of (that's relevant if you have more than one panel).

The ground wires MUST be thick enough (generally as thick as the conductors) and can be thicker -- for instance a 12 AWG ground wire is not acceptable for a 10 AWG/30A dryer circuit, but it is acceptable for a 14 AWG/15A outlet circuit.

Here's the whopper: Multiple circuits can share grounds. You don't have to home-run the ground all the way back to the panel, you need only reach another grounded point whose pathway is thick enough.  So you can daisy-chain your grounds from box to box, as long as all the circuits you are grounding come out of the same panel.  Or, your 10 or 6 AWG ground to your range or dryer can be a "backbone" providing grounds to many other receptacles.

All ground splices must be done with the same rules as any other splices: inside a junction box or using some sort of splice listed for use outside of a box.

For details,  see the National Electric Code, NFPA 70 (2014) Article 250 — Grounding and Bonding.  (NFPA now offers free access online to its codes and standards.)


Best location to install floor door stop

Farther from the hinge the better. When possible I use base mount door stops, one would work here as well. But if you prefer to use the floor mount, keep it a few inches from the edge of the door. Do not use hinge type door stops only when absolutely necessary, if the door swings back too hard on it it will either pull the screws out of the hinge or if it is a hollow core door it will put a hole in it. Been there, done that.


No. That looks like polyisocyanurate:

Asbestos looks like any of these, depending on which form was used in what kind of location:


I have a pending question for you but other than that, this is a very common situation, and is easy to deal with.

Connect all grounds together, including to the box itself
Connect all neutral (white) together
Connect hot (black) from power to hot (black) to outlet, and using a small piece of black wire as a pigtail, connect it to one side of the switch
Connect hot (black) to the light to the other side of the switch

I actually would not describe this as a "switch loop" -- a switch loop can be identified by only one wire coming into the switch box, and the power actually going to the light fixture first. This actually isn't very common anymore, since NEC 2011 404.2(C) added a requirement to have neutral in switch boxes, and the easiest way to do that is to have power come to the switch first.


Can I come off the meter box to add a 60 amp subpanel

Yes you can...

Your configuration is anticipated by NEC 230.40 Exception 3:

  Exception No.3: A single-family dwelling unit and its
  accessory structures shall be permitted to have one set of
  service-entrance conductors run to each from a single service drop, set of overhead service conductors, set of underground service conductors, or service lateral.

but you're making your life harder than it needs to be

Your problem, though, will be jamming that outsized URD cable down the conduit.  It has one more wire in it than you need (since you haven't hit a service disconnecting means yet, you don't need to separate ground from neutral for this run, and the panel in the garage will be a main panel), and running cables through conduits is a pain in the rump as a general rule, in addition to being rather wasteful of conduit fill.

Instead, I'd suggest running a trio of #6 copper THHN/THWNs (black, black, white) through a fat conduit (2" Schedule 80 PVC is what I'd use in your shoes).  This makes upgrading to a bigger service to the garage easy (compared to digging up a direct bury cable or pulling wires out of an overstuffed conduit), and also won't leave you tearing your hair out trying to get a reliable termination on AA-1350 (yes, URD is still "old tech" aluminum) wires.

Last but not least

Since you are running to a separate structure, you'll need to put in a grounding electrode system at the garage (2 rods 8' apart, with 6AWG bare copper going rod-rod-panel, always works).  This is needed to make sure that a nearby lightning strike doesn't completely fry the contents of the garage.


Yes. You will need to remove the existing tack strip and put a new one at the new location of the edge of the carpet, and then stretch it down normally.


Can I install a light switch on the end of a wall?

I would avoid any interference with a load-bearing beam (which you do well to point out). Drilling holes -or space for a receptacle- will surely make it more fragile.

Instead of that, the option of switching the switches from one side of the wall to the opposite side may be attractive. Basically, you would need to disconnect and take out the switches from their current position, cut an appropriate hole in the other side of the wall and install them back in on that side. The hole on the fridge side of the wall can then be plastered and painted over (I would recommend it) or covered with a covering plate, unless you are happy with just having the fridge cover it.

In this way, you are not fiddling with the wires from the fuse box to the receptacle, they can stay put in their current position within the wall.

Two quick recommendations if you so do:

Remember to cut the electricity at the fuse box before working.
Once the receptacles are out in one side, you can find the appropriate position on the other side by drilling one small hole straight through the wall in each of the four corners. That way, you automatically get the size more or less correct.

Hope this helps.


Is there a quick, non-intrusive way to see what's under vinyl siding?

Vinyl siding has seams between the pieces. You can push/pull at one of these to make enough room to get a small pen light inside for a peak. You can also inspect around any protrusions like water faucets or vents. Lastly, you can get a special vinyl pulling tool that is a thin blade with a small hook at the end. It's designed to be forced between two pieces and pulled down to release the siding from the layer below. With a little pressure from your hand you and pop the two pieces back together without ever removing a screw.

Two things to keep in mind: if the siding is properly installed, what you'll likely see behind the siding is a weather wrap (e.g. tyvek). And installing siding on a stone surface is likely to leave hundreds of screw holes that would take a lot of effort to patch.


how to repair large, uneven crack in concrete floor

The proper way to do it would be to break it up and pour again.  You might be able to get away with a self leveling compound that you pour over the floor then let it set.

I've used these before installing tile on concrete. I can't imagine what it would look like as a finish.


Residential water pressure booster operation & reliability

Supply

I'm not sure about that specific model, but it's not built in, you can add a 1-way bypass line so that you will always have some water.

Life Span

Lifespan should be in the 10-25 year range. Warranties are usually for 3-5 years.

Power Draw

It like other pumps in your house will increase in electricity cost.  I haven't checked actual the rating, but can imagine it will be comparable to a modern refrigerator.

Cost of Ownership

These should be maintenance free, so electricity is your main concern for CoO.

According to Stack Exchange guidlines I really shouldn't provide any numbers here anyways I don't know what you pay per Kw, nor is that price likely to be static.


How can I add/alter wiring inside single-brick walls?

I highly recommend using Wiremold for this kind of project, but it depends on the aesthetics that you are going for. 1/2" EMT when bent properly gives a really neat look on exposed brick. Using a pipe bender takes a bit of skill and practice, but can be an art form on it's own.

I really don't like the idea of channeling into brick (or block) because:

It never looks the same again, even when you paint it
It weakens interior walls, which might be more prone to crumbling / falling in an earthquake prone region than they otherwise would.

500 series Wiremold should be all you need to do the job.


Can I use a copper sleeve around a galvanized pipe?

Instead of trying to source your own parts that fit together, I suggest you find something that already exists. A telescoping pole, such as a paint roller extension pole or a pool brush pole, would probably serve your purpose.


Two TVs and two satellite TV receivers Blown in three months

Add a lightning arrester and grounding block to your satellite cables.  bond it well to the ground plate.


There are 2 ways to do this, the first way is in essence just cutting the wall at the top of the skirt board and capping it off and setting the handrail on top of the cap that is finishing off the cut wall, sounds a bit crude, but essentially that describes what you will have.

The up side to this is you will not need to do a floor repair, depending on where your wall ends where the newel will be.

The other way to do it is by removing the wall entirely, repairing the floor, removing the treads and risers, and set longer ones with return nosings on either side. and re-support the stairs with a new walls under the existing carriages.

This is the most work, but will give the best result in my opinion.

Jan. 2, 2014 edit

Here is the work I did in 1989 that shows what I did. This one shows the best example of the effect I was trying to explain. I do not have a shot that shows how the handrail goes past the ceiling, but with a little imagination you could picture what the rail would have to do if the stairs were much wider at the bottom.

Edit #2

I did a little calculating to help, if it may


Is it okay to cut a notch into cross brace?

If that is a fire block it may be very convenient to notch it to just the right depth. With the right kind of metal electrical box you could get a secure box attachment by screwing through the back of the box into the fire block.


Never seen a peel and stick mosaic.

I use peel and stick vinyl for closet flooring in various places - cheap, easy to clean, and the expense of using a better quality flooring there does not seem to be worth it. The last batch I got was a tolerably well-done "wood-look" and had the added advantage of not stinking like the old ones (10 years or more ago) I had last used.

I would not put them in a hot/steamy/wet area - that would be best served by a more traditional mortar tile attachment, or (what my house growing up had) a sheet of stainless steel (it was easy to clean, fireproof, and somewhat predated the popularity of an "industrial look." It's not for everyone.)

Upon searching for "peel and stick mosaic" I see that the probable maker claims they are suited to the use, but I'd still take that claim with a heathy dose of salt, personally. As a confirmed pessimist I'd also take a scrap piece and try to set fire to it. Ceramic or glass is "fireproof" not merely "heat resistant." Likewise, consider the less-glowing reviews as well as the glowing ones.


Kitchen / Bathroom sink are very "splashy" - How can I change this rectangular aerator?

Those elegant faucets do not have aerators!   You need to find laminar flow aerators to alleviate the issue.  Unfortunately you probably need to buy new faucets!
What brand are they?


How should I wire a ceiling fan remote where one switch is used to control the fixture?

Hot wires are any color but white, gray or green.  Code isn't specific as to which.  Since there's only 1 switch and not 2, surely the red/black are a) always-hot, and b) switched-hot.   We don't know which is which - there's no standard.
Normally you shouldn't experiment, but in this case, it's alright.
Turn the breaker off. Hook up ground.  Hook up neutral.
Now, the blue wire on the fan is actually for the light.  Hook that to either red or black from the ceiling, and cap the other one off.  See what that does.  Then hook it to the other one and see what that does.  Results will be:

Is the light always-on?  That wire is always-hot.
Is the light controlled by the switch?  That wire is switched-hot, and leave this connected because that is what you actually want.

Now, on the fan control module, there's a blue wire you won't use. Cap that off.  Also cap off the control module's bottom white wire, since you can't use it.
After that it's downhill; the only thing is you'll be adding the box's top white wire to the neutrals.


Roberts 8000 concentrated stripper is suggested by mfg for glue removal. The roberts adhesive you used is a solvent free adhesive so best to use what they recommend. This a concentrated latex adhesive remover so you will want to probably apply it to a cloth and work the spots to remove the stains. Non VOC and enviromentaly according to the documentation.


Can you identify the spigot attached to this water heater?

It's called nickel brass, white brass or nickel-plated brass. It's perfectly acceptable. The bigger issue in the picture is the copper fitting attached to the tank, it should be a barstock or brass FIP. A bar stock or brass fitting or dielectric union should be put in between any black iron and copper fittings. The tee looks a little odd. But if it's brass it should be fine.

Not exactly the same I'm sure, but similar.

http://www.jomarvalve.com/products/categories/boilerdrains/brass.html


Do I need to angle/pitch pex tubing for draining in the winter?

yes you do.  even if you drain it, its going to get water lying in low spots.  that will rupture the line if it freezes.  just make sure you slope it 1" in 4 ft to where you are going to drain it.  that way it will have no water in it come freeze up.  you can just mount it with stood off pex clamps


How to deal with Square Drive vs. Robertson Screws?

I have used them interchangeably without a second thought for many years, on Canadian and non-Canadian fasteners and Canadian and non-Canadian screwdrivers.  No issues, everything works great.


Mr Stephens, you better be careful. It's talk like that, that will send you down the long stinky road of being a full-time plumber!

Jokes aside, I believe, from what you say, that you are correct. You may want to call the building manager and have them check the main vent(s). Each apt should have it's own smaller vent as well, but if this is a 20-year old apt building, it may be a remodel, where there wasn't enough access to vent every apt. The main vent may be failing for whatever reason, or the neighbor's you speak of could be failing, or a combination thereof.

If you smelled stink out of yours, you may be okay.


How do I determine why a sealed central heating system is losing pressure?

Check the expansion bladder has correct precharge pressure: with boiler barometer at 0bar air pressure inside the bladder should be 1 bar.
Also check the automatic de-aerator are working properly (maybe thosae are clogged by limestone or just failed): if those fail to discharge air outside air could build up inside the system and act, de facto, as if there is no water.


How can I build garage shelving out of 2x6s, 4x4s and 1/2" OSB?

Depends on overall design and load, and, in terms of screw/nails, it depends on what will be anchored to what.  A floor plan annotated with fastener locations would help.

If you are notching in order to transfer load to the 4x4, a 1/2" deep notch is all that is necessary.  Notching will take shear stresses off the associated screws/nails/bolts.

EDIT:
Great new drawing.

The main design considerations are the unit racking and collapsing (side to side), or the units tilting forward and falling over.  Attaching the units to the back-wall in a couple places will stabilize the units, particularly their back portions.  If the 1/2" OSB is screwed/nailed to the front and to the back 10' 2x6's, then the back-wall attachment will also stabilize the front portions of the units as well.  If units can be attached to an end-wall, then attaching to both back and end walls will fully stabilize the units without needing to screw/nail the 1/2" OSB to the 2x6s.  If back and/or end wall attachments are not feasible, I'd place 2x4 cleats on the ceiling and secure the 4x4 posts to those cleats.

On both the front and back, I'd put the 10' 2x6s on the inside of the posts, notching the posts 1/2" deep.  This will give more support to the 1/2" OSB over the 24" dimension.  Another benefit of internal attachment is that the 2x6s will be recessed 3" from the outside edge of the 1/2" OSB and 4x4s.  Given that, you'll be able to hang all kinds of small things on the outside face of the front 2x6s without the items sticking out.  You could also screw 4.5" wide lengths of 1/2 OSB (or anything similar, such as 1x6) to the underside edge of the 2x6s to create 3" deep shelves for light weight items.

If one end of the unit is open (such as facing the garage door, I'd consider moving the two 4x4 end-posts inward 16-30", which would cantilever the ends of the 10' 2x6s, creating 2-sided open access to the cantilevered portion of shelving.

The 5.5" of space immediately underneath the shelves will be kind-of wasted space.  If one end of the unit is open, then I'd attach 24" wide OSB underneath the 2x6s to create deep pockets (cubby holes) open on that one end, for storing long stuff.  The 24" long 2x6 end-caps can be under-mounted or top-mounted.


Putting siding on a shed, what risks are there in using LP Smartside 38 series on 24 inch studs instead of the recommended 16 inch?

The sheeting is in part what will hold the barn up when it is windy I don’t think I would skimp on both the spacing and the siding, you might find it will only be a couple of extra studs and you can use cheaper siding, the same true with your roof. I have saved hundreds on sheathing alone by adding a single truss in some cases 2 but still saved much more than the few studs / trusses it cost to bring it to 16oc


What's a high R-value insulation material alternative to dimensional lumber

This thread suggests Azek siding trim

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=161256&page=2


How do I fill holes around a light switch?

Pick up a small bucket of an all purpose patch likeDap Flexall All Purpose Filler. The all purpose stuff is a little thicker than typical joint compound, so it makes filling a bit easier.
Remove the switch cover.
Using a taping knife, fill in the holes by pushing the compound into the hole and drawing the knife away from the hole.

Like so...

Repeat for each hole.
Wait for patch to dry.
Sand, Prime, Paint, Reattach the face plate.

If you find the holes are too big, and the compound is just falling through the hole.  You'll have to get a wall repair patch kit, to fill the holes before covering them with compound/plaster.  Follow the directions on the patch kit.


Why does a GFCI breaker trip when another breaker is accessed?

From the description, it sounds like the neutral may be shared between the two circuits, which you can't do with a GFCI. The GFCI is looking for an imbalance of current on the hot and neutral lines, so if the neutral is shared with another circuit, there will be some current returning on the neutral that did not go out on the hot.

If you can trace the circuit and find the connection between the neutrals on the two circuits, and isolate them, that would be the easiest and cheapest fix. If the neutral is shared via a multiwire branch circuit from the breaker and can't be split, you can change the gfci breaker to a standard breaker and install a gfci outlet after the neutral splits for the two branches. And I'm also seeing two pole gfci breakers which would allow you to replace the two breakers with one that provides gfci coverage to both circuits and should handle the shared neutral, which may be a good fall back option if you can't locate the shared neutral.


Can I use 12-2 wire on a 20amp breaker to power an entire bathroom?

You must use 12AWG with a 20A breaker for this run

Your "half-bath" is still a bathroom by the NEC's definition, as it has a toilet and a basin aka sink:

  Bathroom. An area including a basin with one or more of the
  following: a toilet, a urinal, a tub, a shower, a bidet, or similar
  plumbing fixtures.

As a result, the fact you have a receptacle on this circuit makes it a bathroom branch circuit, which falls under NEC 210.11(C)(3) and the Exception thereto:

  (3) Bathroom Branch Circuits. In addition to the number of
  branch circuits required by other parts of this section, at least
  one 120-volt, 20-ampere branch circuit shall be provided to
  supply the bathroom(s) receptacle outlet(s). Such circuits shall
  have no other outlets.

  Exception: Where the 20-ampere circuit supplies a single bathroom,
  outlets for other equipment within the same bathroom shall be permitted
  to be supplied in accordance with 210.23(A)(1) and (A)(2).

This requires the circuit to be a 20A circuit, run using 12AWG wire throughout.  It's not at all rare or unusual, by the way, to have a single bathroom powered entirely by a dedicated 20A branch circuit as you describe, so don't worry about any silly notions of providing "too much power" to the lights.

The only things you'll need to know is that the bath fan needs to draw no more than 10A in order to comply with the 50% rule in NEC 210.23(A)(2):

  (2) Utilization Equipment Fastened in Place. The total rating
  of utilization equipment fastened in place, other than luminaires, shall not exceed 50 percent of the branch-circuit ampere
  rating where lighting units, cord-and-plug-connected utilization
  equipment not fastened in place, or both, are also supplied.

Unless you have one of those fancy heated bath fans, you shouldn't have any problem meeting this rule, as an ordinary bath fan only draws a few amps.

Note that you'll need an AFCI for your 20A breaker, and will probably want to bring power to a two gang box at the vanity for the GFCI receptacle and lightswitch, with separate 12/2 runs going from there to the lights/fan.  If you only have a single gang box installed, and can't change it, you can still do this, but you'll be stuck with a GFCI/switch combo, which means your fan and lights will be on the same switch, stopping you from having a timer for the fan.


What kind of threshold for this door - inswing - exterior - concrete - dricore?

I would consider using a Pemco threshold, it is the "go to" product for atypical conditions. I have no qualms about modifying a threshold with a table saw to make it fit my conditions

Look on page 151 (RT 3) Type 147_, I would cut the left side edge off to meet the Dricore. I would do the same with the 2813_ on page 152.

I would not cut off the whole left side, just enough before the highest part to cap over the Dricore and leave a little ridge for the carpet to go against. Mind you, this still may not be tall enough to keep the carpet from dragging the bottom of the door without introducing a small angle to raise the threshold even higher help the door swing over the carpet. this has been done before too


Can I vent my plumbing prior to the main entering the house?

That's an interesting question, with a logical thought process applied to the term 'vent'. With that being said:

The wastewater system contains noxious, ﬂammable sewer gases. These gases are kept out of the house by means of a P-trap at each ﬁxture that seals the end of the pipe with water When wastewater is released from the ﬁxture, it displaces water held in the trap. A vent on the sewer side of each trap supplies air so that draining water cannot create a suction to pull water out of the trap.

Source

Vents aren't used to let the noxious gas escape out of the house, they'll always be there so it's impossible to get rid of them. The vents are used to avoid siphoning of the water seals which prevent the gases from leaking in to the house(per example, why you aren't allowed s-traps anymore as they had a risk of siphoning). Because of this you are required to have most fixtures within a certain distance of a vent or vented stack.

My post is more for information rather than an answer.

I believe this post will be of use to you, however.


First, verify that your filler pipe or flapper hinge piece is installed correctly. Perhaps it's backwards, moving the flapper mounting ears away from the drain hole slightly.
Then, I'm not sure your assertion that all flappers are the same holds water. :P Take yours to the store and compare brands for one with longer arms.
If you're the inventive type, clip the loops off your flapper and zip-tie some strips of plastic in their place (with half-twists if needed), then cut holes at the appropriate position.


Is a ridge beam necessary for a small shed roof?

A ridge board isn't a "beam", per se. It's often just a nice way to bring the rafters together. A proper beam would have a supporting post at each end.

You don't need a ridge beam, but you do need a way to keep the walls from spreading. This can be accomplished with "collar ties", boards spanning the shed at ceiling height, or with large gussets further up the rafter slope. One collar tie would be enough in your case.

I built my 12x10 shed by using 4' by ~18" OSB gussets at the peak of each 2x4 rafter set, essentially resulting in a truss, which proved very solid:

Source: http://halbergengineering.blogspot.com/2010/10/structural-engineering-for-minnesota.html


How many vents are required for drains under a slab and what locations?

Updated Awnser:

There are a few issues with your updated layout:

In a wet-vent, the toilet needs to be the last fixture connected (or be connected via a symmetrical fitting). Your updated sketch has the shower connecting downstream of the toilet. To fix this, you would need to install a 3" double tee (you don't need the wye and 45° as you can change from horizontal to vertical with a 90° but vertical to horizontal with two 45°s). One side would connect to the toilet and the other side would be bushed down for the shower. This is sometimes called a 'potty on the post'.
The vertical distance on the shower may exceed what your code allows, this would be addressed in the above revision as the p-trap would be moved up.

As far as installing pipe within the footing, that will depend on your local authority. Here we can do it if required so long as the pipe is wrapped in sill gasket (~1/8 thick foam wrap) to allow for some separation between the pipe and concrete.

Original Answer:

I would make a few changes:

Take a more direct route to the sink, eliminating some of the 45° fittings (this eliminates a lot of the tight turns and should be less likely to plug)
Combine the vertical sink and vent pipe into one 3" vertical pipe (creating a wet vent for all fixtures)
Eliminate the s-trap on the shower and use a p-trap

Here's a sketch of the above changes:

This would be to code in Canada but I'm not sure of where you live and any differences between codes. For the most part, codes in the USA are close to Canada with small differences and different terminology.

If this is the only plumbing in your house/building, there may be a code requirement that the vent stay 3" to roof as they typically call for one main vent of that size.


If this helps, I have a similar setup in my basement, to avoid using a sump pump. I do not have a check valve, but that's a great idea. I've been running the same washing machine like this for 15 years now.

It may not make it technically correct, but it does work fine. Never had any issues.


How can I prevent the clanging of my extractor fan vent cover?

I think you just need to find a better built vent hood.  The first one I found searching on HD specifically calls out this problem in the description:

  Unlike other versions that tend to rattle in the wind, the back draft damper on the ProMax cap has been designed for noise and wind resistance and its stylish wide mouth appearance helps to optimize the airflow.

Try shaking it and moving the flaps in the store to see if they make a noticeable sound.


These "warm" junctions don't account for 135 watts.  I suspect one junction with ~100 watts of heat emission, and I expect you'll see thermal damage there.

Aluminum wiring combines very poorly with bad work. This work is terrible and your house is probably full of it.   You have a lot of work ahead of you, but I would immediately put AFCI breakers on every such circuit, as they have a high chance of catching problems.

Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, there's absolutely nothing wrong with aluminum as a conductor so please feel at ease with the wires.  Everything is in how the wires are terminated.  Everything.

Any connection wrapped in electrical tape isn't worth spit.  The electrical tape is covering a problem.

You can't use any of those and you'll need to replace the ones you see.  Wagos are listed for Cu only.  Wire nuts are listed for Cu only, except the ones listed for Al that don't work.   Your only option is Alumiconns or some sort of multi-port Polaris connector.  Even more than that, you will need a torque screwdriver to set torques correctly. And I don't say that lightly.
Only Alumiconns, or their big brother the Polaris type splice, will do the job.  Hooking up 5 together is a major pain.
Use of the goop is mandatory with aluminum anything.  So is the use of a torque screwdriver to set torques correctly.
The junction box is a train wreck of biblical proportions.

The box does not have a lid
it has way too many wires for its size
It is flop-a-dop and not properly mounted (stick a 2x4 between beams and mount to that)
It has wires without a sheath entering the top of the junction box (somebody really lazed that one out)

It will need to be fixed by replacing with at least 2 boxes.  I would probably stick a 2x4 between joists to give a place to mount the boxes permanently.  I'd use three 4" deep square boxes connected with short lengths of 3/4" EMT tubing.  That will give all the cables knockout holes they can properly enter and be cable clamped on the sheath.

With the all-copper connections at the top right, I'd pigtail all them together with modern Ideal wire nuts, then bring one copper pigtail to meet the aluminum wires. Those into an array of Alumiconns.

Further, I'd put this whole kaboodle onto an AFCI breaker. That will catch the worst difficulties of aluminum wires.

Also, noting that you are installing outlets and switches, you must change all your outlets and switches to those CO-ALR rated. They have notably dingy-silver screws that look different than the chromed brass or silver screws on normal receptacles.  You cannot land an aluminum wire on a copper-only rated termination, that's what caused all the trouble in the first place.

Technically aluminum is not the bad actor in the aluminum-wire mess; it's the copper terminations that failed to  thermally expand appropriately for aluminum wire. These were rushed through UL approval; as a result the "Cu-Al" rating is banned; the current rating is CO-ALR (R=Revised).  Aluminum terminations are perfectly tolerant of copper wire, and that's why they're used in Alumiconns, Polaris, and larger lug connectors.


Poor quality suspended ceiling installation

Yes, there are several alternate ceilings that could be installed: 1) suspended ceiling with decorative panels, 2) gypsum board on suspended metal runners, 3) gypsum board applied directly to floor supports,

First, if the existing tiles have water stains (which turn brown) and sag, it could be due to a leak. You’ll need to find and fix the leak before installing a new ceiling.

1) There are many decorative suspended ceiling options. Here’s some options:  https://www.decorativeceilingtiles.net/suspended-drop-ceiling-tiles/

Or:  https://www.proceilingtiles.com/

2) Because your existing ceiling is suspended and you like a standard gypsum board ceiling (to match the rest of your house), you may need to suspended it on metal runners. Like this:
http://web.nwcb.org/CWT/External/WCPages/WCWebContent/WebContentPage.aspx?ContentID=98

3) The most common (and probably cheapest) is gypsum board applied directly to the bottom of the floor supports. However, if you have heating ducts, electrical wiring, etc. under the floor supports, then moving all that will be expensive.


How to cut into plastic to remove a metal slug that had been press-fit to be flush with the surface?

If you can cut it with an xacto you can cut it with a razor blade utility knife (aka carpet knife, Stanley knife), like this:

The blade is thicker and more durable than an xacto, and the handle allows you to apply more power to the blade.

My option 1 would actually be a rotary cutting tool like a Dremel with a cutting wheel attached, however it's an expensive thing for a single job, the utility knife will do the trick for much less money.


40 amp Pool heater hooked up to 60 amp outdoor Spa Box

Double check everything, since Siemens makes several lines of breaker/panel (which are physically incompatible so they plainly won't fit), but it all makes sense to me.

You made a canny choice of hot tub subpanel so you could swap breakers - smart economics.
The farther upstream the GFCI protection is, the better - and you can't get more upstream than the main panel, can you? :)
The breaker in the panel is able to protect the #6 cable and 60A subpanel.
The breaker has the correct thresholds for a hot tub (8ma and not 30ma) since it's sold as a hot tub panel.
With the subpanel fully GFCI protected, you can put plain breakers in there.  Though a typical dumb home inspector isn't going to like it.

Be sure to put "GFCI Protected" labels on the receptacles and subpanel, I recommend making your own with a common labelmaker, as they last longer than the blue paper ones that come with GFCIs.


Adding an air admittance valve might help.

From rmit.edu.au

Depending on space restrictions, you could instead consider replacing a normal P-trap or bottle-trap with an "anti-siphon trap"

Example - McAlpine "Silentrap"

  The major advantage of the Silentrap over Resealing Traps is that because the air is drawn through the Valve and not through the water seal, gurgling is eliminated and a much quieter discharge is ensured

...

  Whenever syphonic conditions develop, the negative pressure causes the Valve to rise, allowing air to be drawn into the discharge pipe. The pressure is thereby neutralised before it can have any effect on the water seal within the Trap. On cessation of the syphonic action, the Valve closes, making the Silentrap air and watertight

...

  The Silentrap has been most rigorously tested and will not unseal, even under the most abnormal conditions

My emphasis.

There is an unusually good explanatory video which demonstrates the operation of this and other types of air-admittance valve (AAV)

This is just an example, Other brands are available and probably work just as well.


Fridge making loud clunk when compressor shuts off

If the external compressor mounts are good, then this is most likely to be internal mounts. And the problem with them is that's usually a replace, not a repair - while your food goes off.

The upside, it could keep running for ages with the clunk. I know of various ones with friends, and through online reports, that have lasted 10 or more years doing this.

But it could just fail one day without warning, so plan for a new fridge (or at least a new compressor)


Why does water come from toilet supply when water to house is shut off?

Unless you have some phantom water supply, the water you are seeing is standing water from pipes higher than the ballcock valve you are trying to change. Is there a hot water mixing valve connected to the cold supply for the toilet? This is common to supply warm water to a toilet to control sweating. If so, is the water heater at a higher level than the toilet valve? If this is the case, try shutting the supply to the mix valve.  With all that said, you may have to simply put a collection vessel under the offending tubing and let the water drain out.  It will stop eventually after all the standing water above it has drained off. If you open the faucets on other fixtures located higher than the toilet, the draining will happen faster.  Of course, an obvious check would be to  assure the main shutoff is completely closed, and not leaking by.


How to fix a socket that works and doesn't work and has a switch in the cord. It is a small one the size of a chandelier bulb.

The contact in the light socket might be bent too far down.  Unplug the device, remove the lightbulb, gently bend the contact up a little.  The light should work awesomely then.


Is this plastic container in my toilet tank necessary?

No, the plastic sub tanks are not necessary. They are an after market modification to an older toilet design used to supposedly conserve water usage.

From looking at the picture of the inside of your toilet tank I would think it would not be a bad job at all to temporarily de-mount the tank so as to fully remove the baffle unit. You could also replace that antique float ball filling valve with a newer style that has the float integrated into the fill valve itself. This would leave room inside the tank if you wanted to try the idea of placing one or two large plastic soda bottles filled with water into the tank as a displacement to save on amount of water per flush.


Can polyalloy (plastic) pex fittings be used with both styles of attachment rings?

TLDR: Yes, either type of attachment ring can be used. At least in the USA, these products have to conform to standards which make this so. Additionally, some manufacturers specifically state this is the case.

Details:

Primarily, this seems to come down to manufacturing standards.

In the USA, "PolyAlloy" fittings are governed by standard ASTM F2159 Standard Specification for Plastic Insert Fittings Utilizing a Copper Crimp Ring... which states:

  This specification establishes requirements for sulfone plastic
  insert fittings utilizing a copper crimp ring for [PEX] tubing...

Based on that alone, it would seem that these plastic fittings can only accept the copper crimp rings, not the Oetiker-style stainless steel cinch rings.

However, cinch rings are governed by ASTM F2098 Standard Specification for Stainless Steel Clamps for Securing [PEX] Tubing to Metal Insert and Plastic Insert Fittings which states

  This specification covers stainless steel clamps ... that comply with F1807 or F2159, and
  cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) plastic tubing ...

Therefore by reference to F2159 it seems that the cinch clamps are effectively retconned into acceptability for use with polyalloy fittings.

For example, Everflow fittings are documented to be "Certified to ASTM F2159". And here's a marking on a Vanguard Apollo package indicating the same:

Update: I contacted Apollo about this and they wrote:

  You may use pinch rings, copper crimp rings, pro crimp rings, and
  stainless steel sleeves with any of our Poly Alloy fittings.

So at least as far as their products go, there should be no problem. And I think therefore that any of these fittings made to the same standard ought to be fine also.


How do i properly use conduit across roof shingles?

If there's a solar equipment distributor near you, check with them. Products like this

exist for this very purpose.

Ironically, because you're just grounding the equipment, the conduit itself, if it's metal, can serve as the grounding conductor (so it'd be empty conduit).

Look for "conduit roof flashing."


The one on the right looks like a spacer that goes between the air cleaner and the engine. A long bolt goes through the spacer.


How to create an fast and easy dimmable lamp?

I assume the 16 AWG is just 2-wire lamp cable with no ground, so I wouldn't use that plug end. Just use a 2-prong connector. Make sure you use an Underwriter's Knot on the plug end.

That dimmer is only designed to be mounted in a box in the wall, so you wouldn't want to use it for a lamp. They do make lamp dimmers that just plug into the wall on one end, and the lamp on the other. I got one for our baby's room for when he wakes up at night; it works pretty well.

However, without a switch on the lamp, there's no other way to turn it on/off. There are lamp dimmer units that go directly in the lamp instead of plugging in; otherwise, you should use a lamp holder with a switch on it.

The black (hot) wire on the lamp holder connects to the smaller connector on the plug end.

Use wire nuts to connect the lamp cord to the lamp holder. Twist them clockwise (looking at the top of the wire nut, opposite the wires)- to the right.


That's a drum trap, not a P-Trap. Be sure it's listed to comply with your code requirements. Looks slick anyway. You'll need a 45 degree chrome compression ell and maybe some extra pipe. You'll end up with the trap arm out of the drum running at a 45 degree horizontal angle to the wall. It will be cut quite short before it enters the ell. Upon exiting the ell, it should be a straight shot to the wall connection. The remaining trap arm you cut off may or may not be long enough for this. It then ties into the wall pipe with the same adapter fitting you would normally have used.

The trap arm runs entirely horizontal, despite the ell, with just enough slope to drain (1/4" per foot). The only significant vertical drop is in the tail piece that drops straight down from the sink. If you prefer the 45 degree segment to be closer to the wall, you could do a variation using two 45 degree ells, such that the trap arm out of the drum goes straight back for a distance before making a dog leg to the wall drain.


What is the standard distance between a table and a banquette?

My interior decorator recommended about 1 meter. Also, a good tip is to put newspaper on the floor where you're thinking to put your furniture to get a better visual effect. Get the newspaper on the floor in the right position and then measure.


Placing wooden box underground; how to protect?

Use pressure-treated wood and coat the outside with asphalt emulsion (some call it bitumen). Remember- high & dry, like on a hill. And if you bury anything above the frost line and leave it over winter, it will at least move and maybe break (climate depending). Pay careful attention to the lid closure to make it watertight, and add some sort of dessicant to combat condensation inside the box.


Several options come to mind:

Mow across the slope instead of directly up and down the hill, assuming it's not so steep that the lawn mower would tip over.
Use a weed eater to trim the grass on the slope.
Regrade the yard to reduce the slope.
Replace the slope with a retaining wall.
Replace the grass with a mulched bed.

I suspect if the slope is so steep that a self propelled mower would tip over, then a more expensive mower will just give you something more expensive to break.


How to put electrical wires and boxes in insulated (but not drywalled) walls?

Apparently the correct way to do it is to remove the insulation, run the wires in the middle of the stud cavity, then re-insert the insulation (splitting it in half top-to bottom where needed to put it around wires in the middle. The fix the vapor barrier as needed.


Plumbers are replacing cast iron piping with pvc and water lines with Pex. Anything I should know?

The PEX should probably be sleeved where it passes through the concrete so that it's free to expand and contract with changes in water temperature and pressure.

There's no need to worry about freezing: it's under a heated building, so the ground here will stay above freezing.

Make sure the backfill is done well, meaning that it is compacted well. Don't just dump native soil into the hole and pour concrete over. A sand, small gravel, or road base might be best particularly to provide bedding under the PVC drain pipes. It probably makes sense to fully fill the hole with the same material rather than carry in soil to finish the job.

I don't see any reason why pouring 6" thick would be beneficial, except that it reduces the amount of other fill needed!

I might consider adding dowels. This involves drilling holes horizontally into the surrounding concrete. A "dowel," or short piece of steel rebar, is inserted into each hole so that it's partly in the old concrete and partly exposed to become encased in the new concrete. Dowels help prevent movement at a concrete joint. Here dowels would give you some insurance against future movement of the concrete turning into cracks appearing in your new tile floor. But I'm no expert on this: maybe there's enough surface profile in the broken edges of the old concrete already and dowels would be unnecessary. A tile contractor should be able to give a good assessment.


How to repair a piano that was damaged during a move?

Assuming the purported professionals were actually insured, you find the local piano shop (if one currently in production, ideally the shop dealing in that brand) and inquire about having it fixed, on the movers (or the movers' insurance's) dime. If it needs to move to get fixed, use Piano Movers.


Can manually throwing the dryer circuit breaker cause it to burn out?

Manually flipping a breaker, especially without a significant active load, should never melt a breaker.

A melted breaker indicates a large heat build-up. This could be a defective breaker but is more likely a bad connection, producing resistance, which heats up under normal load. This could be an insufficiently tightened screw connection to the hot wire, poor connection from the breaker to the panel, or such. It could also be a breaker not rated for the panel, producing a poor connection.

First question: do you have aluminum wiring in your house? If so, the circuit breaker must be rated for use with aluminum and the wire should be properly treated before connecting. Improper treatment of aluminum wiring has caused many house fires.

Second question is what brand is your breaker panel? There are several brands from the 60's and 70's that are generally acknowledged as fires waiting to happen.

In any case, a melted breaker indicates a serious hazard! I highly recommend getting a professional electrician in to look things over!


Can I use compression connections on rigid "L" copper?

Compression style stops work the same on Type M and Type L, they both have the same outside diameter (O.D., 5/8").

Type M is thinner walled and (IMO) substandard. It is cheaper for a reason, you should use Type L.

As a sidebar: it seems you are familiar with soldering since you are plumbing the bathroom yourself, so why would you use compression (or "Sharkbite") connectors? It will just set you up for difficulty when (not if) the stops start to leak-by later on and you have to replace them. Solder male adapters to your stub-outs and use thread-on stop valves.


What is this, and can my dryer work without it?

The item referred to as a "rope" is likely to be either the drive belt or the felt strip that the drum rides on.

If the dryer drum still turns when the unit is turned on then what you pulled out is not the drive belt! On the other hand the belt could have torn in which case the motor will no longer be able to turn the drum. Clearly you would not be able to ignore and run the dryer without the belt.

The felt strip is typically fitted around the front periphery of the drum where it fits into a round track on the front housing of the dryer. The felt acts as a low friction bearing surface for the front support of the drum. If this is what you pulled out of your dryer then you do not want to attempt to operate the dryer without replacing the felt strip. To do so would lead to more serious damage as the drum became a metal to metal or metal to plastic bearing surface in the drum track.

For most dryers the replacement of the drive belt or the felt strip is relatively easy. You typically have to remove the front loading door assembly and the front housing of the dryer. (There may be other pre-steps to get to the point of being able to remove the front housing). Once you have access to the front of the drum it is easy to slide a new drive belt around the drum and onto the motor shaft and belt tightener/idler assembly. If it is the felt strip being replaced it is necessary to clean away any of the old felt debris and then afix the replacement strip into place on the drum. Note that the felt strip could be installed either on the drum itself or on the round track that is part of the front housing. It is typical for the opposing surface the runs in the track where the felt is placed is lined with a surface made of a hard slippery type of plastic.


Powerline adapter to connect 2 apartments in one building?

All legal arguments against doing this aside, I doubt that a powerline adapter is what you want here.

You will probably have better results with a "Wifi Range Extender" or a Wifi Repeater.  There are many suitable products on the market and some simple searching or a trip to a local electronics/computer products store should net you one.

In extreme cases, you might consider a directional-gain antenna that, in some cases, can extend the range from a few dozen meters to a km or more depending on terrain and conditions.