having set thousands of posts of all kinds and sizes, i would offer this thought - its not the concrete speed or strength that matters, its the straightness of the post.  and fyi, nobody who makes a living building fences mixes their concrete outside of the hole.  they either use premix or they add powder to water right in the hole.  it works just fine.  and i live in ontario where cold weather cracking and frost heaving are a normal part of life.

if you use standard sakrete, you have about 30minutes of fairly fluid concrete. that means that you have to watch the post carefully for or brace (extra cost and labour).  multiply that by 10 or 20 posts, and it gets expensive.

if you spring for the fast set, it sets up so much faster, that usually by the time you have started drilling the next post, the first one is stiff enough to leave alone.

they are both about 40Mpa right out of the bag, and even if you only get 20Mpa as the final strength (not a perfect mix), its more than strong enough for fence posts.

however, there are alternatives.

1)  use hot water, and add directly to the hole.  then pour standard sakrete powder in and mix with a rod.  dont worry if its not perfect.  its just post concrete.  if your mix is off a little, it may result in powdery spots, but the moisture will cure it all within a couple of days.  just try to get the mix proportions right when you do the addition of water.

2)  just add calcium chloride or sodium chloride to the mix.  it acts as a catalyst.  just google it and you will see how it works.  just dont use it for steel posts or anything with rebar.  it corrodes uncoated steel quicker.

3)  just add catalyst to the mix. its a little faster than bleach, but a little more costly.  once again, see google.

4)  this is the best way, and we have been doing it this way for about 4 years now - just use the expanding foam pouches.  they are just as strong, unaffected by cold or ice, and weigh 1/1000 as much as the concrete.  it costs almost exactly the same for the materials, and is far less labour.  one guy can set 100 posts in a day and isnt tired at all.  its so much more cost effective to use the foam that we havent set a fencepost in concrete for years now.


Is it allowed to run NM wire in PVC pipe under an outdoor porch?

No. Nonmetallic sheathed cable is not allowed in wet locations.  NEC considers outdoor conduit a wet location.

You'll have to use THWN conductors, or other conductors/cables rated for wet locations.

If you use THWN conductors, you'll be able to fit 7 conductors through 3/4" Schedule 80 PVC (Table C.9), or 9 conductors through 3/4" Schedule 40 PVC (Table C.10).


How can I remedy moisture intrusion from my concrete slab?

Other than taking a jackhammer to it and doing it right from the bottom up, (or turning it back into a carport):

Lay 6 mil plastic in a continuous sheet, place 1 or 2 inches of XPS rigid insulation sheets, pour 2" of gypsum cement (might as well place radiant floor heat tubing while you are at it, even if you don't have immediate plans to use that.)

A cement slab for a carport almost certainly has no waterproofing below it nor insulation of any kind.


A gentler way to chase electrical sockets

Been in this position many times. The problem, as you have discovered is the fragile nature of the mortar brickwork. The only way to stop it falling apart is to use tools that do not generate such a large percussive shock to the wall. One such device is a masonry saw such as a stihl. On the other hands if your brickwork is that fragile it is hardly something you should be leaving that way. Perhaps do the damage and re mortar it.


How can I fit a trap on a sink bowl that's directly above the vertical drain pipe?

Is there a joint under that escutcheon?

If so, why not run an elbow toward the back wall, then  an elbow upward to a vertical pipe, then an elbow forward to a conventional p-trap?

This would effectively reduce the risk of siphoning water that an s-trap creates.

If there is not enough distance in back of the pipe, the whole elbow/p-trap thing could be canted to one side or the other.

One or more joints could be eliminated if you can find a run of pipe with an integrated elbow. The lower horizontal run is needed only if the elbows don't move the vertical pipe far enough back to accommodate the p-trap.


Consider renting a rear tine roto-tiller. They are very easy to use and very effective in breaking up hardened/packed soils. I would advise tilling to a depth of 3 to 4 inches. Buy a landscape rake. This is an aluminum rake that is about 3 foot wide with strong rigid tines for sifting out stones etc, and a scraper edge on the top side that is used to level and move soil.  After you have loosened up your soil, you can add amendments, starter fertilizer etc if wanted, level out the area with your landscape rake, reseed, and roll it flat (optional) if you wish. Midwest Rake 10030 Aluminum 30 Inch Landscape Rake  apx $40


Dimmer and switch connected to outlet to always hot

Simply nut off the green pigtail by itself

Since there's nothing for the ground pigtail to connect to once the dimmer is replaced by a blank faceplate, simply cap it off with a wirenut.

That dimmer should not have been there to begin with

Dimming a standard wall receptacle violates NEC 404.14(E):

  (E) Dimmer Switches. General-use dimmer switches shall
  be used only to control permanently installed incandescent luminaires unless listed for the control of other loads and
  installed accordingly.

and 406.15:

  406.15 Dimmer-Controlled Receptacles. A receptacle supplying lighting loads shall not be connected to a dimmer
  unless the plug/receptacle combination is a nonstandard
  configuration type that is specifically listed and identified
  for each such unique combination.

Your TV is taking a dim view of being dimmed

The dimmer is also what is responsible for the buzzing sound coming out of your TV due to the mains waveform being modified by the dimmer, even at its maximum setting.


Piece of brass in air compressor tank -- problem or no?

Is there any risk of running the compressor as is, with a loose piece of brass knocking around the tank?

I dont think a loose piece of brass will be any issue.

  If not, what can I do to retrieve it?

Depending on the style you could perhaps de-pressurize the tank and remove the compressor or compressor discharge tube, giving you access to a larger port in the tank where you might be able to dump the loose piece. This can also lead to problems with leaks on the compressor discharge though... I think you are better off leaving it be.


Need help with sagging gate double gates

The left side gate is not made correctly.

The cross brace is supposed to prop up the swinging end of the gate.  In other words, you want to go from the lower hinge (in this case the lower left) to the upper end of the horizontal brace (in this case the upper right).

The diagonal on the right is oriented correctly, the diagonal on the left is not.


Proper sized screws to attach whiteboard on wall

I think you may have some difficulty drilling deeply enough into the concrete behind the wallboard without making the wallboard portion of the hole too large.  That will leave very little of the insert there to "bite" into the concrete.
I recommend you get some longer wall anchors and screws that will allow you to get the majority of the anchor into the concrete.


Rust and misty glass door, repair or replace?

The seal would have had to have failed BEFORE your daughter squirted water on it. Her water getting in just alerted you to the problem. Give her a cookie and apologize for making her feel bad...
In general it would cost more to try to clean and reseal it than it would cost to buy new sealed units.


Can someone help me make sense of the wiring for these switches?

First off -- using a 3 way to sub for a single pole is probably Code, but not the greatest idea

Electrically speaking, there's nothing wrong with using a 3-way (SPDT) switch to substitute for a standard (SPST) switch provided it's wired correctly (or else it simply won't work at all).  However, it can be quite confusing to folks who are expecting the switch to have ON/OFF labeling.

You are free to use your three-way switches as a substitute for single pole switches.  However, personally, I would play it safe here and get some matching single pole switches to go with your three-way switches to avoid confusion.  (Simply take one of the Leviton three-ways you were gifted to the local electrical supply house and ask them for the matching single pole switch.  Good spec-grade switches are most definitely worth the money, and are only a few bucks more than builder-grade trash that's the cheapest thing on the big-box shelf!)

The copper bundles should be ground, but whoever wired these switches fails at grounding

You'll need to use bare (or green, although bare pigtails are easier to get in some ways) pigtails from the green ground screws on your new switches to the bundle of bare wires in the back in order to ground them as per 404.9(B) of the NEC, as whoever wired the original switches forgot to put them in, and the plastic box that was used clearly doesn't do anything to provide your switches with a ground-fault current path.

Pigtails beat backstabs

Finally, it's better to pigtail multiple wires together to a single wire that goes to a terminal instead of using the backstab terminals, especially on cheap builder-grade switches as builder-grade backstabs are pretty bad at hanging onto wires.  This is doubly necessary in your case, as it appears that the wiring in your box is 12AWG, which the backstabs on your new switches won't accept.

Basically, you want to take the black wire that loops around its terminal on the right switch and goes to the left and wire-nut it with a short length of black wire as well as the other black wire that went to the terminal on the left switch that connected to that wire, and connect the other end of the short length of black wire to the corresponding terminal screw on the new left switch.  Repeat with the two wires that go to the other terminal on the left switch, another length of black wire, and another nut, then connect the other pigtail to the corresponding terminal screw on the new switch.

As to why that one wire was sent to two switches? It's the incoming hot feed for both the left and right switches in the box.

Finally, if you need a supply of wire for pigtails, some THHN/THWN dual rated wire will always work.  (Random wire might not meet Code by way of not being a type of wire found in NEC 310.104.)


ceiling fan rotate slowly in my bedroom only

You need to purchase a cheap volt meter (make sure it can measure AC) at any hardware or large general store.

At the ceiling fan electrical box you need to measure the voltage.

Here is a good tutorial to get you started.

Once you measure your voltage (depending on where in the world you are) check and see if it is close to what should be reaching your outlet/fan.

I am assuming you will find that it is lower, if you do at this point you are going to have to troubleshoot that circuit. There are a few ways to do this with different forms of technology but the cheapest by far is the old fashioned method of tracing the wiring.

If you can get into the attic or crawl space do your best to trace the physical circuit throughout your house. You want to see what other devices are on this circuit. Are there any dimmer switches or other appliances?

My guess is that you will find something else on the circuit draining voltage. Find this device, remove it from the circuit, and your fan should operate normally!


reclaiming exhaust from 'on demand water heater'

It is generally not worth the time and money to try to capture the lost heat through the exhaust system of the vast majority of tankless/on-demand water heaters. The heaters are now so efficient that they can vent the exhaust through plastic (PVC) pipe.

Since these heaters also only operate when there is a call for hot water, they do not run very often. Compare this to a traditional water heater that needs to keep many gallons of water in the tank at a certain temperature all the time.

Because a tankless system only runs on demand, and is extremely efficient when it runs, there is very little heat loss from this type of system. It would not be economical to modify the system to glean the tiny bit of lost energy. It would most likely take decades just to break even from this sort of modification.


How to remove stubborn paint spots from natural stone

The suggestion that you made in comments to try a wire brush may very well be a good first effort. However I would like to suggest some additional things as well.

Try to see if most of the paint spot can be removed by scraping at it with a sharp edged scraper or knife. This should be able to get most of the paint removed if it has any significant thickness like many paint dips have.
Most paint can be softened most easily with paint stripper. This would be most effective when most of the paint thickness has already been mechanically removed. Stripper can also help get out some of the paint that may have penetrated into a rough or porous stone surface. Before using do experiment with the stripper by applying some to an inconspicuous area to make sure the harsh chemicals in the stripper do not absorb into the stone and permanently discolor it.
Using a wire brush or coarse steel will would be tools of choice for removing the last remnants of the paint after the scraping and stripping. In the end there may remain some small amount of discoloration that cannot be removed without seriously abrading the stone.


Why is my refrigerator tripping breaker?

The path of least resistance.

When the ground is removed, the current is forced to go through the compressor, and fridge works.

When you replace the ground, there is a path from hot to ground, that avoids the compressor.

So your problem is somewhere between the 'hot' wire on the plug and the compressor.

Possibly a problem in the receptacle where the hot wire will short when the ground pin is inserted, but unlikely. If you want to test for this, plug in something else with a ground pin, wiggle the cord, and if it works, the fridge is the problem.

My vote would be for someplace where a wire was pinched while working on it.

The wire should be loose - long and had too much room to move around and got pinched, or it should be really tight, because it did not have enough room to move.

There does not have to be much damage to the insulation for this to happen, but running your fingers along the wires should be enough to find it.

Best of luck to you


I would investigate a bad contact in the fixture first.

Tighten/loosen the bulb slightly. Try gently wiggling the bulb.  If the light comes on, it's probably a bad contact.

If the light does not come on. Remove the bulb, and with a flashlight carefully look into the empty socket.  You're looking for corrosion, discoloration, a bent, misaligned, or damaged contact. If you see any damage, replace the fixture.

If everything with the socket looks good, you'll want to look for loose connections.  Turn off the power, and inspect the fixture wiring.  If you don't see any problems, check the switch wiring.

If everything still looks good. Use a multimeter to test continuity through the switch.

If you still haven't found the problem, it might be time to contact an Electrician.


How to determine if my gas fireplace can burn wood safely?

I'm not a Chicken Little type, but there's no way I'd do that, for a couple reasons:

You don't know what's behind the surface masonry. Wood-burning fireplaces have multiple layers of insulating masonry to handle the massive heat that can build up, protecting the wood framing around it.
You don't know that the flue will handle creosote, sparks, etc. Wood fires are messy and produce much more flame and embers than a gas unit.
It's probably not designed to draft a smoky wood fire. You'll have billowing smoke in your room on a regular basis. It's carcinogenic.
You'll almost certainly void your homeowner's insurance (and make yourself legally and morally liable for death and dismemberment of occupants).

The answer to your actual question ("How do I...") is that you have a specialist stop by. They'll be able to see things that you and I can't from here. It's just not a question for the internet.


How should a replacement outlet be wired?

Since you measured 120v you probably have an open neutral. I find open wiring most often when back stabs are used. A back stab is the push in type of connection. I don’t like back stabs and think they should be illegal but have made many house payments fixing them. The problem is usually on the last working outlet or first non working outlet. Bathrooms and kitchens have this problem quite often other than that space heaters will usually cause the problem. It could be a broken wire or a wire that came out of the nut but that is rare compared to bad back stabs. Also don’t assume a non contact voltage tester is correct and you have 120v it could be a phantom voltage on a circuit that was turned off at the breaker. Note as others have said you had the wires correct with black wire on the brass colored screw , white wire on the silver screw and bare copper or green insulation going to the green screw. If you put white and black on the same side it would have tripped the breaker if the breaker was tripped you need to turn it fully off and then on to reset it.


Eliminating a 3 way switch in a 3 gang outlet

Yes, if the switches are all on the same circuit (breaker), you tie all the neutrals together.
Yes, you can have dumb & smart switches in the same box. And receptacles. And all kinds of other things.
As Harper noted, you must have switches for stairway lighting at top & bottom. So if you want to put in a smart switch for one end, put in a smart switch remote for the other end.


How does a snowblower perform on exposed aggregate concrete?

Most snow blowers have adjustable skid shoes that look something like this:

(source: jackssmallengines.com)

On smooth hard surfaces, you can typically adjust these to the minimum height so the snow blower "scrapes" the surface.  If you have a rough surface then you can adjust these so the blade rides a bit higher and does not catch any of the rough surface.


wiring for illuminated 3 way toggle switches

Assuming your switches are similar to the Leviton 1463 (wiring diagram taken from their site):

Leviton 1463 wiring diagram http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ibcGetAttachment.jsp?cItemId=wWm55e.lPvCEg-uYaozWiw&label=IBE&appName=IBE&minisite=10251

there is a resistive bridge between the two travellers that is tapped to feed one end of the pilot light, with the other end connected to the common terminal.  When you put two of these in circuit and put the switches in opposite positions, the net effect is that of a resistor-bridge with the pilot lights shunting two opposite legs (which two depends on the switch positions).  When all the parts work, this means that both pilot lights are effectively in parallel, and will both be on with the switches off.  However, if one of the legs that isn't shunted by the pilot lights at the time is toast, the other pilot light will not light.

Either that, or one of the pilot lights itself is gone.  Either way, you'll be replacing a switch.  As to which one? Well, you can test them with a multimeter:

Turn off the circuit.
Remove one of the suspect switches.
Put your multimeter on the Ohms setting (a 200kOhm or 2MOhm range is a good starting point if you have a manual ranging meter)
Measure from the common to each traveler terminal -- one should show a dead short, the other should show a high but finite resistance (somewhere between 40-50kOhm and perhaps 500kOhm or so).  If you get an infinite (open circuit) reading on the meter, then you've found the dud.
Flip the switch and repeat the test.  Again, an infinite reading means the switch has gone bad internally and needs replacing.
Reinstall the switch under test if it passes, and repeat this procedure with the other switch.


Using Outdoor pavers stone for fireplace

The characteristics and composition of firebrick also called refractory brick make it suitable for high heat applications. Conventional pavers will fail quickly when exposed to heat. I can't testify about pavers but I have had concrete explosively spall (small pieces of concrete shrapnel) while cutting steel anchors with a torch. So you really need bricks that are designed for use in a fireplace.


Convert One 3-Way Light Switch to Belkin WeMo Light Switch (Single Pole)

SHORT ANSWER

You can't convert the WeMo switch to replace a three way. You can add it to a three way circuit to turn lights on and off if and only if the three ways were first set to leave the light on. When you turn off the WeMo (at home or remotely), the lights will go off. When you turn on the WeMo (at home or remotely) the lights will go on. But, if the lights are already off because the three ways were used to turn them off, the WeMo will not turn them on.

LONG STORY

The WeMo light switch is a simple on and off switch (as far as your electrical system is concerned; yes, I know it does more). It allows a circuit to be on or off, based on whether that switch is on or off, period.

A three way switch also turns a circuit on or off. The difference is a three way switch is one of a pair. Each switch changes the state that the other switch has created. For the switch closest to the power supply (A), current comes into the switch on one side (on the common terminal) and leaves the switch on one of the two terminals on the other side (the travelers), depending on which direction the switch is thrown.

On the second three way switch (B), closer to the light or other device, the power comes in on one of the two travelers and leaves the switch via the common if and only if the switch is thrown to the same traveler as switch A.

For three way switches, there is no on or off position. Rather there is traveler 1 and traveler 2 positions (not labeled that way but called that for illustration). The circuit is on when both switches are turned to the same traveler and off when they are turned to different travelers.

This illustration also shows the 4-way switch described by OP.
It also does NOT show neutral and ground wires which MUST be connected as well.

All of the illustrations show just one ON position for the 3-way/4-way setup.
There are actually four possible ON combinations and four OFF combination.

The WeMo can be added to this circuit by placing it between the hot line and the common terminal on three way switch A or between the common terminal and the fixture on switch B.

or

 These illustrations do NOT show neutral and ground wires which MUST be connected as well.

WeMo effectively interrupts or connects the power either before or after it goes through the three way setup. However, If it three way pair is off (the swithces are not turned to the same traveler), then the circuit will stay of, regardless of the WeMo setting.

Whether this works for you depends on whether you are willing to be sure to turn the three way setup to on before you leave and then control the system with the WeMo.

THE SETUP

The existing switch you are describing does not sound like a three way, but a four way. This is a switch used between two three ways to give an additional location to switch a circuit on and off. (The white wires are actually being used as hot lines and should have been marked with black tape or a black marker). This switch cannot be controlled by the WeMo. You need to find the one of the real three ways to make this work.

When you do, connect the wires as follows:

WeMo GREEN wire to the BARE wires in the box.
WeMo WHITE to WHITE wires in the box.

If you are placing the WeMo next to three way A (closer to line voltage):

WeMo BLACK (Lightning bolt) to BLACK or RED power line currently attached to COMMON terminal on existing three way switch.
WeMo BLACK (Light bulb) to COMMON terminal of existing three way switch.

If you are placing the WeMo next to three way B (closer to fixture):

WeMo BLACK (Lightning bolt) to COMMON terminal of existing three way switch.
WeMo BLACK (Light bulb) to BLACK or RED power line currently attached to COMMON terminal on existing three way switch.

REMEMBER, the three way setup has to be set so that the circuit is ON for the WeMo to be able to control it remotely. (The four way you have been looking at complicates the circuitry, but you can effectively ignore it; just make sure the overall circuit is ON before you leave; it doesn't matter which switch you flip to turn it on.)

SUPPLEMENT

Based on the OP's comment, he or she is willing to lose the 3/4-way functionality and install the WeMo only to control the fixture. That cannot be done by replacing the 4-way switch described because there is no neutral in that box.

The WeMo could be swapped for one of the three ways if there is a neutral in the three way box.

If you are replacing 3-way A, attach the black lightning wire to the black (or red) hot from the line. Attach the black lamp wire from the switch to the black traveler. Cap the white traveler. In the 4-way box, remove the switch and join the two black traveler wires. Cap the whites separately. Place a blank cover plate over the box. In switch box B (closest to fixture) remove the switch. Attach the black traveler wire to the fixture wire. Cap the white traveler wire.

If you are replacing 3-way B, follow the same steps, except in box A, the black traveler is attached to the hot line, and in Box B the black lightning wire is attached to the black traveler and the black lamp wire is attached to the fixture wire.


How do I carry electrical power across a pond?

What we know won't work

First off -- a cable or conduit submerged in a pond is in something beyond a wet location from the standpoint of the Code, so our wiring method needs to be suitable for the conditions.  Second, laying sticks of rigid conduit is probably not practical either -- you either have to pull or push the conduit across the pond or lay it from a boat, while making joints in the conduit every 10', and ensuring it bends properly under the forces involved, as any kinking or damage will make pulling the wire through it far more difficult.

Furthermore, any wiring method that uses anything other than an insulated copper wire for its grounding conductor is no good as well, as it violates NEC 682.31(A):

  (A) Type. Equipment grounding conductors shall be insulated copper conductors sized in accordance with 250.122 but
  not smaller than 12 AWG.

As a practical matter, this rules out UF and USE cables, as well as armor-grounded or bare-wire-only grounded direct burial (jacketed) MC cables.  Furthermore, neither cordage nor typical submersible pump cable is directly suitable for this application as they are unlikely to be robust enough to handle a long run across a pond.  This leaves us with two general groups of options:

Liquidtight flexible conduit (LFNC as LFMC to LFMC couplings do not seem to be a thing) with listed watertight fittings and appropriately rated cable (likely an unjacketed/multiplex submersible pump cable) inside as THWN or XHHW-2 singles aren't rated to sit in water 24/7/365
Direct burial rated cables suitable for the application (some TC and MC constructions)

Going the conduit route

We will be using LFNC by the spool for a long run, or at least the longest coils you can get, here, to minimize the number of couplings to act as potential leak points.  Furthermore, LFNC-B is the construction of choice for this application as all the LFNC to LFNC couplings I can find are for LFNC-B.

You can lay the conduit from shore, or from a small workboat if you prefer (remember your PFD!).  Once the conduit's in from starting point to ending point, using listed LFNC fittings to transition into the boxes or handholes at each end, then pull an unjacketed (twisted multiplex) submersible pump cable through it -- individual type THWN wires are not rated for continuous submersion.  Note that it may be necessary to use a wet-dry vac to "suck" the conduit dry before pulling, depending on if water was allowed to freely enter the conduit during the conduit-laying process, and it also may be a difficult pull due to the inability to install usable pull points underwater to conform with bending limits.

If you wish to go the cable route

If the above idea seems too difficult, then it is possible to do this using cable wiring methods, using either type TC-ER-JP (Tray Cable, Exposed wiring Rated, Joist Pull rated) cable or some type MC cables.   TC-ER-JP has the advantage that it's cheaper and easier to run/handle; however, it will need conduit protection at the stub-ups as it's not suitable for exposed work outside of supervised industrial installations, which increases the difficulty of installation here.  Jacketed MC is somewhat stiffer/harder to run and terminate, but can be obtained in a construction called MC-HL (Metal Clad, Hazardous Location rated), which offers some advantages for a submerged application -- the welded armor on MC-HL is basically watertight, and it's tested to survive a greater degree of abuse than ordinary type MC cable as well.

Either way, you'll need a cable construction that fits the following criteria:

Copper conductors, minimum 12AWG, with THWN (acceptable) or XHHW-2 (preferred) insulation
PVC outer jacket, direct bury/wet location rated
3 conductors (hot, hot, neutral) + an insulated ground (for MC-HL, insulated ground wires can be obtained in control cable constructions only)
For type MC cable, MC-HL (continuous welded corrugated armor) construction is preferred, with AIA (aluminum interlocked armor) construction acceptable depending on availability and cable sizing.
Type TC cable needs to be TC-ER-JP (Tray Cable, Exposed usage Rated, Joist Pull rated) in order to be adequate for this application -- this ensures that it has a fighting chance at surviving abrasion and other such physical abuse

I would terminate the cable and trench it in to 24" topcover at one end, then use a workboat to lay the rest of the cable (remember your PFD!) to the opposite shore of the pond, where you can then trench in the rest of the cable and terminate it at the other enclosure. Termination is fairly simple here -- the insulated ground wire lands on a ground bar or lug within each enclosure, while the armor of type MC cable is terminated at the fitting.  With TC cable, a suitably sized Schedule 80 PVC or rigid metal conduit can be used to provide stub-up protection; this is terminated normally at the enclosure, with the jacket cut off and the insulated ground wire landed on the enclosure ground bar/lug.


Can dishwasher lines be routed behind range?

It's a pretty safe assumption that the range is insulated. Otherwise it would not only pose a fire hazard to your walls and/or cabinetry, but would melt the insulation on its own wires. If it weren't insulated, it would also potentially melt linoleum flooring.

For extra safety, you could run braided metal hose, but I'd mainly consider that because it would be safer against abrasion.


Are bathtub sizes the rough in size or the tub interior size?

All tubs come with "rough in" size specifications which indicate necessary framing/opening dimensions for your unit specs. They can often be found online.

Interestingly, yours says:

  Dimensions provided on rough-in diagrams are nominal. Measure your actual unit upon receipt and build according to the actual dimensions.

"


Why would the stove and broiler work, but not the oven?

It's either the knob or (much more likely) the thermocouple.

Related: Oven wont heat past a certain point.


What is this device I found in my HVAC duct?

It’s some form of the DSC surface siren.  It may have a built in siren driver or it may be “speaker only”.  They are typically used with home alarm systems.

These have been private labeled over time by various national alarm companies.

They are not rated for use in a return air duct, nor allowed by any code.  Unfortunately there are many in ducts just like yours is.


Best solution to fix this siding gap with the trim

Your best option is cutting back the siding so the corner board, whether you add a piece or remove and rip a piece of 5/4X6 to fit the new width.

If you choose to add a piece after cutting the siding, the gap looks like it may only need a piece of 3/4" material in the gap which will leave a small caulk gap to fill. Another suggestion I would like to make is, do not try to line the face of the added piece to match the board in place as in trying to make it look like one piece, it will not work. The caulk at that joint will smear over the face and change the texture of the corner board, just like the joint in the picture, where I would take a hand wire brush to, and texture that joint by pulling down only on the brush to remove some of the filler, leaving hopefully coarse lines to help blend the joint in. Since the joint is cut at an angle it will shed water, if the cut ends are primed, better still. Square cut butt joints will allow water to easily migrate in, but you do not have that here. So much for the side note.

The idea is to either recess the added piece to create a 1/4" reveal to the corner board there now, and still have the bevel siding a little behind the added piece still. That way the inside corners can be caulked easily without smearing all over the face of the trim.

If that won't work, do the opposite add a piece that is 1/4" thicker than the corner board to create a reveal over the existing corner board, giving the needed corner to caulk to.

Over all the best thing to do is to cut the siding and replace the corner boards ripped to meet the newly recut siding. Either way you go, bed the corner boards in caulk after any cut ends are primed. Not so much to make it ooze out all over, but enough to know the caulk is working "behind the scenes" and finish up the faces with caulk for painting.

Please realize, caulk can hold in water as well as keep it out, so be certain all caulk is filling what it needs to fill. Surface caulk will fail over time, the stuff you place behind your material is protected from UV and weather so it will outlast anything on the surface.


Can I install a 50A breaker in a 70A sub-panel with other breakers installed?

There is not enough information to give a yes or no answer. The breaker that supplies this panel and the wire size would be needed to say if it would work. Can a 50 amp breaker be installed in a 70 amp panel yes. Can this be done if the total of all the breakers add up to more than the panel rating? Yes but the over current protective device (breaker) feeding the panel can not be more than 70 amps. One easy example would be for a heating and cooling sub panel lets say 60a of electric heat and a 30a AC unit total 90 amps but it is legal because only 1 load would be used at a time. So in short a 50 amp breaker can be used in a 70 amp panel but if your breaker feeding the panel or the wiring is not sufficient size it won't work.


Could mice be escaping traps because the traps are being reused?

It's unlikely to be a major issue with reused traps. Just check that there's not a little rust or something developed that is causing them to stick.

You could try a square of chocolate as the bait. If you heat the pin on the trigger platform, you can push the chocolate on and it's stuck there. That makes it harder for the mice to get away with the bait.


Do power outlet splitters decrease power for each deviced connected to them?

If split, all plugs will get the same access to "power".

Your outlets themselves are splitters: in general several outlets share a run of wire back to the power source.  The external "spliter" is no different, it just provides more connection points to the same electrical circuit.

However: the total circuit capacity is neither increased nor decreased by a splitter. Devices "draw" current based on their needs: for example a motor generally draws more power when loaded than when spinning freely.  If the total draw exceeds the circuit capacity, a protective device will trip.  The protective device is usually set at 15 or 20 amps in a residential circuit.

Extra connections or total extension cord length can have a minor effect: a long thin cord with a heavy load can heat up, using up some of the electricity in transmission. In effect the wire becomes an electric resistance heater.  This effect is usually negligible.


Having the ground wires pulled outside the electrical box like that is one of the biggest kludge jobs I have seen in a long time. This certainly is not the way it is supposed to be done.

You did the correct thing pulling the grounds inside the box. In the box you connect them together and then pigtail that connection the that screw in the back of the box.


I would recommend that you reuse the furring.  Here is my reasoning

It's already there.
It will cost more to remove it than reuse it
It will provide space to run electrical, network, phone, coax, etc wiring
Unless you head height is really low, the 1.5" will not be missed too much.

Essentially, you have a 'service cavity'.  You can place low profile can lights, electrical wiring, etc in this space.  I'd keep it if it is secure.


As i get older and less ambitious to tackle tough jobs like your facing by hand, I take a little trip to my friendly "Rent Me" store for my favorite little Kabota backhoe/loader. Half day rates here are about $65 and I can do more in 2 or 3 hours with a good tractor than 2 men can do in a day by hand, and my back feels great afterwards!  lol The other nice thing about using a little loader is that you can easily transport or load your spoils, and if you have your new material handy, you can move that around also. How do you intend to dispose of the old asphalt and gravel?  You may also consider making a few calls to small excavation contractors in the area. you may be able to hire a machine with operator  and a truck to haul it all away for $70 to $100 an hour. A job that size would only take a couple of hours and the spoils would be gone as well.


Simplest solution for hanging 50lb frame with welded hooks

(Suitably sturdy) Picture hanging wire. Wire between the hangers, put a screw or hook into the stud, hang and adjust.

"100 lb" rated picture hanging wire is easy to find. As is 200 if you want more safety factor...


Why are GFCI systems typically in the receptacle instead of in the breaker?

The top few possible reasons are:

Ease of access- it's easier to reset a tripped GFCI in the same room.
Easier to retrofit- it's easier for a homeowner to install a receptacle than to dig around in the panel. Even if this type of panel work is trivial, most people just aren't comfortable with it.
Cost- one GFCI receptacle is cheaper than a GFCI breaker. If multiple GFCI receptacles would be needed to properly protect a branch circuit, then this argument would diminish.
Protection requirement(s)- some circuits do not require GFCI protection for the entire circuit, so installing a GFCI receptacle allows you to "target" the required areas (ie, if you don't want your lighting to trip in the case of a ground fault at a receptacle).


The drum seal is deteriorating and breaking off.  Remove the agitator (look up how for your model) and you will see the piece below it is crumbling and made of these same deposits.


Circuit is broken when switch is screwed into box, but not outside of box

The green wires are the mystery here.  One thing is clear, they are not correctly installed equipment grounding conductors (ground wires).

If this is conduit as you say, it's possible that it's just a color coding problem, which is an issue because it is confusing and potentially dangerous when people work on the wiring, but not necessarily an electrical problem.  The solution would be to identify where green wire has been used incorrectly and remove it or replace it with a suitable color.

However, is it possible what you have here is not conduit but armored cable with an insulated ground?  It sounds like you have armored cable where someone decided to use the armor as the ground (not good) and use the green wires for power (also no good).  If that's the case, someone has to sort out how this has been screwed up and correct it, and it could be a big headache.  It sounds like someone partly corrected it - they capped the green wires in this box - but they didn't fix everything.

Apparently one of the green wires is hot;  when you connect the green wires to the ground terminal on the switch, both green wires are hot, and the switch strap is hot - you're lucky you didn't accidentally touch it when you had the box open and live, you'd have been zapped.

When you close the box, the screw clamps the switch strap to the box, which is grounded by the conduit or armor;  when you restore power, you have a ground fault and the breaker trips.

If this is armored cable rather than conduit, it's likely that the cable armor is not a reliable ground path, and you're lucky that the breaker tripped, rather than heating up the armor and potentially causing a fire.

If you cap the green wires and install a dimmer, everything should work as it did, but you still have an issue, possibly a serious issue.

Ultimately I think you're going to want have an electrician take a close look at the wiring and the grounding and sort this out.  If it's conduit it may be a simple matter to trace the wires and remove or replace any green wire that ought to be a different color.  If it's armored cable, it could be quite a bit more work, and you may find that other shortcuts have been taken.


Yep, get any old magnet & glue or screw on a Super Ball. But, if this is recent or different from how the fridge started out, then your fridge's door stop(s) is shot. This thingy.

These come in all different shapes & sizes & can be on the top or bottom of the fridge's doors, they commonly break. They usually fatigue where that wing meets the tab going up & look like they've been torn. You'll need to either replace it or get another run out of it by swapping it with the other door (this only works with Side by Side fridges).

If after replacement the problem is fixed but it's still too close for comfort, then you can drill holes & add more metal. However, limiting the swing too much will interfere with drawer & shelf removal.


The normal way to do this is to install blocking between the rafters (for the ceiling drywall backer) and between the studs (for the wall backer). You don't need to toenail all of them... you can screw about half of them.

Easier from a building perspective, run full length 2x4s (or equivalent) top, middle and bottom of the wall (assuming it's under 4' -- if it's taller, then 2 middles). Run 2x4s on the underside of the rafters on 16" centers. You've probably figured out by now that this is a ton of lumber with the added non-benefit of less habitable space.

Neither of these options require bevel-ing. A tiny gap at the edge of the drywall doesn't matter.

If the underlying problem is the cutting, rent a miter saw for half a day and cut your blocking in one swoop.


If I buy only one tool between a tile cutter and a wet saw, which one should I buy?

I do not think I would do another tiling project in the near future.

It may be best to rent or borrow a wet saw; Buy one on eBay; or sell your new one on eBay afterwards as a used item.

(community wiki because an unanswered question with answers in  the comments is like a faraway tap dripping in the night.)


Do you need to balance radiators in a sealed system

nothing changes in heating between the 2 systems


Is it possible to resurface a kitchen tile floor where most of the tiles are cracked?

I ended up replacing the entire floor. It caused a lot of dust to be generated which took a while to clean up. Thanks for the comments.


A tubing bender works quite well on this stuff and isn't expensive. An alternative you may want to consider for more open bends is an external bending spring if you can get one in the right size.

Bending by hand is quite likely to kink the tube and isn't a good idea.

What is the tube made of? It doesn't look like copper in the picture. Aluminium won't bend nicely or at all, steel needs a tool even more than copper.

When using a pipe bender on thin stuff, take it easy and release the tool a few times rather than trying to make the whole bend in one movement.


Old AC and Gas Boiler wiring for new thermostat

You want the C terminal in the air handler, yes

The terminal you're looking for is indeed the air handler's C terminal -- it's on the fan-delay board (in the back left, from the viewpoint of the picture you've posted).  You'll want to tap the connection it's making to the blue wire using a "piggyback" tab terminal or by cutting and splicing into the blue wire connected to it with a wirenut.


Is there a reason drill bits are stored pointy side up?

In older days a drill bit set would normally be kept in a metal box called a drill index. Here is a picture of a typical drill index.

The hinge out carriers for the drill bits were made of metal and it is a possibility that the nice sharp ground edges on the drill flutes could be worn if the fluted end of the bit was shoved down into the holes.

More of the modern drill kit boxes use a different style. They are made of plastic and often have a squeeze in holder for the smooth shank part of the drill bit. It is much harder to get the fluted end it snap in to this type of holder and the sharp edges would cut up the plastic.

So there you have two plausible answers to your question. Only other thing I can say is that the fluted ends all look cool when packaged in a size sequenced set. Why not show them off?


How to fix dripping sound coming from toilets?

If the sound is only heard when material is added to the bowl, you can disregard any involvement of the flushing mechanism. This must logically be the case, unless you omitted to mention that you also flushed the toilet afterwards, and/or that the liquid had entered the bowl from the water tank. If the latter is the case, the tank would make a gushing noise while it was refilling itself, and possibly some dripping sounds for a little while afterwards while the flushing mechanism settles down.

If the sound occurs when material is added to the bowl, but no associated flushing takes place, the only possible source of the dripping sound is the overflow from the S-bend when the liquid displaced from the bowl falls or runs down the sewer pipe. If there is no leakage from the toilet when you hear the sound, you can safely disregard it.


Best method for sealing underneath basement window sill?

I have built both residential and commercial buildings. Every scenario such as this we use expansion foam which can be found at most hardware stores. Then once hardened, carefully scrape back some to leave room for any type of silicone caulk or whatever you choose for a finished look.


Options to cover imperfection on metal door around new lock

metal door != plaster

Plaster (or I suspect, drywall patching compound) is for drywall. Would work somewhat on wood. Metal? Not so much.

I wouldn't use a white cover - it won't be exactly the same white, unless you paint it too. I'd recommend a metal cover in the same (or similar) finish as the lock. Something like this plate goes around the front back and side of the door:

or something like this circle to cover up just the area around the lock:


Can't get furnace to run in FAN ONLY mode

I notice that you have two red wires used for R and W.
Perhaps they have been swapped, so the wire labeled "R" at the thermostat is actually connected to "W" on the furnace control board, and vice versa. That would mean that when the thermostat tries to activate the fan, it is just connecting the wires for heat and fan, without connecting the power from R to anything, and so nothing happens.
If so, then you just need to swap back the two red wires and the fan control should work properly.


Wiring for island D/W and GFI and Garbage Disposer

The wiring should look something like this...

Grounding conductors not shown

Depending on where you live, the disposer receptacle may or may not have to be GFCI protected. The drawing shows GFCI protection, but it may not be required.

Also, if the line coming to the other receptacle is already GFCI protected, you don't need a GFCI receptacle there either.


Is it okay to trim the toilet tank overflow pipe?

Not only is it ok, but Fluidmaster gives instructions on where and when to cut the overflow tube, as the follow photo shows.

Fluidmasters Article states the following:

  The most important part inside the tank is the flush valves "overflow pipe." The overflow pipe is the safety net for your toilet. When properly set it will prevent water from overflowing the tank and flooding into the home.

The four critical areas of a toilet tank are:

The Tank Lever Hole
The CL (Critical Level) Mark located on Fluidmaster's fill valve
The Overflow Pipe (top end)
The Water Level

The water level should be indicated by a mark or (depending of the age or use of the toilet) a water stain on the inside of the tank. When rebuilding a toilet it is very important to set the fill valve to achieve this height.


Cheaper to run central heating sporadically high or constantly low?

I tend to think of questions like this about heating and cooling efficiency from a thermodynamic perspective, where its primarily a question of energy loss. The energy loss to the surrounding environment goes up when the temperature difference between the inside temp and the ambient temp goes up; the energy loss goes down when this temp difference goes down.

Lets say for the sake of argument that your ideal temp is 15*C. So one option is to leave the thermostat at 15*C. Lets say that the other option you are considering is you'd run the thermostat at 30*C until the space reaches 30*C, then turn the heat off until your inside temp reaches 10*C, at which point you'd set the thermostat back to 30*C, and repeat.

Your proposal basically implies that you're willing to accept your inside temp being slightly higher than ideal sometimes (up to 30*C when you want 15*C), and slightly lower than ideal other times (down to 10*C when you want 15*C). What are the concequences of this for energy loss?

At those times when the inside temperature exceeds your ideal temp, you'd be losing more heat energy to the environment than you would if the space was at your ideal temp. At those times when the inside temperature is less than your ideal temp, you are losing less heat energy to the environment than you would if the space was at your ideal temp.

My conclusion is this: why subject the people occupying the space to somewhat uncomfortable temperature swings? Set the thermostat to your ideal temperature when you're in the space, and set it to something low when you're not.

A related question I've heard is: Why turn down my thermostat when I leave? The heater is just going to have to work harder when I get back to bring the space back up to temperature. While this is true, the whole time that you were gone, you were losing less heat to the environment because your inside temperature was getting closer to the temperature outside. That is your energy savings. That doesn't get taken away when you come back and turn the heat back on. Yes the heater may run for longer when you come back, but all you need to be concerned with is energy loss, which has gone down on the net.


So, 35 amps x .91 = 31.85 amps (albeit 14 guage must be restricted to 15 amp circuit breaker). I would assume based on this, that it would be safe to install the 14/2 NMD90 as planned?

You are correct, the ampacities of #14 NM for 15A circuits and #12 NM for 20A circuits are conservative.  Even after derating for ambient temperature, you wind up using the same cables.  For this same reason #14 and #12 NM are typically used in hot attics without derating.


Sounds like you have one black hot wire coming into the box (probably that bottom one), which passed through a hot over to your bedroom switch.

So my guess would be that you should have two of the blacks wirenutted together -- that would be the hot wire coming in to the box, and the passthrough to the bedroom light. Also in that bundle should be two pigtailed wires that go to one pole of your 2 switches.

Then the other pole of the switches would be connected to the remaining black wires. The white neutrals should remain bundled together as they are.

It looks like the ground wires also have loops in them for connecting to screw terminals, you should make sure that all of the ground wires in the box are connected together with a wire nut so you have an uninterrupted ground even if there are no switches connected, then pigtail off of that bundle to connect to the ground screw on your new switches.

Here's a diagram showing my guess at how the hots should be connected:

Though this is only a guess -- an easy way to identify which one is the hot wire would be to tape or wirenut the exposed ends of the wire and leave them hanging out of the box, turn on the breaker, then use your non-contact voltage sensor to see which one is hot.

There's no easy way other than trial-and-error to identify which ones go to each bathroom light and which one goes over to the bedroom.

Oh, and do remember to connect the ground to the new switches since you have a plastic box (even if the previous switches were not grounded) - I think it's required by code now, but even if not, it's a good idea -  especially in a bathroom where wet hands will be touching the light switch.


Looks like a sewage/septic pump controller with alarm (red light and annoying noise when the level is too high because the pump isn't pumping.) I'm surprised your copper thieves didn't trash it.


Can I use coaxial cable for audio over 30 feet?

RCA audio cables are normally coaxial in construction, and are fine out to 50 feet or more, normally. I've run 100+ feet when needed for auditorium A/V setups. While there are fancier ways to go long distances, with modern equipment and cables there's little need for them in most cases.

Most coaxial cable is not particularly suited to use as "output, without amplifier" - ie, speaker cable use. Use speaker cable for that job, it's what it's made for.


Waterproofing a basement before finishing it

Always start outside, where the water is. If you're even slightly up-hill in any direction that doesn't affect another property. Then, Grading & Sculpting the land will never be outdone by any other system & it's free to operate with no maintenance in your lifetime. No back up battery, no back flushing & no worry.

Other than that, where you have no drainage area or direction then still treat the outside to keep the building dry & especially free from being eroded. Handling water after it comes in means you're only collecting it after it's done it's damage. Would you wash & wax your car that was run over by a trash truck?


Building a shelf question, weight bearing advice needed

That glued-up board will comfortably support an evenly distributed load of that weight.


Is it enough to apply just one coat of Killz2 primer on drywall?

Well it isn't about how many coats it is about coverage.  If all that you see is your white Killz then that is enough for all dry walls.

It is very hard to say 1 vs 2 coats.  I paint heavy.  One of my coats my be 1.5-2 of another person's.  Your paint benefits from primer not the primer that is under the primer.

Now for wet applications (bathrooms mainly) I might put on 2 thick coats of something like killz to act as a greater barrier not to help the painting process.

Note - I have a paint crew that used to work for me.  Their paint jobs looks perfect.  They used two coats.  But their first primer coat was thin (half mine) and there were definitely coverage issues.  They were efficient vs my heavy style of just get it over with.  They probably got their two coats on faster than my one but they did have to wait for drying time in between... and without the heavy hand theirs looked smoother.


How can I store PVC pipe in the sun and prevent UV degradation?

PVC breaks down when exposed to sunlight as do all plastics.  Some PVC-based products have additives to slow down the degradation but there is ultimately no way of stopping it.  Left exposed long enough, it will break down.
Your question, I think, is really: "How long can I leave PVC exposed to sunlight before the degradation affects its marketability?"
The answer is: "It depends!"
It depends on the individual product and its material properties as well as things like the intensity and duration of sunlight.  (Think Seattle, WA vs. Tucson, AZ)  It's also going to depend on the opinion of your customers and how much exposure they will accept.
I can only see two options:

Reduce the amount of time the PVC sits in your yard.
Cover the PVC somehow so that it doesn't get exposed.

There are no "miracle" solutions that I am aware of.


How to properly fix dry wall tearing away

Fix the leak first - this appears to be water damaged, so replacing it without stopping the source of water will be pointless, as the replacement will be water-damaged again. Probably the leak is associated with the window (though it could potentially be coming from anywhere higher, all the way to the roof.)

Once the leak is stopped, you cut back to sound drywall and replace the damaged section.


48AMP kiln on 60 AMP breaker *must be* direct wired in Canada?

I never found the answer to the specific question "what part of the code", but I did speak with some electricians who indicated that if the kiln were permanently installed it would be considered a 'continuous load', similar to a 'heating appliance' like a stove or a furnace.
However, my kiln is on wheels which I use to roll it into the corner when not in use. As such, the electrician said it is a temporary appliance that should not be direct wired. As such he installed a 60 amp breaker and the correct receptacle for the plug on the kiln (6-50), and a switch inline between the two. He indicated it is safer to turn the plug off first and then remove the plug instead of pulling the plug with 240V at 50 amps available.


Secret documents digital safes without an overriding key?

Yes, safes without mechanical key override do exist. Talk to a real safe dealer, not your local big-box store. These will generally also be much stronger against physical attack. They will cost more, and weigh more, than the cheap toys ... and of course if you ever lose the combination you'll need an expert safe man's assistance to recover access to the contents.

Sentry and similar cheap combination-locked boxes are not safes. They're fire chests. If you're looking to protect paper or cds from a house fire, they're surprisingly effective for their price. (I'd recommend at least a 1-hour 350-degree rating.) But they are physically vulnerable in a number of ways, not just the key... and in fact may decrease security by attracting attention.

If you want both fire protection and security in the same box, expect to pay even more per cubic inch of storage. If you want to protect photographic or magnetic media from fire, likewise expect to pay more -- in that case, ask for a "media chest" and explain what materials you're protecting to get the best advice.

If you own the property, a floor safe may or may not give you some of these benefits at lower cost, though that adds installation cost.

Tl;dr: yes, if you're willing to pay for something decent rather that mass-market mismarketed consumer shlock.


Last thing you want is a dodgy circuit breaker. I suggest that you replace it so when and if you ever have need for that breaker to protect a circuit you can depend upon it to work properly.

I got the impression from reading your posting that you are using this circuit breaker as a regular switching function. Be aware that some breakers are not intended to be used as regular switches. Others may be designed to work correctly. Please see the accepted answer on this posting for further information.


There at different styles of augger heads on larger units. Most folks are familiar with the cork screw style end that will grab chunks of hair and roots but there are also several styles of cutting heads the one I have the best luck with for clearing roots is a head that has 2 flat loops that are about 3" long and then 2 more flat loops that are a bit shorter but are the same diameter as the longer ones the loops are a flat stainless material that is fairly thin. These won't cut through a plug very well but they scrape the walls and cut the roots. I have found once roots get in the pipe it becomes an annual event until the pipe is replaced (even using chemical inhibitor). The large augger I purchased came with 3 or 4 heads , I found the best thing was to the head that looked like a hunting arrow to punch a hole in the mess then use the one with the loops. My unit has a power feed lever I go forward until I notice some back pressure then let it spin at that location for a little while move forward very slowly so the bands or loops cut the roots loose I do run water when doing this so everything is flushed as it is cut loose. The first time I did this I did not run water and all the chopped up root pieces plugged at the entrance to the main line and I had to run the cork screw head in to pull the roots out. I have had this happen in 2 homes 1 got so bad I replaced the line the other I just ran the snake every spring and never had and more problems until the next spring.


What are the different types of drywall anchors, and what are the advantages of each?

I almost always use the self-drilling stud solver type anchors.  I find that they are tough enough to hang just about anything.

Aside from those, the only other anchors I've found that I like are the toggle-bolt type, which are more useful if you need to hang something from the ceiling.


You took 3 samples and sent them in.  #1 and #2 contain no asbestos.  The third sample does indeed contain Chrystoile, or white asbestos.  From Wikipedia

  Chrysotile or white asbestos is the most commonly encountered form of asbestos,accounting for approximately 95% of the asbestos in the United States.

Of that layer within the third sample where it was positively detected, it is about 8% asbestos (visually estimated) and 92% non-fibrous components (difference of 100% - 8%) that the lab did not further analyze.  In the third sample, there were 3 layers and the layer containing asbestos made up 90% of that sample.


Inch-long block-and-spring part came with drill - what is it?

Those are replacement brushes for the electric motor in your drill. They are what make the electrical contact to the coil in the motor that spins, while also allowing it to spin. The rectangular part on the end will eventually wear out. It's nice of your drill manufacturer to give you a set of spares.

You can swap these out either by removing a couple of plugs somewhere on the drill body, or if there are no plugs, you'd have to remove the drill's case and get to them that way. The plugs are usually round and have a slot for a screwdriver, they simply unscrew to expose the brush.

If this is a new drill, this should be explained in the instruction manual.


Is it possible that my coated gas pipes have developed multiple leaks?

The pipes are almost a hundred years old.  Leaking in multiple places means they are deteriorating.  Whether pinholes or at the seams I don't know.  But both options are bad.

They could check every inch of pipe and repair each leak.  But that won't help the parts that haven't quite failed yet.  So a month or two down the line you will have a new gas leak.  And the labor to do such repairs will probably cost more than ripping it out and installing new, known to be good pipe.

Replacing the whole thing is a very reasonable suggestion.  Especially with gas lines where a leak may very well kill you and your loved ones.

If you think the plumber is making the leaks up, get a second opinion.


AFCI Trips When Stainless Steel Hoses Touch Washing Machine Cabinet. Why?

Many new washing machines have inverter drives on then now, and those inverters create what's called "Common Mode Noise", electrical noise referenced to ground. The washer doesn't need to be running, just plugged in for the inverter to create CM noise.

I'd say that your ground connection to the outlet or in the machine is loose or missing, so the CM noise is discharging through the machine frame itself when it comes in contact with your plumbing. Think of it as if it were a static charge built up from walking on nylon carpet and you touch a metal surface. That discharge looks like an arc fault to the breaker.

Check that inside of your washer, the bonding jumper is connected. it will be a green wire going from the machine frame to the ground terminal that the cord is connected to. If that's OK, get a receptacle tester to make sure your receptacle is connected to ground.


Green and red wire connected together on terminal

If you look very closely you'll see the red wire is on R and the green wire is on G. It just looks like the red and green are tied together on G.


First do as @Tyson has suggested and check the heating elements. If the elements are okay, the cold water inlet has a "dip tube" to insure that the new water introduced into the water heater when hot water is being used may have broken or worn out allowing the cold water to enter the top of the tank instead of going to the bottom of the tank. This would cause the tank to presumably run out of water quickly. To check this the inlet piping needs to be removed and the dip tube taken out and inspected. If you are paying a plumber to do this work, it may be better to just install a new hot water tank. I would compare the cost of repair to the cost of replacement to see which is the better value.


How to disassemble a pop-up trip lever drain in tub?

My pop-up sink drain had a similar problem.  I finally figured out that the top screws off the stem like the cap of a mushroom.  I had to show it who's boss and that I meant business, but it finally unscrewed and I was able to clean the drain.

You may also find that if you take the handle out, the spring is clogged with hair (that used to happen to me as well.)


How do I properly feed coax through an outside wall?

After following Tester101's answer, here is a detailed step-by-step with pictures of how I fed the cable.

Shopping list

 Low voltage bracket $1.30
 Premium Waterproof Silicone 2.8 oz $3.98
 Leviton 1-Gang Midway CATV Wall Plate - White $2.79
 Milwaukee 3/8 in. x 18 in. Bellhanger Bit $12.47
 Coaxial Cable Feed-Through Bushing - White $1.97 (comes in 2 pack)
 RG-6 Twist-On F-Connectors $5.48

Sub-total $27.99

You may also need:

RG6 cable (if you don't have any lying around it's $0.29/foot at Home Depot)
3-way cable splitter $6.97

Tools required

Drill
Universal Cable Jacket Stripper $4.88
Dry-wall saw (or something for cutting a hole into the drywall)

Prep work

I used some brown packaging paper, cut a piece out for the corner and taped it using painter's tape in the area that will be worked on

On the outside, the cable will go into the cable box which is conveniently located about 2 feet away.

Step 1

I picked a spot that was in between the door frame and opposite wall to start drilling, about a foot above the ground.

Comes out clean on the outside. You'll want to leave the bit sticking out so you can feed the coax back inside.

Step 2

I took some existing cable and cut one of the ends, exposing the inside wire for better handling when feeding it back through the wall.

Step 3

I fed through the exposed end of the coax from the inside of the cable box so that the end with a connector can be added to the splitter.

At this point, you may need to add the 3-way splitter if you don't want to replace an existing connection.

Step 4

Before we feed the coax cable back inside, slide the plastic bushing onto the coax cable.

It's time to tape the cable to the bit to feed back inside.

Step 5

Using electrical tape, tape the coax cable to the bit.

Pull the drill bit back thus pulling the cable through the wall.

Step 6

Press the plastic bushing into the outside wall. You may need to enlarge the hole slightly to push through the bushing.

Step 7

Cut the drywall and fasten the low voltage bracket.

Step 8

Strip the coax cable and fold the wire shielding against the outer insulation.

Push the connector onto the coax cable and twist the connector until the connector is firmly sealed with approximately 1/8" of center conductor protruding from the connector.

Step 9

Connect the coax to the back of the wall plate.

Step 10

Secure the wall plate to the bracket.

Step 11

Using a screw driver, I bent the coax to ensure it bends down as it enters the plastic bushing. Use the cable manufacturer's minimum bend radius to bend the cable to insure you don't damage it. I then used the silicone around the bushing as well as around the coax.


How can I attach a draft seal/excluder to a garage door

Your drill should definitely handle a 2 mm drill bit. Make sure it's a drill made for metal. Use a nail and hammer to countersink the hole. Then follow with the drill. I have always used a drop or two of oil, (3 in One works great), when drilling as it will cool and lubricate the surface as well as prolonging the life of your drill bit.


As the temperature and humidity change, it will tend to warp again.  But, if it's securely fastened to the other fence components, that will help to keep it straight.  If it was only a tiny bit warped, you're probably just fine using it.  But if the warp was a really bad one, it could do interesting things to the fence as it reverts to its old shape.


Replace linear Compact Flourescent bulb with 2 pin

You need to pull that little tab out on the socket with a small screwdriver or knife. This will "unlock" the bulb assembly and then you can pull it out of the socket.


How do I make where my carpet meets tile look nice?

You'll want to install carpet to tile transition strips (sometimes known as edge trim). Here is a listing from home depot. Basically it's a decorative metal strip that goes over the carpet/tile gap and provides a nice, attractive transition between the two.

Here are some instructions from eHow on how to install the transition.


How to unclog a toilet? (solid object obstruction)

As the comments suggested, first try and grab it with your hands.  If it's passed the point you can reach, you will likely need to use a Toilet Auger to dislodge it.

(source: homedepot.ca)

Tooth brushes tend to be problematic because of their shape relative to the trap in the toilet - they can really get wedged in there!  Worst case scenario it might not be removable.


Very easily. You need to run a three wire cable from the light fixture to the location of the switch/outlet. Disconnect the hot lead to the fixture and connect it to the black wire in the new cable. Connect the red wire in the new cable to the hot terminal or wire on the fixture. Connect the neutral (white) wires in the fixture box. Connect the ground wires.

At the switch box, connect the black wire to the outlet and to one side of the switch (simple switches don't care which side, but some advanced switches have a LOAD side). It's often easiest to connect the incoming black wire directly to one hot terminal of the outlet and a pigtail from the other hot switch terminal to power the switch. Be sure not to break the connecting tab on the outlet between the terminals. Then connect the red wire to the other side of the switch.

Connect the neutral wire to the outlet, and to the switch if it is one that calls for a neutral.

Connect the ground to both the switch and the outlet. Turn on power and you should be done.

The type of cable you need depends on both where you run it and your local code. You may be able to use simple non-metallic cable, or you may need armored cable or conduit.


The sound should be the water entering the downspout's top, but could also transmit from the water hitting the very bottom elbow at the ground. One solution is to remove a few gutter nails or screws back from the window & install rubber bushings or pads to insulate or isolate the gutter's connection to the house. Then, of course put your gutter screws or nails back in...a little loose will assist the padding.

A Second measure, is to back the gutter & downspout, give them more density. Like a stainless steel kitchen sink's noise reduction pad(s). As an example is Grace's Vycor Plus Ice & Water Shield self-adhesive flashing. The 4" wide by 75' long for $20 at home improvement stores should accomplish this quite well. You can build it up to dramatically deaden or eliminate that sound & then paint it to match.


No change in pressure, may be a (very) slight increase in flow (1 less elbow).

No idea why.  Perhaps they were trying out a new wood boring bit.


Do I need USA-color-coded wire on fixtures with flexible cable?

Short answer: No
The National Electrical Code contains no particular color code for phase conductors. Brown is an acceptable color for the ungrounded conductor.
Green with a yellow stripe is used in a lot of equipment imported from Europe and is also acceptable to the NEC

250.119 Identification of Equipment Grounding Conductors. Unless required elsewhere in this Code, equipment grounding conductors shall be permitted to be bare, covered, or insulated. Individually covered or insulated equipment grounding conductors shall have a continuous outer finish that is either green or green with one or more yellow stripes except as permitted in this section. Conductors with insulation or individual covering that is green, green with one or more yellow stripes, or otherwise identified as permitted by this section shall not be used for ungrounded or grounded circuit conductors.

The blue neutral is also not a problem.

200.4 (C) Flexible Cords. An insulated conductor that is intended for use as a grounded conductor, where contained within a flexible cord, shall be identified by a white or gray outer finish or by methods permitted by 400.22.
400.22 Grounded-Conductor Identification. One conductor of flexible cords that is intended to be used as a grounded circuit conductor shall have a continuous marker that readily distinguishes it from the other conductor or conductors. The identification shall consist of one of the methods indicated in 400.22(A) through (F).
(C) Colored Insulation. A white or gray insulation on one conductor and insulation of a readily distinguishable color or colors on the other conductor or conductors for cords having no braids on the individual conductors. For jacketed cords furnished with appliances, one conductor having its insulation colored light blue, with the other conductors having their insulation of a readily distinguishable color other than white or gray.
The insulation shall be permitted to be covered with an outer finish to provide the desired color.

So, you could argue the fixtures are not appliances and therefore the neutral cannot be light blue but the last line says you can re-identify the light blue to white or gray.
So, it appears you can use the cords either way.
Happy day!


Just peel or scape it off.  Depending on what type of product was used, it might come off cleanly or it might not.  Worst case is you will need to patch any damaged parts of the wall, prime and repaint (which you will need to do anyways!).


If it is a radiant (quartz tube) heater, a high mount will keep it out of the way, but be sure to install an air-spaced reflector to keep it from starting a fire in the wall.

If it is a convection heater, it must be mounted low. Again, be sure that the installation meets fire and electrical codes.


You mean you have heating coils further up the roof - toward the peak - from the metal? That's not a good idea, since it melts the snow from the bottom up, and the water from that melting runs down onto the metal & freezes there (that's the coldest part of your roof, because the overhang isn't heated by the house's interior). The result is ice damming.

It's also not a very good idea to add heating coils on top of the metal. If for some reason they happen to not function (say a power outage or a switch failure), they'll get torn off by the sliding snow/ice. A better idea is to heat from inside the soffit, allowing that heat to rise through the metal roof.

If that's aluminum, you really should coat it with something; aluminum is hydrophilic, meaning water likes to cling to it either as water or as ice. I'd love to see you replace it with copper, which isn't nearly so hydrophilic.


Porch light over heating and stopped working second light fixture

The problem was the light fixture.  The motion detector died.  Replaced at lowe's and all is good.


Leaking whirlpool tub; in alcove, but no tile flange at bottom of walls

If you clean the old caulk off, properly prepare the joint, use 100% silicone caulk ,and your tub or walls do not move more than they are suppose to (natural flexing is ok), then you should have no problems with water at the caulked joint.

For best results, fill the tub with water before caulking, and keep the tub filled until the caulk is completely dry. This will open the joint as much as possible and then leave it under compression.

If it is flexing too much and that is breaking the caulk (you mentioned it but 100% silicone should be able to flex a lot), then maybe remove the tub and reinstall with a proper mortar base.  If it still moves too much is the floor structurally deficient?


Reverse osmosis water filter installation

Add this to the top og the saddle valve, it will allow you to add the intake line for the RO, then route you RO line to the icemaker.


Depends on how old your house is.  If it's at least 5-10 years old or so, it's probably finished settling and installing new tiles would likely fix the problem permanently.


Will this cable work for wiring my house to router

Running in outside conduit, that is utterly unsuitable cable.

All outside conduits are DEFINED as wet locations. In practice, nearly all of them are, at least some of the time. Many have standing water in some part of them all the time.

Interior type patch cable (such as what you show) may work for a while, but will commonly fail since it is not designed to be exposed to water (or submerged in it.)

Interior type in-wall cable will also typically fail in wet service.

At minimum you need some sort of exterior-rated network cable. In my experience this is often or commonly "direct burial" rated, though I never advise using it that way - but it can be a useful search term, and often costs no more than non-direct burial exterior cable.

My personal preference runs strongly to fiber optics for runs between buildings, but that is likely a bit more than you'll want to take on.


Looks correct. You connected Red and black to L1 and L2, white to Neutral, and green to Ground. Also, you removed the jumper between N and G.


Washing Machine Stator Wire Harness Melted

Wire flexing over time breaks the strands , this is not uncommon in equipment that moves. I would consider replacing the section that was flexing unless there was a single loop but even then do not shorten the over all length because a shorter area for flexing will cause higher stress on the wires. If anything a longer splice will reduce stress as it allows more area for flex.


Just put calcium carbonate rocks in my condensate water pump or buy a whole condensate kit?

Your question doesn't clarify why you'd rather drop stones in the pump than to replace the stones in a filter cartridge. Regardless, the reaction between acidic water and caustic stone is going to take place anywhere they meet. I've seen limestone dropped into acidic rain water barrels to raise the pH for watering gardens.
The ordinance in my area is that the HVAC condensate must be discharged outside the building, or the condensate must be neutralized before it goes into waste water plumbing. My HVAC condensate is gravity fed to a side yard, with no special stones. The grass there grows like normal so I've never given it a second thought.
Back to your question. If the filter pump is a code requirement, i.e., the water must be treated before it can be discharged into your waste water system, I wouldn't mess with the pump filter system. It's not worth a fine or the liability.
Yehuda_NYC, the cartridges look like the end-caps spin off. They might be designed to be refilled. Putting stones in the cartridges shouldn't cost any more than dropping stones in the pump. The least expensive route is to re-route the distillate tubing to drain outside - if it is in compliance with your local ordinances.


Branching off multiple horizontal pipe/conduit runs?

Given that the conduit will be out from the wall owing to the Unistrut, I would put a curve on the end of the conduit, or an offset conduit.  Like these.

The purple conduit curves up at the very end, and enters either an LB/LL/LR conduit body, or an EMT pull elbow.  Both have lids which allow access for pulling.  You never drag wire around this corner; you remove the lid and do two separate pulls.

The LB or LL/LR conduit bodies put the long end into the box. An LB conduit body has a door on top where it might interfere with the second conduit run.  An LL or LR conduit body will have a door on the front for easier access at the expense of slightly harder pulling.

The aqua conduit uses an EMT offset coupler to lift the EMT above the other conduits. Then it does an S-curve to get flush to the wall.

Another way is to use a "tee" conduit body on the main conduit.

Do this within 24" of the junction box.  You can't splice in a conduit body*, but you can run the wires around the T to the nearby junction box, and splice there.  If it's <24", these extra wires in the main do not count toward conduit derate (310.15(B)(3)), but do count toward conduit fill (358.22, which you know about).

* For conduit bodies matching conduit reasonably sized for the wires therein.  If the conduit body is outlandishly large, you can do the same cubic-inch calculations you would do on a junction box, if it is labeled for cubic inches.  But it wastes the capacity of the connecting conduit if you do.


Need help understanding switches wired in series

Basically, the wire that is connected to all of the switches (in parallel) is the HOT wire coming from your circuit breaker/fuse box. The other wire on each switch is going to the load (light or outlet). As @keshlam alluded to in his comment, this is equivalent to the common wire going to a wirenut with separate pigtail wires to each switch.


How much work is involved to change a conventional boiler to a combi boiler?

will we need work done in every room?

I haven't done this but I'm pretty sure that most rooms do not need to be touched. Only

The boiler location obviously
The airing-cupboard - removal of hot-water tank, replumbing.
The loft (attic) - removal of header tank for hot-water etc.

You are changing from this

to this

Images from wellwarm plumbing - no affiliation

The diagrams above are the best I could find but have a couple of anomalies:

the pump and zone-valves are usually next to the boiler, not next to the hot-water tank.
I would expect to connect to existing hot tap pipes in airing cupboard, not run new supply pipes to a different location.

Details obviously depend on the exact arrangements in your home - but in general, I can see no reason to alter anything in other rooms.


I'd go with FrK and Steve Sether, since you found no signs of water and this is a bump-out. Condensation is most likely.
It could be a lack of insulation, but more likely it's an air leak. This could be permanently fixed if a Spray Foam's tube easily feeds up into there from a gap in the siding's corner or from drilling a small hole in the room's corner.
You'll need Big Gap Filler spray foam, shot for about 5-seconds to get the area filled.


How should I fill gaps in wooden skirting board etc?

If you only need it to last "a year or so", use Playdough, chewing gum, Bondo™, duct tape, cement, lime or whatever the heck you want. If it falls out in 6 months, fill it again - this only has to last a year or so, right?
If you want to do it right, then use a quality wood filler. If you want to slap in whatever product you have sitting around the house, then slap it in.
The same holds true for fixing the holes in "etc". If it's just temporary, use whatever you've got on hand. Heck, you could probably make wood filler work just fine in a plaster wall if it's only for a year...


How do I fix my humidity problem in my home?

I'd start by adjusting the humidifier on the furnace. It sounds like you don't have to add any additional humidity to the air, so you could probably turn it down (or possibly off).

If you have a gas fired furnace, turning the heat up a bit could help. If the furnace does not have an air intake connected to the outside, the air used for combustion will be drawn in from outside.  During the winter, the cold outdoor air has very little moisture. When the cold dry air is drawn into the house, it will lower the humidity levels in the home. This is why loads of people have dry skin in the winter, and the reason humidifiers are installed in the first place.

If none of that helps, you might have to consider installing a dehumidifier, or some other form of HVAC system to remove the excess moisture.


It sounds like you're using a crappy copper pipe cutter. To cut PVC, you want one of these instead:

I've used mine to cut thousands of PVC pipes and it does the job quickly and easily. You can probably find one for less than $10 and it will serve you well for life.


260 Sq Ft?  Are you sure, lol.  Many variables are missing here.  I have cooled 500 sq ft with an 8k window shaker in northern calif.  So maybe you can tell where you live.  Phoenix? lol.  So let's check the units.  If you can measure the air coming out of the unit with a thermometer that would be the first clue.  It should be in the low 40s or high 30s.  Three yrs old is not very ole.  Second is insulation and air gaps.  Get those two out of the equation and you should be cool as a cucumber.


Go to any big box store and get some 6" flexible insulated duct (this pic shows black sheathing on the outside, but it's often made of shiny reflective mylar):

And a couple of 6" boots, one for each end:

Use aluminum HVAC tape or a large band clamp or zip tie to connect the inner sleeve of the duct to the boots, then use another layer of tape to seal up the insulated layer and prevent it from sliding around.  Cut holes in the ceiling to match the rectangular boot opening, keeping one long edge of each hole flush to a ceiling joist.  Then take your duct assembly up into the attic and insert the boots into each hole.  You can just leave the flexible duct lying on top of the ceiling joists.  Back downstairs, use small nails (with heads, not finish nails) to nail through the inside of the boot opening into the side of the adjacent ceiling joist.  Then install a couple of register grilles and you're done!


How do I remove white residue on bathroom floor tiling?

That does not look like residue.
1.) if you get it wet, does it fade or change in color?
2.) if you scrape at one spot wiht your fingernail, does it come up?

Looking at the photos you've posted, I think that is both mold (in a few areas - showing that the area does indeed stay wet often as you imply), and damaged flooring.

I suspect the material of that flooring is porous and the water has actually damaged the "cheap" surface.

Also, it looks like you may have used a scrub tool on it, which has scored the surface further (the scratches and lines), and the condition will continue to get worse.

My recommendation at this point is to keep it clean and dry, solve the issue that introduces the water/dampness. you will have to replace the damaged areas to return it to like new condition.

If that is real wood, and it has a finished surface, you can probably use a buffer on it, but it does not look like real wood.


Can an arcing switch damage the breaker or cause a fire?

Arcing is not a good thing for the switch but it won't damage a standard circuit breaker. If the switch contacts are held at a point where they arc the arc starts damaging the contacts. With a older possibly Mercury switch where there is a glass tube with Mercury the arcing if held to the point the mercury vaporizes I have seen the glass tube fracture so a new switch was needed.


Should I run two gas water heaters if I don't need to?

If you haven't noticed a lack of hot water, I would say there's no reason to have both water heaters running.  Just make sure that the gas line to the one that's not working is turned off.  While the second water heater is currently doing more work than it would typically do if they were working in tandem, it's not using nearly as much gas as you would if both water heaters were running.


Converting housed stringer to open stringer

You can do what you want, even if they are housed but you will need to loose the ceiling material or move the stair treads ahead about 6". you could easily do that on the short lower run, but not so on the upper run.

You will need access to the upstairs after the stairs are gone, this may take 2 days to do, especially if you are a novice, maybe even 3. Seasoned carpenters really should be doing the work.

If the lowering of the ceiling is a deal breaker for doing it, no need for me to write anymore. I see no issue with lowering the ceiling 4 or 5", the square corner that projects below the sloped section in one of your pictures will still be lower than the new dropped height of the stairwell. If you feel you have enough experience to tackle this, please say so and I will edit the post if need be, but it is pretty much a gut and replace. Leaving anything in of the original will only slow down the new install or weaken what you add over it.


What you are basically considering - converting a vented attic to conditioned space - is generally a good idea for energy efficiency and preventing ice dams when you have ductwork or HVAC equipment in an attic. However, it is not a trivial task, and done incorrectly, can rot your roof sheathing.

Insulating between the rafters is the riskiest approach - it will significantly hinder the drying of any moisture that reaches the sheathing, allowing it to rot.

A better approach is to attach rigid insulation to the underside of the rafters, leaving the space between the rafters as vented channels. 2" of rigid foam, with the seams taped, can make an effective "hut" inside your current attic space to keep the warmth from your home and your furnace from reaching the roof, preventing ice dams, and improving the efficiency of your HVAC equipment in winter and summer.


Only cold water on my Bravo washing machine

More than a few times I have found water lines plugged at the entrance to the valve on the washing machine or at the connection to the supply valve.

Most washers come with screen filters to prevent chunks of material from getting stuck in the valve and flooding the home.

I would turn the hot off, take the hose off at the faucet first if there is a screen is it plugged with rust, scale , pieces of the anode from the hot water tank?
If no screen there check at the connection to the machine. After cleaning or replacing the screen I will usually get a bucket and high flow the water in the bucket to clear other debris out of the line. Normally washers are close to the water heater you may even feel the water get warm/hot with a gallon or 2 flush. Put the hose back on , check for leaks and see if that fixed the problem. I find it is the problem most of the time.


How do I repair a small chip in a laminate floor?

That looks like the chip is in the transition piece and not the floor boards.  For the best results, just replace the entire piece. It doesn't look like it matches exactly anyways, so just try to find something very close.  If you know where the floors came from you might get really lucky and end up with the identical part.

It is either glued in place, friction fitted to a track or nailed (this can't determined from the pic).  Either way, you need to carefuly pry it up, being careful not to damage the floor.  Install the new one as-instructed or buy some construction adhesive and glue it back down and put a few phone books on it until it dries.  Make sure to wipe up any excess glue with a damp rag before it dries.  It was likely cut to fit so you will need to cut the new piece.  If you don't have a saw to do this, take a measurement (measure twice, cut once!) with to where you are buying it and see if they will cut it for you.

The other methods you mentioned are suitable alternatives. If the color is matched well, it won't be very noticeable when standing. Crawling, maybe.


Finishing gaps between drywall panels on ceiling

Those gaps are completely common and not an issue. Pros deal with far worse on almost any job, especially when another crew did the hanging.
You could pre-fill those gaps by skimming and let that dry (or use setting-type compound for a faster job). It'll shrink some, but it'll make the taping coat shrink a lot less. It's not necessary, though.
The fact is that these joints will be stronger than those with just surface finishes. The joint compound pushes through the gap and creates a shear bridge, locking the ends of the sheets together much more effectively than just a thin layer on the face would.


The tree will generally grow larger in diameter centered around the existing trunk....at least for the foreseeable future. Larger / older trees may at times grow out more to one side versus another but the factors that cause them to do that are probably complex and may have more to do with how the canopy of the tree develops or how the tree gets damaged or stressed through the years. My experience is that most trees will attempt to grow around an obstruction as opposed to moving over if it gets a little crowded on one side.


Safety concern building a fire pit out of reclaimed bricks

You can build the basic structure with these bricks, then line the fire pit itself with fire bricks. That's how fireplaces are made.


Can I frame over an existing deck with a new deck to raise the level?

Not sure what you are asking, but the footings supporting the deck structure are in the ground under the posts that hold up the beams. Footing size, post size, beam size, joist size are all engineered to support the weight of the structure,and any distances spanned.

If you look at some of the other photos on the website they show posts under the outer edge of the octagonal section supporting it, its not a cantilevered section if that's what you're wondering. You just can't see the framing involved hidden under the ipe decking.


What kind of latch can I use to hang temporary wall panels on a 270 degree angle?

If you were to attach a filler strip along the beam that matched the thickness of your wall panels ... see below:

You could use any one of a number of types of catches. One example is this standard type of window casement latch:


Installing three way switch in two gang box

Ok, so what you had before were 2 completely separate 3-way switches.
The White wires are not neutrals in either of them, and this is normal!
Depending on which end of the 3-way wiring we're looking at, the Black wires may not even be Hot, and if they are, they may not be on the same breaker or even on the same phase (although if they were on different phases you'd probably know about it by now due to the tripped breakers and/or big flash/bang).

What you had on each switch: Black (common) Red & White (Travelers) - so depending on the switch position, either the Red or the White is connected to the Black.
If you look at the 3-way switches on the other end of each cable you should find the same wiring.

So, remove that nut on the white wires - they're not neutrals and do not belong together. Instead, put a nut on each one individually and forget about them.
Also remove the nut you've put on to join all of the Blacks together - they're not the same circuit.

Go to the 3-way switches at the other ends of those cables, remove the switches, nut the white wires individually and forget about them as you've just done, and nut the Red and Black on each cable to each other (not between cables).
Now go back to your wireless switches and connect each one individually to the Red and Black on each cable.

Done.


Can I add a dimmer switch for lighting to a GFI circuit in Kitchen?

Well, to stay complaint with code you cannot do this. You cannot tap off a kitchen receptacle circuit for lighting. Is it done, yeah, I'm sure it is. Is it correct or code complaint, no, not at all.
You need to find another circuit to take power from.

BTW, the fact that the screws are all used on the receptacles does not mean anything.


Should I replace my 36 year old copper house wiring with UF-B?

In most locations, at least in the US and Canada, houses were wired in 1982 with NM cable (Romex) very similar to the NM used today.  That stuff seems to be holding up pretty well, except where it's exposed to excessive heat, sometimes in a light fixture.  But I don't know anyone that says that that wire is due for an update.

If you want to replace anything, your panel and breakers would be the first thing I'd consider.  Breakers do have a limited life span, and if you're going to replace the breakers, it may or may not be worth replacing the panel too - something to look at.

If you have money to burn and just really want to upgrade your wiring whether you need it or no, without question, I'd go with EMT conduit.  That would be a huge job but conduit is forever.  If you find a buyer that appreciates a good overbuilt system it may add value to your home.  It sounds excessive to anyone from anywhere else, but all homes in Chicago are done in conduit.  I have come across a few small apartment buildings / triple-deckers done in conduit.  If you want to go even further into eccentric multimillionaire territory, you could do it all in rigid conduit, but that could cost more than the house.

If you're going to overbuild a bit and go with conduit, I bet you'll also want a bolt on panel.