The evidence would suggest that it is an improperly wired multi-wire branch circuit. The two legs of the circuit are erroneously and dangerously shorted together somewhere. When a MWBC is properly wired, the only path from one leg to the other is through the loads.
The reason the two breakers are on the same pole is some delirious spark monkey discovered that if installed properly they trip instantly when main power is restored. He was unable to discover the real problem but by moving stuff around at random he effected a miracle cure.
The quickest test for a real short circuit, as opposed to a phantom voltage transmitted through the loads, is to properly position the breakers on opposite poles and see if they trip immediately.


How can I run a DC fan and ultrasonic fogger on one cord?

Only moments ago, I was researching these devices, both the fans and the ultrasonic foggers. The foggers are 24vdc and your choice of fans should be based on that figure. I have a number of 24vdc muffin fans, about 50mm diameter which were removed from discarded workstation computers, but that may not help you, other than to indicate that you should be able to find a fan of this voltage. You'll be cutting into either the wiring at the power supply lead or into the wiring at the ultrasonic unit, in order to join them, but other than that, it should be no serious challenge. The power supply for the ultrasonic humidifier should not be rated to be maxing out when using the unit, so there may be enough "suplus power" to run the fan. That's only item about which you should be cautious.

A quick search on eBay shows dozens of low priced 24v computer-type fans and an equally large number of low cost ultrasonic devices.


How do I remove black mold from area of laundry machine where water won’t reach?

I think this is more of a comment than an answer, but I'm too new to comment :/

UV light would kill it, but you asked how to remove it so that doesn't completely answer your question...

And the EPA thinks that most home UV lamps won't do much.
https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/does-ultraviolet-uv-radiation-uv-lamps-kill-mold-0

Can you get it out into bright sunshine for a couple of days?


Sounds like a true DIY project.1/8 inch thick flat steel stock should be adequate. Am I seeing this right: one length of steel above the other (spaced accordingly), attached to the wall framing with HD screws through holes in each piece of steel? As long as the wall framing is sound and secured properly, I'm confident it will  easily  support the 60" and it's bracket. But install the steel plates first and then the TV bracket and lastly the 60". Also check the weight rating for the TV bracket.


Screen frames do sometimes warp, but should flatten out when held in place in the window.  If it remains warped when installed, make sure all of the securing clips are properly in place.  If that isn't the issue, replace the screen.
If you need to replace the entire screen, you might find ready-made screens if the window is a standard size that a local store sells.  Any store that sells windows can probably order screens for you.  If you know the window manufacturer, they may sell replacement screens, or can put you in touch with someone who does.  There are also online sources for custom-sized screens (just Google "custom window screens").  Don't assume that "custom" means costly; virtually all screens are "custom" sizes.
Otherwise, you make a new screen frame the size you need and then put the screen fabric into it.  The screen framing is like making a custom-sized picture frame.  You cut the four sides to size and use supplied connectors to assemble the frame.  You can copy the dimensions from the old frame.

You can find the channel to make the frame at most hardware stores.  It is typically aluminum, so you can cut it with hand tools if you don't have a miter saw (some use square ends, so you don't need to cut angles).

There are some common ways to secure the screen in the window, and you can usually find equivalent hardware at the store.
The picture looks like very coarse screening.  If tiny insects are getting through, replace it with fine mesh screening.
If the screen frame is still good, you can normally replace the screen fabric.  It is sold in rolls at most hardware stores.  You cut it to size with scissors.  It's held in place by friction with a rubbery cord (spline) that presses the fabric against the channel.

If the original spline is still in good shape, you can reuse it.  Otherwise, you can get new spline at the store in the same place you find the screen fabric.  There's an inexpensive screening tool that you use to install it.  It's a rolling tool that looks like a miniature pizza cutter (but the blade is grooved), that pushes the fabric into the channel and then pushes the spline in to secure it.

This is a common DIY project, and replacement supplies designed for DIYers are readily available.  You can find instructional videos online.  A quick search found this.  Bring an old screen to the store so the staff can see exactly what style you need to replace, and ask them any specific questions you may have on which items to select and how to do it.


The second two are to reach down into a valve/faucet and refinish or smooth a bronze seat. A hard rubber washer will seal against the bronze seat. If the seat becomes corroded or worn the rubber can not seal. They are turned by hand to clean the bronze seat. Often a new washer by itself can repair a valve . But sometimes the bronze seat needs to be smoothed. Newer faucet designs use a cartridge instead of the rubber washer / bronze seat design.


Back-to-back conduit bodies for wall transition

There is no restriction to how many you use. We regularly use extra pull boxes and conduit bodies to make the job easier. It’s not cheating at all. Each one is listed for that use once it leaves the conduit body. There is nothing except cost preventing you from using them.


Halogen transformer replacement: safe to use 60w max to replace a 75w max?

Depends. What load is on the downstream side?

If there's only one 50W bulb, you should be fine. Two 35Ws? Need a bigger one.


Interested in home will mold problem . Can mold be in carpeting? Howe do i remove

This is not a DIY job. Mold can spread everywhere in a wood-framed house full of drywall. Call in the pros to estimate the source and extent of the infection. Simply killing the mold won't help if you don't find the moisture source that made it moldy in the first place.

PSA to the world: stop building houses out of wood and drywall. Sheesh, what awful materials.


Can I square off a uPVC door sill which is inside a conservatory?

Looking at the exposed end of the sill, that looks like a terrible idea.
It appears to be an extrusion with a few ribs and void spaces between ribs, not a solid block. If you cut off the edge, you'll have an unsupported "flap" sticking out from the next rib. That seems unlikely to wear well.


Perfectly normal for non-stainless steel pumps to rust.
Even stainless steel ones may rust, slightly.
The white corrosion may indicate some cast aluminum components, and if so, the combination of aluminum and iron components would also tend to promote galvanic corrosion.
It's not a cause for great concern - it's primarily cosmetic. It does lead me personally towards choosing stainless steel pumps, but cast iron pumps that look awful will work for a long time, looking awful. They do become difficult or impossible to disassemble eventually, but that's over a fairly long lifetime.


220v outlet safety question - Circuit breaker not tripped after a fire

Resistive heating elements (calrods), such as those in an electric oven, can break down and fail after a period of time due to deterioration of the internal insulation.  When they do, the results can be quite spectacular, involving arcing from element and shell to the oven floor and a resulting fire when the arc ignites whatever grease deposits are present.  However, this doesn't damage anything outside the oven, provided the fire itself stays inside the oven.

I would kill the power to the circuit and check the receptacle for any signs of damage (such as burn marks or metal spatter from arcing) anyway, though, just to be on the safe side.


How to find/construct simple trim for windows

Yes you could add another jamb extension to the jamb extensions that are there already. The down side of that is the joint will look out of place if you try to add the new wood flush with the original, or if you step it back to make a new reveal, (the reveal you referred to is more of a projection of the wall or recess of the jamb extension) to me it makes the inside of the window opening too "busy".
If it were mine to trim I would use 5/4 material (1" thick") and table saw a relief to accommodate the wall projection.
That being said, if you have trim elsewhere in the room that you will need to match up and it is not thick enough to cut the back out, then you may need to add to the jamb extension, so you can use an off the shelf trim.


According to National Electrical Code, the pipe has to be bonded. However, it can be bonded using the grounding conductor serving the equipment that uses the gas.

...The equipment grounding conductor for the circuit that is likely to energize the piping shall be permitted to serve as the bonding means...

As for lightning strikes, the gas company is probably correct. It's not likely lightning will strike the pipe, especially since it's right next to a house.

National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 2 Wiring and Protection
Article 250 Grounding and Bonding
250.104 Bonding of Piping Systems and Exposed Structural Steel.
(B) Other Metal Piping. If installed in, or attached to, a building or structure, a metal piping system(s), including gas piping, that is likely to become energized shall be bonded to the service equipment enclosure; the grounded conductor at the service; the grounding electrode conductor, if of sufficient size; or to one or more grounding electrodes used. The bonding conductor(s) or jumper(s) shall be sized in accordance with 250.122, using the rating of the circuit that is likely to energize the piping system(s). The equipment grounding conductor for the circuit that is likely to energize the piping shall be permitted to serve as the bonding means. The points of attachment of the bonding jumper(s) shall be accessible.


Can I use Multi-Cable Staples to run wire horizontally?

The National Electrical Code actually never mentions how to support cable. It just gives the spacing for the supports.

The supports should be identified for the use. The code section for support is below:

  334.30 Securing and Supporting. Nonmetallic-sheathed cable shall be supported and secured by staples, cable ties, straps, hangers, or similar fittings designed and installed so as not to damage the cable, at intervals not exceeding 1.4 m (41⁄2 ft) and within 300 mm (12 in.) of every outlet box, junction box, cabinet, or fitting. Flat cables shall not be stapled on edge.

As long as you follow the manufacturer's directions then there nothing in the Code prohibiting your intended use.

Good luck!


How to repair a basement ceiling's old school interlocking tiles?

I think you may need a whole bunch of new ones, or a completely different ceiling system (as you prefer). Those should be attached to the ceiling structure, and the backside of the fallen one looks like parts that should support it are ripped away.

It's been a long time since I have used any of these - I vaguely recall that they would latch into others on two sides, covering the fasteners (staples, usually) of the ones they locked into, get stapled on the exposed sides, and have the next tile cover up their staples. So your expectation of having to work to a wall sounds about right.

A grid-type suspended ceiling system is similar, but gives better access above it if needed as the panels just sit in the frame; though it takes up a bit more headroom (which you might not want in a basement.) You could drywall and have similar height (it may be "louder", though), or you can find this type of acoustic tiles (but you're probably going to have to replace them all, for color & pattern match if nothing else. 30-40 years of aging shows when you put a new one right next to it.)


Check your houseplants. It sounds like they are gnats that live in overly moist soil. Look for fungus in the soil and if you find them, decrease watering and treat with a solution of neem oil to get rid of them.


Is an electrical lockout a good way to protect children in a workshop?

Locking the breaker is certainly an option (probably a good one).  I would consider it a hassle to have to unlock the breaker before work and having to relock when done.  However, I'd rather do that than have my child lose a finger.
In addition to shielding our children from things it is important that we teach them to respect the shop area and to respect the tools in the shop.  One of my children is very impulsive so she'll  grabs things without thinking.  As soon as she does this in the shop she is sent into temporary exile (for a week or so) and is under no conditions allowed back in the shop.  This worked for the other kids, and it is working for her.
Additionally, I've found it to be helpful to put on demonstrations of why we respect our tools.  Kids love visuals.  Get a 1-inch dowel and wack it on the ground a few times then ask them which is harder, the dowel or their finger.  They'll say the dowel.  Then show them how quickly a circular saw cuts through the dowel and ask what would happen if that were their finger?  You don't want to terrify the kids, but at least make them aware of how serious this stuff is.
One more thing I've done with the kids is buy them their own tools, toolbox and all (second-hand stuff).  They know that those tools belong to them.  If I want to borrow one of their tools, I ask.  This teaches them to respect others property.  It also teaches them to take care of their tools (Oh, you broke your screw driver using it as a chisel?  Sorry, guess you will have to buy a new one).  They also know they don't need permission to use their own tools so it gives they something to do/use while working with me.


Why do LED lights get brighter when adding additional lights to the dimmer circuit?

Because LED dimming is a black art

Original dimming was designed for incandescent bulbs.  In fact, most dimmers count on incandescent bulbs, because they leak power through the bulb to power themselves, and this takes advantage of an oddness in incandescents that they are practically a dead short when unlit.

Here's how dimming works. The first one (autotransformer) is also called a variac, and those are huge, heavy and expensive. So dimmers use silicon switching technology (a primitive kind that was possible in the 1960s). These use every trick to provide dimming optimized for AC incandescents.

Most LEDs use switching technology in their internal power supplies.  Switching supplies consider dimming to be a power defect which they try to correct, and they draw more power while it's on to sustain the light while it's off.  In other words, they're pretty good at defeating dimmers.

So how does one dim an LED? The LED has to actually "listen" to the incoming power, reverse-engineer what the dimmer is trying to do, and set LED brightness accordingly.  It's quite a little trick.

But did I mention dimmers are optimized for simple and cheap, and are powered through the light bulb?  Well, when you change the number of light bulbs, you change the impedance of the light bulbs the dimmer is working with.  Since it's relying on that flow-through, I'm not surprised that changes its brightness.

There's better LED dimming

There are several schemes for dimming things generally: 0-10V dimmer control comes to mind.  However, LEDs (the emitter not the screw-in incandescent replacement) are well suited for another dimming method: PWM.  Both methods do not care how many lights are on the circuit. However they require new fixtures.  You can't do either one with screw-in Edison sockets.  And why would you? The LED emitter will outlive the fixture, so why does it need to be changeable?


How can I remove construction adhesive from finished wood flooring?

Cleanup

  Clean tools and uncured adhesive residue immediately with mineral spirits in a well-ventilated area to the outdoors. Remove cured adhesive by carefully scraping with a sharp-edged tool.

From http://www.loctiteproducts.com/p/pl_ca_prem/directions/Loctite-PL-Premium-Polyurethane-Construction-Adhesive.htm


Installing outlet receptacle in unfinished basement furnace/water heater room

Nothing special needed here except the GFCI since this room is not finished. Finished rooms in a basement depending on how long back may not have AFCI or GFCI protection but adding a receptacle in an unfinished basement room would require a GFCI even if no water present.  The outlet can be directly adjacent to the equipment no spacing is required no covers or anything else is required by the national electric code.


AC power leaving the circuit breaker, but no AC power to AC power supply line in bathroom (and this bathroom is head/lead in daisy chain)

First, I want to thank those of you who responded with the excellent advice.  And after checking the continuity as suggested, there was continuity!

However, there was no continuity of the neurons in my brain until when I realized that the two upstairs bathroom receptacles may be upstream on the same daisy chain 20A circuit for the two downstairs bathrooms. They were- I am an idiot.

But in my neophyte defense, the electrical panel had two separate circuits dedicated to these two upstairs bathrooms labeled "Upstairs bath #1" and "Upstairs bath #2".  I assumed they were for the receptacles and lighting.  Clearly the upstairs bathroom lights and receptacles don't share the same circuit as most don't want the lights to go out when the GFCI trips the receptacles.

To keep two separate GFCI branches on the circuit (one branch for the two upstairs bathrooms, and one branch for the two downstairs bathrooms), the hot line and neutral wire from the electrical panel goes to upstairs bath #1 GFCI receptacle.  The lines are inserted into the proper respective line holes on the back of the receptacle (they are clamp and screw, not pure backstab).  However, there is also another neutral/hot pair (from/to the downtairs guest bath GFCI receptacle) that is connected into the respective line holes on the back of the upstairs bath #1 GFCI receptacle. So I have two neutrals and two blacks into the line side screw/clamp holes of the upstairs bath#1 GFCI receptacle. And on the same upstairs bath #1 receptacle is the load wire connection to provide GFCI protection to the downstream bathroom #2 receptacle.

This was maddening to figure out, but I understand it.

I had to replace the upstairs Bath #1 (the "workhorse" supply power splitting, load carrying) GFCI receptacle because the hot/black line insert/hole carrying power to the downstairs guest bathroom was shot.  Why was it shot? Likely because of my wife taxing, for the past three years, the 20AMP circuit and our master bath 15 AMP outlet (on the same circuit) with: (1) her overpriced salon hair dryer (which could dry a Wookie in seconds flat and sounds like an F14 engine), (2) and a "hair flattener" curling iron device, and (3) a clothes iron - all on and running at the same time!  She had a small mini three outlet strip plugged into the 15Amp outlet to run all of these items at the same time.  The mini three outlet strip is now in the trash. I had no idea she throwing that many amps (at the same time) at the circuit and the outlet! And I installed a 20AMP receptacle in our master bathroom and explained why we don't want to turn all those high amp items on at the same time on the same circuit.

Sorry for the long post, and thanks again for the excellent advice.

thanks.


How did they drive nails into hardwood before modern power tools?

How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Don't discount the fact that everything was hand nailed at one point. Sheathing a building in board by hand works wonders for increasing efficiency with a hammer.

One hundred years ago green or air dried lumber was the norm, rather than kiln dried. Even seasoned lumber had generally been in the air under a year at the mill. Wet lumber is substantially easier to work with than dry, which includes nailing. (Solid wood is also easier to nail than composite or engineered lumber, which can skew perceptions if you're used to modern materials.)


Cooktop replacement… induction or ceramic?

I agree with the comments saying you should have an electrician do it. As pointed out by @Ecnerwal they will be able to advise before you decide which appliance to buy and help you make an informed decision.
The key factor will be the size of the cable to your existing hob. It depends on the power of the new hob, the distance to the fuse box and whether the cable runs through insulation or not. More powerful hob, greater distance and going through insulation = bigger cable required.
If the existing cable is suitable it would be a quick job for the electrician to fit the new hob. If the cable is too small for the hob then they'll need to run a bigger cable and that will cost more. Depending on the construction of your house might require lifting floors or making holes in walls.
I won't pretend to do the calculations but there are cable calculators online that will help. For the UK it seems that 2.5mm2 might be ok if you're lucky, 6mm2 is often ok, 10mm2 is the future-proof option. Best have an electrician make that call.
Also +1 for induction :-)


The most common reason is the flame sensor rod is dirty. If this is the problem, then remove the flame sensor rod and gently clean it with steel wool or a dollar bill. Flame sensor rods need to conduct electricity, but if the rod gets coated with dirt then it insulates the flame sensor rod and electricity cannot conduct anymore. Flame sensor rods tend to get dirty more quickly when the furnace is located in the laundry room because the air in the laundry room tends to have more dust.


How do I get cleaning solution into a macerator (pumping station)?

Turning off the macerator and then pouring it down the toilet would seem sensible.


Why is the water pressure low in my shower?

Shower cartridges can definitely get debris in them just like aerators in faucets can. Some valves have screen filters in them close to the intakes. also, make sure all your water valves are all the way open.


Check the valve in the bottom 2 pictures that is connected to the pipe that comes up through the floor. That is the manual gas valve that may need to be turned if it is turned off. First, turn the knob marked off, low and high to OFF. Then, in the bottom 2 pictures, that RED knob or button that slants to the left and slightly downward will need to be pushed in to allow the gas to flow to the pilot. While pushing that stem in, stick a match into the hole to light the pilot. Hold the red stem in for a minute or 2. When you release that red stem the pilot should stay on, if not , redo the last step. Once the pilot stays lit you can turn that handle set to off to low or high and gas should flow. If it doesn't work you may need to call a service co. for help. Let us know if you get heat.


Why does my basement floor paint come off when it's wet?

First it sounds like you used a latex paint which for a basement floor is not a good solution.  You need to use the messier, oil based paint.  This will soak into the concrete a bit and are a lot more durable.  This paint will continue to have problems when wet - especially with hot water or when scraped by something sharp or heavy.

Also at the 3 week period I doubt your paint has fully cured in a basement environment.  Once it cures it will hold better but probably not up to your expectations.


Ah, how I hate people who build things designed to last forever, or rather to need the house ripped apart when they don't.

I'd try a loop of wire (galvanized steel or aluminum, whichever the duct is, so they don't corrode each other over time) wrapped around the pipe in the hole to allow you to pull on that while shoving the stub pipe into the elbow. Look down through the stub so you can see what you are doing. Attaching that wire to the stub would then hopefully keep the elbow from falling off again. You would need to seal the joint with duct seal since there's no way you can tape in there.

Alternatively, figure out where the access panel for this job should have been put, buy an access panel, cut a hole in the ceiling (below the pipe), and put the access panel there. Or do what too many folks do, and simply cut a hole in the drywall, convince yourself this will never happen again, and patch the hole in the drywall.

If you are having trouble mating the male and female bits, bend the male bits inward a bit more than stock.


Can I use this chlorinating liquid to disinfect my drinking water?

My water tester uses basic Clorox bleach, swimming pool chlorine will also work, dump the chlorine / bleach down the well vent and flush with some water, waiting at least 3 hours or over night will provide the best results then flush the system for 3 hours or until there is no bleach / chlorine smell and your well will be sanitized. If you want to eliminate some floaters and small sand from getting into your tank add a particulate or string filter prior to the tank, if a filter is added remember they need to be changed, get one with a clear filter housing and you may be surprised how much gunk a simple string filter can stop.


What can/should I do to tidy up after removing a section of baseboard?

How about using a piece of thin vinyl base molding?


Ungrounded Desktop PC; Workaround to Remove Static Charge?

You might be able to make your own ground wire, provided you're near a window and on the first floor.

You'll need

A metal rod of some sort. Rebar might be commonly available. Doesn't have to be crazy long for these purposes, just has to stay in the ground
A clamp that fits around the metal rod
Some wire. Doesn't have to be a high gauge wire (18 gauge or so should work). If it's thicker than 16 gauge, make sure it's stranded and not solid.

Drive the rod into the ground by the window and fish some wire from inside to the rod and clamp it to that. Once that's done, take the other end and attach it to the case via a case screw (if you're using 18 gauge, just wrap the wire around a screw and re-tighten)

That should ground your computer (all computers ground to the case). All ground really is is an alternate path for excess electricity to flow to. That should alleviate the shocking problem you have. A GFI won't solve the problem because it's designed to detect an imbalance between the hot and neutral. It won't stop static buildup.


Options for correcting improper deck beam to post attachments

If the deck is 2' off the ground or less, I wouldn't be overly concerned about it. Otherwise, if they are already existing the easiest way would be to use hardware designed for this kind of connection.

However!

Keep in mind that a beam that consists of two 2-bys means the two 2-bys are sandwiched together and nailed together so they share their loads and reduce twisting, deflection, etc...

This means that your beam might not actually be properly size either, which is not a problem a bracket can fix for you. You might need a bracket AND more 2-bys. That or just redo it properly instead of trying to fix it.


If the existing cast iron is already corroded to the point that it is leaking, you need to fix it. The simplest way is to cut out the corroded portion and re-pipe it in plastic. See how best to cut & tie into cast iron.

When re-piping, you can keep it to just the cast iron portion or you can also re-pipe the sink's drain arm at the same time. Doing both at the same time may be easier depending on the layout of your plumbing.

Regardless of how much you re-pipe, you may still need to cleanout the drain to remove the clog as it could be located further downstream (or within the sink's arm itself if you re-use the existing) The best way to clean out a clogged drain is to snake it. See how to use a plumber's snake.

Keep in mind that if your drain lines are very corroded, the act of using a snake has the potential to puncture further holes as the pipe’s wall will be thin. Also, using clog removal chemicals can also be risky with the added safety concerns of leaking chemicals.


Who to call about sinking porch and mud room?

Foundation problems are NEVER cheap to solve, and sadly, someone got cheap when the work was first done. Do the work right the first time. Was this addition even inspected by the local building inspector? If not, then you may have some legal recourse if the owners did work and failed to get the necessary permits. I doubt it would work, but only a lawyer would know.

This is not your fault of course, except for buying the house in the first place. A good home inspector should have pointed this out and warned you of the cost to repair it at the time. It is yet another reason to have a home inspection done.

Given all of that, you are now stuck with a problem, that MUST be resolved. I don't even know positively that mudjacking can solve this, only a good mudjacking contractor will know for sure. No matter what, there will surely be some excavation involved, even if only to determine how much must be done to repair the problem.

Start asking around. There are foundation services companies around who specialize in problems like this. Get and check references. Don't just jump at the cheapest estimate you get.


Hydro isolation for foundation cut out (edge, not face)?

Wow, looks like a problem (and one I've never dealt with). But I will venture what I would do:

clean thoroughly with scrub brush and TSP
spray insect poison deeply into each crack and crevice and let everything dry out
seal all cracks and crevices with low-expansion spray foam
paint all with waterproofing mopping sealant (like Redguard)
pack with latex-fortified/modified mortar and smooth trowel level, around each window, till it looks nice like a clean cement frame
prime and paint


How effective is a heat pump for AC and a heat pump/furnace for heating in New England?

You don't have to worry about a heat pump being inadequate for cooling tasks, they are available in a large range of sizes. For really large buildings, they can be ganged together. 800 sf is a walk in the park for residential sized units.

I don't know the specifics of what determines when the backup furnace kicks in. IIRC, it is the combination of a lower thermostat set point and the outside temperature. It kicks on when the pump is not keeping up or it's too cold for it to run efficiently. I can assure you you will not be sitting for hours waiting for backup heat. No customer would sit still for such a system.

While it is true that heat pump heat is free, you are just paying to move it around, if you've had heat wave cooling bills before, you know moving heat around is far from cheap. Only a careful analysis of the various options, considering both operational and installation costs, as well as life cycle replacement, can you make a proper decision about which system is most cost effective. The correct solution will vary by small changes in energy costs and climate.

In cold climates, a ground heat source system should at least be considered because it will reduce or eliminate the need for backup heat. If you are concerned about your carbon footprint, do not forget most electricity generated in the US is by burning fossil fuels. Your footprint from using a heat pump will vary greatly depending on where your local power is coming from. Heat pumps make a lot of sense for many people, especially if they are investing in cooling equipment anyway. But everyone's situation is unique, so the best solution can be arrived at only after careful rational analysis of all the factors.


How to get rid of moisture in hardwood flooring?

Your problem is obvious. Moisture is migrating up from the slab.   I don't imagine anyone suggested to do a moisture check on the concrete before you started?  There are meters that can measure the % of moisture in concrete. With that said, it is never a good idea to put wood or laminate directly on concrete slabs or uncured concrete upper floors. In your case, you said the concrete was sealed. How was it sealed and with what? One of the only products that seals and creates a vapor barrier is DryLoc. Even using DryLoc, some sort of underlayment should be used. The old way was to lay pearlings across the slab, put on a plywood subfloor and then your finish floor.  Today there are several subfloor products that resemble 2'X 2" or 2" X 4" panels with a waffled plastic base and a resin embedded or synthetic subfloor attached. These panels interlock covering the concrete and create a vapor barrier. The materials in these products resist mold and mildew and allow any water to escape if you have floor drains etc.

Unfortunately, once hardwood has cupped badly or water stained from the bottom up, it is usually junk and cannot be reused. Sometimes if the cupping is minor, exposing it to a very dry environment for some time will allow it to flatten out, but I sure would not count on it.  In your case, I fear you have no alternative but to rip it all out and start from scratch. This time, address the moisture or possible water leak in the concrete first. Use a proper subfloor, or select a different kind of flooring that is not susceptible to damage from moisture. There are several vinyl plank type floors that look like wood or tile that are good choices in a damper area.


Are wooden kitchen counters meant to be shaved (with a planer) to continue looking tidy?

No no no on the planer.  Unless you can totally remove the top and send it through an industrial planer that can do it all at once, a planer is a terrible idea.  It will just be full of ridges, you will have bad edges, and probably take off too much.

Normally I would hit something like this with 40 grit on an orbital sander - not belt - and then slowly work my way to 300-400 grit.  Oil it a few times over the next two weeks, and you are good to go (have rehabbed many butcher block counters).


100 AMP garage sub-panel from 200 AMP house

Your options are a minimum of #1 aluminum or #3 copper.

Since it's only 65 feet I wouldn't upsize it for voltage drop.

You don't need service entrance or direct burial type cable if you are running conduit underground you can use type THWN wire. Individual wires not cable. If you don't want to run conduit you can buy direct burial type wire like You are talking about.

Good luck and stay safe!


According to the International Plumbing Code, the length between a toilet (water closet) trap and the vent is unlimited. Which means if you're only installing a toilet, you don't need a vent.

International Plumbing Code 2012
Chapter 9 Vents
Section 909 Fixture Vents
909.1 Distance of trap from vent. Each fixture trap shall have a protecting vent located so that the slope and the developed length in the fixture drain from the trap weir to the vent fitting are within the requirements set forth in Table 909.1.
Exception: The developed length of the fixture drain from the trap weir to the vent fitting for self-siphoning fixtures, such as water closets, shall not be limited.

When you do install a vent for a plumbing system, the vent must terminate outside the building (and not within x distance of windows/doors/intakes/etc.). So there's no concern with smell, at least not inside the house.
As for the condensate drain. You'll have to check the manufacturers documentation, to determine if a trap is required. If a trap is required, you'll have to vent the trap. You'll determine the distance from the trap to the vent using Table 909.1

There's also the matter of drain size. The toilet should have at least a 3" drain, and cannot lead into a drain that is smaller in size. So if the existing waste pipe that you're connecting to is smaller than the toilet drain pipe, you're going to have a problem.
It sounds like you're starting with a waste pipe simply sticking out of the ground.

To add the toilet, you'll want to connect to the existing pipe using a sanitary tee. You'll also have to maintain a proper slope of the toilet drain pipe.

I'd probably use another sanitary tee above the toilet connection, to connect the condensate drain to the waste pipe. Then cap the waste pipe.

If the manufacture of the boiler requires a trap on the condensate line, I'd probably use a trap and standpipe setup to connect the condensate to the waste pipe.

And if there's not a vent within the appropriate distance of the trap, you'll have to extend the waste pipe to provide a vent.

If you want to avoid the vent altogether, you could plumb the toilet as described above. Then simply have the condensate drain dump into the toilet. I'm not sure if this is an approved method, but it should get the job done.


Floor joist splices appear inadequately reinforced

Holding everything together is just part of the problem. Keeping both of the 2x6’s on the beam is also extremely important.

During an earthquake, the house is moving in one direction and the foundation, footings, beams etc. are moving in another direction. (Those toe-nails into the beam is just about worthless.) You need to add metal connectors from the joists to the beam so your house “stays together”. (I like Simpson A35 n clips at each joist.)

Likewise, that beam should be secured to a post and the post to the footing. (If it’s a square independent footing, I’d find a way of securing it to the main perimeter footings too.)

Oh, and to answer your question, the double 1x4 splices are fine. They’re not doing much. The plywood subfloor is nailed into each joist, so they’re anchored together pretty good.


How to fix a deck railing that is falling off?

It appears that the rim joist is pulling away from the joists to which it's nailed due to the outward forces on the railing.

You could screw the rim joist to the joists (where those nails are now), which might give a bit more holding power, but you wouldn't gain a lot.  Using lag bolts in this situation should be avoided because they won't hold well in the end-grain of the joists.

I'd suggest adding angle brackets like these, on both sides of each joist.  Offset them slightly vertically so the screws from either side of the joist don't interfere with each other.  Use an appropriate screw length (2.5 inches would work for double joists).

The 4x4 posts for the railing are connected to the rim joist with bolt(s).  If these 4x4s connect next to one of the joists (ideally it would, and the one shown in your pictures seems to be), then you could add a deck post bracket if there isn't one already which transfers the railing force from the bolt to the joist.  This would replace the aforementioned angle bracket on one side of the joist.


Should I remove baseboards prior to installing laminate or wood floors?

It depends on a couple of things.  How much time you want to invest, how your current baseboards are installed, size of current baseboards, and what you want everything to look like.

As long as it isn't a HUGE deal to take baseboards out I would almost always go with removing them.

Your finish will look better.  No quarter round looks way more professional.  Also I hate the process of do you make your quarter round the color of trim or floor - I always vote trim.
It is cheaper.  Quarter round costs money.  So does staining/painting it.
It saves time.  If you have the right tools taking your baseboards out is easy.  And when you put them back - well they fit.  Try to position your tools so that if you gouge the wall it is hidden under the baseboard.  This is easy with practice.  Who cares if the drywall has some nicks under the baseboard.  Cutting your quarter round to fit will take a lot of time.  Also what do you do between a set of doors where you need to put in 10 inches of quarter round?  Well you will be back on this board asking!

Take the baseboards out, freshen them up while you are at it, install floor, pop baseboards back.  Touch up paint and caulk where needed.   Not taking them out starts the job faster but then after your install there will be quarter round regret (because of point #1).


What NEMA configuration is this receptacle?

From everything I can find 1 and 2 are the same receptacle. It's just a matter of application

So in answer to your question NO. you need to test it to find out it's apllication.

Sorry I couldn't be of any help.


Should I be concerned with the accumulation of road cinder in my garage?

I dont think there is much to worry about.  Living in the snow belt in Ohio, our garage is almost completely black by the end of the winter.  We try to brush or even spray it our a few times if the weather permits.  But that is really to keep it from tracking into the house, not so much for the floor.

I would be more concerned with salt on your garage floor than the cinders.  The salt can certainly eat away and break down the concrete.

There are concrete sealers that you could apply in warmer weather than might help to protect it, but I have never heard of anyone doing that in a garage.


Where is the filter for my furnace located?

Your filter is in the return vent in the wall. Look at photo #5 in your post and you’ll see the markings of a 12x12x1” filter. Flip out the two tabs at the bottom and the grill should swing out to allow you to change the filter.


My mini fridge is not working. Should I repair it or simply toss it out?

Well, even if they find the problem they are still going to charge you 30$+parts+install time= a colossal waste of time and money. I've owned a numerous array of mini fridges and none of them last much longer than 2 years, the workmanship on these just isn't worth fixing.

Unless the fix is something you can readily check, like a reset button, I'd cut you losses and buy a new fridge. Also because the compressor started and then died, so it sounds like a blown compressor, which is not worth replacing.


Hardwood floor refinishing with polyurethane. Do I need to use any sort of base coat? What are the advantages?

I would always suggest you avoid sanding sealers unless you have a specific reason to use one. Sanding sealers place a clear base coat between the wood and finish. But because the sealer is formulated to build fast and be easy to sand it can often be softer than the top coat which is problematic. The only advantage it would offer in your specific case is faster drying which might let you seal, sand & poly all in one day. Using a product you're unfamiliar with that may cause the finish to fail in order to save a day on a project is a terrible idea.

To give you a better idea what sealers (sander or otherwise are for) here's a non-comprehensive list of uses:

Lacquer finishes are sprayed on in a lot of thin coats. For woods with large pores that absorb a lot of lacquer sealing them can save time because it's faster to seal and sand than it is to shoot three extra coats before the finish begins to build.
Pine knots are infamous for leaking resins that cause trouble with finishes. The Knotty Pine movement is probably far enough in the past that it's not a big issue today, but it may come back. Teak and other oily exotics are in a similar category.
You can dye wood if you want a funky color and the grain showing. I bet you can guess what happens if you apply a water base topcoat over a water soluble dye. The problem is best avoided by not using a water soluble dye in the first place, but sealing is an option.
Tobacco smoke. In contrast to most finishes, sealers block odors. Animals and exotic cuisine odors can also fit in this category.
Nothing ruins furniture quite like silicone furniture polishes. Once absorbed by the wood the silicone ruins refinishing efforts. Rather than risk fish-eye most refinishers will seal everything after stripping.

In general you can do everything a sanding sealer can do with a clear topcoat. You can raise the grain with the sealer and sand it off, or you can sand the base coat. Sanding sealers also get suggested under pore fillers, but you can almost always forgo filling the pores in favor of letting the clear topcoat do it.

The one exception that I can think of offhand are faux finishes, where you want to pass one wood off as another.


The copper cap holding the bare copper wires together is a crimp connector. You can cut this off and you will be left with the two twisted wires behind it.

Add a pigtail (a short piece of bare wire), carefully twisting one end of it around the remaining bare wires. Then put a wirenut over the bundle. Carefully bend the other end of the pigtail forward to wrap around the screw terminal of the switch.


Electrical Outlet in Wall Covered by Mirror - Risks

You're fine just so long as the receptacles is accessible and as long as you can take the mirror down to service it as need be I don't see a problem.


What tool(s) are appropriate for cutting a door opening in shipping container?

There are many tools for cutting steel.  In addition to what you have suggested you could use:

A "sawzall" type reciprocating saw.
An oxy-acetylene torch.
A plasma cutter.
A body grinder with a cutting disc.

If you are good at following a marked line freehand then you should be able to just cut away and get the result you want.  If your cuts tend to drift, you might put together some sort of guide to keep the cuts straight.
(Since you asked...)
If I had to choose one, for example if this was my project, I'd probably opt for the plasma cutter route.  Plasma cutters cut through sheet steel like a hot knife through butter and leave a very clean edge.  The biggest con with them is that it can be tricky to keep a straight line.  But a straightedge of some sort will fix that issue easily.


How to apply rigid foam insulation to foundation with epoxy plugs?

I'm not familiar with epoxy repairs, but I'd guess that those holes were drilled to allow material injection and the plugs merely retained epoxy while it cured.

  Can I remove the injection ports after the completed repair?
  Yes, but first wait 24 hours to allow the LCR injection resin to harden and fully cure. A hammer and chisel will easily remove the injection ports, and the crack sealer can be sanded, ground off or painted.

  https://www.polygem.com/lcr-faqs-frequently-asked-questions

I'd grab them with a big ol' pliers and bend them back and forth a few times, breaking them off. A recipro-saw with a fine-toothed blade would also work.

Otherwise, if they're not too long, just press your foam onto them. A little persuasion and you can forget they were ever there. The lost insulation value is trivial.


I stopped at several home improvement stores today to ask about sump pump stands to several different opinions from those who sell sump pumps directly:

Gary at Home Depot:
More interested in his phone than talking to me.  His recommendation was not to worry about it.  "Why is there sediment in your sump basin?  It should just be water in your sump basin."

Dave at Menards:
He pointed out that the sump pumps with intakes on the bottom are designed to "pass any solids that will fit into the intake".  He pointed to two separate models with different size holes near the intake and explained that it acts as a filter to keep any larger sediment out of the pump.

Lesley at Lowes:
She suggested not to buy one of the stands, but instead to just place the pump on a brick.  The brick will serve the same purpose by raising the pump up a couple of inches.

None of the stores sold a stand of any kind.  The three people that I talked to had neither heard of nor seen a sump pump stand like the one that is linked to above.


How do I tell if dried flooring glue is oil-based or water-based?

Place a wet rag over an area and then put a pot over the rag to keep it from drying out for a day or so and see if the glue softens up. If it does, it was water probably based.


Can a low voltage light switch be located in a closet as opposed to outside the closet?

I was not able to find any sections in NEC that prohibit switches from being installed in closets, so until somebody can point to a specific section I'd say it's not a problem. There may be adaptations to the code in your local area, so you'll have to check with the local Electrical Inspector to be absolutely sure.

The NEC does, however, have a section on luminaires in clothes closets.

  NEC 2011

  410.16 Luminaires in Clothes Closets.

  (A) Luminaire Types Permitted. Listed luminaires of the following types shall be permitted to be installed in a closet:

  (1) A surface-mounted or recessed incandescent luminaire with a
  completely enclosed lamp

  (2) A surface-mounted or recessed fluorescent luminaire

  (3) Surface-mounted fluorescent or LED luminaires identified as
  suitable for installation within the storage area

  (B) Luminaire Types Not Permitted. Incandescent luminaires with
  open or partially enclosed lamps and pendant luminaires or lampholders
  shall not be permitted.

  (C) Location. The minimum clearance between luminaires installed in clothes closets and the nearest point of a storage space shall be
  as follows:

  (1) 300 mm (12 in.) for surface-mounted incandescent or LED luminaires
  with a completely enclosed light source installed on the wall above
  the door or on the ceiling

  (2) 150 mm (6 in.) for surface-mounted ﬂuorescent luminaires installed
  on the wall above the door or on the ceiling

  (3) 150 mm (6 in.) for recessed incandescent or LED luminaires with a
  completely enclosed light source installed in the wall or the ceiling

  (4) 150 mm (6 in.) for recessed ﬂuorescent luminaires installed in the
  wall or the ceiling

  (5) Surface-mounted ﬂuorescent or LED luminaires shall be permitted to
  be installed within the storage space where identiﬁed for this use.


seismic upgrade - verifying foundation integrity

The issue with old building foundations is usually settling, which shows up as wall cracks. The underlying culprit is generally inadequate footings, if there are any.  A solid foundation still cracks if it settles. Also, a solid foundation isn’t necessarily congruent with a seismic foundation. An earthquake can break any solid foundation.
Foundations designed for seismic activity include flexibility, and/or the capacity to allow for some building sliding back and forth, to ride out the shock waves of an earthquake.
Compression testing (as Sam Lee mentioned) came to mind when you asked about testing see how “solid” the old foundation is. Core samples of your foundation walls are crushed under a hydraulic press. Then you know the compression strength of your concrete (if that’s what the foundation was constructed with), but I don’t think that information is particularly useful. The foundation has been holding up the house for 120 years. It is probably solid enough.
What you want to know, for seismic activity, is how well the foundation sways sideways and rides up and down – to accommodate an earthquakes P and S waves. The solidness of a foundation doesn’t have much to do with its ability to handle a seismic activity.


How long will a treated post last in the ground?

A PT post will last a long time in concrete, maybe 5 to 10 years in soil alone.  I suggest you embed the post in concrete, trowel a peak around the post so water runs off, and don't let the PT post come in contact with the ground.

If you find the RV posts I mentioned earlier, they are steel, treated and when put in concrete will last 25 years or more.


How to remove flue from fireplace firebox with limited access?

I'd suggest using a small diameter schedule 40 PVC as conduit up the flue and into the attic. Use this as conduit to protect the cabling while it's in the flue. Then once you're into the attic, run your cables back down the wall to behind the TV. I would think it would be much easier than trying to break through the flue then drill horizontally through studs until you get to the TV's stud bay.
I don't know how tall your flue is, but you can run a piece of PVC up the flue by bending it slightly, then, once it's into the old firebox, glue a coupler on it. Glue the next piece of PVC into the coupler and start pushing again. If your PVC won't flex enough, you may have to cut it into shorter pieces, then reassemble it with glued couplers once it's in the firebox. At the bottom of the firebox, you'll need to attach the conduit to the wall somewhere so it doesn't just slip back down. You'd need a masonry wall anchor and a conduit clamp to do this.
Once you've got the conduit in the flue, you can drop a fish tape or just a piece of string down from above to pull the cables up.
I think (wait for one of the electricians to confirm) that you're safe and within code using CPVC for the low-voltage data lines. CPVC is much more flexible than PVC and it should be cheaper, too. If you're running power, I believe you have to use schedule 40, not CPVC.
Going up, over and down will use more cable and be more expensive, but it will be much less frustrating and time consuming than all that horizontal boring. You'll likely have to cut the interior wall surface (drywall?) back, drill through each stud, pull the cables across, apply a wire protector plate to the stud, then patch the wall surface. You may break even on time and effort. Especially if you've never repaired drywall. It can be very time consuming and fiddly to get it right for a beginner. If you've got wallpaper (don't laugh, some people still do!), but don't have any for a repair, cutting into the wall is basically a no-go right from the start!
Or...
I misunderstood right from the start. It looks like the TV is directly above the fireplace so you're in the same stud bay. In that case, ignore all some of that above and try this:
You'll need to make an access hole in the wall for the cables to come out. I'd suggest a double- or triple-gang old-work box for this. Not so much because you'll need the surface space for connectors, but because it will make a bigger hole in the wall that will be easier to work through. You can get standard double- or triple-gang cover plates to cover it up so it won't be quite so obvious when you take the TV down later.
Once you've got the hole in the wall, you should have access to the flue. You may have some insulation in the way that will need to be cut out (fiberglass bats or expanding foam) or pulled out/pushed to the side (blown in cellulose, fiberglass, etc). Tunnel through the insulation until you see the flue.
Once you've got access to the flue itself, determine what it's made of.

If it's ceramic/terra cotta/earthenware/masonry, then a hammer and something chisel like are your answer. A few whacks with a hammer and a cold chisel placed against the flue liner should break through it. You may end up breaking out a large chunk instead of a neatish hole, so you may consider using a hole saw designed for masonry work, though these can be a bit pricey.
If you've got a metal flue liner, you'll definitely need a hole saw to get through it - you won't be able to just break it away. Make sure you get a hole saw that'll handle cutting metal. A "standard" one only designed for wood won't work well on metal and it will dull very quickly.

Once you have a hole in the flue, I'd still recommend going with some sort of conduit as I mentioned above. You'd probably want to start with an elbow at the top of the conduit stack to get your cables around the corner and to protect them from any rough edges of metal or masonry work. You'll need to modify the back of the old-work box by drilling a hole through it (welcome back hole saw!) for the conduit to run into. For just low-voltage wiring, you shouldn't need to worry about attaching the conduit to the box itself, just a snug fit should be sufficient. With a clamp (as described above) holding the bottom of the conduit in place, you should be good to go.


Yes, I'm dumb - I drilled into wall backing my electrical panel

This is hard to answer since we don't know if it caused any mechanical or electrical damage, also is the hole in an area where it could be seen and repaired. I am assuming the answer is no since you didn't say you could see the hole. You simply state there are metal savings. You might want to bring in a trained professional who could safely remove certain parts and investigate the damage. Think of it as "I might have drilled a hole in my brake line, what do I do now."

Stay safe and good luck.


Washer "wall outlet must not be located behind dryer."

Some of those are up/down washer/dryer combos, and the dryer is actually mounted to the wall in a semi-permanent fashion. As such, you can't have the washer plugged in behind the dryer because it is no longer in a freely accessible receptacle, electrically the washer is sort of permanently installed itself (which is a bad idea in general.)  The ones that aren't, I suspect, are guilty of a lazy GE washer manual writer.  It is not a code requirement of any sort.

*edited with more detail


A pair of nuts matching the existing thread can be threaded on the free end of the bolt. Use a pair of wrenches to tighten the nuts securely against each other. After loosening the nut against the frame, you can hammer against the paired nuts with a smaller risk to the bolt. If the bolt has to be turned, the paired nuts will provide a surface on which the wrench can act.


GFCI not tripped, but no current downstream

You're going to have to inspect each junction and device in the circuit, starting with the first know bad device.  It sounds like you have a GFCI in the house, which feeds a receptacle in the shed, which in turn feeds a switched light in the shed.  Since the receptacle in the shed is the first know bad device, you'll want to start there.

Turn off the power at the circuit breaker. Pull the receptacle out of the box, leaving the wires connected. Inspect the wiring for loose connections, and fix any found.  If there where no loose connections, you'll want to determine which wires entering the box feed the receptacle.  If this is not obvious, you'll have to do some testing.  For this you'll need a multimeter with a continuity function.  Disconnect one of the neutral (White) wires from the receptacle, set the multimeter to test continuity, touch one probe to the equipment ground, touch the other to the disconnected neutral, then to the still connected neutral.  If one tests positive (audible tone, or reading on display), that is the feed line.  If neither or both test positive, you'll have to do testing with the power on (which I won't cover here since it is unsafe, and you should call an Electrician at this point).

Now that you've found your line wires, reconnect the neutral to the receptacle.  Leave the receptacle out of the box; making sure nothing is in contact with the edge of the box, then turn the power back on.  Turn the light on in the shed. If it goes out, use a non-contact voltage tester to test for voltage. If you have voltage on the line but not the load, replace the receptacle.  If you have voltage at neither point, run similar tests on the GFCI receptacle.

If you have voltage on the load side of the GFCI, but no voltage on the line side of the receptacle in the shed. You'll have to inspect the wires connecting the two devices. Start by shutting off the power, at the breaker. Next disconnect the load wires from the GFCI, and the line wires at the receptacle.  Run a continuity test between all combinations of the wires, none should test positive.  Finally connect one pair of wires at one end (so in the shed, twist the black and white wires together), do a continuity test on the other end to make sure the circuit is not open.

If all of this has been done, and the problem persists, you'll want to contact an Electrician.

As always, if you don't have the proper tools, or you don't feel comfortable doing any of the work mentioned. Do not hesitate to contact a local licensed Electrician.


How to make use of Existing Window to install a Curtain

I would speak first with the landlord (as apartment to me implies that you are renting) to get the OK to install the curtain. Once you have that you would want to install the curtain rod on the wall surface above the window and have it extend beyond the width of the window on each side.

There are a plethora of curtain rod assembly styles that you can choose from. Some are easier to install than others so look at that aspect so you know just what you are getting into before you purchase.

Note that on normally wood framed construction buildings you have about three inches of space to the side of the window and at least that much above the window where you can screw the curtain rod brackets through the sheet rock and into the wood framing. This provides the most secure mounting.

If the places where you need to mount the curtain rod brackets is just a hollow wall area then you will have a bit bigger job of installing the brackets in a secure manner. The normal cheap wall anchors like below are really junk and not recommended. Instead use an anchor like that in the second picture.

not recommended:

recommended:


Stronger if the kerf pinches, the reason being ...

Consider a post that is simply crosscut as mentioned (not reinforced with the 2x4 scab).  This weak point will fail much more easily when the post takes a load (bent) in the direction that opens the kerf, as opposed to the opposite direction.  This is because the post, when loaded in that direction, is vulnerable to splitting-out at the kerf.  When loaded in the opposite direction (that closes the kerf), the post is not vulnerable to splitting out, but would break due to tension failure.  Intuitively, it would take much less load to split out than to fracture under tension. If you don't trust my intuition, try this on a 2x4 to see which direction it more easily breaks.

Now consider a post that is crosscut and then reinforced with 2x4 scab as mentioned.  If the kerf was placed so that replumbing opened the kerf, then the post would be under a permanent partial load to split out.  If the kerf was placed so that replumbing closed the kerf, then the the post would be under a permanent partial negative load to split out, and under a permanent partial load for tension failure.  Intuitively, the later makes for a much stronger repair.

The theoretical kerf width required for the closed-kerf scenario is 4 * 1.375 / 60 = 0.092, or about 3/32".

Attach the 2x4 scab with numerous smaller fasteners (not in the same grain line) rather than a couple large fasteners.

As for option two, snapping a plumb line, the easier thing to do is cut a short piece of 2x4 that is 1-3/8" long, then  use it to space off one end of straight 6' 2x4 when screwing (or clamping) the 6 footer temporarily to the the post on the opposite side of the cut, then use an adjustable ripping T-guide (that came with the circular saw) to carry out a uniform width rip.  Make the rip top to bottom on one side, then bottom to top on the other, keeping the wide part of saw shoe on the post.  If the post is too thick for the rips to meet (6x6) complete the rip with a third pass using a sawzall.

In the end, I used the closed kerf method, and attached the trimmed-to-fit 2x4 scab with 12 torx head 3" screws and full caulk.  When hit with a fist, it vibrates just as the intact post did, like a tuning fork, though rigidity and strength are not the same. If I had to do it over again, I'd use the same approach.


Should I keep the expansion tank when replacing copper with pex?

An expansion tank is only required when the water supply system has a backflow prevention device or check valve. The extra pressure caused by thermal expansion was apparently an issue in the home. I would strongly suggest that you include it in your new set up. Don't rely on the pex to expand and relieve the pressure. That could cause a pipe to rupture or a fitting to leak. Expansion tanks are typically installed in a "tee" at the cold water inlet for the water heater.


Options for new line path from breaker box

It's all a matter of what's easiest/most cost effective for your situation. An electrician (or two or three) with hands and eyes on-site will be able to determine that far better for your house than a bunch of people making guesses from the other side of the internet (especially since we don't even have pictures to guess at).
In my house, I've run wiring down from the first floor panel, through the crawl space and up into outlets, switches and the ceiling of the first floor for various upgrades.
I've also gone down to the crawl space then all the way up an interior wall to the attic to drop into the walls and ceiling of the second floor. Sure, a trained electrician with a lot more experience than I may have chosen a different route, but I did what worked for me, and what I saved in time, effort and frustration (trust me, there was plenty of those three spent) more than made up for the few extra bucks in cable that I had to use.
Your house may be totally different.


Heating system problem that kept happening at the house part far away from the heat boiler

Some information is needed. Is this system hot water or steam? What type radiation is installed; cast iron radiators, cast iron baseboard, in the wall convectors, copper or steel finned tube? You said it is a 3 family building so how is the heat controlled? Does each apartment have it's own thermostat or is it a single thermostat? Is the system zoned? If it is zoned, how is it zoned?  Separate pumps or zone valves or a combination of both? Has the system been updated or is it original. You need to answer the above questions so people can make informed solutions to the problem. Sorry for all the questions about your heating system but we are not at your residence and trouble shooting from far away is difficult.


Can a dedicated circuit have a junction box somewhere between the fixture and the panel?

As long as nothing else is connected to the circuit, even if it traverses a j-box along the way, it is still dedicated.

Kudos, for remediating the duct run.  The splice in the panel isn't best practice, but if terminated properly, is O.K..


How can I fill two or more adjacent spaces on a QO panel?

That's a common complaint. Every maker's filler plates are a) flimsy, b) expensive, and c) hard to find.
Fortunately, Square D also sells a much more robust filler plate which solves all these problems, called the QO120.

They're sold everywhere, latch onto bus stabs, and aesthetically look - well, they actually are breakers!
I'm not joking.  "Actual breakers" really are my go-to for filling empty panel spaces, because it solves the flimsy problem, and they're just more available.  My local lumber supply stocks these, they do not stock blank covers.
As for cost, since I'll probably be fitting a circuit in the future anyway, 120V/20A breakers are a pretty safe choice because if you're adding a circuit you can always choose to use #12 wire.  And they can be handle-tied for 240V/20A circuits which do not involve neutral.  (though a handle-tie is another procurement bug-hunt).


Can I install new flooring on top of the existing hardwood floors?

I'm going to refrain from fully expressing my dismay over the idea of covering up parquet in good condition...

But since it IS in good condition, you should install floating flooring, with a good protective underlayment beneath, because if you install tongue & groove you will destroy the flooring underneath, a sin for which hanging is too good.

Normally I'd say remove the existing floor to maintain grade, but again, since the existing floor is in good shape, I would hate to think of a parquet floor being destroyed for no good cause.


What is the best sander to use on oak stair treads?

A random-orbit sander has proven to be one of the most versatile tools I've used, having put hundreds of hours on them for projects of many types. Obviously they have limitations, but with a range of paper grit on hand they're invaluable. Note that this is not the same as a conventional "orbital" sander, which can be a dangerous and damaging instrument in the wrong hands. RO sanders are very forgiving to the novice.

You may also need a detail sander to get into the corners. These have pointed plates of various shapes that allow very close access, but they're much slower due to their more limited range of motion.

Finally, your hands. Sometimes the right manufactured tool simply doesn't exist, and a folded up sheet on your highly-evolved digits is the best approach.


What material is this pipe? Options for new 2" Union

A lot of small pre-threaded nipples like that are only offered in gray Schedule 80, because that way they can be used for water OR electrical purposes and the resellers don't have to carry inventory of both types. White Schedule 40 cannot be used for electrical conduit.


How do I drywall a corner with a lally column?

Here is my suggestion. It is only part of the post in the drawing, but it is the same all the way up, the scrap pieces of plywood are about 1 ft apart 3 or 4" wide, can be wider, can be solid, done that too. Makes for a really strong corner for corner bead. If you don't use 1/2" plywood and need to use 1/4" it will still be really strong. Using a full piece of plywood makes a straight corner really easy. It is what I do, I shown pieces so the method of construction is seen. I have also used 1X and had good results too, I use glue to help hold it....


What could be causing this leak near my chimney?

Without pictures of the roof, and the problem, this is very hard to diagnose accurately but here are a few common things it could be.

1) The Roof could be leaking from somewhere near-by.  A rusty nail head could pop through a shingle etc..  You mention the roof is fairly new, this is unlikely.

2) The leak could be from in side the chimney if it isnt capped.. have you had the inside inspected / do you burn the fireplace?

3) There could be structural damage to the fireplace. Ridge cap could be installed in correctly, there could be a problem with the fascia boards.

I live in the pacific northwest, and have never once heard of someone having to seal their brick fireplace. While its possible, I belive this to also be a waste of your time.  Unless this is a unicorn problem, I belive this problem could be solved with finding the leak, but I would need pictures, or to see it in person to make a better judgement.


How can I run power to my shed from my pool electrical panel

Go ahead, but make sure to get the details right

Since you are pulling 25A (out of the 40A total available) on the pool feeder right now, you can route a single 20A/120V circuit (using 12/2 W/G UF or 12AWG THWN hot/neutral/ground in the conduit) from the pool subpanel's spare breaker to a disconnect at the shed (any standard A/C disconnect box will do the job happily), then you can wire the shed lights and receptacles to the disconnect box as they won't consume but a fraction of the remaining 15A normally.

You won't need a full subpanel at the shed since you're feeding it with a single branch circuit, nor will you need a grounding electrode as you are installing a disconnect for a single circuit, not a feeder and subpanel. (This is per the exception to 250.32(A).)


Can I use a zero-waste reverse osmosis filter with a water softener?

I own an RO system and it is fed solely with soft water.  The mineral content in soft water is less fouling to the RO membrane than my hard utility water, and the membrane lasts several times longer than it otherwise would.   I predict you will have no compatibility issues with your zero waste RO system circulating a small amount of water through your hot water loop.

That said, I am not a fan of the zero waste RO systems.  RO systems require regular maintenance and if the filters are not sanitized and changed regularly, the system can become fouled with bacterial slime.  With a zero waste system, that bacterial slime is recirculated into the whole house water supply instead of being flushed down the drain.

I prefer an electric booster pump or a permeate pump to reduce RO waste water:

These provide a more positive shut-off when the RO pressure tank is full, and although they are not zero waste, they do significantly save water over a basic system.


How can I remove / replace this OSB floor?

You can make your cuts about anywhere, but I'd avoid leaving thin strips from the edges of the existing sheets. Some tips:

Set your saw to depth by placing it on the edge of a new sheet and lowering the table until the blade protrudes 1/8" below the bottom of the sheet.
Consider cutting your replacement sheets first, then tracing them. This lets you cut for a perfect fit.
Cut down the centers of joists where you can to avoid needing to add backing below.
Cut between joists and across the joist bays where necessary. This generally isn't a problem.
Make extra cuts as needed to make removal easier.
Don't cut off the sheet you're standing on.

When you pull out the pieces to be removed you'll likely have strands of the sheets left behind, along with construction adhesive. Depending on how old and hard it all is, you'll need to either scrape or grind it away to bare joist. Lumps here will result in lumps later. A few gouges in the joists aren't a problem. A hammer and chisel can work well, as can a belt sander with a coarse-grit belt.

When you install the new sheets, use a 1/4" bead of construction adhesive at all points of contact. 2-1/2" gold screws work well. Place two-by backing under all floating joints, gluing and screwing as needed. You can't really overdo this step.

If you see any surface height issues, pull things apart and resolve them now. You don't want to have to do any sanding or grinding later. If you prepare carefully everything should remain nice and flat.


Ductwork usually has a vent damper below where it rises up from the basement. If it is a manual damper, it probably looks like a wing nut see this picture

It's possible most of the dampers are closed or partially closed, and the really cold room is fully open.

If you have dampers like this, you can loosen the wing nut and adjust the damper with a flat screwdriver. Usually the blade orientation matches the orientation of the damper. So if the blade is parallel to the duct, it is fully open.


How can I lengthen my vent stack and are there any negative effects in doing so?

IANAP (I Am Not A Plumber) but I have recently replaced my old cast iron stack.

The relevant part of the International Plumbing Code looks like section 904.  Specifically the following sections may apply to you.

  904.1 Roof extension. All open vent pipes that extend through a roof shall be terminated at least [NUMBER] inches (mm) above the roof,
  except that where a roof is to be used for any purpose other than
  weather protection, the vent extensions shall be run at least 7 feet
  (2134 mm) above the roof.

Note the [number] is usually specified by your local codes as it is very specific to each region.  Some web searching turns up a few forum posts from plumbers in Ontario who say it needs to be 6 inches above the roof.  That does not sound like much to me and if you are already at 6" and having issues it seems reasonable to go higher.

  904.2  Frost closure. Where the 97.5-percent value for outside design temperature is 0°F (-18°C) or less, every vent extension through a
  roof or wall shall be a minimum of 3 inches (76 mm) in diameter. Any
  increase in the size of the vent shall be made inside the structure a
  minimum of 1 foot (305 mm) below the roof or inside the wall.

  904.3 Flashings. The juncture of each vent pipe with the roof line shall be made water tight by an approved flashing.

  904.7 Extension outside a structure. In climates where the
  97.5-percent value for outside design temperature is less than 0°F (-18°C), vent pipes installed on the exterior of the structure shall
  be protected against freezing by insulation, heat or both.

I don't know the preferred method for doing this but if you plan is to add a coupling from inside the house and "push" the pipe up, I bet you will compromise the water tight seal around the pipe at the roof.  The simplest solution would be to add this extension at the very top so you don't have to mess with the flashing at all.

If this is the main waste/vent stack for the home, I don't think you are allowed to reduce the diameter of the pipe (even up at the "vent" portion).  I don't know if that is still true for smaller vents that service just a few fixtures.

If it is black plastic, it is ABS and should be easy to cut and glue.


Yes, you can unscrew and replace that aerator. Lucky for you, it appears to be a very common size and should be available at any hardware or plumbing shop (bring it with you).

The part you unscrew is the aerator body itself, the chrome part. Sometimes they are stubborn; you may have to get at it with pliers. I have even had to use destructive removal force on them on more than one occasion.


how can I reduce manganese, hardness, radon, and prescence of coliforms in well water?

There's a good reason it's "an insane buy" but since you seem to be committed regardless (these things are why you pay an inspector and put conditions in the contract allowing you to walk away if inspection turns up issues...) There's no guarantee that a new well with solve any (much less all) of the issues, unless it ends up in a different water supply (not overly likely with only 4 acres to poke holes in.)

A persistent coliform problem requires chlorination or UV treatment. Chlorination and contact time (a big tank) will also deal with the manganese. The aeration that's typically used for Radon mitigation might also deal with the manganese, but you'll still need to kill the coliform if it's persistent, which you have to assume it is unless proven otherwise. A water softener will deal with the hardness; you may want a reverse osmosis system for drinking water (softened water has higher sodium from the softening process)

Radon is the most expensive and dangerous to deal with problem. You are probably best served to make the seller buy a commercial system, and then you need to make sure the system is properly maintained. Rather than repeat myself, I'll just link to the previous question about DIY radon water treatment and my answer to that. How can I build my own water aeration system for radon mitigation?

If you are going to buy the house regardless, get at least $10,000 knocked off for mitigating the well water problems.


How do I get utility lines marked on my property?

A list of "Know Before You Dig" services, by state, is available here: 811 Website

For New Hampshire, contact Dig Safe Systems, Inc.


Water Droplets Forming Inside AC with Irregular Air Flow

Ok, you don’t understand the modes of operation.
Dry mode will remove humidity thus making the coils cold attracting moisture, the cold may cause the condensation you are observing.
Run the system normally if you want cooling run it in that mode, heat should never produce moisture inside but may build up on the outside unit and then it will go into defrost.
When in cooling mode if your inside unit ices up the filters are the normal thing to check and if dirty the low air flow will cause icing.
If you have clean filters of the proper type the inside unit should not ice up. Putting in high end filters that filter everything out can reduce the air flow and cause icing.
Use the filter type recommended by the installer/ manufacturer.
If the above precautions of a clean filter / proper filter are observed and the system is icing up there is a problem with the unit it could be under or over charged, one of the temp/pressure sensors failing since an inverter type.
You said it was not leaking but if the drain gets plugged with mold (a common occurrence in the cleanest homes) you should be allowed to clean the drain pan and use an approved mold inhibitor to prevent mold from blocking the drain and it overflowing.
With all the above in dry mode I would expect the unit to collect moisture ( the brands I install do).


Do brass ball valves have to be oriented with the flow of water?

If a valve has directionality, it will almost universally be cast as an arrow in of the body, as seen in this globe (aka stop) valve:

I've never seen a ball valve that is directional. If you look inside, you'll see the guts of it are symmetrical.

I would say the general rules of thumb for this are:

If you can even change the handle direction, be sure that off is perpendicular to the pipe.
If clearance or safety is an issue, then install it in the way that works or is safest.

For example, if it's sticking out when it's off and likely for someone to accidentally bump into or get caught on it, then install it the other way so that doesn't happen.

If clearance and safety are non-issues, and there are other valves present, then follow the convention of existing valves.

If you have pipes that flow in opposite directions it's very handy to ensure the valves indicate this.

If there's no existing valves, and no clearance issue, then the most common convention is to have the handle point in the direction of flow.

There are probably regional and/or industry-specific variations to this, but as far as North American potable water goes, this is it.


Looking at the flaky condition of the concrete patch and the fact that it is such a small section I'd say the investing time and money in any type of grinding process is a total waste of money.

The open voids in the surface of the concrete and the grainy texture of the patch area really indicates the low grade of the installed lump.

Break it up, re-form and then pour a new section.

I wouldn't be surprised if you find it very easy to break this up.


Where can I find resources on Gas Furnace manufacturers

Are you looking for reviews or just general information about the furnaces?

This website has consumer reviews:

http://www.consumersearch.com/furnaces

Here is information about Rheem furnaces:

http://www.rheem.com/products/heating_and_cooling/gas_furnaces/

Here is information about Trane furnaces:

http://www.trane.com/residential/products/furnaces

Here is information about Bryant furnaces:

http://www.bryant.com/products/furnaces/gas/index.shtml


How to prevent mold in stored joint compound

Mold grows on any surface that provides food for growth. Joint compound contains organic compounds and lots of moisture. The compound will only last a finite length of time even under "ideal" conditions (if mold spores don't ruin it drying-out will).    To slow down its' expiration time: when storing the compound for any length of time, place the plastic that was included with the compound so it completely covers the top layer. Next, soak a rag in a mixture of 1 gallon water to 1 tablespoon of bleach. Wring it out and place it on top of the plastic. If the lid for the bucket doesn't have a rubber seal place a plastic trash bag on the rim of the bucket and seal tightly with a mallet.


Multiple boilers, one expansion tank and fill mechanism?

What you asked is not common practice. If the boilers are not tied together in any way, common practice and that which is acceptable is to have one common back flow preventer and a separate PRV for each boiler. There is nothing to gain by attempting to use 1 PRV to supply water to both units.


Best joint for pine storm windows? Mostly why not miters?

In a miter joint you're gluing end grain to end grain. That's inherently weaker than most joints.

If you really want this appearance, at least spline the corners so there's significant long-grain gluing area. A mitered half-lap would be another possibility, or one of the other joints that mimics a miter in appearance but has something stronger underneath it.


I would first remove the door from its support panel.
Then screw and glue the panel to the side, locating it correctly and clamp it into place. Either use G-clamps or even make some wedges.
Once properly dry refit the door.


Does snaking a shower drain resolve a leak?

No. A clog doesn't necessarily result in a leak (usually doesn't, in fact), and there should be no water in the downstairs ceiling.

You have two distinct issues here, or possibly a complex issue involving both a clog and a leak. Were it my home I'd open the relevant areas and find the true cause of the problem.

  Fixing the clog might mask the leak, however, and make it less
  apparent. When the pipe is full of water, water was apparently
  streaming out of the leak into the neighbor's unit below, but now that
  it's fixed, the water may merely be dripping out, making his ceiling
  wet, but not enough to notice... until the mold sets in. So it's still
  a problem, but now it's a hidden problem. ~Johnny


what is the correct slope for a 2" horizontal drain pipe

1/4 inch per foot is most common and is the minimum allowed. Maximum allowed is 3 inches per foot

So on a 10 foot section that would be 2.5 inches total slope minimum and 30 inches maximum.

For the second part of your question see the answer to this question.


Making sense of wire colors and connections

What you have is a switch leg.  In the past it was a best practice to wire the white hot so it was not confused as a neutral the white was supposed to be marked with a different color than white or green with tape or paint marker,  but that step was not always done in the past by pro's and rarely by DIY folks, I usually carried a black marker and marked them but not always to tell the truth. With white being hot the power is being fed from the fixture on the white to the switch and then with the switch in the on position you will find it is also hot allowing the power to flow to the fixture.


What is this kind of door lock called in English?

These are usually called "rim locks" in North America and the UK. Maybe different elsewhere.


Natural gas smell in house after new roof installation

If in ANY doubt about whether there is a significant gas leak, evacuate, alert the fire department, and tell the gas company to send someone over with a sniffer to check for gas and find the source if a leak does exist.

However, remember that there might just be a skunk in the area...

If you're using gas, it's probably worth investing in a gas alarm before this issue arises. Some serve as carbon monoxide alarms too.

(I heat with gas, have cooked on a gas range (the only option I like more is inductive, and that's a bit of a mixed bag), and will probably switch to a gas dryer when I upgrade the laundry, so I'm certainly not particularly afraid of it. But like electricity it should be treated with respect, and if it seems to be appearing someplace it shouldn't, you want someone who knows what they are doing to investigate.)


How can I clear a blockage caused by the previous owner flushing grout down the toilet?

This is really a comment but too long -

I am not sure of your exact situation but normally if something like this happens you call your real estate agent, police, and bank.  You need to file a police report, your real estate agent needs to get a hold of seller's agent (who is ultimately responsible in most states), and you need to talk to bank about freezing any money if you can.  It might be too late for this but I don't know.  But whatever it is the previous home owner (if can be proven) has committed a criminal act.  Not taking action right away hurts your case.

There is no magic to get rid of stuff like grout in pipes.  First any serious chemical I might suggest may damage the pipes.  Second I am not even sure it is grout in your pipes - it could be various types of cement or thinset too...  Then I am not sure to what extent the material got in.   This could go all the way to the street which may cost a lot of money - I have seen a similar scenario run home owner 15K done cheaply.

Also most insurance  companies don't cover criminal acts that aren't reported.  But the issue you have here is that this probably happened before you officially had insurance (that is why I mentioned getting agents involved).  If you have some sort of new home owner's insurance that might cover it but they will basically be going after the previous owner for you.

Right now you need to file a report, take a TON of pictures and video and have a plumber come out.  You can't start hacking everything up or you are making it worse.  The plumber will be able to scope the line to see what the extent of damage there is ($200-300 tops).   The last thing you want to do is repair something incorrectly or cause more damage (overflow) and have it blamed on something you have done.


Can light cover to soften harsh led bulbs

Not sure of covers, as the cans need to open for ventilation to avoid overheating the led from long operating periods.
Things you can do to remove the harshness

Select warm white colour(3700k) led bulbs if you dont like daylight (6500k)
Get bulbs with pearl coating (led bulbs come in two variants clear
and pearl(diffused light) , if you can replace the bulb (not sure on your fitting , some are hard wired vs some are socketed)
Get different brand of led light (some leds have a broader led lens to spread the light)
Use a universal dimmer to control brightness of leds


Your statement that "...little drops form and drop off for hours" indicates that the valve is leaking-by and probably needs a new washer. The other weird effect you describe seems like a surface-tension anomoly.


Is this enough support for my countertop?

We specialize in Countertop Supports. Using Hidden Brackets on the front base of your cabinet will be fine with an 18" overhang. We recommend you have no more than 4" unsupported countertop out beyond the extension of the bracket, meaning using a 14" plate/bracket would be sufficient. Also recommended is installing a plate/bracket at each end of the countertop within 4" from the edge, then spacing the additional brackets evenly between those two, 18" apart. I figure you would need 4 brackets.

For the 40" long, 38" deep countertop, I understand one side of this is connected to the countertop on top of a base cabinet. Are both ends of the 40"W/38"D countertop supported by base cabinets? If so, you can also use Hidden Brackets here as well. You would attach to the side of the cabinet base extending under the unsupported countertop. With the unsupported size of 40"x38", mounting to the sides of the cabinet bases, you can use 18" plates or 18" x 18" L Brackets. You would need to install 2 on each side of the cabinet base for a total of 4. You would place each 2 brackets within 4" from the edge of the countertop. This unsupported area would now be fully supported.

If I have misunderstood your design, I apologize. If you could attach a sketch of your design, I will be happy to assist.


What level of electrical service should I order, for new construction?

Most houses have either 100 or 200 amp service. 200A service costs about 30% more, and I'd assume that cost is higher if you want to upgrade later.

What you need really depends on a few things, but the simple ones are: if you have electric heat or hot water, then go 200A. The other big loads are things like electric dryers, ovens, air conditioning, and hot tubs. Most of those are constant, but air conditioning power depends on the size of the house, and of course in general a bigger house will use more power (more lights and other electrical devices).

Here's a site to help determine the electrical service you need.

I would definitely install 200A service in a house >2000sqft, or if there was electric heat/hot water. If money was tight and none of those conditions are true, I might try to get by with 100A.

Right now I have gas hot water/heat, in a ~1500sqft house with A/C, and don't have any problems. I upgraded my panel from fuses to breakers, but still stuck with 100A because I just don't need more.


Cedar shims disappeared because of COVID-19

This has been a well-known issue since the pandemic started. Materials have been scarce, and prices have increased dramatically.
This seems to be due to issues on both the supply and the demand sides. Supply has decreased because of obvious issues related to COVID, workers being sick with COVID, factories having to shut down for periods of time, and working at limited capacity due to having to keep physical distance between staff.
Demand has also increased, it seems, because people are stuck at home, and are bored. Seems people either undertake remodeling projects due to being stuck at home and not having other "entertainment" options, and of course having to look at parts of their home they don't like much more know. There is probably also the component of the stimulus money being used on construction projects. Oh, and mortgage interest rates have been at historic lows for a long time, causing more demand on new construction.


What is a quick and easy way to disable a door so you can no longer use it?

A common way to handle this, is to build a railing in front of the door.  You'll see houses built where a deck was optional, that have a railing built in front of the sliding door.

Something like this...

The best way to find out what is acceptable, is to contact the people who will be determining if your solution is acceptable.


Hanging dry wall on mass loaded vinyl - can I glue and screw

If the MLV was not bonded to the joists, then there is no value in gluing the sheetrock to the MLV. Add extra screws if you like, but a standard screw pattern of 6 screws per joist will suffice. I know it is not part of your question, but RC-1 channel is a really cost effective way to add a lot of sound deadening to the ceiling in addition to the MLV, if it is done properly. It only lowers the ceiling an additional 1/2"-5/8"


Can I combine 1/2" and 3/8" plywood for a total of 7/8" subfloor for laying a hardwood floor?

Structurally, there is nothing wrong with your plan.  But I suspect your floor might be prone to squeaking due to having 2 layers of plywood rubbing each other.  Gluing them together will prevent the squeaking.  But gluing large pieces isn't that practical thus a less reliable option would be putting lots of screws to keep the 2 together.

That being said, don't you want to put an underlayment between the plywood and the new flooring?  That serves as a cushion, moisture barrier, and help w/ the sound isolation.  Take that in account.  It is usually 2-3mm thick.

Would 3/4" plywood plus the pad be close enough to your existing floor?


Should I use SER or URD cable for a 100 amp sub-panel?

SER cable isn’t legal underground, so cross that off the list.
URD also called Mobile Home feeder, comes in 3-wire or 4-wire, so it’s an option.  It’s legal for direct burial underground, but not for use indoors without conduit as if it was Romex or something.
So the real question is, what happens at the ends of the conduit?  Does the conduit go straight into the panels at both ends? Or does it just sorta end, and then ??? to get over to the panel?   I do not recommend the latter, as that ??? can get rather messy with wires this large.
If it’s conduit all the way
Then don’t use cable.  Because the wires are bound to each other, cable is excessively stiff and a real pain to “pull”.   You can buy individual wires, either THWN or XHHW.  (All THWN is dual-rated THHN).  You simply buy three full-size wires for hots and neutral, and one appropriately ground-sized wire for the ground.
Note that URD is simply THHN or XHHW wires glued together.  If your conduit is continuous, then gluing the wires together is bad, and works against you.  Get the wires individually.
You need #1 Al. Do you need a wire size bump?
Voltage drop is proportional to actual load, and cannot see the number on the breaker handle. Therefore we do not calculate voltage drop based on breaker trip.  We calculate it based on the actual, expected, or permitted load on the wires.  For instance you’re only allowed to plan for 80A on a 100A circuit, so you’d never, ever calculate voltage drop based on 100A. Never!
At less than 180’, I don’t even bother crunching the numbers to see if a wire size bump is worthwhile. It’s not.  So you’re right on the cusp. Anyway, we don’t do wire size bumps for distance. We do them for distance and load. So let me ask - how much thinking did you do about loads?

Did you sort-of “arm-wave it” like “meh, everybody gets 100A, it’s a common size”?  Or
was there a gory-details load calc like “47A compressor, 23A plasma cutter, blah blah, need to provision 93A” sort of thing?

In short, if it’s the second one, and you’re close, I’d do the bump to 1/0 Al wire.  Otherwise fuggedaboutit, just stick with #1 Al.
If you bump hots, bump ground too..   #1 Al maxes out at 100A, and that means a #8Cu / #6Al ground is sufficient.  However, if you do a wire size bump to 1/0, that maxes out at 125A, and that means you MUST have a #6Cu/#4Al ground.  When you bump the hots, bumping the ground also is mandatory per Code.  That’s because ground wires have voltage drop too, and theirs is worse, because they only carry fault current!
Don’t “Nanny Breaker” yourself.  If you decide on a wire size bump to 1/0 AL, you might as well use the 125A breaker that you are entitled to.  That way, you can the entire 125A of your feeder on the occasions when you do need it and are willing to “endure” the “scary, terrible” 3.7% voltage drop, woo woo.  You don’t need a “100A nanny breaker” to protect yourself from voltage drop.  Unless you are in Canada, because they say you do.
Did we mention BIG panel?  Buying extra spaces at install time is extremely cheap. Adding spaces after you run out is extremely expensive.  As such, we really like to see people splurge on excessively sized panels (in terms of numbers of spaces).  If a 125A feed breaker seems like a buzzkill because your panel is only 100A, that implies a too-small panel. Take it out and swap it now, while it’s still super easy to do.  That’s one mistake NOT to double-down on.