Is cork an effective solution to reverberation problems?

No, not by itself. You're dealing with a spectrum of sound, cork will only partially absorb a portion of the spectrum. It will certainly improve things, depending on the existing wall surface. Also, don't forget the ceiling contributes more to reverberation than the floor.

Absorbent materials is one way to control reverberation. Another is altering the surface angles to eliminate parallel surfaces. This is why many concert halls have those odd zig-zag wall surfaces. This is also why heavy draperies are effective, besides significant absorption, what sound is reflected is done at random angles. It's certainly debatable whether these treatments are attractive or not.

You would be best served by using a variety of strategies to better address the full sound spectrum. Do not rely on one material, use a variety on every surface. Anywhere you can, even if in only a few spots, disrupt the straight walls with something with different surface angles.

Corners are also strong reflectors. Placing tall architectural or sculptural elements in corners would be beneficial. Also consider the wall/ceiling corners. Certain indirect lighting or sizable crown molding in this area will also help. While you wouldn't want a totally random hodge podge of materials for aesthetic reasons, a tasteful variety would be more attractive than every surface covered in cork, IMO. I like cork too, but not on everything! :)


Can I use fewer than the recommended number of fasteners for exterior wall insulation?

Your material might warp could be one of the reasons they recommend to do this - I would suggest to follow their recommendation.

While any one can ignore a manufacturers recommendation given the manufacturer has studied their product and engineered out issues with their product and tested it - I mean what could they possibly know about their own product.. right?

That said here is my recommendation:

Cheaper to do it right the first time than it is to do it right the second time.


How do I attach natural stone to backerboard in a shower

Normally the stone is applied directly to the backer board once the pieces are set a grout is used between the stones (today I would recommend epoxy grout). After grout a sealer can be used , I have done a couple jobs like this and do not recommend for a shower area. Even if well sealed natural stone picks up the soap scum and can be a pita to clean. I did a job for a guy that cut his stones , I thought it looked good and was remodeling a bath at my own home so I used my tile saw and did that shower it looked great, about a month later my wife was complaining about it, by 2 months I had to remove it and tile it. Several months later the customer called and asked how much to demo and replace he had the same issue but he had some fungus growing.

I have done other stone work and it was fine but in the shower it was hard to clean.


Wiring a Generator to Main Breaker Panel

The 4 Rules of Standby Generator Hookups
There are four rules that must be followed in order to have a safe and Code-compliant generator hookup:

There must be a positive mechanical means preventing the generator from backfeeding the mains (such as the interlock kit that's headed your way, when correctly installed)
The generator-to-house connection must use all four wires (both hots, neutral, and ground)
The generator must plug into an inlet (not a receptacle outlet) on the outside of the house (live mains on exposed metal is a recipe for waking up wearing a halo and wings, and so is running a generator anywhere where the CO-laden exhaust can get inside)
And the generator and the house cannot both provide a neutral-to-ground bond to the standby loads at the same time

It appears that you have 1 and 2 taken care of, and 3 is not hard (just use the proper inlet box if you don't already have one, it's not that hard to find), but point 4 is where your plans are running aground, in more ways than one.
There Can Only Be One (Neutral-to-Ground Bond)
One of the fundamental rules of grounding is that there must be one, and only one, place in a typical building's electrical system where neutral and ground are connected, or bonded, together.  In most houses and other light-duty buildings, this is done in the main panel; as a result of this, most main breaker panels, yours included, are shipped with their bonding means factory-fitted, and futhermore lack separate ground bars.
As a result of this, both wires can be connected to the same bar, right? Well...it's not that simple.  You see, your main panel provides a neutral-to-ground bond for your house, as it should.  However, your generator also bonds neutral to ground (aka the frame), so that it can provide a properly bonded electrical system when it's being used as a standalone power source, such as on a jobsite.
This leaves us with two options for dealing with the problem.  You can either

Remove the generator's neutral-to-ground bond, or

Set up your standby system for a bonded neutral generator.

We'll cover removing the generator's bond wire first, as that's the more practical option in your case.
Afloat in a sea of neutrals
The first option is to remove the generator's neutral-to-ground bond, thus making your generator a floating neutral generator.  This makes the generator less useful for portable use (as you'll then have to have a way of supplying the neutral-to-ground bond when using it as a portable generator, such as through a L14-30P with a 10AWG wire jumpering N to G that is then plugged into the generator's L14-30R when used as a portable), but would let you use it with your interlock setup (the correct interlock for your panel is a HOMCGK2C, by the way) with no further ado.
The downside here is that you'll need to have your generator spend some quality time with a qualified generator serviceperson for this to happen, as your generator's manual provides neither a wiring diagram nor a procedure for removing the N-G bond for standby usage, and technical support was of no use in that regard either.  Of course, you could return it and get a generator that provides better support for such usage, for that matter.
Giving the neutral the switcheroo
The other option you have is to set up your standby system so that it can work with generators with bonded neutrals.  However, this requires switching the standby neutral between utility and generator power, so that the standby loads are only connected to one neutral-ground bond at any given time.  This is something ordinary breaker interlocks cannot do, as ordinary circuit breakers don't switch the neutral; in fact, there is no such thing as a switching neutral breaker in Square-D Homeline, never mind that Square-D simply does not make a main breaker which switches the neutral wire.
As a result, you'd need to use a separate transfer panel for this route; the XRC0303D (now replaced by the XRK0303D) from the Reliance Panel/Link X series is probably the simplest choice for your application if you want to go down that road, as you can simply transplant your existing Homeline breakers into it for the circuits you wish on generator power.  It does require some rewiring (using a fat nipple between the two panel enclosures and a bunch of THHN to route circuits between the two panels), but would let you use your existing generator, or really any portable generator of suitable wattage, in its factory-stock/unmodified configuration.


Are there any advantages to using higher priced sealers?

Linseed Oil makes a great concrete sealer/sealant.
The only caution you should take is the applicator that you use. Make sure you submerse the applicator in water after completion. Linseed Oil is highly flammable.

https://www.doityourself.com/stry/using-boiled-linseed-oil-as-concrete-floor-sealant


annoying vibration, deep humming noise in home

This would be a last resort but ridges of ledge underground that the foundation may be poured on top of can transmit vibration from hundreds of feet away if the source, (heavy machinery, road traffic, etc.),is strong enough. Can you pinpoint the area of strongest / loudest vibration? If yes what is it closest to?


What can I do about a window well that is filling up with water from below the surface?

If the water is coming up from below into the window wells you have a big problem. That issue means your basement is becoming a reverse swimming pool. Imagine taking a big concrete box and putting in in a lake right up to the edge of the box. Eventually many many problems will crop up that your window well issue is just the first warning of.

You are going need to take that water away from the house.

A sump pump will do it quickest and easiest, as long as the power doesn't go out during a storm (gee, somehow that seems like it might happen, plan on having it happen and take what ever measures you think necessary, like back up power for the sump pump).

Redirecting the gutter downspouts will do even better if the power does go out.

Grading the slope of the land around your house to drain away from your house in every direction will also help without power - possibly with buried plastic under the soil sloping away from the house as well as a sort of 'earth sheltered umbrella'.

Adding new better french drains around the building while performing the grading and redirecting the downspouts and adding a sump pump or two would be best of all.

But in the end, if none of the above work, I would recommend abandoning the basement entirely, filling it in with gravel and a sump pump as the water level in your soil will never allow you to have a safely dry basement.

I know one family who had to do this very thing, and was much happier knowing that their foundation wouldn't become a molding swimming pool slowly being crushed by the outside soil/water pressure. It required moving some of the HVAC and other utilities that were down there, and using the space under the floor only as a crawl space.


Why is it taking so long for my house to heat up?

You've bought a programmable thermostat so you can lower the temperature of the house at night, however by doing that you are making it much harder work for the boiler to bring the house back up to temperature. Before your house was at a constant temperature so you boiler would turn on for a bit, off for a bit, on a bit, off a bit over the whole day. Now it goes off for a long time and your house gets cold, then it has to run a very long time to get it back up to temperature again, leading it to overheat and shut down.

It may be your boiler simply doesn't have the grunt to heat your house for that long. Try setting your night-time temperature a bit higher and see if that improves the situation.

It could also be that your system is gunked up, leading to poor water circulation in your system. Did you have your heating engineer put a cleaner in the system? If not, have him try it.


Blower motor runs won't shut off no heat

One or more limits are open.  You'll have to determine which one is open, figure out why it's open, and then fix whatever's causing it to be open.

If you look at the control board in the furnace/air handler, you may see a blinking light (or two). Count the number of blinks in the pattern, and compare it to the manufacturer's documentation. This will often point you in the direction of the problem.

If there are no diagnostic lights, then you'll have to check each limit until you locate the open one. If you don't have the tools or knowledge to work on HVAC equipment, it may be time to contact a local HVAC company.


You do need to seal the plaster otherwise the new paint won't stick as you point out.

My first choice would be to wipe down and then paint with a coat of diluted emulsion as you suggest. You might want to try this on a section of the wall before doing the whole lot to see if you get a good finish.

Dilute PVA will definitely seal the plaster and I can't think of an obvious reason why you shouldn't use the wood glue - but there may be differences in the formulation you need to look out for. How dilute did you make the mixture in the past? I've used a 5:1 water to glue ratio for sealing a ceiling I was going to paper which worked well. Again you could try a higher ratio to see if you can find a mixture that still seals but then accepts paint better.

You might be better off sealing with the dilute PVA then putting up lining paper - which does stick quite well - and then painting that. The benefit here is that the lining paper will smooth out the wall further hiding any remaining imperfections.

Of course the solution that will give you the best finish is to get another skim coat of plaster applied.


Can I install a bidet seat/washlet without a tank?

Yes.

The bidets use a T which is installed between the water supply to the toilet and the fill value on the tank.  You have neither the fill valve or the typical toilet water supply.

You should be able to go from the hose bib with the red handle to a 3/8" female adapter that would then allow the bidet supply to connect.


What material does a door in your garage that leads outside need to be?

It sounds like an interior door was used. I used interior doors on a shed ; I screwed 3/8 " rough sawn cedar ( exterior grade ) to the outer surface . I thought the cedar would protect them but the doors deteriorated in a few years. My other exterior doors are steel with wood frames  - no problems. Front door is solid wood - no problem ,but more expensive than steel.


Use a drain pump kit

Since asking your water softener to try to drain up that far unaided is crazy, as they are gravity-draining appliances to begin with, this needs to be corrected properly, even outside of an icing climate.  The good news is that since the water softener won't run without electric power anyway, we can safely use a drainage pump kit (laundry sink/washer drain kit) to motivate the wastewater from your softener to go uphill, without worrying about an overflow if the power goes out.


Is it OK to re-paint a gas-range grill with paint?

Given the direct flame exposure, and that the flames are actually quite a bit hotter than BBQ paint is rated for (1950C for natural gas, 2392C for propane) I'd suggest sticking to clean, coat with vegetable oil (wipe on a thin layer) and bake. This makes a pretty good finish, and does not involve anything that's not going to happen in normal food preparation as far as "what might burn off."

Wikipedia on flame temperatures. These are probably a touch high for "in practice", but given that they are also in Celsius, and the grill paint is rated in Farenheit, I'll stick with "grill paint will burn off."


I don't know of any special water finding tools.

"0.8 tons" is an odd way of measuring water, but that's about 200 gallons per day. Not exactly a lot for a normal household. How exactly have you arrived at that number? According to the USGS typical consumption is around 100 gallons per day per person. 200 gallons is about what you would get if you left a garden hose running for half an hour. If there were a leak in your water service line I am not sure you would notice.

Finding the leak may be tough. A leaking fixture (e.g. a constantly running toilet) could easily leak that much water. If you have access to the water meter you could shut off the water at the entrance to the house and see if it continues to spin... that would tell you if the leak is inside the house or in the yard.


Is the laundry room floor drain connected to the water heater?

One way this could be occurring is if the PT valve on the hot water heater is open and if the water through it is directed into your santitary sewer. If this is the case, it will be very easy to fix.

You will feel and hear water flowing through this overflow; it comes out of the side of your hot water tank. I assume you have turned off the cold water supply valve in the cold water supply to the water heater. Turn on this valve and listen and feel the overflow line. Turn it off quickly so you don't get water backing up in your floor drain. If the PT relief valve will not stay closed, you will have to call a plumber. There is a toggle handle on the PT relief valve. Cycle it and see if it will close.


Can I widen the hole with a drill to straighten the handle?

I would plug both holes without enlarging them, glue a piece of dowel that fits and let dry.
Then check on the face that the handle will cover the dowel when the handle is mounted correctly, otherwise you will need to make it the same color.
Then drill new holes in the correct positions. The back side may be easily covered by using a washer or a screw with a wider head - usually the screws for those handles have a washer built into the head anyway.
The adage: measure twice, cut once also applies to drilling.


So I'll go for the answer on this and list methods I would try expecting one would work...

That is (dare I say) 100% a glass dome that is essentially threaded.

There are two main approaches to removing it, each with their challenges.

Convince the glass to be displaced (or)
Manuever the fixture as a whole.

In reverse, but a mix of the two can be useful:

TWO:

This might be easy enough, but it runs the risk of damaginf the ceiling paint, the dome, or the fixture. But if you plan on replacing it, it might be a chosen method. Read through and decide if it is worth trying, if not, skip and go to ONE below.

Using a paint scraper (or two), or a flat blade screw driver (or two): Pry on adjacent sides, and work your way around.
Only pry no more than an inch or two of leverage (so no more than say just shy of 1/4") between the ceiling and the top of the metal meeting the ceiling. This is going to be a judgement call, but overdoing it will result in breaking the dome and even deforming the fixture.
Once some clearance is created one of two things can happen; moving the fixtures framing, has created an air gap that wasn't there previously and also changed the "stuck" friction points holding the dome in place. So try the basic removal of the dome again (you may choose to do some of #1 in this attempt). If no go, continue...
Make a mental note or a pencil mark of where the fixture was originally against the ceiling. Rotate the entire fixture counter clockwise. You should not need to turn it more than a few inches. It may drop off, so be sure to support it while trying this. If it doesn't seem to be moving free, give up and move on. Return it position to where you started.
When all is said and done you are going to want to loosen the fixture and make sure the mounting plate is not toqued too tight, but also not loose. This is likely one of the reasons you are in your current predicament.

ONE:

This is a better choice if you intend to re-use the fixture, but still presents its challenges and may end up in needing a new dome, which nearly certainly results in needing a new light since finding an original dome will be more challenging than it is worth.

The thing is, the dome is only held on by 3-4 dimples in the metal frame which fit into a slot on the glass. If the frame was over torqued, or the temperature of the enviroment has changed from when it was installed, the dome can really get "locked on" there. The problem is there is no real way to grab on to it and not damage it.

You have two options, one, lubricate it/heat it up, or create a handle to work with. I vote for the latter as I commented above. I googled and found this link this morning which is similar to what I was suggesting. Give it a quick watch and read below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXHylBQzrIs

His approach is similar to what I was suggesting but:

Place a long piece of tape on one side (call it the top for now), with a long leader hanging off to the left.
Place a long piece on the "bottom" with a long leader to the right
It would look like this if you looked face down onto the dome:

{

               /````````\
  A||||||||||||||||||||  \
             (            )
            (              )
             (            )
              \  ||||||||||||||||||||B
               \,,,,,,,,/

}

Now, just like pulling pigtails in 2nd grade... ok, not quite, but you get the idea... Grab A and pull left, grab B and pull right, do this simultaneously. Its a good idea to have another person supporting the dome so it doesn't become a UFO.

Another note to be made here is to push up and pull down on the dome before, during, and after this attempt. In fact, gentle tapping with your bare hands can help. The whole idea is to get the two surfaces to break free and friction and months/years of dirt, moisture, grease, dust, has helped create a dry glue.

Lastly, try a humidifier for a few hours, the heat and moisture could help. But it can make a mess, and of course just secure power to stay safe. It's a crazyidea. but these should lend themselves to success.

Screw on glass domes are junk.

Good luck.


How do I install glass mosaic tile around an outside rounded corner?

I decided not to tile the corner, however, if I did tile the corner, I think I would use position the tile vertically around the corner. I am planning on laying the tile horizontally for the walls and use some of the tile laid vertically for the edges. The corner would then compliment the edges. The only drawback I see to this is that the grout lines will be wider around the corner. Though I could probably solve that by removing the tile from the backing and placing them closer together around the corner.


Can I reduce the floor register boot size in my old house?

Many of the very old houses had gravity style furnaces that utilized large registers and grills that offered very low resistance to the flow of air. Since there were no fans or blowers the delivery pipes and registers had to be very large. Depending on the size of your room/house update it may be a good idea to ask an HVAC company for a bid on a duct work and register replacement package. You do not want to restrict the air flow to the furnace today and have to do it "again" if the work is done wrong. my 2 cents


It was built, so therefore it can be fixed or re-built. But, can you even get just that part or portion of assembly? Can you find someone to weld the hole shut? Both very doubtful, but absolutely worth a shot. Although, definitely get an HVAC person or firm in to let you know for sure. They have access that the public doesn't. However, this may very well be just a symptom of a failing & rotting boiler, so replacement may be the only real or long-term course of action.


Why won't toilet flush after replacing wax ring?

Recheck the passage way that runs from the bowl to the horn. There must be an object lodge in there since the toilet flushed properly prior to the wax ring being replaced. Don't remove the toilet from the closet flange just yet. Insert a toilet auger and work the handle. It should advance through the toilet with little effort as it is being turned. If you encounter resistance reverse the auger while withdrawing it a short distance at the same time. Than continue pushing it forward feeling for any blockage. Withdraw the auger and flush to verify proper operation. If, after using the auger and flushing, the water doesn't flush pull the toilet, drain any standing water in the tank and bowl and lay it on its side on a plastic sheet. Examine the horn opening with a flashlight. If necessary insert a bent coat hanger into the opening and probe for foreign objects.


Replace fluorescent bathroom light with an LED (PL26E/H/841/LED)?

The spec sheet specifies Plug and play.  That means you do not replace the ballast.  The opposite is "direct wire", which is where you do.

If it were a direct-wire unit, it would specify which pins to wire to.

The spec sheet also explains why it failed initially, in the upper right it says "Feit Electric".  You can tell from the errors on the data sheet they're just an importer of goods they buy across the ocean.

Seriously, though, it needs the ballast to be working.  I have a feeling the ballast was defective.  Regardless, it's finished, now that you cut the wires so close. (I have to imagine you kinda knew it was defective).  Toss it in the trash (it's electronic, no PCB).  Save the screws/nuts that hold it down though.  You may need them badly, and finding random matches at the hardware store is no fun.

At this point you have 4 options:

find a direct-wire LED that fits in that connector (good luck)
replace the ballast and get a plug-n-play LED or actual fluorescent tube
rework the fixture to use a different style of connector that is good for LEDs
replace the fixture

As for the probably-fried one, take it back to HD, tell them it's defective, get your money back, and stop shopping there. This kind of wild misapplication always traces back to big-box stores.

From now on, deal with real electrical and lighting supply houses.  They sell to contractors who want the best price on products that won't generate service calls.


Rewiring switched ceiling lights and outlet switched top receptacle to switched ceiling lights and always on outlet

The following assumes that the metal tab was broken on at least the hot side of original outlet, completely isolating the top and bottom. The neutral side may or may not have been isolated.
On the new outlet, connect black wire 2 on the right side and white wire 2 on the left. These are the always-on hot and corresponding neutral. Top or bottom doesn’t matter.
Connect together, with a wirenut, the red wire and black wire 1. These are the switched hot and the hot feed to the lights. Also connect together white wires 1 and 3. These are the corresponding neutrals.
Unless the neutral side tab was not broken originally, do not connect white 2 to the other whites. These are neutrals potentially on separate circuits. Connecting them together could create a situation where a wire could get overloaded.
On the other hand, if the neutral tab was not broken, connect together all three white wires and a short piece of wire (a pigtail) with a wirenut and connect the pigtail to the left side of the outlet.
Where you have wires connected to the side and to the back push-in, they end up interconnected via the metal inside the outlet. Also, if the tab is intact, it will also interconnect the wires on the top and bottom.
One more thing, please do not use the push-ins in the back. Although legally approved, experience shows over time, they can come lose and cause problems. Only use the side connections.


How to protect corner of roof from rain?

Go into the attic, if you have access, and clear insulation off the wet ceiling drywall.
Follow the leak back to the point at which it enters the roof.
Make a temporary patch with roofing tar and a piece of shingle or plywood.


Call a professional.

I'm not sure there are really any diy ways to handle asbestos.  In most places you need a license, and lots of expensive equipment to remove asbestos.  You might be able to find somebody in your area willing to come out and take a look for free, if you are really lucky and they are really nice (or really hard up for work) they might even test it for free.  The removal will most likely be a bit costly though.


Why does Residual Current Device (RCD) trip with an electric hot plate?

Can this behavior be explained?

The hotplate is faulty and leaking more than 30 mA of current to earth (ground). This is dangerous. This is what RCDs and GFCIs are designed to protect you against.

Your RCD is attempting to save your life.

  For currents above 10 milliamps, muscular contractions are so strong that the victim cannot let go of the wire that is shocking him. At values as low as 20 milliamps, breathing becomes labored, finally ceasing completely even at values below 75 milliamps.

Ohio State University

  Are there any errors in this situation to be corrected?

There's an error in the design, construction or operation of your hotplate. There's nothing to suggest your electrical installation is faulty.

You could report the faulty hotplate to your local equivalent of "trading standards". It is illegal to sell goods that don't comply with electrical regulations.

You could return the hotplate to the seller for a refund.


Any way to fix old rusted utility sink drain?

There's not much you're going to be able to do with that. Your best bet will be to start removing the whole drain piece, clean up the concrete and then try to match the drain with something similar from a plumbing supple store. Good luck.


How can I repair a broken pivot hinge for a vanity mirror?

I have the same problem. These doors are crap.  The backings are 1/8" fiber board glued to the mirror glass.  This 'fake' wood is warping from bathroom moisture, hence the mirrors are becoming unglued and starting to flop.  I am considering replacing this cabinet instead (with a higher quality more pricey one, sigh!), since the 2nd (of 3) door hinges broke in exactly the same way as described in original post, and the third will fail soon, I'm sure.

Having said that, I have a stopgap repair that I do NOT recommend, since I'm petrified this (or the rest of the door) will come apart at any time.  Caveat emptor!

The fix I made was to salvage hinges from a previous glass doored cabinet. You might have to order your own (see below). The bracket on the hinge that attached to the door has a cross section shaped like a "U", or an "L" with a toe on the mirror side (right) and two set screws on the back (left) to pinch into the door board.  Because the base of the "U" was 1/4" I had to glue another 1/8" strip of strong dense wood to the back of the fiber board.  This was ok as it gives more for the set screws to bite into.  I carefully wedged the toe between the glass and the fiberboard (bad, as this further separates the mirror from the fiber board, ugh! and the metal on glass might chip if bumped).
Note that the new bracket "U" height has to be short enough to clear the old rivets.  I had to file away some of the old hardware to make this all fit. This fix has lasted several years of "careful use"... but I wouldn't use around small children and I'm not gonna fix this again!

Glass Door Pivot Hinges: (woodworker.com)


How do I renovate these walls to be smooth?

I have removed similar wallpaper multiple times and if it is like the type I have removed it is actually relatively easy to take off of the wall.    You will simply soak it with a hot water and vinegar combo over and over until it peels off easily.   You may need to soak one area 4-5 times over the course of an hour but you can do everything at the same time so a room should be about 2 hours.
However it leaves behind tons of gook, paper and glue on the walls so you will have to let it fully dry and scrape and sand basically the entire wall.
The trim will pop off.   After that though - depending at what point it was installed and how it was installed - this could be little to no work or a lot of work.   If it were installed on a finished wall it will be a tiny bit of joint compound and sanding.    If it was used to conceal a "gap" for the cove it will be a ton of joint compound and sanding.   Still doable for a novice and really the biggest issue is everything needs to be covered/removed from room when sanding.   The other alternative to the trim is install a more modern trim and it could look nice.
The cove corner....  Whoaaa.   Not worth it at all.   It looks nice in your picture and for you to spend days of work trying to get a 90 degree angle.   Well whatever you think it is worth but if I were renoing a house I would never for one second think about redoing those ceilings.   They look great - it is the trim and wall paper that make it look "old".


Why does my fluorescent light fixture ruin bulbs within six months?

Fixture ballast is bad. Time for new ones.
Sorry!


Epoxy is required in home building. Especially when attaching a wooden stud to an adjacent concrete wall. Architects and Engineers will usually specify a rod depth and that they are set with epoxy into the wall. The epoxy can be rolled onto the rod extensively and then placed into the hole. You usually allow the rod to set with the epoxy for 24 hours before attaching any hardware to the rods such as 2x4 pressure treated plates with 2 inch washer and nut. You can buy All-Thread rod that you simply cut to length. If you are concerned about the dust, then use an air compressor to blow out the hole prior to inserting the rod. When I added on a room to my house, it was specified that the rods must be epoxied into the hole. I used Loctite Metal/Concrete Epoxy.


Is it common, or even correct, for both wall switches in a double gang box to provide power to a ceiling fan/light fixture?

I believe you are correct in assuming that one switch controlled the fan and one controlled the lights originally.

My guess is that the wiring at the fan just has both the red and black wires connected to the line side of the wireless receiver, which would let either switch turn the fan/light on.

I would look at the wiring at the fan to confirm this. If I am correct, then yes, you should be able to disconnect the red wire. I would disconnect it from the fan and from the switch in the box and cap both ends.


How do I screw two posts together so that they look seamless and can easily be taken apart and put back together?

The birch posts in the original design were made a certain length to serve a particular function. I am sure they were selected on the basis of strength, stability, and durability. As a first order analysis the idea to cut them in half seems to defeat almost all the reasons that they were designed for in the first place.

It will not be possible to simply cut the posts in half and re-join them in a manner that will restore them 100% back to the original look and function. That said there may be some ways to come close to that as possible if one can look past the cut lines and some fasteners / bolts.

There is some missing information that will be needed to provide the overall solution and/or suggestions. I can provide one possible idea for the case where these posts are deployed in a vertical orientation and the girth of the post is substantial.

The idea is to go ahead and cut the post in half and then install a heavy piece of steel pipe into a hole drilled into each end of the post. The pipe would be glued into the lower hole using construction grade adhesive. Cross holes would be drilled though the sides of the upper post to accept bolts that would be threaded into prepared holes on the other end of the steel pipe. See picture below:


Like tyson said, Reset the disposal on the bottom of the unit.  Then use an hex wrench in the hole in bottom center of the disposal to make sure the motor spins freely.  Let us know if that works.


Is gluing table top planks better than using pocket hole screws?

A properly glued panel will be significantly stronger than a panel that is joined only with pocket screws.  That being said, pocket screws can still be useful to eliminate the need for clamps while the glue dries.

A single panel (like a tabletop made of several planks of wood glued/screwed together) will expand/contract as a single piece, hence why the need to join the table top to the apron using a fastener that allows the panel to expand and contract.


how can edpm or a rubber like material be attached to pvc board?

I wouldn't use EPDM and Pvc.  EPDM is notoriously hard to bond and what few adhesives you can use aren't going to be made for use around potable water.  I'd worry about chemicals that leech out of the adhesive contaminating the well.
I would stick to materials and adhesives that are known to be safe around potable water.  PVC is safe for pipes but I don't know if PVc deck boards are.  If you want to use PVC boards, you could use stainless sheet metal over them as a waterproof membrane.  Stainless is not cheap but does hold up.


Why aren't AFCI breakers required for bathrooms/lavatories?

We're reading tea leaves here to guess at NFPA's intent.   NFPA writes the "model electrical code" which they offer for anyone in the world to adopt as their law.

But politically, NFPA has been having a big problem.  Normally NEC changes are fairly trivial in cost: Pull a neutral wire on switch loops, gosh, you're using the /3 Romex instead of the /2.  It's maybe $3 per house.  Those increments have been getting bigger, as they've started so snake GFCIs and AFCIs in more and more places.

Mind you, AFCIs started out as a solution for electric blankets starting fires in bedding.  However, they discovered that in actuality, AFCIs were catching arc faults caused by backstab connections.  Backstabs are a builder favorite (jab a wire in a hole and you're done, instead of having to form a shepherd's hook and torque to spec, times  say 200 connections in a typical house). Builders don't want to quit backstabs. (if they fail after closing, who cares?)

Well, in 2014, NFPA was hellbound and determined to require AFCI or GFCI breakers on darn near everything.  And a lot of people were thinking "Why not just outlaw backstabs, then?"  Anyway, NEC 2014 was adding six hundred bucks to the cost of a house, which was actually going to have a material effect on real estate prices.

Builders were saying "Oh hell no", and telling their Congresspeople to say "Oh hell no". And NFPA had to lobby right back, and influence public opinion. So states adopted NEC 2014 very reluctantly (seven still haven't), and some states still adopted it with some AFCI/GFCI requirements left out.

Anyway, requiring both AFCI and GFCI on a circuit was politically "a bridge too far".


Will this particular breaker box allow ground wire to connect at neutral?

I see what appear to be 4 wires coming in to the top lugs. So I think this is a sub-panel, not your main panel. If that is true, ground and neutral are separate, and must be carried separately back to the main panel.


Converting from 2 dimmer switches to 2 regular switches...need help

The problem with aluminum (old/bad-style or newer AA-8000) is in the terminations. There are a couple of problems:

Differing thermal expansion rates.  Aluminum terminations can tolerate copper wires because aluminum has a good spring rate.  However copper terminations won't "spring" under aluminum wire and will distort themselves or the aluminum, effectively loosening the connection with every cycle.
Dissimilar metals cause galvanic corrosion.  The fix is to use a corrosion inhibiting paste.

Over in Europe, wire nuts and stabs are not legal, and you must use screw-down terminaton blocks.  Interestingly, that type is also available in the USA, in the form of the "Alumiconn" splice connector, made specifically to repair aluminum-copper splices.   Here's an example of each, see the family resemblance.

(in the Euro connector, the round ports are for the screws, square for wires).  And by the way, you notice the Alumiconn is made of aluminum.  So are the neutral and ground buses in your panel, also the main lugs.  All these applications are also places where you should torque the screws to spec, so they perform properly during dissimilar metal expansion.  This is mandatory in the 2017 Electrical Code.

While you have a lot going on in those boxes, they are very deep boxes, not only a double-stacked box with a switch extension. There should be room for Alumiconns, and you'll need something like that on the neutrals and grounds too.  Wire nuts involving aluminum Just Don't Work, not even the purple ones supposedly listed for aluminum. Someone might convince me wire nuts can work if all the wires involved are aluminum and the nut is made specifically for all-aluminum, but I don't see anyone developing that product.

Those switches

One of them is just a straight hot-supply, switched-hot plain switch.  Straightforward.

I see a red wire in the mix, so that suggests at least one had once been a 3-way switch.  There may be another 3-way switch somewhere else that, if you throw it, the partner black wire to that red becomes energized.  (it matters which NM cable the wires are grouped in).  Perhaps you have another switch somewhere that "seems to do nothing".  Alternately, that black may go back to a failed Al-Cu splice.

Or was there a jumper between the two switches?

There is certainly more going on inside that box than simple switches, but apparently they are all on the same circuit, since the neutrals are all bundled (alternately the person who wired it may be a moron). It may be possible to simplify what's going on in there, perhaps with a little help from smart switches.


What are the specific and current code requirements for wiring two circuits to one duplex receptacle?

That's just considered normal wiring

As Ed Beal points out, the only special thing is that since both recpetacles are on the same yoke, they must have a common maintenance shut-off.  Because realistically, repairmen don't actaully stick a tester in both receptacles, they just probe one, and do stuff until it shuts off.  Whatever does that, must shut them both off.

In the case of the ubiquitous dual NEMA 5 receptacle, you simply have two receptacles on the same yoke, and if you snap off the tabs, they are independent receptacles.

The grounding system can be blended since it comes out of the same panel, so if you are running two 12/2's instead of 12/2/2 cable, simply tie them together in the back of the box.  You must pigtail them if more than 1 is involved: removing the receptacle can't sever anything else's ground.

Also if you plan to daisy chain these down to other receptacles, do not put one on the screw and one on the stab.  Either pigtail, or go for receptacles like Leviton's screw-and-clamp which are designed and rated for 2 wires per terminal.

To your questions

1 Warning signs?  No need, an electrician is expected to measure for power being present, and any of a variety of devices (like a night light) will do this. If you wanted to give them a hint, put "AFCI protected" both above and below the sockets.
2 Common trip?  Not required.  That would differ from #3 if the installation method was fuses and a shutoff switch.
3 Common maintenance shutoff?  @EdBeal points out "YES" because they are on a common yoke, based on 210.7 in 2014 and 2017 Codes.
4 On the same leg, I would call marginally better, but it contradicts #3 so it's not gonna happen.
5 Risk of 240V arcing? In any case your AFCIs will snuff that right out.
6 I can't think of anything.
7 Worrying about the hots touching, you are stuck with it because of #3.
8 Nothing special about separating receptacles, they are meant to be able to be independent.


After installing expansion tank, massive buildup of pressure then a trickle?

Sorry to hear about your "odor" problem. Maybe there is a local public fountain you can take a dip into!!!

However, the problems you describe are fairly common, but may be tricky to isolate. Let's try some basics:
 Relieve the pressure from the bladder completely. Let the well pump fill the tank completely  and bleed any air from the system using the faucets with the pump running. Again, with the tank full of water, close all outlets and charge up the bladder to about 60PSI.  Most systems work fine between 45 to 65 PSI. Anything over 70 is pushing it. The tank needs to be charged when full, not empty.
Monitor the pressure as you draw water. Does the pump kick on constantly when the pressure reaches the low limit, and off at the high limit? This will help tell if the regulator is working properly.

Is there any pulsating water pressure at the faucets?

When you are sure you have a full tank, no air in the system, is your second floor water flow ample when the tank is reading 60psi?

There are a few "if's" here. Depending on how the pump behaves and the pressure responds, you have to determine if the problem is with the pump and volume of water being delivered to the tank, or if the pressure regulator is properly operating.

If you are still seeing any pulsating water pressure at the taps, then the bladder is water logged again.  If the bladder pressure drops too quickly, then most likely the volume of water from the pump is low. The pressure should remain fairly constant at the tank if all the functions of the pump and regulator are working properly.  Good Luck


Did you change out the boiler yourself or have it done by a contractor? It sound like you/they hooked up the thermostats in series instead of in parallel for the boiler "on". If you did it, go back and correct it ..... if they did it, get them back and tell them the problem. Good luck


What is the primary function of the main breaker in a breaker box? How does it differ from other breakers?

The main breaker is sized to trip before the total current draw of the panel exceeds either a) the current carrying capacity of the feed from the electric company, or b) the current carrying capacity of the breaker panel bus bar, whichever is less. So if you order a 100 amp service and your breaker panel is rated for 120 amps, then your main panel should have a 100-amp breaker at the top.

The breakers for the branch circuits are rated to prevent the branch circuit from drawing more power than the branch circuit wiring can handle.

If you look at your panel and do the math, it is very possible that the branch breakers have a total capacity greater than the rating of the main breaker. This is fine because you will typically never have everything drawing it's maximum rated current.


Can I cut tempered glass with diamond circular saw blade?

Safety glass is either tempered, laminated (with plastic layers for shard retention), wired with mesh, or a combination. Rarely can any of them be cut without detonation. I would not attempt it without substantial safety gear.


How should I finish around this hole in my slab?

If you use a tub with an above floor drain, you can finish the floor flush.

If you use a below floor drain, you should at a minimum put down poly, seal the edges with a sealant and cover with several inches of pea gravel.

If you want to insulate a bit, excavate a couple more inches and put down some XPS foam over the poly and then put the gravel over it.


Should I use 1/2" or 3/4" fixtures for a new shower?

I would upgrade to the 3/4" pipe.  With as many fixtures as you have, you won't have good water pressure with more than one of them on at a time.


Should drainage pipe behind a retaining wall only have holes on the top?

Counterintuitively, you usually want the holes in drainage pipe to point down, not up. This way, water from below can get forced up into the pipe from underneath, which then has a low-resistance path to flow away. If you install a pipe that only has holes on top, the pipe will want to float on top of whatever water is there, until the water level covers the entire pipe.
Water flowing down from above the pipe will only flow into a pipe with upward facing holes if it happens to flow directly down into the holes, which isn't likely. What actually happens is that the water pools in the lowest spot (which is where you should have your drainage pipe), and as that water level rises to the bottom of the pipe, downward-facing holes allow the pipe to carry the water away. If you have upward-facing holes, the pipe can't really do anything until the water level is above the top of the pipe.
It sounds like your contractor has the right plan - a fully perforated pipe, or one with holes on the bottom, is the way to go. Installing a drainage pipe with only holes on the top is usually incorrect.


How is a Phillips screwdriver size determined?

The Phillips screwdriver size is based on the size at the very tip.  Based on diagrams of the tip from the original Phillips patent (shown in one of the links to sizes.com), I'm guessing that the relevant physical size is the cross you see when you point the screwdriver at your nose (as though it were a screw) and look at it end-on, or something directly related to that.  How much the tip widens to become part of the shaft is irrelevant.  You could make one that widens to a meter in diameter, making it nearly impossible for humans to use.

I tried this experiment:  using some digital calipers, insert just the tip between the calipers, and measure the distance from one point on the cross to the opposite point.  This is difficult to do accurately since if you insert a little more than the tip, you get a result that is too large.  I tried several different sets of screwdrivers and bits for them from different manufacturers.

The results:  PH3: 0.141 inches, PH2: 0.086 inches, PH1: 0.071 inches, PH0: 0.055 inches, PH00: 0.048 inches, PH000: 0.039 inches, and PH0000 is so tiny I really couldn't get a consistent reading.  I don't have a PH4 and I'm not sure I've seen one.  As I said, it's difficult to get an accurate reading.  I can quite consistently eyeball the difference between a PH3 and a PH2 or a PH2 and a PH1.  It's difficult to consistently see that a PH00 is larger than a PH000.  I can see that like sizes give similar results, and measuring the same bit over and over also gives similar results, however, the ranges for adjacent sizes overlap a bit for PH000, PH00, and PH0.

A serious attempt to make these measurements would probably require several vices, a powerful magnifying glass or a microscope, and digital calipers with a thinner edge than the set I have.  Either that or I'd need about 6 hands.

I presume a PH0000 screwdriver is intended to drive #0000 screws, a PH000 screwdriver is intended to drive #000 screws, and a PH00 screwdriver is intended to drive #00 screws, as these seem to be the only screws smaller than #0 in the inch-based "numbered screw" system.  There could be a #00000 screw, but it's less than one-hundredth of an inch wide and probably can't take much torque, and a #000000 screw would have a negative diameter, which is obviously impossible.

Somewhere buried in an ANSI standard is the physical dimension that determines the driver size.  I may have found one of them, but it costs $65.


scratch resistant matt black paint spray for chrome taps

The two approaches that might actually work (both rather expensive) are to replace the taps and fittings with factory black ones, or to send the ones you have now out for replating with a black nickel process.

Paint on chrome is a failure that usually does not wait to happen.

I guess there is the option of "Plasti-Dip" - a rubbery spray coating that is commonly used by auto enthusiasts to recolor and/or protect chrome parts - in a somewhat reversible manner (it can be peeled off.) Being rubbery it does not chip, and reports are that it holds up pretty well until deliberately peeled off. Here's a link (no association and I'm not really a fan of the stuff, despite being aware of it.)

http://www.eastwood.com/blog/tech-articles/plasti-dip-faqs-frequently-asked-questions-about-dipping-cars/


Extension cord out of electric box for toilet seat bidet

You cannot simply use a flexible cord wherever you please (Code NEC 400.8)  particularly where fixed wiring in the walls would normally be used.

However, one type of allowable fixed wiring is a surface conduit such as Legrand Wiremold.

The "starter" box sits on the surface over your existing receptacle, and the surface conduit extends off its side, down the wall to wherever you need to go for the other outlet.

If you also want more receptacles, add that to the surface conduit system. You can go 3" to another receptacle before you head to wherever you're going.

You will absolutely need GFCI protection on something like a bidet, and the "starter" box will give you lots of room to mount a GFCI+receptacle combo device.   You can feed the bidet any other outlets from the GFCI+receptacle module, so they will also be GFCI protected.


How can I connect a 120v outlet to an existing 6 gauge wire circuit?

You don't... not with those wires :(
The problem is the cable you are looking at there is a "Type SE, Style U" cable.  The giveaways are the red+black hot conductors, and the scruffiness of the bare wire; in the cable jacket those individual strands are wrapped around the conductors, and they've been twisted together here.
SE style U cable is a funny duck.  It's made for service entrance wiring, which is the wiring from the poletop to the meter to the main panel.  On the pole side of the main panel, there is no ground (ground is established at the main panel) and so the bare wire is neutral.
The good news is, that was a legal way to install a 120/240V oven circuit in 1973. (well gosh, up til 1990 if someone had old stock of #6 SEU cable to use up).  You can't install a new oven circuit like that, but if it was legal when it was installed, you can continue to attach it to new 120/240V ovens and ranges.  I'm not a fan though; the Code changed for a reason.
SEU cable of that size was NEVER legal to support any 120V appliances.
A 6AWG "hot" wire cannot be re-marked to use as a neutral.  So it is not good enough to re-mark the red wire "white" and re-task the bare mesh "wire" to be safety ground.
You are out of luck. You'll need to pull a new circuit, or arrange it so it can plug in to a kitchen countertop circuit (but it must be plug-in, not permanently installed).
If you pull a new circuit, also replace That 70's Cable with a shiny new 10/3 w/ground. The cables can run together so it's no more work, just material cost which isn't that high compared to labor.


What's the best way to measure for crown moulding and trim

Measure in a foot or so from one inside corner and make a mark. Then measure from the opposite corner to your mark. Add the two measurements together for the full length.

Note that this process is shown with pictures over on the blog.


How can I prevent wall patches from affecting paint sheen?

Using a primer sealer will help, with that said without texture being applied unless the wall was smooth it will always look different, a photo of the area would help provide a better answer.


Type of Plasterboard to use in a bathroom?

Standard drywall is just fine. In fact, as a builder we rarely used moisture-resistant drywall even above shower surrounds. Proper ventilation and good quality paints do the job just fine. We never had callbacks.

In my opinion, if you think you need moisture-resistant drywall, such as for tile backing, you should be using cementboard. Drywall of any type isn't appropriate for areas that regularly get splashed.


Overkill from my Structural Engineer, can you check his drawings?

The structural engineer sized that as a W6x25 steel beam because he wanted it flush in the 2x8 floor system as it is only 6.38" deep. If you changed it to a LVL, you would need a 3 ply 11-7/8" LVL, which would stick 4-5/8" below the floor system and you would have to build a soffit there.

The steel posts are there on either end because of large end reactions from these stacked beams. Your ridge beam in the roof stacks with your 2nd floor beam which stacks with your 1st floor existing beam/girder or whatever that is. If you really don't want to use steel posts, then you could ask him to size PSL or glulam columns as they might be an option too. If you're limited to 2x4 interior/exterios walls, then steel posts are sometimes your only option.

If you add additional interior bearing and decrease some of the beam spans, you can reduce the size of the beams. Wide open floor plans, the lack of interior bearing, and the homeowner not wanting soffits, are all things that the structural engineer is thinking about while sizing/designing these beams.


Can I use cement backer board as a subfloor?

No, Hardie cement board is not meant to be structural, and it will not work in place of a subfloor.  The board is very strong in compression and very stable so that the tiles applied to it do not crack, but it has very little shear strength.

There are treatments you can put on wood to make it less attractive to insects.  I would recommend approaching the problem from that direction and use traditional, proven materials for the subfloor.


American standard, erosion at bottom of toilet

I think @Daniel Griscom is right - that is urine scale building up.
A good overview here.

http://www.drain-clogged.com/urine-scale-in-a-toilet-remove-limescale/

  In general, urine scale in a toilet arises from a chemical reaction.
  Urine scale in a toilet forms when urine + water with high quantities
  of lime reacting chemically with one another.

  Once this reaction is in full progress it will lead to a
  yellow-brownish sediment in toilets or urinals – usually in a rather
  solid form. The lime contained in the toilet water forms a chemical
  bond with the uric acid and the urine, more precisely a lime and
  magnesium compound. The solid substances can then be recognized as
  so-called urine scale sediments. Furthermore, bacteria play a role in
  the formation of urine scale in a toilet. The longer urine scale
  remains inside the toilet, the more difficult it will be to dissolve
  and remove it.

It is a combination of hard water, urine and germs.  I think you need all 3.  Interestingly I think some people with chronic urinary tract infections can get bladder stones (staghorn calculi) by the same mechanism.

Acidification should dissolve the buildup, very eventually.  Various sites recommend turning off the water line, flushing out the water then leaving something acid to sit on the scale.  You could use vinegar but I am also American, and impatient, and if I am going to use acid I want something that packs more punch than salad dressing.  You could get an acidic cleaning product and lay that on there.  If I were doing this I would start with Bar Keepers Friend

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_Keepers_Friend

which has oxalic acid in it and is OK for porcelain.  Plus it is a powder so it will be easy to get it to rest on top of your exposed deposits.  It will take more than one application.  Or you could get some heavy duty acid drain cleaner (look at the label!) and try that.

Or you could scrub it away / chip it away.  That stuff is hard and removing it mechanically will take time.

Then you have to keep it from growing back.  If you don't want to flush you could add one of those products to the tank that suppresses microbial growth in the water.  There are lots of them.


Hearing hum near natural gas gauge, should I be concerned – Pic Attached

That does appear to have been altered, the threaded portion in the top picture looks abnormal in that a cover or cap etc is missing, they typically are not like this, maybe some kids messed with it, call the gas company in any case,  do not tell them  the kids did it if anything say an ex lover might have messed with it this way  they wont try to bill you for it.


My mid 50's home has ballasts on incandescent lighting fixtures. Can I remove them?

They look like a they are part of a Bryant low voltage relay system. There is a guide to low voltage systems describing them here.

If that is so, it is a 24 volt system. While it appears that you have 120 volt line at the fixture, it is quite possible that the wiring in your wall is not suitable for line voltage. You need at least 14 gauge wire with a grounding wire or equivalent in cable for the entire run, fully enclosed boxes, all of which are accessible and all connections in boxes.

If you are confident that is the case, then you could remove the relays and replace the switches with 120 volt switches. If not, you either need to have someone confirm the wiring meets minimum standards or you need to run a new cable for the replacement switch.

An alternative is to buy replacement parts to keep the Bryant system running.


Most likely the flapper not making a good seal like was previously said here.  But I would recommend turning off the water main if possible when you leave for extended periods.  That's what I do.


Pros and cons of painting cinder block in basement?

pros - looks better, smoother surface that makes less dust

cons - seals the surface up well which prevents moisture from evaporating from the block.  if its 100% sealed on the outside, it wont be an issue, but if you have any moisture, it will trap it in the block.

painting block is an extremely common commercial/industrial finish process.  the trick is to use the right approach and material.

step 1 - fill and seal with concrete prep coat.  this material is usually sprayed or put on with a texture gun, but if you want you could probably do it by roller (i wouldnt bother, just spray it)

https://www.dulux.ca/pro/products/masonry-coatings/perma-crete-ltc-concrete-block-and-masonry-surface

step 2 - paint over with whatever you want

omit the sealer and you can count on 10 coats minimum to seal it up properly.


Repair PricePfister WL2-23 Classic Lavatory Faucet?

In my experience, a lot of bathroom fixtures use Allen wrenches.  Mine (from Pegasus, though) use a 1/16" wrench.


An asbestos panel was removed without realising, how much danger are we in?

Asbestos in building materials is generally only a concern where the material is friable i.e. brittle and crumbly.  You haven't said, but if the "panel" was removed as a unit, then almost certainly very little asbestos was released.  If, on the other hand, the panel were pulverized and destroyed to the point where a lot of dust was created, that may be cause for more concern.

But, there is little you can do about it now.  Also, in my opinion, there is very little to be worried about.  I believe much of the fear over asbestos has much more to do with fear over litigation and large damages awards than it does over actual danger.  The fact is, people who contract mesothelioma are generally those who had continuous exposure to high concentrations of asbestos fibers over many years.  Just as inhaling a bit of coal dust is not likely to give you black lung, the odd asbestos fiber here and there is not likely to kill you.

Any fibers under the carpet (and carpet pad I assume) are effectively encapsulated and unlikely to move through the pad and carpet into the atmosphere.  Fiber concentration in the air will decrease over time with air changes and with settling out.  After 2 years, I would be surprised if you had any measurable asbestos fibers in the air.

Lastly, you said that the panel "might" contain asbestos.  If you don't know and cannot test it or another piece of the same panel, then you will never know if there is asbestos and you should not, in my opinion, live in fear.  If you can have the piece tested and it does contain asbestos, bear in mind that in some jurisdictions you will have to disclose that fact on sale of the home.

EDIT:  Humorous (and likely accurate) answer from prior similar question:  "You are far more likely to die from worrying about asbestos than from asbestos."  That answer here:

How can I seal the edges of a linoleum floor that possibly contains asbestos?

Helpful link to a Reader's Digest article also from that answer:
http://fumento.com/asbestos/asbest.html


You can twist together a string of coat hangers and I'd bet you wouldn't notice the sound quality difference.

  After 5 tests, none could determine which was the Monster 1000 cable or the coat hanger wire. Further, when music was played through the coat hanger wire, we were asked if what we heard sounded good to us. All agreed that what was heard sounded excellent, however, when A-B tests occurred, it was impossible to determine which sounded best the majority of the time and which wire was in use.

Solder, crimp, or twist on a length of wire equal to or larger than the existing wire and be happy.


Am I required to install expansion joints at all interior doorways for Pergo?

Pergo want to absolve themselves of as much liability as possible, so they require expansion joints at all room connections. Obviously this isn't always necessary to prevent movement issues.

You'll have to make a risk judgement. Do you want to absolutely prevent buckling and shifting issues and leave Pergo's warranty intact?  If so, follow Pergo's guide. Or are you willing to accept liability for repairs of any movement issues as a compromise for nicer aesthetics? If so, read on....

I would obey the 40 foot rule. That is, if you're connecting two rooms whose combined width doesn't exceed 40 feet, run the flooring straight through. If it does, install a transition with the required gaps. Connected closets don't really need transitions, for example. This should leave you with far fewer transitions than Pergo calls for, but confidence that you won't have movement issues.

Should you find that you do have movement issues, you can always cut in new transitions as needed. The mounting channel for Pergo's T moldings can be installed after the fact and the molding set in place.


How many ground rods are required for panel and subpanel?

Do not connect the sub panel to grounding electrodes. A grounding conductor must be run back to the main service panel. The main service panel is the only connection to a grounding electrode system in a single building without a separate means such as a genset. The underground metal pipe could be used as an electrode, but it sounds distant. So you should install two ground rods near the service entrance and connect those to the service panel.


OK, you're going to need a drain pipe extension attached to your new drain pipe. Remove the blue protective tape.  It might just be easier to replace your pipe with a longer PVC pipe rather than having to cut your pipe to fit the extension in.


There are usually a few different rubber seals or gaskets that go on the drain pipe before installing it into the sink. Make sure to use the thinnest one so the drain will be low. If you did use the thinnest one and the drain is still too high, get some plumbers putty from your home store and form a bead of it and wrap that around the drain instead of the rubber seal and then install the drain pipe. You should be good to go. stay safe where ever you are.


Check out this post:  http://www.homekb.com/Uwe/Forum.aspx/repair/35373/Service-Entry-Cable-caused-partial-blackout-in-my-house

  Your house is fed with two legs at 120
  volts each.  If you look inside your
  breaker box, you see three big wires
  coming in, red, black, white.  The red
  and black are legs of 120V, the white
  is the neutral.  Half your circuits
  are on one leg, half on the other.  A
  220V is on both.   The power company
  lost one of the legs and so did you.

Looks like what happened to you.


Sistering a damaged joist with 2 smaller pieces of wood

You've asked whether it's possible to get the repair joists in place. We can't really know that. The plan is reasonable, though. The key is to make the sistered joists long enough (or long as possible with adequate fastening). The shorter they are the more torque (shear) is applied to your fasteners and the wood fibers. Ideally you have a 4:1 lap-to-span ratio or better.

The block in the center isn't really necessary. It won't do anything of value. Install the other two and secure them to the original joist with construction (not black drywall) screws, or through-bolts, and heavy-duty construction adhesive.

Since it's just one joist that needs repair, it's not critical that you meet sky-high standards for load bearing. If you approximate the strength of the original joist the repair will be adequate. Good luck.


Do I have to have an exhaust fan above my stove?

Yes, the Code requires an exhaust vent capable of a minimum for 150 cfm. (See M1507.3 and Table M1507.3)

The duct shall be metal and extend to the exterior.

If the exhaust fan exceed 400 cfm, then makeup air is required. (See IMC Chapter 5)


Will a 4" non-reinforced concrete slab support my swimming pool?

Concrete is usually rated at 3,000 or more PSI, which is a measure of crush resistance. You won't come anywhere near that. So the question becomes one of crack resistance, and that's going to depend almost entirely on the integrity of the substrate.

If it was poured directly on organic soil, it'll probably crack. If it's on a good base of gravel, sand, or recycled concrete, it'll probably hold well. Really, though, a crack won't change the slab's ability to support the pool. I'd assume that the pool will be placed on a mat of some sort that would protect it against any edges or irregularities in the concrete.

Some calculations (which are approximate, but close enough to allow us to dismiss outright crush strength as a concern):

  7ft * 10ft = 70 sq ft
  70 sq ft * 144 sq in = 10,080 sq in
  17,458 lbs / 10,080 sq in = 1.7319 PSI

As you can see, crush resistance isn't a concern. It's all about whether the slab has to span any weak areas in the substrate, which could result in cracks and surface offset.


Is it bad that my cordless drill is smoking?

Don't Stall Electric Motors. Ever.

Stalled motor = no back EMF = High Current.

It burns the windings out.

I'd think the technology in more expensive drills with brushless motors would sense a stall condition and go into shutdown, but yours seems to be willing to sacrifice its life, cooking the insulation off the windings and attempting to burn out the MOSFET array that drives the motor.

An Electric Impact wrench is more appropriate for this kind of abuse. It has a mechanism that allows the motor to spin up, deliver a sharp shock to turn the bolt and release immedately so the motor never stalls.

If an electric or pneumatic impact wrench driving the appropriate impact socket won't loosen it, the time has come to apply some Mouse Milk and a breaker bar.

Here's a Dewalt Planetary Set with attached Brushless Motor. Your windings will be dark brown instead of that gold, green or red color they usually color the enamel. The next step for it is to turn black and the windings then start to short.


Main service electric panel has no neutral wire - both neutral and ground wires on same bar - sub panel question

Up until 2011 the National Electrical Code allowed a "3 wire" method of connecting a sub-panel. This means you have the two "hot" wires and a neutral running to the sub-panel as opposed to the "4 wire" method where you add a separate equipment ground wire.

So, when your house was built, it was perfectly legal to use the 3 wire method. There is no problem with this unless you connect a metal pathway, such as a water pipe, from one building to the other. This allows neutral current to flow on this parallel path. This could be potentially lethal to someone working on the pipe.

As to the main panel not having a neutral: it does. If you look again you will see the two hot wires and a bare conductor. There is no ground wire on the service drop. The bare conductor is the neutral. This is allowed on the service drop, but from that point on all neutral conductors must be insulated. Ground wires are always allowed to be bare.

So, in short, there is no problem with your system unless you run a metallic system to the sub-panel building. This would create a problem.


Can I use caulking to install a marble threshold?

The easy thing to do would be Liquid Nails and I am pretty sure they have a stone version.  A better solution would be some thinset.

I do not agree with silicone because it has a little give in it.  After a while of kicking or stepping on it will lose its grip a bit and eventually come loose.


It appears that your indexing valve relies on downstream pressure for the valve to seat properly. Too many sprinklers reduces the pressure between the indexing valve and the sprinkler heads.

You ask:

  How can one determine the proper number of heads for a given zone?

The true answer is that the system should have been designed to provide  adequate water volume delivered at the listed minimum operating pressure for those sprinklers. This is usually a calculation using static and flowing pressure readings with consideration of pipe diameter(s), lengths, and system configuration, accounting for friction loss.

In your case, I would suggest a simpler method: remove one sprinkler and cap the riser, then see if the indexing valve works. If not, continue to remove and cap sprinklers until it does. When it does, make sure the sprinklers are spraying correctly; just because there is enough back-pressure to allow the valve to operate does not mean your system is necessarily at the pressure required for optimum sprinkler head performance.

I would also suggest you look into a higher capacity pump, if you absolutely need to run more heads.


Is it necessary to replace a jamb when replacing a door?

It is not worth it.   Based on a ton of factors the hinge position is very very unlikely to line up right.   External doors are all over the place on this and you don't want to be chiseling/routing your jamb and if going steel this isn't an option on the door.

This doesn't even get into a 34" door is sometime 33 7/8" or that the door is a hair wider or whatever - even if you took measurements and everything lined up on paper I would give you a less than 1 in 5 chance of having a door that fit really good and thats if you can find that.

It just doesn't make sense to use the old one as the new one will assure a perfect fit.   You don't want to have gaps or have a janky exterior door.   The other factor is yes the jambs will take 20-30 mins to put in but dealing with hinge mortises out of position is a complete nightmare - especially when they are just a little out of position.  Sure you can get this to work but will it look good and hold up.

Exterior doors are night and day in regards to replace.   There is a good reason you seldomly see an exterior door sold without a jamb kit.

(And I have a very good answer on replacing interior doors - which does not require jamb replacement and is doable in bulk)


What can I do when coats of paint won’t hide/cover the shadow left on a wall by wooden shelves

I use a shellac based primer for things such as this.  It  has better hiding ability then just paint or regular primer.

Give it two or more coats and see if it hides the problem and then you can apply the final paint.

If you still see a shadow after the shellac primer you could try a coat of bonding primer over the shellac primer.


Hard wiring light bulb socket onto whire/black wires -- small shock when touching housing

Go and get a lampholder/socket that is touch safe -- yours is old, and bad, and was never designed to be placed in a position where it could be poked when turned on.  In fact, yours is bad enough that it leaves the screw contact (neutral) exposed instead of having any sort of shell around it.  No wonder you're getting bit by it!


How do i connect an air compressor's 5 wires to a 3 prong 220 dryer plug?

You need to look at the motor plate to see what they want you to do.

Typically with a 120/240 switchable motor, you are jumpering two sections of the motor into series or parallel.  So for 120V you might make connections hot1-A-C and B-D-neutral, and for 220V you wire hot1-A, B-C, and D-hot2.   It may be more complicated than that if there's a start capacitor or start winding involved.

Point being you must make those connections as the factory instructs, and those instructions will be particular to the motor, and should be on the motor plate.


Why is blocking never placed "sideways"?

Horizontal blocking IS used with 2x lumber on edge for non-structural reasons: grab bar blocking, plumbing fixtures (notably freestanding wall sinks) and kitchen cabinets.

Its usually shifted to the front of the wall, just behind the drywall.  For sinks, 2x6 is usually used, allowing a range of mounting heights, ditto for grab bars in baths and showers.

One time for a steel stud wall in a basement, I used an entire sheet of 3/4 plywood over the studs and under the drywall.  It let me freely mount upper and lower cabinets for a bar area.

In the case of a 2x6 "wet wall" (used for plumbing, especially drains), the blocking can be "let in" in a continuous piece for additional strength, spanning several stud bays.


How do I design a shed to make optimal use of building materials?

Most builders never even consider this and just create a building large enough that some waste can be reused (e.g. small pieces of drywall in a closet or a bad piece of lumber as a cripple below a window) while most waste is just tossed.

For something you build yourself, start with the outside measurements and get those on an even measurement. Consider how the wood sheathing will overlap on the outside, so an 8' span of 1/2" material can actually cover 8' 1/2" since one corner will have the next piece overlapping the end. Don't worry about cutting an inch or so off the floor, since as you say, you're better off removing material than cutting a patch from a larger piece. Studs come in standard heights, so just use that height.

When it comes to picking the thickness of lumber, I'm a firm believer in overbuilding the floor of the shed. It costs a lot less to overbuild this today than to rip things apart because the joists have weathered poorly. For the rest of it, I suggest leaving it exposed as a shed. The ceiling joists make a great storage space, and it's nice to nail things on the walls, so interior finishing of a shed is a waste of material IMO.

For things like siding, doors, or other less generic materials, see if the local Habitat ReStore has anything useful in stock. Most of these are waste products from a contractor that bought too much or the wrong style, so you get to help a charity and keep things out of a landfill at the same time.


Can these be support columns with these brackets

Yes, those posts are probably supporting the beam (above). You’ll need to determine the load on the beam, size of existing beam, span from post(s) to wall, and location of footings.

The post without the metal base connector may just be decorative...to match the other post. However, either hire an architect or structural engineer OR submit more info regarding beam sizes, spans, footing locations, etc. for additional help.


Chimenea/Outdoor Fireplace Crack Repair Mortar-type

No, Portland cement products do not tolerate much heat. Hardware type stores should have some products for use on flue pipes .


Does the NEC regulate data cable bury depth?

It does not (at least of 2014)

NEC 800.47 would be the governing section of Code for this situation, but it is mum on the topic of burial depths for underground communications cables. In addition, neither 800.3 nor 800.24 references 300.5, so it can't apply that way either.


Insulating a Wall Against Unconditioned Attic Space

I am not clear at all from your description how your rooms are laid out.  One thing I'd try is not on your list I'd install an attic fan on one of the gable vents with a thermostatic control.  This will keep the attic from getting much over the outside ambient temperature.  This will probably be money well spent even if you have to add insulation etc. as well.
Outside the box - solar on the roof might give actually take that radiant energy and turn it into electricity and money, rather than nuisance heat in your attic.  I don't know what the current situation is in California but I think at one point the subsidies / incentives made solar a good buy for the homeowner.


Here's a sketch of a typical plastic pop-up sprinkler (www.irrigationtutorials.com):

If the parts fit very loosely, especially the nozzle onto the riser, one could imagine that it might rotate a little bit and work itself looser with each operating cycle.

Rotation can occur in at least three places:

where the nozzle screws onto the riser
where the riser section slides in the body (not the rotation of the cap)
where the body inlet screws onto the piping below

The place where the riser section fits into the body is typically splined. The screw-on cap holds the riser into the body, but the riser can't rotate because it is engaged with those splines inside the body.

First tighten the two threaded connections appropriately (the nozzle onto the riser and the body onto the supply piping). Finally, unscrew the capg, rotate the riser until it's as close as possible to the direction you prefer, and tighten the cap. Rotate the body-to-pipe connection a little bit if needed to fine-tune the direction.


My swamp cooler is leaving everything in the house black, why?

It is my experience that the bolt pattern used to mount the motor in a swamp cooler can easily allow the motor axis to be set not parallel with the axis of the fan shaft. When not aligned parallel the pulley on the motor, even when appearing to be lined up nicely with the fan pulley, can end up rubbing excessively on the sides of the drive belt. This can create excessive amounts of black dust as a belt wears. It is even more interesting that a new belt can be more subject to getting chewed up like this than an older used belt that has developed a glaze on its surface.


Are water passing valves supposed to be hard to open and close?

That is a ball valve that opens/closes with a 1/4  (90) degree turn and YES they are hard to turn. If you want an easier valve to turn, buy one with a longer handle. Valves that screw in use a mechanical advantage, an action similar to a nut and bolt and are  easier to turn but take longer to open/close. And, remember there is a stop that only allows the valve to turn 90 degrees either way. To make them easier you will have to find one that is easier to turn and replace the existing valve with the easier one.


I like to have 1/8" to 1/2" gap all round. if you run out of gap you do not need to pack it, you can even plane the back of the jamb to make it fit.


Thinking about adding a Keyboard tray to a MDF Desk, is it safe?

If you use coarse threaded screws specifically engineered for MDF and use all the mounting holes available to you, the load distribution should be good enough for the desk. If you really want the belt-and-suspenders approach, consider to mount the sliding arms to a pair of one-by-twos or a sheet of plywood, then glue and screw them to the MDF. This will most certainly prevent pull-out of the screws holding the arms, as well as provide for longer screws if you consider that you now have the thickness of the one-by-twos or the plywood added to the thickness of the MDF. If you plan to screw into the MDF, pre-drill and use screws that will not puncture the top. MDF likes to dislodge if the screw tip gets too close to the surface.


If it's there, the switch will pick up ground via its mounting screws.
The rule of grounding is if there's a metal  box, the wiring must ground to the box as its first priority. Ground to the box first, only then have pigtail grounds to receps and switches if they're needed (which they're not on switches; certain receps need that).
Keep in mind, some modern dimmers require a ground to perform properly.  They have gotten permission from UL to use ground as a current return, because their device inherently will be leaking too little current to possibly matter, and has internal safeguards so no foreseeable damage or failure will cause more.  The upshot is that if ground is no good, the device might not function.
I agree that it looks like metal conduit or possibly AC cable, which provides a ground path to the box. (and again the rule is "must ground the box first").


New house ceiling lights work but not pendant lights

On homes where we wired the home with extra locations like your pendant lights but did not install them we did not wire the connection at the switch either.
It would not take any longer but some inspectors will flag unused hot conductors.
Or to say it differently the hot wire to that string was not connected for safety reasons.
We usually did connect the neutral and ground and would wire nut the black.
In the switch box look for a disconnected wire, that can be landed on the switched side of the switch (not always hot side) or a double switch can be added.


How do I change an old 3 round pin socket to a square pin socket in a newer house?

Most likely the sockets in question are on the lighting circuit.

Nothing explicitly forbids putting 13A sockets on a lighting circuit. However it is widely seen as bad practice because future users of the installation may plug larger loads into the socket and trip out the lights.

Better to change the plug on the lamp or to buy or make an adapter.


Since you have isolated it to one particular sill maybe you should simply replace it again. In five months that sill may have gotten wet and activated some fungus that has been latent in the wood. I think replacement is the best piece of mind as well because if you just try to cover up the smell you will always be wary of that fact and be stressed by it.


I am replacing my countertop and sink. How do I choose a new sink that fits my existing plumbing?

Plumbing for a sink is fairly standardized.  The only thing you need to worry about is if you get a significantly deeper sink which pushes you below your drain line.  Since you're also replacing the counter, there's no need to worry about finding a sink that will cover your existing sink area.

Edit: Looking at the picture, I think you've got a good several inches lower that you can go before you will run into any issues with the drain.  I believe I see flex lines which means the plumber doesn't even need to solder any connections.  Note, because you have electrical and plumbing so close down there, please be sure that this outlet is on a GFCI breaker.


Electrical - fuse blowing temporarily after replacing light switch

Shepherd's hooks

Putting a shepherd's hook on the wire, fitting it, squeezing it so it tightly wraps around the screw about 200 degrees (preferably clockwise so it doesn't spread), and tightening the screw to spec -- is the only proper way to use a screw terminal on a receptacle or switch.  (unless the device's written instructions specifically give another method, e.g. breaker lugs or Leviton's screw-and-clamp system). Backstabs are legal, but unreliable, and properly done shepherd's hooks are the way to go.

The fastest way is use the lonely hole on your wire stripper, that's what it's for, and the pliers on the end of it to squeeze the hook once it's on the screw.  You can get pretty fast at it.

Wires are held to the screw both by being wrapped around the screw and tightened to spec.  It's a very solid connection that will resist tugging, twisting, and being shoved back into the box with stiff #12 wire.  You can't pull it off like you can a backstab.  If it doesn't feel solid to you, it is wrong.

If it's not working for you, feel free to ask a question for us to review your technique.  Some edge cases can be tricky.

Watch out for ground wires touching screws or metal box

Often trouble happens when you stuff it back in the box and a ground wire touches a hot screw.  Blam, breaker trip!   But it is also bad if a ground wire touches a neutral screw - that will cause GFCI and AFCI trips.  Manage ground wires carefully and if necessary, wrap the receptacle/switch with tape to cover the screws (In the only direction that makes sense).  3 loops is sufficient.

The same issue can occur touching the side of a metal box, especially if there is a bit of a drywall gap, which can let the device tilt compared to the box.

Don't reset breakers 10 times

When a breaker trips once, review your previous work and fix it.  Do not keep resetting the breaker!   The service panel will never dispense a food pellet!

What you actually did was set the wire on fire, causing arcing damage to the wire until the arc damage removed enough copper for it to no longer short.  Or, you broke the breaker.  Both are still dangerous.  Find the root problem (the scorch and sputter damage will be apparent) and replace the breaker.

A breaker's thermal trip mode (the slower trip)  is designed to trip before the wire gets hot enough to start a fire.  Once power is removed, breakers cool down faster than wires, so repeatedly resetting them defeats their thermal protection.  If it trips other than instantly, give the wires 10 minutes (3 songs) to cool before resetting.

But here's the thing.  You are probably making lots of other mistakes we'll never know about. Mains wiring is lethal and brns down houses, usually later.   If you own this house, and plan to sell it, the home inspection will find bad homeowner work, and likely force you to pay an electrician to take apart everything, check and fix it.  Take your time, let yourself learn, do it perfect.


Replace a bathroom drop in sink with cut out of 15" x 24"

Three options, if you can't find an off-the-shelf solution:

Different size sink

Depending on (a) the type of countertop and (b) location of cabinets and other constraints, you may be able to use a slightly larger sink and cut a bigger hole. I am less optimistic (unless you are ready/willing/able to replace the countertop) about using a smaller sink.

Custom sink

This is not necessarily as expensive as you might think. There are national companies (e.g., available directly or by special order in any Big Orange or Blue store) and also local suppliers. I have a countertop with integral sink from one of these companies (a local one, but via a Big Orange store for ordering/delivery). Look for "cultured marble" or "engineered stone" - euphemisms for "crushed stone mixed with resin", which can be formed into almost any shape/size and with a wide range of colors available. Ideal, in my opinion, for a bathroom, and much more easily (and inexpensively) customizable than natural stone. These companies will typically have standard sizes but since each order is custom (exact length on countertops, color selection, etc.) a custom sink is not out of the ordinary.

New Countertop with Integral Sink

Depending on dimensions, this may not be so expensive. Of course, if you already have a nice countertop in good condition then this may seem like a waste of money & material. But I think it is worth considering, especially in the same "cultured marble" as you might order for a sink by itself.


No, but you do need to identify the "line" (supply) and "load" (additionally-protected portion of the circuit, i.e. downstream outlets) cables. If they're connected to the wrong terminals the downstream section of the circuit won't be protected.

With a standard outlet, connection location isn't important other than maintaining polarity.


How to compliantly bond galvanized water pipes if the water heater isn't an option

Accessible means "no demolition needed"
The definition of "accessible" as applied to wiring methods (vs. equipment) is fairly simple:

Accessible (as applied to wiring methods). Capable of being
removed or exposed without damaging the building structure
or finish or not permanently closed in by the structure or finish
of the building.

As a result, having an access hatch, cover plate, or such that needs to be opened to access the bonding connection is not an issue.
Bonding and grounding are two different things
Your situation, with a galvanized service line but a mix of metal and plastic interior piping, does put an emphasis on the distinction between grounding to a water service and bonding your water piping to ground.  In houses with all-metal plumbing, all-plastic plumbing on a metal service, or all-metal plumbing on a plastic service, this is handled through a single connection to the water system. This leads people to ignore the distinction, but since you have a mix of plastic and metal plumbing on a metal service, you need to pay attention to what you're doing insofar that a bond at one point won't be sufficient.
You'll need something fatter than 4AWG, too
The other problem is since you have a 400A service landing on service equipment on the exterior of the house (vs. a "maypole" service where the service equipment's on a pole with the meter), you need to size the bonding and grounding system accordingly.  While a 4AWG copper conductor is adequate for grounding to ground rods or an Ufer electrode due to the NEC 250.66(A) and (B) exceptions to normal grounding electrode conductor sizing, water service line electrodes have no such exception, so its grounding electrode conductor needs to be the full size required by your service, or 1/0AWG for an overhead 400A service (600kcmil total area) as per table 250.66 in the NEC, and also needs to connect to the plumbing within 5' (not 10') of where the service line enters the building as per NEC 250.68(C) point 1:

(C) Grounding Electrode Conductor Connections. Grounding electrode conductors and bonding jumpers shall be permitted to be connected at the following locations and used to
extend the connection to an electrode(s):

(1) Interior metal water piping that is electrically continuous
with a metal underground water pipe electrode and is
located not more than 1.52 m (5 ft) from the point of
entrance to the building shall be permitted to extend the
connection to an electrode(s). Interior metal water
piping located more than 1.52 m (5 ft) from the point of
entrance to the building shall not be used as a conductor to interconnect electrodes of the grounding electrode
system.

However, since you have metal pipework that's not electrically continuous with the service line, you also need to bond that piping to the grounding electrode system or service equipment as per NEC 250.104(A)(1).  Fortunately, the Table 250.104(C) requirements for bonding jumper sizing also require 1/0AWG wire for your application, so you don't need yet another size of wire, at least.  Furthermore, unlike grounding electrode conductors, these water system bonding jumpers do not need to be run without splice or joint, so that gives you much more flexibility as to how you arrange them.  The caveat here, though, is you can't just bond the cold water pipe and call it done; that "island" of metal hot water piping must be bonded as well, even if you have to make the bonding connection under a sink or such.


Angle grinder 4 1/2" diamond blade with 7/8 in. with 5/8 in. insert included -what is the insert for?

Depending on the thickness of the blade, you flip the locking nut over. Also, it may or may not need the adapter for different disks.


This sounds like a defect in the garage opener, probably in the receiver electronics.  A device like this should not stop working without warning and restart again on a "reboot".

I would look into whether you can replace the receiver without replacing the entire device.


As long as the old mortar on the wall isn't crumbling you should be able to replace it without too much difficulty. Use a wire brush and get as much of the old mortar off the wall and the tile as you can, especially anything loose. For only one or two tiles I just use a good construction adhesive such as Liquid Nails for marble and tile. Use some spacers to keep your seams even, Support the tile in place while it dries. If the tile isn't too heavy you can use duct tape to hold it. Then just grout the seams. Good luck.


generator transfer switch install question

No, you shouldn't feed load side equipment through the meter enclosure.

As an option, most panel manufacturers make a generator lock out slide that attaches to the panel and doesn't allow the main and generator breaker to be on at the same time. It is a simple piece of stamped steel but you panel dead-front must be modified to attach it.

In this setup, the generator breaker must be the top right or left (depending on the panel manufacturer) breaker.

Return the transfer switch and save some money.

Good luck and be careful!


These gaps are a normal occurrence when the framing dries out after cutting and setting in place.

As long as the rafter is tight at the top, you should have no concerns.


Issue when adding a single pole switch next to a 3 way

REWRITE:
Having the 3-way travelers go through the fan box is quite unusual, but I was "going on faith" on that.  However, given the behavior of the supposed "supply" wires you mention in comments, notably white being hot and black being pulled down to 0V... it's clear this is a 3-way switch loop.  Neutral is not present at the box at all.
I recolored it to designate wire function (black=always-hot, red=switched-hot, yellow=travelers)... because 3-ways are too confusing otherwise.

Note the complete absence of neutral from this box.  White is an always-hot wire (as is required by Code; if neutral is not present in the cable and always-hot is; white must be used for it; that makes it easier to detect as a hot.  It's odd that the person knew this rule yet did not use it in the other switch leg).  Black in your circuit is switched-hot to the fan - i.e. it powers the fan.  The fan's load is "pulling it down toward neutral" which is why it reads 0V.  It is not neutral.
If you have any doubt of this, connect that black and white to a receptacle and plug in a 1500W heater or toaster (simple heat appliance, but high in wattage). I guarantee the fan/light will activate if you do.  Switch loop!
Neutral is not present in an old style switch loop like this, so branching an additional light off it is not going to happen. Sorry!


How to protect new car from garage scuffs

You've provided an answer which you deem annoying, yet works. Contact with a motor vehicle means damage in almost all cases. There is no way to allow one large mass to slide against another without damage. (Item 2 in your post)

In an unrealistic response, you would drive your vehicle onto a caddy, lock the wheels in place and press a button. The caddy would then motor into the garage on a predetermined track, touching nothing and causing no damage. Helicopter pilots use a system similar to this for moving a powered-down helicopter into the hanger, although it's not automated.

Realistically, one could place a convex mirror on the outside of the garage near the area expected to take impact. The convex mirror is similar to those found in stores allowing the cashier to observe a wide area for traffic. In the case of the garage mounting, it permits the operator of the motor vehicle to observe the vehicle perimeters along with the building limitations and to keep the two apart.

Depending on the steering geometry and wheelbase of your vehicle and other mechanical parameters, you may have no option other than the back-and-fill method of positioning your vehicle for entry. This is a common practice used in many driving situations.

Depending on your driving skills, you may be able accomplish a garage entry in a single pass by reversing into the garage. This increases the risk of contact with the building if your reversing skills are poor and may also require multiple passes to align the vehicle with the intended destination.


How is it possible to get an electric shock even with mains power off?

How could this have happened? By:

assuming the wiring was completely and correctly labeled.
not verifying zero potential energy.
not having flipped-off ALL breakers in the absence of a main breaker.

If I understand it right, RCDs are the UK version of AFCIs, so if it was coming off a RCD, you shouldn't have gotten bit so bad: this breaker is fail; use the test button (or this was simply the wrong breaker).

In the US, code requires AFCIs in all bedrooms but not for convenience outlets in say, a hallway. It is very common to steal power from the 'hallway lights' for 'that-one-outlet-under-the-stairs' (no one would label it as such). This may or may not be code but I assure you it is done.