Low voltage wiring clamp for junction box

You can't use this product in the US.  It is not approved (NEC 110.2).  Unfortunately this guy chose a design approach which was seemingly incompatible with UL approval, and got pinched as a result.
You don't enter a service panel with low voltage wiring.
That's because low voltage wiring is not allowed in the same raceways, gutters or boxes as AC mains wiring.
If every single conductor of the entire low voltage system is contained entirely within class I mains wiring, that is an exception.  Basically if there is a problem and AC mains finds itself on the low voltage system, then everywhere it could possibly go is inside Class I wiring enclosures, so no harm can be done.
Indeed, every product of this type has the smart module, its power supply and the current transformers — all of it - living entirely inside the service panel.   That is the normal approach to this.  The only thing that sticks out of the panel is a waveguide for a WiFi antenna.
The only other exception is if the manufacturer found a way to make that intrinsically safe, and convinced UL of this to their satisfaction.  Indeed, that type of approach is done by the "no neutral" smart switch makers, who bootleg ground with UL approval. They have satisfied UL that no harm could possibly occur.
That is how competitors get UL to let them stick a WiFi antenna out of a knockout.
You don't do anything with this, since it's not UL approved.
The maker talked a big game about UL approval, but choked on actually doing it.  So not approved.  The person got CE approval, but you can find that in the bottom of cereal boxes.  The maker carries on a great deal about how the components are approved, and sells it like the whole thing is approved.  It's not.
It cannot be used in a US installation, unless you can convince your AHJ (local authority) to approve it.  NEC 110.2 requires every piece of electrical equipment be approved by the AHJ.  In practice, AHJs don't want to be running testing labs, so they defer to UL and the other NRTLs.  They can approve other stuff (say you're one stick short on Rigid conduit so you use some Sched 80 black pipe) at their discretion, so it's up to them whether to accept this.
I suspect the biggest hangup with UL listing*  was the system design of mounting the unit outside and then having a bunch of CTs running their cords inside the panel.  That was always a non-starter I suspect, but this person was very inexperienced at building hardware and getting AC mains products through UL listing.  And did not even understand the scope of the process, being blindsided by the next step.
The person openly admits being a "software guy" and not really into the hardware except to get the software done.  That person and everybody else:  we see lots of manufacturers and consumers get caught up by this.
As a result it appears the owner was able to get the module proper "Recognized" as a component (with no CTs attached), but was not able to get it "listed" as a product, because opened the can-of-worms of what to do about the CT problem.  So don't count on that product picking up a UL listing anytime, now or in the future.
Anyway, the person/company is brazenly selling them as components with the admonishment to use the hub with a UL component-recognized power supply, and the company supplies UL component-recognized CTs.
As such, there are NO instructions that have been UL approved.  That creates an interesting 110.3(B) problem since you must follow the UL approved instructions.
It appears many/most users are simply installing the whole kaboodle inside the service panel - module, power brick and all (substituting a power brick with leads rather than a wall-wart with a plug).  Just like every other product of that type installs normally.  I don't know what it provides for a WiFi antenna.
I also suspect most people are doing this under the table without AHJ approval.  I can't recommend that, especially when similar units from UL-approved vendors are readily available.
*(Or equivalent NRTL such as ETL)


You don't fully open the drain. If you do, the air pressure will create a vortex and stop it from draining. Crack it open until it spits and starts coughing up air, then cut it back some until all it's doing is gurgling.

Repeat until you can't get it to gurgle anymore.

Pipe it with some flexible copper to a nearby drain for simplicity.


Is it a problem to have gaps in the drywall hidden by molding?

If you can no longer see the openings in the drywall your contractor did a good job, molding is there to cover the ends at the floor and edges at openings so there is no need to go back it will not change anything as every house I have remodeled and built has some spaces that are covered by molding.


How to do a 45 degree corner on a privacy fence?

I don't see any need for a second post. Here's how I would do it. Incidentally, buy some 3" deck screws for this if you don't have any. You will WANT to use screws here, even if you've been nailing

Set the post square with the bottom part of the fence in your diagram, but extend the 2x4s all the way across to the edge of the 4x4
Take a miter saw and set it at 45 degrees. Cut one end of your next boards vertically so that the saw goes through the corner of the board (right hand cut with the board standing up)
Dig the hole for the next post (along the angle). Put the 4x4 in but do NOT set concrete yet. This hole may be slightly further apart than the previous ones, so take that into account. You might want to dry fit the 2x4s first just to make sure (re-digging holes is a pain)
Have someone hold the 2x4 you just cut on the end by the 4x4 you just added. Screw the beveled end into the 2x4 you ran across the previous 4x4. Be careful not to get too close to the edge of the beveled board or it may split.
With your compatriot still holding the 2x4, get the 4x4 level and then attach the 2x4 to the 4x4 (leaving room for the next set of boards). Repeat for however many stringers you're running
Pour concrete for the new 4x4 (your stringers will hold it in place) and now you're ready to run your 45 degree side from there.

Congratulations! You've just made a 135 degree turn

Now, if you're scared about the 2x4 splitting (or you got the screw too close to the edge), what you can do is take a spare piece of 2x4, cut some pieces (same number as stringers) the same size as the 4x4 (about 3.5") and bevel it 45 degrees the other way (left hand cut) before you start step #4. Screw these onto the 4x4 and then you can sink 2 additional screws perpendicular to the board you're placing, though these additional pieces and into the 4x4 itself. This will guarantee you a strong corner, but it can be overkill. I'll leave it to you if you want to do this extra step.


How can I remove the glass domes from my light fixtures?

This looks like fixtures I have had, which are held in place by three screws.  It's hard to be certain from the photo, but if it is like this, then you should loosen the screws by hand bit by bit until you are able to remove the globe.  That should expose the bulb and the socket it's screwed into.

If not, then please climb up higher to take a photograph that shows the part of the globe that comes closest to the ceiling.


Can I connect ground to neutral in a 3 wire outlet?

Bridging the neutral and ground at the outlet is against code. This is called a Bootleg ground. You have a few different options to bring this up to code (corresponding to the NEC electrical code):

Replace the outlet with a GFCI outlet, and leave the outlet's ground unconnected. This is minimally dangerous, the risk is if you get your body somewhere in between the hot and neutral.... but it'll protect you if current tries to flow between the outlet, and devices on another outlet (or the ground).
Add an additional ground wire. The wire must be of the proper gauge, and go to a "grounding electrode", or your main circuit panel. There are a few other details that you'd need to follow. See NEC 250.130(C) for details.
Rerun the wiring for the outlet with three-conductor cable/conduit.
Replace the outlet with a 2-prong outlet.

Keep in mind that the ground and neutral should be connected together at your house's service entrance, and nowhere else.

The "ground" connector is often connected to the chassis of electric equipment, for example the metal case of your oven, lamp, etc.... One danger is that the neutral is not really at the same potential as the ground. The neutral wiring from your device has some non-zero resistance. The electric current flowing through your device also flows through the neutral wire. The current flowing through your neutral causes the voltage of the neutral to increase (based on Ohm's law, voltage = current * resistance), which can cause your neutral to be a few volts above ground. So, if you have a properly grounded device, next to a device connected to your bootlegged ground, you can shock yourself by touching the two cases since they will be at different potentials.

A second problem with connecting the ground to the neutral happens if your neutral wire breaks between the outlet and your service entrance. If the neutral breaks, then plugged in devices will cause the neutral to approach the "hot" voltage. Given a ground to neutral connection, this will cause the chassis of your device to be at the "hot" voltage, which is very dangerous.


It looks like you're measuring the screw distances correctly, centerline of screw to centerline of screw. If you can't find exactly what you want online, try hitting a few locksmith shops.
There is some tolerance in mounting these. Depending on the type, you can drill new holes or with a small round file, turn the existing holes into slotted holes. I have seen some that had no holes and you just drilled where you needed them to be.


Refrigerator and wall socket next to it went out at same time

Nearly all failures of this sort are a connection failure in an outlet box at or upstream from the failed outlet. As stated many times here, back stab outlets are notorious for eventually failing.   Cable failures inside wall are extremely rare but can be caused by rodent damage or physical damage like drilling to a cable to hang something on the wall!
Best approach is to determine which circuit the failed outlets are on, turn off the breaker and start pulling outlets and examine them.  While doing that, if they are back-stabs, it's a good idea to either reattach the wires using the screws or if old, just replace them with a good quality outlet (not the 79 cent specials)!


New fridge, fridge is warm, freezer is working fine

You might have a loose connection in one of the plugs or the fan isn't blowing or there might be styrofoam stuck in the vent.you might have to take the panel off of the inside to check.


Where to turn cold water off inside the house?

Trace the pipes further upstream to before the water heater.

Where the cold enters the house there will be a shut off.

Turn off the water heater while the water is shut off to avoid it turning on when there is no water inside and damaging itself.


Adding a C (common) wire to my Goodman (Janitrol) furnace

You are looking in the right place

The cluster of blue and green wires at the transformer is the correct place to tap off of using a piggyback tab (quick disconnect) terminal (Amazon link provided as an example only, they are fairly widely available through electronics parts suppliers).  Make sure to crimp it to the new wire using an appropriate crimp tool though (pliers will produce bad results).


What can I do about this gap between a wooden board and the sink?

I have to say, this is a very uncommon situation. I have never seen a radiator behind a sink or heard of a movable sink table.  I guess you have your reasons, but would it be easier to put doors on the front of the "sink table" so you can access the plumbing etc without moving it?

With that said, the first thing I'd recommend would be replacing the wood board with a rot proof composite or PVC board. I'd add a 2 or 3 inch vertical splash board around the opening by the heater so water and objects won't fall down behind the sink. With the sink in place, maybe you could use a thin bead of acrylic door/window caulk to seal it to the wall and board.  If you find that you must move the sink on occasion, the acrylic caulk is easy to remove and simple to reapply. Another alternative you might try is  a strip of self adhesive rubber pillow style weather stripping to seal the gap between the sink and wall.


How do I fill a hole above my shower where cockroaches are coming through?

Expanding foam such as Great Stuff would work fine.


What processes do I need to carry out before repainting my wall?

Two long for a comment so added as a second answer: a photo of the walls in question would be helpful, I am used to working in 1900's and newer homes with these type the walls have a 1/2" to 3/4" of plaster or sheetrock the only way to make them sound less hollow is to have them filled with insulation. If you want to get a solid brick or stone wall sound an overlay sheeting may help like a faux brick wall , the only problem with these is I could always see the seams. To get rid of the bumps it depends on what type of wall it is but both start with sanding as I outlined sheetrock would use a finer grade of sand paper compared to plaster. Joint compound can be used in both cases for a base coat to get things close but a super flat finish would require topping compound much finer and easier sanding.


Will foam tape stop condensation on metal windows?

What you really need is a dehumidifier, foam insulation on the inside will help but the window will probably still sweat as long as your humidity is high with cold weather. whatever you do don't block the outside weep drains at the bottom of your windows or the tracks may fill with water and possibly freeze solid on really cold days. They make plug in dehumidifiers that are not two expensive , other than that make sure when bathing that the exhaust fan is on, when cooking make sure the exhaust fan is on both help remove the moisture,,, here is a link to a small portable unit so you can see what I am talking about.


Does a homeowner need a permit for electrical work in Massachusetts?

The best (and possibly only) way to know if you need a permit, is to contact your local building department. Most folks at the building department are happy to answer such questions for homeowners, and are often willing to provide details and documents to help homeowners complete home improvement projects safely.


What are the ramifications of using interior oil-based paint outdoors?

One big difference between interior and exterior paint is the flexibility.  Interior paint does not have to deal with as drastic of temperature changes.  Odds are after a summer the oil based paint (even if you put a coat over the top) will get very brittle and begin to crack, particularly if the paint did no go onto bare wood.


What is this tall light green grass growing with my bermuda?


removal of mold in sump well that doesn't have a pump

Spray the sides of the well with dilute bleach periodically (maybe a 4:1 water:bleach ratio) and pour some straight bleach in the standing water.  Start with just a little and add more as needed (or make the mix less dilute).


It is possible that the electric utility has a problem in their wiring. Specifically if the neutral or ground are not well connected, reconnecting the power from upstream could cause lopsided voltages due to a wandering ground.

The easiest diagnostic would be to request the utility to verify their wiring which they ought to do for free.  If they won't or can't, you can rent a power quality analyzer and see for yourself.

Be sure to test nominal power and during switching "off" and then "on" your main breaker.  If the analyzer shows electrical problems, provide the details to your utility and they should fix it pronto.

If the test shows a ground problem, it might be on your end.  Then it will be up to you to fix your grounding system


New roof, ridge vent and whole house fan ?? Help!

Powered attic exhaust fans sound like it would be an sure way to keep your attic from becoming an oven in the summer. But unless your attic is completely draft free and sealed from the living space below running an attic fan will increase your electric bill and increase the cooling load on your HVAC (cooling).
When the attic fan runs it is pulling air from the house while make-up air is being drawn in from the outside through any gaps (door thresholds, window frames, etc.) your conditioned cooled air is being pulled into the attic and exhausted out the vent.
A ridge vent when properly sized, allows an easy route for the hot attic air to escape;the vent is at the highest point in the attic.
The make-up air being drawn in is through the soffit vents (openings).
If the roofers have calculated how many roof vents you need accurately than there is no need for the energy consuming powered fan. A quick way of finding the number of attic vents is for every 300 square feet of attic floor space there should be 1 square foot of vent opening*.
*Audel HVAC Fundamentals, Volume 1.


What's the easiest way for me to cut thin metal?

Hacksaw

Lots of work. BORING!

Oscillating multi-tool or Rotary tool

You're probably not cutting 1/8" steel with this, but it's useful for cutting very thin metal.

Jigsaw

A little more fun, but still a bit tedious. Make sure you use the proper blade.

Reciprocating saw

More fun, but you may have trouble keeping a straight line.

Angle grinder

Let the sparks fly!  Lots of fun, and it will allow you to plunge cut.

Torch

An Oxy-Acetylene, or Plasma torch will make short work of this job.

Punch press

Finish the job with the press of a button.

Lightsaber

Fast, but requires a bit of Force.

If you're using any of the saws, make sure you use cutting fluid to prevent the blade from overheating.


What is the exact name of this top pivot with plastic lip for old metal bifold doors? (see photos)

The proper name for that "roller" is actually called "guide" Wheel. The piece it attaches to is called a "top pivot"


Easy, cheap option would be to use shims.

These are most often used to plumb door jambs, but of course have a ton of uses in construction.

Once you put them in and figure out how far they have to go, mark them and then you can take them out and cut off the excess (either with a hand saw or by scoring with a knife).


How can I connect multiple lights to a switch downstream?

You'll want to run your 12/3 from the panel to the switch location. In the panel hook your black wire to your circuit breaker, the white wire to neutral and ground to ground. You can cap the red wire and leave a note to what you're doing. At each light location connect your fixture white to your white feed and your other fixture wire, probably black, to the red feed wire. In the switch box, pigtail the feed black to the switch and to your outlet. Pigtail the white to the outlet and to the extra light. Pigtail the red to the switch and to the extra light.


You need to slide that handle over to the larger slot and then pull it down or push it up.
Ok, good you got it. It was hard to tell from the picture which way it operated. You could try some WD-40 but these dampers are pretty cheaply made and don't have a precision fit. You should try working it back and forth to loosen it up a bit.


Is there such a thing as an arc-fault breaker in 1/2” size for GE?

I found GE’s residential circuitbreaker page. Given that it’s correct and complete, GE doesn’t sell a 1/2” QP line AFCI or AFCI/GFCI combo breaker. I think they would be good sellers.

GE’s Residential Circuitbreaker site


the motor overload is based on the FLA of the motor 115% and this protects the motor, in the US we normaly use class 10 overloads this measn the motor can draw 115% of the full load value on the motor nameplate for 10 seconds before it will trip out. 430.32 the conductor size is 125% these are minimum values the OCPD can be increased if needed for starting as motors generaly draw 200-800% of full load current on startup if the breaker is set two low it will trip as the time of the high current draw is only a few seconds the wiring dosent get hot but if there is a locked rotor/ or shorted phase the motor will draw enough to trip the breaker.
so the motor overloads protect the motor, circuit breakers protect the branch conductors, there are many kinds of overloads the 2 major types are electronic , and heaters, the electronic measure the current and many times are adjustable, the heaters have a small coil that is heated when it gets hot the metal in the "operator" melts and a small ratchet is released opening a switch contact that is in line with the "starter" the relay that applys line power to the motor , once the overload is cleared the heater cools and it can be reset, these are adjusted by changing the coil size that heats the "operator"


Safety of clamping two solid core wires in a ring circuit socket

This can't possibly be safe can it?

Most people outside the UK consider UK plugs and sockets to be, if anything, over-engineered for safety¹. The use of fuses, shutters, sleeved pins, polarised connectors, angled cable outlets, high insertion forces, finger protection and so on are not universal and ubiquitous outside the UK. Of course, you can find on eBay sellers of non-compliant and even dangerous sockets that are aimed at the UK market but which do not meet UK standards and which would be illegal to sell in the UK.
The specifications for typical UK sockets does not allow for mixing wires of different sizes.

Source: MK
As you can see from the example spec above, the terminals are designed for clamping multiple wires together.
A normal 32A ring main uses 2.5 mm² conductors, you can clamp three per terminal (e.g. in, out, spur)
So long as you check the screw is tightened fully and then check that you cannot pull any wires out, it will be safe.
I believe the intent here is that a gas-tight connection be formed between the conductors and the clamp. Copper is a fairly malleable metal so it should normally be distorted by the clamping mechanism such that the surfaces formed on the wires conform closely to each other and to the clamping surfaces.
As you note, its a loose connection that causes overheating and burning.
It isn't normal to see any significant corrosion other than normal superficial tarnishing of copper from exposure to air.

Why don't sockets just have two pairs of screw terminals that are connected internally?

You can get sockets with dual terminals, but these are specialist unswitched sockets for use in medical applications - each of the terminals can still be used to clamp multiple wires (four 2.5mm² in this example)

Source: M2

Dual terminals for live, neutral and earth Each terminal accepts 4 x 2.5mm²

Screw cap covers minimise dust & dirt traps improve effectiveness of infection control procedures

Clearly engraved 'MEDICAL EQUIPMENT ONLY'

Face plate manufactured from a blue urea compound which contains a very effective life-long anti-microbial & anti-fungal additive

Isolated Power Supply sockets for medical applications

In line with HTM06-01 and MEIGaN requirements with clean and dirty earth connections

These would be inappropriate for use in a home.

Notes
¹ If we set aside the issues with split ring-mains and treading on BS1362 plugs.


How can I drill a hole in tempered glass without shattering it?

You can't.  The tempered glass will completely shatter if this is even attempted.  If you absolutely must have tempered glass with a hole in it, the hole or any other shaping must be done before the tempering process.


How to safely chip away at a tile to make room

You should use an abrasive grinding tool with a relatively fine grit or tooth, not a cutting tool. You don't want anything that can catch the tile and shatter it, and you want to operate at a fairly high rpm to reduce chatter and grab.
Apply pressure parallel to the face of the tile only--don't push inward or outward or you risk spalling the face of the tile. Keep the tool square with the wall.
High speed, low pressure. That's the name of the game.


Inspector is drunk.
The cord/socket is the disconnect device
The purpose of a disconnect switch, or a locking device on the breaker, is so that a craft or trade can “lockout/tagout” the equipment while it is being serviced or maintained.
There have been too many cases of Goober knowing where his machine’s breaker is, walking the 2nd floor and noticing his breaker is off, turning it back on, and then shocking the repairman on the 3rd floor who is (unknown to Goober) servicing the machine.      Since Goober is on the 2nd floor and the machine is on the 3rd, Goober does not have line-of-sight to the machine and can’t see the repair cart and worker.  If there was line-of-sight from panel to machine, the disconnect would not be needed.
However, this scenario presumes a hardwired machine.  When the machine is cord-and-plug connected, the service person is expected to simply unplug it.
So there is no earthly reason for a disconnect switch on a plug-in machine.  In fact there’s good reason to cord-and-plug connect a machine specifically to avoid the need for a disconnect.


How do I properly size a 120v inline power relay to control a small air conditioner with my home automation system?

@ 80% efficiency is just above 1/2 horsepower.  The relay is just slightly too small in my opinion.


Ejector Pit & Sump Pit Combined - Whats a good backup option?

Computer UPSes are super cheap these days.  See if you can find one rated for the watts that your system needs with a good margin.  They are readily available up to 1500 less than $500, and they'd just plug in in line inbetween the equipment and an outlet.  Most of them self test every day and alarm on failure of the battery or of mains power failure so you'd know if the breaker flipped.  Make sure the one you buy doesn't do a self-shutdown when its running on battery and can't detect a load.  That used to be more common.


Whole house humidifier when furnace is in unconditioned space

It does not need to be installed in the unconditioned space near the furnace. It should be in the duct that feeds all the others. Look for a powered humidifier. It will need a 120V outlet, water supply, water drain and it will need low voltage wires connecting it to the humidistat and the furnace. If the duct that feeds all the branch ducts is in an unconditioned space then you may have an issue.


Can a GFCI outlet be bad? If so, will it take everything on the circuit?

Yes, GFCIs can go bad over time.

And yes, they can block power to the entire downstream circuit. In fact, it's better that they do that than the other way around. You don't want a faulty GFCI providing power to a circuit that they're unable to protect. However, they're not guaranteed to do that, which is why you should test them regularly.


Anyone know a name for this measuring tool?

I do not know exactly what type of ceiling you are measuring, but the old fashioned way I know to do it accurately are using "tick sticks", 2 pieces of wood that are shorter than the length you need but when combined together, they are long enough to measure the area. Mark the stick accordingly or clamp them together to maintain the length that the area provided.


Can I use a 220V line to supply two 110V receptacles?

What size are the wires?  A 40 AMP circuit is probably 8 or 10 AWG, neither of which will likely fit in the terminals of a 20 ampere receptacle.  Which means you'll have to use a 12 AWG pigtail, to attach the receptacle to the circuit.

Aside from that, you've got it about right.

Remove the existing receptacle.
Install a new box.
Use properly sized twist-on wire connectors to attach a 12 AWG pigtail to one of the ungrounded (hot), the grounded (neutral), and the grounding conductors.
Use a properly sized twist-on wire connector to cap the extra ungrounded (hot) conductor.
Remove the double pole 40 ampere breaker.
Install a single pole 20 ampere breaker.
Connect one of the ungrounded (hot) conductors (the one attached to the receptacle), to the new breaker.
Use a properly sized twist-on wire connector to cap the extra ungrounded (hot) conductor.
Install a plate to cover the empty hole in the panel cover (that was created by removing the double pole breaker).


How to make Ariston Hotpoint FMG 863 SK washing machine to use more water

I doubt that there is a way to do this, unless it is clearly written in the manual. Additional water in my Candy washing machine is used only for additional rinsing cycles and not for washing, therefore it even prolongs the time of washing, which is opposite of what I (and you, it seems) want.

I posted the similar question - whether there is a washing machine on the market that would allow me to low-level program it (e.g. to determine the amount of water as well). Apparently there isn't, but the feature is available in commercial washing machines, for example:

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Front-load-fully-programmable-industrial-50kg_60387387819.html

Note the specs, it says: USB port microprocessor enables to reprogram freely&easily by PC.

Perhaps your service/repair guy has this kind of access to your machine, but I highly doubt it, since it would probably make the energy certification invalid. The best is calling the authorized service shop and ask them.


This can happen if the pressure difference goes the other way, like if the water feed is shut off. Some common models like the Watts 9D-M3 have rebuild kits available, but they cost almost as much as a replacement valve, which is $30-35 in the US. (I just checked that at one of the big box stores here)

So the answer is replace it, though a plastic cup after 3 weeks is pretty slow. Note that since this particular model has (threaded) union connectors, if you get the same model as a replacement, you can swap it in without soldering.


I seriously doubt that you will remove the dye from the grout using any method. Your best bet is to pick up a grout saw at lowes or home depot for about seven dollars that has a diamond blade on the end. You will be able to use the pointed end to file down the small amount where the gray overlapped( if that's what happened). IF it was too wet and these colors bled, then file down into the grout where it bled, mix your grout a little tacky instead of loose and touch up the edge.


How should the thermostat wires be connected to my furnace?

Move the green wire to the outdoor unit from the G terminal to the B/C terminal.

In the wiring diagram for your outdoor unit, the green wire from that unit is connected to the blue wire going into the outdoor unit wiring, which connects to the C terminal on the "comfort alert" (compressor monitor) module.  Connecting that green wire to the G terminal connects the circuitry in the "comfort alert" module in series with the input circuit for the control board's G terminal, which means that the current that powers the module is flowing into the G terminal, turning the input on and causing the control board to run the fan all the time.

The fix is easy: moving the green wire to the outdoor unit to the B/C terminal on the control board causes that current to flow back to the other side of the transformer instead of taking a detour through the G terminal input circuit, and will restore the normal blower functionality of your system.


Pavement Stencils - 1/16" (63 mil) or 1/8" (128 mil)?

I'd suggest asking your painter. They might have a preference, and you might save money overall by following their preference, if they have one. Cheap materials that waste paid professionals time can be VERY expensive...or they might already own a set of number stencils, or know where to borrow/rent a set inexpensively.
Depending on materials, the thicker ones might stay put better and save you money overall if the painter does not have to spend lots of time fussing with a thin stencil that does not want to stay put, blows in the wind, etc.
This is more likely if it's a flexible/rubbery/plastic material.
Then again, it might just be a durability issue (how many uses you'd expect to get from them) and make no difference for limited use.
This is more likely for a stiff/rigid stencil material.


What's the best way to flash this difficult corner above a roof in stucco?

Cement is porous, not waterproof, it acts like a sponge and will hold water. It also allows water vapor to pass through so condensation does not build up in walls. Tarpaper also allows water vapor to pass as well but not water itself. Tyvek has the same properties too. The point I am making here is the tarpaper is your waterproofing layer and the stucco or any other masonry surface like brick, only provides protection for the tarpaper. If the tarpaper is not layered right or flashing is not installed properly you will get what you have now. The flashing prevents water from getting behind changes in plane, like a roof (sorry for the obvious). The mention about the paper going up to the top of the new extended flashing, is to treat the tarpaper install like there is no flashing there at all so the watershed properties of the tarpaper stay intact where the flashing and its "turnout" end.


Layout method using concrete retaining wall block for angled wall

When it comes to cutting block, you don't need to cut it (but cutting a score can be helpful). Using a rock hammer (and perhaps a chisel) to break the rock is the way it's done.

The method for shaping rocks is kind of simple, but a video is a better way to describe it... so here's a few youtube videos about shaping rocks.

Flagstone (good info)

Rock hammer (more like what you're working with)

With a chisel

Otherwise (if you are adamantly opposed to breaking or shaping stone), you could build a form and pour a concrete joint (like in the shape of a Y). If that's the plan, I would probably start with this, then lay the rock.

Also, a suggestion to make it look a little better might be to make an exposed aggregate joint. There are several ways to accomplish that, but it's not really relevant here.


This should not be a problem. As far as I know, code concerns itself with how much airflow is available for each room, but whether it comes out of the floor or the wall shouldn't make a difference. All you need is something like this rectangular elbow:

As long as you can find the right size to match your existing ductwork, this is really easy. If you can't find the right size at a big box store then try an HVAC supplier - the place the HVAC techs go to get their parts. If you know exactly what you need, they should be happy to help.


How do I paint a basement ceiling and heating pipes?

Painting a ceiling is not that much different from painting any other surface.  Take a look at the other questions in the painting tag here for lots of good tips.  Definitely invest in an extension pole for your roller handle so that you're not holding your arm over your head for the entire time, and enough drop cloths to cover the ground in the area you're painting.

If you have bare copper heating pipes, you might want to think about wrapping them in insulation and painting that.  I've got some of the regular pipe-wrap insulation in my house that the previous owner got paint on and it doesn't look any the worse for wear; I think it was regular latex paint, either gloss or semi-gloss.  You can also get wraps that are specifically marked as paintable.


Lowering a room...digging into foundation?

The nature of what you are proposing here is really beyond what you can get proper response to from a group of folks on the internet. You really need to subscribe the services of a structural engineer in your area before you "break into" anything. They will be way more experienced to evaluate things like:

Existing foundation structure
Building construction technique
Building regulations and codes in your local
Whether the existing structure has on grade concrete floors or above grade wood floors.
Access to public building permit records for your abode
Comprehend the ground type on your lot relative to local conditions
Familiar with climate zone and how that applies to your existing house.


Home A/C Repair/Replacement quotes are very different. Which one to go with?

I would call a third company.  They should actually try find the leak, not just sell you a new system.

What brand is your A/C system (Lennox, Carrier, Trane, etc)?  Find the local HVAC company that is an authorized dealer for that brand.  They will be most familiar with your system.

Once you find out where the leak is, you can make an informed decision from there.

Common techniques an HVAC company would use to check for a leak:

Spray soapy water on the fittings and look for bubbles.
Use an Electronic Nose to "sniff" around all the fittings (it can smell the refrigerant).
Add a UV dye to the coolant, let the system run for a week or 2, then go over the system with a UV light (if you see the dye, there's your leak).

(Expect to pay for the leak testing.  It can take a good hour or two to go over the whole system, and time is money.)

Once the leak is found, the HVAC company should be able to give you an estimate for the repair.  If the leak is something simple like a fitting on a coolant line, the repair can be cheap/easy.

If the leak is in the coils or the compressor, expect the bill to be steep ($thousands).  At that point, I would think about replacing the system.

Reasons to consider replacing:

You fix this leak, but what else is going to go in the system?  If the system has been running for a while without enough coolant, there is increased wear and tear on the compressor.
R-22 systems will be getting progressively more and more expensive to service.
Newer systems are way more efficient, so expect a lower electric bill.  You should be able to calculate the "pay back" period of the new system (how many years of reduced electric bills will it take to offset the cost of the new unit).
Check for Tax Credits and Rebates.  The Energy Star Tax Credit expired at the end of 2011.  However, you might be able to get a tax credit on your state or local taxes.  Also check with your power company.  My power company had a rebate of ~$300 for a high-efficiency AC.
Newer features on the new system (variable speed fan, quieter scroll compressor, touch screen programmable thermostat, etc).


Turn off water heater as well during winter?

Ideally..

Turn the power/gas off to the water heater.
Turn off the water to the building.
Remove the water from the entire building, including the water heater, toilet tanks and water supply lines.
Pour RV antifreeze into every waste trap, including the toilet bowls.

The building is now winterized and your safe even if the heat goes off.
If the heat goes off and you haven't removed all the water, you will probably pay for it.


Why does my GFCI circuit breaker trip with any small load, even after replacing the breaker?

Since it's a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) breaker, it's very likely that you have a ground fault.

GFCIs work by detecting an imbalance in current between the ungrounded (hot), and grounded (neutral) conductors.  This is why you only see the trip when the circuit is under load. If there is 0 current flow, the current is balanced.

I'd start by inspecting the receptacle.  Turn off the breaker, then open up the box where the receptacle is installed.  Look for damage to the receptacle itself, or water/moisture in the box.

For outdoor installations you should always have a weatherproof box, and a cover that is weatherproof even when the receptacle is in use.


Hang a piece of 1/2" to 3/4" birch plywood (depending on how strong you need it to be), the same dimensions as the cabinet, on the wall, securing it with counter sunk #10 or larger screws, at the stud, and countersunk toggles at the corners.

Hang your cabinet from the plywood, and stain/paint the plywood to match.

If you don't want to see the plywood grain, you can cut it a little narrow, and glue hardwood edge banding to it, and then stain/paint to match.


You could try something like this but I am not endorsing any particular brand:
http://www.amazon.com/Lutron-required-Single-Pole-Location-MS-OPS5M-WH/dp/B005WM3C42/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1448105879&sr=8-1&keywords=3+way+Occupancy+switch

Apparently they do operate like you say. They still turn the light off after there is no motion for a time.

Check the install instructions here. http://www.cesco.com/resources/027557/596670-AttachmentURL.pdf

Take a look at the 3-way wiring diagrams. You have to make a small wiring change at the mechanical 3-way when you install one of these.

These switches do not require a neutral to operate but they do require a ground wire at the switch location. Check to make sure you have ground wires present at your switches.

Good luck


Plywood floor gets inexplicably wet, what could possibly be the cause?

Sorry im a little confused on what and were your house is loctated? Piers like a beach house over water? The plywood is the floor it's self? Or are you looking at the ply from under the floor?
The only thing I can answer is long term will be mold if water continues to sit on ply I wouldn't put any laminate down unless you figure what or were your water issue is and if it is a beach house I will not recomend Laminant floor I would recomend tile.


This is an interesting question or whatever. Here's some info.

1) NEC Table 240-.6 (A) lists the circuit breaker trip ratings starting with 15 amps, and NEC Atricle 240.4 (D)(3) tells you you need to connect a #14 AWG conductor to it. Point is your asking why can't we change a standard, and to start the electrical community would have to rewrite a lot of the NEC and then manufacturers would have to embrace it. I would say good luck on trying to get all of that done.

2) Actually reference the last comment that just came up. When you design fixtures just for LED's just like compact fluorescence(see the biax or type PL base lamps), you design them with a specific base that you cannot interchange. Everything else you are looking at are retrofit items that replace an old technology with new. In the meantime we must design lighting loads with the highest rated wattage the fixture will accept whether it is an incandescent or an LED.

Hope this sheds some light.


Why is a broken LCD tv causing the electrical circuit to go out without tripping a breaker?

Thanks for the help and comments everyone! So they came back and discovered surprise surprise, it was a loose wire in that specific outlet. So it wasn’t specific to the tv. Still trying to figure out if that actually caused the tv to go bad though. Will be kind of annoyed, but not much I can do about it ♂ They fixed the outlet and the problem seems to have resolved now.


Can installers inside mount thick insulating cellular shades over our uneven, decorative trim?

As the windows are right now an inside mount would have the shades hitting the top of the lower sash.

I also like the look of a inside mount much better so I recommend a small modification of the window trim to accomplish this.

Remove the trim indicated by red arrow. This will leave a flat plane indicated by yellow. To this flat plane add a 3/4 board about 2.5-3” wide around the window.

Then it’s just a matter of measuring the width inside your new boards to get shades cut right.


In terms of what kind of walkway to put back there, pavers (like brick or bluestone) could be easier to remove and put back in the future.  You also can consider putting the pavers flat with the driveway, and having a step up to the porch, or vice versa, which gives you the opportunity to deepen the porch.  A 10" slab is a lot of material to replace.


The second on is a better choice; in the first one, you have a lot of angles that will make it hard to carry the loads effectively. I would probably go with a 2x6 for the platform on the second deck to get your shape; that will get you 5.5" of difference in height. You could also go with a 2x8 for a 7.5" difference. 2x4 only gets you 2x4, and 3.5" is too short to meet code for a step.

It would be good to see the beams to comment on the overall structure.

Think about lighting for the edge so that you can safely see the step at night.


Why does light switch not use ground wires inside of box?

In 1988 switches still didn't require ground screws. Safety protocols have ratcheted up since, and switches installed today do. Someone may have replaced that switch and not bothered to connect it, or it just wasn't used initially to save time.

If you like, add a pigtail. As Jim Stewart says, "Each switch must be grounded. This could be done with separate pigtails from the ground bundle, but if that is inconvenient then you could use a single pigtail which has a "U" loop around the ground screw of one switch and goes on to the second switch."

The risk is minimal without grounding, though, if the rest of the wiring was done to high quality.


If you are using the standard propane fittings and adapters, nothing else should be needed.  Not tape, dope, paste, nor putty.


Sprayed foam sealant into window blind's headrail, immobilizing it. Blinds are also screwed directly into frame. How to remove (has picture)

If I understand correctly, you've sprayed expanding foam into the head of your blinds. It has now fully encased all the working mechanism of the blinds - the rods, gears, strings, etc.

You could take the blinds down, remove as many external parts as you can, then with a series of small picks, knives, scoops, etc. dig at the foam for several hours, attempting to get it out of every nook and cranny.

Once you get to pieces like gears, you can attempt to disassemble the mechanism to carefully scrape all the foam off the gears to ensure they'll mesh properly when called upon to turn and not to jam up against a wayward blob of foam.

When you find a pull string, you can attempt to carefully scrape the foam off the string with a putty knife, your fingers/fingernails, or whatever else you can come up with to get the foam out of the threads.

Since, at this particular point in history, many of us find ourselves under involuntary house arrest, you may well have plenty of time to undertake this endeavor and find you have nothing better to do.
If, however, you value your sanity and have better things to do with your time, I'd suggest:

Pitch the blinds
Buy and install a new set
Consider this a lesson learned

It is fairly simple to remove most window blinds, generally just pull it from 2 or 3 clips. It's usually worth doing so for any window-area maintenance to prevent damage to the blinds as repairing them is generally a pain.

Based on updated info provided in a comment on this post:
The OP indicated that these blinds weren't installed properly in the first place. Instead of using the proper clips to mount them, it seems that the head unit was screwed directly into the window frame. In this case, cutting the blinds apart to get to the foam hiding the screws is probably the only way.
Whether using a Sawzall™-type reciprocating saw, an oscillating flush-cutter, or even a manual hacksaw, the logical way would be to slip the blade between the top of the head unit and the window frame, slide it along until it catches, then start sawing to cut through the obstruction (which may be a screw, or just a snug part of the blinds/frame interface).
The drawback to this method is that the blade is very likely to damage the window frame. At a minimum, you'll end up scraping up the finish. Worst case, you may cut into the sash frame itself, and if it's vinyl, you may cut into one of the open pockets inside and really destroy some of the structural integrity of the sash.
If you happen to know roughly where the screws were, it might be reasonable to dig the foam out around this area, then unscrew the mounting screws. In order to prevent damage to the frame/sashes, this may be the only way to safely remove the head.
You might, if you're careful, be able to cut off the front of the head to give you more access to the foam to make it easier to cut it out to get to the screws. If you happen to know "the moron" (OP's words) who installed this, he may be able to give you a rough idea where he put the screws to minimize the amount of foam you'll have to remove.


Is there a recommended size for vents in boiler cupboard doors?

Page 16 of the boiler installation guide PDF (Section 7.3 - Ventilation of Compartments) points out that no air vents are required in cupboards or compartments with your boiler.

This is because although the boiler requires oxygen in order to burn the gas correctly, your boiler has a double walled (balanced) flue and takes in all the air it needs through the outer part of the flue, drawing the oxygen it needs from outside the building.

See this OFTEC page for more information on balanced flues and cupboard air venting.


How to (portably) mount warped plywood artwork on apartment drywall?

Plywood is a lamination of several layers of wood set with the grain rotating with each layer.  This actually helps resist warping, but does not eliminate it (as you can see). This happens because of some flexibility in the glue that allows a gradual creep.

The usual solution is as you suspect - laminate the plywood to something else.  This could be a metal bar, either aluminum or steel. Perhaps the most effective would be angle stock (metal forming an "L" in cross section). A flat edge of the angle is screwed to the back. The perpendicular edge then acts as a brace.

If you do this, you need to first flatten the piece as much as possible. I would recommend placing it face down on a flat surface, possibly with a sheet below it to protect the art surface. Then weigh down the corners with very heavy weights, such as full paint cans or barbell discs. Lay an angled bar across the full width near the top and another across the bottom. Place screws every 6 inches. The screw length should be long enough to go through the angle stock and 3/4 of the way through the plywood.

You can then rehang the piece using a wire threaded through holes at the ends of the angle stock.  If you really need to use velcro, you could attach wooden filler strips to the upright edge of the angle stock, and attach the velcro to the back of these strips.

An alternative bracing can .be done with strips of plywood, al teast 3 inches wide and 3/4 inches thick.  These can be glued and screwed to the flattened panel instead of the angle stock.  If you use a strong wood glue, such as Titebond Ultimate, this will help prevent creep, as will the screws.

The advantage the angle stock method is that it is reversible (no glue).


How to install a new pvc line on a fridge to an existing small plastic line?

Most refrigerators come with either a 1/4" plastic or copper tube or a male hose thread (just like your garden hose spigot) inlet.

If you are connecting 1/4" tube to 1/4" tube, you need a compression coupling:

The inserts slide into the plastic tube to prevent it from collapsing when you tighten the fittings.

If you have a hose thread connector you will need an adapter:

The picture does not show the hose washer, you need that too.


I added compound in the gap and that seems OK.  I folded up some paper drywall tape into the corner to fill the depth, and then put compound on that too.  Both had some mesh tape in there so I think it will be OK.  Thanks to anyone who has been giving this thought!


Easiest is going to be Push-to-Connect 1/2" Coupling.  You will be able to cut the 1/2" copper and then use the SharkBite Push to Connect Coupling to switch to 1/2" PEX the rest of the way up to your vanity.  Then you will have to figure out how to connect the 1/2" PEX to the sink and include a shut off under the sink.  If you have access to the wall behind the vanity then I like to put 90-Degree Drop-Ear Elbow with a 1/2" Chrome Plated Nipple followed by a 1/2 in. x 3/8 in. Angle Valve.

This Video does a good job of showing it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DL1NL_9Yd1U

https://www.homedepot.com/p/SharkBite-1-2-in-Brass-Push-to-Connect-Coupling-U008LFA/202270492

https://www.homedepot.com/p/SharkBite-1-2-in-Brass-PEX-Barb-x-1-2-in-Female-Pipe-Thread-Adapter-90-Degree-Drop-Ear-Elbow-UC334LFA/202270584

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-Lead-Free-Brass-Pipe-Chrome-Plated-Nipple-1-2-in-MIP-x-3-in-802589/207176770

https://www.homedepot.com/p/BrassCraft-1-2-in-FIP-Inlet-x-3-8-in-O-D-Compression-Outlet-1-4-Turn-Angle-Valve-G2R17X-C1/202047053


What is the term for a gambrel roof with an extra angle on each side?

I still consider it a gambrel. The word simply means "leg" or "forked leg", describing the interior supporting timbers.

The inherent flaw in the design as you've shown it is potential lack of rigidity at the upper angles. Unless they're robustly gusseted there and at the lower angles they're in danger of inverting at those points. There isn't enough arch to prevent outward splay and maintain compression.


Replacing an over the range microwave with a wall range hood

The measurement that is relevant is the height of the bottom of the hood above the stovetop. This will determine what you would need to do to connect a given hood to your existing ductwork.

As far as the skill level to install a hood in a space occupied by a microwave oven, 25 years ago I did a similar project and I am not a skilled carpenter. I removed the 1970 builder's single unit range with double oven and installed a Vent-A-Hood (basic model) over a basic GE slide in electric range with single oven. I chose to put the bottom of the hood at 29" above the burner surface which I have found is too high for this quality of hood. A height of 24" to 26" would have allowed good visibility of food in deep pots on the back burners, but would improve effectiveness of the hood and would possibly decrease the noise level by getting the bottom of the hood below ear level.

To determine what height works for you (which depends on the height of the people doing the cooking and the depth of the pots) I suggest using a tape measure or a piece of cardboard across the opening to determine that you can see into the deepest pots you will use on the back burners.

  High-capacity range hoods are typically installed between 24 and 30
  inches above the cooktop, while standard models are installed on
  average between 18 and 24 inches above the surface of the cooktop.

  . . . Sometimes contractors prefer to measure the height of
  the range hood they are installing from the floor rather than from the
  surface of the cooktop. When this is the case, the bottom of the range
  hood typically measures 60 inches from the floor.
  https://www.hunker.com/12269148/what-height-to-put-a-range-hood

EDIT

You can arrange for the manufacturer of your kitchen cabinets to provide you with a cabinet which would support the hood and enclose the ductwork and the electrical receptacle for power to the hood. Then you could decide whether you want to try to install it yourself or hire a carpenter to do it yourself. Be aware though that measuring the space for a cabinet unit to fit between two already installed cabinets is tricky.


What options are there for converting from a wood stove to another type of heating system?

With no duct work already existing, there's nothing really to "retrofit".  What you'll be looking at is a new install in an existing house, something that's ABSOLUTELY doable.  In fact, a few years back I got an estimate to install a new HVAC system and run a new trunk up to the attic and the estimate was about 12k.

The only thing that wouldn't have been new in that case was the gas line into the basement.

Newer high efficiency furnaces can be had which don't need to be vented out the chimney but can simply be vented outside the basement wall and partway up the side of the house.  Likewise running propane or natural gas is pretty straight forward.

The most complicated part will be running the ducting.  The ductwork should be sized out by a pro - size matters, particularly for the air return, which if too small can burn out the furnace.


How can I mount a mailbox on a stucco wall?

10-15 pounds seem heavy for a mailbox but even plastic drywall anchors are rated higher than that for so I don't think the weight is going to be a problem.

That's a drywall anchor.  A lead anchor look similar and is typically used on brick siding but depending on depth of stucco it is possibly you could rely on a lead anchor in stucco.

What you really want is to mount the mail box through the stucco to the sheathing that is behind the stucco.  Depending on your wall assembly details - year of construction / climate - the sheathing can be 1/2" away from the surface of your stucco or 1 3/4"+ away or anything in between.

The sheathing is going to be wood so really all you need is to pilot through the stucco until you reach the wood.  You should choose some corrosion resistant fasteners - deck screws #8 would likely be good.  Opt for 1/2" + thickness of wall before shealthing plus depth required to mount mail box (if metal 1/8" is probably fine).  If you've already drilled through the stucco then you can probably note at what depth the wood starts as the drill will behave differently as it goes through different material.  If you were using a hammer drill with a masonary bit that bit will likely stop when you hit wood.  This assumes a concrete type stucco and not an acrylic stucco which I haven't dealt with before.

It wouldn't hurt to fill the hole with caulking before mounting the mailbox to the stucco to prevent any water ingress.

Good luck.


My assessment: This guy drew an incorrect conclusion from one experience and has made a personal rule of it without good reason.

My suggestion: Disregard that advice. 99.9999% of all homes built with modern drywall have screws in the top plates. 99.9998% of the time it's not an issue.*

* 99.99999% of the statistics used in this post are fabricated.


How can I fix my window frame so that the window doesn't drop down?

These are called spring balances, and have enough tension in the spring to hold the window open (sorry about your hand).  It's kind of hard to tell from the pictures you posted what type they are (other than older ones), but you should be able to find some instructions for a model similar to yours now that you know what to search for.

In general, you'll want to attach them at the bottoms first and then lift up the sash to allow re-attaching the tops.  This is a lot easier with 3 hands, so you might want to have someone hold the sash up or prop it if you can find something the right height.


Yes, in most steel boxes, one of the holes is threaded 10-32 (specifically) for taking a ground screw.  Sometimes it's risen above the bottom of the box so there's somewhere for the end of the screw to go.

If you can't find it, it would be legal to drill and tap your own hole.  What you can't do is tap it any coarser than -32.  That's because regulation boxes aren't thick enough to give proper thread engagement on any coarser threads.   Obviously, sheet metal screws are Right Out.

Also, if the yoke (metal ends) of the receptacle are bottoming out hard against the box, then you can ground through the yoke instead of having to hard-wire one.  This is not allowed if the ears are catching the wall and preventing it from bottoming out.  It is also not allowed if any insulating material is between yoke and box, like those little bits of paper or plastic that hold screws to the outlets.  So that leftover screw-catcher on the upper bolt would have to go.


Tips for fitting garden hose on tight hose fitting/quick connector

This is possibly a daft question, but just to be sure - you are unscrewing the "nut" that is on the right side of that picture, sliding that over the hose, pushing the hose under the "fingers", and then doing the nut back up?

If so, and you're sure that that hose and fitting are the same size, then try putting the end of the hose in a bucket of hot water for 15 minutes. It should soften the hose enough to allow you to wiggle it all the way into the connector, and then do the nut up.

Edit: as they say a picture is worth a thousand words. This clearly shows what I'm trying to explain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HR8OkhLhtYo


Mistakes were made. It happens.

taking apart apart all the wires instead of just the 2 conductors the lamp was actually attached to (other than ground). This happens a Lot.
not taking photos before the fact.
"White" is a color.  "Neutral" is a function. Confusing them.  The trouble is, cables are manufactured only with certain colors (white and black), and you are stuck with those colors even though the wires will in fact have a variety of functions.

Ideally, you re-mark the wires with colored tape - black for hot, red for switched-hot, yellow for messengers, blue/purple/green/etc. for alternate hots, or whatever scheme you prefer.   However the vast majority of "in a hurry" high-production installers never do that.

Now in residential cables, there are special rules: white/gray can be reused/remarked as hot wires, but colored wires cannot be reused as neutrals.  Nothing can be remarked as a ground, and green/bare can't be remarked, so green tape on a black wire makes it still a hot.

In a switch loop, it's common practice (and now Code) to make the white the always-hot, to help the next guy identify it as not a neutral (since a voltage tester will reveal hot all the time, even if the switch is off.)  The other wire in a switch loop is switched-hot, neutral is not present, (but is now required in new construction to support smart switches).

"switch loop" is the word I want you to Google, because this is where things went wrong in this setup.  One of the wires coming back from the switch is actually "switched hot", as is the hot wire to the lamp obviously.  Mark those red.  Once you have done so, then you can match by color.


Will noise be an issue when joining two rooms with a circulating fan?

This plan won't really work without a full circuit. You need exhaust and return, otherwise the return may be from somewhere undesirable (such as under the door or through leaks to the exterior). The fan will create low- and/or high-pressure regions and air will find a way.

I'd consider routing both through the attic or basement for sound attenuation, and look for internally-insulated ducting for further sound deadening. Openings in the wall will feel like windows with respect to sound and privacy.


First, you need to understand what "dry rot" is. The name itself is misleading, except that infected wood becomes brittle and crumbling when it is dry.

Basically, dry rot is a fungus. In dry conditions it is dormant, but if there is moisture available and the temperature is warm enough (and that only means "cool", in terms of weather conditions, not "hot") it will become active and start to reproduce.

It reproduces and spreads in two ways: one is to form fruiting bodies that look like small brownish "mushrooms", about the size of your thumb nail, which produce spores that are dispersed by the wind, exactly like most other "mushrooms". The second way is to grow threads within the wood itself. Those threads can develop unseen, and very fast - they can literally grow several inches per day in the right conditions. If you do see them, they look rather like the trail of mucus from a large slug or snail, and you might not consider they had anything to do with the "dry rot" at all.

When it is active, it produces a characteristic "rotten wood" smell - though it if it outdoors, the wind may stop you from noticing that.

There are basically three ways to contain the problem. The best way is to physically remove all the contaminated wood - and because of the threads, that can be more than the parts that appear to be crumbling, or "rotten". To do that effectively, you need to keep any cutting tools sterilized, otherwise you are just implanting fungus spores in the freshly cut surfaces. You also need to treat all the cut surfaces with a suitable fungicide, since more spores can be blown in by the wind.

The next best is chemical treatment to kill it, but that can be problematic because it's hard to know if you really have killed "everything". Most likely, the infected wood was already treated with chemicals before it was used for building, but over time that treatment has stopped working, or leached out of the wood. The only way to treat wood thoroughly is by immersing it completely in fungicide solution under high pressure, to force the solution into the grain structure of the wood rather than just coating the surface.

The least reliable way is to remove any possible source of water, and therefore attempt to keep it permanently dormant. The problem is that if you are only 99% successful in doing that, you have just hidden the problem from view while it will continue to develop.

If the fungus gets into the structural parts of the wood framing, that is a much more serious problem than the superficial damage in your photos - but unless you remove the damaged siding, there is no way to tell if that has happened or not.


Replacing drop-in stove with free-standing stove. How do I modify the kitchen cabinets?

Assuming there are vertical side-cabinet panels at the areas you want to cut out (ie, you won't be leaving a section of countertop or shelves hanging in mid-air) and that the countertop is a laminate over wood(-ish), then a handheld circular saw can make the bulk of the cuts, with a jigsaw to get the back corners. You can screw a straight piece of wood to the area that's coming out to act as a saw guide. Keep the saw tight against the guide as you cut, and that'll be as straight as the guide is.

Now to make it nice-looking, you have a few options. Big box home improvement stores will sell an end-cap of laminate that matches the countertops they sell, it can be glued on with contact cement, assuming it matches your counter. If they don't have one that matches your counter in color, check to see if they have one that will match your new stove. (It's not great, but it's better than bare wood.)

Home improvement stores will also sell a strip of flanged plastic or metal that is meant to cover the gap between the countertop and the stove (I believe one company calls it a 'crumb guard').


Electrical outlet above HVAC air return, within same wall cavity

The air space is just that if the wires are within the air space in any way they need to be plenum rated power wiring even low voltage requires the plenum rating.
the only way around this Is to enclose the wiring or isolate from the environmental air source OR use plenum rated cables.
In your case if I understand it correctly the vent would be above the receptacle but in the same air space no isolation.
A electrical fire in this case could spread more easily without plenum rated cables and the toxicity, burn rate of standard cables vs plenum rated is the reason air spaces need to be isolated or plenum cable’s used.


Should I add venting to my solid soffit, and how?

Most roofs have intake and exhaust vents. Soffit vents can be used for intake, but they are not the only means of intake. If you have a vented roof and already have adequate intake venting, you don't need to add more.

Additionally, not all roofs need to be vented - there are "hot roof" designs where the rafter bays are insulated and sealed up. You wouldn't want to add intake venting to a system set up like that. Given that your house is 100 years old, you probably don't have one of those types of roofs, but it's possible that it was renovated at some point.

So, figure out what you have and go accordingly. If you do decide to vent, you should take a look at all the products out there and install according to what you like best. For example, there are round vents you can install by cutting a hole out with a hole saw and pushing the vent in place, ones where you cut out a rectangle, ones where you cut out a long strip down the length of the roof, etc.

There are also vents that install under or in place of fascia board, which might be good for your situation (in place of soffit venting), since you say you're removing the fascia anyway.

I would not just drill holes - soffit vents are cheap and have screens to keep animals & insects out.

This PDF has a good explanation of how roof venting works. They're selling Cor-A-Vent products, but the explanations are good regardless. They do make a good under-fascia vent, but GAF, Owens-Corning, and other roofing suppliers do as well.

Here are some GAF vents you can use for soffit venting. Others manufactures have similar products.


Is it unsafe to remove one stud from a load bearing wall?

The opening you want to create has to be framed like a window as shown*.

Notice the addition of a header to carry the load of the cut stud (cripple stud) to the sides, and the added jack studs which support the header. Because you're only supporting a light weight cabinet rather than a window, you probably don't need the double sill (single will do).

As pointed out in the comments, you can't simply cut a load bearing stud without any issues. Some sort of temporary support must be put in place to carry the load before you cut into existing structure and not removed until the new structure is in place.


Because the surface you affixed it to is not flat

A mirror that large can't rely on its own stiffness to stay straight.  It is relying on the underlying surface.  Glass can bend a little bit.  Your surface is bending, so the mirror is bending, so you have a funhouse mirror.


How do I easily separate unglued PVC pipe from joints?

The best lubrication I've found is some good ol' Elbow Grease™.

Actually, you should measure the proper lengths and just cut. Then glue it up and install. You can mark on the PVC how far it should go into the fitting if you want to be really precise. However PVC itself expands and contracts a lot with temperature change and is fairly flexible anyway. So, in my opinion,  being extremely precise doesn't mean all that much anyway. Also, The solvent melts the PVC surface to weld them together, so the fittings will likely fit differently while gluing, thus making the dry-fit method even worse than just measuring.

Another solution could be to mark how far in the fitting the piece should go and lay them next to each-other in that position, even tape them together, to check your layout. That seems pretty time-intensive, though. I still think it would be better to just measure accurately and double check your measurements.


Leaking faucet connection (inside vanity)

First observation I see is that the basin is most likley not level as the the black drainpipe is not entering the trap flush. (it is cocked sideways and this is most likely because the basin isn't level). So to this note, is the cabinet firm and secure? Is anyone (small child or a teen) climbing up onto the countertop or basin? If so, put an end to it. If water is being allowed to sit on the back of the counter, it will over time rot the back portion of the wood which will weaken it, allowing the same thing to occur. You should clean out under the sink, get a bright flashlight and check for any water damage or areas where the counter is separated from the backsplash or wood supports. *(sometimes these are just wooden blocks glued on).

Once you've fixed or confirmed the stability and levelness of the basin, remove the sink drain and black pipe. Check the drain/pipe for any cracks, replace if necessary. Check the seal/quality of the black rubber/foam gasket, replace it if necessary, and clean all surfaces. Also, pickup some fresh plumbers putty at the local hardware store and apply fresh new putty graciously under the drain where the drain and portion that penetrates into the basin. This will help tremendously.

Reassemble everything, firmly, (tight but not overtightened), and clean off any excess. Make sure putty does not impede or protrude fromthe botton of the basin before you re-secure the washer and black nut. If you overtighten it, the drain, the nut, the tubing, may crack and you'll have to replace it.

Once reassembled, everything should be square, and you should be leak free. If not, inspect your work and redo it.


They are both attempts to solve the same problem, life safety.  A side effect is equipment protection.

I would say GFCIs are better for life safety, because there are lots of ways to get shocked even with a ground, like dropping a 2-prong hair dryer in the tub... but GFCI puts the kibbosh on most of them.

Grounding is better for equipment durability, as it helps it deal with static electricity better, and helps power strips dispose of voltage surges.


How to wire C wire to the transformer of HVAC?

If we read your manual correctly it states to install the PEK.

https://www.ecobee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/ecobee3_InstallationGuide.pdf

You can also look here:
https://www.stevejenkins.com/blog/2014/09/how-to-install-an-ecobee3-smart-thermostat/

And a guide to the wire color codes is found here:

Why are the white and orange wires both connected to my thermostat's W terminal?

That said if you are looking to get around the PEK - of course I can understand that you see 'No Control Board' or Terminal Connections but simply a bunch of things wire nutted together, that maybe this is why you skipped that item.

In order to do this - you need 24VAC for that common wire and it should follow the color code for the common wire [BLACK] at least black tape both ends of your blue wire if you can't pull a black wire.. (as this tells people what circuit in the HVAC it is supposed to be) , of course that is only if you are interested in doing it right.

In Picture number 2 You have a Green , White, Red and Black wire coming down from top left.  Now since there is not a real drawing of what is where and how it is hooked up and your pictures are a bit difficult to trace the wires ..

I am guessing that the Black wire is the 24VAC common that you will need to connect to - it appears to be wire nutted in the back to a brown or purple wire - I am guessing that goes to the condenser unit. First check it for voltage with a volt meter on AC setting and measure between that wire and the frame screws of the unit. Do not hold the meter by the metal leads - hold the plastic of the leads and measure - do not touch any metal with your hands! You can get electrocuted or shocked.

After measuring and making sure it is 24 Volts AC - you can hookup your blue wire as long as you taped a black band around the end with black tape - to identify it as really being a black wire. Now you have the proper voltage and wire.

EXCEPT you already hooked up stuff previously and let the smoke out of something, so depending on how much smoke was let out.. your unit should be able to run.

All of this said : Your system should work if you did not burn up anything previously.


Two wall switches and remote ceiling fan/light questions

You'll want to switch the fan switch out for a wallbox-type remote setup
The thing with the remotes that come with fans is they don't play nice with anything else that wants to control the fan; a few manufacturers provide battery-powered wall-mount remotes, but anything beyond that is out of the question.  Since you have separate wall switches with separate gangs for the fan and light, though, you have some flexibility in how you do this, and my recommendation would be a Lutron Caseta fan controller.  This mounts in the wallbox instead of the current switch for the fan, and provides both wall-switch and remote control of the fan, including speed switching, without the need for any further parts.  You'll have to take the old Harbor Breeze remote receiver out of the picture if you go this path though.


Why does my range breaker deliver 120 volts instead of 240?

Wild guess while we wait for details... You may have one of the rare panel brands that allows a dual breaker to be installed with both sides on the same leg of the panel. Try moving the breaker up or down one slot.


Is it possible to install a bathroom fan, vanity power plugs, LED lights, a small towel dryer and a smart toilet on just 2 circuits?

You can share GFCI receptacles. You might have to.
OK. Here's a science fact you do not know, and neither do the people who wrote that instruction.
A GFCI is not a receptacle.   It is a system of protection that can protect any number of outlets.  In fact they make GFCIs that are not receptacles - GFCI only, or GFCI+breaker, or GFCI+switch.
Anyway, every GFCI device can protect other equipment that is wired downline of it... it has a set of terminals called "Load" which are for exactly that purpose and no other purpose.
Now, obviously, a GFCI receptacle protects its own sockets but it still has those "Load" terminals that you're not supposed to use for anything else.
So GFCIs have 4 screws - 2 Line and 2 Load.  Unfortunately, plain old receptacles have 4 screws. So when novices upgrade receptacles to GFCI, they just go "la la la, 4 screws = 4 screws done!". So they are accidentally putting the downline on the "Load" terminals, giving it protection they don't even realize.
Those instructions are written for novices, and so they told you it needs to be a GFCI receptacle.  It does not: a plain receptacle fed from the "Load" terminals of an existing GFCI receptacle is perfectly fine for that requirement.
So you do not need to relocate the vanity GFCI for this purpose alone: you can simply feed off its "Load" terminals to grant GFCI protection to any other plain outlets in this same bathroom.
In fact, you may be required to: Code does not like GFCI receptacle in inaccessible locations, because it's too difficult to do the monthly required test.
However, the bidet requires a dedicated circuit
It's right there in the instructions, which you must follow (NEC 110.3(B)).
So that means your only wiring option is 1 circuit dedicated to the bidet, and the other circuit used for all other loads.
Bathroom receptacle circuits must be 20A
Keep in mind if this is NEW wiring, bathroom receptacle circuits must be 20A. All of them.  You cannot use a 15A MWBC (shared neutral) as a substitute (though a 20A MWBC would certainly do the trick).
If you cannot meet the "accessible GFCI" requirement, you can fit a GFCI deadfront (which is a device that is GFCI only) at an accessible location.
Really, the correct way to wire an outlet for a dedicated circuit is to use a 1-socket receptacle.  Those are not made in GFCI (except for GFCI+outlet+switch combo device) and so again, the deadfront might be the way to go.


adjustable pressure relief valve on a gas water heater

Yes !!!  it is absolutely necessary to have a T&P valve to prevent the water heater from exploding if for some reason the pressure was to become to great and keep building. If the pressure in the water heater increase above the safe limit the T&P valve will open and allow some of the expanding water to escape out until the pressure reduces to a safe level,  then the spring in the valve will close again.

I have not heard of an adjustable pressure valve for a water heater,  Some home have a pressure regulator on the incoming water supply line so you can set (reduce) the water pressure to some other value than the incoming pressure from the city supply.


Ceiling drywall crack recurring problem at screw location

It looks like the screw was installed too deep and ripped through the paper and thus has no support. Add a screw flush with the paper 1" away into the joist. Then patch with setting compound and paper tape, finish as usual


How to wire a GFCI with 4 white and 4 black wires - see pictures

Connect the feeder wires to the LINE terminals on the GFCI. The feeder wires will be one set of black and white, which bring power to box.  If there are two sets of feeder wires, you'll have to install two GFCI devices. As GFCI receptacles cannot be used to replace a split receptacle (where the two receptacles are supplied by separate branch circuits).

Take all the load white wires, plus a short length (8" or so) of white wire. Using a twist-on wire connector,  bundle them together. Then do the same for the load side black wires.

Connect the load side pigtails to the LOAD terminals on the GFCI device.

Finally, connect all grounding conductors together, including one to the device, and one to the metal box.

Each binding screw terminal should have no more than ONE wire connected to it. Check the manufacturer's installation instructions for the device, to determine how to properly terminate the wires.

However, with that many wires in the box, it's almost certainly over filled. So while you're doing the work, you might want to consider replacing the box with a double gang box.  That would give you enough volume for the wires, and allow you to add an additional receptacle.


The breaker in the main panel is the one that matters

The main job here is protecting the wiring from the main panel to the subpanel.  The subpanel also has a rating, but subpanel capacity is cheap so it's very unlikely that the subpanel would be smaller than the wires feeding it.  So the breaker in the main panel will be fine.

If the "future proofing" you have in mind is to allow installation of a larger panel later, just do it now.  Panels are cheap and often come with a bunch of free breakers.  I'm a huge fan of buying the largest panel you can possibly get.  You'll thank me later!

The subpanel "main breaker" is just a switch

Its only function is as a shutoff switch, which is required for some subpanels.  Nobody cares what its amp value is.  You don't want to match it to the breaker ih the main panel, as that would force you into an unnecessarily small subpanel.  Go ahead and put a 225A 60-space subpanel if you want.

Obviously if that main breaker has a GFCI or AFCI function, it will do that too.  (that's more a thing in Europe or Asia.)

The only exception is if for some reason, the subpanel has a smaller rating than the wire/breaker feeding it; then the subpanel's main breaker would protect the subpanel. But that is a very foolish situation to be in;  the difference in cost to a larger panel is typically $30 or $50 tops, and the cost of changing a subpanel is rather considerable.

I want the subpanel breaker to trip first

This doesn't really work.  The vast majority of trips are a magnetic trip (a hard short with hundreds of amps of flow).  It will be totally random which breaker trips first.  For a thermal trip (overload resulting in slow trip), the breaker would have to be significantly smaller to assure it trips first.


You can notch a joist up to 1/6 the depth of the joist. For example, a 2x10 can be notched 1.54166" deep (9 1/4" / 6). However, you cannot notch a joist within the middle 1/3 of the joists length. The notch can also only be 1/3 the depth of the joist wide. Again with the 2x10 example, that means the notch can only be 3.0833" wide (9 1/4" / 3).

Since ceiling fans tend to be near the middle of the room, it's likely that the intended notch location is within the middle third of the joist. Which means that notching the joist, could be dangerous.

You also cannot notch the joist if it's an engineered joist, without consulting the manufacturer or an engineer first.

For more information on notching and boring joists, please se.e this answer


Light with 3 way switch does not work. Need help!

Here's your problem.  Up in the light box, you don't know which of those /3 cables goes to switch box 1 vs switch box 2. So here's what I would do...

... after buying a multi-color 5-pack of electrical tape for about $3 because we are going to color-code everything:  neutral=white... always-hot=black... switched-hot=red... travelers=yellow or some other color.  There are always 2 travelers in a cable, they do the same thing, they are interchangeable, so code them the same color. "Two marked the same color" is pretty distinctive, as we are usually trying to make wires different colors.

Install 3-way switch #1.

Start by nutting the two white wires in box #1 to each other. Those are actual-neutral, and need no markings.
Note the /2 cable (the one without a red wire). That can only be supply.  Its black wire goes to the COMMON terminal of the 3-way, this is the one with the black screw.  Don't think about position, look at screw color.
Two wires remain, the red and black from the 3-way. Those will be travelers so tape them both yellow. These go onto the two brass screws on the 3-way.

We are done in this location, so you can reinstall the switch.  Next: Figure out which cable is which up-top.

Cap off all the wires, and go to town with a voltage detector.  If you find one cable is hot and the other is not, you are done with this section.
If you don't have a voltage detector, use the lamp as one.  Shut off power, pick one cable and attach the lamp to its white and red wires.
If the switch makes the lamp turn on and off, you found cable #1.
If not, try the other cable.

Mark cable #1 and tape the black and red wires both yellow, since they are the other end of those wires you marked earlier.  Always mark both ends of a wire the same.  It's downhill from here.  Turn the power off.

Let's think about the yet-undiscovered wires.  There are two ends of /3 cables - one in the lamp box and one in switch #2.  These can only be the opposite ends of the same cable.

Most people want their lamps connected to switched-hot, otherwise it defeats the purpose of switches.  Switched-hot is red.  We'll make the other two travelers.  That's black and white.  Mark both ends of the black and white wires with yellow tape.

Fit the 3-way in the far box, with both yellow travelers again going to the brass screws, and the common (red wire) going to the black screw.  Do the work carefully, and we are done here.  You can close up the box.

Back up in the lamp box, nut together as follows:

a yellow to a yellow (doesn't matter which**)
the other yellow to the other yellow
Neutral (the only white, thanks to our remarkings) to lamp neutral (white or sometimes blue)
Switched-hot (the only red) to lamp's black, red or brown (whichever).

Power up, test, should be done.

** Now if you have OCD, and want "both 3-ways down" to be lamp off like I do, and it isn't that way, then go up in the lamp box and swap yellows.  Done.


What tools will help me remove an object from a toilet's siphon jet?

Option #1 is always the best: use a coat hanger with a hook bent on the end.

As a second option, hemostats are pretty handy, but may not be strong enough to break plastic. But perhaps it will help you hold the ring while you cut it with an exacto-knife or some wire nippers.

If you drain the water out, then you will be able to use something like a hot knife... or just use a blow torch to easily heat a blade or a coat hanger hook. A hot blade and/or hook be may helpful for chopping the ring in two. Don't heat up the hemostats or else it will destroy the spring-quality of the steel. If you don't have a torch, a lighter will work... but try not to burn your thumb or don't let the lighter melt (pop).

Or if you are super crafty you could DIY a hot knife with a soldering iron and an exacto-blade.


Electric floor heat in basement without tile

There are numerous floor heating systems that can be used under solid wood flooring, engineered floor or carpet. An internet search of heated flooring will give you links to various floor manufacturers and heating system manufacturers.

You definitely need to check the specs on both the heating system and the finish material to ensure compatibility. There are various restrictions, such as the width of wooden floor boards to minimize problems due to moisiture changes.


How can I uninstall this bathroom light fixture?

Is there a metal shell around each socket? Pull each shell outward to remove it from the socket. Then you should be able to remove the rectangular cover plate, after which you'll see all the connections and mounting screws.


Splicing building wire cables to accommodate door

A large enough junction box

First, you are going to need a very large junction box to do all this splicing.   Let's count conductors.

Two /2 cables and one /3 cable = 7 conductors to splice.
Plus the 7 conductors they'll meet in this box.
Plus 1 conductor count to cover all ground wires
Plus 1 conductor count to cover all cable clamps
Plus 2 conductor count to cover the receptacles

I count 18 total.  Let's assume 12 AWG wire, so 2.25 cubic inches per conductor, that's 40.5 cubic inches.

A 4-11/16" steel deep junction box will suffice. (steel makes it immune from nails coming from the other side.  This is a deep box.)

Improving aesthetics

Now, to make this thing aesthetic (nobody wants a giant blank plate there), I recommend topping off with a 1-gang "mud ring".  That way it will appear to be a normal receptacle.

You're on the right track with "put a receptacle there rather than have a blank plate".   However, I'd do a couple things different: First, I'd reroute the cables to a more desirable/expected place for a receptacle, rather than having a receptacle in an odd place for no reason.  Second, I'd do it on both sides.   Mind  you, it wouldn't hurt to make it a little odd; someday these circuits may need maintenance, and you want to hint to the maintainer where these splices might be.

Watch which circuits.

A circuit is "grandfathered" when it only has to comply with the Code written when it was installed, and doesn't have to be updated with each new Code revision.  However, there's a fundamental rule: When you're grandfathered, you can't make things worse.

Read the current Code on laundry room outlets.  I believe it says the circuit must be dedicated and you can't add outlets to it.  That's because when you have separates, the washer is powered off that and the dryer is powered by the 120/240V split-phase.  (they make "physically separates" where the washer plugs into the dryer, but they use some sort of internal design features to avoid overloading, since a 120/240V circuit normally doesn't have the capacity to feed both).

If someone hack-a-dacked your dryer outlet to include a 120V outlet, that should be remedied ASAP because it's a code violation.  Also the washer outlet is supposed to be 12 AWG/20A (yellow or larger).  Also make sure the dryer outlet and cord is NEMA 14 (4-pin); it's obviously a modern installation, but sometimes people fit the obsolete, dangerous and illegal NEMA 10 3-prong dryer outlets on newer houses to match dryers from older homes (you're supposed to change the cord, but builders don't feel that's their bailiwick).

If the other circuit goes to a bedroom, then that is the one to tap for receptacles.

Grounds can go together. Neutrals must obsessively separate

It's OK to clump all the grounds together,(don't forget ground to the junction box if it's metal), but not required.

Separating neutrals is absolutely required. Don't bundle all the neutrals onto one big wire nut!

Actually, (this is a bit OCD) but I might actually use different color wire nuts for the different circuits - red for the #10, yellow for the #12, and orange for the #14 (if it fits).  It's sheer coincidence the colors are that way.

Give yourself LOTS of wire length inside the box - a full 12" (including in this case, an inch or two of sheath sticking out beyond the clamp, for cable identification purposes). The 12" will seem ungainly to work with; but it'll go easier if you splice the grounds and push and tamp them into the back of the box first, then (after testing) push back the dryer conductors, then the laundry room (since you won't be tapping it), and finally the other circuit so it's on top.

The mandatory wire length is about 7" - six inches beyond the cable clamp/sheath AND 3" beyond the finished surface of the wall.  However you'll hate working on it if you do that, and it'll be a code vio to cut it at all, which is leaving yourself no freedom.

Connector types

I would not use push-in connectors unless you enjoy really nasty, difficult troubleshooting problems involving guessing where mystery splices are (remember, we are creating two mystery splices here). Push-in connectors, like their "backstab on receptacle" brethren, involve a single, tiny point of contact for all the current to flow through.  The manufacturers have gone in backflips to assure this fails safe, i.e. with a burnout/open instead of a flaming arc fault, but the fact it does fail. The other problem with stab connections is they say they're multi-gauge, but who's kidding who?  The receptacles said the same thing and that turned out to be a lie, and UL delisted a bunch of 12/14 backstab receps.

Wago style "lever" connectors are certainly a better choice than push/stabs. I'm competent at wire nuts, so I recommend those.  The trick with wire nuts is tighten them HARD, and do a vigorous "pull test" holding the nut and yanking each wire.  If any wire pulls out, that's an electrically bad connection that will fail, and requires you improve your technique.

src:diy.se

Code doesn't care about rubbish splices that fail safe,  because the National Electrical Code is written by the National Fire Prevention Association and devices approved by (insurance) Underwriter's Laboratories... not the National Make Your Electrical Work Association and Reliability Laboratories.


Sounds like the mixing valve is shot... if you can see the brand, any plumbing supply store (I wouldn't go to a big box store) will be able to sell you a replacement cartridge etc to rebuild it.  It's a pretty simple job.


Mostly because 7-1/4" blades aren't of much use in a 10" miter saw (or even the rare 8" models), and vice versa.

They're both crosscut blades, so they could be used interchangeably, in theory.


I had this happen on two different machines. I was able to just use some crazy glue on the one because I had the parts. The other occasion I was missing the parts so I took the spring from a switch on the machine that I never used.. I think it was the "quick rinse" button. If you can't swap out the spring maybe you can swap out the switch or swap the connections. Last but not least, if it's just a simple toggle switch pick up a small one from a home or electrical supply company, hook it up and mount it on the door.


Computer makes USB unplugged noise when I run the microwave/heater

A heater often uses almost all of the current capacity of a circuit. A microwave, unless it is some tiny little portable unit, will often use enough amperage on a circuit where it should be recommended to run the unit on its own dedicated circuit.

Considering the above it is playing a dangerous game to be running your computer on the same circuit as these other heavy load devices. Low power conditions going into the computer could wreak more havoc than simply making the USB device detection circuit get falsely triggered. You run direct risk of a glitched write to the hard drive / SSD causing the system to become unbootable. There is also a distinct possibility that power surges could cause the internal DRAM content to be compromised causing invalid data to be stored in files or causing running software to perform erratic actions or outright crash.


what can the county do if my shed violate zoning distance?

Usually the penalties are right there in the code. My town, it's a fine of  $50/day from the time it was built until the time it's corrected; i.e. not a trivial amount. It will vary with the Local Area Having Jursidiction (LAHJ) so only someone from your immediate area would know what might apply to you.

As with most laws, ignorance is not considered a valid excuse, and generally will not sway the zoning board (which is usually what holds sway over this sort of thing, in my area, anyway.)


I'm getting orange peel spraying on oil in high temperatures with an HVLP conversion gun. What's the fix?

Probably both temperature and thinning are an issue, since you are at the extremes for both (very high temperature, and no thinning at all), but there are a LOT of ways to get orange peel, so eliminating it can be a trial and error process.

It sounds to me like the solvent is evaporating before the paint can flow together on the cabinets.  This is usually a result of some combination of:

low air pressure or fan adjusted too wide
holding gun too far from the surface of the work
temperature is too hot
too little thinner

If your gun is adjusted properly and your technique is good, then I'd thin and try to work earlier in the day before it gets too hot.  Mineral spirits would be preferable over naptha, because naptha evaporates more quickly.


Adding ventilation to an older outbuilding

You only need retrofit soffit vents if you want passive airflow. They will be a very good idea when you sheetrock the lid, but you don't need it yet.

Is this for cooling or moisture control? Moisture is a lot more complicated. Evacuating hot air is as simple as having adequate vent area and airflow.


If using an old 240v cable to make two 120v circuits, is there a risk of overheating the shared neutral return?

Actually, it would result in a net 0 A on the neutral. So this actually can work quite well and is called a Multiwire Branch Circuit or MWBC.
The one catch is that the breakers powering the circuit need to be set up for common shutoff - i.e., if you turn off one, you always turn off the other. If the breakers are actually set up for common trip, which is normally the case for a 240V circuit like a stove or dryer, then that provides common shutoff as well.


How can I remove a stuck screw that will still turn?

I have found two methods that work for me:

Use plyers instead of screw driver
Use a paint scraper pressed underneath the screw head while you turn the screw with driver.  Between the additional friction, and the scraper blade, frequently the screw thread will start to catch, and allow it to back out.


How do I remove the top sash of a medium size new double glazed window?

Find the Mechanism
There is usually a release mechanism along the top edge or the bottom edge of the upper sash that allows it to tilt in.

Get the Lower Sash out of the Way
The trick is moving the inner, lower sash out of the way.  That is done by releasing the mechanism on the lower sash, tilting it inward and lowering it toward the sill.

Tilt the Upper Sash in
You then slightly lower the top sash, which is no longer blocked by the lower sash.  You can then release the mechanism on the top sash and tilt it inward, either up or down depending on the position of the mechanism.


How to replace a small halogen bulb in outdoor accent fixture that my fingers barely fit into?

You need a suction cup

Electrical lighting fixtures with recessed bulbs often come with a suction cup. It's a odd device to have in the package if you don't realize it's purpose so they often get thrown away with the packaging. Fast forward a year or two and you need to change the bulb.

That's where these come in handy
www.amazon.com

You simply push it against the bulb and twist. They come in a variety of styles and even come with extensions to change ceiling fixtures from the floor without a ladder or stool.