You'll want to focus your attention to the wiring at the bottom of your last photo, that's where all the control wiring is.

Don't touch the wiring on the primary side of the transformer, as it's at line voltage and could cause a nasty shock.

If you clip the zip tie holding the bundle of wires together, you should be able to get a better look at what's going on.  I can't tell exactly what's going on from the photo, so I'll explain what would typically be seen.

You should see a cable with a red, blue, green, yellow, white, and possibly brown wires. This is the cable that runs between the air handler and the thermostat. You should see another cable with a red and white wire (it may include other colored wires as well), which runs between the air handler and the condensing unit. According to the schematic, there should be a red and brown wire coming from the secondary side of the transformer.

The red wire from the transformer should be connected to the red wire from the thermostat, this is your Rc wire.  The yellow wire (Y) from the thermostat cable, should be connected to a the red wire from the condensing unit cable. The blue wire (C) from the thermostat cable, should be connected to the white wire from the condensing unit, and the brown wire from the transformer. The green wire (G) from the thermostat cable, should be connected to the black and green wire from the air handler.

At the new thermostat you should have two cables, one from the air handler and one from the boiler.

Remove the jumper between Rh and Rc, if one exists.
Connect the red wire from the boiler cable to Rh.
Connect the white wire from the boiler cable to W.
Connect the red wire from the air handler cable to Rc.
Connect the yellow wire form the air handler cable to Y.
Connect the green wire from the air handler cable to G.
Connect the blue wire form the air handler cable to C.

NOTE: This is all based on typical wiring, your wiring may vary.

NOTE: Some thermostats may only use the Rh and C wires for power, so supplying an Rc/C combination may not work.


You shall want to determine the quality of your jumper cables. Inexpensive jumper cables are going to be constructed poorly at the crimps and will certainly have smaller gauge wire than a more expensive, higher quality set.

Disregarding conversion loss internal to the inverter and using simple numbers, you could say that the inverter will draw 80 amperes at 12 volts to provide the 960 watts you specify. Even if those numbers are inaccurate, it's reasonable to believe that they will serve the purpose of this calculation.

A quick check with The Google shows that starting an automobile will draw 250 amperes and higher, depending on temperature and condition of the vehicle. This gives you a factor of 3 or better when considering if the cables will tolerate such current loads.

More information about jumper cables can be found on a sister site:
https://mechanics.stackexchange.com/questions/10985/how-do-i-determine-what-type-of-jumper-cable-i-should-carry

You would want to ensure you have a solid grip on both ends of the cable and watch them carefully for signs of heating. Testing the temperature of the connections with an IR non-contact thermometer, an IR camera accessory to your phone or even your hands on an insulated section will give you an indication of pending doom (or not.)

If your battery is flooded lead acid, eye protection and other suitable precautions are encouraged. Batteries explode when hydrogen gas is generated during charging, but not when discharging, reducing the danger for your project.


Quick Google search turns up Modello Gel-lo

  Modello Gel-lo is a thickening agent for  liquid coloring mediums such
  as acid and water-based stains for concrete. The addition of Modello
  Gel-lo allows for more controlled color application and helps to
  reduce "wicking" of the stains under the edges of the Modello
  patterns.

And Stain Mule™.

  Stain Mule will thicken both acid stains and water based colorants.
  When color placement control is necessary, the Mule is your product.


Running electrical for bookcase LED lighting (choose a scenario)

Use low voltage as your secret weapon

LED strip lights are more readily available in low voltage anyway, and low voltage not only makes it a lot safer, but sidesteps most of the Electrical Code.  Now you don't need to think so hard about how to get power from A to B using Class 1 wiring methods!

At that point I would probably have a DC power supply plugged into the "orange" receptacle, then come straight over laterally to the bookcase, then conceal the remaining wiring in the bookcase.  As far as getting across to the other bookcase, you could tuck a small cable in the lip above the brick.   You have a lot of freedom in low voltage.


Although this is asking for product recommendations I think discussing different types is ok. I have not used Hardie Board without sheathing but believe it is listed for use without sheathing. A buddy of mine really likes the cement panels they make. I have not used it but he started using it ~10 years back I have used their plank products when properly installed it looks good for decades. (It really holds the paint better than wood products on the work I have done).


Do I need to remove all the old paint prior to repainting!

Answer: yes, if scraping and thorough sanding (coarse, then medium, then fine grit) until smooth does not remove the old paint than feel free to prime and paint right over it.

Do not pay attention to those that say "you must test for compatibility with the new paint" or "don't paint it with latex (water-based) paint if it might be old alkyd (oil-based) paint". Use a high quality exterior primer and a top-of-the-line high gloss exterior paint and it will be beautiful and durable. PLEASE, I cannot under emphasize the importance of using high quality paint brushes, it will make all the difference.


Following this simple diagram what wire goes where?

It doesn't tell you which is hot and which is neutral, so presumably you can use either black or white (hot/neutral) for Line 1 and Line 2.

Insulate means connect the three wires together (eg. in a wire nut) and nowhere else (insulated from everything else).

The green wire must be connected solidly to the metal housing somewhere appropriate, for safety against electrical shock. Have someone qualified have a gander at it before powering it up.


Diagnose interference causing garage door opener remotes not to function

Excellent article!
I just had my GDO remote drop from 30+ feet range to where I had to at the garage door - and it took several tries to  cause the door to open.
I had just installed a wireless indoor security camera and that was the culprit - unplugging it removed the issue.  I tried various increases of GDO antenna length but no improvement.  I was in the process of using a window screen on the opposite side of the wall when I found an article about an RFI kit - rather than buy the kit which was a tad pricey, I bought several 5mm ferrite cores that snap onto wires. 5mm based on the diameter of the wires they'd be used - they come in sizes 3mm to 9mm and possibly larger.  I tried the camera power cord and there was no improvement - I then put a core on the manual switch wires where they connected to the GDO - that bought me another 8 feet of remote range.  I then also added ferrite cores on the same wires near the manual switch and I'm out to 25 feet.  The camera must be throwing off harmonics of the 2.4 GHz signal and the manual switch wires were acting as antennas.  I'm still going to place the metal screen on the garage wall opposite the camera location in the house to try to block the RFI more yet.  I hope this helps anyone with a similar situation as these cameras are more and more popular for nurseries, pet surveillance, and home security.


Can a thermal expansion tank be install above the water heater?

They make heat trap valves, which come already installed on some water heaters. You could use those instead of the pipe loops, then you can route the pipe however you like. You should be able to find a set of heat trap valves for ~$10.

Also, there may be alternative installation diagrams in the manufacturer's installation instructions.

Expansion tanks can be installed up, down, or on their side. However, if they're installed on their side, support is required.


Something plastic stuck in the trap of the toilet

Disassemble and demount the toilet. Remember to plug the hole, since the toilet is the trap, and that's a direct path for sewer gas. Use something really big and obvious so you can't ignore it when you go to remount the toilet (people have forgotten to take out plugs, and regretted it) such as a few plastic grocery bags or rags wadded up inside another plastic groucery bag or garbage bag (you can turn that inside out when you remove it for tidy disposal.)

Take the toilet bowl outside and turn it upside down, backside up, etc while running water from a hose into whatever opening is currently highest, and shake it around a bit as well.

If you've somehow managed to get "whatever" so stuck that you really can't get it out, you're ready for that new toilet. In any case, you need a new wax ring seal. If you manage to dislodge "whatever" you're good to reinstall the original.

Remember to remove what you have plugged the pipe with BEFORE you set the toilet in place on the new wax ring seal.


Working carpenter; I live with this on a regular basis.
You need long (3") screws in the top hinge. One is adequate, two would be better. That's it. Try to use the holes further away from the hinge barrel.
The underlying reason for this is that the people that hung your door left the short screws in place. (Prehung doors are shipped like this because people would be mad if the hinges didn't have all their screws.)
Oh, and pound the hinge pin down properly on the top hinge. That isn't the root of your problem, but it doesn't help.


Building the seat is easy, anyone with a reasonably complete tool set and any aptitude for construction could bang those together. The hardware, on the other hand, is another story. The hardware shown is a specialty item because of both its particular functionality and the rather extreme torsional load it has to deal with. The next concern is attaching the unit to the wall. Your wall's substructure might not be adequate, and if your seat is configured like the picture it almost certainly won't have studs where you need them (the middle would require 3 or 4 studs stacked together to catch both brackets). You may need to cut open the wall and beef up the substructure, or design your seat so it bears some of the load down into the floor thusly:

This layout could be built with dimensional stock and off the shelf hardware (lags, carriage bolts, etc.) but I have to admit it lacks the elegance of the floating bench.


With LEDs, 12V dimming works differently from mains dimming.

The pictures of these LEDs show they are set up just like 12 volt LED strips - 3 LEDs in series with a resistor, repeated as needed.  They also havea bridge rectifier, the angled devices in the photos, to assure they work in either polarity or on AC.

AC Mains dimmers for incandescents typically use trailing-edge triac dimming, which manipulates the AC sinewave.  Mains AC LEDs "dim" the same way. Actually they are immune to dimming, but they have some intelligence that reverse-engineers  what the triac dimmer  is trying to do, and they dim to match.

Your LEDs are not capable of this.  That doesn't make them unfit for dimming, but rather, unfit for mains style triac dimming.

In the low voltage world it is quite different.  In incandescent, there are several ways to dim, including reducing the voltage, or triac dimming again.   However, LEDs use a technique called PWM, which turns the power on and off thousands of times a second (not 100 times a second like triac dimming).

These LEDs are built to be compatible with PWM dimming. They might work somewhat with triac dimming, but I'd expect them to be shimmery since they turn instantly on/off. The seller didn't mention this because they are simply hawkers of cheap Cheese junk off Alibaba, which is direct shipped from China (or Amazon's fulfillment warehouses) to circumvent your country's quality and safety standards.  That said, those LEDs are so simple that they should work electrically even if they do fill your house with carcinogenic smoke at the first power spike.

This luminaire's dimmer is not only a triac dimmer, but is the old style that connects in series with incandescent lights. To work, it must flow a certain amount of current through the incandescent whether it's on or off, and your LEDs + 1 incandescent aren't capable of that. You could try inserting more incandescents, but that would ... defeat the purpose ...

The smarter play is to rework the luminaire to use PWM dimming.


Half burnt out LED tube lights in LED-mirror panel

Stop chasing the problem.  It is not yours to fix. It's a 100% waste of your time to try to fix it.
Simply report it again.
And this is where people go wrong.  They say "But I reported it before and they DIDN'T FIX IT therefore they are totally incompetent and I should never call them again!"
That completely misunderstands how troubleshooting works... especially when the troubleshooting is at someone else's premises where you can't just hang out for a day to see if that fixed it.  The simple fact is that technicians don't know.  The best anyone can do is make a best guess, try something, see what happens, amend their guess, and try again.  This is called iteration.
The "best guesses" are often codified on a troubleshooting flowchart from the vendor.  (or simply from experience/common sense).   Often, "whether this has succeeded" is not immediately evident; time must pass to expose whether the fix has held.  This is normal.
Happens all the time where people have a problem that will be uncovered on step E of the troubleshooting flowchart. However they keep firing the techs for incompetence when they've only reached step B or C.  Some people will spend thousands of dollars at this.
So report the problem again so the technician knows that the last thing didn't work.  Now, they will try the next step on the troubleshooting flowchart.


Door sticking, frame no longer square, is this serious?

Unfortunately, it looks like you have a structural problem in the front wall or foundation of the mudroom. This is evidenced by the severe cracking in the brick to the right of the door, as well as cracking in the concrete under your threshold and at left. The picture showing cracking to the right of your door also shows more mortar above the lowest course of bricks than in between the other courses; this suggests that this problem was patched before, but has recently gotten worse.

Considering that, it is likely that structural repairs will be needed. These could be incremental fixes, reinforcing some weak parts, or a more comprehensive fix (such as replacing the mud room's foundation or footings) could be required. Furthermore, if the failure occurred because of water/drainage problems, you will want to take corrective action there to ensure it doesn't happen again.

I would recommend you call some experienced masons and general builders to assess the situation. Because the mudroom is its own addition, the worst-case scenario is that the whole addition has to be rebuilt. More likely is that some significant foundation and masonry repairs are needed, somewhere in the $1000-3000 range. Once that's done you can do the door/carpentry fixes.

Note that this can be a complex issue to diagnose in person, let alone from pictures over the internet. You'll want to get several opinions from people who know what they're doing. A structural engineer may not be necessary, but their opinion could help you distinguish between the builders who understand what's going on and the ones who just want to sell you an overpriced patch.


How do I size this wall to make tiles look right?

It sounds like your goal is to avoid cutting any tiles in the dimension from the 48.5" + Entry (from your pictures).  12X12 tiles won't necessarily be 12".  I grabbed an extra that I had in the garage and it is actually 11.75" but is sold as a 12" tile.

As mentioned in the comments, I'd buy the tiles that you like first.  You could actually buy all the tiles you are going to need and lay them out in that area with the grout spacers (little plastic spacers that keep all the tiles evenly spaced).  Then you could pencil in your wall at exactly the location you'd need to keep from cutting tiles (in that dimension at least... you can't do much about the space between your front door and closet door).

Note that the tile shouldn't butt right against the wall.  Your floor/molding trim will cover the small gap between the tiles and the wall.

Hope that helps.  Good luck!  Tiling is actually not that bad and can be fun.


The non-contact tester isn't telling you the whole story

A circuit requires 2 functioning wires. One of them is "hot" which you are familiar with. However power has to return to complete the loop.  This is very often done with "neutral", and neutral is so near ground that it won't register with a non-contact tester.  Normally.

However, if hot is working and the socket is not, there's a good chance neutral is broken.  You can use the non-contact tester to find it.

You need a load you can plug in that is definitely turned on.  Something very simple like a heater or an incandescent light.  You plug that into the problem socket.  Now, anywhere past the neutral break, the neutral will test out as "hot".  When you find the first outlet where this is true, check it.  Also check the last "good" outlet before this point.


Heat shielding paper under radiator cover?

Yes, I believe there is a strong possibility that is asbestos.  Please get it tested and, if confirmed, professionally abated.

I believe there are some fiberglass-based products that would be a good choice today.


These are specialty brass screws used for lighting fixtures. Some of the larger home stores have a large selection of brass screws but your best bet would be to go to a commercial lighting supply store. The ones I've been in have a large selection of brass screws. Bring the lamp in with you.


How do I stick paper on the wall in a stylish manner?

This post describes a method of hanging fabric on a wall with spray starch.  The same technique may work with paper.  The benifit is easy removal without damaging the existing wall.


What is the best way to clean grout to make it white again without removing it and regrouting

Try one of the many Grout Restorers or Rejuvenators. They would bring the problem area(s) back to matching the rest of the grout. There are also Grout Coloring Kits that basically paint or stain the grout. You can luck out if a color perfectly matches your grout, but usually you'll have to do the whole floor's grout lines for everything to match. Sealing your grout is the only preventative measure you can take to avoid future situations. This paints on a clear coat & thereby removes grout's porosity. Though, it does need to be re-done every 3 to 10-years...depending on traffic.


What de-icing products can be used on a patterned concrete walkway / driveway? (Salt causes problems.)

You are right, Salt will eventually harm or "shell" concrete.  I would suggest potassium chloride. This product will de-ice down to apx 15 F and will not harm the concrete or adjoining lawns or other plantings. Potassium chloride comes in a variety of brand names and can be found at most hardware stores.  We use it all the time for roof de-icing because it will not harm roofing,siding and vegetation.


What is "code" and what should a DIYer know about it?

Codes are usually minimum safety standards.

However, in the vernacular, "code" is a loose term that includes national, state, county and local laws and ordinances that dictate or direct building practices of all kinds. The whim of the inspectors could also loosely be considered "code". Most of the time, the basis of these laws and whims are guided by or reference/include the works of standards bodies, such as the National Electrical Code, NFPA, and International Plumbing Code, to name a few.

Depending on the jurisdiction and disposition of the building inspectors, a good way to make sure you will meet code for a particular project is to ask the inspector to look at your plans before you start your work. Your mileage here will vary greatly. Some jurisdictions won't even return your calls if you're not a contractor.

A good way to plan a project is to find a book at your local hardware store on the subject. While "code" varies from place to place, there is a lot of uniformity and common ground. These practices will generally be followed in these books. In fact, many times these books address code directly. A book I recently used on deck building referenced the International Residential Code specifically in many sections when explaining a decision to be made.


How does a water-heater know when to turn on?

Yes, it's a thermostat, and there is usually a dial on the side of the tank, near the bottom, to adjust the temperature. More than likely, the water feels colder because it is traveling through uninsulated pipes and is losing much of its heat before it reaches the faucet. You can turn up the temperature of the tank, insulate the pipes (they make foam insulation that just slips over the pipe, just be sure to measure the diameter of your pipes so you get the right one), or both.

You should also consider flushing out any sediment from the bottom of the tank if it's been a while since you last did this. All you need to do is hook up a garden hose to the drain at the bottom of the tank (make sure it can take the warm water), run the other end to a floor drain or utility sink, and open the drain on the bottom of the heater. Make sure the water runs clear for a minute or two before closing the drain. To save on the gas, you can set the thermostat to only run the pilot light while you flush the sediment.


Assuming that this box isn't tied directly to a joist, then yes, a replacement bracket like you've shown could help.  Either way, you should take off the shiny bracket and confirm how this box is mounted, and check if it is sturdy or not.

However, most "wobbles" are caused by blade imbalances, not from the mounting box.  The faster they run, the more susceptible they are to wobbling.  They do have balancing kits for sale at local places usually.  They use peel and stick weights, and a slide-on clip, to help figure out where the peel-and-stick weights go on (on the side towards the ceiling of course.)

The paint "melting" look is from a previous fan being in place, and years of repainting around it got it stuck to the old escutcheon/cover plate....


LED lights strip quickly flashes and goes off

2 amps isn’t gonna do it.
Had same trouble.
With arrows aligned, got a one time flash, then nothing.

They were cheap so could be anything.
Bad battery in remote, crap connectors, broken led wires, thermo failsafe in module( kinda right)....etc.
Most would chocked it up to “you get what you pay for” and tossed them in trash and moved on with a healthy productive life.

But by then it was personal.
Was lucky enough to have bought 2 of them(10m
rbg), so was able to switch out parts and after lot of google and YouTube, learned that you need about 5-8 amps to make this work.

It was shutting down because of a power problem, but it wasn’t because it was over powered, it was cause I wasn’t giving min required workings amps.

Went from 12v2a to 12/5a and “let there be light”, all parts working.

Ps
Long span wattage drop is a thing. Don’t try to amp your way through it. Fire is not good indoor mood lighting.
Take time to research the safe way and don’t die


How to make a 6 inch hole through a brick wall for venting

It is entirely possible to construct a 6 inch hole in brickwork. The problem with a round hole rather than a square hole is where the hole cuts across joints in the masonry leaving small triangular pieces of masonry over the hole. These tend to be fairly week so are best avoided. You would therefore have to position the circular hole carefully so that is best placed not to leave small or week sections of masonry. As mentioned in other answers to get a good hole, a diamond or similar circular hole saw is the best way but at this diameter you made need a large pillar drill rig to use the hole saw and this may need to be bolted to the wall prior to making the cut.

If you can fill it a square hole then may be better. Given the diameter of the hole you are suggesting you shouldn't have any structural problems as long as you aren't right next to openings or corners in the wall. The key is to make sure that the hole doesn't leave a whole brick unsupported from below when you make the hole and with a 6" diameter this shouldn't be a problem unless your bricks are very small. The neatest way of doing this is to cut out the edges of your hole with something like a disk cutter and then use an impact hammer to chisel out the brickwork in the centre. This should leave a very neat cut.


How to resolve a drainage issue with aerator lower than the original outlet

There's a few minor things wrong with this installation, but I'm not convinced any of them being corrected will make much difference, maybe all together may make a difference?

It is always a good idea to avoid unnecessary bends in any drainage system, so the disposer outlet should go out then straight down through a 90 ell, preferably a long turn ell, into the P-trap. No other inlets or outlets here, just one pipe closed pipe into the P-trap.

There is no need for a vent on the inlet side of the trap, there should be one in the wall from the original P-trap connection. I'm assuming the new P-trap is connected to the vertical pipe used by the old P-trap, yes? If not and not vented, this is a problem that needs to be addressed. Every P-trap must have a vent on the outlet side.

The dishwasher should drain into the disposer through the small connector above the outlet. Some dishwashers do not adequately grind food waste, draining through the disposer ensures it gets done one way or another. If there is not a physical air gap fitting for the dishwasher, the flex pipe should at a minimum be attached to the underside of the counter to prevent drain back into the dishwasher from the disposer. If the disposer's dishwasher connection has never been used, there is a knock out plug inside the fitting that needs to be removed. Be sure to retrieve the plug from inside the disposer before running it.

This will give you a completely proper installation and hopefully eliminate your clogging issue.

Update

This sketch should better illustrate what I'm suggesting.

Once again, this is assuming the old trap was properly vented in the wall and the new connection ties into the vertical waste pipe of the old trap. This will mean the new trap should also be properly vented. If not properly vented, the trap will not function properly.

Update 2

Answering additional questions. Yes, venting is the big unknown. If the old trap worked well and you never noticed wastewater odors coming out of the sink drain, the venting is probably correct, especially if the new trap is tied into the same vertical waste pipe. If the new line went off somewhere else I'd be more concerned. It looks to me like you tied into a former cleanout formed by a vertical tee, in which case I am extremely confident all is well.

The air gap is required by some codes to make it impossible for sink waste to get into the dishwasher. This is important because of the potable water connection in the dishwasher. There is a slight chance of cross contamination without an air gap. If the waste pipe is merely fastened close to the underside of the countertop, this achieves a very similar effect with a high point, though cross contamination possibility goes from impossible to highly improbable. If the waste pipe were to go straight into the disposer without a air gap or high point, the cross contamination possibility becomes real. Even though the chance is still slight, the fact it is possible is something that for me is disgusting to even think about. Old food bits in drinking water? Ewww!

Pipe F. No, do not remove this. Hard to tell from the photo, but it appears you can just rotate the U trap portion anti-clockwise so that it's inlet is aligned directly below the ell outlet. By rotating the U portion and/or the disposer itself, you can achieve any sort of alignment required. Only the length of the outlet pipe from the disposer would need actual cutting (and the vertical pipe into the trap inlet of course). The horizontal pipe I drew going into the wall is not required, I didn't have your photo up for reference when I did the sketch, which I see now was a mistake. Sorry. Don't do that, leave that portion as it is. As long as the fittings connect together as shown, the actual lengths of pipe in between, or if there is no pipe at all, none of that matters.


Is it normal for acrylic caulk to dissolve?

Acrylic caulks and paints, etc. are water-based. If you can clean them up easily with water than that's a pretty good sign that they are water-soluble.

Your caulk should be water-proof if fully cured. If you applied the caulking very thick or if the temperature is cool, it could take longer than the specified time to cure. Also, I don't think these are designed to be used in a situation of standing or pooling water.

  "Will silicone stick to the acrylic caulk? Can I dry it out and use silicone on top of the corner now to get me by for several years? Would a marine epoxy be a better solution in that corner?"

You should have used 100% silicone. If you can find an epoxy that is flexible, then that might also be an option. That joint should not be solid/rigid.

Since you don't want to redo it, you should wait longer to see if it is just not fully cured. If still no good, you can try silicone over the acrylic caulk to help prevent it from dissolving. However, since that is just going to be a thin layer instead of a full bead it will be hard to guarantee a good seal.


What could be causing cold water to enter my hot water tank?

If water is flowing back through the hot line with the shut off valve closed on the cold (inlet)line would indicate a leak in the tank or a faulty shut-off valve not completely closing. If the supply valve is off (closed) water flow stops. Check for air in the tank by opening the pressure+ relief valve with the cold valve shut. Water should sputter from it (hot! be careful) or air, initially and than water.    Also, if possible, check for a H+C pipe reversal along the out going tank line. Primary locations to check would be the fixtures you are opening to increase the hot water temperature.


Can my panel support a 60A circuit for EV charging?

You're putting a 60A breaker in a 100A panel. That's fine.
The total of the breakers is more than the panel, because we assume every circuit will not be drawing full power at the same time. That's fine.
But if you use everything at once it may trip your 100A service. Unlikely, but possible.
When do you plan to upgrade to 200A?
Obviously you need to run 60A wire to your charger, and keeping that run as short as possible will save $$ in wire and voltage drop. Comment above about thicker wire is absolutely correct.
UNLESS code in your area requires a sub panel (I would have to look up the code) you don't need it for the electrons.
Free access to NEC at NFPA
You will NOT, of course, replace the 20/20 breaker with a 60/60 and connect to the old 12ga wire. But you knew that. That answer missed the point.


Multi-home Utillity Alley Potholes - fix it my self or is there someone to call?

First step will be determining who owns the land. I'd start by contacting the landlord, as they should know who owns the land. Depending on where you live, the city/town hall should have lot surveys (these are required at the time of sale, in some areas). So if the landlord doesn't know who owns it, you should be able to look it up.

If it's an easement, maintenance likely falls to the property owner.  If it's outright owned by a utility, then it should be the utilities responsibility.  In all cases, it's almost never a renters responsibility.


Distance between floor and breaker panel?

I don't think there's a minimum height, but there's a maximum height for breaker handles.

240.24 Location in or on Premises.
(A) Accessibility. Overcurrent devices shall be readily accessible and shall be installed so that the center of the grip of the operating handle of the switch or circuit breaker, when in its highest position, is not more than 2.0 m (6 ft 7 in.) above the floor or working platform...

So for a main breaker panel, where the main breaker is at the top. The center of the main breaker handle, cannot be higher than 6' 7".
Check with the local building department, as they may have a minimum height.
Practically speaking, you'll want it at a comfortable height to work in. You're not going to want to sit, or kneel on the floor while working in the panel.


Bathroom light not working but extractor fan is

SELV 12 means it is a 12-volt device.

Your "voltage screwdriver" is not suitable for testing low voltages like this.

The wiring should be as follows

Note this shows a main bathroom-light as well as a low-voltage light inside the fan unit.

Your pull-cord switch operates at 240VAC.

The Transformer does not supply power to the main bathroom-light. Only to the SELV light inside the fan-unit (where applicable).

The usual reason for lights not lighting is that the light-bulb needs replacing. You don't say whether you have replaced the bulb or tested it.

You can check the 12v connections using a more suitable voltage tester (with a 12V capability but safe for 240VAC)


Ceiling Fan - Single Switch, but Dual Switch installation

This doesn't make sense:

"Fan & light work fine from one switch...... Do I have to rewire it for single switch "

Do you mean they work fine from there respective switch? If so then your OK to leave it as is. Just remember that the outlet is also controlled when the fan (or light) is on.


Because continuity, alone, is an indicator of nothing.

Actually, you've got way too much continuity!  But you are not testing for that.   You should test the resistance of the coil, better, measure its inductance.  Not happy stuff.

This is the crux of your problem.  You have a shorted coil.  It's very obvious, from the big arc flash coming from the receptacle, that the coil is much lower impedance than it should be.   That kind of arc flash is TROUBLE and you should not provoke it.

The arc flash occurring at  the coil itself is telling you what's gone wrong.  Some of the varnish insulation has failed and coils are shorting.  You need to rewind this motor.


How can I get this elbow off my shower drain, or do I need to replace the entire assembly?

Yes there is a way to do this with out removing the tub. You will need to be very careful doing it though as you could end up doing more work if you do not use care.

Get yourself a 3 inch cutoff wheel and cut a slot on the outside of the elbow perpendicular to the threads, take care not to cut all the way to the threads - you only want to get CLOSE - like a 1/16th or 1/8th away from the threads of the inner pipe.
You will need to do this in at least 2 places but given that elbow (thanks for posting a picture) - most likely 4 places. Once you do that you can use a pry bar or screw driver to push the lip of the elbow away from the threads - this will break it free enough to allow you to remove the elbow. Kind of like peeling back an onion ...

Remember when you are close to those going through the elbow to the threads - STOP. That way you do not harm the threads on the other pipe. A small nick will not be a problem but cutting those threads might create a leakage issue.


Condensation at roof, down outside of furnace/water heater vent. What is happening?

What is happening, you have diagnosed correctly, in my opinion.

How to fix it, not so well.

The standard projection for chimneys from roofs is "2 feet above any part of the roof within 10 feet", or in this case, 2 feet above the ridge. You need to extend the "actual chimney" to meet this (IMHO) not cut down the sleeve to meet the "too short chimney." The chimney should extend higher than the "sleeve" and have a rain collar to divert any water coming down the chimney outside the sleeve.


How can I get the maximum light while avoiding heat from a window?

To reduce heat gain from the sun, you need a window with a good "low e" rating (also called low emissivity). You can get similar results on an existing window by adding a film that reflects IR.

You also want multi-layer windows to block heat transmission (a lower U value is better, it's the inverse measurement of an R value you see on insulation). And finally, you should make sure that the window has good weather stripping to block any drafts, causing a direct heat loss/gain to your home.

Here's an article that describes this in more detail.


If your floor was finished in the last few decades, it is likely that the finish is polyurethane. Do not wax polyurethane! There are a number of cleaners made for polyurethane floors that may remove some surface material that dulls a finish, but does not leave a residue.

Large area - If the finish in the large areas is dulled from abrasion, the only treatment that will restore the overall shine level is screening the whole room (or at least a large defined area up to an edge where a slight shift in gloss will not offend).

This is a process of slight abrasion using a commercial buffing machine (rented from a home center) that takes off the gloss of the whole floor. It is much less intense than a complete sanding and refinishing. The floor is then cleaned thoroughly and refinished with a new topcoat of polyurethane.

Paint globs - The paint globs must be chipped up. You could try a flexible bladed putty knife slid under the edge.  If that is not successful, scraping carefully and gently on the top of the paint blob until you just get down to the finish, sometimes the thin last layer will flake away from the finish without much damage.

If the finish is damaged under the blobs, a light sanding followed by a feathered brushing of new polyurethane (of the same gloss as the floor) should cure it. It might be a bit shinier that the surrounding area, but it will dull a bit over time, or you could dull it down after it is well cured with a gently rub of an abrasive dish pad.

Stair edges - The stair edges should be sanded overall, onto the stair tread by about 1". You can use masking tape to make the sanding and subsequent refinishing straight and even. Use several coats of new finish on the edge.  When dry, remove the tape. The transition from the old finish to the new on a stair edge will not be very noticeable. Again, you can use a mildly abrasive pad to soften the transition.


Tips for measuring a front door opening?

The only info you need to order a new door is the actual door measurement.  36"X81" for example.  The term rough opening refers to the actual stud frame opening which you cannot see or measure with the existing door jams and trim installed. If you are concerned if your rough opening is large enough, you will need to remove the interior trim to see exactly where the studs and leader are. The exterior trim (usually brickmold ) is usually part of the prehung unit and attached when you get the new door unit.


Plywood vs cement board for shower alcove

is there any reason to not go through with the plywood?

Yes, the reason is that the manufacturer of the waterproof membrane you say you intend to use (Aquadefense) forbids the use of plywood as a substrate for tile on an interior vertical surface. You can only use it on horizontal surfaces like countertops and floors, and only in dry areas, not showers.


If the pieces are naturally pulling out like that, it appears to be warping as well.  The temperatures are certainly contributing to the problem but, in my opinion, there are probably 2 other factors.  One  being moisture and the other being the quality of construction.

The piece appears to be made of engineered wood.  Engineered wood (particle board, press board, or whatever name you prefer to use) is like most other materials in that it has various grades.  Some high quality grades and some low quality grades.  This appears to be a very porous lower quality grade.  Most engineered woods do not hold mechanical fasteners well (nails & screws), so they rely on glue, which is fine when done well.  In this case, I would guess the porous engineered wood is retaining moisture along with the heat and breaking down the glue bond and allowing the piece to come apart.

Now that I have bored you nearly to death, what do we do about it.  I am assuming you do not want to drive nails or screws through the visible finished surface.  You can try gluing it back together but it will need to be clamped tightly and allowed to fully cure.  You will need to get in there with a glue brush or strip of cardboard and spread the glue evenly on both surfaces.  Perhaps that will hold, (maybe for a year, maybe for ten) and you will have only invested in the very best bottle of glue you can get your hands on.  If you can get behind the skirt boards under the top, you may be able to glue in some support blocking, again clamping securely and allowing to fully cure.

If that doesn't work, you may have to invest in a table that is made of materials more resilient to the environment of your conservatory.  Best of luck!


Will a combo afci/gfci breaker solve my light switch neutral issue

You can't run cables "in a loop" like that
The root problem is in the way you have wired this.  The layout of the circuit describes a big circle (or possibly two circles), and you're just plucking the wires you want out of "whatevah" cable, as if this was DC wiring or something :)  It's not. AC behaves differently and you must follow different rules.
Code (NEC 300.3) requires your cabling to be in a "tree" topology, with unlimited branches but no loopbacks.   So you will need to modify the cable topolgy to be a tree by abandoning certain cables... and as necessary either change certain cables to /3, or change the smart switches to ones that can work without neutral.
The GFCI is "keeping you honest", and you should not remove it. You should correct the wiring defects.
Correct:

This assumes proper cabling methods are being used. Part of the problem here is you are drawing a schematic which is generally not helpful in AC mains wiring.  We need to see a wiring diagram which shows routes.  Note that here, I have altered the schematic to look more like a wiring diagram.
Now you're playing with power
"One of the great challenges in this world is knowing enough about a subject to think you're right, but not enough about the subject to know you're wrong".  - Neil Degrasse Tyson
That statement pretty much defines "electronics types" trying to do home wiring.
They are proud of their EE education and think that ought to make home wiring easy.   It's not.  You have to learn a whole new world that's all about stuff you are used to shining on: wiring methods, equipment certifications, route topology, and 1000 other rules.  And just the fact that AC power behaves differently in several aspects than friendly low-voltage DC.
This stuff makes the difference between a safe and unsafe installation.


Do the breaker amp readings sum up to dictate my current panels total / possible amperage?

I've labeled your photo, which might help you understand what's going on.

The Panel Rating
The panel is rated to support 125 amperes, when connected to a 120/240 volt 3 wire system. This means that 125 amperes can flow through each of the upper bus bars and each main lug, without anything melting or catching fire.
The Upper Section
The top two double pole breakers are before the "main" disconnect, which means they will always have power when the wires feeding the panel have power. I'm guessing there is a disconnect ahead of this panel, maybe at the meter or as a standalone disconnect. Based on their size, I'm guessing one (50A) is for an electric stove, electric heater, or maybe a subpanel. The other (30A) is likely for a dryer, water heater, subpanel, or some other appliance.
The Lower Section
The next double pole breaker (50A) controls the flow of electricity to the lower section of the panel. Unlike the double pole breakers above, this one should not have any terminals where wires can connect. The lower section is rated for a maximum of 100 amperes, so the breaker protecting it must be 100 amp or less (50A in your case).
Branch Circuit Section
The lower section (highlighted in purple) is where the branch circuit breakers connect, and has a maximum breaker size of 70 amperes.  This means the largest breaker that can be connected in this section, is a 70A breaker.
Upgrade Required?
Since there is only a single available slot (3), it's not likely a central A/C system could be connected without moving things around (at the very least). Upgrading the panel might be your only option, but it would depend on the existence (or lack thereof) of a sub panel, and the existing service provided to the building (and availability of services in the area).
A subpanel may be an option, however, it would require more information than you have provided here.
Depending on the service provided to the building, upgrading the panel may include an upgrade to the service.  Installing a new 125A panel is useless, if you don't also have the service upgraded to support 125 amperes.
To determine if an upgrade is required, contact a local licensed Electrician to do a load calculation on the building.
Breakers Protect Downstream Wiring
Short-circuit and/or overcurrent protection devices (breakers, fuses, etc.), are designed to protect the wiring downstream (after them in the circuit). For example. If your panel did have a main breaker, it would be sized to protect the panel wiring. The breaker would not be sized to protect the wiring feeding the panel or anything before the breaker, only the wiring after the breaker.
Summing Up Breaker Ratings Means Nothing
If you total up the rating of the breakers in the branch circuit sub-section, you'll find that you have 85A on leg A, and 105A on leg B.  Which means... Well, absolutely nothing.  The only limitations here are that there can only be as many breakers as will physically fit, and no one breaker can be larger than 70A.
If more than 15 amperes flow through the breaker in slot 4 , that breaker will trip (open). This protects the wiring connected to that breaker.  If more than 50 amperes flow through any combination of breakers on either leg A or B in the branch circuit sub-section, the sub- section breaker will trip (open).  This protects the wiring between the sub-section breaker, and the branch circuit breakers.
You could theoretically. have breakers totaling 1,000,000A. It still wouldn't matter, as long as you have proper overcurrent protection.

If I've missed anything, or haven't explained something properly. Feel free to ask additional questions, or point out mistakes in the comments below.


If you want to install it yourself, great. But I suggest you start by having an engineer look at the application and calculate your requirements. Could be well worth the investment.


Do you see the screws that hold the slide attached to the drawer? One cause of stuck-drawer I've experienced is that those screws can back out far enough that the screw head engages with one of the many holes in the fixed track inside the cabinet.

A possible first step is to understand (figure out) what is mechanically holding the drawer stuck in this position. Several useful tools come to mind.

your fingers. It appears the space below the stuck drawer is open, and the drawer slide is on the lower edge of the drawer. Feel around all sides of the slide mechanism on both sides. Compare to the feeling of another, non-stuck drawer. Notice the protrusions, dimples, shapes, etc.
a probe instrument. This might be as simple as a thin piece of wire, a bit of paper or cardstock, etc. Maneuver it into the gap between the fixed and moving pieces of the drawer slide and move it along between the front roller and the drawer roller. Check the slide on each side of the drawer. Do you notice a difference between the two? A difference between these and a non-stuck drawer?
a visual tool. Maybe low-tech like a pocket mirror and a flashlight, maybe the front or rear camera of a smart phone, or even a borescope/endoscope camera (inexpensive, small, USB digital cameras can be found online at relatively low cost). Inspect the slides visually for any obstruction.

After you've understood how/why the drawer is stuck, or if you decide to proceed blindly, you might try techniques such as prying between the two pieces of the slide to un-bind them, or pushing/pulling harder on the drawer face in hopes of breaking whatever is holding it stuck.


You can achieve this in several ways.

The most brain bending method :-) is to use two SPDT (2-way / changeover) switches.

This is a standard item, but this is a not too usual means of connection. Note that terminals should be sleeved with appropriate colours as electricians may at first be confused with the arrangement.

Connect thusly :

When both switches are "up" neither device is powered.

When SWA is down live is connected to the light AND also to the fan via SWB top contact.

When SWA is up and SWB is down live is connected to the fan via SWB lower.

When both switches are down the light is powered by SWA and the fan is powered by SWB.

______________________________________

If only SPST switches are available then.

Use switches A & B - each SPST, and a SPST relay.

Switch A operates Fan.

Switch B operates Light and Relay. Relay operates fan.


Voltage application of 8’ is considered protected by elevation.
infact live parts can be considered protected above 8’ 50-300v.
8’7” is good for 1000v these are live parts see NEC 110.27.
Beyond that ask the inspector to cite the code reference.
There is no code reference that states all horizontal runs require protection.
Look at the code for a crawl space or a basement attic both are horizontal runs that usually are below 8’ and permitted on surface runs per NEC 334.15.
The exact height for protection from physical damage is not listed and I have provided multiple examples where protection by elevation is allowed and exposed nmb is allowed below the height you have.


Adding a weather proof box at the tub is legal.


Are there any non-cosmetic differences among quartz countertops?

If you are going with quartz I suggest Silestone. I worked with it for years and it is very consistent.


How to remove this hinge to remove box cover

According to the installation instructions (found here), there is a cover in the center that is removed, then two pins pull out, allowing the box cover to be removed.  Once removed, there are 4 bolts in the corners of the box holding the face plate on.


How to mount handrail brackets to a concrete block wall?

I'd go with hex head tap cons.  Pre drill the holes.  If you are really worried then get some epoxy and put this into the hole before fastening - this is how rebar is inserted after the fact in structural applications.

If you want it to look perfect then probably choose whatever fastener look bests based on the bracket and drill a hole smaller than the fastener, ensure you blow the dust out of it and put structural epoxy into the hole.  For ~$150 you can get the two part caulk gun and the epoxy.  Something like this :

https://www.dhcsupplies.com/store/p/2464-SET-XP-22oz-Epoxy-Tie-Adhesive-with-Nozzle.html
https://www.dhcsupplies.com/store/p/468-EDT22S-22oz-Manual-Epoxy-Dispensing-Tool.html


Zoned heating system very warm even without heat on upstairs?

Shutting some internal doors might help. Especially the door to the room upstairs with the return vent, to avoid pulling hot air upstairs. Anywhere air can get out upstairs (e.g. bathroom extractors, trickle vents) can encourage convection too.

If there's heat in the downstairs hallway you might want to restrict it. I have had to do this with our (wet) heating system otherwise the master bedroom gets too hot. Heat from near the bottom of the stairs goes straight up. You may need to improvise, at least for testing.

Ceiling mounted warm air vents and their ducting have to be well insulated to avoid acting as underfloor heating for the floor above, and yours probably aren't. Feel the floor and you may be able to tell where the ducts run.


Why does the cold water pipe rattle when my washing machine is set to hot?

Its called "water hammering".   You will need to have a water hammer suppressor installed.    You can buy one that simply screws on to the faucet and then you connect your washer hose to it.

You can buy them at your local hardware store such as Home Depot, Lowes, Ace Hardware, or any other hardware store of your choice.

Here is a link to describe the science behind it
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_hammer


How can I stop our duct work "pinging" at night?

Sometimes ductwork under pressure and heat can experience a sudden deformation commonly referred to as oil-canning.  This is where large rectangular pieces of box ducts have stiffening ribs formed into them to prevent deflection under pressure.
If a particular panel is installed in just the right (or wrong) way, it can temporarily flex when it warms up.  It's usually coincident with a loud ping as described.  It generally repeats when the heating cycle ends, it cools down and it returns to its original shape.  If you can find the specific duct portion that's doing it, you can stop it by gluing a damping plate (piece of plywood or steel) to the outside face of the offending duct panel.


This is not a great design.

The exact weight of concrete required to keep this from tipping over depends on how far out the load is suspended. If we assume you are hanging the load 24” from the post (18” from the edge of the concrete) you will need about 3X the weight of the load: 600 lbs of concrete. In a 12” diameter cylinder you would need the concrete to be more than 5 feet tall (assuming your concrete weighs 150 lbs/cu-ft). If you went up to a 24” diameter base the situation is a lot better because you have more concrete and more leverage, but I am not sure if the post would really be stable in such a large block of concrete without reinforcement.

There is also the issue of the serious amount of bending you are putting on a 4x4. This is not an axial load.

I would recommend another design. Either put supports on both sides (like a swing set) or stabilize the post with guy-wires into the ground.


Add a treadmill and refrigerator to the wall outlet in my garage without tripping any circuit breakers?

As a renter, your "work" can only consist of trying to track down what the actual relationship of circuits to locations is (see if there's another spot that "looks like" it could have had a washer/dryer, for instance) and trying the devices you want to run on the outlets you want to run them on to see if a breaker trips, or not - given that modern refrigerators are usually small loads (mine does 50-60W unless it's defrosting at 200W) your main likely issue with overloading would be don't wash and dry and treadmill at the same time.
We have some previous questions and answers about tracking down circuits. Labelling is often outdated or wrong - just be systematic and make a note of what breaker affects each device location.
Any electrical work on a rental has to be done by a licensed electrician (as others already commented.)


echo Michael.  I've used Laticrete's SpectraLock..  There's a lot of engineering there to allow water based haze removal (OK, you do need to add white vinegar, very cheap and non-toxic).  Spectralock installation

Off-the-shelf epoxy is going to require a solvent based haze removal (usually lacquer thinner, acetone, or alcohol)..  much more hazardous (indoors you'll need an organic respirator) and adds to the cost.  Checkout West Systems how to use instructions and videos.

Its doable, but...how many experimental batches are needed to verify proper resin/hardner.filler(grout) ingredient mixes so you get a mix that looks and performs like you want..  There goes your savings..

In the business of grouting tile?  might be worth it.  Doing a one off for a kitchen/bath..  buy a product backed by a warranty, videos, other users (like John Bridges' forum).


single handle shower faucet sticking - can I fix without turning water off?

That is a Moen brand shower valve. It has a cartridge (plastic or brass) that inserts into the valve body, retained by a "U" shaped clip. The cartridges get sticky over time which can be remedied with waterproof plumber's grease but I would probably replace the whole cartridge.

The water needs to be turned off but you may be able to do it right at the unit. Smart builders/plumbers frequently install shower valves with built-in shut off valves, for apartments and condos. These are called "integral stop" valves.

Remove the knob and trim plate to see if there are integral stops on the hot and cold water supplies, they will be a part of the shower valve and will look something like this:

The small stems with the slots are the stop valves, which can be operated with a screwdriver. If you do not see the integral stops, the main water supply needs to be shut off prior to servicing the cartridge.


Condenser dual capacitors - run or start?

A dual run capacitor is always a run capacitor. HERM is the run capacitor for the compressor and fan is the run capacitor for the fan. Common completes the circuit to both. They are essentially 2 separate capacitors and could be split into 2 capacitors at a later date if you couldn’t find the right dual capacitor. Dual capacitors are usually used to save space and cost of manufacturing. Not all air conditioners have start capacitors. Depending on whether or not the engineer feels a start capacitors necessary will determine if yours has a start capacitor or not. Since a start capacitor can only stay in the circuit for a split second without burning out the motor it will always be attached to a device to take it out of the circuit like a potential relay or a solid state relay. The only time I ever add a start capacitor to a system is if the bearings are tight and the start capacitor is a stop gap measure before getting a new compressor but I let the owner know there are no guarantees. I have had some last years this way and others fail within a day. I have also installed a few when they were dimming the lights significantly on startup but this was only after conferring with the manufacturer first.


IMO - It shouldn't be ridiculous to tear up any and all linoleum and tile with a good floor scraper down to the subfloor. Then a nice piece of plywood cut to fit and a bit of paint is a great way to go.

Otherwise, I'd mix up a batch of a Floor Leveling Compound, then a nice piece of linoleum (sometimes had for free as a drop from your local flooring depot).

I'm tend to lean on the "just tear it all out" kind of project, but a leveling compound will not only give you a level floor, it will definitely fill any gaps, crevices, etc.


How much power do LED smart bulb wireless control systems consume when the light is turned off?

The specs are out there, just not always so easy to find. For example, one Philips Hue is rated at 9.5W with max. standby of 0.2W. (Click "The bulb" on the right side under Technical Specifications).

Using this bulb as an example, if it actually uses the full 0.2W all the time, 18H x 365D x 0.2W = 1,314 Wh per year. If your electricity costs 0.10/kWh, that's 13 cents per year for the 18 hours of standby vs. $2.08 for the 6 hours of light.


Does my travertine-tiled shower have thin set leaking out the bottom?

I suspect that's butyl sealant that a lazy installer used to prevent moisture from wicking up behind the tile, avoiding a trip to the hardware store. You might carefully trim it off with a razor blade and cover it with what should have been used in the first place: "tub & tile caulk".

Thinset has only two consistencies: powdery when dry and concrete-like after exposure to moisture.


The lamp is defective so return it for a replacement.

If you search on Google for "mainstay LED desk lamp" you will quickly see that this is a relatively inexpensive light and so trying to repair it is next to impractical. A light like this that directly connects to the AC mains:

...will have an electronic circuit board inside that converts the line voltage to the low voltage for the operation of the LED(s). That circuit appears to be bad and I can tell you that they are often really low quality so a faulty one is not surprising.


Why does my furnace only work after power reset?

Your furnace controller board is very likely indicating a trouble situation and shutting itself down. This is the equivalent of a car turning on its check engine light and not wanting to move. Shutting the main power off clears the error code and allows it to work temporarily but doesn’t fix what’s actually at fault.

First, change out your furnace filter. Many error codes are simply because the homeowner never changed the  filter. Check the manual to see if there’s a filter timer reset button.

If the shutdowns still happen then the next time the furnace shuts down, keep the power on to the furnace so that you can read the error code. Your furnace should have a visible status led that is blinking (otherwise carefully take the cover off your furnace, avoiding any live wires, and look at the controller board). Count how many times the status led is blinking  each cycle (sometimes how quickly it is flashing is also important). Reference your service manual to diagnose the error code. You may have a faulty sensor, sticky motor, bad controller board, too many closed dampers, a blocked air return, incomplete combustion, cracked heat exchanger, blocked condensate line, etc etc. some of these things are life-critical situations. The blickenlights will tell you.

Ps. Since this is a gas furnace, make sure your carbon monoxide detectors are working and don’t continue to operate it in this unstable and potentially dangerous state. It could be leaking carbon monoxide into your home which leads to permanent nighty-nights.


What happens when connecting two hot wires on same switch?

Nothing
Two hots of same circuit - nothing should happen.
Two hots of same leg but different circuits (i.e., 2 different fuses or breakers) - nothing should happen in most cases, but if you have GFCI protection either at the panel or upstream of at least one of the wires and any devices on (besides this nonfunctional switch) then the GFCI may detect that the hot (now coming from two different circuits) doesn't balance the neutral (on the circuit the GFCI is protecting) and trip. I'm not 100% certain of that, and I certainly wouldn't do such a thing deliberately (or any other mode of "wire up the switch with two hots"). This can also lead to imbalance between pairs of hot/neutral (even though the total of all hots == total of all neutrals) which is why this is something you should never do.
However:

Hot to neutral or hot to ground - short circuit which should blow fuse or trip breaker
Hots from two different legs - not sure but I wouldn't try it.


Does always-on safety lighting need a switch or other requirement?

There's no code problem having a light on 24 hrs and switched at the breaker, but the breaker must be switch rated. Most new breakers are rated as such. You can check on one side of the breaker there will be a circle with the letters SWD stamped inside of it.


Is it possible to convert a 3 way switch circuit into two 3 way circuits?

There's no problem doing what you want.  Just make sure the junction is in a box, and the box is proper size and accessible.


How can I remove a moisture mark from a wooden table?

I have read that an iron can help lift those water marks off the table. If I remember correctly...

Lay a dry cloth over the mark
Heat the iron with the steam turned off
Briefly iron the spot, gradually increasing the length of time you apply the heat

I haven't tried it myself, so try it at your own risk.


Where to attach the c-wire inside Goodman GMP100-4 Furnace

That black box in the top left is the 24vac transformer that powers the circuits of the furnace.  The blue wire that appears to have a brown ground wire piggy-backing onto it is what the C wire needs to connect to.  Sometimes there is a connector exposed on the circuit board for a C-wire connection, but not always.

If there's no other place to connect the C-wire, under that ground wire screw would be once place to connect it.

Use the blue wire in your thermostat wiring for the C-wire - that's the common color for it.  Don't use the black.

On second look at the pictures...  The leftmost wire nut in the bottom of the pictures has a thick bluish wire that goes up to a ground screw and a small red wire that goes somewhere else.  You could tie the C-wire in that connection rather than trying to put it under a ground screw yourself.


Can I add grout to existing grout to raise the level?

Yes. It should bond well assuming 1) the grout is still clean, and 2) you clear the surface of dust and debris. However, if the depth you're filling is extremely shallow, you may be better off in the long term by grinding most of the existing grout out first. Very thin layers of cementious material tend to flake away over time.


Where should this seal ring from a syphon go?

I'm not sure due to different terminology but I think you're referring what we call where I live a p-trap. If so, the washer is most likely the slip-joint washer as seen in this photo:

There is one where the tailpiece connects the trap as well as one where the elbow connects to the trap's outlet. This second joint will always have to hold water as the trap remains filled past this point.

If this is not what you are referring to, a picture would help.


Furnace getting power, but heat/AC not kicking on. LED on board is not lighting up. Thinking the transformer is gone

Follow-up and answer:

Replacing the transformer resolved the issue of the board not getting power. Once the transformer was replaced I swapped in a new fuse and it started up. On a hunch I plugged in the old transformer again and fuse blew. So the transformer was definitely a problem.

For anyone with a Trace XE90 looking to replace the transformer powering the control board: you will need to mount the transformer in a new location as the transformer's form factor is different from what original shipped in the furnace, still the same product but a new form factor.

This did not completely resolve my problem however, as now I am blowing a fuse whenever I make a call for heat. Next step is to pull everything involved in heat from the board and add one back at a time until the fuse blows.


An extra long closet and the rod, mounted in concrete, keeps falling off.

If you want it to be bomb proof, (and why wouldn't you?)  you could cut two 2x4s to the height of the rod, drill holes near the top of them, run the rod through those holes, and screw the 2x4s into the wall with a few tapcons or other concrete screw.  The 2x4 will carry the weight to the floor, the screws will just hold them in place on the wall.  You'll be able to go pretty heavy.  (The bottom end of the 2x4s will rest on the ground.)


How practical is it is use a 6 Terminals junction box to extend a ring main?

I don't know about the inspection issue, but personally I'd be wary about using a single 6 terminal block to extend the ring.

I assume you are breaking into the ring at a single location and inserting a loop to the new socket(s) you are installing. In that case I'd use two 3 terminal boxes at each end. Depending on the length of cable and number of sockets I might be tempted to install spurs, but that is just me.

However, I would suggest that you consult an electrician to see what the approved method is. The last thing you want is to have to redo the wiring when you come to sell the house. The easiest way is to get a quote and have the electrician explain what he's proposing to do.


All and all it looks good!

Regarding the Powder Room:

It is totally fine to join the powder room and laundry room on the same branch (as in your last picture). In addition, if the height is limited, instead of using a 3x2 sanitary tee on the vertical pipe to the toilet, you can use a 3x2 wye on the horizontal pipe before the toilet 90° to connect the sink and still vent the toilet.

Back to Back Sinks:

Yes, you can install sinks back to back. The fitting used here is a double sanitary tee or sometimes referred to as a sanitary cross.

Additional Comments

Note that some locations require that there is a fire-rated separation between the garage and the rest of the house. You can still penetrate the wall but you may be required to provide an approved fire stopping around the penetration. What you use will depend on how the wall is constructed and the drainage materials used. The same would apply to the water pipe penetrations.

Where I live we cannot use 90° elbows when transitioning from vertical to horizontal. We are required to use two 45° elbows. It's a bit silly, as we can use a hub x hub 45° and a fitting x hub 45° together and get close to the same radius as a short sweep 90°, but code is code. I know that many other jurisdictions/codes allow the use of long sweep 90° elbows for vertical to horizontal transitions.


I would not bother with used pad . You can get new inexpensive rubber pad of the appropriate thickness  when you need it.  I have reused older type pads , you can never get them clean; dirt goes through the carpet into the pad. And , I have used new pad trimmings for attic supplemental insulation , again ,the used pads are dirty.


How to fix water leak coming from pressure gauge/valve on water tank?

The hole is to provide atmospheric pressure inside as a reference for the gauge.  That is, the pressure indicated is relative to ambient pressure.  Or, in other words, the gauge indicates how much more pressure there is inside the pipe than outside the gauge.

If the gauge is leaking through the air vent, it is time to replace the gauge.  The internal mechanism has failed, probably by rusting through or otherwise breached the pressure-sensing diaphragm.

Freezing conditions could well stress the gauge possibly due to a little ice build up.

Yes, this is something most anyone can do.  Turn off the pump and relieve the pressure in the line (open a faucet).  Using a wrench, vicegrip, or similar tool, unscrew the gauge assembly (gauge plus its short input pipe).  Using the tool, grasp the gauge's pipe which comes out below it.  There should be a four- or six-sided grip (turn it counter-clockwise as seen from above.

If it has been installed for a long time (years), it will be reluctant to turn at first.  A longer handled tool will provide more torque, but take care to provide counter-torque to the pipe it is screwed into to prevent damaging other parts of the plumbing.  (Provide counter-torque with another wrench or tool attached to the plumbing near where the gauge is screwed into.  If the wrenches are about 90° relative to each other, it is convenient and efficient to twist them opposite to each other so that the water pipe experiences greatly lessened torque.)

Once you have the old gauge assembly out, take it to the parts store for a suitable replacement.  Consider using a fine wire brush to clean the seat (the threaded hole the gauge is screwed into); Teflon tape makes it easier to insert the new gauge.

I wouldn't wait long; do it in the next few days.  It will leak more and more the longer you wait.


You need a power supply which provides 12 volts DC. Given a sensible margin for safety and expansion, I would go with a

15 watt unit for 1 light
30 watt unit for 2 lights
45 watt unit for 3 lights.

The main thing is making sure the power supply unit is legal to connect in bousehold wiring, depending on how power is being supplied to it.  It might be a unit that bolts into a 1/2" knockout, or mounts on a junction box faceplate, etc.


If the power at the pump is correct you may have a bad pump. To verify, check the following 3 things:

There are usually fuses to protect the wiring. Are they good?
Are the motor leads correct (low voltage, high voltage)? If not connected properly the stator windings wont spin the rotor.
Is the startup capacitor good (where applicable)?

Whatever you do don't dry spin the pump (power without water) or you will damage the shaft seal (pump to motor) and it will leak.


How do you expand an existing patio while retaining look, structure & level?

Use a level, and compact the base to the correct level so that when bricks are placed on it the resulting surface will be level. Choice of levels ranges from surveyor's total station on down to water in a clear hose. The aim is the same in all cases. Note that the patio may not really be "level" - it should have a very slight slope away from the house to aid in directing surface runoff, as should the new section.

Your title but not the body of your question mentioned retaining the look - that may be the hardest part - finding brick to match old brick is a challenge, particularly if your home is relatively old. You may be able to find a construction materials salvage yard with old brick.

As for maintaining the structure, dig down and see how the old one is built, and match that.


Make a wooden swing with material constraints

Yes, two 4x4’s would work fine to support two swings, provided 1) lumber is “Select Structural” grade and 2) fastened so they don’t rotate.

1) Make sure there are no large knot holes so that it is of the highest grade of lumber.

2) The “beam” is strongest when the 4x4’s are stacked on top of each other.

To test my calculations, I’d try testing them out on some short blocks with a couple of children standing/sitting on them.


Do receptacles require a 20 ampere breaker?

Answer based on the NEC in the US.

In some areas with local amendments to the NEC maybe, but it's not an across the board code requirement.

There are areas in a home that do require 20A circuits, such as bathroom receptacles, laundry receptacle(s), kitchen/DR/pantry receptacles. Other areas such as garages, utility rooms and unfinished basements it is definitely a good idea.

Personally I do most receptacle circuits on 20A, but this is not a hard and fast rule for me.


What's this part on my water main and could it be making a consistent tapping noise?

That is nothing.  It's just a tee fitting with a short piece of pipe that is capped off.  That shouldn't make any sounds or cause any issue.  As for why it is there - no telling.  Installer could have ran out of couplings and had a tee handy, or read a diagram wrong and thought there needed to be a tap there.


Installing a light designed to be hard wired as a corded light- what happens to the ground?

The best solution is to use a plug and cord with ground and only plug it into a grounded socket.

Or you can use a GFCI protected plug, that will disconnect the power if a ground fault is detected.

Failing to do either of them is dangerous.


The point leads. Otherwise, the tool will simply skate over the material.

As you indicate, it should be to the inside of the circle to produce a clean disk, or to the outside of the circle to produce a clean hole.

To sharpen, file or grind the entire end, keeping the face at same angle.

I hold mine at an upward angle against my fine grinding wheel with the point corner upwards.

Addendum: I know you didn't ask this, but while we're on the subject of circle cutters, I find that the imbalance of the spinning tool causes the drill to cut sideways with its flutes, enlarging the center hole and losing position. For this reason, I don't use a drill in the center of the cutter. I drill the pilot hole first and then use a smooth shaft of the same size.


Laminate flooring in multi-width bathroom

I second @ChrisCudmore's recommendation of not using laminate in a wet environment. Consider choosing a flooring type that is less susceptible to degradation via moisture.

That being said, the rule of thumb for determining plank width is to shoot for your starting and ending widths to be greater than 1/2 a whole plank width.

Here's the calculation process:

Measure the width of the span
Subtract twice the recommended expansion gap
Divide by the width of the plank
Take your fraction of a plank remainder, add 1, and then divide by two.
Multiply by the width of the plank, and there's your starting and ending row widths.

For multiple width rooms, do this for all the individual widths, and then pick the option that leaves you with >1/2 a plank width all around.

So for example, if you have a room with different widths of say, 67-1/2", 83-3/4", and 71-3/8", using a 5" wide plank you'll end up with starting plank width recommendations of 3-3/8", 3-5/8", and 4-1/16". For example, using 67.5" with 5" wide planks and a 3/8" expansion gap:

(REM((67.5 - 0.375*2)/5)+1)/2*5 = 3.375

Obviously you can't use all of those, so pick the smallest that doesn't send your largest width over 5".

If you pick 3.375" starting width, your other ending widths will be 3.375", 3.875" and 4.75". This option works, since none are below 2.5", and none are above 5".
If you pick 3.625" starting width, your ending widths will be 3.125", 3.625", and 4.5". This option also works.
If you pick 4.0625" starting width, your ending widths will be 2.6875", 3.1875", and 4.0625". This option works, but it's pushing a bit closer to the <2.5" width range, so I'd skip it.

So for the above scenario, I'd go with a 3.375" starting width, since it maximizes your minimum starting/ending plank width for the entire floor.


I suggested above in the comments section that you should be posting a picture of the inside part of the flush lever for evaluation. That said if the lever does not want to move then there are two good possibilities here, both of which will likely require replacement of the lever assembly with a new generic unit.

The first possibility is that the current non-functioning lever is all made out of metal and has been in the tank for literally ages. Many times the rotation point where the lever assembly passes through the wall of the water tank builds up deposits and/or corrosion to the point that the lever can no longer be moved. Another possibility is that the fastening nut that holds the lever in place has come loose and allowed the collar in the hole to turn. The collar usually has a built on stop that limits how far the lever can be moved. If this collar turns then the limit stop may be what is keeping the lever from turning.

The other possibility, which is much more common on more recent day toilet installations, is that the flush lever assembly is made all or partially out of plastic. These have the advantage is being less susceptible to the corrosion problem but can have problems of their own. These can also have problems with the turning collar issue if there is a bad match between the collar size and the typical square hole through the water tank wall. Plastic assemblies can break which is often caused by the plastic getting old and brittle. Breakage can manifest itself in the rotating part of the lever mount and prevent proper operation.


Dimmer switches & LED lights: Lights keep turning up to max and won't stay dim

I agree with previous poster to experiment with different bulbs. I have a different circumstance (older dimmer switch with track lighting) but the symptoms were similar for me. I was hearing a maddening low hum unless on full blast. I found that LEDs labeled as dimmable or regular incandescents work fine. It was an off brand LED that finally worked. Also consider that newly built does not always = correctly built.


200 Amp exterior meter and disconnect with interior main panel

I believe the Google words you are looking for are meter main or meter main combination.

As long as the wiring in your house is downstream of a main breaker (not merely disconnect), that is fine.  Remember since all the power from your service runs through it, you get to apply the  310.15(B)(7) derate of 83%; your wire only needs to be rated for 166A, not 200A.

This Article 310.15(B)(7) derate calculation replaces a table called 310.15(B)(7), and you will see that table all over the Web. The table is completely useless, and should be disregarded.


Generally kerfing would be used for the face board of the curved arch with the saw cuts facing toward the rough opening framing. There is a technique that can be used where you make a form for the curved piece with a couple of layers of 3/4" plywood and then glue and clamp a 1/8" layer of plywood to the web fingers of the kerf cuts to strengthen the piece a huge amount. This could look like this in process.

The part of the face board not penetrated by the kerf cuts is the portion of the edge of the face board that can be the reveal by the edge of the trim.
The trim itself would not be bent into a curve using kerf cutting. Instead that would be made in a variety of ways. One way is to bend wood with a hot steam approach. Another as mentioned in comments is to glue together many layers of thin wood material. A simpler approach that is often used is to cut pieces of wood in segments and join end to end. These are made up wider than needed and then cut into a curve across the pieces similar to as shown below. It the trim wants to have a non-flat profile that can then be cut after the curve is cut using a shaper or router.

The number of segments that you choose to use will depend upon the look you want to attain with the wood grain. If it is a painted application then you can use longer segments.


Knee wall separating from rafters in garage attic

It's common for nailed roof components to work loose over time due to seasonal movement cycles. If you're sure that there was never any web bracing built into the roof, which the knee-wall studs now replace, the studs are not structural.

Your solution is probably just fine. I'd have probably used three or four 2-1/2" gold construction screws to save time and expense, but the bolts will do the job.

One caveat is that you've now transferred the movement somewhere else. You'll either see more pressure into the ceiling joists, or the roof may bulge slightly as things expand and contract. I don't anticipate any problems, though.


How to reduce noise from my refrigerator?

Most refrigerator alcoves are mini reverberation chambers, having hard sides.  You may be able to place acoustic foam behind the refrigerator to absorb the sounds.

If you're handy sewing, you could copy this design for a sound reduction blanket using polyester fiber fill used for coats.  As a trial, just loop a couple of layers of the batting off a couple eye hooks and leave space for air circulation.  You may have to use some twine to  belt it down flat.  If it works, enclose in a cotton sack stitched down like a quilt.

To be clear, I'm only suggesting a flat wall hanging, nothing to trap heat.


You need to call a roofer and have him fix this.  That thing isn't an eave, it's a gutter.  It's supposed to catch the water off your roof and redirect it to downspouts.

Now you will be forced to cap off the gutter here, creating 2 segments of gutter where 1 resided before.  The new section will need its own downspout.

This is so incompetent that the electrician certainly would have been expected to mention you now need to do this. Perhaps it slipped someone's mind.


Had the same issue in my home with a brand new HVAC system installed. It always happens when shifting between heating and the cooling functions. I don't know the "why" but I do know that turning the speed of the fan motor higher solves the issue. No clue about your HVAC but mine has an electronic board that has a bank of tiny switches under the front cover. You can change the speed of the blower motor using different combinations of on/off with these switches. You'll need to find your HVAC manual and the section that pertains to the blower motor speed. The switches and writing are super tiny on these boards so get a magnifying lens and go to town on it.
Make sure you turn off the switch that sends power to the HVAC before you start messing around with the switches!!! Most modern homes will have a light switch of some kind right next to the HVAC system.


Replaced pressure balancing unit in Kohler Rite-Temp temperature control, now valve body is leaking

Have you checked to make sure the O-rings are seated properly? Also, I had better luck when I replaced the mixing cap and the PBU together. Kohler offers lifetime replacement on these parts, so if you can wait you can save some $$$.


Two black wires connected into a single black wire in light switch box

The additional black wire is probably continuing the hot to another outlet or light switch. If you were to disconnect the black wires that are connected together from the wall, you'd find that only one has power. If you were to leave the other wire disconnected, you'd find that other outlets and/or switches would stop working.
Just go ahead and connect the new dimmer the same way.


Is modifying a box unsafe or against any electrical codes?

The box you used is slightly smaller (20 cu.in. vs. 21.5 cu.in.), but that won't matter as long as you still comply with the box fill rules.  It also doesn't appear to be labeled for fan support, which means it can only support a fan up to 35 lbs. Aside from those issues, I'd say there's no problem with what you did.


Thermostat won't always start heater on its own

You need to preform a test that will tell you if the thermostat is bad or is the problem in the furnace.  If you can find a time when the t-stst is calling for heat and the furnace is not responding, at the furnace check to see if you have 24-volts on the white lead coming back from the t-stat.  If you do, the problem is in the furnace.  If not, the problem is in the thermostat.  These thermostats are mass produced with an emphasis on mass part.  They do fail.


How to repair an electric outlet which died while running a carpet cleaner?

The breaker on the bottom right (with the green tab on it) looks tripped. They will move to center position without doing much else. Turn it all the way off and then all the way back on.
If that does not work: turn ALL your breakers all the way off and then all the way on to make sure all are reset. Then look for gfci receptacles and make sure to reset all you can find.


Can I use a GFCI on an ungrounded 2-wire circuit at the terminus?

The wire needs to be designed to handle the capacity of the circuit it's attached to, not the device that is plugged in. Otherwise, if anything is plugged into the end, or if there is a short, that draws more power, but not in excess of the circuit breaker, you would have a fire risk. I don't have a copy of the NEC, but to the best of my knowledge, in the US, a 15 amp circuit needs a 14 gauge wire, a 20 amp circuit requires a 12 gauge, and a 30 amp circuit requires a 10 gauge. Therefore, your 18 gauge wire is insufficient to attach to any standard circuit breakers that I've seen.

To answer your second question, you could install a separate ground for the other end of the connection and wire a gfci to that, assuming that the existing wiring were adequate for the circuit.

To fix the conduit, I would eliminate any sharp 90 degree turns and if it runs over a long enough distance, break the run by going up to an access panel.


Can I directly add a Common wire to this point on a 24VAC transformer, or will load be too high? (70mA)

If you cannot find a rating on the transformer I would not add the extra load.
With small signal and control transformers it is best to have a “buffer” so you do not over heat it. Small transformers when overloaded will break down much faster than large power transformers as they get hot at first the voltage rolls off and in some cases if they get hot enough and break down the varnish on the wires they can do all kinds of bad things.
When I size control transformers when using relays I usually target a 20+ increase in size so the “pulse” from pulling in the relay doesn’t cause an excessive voltage dip (under sizing with relays can cause chatter and buzzing) chatter is hard on the relay and even worse for the electronics in the circuits think inductive kickback. With the loads you mention I would want a 350ma transformer.
A transformer that is oversized will usually last “forever” but fully load or overload the transformer and the life curves roll off very quickly.


How to shave down or flatten - surface concrete of garage - rain water leaking in under door

When faced with a similar problem I opted to cut the blue part about 4 inches away from the garage slab, break and remove the concrete, and put in a pre fabricated French drain. The cutting was done with an old skilsaw and $15 diamond blade, and busting was with hand tools. About a 1 day project.


Add circuit off main disconnect or sub-panel required?

You may feed a 14-50 outlet directly from your main panel since there are unused breaker slots available.  Use the correct breaker of course, and correct conductor type/size for the load.  Do not forget voltage drop and temperature ratings when choosing cable.

You do not need to add another sub-panel for a single outlet.

Do not expect the code book to tell you what you can do.  It's there to tell you what you can't.


Can a 100' string of led lights be powered from each end hooked to one power supply

120V or any mains voltage - no no no no no no no!

5 or 12 volt DC, yes, and at 100' you will need to feed it from many intermediate points as well.

24 volt DC, along 100 feet you will not only need to feed both ends but several intermediate points too.  Just not as many as 12V.


How do I deal with a leaking toilet cistern inlet pipe?

Are you sure it's actually leaking from the bottom seal and not just flowing down from the top seal connected to the cistern? To be sure run your dry hand around the pipe near the top seal.

In any case to replace any of those seals:

Turn off the inlet tap to the cistern and flush until no more water remains in the cistern.  (Have some rags ready anyway as there's bound to be a small amount of water coming out residual to the cistern.)
Undo the nut at the cistern end by hand and lower this end of the pipe--now you can slide it back towards the cistern to remove it from the bowl.
Replace any broken seals and reinstall (reverse of removal instructions).
Open the water to cistern inlet and flush several times to check for leaks. Make sure both the cistern and bowl are well secured as any possible movement left may cause leak during usage.


Could I conceivably use power from my neighbors (hypothetical) solar panels in the event of a blackout?

There is disconnecting hardware to prevent backfeeding into the grid when the power company loses power. These disconnects are similar to the transfer switches required on generators. The disconnecting device is usually or can be locked and inspected by the utility that feeds the grid. It would be highly illegal and dangerous to try and bypass any of this equipment. Just run some extension cords from you neighbor to your house.


If you have a drainage issue, or you're likely to have freezing conditions, I'd personally want to lay a small coating of gravel across the concrete first - allow that pent-up water to get out of the way.

If you're building this in, say, Phoenix, though, that may not really matter and laying them directly atop the concrete shouldn't be a problem.

To the 'cement' part of your question: why not go with dry-laid? As long as there is some form of rim to the patio, or you're not driving over them, dry-laying would make both maintenance and modification easier.


Can flexible baseboards come in lengths longer than 8'

PVC baseboard moldings are readily available in 12' (and probably longer). For example, http://www.lowes.com/pd_310628-1487-07527_0__?productId=3340764 (EverTrue 3.25-in x 12-ft Interior/Exterior PVC Baseboard). Your contractor needs to look a little harder.


Reading the information on that page and interpolating a bit:

This is a Bluetooth speaker in a waterproof case, plus a modified shower head that it can lock into. Remove the existing showerhead and replace it with the new one (the big object). Charge the speaker (the small object), turn it on (the button), and pair it with a device that can play to a Bluetooth headset/speaker/whatever. Confirm that it plays, then mount the speaker into the showerhead by pushing it into place and rotating 30 degrees (twist-lock). When you're done using it, push the button to turn it off and save battery power.

Note that if you don't have an MP3 player or radio that speaks Bluetooth, or some other way to get the audio into Bluetooth radio packets, you can't use this speaker.


How much ceiling fan wobble is acceptable?

Get/use a balancing kit.

An off balance fan shortens the life of the motor bearings, and if extreme, could pose risks if the mount is less than perfect. Also, a vibrating fan significantly shortens the life of attached light bulbs.

The kits allow you to experiment with a temporary weight (the U shaped slide) before mounting permanent balance weights. It is a trial and error process, but not overly difficult.

You start with the temp weight very close to the motor and test each blade to see if it helps. If you find one that responds well, you then experiment with moving the temp weight further out until you find the sweet spot.

If the initial close placement does not show improvement on any blade, you repeat the process on each blade with the temp weight a bit further out.

 Images and links are for illustration only and not an endorsement of a product or source.


What material is allowed for a furnace room ceiling material?

Definitely don't use WOOD as suggested by DMoore! Yes, consult your local Ohio codes.

A new material, probably not rated or considered in Ohio code, but used extensively outside the US, is MGO board, which is fireproof, waterproof, mold proof... I wish this would get certified, as it's a much better idea than drywall in the first place! This is NOT Chinese drywall, which is just poor quality unregulated imported garbage. A reputable MGO board company will probably have certifications soon for this type of installation.

At least be glad that the old asbestos board, which was used extensively decades ago, is gone, after the medical concerns surrounding that material arose.


Remove hard amber glue from tile and bathtub?

It looks like an Epoxy adhesive. Chipping away is okay if your careful. But, try a single sided razor blade. A lot of the time you get right under it & almost peel it off. You can also lightly hammer these types of razor blades. Holding it with gloves or with pliers.

You'll also want the razor blade to actually scrape or peel any residue away after the bulk is off. I'm not sure if nail polish remover, turpentine, minerals spirits or acetone would do much in the bulk removal, but any of those would be great for the final clean up.


Can PVC Conduit be Used on an Unfinished Basement Wall?

You are much better off using EMT metal conduit. I find it easier to work, you can bend it yourself with any pipe bender, and the EMT provides the ground for you, so you don't need to wire a ground.  That saves you 33% on wire.  I work exclusively in EMT and I never owned any green wire until I did an extension in PVC.

By the way, in any conduit you are better off using individual wires, called THHN/THWN-2, or alternately XHHW.  Using Romex in conduit isn't illegal, but it requires being a masochist or overspending on wildly oversized conduit. Also you can only put 1 cable per conduit unless the conduit is super oversized.  In wires, you can put as 5-6 circuits in a 1/2" conduit.

In wires (not cables), you can also use stranded wire, which is super easy to pull, although a little harder to terminate on cheapie switches and receptacles.

Second circuits in garages can be rather useful when dust collectors are involved.


Two identical fire alarms- different pitch

The device that produces the sound is a piezo-electric transducer:

It works like a speaker, but as you can see, it has three wires, not two.

The detector sends the alarm signal to the transducer through two of the wires to produce the basic sound.
The third wire sends feedback to the controller, which allows it to slightly adjust the frequency of the signal it is sending so that it matches the natural resonant frequency of the transducer.

This positive feedback mechanism means that the transducer will be sounding at its loudest possible volume.
Think of a wine glass ringing when someone sings the perfect note that matches its resonant frequency.

It also means that even though the controller initially sends the same frequency signal, any two units will not necessarily resonate at exactly the same frequency.

See What's the third wire on a piezo buzzer? - Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange for a more technical explanation.

A similar thing happens in two-stroke gasoline engines.  If you've ever ridden a dirt-bike, you might have noticed that there is an RPM sweet-spot that provides maximum power.  Again, this is produced by resonant feedback from the exhaust system that causes, at that one frequency, unburnt fuel in the exhaust gas to be forced back into the cylinders.  Every engine will have a slightly different sweet-spot and sound slightly different from every other engine.


Take switch B's black wire (black screw) and connect it to the red wire going to the outlet.  All remaining wires connected to switch A and switch B can simply be capped individually as they are now unused.

(edit: this paragraph originally existed to dispute a second answer that has since been deleted) This method of wiring a 3-way uses a 3 conductor cable for common and two travellers to be transported to switch A.   The White between switch A and switch B is not a neutral in this  case.


Do I need to replace these metal support posts?

Short answer: No.

If they ring when you tap them like you did in your video, then they are solid.

Sand them and paint them with a good rust inhibiting paint.


Replacing hot/cold water faucets for washer

A spigot valve would be what you are looking for. You would need to remove the old valve from the pipe coming out of the wall to confirm the connection size. Washing machine hoses have the same connectors as garden hoses. Yes, turn off the whole house water since there don't appear to be shutoff valves before these valves. The main thing to worry about is to try not to damage those pipes.