Is there any difference in the type of wiring in common household?

There are two separate issues here:
Bare Ground vs. Anything Else
A bare ground of a particular size is, nominally, no different from an insulated wire of the same size. However, wrapping a length of wire with electrical tape does not provide the same level of protection as manufactured insulation, and is not considered a reliable substitute. Among the problems:

If you miss a spot when wrapping, you have a real safety problem.
The ends (and there may be many "ends" as you wrap a long wire) of sections of electrical tape are more prone to catch on screws, other wires, parts of junction boxes, etc. than manufactured insulation
The thermal and/or electrical properties of electrical tape may be sufficiently different from manufactured insulation to cause a problem

Electrical tape is great for:

Patching up a nick in the insulation of a wire (ideal is to replace the wire, but that is not always so easy)
Wrapping around screws on a device (receptacle or switch) to prevent contact with ground wires
Marking wires for identification (within certain limits)

but not as a replacement for insulation on a length of wire.
Note that ground is the only wire that can be bare. That is because it is also, depending on other factors, often attached to metal boxes & conduit or to appliance frame/casing, all of which are (effectively) "bare metal". All other wires, including neutral wires that are nominally "same as ground", are insulated everywhere.
Changing Colors of Wire
The general issue of changing the color of a wire is an interesting one. The actual colors (except for ground = bare, green or green/yellow) vary significantly by country/region. Using the US as an example (I assume you are in the UK based on reference to Wickes), the normal colors are:

Neutral = white or gray
Hot = black, red, blue or any other color except green, green/yellow, white or gray

Within each category, wires can be marked using tape on the ends. For example, you can mark black wires yellow by putting a piece of yellow tape on each end for identification. However, you can't put white tape on black wire (to change hot to neutral) or red tape on white wire (to change neutral to hot). There are some exceptions with cables (e.g., to mark a switched hot), but this is a nearly universal rule.
The end result for your situation is:

Can't turn a bare wire into hot or neutral by wrapping with tape
Can't turn a green or green/yellow wire into hot or neutral by marking the ends with tape

You might be able to turn a green or green/yellow wire (i.e., insulated but wrong color) into hot or neutral by wrapping the entire length with an appropriate color of tape (i.e., does not have the "miss a spot" or "maybe not insulated well enough" problems). I wouldn't recommend it, but a UK code guru could give you the answer to that option.


Run cat5e/coax parallel to power conduit

You have not stated any reason that would appear to prevent the obvious solution (if you consider it a problem at all) of running the network wiring along the face of the wall at the same level as the server rack, or roughly 12" below the power conduit. If the basement/crawlspace floods enough to flood the server rack you probably should rethink the location of the server rack, and in any case the cables being run horizontally higher up won't help a bit in that case.

You could also move the cables far enough forward into the room (3-4 feet, say) that they don't encroach on your shelving unit, then run them back along the joist (it's holding up a floor above if it's a crawlspace, so rafter is not the right term - those have a roof above them) to the server rack.

Despite a number of "trying to be perfectionist" scare stories about needing to keep network and power cables well-separated, the fact is that the differential pairs in Cat5 (or 6, or 7) are designed to reject interference, and that the frequency domains of networking signals and power line noise are utterly different. So, in practical terms you can wire tie (just not too tight - sharp bends are bad) the network wires to the power conduit and not have any interference problems in a typical home application.

Coaxial cable is self-sheilded by design and thus also highly unlikely to pick up any objectionable interference simply by being run next to power or network wires.

Since all you are really considering is running them parallel at a few inches distance, you will be fine doing that (do avoid a sharp bend anywhere, particularly where you turn downwards and might be tempted to yank the wire tight around the J-hook.)

While I do generally try to maintain the oft-suggested 12" separation for parallel runs when designing from the ground up, I have hundreds of feet of Cat5e that is in close proximity to power wiring in old building retrofits, and connected to switches that report error rates - and those error rates are pretty much always zero, unless there is a more fundamental problem with the cable (like rats chewing on it, a sharp kink/bend, or a bad connection at the end of it.)


Can 12 AWG THHN/THWN wire be placed in a buried conduit?

Not sure where you got the idea that you need THWN-2, only.
All you need is the W.
TWN, THWN, RHW, XHW, XHHW, etc. are all perfectly fine, because they have the W that means they are waterproof, that means they can go in outdoor conduit. Most THHN is also THWN and MTW (multiply rated.)
If you are in a situation where the wire temperature may be extreme you might need to get picky for insulation temperature rating; but to be in exterior conduit (buried or not, they are all wet locations), all it needs is the W.


Bathroom fan do I use 12-2/20a or 14-2/15a

Your fan really only draws a few watts. You need the wire size to match the circuit breaker if it is a 20 amp circuit breaker you must use 12 gauge wire. 14 gauge is too small and can start a fire.  If it is a 15 amp circuit breaker it needs to be 14 gauge or larger (you can use a larger wire gauge than required).
The circuit breaker is protecting the circuit wiring.
The UL listing says it’s OK to use in the US. On a 15 or 20 amp circuit.


Why would these wires be stored this way?

It's certainly not appropriate nor legal to bury a junction box inside a wall. That should never have been done.

I agree with JACK that this looks like pretty normal chain wiring: one of the larger wires comes from supply and the other one goes onward to other lamps. The smaller wires were pigtails to a former lamp which is now gone.

I don't know what the story is with the two splices in the foreground.  I assume those were once possibly soldered? But otherwise, competently executed friction-tape splices.  If they still look in good condition, you could continue them in service.  Otherwise you may need to remove all the friction tape and vinyl whatever-that-is, and put wire nuts there.  If it's soldered you are probably better off just re-wrapping it.

If you want to put a lamp there, you can add the lamp's wires to the bundles if you wire-nutted it, otherwise pigtail the lamp's wires to the existing pigtails.

Otherwise put the wires back into the junction box and cover it with a blank cover plate.


What kind of inverter do I need for an inductive load?

It's easier to teach a violinist the bongoes than the other way 'round.

You should be shopping for an A/C unit with "soft start".   This is one of the reasons for these units to exist - ability to start off inverters, generators etc.  They use an inverter drive to run the compressor motor.  They are also able to run the motor at different speeds to suit demand, so they don't do the slam-on/slam-off thing like simpler units do.

This platform doesn't allow product recommendations, but I would be asking on the off-grid/solar forums where people deal with that all day everyday.


What's best way to keep shower faucet handle from dropping?

Saw this thread as I was having the same problem.The square socket is not stretched, it doesn't hold the handle in the wall (I thought the same thing at first). Here's the fix: pull off the large chrome/silver plate with the word KOLHER on it, it should pull off as it is not screwed into anything. It might have been caulked on the wall around the inside rim by the previous owner/installer to prevent water from getting in, but should pull off- just be careful not to pull out tiles. As someone else pointed out, the handle assembly actually should screw onto the black threaded part in the wall- it's just tricky and weird. It may be that the parts attached to the wall are too flush/recessed to the wall and the threads in the handle can't get onto the black plastic threaded part.

Now, with the chrome KOHLER plate removed from the wall, you will see two gold/brass screws, one on top and the other on the bottom. These screws hold the larger silver wall plate on the wall (the plate covers the hole in the wall). Loosen the gold/brass screws a bit, this will allow the plate against the wall be less recessed, and the black threaded part will also move out of the wall a bit. Put the metal KOHLER plate back on, and try to attach the handled by screwing it onto the black plastic part. The handle presses onto the KOHLER silver/chrome plate and holds in on the wall.

If it won't attach onto the black plastic, unscrew the gold/brass screws a bit more again to allow the black plastic part to be closer to the handle so that you can screw it on. I had to loosen the brass screws a few time because as I would get the handle on the black part and it screwed on, when I would tighten it firmly, the handle would pop off the threads because the black part was still too short.  When pressing the handle onto the KOHLER silver/chrome plate, the KOHLER plate may spin. I actually got the handle screwed on a bit and started to just spin the KOHLER plate, which spun the handle and tightened it to the wall very nicely. This way, no glue/adhesive is needed.

Once you get it on, and understand how it works, you may want to take it all off and use caulk on the KOHLER ring to prevent water from getting in. This may protect water from getting in behind the wall.


How many wraps of Teflon tape around nipples that need to point in one direction?

I was taught to never exceed 3 wraps of Teflon tape, because all it is there for is to lubricate the threads and fill in the microscopic gaps between the tapered threads. Too much tape and you interfere with the threads meshing to hold pressure, so you end u relying on the tape to do that, and it was not designed for that purpose. If you read the instructions that come with the tape, it probably says that.


Replace existing thermostat with diy solution

Why be married to their weird proprietary radio scheme? WiFi is available for the Pi.

Put another Pi down on the furnace. For instance it can advertise (or better, not advertise) its own WiFi channel.

A thermostat is a simple switch.  Either it shorts two wires to call for heat, or it does not.

Now in America we would just do all this with 24VAC control voltage.  But since Europe uses 240V thermostat voltage* you need to switch whatever the rating of the supply fuse/circuit breaker is, e.g. 16 amps.   A relay that size probably has a large coil, too heavy for the Pi to operate (especially when inductive kick is considered).  So have the "Furnace Pi" operate a small pilot relay.  The pilot relay pulls in the coil of a much larger relay.

* so I guess that means Euro thermostats require Class I wiring to the 'stat? How inconvenient.  All the more reason to control the 'stat wirelesly.  Do the same with doorbells, while you're at it... 230V doorbells, *shudder*


How can I be sure there's a connection between the telephone line and the power line? (Answer: they should not be connected.)

Many people can feel the 48V on a phone line pair. The big issue with 48V is that it is relatively safe and should not cause electrocution.

There should be no direct electrical connection between the phone line and the power line. If there is you have a serious safety issue to get cleared up right away.

The phone line itself operates as a current loop from one wire to the other. If one side of the phone line or the other is connected to GND or some other wiring circuit it will unbalance the phone pair and make the phone not work correctly.


Cathedral ceiling retrofit with no ridge beam or ridge board - what are my options?

Dan, the horizontal slats, resting on the roof joists, replaced your ridge board (not the best thing to do but it is an alternative).  Worst case scenario: someone removes these when replacing roof decking or to install a skylight.

If your plan is to remove/block-off any of the attic, up to the roof deck, you'll need to replace the gable vent with the combination of soffit-ridge venting (they work together).

Your drawing describes the installation of a ridge beam.
Take a look at this: ridge beam vs ridge board

Ridge vents are sized to the space they vent.  They work differently (or not well) if one uses them in conjunction with soffit vents or ridge vents.

Re: Knob & Tube Wiring.  Assume you have K&T throughout the house (in the walls). Many careless/short-cut re-wiring jobs are made by keeping the K&T within the walls but re-wiring just the switches/outlets to make it appear all the K&T was removed.

All-in-all, you should find someone with old house restoration experience.  Such people are most qualified to understand what you have and how to make it what you want.  General remodeling contractors and the usual, run-of-the-mill architects tend not to know such things.


This was the culprit.
It had a leak in, and for some reason was effectively syphoning all of the water out of the spout. Which explained the gurgling.

Before discovering this, I did change the washers. As @JimStewart said in his comments, the whole of the brass thing unscrewed and the washer/plunger was underneath.


Can I use metal J-channel and drip caps intended for roofing as my window casing beads?

Galvalume is a trade name and is not the same material as galvanized steel. Englert, a major roofing manufacturer has a good technical description that specifically cautions against placing Galvalume in contact with mortar.

Believe it or not, the entire construction is not comprised of imbeciles, and building codes actually provide sound guidance in regard to what works.


Some charge controllers have ways of programming the "LOAD" terminal, e.g. to only provide voltage at night (i.e. when there is no voltage on the solar panel). If you have voltage across the controller's BATTERY terminals but not across the LOAD terminals, that's something to look into.

You haven't really provided sufficient details or photos of the wiring to confirm that it's hooked up correctly, but it's not that complicated. However, I would advise you to mark the polarity on the wiring itself, just for safety (e.g. use red electrical tape to mark the positive wires and leave the negative ones black).


Well pump with 15A fuses on a 20A circuit?

Fuses and breakers may have different trip/blow curves.

Disconnect switches are for reasons other than merely fusing. Among other things so the person servicing a machine has line-of-sight to the person about to throw the switch on.

You can change the breaker if you like, but there is actually an exception in code for certain motor loads, to allow overbreakering of the motor to avoid false trips on startup. So I wouldn't be surprised if the 15A breaker had nuisance trips. This exception activates if certain mathematical formulas are satisfied; it is not carte-blanche to up-breakering any motor that trips.

Given that both are fused this may be a 240V motor. The white wire is the other hot.  Under contemporary Code it is supposed to be marked with tape, but traditionally this was optional if the usage was obvious.  The fact that it is not obvious to you is precisely why they changed the Code.


I find the burner needs maintenance when not burning with all ports, usually the holes are plugged with rust and a wire brush works great to clean, in some cases with heavy cast burners I have needed to poke a steel wire through the holes to clear the debris out. Is there a safety issue? Yes you are not getting proper combustion this can lead to excess gas build up and even higher CO levels, usually burners are easy to clean give it a try with a wire brush and see if that solves the problem, if not a wire or small drill bit can be used to clear the holes.


It looks like CFL bulbs are difficult to dim.

  A dimmer typically reduces the effective voltage, which decreases
  current to the bulb. The science behind fluorescents just isn't meant
  to work that way, explained Paul McLellan with eLightBulbs, a division
  of Service Lighting, a Maple Grove, Minn., lighting supply company.

  It can cause dimmer switches, or the ballast, to buzz. It can even
  affect other electronic devices nearby, such as radios. The distortion
  can even go so far as to cause flickering in the light bulb itself.
  Occasionally, you may be able to dim by 30 to 40 percent without any
  adverse reactions.

  "We have looked at around 20 different brands and although some of
  them get close, the science is not yet there," McLellan said. "We do
  hear of some success, however, usually with high-quality, brand-name
  bulbs and dimmer switches." Sometimes it's a matter of finding which
  brand of bulbs works with specific dimmer switches. You may need to
  change the dimmer.

  Remember, not all compact fluorescents are designed to work with
  dimmers, but CFLs made for dimmers are available. You can use regular
  compact fluorescent bulbs with dimmer switches, but doing so can
  shorten bulb life and nullify the bulb's warranty."

Taken from CFL Dimming Article


Options for insulating glass sliding patio door in master bedroom other than replacing it?

The sliding door that is installed may be a cheaper door and does not have a "thermal break" in it's construction. If you are the purchaser of one of these doors you should insure that the door has this thermal break. That said, one way to help correct this cold problem would be to make sure that the perimeter of the frame is sealed  (caulked) to lessen air infiltration. It can be carefully caulked on both the outside and the inside. Another "fix" would be to install a storm door for that sliding door. I know that these do work because I installed one in my last house where I had the same problem as yours. To find a storm door you could search for "patio storm doors. I searched and came up with Larson and Columbia. You could also shop for these at Lowes or Home Depot and they can have it installed for you if you want. Hpoe this helps.


Can I attach floating shelves to the wall in this way?

Yes - It does sound feasible. A few things I would consider for cutting off the lag bolt heads.

Install the bolts first into the wall studs so you can utilize the heads for screwing in the bolts. Do not make the common mistake of forgetting to pre-drill a proper sized pilot hole for the lag bolt threads into the stud.
Use a reciprocating type saw (i.e. Sawzall) with a high quality metal cutting blade to cut the bolt heads off.
Dress up the cut bolt stubs to eliminate the sharp edges by using a Dremel type tool with a small grinder stone.
Only now mark the shelf pieces for the proper hole locations and drill your holes into the shelves.

Additional considerations -- --

A 4 x 24 inch shelf cannot get too much stuff on it. You may consider using a smaller size than 1/2 inch bolt and achieve a suitable result. A 1/2 inch lag into the edge of a stud has to be very carefully centered on the stud.
Consider safety factors regarding shelves that can simply pull off the wall mounted studs. You may want to consider the possibility of some type of set screw in from the top or bottom side of the shelf that would help clamp the shelf to the bolt studs. (You could of course glue the shelves to the bolt studs with construction adhesive but then the installation would be virtually permanent).


All the existing grout won't need to be completely removed but you'll need to use a grout removal tool to cut into the existing grout so that your new grout has a little more to grab on to.


What does a novice DIY'er need to know before building a wall higher than 8' (14.5' feet to be exact)?

The right way to do this is to deconstruct the side and top of the stairway wall - remove the drywall, the stair railing, and the top plate for that wall, and then add additional studs.

Your two choices are balloon framing that runs all the way to the ceiling and platform framing that is two separate walls stacked on top of each other. For platform framing, you would need to tie the top/bottom plates to the left and right walls so it would not move. Balloon framing would avoid this, so that would be my choice. Make sure to put proper fire blocking in. The stairs may be hung on the current wall, so you will want to make sure you don't mess up the current wall's structure. You can do this by sistering the new studs next to the old ones.

This is a pretty straightforward thing to do.

I would not recommend adding a full wall next to the existing wall; you would have to modify the floor covering and extend any utilities out to the surface of the new wall.


How can I figure out why my breakers are tripping?

First, breakers are designed for avoiding draw over the rated current - old fuses did this by melting when the line in the fuse got too hot and melted.  They are not designed as switches for operating a circuit, so your statement "It's not a big deal to flip the breaker" is only in reference to the amount of inconvenience you suffer.  The breakers should not be flipping constantly.

The reason most breakers flip is when you run a motor that pulls more current than the breaker is rated for, so the simple fix if things were wired correctly would be to use a lower amperage motor or a higher amperage breaker.  The risk with the higher amperage breaker is that the wiring in the wall is of insufficient gauge and will generate enough heat due to resistance to melt the insulation and cause a short.

The fact that the motor is apparently on more than one branch circuit is the primary cause for concern.  This is a wiring issue, and can be solved by isolating the motor on its own new branch circuit.  That will not solve the underlying issue of having (probably) multiple instances of poor wiring.

As far as diagnosing the specific problem goes I would recommend hiring an electrician to trace the branch circuits involved (you could do the same with a continuity tester and a few long leads) and write up a proposal to fix the wiring issues.


Vinyl Fence on Deck - How to stabilize or strength the Post Support

The most appealing option would be to remove the 4x4s and buy ones that are a bit longer. Cut a 3 1/2"x3 1/2" hole in the decking and create an assembly similar to one in the image below.

You could also use the same posts but shorten the height of the fence by cutting the white material and dropping the 4x4s below the deck as previously mentioned.

http://embed.widencdn.net/pdf/plus/ssttoolbox/zqzekua0ld/F-DECKCODE20-p029-032.pdf


Old washing machine trips 20 amp GFCI outlet but never trips 20 amp breaker: ok to install 30 amp GFCI outlet?

Your choices: fix your washer's ground fault or get a new washer (oh, and get a new appliance technician while you're at it)

Your appliance technician clearly hasn't a clue, because the fact your GFCI is tripping and your breaker isn't means your washer has a ground fault, not an overcurrent.  So, you can either chase down and fix the ground fault in your current washer, perhaps with the help of an appliance technician who has a clue about GFCIs and how they work, or get a new washer.  (My money for a washer this old would be on the insulation on the drum motor windings breaking down after all these years, which means the motor either needs replacing or motor-shop work, but it could be some other sort of problem, such as a slow leak that's been dripping water into electrical parts somewhere.)


What should I do about wet insulation in my attic and walls?

If your insurance adjuster is fair, He/she will cover the costs of removing all damaged materials and replace them.  In fact, water soaked insulation and drywall cannot be dried out and salvaged.  This will be a mold factory soon. The sooner you remove this stuff and expose the framing, the lesser the chance of growing mold on the framing.  If the framing is already showing mold, it will have to be remediated and treated before proceeding. This should be done professionally. It is not an easy DIY project and if not done properly will cause more problems in the future.


The oscillating tool is NOT the tool for the job that you describe. Neither is the jig saw. The proper tool for long cuts like you describe is a circular saw with a straight edge guide clamped onto the work piece. Even better would be a table saw but that is clearly not applicable here.

Get the right tool for a job. Why compromise the craftsmanship with shoddy crap cuts made by tools that are not made for the application. Invest in the right tools, do quality work and be proud of the result. If you cannot give it that then hire someone that can provide it for you. There is nothing worse than a kludged up mess.


I need a neat solution for lifting a floor boarded trap door

You are looking for t-nuts

These would work with your removable eye-bolts

Personally I would use the marine flush lifting handles, but they are more work to fit.


Why install a hidden GFCI outlet controlling sink outlets, ceiling lights, vent fan, and floor heater?

It's okay to share other fixtures on the bathroom outlet circuit like the vent fan and lights if the bathroom circuit does not feed outlets in another bathroom.  In your post you mentioned a floor heater which might be temporary and portable, but if it's built-in to the base then that might be a violation of 210.32.(A)(2) which permits 50% of 20 amps or 10 amps or less. If it's portable then the code allows 80% of 20 amps or 16 amps or less.

Other than that a GFCI outlet should always be accessible.  A linen closet isn't an obvious location for starters, and may eventually get hidden behind stuff.


I would look at the garbage disposer.  In the bottom chamber that is connected to the drain pipe.  I would remove the drain pipe at the disposal. If possible look through the opening and see if grind up food and grease has formed a 'paste' on the inter-wall.  Fibrous vegetables can also form large gobs of waste matter after passing through the grinder.  Water is able to pass through, but the decaying waste on the wall is nearly impossible to flush out.  Unplug the disposer. Use a long thin stick, drain brush, or other items to scrape the rotten mess out of the chamber.
Reconnect the drain pipe, and flush with hot water several minutes.


In all honesty, you are kind of chasing after a chimera trying to do something like that.

The likelihood is that the footings for the deck are inadequate, so that is why it is shifting. Trying to attach it to the house is not a solution. If the foundation of something is unsound, then that thing is unsound. A lot of people think they can just build decks on mud, then when bad things happen they start trying crazy stuff. Look, if the foundation of your deck is shallow, then that is your problem.

Here is the solution to your problem: build proper footings for your deck.


Ceiling light won't switch off after a new installation

From the color of the wires I assume you are in either Australia, New Zealand or the UK if the home was built prior to 2004 which it certainly looks to be.

The red and black wires are your hot and neutral lines respectively. Since there is a big junction of three sets, I am guessing they are feeders and are always live. Your light is connected across them which is why it remains on. That being said, what is that blue wire doing by itself?

It looks like the lonely blue wire is paired with the brown wire. They look like they form whats called a switch loop. The brown wire is the feed to the switch from the red hot wires. The power is then fed back via the blue wire.

If you have a voltage tester, turn the switch on and test from the single blue wire to the black leads. If it shows power, turn the switch off and repeat the test. If you don't have power, you found the switch leg which is the blue wire. You then move the brown wire of the cable going to the lamp to that lonely blue wire on the terminal strip.

If you don't have a voltage tester, don't worry. Just move the brown lamp wire to that blue wire and turn your switch on and off. Even if its the wrong wire, nothing should blow up.

Edit: added a picture for clarity


Code compliance for outdoor 20 amp receptacle?

For an outdoor 20 ampere circuit, you'll need a

20 ampere breaker, obviously.
Minimum 12 AWG conductors.
GFCI protection either via a breaker, standalone device, or receptacle.
Weather-resistant type receptacle.
A weatherproof in-use receptacle cover (identified as "extra-duty").

If the box is not in the wall, you'll also need

A weatherproof enclosure.
Wet location rated protection of the wires via conduit, rated cable sheath, or other approved raceway.


Sure you can, but they need to be treated for below-grade use. Most 4x4 are not, so you may need 6x6, which tend to be treated to a further degree.

Also, deck blocks are expense overkill if you're burying them, and they don't always meet the area requirement for below-grade footings. Use purpose-built cookies or a few bags of concrete mix.


Goal: make hardwood slats for a bed thin to flex, w/o degradation

IKEA sells slatted wood bases for beds. The Luroy model is the most basic where “16 slats of layer-glued birch adjust to your body weight and increase the suppleness of the mattress”.

I’m not quoting them as an advertisement but just to give an example solution. (Although, you should consider whether the double/full at 52 3/4” wide could be used or modified to suit your need.)

Perhaps you don’t want to tackle layer-glued wood to start with a bend. Straight hardwood works but is going to be a little less springy since you will have to make it thicker to avoid rolling towards the center.


How can I repair a leaking valve on an unused refrigerator water line?

You have two possible leak causes, so you need to separate them to figure out which one it is.

I assume the line to the old ice maker is still running behind the fridge.  Rather than just shut it off under the sink, disconnect the line under the sink and put a tray under the valve to catch any drips.

The next day, check the tray for drips.  If the valve has been leaking, you can cap it off or you can replace the valve with one that doesn't leak.  A cap is going to be cheaper and faster if you don't intend on using the ice maker line in the future.

If there are no drips in the pan, but still a puddle under the fridge, the fridge is probably missing it's condensate drip pan, especially since it was sold from an outlet store.  It's normally a plastic tray that slides under the fridge.  Water drips into the tray periodically and then evaporates.  If theres no tray the water can flow out from under the fridge and make a puddle.  The outlet store should be able to confirm if your fridge requires a drip pan and probably help you order a replacement (tho you may have to pay for the part).


I have had success using a jemmy bar (or crow bar) to "load" the bolt while turning it with a spanner or socket, this gives much more pull than just pulling with pliers.


How do I properly lay a tongue and groove plywood subfloor remodel when joist layout is not always 16" oc?

A sketch would help us better answer your question, but per manufacturer installation instructions T&G subflooring should be installed so that the T&G are perpendicular to the joists.

The tongue and groove support systems are not meant to support weight between joists for more than 24", and by the sound of it you are hoping to have a T&G joint that is the whole length of your room. Do not do this!

You should never have two panels butt together between two joists where the joints run parallel to the joists. Those panels should both be cut so that they each lie on half of the joist. So you get 1.5" of the first panel on the joist and 1.5" of the second panel on the same joist.

Simply put, cut your subfloor panels so they both rest on the odd spaced joist. If your measurements above are accurate, you have about a 12'x <8' room. You will need two pieces of 8'x4' subfloor to complete the job.


Is there an online tool for designing kitchen layout?

I know of these two free tools:

One by Ikea
One by a kitchen cabinet company called Mei

You might find more by searching "Kitchen layout tool" on Google.


Finishing the drywall can be neat if done well. But if you're lazy or not confident in getting your plaster work to look good around the projector arm, consider using a cover plate of some sort. Ideas:

Floor and ceiling cover plates
Custom cut and drill a wooden plate
Maybe even try a ceiling medallion


Gap between door and frame is too large at latch location

This likely has nothing to do with the casing installation, but with the set of the door frame (jamb). You're right that you should shim the strike area further out from the framing. It's also possible that atypically long screws were used for the strike plate and over-tightened, pulling the jamb in.

* UPDATE*
From the photos in your other question I now realize that this is an exterior door. It's very likely the case that long security screws in the strike were tightened too much. (Though a good carpenter would've shimmed at that location when the door was installed, preventing the problem.)

Remove just the strike plate and use a small pry bar to check whether the frame will move easily. You'll need to overcome the force of the casing nails and any nails through the jamb and into the framing.

Another option is to run a construction or drywall screw into the jamb in the strike plate mortise and use it to pull the jamb. Don't get too rough or you could split the casing if there are nails right there.

If you can move the jamb, use any available means to shim it out a bit--a wad of paper, a screw through the jamb and behind the strike plate, or whatever. It doesn't need to be complicated or overly robust.

Once the jamb is in the right position, install a countersunk, piloted, full-thread screw behind the strike plate to lock the jamb in place. Re-install the strike plate.


Can I use any coarse drywall screws when fixing nail pops in the ceiling?

I would not use backer board screws they are designed to cut a bevel,
The cut will tear the paper and that is your strength in Sheetrock.

You do not want to break the paper, this is even more important on ceilings!
 use Sheetrock screws or bugle head Sheetrock screws these come in both fine and corse.


External Air Conditioner Condenser Capacitor replacement

Changing a cap is easy you have the basic idea. First pull the fuses or disconnect the power to the unit the disconnect should be close to the outside unit. Next if your cap has 3 connections use a screwdriver to short the common or c post to the fan then common to herm , if 2 post just short them together it only takes a second to fully discharge a capacitor. Make sure to note the wire colors connecting to the posts. To check the cap if your meter doesn’t have a capacitance meter built in use the ohm meter (no wires connected to the cap put in ohms and put the meter on the cap you are looking for a slowly raising value if it shows totally shorted the cap is bad if there is no charging or slowly increasing resistance try swapping the leads and now it should be discharging or the valve dropping, this is a crude test but it will point out a bad cap in most cases. Other things to look at, of the cap is bulging at the top or bottom or both even if it reads good it’s time to change it I just had a 5/55 fail to start a unit this week measured the cap it showed good but then I noticed the top was really bulged, I replaced the cap 15$ if you can wait and get it on line or 2x from a local parts house. Make sure the voltage is the same or higher on the new cap, you want the same capacitor values but if you can not find the correct one one with a value within 10% will usually work fine. The 5/55 on the cap I just changed is 5 micro fared and 55 micro fared and the voltage was listed as 400v  that is a common size so the parts house had it. I installed the new cap making sure the strap was tight and not over the size info (if the name and size can get worn off I write them on the case or inside the unit so the next time it is available). Depending in the age of the unit I might change out the contactor a bad starting cap can cause damage to the contactor, so if it’s an old unit or a really cheap contactor it’s only another 20$ to do this now and will prevent call backs. Once the covers are back in place it’s ready to see if this did the trick.

I am mentioning this next part because many times I think a low charge has caused harder starts wiping the cap out. I have found more than 50% of the time when changing a cap the super heat and sub cooling values are off (loss of some of the charge) I will add as needed to bring the system back up to the proper temperature/pressures and double check for leaks but almost never find them. The majority of the time it takes 2-6 lbs in residential systems from my experience if the system takes more than this I can usually find a leak or the system is very old and has not been serviced since install.

So make sure with the power off to short the terminals of the cap’s, if any bulging they need to be replaced, it is much easier to toss a bulged cap than clean up several hundred feet of foil/plastic & oil if the cap blows apart.

Hope that helps and good luck


TV mount on wooden studs - what screws to use

I agree with unhandledexcepsean--I would use lag bolts for larger TVs. Some flat screens will be fine with the wood screws through the drywall into the stud not using the plastic expanding anchor. I have seen some smaller mounts where 4 of the plastic anchors into drywall are supposed to work but I do not like those at all.

Since you have at least 1 stud, measure 3/4” from 1 edge and mark. This will be the center of a two-by. If doubled two-bys then 16” over and there should be another stud. If not check the other side of the 3” stud measure in 3/4” mark (1-1/2” between marks) and see if there is a stud there. 16” on center is a most common spacing and if a wide bracket it should be set up for 16, 32, 48” widths.


First - don't scrub it.  Scrubbing with improper treatment will work the stain further in.  Good news is that oil doesn't dry, so you can get it out. Bad news is that whatever filth is in the oil may set.

(I was curious what regular people do, so this is from Good Housekeeping)

1) Apply an absorbing agent. Baking soda is a good go-to and is relatively cheap. Apply liberally and let sit for 10 minutes. Vacuum it up.

2) Use 1 tbsp vinegar + 1 tbsp hand dishwashing detergent + 2 cups warm water. Sponge the stain and blot till absorbed, repeat as necessary.

3) Sponge with cold water and blot dry to absorb vinegar solution.

However, I have doubts as to the effectiveness of using any solution of mostly water on carpeted oil or grease.  What I would do, and know works, is use odorless mineral spirits to get the stain out.  Any kind of paint thinner will do, but OMS (as the name implies) doesn't have the same smell as others. Whatever OMS is not removed by blotting will quickly evaporate, along with the smell.

If you go the effective OMS route - follow the safety guidelines.  It's flammable until it evaporates.


What could be causing water to back up into my bathroom basin?

You say you are on the third floor but do not say whether or not there are floors above you. If there are, and this began while you were not running water, then I agree that this is probably a building issue rather than a local clog.


Those walls look in bad shape. The fact that you've done so much work on them and they're still failing is not good sign. You can add drywall on top of the existing walls, tape, prime and paint. This would be a whole lot cheaper than removing and hauling away the plaster. I have not done this but I did go in afterwards to reinstall the electrical switches, outlets and fixtures and add box extenders. It seemed to be a great solution.


How to fix/improve a shared return between floors

Your heat pump is not operating efficiently - how old is the unit - has it always done this ...

What is sounds like is that your reversing valves might be defective or most likely the unit is low on Freon - have you had the unit serviced to make sure it is up to snuff?
Also in winter the colder the temp outside the worse the heat pump will work. When temps are below 32 F - Aux Heat is best..

As for the hollow noise - the cheap route was done to build the house - you would need to do a dual duct system to get rid of that - perhaps you can split the duct into two halves and feed to the Air Handler ending up as one at the air handler .


Why is ENT rarely used for electrical wiring?

I am not an electrician, but as I'm currently in the middle of some renovations myself, I was curious and did some searching.  I came across "Mike Holt’s Illustrated Guide to 101 Essential NEC Rules" (that's chapter 3 in PDF form), which, in article 362, it explains that it can NOT be used for wiring systems over 600V.  To me, that appears to be saying that it is fine for 120/240V.  The main concerns appear to be leaving the conduit exposed, particularly to sunlight, as UV can cause it to become brittle.  I also came across a forum post discussing using ENT for 120V, and they were discussing how many wires you could run in a specific size of conduit, so it appears that it's done.  Given that it meets NEC code, I can't come up with a good reason why specific localities might forbid it, other than possibly politics.


Can I repair a luggage caster housing with Sugru?

It's unlikely that suguru will be durable enough for your requirements. It's a flexible material, but not a high-wear sort of product.

On the other hand, if the hand-moldable aspect of suguru fits your needs, you may find that hand-moldable plastic will work better. It's poly-type plastic, relatively slippery but quite strong when cool.

I've used the stuff for various projects in the past. The instructions suggest to put a baggie of pellets in hot water and when they change from opaque to clear, form in place to create the desired object. I'm impatient and discovered that one can build a tiny tin foil tray and use a hot air gun. This method saves time and creates incredibly hot plastic which burns skin. It's the timing that matters, as one can begin to use the plastic once it is completely clear and not burn one's skin as easily.

The above link points to Michaels' stores, while a similar product can be found on Amazon as well as many other locations on the 'net.


Suggested construction:

I've depicted an overlapping jalousie privacy fence but I haven't put in all the details. "Privacy fence" construction is sort of a solved problem.

The fence does not need to be very strong because the beam supports it along its entire length.


Bathroom sink faucet handle is tight causing it to work off the nut holding to sink. Can the handle be fixed?

This is not an issue with the handle. You need to find our why the valve that the handle turns is so stiff. Often you can disassemble the valve and lube it up with plumber's grease to make them turn easier, other times it is not so simple; it depends on the valve and the problem.


How can I close a rectangular PVC pipe without using glue?

Cork/Foam/Anything that can be molded to fit the hole snuggly.

Also a they make  caps that extend slightly into the pvc pipe., find a rubber seal (old bike inner tube, large rubber band etc..)attach it to the cap, and then shove it in the hole.


Option 1: Try some nail polish of an appropriate colour.  It's not a perfect fix by any means, but it is cheap, and you are replacing soon.

Option 2: Cut out the entire 'tile' on the 'grout' lines and cut a matching piece from leftovers if you have any. Glue it down with contact cement. The edge of the patch will collect dirt and become ugly pretty fast.  I don't recommend this if it's in the center of the field.  It's ok for edge work.

Option 3:  Put a rug over it.


I'd say it has guttering… but perhaps nowhere to go.
The moulding round the top edge certainly looks gutter-shaped, it has sealed corners, all very 'guttery'.
What it doesn't seem to have is a fall-pipe, so it will either just fill up if those gutter-ends are sealed, or pee down onto the paving if they're not. It also seems designed that the rear face is just going to slosh water against the 'porch' section of the house extension.
It could potentially go right the way round, but the only indication of that is that the interior of the soffit section remains uniform. That, unfortunately doesn't tell us whether or not the outside is uniform.  There is potential that it does if you look at the apparently larger gap back to the extension wall in the rear corner. There looks to be room enough for gutter. It would still have no apparent way to drain.
The porch itself seems to have correct guttering & fall-pipe (you can just see a bit of it at the far side & it looks like the same design as the neighbours', it runs to the side of the house. It could potentially be from the conservatory gutter, or the porch, or perhaps both at a push.
I don't see any part of the structure that could have cleverly-hidden integral fall-pipe. None of the uprights are big enough & none of them run down to the ground.
If that was an estate agent's or builder' photo I'd demand to see from more angles. I'd really also like to see one from the top of a ladder looking at that joint to the 'porch'.
One last observation. The door doesn't seem to open onto the paved area. There looks like an accidental half flag of overlap, but mainly it looks like that grass is going to take some footfall, come rain, come shine.
Couple of zoomed images of salient points…


Can i use tubing for drain-water under my sink?

I don't know about Sweden, but here in central U.S. a kitchen sink will be 1 1/2" tube size. This is different than 1 1/2" DWV which is in the wall, but again I don't know how plumbing is run in Sweden. Cost wise, tubing is not much less than the tubing to run a trap, so I would honestly skip the tubing, and run hard pipe. It will be less apt to give to any expansion or contraction with temperature changes, and overall be more reliable in the long run.


I think the most likely cause is that waste water from the upper sink is being forced up into the vent pipe for the lower sink.

The water descends without much restriction for about nine feet and accumulates enough kinetic energy to escape its intended path through the junction of the two drains. Some of it splashes into the lower drain and some into the vent pipe. This pushes air in through the lower sink p-trap, and then, when the flood abates and the water flows back out of the lower drain and vent, it pulls air out through the lower sink p-trap.

The root cause of all this is that the join between the two sink drains is much too close to the lower sink. See the left half of the diagram below:

You can eliminate the problem by repositioning the join between the drains to a lower location. See the right half of the diagram for one way to do this.

If you decide not to change the drains because it's a lot of trouble just to get rid of an annoying gurgling, you have my sympathy. Just run some water in the lower sink after each time it gurgles, to make sure the p-trap is filled.

However -- if you are smelling sewer gas in the lower apartment, then you must call in a professional plumber to change the drains.


Should I use Kerdi membrane or cement backerboard?

First Kerdi can be installed on drywall or cement board.  However if installed on drywall it is only protecting one side.  The back side of the drywall fails and it is just as bad or worse than if it had an issue on the tile side.

All shower/tub areas should have concrete board (I prefer hardiboard).  Whether or not you need a Kerdi membrane is a factor of use.  In normal residential use I wouldn't worry about it.  Backerboard plus a waterproofing membrane like Redgard is all that is needed for tub surrounds with thinset then tile.  Kerdi really offers very little advantage over hardiboard plus membrane.


What wire should I run to my garage for tools and a welder?

You probably want to run to a subpanel as that will give you a LOT more possibilities as well as allowing you to run 120 or 240 devices.  240 @ 50 amp would require 6/3, and you could actually breaker it at 55 to give you some more room.  Look into code in your area as to what kind of method is required for bringing power to an outbuilding.  In the subpanel you will need to have separate ground and neutral bars.  You can then run whatever outlets and loads you want to without going back to the main house.  6/3 at 100 feet will also not exceed the 3% voltage drop that is usually considered "within tolerances".


Bathroom flooded by condo upstairs. Can there be mold on the drywall between the floors?

If it was a toilet ring, you can be sure that it gradually started leaking longer than two weeks beforehand. It takes sometimes weeks before a slow leak accumulates enough water and softens the gypsum board enough to leak down to the ceiling below. There may very well be mould above in the ceiling space. This should be investigated asap and the appropriate authorities contacted (insurance company, condo committee, etc.) so that you are not ultimately left with the mitigation costs when it is clearly the neighbour's fault. Mould can be a health hazard. You want to be sure that there is none in the ceiling space. Good luck..


I want to run a small kiln off a living room circuit with ext cord out to the yard.

No, the 5-20P configuration will only fit circuits designed for and equipped with a 20 amp receptacle:


Why shouldn't I use duct tape for home improvement?

Yes this question should be closed, but in the meantime, the quite-serious answer is:  don't use Duc[k][t] tape for anything. Ever.  It's only partially a joke that the only thing duck tape sticks to is itself.  It ages very fast, with the cloth backing falling off and only a difficult-to-remove dried layer of goo remaining on whatever you thought was being held together.

Basically, duck tape is useful for very short-term emergency use only.

(For those who care, the original name was "duck," not "duct," as it was named for the class of sailcloth used to manufacture the tape.)

Edit:  Johnson&Johnson's own history page says the original duck tape used duck cloth.


Ok to have junction box hidden behind recessed lighting?

Accessible is a somewhat relative concept. You need to fully remove a recessed fixture from a ceiling to access the connections.  This is a bit more difficult than pulling a switch to get at the wires, or even dropping a canopy style fixture, but it does meet the criteria of accessible.

But one of the main rationales for the rule seems to be to ensure a troubleshooter knows where all the connection are, that none are truly buried in the walls where they can't be found.

I don't know if the code has considered your solution, but it sounds like the box you are suggesting is buried, even though it is attached to the recessed fixture. In a sense, you are modifying the fixture in a way not contemplated by the manufacturer. But it might pass muster with some inspectors since it sounds like the junction would be accessible if you removed the can.

There is another way that might suit. The code now allows for certain in-wall splices that can be buried, such as these.

The old wire is inserted into one section of the device, clamped, and screwed in. A new wire is inserted into the other. The halves then snap together and the resultant splice can be buried in a ceiling or wall. If feasible, the completed clamp should be attached to a framing member, but I don't think the code requires it if the wire is left in an unaccessible area.

You could attach this splice to your old wire and run a short extension to your can.

 Images and links are illustrative only, not an endorsement of goods or sources.


The correct way to insulate a basement wall is with rigid foam or spray foam right up against the masonry walls, with air sealing scrupulously done with caulk, tape, and more spray foam, to make sure that no humid air can touch the masonry walls. Once that's done, you can safely build a framed wall covered in drywall if you like to finish the space. There should NEVER be poly in this wall sandwich, as it will trap water and cause everything touching it to get wet.

If you currently have a wall that has poly anywhere in it, you need to remove it. Then redo it according to the above description.


What's the strongest anchor for something heavy in double drywall?

I think this question warrants an answer with a healthy dose of caution:

Shelves for supporting a lot of weight should not be supported via drywall! Structural shelves need to be supported by proper framing...namely the studs within the wall.

Given that there is a party wall, if this is a condo, the walls may very well be made using steel studs. Depending on the gauge of steel studs, they may be able to support a wall shelf system, but maybe not.

The other issue is that you shouldn't put holes in party walls without permission. A party wall is shared property and your lease or title likely has some conditions pertaining what can and can not be done to a party wall on your own.

The two main reasons to be cautious is fire codes (the double sheetrock is to meet shared wall fire codes and putting a hole in it defeats that) and sound (ideally, the party wall is fairly soundproof between units...creating holes, as well as attaching items to framing will allow more sound transmittance).

Suggestion:

Consider a floor-based shelving system. Many of the wall shelving systems on the market also have the option to convert them to freestanding. Ikea's system, for example, can be installed with feet to make it freestanding:


Blower Fan Comes on and runs cold air and then shuts off before the gas and heat actually come on

Contrary to JPhi's comment, it is not normal for the "air" to come on for a bit before ignition of the burner. What Ms. Diaz may have been hearing is the combustion air blower coming on, a failed ignition attempt and then shutdown. That is not the blower motor "air" coming on first. Ron Beyer had it right. Check the error code.


Are there any side effects of using sodium hydroxide as a mold-cleaner in the shower?

I think you are right to use caustic.  NaOH is fantastic.  It comes with some positives that outweigh the negatives in your case.  Peroxyacetic Acid or Peracetic acid, they are the same, come with some things you should know about.

It's an explosive acid.  The guys who have jet packs and fly around.  They burn this stuff.  I have found that small doses dropped on the ground, can be very toxic in unventilated areas. I have been around for accidents where we were forced to clear entire floors of people for 2 plus hours for spilling as little as 8oz.
Just like hydrogen peroxide sold at your Walgreens, this stuff is the same, just much more concentrated.   Often the stuff in the store is sold at 3% and Peroxyacetic acid is often 25% concentrations of hydrogen peroxide. It also will have some acid affect on your grout and tile. I would be more cautious of acid on grout than caustic.

Benefits of the Peracetic acid solution include:

Extremely short contact time needed to kill germs.  They use this stuff in chicken plants.
Breaks down into harmless vinegar and water given time.
Extremely small amounts needed at 25% concentration.  1oz per 6 gallons of water to create a sanitizing solution. You dont need much.  5 gallons might cost you 150 dollars.  IT will last for 3840 gallons of sanitized water.

Caustics include there own benefits.

They are great at removing protein.  They are used in major brewing, dairy, pharmaceutical and other food production facilities. They clean things. Wet things. Mold like things.
When mixed with chlorine they can kill bacteria and mold, and work at a lower temp. Do not mix chlorinated caustic with any acid.  You will make mustard gas.
Do not use purple cleansers.  They are usually made with high concentrations of nitric acid which will also degrade your tile or concrete.  Don't mix purple cleansers with chlorinated anything.

Remember that straight NaOH isn't a sanitizer. It is a cleanser.  Most commercial examples are blended with a chemical that is probably known to someone to cause cancer. It has all sorts of industrial uses.  If you need to sanitize your bathtub, cause your are making gin or something you could sanitize it with H2O2.  I think that would probably be bad for your biom though and I don't think you should sanitize. Cleaning and scrubbing with high powered lye cleaner will do you just fine. Remember to rinse. Also remember to be soft on your grout with the brush and keep the temp on your wash bucket really hot. As hot as possible.  Most of that stuff is meant to work at 120-160+ degrees depending on how it is blended. Hot caustic means less scrubbing, more waiting followed by washing off.


This is how I ended up building the soffit. I decided to write this up as an answer, since there is not a lot of information, including on YouTube, dealing with building kitchen or basement soffits or bulkheads, where the joists are parallel to the planned soffit. Hopefully the readers can benefit.
Step 1. I cut back the existing ceiling drywall to the point where it wouldn’t interfere with the new soffit frame. I made sure that I didn’t cut beyond that, as you want your soffit drywall to butt under, and against the ceiling drywall, and not against the frame above. This way the soffit vertical drywall piece will support ceiling drywall from any possible sagging and will make this joint much less susceptible to cracks.
Step 2. I took the measurements and built the soffit frame on a level floor. First I built the front of the frame using a 2x4 as a top piece and a (ripped from 2x4) 2x2 as a bottom piece. I used the lumber as straight as I could find - a challenge in today’s breakneck lumber production, especially for boards 10’ and up. The ladder "steps" were made with 2x4 pieces at 24” at the center (you could go 16” but unnecessary for narrow soffit). I used long clamps like this, which made it MUCH easier to keep the ladder together while assembling than it otherwise would. I used 3" these decking screws to assemble the whole ladder.
Step 3. Next, I cut some 2x4s at a length that would fit between two joists and "toenail" them with 3” decking screws to the joists in a perpendicular fashion.
Step 4. Lifted the assembled front of the soffit, and attached it with the same decking screws to the 2x4 braces I toenailed to joists earlier, as well as the side walls.
Step 5. I attached the second piece of 2x2 from that ripped 2x4 with 2x4 ladder "steps" to make up the bottom of the soffit.
Step 6. Hang drywall as usual using drywall screws, tape the joints, install a corner bead (a lot of people use vinyl beads on soffits, I just prefer metal ones), mud, and finish.
I left the soffit on the back open (no drywall), as new kitchen cabinets, as well as the trim (still to be installed), would fully cover the opening. Had I had no cabinets, I would additionally screw the bottom of the soffit to the studs on the back wall and run the drywall all the way to the wall. In this instance it was unnecessary, and besides, I had a range hood vent hanging behind it.
Here are some photos of the build. I didn't take detailed photos of the whole process but it does show some detail.


What precautions should I take installing tile on a backerboard in an area surrounded by cement?

I would probably use unmodified thin set to cover the gaps and give a good base for applying the tile.

Could you do something a little decorative and use a border tile around the repaired area, sort of like a picture frame?  Then use a different tile to fill in the area.  The border would make the change in depth harder to see.


You might be in luck, but it depends on how the Honeywell thermostat works.  I know Ecobee3 lets you power the thermostat using the Rc and C terminals, but I'm not sure if Honeywell does the same. However, this solution might still work, even if the Honeywell is not the same as an EcoBee3.

If you look at the documentation for the boiler, you'll see this.

Which shows that the boiler exposes additional wiring, that's intended specifically for powering a thermostat.

You can see these two wires in the photo of your boiler.

If the Honeywell can be powered using Rc and C, then here's what you'll have to do.

Install an 18 AWG (at least) 2-wire (at least) cable between the boiler and the thermostat(s).
Connect one of the wires to the wire labeled R in the boiler (as highlighted above).
Connect the other wire to the wire labeled C in the boiler (as highlighted above).
At the thermostat, remove the jumper between R and Rc.
Connect the wire that is connected to the R wire in the boiler, to the Rc terminal on the thermostat base.
Connect the wire that is connected to the C wire in the boiler, to the C terminal on the thermostat base.
Connect the other thermostat wires as they were on the old thermostat.

If the Honeywell thermostat cannot be powered using Rc and C, then you may still be able to get it working.  Follow the same procedure as above, but do not connect the wire between the R wire in the boiler and the Rc terminal at the thermostat. Also, leave the jumper in place between R and Rc.  This may or may not work, depending on how the system is currently wired.


Driving vehicles on newly poured concrete

Is it really OK to drive on the concrete after only 2 days? No. Even if control joints were cut, the concrete is at a fraction of its ultimate strength (maybe 15-30%, depending on several factors). You run a high risk of breaking it at other locations.

Will the slab further strengthen by in the order of 25% over the next 12 hours?Maybe, but that's 25% of the current cure extent, which could still be a minor fraction of the ultimate strength. Cure rates depend on many things, from mix to water content to weather to after-pour care. The cure amount does grow substantially over the first few days, but it's folly to take guesses. Give it at least a week (ideally two) if at all possible.

If I drive over concrete which is still in the early stages of curing/setting and it doesn't visibly crack, am I weakening the eventual strength of the concrete? Cracks due to vehicle traffic are usually apparent right away, but it is possible that you'll crack it and not know it until dirt starts to accumulate on the line or it opens further. If it doesn't crack, it's probably not weakened in any substantial way.

If I drive on the slab prior to joints being cut am I more likely to damage it? No, but it is more likely that you'll end up with crooked (uncontrolled) cracks, which are ugly.

Is the placement of the mesh a concern? Yep. It should've been pulled up into the center third of the slab's thickness as the pour occurred. It's possible that what you see there is an anomaly, but it's not a good sign.


How to fit a new door in a narrower frame?

You did not supply actual dimensions for the new door size, new frame rough opening size, or the old frame internal dimensions. As such it is difficult to give specific advice. That said here are some basic suggestions.

1) Before fitting the new frame within the old frame do remove the doorstop molding from the old frame.

2) Remove any and all casing from around the old door frame. You will be adding new casing from the new frame all the way out to the existing wall. By nesting the frames the way you want to do this casing will end up wider than your existing casing. You may be faced with using some pine boards to make up the casing boards.

3) Check the width dimensions of the outside of the new frame to the inside dimensions of the old frame. If this overall difference is larger that thickness of one or more standard pine boards (in US this is 0.75 inches thick) you should add a board(s) to the inside of the old frame to fill up part of the space. You will want to leave a free space in between each side of the frame of ~0.8 to 1.2 cm to allow for adjusting the new frame to plumb.

4) Check the height dimension of the outside of the new frame to the inside height of the old frame. If the overall difference is more than the thickness of a standard pine board you should add board(s) to fill up part of the space. You will want to leave a free space in between at the top of the frame of ~0.8 to 1.2 cm to allow for adjusting the new frame to square and level across the top.

5) Use tapered wedge pieces of wood in pairs in between the frame sides and at the top to bridge the gap between the frames at the points where you will nail the new frame into place. These tapered wedges can be adjusted by pulling them apart or together (end to end) to adjust the gap as you plumb, level and check the new frame for square. Once the fit is correct nail through the new frame and wedges and into the old frame to secure the new frame in place.  (If you had added gap filler pine boards in between these nails will be going into those boards first before poking through to the original frame). These wedges can be purchased ready made or you can make your own.

6) Once the door is hung and has a good fit it is time to install new casing over the edge of the new frame all the way over to the wall edge that was previously covered by the old casing. In all likelihood this new casing will end up being a custom casing that you will make from trim boards. However there is a possibility that you may be able to locate a suitable material that you can re-purpose as a casing such as some styles of wide baseboard.

Note that before you start on this endeavor you want to check the width of the new jamb sides as compared to the old frame. If the old one is wider you will have to fur out the new frame with jamb extensions so the width is very slightly wider than the existing jamb. This is so that when you install new casing boards that the trim does not rock on the edge of the old frame.


Why was the ground for this fluorescent fixture not connected to the ballast?

My guess would be that because the fixture has a metal frame, the ballast is grounded via its contact with frame.  If the frame were plastic, you would need to use the terminal on the ballast.

If you're converting it to hardwired, you should definitely connect the ground wire to the grounding screw.

You're also going to need to cut a hole if there's no punch-out available and make sure to use a cable clamp/strain relief suitable for using with romex.


Is it okay to build a fire pit with concrete?

You should line it with firebrick or (since you like molding and casting things) castable refractory. Edit: on second thought, stick to hard firebrick - most castable does not like to get wet. Regular concrete is prone to spalling & cracking in direct fire exposure.

Depending on the shape of the "pit" a 2" layer of sand can work, if it will stay put (ie, if the "pit" is rather shallow)


How do I connect the two cables entering a switch box for a light?

Short answer:  in the switch box, the blacks go to the switch terminals (not the green one - that's for the bare ground) and the whites are spliced together with a wire nut or other connector.


Lens' for fluorescent lights usually can be removed without disassembling the fixture. Try pressing you thumbs against the top of the lens while gently pulling down with the rest of your hand. It should snap out and down. Then push the lens either left or right and see if it will clear the edge ridge on one side or the other. Then just work it out.

If you do have to remove a side plate, you need to get a tamper proof screw drive the fits the 2-hole head.

Personal opinion: Looking at you pictures I wouldn't waste time repairing it. I would get an inexpensive fixture and replace it. In fact if you have to replace the ballast and lamps, the price of the material may be about the same of an inexpensive replacement.

Good luck and stay safe make sure the circuit is dead while working on it.


You are correct in that no sane manufacturer would build something that would require disassembly of the fan to change the light bulbs.

This looks like a split glass assembly, you might have a locking ring above the fan blades, if it is a locking ring type unscrew the locking ring and it would drop down and allow you to slide one glass side out in order to change the bulbs. You might have to remove the blades to do this - but I can not be sure.

Since you do not list the make and model it is difficult to give more specifics.


A sealed plastic bag will not help.  The spores that caused mold are literally everywhere.  Unless you have a "clean room" to process the rags, you're not going to keep the spores out.
The dilute bleach solution, however, is likely to be fruitful. You may want to experiment with the concentration of the bleach to find the most effective ratio.


How should I replace this rotten window header?

You can put in a header and change the window later.
I would say that header is two small for the span to start with so installing a narrower window with new cripples will be better from the looks of it.
Make sure to provide enough support, even though the wood is rotten it can be surprising how much support it still provides.
If using wet wood remember it shrinks, this is a place where I want dry wood on a repair so shrinkage won’t be a problem.


If there are gaps between the stair parts, pumping them full of polyurethane construction adhesive would help a lot.

If you add 2x4's under each tread, put them in with the 1.5" side horizontal and the 3.5" side vertical.


Sill plate alternatives when *not* using pressure treated wood?

There are many species of wood that are naturally insect and moisture resistant. Redwood comes to mind. People used this for decks long before pressure treated came along.

Just install it as you would PT wood with a sill plate gasket.

Good luck!


The rule, at least here in the US, is a cantilever can extend no more than 1/3 the supported length (so, you could go ~3 feet further). Personally, I try to keep cantilevers no more than 2 feet, regardless of total supported length: while it might be OK structurally, it will likely sag the further you go, and can feel bouncy.

To do the best job, get some 12 foot 2x8s and sister them with the existing joists (run them the entire length, nailing with galvanized nails at the top and bottom every 16 inches). Then put a double joist hanger at the ledger against the house.

One of the critical things with a deck cantilever is how you attach the railing posts at the end of the cantilever. You will be nailing a 2x8 rim joist at the end to finish the deck, but you need to make sure the posts for your railing are tied in securely to the joists, and not just the rim joist. The method can vary depending on whether your existing railing posts are notched into the decking or fastened to the outside of the deck.


How do I intall GFCI breaker if wire for outlets is 12/3 using two breakers?

I wanted to have the outlet GFCI protected but did not know how I could use GFCI outlets and have the top of bottom of the outlets be powered but two different breakers.

You can’t make a GFCI receptacle work that way.  It can only protect one 120V half-circuit; you have two.
To do this with GFCI receps, you would need seven of them, and each one would be on a different circuit (i.e. both sockets on the same subcircuit).

That is when I found out that I had one 12/3 wire with black, red, white, and ground wires. I tried to use two different GFCI breakers by trying to wire nut two wires off of the white wire so that I had a white for each GFCI breaker. When I turned on one of the breakers it was fine, but when I turned on the second breaker it tripped both breakers.

Yup, that can never possibly work.  That is not how GFCIs function.   They are comparing the current on the hot to the current on the neutral.  If they are different, current is leaking somewhere.  So from each individual GFCI’s perspective, current via the other GFCI is a ground fault, and they must trip.

I thought that I might have to buy a double pole 20 amp GFCI breaker in my situation to make this work. I am not positive how double pole breakers work.

Yeah, and I bet you’re getting real sick of spending $100 over and over on things that don’t work.  Good reason to ask!
However the 2-pole GFCI is the right solution for this.
A 2-pole GFCI monitors all three wires, assuring the currents are equal (or to be more precise, net out to zero... counting outbound current as equal and opposite to returning current, on whichever wires it may occur).  Now, neutral is not bypassing the GFCI so all neutral current is being correctly counted.
By the way, if working with and replacing outlets, never splice the neutral wire on the outlet.  Neutral must always be pigtailed.


Why do my toilet valves seem to have started running at the same time?

Run enough water to get the hot water heater to start its cycle, then close everything and measure the pressure until the heater gets to the end of its cycle. If you have a check valve and no expansion tank, this can cause a pressure issue that wouldn't be detected with a quick test. Instead, it will slowly rise as the water heater runs, and then drop back to normal when the first faucet is run.

It's also possible that all the toilets have the same parts and are therefore failing at the same time. But before replacing everything, it's worth it to make sure they are really faulty.


Old Craftsman Table Saw Additional Load as Blade is Raised

Is this one of the old Sears models where the motor hangs off the back on a hinge? The weight of the motor supplies the tension. It is possible that the hinge is frozen allowing the belt to over tension. Ideally the motor should be free to move as the blade is raised and lowered. The pivot bolt should be tight enough to prevent lateral movement (left to right). It should be loose enough that you can raise the motor by hand. The belt tension is determined by the weight of the motor. I have seen people even hang scrap metal (window weights were popular) on to the motor to increase tension as the belt ages and begins to slip under load.


Use an angle grinder.  I recommend practicing though I find angle grinders one of the easiest tools to control (no crazy binding like drills).  Really you should buy one they are $15 USD at harbor freight.  If you are going to use it more than once splurge and get the $30 one.  Any metal cutting disc will cut that quick.  Just get a thin kerf (3/32") blade, wear eye and ear protection and keep any plastic out of the way of the hot metal particles.  Won't hurt to have an extinguisher near by.
I've used oscillating tools on metal - the blades dull really quick.  A reciprocating saw can work but you have limited clearance.  Even then the reciprocating blades can dull quick quickly on metal as well.  I can't imagine using a jamb saw on that.


Is cutting a DIY spline channel around the openings of our wood screen porch a good plan?

This is a good idea, except 1/8" x 1/8" is kinda small. 5/32" would let you use common .160 spline. Check spline availability in your area prior to choosing groove size.

Yes, "trying to use the circ saw on a vertical surface is a bit dodgy". You should remove the panels and lay them flat on sawhorses if possible.

You should consider using a router, which would be easier to control (i.e. perhaps safer). Another benefit of the router is that it "does corners". With a circular saw (or even a table saw) you will need to saw beyond your spline corner to achieve the correct depth at the corner, which will look crappy if the cut extends beyond the wood molding.


How can I  repair scratches on a coated stainless steel surface?

I looked into this some and there is no easy answer. Appliances are a 4 ( brushed) finish,BUT different mills may supply slightly different appearances. It is close to a 120 grit finish. I have four SS appliances , 3 different manufacturers all
Korean but the finishes do not look identical .I doubt there is a coating. Mine all all non-magnetic SS ( " 18-8" or 304 ). When I was shopping I found 90 % of the US manufacturers use magnetic SS ( 13 chrome ).Again the alloy will not significantly affect the appearance. I tried rubbing a hidden spot with 180 silicon carbide paper and it polished ; it was too fine. I then tried 150 sand paper ; still too fine. A "net" site said the finish should be equivalent to 120 grit ; that sounds like a good possibility . I don't think any coating is significant .  Summary : Try 120 grit paper.


What is this part of the heating system, and how can I stop it from leaking?

It is an automatic air vent that is supposed to allow air to escape from the heating pipes.  It should not be leaking water.  From the looks of it, it is definitely defective and should be replaced. I recommend a plumber.


The only adjustment you get with those hinges is the up and down adjustment the slots give. If your issue is that they aren't closing fully, the hinges pull themselves closed so long as the spring and nylon slipper aren't too worn - they look good in the photos, and there isn't any interference between the door and frame. In this case, there definitely is some contact between the bump on the door side half of the hinge and the frame, and this may be what is limiting the movement. I haven't seen this style of hinges with that bump pressed into the frame, but you may be stuck with carving away the material of the frame where the bump visibly comes into contact.


How to remove dark stains on light-colored granite countertops

If your stain is something like oil that has made it past the sealer you may be able to “draw” it back out of the granite. You want a poultice to sit on the stain, you can buy special powders for this by I found plaster of Paris and acetone worked better.

Be sure to test in an inconspicuous spot first to make sure this will not make things look worse.

Wipe the area clean with soap and water to remove any dirt and grime.  The surface should be clean above the oil spot.
Mix plaster of Paris with acetone in a container.  Start with the plaster of Paris in the empty container and slowly add/mix in the acetone until the plaster is dissolved into a goopy paste. You don’t want it too runny but you don’t want dry chunks of plaster either.
Put the mixture on the stain, overlap the stain by at least an inch all around and pile it up a bit.  Don’t spread it out too thin, I usually have it at least a ¼ inch high.
Cover with plastic wrap and tape down the edges with masking tape.
After 12 or 24 hours remove everything (the plaster of Paris mixture, plastic wrap, and tape). The stain should be lighter or gone completely.  If it is lighter but still visible repeat the procedure.

This process worked well for me on my white granite that was super porous and I mistakenly used plumbers putty to seal the kitchen faucet. I was horrified to see an oil stain the next day. I removed the putty and let it dry out but the stain persisted. Using the process above I got it removed.

Last point, you likely will just have to seal this granite a lot. You have enough sealant on it when water beads up on it, once it stops you need more sealer. It may be 1 or 2 years later or even sooner. The stone will tell you when you need to reapply, not a calendar.


What could cause my radiators to go cold when the hot water is turned on?

It does sound likely that the 3 position zone valve is the problem, or likely more accurately the actuator that controls the valve is the problem.

To check that it is the actuator: remove the actuator from the valve body (there's normally a button to press which releases it), and then turn the heating on/off and the hot water on/off and see how the actuator moves - does it go into three different positions? (NB, the total rotation from all-heating to all-hotwater is a lot less than you'd probably expect; something like 40 degrees if I remember correctly.)

Possible faults with the 3 position zone valve (off the top of my head):

The actuator isn't wired in correctly and so isn't receiving the correct signals. If you've previously replaced the valve (including, I assume, the actuator), and wired up the new actuator however the old one was wired, then this might be the problem.
The valve itself is gunked up / not moving freely. A symptom of this would be that when the actuator is removed from the body it rotates as expected, but then when replaced onto the body it stops moving. Perhaps if you've previously replaced the actuator but not the valve body, this could be the problem.
One of the springs in the actuator has come loose/broken. The actuator relies on springs to return the valve to the default position when unpowered. Normally the default position is hot water though, so this would be more likely to be the problem if it you were getting heating but no hot water. If this is the problem you'll probably need to replace the actuator. Or if this is happening repeatedly, buy a better quality valve/actuator!


Get a new head and hose, it's the easiest choice.
Anyway you can try to push around from the inside of broken hose with 'reversed' pliers then unscrewing.


You're saying "last one", but that has two meanings.  First as position: the last one in the row.  Second as time: the last one remaining.

The second meaning is relevant here.   What's actually the case is all 4 sockets are wired the same.  What's causing the problem is removing the last (final) incandescent.  It wouldn't matter if you removed it from position 2, 3, or 1.  Once there are no incandescents left, the problem occurs.

The root problem is one we are familiar with here, and has many, many Q&A.  The short answer is a bad dimmer, a bad choice of LEDs, or a combination of the two. For LED dimming to work, you need both dimmable LEDs and an LED friendly dimmer.  Assuming you bought these LEDs prudently, it's time to look at the dimmer.


Lights goes completely out and back on again and flashes for more than 20 seconds

That is a classic arc fault.  You need to stop that happening right away or you'll have ashes for a house.

First, figure out which circuit is affected.  It's on the same circuit if turning off one branch circuit breaker turns off all the affected loads.  If it's on multiple circuits, then it's something to do with the panel or service.

Confine your troubleshooting to places common to all affected areas.  For instance if a single circuit is involved, don't mess with outlets on any other circuit.  If multiple circuits are involved, don't mess with anything on any individual circuit; only look at places which serve multiple circuits.

Madly replacing parts will not work, it's not a faulty part, it's a faulty connection.  Only replace parts after you find the bad connection and find it too badly burnt to continue in service.  You'll know it when you find it.

On a single branch circuit, check the neutral bar in the panel - most overlooked. After the neutral bar, the likeliest place is a backstab connection at an outlet or switch.  Or a bad wire nut.  Wire nuts need to hold together on their own. If they need tape to stay together, they have been done wrong and will cause this.


How to install a new window header that overlaps an old one

Based on your description of the loading, I wouldn't be too concerned about supporting it at all unless you're going to leave the framing out for any significant period of time (days for example). If anything it might sag a fraction of an inch, but you'll true it up when the new header goes in.  You'll want to remove the old one first and re-frame that section of the wall, then cut in your new rough opening and put the new one in.  Pretty simple, and I've done this numerous times with patio doors.

If you're concerned about the weight, consider that there are quite a few houses out there dating from the time before building codes became common that don't have proper headers over windows and doors at all.  I've done several jobs where I had to install headers that were missing in the first place.  Also, I've done a couple garage demolitions where I had a hard time removing enough structure to make it collapse.


What size water meter do I need to connect to county water?

So far as I can tell 5/8 is a common meter size for residential water connections in the US. It'll often be connected to a 3/4 inch pipe. It's normal for the meter size to be smaller than the pipe size.
Some utility providers charge a different base rate according to the size/capacity of the meter (or the pressure delivered, in the case of natural gas). If your water utility imposes a higher recurring monthly charge for the larger meter then it would make sense to take the smaller meter -- unless for some reason you'll require unusually high GPM flow (irrigating a very large yard with the culinary water, for example).
The utility should be able to advise how many GPM can be provided/expected with each of the meters; you should be able to produce at least a rough estimate of your GPM needs by summing the bathing and other water uses that might occur simultaneously.


Pipes that supply water to washing machine are constantly dripping

You need to find the source of this problem and either fix it or have it repaired.  This kind of a water leak could result is mold growth as well as other bad things for you home. You will probably have to open the wall to expose the source.  Wall repair is simple and inexpensive when compared to the other problems that  could result leaving this unattended.


I'm guessing that the whole light fixture is turning when you try to unscrew the glass globe? If so that means the base of the light has pulled away from one of the two screws that hold the fixture to the ceiling.


Bathtub Resurfacing Options: Pour-on vs. Spray-on

Pour-on is great when you have the ability to move the object around and let the liquid flow around and smoothly and evenly cover the entire surface. It's not so great when you have to move and the object stays still. I doubt you'll be spinning the tub around in all different directions unless you'll have it mounted to a spin table. Spraying will probably be your best option since you'll be the one moving, not the tub. You will need more coats when spraying than you would with pour-on but that's just the way it is. You don't want to start the spray on the object or you'll have circles. Start the spray off of the object and then draw it across the surface and off the surface and then continue back.


Pressure guage full of water and leaking

First you should determine whether the gauge itself is the source of the leak. It is common for a leak to develop at the threaded fitting or elsewhere and to run down and drip from a different low point.
That type of gauge has an internal part called a Bourdon tube made of relatively thin (usually metal) material. The tube contains the process fluid (water) at system pressure and deforms according to the pressure. That deformation creates movement that is represented on the gauge dial. It is not uncommon for the tube to fail and leak which does not (necessarily...) indicate a system problem or dangerously high pressure.

If this is due to high water pressure is there risk of anything worse happening?

YES- of course, overly high pressure can damage fixtures, valves pipes, appurtenances, etc.

What actions should I take?

Remove and replace the gauge and start monitoring the system for problems. Take pressure readings at various times, etc. If you know your normal system pressure then you should be capable of recognizing abnormal pressures. In the end, if you have a pressure issue that you can't properly diagnose, you will need to get a plumber in there.


How do I prepare aging cedar siding for staining/painting?

If it's real cedar, it shouldn't be more complicated than scraping, sanding, and restaining.  You'll have to sand down to bare wood before restaining.  Depending on what kind of siding you have, it might be hard to sand it everywhere, in which case painting it might be a better option.  For paint, you just have to make sure you scrape/sand to the point where the paint has a good surface to adhere to.  Then prime and paint.

But you should make sure you know what you have.  Real wood is less and less common as siding, so you should make sure you don't have something like Hardiplank.


removing ceiling fan and installing a light fixture

So, it's not the fan that has that wiring config, that's the romex feeding the box; right?

The fan likely has a blue wire, or another of some color, which is used to independently switch the light kit. So, the short answer is yes but you'll have to figure out which wire in the box goes to which switch and cap off the one you don't want to use.

This will leave a "dead" switch somewhere if it was, and still is, wired for independent switching. If so, you can remove the switch and replace the cover with one that has a blank where the dead switch was.


Hanging heavy things on old walls. Running out of options. What would you do

See my answer for this question.

How do I properly mount hardware to a wall covered in AirStone?

Those anchors will give you the depth and the strength that you need. I would consider using the shelving that has a mounting bar that mounts at the top of the wall and then the shelf standards all hang off of that bar.


Help running romex and conduit for new outlet through cold air return

Your inspector is on the right track -- burning NM in an air return is no fun!

A smoldering cable in an air return will cause the HVAC system to blithely send all that smoke throughout the house.  Hence, the NEC restricts the wiring methods usable in ductwork and plenum spaces in 300.22; since your panned-stud air return is a kind of plenum space, 300.22(C) is the specific Code citation that applies:

  (C) Other Spaces Used for Environmental Air (Plenums).
  This section shall apply to spaces not specifically fabricated for
  environmental air-handling purposes but used for air-handling
  purposes as a plenum. This section shall not apply to habitable
  rooms or areas of buildings, the prime purpose of which is not
  air handling.

  Informational Note No. 1: The space over a hung ceiling used
  for environmental air-handling purposes is an example of the
  type of other space to which this section applies.

  Informational Note No. 2: The phrase “Other Spaces Used for
  Environmental Air (Plenum)” as used in this section correlates
  with the use of the term “plenum” in NFPA 90A-2015, Standard
  for the Installation of Air-Conditioning and Ventilating Systems, and
  other mechanical codes where the plenum is used for return air
  purposes, as well as some other air-handling spaces.

  Exception: This section shall not apply to the joist or stud spaces of
  dwelling units where the wiring passes through such spaces perpendicular to the long dimension of such spaces.

  (1) Wiring Methods. The wiring methods for such other space
  shall be limited to totally enclosed, nonventilated, insulated
  busway having no provisions for plug-in connections, Type MI
  cable without an overall nonmetallic covering, Type MC cable
  without an overall nonmetallic covering, Type AC cable, or
  other factory-assembled multiconductor control or power cable
  that is specifically listed for use within an air-handling space, or
  listed prefabricated cable assemblies of metallic manufactured
  wiring systems without nonmetallic sheath. Other types of
  cables, conductors, and raceways shall be permitted to be
  installed in electrical metallic tubing, flexible metallic tubing,
  intermediate metal conduit, rigid metal conduit without an
  overall nonmetallic covering, flexible metal conduit, or, where
  accessible, surface metal raceway or metal wireway with metal
  covers.

  Nonmetallic cable ties and other nonmetallic cable accessories used to secure and support cables shall be listed as having
  low smoke and heat release properties.

  Informational Note: One method to determine low smoke and
  heat release properties is that the nonmetallic cable ties and
  other nonmetallic cable accessories exhibit a maximum peak
  optical density of 0.50 or less, an average optical density of 0.15
  or less, and a peak heat release rate of 100 kW or less when
  tested in accordance with ANSI/UL 2043-2008, Fire Test for Heat
  and Visible Smoke Release for Discrete Products and Their Accessories
  Installed in Air-Handling Spaces.

  (2) Cable Tray Systems. The provisions in (a) or (b) shall
  apply to the use of metallic cable tray systems in other spaces
  used for environmental air (plenums), where accessible, as
  follows:

  (a) Metal Cable Tray Systems. Metal cable tray systems shall
  be permitted to support the wiring methods in 300.22(C)(1).

  (b) Solid Side and Bottom Metal Cable Tray Systems. Solid
  side and bottom metal cable tray systems with solid metal
  covers shall be permitted to enclose wiring methods and cables,
  not already covered in 300.22(C)(1), in accordance with
  392.10(A) and (B).

  (3) Equipment. Electrical equipment with a metal enclosure,
  or electrical equipment with a nonmetallic enclosure listed for
  use within an air-handling space and having low smoke and
  heat release properties, and associated wiring material suitable
  for the ambient temperature shall be permitted to be installed
  in such other space unless prohibited elsewhere in this Code.

  Informational Note: One method to determine low smoke and
  heat release properties is that the equipment exhibits a maxi‐
  mum peak optical density of 0.50 or less, an average optical
  density of 0.15 or less, and a peak heat release rate of 100kW or
  less when tested in accordance with ANSI/UL 2043-2013, Fire
  Test for Heat and Visible Smoke Release for Discrete Products and Their
  Accessories Installed in Air-Handling Spaces.

  Exception: Integral fan systems shall be permitted where specifically
  identified for use within an air-handling space.

As a result, you will need to use an unjacketed, metal-clad wiring method (type AC or MC cable is probably the easiest thing to use for this) with a metal box and faceplate if you want to mount a receptacle in this air-handling stud space.


The "C" wire is typically a common, or the other side of the 24 VAC transformer. The wireless Tstat would need the power source to operate. If there are unused wires in the wiring harness at the thermostat, then using one of these wires for the common is acceptable if that wire is clearly marked (as common). This wire would connect to the other side of the transformer that supplies the 24 VAC (follow the red wire back to the transformer and see how the other side/wire is connected. does it go to ground? does it leave the transformer to somewhere else?).


What is this part on my dishwasher, and why is it leaking?

OK. I was able to find out that it's called the "diverter motor".  It spins the wash arm.  It seems that its leeking through a grommet seal where the white hole is.
So, I was able to order a new "diverter motor" and grommet seal.  Hopefully that will fix it?
Thanks


What this could be is that you have a slow leak from the floor above. Probably a water feed rather than a drain. Although it could be from the heating system if you have a water or steam system with radiators. When you turned the water on the house it started to drip, and the ceiling soaked it all up. Eventually the ceiling became saturated and started to drip onto the floor.

If you do have a slow leak then obviously you need to find the source. It's probably a leaky pipe joint, or maybe a loose compression fitting. The only way you're going to find it is to get access, as for how that completely depends on your house's construction. There may be a panel in front of the bath that can be removed, etc.

What you need to do is meticulously go through the whole bathroom above and look for any kind of access to pipes you see, and look for signs of dripping moisture, oxidation on the pipes, or hard water deposits. As it sounds like the whole ceiling needs to come down on the floor below do that first, then use that access to find your leak.

As for how to fix it if it's a compression fitting get out your wrench and have at it. If it's a solder joint or a bad pipe get a plumber in unless you have the tools and the experience. Good luck!


Hiding Ugly HVAC Outdoor Venting and Intake

You will want to construct some form of baffle to keep separate the air flow from the exhaust/intake/exhaust. An indication of that consideration is clear in the orientation of the elbows currently attached.

Consider also to measure the diameters of the pipes involved, specifically at the elbows. Area equals pi times the radius squared. For the portion of the box baffled to each elbow, note the area calculated and compare it to the open area available to the box.

Just a dinner napkin guess here, but it would seem likely that your left-most elbow will have a smaller area than the gap below the planter's left side, between the feet. It is smarter to measure and compare, however.

Take into consideration how easily the gaps you will create in the planter box could be restricted by plant growth or other debris and also if the box is exposed to prevailing winds that may push the exhaust back into the area of the intake.

Depending on your final design, you may be able to direct the exhaust gaps above the intake gaps, allowing for lower cooler air to avoid the rising exhaust gas, especially if there is sufficient separation. Different sides of the box for each inlet/outlet gap may be useful, as well.

The drawing is mediocre, but may provide some assistance in understanding my suggestion. Even a thin plastic sheet material wedged between the pipes will direct and separate air flow to ensure that the intake does not pull in exhausted air.

If the exhausts are the pair at the right, you may get away with only the left most divider, as I doubt there would be any exhaust from one pipe forced into the other.


How can I disasseble this kitchen cabinet?

As opposed to disassembling the cabinet I would just remove it in one piece. Inside at the top it looks like the wood cross member is screwed to the wall. Remove the screws, slice the caulk on the top and the entire cabinet should pull away from the wall.