Here's what may be happening...

At night, heat stored in the roof and walls due to solar gain soaks into the home's interior. This is balanced to some extent by cooling from outside air flowing through the home. Three outcomes can result:

The home cools somewhat if the inside/outside air temperature differential is substantial, and if there's a breeze to move air at a significant rate.
The home stays at the same temperature if there's not enough breeze and/or the temperature differential is small. Heat soak and cooling are essentially balanced.
The home actually warms, especially on the upper levels of a multi-level home, due to heat soak. This occurs if there's little or no breeze and the temperature differential is small.

The change you've noticed is probably related to lighter overnight winds and slightly reduced differential. If you don't have a differential of at least 10 degrees, and the wind is calm, you'll probably want to bite the bullet and keep the a/c on. Run circulating fans and/or the furnace fan to keep all areas of the home comfortable.

If you do open the home up in questionable conditions, run box or dedicated window fans to exhaust the home overnight. Run fans inward in sleeping rooms for maximum comfort.


How can I repair a rotted door threshold?

To do it properly you're going to have to pull up that aluminum door sill to see what's going on underneath. It appears that water has been seeping under the door sill from the outside and has rotted part or all of the underlying door frame. It's also possible that the water is coming in along the perimeter jambs and seeping down to the sill. To remove the aluminum sill you're probably going to have to remove the door stop trim on either side of your door. If you do it carefully you can probably re-use it.
The sill may be glued or screwed on. This will expose the wood sill frame underneath. The wood sill will be attached to the jamb on both sides. It may all be rotted or just part.
To replace it you'll have to cut it out at the jamb on both sides or if it's only rotted along one length you might be able to remove the compromised part with a chisel. Let the area dry out removing any rotted portions. You can then replace/repair the wood sill with new wood by attaching it directly to the framing underneath as a support for the aluminum sill.
You can then reinstall the aluminum sill and the adjustable threshold that came up - you probably will want to replace it with a new one. it's critical that you weatherproof around the aluminum sill with exterior silicone caulk. You also should caulk the entire exterior perimeter of the door and it's trim and make sure the weatherstripping around the door, especially at the bottom isn't leaking. Until you weatherproof it the problem will only recur and get progressively worse.


A few screws or nails do nothing to the structural integrity of your studs.
A few holes for the wires are fine as long you don't make a swiss cheese out of them.


Proper size of header to support new door in load bearing wall?

International Residential Code 2012
Chapter 6 Wall Construction
Section R602 Wood Wall Framing
R602.7 Headers. For header spans see Tables R502.5(1) and R502.5(2).

So if you're on the top floor, you can use 2 2x4's (unless the building is 36' wide, in which case you'll need 2 2x6's). If you have a floor above, you'll need 2 2x6's (unless the building is 36' wide, in which case you'll need 2 2x8's).


Can a gas furnace be installed in an outdoor enclosure?

Since efficiency is your concern, why don't you install a geothermal system? There are geothermal split systems (example) that are designed to use very little space indoors.


How do I remove stickers and residue from a wooden door?

For this sort of residue, I highly recommend GooGone.

Mineral spirits, and Naptha will work, but the fumes they give off are much worse.  You should also do a test area first, in case the chemicals you're using causes problems with the original surface (removes it too, stains it, etc.)

You might be able to speed things up with a hair dryer (not a heat gun, it'll heat things too much), and a soft plastic scraper (something too hard will do more damage than it helps).  For the really stubborn stuff, GooGone + a plastic scrub pad (regular duty, not one of the heavy duty ones).

As for making it look better -- you might want to just strip the whole thing down and refinish it if it's particularly bad.


Can I install engineered hardwood over laminate flooring?

Are the cabinets on top of the first layer?  Why remove just the second layer and not the first as well?

To remove both you could use a circular saw with the blade depth carefully set to the combined thickness of the two floors (or just a hair shallow, using a utility knife to finish the cuts).


Why douuble pole switch must be used for water heater?

Most water heaters are 240v, this voltage is created by using 2 hot legs, for a local disconnect or breaker both hots need to be disconnected. If a single pole was used as the local disconnect the water heater would not heat but there would still be 120v at the control to the elements and this creates a hazard to someone working on the water heater (like when time to change the elements). If it is a 120v water heater a single pole is acceptable (these are usually smaller under sink type where only a small amount of water is needed at a remote location from the main water heater).


Kitchen LED ceiling light "exploded" during lightning storm

You experience a power surge in your house, probably caused by lighting.  Power surges can damage any circuits, but usually electronics like computers, TVs, or any electronic circuit boards in appliances and LED lights.
There are power surge protectors you can plug into outlets to protect TVs and computers.  There are also whole house power surge protectors that hook into your electric panel, they run about 150 to 200 dollars(think about 250pounds).
This is why it is recommended to unplug TVs and computers during lighting storms.


Yes, you can move it up as long as the top plate does not restrict the air flow. I don't know where you are located but where I live there is no code against moving it.


When did color-coding NM-B cable become standard in the US?

Type NM-B cable first began to be manufactured with color-coded jackets in 2001 to aid in identification of the conductor size. The color code that was introduced, which continues to be used today is as follows:

14 AWG – White
12 AWG – Yellow
10 AWG – Orange
8 AWG – Black
6 AWG – Black

This color coding system was developed to aid those who sell, install, and inspect Type NM-B cable so that the cable size can easily be identified, to reduce mistakes resulting from the use of an incorrect conductor size.


How should I replace a 6 wire, 12 gauge electrical outlet?

The best way is to use a pigtail. Use a large wire nut to join four 12 awg hot wires in the back of the electrical box. One of these four wires is the pig tail that will come out and join to the outlet at the screws. Do a similar arrangement for the four neutrals (one a pigtail) and bring out the single neutral to the outlet.

This arrangement also makes it far easier to mount the outlet after the wires are attached.

Don't forget the GND wire attached to the green terminal on the outlet.


How can I separate the fan and the light in my bathrooms?

No, not without running new wire. The way you have it there is only one switch leg going up to the fan/light.


What are the rules for making your own conduit KOs in nonmetallic junction boxes?

It's OK to drill a hole in plastic, in fact a lot of them don't even come with knockouts - for example

http://www.carlonsales.com/productdrawings/E987N.pdf

The zip boxes and others with integral NM clips - I doubt they are listed for use with conduit but even if they are, I'd use one like that linked above.


Option B is a fine way to start, if possible check 2 things. If possible shift your row if you can to get a potential butt joint out of the doorway. It is always best to eliminate joints in the doorways since it is always a high traffic area.The elimination of the added piece in option 1 is the reason I did go for option 1.

Secondly, adjust how much you cut out of the start row to minimize the problem of having a really narrow strip to finish on the other side. A 1" strip can be glued onto the neighboring lap if need be, a 1/2" strip will be delicate but can handled with glue too. Just make sure you will finish well. you do need to leave a 1/2" room at all solid objects in the room to allow the floor to float within the room, it will move, it will expand and contract with seasonal, and changes in room humidity/conditioning.


How do I dehumidify a season cabin in the winter

You are correct that dehumidifiers typically do not operate below freezing temperatures.  In fact, many do not operate well if the temperature is below 65F.  Certain high performance units are rated to operate down to temperatures a little above freezing.

If the goal is to suppress mold growth by maintaining indoor relative humidity below 55% during cold temperatures, then the obvious answer is that both a high performance dehumidifier and a heater are needed.  Looking at the psychrometric chart for moist air, 56F air at 55% humidity has a dew point of 38F.  With a high performance dehumidifier and a heater set to maintain an air temperature of at least 56F degrees, the RH of the air in the cabin could be maintained at or below 55%.


How do I "fix" a bad sweat (solder) joint?

Just heat the joint up with your torch, once the solder starts to melt use Channel locks to pull the fittings apart. Once the joint is apart, wipe as much old solder off as you can with a rag. Now you can start over. Clean, Flux, solder.

You should not be applying flux to joints you are not working on, take each joint one at a time. If the joints are all close to each other, try doing the joints out of order. Solder one joint, then move to a joint further away, then back to a joint near the first, etc.  This should allow some of the heat to dissipate, and reduce the chances of overheating the joints.

Don't forget to wipe excess solder off the joint before it cools using a damp rag, nothings worse than an ugly joint (except maybe a leaky joint). And don't forget, soldering pipes is an art. And like most things, it takes lots of practice to get good at it.


How do I put on siding above a slanted roof?

Werner makes ladder leg levelers (say that 5 times fast) that fit their ladders. I'm not sure if it's the safest solution for a pitched roof though. If you did decide to do this, I'd really consider having a temporary stop beneath the bottom foot of the ladder and possibly on the wall you're leaning it against as well.

Another solution would be an articulating ladder that you can set up as a step ladder with two different length sides. I have the Werner 17 ft aluminum ladder, and it's awesome. It does weigh 40 lbs though, so my wife doesn't like to use it very much.


The only problem I see would be if the outside part of the units condensing coil and fan drew air from the side of the units and placing them side by side would restrict that air supply. If that were to happen, the units would not be able to remove the heat build up as part of the refrigeration cycle and the units would not cool. If the window is high enough you could stack the window units one above the other thereby not having any unit affecting the operation of the other. If the window is wide enough, Why not just buy 1 large unit to satisfy your cooling needs.


Is it OK that my circuit breaker panel does not latch closed

You should be able to replace the latch

Try using a GE TDL106 to replace the broken latch on your panel, although it's not a Code violation, simply annoying to have the door on a NEMA 1 (indoor) panel floating loose like that.  (Some smaller panels lack a door, even.)


OK a piece of electrical equipment, like a breaker, should not hum. In fact it indicates that it is not working properly or it is a really poor piece of equipment. Both reasons would be enough for me to replace it with a new and better part.
If it is new you might be able to get a replacement under warranty (usually one year). I really don't accept any argument if someone says "It's supposed to do that". My reply is "No it's not." or "You need to show me some documentation that says it is acceptable."
Good Luck


Mortar (or something) falling out of basement brick wall

The white powdery substance is called efflorescence. It's bascially mineral salts leaching out of the masonry.

The efflorescence itself may not be anything more than a cosmetic problem, however the appearance of efflorescence indicates that there's moisture present in the masonry. This is not entirely surprising--you're talking about an old brick wall below grade.

It may be prudent to monitor the structural integrity of the mortar joints over time to make sure they are not degrading due to the moisture.

The Masonry Institute of America published a nice informative paper on efflorescence, how to avoid it in new construction, and how to remove it from the surface.


Remove any remaining paint so the wall is all the same surface.
If you are not going to texture the wall then you will need to use Spackle or drywall mud to fill all holes and voids and  sand smooth.
If you are going to texture then no need to worry about small anomalies as the texture will hide them, but big ones will need to be filled.
Next you will need to apply a good  drywall sealer/primer  before you are ready to paint. If you are not texturing then use a sandable primer so you can sand the wall smooth before painting. Smooth walls take a lot of time and prep.
FYI. Next time you need to remove trim take a utility knife and firmly cut along the trim where it meets the wall so you break the bond between the paint and the trim.
Interesting read: How to Seal Damaged Drywall


How do I fix a shower mixer so I get hot water without turning the knob all the way?

This depends on the shower valve you have.

On some there is nothing you can do short of replacing it.  On others there are pressure balancing settings that you can change and these should be adjustable once you take off of the trim.  Most of the time they are right in front and you will see notches.

For American Standard valve they call it the "hot limit stop".  The picture I have below shows how to change it.  You will need some pliers (to turn on the shower without the trim on it) and a screw driver (to take off trim and adjust setting).

This is kind of hit and miss with most valves - you really just have to change it and see if it is what you want.  I have mine on the hottest setting and the range is kind of warm to pretty hot.  Can't take a really cold shower in one of my bathrooms!

Warning:  If you have children using the shower then I would really test the settings for scalding water.  Most newer ones that I have installed don't allow all hot to got through but who knows.  Test it out.

Also if you look like you could or might break something when you are adjusting the valve, I would leave it alone until you can figure out what your replacement options are.  You might want to figure out what model it is so you can look up instructions and then to have that model # to replace if needed.  Changing this is a very easy process for new valves but the much older ones can have issues.


Adding Unused C-Wire for Nest Thermostat

It would be preferable to use the blue wire instead. The conventions for colors assign Yellow to cooling. The other colors also have standard assignments.

The Blue wire from a 18-5 bundle is what would be best for the C common.

If following recommendations to the letter, then the three wires connecting to C should be pigtailed.


Your high limit switch may be bad, and need to be replaced.

Your furnace may be overheating, and the limit is not reacting. So the fusible link is doing just what it's supposed to.

There are a few things that can cause the furnace to overheat, a dirty filter being the number one cause.


Grinding noise and plastic bits in washing machine

It appears the spider that holds the drum to the spindle is cracked and the tub no longer centers when spun. The early aluminum spider designs were terrible, the accumulation of phosphates and other washer chemicals remained in contact with the recesses in the material and eventually corroded it.  While the part may be replaceable, it it is very expensive and invasive repair.  To confirm this, spin the drum by hand and check for any wobble.


I always have used 2' underground so use an 8' post for a 6' fence. I don't know if this would be adequate for a taller fence, but it would probably do at least for an 8' fence.

Once while replacing termite eaten cedar 4x4" posts I encountered a soft limestone 14" or so below ground. I dug 4" or 6" deep into the limestone with a steel digging bar and stopped. I put in the post and then cut 6" or 4" off the top.


Should I have all the aluminum wiring removed from my home or just the damaged portion?

This doesn't sound like a technical question.  You didn't maintain the AL wiring properly... it had a problem... should you replace it?   The real question is do you trust yourself to maintain it going forward?
Same exact thing probably would've happened with copper.
I do systems rollouts within enterprises, where you get employees to switch to a new business system. People don't like change. New systems don't fit old ways.  It was much worse in the 60s-70s when the first automation was happening and many failed, for many reasons. In most cases using Sperry vs Burroughs vs IBM made no difference - employees were uncooperative, management didn't listen, etc. If a company bought IBM, then  management presumed the computer was OK and confronted their internal problems. But if they bought Burroughs, they'd take the easy out of blaming Burroughs.  So if you were responsible for picking vendor, you picked IBM.
That's called a "Halo Effect".
Same with copper wiring.  The same exact problem happens in 2 different junction boxes.  If it's copper wire, "it was a mistorqued screw".  But if it's aluminum, "OMG it's the aluminum wire" and that's as far as people's brains go.
So that's most likely what happened there, if it was copper, it still would've failed owing to faulty workmanship, and it wouldn't even occur to you to rewire your whole house because if it lol.  And by the way, the wire didn't burn up, the wire termination (end) did.
In reality, it's copper lugs.  They do not play well with aluminum wire.  Aluminum lugs work well with both, which is why they are widely used: Tear apart an Alumiconn; it's made of aluminum. Ditto a Mac Block, ground bar, and many panel lugs.
But aluminum wire is not better than copper; you can still screw it up in all the usual ways.  We just have to add "failing to use Al-rated terminations" to the mix.
My Rx for aluminum wire
First, you fit arc-fault protection (usually at the circuit breaker). That will catch many/most of the kinds of failure we worry about with Al wire.
Then, you visit every connection point and make sure it has terminations rated for Al wire.  That means (in the US) CO-ALR receps, Alumiconns, MAC Blocks connectors etc.  (and I dislike purple wire nuts because it's not that simple; you do need to physically separate Al and Cu wires, and there are lots of pix of melted and charred purple wire nuts.) And in cases where you must attach to equipment not available with CO-ALR termination, you pigtail to copper for the last 6 inches.


Can two GFCI outlet loads be powered by two separate circuits?

It may be possible to add a circuit and split where things are fed from. The best option would be to add heavy duty covers or in use covers with proper seals as code requires on outside receptacles in wet locations this keeps the receptacles dry so they won’t be the cause of the trip.
If the garage is attached to the home adding circuits is much easy and less restrictive rules apply than for a detached structure.


How to flash a window when using insulating boards with air barrier included?

You got it. Just install a piece of housewrap over your window, going past the window, maybe 4"+. Then seal thw housewrap to your foamboard using housewrap tape, or flashing tape.

Then, refer back your drawing there and cut as necessary.

Remember, you can hide all bad cuts with the tape.

Alternately, just flash the entire window frame in wide flashing tape and walk away. A tiny bit more expensive, but much better job.

Good luck with your project.


How can I make a nail-strewn lawn safe for bare feet?

Well, the sweeper is a good start. To be even more confidant, a metal detector would find any missed nails. I do think the nails somehow breed when you are not watching, like coat hangars.


Ceramic or porcelain tile is just about dog-proof.


There are a few things you can. Get a rod that fits into the pipe about three to four inches without a lot of play and try to bend the pipe ever so slightly just enough to square it with the tile. You could also file down the part of the spout that hits the wall first and do so until the entire spout seats against the wall. Last but not least, just install it as is and then caulk around it to fill in the gap.


Installing double-pole line-voltage thermostat

Take your thermostat back and get a refund

Your existing setup relied on the way double pole 240V thermostats work -- one leg is an ON/OFF (disconnect) function, while the other leg is thermostatically controlled.  This is fine for running electric resistance heaters, and also in the case of a mechanical thermostat abusable for what the original installer did to control the fans ON/OFF and pump thermostatically.

However, an electronic thermostat like yours needs power for its own functions.  While I'm not clear on how you wired it to get it to turn on at all, it certainly won't work correctly with both of its incoming hots on the same leg, in any case.

How to do things the right way

To actually control your system with a programmable thermostat, you'll need four things (and possibly a fifth if the installer was a cheapskate):

A double relay module that mounts to a 1/2" KO and can handle the fan + pump loads (a RIBT242B with a 4" box cover works)
A 24VAC/40VA Class 2 transformer that mounts to a 1/2" KO (such as the Functional Devices TR40VA040)
A 24VAC (low voltage) programmable thermostat (use your favorite -- you have your pick here)
Some 18/2 CL2 thermostat wire
Optionally, a 4" square metal box that can be mounted as the old box was (if the old box was plastic, it likely lacks conduit KOs) and matching cover
And basic electrical supplies (electrical tape, wirenuts) as well as the ability to hole and patch the wall

Installation is as follows:

Turn power off at the panel
Remove and replace the box with the 4" square metal box if the existing box does not have 1/2" conduit knockouts
Install the transformer and relay to the box -- the relay's uncovered side needs to face the front and poke through the wall surface, and you'll need some access to the wall cavity to get at the transformer terminals and thread cable about.
Put a hole in where you want the thermostat to go.  Run two pieces of thermostat cable -- one to the transformer terminals, and the other to the relay.  Mark the one that goes to the relay with a tape flag.
Take the cable that goes to the transformer terminals and connect it to the transformer terminals: red to one (this'll be your R wire) and white to the other (this'll be your C wire).  Take a third length of cable and connect it to the transformer terminals the same way, then run it to the relay.
Mark the cable that came from the thermostat location to the relay with a tape flag, then stick both cables through one of the holes in the relay box.  The red and white wires on the flagged cable go to the relay 1 and 2 coil screw terminals, respectively (red in this cable is W, and white is G).  The white wire from the unflagged cable goes to the relay coil common screw terminal, while the red in the unflagged cable is capped with a wirenut.
Wire up the thermostat as follows:

Red from the unflagged cable goes to R or Rh
White from the unflagged cable goes to C
Red from the flagged cable goes to W
White from the flagged cable goes to G

Wire up the wires in the junction box as follows:

The two "always hot" blacks from the wall are wired to each other, to the white wire from the transformer, and to the yellow and purple wires from the relay
The orange and red wires from the transformer and the blue and grey wires from the relay are individually capped off
The white neutral wires from the wall are all wired to each other, and to the black common wire from the transformer
The red wires from the wall that control the fans are wired to the orange wire from the relay
The black wires from the wall that control the pump are wired to the brown wire from the relay
All grounds (bare or green wires) are connected to each other, and to a grounding pigtail to the box if the box is metal

Put covers on the box and the relay
Turn the power back on at the panel.
Patch up any holes in the wall that aren't covered by something or the other.
Program your new thermostat and enjoy!


From the comments it sounds like you have drywall on one side. I'd set up a measuring jig to give consistent, square cuts, and cut your batts to length so that they fit well horizontally. Stack them in the stud spaces.

If necessary, apply a sheeting over it to give additional support. Something with a textured surface might be preferable to polyethylene because it will give additional friction support.


First off it is not the best idea to assume that the walls and ceiling angles are all at 90 degrees. These should be measured so that you can make minor adjustments in the cuts if necessary.

The primary reason that the cut did fit is because the first piece of crown molding was not installed correctly. It was pushed too far flat toward the side wall in the direction shown by the green arrow in the following picture.


What should I do about paint flaking away from an area with moisture in the wall?

It sounds like the dampness is still a problem in that particular area because it is a corner adjoining the external wall and the store area.  Is this part of the house in shadow for a lot of the day?

Check the external ground area surrounding the outside store.  If the ground is clay or compacted it might not be helping in that it is storing water.  Perhaps better drainage there.
Some form of heating in the store area to keep it at a similar temperature to the kitchen e.g. condensation happens in that part of the kitchen because of the cold store area on the other side of that particular wall.
Perhaps a better seal on the door and windows in the store to keep it warmer in general.
Put a faux wall in the back of the store to buffer the cold air away from the wall that is adjoining the kitchen.
A robust kitchen extractor to remove as much steam as possible from cooking.


It is an exhaust filter, primarily intended for if the stove fan exhausts back into the kitchen instead of to outside the house.

This filter has charcoal inside to absorb odors so they don't get recirculated through the kitchen.

For your GE model jvm3160rf3ss, its part number is WB02X11550. The product page there has looks to videos that show where this part goes and how to replace it.


I managed to trim them with 240 grit paper + orbital sander. :)


What kind of stone makes the most porous fill? (french drain)

You are looking at 'void fraction'  Anything of mixed sizes has a smaller void fraction because the little guys snuggle into the spaces left by the big ones.

If all the rocks passed through a 2" screen and not a 1.5" screen they are close to the same size.  Doesn't matter much if they are round or jagged.

It also doesn't matter much what size they are, at least until you get down to sand size.  Sand runs about 30% void.  So does big rock.  But a mix of sand and big rock will end up with sand filling 70% of the voids in the big rock.  so you get 30% of 30% void = 9%.

You will lose some volume over the years from debris infiltrating in.  If you can come up with a scheme to trap debris at the surface, this is easy to fix.  E.g. Stop your fill 1 foot from the surface, put down filter fabric, and put a more rock on top of it.  Now, if it starts acting slow, take off the top foot, wash the gravel, put down new filter fabric, replace.


Control home's electricity sockets via PC

X10 works, but is a pretty bad protocol. It is very slow and limited, and is susceptible to noise and interference (often mistaking noise for actual commands, causing lights to turn on/off on their own).

Z-Wave provides similar capabilites, but is much newer and uses RF signals to communicate. There are a huge variety of products and lots of stuff for UK (some stores I found on Google -- no endorsement: Z-wave products UK, UK Automation)

UPB is another technology, though it doesn't appear to be available in Europe.

Insteon is a fairly popular one in North America, and although they've been talking for a few years about introducing it to Europe, it doesn't appear they have yet.

All of these (including X10) have ways to communicate with them from a PC, and from there you're limited only by your imagination and programming abilities. I have an Insteon setup in my basement home theater, which is controlled by a PC (and via the PC, can also be controlled from a simple iPod interface, my Aastra VoIP phones, or infrared remotes). Next house I will probably do UPB though (specifically, Simply Automated products), simply because the switches are a lot more powerful, and their software is miles ahead of Insteon, albeit also harder to use**.

  ** Insteon is dumbed-down a bit to make it easier, but of course sacrifices some flexibility by doing so. My biggest gripe is you can't set up a scene that turns some things on, and others off (such as my "movie" scene does); the best workaround is to dim to 1%, which keeps my halogen pot lights still very dimly lit, and wasting power.


Do basement walls with metal framing and foam insulation require fireblocking and draftstopping?

The foam insulation itself is combustible, hence the requirement for a thermal barrier.

According to the 2012 IRC:

  R316.4 Thermal barrier.

  Unless otherwise allowed in Section R316.5 or Section R316.6, foam plastic shall be separated from the interior of a building by an approved thermal barrier of minimum 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) gypsum wallboard or a material that is tested in accordance with and meets the acceptance criteria of both the Temperature Transmission Fire Test and the Integrity Fire Test of NFPA 275.

I also want to add that not only is foam plastic combustible, it is dangerously so. Many of the most deadly building fires in recent history have involved improperly-protected foam insulation or accoustic material. E.g. the 2003 Station Fire in RI and the 2013 Kiss nightclub fire in Brazil. Obviously the stakes are a little lower in a private residence, but do not make the mistake of thinking plastic is noncombustible.


Plug too hot to touch after using toaster

Should the outlet be replaced?

Yes.

I am an intensely curious person and I absolutely worship the scientific method, but even I would refrain from trying to find out exactly what the problem is here. It is a bad idea to use one's domicile infrastructure as an experimental laboratory.

The heat could be coming from a poor connection between the wires and the receptacle, or a poor contact between the receptacle slots and the plug tines. But whatever the problem, it's certainly confined to the receptacle. Just bin it.


Buy a 50-3 dual capacitor. Titan part number TRCD503 is a good replacement. Just be sure to double check part numbers because manufactures offer both round and oval shapes. If it doesn't fit in that original mounting hole, you might need to buy a bracket for it and mount it yourself.

You can also leave the compressor capacitor in place and install a separate 3uF fan capacitor. It won't hurt the dual capacitor to have its fan terminal unused. Just be sure it's voltage rating is more than the line voltage so a 370 or greater volt rating is fine. Make sure the value is 3uF and the capacitor construction is of the film type.

My opinion: replace the compressor cap as well. Especially if the unit is 10+ years old.

If you add a separate capacitor, make a note on the units schematic for future reference with a service date.

By the way, that equipment grounding conductor (EGC) looks a little on the small side. Should be no smaller than 10 AWG for 30-60 amp circuits.


Do I need to sand between coats of varnish?

Yes, you should lightly sand between coats (applies to paint & varnish), this removes any dust or particles that may have stuck to the previous wet coat and provides a "key" for the next coat to adhere to properly.

Not sure what could the "looks like the wood got wet" part though, perhaps it was not fully dry...


I think my 29-1/2-inch doors are an unusual size.  From my research, it appears that 30-inch doors are an actual, 30 inches wide.  So that answers my question.  I think I will just buy 30-inch doors and widen the opening a bit, if needed, by moving the studs.


Is it best practice to paint bath walls before before installing vanity, tile and sink?

Paint first
You will have fewer things to mask/protect and fewer critical edges to deal with and less stuff getting in the way. If you have large areas that you know will never be exposed, you can skip them - or paint them generally (e.g., roller but not brush edges; or primer only) but not worry about getting it "perfect".


T&P valves should always be piped as to not allow any build up of water or debris to occur.
They should also be piped so if there is a minor failure/leak it can be observed and replaced, as well as piped to be close enough to the floor as to prevent scalding if the relief should open under high temp or pressure conditions. Check with local codes for minimum clearance between discharge pipe and floor.
Some jurisdictions allow for piping to floor drain to help prevent damages due to failure.


bulbs keep burning out, tripping circuit breaker

Look for light bulbs that are rated for 230-400 volts.  By which I mean LED, the only technology worth spending money on in this day and age. They use electronic switching power supplies, which chop line voltage into a much lower voltage.  By nature they can take a variety of voltages.  You just need one that's built well enough to take 400V.

If your expensive electronics are multi-voltage, but can't handle 400V, then I would get a heavy step-down transformer, and configure it for 230V in, and 120V out.  When the system faults toward 400V, the "120V" side will increase in proportion, but it won't go above 240V.

Losing neutral

What's happening is you are losing the "neutral" wire and the it's floating around, depending on the various loads on each leg. More loads pull the neutral toward that leg's extreme.

Euro power is 3 phase "Y" (3 legs with neutral in the middle) and your apartment gets 1 or 2 legs.  If you remember enough high school geometry to draw a 120 degree Y shape with 230V legs, connect the corners and you get a triangle with 400V on a side.  The corners are fixed and the neutral is being dragged around inside that triangle, making your power go higher or lower depending on which corner you are at.

That is not normal.   The Hungarians who say that it is -- do they live in your same building?   If so, it's a problem with the building neutral and the landlord oughta just fix it.  If it's in the same city or region, then the power company is terrible.


Do tile floors have transition joints at the entry to each room?

Typically, tile layout flows from one room to the next. It would be visually disruptive to have extra joints at each doorway. You'll want to establish a single reference line, along with a perpendicular line at an appropriate location, and work from those.

If you exceed say 30 feet in length it may be prudent to install an expansion gap. You'll want to talk with your tile supplier about that. We don't know where you live, what your subfloor situation is, or what you're installing.


55 inches is a rather long span for a 12 inch wide shelf that is supported on the ends and back side by the wall. One way that you could provide some more support for the shelves would be to add some center front supports for the shelves working up from the floor to the top shelf.


Why did HVAC company add a heat outlet register venting into my attic?

"Too much air" would not trigger overheat switches.  Too much heat would.  One possible cause is an oversized furnace with not enough registers or not enough return air or both.  This could cause overheating as you describe.  It's a guess.
[EDITED to add 3 additional, less drastic, steps] : There are some things you should try, that I hope you or the installers tried before installing the new attic register.  You could try them now by plugging up the new attic register with cardboard and duct tape.

Make sure the filter is clean.  If you have a high MERV filter (8 or higher) you need to change it frequently even if it doesn't look dirty. Try removing the filter entirely just for a day to see if that alone cures the problem.
Make sure all the registers are open.  Does that cure the problem?  If it does you may just have to live with it that way.
If not, leave all bedroom doors open.  Doors that are tight all around, eg that contact carpet at the bottom, prevent air flow from the registers to the return.  If leaving them open cures the problem, you need to shave gaps in the bottoms of the bedroom doors or install grilles to increase airflow.

If none of those things work the solution is to install a smaller furnace, or to add ducting and registers (in and/or out) to improve air flow through the furnace.   My guess is your installer did that ... the easy way.  They added a register, with no new ducting, that just dumps air into the attic to increase flow through the furnace.   Presumably there is no return air path in your attic so in addition to heating the attic and stirring up insulation and mouse droppings they also created air flow through the attic hatch and/or any other possible path from the attic to the return register that is probably in your upstairs hallway.
It's a guess, I hope I'm wrong.   Other than replacing the furnace with a smaller one, the best solution would be to add registers in the rooms being served by this unit, but that may in turn necessitate more or larger ducts both to and from the furnace.
Hopefully my guess is wrong and your problem is something else entirely. :(.


Those colors

OK, so B2-B5 (blacks I assume?) are hot all the time, and would be even if B1 and B6 were disconnected.  Those four wires perform the following 4 jobs (and I really don't care which is which, as it's irrelevant):

Always-hot from the supply
Always-hot onward to other points of use
Always-hot to switch 1
Always-hot to switch 2

I like to force particular color codes

Now, cables are made in particular colors, but that does not reflect what functions those wires actually do. I like to re-mark wires using colored tape, using the following color code: :

Bare, green, yellow-green: Ground (mandatory per international law)
White or gray - neutrals (mandatory per NEC)
Black - always-hot (unswitched)
Red - switched-hot e.g. to a lamp
Blue - alternate switched-hot
Yellow - 2nd alternate switched-hot
2 yellows together = 3-way travelers
2 blues together = alternate 3-way travelers
2 reds together = 2nd alternate 3-way travelers

B2-B5 are always-hot and are already black.  I would recolor B1 to red... and B6 to blue.  And also recolor the wires that they splice to from the wall.  So now that your wires are identified, they are same color to same color.

The colors of wire nuts

Colors of wire nuts are a different deal.  They designate wire nut size.  Red is "the biggest in ordinary use". Yellow is next down, fit for 2-3 and sometimes 4 #14 wires.  Orange is good for 2 wires.  They have a lot of overlap in their ranges, but for instance four wires would be too much for an orange.

Their ranges are published and it's best to stay near the middle of the nut's working range.  You can stretch a yellow to work where a red is ideal, but better to just use a red.


It's possible, but probably something that you would call in a professional for.  Even assuming that you had epoxy resin based floors, you'd still have to match the existing colors and sizes of the terrazzo pieces, clean out the nail holes, refill them, and grind and polish so they're level with the rest of the floor.

EDIT: Found this article that suggests that repairing an epoxy based floor might be easier than I thought.  I'd still get some professional advice first though.


Where to connect thermostat C wire to Weil-McLain HE2 series 1 boiler

Both this document (PDF) and this document (PDF), say that one 24V-40VA transformer can only support 3 zone valves. Since you have 4 valves, you're over the recommended number of valves.  Once you added the demand of the WiFi thermostat, you likely overwhelmed the transformer. The answer here, may be to install an additional transformer.

There's a diagram in the second document, that shows how to wire in an additional transformer. This document also has a good explanation of how the valve actually works, which might be worth a read.

Based on these documents, a WiFi thermostat should be wired in like this.

Based on the your description of the wiring, it sounds like it's a bit different than that of the documentation. Incorrectly wired valves might also be the problem. Based on the documentation, terminals 1 and 2 are connected through a heater, while terminals 2 and 3 are connected only when the valve is open.

When the thermostat closes (calls for heat), current flows from terminal 1, through the heater, to terminal 2. Once the valve opens, a contact allows current to flow between terminals 2 and 3.  So basically energizing 1 and 2 opens the valve, and energizing 2 and 3 signals the boiler to circulate.


The Code says Attic Ventilation shall be “cross ventilation “ and shall be 1/150th the area that is to be vented. (See ICC R806 Vents.)
However, there is one exception: The attic ventilation can be reduced to 1/300th the area to be vented provided one of the following items are met:

a Class I or II vapor retarder is installed on the “warm-in-winter” side of the ceiling, or

not less than 40% and not more than 50% of the ventilation is located in the upper portion of the attic. The upper portion is defined as: “Upper ventilation shall not be lower than 3’ below the ridge or highest point of the roof. “  (See ICC R806.1.2.)

Currently your vents satisfy the “cross-ventilation requirement, but when you cover the roof rafters you will no longer have cross-ventilation.
Also, the Code says you shall maintain a 1” clearance between attic insulation and framing.
Where you live, R-19 batt insulation is grossly inadequate. (In fact, the 6” batt insulation will completely fill up the 2x6 joist space and you cannot vent it.) I’d use R-30 insulation (10” thick), but you’ll need to sister 2x12’s to the existing 2x6’s so you’ll have about 1 1/4” air space above the R-30 insulation. You’ll also need to provide soffit vents and a ridge vent (or provide a means for the air to cross the ridge.)
So, you can see there is clearly a benefit to having ridge vents, soffit vents, etc. , but in a proportion that allows COMPLETE CROSS-VENTILATION above your new insulation.


Help identify a mystery brass part along the water line

As the "Spirovent" label should lead you to believe, yes, it's an automatic vent (albeit one that looks rather gunked up at the vent.)

This would appear to be the instructions for your device:http://www.spirotherm.com/sites/default/files/JR%20IOM-B.pdf

You should also look for manual vents along the loop at high points. This helps keep pockets from forming if working correctly, but does not remove the need for manual venting if the system was drained and refilled, had a leak, or otherwise has lots of air in it.


How to fill recess in fireplace before tiling

Yes, I agree with you. Use three layers of 1/2" Durock. Attach all 3 plies at the same time to the brick with 2-1/4" Phillips Tapcon concrete screws.

Durock is certified as non-combustible tested to ASTM E136, “Standard Test Method for the Behavior of Materials in a Vertical Tube Furnace at 750°C” and therefore is acceptable in use as a fireplace facing.


Can I safely mount a wall-mount networking rack on one stud?

I'd say it all hinges on whether 2x4s are mounted to the wall securely, and you have no simple way to verify that. In any case, since they do not extend all the way to the floor, they are not structural, and were not designed to handle any kind of a serious load.

I'd say the most simple way to to address this would be this:

Go to a home improvement center (home depot, etc.), get 4 sleeve anchors, 1/2" x 3" at least, which are rated for cinder blocks. If your 2x4 boards are attached to the wall with their narrow edge, you'll need way longer bolts, you need at least several inches in the cinder blocks.
Drill 4 holes, 2 into each of these 2x4 members, staggering the holes and keeping well away from the edges, into the upper half of these boards, using wood drill bit.
Drill into the cinder blocks using concrete drill bit, for the length and diameter appropriate for the fasteners that you bought.
Install the anchors, do not over-tighten.

There are many ways to attach a board to a cinder block wall (tapcons, concrete anchors, etc.), they all will work well. Basically what I'm saying is that if you can't be sure these boards are attached securely enough, just add more fasteners that will definitely support the load.

Here, I presume that your rack is securely mounted to the wood (real lag bolts, not some drywall screws), you'll want to inspect that as well.


These are dual-fuel radiators.  Meaning they actually can use heat from two different sources, which is why the numbers aren't adding up the way you expect.
In their standard mode of operation, they work just like a traditional radiator on a hot water heating system -- water is heated in a central boiler, then pumped through radiators throughout the building.  This is what the output heat spec is referring to -- if you run near-boiling water through this radiator, it'll output that much heat (482W in your example).  In this mode, electricity is not used at all.
Where the electric element comes into play is when the central boiler is shut off -- in the summer, for example, you may not need or want nearly as much heat as the central boiler creates, but you may still want some.  So for this use case, an electric heating element is turned on.  This element could theoretically be any size, but since the use case for electric is for when only a little heat is needed, the manufacturer decided to use elements 1.8x smaller than the radiator's output when using hot water.  So, when using electricity only, your example heater will only put out 250W.  And since the electric mode only uses 250W, your 400W rated smart switch should work fine.


How can I paint over mold to prevent it from coming back again?

Don't try painting over mold.  Use bleach to get rid of it first.  Make sure the entire area is completely dry.  Then use a special anti mold paint.


If you are talking about a gas log set in a masonry fireplace then you need to understand that these log sets are not really expected to heat the room aside from a bit of passive radiant.  In fact, the room could experience a net loss in heat.  The flame from the gas log will heat the chimney flue causing a good draft and will suck the heat right out of the room. These things were designed for ambiance without the mess of chopping wood. They are quick and clean.  That is it.

Ben Franklin designed the Franklin stove to beat the disaster of a heat source of the old masonry fireplace.

The modern natural gas steel fireplace insert is a big step forward.  It will actually make heat.  They have been engineered to extract heat from the fire and get it into the room.  With the right size they can easily heat a typical room of a 1000-Sq feet.
It is however not necessarily the most beautiful thing that ever walked the down the isle. Some have glass fronts to give you a view of the fire.

Cost effectiveness? Something you have to decide.


How to wire my ceiling fan remote with top and bottom lights

First, you closely examine the junction box to determine if the box is fan-rated.  If it is not fan-rated, the weight and vibration will tear it out of the ceiling, and you'll have a heavy, spinning fan drop in a guest/kid/mother in law.

Second, all the grounds go together.  Grounds are green, green/yellow, or bare.  Do ground first, always.

Next, all the neutrals go together.   Neutrals are white or gray in this installation.

Next, you connect the fan control module to the fan as instructed by the instructions.  We can't give you further guidance here; the instructions to the controller and fan tell you what to do.

At this point you will have a black wire left from the fan controller.  You will also have a black wire left from the ceiling.  These go together.


There are quite a few factors that could be effecting the water flow to your tub. Some of these include pinched plastic type water line, low water pressure, shredded seals inside a single handle mixer valve, excessive mineral deposit in the faucet, debris  deposit inside your water line such as fine sand or other particulate, possibly even a totally clogged water filtration system or a non functioning water softener.

If you are unsure about trying to isolate what, if any of these possible causes, could be the problem with your system then you would be best advised to call in a professional plumber.


Out Building Circuit and Hot Tub Wire Run?

Yes, you can fit six #6 stranded THWN-2 copper conductors into a 1" Sched 40 PVC conduit, along with up to two #10 ground wires.

Technically, if you use two stranded/insulated #10 THWN-2 ground wires, your conduit fill will be 40.03%.  However I would disregard the 0.03%.

Yes, you are allowed to have all these wires stop at a junction box and get spliced to continue onward.  If you split the ground wire to both the garage and hot tub, you only need one ground wire.

However, it will be a big box.  Each #6 wire needs 5 cubic inches.  You will have 6 from the house, 3 from the hot tub and 3 from the garage = 12.  Plus 3 cubic inches for all the #10 grounds.  So the box must be 63 cubic inches.  Now you'd think you could get that beast at a big-box store, right?  Nope. You'll need to go to an electrical supply for big boxes, and while you're there, check their prices on other stuff.  I find big-box stores are only cheaper on the most popular commodities; on everything else they are a blatant ripoff.

You must use actual white or gray wires for neutrals. The upside of that is that black/colored tape markings on white wires have no meaning whatsoever.  This means you can use colored tape to distinguish the two circuits.  For instance I might use all black and white, and mark 2 hot tub hots and 1 hot tub neutral all with blue tape, and the garage circuit with red etc.


You need "locking pliers" - Vice Grips™ is a trade name that has become a common name for these types of pliers. They will lock on to any portion of that nut, embossing some grooves in it, and allow you to turn the nut. You'll have to squeeze the pliers quite hard to get them to lock, but once they're locked, they'll hold just fine. You then unscrew, applying whatever turning force is necessary without worrying about holding the pliers on to the nut. Depending on how tight the nut is, you may have to release & relock the pliers more than once as you run out of turning room.

With very few exceptions, all threads on a bike are standard right-hand threads (righty-tightey, lefty-loosey). The exceptions are the right-hand side pedal and crank arm. You won't have to worry about the crank arm on this bike, though, as it appears to have a 1-piece crank. There may be a couple of other left-hand threads, but they're on parts you won't ever encounter until you're deep into home bike maintenance - the kind of maintenance you'll never do on this bike because the kid will have outgrown it long before that maintenance is necessary.

As a side note, you're probably going to want to replace the nuts on the rear axle where the training wheels attach. This will help prevent the kid from scraping himself on the potentially sharp edge of the nut. You'll probably want an acorn nut (which will cover then end of the bolt with a smoothly rounded "lid"). You will not want to reuse whatever's left of the nut in your picture - it will have more sharp edges than the axle! When you get that nut off, take it to your local hardware store, and ask for a pair of acorn nuts - you'll need this bolt so you can be sure the threads match.


How to Break Apart an Unbreakable Humidifier to Clean It

Put the humidifier in your garage or outside. Put a 50/50 vinegar/water solution into the tank and turn it on. Let it run until the solution is gone. This will help dissolve the deposits. If that doesn't do a sufficient job, try using something stronger like 100% vinegar or CLR.
If running it with both cleaner solutions doesn't do the job, take that top lid off, place it in an aluminum pie pan (or similar), then pour either of the cleaning solutions into it until it's covered. Let it soak for several hours.
Once you've got it sufficiently clean (with either method), run a couple of tanks of plain water through it while it's still outside to get rid of the chemical smells, then return it to regular service.


What is the proper way to solder two different gauge stranded wires?

If the wires are for low voltage application such as connecting 12V up to LED Strip lighting then you should consider just using twist on wire connectors instead of soldering. These have a decided advantage in that they can be removed for future wire changes and they provide an insulated cover over the wire join.

To keep strain off the low voltage wiring connections you can zip tie the two wire cables together over the cable jacket a couple of inches from the end of the jackets.


What could I have done wrong while changing to LED bulbs in my recessed lighting?

The answer is not a cut and dry one in your case.  The troubleshooting is a process. You will need an understanding of a multiple light parallel circuit. You will also need a proximity type voltage tester and possibly a VOM.

Assuming the voltage feed starts at the switch (not always the case, but normal) you will need to verify input voltage at the line side of the switch with the switch in the off position.  If you have voltage there, turn the switch on and verify voltage on the load side of the switch.  At this point, a VOM is handy to test voltage across the hot and neutral and/or ground.  If this looks good, proceed to the closest light fixture, and with the switch on, test the center hot tab in each fixture with the no-touch tester.  In your case I would think you may not see any voltage based on your question. This could mean that you have an open neutral, an open hot, or at worse, a shorted hot to neutral/ground.

Since there are several possible reasons for your condition, it would take a lot of tutorial to explain every possible scenario.  Assuming you do not see voltage at the fixtures, the basic technique for troubleshooting will be to start at the last known verified voltage point, then follow the wiring and check all connections in the junction boxes. Visually check the bulb sockets for broken or shorted metal tabs. This should be done with the power off at first, looking for obvious loose or disconnected wires, then with the power on using your voltage tester.  Since this condition occurred after you adjusted the height of the sockets in the fixtures, I suspect tension on some wire may have pulled a wire out of a socket base or out of a wirenut in the j-box. Unfortunately, most can/pot lights have a built in j-box attached to the top of the fixture. This necessitates dropping the fixture down below the ceiling to access the j-box, or getting access from above. (attic).

Basically, you are following the circuit looking for an open or short, just like following a hose, looking for a water leak or stoppage.

This is not a hard job, but extreme caution must be taken when testing energized circuits. If you do not have good electrical skills,  the proper test equipment, or a logical understanding of switched paralleled circuits, then this job is better left to a pro.

Maybe one of my buddies here on SE can add a good graphic showing this type of circuit and the test points.  A simple line drawing showing the switch and junction points would be a great edit.


GFCI for kitchen outlets far from faucet

If the outlets serve a countertop then they need to be GFCI protected. The 6' distance  you refer to is for sinks not installed in kitchens.


How can I get High-CRI lighting for a small room?

A quick check on Wikipedia suggests that below 5000K the Color rendering index is unreliable in the first place.  Incandescent lamps have a color temperature of between 2700-3300K and a CRI of 100.


how to close curved interior finished drywall opening with window or glass block?

I'm presuming by curved opening, you are referring to the top of the doorway where the header would be.

To install a door, you'll have to get a rough opening, and while doing so, it will probably be easiest to square off the top of the opening.  You'll lose the style of the opening, but the easiest solution is frequently the cheapest, too.

For enough money, you could also get a custom door made.  However, depending on the height, you could also install a thin header across the top of the door frame and close off the opening over the door with glass, curtains, etc.

And one final idea is that you could extend the doorway into the room, framing out a new wall a foot or so inside the opening for the doors.  The arched opening would remain with the door(s) set inside.  If this creates a nook on one or both sides of the door, you can create some built in shelves.  I'd only do this if your home has a formal look and this is the master bedroom.


The sub panel will need the ground to be separated from the neutral. The only place they are joined is inside the main breaker panel. This prevents open neutrals between the main and sub panel from sending current over the ground, and possibly electrocuting someone if a better path to ground can be found.

For the 3 way switch, I'm guessing you need to trace more wires, or you have a smart switch of some kind. You'll need to check the switches first, and then start tracing the cables on each end to see where they go. I'm guessing a second line is running just for the 3 way switch that you haven't found.


Why does the washing machine cause water hammer in the pipes in my bathroom?

Pipes normally bang because they are banging against something.  Try securing them.


Installing acrylic tub closer to wooden subfloor vs. on old concrete in 1970s condo

Since the masonry subfloor was probably installed for sound deadening, and not as a structural component, you should be free to remove it under the tub.

I'd be inclined to have an engineer look at the entire structure to be sure, however, to make sure that the remaining subfloor is adequate.


1) Pilot light is on

If the pilot light ignites and stays lit, then it cannot be a gas supply issue, the same supply line would feed the pilot light and the main burner, it has to. But the pilot light has a device called a "thermocouple"  which has a sensor that sits IN the flame and generates a small voltage when it is heated up that serves two functions;
A) It signals the pilot light gas valve to turn off if the pilot light is NOT keeping it hot (meaning it was snuffed out by a guts of wind or spilled liquid or something), and
B) It signals the oven burner gas supply valve that the pilot light is lit, ready to ignite the burner.

If the thermocouple is old / corroded / malfunctioning, but is still giving ENOUGH output for the PILOT valve, but not enough for the MAIN valve, or the main valve is malfunctioning and/or not getting the voltage from the thermocouple, then you will get the exact symptoms you are describing. Your knob is signalling the main valve to turn on, which is the clicking you hear, but the main valve is not responding because it is not seeing the signal telling it that the pilot light is there to igniote it, so as a safety measure, it will not allow gas to go through.

As mentioned earlier, DIY novices and gas ovens are not compatible because the result of mistakes can be deadly. I would keep trying to find a repairman that will work on your stove. But keep in mind, they may ALREADY know that it's a bad valve and they know there are no replacements available for old Okeefe an Merrit ovens.


Can paper tape be used with any type of plaster?

I have never seen anyone plaster over drywall. If you are going to plaster you should be using "lath" not drywall.


International residential code says that a standpipe must be no less than 18" above the trap weir.

International Residential Code 2012
Chapter 27 - Plumbing Fixtures
Section P2706 Waste Receptors
P2706.2 Standpipes.
Standpipes shall extend not less than of 18 inches (457 mm) but not greater than 42 inches (1067 mm) above the trap weir. Access shall be provided to standpipe traps and drains for rodding.

Check local codes, to determine what's acceptable in your area.


You have to provision 50A for the 10kw heater.  We can play some provisioning games on the saw, dust collector, freezer, lights and receps, and allocate them, say, 25-30A.  Which puts us at 75-80A.

You could get away with #4Cu / #2Al wire.  However, there's very little cost difference just go go all the way to 100A, and that's commonly done.

So, provision 1 AWG aluminum THWN-2 wires with a ground wire of 8 AWG copper bare or 6 AWG Al insulated.   There's no reason for a wire size bump at 80'.

This setup would also have the reserve to stick a Tesla charger in there, though Tesla+heater+shop tools simultaneously would be a no-go.  Presumably you don't want sawdust on your car :)

1-1/4" conduit should get it done.

Our standard advice is to use a much larger subpanel than you'd ever imagine needing.  That's because "buying a subpanel with more spaces" will set you back a couple of Frappucinos, but "having to change your subpanel because you thought too small" is a solid day of work. If the subpanel is attached, even with a breezeway, you don't need a "main breaker" in the subpanel.  If detached, you need some kind of shutoff switch, and using a main-breaker panel will only add $20-30 to the cost of the panel.  There's no need for the subpanel size to match the feed breaker (100A) size, so feel free to get a 150A-bussed panel with a 125A main breaker if it's on sale :)  Also consider "value pack" panels that come with some breakers.


How do I connect a Juno LED light to a switch when the light receives power first?

Harper's comment is, as usual, a correct summary of the solution. Here (copied from part of another question) is the full diagram:

Light fixture junction box:

All whites (neutral) together
All grounds (green or bare) together
Blacks from 2-wire & 3-wire cable together (hot)
Mark light fixture black wire (may be labeled "hot" or "switched hot", but it should be the only wire or screw other than white/neutral and ground) with red tape.
Reds from light fixture and 3-wire cable together (switched hot)

Switch junction box:

All grounds (green or bare) together
Black to "hot" screw on switch
Red to "switched hot" screw on switch

If switch does NOT use neutral:

Cap white (neutral) with a wire nut

Note that with a simple (not smart, not dimmable, not timer, etc.) switch there is no functional difference between the hot & switched-hot connections, but if there is a clear indication on the switch (or in the switch instructions), follow the directions.

If switch USES neutral (e.g., smart switch)

White to neutral screw on switch.


How can I sand 1/2 inch hardwood floors?

(Bona fides: I sanded my house and a friends' about 10 years ago, and two rooms in my new house last year. I then went with a pro for the rest of the house — it's crappy work and not something I wanted to do again.)

Drum sanders are the fastest but also take a deft hand and careful attention — they can dig a groove in the floor pretty quickly, especially where you drop and pick them up on each run.

An orbital or vibrating sander is a lot easier for novices to handle, I would recommend these if your floors have already been sanded several times.

If you take on this job yourself, you should be aware of a few things:

Sanding floors takes a lot of time to do properly. 1500 sq. ft. will probably take a week. There's the initial prep (removing molding, furniture, nails, and cleaning), three passes with different grades of sand paper, staining/sealing, screening that finish, then polyurethane three times, screening between each one. And lots of waiting time between applications of stain and poly. You'll also need hand sanders (a small drum sander works best) to get around the edges of the room, the floor sanders don't go all the way to the wall. Then you have to replace the molding.
This is dirty work. Even the sanders with nice vacuum bags are going to leave dust all over the place and you should wear a mask. And hearing protection, depending on the type.
Rental sanders vary in quality. Some rental shops take care of their equipment, but many do not. Best case, this can result in trips back when the sander is DOA. Worst case, the sander may sand unevenly and create grooves or circular patterns in the floor. Keep a close eye on them.
If the floors haven't been sanded in a number of years, the older varnishes (and the wax buildup on top of them) is very hard to get off the floor and you'll burn through a lot of sandpaper (it gums up the paper and you have to replace frequently).
Most rental places will let you return unused sandpaper for a full refund. Take advantage of this and buy 2–3× what you think you'll need, because those same rental shops probably aren't open on Saturday night or Sunday morning when you run out.


How can I reduce the amount of noise transferred through my exterior walls?

There are soundproofing curtains and soundproofing panels that can be found through an internet search for soundproofing curtains.

They are not cheap, window curtains starting in the $300 range for an average size window (and yours are much larger). Panels start at about $200 for a 4x8 foot unit and they still need to be hung on some sort of frame. Preframed versions are a good bit more.

Many people swear by white noise machines, but not all people find them effective.


If both 5 meters strips came with one ac adapter each, you can connect the strips together, and put one ac at the start of the strip and the other ac adapter in the middle (where you connect the two strips together).

That amazon link shows:

LED voltage 12V
Wattage: 24W
Power Supply: AC/DC ADAPTOR INPUT 100-240V; OUTPUT 12V 3.0A

the adapter gives you up to 3 amps, but each strip can use 2A, (24w / 12V = 2Amps)

The adapter can (and most of the time should) give you more amps than what you need, the strip will decide how much it will draw from the adapter, so amps won't burn the strip.

Or you could buy a single adapter that is 12v,  6 Amps (or higher, but has to be 12 v).

Hope this helps.


Can you extend electrical wires from a junction box as long as the splices are contained?

I would use a surface raceway setup for this
This sort of job (extending power along a wall or ceiling) is precisely what surface raceway (such as Wiremold™) is made for.  In Wiremold 500/700 series (Legrand's baseline metallic product), you'd be using a V5737 box with a blank cover (a standard 4" round junction box cover painted to match the raceway/ceiling will work, or you can order in a V5736 cover if you don't want to do any painting) as your starter, then appropriate lengths of raceway (including what sounds like a flat elbow) to connect the starting point to a V5738AF fan box, which you can then hang your chandelier from.  Within this raceway, you then run THHN wires (black/white/green 12AWG stranded serves as a "universal donor" here) from the existing box connections to power the new fixture.


Is this flexible drain trap configuration acceptable?

No. That is an absolute mess waiting to happen.

Go to the hardware store, buy a longer tailpipe so you can lower the trap. Aim the pipe off of the trap for the drain you have that is lower than it should be.

You can buy a proper trap that has nut fittings so you can remove it to clean hair, and jewelry out.  You may have to cut a small hole in the vanity floor / drawer top to make clearance for the trap. Do not try fudging it with that S trap mess.


What's the acceptable bend in a typical faucet flex pipe?

That looks fine. If it concerns you then you can loosen the compression nut on the valve and rotate the orientation of the valve until you have a more gradual bend in the hose.


Can I switch my bathroom light and fan separately with two conductors?

Yes, but you'll need smart devices to do it

In the smart-switch wiring, you also have a controller module up in the fan assemblt.   The smart switch and controller both get always-hot and neutral.   The controller then outputs switched-hot-fan and switched-hot-light.

The smart switch and controller must be a matched set.  You probably won't need a 2-gang box for the smart switch.


How can I find an appropriate replacement air filter for my furnace?

It's a standard 25" x 16" x 4" filter (41625 is the size as well as the part number for that filter).

You can pick them up at any DIY store in the US for about $40.


A good lube is beeswax. It lubes the screw, but does not retain moisture. I have also been known to use a stick type of teflon, used for lubing drawer guides. Or a chunk of paraffin is fine too.

You don't want to add water, so spit is a poor idea. Why encourage the screw to rust???? This is the same reason why soap works poorly. Soap is hydrophilic. Soap actually draws moisture to the screw, causing it to rust away prematurely, so a BAAAADDDDDD idea.

Drilling a pilot hole is often a help, but don't make the hole too fat, or the threads won't bite. I'll often go considerably smaller than the root diameter of the screw. Just a small pilot hole is often adequate in wood, unless one is working in a very hard wood.

Finally, if a screwdriver fails, I often resort to a brace, a hand held drill from the antique bins. Just check a hex bit into the drill and off you go. Even better, I keep my brace fitted with a quick connect for 1/4 inch hex bits always at hand.

I keep one of these tools always on the wall of my shop. It will drive a screw quickly into wood, with enough force to twist the head off most screws if I overdo it. But you also have perfect control over the torque. And the nice thing is, the battery never dies, it needs no extension cord.


How to indentify if the crack on plastered brickwalls is cosmetic or structural?

A good way to determine the seriousness is to call an engineer, as you have done.

Because soils can settle, water can degrade materials, concrete and other materials can expand and contract over time, storms exert wind forces, and seismic events occur, design and/or construction  issues may express themselves in the structural system at any time. So may cosmetic issues.


Do all conductors on a 20-amp circuit need to be 12 AWG?

Yes, all conductors protected by a 20 ampere circuit breaker must be at least 12 AWG copper. There are a few exceptions and loop holes, but none of them apply to your situation.

  National Electrical Code 2014

  Chapter 2 Wiring and Protection

  Article 240 Overcurrent Protection

  240.4 Protection of Conductors. Conductors, other than
  flexible cords, flexible cables, and fixture wires, shall be
  protected against overcurrent in accordance with their ampacities
  specified in 310.15, unless otherwise permitted or
  required in 240.4(A) through (G).

  (D) Small Conductors. Unless specifically permitted in
  240.4(E) or (G), the overcurrent protection shall not exceed
  that required by (D)(1) through (D)(7) after any correction
  factors for ambient temperature and number of conductors
  have been applied.

  (5) 12 AWG Copper. 20 amperes

The rationale here, is that 12 AWG copper conductors are rated for 20 amperes, whereas 14 AWG copper conductors are only rated for 15 amperes.  So if you put 20 amperes through a 14 AWG conductor, the conductor could heat to dangerous levels.

That would make it a terrible idea to use 14 AWG copper conductors, on a circuit protected by a 20 ampere circuit breaker.


How much does it cost to move a furnace from the attic down to the first floor?

Six Things to Consider:

Electrical - Generally easy to move
Natural Gas (if it is a natural gas furnace)
Output Air - might require one big duct between old and new but there may be alternatives.
Return Air - similar to Output Air
Combustion Exhaust
Connection to air conditioner (if you have one) - typically a couple of pipes for input and output.

Except for electrical, all of these require some real planning to make sure they can be done safely and effectively and at a reasonable price. But hard to guess as variables include:

type of furnace
access to old and new locations
walls between old and new locations


Can I use a rheostat as a potentiometer?

Come on guys the answer is absolutly not! the way both reostats and potentiometers work is they absorb the heat not used on the load so you would be making a wall heater in your box,,, a modern dimmer uses SCR or TRIAC solid state devices that limit the amount of AC making it to the load. Dont use a standard Dimmer for floresent lamps unless the ballest are listed for this. most dimmable Floresent lamps require a special ballest and dimmer combination.
I thought I should specify, some old celing fans did use variable resistors to control the field winding (speed control) these can cause a fire if used as a dimmer, if the the device is a modern dimmer it would be ok to use it should have what it is made for listed on the body of the divice and how many watts it can handle.


Weird problem with kitchen sink water flow

I suspect you are getting an air bubble in the drain.  I've seen the same effect in a bathroom sink with the stopper that can be lifted out.  When it runs slow, lifting the stopper up results in a quick bubble followed by the water rushing out.


How can I install a faucet bidet if my faucet doesn't have a removable aerator?

If there are no usable threads on the end of your faucet spout, then, short of rigging something up with a piece of rubber hose and some hose clamps, you can't use that style of handheld bidet.
Instead, perhaps consider this type: https://rinseworks.com/product/abt-360-the-aquaus-360-handheld-bidet-for-toilet-nsf-certified-3-year-warranty
It connects to your toilet's water supply, rather than your faucet. Not only is this a more doable solution in your situation, but it will allow you to continue normal use of your faucet.


You need a flexible seal Quickcrete will only crack again. A urethane calking would be your best bet to seal the cracks, urethane will flex and maintain a seal (you have 2 forms of flexing one from weight and walking on the deck and the 2nd from expansion heating and cooling) urethane sealant or caulking is the best product to use in this case to seal the cracks and there are colored types that may be a better match for your surface.


Help to find out Hot/active, Neutral & Earth in this junction box in Australia, NSW

There are two very good methods for discriminating hot, neutral, switched, ground, etc. that are available to the home DYI handyman. You can use a voltmeter or a multimeter set to "volts", or you can use a dummy load such as the ceiling lamp you just removed.
With the meter, you have to be careful not to touch the live wires with your fingers:

Turn the power off at the circuit breaker.
Disconnect everything from the wires, exposing the uninsulated ends. Spread the wires out so that none are near each other or near the junction box.
Turn the power on at the circuit breaker.
Carefully touch the meter probes to the exposed wire ends to test the voltage between each pair of wires in turn. Write down your observations.
Turn the power off at the circuit breaker.

With the dummy load, your are much safer, but you have to run back and forth between the work site and the circuit breaker panel:

Turn the power off at the circuit breaker.
Use two wire nuts to connect the dummy load to any pair of wires.
Turn the power on at the circuit breaker.
Observe whether the dummy load is powered, e.g. the lamp is lit et.al.
Turn the power off at the circuit breaker.
Repeat all the previous steps for each pair of wires in turn. Write down your observations.

In either case you should see these results:

Fault ground to neutral: 0 to 8 volts, lamp won't light (LED lamps may flicker).
Fault ground to hot or switched-hot: house line voltage (approx. 120 volts in U.S.A., may differ in Oz), lamp lights up.
Neutral to hot or switched-hot: house line voltage, lamp lights up.


Duration of charge held by High Voltage Components

Technically it could hold a charge for years but that's not in real world scenarios. Most likely it will be safe in 2-3 days. I'd still short it before touching it, screwdrivers are cheaper than replacement hands. Depending on how it is wired, shorting the disconnected terminals of the device - NOT THE CAP YET - together will aid a bit.

A fully charged capacitor in TVs, Ovens, etc. can cause cardiac arrest, removed a finger, weld/arc and screwdriver tip to dust; so if you don't have time to wait, still wait 2-3 days if you have time to wait, wait a week.


Drilling holes behind existing walls/ceilings

I personally wouldn't go this route, as it would definitely be a "hope it works" situation. For starters, I would hesitate to drill through stud bays that I didn't have access to both sides of because there is really no way to be sure you wouldn't be drilling through something important, like existing wiring for example. Second, drilling the holes is only the first challenge - fishing a wire through 4 blind holes over 5 feet is no small task. About the only way I would see this is feasible is using the bit (plus extensions) to pull the wire back through after it is drilled.

If you decide to try this, don't use a spade bit.  Five feet worth of extensions going through 100 year old seasoned floor joists is going to be practically impossible due to the amount of pressure you would have to put on the drill bit and the number of joints in the system.  I would use an auger bit instead - that way you would have the bit itself pulling the extensions taut.


Should I block or insulate my air vents for the winter?

Go ahead and block them off.

My house was built in the same era and has similar vents in the bedrooms. I believe the rationale is the construction of this era had become so tight that infiltration alone was insufficient to provide fresh air into the house, so these vents were installed as intentional infiltration.

In my case, I'm not convinced the construction was all that tight. Even if yours is that tight, you get enough infiltration from the old section that I don't think you will have an issue with stale air if the vents were sealed off with insulation. Even if you do notice the air being stale afterwards, it's easy enough to remove the insulation to regain some infiltration.

If you do find the need for some fresh air, the only energy efficient solution is an air to air heat exchanger that heats incoming air with the residual heat of outgoing air. These units are installed in homes that are truly tightly built. As in refrigerator like tightness. Without these exchangers air in such houses becomes noticeably stale.


For power line communication devices to operate correctly they should be on the same leg of the power lines coming into the house. Your house has two power legs and a neutral leg. Voltage from each leg to neutral is nominally 120 volts AC. Voltage from leg 1 to leg 2 is nominally 220 volts. The power line modules work best when all devices are connected to the same leg. If one device is connected to leg 1 and the other device is connected to leg 2, the signal could have to return to the utility transformer (on the pole and could be blocks away) before reaching the other leg.

The quick fix, if you can, is to swap breakers in your main panel so that all power line modules are on the same leg. If you can not do that,this bridge may help. Although this is designed for the "X10" system, they all work pretty much the same and could work as well for your system.

The breakers alternate from leg 1 to leg 2 as shown.


I have seen PEX used in this application. I also see PVC feed lines for Water supply in many jobs. As far as PEX, brands my differ a little, but the standard is 100psi at 180F
 160psi at 74F.  Most public water supplies range around 50 to 70 PSI, and this is cold water.  Check local codes, but I think you will be fine with proper connectors.


How to reduce noise from trash chute door closing?

Since you rent this apartment don't try to adjust it yourself. If adjusted incorrectly the door can be a safety hazard if it closes too fast. Call the maintenance person or building super and ask them to check and adjust the automatic door closer. The closer can be adjusted to slow the rate the door closes which will make it quieter.


Using a level, and straight edge, draw a tight rectangle around the hole. Using a razor blade, or drywall saw, cut a clean hole. A saw will allow you to remove most of the material, and the razor will cut it cleanly. Then you can use the hole as a template to cut out the patch.

Before the patch can be installed, you will need to install a backer board to prevent the patch from falling inside of the wall. You can use just about any piece of wood as long as it is thick enough to hold a drywall screw without splitting. The wood needs to be long enough to be securely attached to the existing drywall on 2 opposite sides for strength. The screws must be at least an inch away from the edge of the hole so it does not crumble. You can also put a screw in the middle of the backer board prior to installation to give you something to hold onto while it is being installed.

Then screw the patch to the backer board to hold it in place. You can then clean up the edges of the drywall pieces to fix any imperfections. Use drywall compound to fill in the cracks, and cover up the screw heads. Keep this coat very thin, and just put in enough to fill in the voids. Let this dry, and then tape the edges with drywall tape. After this, you can skim coat the whole area to blend in the patch.


How to stop my water meter connection leak?

UPDATE: I contacted the town. After a few days a plumber from the PDW showed up and installed a new meter, so far so good.


Vertical float switch for tethered float sump pump?

Try this fix, shorten the tether so the float will turn on/off quicker, or replace the pump with a one that has a vertical mounted float switch. I got rid of my tethered float switch pumps for ones with the vertical switch. They work great with just a short rise in water level.


Using Zinzer BIN primer (shellac base) on previously waxed pine furniture

I believe that this will end up in the wood working SE, but it should be noted that furniture wax is really wax like from a candle; it could be beeswax or petrol (it's not like floor wax which is definitely not wax). Wax is "non-polar". Wax can be cleaned with naptha or paint thinner, which are also non-polar molecules (like dissolves like), but that might make cause the wax to penetrate more deeply into the wood. The same might be true with heating (as Ed Beal suggested) but I wouldn't dare use a heater (or even a hair dryer) near acetone (boom).

The Zinzer BIN shellac is true shellac (meaning it comes from the insect) and it is alcohol (semi-polar) soluble. Wax will not readily dissolve (well) in alcohol and shellac will not dissolve in anything but alcohol (not water nor naptha). So you need to use a non polar solvent, something like naptha to remove wax, and then you will need to remove the naptha or paint thinner from the wood. Acetone mixes with both nonpolar and polar subtances. Acetone can dissolve a naptha-wax mix, and it will dry more quickly than naptha, and acetone and ethanol (shellac base) are miscible.

And acetone can help (a little) with allowing ethanol and naptha to mix (but not very much). After stripping the furniture with a non polar solvent, you should use acetone to rinse out the non polar solvent, then let it dry (kiln dried would be best). Another non-polar solvent that might help would be diethyl ether, but that's even more flammable than acetone.

Prepping the wood for asorbing ethanol: I would consider (as a last step) applying/cleaning the wood with a 50/50 water alcohol mix (with a rag) a few times, and then letting the wood dry. After a few treatments it might help prepare the grain for absorbing the alcohol/shellac. Water will probably discolor the surface of the pine, so you should be prepared to sand (lightly) before applying the shellac.


What does happen when a wire is run close to its maximum "calculated" current?

When a wire is used close to its maximum current it gets hot.

When a wire carries any current it heats up but when used within its design limits it will not get too hot. As the current increases the wire gets hotter. A wire that carries too much current can get hot enough to start a fire. Many cables in houses and other buildings are buried in the walls and so are surrounded by insulation and wood which might not be fire-resistant. The consequences of an overloaded (and very hot) cable in such a wall can be a house fire.

The electrical system should have fuses (breakers) that are set to trip at currents well below the maximum current of the cables. I am sure that the various countries have regulations about the fuses to be used for different cable types in different installations. The goal is that the fuse breaks the circuit, which is a minor inconvenience, long before the house might catch fire.

Given the disclaimer text in you question I would recommend that you choose cables that can carry significantly more than the expected current plus fuses for the expected maximum current. For exact choices I recommend that you talk to a local electrician or to an expert in the shop where you buy the cables and fuses. If your shopkeeper does not know then find a better shop.


Is there a way to change the location of HVAC air filter?

Actually, the filter seems to be installed in the wrong location. It’s installed on the wrong side of the “air filter tray”.

If you look closely at the bottom of the filter, the metal plate just to the left of the filter, has a “J-shape” at the bottom. That “J-shape” is made to hold the filter vertically in position, so it doesn’t slip down and not cover the intake opening properly and is called the “air filter tray”.

Also, it appears there is a sufficient space (vertically) for the filter to fit on the left side of the tray too. (NOTE: Before you move the filter to the left, I’d check with your manual, if you have one, and if not, I’d check with a HVAC contractor...because there are wires in that space too. Very unusual. Maybe the wires can be moved out of the way so the filter fits snug against the intake.)

The reason it’s important to install the filter in the proper location is because it needs to “fit” properly and completely cover the air intake. The reason THAT is important is because you don’t want air seeping around the filter and carrying dust, etc. into your furnace. The reason THAT is important is because dust will build up on your heating coils and could ignite when the coils are turned on. (Even if it doesn’t ignite, it will make the furnace very inefficient because it “insulates” the coil do it doesn’t give off all the heat.)

I’d try to cut the condensate pipe so you could temporarily remove it, which would then allow you to remove the filter. Then, when new filter is installed, you could reinstall the pipe...


Alternative to backer rod and bond breaker tape for caulking

Backer rod should be compressed in a joint. If it doesn't stay in the joint on it's own, then you need to get a wider piece. They come in varying diameters and you should choose one slightly wider than your gap.


Can I avoid the slab and run the new PEX through walls and interstitial space?

Good for you for replacing this crappy old polybutylene pipe system. There's no reason at all why you can't do what you're thinking of. One thing to keep in mind is that since PEX is just plastic, it would easily be penetrated by nails or screws driven through the drywall in the future, so you want to make sure to run the new lines at least 2" away from any interior wall space that people might drive nails or screws into. For any places where you have to run it closer to the surface, you need to nail a steel shield plate into the part of the stud that the pipe goes through.


How much larger than the fireplace opening should a door kit be?

If adding a door kit I would want the frame to be at least 1/2" wider than the opening so it can be sealed with insulation. I use rock wool for the seal because it holds up to the heat.


I would be tempted to go cheap and just buy the schedule 30 (20?) stuff they use for drainage at your local box store (Home Depot/Menard's/Lowe's) 10' under the driveway 6" deep. If it somehow doesn't hold up you could dig it up and put in something heavier.

Or you could bury schedule 40 PVC or if you are worried about it or you could use schedule 80 PVC if you are really worried about it.

The difference in price for a 10' length is negligible but I think you will need adapters if the rest of your drainage is regular drain pipe and you want to put standard plumbing or electrical PVC under the driveway.

Good luck with your project!


Do I have to hardwire my electric garage heater, or can I use an existing 240V receptacle?

Well, for one thing you'd void the warranty, though that's not exactly a safety concern. For another you're plugging it into a 40A circuit, when it's only supposed to be on a 30 amp circuit - that is a safety concern.

I'm trying to remember what the usual logic for prohibiting plugs is - on the one hand, the plug is rated for more amperage than the device, on the other, plugs are not quite as good conductors as wires, and may heat and become worse when used in a continuous (which means 3 hours, by NEC definitions) manner - electric heaters are generally defined as continuous loads (they could be left on that long, even if you don't intend to.)


How can I cut off 1/8 inch from ceramic tile?

The best approach is a tile saw that can make small precise cuts along the length of a tile. It is a power tool like a table saw but uses a diamond impregnated blade and a water cooling system. They can be bought or rented.

A cruder approach if the tiles are not too big (4x4 should not be a problem)and there are not too many tiles to cut is a tile nipper.

These chip off little bits and you can work along an edge to do the whole side. However, some tiles are especially brittle and some are prone to cracking. I would not try it unless you have some spares to test on and in case the selected ones break.

And, as noted in Jimmy James' comment, eye protection (e.g. safety goggles) is a must for nippers and also for the saw. A random bit of ceramic shard or grit shot into the eye is no joke.

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


Someone built on rock because the rock was where they wanted to put the house. This mighf reduce foundation cost, too.

You repair the foundation the same way you repair any brick or fieldstone foundation -- mortar in new pieces if necessary, tuckpoint to fill in eroded-away mortar, etc. Think of the ledge rock as a natural foundation slab and work from there.


Can I use corrugated metal roofing panels as soffits and paint them?

How should I prep the sheets, and what type of paint should I use?

power wash & scrub moss etc. YES
light sanding to scruff the surface YES
maybe muratic acid, maybe primer? NO to both. Neither is necessary assuming those panels already have paint on them, which looks to be true. If your "light" sanding creates any bare metal areas, spot prime those.
paint with exterior acrylic YES
...maybe interior latex would work too? NO why would you use interior paint for an exterior application?
use a roller? or brush? YES either/both, or spray


Can I paint the top of a glass top stove?

The only absolute permanent way to mark glass that I know of is etching with a glass etching cream.  I've used this for custom drink glasses and casserole dishes (all clear glass), but I don't know what it would look like on a black stove.  It doesn't color the glass, but it would make little frosted specs all over if you sprinkled the etching over the surface.

I can tell you that the frosted markings do sort of disappear when the surface is wet, but always show back up once it dries.

This is more of a long comment because it's not tested for your purpose, but it's something to consider and possibly test in a corner or something.  Before you do anything, realize that it permanently "damages" the glossy surface of the glass and there's no way to undo it if you don't like it.

Any paint will be raised from the surface of the glass which means it can be scraped off and could make cleaning harder.  Maybe someone has some amazing product to try, but there's not a paint I know of that I would put on a cooktop surface.  I believe the white specks and lines on a cooktop are some type of heat-fused ceramic like a glazing.


Can you space trusses more than 24" on center if you use 4x4s or 6x6s for the lumber instead of 2x6s?

Timber frame trusses (and steel frame trusses, for that matter) are frequently spaced wider.
Truss strength comes from the truss design, and the depth of the truss, not so much the depth of the lumber from which the truss is made. My 24 foot span trusses are completely 2x4 material.
Wider spacing means whatever you put between the trusses has to span the wider spacing between trusses while holding the 120 PSF snow load. ONE approach to that is purlins between the trusses and the lower roof sheathing, so the purlins span the trusses and the sheathing only has to span the purlins.
In that environment if you are vaulting the ceiling I hope you've got a plan for venting the vaulted roof...


Compacting soil after removing fence posts to install new posts with vibratory ram?

Cut off old posts slightly below grade.

Leave concrete footing in place.
 Drive in new posts 4feet deep into ground at a short distance to the left or right of old post. Driving in that deep would mean no footing necessary. Leaving the old post base and concrete would eliminate need to compact.  Enjoy your new fence. Thanks for asking here because now I know about these posts and will use them on my fence redo.


Which wires do I connect to my new ceiling fan?

What was there before?  By the colors you describe, I suspect there was a hard wired smoke detector there, the smaller orange wire is daisy chained to all detectors so if one detects smoke/Co/extreme heat, all detectors go into alarm mode.  If you removed a smoke detector, you have violated local codes!


How tight should studs be when framing in place

I assume that you're referring to interior, non-bearing walls, such as those in a previously unfinished basement. Ideally the studs will fit just snugly enough to hold them in place as you nail them in. You're right that you can jack up the floor if you force them in, but it's more likely that they'll bow a bit.

If they're slightly short it will be more challenging to nail them in accurately, but it won't likely cause any issues. Most of their function is to support drywall, and they'll do that just fine.  You can always pop a shim in at each joint, or squirt a dab of construction adhesive to fill the gap.


How to protect soil up against new wood fence base

Having dirt touching the fence will increase the chance that the bottoms of your rails/pickets will rot. This doesn't necessarily mean your whole fence will rot; only the parts exposed to heavy moisture are at risk. Maybe you're OK with having a bit of rot on the hard-to-see part of the fence after a few years; how bad it is really depends on the wood, how wet the climate is where you are, how much sun that area gets, etc.

If you want to protect the fence, I see three options:

Cut the bottom end of the pickets so it's no longer touching the dirt. If needed, treat the cut to improve rot resistance (may not be needed on natural redwood cedar, but you said it was pre-treated, so any cut surfaces should be treated in the same way).
Add stone/gravel to provide free-draining surroundings as you suggest. (I wouldn't recommend plastic as it's likely to just trap moisture against the fence and accelerate rot.)
Remove some dirt near the fence (may be too much work, or against your landscape design goals).


Can I Remove One Side of Wall for Shelves

I do not see any specific problems with embedding a shelf as you propose. Particularly due to the fact that the other side of the wall faces into a bedroom closet. Places where this may not be a good idea are:

An exterior wall where the the embedded shelf would interfere with having insulation in the wall.
Locating the embedded shelf in a high moisture area adjacent to a shower.
If installation of the shelf requires removing any moisture resistant wall covering including vapor barrier, cement board or tiles.

In fact many bathroom medicine cabinets are simply a shelving unit that is installed between two studs.

It is possible to build an embedded shelving unit in such way that you trim it out nicely so that the actual studs and back side of the adjacent drywall are all covered. This could include using a piece of appropriate thin sheet material to cover the drywall. Here is a nice example:


Buy a ceiling hugger style fan (the ones without a stem or with the option to mount without the stem).

Mount the fan's bracket directly to the ceiling with toggle bolts or other such fastener. This way the fan is not support by the box at all.

Good luck with your project!


How to weigh down a plastic shower base while recaulking?

There's no need to go buy, haul, move and store heavy, scratchy things. Find some buckets or totes or jugs and fill them with water. They won't risk damage to your tub, are free, and can be easily handled.