The thing about electric heating is that everything about it is cheap.   I mean, the heaters themselves are inexpensive only because they are simple things. But thermostats and accessories are the other kind of cheap... when somebody gets done paying $50 for a 2000W baseboard heater, they don't want to pay $40 for a quality 'stat, and switching 30A of current is a hard job, so corners have to be cut somewhere else. As a result, line-voltage electric 'stats tend to be J.U.N.K.

What you have there is a Cadet built-in 'stat.  It has two other structural handicaps:

it is right next to the heater. That's a bad place for any thermostat.  It's only there because that is easier to wire, and wiring line voltage is hard.
Like any line-voltage thermostat, it has the full current traveling through its internal parts, quite near the temperature sensor.  That current makes heat, which causes the sensor to misread, causing it to cut out below target temp.  This can't be compensated for, because the parasitic heat is the square of current, and they don't know how much current you'll actually flow through it.

Now, the first problem is cured by moving the thermostat away from the heater. However, this involves running mains wiring to the thermostat location, which because of the stiffness and Code requirements is much harder than running 24V thermostat wiring.  And it does nothing to solve the temperature problem which will exist with any line-voltage thermostat, but can be reduced by reducing the current per thermostat. As for the cheap problem, that's solved by buying quality. But quality (good temperature-holding) line voltage thermostats are unusual and thus expensive, and you simply will not find one that mounts on a Cadet heater like that because that's a lost cause.

24V power?

Line voltage heaters can be controlled by 24v thermostats.   We need a few bits out of the HVAC parts bin: a 24V transformer ($12) and one or more air conditioning contactors/relays ($12) which must be mounted inside an appropriate large junction box, or a RiB relay ($18) or an Aube style combo transformer-relay ($40).  The relays switch the power to the heater.

We also need some utility space to mount them, that could be inside the heater ends if you don't mind hearing the slight buzz of the transformer or the clack of the relay.  The transformer can be anywhere, the contactor(s) must be somewhere along the power line from panel to heater. Connections between transformer, relay and thermostat get made by light thermostat cable, I recommend 4-wire just for expansion options.  Routing is by the informal rules for doorbells and phone wiring.

24V thermostats are plentiful, and quality at their price point, since they do not need to switch power. Starting at $10, a quality Honeywell is $30, clear up to the $300 Nest.

Central control

People with gas/vent furnaces have central control because it is cheap. They would love to have per-room control because it solves many comfort problems and saves energy.  Individual room control is actually a virtue, a sought-after feature you get automatically with electric baseboards. I would not be quick to discard it.

Your assumption may be in error that the wires for all baseboards come from the service panel to a central point.  Each heater only needs 240V, any which way it can get it. They may be on separate breakers.  If so, having a central thermostat will be impossible with line voltage.  They do have 2-pole line voltage 'stats, but they only switch one pole thermostatically, the other is only off in the OFF position.  Regardless, running a whole house of power through a line voltage 'stat may exceed its capacity.

If you really want to do it,  you will need to run a branch of mains wiring, from either the service panel or the common feed point to the thermostat.

Doing this in 24V would allow one thermostat to control several circuit breakers' worth of heaters.  The relays could be anywhere between service panel and each heater.  There would need to be thermostat cable connecting thermostat, transformer and each relay, in a star layout (anywhere to anywhere as long as they are all connected).

Per-room control

In that case, my recommendation would be to switch to a thermostat mounted in a normal position on the wall.

If you use mains voltage wiring, you need a route to the thermostat location from either a) the heater, b) the service panel, or c) anywhere along the wiring to that heater (but for an enroute location, you will need 14"+ of slack, or to replace one end of the cable, and you will mount a junction box there).  From that location, you "tee" a 2-wire+ground cable to the thermostat location.  All this needs to be done with NM cable or conduit, and to mains wiring standards.

If you use 24V wiring, you also need to identify a location either at the heater, the service panel, or along the wiring between them whe a junction box can be mounted.  Here, a relay gets installed. With easy-to-wire thermostat cable, you need to connect the thermostat, the transformer, and the relay. Any 2 sides of the triangle will suffice.


What kind of appliance(s) used to be here?

This place obviously was occupied by a gas dryer.

Of course, it's impossible to know for sure, and what is obvious is not always true, but nothing else is really likely.

Venting a gas dryer downward presents no special difficulty, because the exhaust is driven by a powerful fan. Many dryer models offer the choice between rear exit or bottom exit. The vent pipe can be up to about 25 feet long but bends and flexible sections reduce the allowed length.

The height of the gas pipe is more usual for a stove than for a dryer. Perhaps at one time a stove stood there, then subsequently someone cut the round holes and installed a dryer instead.

The D-shape of the vent passage is strange, but as Mike Harris and Alaska man indicate, this is probably an accidental result of cutting holes in a finished and occupied structure.

The goal of a home owner is often different from a professional contractor for the  same job -- the contractor aims to do a sparkling clean, plumb, and finished installation that reflects well on his skills and motivation, while the home owner aims to get something working without spending a small fortune or burning down his house.


Replacing receiver on a ceiling fan, but receiver has fewer wires than the fan

I think the key is:

Motor 1
Motor 2
Motor 3

My hunch is that the old fan - and the remote controller - used separate connections for high/medium/slow speed of the fan. The new universal controller uses a single connection (line/neutral) with some sort of controller adjusting the current/voltage/waveform/whatever to appropriately adjust the fan speed. These two methods of control are likely incompatible. There is a small chance that one of the wires (either Motor 1 or Motor 3 - whichever one is "full speed") on the fan could be used with the new remote, but I wouldn't count on it working reliably & efficiently.


Is it ok to lower grade around a well head instead of raising it?

A Thousand to weld an extension , wow!
I agree that the well casing should be above ground. As long as the ground water doesn’t get within 1” of the top I would not mess with it. For example my last house the casing was at ground level. I was on the side of a mountain I dug the high side down a few inches then graded the low side away even with the heaviest rains the water flowing down the hill never got close so it was fine. It may have been ok but I would rather a little safety margin.
If you don’t have high water issues I would say it is ok. I would protect it so it is not a spot that a dog can pee on it. We always put wishing well structures there if not in a well house. One really neat one I saw had a artificial bolder over it it looked really neat for that area.
So if you don’t have high water issues I would not worry. If you do have water over the cap I would probably find someone else a bit more reasonable To extend the casing.


What to do with floor drains in basement?

I would stain the concrete or tile it and leave the drains there. I don't think carpet belongs in basements. You are just asking for trouble like mold, mildew, etc.

Good luck!


Considering the age  of the home, the only complaint, and in my opinion safe, alternative is to have a new circuit run to the bathroom for the GFI. It is almost guaranteed that in a bath a hair dryer will be used, which is a huge draw for a general use circuit. So adding a receptacle to the existing wiring will not only not be code complaint, it will stress the existing circuit quite a bit.


Why do I have a green light on my GFCI but the outlet will not come on?

Use a voltage tester like a "Wiggy" or a neon tester to test the presence of voltage at the wires.  (not just in the socket of the GFI)  If there is current in the wires, double-check that you have connected the power to the line side of the GFI, not the load side.  Be sure that the neutral (white wire) and hot (black) are connected to the correct terminals and not reversed.

Remember: GFIs are designed to protect from ground faults (where current is being shunted to ground).  They are not circuit breakers and they do not protect against over load of current like a fuse would.

If there is no power at the wires then the problem it outside the scope of this question and you may wish to hire an electrician.


Floor lamp with LED chip not responding to wall switch

It sounds like the when the lamp does not use a hard mechanical brightness switch.  Responding to the brightness control is done in software.  When power connection is severed, it is not able to remember its previous brightness setting, and returns to a default of "off" when power returns.  You can test that by plugging it into a regular outlet, unplugging it while on, and replugging after 5 minutes.

This type of lamp is not suitable for use with a hardwired light switch or smart controller which interrupts power.  Since the product doesn't clearly state that up front, you should have no compunction about returning it.

I just saw a lamp at IKEA with a similar problem.  I did the "unplug" test and it did not relight on replug.   It had a "power brick" with a lightweight DC cable to the lamp.  See also the PC board plainly labeled where white is switch and the two active conductors red/black is Vin+ and GND-, the +-, colors, and "GND as conductor" are all hallmarks of low voltage DC power, along with the wall-wart.  DC isn't bad, safer actually, but it invites more "complicated" lighting controls which may not behave as expected.


Why is neutral not connected to earth terminal?

That's horrible.    Neutral and Equipment Safety Earthing (in mains electrical service, ground) must not be crossed, bridged, shorted, or biased.  They must remain completely separate, (except in one specific place defined by your Electrical Code, which is a place you will never be unless you are installing main electrical service.)

Noting that you came over from the Electronics stack, we are changing terminology on you.  In low-voltage DC electronics, "ground" is the normal current return: Vss.  In mains electrical, the normal current return is called neutral.

The equipment safety grounding system is only there to take accidental shocks that would otherwise shock a human or start a fire.  For instance, if a frayed wire contacts the metal chassis of a machine, instead of energizing the chassis and killing the next human who touches it, massive current will be carried back to source, causing the overcurrent breaker will trip. Current should never flow on it unless something has failed.

If you dislike this safety-ground feature, or do not understand it, or do not want to use it properly, then don't use it at all. Use a 2-wire cord to a 2-prong plug.  You may find that the western listing agencies, UL, TUV, CSA etc., have some extra requirements for your product, e.g. double-insulation.

Why not short neutral and ground locally?

What happens if a neutral wire breaks upstream?  Everything else downstream of the wire break is trying to return current via neutral.  So all that current from all those machines travels the neutral wire to your illegal short, hops to ground, and takes ground back to the main panel, via the official neutral-ground bond, back to source.  This means many amperes of current are coming through your little plug.  Neutrals don't have fuses, so this burns your house down.

What if a ground wire breaks upstream? Normally if a neutral wire breaks, current can no longer return to source, and this has the effect of "floating" the neutral wire at line voltage.  If you have also bridged it to ground, now you are also floating the grounding system at line voltage, at least on your machine.  Anybody who comes in contact with that gets shocked.

What if both neutral and ground take a hit? Similarly what if all wires are cut, and the machine has capacitors, or inductive kickback as it spins down?  Again neutral floats up toward line voltage which the system would  be able to handle normally.  Your bootleg bonding means ground floats too, and shocks people.


How can I determine the style, design, and manufacturer of this tile?

This will require a lot of leg work, and some phone calls.

The only way to match it up is to go to the tile supply houses in the area and physically compare it to the tile that is in their inventory or samples to order by.
That should be your best shot at it.

While at the various supply houses, I don't mean the big box stores, but don't count them out either for this, there may be a knowledgeable person there that may tell you, "Oh yeah, this looks like such and such of tile, check the store in (fill in name or place here)"


How do I manage possibly lead containing paint flakes?

ANY paint will turn to dust eventually. Removing the large flakes and re-painting is your best bet.

I will say, for a home built in the 70's there is only a very small likelihood that there is any lead paint present. I took the lead paint course, and I'd  have to look the numbers up, but for a home built in the 1800's and early 1900's the likelihood is in 90% range. that number decreases down to the 10% range by the 70's, and lead paint was banned in 1978. I've seen scare tactic quotes that say "Three-quarters of the homes built before 1978 contain some lead-based paint." While this is true it is highly misleading.

Do a web search. There is more info on lead paint that you'll care to look at. Lead has become another buzz word like asbestos, and a lot of people are making a lot of money off it.


Why would a light fixture be incompatible with dimmer switches?

The best explanation I can think of is that many compact fluorescent(CFL) and LED bulbs are not compatible with dimmers. The reason why is

non-dimmable CFLs cannot and should not ever be used with dimmer switches.

and

To put it in layman's terms, most modern dimmer switches essentially function the same way as if you were to turn a light on and off really, really fast (about 100 times per second). (snip)
basically the problem is this: CFLs have less resistance than incandescent bulbs, which means that the floodgates are opened when they are exposed to the electrical fluctuations that a dimmer sends, and they actually can consume up to 5x the current as when they're not connected to a dimmer (and that's when the dimmer is set to max). This overheats the bulb and can actually cause it to light on fire. Bad news.

The fixture has a GU24 base (non-standard) which is going to further limit your selection of bulbs (as in your local store may only carry non-dimmable bulbs). So rather than accept liability for a potential fire hazard, they're just going to tell you not to use a dimmer at all for the light.
In theory you should be able to hook a CFL/LED friendly dimmer to the light only and install a dimmable GU24 bulb, but beware that any liability for doing so lies solely with you.


All Outlets on Breaker Randomly Give ~8V

You have an intermittent open leg on your electrical service. By turning on the dryer you are creating a backfeed through the heating elements which is a 240V load that uses both legs of your service.

An open service neutral would show with the voltages in the house going both up and down. Meaning you might get 50V on one leg but 180V on the other.

I'd start by calling the power company to see if the problem is on their end of things.


Shortening Roof Rafters for Flat Roof Addition

Typically what is done  is the main roof is left intact and the shed roof rafters are set to a ledger that is set on top of the main rafters. That will mean a long angled cut on the shed roof rafter which, according to your drawing, by the time the angled cut it set to the ledgers the bottom corner so to speak of the shed roof rafters will be very close to the bearing wall below. The ledger may need to be done in two runs to cover the whole cut of the shed rafter. Or, with some layout, a single run of 2X12 set so the heel of the cut is at the lower edge of the 2X12 ledger. The rest of the rafter will set directly to the roof sheathing which can be applied before any of the ledgers are set. Just be sure that ventilation will flow from one roof to the other so heat does not build up with no place to go.


Composite Deck Surface Mount Post Bracket

These brackets will also work for composite material. The composite material might be harder on a cheap drill bit, but so long as you can drill a hole through the deck, you can mount a bracket to it.


Gurgling drains are usually caused by obstructions in the venting system. The gurgling sound is caused by air being forced through water in your drain trap.

Follow this link for more info:

https://www.tradewindsimports.com/blog/troubleshooting-gurgling-drains/


Hanging a heavy object with the help of a plywood beam (due to a mismatch with studs)

I would just use these with some ⅛" steel cable.

If you tighten them down good they will hold much more than 50 lbs.

Good luck with your project!


Grounding an old 2-Wire system in my bathroom

With wiring that old the best and EASIEST thing to do is abandon all existing electrical in the bathroom (or complete area of renovation) and replace it, from point A to point B, as if it were new construction. It would be crazy to have the walls opened up and not do so.

It would be best for point A to be a new circuit run from the panel.
2nd best is tapping the exiting circuit before it enters the renovation area in an attic, basement, crawlspace or a light or receptacle in another room making that your point A.
If you must, tap the existing circuit where it 1st enters the renovation area making that your point A.

The 1st device in your new wire run should be a GFCI receptacle that's installed properly to protect the remainder of the circuit. BTW a GFCI doesn't require a ground wire to make the circuit safer. (If you're getting shocked from hot to neutral a GFCI won't help you, but if you're getting shocked from hot to something grounded it will, regardless of whether there's a ground wire or not.)

Don't ever splice outside of a box even if that box will not otherwise be used and have to have a blank cover, and whether you use the old circuit or not, don't forget to maintain that circuit if it happens to be continuing on (passing through) to supply another part of the house.


Clear silicone caulk, the tub/bath type with mildew inhibitor, will hold up the best.

You need to be aware that doing this will complicate future access for maintenance, as the caulk will have to be mechanically removed to change out the valve cartridge. That type of cartridge will require replacement eventually (5 to 10 years, more or less, depending on water quality and frequency of use).

The way the knob covers the assembly will generally prevent direct water spray on the area and the foam seal on the escutcheon does a pretty good job of preventing water intrusion. I never caulk this area on Moen valves.


Can I share "C" wire on two thermostats?

You can only share the C wire, if you're also sharing the R wire.  If the R wires come from different equipment, the C wires must also come from the different equipment.


If it's at a joint between two planes (e.g. wall and floor or inside corner), then it can be colored or even sanded caulk. Using grout in a corner results in cracking as the structure moves, so caulk is recommended for those joints.

Otherwise, you may have an acrylic grout additive to increase flexibility and reduce cracking.


Changing Pull Switch Ceiling Fan with Faulty Capacitor to Remote

If you install a remote control module, it will control the speed of the fan. Which means, there will be no need for the pull switch. So yes, you can install a remote module instead of fixing the medium speed.

Install the remote module, put the pull switch in high, and enjoy.


What does it mean if my Watchdog backup sump is flashing "Add Distilled Water" even with brand new battery?

The unit in question has two large current-carrying wires which connect to the positive and negative terminals of the battery, and a sense wire which is designed to connect to a probe supplied with batteries manufactured by the same company.  The probe is a thin metal rod that sticks through a special hole in the top of the battery; the hole is placed so as to ensure that the rod does not touch the plates in the battery (having a metal rod touch the plates could be spectacularly bad, so this feature should only be used on batteries that are designed for it), but the tip of the probe will sit in the acid solution; the acid is a good enough conductor that if it reaches the height of the probe it will effectively connect the probe to one of the battery terminals.  If the charging box doesn't see that connection, it will flag a warning.

Note that a 12V battery consists of six independent two-volt batteries, each of which must be serviced separately.  The probe only senses the level in one of the batteries, but if the batteries are all filled to the same level, they will generally lose water at the same rate.  It would have been helpful IMHO if the unit had included probes for all six batteries and provided a means of reading their status, so as to make it easier to fill the batteries uniformly (otherwise it's hard to judge the fluid levels in them), but perhaps some other means of viewing fluid levels could have been usable.

In any case, I have a pump by that manufacturer and it worked successfully even through a 36-hour power outage coupled with heavy rain, so I'm pretty happy with it.


gfci outlet to switch for garbage disposal

I do not think you did it correctly but I will explain.

Connecting the GFCI without a switch all sounded good. But you then put the switch on the white or neutral if I understood your question.

The proper wiring would be the “splice” to the switch if a piece of Romex is on the hot to the outlet , you remove the black line feeding the outlet connect that to the white of the Romex and mark that white at both ends with tape or a sharpie. That reidentified white connects to the switch, then the black in the Romex “splice” connects to the other side of the switch and at the outlet on the hot / line side.

I think you switched the neutral side this is a code violation.
We re-identify the white and have it always hot so someone later doesn’t mistake it for a neutral. But that is the proper code compliant wiring for a switch leg. (+ grounds and while the breaker is off but you know that).


I'd strongly suggest that you ask the "why" questions to whoever it was that made these recommendations to you. That person may well know your local codes and/or the particular unit you're planning on installing better than any of us will. That said...

Generally, I believe your "security group" is called a "pressure relief valve" - it opens automatically if pressure gets too high, and drains the water someplace, hopefully where it's designed to go (like a drain). I'm not sure, however, what this has to do with your question at all.
The item in your 2nd image looks like it's got a garden hose thread on it. Beyond that, I can't imagine why it matters whether it's a straight or angled fitting beyond the fact that the angled fitting will more easily allow you to turn the outbound plumbing along the wall, which is where you probably want it. If you need the plumbing to go straight out from the tank, I'm sure you could use a straight fitting here.
Having a valve right at the outlet from the heater allows you to shut off water flow to the entire house if necessary for plumbing repairs, preventing pipe freezing in case of power loss in freezing temperatures, etc.
Generally, the outlet of the valve points in the direction the next section of plumbing needs to go. If you need to run up from your outlet, point the valve up; if down, point it down; likewise for left or right.
I wouldn't see any issue with installing a pressure gauge right off the hot water heater. Make sure that the gauge you pick will support the temperature of water coming out of your heater. I would install a valve before the gauge, though, just in case the gauge fails & needs to be replaced. The valve is a handy shut off to keep your floors mostly dry while removing/replacing the gauge.
Again, confirm all this with your local building/plumbing inspector to ensure that it meets all applicable local codes.


So with both valves off there is no leak from the cold water "handle" nor from the spout, right? This means neither the washers (seals) nor the seats are leaking. Leave them alone.

With the cold water valve closed and the hot opened there is a leak from the "cold water handle", right? This means it is leaking around the stem of the cold valve. Most probably this is a leak around the shaft of the right valve, but could be around the threads of the packing nut. First thing to try is to tighten the packing nut to compress the packing around the shaft.

Actually the first thing is examine the right valve while it is leaking. Take the handle off and the fittings around the valve and examine it with a flashlight while it is leaking. You should be able to tell whether the leak is from the thread of the packing nut or around the shaft. First try tightening the packing nut in steps (but don't overtighten) and see if this stops the leak.

If the leak is at the threads of the packing nut and progressive tightening does not stop the leak, you might try unscrewing the packing the nut and wrapping teflon tape around it (3 turns (layers) of tape) and reinserting and retightening.

EDIT When tightening the packing nut it is important that the valve not be opened so far that the packing nut does not press against the end of the stem. The valve should be almost closed but open enough so that the mixing chamber is filled with water. And when reinserting the stem assembly after it has been removed open the valve all or most of the way so that the seal does not contact the seat while tightening the packing nut.


It was supposed to be captive. The safest thing is to replace the switch. They are typically $ 1 - $ 3, depending on quality and where you buy them.
If the new switch has "back stab" connections, as it appears your existing switch has, don't use them. Use the screws.


Am I removing too much paint from exterior when scraping?

This is a subjective question, but ideally any paint that's not well-bonded should be removed. Eventually it'll flake off as well.

That said, there's always a balancing act to be done. You'll have to assess the situation and proceed accordingly. It may not be economically practical to strip the paint entirely, depending on intended lifetime of the siding, etc.


Can I put 42W CFL bulbs into a fixture marked as "R20 Halogen bulbs up to 50W max"?

One consideration is current draw.  CFLs have a power factor of about 0.5, meaning they draw twice as much current as a similarly sized halogen or incandescent bulb, which have power factor of 1.0.

So if your fixture is rated for a 50W halogen bulb, that means: 50 = 120*current*1.0 (Power = voltagecurrentpower factor), so the fixture is rated for 0.42 amps.

A 42W CFL would demand: 42 = 120*current*0.5, current = 0.7 amps.

The rating of the lamp takes many different things in to account, not just current draw, but also cooling of the bulb and the fixture itself, but this is just one consideration.

Another consideration is that CFLs, although they run at a much lower temperature, will also fail prematurely at a much lower temperature, so if the fixture is not properly ventilated and the base isn't allowed to cool, it could fail long before its time.


The larger pipe looks to be your main vent. The other smaller pipes connecting to it are vents serving other fixtures. Codes limit the location on where vents can be connected, typically 6" above the flood level rim of the highest fixture being served and a minimum of 42 above the floor. That is why they are connecting as shown in the photo. The plastic vent which would have been part of a renovation/modification after the other work was completed looks to be connected a bit too low.

Just because it may look odd or look inefficient does not mean that it was done incorrectly. With the exception of the plastic pipe, this looks to have been done to meet the code requirements.


How to keep two water tanks have maintain the same water level?

Note: this answer is for pressurized plumbing of two hot water tanks. Rereading the question I'm pretty sure it's an incorrect assumption so I'm only leaving it here in case it helps someone with this problem.

The typical way to do this is to run the two tanks in serial instead of parallel. You would connect the output of one tank to the input of the other. I've seen this with a solar and electric tank combination. The solar tank was there to preheat the water, and the electric was the second tank that would run on cloudy days. Connecting the two tanks is quite complicated if you need the ability to bypass either tank. Here's a quick ascii art of what I've seen:

         +----X------+--- Hot
         |           |
Cold --+------X----+ |
       | |         | O
       O +----O----+ |
       | |         | |
       C H         C H
       WH1         WH2

The X are closed valves, O are open valves, C is cold input to a WH, H is hot output from a WH. The valve setup that is shown here is for the cold input for the home to go to WH1, back out the hot, into WH2, and back out the hot to the hot line for the house.

You could simplify this if you don't need the ability to isolate one of the water heaters:

Cold --+             +--- Hot
       |             |
       O +---------+ |
       | |         | |
       C H         C H
       WH1         WH2

The nice thing about having the water heaters setup in serial is that you can completely turn one off and still have hot water available to the entire home, just in lesser quantity. And in times of high demand, having both heaters running can get the water back to the high temperature twice as fast.


What's a doorway that doesn't have a door called?

If you were just using the dictionary definitions, it would be called a "doorway".

  Doorway
  1. the passage or opening into a building, room, etc., commonly closed and opened by a door;  portal.
  2. a means of access: a doorway to success.

  Door
  1. a movable, usually solid, barrier for opening and closing an entranceway, cupboard, cabinet, or the like, commonly turning on
  hinges or sliding in grooves.
  2. a doorway: to go through the door.
  3. the building, house, etc., to which a door belongs: My friend lives two doors down the street.
  4. any means of approach, admittance, or access: the doors to learning.
  5. any gateway marking an entrance or exit from one place or state to another:  at heaven's door.

  Passageway
  1. a way  for passing into, through, or out of something, as within a building or between buildings; a corridor, hall, alley, catwalk, or
  the like.
  2. a corridor on a ship.

  Archway
  1. an entrance or passage under an arch.
  2. a covering or enclosing arch.

  Lintel
  1. a horizontal architectural member supporting the weight above an opening, as a window or a door.

  soffit
  1. the underside of an architectural feature, as a beam, arch, ceiling, vault, or cornice.

  Source

Since you're dealing with architectural drawings, you'll probably want to use "Cased Opening" (or "Arched Opening" if the top of the opening should have an arch). Which would be drawn on a blueprint using this symbol.

A cased opening is a doorway that is trimmed out, but does not contain a door. If you just want an opening in the wall without trim, you could just call it an "Opening", or "archway". It would look like this on a blueprint.


What would cause the electricity to go out & then come back on without kicking a breaker

This is typically symptomatic of "losing a phase" and you should contact your power company to report an outage - there's very like a loose connection which is more commonly on their side of the feed than yours, (and if they can rule out theirs, you know where to have someone look if they won't look at it) and they normally respond very promptly if there's not some other major outage going on.


Why are there bubbles in my bathroom toilet and sink?

There is a clog downstream from both of these drains.  If they are both at the lowest level of the house and you have a septic system, then it's conceivable that the problem is there, but you'd also see water backing up into that bathroom when you run any other showers/toilets in the house.

Most likely, the clog is in the joint in the drain lines where the shower and toilet join on their way out of the bathroom.  Get a snake to fish down the drain (probably best to do this in the shower to avoid damaging the toilet bowl) and expect to go down quite a few feet before you reach the problem.

Edit: Revisiting this question, I'd agree that there's also a likely vent blockage from the bubbling descriptions. But the fact that toilet water backs up into the shower points to a drain blockage, too, and that will be easier to fix.


How to remove the handle on my Delta faucet?

It should just pull off.  If it doesn't, you might try gently wiggling it side to side as you pull up.  If you have a rubber or plastic mallet, you could try giving it a gentle tap to free it up. The trick is to be gentle enough to not break anything, but firm enough to knock it loose.


Where are the fuses in my Kenmore dryer, and how do I access them?

Try inspecting the heating element, it could have a break in it somewhere.


Small bugs coming inside from closed windows at night; spray solutions?

Unlessyou seal your house in vacuum wrap this is an on-going issue in the summer in most areas. Even here in Colorado where the dry air keeps the bug population low, it's a problem.
As you suggested and I have found that a preventive spray is the most effective solution. I don't like using chemicals unless it's a last resort and I don't want to endorse a specific product but I have had very good success with a home defense perimeter spray. There are several out there. I spray it all around the exterior foundation, window frames and anywhere else insects might enter. Although they claim it's safe for interior application I personally only use it outside.
I only do it once a year in the spring and it lasts all year but your experience might be different.


As mentioned by other comments and posts, the soffit needs to remain vented. For what it is worth, that one piece won't matter if it is perforated or not, (the whole soffit is open on the inside, that is a good thing) but use perforated soffit anyway so it matches. This material is available at any big box store.

The picture have captions in them that should explain what I seen needing to be done. What I have illustrated is the simplest way to proved a repair that will last without taking the fascia and soffit down. The only detail I left out was how to fasten the soffit panel in. Once the block is in that I drew in, add a piece of "F" track that will hold the soffit piece at the wall, or it can be screwed directly to the block. The outside egde can be screwed in too but the added fascia "extension lip" to replace the one that was torn off, is made to hold that end of the soffit in place.


Snake drain gun vs compressed gas drain gun vs liquid - which is better for what?

I haven't seen the drain guns for plumbing, only for HVAC condensation lines (for which a shop vac also does a pretty good job and has multiple uses). But a pneumatic drain gun is going to have a similar effect as a plunger, pushing out a clog as long as it's before or at the vent pipe, but not after. For anything after the vent pipe, you'll need a snake to physically remove it. Personally, I would save my money and just use a plunger. As for the chemical clog removers, they will kinda work as long as it's clogged and not a slow drain where all the chemical cleaner would pass through before impacting the clog.

That said, a snake, plunger, and many of the other clog removers are only going to create an opening in the drain. If you have a reoccurring problem with clogs, then you need a chemical cleaner that removes buildup from your pipes. If you have tried the liquid cleaners that remove buildup, multiple times, and still have a reoccurring issue, then make sure you're not putting anything down the drain that would cause a clog, like grease, oils, fats, salad dressings, etc. And if after all that, you're still having issues, I would suspect an issue with your drain pipes, e.g. an improper slope, undersized drain lines, improper venting, etc.


Why would a speaker make a clicking noise after ~1 hour even when disconnected?

The speaker's transformer should clean any dirty power you might have. A gross under/over voltage in your home (more than +/- ~10% of nominal) would probably be evident in that you'd have equipment failing left and right; send 'em back to China.

It could be some Bluetooth funny business going on, or a bad DAC, I'm not sure. But if you cut the power and it still crackles, you definitely got a lemon.


Left hand drill bit and bolt extractor.

The idea being you drill a hole in the center of your lag screw shaft, drilling in a counter clockwise direction which will avoid driving the shaft in deeper, once you have your hole in the shaft you use the extractor again in a counter clockwise direction which threads the extractor into the bolt shaft and the drill in counter clockwise motion tries to remove it.

That said I'd sooner go the holesaw route and epoxy a same size wood dowel back in the hole.


multiple motion detectors wired together

That looks fine. Only thing is, every motion detector I have seen only has one white, and all the whites (neutrals) get spliced together.

At the motion detector:

Black hot in - MD black

Blacks from the two lights - MD red

ALL whites in the box together


Can I use a shallow box to install a 240v outlet?

[Assuming USA/Canada location/rules] So long as your box fill is met, yes.
However, there are multiple reasons to not prefer a plastic box, at least one of which relates to box fill - internal clamps count against box fill, while external clamps as more typically used with steel boxes do not count against box fill.
Another is that if this is a large 240VAC outlet as for a range or dryer, the forces involved in plugging and unplugging those are significant, and your plastic box may break, where a steel one would not.
Box fill is: your plastic box should be marked with a number of cubic inches (usually just XY C.I. where X and Y are numbers) - steel boxes have standard volumes which can be looked up in a table. Each wire that terminates in the box adds to the wire count. The receptacle adds 2 to the wire count. Internal clamps add 1 to the wire count. The size (gauge) of each wire corresponds to a number of cubic inches required for each wire "count" of that size - 2.0 for 14 gauge, 2.25 for 12 gauge, 2.5 for 10 gauge, 3.0 for 8 gauge and 5.0 for 6 gauge. The box needs to be at least as large as all those added up (larger is fine) - if you are "depth-limited" you may require a box that is higher and wider than you anticipate, depending on how many and what size wires you are using (i.e. 6 gauge wires for a 50A range receptacle need a lot of room.)
Unlikely to come into play unless your receptacle is "in-line" with another - up to 4 grounding wires are counted as 1 of the largest size grounding wire. After that they are (as of 2020 code) counted as 1/4 (so one counts as 1, 3 count as 1, but 5 count as 1.25)


Wiring multifunction fixture to 2 switches, 2-wire cables

Color-coding.  It is your friend. You'll need some black, red and blue electrical tape.

Go into the switch box.  Confirm that, in fact, the white and black from cable 1 are across switch 1...  And the white and black from cable 2 are across switch 2...   (that is to say, they are not criss-crossed).  If they are criss-crossed, that is bad, make them square.
Also in the switch box, tape both of the white wires black -- by which I mean wrap several wraps of tape around the wire an inch or two back from the ends.
Up in the fan box:   Note the two cables coming up from the switch.  Tape both of the white wires black.   We are re-designating these white wires to be "always-hot". **
Note the two black wires coming from the switch (partners to the whites you just taped).  Tape one of those black wires red.
Tape the other black wire blue. This is also a switched-hot.
Note the third cable coming from supply.  It has a black wire.  Nut it together with the two whites now taped black.
Now look at the wires which remain loose.  You see a white wire (neutral, from supply), a "red" wire (switched hot from switch), and a "blue" wire (switched hot from other switch).  Also a black bundle pushed back into the box. These are exactly the same wires you'd have on a /4 cable.
Wire it per factory instructions.
If the fan needs "always-hot" for some reason, tap it off the black/"black"/"black" bundle you pushed into the back of the box in step 3.  It looks like for the humidity sensor to work, the black wire must be connected to power.  The blue wire is an override telling it to run full speed regardless of humidity.

If you are not happy with which switch is the fan and which the light, switch them up top.  Do not switch hots at the switch, that would create the crisscross situation we labored to avoid in step 1.

** When you are forced to use a white wire as "hot", like in a switch loop, there's an advantage to using the white as the always-hot wire.  It's far easier to detect with a voltage tester since it's always-hot.  If it was used for switched-hot, a person might mistake it for a neutral since it is not energized with the switch off.  White wires reused as hots MUST be taped.


Compared to powder, is liquid detergent really better for the health of the washing machine?

Modern machines use so little water that the recommended quantities of powder can lead to a little bit building up below the dispenser drawer because the water has all run before it can dissolve (it also depends where in the drawer you put the powder, with respect to the water jets).  The same machines are usually cold-fill only which further slows the disssolving. Sometimes the rinse water brings the rest of the detergent with it, meaning you don't get a very good rinse. The damp powder can form a caked-on buildup which is harder to shift than the original powder.

Using a little less than stated on the powder box will avoid these effects and save you money on powder, as will liquid (even if you add that via the drawer rather than a dosing ball).  For all but the dirtiest clothes you can use a fair bit less powder than claimed by the people who are trying to sell you detergent.

My machine's quick-wash program wants liquid as there's insufficient time/water for powder to dissolve properly.  I put this in a ball in the drum, which means that the dispenser gets flushed when I use the quick-wash program.  This helps too. This is all in the UK where (almost) all domestic machines are front-loading.


Your guess is correct.  The mounting block shown in the Family Handyman image has a self contained wet rated box.

You cannot run Romex to your fixture and connect it behind the mounting block and expect it to pass inspection.  The mounting block in your image would be appropriate for attaching an outdoor electrical box on top, to house a receptacle or light switch for example.

Here's a mounting block containing a wet-rated box:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Durabuilt-8-5-in-x-7-5-in-White-Woodgrain-Vinyl-Electrical-Mounting-Block/1000047117


I would go rent a snake. Plumber will do the same by using a snake but the charge to rent and doing it your self will be cheaper.


How can I get paint on rocks to last longer?

Strength of paint bonding depends on the surface.  A surface with lots of microscopic roughness, like something worked over with 400 grit sandpaper, is going to bond well.  Something microscopically smooth, like a sheet of glass, will bond poorly.  But even on a poor bond, the paint will want to stay there just for lack of physical motiviation to go somewhere else.

Weather is not enough to provide that motivation.  It needs help, with a stripper that is compatible with the protective layer, and/or scrub brushes and elbow grease.  This is a hard problem, and transit agencies with rail operations are at the leading edge of the field.  (Building managers less so, since they can repaint.)  They use rather exotic paints you will not find at Lowes.  This may be a lot of work.

Hydrophobic films can only work against water based paints.   Common graffiti paint in spray-cans is oil based.    In any case, hydrophobic coatings are not magic, they can't make the applied paint levitate and move downrange.  The paint will still sit on the protected item, will just hopefully be easier to remove.


Should I use screws or nails to hang 19/32" thick t1-11 panels indoors?

I would use neither. Since the panels are not used for a structural purpose and only need to be held in place, finish nails would be my choice. For a finish product, the screw heads or even the nail heads would be noticeable in the surface. Filler on this type of textured surface is not a good option.

But if those are the only choices you have, screws are the best choice, you can control the screw better than the nail for depth. Nail guns will overdrive the nail and create a deeper recess than needed.


Why does my electricity blow when I plug in my oven?

Your appliance has developed a dangerous internal defect, and must be repaired or replaced.


Smoke alarms go off in the middle of the night for no apparent reason and then is fine

You may have batteries getting old. You need a battery tester (not expensive). Even new batteries can be faulty, and supply low voltage to an appliance. This will cause a fire alarm to false-trigger, sometimes.


Traditionally in the US, residential POTS was daisy-chained via 4-wire copper cable with drops at junction boxes or sockets. Only 2 wires (red/green) were used, with 2 spares (yellow/black). All the phones were in parallel, which caused potential problems with inadequate ringer current from the central office. The easy solution was to disconnect the ringers of extension phones.


Doors have stopped closing due to humidity, how can I close my doors?

First things first: Check to make sure the screws in the hinges are all tight. If they are not, you can pack the screw holes with toothpicks and white glue, and once dry, redrill and reset the screws.

Next things next:  Assuming that the hinges of the doors are properly mortised (set into the wood), that the door has not sagged on its hinges (a different question), and that there is no significant bump in the frame, the best bet is probably to trim down the doors and then properly seal them to prevent moisture absorption.

There is supposed to be a gap between the door and the jamb (the broad moldings that face toward the door opening). This gap should be about the thickness of a nickel (but a good bit larger at the bottom) when the door and framing is at its tightest (in high humidity). Doors and their frames shrink and expand naturally, and sealing (with paint/varnish/poly/etc.) is meant to minimize, but not eliminate this shifting. Once you have a sticking point (assuming the hinges haven't shifted much) you need to re-size the door.

Sanding may be sufficent, but you probably need to take off at least 1/16th and preferably 1/8 to solve the problem long term. In most cases it is worth taking the door down so that you can work flat and exert some pressure. Befor taking it down, mark the tight spots with a pencil line run parallel to, and about 1/8 in from the jamb. Then pull the hinge pins and set the door standing on its hinge edge down. If you need to work near the lockset, you may need to pull the latch bolt and its faceplate, or the whole lockset if it is a mortise lock. Either way, you need to remove the door handles and the spindle.

An orbital finish sander may do it, but this may be too slow. Careful use of a belt sander may be preferable. But careful. A plane or Sureform-like tool can remove a fair amount of stock without much risk of serious gouging.

Check the door regularly by resetting it on its hinges. Be generous with your trimming. It is hard to over-trim and you don't want to be doing this again.

Last things last: Once you are certain of the fit, take the door down again and SEAL IT! Prime and paint all expose wood, or stain and topcoat if using clear finish. Let it fully dry. While it is down, check to make sure that both top and bottom of the door are sealed.  This is often the most frequent source of the moisture that causes door to swell.

P.S. I learned these lessons the hard way, having installed several doors on a basement project (read soon to be damp) in winter where the gapping was not quite sufficient and the sealing was less than complete.


Tips for removing drywall from bottom of closet header

Use an angle grinder with a diamond blade. If you don't own one it's an inexpensive but very worthwhile investment.


Is it safe to enable a service panel that has been recently flooded?

Oof! Shut this thing off, have the meter pulled, and keep this thing shut off until you can get it rectified!

Flooded light-duty electrical equipment is universally beyond simple remediation due to the potential for water, salt deposits, and debris to have gotten into inaccessible areas and absorbed into insulating materials, causing arc tracking vulnerabilities, reduced insulating capability of insulators, corrosion damage to metal parts, and the potential for mechanical jamming or contact impairment due to debris.  De-energize this equipment immediately (turn the main breaker off if it isn't already off and also call your electrical utility to have them shut power off to your address as you can no longer trust the main breaker(s) to shut power off properly at this point), and do not turn it back on until the situation is fully remediated.

See this Square-D document and this Littlefuse document for more information.  If you provide more details about the affected electrical equipment, I can give more details about the remediation your situation requires.


You need to simplify your design and bring the trap down to the level of the outlet connection, like so:

It's a bit difficult to offer more detail with what I can't see in the photo. It may be that your outlet is so low that you can't achieve exactly that. Post a clear photo showing the entire thing (or just remove it all and show us the bare outlet).


Should I be concerned?

It's good to be concerned, as many decks are poorly built. Fortunately, most 'cracking' of support columns doesn't affect the integrity at all.

This type of cracking is called 'checking' and happens as the wood slowly dries out. Code typically is accommodating of this...hence the 6x6 (as opposed to a 4x4).

If you visit an old post-and-beam built factory or warehouse you'll note that many of the major posts have this kind of cracking. The buildings are still standing just fine 100+ years later, though.

It's highly unlikely that the posts for your deck need any structural reinforcement. Seeing the photos will help confirm that.


What's this tarry sheet under the tiles?

It looks to me like roof membrane.

And I have to say I can't imagine why anyone would do the install like they did.

With a solid concrete base, the only water proofing necessary is against the foundation.  The tile could have (and should have) been applied directly to the base with mortar.


How do I detach the wires from this lamp ceiling socket?

One sure option is to cut the wires off immediately adjacent to the socket. Then you strip off a short bit of additional insulation on each wire to expose the electrical conductor inside.

It looks like that socket used to also provide a hook from which the cordage or swag chain of the old lamp would hang. You will have to carefully evaluate how the new lamp is secured. If it is a hanging unit you cannot simply let it hang from the electrical connections. If the lamp is a ceiling mounted fixture then make sure to hang it in a Code compliant way so that it is safe and does not put a strain on the electrical connections.


There are lots on compatibility issues with dimmers and LEDs. LED lights are not as simple as the old incandescent lamps. They have little AC to DC power supplies (called "drivers") built into them because LEDs work on very low voltage DC power. Then there are literally dozens of different designs of "dimmers" and many of the electronic ones have what's called "leakage current" through them even when off. When used on circuits with resistive devices on them, like the old incandescent lamps, the leakage is so low that it is undetectable. But because the LED drivers are designed to be very efficient and the LEDs don't consume much power themselves, this leakage current is often enough to keep the drives and LEDs excited enough to "glow".

The solution is to only use dimmers that say they are SPECIFICALLY designed for use with LED lamps. These will usually have a detectable OFF detent in the slide / rotary knob that is used for dimming. The totally electronic type where there is no slide or knob are the type that usually don't work to totally turn off LEDs. So you either change out the dimmer or learn to live with it.


You're probably looking for either a spring-wound timer:

or a (digital) countdown timer:

As @Harper mentioned, you can get them in various time ranges.

Products shown are not an endorsement or recommendation, just examples


What's the maximum span for a regular kitchen worktop?

On the plus side you have linked a solid timber top, and those are stiffer than most composite types. On the minus side, 3m is quite a long span for a 28mm thick slab of wood. Some sort of support in the middle would probably be advisable - a leg would work, you could also run some sort of beam under the top, or use large brackets to the wall (if you'd prefer to keep the floor under it clear.)


Can I hang shelves on painted walls without using penetrating fasteners?

The bond will fail at the weakest point in the layers between your shelf and the actual structure of the wall.
Many people fail to account for the fact that paint really isn't intended to be subject to those kinds of forces and are surprised when it all peels off.

I predict that you'll end up with shelves fallen to the floor with the paint peeled off the wall and still stuck to the back of the shelves.

It's far easier to repair the holes from a few neat screws than it would be to repair the unknown level of damage which may occur when your shelves start pulling layers off the wall in unexpected ways.

Having more than a handful of cats myself, I know how active the little fur-balls can be - and those shelves will end up seeing dynamic loads far in excess of the 4-6kg the beasties actually weigh.


Door is hard to close when windows are closed

The force to close the door is desired. It helps your A/C work better.

Atmosphere is at the pressure of 14.7 PSI because of the weight of the air above you.  Wind and storm activity changes that pressure ever so slightly, let's say a 0.1 PSI difference, heck, let's say 0.01 PSI, that being very tiny compared to 14.7 (1/1470th in fact).   What does that do to a door?  Well a door is, say 40"x80", that's 3200 square inches, so

  3200 sq.in. x 0.01 lb /sq.in. = 32 pounds.  (about 15kg).

So that tiny little bit of pressure differential makes a big difference in door-close effort.

And it goes to show you just how much a little bit of wind will make a difference in "helping" you to close that door. Most likely with your windows open, you've been catching a little bit of wind, and that's been "helping" you close the door, hence, the sense of weightlessness. You've been experiencing that magic and you want the magic back.

Now you have the exact opposite: you have that room sealed up like King Tut's tomb, so you aren't wasting air conditioning, which is exactly what you should do.  Now when you're closing the door, you're creating a pressure differential. Consider the last 2 inches of door closure when the door is starting to plug the opening.  That's an average of 1" of movement across the entire door, x 3200 square inches of door, so 3200 cubic inches or about 2 cubic feet. Assuming 10' ceiling your room is 500 cubic feet.  So as you finish closing the door, you're effectively increasing the room size by 0.4% and lowering air pressure in the room by the same.  That times 14.7 psi = 0.06 PSI, 6 times stronger than what's described earlier or 192 lbs. closing force.  It's not that bad because your seals aren't perfect.

Of course if you just close the door slower, air will have more time to equalize as you close it.

So that force to close the door is a good thing.

If you wanted to eliminate that, you'd need a large enough opening to allow 2 sq.ft. into the room in the fraction of a second it takes to finish closing the door.  That would be window-sized obviously.  If you want to run your A/C with the window open, hey, it's your electric bill.

Now if you want to keep the cool air in, you could possibly use a heat exchanger, which they do make. But it would have to be quite large or several of them to allow that much flow in that fraction of a second.

You could also put a spring or counterweight on the door, but that means "easier to close" also means "harder to open".

You could also put a motor-drive on the door so you can just push a button; these are made for commercial doors where people in wheelchairs need to come in and out.


How do I connect light fixture’s ground to supply wires?

If it was me I would go to to the electrical supply store and purchase one of this type of safety GND wire pigtail.

Loosen the screw on the lamp mounting bracket and install the spade lug on the pigtail under this same screw. Re-tighten.
Cut off the end with the green screw and strip the wire insulation about 3/4 inch.
Remove the wire nut on the GND wires currently in the electrical box and then merge the new stripped end of the green pigtail into the bundle and re-bind the bungle of GNDs with a good quality wire nut of the appropriate size.


How to install acoustic panels on a door?

You could glue/tape the panels to a sheet of tempered hardboard (ie, Masonite®) or thin plywood and mount that to the door. Properly sized, your grid method should also work, and might look nicer.


Can I use silicone to glue drain gasket to drain before setting tub?

A thin layer of silicone won't hurt but make sure it is evenly applied in case it takes longer to place the tub and pull the drain tight. Several houses back I was doing a remodel that the original owner used a thick layer and let it dry prior to installing the tub I don't know how many years before but it had a small leak and I had to replace two of the joists and some decking because of the leak, but a thin coating will help seal and hold it in place while setting the tub.


Large Cracks & Depressions in Asphalt Driveway?

Ground settles over time, and asphalt isn't as rigid as it looks.  During the summer, asphalt softens a bit.  It will somewhat conform to the ground under it.  Vehicles will create depressions in the surface.  It will develop cracks.  Water gets into the cracks and softens the ground under it, making it more susceptible to deforming under the weight of vehicles.

The "holes" in your driveway look like it was previously resurfaced (or the original job was too low and a thin layer was added on top), and the added layer is what has been "erased".  When roads are resurfaced, a pattern is first ground into it to create a lot more surface area and texture for new material to grab.  Then a thick layer of asphalt is added on top.

If you don't prepare the old surface like that, the new asphalt doesn't bond well with the old, smooth surface.  Especially when the new surface develops cracks, small pieces get knocked out, making it easier for adjacent pieces to get knocked out.  And it looks like the resurfacing on your driveway was "one stone thick", so there isn't much holding that layer together.

As asphalt driveways go, your pictures don't actually look that structurally bad to me.  Asphalt driveways degrade over time, but people don't usually rip them out and redo them unless there's signs of real "structural issues".  If it were me, I wouldn't rip it out, at least not yet.  It looks like it could be repaired and improved to get a number of years more use from it before replacement.

Keep in mind that the previous resurfacing job is falling apart.  You can slow that down, but nothing you do will last a really long time.  However, as long as the driveway is basically structurally sound, the old resurfacing layer flaking off is more cosmetic than structural.

Patch the "holes".  You will get longer lasting results if you prepare the area first, but even just cleaning it, putting in asphalt patch, and rolling it should last several years.
The pictures don't show any, but if there are any big, deep cracks (over about 1/4" wide), fill those with a liquid asphalt repair material (unless the cracks are wider than what the product says it can be used for).
Seal the surface with asphalt sealer.  This will fill and seal the spider web cracking, and add some stability to the surface.

You can get the materials at a hardware store and DIY, but it is messy.  The tools and materials are heavy.  A professional service can do all of this, but make sure they're reputable.  A lot of fly-by-night companies just paint the surface with thinned black material that doesn't really solve anything.  This won't give you the life of a new driveway, but you should be able to extend the life of the current one by a good few years at relatively low cost.


How should my third-generation Nest thermostat be connected?

Based on this wiring diagram, this looks like a multistage heat pump thermostat (provide control of a two-stage heating/one-stage cooling heat pump system).

From left to right in your picture:

W2 = Aux. Ht. Relay
G = Fan Relay
R = Power
X = (Note says terminal labeled C/X on some models, and based on
diagram, I think your assumption of common wire is correct)
E = Em. Ht. Relay
Y = Compressor Contractor
O = Cool Changeover Valve

Based on those wires, and this wiring from the Nest Pro Installer Guide, I think you'll wire it as a 1 Stage Heat Pump with Aux heat and Emergency Heat

So if we link up your current wiring to Nest:

W2 -> W2/Aux (Auxiliary Heat Relay)
G -> G (Fan Relay)
R -> Rc (24VAC power)
X -> C (24VAC Common Wire)
E -> * (Star: E)
Y -> Y1 (Compressor Relay (Stage 1))
O -> O/B (Heat Pump Changeover Valve)


Open the furnace so you see the control panel.

Manually depress the kill-switch that powers down the system when the panel you took off is absent.

Meter across the secondary terminals of the transformer.  24V?  You're problem isn't the transformer.

No voltage?  Meter across the primary terminals.  Got voltage? You need another transformer.


Is it OK to use 12-3 awg to wire a ceiling fan and light?

There's no problem at all with what you've done. In fact, that's the way it's supposed to be done.  If you were to use two /2 cables, you'd either be paralleling the neutral (310.4), and/or not running all the circuit conductors together (300.3(B)). Parallel neutrals are not allowed in this situation, so you've actually avoided a code violation by doing it with /3 cable. You've also kept all the circuit conductors in a single cable, and avoided violating that code section.


This isn't an answer that will solve the problem, but rather provides context. I grew up with this sort of stuff, working with my father as a finishing carpenter until I started my own career. However, the majority of our work was in new houses, so not a lot of renovation jobs.

In my experience, baseboard can either be installed before or after the tile, but if it is installed before, the baseboard is installed at the level the tile will be, leaving a gap below the baseboard to accommodate the tile. Once the tile is installed, quarter-round (or door-stop for a smaller profile) is used to cover the gap. If the baseboard is installed after the tile is installed, it is typically scribed to match the variations between tiles (quarter-round is short enough that it can bend).

Installing the baseboard first is easier because you can avoid the scribing, but if the customer didn't want quarter-round then we scribed it; usually the tile was pretty flat but there was always some to do. Of course, you could just leave the gaps (even if the tile is installed perfectly there will be gaps, especially with natural tile), but we never did.

Done properly, if tile was added where there was none before, either the baseboard should be replaced with it; or the tile should be installed in such a way that it is not cemented to the baseboard, then quarter-round installed afterwards.


For small nail holes, use spackle. This is the simplest, cheapest way to fill small holes that aren't subject to significant movement.

For cracks/seams, such as at corners or around window trim, use caulk (probably a paintable latex or latex+silicone caulk, as they're easy to work with).

For deeper holes/cavities, such as around a pipe that is going through your floor, use expanding spray foam. This product will expand around whatever stuff is there, providing a good seal to block insects. But beware that the expansion can come with a lot of force, so don't overfill; if you're working in tight places, the expansion can cause damage. Around windows and doors especially use a minimum-expansion foam.

After patching the hole, make sure to seal the repair with primer before you paint it.


Potential water damage issues with siding being in contact with patio

Codes vary, but generally speaking wood and related exterior products must be 6" or so above the ground. I'm not sure whether a concrete slab is treated the same as the ground in this case. It's probably moot in your case as you're now beyond the point where you'll ask the seller to deal with it.

There isn't a whole lot you can do assuming that you have typical wall sheathing behind the siding. Replacing the siding with something more durable (white or painted vinyl planking, for example) will prevent visible decay, but doesn't help with rot behind.

To offer further suggestions I'd need to know what the wall looks like behind the siding.


Cold water through hot water faucet only when cold water faucet is turned on

Faucet in the kitchen - the Cartridge is defective.


Where should I connect the C wire in a Janitrol furnace?

It does look like it might be a common, but only way to know for sure is to either look at a schematic of the board, or test it with a multi-meter.

Using a multimeter, set to VAC (Volts AC) mode, you should read 24V between the R and C (or in your case, "24V") terminals. You'll probably have to at least partially pull out the connector currently on the R to get the multimeter probe on it.

For reference:

R = Constant 24V ac
W = Heating contact (the thermostat connects this to R to turn on heat)
G = Fan contact (the thermostat connects this to R to turn on fan)


In short, yes

There are at least two consumer-oriented EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment) brands that include utility-grade consumption monitoring. PG&E, my utility, actually had a pilot program (which I was a part of) for submetering EV charging. Instead of installing a separate meter, these reported the consumption over time to the utility directly so charging could be billed at a separate rate.

I don't remember all of the options (and I don't want to make this a shopping list), but I have a ChargePoint Home. The app provides consumption data. Similarly, JuiceBox has a more portable solution, which only requires an appropriate receptacle (typically a NEMA 14-50). You'd need a J1772 to Tesla adapter in both cases, but the ChargePoint Home would be a more permanent solution vs. the JuiceBox which is inherently portable.

Is this worth it, probably not

As many others have said, good luck getting your apartment manaement to agree. They'll need to pull permits for a new 40-60A circuit, have the work done, and access the EVSE's data. Given that you don't exactly have much bargaining power, I doubt they'll want to negotiate at all.

Economically speaking, $50/mo. translates to about 400kWh at my utility's EV charging rate. This might be a slightly generous assumption if they allow you to charge at any time because the rate I assumed is only for off-peak hours. Peak hours are much more expensive. Without any Time-of-Use, it'd still work out to 250kWh with my utility.

Your mileage may vary (literally), but I expect you'll likely average 300Wh/mi consumption, which means 250kWh will get you ~833mi and 400kWh will get you ~1333mi. If you drive the average of 1000mi/mo. (which is only about 30mi/day...), then you'd be right on track to pay quite fairly for your charging anyway.


Why is my bath exhaust fan noisy only when installed in the ceiling box?

To me it sounds like you removed the back draft damper that may have gotten stuck.


Rewiring a house, breaker panel and all, while living in the house

You want to rewire just because of a lack of ground?

Don't. It's too expensive. Just replace the outlets with GFCI's (AKA RCD), they come with a sticker that says "No Equipment Ground", put that on there. Make sure you trace the wires so you don't have two GFCI's in a chain.

You can replace the fuse box in one day with circuit breakers. I did it once overnight while the homeowners (relatives of mine) slept. I used a car battery for light. (Before the days of LED's.)

Or better yet, use GFCI breakers, then get a ton of stickers for all the outlets (GFCI stickers, and No Ground stickers).


Should a heavy duty transformer (used predominantly for LED lights) be on the mains ring or the lighting circuit?

Is this approach correct?

Basically, yes.

1mm2 twin and earth cable (I presume that is what you are proposing) could carry up to 16A, depending on where it runs, so 1.5A is well within the headroom (assuming that you aren't talking such long runs that voltage drop becomes an issue).

For lighting, however, I tend to use 1.5mm2 in preference to cable 1mm2.


How to protect the wires when the electrical box is mounted on a 2x4 stud?

Generally this isn't a concern. It's a very common scenario, and inspectors don't usually call for steel plates or anything. Use caution when hanging your drywall in those areas and don't worry about it.


What can be used to fill a wide gap on a curved hearth?

Although it may be a tad more complicated than plastic or vinyl, I would go with metal. Milled door sills are often produced in 80-100cm lengths (approx. 3'), either with screw holes or simply to be glued in place. You would have to cut it into short lengths with slightly angled ends; in essence you will be constructing a polygon instead of a circle. With a little searching, you will probably find a profile that combines well with the stone on one side, and carpet on the other.

The rationale behind using metal is to create a supplementary barrier for any sparks that may fly with the glass open (e.g. when stirring the fire) and roll on the stone. I would also think some bronze would fit in rather well with your fireplace and poker holder, though that is of course a matter of personal taste.


How to prep existing floor for installation of self-adhesive vinyl flooring?

I have run into the same situation many times. Let me say first, that I don't condone doing work that requires permits without them, as it often leads to crappy quality or safety issues. I always prefer to do quality work, but occasionally budgets make it necessary to do a quicky fix.
In your case, the most important thing is to strip away all old wax and dirt on the existing tiles.  Tack down any loose tiles, especially around the edges with ring nails or a power stapler.

There are many de-waxing products and can be found at any box or hardware store. An alternative cleaner is ammonia and water. Cheap and effective, but smelly. You can also use a mix of  regular bleach, TSP, and water. (BTW, never mix bleach and ammonia!!!!) Clean the existing tile with one of these products and scrub the surface well with a mesh type pad, like a 3M green scrubbie.  Be sure to rinse the area well with clean water and allow to dry.

You may also consider a tile primer. This product is a bit pricey at over $30 a gal, but when applied over most any hard surface gives an excellent base for any self adhesive tile product.

When you get to the bathroom, remove the toilet and cut your tile around the closet flange, then reinstall the toilet. It is only two bolts, one water connection, and a replacement wax ring.  It will look 100% better and avoid tiles coming up due to the toilet sweating and wetting the edges of tiles cut around the base. Only takes a few extra minutes, but will make a big difference.


Halogen light stops working when cover is installed

Sounds like you have a connection problem. Ever try pushing on the light without installing cover to see if it will flicker or anything like that?  This would indicate a loose wire connection.


Do I need to waterproof the external walls of my house?

Here are a couple articles from AskTheBuilder.com.

Exterior Foundation Wall Waterproofing

Foundation Waterproofing

This is one of those things that builders and homeowners usually cheap out on, which in my opinion is a BIG mistake.  Spending the extra money now can save you tons of money later, so do the research and do it right.

I've seen DELTA®-MS used before; but I cannot vouch for it as I have never used it my self, it seems like a good product though.

Here is an article from concretenetwork.com that seems to be very informative, and explains different methods of waterproofing concrete.

I'm not sure how much of this information applies to your particular situation, but it should give you a good idea of some of the products and methods used for waterproofing below grade concrete/brick.


How to protect a 60 amp feed running through interior wall

The same puncture issue exists with any in-wall wire.  Check local codes, but most require wires to be run along the middle of studs which, for 2x4 studs. is 1 3/4 in from the wall board.  If your feed is 120V, the shock danger is about the same regardless of gauge.  Without being able to get inside the wall, there's not much that can be done.

Alternatively, you could use shielded flexible conduit or rigid conduit.  The first is expensive in your gauge, the second requires wire length access above or below the wall or can be mounted on the wall.  Doesn't look too hot that way.

I started using flex conduit for blind runs long ago because it can be pushed to fish, is easier to fish and location inside the wall doesn't matter much.  Entrance and exit holes have to be centered but it doesn't have to be attached inside.


How do you screw in double-ended screws?

Since the double ended screws are typically for attaching two wood surfaces together, start the screw in one of the pilot holes (just enough to stay put). Then align the other pilot hole and spin one or both pieces of wood together.

For example, if this is the below end cap on a wood pole, you'd put the screw on the end of the pole so that it doesn't fall and then spin the cap on until the screw is embedded in both surfaces and they are tight together. The only time you need to use pliers on the center piece is if you need to remove the screw.


Is it ok to split a transformer directly off the wiring from an outlet junction

That should be fine, it looks like that's just a general purpose receptacle and it's OK to add a small load like a doorbell transformer to that circuit.  It looks like there's room in the box, and clearance so the transformer will fit.


Is it safe to wire a light junction box to a plug (which could then be plugged into a switch-controlled outlet)?

Generally this is made of "Nope".

You hope to use flexible cordage.

Cordage needs to be correct for the task.  A random extension cord won't cut it - believe me, I've struggled a lot to find longer cords I can put on 4' fluorescent fixtures.  (I don't want to splice plugs on them, I want premade plugs).

Cordage needs to have proper grommeting/strain relief anytime it enters or exits a listed electrical box.

You can't attach cordage to walls.  You might be able to run it through surface mount conduit.

You definitely can't route cordage through a doorway, whether there's a door or not.

Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, use of cordage is not strictly prohibited.  It's fine for the short jumper between a lamp properly physically mounted, and a nearby outlet which has been installed for that purpose.  In fact, look "up" in a CostCo ceiling and you'll see a lot of that.

Maybe you should ask your landlord to install just that.

Speaking of that... The lamp needs to be properly hung from the ceiling. "any old way" won't do, it must be hung by a UL listed method.  That is because if the lamp falls down, it will tear out its cordage, which will start a house fire or electrocute someone.

The home was provisioned to you with switched outlets along the floor.  The purpose for those outlets is to plug in floor lamps.  That is the right way to light the room.

If you like ceiling light... remember the terrible old halogen torchiere lights which stood 6' tall and had a 500W halogen bulb lighting the ceiling (which started fires)?  Those were brought to market for this very problem. The good news is, today, you should be able to find modern LED versions that are maybe 30-50 watts.

Unless you investigate house fires for a living, you can't go with your own intuition of "safe".  People who do... have written a big book.  It's called the National Electrical Code.

The book is the reference standard used by insurance agents, prosecutors and judges. When a tenant violates Code, he creates a very ugly liability situation because the home insurer won't pay the landlord for the fire loss, leaving him to go after you.  After you deal with the criminal justice system, you file bankruptcy to shake off the civil debt, and get a big surprise.

As a landlord I might be mellow about an alteration that was to code.  But if not, I'd call the building inspector in, and he'd condemn the house and you'd be out.   This method overrides rent control, 30 day notices and the like.


Yes, you can. Chances are that you have a white wire connected to one of the terminals of the old 240-volt breaker, and you can repurpose it to neutral. When you put in the new 120-volt breaker, connect the black wire to the breaker terminal and the white to the neutral bus bar, removing any black tape on the white wire. Replace the 240-volt receptacles with 120-volt receptacles.


How do I cover the attic rafter bays after installing baffles from the soffit before replacing the siding?

I have never seen anything done to cover the insulation. I have install repaired replaced many soffits.


Is this the correct way to vent my roof?

Maybe the links have changed, but if this is the product that you were looking at...

then yes, I have had experience with roof to wall vents... they work; but they are for the tops of roofs, where they meet a wall (like for an addition on the side of a house). So, I don't think it would be useful for your house, if I understand your question correctly. If you installed soffits (or found a way to vent without them), then you may want to use a ridge vent (kind of the same thing), but I don't really understand a way around adding/building an overhang in order to have soffits.

I would like to see a pic of your way/solution around soffits (6" vents installed equidistant from each other).


What is the maximum number of average sized people that can stand in a standard upstairs bedroom of 12' x12'?

Design is based on “working stress” and “ultimate stress”.

Working stress design accounts for many factors, including repetitive loading, short duration loading, etc. So, when the Building Code requires 40 lbs. per square foot LIVE LOAD, it is also adding in DEAD LOAD (weight of flooring, etc.,) short duration loading (Live load for less than 7 days), repetitive joist construction (single loads are rated lower).

Ultimate stress design calculates the maximum load (for live and dead load combined) before failure. Often this method is used, but then a “factor of safety” is used (such as 2) so there isn’t a failure.

You’re asking for the maximum number of people, but not accounting for length of stay, dead load, etc.

Also, are these people standing on the furniture, no furniture in room, hips touching, etc.? The code assumes a certain amount of furniture, circulation, etc.

Btw, at 40 psf, I’d assume about 36 MAXIMUM people. That’s 144 sf / 4 = 36. But they’d be in the room for less than 1 hour...depending on the species and grade of your lumber and size (thickness) of you subfloor, etc.


If there was water in the supply line when you went to sweat the joints the water turns to steam and can cause very tiny leaks like you have. I was taught to get as much of the water out that I could then pack some white bread (no crust) tight in the pipe. The bread makes a plug that once soldered a flow of water will dissolve (just need to remove the aerator) I do this on pipes that have been damaged and need a new coupling on both sides works great and no leaks, I believe this is the problem because the hot should never have condensation and if the water is not running the cold should not be much different than the room temp.


How many CAT6 cables can fit in 3/4 conduit?

This depends on whether you are using pre-assembled cables or not. The following images were made using The Engineering Toolbox's Smaller Circle in Larger Circle Tool to find the optimal packing.

If using bare cable (No Connectors)

Using a 6.5mm (0.256) Diameter cable, you can fit only 5 cables per conduit.

However, this assumes the cables are perfectly circular and non-deformable. If you assume you can deform the cables, or you use a slightly smaller cable, you can fit up to 7 without destroying the cables.

If using pre-assembled cable

However, you will likely be using connectorized cables. Assuming a 0.5"x0.5" connector head (I measured one I had laying around), you'd be lucky to fit 2.

Conclusion

If running connectorized cables, you can probably get away with 2, max. However, if using bare cable, you can comfortably fit 5, but can potentially fit up to 7 without completely squishing the cables. Using the ratio of areas, we could theoretically fit ((.75^2)/(.25^2)) = 9 cables, but if we abide by the National Electrical Code's 40% rule, this translates to only 3.6 cables (more accurately, ((0.203)/(pi*.125^2))=4.1). Therefore, if you go with bare cable, by code, you can only legally run 4 cables through the conduit. (I'm not sure how the NEC calculates this 0.203 although their math allows up to 4 cables - my math would limit us to only 3 cables). Although I do not endorse illegal activity, I would feel comfortable running up to 5 cables in that size conduit.


Are metal anchors or buried posts better for 6 x 6 posts for a pavilion?

The pier and footing is the best approach.
A structure, even a deck or pavilion should not have to rely upon the posts being anchored in concrete for structural support. The pavilion itself should be planned and supported to be structurally sound in itself regardless of the type of footing used. If properly installed with an anchored metal post base the posts will be stable and serviceable for many years. Otherwise,with a buried post when the posts rot, which they will, and if the structure isn't sound the only way you will know is if the structure starts to lean - which is not a good plan.


What is an affordable 2D drafting software for amateurs?

It's not 2D, but have you considered Trimble's Sketchup?  It has a bit of a learning curve, but can be quite powerful.  And of course it is free.


How can an electric induction cooktop be safely installed into a diy natural wood countertop?

My GE induction cooktop has almost the same warning but it only specifies wall coverings and cabinets (not the countertop). The walls and cabinets can get direct radiant heat from the cookware but the countertop is unlikely to get quite so hot simply because of the angle of incidence (which reduces the intensity of the radiance). The cooktop itself shouldn't generate such high temperatures (e.g., from it's internal cooling fans).

Metal flashing can protect against flash fire or embers (and is specified if there are wood cabinets 24-30" directly above the cooktop. But this won't change the impact of continuous radiant heat. So lining the cutout hole with flashing would not make a difference. (Surrounding with a wide metal "U" channel would make a difference but you'll see I don't think its necessary.)

The jury is still out on whether continuous exposure to temperatures above 170F can lead to combustion of wood due to self-heating (pdf). This would be relevant for wood surfaces near a pellet stove or steam pipes running through a floor opening but I have difficulty believing you will generate these high temperatures for prolonged periods with a residential induction cooktop. It's simply not designed to operate continuously for long periods. (If this is a DIY restaurant than you'd need to rethink things.)

You should observe charring (over time) near the cooktop prior to any ignition due to self-heating. In the very unlikely event this happens then I would consider widening the cooktop opening and installing metal u channel or other material.

Overall, it seems the risk is low and you should not need to take any special precautions. Someone else might be able to comment on whether the residential building codes specify appropriate surfaces for a countertop (e.g., for flame retardance). Your countertop would need to meet any applicable building codes regardless of the cooktop.


How to add a surge protector on 240 circuit at pool sub panel - neutral or ground connection?

Good question! DOC - to answer your question, (for 240 volt application) the two BLACK wires go to a 2-Pole 20A breaker and the white goes to the ground bus or a bonded neutral bar.  Here is a cut sheet for a unit similar to yours (and similar to those that we install on a daily basis:

http://www.five-two-one.com/pdf/LT521SPD_Web.pdf

Hope this helps you!


How do I fit a drain gully when the drain pipe is very close to the surface?

Given that the water will only drain as low as the bottom of the drain pipe, you may have to put in a new drain pipe, or move the existing pipe so it's deeper.  If you're lucky, it has a steep runoff angle so you may only need to replace/move a few feet of it to get it to a better depth.

Beyond that, you can buy the gully hopper and build your own u trap, allowing the exit to be placed as high or low as needed.  Ideally it'll be several inches below the top of the gully, but it may be sufficient to have only an inch or two.

However, drainage away from the house is extraordinarily important, and if you're going to the trouble of lowering the paving, you should consider adjusting the drain pipe so the slopes and depths are correct for the new position of the gully.


Can sill plates extend one inch beyond the foundation wall to accommodate foam insulation?

Yes. This is a fairly common practice. More important is that the joists, walls, and anything else bearing on the plate have adequate support directly below from the foundation (not including the overhang).

It's also standard practice that the designer or engineer draw this into plans. Floor truss providers will need to account for the additional length needed, for example.


Why does one light blink after installing new three way switches in my hall?

Likely you have CFL bulbs and no white wire ground.  If this is not your problem, it's somebody's problem who might read this.

The small leakage current through the lighted switch is enough to drive the CFL crazy.  Replace the CFL with a dimmable model, that might help.  Another brand might help.  Or maybe herbs and chanted words and some form of ceremony will make the flicker go away, hard to say.

Or find a lighted switch with a neutral connection that sends no current through your bulbs.
Or get some nice glow in the dark paint and put the regular switch back.


From the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) of Klean-Strip® Boiled Linseed Oil.

  Flammable Properties and Hazard

  RISK OF FIRE FROM SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION EXISTS WITH THIS PRODUCT.
  Oily rags, waste, and other oily materials can cause spontaneous
  combustion fires if not handled properly. Immediately after use, and
  before disposal or storage, you MUST (1) Spread out all oily materials
  outside to dry by flattening them out to their full size in an airy
  spot for 24 hours at temperatures above 40 degrees F, or (2) Wash them
  thoroughly with water and detergent and rinse.  Repeat until you have
  removed all oil from all clothes, tools, rags, paper, clothing, mops,
  and any other materials contacted during use or as a result of an
  accidental spill. Make certain all wash and rinse water is disposed of
  properly.

It also says the Flash Point is 250°F, but has "No data" on the Autoignition Temperature.

The principle at work here is that Linseed Oil cures due to Reduction Oxidation, a chemical reaction which creates heat (Exothermic Reaction). If the heat cannot dissipate quickly enough (insulated by a pile of rags, for example), the process can accelerate creating more heat and eventually resulting in combustion.

It's always a good idea to check the MSDS for any chemicals you use.


Excavating Under a Concrete Foundation Slab?

30' x 12' is significant. Do not use this slab as a ceiling for anything accessible by humans and do not excavate under it, without having a professional contractor or engineer assess it first. If it was not engineered for that purpose it is not fit for that purpose and it is not worth the risk to assume fitness.

It should not be a big deal to support it from below with posts and beams.


Thinking about replacing old fuse box. Looking for advice

Your fuse box is a sub because the “switch” is the main. (From Beal) Installing a sub service panel is a bigger job, but if you've installed new boxes before the principles are the same. Read the section in the code, and leave yourself enough space. Remember you need a separate circuit for the light above the panel.
I would recommend you install at least a 20 breaker box. A box with more spaces costs only a little more, and it's astonishing how fast you use them up.
(If you don't already know you must turn the power OFF to work on it, get an electrician!)
Your best friend on this is the free online National electrical code at NFPA.org

Just by the way, the fuse panel you're replacing is an old Federal Pacific box. If you have other Federal Pacific boxes with Federal Pacific BREAKERS, run, do not walk, to replace those panels!!
FPE Stab-Lok Electric Panels Don't Need to be Inspected; They Need to be Replaced!
The problem with FPE Stab-Lok breakers is they don't trip when there's an overcurrent, and the breakers themselves have bad connections inside that can start fires in the service panel. The problem is particularly bad with tied double gang breakers- these ALMOST NEVER TRIP FOR AN OVERCURRENT!!
There are no safe replacement Federal Pacific breakers. The Federal Pacific box itself is defective. You have to replace the whole thing.
FPE Stab-Lok Electric Panels Don't Need to be Inspected; They Need to be Replaced!


How do I connect a timer to circuit box which controls our outside lights?

From the looks of it, there are only black, white, and ground in the junction box. This most likely means it's set up as a switch, and the white wire is actually a switched hot (and should be marked with tape or marker with a black or red stripe).

Unfortunately, since your timer requires a neutral, this isn't quite going to work.

What you need to do is:

Open the main panel
You should find:

The black from this junction box goes to the breaker
The white is connected to a black wire that goes off to the fixture
The white wire that goes off to the fixture is connected to the neutral bus

If this isn't the case: stop. Update the post, as my instructions won't help.

First, route the wire that goes off to the fixture into this junction box

Ideally, you would do this outside of the breaker panel
You may need to use wire nuts and run a new wire into the junction box

Second, run a new wire from the panel to the junction box

Connect neutral (white) to the neutral bus in the breaker panel
Connect hot (black) to the breaker in question
You may be able to use whatever wire is there now for this, impossible to tell without opening the panel

You should now have in the junction box:

Black + white + ground from the panel (black from the breaker, white from neutral bus)
Black + white + ground going to the fixture.

Basically, just connect it up exactly as that diagram shows:

Connect grounds together, and to the fixture
Connect neutrals together (including the white wire on the timer)
Connect black from the break to black on the switch
Connect blue from the switch to black to the fixture


Lime/bath stone - In need of clean and repair

I have no experience of cleaning this stone, but I do recommend caution using any products you might find yourself.
Cleaning this type of stone is a likely to be specialist job, especially on a historic building. There is a risk of damaging the face of the stone and any work you carry out might be restricted by local regulations for listed buildings, conservation areas etc.
https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2020-01/clean_bath_stone_0.pdf
https://borealabode.com/bath-stone-cleaning-repair


How can I ground an appliance with a CEE 7/7 plug plugged into a step-up transformer with a "universal" female outlet?

After further research prompted by Ken's comment, I see that if I buy either a transformer or a plug adapter with a CEE 7/3 socket instead of the silly "universal" socket, then it will have earthing clips that make a ground connection on the sides of the plug.  I missed this before, because I was expecting to see a male earthing pin.

However, I like the form factor and price point of the transformer I originally linked, and would still like to know whether replacing the plug would be as good.  Or better, since I had the impression that plug adapters aren't meant for continuous use.


Can I enter the side of the panel *through* the stud?

As far as I know there's nothing saying you can't put strain relief clamps facing the inside of the panel. I'd simply drill slightly oversized holes through the studs, centered on the knockout, to allow installation of the clamp. Say 1-1/4" for a 3/8" clamp, then run wiring as per usual.

You could also use snap-in, self-clamping bushings that require no screw tightening and insert them from through the stud or from inside the panel.

Since the wiring is centered on the stud, as it would be anywhere else in the house, no protection would be necessary.


How to build a door shared by two jamb openings

It can be done fairly easily, with normal hinges too. It would take a bit of alternative framing and jamb work.
Open any normal "in swinging" door 90° and look at the gap between the door and jamb on the hinge side. This is what you have to hide. If you look at the pictures you will see that the door on the right is hung in a normal fashion with traditional jamb configuration. The other door has framing and jamb work that is "built out" away from the wall; the hinges end up buried on that side and the gap is eliminated.
One challenge is that a normal lockset will not work (note in picture there is no lockset installed). You would need an alternative style of catch that works in both directions, such as a large bullet catch (see below), and some method of ensuring privacy (like a flush bolt, surface bolt, or old-school hook & eye).

You may be restricted on the types of privacy device you use (especially for rentals or public bulding) as normally a method of emergency "unlatching" is required, in case someone inside has a medical emergency or what have you.


What happened with my spigot and how to fix it?

From this image:

...it looks like maybe the Bibb washer has come off the end.  Is there a  threaded hole on the shaft?   Or is the end broken?  In which case you'll probably be replacing the whole thing.
Edit:  Image source: https://www.doityourself.com/forum/attachments/plumbing-piping/1386d1340667135-freeze-proof-spigot-soldered-threaded-connection-36947d1312808313-help-stopping-hydrant-squirting-water-out-top-2005-9-12_frost_proof_sillcock_w5.jpg


Are these screws for bracket enough to support adult queen bed?

What is the diameter of the screws or size?  1-1/4" screws will have plenty of withdrawal strength and since there are 4 or 5 you really don’t need more than 3/4”. Wood screws that will fit the holes will provide plenty of strength. Since you have 1-1/4” those brackets will be stronger than the 2 pins they hang on.