Can you break an oven with wrong wiring?

In the US, regular lights and outlets use 120VAC, and large appliances run on 240VAC.  Some large appliances need both 120VAC and 240VAC, and they will use 3 or 2 wires respectively.

For a 240VAC only appliance, you will have two colored wires which are typically red and black.  There will be two screws on the appliance, and it doesn't matter which wire goes to which screw (there will also be a bare ground wire and associated screw, but I'm leaving that out of the discussion).  The two wires are both "hot" (not positive or negative) and have a voltage of 240VAC between them and you really can't hook it up wrong.

Other appliances need 120VAC and 240VAC.  For instance, newer ovens might use 120v for their electronic displays, lights, and controls, but the main heating elements will run on 240v.  These appliances need three wires which are typically colored red, white and black.  The white is referred to as "common" and it must be connected to the correct screw.  The voltage between red and white and black and white is 120v, but the voltage between red and black is 240v.  Red and black are interchangeable.

If you happened to connect the red to the "red" terminal (terminal meant for the red wire - it probably won't be red...) and black to the "common" terminal, you would be supplying 240v to a part of the appliance that needed 120v, and something would break.  You would hope that a fuse or something easily replaceable would break, but there's no guarantees.  The oven could be cooked.


The two things you are looking at are valves with missing handles, one for hot water and one for cold water (clothes washers generally use both: cold for "darks", warm for "colors", and hot for "whites").

The larger black pipe visible on the far left side of your picture looks like a drain line suitable for the dirty-water discharge from your machine.

The hot and cold valves need to be replaced. The one on the right (usually cold) probably has that cap on it because it leaks by, and neither can be operated properly in their current state. Replacement will necessitate turning off the supply upstream, finding that upstream location would be your first objective here. Also you need to assess that drain line as it looks like it is being utilized for something else right now (note the corrugated tubing inserted into it).


How To Identify/Fix Source Of External Water

One tool that can help you is a drywall/wood moisture meter.

You poke the pointy ends into the drywall in the room or the wood in your attic and the meter uses the local electrical resistivity of the material to infer the moisture level. This can help you to find the wettest spots in the wall and the attic.


What could be causing my hot water pipe to rattle?

It's not hammer time, it's thermal expansion. As the hot water travels through the pipe, the pipe itself heats up and expands. As this happens, fasteners and any materials in contact with the pipe experience friction and, at times, the pipe moves slightly against that material and causes a poping sound. It's like snapping your fingers. We hear this all the time with other materials in other circumstances if you think about it. The frequency of the poping changes as the pipe heats up. The fix would be to better secure the pipe (not tight, but with an intermediate material) to the studs or block as necessary to keep it from rattling or "poping". If attached to concrete, insulate the pipe with something, anything, to keep it from contacting the concrete.


Transparent material like two-way mirror for specific colour

You could make something that works in the manner you describe, by placing monitor behind a device known on eBay as Electric Self-Adhesive PDLC Smart Film Glass. From the description, when power is applied, the film is transparent, while it is opaque/translucent when power is off.
I found that the product is almost exclusively white on eBay, with one entry for the product in black. A general search shows at least one manufacturer with an availability of nine colors.
The concept works with mirror film, because the level of light on the viewer side of the film is always greater than the level of light on the back side of the film, which is typically wall or some other panel. The exception to this that makes the mirror film work is that the monitor/display device generates its own illumination, providing the illumination difference sufficient to pass through the mirror film.
In the case of the PDLC smart film, there is not the requirement to have greater illumination levels, or more accurately, the requirement to have darkness behind the film. When powered, it will turn approximately transparent, presenting your monitor and anything else covered by the film.


It sounds like you're talking about adhesive-coated flexible plastic that one would laminate with. My guess is that you'd have a tough time keeping it properly stuck to the wall. I'd instead recommend a rigid sheet plastic product, one with some thickness, such as this 1/16" x 4' x 8' plastic panel from Home Depot. Cut it to size, glue it in place, and caulk the edges. Should be much more durable.


Any reason not to leave unused breaker in the panel?

National Electrical Code simply states that all openings must be closed.  An unused breaker or cover likely both meet that requirement, so either should be fine.
I don't think there's a rule that says "Thou shalt not leave unused breakers in thine panel.". But I could be mistaken.
Remove and discard the bad breaker.

National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 4 Equipment for General Use
Article 408 Switchboards, Switchgear, and Panelboards
408.7 Unused Openings. Unused openings for circuit
breakers and switches shall be closed using identified closures,
or other approved means that provide protection substantially
equivalent to the wall of the enclosure.

It's possible that the AHJ could argue that a breaker does not meet this requirement, but that would be completely dependent on the opinion of the individual.


What tools or technique to use for cutting hinge and dead bolt recesses?

You'll find good resources on the web that have already been written/video'd with a search term like "How to Mortise Hinges on Interior Door".

If I wasn't using a purpose-built jig for this task, I'd use a router freehand to get most of the hinge mortise cut, and finish the edges with a sharp chisel.

It's not clear if the existing jambs are already mortised for hinges, but if they are, I'd make a story stick** to mark your door.

Pay attention to how plumb/square the jamb is, as that'll affect where the door will sit within. (Just as an example, if the head of the jamb is sloped, you'll either accept an uneven reveal across the top, or custom cut the top of the door to fit the opening. Either of these will affect where the hinges go.)

When you've cut your mortises, be prepared to play around with the fit... sometimes strategically loosening a few screws to get the hinge leaf to sit right will be all it takes to get a door to fit well.

I'm not going to lie to you: doing new doors in old construction isn't easy. Take your time. Do the least visible one first and learn from it.

** story stick (story pole) -- a stick (1x1 or 1x2 works well) around 78" for most interior door applications but ymmv. Simply hold it up to the top of the door jamb on the hinge side, mark about 1/8" for the reveal, then continue down the stick and mark where the existing hinges start and stop. ((This is where you need to know if the top of your door jamb is level! If it isn't, you should probably cut the door first, then lay out your hinges.)) Carry the stick over to your door; set it aligned to the 1/8" mark and the top of the door, and transfer the marks for your hinge locations. If you're lucky, all your doors are the same, and you'll only have to use one set of marks.


How does decalcifying work, and is it something I need?

There is no relationship between tank sediment and pipe calcification. Unless he was able to show you how your pipes are actually constricted, such as where they connect to the water heater, there is no way anyone can know there is such a problem.

Unless you were shown obvious evidence of build up, this sounds like a complete scam to me from what little information you've provided. I would never call these people again.

AFAIK, calcium build up only occurs where very hard water is exposed to air, it does not build up inside of pipes. You may recall seeing elaborate calcium formations near commercial hot springs built up over decades by spraying hard water out of a small pipe. Despite the huge build up outside, the pipe continues to flow without evidence of obstruction after decades of use.


Sink top: spray gun lacquer or metal enamel?

I would use a two part epoxy paint, it's kind of sticky but if you apply it right you can use a roller.


Goodman furnace ignites but fan won't run

I have a similar Goodman furnace and have done troubleshooting on it for similar problems.

Your thought is correct - if the burner fires but the blower does not start, that will cause the burner / heat exchange to overheat. When the high limit trips, that is normal and the switch is doing it's job.

Some possible causes and troubleshooting for the blower non-start:

Bad capacitor (the PSC blower motor needs the capacitor to start/run). Disconnect the cap and test with a multimeter on Ohms setting.

Blower stuck  The blower squirrel cage should turn freely if you push it by hand.

Bad motor  Test with a multimeter on Ohms, there should be low resistance on each winding. Infinite resistance (open) on a winding is bad. You might try selecting a different speed.

Bad control board  Test with a multimeter to see if the board is supplying power to the motor. Note there will be different terminals powered depending on the selected speed.


How to change battery in garage door keypad?

I found this page which stated:

The second oldest style keypads have a pin hole at the bottom of the keypad cover. You will have to insert a small Phillips screw driver into the small hole at the bottom of the cover and gently pull outward to loosen and slide the cover down to remove. Below is a picture you can reference.

But strangely, the picture didn't show how the screw driver was to be used.  I wasn't able to get this method to work.
However, I finally found that if I pushed in the center top of the cover I could create a gap wide enough for a normal flat head screwdriver to fit.  I then attempted to rotate the screwdriver to pry the cover away from the main body of the opener and finally heard a loud "pop" as the entire cover moved down about 1/8th of an inch.  I was then able with a bit of work to pry the cover off.  When I put the cover back on, I noticed that there was something of a lip on the top of the cover, meaning that the bottom wanted to swing in rather than simply go straight up.


Flexible Metal Conduit length limits with grounding

I am confused as to whether you are using FMC or MC cable.

Flexible Metal Conduit

This is empty conduit (a pipe) in which you add your own wires.  The metal shell of FMC can be used as a grounding path provided it is less than 6 feet and terminated into metal boxes with cable clamps listed for FMC.  But I don't consider it a best practice.

You add as many THWN-2 (aka THHN) individual wires as you please.  For circuits >20A, you can run currents out of the 75C column of 310.15B16, so in this case #8 is ok for 50A.

Some people have only ever seen Romex style cable in their whole lives, and have never conceived of the idea of individual wires.  Those people believe when you use conduit, you must then chicken-choke the very stiff Romex down the conduit. However, since Romex comes with a bare ground wire, I doubt you'd be asking about grounds in that case.

I recommend you run a ground wire in FMC regardless.  If you don't want to buy yet another color, then simply strip the insulation off; bare is an acceptable ground color.

MC Cable

MC cable has all its wires pre-packed inside the MC cable.  The shell may not be used as ground, period.  Proof of this is that they provide a green or bare wire for the specific purpose of being a ground...

...which begs the question "Why would you need shell as ground?"  If the answer is "Because I plan to use green as a conductor", nope.  You cannot re-task or re-mark a green wire to be anything but a ground.  For that, run 12/3 MC; or run FMC conduit and any wires you please.


How do I install a chain lock on a steel door?

As @DA01 mentioned, a good 12 volt drill should manage this just fine if you are using a drill bit designed for metal. I have had metal doors on my last three houses, and all were easy to drill.

If you are using a battery powered drill, it may have lower torque than a wired drill, but that wouldn't be a problem here - as long as the battery lasts until you are in:-)


Installing a new smart switch into box, wanting to double check plan (primarily with regards to ground wires)

Connect eight #14's by connecting a ground pigtail with four #14’s, then, the other end of the pigtail joins the other four #14’s.


How do I paint the steel crossbeam on a colorbond fence?

As suggested, use sand paper or steel brush to clear any rusty bit
Apply some(not too much) rust  remover / preventer - let it dry naturally (30minutes - 2hours?)
Paint with steel primer (usually grey)
Following the drying time guidelines of the primer apply your top coat of enamel or whatever you want.

Do not flood the steel with rust preventer. Let it dry and wash your hands properly. If the rust remover makes white bulges just remove it with a another tool. Do not touch with your hands to avoid a) acid burn, b) oil residue on steel

We use to do that in South Africa on all gate installations because summers were extremly dry and some winters could be torrential with flash flooding. This method lasts years and years.
(It is a method borrowed from the automotive industry - in its simplistic form)

Good luck


What critter (insect?) removes sand from between paving bricks?

Sidewalk ants are a thing. They are very tiny. But there are also many species of wasp that do this, and are difficult to spot since they spend time either underground or in flight.


How to repair garage floor concrete damage near apron?

From the description and photograph, it appears that the crack is the natural result of the sort of stresses one would expect at a location with:

Drastic change in slab width to extend the slab through the door opening.
Drastic change in thermal stress where the slab transitions from interior temperatures to exterior temperatures.
Drastic change in slab stiffness. Dynamic vehicle loads are applied sequentially from the rigidly supported portion directly above the wall below to the spanning portion where they create deflection in the supporting structure.

All of which is to say that repairing the joint does not mean filling it in. There will always be a joint there. Instead, repairing the joint probably consists of keeping water out using backer rod and a flexible traffic sealant rated for wide joints...and perhaps a metal joint cover.

There's no magic in a can that it going to defy the laws of physics or change the internal stresses of a concrete slab under dynamic vehicular loads. Any repair needs to be premised on acceptance that there will be a joint across the opening where the slab narrows.


How do I properly install underlayment and a modified bitumen roof on a flat garage roof with concrete walls?

You will want to contact the manufacturer of the product to get their recommendations on the type of fasteners, the fastener spacings, and the necessary penetration of the fasteners.

Yes, you will need flashing around the entire perimeter if you wish the roof to be waterproof.


Pulling wire through EMT and PVC conduit

Wiring methods

EMT and other fixed metal conduit works as a grounding path, so you only need ground wire where the conduit is otherwise.  Green, green/yellow or bare is allowed for ground wire.  You don't need a ground wire per circuit, only per conduit, but it must be large enough for the largest circuit present.  If bare, it must be copper outdoors.

You join a ground wire to EMT by getting a #10-32 screw and fitting it in the pre-threaded hole in the junction box.  Do not use a sheet metal screw.

Conduit outdoors in conduit is outdoors.  It's pretty much a foregone conclusion that your conduit will fill with water at times no matter how much you try to seal it... that's why you use THWN wire.  It's designed to soak.

I have no earthly idea why someone would use solid wire in conduit, perhaps because they were buying (cheaper?) receptacles and switches not listed for stranded wire, or because they were a Romex Kaiser**.  It's not worth "fixing", but I wouldn't do any more of it. It's fine for them to mix, just make sure  your devices are listed to take stranded wire, and notably backstabs are not, but those are unreliable in any case.

Stranded wire costs about 5% more here.  After your first time wrestling 6 solid wires and a GFCI into a 22cu.in. box, you won't mind paying 5% more.

Pulling

You have a tough pull due to the four bends, so gear up for a big one.  THWN-2 is already pretty slick and lube won't be worth the unbelievable mess IMO.

The main way to prevent damage is first to thoroughly de-burr, and second prevent kinking,  by watching the wires as they enter.

You cannot splice inside the conduit body. Out of the question.*

Pulling one wire at a time isn't better, it's worse. The big hank of wires will mutually help each other as well as provide added strength, whereas pulled individually the existing wires will drag on the new.   Don't tape them mid-run, they need to slide a bit to go around corners.

Similar circuits

Beware of NEC 225.30, which generally prohibits running two similar circuits to a building.   So having two unswitched 120VAC circuits may be disallowed.   However 225.30(D) considers them dissimilar if they are switched, or a different voltage (240V).  So the quickest way to clear 225.30 is put one of the circuits on a switch for some reason.  Nowhere in the code does it require you to use the switch.

Marking wires

Tape is the key to marking when you don't have 8 colors of wire.

Don't distinguish wires unnecessarily: for instance the two hots going to a 240V heater or 120/240 dryer don't really need to be distinguished from each other.

In your case you need to distinguish two hots from each other, and two neutrals from each other (why? Because you might put a GFCI on one), and potentially a third spare hot.

You can put any tape color on any wire color, but it doesn't always do what you want:

Same-color tape is a little subtle, but is useful for marking. With colored tape it usually doesn't quite match the color or finish of the wire, and you can feel it.

In cable, it's easy to tell which wires are partner to a white, since they emerge from the same cable.  This can drive you crazy in conduit with 4 whites coming out of a conduit.   In conduit, remarking whites to a hot is disallowed (in most cases) but this cuts both ways: you can use the colored tape to distinguish different wires.

* To be pedantic about it, Code says any box/body is only a conduit body until you splice in it, then, it's a junction box... and must use junction box fill rules.  This makes them way too small to splice in, in practical application. Even if the conduit body is wildly oversized for the wire, making the splice strangles the remaining capacity of the conduit, defeating the purpose  "room for expansion" to oversize.

Now to be super, duper, duper pedantic, literally NEC says conduit bodies use conduit rules, but they have anything but thru wires, they are still conduit bodies but have to use special fill rules that are identical to the junction-box fill rules.  And then, junction boxes use junction box rules, unless they have nothing but thru wires, then they are still junction boxes but use special rules that are identical to the conduit body rules.

** you can tell when conduit work was done by someone used to working in Romex, because they stay as close to Romex practice as possible, e.g. choose only black, white and red for the wires, and occasionally use a white for a switch loop.  The old WWI German flag colors.  Add green and you have the Pan-Arab colors LOL.


How can I install an electrical panel when the stud cavity is too narrow?

The common solution is to attach a piece of plywood larger than the panel to the studs, and then attach the panel to the plywood. This also provides a good place for attaching cables, so you can get a nice organized installation.

Additionally, this technique provides the benefit of being able to insulate behind the panel.


Replacing a crawl space with concrete slab

You certainly wouldn't pour dozens of yards of concrete in there. You'd remove the organic soil, fill it with sand, and pour a 4" slab on that after setting up the plumbing.

Alternatively, look at an internal drain tile loop, along with some ventilation. It would be fairly easy to trench in perforated and socked pipe inside the footing. The tough part would be getting through or under the footing.


How do I reroute my existing bathroom piping for a pedestal sink?

The stud you would use a hole bit that is the same size as your piping to cut a circular hole.  You can pick up these bits at big box or a place like Harbor Freight in the US.

You do need to make sure that the stud is not load bearing!  If it is or could be we need more info and pictures.

It really looks like you have PVC but we can't see everything.  If you need to go from PVC to cast iron use a coupling.


No heat but fan and blower continuous run

The high limit switch is dead.  Contact a local HVAC contractor for a replacement. While you're at it, replace the air filter on the furnace. Dirty filters are the number one cause of premature high limit failure.


European Light Fixture in the US - Does it require a ground connection to light up

So I've got it working, I'll post a few things in case it's helpful for someone else in the future.

Using a multi-meter I tested continuity throughout the fixture on both sides of the circuit (both little round circles at the base of the bulb sockets), and everything was intact - so no shorts.
My non-contact tester is a capacitive coupling tester which will detect electrostatic fields in the absence of flowing current.  The entire fixture tested "hot" because there was line power going into it but no path outwards (see 3).  It was not an energized fixture however as the line power was contained within the intact wiring
Not all reducers are created equal (or fit in that particular light).  The e14-12 reducer that I was using was not getting good contact with the base of the socket.  I took the fixture to a local lamp store where we test fitted 3 different reducers until we found one that worked.  At least one bulb needed to be connected to complete the circuit.  Since none of the reducers was contacting the socket sufficiently to work there was no circuit made - leading to #2 above.
From my reading and discussion with the lamp store people: European fixtures are powered at 220-240V, at that voltage less current is needed to power a bulb which is why they are able to use smaller gauge wiring. In the US, at lower voltage more current is needed to power a given wattage bulb.  Wire resistance is pretty much fixed so a higher current over a fixed resistance generates more heat, I believe the equation is power is proportional to IxIxR.  In my application this is ok as I am using LEDs at a much lower wattage, I am also not using 240V bulbs which would demand a much higher current flow to work (if they even could).  Hopefully I summarized this correctly (and am not wrong).


Connecting PSW inverter directly to service panel

Note that the simplest solution may be net metering.Where permitted, this uses inverters that monitor and synch with the power lines, and therefore can be connected in parallel with the grid. At the same time, your meter is replaced with one that can count both forward and backward; if you are producing more power than you need the excess gets sold to the grid, and when the balance goes the other way (eg at night), or when clouds cut your production) you buy power.

Major advantages include continuous aitomatic balancing of the two sources, no need to maintain a battery bank, and the joy of the midsummer bill when the power company may owe you money. (I haven't quite gotten a negative bill yet -- I've gotten negative grid usage, but not enough to overcome the $6/month account fee.)

Disadvantage is that, for safety reasons, these systems are designed to shut down when power is lost on the grid to avoid the risk of electrocuting someone who would have expected the downstream end of the break not to have voltage on it.

Theoretically it would be possible to run disconnected (in "island" mode"), but them you'd need to re-introduce transfer switches for safety, and you'd need a 60Hz 240-split reference for the inverters to sync to. I can imagine a setup where you'd disconnect from the grid and connect instead to a generator as "local grid reference", with the solar panels and the generator sharing the load... but that has complications in protecting the generator from reverse current, and it isn't a approved/supported configuration for any manufacturer I'm aware of. Maybe someday...

Anyway, I just wanted to toss the out as an alternative to explicitly switching between solar and grid. Depending on your goals and needs, it may or may not be the best answer.


Are there square/ rectangle/ U openable/ open panel conduits that have one side panel that can be opened & closed?

Surface mount gutter if you want the wireway where the red box is would work. Wire mold also makes some listed wireways that look much nicer than standard gutter. Added per op comment, if there are taps in the wireway / gutter it must be accessible per NEC 378.56, but if just used like conduit it can be concealed the same as conduit. There are 2 main types some are hinged and some have a flat metal cover that are screwed to the gutter. I am sure with some clever trim it could be easy to conceal and open at a later time, the max fill is 20% 376.22.A and the nice thing is less than 30 conductors no derate is required. 376.22.B.


How should I clean stone surfaces prior to applying sealer?

How do I clean my Natural Stone tiles and slabs?

  Clean stone surfaces with a few drops of neutral PH stone cleaner
  available at retail stores or at your local tile and stone dealer, or
  a mild liquid dishwashing detergent and warm water. Use a clean rag
  mop on floors and a soft cloth for other surfaces for best results.
  Too much cleaner or soap may leave a film and cause streaks. Do not
  use products that contain lemon, vinegar or other acids on marble or
  limestone. Rinse the surface thoroughly after washing with the soap
  solution and dry with a soft cloth. Change the rinse water frequently.
  Do not use scouring powders or creams; these products contain
  abrasives that may scratch the surface.


I would like to eliminate 2 3-way switches on one circuit

You'll have to leave at least one receptacle controlled by the switches, or you'd be violating 210.70(A)(1).

National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 2 Wiring and Protection
Article 210 Branch Circuits
210.70 Lighting Outlets Required.
(A) Dwelling Units.
(1) Habitable Rooms. At least one wall switch controlled lighting outlet shall be installed in every habitable room and bathroom.

If you want to know how to rewire the other receptacles, you're going to have to include a bit of information on how they're currently wired.  Turn off the breaker, pull out the receptacles (leaving the wires attached), and document the wires and how they're connected.


Why is this ceiling light fixture wired this way?

The cable on the left runs to the switch. Power comes in from one of the two other cables via red, runs down the red of the switch cable to the switch. When the switch is closed, power runs back along the black and into the light via the brown. Goes thru the lamp into the blue, which connects to the common neutral black of the other two cables.

Switch legs can be confusing because the neutral coloured wire carries power back the the switched fixture. All is as it should be though.


How should the ground wires be connected when changing my dryer's power cord from 3 prong to 4?

The installation instructions show you have wired it properly for a four wire cord. I would check the receptacle to verify it is wired correctly.

Before you do anything if you haven't done it yet download the installation instructions from Maytag. It shows the green wire being connected to the center screw is just a placeholder for a jumper that is connected to the top of the neutral terminal via a spade stake-on. If you connect it to the ground you will be bonding the neutral to the ground as required for a 3-wire NEMA 10 connection.

If after connecting cord correctly I would confirm that the four wire receptacle is being fed by four wires, specifically to confirm a white wire is connected to the L-shaped terminal, green to the opposite terminal, and 240v between the parallel flat blades.

Beyond that your problem sounds like it could be internal to the dryer, way beyond my ability to advise without more pictures.

If you move the jumper and the dryer receptacle is missing a functioning neutral the dryer (if in working order) would illegally operate by running the 120v circuitry on the ground.


Should the solenoid to a Furnace Humidifier be intermittent?

This solenoid should not be making any decisions on its own.  It you give it power it should stay on.


Cracked bricks/stones in the ceiling near fireplace

Those cracked blocks are "concrete masonry units" (CMU) and what you're looking at is the bottom side of the hearth of the fireplace on the floor above. There could be three reasons: 1) Settlement, and/or 2) Under sized cantilevered slab (hearth), or 3) the weight of the concrete at the time of installation caused the lintels to crack.

It looks like the upstairs hearth is about level with the floor above, based on the height of the CMU to the adjacent wood floor joists. (We'll discuss this later.) The hearth is made from concrete and reinforcing steel. Think of it as a reinforced concrete slab up in the air rather than on the ground.

Usually, the builder will build a plywood box up in the air to hold the concrete slab and rebar. In this case, it looks like the builder had the "mason" lay some "lintel blocks" and then he poured the concrete slab on top of the masonry lintel blocks. (Very unusual where I live.) This could be due to job site scheduling. Maybe the builder was busy when the mason was building the fireplace, so the builder told the mason to "block-out a space for the hearth and he'd pour the concrete hearth later."

The concrete hearth (slab) needs to sit on the foundation of the fireplace and cantilever out from the fireplace. We usually require the slab to be 6-8" thick (depending how far it's cantilevered (extending out into the room) and what we're going to put on it...like tile, rock, etc.) We use two layers of rebar. One held down about 3/4" clear of the top surface of the slab and one layer of rebar held 3/4" clear of the bottom of the slab. With masonry lintels, it's a little more complicated, but clearances still need to be maintained.

Masonry will not hold the hearth up. It needs concrete and reinforcing. (Unless we do like the Romans and build arches.) The only way to provide the necessary strength is to use rebar and concrete. I suspect the masonry you see from below is just "formwork" used to hold the structural concrete and rebar slab.

1) Settlement:
All buildings settle. Usually during construction when we first "load-up" the soil. What we hope is that it settles uniformly. What causes problems is "differential settlement". This is when one part of the structure settles more than the rest. This causes cracking and usually occurs when one part of the building weighs more than the rest, like the fireplace. (I hope the fireplace has its own footing and is over sized. That will reduce the differential settlement.) If there was settlement, then that could cause the cracking.

2) Under sized cantilevered slab or rebar:
In this case, we have a cantilever slab that's probably causing the problem not settlement. Cantilevered slabs are a bit unusual in residential construction. So most builders don't understand them. Actually, the rebar needs to be in the top of the slab during its service. (Contractors are use to putting rebar at the bottom, I.e.: footings, slabs-on-grade, etc.) When the portion of the slab furtherest from the face of the fireplace bends, it will bend down and then the "tension" side of the slab is on top. If the contractor puts the rebar in the bottom (or more likely in the middle) of the slab, then there isn't enough "effective depth" to adequately support the load and the slab will deflect too much causing cracks ON TOP OF THE SLAB. So, if you check and see cracks (and they can be "hairline" cracks) on top of this hearth, then this is the cause. You probably have tile, brick or stone on your hearth and can't actually see the concrete slab, but checking the joints of the tile, brick or rock will work too. If you don't have cracks on top of the hearth, then the cracks you see from below are from "movement"...issues 1) or 3).

3) cracking at time of installation:
You say the masonry blocks feel solid...not loose. That's good, but doesn't mean they won't loosen in the future. It has to do with how the mason installed the lintel blocks. Lintel blocks are "U" shaped CMU. The smallest I know of are 8" high. If they installed them without modifying them, then the sides of the "U" could be embedded in the concrete slab and they'll never crack loose and fall. However, if they cut the top of each "U" off so they could install the concrete slab close to the bottom of each lintel, then the broken pieces you see from below could wiggle loose and fall. However, what is odd is that the lintel blocks are cracked on the bottom, which could be Settlement, but 2 of the blocks have a significant crack, while the third has only a "hairline" crack. Odd...unless the lintels were not supported very well at the time of installation. (The mason would need to build a wood platform to support his lintels , but maybe it wasn't adequate to support the concrete slab that was poured on top before the slab set-up and cured. Then, that would explain the cracks on the bottom of the lintels, especially if there are no cracks on the top of the hearth.

So, a little homework. Remember I started by saying I thought the top of the slab (hearth) was about level with the finished floor above, well, it needs to be verified. If the top of the hearth is 10"-12" above the finished floor (raised hearth) then that probably is good because that means the sides of the lintel blocks were not cut down and they won't come loose...cracked or not. However, all my analysis is based on the typical cantilever design. So, Is there a support wall downstairs supporting this hearth that is not in the picture?


There is no issue there with crowding too many junction boxes into the space, it's fine.

However, it looks like you have an issue securing the cables close to the boxes.  No trouble for the top box on each side, but how will you route the cables to the middle and bottom?

The thing to do is add something in there to which you can secure the cables.  There are many things you could use, but 2x4 scraps are probably readily available and won't cost you a dime.

You could cut three pieces of two by four to the width of the stud bay and nail it from stud to stud, standing on edge, at the back of the bay.  One would go above the top boxes, one between the top boxes and middle boxes, and one between the middle boxes and the bottom boxes.  (You might want to increase the space between boxes a bit just to make it easier to work around these.)

Now you can route your cables vertically down the middle of the bay, and staple them to each 2x4.


What's the purpose of the throttle and the gears on a snow blower?

The throttle controls the speed of the engine and the auger(s), and the gears control the speed of the wheels.  You should normally run it at full throttle to pick up and throw the snow.  Choose the gear based on the situation - for light snow in a large area use a higher gear to get it done quickly.  With heavier snow you may need to use lower gears to keep it from bogging down.  As Ecnerwal pointed out, the higher gears are also very useful when you're moving the blower but not clearing snow - like heading back to the garage when you're done, or heading over to the neighbor's yard to clear their driveway. If you’re happy with just using first gear, that’s fine.


How to hook up a new gas range with mismatched fittings, and meet all code requirements?

I normally install the shutoff directly on the incoming gas line this way there is less chance of an issue.
after the valve I install a flair adapter to match my flex gas tube . I prefer gas rated pipe dope for gas but there is a gas rated (yellow tape) for those that prefer tapes.

I rarely order fittings on line and tend to use speciality shops not big box as they always have the correct fitting I need and many times helpful advice , yes the part might cost a dollar or 2 more but I get the correct parts that match the first time and don’t end up with a bunch of adapters or cobbled together parts.

The bonus about specialty stores is that they usually do know local codes and this project may be a good reason to give them a visit, I am not sure about the flair fitting prior to the valve that would bother me. I have done a bunch of gas pipe work on my own homes including new gas services in several,  but am an electrician by trade.


How to fix Samet SmartSlide desk drawer slider?

You've got something better than a schematics, you've got a left side that's working. Take it out of the cabinet and do a forensic study on it. You should be able to put the right side back together. Good luck.


Multi gang switch boxes - Is it okay to keep the same branch neutrals separated for the different lighting/switching circuits?

Nice drawing. Very clear and looks correct. It would be a mistake to tie the two neutral wires in box A. This would create a circuit loop and a fire risk from heating when one circuit is on and the other is off. There may also be hum if you use switches or lights that include electronic circuits such as fluorescent ballasts. It's OK to wire this up as drawn.

Green/bare grounding wires should be treated in the same way. If there are two separate grounding conductors feeding box A (e.g., NM cable) then they should be tied separately as drawn for the two neutrals. If you feed box A with two grounding wires it is best not to use a metal junction box. If junction box A is metal it needs to be bonded to one of these grounding wires and will thereby be bonded to both switches. In that case you can't avoid a ground loop. This would not be a safety hazard as these wire carry no continuous current but it may cause hum as noted above. So use a non-metal box and run NM cable or individual wires in NM conduit.

Better yet, remove the standalone A-to-C run by running HTTN(G) from box A to B as well as from box B to C. Then there are no neutral or ground loops to worry about and you are free to choose the most convenient wiring method.


The Environmental Protection Agency has standards in place for a program that is meant to help conserve water.  The current standards for "performance" of new toilets in this program (pdf) are as follows:

4.0 Flush Performance Criteria

4.1 Toilet model performance is identified as either a Pass or Fail depending upon
whether it can successfully and completely clear all test media from the fixture in
a single flush in at least four of five attempts. Only toilet models that Pass qualify
for EPA’s WaterSense label. Flush performance testing shall be conducted in
accordance with the test protocol provided in Appendix A.

4.2 Test media consists of seven test specimens, 50 ± 4 grams each, consisting of
soybean paste forming a ‘sausage’ approximately 4 ± 0.5 inch (100 ± 13 mm) in
length and 1 ± 0.25 inch (25 ± 6 mm) in diameter and four loosely crumbled balls
of toilet paper as defined in Appendix A.

4.3 The flush performance criteria apply to single flush toilets, and to the full flush
option of dual flush toilets. No solid waste removal requirement applies to the
reduced flush option on dual flush toilets.

If your "media" is smaller than what's specified in 4.2, you should be fine.

When the US first started restricting the amount of water permissible per flush, the toilet manufacturers did not get the engineering right.  So, if you've been using one of these first generation water conserving toilets, it could be the toilet that's the problem.  The newer toilets have been engineered with larger diameter traps and coatings and what have you that make flushing "media" less of an issue.


What "gravel" is composed of 50% clay, 25% sand and 25% small stones?

Sounds like you got "Crusher Run", when you wanted "Washed Stone". This site has a good description of some different types.

Crusher Run

Washed stone

It's used as a base for driveways and roads, but is typically compacted and covered by another material (asphalt for example).

You may have been thinking of something more like pea gravel, or similar. Something that consists of smallish roundish stones, that you could use as a top layer for a driveway. While the quarry was thinking you meant more of a base type gravel, that you would later add a finish layer on top of.

This is sometimes the problem with ordering stone without being familiar with the source, since "Gravel" is a subjective term. Making matters worse, places often try to guess what you need based on the description of the job you provide.


Lag eye bolts into solid framing members is fine for this. But any time you drill through an exterior wall into the interior structure, you are providing an access point for pests and water. So make sure whatever you do has easy access for you to do periodic inspection and maintenance, and use plenty of sealant, even putting some on the lag screw threads before putting them in.


How to hang a ceiling fan box in gazebo with no parallel joists?

A lot of this comes down to aesthetics and practicality, so you will probably get lots of right answers. Here's my take:
I would run your short piece of 2x4 level at the peak alongside 2 of the rafters. You will then be able to use a saddle fan box to mount your fan. This box slides over the 2x4, and is only fastened using a set screw. You then use wood screws to actually fasten the fan bracket to the 2x4 behind the box, not the box itself.


Would insurance cover water damage due to an improperly installed deck?

My insurance agent neighbor tells me the rule of thumb is if it’s something that occurs instantly, then it’s covered. It it occurs over time, then it’s not covered.


How to Cover Small Window but allow Light?

There are many films available to obscure glass -- frosted, patterned, etc.

They are self adhering and can be fairly easily removed. They come in a variety of sizes and can be cut to size.

Look for them in big box stores or window treatment stores.

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


Best way, if needed, to dehumidify storage room?

I think a small dehumidifier in the storage room would be the best choice. If the temp is two low for a dehumidifier to work I would think maybe putting DriZair pots like the link shows would work. We use Drizair in our motor home when we are not using it and we only have problems if we forget to put the crystals in every month or so.


shower shock,when hot or cold water is used in other parts of house

Pressure
Go to the local hardware or home improvement store, and get a water pressure gauge. Most likely they'll have a simple gauge that can attach to a garden hose spigot.

This will allow you to measure the water pressure in your home. You'll want to make sure the pressure is somewhere between 40 - 80 psi.
If the pressure is low, you'll want to look for a pressure reducing valve (PRV)

If you have one, you could try adjusting it to raise the pressure. To adjust the valve:

Loosen the locking nut on the valve (The nut just at the top of the bell on the valve), and back it off a bit.
Use a wrench to adjust the bolt on top of the valve. Clockwise will increase the pressure, while anticlockwise will reduce it.
Once you're finished with the adjustment, snug the locking nut back down (not too tight).

If you're adjusting the valve, and the pressure still doesn't seem to be going up. You're either not getting good pressure supplied to the building, or the PRV is busted. If you're on well water, you'll have to start working towards the well to figure out why the pressure is low. If you're on city water, you should be able to contact the city to see what pressure they're supplying to the house.

Volume
Without being able to inspect the plumbing, this is a difficult problem to diagnose.  The first thing to check, is the size of the supply pipe. You'll want to have at least a 3/4" supply, though 1" is possible.
Next, you'll want to look for areas where this size is reduced.  The main trunk plumbing should be the size of the supply pipe, and should only be reduced where it splits off to supply a fixture.  If you have a reduction in size that's supplying more than one fixture, you may have found your problem.
If you find this to be the problem, re-plumbing parts or the entire system is likely the only solution.


Two unrelated circuits drop at the same time

On your original problem
Ed Beal is on the right track.  I think it's a "lost neutral", but since we now know the circuits are unrelated, I am highly suspicious of a "lost neutral for the whole house.  95% of the time, this is due to a neutral wire failure in the overhead service drop line coming from the poletop to your house, which is not your bailiwick, and which the power company fixes for free in almost all cases.
What happens is that on the service side of the meter (the power company's side), they do not carry safety ground as a wire.  (it's in the air anyway lol).  They use pre-bundled "triplex" wires like this.  The bare wire is the carrier wire which carries the physical weight of the other 2 wires, and is physically anchored at both ends.
the bare wire is used for both the neutral and the carrier wire (we can't do that; the power company can). Years of whipping in the wind tend to break it.  The neutral fails.    When that happens, the two legs are still 240V, but neutral is no longer halfway between them.  So the two 120V legs still add up to 240V, but they are no longer 120/120 - they are 105/135 or really, "all over the map".  This changes based on the loads of the appliances on each leg in that instant.
This doesn't get as extreme as it could, because neutral has a second path: via the Neutral-Ground Equipotential Bond in your panel, the Grounding Electrode System, a bunch of dirt, to  your neighbor's GES and through their N-G bond.  That is about as effective as you'd expect (better than nothing at all, but not great).  However, this can work  well enough (especially with LED lighting) that people can go weeks or even months without even realizing they have a problem.
Enter the wildcard: the UPS.  The UPS is actually monitoring power quality closer than anything else in your house (including you).  It's going "Hey, this ain't right".
So my advice is investigate a possible "Lost Neutral", as it nicely conforms with the stated symptoms.   Get a voltmeter and monitor AC voltage (easy mode: get a Kill-A-Watt energy monitor; its first display is instant voltage.)
Now, try turning on large 120V (plug-in) loads in your house. "Large" means things which make a lot of heat like a hair dryer or toaster.   Watch the voltage. If neutral is in good order, the voltage anywhere else in the house should not deviate by more than 1 volt (maybe 2 at the absolute outside).  Shut off all 120V or 120/240V loads (anything that uses neutral), and call the power company and report an outage.
On that panel
So, driven by this problem, you have a lot of eagerness to fix stuff, but not much knowledge about panels.  You have also been the victim of faulty information sources.  That is fine; we all start there.  Having dealt with plenty of them, here is what I would do if it was my panel and my hard-earned:
Bryant is a perfectly respectable panel type.  In the 80s(?) it was acquired by Cutler-Hammer which has been part of Eaton all along.  In recent years Eaton has stepped out of the shadows and started putting their own brand alongside their various brands, sorta like GM sticking their logos on Chevy cars.  Cutler-Hammer and Eaton hasn't made any radical changes to the BR line since they acquired it, outside of no longer using colored handles (the handle colors match traditional Buss fuse colors).
First, the Square D breakers are gone.  They never belonged in the panel in the first place - there are serious safety issues with crossing breaker brands because the bus stab shapes are different.  UL, Square D and Eaton all say "don't do that". They get replaced by BR breakers, which are now marketed as Eaton.  Same thing.
As far as being unable to find Eaton BR breakers, that ain't right. BR breakers are the most popular in America.  So you're in an unusual place (like Guam) or just aren't trying very hard lol.
As far as replacing the colored-handle BR breakers, that's really not indicated based on trade experience.  We just don't see reports of old BR breakers failing.  There is a general sense of "breakers wear out", and I suppose you could swap in new Eaton BR if you really want to... but I'd put it on the safety upgrade D-list, honestly. Other upgrades are more important.
What I would do is turn each breaker off and lift it out of the panel, and look at the bus stabs for any arcing damage, being bent, that kind of thing.  Light oxidation doesn't bother me.  Any stabs that are burned, those get put out-of-service permanently. I wouldn't condemn the whole panel unless problems are severe.
That safety budget
Since you seem to be willing to spend 4 digits on improving panel safety, here's how I'd prioritize that.

Any 3-prong dryer or range circuits get upgraded to 4-prong w/ ground, either via retrofit ground ($10) or using a GFCI breaker ($80).
GFCI protection on all kitchen, bathroom, laundry, garage, basement receptacles, and any water features (pool equipment etc.)  I'd try to do it with GFCI receptacles ($16) with 1 per circuit, because it's cheaper. Keep fridges/freezers off GFCI/AFCI if not Code required.
AFCI protection on any wiring that seems alarmingly old; any bedroom circuits (electric blankets); and any circuits where cords are likely to get mashed against the wall by furniture.  That's what AFCI protection is for.  If the goal is to protect outlets, AFCI receps ($20) are fine since this is retrofit.
An EV charging recep will add value to the house, so I'd throw in a 1" conduit between panel and garage. Enough room for up to 100A charging wires.
Noting the numerous 240V breakers, it's apparent your house has electric toaster heat.  I'd replace both that, and the A/C unit, with a wide-range heat pump that doesn't require separate emergency heat - either straight or split unit.  That would pay for itself in electric bills in a few years, but not right away.
I'd use the heat-pump dividend to replace any remaining Bryant BR's.
I would NOT worry about the "messy panel" or seeming clutteredness of the wires.  Wires bundled tight tend to overheat and melt, so loose is better. Excess wire length is important so you can move breakers around in the future and/or install AFCI or GFCI... so I would not nip them off short like some of the "show panels" you see out there.  Besides, if you ever replace that panel, you're gonna want that extra length.


Pull Up All Laminate Boards Or Cut One Board in Doorway and Start From There

You don't have to do anything.  Most laminate installs have a soft spot somewhere.  I also don't think the soft spot will change.  You either accept it or fix it.  I am not saying you had a "great" install but it is what it is.

If you are going to pull it up - you need to do a big enough area where it can be properly leveled.  For issues like this we use a simple leveling liquid or we use roofing shingles (really small transitions).  I cannot see you being happy doing this from below.  Injecting the floor is never a good idea as the weight of the flooring can alter the liquid disbursement.   If you are going to take stuff out you have to label each piece well and take everything out very carefully.  The tongue and groove on these aren't made for many installs.


Installing a low voltage pump to drain condensed water from a window air conditioner

Mixing AC mains and low voltage involves some very complicated rules, and it may be prohibitive to do this as an electronics design exercise, especially if (as you say) you don't really have the chops.
One option is don't even detect the air conditioner running. Detect water rising above a certain level in a reservoir.  Then, the project becomes a simple "float switch": if water present, run pump.  Doing this allows you to build your entire project using 5 volt power only, and therefore the harsh rules on mixing AC power with low voltage will not come into play.
Note that having your common everyday "wall wart" convert AC power into 5 volts is perfectly legit, since the vast majority of such wall-warts are UL-Listed as safe in that application.
Another that comes to mind is a "smart power strip" used for controlling "dust collectors" in wood shops.  (when they see current flowing to the table saw, they turn on the dust collector socket).  You plug the air conditioner into the "table saw" socket, and the 5V wall-wart power supply into the "dust collector" socket.
They make the same kind of thing for PCs (when the PC turns on, turn on the monitor, USB hub, printer, etc.)  However, the "wood shop" units are actually rated for the heavy current of an air conditioner.


2 out of 5 ceiling lights in basement won't work

If 3 out of 5 do work, and 2 out of 5 don't work, and it's all the same circuit (unclear if that's the case from your question) the problem is likely to be a failed connection between the working lights and the not working lights, rather than anything at the fuse box.
Since you have already tried replacing the fixtures, (which would presumably mean you have changed the connections at that end of the wire) the most likely location for the problem is at the last working fixture, where the wire runs on to the first not working fixture - speculating that they are wired in a linear manner, since that is also unclear from your question.


Unsealed flooring next to shower and strong smell of mold

The fact that you can smell the mold is pretty alarming. I've seen some fairly bad mold in bathrooms and I don't recall it smelling particularly horrendous. The big problem you've got is that you simply don't know how much mold is there (I'm guessing "a lot") and that it will NOT go away by itself. In fact, it will simply get worse and eat into more and more material.

I simply can't see any other option than to start removing tiles ASAP to identify where exactly the mold is (I.e., under the shower tray or under the riles) and then looking to replace or repair as appropriate.


I need to know how to replace a water damaged wood rotten stud in a wall

Cut out the rotten drywall then use a reciprocating saw to cut out the old stud and replace with a new one. If it isn't load bearing and its only one stud this is easy. You may plan on also cutting out a portion of you bottom plate and replacing it if it also rotten.


full size wood mantlet (5 in+) 12 inches away from the fireplace openings top? US - TX fire code

"Not within 6 inches"
"Within 12 inches, 1/8 inch projection per inch from the opening" So,
7 inches away, can stick out 7/8 inch
10 inches away, can stick out 1-1/4 inch
12 inches away, can stick out 1-1/2 inch
13 inches away, stick it out as far as you like.
Not confusing at all, IMHO.
TLDR: No you cannot have a 5 inch mantel 12 inches from the opening.


How can I remove this concrete wall anchor?

These don't come out easily, sometimes they can be pushed back into the wall and dissappear, this is often the case if the person installing it was thinking ahead and drilled the hole deeper than needed as an end-of-life plan.

Else you need to drive the shaft back in a bit to release the wedge and then pull on the sleeve part, locking pliers are useful here.

If it won't budge the easiest fix is to chop it off using an angle-grinder with a cut-off wheel and then drive it back into the hole a bit and plaster over it.


How can I handle dry-looking areas in the table I'm refinishing?

Good question.  My thought is a little too late for you, but I have found that some woods excrete "oils" for a long time.  You can usually see these after sanding, but it requires a close look, not only from the top but also across the surface.  If you see anything different from the rest of the surface, then you can try more sanding.  If that does not work, then you need to seal the whole surface until the problem area is no longer visible.  When finishing, my first and second coat are usually 1/2 product and 1/2 thinner.  I find this helps soak into the wood and acts like a sealer.  If there are spots then you need to address them before proceeding.


Drywall taping, which way should the seam go?

That seam bulge is negligible on a newly-unrolled tape. Your butt joint should taper out 24" or more anyway, so a "bulge" of 1/64" isn't significant. It tends to flatten when the tape gets moist anyway.


What's the easiest way to remove tile flooring off a cement foundation?

I use a air chisel wide blade for a large area. I can pop thinset mounted tiles off with little time and almost no effort.
a pole chipper is almost as fast but a lot of work, (mastic glued tiles are harder and usually the tiles break more often.
once the tiles are all picked up and discarded I clean up the thinset.
I actually find my belt sander is best for this.
Thinset is quite soft and an 80 grit aluminum oxide belt takes the bulk of the material off quickly. I use a pillow case on the discharge of my belt sander and this helps to control the dust (this is the messy part, I recently helped a friend do a 34x16 room I had all the tiles popped in about an hour, I started grinding with the belt sander while the tiles were being removed by my friend.
First pass was just over 2 hours and 5 belts., I had planned to acid etch the entire floor with muriatic acid and water but my friend was happy with the results just sanding (muriatic acid helps to break up the remaining thinset and would have made is smoother close to the original finish of the slab).
The total time including mopping up was just over 4 hours and to be honest the hard part was scooping all the tile and grout up but my friend did that. Our total time under 8 man hours and that included a few beer breaks. For me the hard part is being on the ground after 18 knee surgeries including both of them being replaced, so if a great grampa can do it it’s not that bad with the right tools.
I could have done it with a pole scraper/chipper but then it would have been hard work and probably taken longer and a few more beers.
He now has a nice click lock wood floor that is much warmer feeling than the porcelain tile that was down there.


how to plug a 3 phases oven from the panel

For your question 1:

That was a big label on the MCB circuit 415V Three Phase.
The main concerns are the agent, is he okay?

For question 2:

Yes you can if you know which cable for phase 1, 2, 3 (in this case RYB).
Check for an electrician to make a special plug or wiring especially for 3 phase system.

For question 3: already answered in no.2 answer


I have to comment that that tub structure is not really designed for a shower. You would have to install a shower curtain that draped into the tub on at least three sides to prevent water accumulation along the walls beyond the lip of the tub.

As a suggestion you could look into a shower kit designed to convert an old style free standing tub into a shower but personally I think it would really uglify your bath area.


Usually you have to take the front off so you can lift the drum out so you can look at the rollers (which seem a very likely cause, or part of the cause, based on my squeaking dryer from last year.) I opted to replace rollers, belt and tension roller, since a kit with all three was not very much more than "just rollers" or "just belt" and less than both separately. Look for a service manual, or sometimes there is a diagram when you find the right parts kit.

This is a video from one parts place (not affilated, but looks like the right model/family and was linked to from that part number.) I Hate Tri-Rings...(discovered those last year when doing mine. Miserable things.)

https://youtu.be/CGbf4_NtBkY

You have to take off the top, the top front, the lower front, the circuit board, the wiring for the door switches, the door... you'll pretty well feel like you are taking the whole thing apart, though that will be a slight exaggeration.


How could a hot-cold plumbing crossover spontaneously appear?

Power cycling a tank less gas water heater? Yours must have electronics that I haven't seen on the models I have installed. There are demand valves in the water heater that sense the flow. These valves can become sticky with lime & rust scale buildup. The reason to turn the water off then open a hot water faucet is to make a drastic change and hopefully the the scale will break loose.Most faucets don't have mixing valves these are usually found in shower / bathtubs that could cause part of this problem. I believe it is more likely the water heater is not turning on correctly or sensing the flow. Some units can be cleaned by disconnecting and pouring CLR (Calcium,Lime & Rust remover) into the inlet and flushing with fresh water. If the sensing valves directly regulate the Gas flow like on a Bosh aqua star you need to get it cleaned out before the seals fail because they are not repairable and the system will have to be replaced.


Connected C-Wire (previously unused) to thermostat, but still no power?

It looks to me as if you have shoved the insulation of the blue wire down under the screw terminal at the furnace end. This could be keeping the internal copper conductor of the wire from even contacting the screw terminal block.

You may have done the very same thing at the thermostat end of the blue wire. Note how in the below picture the adjacent red wire shows the center conductor as a small gap proving that it has been stripped of insulation. Did you forget to even strip the insulation off the blue wire?


Can I power a two-phase home service with a single-phase generator?

Phases and poles

The question of "phases" comes up when dealing with 3-phase power.  The 3 phases are equally spaced: like runways at an airport arranged in a star or triangle pattern, one aiming north (12:00), southeast (4:00) and southwest (8:00).

What if 2-phase power existed?  That would be runways aiming due north (12:00) and due south (6:00).  Wait a minute, that would be the same runway!

So 2-phase power isn't really a thing; it's just single-phase power stacked on top of each other for at twice the voltage.  With a common middle (at neutral), it can be tapped end-middle for 120V or end-end for 240V.  And now you understand our 120V/240V split-phase system!

Note that your generator has a NEMA 14 receptacle which is designed to power a split-phase system.

You need a generator interlock.

Your setup must make it mechanically impossible to backfeed onto the electric grid.  Of course you'd have no reason to want to do that; so some people think "Oh, I can make it a checklist procedure", -- nope, not allowed.  Because that never works in a stressful emergency.

Several companies make a variety of interlock kits with sliders or pivots that block the main breaker from being on at the same time as a double breaker in a particular position.

You may notice that most regular breakers flip inward to be on.   The simplest interlock puts two breakers opposite each other, and inserts a spacer block so they can't both be inward (on). These two breakers are then back-fed, either from the utility or from the generator.  Siemens/Murray makes a $23 kit for their panels that also straps down those breakers, a Code requirement, and works with the covers removed, a Code requirement in some areas.  Square D also makes a very inexpensive one for their "QO" (not Homeline) panel line, but I'm not sure it provides all that.  However this only works on smaller panels where the utility side can be back-fed, e.g. Subpanels.

Maybe put it in a subpanel

One easy way to provide the generator/interlock solution is to put a subpanel right next to your main panel, with one of the Siemens/Murray style interlocks on the top 2 breakers.  Then relocate each of your loads you want the generator to support into this panel.  There is no limit to the physical size of the subpanel; feel free to use a 42-space and put every circuit here.  This trick can even be used to solve a separate "my panel is full" problem!  That is why we are big fans of big panels.

All in all, such a subpanel is far, far cheaper than a "Reliance" style multi-circuit transfer switch, which allows you to switch up to 6 or 8 circuits between line and generator individually (why would you want that?).  It also place nicely with AFCI and GFCI.


How to wire a 3-way switch with 4 wires?

That switch looks like a 4-way switch which would be used in addition to 2 - 3 way switches when a light is to be switched from 3 or more locations. Your new switch would have to replace one of the two 3 way switches or you'll have to get a 4 way dimmer switch (if they even make one) to replace the 4 way switch shown in your pictures.

CORRECTION: I thought the pictures were of the same switch but I see that there are two different 4 way switches. Do you have 4 switches controlling the light?


You say, changing the ceiling in your "guest room". For such a small span (1 room) for the new proposed beam, I doubt if a 2x4 post would be a structural problem. However, there are many factors that could affect your decision: 1) Bearing load: The 2x4 post needs sufficient area to bear on. The end grain of the post will accept about 3 times the load of what the side grain of the
Beam or plate will accept, so your structural engineer would need to calculate that for you, 2) Bending of new post: A post can fail by having too much load causing it to bend. This is a factor of width (skinniest direction) of post and length of post. This is called "slenderness ratio", and your structural engineer needs to calculate this, 3) Connectors: The beam needs to be connected to the post AND the post to the plate(s). Using 2 plates on edge, will move the nailing pattern into the plates out of standard position, and your structural engineer will need to calculate distance nails to edge of plate, etc. and your structural engineer will need to calculate that, (see where I'm going with this...)

There are other factors too, like over turning (rotation) of plates on edge, hold down of plate to floor, etc. it's just not practical to calculate all the variables, that's why your structural engineer used the standard 4x4 post, connectors, etc.

So, why try to "hide" the post in the wall? Why not "expose" the post by letting it extend beyond the face of the wall and stain (or paint) it the same as the beam? This will create a "feature" to your room. You can then use the standard 4x4 posts, connectors, etc. (You may need to change the base connector to fit around the base plate, but that's easy...there's about 10 gazillion standard connectors to choose from.)

Remember, that 4x4 post has a load that needs to transfer all the way down to a footing, (or beam/joists). It can't just sit on the subfloor. Make sure you look under the 2x4 plate to make sure something will support the new 4x4 post.


On the refrigerator, don't box it in so badly that you block airflow to the coils.  Remember how a refrigerator works.  It pumps the heat inside the refrigerator and dumps it outside through a set of cooling fins in the bottom back area.  If you box it in too much, it won't get enough fresh air to cool well, and it will run inefficiently, fail to cool well, or breakdown prematurely.  It's not a big deal if you provide space for that.

Bonus points if you can access the back of the fridge to clean the fins, as you should every few years.  Try to set it up so dryer lint isn't drawn into the cooling fins.

The fridge needs to be leveled.  The manufacturer has a spec for this.  Generally the fridge is slightly "tilted back" on purpose, so the doors will self-close by gravity freely and firmly.  When set up right, it's a thing of beauty.

On the electric service panel, remember you must have clear space around the panel as described in the link here.

Also don't forget that since this is a remodel, you must bring the remodeled area fully up to new electrical code.  Figure on dedicated circuits for each of dishwasher, garbage disposal, microwave if built in, at least 2 (I recommend more) circuits for kitchen counter receptacles (honestly in the age of USB you just can't possibly have enough kitchen receptacles). Might be worth thinking about fitting a 50A circuit for an electric range/oven, also consider providing outlets for in-cabinet or under-cabinet lighting since the LED options these days are marvelous and cheap.

I recommend a dedicated circuit with a SINGLE receptacle for the refrigerator.  Have that be non-GFCI if you can convince your inspector to allow that.


If National Electrical Code applies, here's what it has to say...

National Electrical Code 2011
Article 404 Switches
404.4 Damp or Wet Locations. A surface-mounted switch or circuit breaker in a damp or wet location shall be enclosed in a weatherproof enclosure or cabinet that shall comply with 312.2. A flush-mounted switch or circuit breaker in a damp or wet location shall be equipped with a weatherproof cover. Switches shall not be installed within wet locations in tub or shower spaces unless installed as part of a listed tub or shower assembly.

Which means that if the box containing the switch is not mounted inside the wall, you'll need a weatherproof box.

Once the switch is mounted in the box, you'll need a weatherproof cover.  You'll have a couple options here. You can get one with a flip up lid, where the cover has to be flipped up before the switch can be toggled.

There are also covers available that completely encase the switch, and have an external lever that is used to toggle the switch.

Bonus
Yes, you can supply a switch from the Load side of a GFCI receptacle to provide GFCI protection to the switch.


Yes, just be sure not to squish or compact the batt or loose insulation. Part of it's insulating value is it's air space, or maybe 'fluff' would be a better word. If you compact it, you'll lose some of it's insulation value.

That is just generally speaking though. No need to be anal about it, just generally try to keep it loose.


What's the recommended distance of a fire pit from a building?

The model building codes provide separation distances based upon radiant heat, construction type, occupancy, fire resistance of the exterior walls and the ratio of openings to solid wall in the building to be protected.

Keeping in mind that the fire separation distances given are in feet from the property line and that adjacent buildings have similar requirements one could use the combination of IBC [2009] table 602 and table 705.9 to determine separation. As a rule of thumb, 60' would be the maximum required between two buildings each located 30' from the property line.

However, I recommend discussing the issue with your local fire official. There may be additional considerations that limit or prohibit the use. The fire official may also be aware of additional environmental, utility infrastructure, or fire service availability factors that increase or decrease the risk associated with a large fire pit.

If you set the forest ablaze, the distance between the pit and the structure will become irrelevant.


How to hook up new 5 wire HVAC cable to newer HVAC unit with only 2 wires coming from it?? WITH PHOTOS

Land the blue wire on the "COM 24V" terminal

The typical use for a blue wire is to provide a C wire so that the thermostat can have constant 24VAC power available to it (saves money on batteries); as a result, simply land your blue wire on the terminal marked "COM 24V" on the control board.

As to the rest of the wires you depict? The green wire indeed goes to G, the yellow wire to Y/Y2, and the red goes to R just as you show, but the white wire needs to go to W/W1 not W2 for your single stage system.  Your revised diagram, though, is correct, and so is your thermostat wiring, assuming it is configured for a conventional system (not a heat pump).


How does one determine the current draw on a single circuit?

There are a variety of pre-made products which do just that.  The controller sits inside your electrical service panel (or on a single circuit) and you place a "clamp meter" around the hot wire in question.  It then communicates with you via powerline signaling or WiFi (cute little WiFi antenna pokes out of a knockout on your service panel.

Obligatory warning that nothing about being an electronics guy prepares you for the requirements of mains electrical (and in fact mis-trains you).  One cannot just hack random electronic components into a mains electrical system, even if the components are UL listed.  You may only use approved, preassembled equipment that has been UL* listed as equipment for use with mains power, and you must install it according to its labeling and instructions**.  These items are not found at Mouser electronics, Amazon Marketplace, and damn well not Alibaba.  They are found at big-box retailers (though they can be sloppy) and your local electrical supply house.  You also cannot mix class 1 and low voltage wiring.

* or similar testing lab.  CE is not a testing lab.

** because the listing is contingent on installation in that manner.


Nope, 8” is the wave of the future.
Nobody wants to make T12 LED retrofits because the extra diameter serves no useful purpose, makes packaging bulkier and could have fitment problems in fixtures made for T8.
As big a fan as I am of real fluorescent, I advise oddball fixtures like this simply be converted to LED with ballast-bypass "tubes".   While real fluorescent  will  be supported in T8 for the foreseeable future, the odd sized tubes will be pricey.


Replumb sillcocks to increase outdoor pressure?

I think your best improvement would come from adding the tee before the filter and running the new PEX to the sillcocks.  I would hold off on replacing the sillcocks at the same time as adding the tee because you might not need to depending on the results from the tee. Plus, the 3/4" sillcocks might not fit through your brick walls. Do this in stages.


How do I permanently remove a steam radiator?

If you have permission to remove the radiator:

1) Make sure the system will not be actively producing steam.

2) Use a large open-ended or adjustable wrench to loosen the union between the brass radiator valve and the radiator. It will likely be difficult and you may need to tap on the union nut with a hammer or use a section of pipe to extend the leverage of your wrench to loosen it.  The radiator is disconnected.

3) Use an open ended wrench and a pipe wrench to remove the brass valve.  Spin the valve off with the open ended wrench while providing counter-pressureon the elbow with the pipe wrench.  Only using one wrench may stress and crack the fittings.

4) Plug the pipe. Depending on which fitting you choose to remove, you may want a square headed pipe plug (if you have exposed female threads) or a pipe cap (if you have exposed male threads.   Based on the photo, it looks like either a 1" or 1.25" pipe.

If you do not have permission to remove the radiator, but want to stop the hissing and heat... This is one-pipe steam, and either of the following options will solve two of your problems.

1) Turn your silver Hoffman valve upside down.  This prevents the vent from venting.

2) Remove the silver Hoffman vent and replace it with a 1/8" pipe plug with a square head.


Advice on soldier course and first course of laying pavers in I-Pattern

You seem to have two different questions, somewhat vaguely asked. I'll attempt to address both the questions I see:
The "soldier course" is the rectangular blocks that "stand" on their short end to make the border. The all go in one direction along each edge, no matter what the field pattern is. A quick DuckDuckGo search for "paver soldier course" got me this image:
Source: Western Interlock. No endorsement intended or implied
I'd suggest that you'll want to start with the soldier course of 6x9s to outline your paver area, then lay the field.
You'll need to measure (or do a test layout along each edge) to see if you need to cut any blocks at any of the borders. If you do, figure out where to best put the cut edge (where it's least visible and annoying). If you do the field first, then get to the soldier course, you may discover that you need to cut the soldiers and that will look odd. Of course, you may be able to extend the pavered area just slightly to avoid any cuts, and, if you need to have a row containing a series of less than half blocks (long way), you may be better off expanding or contracting the area to avoid those cuts.

I was thinking if I lay just the I's (6x9) all the way down, that's two pavers horizontal and two vertical, then come back and fill the spaces with the 6x6 blocks, it should work.

Based on this description, I believe you're doing this "I" pattern:
Source: Angelus Paving Stones No endorsement intended or implied
I believe you can, in that case, lay out all the 6x9 blocks, then go back and drop the 6x6 in the holes. However, you may discover that keeping them lined up nice and straight with all those holes gets to be difficult. It also increases the chance of someone knocking pavers around when moving on the partially laid surface. I'd suggest that putting the 6x6 in as you go will help hold everything in place and ensure that you maintain your straight lines and help provide a professional looking finished job.


How far out off the wall framing do gypsum panels for the ceiling need to be?

Drywall (or sheetrock) on the ceiling is installed tight against the wall framing with hopefully less than 1/2" gap. Any gap larger than this removes the support you'll provide later.

The drywall installed on the walls is next installed on the top half of the wall pressed against the ceiling drywall which gives it support. Then the bottom half of the drywall on the walls is install tight against the board above with joints offset. Any gap at the floor is covered with trim.


Can a toilet paper holder be mounted to the side of an MDF bath vanity?

It shouldn't be a problem. MDF doesn't have the best screw-holding strength, but TP holders are very light so it shouldn't be an issue. If you are concerned, you could put longer (1") bolts - not screws - through the MDF and put nuts on the back, so you're not relying on the pull-out strength of the MDF to hold the screws.


Yes, but you'll violate Code if you do.  Garage outlets need GFCI also.
Your best bet is to crack open that box, and extend the circuit to a 1-socket recep marked "Refrigerator Only" installed at a location of your convenience.  It's good to eliminate extension cords as part of this, but err on the side of "within your skill level".
A "Fridge only" labeled 1-socket recep is also technically a Code violation, but one most AHJs will cheerfully provide waivers for.
If the walls are open, then extend off the existing box, to your new box, using normal wiring methods.
If the walls are closed up, use a system such as Legrand's Wiremold surface conduit.  Start with a "Surface conduit starter box" that extends the existing outlet to give you about 1" of sidewall to attach the surface conduit.  (mind you this surface conduit can go 1 inch).  Then you install a surface box.  To cable between  them, buy black, white and green THHN/THWN individual wires (about 2' longer than the conduit) and run them down the conduit.
Either way, into the new box you install a 1-socket receptacle (which are weirdly more expensive than 2-socket types; economies of scale gone wild!) And get the correct 1-socket cover plate; very important since you must label it.
The new socket attaches to the LINE side of the GFCI outlet - not the LOAD side.  Almost all GFCI receps provide a way to put 2 wires under or behind the LINE screws.


You do not need a wall switch to operate a fan. A fan can be installed to operate by the pull chain at the fan.

The bad news is that code requires a switch by the door to operate a light or an outlet that a lamp/light can be plugged into. This is so you don't have to enter a room in the dark. Are there any switch locations in the room? What about cover plates that might be covering up a switch location? How are the lights in your room controlled?


What could cause a wall mounted sink to fail?

You can see the angled mounting bracket hanging down under the sink. The bracket is what holds the sink firmly on the wall, the lower holes  in the sink are for keeping the bottom of the sink from being pulled away and up from the wall once it is lowered down onto the bracket. The top holes have nothing to do with the mounting of the sink.

The bracket failed, probably because it was not screwed into structure ( studs ).

We can not see inside the wall to say exactly why the screws pulled out.

The bracket must be attached to studs or usually to a block that is run between the studs.

The bracket is essentially a french cleat, the back of the sink is cast so that is slips down onto the bracket. The bottom holes in the sink are just to secure the sink and keep it from being lifted up and off the bracket. Adhesive or caulk have nothing to do with keeping the sink on the wall. If some thought that was the case they were mistaken.

The bracket holds the weight of the sink.


How to attach mounted flat-screen TV to the wall so that it lines up perfectly?

The adjustment is usually under on the wall part of the bracket. The bracket needs to be plumb in both planes (kind of left and right and then forward and backward).

The better brackets are bolted back to the wall and then micro adjusted (via small adjustment grub screws) in all planes until absolutely spot on. Then assuming no play in the arm, all should be well.

Have seen a few that are very difficult to get right in all planes though. I.e, TV looks good pushed back but wrong when pulled out etc.

Using serrated spring washers helps hold the bracket firm if the problem is caused by bolt heads slipping in bracket slots.


Dig down at least 6".
Lay landscape fabric (this will block weeds and what-not), the fabric should run up the sides of the hole.
Fill the hole with a base material (usually crushed limestone), fill the hole about 2" at a time tamping it down thoroughly between layers.
Add a 1" layer of sand (leveled).
Set the pavers.
Brush sand into the joints, using a stiff bristled broom.
Tamp the whole thing (this will wiggle the sand between the pavers locking them in place).

You may have to dig deeper depending on where you want the pavers to sit (at ground level, slightly above ground level), and how thick the pavers are.  You'll want 5-6" of the base material, plus 1" of sand, plus the paver thickness (keep in mind the 1" of sand may compact a bit when you set the pavers, and after the final tamp).

To make the job easier, you might want to rent a Plate Compactor this will make tamping the base material easier and help lock in the pavers after you sweep the sand in the joints.

Typically when you build this type of "patio" you'll have to worry about drainage, so you'll want to slope the whole thing enough to allow the water to run to a safe location. In this case you probably won't have to worry so much, unless the patio is right up against the house.


Absolutely right, this is super bad for exactly the reason you say!  Turn off both circuits and get yourself a 2-pole breaker of that same type.  Put the two hots on that breaker and install it, moving other breakers as needed.

The use of a 2-pole breaker will guarantee they are correctly on opposite poles, and is now required by Code.  (well, handle ties are, but it works out the same. 30 places near hear stock 2-pole breakers, only 1 stocks handle ties.)

Be careful not to split up another multi-wire branch circuit.   In fact, watch for more - where there's one, there's five.

Also, make sure you're not dealing with double-stuff or the GE Q-line "half width breakers". In a Q-line, an intermediate breaker would be correct, but a 2-pole breaker would be a great deal more correct.


I would rip out the whole thing and replace with new plastic pieces all the way from the wall to the new sink strainer basket. Part of the reason for this is that if part of it was corroded enough to break there is a real good chance that another part will be in similar condition.

The plastic parts for sink drains are very inexpensive and they will last a long time. In fact the typical big box home store will even sell kits of some of the parts that you need including the P-Trap. There will also be bins nearby that will have every other part that you could possibly need for your replacement. The plastic parts are also much easier to work with if they need adjustment or cutting to length. Many of the parts are designed to telescope with one another to allow adjustment without the need to cut to precise lengths.

Many of the joints in the plastic piping system use compression rings that the nuts squeeze around the outside of the adjoining pipe. These are often a fairly hard white/grey fake rubber or clear nylon material. I would encourage you to look around the area where the pipe parts are sold and purchase some alternate type compression rings that are made of a softer fake rubber material. (The ones I have purchased were red or blue in color). They cost a bit more but they make a far superior joint seal due to their flexibility and wedge shaped cross section.

I note that the existing P-Trap assembly is attached to the pipe in the wall via a rubber coupler that is secured into place with two screw type gear clamps. You will have to pay attention to this area as it may be necessary to provide suitable adaptation to the new piping system. In fact it may even be necessary to replace that rubber coupler if it is very old.

The first time you tackle a sink drain replacement you are sure to experience some frustration and say a few choice words. Especially as you bump your head in the cabinet as you go to back out. It is also not uncommon to have to make a second trip back to the big box home store to get additional parts, supplies or a tool. The experience will pay off however because the next time you have to look under a sink to make repairs you will have the needed confidence. And it is much less expensive than having a plumber come in to do the job.


Is my pneumatic nail gun jamming because I've never oiled it?

Instructions for both of my pneumatic nailers state that every so often put a few drops of nail gun lube oil in the fitting that the compressed air hose attaches to. I put two or three drops in every time I use it. A small bottle of oil came with the gun. I got a larger bottle at Lowe's.

I triggered a nail on my 18 ga brad nailer when there was already a nail stranded in the tip. I had to take the tip apart and extract the mess. One nail was welded to the channel and I had to twist it off with needle nosed pliers.  This was due to improper air pressure setting on the tank; I was going back and forth between the 18 ga brad nailer and a 23 ga pin nailer, and forgot to change the pressure setting on the tank.

Your nailer might need a full rebuild, but I would first clear the nail jam in the tip, following instructions for this, and then put a good amount of oil in the air hole and then connect the air supply, let it sit for an hour and see if this will force oil into places it needs to be. If it is still unresponsive, let it sit with the pneumatic hose fitting up and see if the oil will drain down to where it the sticking is.

If this doesn't work, you could take the pressure cap off and put oil in there. Removing the pressure cap might be a challenge if you have never done it before. You might have to send the gun for professional repair.


Trying to mitre a finished panel but results are not great

I would agree with Isherwood and they can be tough. looking at the 2 pieces the angle of the blade is slightly off causing the difference in size.

The gauges on most home owner type table saws is a ball park, use a triangle square to set your blade angle not a small one one close to the size of your blade.
Carbide tips use a spacer at the bottom and you can get an exact 45 every time.

Making sure your fence is square. Clamp a pice of 6” x 1” to your miter slide with the gauge at zero and the saw blade at 90 cut the board using the standard right side and verify the leading and trailing edge are exactly the same length (mark the first edge then slide forward the 6” make sure they are the same) now switch to the left slide and repeat you are looking to verify the blade is true with the table. If both sides the tip ant tail of a 6” cut are true the blade is true with the table if it is not this can cause binding and uneven cuts depending on the side of the blade used.
The last step is to make sure your fence is true, I should have mentioned this on the first cut, if tour blade is true with the table cut a piece and make a mark at each end of the table, I actually used a sharp chisel to make these 2 marks permanent because I always use carbide blades when you set your fence measure from these points to verify the fence is parallel to the blade. This might sound like a lot to do but it is what it took to get a craftsman saw true enough to use on job sites and have results like our big saw.

When I was young my dad had a large table saw 14 or 16” for the cabinet shop this had precision guides and we still had gauge blocks to verify the blade was at the exact angle and the fence was geared at both ends so it was always square. The fence being off or the blade off a degree or so will show up on the end as you have. Use the above process and your cuts can end up exact.


Why did this gas lift assist unit fail this way?

The image is the result of an out-of-column force being applied to the mechanism. In the case of the gas lift device, either end of the attachment could have something in contact preventing the cylinder from following the expected angle change as the cover is raised or lowered.

Not to say that this is the specific cause, but if the tub end of the cylinder has a buckle hanging over the edge of the tub and it gets wedged into the area of the attach point for the cylinder, it could impede rotation of the cylinder and create the aforementioned out-of-column condition.


The best way to raise a side walk of the type you describe is to remove the old one by breaking up the old one and hauling away the old material.

Then you prepare the base area with new fill to build up to the level needed. Note that it may be required to even replace some of the old base material if it was not properly prepared under the original sidewalk. One thing to look for is organics in the soil that can decompose over time leading to voids in the fill.

Finally the time comes to build the forms for the new sidewalk to define the size and top level of the replacement sidewalk. Before filling the forms with new concrete make sure to think about adding suitable wire mesh and/or rebar.

Try to avoid the short cut of just adding a few inches of concrete on top of the old sidewalk. The problem with doing this is that it does not last a long time, especially in areas with freezing weather. Water can seep into the joint area between the two layers. When it freezes it expands and can push the layers apart and even cause the relatively thin top layer to crack.


What fittings to use for floating box shelves

Unfortunately the MDF board is too thin for true "invisible shelves" I really hate those fittings, they just seem so un-secure!

You cannot raise the connector, since the board is too thing. but what you could do, is run a beading across the bottom edge.  Thats about all I could think of.

that would also help with the secure-ness of the fitting since the screw heads would not fall out the grapple holders.


Can I connect copper wire to aluminum wire?

Ignoring expensive crimpers, Ideal Twister Al/Cu (purple) wirenuts are NEC compliant. (Your jurisdiction might vary.) They are not for use on aluminum to aluminum connections (which is a little baffling to me, but I digress). You can find some controversy on the net about the safety of these, so read up and decide if they're appropriate for you.

Another compliant option is the King AlumiConn, which can connect both aluminum to copper and aluminum to aluminum. These require a precise torquing of the screw connectors.

Depending on the wire going to your light, you might have to pigtail copper to aluminum in the above manner and then wirenut the new copper to the light.

I've heard people say that a squirt of no-alox in a standard wirenut is fine, but it is not code compliant in my neighborhood. (And probably nowhere.) And it should go without saying that a normal wirenut is absolutely not compliant anywhere.


How can I remove a retaining wall made of vertical landscape timber?

If they are vertically embedded in the soil, and if you can get heavy chains wrapped around them individually, you might be able to lift with something like the bucket of a backhoe or a loader.

Alternatively, you can remove the soil around them with a backhoe or even with hand tools. In either case, you're likely to have to pry them apart. Landscape timbers in a retaining wall are often held together with embedded pieces of rebar. When I removed my wood retaining wall, I used a 2x4 as a pry bar.


Is it a problem that my furnace filter is loose in its slot?

Those gaps are normal and don't usually cause a problem. When the furnace is running the air pressure forces the filter against the downstream face of the slot, effectively sealing the opening.
Also, it's not critical that you have a complete seal. The air in your home isn't (or shouldn't be) particularly dusty. It's important that most of the dust gets caught before it passes through the fan and heat exchanger(s), but it's not required to have clinically clean air.
They're pretty much all this way. If the filter was to fit tightly enough to create a seal against both faces it would be extremely difficult to install them.  The alternative would be some sort of clamping mechanism like you'd see on a car engine, but it's just not that critical.


Installing Pendant light with gold, silver and bronze coated wiring

Chandeliers hung on chain and in general have what you are talking about since the cable is going to be exposed and the wiring is visible. We know that the bare wire is the ground. During training to become an electrician you are taught that the neutral is always known as the "identified" wire or it must be identified.

If you look closely at the cordage attached to the fixture you will usually find that one side of the cord one wire has lines or ridges on one side or it may be squared or it may even be a different color (silver) than the hot and the ground. Regardless you will find one wire in the cord that is different or identified. This would be the neutral and of course the normal wire is the hot.

So there you have it, connect the bare wire to the green or bare, connect the identified to the white or nuetral, and connect the last wire to the black or switch leg in the box.


As long as all the light fixtures are electrically in parallel and properly grounded, and no boxes overflow, the physical wiring topology (daisy-chain vs star) does not matter one whit.  You'll see both in use depending on the preference of the electrician and the layout of the structure, although many DIY sources describe daisy-chaining only as it's less likely to break the box fill rules.

Overflowing boxes are the main caveat here though -- the NEC box fill rules become limiting quickly for typical boxes used in residential work, and you may find yourself needing an extension ring or auxiliary box at the "star point" as a result.  See the box fill rules in NEC 314.16 for details -- you'll blow by those well before you become physically unable to fit the wiring in the box if you don't pay attention to them.


From my understanding of IPC chapter 9, you can add turns as long as the horizontal part of the run slopes towards the drain at least 2% (1/4" per foot).  That's so if water gets into the vent it will flow down the drain by gravity and not pool up in your vent system.  Another stipulation would be you need to have at least 6" vertical rise above the flood level rim of the highest trap or trapped fixture being vented before going horizontal.  (horizontal being considered anything less than 45 degree slope)


Why does my LED light take several minutes to come on?

The driver circuitry May have been damaged or had cold solder joints that are failing.
The led dimmed or not should be almost immediate.
I have had drivers that had cold solder joints on very high end fixtures that caused the fixture to take longer to light to start with and a while later it would not light at all as these fixtures were almost 500 ea I figured out the problem and it a bad solder joint (I don’t have to mention where the fixtures were made but it was not the US)
If you still have a warranty I would recommend trying that route because if any LED won’t light in under a second something is wrong.
I would also recommend getting DLC approved lamps or fixtures DLC is design Light Consortium and they usually have a 5 year warranty (some 3 year) .
All the ones I have seen also have UL listing (I have to have this for industrial or another nationally recognized 3rd party facility).
Since the lights are taking more than a second there is a problem it could be a loose wire can be a possibility. My experience has been bad drivers on almost 100% of my failures.