First answer! (On an old question.)
Could the side beams that run perpendicular to the house extend almost all the way to the house? That would provide an additional 3.5-4’ of coverage along the house side, where we typically place deck furniture.
I'm assuming you mean the rafters (that rest on the beam) would cantilever over the 17' beam by 4'? That will be fine, as there won't be any weight bearing on the rafters other than their own weight.

Are 4x4 posts sufficient for the pergola?
In my estimation, yes. Check out load tables to be sure (capacity varies by species, length, wet or dry conditions, etc.) They will look a bit spindly though.

Is the placement of those posts OK to carry/support the load to the structure below?
Should be fine, in fact, you could place the posts almost anywhere. Each post will be carrying less weight than the average American male.

Any other suggestions or questions I should consider?
Pergolas don't weigh that much, but they do catch a lot of wind so lateral load and rotation of the posts is a real concern. I understand you're bolting some the posts to the joists so that should solve that problem.

The 17' beam span will likely cause the 2x6 beams to sag. I'd recommend bumping up to 2x8 or 2x10.

By this point, you've probably built your pergola. How'd it turn out?


Best tool for chrome fittings plumbing at home

I must be blind, but I can not see from the picture where the chrome plating has been removed by the use of a pipe wrench or any "jaw marks" from any tool. The only thing I see is the corrosion near the wall entry and a small ridge from when the valve or part was cast.  When working on a chrome plated fitting or piping piece that is visible and must not be adulterated or marked a strap tool should be used to tighten the fitting. On some occasions, depending on the construction, an open end wrench or adjustable wrench that has flat jaws and no teeth can be used as long as you use great care not to mark or distort the piece you are turning.


I think what you have are similar to these, sleeve and taper nut anchor bolts:

source

If you're real lucky, the nuts are still properly positioned and you can screw bolts back into them. I wouldn't bother though, my preferred masonry screws are Tapcons. I thought this question was going to be about lead wedge anchors, which if not totally deformed, you could use again. These I wouldn't reuse even if I got 'lucky'. Tap the sleeves in with a hammer or grind them off if they don't budge (you don't want to crack the wall).

If you don't have a grinder, you could fold the sleeve in on itself using a hammer and a flat head, working your way around in a circle.

You might be able to remove the sleeves with alligator tipped 'locking pliers' (aka, needle nosed vise grips) and a hammer, to reuse the holes for the same type of fasteners. Make sure you get all the parts of the old fastener out.

Remove or sink those sleeves. Use Tapcons.


The cracks in your slab have nothing to do with the plumbing repair. Slabs crack. Period. Typically the only question is how the cracks are managed. The slab should've been cut to create control joints, or "zip strips" should've been worked into the surface to direct where cracks occur.

Now, if you have regular movement in the slab, that's a matter of poor compaction, excess unaddressed groundwater, or something else. That's a bigger problem that you'll need to discuss with the builder.

If there's no movement, and depending on your choice of flooring, this isn't an issue. If you're going with ceramic tile, the installer will need to deal with the cracks appropriately. Other types of flooring will simply span over the cracks.


Single phase, permanent-split-capacitor (capacitor run) motors, like your unit, are normally reversed by switching the roles of the start and run windings.  Unfortunately, with the way your unit is wired, it is not possible to make the necessary wiring changes without completely disassembling the motor -- you would have to disconnect the two red wires from each other, then connect the red wire from inside the motor to the terminal that now has the tan wire from the motor on it while connecting the red wire from the capacitor and the tan wire from the motor together, then taking them to where the red wire from the motor now leads.

So, you'll have to head down to a shop that sells motors (industrial-supply places will have them, guaranteed) and get a new motor to power your saw with; either that, or find a way to make your saw work with a motor that rotates the opposite direction from the original.


How should I wire this ceiling light pendant?

Both black and red are typically used to indicate hot.  Though you can't be positive without actually testing it with a multimeter.  Red is usually used when there are two hots (14/3 wire instead of 14/2).

Both green and bare copper are used to indicate ground.

So it sounds like you wired it correctly.  The green wire from the line (source) should also be attached to the green grounding screw in the electrical box.


They are used to splice (unstripped) wires together. They contain a small piece of metal that joins the wires when the colored part is compressed, as well as some containing a gel that insulates the wires from the elements making them suitable for outdoors use.


NM-B Romex going through conduit raceway to external breaker box. Not code compliant?

If the conduit continues into a box for the receptacle just replace with thhn. If the conduit is just a sleeve to protect the romex it would need to be changes to type uf-b  because the conduit would be considered a wet location


Yes, that is acceptable. You don't need a junction box at the service panel end. You can have a pigtail in the service panel. You also don't need another box for the oven. Just remove the existing receptacle, pigtail on some 12 gauge wire, and put in a standard outlet.

Keeping the 8/3 in place also allows for future replacement with an electric oven by swapping out the receptacle.


Why would a shallow well pump go on and off too much?

Your pressure tank is what is considered "water-logged". If it is a bladder tank, the bladder inside the tank may need to be re-pressurized or perhaps the bladder tank needs to be replaced. There is an air valve on top to do this, if it only needs re-pressurizing.

To my recollection, and I may be wrong, and possibly your specs may differ, the tank, with no water in it, and the pump turned off, should have about 7 PSI of pressure in the bladder. You may need to drain the water lines in the house to do this. When the tank is then working with the system and the pump increases the pressure to 40 PSI+, then the pump should cycle as it used to.


How should I remove closed cell spray foam insulation which has shifted the framing?

That's the problem with splitting a plate but not under a stud. There should be a stud where your plate is cut. You have 2 options...

Dig out the insulation, lower 8 - 12 " or so, and drive the plate back in place then secure it to your slab.
Trim the plate as you've suggested. However, that's not really straight forward as your framing is now out of whack. Check to see if the stud to the right of the split in the plate is still plumb. It may need a "shave" too.


What kind of bathroom floor is this, and how to remove it?

Clearly sheet vinyl (often misnomered linoleum, i.e. polmerized linseed oil and cloth, the original sheet plastic floor, rarely seen in the wild these days.)
At 20 years old (2001) unless you are in some crazy country that did not stop using asbestos when it became clear what a hazard it was, it is not at all likely to be asbestos backed, but you could have a sample checked if the age is questionable or you want to be paranoid about it.
Asbestos can only be identified in a lab test. A picture of one fibrous material and another fibrous material will look pretty much identical regardless of asbestos content or lack thereof. The backing is much more likely to be plain old paper at that age.


How much power/electricity should my central air's blower fan use?

It is very unusual but not unheard of to have a furnace hooked up to a heat pump. Usually you would have an air handler and air handlers usually have backup electric heating strips. These heat strips Combined with the 300-400 watts from the blower could easily suck 1700 Watts. The strip heat should not be on when the fan is set to on and the temperature is turned down but it is not hard to miswire the unit. You should also verify the heat pump is not coming on too as this is not too hard to miswire either.


What types of businesses have tree roots available?

Roots from 'dead and down' trees can be found along river banks. Trees are blown down in storms or fall into the river due to erosion or disease.

Land that is being newly cleared for construction usually has a bulldozer pile of root debris in one corner or another.

Pet stores sell dead roots for terrariums.

Flower shops and nurseries use them for flower arrangements.


Can I use hydraulic water-stop cement to fix foundation leak?

Indeed, hydraulic water-stop cement can fix your leak.

With that said I strongly advise 2 things. Finding out the actually cause (ie. foundation sinking or separating) and remove all the sealer you currently have, so the product adheres to the concrete and stucco properly.

Quickrete's claim:
QUIKRETE® Hydraulic Water-Stop Cement will block running water
when application is made to masonry or concrete surfaces. This
special formulation allows the product to obtain high strength and
rapid setting while repelling water.
QUIKRETE® Hydraulic Water-Stop Cement solves leakage problems
wherever active water is present, in all masonry and concrete above
and below grade.


Trying to use two 3 way switches and a 4 way switch to operate 2 - 54187 Bennett Collections using one remote

It's really a matter of electrical circuitry. You can connect up any piece of control for equipment using your 3 3ways and 1 4way, and if done properly will switch the equipment on and off.

So right now when your circuit is in the off position there is no electricity available at your fans. When the circuitry is on the on position, there is electricity at the fans. Your controller for your remote is inline with this circuitry. So you can switch each light and fan off and on with the remote only if the circuit is in the on position.

In control speak we say, all stops are wired in series and all starts are wired in parallel. Using mechanical switches in series with the electronic controllers means your normal status is stop or off. Trying to wire in parallel with the equipment you specified means the normal status is start or on and the circuit would never turn off.

You might be able to use electronic (smart) switches and the remotes together but they would have to be addressed properly to coordinate with the controllers.

Hope this helps shed some light, so to speak.


CLR is what you're looking for. I had a similar problem as you (I was cutting metal on my driveway and did not sweep up the fines that night...Rusted the next day!) and it worked like a charm. It comes in a grey bottle with a multicoloured label.

Dilute using the measurements on the bottle, and scrub hard with a stiff bristled broom. Rinse well.  This stuff is awesome elsewhere in the house too - in particular to clean up around taps.


How can I lift the latch of the battery compartment in this smoke alarm detector?

Push the tab toward the arrow and then lift it up. Good luck


How to fix particle board at lock screw (Ikea Effektiv)

I'm with Lawrence on this, where there is blame, there is a claim. If you want to have a go at fixing however then go to a ships chandler and get a good glue from them. However, the trick is to clamp the pieces tight. I don't mean but some books on it but use something that has a vice-like grip spread over 3 or 4 inches. All that said, if this is an area not seen when draws/doors are closed then "No-Nails" type compound will suffice. Good luck


Is the receiver for my ceiling fan defective or do I need to modify my wall switch?

If your wall switch is a simple mechanical switch I don't see how it could possibly have anything to do with the problem.

You can easily rig up a test apparatus to determine if the receiver/transmitter is working properly. (This worked for my Hunter fan with light fixture, but of course I can't say whether a pure resistive load would test the receiver for a Minka Wave fan.

In summary, cut the cord of a working lamp with say a 40-W incandescent bulb and insert the receiver into the cut as if it were the fan. I used this to determine that my receiver was working and the failure must have been due to a poor connection. I had noticed on removing the receiver that at least one of the stranded wires was poorly stripped (most of the strands cut away). I have now replaced the receiver, re-stripped and tinned the wires (on the receiver not on the fan, those were OK) and the fan/light are now working.

See Why doesn't my ceiling fan's light kit work?


Heater will not shut off when it reaches desired temperature

This may not be the answer, but here's what I make of it...

Heat pumps have a maximum temperature they can reach when it's cold outside.  It sounds like for you, this temp might be around 70 degrees.

What my heat pump thermostat will do is call for heat when the temperature drops more than one degree lower than the set temp.  So, if I have it set to 70, the heat pump kicks on at 68.5.  If the temp falls another degree or two (mine is adjustable), it realized that the heat pump can't do it on its own, so it calls for aux heat.  It normally won't turn off until the temp is above the set temp, so it would run until the house got to 71 (again, this is adjustable).

What may be happening is that your aux heat is turning on when your thermostat falls to 68, but then it turns off when it reaches 70, but the heat pump stays on trying to get the house up to 71.  That never happens - the temp actually falls back to 68 and the aux heat comes on and the process repeats.

If your thermostat has adjustable points at where aux heat comes on and when it shuts off after reaching the desired temp, you could adjust those so it does turn off.  The other option is to just switch to "Emergency heat" when its very cold outside. The heat pump won't operate and all heat will come from Aux heat.  This isn't normally what you want to do, but in extremes, it could be needed.  Right now my house in Texas is on Emerg heat because it was 15 degrees last night.


Galvanized Water Heater Straps be reused?

The claim that the previously applied straps cannot be re-used is mostly not true except for certain specific cases.

In general these can be re-used as you can see they are adjustable via those slots every half inch. These may have been cut to length on the original water heater but there is no reason that they can not conform to a new water heater that is slightly different shape.

But in a special case that the new water heater is a larger diameter it is possible that the slotted straps may now be too short to reach from their anchor points on the wall around the heater. As designed the straps have to come together far enough so that the bolt brackets can slip into the slots and the bolt is long enough to engage the two bracket holes.

So it is possible that the original straps may be too short. Probably not uncommon as newer water heaters may very well be bigger diameter due to larger tank size or additional insulation  needed to increase efficiency.


Renovating bathroom, do I need to add a moisture barrier over insulation

Kerdi is waterproof so you do not add additional barriers because as you stated, you don't want to trap moisture. Just make sure to follow all the directions and tips for successfully installing the Kerdi board.


Running single phase appliance from three phase socket?

Typically yes, you can run a single phase load from a three-phase service.

An issue would be if it is a line-to-line load or a line-to-neutral load, and whether a neutral is present.
Another thing is to make sure the voltage is correct for the application, and whether a high-leg is present (not sure if this applies in your area).


Are there any restrictions for drilling holes in solid lumber joists regarding how close to the ends of the joist?

It has to be at least 2" away from the top, or bottom of the joist. As far as distance from the ends, there are no rules:

  Holes: Do not bore holes closer than 2" from joist edges, nor make them larger than 1/3 the depth of the joist. –engineering.purdue.edu, PDF

If you look at the document, it clearly states and depicts the top or bottom, with no mention of an "end".


You are most likely hitting the metal flange around the vent that is used to secure the vent to the studs.  If this is what you are hitting, it will be right behind the drywall, then drilling a new hole for the screw is the right action.


How do I determine my breaker panel's maximum wattage?

OK, I am not 100% percent sure of this, but what I understand from the labeling on one hand fits in with what I know of electricity on the other. So, let's say 98% sure.

40A : this is the circuit breaker itself, standard three-phase AC.

50A : this looks to be a residual current breaker, rated 30 mA.

So:

If something in your house has a short circuit between live and neutral and starts sparking, the 40A breaker should trip protecting you from starting a fire. 40A is the maximum draw you have.
If, on the other hand, you have a short circuit to earth -such as live current getting in contact with an appliance's external surface- then the residual current breaker cuts in.

The residual current is there mostly to protect the user from becoming the shortest path to earth, or in other words getting electrocuted. This is why it needs to be at a very low differential rating of 30 mA. It also makes sense that it has a higher current rating (50A) than the main breaker, since we want to make sure the main breaker trips before the residual current breaker gets damaged.

To complete the individual circuit identification:

(4) is for the washing machine

(5) is for the fridge

The other circuits are as the OP indicates.

To answer to original question: 40A x 110V gives you 4400 VA. Since this seems to be a 3-phase + 1 neutral setup, you will in reality have three times the current, 40A on each phase. So, in total 13200 VA.

This is not quite the same in Watts, but with a hypothetic cos(phi) value of 0.95 you should be good for some 12000+ W. You should be OK with the devices you want to connect, as long as the circuits are well balanced (equal draw on each phase). I would suppose this is so -the installation looks really professional quality- and try it out before requesting changes, since adding more power will mean changing the main breaker and the residual current breaker (as well as paying a larger monthly charge).

Hope this helps.


Cut the skirting in around my new fireplace, scribing, fixing etc

I would begin with a cardboard pattern. You could measure each distance, lay them out on the right edge of the cardboard. Or you could use  profile gauge such as this one.

I would then do a rough cut of the cardboard, lay it into the corner, and trim to precision. Do not cut the left edge until the end. Then transfer the profile onto the molding.

On the actual molding, I would also leave the overall length a bit longer than the pattern, maybe by 1/8 inch. This gives you room for tweaking and the mitre cut is easier to shorten than the profile.

A jigsaw is fine to cut the profile. You should back cut the curve, that is, trim off a bit more on the backside than the front. This makes fine tuning easier and avoids the chance of seeing the cut face in the finished piece.

 Images and links are for illustration only, and not an endorsement of products or sources.


What do you do if the rough in plumbing is supposed to stick out of the wall where you have two studs?

You have a large are you the left and right to bring the drain in it is quite common to run into studs not only on remodels but on new construction bring the drain up on the side that makes it easiest and use elbows to connect. The fewer bends the better but sometimes it takes a couple to get the job done.


Connection for range hood from 8" circular to 10"x3.5" rectangular

We found an HVAC guy to build it from photos and measurements. With a bit of nudging, it went in after I cut the right whole in the box.


Some types of compact fluorescent (PLL, PLT) have a push-in fitting. Try pulling straight out.

Photo by ikiwaner, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

P.S. While you are working on that, you really ought to fix that loose earth/ground connection with a bolt, nut, washer and maybe a crimp-on ring-connector. Or something similar. —

P.P.S. broken compact fluorescents may need special cleanup


ceiling joist allowable span southern california

You added below the top of the wall in the comments.  So I would lag a rim joist to the studs and use joist hangers.

Span will look like this:

2x10 @ 12oc for #2

2x8 @ 12oc or 2x10 @ 16oc for #1

2x8 @ 16oc for select

span table


Vertical or horizontal venting for a 36" range hood with a 3 speed 630 CFM blower

A larger pipe will certainly increase the flow as will shorter pipe lengths. Fittings are expressed in equivalent pipe length. A 90 degree elbow is typically 5 feet and a 45 degree elbow is typically 2.5 feet. So you can add up your total length and add 5 feet for each elbow to get your total equivalent length. The smaller that number is the better. The only issue you will have with increasing the pipe size is you will decrease the velocity and that won’t remove solids like grease as well but that is seldom an issue with residential hoods. On another note, all hood manufacturers lie about their CFM. 630 CFM through a 6” pipe would be a ridiculous amount of static pressure and you wouldn’t be able to stand the noise or the electrical bill. I would guess when all is said and done you will be closer to 200 CFM but anything you can do to minimize the total equivalent length of duct work or make the duct bigger will help in maximizing the output.


Run 6 AWG NM-B cable through 1 1/2 PVC pipe indoors

The central vac PVC isn't listed for electrical use, so it won't fly as a conduit or raceway for electrical wiring.

But you aren't really using it as a raceway, just as a protective sleeve for the cable, so you could make the argument that if the cable could travel the same path without the pipe, it should be able to travel that path in the pipe.

The main sticking point would be the bends.  You might have a very hard time pulling the cable around those bends and T's.  The resulting install may even violate the bend radius requirements for the cable.  If you cut out the elbows and T's and use those spots as pulling points, that should get around that problem.

You'd want to be sure that the pipes are protected by nailers where they pass through framing closer than 1-1/4" from the finish surface.  That could be a gray area.  You might assume that was the case when the central vac was installed, but if you're repurposing the pipe, your local code enforcement department may insist that it be re-inspected, which would mean removing the finish (drywall).


Dimmer stopped working but light switched on after maybe short-circuiting ceiling light

You have probably burnt out the dimmer due to the inrush of current during the short and I am guessing the on/off switch on the dimmer is mechanical and didn't burn out. The common cure for this is to replace the dimmer. When you do that you need to connect it up with the power off. Then turn the power on an see if everything is working.

Good luck


A few alternative approaches that don't require guessing:

If the nut fastens to a removable bolt rather than a bracket with a permanent threaded rod, don't bother trying to match the nut.  Replace both the bolt and nut with something about the same size that fits the existing holes.
If there is a removable bolt, but it also threads through other hardware, temporarily remove the bolt and nut and measure the size using the bolt.
If there is not a removable bolt, temporarily remove the nut and measure the size and thread of the exposed portion of the "bolt".  Put the nut back on until you buy the replacement.  If you have a thread gauge (or there are cheap ones you can buy), that will make it easier to get an accurate measurement on either the bolt or nut.
If you don't have a thread gauge and measurement is difficult, temporarily remove the nut.  Lubricate the nut and threads, then make a quick "casting" of the thread with hot melt glue or other material, including enough material to grab to unscrew the casting.  Unscrew the casting and put the nut back on the door.  Then take the casting to the hardware store to find a matching nut.


How to diagnose a broken Aprilaire humidifier (Model 600)?

It's likely functioning properly. A setting of 6, probably correlates to 40% relative humidity. According to the Owners Manual

  Your Aprilaire Automatic Humidifier, is a high precision system that will
  accurately maintain the relative humidity in your home to a maximum of
  45% RH and a minimum of 10% RH.

If the home is at a higher relative humidity, the unit should not come on.


The problem is actually the panel

And the crux of the problem is the panel is overstuffed and lacks space for the protective devices which make the aluminum issue largely moot.

So if I pressed for any concession at all, it'd be for either a new meter-main with a 40-space panel, or simply a 30-space subpanel.  That way you'll have enough breaker spaces for a modern house. You can stay with whatever brand that panel is (presumably BRyant or Murray, possibly Challenger->BR) so you can have same-family breakers in both panels.  To get into the gory details on the panel:

Wires double-tapped, triple-tapped or ???-tapped on the neutral (ground?) bar, which might not be a problem if the panel's labeling allows this and also aluminum wires.
Aluminum wires on neutral bars and breakers that might not be aluminum-rated with any modern meaningful rating system.  Fortunately this is a meter-main panel which is by definition a main panel; so neutral and ground bars can be the same. Further, accessory ground bars are readily available, and some take aluminum wire just fine being made of aluminum.
Breaker screw with 2 wires on it - is the breaker listed for 2 wires? No. Ironically it's a double-stuff with a perfectly good screw right next to it; or maybe the other is broken but a BR2020 breaker costs $10 so why not just swap it?
Alien breakers.  The top 2-pole is a Murray; the middle is certainly not a Murray or BR, and the third one is BRyant and looks like the main breaker. All of these breakers are wrong except one. Every breaker must be either UL-listed for that panel by the OEM, or or UL-classified by a competitor.
Dangerous panels. Yours is NOT one.  It might be Challenger, but that's a safe panel, only the breakers must go and be replaced with Eaton BR aka type C.
The gutter is very narrow on this panel, and there might not be room for AFCI/GFCI breakers.  This means move the circuit to a subpanel. Naturally, this will be the aluminum circuits.
Make sure the breakers actually match the wire size.  10AWG Al -> 20A breaker.  12 AWG Al -> 15A breaker.  I don't care if there's a #14 Cu pigtail on a 20A circuit, that's a codevio but it's only going 6 inches and it's inside a huge steel box.

Every aluminum-wire circuit must land on a breaker that is full-sized (not double-stuffed).  That is because we need to upgrade the breakers to AFCI, which detects arcing, which is the biggest risk with aluminum wire.  It's possible to get double-stuffed 2-pole breakers, so if those top 2 circuits are copper wire, and/or you can find other copper circuits, double-stuff those.

There is nothing wrong with consolidating 2 circuits down onto one breaker (as you see in the blue/red wire above) unless Code says otherwise. However the breaker must be pigtailed unless the breaker's screw is listed for 2 wires.

Aluminum wire can go directly to breaker screws labeled CU/AL. There is no need to pigtail as they had done.  (the AL/CU rating which caused all the problems on receptacles and switches is not the same rating! Complicated!)

Your questions

How old is it?  1975... at the risk of stating the obvious.  Aluminum wiring came into vogue in the 1960s during a housing boom which caused a copper shortage.  It carried on through the 1970s and into the 1980s.
How safe is it?  The wire is safe as houses. The problem is what the wires connect to: the lugs, clamps or screws.  Aluminum wiring approval was all done in a rush, and the AL/CU approval mark/standard proved to be a mistake.  Now, connections must be CO-ALR (R=Revised).

However, CU/AL (note slight difference) is an allowed rating for breakers, and that is good.

Also, as wires get larger, this simply becomes an non-issue. Nobody has ever worried about a #4 Al wire on a big fat lug (which is probably itself aluminum).

Is it still in production?  Maybe not that brand, but a slightly different alloy (AA-8000 vs AA-1350) is readily available, and you can safely wire your house with it.  Of course, every home inspector will freak out if you do.
Are these Cu pigtails OK?  From their lumpiness, these look like lug splices, which are the best kind: see Alumiconn. They were just fitted naked and then shrink tubing slid over them. I'm fine with these, mostly because they are inside a big steel box and protected by a 15/20A breaker, and soon, an AFCI breaker which will catch any arcing.  Don't do any more like that; there are plenty of CO-ALR receps and switches and CU-AL breakers available which can terminate directly to Al.


How do I remove moss from an outdoor brick walkway?

My immediate vote is for a pressure washer. They are relatively cheap these days. Lacking that, a simple high pressure hose nozzle and a good stiff brush will do well too. Various oxidizing bleaches will also work, all of which will last for only a limited time.

To stop it from returning is difficult, since any moist, shady spot under a tree or bush is likely to grow moss and algae of this sort.

One idea is to remove the overhanging growth from the planters. Trim them back. This will help the brick pavers to dry out, and will reduce the tendency for unwanted growth.

Another idea is to get creative, and buy some zinc strips. Copper flashing might work too, but they sell zinc strips specifically for roofing applications, where moss and algae tends to grow on roofs. The elemental zinc leaches out (very slowly) when it rains, which in turn inhibits growth of the algae where it leaches out. So you could afix these strips to the bottom edges of your planter. Make it decorative and it should help, although I cannot assure it will work perfectly. At least this will inhibit the moss.

Another idea is to buy/make a few copper pots or planters. Place them decoratively right on top of the problem spots. As the copper leaches out from weathering over the years, it too will inhibit growth on the walkway, you not be a problem for larger plants in the area. If you cannot find a pot you like, you can make a planter from wood, but then wrap copper flashing around it, nailing it in place.

Be creative if you wish to inhibit the growth.


How can I find a replacement external tub drain if the original has no identifiable markings?

Are you reinstalling a clawfoot or similar tub? Is this the overflow?  Was the bottom of the tub drain connected where the plastic fitting is?

Many vendors supply clawfoot tub reproduction plumbing.  The outlet sizes of the tub (both overflow and drain) determine the connections to be used.  The older clawfoots used 1 3/8 piping, the newer (and replacements, but check if its 100% reproduction) ones 1 1/2.


First, on subpanel size, don't short yourself.  A 70A panel is tiny.  You may think "Oh, this satisfies my immediate needs, and que cera cera"... but really, panel spaces are cheap.  Getting extra spaces now is a very cheap way to protect future plans.  I wouldn't consider anything less than a 12-space (24-circuit) panel.
We see a lot of people spend stupidly unnecessary amounts of money on things like the wrong wire... and then turn around and chintz out on the panel.  Overspend on the panel, it's one of the smallest expenses.  See also...
The garage subpanel needs a main breaker
Well, to be more precise, it needs a disconnect switch at the garage.  The cheapest/most efficient way to do that is a "main breaker" panel.   I guarantee you a 70A panel doesn't have that, so rethink the panel choices to find one with a main breaker.   Your alternative is an actual disconnect switch, but they can be $50 or more, and that plus your existing panel budget will get a really nice main-breaker panel.
1-1/4" conduit is a great idea
That gives you a lot of versatility.  It also accommodates up to 125A of wire capacity.
Those wires
You cannot use NM cable outdoors. Do not buy that.
Now, it really depends how much power you really want out there. From the loads you described, it seems like you could get by with a 30A feed.  Remember you get 2 legs of that voltage, so I'm assuming a 15A 240V compressor that sits on both legs, and then two 15A 120V appliances on one leg each.
But let's be more generous and say 50A, because that's a happy number when using THHN wire in conduit.  You can't do this with cable, but with THWN in conduit, you can use #8 copper or #6 aluminum wire (price it both ways).  You need three THWN wires, and one ground wire (copper #10 will suffice for up to 60A).
You might as well use aluminum since the lugs are aluminum, and it's 1/4 the cost. Aluminum works fine in feeder like this.
If you really want 70A, then again THWN in conduit gives you an advantage as this only requires #6 copper or #4 aluminum conductors and a #8 ground.  (cable would require a size bump).
If you go #3 copper or #1 aluminum you are good for 100A with a #8 ground.
(Above 100A you'll need #6Cu or #4Al ground wire).
The #2 copper you originally proposed (at $7/foot are you kidding me, $800 on wire??) is good for 125A.  But you cannot use NM-B wire. If you really wanted 125A, then you should use #1/0 Aluminum for $200 lol.  (with a #4 aluminum ground wire).
At 110 feet you do not need to enlarge the wire for "voltage drop". That's not a factor until about 180'.


Can I "daisy-chain" LED strip lights to my bathroom exhaust fan and have them work on the same light switch?

Since your LED strips are powered by a 5V DC the correct answer is:

  No, you can't directly add DC equipment to an AC circuit.

However, you can add a 110 V AC outlet to the switchable part of the circuit that the fan is on and plug in what ever adapter you were planning on running your LEDs off of from that.

Assuming you want these LEDs on the ceiling near the center of the room, you probably want to use a ceiling box (for lights) instead  of a standard switch box so that any future owner, or change in taste will allow you easily to convert to another fixture.

along with a cover like this:

They also sell these in decora or single outlet style:

Alternately, (and what I'd probably do) in place of a ceiling box, you could install a recessed light fixture, then use a socket to outlet adapter and plug your 5V DC transformer into that:

I see that in your comments you are worried about flickering. This shouldn't be a problem, unless the circuit is overloaded (if so you need to run a new line from your breaker box), or had a ton of compact florescent bulbs on it (they dirty the power by only pulling during the maximum voltage differential).


What affects air quality indoors after home improvement?

"Air quality" is an ambiguous phrase.

This baby monitor that you bought, on what basis does it determine the air quality in the room? Carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, radon, particulates, pollen, VOCs, smoke?

There are literally thousands of things that can affect air quality. I don't think I would get too worried about a baby monitor, that doubles as an air quality sensor, giving you an overall poor reading without knowing why it is showing a poor reading.

Open the room (and your house) once a week and get fresh air into the room. If you are really concerned get a better piece of equipment to monitor your air quality that shows specifics about the content of the air. That would give you a better idea how to remedy poor air quality.

Good luck!


Why is there a 1/2-inch hole drilled in my heater exhaust?

The short answer is this: it makes no sense for a sealed combustion appliance to intentionally leak exhaust gases to the building interior. There was probably a legitimate reason for the hole to be drilled -- maybe there was a need to measure the pressure inside that pipe to assure the installation was okay, or as part of the troubleshooting of a "blocked exhaust" error code thrown by the furnace controls -- it's difficult to be sure. In any case it seems reasonable to seal the hole.

I can't speak for your specific appliance, but in general, yes it's normal to have condensate when longer exhaust lengths are involved. The liquid may flow to the exterior or back to the appliance depending on the slope of the exhaust. Some appliances are designed to receive and drain the condensate; others are not (but a condensate catchment accessory may be available). Consult the appliance installation instructions for details.

You mentioned both an air conditioner drain and a heater drain. Does the heater drain originate in the inducer fan housing? If so it sounds like your furnace is equipped to deal with condensate. I'd verify that the drain is working, maybe by running a few ounces of water in through that exhaust hole and verifying that most of it flows out the drain. Then seal up the hole in the exhaust pipe.

Exhaust condensate is somewhat corrosive (acidic), so it should be handled with materials designed to deal with it. A puddle of condensate on the floor is Less Ideal.


What is the proper name for this type of washer?

Using google image search, your photo is used on a UK company's web site:

https://titanclassics.com/product/m6-washer-spacer

They call it a washer spacer, however, that term is not very definitive:

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=%22washer+spacer%22&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=%22spacer+washer%22&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=washer+spacer&iax=images&ia=images
More definitively, they are called "flange bushings" or "flanged bushings":

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=flange+bushing&iax=images&ia=images

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=flanged+bushing&iax=images&ia=images

Somewhat less definitively are "step washers" or "stepped washers" and  "shoulder washer"

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=step+washers&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=stepped+washers&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=shoulder+washer&iax=images&ia=images


What is this metal cylinder with a connected wire that i found in my apparement

That is remote sensor and capillary tube for a nearby radiator or radiant floor circuit's actuator "thermostat".

Example product: Danfoss RA2972 https://store.danfoss.com/en/Heating-and-District-Energy/Radiator-Thermostats/Radiator-Sensors/Room-sensor-mTRV/RA-2000-Sensors/p/013G2972 the product pictures does not show the tube between the actuator and the sensing bulb.

I've no idea whether the gas/liquid filling of the capillary system is harmful or not.


Run HVAC fan throughout the day for comfort

Continuous fan operation equalizes temperature and humidity between different areas of the home, and particularly between levels (where convection results in higher upstairs temperatures). It's also the case that even minor airflow helps a person feel cooler by enhancing evaporation on the skin. It's a good practice to reduce cooling costs because the compressor won't need to run as much for a given comfort level.

Sure, there's some wear to the fan bearings incurred, but fan startup is hard on the fan, so there's benefit from fewer startup cycles as well. I don't see how fan speed is particularly important except with respect to noise, should that be a concern.


Things don't just start malfunctioning for no reason at all.

The smoke and discoloration from heat means something is broke or you have a loose connection.

It is possible that the connections to the terminal block were not as tight as they are supposed to be and created a high resistance connection over time.

Sounds like you may need to replace the terminal block if it is badly damaged. (If it is not that damaged, there is nothing much to go wrong with them.) At that point, when you remove the leads to the heating elements you can check the elements for resistance to make sure they are still good.

If all the elements and leads are good then reinsert the leads and tighten the connections into a new connection block. If any are open or shorted then replace them. Then test each of the ranges functions to verify it is in good working order.

Good luck!


The best systems have a return in every room that has a supply register, but a lot of systems work just fine with only a central return (usually located right at the furnace). To achieve the highest efficiency, you're going to have to do a heat load calculation, however it sounds like it's working fine.

A good system will have balancing dampers placed throughout the duct work, but you can also balance the system by e.g., half closing all of the registers upstairs, to force more air into the basement.


Outdoor kids playset - type of lumber use/look for

You won't want to use pressure treated wood in any application where people will be touching the wood often, especially children.  Cedar is a good wood for outdoor applications, and is often used in playhouses and swing sets. If you've got really deep pockets, Teak is a very good choice for outdoor applications. Teak is often used in higher end patio furniture, because is is very low maintenance and stands up well to weather, due to its high oil content much like cedar.

You could probably get away with any type of wood (even pine), but you'd have to seal it yearly and replace pieces if they did start to rot.


Ceiling electrical box rated for fan, and type of screws

The label says so, so yeah, it's fan rated

You can see a partially painted over label there that says it can handle a 70-pound fan or fixture when attached to joists that are 24" on center, so yeah, it's a fan rated box alright.  However, it appears to use a metal hanger bar running across a joist bay (instead of mounting to a joist directly in the fashion a pancake or saddle box does).

As to what screws to use....

I would use 10-32 screws, about 3/4" longer than the depth of the box (so 2.5" or 3" long) and screw them into the holes in the back of the box that lie behind the cover-plate mounting ears -- they need to engage into the hanger bar behind the box in order to mount the fan correctly, it appears, in your case.


How should I connect an outlet to two white and three black wires?

That's  because  your wiring is in conduit, which is actually the deluxe way to do things.
I disagree with the advice you are getting regarding "hook the supply wires to LINE and the other wires to LOAD".   You should not use LOAD at all, ever, unless you are doing a very specific thing, you know exactly what you are doing, and you comply with Code in doing it.  That "thing" is extending GFCI protection to other outlets.  You must label those outlets "GFCI Protected", which obviously requires that you know which ones they are lol.
Protecting random downlines-you-know-not-where seems like a "can't hurt, might help" sort of thing... but actually, it can go badly wrong several ways, and you don't have the experience to resolve those problems.  It is likely to turn into a fiasco... Just avoid LOAD altogether as a general rule.
Those wires don't appear to be color-coded.  My guess is you are looking at
2 whites = neutral (supply and onward)
2 blacks = always-hot (supply and onward)
Solo black = switched-hot
If there's a switch somewhere that appears to do nothing, that may switch  this wire.  (provision for Christmas lights?)  Perhaps they wanted to give you the option of a "split receptacle" (one socket powered one not).  That won't happen with a GFCI obviously, but you could choose whether to attach the GFCI to the unswitched or the switched wires.
So you'll be putting 1 or 2 wires on each LINE terminal... read the GFCI instructions for how to do that, and torque the screws HARD (preferably to spec with a torque screwdriver).


Will surface scuffs be a long-term issue in a new concrete walkway?

Well the folks who "scratched" your delicate "green" (fresh, uncured, weak) concrete with their machinery should be fixing this for you, or paying your concrete guy to fix it if they are not the concrete guy.
It won't get better, and it's hard to do much (short of tear out and repour a section) to fix a thin layer like that, because thin layers do not bond well and tend to spall off again.
There's a section of sidewalk near me that looks horrible because it was not covered (or the cover was not secured properly and blew off in a thunderstorm) while still wet and got poured on, taking the finish layer off. Rain is good once the concrete has set/hardened (the cure needs water) but bad when the material is still wet - not your issue, as the parts that were not abused seem to be fine per your description - you just have damage because the green (and very weak at that point in time) concrete was "scratched by machinery" before it could become strong.


What could be causing me to occasionally hear an arcing sound when toggling a switch?

If you've replaced most of your lightbulbs with CFL or LED bulbs, they present a more inductive load to your power line than incandescent bulbs.  This inductance, usually caused by a power converter inside the bulb, doesn't like it when the switch opens.

This inductance will actually force current through the switch as it opens, causing a much larger arc than would normally be expected from incandescent bulbs.

You'll also see this on circuits using 12V lighting (some track lighting and other specialized lighting).

The arcing is safely contained inside the switch, but it will wear the switch down over time, presenting a greater resistance in the power path and heating up.  While it will never pose a fire hazard (as long as it's UL rated or similar) it may eventually fail.

If you want to avoid the noise associated with the arcing, get a dimmer that is compatible with all the lamps on the circuit and make sure they are dimmable.  The dimmer switches the load electronically, and even if you never use the dimming feature the arcing will not occur.  However, the same issues are still present and dimmers under these circumstances will wear out more quickly and fail just as the switches would.

You could also replace the lamps and lamp styles to reduce the arcing.  Remove all the lamps, check to make sure there's no arcing (if there is, there are other loads you need to remove, or you have low voltage lighting) and then put each lamp in one by one, testing between each lamp.  You may find that it takes a certain number of lamps (in which case a 20 amp switch might resolve the problem, even though the circuit may only be 15 amps), or certain types or styles of lightbulbs or lamps are the problem.


The problem with all liquid drain cleaners is contact time; they need time to dissolve the clot materials, but if there is even a small amount of flow, they drain away and thus stop working. A good snaking job is much much better. If you were using the typical sink snake that is long and thin, try renting the type that is a long flexible spiral steel spring with a way to rotate it. Rotating it is how you get down past the trap. Also as you do it, pull it out every few feet and look at the material on the end to make sure it is getting something. If it is primarily hair, get a good hair trap for the drain to prevent it from going down there in the future.


Search for a switch lockout or a switch guard.  Either will solve your problem, but the lockout is easier to open and change the setting, the guard is more permanent.

A third option is any of the child proof switches.


Sometimes this is a resonant refill valve -- pushing the toilet, or a minor leak through the flush valve, shifts the water level just enough to open the valve a hair, and then it bounces between open and closed a few times until the water level comes up enough to close it more reliably. Fiddling with the water level may help, but replacing the refill mechanism is likely to help more.

(And since this is telling you that the flap valve is leaking a bit, you might want to consider replacing that too while you're at it.)


Can I span conduit 15 feet between my home and unattached garage?

You could also fabricate a "strut"* structure to span the distance, then strap the conduit to the strut. The issue is that you can't rely on the mechanical strength of the conduit to support itself (and the wire inside of it) for distances over 10ft.

*(Unitstrut or Superstrut are brands of construction members for making light frameworks for holding pipes and conduits typically sold at plumbing and electrical supply houses, but sometimes available at larger home centers)

http://www.tnb.com/pub/en/brands/superstrut

https://www.unistrut.us/


Water pad for humidifier-can I buy larger and cut it to the size of my humidifier?

I have the same Hunter model and I have look around for a replacement filter but no one carries them anymore. I ended up buying a filter from Home Depot that looked similar and cut it to size using a hacksaw. As long as you are gentle with the hacksaw blade it seems to work.

The new filter should be the same thickness.


White spirit vs. meths vs. IPA for cleaning/preparing surfaces

You need to match the solvent to the type of material you trying to remove. Fundamentally there are polar and nonpolar molecules. Water and denatured alcohol are polar and mineral spirits is nonpolar. Oils are nonpolar, which is why oil and water don't mix. So to clean up an oily surface, you need mineral spirits. Somehow some dishwashing liquids also work (like Dawn).
YES...I know there is a LOT more to this subject, but just trying to answer the OP's question without going overboard.


Water infiltration can com from surface water or sub-surface water.

Surface water is easier to detect and fix. If you have added onto the length of the house, perhaps the surface water cannot run around the end anymore. That water could puddle and seep into the ground and then eventually seep into the crawl space.

Subsurface water is harder to locate and eliminate. If the ground is so saturated that it can’t flow away from the house, it will flow in the direction of least resistance, which could be into the crawl space...especially if the ground has been disturbed for the new addition. (Water will flow through the disturbed soil before it will flow through the older original excavation.)

The only way to fix subsurface water problems is to install a perforated drainline in drainrock down below your crawl space and extend the drainline to a location where it can discharge or where you can collect it and then pump it out.


Where can I store outdoor patio or deck furniture over the winter?

If you have no space in a garage or shed (like me) then outside is your only option. I use a 20'x20' plastic tarp tied around my four patio chairs and table on my deck. They've survived 6 Minnesota winters. After a big snowfall, sometimes I'll sweep the snow off if it accumulates.


why does my main service electrical panel not have a ground? or is it bonded already?

You have an old "BX cable" installation.  This was common 100 years ago they ran "flexible armored cable" in homes - quite often in conjunction with "knob and tube" wiring.  There were NO separate "safety grounds" at the time.  The panels DID NOT HAVE a separate "safety ground" bus panel.  "Safety grounding" was SOMETIMES done at the meter panel, then a metal tube ran from the meter to the breaker box, supposedly providing a ground path, and then the supposedly grounded panel box itself provided a ground through the BX armor on the wires assuming the correct metal clamps were used on the jacket of the BX cable where it entered into the panel.  Sometimes they would run a "ground" wire from the panel to a cold water pipe.
The CORRECT WAY to have electrical outlets in this setup was to have UNGROUNDED outlets WITHOUT a ground prong.  Of course this would require using the "cheater" 3-into-2 with a dangling ground wire things everywhere.  But at least the user plugging anything in would know the system was ungrounded and could either buy double-insulated appliances or take their chances.
"back in the day" people would sometimes drill holes in these panels and install a separate ground bus and ground wires assuming space existed in the breaker panel.  Yours certainly does not have enough space for this IMHO.   I personally would question if all those breakers in there would even trip at all they are so old.  Plus you do NOT have a proper main disconnect breaker.
If this was mine I would demolish the main panel and buy a modern one with modern safety "smart" breakers in it.  Your incoming cabling from the meter also looks like possibly a 100amp (or maybe lower) service and I would suspect the thing is already overloaded so demolish all that and replace with a proper modern feed from the meter.  Those old 2 wire systems are safety hazards and at the least, doing it this way will give you some GFCI/AFCI protection and with an old wiring system like that, plus given the tampering it has likely suffered over the years, that would be the wise choice.
Look at it this way - you are already saving a ton of money installing your own mini-split, well I would rather be safe from electrocution in my own home than cool so take that savings and spend it on a main panel replacement.  Yes I know you are looking for a quick answer here but there is none.  There is NO safe way of "modifying" this installation to make it safer with ground wires and whatnot and the second you touch the panel like that you are required by law to follow code and there's no jurisdiction out there that would allow a panel like this to remain and meet code.


How do I finish this wood box extension I made, to match the drywall around it?

I have used a wall paper that has the same surface texture as drywall in the past to cover custom jobs like this. I like the look better than just primer and painting. From my experiance there will be less cracks at the interface from the block of wood to the ceiling and the paint color is uniform where going from sheetrock to wood there is usually a shift because of the texture difference.


How can I build a wood fence to block sound?

Solid is better than not solid. Thicker is better than thinner.

But at the end of the day, wood fences won't do much to dampen sound at all.

If you can, go with a solid fence of some sort (block, brick, etc.) but that'd be expensive and laborious, of course.

If you have to stick with wood, go with solid panels and then plant a lot of shrubs on both sides of the fence. That might help over time. But don't invest in this thinking you will see sound dampening of all that much.

That said, it does appear there are some products on the market to help with this. I know nothing of these and are merely mentioning them as possible things to investigate:

this looks like a sound deadening 'tarp' you attach to your fence: http://www.acoustiblok.com/acoustical_fence.php
this one is a 'blanket' that attaches to the fence: http://www.acousticsblog.com/2014/reduce-unwanted-outdoor-noise-sound-blocking-fence/
another idea I've seen is to string chicken wire between posts (both sides) and then fill the center with mulch. I like the idea, though dread the maintenance (as I think you'd have to refresh the mulch every few years.


If the humidity outside the garage is so much lower than inside, you could go the other way and use a fan to increase ventilation to prevent humidity buildup inside.

We made a poly 'clean room' inside an old garage before and had to tear it all out after the outside of the poly started to mildew against the walls...


Light switch with hot pig tail under screw & hot wire in a push-in conncection

Add the extra hot to the pigtail and then you don't need the push-in connection, which is less reliable than the screw connection.


What size wire for two 100 amp sub panels?

The size of wire you use will depend on a few factors, including how it is being run.

If you plan to use conduit to run both sets of SE cables, you need to derate them, unless the conduit is able to enforce proper spacing (which it likely isn't). For two sets of 3-wire cables (four with ground), that is 4 conductors (neutrals aren't counted since they only carry imbalance current in a split-phase cable). In that case, your derating is to 80% of wire ampacity for its temperature rating.

In this case, 2GA copper wire is appropriate because it services 130A, which derates to 104A. If you have them running separately, then you can use up to 4GA. See this table.

Lastly, you were concerned with voltage drop. I'd say don't be. 4GA over 20 ft has a resistance of 5mΩ, which means at 100A, you would get .5V total drop. If you include the return trip (40ft total length), that's still only 1V... Check out this calculator.

All of this, however, assumes that each subpanel has a separate feeder breaker in the main breaker panel. If you plan to feed-through or do a T-splice from one cable to two panels, you will need to size for 200A since the cables can carry the full 200A load.

Also see this question.


The joists are likely on either 16 inch or 24 inch on center (OC) spacing, though rarely some are 19.2 inch oc. They will usually span in the direction of the shortest room dimension but not always.

Since you have one located as you noted, I suggest measuring 16 inch and 24 inch in both directions and try drilling there and you should hit them with one of the holes. You can also 'thump' with your knuckle or object to get listen for the difference between the solid sound near a joist and the hollow sound between joists to get an idea of where they are located. And if you get very good, can even locate them fairly well.

Your stud finder might have another setting for thick walls, try using that. Also, the stud finder works only if you start between joists. It senses depth of objects and only reports thicker ones. So if you start on a joist, it will not tell you anything. Also, because of how it works, a stud finder does not give good results for walls or ceilings that have very rough surfaces or surfaces that change in thickness.

Note that you need to attach to the middle of the joist so simply hitting a joist with your drilled hole is not really enough. Once you locate a joist you can drill on either side until you find one of the edges, mark it, and then the other edge is usually 1-1/2 inch away (it can be more for manufactured joists), mark it, then attach to the middle of the two lines which is, of course, the middle of the joist.


How to adjust a pressure regulator, that doesn't have a screw/bolt?

My guess is that the screw is missing and you're getting the lowest possible pressure as a result. If it were me, I'd just replace it if you're able to access the other side and clear away the water under it (why is there water under it?). With access to both sides, replacing it is an easy DIY job if you're comfortable cutting and soldering pipes.


I would say the overflow or whatever is on the sill plate would be more likely to cause a problem it looks like you have enough area for a trap but the angle could be deceiving. If there is enough water to trap the gas the next thing to look at that may be pulling water out of a trap is a plugged vent. I have seen plugged vents pull water out of several traps when a toilet was flushed.

Added per op photo:
Ok wow the leak looks to be from a no hub or fernco coupler. That may be the source of the smell, in a case like this I like to run some bleach water prior to working on it even in my own home. 2 reason it flushes nastys down ant if you can smell the bleach the fernco is leaking.
If this is leaking it would be best to purchase a new one I like the metal reenforced like you have they keep the rubber from bulging.
These are a rubber sleeve with pipe clamps at top and bottom, the plastic pipe on top and cast below both fit and this is the seal.
Tips use a wire brush on the cast to clean it up. Wipe down the plastic pipe.
I put a coating of silicone calking in a few of the ribs inside the rubber this helps to seal especially on the rusty cast not a lot barely fill 2-3 ribs or a light film if no ribs.
Get it in place and tighten the hose clamps. , I don’t think your trap is bad but when a toilet flushes if your vent above is not clear it may pull the water out but the design looks ok.


How can I drain the hot water line in my house? (re: adding a spigot)

Residential hot water systems normally supply both hot and cold water based on the pressure of the cold water coming into the house. The procedure for working on hot or cold is pretty much the same:

Turn off the house shutoff valve (which by definition is cold water)
Open faucet(s) to drain water/release pressure.

If your hot water heater is downstairs and you are working above it (the floor above or the pipe you are working on is higher than the output of the hot water heater) then this is pretty straightforward. If you are working on pipes below the hot water heater output then you will effectively be draining part (or all) of the hot water heater in the process, but I don't see any way around that.

If you will be (effectively) draining the hot water heater then I recommend turning it off before you get started (turn off the gas or flip the breaker) to avoid any problems that might be caused by letting it heat a less than full tank. Keep in mind that older gas water heaters use a pilot light, so restarting them is NOT as simple as "turn on the gas".

Slight modification for your setup: If you have (which I think you said you have) a cold water shutoff on the input to the hot water heater and you are ONLY working on hot water pipes, you can use that shutoff valve instead of the house shutoff valve. That has the advantage that you will continue to have cold water in the house while working on the hot water pipes. However, you still need to open faucets (just hot water) to drain water/release pressure before you start working, and the warning about possibly turning off your hot water heater still applies. But as Tyson pointed out, this is not foolproof and using the house cutoff may still be a good idea.


Is 8/3 stranded wire ok to power a 100amp subpanel?

Take that subpanel back

I know the panel is marketed as "12 circuit (6 space)".  This is bold-faced lying. This claim depends on using "double-stuff" breakers (2 breakers in 1 space) which cannot support GFCI or AFCI, required in almost every circuit today. Who cares, though?  I need 6, I have 6. True, that's fine for today.  But look how quickly you came up with this idea.  Tomorrow you could come up with another idea that needs some more spaces.  As R.M.E. discusses, you are electrically undersubscribed (especially if you go 300W for the heaters).  Or you could later upsize the supply wire.

Swapping a panel is a nightmare job, and you pay for the panel twice.  The right time to upsize the panel is when you buy the first one.   I for one like to finish a job such 60% of the spaces are still unused.  So here, a 16 or 18 space panel would be my minimum.   Also, larger panels come with free "starter" breakers - and if a panel is $35 extra but comes with a $40 AFCI breaker, that's a win. Another win is when a panel comes with the mandatory ground bar(s) instead of chiseling you for another $8 for it.

Subpanel requirements

I smell the influence of big-box stores here.  Buy cable staples there.  Complex things like this, go straight to a proper electrical supply house. Their staff gives good advice, most are competitive on price, and they stock a wide variety so they are able to sell you exactly the right thing.

The panel must have a separate neutral and ground bar.  The neutral bar will be tied to ground/chassis, and you'll need to remove that tie.

The panel needs to be at least 40A obviously; larger is fine.  A 200A panel can handle 40A.  Since you're in the same building, main-lug is fine, main breaker is also OK, and the main breaker size doesn't matter. (>=40A obviously).

AFCI/GFCI

Attics are ambiguous so you'll need to have a conversation with your AHJ (that's Authority Having Jurisdiction, or your local electrical inspector) about whether you need AFCI, GFCI or both on these receptacles.  Since I doubt you're gingerly stepping on open joists at peril of putting your foot through the ceiling drywall, I rather expect this attic is at least partially finished.  If it's finished enough to be livable space, then it definitely needs AFCI and that needs to be in the panel (or right next to it in an awkward deadfront configuration) since AFCI's main job is protect the wiring after the panel, and as such, stop house fires.

Given the presence of water and a heater immersed in water, GFCI also seems like a pretty good idea, but that can happen at the receptacle.

Cable

The 8/3 cable (also with ground, meaning 4 wires in total) will suffice for 40A, the breaker you already have there.  If you need to extend the cable, remember you must make splices inside a junction box!  And the junction box cover must remain accessible without tools (pulling an oven out is OK).

Also beware the building codes: Some Codes require that you provision a 40A service to the oven location even if you aren't using it right now.  You are still OK if it is legal for you to remove the subpanel and its extra circuits and doing so won't violate any other building or electrical codes (e.g. location of receptacles).

That "conduit"

You're not using it as conduit.  You're using it as a protective shield to protect the cable from damage. That means you do not need to foll the rules of the "conduit wiring method", but do need to follow the rules of the "non-metallic cable wiring method".

You simply cannot have data cables running with power cable. You also can't have low voltage (thermostat, doorbell) cables run with power cables.  If you are installing raceway and anticipate sending both power and data up it, install 2 raceways at least 4" apart.

Since you're in split-phase 120V/240V power, this is simple: generally you can't have more than 4 circuits running together without having to painfully derate their capacity. Exactly 4 circuits is OK if wire size is #8 or smaller.  For larger wire, you have to get out the sharp pencil and  run the numbers.  (The derate rules actually apply to 2 circuits or more, but that's only an issue for heavy feeder.)

Subscribing your power

First, what you have (4-wire, 40A) is 240V x 40A = 9600 VA of available service.  If you are using 120V, you have two 120V "legs" of 40A each, or 4800 VA per leg. Do everything you can to balance the circuit, overloading 1 leg will cause both legs to trip down at the main panel.  Re-read my answer on "double-stuff" breakers above for how poles are laid out inside panels, for more info on balancing.

A "continuous load" (potentially on for 3 hours or more) must be derated by 125% (i.e. a 1000W load counts as 1250W).  Only you know your setup, but I assume if a 1000W tank heater ran at full power for 3 hours solid, you'd have fish soup.  So I'm not derating those, correct this if I'm wrong.  For a resistive heater, watts = VA.

A/C: 8A x 120V = 960VA x 125% = 1200VA
Heaters: 1000W = 1000VA ..... x3 = 3000VA (on at the same time after a power outage; otherwise intermittent). Now if the heaters are continuous loads, they count as 1250VA each.

So your installed, known loads take 4200VA (derated) out of 9600VA available, leaving 5400VA for your two receptacle circuits.  You're fine.

In fact, I would pencil in 500VA for each receptacle circuit, and then you're at 54% of circuit capacity.  I'm worried you have too few spaces, because this can support more.

By the way, this sort of "oversubscribing" panels - having 95A of breakers in a panel being supplied with 80A - is totally normal at much higher ratios than this.  Use known loads if you know them, but for the loads you can't know, you pretty much count on not every circuit being used to the max at the same time.

If, indeed, you do not need to derate the tank heaters, you may be able to get away with 2 of them (1000VA each, derated) on a 20A circuit (2400VA).  This could save you some money on AFCI/GFCI.  One tank plus the A/C (1200VA, derated) would total 2200VA and would also fit on a 20A circuit.


How to attach a security camera to an existing box?

Many camera's like this popular Lorex model:

come with a small 2" surface mounting "Plate" that you can use if you don't have electrical box mounting.  They also screw into a 1/2" weatherproof threaded knockout, so that they can be used with 4" weatherproof flood light accessory plates:


How can I install a ceiling fan that needs a 4" box where I only have a 3" box?

If the ceiling is concrete, you can mount the fan to that.  Fan boxes are meant to support the fan, but a concrete ceiling will support it just fine.  As long as there's enough room in the box for the wiring, use the 4" fan bracket to mark two holes outside the box on the concrete that won't interfere with the wiring coming out of the box, and use appropriate tools and fasteners to attach the fan bracket to the concrete around the old box.

If you can't modify the box, chances are good, being embedded in concrete, that it'll still hold the heavier load of the fan designed for the bigger box, and you can modify the fan bracket, or use an adaptor.

If none of these solutions seem workable you can buy a 4" box, and mount it to the 3" box, then mount the fan to it.  It's not ideal, as the fan mount would no longer be flush to the ceiling, but it should work just fine, and provide all the room you need for wiring.


This cinderblock outbuilding's windows and doors were covered by metal siding. How can I turn them back into windows and doors?

Marking the edges of the siding and use a circular saw with a high tooth count carbide blade. I have cut hundreds of feet of metal both ferrous and aluminum with a circular saw. The hard part here will be extending your openings and making wider looking walls but it can be done. Best to pull all the trim so you have the max opening and make 1 cut, put new trim (jambs and sills) then a finish piece around to cover.
A tip, once I pull the trim inside, I drill holes at the corners then I cut the opening 1/2” wider than the holes. The trim fits easily in the hole and the exterior trim around covers the small gap.


What is the minimum thickness a new top layer of concrete should be when poured over an existing concrete walkway?

If you are going to put 3" down you would be better served to do a new walkway. Have you looked into "slabjacking" or "mudjacking" to raise your old slabs. Might be cheaper if the surface of your old slabs is still in good shape.


Could work done to lower a radiator have caused a loss of water pressure from a combi boiler?

Absolutely: You may have not bled the radiator system enough so you have air bubbles in the primary loop.

To bleed a radiator:

Open the valve
Drain at least 2L of water after no more air is coming out

Repeat this for every radiator (air may have migrated).


What is an appropriate sealer for a Papercrete bench?

I'd be tempted to use something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Rustoleum-239417-GAL-Stain-Sealer/dp/B0013TMC4E

But I really don't have much experience with these types of projects.


Can I make an existing dog door bigger for our new larger dog?

Usually, yes.  It's normally just a matter of removing the old door, cutting the hole bigger for the new one and installing the new one.  The challenges come when your door has interesting features like inset panels, hardware, etc.


Can I run a cable straight into a junction box?

Clamps are required to protect the cable from damage, I like raco brand insiders because they are quick and inexpensive, there are also 2 screw cable clamps that are commonly used to protect cables like T&B nc301 , these are easily found at plumbing and electric shops or big box stores.


How can power drawn from one outlet cause another outlet to burn up?

Note: I'm assuming you are in North America.

Most likely, the power passed through the "bad" outlet on its way to the outlet you overloaded. A standard US outlet (pair) has two screws each for the hot and neutral, as well as two "back-stab" holes for each. It is not uncommon to connect the wires coming from the breaker box to one pair and the wires going to the next outlet to another, rather than joining the wires and running "pigtails" (short wires) to the intermediate outlet.

If  one of the connections is not making good contact, the resistance will generate heat under the heavy load and this can damage the outlet. Most likely, the back-stabs were used, which are known to come loose.

(Side note: the reason there are two sets of connections is to allow isolating each of the two outlets, for example, if you wanted only one outlet switched. There are metal tabs on both sides of the assembly connecting the top to the bottom. These can be broken off. If you are examining an outlet and either or both tabs has been removed, then something else may be happening with that outlet.)

[Excuse the poor drawing]

Using back-stabs with power passing through the outlet. This is to be avoided.

Using side screws with power passing through the outlet. This is better.

You can also avoid running the power through the outlets by using wirenuts and pigtails to the screws on the outlet. This avoids running the power through the outlet to the next and is marginally better than the previous.

If I were you, I'd check (or hire someone to check) each outlet in your home. Look for signs of damage from heat and replace any such outlets. Also, if the back-stabs were used, change to use the side screws instead or use wirenuts with pigtails to the side screws.

If you do replace any outlets, check if either of the metal tabs has been removed. If so, make sure to break off the same tabs on the new outlet and don’t change the wiring unless you understand how it works.

Also check the tightness of any screws already in use.


Is there any material capable of cancelling low frequencies sounds like a thunder (60Hz)?

Acoustic foam could be used to dampen all noise and create some insulation, thunder & fireworks contain broad band noise everything from low frequencies to high frequencies, 60hz is the noise you hear around transformers.

If you insulate and have a dead airspace that will also provide some shelter from the noise. I have trained hunting dogs and use a starter pistol and after the noise treat them with a cookie (dog treat like the tiny milk bones) within a few days they are not bothered by the noise and we change from food treats to toys to chase this has been great for young dogs,

For dogs that are noise shy I have only found getting mild tranquilizers was the only thing that worked well. I had an Australian Shepard that went through several windows trying to get out of the house so we would put her in her kennel inside and give her a pill in some cheese to keep her from getting heft and breaking more windows.


Is it possible to use a hot water recirculation pump with a PEX home run system?

There are two issues to the time needed for hot water; one: the home run from the manifold to the faucet and two: the feed line from the hot water heater through the manifold. The key is to know how much cold water is sitting in the lines and the flow rate of your faucet. You can do a search for "PEX specifications" to get the volume of water in the lines. The volume of water is based on inside diameter and length so is applicable to any pipe that is measured by inside diameter, not just PEX. You can time how long it takes to fill a container, like a 2 quart measuring cup to calculate your flow rate.

1/2" PEX holds .92 gallons per 100'. On a relatively short 25' run, that's .23 gallons, on a relatively long 50' run, that's .46 gallons. With a 1.5 gal. per minute faucet, thats almost 10 seconds for the 25' run and 20 seconds for the 50' run. But wait, there's more! Look at that 12' of 3/4" line from the water heater to the manifold. And also consider the more that 1' run through the hot side of the manifold which can be as large as 1 1/4" inside diameter. Because of the larger diameters, that's another .25 gallons. You've added another 10 seconds. Now you have 20 seconds for the 25' run and 30 seconds for the 50' run.

The most effective and expensive option is to place the line that you most want fast hot water to at the far end of the manifold and recirculate only that one. It now has almost instant hot water and everywhere else has it 10 seconds sooner because the water in the manifold is now hot.

A less effective but probably much cheaper alternative is to move the last hot line off the manifold to a tee above the manifold like the other one shown there. That frees up the end port to use for recirculating. No sink has instant hot water but this cuts 10 seconds off wait times at all locations and is simple to plumb and insulate.

The absolute cheapest would be if the plumber had set the water heater a couple feet over and used the code minumum 18" connector between the water heater and the manifold. That would have cut out 10 1/2' of 3/4" pipe and would have reduced the wait time at all locations by about 7 seconds. It could still be done but, since the manifold would have to be turned over so that the feeds are on the bottom, which also reverses which side the hot lines are on, it would be time comsuming.

Note that this example used a typical 1.5 gal/min lavatory faucet. A 2.0 gal/min kitchen faucet would take less time. If you have a 1.0 or 1.2 gal/min low flow faucet, the wait is longer. If you have an ultra low flow 0.5 gal/min faucet, make a sandwich or read a book while you wait.


Yes, you can apply silicone over most other adhesives and caulks. It should bond well. Keep in mind that silicone isn't paintable, in case that's your end goal.

Also, applying more caulk of any kind may make your bead more conspicuous, defeating the purpose of doing so (from an aesthetic perspective).


What is the correct router bit for cutting shapes out of plywood

I think that for what you're describing, a simple 1/4" shank straight bit is what you want.  If you use the up-spiral type, it will clear sawdust better.  I don't know if that will make a difference with your setup, you'd have to experiment with your CNC, test to see what speeds work best with which bits for different materials.


Remove ceiling lamp holder to change light bulb

The arrow on the clip can also indicate that the glass diffuser should be pushed in the direction of the arrow.

That would cause the diffuser to disengage from the other two clips.


How can I protect hardwood floors from a deep freezer defrosting?

I am sure they sell large pans somewhere but that shouldn't be a concern.  Your freezer should be contained, in that if there is a power outage and everything melts - the water should stay in your freezer.

Note:  I have to think if I was putting a deep freezer on my hardwoods I would lay it on an area rug.  Even insulated the freezer bottom is pretty cold comparatively so I would try to bridge that temperature gap.  I would not worry about spillage though.  Although you could test this before bringing it in your house with a hose.


Stacking drywall sheets in the bed of a smaller pickup

Most small trucks have indentations or molded rails at the same level as the wheel arches which accept crosswise two-by lumber for just this purpose.

image source
If yours doesn't, three simple platforms comprising said crosswise two-by and some legs should do fine.
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I owned a classic 'Yota during some of the years I was a home builder. This worked well. You can't put 40 sheets in a small truck anyway, so the platforms don't need to be very robust. I even carried a modern snowmobile on mine.


How Do I Remove Plastic Shelf Support Holder Pin

This is a thread-cam locking shelf support. You can undo it by turning the screw a quarter turn counter clockwise, then lifting up on the shelf.


Framing around existing walk out door in basement

This is a fully trimmed recessed door frame. They are fairly common when converting a garage...

What is uncommon is that ledge at the bottom. I would be worried that trying to chip/chisel that out would damage the door or cause water to leak in from the outside. Once the framing is complete, you could trim the recess like the picture above, all the way down to the ledge. The only difference will be an extended "L" and the bottom to compensate for your 2-1/2" framing on each side.

Then run your trim around the outside all the way to the floor. This will leave the concrete ledge that will appear to be a step. I would treat it as such and buy an oak tread. Cut out the backside of the tread to fit on top of the ledge and allow about an inch of overhang inside the room. Don't fit it too tight against the door or the door won't slide easily.

Drill some 1/8" Holes (two on each side and two in the center) in the tread. Then countersink the holes with a 1/4" drill bit about 1/4" deep. Use a hammer drill with a 3/16" bit and drill down into the ledge through the tread deep enough for some 2" Tapcon screws. Clean off the ledge and put some liquid nails between the ledge and the tread and screw it down. A good bead of silicone at the bottom of the door would be smart as well.

You can fill the holes in the tread with stain-able wood filler. You can then take a piece of 1"x 4" oak and trim it to fit underneath the tread at the front. Sand and stain or paint your single stair.

All that would be left is to run some baseboard. Make sure you lay some cut off pieces of baseboard underneath the baseboard and the piece of 1" x 4" oak when you nail it in so that there is room for carpeting or tile to tuck underneath it.


What is the part called that chainsaw bar flange nuts screw into?

They are generally called "bar bolts". These bolts are often pressed into the chain saw housing from the back side, it can be a complicated repair requiring significant disassembly of the saw.

Also, I do not see them on the parts diagram. This doesn't mean they are not available, but to find out you would have to call Ryobi customer service and explain what you need.

check out this video


Which nails should I use for shoe molding installation?

Definitely the Brad nails.  The finish nails will leave larger holes (16 gauge vs 18 gauge usually) and will be more likely to split the wood.  Based on the size of your shoe, i dont think you could use pin nails (18-23 gauge).

The Big Box home improvement store always sell kits with finish, brad, and pin nailers for pretty cheap.  Some have 2 guns, some 3, and some come with other stuff.  I've always found that the best way to go.

Just did a quick check for some kits.  Home depot 3 piece Kit for $99.  I have had good luck with the Husky Brand from HD.  Lowe's had some kits but they were name brand and a lot more expensive.  Could also check out Harbor Freight, their stuff is definitely cheaper quality, but maybe that is ok for your situation and usage.


I have two unconnected drain lines in the kitchen. If I start using one, can I just put a stopper on the other?

It sounds to me like you don't have two unconnected drain lines, you have ONE drain line that starts at the fridge and ends at the sink.

If you stopper the sink end its just going to fill up the drain line and back up into the filter.

You need to install a tie in for the 3/8" line under the sink before the trap.  Do not hook it in to the main drain after the trap or you'll allow sewer gases into your filter.