Wire AC Condensor fan motor to three prong plug for shop fan

Mains wiring is dangerous

You're not allowed to just barf a bunch of wires and call it done.  The fan, I assume you scrounged this from an old air conditioner, is made to fit inside a housing, which you have removed.  You need to head off to the metal press to restore two key functions of the housing: Physical protection from fan blades, and electrical protection for the wiring.

Once that is done, you can fit an appropriate cord and strain relief onto that housing.

The fan is almost certainly 240V

... Since most air conditioning units hook up 240V no neutral. The motor will not like 120V because it's simply the wrong voltage.  There's nothing you can do with the start capacitor to improve that.

Which means it can't be powered from 120V (unless you do some very graduate-level stuff that's way out of your depth and would be prohibitive in cost, since I assume the point here is to scrounge/be cheap).  It needs to be powered from 240V, which means it needs a different type of plug.

You need a NEMA 6-15 (I presume this isn't a 3600 watt fan).  This has the 2 blades rotated 90 degrees, so they are flat to each other.  See #3 here

This in turn means you'll need to run a 240V circuit to your garage if you don't have one already.  However they are rather useful, and let you get good deals on 240V tools on Craigslist from people who didn't know what they were buying and are now stuck with a white elephant.

The temptation for the novice cheapie is to hork this up in some non-code-compliant way.  That's just dumb.  Cheap is not the same as stupid.  Aside from potentially killing you in the interim, the inspector will require you put it right when you sell the house, and that usually turns into an  expensive fiasco because you're in a hurry to close.  There are some things you don't mess with, and electrical is one of them.


Shall I undercut the drywall to let the baseboard cover the hardwood floor expansion gap?

1/2 expansion gap total gives you 1/4 on each side, which should be easily covered by the moulding.

That said, yes you absolutely can trim the drywall to allow the wood floor to expand. An engineered floor, though, likely doesn't need more than 1/4" on each side. It should be dimensionally stable.


how do I fix loose tile on basement stairs

If you are in the US and have a traditional stringer staircase leading to your basement there is almost nothing that you can do to prevent issues with a tile installation.

There is too much movement in this type of staircase.
Dimensional lumber moves too much.
Unless there is a closed door at the top you have two climate zones hitting each other on the stairs.
Basement stairs are about as steep as possible in most cases causing more stress on the stairs.

To get tiles to work you would have to add in supports under the stairs and into the framing on each side, put concrete board over stairs, possibly plywood under concrete board, and then a membrane.  And even then you might still have issues.

Tiles look great on stairs if done right.  I have mentioned before that I have rehabbed houses in Europe.  I have gutted some 80 year old homes in France and never had to touch the tile floor/stairs - which after cleaning hold up better than a wood floor.  However the tile stairs were laid on top of concrete 100% of the time.

Meaning unless you want to pour concrete stairs, don't tile.  You can put some nice bullnose pine treads on the stairs with some oil based paint that will blend in just fine to tile and will hold up and look nice.  Whatever you do to temporarily fix the issue is just going to cost you time/money/frustration.  The tiles are a sunk cost, sink them.


Acceptable to use grounding screw on metal box?

Check your grounds
You need to follow it all the way back to the panel.

The NM cable looks modern, like it might have a ground wire; if so we've reached the lamp octagon box (which is wildly overstuffed by the way; either put a box extension on it, or replace it with a 4-11/16" square box with a 4" round mud ring).

The BX/AC cable, search it for markings, and check if it contains a wired ground conductor.  If you see a ground conductor, fullstop it's grounded.  Otherwise share with us the markings and we'll tell you if it's a valid ground path. If so, we're at the top junction box.

The EMT conduit down from the top box is a valid ground path, fullstop.  Proper installation calls for a colored hot wire, and a white or gray neutral wire, and nothing else in the pipe.  I have 4 buildings, all tip-top and modern, that are wired just that way.

Retrofit your grounds
Nitpick: This was made legal in NEC 2014.
If any of the grounds are missing, this appears to be an unfinished basement.  Simply retrofit the grounds.   Run a bare #12 ground wire using the wiring methods you see used on the NM cable, and entering the box through normal NM style cable clamps (they can share with the NM).  Inside each box, you terminate on the box's ground screw, a hole tapped 10-32.  If the ground screw already has a wire on it, then either pigtail it so all grounds can share, or drill and tap another 10-32 hole (e.g. with self-tapping screws).  Thread pitch must be -32 or finer.
You can throw a ground wire inside the EMT if you really want to, but I don't bother unless there's a probability of it taking physical damage (takes a lot to damage EMT).  Then, same deal; box ground screw to box ground screw.
The grounding links the steel boxes.  Then the steel boxes carry ground to outlets.
On metal boxes, most receps self-ground
Once you have done that, you have a receptacle whose metal "yoke" (the ears the screws go through) making hard clean metal contact with the metal box; no paint, rust or little screw-holder squares in the way.  That is a proper and legal grounding path, and you don't need to do anything else to ground the recep.
If you had "self-grounding" receps, you don't even need the clean hard metal contact; the screw threads do the job.
Also, on switches only, the screw threads suffice even if not self-grounding.
So in all those cases, no need for a ground wire from a grounded box to a device.
Get rid of that GFCI
Once a refrigerator or freezer is well-grounded, it ceases to have any use for GFCI.  GFCI is there to solve specific problems relating to ungrounded small appliances and water exposure.  You're not likely to drop a refrigerator in the sink :)  Even if it gets wet, proper grounding solves the problem better than GFCI does.  Further, a refrigerator is a large motor appliance.  Due to the very nature of motors, they tend to have a large inductive "kick" (voltage rising to infinity because current was interrupted through an inductor) that must ultimately leap to ground at some point.  On DC motors, this can be shorted back into the motor with overrunning diodes; with AC that's not possible because AC.  The upshot is that refrigerators and GFCIs don't play well together for most.
I mean if you think replacing a fridge the moment it trips a GFCI is a good use of your appliance budget, have a field day.  But most of us recommend no GFCIs on fridges.
If you are in a basement area that otherwise requires GFCI, just slap a simplex (1-socket) 3-prong outlet in that Handy-Box and label it "Freezer only" or whatever.  If you want to plug other things in there as well, you're dealing with EMT, which is basically Lego... you can rearrange anything any way you like.

If you want boxes with a comfortable fit for GFCI, use a 4" square box in 1-gang mode with a 1-gang mud ring... or, use a 4-11/16" box with a 2-gang domed cover.
If you need a Decora simplex outlet, try Leviton 16251-W.


(Edited 100% based on new photo-for previous answer see edit history)

Grounding here is a bit of a mess at the moment.

While that loosely goosey twisted together mess might work as grounding it isn’t good permanently and would not pass inspection.—The ground splice must be secured with a listed wirenut.  (Over time in a closed up box expansion/contraction and oxidation can change how well things work with the “as-is” splice.)

The bare copper wire coming into the box with the black and white wire is the house ground.  It needs to be connected to everything.  Everything consists of...

The silver fixture braid.
The copper braid (I can’t tell where it comes from).
The green ground screw on the yoke (pictured in pic#1)
The box itself (currently using a ground clip.

How to fix:

First obtain a green ground wire nut, and some bare copper ground wire (pull a piece out of a scrap of NM-B wire.

Next turn off the power, and unconnected it all.

Using both braids and 2 extra pigtails cut from the bare ground wire and the house ground wire, twist it all together and green wirenut it.  (You likely don’t have enough house ground to extend it thru the hole in the green wirenut, so in this example we won’t use that).  This means 5 ground wires will be contained in the wirenut.

Now we have 2 pigtails coming from the splice, connect one to the green screw in pic 1, connect the other to the metal ceiling box—you have two options: either use the existing grounding clip, or even better if the box has a green screw or a place for one then use that.  (Clips were invented for speed install, they take 2 seconds, the screw takes 5 seconds but is better.)

Always wrap wires tightly around the ground screw clockwise and tighten.  Tight on all of these connections is important, over time simple twisted connections may oxidize and be less conductive.

The green ground screw in pic 1 that you questioned is not meant to be a point to connect fixture ground.  It is meant as means to connect ground to the yoke and canopy.  The purpose of this screw is often mid-construed, and has been as shown now—it’s NOT to supply ground to the fixture, instead it allows you to connect ground to the yoke and canopy.

It was once considered acceptable to allow the screws connecting the box to the yoke to supply the ground.  That is no longer acceptable unless the yoke has a retainer/grounding clamp to better connect the box screws and is label self-grounding, yours is not.


Can I use 10 gauge wire off of a 20 amp breaker?

Yes, you can use 10 AWG copper conductors with a 20 ampere breaker. The smallest size conductors you could use with a 20 ampere breaker, are 12 AWG copper conductors. There's no problem using larger conductors, other than cost to you, and difficulties associated with working with thicker conductors.


Light box for ceiling light is attached to ceiling beam

Several manufacturers make that box.  It's specifically for mounting ceiling fans or other heavy fixtures, which can then be screwed directly into the wood of the joist.

Here is one such box.  Or here.

It's perfectly ok to use for a standard fixture, not just ceiling fans.  It's just designed specifically to be able to screw heavy mounting screws directly into the wood of the joist.


When running AC, Heat turns on once thermostat reaches desired temperature

Check your set points.  You'll want to have a degree or two between the heating and cooling set points.  For example, if your cooling set point is 76°F, you'll want to keep the heating set point at or below ~74°F. Check the documentation for your unit, to determine the recommended buffer value.

Also note that some units allow you to program the swing setting, which determines how far off from the set point before the unit signals for heat/cool. For example, if you have a heating set point of 68°F, with a swing setting of 1°. The heating system will be signaled ON when the temperature is 67°F, and signaled OFF at 69°F.

In the above example if you had the cooling set point set to 68°F too, you'd end up fighting for control.  Heat would bring it up to 69°F, then cooling would kick on and bring it down to 67°F, then heating would kick on and bring it up to 69°F...

I'd try to keep a buffer of at least 1°F. So if the swing is 1°F, you'd set heating to 68°F and cooling to 70°F. Some documentation recommends only a single degree (heat=68°F, cool=69°F), but I'd recommend keeping at least one degree between the set points.


Drafts pulled into house when furnace blower turns on

Your furnace pulls air from your house (that return vent in the ceiling), heats it, and then blows it back into the house (the floor registers). It should pull out the same amount of air that it blows back in, but your experience shows otherwise; it's pulling more air out than it's blowing back in.

It looks like some of the (heated) air isn't making it back into the house. If, say, 1/4 of the air that's pulled from the house passes through the furnace is discharged to the great outdoors, then you'd have to have the same amount of air being pulled back in through "cracks and crevices" in the building envelope. If not, after a while the house would start deflating like a leaky balloon (and, since you didn't mention it, I'm guessing that isn't happening).

So, somehow hot air coming from the furnace is leaking outdoors. Check the furnace housing, check those ducts in the crawl space, check whether there's (warm) air blowing outdoors from the crawl space. Also try and compare the amount of air coming out of the registers to the amount going back in the return.

Good luck.


Is a disposer required for dishwasher permanent installation?

I have had several houses with a dishwasher but not a garbage disposal. I don't think it really changes the installation that much... the dishwasher waste pipe connects to the sink drain before the trap.

If you want to plumb the dishwasher somewhere there isn't a sink already, you need to install a trap & standpipe, similar to the way a washing machine is done.


Most devices have small amounts of earth leakage, electronics, computers are good examples. The casings of the devices are metallic they are bonded to the earth. EM radiation from components will work its way to the case and pass as earth leakage. They could be designed not too but the cost is prohibitive when it serves no real purpose as they are low enough to not cause a real problem.


How to replace AC/DC adapter but keep old connector

Chop and solder. Of course, if the current adapter is dead, it can be difficult to establish correct polarity - but I think I see that labeled nicely on the present adapter (it's not always, though it should be.)

For a tidy job, split the cords and cut the + and - wires at different lengths (so the joints are slightly offset, rather than being at the same point) slip a large heat shrink over the whole cable and one or two smaller heat shrinks over the individual wires, moving them far enough from the joint not to be shrunk when soldering. If the offset is large enough you can skip the inner ones entirely and just have the outer one (the offset keeps the exposed joints from touching each other when held by the outer heat shrink.)


Is it legal in a multi-unit building to draw air for ventilation from the attic?

These sound like combustion air ducts for a gas heating appliance. Combustion air from an attic is completely in compliance with any US code in the last several decades. It is dangerous to obstruct these ducts in any manner. Doing so can severely compromise the proper combustion and venting of heating appliances, possibly leading to carbon monoxide (a colorless, odorless, tasteless, toxic gas) entering into your dwelling.


How to minimize waterback flow mess when cutting an in-service pipe

I use dry ice on metal plumbing when the service valve is not functional or not in the area. Grocery stores have had dry ice in several states I have lived some times you have to ask and it is sold by the pound.
I use a hammer and screwdriver to break some chunks off and a cloth to hold the dry ice in place. I pack around the pipe for 1-2” and hold it in place for a few minutes then cut the pipe. Or in your case remove the shark bite.
The dry ice may last up to an hour depending on how tight you pack it around the pipe and how thick. I have used this method for years with great results much cheaper and faster than a commercial unit to freeze the pipe.
Caution instant frostbite if you touch the dry ice. I use heavy welding gloves but any well insulated gloves will probably work.
The “smoke” coming off dry ice is just carbon dioxide (the fizz in soda is carbon dioxide) it’s non toxic but fresh air is needed, just keep the door open if it’s in a small closet.
Last the left over dry ice can be fun at home wrap in newspapers to help it last longer and put in a cooler, you can put it in water and it makes a neat smoke again non toxic, I have used chunks like ice cubes in punch bowls for a special brew of Hawaiian Punch the kids love because of the smoke.
I am sure there are other instructions using dry ice on line with photos but I have done this for almost 50 years and never broken a metal pipe it works best on copper.


Half of my lights and oulets are not working after heavy winds?

It sounds like the winds knocked one leg of your service down in a way that kept your inverter from powering up the dead leg -- most inverters are line-interactive, and won't feed into a dead or partially dead system to avoid desynchronization problems (i.e. feeding AC of the wrong frequency to some devices may make them work improperly due to internal timing motors) and dangerous backfeeding of the utility mains.  Contact your utility!


Yeah, your new flapper doesn't seal.  That happens, especially if the flapper is shaped or rigid plastic.  I had the same thing happen to me a year or more ago with a rigid plastic flapper (with large rubber washer).  I closely examined the seat for burrs or gaps, but it was smooth and unbroken, so the problem was clearly a flapper misfit.  If you do find a burr, I recommend that you gently file the burr away using a fine wood file.

I've found the best replacement flapper to be flat and made of flexible rubber.  This will bend just enough under the tank's water pressure to seal against a seat that's not perfectly flat.  Shaped flappers (like a mushroom) are intended to sit inside the opening like a round peg in a round hole often turn out not to be positioned perfectly to drop exactly into the hole.  But a flat flapper won't behave badly like this if its hinge is not positioned perfectly relative to the hole.

Of course, also make sure your float isn't being held underwater after the flap closes.  That's likely to cause the flap to lift and leak.


How can I use a pre-installed A/C unit for heat?

In theory, yes, you could repurpose an A/C unit to be a heat pump but that's not a good choice.  In order to switch between A/C mode and heating mode, you would have to re-plumb the lines every time you switched between heating and cooling or fashion some sort of reversing valve mechanism of your own design to accommodate this.  The American Standard 4A7A6048J1000AA is NOT going to have a heating mode since this installation also has a gas furnace and the extra cost to put in a heat pump where it's not needed is just wasted money.  Retrofitting is going to be a complete custom job and you're pretty much on your own doing something like this.

Not only that but it's going to be extraordinarily inefficient since the unit is designed as an A/C not as a reversible heat pump system.

The best choice, in my opinion, is to use your installation as designed, the A/C unit for cooling and the gas powered furnace for heating.  Gas heating, especially in TX, is going to be significantly less expensive for heating and electric powered heating.

If you are set on eliminating the need for gas, the best approach is to replace the A/C unit with a heat pump system that would efficiently perform both heating and cooling.


It really doesn't make any difference when it comes to lint build up.  But you might consider putting a secondary lint trap near the dryer to help reduce the amount of lint trapped in the line.


Cracks like that occur because of, 1) settlement, or 2) expansion/contraction.

1) If the House was built in 1970’s, then it has finished settling. Unless there is some underground work in the area, like new utilities, new piling, etc.

2) I suspect it’s expansion/contraction due to the joint compound being too wet.

There is no need to “wait for it to settle and crack more”.  I’d redo it as Jimmy Fix-it has suggested.


Adding a new light fixture to existing circuit without destroying the walls/ceiling

With the existing light on, you might have luck with a voltage detector (my stud finder does this) to locate within the wall where the wires run.

You may be able to attach the new fixture into the 3-way switch at the top of the stairs, but you will probably have to open the wall somewhere to run wires.


How close can light fixtures be to fire sprinkler heads?

I was able to track down the relevant code document for residential sprinker installations - it's 2010 NFPA 13D, section 8.2.5.2, and it's actually viewable online for free if you register your email address.  There is a different code for commercial buildings.  For this issue at least, the residential requirements are much more strict.

The residential code says pendant sprinklers must be at least 3 ft from obstructions such as ceiling fans and lights (as measured from their centers), or you can use this table which relates A) the distance from the sprinkler to the near edge of the obstruction and B) height of the sprinkler's deflector above the bottom of the obstruction.

ceiling----------------------------------------------
              |                  *               *
  sprinkler  -+-      ---        *  obstruction  *
                       B         *               *
                      ---        *****************

              |<----    A   ---->|

---------------    --------------
Distance A (ft)    Maximum B (in)
---------------    --------------
up to 1.5          0
1.5 - 3            1
3 - 4              3
4 - 4.5            5
4.5 - 6            7


Pumping the water above ground, or below ground doesn't matter.  Moving the water far enough away (downhill) from the house is the key.

If your plumbing is underground, it has to go somewhere. The pipe can't just come to an end. You'll want to drain into a dry well, ditch, storm sewer, spillway, stream, etc.

If your pumping out onto the ground. You'll want to be as far away, and as far downhill as practicable.

In either case, you don't want to pump the water where it can just come back in or has nowhere to go.

A backup pump is always useful. Though if you're on municipal water, I'd recommend a water powered backup pump. Battery backup units are nice, but batteries tend to die at the most inopportune moments (Murphy's law).


Which end of an Allen Wrench should I be using?

The ball end of the wrench fits less securely in the socket than the squared off end so you can't apply as much torque without risk of the wrench slipping or stripping the bolt head. So it makes sense that if your wrench only has the ball end on one end, that it's on the long end so you have to use the short end to hold the wrench to limit how much torque you can apply. That preserves the more securely fitting squared off short end for applying the most torque on the fastener while you hold the long end.

Its ok  to use either end of the wrench on the fastener and sometimes space limitations will force you to use one or the other.


Can my garage electrical panel be right beside the door?

Looking at your drawing. There would not be a code reason that prevents you from putting your panel at that location, but there may be a practical reason.
You are putting in a 2'8" door which is probably prehung, so that would be about 2'11" or even 3' of space in the wall. Then you will have at least a double stud around it, and you may have the same at the "T" in the wall. Then there is a lintel above the door which may partially or completely block the area above the panel. Also you have to deal with the double 2x4 plate across the top. A loadcenter (residential panel) needs a 17" space for installation. Rough calculations show that you can install a loadcenter with about 2" to spare. You also need to consider the area above the panel. Does the lintel interfere with the conductors coming into it? What does the slope of the roof look like? Can you get in and out of the panel for expansion? Is this new wall loadbearing? Do you want a wall switch on that door, because it probably won't fit?
This all means that when you begin your remodel, you want to be very specific and coordinate that space with whomever is doing the walls and door or rethink the location of the panel.
Hope this helps and good luck.


How to replace carpet with tile in entryway

It's not clear whether you'd like to keep the hard floor after your friend departs, but you might consider vinyl plank flooring. It would be much quicker and simpler and can be quite beautiful. You'd simply remove the carpet, install 1/4" underlayment plywood, and stick down the vinyl.
Modern vinyl plank flooring is quite durable and attractive. Don't let the name make you think it'll look cheap.  Select a product that's self-sealing at the joints. You can cut it with a knife (straight single cuts) or a jigsaw (curved or compound cuts) and it doesn't require grouting.
If you do want to use ceramic or porcelain tile you'll probably need to add at least 1/2" to your subfloor. You need a minimum of 1-1/4" to prevent cracking of grout joints and the tile itself.
Also, I'd consider a full rectangle. You'll find that your carpet suffers less wear and soiling if you have enough room to enter and remove footwear before making contact. This is a common strategy in snowy climates. You could also do a clipped corner if it protrudes into your space too far. That would still be easier than cutting curves and fitting your carpeting to it.


Can walls be built on top of backer board?

You are trying to avoid a few backer board cuts related to the closet area. However, you are also increasing the height of the floor. If your existing walls are the standard 8' height, you will have to cut every stud of the new walls in order to frame them correctly. You are just creating more work for yourself. Either way you go, there will be an extra step involved and no significant time would be saved. Frame the walls first, then lay the flooring.


Washer doesn't spin-dry anymore (most of the time)

Well, it obviously was the inverter. I ordered and changed it and after several cycles everything is well, it spins even better than before...


Does a storm door help prevent heat loss?

Yes, unequivocally. The closed storm door traps a pocket of air between the screen and entry doors. That trapped air significantly slows heat transference from indoors to the great outdoors. How much? From the ACCA Manual J, it looks like adding a storm to any door increases the R-value of the door by about 2.

Here are some better questions to ask:

Would a storm door or a new door prevent more heat loss? To answer this, we need to know what type of door do you have now, what type of door you'd replace it with (a steel or fiberglass insulated door?), and which storm door you'd choose. A typical wooden door has an R-value of about 3, whereas steel or fiberglass insulated doors are around 7. If your existing door is not insulated, you can gain about four R by replacing the door.
Which is the better value? This depends on your choice of doors. A good R-7 insulated exterior door with small windows can be had for about $250. Storm doors range from half that to twice that.
Which is the difference in cost between a storm door and a new insulated door with thermal pane glass? Use this to calculate the $/R of each choice.

I replaced one of my exterior wooden doors recently with an insulated fiberglass door. The before/after infrared photos can measure the difference. We can also hear the difference, insulation also blocks sound transference.

Depending on your climate, it might make sense to do both. In my climate (PNW), the convenience of not having another door to deal with upon every entrance/exit is certainly worth the potential loss of 2 R. Doors are a very small proportion of the walls so they don't make a huge difference in heating, unless they're not air sealed. In northern Michigan where I grew up, the winters are much colder and everyone has storm doors.


Can I add an electrical outlet from a light switch box?

If you have something like this switch

you should be able to replace it with something like this

This will also depend on what wires are in the box that the existing switch is in.


How do easements work with gas lines on new construction?

Below is some info from a typical natural gas utility. From reviewing this, I gather (at least with this utility) that they are very familiar with the complications related to this type of arrangement and have implemented specific safeguards to protect them from any liability stemming from disputes.

Is it typical for your property to have a gas-main, and have no easements?

YES, for normal "single-lateral" residential service arrangements; however, they have a defacto easement in that you agree to always allow access to their equipment which includes everything from the street main up to and including the meter.

Defacto easement: When I had the utility company extend the line to the house, do they have an easement automatically right up to the house? Maybe I didn't read the small print...

YES, they have a "defacto easement" up to and including the meter.
NOTE- for your situation (Cross Lot Branch Service) it is likely that there is an actual easement that was obtained from you and/or your neighbor (or previous owners) to allow the shared line to cross both properties.


How to pour concrete for curved walkway to prevent cracking?

Curved concrete drives and walkways are no more likely to crack than rectangular. I have a semi circular drive and a curved walk. The drive foundation was well packed and it has 1/2 rebar on roughly 18' centers ( we had some left over from the house) , it has handled 10,000+ lb. trucks, no problem . The walk, not so well packed and used only mesh : It has hairline cracks at some decorative brick inlays. So with good preparation and rebar you can make any shape you want.


Here is a link to a hand-bending jig. Basically you need two or more pins to hold the metal and you either use the metal itself (with the pins held in a vise or table-top) or a handle attached to the pins (with the metal held in a vise) to bend the metal.
What I'm saying in my comment is that the item you pictured is not made of bent metal, it's made by welding a short section of pipe to a steel plate. A bent tool holder does not logically have the same form to achieve the same function, and trying to make it "look like that" will make the job much harder than it needs to be.
Some more options: One.  Another. Scroll down a bit in the last link (a newsletter for blacksmiths) and there's a "how to use" section.
Sorry for the link-heavy answer, I'm not up to drawing the pictures and trying to explain in more detail right now. Someone else can take a stab at that.


Can improved window insulation prevent condensation on the interior of a window

If this is a single pane window growing to a double or triple pane window will help. To prove thus to yourself put a flash of ice water in the room and a glass of warm water, some may say Duh but a single pane window is the same as the ice water double or triple pane is similar to warm water. A dehumidifier in that room would also reduce the moisture, or things like a vent fan in the bathroom if it doesent have one it will really help. Not sure why the contractor would not think better windows would help unless you already have double pane.


Is the max current draw of wall outlets reported in RMS or peak?

Like Brian said, it's measured in RMS.

For the extension: RMS again.  For fast-blow fuses, the current rating is the maximum current guaranteed at which the fuse will not blow.  But the fuse won't immediately blow at 15.1A -- the time vs. current graphs are provided for most fuses.  Here's an example:

As we can see, a 15A fuse is guaranteed not to blow at 15A.  As the current increases, the time it takes for the fuse to blow decreases.  A 15A fuse may take a minute to blow at 20A, but 0.3 seconds to blow at 30A.

Even though your 15Arms current is actually over 21A peak, the time that it goes above the 15A rating (~4ms per half cycle) is not sufficient to blow the fuse.  Due to the fuse's thermal inertia you may want to derate the curve a bit, but at 15Arms you should be fine.


What kind of mask will protect me from PTFE (teflon) fumes?

I have managed a plastics shop in the past and pluro fluro pneumonia (flue like symptoms are a concern) when welding, forming Teflon materials. We used standard fume hoods kind of like a paint booth to draw the the vaperoized Teflon, when welding Teflon with quarts heaters a very low flow was required when using hot air and Teflon rods a higher flow rate was used to pull the the additional gas that was created from the hot air passing over the heated tips. We did not use any kind of masks, just fresh air flow, on the larger tanks that were welded fans were used to flow the air away from the assemblers and we did not have any problems. I would caution to make sure you have an assist gas or air flow to also protect the optics on the laser or they will become coated with the byproducts and reduce the system life.


What is the proper way to frame in a room?

You are going to need to pull permits unless you live somewhere that doesn't have any requirements for them.  Since that is probably visible from the road, there is almost no way that code enforcement or one of your neighbors isn't going to see it and report you.

The stairs look like the precast concrete kind and probably are hollow and not attached to your foundation.

The method you are proposing sounds more like building a deck than building correctly for a house. Most likely, to be legal, you'll need to remove the slab and dig down beneath the frost line and build up with poured concrete or with cinder blocks.

If the slab happens go down around the edges far enough to support the weight, fine, but most likely it doesn't.  Assuming you don't care about being legal, you could build up a cinder block wall to the height level with the bricks on the existing part of the house, setting them back so that you could brick the new parts at a later date.  The bricks from the first place might be enough to recycle. Then build your new walls on top of the cinder block walls.

The nice thing about doing everything legal is that it will let you remove that fire place and any of the columns. That fireplace almost definitely wouldn't be legal for inside use.


What’s the difference between these wires?

The “silver wrapped” is the original cloth wrapped wire. Your home looks to have previously been rewired. This is quite common for houses built as late as the 50’s to have this original cloth wrapped wire. The 60’s may be some cloth was still out there but if it is in bad shape why not replace it there is nothing special about it.


Extending the "feet" of wire shelves for uneven surfaces

Metro does not seem to sell an appropriate foot leveler.

But a common carriage bolt will fit just fine.  The rounded head compensates for the slope far better than the flat factory foot, and you can file the raised numbers off easily:

Or find a 3/8" 16 pitch "Combination Leg Equalizer" such as the Rockler #24315, which will spread the load more evenly:


Can I use acrylic caulk around the bath?

Shouldn't be a problem. Keep in mind that unlike silicone, acrylic/latex caulk can (but doesn't always) dry out and crack over time, defeating its waterproofing capabilities, but it's definitely easier to apply and remove/replace.

Most "Kitchen and Bath" caulks are pure silicone, but many people simply use all-purpose siliconized latex caulk like this one:


Some fan coil units have UV lamps after the filter to disinfect the air. If your FCU doesn't have one you need to program that alarm out of the system. If you don't have a manual or can't find how to do it. You can contact Honeywell hot line and they will walk you through it.


How do I fix bubbles under linoleum flooring?

Most likely you have the new style of fiberglass, vinyl flooring. It has a softer feel than regular inlaid vinyl (slight padding on back) and in some cases can be laid without adhesives. I have been using this type of sheet goods a lot lately. My customers love it.

More directly to your problem. Since you installed cabinets and baseboards on top of the flooring, it has no space to expand into, thus the bubbles. Also, it may have not been rolled well before the cabinets and base were installed.  I would never have installed without an adhesive. You cannot use regular flooring adhesive on these types of fiberglass flooring. If an adhesive is used, it must be the new non-setting type. This adhesive is kind of like the glue on a post-it note. It never dries up hard and allows the flooring to be peeled up years from now. It must be applied very thinly across the entire field, never just around the perimeter. The flooring must then be rolled with at lest a 75 to 100 pound roller. We usually go back an hour after the initial rolling and give it a second roll.

In your case, I'd remove the baseboards, roll the flooring up against the cabinets, apply the proper adhesive and let the flooring back down.  Roll it from the cabinets out to the edges, so the adhesive does not pool up.  If you are brave, you could cut the flooring along the edge of the cabinets, take it out of the room then apply adhesive and reinstall the floor.

I should note, depending on what you have under your new flooring, you may have to apply an ultra thin coat of embossing leveler to assure proper bonding of the glue to the existing floor.


You already answered it in your question.  You need to look for privacy door locks.  Also be aware that there are privacy locks that allow you to unlock from both sides (think standard bedroom lockset that gives you a small hole or allows you to use a coin to unlock from outside).  If you just have family members any standard privacy lock is fine.  If you have strangers you need to make sure the model doesn't allow the option of unlocking from other side.


Should I redo my bathroom shower or try to waterproof it?

Since the plaster wall (hopefully drywall) has gone soft, I'd open it up. Cut out a section from the floor 2' up (I pick 2' since you can see a lot but still use a half sheet of drywall to repair it, leaving the other half to repair your repair). You don't want to leave drywall that's gotten that wet installed anyway.

For it to get this wet this fast, I can come up with the following guesses:

You've been using your shower as a bathtub, blocking the drain, and getting significant water pressure against the tiles.
The floor is improperly slopped and water is staying against the wall instead of draining.
You have a leaking pipe before the valve. The wall would remain wet or get worse when the shower is unused.
You have a leaking pipe after the valve. If you replace the shower head with a water tight cap and open the valve, you'll notice water without the shower tiles getting wet.
You have a bad seal around some opening in the tile (e.g. the plate that covers the valve) and water is spraying against it. These should be sealed around the top and sides, but open on the bottom to drain out any water that does happen to get behind them.

That said, without a water barrier behind the tiles in a shower, you've got a time bomb. Even if you fix the current problem, the tiles and grout are porous and will slowly leak water into the structure of your home, causing it to rot and mold. They shouldn't leak so fast that you'd see the current problem, but they will leak. A surface water proofing will help, but it won't prevent it.


Accepted electrical raceway material to residential detached garage

No problem. Schedule 40 PVC conduit is suitable for direct burial, so there's no problem with that. As long as you're using schedule 40 PVC conduit, and not schedule 40 PVC DWV pipe.

It may or may not be required by code, but it's good practice to install expansion fittings wherever the conduit enters/exits the ground. This allows the ground and conduit to move, while preventing damage to the conduit during said movement.


how to unscrew faucet valve stem when it's stuck?

As Steven says, hit it with some penetrating oil first (WD-40 should work for this). Give it some gentle whacks against a piece of scrap wood in all directions to help break any bonds. Then clamp on to the bottom square part and try to torque the nut on top with a socket. If you still can't get it, you may find it easier to replace the entire thing.


Is it possible to use molly bolts in concrete?

A machine screw anchor is a good option for repeated removals and reinstallations. They're also available in standard thread sizes, so they can accept machine screws, eye bolts, or hook bolts. The downside is that you'll have to buy an inexpensive but specialized setting tool for each size of bolt you want to install.

The installation process is much like that of the lag shield below, except that you'll have to use the setting tool (third step) to seat the machine screw anchor into the hole.

Image Source

A lag shield anchor may be another acceptable option, but it is not as "reusable" as a machine screw anchor. It creates a sleeve inside the hole in your concrete with threads for a lag screw to grab onto. When the lag screw is inserted, it expands the shield inside the hole.

The installation process:

Drill appropriately sized hole with a hammer drill and masonry bit
Remove concrete dust
Tap lag shield anchor into hole
Insert lag screw into lag shield and tighten

The lag screw will still be removable, but keep in mind that many repeated removals and installs may eventually weaken the anchor.

Image Source

(I have no affiliation with either distributor, they just had good illustrations.)


How do I remove a stuck faucet/tap cover?

Go to your local hardware store and purchase a strap wrench:

The rubber strap wraps around and grips the cover. Then you rotate the wrench anticlockwise to unscrew the cover off the tap. The strap prevents scratching of the finish which would normally occur trying to unscrew the tap with the jaws of a regular wrench. There are also regular-style wrenches with soft jaw fittings that may also be used.


Why did I receive an electric shock from my microwave?

This is why GFCI sockets are used in kitchens.

It sounds like you have a bad ground circuit or possibly switched hot and neutral wires on the sockets.

Time to call in an electrician before someone dies.

My congratulations on your survival, we once lived in a house that developed some sort of issue that caused the cold water tap outside the front door to be hot. I found out about the bite and dangers of electricity when I was 5 years old.


A pair of screen door turnbuckles would work well. Mount them from below with stout screws piloted into the wooden rails, one from the headboard and one from the footboard at 45° angles. Start with them just threaded in a few turns, then you can tighten to straighten the side rail.
The centerboard should keep the head and foot boards from bending.

_____________________________________________ _
_____________________________________________| |
  ^-- headboard         ⟍                    | |
                          ⟍                  | |
                            ⟍                | |
                              ⟍              | |<-- sideboard
                                ⟍            | |
                                  ⟍          | |
                                    ⟍        | |
                                      ⟍      | |
                                        ⟍    | |
                                          ⟍  | |
                                            ⟍| |
                                             | |
                                             | |


Can I connect two phases on a single phase inverter?

Looks fine to me.    Consult with the manufacturer to assure the machine is internally built to be able to accept line wire on the "N" terminal.  I expect it will be -- they couldn't sell any in North America/Colombia if not.

You have 3-phase "wye" power, Brazilian style.  A single-phase load could either go corner-neutral (127V) or go corner-corner (220V).

When you're backfeeding into the grid at a small scale, the same applies to feeds as loads.  Since you can attach a single-phase 220V load to A-B, you can also attach a single-phase backfeed there.

It does not matter to which phases your house's loads are attached, because you know of course that a grid-tied solar inverter is totally incapable of creating power for your local use during power outages.  That is not what grid-tied inverters do.  If you want that ability, things get  more complicated.


The compressor noise in your video is not normal.

Some of the possibilities for this noise are:

Non-Condensables

Things that can't condense, such as moisture, ambient air, etc. can
make a compressor chatter like that because it is trying to compress
something that doesn't want to compress.

Ask an HVAC Technician to recover, evacuate, and recharge your unit
to eliminate the chances of non-condensables being present in the
system. Refrigerant filter installation would also help.
Compressor Bearings

Sometimes compressors aren't pre-charged with oil from the factory.
That could an oversight on the manufacturer, or the contractor that
did the installation. Most mini-splits however do come pre-charged
with oil. What could also be a problem, is oil from your compressor
has pumped itself throughout the system, and hasn't been able to
return to the compressor.

This can be eliminated depending on how the line set is installed.
Creating oil-traps is typically the best way to go - it prevents the
oil from leaving the compressor. But there should only be one oil
trap close to the unit in the line set. Additional traps throughout
the system will trap oil and prevent it from going back into the
system.

Oil is integral for keeping the bearings lubricated and from
overheating. Friction will warp the bearings, and cause the spin of
the compressor to make loud noises.
Non-Level Installation

If the outdoor unit is not installed level, then the compressor
could be spinning on an uneven axis. This could also create noise,
and will eventually warp bearings (if it is a compressor that has
them) which creates even more noise.
High Amperage

Check the amperage of the power going into the compressor - not the
entire unit. Make sure that it matches its amp rating. If it is too
high, then it can start making noise because a by-product of
electricity is heat. Heat causes metal expansion internally and can
increase friction of delicate parts within the compressor - creating
noise - warping bearings - etc.

The moisture on your line set is normal.

As was mentioned in comments, this is natural. In the HVAC industry, we call it "sweat back." Meaning, you have heat transfer happening - it's doing its job. This is no different than setting a cold can of Coke onto the table, and seeing the condensation build up on the outside of the can.

If you don't like to see the drips, then installing more insulation (Armor Flex is a common term) on your line set will help a lot. Some technicians will even try to cover the service ports. Moisture will attract dirt. Dirt is an inconvenience on the service ports and if not removed prior to hooking up manifold gauges, can clog the gauges themselves.

Something else to consider is Slim Duct or SpeediChannel (those are brand names) but it protects your entire line set from the environment (and other mischievous creatures such as rodents and people). Here is an example:

It also has an aesthetic quality - it looks better on the outside of your home and can even be painted to match the color of your home.


Are you sure the noise is air in the line, rather than pipe expanding/contracting as it heats and cools or simple water turbulance?

Is there a manual bleeder valve you could use to release any trapped air, as there is on older radiators? If so, there are automatic bleeders (basically float valves) which could be installed. You'd want to do that at the highest point in the loop, since that's where any air will wind up.

My house also has an device installed at the boiler end of things which lets bubbles escape from the system there, before they can circulate farther.


How do I bleed a very old radiator and identify whether my system is steam or hot water?

That's hot water. Not a great picture, but there's a circulating pump barely visible, as well as the other factors you have noted.
In your second picture, the bleed valve is the black thing to the right of the water inlet, on the corner. Takes a flathead screwdriver as best I can tell from the picture.

There's also at least one automatic bleeder visible at the boiler.

If you have children, you will want to clean up the peeling white paint, which is very likely to be lead-based.


What are these extra tubes underneath the kitchen sink faucet?

Your faucet has a removable sprayer part.
#2 is the hose that goes to this, it runs through the inside of the faucet and is attached to the faucet temperature valve on one and, and the handheld sprayer on the other end. If you pull the sprayer out, you should see this hose move.
#3 is just a weight. This is attached to the hose to help the sprayer slide back into its normal resting position in the faucet more easily / on its own.
Update based on comment: I forgot to mention #1, which is the same hose as #2. The end of #1 you can see is attached to the outlet of your faucet valve, is looped through the weight, and then we can see it go up again and into the faucet body.


How to run HVAC vent into cold room, below a supporting beam?

If the addition that you mention has 3 side walls and a ceiling, heating and cooling this room from the same furnace as the rest of the house is nearly impossible. The 4 surfaces exposed to the weather will loose heat in the winter and gain heat in the summer at a faster rate than the rest of the house. If this is the way the addition was built, then a separate heating and cooling unit or the existing system should have been zoned to provide it's own temperature control. Adding too much air supply will cause large temperature swings in the addition. As far as giving advice on running the duct, I would have to be there to see the actual space and items you mention. And "no" I would not use plaster board for a duct. At this point, I would add it's own heat/cool system or better yet have a professional in your area give their advice.


Roundover router bit to get a large radius molding

Rough out shape using multiple rips on a table saw, then either

1)  Sand. Create a set of concave sanding blocks by feeding a length of 2x4, on the flat, across a table saw at an angle. Choose an approximately appropriate blade diameter.  Recess will be closest to circular the closer you feed to 90 degrees, and will be an ellipse otherwise.  Cut high quality sanding belts of various grits in half and glue them into the concave recess.

2) Router.  Buy a large high speed steel router bit of any profile and grind it to shape on bench grinder.

I've done both of those.

3) Shaper. Use router like a shaper, making two passes, assuming you can find a wing bit that would cut 1/2 half the profile.

4) Lathe. Turn square stock on a lathe to your diameter, then rip the flats on a table saw. You could get at least two lengths per turning depending on the measurements.


What is this strange plumbing on my sump pump drain?

"Professionals" can be idiots too. That serves no purpose and, accordingly, has no code requirement. You can cut it out, move it and all you need to do is ensure you have a check valve near the exit from the sump pump and a long 90 (avoid a hard 90 with a drop like this) to the entrance to the lateral. You should install a clean-out near the exit from the building as well, i can't tell if it's there or not. Make sure all joints are properly glued, and the clean-out threads are taped, when done right you'll be protected from any potential back flow.
I'm certain this was done after the initial install. My guess is that a previous homeowner remodeled the original work with the idea of some kind of a water hammer arrestor or perhaps they had some backflow and didn't know how to actually prevent it... is there a check valve on it now?
I can tell from the various parts, like the different-colored/cheapo-corner-hardware-store wyes, the coupling above the lower wye, the flexed upwards pipe before the upside down trap, and the not to code opposing 90s at the entrance to the lateral, that whoever installed this had no idea what they were doing but apparently had some money to throw away on a little m.c. escher inspired plumbing project. I highly doubt this is original work or the work of a plumbing journeyman... unless they were tripping.
Rip it out, run it straight, level, plumb, and include the components noted above.
You do not need a backflow preventer as long as the joints are correctly sealed, the pipe runs above the level of the highest point in the system serving your area, and there is no reason to suspect backflow forces in excess of the joint strength. For the uninitiated


Main Breaker Panel or Main Lug Panel for Sub-panel in Attached-Detached Garage

Correct.  An Outbuilding needs a main shutoff switch even if it has one breaker.  It does not need a main breaker, but it absolutely needs a shutoff switch.

It is unclear whether a "connected by roof" building is an outbuilding or not.  Code plainly says it's not an outbuilding and does not need a main switch.  Your local inspector is the final word on the subject.

Spend some time in the Eaton price book, and you find out that if you optimize for "cheap" or "compact", the best way to get a main shutoff switch is to get a panel with a big switch that by wild happenstance is a circuit breaker too. We don't care about that, we just need a shutoff switch.  We only care that its "circuit breaker" trip value does not unnecessarily limit us. If your supply is 100A, then any main breaker 100A or larger will suffice.

This thing is not a breaker for us, and coordinating the breaker trip is hopeless - expecting this local breaker to trip first for our convenience violates Murphy's Law.

The one special characteristic this main "switch" might have is GFCI -- using an oversize hot tub panel is one way to provide necessary GFCI protection to every garage circuit at once, at the cheapest cost.  The problem is, hot tub panels are woefully small, though this is helped by our ability to use double-stuff breakers if AFCI is not needed.

And "small panel" is death to a project like this.  A person who brings 100A of service to their garage means to run some 240V loads.  Those go through breaker spaces like congressmen through taxpayer dollars. Most loads in a garage need to be GFCI with some AFCI, so these will be full-space breakers.

The upshot is, don't even think of a panel less than 24-space...


GFCI outlet shape for 20 amp vs 15 amp circuit - what does the little line on the outlet mean?

A receptacle without that horizontal slot is only rated to supply 15 amps to a device that's plugged into it. GFCIs are no exception to this. That "20 Amps" stamp is likely stating the receptacle's pass-through rating, or the amount of current it can supply to sockets downstream of it.

There are GFCI devices with that horizontal slot available, which will supply 20 amps to attached devices, and can be found online with a quick Google for "20 amp GFCI receptacle".

You cannot plug a 20 amp device directly into any receptacle without that horizontal bar, be it a regular receptacle, or a GFCI.


What is the best way to wire a Cooper E-Z Wire recptacle?

1) Which is the better method for connecting the outlet?

It depends on the size wire you have.  If you have 14 gauge you can use the push in terminals, which is size wire this option allows.  You can bend the wire if you prefer, or if have 12 gauge.  These push ins that have to screwed down is better than the regular stab in and self locking.

If you do bend your wire make sure you do not tighten it on the insulation.  It will make a bad connection.

  2) Also, I've seen some people wrap the outlet in electrical tape and other people not. Is this code?

It is not code but some people feel it protects the terminals from touching the metal side of the box, or a device next to it.  I never tape but I always screw all the screws down.  It makes gives you a little more clearance.

If you decide to tape screw all the screws down and use a professional grade tape.  It will cost you around $4.00 or $5.00 a roll but it will stay on the receptacle.  Good tape has memory and will try to go back to it's original size and make the tape tighter.  Cheap tape has no memory and just gets looser.


Fill hole in slab beneath tub to reduce radon?

It would be cheap and easy ( my favorites for any home improvement) to spray urethane foam under the tub. You can get it at any lumber/hardware store. It would certainly reduce the amount any gas that might enter that way. It makes a "closed cell "foam which is relatively impermeable.


Shower surround - does it need adhesive?

The installation instructions you linked specifically say to "Apply a generous bead of polystyrene compatible adhesive" on the back wall studs first, then on the side panels.

These installation instructions are the authoritative guide for how this product should be installed, so yes they should have been glued. Hopefully it's not too late to unscrew, add the appropriate adhesive, and reattach.


Adding 2 led flood lights to 15amp breaker

You should be able to run your 14/3 wire directly from the outlet box to your new lights. You can also leave the outlets connected as the wire from the panel to the outlets is so oversized. Also those two led lights should not add too much load to the existing circuit.


How to clean gray paint from copper pipe for push-in fitting?

You ask:

  How to I clean the paint out of copper pipe?

I have to presume that you really mean "off of the copper pipe".

Paint can be removed from the copper pipe using steel wool. A course style will be better to begin with and follow up with a finer style to nicely shine up the copper pipe.

If the paint is extra thick you could try removing a good bit of it first using a sharp utility knife to peel most of it off the pipe.

Jell type paint remover is another option to soften the old paint but that option comes with its own set of extra concerns with odor and caustic nature when handling it.

With any type of paint removal like this it is highly advisable to question the possibility as to whether the paint is a lead bearing type. If so you need to take proper precautions with respect to any dust and debris created as a part of the paint removal.


Attaching washing machine hose to two closely-positioned valves

If the upper valve is installed with a threaded or compression fitting, you should be able to rotate it counterclockwise a bit to create clearance. If you provide more detail we can give more specific instructions.

Otherwise, take your washer hose (or some good photos and measurements) to your local hardware store and purchase a short flexible hose extension.


What type of wire should I use to repair a toaster oven?

That "knit, fabric-like insulation" indicates high temperature wire. Amazon sells it, or if you're foolish like me, you can salvage pieces from old, burnt out electric drip-style coffee makers.


Can I adjust my blinds for both ventilation and privacy?

If your room is upstairs, have your blinds tilted upwards; the opposite if downstairs.  At night, turn on your lights and slant your blind the way you like and go outside and see how little you can see (if at all).  Having bigger blinds will make it so there are fewer gaps but still the angle is the main issue.

I doubt if the neighbors really pay too much attention unless they are very nosy.  If you are doing your best to close the blinds and they still are annoyed, that is their problem.

As far as legality, you are closing your blinds and what you do behind closed doors is your business.

All the best.


How can I remove lichen and/or mold from plastic siding?

Spring Cleaning? An effective way to clean mold & mildew off aluminum or vinyl siding! After a lot of researching the web for various methods, I simply used one scoop of Oxy-Clean and a cap full of laundry detergent in about 2 gallons of warm water. The soft bristle brush, about 4 ft. long, is the kind used for applying roofing cement, etc.

Just spray rinse, wash with soapy water and rinse again. Works great!


How do I re-wire a ceiling-fan to reverse its direction?

With another clockwise fan from the same maker, I was able to reverse the direction by interchanging the yellow and black wires as some answers here indicated. The explanation as I understood is that the rewiring changes the winding with which the capacitor is in series and hence the starting direction is inverted.

In 3-phase motors, each of the three stator windings carry a current out of phase with others and the phase difference generates the rotating magnetic field required to cause the motion. With single-phase ones, a phase difference is engineered by splitting the single phase current into two stator windings and putting a capacitor in series with one of the windings so that there's a 90° phase difference between the currents in the two windings. This page on electric motors explains the concept with illuminating animations.

The following figure shows my guess, based on the above information, at the internal wiring of the clockwise spinning fan whose image is posted in the question, for clockwise and anti-clockwise rotations.

A point to note here is that single-phase AC itself produces a changing magnetic field - though a pulsating one, not a rotating one. But this pulsating field can be resolved, as per the double field revolving theory (the link has an excellent video of the workings by the way), into two revolving fields rotating in opposite direction to each other. These two fields produce an equal but opposite torque. On a static rotor, they'll cancel each other out. But an initial rotation makes torque in one direction greater than the other and starts up the fan.

This is what, I believe, happened when the OP switched red and yellow wires on his fan. The result was that the capacitor was in series with both windings => there was no phase difference in the currents in the windings. When he added a slight initial
rotation, the fan continued spinning in the nudged direction.


How do I remove the white residue on fresh tile grout?

This is typical.  It's called "grout haze", and you might have to wipe it off a couple of times before it won't reappear.

You just need a clean, damp rag, and some scrubbing.  If you didn't take it off immediately, it can set up, so you might need to check your local hardware store for 'grout haze remover' if water and elbow grease isn't doing it for you.

Well, if it had been on the tile, it'd have been typical, but as Jeff pointed out, you said it was on the grout itself.  I've never done colored grouts, so I have no idea if it's typical or not ... and you wouldn't want to scrub at the grout to remove the haze, particulary when the grout's fresh (which is when you want to remove it from the tile).

Looking around on the internet, I found mention that leaving water-based grout sealer to evaporate could do it.  They recommended re-sealing, and wiping off any excess, but others mentioned it took a lot of elbow grease and solvents.  On another site, it was mentioned it could be too much water in the grout, and suggested vinegar or a stronger acid to clean, then resealing; a few people mentioned getting grout dye to cover it up, but you have to strip any grout sealer first.


Coleman 6230-901 outdoor unit fan running slow (and continuously)

The motor to shorted to the case.  It will need to be replaced.


Central air conditioner electrical disconnect amperage

In the US, it's required that manufacturers include the following items on condensing unit's nameplate (NEC 440.4(B)):

Maker's name
Rating in volts
Frequency
Number of phases
Minimum supply circuit conductor ampacity
Maximum rating of the branch-circuit short-circuit and ground-fault protective device

You'll simply use the minimum supply circuit conductor ampacity value from the name plate, and NEC 2011 Table 310.15(B)(16) through Table 310.15(B)(19) to determine the proper conductor size.
As for the branch-circuit short-circuit ground-fault protection, you'll have to select one less than or equal to the maximum rating listed on the nameplate.  However, you'll have to choose a device with a high enough rating to handle the inrush current, so you'll want to choose a device close to this value.

tl;dr
To answer your questions directly...

A 30 ampere breaker is the wrong one, if the nameplate lists 25 as the maximum rating of the branch-circuit short-circuit and ground-fault protective device.

For 25 amperes, you're likely correct to use 10 AWG cable.

Usually the disconnect is not fused, and simply functions as a safety disconnect. You'll just have to make sure the disconnect is rated for greater than 25 amperes, and the appropriate voltage.


I see no "steel plates" that support the beams. In fact the bottom flat plate is an integral part of the the I-Beam itself.
If you look at the attached enlarged view....

... you can see that the lower flat face of the I-Beam is actually supported on some wooden tapered wedges. These are in turn appearing to be sitting on some whiteish colored bricks. These could be fire bricks or even concrete bricks (it is hard to tell from the pictures).
The floor "bounce" that you are experiencing may very well be very slight deflections of the I-Beam itself. You could experiment with some temporary adjustable support posts under these I-Beams at mid span to see if that offers any significant change in the floor bounce that you experience.


While they are not the most correct way to alleviate your problem, check your favorite home center/big box store for a "flexible tail piece extension". The ideal method would be to remove and realign your current drain. While the flexible drains work they are more prone to clogging due to the accordion like walls of the pipe.


HVAC blower comes on by itself. Even after thermostat has been disconnected from wall. EDIT- POSSIBLY FIXED

Final cause is a combination of 2 problems.

After review of the wiring diagram, there appears NO way power can get to the blower motor except via the 24 volt transformer voltage, which only goes thru my thermostat. There is no other way to get power to the blower. Thus there has to be a short in the thermostat wiring between the furnace and my thermostat.

Tracing the wiring - I find that there is a midline splice in the line, that is used to tie in the A/C compressor to the circuit. This splice was just taped with electrical tape to the furnace metal gas line outside the furnace.  I found frayed wiring and bare copper showing- thus it appears that that the wiring is occasionally shorting- either from contact to the metal gas line or directly between the wires (why just some of the time I don't know).  Correcting these shorts, the blower now does not come on by itself anymore (no more 'ghost' fan starts), only operating with the thermostat in place or if I short the wires.  However,--

The thermostat itself is also broken.  Possibly due to the shorting that has been going on? It operates the A/C Compressor or heat calls properly based on cycling when the tempature calls for it, but the fan now continually runs, even with the thermostat switched off- unless I remove the thermostat from the wall (prior to fixing shorts the blower would still continue to run, even with thermostat removed from wall).

Thus, all works well except the thermostat seems to have internal shorts that keep the blower fan on at all times regardless of heat or cooling calls, or even when the thermostat is switched to 'off'.

Replaced the thermostat, and now system works fine.  So I was trying to solve two problems at the same time- always makes for more fun.

Thanks to comments from 'ThreePhaseEel' for pointing me to the wiring diagram so I could isolate problem, and to 'Ken' for telling me where to find the wiring diagram!.


Must a generator be connected permanently to the transfer switch?

Bad news: given a typical portable generator, you'd have the wrong switch for the job

While your intentions with the transfer switch you are looking at are noble, your plans, like many well-intended but underinformed generator transfer setups, would not normally quite reach the point of Code compliance.  In particular, while your plan treats the hots correctly (the most important part for not zapping linesmen), your proposed setup would run aground where neutral and ground meet if you used it with a garden-variety portable generator.  In particular, your main panel has the neutral-to-ground bond in it, which is a critical component of your house's electrical system.  However, most generators also have a neutral-to-ground bond in them, as well, so that they can be safely and legally used as stand-alone power sources, say on a jobsite or somewhere else utility power is unavailable.

As a result, if you hooked up everything as you are currently planning it with a typical generator, you'd have a case of dueling neutral-to-ground bonds, sending stray currents in undesired directions and possibly even tripping the GFCIs protecting the high-power outlets on some generators.  There are two ways to fix this: one is to pull the bond out of the generator, but this renders it unusable for portable work, and very few generator manufacturers these days provide instructions for removing and reinstalling the bonding straps on their products.  The other, normally less problematic way is to get a transfer switch that switches both the hots and the neutral.  This way, your house wiring is only connected to one neutral-ground bond at any given time, whether it be the house's or the generator's.

In particular, your current proposal uses a GE TC10324R double-throw, non-fusible enclosed switch with two switching poles and a solid neutral.  However, if you had a bonded neutral generator, you would need a three pole switch in order to have enough poles to switch everything.  GE makes one of these, the TC35324R, but it's unobtanium for us DIYers.  However, Midwest makes a not-quite-equivalent switch known as the GS3262G, which is somewhat available.  Furthermore, Siemens makes a full equivalent to the TC35324R in the DTNF324R (HD has it on their site, even, but it's a bit spendy).

Worse news: you're a switch would have been even more wrong for the job at hand

If we were not switching an entire house, or switching a feeder from a combination meter breaker device, we would be done here.  However, since you are transferring your entire house, and likely have your main breaker fitted at your main panel instead of at your meter, we're not done here, as there are more hurdles to overcome.  In particular, NEC 230.91 requires the service overcurrent protection to be in the same spot as the service disconnect:

  230.91 Location. The service overcurrent device shall be an
  integral part of the service disconnecting means or shall be
  located immediately adjacent thereto. Where fuses are used as
  the service overcurrent device, the disconnecting means shall
  be located ahead of the supply side of the fuses.

This leaves you with two options if you wanted to continue down this path with a typical portable generator: either a made-for-purpose, service entrance rated, 200A manual transfer switch with a switched neutral fitted, or a fused double-throw, three-pole safety switch.  This poses a problem, as the former switches generally don't have switched neutrals, and the latter are extremely expensive.  (Generac discontinued the switched neutral kit for their version, and the EZ-Connect switches don't even seem to offer the option to begin with.)

Even if you could get such a switch for a reasonable price, you'd still find yourself in an installation pickle, as the aforementioned neutral-to-ground bond for your house would have to be moved from your existing main panel to the new switch.  This requires replacing the service-entrance cable between the two locations with a four-wire cable, at a minimum; you may also need to extend the grounding electrode conductor to the location of the new panel, which is a challenging task as you need to use compression splices and their associated tooling for this job.

There's a better solution to the problem of standby power out there

Of course, none of this solves the problem of load-management.  While it's possible to do that by manually flipping breakers on and off in your panel, there's a reason that you don't see whole-building transfer in larger buildings: it doesn't scale as load-management concerns start to predominate. Manual load selection is error-prone in the heat of a power outage, and even automatic load shed devices can pose problems if they misoperate or are misconfigured.

Instead, what people whose generators actually matter do is take the time up-front to determine which loads and circuits are important enough to belong on the generator, then move those loads to a subpanel that is switched between the normal and standby power sources.  This approach means that non-critical loads (like the dryer) can't disrupt critical loads (like the well pump), at the cost of not being able to have the dryer, in this example, on generator power at all.  It also means that you can use a smaller, less-expensive transfer switch, and don't have to worry about relocating the service disconnect and its associated neutral-to-ground bond to the transfer switch, for that matter.

The simplest way to do this for most generators, albeit not yours, would be to use an integrated switching neutral manual transfer switch and standby subpanel; Reliance Controls makes such a thing in the form of their Panel/Link X series, and certain Eaton CHGEN panels have this feature as well.  (It's also possible to kit out certain main-lug QO panels as such a thing, but it takes a bit more work.)  If none of the aforementioned are an option, one could use a three-pole, double throw, non-fused switch and an ordinary main lug subpanel instead.

Fortunately, with your generator, since it has a floating neutral, you can dispense with some of that complexity, and use a more normal manual transfer switch with a solid neutral, or even a pair of interlocked breakers in a bog-standard subpanel with the standby loads fed from that new subpanel.

Of course, you'll need to provide a four-wire feed from the main panel to the transfer switch, with neutral and ground separated and the neutral/ground bond removed/not fitted at the subpanel.  This approach also generally lends itself better to using a separate inlet box and transfer switch, instead of having the inlet mounted into a knockout on the transfer switch (or a generator cord and plug trailing from the transfer switch) as in your proposal.

Good news: If you really want to do whole-house manual transfer...things are actually rather simple

If, for some reason or another, the use of a standby subpanel is absolutely not an option for you, it is possible to do whole-house transfer in your situation.  The good news is that you can get made-for-purpose hardware for this; the bad news is that what you have won't quite do the trick, due to the NEC 230.91 compliance issue mentioned above.

For your case, the simplest route, instead of using a separate transfer switch, would be to get the correct breaker interlock kit for your electrical panel (in your case, a HOMCGK2C), and use that to interlock the main breaker with the generator breaker.  You can then run normal house wiring from the generator breaker to a generator inlet box (Reliance PB50 or equivalent) mounted on the outside of the house; from there, the generator just plugs in using a generator cordset (NEMA 14-50R to CS6364).

If you were trying to do this with a bonded neutral generator, you'd need a 200A enclosed circuit breaker device in a weatherprooof (NEMA 3R) enclosure to serve as the new exterior service disconnecting means.  This goes next to your meter enclosure, with a normal 3-wire set of service-entrance wires run into it and the grounding electrode conductor extended/rerun to it as well.  From there, though, you then need to run a four-wire feeder to one of the aforementioned 200A three-pole, double-throw switches (either a GS3262G, most likely, or the DTNF324R if you must), with a generator inlet fitted directly to the switch using a Reliance Controls PK50 kit.  (A cord-and-plug setup for connecting the generator could be set up using the correct cord grip where it joins the permanent wiring, but some inspectors may consider such a "generator tail" outside the scope of what cordage can legally be used for.) Finally, you would need to continue that four-wire feeder run from the transfer switch to the existing interior panel, removing the bonding means at that panel while you're at it since it's now going to be a subpanel.


Looking for a "lightbulb" that wirelessly controls an electrical outlet

How about something like this? You plug the switched outlet into the regular outlet and the remote switch operates your new outlet. You can mount the switch where ever you want. These are available at many home stores and Walmarts. They're inexpensive, about $10 to 15 bucks


Can I bore a 4inch hole through my ceiling joists?

Looks like you have your specs and they don’t allow it. But no I would never drill that big a hole in joists. It’s common to do so on rim joists however as they are supported underneath by the foundation.
For any vent the best choice is to have it as direct and short as possible with as few as corners as possible. The best choice is usually through straight up through the roof.
I have seen some interesting choice for exhaust pipe too. Try to avoid flex hose as that limits air flow.


Gas furnace control board issues: main burners never start; sparks never stop w/o flame sensor

If the flame sensor is disconnected it will keep sparking thinking there is no flame. I am not sure if that unit has a proving time limit or not. Many of the Honeywell models lock out after either 15 or 90 seconds and stay locked out until power or thermostat is interrupted or 5 minutes.
As fo the main gas valve it may be a few things. Check the grounding. Check for continuity throughout the entire grounding path. Check for 24 volts between MV/PV and PV. I would expect voltage there since you have a pilot light. Check between MV/PV and MV. If there is power there but the gas valve does not open check the same terminals at the gas valve. Still power then bad gas valve. No power there and good ground then most likely a bad ignition module.


Installing a ceiling fan in a house built pre 50's

First order of business: install an old work ceiling fan box!

(The linked box is the first one that turned up on Google -- there are several makes and models of old work ceiling fan boxes available, all of the basic design depicted.)

Right now, not only are you violating NEC section 300.15,

  Boxes, Conduit Bodies, or Fittings - Where Required. A box shall be
  installed at each outlet and switch point for concealed knob-and-tube wiring.

  Fittings and connectors shall be used only with the specific wiring methods
  for which they are designed and listed.

  Where the wiring method is conduit, tubing, Type AC cable, Type MC cable, Type
  MI cable, nonmetallic-sheathed cable, or other cables, a box or conduit body
  shall be installed at each conductor splice point, outlet point, switch point,
  junction point, termination point, or pull point, unless otherwise permitted
  in 300.15(A) through (L).

including the exceptions in (B),

  Equipment. An integral junction box or wiring compartment as part of
  approved equipment shall be permitted in lieu of a box.

(E),

  Integral Enclosure. A wiring device with integral enclosure identified for
  the use, having brackets that securely fasten the device to walls or ceilings
  of conventional on-site frame construction, for use with nonmetallic-sheathed
  cable, shall be permitted in lieu of a box or conduit body.

and (H),

  Insulated Devices. As permitted in 334.40(B), a box or conduit body shall
  not be required for insulated devices supplied by nonmetallic-sheathed cable.

you have created a very nice falling ceiling fan trap!  Ceiling fans are heavy and require solid anchorage to two ceiling joists, or at least the solid-enough anchorage provided by a properly installed ceiling fan box.  Furthermore, without a box, an overheating or arcing splice can proceed to directly light your ceiling on fire!

Once you rectify the lack of a suitable box to mount the fan to, you can then wire black&blue to black, white to white, and leave the bare (or green) wire from the fan unhooked (or terminated to the green screw in the box if you're uncomfortable leaving a wire end floating -- it makes no difference electrically in your case, but may be preferable for mechanical reasons).


An alternative to a continuous fan would be a bathroom exhaust fan hooked to a moisture-sensing switch, or a humidity sensing bathroom fan. Both are commercially available and it would save your fan from running 24/7. You can then attach it to flexible ducting and put a dryer vent or roof vent to exhaust the moist air. Better still is a large bathroom fan makes very little noise.


Is this a correct installation of a whole house Surge Protector?

You will need to flush-mount the protector, feeding the wires through a knockout

Since your panel is flush-mounted into the wall, and you generally are best off not modifying a deadfront if you can help it (while the UL listing on the loadcenter cabinet is not technically necessary, modifying the cabinet deadfront could confuse an inspector).  Instead, you'll need to use a HEPD58MKF or HEPD80MKF flush mount kit to mount the surge suppressor into the drywall, along with the short length of flex conduit and supplied fittings to route the wires from the HEPD80 surge suppressor into the panel.

As to making a knockout for the surge suppressor wires to go through, you'll want to make a 7/8" hole in the panel's side (this is the actual size of a knockout hole for a 1/2" nominal conduit fitting) that is directly aligned where the breaker you put in for the surge suppressor is.  The easiest way to do this is with a tool called a knockout punch; a cheap set will do you just fine.  I would not use a drill for this; even with the panel dead, it's very hard to guarantee that stray chips from drilling haven't gotten places that would cause bad news when the power is turned back on.

That 30A breaker, it turns out, is OK after all

The instructions for the HEPD80 allow for the use of a 30A maximum breaker; this isn't an issue since the conductors to the SPD carry practically no current in normal operation, and the device can't generate an overload condition, so short-circuit/ground-fault protection is the only concern here, and UL has tested the device with 30A breaker protection.

Note that while it is possible to tap an existing breaker of suitable size to install a SPD like yours, that has the downside that an overload or short on that circuit will cause a loss of surge protection; as a result, it's recommended to do as you did and use a dedicated breaker for installing the SPD.  (It's also possible to install the HEPD80 tapped directly off the busbar, but that has the downside that you have to kill power to the whole panel to service the surge protector, so having it on a dedicated breaker makes sense.)


Why is no water coming out of my sprinklers despite the diaphragm valve working?

If you can hear water running, my guess would be nothing is wrong with the solenoid (diaphragm vale), but there's actually a broken pipe in your system somewhere. If there is water moving, it has to be going somewhere.

It sounds like in your case, none of the sprinklers in the zone are coming on at all? If that's the case, it means the leak is between the solenoid and the first sprinkler. If there are some sprinklers coming on, but not all, then the leak is between the farthest one that's on, and the closest one that's off.

Once you've isolated the section, there's no really quick way to find the actual leak. With two zones leaking, they could be related and leaking in the same place, so I'd look right close to the solenoids first. Beyond that, run the water for a while, and there should be a wet patch in the grass eventually. Once you find that, start digging, and then you should be able to repair it.


I would bet the doors were dryer than they are now. Most basements are more humid than the rest of a typical home, especially in the summer. In the winter they will shrink again, but it will be needed to trim a little here and there to get them to work in the summer.


What material is my residence-adjoining common wall made from?

Duplex/twin - probably a firewall, or "party wall" in the "old-shool, solid masonry" sense. Depending on the locale, sometimes a LOT of solid masonry (like 2 feet/600mm.)


Help name or identify tap valve without rubber.

Looks like the rubber seals are completely gone.
Replace the rubber seals, and re- dress the brass seats, so they no longer chew up the rubber seals.


Using 2 Separate NM Cables to Make 1 4-wire conductor?

Nope -- this violates the intent of 300.3(B)/300.20(B)

Trying to "split" a circuit's conductors among cables or raceways is generally prohibited by NEC 300.3(B), with a few exceptions (that are not applicable to typical residential wiring, even if they appear so at first glance).

The issue is that if you have current going out to the load on one wire and back on another, the resulting loop generates a magnetic field within it.  This is a EMI hazard as it can induce 60Hz noise into sensitive devices (old tube TVs and monitors were the most common examples), but more importantly, it's a fire hazard because that magnetic field can go on to induce eddy currents into ferrous objects within that loop, heating them up just like a pan on an induction cooktop.

As a result, you're better off running a new 6/3 cable for the new oven, as sadly, there is no such thing as a 240V-only wall oven that I have found listed for US use, and the old-style 3-wire connections are prohibited for new wiring for very good reason.


Can I split a 60 amp split-phase circuit to multiple 15 or 20 ampere circuits?

You should make a plug-in subpanel. Remember to keep ground and neutral isolated in the subpanel.

You don't need to worry about balancing loads - if the loads are balanced, the current in the neutral is zero, otherwise it's more than zero, in any case it's fine if the circuit is properly wired. This is the way it works into your house/building and at every sub-panel feed.

You want a sub-panel so that there are more-reasonable sized (15-20 amp) breakers on your 120V circuits, rather than a 60 amp - unless your 120V circuit is a 60 amp circuit with all conductors properly sized for that load.


Is it normal or necessary to line gas fireplace cavities with drywall?

It depends on:

The specs for the unit. Some require an air gap and typically have metal protrusions to enforce that spec. Older ones may have called specifically for fire-resistant wall treatments.
Local building codes. There may be requirements that disregard and enhance manufacturer requirements and recommendations.
The risk tolerance of the builder or homeowner. If it helps you sleep at night to not have kiln-dried lumber directly exposed to a firebox, it's cheap comfort to drop in some drywall. To do it right it would need to be taped or otherwise sealed at the joints, though.


I think that might be an old coal burner with a dome heat exchanger on top (also known as a radiator).

I have never seen or used one of these in person, but there is some information about this stove type sparsely spread around the internet.  I understand they are roughly 1940s vintage.

Consider this photo of a competing Wards model:

Ash tray is the bottom door.  Coal is added through the middle door and air inlet is controlled at the middle door and/or bottom door.   The top end is a heat exchanger that circulates flue gas to the center dome, then to the front part of the doughnut, around the sides, to the back, past a manual balancing damper at the flue connection and then up the chimney.  The manual balancing damper at the flue would be needed to manage airflow in concert with the intake.  I believe the front door on the dome is there for cleaning and remains closed during normal operation.

This stove is not likely to be efficient by today's standards because it is not equipped with a secondary burn chamber.


To use or Not - Vapor Barrier for Brick House

NEVER use “expanding spray foam” on brick walls for four reasons: 1) expanding foam could put stress on the brick and crack the brick or the mortar joints, 2) too much insulation on brick could block heat transfer to bricks and cause the brick to crack, 3) moisture could get trapped in the brick, and 4) joists embedded in the brick wall could rot causing structural decay.

1) Spray foam is acceptable (and may be the best choice, although expensive) but EXPANDING SPRAY FOAM will crack the brick or crack the mortar joints. Rigid foam is acceptable, but must be carefully installed so as not to allow moisture to transfer into the wall, freeze and then crack the wall.

2) currently, warm moist air transfers into the brick and keeps the brick (and moisture) from freezing. Thickness of insulation must be considered so as not to make the inside of the brick too cold, freeze and then crack the brick.

3) you’ll need to determine if the type of brick will “absorb” moisture. Any moisture transferred from the exterior into the brick or any moisture transferred from the interior (via dew point) could freeze and crack the brick.

4) If joists are embedded in the brick, adding insulation could make the ends of the joists (on the cold side of the insulation) rot.

Some bricks are more vulnerable than others to freeze/thaw problems. This usually has to do with permeability. The thicker the insulation the greater the chance of cracking the brick wall during extremely cold times.


Proper way to run and fish electrical wire in Canada?

Another option is run EMT conduit across the bottom of joists.   EMT can be used in one of two modes:

as a simple protective shield for the Romex style cables.  In this case, contemplate larger conduit diameters such as 3/4" for a single cable or 1-1/4" to 1-1/2" for multiple cables. The "conduit fill rules" require fairly large pipe when flat Romex is involved, because it can't be counted on to lay flat.  In this case you do not need steel boxes at the end of the conduit run, but the end of the run needs to be protected.
as the Conduit Wiring Method, requiring steel junction boxes at both ends.  In this case you can pull cables through large conduit as above, but instead, may make a splice inside the junction boxes to wires more appropriate to the Conduit wiring method.

The EMT Conduit Wiring Method is a great way to wire, when you are able to do it.  You don't need a ground wire (the EMT is the ground) and you can run individual THHN type wires, which also can be stranded wire, for much better handling and flexibility.  It allows you to carry as many as 4 circuits inside a 1/2" pipe.

In any case, if several circuits are running together in a conduit pipe or simply bundled together for 600cm or farther, assure there are no more than 3 circuits together.   However 4 circuits is allowed if all of them are #12 (20A) or smaller.

If you ever envision having 3 or more circuits, make the steel boxes at the end of the conduit run be 4-11/16 (120mm) boxes that are 55mm deep.  That provides enohgh space for up to 4 circuits worth of splices.


Cap icemaker water line under sink-cap leaks

So at the end of tubing that you want to cap you should have a fitting similar to this
Additionally, add insert one of these into the tube after the nut and compression ferrule have been placed on the tube

Tighten the nut onto the couplers body only until the bottoms out or stops turning. Brass nut will crack from over-torquing. Remove the other nut and ferrule from the couplers other end. Wrap (2) turns of teflon tape in a clockwise direction on these threads. Tighten a compression cap

using directions as mentioned for nut above.
Compression fittings have a "finer" thread than standard International Pipe Thread (IPT).


What packing material to use between a brick and house beam?

Use stacked steel plates as shims. Use varying thickness's as required to ensure they are tightly packed and fully supporting the joist loads.

I'll assume the remaining structure of bricks and whatever is supporting them is properly designed and constructed, not just dry stacked (unless this is temporary, in which case do what ever works). If you live in a seismic area, the top of the bricks need to have a positive connection to the joists, not just shimmed. Your proposal sounds a bit sketchy on the surface, but it is possible to do this well and correctly, so I'll give you the benefit of any doubt and just answer your question.


Critical temperature what a family house's average thermal energy storage can ride out?

When a person builds a building with brick (say, in 1890), they are not engineering the building for thermal management. They are using brick because it is cheap, durable, and holds up the roof.

While the brick could be a thermal management asset, it is only by dumb luck.  If you want more effectiveness, you need to actively engineer for it.

Right now, when the sun goes down, the brick radiates its heat in both directions - into your house and out of your house.  It actually does the second one better, since it's in direct contact with outside.  After the brick cools down, it then becomes a conduit to draw your expensive interior heat to the outside.  So while it is thermal storage, it is also a thermal pipe.

What you need is for the thermal storage to last longer and stop being a pipe.  The best way to do that is put insulation outside the thermal mass.  In other words, wrap your building with insulation.

And then, add either active piping (solar thermal, ground source etc.) or passive solar design (well-aimed windows with summer shading, however, it doesn't sound like you're building a new house).


What should I do with the airflow in a sealed off conditioned crawlspace

Sounds a lot like my son's new house.

Since you already have an HVAC duct that runs through the crawl space just add a register to that duct. My guess is that unless you're actually going to seal the crawl space and make it air tight relative to the rest of the basement, you'll have enough leakage around the access door so that no additional return is needed.

I don't think the dehumidifier is needed with the air from the HVAC system.  In my son's house, the crawlspace is open to the rest of the house.  To be honest, it's a bit more than just a crawlspace in that the height is ~5 ft, but still with a concrete floor and insulated and sealed walls.


Is 1/4" overlap, front door to door frame enough to prevent break-in?

There is no such thing as an "impossible to break in" door short of something like the NORAD facility in Colorado.  That sort of thing would be quite impractical for the average home.

The best choice, however, is a door sturdy enough to discourage the garden-variety OPPORTUNISTIC thief.  Generally they will move on if they can't get in quickly and the best thing you can do is make gaining entry difficult enough they will go somewhere else.

A steel-clad door with a steel frame is an excellent choice but you need to ensure that the frame is well anchored into the wall of the home.  A proper installation may take some construction work and if you aren't familiar with this kind of construction you should hire a qualified installer.

Keep in mind that thieves also look for other weak points to enter like windows, sliding doors, hidden keys (they know ALL the spots), etc.  So check and reinforce those as well.

Thieves like to come back to places they have hit after a few months looking for insurance-paid replacements so don't think that just because you were hit that you are in the clear.


Why is 1/4" underlayment supposed to be parallel to the subfloor?

Most subfloor and underlayment sheet goods are manufactured with greater strength/stiffness on one axis. It may have longer wood strands in that direction, or it may have a greater number of plies with grain in that direction. For this reason it should be oriented perpendicular to framing members.

You should stagger all joints. This may mean ripping a half sheet to begin an area, and may even mean cutting that rip into a quarter sheet. You wouldn't need to hit right at a 50% lap, but shoot for at least 12" or so on the long edge. Butt joints should occur over framing.

You don't typically need to fill flaws in subfloor, but we had a standard practice of taking a drum sander to swollen OSB subfloor if it had been rained on several times during house framing. The edges swell more than the field, and that creates humps. Small gaps such as at T&G joints don't require filling.