Is there any way to either 'break in' or live with tamper resistant outlets?

A:  Several sources claim they loosen up with time.  Other sources have claimed that outlets have broken before accepting a plug.  The latter seems to be more common with off-brands.

So:  If you are doing your own work:  Plug something in a dozen times BEFORE installing the outlet.  This way, if you have a defective one, you can find it/break it before going to the bother of wiring it in.  You don't even  have to use a cord.  Have a spare plug kicking around?

If you are doing a bunch of these, it may be worth using a drill press or bearing press to push the plug in.  The ideal plug is one that has a neck on it smaller than your chuck size.

A small wooden box with a flange that could be clamped to the drill press table, with bars across (bolts?  Large nails) positioned so that the plug could pass between, but when you raised the drill the box would keep the outlet from following.  Slide the outlet in from the side.  Probably could set up a cottage industry doing this for electrical contractors.

B:  When I was a kid, we still used slide rules.  I found that the best lubricant for a sticking slide rule was baby powder.  Any powder that is basically scented talcum powder should work. I have since used talcum powder anytime I need two pieces of plastic to slide past each other.  Apply with a small watercolour paint brush, or a blower.

This is a lot easier to do and to clean up if done as prevention before.  Lay the outlet on it's back, dust it with talcum powder, insert the plug a few times.  Gravity carries the powder into works.  Shake a bit, tap in various orientations, brush off the excess.

One source mentioned silicone spray.

C:  Sources have claimed TR outlets are 'elder proof' Much like child proof caps on drugs are more resistant to older fingers than younger ones, I've found lots of complaints about the difficulty for older people using TR outlets.

This may be an answer:

These come in various formats.  Outlets on front, sides, ends... Some even have USB charging ports.

This means you only have to struggle ONCE with the outlet.  If nothing else, the ergonomics would seem to encourage putting the device in perpendicular and simultaneously into both outlets at once.


Critter dug gravel out from under my barn's cement slab

Unless you have concentrated loads there (commercial vehicle traffic, etc.), don't worry about it. Shovel what you can back in and be happy (assuming that you can plainly see the extent of the excavation).

If it's a concern, Try using some 2-3" pipe or flex tubing. Fill it with coarse sand or fine gravel. Slide the pipe into the end of the hole, then use a pole of slightly smaller diameter to push the material out as you slowly retract the pipe. Use the pole to compact the soil as you work your way out.


Can I use a pump to discharge kitchen sink waste water, rather than digging up the concrete?

I'd really need pictures to answer properly, But it is entirely possible that you wouldn't even need a pump.  Your kitchen sink should be high enough that you can run a properly sloped horizontal run to connect to the drain pipe behind the kitchen sink.


Is it OK to mount a smoke detector vertically?

You can mount them vertically, but they have to be installed 4-12 inches (spacing usually on the instructions) from the ceiling.  So it might be better to put in on the column than the beam, depending on how large that beam is.

More information from FEMA


What is a good option for raising my kitchen sink?

how about measuring the height, width and length of the bottom of the sink (and of course the height of a plastic container which is used in the sink to wash dishes), then finding a flat rectangular piece of plastic with that width and length, but the height will be the height of the sink minus the height of the dishwashing container.
just measured for mine. have no idea what it's called or where to find it, but it will be 5 1/2" x 7" and about 1 1/2" high. not much of a difference.
take care.


Adding Undersized Fuse to Doorbell Circuit?

Wouldn't a slow-blow fuse work? I don't think you'd want to under size it. Just understand what voltage/current ratings you need and find a slow-blow fuse that can handle 10-15 seconds of that.

Something like this. Just figure out where you need to be on the Average Time Current Curves.


If you are planning to use a generator just for an emergency situation at your house. You are better of purchasing a residential type of genset.

If you are trying to save money and only want use the generator for something other than a residential emergency supply. Then you should go with just the standard portable generator. However, your input into your residence is regulated by the 240V twist lock, which is protected by an overload and may not even be the rating of the twist lock. So you may not be getting the full KW of the genset.

Unless you have a reason for needing an inverter then there is no reason to spend the extra money on them.


To ensure there's no problem with the wiring to the button or the button itself, try powering the bell directly. The wiring now should have one transformer wire connected directly to the bell and the other transformer wire going off to the button. Take that second transformer wire and touch it to the second terminal on the bell; the bell should ring.
Not only will this help to rule out the possibility of a problem in half of the circuit, it will also give you an opportunity to see the bell in action and observe whether it might have a problem.


Fastening stone stair treads to a CMU base in a removable manner

Stairs need to be EXTRA safe, because a loose stair is potentially deadly. It's not something you want to mess around with, heavy or not. Could you drill and bolt them toward the back of each tread, running the bolts down into the concrete below the CMU blocks? You could countersink the bolt heads  on the tread stone and fill them with sand or something to hide them, then vacuum out the sand if you ever need to remove the bolts to lift the tread. If you do that, use stainless steel hardware all around.


How much closed cell expanding foam insulation do I need?

According to the product's data sheet a 750ml can yields 43l.

I'm getting 0.86 square meters per can at 50mm thickness but I don't do stuff with the metric system often so I suggest you double-check my numbers based on the data sheet and see if we agree.

As to if it will keep you warm or not, that all depends on your heat source.


Can an electric burner catch on fire inside itself?

Nothing in the heating element burns. It has an Inconel sheath and a Nichrome resistance element - essentially the same alloy. The white insulation powder is magnesium oxide. If the internal wire comes in contact with the sheath , it may melt a hole before a fuse or breaker shuts off. I expect the crackling noise is contraction of cooling components. The alloy names are copyrights of Inco ( now gone) and other names may be used for the same alloys.


In some cases it may be rust scale or gravel in the valve , flushing the valve may fix it. Turn the supply off open the top of the fill valve some twist some have tabs. Remove the top put a glass or jar over the top and turn the water on, some tiles it is amazing how much grit comes out, turn the valve off reassemble and see if this fixed the problem it has worked for me many times.


Getting rid of mold in areas you cannot reach

Although Vinigar is a weak acid it can kill surface mold. I would recommend hydrogen peroxide at 3% it is more effective at killing mold and bacteria and doesn't stink after application.
I would also spray the exposed wood surfaces, when lumber is milled it is sprayed with a biocide that doesn't last long and I have seen older units start to grow mushrooms in just a few months. And ply wood is worse when the sheets of veneer are cut mushrooms begin growing in days. Most spores are killed in the hot press process. Keeping the basement dry with a dehumidifier will be the best plan forward without moisture it cannot grow. But make sure to treat the exposed wood because you sleeping in that area create a large amount of exhaled moisture that may be enough to activate the mold.


Why would Super Glue take an hour to harden?

Superglue works best when spread in a thin layer, a "blob" will take longer to harden because a thin skin forms on the surface, slowing the curing:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanoacrylate

  In general, cyanoacrylate is an acrylic resin that rapidly polymerises
  in the presence of water (specifically hydroxide ions), forming long,
  strong chains, joining the bonded surfaces together. Because the
  presence of moisture causes the glue to set, exposure to normal levels
  of humidity in the air causes a thin skin to start to form within
  seconds, which very greatly slows the reaction. Because of this
  cyanoacrylate is applied thinly, to ensure that the reaction proceeds
  rapidly and a strong bond is formed within a reasonable time.

This question over on electronics.stackexchange.com talks about glues used to attach components to PCB's. That's probably a better site to ask any followup questions about the best way to glue components to PCB's.


Can I support 6x6" deck posts on 10" diameter poured concrete footings?

Summary - the post size seems questionable. Even at 12", it might have been insufficient. It depends very much on your soil type.
The remainder of this answer is a huge estimate based on lots of assumptions.

For something like a residential deck the reason the size of a footing is important is not because of the strength of the concrete itself, but because of how much soil is directly below it (*). Soil is much weaker than concrete and the concrete footing has to transfer the weight of the deck to the soil, spreading that weight out over a large enough area that it won't gradually sink or move in some way.
We can make some broad assumptions to try and analyze your footings.
For a residential deck in the US (not sure where you are) I think 50 pounds-per-square-foot  (psf) of deck surface is a typical design value. This estimate is supposed to include the weight of the structure plus any occupants, furniture, etc.

A 13x10 deck is 130 square feet (sqft) in total
130 sqft x 50 psf = 6500 pounds

So where does all this weight go? Diagram shows a top-view of the deck, divided into sections. One half towards the ledger, the other half further divided into regions around the posts. These areas estimate how the weight will be distributed.

Assume half the weight of the deck is taken by the house ledger, leaving 3250 lbs for the posts (actually if the deck overhangs the posts they would take a bit more).
The 3 posts won't split the weight evenly: area B = A + C, therefore post B will take the most weight. Assuming A = C then we have A + B + C = A + (A + C) + C = 4A = 3250. So A = C = 812.5 and B takes about 1625 lbs.
A 10" post has an area of π r2 = 3.14 * 5 * 5 = 78.5 sq inches = about 0.55  square feet.
(If the post were 12", then you'd have 113 sq inches = 0.8 sq ft)
Dividing the weight per post by the post's area, you get:
1625 lbs / 0.55 sq ft = 2955 lbs/sqft for post B.
(Using 12" posts, B would have taken 2030 lbs/sqft).
It comes down to what kind of soil you have whether this is OK or not:

Clay: 1,500-2,000 lbs/sqft
Sand: 2,000-3,000 lbs/sqft
Gravel: 3,000-5,000 lbs/sqft
Bedrock or solid rock: "unlimited" (?)

(reference for soil values: https://www.timbertown.com/building-a-deck-on-different-types-of-soil/)
The question doesn't have enough information to assess this further.

Probably you should discuss this with your local code enforcement official. They should know what would be acceptable, typically.
If you do need to make changes, one option is adding one or more additional posts in between A-B and B-C. This would spread out the load.

(*) Concrete might have a strength of like 5000 pounds per square inch. This means it is 1000-2000 times stronger than typical soils.


Can a white neutral wire be used as a three pole traveler wire?

The answer is yes in 1977 the white was regularly used as a switched leg. There are 2 travelers. It sounds like someone has replaced the switch in the past and mixed up a common for a traveler ( in This case common is the switch contact that toggles from 1 traveler terminal to the other) This is quite common in DIY where someone did not pay attention to the original wiring.


Plumbing - does it matter where I stop cold and hot water pipes?

It is a very bad idea to have a dead leg in a water supply system. These are unswept by flow and so can grow bacteria. Check with your local residential plumbing code enforcement on how serious a violation it is.


Rth5160d1003 New Thermostat wiring from Older 7 Wire Setup o & b wires?

This isn't so hard after all

Old bimetal thermostats used extra contacts on the mode select (heat/off/cool/e-heat) switch to determine whether O or B was energized, so as a result, your old thermostat provided both an O and a B terminal, in order to be compatible with all heat pump systems, as some require an O wire while others require a B wire.  However, there are very few systems (certain residential zone boards are the only setups I know of) that require both O and B to be present; all heat pumps and many other systems that use O/B require only one or the other.

In your case, your O wire is connected to your heat pump reversing valve (the orange wire in the thermostat cable is connected to the orange wire going off to the heat pump), while the black wire in the thermostat cable is unconnected at the furnace end of the system, apparently.  As a result, the orange wire goes to the O/B terminal in your new thermostat, while the black wire can safely be left unhooked, since it goes nowhere anyway.  Also, the white wire that was connected to E on the old thermostat needs to go to AUX on your new thermostat, due to the way it handles auxiliary/emergency heat.  The rest of the wires go to the obvious terminals: red to R, blue to C, yellow to Y/Y1, and green to G.


I'd try a few of these keyhole mounting plates:

You'd need to be very precise with screw placement so everything lines up properly.  If you're feeling adventurous, you could chisel or route out a recess so the whole thing is flush against the wall.  You could also mount the plates to the wall at a stud, using sufficiently long screws, and then use smaller screws on the shelf to clip in.

Another alternative would be to drill mostly through the stock, screw directly into the wall, and plug the holes with dowel.


What does blinking LEDs mean for GE DFCI AFCI/GFCI Breaker

According to the manual..

Clearing Last Known Trip Condition
The last known trip condition can be cleared by the following process:
 1. Turn the DFCI to the “OFF” position.
 2. Press and hold the Push-to-Test (PTT) button.
 3. Turn the DFCI to the “ON” position.
 4. Release the PTT button after 3 seconds.

After clearing last known trip condition the breaker should stay on work properly.

If that doesn't work there is a good chance a device on the circuit is bad or the wiring has a fault to ground. Less likely problem could be a bad breaker but probably not in this case.


Do not leave mud in a pan.

If it's premixed mud, just put it back in the bucket, put the lid back on, then clean your tools.

If it's powdered setting type from a bag, throw the used mud in the bin, then clean your tools.


The sink drain you show in the picture is a standard kitchen drain that meets code. Its only purpose is to drain water. Based on your post it seems that you are getting clogs in your drain at the mouth of the drain as shown in your picture. It may not drain fast enough for you but it is doing what it's designed to do, trap large debris before it passes down the drain resulting in a potentially costly repair. To make the openings any larger could result in a blockage issue.
It's also a good idea to use the strainer that fits in the drain. It's much easier to clean out the strainer than to have to call a plumber.


Device 6.66 x 3.30 cm

Hole in trim plate 6.68 x 3.32 cm

2 mm ( 0.20 cm) radius on the corners.


Why have separate Long and Short Flush buttons on a toilet if they both do the same thing?

Those should have different effects. I suspect it's not working right. The expected result is that the short flush should cycle the water in the bowl, but not completely empty the tank. The long flush should empty the tank. If you have a manual or can find one, you might be able to adjust things.


the nut around that brass threaded pipe is how to tighten it? Is tightening that the right way to go?

YES and YES

  do you think I can get it tight enough just with that? Or should I expect to have to do something extra (plumber's putty?)

YES and NO - you should go ahead and try tightening it up with the nut, it should work. Those types of faucets normally have a gasket under the upper portion and no plumbers putty is required.

NOTE- it will likely be difficult to tighten that nut, most of those types of faucets come with a manufacturer-supplied special tool to reach up and tighten the nut with. If you don't have that tool then you will need to improvise.


If the valve handle is any indication for what its' function may be, than there is a very likely chance that it is a shut-off valve for: A. water supply (for flat above?) or B. sprinkler system (not likely).   The valve type is either a "gate" or a "globe". Either of them are designed to control water (liquid or vapor) flow. Additionally both valve's have a poor reputation in that the valve stem can break off from the gate or globe (the section that closes the opening to stop flow). It would be wise to first ascertain what the valve is controlling before it is opened or closed.


How can I center a drill bit so that it drills absolutely straight down rather than perhaps a little off to the side?

Update 5/12/2013

While my jig below does work, this product is even better!

Big Gator Tools V-DrillGuide Standard Size Portable Drilling Guide

Original Answer

I am answering my own question here with an awesome, home-grown solution to my problem.  I fastened two pieces of wood together at a 90 degree angle.  Corner clamps made it easy to get it perfect.  I then took a third piece of wood and cut a 45 degree bevel off the corner.  This piece is my drill bit adapter that fits a number of larger-sized drill bits, but was made with my 3/8" bit in mind.  I also made another for smaller sizes (not shown).

To hold the adapter firmly in place and tight against the bit, I use one of my smaller c-clamps.  Using this custom guide, I was able to drill a near-perfect hole into the subject.  I also used another similar custom assembly that works with a plug cutter bit for my power drill.

No expensive equipment required!


How to fix a rupturing wall bathroom tile?

It appears that your wall is failing. Whatever those tile are, they weren't intended for bathroom use. You can scrap off the loose particles and then apply a thin layer of caulk or sealer to the area to prevent you from inhaling the dust. How many tiles you're taking about. Other than that, you're going to have to plan on redoing the walls. The tiles will probably continue to fail even if you improve the ventilation.


warm water only when we replaced the hot water heater with a tankless heater

It could be a thermostatic shower faucet, where the backflow preventer is defect. Or a backflow preventer is defect/removed at any other place. That way the cold water is getting into the warm pipes/hoses, sometimes even if the shower faucet is closed. Normally the warm side has lower (dynamic) pressure, sometimes tankless heaters have a throughput reduction.
Backflow preventers can be easily missed since they are available as small coin sized inlets for water valves.


Rain gutter backs up and overflows in heavy rain

Your gutter is overflowing because either the gutter itself is clogged up with debris or the down spouts are clogged up.

Your larger sized gutter should be able to handle more rain than the smaller sized items installed on your neighbor's houses. So a smaller size would be even less able to cope with the problem than the size that you have.

I suggest that rather than fitting new gutters it would be more cost effective to unclog the existing gutters and make sure that water can flow properly along the gutters to and then down the spouts.

There is a slight possibility that some of your gutters may have been installed incorrectly such that they have a slope away from the down spouts. If this is the case then rain would gather and run toward the down slope end and then overflow because there is no where for it to go.


Splicing or not on the 12v side of a halogen lighting system

You should be able to find a good assortment of the crimp on terminals at any hardware or auto parts store. From your description it sounds like your terminal looks like this:

If you do not have the appropriate tool to crimp the terminals onto the wire you can purchase one at the same location that you get the terminals. A low cost crimp tool will likely look very similar to:


Tips and tricks to installing cabinet doors and mounting hinges

Euro style hinges adjust in all 3 directions that you'd want: up/down, in/out (relative to the cabinet wall), and front/back.

If you start with a cabinet carcase that's square or nearly square, it's usually a matter of tweaking some of those 3 adjustments on the hinges. (If the cabinet is desperately racked, you might exceed the adjustment range of the hinges. In this case, you need to correct the cabinet, then fiddle with the hinges.)

Note that the screws on those hinges are often pozidrive, so if you're doing a lot of this, you'd do well to get the right screwdriver. (Failing that, use philips, but be careful about stripping the screw heads.)


It looks like there are 2 positions available to add new breakers. The panel will need to be opened to know for sure, also make sure to get the correct brand and type for that panel. I would make the first outlet a GFCI since it is outside and you would be good to go. The answer is yes it is possible within code.


What are the “rules” for connecting different kinds mains electrical wires?

There are aluminum to copper wire nuts available, like Ideals 30-16.  Basically it is a wire nut filled with NOLOX.  It is made mostly for mobile homes that have aluminum wire and updating devices that might have failed or if you want to change the color, etc...  They are not cheap, about over a couple of dollars each.  You can but them on the internet or at mobile home repair shops.

Never use wire nuts that are rated copper only.  If you do you are looking at a failure in the connection for sure.

EDIT - For larger cable (I just saw mains in your question) you can used al/cu rated split bolts.  Use plenty of NOLOX then wrap in rubber tape and then a good electricians tape, not the cheap black tape.

Do not use the copper split bolts, they are rated copper only.  Make sure the connector shows al/cu ratings on it.


How to prevent back flow for parallel connected tanks?

I would use a non-return valve

  Diameter: 0.75 in
  Maximum Bar Pressure: 16 bar
  Type: Non-Return
  Colour: Black-Grey
  Material: PVC

  Ideally used for conveying water and other fluids in urban and inter-urban infrastructure, industrial, mining, landscape, and farming applications

Note: This one seems expensive, I suspect I can buy about ten 22mm metal-bodied double-check valves for this price.

The secret to buying plumbing parts is to specify exactly what sort of pipe you are joining, materials, nominal and actual diameters, joining method, types of fluids and pressures to be carried and so on.

It is disappointing when you find your 40mm push-fit spigot won't fit into your 40mm "Multifit" compression coupling, or you find that your spare parts box has 40mm ABS solvent-weld elbows but only 40mm  MUPVC solvent-weld pipe (and your PVC-only solvent has jelled anyway). Find a local plumbing supplies outlet and try to build up a good relationship with them so you can get advice and can return parts that don't fit the way you expected.


Can I mount a workbench on triangular shelf brackets over drywall?

The biggest problem with heavily loaded triangle brackets on drywall is that drywall material is not strong enough to resist being crushed by the lower end of the bracket. You will need to support the bracket with harder material.

If you have a hole saw, cut some disks from hardwood or similar material the thickness of the drywall. The exact diameter of the disks is not important but should be about 1" to 2.5".

Make sure the brackets will be aligned with the studs. Mark the positions of the lower fasteners on the wall.

Use the same hole saw to cut openings in the drywall, over the studs, where the lower fasteners would punch thru. Plug the holes with the hardwood disks. Spackle and paint as desired.

The hard plugs will resist the force exerted against the wall by the lower ends of the brackets.

You can also back up the upper fasteners in the same way. This will resist wall damage from anything crashing into the edge of the shelf. It will also make the shelf installation easier.


How can I tell if this appliance, a kiln, is using 208V single phase or three phase?

Shut off the breakers, and open the access panel on the kilns, and then examine what is connected to what, with great care, and a kiln manual in hand. Skutt has good manuals, in my experience.

Since they can be wired in many different ways, and may no longer match the "as shipped from factory" condition or the "as Sharpied by someone, sometime" condition, you have several options. As you are presently in a studio with 3-phase power available, unless you anticipate moving to a studio without three phase power available, it would be an ideal time to wire them as 3-phase when replacing the elements, if they are not presently so wired. If they currently connect to triplexed breakers in a 3-phase panel, odds are very good that they are already wired that way - but examining what is connect to what will tell the truth.

You could also check the labeling on the kiln-sitter and/or fancier computer control unit, if so equipped. The original factory voltage/phase configuration should be stamped into a steel plate on the kiln itself, as well.

Finally, if in doubt, hire a competent electrician or kiln technician (your ceramics supplier will either have one or know one) if you are not confident of getting it right yourself. Being sure is worth it on something this critical, and it sounds like you let "your old studio mate" handle this in the past without being directly involved yourself. Pay attention to what they do, and why, and document anything that needs documenting.

If the "time to element failure" is not quite a few years, also review the kiln operators manual and be sure that you are conforming to good operating procedures for best element/insulation lifetime. They should last quite a long time.


How to safely remove exterior metal panel?

That is standard aluminum soffit, much like the vinyl sort, and one piece locks into the preceding one the same way. Look closely at both ends, and if you can't see any fasteners try to slide the end piece toward the middle. If it doesn't go try the same on the other end. One end or the other should pop out and you'll then see how it's fastened. It's usually nailed like vinyl. Be careful handling it as it bends and dents easily.

Phil


Best Technique to Achieve Perfect Cut-Outs in a 2x4

The most likely solution is to create a template and use a router with a bit that follows the template. The router would also be used for easing over any sharp edges.

photo credit, sample image, not a product recommendation


Ground wire seems to pass through light switch

That's a hot, not a ground
What you're seeing is an always-hot wire most likely, not a ground, that lands on the terminal screw then continues onward somewhere else in the circuit; some electricians will cut the wire and pigtail, others will use both terminals in a screw-and-clamp, and yet others will wrap a stripped section mid-wire around the screw as you see here.  The 3-way Kasas, fortunately, have terminal screws, so you can leave it "as is", or pigtail it; if you were using a switch with a wire pigtail built-in instead, you'd have to cut and strip so that you could nut the pigtail to the cut ends.
Good news: this is a conduit job
The yellow wires and the use of a metal box with a mudring also tell me that this is a conduit job, which is good news: it not only means that you likely have metal conduit providing your grounding path, it means that even if there's not a neutral already in this box, pulling a neutral to this box is an easy job for any electrician.  It also means that you don't need a grounding wire for the switch; instead, it simply can pick up ground via its mounting screws.
Good news #2: neutral appears to be present
The other good news is that since this is a conduit job, we know that white wires must be neutral in order to meet Code.  So, we know offhand that those two bundled white wires must be a neutral bundle.  However, since one conduit may have multiple circuits in it, we'll need to know more about the inside of the box in order to figure out if it's the correct neutral for you to connect to.
Bad news: this is a 3-way
The bad news about that pair of yellow wires connected to separate switch terminals, though, is that they tell us this is one end of a 3-way switch arrangement.  This means that you'll need the 3-way version of the Kasa smart switch, part number HS210, instead of a single pole switch, and will need to find the other 3-way in the complex so that you can replace it as well.


How do I patch my wall with tile along the seam?

As long as you have secure anchoring of the 6" strip of drywall to the studs behind, and since the strip is along the ceiling, strength is not a major concern here.  Additionally, the primary reason for using joint compound is not for strength but to create a smooth work surface for finishing.

In applications where the drywall will be completely covered, such as with a hard paneling, installation can be finished with no mud/joint compound at all.

In your case, since it's in the bathroom, along the ceiling, as long as the strip is out of the splash zone of the shower I wouldn't bother with mud.

Now if your shower is unusual and the ceiling is in the splash zone, then waterproofing will be necessary and you should use cement board not drywall - but it sounds like drywall or plaster was already used, so replacing it with more drywall isn't a problem in this case.  (Or, if it is, you have much bigger issues already with the bathroom that are outside of the scope of this specific question.)


What is the correct terminology for the pipe that feeds into a P-trap


How to keep a sink and pedastal solidly together?

All the pedestal basins I have seen have the pedestal free-standing and the basin supported by being bolted into the wall.

I would aim to get the basin fixed firmly to the wall. If you cannot find mounting holes, I would try to obtain or fabricate some mounting brackets.

If you have a masonry wall, you can use masonry bolts. For a wood-framed wall you need to locate the studs and may need to open up the wall to insert some supporting woodwork to take the weight of the basin (and struggling inebriated guests).

If you can identify the make and model of basin, or include photographs of its top and undersides into your question, you are likely to get answers that give more specific assistance.

An alternative would be to replace the basin and pedestal with a small cabinet mounted basin / freestanding basin / countertop basin / vanity unit.


Installing 4 piece shower enclosure that's slightly too small

Since you don't yet have drywall up anywhere, I would fur one entire wall out 3/4". Then attach your drywall to that and you don't have to deal with the return.

With openings on each wall, it's a decision of which wall is easiest to fur out. First, make sure that either one would work (e.g. if you fur out the right, make sure your drain still lines up). Then you have to make the door or window jamb work with the deeper wall. Even if the door wall is easier to fur out, I'd still go with the window wall, simply because a prehung door & custom window would be easier than the other way around.

And completely unrelated to your question, but something I wish I knew when I put in my first tub - pack the tub full of insulation, in addition to the walls. A piping hot bathtub cools off mighty quickly.


Can I replace a outlet dedicated 16A/240V with a 20A/125V outlet

Your service panel is in Israel and it is 220/230 volts AC, which is the standard power there.
120V is not available in Israel.
This type of outlet you linked is called a NEMA 5-20.  It cannot be used with 230V.    There is another type made for that -- use that.
Let's solve your problem, though
I understand you brought a bunch of computer gear from North America or Japan that has NEMA 5-15 plugs, and you want to plug that in, in Israel.  That is a reasonable problem to attack, but you're going about it the wrong way because all due respect, you don't know anything about electricity.
I bet right now you're using hokey cheapo Chinese-made adapters, and they're not working properly, and you're getting frustrated, and now you just want to throw money at the problem i.e. a $250 fake socket.  Okay, let's throw the right money.
The PC and monitor
Read the labeling on your PC, but most likely it will be perfectly happy running on 120V or 230V.   Your monitor may be the same.  These can actually run directly on Israel power, so there's no need for weird games with sockets.
"But they won't plug in!"   That's true. If the power supply says that it works on a range of voltage including 120V and 230V, you can simply cut the plug off the end of the cord, and fit a standard Israeli 3-prong, what the travel industry calls a "Type H" and Israel calls an IS1-16.  (should be sold at local home stores).
 src
You may find that's difficult to find because it's such an unusual standard. In that case, feel free to go with a common Europlug or Schuko which is grounded, but you will need to also install those sockets in the wall also, which may be a Code violation, and in any case will require compatible junction boxes in the wall (or surface mounted) so the fitment is proper.
If you just have to go American style, use the right one

America/Japan has a socket specifically made for 230V -- it is called NEMA 6-15.  It is compatible with the power you have there.  However, 6-15's will not fit in standard Israeli junction boxes, and you can't just ignore this detail - you can't go "oh hey, the holes won't line up, I'll just leave it flopping around in the box because I don't know what else to do". No way.  So you'll need to import some North American junction boxes and hardware as well.
Do not use 14 AWG wire in Israel (unless that's the standard wire they specify in their electrical codes, which I doubt).  Even if you're in America, do not use 14 AWG with 20A receptacles lol (this is you knowing just enough to be dangerous lol).
Forget that audiophile sucker-crud
Your power is ungrounded, and you're using cheapo adapters. So you have lots of Big Stuff to fix before you could possibly benefit from unmeasurable increments of quality in sockets.
Sockets of that type should cost $3 for a quality, spec-grade outlet.  Hospital-grade outlets aren't electrically better, and "bunk-ium plated" sockets aren't either.   The $250 socket you linked is a complete fake.  It's made to sell to "sucker" audiophiles who have more money than common sense.  You're not even talking about audio equipment, so it deoesn't help you even if it wasn't all lies.
If you still don't believe it's a fraud, notice that it's a third party seller - this is "Amazon Marketplace", which is basically eBay - it's random people selling random crud, and having their stuff come up mixed into regular Amazon listings.  It's turned Amazon into a minefield of junk.  Here's the seller.

OK, let's hop into Google Earth and see their World Headquarters.

Note the "rooms" sign on the tree. It's a flop-house.  To be more precise, it's "off campus" student housing, the kind where an old house is subdivided into as many "dorm rooms" as possible, with bathrooms and kitchen shared.
So at best, this is some college student's side hustle, bringing in common Japanese receptacles in luggage and fobbing them off as audiophile gold-plate, which "plays" because they look different.  At worst, the student is a "figurehead" and behind the curtain is a Chinese company selling junk. We see that a lot.


My toilet is filling very slowly with a Fluidmaster valve, how do I fix it?

So having done this myself, I spent the money and bought a new Fluidmaster valve. After replacing the valve and connecting everything the toilet was still not functional. Turns out the problem was the flushing of the pipes was not good enough, the Fluidmaster had to be flushed. I flushed a gallon replacing it, and that simply was not enough.

Turn off the water.
Unscrew the cap on the Fluidmaster valve
cover the top with a cup
Turn on the water and allow it to spray into the cup until the water is clear, then wait 5 more seconds.


Help needed identifying major structural issues

I have rarely found cinder block basements to be dry in the winter. In fact, I expect them to leak. If during the inspection things looked good and dry the report may not have mentioned any hairline cracks because all masonry eventually has cracks.

If the home did not have a sump the problem may be getting worse and was not a problem in the past. I state this because one of the contractors said it wasn't bad enough for reinforcement. For me to try and dry up the basement (digging out, adding drains and back filling with rock) is the best way to go. While it is open a yellow jacket coat or other waterproofing membrane can possibly dry things out, but even doing this I still have seen leaks in block walls below grade.

With all the issues you have mentioned I would expect some mention of the condition to be in the report, but I have also seen homeowners not knowing construction try and take things to court and lose. My best advice is to have professional evaluations done (more than one, and three is better) with quotes and talk with a attorney.  The quotes in many cases are free but additional evaluations may cost.

It is possible that if you post photos of the wall showing the bow and cracks folks here might say what I have about block foundations or we might oh that should have been mentioned. Also update your question with the year the home was built.


Can I go from a 3-prong outlet and connect to a 2-prong outlet and switch?

If the 2 prong receptacles are existing receptacles, there shouldn't be a problem. As long as you realize the 2 prong receptacles will not have a ground, and you don't replace the 2 prong receptacles with 3 prong receptacles.


Grounding wire in a bathroom vanity light bar

Making this with out grounding, or for you to do it at all with your level of electrical knowledge is a Bad idea. Vanity usually implies "in a bathroom", and that implies "near water". Outlets within (usually 1.5 meter, depending on your local electrical code) or a sink must have Ground Fault protection. Switches may not be within the same distance of a shower or sink.

Even if your creation is not in a bathroom, extension cords are not intended for part of the permanent wiring of an appliance, and anything in which a light bulb can be replaced (thereby exposing the contacts) should be grounded and wired correctly (neutral to the shell, hot wire to the center contact, if a traditional screw in bulb).

There are many certifications required for factory made electrical appliances before they may be turned loose upon the public. They exist for reasons. The fact that you even have to ask your questions indicates that you are creating a potentially unsafe device.

Please at least put your project aside while you read up on basic electricity, electrical code, and safety.


Furnace fan works properly intermittently

It could be a problem with the limit switch, or the limit switch operating properly.

If the furnace is overheating, the limit will open and cause the blower to continue until the heat is dissipated.

It could also be that the limit is going bad, and opening when it shouldn't.  Or that the limit is opening due to overheating, but then not closing again as it should.


What tack like options are stronger then blu tack?

I can't find any sort of moldable "adhesive putty" that isn't in the same basic class of product as poster tack. Products like rubber cement, which are generally removable from most surfaces without damage (not much anyway), stay pliable but not moldable after they cure, and almost anything else stronger than that should be considered permanent, as it will mark or damage the surfaces being adhered.

Beyond those products, pretty much everything you give as examples of things to hang on the wall non-permanently are what Command strips were designed for. Yes, they're one-use, but a couple of Command strips can hold some surprising loads.

Why does it need to remain moldable? Are you trying to find something you can pull out year after year along with the lights, and not have to find replacement adhesive strips for? If so you're probably out of luck.


Ants need two things, food and water.  Often their normal source of water may dry up due to weather and they will seek out new sources of it.  It sounds like your bathroom has met their requirements and they are invading.

While you can try some remedies available to consumers you may want to bring in a professional exterminator.  They will track down where they are entering and abate them there.


Is it normal to see nails coming through the roof decking after a new roof was installed?

The plywood of your roof is typically not as thick as your standard galvanized steel roofing nail, so it is expected for nails to show through this in your attic. The plywood can and is expected to take a bit of damage over time and this is okay as long as the shingle has something firm to hold itself down onto.

Over time if the plywood is too damaged to properly hold down new shingles or becomes too dangerous to walk on safely then a roofer should be able to identify such compromised plywood board and replace it as needed.

What is worrying about your question is that you specified that the roofing nails have split and damaged the roof trusses.  Standard roofing nails should not be long or thick enough to split or crack structurally sound dimensional lumber.

If this is what happened then you may have a problem unrelated to the quality of the roofing job.  Your home is over 50 years old in a warm wet climate, so you should inspect for a number of different problems.

Dryrot

Termites

Carpenter Ants

If you have any of the following indications of current or past damage to any of the three items then that would explain split, cracked or damaged roof trusses during a typical roofing job.

On another note: The soffit typically fits into a groove that is known as J Channel when installed on a roof overhang.  The roof overhang is typically MUCH too tall for any roofing nails to reach soffit.  I imagine instead you might be seeing a roofing nails perforating the fascia, which can be a sign of a sloppy rushed job.  Without pictures though we can't tell that for sure.


There was a screw inside right in the middle. It is hard to see but once removed, the handle is out.


Is there an easy way to remove silicone sealant?

I've used a craft knife to cut out most of it (being careful not to damage the surface), then a small (2") putty knife to scrape out the rest.  Nylon scrubbing pads (the ones made for cleaning non-stick cookware) are great for getting rid of any last traces of the old caulk.

A chisel would work, but chisels are supposed to be very sharp, so I'd be very careful not to scratch whatever surface the caulk is applied to.  A putty knife isn't as sharp so it would take more work on your part to do any damage.


Are storm windows necessary for homes in mild climates?

In my experience (midwest winters), storm windows are generally more for extra insulation purposes than severe storm protection.

You can install exterior or interior storm windows, and they can be of varying degrees of sturdiness.  For places that do have more extreme winds, you can buy windows that are engineered to absorb a hit from flying debris.  I'm not clear on why you would wait until winter to install them in that case (post-hurricane season).

You remove the screens if there's a concern that wind can rip them out or snow drifts can tear the screen from the frame.  As @Steve Armstrong points out, you could also remove them for cosmetic reasons since they're serving no purpose with the windows closed for the winter.

In your case (and my current home in Houston), I wouldn't think either would be a necessary winterizing task.


How to mate two pressure-treated 2x6s together?

I usually nail them together. Construction adhesive won't be enough. You could use screws also.

For spacing I usually start by making sure the crown is going the same direction and at one end put 2 in within a few inches top and bottom, then at 6" away from those put another nail on the top an inch from edge another 6" one an inch from the bottom another 6" another at top and repeat until close to the end of the board 2 like the start.

If your lumber has different bow in each board this can be pulled to match as you nail make sure to check that they still match at the loose end after each nail and it is usually easy to keep them even.


Underlayment for a roof valley? should I put underlayment?

You must install the shingles according to the manufacturer’s recommendations or you’ll void the warranty.

GAF, just like all roofing manufacturers, recommend the “peel and stick” membrane to be applied first. There’s many reasons for this, but ice buildup and wind blown rain are the main reasons.

By the way, do not stop the underlayment 6” from the valley, as you describe. Extend the underlayment THROUGH the valley and weave it into the other side of the roof.


Can an IR thermometer be used to check wall insulation?

the thermometer is only going to show the spot "point"ed at, this is better for spot checking.  The camera will show a section, better suited for larger areas. The thermometer method will only work so far as to how thorough you are when checking. The rest of the answer would be speculative opinion. There also comes a point when the savings don't out weigh the expenditure.


From the worktops I have seen that is likely to be beech.

Upside is the surface is less likely to warp over time.


Trigger an alarm with wired smoke detector

It goes without saying you'll want to follow the manufacturer's instructions to the letter, as well as all relevant electrical, fire, and building codes that apply from both a safety perspective and a compliance / legal perspective.  Fire alarms are no place to get creative.
With that said, you may be in luck - if your smoke detectors are compatible with it, Kidde makes a relay module that does exactly what you want:

DESCRIPTION:
This module is only activated by a smoke alarm interconnect signal.
The relay portion of this module can be used to activate auxiliary warning devices such
as external bells and sirens, hallway or stairwell lighting. It provides isolated, (no internal connection to 120 volts AC) normally open, and normally closed contacts.

It should be possible to replace the upstairs smoke detector with this module and a bell or siren.


Pulley/winch knot for holding up heavy punching bag

One setup which would be easy to setup and take down would be a combination of a ceiling mounted punching bag carabiner, swivel pulley, and boat cleat.

Start by bolting the carabiner to the ceiling. A solid wooden beam would be perfect for this. After that, mount the boat hitch to a solid vertical surface such as a wall or vertical beam.

Then attach the swivel pulley to the carabiner, and tie one end of a piece of rope to the punching bag. You can use an anchor bend knot to attach the rope to the metal ring. Fish the other end of the rope through the pulley and lift the bag into place with the rope.

Tie the rope off on the boat cleat by using a cleat hitch. This setup will easily allow you to take the bag down and set it up without using any tools. The cleat and knots are designed to hold a boat, so a punching bag would be no problem.

Swivel Pulley

Cleat Hitch & Knot

Punching bag carabiner

Anchor Bend Knot

The cleat can be purchased at any marine supply store, or boat dealer. Just about every cleat on the market will be strong enough to support a heavy bag.

There are two main styles of cleats. There are ones which have 2 screw holes which go through the center, and others with 4 holes. The ones with the 2 center holes will take more abuse before failing than the 4 holed varieties.


First off you should tell us where you are on the planet in order to get accurate answers.

1)There are 8 grounding points in the drawing. Which of them should be bond together?

All of them should be bonded so that they are at the same potential.

2) How many grounding rods I need?

There should be a minimum of one ground rod per location and possibly two. If all this equipment is in the same location two should suffice. If it is spread out over a large piece of property then I would judiciously add more rods. There is no exact answer here.

3) Where should I connect the Neutral Line to the Grounding Rod?

As close to the main service panel as possible.

Good luck!


Why is my emt 1/2" conduit offset bend off?

So, why is it when I bend it, that it is 4" instead of 3"?

If your marks are accurate you are apparently overbending the angle. The shrink is not important with EMT since it can easily be cut to fit. Try making two marks 6" apart and see if you can accomplish a 3" offset with the bender standing up. See below.

  Also, even when I used a 2"inch offset with 22.5 angle -- Klein table calculation it is off again by 1". What am I doing wrong? I'm not going past the line?

You should bend offsets on ½" EMT in the standing position holding the conduit in one hand and the bender in the other. Bend the conduit down until the BOTTOM (not the top) of the conduit is even with the angle mark on the bender.

  Also, is their a tool snap collar to measure 180 degrees so I can be exact instead of eye sight when I reverse it the opposite way on mark B?

Yes, it is called a No-dog or an Anti-dog. But it will not work with a hand bender in the standing position. We just use our eye and sight down the conduit until it looks straight.

  I also noticed that if it isn't exactly 180 on point B it also causes the offset to not be flush with the ground.

This is called a dog-leg and can be remedied in ½" conduit fairly easily by inserting the conduit back into the bender and bending slightly perpendicular to the last bend. Larger conduit is done with a mechanical bender and that is when the No-dog comes in handy since with larger conduit it is very hard to fix a dog-leg.

I would recommend you get a copy of either the Benfield Conduit Bending Manual or Richard Cox's - Electricians Guide To Conduit Bending.

Good luck!


Is there a method to transpose specific pilot holes?

cut the head off of two bolts or nails that fit snugly into the holes, and extend out from the drywall some amount - may 1/4".  Line up the board over these pegs, and hit the surface of the board with a mallet over each peg.  This will make an indent on the back surface that you can drill.  Be careful that your first hit doesn't mess up your alignment for the second one.


can I convert a hanging light to a light with a switch

Based on reviewing the pictures, yes, a qualified electrician can easily wire these to be controlled by one or more wall switches.  Something like a 3-gang box with 3 duplex switches sounds ideal for this plan.

However, you will have to endure quite a lot of damage to the walls in order to run wiring, and electricians usually don't patch the walls when done.


What is this wooden sheet behind my drywall?

It’s undoubtedly a shear wall to resist lateral loads, especially if you live in a “high wind” area or a seismically active area.

It could also be a reinforced wall for shelving.

Yes, you can cut through it, or cut openings in it, whether it’s a shear wall or not. I would not make an opening more than 1/4 the height of the wall and not more than square shaped...don’t make it a large rectangle. Also, I’d install framing members at the edge of the opening. (If it’s a load bearing wall, you’ll need to install a header.)


Water on construction site. Damage to bricks?

If you mean mortar or cement-based parging then yes this is a somewhat acceptable situation for that. If you actually mean plastering then definitely no way & no plastering should ever be done until the interior is weather-tight.

Either way you have a slightly defective slab, which is normal, ideally no water should be "puddling" anywhere. I side with you though, this should be vacuumed up or swept away for the brick to be dry before application of anything.

If you're allowed on the site, then take care of it yourself with a push or pivot broom & keep an eye on it & the rest of what the crews are doing.


Could our electric baseboard heaters be causing soot damage in our kitchen?

While I have not ben able to find an example of a hardwired baseboard electric heater failing in this manner on a quick search of the web, here's a story about a freestanding but otherwise similar unit making lots of soot. The only way I can envision an electric baseboard making as much soot as you have described (short of filling it with flammables) is if it were both oil-filled, and had failed.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/551553


Do I need to add a ground conductor when replacing a wall light fixture?

If the fixture has the 'class II' (double-insulaton) logo on:
,
 you don't need to add a ground, also if the circuit is GFCI protected you don't need a ground, if light is 'out of reach' lack of ground may not be a problem (as long as you turn the breaker off when changhing a bulb).

In general, if all the fixture casing is made of insulating materials, ground is not required.


The presence of the header and the double top plate suggests to me  that it might be load bearing. I would not remove the header or the jack studs on which it rests. The small decorative center post* in the living space can be removed. Presumably any partition below what we can see in the picture can be removed as long as the jack studs (and king studs) were not compromised.

EDIT

*By the small center post I mean the decorative post in the living space. I don't mean the small "cripple" in the space between the header and the top plate.

EDIT

Disclaimer: I am not really knowledgeable about framing.


Why do I have no power in two rooms after plugging something in?

Check to make sure you didn't trip a GFIC breaker in one of the rooms. You will be familiar with these in bathrooms and kitchens -- the ones with the little Test/Reset buttons. They are often wired to protect a circuit in one or more entire rooms. Push Reset and see if your receptacles are now live.

If that doesn't work, try resetting each breaker by turning it off and then on.

If that doesn't work, look around to see if you have a subpanel set of electrical breakers lurking in a closet somewhere.

If there are no subpanels and the breakers aren't resetting your power, you may have a wiring failure and it is time to call an electrician.


How can I fill a small gap in a sink drain pipe?

No to fillers.  Also no to epoxy.  Hire a plumber and get it fixed right. Small leaks, especially those at a sink, turn into rotten cabinets, rotten sub floor, smelly mildew, possibly mold and an unhappy spouse.  Don't go cheap and regret it forever.


How close can a deck post footing be to a retaining wall?

Comment by @BillDOe is correct: it should go the required depth for the post, measured from the base of the retaining wall as if there was no wall and no retained earth there. As long as it has sufficient depth, it can be arbitrarily close to the face of the retaining wall.

You don't mention if you are planning/required to pour a footing for the post. That may change this answer as the presence of the wall may have an impact of the options you have for the design of the footing and the resulting distance from the existing wall.

If you have some flexibility and can set the post further back from the wall, your local code might have a minimum distance defined at which you can set the post at the standard depth, without accounting for the wall. Somewhere between 1' or 2' is pretty common. Some require specific types of retention systems to prevent the wall from toppling from the top during high winds.

Another factor to keep in mind is frost heave: if the frost line is 4' in your area, that means 4' in a flat, uninterrupted section of land. If you are directly behind a 3' wall and only go 4' from the top of the wall, it's very likely that the post will experience freeze/thaw cycles during winter. That would be bad for the deck, and could also be a problem for the wall itself.

One last thing to watch out for is any kind of engineering fabric or mesh extending back from the face of the wall, and a few inches deep in the soil. If it's there, you would need to carefully cut through it and avoid disturbing it as much as possible. you do NOT want to try and auger through it...

As always, your best bet is to check with your building inspector, but this is the typical recommendation. Different municipalities have different requirements.


Bathroom pocket door warps as fall comes

A difference of moisture in the door skins is a plausible explanation for the warpage. An interior hollow-core door is usually made with some kind of fiber board skin on each side. That material is prone to expanding when its moisture content increases. I'd expect the skin on the convex side of the door to contain more moisture than the skin on the concave side of the door.
Do the doors warp seasonally, or do they flatten?
It's worth considering whether there's any natural bow in the doors. They could have a manufacturing defect or they might have been been damaged by exposure they've faced. For example, when weights were used to force-flatten the doors, what happened mechanically within the door? Suppose that the adhesive holding the skin to the internal structure shifted. Now the door would be flat when moisture is imbalanced and it would warp the other way when moisture in the two faces is balanced.
If you can bear to have the doors removed for a while you could temporarily move them to a place where they'll have equal temperature and moisture exposure on both sides and find out whether they flatten. Propped up against an interior wall in a bedroom might be a good place. I have no idea whether it'll take days, weeks, or longer for them to relax.
What would cause moisture difference between door faces?
Maybe the answers to some of these questions will help identify what could cause moisture changes.

Are the doors normally left closed?
Is an exhaust fan regularly used in the bathroom to remove moisture during and after bathing?
Does summer air conditioning cause the air on one side of the door to be much drier than the air on the other side?
Does a humidifier in heating season cause a moisture difference between the two sides?
Twice you mentioned "as fall approached." What changed? Longer, warmer, or more frequent baths/showers? Did mild weather allow the HVAC to be completely unused for a while? Is there a change in humidity in your locale as the season changes?

What to do about the situation?
This depends on whether the doors are naturally flat or naturally bowed. You can, and probably should, address any of the situations highlighted by the questions above. All things considered it's probably ideal to have the moisture level in the bathroom match the level in the bedroom and the rest of the house. Maybe an adjustment of habits is called for, or maybe installation of an exhaust fan or adjustment to HVAC equipment or ducting.
Another possible solution is to replace the doors. Next time, buy a solid wood door rather than a hollow core. Door slabs can be ordered with no lock or hinge prep. The 6-panel design is fairly common; you can probably order a solid wood door slab that can be trimmed to work with the existing hardware. When checking the size, don't forget to verify the thickness of the new slab!


Why does my receptacle tester say open ground on my new outlet?

Assuming you didn't reverse the hot/neutral, which should be detected on a standard receptacle tester, it's either a bad receptacle, bad wiring, bad connection between the wiring and the outlet, or a bad tester.

If it's a new receptacle, odds are low that it's bad. Test for continuity from the ground screw to the ground pin inside the receptacle (with the power turned off).
If it's a bad connection, you can do the same test as above, but from the ground wire instead of the receptacle ground screw.
If it's bad wiring, then with the breaker turned on, and with extreme care not to electrocute yourself, a contact tester will not show current between the hot and ground wires.
If none of these tests show a problem, it could be a bad tester, and may be worth checking it in other receptacles or getting a replacement.


Bathroon light and ceiling exhaust fan wiring?

You'll need a pro to sort this out if you're not comfortable rerunning wiring yourself
The problem you have is that the light was run as a switch loop, with an always-hot from the light fixture box down to the switch and a switched-hot from the switch back to the light, but no neutral, as was permitted by the NEC prior to 2011.  However, whoever ran the /2 cable for the fan down to the switch box expected power to be coming in here, or at the very least, for both always-hot and neutral to be available here.  So, you'll need to either reroute the cable for the fan to the light box or replace the /2 for the light switch loop with a /3 yourself, or have a pro do it for you if you aren't comfortable with DIYing that.


Can I add insulation to my attic and put down plywood so I can walk around more easily?

Lay rigid insulation boards on the joists and top them with plywood.
The compressive strength of the insulation boards will be plenty for storing whatever you can carry up there. The load will be spread across the joists. It's unlikely that your ceiling will collapse under the weight of a few boxes but if you're planning to put anything heavy up there, you do need to consider the construction of the building in more detail.
Rigid insulation boards will insulate about four times better than the same thickness of fiberglass insulation which means you can use 2 or 3" thick boards. Lookup R-values if you're interested.

Remove enough of the existing insulation to expose the top of the
ceiling joists.
Put down rigid foam boards on top of the joists (I'm
familiar with Kingspan and Celotex in the UK).
Tape the boards with
foil tape to keep them together and stop draughts.
Top the
insulation boards with plywood or chipboard.
Screw the plywood sheets together with short strips of wood to avoid them slipping apart from each other and leaving gaps or find some way of pinning them in place around the edges. (I didn't do this at home and they've shifted a bit).
Use the fiberglass
insulation that you removed to top up the insulation in the rest of the attic (where you didn't lay the rigid boards).

I've done this in our house in the central part of our attic. The problem we had was getting the boards (insulation and chipboard) through the small hatch but yours may be different. For the chipboard, I bought narrow tongue-and-groove "loft boards" designed for this purpose but for the insulation I had to slice it in half on one side and snap it back on itself to be able to get it into place; then I taped it back together.
I haven't yet needed to get to any of the electrics underneath. Some of the wires were rerouted around the edge and the bathroom fan is away under the eaves with hardly any headroom so still accessible under the mineral wool insulation.


Is it possible to use ducts with a window a/c unit?

Yes, you can add ductwork to a room air conditioner, but be careful, 1) not to restrict the “air volume”, 2) allow for friction loss, and 3) use fewest number of turns as possible.

We use “duct silencers” to reduce the noise from fans in ductwork. See this:

https://www.acousticalsurfaces.com/hvac/duct_silen.htm

They are expensive, but you could make your own. The principle is that you want the air to go around a few baffles so the noise gets trapped in the acoustic panels inside the ductwork.

Make sure you oversize the ductwork.


Mounting TV on a weird wall that has some material between the drywall and stud

Trying to mount an articulating arm that is designed to mount to a single stud will not stand up mounted to that type of wall construction. Even with long lag bolts there is just too much chance that mount will move around and cut into the drywall, become loose and make a mess of things.

What you should be doing is to mount a panel of good quality 3/4" plywood that is large enough to span across at least two studs with three preferred. Make the height of this panel at least three times greater than the arm's mounting bracket. Use multiple large screws to mount the plywood into place into each stud. Now you can mount the articulating arm to the plywood surface and be assured of a secure attachment that will stay tight and firm against the wall.

You can sand and paint the plywood to match the wall color and it will hardly be noticable behind the TV. If you use flat head screws to mount the plywood they can be countersunk and then spackled over to make a nice flat surface.


What is the best way to fill a 3 inch gap under my concrete front porch?

I'll assume that the hole is there because concrete was put onto unrammed gravel. The current state is left on the picture

Now assuming you've got rid of the animals you have to stabilize the existing concrete and the gravel beneath it. The easiest way would be to excavate some of the gravel until you reach some stable foundation (I'd guess it's around one foot deep) and put new concrete forming an extra "step". That will be the easiest way to force the new concrete under the old concrete.


Are there drawbacks to installing GFCI outlets in sequence?

That won't work

You're trying to manage sequence of breaker trip, for your convenience of resetting them, and that's tough to do generally.

Especially it isn't going to work with GFCI, because they don't work that way. When there's a ground fault, they all will trip by design. And then, you will have to fight to reset them.

I fail to understand the core problem that you are attempting to solve. They shouldn't be tripping at all. If you have a device that is tripping GFCI, fix it. It's broken.


Which terminal should I connect it to for a “C” wire on an american standard AM4A0A30

to answer the question you asked. The "B" terminal is your common. You will definitely need to pull more wires. And YES you need a common for the nest to work.
 To make your life much simpler, you can add a FAST-STAT Common Maker Thermostat Wire Extender (Adds a Common "C" Connection). hope this helps


Will a furnace drawing combustion air from my basement improve circulation throughout the house?

While obviously some amount of air will be sucked up for combustion, it is not significant in terms of effecting the conditioned space temperature.  Although, I must point out that it seems irrelevant because you only have two choices for obtaining combustion supply air, direct or non-direct.


What could cause a circuit breaker to trip when an exhaust fan is turned off?

Interesting. I can think of a couple scenarios.

First, the switch may be causing a small arc as the contacts separate, and that is tripping a GFCI/AFCI breaker in the panel. The switch may also be worn to the point where it can cause a short from hot to ground; this would be unlikely to trip a breaker, but it could happen. Lastly, there may be exposed wiring in the switch box, coupled with a loosened mounting of the switch int the box, causing a short between wires when the switch is flipped.

In all cases, the most likely culprit is the switch. Single-pole 120V15A switches are a buck-fifty a pop, so it can't hurt to just replace it. Make sure there's no bare wire that can short against a ground; I've found it helpful to give the switch or outlet I'm installing a wrap of electrical tape, which covers the terminals and other energized metal around the switch body and helps prevent shorts. Make sure no bare metal can touch any other bare metal when you put the new switch back in the box.

If that doesn't solve the problem then the next likely culprit is a GFCI or AFCI panel breaker, which is tripping in response to arcing at the point where the contacts in the switch disengage. This is normal; a very small arc will occur when the contacts are very close together right when the switch turns on and off. AFCI breakers are sometimes prone to "false positives" like this; you can trip an AFCI breaker plugging in an appliance that's already turned on, for instance. You do not need an AFCI breaker on bathroom circuits; only bedroom circuits built or last renovated after 1999. So, as long as your bedroom and bathroom are on separate panel circuits (and they should be), you can use a normal breaker. You DO need GFCI protection for outlets on bathroom circuits, meaning if you remove the AFCI breaker and replace it (or, more accurately, if you have a licensed electrician do it for you), you will need to replace the most "upstream" outlet on that circuit with a GFCI outlet, and you will need to make sure all outlets in the "wet" areas (within 4 feet of a sink, tub, shower or toilet) are protected by that GFCI.

It may also be caused by a GFCI breaker protecting the switch and fan, that is detecting current being driven through the neutral side (which remains closed when the switch is turned off) by the rotating fan motor as it winds down. A motor is basically just a generator in reverse, after all. With the big flywheel of the fan keeping it rotating after the power is cut, it can induce voltage, causing an imbalance between the hot and neutral that trips the breaker. Again, in this case you can solve the problem by replacing the panel breaker with a normal "slow-trip" breaker, and just protecting the outlets with a GFCI receptacle instead of the whole circuit.

I find it hard to believe the fan could be causing a tripped breaker if the breaker isn't a GFCI, but if you still haven't found the cause by this point the fan would be the last thing to check. Ensure the motor is securely mounted in its housing, and that all wiring is properly insulated with no possibility of a short. Make sure the motor itself is in good repair; there may be a worn bearing or bushing that is causing the armature to contact the shell during a sudden change in stress (like when the electomagnetic force that spins it goes away). I can't think of much that would cause the fan to trip a normal breaker when turned off, that wouldn't be causing far worse problems when turned on.


Even the wired smoke alarms have a end of life date.  They start to chirp when they are not functioning up to spec any more.  This can be caused by accumulation of particles on the sensor (from smoke, fumes, etc.)  When one of mine starting chirping (single beep every few minutes or so), I took it out and noticed that the install date was about 8 or 9 years ago, for a product that was supposed to last 10 years.

You can probably remove it from the base plate and look at the back side.  There should be a manufacture date on it and instructions regarding how long the device should last.  If it is anywhere near that date plus the expected product life, then replace it.

I would replace all of the smoke alarms in the house at the same time if they have similar dates on them.  These things start chirping at most inopportune times.  (Seems like they know when it is most annoying).  The safety of your family is worth it, and knowing that they are all good is peace of mind.


Cost-effective root barrier for home sewer line

The best way to prevent root problems is to replace old leaking cast or concrete pipe with plastic. Once glued there is no need to worry about plastic even when roots grow and buckle plastic (decades long process) plastic moves doesn’t usually break like concrete or cast that has many brittle joints that leak and draw the roots. If you have replaced a section and want to protect a fernco connector or “no hub” I have been told to pack the area with rock salt as the roots won’t like the high salt content, but the salt will dissolve and eventually leave a low point.
Supply lines are better sealed than old drain lines and over the years as a tree gets large enough it may affect the lines so the only fool proof method is to not put your tree close.


I want to change my current 15 amp split outlet to a 20 amp Can I use a pigtail on the red and black ( at both ends) to do this?

No you cannot do this.  The reason it's a 15A circuit is that it's wired with 14 ga. wire.  For a 20A circuit it generally takes 12 ga. wire.  So just changing out the plug does nothing but create a dangerous situation.

If you need a 20A GFCI-protected circuit the best and correct approach is to pull a new 12 ga. wire from a new GFCI breaker in the panel.


The earth connection should be a ring terminal under the screw.
With the earth connection it will be safe to touch the ballast case in all circumstances

Dry wood does not conduct electricity, nor does it pose a fire threat due to electrical faults

I'm not a big fan of those pliers crimp connectors. (but that's personal opinion)

The ballast will be safe and come to no harm with no lamp connected.

Some sort of strain-relief clamp should be arranged on the jacket of the appliance cord
so that yanking the cable does not disturb the connections.

I would not expect the ballast to get hot get hot enough to start a fire


what to do with tall, square fireplace opening?

Your idea is fine but the metal should be on the inside of the fireplace.  You may want to call manufacturer of insert first and ask if they suggest a mounting kit.  If not you can either build your own or have a local shop make one.  A perfect bracket would align with the mounting edges on the inside of your insert all the way around and you would screw into it.


Yeah, the problem is your work methods. When you hit a problem, you're not stopping to iterate on the problem until it's fixed, as you should.  You are ignoring it and dashing off to do yet other work.   So now you have a set of compound problems that are all interacting with each other.

You seem to think that one thing breaking breaks another thing, for instance you are now keen to replace the breaker.  The breaker is just doing its job, you have a short in the wiring.  If you don't know what to do, don't do random other things; focus on learning what you need.

Given the depths of this mess, it may be beyond our help.

Fortunately, it doesn't matter: it's all coming out.

When you have the walls exposed, you must modernize to Code

It's not enough to swap the old wires for new wires.  You need to rearrange circuits and outlets to conform to modern Code.

In the kitchen, that is a big job. It involves quite a number of new circuits.  Some of them must be dedicated to the kitchen, so for instance it will no longer be possible to have a circuit that serves kitchen receptacles and also other locations.

How that's done is beyond the scope of this question, but you have a lot to do.  It will entirely moot the problems you're having now. The upside is you get to do it all as new work, so you can start from scratch.  This also means you'll only need at most one GFCI per circuit, so that'll save you some money.

Oh, but I can only do half the job

Then you have to do the half that you can do; that is to say, use the access you have today to prepare for when you are able to do the rest of the work.

What you cannot do is use the excuse "well, we don't have ALL the access we need" to simply do nothing at all, and leave the old work wholly non-compliant.

Also, the claim that "we can't get wires through that other part we're not remodeling" isn't really true at all. A competent old-work experienced electrician can get wires through all sorts of places you might not think.  Or you could simply expand the scope of the drywall work you'll be having done anyway, to gain a few key access points.


Can you run earth ground thru conduit into home?

All A/V equipment should be grounded at the main disconnect via a intersystem bonding terminal block attached usually to the grounding electrode wire right below the main disconnect.

Unless your detached garage has it's own main disconnect, which you'd know what to do by the above paragraph, then you are really only bonding the coax at that stage which is probably not hurting anything unless the detached garage is not grounded/bonded properly itself.

Intersystem Bonding Terminal


Is it safe to use an angle grinder with wood cutting blades?

Bad idea...explained later. But yes, as long as you keep the blade guard on & of course it will "work". Though, it's quite wild compared to a Circular Saw or a smaller Trim Saw. However, "safely" is a bad gamble.

You're talking about multiples of higher RPM's & both accuracy & control will then be largely out the window compared to proper devices. One big problem area is ever so slightly twisting your cut (which is normal & not just common with grinders) & that twist binds to instantly & literally toss the grinder at you or any part of you or anyone else close by.

Grinders usually don't have a braking mechanism & very slowly free-spin down to a stop, you don't want to be the braking mechanism.


This is what you need to do.

What you have is essentially a very long and deep trap seal. For a trap to function properly you need a seal (height of stored water) to be between 2 and 4". So from the bottom of the exit pipe to the bottom of the trap should be between 2 and 4". The reservoir of water should only be contained in the trap.

You want the drain to slope the entire way, 1/4" per foot is the only acceptable slope.
This allows the waste water to wash the pipe. It swishies back and forth at 1/4" slope. More slope and the waste shoots down the center building up debris on the wall of the pipe. Less slope and it doesn't flow.

Most people don't know this for some reason but on a torpedo level half the bubble is 1/2" slope per foot, 1/4 bubble is 1/4" per foot.

Some levels have multiple indicators to aid in the measurement. In this case 1/8th and 1/4" respectively.

www.swansontoolco.com


Remove tv plaform on metal guides from old tv armoire

If there are no release tabs on the slides edges(that are usually pressed to separate the two parts than you may have to remove the wood shelf that is attached to the slides.
Extend the shelf out fully and look underneath where it is attached to the slides. Look in the center of the slide track for Philip head screws going into the wood.
Also while the shelf is extended, look at the lower slide that attaches to the armoire shelf. Look for screws along the center of the track.
Sometimes the release tabs are not obvious and don't seem like tabs at all. They are usually located at the back of the top (extended/shelf) slide or the front of the lower slide. Usually along the edge on both.
Also look below the compartment where the TV is located. The lower slide may have been bolted through the Armoires' shelf (not likely, but possible).


Diagnose cause of voltage fluctuation in house

120v is supplied as two "legs" of 240v.  In a perfect world, loads would be balanced and neutral would not be required.   Neutral is there to assure the midpoint stays the midpoint even if the two legs are not balanced (and they are almost always not balanced).

A couple of volts of drift is no big deal, and is a normal and healthy effect of uneven loading on the legs (you could reduce it by using extra thick wire, but then you're wasting money).

However, tens of volts of drift says the neutral is not doing its job, you have an open neutral or lost neutral.  This means balance is a matter of luck, and most of the time some appliances will see less than 120V while others see more than 120V, which is likely to damage the appliance and even start a fire.

240V loads such as oven, water heater, installed A/C unit, electric-car charger, heat pump, installed electric heat or electric dryer, will have no effect whatsoever on a neutral problem.

The fact that neighbors are also having the problem helps.   What would help the most is if you have some sort of data-logging system actually recording leg voltages over an extended length of time.   Significant shifts in leg voltage (I don't mean 2 volts) would absolutely reveal a damaged or lost neutral.


Possible to have more than one wire connected to "G" terminal in furnace?

As long as both thermostats are also using the same R wire, that should be fine.  Internally, the only thing the thermostat does is connect R to G with a switch.  Have you looked at all the documentation for the Nest?  There may be a different, "best practice" way to connect the humidifier control.


Is plastering a job best left to the professionals?

If you have failing plaster and lathe interior walls, the process is a bit more complicated than just troweling on some new top coat plaster. The scratch coat, or first coat that bonds with "keys" through the lathe. When these keys fail or break off behind the lathe, portions of the plaster will become loose and often fall off the wall.  The correct fix is to remove all the compromised material exposing the lathe and apply a new scratch coat creating new keys between and behind the lathes.  After that coat cures, then the finish coat is applied. The materials used are completely different for each step. Although it is not a very difficult job, like anything else that is very visible, the quality of the bond and finish are important to the structural soundness and visual appeal.

True plastering is becoming a lost art in a world dominated by sheetrock. Plastering is one of those jobs that takes a long time and lots of practice to become proficient at. I certainly wouldn't discourage you from trying, but don't expect perfection on your first attempt. Even though the finish coat is what you see, pay special attention to the scratch coat as that is what holds the surface to the lathe. If the scratch coat fails, a perfect finish coat is worthless.  If your project is fairly small, go for it, but if you are looking at a whole room or rooms, it might be worth your time to get an estimate from a pro. With all the time and money you will spend doing a large project yourself and suffering through the learning curve, you may decide your time is better spent on doing something else.


Are 15A receptacles acceptable on a 20A circuit?

There is an exception in Code which permits the common 15A receptacle on 20A circuits if there are two or more sockets on the circuit. (NEC 210.21B3). The common double receptacle is two sockets. Mirroring that, there is a UL requirement that all 15A receptacles must have an internal capacity of 20A - only the socket itself is 15A.

All the wire in a 20A circuit must be 12 AWG or larger. (Table 310.15(B)(16)).  If any of the wire is 14 AWG, then it is a 15A circuit with the wrong breaker on it.  12 AWG wire will not fit in the "backstabs" of 15A receptacles (NEC 110.3b), so if backstabs are in use, a Code violation is definitely present.  As a general rule it's best to avoid backstabs altogether, they are the #1 source of arcing failures.  (Code won't tell you that, but it does require AFCI breakers to compensate for backstab failures).

Assuming the circuit is correctly breakered, then the maximum load is 125% of the continuous loads (i.e. a 12A continuous load counts as 15A) plus 100% of the non-continuous loads.  This total should not exceed the breaker rating.  (NEC 210.20).

A continuous load is expected to be on for 3 hours or more (NEC 100).  If all the loads are continuous, a 20A breaker can support 16A, and a 15A breaker can support 12A.  Otherwise break out the calculator.


Electrical wire inside Schedule M copper tubing

No, that's not a listed wiring method. Also, the wires would never make it around the corners.

But why not just use EMT, then?  It has the same industrial look, and it's easy to work with once you get the hang of it.   Paint it copper if you really want to.


How do I fix the drain in our refrigerator

just because the water i making it to the tray outside the fridge doesn't mean the drain isn't clogged. it might be partially obstructed and it can't drain fast enough.

also, i would check the entire drain assembly end to end. it might be that the parts are not fitted tightly and are therefore leaking.


The International Code Council says in the International Building Code that a 4" sphere shall not pass through a "guard" for stairs over 30" above finish floor...except for the triangular space formed by the riser, tread and bottom of the guardrail. In which case, it cannot allow a 6" sphere to pass. (There are other exceptions, but none that pertain to your issue.) See Section 1013.4, Exception 2 of the IBC.


Perhaps Halogen 100W.

Not sure what the 6V is. Maybe "GV", Walmart's Great Value. They have these bulbs.
Or GY, for GY-type pin-lamp base. There are different pin spreads under the GY family, so make sure you have the right one. See also  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bi-pin_lamp_base (as suggested in the comments by brhans)
Here's an overview for any interested readers:

From https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/b7/73/19/c0beebbacf9410/US8888332.pdf
Here's a link to the above bulb:
https://www.wayfair.ca/HeathZenith--100W-Halogen-Replacement-Bulbs-SL5591A2A-L338-K~HEH1120.html?refid=GX185650380210-HEH1120&device=c&ptid=266190925378&targetid=pla-266190925378&network=g&ireid=3346990&gclid=CjwKCAjwxuuCBhATEiwAIIIz0aQYFiIG9NljPwFZQVfdkUB0BdFae-QcAWGvnQl_A0sqbbXqZTJJHxoCRPUQAvD_BwE


Welcome to the wide, wide world of second story air conditioning.
If this was done to prevent it from being manipulated they wouldn't have installed it. This was done just to prevent the damper from closing due to air flow. Find out where this duct feeds and if it's to the first floor try closing it a bit to divert more air to the second floor. If this does feed the second floor, you might want to add a duct fan to increase the air flow. They can be controlled manually by a switch or hooked up to your air handler. Good luck.


Garage door opener controlled via generic remote

The simplest way to fix this problem is to purchase a "universal garage door receiver" or "universal radio control replacement" which does as the asker proposes. It is a receiver box that wires into your door pushbutton circuit and pairs to a new remote.

It is also useful for modernizing fixed-code openers for security. However, I understand that the industry safety standard is that no opener without a optical beam may be retrofit or repaired; those must be replaced completely.


How do I hang a chair from a concrete ceiling using a single hook?

Your margin of error sounds a bit low - one thing to bear in mind is that while the static force of you in the chair is half the rating of the hook, the peak force will be higher as you "drop" into the chair. If you can get a bigger hook it might be worth it.

If you have a hook on a plate then you'll spread the load across more bolts thus each one won't have to bear the full weight.


Can I add another conductor to a 30-amp dryer circuit breaker?

No. The 30A breaker is there because dryers draw that amount of current, so adding additional loads to the circuit may cause the breaker to trip.


Breaker connection on common neutral situation

No.  The two black/red wires that share a neutral are part of the same circuit, and the formal name is a multi-wire branch circuit (MWBC).  either

the two breakers need to be fitted with a listed handle-tie for that breaker type, which as a side-effect will force them to be on opposite poles; or
the two breakers need to be replaced with a 2-pole (240V) breaker of a correct type for that panel.  By nature a 2-pole breaker puts its 2 lugs on opposite poles.

The 2-pole breaker may be of GFCI, AFCI or GFCI+AFCI type.  If so, it will confer protection to the entire MWBC.

Listed, correct handle-ties can be annoyingly hard to find, so in most cases just use 2-pole breakers which are available everywhere.

A double-stuff/duplex/tandem/twin breaker is not a 2-pole breaker and the essential clue is that the handles are not tied and cannot be tied.

The purpose of handle-tying is to assure common maintenance shutoff.  It is not essential for MWBC breakers to be common trip, but using a 2-pole breaker will have that effect too.

If you are stuck with a crowded panel using double-stuff breakers, then handle ties are usually not an option.  Go with quadplex breakers instead.


This is not an answer, but it's too long for a comment:

Consider the cost. A 4x8 sheet of Sheetrock ~$11. A contractor who has an electrical license is $75-150 per hour in my area.
If you can find one who needs work.
Some use small jobs as fillers but I find that a small job of updating a room can turn into a can of worms and take all day so it will usually be quoted T & M (Time and materials).

I find it easier to replace a panel than update old wiring, and the panel pays better, no crawling, + usually decent work area. (I don’t go under most houses - that is for the apprentices.)

Just trying to give you an idea of what to expect. Electricians are in short supply in the Pacific Northwest, and if the job is a PITA you might have trouble getting it done. Without opening the walls the job may cost 5×, but open the walls and the PITA factor drops and the price also along with the unknown factor.

You may find a hungry electrician out there but use caution & have a contract! Understand sometimes the cheapest quote up front may be the most expensive in the long run. Try to find someone with references, not just online stars.

And since this is a DIY site it may be a chance for you to learn and  save a few bucks. Going from a 15 to 20 amp circuit is quite simple: you are just installing #12 wiring. Take photos of each connection prior to taking it apart.  Mark wires with numbers if you think you will get things mixed up. After upgrading the wire size on the circuit snap in a 20 amp breaker and you have done it.

(In my state repair of a circuit - in this case just replacing individual components - doesn’t require a permit and can be done by a homeowner. Check your local regulations as from what I have read some states require an electrician for simple “device” outlet or switch  changes).


Peeling latex over oil, do I strip all layers of paint or just the top layer of latex?

I would guess that gut (rip/demo to the studs) and re-rock is likely be the best option here - not only best end result at the paint job, but fastest (if drastic-seeming) route to that paint job. Scraping and stripping are awfully slow compered to rocking and mudding.


What should I realistically expect after having my floors professionally refinished?

All can be solved with money. Of course, at certain point it becomes cheaper to buy a brand new floor than keep fussing with an old one.

Nails become more visible after you sand a floor down. You can sink the nails by using a nail punch and then fill in the hole with a putty, but the putty has to matched to the color of the wood which is non-trivial. Sometimes nails will stain the wood, so you need to bore into the wood and make a larger filling. Also, you then need to redo the finish on top of this afterwards.

When a floor does not lie flat, usually that is because the joists below are not perfectly level. Sometimes this can be corrected by inserting shims between the joists and the floor boards if they are accessible (like in a basement), but it is tricky to do it. Ideally you make sure the joists are perfectly flat BEFORE you lay the floor down, and you use a subfloor.

In all honesty, the refinisher probably did all that was reasonable to do for the kind of money involved.


Attaching guide wire to guide wire for patio string lights

Visit your local hardware store and find whatever loops or rings they have that are cheap and easy to work with--ideally something that can be installed on the cable after it is installed. Even those cheap keychain carabiners would do well, at least until the hinge pins rust away.
The rings will self-center to some degree, which is what you want. You may have to secure the ends to the posts somehow to keep them from sliding. Small eye hooks might work for that.
More specific answers are probably not helpful since we don't know what your store will have.


My water filter faucet came unattached from base & sink. How can I fix it myself?

Fixing this could be possible to do on your own. As indicated in the comments you have already seen that there is a threaded rod under the sink that would have been used as part of a clamping system to hold the faucet assembly down against the counter top and tightened up from below via a nut and a C shaped washer that has a hole in it. If it is truly that this simply came unscrewed over time then fixing is just to reassemble it and tighten the nut from below which would require a tool. An adjustable wrench may be just the tool for that tightening.

However....it seems rather unlikely that the threaded rod simply came unscrewed over time. It would be more likely that the part that the rod screwed up into on the lower inside of the faucet assembly has broken away and this is why it suddenly became loose. Inspect the threaded rod to see if it has a companion broken part on one end of itself. Also look at the underside of the faucet assembly up in where the tubes enter to see if you can spot the place where the rod should screw into. Is it there still or does it look like it has broken up in there? In the case where the inner part has broken away it will be likely that this faucet assembly will need replacement. There will be no glue or sealant that can be used to hold that assembly in place on the tile counter top in a usable long term manner.


There should be a washer in the compression cap.  You can try to wrap thread tape on the threads first or pipe dope.  You can also purchase threaded shut off valves and thread them on the pipes with either pipe dope or thread tape.


How do I repair and clean a loose, greasy washing machine drum?

You probably have a bad drum hub nut. This is a very common failure of a top load washing machine. Look up your model on a few of the any repair parts sites and locate the hub nut. I suggest replacing the all the parts in the process of the replacing the nut. Should be fairly inexpensive for the parts. The procedure usually involves removing the entire machine casing. Make sure you have the machine unplugged.
As far as cleaning, go ahead and use a simple green type product and clean the edges of the inner and outer tub.
If it is the transmission area, then you have a bigger problem. But I bet it is more likely the hub nut.


Safe & chemical free way to clean AC coils?

Never say never or always because that will always get you in trouble.
Vinegar is an acid--it will eat the galvanized off the drip pan and can attack the fins so vinegar or acid-based cleaners are bad.
I don’t like bleach because it stinks and if not completely rinsed will have your house smelling like a swimming pool for days.
No boiling water the thermal shock can crack fittings.
Now that we talked about what you can’t or shouldn’t do... There are special chemical cleaners made for coils I use a foaming cleaner made by NU-Calgon called NU-brite. You will find coil cleaners at the big box stores made for coils these also clean the dust and grime out of the coil& fins.
Mild dishwashing soap can be used with water but getting all the soap out can be the fun part there.
Never use a pressure washer on a coil or the fins can be permanently damaged. Same with compressed air. A gentle wash with a hose on the outside unit may be the best bet if you do not have the proper chemicals.
Simple green and water sprayed in with a pump sprayer similar to what you use for killing weeds (never use a sprayer that has been used with weed killer on the inside unit).
I have tried many things and found the best option is commercial cleaner. My 2nd choice simple green and water followed with a good clear water rinse.
Yes I have HVAC licenses and your advice is mostly good not to use chemicals that will react poorly with aluminum, or galvanized materials. I usually power down the system to clean them this allows the chemicals we do use to do there job breaking down tree sap, dust, oil dog/cat pee (on outside units) that will damage the fins also. Once I treat the coil I flush it with clear water sometimes a 2nd treatment is needed but not usually on a well maintained system as yours has been.
I use 2 different sprayers on inside units one for the chemical and one with clear water. Making sure the drain stays clear and doesn’t overflow the pan.
This should help return your system to peak performance. And don’t forget about your filter. Always a good time to change the filter after a coil clean.