After enough research and talking with a few different companies, this is what I have found out.

Water Softener - this is good for removing Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, etc out of the water. It mainly used for getting a small degree of minerals out of the water. Using it primarily for high iron removal will decrease the life of the softener.

Chlorination - this will technically work for iron. You can get a pellet dispenser directly on the well. This would also help for bacteria. However, it would increase the arsenic levels which we are bordering high already. Its also not the greatest to be drinking chlorine.

Ozone Iron Filter - the benefit from what I researched with this is that the ozone will kill off bacteria. The maintenance can be somewhat costly from what I hear. Its once a year but costs 100 to 200.

Air Iron Filter - this is what we ended up going with. Maintenance is going to be around 20 for a new part each year, otherwise don't have to do much with it. Its going to cost about 1700 to 2100 which is close to the same price for ozone filter.

The average life of each system seems to be about the same, 10 - 15 - 20 years depending on the amount of iron or other minerals its filtering.

Update - we purchased an air iron filter because we had very high iron content. The water softener didn't remove enough of the iron. The new iron filter works very well, can't smell the iron anymore and the faucets don't get red. It does cycle through water quite frequently (2 to 3 days) and is pretty loud when it does. Overall though, it works well.


What are the effects of using all of the 80% of the power supported by 15A circuit breaker (220 volts, #14AWG wire)?

In the US under the NEC (I believe Canada is similar) you can run 80% load on a circuit 24/7. You can run 100% load intermittently, or by accident, or even occasionally if it's not expected, even for three hours or more.
The key is the actual definition of "Continuous Load", not an arm-chair definition, or what an old timer always told you.

Continuous Load.-
A load where the maximum current is expected to continue for 3 hours or more.


Was my pressure release valve installed backwards?

In your third picture, you can see a small arrow pointing to the left. That's the direction the water will flow through that valve. It likely has a check valve incorporated which will prevent water from flowing backwards. I don't believe this setup is dangerous since excessive water pressure will be backfeed into the cold water lines, and if those exceed the normal pressure levels it will go out the pressure release valve.


What to use to remove Magnesium sulfate ( palm tree fertilizer) stain on the driveway

The best concrete cleaner I have found for stubborn stains is diluted muriatic acid. You can purchase it in diluted form at most hardware stores. I recently used it to remove dried tung oil from a concrete patio.
You need to be sure to wear gloves and protective goggles if applying it by hand. Follow directions on the bottle. In my case I left it on overnight covered with a plastic tarp. In your case you may not need to leave it on overnight. Be aware that you need to protect surrounding vegetation when applying it and rinsing it off.


How can I place treads on these stairs around a corner?

So you have two issues: the cut angle and the gap.

Cut Angle

Whenever two boards meet at and angle, you have to cut each board by half of the angle in order to get the edges to line up.  So, in the top-down picture with the pencil, lets say that is a 30 degree angle.  Cut each board at 15 degrees.  You can't cut the board to line up with the stringer - you have to "split the angle".

Mind the Gap

Again, using the top-down picture, the board on the right will be in the "correct" position because its naturally perpendicular to the stringers.  The left board hits the stringer at a 30 degree angle, so either you will have to cut a small, triangular notch out of the board, or make a notch in the stringer for the board to fit into.  Notching the board (probably with a jigsaw) will be the easiest option, and when you're done, the fronts of the two boards should line up.  To make getting the notch in the right place easier, cut the notches with extra board hanging out over the edge before trying to cut the 15 degree miter to meet the other board.

I may be able to add a drawing later if this isn't clear enough, but I think it should get you going in the right direction.

*Obviously I made up the 30 degrees measurement.  Get an angle guide to measure each one before cutting.


Why would an inspection company flag two NM 12 gauge wires going through the same joist hole?

What they're probably trying to flag...
The usual thing that gets cited for this is the second paragraph of NEC 334.80 (text from 2017, but this hasn't changed much -- 320.80 is a newer extension of it that applies to AC/BX):

Where more than two NM cables containing two or more
current-carrying conductors are installed, without maintaining
spacing between the cables, through the same opening in wood
framing that is to be sealed with thermal insulation, caulk, or
sealing foam, the allowable ampacity of each conductor shall
be adjusted in accordance with Table 310.15(B)(3)(a) and the
provisions of 310.15(A)(2), Exception, shall not apply.

...and why their cite's a swing and a miss
However, even though the 24" exception (which is the exception cited in the quote above) is ruled out in this case, because ampacity adjustments on NM cables are permitted to be made from the 90°C column ampacity in the table by the first paragraph of that very same section:

The ampacity of Types NM, NMC, and NMS
cable shall be determined in accordance with 310.15. The
allowable ampacity shall not exceed that of a 60°C (140°F)
rated conductor. The 90°C (194°F) rating shall be permitted to
be used for ampacity adjustment and correction calculations,
provided the final calculated ampacity does not exceed that of
a 60°C (140°F) rated conductor. The ampacity of Types NM,
NMC, and NMS cable installed in cable trays shall be determined in accordance with 392.80(A).

As a result of that fact, we can start with the 25A 90°C ampacity of 14AWG copper (or the 30A figure for 12AWG copper), and then start adjusting it accordingly, based on the number of cables (really, current-carrying conductors) we have present:

3 /2 cables (6 CCCs): 80% adjustment, so 20A > 15A (or 24A > 20A)
4 /2 cables (8-9 CCCs): 70% adjustment, so 17.5A > 15A (or 21A > 20A)
More than that: 50% adjustment, so 12.5A < 15A = now the adjustments limit ampacity

So, unless you're cramming 5 cables (whether /2 or /3, in most cases) into a single hole, or using archaic cables that lack 90°C rated insulation (all modern NM is NM-B, which means that the wire insulation is 90°C rated), then you're good to go.


Why would my HVAC blower motor stop working after 10 minutes of runtime

There could be multiple issues, low Freon levels is one that can cause a low Freon pressure shutdown , this usually takes a specific amount of time based on the ambient temperature once the system has compressed the high pressure side and the suction side doesn’t have enough pressure automatic system shutdown, the second can be an iced up evaporator coil causing high back pressure as Jim said with the air handler motor tripping its thermal overload, once it cools down it will restart if the unit is still turned on. You need to open the inside unit (air handler) and see if the coil is iced up. If iced up you will need a leak check and recharge. 2 years old there is a leak that needs to be fixed prior to recharging or you will be recharging again in 2 years or less. If the coil is not iced up spin the motor you may have a bad bearing that is causing the motor to overload and trip it’s thermal overload, these are the main problems I see and would be my first checks, a cap going bad in 2 years is possible but they usually last much longer and would trip out sooner (just a minute or 2) if a start cap.


Thank you all for your comments. It was the new fixture. I bought 10 of them and the first one I installed was a dud. Naturally, I thought I did something wrong. Thanks again!


Why is my Water Heater Leaking only when I open the Pressure valve?

Check the age of the tank.  The lining is most likely leaking.  The pressure vent doing what it is suppose to do,  When you manual release the pressure through that valve, water is allowed to escape.  The real leak is in the lining, and dripping down to the bottom of the tank.  If the bottom is above your drain pan, you should be able to water dripping from the bottom of the tank.
Replacing the relief valve is not going to fix the leak.  It was leaking before you touch the relief valve.


Can new cable be run from switch to ceiling?

As @Tyson mentions in the comments there are devices listed for repair of NM cable such as the Tyco device mentioned in this answer.  However it would actually be pretty hard to get that in there, and I believe it's only listed for repair, not for extending.
You can mount a junction box and use that to house a splice to extend the cable.
Inacessible junction boxes are not permitted by code (see below.)  However this box would be accessible by removing the fan.  By most interpretations, that does not count as  **removing part of the building. **
It looks like there is room to mount a handy box out of the way of the fan and the existing cabling.  If not, you may be forced to remove the drywall.

314.29 Boxes, Conduit Bodies, and Handhole Enclosures to Be Accessible.
Boxes, conduit bodies, and handhole
enclosures shall be installed so that the wiring contained
in them can be rendered accessible without removing any part of the building or, in underground circuits, without
excavating sidewalks, paving, earth, or other substance that
is to be used to establish the finished grade


What do I do with the neutral wire when there isn't a place for it?

Electric dryers are typically designed to be protected by 30 ampere breakers, so I'm not sure why you would have a 50 ampere circuit. You'll want to check with the manufacturer to be sure what size overcurrent protection is required. If 30 ampere protection is required, you can simply swap the 50 amp breaker for a 30. Since the conductors are 8 AWG copper, there's no problem with using a 30 amp breaker instead of a 50.

A 3-prong dryer cord typically uses a NEMA 10-30 plug, which has two "hot" and one neutral prong. So I'm not sure why your setup wouldn't have a neutral.

3-prong dryer cords do not have a grounding prong. When using a 3-prong cord, the dryers chassis is bonded to the neutral via a bonding strip/wire. There should be instructions for this in the manufacturer's documentation, or on a label on the unit.

If you're running all new wire for this circuit, I'd recommend that you (or you may be required to) install four conductors instead of only three. This will allow you to have two "hot", a neutral, and a grounding conductor. You'll then follow the manufacturer's installation instructions for a 4-prong cord.


How can I replace an air conditioning thermostat?

It should be possible in theory to use a generic timer switch to electrically disconnect the 'stat from the aircon during certain time periods so the 'stat cannot call for cooling. Whether it's inexpensive or easy (or attractive) depends on the details of the current installation and the style of timer switches available.

A better solution would be to replace the 'stats with a more sophisticated controller that has timer functions. This solution is unlikely to be inexpensive, but shouldn't be prohibitively expensive either. It is typically easy to do this, disconnect the old 'stat from the wiring and attach the wiring to the new 'stat. Once again, the ease depends on the details of the current installation and the replacement 'stat.


What's the best way to keep my garage from freezing?

Turning a cold space into a warm space is absolutely doable, but the trick is doing it the right way to avoid creating longer term health or structural problems later.

The proper way to create a warm space is to create two different kinds of protections against the elements - a thermal break to hold in heat, and a moisture barrier to hold in water.

The thermal break is the obvious part - you want it to be warm, so you need to create a layer that doesn't conduct heat well and put it between your warm and cold spaces.

The moisture barrier is the less obvious and yet more important part.  Wherever warm air touches a cold surface you get condensation.  Condensation in an enclosed space - such as inside of a wall or insulated cavity - is a bad thing, because now you're getting organic materials such as wood and gypsum wet, which turns them from construction materials into mold food.  Mold being bad (read - toxic) its important to create a complete barrier that keeps moist warm air from getting into cold, closed spaces.  (Once the moisture gets into the wall it wont come out again anywhere near as fast as it got in, so it'll just keep building up).

The 2nd part here is you've got walls and a roof to deal with.  Since you don't have a ceiling, and since it sounds like you don't really want to install one, you can treat the two the same.  Thus I'll explain how to properly insulate your walls, and you can do the same for your roof over the garage.  But bear in mind if you install a ceiling, then the roof has to be handled differently from the walls.

So - how do you insulate your walls safely?

First - yes you can use shredded denim insulation, or fiberglass, or cellulose, or spray foam.   If cost is your primary concern, then you're going to trade off money for time.

The fastest but definitely not cheapest way to handle your problem is spray foam.  With spray foam (closed cell foam being preferred over open cell foam) you spray (or have someone spray) a liquid compound into the wall cavities and the liquid foams up and then solidifies.  What you get is a dense, seamless, tightly packed rigid material that has excellent insulation qualities and acts as a vapor barrier all on its own.  In your case you could spray the walls and roof in one day and almost instantly have a workable warm space.

For any other kinds of insulation, its a bit more involved.  The installation of the insulation is pretty straight forward - its the vapor barrier that's the issue.  You can use fiberglass with paper backing, but personally I don't think that seals up as well, and I consider it a good idea to tape all the seams after they're stapled down, for extra measure... (taping seams will be covered more in a moment)

This is NOT how you install it:

Note how its all compressed and tucked in?  That kills the insulation value (R-value).  I've heard/seen it argued that you should tuck the backing in so that drywallers can glue the drywall to the framing - they use screws.  I've never heard of drywallers doing this - and I don't think its worth surrendering the R-Value for drywall glue... Plus if they really do want to glue, well you install furring strips (as they did in the above pic) and glue to those...

IMO THIS is how you install paper backed fiberglass:

Flaps folded over the studs, and stapled down.  (Then tape the seams for extra measure as well as taping any tears).  I still also don't trust paper as a vapor barrier, though often times its paper/plastic laminate in which case it'll probably be fine.

Alternatively you can install an unbacked style (no paper, just insulation) - and then you add the vapor barrier by adding a layer of plastic, like so:

Here the plastic is hung up over top of the insulation, taped at its seams and so forth.

Here's the critical bit - YOU MUST NOT FAIL TO TAPE ANY SEAMS/GAPS IN THE VAPOR BARRIER.

A tiny pinhole in your vapor barrier can let in a whole cup of water in a season as warm moist air pushes into the cold space.  So you have to create a completely solid barrier against moisture all the way around the edges, on all the seams, and in any tears you inadvertently create.

Because this vapor barrier is so important, you should drywall or protect it in some other fashion.  (You want to create storage - consider sheets of plywood instead of drywall to create extra strong mounting surfaces for shelves ) If you leave the barrier exposed, it's gonna get damaged, and then its gonna lead to mold and rot.

If you spray foam, however, since its rigid and 4" thick, you can leave it exposed.


It's a bit hard to say what is causing the noise without an onsite inspection. Why not just try to muffle it (unless you are concerned about a structural problem).

Consider small bumpers, either vinyl, cork or felt, something like these

These are all self-stick and any of them could be put on the top and/or bottom edge of the strike side of the door frame. The can be cut to fit and may eliminate or at least reduce the banging.


How to mount curtain rails so block-out curtains are closer to the wall?

Consider adding a small hook to the "outside" of the hanger bracket (the side facing the side wall in the image provided), then pulling the blackout curtain around the corner and hanging the last curtain hook on this new hook. That should pull the whole curtain around the corner and cut out a significant additional light leakage.
If that's still not sufficient, hang small panel straight down from the curtain rod support brackets. Light doesn't travel around corners very well, so these "side blockers" should also cut out a significant amount of light.
You may need to combine both options.


How do I remove this plastic fitting connected under my kitchen faucet?

Squeeze those two ends together and push in... The other end should come out and you might need a screwdriver to pry it out a little more. To reinstall it, put the connector back on the pipe and push the flat white side back in until it snaps in place.


Will a single ductless mini-split heat pump be able to distribute its air evenly throughout my ranch house?

Maybe. It depends on your climate, comfort range, and behavior.

You may be able to get away without supplemental heat sources if you can tolerate temperatures 10ºF or more above or below the setpoint and if you keep the bedroom doors open most of the time. Are you planning on installing an HRV or ERV? If so, that will help with mixing. Cooling can be more difficult to distribute because of solar gains. I'm writing mainly with heating in mind because that is my experience.

Note that even if your MSHP rated heating capacity is sufficient for your calculated heating load, you'll want to make sure it has enough capacity at the design temperature. Some units maintain capacity pretty well at cold temperatures (Mitsubishi FH series and Fujitsu RLS2-H series), but others do not.

Most people who attempt single-point-source heating with MSHPs install electric resistance heaters in other rooms and/or install a circulation fan to assist with mixing of air.

Supplement with electric resistance heaters

Common options here include electric baseboards, radiant cove heaters, and wall-mounted panel radiators (plug-in or hardwired). Occupant control here is key because you want to maximize usage of the MSHP and only use the resistance heaters when necessary.

For my 1000 sf ranch semi-deep energy retrofit with MSHP, I plan on installing radiant cove heaters in the bedrooms and bathroom. The bedroom heaters will be controlled by line voltage programmable thermostats (e.g. Honeywell P-8001) set lower than the MSHP, and only at night when bedroom doors will be closed. The bathroom heater will probably just get a cheap dial thermostat. Dana Dorsett on GBA talks about using occupancy sensors to control the radiant cove heaters.

Use a circulation fan to help mix air

Some people use low-wattage bath fans (e.g. Panasonic WhisperGreen) to pull air from the living space and supply it to the bedrooms. This still might not be enough to keep the bedrooms close to the heating setpoint because the supply air delta T is so small (only 5–10ºF). If you do room-by-room heat calcs (part of the official Manual J spreadsheet), you can compare the room design heat loads to the Q=1.08*CFM*DT for the circulation fan airflow, to help determine if this is sufficient or you need to supplement with electric resistance heaters.

Some people might not like having a bath fan grille in their living room, even if it is decorative. And running the ducts can be tricky, especially if your R-50 ceiling insulation is already installed. I'm thinking about installing a variable-speed in-line fan in my (unvented, conditioned) crawlspace to distribute air to the bedrooms from the living room. You can't beat the low-watt draw of the WhisperGreen bath fan though.

You probably would not want to use your existing furnace fan and ducts to help distribute the air because it is likely an inefficient motor and duct leakage would be bad if your ducts are in unconditioned space.

Location of single indoor head

In the main living area sounds like a good location. Here's what to think about:

You want it to be able to "see" into as many rooms as possible.
Length of the refrigerant lines running between the indoor and outdoor units is also a consideration. There's an efficiency penalty above 25 ft. The Mitsubishi comes pre-charged with refrigerant for up to 25 ft. Lines longer than that need more refrigerant to be added.
Installation on exterior walls is much easier than interior walls.


Regrading under deck to protect footings from water

You need lots of fill dirt. Put about 3-4" or more right underneath the deck. Than add lots of dirt to the area outside the deck. Grade down away from the deck and divert the water toward that area of your yard that almost looks like a ditch. Once you get your grade set, throw out some tall fescue grass seed (or whatever you like) and cover it with straw. Water it every day until the grass gets about an inch high. Keep watering it often until it is about 3" high and then you can begin mowing it.


Is it OK to have a 20 Amp receptacle on a circuit with 12 AWG wiring and a 15 Amp breaker?

The answer to this question can be found in article 210 of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Section 210.3 of this article, tells us that the circuit rating shall be determined by the overcurrent device rating.

NEC 2011
210.3 Rating. Branch circuits recognized by this article shall be rated in accordance with the maximum permitted ampere rating or
setting of the overcurrent device. The rating for other than
individual branch circuits shall be 15, 20, 30, 40, and 50 amperes.
Where conductors of higher ampacity are used for any reason, the
ampere rating or setting of the specified overcurrent device shall
determine the circuit rating.

So if you have a 15A breaker, the circuit rating is 15 Amps. Section 210.21(B)(3), tells us to refer to table 210.21(B)(3) to determine the receptacle rating for circuits supplying two or more receptacles.

210.21(B)(3) Receptacle Ratings. Where connected to a branch circuit supplying two or more receptacles or outlets, receptacle
ratings shall conform to the values listed in Table 210.21(B)(3), or
where larger than 50 amperes, the receptacle rating shall not be less
than the branch-circuit rating.

This tells us that if we have a 15A circuit breaker protecting a circuit with two or more receptacles, each receptacle on the circuit must be rated not over 15 amperes. It's also good to remember, that the NEC does not view a duplex receptacle as a single receptacle according to the definition of a receptacle.

Receptacle. A receptacle is a contact device installed at the outlet for the connection of an attachment plug. A single receptacle
is a single contact device with no other contact device on the same
yoke. A multiple receptacle is two or more contact devices on the same
yoke.

So if you're installing even a single duplex receptacle on the circuit, you'll need to follow 210.21(B)(3) and use a 15A receptacle.


Pure silicone will provide very good shear bonding, yet you'll be able to peel it up later from non-porous surfaces.


Does a broken TPR valve disable the water heater?

No, a water heater will continue to heat the water with a bad TPR valve. A failed TPR valve is a safety issue since the water heater could heat the water to the point that the tank explodes and does significant damage to your home, roof, and probably the home of your neighbors. Several other components would also have to fail for this extreme situation to happen (the thermostat would have to heat beyond the normal cutoff, a check valve preventing water going back into the city water lines needs to exist, and no other valves in the house can be leaking) so it's fairly rare. But with the danger to your life, it's still a good precaution to ensure this valve is properly functioning.


How can I reduce the noise from a bathroom fan?

The first thing to check is if the fan unit is properly and firmly mounted in the ceiling and that the actual motor/fan portion is tightly secured in the housing. If the vibration is being caused because the fan is unbalanced or the bearings are worn, there is probably not much you can do for it. New fan units are not that expensive and are much quieter than older models. Noise ratings are posted on the units and measured in Sones. The lower the number, the quieter the operation of the fan.  Maybe it is time for an upgrade.


Are "Waterproofing Primer" and "Grout Sealer" the same?

I'd doubt that the primer could be used effectively as a grout sealer.  The primer is designed (in part) to mix in with another liquid to aid in waterproofing.  Grout sealer is designed to soak into dry grout to make aid in waterproofing.

Grout sealer is meant to be re-applied once a year (I don't know how many people actually do that).

If it works for you, then its fine.  but, if you get a leak into the grout and under the tile you risk water stains and mould.


Cedar is often used for outdoor and other wet locations because of its high tannin content. Tannins are natural compounds that prevent bacterial and fungal decomposition (rot).

When used in exterior applications, such as home siding, cedar is often protected with oil stains or varnishes. This is primarily to protect from sun damage, which dries out the natural oils and fades the wood.

When used indoors, as in saunas and spas, cedar is usually left raw. Sealers tend to disintegrate quickly in very wet situations such as these, leaving it with a degraded appearance.

In your case, I'd either leave it raw or use a penetrating oil finish that can be reapplied periodically.


Will steel continue rusting if it's completely covered in concrete?

No.It will continue rusting and the volume of the corrosion products will crack the concrete. New unrusted rebar will rust ( in concrete) but at a lower rate than your "prerusted" sample. Best practice is to epoxy ( or otherwise coat ) new construction. Stainless rebar is occasionally used. Bridges are a very severe service for rebar corrosion ; rebar in locations where the concrete is never wet do not have corrosion problems.


single-gang duplex combo, 3-way/3-way rocker- no pilot light

NOTE: common terminology is- a "lighted" switch glows when the switch is off. A "pilot light" is an indicator that a switch is on.


Can I support the front of a microwave with only one of three bolts?

While most appliance mounts are deliberately over-engineered, leaving out two out of three support bolts seems to be a bit risky.

There might be another solution. If you have enough clearance over the stovetop, you might lower the mounting of the microwave overall, maybe 3/4 of an inch. Premount the front of the microwave to a strip of 3/4 inch plywood that has holes that line up with the hoods bolts. Have other bolts going upward from the strip to an area of the upper cabinet that is not in the way of the cabinet's hardware.

You would adjust the back mounting hardware the same distance downward, and you could fill the side gap and cover the front edge with appropriate molding.

If it is tight, even 1/2 inch plywood should be strong enough. Add large (fender) washers to spread the load.


Removing post in center of two-car garage (20ft span)

Well, you could try one LVL and if it collapses, then rebuild the floor and use two.
It really depends on how much stuff you have in the room above and how solid you want the floor to be. Do you care if the floor bounces when you jump up and down?
I doubt that a 20 foot wall is not load bearing. What is holding up the roof? If you go into the attic, are there joists tied to the wall header?


Make sure the gasket/oring is still in the hose fitting if not, get another one at your local hardware store.  You could even try some Teflon tape.


How to build a CMU wall to specific size?

Yep, you cut them just like bricks...with a brick hammer. Just score around the block with a chisel or the hammer's straight claw & it either pops right off or just needs a whack. You'll might have to break a few to get it right, because they don't always break clean since they aren't as fine a material as brick.

But, there's no problem in chiseling them shorter or cleaning up the cut to fit.
And yes, you can also mix in Solid CMU's or just portions of them. That's why they're called Concrete Masonry Units & not just the single type of "Cinder Block" anymore, there's a large variety of CMU's. Really whatever works is right as long as it's tight.


Is grout required when installing luxury vinyl tile flooring?

I installed LVT a couple years ago in a rehab center. 2 bedrooms and a 2000 sq foot dining room. The product interlocks very tightly. It's pretty easy to install because it cuts with a utility knife. I think if I were to put it in a bathroom I would just clear-caulk it along the baseboard.  The interlocking joints are tight if installed correctly. I would only not use it if the manufacturer advised against using it in such an environment.


Do I need to use an oil-based primer on old woodwork?

Unfortunately, you're best bet is going to be to scrape off the primer. There are chemicals that will help make this easy, but in my experience a mechanical scraper is less of a hassle and mess. Something like this scraper will work if your trim is relatively flat and level.

Kilz has a number of products that will bond to various surfaces. I would buy a quart of Kilz Adhesion and apply a small amount to a sample area of your trim. Let it dry for a couple of days, then try your fingernail test again. If you still get flaking, try another product, like Kilz Complete.

If you don't want to scrape all of the trim down, you could also use a wire brush and aggressively brush down all of the trim. Whatever doesn't flake off is probably bonded well enough. But then you'll be left with low spots where you had flakes, which might be obvious if your trim is already in pretty good condition.


What techniques are there to smooth out or remove textured (knockdown) drywall?

Either apply a skim coat (or 2 or 3) where you smooth the entire surface...  Tedious but it will work - use the widest blade you can and do each coat perpendicular to the last.

or...

add a new layer of 1/8" drywall over the existing and mud/tape the seams.


Does a power outage / unplugging damage major Appliances

It certainly doesn't help. Dropping power off and restarting of any piece of equipment without going through a staged shutdown or startup leaves the equipment in a state where the normal sequence is interrupted and leaves the controls "confused" so to speak. Also every new appliance you buy generally has a microprocessor and electronic controls these days and they are a little more sensitive to surges and low voltage outages. During an outage you should shut off any equipment you can that was on before the outage and restart after your are sure the power is going to stay on for a while. What's more damaging to these appliances than a long term outage is the rapid blinking and flashing where say a tree branch is touching a power line during a windstorm.

All that said most appliances are fairly rugged and can take a certain amount of abuse.

I always suggest that a whole house surge suppressor be install at your main panelboard. That also helps cut down spike that may enter your system.


What type of ethernet cable do I need for outdoor use?

You normally want to use outdoor flooded cable (also called gel-filled) as it is designed to weather the elements. I have a few clients who have gone with outdoor flooded & shielded cable as they were worried about interference on the outdoor runs. Also look for UV-resistant cable if it's not going to be buried or otherwise enclosed.

As for Cat 5e versus Cat 6, for home use it probably won't matter as you most likely running 100/1000B-T Ethernet and it will run fine on both Cat 5e or Cat 6. If you want to try to future-proof your cable--or the price difference is negligible--you can go for Cat 6.


Yes, if it works at all (properly wired, not defective) it should work with a plain switch.
I have a bunch of dimmable LEDs on plain switches - they start about 1/2 second faster; they are slightly brighter (most LED dimmers don't fully bypass and are less than 100% bright as a result); and one of the fixture types I have makes an annoying hum on an LED dimmer, but makes no noise on a switch.


Outside electric panel, does it require another housing?

You will need an outdoor-rated panel enclosure for this task (NEMA 3R is typical vs. the NEMA 1 rating on an indoor panel).  Most major manufacturers (I know Square-D and Eaton do this) provide panelboards in NEMA 3R enclosures as standard catalog items in their light-duty panelboard lines.


Leveling a bathroom floor - toilet in the low spot

Depending on how large of an area is sunken, you could cut up the old plywood with a circular saw. Sister boards to the joists and add cross members to the cavities to raise the area to match the surrounding floor. Follow up with plywood and then cement board before tiling and you should have a solid, fairly level floor to work with. This can all be done  easily even though the basement is already finished. This seems preferential to any floor leveler, since you'd actually be addressing the problem, which is a sunken floor.

It would also be a good time to inspect the existing floor joists and see how damaged they may be. If the damage isn't extensive, doubling them up my suffice, or you may need to replace larger sections entirely.


How to find LED Christmas lights that look more like traditional incandescent bulbs?

Led lamp color is measured in kelvins.  Warm White is 2700 kelvins or 27K.  This is 'supposed' to be equal to incandescent table lamps.  Next is 30k which supposed to be equal to halogen.  Next is cool white which in LED's can range from 39k to 45k.  The next is 50k and then 65k.  The higher the number the bluer the white is.  It sounds like you want 27k.

The bad part of this is on Christmas or string lights, they are made so cheaply that they probably don't put any of this on the packaging.  Another thing about cheaper LED's is even when the color is listed on the package, the color will change from batch to batch.

Click here for Google search on warm white Christmas lights and maybe you can find something more suitable for you.


Are cheap electric brad nail guns worth it for fixing mouldings?

If the question is 'air powered vs. electric' I'd second Chris's comment.

The electric brad nailers, IMHO, aren't useful for finish work. I bought one to do trim work on a room and threw it out after only getting one wall done. They don't have the power or accuracy that the pneumatic options will give you.

Plus, EVERYONE should own a compressor and a pneumatic gun. They just make doing DIY projects that much more fun! ;)

There is a 3rd option, and that's a cordless gun. They are basically a pneumatic gun that has a mini electric compressor built in. These are more expensive, but the main advantage (other than being cordless) is that they are nice for small jobs where you don't want to get out the heavy compressor and wait for it to fill up just to shoot 6 nails.


Swapping breakers as a test to see if the breaker is working is a good idea. If both breakers trip then the only real method you have at hand is to isolated and find the area in the circuit where you are having a problem.

Isolation is the key. First disconnect the breaker and see if it will rest with no conductors connected. If it does then your problem is downstream. If you can try and figure out the order of the connections of the devices. In other words find the first device closest to the breaker, then the next and so on. Now you can disconnect all devices and begin to connect them together one at a time. Each time turning the power off reconnecting then turning the power on and see if the breaker trips. Once it trips now you have found the area of the circuit that is causing the trip. This will tell you the location of the fault in the circuit. Check each connection and splice working your way back toward the breaker and make sure they are mechanically and electrically sound and polarization is correct.

Also if you go through stack exchange you will find several remarks about plug-in connections on the back of a receptacle. Meaning make those repairs also.

It is a long and tedious process but the problems can be found and repairs made.

Hope this helps.


Where is the best place to store cardboard?

You'll want to avoid anywhere damp, since moisture is an enemy of cardboard.  So a basement that isn't dry, would be a bad choice.  Mice won't seek out your cardboard, unless there's food in it.  They might chew it and use it for nesting material if they happen across it, but won't make seeking out cardboard a main part of their day.

I've had cardboard in the loft of my garage for over 5 years, with no problems.  I live in NY, so hot summers (80-90F) and cold winters (0-20F). The garage is detached and unconditioned, so it experiences hot humid days in the summer and bitter cold in the winter.

Cardboard is fairly hardy, and will last quite a long time if kept dry.  So anywhere that is out of your way and dry, would be a fine place to store it.


Two separate breakers for one 240v appliance?

Yes, when you see a janky mess like that, remove it immediately.  Single circuits shouldn't bridge two breakers, with one exception.

You have to look at the ampere requirements for both the microwave and the heater.  Heaters need circuit breaker capacity of 125% of the heater's requirement.  If that is within the circuit breaker's rating, it may be appropriate to have both on the same breaker.

A 240V-only load needs either a 2-pole breaker, or two adjacent, matching breakers which are tied with a listed handle tie.


Upgrading to GFCI, and the outlet box isn’t screwed into anything

The solution is probably what's known as an 'old work junction box'.
As an example, this: old work box. (No endorsement implied.)


If you're placing 2x4s between the trusses, it's fairly easy to face nail them (at a slight angle where necessary), rather than toenailing, which often results in splits and less penetration. Either is fine if done carefully.

You may be better off using 2x10 joists for your floor, and notching them over the trusses to flush the bottoms for the ceiling drywall, or maybe hang them between with joist hangers.

Step one is to verify that your truss system is designed to handle the additional load of storage. Do you have the original spec sheets? Be very careful about loading the truss system with more than a few hundred extra pounds on the bottom chords,and be sure to distribute the load. Even if the trusses as a whole can carry the load, the bottom chords and their attachments may not be up to the task.

Then, you'll need floor joists at no more than 24" centers, depending on the floor sheathing you intend to use. These probably will be toenailed. They'll likely run directly above your furring strips.

Finally, you'll need to work out how to insulate with framing running two directions. I envision R-19 laid parallel to the trusses, and maybe R-19 or better running perpendicular, between the floor joists.


How to determine if wall can handle TV weight

As long as you're placing your bolts for the TV mount into to the wall studs, or if it is brick into a secure hole in the brick the weight will be no problem. If you just put the screws into the drywall, it will not be very secure.


Framing a door ON stairs, 3 steps to landing?

In every town that I have done building you would have to provide a landing area to put this door and the landing would need to be at minimum 36".  I do not know how that would work on an existing staircase so I would say the answer is simply no for most towns.

However your best bet is to call local inspector and ask them if they will allow anything or offer any alternatives.


Why is it taking so long for my A/C to start?

This first thing to try is removing the thermostat and shorting the R and G wires. Usually, these are the red and green wires. This should start up the fan in the blower. If that works, try shorting R and Y (usually yellow). This should start up the fan in the blower, and the AC compressor. If all of this happens immediately upon shorting the wires together, then the thermostat is likely failed.

If shorting the wires as described does not immediately bring on the blower or compressor, the problem is probably either bad wiring or a bad relay or control board in your air handler.


building a new house, I beams and floor joists different height

The answer to your question is yes, you can drop the joist lower into the basement via different means depending on construction method.

Although typically in most basements the joist do not hang inside the foundation wall; they either sit on top of framed basement walls which can be easily lowered in height given basement walls typically have every stud cut to reconcile an uneven floor; or they sit on top of the foundation wall and the foundation wall would need dropped in the area of the deeper joist.

As a general rule, we avoid supporting things by ledgers if we have the option of sitting on top of something.

Another option that may not be of much expense is to raise the depth of the other joist to 11-7/8"; a plus is using a minimum strength 11-7/8" I-joist would give you a very stiff floor compared to the 2x10's.  It would also simplify the framing a bit to have a cohesive floor depth throughout the main level.


How can I connect copper pipe to an unthreaded, galvanized pipe?

You have 3 or more options. #1 get a shark bite to go from galvanized to copper. #2 You need to go to a plumbing store and get a galvanized nipple and then extend your copper to the point the pipe screws into a coupling or other fitting. #3 If you don't want to extend your copper get an exact measurement and have a new piece of pipe cut and threaded. #1 is the easiest way and may be the most expensive but what you save in time is worth it. I may have used a Dresser compression fitting home depot calls them pattern fittings for galvanized repair in the wall I could not thread or remove but thought it was a shark bite.


Non-slip paint/sealers frequently used for this kind of thing. I usually see a coat applied, grit scattered onto the wet paint, then a second coat applied to hold everything.
It appears that single-part solutions exist too.


Is it Safe to Have an Attic Light & Receptacle on 60A HVAC Circuit

This is an unmitigated disaster

Firstly, 60A auxiliary heater circuits are normal enough, but they don't have neutral.   The wires are L1-L2-ground or black-red-bare.   There is no way to get 120V out of that circuit, except by bootlegging neutral.

Bootlegging neutrl means misusing ground as neutral, intentionally connecting a "hot" wire (via a light bulb or tool) to the ground.   If the ground-neutral bond in your panel has any sort of problem, it will electrify every ground in your house.  Bad idea.

Nothing prevents someone from plugging in a power strip and four 1500W heaters.  That will overheat the wiring and start a fire.

This is terrible work!

Must be more going on

Thing with heat pumps is there are usually other circuits involved.  I am surprised that the air handler would share the 60A aux heat circuit, I would expect there to be a 15-20A circuit there for the air handler.  I would think it might also be 120V.   If so, it may be possible to borrow it for the attic light.   The attic light must be on a 15 or 20A 120V circuit.  It cannot use part of a 120/240 circuit.

The total of all hard-wired loads on a circuit must be less than 80% of total circuit capacity.

You cannot have any receptacles on a circuit unless the hard-wired loads are less than 50% of total circuit capacity.  So you may need to change lamp fixtures.

Or, go 24V lighting

In this day and age, LEDs are so efficient that 5W of lighting is a fair bit, and two would light up an attic decently enough.   Most furnaces have a 24 volt AC, 40VA (similar to watts) transformer with surplus capacity.   You could grab 24VAC off the transformer and take it to LED lights.  You would need to find LED fixtures that have no replaceable bulb, and work a range of voltages including 24V AC.  You can use common thermostat wire to hook them up.  Aim for an even number of lights, and hook each one reverse polarity of the next.  Sometimes LEDs will tolerate AC but only light on half the AC cycle, by reversing polarity to every other one, you assure the full cycle is used.


What type of underlayment is appropriate for metal roofing?

You need to always follow the metal roofing manufacturer’s recommendations for installation, but generally you can use 1-layer of 15# building paper if the slope is 4:12 or greater and it’s standing seam metal roof with concealed fasteners.

You need a minimum of 2-layers 15# building paper if it’s a slope between 2:12 and 4:12.

Below 2:12 slope you need to follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for installation. (They’ll probably recommend a peel-and-stick underlayment.)


How to add dimmer to "one switch controls another switch" configuration

Lutron makes 3 way switches for this set up that allow dimming.  I just installed one set in my basement.  One dimmer will be the base and the other talks to it.  Here is what I have - Lutron Dimmer Set.  With 4 wires running everywhere you should be set to install these.


Why does pressure relief valve state 'Not for Use with Water Heaters'?

While I can't provide a definitive answer, since I'm not the manufacturer, nor do I, or have I ever worked for the manufacturer.  I can try to provide a logical, fact based answer that may be close to the truth.
Heat Expansion
When water is heated, the pressure in a closed system increases. If the pressure increases beyond the tripping point of the T&P valve on the heater, the valve should open to release some of the pressure. This release usually involves very hot water and steam, released in a controlled manner. If you install a pressure relief valve set lower than the T&P trip value, The relief valve will open long before the T&P valve possibly releasing hot water and steam in an uncontrolled way. This could lead to injury to occupants, or damage to property.
It's possible that your area has not adopted the use of backflow prevention, so this extra pressure can simply be released back through the distribution system.  In which case, you'll probably never see either relief valve ever open. If you do have backflow prevention in place, it's possible that this relief valve could open under "normal" conditions.  The International Residential Code (IRC), and Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) recommend pressure between 40 - 80 psi.

IRC 2009
P2903.3 Minimum pressure. Minimum static pressure (as determined by the local water authority) at the building entrance for either
public or private water service shall be 40 psi (276 kPa).
P2903.3.1 Maximum pressure. Maximum static pressure shall be 80 psi (551 kPa). When main pressure exceeds 80 psi (551 kPa), an
approved pressure-reducing valve conforming to ASSE 1003 shall be
installed on the domestic water branch main or riser at the connection
to the water-service pipe.

So even under "normal" conditions, your 75 psi valve could open.
Controlling Expansion in a Closed System
If backflow prevention has been used in your home, you are required by code to install a device for controlling pressure.

IRC 2009
P2903.4 Thermal expansion control. A means for controlling increased pressure caused by thermal expansion shall be installed
where required in accordance with Sections P2903.4.1 and P2903.4.2.
P2903.4.1 Pressure-reducing valve. For water service system sizes up to and including 2 inches (51 mm), a device for controlling
pressure shall be installed where, because of thermal expansion, the
pressure on the downstream side of a pressure-reducing valve exceeds
the pressure-reducing valve setting.
P2903.4.2 Backflow prevention device or check valve. Where a backflow prevention device, check valve or other device is installed
on a water supply system using storage water heating equipment such
that thermal expansion causes an increase in pressure, a device for
controlling pressure shall be installed.

While a relief valve may fit this description, the more common method is to install an expansion tank.

Safely Releasing Pressure
There are requirements for releasing pressure by way of a discharge pipe, which this valve may not meet.

IRC 2009
P2803.6.1 Requirements for discharge pipe. The discharge piping serving a pressure-relief valve, temperature relief valve or
combination valve shall:

Not be directly connected to the drainage system.
Discharge through an air gap located in the same room as the water
heater.
Not be smaller than the diameter of the outlet of the valve served
and shall discharge full size to the air gap.
Serve a single relief device and shall not connect to piping serving
any other relief device or equipment.
Discharge to the floor, to the pan serving the water heater or
storage tank, to a waste receptor or to the outdoors.
Discharge in a manner that does not cause personal injury or
structural damage.
Discharge to a termination point that is readily observable by the
building occupants.
Not be trapped.
Be installed to flow by gravity.
Not terminate more than 6 inches (152 mm) above the floor or waste
receptor.
Not have a threaded connection at the end of the piping.
Not have valves or tee fittings
Be constructed of those materials listed in Section P2905.5 or
materials tested, rated and approved for such use in accordance
with ASME A112.4.1.

Lead Safe
After doing a bit or research, I stumbled upon the NSF website which provides a lot of valuable information. It turns out, the valve mentioned in the question is indeed certified to meet ANSI/NSF 61, ANSI/NSF 61 Annex G, and California's AB 1953.

Which means it is safe for use with potable water (at least as far as lead is concerned). If you check the valve and/or packaging, you'll likely notice the NSF mark.
If you have any other fittings or products you'd like to check out, you can Search for NSF Certified Products.

tl;dr
This valve is not designed (or was not tested) to meet the codes and standards for a pressure relief valve on, or near a water heater. So the manufacturer was forced to mark the fitting "Not for use with water heaters".


If I understand the problem correctly , you may be able to get a piece of metal (like a scrap piece of duct or just buy a small piece) fold it so it is not wider than the register on the register side and 2" or longer on the inside the width of the opening is best but a 1" wide strip can work. Use a 3/8 self piercing (not self tapping) screw to hold this piece in place, do this on each end. If the fit is not tight enough I have stuffed some fiberglass insulation behind the metal until it will almost hold without screws, then add your screws they will bite the fresh metal and pull on the old duct providing a better anchor point. I have done this especially when the hole in the duct has stripped out. (I do open the original hole so it will all the torque on the new metal). I mention to hold the new piece with self piercing because self tapers cut two much metal and don't hold as well. The self piercing are just a very sharp tapered screw this works best with duct work. 3/8 so you don't punch through the 2 layers of metal and sheetrock. Hope this helps I have used this trick many times on remodeling jobs it really is quick and cheap.


Will I damage a cordless drill/screwdriver if I "over-torque" it?

You can but it would be easier and more efficient to bring a manual wrench. A wrench or ratchet will let you apply your torque closer to the same plane as the head of the bolt. Turning the drill will be like a ratchet with an extension on it. Use the right tool for the job, your tools, your watch, and your wallet will thank you for it!


Wood is going to move. It is going to swell and contract with humidity changes in the home. This typically happens during the winter and summer, when the temperature changes outside cause the heat in the home to dry out the air and during the summer the air in the home typically, is more humid. Wood WILL react to this, there is no stopping it.

In my opinion the floor is narrow enough not to warrant gluing down to the OSB, secondly on that, OSB is not the best material to be gluing strip flooring to. Depending how the OSB weathered as subfloor while it was exposed to the elements, the top layer of chips/flakes are barely set in place still, not to rely on for gluing. Beside, you don't need it, But if it is used, it won't cause any problems, it just won't do anything either.

The biggest factor in laying hardwood floors is the humidity that is present in all parts of the process. This is where a moisture meter comes in. Any flooring installer worth his salt has a good one. IMHO, if he doesn't along with what he is prescribing, he would not do my floor.

Since the wood is going to move, and the T&G joints are glued, the flooring will crack elsewhere. Instead of the joints opening and closing the minute amount, when the floor is laid in the proper conditions (this is where the moisture meter comes in) which would be undetectable, with gluing, the wood would crack in irregular places, creating a mess to see on the floor. If the conditions are not right for a floor, I have seen a white oak floor shrink to an 1/8" gap over much of a floor laid where the wood was not acclimated to the house first and laid without consideration for its' moisture content.


Don't snort that stuff! It's just dust from the exhaust pipe. Not fun to get in your nose. Your furnace is a downflow furnace so the filter should be on the upper section. But from the picture it looks like even if it is there, you wouldn't be able to get it out because of the exhaust pipe. Filters are always in the cold air return side. The little grill on the floor is a fresh air intake for the burner. So if you feel a cold draft coming in from it, don't cover it, it's supposed to do that. If there is no filter you should definitely add one.


Can a switchover to backup power be seamless for a whole house?

This already exists COTS

The Tesla PowerWall is the most high visibility version, but there are competitors, and you could even knock one together out of golf cart batteries  and inverters.  What Tesla brings to the table is positively exquisite battery-management tech, which assures the PowerWall battery will have a very long life.

"But I want a 5-minute solution, this is overkill!"

Actually no, it's a game-changer.  Because now, the generator doesn't need to carry your house. Just replenish the PowerWall.  So you can get it done with a Honda instead of a CAT.

If you go pure generator, then the generator must have enough capacity for your house's peak loads. You could end up needing a 20kw generator just so it doesn't croak when you put on everything at the same time, the 1 minute in 1000 that you do that.

The difference in generator size may pay for the PowerWall, especially since the generator does not need an ATS and other associated equipment; it only needs to be a generator.

A homes power use is actually quite small, and averages barely 1kw. That's because, while your dryer, water heater, A/C and oven may be going gangbusters on a summer evening, your house also has long periods of time of virtually no loads at all, as litle as 60W for refrigerator, night lights and your vampire loads (looking at you, Comcast). To run 1 KWH the whole month costs about $100 on your electric bill, so you can look at your bill and see for yourself.

I read this negative review from one of those anti-green naysayers, and he said "if your house draws 5kw on average, you'll need 70 PowerWalls for a 30-day outage".  Ok, first, 5kw means a $500 electric bill, not likely.  And second, a 30-day outage is insane, but if it existed, it'd actually an ideal use case for a small generator to complement a single PowerWall, just as I say.

Off-grid power is 10% generation, 90% conservation

However, only a fool would tarry forth into a power outage and keep using electricity like nothing had happened. Of course you're going to defer those wash loads.  Whip up something on the stovetop instead of bake.

Understanding what your big loads are and avoiding heavy appliance usage is instrumental to weathering an outage.

Another option, on the electrical side, is enforce this with multiple panels.  Have your main panel for utility-only loads, the ones you never want to run on PowerWall.  Sauna, dryer, etc.  pThen you have a subpanel for the loads that need to be on generator or PowerWall, and these are the ones that get automatically picked up on-the-fly.

You could even have a third panelboard full of loads that could go either way, like water heater or A/C.  That panel gets a $30 Siemens or QO generator interlock, and is normally switched to "Utility" so it dies when the power fails.    Once you are sure you have abundant capacity to drive one of those loads, you shut them all off, cut the panel over from utility to PowerWall, and switch on the load you want to run.

Of course, the best way is to make judicious choices about appliances, so you aren't creating a huge electrical load in the first place.  For instance instead of baseboard heat, use a heat pump designed to effective at very low-temperature range, so electric emergency heat never runs.  My house has an Empire furnace, that is gas and runs without any electricity at all.  We also have a gas water heater; being on-demand it needs a small amount of power for controls. A PowerWall is in fact overkill for my house.


How to improve the drainage of a patio with 6"x6"x39" cement blocks used for edging?

Drain holes aren't a practical solution here. If you insist on drilling them, you'll need a high powered impact drill with a concrete bit, then you either have to dig a trench on the outside to get the drill positioned parallel to the ground or pry up the concrete so you can drill above ground. At that point, you're still going to have a maintenance chore as those holes will clog up. In the winter, they may fill with water, freeze, and crack the concrete.

As such, I'd highly recommend just getting rid of the concrete. It's a poor design to begin with. Not sure what the original builder was thinking by putting that lip on it. Unless maybe the goal was to use it as an ice rink in the winter? :)

As it's not a monolithic slab of concrete, but in separate blocks/pieces, you may get away with just removing a couple piece at the low end of the patio to act as a funnel to allow the water to run off from that one spot. You may have to dig a dry well or something to accept that amount of concentrated water, though. I think it'd be better to remove them all instead.


How can I repair drywall after removing tile?

I'm sure that there will be a lot of surface damage to the backer. Was it sheetrock of cement board?  Regardless, remove as much of the old thinset and grout as possible, even it it gouges into the backer a bit.  You can refinish the backer with a first coat of setting type drywall compound, or regular general purpose drywall compound. Try to use the widest knife possible to apply the compound to minimize the trails.  Knife or sand down any real high spots after the first coat dries.  If you want a smooth finish surface, mix some GP compound with a little bit of water and a small amount of Ivory dish soap, mix well.  Again, apply with a wide knife, let dry and sand.  Touch up any flaw areas with this same mixture and finish sand.  Be sure to prime the new mud finish with a PVA drywall sealer/primer, then paint as you wish.  Good Luck


How do I install a french drain in a sunken concrete patio?

I don’t think that a French drain will benefit your situation unless the issue is surface water flowing over the top of the retaining wall. If that is the case, then it might help, but you would not want to connect a drain inside the sunken area to it as it could actually allow water to enter the lower area.

A French drain is simply a tench filled with gravel (may also include perforated pipe) that directs water away from one area to another area.

If you want to get water out of the sunken area, you want to add a drain and pipe it to a storm drainage system, or depending on ground drainage conditions, pipe it to a dry well.

The main issue when dealing with unwanted water is finding a place to put it. A French drain is a way to move it not a place to put it. I think you should make sure that you know where you are going to redirect the water to before going any further. As for how or where to add the drain itself, see @isherwood's answer.


Should a power drill or impact driver be used to drive screws?

The main difference to pay attention to is a drill vs. a driver.

At the core, they are essentially the same in that they turn a bit.

A driver, however, also has a clutch. That's the key difference. With a drill, you want continuous power on the drill bit. However, with a driver, you want continuous power up to a point at which point you want to stop the power to avoid stripping the screw, over-driving or breaking the screw.

You can drive screws with a drill, you just have to be more careful to avoid the problems listed. And while you could drill a hole with a driver, I wouldn't advise it, as the clutch would make it a pain as it would slip as you go.

Ideally, you have both...for no other reason than you can keep the drill bit in the drill, and the driver bit in the driver, and not have to constantly swap bits as you drill pilot holes and add screws right behind it.

As for a "regular" driver vs. an impact driver, you use the latter when you need high-torque. A typical example would be construction screws where you may be screwing through 4x4 timber and the like.


How would I go about painting exterior brick?

This is a tough one that will take a bit of work. From personal experience, any time you're going to be applying paint/primer/etc. to any kind of questionable masonry and mixed surfaces, it's going to be a good idea to clean/prep in several stages, then apply a masonry grade primer.

Depending on if there was any kind of debris, mildew, moss growing on the surface, a brush and/or pressure washer could be suggested. If the surfaces are clean and evenly covered, I would use a good stiff deck brush or similar.

I would also suggest a chemical cleaner/stripper containing muriatic acid, which will have a mild etching effect and ensure good adhesion with whatever you decide to paint with.

Then proceed with a good masonry primer, following manufacturers specifications. The same would apply for your paint.

In most of my jobs and personal projects, I would say a good paint job is 90% preparation, 9% good product and 1% skill.

In short, treat all surfaces the same, clean and prep evenly and somewhat indiscriminately. I would suggest a standard latex acrylic. Elastomeric paints tends to be heavier and really suited to new construction and initial application. If the house is older, it's most likely done most of its settling.

This reference is in regards to commercial new construction, but a lot of the premise will be the same.
http://www.masonrymagazine.com/5-08/cleaning.html

Good luck with the project.


Installed new bath faucet. No cold water comes out

First verify that you have water coming through the cold line.  Make sure the shutoff value is turned off at the wall, disconnect the line from the faucet and put in a bucket.  Open the value and you should get a lot of water coming out at full pressure.

If that works, there is something wrong with your faucet.  Either something is blocking it or it's defective.  I once had this happen to me with a faucet from a big-box store.  I took everything apart to try to figure out what was wrong with it until I finally found that one of the valves was lacking a small grove that was the channel the water was supposed to come through.  It took me forever to notice it was different than the working side.  I went back and someone that worked there grabbed the part out of another box for me.

If this is a single handle faucet make sure you have installed the cartridge properly.  If it is not oriented right or the handle doesn't connect properly, you could have an issue like this.


Does anyone have experience with insulating with waste-wool from shearing?

As for sheep's wool it is a great insulating product.  I actually ran into 50 rolls at a local Habitat store that had them going for $4 a piece.  So I bought them all.  They were non-faced rolls and have to be one of the most pleasant insulation experiences of my life.

However you have two problems and neither of them have to do with cleaning.  First you must be able to compress the wool so that it stays together and its density is appropriate.  I found that it was a lot like rockwool except not itchy.  Second the burlap bags are probably a no-no because you would have to prove out their fireproof qualities.

I would talk to local inspector on both.  Sure he will be happy with wool but may express his own concerns on top of mine.

And just an FYI.  I have no idea where I would order these wool rolls.  I have never seen them at any store so obviously someone ordered them special and decided not to use them and gave them to the Habitat store.  Also you may want to visit some wool insulation company sites for tips.  I don't know what if anything they use to get the wool in firm strips.


Building an exterior wall within an exterior wall for insulation

I wouldn’t. You can create moisture and mold problems, much less drastically change the size and character of the interior of your home.

Adding an insulated wall on the interior of your home will change the “perm” rating of your exterior wall. Perm rating is important because it controls the flow of VAPOR through the wall.

Depending on where you live, vapor will travel from the inside out (northern climates) or from the outside in (southern climates) or both ways (middle climates). When vapor travels through the wall, it changes from a vapor to a liquid. If this liquid gets trapped in the wall, it will create rot and mold. Here is an article that explains it better.

All materials have a perm rating... even a coat of paint. Here’s an article that lists some materials and explains it better. Adding additional materials could trap moisture within the two walls and create rot and mold.

If you’re trying to save heat and reduce your heating costs, I’d concentrate on 1) adding insulation in your attic, 2) sealing drafts around windows and doors, etc., and then 3) insulate your exterior walls.

Heat rises, so concentrating on the ceiling makes sense. (The Department of Energy has a website that explains this.)
Drafts will lower the room temperature dramatically and keep your furnace working.
Yes, due to the age of your home, I doubt if they have any insulation in your exterior walls. Adding insulation and getting thermal windows (or storm windows) will help...but not as much as 1) and 2).  (Besides, a new 2x4 wall is not that thick so you won’t be able to add much insulation.)


What are the practical differences between 1/2" and 3/4" pipe between a water softener and water heater?

Provided the line coming into your house from the city main is 3/4" and inside your house the line changes to 1/2" there would be a significant increase in flow rate and possible pressure when water demand is higher in your house.
Run a new 3/4" line to the softener as described.  They could require the extra flow rate when it regenerates (which could use ~25 gallons/~0.11 m3) when it does this.


As long as the asbestos material is contained between your subfloors you are fine.  It doesn't matter if it crumples up being sandwiched in there.  You may have to take extra precautions taking it out in this case but it isn't a concern in current state.


How to achieve R-21 insulation in 3.5 inch exterior wall

I had a similar wall that I insulated exactly (well, almost) the way you're describing.  Here's a cross section of the wall.  The left side is towards an unheated workshop.

I don't think I used 1.5 inch XPS because it would have caused the sheet rock to bulge slightly.
Another option is what they call an R13+5 construction.  With this technique, which can be used for new construction or when you're tearing down to the studs, fills the 3-1/2" wall cavity with something like Rockwool (R13), then fasten foam board insulation with an R-value of 5 to the outside of the wall, before your house wrap and siding.  The chart excerpt below is from a local building code information brochure.


You can use a few methods.

I would recommend using fibre glass firstly and then maybe some sort of epoxy /putty.

FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT

You will need to clean the areas that you are going to work with. And i do not mean like wipe with a tissue.

I mean take some sand paper and lightly scratch the surfaces so it scores it to give better grip to the adhesive.
You can do the same around the steel pipes you want to bond, but you will have to be more vigorous in making scratches in the metal.. this will help very much in bonding! It will not stick to flat surface very well.
Try to work with gloves and avoid touching the area you are working with. Your fingers leave oily substance and can cause the bond to be weak.
Using a clean cloth, spirits /alcohol  (cannot be oily) clean the and blow out any dust residue, any particles from sanding, and wipe it clean with alcohol  /spirits before you start to apply any methods.
Make sure that during the cleaning and curing (drying period of at least 48hours) there is no water leaking in the affected area.

Fibreglass

You can buy fibre glass sheets pretty cheap, they are used in the boating industry, car body shops and some building supplies.

You will now clean the are and apply the fibre glass sheets in single layers, fold and mould them to the shape you desire.
During this process you will apply resin (it is very sticky so use gloves again) and dont be shy.. use plenty of it per layer.. let it dry a bit, come back and add another layer and expand over the bottom one. Maximise surface area.

Here is an example on PVC pipe, patching up a leak. ON a steel pipe you need to wind it wider out to maximise the bonding surface, especially if its under pressure.

Epoxy / Putty

Using a strong putty, usual called steel putty, or putty with steel, you will mix 2 compounds, or some tubs are air activated. So open them take what you need and close it.

You will mould the putty to the area you need.

And you let it dry for the recommended period of time.

Pros / Cons

Because you are working with two different materials it is difficult to bond them. They both expand/contract in different ways and do not bond in the same way. Using either of the methods maximise the bonding effect.. while taking into consideration differential surface tension.

These methods will bond and seal the two parts.. so if you ever need to get access to the pipes, maintenance  or disassembly, you will most likely have to cut the steel pipe off with a grinder after the bondage leaving ample space for a connector later on.

It is possible that areas around the new bond might start to take the extra ware and tare.. monitor this and apply more fibre glass in areas that look like that might start to fail.


Is it safe and legal to convert an immersion heater circuit for lights and outlets?

16 amp MCB (not RCD) supplying a socket - OK
fused connection unit with 3 amp fuse to supply light - OK

However, there are two important issues:

The cable size. A standard radial socket circuit uses 2.5mm (minimum) cable on a 20A MCB. Sometimes (say pre 1980) immersion heaters were wired assuming a 2kW heater on 1.5mm cable. Before extending that circuit, you'd have to verify by calculation that 1.5mm cable is adequate for a 16A circuit. As a general purpose socket circuit the design current for the circuit would be the same as the protective device (16A)
RCD protection. All new sockets must be RCD protected; all new cabling must be RCD protected (unless metal-sheathed cable or in metal conduit).

If the existing circuit is not RCD protected, you should add RCD protection. If you can't add an RCD to the existing consumer unit, there are ways round it (such as an RCD in a DIN rail enclosure next to the consumer unit, or an RCD fused spur, but if your consumer unit is that old it's probably due for replacement.

Don't reduce circuit protection down to 6A at the MCB - there is no need, and fridges/freezers can have high motor inrush currents.


Wiring AC ARC Welding machine Three Phase

It depends how you count phases. from looking at the back my guess is that you either connect 240V single phase to the 240V terminals  or a  380V supply to the 380V terminals.
I'm guessing that the welder has a single phase transformer inside it.
380V is what you get across two phases of some 3 phase supplies (where they use wye with 220V to a central neutral)
240V is a common 3 phase voltage in USA, but 240V single phase is also used.
Connecting to both sides seems wrong as there is a lot of metal between the terminals, and all conductors in a circuit should always pass through a single hole in the metal, also a welder doesn't need a neutral connection.


Make stairs that don't require a handrail

Yes, 4 or fewer risers do not require a handrail. (See ICC R311.7.7) and must be 36” wide minimum.

Risers cannot exceed 8” and treads cannot be less than 9”. (See ICC R311.7.4)

Also, the largest riser cannot be more than 3/8” different than the smallest in the same run. (See ICC R311.7.41)

There has been some discussion in the past (between Building Officials) as to whether or not a landscape stair must comply with the Building Code. The Code defines a “stairway” as “either interior or exterior” but goes on to say “within or attached to a building, porch or deck”. (See ICC R202.1)

Likewise, steep sidewalks do not need to meet the requirements of ramps with handrails, landings, etc.

I think you can do what you want (or feel comfortable doing), but you might ask your local Building Department.


Replacing a light switch that has 2 red wires and 1 black- one red was on the screw the other red was back stabbing the same portion

The simple answer is to connect your new switch in an electrically equivalent way -- pigtail the two reds together and attach it to the screw.  This will guarantee the switch functions exactly as it does now.

If instead you want to disconnect one of the red wires, you need to figure out where they go.  It's possible that they're actually the hot wires  and the black is the switched hot, and one of the reds continues on to power other devices.  In that case, you should not disconnect either of them.  Or it's possible the reds are the switched-hot wires, and that one of them is no longer in use, and could be capped off, but you'll need to figure out which is which.


The site you linked states "space the brackets 18 - 24 inches apart" source 1 source 2, with the first 4-6" away from the edge. Because you definitely don't want it to flex, even under abuse, I'd err on the side of caution.

With a 8' desk:

24" apart would be 4 brackets.
18" apart would be 5 brackets.
16" apart would also be 5 brackets.


What's the normal water flow from a residential RO membrane?

Yes.  Depending on your membranes gpm rating the flow is relativly slow also the reject side will be faster depending on its rejection ratio.  Most are 8 to 1. Good nembranes will be high gpd with a 2 to 1 ratio

Also these flow rates are if you dripped the product into a barrel. When you start adding back pressure. Like filling you tank. When it's half full you cut your production in half.  At 3/4 you cut another half.  Example.  50gpd becomes 25 at half full and 12.5 at 3/4.   Always go with the company with the biggest membranes and lowest rejection rates


What is a condensate pump on a boiler heating system?

It is sort of like a small bilge pump mounted below the boiler that empties a small overflow  reservoir of water that is expelled during the condensation mode of a condensing/modulated boiler.  These are common on newer wall mounted high efficiency boilers.


How do I balance air outlet/inlet valves without an airflow meter?

I tried this approach on my senior project.
It is a little tricky, but you find the largest garbage bag you can buy, or any bag, and either a stop watch or better a video camera.

If you know the size of the bag 50 gallons in my case.
And if you know the time it takes to fill the bag.

you can calculate the airflow through a particular outlet.

The bag can fill up pretty quickly, so I recommend making the calculations using a video camera.  It helped to see when the airflow initially started.

I had a known fan that produced a airflow speed of 150 CFM, and I was able to measure out about 133 CFM with this technique.

The video camera is used to see more accurately when the blower starts and when the bag is full. Time( full bag) - time( blower starts) it can be hard to keep up with a stop watch, so I use the camera playback to see when each event takes place.


Help me test my electricity usage monitor?


How do I optimally cut a bolt to length?

After cutting the bolt to length, use a stationary grinder instead of a file to clean up your work. With a grinder, it's easy to square up the end of the bolt and apply the chamfer that you want.

Just be careful, especially if the bolt is shorter than the grinder's table. If the bolt is short, use a pair of vice grips to hold the bolt during grinding. And remember that the end of the bolt is going to be very hot after grinding!


Can I attach a noticeboard to a plasterboard wall using superglue?

Superglue will not fill the voids well enough between the wall and the wood frame. There are picture hooks with a special adhesive that may work for your purpose. See here, there is a variety on this link


First try to determine if the piece is a solid piece of steel or a casting, sometimes referred to as potmetal. Over heating a casting can turn it to a brittle paperweight The broken extractor bit is likely to hard to drill out. If you have access to the opposite side try to drill a small hole and drive the broken extractor out with a punch. Once the broken bit is removed drill and tap it for a larger screw, install a heli-coil or a nutsert.


Easiest way to dig trench along existing fence

In my experience, the easiest way to dig the trench is to let the dogs do the digging.

My former neighbor had dogs that would dig under her privacy fence. Putting a few bricks in the places they had started to excavate was enough to dissuade them from digging further in those locations.  We used enough bricks to block the light through each hole they started.


First, are you sure that 30A is a sufficiently large breaker for your range circuit? Most electric cooking appliances (freestanding electric ranges, cooktop/oven combinations) require a 40A or a 50A circuit.

The 20A breakers do sound correct for the lighting and receptacle circuits, although you will need more of them, as every dwelling unit must have at least two dedicated 20A small appliance branch circuits and a 20A bathroom receptacle branch circuit; if laundry facilities are present, yet another dedicated 20A branch circuit must be provided for the laundry room outlets.  You will want to use a double-pole breaker for HVAC, though: all but the very smallest HVAC appliances require a 240V circuit, and this includes packaged terminal units, even though they only draw a relatively small amount of current (<20A) compared to a conventional air conditioner.

The overall capacity of the subpanel you have on hand (100A) is more than adequate for an apartment-type dwelling unit; however, you will want to check the number of breaker slots available to you in it -- full-width slots are at a premium these days due to AFCI requirements, which makes depending on tandem breakers to fit all your circuits into your panel quite unwise.

Your #2 wire will be adequate for the feeder conductors provided it is copper and of a 75°C rated or better insulation type (such as ordinary THHN/THWN).  If you are using aluminum wire, I would upsize to 1AWG -- 2AWG aluminum is marginal for 100A service, requring 90°C rated insulation in order to be at all usable in such an application.


Soldered copper vs threaded copper at shower valve

In all my years, threaded or soldered, I've never replaced a valve with the same valve, and definitely not with the threaded connections. If you think about the logistics of unthreading a shower valve to reuse the connections, you'll see what I mean.

I've come to the conclusion that the threads are for convenience of installation, not re-use.


110v outlet on 220v circuit with 220 GFCI to boat dock

Don't think of it as a 120V receptacle on a 240V circuit.  Think of it as a 240V load on a multi-wire branch circuit.

That is a legitimate wiring method.  MWBCs can also supply 240V-only loads.

There's one gotcha.  You can't have any receptacles on a circuit where the hardwired loads account for more than 50% of the total circuit ampacity.  That doesn't apply to cord-and-plug connected loads, so the workaround is to make the hardwired loads not hardwired anymore.  Fit sockets, cords and plugs.

So you have an MWBC.  If you employ a GFCI on an MWBC, you must do it with a 2-pole 120/240V GFCI breaker (or deadfront that is inline). You cannot use a European 2-wire RCBO, because all 3 wires, neutral included, must go through the GFCI's internal sensor together.

In any case, in a water related installation, you want the GFCI protection well before you get anywhere near the water. Because you want the wires protected also - if the wires get wet, they are protected, rather than electrifying the water and causing drownings.


Are multiple wire runs in conduit allowed

Yes, when dealing with single-phase or split-phase power, you can run up to 3 large circuits in a conduit without needing much math.  But aside from all the other amp restrictions, your THHN or THWN-2 wires also cannot exceed this amp restriction:

Copper:  6AWG-60A.... 4AWG-76A... 3AWG-92A... 2-104A... 1-116A... 1/0-136A... 2/0-156A... 3/0-180A... 4/0-208A...

Aluminum: 4AWG-60A... 3AWG-68A... 2-80A... 1-92A... 1/0-108A... 2/0-120A... 3/0-140A... 4/0-164A...

Except you are allowed to round up to the next larger available breaker, so #1 Al is allowed for 100A since they do not make 92A breakers.

As long as a split-phase circuit has 3 live conductors, it counts the same as simple 2-conductor circuits.  That's because neutral carries only differential current - any current on the neutral means one of the hots is carrying that much less than its rated current.


How can I mount a side-mount light onto a top-mount area?

You may be able to replace the mount plate and tubular arm with a custom assembly of black iron pipe and fittings that acts as a stand. From bottom up...

A 3/4" or 1" floor flange (whatever is large enough to cover the junction box)
A vertical pipe of ~18"
A 90° elbow to horizontal
A pipe nipple of ~8"
A 90° elbow to vertical (downward)
A short pipe nipple through the fixture's top cap
A nut or end cap with a hole drilled for the wires

    =========
   ||        ||
   ||        ||
   ||      _/  \_
   ||     |      |
   ||     |      |
   ||     |      |
   ||     |______|
   ||
 __||__

Be sure to protect the wiring so it isn't damaged on the pipe fitting edges. Maybe use a length of exterior extension cord between the junction box and the light housing.


Is it OK to have heating registers and returns near the ceiling?

Physics dictates that for heating, on the walls near the ceiling is not going to be good for overall room heating.  However, depending on the structure of the house and location of the hvac system, they may be placed there to avoid long and convoluted runs of ducting which can decrease the efficiency.

Taking just the room into consideration you're going to tend to concentrate heat near the top and not heat the floor, much like in a lake you will have a distinct transition between the warm surface and colder bottom.  Ceiling fans are going to be a must to evenly distribute the heat.

So it may be the most efficient setup for that house, but it's definitely not the best setup as a general rule.

You're far enough north that heating costs are generally going to be worse than cooling costs.


What is the difference between these air ducts?

We have a portable AC as well. Since the original pipe was too short, the only way to run the exhaust was to swap it out for the piping you have pictured at the top. It stretched over the original terminations at the AC unit and the window just fine. I held in place with duct tape. The pipe I used was 15' long compared to the original 6' pipe like you have. I was concerned about an increase in static pressure and how the unit would perform, but it did work very well on cooling the part of the house we needed with no issue.

"Threading" it on was not an issue, it was just pulled straight on and brought a wire or 2 over the nibs that acted as threads for the original pipe.


Bucket pulley/hoist for kids climbing frame

What you are looking for is called a "manual chain hoist" and if you search for that you can find some light weight low cost versions from several sources. But you have to understand that these are not toys and little fingers can get injured. To keep from dropping the load if you let go of the chain, they will have some sort of braking mechanism; either a pawl and ratchet, or a friction clutch. The ratchet and pawl type come with a risk of pinch points and someone releasing the ratchet with too much of a load, letting it free-fall. The one in your photo example looks like it is probably a friction clutch version. The problem with those is that they wear and need periodic adjustment, so neglecting that can result in the load falling and hurting someone. That playground likely has an assigned caretaker who's job it is to measure the holding force and adjust the tension on a regular basis.

How about just tying a rope to something at the top and your kid can pull it up? it would inherently limit the weight and thereby the danger of it falling.


Can I use 6" hook and loop disks with a 5" sander?

The holes on the discs may not line up with the ones in the base--if they don't, you'll have to be careful. As you say it will interfere with air flow, which will affect cooling, sanding, and sawdust removal. I'm not sure whether it's enough to damage the tool, unless maybe if you're sanding for hours, but the results may not be as good..

If you do use them, I would recommend cutting off the excess edge--it can dig into your piece and leave marks.


changing water pump outlet connection from 1.25-inch to 1-inch, how to calculation flow and pressure

First off, the largest residential submersible pumps (5HP +/-) will not typically have 25 GPM flow at a total system head of 800' or so, so I think you might be a bit misinformed as to the capabilities of your pump.  A 5 HP pump I found showed about 4GPM +/- at 800' of head.  At that flow 1" pipe will be no problem.

Second, pump aside, 100L/min will flow way too fast through 1" pipe, so assume you will not be getting any where near that even if you could.

A typical way to identify flow from a pump through a system is to calculate an equivalent head, then reference the pump data to find the flow at that head (PSI instead of ft/m).

That is

  actual head + head from pipe losses (typically PSI per 100' at given flow) + head from fitting & valve losses + target output pressure.

Say you had a bushing and fittings that added 2 PSI and 700'+100' of 1" pipe that adds 3.5 PSI per 100' @ 15 GPM + target output pressure of 50 PSI , you would have an equivalent head of about 875'.  Then you could reference the expected output on the pump chart at 875' of head and select a pump based on the total system head pressure.

Although again, to get the flows you are talking at the head you are talking would be a three phase higher HP (for residential) pump which would be rare.

Fluid dynamics is actually rather complex to predict.  This is why manufacturers use test and measure methods and then let you extrapolate on the data based on your total calculated head.


Flanged devices like that would usually be mounted to a piece of equipment, a hole would be cut in the panel of the equipment and then the flange would be screwed/bolted to the panel .

Physically you could almost certainly cut a hole in a blank box cover and then bolt the inlet to it. Whether that would comply with regulations in your country or whether you need to look for an inlet that is specifically designed for installation rather than equipment use I could not say.


Light with Dimmer and LED bulbs blinks when on by itself

Incompatible Bulbs
A modern dimmer (or timer or smart switch) needs to get some power from somewhere. That can come from:

Complete circuit using neutral in the switch box. These dimmers will say "require neutral", have a white wire for neutral and include directions on how to connect it. Based on the installation manual, these dimmers don't use neutral. Neutral is the "best" technically, but because many older installations don't have neutral readily available in the switch box, many switches (dimmers, timers, smart switches, etc.) avoid using neutral.

Complete circuit using ground. These dimmers will say "require ground". They use ground as a legal loophole for completing the circuit, since ground == neutral for all practical purposes. That is not permitted for other uses (e.g., receptacles, light fixtures, etc.) but is permitted for dimmers, timers, smart switches, etc. that are designed properly and that use the ground for very low levels of current. Based on the installation manual, these dimmers don't REQUIRE ground. Ground is shown in the diagram, but there is no mention of it being required. In addition, there is the following note:

When no “grounding means” exists within the wallbox for an existing switch or dimmer, the National Electrical Code (NEC) allows a switch/dimmer to be installed as a replacement as long as: 1) a nonmetallic, noncombustible faceplate is used with nonmetallic attachment screws or 2) the circuit is protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter. Lutron wallplates meet this requirement. When installing a control according to these methods, cap or remove green wire before screwing control into wallbox.

which means you can, if and only if ground is not available, install this dimmer without connecting ground. That would absolutely not be the case if the dimmer used ground to complete the circuit. **FYI, that means that, especially if you don't have a ground connection, you must use the included (non-metallic) screws instead of standard metal screws.

Battery power. Not ideal because batteries need to be changed periodically. This dimmer does not use a battery.

Leak current through the attached light fixtures. This is the only choice left, so this dimmer must be doing that. Unfortunately, this leakage causes problems with some LED bulbs. A dimmer-compatible LED bulb has to function properly in a number of ways that simply don't cause problems with incandescent bulbs. If the bulb is not truly compatible then you can get any/all of:

Dim light, flashing light, buzzing noises when on, particularly if at less than "100% power".
Dim light, flashing light, buzzing noises when off.

Turning on additional devices on the same switch (e.g., replacing one LED bulb with an incandescent bulb) almost always changes the characteristics of the circuit enough to eliminate a lot of problems. Changing something else on the same circuit can have effects too, as you have discovered. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but when you are dealing with the extremely low levels of power used by LEDs, a lot of things don't make sense. A single 6W bulb uses only 50 milliamps!
As noted in the installation manual:

CFLs or LEDs do not dim, have a poor dimming range, or they flicker / flash.
Verify Step 7. Ensure bulbs are Lutron compatible.

and

Audible buzzing (common with LEDs).
If bothersome, use a different bulb.

Lutron has a complete list online.
I recommend getting bulbs on the official list. There is a good chance that a newer bulb from a manufacturer on the list will also work. But the "unknowns" - hit and miss - and in this case "miss".
The alternative is to get a dimmer that requires either ground or neutral, provided your switch location has the necessary ground or neutral wire. Those will definitely avoid any "blink when off" problems, but might still have blink when on problems if used with a non-dimmer-compatible or, as seems to be your case, non-quite-compatible-enough bulb.


Concrete basement: Do I need a sealer or wax only?

You definitely need a sealer.  Wax wears off so fast that the maintenance would be unbearable.


Plumber told me it's unsafe to drain my water heater -- what should I do?

Ranch experience says, shut off the power and the cold water inlet valve, drain the thing and leave it sit empty.

Get out your biggest Dutch Oven, fill it with water, heat it and take sponge baths. If you're out of clothing, go to the nearest laundromat and process your smalls and whatever else you're running out of.

Whatever this "Home Warranty" thing is, as "The Evil Greebo" points out, you probably have other coverage that will be more useful in a timely manner.

And find a plumber that isn't going to hand truck a full tank of water down stairs when you could run a hosepipe out the nearest window and water the lawn.

Make sure he's licensed, bonded and insured in case you decide that "50 Gallon Air Drop" is a viable way of removing this water heater.


How should I wire / connect a new ceiling light to this ceiling junction box?

Do you have a non contact voltage tester? Or volt meter? I would test the single brown to see if it is switched.
This may work like the single brown and single white, taking white to the white  to the fixture  and the brown to black the bare copper goes to the green.
Would be my first shot at it the black tape on the brown would be the hot going down to the switch the way I wire in conduit the tape is to remind me where the hot is.  If you have a tester or meter I would check the brown to verify it is switched but if not make the connections with the breaker off and give it a try.


Where can I find a 5/16" end cap for a faucet diverter?

The problem here was using the right search terms. Based on Tester101's comment I tried some additional terms, especially "flare". Although I did not originally want a flare cap, it helped improve the search results enormously so I was able to find the right kind of suppies and narrow down to something that would work. Ultimately I got this:

5/16 Brass SAE 45 Degree Flare Tube Fitting Cap - 5-Pack


What exactly is magnetic drilling equipment?

More or less a question for mechanics and machinists and an easy one. If you've ever busted a head stud off on a Jaguar, you know of the evils needed to get the remainder out of the block. Lots of methods out there, but aside from electrostatic erosion, most methods involve using a drill.

This drilling machine is magnetic because the base is a very strong magnet allowing this unit to be a magnetically attached drill press or boring machine. Clean the engine block deck off till shiny and you have a perfectly flat surface which you need to get a perfectly straight drilling operation. Get alignment on the drill bit, engage the base so the magnetic field locks it down to the engine block and commence drilling out the stud so you can start messing with your chosen method of repairing the damage.

Another example from Milwaukee Tools


Safest electric cable to use in insulated walls and attics, fire prevention

Metal conduit is considered "noncombustible", which means if there's a fire, it shouldn't burn. However, if the wires/cables inside the conduit produce heat, the conduit does nothing to prevent the transfer of that heat (aside from possibly spreading it out).  Therefore, it does nothing to prevent fires. Though it may reduce toxic fumes, and will not become a fuel in the event of a fire.

If you're looking to reduce the risk of a fire being started by the electrical system. You should be looking at circuit breakers and other similar devices protecting the wires, not so much the wires themselves.

If you can accurately detect potential fire hazards as they happen, and take steps to reduce and/or eliminate them. The wires themselves don't matter much. Installing and maintaining high quality short-circuit, overload, overcurrent, arc-fault, and ground-fault devices will reduce fire hazards.

If you're really concerned about electrical fires, installing larger wires than are required can help. Larger wires will be able to dissipate more heat, and therefore will be less likely to start a fire (when properly protected). For example, using 12 AWG conductors on 15 ampere circuits, will provide the protection device additional time to respond to a hazard.

Increasing the number of circuits, can reduce the tendency to overload the circuits, thus reducing one fire hazard.  If you have a room where a lot of equipment will be plugged in, consider installing two or three general receptacle circuits instead of one.


How can I cut and cap a hot water supply line that has no shut-off after the HWT?

You should have a shut-off valve before your hot water tank (your main entry valve), shut that one off, open all the faucets in your house to drain the hot water from your system, do your repair, turn on the valve that is before your hot water tank and turn off all your faucets.

You could keep a bucket closeby, just to get what's left in the pipe.