Dual-ended LEDs do not require shunted sockets.   The only restriction associated with LEDs and shunted sockets is that same-end LEDs cannot be used on shunted sockets.

Yes, if you have a non-shunted socket, you are entirely welcome to shunt it with a short piece of wire.  That is absolutely fine, in fact, if you look at the "yellow end" of a non-instant fixture, they are already shunting the yellow sockets to each other.  Note the wire is still insulated.

T8 sockets are available either shunted or non-shunted.  For us, who are not manufacturing fixtures in 50,000 quantity, we should avoid shunted sockets altogether. It takes seconds of our time to turn one into a shunted socket by adding a shunt wire.

The notion that "replaceable bulbs are better" is incorrect.  The experience in the computer industry is that socketing things makes them less reliable. There is no reason to make LED emitters socketed since they will outlive all of us, the problem is the supporting circuitry is often made cheaply.  Therefore a non-replaceable-element fixture of good quality will be much more reliable, on average, than a pair of commodity "manufactured to a price point" big-box store LED replacement tubes.

Of course you may take the "Google server farm" approach, and simply buy more cheaper things, let them fail, and just keep replacing parts.  I think for me, that would turn on how big a ladder I would need.


Can I change the gradient/slope of asphalt walkway with cold patch?

You can certainly fill with cold patch, though for good adhesion you would need to start with getting the area really dry, which will be considerable work as it's a low spot that holds a puddle. What may happen, and is more likely if you don't get it well-dried out before applying the cold patch, would be water getting or staying between the patch and the old asphalt, causing the patch to pop loose when that water freezes.

Both the appearance and the odds of having it pop loose could be helped by sealing the whole area after patching to fix the grade, thus giving a more uniform color and also reducing water ingress.

There's no argument that ripping up and replacing with new hot asphalt or concrete would be less likely to fail long-term, and probably look better, but there's also no argument that it's going to cost a lot more and / or get out of your DIY comfort zone, depending where your comfort zone is.

A third alternative (since you are getting out the cold patch anyway) would be to cut a channel from the lowest part of the low spot to the sump, place a drain pipe in it, and then cold-patch the channel.


What is the name of this part of an old window?

This item is called "Wood Casement Air Ventilator" and is available through the Andersen web page, here is a link. I did not find any metal replacements, only plastic, but these are exactly the same size.

https://parts.andersenwindows.com/detail_0533008__w_wcasement_sash.html


Is it better to wire power to your switches or your fixtures first?

For new installations, the important thing is really getting neutral to the switch location.

NEC requires it (in most cases) as of the 2014 edition

Chapter 4 Equipment for General Use
Article 404 Switches
404.2 Switch Connections.
(C) Switches Controlling Lighting Loads. The grounded circuit conductor for the controlled lighting circuit shall be provided at the location where switches control lighting loads that are supplied by a grounded general-purpose branch circuit for other than the following [...]

It allows you to use more advanced switches (timers, motion sensor, lighted, and/or 'smart' switches)

To get a neutral to the switch you generally either need to:

Run power to the switch first
Run a 3-conductor (eg 14/3) between the switch and power location (carrying neutral, hot, and switched-hot).

Given 14/3 is more expensive than 14/2, in most cases, I'd say run power to the switch first unless it's substantially father away from the power source than the lights (eg: the power-supplying wire passes your lights, then you have to double back with power to the lights).
If you only have a couple situations where you need this, it may not be worth it to buy a spool or some bulk 14/3, so it's ultimately a judgement call.


Can I add an outside switch to exterior floodlights?

You can get a remotely controlled wall switch. This comes in 2 parts.  One is a switch that replaces your current indoor switch.  The other is a remote control unit that wirelessly controls the switch.  This approach does not require any additional wiring indoors or out.  Just google "remote controlled wall switch" to see the various options available.


Best practice for making headers for deep (2x8) walls

I am not familiar with 2x8 framing construction (is that even a thing?) but you might look into the way 2x6 construction @ 24" o.c. (a.k.a. "advanced framing") is done. Advanced framing is laid out a little differently than standard 2x4 framing, including different headers, single top plates, no cripple studs, among other differences.

I guess it partly depends on why you are doing 2x8... is this for load-bearing purposes? In which case you really should have an engineer design this highly unusual wall. Or is it just so you can fit more insulation in the cavity, in which case I would think you could just follow a 2x6 framing plan but use 2x8s instead. In any case, double 2x12s seems like a very serious header.


Need a quick fix for leaking door frame. During flood

IF you can drive during this event  then stuff something in it  for now and go get sandbags, or supplies for making them if they are available.  If you can NOT drive, there may assistance available from your local municipality to have officials or  volunteers bring you sandbags.
You can apply caulking to the gap  under the threshold on the exterior, (this should have been done at the time the door was installed) this will only keep the water out if the water is not higher then the threshold. Most caulking can not be applied on a wet surface,I have read that Lexel by Sashco can be applied in/on wet surfaces.
Doors are not designed to stop water intrusion from flooding caused by tropical storms. They may stop driving rain but if the water outside is not flowing away and is accumulating faster then it can be absorbed into the ground, flooding, then it will make its way in where ever it can and door are perfect for that. Typical  entry doors will not stop that amount of water unless they are designed to do so, such as a ship or submarine door.
The usual way of keeping water out of houses during extreme weather events is to build a structure that stops the water from reaching the structure or diverting it away from the structure. (Or building the house above the high water mark, such as on pilings)  Sandbag walls are used in emergency's or in places where permanent structures are not in place.
Sandbags are not 100% effective at stopping all water but they will reduce the impact of flooding.
In some locations on the planet these events warrant a permanent structure to deal with the repeated events. In others it may be a "hundred year event" or an anomaly and sandbags or other temporary solutions are applied.  As the planets weather changes, the frequency of these events can increase.
In your case you need to stop the water from reaching the door now, not modify the door. Stuffing something in the gap under the threshold may help to keep the intrusion to a  minimum.
A sandbag wall is the best solution until the storm passes. Then you can determine if it is prudent to plan for future events and how best to do so.
Sandbagging Demonstration.


What annual maintenance does a dishwasher require?

Dishwashers are intended for permanent installation and there are no parts behind it that you will need to service.

The only things you might want to clean/treat are inside the unit.  Best to leave it alone otherwise.  If you can't remove it easily, it wasn't meant to be removed by household users.


How can I open a door with the knob removed?

I would just put a screwdriver in the left hole and pull to the right against the spring to withdraw the latch.


How can I get recessed lighting on a middle floor?

There's two main parts to it:

Long flexible drill bits. Home Depot and Lowes sell them.
Cut access holes as needed and patch them afterwards. Since you're installing recessed lights, I would think the holes for the lights should give you enough access most of the time.

Some (most?) flex drill bits allow you to remove the bit from the drill (after the end of the bit gets where its supposed to go) and attach a wire to it and use it to pull the wire through. Such as this:

http://tessco.com/products/displayProducts.do?bgCategoryId=558922

Another option is if you want to drill into the skipped joist bay from both sides (the existing light and the new light). I could imagine shaping two coat hangers (or similar bendable but stiff wire) into shapes where one could hook the other in the skipped bay and then pull it and an attached pull string through. A combination of a hook and loop perhaps.

You should think about the size and location of the holes you will drill in the joists. A larger hole will make wire pulling easier but reduces the strength of the joists more. There are rough guidelines/rules of thumbs.

http://www.electrical-contractor.net/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/196140/Drilling_a_floor_joist.html


What happens when you can't make something code-legal?

Depending on the circumstances, the Permit Issuing Authority will either forbid the construction or grant a written "variance" from the rule. Sometimes a variance will have stipulations.

As an example, in my area the electrical service for a new or remodeled residence must be buried. In my case, the nearest available power service was on a pole that already had the maximum number of underground feeds. I received a "variance" in the form of a stamp on my blueprints from the city inspector.


How should I insulate hydronic radiant heating under floorboards

theory is that the pipes are hot enough that radiation is signficant.  Putting a low  IR emmisivity surface reduces the amount of radiant energy the bottom of the cavity absorbs.

If you just have a low e foil, then you cut the radiation in half.  However by conduction the entire air space gets warm.  So you will have the foil as a barrier for conduction too.  It's not very good at that.

Me, I would put friction fit paper backed bats in. leave a 2" thick air space at the top of the cavity, so that you have fewer hot/cold spots on the floor above.


How do I repair this stair rail hole and screw back in?

These work best if the screws are driven into a wall stud vs. a hollow-wall anchor.  It's not clear what you have going on here, but if it's an anchor, or just a screw driven into drywall, then you should relocate to a spot where you can hit the stud.
Patch the hole with some spackle and if needed, you might need some backer as this looks to be a fairly large hole.


Electrical consumption measurement and data gathering at the wall outlet level?

Huh, I was under the impression that the TED did exactly that. Or is it that the TED unit requires being wired into the breaker panel, as opposed to an individual outlet like the Kill-A-Watt? If it's the individual outlet issue, a lot of the new "smart plugs" that work with an Amazon Echo (Alexa) or Google Home unit come in versions that also track energy usage. That's what the Sonoff" unit mentioned above is. I just bought one to work with my Alexa system, I saw that it also monitors energy use, but I didn't care about that.


3.5" round box for wall sconces, cannot make work with many fixtures

I believe that an "offset mounting plate" might work for you (click for larger):

Sample swivel offset crossbar

In this type of plate, the front and rear elements are offset from one another so you can have the box mounting screws and the studs for the fixture practically on top of each other.

The box does look slightly recessed into the wall which could work in your favor here.  The only issue would be the sconce sticking out too far from the wall, but you may be able to flatten the bracket some to account for that.

There are other styles of this bracket that could work better - I just grabbed the first example I saw.


You can make wire connections in approved accessible junction boxes. Using 12AWG wire is not necessary if the circuit is protected by a 15A breaker -- 14AWG will do.


For an even slope.
set-up profiles (frames, or stakes) at each end and run a sloping string line between them. Measure down to the floor of the ditch from the string line with a stick of appropriate length.  You could possibly tie one and of the string to the downpipe. and the other to a stake
If you don't need an even slope just use a spirit level (repeatedly) to confirm that the floor of the trench is still sloping as you are digging it.


For occassional storage chipboard or any plywood 1/2" or greater will be fine.  Go to 5/8 minimum if your joists are on 2' centers.

I personally don't agree with the advice to use plywood. Chipboard is fine: it's strong, and it's made using waste materials so it's more ecologically sound to use it where it's appropriate.  It's not appropriate for applications that are exposed to the elements in any way: in those cases plywood is more durable so justifies the 2x cost and the extra environmental impact.

Chipboard does have a strength axis, which you might as well take advantage of it: you want the joists running across the short side, i.e. 5 joists on every 4x8 sheet if the joists are on 2' centers.

Chipboard made for flooring has a tongue-and-groove along the long side.  That's because while the short sides are supported by the joists, the long sides bridge the joists.  Locking a tongue into a groove prevents sagging between the floor joists.  Obviously not a big deal for you storage loft, but if it only costs a few more bucks for the tongue-and-groove I'd get that.  I've only seen that in 3/4" and 1", BTW, so if you get that you'll have a proper floor up there that you could hold a neighborhood dance on.


Copper is good at taking heat away from the area you want to heat so I would heat the joint directly with the torch and as the solder melts separate the sheets.

Take care that you don't set the wood alight.

Perhaps consider just cutting the sheet off then looking at how you solder it back on after.


How do I bleed baseboard radiators without a bleeder valve?

Other than looking for hidden bleeders (i.e. I have one where the baseboard cover needs to be removed to reveal the bleeder) and bleeding any bleeders that you can find, you may need to swear at whoever put in the new radiators and retrofit bleeders where they are missing.

There is often an automatic bleeder/vent on or just after (in which case it's often on a big cast iron "air separator" that may have an expansion tank hung off its bottom) the boiler, since in theory any dissolved air will be most prone to come out of solution where it's hottest - if that becomes clogged or otherwise inoperable (they don't last overly long) air may migrate elsewhere more than it would if that was working. Sometimes people see a dribble from these and close down the cap on the "tire fill valve" rather than replacing them - which renders them inoperable. I think it's bad practice to depend on that for bleeding the whole system.

Given how anemic circulator pumps are when faced with air bubbles, the only other way of getting that loop clear would be to open the boiler fill and open a drain on that loop, so that the fill water can push the bubble through to the drain - but then you have new water in the system, and some air will come out of that.


Is there a way to extend electrical wire where the splices can be finished over?

I'm putting this up as an answer, mostly because there wasn't enough space in the comments. If I'm completely misunderstanding, please point it out, so that I and others might learn.

The big box stores in the US sell something called the Tyco Electronics Romex splice kit. (Model # CPGI-1116377-2.) They say the following:

Tyco Electronic's Non-metallic splice and tap kits provide a fast and reliable method for splicing or tapping 2 wire w/ ground and splicing 3 wire w/ground non-metallic cables up to 300 volts. They are designed and approved for use in rework within existing structures. Splice and Tap Kits also eliminate wire nuts for installation and replace the conventional method for adding a splice or tap for non-metallic cable without the need for exposed and unsightly junction boxes. NEC approved Article 334-40b.

2 Wire Ccnnection
For Use On 12 or 14 AWG (300 Volt) 2 wire NM cable with ground
Eliminates junction boxes and wire nuts
Fast & simple to install
NEC compliant - article 334-40b, 2005 & 2008 NEC
UL & CSA listed

  NEC 334.40(B) Devices of Insulating Material. Switch, outlet, and tap devices of insulating material shall be permitted to be used without boxes in exposed cable wiring and for rewiring in existing buildings where the cable is concealed and fished. Openings in such devices shall form a close fit around the outer covering of the cable, and the device shall fully enclose the part of the cable from which any part of the covering has been removed. Where connections to conductors are by binding-screw terminals, there shall be available as many terminals as conductors.

I think it's generally sensible to use junction boxes, but it seems like this product would be technically permissible.

Comments?

((edit, following comments...)) It turns out that the wording of the NEC is subtle and specific for a reason. It talks about "...concealed and fished...", which @tester101 pointed out means that the wire can't be stapled in place (ie, it has to have been fished in). This would seem reasonable, as a stapled wire couldn't be pulled back out for inspection/repair/whatever. So, I'd have to imagine that an AHJ would legitimately fail this particular application because the wires would be stapled below the junction box and any holes in the framing may not let the join pass through.


How to mate two flat pieces of wood at a point about which both can rotate?

I would not use a bolt for this, although you can. There are various ways to do this. The simplest just requires a rod and two push caps.

Drill a hole through the wood and sand it with a fine circular file to fit a rod. Cut the rod to size using (for example) a cutoff disk. Get two push caps and use them to secure the rod/axle. Push caps look like this and you can find them in any hardware store:

They are also called "roller caps". To make a smoother action you can insert a bushing in each piece of wood, but that is probably overkill.


In addition to your supports maybe place a 72" piece of 2-inch structural square steel tube, sort of like a closet pole for hanging all your lead filled jackets.
Mount the pole (tube) about 8" forward from the back wall, right up against the bottom of the OSB/plywood shelf. The end pieces could be 2"x12" quarter inch plate with a welded square nub in the middle. Multiple lagbolts go into the side walls.
If the filled tank causes shelf to curve slightly, drive shims between tube and plywood. You could also beef up the plywood and eliminate some of the wall brackets.


How can I improve traction on an outdoor plywood ramp?

I think the best method is to use an anti slip tape / strip / paint

Tape

Strip

Paint

They are ordered form easiest to hardest.

The strips will be the easiest because you just stick them on. You will obviously stick them on the length where your tires will be going and not sideways (because that would be pointless). The strips are more durable, but don't be deceived by the stick on ones once they are stuck.. they are STUCK! The best, but most work is painting the whole ramp.

Preparation.

Needs to be a dry day for sticking on or painting. You need to clean the surface with paper towels - after you wiped the dirt away and the surface you want to stick/paint is dry you will use more paper towels and cheap alcohol (methanol, spirits, etc) - Using the alcohol cleans the surface and removes oil (so don't touch it after you wiped it). Clean it almost like waxing (several times the same spot), this will guarantee your surface is dirt free and guarantees best adhesion for years and years of life.

The strips you can just put down - but you need some cordless drill or elbow grease to get those screws in. Make sure they are flush (level with the strip) or you risk slashing your tires.

Here are some links

http://www.vubasupplies.co.uk/anti-slip-surfaces.html

http://www.anti-slip-paint.co.uk/

http://www.antislip.uk.com/antislip-decking-strip.html


May I block off all windows in a mostly below-ground basement?

From a code perspective, I think you are OK so long as the square footage of the basement is less than 200 and there is adequate ventilation.

I personally believe there is a safety concern though, but minor and something you could mitigate with ensuring smoke detectors are plentiful and fire extinguishers are readily available, but this is something people should already have.

In your case, my suggestion would be to correct the water penetration which is either poor water sealing or poor drainage in the window well.


Adding CPVC tee to existing 1" CPVC water main line

The solution to fitting a Tee fitting into an existing straight line pipe is to also add a Union fitting. The Union is a threaded coupler fitting that comes in three parts. Two of the parts get bonded to the CPVC pipe and the third part couples them together.

Picture source from PVC PIPE SUPPLIES

If you plan the re-assembly of the parts of the piping system carefully the final fit of the Union will just fit inline without concern of how to get it installed. Do note that you will have to have at least one side of the existing inline pipe freed up enough so that you can flex it to one side just enough to get the two glue joint sides of the Union in place.

Do not forget to slide the threader piece over the correct end of the existing piping before gluing the union parts in place.


Yes, a door that opens directly to the exterior meets the “egress” requirement for sleeping rooms (bedroom).

There are few requirements for “exiting through adjoining rooms.” However, if the door between the two rooms has a lock and is the only exit from the recreation room, then you’d have a problem. However, you have an interior stairway so it doesn’t matter.


No power at outlets but breaker isn't tripped. What do I troubleshoot next?

Outside gfci's do go bad replace the one that won't reset with a weather resistant model it should have WR stamped on the face the electronics are coated so they last longer. While you are getting the new WR GFCI outlet pick up a extra heavy duty cover (sometimes called an in use cover) this will protect the outlet from the elements and the WR rating protects from fog and dew that wipes out the non rated gfci's over time.


Can drywall tape be applied after mud has dried?

No.

Drywall tape dries with the drywall compound (mud). They bound together while drying/setting.

If you put tape on top of dried mud, you will likely get nothing but bubbles in the tape from ceiling to floor. Bubbles in the tape are air trapped between the tape and underlying mud, and must be cut out and either re-mudded (small bubbles) or re-taped and re-mudded (large bubbles) otherwise the finished wall will not be smooth.

You must sand down the drywall compound so it is below the level of the drywall (if it is in a tapered joint: for corners/butt joints, just sand down almost to the paper), apply more compound, and tape immediately while wet.

Another option is to use mesh tape on top of the dried drywall compound: it can be used on top of dried mud or just plain paper (the room I am in right now has this tape directly on the drywall for its corner joints and has no issues).


What is this metal piece coming out of my sprinkler system piping?

That's an anti-siphon (or vacuum breaker) valve:

Source
It prevents dirty yard water from being sucked back into the potable water system if the water pressure fails.


Connecting Earth Wire to LED Ceiling Down lights

I'm pretty sure that would be against the code. Most likely neutral comes together with ground anyway but that happens in the breaker panel and there may be a GFCI breaker first to check for imbalance, then after it neutral connects with ground. I hope you have 3 wires coming out of the ceiling, Hot, Neutral, and Ground. Also the new lights should have those 3 wires as well. Ground would only be used for the housing and possibly as a fail-safe in the power supply. The "return current" should only go through Neutral. The power supply of the lights may only use Hot and Neutral. If you do not have the 3 wires coming out of your ceiling and out of the light fixture, then ignore my answer because then I don't know.


Should I use reflective insulation over other kinds of attic insulation?

Something I didn't see mentioned is that along with proper insulation depth to get yourself to a minimum of R-36 also ensure your attic has proper ventilation. Attics need to breath to let hot air out in the summer and keep your roof cold during the winter (prevent ice dams). Windows have really bad R factors so if you only have single pane and cant get to double, consider storm windows. If your walls are "sweating" during the winter then they don't have enough insulation in them as well. For your wall ensure all your exterior gang boxes are sealed. A single can of foam spray can seal up almost all in a 2400 sq ft house.

As for the reflective insulation, it works well but only in hot climates as it acts a radiant barrier but there are numerous factors to ensure it works well. Doesn't do anything for cold.


My take is that the sheer thickness of the shelves that you propose will look heavy and chunky to the point of being unattractive.

I would also have concerns about the overall sturdiness of a shelf that is cantilevered off a single 2x4 screwed to the wall. If it were me I would go for a thinner style of assembly and use vertical end sides on the shelves.


Drain is starting to back up in basement

Like the commenters said, I think you're looking at the result of normal trap function. Water is retained to the level of the "weir", or the high point along the bottom of the drain pipe. This acts as a plug and prevents sewer gas from escaping into the home.

It probably looked about like this before time and nature had their way:


You can use standard 12-2 with ground on this outlet. The equipment ground wire is not individually covered.


Powering a long 20M LED strip light run in large room through ambient lighting via crown molding

They make a lot of socket connectors and other kit for novices.  Unfortunately this product is a bit too "out there" and I wouldn't expect to find stuff like that.  You'll have to do it old-school, by soldering leads onto the solder pads.
Solder on short (<12", 6" is better) #20 or #22 wire pigtails, stranded if possible. Otherwise the wire is too stiff and it tends to "wag the dog" i.e. the wire pushes he strip around and can even tear the solder pads off. I know that wire seems awfully light but it's OK for a short pigtail as long as you keep current below absolute limits for that wire (under 5A for #20... or under 3.5A for #22...)
Those tie onto the feeder wires.  At such short distances voltage drop won't be an issue.
What you really have there is 5 channels plus a "common".  Now, 3-channel amplifiers are ubiquitous.  4-channel (RGBW) amplifiers can be had.  5-channel, forget it.  You'll be forced to use two 3-channel amplifiers, which is fine.  You don't need to distribute the amplifiers all over the place if you have a big enough central amplifier to drive the whole shebang and are willing to run 6 feeder wires.  You'll want to make the common extra large; it's carrying 5x the current of the others...


Do I need to seal the base of a shower and the surrounding tile?

You can use silicone instead (white should not be ugly) to re-do all the chaulking  around the shower plate.

TIP: to do a nice finish 'soap' your finger with some liquid soap and pass it over the silicone.


Replacing older Leviton dimmer with new Lutron different wiring

The black wire from romex 2 is the hot wire that feeds your three switches and is the common. Remove the red wire from switch 2 from that bundle and hook up the black wire from your new switch to that bundle. Then take the two black wires from your old switch and hook them up to the red wire and the red/white wire from the new dimmer. All your new switches need to be hook up to the ground wire.


I may not be able to tell you who the manufacturer is, for the letters you found on the glass may be the insulated glass manufacturers initials, not the window makers. There should be someplace on the window, a window manufacturers label or something.

The window, since the ballast has broken on one side has in essence, has tilted to one side, even though it may not be obvious. The ballast is trying to lift one side and the window, being quite heavy is wanting to stay closed on the other side.

To counter effect what the window is wanting to do, you need to push up on only the side the ballast is broke, and pull down on the side the ballast is working. Of course you need to push up harder than you are holding down the other side, or it won't work. Depending on how bad it is jammed, you may only need to push up on the upper corner where the frame (sash) around the glass give an edge to push up by. You may also need to pull down hard on the ballast side to set the window down all the way, so you can then try the other things I mentioned earlier.


What could be causing our shower fixture to not work properly?

It sounds like when you serviced your boiler that some how or another some debris got into your water lines. It could actually just be some buildup that was already in the pipes that got broken free when the other work was going on. In any case this particulate has gotten into the inner workings of your shower faucet.

You should be able to shut off the water supply and then disassemble the shower faucet so that you can get it cleaned out inside. There is a possibility that the rubber seals inside the faucet got torn and thus would need replacement as well. It is hard to offer specific advice on how to disassemble the faucet without knowing what make and model that it is. My experience is that most of them become pretty obvious how to take them apart once the knob and face plate are removed.


Replace or supplement very old attic insulation

That insulation is most likely what  my father-in-law bought for his home in the 1960's. It was called "pouring wool", sold in bags and was very itchy. I was dating his daughter, now my wife of 58 years, and I offered to install it for him. (you can guess why). We did the job in JULY. I wasn't too smart back then. It looks just like that . I would just install batts over top of that insulation. Make sure that you do not cover the soffit vents and do not fill up into the roof joists. They have styrofoam vents that go between the roof sheeting and the insulation. Good luck.


How to insulate a concrete slab foundation in an older house?

Are the walls insulated? If not, do that first. Most of the heat escapes there...especially the part nearest and above the ground level.

With a fully insulated wall, you might not even need to insulate the slab. in MN we insulated our walls and then left the concrete floor as-is (stained it). Only on the coldest winter days did we need to turn on the fireplace and when we did, the slab was fine comfort-wise.

Otherwise, the most typical way to insulate the slab will be with foam board. Typically EPS or XPS with a floated plywood subfloor on top.

But if you have no intention of ever finishing the basement, maybe insulating the first floor underside might make more sense.

UPDATE

The above is valid for a house with a basement. I misread your question initially. It appears you have a floating concrete slab as your foundation. To insulate that you need insulation...either under it (preferred) or on top of it. Obviously adding insulation underneath is not practical after the fact.

The cheapest solution is likely just a new floor covering...carpet with a think pad...maybe cork, etc.

More complicated, but doable, would be to lay down EPS or XPS and then a floor on top of that. The trick there is that this will change the height of your floor...likely causing issues with doors, thresholds, cabinets, etc.


Is it feasible to add a garbage disposal with this kitchen setup?

Prompted by K H's comment, I've looked at the specs of my dishwasher model and garbage disposal, and the sum of their current draw is over 15 A. Not a good idea to plug that into one 15 A circuit.
So irrespective of plumbing questions, a garbage disposal would require adding a new electric circuit in the kitchen, which would be too expensive given my planned renovation budget.


Did I shock myself? Do damage to electrical wiring?

Did you shock yourself? Most likely not. The plastic handle of the scissors, though not rated or approved by any regulatory test lab for cutting live wires, is likely to have protected you. There's also a fair chance that your body wasn't in contact with any grounded conductor, so even if you did come in contact with the live wire, you would not have been shocked.
Electric shock here in the US, at least in my experience, feels like something is vibrating inside of my arm. It's pretty weird. I've experienced it both silently (directly touched a live conductor) and also along with the arc and loud noise you describe (caused a short with a hand-held tool like pliers). The sights and sounds of an arc definitely distract, but I'd say the curious sensation of being shocked would still be noticeable. It leaves me thinking "whoa, I think I just got shocked."
Did you do damage to the electrical wiring? Again, most likely not. Unexpected short circuits like this are one reason why we have "overcurrent protective devices" aka circuit breakers and fuses. They're also a consideration in the sizing of the wiring and other components in an electrical system: these all need to be heavy enough to withstand the high current needed to trip a circuit breaker.
It sounds like your arc may not even have been enough to trip a breaker.
The most direct way to "tell" for sure that no damage was done would be to visually inspect all the wiring and other devices in the circuit -- it's probably obvious that this sort of check is seldom, if ever, done after a (relatively) minor event like this.

Just for fun: here's a needle-nose pliers I melted when I was 11 years old. I was preparing to install an outlet and knew the circuit was hot (house still under construction; nearly finished and a few circuits were live to provide lighting), so I didn't want to reach into the box and pull the wires out with my bare fingers! So I used these pliers to reach into the box, grab the wires, and pull them out. It looks to me like the ground wire must have laid across the jaw of the pliers and somewhere I must have also brushed the cut but not yet stripped end of the hot wire. I think the circuit breaker tripped for this one..


Remove broken cartridge of a Moen shower faucet

You should still be able to get the cartridge out.  In your bottom left picture, there's a little copper-colored tab sticking out (between 12 and 1 O'Clock, to the left of the threaded hole.)  You pull that out straight up and then the cartridge pulls out toward you.  I would think a pair of pliers would work for that.  Then what I do is take it to the hardware store and compare side-to-side and find the match.


Rim Joist Insulation without a Sill Plate

That's fine. The thing you want to make sure is that you seal off any air paths from the inside of the basement to the rim joist, the reason being that if you insulate it but let humid air hit it, that air can condense on it and cause rot. That's why they tell you to use rigid foam--which is an air barrier--instead of something like air-permeable fiberglass or mineral wool batts. So as long as you make the rim joists airtight, you're fine. At that point, it's just an issue of aesthetics. Your idea of using a 1x3 there will work fine if, again, you make absolutely sure that interior air can't touch the rim joists, using caulk or expanding spray foam.


How to find replacement toilet seat (American Standard)

Toilet seats are available in a variety of colors and materials, plastic, wood, padded. There are dozens if not hundreds of options.
Your toilet appears? to have an elongated bowl, as opposed to a standard bowl, so you need to make sure you get an elongated seat.
Most seats are universal fit, except for some custom toilets, so you should be able to buy an elongated seat, or a standard, in a color you like. Just two bolts at the back of the seat go though two corresponding holes in the bowl.
You can get soft close hinges to keep it from slamming down.
Example seat.
Vintage Bermuda Coral Toilet American Standard Compton 4043 Pink Retro One Flush
OR
Mid century "Standard" toilet, Pink
That's right, i have nothing better to do then spend time looking at 50 year old pink toilets on the intertubes. ;)-


looks like the nails/screws that hold the drywall is popping. It's quite common especially with houses on shifting soils. If they are screws then run another screw next to/above or below then fill with spackel.


Ground wires between boxes can be solid or stranded.    Most likely in wires this big, they will be stranded.

Grounds must be colored bare, green, or green/yellow. Those three "colors" are reserved for ground.


Give it a squeeze, if it flexes then it is low pressure pipe (probably for irrigation). If you cut it, be careful in case it is being used as conduit.


Can I use TC-ER Cu Awg 4-3 THHN for a shed sub-panel?

Type TC cable is for tray cables it requires a cable tray or raceway.
Smurf tube would be the perfect option inside the home as it is cheap and flexible. Non metallic flex conduit is commonly called smurf tube because it is often blue, but could be other colors orange is usually reserved for fiber but that doesn't stop a user for using it in there home for this.
The cable is wet rated and can be direct buried if rated for direct burial if not it will require conduit for the conditions.
The information can be found in article 336 of the NEC it’s only ~2 pages long so not hard to read up on this type of wire.
When sizing the conduit a single wire or cable is limited to a 53% max fill I did not see tc listed for area so you may need to measure yours and make sure the conduit you use inside the home is large enough. For the cable you are using.


Why won't my new ceiling light turn off?

Ceiling fans are often wired for two power sources, one to the light and one to the fan. There may or may not be a wall switch for either. One standard way to wire this is to use four-conductor cable, with the additional "hot" power coming on the fourth wire. If you had noted how the fan was hooked up before you dismounted it, that would have helped. But, assuming that this was done by someone who had some vague clue about house wiring...

In the US, the color convention is Black for hot, White for neutral, Green (or, sometimes, uninsulated) for safety ground, and Red for "secondary hot", which may be used for different purposes in different situations. For the ceiling fan, they may have used black to power the light and red to power the fan, or the other way around.

So: In your case, where there's only one switch and it used to control the lights, I suspect that it's in the red circuit rather than the black circuit. You could check that by turning the power off again, opening up the switchbox, and seeing how wires are connected there.

Or you could go for the empirical: Turn power off, dismount the fixture, wire the fixture's black to red, cap the now-unused black in the ceiling, close it up, turn power back on, and try the switch. I'm betting that will do the job.

(Personally, I'd hook a meter across red and white and confirm that red is the switched line before re-attaching the light fixture, but I admit I'm a bit paranoid.)


Reinforce joist near rafter for porch swing

Every thing is cool except you cannot screw into the bottom of the joist.  Drill a hole horizontal through the side of it, near the middle, and use an eye bolt instead of an eye screw.  Use minimum of 7/16" bolt diameter.  Nut is up real tight on both sides and swing to your hearts content.


Using one dimmer to control 2 sets of lights with each an On/Off Switch

Yeah that's fine, have a master dimmer then 2 switches deciding which LEDs are on.

However the LEDs and the dimming method must be compatible. Generally with 12V you use PWM dimming.  Make sure you select LED lights which are friendly to PWM dimming, i.e. Have a simple resistor regulator instead of a switching power supply.  If the bulb says "works on 12-24V" it's a switching power supply type, which will treat attempted dimming as dirty power, and attempt to compensate for it.

IKEA comes to mind as a source for architectural grade LED fixtures made for PWM dimming.


How do I run ethernet cable through a wall cavity?

As others have mentioned, there may or may not be stuff in the wall obstructing your plan.  But most likely not (insulation it the most likely, but should not stop you).  Find an area between the studs and cut a hole in the wall where your box will go as other have described.  Then drill a 3/4" - 1" hole in top plate within the same stud cavity.  That's the easy part.

To actually fish the wire (up or down), you really should get steel fish tape.  I spent so many years fishing wire without this, and once I discovered them, I realized I could have saved so much time.  It is a steel wire that rolls up but does not bend left to right, so you can put it up or down the cavity (down would probably be easier as you can stick your hand in the hole too grab it).  One you have it pulled through, attach your wire to the end, and pull it back up.  Believe, this will well worth the $7.99 you will spend.

I have also used a contraption that gets attached to the fish tape that is like those old Chinese finger traps you probably played with as a kid.  It's a wire mesh that you put you wire in, and then locks on to your fish tape.  As you pull, it gets tighter on the wire so it will not disconnect in the wall.  Before I had one of these, sometimes the wire would disconnect from the fish tape in the wall and you would have to start over.  I could not find a link for this, but it is sold in the big box stores right by the steel fish tape in the electrical section.

Good luck!


While the igniter may have continuity, it must get hot enough to 'trip' the gas valve to open (usually by drawing enough current).  Does it glow when energized?  If not, the problem may be upstream at the control board, or a wire may have burnt through.

See the video and 5 steps for trouble shooting this oven here


Is the use of 14 AWG on 20a circuit acceptable? If not, how long has it been prohibited by the NEC?

The answer is no this was not code in 1999. 14 Awg has been limited to 15 Amp breakers at least since the 70's. If there is a fire some insurance companies will not pay if the service has been modified without permit. Since the wire size is wrong for the breakers this could be a way out for them if a problem did occur. Breakers can be found on line for a few dollars each make sure to match the type with the panel and the brand for the safest fix.


What type of Circuit Breaker is required for this slot?

Got it.

This is a "Rule of Six" aka Split Bus panel

Early on, most homes got 60A of AC electric service.  Later on, houses wanted more - but 100-125A main breakers were much more expensive. So they just had multiple main breakers, all in the cheaper <60A range.  Regulators didn't want homeowners having to switch off 20 breakers, so they wrote the Rule of Six that there can be no more than 6 main breakers to turn off the whole house.  That forced them into a split bus design, where one of the six breakers powers additional spaces in the panel, an internal "subpanel" if you will.

You have a "mini".  Which means you have four dual spaces, intended for four 2-pole breakers.  Water heater, A/C unit, range, dryer, electric car charger, large table saw, etc.

The one in the upper right carries power to the "rest of the panel",  the area with all the single breakers and double-stuff's. That lower area is, effectively, a subpanel in the same box. Shutting off that breaker shuts off power to the "subpanel's" buses.  It is impossible for you to shut off power to the upper area.

You must use particular breakers, and it appears this panel is compatible with simple breakers in the Square D "QO" family. That is great; this is a top tier panel that is commonly used in industry.  One would not be out of place in the Boeing factory. And the family is still made, so if you go with a subpanel, you can continue with QO, and I recommend you do.

There are 3 such 2-pole breakers currently installed, including breaker for the "subpanel" area.  It appears you have the option to install one more.  I wish I had a better view of the panel labeling, however it appears to say ONLY a 2-pole breaker is allowed there, or alternately a "dual 2-pole" which serves dual 240V circuits.  You are not allowed to put single breakers there end of subject.  (however that is not a barrier).

So several options from here.

Best option: Subpanel.

In this case you stick a 2-pole, say 50-60A breaker ($10) in that location.  You then feed a subpanel, where you have liberty to add a number of circuits.

Now on this forum we recommend very large panels (i.e. 40-space, $190) even if a small 12-space ($80) would suffice for now -- because the cost differential is tiny, compared to overall project cost of installing a panel. And you'll never need to upgrade your panel again, ever, and even more importantly, your ambitions are never limited by panel spaces.

(QO is also a more expensive panel than some; you don't have to remain loyal to QO, it simply allows you to exchange breakers.)

I'll take it one step further still.  Choose your subpanel, and its position, with an eye toward making it the main panel in the future. That is, locate it where it'll have easy access to the conduit from the meter. At some future point, you reverse the deal, and make the old Rule-of-Six panel the subpanel.

Once your new subpanel is in, you add new circuits to it.  There's no reason to fuss with the old panel; it can cheerfully serve forever as a subpanel, and is actually legal for new installation today as a subpanel.

Easy option: Plain 2-pole breaker in that location

The simplest way is to stick a plain 20A 2-pole breaker in that empty slot, exactly like the labeling tells you to.  How do you put a plain 20A 120V circuit on a 2-pole breaker?  Easily - land the neutral on the neutral bar, and the hot on one of the hot terminals.  And you're done!

You're getting 20A off that one side/leg of the service, so use 12/2 cable.

There's another 20A side/leg unused.  Could you attach another, independent 20A/120V circuit there also with 12/2 cable?  You bet.  They will be independent, except they will have common-trip, and common maintenance shutoff.

Could you do a multi-wire branch circuit with 12/3 cable? Yeah, the 2-pole breaker would be correct for it, but you really need to know what you're doing with MWBCs, and they have issues with GFCI and AFCI, so they have largely gone out of style.  I can do them because I have a lot of experience with MWBC, but nonetheless, usually I don't.

Now, from your edit, you say you want to upgrade both lighting and receptacles in the garage.  Use the old existing circuit for all the new lighting.   Use these two new circuits for receptacles only. That way, when you find out a table saw + a dust collector will trip the breaker, you won't be in the pitch black with your fingers inches away from a spinning blade!  You always want lighting on a different circuit when possible.

Maybe option: Install a quadplex 2-pole x 2 breaker

You see where there are other double-stuff breakers in this panel already.  There is a type of double-stuff called a quadplex, or two 2-pole breakers in the space normally occupied by one 2-pole breaker.  The labeling on this panel appears to support that.

This would give you dual 2-pole breakers, allowing you to do the above trick twice, giving 4 circuits.

However, it's quite an old panel, and it plainly intended to support certain series of QO breakers which may no longer be made.  You would need to closely study the labeling and the specs of the currently available QO quadplex breakers, and any Siemens "QD" quadplex which may exist -- to see whether the new breakers are listed for that panel.

Normally, you must not use brand X breaker in brand Y panel, as they won't fit properly.  Siemens QD was specifically engineered to fit in QO panels (won't fit Siemens), and UL tested and classified them as a safe match.

The labeling clearly shows it's not intended to support the "open quadplex" breakers where you have a 1-pole, a 2-pole in the middle, and a 1-pole.

Followups from your update 2:

All that lighting and the opener will fit on the circuit fine especially if it's LED, but the microwave is a bridge too far. The fluorescents, if they're old, figure about 100W (0.83A) per 2-lamp fixture.  If they're reasonably modern T8 fluorescents then 65-75W (0.54-0.63A).  I upgrade old fluorescents to T8 since the cost is very low (buy "pull" ballasts on ebay).

Yes, you can change that range breaker to a 20A. Cap off the old wires in case the next guy wants an electric range.

Yes, when hanging 2 circuits on a 2-pole, you just pretend they are 2 separate breakers without a handle tie, hot to the breaker, neutral to the neutral bar etc.


Why is my touch sensitive switch leaking voltage?

I'm guessing your switch does not have a dedicated neutral connection.  The switch needs power in order for the touch sensor to operate. Without a dedicated neutral, it acts as a high-resistance device and leaks power back over the other hot connector.  With incandescent bulbs, there is not enough power to light them up and you don't notice this, but with LED and fluorescent bulbs, the voltage leak is enough to power them partially. The flashing is due to the ballast.

The only way to resolve this is to either use incandescent bulbs or replace the switch with a model that has a dedicated neutral connection -- assuming your electrical box where the switch is also has a neutral available.


How to update a switch loop to a 3 way switch

This is the proper way to wire the three-way circuit with the switches and lights in the positions you describe. The conventions and wire colors are for the U.S.A.

Note the black tape (or paint) on the white wires that are used as switched hot instead of neutral.

The orange lines represent fault grounding wires. These are usually omitted from an instructional wiring diagram, but your 12/3 was wired strangely so I want to show proper grounding.

A 12/2 cable actually has three conductors in it, two with their own insulation (in different colors), and one bare wire that is only insulated from the world by the cable sheath. Similarly a 12/3 cable has four conductors, three with color-coded insulation and one bare. The bare wires are to be used as fault ground and only as fault ground. Never allow them to carry current during normal operation.

If your cables have these bare wires, connect them all together and also connect them to everything that looks like it can conduct electricity. If the junction boxes are metal, connect them. If the lamps have grounding screws, connect them. Just ground everything you can.

You can make an exception for any box that holds a switch; since the frame of the switch is metal and is screwed to the box, the grounding screw on the switch will suffice. Also, in some jurisdictions, ceiling lights do not need to be grounded.

Note -- the advice in this answer is from a stranger on the internet who is not a licensed electrician and who has not read the applicable ordinances for your location.


How can I remove sheet metal screws from the wrong side of a wooden board with minimal damage?

I have used a Dremel rotary tool with a cutting disk. You could use a new sharp hacksaw or just a hacksaw blade.

Alternatively, with an electric drill, drill a hole next to each screw and then work the screws laterally into the drill hole and out. Then fill the holes.


It's perfectly possible to have a lap seam in an EPDM rubber roof.

The important thing is that the lap seam is horizontal, with the upper piece overlapping on top of the lower piece.

The strength in a rubber roof is in

the fact that no one has destroyed the rubber chemically by attempting a repair with random cheap roof-patch materials from the building supply, which invariably contain tar or other chemicals incompatible with rubber roofs
how well it's glued down to the substrate
how well the seams are glued.

All of these can be well done, to answer your question.  (But the first one is up to you.)


LED lights do not turn off completely? Why?

It's NOT dangerous, but annoying.

It's floating/induced voltage that exists due to the travelers between the switches run in parallel. You can prove this by pulling just one travelers off a switch on either end of the switch circuit (or if standard toggle light switch putting one switch in the non-existent yet functional 'middle' position which breaks the connection and doesn't keep one traveler wire energized).

One answer is buy higher quality bulbs, another is just ignore it.


How should this microwave shelf be stabilized?

Heavy duty shelf brackets - supposed support 1000lbs (450kg !)


Insulating attic ceiling and looking for synthetic t&g ceiling boards

The most important thing to know is you still need air movement in the cold space. So air moving from soffets into air vents etc.  This will stop mold. Then because of the overwhelming exposure, you will need lots of insulation. Check your local building codes. Where I'm from, it's something like R-28 with vapor barrier, and then whatever type of drywall.

Secondly, if you're making this a habitable zone, you need to have a way to heat/cool this space as it's now part of your dwelling.


Because wires are not color-coded for installer benefit.   The wires are red and black, because manufactured cable is red and black. Actually the wires have a variety of functions.

The wires from supply are "always-hot" (red) and "neutral" (black).

The wires to the switch are "always-hot" (black) and "switched-hot" (red).  The switch will short out these two wires, that is its job, so connecting it to always-hot and neutral will always blow the fuse.

The wires to the lamp are "switched-hot" (red) and "neutral" (black).

The purposes don't match the colors.  I solve that with colored tape; say mark the switched-hot wires brown and the always-hots red. I always mark wires the same at both ends.  Once you color-code everything, then you match color to color.  It's the only way I work.  But you do you.


What are the pros and cons of a whole house humidifier?

I went though a similar debate last year and ended up getting a whole house humidifier.  I never remember reading that you should be able to get the humidity level to normal levels though normal means (shower, cooking, etc).  In a big house, that is most likely not possible.  Do you have a humidistat now, or does your stand alone unit give you a reading?  I would recommend you getting one of those first to see how bad it truly is. If I remember correctly, if your humidity is below 30%, you could actually be causing harm to yourself and your home.

Our house approached 25%, which is dangerously low.  Some of the driest deserts in the world don't get that low.  For example, Las Vegas ranges from 21%-39%.  You may be living in conditions that are way too dry.

All that being said, I knew we needed to do something.  You mentioned worrying about mold, sure this could happen if you raise your humidity very high, but think about it, in the summer your home probably approaches 80%-90%.  With humidity that hight, and the warm temperatures, that natural condition is more likely to produce mold than your 70 degree house in the winter.  Plus, you will find just increasing your humidity to like 35%-40% with your whole house humidifier makes it very comfortable.  AT that level, mold is unlikely an issue.  The added bonus us that the more humid the house is, the warmer it feels.  Again, just like in the summer, a humid 90 degrees is much warmer than a dry 90 degrees.    We found we were able to decrease the temp of the house simply by adding a little humidity.  Used to be 72 degrees at about 25-30% humidity, we now keep it at 70 and 35-40%.  So we save heating costs there.

Ok, so what kind to buy?  I researched the various types of whole house humidifiers, and it comes down to three types.

Drum - These are the least expensive and easy to install.  They install on your cold air return line, and use a motor and belt to essentially lift cold water from a drum into the the air and let evaporation and the passing air movement to pick up the moisture.  These require considerable maintenance it has standing water and risk of mold due to the standing water.  You have to replace the belt frequently.  I opted to not get this one due to the standing water and maintenance issues.
Flow Through - These can be installed on return or supply line.  These are the middle of the road in cost and performance.  Again, they also use evaporation, but you do not have standing water.  There is a filter that water flows through (drip) and the air blows through the filter.  The water however, needs to be drained, and new water is always trickling though.  Since it always uses new water, the risk of mold is almost none.  Uses no electricity, but does requires a water line and is always using new water.
Mist / Steam - The most expensive, but most effective.  They actually produce steam, rather than relying on evaporation.  Because of this, you can more easily control the desired humidity.  Can come in cold and hot water forms, injecting hot or cold steam into your supply line.  Requires both electricity and a water supply line.  Risk of mold is low due to no standing water, but the hot steam could cause issue in your ducts if you run it too often and too high I imagine.

I opted for the steam model, mainly because of the low maintenance and ability to control the desired humidity more easily.  I installed it in an afternoon, it was easy to do.  Most of them come with high end humidistat / thermostat, that would replace your existing house thermostat.  Then the system knows how to control the furnace to optimize the output.  I went with the Honeywell TrueSTEAM series and it has worked great.  Good Luck!

Here are a few other descriptions:

http://www.just-humidifiers.com/works.php

http://www.guide4home.com/care-hf/whole-house.htm


Cleaning oil-based paint from brush efficiently

Traditionally, we would keep the jar still and covered and in some time the paints settle to the bottom and we’d decant or carefully pour off the top layer of clean solvent into a different jar. The crud that’s left in jar one can be scraped out with a stick, then wiped clean with paper towels or old rags - either can be a fire hazard so store away from the house in a steel can with tight lid. Re-use the clean solvent. I lightly push the brush into the jar which has solvent level == to about 3/4 length of the bristles. Dab and twist lightly several times, then flex the bristles on dry part of jar to remove as much solvent/paint as possible. Go to a jar with cleaner solvent. It takes two or three such steps to get most of the paint from the brush. I don’t think you can get 100%. The majority of the solvent is preserved and recycled.

Oil painting and saving the brushes is a pain. Typically I don’t reuse a brush from dark or saturated paints with light colors on the next go around. Dry the cleaned brush as much as possible and store it with the bristles in the correct shape and wrapped with paper towels and a rubber band on the ferrule. It will get stiff but you can condition it just before use by working it dry or with a little solvent compatible with your paint, as you described. Good quality bristles will last a number of such uses.


Installing sub-panel, plus hot tub to new sub

Number 6 AWG can be protected at 70 amps if the equipment at both ends is rated for 75°C yes to your wire colors.
Yes
If the new sub is attached to the main or right next to it, it does not need a ground rod. The NEC requires a grounding electrode at a separate building or structure containing more than one branch circuit. The single circuit to the hot tub does not require a ground rod. The equipment goundung conductor with the circuit is sufficient.

Nipples between panels of 24" or less do not require you to derate the wire ampacity.

When attaching a sub-panel I would not limit myself to 1" conduit. I would use a 1 1\2" or 2" nipple to allow more wire to pass between the panels. Just a personal preference though.

Good luck and stay safe!


How dangerous is to repair a stopcock without closing the main water entrance?

As far as danger there is 9 meters of head approx that will be close to 14 psi slightly less so as a pressure hazard it’s not a big deal but if you cannot replace the parts quickly the water may end up causing problems weather you keep the other valve flowing or not.  Knowing the size of the supply pipe and valves would help to provide more information.


Replacing an exterior screen door footer threshold to close gap

Would installing a pressure treated 2x4 across the door frame solve
this problem? Or is that a short term solution as it would rot out
from the water/moisture that gathers in the stairwell?

Yes it would, you may have to do some creative cutting to get it fit well. It is treated so although water may gather there it will not be a short term solution and will last for quite some time.
If you install it with removable fasteners then in X years, however long it takes to no longer be sufficient,  you can just replace it with another piece of treated.
I would coat the wood with truck bed liner to make it last much much longer. Truck bed liner is available in a quart can, it can be brushed or rolled on or a spray can, it  will be tough and hold up to foot traffic.


Vinyl flooring on a 100+ year old home with no level floors

Floors don't have to be level for click-lock flooring, it just needs to be flat.  Manufacturers will give you the maximum floor change per foot.  I suggest that if you have small dips that are outside the manufacturers ranges you fill those with a self-leveling compound.


Water leak between sill and concrete pad

Although you may not see any water penetration after installing the floor molding it would be wise to first repair the source of the water entering the room.     The initial step is to divert as much of the rain water away from the wall. Gutters, as you mentioned, will help a lot to do this. Extend the downspout several feet from the wall base to ensure all water sheds away.    Next, applying a 100% silicone or urethane caulking along the sill or bottom plate/floor seam may prevent any water the gutters can't handle from seeping inside. You should try to remove any latex caulking first. Then apply the new caulking and press in to seam with a putty knife.    If you can pinpoint the precise entry of the water and open the wall to access the sill, it may be possible to surgically remove the section of treated lumber (if not above a stud). Once removed apply a copious amount of silicone and secure the plate and the edges of the existing plate with TapCons.    I've noticed when I use TapCons that it help to drill a slightly over-sized pilot hole so that the screw grabs the concrete rather than the wood first. This prevents the screw from raising the wood slightly before securing to the concrete. Also, a light tap with a hammer on the wood after the screw is set will ensure the board is completely flat against the concrete.


What size pool jets am I supposed to purchase for 1.5 inch pipes?

Nominal pipe size is for the hole on the inside of the pipe, and that is still subject to "nominal"

A pipe which is 1-1/2 inches (actually 1.557) on the outside is a 1-1/4" pipe.

A 1-1/2 inch pipe is 1.796 inches OD.

Here's a handy and very detailed chart/diagram

You have been asking for the wrong part, and have been sent the part you asked for, twice.


If you drive screws into a stud, you generally would not use anchors. There are screws available which go right through the drywall and bite into and grip in the wood stud.  In rare cases where you might use anchors in a stud it would not be "drywall" anchors but sleeve anchors which could possibly be used in drywall (but are not the best type for drywall) but are sleeve anchors for fastening screws into hard material of considerable thickness.

Anchors described as "drywall anchors" are usually designed to clamp onto 1/2" or 5/8" drywall and depend on having empty space behind the wallboard. Anchors of this design cannot be used in drywall right over a stud because they must expand on the inside surface of the drywall and if there is a stud there they cannot expand.

Some old resinous studs become very hard with age and it can be hard to drive screws directly into such a stud without drilling a pilot hole which is a little larger than recommended (but not so large that the screws don't bite well). I nearly always use wax lubricant on screws going into studs. Once I was attaching grab bars through drywall into old, hard studs in a bathroom. I resorted to drilling 3/8" diameter holes and inserting plastic anchors in to the holes, essentially treating the wood as it it were concrete. But I was very careful to get those large holes perfectly in the center of the studs.

A drill is not the best tool to use to drive screws into a tough material. There are now "drivers" which pulse or vibrate as the screw is turned. I still don't have one and have to resort to improvising which using a proper driver renders completely unnecessary.

It is sometime necessary to drive screws at a slight angle if the holes do not exactly line up with the studs and this can be done in a way which is perfectly acceptable. But why do you think you will have to do that in your case? Please describe the exact situation you have. How far apart are the holes in the bracket and how does this match up with the location of the studs behind the drywall? How are you locating the studs?


Can I vent a portable air conditioner unit through a heat vent?

You will be pushing humid warm air into the ductwork. That is not a good plan for a number of reasons.

1) This is essentially the same as venting the portable ac into the house since the ductwork feeds air to the house. The ac unit is trying to remove heat and humidity from the house to cool it. That is why the vent needs to exit the living space.

2) introducing moisture into the ductwork  will cause mold to grow  in them and may cause them to rust if they are metallic.

3) The humid air pushed into the duct work will find its way to the expensive parts in your furnace and damage them as well.

I would try thinking of it like a clothes dryer that you need to vent to the outside of your space. Could you add a duct through a wall with a weather cap on the outside termination?


Acrylic/Latex: Because concrete is porous, a water-based or acrylic primer is more likely to soak into the concrete than an oil-based primer, bonding to the substrate and allowing the paint to grip the surface. These primers will also reduce the dust on interior concrete.


What is the brand or type of this track lighting fixture?

With the offset it’s likely a 2-circuit track.

I can’t tell from the picture, the Wikipedia article suggests measuring 7/8” vs 1” might yield a clue. (but the article is inconclusive and doesn’t list all types).

Most electrical supply houses have a box of short track pieces and track parts under the front counter for comparison and matching.

OP has determined he has Juno (type J) 2-circuit track this info, which was originally supplied in comments.


Help with moldy deck from bad boiled linseed oil job

So your posts are in direct contact with the ground? Not pressure treated? Maybe redwood or cedar? You might just wait until its warm enough to deal with. Best bet may be to pressure wash and strip the deck then sand and reseal or stain or whatever your preferred covering is. If you can keep the deck dry and warm for a sealing project now, you could do it now. They make a deck wash that will clean your deck, very similar to a bleach solution. You need to kill the mold before you apply another treatment. If mold on the posts is an issue, you need to look into a different post, either pier blocks or replacing the posts with pressure treated wood.


What is the legal definition of a habitable space/room?

You'll want to check with your local zoning people (city/county) for specifics on laws in your area, but this is what is required in Colorado.

This answer is specific to bedrooms, so I don't know what is code for other living spaces.

To be a legal bedroom, a closet is required.  Doors are optional.  Also, there needs to be an egress window and window well (if the room is below ground level) large enough for firefighters enter and exit easily, and the window well must be deep enough to be able to turn around with all their gear (specifically oxygen tanks on their backs).  I can get exact measurements for Colorado code, if desired.

Also, it is code in Colorado and good practice regardless - a Carbon Monoxide detector must be within 10 feet of every bedroom door in the house.  DO NOT buy the combo smoke/CO detectors.  These can do one thing or the other, but not both.  Carbon monoxide is a heavy gas and collects at floor level.  Smoke and heat typically rise to the ceiling.  These should be placed no more than 12 inches above the floor.  If you have a combo detector on the ceiling and it goes off, you'd already be incapacitated (probably dead) from the buildup of carbon monoxide.  (These combos are a serious pet peeve of mine, since people are basing their very existence on these working properly in an emergency.)

I hope this helps at least for your query on bedrooms.


Drilling in concrete and hitting something hard - what are my options?

You may be hitting rebar, the reinforcing steel embedded in concrete.  You can buy a rebar cutter the same size as your concrete drill bit to get through the rebar then switch back to your concrete bit once through.  However a great deal of caution is in order.

It's pretty hard to determine whether you're hitting a very hard bit of aggregate or steel / metal, and if it is metal, it's hard determine whether it's safe to drill that metal.  In some cases, for example concrete beams, cutting the steel in the concrete can weaken the beam.  It's also possible you're hitting a water pipe, waste pipe, or an electrical conduit.


How to remove floor adhesive from concrete?

I have had to go through this a few times recently.  You can try hot water or some kind of remover but you may be making a liquid mess where you adhesive just spreads out.

I have found the fastest way of dealing with it is chiseling for a small area or power scraping - rent one or I personally own one that hooks up to compressor - scraper was like $15 at big box.  Yes the work is more laborous but it gets done quicker and cleanup is with a broom.


How can I seal between a concrete patio and a brick wall?

Urethane or silicone caulk are the usual, but there are others that remain flexible. Read some labels at your hardware store. Flexibility is crucial, so don't use latex. If you have a lot of seasonal movement (frost heave), caulk might not be a good idea anyway.
Either match color or go with clear. Use as small a bead as possible and avoid smearing it out onto either surface by cutting a fine, angled point on the tube and pressing firmly.


Load Bearing Weight Capacity of a 3/4“ x 3/4” Wood Molding?

You don't mention what kind of wood you're planning to use, which does make a big difference in this case but assuming you're going to use pine/poplar or some similar readily available wood my answer would be no, the 3/4 "cleat" is not going to hold up. My first thought is that if your dimensions are limited in the way your drawing implies, what about a piece of angle iron, or something similar?


How should I mount my wall cabinet by this pipe

The same way it was, with it sticking through the inside of the cabinet, because it's a clean-out. If it's to a drum trap, you will need access to it in the future.


Best approach for squeaky subfloor fix, with some water stains

When I redo flooring, I always remove all the nails, and then screw the subfloor down.  It costs nothing but time, and I'd rather waste time doing it, than have a squeaky nail after the flooring is on.

As for the water marks. It does look like there was some water infiltration, but without poking around it's difficult to say to what extent.  Replacing the siding could well solve the issue, depending on where the water came (is coming) from.

If there were animals in the house, the "water" stains could be from poorly housebroken animals.  If you notice an odor, you might want to paint the subfloor with some Kilz or similar primer. If it's really stinky, you might want to treat the stains with an enzyme type cleaner before priming.


Do you use a twist-on wire connector to connect a "neutral in" and "common" wire?

In US 120 volt household circuits, all neutral (white) wires on a given circuit are ultimately connected. In your old receiver, there was almost certainly a direct connection between the white in and the white out, as well as a connection to the receiver circuitry.

Connecting all of neutral wires (source/receiver/canopy) with a simple wire nut is fine.


Auto-cleaning room (CIP for the ground?)

Cleaning with water comes down to two things - pressure and volume.  Those are related, so to increase one, you have to decrease the other without something like a pressure pump to artificially increase the pressure of the system.

So, will it work?  Absolutely, but the water volume and spray pressure you get will be limited.  What I would do is buy some PVC pipe, and start drilling.  You can get 20' of pipe very cheaply, and it is easy to cut and drill.  Pick a small hole size, and space your holes every 2 feet.  Test it and see what happens.  If you have plenty of pressure, but want more water, drill more holes or re-drill the holes to the next largest size.

If you want to evenly coat the floor and don't really need pressure, then some sprinkler nozzles could be a very effective solution.  Once you have a hole or nozzle pattern that seems to work, you can replace the PVC with metal pipe if it needs to be more durable, but honestly, SCH40 PVC pipe is pretty strong.

What you want is not a "home improvement" idea.  It's more like adapting a commercial solution to the home, so you're going to have to build your own.  The trick is using materials that are cheap and easy to work with for prototyping along the way.


What can we do about a separate drain from our washing machine to our septic system that has failed?

Don't auger it. Trust me, that won't fix the problem.

I had exactly the same thing happen at my own house a couple of weeks ago, only mine made it for nearly twenty years before it developed problems. In my case, I knew that the drywell was "somewhere" in the back yard, nothing else except that it had to be lower than the exit pipe through the wall.

So... I dug. I found one partially-collapsed pipe (inappropriate installation), one gradual bend (flexible pipe) that had completely clogged solid with detergent (from the previous owners, since we only use liquid detergent), and a collapsed lid on the drywell itself... besides only one tiny (24" long) leach field from the drywell.

None of this could have been in any way helped with an auger, although (since I knew I'd be digging up the rest of it anyway) I did auger a little in a couple of places, just to temporarily relieve backpressure on the drain plumbing inside the house. Augering "downward" from that detergent-clogged bend only pushed the detergent clog down toward the drywell - I later dug it out of the drywell along with some twenty gallons of crushed rock and the remains of the lid. Augering "upward" from that bend only knocked loose the detergent clog, dumping it into my hands.

Augering ONLY pushes the problem FURTHER down the line, it DOES NOT remove it. The only thing augering CAN remove is hair, because that hair wraps around the auger.

Had I not dug up the drywell, discovered the collapsed lid, and had to empty it out... that detergent clog I augered "downwards" would have eventually worked its way into that tiny leach field, where it would have been an even worse problem.

I found no need whatever to put in a whole new drain. I DID patch the partially-collapsed spot, and I DID replace the drywell lid, and right now I'm in the process of laying in an additional 10' of leach field in the hopes that, since 24" served for 20 years, 144" will hopefully last for the rest of our lives. Note that I DID NOT dig up the entire system, only the spots that needed digging to expose problems.

My first exploratory hole was 23' out from the house because I knew I could feed 23' of measuring tape into the pipe before it stopped. I also knew the angle from perpendicular-to-the-wall because I could SEE it in the remaining 2' of measuring tape... so that first exploratory hole (where I found collapsed pipe) ended up being only 24" square, hand-dug with a shovel. The second exploratory pit, which is where I found the clogged bend, was another 12' further out - also hand-dug with a shovel.

I did rent a backhoe ($250US/24 hours) to dig the trench for my additional leach field. I may be crazy, but I'm not NUTS.

If your drywell - or the plumbing leading to it - is clogged, you need to determine where the clog is, dig up THAT SPOT, determine the cause of the clog, and devise a means of correcting the problem. You may find something collapsed, you may find a wad of "something" that SHOULD NOT be pushed further, you may possibly even find that your drywell or its leach field is insufficient given your soil type and depth.

Oh, yes. I should also mention that the first half of this drywell's life was prior to our ownership, and that the previous owner had a nasty "puppy farm" here, and that PART of the contents of the drywell and leach field was very old dog manure and doghair (the drywell also served a floor drain in one indoor kennel). I poured half a box of Rid-X (locally available brand, not an endorsement, other brands work equally well) into the drywell to digest the remaining manure & doghair... and that DID help a lot, changing the greywater from solid black to translucent blue-grey.


New GFCI to replace one that was in the subpanel of a hot tub

Yes, you need to connect the white from the hot tub panel to the gfci breaker, and the pigtail from the breaker to the neutral bus.


Whenever I've purchased items that use refrigerant the manual always recommends leaving it to rest. Times have varied from 1 to 24 hours. The manual says this is to let the refrigerant settle after transit.

There is oil mixed in with the refrigerant that lubricates the compressor. If it's tipped over or turned upside down the refrigerant can move to other parts of the system. If you turn on the air conditioner in this condition it may not work or may even damage the unit. Set it in the correct position and wait 24 hours before using it. Realistically less than an hour should be fine but most manuals recommend 24 hours to be safe.

So no. Moving the air conditioner upside down won't damage it. If you try to run it too soon after it's been upside down that can damage it.


Recommendations for carpet tile installation

You can make the floor water resistant by varnishing it. Two or three coats should protect it from most damage, especially if you lift the affected tiles straight away. Most damage is done by the prolonged contact of the water with the floor. Are you expecting a lot of spillage?

This does mean that you might want to consider not sticking the tiles down or only using a very light adhesive. If the tiles are well fitted and cover all of the floor area there shouldn't be any lateral movement in the tiles themselves.


Water pressure calculation from overhead tank

There are many online calculators for this, such as:

http://m.convert-me.com/en/convert/pressure/mwater.html

A meter of water is about 1.5 PSI so 12 meters is only 18 PSI and would be pretty disappointing for water pressure. You will have to run around in the shower to get wet.

When no water is flowing, the size of the pipe and the horizontal run are immaterial to this law of physics. It is the height of the water column that creates static pressure. When water is flowing, the pipe size and length may reduce the pressure, but in this case (assuming 50mm is an inside diameter) you shouldn't see any reduction in pressure.

Good luck!


You have the idea of it, I think, so long as you're not going for something cockamaimie like tying the air charge sides together. I don't actually think you are saying that; in any case, don't do that.

You just set those both 2 psi below the cut-in (ie, 18 PSI for a 20/40, 28 PSI for a 30/50 38 PSI for a 40/60 pressure switch setting, with the water side empty) and connect the water line to both tanks.

If the old vertical tank is still in usable condition, you could tap it in as well, though logic would call for a 1/4 turn ball valve; that might be a good idea for the new tank as well, since eventually it will be old, and may need service/replacement - price of the valve .vs. being able to service/replace the tank without shutting the whole system down - your call.


GFCI's don't care.

GFCI has no relationship with ground.  They don't care if the two wires are line-line or line-neutral.  In fact your GFCI's labeling reflects that.

Also that is not 2-phase, it is single-phase with center ground.

You didn't mention you are in the Philippines.  You don't have neutral, unless you are in the US-built territories that are still officially split-phase with a 3-wire feed from the transformer.  If you are only getting 2 wires off the pole, the thing in the middle is only your ground rod, and it is definitely not made for returning current.  If you try to hook a 120V load line-ground, in the Philippines, you will only electrify all your house's grounds.

Also, using a step-down  autotransformer in the Philippines is a bad, bad idea.  Both 120V outputs will be hot, and it will be very important that you get grounding right.  In the Philippines you need an isolating transformer.


Cheapest way of adapting G1/4 sensor to 1/2" NPT

O.P. here. I found NPT sensors on ebay for $8 more than BSPP sensors. The amount of money to adapt BSPP to NPT would cost more.

BSPP Sensor Method #1:

Tee     | SS304 | 1/2" x 1/2" x 1/2" NPT Female        | ~$ 3.00 | Amazon
Adapter | SS304 | 1/2" NPT Male -> 1/2" BSPP Male      |  $11.66 | Ebay
Adapter | SS304 | 1/2" BSPP Female -> 1/4 BSPP Female  |  $12.20 | Ebay
Sensor  | SS304 | 1/4 BSPP Male                        |  $11.20 | Ebay
                                                    Total $38.06

BSPP Sensor Method #2:

Tee     | SS304 | 1/2" x 1/2" x 1/2" NPT Female        | ~$ 3.00 | Amazon
Adapter | SS304 | 1/2" NPT Male -> 3/8" NPT Female     |  $ 5.00 | Grainger
Adapter | SS304 | 3/8" NPT Male -> 1/4 BSPP Female     |  $15.00 | koolance.com
Sensor  | SS304 | 1/4 BSPP Male                        |  $11.20 | Ebay
                                                    Total $34.20

NPT Sensor:

Tee     | SS304 | 1/2" x 1/2" x 1/2" NPT Female        | ~$ 3.00 | Amazon
Adapter | SS304 | 1/2" NPT Male -> 1/8" NPT Female     |  $ 5.00 | Grainger
Sensor  | SS304 | 1/8" NPT Male                        |  $20.00 | Ebay
                                                    Total $28.00


Why does my pilot light go out when I release the pilot light knob?

Yes, either the thermocouple is going bad, it's not getting heated, or something is wrong with the controller. The most likely of those is that the thermocouple needs to be replaced. The button you press to light the pilot bypasses the thermocouple. When you release the button, the thermocouple ensures that unburned gas doesn't get released by shutting off the gas when it's not heated by the burning pilot light.


Why does my home have three empty, inaccessible rooms?

Given the locations and sizes of those areas they are almost certainly pipe chases.  When drawing, framing, and drywalling a residence, it is common for spec builders to simply block out the space around pipes, supports, and ducts – with little effort to optimize the use or availability of such small spaces.

Of course, this means that there is a good chance you could use those spaces.  For example, when I run out of projects I will often cut an inspection panel into the drywall and, based on what I find:

Turned them into closets
Built-in bookshelves
Added discrete hatches for hidden storage


Should I vent 2nd floor bathroom exhaust down?

I believe what they mean by plumbing the vent downward is to make sure it has a slight slope so that moisture condensation from venting a shower will not drip water back into fan unit and cause problems.


Trying to wire ceiling fan with separate light/fan switch

The black wire going through the "hole" in the back of the switch, the always hot, should be connected to the black screws.If there is a metal link between the two black screws, then only one connection is needed. If no link, then you need to jump the two black screws. The black wire on the screw on the old switch and the red wire on the old switch get connected to the two screws, silver or brass, on the new switch. The ground wire gets connected to the green screw.


Why does flushing a downstairs toilet cause an upstairs toilet to also flush?

This is a classic venting problem. If it has NEVER worked right, someone designed something wrong and it's going to be expensive to fix now because it will entail opening up the walls.

If it WAS working fine and just started acting up, something is blocking your vent pipe. A common cause is a bird nest or dead animal (i.e. rat or squirrel) that crawled down into the pipe and got stuck. There should be a straight pipe coming out of your roof somewhere around the upper floor bathroom, that's your vent pipe. You can run a snake down that pipe to clear any obstruction or, if you don't like the idea of working with sewer pipes, call a plumber / rooter company.

Another possible cause if you live in very cold climates (and it is winter) is that snow has piled up so high that it has blocked the vent pipe. Or people taking long showers results in steam rising through the vent, then it freezes when it gets to the cold air outside. Over time that ice builds up and clogs the vent pipe.

If it is ice in the pipe, you can just pour hot water down the pipe to clear it. Then you have to take measures to prevent it from happening again.


Repairing finish on basement block foundation wall

I think you answered your question when you stated "some type of plaster".  That's exactly what it looks like to me. Plaster is usually applied over lath strips but can be applied straight to concrete but it doesn't last as long and is prone to crack, chip and damage to moisture. It is relatively easy to patch by just mixing more plaster, according to manufacture guidelines, and applying it to the damaged area after thoroughly removing the crumbly old plaster. Check the area for cracks before applying any plaster and repair any seams. There doesn't appear to be a lot of damage so this might be all that's needed.


Why is my shower faucet turning itself off?

It sounds to me like your diverter valve (the round piece w/ the green on it in your pictures) is failing.  It may be as simple a fix as pulling the valve and replacing the gaskets (O rings, probably) and reinserting the valve, or alternatively just replacing the diverter valve entirely.

Unscrew the chrome cap surrounding the diverter valve and the valve itself should pull right out. Take that to a plumbing supply shop/lowes/home depot/someone who carries your brand of faucet.


The well needs to be far enough down to reach the underground water table. There may be certain requirements put forth by your local area (township, county, state), but other than that, there's not usually a "correct" depth.

As Doresoom said, your best bet will be to ask the neighbors. They'll know whether there's enough water. Keep in mind, though, that with well water, there is always going to be a chance that you'll run out (if it doesn't typically, a particularly long drought might make you run out).

That said, it's not uncommon for people to build a second (or even third) well, if they have more than one deposit of water under their land. So I wouldn't discount the house just because of the well. Also, since the house is now within city limits, you also probably have the option to hook into the city's water supply (but this might not be the case for all of the houses you've looked at, so the other information may still be useful).

Also, there are a number of ways to help conserve water, or use different water sources. If you're the type that likes to water their lawn, or wash their own car, or keep a garden, you would probably benefit from installing rain barrels to catch the water run-off from the buildings on your property (if you use the water for anything that you will eat or drink, such as a food garden, make sure you have it tested regularly, and/or run it through your filter system). You just have to get creative. :)


This type of locking mechanism is a sash latch. From the picture it looks like it's not installed in the way sash latches are typically installed.

Usually this type of latch is attached to one of the sashes of the window. Here is such a latch on one of my sash windows:

You can see it's not installed into the frame like yours, instead it's on the end of one of the sashes and latches into a bit installed on the other sash. In some windows, like my basement windows (not pictured) both sashes slide, in this window I took pictures of, only one side slides. Here's a better look at the lock's position within the entire window:

As you already know, your particular latch is older and while you will probably have difficulty finding this exact model from a retailer you will likely find modern equivalents that may fit. As @keshlam, and @Comintern noted in the comments technically this latch is not appropriate for your window. Buying a new latch and installing it into the frame in the same way as your old latches could result in them breaking the same way. If you go with this approach I would recommend that you search online or bring the latch with you to a store to find a new latch that matches in dimensions and see if you can find something made out of a durable material.

Another approach that @Ecnerwal mentioned: there's no rule that says you need to use the same style of latch. If you're not keen on replacing the entire window(s), you can buy latches that are appropriate for your style of window. From your picture it's not clear if your windows are sash windows (they slide open) or casement windows (they open outwards on a hinge). My guess is they are casement windows in which case there are many options available to you. Again, you can search online or bring your window measurements to a store to find latches that will fit and suit your style.


How can I install a wired smoke detector without compromising the fire rated sheetrock?

I take it the detector is mounted in the ceiling, and a cut-in 3-O or 4-O (plastic) boxes have a 2 hour fire rating.  If this is not enough then you can use metal ceiling octagon box (2 hour fire rating) and use something like a 3M Fire Barrier Moldable Putty Pads.  Most companies that deal with fire related caulks and putty make these.  A lot of states require these in fire walls and ceilings, especially in multi-family units.

These pads are intumescent, which means that it swells as a result of heat exposure, thus increasing in volume, and decreasing in density.  Wikipedia.

If I were you I would take it a step further and install a 120V with a battery back-up smoke/carbon monoxide combo units.  You can also pay more for the detector and get either optical or ionization styles.  Ionization detectors are more sensitive to flaming fires than optical detectors, while optical detectors are more sensitive to smouldering fires.  Wikipedia again.   Electrical supply stores should have all this or Amazon.  I suggested 3M only because that is what I am used to.

Also, since the electrical boxes are fire rated, you might just use a fire caulk  around the box.  Caulks are intumescent also.


What are these (utility?) boxes at the side of the house?

That is non metallic (PVC) electrical conduit.

There must be wires in them that come from or go to the inside of the house to an out building or ?? .

The green cord could be left there for fishing ( pulling ) new wire from one of the  ends. Have you seen this green cord near any other electrical fixtures?

The covers come off to facilitate fishing the wires, It can be difficult to fish the wires thru many bends, so with this setup, you can pull a length of wire from one direction thru the open body and then pull the remainder as you help feed in to the body to complete the turn, then put the cover back on.


How can I stain dark Sapele wood to reduce red tone?

I know this is way after the fact but if you want to brown up wood a cool method is to use Potasium Dichromate (Bichromate of Potash if your an old timey cabinet maker). Its a water soluble mineral that reacts with the tannin in the wood and accelerates the natural aging process. It won't eliminate the red completely but it makes it more of a brown tone and much, much darker. Its pretty safe to work with as a liquid but avoid inhaling the dust because its fairly carcinogenic.


How to make a PVC pipe coming out of drywall pretty?

Escutcheon plates come in many styles. Most common being chrome plated. Personally I would take the PVC out and replace it with chrome metal pipe. It’s a little more expensive and slightly harder to work with but looks a lot nicer and is usually what is used when exposed. If you really want to keep the PVC it can always be painted with a plastic paint such as Krylon Fusion. You could fill the holes in the drywall and sand it smooth to alleviate the need for a plate. You may want to maintain a 1/8” gap and fill with caulking  to eliminate drywall mud cracking due to pipe movement.


Does anyone know what this pipe is in an HVAC system?

This looks like a vent pipe that would be hooked up to a ventilation fan in the bathroom.  If the bathroom door was closed, you might get quite a bit of air loss out of that pipe, but when the door is open, there wouldn't be as much pressure to push the A/C out of that room.

Those ventilation fans are not supposed to vent into the attic because their supposed purpose is to remove humid air, but incorrect installations are pretty common.


The best situation here would be to make the plywood plate large enough so that it spans across at least two studs. This will determine the horizontal span of the plywood. The vertical span should be not less than about 0.75 times the horizontal span.

The plywood material needs to be hefty enough to be able to take the fasteners needed for the arm assembly. I would use a minimum thickness of 3/4" for the plywood and use a type that has more layers than less. Select something that is going to be solid without internal gaps that some cheap stuff has. Here is a picture of what could be considered a decent grade of plywood.

You would anchor the plywood to the studs in at least six places. That would be three per stud. Assuming that the studs are wood you would use wood screws for this attachment. Flat head wood screws of the #10 or #12 size are what is called for here. The screws should be long enough so that they penetrate into the stud material itself two inches. Do not forget to add the thickness of the wall covering (drywall) to the length of the screws. You do want to pre-drill a clearance hole through the plywood for the body size of the wood screws. Also countersink the head side of the hole just enough so that the heads will draw down to just below the surface of the plywood so that you can later fill over the heads and paint the surface to look nice. There should also be pilot drill sized holes sunk into the studs where the screws will be installed. The size is determined by the minor diameter of the screw at the base of its threads.

For mounting the arm bracket I would suggest that you not try to screw into the plywood plate. Instead I would suggest that you pre-install fasteners for the bracket from the back side of the plywood before mounting it to the wall. There are two types of fastener applicable here. One is to use a T-Nut that pounds into a clearance hole from the back side. Sharp tines on the T-Nut secure it to the plywood and keep it from turning. The other approach would be to use carriage bolts. These have a shallow round head and a square section under the head that is pounded into the hole to keep the bolt from turning when applying nuts and washers from the other end. I would recommend 5/16" sized T-Nut or carriage bolt. Here are images of a T-Nut and a carriage bolt.

The bracket fasterners need to be secured to the plywood before the plywood is mounted to the wall. T-Nuts would give a better finished look as you would be using short 5/16" bolts and flat washers to attach the bracket to the plywood plate. On the otherhand the bracket attachment to the carriage bolts would be done with nuts and flat washers.

The short bolts that are used with T-Nuts would look similar to the following picture. The length of the threaded portion of the bolt would be about the thickness of the plywood so that it does not bottom out and dig into the wall surface under the plywood.

For both the fastener applications that I suggested you want to make sure to use a sturdy flat washer that will span across the holes on the bracket.