How do you properly install backup power delivery?

It's pretty easy with a simple backup power system like yours, which has a separate battery charger from the inverter.

You have two panels -- a main panel and a sub-panel.

The main panel is on utility power only.  You put circuits in there which only power from the utility (don't ever need to be powered from battery). This includes the battery charger.

The sub-panel is on a transfer switch which can place it on utility power OR battery power, but never both at once. This is necessary for the safety of linemen, but also makes sure you aren't powering up the whole neighborhood, which would flatten your battery fast!

The utility side of the transfer switch is fed from a circuit breaker in the main panel. That protects the wiring to the transfer switch from overload.

The various circuits that you want to be able to power off battery, are installed in this sub-panel.  *Note that you get to choose which circuits are powered by battery, simply by switching their circuit breaker off when you throw the transfer switch to battery mode.

The North American style transfer switch

Now in North America, our service panel designs allow you to have a subpanel with the transfer switch/interlock built right in; this is a Siemens/Murray design that straps 2 circuit breakers together, and then those breakers are back-fed. The interlock includes a bar that won't allow both breakers to be on at once.  The kit costs only US$30 (plus two large breakers $10-40 each).  Very economical.  In your case,  you could actually use exactly that same kit as a simple interlocked transfer switch, just using a very small 4-space subpanel that has just enough room for the interlocked breakers.   Since North America uses 2-pole power, wire it Philippine style, using the 2 poles as hot  and neutral. That way you are switching neutral for maximum safety.

The interlock can then feed onward to your usual DIN rail+RCD type subpanel. Remember you will need an RCD inside that subpanel, otherwise you will have no RCD protection when the device is thrown to "battery".

This only works for simple battery systems with a battery charger separate from the inverter.  (the diodes in both of them prevent backfeeding onto the line). If you get a modern system like a Tesla PowerWall where the battery charger and inverter are integrated and use a single connection, this gets a lot more complicated. I would avoid that if I could.

The better way - straight battery

An inverter itself is a heavy load.  It takes a lot of battery power simply to keep the inverter "spun up", even if it's not driving any loads at all.

Many loads can be run directly off battery voltage without the need for an inverter - lighting, modem, router, a few PC power supplies, some thermostat controls, etc.  It's a good idea to do this as much as possible.   If you can eliminate the inverter altogether, you'll get better use out of your batteries (need a smaller pack or get better runtime out of the pack you have).


Mount ceiling fan without electrical box

Electrical boxes serve several functions. They protect wiring where insulation has been removed. They prevent inadvertent contact with exposed components. They contain sparks when the worst occurs. And they provide standard mounting points for fixtures.

I'd be inclined to "code things up" with a wraparound box like so:

  Nonmetallic ceiling joist box for ceiling fans. 4'' diameter x 2 1/8'' deep, 12.0 cu. in. 4 clamps, 2 1/2'' knockouts. Maximum fixture weight is 150 lb., maximum fan weight is 70 lb. Exceeds National Electrical code requirements. Recommended for earthquake areas.


Plumbing issue...perhaps venting problem

That looks like a DIY or (cheap) trap. As it will work the same even if the ends are swapped , I might look at the sink itself.

Not long ago I found a sink that had clear drains and a good vent but was draining slowly.

I filled the sink with hot water until it started to slow then used a toilet plunger , what pumped out of the sink vent was so gross, i don’t want to say what it looked like but after a couple of plunges it started draining better. I had cleared the trap and drain with a small power auger, it was only after plunging that the in sink vent cleared and it drained well, after it started draining I filled it to the sink vent level and let it run on hot for a while to make sure it it was clear.
This is in a rental so I don’t know what was plugging the sink vent and it was my first experience like this but a plunger with hot water may help you as it did me. Once the vent started to clear I plugged it with my finger while plunging prior to over flowing to the vent for everything I did. Hope this helps.


What should I use to finish my plywood table top if I intend to leave the end-grain visible for a modern look?

The plies (layers) in plywood are run in alternating directions, so approximately half of the layers visible on any edge will be end grain and half will be the long grain.  End grain usually absorbs more finish which makes it look darker.  If you want to minimize the difference between the plies you could seal the edges of the plywood with shellac before you apply a top finish coat over the whole piece.  Alternately, you could let the difference in the darkness of the plies be a 'design feature'.

Other than the alternating plies / darkness issue, the rest of the finishing depends more on how you want the table to look and how it is intended to be used.


what kind of cable connector do I use on an outdoor junction box?

According to this video from homedepot.com and this page from thisoldhouse.com I can use a standard metallic threaded cable connector like this one  The thisoldhouse.com page also mentions using Romex from the inside through the wall to the box outside.


Safest Steps to turn on water heater that has been off for 5 years

You might want to open the water line only slightly and let it fill slowly so it won’t have a shock of pressure. I would open the lower drain and get rid if any gunk that may have developed, and check that your anode rod is still there and not corroded away (if it was drained the anode would not have continued to corrode).

Once it is flushed and fully pressurized, open the valve all the way, then close 1/2 turn to preserve the packing.


Any experience with Metwood joist reinforcers?

Follow the link provided by @Jack (How to cut hole larger than 1/3 of joist?), but note that the only entity that matters is your AHJ.

Bring them the engineering specs from Metwood (https://www.metwood.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/CCRR-0279.pdf) and see if the answer is yes/no/need-more-information.


Breaker sending power to lights but 3 outlets wont work

The circuit is overloaded, what you will probably find at the last working outlet or first non working outlet the back stabs have failed occasionally a broken wire or a wire nut but the failed backstab is quite common. Do AC units have to be on a dedicated circuit? It depends on the size of the AC and the circuit (15 or 20 amp). I would not put a TV on the same circuit as any electronic equipment because the compressor and blower motors create voltage spikes that can damage the tv , computers, audio equipment, I haven't had problems with lighting in the past but with LED's becoming more popular their driver circuitry can also be damaged I find drivers to be the failed component in most LED's I have repaired. Your issue came from overloading so it would be best to add a new branch circuit to power the AC unit.


How do I replace ceiling drywall over cabinets?

Personally I would pull them down and drywall the entire thing. The edge of cabinets is going to not look very well when your done if you don't and will stick out like a sore thumb. It's easy enough to pull down the cabinets too.

Also I would remove the drywall from the edge by the wall too and mud the corner. It's going to make it cleaner looking in the end.


Is It safe to have underfloor heating with lead paint?

Lead melts at 621°F. Fumes are released at 900°F. Your in-floor heating and floor are going to be at temperatures an order of magnitude lower than the temperature you need to create off-gassing.
You should be safe.


In England: ground or air based heat pump?

A ground-source heap pump is a custom-made-site-specific piece of equipment, and as such, will be more expensive and failure-prone. On the plus side, it will be more energy-efficient than the compressor of an air-source heat pump system. With today's super-efficient air-source heat pumps, you'd be looking at a coefficient of performance (COP) of ≤ 3 for air-source and ≤ 4 for ground-source. Both are very good. In general, I would favor an air-source heat pump due to lower upfront costs, higher reliability, and greater ease of maintenance and replacement.

But the real question for your situation will be distribution. You say you're installing central heat and are talking about heat pumps; I assume this means you'll be adding ducts. But even with ducts for distribution, a victorian house with a lot of small rooms and multiple stories will be much more comfortable to heat using modern equipment if you also super-insulate it. You should pay very close attention to your air-sealing and insulation details, and budget more than you think for this.  And buy better windows than you think you need. Definitely triple pane. Better to spend more on the building envelope and less on mechanical equipment than the reverse!

If you want to be "net zero" you need all your mechanicals to be electric (no gas or oil), and you'll want to keep your interior electric load as low as possible. LED lights, no huge plasma TVs, etc. And you'll need a lot of solar PV to generate the electricity required to run everything. In cloudy England, that will be quite a lot! To deal with this, you might want to look into solar-trackers, per-panel micro-inverters, and even residential wind turbines. You'll need to have a net metering arrangement with your municipal electric company/service as well.


All electric stoves have thermostats that control the heat to the burners. If the burner doesn't cycle on and off when set to 3 or 4 to control the heat then the thermostat is not working properly.


Possibilities:

Low grade paint
cheap roller or dirty roller, that hold paint in crevices (squirt out as paint is applied)
low nap - I always use at least 1/2"
painting style - basically not varying your strokes, painting unevenly, and the biggest one is pressing down on the roller because paint is low.  Not dipping into the paint bin is the cardinal sin.  A lot of times when you hire someone and the paint is part of the package this is often the problem.  As they try to save on paint costs they make every drop last and you run into issues like this.

Just know that even with the crappiest paint you can get it on a wall without roller marks.  This isn't rocket science and you should be able to rectify the marks if you are inspecting while painting, before the paint has dried.  But do note if you have roller marks and are using a low quality/thin paint it will be much harder to fix them with another coat as the marks will bleed.  At that point you might need a thin coat of primer.


How do I remove a stubborn exterior threshold?

That threshold is part of the entire door system. It wasn't added after the door was installed. It's screwed upward into the jamb sides and may have extrusion fins that engage slots in the jamb. Ordinarily a threshold doesn't wear out before the door system does, so it's rare that a person would try and remove it without replacing the door.

You'll need to figure out how to cut those screws so you don't tear out chunks of jamb. It's made from soft pine and would splinter fairly easily.


Ethernet above drop ceiling — plenum cable “just in case”?

The purpose of plenum rating is that if the wire is overheated (e.g. from fire), it won't emit chemicals which will blind, stupefy, poison, or incapacitate people trying to escape from aforementioned fire.  This matters in spaces where air is handled.

Maybe a drop ceiling won't be air handling space unless a duct is damaged, but consider the probability of the duct damage and the overheating of the wire being caused by the same event.


Will an inline amp improve your signal? Yes a amplifier will boost the signal that is available. With that said there has to be enough signal to amplify. In the past I have found many DIY connections that were not made with the correct type of coax or connectors. Each connection has some power loss measured in DB mis matching the impedance of an antenna to the type of coax can reduce the signal to a level that can not be recovered. A matching network may be needed from the antenna to the coax to reduce the losses. The amplifier should be prior to the splitter and the splitter should be the type for the frequency range (UHF) you are targeting. The last item to watch is splices each splice has some power loss. 3db of loss cuts the power in 1/2. Remember that a splitter will reduce the signal. More expensive splitters usually have a lower loss (check the splitter it may be a 60/40 or 70/30 not 50/50 as you would expect these are very inexpensive to build and you may be able to flip the splitter and both tv's might work). There are amplifiers that have multiple outlets and will run on a 9V battery for over a year but these devices are harder to find now since the demand has decreased over the last 10 years. One last note getting the highest gain amp is not always the best deal a 15db amp with a low noise may do better than a 30+ db amp with a higher noise level.


Refrigerator door seal is developing a gap towards the bottom. Not sure it is letting air through

The answer is found here:

How can I eliminate a gap in a refrigerator door gasket?

which points also to

How do I fix a gap in my refrigerator door gasket seal?

It is a door alignment issue.

Simply loosening the screws at the bottom on the hinge side and raising it a bit down there fixed it.


Can I just cut power to a central air and heating system, or should I follow a shutdown procedure?

Very few HVAC systems aren't able to handle abrupt power loss. I've flipped the switches on dozens of systems hundreds of times to change filters and perform other service. The gas valve will close and the control boards have algorithms to recover.

It may feel nicer to shut them down gently, but there's no good reason to worry about it. After all, power does fail at times, and when have you heard of an HVAC disaster as a result?


Was asbestos used within wallboard itself, or just in the joint compound?

The short answer is: yes, wallboard can contain asbestos, but it's unlikely. The reason is that regular gypsum drywall panels had a decent fire rating, unlike the seam joints, which would have to be finished with a fire-proofing material, as asbestos (I say had as during the times when they used asbestos, up until the mid 80s) .  You're very likely to find asbestos-containing panels around fireplaces and in floor tiles, but it would have been unnecessarily expensive to do entire walls out of asbestos-containing sheets.

Other places you may find asbestos (from the Georgia Environment, Health and Safety Department website):

STEAM PIPES, BOILERS, and FURNACE DUCTS (insulated with an asbestos blanket or asbestos paper tape)
RESILIENT FLOOR TILES (vinyl asbestos, asphalt, and rubber), the backing on
VINYL SHEET FLOORING, and ADHESIVES used for installing floor tile.
CEMENT SHEET,MILLBOARD, and PAPER (used as insulation around furnaces and woodburning stoves)
DOOR GASKETS in furnaces, wood stoves, and coal stoves.
SOUNDPROOFING OR DECORATIVE MATERIAL sprayed on walls and ceilings.
PATCHING AND JOINT COMPOUNDS for walls and ceilings, and TEXTURED PAINTS
ASBESTOS CEMENT ROOFING, SHINGLES, and SIDING.


The usual disclaimers apply. I'm not a licensed structural engineer, I'm not providing engineering advice, I'm just reporting what standard load calculations in the literature say, etc....

Assuming no major defects, and using #2 graded southern yellow pine in wet service (the least optomistic numbers), with an actual size of 3.5" x 5.5" (typical of planed "4x6") a 415 lb load at the middle of (aka point loading) the 12 foot span should be safe.

Some deflection is normal. The above load should have a bit less than 1/2" deflection.

http://www.forestryforum.com/members/donp/beamclc_ctrpointload.htm

Uniformly loaded (not really applicable, but "the other extreme" as you interpolate 3 swing positions) 825 lbs, with a deflection a bit more than 1/2" (considered OK for a roof, too much for a floor.)

http://www.forestryforum.com/members/donp/beamclcNDS2.htm

There are some slight complications (about a 20% reduction in loading, IIRC)  induced by the cantilever overhang, but none should really be of great concern for normal-szed children. On the third hand, if you wanted to bolt/screw/glue/nail a pair of 2x10 or 2x12, one to either side of the swing beam, that should stiffen it up quite a bit.


First try tightening the hardware. If you can isolate the offending joint disassemble it. Rub some candlewax on both sides then reassemble it.


How do I prevent interior doors from sticking in the winter?

Make your doors smaller .  The jamb stops for doors are usually jutted out a half inch or at the very least 3/8".  There is no need for the door to be rubbing against the jamb that tight to where it would ever stick.  I suggest the use of a small electric hand plane and shave off in 1/32" increments.  You will need to remove the handle and the faceplate.  Also if you get beyond 1/32" you may need to chisel out the faceplate rectangle a bit.

You can try sanding the area but I have found that by the time I sand, and door works well... I put a few coats of paint on the area and then bam I am back to square one.


4 prong wire outlet, 3 wire dryer - can’t find ground screw

The dryer's instruction book will have instructions on how to change the cord.  The most important thing is that right now (with 3-prong), there is a "ground strap" connecting neutral and ground on the dryer.  This must be removed.

I think I see it right there; a metal foil that lands on the neutral terminal and connects to chassis.  You must remove that.  Feel free to use that screw for the ground.

If you have a volt-ohm meter, you can sanity-check this by measuring resistance between neutral and ground pins on the recep.  It should be high resistance (0L or infinity ohms means high resistance).

It sounds like you're already onboard with this, but you must change the cord on the dryer to a 4-prong cord.   It is illegal to continue with a 3-prong connection or to defeat ground in some way.

Old 3-prong connections are dangerous.  If there is any trouble with the neutral wire, the dryer chassis will be energized with voltage. (meanwhile the washer right next to it will still be grounded, so touch both and whammo!)


What flooring can be used for a gypcrete subfloor?

You have two major problems: 1) Gypcrete is designed to be installed over a wood support, not on gravel or soil, and 2) Gypcrete is not designed to be a final finish surface. That is to say, it’s not made to be walked on...you need a finish flooring, like carpet, sheet vinyl, wood, etc.

Call your insurance company and tell them about your washing machine problem and tell them the flooring (Gypcrete) needs to be removed. Remove it and then install a concrete slab.


I wouldn't remove the paver base, which provides quite a bit of stability, but I'd consider a thin layer of sand over it to act as a buffer. If the base has joints or gaps that would allow the sand to drain, you could install a sheet of plastic or heavy landscape fabric first.


DeWalt circular saw stopped working, probably need to repair motor, can anyone confirm?

In general, it is not worth taking apart tools such as a handheld circular saw or drill. There is not much in the way of user-serviceable parts, and doing so may void any warranty you have with the manufacturer.

First, I recommend looking up if there are any "consumable" parts such as fuses which are user-serviceable. This may be a quick and easy fix.

Your next step should be finding an authorized DeWalt service center that has the specialized tools, parts, and training to repair the tool. The major tool companies tend to have company-owned or authorized third-party repair centers in major metropolitan centers in the U.S. at the very least. They can inspect the tool and tell you if repair makes sense: it may cost more to repair the tool than to replace it. Being this new, however, it is likely covered by a factory warranty that will cover a significant portion of the cost.


Can I drywall over an exterior vent in a converted garage?

These ventilation bricks were intended to prevent gasoline fumes from accumulating. The CO danger was not the concern as one should only run the engine when the door is open. Modern cars should not emit gasoline vapors in any significant amount, so such vents are typically no longer required.

Additionally, since the study cannot harbor a motor vehicle, such vents just make heating and cooling less efficient, so you would do well to cover them. However, habitable rooms must have some kind of ventilation, typically operable windows. An HVAC system running on fan mode is usually a legal alternative to windows, but windows also provide highly desirable natural light. Which is also a requirement for residences. The usual requirement is 1/10th the floor area for light and 1/20th for ventilation.

BMitch raises a very important issue regarding CO. I've seen offices adjacent to maintenance bays where although the adjoining wall was well sealed to the surrounding structure, exhaust fumes still managed to permeate through somewhere enough to be bothersome to the occupants. Take every measure you possibly can to seal the adjoining wall. It's too easy to overestimate how well a wall serves as a barrier. In addition, be sure to install a CO detector in your study just to be safe.


What could cause all the breakers on the left side of my panel box to trip?

This has happened to me.  You may have just manually tripped the breakers when you were putting the cover back on.  It doesn't take much force to trip the breaker.

It's unlikely that an electrical mis-wiring caused this, because each side of the box is fed alternatively by both of "hot" feed.  Say you have split phase 1 and 2.  The left side of your box will be fed by phase 1, 2, 1, 2, etc.  The breakers on the left side have nothing in common with each other that they don't also have in common with the right side.


How can I remove these stainless steel scratches?

I can't tell from the picture, but ideally, if you can remove that piece and work on it freely, here's what you can do:

Use a scotch brite pad and uniformly create scratches (the trick is to always always go in the same direction). This pad here is commonly used to mimic #4 finish in stainless steel. You can also go to heavier / coarser pads.

If you actually have gouges, and assuming you have access to an orbital sander, like this one (example), you would use a heavier grit pad to blend in all the scratches, then gradually go to a finer grit, 600 / 800 or so, to make all the scratches disappear. Then you can, if you want, put a grain on it again with the scotch brite pad.

To finish it up, you can clean the stainless steel with stainless steel cleaner and polish.


How can I finish the concrete block wall along my basement steps with drywall?

Does the wall sweat or leak ?

If not then I would affix  finish grade 1/2" plywood with adhesive.

It would be less messy to get off then dry wall if you had to and it would allow you hang photo or art with small screws.

You could mount it directly to the blocks or you could put very thin 1/4" slats as furring strip on with construction adhesive ( better i think ) and then attach it ( or drywall ) to the furring strips.

You could even do 2'x2' squares and stain/paint each one with its own shade/color.

Just saying,  outside the box thinking.

P.S. this could also apply to your other question about the concrete ceiling.


You can do this, but you'll lose some fancy features

The rewiring you describe (from using the ABCD commlink to using the standard 24VAC inputs) should be supported by your control board.  However, there are downsides to this, namely that your system will act as a good two-stage forced-air system, without full command modulating functionality or the ability to display feedback (such as fault codes) on the thermostat.  So, go ahead, as long as you are cool trading these communicating functions for the Hive's "smarts".


how specific must rocker switch specs be?

Here is a switch that should do the trick for you. It is rated at 22A/250V. Mounting hole size looks to be the same as the Aliexpress item that you linked.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/AC-20A-125V-22A-250V-DPDT-6-Terminal-2-Position-Boat-Rocker-Switch/272975729244?hash=item3f8e9f125c:g:XFsAAOSwnPla8b-Z


Are there any disadvantages to switching from a punch-down distribution box to an RJ-45 one?

Yes, you can pull out your existing telco punchdown block and replace it with a suitable block for Ethernet networking.
What you're really looking for is a Cat 5e (or better), T-568A or T-568B compatible punchdown block with RJ45 jacks. That's TIA/EIA-568 revision B, which is essentially identical to the older AT&T 258A (Systimax) standard, which was originally designed for telephone service. T-568A and T-568B are electrically compatible as long as the same standard is used on both ends of each segment. T-568A is still the official data networking standard, but a lot of vendors use T-568B. Whichever; just make sure the same standard is used on both ends of each individual length of cable.
So a typical structured cabling solution works for phones and data networking, although a residential solution may bridge tap all of the phone lines so all the extensions ring together, and that's completely incompatible with Ethernet networking. It's also easy to bridge tap multiple RJ45 ports together in the future if that becomes desirable.
Your new punchdown block
First confirm that those cables in the wall are Cat5e. If they're only Cat5, then you'll only be able to reliably use Fast Ethernet (100Mb/s), not Gigabit Ethernet (1000Mb/s).
You'll fasten your new punchdown block to the back of your media cabinet, then punch your incoming cables down to the new block. There's an example below (picture), but you can literally just walk into a big box store and grab one for $20 or so. Then you'll run short Ethernet patch cables between this punchdown block and your switch or router. T-568B is also compatible with telephones, so this upgrade won't prevent you or the next owner from using those existing wall jacks for telephone extensions later if you want to.

You'll want to confirm that your RJ45 wall jacks are wired up to the T-568B standard.

You'll fasten your switch(es) and/or router(s) to the back of your structured media enclosure as well, then you'll use short Ethernet patch cables to make connections from the switch/router ports to your wall jacks.
Someday you might want phones again
If you want to bridge some ports to turn on some telephone extensions in the future, you could easily do it with a little creative crimping of RJ-45 and/or RJ-11 plugs to connect all the right wires, which you would then plug into the RJ-45 jacks you want to connect phones to.
Or you could just buy a telephone interface hub similar to the one pictured below, which lets you adjust which jacks are bridged together using bridge clips. So you would snap on whatever bridge clips suit your purpose, then use regular telephone patch cables (2 or 4 wire) to connect the wall jacks to the telephone interface.
I guess I should clarify that you can plug RJ-11 (phone) plugs into RJ-45 jacks.


Builders filler (or any of the similar 2 part polyester resin putties)
Just use a stick to pack it in there and let it set.
Or get one of the caulking tube versions of the same stuff and squirt it in there.


While I don't use hand tools much, I certainly own a lot of hand tools. This happens when you sell them all day. Norm Abram at This Old House provides some pretty good tips on cleaning rust from tools.

His tips, summarized:

First, store tools in a dry drawer or toolbox. Use silica gel packets to keep this place even more dry.

But once rust appears...

Spray with a penetrating lubricant such as WD-40 and scrub with a heavy-duty Scotch-Brite pad. Abram is very clear that you should NOT use sandpaper, as it tends to scratch metal.

For seriously rusted tools...

"For more heavily rusted metal, try a spray-on, wipe-off, acid-based rust remover like Rust Free. Follow with a rust-inhibitor spray like Boeshield T-9, which leaves a thin, waxy film on the surface. Wipe away any excess immediately."

Klein makes an excellent guide that covers nearly all hand tools they sell. Check out the free, downloadable PDF "Proper use and care of Hand Tools" available here.


If you've ever watch a pro install mirror walls, they have a bucket of construction adhesive, made for mirrors, and they put a glob on each corner of the mirror and a glob in the center. They then place it on the wall and push. They will stick even if the wall isn't smooth and they can be adjusted if the wall is uneven. You'll need to support the bottom row with clips or a 1x2 fastened to the wall.


How do I Safely Cut Though Main Attic into Addition Attic?

I think it's a code violation, but there may actually be no access in the addition. Access at the eaves would be rather difficult and very tight. A gable vent you have to remove to get in is more common, as miserable no inside access access goes. But I've seen more than one "just sealed up and you have to cut your way in" job over time.
The main risk (so long as you stick to cutting the roof sheathing, not the rafters) will be encountering a wire on the side you can't see. Always better to be able to look at both sides, and start with drilling a few holes so that you are sure how both sides line up before you cut - but wires can be repaired, once the excitement dies down. I guess with modern toys you could drill a hole (relatively low-risk) and put a borescope or small camera through to look for hazards before cutting more.


How can I fix dark floor stain absorption without starting over?

It really is going to be next to impossible to match up those various areas where you have tried the sanding and re-sanding. My recommendation, if the flooring material still has enough depth to the tongue and groove to permit more sanding, is to re-sand the whole floor uniformly. That may be best done by using a drum sander so as to get as even of surface as possible. Do be aware that operating one of those is tricky and in inexperienced hands can ruin a good floor very quickly.

Once you have cleaned the floor of all the sanding dust you should look into sanding sealer products that you can apply to the surface. These are designed to allow stain to be applied more evenly than just putting stain on raw open grain wood.


I chopped through 1/3 of the width of the cord leading to my angle grinder - it still works should I replace the cord?

Yes, replace the cord.
Seen too many damaged cords covered in unravelling sticky tape that then become dangerous - wet environment, spilled liquid etc etc
Adding a cable joiner just adds a "catching" or "trapping" hazard.
2 or 3 metres (6 or 9 feet for some) of quality cable is cheap and safer.
Also the length of cable is likely to be cheaper than a fancy repair plug...


How far from the sink can we install the dishwasher without major remodel?

There are no code regulations concerning the placement of a dish washer.  As AWMoore mentioned, you will need to supply a hot water feed and a drain, with a trap. You will have to see where you can tie the drain into the system being sure to meet the drop to run ratio. You can most certainly find a place to make this connection in a basement. To save head space in the basement , the trap can be installed above the floor behind the dishwasher, and the dishwasher drain hose install there, kinda like a washing machine.


The gable vents are short-circuiting the ventilation. The holes appear to be adequate, but as there's a shorter path of less resistance from in the gable vents and out the ridge vents, the holes don't draw very much air.

I'd temporarily cover the gable vents from the inside and see how things change. Maybe take temperature and humidity readings at intervals before and after doing so.

Bottom line: It's rarely a good idea to mix gable and ridge venting.

As to your actual question, you'll need to weigh the cost of achieving 100% of the recommended area vs. 78%. Considering that most standards have some degree of overage built in, 78% is probably adequate, but that's a matter of opinion.


How is a waste drain vent pipe vertical clearance measured?

It's measured on the high side (the nearest point or the shortest dimension).

Typical language:

  Vent pipes shall terminate not less than 6 inches above the roof, measured from the highest point where the vent intersects the roof.

Image source


Buckling shingles could be caused by 1) lack of ventilation in the attic, 2) improper installation of the roof sheathing, 3) improper nailing of the shingles, or 4) wrong type vapor barrier.

1) If the attic is extremely hot, the shingles will buckle, especially if they are not nailed correctly.

2) If the roof sheathing isn’t nailed correctly or doesn’t have the correct spacing (gaps) between sheathing panels, they could expand and cause buckling, which would “telegraph “ through to the roof shingles.

3) if not enough nails are used or if the nails are in the wrong location, the shingles could buckle.

4) if a “rag” type vapor barrier was used, it could buckle if it got wet.


I can barely make it out, but it looks like a pin-and-slot arrangement. Bump the rail with your palm away from the camera. The bracket that's retained by the screw should slide off the pin we see deeper in. If it doesn't budge, use a mallet or a hammer and block of wood.


How to remove this type of shower handle?

Use a pair of pliers to secure both pieces together and then turn counter-clockwise. This will then expose the valve behind the handle.


Grinder is best tool for this job....maybe even you can use the one that you have just make sure you have several plates in order to complete the job. If your grinder isn't enough 115mm one is big enough for sure....When you cut it don't just go straight down like you are cutting a butter but once you cut through wall on one side rotate your beam (or column, whatever that might be) for 90 degrees and repeat this for all 4 sides. But be really careful grinder is really dangerous tool unless you are skillful. It can be heavy and can slip from the thing you are cutting which may lead to injury. Also be extra cautious about the sparks....they can set things on fire, so make sure that anything flammable isn't around.


drilling hole in external wall & mounting lights on a modern timber frame house

Seems quite odd to see someone say "drilling through concrete is easy, but how do I drill through wood". I guess it's all in what you're used to!
Different wood-framed houses will have different levels of exterior wind/water protection between the wall framing/sheathing and the exterior surface treatment. The level of protection will depend on when the house was built and what kind of price range it was built to.
Older houses had wooden clapboard applied directly over the studs. Then planks were applied over the studs as a structural level with claps, shingles or bricks applied to the planks. At some point, resin paper began to be installed to help keep wind and water out.
With the advent of plywood, that was used as exterior sheathing underneath bricks/stone, claps, shingles, metal or cement/asbestos siding. Soon, foil-backed papers were also being used as a wind/water proofing membrane. As more time passed, the plywood was often replaced with oriented strand board (OSB) with the same selection of exterior protection, vinyl siding was introduced, and Tyvek™ house wrap was introduced as well. The Tyvek™ was often taped at the seams to help improve the weather resistance.
Now there are all sorts of systems, some preapplied to the plywood/OSB at the factory and sold along with special tapes specific to the coatings. Tyvek™ is still very commonly used as well. Some houses will use a self-sealing rubber membrane at openings in the exterior sheathing (like windows, doors, roof vents, chimneys, etc) in addition to a house-wrap or pre-applied coating.
Note that with all of these weather protection membranes, exterior siding (claps, shingles, vinyl) are nailed onto the house, and that each and every one of these nails penetrates the wrap. Even on your brick house, there are metal straps nailed to the house every few courses to help hold the exterior brick layer tightly to the house framing and that all these nails penetrate whatever membrane may be on your house.
It's not possible for us to know what kind of "membrane" may be on the outside of your house. Even though you say your house is "modern", it will still depend on age, build quality, and location on the planet. Even within the US, houses are built to different standards based on what the expected weather will be like.
I have family that's building a house a couple of miles from me who are using a high-tech coating applied to the sheathing at the factory with (very expensive) tape to be applied at each panel seam, while just down the road, they're throwing up new houses in a subdivision and putting Tyvek™ house wrap on them because it's quick and cheap. These houses are as "modern" as it gets (since they're not even completed yet), and they have different treatments on them.
TL;DR:
If you're drilling a new hole in an existing house, grab your drill and go to it. You will penetrate whatever kind of wind/water barrier may have been installed on your house. There's no way around it. Don't make the hole any larger than necessary, though - just big enough for the conduit.
Note: Even if you're using low voltage (LV lighting and the camera feeds are probably LV for both signal and power), use conduit and proper exterior-rated junction boxes for mounting the external fixtures. There are code issues to contend with, and, especially for cameras, technology changes and in the future you may want to install a camera with a different signaling technology - the conduit will make it very easy to pull out the old cables and install new ones.
Use a heavy bead of caulk between the wall surface and the conduit, install the box, and apply another bead of caulk between the box and the wall. Without completely disassembling the wall, this will be the best you can do. After 5-10 years (depending on the quality of caulk and the quality of the job of applying it), you may want to start checking on the caulk to ensure it's not drying/cracking/shrinking and starting to allow water through. Once you see signs that it may be, it's probably time to remove the old caulk and apply new. That's part of home maintenance.


Looking for a practical way to find the metal posts locations in finished walls

To find a metal post, I would try using a magnet. The stronger, the better. A massive speaker magnet in hand should give you an indication what is where. (Warning: strong magnets can BITE!)


Goodman GMP 100-4 Red light blinks 4 times

The plug in bottom of the furnace had come unplugged from the board.  Plugging it back in solved the problem.


What's the purpose of the paper in NM-B cabling?

From what I can tell, the paper around the bare grounding conductor is simply a separator. Where as the paper wrapped around all the conductors, is there to hold the assembly together while the outer jacket is applied.

  Source

  with a bare copper ground wire wrapped in paper and laid
  parallel between the insulated conductors. The entire assembly is wrapped with a paper separator before applying the PVC outer
  jacket.

  Source

  4.) Separator: A suitable paper wrap, applied over the ground

  5.) Assembly: 2 conductors and ground laid parallel and overall paper wrap or 3 and 4 conductors and ground twisted together.

It can have a negative effect, if the cable is exposed to liquid.  According to Underwriters Laboratories

  In general, cables with PVC insulation and jacket can withstand immersion in clean water for a short period of time without being damaged as long as the ends are not immersed....

  If the ends of the cable are immersed for any period of time, however, the internal paper wrapping around the bare equipment-grounding conductor will absorb and transfer the water into the cable assembly. The water may then start degrading the insulation or possibly corrode the conductors. If the cable comes into contact with contaminated water, the contaminants may also act on the insulation or conductors. Over time, failures can occur.


Skip it, seriously. I don't know what your motivation for this is, but you need to learn just a wee tad more before you bite it off.

If it's (sounds like not) a remote-off-grid solar powered computer, you start with making it efficient, and then then address the power supply (probably not a wall-plug-in-type), days of running without sun, batteries, charge controllers, etc...

If you are on-grid but have vague greenish feelings that somehow have not impacted your choice of power supply/motherboard, just set up a small (or large) grid-tie system and plug the computer into the grid. That will be adequately complicated for you to start learning about.


The wall may have been built that way but I doubt it, the wall may have shifted over the years and is stable now.

The only way to know is to drop a plumb bob from the upper decking just in front of the wall and measure the gap at top middle and bottom. Mark the spot or leave a nail or screw in that location and Mark the wall at the 3 points so you can measure again at a later date. If the wall is stable you will see no change in the measurements.

I would not expect to see any movement in a year, but probably would recheck a week after a big storm. There looks to be a drain but water may have caused the shift or belly in the past, prior to everything settling, and now the wall is stable.


Vapor barrier goes on the warm side of the insulation (averaged year round)

If, on average, the garage is warmer than the house, vapor barrier goes on the garage side.

If, on average, it's cooler, it goes on the house side.

If you rarely close the windows, you probably don't need one at all.

Penetrations should be sealed with something like acoustic sealant (which never quite hardens, so it tends to last better than things that harden.) You can cut an extra patch of vapor barrier to aid in sealing penetrations by making a double-layer patch sealed to the main barrier.


How to excavate 3ft deep around perimeter of building

Who told you that you need insulation 3’ down around the perimeter of the building? Let’s try this a different way:
The Building Code is divided into several sections, including the Energy Code, Structural Code, Fire Code, etc. Your question references the Energy Code.
The Energy Code identifies the minimum energy code requirements. These requirements are outlined in what the Code defines as the “Prescriptive Path”. That is to say, if you use the minimum values of each item in the Prescriptive Path, (i.e.: R-value of insulation in attic and walls, U-value for windows and doors, efficiency of heating units, etc.) then you comply with the Energy Code.
However, you can substitute a higher value for one item in order to reduce (or eliminate) another item.
So, if you don’t have perimeter insulation 3’ down around your slab, you may be able to increase the R-value of your attic insulation or purchase a more energy efficient heating unit, etc.
In order to change the items in the Prescriptive Path you’ll need to hire an architect or mechanical engineer, but they could save you $$$$ and a ton of grief.
Btw, I noticed that you’re converting a building into “residential units”. If the building will have more than 2 units, you’ll need fire sprinklers, unless you install a 2-hour fire wall between each 2 units. (An architect can outline how to do that.)


Installing a new dishwasher: integrated or freestanding?

A integrated appliance is one intended to be installed in, and mostly concealed by, your normal cabinetry. It will therefore lack the finished decorative sides, front and top of a free-standing appliance.

They are usually floor standing - so the carpenter would have to remove the bottom of your cupboard. She would also have to remove and replace the kick panel at the bottom - usually these are converted from fixed (screws) to removable (spring clip) to facilitate maintenance.

Often, the appliance controls protrude at the top of the door, so the existing cupboard door would have to be cut down to fit the remaining space and attached to the appliance door. The appliance door of an integrated appliance is designed to have a wooden "door" attached that matches the decor of your adjacent kitchen cupboards


Ambitious project with lots of issues: 1) loads on walls, 2) temporary supports, 3) size of new bearing wall, 4) connections, 5) soil conditions, 6) size of footing,

1) I’d verify that the roof does not sit on the wall. If it does, it makes things more complicated, but not impossible. Is this a single story house? Is it located in (a.) high wind area, (b.) seismic area, or (c.) high snow load area,???

2) I like your plan of having two temporary walls...is this due to joists lapping on the bearing wall? Keeping each temporary wall about 3’ from the bearing wall is reasonable. Remember, the transfer of load into the soil is at a 45 degree angle. That is to say, the transfer of loads from the temporary wall should not impact the soil (and edges of you 18” wide trench) 3’ away. (We’ll talk about the width of your footing later.)

3) If the new bearing wall will only be 8’ or 9’ high, then 2x4 studs at 16” oc are acceptable. Will it sit on the subfloor or is that balloon framed also?

4) How the new bearing wall is framed will determine how it’s connected to the footing and ceiling (above).

5) The type of soil will determine the size of the footing, required reinforcing (rebar), likelihood of sluffing, etc.

6) I like the continuous footing idea, but it may need to be wider. (Going from a timber width to 18” seems reasonable, but if we knew more about the type of soil and total load, we could determine if it’s wide enough to support all the loads.

So, to answer your question, no, I don’t see any major problem, but if you could answer the above questions, we could help more.

Btw, a few pictures of the attic, etc. would help.


How can I hide an HVAC line on the blank face of house with a chimney?

We ended up having the line rerouted to beside the chimney and will use a line-set cover to disguise the run and make it look similar to a downspout.

If I had to do it all over again, I would have had the line run over to the corner of the house, up the edge by the downspout, and into the attic near the edge of the soffit (finishing the line run in the interior). This would have better camouflaged the cover, as it does look incredibly similar to a downspout, but is rated to carry HVAC line.


How can I install an overhead water tank and refill it for individual usage?

You should contact the water supplier for a metered line to your reservoir so you can segregate water with a clear conscience.  They can then pump to your terrace.


Wood siding rests on concrete pad. What are the alternatives?

If the height of the door to the bottom of the siding is any clue as to how high the floor slab is above the outside concrete, The siding could have been kept above the concrete perhaps 1" and still would cover the floor slab for weathering.
This will be an over-simplification, but to fix it, I would carefully cut the siding 4 1/2" above the concrete, add flashing, and insert a piece of 1 1/2" X 3 1/2" PVC material as a "frieze board" to replace the rotted siding. If you re in a temperate climate, like the new england area the PVC will move a lot so it may be best to use a wood product that is primed on all sides, including all cuts. Installed so when it is raised to meet the flashing, it provides a 1" gap to the concrete.


How can I fix a leaky tap (exterior of the house) that I can't turn off the water source?

Turn off your house main, while fixing this.  It would behoove you to plan this when no other household members need water. And prepare to do it quickly.

I recently had a similar problem, but my house shutoffs didn't work either.
I had to call a plumber, who called the town, and shut off the water to my house at the street, while the plumber replaced both main shutoffs (either side of the meter) and replaced the leaky exterior faucet shutoff as well.  Best practices these days for shutoff valves are "ball valves" as they are less likely to fail than the traditional rubber washers on seats.


Attic remodel with roof ventilation issues

Assuming modern 2x8s:

Purchase sheet foam insulation (you want "best" so polyiso gives the most R per inch as far as I know at present)

That's commonly available in 2 or 4 foot wide sheets 8 feet long, perhaps different or perhaps not so different in metric areas.

Trim to (measure to be sure, your roof may be less precise than would be convenient) 22-1/2" to account for "modern" 1-1/2" wide by 7-3/8" deep "2X8" on 24 inch centers. Either buy 6 inch thick sheets, or buy enough sheets to add up to 5 or 6 inches thick for this part, leaving a 1-3/8" to 2-3/8" gap for ventilation between the insulation sheet and the roof sheathing.

For best results, use another 1/2" to 3/4" full sheets of Polyiso over the face of the rafters before sheetrock to provide a thermal break.

This will cost considerably more than cellulose or fiberglass, but it has better insulation values and provides ventilation.

There are other (less expensive to install, less insulation value so more cost to own long-term) approaches, such as using ventilation baffles stapled to the roof sheathing (underside) in each bay for the ventilation, and then using "6-inch" rockwool or fiberglass - cellulose is also an option, but trickier to install - I would still suggest spending for an overall layer of foam covering the face of the rafters as suggested above. If your local retailer does not stock 24" wide batt insulation, discover the joys of online ordering, or consult a real building supplier rather than certain blue and orange retail box suppliers.


Do dimmers and timers not have Amp spec?

Follow the instructions regarding amps, watts and/or VA

First, you need to know how to convert between amps and watts or VA*, and apply Power Factor.

 VA = amps x volts
 Watts = amps x volts x PF

and volts is 120 in the US typically. For incandescent lights, PF is 1.0.

Their power limits will be expressed in terms of one of these units, and it's up to you to do the conversions.

If you don't know PF, be very generous.  Certainly if the fixture has Edison screw-in sockets, you can't possibly know the PF. Size it by assuming some epsilon minus will stick actual incandescents in there. It's unlikely for any random CFL or LED to have worse amp draw than the incandescent it replaces!

Respect ballast and tungsten limits

The typical device may have several limits stated in several ways.  Select the one that applies to your load, and respect it...

Tungsten rating is about inrush current. This is the surge of power some devices draw initially on startup, notably incandescent bulbs (hence the word "tungsten")**.  However, CFLs, LEDs, modern electronic ballast fluorescents and electronic power supplies also have inrush, and you must respect the tungsten rating for this.
Ballast rating is about the inductive kick generated by magnetic inductive ballasts for HID, neon and old style fluorescent lights - generally, lights that hum.  This occurs when you shut power off to them.
Motor rating is concerned with a little of both, as a motor starting up draws its locked-rotor amperage, and packs a rather considerable inductive kick when shut off.  Typically motor ratings are in horsepower, another conversion to do, yay...

I would expect a dimmer to be sold on its tungsten rating.  With a timer, all bets are off.

It is quite common to see devices with an impressive amp/watt rating, and then you see the tungsten, ballast or motor rating and it's much smaller...

Notes

* some equipment uses power irregularly, I.e. "it doesn't use the whole sine wave".  Watts is what it does use, and VA is the whole sine wave which the equipment must deliver.  The equipment cares about that!  So when considering PF, we are concerned with instantaneous max amps during the normal AC cycle.  PF does not concern itself with inrush.

  Watts / VA = Power Factor

** An incandescent bulb, when unlit, bears a strong resemblance to a dead short.  As such, it draws many amps until it starts to warm up (which it does rather quickly, given the huge shot of amps going through it!) Once at operating temperature, it behaves in a linear (resistor-like) manner, including a perfect 1.0 PF, like a resistor.


PIR Insulation installation between joists

No, you don't need air gap between the ceiling and the insulation. You do need ventilation of your attic space, however, which unless there is some other form of ventilation you need to have an air gap between the PIR boards and your eaves.

That said, unless you need the space, it would be more cost effective to supplement your existing glass fibre with additional rolls laid across the top (preferably across the joists rather than along them, in order to minimize gaps). That would also remove cold bridges that are currently formed by your joists. If you need boards in the space, you can buy plastic supports that hold the board 170mm above the joist to allow space for insulation.


no. my house has had a much longer capped hot-water stub line for 50 years and there have been no problems with it.
In the dark inside a pipe clean water does not become stagnant.


Rubber adapter couplings are what is used for what you want to do. You will need to insure that you order the correct one as copper and PVC have different outside diameters.

I do not think that you will get good heat transfer by simply wrapping soft copper around the drain line as there will be minimum contact. There are commercially available products on the market that do what you are looking for that will provide much better heat transfer. Here is one such product: Recoh-vert.

You'll notice that the pipe-in pipe method archives much greater contact between the hot drain water and the incoming cold water. They also install these on the vertical as what travels around the inside wall of the pipe when draining vertical (as opposed to just the bottom when draining horizontally). This also increases the amount of heat transfer.

You can make a similar product yourself, though I question the possibility that a home made product would prevent cross-contamination. Defiantly would not pass any local codes. Here's a video on how to make one: Shower Heat Exchanger.

If I understand your situation, you have limited space in install the heat exchanger. I believe that there are also p-trap versions available.


Is detergent tank necessary for pressure washer?

The pressure in both models is controlled by the tip installed on the wand. On the output side of the pump there's a small valve which opens at low pressures creating a siphon which is connected to a detergent hose. When the black tip is installed the detergent is pulled up through the hose into the water stream. The other tips run at higher pressures and don't draw any detergent.

With either machine you can stuff the detergent hose into a pail and siphon straight from the container. That's pretty convenient for exactly the length of the high pressure hose; after that you're moving the machine and the bucket. Onboard detergent tanks allow you to easily drag the whole unit along. (Note how the tankless machine has twice as much hose.)

On the other hand, the onboard tanks are bolted to the machine and have no drain cocks. Unless you're planning on turning the washer upside down or sucking detergent out with a turkey baster any that you don't use is staying in there until next time. That's probably why they provide two separate tanks, so you can two different chemicals on board and just move the hose to switch.

If you need a highly mobile setup the tank is a nice touch. It's also good if you use the pressure washer for small jobs frequently. For example if you use it to knock mud off a tractor or dirt bike every week then having to refill the detergent tank every month or two beats getting out a bucket and the washer both every week. For everything else it's completely extraneous. Most of the time you probably won't even use a detergent.


Replacing wall sconce (that has on/off swtich) with ones that do not. Need options for control

You have options, they actually make smart light bulbs you can power on and off with an app, but beyond that you can always find a wall scone made of aluminum and drill out a canopy switch, connect it to the positive on the fixture and problem solved. More invasive would be snaking a 14/2 to a future switch box location, install both black and white to the switch (mark the white wire with black tape to prevent  accidents in the future. Then you need to connect the feed wire (the positive wire that carrys the power to the light) to one side of the new wire, and the positive going to the light fixture to the other side of the new wire. Hope this helps


Microwave not working, sparks and discharges near magnetron

Conclusion - it's probably wise not to try to fix this.  As suggested by comments, it's just going to be too dangerous and not economically feasible. I will scavenge the parts from the old microwave and buy a new one to replace it.


Off grid Solar What panel to use to distribute power to 2 locations Butte County California

The correct solution here is a smallish electrical panel

Were I in your shoes, I would have a small-ish electrical panel (8 or 12 space, 200A bussing) in the shed to provide a home for the service disconnecting means -- having rule-of-six shutoffs here due to the multi-building nature (presuming the garage is attached and the shed separate) of this system.  The inverter can feed a main breaker or backfed main in the panel for now, and when the house is ready, the main breaker can be removed, using main lugs to feed the panel and allowing separate shutoffs for the house and shed.

If you want a single-main-disconnect solution -- that's possible as well, using an 8-space 200A panel with feed-thru lugs (called a "mobile home panel" sometimes).  The main breaker is fed from the inverter, while the feeder to the house is tapped at the feed-through lugs, and the shed circuits fed from the panel breakers, or a subpanel on a feeder breaker there.


What is the cause of this short in the outlet receptacle?

The most likely explanation is that the screws were loose causing a poor connection, and arcing under load - evidenced by the fact that the base material has gone brown where it's been hot over a long period.
What happens in this case is that the contact surfaces slowly carbonize (so become higher resistance, and get hotter), and it gets progressively worse
You can see that the right-hand screw-terminal has actually moved because the plastic melted. I assume that it moved enough for the contacts inside to either come into contact or arc between themselves, and that's what tripped your breaker.
It's unlikely this will repeat itself, provided the new outlet has been wired correctly, but it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye on it for a few weeks, just to be sure. Also, as mentioned in the comments above, check the plug and replace if there's any evidence of damage.


Installing a dual switch from a single switch which powers two wall sconces

I think you misunderstand the design of the switch in the circuit.

A single pole switch in a circuit just makes or breaks a single wire. When it is off, one of the wires is a hot feed from the main panel and the other goes to the light. When you turn it on, it connects the two together and acts as if the wire was one continuous wire. That is why there is no white wire on the switch. Switching the white wire (neutral) is prohibited.

If you want to control the ceiling fan with a separate switch you will at least need one more wire from the switch location to sconce and on to the ceiling fan, along with the white from the switch location or sconce. (Or a wireless electronic switch could be used with a receiver at the fan location.)

Either way you need more than what you have available.


All water on the planet is under pressure of its own weight by gravity.

If there are shut off handles for both the input and output on the house-side of the hoses, then shut off the input and the shutoff where water enters the house.  Then turn on hot water in a sink.  That will relieve any air pressure in the system.

If there is only a shutoff for the hose going TO the water heater, then you won't be able to stop all the water in the hot water pipes above you from running down and making a mess if you don't drain them, THROUGH the water heater.

If it were me, I'd shut off the gas and drain the water.  It's not that hard.  It gives you a chance to clean the tank out.  If you end up having to move it it will be possible empty.


New light bulbs light up even when switched off

The box says NON-DIMMABLE.
You have a dimmer.

LEDs are different from incandescents.

With incandescent bulbs, you can leak a little current through a light and it doesn't matter. You can vary the current and it works fine.

With LED bulbs, a little current goes a long way. So a very tiny bit of current leaked through by a dimmer "nearly off" or for indicator lights/electronics to work when "off" is enough to cause a glow or blinking lights. A larger current in "dim" mode can cause blinking, buzzing or other problems.

  Why is there a buzzing sound when the bulbs work?

Many dimmers work by, essentially, turning the power on/off very quickly. With an incandescent bulb that works great - "all the power 1/2 the time" is basically the same as "1/2 the power all the time" - i.e., 1/2 as much light. With an LED bulb, special circuitry is needed to figure out that "all the power 1/2 the time" means "1/2 the light" and not "turn the light on/off every time the power goes on/off. Depending on the circuitry, a non-dimmable LED bulb can react by:

Turning on/off a lot == blinking
Not working at all
Buzzing as various components that were not designed to turn on/off very quickly end up turning some of that energy into vibrations.

Return the bulbs and get ones that are marked DIMMABLE.


You have either, too flat of a pitch in your roof or installed your roof tiles incorrectly. Just accept it and move on.

It's going to have to be redone. You would be wisest to tear it all out, then get someone who knows how to do it correctly in to do it. If you half-ass it now, it will just come back later, usually after causing structural damage for years.

Sorry, I know the truth hurts, but it's better you know now.


Definitely can be polished!

Step 1. Grind the flaking on the bottom with a 3"or 5"diamond cupwheel any grit will work. OR JUST CHIP AWAY WITH HAMMER AND SCREW DRIVER

Step 2. Use polishing grout or rock hard setting powder cement  and fill the porosity in the block with a 6 inch metal spatula. It may take 2 coats and let dry overnight.

Step 3. take a 100 grit polishing puck and with your hand smooth the block out. Once smooth use a lithium silicate densifier. I recommend endurapolish by H&C one gallon about $35. apply 4 -5 coats Since its porous.  Let dry 4 hours or overnight the longer the better but overnight is more than enough. This creates the hard surface that makes it possible to polish.

Step 4. Polish and Seal, Burnish
Polish with 400 ,800, and 1500 or even 3000 grit polishing pucks your choice. You may be satisfied with the 400 grit. Either by hand with a single 3" puck or with 5" polishing pad on a variable speed polishing hand grinder. Note if densifier will still absorb add coats between the stages of the polishing phase. Once satisfied with the mirror shine and look apply and Outdoors UV Penetrating Concrete Sealer preferably high shine or we look. Don't over do it just as apply one thin coat with a microfiber pad or rag. Let dry and burnish with a 5 inch 3000 grit burnishing pad on a hand grinder at a high speed at least 3000 rpms. Repeat as needed.


Can I add Suntouch floor thermostat to 20 amp breaker circuit with in-line GFCI outlets

Go ahead

You can attach the mat and thermostat to this circuit -- a branch circuit feeding receptacles in a single bathroom can feed any other outlet in that bathroom as per the Exception to 210.11(C)(3):

  (3) Bathroom Branch Circuits. In addition to the number
  of branch circuits required by other parts of this section, at
  least one 120-volt, 20-ampere branch circuit shall be provided to supply a bathroom receptacle outlet(s). Such circuits shall have no other outlets.

  Exception: Where the 20-ampere circuit supplies a single
  bathroom, outlets for other equipment within the same
  bathroom shall be permitted to be supplied in accordance
  with 210.23(A)(1) and (A)(2).

and 210.23(A)(2):

  (2) Utilization Equipment Fastened in Place. The total
  rating of utilization equipment fastened in place, other than
  luminaires, shall not exceed 50 percent of the branch-circuit ampere rating where lighting units, cord-and-plug-connected utilization equipment not fastened in place, or
  both, are also supplied.

If it provides its own GFCI, you can connect it to the circuit coming in.  Otherwise, you'll need to provide GFCI protection pursuant to 424.22(G):

  (G) Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection. Ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel shall be
  provided for cables installed in electrically heated floors
  of bathrooms, kitchens, and in hydromassage bathtub
  locations.

Last but not least, the thermostat should control the heating mat and only the heating mat.  Not only is it probably not rated for the entire load of the branch circuit, it'd be downright daft to thermostatically control the receptacles in the bathroom.  (Good luck with your hairdryer in that case!)


Best lock for side hinged wooden garage doors

On one door use an inside-only bolt into the ground or ceiling.
On the other side use a "Two point swivel lock" mounted vertically.   This does not require precise alignment of the two doors with each other, and it is much more secure because it uses the door frame and floor for security rather than just the two door edges.  I think it's easier to install and maintain, and I think it will look nice on your doors.   Pictured is a sample, just search for two point swivel lock.
If you want to create better vertical alignment between the doors, you can never rely on big wooden doors hanging from hinges. Add small teflon wedges, one fixed to the bottom edge of the door at the end farthest from the hinges, and the other fixed to the floor beneath it.  The two wedges should be just thick enough to meet and lift the door edge a millimeter or two so as to position it at a relatively precise height.  Then the misalignment will only be caused by vertical expansion of the outer door edge, not by all the other movements of the entire door.   You don't need to do this if you use the locking system I suggest.


Can I use 12AWG for my grounding pigtails of 14AWG?

Assuming you mean pigtails for use inside an electrical box, yes using 12AWG is fine. 12 is heavier gauge than 14, so generally wherever you use 14 you can use 12.

But you can also just make your own pigtails using a cut of wire from your roll of 14. It's not necessary to buy pre-cut pigtails. And since you can use 14 gauge you probably should, especially for pigtails where the lighter gauge will be easier to fold and tuck into the box.


Cannot determine which breaker has my 3 dead outlets on

It's possible that your GFCI outlets are mis-wired in a daisy chain.  What happened then is that when the cord cutting event occurred all the GFCI's on the circuit tripped.  While you found two there is likely another.

GFCI's must have a power feed to bevreset. If they are improperly daisy chained they must be reset "in order", as the first one provides the power feed to the next.  They can not be reset out of order.

If this is the case you can choose to live with the situation as it is and just "know" the secret to resetting them.  Another choice is re-wire the circuit so that the GFCI's are no longer daisy chained and each can be reset on its own accord.  If that route is taken the circuit should be carefully evaluated so that GFCI protection is not eliminated at a location requiring GFCI protection (such as that standard outlet in the garage that you mentioned in the question).


How can I safely remove an outlet from service?

There should be no problem with opening the box, removing the outlet fixture and then putting wire nuts on the ends of the wires. It may be necessary to straighten the wire ends and trimming slightly if the bare wire ends are too long to be nicely covered by the wire nut. Some folks go the extra step of wrapping the wire nut and the end of the wire with electrical tape.

After the wires are appropriately prepared fold them down into the electrical box and cover the box with an appropriately sized cover plate. The key here is to keep the electrical box cover accessible by not trying to cover it over with permanent building materials and finishing.


What are these brass spacers on a simple porcelain drawer pull called?

That item is known as a “knob base stem.”


OK to use fallen branch in garden without treatment?

If you mean using it as part of a planter, then it will rot just as Doresoom has explained. Even if you treat it, the wood hasn't been properly dried which will cause other problems.

If you're just using it as a divider on the ground I wouldn't worry about it rotting. The rot will just supply the soil with nutrients. Since it's untreated, it's also safe for gardens that are grown for human consumption, as treated lumber harbors harmful chemicals.

I don't believe it will cause termites problems as long as it's not against any buildings. It's also a good idea to make sure the garden is not too close to your house, as the moisture from waterings can attract pests and encourage rot.


Looks like KV shelving. Try KV #182. They come in various lengths and colors.


How do I wire a one lamp fixture with a two lamp ballast?

The first question would be - "What type of ballast do you have?" If you have an old style magnetic ballast or electronic ballast. Then you will not get the single light to work properly. If you have a new style electronic smart ballast, it has the ability to sense how many lights are connected to it and adjusts to the load and will work (this is a very laymen explanation). You simply connect up the lamp sockets (tombstone) with the red and a blue and wire nut off the other blue. Black and white wires are you line in (probably 120V) to the ballast. If you are still confused there is a wiring diagram on the ballast which can help you.

Good luck.

PS Make sure when you do this the power is off. If they are newer fixtures you may have a ballast disconnect it's probably orange.


Yes, you can sister 2x6 joists, but you have a few problems:

1) Code requires 40 lbs. per square foot live load plus dead load. 2x6 joists at 16” will span 12’ and support a floor live load of 40 lbs. per square foot plus a dead load of 10 lbs. per square foot. However, they need to be “Select Structural “ grade or better.

2) The existing plaster ceiling will crack with very little deflection from the weight of the floor. So, I’d isolate the floor load from the joists that support the ceiling plaster. In order to do that, the new joists need to be about 1/2” above the plaster, not attached to the existing joists and the top of the new joists needs to be 1/2” above the top of the old joists so when the new joist deflect the floor sheathing won’t touch the top of the old joists. (New 2x6 joists are going to be about 1/8” smaller so make sure you account for their size...)

Btw, the minimum ceiling height in a room is 7’, unless you have a sloping ceiling. Then a portion of the room can be under the 7’.

I’d add a couple of extra joists under the tub/shower too.

Btw, no waterbeds.


It looks like you have enough joint compound on that to sand it down already... but I can't be sure from a picture. Yes, if you are going to apply more joint compound (I like to call it mud), you should probably sand that, or at least use a damp towel to knock down the really rough spots.

If you aren't familiar with the right consistency, buy some fresh mud and compare your consistency.

Also, a couple more tips: don't scrape your putty knife (trowel or whatever) off into your bucket of unused mud, just throw it away, because inevitably, you will put little chunks of stuff back into the fresh joint compound, making it difficult to apply smoothly. And you generally want to apply joint compound in an upward motion whenever possible... it just helps.


fuse panel and sub panel replacement with no ground to be found

Yes the utility grounded conductor and your grounding electrodes are connected in your main service panel, if you use driven rods for your electrodes #6 copper is all that is needed from the rods back to the panel.


How can I put air conditioning into an apartment that doesn't allow window air conditioners

A portable air conditioner may work for you. It does need to get rid of the heat through a 4” tube that will have to vent out doors somehow. There will be condensate that will go into a container that will have to be emptied every so often. Maybe you can hide the 4” pipe.


What are the advantages of various bathtub materials?

Cast iron tubs are very heavy and expensive.  Rust is not a problem with cast iron tubs as long as the enamel top layer is intact (if you get a chip in it, you can get enamel repair kits).  My wife did not like the old cast iron tub in our bathroom because it was cold when standing in it during a shower and made bath water get cold fast.  Evidently she was not taking baths in the “cast iron method” which is to put super-hot water into the bathtub and allow the heat to transfer into the tub, this will cool the water down but keep it at a reasonable temperature longer (in theory at least, YMMV).

Enameled steel it basically a cheaper version of the cast iron, it is a lighter because the metal is much thinner. I doubt the “hot bath trick” described above for cast iron tubs will work in a steel tub.  Like cast iron tubs, you should not have to worry about a steel tub rusting or cracking.

Acrylic (plastic) tubs come in a different quality levels.  Some are really cheap, thin plastic that have the potential to crack over time (particularly if they are poorly supported/improperly installed).  However some acrylic tubs use thicker stronger plastic (often with fiber glass embedded for tensile strength) that are very sturdy.

I recently had to make this decision; we replaced our cast iron tub with plastic Kohler model.  I knew I did not want to lug a cast iron tub up to the 2nd story.  I thought about a steel tub but they are still 120-150 pounds.  I was worried about getting a cheap plastic one that would break so I settled on a $700 plastic Kohler tub that is pretty thick.


Should I take my deck apart to fix a 1/2" lean?

Without pictures and maybe a diagram of some kind it's impossible to give you exact advice, so I'll give you more general. Decking is something you want to last for years, and if done right will add value to your home. Done wrong at the beginning it is likely to get worse over time, and could detract from your property later.

It may be that you can fix the problems without that much effort, or it may be the only way to get it right is to take it apart completely, in which case that is what I'd do.

I would also urge you to get some local help whether it is from a pro or an experienced amateur. Pictures are good but someone with a good eye who can actually see the situation would be better placed to give you advice then this forum.


Your undersink setup is quite unusual.
Normally you wouldn't see three independent P-traps.

What's happening is that as your dishwasher drains its siphoning water out of the other traps. This allows sewer gasses to rise through the sink drains.

To correct this, have your undersink area replumbed to have only one P-trap with the other drain sources connecting before the single trap. For your dishwasher this is quite simple because your garbage disposal has a nipple where your can attach the dishwasher drain hose. This has two main benefits. The first is that it shares a P-trap as discussed. The second is that any solids end up first in the disposal, rather than directly down the drain. There is a plastic plug in the nipple that would have to be removed before using it.

It's likely that you code forbids you from connecting the dishwasher directly to the disposal without the use of an air gap. An air gap installs at the sink above the counter and, among other things, prevents backpressure on the waste line.


Why is the red (common) wire giving me a shock?

This is perfectly normal. One of the two travelers can be hot at all times if the switches are wired correctly.  Which traveler is hot depends on the orientation of the switches.

That said, you shouldn't touch any wire in a circuit box when the branch is live. If you happened to have provided a better ground path, someone else very well could have been asking if it was normal for the red wire to have killed you when you touched it.


How can I repair water damage to a hardwood floor under a washing machine?

If as @gbronner mentioned its just the surface layer, that's pretty easy to fix:  Scrape it clean, sand a bit, remove the dust, then apply poly.  I wouldn't necessarily recommend this in the middle of a living room floor, but in a laundry room, I at least am less concerned about the appearance of the floor.
But if those boards are soft in the middle, they definitely need to be replaced and since they are being replaced you should also take a look at the sub floor to ensure there was no permanent damage to what is underneath.  That said, If you have stopped the leakage you shouldn't have issues waiting for a contractor.

Please clarify the scenario we are working with here, surface damage or soft/rotted wood.  If you are interested in fixing it yourself, I would suggest getting us a picture of the layout of the room (dimensions, and where the damage fits within those dimensions).  We can  suggest a best course from there.


Well, look at the simple diagram below:

If one switch is stuck then the other will complete the on/off function, but if one of the parallel wires is broken then the symptoms will be similar. A multimeter to test what is happening would be my next move.

As my simple diagram seems to confuse people, here is a picture taken from this source which shows a similar circuit, but this only needs a single wire to go between the two switches...:

(source: Light Wiring Diagrams)


How can I find a stud from the exterior to mount service mast?

Plan A

Find an interior:exterior reference point... a window, electrical penetration, etc. on the wall in question.
Using a studfinder, or by examining baseboard nails and outlet locations, find a stud from the interior. You can often knock with your knuckles and determine to which side of an outlet the stud lies.
Measure from the stud to your reference point. If it's a window, measure to clear glass.
Outside, measure back from the same point.

Plan B

Gently release the bottom edge of one row of siding from its retention rib near the intended mount location.
Begin drilling small holes behind the loose siding at 1" intervals, just deep enough to reach framing.
Once you hit a stud, drill 1/2" left and right to find the rough center.
Take a measurement from a fixed point, such as the siding corner or a window.
Flex the siding back onto the retention rib.

No "exploratory holes" through your siding or wounds in your drywall are needed whatsoever here.


Thermopride OL5-85 oil furnace no longer works

Call a licensed oil burner service technician (or a company employing such technicians) and have the furnace inspected, then serviced or replaced. Typically your fuel oil supplier is also an employer of service technicians.

Likely normal servicing is all that is required; this is typically performed on an annual basis, rather than waiting until the furnace no longer works.

This really is not a prime area for DIY.


Toilet tank suddenly opened by itself and one of the toilet valve is extended beyond the toilet tank height. What should I do? Can I fix it by myself?

Looks like your fill valve extended.  They are adjustable in height, and there's usually a retaining ring or a screw mechanism to adjust the height.
I'd go buy a new fill valve kit at a hardware store.  you'll need to drain the bowl, unscrew the supply line from the fill valve and replace the fill valve in the toilet, but the instructions are generally provided in the kit.


Is it practical to glue stuff to tiles with hot glue?

I would use a two part epoxy for a permanent install.  The only way you're getting it off is to chip away the underlying tile.

Construction adhesive such as PL400 would also work.  It's used to glue concrete pavers together when building a wall. However, it can become brittle over time and break off.

If your attachments are ceramic as well, then the proper way to do it is to chip out a tile, and install the attachment using the same tile adhesive used to install the tiles.  Usually you can buy things like a soap dish sized properly for such an installation.


Railing placement and removable railing systems

To your question #1 according the the IRC, NO you have to have a railing on the open side of the stairway.

  SECTION R312
  GUARDS

  R312.1 Where required. Guards shall be located along
  open-sided walking surfaces, including stairs, ramps and landings, that are located more than 30 inches (762 mm) measured
  vertically to the floor or grade below at any point within 36
  inches (914 mm) horizontally to the edge of the open side.
  Insect screening shall not be considered as a guard.

  R312.2 Height. Required guards at open-sided walking surfaces, including stairs, porches, balconies or landings, shall be
  not less than 36 inches (914 mm) high measured vertically
  above the adjacent walking surface, adjacent fixed seating or
  the line connecting the leading edges of the treads.
  Exceptions:

  Guards on the open sides of stairs shall have a height
  not less than 34 inches (864 mm) measured vertically
  froma line connecting the leading edges of the treads.
  Where the top of the guard also serves as a handrail on
  the open sides of stairs, the top of the guard shall not
  be not less than 34 inches (864mm) and notmore than
  38 inches (965 mm) measured vertically from a line
  connecting the leading edges of the treads.

To your question #2:

There are plenty of handrail kits for sale online and in the big-box stores. Just google "stair rail kit" and you will find many to choose from.


Attach 2 wooden broomsticks to make one long broomstick

You can get long and/or extending poles usually sold for painting, but the standard screw on the end works for mops and brooms and accessories sold for such poles.  Some broom handles have the same screw socket in the end so they can be combined easily.

I have one made of fiberglass that extends to 20 feet. I used it for painting, and then for picking fruit, drying pasta, and any number of things.


No, because you have worse problems than that.

The situation of "LEDs make it fail/act weird, but even one incandescent fixes it" indicates only one thing: a powered switch of some kind, a dimmer, lighted switch, smart switch, motion sensor, something/anything like that.

Obviously, nothing like that should have any relationship whatsoever with your microwave, but the evidence is clear that it does.

And the problem is not as simple as identifying the smart device and changing it to a dumb switch.  Something is fundamentally, seriously wrong and dangerous with that circuit, this is just the "canary in the coal mine".

Also beware of multi-wire branch circuits -not that there's anything wrong with them if done right, but they are much more sensitive to being done wrong.

You might also change the breaker  to GFCI - it will help motivate you -- I mean will help detect faulty wiring.


How to fix detachment of counter top laminate

Laminate strips like that are often made of a material like the commercial product called Formica. The material was most likely originally installed with an adhesive called contact cement. This type of adhesive was painted onto both the strip and the edge of the counter top and let dry some before sticking the two parts together.

As you can see this type of adhesive can fail over time, especially when used on narrow areas like in your case. Unfortunately the presence of the old adhesive on both the strip and the counter top edge does severely limit the available choices of what you can use to re-adhere the strip. Epoxy would almost for sure not bond well with the old dried contact cement.

The best bet would be to use some stripper to remove the old contact cement before attempting a repair but that could be very difficult without removing the whole strip. It may be possible to apply an additional thin layer of new contact cement. It may soften the old adhesive enough that you can successfully rebond the end of that strip.


Connecting an Ice Maker hose directly to a tap

You need an adapter that will transition from your tap's thread to a compression thread.

Most (U.S.) refrigerators are equipped with 1/4" O.D. tubing which utilize 1/4" compression fittings. Your picture seems to show something larger than 1/4" O.D., my first guess would be 3/8" but if you are not in the U.S. I guess it could even be a metric size.

As for the tap size, I think it could be garden hose thread (adapter shown in top picture), or pipe thread (adapter shown in lower picture).

You will need to head to a good plumbing shop and describe your problem, bring along photos which include your measuring tape for scale.


Although it can' t answer the question for the best solution,
a fast, accurate  and very easy method for insulation simulation is offered on the site www.ubakus.com.
The very important parameters dew points,  moisture and drying time can be seen in seconds, thus disclosing any critical layer combination that could effect the health and damage the walls.
Maybe there is a subsidies program in Illinois - here in Europe some threshold values must be met in order to get public subsidies. And sometimes there is a jungle of different programs, offered by city, county, country - besides tax reduction. Here is a screenshot from another insulation question.


This should really be fixed from the outside first and an appropriate water barrier placed over the hole. If your only concern is closing the hole you could simply cut out a piece of plywood (mashed wood) to fit the whole and then use one or two small strips of wood to screw that piece into the surrounding wood. Something similar to the below:

Then fill the cracks with a foam. However, all this would do is seal the hole from any real air flow, but would leave a potential problem for leaks if any water was to get under the tiles. As such it is really recommended to get who ever fixed the tiles to come back and do things properly.


Prime/paint drywall ceiling in bathroom around ceiling light

Assuming you have a typical exhaust fan in operation, there's no concern. Cut drywall edges around electrical boxes are never treated. It would only be in severe moisture situations that you'd have a problem, and sealing the hole isn't the solution there anyway.


Can I use a single cable for cable rails?

I dont know how you would make curved channels. But anything short of installing pulleys in the posts I don't think the wires would be tight enough. With the codes 4" maximum opening the wires need to be extremely tight to prevent a child from spreading the wires apart.

Plus the turnbuckle and screw eye  contradicts the clean lines of the wire.


How do I remove the cistern lid that has been grouted in?

Yikes. That was a really bad idea on his part.
The first thing I would try is a grout saw. It's designed to grind the grout out without damaging the tile. Hopefully grout is your only obstacle.
If the tiles immediately above the tank are insurmountable, your next job will be to try and remove them. They are partial tiles and hopefully you can remove them by sawing the grout out and prying them up (they will probably break in doing so). Once the tiles are out, hopefully that solves the problem.


How do I wire a thermostat with an external 24V transformer?

Don't use an external transformer.  Find a way to run an extra wire from the furnace/air handler, and wire it as a proper C wire.


STOP!!!!
You have messed things up. Sorry to be blunt. But electricity is dangerous, so this is really a big deal.
Safety First
Turn off the breaker for this circuit. NOW! What you have described might be fairly benign, but you might have caused some parts of your electrical system to be "hot" that should not be.
Assuming you are in the US (if you are not, please say where you are as different countries have different color codes):

Neutral is white or gray and only needed on a switch if it has "smarts" of some sort (timer, dimmer, WiFi controls, etc.)
All other colors (except green/bare == ground, which you have handled correctly) are HOT or SWITCHED HOT.

Your new switch has a neutral connection? That implies it is something more than "just a switch". Not a dimmer (since you said so), but is it a "smart switch"? A timer? Something else special? In any case, the red wire is not neutral and should not be connected to neutral on the switch. If you actually need neutral then you need to find neutral - typically a bundle of white wires stuffed in the back of the box, but sometimes not in the switch box at all because old construction did not require neutral in the box.
Old switch: "2 black wires going into copper leads" - what does that mean? Was it two black wires connected together onto one wire or screw? If so, they likely need to be connected together to the "in" connection on the new switch. If they were two separate connections on the old switch then this is impossible to guess, but a 3 way switch is a possibility.
Pictures
A picture is worth a thousand words. Please upload pictures of the old switch (preferably showing model # if you can), the new switch (again showing model # if you can), and the switch box showing all wires as clearly as you can.


What is the cost of one percent efficiency on an oil heater?

Try this on for size:

Annual Oil Bill * Efficiency = Cost of Oil actually used for heating. (The rest is waste).

So on an annual bill of $1000, you are currently paying $650 for heat, and $350 out the chimney. (i.e. $650 is as low as you can go with a 100% furnace)

So, if you were to replace that with an 87.2% furnace, your annual cost would be $650/87.1% = $747, and there is about $100 waste. (Note! this is a savings of $250 per $1000 of Oil)

On the 86.1%, that's $650/86.1% = $755 for a difference of $8 per thousand of oil currently used.   At that rate, the new furnace would take 375 * (time in which you use $1000 of oil) to pay off the difference.

This analysis is based purely on BTUs produced at the burner.

Now, there are other factors, such as air flow and distribution which may significantly affect your oil use, and the bigger furnace may be more efficient in other ways.


To answer your question, the smallest sub panel you can find. You would need to use conduit and correct fittings for running wire. However, I wouldn't buy a sub panel for just one double poll breaker. Instead, since this is a sub panel we're talking about here, I would set up a two or three breaker sub panel. 1 or 2 for the lights and other outlets, and 1 for the RV outlet. For the RV outlet, if it is a 120V outlet, which I think it is, they make up to 50 amp single poll Square-D breakers. Although, you would need a 40 or 30 amp single poll. For the other breaker(s), I would use a 20 amp. Just a suggestion...


Are there optimal positions for A/C and heat register grills to be facing?

What a great question. I love questions that hit the sweet spot between a textbook, and the real world.

Textbook Physics says that you save energy by pointing the vent to blow to the room.

Real world physics says that blowing toward you better when the A/C is on, and to the wall when heating.

Personal preference is, of course, a personal decision.

In pratical terms, the personal decision is the right answer, I personally think, unless my wife does not agree with me.


Little bumps appearing where the staple went in for the 1/2" manufactured hardwood floor

Well, it turns out, the answer is I'm an idiot. I misread the guidelines and used the wrong gauge of staples.

As the result, I got this textbook description from the manufacturer:

  IMPORTANT: Be sure not to over-drive the fastener past the nail slot, this can lead to a condition known as a
      telegraphing fastener. A telegraphing fastener is the visible effect of excessive pressure being placed on the
      wood fibers which causes the appearance of a bump to occur just above the fasteners. This condition becomes
      most apparent when natural or artificial light reflects across the surface of the floor causing the bump to
      become visible to the eye. This condition can sometimes be difficult to see, so make sure to thoroughly
      examine the first few rows of flooring to make certain telegraphing does not exist. Johnson Premium Hardwood
      does not warrant against this condition since telegraphing fasteners are not manufacturing related. If you
      should encounter this condition immediately stop the installation and contact Johnson’s Technical Department
      and or the manufacturer of the nailer for technical advice. It is essential that the flooring installer make sure that
      the nailer/stapler is properly adjusted for the particular floor that is being installed i.e. the fastener(s) MUST
      enter the nail slot at the correct angle and height, do not over-drive the fastener(s) so as not to cause damage
      to the board e.g. telegraphing fasteners, broken or split tongues, peaking, squeaking, or crackling noises to
      occur.

I'm redoing it -- 3 day - $600 lesson learned. Read more carefully....


what material could I use for a mirror that allows light to pass through

What you are looking for is a so-called "one-way mirror" (Wikipedia). This is actually a partly transparent mirror: if the back is dark, it looks like a mirror but if the back is lighted sufficiently, that is seen through.


How to remove these nails (no access to head)?

Grab them with a locking plier and bend them back and forth a few times. They'll fatigue and snap off. Or use a rotary tool with a cutoff wheel. Then use a nail set to drive them below flush.


Best way to attach a steel t-beam to a wall?

T-beams can be connected to walls by welding a flat plate onto the end of the T-beam, drilling holes in this endplate, and then bolting through those holes onto the wall.

Alternatively, brackets can be bolted to both the wall and the beam. Example of a simple connection. Example of a full moment connection. (Both examples are for I-beams, but the principle is the same.)

In your situation, it appears you are talking about significant structural works (i.e. you are talking about walking on the platform). The idea of a DIYer attempting this worries me significantly. If you don't know methods for connecting a T-beam to a wall, I suggest you are unlikely to know how to correctly size the T-beam, or design a sufficiently strong connection. I advise you to consult a structural engineer.


This is really a subjective question, as every person has a different tolerance for risk and "ickyness". Mice can carry bacteria that cause respiratory ailments, and the notion of feces in one's home is unpleasant.

Personally, I'd vaccuum all hard surfaces with a HEPA filter installed and call it a day. The bits in the attic insulation are there to stay unless you were to completely replace it, and that's a fool's errand, in my opinion. It's likely that there will be more at some point anyway, and if anyone is in the attic they should be wearing respiration protection.

Good luck.


What size conductors would I need for a 10 ft. extension cord for a plasma cutter?

When it comes to extensions used for welding and high current draw, I would not factor the cord size based on amp draw alone. Essentially the biggest problem you will face is heat generated within the cord. This is increased if you keep your cord rolled up whilst using it (the electromagnetic effect leading to an induction field). What I am saying is that when I use the welder for long periods of time, my cable gets hot, and as a result the rubber gets soft, any time I bump or kink the cord there is an increased chance of a breakage.