When you pulled the Neutral wire off of the N bus, did you turn the breaker off first? I suspect that you did not, which would explain the arcing.
You are correct about the error in wiring of the existing GFCI breakers; the pigtail (squiggly) white wire goes to the N bus of the panel, the load neutral wire goes to the N terminal of the GFCI breaker. They essentially bypassed the GFCI sensing of any L-N faults. This is indicative of the work having most likely been done without a permit and inspections. If you just moved in, you should take a look at your disclosure forms and if the previous owner stated that all work was done with permits and inspections, they either lied or you have terrible inspectors... If they lied, you should be able to go after them for the cost of having a licensed electrician come out and inspect the entire system for any other errors and make any corrections.
If your outlet is already a GFCI, you do NOT need to have the breaker be a GFCI too. One or the other, not both. It's good that you discovered this problem, but you didn't need to do this project in the first place.


What is third tube on Insinkerator Instant Hot water dispenser for?

Its a vent for the expansion tank. This tank allows the water in the stainless tank to expand, but also allows the hot water in the line between the dispenser and the tank to drain back down when you turn off the dispenser so you don't get a plug of cold water when you first open the valve.

When you open the valve on the counter, pressurized cold water flows through the left inlet and into the bottom of the tank through a tube inside the tank. This forces hot water out the center outlet. When you release the valve, the hot water in the line between the dispenser and tank gravity feeds back down and fills the expansion tank through the gray tube. Where the 1/8" tube tees into the left inlet, there is a venturi, which, when pressurized water flows through the inlet, it creates a vacuum on the 1/8" line, sucking water out of the expansion tank and back into the stainless tank. Once the water in the expansion tank is sucked out, a floating ball comes down and blocks the hole in the bottom of the expansion tank, which prevents air from being sucked into the tank, which would blow bubbles and cause the dispenser to sputter.


How can I tighten nut under kitchen sink

You can buy a cheap set of tubular spanners/wrenches designed for exactly that

The slot only tightens the stud in the tap


How can I safely extend my surge protector's cable?

If I understand correctly:

You have a surge protector that has an F type plug on it. This plug has a ground connector, but currently the ground is not in use, because you are plugging it into a K type receptacle (a receptacle that's compatible for the power pins but which doesn't have the right connections for ground).
You would like to extend the cord. As an added benefit, you would like to make the ground connection, and feel that replacing the cord with one that has a K type plug on it would solve both problems at once.

Depending on the construction of the surge protector, this is probably "fine". Your challenges will be finding a cord of the appropriate length with the plug you want, and opening the surge protector to change the wire. If the surge protector uses screws for the case, opening it should be straightforward. If it's glued, as some cheaper-built ones would be, it's probably not worth the effort.
Inside the surge protector you may find that the cord is soldered, or it may be attached with screws. If the latter, replacement is very easy. If the cord is soldered, that could be harder; high-current wires are soldered with higher-temperature solder and with a larger amount of solder, which means a normal hobbyist soldering iron might not work that well. I've managed to deal with those kinds of connections, but it's a pain and is messy (I'm not that skilled at soldering, and it's easy to overheat neighboring components, circuit board, etc. in the process of trying to disconnect the old cable and solder back on the new one).
I wouldn't do any of that.
For your situation, I would instead just use an extension cord. You want something heavy-duty, with 12 gauge wire, not a light-weight lamp cord extension. With an appropriate-sized extension cord, there will be no problem at all.
I don't know what the types of extension cords available in Denmark are, but given the mix of outlets in the country, it's possible you can find an extension cord with an F receptacle end, and a K plug, solving both problems at once.
If not, then surely there are electrical adapters available which can convert the F plug to a K plug, which you can use in conjunction with the extension cord to provide the added length and the ground connection you want.
That will be just as safe, and doesn't involve having to modify the surge protector at all. It's not quite as pretty, but there are fewer opportunities to mess things up. To me, that makes it a much preferable solution. :)


If I have a firepit on my screen porch, how high does the ceiling need to be?

Every place I've lived has city or state laws that prohibit this. In Virginia, the law says no open fires (exludes bonfire which is 50') within 25' of a structure.. So, don't do this.

If you are intent on continuing anyway, sketchy, unproven advice can be read below...

Ten feet clearance above the flame would be needed. Wood fires can reach over 2000 F (bonfires) and more typically are a bit over 1000 F in normal fire pit use; wood's flash point is at 572 F.

You can greatly mitigate the clearance by using things like a metal hood (think stove top hood, but bigger) or even a metal sheet dropped below the trusses several inches for airflow. I don't know of any exact designs for this, but you can probably simulate this fairly easily with a piece of paper on a large metal sheet over the fire; if the paper catches fire (451 F flash point) within 4 hours, it would be too close.

However, the bigger problem is the smoke. It will be an issue in a semi-enclosed space. I think a hood can greatly help, but the reality is that gas fireplaces are used in these scenarios as the temperature is quite a bit lower and it burns clean. This is the proper solution to your problem.


Is DIY water softener feasible with my house layout?

Yes, a DIY is feasible, provided you don't want whole-house soft water, just soft "hot water".  The valve is for your cold water intake (a safety feature that should be on all water heaters), and you'll cut that line and rework it into your water conditioner, taking the outlet of your conditioner back into your water heater cold inlet.  You'll keep a cold cut off valve (but probably not the same one), placing it between the wall and your water conditioner.

If you want your cold water to be soft too, you need an exterior softener between the house and the whole house cut off valve.  I'd recommend avoiding DIY for an exterior job, as fixes are more complicated if things go wrong.

Even though it is feasible, there are many reasons you might not want to do this job:

It's water, and good PVC joints are made with dry pipe.  This means a lot of drying is involved, and rework of mistakes take a long cycle of shut off water, remove, dry, add, turn on water, test (and hopefully not repeat).
Some jurisdictions permit water heater work as DIY, some require a permit, some require a licensed plumber.  It's not fun getting fined if you are discovered to be on the wrong side of your city's, county's, state's code.  Permit doesn't mean no-DIY, but it does mean committing to a DIY that passes code.
Should things go wrong, you don't have the convenience of someone else's insurance / wallet / time to effect the repairs.  One example of something going wrong might be breaking the in-wall pipe attempting to rework the cold water line.  Depending on where the break is, you might be DIY'ing drywall too.
This kind of work seems easy and fast, but often it takes more time than expected.

If you've rebuilt a toilet, installed a sink, and fixed an AC drain line, you're primed to replace a water heater, and are primed to do this job.  If you've replaced a water heater, this is not more difficult, but there are more cuts and bends involved.  If this is your first plumbing DIY it's still within the realm of feasibility for some (demeanor, etc.) while it could be a very challenging DIY for most.  If you're on the fence try draining, flushing, and filling your water heater to get a taste of about 1/4 the work.

Good installations have wall mounted pipe, good hoses for where they are required, and a good (tested) drainage system to catch the leaks and spills for canister changes.


As requested,,,,It is hard to say how deep to dig down. When houses are built the contractor levels the ground and fills in shallow spots (much of the time). The trick is to dig down below the top soil it may be deeper. I usually find 6-8" gets me below the top soil but there have been a few that were closer to 18". I back fill the hole with crushed quarry and pack it so there is close to 1/2 the pier block above the ground level (home owner inspection flags if the post are within 6" of earth ). I live in Oregon so your inspection rules may be different. don't use crushed river rock as it really never locks – Ed Beal Apr 29 at 13:05   delete


I would go to bicycle shop and get the rubber that goes around the handle bar for mounting lights and accessories or handle bar tape.

Or just use rubberized electrical tape.

Just so this is an actual answer to the question

"What is the grommet called for a pipe clamp?"

That would be a Pipe clamp grommet or pipe clamp cushion.

Perhaps this pipe strap dampener strip will work.

Oooohhh i got it. Cush-a-strip !

Help i cant stop.   Tico clamp strip.


Lawn mower runs for a few seconds then stops

There are so many variables that can keep a small engine from running properly. The best way to find the exact cause of a "no-start" issue is to ensure that the engine has the four necessary things for it to run: fuel, compression, spark and air. If any one is missing or inadequate the engine won't work.   Since it runs, but then stops you can you can assume the plug is igniting the fuel. Check the tank for particles blocking the fuel line, check the gas cap vent for blockage, and clean the air filter. If the gas has been sitting with no Sta-bil preservative the fuel may have crystallized in the carburetor which would mean a disassembly and a soaking in a bath of parts cleaner. Add fresh fuel before re-starting.  Pull the plug and place your thumb over the cool engine plug port. Pull the starting cord on the exhaust stroke the pistons' force should be felt. If not you may need piston rings.


Can I remove one side frame of the cabinets above the refrigerator?

Long and boring, but the proper way...

You will have to see how the cabinet is fastened. If it is screwed on the sides to the "walls" of the housing then you need to remove it before removing the "walls"

If the cabinet is screwed on the back- to the actual wall (even id it has side screws) then empty it out completely and you should be able to safely detach the wooden "wall" you want to move.

In this case you will need pad out the extra space in-between the cupboard and wooden wall you are moving with another piece of wood that will fit. You need 3" inches.

A nice way would be to pad both sides of the cabinet with 2" thick pieces of wood to give you an extra 4". Painting it white will make it look like it should be there.

Then you need to screw from inside the right side of the cabinet through the padded wood into the wood of the existing cupboard -- but not so the screw comes out the other side. You need to measure precisely the length. screw in each corner and centre. Then put the left wall back in and screw from the left side inside the cupboard the same again.

You obviously have a problem with the light switch. IF you got enough space inside you could make a square opening in the side "wall" that you are moving and put the switch in there. The wires will be behind the fridge any way - just insulate them with some flex plastic pipe for wires.

The light switch will have to get moved to something similar like this. You can mount it flush /countersink it into the wall you are moving. The biggest problem is cutting out the hole to the correct size. You can go larger but you cant shrink. So be careful and try to fit it several times.

It is not an easy undertaking- but I would not do it any other way.

If you cant be bothered ...

If you cant be bothered doing it the right way. Then put several wall bolts in the back of the cupboard in the corners and centres. Then remove the left "wall" and put your fridge in.

But this will NOT work if you have a drywall behind the fridge.


Centering new construction windows in CMU rough opening by notching rough opening and inserting nail fins in notch.... Doable?

Your idea is workable although you may need to cut off all of the flange on one side, if not both sides. A window that wide that you mention is wider than that when it is placed in the opening at an angle to insert one side into the groove you refer to. The top flange, the really important one should fit between the lintels over the opening.

When you specify a window going into a masonry opening to the window supplier, they will be able to direct you to the proper procedure for that type of install. It requires a clips, 3 on each side to the to the window for the holding of the window securely in place. These clips screw to the window jamb, and extend to the inside of the rough opening so the extended end can be attached to the block. You can use concrete screws for this. Drill the pilot holes no closer than 1 1/2" from the corners so they don't break out.


Ist it possible to fix aluminum tubing in a freezer?

You've already let out the magic smoke (refrigerant). It's not enough to just fix the tubing, you have to replace the refrigerant.

This isn't something you can do yourself. You'll have to call a refrigerator repair service that is qualified to work with refrigerant.

Note that the cost of repair may exceed the replacement cost of the freezer.


Grounding rod required, detached garage?

Yes, you will need grounding rods in addition to a wired ground wire in the feeder.

You need 2 grounding rods at least 10' apart.

Do not use a 60A panel in the garage; they have too few spaces in them to be useful.  Use a panel with at least 16 spaces; it costs very little more and you'll want the spaces later.  The size of the main breaker in the garage panel does not matter, since the 60A breaker at the far end will decide the matter.  You need some size of main breaker, because you need a local disconnect switch - and that's the cheapest way to do it.

As far as going 120V instead of 240V, I think that's false economy.  You still need to run hot, neutral and ground.  The other hot is only one more wire - but doubles your capacity.   So crimping yourself down to 120V is false economy.

Speaking of false economy, nothing busts me up more than seeing someone scrimp on a tiny panel or bring out only 120V service "on the logic of saving money", and then turn around and spend a fortune on copper wire because they heard aluminum was ooga-booga.  All that's wrong.  What you should do is get a big panel, run 240V and use aluminum wire to save money. Aluminum at these large sizes is fine, and always has been. The lugs are aluminum, for Pete's sake.


1)
According to NEMA Florida has adopted the 2008 version of the National Electrical Code. The 2008 version requires AFCI protection on all 120 volt 15 and 20 ampere circuits supplying

Family rooms
Dining rooms
Living rooms
Parlors
Libraries
Dens
Bedrooms
Sunrooms
Recreation rooms
Closets
Hallways
Or similar rooms and areas

National Electrical Code 2008
Chapter 2 Wiring and Protection
Article 210 Branch Circuits
I. General Provisions
210.12 Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection.
(B) Dwelling Units. All 120-volt, single phase, 15- and
20-ampere branch circuits supplying outlets installed in
dwelling unit family rooms, dining rooms, living rooms,
parlors, libraries, dens, bedrooms, sunrooms, recreation
rooms, closets, hallways, or similar rooms or areas shall be
protected by a listed arc-fault circuit interrupter,
combination-type, installed to provide protection of the
branch circuit.

2)
I'd assume the laptop is not powered directly by line voltage, and that there's some form of electronics between the wall and the laptop. This circuitry should be enough to stop any noise from reaching the breaker. Though it could be something in the circuitry that is causing the problem, if it's not functioning properly.

3)
You didn't mention whether you're unplugging the laptop from the charger, or the charger from the wall. Unplugging the laptop from the charger, should not cause any problems with an AFCI. Unplugging the charger from the wall, could generate a spark (arc) which the AFCI could interpret as dangerous.


Should I smooth out or apply knockdown texture after popcorn ceiling removal?

If you're approaching this from a diy perspective, smooth ceilings require more skill and are more time consuming, as the mud job has to be better. (Think 2/3 coats with sanding between.) The mud job under texture can be a little more rough and still produce decent results. (Chances are you could do one touch up coat after scraping and be done.) Texture requires 1/2 day rental of a compressor, hopper, and mixing drill. The rest of the necessary tools are similar. Texture isn't hard to shoot, but you will need to plastic off all walls/floor. (Do this before you start the rental clock ticking.) One of the joys of texture is that if you do a really crappy job, you take it off before it dries and do over.

So, long story short, texture easier and faster but slightly more expensive in terms of pure outlay. (But not if time is money -- then it's much cheaper.)

If you opted for smooth ceilings with textured walls, that'd look fine.


How to add a secondary circuit breaker, limited to cutting a single appliance

You can achieve this with 'home automation'.

What you're trying to do is called 'load shedding'.  It's not a common task in a residential setting, but it can be accomplished with home automation technologies.

There are z-wave devices to measure current with an amp clamp, and to control appliances in a split-phase (biphase) set.

You would get one amp-clamp and instal it in the panel, measuring current accross your feeder wires.

Then you install one of those relays at each appliance that you want to be able to shed.

You also will need to purchase or build a controller box that talks to both the amp clamp and the relays.  MiCasaVerde is one choice I've worked with personally and I bet it could do what you want.

Then the fun part.  You get to write a program that runs on the head-end to constantly measure amperage draw and controlls the relays accordingly.

Be careful that you don't create some loop that rapidly toggles the relays though.  At high amperages, I could see that being a nuisance to adjacent units (power blinks) or worse case you could overheat and set one of the relays on fire from the arcs that switching causes.

Good Luck!  And remember to share your code and parts list here once you've got this working.


Did I make a major mistake on my garage shelves?

"Structural" applies to load-bearing walls and the like. I think you're safe. From what i can tell in the picture, unless you're storing engine blocks on them, you should be fine.


Yes, there's suction cups made just for that. They stick to the front glass and let you turn the bulb.

Just google for "gu10 suction cups".


Wall sound proofing - hanging rows of sound proof "curtains"

Sound isolation foam doesn't work like that. It's designed to remove reverb, not block sounds. What you want are "soundproof curtains". These are designed to be heavy curtains that can actually block sound. Basically anything else with mass will have similar effects, but these are a good way to block off the entire wall. You mount them the same way you would mount regular curtains, though with more attention paid to weight. If you have a bunch of books, sticking your bookcases against that wall would also help.

Doing this correctly basically involves opening up the wall and decoupling your apartment from your neighbor's. I'll assume that isn't an option.


Can a surge protector prevent nuisance AFCI breaker trips?

The job of AFCI is to protect the house from series or shorting arc faults, which cause fires.

The main reason AFCI breakers are required today is because so many houses are built with backstab connections to switches and receptacles, and those so often fail in a series arc fault mode.

Keep in mind, the builder's electrician is the one who wired the place.  So the last thing he's going to say is "it's tripping because I used backstab connections when wiring your house because I was in a hurry, and one is failing as they often do.  Sure, I'll do a go-back and spend two hours taking apart all your receptacles and moving the wires to the screws, or fitting the $3 receptacle instead of the 60 cent one".

That said, it can also be a failing appliance.  However if you move the appliance to a different AFCI protected circuit, this circuit will stop tripping and that circuit will start.


Tabletop saw stops midway through chipboard

Examine the blade disk to see if it has become gummy or coated with resin. You may have to remove the blade and scrub it clean.

If the saw is not new the blade may be quite worn and need replacement.

The teeth of a saw are bent slightly to the side (usually every other tooth to each side) to make the cut wider than the saw blade. Sometimes a saw blade can seem sharp but the projections formed by the bent teeth are worn down, making the cut too narrow.


How to screw the edge of a sheet of drywall where there is no stud directly behind it?

Unfortunately you are past the point where you could have installed a stud in that corner as a nailer. What you are saying is that you have unsupported drywall butting into the corner now. You certainly can try a longer screw, but be careful not to bend the drywall as the screw tightens. There is going to be a tendency for that corner to wave if you screw it to wall "B" diagonally. Can you still remove that piece of rock and put in even a small 1 1/2 X 1 1/2 nailer, then reinstall the drywall?

Regardless, use fiberglass tape in this corner if unsupported and the seam will have less tendency to crack. I can almost guarantee the corner will crack if you use paper tape.

I really think you should take the time to install a corner nailer now. It may take a couple of hours to fix the situation, but that is better than  looking at a cracked, wavy corner after you have invested your time and money, knowing that you could have done right the first time.


What kind of lock set do I need for this door?

need to install a door knob and latch on this old interior door

If you really need to do it, stop screwing about and drill the door for a standard modern lockset. You should be able to purchase the hardware and the lock/latch set at any decent window & door shop. They will lend/rent a jig to make it a simple job.


Ok Guys

Realized the error of my ways

I had the humidity setting on 40%, once changed to a starting point of 90% (as read on another forum) the fan switched of after a short time.

Put a bit of steam in front of it and it tunred back on, which is how I wanted it, so all good now.


You CANNOT move the overhead line to underground. Everything from the enclosures, attachments, and the cable itself are different. Basically you'd have to remove the overhead line and associated parts and re-do the run with conduit (or direct bury). Where or not you can use the existing panels and such would need to be determined on site.

In my strong opinion this is not something for a casual DIYer. This is only something for a someone with a good bit of experience in this type of work.

With only knowing you will be running a welder it is impossible to accurately say what wire to use. Personally, with a home shop you'd almost certainly be fine with a 90-100A feeder. You can use 100A MHF cable (mobile home feeder) which is readily available anywhere. IMO anything smaller isn't worth it in the long run.
One thing, due to the length of the run, you may want to drop the feeder breaker to 70A to curb voltage drop. Again, this all depends on what will be used at the same time.


What you have done is connected the LED lights in parallel to the switch. This way, when the switch is on, the LEDs are shorted out and power flows to the pot lights. When the switch is off, you end up effectively with the LEDs and the pot lights in series. Because the LEDs are so low power, the power flows through the pot lights without giving them enough power to visibly light.

Check your switch box to see if there is a neutral wire there (probably white if you’re in the US). If so, you can connect the LED driver between that and one side of the switch. If you don’t have a neutral wire there, you’ll need to run a cable from a pot light to the LED driver. Connect it in parallel with the pot light.

One more comment. I’m assuming that the LED driver board is not designed to be in a junction box. Doing what you’re doing is probably against the electrical code (at least in the US) and could be dangerous, especially if the board shorts out to the box. If this causes a fire, your insurance may have grounds to not pay, or at least to drop you afterwards.


How can I smooth rough latex paint before repainting

USG All Purpose joint compound sticks to shiny surfaces. you have to lightly sand the wall first only to prevent bubbling. All Purpose compound has glue in it. It stuck perfectly to my semi-gloss walls. I know this post is old but if anyone else comes by I wanted them to know. I got my information directly from USG


2018 IBC code requirement for tempered glass windows (safety glass)

No, it is not acceptable to use non-tempered glass, because the “seat” area is within 18” of the floor.

The Code doesn’t say the window sill must be directly above the walking surface or if it could be recessed (like a window seat), etc.

Plus, you don’t want to put family and friends in jeopardy by having them next to such a hazardous situation. (What If a child walked along the seat?)

Btw, this code requirement requires the homeowner to change immediately. It is not “grandfathered” in as compliant. (There are 2 items in the Code that require the homeowner to up grade immediately: 1) tempered glass, and 2) smoke detectors.)


Splitting a Water Heater Gas Line to Connect Gas Dryer

You need to check with local code enforcement. I suspect they will want you to explain how you know your gas line will supply enough gas flow (in BTU/h) to supply both appliances simultaneously.

Then I think the code will require you to use black iron gas pipe in separate lines to individual cut off valves for each appliance. Probably you could leave the existing valve in place, use an adaptor, and place a black iron Tee there leading to two individual valves. Then at those point connect the light, flexible corrugated supply lines.

I don't think code enforcement will allow the light corrugated supply lines to have a Tee in them.

There is a special type of (yellow colored and thicker) Teflon tape for gas connections. Also there is pipe dope designed for gas connections.


Ryobi 18v. Lithium says fully charged but no energy

The classic fix for electronics that have been dunked in water is to put the item in a sealed plastic bag with a bunch of uncooked rice for at least a few days. The rice will draw the moisture out of the electronics, and you might get lucky.

Alternately (and I have no personal experience with this), it seems like Ryobi has a good warranty policy. If the rice doesn't work, you might try that route.


What considerations do I need to make when mounting heavy objects on plaster walls?

Your task is to find the studs..

Electronic versions of stud finders abound, plaster is difficult for most of them. I have a 1/2 dozen of them..  I keep hoping.  The problem with plaster is the lath used to support it. The lath can be a variety of materials: wood strips, metal mesh and even pasterboard.  All of these materials are attached to the studs and THEN the plaster is coated over the lath. Two newer scanners aimed at professional use Milwalkee scanner    Bosch scanner  .  They both will detect electrical wires and some pipe, but you are on your own for proper interpretation.

One technique is to verify stud location is via drilling a short depth (not more than an inch to verify a stud)

Drilling in plaster: masonry bits or ceramic tile bits are the best to use to cut through the plaster with fewer cracks.  Driving nails is a plea for cracks.  The drill diameter should match the screw diameter, to not place stress on the plaster.  The actual screw holding will be done by the stud.

Once a stud is located, wood screws should be imbedded 1/2" or more, depending on the weight.  The earlier comment regarding a "buffer" board spanning the area is a good one, especially if the place you want to attach is between studs.

Finally, patching small cracks is not hard, use Durabond setting joint compound to mimic plaster.


Best product/method to repair pictured cracks in driveway

You typically don't repair something like that. It's likely very unstable, and any rigid repairs will quickly disintegrate. If you are limited by logistics or budget, consider a flexible skimcoat overlay to mask the damage and bring it to a rough level. Specific product recommendations are off-topic (and I don't have any anyway).

Really, the corners (or entire sections) should be cut out, and new concrete poured.


If you run two feeds into one panel, the current will flow through the lower resistance path. You will end up tripping the 20 A overcurrent limiter.

If you want to supply 50 A to your tiny house using a 30 A feed (the RV connector) and a 20 A (you don't specify 120 or 240 V) feed, divide your loads into two, and install two separate subpanels.

You may find you can run the entire home off a 30 A feed. 7200 VA is a substantial amount of power.


Chances are you have a bad switch so the question is how good are you at taking things apart and then putting them back together?

My first step would be to check out the warranty from the manufacturer and from the store where you purchased it. They usually have very good customer service where tools are concerned but if you try to fix it first, you'll void any warranties.


What limits the number of skylights you can put in a room?

There is no structural reason why you cannot put skylights between each truss.

As long as you don't interfere with the trusses themselves, all you're doing is replacing the weight of the roof and shingles for the weight of the skylights.

You may, however, find that the skylights themselves make the idea difficult, as they are likely to have fairly wide flanges on either side to help avoid water penetration.  Those flanges are likely to get in each others way for a side-by-side install.

However, in a side-by-side install, you could cut them down and set one on top of the other, just be sure to very fully seal the entire seam where the flanges are cut.


How can I reattach a drain pipe that detached under the sink?

It appears from the video the sink bottom connection is assembled wrong. From top to bottom you should have sink, rubber gasket, metal flat washer, brass nut. This or the P-trap connection do not need to be super tight, firmly snug should be enough. If the connections leak when snug, the gasket or sealing ring is likely damaged, or possibly their mating surfaces are not clean and smooth.

More disturbing is you say drain/popup detached from the sink when you were fussing with the P-trap? This should not be possible. If it did happen, the drain/popup is broken and needs to be replaced. This is not something you could have done alone, it was ready to break anyway. The flange you see when standing over the sink is part of this assembly, the large nut underneath sort of clamps the sink between the rubber gasket and this flange. The drain/popup is normally installed by dropping it in from above. If it came out from the bottom it is broken.


A common cause for this problem is failure of the fan unit in the back of the freezer compartment that circulates the air inside the refrigerator/freezer. You would want to determine if this fan is still working properly.

Note that the fan is typically hidden behind a plastic panel and not directly visible. Exact details regarding how to access and remove the fan will vary according to the make and model of your refrigerator.


Running multiple 12/2 through a single box connector

Short answer is: Yes, you can do that as long as the clamps are labeled or markedly for multiple cables.

If you are extending them to another panel, why not use the old panel as a junction box? You would just need a sheet metal cover for the old panel.


If you swapped out the thermostats with the power on, you could have shorted out the transformer. Best case is a blown fuse, worst case is a blown transformer. Do you have a C wire at the thermostat? If so, test AC voltage (VAC) between R and C.  You should get between 24 and 30 volts.

The furnace breaker should be in the main panel, or there will be a servicemen switch near the furnace. If a fuse is blown, it will be on the control board inside the furnace.


It sounds like you have blocked the pressure going to the pressure switch, if the valve is opened and your pump shuts off you will need to relocate the valve or pressure switch so the pump will shut off.


Venting for a single exhaust Portable AC

I had this issue in an old office of mine which which was a room we subleased from an architect who apparently didn’t believe in air conditioning.
As you have observed, single pipe portable AC units create negative pressure in a room because they use the conditioned air from the room to cool the condensing coil which is then expelled from the room.
I identified the grill on the unit that was pulling in the conditioned air to cool the condensing coil and made a plenum out of cardboard which I taped to the unit, and ran a duct from this plenum to pull air  from outside the room, which balanced the pressure.
If you do this, make sure that your intake is below your exhaust so that you’re not pulling the hot exhaust back into the unit.
After the first day of using my modified 2 pipe system, the temperature of my office dropped 15°F!


Powerline network adapter upstream of GFCI outlet

GFCIs don't care about anything happening on the LINE side.  On the LINE side, GFCI can't influence anything.

The dominant feature of a GFCI is a current transformer.  Hot and neutral are wrapped around a core, in the same direction so their (opposite flow) currents cancel out the magnetic field.  If not, current is leaking somewhere else. Trip!  Of course this is also a toroid/choke.  Signal can't get through that.

Since this is a GFCI's core design, there is no such thing as a signal-friendly GFCI.

Your solution will be fine.  I would push out the junction box to a 2-gang and put the plain receptacle and GFCI right next to each other.  Feed the outlet first, then the GFCI.  Then feed outdoor receptacles from the GFCI's LOAD terminals.  That way the outdoor outlets will be protected, but the GFCI will be indoors where it will last.  GFCI's do very badly outside.


I would remove the hinge pins and unmount the door. Once removed, the hardware should be visible to remove the bolt assembly.


Replacing fascia board: what kind of contractor?

I would actually recommend a handyman first.  There are gutters, carpentry, and painting involved and handyman should be adept at the disassembly required, the carpentry, and painting required.

A siding contractor might work as well, but they probably would not paint and may not want to mess with the gutter.

A gutter company would be my last choice as I suspect most would not consider such a repair in their scope.

I would NOT recommend a roofer due to the carpentry and painting.


Does it matter how the chuck on a drill is set when it is stored?

Doesn't make a major difference. The chuck is a rather precise thing and dust, sand and moisture which are all bad for the chuck will get into in regardless of how open it is.

Only one thing comes to mind: when the chuck is getting closed the jaws extend out of the chuck and so there's greater chance that they accidentally catch on something and scratch or damage that, but that's an unlikely edge case.

I'd say the most important thing is that once you open the chuck so such extent that the jaws don't extend from the chuck body anymore the chuck and the whole drill get shorter and that's quite useful both for storage and for transportation - takes less space in the bag, has less chances to scratch or pierce stuff. I've never faced any real problems because of having a drill chuck left in "wrong" position for storage.


You can purchase a cheap tone and probe at harbor freight for less then $25. I have one and it works great. Harbor freight calls it a cable tracker, fyi


How to tell if lightly clogged shower drain has a venting problem?

One option is to get a camera or find a plumber who has a camera that can feed it into the drain to actually see what the issue is.

Another if you're concerned the problem is the vent is to go on the roof and snake the vent.

The issue could be anything from an object that went down the drain lodged in the pipe that the snake goes by without clearing to roots which will grow back over time.


I have the identical problem. It wouldn't be practical to try and alter the slope. You'd need a significant quantity of material, it would need to be expertly applied, and it will have a tendency to pop loose over time.

I plan on cutting in several trough drains in strategic locations. They'll be something like this:

I'll rent a concrete saw, make the cuts, dig down 6" or so below the slab and install pea gravel (to slightly increase drainage capacity), then set and anchor the drain kit. This will allow small amounts of water to collect and percolate into the soil inside the garage, which should mostly remain thawed.

I plan on oversizing the cutouts a bit so I can anchor the drains in new concrete. I'll then epoxy the entire floor.

In your case, I'd probably install the drain crossways right through that deeper puddle. This will serve to intercept flowing water as well as drain any that manages to get around to the back side. It'll also keep the drain away from vehicle traffic. They're designed for it, but your anchoring would have to be done very well.


How to remove scratches on varnished wooden door?

There are several finish repair products on the market.  You can get most of them from the usual getting spots.
I've had very positive results with "restor a finish", they sell it in multiple colors so you just need to find the one that most closely matches the wood you are working with.   There are also "fill sticks" that are probably better suited to deeper scratches.  Also "Feed-N-Wax" will make a lot of scratches less visible.


What's the best way to remove dead weeds from cracks in concrete?

If this was my home, I would do the following to remove the eyesore and minimize the repeat of it happening in the future:

Remove what I could with a weed trimmer tipping it to get into the crack as much as possible.
Use a power washer or maybe a garden hose with a tight nozzle to clean out the cracks as much as possible.
After it has dried out, follow the methods listed in the following web page to open up the cracks some and fill with a concrete crack filler product.

https://www.quikrete.com/athome/video-repairing-sealing-cracks.asp


How can I verify how much refrigerant was put in my home AC unit?

You could refuse to pay the bill until they provide you with documentation of the pressure levels that prompted the addition of refrigerant and the amount of refrigerant required. They should have recorded this on the service sheet. Ask for a copy of their service sheet. Also, justification of their price of R-22 and why it is $125 per pound.

I believe HVAC contractors are required by the EPA to meticulously document all exchanges and uses of old refrigerants like R-22.

They should have discussed all of this with you BEFORE they did any repairs or additions of refrigerant. Especially since the cost was going to be so high.

Good luck!


How do I choose which breaker breaks first?

Fastest way to make the shed breaker trip first is downgrade it to 10A.

Also you have a subpanel now, make sure you configure the neutrals and grounds to code.

I can't help noticing that 5 kva transformers (240/480 jumpable, to 120-240 split phase) are regularly available on the used market.  That could provide very safe 3600w (30A) over the existing 14ga. to the shed's panel, which would become a main panel with its own ground rod, solving any code issues with neutrals/grounds and helping with phase balance. You'd want a pro electrician to install or at least bless that setup.


What’s the proper setup for mounting a tile cutting blade on a grinder?

13,000 rpm blades are fine. While centrifugal force does mount quickly as rpm increases, 3,000 is adequate headroom. The concern is that the blade's mass tears it apart at maximum tool rpm.

The key to reasonable safety is making sure that the blade is both centered on the arbor and secured to the motor. If your blade arbor closely matches the arbor diameter, and you can securely sandwich it using the supplied nut along with washers of almost any kind, there's not really a problem using the tool like this. If you feel any wobble or imbalance, evaluate the situation before proceeding.

I've used the same AvantiPRO Turbo blade in my 7" grinder to cut hundreds of concrete pavers with great results.


Should I add a second main branch to this water supply layout?

Just a note that I'm not a plumber. That said -- anyone can install some pipes and have a plumbing system, but a GOOD plumbing system is a balanced system. To design one, you have to know the fundamentals.

Permit me to lightly delve into some physics (which may only be for the benefit of some other person with a similar question) --

The water in your pipes and its distribution are affected by: Gravity, Inlet Pressure, Inlet Volume, Outlet Pressure, Outlet Volume. As long as your upstream supply can provide the necessary pressure and volume, and your downstream outlet pressure and volume, accounting for gravity, doesn't exceed this, it should be fine.

That said, it is what happens when you overwhelm the system that would matter. Lets (just as an example) say that your outside faucet nearest your supply uses 75% of the available system GPM because it is on a 3/4" line, then you start to run hot water in a bath (1/2" lines) that would normally use another 50% of the available system. In a well balanced system, the faucet would drop to around 60% and the shower would use the other 40%. Now -- lets say the system is fairly balanced, except that your outside faucet is 5 feet below the supply and the shower is 5 feet above. Gravity reduces the water pressure of the bath, while increasing the pressure of the lower faucet allowing the faucet to "suck" more out of the system -- your shower may end up with only 25 or 30% of the water, while the faucet get 70 to 75%.

This is the reason the your main supply running through the house is larger, while each branch is a reduced side. The area of a 1/2" pipe, is half that of a 3/4" pipe. A 1/4" pipe is only 10% of the size of a 3/4" pipe. This is also the reason that each branch uses a T pipe, with the main pipe being the straight. This does a better job of letting each branch have a better chance of pulling from the main line equally, and why you'll often see the main line terminate with a cap after your last branch, rather than simply being an elbow directed into your last branch. There are some exceptions (2nd floor fixtures, outside faucets) where you may want this advantage. Restrictors at the fixtures can also assist in balancing your system by lowering the outlet volumes of individual fixtures.

Finally -- to answer your actual question, unless you've noticed problems with your system when more than one fixture is in use, you're probably fine in this layout with a first floor configuration, but I don't think that moving the three separate branches for the bathroom to a single branch off the main line is a bad idea by any means. But, I don't know that you're going to get a significant return on your work. If you go that route, consider making the branch to the bathroom a 1/2" off the main line, rather than a 3/4" to 1/2". Lastly, well located shutoffs for each branch are fantastic for when you're eventually want to make a repair without shutting of the water to the entire house.

Whether the 1/2" branch for the bath would be big enough -- seriously, who runs their toilet, shower and faucet at the same time in a single bathroom. :)

Hope that helped.


How can I extend a cable to move an outlet inside a kitchen island cabinet?

First of all, figure out if the original wire is stapled or not.  If it isn't then the solution is easy.

CAUTION: Requires work IN the panel.  If you are not 100% confident you can do this safely, call an electrician.   It's not difficult, but you need to know exactly what you're doing.

Turn off breaker.
Cut pretty close to the box.
Use this slack to do what you need to do upstairs.  -- free fixed outlet, new wire to the one you want to move.
Mount a junction box a couple of feet from the panel in the basement.
Find a piece of cable that will reach from the new junction box to the panel.  (Maybe there's some old wire we just removed lying around?)
Splice in the junction box, and find someone to connect it back to the panel.


Preparing surface when tiling over existing tiles

Step 1: Remove existing fixtures (toilet, sink, etc.)
Step 2: Remove existing tile.
Step 3: Determine if existing sub floor is appropriate for tile.
Step 3 a: Replace existing sub floor (if necessary).
Step 3 b: Install appropriate sub floor.
Step 4: Install new tile.
Step 5: Reinstall fixtures.
Step 6: Enjoy your new bathroom for years to come.

This may not be the answer you are looking for, but to do the job right (in my opinion) you should start fresh.

If you don't feel comfortable doing the job yourself, you might think about hiring a professional.

I apologizes for the bluntness of my answer; as a home owner myself who has had to fix the messes others have created, in my opinion there is no excuse for not doing a job properly and (as Mike Holmes would say) making it right.

Removing the existing tile will cost you nothing but time, and in the end it will make you feel much better knowing that you can enjoy the remodel for years to come trouble free.


Can I use a Sharkbite on a running pressurized pipe?

Assuming this is inside your house, don't even think about it unless you are prepared to clean up the mess from water a couple of inches deep on the floor (and getting into the rest of the house under the doors, etc), and spray all over the walls.

If you have never tried this before, expect the jet of water to knock things out of your hands, so the job takes even longer while you are wading around in the flood trying to retrieve them!

You don't say what country you are in, but in the UK you should be able to find the shut-off valve on the curb and close it yourself. It's not clear why you need a contractor to do it for you.


Remove old toe touch bathtub drain stopper with no screw

The Rapid Fit threads in, as do almost all "toe touch" tub stoppers.

Yours is broken, that's why you only see the upper part of the threaded stem. Soak with penetrating oil and unscrew. Replacements can be found at a good local plumbing shop, or online.


Insulation inside HVAC duct (and related issues)

Your response was fine. The previous owners were probably trying to cap the duct, but didn't realize that fiberglass insulation is air-permeable.


Question about subpanel install in a shed

I just looked and VA is on the 2011 NEC , I thought the change to 4 wire was back in the 99 code. So I would check with your local inspector to find out what the local requirements are (I would want 4 wire and ground rod). Very strange that a 2014 sub would be set up this way unless allowed by VA code modifications.

Added after op coment: you will need to update the garage to the 4 wire with ground rod to meet today's code if you want to pull a sub from the garage. I have used pipe and water hose to tunnel under driveways and sidewalks many times in the past so you don't have to cut them depending on your soil conditions its a bit messy but cheaper than cutting in most cases.


Ok, I got a generic replacement that had the same dimensions from an online shop.

I didn't change the plastic elbow fitting, because this part wasn't damaged.


Google search:

Split Replacement Knob Lutron (aka Skylark)


Should the sight glass of a steam boiler always be within the recommended range? Or only when firing?

I talked to the guy who originally installed the boiler and he suggested that the pressure was probably a bit high (was set to 1.5 PSI) for our house; if the pressure is too high, then more steam than the radiators can handle is sent out at a time, and therefor the steam doesn't condense back to water at the radiators at first, so the water level gets low and the auto feeder turns on.

I turned down the pressure to just below 1 PSI and it seems to have done the trick, the water level on the site glass doesn't go down as far while the boiler is operating.  Also, according to this article, steam heat pressure really does't need to be high at all, so there is no worry on my end about turning it down.

In order to turn down the pressure I adjusted the screw at the top of the box next to the pressure gauge:


How to isolate street noise from the garden?

Foliage won't do much unless it's very dense and a fairly wide strip--say 50 feet thick or more. Instead, you'll need to look to solid-panel fencing to block and deflect sound energy.

The problem is likely that there are other homes nearby, which will reflect sound from several directions. You may not be able to accomplish significant noise abatement with that consideration.

As they say in real estate, the three most important assets of a property are location, location, and location. This is a case in point. My current home has a highway a few hundred yards away, and we hear it almost constantly. Eventually our ears tend to become accustomed to ambient sound and it's less of an annoyance.

More information


Insulating against brick in rim joist bay

I think you can do air/moisture/heat in one shot by using spray foam behind foam panels.

Buy two cans of max-expansion spray foam. One may do, but it's best to have enough on hand.
Cut 1-1/2" or 2" foam panel to fit each bay reasonably well.

The plan is basically this: Spray a layer of foam on the mortar / set the foam panel in place / let the foam cure / trim the excess

Here's how I'd probably do the hot work based on what I can see:

Mark the thickness of your foam plus 1" out from the mortar near each end of the joist series. Mark that on the bottom of the joist (or mark an offset if the lower wall is in the way, or simply use some other reference, such as the inner edge of the sill plate).
Snap a chalk line between the marks, then square the actual (foam plus 1") marks up each side of each joist. This will be the final position of the face of the foam.
About 2" down the joist on each side of each bay, partially set a nail on each side of the bay. These will serve to retain the foam panels.
Spray a layer of foam, as quickly as possible, over the mortar. Use a stripe or zigzag pattern.
Slide the foam panel in place behind the nails, and set nails near the bottom in the same manner.
Let the foam cure for an hour, then pull the nails and trim any foam squeeze-out with a sharp blade. A fillet knife would do well.

The outcome will be a clean, uniform, on-plane foam barrier over which you could adhere drywall (though I don't consider that a serious concern).


Aftermarket Variable/Multi Speed Blower Kits

Try to find the installation papers for the furnace and check the installation specs. Most blower motors are 4 speed. As far as the noise is concerned, I just replaced my 20 year old furnace with a new Goodman unit and it is very loud compared to the old unit. With most of the newer units today, you can not just reduce the blower speed since it may cause the heat exchanger to over heat. I would call a Trane guy and ask for advice.


If your wall pipe is 1 1/2" and you're installing 1 1/2", you'll want some kind of non-glue coupling (seriously, don't glue that tail piece on). There's one in the drain section for slip-joint coupling, but if you don't care about aesthetics ( I have mine in a cabinet so it's not a big deal to me, but I can't tell if this would be exposed or not), I prefer the rubber couplers from the PVC line aisle (they hold the pipe better). The catch there is that the rubber couplers are sized for inside diameter, while your thinner PVC drain parts are sized for outside diameter (they're so thin the ID and OD are practically the same). So you would buy a 1 1/2" coupler in the white PVC next to your drain stuff, but you would (confusingly) buy a 1 1/4" coupler in rubber because the OD is 1 1/2".
Skip the CPVC adapters, primer and glue. I would also skip the compression fittings and just buy a push connector (i.e. Sharkbite). I found them to be about $1-2 more than their compression counterparts, and for one sink you'll save more than that skipping all that CPVC stuff you'd waste. Plus there's no hassle. Just cut, push and you're done (you might only need the water off for 5 mins tops like this). And the push connectors are likely to be the superior quarter-turn ball valves, which are far easier to operate.


Where can I purchase a replacement wattage limiter?

You can apparently replace the current pull switch and remove the wattage limiter to correct the problem (detailed here: Reddit post

If you want to order a replacement, Hunter (the manufacturer) may have them (Hunter).  I also found this site and this site which seems to sell them (no experience with them)

Note that any electrical modifications may carry risk, which you assume entirely.


What is this light? How can I replace / fix it?

This is an LED fixture. The idea is that it should last 60,000 hours (?). When it burns out you simply replace it. See the comment from @Tyson. The only other thing you can do is to check and make sure it is getting power when you turn the switch on.

You might be able to get a warranty replacement if you know the manufacturer or the place it was purchased.

Sorry I can't help you further.


Compressor inside condenser switches off on extremely hot days, makes high pitched noise (video!)

To me it sounds like a over charge but this is really hard to detect, based on your description that it works correctly except on the hottest days.
Everything works great for a month then on a day that is a few degrees hotter a high pressure bypass kicks in (high squeal). if you shut it down and let it cool down it runs ok , or if you spray the outside coils with water it runs ok. (A possible trouble shooting test.)
I have only seen this a few times but the high pitch squeal on very hot days may be a safety (high pressure bypass possibly) .
If this is the cause the system starts and sounds normal but then the high pitch squeal kicks in and no cooling I have found this when the high pressure is over 400 psi.
Most recently when I found this I
Cooled the system down and it’s normal pressures were ~325. The only difference I could figure out was a few degrees higher ambient temp. Recovered a few ounces of refrigerant and the problem of low cooling went away but I found the problem by checking super heat and sub cooling pressure and temp checks something beyond DIY in many countries because of license requirements.
If the system sounds normal then the squeal, over charge may be the root cause based on your description and the short recording this would be my best guess with your description.


Special sized towel rack brackets needed - do they exist?

Purchase a towel bar to your liking that has the bar as a separate piece, longer than the spacing you need. Cut the bar to the length you need and install.

I have had to cut the bar on occasion when the space was too small for the bar on the wall, so I made it shorter.The same idea should work for you.


Why do heat pumps use a separate “reversing” signal from thermostats?

This is because control boards and programmable thermostats are recent inventions
The concept of a "control board" in a piece of HVAC gear is a fairly recent invention, dating back to the 1980s or so when single-chip microcontrollers started to become inexpensive/widely available.  Before then, if you wanted anything more intelligent than direct control of the various pieces of equipment (burner or element, fan, compressor, reversing valve), you had to do it the hard way with relays, sensing switches, and dedicated timer boards, such as found in the fan/limit system of a pre-control-board gas furnace, or the dedicated timer defrost controls in early heat pump systems.  Furthermore, programmable thermostats as we know them today also aren't any older than control boards, while heat pumps and heat pump thermostats date back to well before we had any of this solid-state stuff roaming around.
As a result, what you had with early heat pumps was a bimetal thermostat with extra contacts on its mode switches sending control signals directly to the compressor contactor and reversing valve on the heat pump's outdoor unit, or to a dedicated defrost timer/relay that could override the thermostat to initiate defrost.  This saved money on extra relays in the outdoor unit at the cost of requiring (cheaper) switch contacts in the heat pump thermostat, and a slight bit of extra wiring in the walls.
Furthermore, the use of a separate signal allowed the reversing valve to be kept in the same "idle" state across cycles during both heating and cooling operation without further logic inside the outdoor unit, as the O/B signal's state does not depend on whether the thermostat is commanding a cycle or not.  This is important because reversing, while simple to implement, puts non-trivial stresses on the rest of the heat pump, so you don't want to "swap ends" unnecessarily.  Unfortunately, some zone boards exploit this behavior by require both an O and a B wire, which makes installing a modern thermostat on them a non-trivial proposition.


Why isn't my window film insulation kit causing water damage?

Actually, that answer is talking about condensation on the inside of the window, between the glass and the fiberglass insulation.
But you didn't put up fiberglass insulation, which leaves an air gap next to the window. This is where the condensation happens.
On the other hand, you put up insulating film which sticks directly to the glass without an air gap. Thanks to the film, the inside surface doesn't get very cold so there is no (or very little) condensation.
You're fine.


Help with installing the Honeywell T5 - RCHT8610WF2006

The solution to this seems to be changing o/b on cool to o/b on heat on the newly installed thermostat. If someone else has a better explanation of what this means in HVAC terminology I'll mark their answer as accepted as I only found this based on happenstance and this answer lacks details.


what kind of drywall texture is this and type of brush to use to get this texture

I think that's a crows foot pattern made with a texture brush that is stomped/slapped versus the drywall. I think this brush is overkill for a patch job, but the texture it creates seems to match pretty closely with your picture.
https://www.all-wall.com/Categories/Drywall-Texture-Brushes/Crowsfoot-Drywall-Texture-Brush.html

You may be able to purchase the brush at lowes/home depot but I've found that drywall texture tools availability is hit or miss depending on the location.

I'm not sure if you are familiar with using stomp brushes, but I think there's a couple of videos on youtube that do a pretty good job explaining.

I would recommend mixing up the mud and practicing on a piece of cardboard/scrap drywall until you can consistently get a similar pattern.

I just did a lot of ceiling patching, and I ended up having to add a good deal more water to the mud than expected to get the pattern to match (or as close as I could come).


Some of this was discussed in your previous questions. The 8 hour run time in a generally accepted standard at least here in Florida. It is used to determine pump and filter size.  While once a day cycles limits transients, it hardly extends live of pump. The actual wet end usually fails before the motor, and it's easier and probably cheaper to replace the entire pump that mess around looking for a wet end only to find out the motor shaft has corroded threads.
Many power companies offer a time-of-use rate where you get a discount for running your pool pump from maybe 9PM to 5AM.


Problem replacing Slater Pilot Switch with Leviton

The new switch is just the same as the old switch except that the connection between the switch's load terminal and the hot side of the pilot light is internal to the new switch. This internal connection replaces the split done with the wirenut.
Here's how your existing switch is wired:

The single black wire is the Hot wire. The white wire is the Neutral. The split black wire goes to the Load and also supplies power to the pilot light.
New here's a diagram of the new switch:

As you can see, it's exactly the same except the extra connection is internal to the body of the switch.
Let’s label the wires coming to the switch. The black that is not split is Hot, the black that is split is Load and the white wire is Neutral.
Remove the old switch and the split on the Load.
Connect the Hot to the black screw.
Connect the Load to the brass screw.
Connect the Neutral to the silver screw.
Of course, also connect the ground to the green screw.
Done.
Note: the configuration of the new switch is shown by my previous mistake that had him connect the Hot to the brass screw. He reported that the pilot was on regardless of the switch position. With the mistake, the light was directly between Hot and Neutral. I am confident that this answer is now completely correct.


Frame it with wood.  Make it removable.

The Victorians had a brilliant sensibility.  When they built bathrooms, they would build a small, attractive cabinet door in the wall on the other side of the tub spigot.  You need access to the plumbing guts?  Open the door.  It has proven indispensable.

What looks like ugliness is in fact a godsend.  You have access to the exterior of the panel for adding more circuits.  That said, you still want fire protection.

Since this is a utility space anyway, I would build a simple, attractive wood frame of 1x4's around the panel, bridging over those holes.  I would make the top and bottom easily removable.  Also set it back just enough the service panel cover is easily removed without removing the top and bottom.

For fire protection, I would cut drywall pieces to fill those ugly holes top and bottom, and attach them to the back of the 1x4 framing.  That way the framing holds the drywall in place.   Want to add a circuit? Remove two screws and the 1x4 comes off, voila.

Since it is a utility space that gets dirty fingerprints, I would attractively stain the wood.

Thanks for the idea. I don't often embed service panels in drywall, but now I'll find a way to fit access points above and below, Victorian style.


How to strengthen the plastic thread for repeated attaching/detaching of a garden hose?

It's called "a very short hose". :) You can make your own with parts commonly available at hardware and big-box stores.

Alternatively, install a simple valve, an elbow, or a backflow preventer:

Be aware that extending a plastic connection with a rigid part adds torque stress to that connection. Use caution to not lever on it.


Getting Ethernet Cable Through Exterior Wall

Ethernet cabling is low voltage and installation has few requirements compared to regular electric (120V, 240V, etc.) wiring.

  1 - What is the best way to do this that has minimal effect on insulation? I would prefer if this did not cause a stream of cold air to flood into the house.

I generally just drill a hole. I have a really long drill bit (I think 1/2" but not sure at the moment) for this purpose. Just make sure you know that it is a "safe" area - away from any electric wiring, plumbing, etc. and drill a hole. If you have any problem with air coming through, you can use foam (like Great Stuff) to fill the hole after you have the cabling done.

  2 - Do I need to be concerned with various housing codes restricting how I am allowed to wire this?

There probably are some codes in some places. But generally I have not heard of many code issues with low-voltage wiring. It simply doesn't have the same safety issues that you have with regular A/C wiring.

  3 - Is there a safety concern with regards to the jack coming in contact with thermal insulation?

Not that I know of. But there are 4 ways of doing this, and only one would have the jack in contact with insulation:

Wall jack installed in box eliminator in insulated wall - then you have contact between insulation and jack.
Surface mount jack (any wall) - cable goes through wall but jack is entirely inside the room.
Wall jack installed in box eliminator in interior wall - i.e., run cable through a hole and then route it along the baseboard or through the ceiling or whatever, terminating with a jack installed in a non-insulated wall.
Wall jack installed in a real box. The jack is in the box so not in contact with insulation.

I usually use a box eliminator and don't worry about the insulation, but I have done all of the above at times, depending on the specific situation. Of course, all except a surface mount jack will require cutting a good size rectangle in the inside wall, but it will be covered with the jack/wall plate. If you are working with paneling or something else stronger than drywall, surface mount may be easier.

  4 - How do I minimize damage to the exterior clapboard? Is this even possible?

A small hole is really no big deal. The phone company & cable company do the same thing all the time. I find it is least obvious if the hole is a few inches from the ground, but sometimes it has to be higher up to match a reasonable location on the inside wall. The hole should not cause any problems. As noted by HazardousGlitch, the side you drill from will have the cleanest hole. So, all else being equal, drilling from the outside makes sense if you will be installing a jack (wall jack or surface mount) right where the cable comes. If you will be routing that cable to elsewhere then I would generally drill from the inside to keep the inside hole clean and so that you can position it very precisely (e.g., right above the baseboard). Most people tend to care more about the inside of the room than the outside of the house.


How long do evaporator coils last in a home AC system?

They should last for the life of the A/C system, which is generally 15-20 years for a high quality system. (Many people end up replacing their systems between 12 and 15 years due to efficiency issues or deferred maintenance causing damage to more easily damaged components, such as the compressor.)

Most of the time, evaporator coils fail because they are allowed to get dirty or are allowed to have ice build up on them. Things you can do yourself to help prolong the life is to make sure you change your HVAC intake filter regularly and use a high quality filter (filters should be in place for no more than a month, and should be replaced sooner in a dusty environment if you can no longer see light through the filter), and make sure that your evaporator coils are draining correctly.

The easiest way to make them last longer is to have a licensed HVAC technician perform regular maintenance on your system. This should be done once a year, typically in the winter time. The technician will clean the coils and check them over. At the same time, the A/C tech will check to make sure that your coolant is at the right level/pressure and that there are no leaks in your system.

If you replace them, you probably want to replace the entire system at this point thanks to many recent gains made in efficiency.


Can paint expiration guidelines be applied to paint primer as well?

Yes, paint and primer are similar in that respect.  You run the risk of having the primer not perform as designed when it's this old.

Why take the risk for your project?  In return for saving a small amount of money today your entire project could be messed up and you'll be left with having to remove all the primer and paint and redoing the whole thing.


In my opinion, the splash needs to be removed and point up the wall were the old splash used to reside and repaint. Then install a splash using the same specie of wood the countertop is made of, but prefinish it ahead of time before it is installed. No other blending needed.


How to install ceiling lights in old houses

Are hook-based lights common?

Not where I live, but Ikea sell them.

  Can they be retro-fitted to fit onto a hook?

There's no easy way to adapt light fittings that are prevalent in my part of the world and which are designed to screw into the ceiling.

Of course, typical pendant lamps that hang from an electrical cord or chain would work well with the hook if you remove any ceiling fitting supplied with them. You'd retain that existing connector widget and its covering dome.

  is there an easy way to install a fixture which would allow screw-based ceiling lights to be installed?

Not easily, especially in rented property.

If you speak to the property owner, you might be able to arrange a professionally installed solution.

That tube obviously supports sufficient weight for a modest lamp. I can imagine it should be possible to create an adapter - perhaps a wooden disk with a hole that fits over the pipe and is held in place by that bolt (which presumably attaches the hook). You might then be able to screw a normal light fitting to the wooden disk. I've never seen a ready made adapter (but then I've never looked for one).


How can I hang a custom lamp from the ceiling by its cord?

First off you do not want to hang the light by the socket that you purchased. With the poke in holes for the wires this is NOT an acceptable mounting system for your lamp - heavy glass or not.

Next note that the wire used to hang lamps is a special type that has strengthing cord built into the cable.

The conventional hanging lamp fixture has a two piece socket assembly that has a top part that slides up on the cord. The cord is then knotted with a special electricians knot that puts equal tension in all the conductors and fibres in the cord. The ends of the wires then attach to the lower portion of the conventional socket via screw terminals. Finally the top and bottom parts of the socket firmly snap together to hide the knot inside. The hanging lamp assembly pulls against the knot to transfer the weight into the cord from the ceiling.


It would depend on how much effort and cost you are willing to invest. Also how large an area is another factor. One way (depending on your DIY skills) is to cover the texture with drywall. Drywall would need to be taped and sanded and primed and painted. I've removed popcorn texture by spraying it with water from a pump sprayer, letting soak-in, and scraping the texture into a plastic bag. I found a scraper made specifically for this work at Lowes. Scraping with water involves plastic drop clothes and afterwards skim coating dents with spackle. I would think both suggestions take about the same time. Drywall might be a bit more costly and labor intensive. Scraping can be accomplished solo with minimum dust produced. But when removing or working with suspicious (or unknown) material that can be inhaled (like 40 year old texture) take precautions by using protective equipment.


Lift existing roof frame to replace top logs in log home

If you're replacing the roofing materials anyway, I'd strip then entire roof off. You'll have far more working space/ease with everything out of the way. (Think about how much fun it isn't to be threading a new top plate log inside your jacking structure...) As @Michael Karas noted, there's a strong chance you've got rot near the ends of your rafters, so having everything on the ground would make it way easier to fix. You'll still need plenty of help (or a crane), though.


isolated grounds in branch circuits? How does this work with conduit?

I'll bet what you heard about isolating was about the grounded wire, which is what we normally refer to as the neutral wire. See:
Grounded vs. Grounding
for a more complete explanation.
Neutral wires indeed need to be kept separate for different circuits in the same box. The exception, sort of, is an MWBC where one neutral actually serves two different hots on a pair of circuit breakers. Mixing neutrals can result in a situation where a neutral gets overloaded because another neutral connection broke, where if they were not mixed that circuit would instead go dead. Plus mixing neutrals will not work with GFCI breakers.
The grounding wires, aka "the ground", can be mixed without any problem.


Utility Knife Blade Tool that is a "Block"

They make a handy sliding block with a blade that protrudes from the bottom, just like you describe. They are great for scoring and cutting thin sheet material like laminate:


Why would my clothes drying machine's switch keep on getting fried?

In the first place, having two pieces of equipment (the dryer and the aircon) that both need quite a bit of power, both on the same circuit is probably not a good idea. You have already noticed there is interference between them. So the first step would be to get one or the other onto a second circuit. I don't know how electrical codes are in your country (which you haven't specified - it may be significant due to different voltage levels), but in most of Europe we tend to put:

lighting on one phase
the kitchen plaque (a high power consumer) on a second phase
power outlets on a third phase.

The name of the game is to spread consumption equally across all three AC phases.

In the second place, you say the dryer is rated at 25A. It would be nice to verify that it is really drawing that much current but no more, for example with a clamp ammeter (e.g.: http://en-us.fluke.com/products/clamp-meters/ ). Perhaps somebody in the trade could lend you one.

If it really draws that much current (or almost as much), this is indeed a piece of equipment with a high power requirement, that I feel should go on its own circuit all by itself.

Additional note: there are two kinds of electrical "tripper". One is the classical circuit breaker, that breaks the circuit when excessive current draw takes place. This is what happens when you have a short-circuit within the apparatus.

The second type is a differential breaker, that actuates when a large difference in current takes places between the phase and neutral wires. The idea is that the difference in current must be going somewhere - possibly directly to the machine chassis and then to earth. This is quite dangerous for the human operator, since if he/she has wet hands and a good connexion to earth, the excess current could very well short to earth through the operator.

It is standard practice (at least in Europe) for several circuit breakers to be protected by a single differential breaker. If any of the circuits develop a short to earth, the differential will trip leaving all circuits open.

The OP would need to have the dryer checked, that it has no internal short circuits. This can be done by connecting the apparatus to another circuit.

He should further check it has been correctly wired to AC. Swapping the neutral wire with the earth is a relatively easy mistake to make if non-standard color wires have been used. Hint: the earth wire and connexion should be green/yellow and have a slightly larger section than neutral and live.

HTH


I use a heat gun rather than chemical strippers. It's easier and usually all old paint can be scraped off. Heat guns do have their own set of special considerations and safety precautions but overall it is a better way IMO.

That being said, even if you remove all the old paint it is common to be left with a surface far from perfect. I use exterior grade spackle to skim coat outdoor trim prior to priming and painting. It dries quicker and is much easier to sand smooth than wood filler. The surface needs to be clean, and it sticks better when the wood is damp.

Wood filler is probably OK if it was applied correctly and sanded properly after application. Way too much work and $$ for me to use it, except for areas where a hard sub-surface is important like handrails, doors, window sashes; areas likely to be touched.


Replacing pendant lights and have a question on all the ceiling box wires

The silver wire is also a ground.  Chains are not grounding paths so a pendant needs 2 grounds - one down the chain to the pendant, and the other for the box cover.

I suspect the manufacturer ran an extra run of 14/2 (12/2?) Romex from the switch to support a ceiling fan which you don't have (yet).  I bet the third black is folded up in the back of the box, but they tied this pair's white wire with the other white wires.  That's making my spider-sense tingle, but I can't say why.  Might make a good question.

Since the power is fed from the switch (no weird switch loops) you should be able to connect all blacks to each other, ditto the whites.  All grounds must  be connected together.  I don't see any obvious way that upper steel plate bonds to the maze of ground wires above it, and that makes me a bit nervous.  Is that a steel box above, and is the ground bundle bonded to it in some way?  I see a screw, but it's not green and may be a physical mounting.  Is the steel cover plate tightly screwed to the steel box?

As far as wire-nuts, each make of wire-nut is listed for certain combinations of wire.  For instance Ideal's 73B (orange), 74B (yellow) and 76B (red) are covered in a document titled  UL Listed wire combinations...    Generally I like to be in the middle of the working range for a wire-nut, so I'd go yellow for 3 wires, red for 4, and orange for something that seemed on the smallish range for yellow.


Inside the end where you removed the handle extension there is a brass hex nut.

Loosen that with your hex wrench and you should be able to pull the handle off the stem.


How to wire half-switched outlet with two black and two white

It sounds like you're looking to end up with something like this

Notice the white wire that's been repurposed, is marked at both ends with black tape/marker/paint. And that the tab between the top and bottom receptacles, is broken on the "hot" side of the device. Also notice that a pigtail is used, instead of connecting more than one wire to a terminal on the receptacle.

To determine which set of wires goes to the switch...

Turn off the breaker, and make sure power is off.
Set your multimeter or ohmmeter to test continuity or low resistance.
Disconnect all the wires from the switch.
Test between the black and white wire of cable 1.
Test between the black and white wire of cable 2.
Toggle the switch.
Test the wires again

One pair of wires should test positive for continuity, when the switch is in the  on position.  This is the cable going to the switch.

NOTE: This type of installation is no longer code compliant (NEC), because it does not provide a grounded (neutral) conductor at the switch location.

NOTE: Grounding conductors have been omitted from the diagram for simplicity.  Make sure all grounding conductors are properly installed.


Bathroom vent where there already is one?

I would not recommend this. If one fan is turned on and the other isn't, the fan that is on could send humid air backwards through the other fan (unless it has a working non-return valve).

I would advise either ducting this new fan completely separately, or instead getting an inline fan with a Y-piece to allow it to vent from two seperate grilles. See hvacquick.com for this example:

NB This is not a recommendation of a particular product/supplier/manufacturer


No.  Heating and cooling loads are dependent on two things: (1) the house dimensions, insulation, windows, etc., and (2) the climate in which it is located.  Some areas have very cold winters and moderate summers, so the heating load will be high but the cooling load quite low.  In another area with moderate winters and hot summers, the opposite will be true.  Both have to be calculated independently.


How to reset the breaker on this smart dimmer light switch (switched receptacle)?

It was installed illegally.  That's why it failed.

Your plugging a kettle in there was reasonable.

Switched receptacles for lighting are legal.  What's illegal is placing a dimmer on a receptacle, and what happened to you is precisely the reason it is illegal.

Now if you really, really want to dim a socket, you can use a magic, specially keyed receptacle that only accepts special "magic" lamp plugs (which you then put on your lamp).  That's what they should have done.

You don't need to replace with an identical dimmer.  The rectangle shape is called a "Decora cover".  Most dimmers are compatible with it as are many plain switches. You'll need to decide whether to put a plain switch here; or put a dimmer and the above receptacle kit.

Since this is the condo's mess-up, I would ask them to pay for it.


Raised plywood false floor for heavy equipment usages

My first guess was, with at least 667 pounds on a caster, there's no way 1/2" plywood is going to hold up.  I'd want this plan stamped by a PE and a certificate of insurance for their E&O policy.

There's information available for uniform loads on plywood for general construction but not for concentrated loads.  I would not put much faith in something used for dance studios holding up to industrial use with heavy machinery on casters.

I stumbled across this thread:

https://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=229324

There's a linked PDF in that thread with a photocopied page from a report on concentrated loading of plywood.  It shows you might be OK with 5/8" plywood supported 16" OC or 3/4" plywood supported 24" OC.  The APA (American Plywood Association) might have better info available.  Note the difference in the dry and wet values in that PDF.  Obviously you're going to have to use plywood that's strong and will stay strong exposed to a lot of moisture.

If your layout is not going to change, you might get better support if you space the joists closer in the aisles and under the casters.    I have seen this done in very old industrial buildings built before structural steel with wood columns, beams, and floors.

Is there a plan for ventilation / dehumidification under the floor?  I would think that's going to be very important.


How should I insulate the walls in a stucco house?

I assume you mean to insulate the walls. Houses of that vintage often had no insulation between the wall studs. The easiest way to insulate them without wrecking the stucco or drywall is to drill holes through one or the other at the top of the stud bay and blow in cellulose insulation.

However, when you do this, you impair the ability of the wall to dry when it gets wet, since there's less heat flow and less air flow through those empty cavities--both of which promote drying. This isn't much of a problem with a modern wall where the stucco is separated from the wood with tar paper or housewrap, but in an old house like yours, oftentimes the stucco was applied over wood lath with no tar paper separating it from the board sheathing; in fact, in many cases, there was no sheathing at all! They simply nailed wood lath to the studs and stuccoed it.

In such a wall, adding blown-in cellulose insulation can be a problem when the stucco gets wet, since it can't dry as easily, and cellulose itself is capable of storing water. The risk of this approach depends on the climate and the construction. If your house is in rainy San francisco, it's riskier than in Campbell or San Jose. If your house has no sheathing and/or no tar paper under the stucco, it's riskier than if it did.

In such borderline cases, the prudent approach, if you really want to insulate, would be to remove all the stucco, install batt insulation (fiberglass or mineral wool) between the exposed studs, then install plywood sheathing, wrap the house in tar paper or housewrap, apply 1+ inches of rigid foam or mineral wool insulation over that, then nail 1x3 furring strips over that, and then apply new stucco or siding over the furring strips. Obviously this would be the most expensive option but it would result in a very well insulated wall and have zero risk of mold or rot.


What is the process for using a mold to make a concrete patio?

Lay out the perimeter of your patio or walkway with wooden stakes at each corner, with more in between if you've got a large enough area you can't eyeball a straight line.
Remove 1 inch of sod or topsoil, making sure the resulting surface is level.
Mix concrete to the ratio specified on the bag. If you're doing a large area, you may want to do this in batches. The mold should come with instructions about how much concrete it will use for each iteration.
Place the mold in the first location fill each cavity, troweling the top smooth.
Wait no more than 5 minutes, carefully lift the mold, and place adjacent to the poured concrete for the next "tile."
Continue this process until the patio or walkway area is complete. You may want to rotate the mold each time in order to add variation to your patio.
Brush sand or dry mortar into the joints, and mist with a garden hose.
Cover the concrete for 2-3 days with thick plastic sheeting to keep the surface from drying too quickly and cracking.
Apply a concrete sealer to protect your new patio.

Resources: Lowe's Tutorial, Quikrete Tutorial (PDF)


Why are my downlights constantly blowing?

If you're using halogen bulbs, you need to handle them correctly: don't touch them directly -- hold them in a clean cloth.

The reason is that halogens get much hotter than other bulbs.  Oils from your fingerprints cause the bulbs to heat unevenly where you touch them, leading to thermal stresses which can crack the bulb.


Is it normal to have water left in front loading washing machine after the cycle?

First, make sure you don't have a clogged lint filter. On the bottom of the front side, is there a small door where the lint clean out is?

Then, check the drain pipe itself to make sure it's not clogged. Is any water leaving the machine?

Otherwise, sounds like you have a broken or clogged drain valve. This isn't a basic diy project and would involve taking the machine apart. I'd suggest you call a home applicance technician.


Letters on a gas shut off/on valve meaning

P is probably "pilot" for a standing pilot light - L is presumably for "Lit" or on. Typically you'll have off, pilot, and on for many gas appliances old enough to have a standing pilot light. Newer ones are prone to use some other sort of ignition for better efficiency when "off".

Depending on other letters or positions not mentioned, L might also be for "light" as in start the full flame from the pilot at this position - if it can turn up from there, you don't want to go past there until it is lit.


Code in my area(Toronto) allows that. Just make sure to use the proper fitting and deburr the pipe inside and out before final assembly. And 1/4 inch per foot slope. It's not a minimum or maximum figure. That's the only allowable slope. That allows the water running in the pipe to wash the pipe as it flows. Too much slope creates a build up of crud on the side walls.


Need to cap a ceiling fan pull-chain switch hole

You want a hole plug something like this

These are similar to electrical knockout plugs.

If you can't find a source, you could use a brass cap on the outside and a short machine screw on the inside (with a washer if needed).

In either case, you need to be certain the capping material is not interfering with existing mechanisms or wires. Since the pull chain switch was previously in that location, room should not be a problem.

Images and links are for reference only and are not an endorsement of any product or company.


An air barrier (housewrap) is quite specifically NOT a vapor barrier.

Vapor barrier should go on the warm side (out in primarily cooling, in for primarily heating) - look up the heating degree days and cooling degree days for your area as one reference, or ask yourself if you use the A/C or the heat on more days of the year.

A loose fill product (cellulose, for example) will deal much better with odd shapes and framing irregularities and voids. Densely packed cellulose can also be used without a vapor barrier as its vapor transmission rate is quite low as a bulk material, thus eliminating the issue of where to put a vapor barrier in a mixed climate.


Safe way to remove paint from ground wire?

Just some sand paper will be fine. You don't want to use a chemical stripper as it may interact poorly with the copper.


Is USG Sheetrock(r) "SW Edge" a thing, or a feature?

The "SW edge" panels are a subtype of tapered edge panel. The USG panel products list link refers to a product performance brochure concerned only with the fire, mold, moisture, sag, abuse, impact, and shear resistance regarding the entire panel.

USG offers panels with a square edge only as a base panel, which is usually intended to be covered in its entirety with gypsum/plaster and sanded to a finish, or another layer of gypsum board.

USG also offers panels with tapered edges, in both the "conventional" and "SW edge." If you intend to meet the USG spec, this means it is necessary to pre-fill the "SW edge" taper with Durabond/EasySand.


The vent is almost the same size as the masonry opening in width, since the vent is plastic, I would use a table saw to reduce the top and bottom flanges to get it to fit between the top and bottom row of brick and trim the edges the small amount needed as well.

After that, set the vent inside the brick opening enough to bear against the mortar that is still in the opening. Hopefully that is at least 1/2". I think it would look better if it was an inch at least, but it is not needed. It only needs to be deep enough to form an inside corner to take a bead of caulk to seal out the unwanteds.
Or if you choose, you can tuck in a little mortar around the perimeter to do the same, but the more the vent is recessed, the more durable the repair will be. That means you might need to remove the original mortar to do so.It would be good to dampen the brick slightly first if you choose the mortar route.

Good luck.

PS. If you want to be sure that no vermin will get through, chisel out the rest of the masonry cement, (stay away from the outside corner, they will chip off in a heartbeat) dampen the brick as mentioned before and smear some mortar into the opening before you push in the vent, some mortar will inherently squeeze around the frame, the mix will need to be like a peanut butter maybe even toothpaste looseness. After the vent is set, place the remaining cement around the perimeter, this will lock it in real good.
Then again caulk will do pretty good too.


Could plugging a dishwasher into an outlet cause it to not dry as well?

If your circuit breaker isn't tripping when the old or new dishwasher ran a full cycle, then hardwiring won't change a single thing. Check that your drain hose is clear & run up to above the sink trap or underside of the countertop.

There should be quite a forceful stream of water visible in the garbage disposal or sink drain. If not & you have an Air Gap atop the sink, then take the cap off the Air gap (dishwasher off) & clear all debris. You'll need to snake something down the hose leading into the garbage disposal or sink drain until you can see it come out in either. Correct any hose under the sink to be as inclined as possible above it's connection so future flow-back is eliminated.

And, especially check that the bottom of the dishwasher's inside grate or strainer is clear...if clear glass ever broke in there you really won't notice it blocking the water exit. Also, if you wash food product jars without completely removing labels, they will gum up the works quite badly & quickly.

All this should get you back in tip top shape. A new dishwasher doesn't fix an old or worsening clog.


Pavers:
* Reasonable to do yourself.
* Probably lower cost.  (2" of concrete, instead of 4"
* No cracking issues.
* Look cool (My opinion)
* If you are creative you can make interesting patterns.  Most come in at least pinky-red, charcoal, and natural.  Sometimes you can get white.

Pavers with a lock patter (zig-zag) and spacer nubs to leave a consistent crack are easier to work with.  But the wider crack (3/32 to 1/8) gives more opportunity for weeds to get established.

Pavers downsides:
* Weeds will grow in the cracks.  A flame weeder is quick to use when weeds are small.
* Pavers are a nuisance to shovel snow off of.  The edges aren't perfect, and can catch the edge or corner of a shovel.

Concrete:
* Quick.  2-3 days of inconvenience and they are done.  Pavers can be pretty fast to if done by pros, but not as fast as concrete.

Other options:

Breezeblocks.

I ran into these in college.  Make great bookshelf supports.  Reasonable way to get privacy inexpensively.  But the blocks can also be laid horizontally, and the spaces filled with grass, or other ground cover.  This leaves the surface quite permeable to rain.  Recommended if you want part of the lawn available for parking an RV.  The grass will wear where it gets driven on regularly.

Patio pavers.

Pavers writ large.  Usually 24x24 or 24x30.  These have to have a VERY solidly packed base if you are going to drive on them, as they are usually only 1.5" thick.  There was a fad in California some decades ago to put in 2 strips of patio pavers to the garage, and to use pavers for walkways.  They come in various patterns and colours.

Road crush:  This is what your local county puts on the gravel roads.  It's quick, cheap, and if you put edges on it can look neat.  If the crush is limestone or sandstone based you can 'fix' it in place with dilute muriatic acid.  This dissolves the calcium carbonate, which when the solution dried out, cements the rocks together.  You can also white wash the rocks.  It doesn't last very long, but whitewash is cheap.


Need help with understanding this 3-way wiring setup

Yup, you have a switch loop in a 3-way switch configuration.  The wiring is
Supply ------ Light -------- Switch1 ====== Switch 2

The wires from Supply to Light are always-hot and neutral.
The wires from Light to Switch1 are always-hot and switched-hot.
The wires from Switch1 to Switch2 are always-hot and 2 travelers.

Your smart switch needs always-hot, switched-hot and neutral.  Those are not located at any switch location.
It won't be possible to install a smart switch in the normal way.  You'll need a smart switch module that sits in the lamp box and serves as the master, and smart-switch remotes at the physical switch locations.


Bath and Closet electric wiring what type of wire and how many circuits?

Heaters and other hardwired appliances over 10 amps

Those take the breaker and wire that the labeling and instructions specify.

If the instructions are silent, then you look up the VA of the device, failing that the Amps, failing that the Watts.   VA or Watts need to be divided by the voltage, yielding amps.  Amps should be a number roughly between 8 and 32.   Now you multiply  that by 1.25, giving a number between 10 and 40.  Round up to the next largest breaker size.

15A breaker = 14AWG wire.   20A=12AWG.   30A breaker=10 AWG.  40A=#8.

With large, hardwired heating appliances, after applying the 1.25 factor, you will often find the appliance just fits under a threshold.  That's no accident!

If all the hardwired appliances on a circuit, after the 1.25 multilier, exceed 10 amps, you cannot have any receptacles on the circuit.

Lighting

It is best to have bathroom lighting on a separate circuit from bathroom receptacles.  Bathroom lighting and hardwired loads are allowed to be on circuits with other things that are not in bathrooms.

Receptacles

Bathroom receptacles must be on 20A circuits that serve only bathrooms.  You have two options on how to arrange them.

option 1: the circuit can supply receptacles and other fixed loads in this bathroom only.  But the fixed loads can't account for more than 50% of the total circuit load.
option 2: the circuit can supply receptacles in any number of bathrooms only, but nothing else - no fixed loads.

Most plug-in bathroom appliances are heating appliances.  Most plug-in heating appliances take 1500W or 12.5A.  You may notice you can't fit two of these on a circuit.  As such, the dream bathroom has at least two if not three 20A receptacle circuits.

Conduit

First, no more than four circuits per conduit.  However a multi-wire branch circuit (MWBC) counts as 1 circuit yet gives two usable 120V circuits.

The best wire to use inside conduit is THWN-2. This is individual wires, not multiwire sheathed cable like Romex aka /2 /3 etc.  All the circuits in 1 conduit can share 1 ground.  Fixed metal conduit is allowed to be the ground wire.

For instance, I might fit a bathroom in conduit as follows, minding the 4-circuit limit:

xxA 240V circuit for heater, xx defined by heater.
20A Multi-wire branch circuit:

receptacles 1
receptacles 2.

20A Multi-wire branch circuit:

receptacles 3
tub bubbler or other heater etc., or receptacles 4

20A simple 120V circuit, lighting only. Or feed lighting from lighting circuits in adjacent rooms.

I avoid MWBCs and replace them with simple circuits unless they're absolutely needed to slide under the 4-circuit limit in conduit or bundled cables.  MWBC is a pain.

MWBCs must be on a 2-pole 240V breaker or handle-tied breakers, never never a duplex/twin. Shutting off one must cause the other to be shut off using a method approved by the manufacturer (no nails).  There must be 240V across the two hots.


It's not really clear what you're asking, but 3/8" stainless eye bolts into your rafters and springs inline with your tree lines should do. The springs should be stout enough that they don't stretch except in severe weather and act as a safety measure for extreme tree movement.