What is this external telephone wire cover called?

It was once a brand name (and still is) but you'll often hear covers of this sort called Wiremold, which also describes the rectangular wiring cover below the box. In my years of cable television, I've probably seen dozens of different designs of telephone covers. I would expect that you may not find an exact match, unless you happen across new-old-stock somewhere.

My quick Google search shows that even Google considers Wiremold to be a generic term for plastic wire routing covers, typically surface mounted.

Most of the US telephone companies combine the cover with the demark with terminology to indicate that it's the "consumer interface module" or similar wording.

Because it's low voltage wiring, it's also unlikely that your zoning codes have specific requirements. You should be able to find something to your liking in a big box store or online, searching wiremold telephone cover.

I found this on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/OUTDOOR-CABLETEK-ENCLOSURE-UTILITY-CABLE/dp/B00BMVV758/ref=pd_sim_60_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=Z9AMC9Q9J088Q2ZD1K1J


Network Garage Door opener/ how does the switch work

Do you have a button switch on the wall to open - close? There are usually two wires going to that. I don't think it will hurt to short those wires momentarily to test it. If it did, Lift Master would get a lot of returns because I'm certain many people have shorted the wired pair upon installation. My Craftsman has two wires going to a multiple switch panel. I can open - close the door, turn on-off the opener light, and lock the remote controls. These functions are controlled by adding a resistance to the wired pair. each control has a different resistance. The open-close is just a short. the unit remembers what direction it went the time before. IE: if you short once to open the door, then short again will close the door.


Ok got it all set. It was in fact a dead end wire. It belongs to the circuit powering the bedroom on the other side of the wall. It was just a box with it's open end facing the back side of the sheetrock. I wired it up to my light and it works. Does anyone find it odd that this was just sitting in there like this?


Does conduit terminated in backless gang boxes defeat the purpose of fireblocking?

I'm not a fire expert, but I doubt fire will actually spread through the conduit. Toxic fumes, sure, but not fire (unless the conduit is really short). Flames will, however, quickly jump through a hole in a 1 1/2" - 3" thick barrier.

If you really want to take fireblocking to the extreme, you could seal the ends of the conduit around the cables with fireblocking material.


There is any simple way to forming handmade paper pulp?

My recommendation would be to make a mold. Materials:

Egg container

Plaster of Paris

Vaseline

Small box that allows a couple of inches of space on all sides
Take a egg container, Vaseline the outside lightly of the egg container, use mixed cement or plaster of Paris (my preferred material), pour half of the plaster in the box, press the egg carton into the plaster and let dry (you might need to weight the egg container so it doesn’t float out of the plaster). Now, you have the bottom half of your mold, Vaseline the inside of the egg carton lightly and the top of the plaster, pour the plaster into the box making sure to have a couple of inches of thickness, and let dry.

You now have your molds. Make your paper pulp (drier is better) pour in the mold and clamp the other mold into it gently and let it dry (probably a day or two until you can separate them.


How can a glossy finish be achieve on a wooden desk?

You want a gloss enamel.

Yes, you can use spray paint with it ... although I'd definitely sand it VERY carefully first with an orbital sander and 120 and 220 sandpaper, wipe down with tackcloth very carefully, prime with an oil based primer, sand again with 220, wipe, prime again, and sand AGAIN with 220 or possibly even a finer grit ... you want to make sure that the surface is absolutely perfect before you even try to paint with a gloss paint. Gloss finishes are the hardest to get a decent finish with.

Use thin coats of paint and build it up, trying to make it as even as possible. Don't be afraid to go over it with some 220 and then another finer grit of sandpaper if you feel like you've messed it up. Keep in mind that full cure times for enamel is generally 24+ hours and you'll want it to fully cure before you try to sand it, move it, recoat it, etc.

If you're brave, you can also try rolling it with a foam roller and some penetrol. A pint of gloss enamel shouldn't run you that much, and if you have done the prep right, mix it right, and apply it right you can get just as good a finish as a spray finish... or better if you're not used to finishing surfaces with spray cans or equipment.

If you go the can-and-roller route, avoid Rustoleum and go with something that is good, like Sherwin. If you go with cans, avoid the "Rustoleum Universal" spray cans, the spray heads on them suck. Just regular "Painter's Touch" or Krylon will work fine.


Need help diagnosing if there is a leak in my shower threshold

The best way to confirm if your shower basin has leaks around the tile is to plug the drain. Remove the grate and install a stopper of the appropriate diameter. It must be 100% plugged. Next fill the basin with water. It is easier to use 5 gallon buckets filled from another water source. Fill the basin to just below the curb. Mark the water height with tape and/or marker.
Wait awhile and check if the water level has dropped. If it hasn't let it stay over night and recheck. If no noticeable change in water level there are no leaks in the grout or joints.
I would suggest re-grouting those joints that have missing grout and any others that have loose grout.


If the system oil becomes Acidic the varnish will be eaten off the motor windings causing the motor to short to ground. This can happen in just a few days for a system that was not clean or completely evacuated. There are quick acid test kits that will show if there is acid in the system in a few seconds. If the system shows acid I recomend a flush not a neutralizer because neutralizers leave residue. A product like quick shot acid flush moves the contamination to the filter dryer. I have had several systems that this worked very well on. It won't help your current compressor but may keep this from happening again. If you have the system repaired insist on having the system pumped down to 500 microns or lower to get the moisture out. I usually try for 100 on a system that has had problems and hold it there to get the system dry.


Can I buy a 24v transformer with a dedicated common c-wire feed?

Um, I don't know where you got the term "power stealing".  What you describe as that, is exactly the normal way to do that thing, and the right way... unless you are aware of some capacity issue on the transformer (as is sometimes seen in transformer-relay combos).

As far as the R and C terminals, any HVAC transformer has two pins on the 24V side... They are R and C.  The one that is not R is C.


Citric acid (dry, found at food stores - I get mine at the "asian market" as I have not spotted it at the normal supermarket) is actually a lot cheaper than lemon juice (or vinegar) (when mixed with water to an equivalent strength, or even quite a bit stronger) and fairly good at removing rust without eating the steel after that (I know antique tool users who mostly use it now, rather than electrolysis, which used to be all the rage.)

Rinse, dry quickly (or they rust again immediately) and coat with oil or wax (to slow re-rusting by displacing moisture.) Rinsing with very hot water will help with the drying step to some extent.


Why are light fixture wires allowed to be lighter gauge than house wiring on the same circuit?

The wires to the light fixture will only carry the current drawn by that particular light fixture (on the order of 1A or less, for simple fixtures). The wires in the wall between fixtures carry current for all fixtures on the circuit, and are protected by a fuse or circuit breaker in the main panel. The wires in the wall must thus be sized to carry the maximum current allowed by that circuit breaker. For 15A circuits, this is #14 wire; for 20A circuits, it is #12 wire.

Note that the wires to the fixture must also be sized to carry the maximum expected current, but that is (largely) determined by the manufacturer of the fixture. Light fixtures have a sticker somewhere stating the maximum wattage of bulb that can be installed. This is partially due to heat (not really a concern anymore with CFL and LED bulbs) and partially due to the size of the wiring.

Some (better quality) fixtures / equipment will also have internal fuses or breakers that are sized to protect the wiring in the cord.


Is the thickness of glass tile important in pool installations? If so, would thicker be better?

I think that the thicker the tile in almost any installation would keep it from popping off more.  You would have thinset and grout that have more lateral surface area.  So yes I would say it matters.  How much?  Not really sure.  If you adhere to all installation procedures for your tile it will work.  Maybe the thicker tile has less long-term upkeep (due to the fact that a slight grout failure due to erosion would be less likely).

I will mention too about glass in pools.  It is very difficult to work with.  Most manufacturers require expansion gaps.  Also most glass products at big box stores are not really acceptable for pool installation.   It is actually very difficult to shop for unless you go to a specialty store since it is really impossible to test.  I would say the bigger your pool and the greater the temperature range in your area could both lead to issues with a glass installation down the road.

Not saying that you shouldn't use it but will say that it is a very high-end install for a pool and must be done right or can be very very very costly.


To break or not break tabs when installing an electrical outlet

With an ordinary duplex receptacle (GFCI is a bit different), there are two ways it can be installed:

Combined = tabs in place

In this mode, the two hots are connected together and the two neutrals are connected together. Both receptacles are powered from the same source. If you want to power an additional receptacle (or lights or whatever) from the same power source, you can use the second set of screws (or backstab connections, but those are not recommended) as a way to daisy-chain to the next device. Alternatively, you can also chain to another device using pigtails with a single set of hot/neutral wires & screws.

Split = tabs removed

With the tabs removed, you have two totally separate receptacles. Each can be on a different circuit! Except not entirely - for safety reasons the circuits should be together, typically using a Multi-Wire Branch Circuit (MWBC). An MWBC uses two hots with one neutral - the hots each 120V compared to neutral but 240V compared to each other. In the case of an MWBC, the neutrals are actually shared, so you would not remove the neutral tab, just the hot tab (and there are other complications which mean that neutral would itself be on a pigtail even if only one other device is connected).
There is another use for removing the tabs - a half-switched receptacle. With this configuration, hot goes to one hot screw and switched hot goes to the other hot screw. Neutral still gets one wire and the tab is left in place. This lets you use a plug-in lamp with a switch while still having an always-on receptacle for other stuff. Personally, I prefer ceiling fixtures, but builders like to save every $ they can...
The end result is that the hot-side tab is removed in certain specific cases but the neutral-side tab is hardly ever removed - only realistic case I can think of is a top/bottom MWBC split on a double-breaker GFCI.
And since your original didn't have the tabs removed, the replacement doesn't either.


Thermostat C-wire replacement using a wall socket?

You can connect an external power adaptor that provides from 12 to 24 VAC to the C and RH termainals of your thermostat.    This forum has quite a few questions and answers related to that particular thermostat.


Rust spots on water heater -- time to replace?

Most water heaters have an inner tank surrounded by an insulation material surrounded by the outer shell.  If it is the outer shell that has some rust spots then there probably is not anything to be worried about.  So depending on where the rust spots are located you may not need to worry about them at all.

But considering that you are seeing rust spots on your water heater that might mean that it is fairly old.  If it is old, then you should think about replacing your water heater... a new water heater will save you a lot of money in energy costs (new ones are much more energy efficient).


Fat conduit is your friend here

I would run 1.5" or 2" PVC conduit here, buried so that the top of the conduit is >18" deep in the ground.  The requirements you mention (sand bedding/shading, extra burial depth beyond Code, and warning tape) are typically utility requirements for service conduits; out of these, only the warning tape is mentioned in the NEC, and only for service wires (300.5(D)(3)).

As to inspection, a typical requirement would be rough inspection of the trench and conduit job before backfill with the wires pulled in afterwards, but I would check with your local Code authority (same people you'll pull the permit from) for details.

Since this is an office, by the way, I would throw a second conduit into the trench while you have it open. This conduit will be left spare for now, but provides a place for communications lines to go, whether they be copper pairs, coax cables, or optical fibers.  In fact, it's necessary if you want to run copper comms wiring to the office, as that can't share a conduit with the feeder; optical fiber can provided there aren't any conductive members in the fiber cable, but getting it in and out of a shared conduit is a bit tricky.

You can go down to 10AWG copper in the conduit here, but you do need 4 wires

For 240V/30A (your prospective load and then some, split evenly across the two legs of the service) and your given distance, 10AWG copper THHN is more than adequate within your conduit.  You will need four wires here, namely two hots, a neutral, and a ground wire, as the ground wire to the main panel provides a path back to the utility for current that came from the utility, while the ground electrode at the shed provides a path back to Earth for current that came from the Earth.

Go big or go home!

One major mistake folks make when they go to put a subpanel in is skimping on spaces in the new panel.  The cost difference between a barely-large-enough-for-the-job subpanel and an amply sized one is around $100, given that "amply sized" here is a 24- or 30-space, 125A, main breaker panel.  Don't worry about the amp rating of the main breaker here, by the way, since all it is doing is acting as a local shutoff switch for power to the shed.

With a small feeder like yours, by the way, it's going to be fairly important to balance the actual loads across the two legs of the feeder in order to avoid creating a situation where one leg is overloaded by way of being asked to do more than its fair share of the work.  This is mostly a matter of thinking about what's hooked up/expected to be plugged into the circuits in question and making sure it comes out mostly even in amps/watts across the two legs.

TORQUE ALL LUGS TO SPEC

One last thing that is required by current Code (2017 NEC 110.14(D)) is that the lugs on the breakers and loadcenter you are installing need to be torqued to the values specified on the label with a torque screwdriver or wrench (nominally, one that reads in inch-pounds, as that's what the labeling uses).  Even if your local Code authorities have not adopted the 2017 NEC, it's still a good idea anyway, lest your electrical system do what Greg Biffle's infamous lugnuts did!


Only 2 wires! - Replacing old 240v double pole t-stat with new digital double pole

You can't get there from here

That thermostat simply will not work in that location.  The wiring to that thermostat is wired as a switch loop.

This is the 240V version of "no neutral wire in the switch box, so no smart switch".

Back to the store it goes.  They probably get 30% of them back this way.

Go 24V system

Fuel furnace thermostats run on 24 volt DC low voltage.  Your best option is to install the ~$25 worth of parts needed to convert this to a 24V thermostat system.   Go back to the heater (there's usually plenty of room in there) and fit a 240V-24V transformer and 24V-240V contactor.  Have the contactor switch current to the heater (preferably both legs).

On the 24V transformer, you define the two terminals as R and C.  The ideal color for C is blue, so get a multi-color pack of electrical tape to make this clear to yourself and the next guy.  R is ideally red.

On the contactor coil, one terminal is C and the other one is W (ideally white).

On the cable to the thermostat, those are R and W.  Don't use the ground wire.

So now you just connect them up: R to R, W to W etc. You'll need a jumper wire from thermostat C to contactor C.

At this point, it should work with the old thermostat, because the old thermostat is dumb, and doesn't care if it's switching 12A@240V or 0.05A@24V.

Now you can change it to a "smart thermostat" of the 24V persuasion, which is a huge variety including the Nest. I recommend one that is capable of functioning without a C-wire.  If the contactor doesn't flow enough current for that to work, the factory can instruct you how to connect a special resistor module in the heater between W and C.


16" center bracket to 24" center framing

The other answer given so far describes a solution where the tankless water heater is being installed in an area where the studs are open and not covered. There are instances where the studs are not open and may be covered with drywall (a.k.a. sheet rock). It this instance the installation of extra studs or cross blocking is not so easy and other methods are called for. I will describe two options:

You can cover the entire wall area where the brackets will be attached with a piece of 3/4" plywood. This may actually need to extend beyond the end of the bracket if the existing studs in the wall are farther away from the bracket mounting points. Secure the plywood to the wall surface using screws through the plywood and into the existing studding structure. Then mount the bracketing to the plywood. With proper size pilot holes for the screws the plywood does a really good job of holding the screws.
An alternative solution would be to mount two horizontal 2x4s or 2x6s flat on the wall centered vertically where the tankless heater brackets will be located. These cross members are attached with screws at each existing stud location. They may have to extend longer than the width of the bracketing if the next stud is further over from the mounting location. Once the cross members are secured the bracketing can be screwed into the cross members.

Note: Either of these schemes can also be used on a wall that has open studs. In fact applying one of these techniques could even be easier to install than extra studs and blocking between existing studding.


What kind of pipe nipple to use on my well pitless adapter

I just recommend using brass fittings for all of that stuff.

1" brass close nipple
1" FPT x 1" Brab brass female insert adapter

If you can't find a female insert adapter, you can basically make one using a 1" female-female coupler + 1" male MPT x 1" Barb insert adapter.

Should look something like this (though don't forget to use stainless steel clamps on the pipe, which this guy hasn't put on yet):


How do I remove the head of this turn tap?

My first guess is that there is a set screw under that blue cover. If not look carefully under the handle as indicated or on the back of the handle.


14/4 cable use in switches for vent fan and light combination

Any 14/4 you can find should do it.  Ideally you want NM type, but UF will suffice.

I expect any 14/4 on the market will be solid wire.

If a conduit connection is feasible, you can then run individual THHN wires in conduit. This may make sense if thecost of 14/4 is prohibitive. THHN wires come in solid or stranded. I prefer stranded, but I am pretty good at getting stranded wire on screw terminals without frizzies.  You must never use stranded wire in a backstab.


Insulate an attic or a crawl space? Which one would be the most beneficial?

Ummm...I'm going to resist telling any jokes about "feeling the cold air" in LA and get to my answer.

Add insulation to your attic, if there are more "heating degree days" than "cooling degree days" each year.

Now, there's one exception to that: You mentioned you have a "forced air heater". You did not mention that you have air conditioning. So, if you don't have air conditioning, then "cooling degree days" don't matter...and you should add insulation to the attic.

Add insulation to your crawl space, if there are more "cooling degree days than heating degree days" each year.

If all that isn't complicated enough, you could just put a parka on when the temperature drops way down to 68 degrees or take the parka off when it jumps up to 74 degrees. (Sorry...I tried to resist.)

However, for me, I'd add insulation in the attic, because: 1) on cold days it will reduce heat loss, and 2) on hot days it will keep the hot outside air from over heating your attic and then radiating into your house.


Refurbish clothes dryer motor by greasing the bearings?

I find once bearings seize they usually need replacement. In cases I don’t have the correct bearing size I will pull the shields and clean and lube them, And order new bearings. These small bearings can usually be found for 10$ that is cheaper than a new motor. At my mill I replace at least 1-2 sets of bearings a month saving quite a bit over a years time. I looked at the video and the black ring he is moving is a centrifugal contact set, provides high torque to get motor started then switches to high speed. This can also be the cause of the failure to start. But since you cannot spin it the bearings need to be cleaned / lubed or replaced. If the motor won’t spin by hand it will not have enough torque to start.


Do you want four switches in total, but you only have two now? I am not sure how your parallel stairways are configured exactly and how lighting in one would affect the other. It does seem unusual. N.B. Those 4-way switches aren't cheap, about $40 each. There may be a better way to solve this altogether, like two seperate 3-way switches, independant of each other, one pair for each stairway?


Why do I hear water running in my bedroom wall when faucets are on or when toilets are flushed?

Here is the only plausible explanation I can think of. Obviously, there are pipes in the wall, they may not be carrying water, they may be vent pipes transmitting sound. Normally, the main line into the septic tank has its outlet below the waste water level. Now that the tank has been emptied the end is open to a large hollow box. This ends up being a sort of acoustic reverberation instrument that amplifies running water sounds. The sound travels back up the main drain and into the vent pipes in the wall where you can actually hear the amplified sound.

I predict once the tank fills and the pipe goes under water the sound will diminish again. You may still hear it slightly now that you know what to listen for, but it should be quieter than it is now.


What makes water condense on the interior of the windows at night when it's cold?

There are two things working together to make water condense on the windows.  The house is humid, and the windows are cold (even well-insulated windows will usually be the coldest thing in the house because of the low R-value compared to walls and ceilings).  To prevent the condensation, you can remove the humidity or make the windows warmer.

Removing Humidity

You have several options for removing humidity.

Ventilation system

Running exhaust fans in areas that produce humidity (like the bathroom while showering) will lower the overall humidity in the house.
Forced air heating

Forced air heating systems wick moisture from the air.  If you have a forced air system at your house, and your relatives have radiated heat from hot-water baseboards, this may help explain why they have condensation on their windows and you do not.
Dehumidifier

Dehumidifiers live up to their name.  This one claims it can remove 70 pints of water from a 1400sqft house every day.  That's almost 9 gallons of water taken out of the air each day.  Just remember to put it near a drain.

Making the Windows Warmer

The other option is to make the windows warm enough that the water does not condense.

Plastic

Placing a sheet of plastic over the inside of the windows will insulate the windows better.  If the plastic seals all the way around the window frame, it also prevents the humid air from reaching the window in the first place.
Space Heater

If there are only a couple of windows with serious condensation issues, a space heater directed toward those windows should heat the windows enough to lessen or eliminate the condensation.


Is that post directly above, leaning? If so, foundation is settling and that is a bigger problem. If not, then the crack has probably developed from water seeping into the concrete around the anchor that is holding the post, then the water freezes and cracks the wall. Fixing the concrete without sealing the crack around the post anchor, will allow water to seep back into wall, freeze and then crack the wall again.

"No" you can't slow it down and "no" you can't do it yourself. If the foundation is not settling, the best way is to remove the concrete that has cracked away from the main foundation and re-pour a new section of concrete to match existing. (You can't re-pin the broken portion back to the main foundation.)


For older types of fitting, it might be a fluorescent starter continuously attempting to start a dead tube. If so, removing the starter would stop the noise.


2 wires with same neutral in a tandem circuit breaker on the same leg

You're correct, a multiwire branch circuit with a shared neutral is not safe with both hots on one tandem breaker, it requires a two pole breaker.

If you move the hots for the MWBC to two adjacent tandems you will not be compliant with current codes but you'll avoid the main danger - you will no longer be overloading the neutral.  I'd address this immediately.

That would have been compliant when this panel was new, and you'd be done, but current code requires that the switch on the breaker turn off both hots of the MWBC together.  This is to ensure that during maintenance both breakers are turned off and the MWBC is all the way dead, not half dead.

You can comply with this requirement by using a two pole breaker or a listed handle tie to make sure the two adjacent breakers are turned off together.  A piece of wire through both handles may achieve the goal, but it is not listed.  I am not aware of a listed handle tie you can use here but I have never looked.

To get a two pole breaker with the panel already crammed, you'd need to replace two adjacent tandems with a triplex breaker similar to what you have on the left side of your panel.  Those are 20's on the outsides with a two-pole 30 on the inside;  you'd need one with 20s on the outsides and a two-pole 20 for the MWBC on the inside.

If all else fails you could install a small subpanel without too much expense to gain some space, and of course you could consider a panel upgrade which may be a good idea in the near future anyway.

Again the main hazard here is the overloaded neutral, address that immediately, but you'll need to take care of the common switch for the MWBC to get fully compliant.


How to clean wood stain drippings from rough spackle wall

You might get the stains off by power washing, but that may knock some of the stucco texture off as well. If you're willing to give it a try, use (rent?*) a power washer with an adjustable power setting and start with the lowest setting available.
So long as it's not causing damage, and since it's probably not getting the stain off, go ahead and wash the entire wall in preparation for repainting. That's probably going to be your best bet in this situation anyway - all the concerns about your clean up methods are very legitimate and are likely going to happen.
Repainting the entire wall has the added advantages of ensuring longer life for the wall by renewing its protective coat of paint, covering all the staining_ so it looks better all around, and after 10 years, the last coat of paint is likely nearing the end of its life anyway.
ProTip™: Before power washing and painting, get some heavy plastic (6 mil or so) and tape it up to the wooden fencing at the top of the wall. Run it up the wall at least 12" if not more. Tape it very securely at the bottom, then leave it a bit loose before thoroughly taping up the top. This way you're not coming back in a few weeks asking how to restain a portion of your fence where you power washed through the surface and/or how to get paint off your freshly stained wooden fence.
Oh, also, use some of that heavy plastic to wrap up the bushes, then some string/rope/tape to hold the plastic in place. You don't want the power washer tearing up your plants, and you probably don't want to be painting them, either. The solution for paint on the plants is much easier though: trim off the painted bits. ;) Also, the plastic will hold in heat and moisture, so don't leave the plants wrapped up for too long or you might kill them.

*Before assuming a power washer is too expensive to purchase, look around and compare purchase prices vs rentals. We ended up purchasing an electric powered one for about the same cost as renting for a day. No, it's not the highest quality piece of equipment ever built, but we got the same day's use out of it and if when we need to use it again, it will now be cheaper than two rentals.


How can I support a spinning log for a playground set?

You're going to need bearings. Even if you drill precisely and grease the pins, there will be substantial drag over time. The weight of small children won't be enough to rotate the logs.

I'd look into something like these tray bearings. Fit them between the end of the logs and your posts. It'll take some strategery to get it all together with limited space, but it can be done.

Obviously you want bearings substantial enough for this duty. Household "lazy Susan" hardware won't cut it. Be aware that load ratings are for horizontal application and don't apply when installed vertically, where shear forces are much greater.

If those don't work for some reason, roller bearings are readily available and inexpensive. They'd require you to accurately embed them in the logs and use a stud that fits well and is rigid enough to remain horizontal.


Is there a problem in adjusting the radiator setting too often?

Those are inexpensive mechanical controls.  There's no reason they can't be rotated every few hours.  Doing so, however, is mechanically challenging.  Good luck.  Be sure to decouple your rotor (with a belt or gasket) so it does not place undue mechanical stress on the knob.


How can I increase the effectiveness of my bathroom vent fan?

I’m no expert and just throwing out an idea but a small portable fan that directs the warmer air towards where the ceiling fan is could work.


Affixing a sail shade to balcony railing with a pole

Generally speaking, when the wind gets behind a sail, it exerts considerable force. People have crossed hundreds of miles of ocean with no more than 3m x 3m x 3m.
If you manage to affix the corner of the sail firmly to a sturdy pole and affix the pole immovably to the railing, you may be rewarded with the sight of sail, pole, railing, and all soaring off over the courtyard. Even if it doesn't actually break, your landlord is not going to be happy about what happens to that railing.
I checked some online introductory sail and rigging tutorials. According to their calculations, if a gust of wind is deflected by your building and strikes your sail nearly upward (or downward) at about 35 mph, the force exerted by each corner of the sail upward (or downward) would be about 200 pounds.
The structure that is least likely to damage your balcony is a full pyramid. Find two rigid lightweight poles each 3m long, attach them together at the ends, and form them into a triangle based at the pre-drilled holes. Prop up the free end of the triangle with a third pole, with its bottom attached to the base of one of the railing stanchions.
Attach the outer corner of the sail to the place where the three poles meet.
Do not brace the vertical pole against the railing. Let its motion be constrained entirely by the two poles along the sides of the sail.
Note that whatever fixtures you install at the locations of the pre-drilled holes will also have to hold against momentary upward (or downward) loads of 200 pounds.


Outward opening bedroom door without a lock

I would search Amazon for "portable door locks" and add a long-shackle padlock to this type of device

You need the padlock because the majority is accessible from the outside. The whole thing will obviously be visible and not resistant to detrmined attack.

The lower photo shows how it locks into the door frame, preventing the door opening in its usual direction.

This works because an inward-opening door that an occupant wants to secure while asleep is essentially the same case as an outward opening door you want secured when you are elsewhere. The added padlock prevents passers opening the lock.


Meaning of socket connector labelled 'A'

There are three sockets:

two are fed from black L-connection
the third one with the switch symbol next to it is fed from orange/red A-connection.

This can be used in conjunction with a switch in such a way that you can switch the one output on and off. Particularly useful with a built in switch right next to the socket I guess.
Otherwise if you don't want to use the separate socket switched, you can of course simply use a jumper wire from black to orange tab, as noted by @troubleshooter in the comments below.


Using receptacle mounting screws for ground connection

You cannot use the mounting screws as a grounding path.

However, you can use hard metal-metal contact between the receptacle yoke and the grounded steel box.  For this, the yoke mounting screws have to bottom all the way down hard.   Here's what doesn't work:

the yoke doesn't bottom all the way because its ears are catching the edge of drywall or finish, which is the normal way receptacles are installed
there is paint on the box or yoke (make sure to mask it before rolling the walls!)
most receptacles come with the mounting screws "held captive" on the yoke by those little squares of paper/plastic. Those are insulators and prevent good grounding.

Boxes or yokes with special spring contacts are only good if listed as such: i.e. their instructions specifically say that's OK.

It doesn't matter if the grounding path "meggers out" OK at the moment.  That could change over time, or as someone is pushing a plug in or pulling it out.


You can try whatever to the board that is warped.  If it works great, if it doesn't you are back to square one.  Mineral oil plus dumbbell may work, but it is a factor of the amount of space that is there below the wood.  I seriously doubt you are going to condense the water logged wood.  So your objective would just be to have the wood flat on the surface.

Your other option if the wood is just bulging is to sand it down.  Often for small areas this has a decent chance of working.

If you want your hardwood floor to be a bit more resistant to water than you need to hit it with a few coats of polyurethane.  With cats this seems like a no brainer to me since if they piss it will soak into the floor (and possibly smell like cat pee forever).


Marbles in marble dispenser get stuck trying to fit through hole

It occurred to me that this problem has already been solved...  Gumball machines and/or coin-op toy dispensers at the grocery store are capable of selecting just one of something.  A quick search reveals a solution like this:

Seem to me you may be able to adapt your design to work something like that.  Even if not, I'd look at gumball machine designs...


Is there a required or recommended minimum distance of an HVAC duct from an exterior wall?

There is no minimum for running hvac near an exterior wall.
In fact you can run hvac outside (my old house had hvac under slab) and you can certainly run hvac in exterior walls.   There are extra insulation precautions and some loss of energy in these cases but you have to do what you have to do.
Your case isn't as extreme.   In fact it isn't extreme at all because your hvac is inside of the insulated bubble albeit closer to the edge of the bubble.   Meaning that the vents themselves will aid in the cooling and the heating of said bubble.
Addendum:  Given the conversation about the lines in the attic I want to make two points.

If you live in a hot summer/cold winter climate I would not run flex lines in the attic - rigid all the way.

You need to WRAP your lines in the attic, not just bury them in blown in.   You must treat an attic extension as you were running the lines outside - because basically they are.

And obviously we want the vents placed on the exterior because that is the coldest/hottest part of the house and the area that needs the most temperature control.   No issue with your install.


Is it normal to have a light switch setup using only the hot wire?

Yes, this is normal.  There are two ways to wire a two-way switch with 2-core cable like you have:

one where the switch is between the supply and the light fixture(s).  This is how your switches are wired.

As you can see from the diagram, the white wire is used -- it completes the circuit back to the electrical supply's neutral line.
one where the light fixture is between the supply and the switch.  I think this is what you mean by a "standard black-white setup".

Note that the white wire in this case must be marked to indicate that it is carrying the electrical live; I use a small piece of black electrical tape wrapped around the insulation.  It's common (in my experience with amateur wiring at least) for this step to be omitted.

(Images found here)

If you change the switches, you should follow the original wiring.


What is this12"x12" metal box in my basement floor?

From the size and location, it's most likely a sump for ground water drainage, where someone had a sump pump at one time. If your basement has never flooded, it might be that someone fixed whatever hydrological problem required a sump and pump, so they covered it over once it was not needed any longer.


What is the best way to tidy outdoor items around block paving?

Pretty common to just use a matching silicone sealant around the cables, brown or black in this case. If using plastic covers, you'd probably have to buy two and cut them down to meet in the middle.

The drain pipe needs some mortar with a drop of red cement colouring (a powder usually) mixed into it. Wrap a piece of polythene around the pipe first and carefully slide/twist it out after 2 or 3 hours (before it sets really hard).

Alternatively, fill around the pipe with a small decorative gravel, although sweeping may pull this out over time.


Hole in granite countertop for kitchen faucet slightly small

Two things:

Do not do this yourself.   The other answer is technically right but I would only do that if there was no hole.   Either call up the place you got the granite from or another installer (which may run you $30-75).   The issue is that once you start drilling and your bit catches the edge of the hole already there it will skip.   Once it skip you can get chips or cracking.   One of the harder tradesman things I can think of is making a hole slightly bigger.   If you are going to do it yourself then sand it out with a dremel (which might take a while, yet won't damage.

Make it 1.5" so that you future-proof this.   I don't understand unless if it was a bathroom vanity why it wouldn't be 1.5" but that has been the standard for 15+ years for all kitchen sinks.   I know guys that do 2".   I wouldn't go 2" as that will require a cap (for the capless faucets) but 1.5" is safe and will allow you to buy 98% of the faucets out there.

Note:   I really despise the "have someone else do it answers".   But there are three things here - first just to do it yourself it will quite possibly be more expensive.   Second you may never use this diamond bit again.   Third you are talking about messing something up that is 1/30th of the cost to drill the hole bigger.   The risk vs reward doing it yourself doesn't make sense.


What's the recommended way to install the wall mounting spacer?

I would try to gently compress them in with pliers (ordinary slip joint or channel locks) or a clamp (e.g., a C-clamp).  Use a scrap of wood as a protector on the outside to prevent damage to the finish. You might have to alternate from one pin to the other until both are easier to push in. Do the pins or the holes have a means to avoid resistance from trapped air?


So this entertainment center is actually all hanging from the wall, not sitting on the floor and anchored to the wall to protect from tip-over? If so, given the weight (perhaps 250 lbs. but the time you are done with everything), I would NOT rely on drywall anchors of any type but would much prefer to anchor directly into the metal studs. Getting into metal studs is not as easy as wood studs (e.g., 2x4s) but it can be done and is quite secure. One method is to use some wood (either a rectangle of plywood or two strips of lumber) and secure that wood to multiple studs and then you can use screws to hang pretty much anything on the wood. That is routine for telephone/network equipment (not because of weight but in order to have a large area to connect things to, many of which are too narrow to necessarily hit any studs for mounting) and will work quite well here too. As far as "looks", if some of the wood will be visible, paint or stain it to match the entertainment center and nobody will notice.

If the anchoring of the entertainment center is only to prevent tipping over, a few ordinary anchors will do just fine, even if they can't hold the full weight (because they don't need to).


To me it sounds like the rubber washer is failing, these are on the base of the stem held in by a brass screw, they do change shape over time and they do fail especially if turned off with force, luckily most plumbing stores or home stores have kits that have the different sizes needed for home repairs for 5-10$ and they can have 20 or more pieces in the kit, there are 2 or 3 standard sized ones they look like little volcanos a disk with a solid cone and a hole down the center, most hose bibs use the same style but the larger diameter, there are also flat ones and yours may look flat because of being crushed but the 3 valve showers I have installed and serviced have all had the cone shaped washers.


how to get 240V to 4 wire 240V thermostat

Yes, in North America our 240V power is center grounded, with neutral added.  That means it is 120V from any pole to ground or neutral, and 240V across the two poles.

Now sometimes in your situation, someone confuses a 2-pole breaker for a twin/duplex/tandem/double-stuff.   Those only have access to one pole, so in that case both wires will be the same pole.  That will provide 120V from either pole to ground, and 0V between them.  This won't work for 240V loads. The giveaway is that the double-stuff can be switched separately, but the 2-pole is ganged.


Recommended method to insulate a raised (joisted) floor in the UK?

This would probably work, but "better" would be closed-cell spray foam or rigid XPS foam boards.  Both of these will also act as a vapor barrier and have a higher R value per inch of material than fiberglass or rock wool.  They are however more expensive, and spray-foam is not typically something that is DIY-installed.


Is rerouting the waste line really necessary

Could be related to fixture units meaning the old line has too much stuff dumping into it to accommodate the new bathroom OR could be your proposed 14' run is too far to wet vent back to the stack (unless you're already planning on a separate vent, then it doesn't matter.

If this is a 4" stack you should be fine on fixture units (unless you have 6 bathrooms upstairs) but you could be pushing the limit on wet venting at 14'.  Therefore, run your waste line into existing as you suggest and then run a 2" vent out the back of the closet bend.  In your illustration the plumber's proposal on the opposite wall would need a vent anyway so I assume it is going vertically?  Run the 2" up that chase instead.  I may be missing the boat here, hope this helps.

Personally, I'd redesign the bath to avoid dynamiting the home theater and digging a mine shaft down to the main, that is guaranteed to end in tears.


How to connect sink, dishwasher and washing machine with single water supply?

I find it's best to assume the last guy had the same problem you are now having, and what you see is his solution.

It looks like it was factory made as a double tap, with an outlet on top and bottom, and the top one was never used (or his fitting did not need tape).  From the bottom tap, the last guy put a splitter on it, to get 2 outlets from the one tap (while strangly not using the upper tap at all).

Behold 3 taps for you.

I don't think this is a tub/shower diverter, the valve angle is wrong, and that would be rather strange since there's no hot/cold mixer and it would be out-of-place in this location.


It's a challenging job, I would remove all the galvanized pipe if possible. I don't like running into decommissioned wire and pipe when I'm on a job. You have to think about the next guy coming to do work in the future. A tip for making the connections. Get a flame shield and keep a pail of water close by. Also pre-tinning the pipes can be helpful in those really hard to heat places.


Advice on light switch replacement in old house

That's a standard plain light switch. Any home store, electrical supply house, or even Wal-Mart can set you up with the right thing.

I realize that some people don't want to waste their Prime membership and so they buy everything on Amazon, but you should not buy electrical supplies on Amazon for 2 reasons:

Most Amazon listings are actually Amazon Marketplace, an eBay-like flea market of not-necessarily-cheap Chinese junk. It's very difficult to tell the difference. Even if you watch out for "Ships from and sold by Amazon.com", you can get counterfeits.  Using cheap Chinese on mains electrical is not a good plan.
Electrical gear is low value, quite heavy, and stocked everywhere.  A $50 roll of wire weighs 27 pounds.  That switch you need is 60 cents. As such, the business doesn't lend itself to mail-order; so there are few people selling. This has a very adverse effect on price.  Online generally, you have what I call the "I don't wanna ship it price", and on Prime you have the "third party sellers pay for Prime shipping" price.

If you really like the Amazon model, use Home Depot. Use their "Pickup in store" option. They'll cheerfully pick the order for you and text you when it's ready.  At the store they have something like Amazon Locker where  you can pick up your order contactless.


Can someone identify this HVAC duct component?

These are just crude supply registers to provide heat/AC to the basement. They could have been installed with the regular installation or added at a later date. There should be register covers somewhere with a screw in the middle that when attached to the vent controls the opening of the vent. We had them all over our unfinished basement. When we had it finished. we utilized them with the drop ceiling.
You can replace them with straight ductwork but you'll need supply registers somewhere else.


What causes seasonal doors and how do you prevent it?

The condition you outline is not uncommon. It usually results from humidity changes. Typically, the tolerances were a bit too tight when the house was built, not exactly squared or the door framing was not secured as tightly as it should have been.

Here are a couple of things you can do now to mitigate the problems.

Replace the center screw of each hinge on the casing with a longer screw. A 2 1/2 to 3 inch screw will be sure to penetrate the Jack and Stud, thus holding the door casing firm to the framing. Make sure all the other screws are snug.

Check the casings for a secure attachment to the underlying studs. If you press against them hard with your hand and there is any movement, you may need to add a few longer finish nails to secure them to the studs.

Trim the doors by sanding or planing them at the time they fit the worse.

Some one or combination of the above should permanently fix your problem.


Can you paint a ceiling that has acoustical texture??

You can use a really thick-napped (1" nap) roller, but make sure to go very slow, or you will fling paint everywhere.


tl;dr: running the dryer with the front face off causes the high-limit thermostat to cut off the heat

This may have been the ultimate rookie mistake, but at least my dryer is working now. I'm going to outline it all here in case it's useful to someone else.  The chronology of my DIY repair:

After disconnecting the vent out the back, I confirmed that the dryer was not producing any hot air.
After consulting debugging checklists like this, I disassembled the dryer to access all the components of the heating assembly. As described in the original question, I confirmed continuity and resistance as appropriate, and all individual components seemed to be working fine.
After talking with the fine folks at appliancepartspros.com (very helpful) they asked for more information about whether the igniter was actually lighting, and whether ignition was occurring. I did not know how to do this.  Apparently, many dryers have a little viewport near the burner assembly that will allow you to visually inspect things as the dryer is running.  My model did not have this viewport.  Therefore, I took off the front face/door of the dryer and reconnected all the components so I could do this visual inspection.
With the dryer face/door off, I observed what I wrote in the original description: "the igniter turns on, ignition occurs, and then after ~10 seconds, the flame goes out. After ~1 minute, the same thing repeats."
As described in the original question, bypassing the high limit thermostat with a piece of copper wire fixed the "problem" -- the dryer heat stayed on as expected when tested with the dryer face/door removed.
Based on the previous observation in point #5, I replaced the high limit thermostat, thinking that it was tripping at a too-low temperature. However, that did not fix the observation described in point #4 above.
Grasping at straws, I also replaced the gas valve coils thinking they were somehow making the burner run too hot. However, that also did not fix the observation described in point #4.
I cleaned some lint residue off of the inside of the heater assembly. Again, did not change observation in point #4.
After almost giving up at this point, I went ahead and reassembled all components, including properly mounting the front face/door. That blocked my visual inspection of the burner assembly, but the dryer worked!

Here are my conclusions:

With the front face/door off, the heater apparently burns hotter (presumably due to more air flow), which causes the high limit thermostat to (appropriately) turn off the gas valve. That explains the observation in point #5 above.
That means the original heating problem may have been the same was what I described in point #4 above, but in all likelihood it was something different.
Something that I did in points #6, #7, and/or #8 nevertheless fixed the problem.  (I'm too lazy to put the original parts back in to isolate which part is was.)  But importantly, as described in point #2, the high limit thermostat had continuity at room temperature, and the gas coils showed the appropriate resistance across all pairs of prongs (as helpfully provided by the people at appliancepartspros.com). So unless the actual fix was #8 (which seems unlikely to me), one of the components tested fine but was still failing.

Again, hope someone benefits from this recap...


Can I run NM wire and put an electrical box in the same wall stud cavity as a metal HVAC supply duct

I see no problem with that at all. Both are independent of each other. If they touch, it sounds as if you need to provide some sort of non conductive material between the duct and box,, or use a plastic box.


What amount of shingle overhang on a rake side is acceptable?

A 2” overhang for shingles is excessive. Always follow the manufacturers installation instructions, because 1) performance is limited, 2) longevity is limited, and 3) warranty is voided.

shingles will sag and bend over time. This can create problems elsewhere, like tearing the underlayment, etc.

Shingles will wear out quicker because the shingles will fold at the roof line.

If you file a claim after a few years, a manufacturer’s representative will visit the site and void the claim. (If pieces of shingle blow off and break your neighbors windows, you’re liable.)

I find that when obvious things are done improperly, then other things are often done improperly too. I’d check the number of nails used per shingle, placement of nails from the top of the shingle, distance of first nail from edge of shingle, exposure of shingles, etc.
Btw, check several places on all sections of the roof. One roofer might do a great job where he’s working, but his assistant might be terrible.


Why won't my thermostat control the HVAC anymore after trying to switch thermostats?

Nest states their thermostats do not require a Common 24 volt leg of control power to be provided to the Nest, However there are some situations where the Nest will not stay charged after a bit thus requiring a Common leg of the 24 volt power sent to it,  they allege the Common leg back feeds to  the thermostat by unused circuits and it does in many if not most cases however there are many complaining after a week or so  of the Nest no longer operating or operating normally, this is due to no Common leg in most cases.


A single strand copper wire used to connect between switches ( the positive terminals ) which broke and was causing the breakage . Replaced that with a stranded wire and problem solved . –


Can I convert a 240v plug serving a stacked washer/dryer to 120v plug to serve the washer only?

If your outlet looks like this:

You can simply buy an adapter.

See: Can I take a 220 line and convert it to a regular house outlet what would be the damage?


Toilet bowl overfills before flushing, then stays drained

The flushing action appears to be working normally. A toilet flushes because the water level reaches the vertical level inside the covered portion of the bowl.

The refill portion is possibly because the tube that is inside the tank has become dislodged. Remove the cover and look for a small diameter tube, perhaps pencil diameter that now has a loose end. There will also be a larger diameter vertical tube to which this smaller tube attaches. The clip will be on either tube and they should be joined to allow the flow from the smaller tube to reach the bowl, completing the refill.

From https://www.handymanhowto.com/how-to-replace-a-toilet-fill-valve-part-4/


How can I fix a hairline crack in a thin wood panel of an exterior door?

Lightweight spackling compound is not suitable for exterior use.  Even if painted, water will effect it greatly.  In addition, it is prone to cracking as it is brittle and probably will not withstand opening and closing of the door (vibrations).

Wood filler or wood glue may work to fill the crack and would be better for exterior use.  The glue is probably more flexible than the filler and may be better for filling the crack.  I've used the wood filler before, but usually to fill nail holes or fill in small cracks.  For a few bucks and some sanding, it may be worth a go round.

Another option would be to caulk the crack.  Since caulk is flexible, it will resist cracking better than the wood filler.  Both caulk and wood filler would be paintable.  I don't think you can stain caulk, but I believe the door is painted on both sides.

The other option I mentioned in the comments is to replace the panel/door.  The panel is most likely held in by surrounding trim, so if that can be removed, just the panel could be replaced.

Another option would be to get a very thin piece of veneer wood, cut it to the dimensions of the panel, and then glue it on top of the existing panel.  Since you cannot see the crack from the outside, this could be done on the inside and then painted to match.


First you need to determine the weight of the items you plan to store. If the trusses were designed under the IBC/IRC or the UBC (and maybe the BOCA and SBCCI) codes, then they should of been designed with a 10 psf live load on the bottom chord. If you keep below this loading you should be okay, but you might want to check out the code requirements for your building. 1/2" plywood will add a 1.5 psf load. A 2x10 at 24" o.c. will add 2 psf (but a 2x4 will add .75 psf) to the ceiling. A 2x12 at 24" o.c. will add 2.5 psf. Subtract the plywood and add-on from the 10 psf to get what load you can add. The safe bet is to consult with a structural engineer familiar with your truss assembly. Could prove to be the lesser alternative to a truss collapse.


Wrong wiring color used for 240V appliance (white/black instead of red/black)

If this is a cable assembly (like NM or MC cable) NEC 200.7(C) allows re-identifying the white wire for use as an ungrounded conductor by tape, paint, or other permanent means.

If it pipe and wire then you need to re-pull the wire. Usually it doesn't have to be red, but red is good, it can't be grey, white, or green and it's easier to not pick through details and avoid anything with stripes.


Can I use a standard extension cord with my refrigerator?

The power cord would have to be short and made of 12AWG wire with ground. I would not go more than a few feet. Best to just have an outlet (dedicated) installed to the fridge.

No special surge protector or special type of extension cord would be required other than the size I mentioned.


There's a flame sensor (as opposed to a heat sensor) that can become coated with combustion products. These can be cleaned, or it may need replacement.


Why are there sheen differences between woods?

I hate to be critical of other contractors, but from the clues you have given in your question, I think I know what happened.

First, pine is a much softer wood than oak and needs to be sanded very smooth before the first coat of urethane. The first coat raises the grain of the pine and almost always is somewhat rough regardless of how good the initial prep was. The first coat is sort of a sealing coat and must be sanded lightly to smooth it for the second coat. If the first coat is not fully cured and sanded, subsequent coats will only exaggerate any flaws or roughness. This is what I think happened when you noticed the roughness.

As for a difference in sheen. If the contractor applied the same urethane, semi-gloss for example, the sheen should be pretty much the same as it was before the 3rd coat. They may have used one grade lower sheen. Satin instead of semi, or semi instead of gloss.  If you can see any noticeable unfilled sanding marks or really thin coverage, then perhaps the rough surface was sanded with a very fine paper and not over-coated. Oil based urethane stays tacky for several hours. At best conditions, it could be dry to the touch after 2 to 3 hours.


I think you really need to nail down why that room is warmer than the other rooms as I doubt you're doing laundry all day every day.

Is the room on the south side of the house?

Does it have more windows than other rooms?

Are the windows properly insulated and caulked and not leaking air?

Is there poor air circulation in the attic above that room for some reason? Do you have an exhaust fan in your attic with proper soffit vents or other intake vents?

Are the plumbing and exhaust vents for the w/d properly sealed? Is the dryer vent in an insulated wall?

Is there sufficient insulation in the walls and attic in that room?

Are the amount and size of AC registers in the room appropriate for the room?

After addressing any existing problems with air or heat leaking you may want to consider a couple of different options.

If the hallway outside the bedroom is cooler you might want to create a vent to allow air to pass through from your bedroom and hallway.

Probably the better option is to have someone install another register off the main duct so you have more cool are entering the room provided your system can handle it.


Is it ok to put a plug on a light fitting?

Well, there is "safe" and then there is "safe and legal".  Running what amounts to an extension cord up the wall to a light meant to be hard wired is going to be a code violation and there are subtle safety issues.

As far as "will this work and not kill me", then probably.  The cord needs to be fastened to the wall so no one trips on it or snags it with their hands or something they are carrying.  The connections at the light need to be done properly and fastened securely so the wire can't be puled out.

Would I do this in the living room with kids and visitors?  No, not at all.  But if this is just to get some light in the garage until a real light can be installed?  Sure, but make sure everything is very secure.  The real reason this is dangerous is mostly the cord getting damaged or pulled or having the light fall on your head.


Can I use the original drain line after I move my washing machine twenty feet away?

Ideally, you should move the P-trap upstairs, and vent through the roof.
Under no circumstances should you have two p-traps in one line.  You get an air-lock between the two, and funny stuff happens.

You want something like this:


What should I do about a small fly infestation in my kitchen?

First get rid of any garbage and produce that is probably the cause of the fruit flies. To get rid of the ones currently there you could buy some traps from a store or try making a homemade one


Can I replace a 2-gang light switch with a Combo 3 Gang 4 Up / Down & Sideways Toggle Light Switch?

This is a single gang 2 switch unit. By removing the single gang box and installing a double gang box (old work box would be the easiest to install). You could use the same switches and add a duplex receptacle. A standard  double gang outlet cover will finish it.


Here's the headache.  Cables are color-coded to distinguish wires from each other.  They're not color-coded by function, which makes 3-ways super confusing. We're gonna fix that. Get a common 5-pack of colored electrical tape.
There is only one /3 cable.   On both ends of that cable, tape both the red and black wires yellow.  Yes, really; both wires get marked yellow.  They are travelers, and they are interchangeable.
Over in the second box, with the cable to the lamp, tape its black wire red.
Now your wiring looks a lot like this

Buy about couple feet of /3 cable that same size (or #12 if you don't know the size).  From this we will make pigtails.   You can also just buy 8" lengths of black, red and green #12 solid THHN if you'd rather.
On one 3-way switch, identify the black screw and  put a black pigtail on it.   On the other 3-way, also on the black screw, put a red pigtail on that.   You could use another color and mark it with red tape.
Oh, almost forgot the grounds (safety earthing).  I tend to ignore them, even though it is vital to hook them up, and do them first.  So -- also, put bare or green pigtails on the ground screw of each switch. Either color is fine, they are equivalent but the green is less likely to short against stuff because it's insulated.
The 3-way switch with the black pigtail goes in the first box (with supply). This will be obvious in a moment.
In both boxes, the yellow wires go onto the brass screws on the 3-way switches.  Join all the bare and green wires with one wire-nut and shove em into the back of the box.  Join all the white wires to each other with one wire-nut, and shove em into the back of the box.  Then do all the black wires similarly, then all the reds.   And you're done.


Can an RCD protect against transformer failure?

Yes, it would, but 30ma won't belp you in a pool.   Here's how electrocution drownings work.

Current as low as 10ma stuns the person in pool.
They faint.
Where they fall, their nose or mouth are under water.
They drown.
Rescuer sees them unconscious, reaches out or jumps in to save them.
Current stuns rescuer.
Go to 2.

You think I jest, but often the way they know it's an electrocution drowning is multiple victims.  The coroner can't tell an electrocution drowning from a normal one.

What you want is personnel-grade 8ma protection.

Another defense would be to tie your DC negative terminal to the local grounding electrode system.  This means the DC is no longer an isolated system, and is a potential ground-fault path for your AC system.


Will newer Siemens AFCI/GFCI circuit breakers handle washing machine loads better than older versions?

The combination of GFCI and AFCI may sound like a good idea, but AFCI’s do not handle motor loads well and motor loads with wave shaping like variable speed on a motor load if just about to be assured of tripping a AFCI protection device. GFCI’s will usually do ok on small motor loads but I have seen them trip when the motor is turned off if there is a problem. In my state the washing machine is a dedicated load and can be a standard breaker if the NEC required device is known to be a problem. I would check your states amendments to the NEC since this is a new washer and hopefully you can swap the breaker out. I do promote whole house surge suppressors as the cheap plug in ones don’t last (if the plug in did work for a while a hole house suppressor will last longer.


What can I use to hang a frameless mirror?

At Home Depot (or Lowes) you should be able to find these Spring Loaded Mirror Mounting Clips made specially for hanging a mirror.  They are no where near as big as a j channel and the top two have a small spring inside of them so they kind of grasp the mirror (and snugly fit on the glass).

You put the two without the springs in the bottom and the mirror just sits in them.  Two more (with the springs) added to the top prevent the mirror from falling forward.  Of course it would be best if you can get them into a beam in your wall.  And you will barely notice the clips on the mirror once it is in place.


There doesn't seem to be anything out of place there.   The shower curb is there to keep water from exiting the shower.   The silicone is used so that water doesn't go under the bracket.   There isn't much the silicone is doing as waterproofing, although it is keeping the bracket from being damaged and maybe a tiny bit of water in.    There is nothing that concerns me in that photo.


Found 2 wires hanging below shingles against foundation

The safest thing to do of course is turn off your main and treat it as an emergency, make an emergency call to a licensed electrician.  Nobody could rule out from what's provided that these wires are unsafe.

My personal opinion, it's such a remote chance that this is an imminent danger, I'd have someone that's competent to work on basic wiring check it as soon as possible, but I wouldn't make it an emergency service call to an electrician.

With no bare conductor exposed, there's really nothing DIY for you to do.

There's a real chance these wires are just some scrap that got buried.

If they are connected to your electrical system, it's obviously not code compliant;  but then again it must have been there for a long time, so it's not likely there's anything that's going to happen today.

Again I am not assuring you there's no hazard, just saying what I would do if I were in your shoes.


How do I regrade the ground around my house?

I was given the same recommendation and decided it would be too much work for me to do myself. I was told to use a clay based soil to ensure that it doesn't wash away and to plant some type of ground cover (something like Pachysandra) to take root and hold onto the soil.

I'm far from a gardening expert but it seemed to be a tremendous amount of work to do without some kind of heavy lifting equipment and a few tons of dirt.


Loose connection in Cooper night light receptacle

Those symptoms scream loose connection to me.

Turn off power, pull the unit out of the wall slightly, and tighten the connections.  My expectation is that during that you will find the underlying problem.  If not, exchange it for another one.


The blue wire at the furnace is likely feeding an airconditioner relay or something that was added later to the furnace.  The unconnected blue wire in the "bundle" needs to go to the c terminal so both of them are connected there.


My guess is the door has warped, touching the top or the bottom or both top  and bottom of the door jam. If you remove that jam and reinstall it to follow the curvature of the door, when it is properly closed, that should fix the problem.


There are a lot of ways to handle this based on your taste.  The lower 2 treads appear to be cobbled together and if it were me I would tear them out completely taking care to salvage the treads.  Then rebuild the lower structure from scratch utilizing the treads.  Purely my opinion based on a single photo, but I think it would be easier than trying to clean up what is there and it gives you more options to do what you like.  Then, whatever you do for the face of the riser, you can do above the second tread.  Even if it sticks out beyond the face of the wall, it will look like a deliberate part of the stairs which will now be treated and seen as their own unit instead of a mishandled attempt to match the wall.  At any rate, I wish you well with your project!


If the house is detached you still need ground rods or a concrete encased electrode. You didn't answer ThreePhaseEel's second question.

Either way, The ground wire gets attached to the ground bar. All grounds and neutrals are kept separate on their own bars. The green bonding screw for the panel is NOT installed. Discard it.

There are several other questions on this site regarding sub-panel installation. Like here.

Good luck!


Lift the door straight up and pull the bottom of the door out first.  They're designed not to allow the top of the door to fall out of the track.


converting two lights from two switches to two lights from one switch

Yes, that is acceptable. Don't forget the grounds, too.


We use liquid sealant all the time with great success at 1-1/2" diameter and less.

Make sure you are coating the threads completely and evenly.
Some dopes require coating both male and female ends over certain sizes.
Maybe try a different brand.
Might just use teflon tape instead.
Plumber we know for a large local company uses teflon (to seal) and
pipe dope (to lubricate) at the same time although we do not practice
the same.
If these don't work, look at your threads and make sure they do not
have a scratch or nick in them.


Replaced 3-way lamp socket and cap doesn't fit

You are looking for a 3-way socket with a 1/4" base.

Search for that on the internet and you will find them for sale: 3-way lamp socket with 1/4" threaded base


What's the difference in 'rollable' and 'normal' basecoat?

I'm not familiar with a "roller" vs "brush" primer. The only thing I can assume here is that is that they're describing "new drywall" (example) vs normal primer (example), where the former is thinner and cheaper.

New drywall is porous and tends to absorb more paint as a result. New drywall primer is a thinner primer designed to fill those gaps and nothing else (i.e. it won't block stains, etc). I've used it with rollers and never had a problem.


What is the proper term for a latch that uses a loop and lever to draw things together?

In the U.S. the item you refer to is most often called a draw catch. There are other names, depending on manufacturer and purpose, but I worked 19 years in commercial and residential hardware supply and we always called that a draw catch.


Looks more like an post construction box. Just a nailer strap to hold it in place...
A ceiling fan box will have a spreader bar being it usually hex shaped bar attached to the joists


Recommend laundry tub automatic pump system

Type into your favorite computer search engine like  Google "sink tray system sump pump" and you will get lots of pumps and places to buy them.


Seems like the biggest problem here is lack of a railing -- 14 feet is a long way to fall!
I'd do nothing to treat the cut. There will be water exposure from rain or irrigation but at least there's not likely to be any road salt that would accelerate corrosion. Further, if corrosion does get into the wall, the stakes are relatively low. This isn't a bridge that would collapse suddenly; instead there would be years of warning signs as bits of concrete would pop away from the rebar. The wall would be unlikely to fail without a giving lots of warning signs first.
Keep in mind that any coating you do put on this wall-turned-tread is going to take a lot of wear, especially on the nose/corner. Virtually any coating you apply is going to wear through there first. You might have to coat the concrete and then put some replaceable tread element on top -- but this will easily cause havoc by making this one riser too tall compared to the others in the staircase. (As you may know, US building codes require that "The greatest riser height within any flight of stairs shall not exceed the smallest by more than 3/8 inch.")
There do exist coatings you could put over the concrete and which would wear respectably well but those I'm thinking of aren't sold in home centers and are sold in 5 gallon or larger quantities. That's much, much more than you'd need for those couple square feet. The one I'm thinking of is Vulkem 350, which is a two-part polyurethane coating applied to a thickness about 1/8". It is tough stuff; I've seen it wear for a decade or more on a single-family residential deck application.
It could look pretty good if you used Vulkem or something like it not only for the cut concrete but for the wood treads too. It would make the treads all match, rather than having the top-of-wall stick out as being different. Sand, crushed walnut shell, or other material mixed into the top coat would give nice slip resistance when the treads are wet, too.


Spigot/spicket replacement in tight quarters

I wanted to post what I did to fix the problem in case it helps anyone. I did not have to do anything with the drywall or damage the outside of the house either. The most difficult thing to do was getting the solder into the wall to apply to the joint.

I purchased the following items from Home Depot.

Plumbing soldering kit that came with propane torch, solder, flux.
Copper 1/2" male adapter so that I could simply screw the new spigot on: http://www.homedepot.com/p/1-2-in-Copper-C-x-MPT-Adapter-C604HD12/204620255
Threaded 1/2" spigot: http://www.homedepot.com/p/1-2-in-Sillcock-Multi-Turn-Female-Thread-to-Pipe-Valve-UV65204/206827980
Thread tape

I fixed it as follows:

I tore up an old sock and stuffed it in the copper pipe to soak up the water.
I used some sand paper to clean off the old solder on the pipe.
Remove the sock.
Apply flux paste to the outside of the copper pipe coming out of the house.
Push the male adapter onto the copper pipe. Make sure the flux paste was applied to the correct length.
I had a very tight spot to work with, and the solder wire needed to reach back into the wall to where the joint was at, so I went ahead and straightened out a piece of solder about 7 inches long with a tiny bend at the very end. This is the only way I could apply the solder without removing material from the wall.
I used a water bottle to spray a good bit of water into the wall to dampen everything up.
Fire up the torch and apply heat to the male adapter. I couldn't apply heat directly to the joint since it was inside the wall and I didn't want to catch anything on fire. It took a while to heat the entire adapter up.
After the male adapter is sufficiently heated up, I poked the solder into the wall and applied it to the joint. I then pulled it back out, made another tiny bend at the end of it, and stuck it back in on the other side to make sure that it was soldered all the way around.
After letting it cool off, I applied the thread tape to the male adapter and screwed on the spigot. I turned on the water and made sure it works.

It seems to be fixed. It's been a few days and I haven't noticed any leaks.


What's the name of this tool and what is it for?

That is a fixture for repetitively cutting lengths of pipe or rod. The fixture is clamped to a workbench and the pipe is laid into the groove. The V-screw is then tightened to hold the rod. The end is then sawed off. The V-screw is loosened, the pipe/rod is advanced, then the process is repeated.


Bathtub/showerhead leak, short water pipe

What you will have to do is remove the round piece that is shown in your photo. I believe it was an integral piece from the spout. The small thin O-ring that you see on the most forward section should be pressed into the tub spout for a pressure fit. Since that is what keeps it connected to the spout (as opposed to being mechanically secured) it most likely (and easily) loosened as you were repairing the spout. If you use a pipe wrench or a pair of channel lock wrenches (protect the pipe with a rag wrapped around it) it should unscrew counter clockwise. With some luck you will have removed only the spouts base and not the 1/2" pipe nipple inside the wall (you should be able to see the threads inside the wall). Re-connect the spouts base by pressing the two pieces together. Apply Teflon paste to the female threads on the bottom at tighten back in place. What is causing the water to leak is most likely: 1)the valve handle is not exactly in the off position , 2) the washers or valve cartridge needs replacing, 3) the water may not be a leak , but residual water that remains in the pipe after the valve is closed.


Buy a folding step-stool. they fold flat (about 2 inches thick)  so can be stored in many convenient places, and then can be opened and closed with one hand (which is convenient if your other hand is full)


Since you have the lock cylinder and the knob removed try to insert a screwdriver into the deadbolt mechanism and rotate it. This should retract the dead bolt. Failing that, remove the hinge pins, slide the door out of the frame and remove the deadbolt retaining screws on the edge of the door.


How can I be sure there are no gas leaks around Gas Oven/Range Combo?

The sniffer is an instrument that is used to detect gas in the area.  Once that is determined it is always recommended to use the search bubbles for searching on the individual joints, and fittings. If you are looking for leaks around an appliance like an open cook stove, it is understood that you must calibrate the instrument to eliminate the background 'odors'. Background 'odors' surrounding this type of appliance are to be expected especially when cooking and working on the unit. If you have been away from the house for several hours and upon returning, you smell gas in the area, you know you have a problem.
You already knew you had a leak around the stove.  The protocol would be to now use the bubbles on every field connected joint to the stove. You are on the right track.  After making the repairs to the joints that made bubbles do a retest.  If all joints pass with no bubbles you can expect safe operation.  The sniffer at this point is out of its class.  Additionally, should you see any additional joints that at not generously taped or doped, take them apart and tape or dope them. (flare joints excepted) (All the joints inside the range will have been factory tested and can be expected to be tight.)


How to fix plywood subfloor butt joint that is off by 1/8" before installing hardwood flooring

Use a large hand plane like this:

I installed vinyl plank throughout my first floor; 1200 square feet.  The rooms I did before thinking about this show every little bump or seam.  Most people don't see the defects, but I sure do.  They drive me nuts.  I wish I thought of this sooner.

Make sure the blade is set to take tiny ribbons of wood and is real sharp.  It will go through the wood like butter.  Makes quick work and you can get that area completely smooth.


Yep, filler up with a finger swipe of caulk & see if it ever reappears. It's likely just a paint separation from temperature & humidity effects on different materials.


If you are using the same thermostat for the new zone and your existing relay has the current carrying capacity you can run 2 pumps off of 1 relay.
I would look at the size of the pumps add them together then multiply by 125% this will provide the minimum size relay I would use, if your relay has this amount or more current carrying capacity you can run 2 pumps from one.


How do GFCI breakers behave on two wire circuits?

It won't nuisance trip. It will trip because you've deliberately created a ground-fault.

You should never connect the grounding conductor to the grounded (neutral), except in the service equipment. Which means you should remove the jumper between the ground and neutral.


It appears as though you have four slots available at the garage panel on the left side of the panel in your picture and one in the upper right.

The neutral bar is on the bottom of your picture with the white wires.

What seems to be the problem?


Do I use mud or spackle after removing a popcorn ceiling?

If your working some large areas or going over taped seams then your choice should be the mud. It goes on smooth and is very easy to sand. Spackle is great for small holes but not really good for this much work.
As far as how many times do you need to apply the mud that depends on what you're trying to fix. If you're covering a new taped seam then plan on three times: with a 4", 6" and 12" knife. Torn paper and nicks one or two coats. Mud does shrink so touch ups might be necessary. Good luck.
Use a good quality paint with the primer added to it.


Air coming out of electrical outlets when bathroom exhaust fan is running?

Without seeing it, it's hard to say for sure. However, the fan is creating 'negative pressure' inside your apartment (which appears to be pretty close to air tight), and so that wants to equalise with the outside any way it can. Thus, air is coming into the rooms by the easiest route it can.

I'd imagine the wall your windy sockets are on is either a stud+plaster (drywall?), roughly hollow sort of thing, or else the sockets have a channel in the solid wall through to the sub-floor, or somewhere else. The air is coming from there to equalise the pressure in your apartment.

As for solutions, they probably depend on your local building regulations and the rules for changes in your block. It feels like you could remove the socket, and the back-box that holds it in the wall and put some insulation behind (or in the channel for the cables). That would probably slow the airflow, but be aware it'll start coming through some place else in your property instead.

You may be better off investigating if you can put an air vent somewhere (your windows may have some at the top which you sort of slide to open and close?), or to put an explicit hole, grilles and maybe baffles somewhere (perhaps in the bathroom outside wall? or maybe the front door into shared areas?). The idea being that it creates a deliberately 'weak' point in the air-tightness of your property to allow the fan to suck the air out and for that air to be replaced relatively easily. It would probably increase the effectiveness of the fan, at the expense of letting (potentially cold) outside air in, but at least the air comes from a known source, and hopefully more easily than through random weak spots in unexpected places.


How high are the walls. Feet or Meters ?? You did not specify where on Earth you are located.
How Wide is each wall.

Normal Sheet Rock 4' High X 8' Wide
So you take Ceiling Height (probably 8' ) Divide by my sheet rock height 4' = 2.

Basement room Walls W1 + W2 + W3 + W4 = W_total Width
Divide W_total Width by 8 the Sheet Rock Width = Total_For_4'_High_Wall.
Total_For_4'_High_Wall * 2 because we want the wall to be all the way to the ceiling. This is equal to total sheet rock required for the Basement.

Studs 16 Inch on Center Divide W_total Width by 16. Since you mentioned Framing - you have a base framing and top framing you will also need to add W_total Width multiply by two and divide by your base and top frame board lengths say 8' for ease but you can buy 10 or 12 foot boards as well.

EDITED 5-10-2016 to provide an example with the OPS Dimensions.


Should I secure a free-standing vanity sink to prevent drain pipe damage?

Shoot a couple 3" screws through the back of the cabinet into a stud.  (Be sure to not hit your supply or drain lines, etc.)

If you need to get to the cleanout, just pull those two screws.

Or do the same basic thing, but screwed into the floor.


How can I install a window air conditioner in a metal window frame?

Since it sounds like it might be difficult for you to get to a lumberyard to build your own solution, you might be better off using a pre-made product.  AC-Safe, makes Universal Air Conditioner Supports that might be useful in your situation.

The system requires you to screw the platform into the window sill (which may or may not be possible in your situation), then simply rests against the outside of the building to support the A\C unit.

I've also seen brackets that mount to the bottom of A\C unit itself, and offer support against the outside of the building (but I was unable to find an example online. I think Thermwell makes them).


Insects are incapable of "eating" concrete, but they do tend to exploit weak or damaged concrete to access something more appealing, such as a food source or nesting site.

It only takes a small crack in an otherwise secure concrete foundation to let termites in. Poured concrete is the most reliable, but if you have a block foundation, the mortar is likely to provide open spaces. Expansion joints between home sections are another invitation to pests, as is any area where pipes or wires enter the house.
Once inside, termites build dirt tunnels. These tunnels get wider over time, so even though the bugs aren’t eating your foundation, they can cause a great deal of damage as pressure builds up and widens existing cracks. This slow process may go unnoticed until it becomes serious, making regular inspection of your home and foundation an important part of pest control.

Source
Eradication is best left to a professional for something this serious.


How to reduce a garden rocker's squeaking?

If all the fasteners in the frame are thoroughly tight, put a drop of 3-in-1 oil on the end of each spring where it goes through the eye and contacts metal (two on the upper end for each side) and see if that gets rid of most of it.

Squeaking is caused by metal-on-metal contact where there's minute movement and no lubricant. Changing out the springs won't take care of where the squeaks usually come from.

After lubricating the spring ends, if it's still squeaking, have someone sit in the swing and observe the bolted joints for slight movement. If they're reasonably tight, you might hit them with something like Tri-flow lubricant spray between the joined pieces and wipe the residue off. The spring coils wouldn't be hurt by a little of that either as an anti-corrosive.


Using 14/3 to wire a fan and lights separately

Yes, that will work. Terminate the 14/3 (neutral and two switched hots) in the ceiling fan box where you'll hook up the neutral and a switched hot to the fan. Then connect the 14/2 for your light to the neutral in the fan box and to the other switch hot. Run the 14/2 to your light locations. You will naturally want to hook up all the ground wires to these fixtures.


The symptoms sound to me like the transformer isn't capable of supplying enough power. Check what the VA rating is on the transformer, and compare to the draw required by the furnace and two thermostats (divide VA by volts to get amps).

If it's undersized, you'll have to setup an external transformer.


Are power outlets in a home out of phase with each other?

Sort of. It depends on your frame of reference.

If you're looking at the ungrounded (hot) conductor from each receptacle, you'll end up with a 240 volt circuit.  Since it's a single circuit, it can't be out of phase with itself. If you hooked up an oscilloscope to the ungrounded (hot) conductor of each receptacle, you'd get a single 240 volt sine wave.

If you're looking at the two separate circuits (e.g. the ungrounded (hot) and grounded (neutral) conductor from each receptacle), then you'll end up with two 120 volt circuits 180° phase shifted from each other. If you hooked up the oscilloscope to the ungrounded (hot) conductor and grounded (neutral) conductors from each receptacle (4 leads instead of 2), you'd see two 120 volt sine waves 180° phase shifted from each other.

The two sine waves should look something like this.

Because the waves are phase shifted 180°, the electrical potential between the legs (at the peak) will be 240 volts. While the potential between either line and "neutral", will be 120 volts.

If the waves were not phase shifted, they'd be at the same potential (or have 0 volts between them).

So while this is not a multi phase system, it's also not a simple single phase system.  Technically it's known as a "Single split phase system".

All of this; of course, assumes that the ungrounded (hot) conductors are from different legs of the service.


If you have EMT, IMC or RMC metal conduit run all the way from the disconnect to the subpanel, then you can use that metal conduit itself as the grounding path, and no ground wire is needed.
Otherwise, you need to have run 4-wire cable (or 4 wires).
Sean Connery rule applies.
"There can be only one" bond between neutral and ground.
First, get your colors straight.   Neutral is not ground.
Neutral = white or gray
Ground = green, yellow/green striped, or bare  (that's true 'round the world).
Neutral comes from the utility.  It exists in all places.
Ground is created, by you, at the very first disconnect past the meter.  In that location you:

Establish a Grounding Electrode System (grounding rods)
Have a "ground bar" bonded to the metal frame of the disconnect
Bond neutral to ground, in this one and only place
Carry neutral and ground separately everywhere else.

Since neutral and ground are bonded here in the main disconnect,  you can actually use the same "bar" for both neutral and ground.   It's not my favorite way to do it, though.  I prefer separate, isolated bars, and the fattest wire  you can get as a specific neutral-ground bonding wire.  The reason is, so you can put a clamp ammeter around that wire which is handy for troubleshooting a variety of problems.
As a practical thing, the meter pan itself also gets grounded because you use EMT, IMC or RMC Metal Conduit between meter pan and disconnect. Once had someone try to use PVC... they couldn't find a way to ground the meter pan.  Golly!
Neural and ground are carried as separate wires
At the subpanel, place the white neutral wire on the neutral bar.
Place the green or bare ground wire on the ground bar (or rely on the metal conduit).
Any subpanel must have neutral and ground un-bonded. Can't bond it here; that would be  two bonds!


There is no limit to the age of the wire, even old knob & tube can be used to maintain historical accuracy. The one place I would modify this statement is on aluminum wire but code allows repair with the same type of device or material without upgrading.
As far as your 12-3 if it has not been in the sun so the outer thermoplastic covering is good it can be used the same as a brand new roll of 12/3. Since you can read the listing information it is fine.


How to install wood board & batten shutters on wood siding?

Your first question is a matter of aesthetics and is up to you. However, I tend to like to leave air gaps so moisture doesn't linger after rain. I'd even be inclined to use short standoff tubes to keep the shutters off the siding.

The second partly depends on the construction of the shutters, but two screws in each of the calling battens should do. If they're very heavy shutters or of questionable build integrity you should explain that in your post.


Does water hardness affect the life of copper pipes?

Are you on a well? In remodeling a home a few years ago, the home being on a well with very hard water, we were replacing a kitchen sink and before we were done we had replaced over 50' of copper piping that was as thin as tin foil. The house was on a well and I wish we would have gotten some tests done for acidity. Mike


If you only have hot and neutral in a light fixture a ground wire in a plastic fixture is not required in the latest version of the national electric code 2017 and the preview version I have will not have a change for non conductive luminaries , lighting fixtures for the general public but more than light fixtures is covered. Plastic or non conducive fixture no grounding conductor is required ( the green or bare copper wire is not required even today.!


Home Building: Do the first and second floor exterior walls have to line up?

I’m not sure what you are saving: 1) Roofing and roof structure? 2) Walls? 3) Second floor structure? 4) Foundation?
5) Heating?

1) You will have the same amount of roof structure, except it will be divided with some on the top of the first floor and some on top of the second floor. In addition, it’s more complicated (and expensive) to tie the lower level into the second floor wall and flash it properly.

2) You’ll have a few longer walls. This wall area will require a finish on the interior and exterior.

3) The second floor framing will need to be larger in order to support the second floor walls and roof structure.

4) The foundation will need to be the same size and support the same amount of roof load and nearly the same second floor - floor load. No savings.

5) You’ll save a small amount of space heating, but insulation will be more difficult to install and not as efficient.


How do you finish carpet on the landing at the top of a hardwood staircase?

You could wrap the carpet to meet the final riser, or you can install a landing tread.

It completely depends on your preference.


Water coming in through backdoor threshold

If possible, unscrew and remove the threshold.  Clean it (if your threshold is bent or dented, it will need to be replaced) and the area around and underneath it thoroughly with soap and a bit of water.  Let dry thoroughly, perhaps overnight.  Buy a tube of clear silicone caulk.  One tube is enough.
 Rescrew down the threshold.  If the screws do not tighten down, use thicker screws.  Make sure the threshold doesn't move.  If you cannot remove the threshold, clean it where it is.  Now take the tube of caulk and run a 1/8" bead  around the edge of the threshold inside and out and completely fill the spaces between the threshold and door jambs.  Use as much as necessary to fill all openings around the threshold.  Wet your finger and smooth out the caulk.  Any excess caulk on the threshold can be removed carefully with a wet rag now before it begins to dry, or leave it.  There should be absolutely no openings under or by the sides of the threshold.  Let dry for a full day.  Now do your hose test.  If water is still getting in check the caulked areas.  If all is good, then you will need to purchase a drip-cap door-sweep and attach it to the bottom of your door according to the package's instructions.  There are various configurations, including attaching to outer face of door, or attaching under door and also to the outer face.  Test again.  If there is still water, then there is an opening or issue which I haven't addressed and you'll need to ask for help again.  Good luck!


Which current will pass through the relay when the generator and main supply are on?

This is not a listed transfer switch and shouldn't be used for automatic transfer of power.

The "electrician" that sold you this should know better.

Manual transfer can be accomplished without this relay but if you want to do automatic transfer you need a listed transfer switch.

Good luck!


Best way to cover external XPS insulation

For covering exposed XPS, especially on foundations (though not limited to there) "Parging" (pretty much a layer of a stucco-like product) is fairly normal; you can get stuff marketed for exactly this job, or not, as you prefer. In the typical thin application, it provides sun/UV protection and appearance similar to concrete, with a minimal level of impact resistance.

In a more abusive location a full stucco coat with reinforcement may be needed.


If you step on a dirty rusty nail in a barn, the problem is the puncture wound and the dirt, not the rust.  Rust is just oxidized iron and not especially dangerous on contact.
As long as it's clean with no sharp edges, burrs, etc., there is no need to seal it for safety.

Sealing it may slow the rust from spreading though.  Clear nail polish would probably work as well as anything.


Are there any types of tile with insulating properties?

What kind of construction is the floor? It seems to me that the floor would be your main heat loss culprit if you're up to a sufficient insulation value in the walls and ceiling.

To answer your question directly: There are no ceramic or composite tiles that significantly add to the R-value of the structure. However, there are additional materials that you can place inside the walls.

I would look into other things, like heat loss through a window, or through a fan vent that draws air, or through the floor. If the room still feels cold, I would definitely include in your renovation a heated floor mat, which gets embedded in self-leveling cement and then tiled over. Having a nice warm floor in the morning when you get out of the shower is one of the ultimate simple luxuries in my opinion.