How can I permanently fix a sagging floor?

Frankly, in an older home like yours seems to be, I would not try to correct so small a sag.  But at the same time, so small a sag should be easy to fix.

Yes, the typical solution is just what you propose -- place one or two 6' jacks in the basement below the sag and span them with a 4x4, underlying 2 or more joists.  And yes, cracked plaster is a risk.  But if the current sag hasn't yet created a crack, it's likely that correcting your sag isn't going to move the wall far enough to cause cracking.  Worst case, a plaster crack is actually pretty easy to repair; it's just a bit messy (patching, sanding, and repainting a wall).

In my opinion, correcting such a small sag is unlikely to introduce other problems (add stress to plumbing, electrical, shift door jambs, introduce trim gaps, etc).  Consulting a structural engineer is definitely overkill.  Most home renovation contractors should have experience with this repair.

"Getting to the Bottom of Sagging Floors"

"Fixing a Saggy Floor"


Are my direct-vent water heater flues installed in a standard manner?

This is not a good example as the venting pipes are right below some windows which can leak exhaust gasses back inside the residence. This would be illegal in the state of Michigan.


You'll need to scrape away all loose paint, and then skim those areas with good joint compound. Your best bet is to use a setting type compound which is less affected by moisture.

Then you'll need to seal and paint with paint suitable for wet areas. This is often an enamel type paint. Typical interior latex is likely to blister and peel again from the moisture.


How can I light up a room without a ceiling light?

Usually in this situation, people tend to use lamps. There are two common types of lamps, each available in various styles to fit your tastes.
Floor lamps
These are meant to stand on the floor, and are typically tall.

Table Lamps
These are meant to sit on a table, and are typically short.

Both types of lamps are typically powered through a cord and plug, and have some form of on/off switch built in.
If long range control of the lamp is desirable, The Clapper can be installed.


Does 2" of spray foam mean 2", or are measurements like with finished lumber?

No this is not normal.  Spray foam (or XPS/EPS foam) provides a specific R value per inch in absolute terms.  It is not at all related to how framing lumber is measured.

Rather then ask for a refund, I would ask the contractor to add more foam to meet the agreed upon thickness.  Otherwise, you are trading efficiency and long-term savings for a short-term refund.  Additionally, it would be difficult to calculate how much of a refund is appropriate. Easier to just fix the problem.


Can I use toothpicks in power outlet for better grip?

No.

That would not be safe. Absolutely DO NOT DO IT.

In fact, do not even try to stick anything else in the outlet besides the plug.

Now that said, how old is the UPS? Indeed... how old are the batteries in the UPS? Do you need the monitor on a UPS? I suspect if the outlet is frail, then the ups is YEARS old. I'd hypothesize it doesn't even work anymore.

So, go replace the UPS. If the unit has been serviced by you, and you have been replacing batteries, and you absolutely must use the outlet on it in question, replace the outlet. There is a chance you can service the outlet and expand the spring/blades but sincerely, I wouldn't bother.


Old kitchen range only has 3-wires, how to wire correctly to 4 wire circuit

First the easy one:

The range's green wire was connected to ground. This is wrong right?

Actually, that is correct!
Now on with the show:
The usual correct wiring for a range is:

2 x hot = typically black & red
1 neutral = white
1 ground = green or bare (or metal conduit)

In addition, the wires must be properly sized based on the current used by the range (big enough), and the breaker must be sized accordingly (small enough). For example, a 30A circuit will require at least 10 AWG wire (8 AWG is fine, 12 AWG is not) and a 30A breaker (smaller will result in nuisance trips, larger will not protect the wires from overheating).
You need to figure out what size wires and what size breaker you currently have. You may need to upsize one or (more likely) both to properly support the new range.  Need to check with specifications of the new range.
There are certain situations - and you have at least one of these - where you only need 3 wires:

If the range only uses 240V and does not make use of 120V power at all, then it does not need or use a neutral, or have any connection for a neutral wire. That appears to be the case here. Most, but not all, newer ranges use 120V to power clock, timer, controls, etc.

If the range was installed a long time ago on a circuit that was installed a very long time ago, then a separate ground wire was not originally needed and ground and neutral combined was permitted at the time and is a grandfathered exception. In some places it is still a grandfathered exception. However, if upgrades to the wiring are needed (e.g., to change from 10 AWG to 8 AWG wire) then the exception goes away. This is not the case here, as you already have a 4-wire supply!

As far as the burn marks, etc. Those are serious problems. They could be due to undersized wires, but more likely due to loose connections. A loose connection can lead to arcing and burning and/or be high resistance which leads to overheating and burning. So cleaning up those connections is critical. I am extra concerned about the burning on the white (neutral) wire, which since it was not even connected should never overheat! Which indicates that there was likely some serious arcing going on that it burned the otherwise inert wire.
As noted, the range whip installation is not correct, and clearly there were other problems as well. Cleaning all of that up will help for now, but it may need to be all redone for the new range with new wires. I would certainly be concerned about the damage to that white wire since it will likely be needed for the new range.
You need to figure out what kind of wires you have (cable or individual wires, what size), what breaker you have, and what breaker/wire will be needed for the new range in order to decide exactly how to proceed with replacement.

Based on comments, updates, etc. This appears to be 8 AWG on a 50A double-breaker. Typically 8 AWG wire should have a 40A (or smaller) breaker. There are plenty of options that should work fine with that. I picked a GE 30" slide-in range with 4 burners and a self-cleaning oven at random from Home Depot, and the manual shows 240V @ 40A. So there is a good chance that if you swap the 50A breaker for a 40A breaker and clean up the wiring that you will be able to use this for a new range.


Sealing plywood edge and faces (Shed Floor)

Do you need to seal the faces? Not really in the conditions you described. I have worked in a plywood plant and all the product used the same glue. The difference was the quality of veneer and if any holes were plugged , and later filled and sanded. The last step they did spray the edges and put the company logo on the side of the unit.
Painting the surface will be plenty of protection, paint will seal from moisture and mud on shoes and actually provide some wear protection. Sealing the edges won’t hurt but really is not going to make much a difference in your conditions.


Can a recessed IC-rated housing be in contact with nonmetallic sheathed cable?

Some approved insulations (such as polystyrene) have a lower heat rating than standard NM cable. Since all conventional insulations can touch an IC rated fixture, cable should be no problem.


How about using baby gates to keep your baby off the stairs entirely?


If a breaker is GFCI/AFCI protected, does the NEC still require garage and exterior outlets to be GFCI protected?

The National Electrical Code requires GFCI protection in some locations, it does not specify how that protection is provided (well... It gives you options on how you can do it). If GFCI protection is provided by a breaker, then the GFCI protection requirement is met.


They can be quite hard to remove even if not glued.  I'd assume it is a cleanout.

Remove the top (I usually use a hammer and a piece of wood to bang under the lip--you'll have to dig a bit).  If the top does not come off, just cut it off with a reciprocating saw. You can always put another cap on or get a coupling if you need more length.  Once the cap is off you can yell into it and have someone listen to your rain drain risers to see if it is connected.

If it smells or you can't hear the other person it could be a sewer cleanout.

You could keep it right at the level below the flagstone and have a removable flagstone if you want to keep the cleanout some what accessible.


How do you rough in for surface mount disconects that install after drywall?

I would leave sticking out and fixed rigidly sticking straight out a section of MC,  for the sheet rocker to know that it needs to stick through the rock.  Leave a couple of feet in a tight coil to give you something to work with on trim.  On trim I would take a beefy screw driver, stick it into the hole in the wall and pry the straps loose.  Then once you connect to the disconnect you can shove the slack back into the wall.

Second method, more difficult.  Do the work to get your EMT connector just in the right position sticking through the rock to come.  Put a rigid coupling on it for protection and a short nipple of EMT just so the sheet rocker won't miss it.  Leave a coil of wire hanging there for the trim.  On trim pull off the pipe you don't need and slap on the disconnect.


It looks like an NF C 61-315 standard French single phase plug:

These are are rated for 400V, 32A on a single phase. The socket you have pictured looks like a French style Schuko (CEE 7/3), which is typically only rated to around 16A. My guess is that unless you already have a socket that was intended for use with an electric stove, the wires are likely not a suitable gauge to handle the current demand.

If you have an outlet with the appropriate wire gauge, it would probably just be a matter of replacing either the outlet or the plug.  If you have any doubts, I'd consult an electrician before attempting to connect it.

Image credit: "Power connector Legrand 32A" by Kae - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Power_connector_Legrand_32A.jpg#/media/File:Power_connector_Legrand_32A.jpg


how do I remove copper stain coming from plumbing?

There are products sold for your specific issue. Check your local hardware store or home improvement center for CLR (Calcium-Lime-Rust) cleaner. CLR is a specific brand name but there are many formulations of similar products available.


what order should I be replacing floor and drywall in?

This is the order that works well for me.

Subfloor
Framing & Drywall
Underlayment
Door Casings
Finished Floor (undercut the casings to the finished floor height)
Baseboards (If you are carpeting put baseboards down before carpet.)


Is it safe to install a sconce light box inside a return air space?

This is what 2008 NEC has to say...

  300.22 Wiring in Ducts, Plenums, and Other Air Handling Spaces. The provisions of this section apply to the installation and uses of
  electrical wiring and equipment in ducts, plenums, and other
  air-handling spaces

  (A) Ducts for Dust, Loose Stock, or Vapor Removal. No wiring systems of any type shall be installed in ducts used to transport
  dust, loose stock, or ﬂammable vapors. No wiring system of any type
  shall be installed in any duct, or shaft containing only such ducts,
  used for vapor removal or for ventilation of commercial-type cooking
  equipment.

  (B) Ducts or Plenums Used for Environmental Air. Only wiring methods consisting of Type MI cable, Type MC cable employing a smooth
  or corrugated impervious metal sheath without an overall nonmetallic
  covering, electrical metallic tubing, ﬂexible metallic tubing,
  intermediate metal conduit, or rigid metal conduit without an overall
  nonmetallic covering shall be installed in ducts or plenums
  speciﬁcally fabricated to transport environmental air. Flexible metal
  conduit shall be permitted, in lengths not to exceed 1.2 m (4 ft), to
  connect physically adjustable equipment and devices permitted to be in
  these ducts and plenum chambers. The connectors used with ﬂexible
  metal conduit shall effectively close any openings in the connection.
  Equipment and devices shall be permitted within such ducts or plenum
  chambers only if necessary for their direct action upon, or sensing
  of, the contained air. Where equipment or devices are installed and
  illumination is necessary to facilitate maintenance and repair,
  enclosed gasketed-type luminaires shall be permitted.

  (C) Other Space Used for Environmental Air. This section applies to space used for environmental air-handling purposes other than ducts
  and plenums as speciﬁed in 300.22(A) and (B). It does not include
  habitable rooms or areas of buildings, the prime purpose of which is
  not air handling.

  FPN: The space over a hung ceiling used for environmental air-handling purposes is an example of the type of other space to
  which this section applies.

  Exception: This section shall not apply to the joist or stud spaces of dwelling units where the wiring passes through such spaces
  perpendicular to the long dimension of such spaces.

  (1) Wiring Methods. The wiring methods for such other space shall be limited to totally enclosed, nonventilated, insulated busway having
  no provisions for plug-in connections, Type MI cable, Type MC cable
  without an overall nonmetallic covering, Type AC cable, or other
  factory assembled multiconductor control or power cable that is
  speciﬁcally listed for the use, or listed prefabricated cable
  assemblies of metallic manufactured wiring systems without nonmetallic
  sheath. Other types of cables, conductors, and raceways shall be
  permitted to be installed in electrical metallic tubing, ﬂexible
  metallic tubing, intermediate metal conduit, rigid metal conduit
  without an overall nonmetallic covering, ﬂexible metal conduit, or,
  where accessible, surface metal raceway or metal wireway with metal
  covers or solid bottom metal cable tray with solid metal covers.

  (2) Equipment. Electrical equipment with a metal enclosure, or with a nonmetallic enclosure listed for the use and having adequate
  ﬁre-resistant and low-smoke-producing characteristics, and associated
  wiring material suitable for the ambient temperature shall be
  permitted to be installed in such other space unless prohibited
  elsewhere in this Code.

  Exception: Integral fan systems shall be permitted where speciﬁcally identiﬁed for such use.

After reading subsection (C), it looks like nonmetallic cable is not allowed in ducts unless it's in conduit.

Equipment and devices shall be permitted within such ducts or plenum chambers only if necessary for their direct action upon, or sensing of, the contained air.

Which means you can't have equipment in the ducts that is not part of the HVAC system itself. So a junction box for a light, would not be allowed (unless the light is inside the duct for maintenance purposes).

If your local government follows National Electrical Code (NEC), then you should not install a junction box for the light in the duct. If you don't follow NEC, it's still probably a bad idea. The boxes and cable are a good place for dust, dirt, and debris to collect. And the cables and equipment could be damaged during duct cleaning.


Does MA require permit to replace old K&T and if no how do I know if work is done to code?

For all of the questions you asked: Consult your town's building department (or equivalent if it goes by a different name where you are from).

They should be able to pull the permit history for your home if requested and tell you what type of electrical work requires a permit.

If you find the that work was done without a permit:

If you are solely concerned about safety and do not want to have to worry about an inspector forcing you to tear open your walls if previous work was unpermitted, you can always pay an independent inspector to come look things over as well. Many people have this type of inspection done prior to purchase of the home and these inspections should be able to tell you if the visible elements (e.g. wires at device boxes, electrical panel) look to be done to code which can serve as an indicator of the quality of the work hidden behind the walls. However, "after the work is completed" inspections on electrical can still miss a lot of potential safety hazards even when the visible elements look okay (e.g. splices done directly in the wall -- I personally discovered some of these on my home after having an independent inspection prior to purchase).

A city inspector may require the walls to be ripped open to inspect the previous work because of the limitations of an "after the work is completed" inspection. Some city inspectors may not require this if the visible electrical work appears to be up to code. However, the city inspector can potentially require you to rip open the walls regardless if the work was done without a permit.


It was fairly common years ago, but even then there was a right way and a wrong way. The right way was to nest the new layer into the existing layer such that there's no structural span happening--each new shingle is fully supported. When that wasn't done the new layer was sure to fail prematurely. I watched it happen across the alley--a brand new roof came completely apart after about 8 years.

In my area the practice became outlawed some years ago (and manufacturers began to specifically reject warranty claims when it was done). It's rare to come across lingering roofs with multiple layers aside from the odd neglected outbuilding, for example.


The rubber gasket is a vibration isolation mechanism, not a liquid holding mechanism, based on experience with the parts of my Stihl saw (different model but those parts are similar.) All the mounting points between the handle/frame and the saw motor use those rubber-mount nuts.
While lacking a convenient exploded parts diagram, the manual I found does have a list of things to check when the bar is not getting enough oil.
https://stihl.partsmartweb.com/Catdata/EMP_IMG/STGSTH/Images/SERVICE/00590215.PDF


How large is the hole exactly? If it's 16" or wider I would consider removing some drywall so that you could reattach the new drywall straight to the studs.

If the hole isn't that large, normally you would use two pieces of furring strip that will be 4 inches longer than the hole in the wall. The furring strip will serve as makeshift studs.  Evenly space them apart so that the drywall will be stable when installed.

Measure 2" down from each end of the furring strip and mark it. When you place the strip inside the hole, align the strip so the mark you made is even on both sides. Using drywall screws, screw through both sides of the wall 1" from the mark you made (remember, you have 2" to place with). Repeat with the second furring strip. Once the strips are securely attached to the wall, screw the new drywall to the furring strip (use at least four screws).

Finish by applying compound or plaster (whatever your finish is), sand if necessary and paint.


Sewage pump turning on without any sinks or toilet installed

Some systems are controlled by plc's programmable logic controllers that automatically pump every zone to make sure that a level sensor failure won't have your lower level floating in poop. I omit cyclic pumping or have with triple redundant sensors, I have seen 2 die but never all 3, it just may be the safety to prevent a very smelly situation. If it is a diagram sludge pump one than can pump almost solids ever firing if the pump makes some noise, you may not need this level of protection but if you do and it is not working things can go bad fast.


Is it okay to throw paper towels & rags with mineral spirits in the trash bin?

No it is not safe. The plastic bag will most likely make it worse. I have seen just an open pile of rags (not bagged) smoldering in a jobsite waste can at the end of a work day. I removed them and set the pile in the yard just to be safe, it was a pile of ashes in the morning.


Ikea chest of drawers/drawers table deformed

Not so much the weight of clothes as low-quality construction/materials.
Possibly compounded by "self assembly" if self assembly is not done with care - the drawer bottom should be fully seated in that groove.
Making new bottoms out of actual plywood as opposed to whatever Ikea used for the drawer bottoms is a solution. It's relatively costly and equipment/skill-dependent.
Solutions that may be less work and expense are to attempt to disassemble and reassemble "better or tighter" - potentially with glue in the slot (which will interfere with any future disassembly) and/or to glue small strips of wood to the bottom and sides of the drawer to hold the bottom in place better.
If trying that, read the instructions (available from Ikea's website) with care - it's always possible that the original assembly was incorrect in some detail. Steps 24-27, mostly. The little wedge seen in your blurry last picture is supposed to be holding the bottom in the slot.
At the low end of that would be just getting the bottom into the slot and then running a bead of hot-melt glue along the seam, which is potentially removable if you ever want to take it apart again, and does not require any wood strips. Using wood strips is a bit more secure, perhaps.


Something is not right with your pressure tank/pressure switch.

The most likely (there are several less likely options) is that you may have a failed bladder, assuming the usual modern case of having a bladder type tank (where a membrane or bladder is supposed to prevent contact between the air in the pressure tank and the water in the pressure tank.)

Typically the most cost effective way to solve that is a new pressure tank.

But.

There are small odds that things are just horribly mal-adjusted. A properly installed well-pump system will have a pressure gauge you can see somewhere near the pressure tank - you should abserve that while water is running, and pay attention to where the pressure is when it switches the pump on and off.

You can check by turning off the pump and draining the water; then check the air pressure on the tank (there should be a tire valve, usually on/near the top, sometimes under a cover - use a tire gauge to read that pressure.) If it's zero ( with the water side drained & at zero), you almost certainly have a failed bladder, but try pumping it up (with a tire pump - there should be air in there) if it does not hold pressure, you definitely have a failed bladder. If it will hold pressure, it should be adjusted to about 2-3 PSI below where the pump turns on (so if the pump starts at 40 PSI, 37-38 PSI)

Depending what type of pump you have, restarting the pump may be more or less difficult - if it's in the well (submersible) it's generally no work at all - if it's a pump in the house you may need to prime it, and thus you might not even want to start the "turn things off and drain the system" checks until you have an understanding of how to prime and restart the pump, or you won't have ANY water until you do.

To help you understand the (most likely) problem, the pressure tank acts to store water under pressure by compressing an air bubble. The tank and resulting air bubble are typically supposed to be sized to allow for 1 or 2 minutes of pump operation (which results in a certain volume of water) each time the system cycles. If the air bubble is not the right size, much less water is stored, and the pump cycles more frequently. In the "properly adjusted" state, the 2-3 PSI below the pump turn-on (also known as cut-in) pressure prevents any noticeable loss of pressure (the tank is still supplying water as the pump starts to replenish it), and the pressure simply varies between 40 & 60 PSI, or 30 & 50, or 20 & 40, or possibly other values.

A "much rarer these days" case would be a non-bladder type pressure tank - those have contact between the air and water, and the air gradually dissolves into the water, so it needs to be replenished. Those systems typically have valves that are supposed to suck in air as the water is pumped, but they may malfunction, and the typical solution until they are fixed (or the whole thing is replaced with a bladder tank) is to pump air into the tank manually if a valve is provided for that, or to drain all the water out of the tank, which provides a tank-full of air when you restart the pump.


Water is too hot in electric water heater

Easy fix: add an anti scalding valve right after your boiler. Remember that water under 60°C will incubate legionella that is quite dangerous so don't lower boiler's set-point temperature below that.

Also remember that (tanked) boiler work by stratification it means that quite hot water stays at top of tank while cool one lays at the bottom, so it's normal that 'first' water is hotter than set if the sensor isn't in the boiler's top.

Note: water above the sensing element is hotter than set point, water below sensing element is colder than set point.


What is the correct way to share a washing machine receptacle with a printer?

Washing machines require dedicated circuits. This code excerpt implies that the only receptacle available for a washing machine should be the one that the appliance itself is plugged into.

  210.10(C)(2) Laundry Branch Circuits. In addition to the number of branch circuits required by other parts of this section, at least one
  additional 20-ampere branch circuit shall be provided to supply the
  laundry receptacle outlet(s) required by
  210.52(F). This circuit shall have no other outlets.

Source: 2008 NEC, the latest version I have, but I know this requirement has not changed meaningfully since then.

In general, any high-powered AC motor or electrical heating element (washing machine, refrigerator, garbage disposal, dishwasher, microwave, etc.) should be on a dedicated circuit. These tend to draw a lot of amps, and AC motors spike above their typical current draw when starting because they have to charge some pretty big capacitors. For example, an AC motor that draws 12 amps might spike at 18 amps when starting. If you already have a load on that circuit, you may trip a breaker (maybe not - they do not necessarily trip because of a momentary spike - and the circumstances that cause them to trip is a little more complex. Best not to tempt fate).

The correct thing to do here is one of the following:

Use a different circuit that is available in that location.
Run another circuit for the printer. As laser printers can also cause a current spike and I have actually seen them (personal experience) cause lights to fade momentarily, a dedicated circuit for one is not a bad idea, even if it is not required.
Plug into another circuit elsewhere in the house, possibly using an extension cord to move the printer where you want it as Iggy suggests. I recommend using a heavy-duty extension cord capable of carrying whatever current the printer requires over the full length of the extension cord. Too often I see people use dinky little extension cords that work fine for lamps, but will overheat under high loads such as with laser printers, power tools, yard equipment, etc. If the extension cord is exposed at all, you also want it to be durable to avoid damage. Personally, I only buy heavy-duty outdoor-rated extension cords capable of carrying 15 or 20 amps, even for indoor uses.


How do I plug a leak in my refrigerator's water fountain casing?

The root cause may be the closure flap in the ice hopper delivery chute. There is a spring-loaded flap up there which opens when you actuate the dispensing lever. Make sure it is closing all the way and sealing (there is a foam seal on the "ice" side of the flap, check it for damage) or the ice in the bottom of the hopper can melt and drip down into the tray. Also ice sometimes gets trapped in the chute and does not fall all the way down into your container, it then melts and drips into the tray.

Shine a flashlight up into the chute and check it out.


How did the sideboards come to be raised over a hardwood floor?

Plenty of homeowners put carpet over hardwood in the 60s, 70s and 80s. It's not clear why the baseboard and base shoe are elevated, though. Normally shoe isn't used with carpet.

To avoid unsightly lines left on your walls, I'd remove just the shoe, finish the floor, sand and paint the baseboard (in place), then reinstall the shoe tight to the floor.


How do you correctly use EMT conduit terminated into a female-threaded raintight hub atop a 3R outdoor panel?

In the comment I put 298rt it should be 2908rt I have used these with hubs in the past and passed inspection the lock nut is removed and the seal is left in place, the ones with straight threads seal on the ring the ones with tapered threads don’t make it to the ring but some of my inspectors will flag one without the ring.
although uncommon I have  used Myers hubs to emt connectors and after the inspector understood that I was adding the Myers hub for strength because of a TKO box he even allowed that (these will pull the tkos out over time with vibration).
This is where my experience in this matter is from I do not use emt for this in most cases I use rigid.
There is no other way to connect emt to a hub or coupling that I know of.


According to the schematic.

The unit is OFF, when IG and B are connected. To start the unit, connect ST and BAT. Once it's running, none of the contacts should be connected.

You're going to want to find a way to monitor the engine, so you know when it's running and can stop cranking the starter. You'll likely want to crank the starter in shortish intervals, rather than simply cranking until the engine starts.  You'll want a way to stop cranking the starter after x number of tries, so you don't keep cranking an engine that won't start. You'll also need a lockout mechanism, so that the device cannot start the generator when somebody is working on it or the system.

As for connecting to the homes electrical system. You're going to want to use properly installed transfer equipment. And you're going to want to make sure the installation is code compliant.

Finally... If you're going to be working on projects like this, you're going to want to learn how to read schematics.  It makes me slightly nervous that you're asking this question.


How do I connect a Class B vent to this heater

A common way is with a single wall oval to round elbow. Then you use a listed adapter for joining single-wall vent to Type B round vent. Do not "squeeze" or "bend" a pipe, fitting, or adapter to make it fit.

Contrary to some things you might hear, gas fired appliance vent pipes and fittings must be fit for purpose and used according to code and manufacturers' instructions or you could have a fire or die from CO poisoning. There are all kinds of restrictions; length and slope of horizontal runs, number and degree of bends, requirements by space/area, passing through floors/walls/roof, height of vent stack, type of cap, etc. All the rules are there for a reason (usually the reason is that someone was injured or killed).


Tools for installing splitfaced stone sheets (mosaic-like) on a wall

Trowel - This depends on your substrate.  If I am going on perfect straight backer board I might go 1/8", for drywall or not perfect go with 1/4".

You should notch horizontally.  Actually it doesn't matter if you do it right but horizontal will help them from falling initially.

Nippers... No way.  You will need a wet saw or angle grinder with diamond blade.  You will need to take the sheets apart and cut each piece individually unless you have a really good wet saw with a good feeding track.

If you are waiting for a backsplash to come in, I suggest you install that first.  You should start this tile right next to the backsplash and work your way out.  Always start at the focal point and know that you can hide bad cuts in corners.

To hold tile up during install... we usually use 2x4s.  But really if your mix is right and you trowel right these tiles will hold up just fine.  You would do the bottom row first and just make sure you give the second row 20-30 minutes before you start stacking.  But if you want to put something under that is fine, but you shouldn't need to.


Extractor tool, like $5 at your local hardware store:


Can I use a traditional router bit on a small concrete slab? And if no what can I use?

Quick answer.... NO.

You will need to get bits designed for concrete.  Concrete is very abrasive and will destroy a wood bit in microseconds and not do much of anything to the concrete.


Is it safe to use pressure-treated wood for a workbench in my shed?

Offgassing has never really been a concern with treated lumber. Direct skin contact and ingestion were concerns with CCA treatment, and to a lesser degree with the products that have replaced it.

As long as you're not spending a lot of time in contact with wet wood, and as long as your pets and family members aren't gnawing on it, I wouldn't be concerned.


Elevated area around switch due to repair - need guidance matching texture?

This is creative free art. The artist is unknown.  First you want to sand that whole area smooth and try to cut down the elevation difference. You're going to have to practice this a bit but I've had pretty good luck using a wallpaper paste brush and dipping the brush into drywall mud and gently flinging it onto the wall. You can also dab it on the wall. Now you have the dimples. After it sets for a while, get your mud knife and make some sweeping strokes to flatten out some areas. This is going to take some practice so be patient. The good news is if you screw it up,just scrape off the mud and start over.


What are our options for a base under a raised garden bed?

Unless your soil is extremely sandy and wet you won't have to take precautions to prevent the garden beds from sinking. I would imagine the tool shed sinking due to the extra weight and foot traffic it endures regularly.
If you feel it necessary to take steps to keep the raised beds stable you can:
-level the beds by excavating under the high corners. This will keep the corner from moving.
-In addition with the excavating pound wooden stakes made from redwood or cedar at each corner. Leave 6-8 inches above ground and screw that section to the bed.
-This idea will help in 2 ways: attach 1/2 inch hardware cloth to the entire bottom of the bed. This will not only provide alot of surface area (drag/friction), but will prevent gophers and other burrowing critters from entering the bed.


How can I fix this leaky roof over a covered open air porch?

That little shingled roof under the deck would be a really bad idea, because replacing the shingles will be next to impossible. So it smacks of an after-though project and I'd venture to say that they didn't properly flash that roof to the siding, meaning the flashing needed to go UNDER the siding. Fixing it properly now could be really expensive because it may require removing the deck to get at the upper corners. What they likely did was just run a bead of caulking along the roof-to-siding seam, and that didn't last long. What you can probably do now if you don't want to tear anything out is to preemptively remove and replace that caulking every once in a while, maybe based on how long it had been working for you until now. Use a butyl caulk, they last longer in applications like this.


Oil- or water-based polyurethane to refinish stair banister?

I've been prejudiced toward oil based polys for years, but having used water based polys on some projects that weren't all the important, I've been impressed.   Water based is much less toxic, easier to clean up, more environmentally friendly and actually does a pretty good job. Seems to dry quicker and more solidly than oil based.  It also seems to sand easily between coats.  Being water based, it does tend to raise the grain on the first coat, but that's easily sanded down with fine sandpaper.  I won't be using oil based poly anymore.


Honestly.  Your best approach is to consult with IKEA about powering the lights from one single common low-voltage transformer/supply.

Nobody, not even Ikea, thinks a bunch of chunky transformers is the way to go. They did it that way because that is the lowest-cost way to sell the lamps in a single unit and still get the items listed by your regulatory agencies.   They may even have an Ikea-approved way to use a common transformer.

Generally, low voltage power is much more lightly regulated, so the low-voltage cable run from wall-wart to lamp proper is thus less regulated.   That's still a good idea, but with one common transformer if possible.  If that transformer has a cord, feel free to put a 5A receptacle and <=5A fuse.


Replacing mounting brackets on dishwasher

looks like the legs are connected by a runner.  I'd stabilize the dishwasher by attach the runners to floor using a right-angle drill to reach as far back as comfortable, say 8" or more.

http://www.harborfreight.com/38-in-variable-speed-reversible-close-quarters-drill-60610.html


Do I need to sand this unfinished table?

A nice trick (learned as a wood turner) is to spritz some mineral spirits on the wood. I usually use rubbing alcohol, as I keep that around. (Not mineral oil, as that will not evaporate.) Anything that will "wet" the wood, but evaporate quickly without leaving a residue, and without raising the grain as water would do. Water is bad of course in this context, since it causes the cells in the wood to expand, raising the grain. The idea is to see what the wood looks like when wet. It will often bring out scratches that remain from sanding, or other tool marks.


Safe?  Yes.  Economically wise?  No.
Refrigerators older than let's say the mid to late 90s are woefully inefficient, and use quite a lot of electricity compared to ones made in the last 15 years or so.  Buying a newer fridge (even one 10 years old) will often pay for itself in just a few years in the amount of electricity saved.
So if you're planning on using the fridge for more than a few years, it's likely wise to not run it and find something newer.  Utilities in the US (and possibly even other countries) will often even give you a rebate on disposing of an old fridge like this.


Time to Replace Masonite Royalcote Wall Paneling?

Masonite was made out of wood fibers. The contractor I work with had some tested because Masonite cement board has asbestos.
What we found out was it is only wood. Many composite wood products use formalgahid in the glue. Masonite is steam bonded with high pressure. With that said the insulation behind the Masonite was asbestos.


Quantitative measurement for sound dampening methods

The overall construction method makes much more difference than the type of insulation. It seems intervening air gaps in assemblies is usually beneficial so batts may be more beneficial than blown in, given identical material. All just a guess on my part. Acoustics can be maddeningly illogical.

Some time ago California compiled acoustical tests from various sources into a catalog of sound-rated wall and floor/ceiling assemblies.


How do I repair aerated autoclaved concrete?

Instead of trying to fix the crack, first try figuring out what is causing the crack.  You can fix a crack many times, but if you are fighting against something like water pressure (or one of the many other causes of cracks in concrete), you will never win.   Once you find what is causing the crack, then look to mitigate the problem somehow (proper drainage in the case of water buildup), and then fixing it one final time will take care of the problem.


Can I swap the ends of a retractable extension cord?

It is not directional, but its position in the circuit does matter.

Most likely you are not looking at a circuit breaker, but a GFCI.  These turn off the power if there is power coming out the hot wire but not returning through neutral.  Which is what happens if someone touches one of the wires and a metal pipe.  It is there to help prevent people from getting shocked, especially in wet environments.

If you swap the ends, it will still protect devices plugged into the cord, but probably won't be protecting its own wire anymore, which could be dangerous.

If it is just a GFCI plugging it into a GFCI receptacle would be fine — the receptacle will provide the same protection.  The only downside is if it does trip, you will have to check both GFCIs to see which one needs to be reset.

If it is actually a circuit breaker, it will no longer be protecting its own wire, since if there was a  short in the wire the current doesn't flow through the circuit breaker.


Does landscape fabric (filter fabric) get clogged? If not, why not?

Think about how a coffee filter works.  You have a paper filter clogged with wet coffee grounds.  The water slowly passes through the filter paper and you have a thin film of water between the filter and the funnel.  That film from the entire surface of the filter paper flows to the bottom of the funnel.  By the time it all aggregates and flows out of the funnel, you get a stream of fast-moving coffee.  That's what goes on with the filter fabric and the drain.

The drain channel is sized to move water at a certain rate.  There is typically a perforated pipe that offers unimpeded flow to the water once inside, so it is quickly carried away.  The water gets into it by traveling through big gaps between large stones, and some of it even travels through the stone gaps.

If the drain system is at the surface of the ground, much of the water will get there by flowing over the ground until it reaches the stones.  Some of it gets there by flowing through the soil; flowing much slower, through much smaller paths between dirt grains, over a much bigger area.  If the drain is completely buried, like around the footers of your house foundation, all of the water will get there by traveling through the soil.

The filter fabric is porous, and acts like a barrier to separate the soil from the drain.  It gets clogged with fine soil, but not really different from the soil the water is passing through to get there.

So you have a lot of water collecting in the soil over a very large area.  It moves slowly through the tiny gaps in the soil, but that's a lot of water moving slowly.  It passes through the fabric barrier at the perimeter of the drain system, which has a lot of surface area, and the aggregated water becomes the stream flowing through the channel.

If filter fabric is only placed around the drain pipe, the stone in the channel fills with silt until there isn't really a difference between the stone channel and the soil.  The water moving through the soil will find its way into the perforations in the pipe, but you're aggregating slow-moving water from a few small holes, so you only get a trickle through the pipe.


Your panel's limit on stab ampacity only applies to double-stuff breakers

Your panel's label should read, among other things:

  SUM OF QT BREAKER RATING IS NOT TO EXCEED 110A PER BRANCH CIRCUIT BUS STAB

Note here that it says "QT" breaker, while regular Siemens breakers are type QP.  This is because this restriction only applies to Siemens tandem aka "double-stuff" or "cheater" breakers, which use a type QT label to distingush them from normal type QP breakers, or the type QNR double frame breakers that are used for breaker ratings above 125A.

As a result, I would go ahead and put the 150A type QNR breaker in the main panel in question, using 2/0 Al XHHW-2 for the hots and neutral with a 6AWG bare copper ground in 2" PVC conduit.  (If you're stuck with copper because of local rules, 1AWG is the correct gauge, by the way.)

GO BIG OR GO HOME

For the panel in the ADU, we know two things:

Spaces are cheap now compared to the cost of replacing a panel later because it filled up
We need a main shutoff in the panel since we are dealing with powering a separate structure, but that main shutoff doesn't need to be a breaker (and can't be selectively coordinated with the feeder breaker in the main panel anyway!), just a switch

Given this, I would put a 42-space, 200A panel in the ADU and call it a day; if you don't mind losing a couple spaces, you could even use another S4080B1200A there, provided the panel is living indoors of course.

TORQUE ALL LUGS TO SPEC

There is one final thing to note here, and that is that you will need to use an inch-pound torque wrench or torque screwdriver to torque all loadcenter and circuit-breaker lugs to the torques specified on the labeling.  This is required by the 2017 NEC in 110.14(D), and also is a good idea anyway, especially with aluminum wire, lest you want your subpanel install to be as reliable as Greg Biffle's infamous lugnuts.


Basement shower not draining; dirty water now seeping back up drain

The sink next to the shower is almost surely tied into the same main drain line. The clog is apparently beyond the reach of the snake that you tried.

You either need to get a longer drain snake from a box store (you may even be able to rent one), or call a drain cleaning service.

Good luck!


What is this bug poop or dirt that keeps reappearing every few months by a wood beam?

Looks like dry wood termite droppings (frass) or pellets to me.

Google termite droppings and you’ll see many pictures.


Consider adding an additional piece of molding outside of the casing to hide the gap.

The casing (door and window frame moldings) should be mounted parallel to the drywall (not canted in). They can be shimmed on the outside edge using stock cedar shims every 12" to 15". Nail through the shims and then trim the shims flush to the outside edge of the casing.

Then prepare another piece of molding, rectangular in cross section, measuring 3/4 x (thickness of casing + 1/2"). You may be able to find a stock piece, or you could rip it from 1 x material (which is actually only 3/4" thick). The 3/4 edge will face the room and the other dimension will face the shimmed out edge of the casing. The extra half inch is to cover the gap at the wall and to sit forward from the edge of the casing (edges that do not line up flush are said to have a relief, and usually look better). Usually it also looks better to sand the two sharp edges off the face of the new molding, but only on the room side, not the wall side.

This is an example of this kind of casing + extra molding.

While this casing is flat, the same technique works with more elaborate casings.


Which grade of PVC piping do I need in order to sustain a 1,000Pa vacuum?

The pipe grade PVC pipe can service the pressure satisfactorily. See information below.

https://www.aciplas.com.br/assets/technical_manual_pvc_cpvc_sch_80_e_40.pdf


You can powder a 3-6 inch border around the outlet box on the ceiling with diatomaceous earth (I'd use food grade since this is in the kitchen) to control the ants.  Then I'd use a fire-rated putty to seal the outlet box.

When I lived in an apartment, there was a large colony of ants living by the pool and they would come out of little cracks in the walls.  I ended up caulking everywhere I saw a crack or hole and powdering around all the doors windows and that stopped them.


If I get a e14 to b22 converter, will this affect how bright the b22 bulb is? What about a gu10 to b22 converter?

Yes, they should all have enough current capacity to handle 15 watts.

I don't need to ask your working voltage because at the lowest one likely (12V), current would only be 1.25 amps.  That's less than a turn signal bulb.

The light will be the same brightness.  If for some reason it is less brightness, that should be considered a serious threat, as that means the rest of the energy is trying to set something on fire.  In that case search for whatever's getting warm and fix it.


Green Glue with wall tiles for soundproofing?

I'm skeptical that these panels will help with soundproofing. I didn't see anything in the description of the material that called out it's soundproofing characteristics and it does not seem to be thick enough to do much.
Per the questions section at the URL you posted for Amazon:

Question:
 How thick are these?
Answer:
  Hi Steve. The panels are only 2-3 mm on the flat areas of the panel and hollow in the back. The embossed areas come out about half inch.
Thank you

You need to assess where the sound you are hearing is coming from and determine the best way to block or absorb that sound.

Here is an article that covers tips on soundproofing.
The article makes the point that most of the sound coming into your room will be from the windows and offers suggestions.


Found hardwood floors underneath carpet, but also maybe some MDF mixed in? Can I replace it? Picture inside

Yes you could repair the hard wood. Check out some more information on line so you understand how hardwood T&G is put down, I helped a friend that messed up quite a few boards to do a repair under a window that had leaked because he did not understand how the toe nailing worked. If the missing area is on the ends of the planks it is much tougher to repair compared to several length wise boards.


Acceptable "3-way" switch wiring solution?

I'm not sure what type of relay you're using, but most relays have at least five terminals. two coil terminals, used to power the coil. One common (C) terminal, where the circuit to be controlled will connect. One normally closed (NC) terminal; which is as it sounds, the side of the switch that is closed when no power is supplied to the coil. And one normally open (NO) terminal, the side of the switch that is open when no power is supplied to the coil.

When power is supplied to the coil, the relay is toggled. The NC contact will now be open, and the NO contact will be closed. This is fairly similar to how 3-way switches work, except that with a 3-way you are the coil (sort of) and determine which way the switch is.

Because of this, you could wire up a circuit like this...

However, this setup isn't going to be very smart, since the Raspberry pi is simply going to be switching the current state of the load. So whether the lights go on or off, will depend on the state of the 3-way.

To make this system smarter, you can add in a current transformer (CT), and connect the leads from the CT back to the pi.

With this setup, the pi can use the output of the CT to determine the state of the lights. So the pi could either toggle the relay to turn the lights on/off, or not toggle the relay to leave the lights on/off. In any event, the 3-way switch would still work properly.

I don't know much about the Raspberry pi, so I'm not sure it has the ability to work in this way. I also don't know exactly what equipment you're using. I'm simply suggesting a possible solution.


Are junction boxes needed for LED strip light wiring splices?

No that voltage is below the safe contact limit threshold the wiring could even be exposed but not recommended.


What you have there is a perfectly standard, and to modern code, switch loop.  And every wire is where it belongs.

  It seems that the fixture is using the red (as the live?) from 1 cable...
  If the above is correct, why was this necessary?  What is the red wire's purpose - where does it originate from? Were the 2 blacks also live?

You're puzzled at why if the red is live, why are the blacks there too?  Let me ask you this: how does the light know when to be on, and when to be off? Do you want this light to be on at all times?

That's right.  You need a "hot" wire that is on, only when you want the light on.   That is called the switched-hot and that just gave it away. Ideally, it's nice if switched-hot is red.

Now where do you suppose the switch gets hotness from?  It's not magic.  It gets it from another wire, that is always-hot.  The switch either connects always-hot to switched-hot, or it does not. Always-hot is usually black.

What about neutral?  Neutral returns the current to source.  (sorta like hydraulics, you plumb a return pipe, or you'll get a huge oily mess all over your shop floor.)  The lamp needs neutral, it goes between switched-hot and neutral just as you see.  Code requires neutral be white (or gray, but you'll never see that).

Now you are thinking.  Wait.  Why does a switch need neutral?  That switch doesn't.  But if you ever change it to a smart switch, it will, and accommodating those is a 2011 Code requirement. Switch loops must be /3 cable:

neutral must be white
always-hot is conventionally black
switched-hot is red because it's possible here.

And as it works out, this box is perfectly color coded, the colors always match the functions.  That is often not possible (though it's always fair game to color-code wires with tape).

The lamp doesn't need always-hot, so it just passes on through.   The left /2 cable brings power in, the right /3 cable to the switch is a spur.


Yes, typically ground wires can be extended. It's always best to replace the entire ground wire, from the connection point, instead of splicing it when possible. I'm not sure if the ground wire you are speaking of is in a flexible pipe, part of a cord or an external green wire. That information (possibly a picture) would make it much easier to answer your question thoroughly.


Is there some official or standard specification for an EK20 fitting?

At this point my best understanding is that "EK" doesn't refer just to a pipe thread but more specifically to a specific set of fittings used to mate a tube to a threaded device. The thread standard is just one part of what EK20 means.
Here's an example EK20 fitting, used to attach a PEX tube to a manifold:

The internally threaded female hex collar secures the assembly onto the manifold
The ring is compressed around the tubing (seal #1)
The T-shaped barb accepts the PEX and also mates to the manifold with an O-ring (seal #2)

There are other sizes of the same style of connection, like EK25 (25 mm ~ 1 inch), which appear to work the same way.
I think the benefit of this style of connection is that it allows many different pipe/tubing sizes to be connected to the same device, just by choosing the right EKxx adapter. Its also an efficient 2-for-1 design in the sense that the single threaded ring secures both ends and no special tools are required.

As far as the thread itself goes, I found some product documentation from one supplier which states:

[the product uses] a 20mm Eurokonus (EK20) connection also known as G 3/4"

G 3/4 is a standard British parallel pipe thread size (BSPP). (ref)
This statement is presumably accurate, but isn't as "official" a source as I would like, ideally.
Assuming that EK20 thread = G3/4 that does explain why a US garden hose thread almost fits but doesn't seal. US GHT and G3/4 are only similar:

The GHT and BSP standards are not compatible, and attempting to
connect a GHT hose to a BSP fitting, or vice versa, will damage the
threads.

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garden_hose#Standards_and_connectors)  Wikipedia also notes that the GHT is 3/4 diameter but 11.5 threads per inch, whereas G3/4 is the same diameter but 14 threads per inch. So the GHT female would screw on partway but then bind up and probably not make a tight seal.

A remaining unknown  -- The inner O-ring I assume must have standard dimensions, given that it makes an internal seal in the EK20 male portion. But I don't yet have any information on what this standard might be. Without this detail it would be hard to know if a standard (BSPP) part would effectively seal to it or not. However, I do have some proper EK20 caps that use an external O-ring to seal (just like in a garden hose), which work fine.


Is it a violation of NEC code to install a receptacle horizontally and 3/4" from face of a stud?

Provided the mount and cables allow the monitor to be readily removed to gain access to the box, this should not be a Code issue -- the basic requirement is that all junction boxes be readily accessible (i.e. you shouldn't have to tear apart the building to find 'em).


Is it possible to add a water storage tank to fridge that doesn't have one?

The simplest answeris to get a container with a dispenser tap and put it in the fridge. I use one of the larger Brita filtered containers, but similar things are available from several companies. This does take up some fridge space, and requires opening the door to pour yourself a glass of water. On the other hand, the added thermal mass of the water may improve the refrigerator's efficiency.

(Yes, I've been pondering what it would take to convine a manufacturer to sell me a unit with cold water tap but no ice maker. Or to create my own.)


For the most part there are only a few manufacturers of those fan motors, regardless of what brand the fan is. Most of them are interchangeable, but the critical dimension that you often must deal with is the length of the shaft that the fan itself is attached to (and how it attaches). You will need to remove it to determine what you need.

What I have found on the last 3 of these is that the replacement motor costs as much as the entire fan, but the entire fan unit was not going to match the sheet metal work, so swapping it out was more than I wanted to do. So I cleaned the motors and fans really well, put them back in and they worked fine. So far, 3 more years of life on the oldest one. It's worth a try.


If it's a decent toilet then just repair the defective part. A new fill valve costs anywhere between 20 for a cheapy and 75 for a commercial grade. If the problem is anywhere else a new toilet will not fix the problem. Sometimes the float rubs on the inside of the tank or on the overflow. In that case it's a zero cost repair, just adjust it to have free movement.


In a comment on the question, overslacked wrote:

  Do you have a voltage sensor or
  multimeter you could use to see if
  power is being constantly supplied? Is
  there anything special about the
  switch being used to control the fan?

Turns out these questions implied the actual answer:  The wiring is incorrect.


Yes, your plan is a good one.  I'd remove all that cast iron pipe that I could and replace it with copper.  Be sure to use a dielectric union on the iron/copper connection to avoid corrosion problems.
You'll find that a newer bladder-type tank will not waterlog the way the old air over water ones did.  Be sure, however, that the tank is not in a location that freezes.  Ice in the tank will rupture the bladder.


Maybe the connection to the switch is broken and it is returning to what it thinks is the previously set dimming level?

Or maybe the overheating or short-circuit protection in the LED-driver is activating and turning off the outputs.

The correct wiring is as shown below

Note that the "switch-dim" connection should be connected to a momentary pushbutton switch - not to an external dimmer and not to a normal two-position lightswitch.


Try pulling the plastic knob off. There should be a metal peg sticking out (the plastic knob fits over it) then try squirting some WD-40 on it and gently grab the metal peg with some pliers and slowly turn it. Don't force it too much as it may break. When it loosens up, replace the peg. I hope this works for you. Good luck.


One thing to remember regarding voltage drop, it is heavily dependent on the actual current draw on the conductor.  When you say that you are running 100-Amp capacity to the shop that means you are running wire that can handle that much current.  That is not the figure to use to run a voltage drop calculation.
First make a list of all the items in the shop that you would like to run;  include all items that are slated to be added in the foreseeable future, be realistic, include lighting and peripherals.   Now narrow that list to those items that likely will run at the same time.  Now determine the amp draw for each of these items.  Add those loads together.  You can add a buffer factor if you'd like.  This is the number to use in a calculation for voltage drop. Happy calculating.


Why does my fluoresent light power line show 15 volts with switch on and off?

Are you sure that it's a ballast resistor and not a transformer? A resistor would be extremely inefficient, obviating any benefit in efficiency of a fluorescent lamp.
A DVM has a high input impedance and will pick up stray voltage coupled by wiring capacitance even when the switch is off. There is no need to measure the voltage when the light is switched off.
N.B. Do not measure the current across the mains with the meter. If you put the meter in series with the lamp, it should draw no more than 1 ampere, but do not put the meter, in current mode, directly across the line!

If you're having frequent issues with the fixture, replace it with a surface-mount LED fixture. You can find theses in different color temperatures from 2,700 K (co0lor similar to incandescent) to 6,000 K (actinic blue-white). LED lamps should (at least theoretically), last many years more than fluorescents. (The link is just an example.)


I’d try a couple of heating pads from a drugstore.  They should heat it up pretty quickly using a standard 120v outlet.


If your only leaking area is what you see, then I would cut out only what you see and replace it. The problem with just replacing the "T" is that you will have to cut the pipes and that means shorter pipes and more adapters....more leaks later on possibly. I would cut about 3 inches from the right side that you see in the picture and as close and possible to the top of the "T" and remove all the stuff on the left all the way to the copper pipe. Replace all that with PEX. Or just cut your "T" out and shark-bite it.


Possible problems include:

pump bad (may be eating a sock or something)
control board bad
drain line has an issue
possibly a transmission issue if the spin isn't working

All, or virtually all, the water should pump out. In the short term, put in a cup of bleach and run a short cold cycle (no clothes or soap) to kill off the smellies.

I had a similar issue at one point and was pretty sure the pump was bad, but I wanted to remove it before ordering a replacement - when I did, I found an obstruction (in my case, some silicone rubber from a prior tub repair job, which I had done "inside and out" to "make sure" - the inside part peeled off, the outside part continued to work) lodged in the impeller. Removed the obstruction, reinstalled the pump, washer worked fine again. Unless it is eating an escaped sock, you probably won't get that lucky.


Hanging a large bowl on a stone backsplash

I would find a hanger you like along the lines of this one that's deep enough for your bowl:

Then I'd hang it from a screw placed inside or behind your range hood. I'm assuming that it's a sheet metal hood with a hollow underside.

If the bowl is too high, use a decorative chain or rope to connect the top of the hanger with the screw at the desired height.


Slow filling toilet tank after new valve kit installation

My toilet would require 15 minutes to refill. I found what looks to be a restrictor (rubber screw like plug) inside the lower water inlet tube. I removed it and the toilet fills quickly as intended. Although I can't find any source that identifies this part or its intended function.


Clean out the open end of the pilot light to make sure there is no debris interfering with the flow.

I have some ventless gas logs that if I leave off completely off for a season or two will get clogged and with spiderwebs and sand from the old masonry. Cleaning the pilot by blowing and brushing from the open side without any disassembly has fixed it for me.

(reposted from comment)


Why doesn't my new shower cartridge allow water flow?

The symptoms you describe are those of installing it upside down. It may APPEAR to work correctly because the handle turns in the same manner, but is in fact not.


With no more specifics than that I would say you should have no concern that one 3/8 inch hole drilled through one stud could present any structural problem. There is so much redundancy in standard stud construction that there is a vanishingly small probability this could have any practical consequence.
If the hole is where you want it and it is not on the edge of the stud, then use the right size of plastic sleeve anchor and screw in this hole to hold the curtain rod. That would be stronger than a toggle bolt into drywall.


How does a ball bearing door hinge work?

The casing is very thin and its purpose it to keep the bearing's balls in place, protect them from dust and grime and to hold in some lubricant. It doesn't share any load. The hinges are very durable as the friction load is much less than with a regular hinge. They are also quieter.
Below are a few diagrams on what might be inside a ball bearing hinge:

Hope this helps.


Cementing in around soil pipe exiting around brick wall. Is this required?

First of all, did you have any agreements on how the pipe is to be fitted? If paperwork mentions sealing the pipe entry in any way, the final result should match the criteria laid out in the agreement you had with your contractor.

That aside, you said that it is hard to see any gap from the outside of the building so to me, the question on whether or not you need the soil pipe cemented in depends on where the soil pipe is entering/leaving the building.

If the pipe is entering the loft and you are not looking to inhabit the loft, the expanding foam will help with mitigating any water ingress if the expanding foam is protecting the wall cavity from rain water and so I would agree that you don't need to have the pipe cemented in. In fact not being cemented in will make things easier for you or anyone else if the section entering/leaving the building needs removing for repair or replacement. It all depends on how you wish the aesthetics to be.

If the pipe enters/leaves an inhabited space, the interior part may aesthetically be better if it had some cement around it, but that also depends on how the decoration is going to be sorted. If you are plastering the interior around the pipe, you dont need cementing done as the expanding foam used will protect the plasterwork from water ingress.


That gap could be the result of seasonal movement. If installed correctly, the nails in vinyl siding components are left loose, so that the vinyl can move with daily and seasonal expansion and contraction.

I'd try pulling each section of edge channel sideways to close the gap. You might find that it moves easily.


PVC to liquidtight works, but with a caveat or two
The good news is that it's possible to transition from a PVC conduit to liquidtight flexible conduit without too much work.  However, you can only do it from a spigot (male) end.  This primarily means you can't use a LB to make the 90° bend at the hot tub end without having to use a nipple of PVC to adapt the liquidtight fitting to the hub on the conduit body atop the parts you'd normally use.
In particular, you need to use a PVC female adapter fitting to transition from the unthreaded spigot end of conduit coming out of the ground to female threads you can then thread a LFNC ("Carflex") connector into, sans locknut of course.  Note that you can use a 90° LFNC connector here if the bend radius of the conduit itself is too wide to make the transition.
If you're using LFMC ("Sealtite"), you can do likewise as well, although that does come with its own caveat, namely that you'll need to make sure that the hot-tub end of the LFMC is bonded to ground correctly, which may require a bonding locknut on the LFMC fitting at that end of the connection.


Is it ok if I pass through a RJ11 (Phone line) cable outside and leave it while it is raining?

RJ11 is actually the name of the connector specification.

Wire/insulation and cable jacket materials vary for the specific purpose.  Phone wire may also need to be thicker (e.g., lower gauge than Cat 5e) for longer runs, to avoid excessive voltage drop, depending upon your system.

There are phone cables specifically intended for outdoor use, providing better sun and water protection.  It could then be wired to a properly protected RJ11 receptacle, also designed for outdoor use.  I would not recommend using unapproved electrical wiring outdoors - even for phones. The phone company typically puts somewhere between 50 to 150 volts AC down that wire to make the phone ring.


I was able to track down the fellows that installed the concrete driveway. He stated that if the concrete has been sealed it would be almost impossible (expensive) to get any color to adhere properly. He went on to say that I could 2 part epoxy the surface, but that too will eventually wear out. I'm thinking about pressure washing the surface. I'll do a small area as a test run. If nothing else I will try to remove the sealer and coloring to match the tire mark.


How can I increase the size of a subpanel to fit the breaker for a solar array?

That is correct. The 100A breaker in the main panel protects the wiring to the subpanel, and the subpanel itself.   The "main" breaker in the subpanel is nothing but a shutoff switch (unless it is also a GFCI or something, as in the case of a hot tub panel).

The subpanel must be large enough to be protected by either its own main breaker (if it even has one) or the supply breaker in the main panel.  In your case, a 60A subpanel would be wrong, but a 225A subpanel would be right.

The usual blunder people make is thinking the subpanel size must match the feed breaker, and thus they limit themselves to a panel with too few spaces.

So go for broke. 42 spaces is not too many.  (Spaces are not circuits; a 40 “circuit" panel is often a 20-space). Good sign when spaces are a multiple of six, that indicates a panel of industrial quality (also sold in 3-phase).


There is a junction box where the feed is split and goes to each of your "end" outlets if they are on the same circuit. If they are on different circuits, they could actually be end outlets for the two circuits.
What you'd have to do is install a separate GFCI outlet at each location. Check all the outlet boxes because you might find where the feed splits and you could install the GFCI outlet there.


Can you recommend tools and materials for building a gate like this?

Oak or teak has a much tighter grain pattern so yes, that's likely cedar, maybe redwood. Depending on where in the world you are, it might possibly be stained cypress (because cypress is generally lighter) or Goncalo Alves, a.k.a. "Tiger Wood", but that would be one heck of an expensive gate!


I don't think what you are proposing will work. Asphalt rolled roofing is NOT waterproof. Sealing at the joints and eave will stop wind blown rain, but standing water will saturate the paper and it will leak. (The paper is not UV resistant either.)

I wouldn't use a "peel and stick" membrane either, like Grace "Ice and Water Shield", because they can only be used on slopes down to 2:12. (...plus they have no UV protection.)

I'd use an PVC membrane. I would not use an EPDM membrane. The main difference is that EPDM's seams are chemically sealed and PVC seams are heat welded together. The EPDM seams can breakdown over time.

...but back to your question, No, I would not use roll roofing sealed with mastic.


Leaving unconnected wire in the wall will not happen.

I think option 3 is the best: install an outlet in an appropriate stud bay at standard floor height. Then when you know where the TV will hang, you can just add another outlet above at the appropriate height, and wire it in to the outlet below.

Left-right placement doesn't matter too much, if that is a difficult decision now. Even if you get it wrong and you end up needing the outlet in a different stud bay, it's only a small drywall patch or two to work around that error.


GE (THQL) AFCIs don't come in two pole any longer -- because they don't need to

Your apparent lack of ability to find two pole THQL AFCIs is actually due to a manufacturing revision to the single pole units.  Mod 3 single pole THQL AFCI breakers can be handle-tied for multiple pole applications, as they do not use a CT-based trip for arc-to-ground detection.  (You still need to wire the load neutral to one of the AFCIs, but either one will do -- you don't need to connect it to both.)

See this GE handout for details.


Fixing an inwall toilet constantly flowing

Apparently that joint is wearing out. You may have to replace the whole assembly. The wonders of modern plastic.

As a stop-gap I would try greasing it (not oiling it). With silicone grease. Petroleum products and plastic don't play well together.


Do I need to insulate the entire basement or just a few walls?

Just insulating the ceiling will keep the ground-floor floors warmer, if you walk around barefoot, but won't save much energy (air-sealing is a better investment for that) or keep the basement any warmer.

If you want to improve the basement climate, any insulation of the walls will help retain a corresponding percentage of the energy you're losing. Air sealing helps a lot here too, as does an indirect-vented boiler or furnace (so you aren't pulling cold air into the basement to make up what's used for combustion).


How can I fix low water pressure from loft storage tank?

Given that the tank position etc. is the same the most likely explanation is that you have a blockage or narrowing somewhere in the pipes - probably from some sediment you dislodged while removing the tank.

Is it just one tap, all the upstairs taps or are the kitchen taps also affected?

If it's the latter then the obstruction will be nearer the tank before the pipes split. If it's the former then the obstruction will be after the split or (more likely) at the tap itself.

If there's nothing blocking the affected tap(s) then you will need to flush the system somehow, but it will depend on what's causing the obstruction. You might be able to clear it by emptying the tank again, leaving the taps open and then using a hosepipe to force water through the pipes - but if it's a piece of grit this won't really help.


What should I consider when selecting an air compressor for the garage?

You don't really need an "air compressor" in the sense that you don't need something that has a tank and is designed for use with tools.  All you really need is sometimes called a "tire inflator", obviously it is actually an air compressor but it is very different from those listed by Jeff's answer.

I have seen two basic types.

There are 12V versions that are designed to simply plug into the cigarette lighter outlet in your car.  This is nice because you can refill the tires anywhere.  When I had a slow leak in my tire I put this thing in the trunk and drove to work, then before leaving work I would top off the tire again.  It worked fine for the day or two until I could get to the shop for a new tire.  Usually these are pretty cheap.

The other version is designed to plug into a household receptacle. These seem to be a little more expensive than the 12V versions.

Sometimes you can find these types of tire inflators with standalone battery jumpers attached so you can also use it to jump your car.  I would skip that feature unless you think you would actually use it.


House water inlet thread sizing 1" vs 3/4"

I've worked on a house where the 1" input was immediately reduced to half inch. Stupid, and part of my work was replacing that.
Keep everything 1" up to the hot/cold split (i.e., the point where the cold feed for the water heater leaves the rest of the cold water - so pressure tank, water softener filters - why would you have a meter? Is that due to the sharing?), at which point 3/4" for each side and 1/2" to individual fixtures. I prefer to use 3/4" for hose bibbs (which only gets reduced to 1/2" at the hose bibb connection, since if a 3/4" connector hose bibb exists, it's a rare and likely expensive beast.)


Is it safe to change an Indian 16A to 250 V round pin plug to a UK 3 pin 13 Amp as used in 220-240 V Kenya

So motor is 125W, heater is 1800W, add those together we get 1925W.

Pump, controls etc may add a little but it should still be well within what a 13A plug can supply.

I have no idea what wiring in kenya is like though. It's not unheard of in some countries for power circuits to be rated lower than the sockets on said circuits.


You have an alien breaker problem

You must use same-brand breakers in your panel  (or certain very specific competitor breakers that are UL-classified for your panel, but those classified breakers are almost never stocked at retail).

Combination AFCIs detect both "series" faults (in line with the load, by listening to the wire for crackle-pop noises) and "parallel" line-to-ground arc faults (either by having a limited GFCI built in, or by listening more carefully).

Earlier combination AFCIs used the "limited GFCI" strategy, and so, they need to be wired just like a GFCI. This also means they cannot support 240V loads or multi-wire branch circuits (unless they are built as 2-pole breakers).

That's solved by some of the newest AFCIs, which use the "listening more carefully" strategy.  These are a technological progression from earlier design AFCIs. So I am very alarmed that your existing breakers don't need neutral, but your new breakers do.

Maybe this is a GE panel having the fancy neutral-less AFCI breakers, and here you are coming back from the store with Eaton BR breakers because they were on sale.  No, no, no, no, no.
Or alternatively your builder fit an Eaton BR panel, and used the new GE breakers because they play well with multi-wire branch circuits (but not BR panels), and here you are, coming back from the store with the correct BR breakers.
Or it could be a case that you went to an Eaton dealer, and they pressed Eaton CHQ breakers into your hand for your Square D QO panel, and that combination is UL-Classififed, so A-OK.
Or your original breakers might be the GE neutral-less AFCI, and the new breakers are the GE needs-neutral kind, e.g. because they are dual-function AFCI-GFCI, which is A-OK.

We don't know.

Regardless, you can't leave the uncertainty, because it's dangerous.  Let us know when you can edit your question to include more info about your panel, existing AFCIs, and candidate AFCIs, and we will backfill better info.

Have no moral objection to returning wrong AFCIs to the store.  They should not have sold them to you.  Lots of lots of shopkeepers "conveniently believe" that any of the 1" breakers will fit any other panel, and while they will clip in, the stab does not contact properly and they will arc and set the panel on fire.


Drywall anchor can't fully penetrate drywall

You may be hitting a block fire wall. Many types of hangers out there. Do not recommend making holes in firewall.


How can I repair an air conditioner drain line that is broken flush with the wall?

However you end up fixing this do plan to use a more repairable solution that used by the original installer. It is an insane approach to cement or stucco in a glued plastic fitting like this. As a minimum the part that gets cemented in place should be made out of metal with brass or bronze being preferred over an iron type fitting. The outside pipe should be fitted to the cemented in part via a threaded connection.

If you must repair this with minimal disturbance to the cement or stucco, (its hard to tell which from the picture) then I would see a number of possibilities...

a) Work at drilling and carving out the glued in inner pipe piece bit by bit till you get it the point where you can fit a new piece of pipe in its place. You have to use much care for this because the process could put excess torque on the remaining pipe in the wall and lead to possible further breakage.

b) Try to find a suitably sized pipe thread tap and cut threads into the inner diameter of the pipe stub. Once this is done you can fit it up with the proper type of barbed brass pipe nipple fitting. To this you can attach a flexible piece of hose to go out the 2 to 3 feet from the foundation.

If you have access to the area inside the wall you may be able to simply pull the existing fitting out of the cement and install a newer more suitable type of exterior transition that the method used.

If the wall is stucco you could take a chisel to the area around the broken off fitting and enlarge the hole enough to get access to the pipe. Then you can fit up the proper type of pipe fittings and re-patch the stucco around a metal transition fitting. Stucco patching is a fairly straight forward task and should be able to completed successfully by a diligent DIY home owner.


Not many contractors I know would touch such a small project. I think you're looking for a handyman. E.g., I live in Chicago and there's a business called HandiCo. They'll do anything you want, after you pay them over a hundred dollars to show up, and about half of that per hour, until it's done.

You could try handyman.com, a contractor locator service.

I have no affiliation with either of these companies, nor have I used them.


Does an existing unprotected conductor need to be immediately rewired?

My guess is this is a retrofit ground wire, added to upgrade a two-prong receptacle to a three-prong.  If this is the case, the wire would go from the ground terminal on that receptacle to another ground - the code allows several things for the other ground.  It should not be orange, instead green or bare, and it should be installed in a more "neat and workmanlike" manner, but if it does ground the receptacle, it's a good thing.

If it's not, it's pretty weird, a code violation, and a hazard that I'd give prompt attention.

To determine what it is, you'd need to kill power and look at what's going on inside that box, and determine where the other end of that wire goes.


How to safely use an installer bit between floors?

Some cowboy it and hope they don't hit anything.

Others cut enough holes in the drywall  (and/or floor, if carpeted) to see what they are doing. If using a camera system, those can be pretty small holes.

Drywall repair is a heck of a lot cheaper than plumbing and electrical repair.


Precast cement stairs bolted to foundation

Resale or not, the steps are a serious structural issue.  Eventually, they will cause very expensive problems.  One way or another, you need to remove that load from the foundation wall and make the wall plumb again.  You may be able to do that cheaply, but in the big scheme of things, steps aren't all that expensive, especially compared to foundation repairs.  If you need to replace them, you could even go with something other than concrete.

That said, lets look at potential fixes short of step replacement.  The concrete shims are a temporary fix.  The shims will settle faster than the steps did.  The steps need a proper footer to be stable.  You don't want that weight hanging on your foundation wall.  The wall is not designed to support the leverage that the steps create.  The load of the steps will eventually destroy that wall and become a serious structural issue.  Re-securing the steps to the wall was the worst thing you could do.

The upper part of the third picture has several pads on the wall (the detail is too small to see).  You indicate that those are the bolts.  I would cut them off.  Even better, if you can pull the steps away from the wall again and are able to access the bolts outside, cut them off there, too.

Once the steps are no longer a load on the wall, they can be supported as a free-standing piece.  If you can leave the steps intact, you may be able to use helical piers to support the steps rather than trying to excavate footers.

If there is a gap between the steps and the wall, that is just a cosmetic issue.  Caulk the gap or use other methods to hide it for a nicer appearance.  Grout may separate or crack if the steps settle at all.

The crack in the basement is because the steps made the upper part of the wall tilt out.  That also stresses the exterior brick facing, but that may be spread over a large enough area that you don't yet see similar separation in the brick mortar joints.

Use a long level vertically inside and out, straddling the crack area, to look for anything that is out of plumb or not a continuous straight line.  If you see any such signs, have a foundation specialist look at it.  They may be able to push things back into place.  I wouldn't simply re-point the cinder block mortar in a non-vertical position because the weight of the house that it is supporting will try to push the wall more out of alignment.

If you don't want to undertake the work prior to resale, leave the evidence visible (although I would at least cut off the bolts inside the basement).  You could have serious liability if you try to hide a structural issue.  The home inspector will see it, and you can negotiate the price.  If the buyer wants to just re-point the mortar and not fix anything, the onus will be on them, and you will be in the clear.  If that is your strategy, don't bring in a foundation specialist, yourself.  You would be obligated to disclose the findings, which could document a high repair cost.


How do you pry apart pieces stuck together by cam screws?

There is a clearance hole for the screw portion.  The pieces slide together and it is the cam that locks it.  There may also be some dowels or metal pins for additional strength.  If it won't come apart, something is binding (unless the pieces or dowels were glued).  Try this:

Stick something into the bottom of the cam hole to protect the MDF, then use a large screw driver between that and the screw head for leverage to push it up.

There are likely several cam locks, plus potentially some dowels; the pieces will need to remain square with each other to separate them.  You won't be able to separate them by pushing on just one screw.  Put pressure on one screw to try to break apart what's binding them.  Then do the same on the other side.  The idea is to separate the pieces as evenly as possible.  If you jack up just one side, everything will bind.  Once you get it started, it will become easier to pull them apart.
If you can create even a small gap in one spot, push a piece of sheet metal into the gap (if you don't have any laying around, cut it out of a soda can).  Any place you can create a gap, add a piece of sheet metal there.  That will maintain some tension while you work on another spot.  But don't stick a bunch of shims in just one spot; keep it even across the joint.

If you have wood or plastic shims, use those instead of the sheet metal.  Separate the pieces enough to get the tip of a shim between them.  Try to get a shim in the same location at both inside and outside the joint so you don't push the pieces out of perpendicular.  Once you get shims started all along the joint, gradually and evenly tap them into the joint to push the pieces apart.
Once you get a little gap between the pieces, if they are still hard to pull apart, use a pry bar between the pieces for extra leverage, working it in different spots across the joint, a little at a time.  Don't use so much pressure that you damage the pieces.
It may also help to whack the underside of the top with a rubber mallet along the joint (more useful if you can lay the unit on its back so gravity isn't working against you).  In fact, you might want to start with this as a first step.  If you don't have a soft mallet, protect the underside of the top with a board and whack the board with a hammer.  Don't use excessive force.  If it's glued, a big enough hammer and enough force will probably separate the pieces, but the result won't be pretty.

If none of the above budges the pieces, it probably means that glue was used.  In that case, you aren't likely to separate the pieces without hunks of MDF breaking off.


Most new fans comes with a balance kit. It includes a heavy clip and a set of stick-on weights.  If you don't have the balance kit you can buy one at a big-box home improvement store.

First, run the fan at each speed to
see where it wobbles worst.
Put the
clip on one of the blades near the
middle and run the fan at that speed.
Check if the wobble improves or
worsens.
Repeat the process with each blade,
and narrow it down to the blade that
gives the most improvement.
Now, try moving the weight towards
    the tip of the blade and down to the
    hub, testing each time you move to
    locate the sweet spot.
Finally, attach the weight at that
sweet
    spot.


How to bypass a switch that controls lights, keep outlet live 24/7?

You'll need to do one of these:

Bypass the switch by linking the two hots and use other means to control your lighting (smart bulbs, local switching).
Pull a new cable from a constant-hot source to that outlet, and cap off the existing wires.


Why were my appliances and air conditioner failing to start for a short period?

Late in the afternoon on a hot day is when the power company has the highest load. Later in the evening the load tapers off.

So, either your air conditioner is malfunctioning and drawing way too much current, or the power company was experiencing a brown out, or a little of both.

If you plug the A/C back in and it works fine then maybe it was the power company.

If you continue to have problems I would suspect the A/C is going bad. The only way to tell is to take ammeter readings on the unit while it is running to see if it is exceeding its rating.

There are other possibilities but if you don't experience any problems without the A/C running I wouldn't pursue them.

Good luck!


What could be the source of this moisture?

You're best bet is to peel a plank and see what's under it.


Can you lay hardwood on concrete floor using mortar and grout?

No you can't do that. Even in Arizona. Wood has a high expansion and contraction ratio, they would work themselves out of the mortar in under three years in the driest of climates.

Your best option would be to membrane underneath the boards, secure them with concrete nails, and epoxy, or caulk the joints. That might last a year.

In terms of code, in the north it's not allowed. Untreated wood cannot bare directly on concrete.


Connect one lead of a voltmeter (since we're probably speaking AC here, which lead doesn't matter) to ground and measure for voltage at the center contact of the light socket and the rim. The voltage at the rim should be at or near ground (zero) and the center contact, hot.As always, make sure you know how to handle test equipment and high voltage properly. If in doubt, hire someone.


You can't do that.  It'll fry your equipment.

What you have is 240V "wild leg delta" (orange phase). This is 240V delta with a neutral point inserted halfway between red and black phases.  It is 240V specifically, so it will be 120V from neutral to red and black hots, and 208V from neutral to orange hot.  This gives it compatibility with 120/240V split phase (residential) service.  The NEMA 15 doesn't use neutral, you are powering a 240V/3 phase machine which doesn't care about neutral.

The NEMA 21 plug you want to install is for 208V "wye" 3-phase, with neutral in the middle and 120V from each phase to neutral.

The difference in phase-phase voltage (240V vs 208V) and the high difference between neutral and wild leg (208V vs 120V) is going to break whatever equipment you try to plug into it.

You might be able to jumper the motor for 240, but you won't be able to jumper the auxiliary equipment for 208.  You may be better off adding a 120/240V transformer inside the equipment to power its 120V auxiliaries.

Further, you can never bootleg neutral off another wire such as ground.  If the above hadn't been a problem, you would need to fish an actual, white or gray neutral wire through the conduit to be neutral.


Shower water going under the shower curtain

If your shower curtain can reach to the wall of the bath surround, a combination of shower curtain clips:

and splash guards should prevent most of the water from escaping your tub.


How do I find the source of the water leaking through the ceiling?

All the advice so far about ice damns is valid.  However, if there are no dams or visible water on the roof, then you will need to crawl up in the attic and start looking for the wet areas that are wicking into your ceiling.  The insulation may have been soaked before you got a chance to clear the roof. Obviously if wet insulation is found, it must be removed.  Another problem I have come across in a few situations like yours, no dam, but slow moisture stains keep developing, came from improperly installed "proper vent" from the soffit vents to the air space in the attic.  In a few cases, the open upper end of the proper vent was blocked or covered with insulation and condensation formed on the top side of the drywall right along the wall. In a couple of cases, no venting was used from the soffit and insulation was packed into this area instead.  In either case, you will have to get up there and move the insulation in the affected areas and look for the moisture.  Also look for any tell-tale water stains on the rafters or trusses that may have been a leak from above.


Cement vs. mortar for embedding stones in drive way

I think this is more of an opinion question because the only real difference is the size of the aggregate in the concrete.
Cement / Portland cement  is the basic component in most mortar mixes and sand gravel and cement is what concrete is made of.  In either case 2” is quite thin and won’t have much strength but if the base is solid after scraping either will hold the flat stones in place.
To make absolutely clear you would never use straight Portland cement or less known types of cement as they have no shear strength without the sand for mortar, and sand and aggregate for concrete so mortar would be the only choice based on the below comments from the OP.
I have spread cement on freshly packed rock driveways but these were fresh and had no dirt yet. With rock on the ground not fresh this method would be a waste because the dirt prevents the concrete from bonding to the rock.


Why are my newly wired replacement outlets not providing power?

Given little to work from - you replaced a bunch of stuff and you have either no or low voltage, or full voltage but "nothing when you plug in" - it all sounds like:
Poor Connections.
Might be all of them, might just be one bad one per circuit, but loose conections will cause all those problems. Where you have 120V but nothing works when plugged in, the 120V (at no current) is getting carried by barely connected wires, but they are so barely connected that trying to draw current makes the voltage at the outlet vanish, as it's all busy trying to heat up the bad connection.
You don't mention your methods of work - if you used backstabs, don't. Use the side clamp screws. If you used wirenuts, they need to be twisted a lot harder than most inexperienced people will do, and you need to check that none of the wires are loose after you twist them. Be sure that you don't have poorly stripped insulation between the wire and the screw/clamp.
If you changed wires at the breakers, you actually need a torque driver to make those connections properly to code.


Does Mineral spirit make for good wood Pre-Conditioner?

No mineral spirits are not a good conditioner for wood.  Solvents in general will dry wood out and break down any oils that are in the wood.  This leads to decay of the wood.

What are you conditioning it for?  Do you plan to stain and seal it or are you simply trying to protect the wood?


How do I remove the gluey residue left by gaffer tape on glass

I typically use Goo Gone (US product), will remove most.  Rubbing Alcohol is another item that works for some adhesive.  Or clorox wipes also works on some.


Nah.  Build your new masonry exterior first, then if you need insulation spray foam from the inside.  Foam breaks down over time with any sort of exposure.


You may have to crank down on the hose clamp. If the size of the repair fitting is two small it will take some tape to build up the barbed part that goes inside the pipe. I have used electrical tape to do this in the past, Teflon might work but not as well as a vinyl that is thicker, I like the hose clamp style they don't strip out as easy but then I wrap the end with electrical tape,,, you guessed it I am an electrician. We have many hoses at our farm with tractors and horses stepping cutting hoses we have lots of repairs and this has worked well for me.


Why did my Faucet's Metal Braided Hose Fail / Explode?

You specify that the location is a laundry room.

I wonder if there are hammer arrestors (newfangled) or dead air spaces (oldfangled, may need draining the pipes once in a while to maintain) on the waterlines serving the washing machine, a prime culprit of high flow rates combined with quick-acting solenoid valves for the finest production of water hammer any household appliance can manage (equalled but not exceeded by the dishwasher, in some cases.)

Water hammer (whether or not it rattles the pipes so you hear it) is a sudden spike in water pressure caused by the inertia of flowing water in the pipe, when the place it's flowing to is quickly shut off. As a somewhat flexible item in close proximity to the end-point of the washer lines, the faucet hoses might be getting stressed by the repetitive pressure pulses.

A water hammer arrestor is basically a very small pressure tank, located at the end of the line to provide a compressible (gas/air) buffer. Water is effectively incompressible, and as such the pressure reached in the absence of an air chanber or arrestor can be quite high.

While it may be comforting to think that the high end faucet maker means only the highest-quality components, it may not be true. In this case, you may simply be exceeding the rated pressure on a brief, but regular basis - until failure results. If, perchance, the hose was kinked or in any way damaged (possibly in shipping and handling rather than though anything you did to it) that would make a weak spot in the hose.


Generally speaking any manufacturer can make a high-quality drill if they want. Large manufacturers often do not because the number they would sell would be so small as to make no difference to their balance sheet.

Milwaukee makes good "contractor-quality" drills, like their "magnum" 1/2" drill, that you can find in trade shops.

There are two premium tool makers: Fein and Festool. Their tools cost 2 to 3 times what a Milwaukee costs. The differences, which are mostly convenience features, in my opinion do not justify the extra expense.

Note that you can "upgrade" a standard drill like a Milwaukee by taking it apart and replacing and aligning the bearings. A typical drill will have 3 rotary bearings. You can replace those bearing with much more expensive bearings and make sure that the alignment is perfect. You can always pay a machinist to do the same thing. Prepare to spend thousands.