A multiwire branch circuit would work well for this.  You'll install a double pole 20 ampere breaker, or two 20 ampere breakers with the handles tied together.  Then you'll pull 12/3 with ground cable from the panel, to the first box. And 12/3 with ground cable between each box.
In the panel
In the panel you'll connect the black conductor to one of the breaker terminals, and the red conductor to the other breaker terminal.  You'll connect the white conductor to the neutral bar, and the bare ground to the grounding bar.
At the first box:

Connect the black wire from the feeder cable to the brass colored screw on the receptacle.
Connect the black wire from the cable leading to the next box, to the other brass terminal.
Connect the red wires together.
Connect the white wires together and include a short bit of scrap wire for a pigtail.
Connect the white pigtail wire to a silver screw terminal on the receptacle.
Connect the grounding wires together and include a short bit of scrap wire for a pigtail.
Connect the grounding pigtail to the green screw on the receptacle.
If it's a metal box, include an additional grounding pigtail, and connect it to the box using a grounding screw or clamp.

At the next box:
Follow the same procedure as above, but connect the red wires to the receptacle instead and let the black wires "pass through".
Continue the pattern.
Now simply continue the pattern, connecting black wires in one box and red in the next.
GFCI protection
Since the receptacles are in a garage, they'll likely have to be GFCI protected. You can accomplish this by using a GFCI breaker, or installing a GFCI receptacle as the first receptacle on each line (two total).
However, using receptacles is a bit more complicated, since the grounded (neutral) conductor cannot be shared with GFCI devices. This answer explains how to wire multiwire branch circuits with two GFCI receptacles.
AFCI protection
Arc-fault protection may also be required, which is commonly provided by installing an AFCI breaker.
Dual protection
If both types of protection are required, you'll likely end up with an AFCI breaker and GFCI receptacles.  Breakers that provide both GFCI and AFCI protection are available, but can be difficult to find and may be expensive.
If you can't find a dual function circuit breaker, and you have to use separate GFCI receptacles on an AFCI protected circuit. You can use a combination of 12/3, and 12/2/2 cables.  12/2/2 cable contains two ungrounded (hot) conductors (black, red), two grounded (neutral) conductors (white, white with red stripe), and an equipment grounding conductor (bare copper).  You'll wire the circuit like this.

Pay close attention to the wiring of the grounded (neutral) conductor at the first GFCI, as to avoid sharing the grounded (neutral) between GFCIs.
In a scenario like this, you could break the tabs on both sides of the receptacles, and feed the top and bottom of the receptacles with separate circuits.  For example, all the bottom plugs could be circuit1, while all the top are circuit2. This would be wired like this.

Protection from physical damage
Since this is in a garage, and you said the stud bays are open. You might be required to protect the cables from physical damage.  This can be accomplished with conduit, running boards, installing drywall, or closely following the structural members.  For example, if you have a nonmetallic cable running from one stud to another. You can:

Run the cable through conduit.
Install a running board between the studs, and route the cable behind it.
Install drywall to cover the entire wall, or just the portion of the wall where the wiring is.
Run the cable up the stud, through the top plate(s), then down the other stud. Making sure the cable closely follows the studs, and is secured properly to the studs.


As noted by some others in comments: Before you do this work, consider exactly what you need. If this is "inspector said do this", then you should be fine. If this is "I heard that to pass inspection I will need...", make sure to consider all of:

2 dedicated kitchen 20A small appliance circuits (not 1 but 2, not 15A but 20A, dedicated to kitchen and certain other areas, not shared with lighting, etc.)
GFCI can be at the receptacles (always works, often easiest) but does not have to be there - it can be at the breaker, or in between. Plus only one GFCI needed per circuit, even if there are many receptacles on the circuit, provided everything is wired properly.
Generally speaking, there should be a receptacle within 2 linear feet of the counter (so if > 4 feet, one every 4 feet). There are some exceptions (around sinks, stove, etc.) but that is the basic rule.

1 - I assume "one THHN wire" really means "one set of THHN wires, including hot/neutral/ground". Note that ground is not needed if you are using metal conduit, but is needed in other wiring methods such as wiremold.
2 - For kitchen countertop receptacles, the circuit must be 20A according to code. That means 12 AWG wire (which you already specified, so that's good) and 15A or 20A receptacles, as long as you have at least 2 receptacles on the circuit (so that's OK too). Based on your description, you just need to use a 20A breaker instead of a 15A breaker.
3 - Running behind lath & plaster (in conduit or using non-metallic cable if that is permitted in your area) vs. running through wiremold is an aesthetic issue but code is fine with either method. You are correct that floor receptacles can't be used here. It isn't that you can't have floor receptacles in a kitchen, but rather that they don't satisfy the requirement for small appliance circuits, which is presumably what you are trying to resolve here.


How can I attach a security gate where there are no studs?

You need to mount it in studs, concrete or something else that can handle the load; drywall by itself will not.

If there are no studs available where you want to mount it, you can open up the wall and either install a stud at that location, or depending on how the gate mounts, you might be able to add bracing between two existing studs and then mount to that.

I wouldn't be too concerned with the metal corner bead, you can screw through it pretty easily.

You might also be able to put up a seperate structure (ie: mounting a metal pole in concrete, etc.) to support the gate.


A large clunking sound could be many things,
Since Refridgeration equipment is a licensed trade we can look at a few things. But with the available information it is hard to provide a proper answer.
Two long for a comment so here are a few things to check.
Blew out the coils, is the fan clean and functional if it has one.
With out a proper air flow on the condensing coils the heat exchange is limited. I ask about the fan because it can be the sound hitting something or clunking
Next I would look in the freezer section is it a frost free model? Again is the fan working, coils iced up? Usually with frost free you have to remove covers or defrost if it works for a while after defrosting it could be the fan or the defrost timer/ heater to thaw the coils.
If the above all check out we are to a pressure check.
Most refrigerators do not have a service port so one has to be added to check the charge and if needed recharge the system..
there are mechanical port / valves that can be added for under 20$ but these are questionable in my opinion but may be an option for a less expensive repair if the system just needs a recharge.


Is bottom support required for an aquarium stand?

The fact of the matter is that most of the time an aquarium doesn't have full edge support anyway. Given the extreme rigidity of glass, the center usually floats unless the stand's structure is extremely stiff itself, which would typically require steel and careful shimming. A wood rail flexes enough (if imperceptibly) that it offers virtually no support to the glass mid-span. The glass is quite strong in shear and carries the load itself.

If you support the four corners on a single plane you'll be fine. That is to say, if you set the empty aquarium in place and it doesn't rock on the diagonals, and if there's little or no jiggle in the stand, it should be ok.

For many years I've built stands for my 55 gallon aquarium and smaller ones using two stacks of concrete cinderblocks and two boards laying on them. This means that the aquarium is really only fully supported at two points (at 25% and 75% of the length), and I've had no issues.


Small trickle into toilet bowl, flap and valve seem fine

A leaking valve can also cause this kind of leakage  rust, scale & small gravel can also cause the valve to leak. Some valves can be easily disassembled with the water off. A cup or glass put over the top and the valve turned on to flush the debris out. Reassemble with the water off and see if this helps. The float adjustment would be a quicker check as @jack suggested+. a video on how to flush a kohler fill valve. this is really quick and just 1 of several ways to clear the debris out. Some also have 4 screws on the top those you need to take apart and flush with the cup. some have tabs that when pressed in release the cap. Not all valves can be cleaned and some like fluid master can be pulled off the stem and a new valve installed in seconds. I hope this additional information helps.


What does this (electrical) value mean on my washing machine's back?

The symbol to the left is the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) symbol for a fuse, so it's telling you you need a 10A fuse.  A 10A fuse will allow a maximum sustained current of 10A; anything above that will cause the fuse to blow -- how quickly it does will depend on the current that is passing through the fuse.

See the Wikipedia page for electrical fuses for more information


Inspector told me to match breaker size to appliance

The usual setup is:

Large breaker, matched to wire size, in the main panel.
Wires (protected by breaker) to a subpanel
In the subpanel, a separate breaker & wires matched to each appliance.

GFCI is both code and critical life safety for hot tubs. The wonderful thing about GFCI protection is that it can be at almost any level - breaker in the main panel, breakers in subpanel, combined with receptacles. You generally don't want to (if available in that size) use a GFCI as your actual main breaker, because then power to your whole house would go out when there is a ground fault, as well as some other possible problems. And in the case of a hot tub, you don't want to put the GFCI any farther than the subpanel for a bunch of reasons. Since you already have a 50A GFCI breaker, you can go ahead and use that for the feed to the subpanel and you don't need any GFCI breakers (with their sensitive electronics) out in the subpanel.
32A for one appliance would normally get a 40A breaker. If that is really two loads - e.g., heater 24A, pump 8A (making up those numbers) then you would have 2 breakers - 30A for the heater, 15A or 20A (since that is normal for most small loads in the US) for the pump. You would also have either a shutoff switch or, often easier/cheaper, a main breaker in the subpanel which could be any size (since the individual appliances are protected by individual breakers and the subpanel and its wiring are protected by the breaker back in the main panel). The subpanel can have additional circuits - e.g., a separate lighting circuit, a convenience receptacle, etc.


How can I install T molding on concrete subflooring?

I know this is an old question, but here's what I did:

(1)  drill holes in the concrete.  Yes, this is a PITA, but with the right bit it is not too bad.  The holes do not need to be huge, nor do they need to be deep if you use the right screws.

(2)  Use the right screws.  The ones I used are from a standard Big Box store, and are specifically designed for concrete.  They specify a hole size to use, and the screws themselves seem to self-destruct as they dig into the hole.

(3)  Since I am also puncturing my moisture barrier, I did apply a line of silicone around each screw as I put it into the floor.  This pushed the material into the hole, under and around the hole in the moisture barrier, and under the screw itself.

So far, this seems like a good install, although it's only been a week, and they were well away from the foundation's perimeter, and above grade.

Also, while I did one this way after the floor was installed, I did the next five before installing the floor, since this is not only dusty work, a little water (and associated drying time) helps a lot with the drilling.


How can I repair crumbling bathroom tile grout?

Clean the surface that needs grout change then using a grout saw, remove the existing crumbly grout. Vacuum the debris to make sure everything is clean before adding the new grout. Prepare your grout mixture (best option for bathroom floor is SnapStone Urethane Flexible Grout) Using a margin float, apply grout on the floor. You want to make sure the gaps are being covered by pushing the grout mix in using a rubber grout float. Let the joints settle and dry before wiping it with a damp sponge. If you see any haze on your floor, just buff it off with a wet towel/cloth.


Single pole switch installation - 4 wires in box

Assuming US

...you didn't take a photo, did you?

Assuming you haven't mangled the old switch wires, take a photo of how they look and post it.

Typically (TYPICALLY!!!) you'll have a 'feeder' circuit- that'll be one set of black/white/copper coming in. You'll then have another black/white/copper going out (probably up, if it's a light, but that's because of the way walls work).

The 'feeder' circuit is going to be 'hot'. You have the power to the wall turned off right? You should also see a pigtail (wirenut) around one of the sets of wires- they should have been twisted together. The wire that went to the switch should have a bent curve around it.
The feeder wire is bent (black) and goes to the lower portion of the switch. The lighting circuit black goes to the top of the switch. The two white wires get tied together via wire nut.

The copper wires get tied together and two little 'pig tails' come off of them- one goes to the metal box to 'ground' it and the other goes to the switch (green screw) to 'ground it'.

But please, post photos. These are ALL ASSUMPTIONS. And if you aren't sure or don't know, please don't. You can hurt yourself badly.

And if you have any other colored wires- red for instance, your circuit is more complicated.

Also, if the breaker is off, you can cap off the switch wires with a wire nut and turn the breaker back on temporarily- that'll tell you if there is any down-stream wiring that would make this more complicated.

If you really only have 4 wires coming in- black/white and black/white, then you have no grounds, and you follow the same thing as above but no grounding the outlet box. So you need to be doubly careful as if you energize the switch it won't necessarily fault out but could energize anyone touching it.

And if you don't have grounds and this is a bathroom, then you need a special breaker called an Arc-Fault / Ground-Fault Interrupter. They're expensive, but you should have that in there to protect you and your family.


Why is this 50's junction box so immobile?

There's a connection that you can't see or get to without opening the wall. Like this:


Breaker does not make solid connection even after replacing it

My panel is a 48-year-old GE Flush Type TX1615F Mod 2.  I have never had a problem with loose contact of breakers. Is it possible that you are not pressing it in all the way?

I have installed a THQL1120GF and a similar 15A, but all my other branch circuits are protected by the thinner (1/2 inch wide) breakers which I think are THQP. If your panel allows these breakers, then try one of these. Two of these would fit in the space of one THQL, right? Their clamp is at a right angle to the clamp for the THQL. If you install only one, put a 1/2 inch spacer next to it.

EDIT
My GE panel accepts both THQP and THQL breakers. The panel and the breakers have a mechanical interface to prevent improper insertion of breakers--these prevent the breaker from snapping in if it's not allowed there. I came up against this when I tried to put a 2-pole compact breaker in a single 1-inch slot instead of astride two slots. A THQL must go into a single slot and presumably also has protection from improper insertion astride two slots. Are you putting these THQLs in a single slot?


Is updating/avoiding this splice worth it, and if so, what's the easiest way to plug the hole?

In my opinion it's not worth the effort and cost to re-run the wire. As long as the inline splice is properly connected at B, e.g. using proper wire nuts, it is not considered a major hazard. Even if you "improve" it by a wire directly from A to C, it is likely you have other splices in your other circuit anyway.

In terms of cover plate vs patching drywall, that's totally up to you. If it's behind furniture, why not simply choose the easier way.


How would i check if my receiver blows speakers

Generic advice: test the speakers on a known functional system. Test the receiver with speakers known to be functional.
My suspicion is that the speakers are toast.


Breakers are there to protect the wiring in the wall.  You can mix wire sizes, but the breaker has to match the smallest wire you used.  So if there is any 14g wire on the circuit anywhere, it must have a 15A breaker.

The electrician that mentioned the fire hazard probably assumed the circuit was covered by a 20A breaker because of the 12g wire so that would be bad since there was also 14g in the wall.

When a house is first wired, mixing wire size generally doesn't happen.  So, whenever you see mixed wire, you should assume it's a problem until you check the breakers and make sure it's ok.


How to connect several led lamps (G9 Connector), to a cable wire

Low Voltage For Safety
If you run these lamps directly off mains (120V - 240V, depending on region), you are, quite literally, playing with fire.
The good news is, LEDs are inherently low voltage DC creatures, not mains voltage AC beasts. So use an inexpensive UL (or equivalent) tested/certified converted to switch from mains AC to 12V (or similar, varies by application) DC. Then you can play around with the lamp wiring with much less risk of hazards, including both life safety and fire.
Electrical Tape is NOT a Primary Connection Method
Electrical tape is great for:

Labeling - e.g., mark two ends of a wire with the same color for identification, or mark with white tape and then write a number or letter on the white tape.
Extra Security - e.g., wrap a loose wire nut to keep it tight (I've seen several references to this being a good idea for a wire nut on a single wire)
Quick Patching - wrap around insulation nicked in an extension cord
Testing/prototyping - temporary use to connect wires together for purposes of testing before permanently connecting the wires

It is NOT normally for permanent wiring (low or high voltage). I've learned this over the years (with low voltage!). Basically, electrical tape (or any tape) doesn't really hold wires together. A wire nut (US) or other connectors designed for holding wires together work much better. In particular, most (all?) of these connectors have conductive metal inside them which securely contacts all of the wires, instead of relying on a manual twisting of the wires to provide all the connections.


What type of wire and load center for subpanel in detached pole garage?

Ditch the URD

Underground Residential Distribution cables are really uni-taskers: all they're good for is buried residential service from the utility.  Most of the commonly available ones lack a ground wire (hot/hot/neutral), and they're often made from AA-1350/EC aluminum, which is picky about proper termination.

Instead, especially since you're considering using conduit anyway, I'd use individual XHHW-2 AA-8000 alloy conductors in a generously sized schedule 80 PVC conduit -- 2" would not be at all out of place for this run.  A box can be used to make the transition to SER cable once you get into the basement, or you can simply keep going with the conduit run.  Make sure to leave enough access points (pull elbows, conduit bodies, boxes) to make the run practical, and use expansion fittings in aboveground PVC runs subject to temperature changes!

As to conductor sizing, 2AWG aluminum should be fine for your purposes -- voltage drop will still be acceptable even at the full 60A you propose for this feeder.  Given the amount of it you'll need (over 450') and that it's large enough for phase taping to be permissible for wire identification, it may be cheapest simply to buy a full 500' spool of the stuff instead of buying it by the foot.  You'll also want some 6AWG bare copper for the grounding electrode conductor at the garage, and 10AWG bare copper for the equipment grounding conductor in the feeder run.

Keep 'em separated!

Speaking of grounding, you'll need to be careful on this point.  Past practice with outdoor feeders treated them like services, bonded via the neutral, but this is no longer allowed -- instead, your feeder will be a full 4-wire feeder (hot/hot/neutral/ground) with neutrals and grounds separated onto their own bars and the loadcenter's bonding screw/strap removed.

Furthermore, you'll need to provide a grounding electrode at the garage and tie that to the grounding system: a concrete-encased (Ufer) electrode is ideal, or if your garage is steel-framed, you can tie into that.  If neither of those are practical, a pair of ground rods driven at least 6' apart will do the trick.

Go big, or go home!

There is no shame in getting more loadcenter than one strictly needs -- it  is often cheaper now to buy a somewhat larger loadcenter up front than to replace an undersized loadcenter later.  Given that, the fact you'll need a main breaker loadcenter to provide the structure with a local disconnecting means (it's OK if the subpanel main is oversize as all it needs to be is a disconnecting means), and that a NEMA 1 cabinet will suffice for going inside the garage (all the space needs is four walls with doors that close and a roof that won't leak), I'd recommend a Siemens P3030B1100CU for this application as a minimum specification -- it provides plenty of spaces for an outbuilding application (30 spaces for a 100A panel is quite a bit), and ships with all the terminal bars needed (including separate ground bars).  Of course, you are more than welcome to drop a few extra bucks on a larger panel (but you'll have to go up to 200A bussing to do so, most likely) -- a 42 space/200A loadcenter would not be at all out of place here.

TORQUE ALL CONNECTIONS TO SPEC

Last but not least, get an  inch-pound torque wrench and torque all breaker and panelboard lugs you are connecting to up to manufacturer specified torque when you're doing this -- it's a new Code requirement for 2017 (see 110.14(D)), and just a darn good idea from a reliability standpoint, unless you want to pull a Greg Biffle with your garage's electrical system, that is.


How far apart should I space rafters for a 13ft patio?

A couple problems with the span calculation, IMHO (I am not a Licensed Professional Engineer):

Select structural (the lumber grade) is frequently impossible to come by at an ordinary lumberyard, will cost the earth if it can be had, and is even less available (AFAIK) in pressure treated (though you should not need that, as per comments.)

Number 2 is generally the grade you should design for unless you are sure you have a source for a better grade and can stand the price of it... You can get the same loading from 2x8  number 2 on 19.2" centers (5 per 8 feet - there's a symbol on most modern tape measures for that spacing) as your select structural on 24". Or you can get significantly more load (or span) from 2x10 number 2 on 24" centers

The position of this roof on the sidewall of a house (if it's "like the picture") may cause the buildup of a snowdrift on the roof - that needs to be allowed for if the 30 lb snow load is anything other than mythical (ie, I think that snow load is the code standard minimum, so it is often in code where snow is never expected....)


Protecting the tops of deck joists - or not?

There’s always “Good”, “Better” and “Best” in any construction project. I’ve never seen the tops of pressure treated deck supports protected with “peel and stick” membrane, and I live in a very wet area of the U.S. (We get about 60 - 80 inches of rain each year.)

All of the ideas he recommended in the video you referenced are great, but membrane on the top of the joists seems extreme. In fact, there is a greater chance that rot will occur at the ends of each support, (because water “wicks” into a board far more in end grain than in side grain,) than on the tops of the supports...which he doesn’t mention.

BTW, there is nothing in the Code that requires a membrane on top of deck supports.


Toilet bowl fills almost completely before flushing

To me this sounds like a partially plugged toilet. A toilet auger will probably clear the problem up unless the drain has been sanded. A toilet auger is a short heavy duty snake made to clear the U bend built into the toilet. I have seen bad renters put sand in the drains of a home this makes clearing the blockage tough as the sand keeps falling into the U bend or trap, but it sounds like a blockage close to the toilet is your problem, once the pressure or water level is high enough the natural siphon takes over and clears the bowl.


GFCI won't reset, charges neutral when wired up

In your case the neutral wire is broken.

It is rather unusual for wires  to break by themselves, so most likely the problem is at a termination. We can exclude this location, that leaves the service panel.

The neutral wire isn't becoming magically energized when you connect a GFCI to it. The GFCI uses some electricity for its own functions and returns it to the neutral wire. With the neutral broken there is nowhere for that voltage to go, so it stays on the neutral wire, lifting it to 120 volts. The same thing would happen if you used a regular receptacle and a night light.

No receptacle will work at this location until you fix the neutral.


The thinset will not stick to the smooth finished floor.  You could just screw and thinset down 1/4" concrete board over it though and then install tile like normal.

Another option I would not recommend but is an option is you can probably lay tile over them with mastic instead of normal thinset.  But you will not be able to walk on the floor for upwards of 2-3 days minimum  AT ALL, longer with larger tiles.  You need that mastic to setup completely before grouting it or walking on it.

I don't think mastic is designed for a floor application though, but I do think it sticks better more like glue so it would stick better to the smooth finished floor.  But that "glue" is softer than thinset and cannot take the beating of a floor the same.


Help with modified LP grill - how to take apart

After 2 hours of struggling I managed to remove the top. It took a machete and a long back saw and some mineral spirits  :)
Underneath is a semi-functional grill, missing a few parts and the grilles. I think I have a pretty good idea how to fix it from here on  ;)


How to wire a single toggle switch/outlet in a GFCI circuit

The circuit as you have designed it will not work. You have routed current from the load hot terminal of the GFCI through the switch and load, then back to the neutral node in your service panel, bypassing the load neutral terminal of the GFCI. The GFCI senses this imbalance and trips.

You cannot mix a GFCI protected path with an unprotected path. You must either power the toggle switch and LED load completely from the GFCI load terminals, like this:

or power the toggle switch and LED load completely from the unprotected mains supply, like this:

One path or another will require a 12/4 w/g instead of a 12/3 w/g cable.


Tile layout on the diagonal to minimize cutting

No, there isn't. You'll want to follow a common strategy of either running a full tile or a joint down the center of the room so that the rows at the edges look appropriate. Snap one or two chalk lines on the floor as references, then snap one or two at 90 degrees to get your joint lines straight.
With a wet saw these types of cuts are not difficult nor time consuming. With a helper you can lay tile almost as fast as you can mark the cuts. Once you work out a strategy for measuring it's easy.


Is it legal (or green) to have an unswitched bath exhaust fan with nightlight that runs 24/7?

Try to talk to whoever is responsible for the design of the house retrofit/refurbishment. Why houses (at least new or programmtically refurbished ones) don't come with an owner's manual is a constant bafflement - here's this extremely expensive, complex machine - figure it out yourself...?

What you may well have is a very tight (limited air exchange) refitting of the house, and the fans in question being the method used to ensure adequate air exchange for a healthy indoor environment. In a particularly good implementation of this, there may even be an air to air heat exchanger, warming (or cooling, in season) outside fresh air with the exhausted house air. That is more common in more extreme heating locales; it may not be cost-effective elsewhere (the heat exchangers themselves are not cheap.)

A fairly clear explanation of ventilating tight houses.


Will fiberglass insulation grow mold? (Florida)

This question could get flagged as opinion based but here goes anyway. I live in South Florida and have been in hundreds of attics with fiberglass insulation and have never seen any problems. Yes, there is a lot of humidity but if the attics are vented with soffits, etc., then the humidity doesn't cause a moisture problem. I had a roof leak and some of my fiberglass insulation got wet. I fixed the leak and monitored the insulation and it dried out in a day or two and did not compress. fiberglass insulation has been proven to be an excellent insulator. I have read some articles that warn about fiberglass insulation but most are from companies that sell something different.


safely de-energizing a junction box so that I can permanently cover it up

Either remove the wires entirely, or if it is impossible to do so, remove as much of the cables at most ends obliterate the cables at both ends so they are entirely orphaned in the wall.  Don't get your cables mixed up!

Then, remove the old junction box entirely.  Gone.


No hot water pressure - perhaps sediment clogging exit pipe from water heater

It is fairly unlikely for boiler deposits/sediment to have blocked the outlet pipe as it is at the top of the tank, it is large, and sediment (by definition) settles to the bottom. I have never seen an "exit pipe filter screen".

A common problem is old shut-off valves not opening back up completely after they have been exercised. Another problem I have seen are these gimmick "heat-trapping" nipples installed at the heater inlet, they have little ball-check valves that fail and restrict water flow.

I live in an area with hard water (lots of minerals/dissolved solids) and I have never backflushed my water heater; it has been in service for 16 years with no problems. I am not saying you should not do it, I am just saying that the value is overrated when it comes to longevity (efficiency is another story).


No hot water even if heating elements work (solar/boiler combination)

If the hot water is hooked up to your faucets, then hot water should eventually come out regardless of the re-circulation stuff. That is, unless the check valve is the wrong way or the pump isn't letting water flow. Then you would just get cold water.

EDIT
I see from your comment that the system was previously working and no work has been done. The check valve must be installed in the correct direction. I don't know your entire system, so, it's difficult to know what's wrong. It seems like there would need to be a check valve between the hot and cold line at last faucet in the plumbing run. Then water from the cold side wouldn't be allowed to come out the hot side in case of a restriction in the hot side.

EDIT 2
Thanks for the drawing. I thought you had a recirc pump so that hot water was always instantly available at the outlets. I think the check valve would be better placed on the output of the pump, but I don't think that's why it stopped working. Although I don't know the likelihood, the problem could be a failed check valve. I don't see how else you could get cold water bypassing the heaters after previously working.


Can I use a bat handled toggle switch instead of a boring standard toggle switch on the wall?

The ONLY way this would be code complaint (legal) and safe is if the switch were solidly mounted to a metal plate, which would in turn be mounted to a grounded metal box. If you have plastic boxes there will be no way to ground the plate through the box.

NO! Soldering is NOT an option as this is expressly forbidden in the code. You MUST have a solid mechanical connection even before soldering. Having said this there is no means or provision for any sort of mechanical connection to that switch or to a switch plate, unless of course you nut and bolt the ground wire to the plate, but this adds a visible screw head to the finish side of the plate.

Almost certainly you'd need to get a stainless steel blank plate and drill your own hole.


How do I use a headboard intended to mount on a wall onto a bed frame instead?

(source)

You either screw it, or the legs you're going to add to it, to this (where it looks like a bracket on the end there).


how to level uneven plywood floor for tiling?

You did hear correctly: the floor must be as flat as possible (and as rigid) in order to support the tile. You mentioned the floor being supported on posts. If there is enough head room  a better repair is to shim-up the low spot from below. Depending on how severe the floor depression is this may entail hammering some store bought shims under the joists or installing concrete footings so as to support new posts.

The quick easy solution is to outline the low-spot  of floor , mix-up a bag of self leveling floor mix, and trowel it into the depression feathering the edges.

It would also be a smart idea to check the other sections of floor that will get covered by tile for any squeaks, bounce or shifting. Nail or screw to secure them to joists.

When you are ready to begin installing the cement board it would be wise to embed the 3' x 5' x 1/2" cement boards in a thin slurry of thinset for complete support. Use cement board screws to affix them to the floor.


How do I connect an air compressor to blow out my sprinkler lines?

What I usually do to blow out lines is just use a simple hand held blow gun fitting for the air line. You can buy one that has a rubber end that fits inside the garden hose valve. This usually fits well enough that I don't need to do anything special.

When that is insufficient, then I do have a short pigtail (a one foot long piece) of hose with a regular air line connector at one end, and at the other end a female garden hose nozzle. You could probably just chop off the end of an old piece of regular water hose, since it will already have the male garden fitting on it. At the other end, I would buy a barbed fitting of the right diameter that would allow me to connect to a 1/4 NPT threaded connector. Then just screw on a ball valve to turn the air on from the compressor when you want it, and to that, screw on a male air line connector. A GOOD hardware store will have all of these things.

The nice thing about a blow-out tool like this is it does not need to take any serious airline pressure because the end of the line you are blowing out is essentially open ended. So a simple piece of garden hose is entirely sufficient. You might even temporarily reduce the regulator on the compressor to about 40 psi to avoid damaging anything from overpressure.

If you don't know how to make this up, then I'd go to a local hardware store and ask for help. Tell them what you need. (Print out this response if necessary.) Go to a GOOD one, not to the big box stores like Home Depot. Find one of those stores where the person running it knows what they have in the store and where to find it, and they know how to use what they sell too. When you do find such a hardware store, support them with your business on a regular basis.


Since you have a palm nailer, use that. However, I think it is worth mentioning that in lieu of a palm nailer, an electric screw driver, (which is more commonly owned by DIY folks than a nail gun), is easier to use in this situation than a regular hammer and nails.
Oh, and the way to nail them in is to stagger the blocks.

Edit: Please excuse me; for some reason, I thought you were having space issues (I misread). As everyone else said, use the regular nail gun.


I agree with Daniel.

Unfortunately, roofing companies make more money installing new roofs than they do fixing leaks. They will probably recommend a new roof.

If you roof is still in good condition otherwise, you may be better off  hiring a handyman to find your leak.

Good luck!


thanks to everyone's suggestions i was able to isolate the issue. there was obvious continuity btwn the black lead from the switch and the conduit. pulled the wiring and found a small nick in the insulation near a right angle connector. will be pulling new wire later this week.


Since you say you have a ceiling system and no direct rain in this protected area, I would think you want a material that will pack down firmly so wheels of equipment and walking won't depress into the material too much. I have used 3/8" stone dust, which is a by-product of the stone crushing process mixed with 3/8" pea stone. This material is heavy, forms grade and packs well. You could also use a clean "packing gravel" which is a very coarse sand used under concrete slabs etc. Another good solution is to use a garage mat over the base to park heavy objects on. These mats are available at many box stores and auto supply places. Another good reason to use a parking mat is that oil or fuel spills can be cleaned up before they seep into the soil. You can also sweep it clean occasionally so it looks neat as well.  Good Luck


Why is the flow from overhead tank merely a trickle?

The way you've drawn it, during the "limited time", the static pressure at the tap is determined by the vertical distance between the tap and the water surface in the "overhead tank" and not the "storage tank".

Outside the "limited time" the static pressure at the tap is determined by the difference in height between the tap and the water surface in the "storage tank".

Restricted flow to the tap is probably due to a blockage (or insufficient pipe diameter for length of run) somewhere in the pipework. It is possible that non-return valve NRV2 is blocked, faulty or installed incorrectly.


Fireplace project- how to lower the top of the fireplace

I have modified several fireplaces using angle iron4”.  The angle is about 3” longer than the opening. Cut 1-1/2” of 1 web on both ends.  Move down to the mortar joint at the level or close to what you want. Cut the mortar out 1-1/2” deep. Slip the angle in with the cut web up and the lower longer web creating a shelf. Use refractory cement as a mortar and fill the joint where you cut out the mortar.
Now figure out how many layers so your staggers are correct as you will be starting at the bottom and working up.

Put down a layer of refractory cement followed by bricks ( butter the ends and bottoms with the cement, once the layer is in put a layer of cement on top of the layer and complete each layer the same as the first but with a stagger, the top corse of brick the hard part is filling the gap with refractory cement.

For additional strength the end brick if 1/2 can be removed but it looks like all your bricks are 1/2 so I would use caution trying this.
I have used this method many times, I have tried to use fire clay but had issues with cracking where refractory cement worked much better.  The 4” angle iron provides the support for the span , on a narrow fireplace I have used 3” but prefer the 4” and you really can’t see it.


Difference between NEC code book and handbook (who is the target audience?)

The code book alone is pretty hard to understand, it's 900 pages and all written in legalese.  The handbook is useful, it adds some non-legalese clarification to the NEC itself.  Mike Holt's materials are great, they are made to make sense of the legalese, and they're popular for a reason.
However none of the above are in any way a design guide or an installation guide.  In my opinion a DIYer is better served with the many DIY / residential wiring books available, and for anything beyond the bare basics, get your work inspected.
Note that most of these books are revised for each code cycle, so your best bet is to buy the revision that was written for the code revision in effect in your locale - the 2014 NEC in your case - even if it's no longer available new, it's easy enough to find prior revisions of these books used online.


Can I wire a microwave blower fan to a plug by itself?

See the wiring diagram on the fan. It needs a starter capacitor between the red and yellow wires; then power (black and white from the plug) can be applied to black and blue for high speed or white and blue for low speed.

There is no ground wire for the fan -- hopefully it is either in a plastic case or otherwise double-insulated so it doesn't need one -- so the green wire from the plug can be left unconnected.


How to sound-proof a room with minimal budget

I would start with an area rug to cover most of the floor.

Hanging tapestries on the walls and door can add to the decor and help deaden the sound.

Do you have access to the underside of the floor from below? This would be the spot to add insulation.

The problem with lower frequencies (male voices) is they resonate the building itself and are more difficult to block.

Good luck!


Can a honda iAVR generator safely run a computer?

The 'promise' of the iAVR generators is that they CAN power sensitive electronics like computers.  This is why they cost so much more. If you are concerned, I would put a spike filter and UPS in-between the source and the computer load; it wouldn't have to be a big one.  However, the computer has some natural filtering because it uses a an AC to DC power supply which already has filtering on both ends.


Missing a strike plate in a metal/steel frame

Yes, metal frames use machine screws, not self-tapping screws.

I’d order a plastic “strike box dust cup” too.

Btw, those existing metal tabs with the screw holes in them are made to be adjusted slightly. I’d be careful moving them, because the screws may not align if you move them too much. However, if the flat head screws do not “seat” properly in the strike plate, you can adjust those tabs.


Where is the solenoid coil in my electric shower?

From what I can see all your power is going to the heater with just a safety switch to keep it from getting two hot no solenoid I think one of the 2 things on the right side is a pressure/ flow switch but it has been several years since I worked on my unit, I have a similar unit in my barn and if I try to get the water two warm it barely runs this is the limitation of these small 30 amp units. I adjust the flow to my unit in the winter because the water delivered to the unit is colder and to keep the water warm enough to bathe horses I have to reduce the flow and mixing percentages. In short you may not have a solenoid controlling the water but just a pressure/ flow switch to turn the power on to the small heat tank when there is demand. The stabilizer in your model is more of a tempature regulator not a solenoid , measure the water temp output is it aproxametly at the set point? If so it is working correctly these units do have a limited heating range.


Best way and best tool to file sch. 40 PVC

The a deburring tool made for plastic pipe is money well spent if you'll use it enough.  But the same tools that make sense for a professional don't necessarily make sense for a DIYer.  If you're doing it yourself to save money, you can very quickly lose the savings buying tools you'll probably use once or twice.  I think a plastic pipe deburring tool that will handle your 2" pipe is going to be a few bucks.
You can deburr the pipe adequately with a utility knife.  It's not fast and you have to be careful not to cut yourself or gouge up the pipe, but it can be done.  I think everyone does it when that's what's on hand, it's not worth a trip to the truck or the shop for the special tool.
There are some inexpensive options that are worth having and won't break the bank.  A simple deburring tool is never a bad addition to your tools and under $10USD:

This type of deburring tool works on both the inside and the outside, it's not real fast but faster than a knife.  It doesn't take up much space, you can put it in a shirt pocket.  It will also work on metal pipe and many other situations where you want to round off the sharp edge where you cut metal.
You can certainly get it done with a file.  Most any file will work, but a rounded one will work much better on the inside of the pipe.  If you're buying one for the task, it's nice to buy something versatile so you're more likely to get other use out of it in the future.  The most versatile file has to be the four-in-hand type, which has a flat file, rounded file, flat rasp, and rounded rasp in one tool.  Of course for reaming the inside of the pipe you'll use the rounded file, the outside, the flat file.  These are also available under $10USD.

As for angles of chamfer etc., don't sweat it.  You're not machining the barrel of field artillery, it's a plastic pipe.  About 45 degrees, take off just enough to remove the plastic shavings and make it easy to assemble the joint.  If you want to be precise about anything, better to focus on nice square cuts.


Why does it take several attempts for my garage door to go all the way down?

The runners are dirty / blocked or the guide wheels / pins are sticking, not rotating and increasing the load so that the safety limits come in causing the motor to stop or be reversed.


Will a 4x6 substitute for a doubled 2x6 header?

In my experience, and assuming your lumber doesn't have major checking, a 4x6 is adequate as a substitute for doubled 2x6s. Whether it strictly meets code is another question, but I'd assume that it does.

It'll almost certainly be adequate in your specific case, where no structural header existed in the first place.

FYI, you don't have to sandwich plywood. You can use a flat 2x4 bottom and stand 2x6 sides on that in a U configuration. That's how I've done it for many years. In the case of 2x6 exterior walls you can insulate between the side members.


There are three reasons why you need not worry:

UL/CE rating

I think you will find it is UL or CE rated I know with UL the items are tested and abused like any home owner would, not as sure about CE but some equipment I helped build to send over the pond had 3rd party inspectors checking every part to make sure it could be CE compliant. The pump should have a GFCI plug this would limit any potential shock if the cord were to fail. I would think the plastic pump impeller would fail before the cord even with 5/6 years outside.

Connection

Should the device be faulty, you still need not worry too much. You will deposit it in your sitting pool of rain water, while it's not powered. You'll walk to connect the power cable (hopefully your outdoor power is a GFCI one). While connecting the power, you'll not be close to any water.

Weight

The vinyl tarp can already handle a column of water 2ft (maybe) high. If you calculate the distributed weight of the pump on the (usually large) base, you'll find that the psi on the tarp will be in the same ballpark as the column of water.

Just as importantly, you do want the weight of the pump to push a little on the tarp. That incline will drive all your rain water towards the pump so all the water reach it.


How can I anchor something in the gaps between the bricks or rocks of a fireplace without damaging the masonry?

Adding an answer because it would have been quite a long comment...

I knew I had seen "brick clips" before, but I'm not sure either style would work for you.

This kind is made to "hug" the top and bottom of a standard brick, so probably will not work for you, but at least you know it's available...

There's also this style that has little "ears" that you use to wedge it into the horzontal mortar lines.  These could work, but I'm not sure they will support the weight of tools, and may easily pull out.  I've only seen them used for Christmas decorations.

My goal here is to show you what I've seen, so maybe you can use them as search points for something that will work.


The advice given in the other answers is good: begin by assuming that the safety system is operating correctly. Find the fault, and hire an electrician to do so if you cannot. Only if you have evidence that there is no fault should you assume that the safety system is broken.

However, it is important to understand what this safety system is for, how it works, and what it does and does not protect.

There are a number of commonly-encountered electrical safety devices found in private residences; the three most common are:

ground fault protection. That's probably what this device is.
overcurrent protection. It is possible that this device also provides overcurrent protection, but not all ground fault protectors do.
arc fault protection. It is unlikely that this device is an arc fault protector.

Each solves a different problem, and you cannot rely on a device that solves one problem to solve the other unless the device is specifically designed to do the functions of two different kinds of protection.

The purpose of a ground fault protector is to prevent any current from going from hot to ground through a person, or, in the case of your barn, livestock and so on. Ground fault protection works by monitoring the current on the hot and the current on the neutral. Imagine that electricity is water; a ground fault protection device verifies that the same amount of water is going down the drain as is coming out of the faucet. If the drain is draining less than the faucet is producing, the water has to be going somewhere unexpected. If the ground fault protector detects that the difference between the hot and the neutral currents is more than, say, 30 milliAmps in your case, the hot is turned off by the box tripping.

Note that a ground fault protector provides no protection against electrocution from a hot-to-neutral connection through a person! In that case you are simply an electrical resistance like any other light bulb, and the ground fault protection will not detect the problem. If you somehow manage to touch both the hot and neutral wires of a ground-fault-protected circuit without 30 mA of the current going to ground, the device will not trip.

If your box is tripping frequently because of a ground fault then either (1) something is miswired; you have two hots sharing a neutral for example. (See below.) Or (2) something is draining current from hot to ground somewhere in the system; if you get between the hot leak and the ground, you're going to be the path to ground. Find it and fix it before that happens.

The fact that it happens more when things are wet is a sign that this is a ground fault. Something is draining current from hot to ground, but it is a good enough insulator to not trip the box when it is dry.

A ground fault protector does not protect against fires. There are two ways that electrical fires typically start: either the current is too high for a sustained period, and the wires heat up enough to burn the walls, or the current is too high for a split second, an arc is produced by the electrical outlet / the frayed lamp cord / the loose connection / whatever, and the arc makes sparks that light something on fire.

Ground fault protectors do not protect against either fire-causing failure. It is entirely possible for an electrical system to be way over-current but the current is still equal on both the hot and the neutral. And arcs might be so fast that the ground fault protector does not have time to trip before the current imbalance is restored.

Overcurrent protection by contrast typically monitors the current on the hot only. If the current on the hot exceeds some threshhold, the current is interrupted. Overcurrent protection does not protect against ground faults; if you have a 30 amp breaker and you are draining one amp of current to ground via your body, the 30 amp breaker cares not a bit. The point of the overcurrent protector is to prevent a short circuit from raising the current on the hot to the point where it could start a fire in the walls; it takes way less current than that to kill someone.

Overcurrent protection also does not monitor current on the neutral. The current on the neutral and the current on the hot are supposed to be equal -- recall our water analogy. But imagine you had two faucets pouring into one drain. The current on the two hots might be below 30 amps, but the combined current on the neutral might be higher. Just because the neutral doesn't have voltage on it does not mean it does not have current. It can still get hot enough to burn. Never share a neutral between two hots; that's an "Edison circuit" and they are not safe. (And they will not work with a GFCI, obviously, since the currents on the hot and the neutral are almost never equal if any current is flowing.)

Similarly, arc fault protection does not protect against you being the path to ground for a low-but-deadly current, or sustained high currents; it protects against transient high currents producing arcs that could set nearby paper or carpet or mouse nests or whatever on fire.


Are there any health concerns with using copper green wood preservative indoors?

Your contractor should not have sprayed that stuff inside your wall for a number of reasons:

1) it says on the label that it is for exterior use only.

2) It will not really do any good. That product is similar to many traditional wood preservatives that utilize copper napthenate to treat wood before it is exposed to moisture. Putting it on after the fact is arguably useless. It is commonly used for wood that will be left outside without a protective finish. Pressure-treated lumber is treated with copper napthenate, that's why it is green.

3) The stuff is smelly, and covering it up before it was dry (if that's what he did) will prolong the drying time.

The product "carrier" is mineral spirits (paint thinner); oil-based paints using paint thinner or turpentine as a carrier solvent have been used indoors for a long time. The "danger" to you is likely minimal. The TLV (Threshold Limit Value; which is how much an average worker can be exposed during an 8-hour work day with no respiratory protection and no significant health effect) is 500 PPM (parts per million) for Green Products Co. Copper Green. Without a detection device to measure you can't really assess your exposure level, but opening a window nearby to provide ventilation will significantly reduce the concentration.

You will have to make a "trouble vs. gain" decision on whether to have it ripped out. Opening the wall and providing ventilation to ensure it dries would fix the issue. Once dry, there would be no real reason to further "seal" over it unless irritating odors persist.

Material Safety Data Sheet


How to change the blade on my mitre saw?

If the model number is correct, or even close to it, this may be useful for you:

Firestorm FS100L miter saw manual

From that link, I found this set of images that are sure to be useful:

A bit more digging in the manual shows this text:

WARNING:DISCONNECT MACHINE FROM POWER
SOURCE!

Remove screw (A) Fig. 41 and rotate cover (B) to the rear (Fig. 42).
To remove the saw blade, insert the hex wrench (C) Fig. 43 into the
hex hole located on the rear end of the motor shaft to keep the
shaft from turning.
Use a wrench (D) Fig. 44 to loosen the arbor screw (E) by turning it
clockwise.
Remove the arbor screw (E) Fig. 44, the outside blade flange (B),
and the saw blade from the saw arbor.
Attach the new saw blade making certain that the teeth of the saw
blade are pointing down (Fig. 44). Place the outside blade flange
(F) on the arbor, and attach the arbor screw (E) by turning it
counter-clockwise using the wrench (D). At the same time, use the
hex wrench (C) Fig. 43 to keep the arbor from turning.
Rotate the cover back to the front and replace the screw that was
removed in STEP 1.

WARNING:Remove wrenches (C) Fig. 43 and (D) Fig. 44 before
starting machine.

Step 3 confirms reverse thread on the bolt holding the blade, turn clockwise (analog, not digital) to loosen.


Can I connect laundry tub drain directly into floor drain?

You most likely will overflow the floor drain and damage your surrounding walls/floors.


I'd frame it out and then clad with paint-grade MDF. That seems a lot easier than trying to tape and mud all those outside drywall corners.

Also...be sure to keep the center compartment big enough so you can continue to upgrade the size of your TV. ;)


How are wires wired together and where can I find that point?

EDIT: Short answer: You, my friend, need a qualified electrician.

Building code in US and Canada requires that no connections/junctions can be hidden (watch Mike Holmes...), they must all be accessible, i.e. in a box with a cover plate you can take off.

Unless you are on Mars, seeing 30V is bad, and seeing 2V is also bad.  Do you have your multimeter set to read AC???  I always make that mistake of having it on DC.  You may have it on DC and be seeing some other bias voltage (that shouldn't be there either...).

If you are really seeing 30V AC, and you are in the US/Canada/Western Europe, then there's a problem with your wiring.  The fact that turning a light on causes a large voltage drop may mean that somebody wired your circuit in series rather than parallel.


Cat3 from Verizon ONT to Old Bell Atlantic Panel

When Verizon (which is the latest iteration of C&P Telephone -> Bell Atlantic) puts in FIOS, they convert the phone lines to run on the fiber from the central office and they come out of the ONT as copper which they then connect to the original Network Interface (a.k.a. DMARC). ("Network" refers to "telephone network", not to Ethernet.) That network interface will have wires going to the rest of the house and also often still have wires going back out to the street. At some point (typically in or very close to the network interface, they will disconnect the old lines in order to avoid problems.
Each phone line users 2 wires (the RJ11 jacks can handle 4 wires = 2 phone lines). You actually have space for 6 (possibly 12, not clear if that is 6 repeated left & right or 12 separate lines), but currently you only have 1 line connected on the blue/white pair. Blue/white is one of the standard colors within a 4-pair cable, but is also standard for "cross connect" wires, which is the actual function here.
Do you have any traditional "land lines"? Do you want to have any "land lines"? Or are you in cell phone and/or VOIP mode? If you have no need for regular land lines (aka POTS) then you can ignore the old network interface. If you do want regular land lines then there are a number of different ways of wiring them, some of which will make use of that network interface, but not all.


Both reusable and disposable furnace filter?

Given that more restriction actually lessens the load on a typical furnace blower (no, really, you can prove it with an ammeter - less mass of air moved means less work, and homeowners "opening things up to reduce the load" can actually increase the load to the point they burn out the motor) that's not a concern.

Essentially you have a prefilter (disposable) and what appears to be a washable electrostatic for the fine stuff that makes it past the prefilter. The prefilter keeps the dust bunnies out of the washable. Not sure why they would make the washable harder to access (annoying design philosophy) but yes, use both.


What is the name of this ceiling fan part?

Sad to say but the time that it will take you to find the right part (it looks like a part called a hanger) and track down the obscure supplier who made the piece, organise replacement and shipping and get it back will far exceed the time and cost of you taking a small piece of mild steel plate available from your local home improvement or car parts store, drilling the holes you need and bending it in a vise.


sanding old plaster wall texture to prepare for mudding

I assume you have a textured surface.  If so, yes sanding the peaks down a bit will help later on with the skim coat, because less skim coat will be required to fill in the uneven spots.

But there are things to consider.

Plaster dust gets everywhere, so sanding creates a big mess
Plaster is very hard, so it is hard or harder to sand that straight mud or joint compound
Plaster may contain asbestos if it is old, so you might want to test first before sanding

I would start with 120 grit paper and then move to 220 grit for finishing  Since plaster is hard, if you are not getting anywhere with the 120 , move to a 60 or 80 grit if necessary.

For sections that stick out the most, you may be able to scrape them off as opposed to sanding.

A power sander will be quicker than manunaly sanding with a standard block or pole  drywall sander.  I know some of the power sanders for drywall have vacuum attachments which may be wise to rent one to keep the dust down.

Also, with this type of job definately wear mask and tape off other areas of the house prior to sanding.  I usually try to leave windows open for fresh air because it gets really dusty.


GFCI wiring same as before, but no power

Have you pushed the "reset" button? Many GFCIs need that done when first wired up.
And really, get a short 10-32 screw (you can buy green ones for the purpose, or green ones with a loop of wire already attached for the purpose, but you don't need to) and look for a pre-threaded hole in the box which is intended for the ground wire - the way the ground is wired currently to a box mounting screw is a kludge and not to code.


Closing the inside main valve to your house should do the trick. If you haven't operated the main valve regularly do so with caution because gate valves are noted for failing when you close them. After doing so, check any faucet to verify the water has been shut off. If you live in a freezing climate you probably have an inside shutoff valve close to the outside spigot that you cold use instead of the main one. After closing the main valve, if it' a gate valve, you might find that it won't open back up and that the handle just spins. That's due to corrosion and the valve has to be replaced. If you have access to the street cutoff and the water authority has no problem with you turning it off there, that would be a good option. They could possibly turn it off for free while you change your spigot.


Move vanity location and far away from plumbing

You need to have a clearance between vanity and toilet of 15" measured from the center of the toilet towards the side

You can relocate the plumbing toward the left side of the wall and install the vanity sink there. You can have the drawers on the opposite side to make possible to have them open


AC service disconnect keeps blowing fuses

The feed to the panel looks like #6 al and aluminum wire can loosen over time and with load. I'd check the connections in the panel.
You can change the fusible disconnect to a non fusible one. Make sure it is rated for aluminum cable. You would need either a 30 or 60 amp depending on what you find when you get the name plate info. You've got breakers for the compressor and the air handling unit so make sure you know which ones are which, though the breakers for the air handler would be higher amperage if there's a strip heater in it.


Is it possible to test a drained central heating system without filling it with water

If you are just checking for leaks, you can pressurize the system with air, and wait to see if the pressure drops. If it drops, there's a leak somewhere.


As long as nothing's smoking & there aren't any flames then, Nope. It's a typical sign of a propane like torch's use for copper plumbing & it could be from a long time ago. The plumber should've used a flame shield & you can clean it off if you'd like. Isopropyl Alcohol or just Swabs usually get rid of it pretty easily.


I really like "what is this old thing left from a previous time" questions.
This is just a guess, but here it is.

https://www.rockridgewindmills.com/photo-video-gallery/early-california-windmill-photos/#rockridgewindmills-1/0/Redwood_Windmill_Water_Tower.jpg
What you have left was once the center pole from a water pumping windmill.  You must imagine the windmill and the wood frame, and the water tank that was once filled by this windmill.  But a windmill and a water tank in the Bay area seems right, from when this was still an agricultural area.


That's a Pozidriv head that might have been chewed up a little by the inappropriate use of a Phillips screwdriver.

Public Domain Image

Phillips #2 on the left, Pozidriv #2 on the right.

Pozidriv screwdrivers come in three main sizes, usually named PZ3, PZ2 and PZ1 from largest to smallest. There is also a rarely seen PZ0. The most common is PZ2. You should use the largest bit that will engage the screw fully.

Here are some examples of Pozidriv screwdriver bits for interchangeable-bit screwdrivers (hand screwdrivers and power screwdrivers)

It is essential to

Use a Pozidriv bit, never a Phillips bit
Use the correct sized Pozidriv bit.

Used correctly, Pozidriv bits are much more positive than Phillips and are far less likely to "cam-out" (lift and slip under torque).

Phillips screws often don't stand up to repeated use unless you are exceptionally careful. For use in the home, Pozidriv predominates in the UK and much of Europe. Canadian homeowners seem to prefer Robertson (square recess), others Allen (hexagonal recess). It may be that IKEA's European roots explain why it used Pozidriv for this application (although they seem very fond of Allen bolts).

Useful resources

Wikipedia: List of screw types
Is it a bad idea to use a Pozidriv screwdriver on a Phillips head?
Why does my drill bit destroy the screw head?


What's the best way to pour post footings under a patio slab?

Your question seems to be simply whether you can bell out the hole for the footing. Yes, you can. Footing specifications are for the footing structure itself, not where or how you access the space occupied by the footing. The opening in the patio would only need to be large enough for concrete to pass through, but obviously you'll need to get a post-hole digger or other tool in there as well.
You might get better answers and suggestions if updated your question post with some information about your project. Narrowly-scoped questions like this aren't terribly helpful to you or the community.


What size wire to use from house to wood shop?

Here's a good calculator that will answer your question.

It says #1 copper, 2/0 for aluminum.


Was it standard practice in decades past to connect hot conductors with crimp devices?

Somewhere between the practice of soldering / taping and the use of wire nuts, Barrel crimps were used to make joints in smaller wire.

If they are done properly they should last a lifetime. Just as any other compression type lug lasts. Millions of ring/fork type lugs are sold and used every year without incident unless they are not crimped tight enough. Then they can heat causing expansion and contraction and eventual failure.

Inspecting the electrical system for more failures would be prudent but I wouldn't rush to replace every joint in the house. If the wires are tight and there is no sign of excessive heating of the joint then they outlast us all.

Good luck and stay safe!


What kind of timer socket is this and how can I get it working?

This is a GE device, though I think a Leutron or Leviton also make a pretty similar unit.  Here's a link to it on Home Depot's website.

My experience with these units is that they fail very rapidly - I went through 3 of them in a year before I switched brands.  You can see the comments on Home Depot echo this. They also can fail closed so that with a dead switch, everything is still powered and you have no way of turning it off - quite annoying if you ask me!

I would recommend that you replace it with another brand. They are not serviceable.


Replacement draft inducer motor stopped working after 3 months

Could be a dud. Make sure you get a replacement with warranty. Check your voltage at the motor. Also if your furnace is oversized repeated starts and stops are very hard on ventor motors.


Even with a small charger like you have if a bird is eating at the fence line and touches the fence ! Wham ! It is dead. We spray our fence line to keep the horses and grass / berry vines from shorting the fence out. Our charger is a 50 mile running at 15KV with no shorts from grass/ berries before we started weed eating and spraying we did have a few dead birds but since then I haven't found one.

I did not notice you asked about dogs and kids. Kids will usually only touch the fence 1 time and the jolt keeps them from doing it again unless they are like I was and when wearing rubber boots I would touch the fence and a buddy yes we both got shocked but I would be expecting it maybe that had something to do with me becoming an electrician...lol. Dogs some times take a couple of shocks to figure out where the thing that bit them was and to stay away from the fence. I have never heard of a large animal or person being injured beyond the initial jolt.


1910's vintage stone and motar foundation wall crumbles along its base

Generally speaking when stone walls are falling apart there are two main reasons:

(1) The structure has an unsound design. This is typically the case for badly designed retaining walls which have not been backed into the hill far enough.

(2) The stone is ill-fitted.

In your case reason #2 is probably the problem. You cannot just heap two unmatched stones next to each other and fit so-called mortar in between. Mortar and cement are two different things.

The correct plan of action is to reset the wall with close fitting stones which requires an expert mason.

Alternatively you can remove all the junk the original incompetent mason put in there and then cement it all back together again. This also requires a good quality mason, although it requires a much lower level of expertise than the correct plan of action, which is why most neighborhood masons will recommend this solution. Of course, such a solution will eventually fall apart as well, but it will take so long to do so that you will no longer be present, so it will be another generation's problem at that point. They, of course, will then be faced with exactly the same problem that you have now.


I refer you to NEC Article and Table 210.21(B)(2) which states and shows that a 30A branch circuit supplying two or more cord and plug connected loads shall not exceed 24A. Your assumption of 27A would in violation of the NEC.

Sorry for the disappointment.


What are options for finishing cement block walls?

I would seal the blocks first using a penetrating waterproofing sealer.  Silane/Siloxane sealers are excellent choices for basement concrete block.   Okon’s S-40, Diamond Hard and Lithi-Tek LS 9500 are some excellent products.  Stay away from latex based sealers.  I would also fur out the walls so I could add some insulation, run electrical, cable, internet and plumbing. You can now finish the walls however you chose.


I'll take a crack at this but the NEC article that would deal with this is 230, Services, which I don't find very clear.  It goes without saying that unless you're prepared to literally fight city hall, the inspector's interpretation is all that really matters.

If you look at the NEC definition of a Building in Article 100:

  Building. A structure that stands alone or that is cut off
  from adjoining structures by fire walls with all openings
  therein protected by approved fire doors.

Note that adjoining structures are considered separate buildings only if they are separated by fire walls.  I guess they are considering the new setup to be adjoining structures.

Looking at the photo, I would think each of those meter pans are fed by underground service laterals to the same utility transformer.

Now look at

  230.2 Number of Services. A building or other structure
  served shall be supplied by only one service unless permitted
  in 230.2(A) through (D).

(The exceptions (A) through (D) are stuff that probably wouldn't apply.)

You could conclude that three services - three sets of wires serving three separate meters and main disconnects - require that the three spaces be separate buildings;  and per the definiton above, these adjacent spaces are all one building unless they are separate by a fire wall.


Depends on the look you want.  If you want to preserve the natural brick use a clear acrylic sealer. Or you can paint it the color of your choice.  Either way, you'll need to clean it well (and let it dry for a while) and follow product application instructions (paint may require a primer) - there are lots of product options available.  Acrylic sealer is a nice look.


Is there a minimum for spacing between take-offs from an HVAC trunk line?

There's a "2 foot" rule for separation, but I have seen take-offs on direct opposite sides of the main trunk, I have seen them right above the furnace, and I have seen two side by side for the same 16in joist space.
Nominally throughout the trunk there is air pressure and air velocity. At any branch-off the pressure drops and the velocity increases because air can move more easily: some of it "escapes" down the branch duct. Take offs tap-off the air predominantly based on air pressure, they don't "scoop" the air. Take-offs are slightly angled to take advantage of the velocity, and they are not exclusively pressure based.
At some distance further down the trunk (the rule of thumb is 2 feet) the velocity drops to nominal and the pressure rises to nominal. That's where the next branch-off can be.
If two take-offs are too close to each other, the pressure for both is low and both cannot tap off as effectively.
If you do it the "wrong" way it just means you have lower pressure entering into the two branches, and their velocity or flow is less than if they were properly spaced. A few of these cases won't break things, and usually you can re-balance the flow with proper throttling at the register.

Image: https://hvactoday.com/0719-two-foot-rule/


How do I install a bathroom fan with its own switch?

If you're not comfortable working with electricity then hire a professional. Improper wiring and the resulting fire isn't worth saving a few bucks.

That said:

Your existing fan/light combo is likely connected using a 2-conductor cable (like 14-2)... but for two separately switched circuits you'll need three conductors (14-3) or two separate 14-2 wires.

At the gang box, one of the conductors goes to the light, and the other goes to the fan.


Should I get a keyed chuck for cordless drill?

I have a hand-tighten chuck on my cordless (a Makita) and I've never had any issues. However most of my bits are spin-resistant (i.e. they have chamfers). I've used it with a step bit to drill 7/8" holes through stainless steel.

If that drill has a user-replaceable chuck, you could always just start with the stock one and upgrade if needed...


What is the risk of leaving a well pump on a 3-wire system?

edit:  @Ed Beal pointed out that this may be a 220V pump motor.  The answer below is based on the assumption it's 120V.  Now that I think of it, Ed's probably right, the question is talking about 3-wire vs 4-wire.

Connecting neutral to the ground at the device is a terrible idea, dangerous, especially around water.  It really ought to be fixed.  I'd turn off power to the pumps if you are doing anything around them.

The simple way to make this safe (and NEC compliant) is to install GFCI protection on the circuit using the existing wiring.

However, there is a catch:  if the GFCI protection trips, the well pump and the septic pump will not be operational until someone manually resets the GFCI.  The pump motors may be susceptible to nuisance trips.

Another catch: if the wiring is replaced, depending on local code, you may be required to install GFCI even with a ground wire.  So you may be getting GFCI either way.


Can I block a skylight during summer without condensation?

If you do find condensation then you have a more significant problem that you would want to repair.  Here's why:  The drywall tunnel, being exposed to sunlight should always be hotter than your house, which means that relative humidity will be lower than in your house even if infiltrated with air from your house.  That also means that any condensation would only be against the insulation barrier at the bottom.  Unless you have other moisture infiltration into the tunnel that shouldn't happen.  If it does then you need to insulate the tunnel from inside the attic or else find the leak that's letting moisture into the tunnel.


The common relatively (30 years old or newer)newer furnace have blowers with multi speed taps on the motor. If it is a variable speed furnace it has dip switches. Typically the higher speed is for cooling and the lower speed is for heating. Most furnaces go to the high speed for fan only operation, yours apparently goes to a lower speed. Without knowing the model number it is difficult to tell you exactly how to wire it. It may be as simple as changing the speed taps on your blower or as complicated as hooking an extra wire to the Y terminals of the circuit board and thermostat and tricking the furnace into thinking it is cooling.


What are the downsides of a pressurized room?

In a properly configured home, the return air ducting is the exit path for airflow. There's no significant pressure buildup in any room regardless of door position.

In older homes without return ducting, or vents solely in common areas, the return air path is indeed through or around the door. Still, pressure buildup is extremely small unless the door is extraordinarily well sealed.

You should probably ask "someone" what his or her concern actually is. The pressure differential in your situation is miniscule--probably not even enough to pop your ears. The only downside I can come up with is the accumulation of dust bunnies outside your door.


Suggested power-tool and attachments to remove rust from a BBQ pit

Wire brush and sandpaper.
Hi-temp paint for grills.
Repeat as needed.

Also, be careful what strip/rust-remove/paint chemicals you use.  Many will play rather quite badly with heat and/or food.

As far as a cordless, battery power tool to do the job, good luck. I do a LOT of rust removal. Looking at that, it looks like 90% hand work even with the tools I possess.  Your only option here would be media blast, and you won't be able to lift a battery that will power that.  This is the core problem with battery powered rust removal: the energy requirements are too great.   This regularly hamstrings me because I have a lot of rust removal to do in places with insufficient AC power to run a compressor.  Fortunately, humans are endurance hunters.

Even more than that, I am concerned that younger people feel entitled to "go straight to power tools". This misses an important point. The problem is, you really need to use hand tools to get a tactile feel for how materials and tools actually behave, and the real challenges of working with the work. If you haven't hand sawn through a knot, you won't understand why it's so dangerous when a circular saw hits one.  If you haven't hand wirebrushed a complex shape, you'll quickly destroy a power wirebrush and quite likely injure yourself. Whereas you are vanishingly unlikely to do serious harm with a hand tool.  People my grandfather's age are long gone; but they would have told you this.  You should graduate to power tools only when you have "earned your chops" with hand tools.

In this case, it also hobbles you from accessing the work you need to access: If you showed up to this job with only power tools, you will not be able to do the job.


Is it common for a chimney to separate from the outside wall?

This is common but its also a big issue.  I doubt that this has to do with your house foundation although it could be a factor.  The main cause would be a weak footing below your chimney.

The fact that you are having a dry year might have caused the footings to move earlier but if they weren't up to spec then it was going to move.  You have to figure that your chimney may weigh a few tons.  It has the house on one side.  So the chimney is going to move away from pressure if the footings are weak.  So that is why the top is separating probably a little more than the bottom.

I am not sure exactly who was supposed to do what to make the chimney 7 years ago.... But normally the mason would create proper footings or at least not build until it was done right.  If your mason was contracted to do everything he messed up or your soil is completely unstable (which he should have researched before doing the job).

So now you need to get this fixed ASAP.  If it hasn't had too much damage they can jack it back into place, repair footings, and bracket it into place.  This is much much cheaper than tear down and build.  If you have a warranty you will need to keep trying to contact the mason - maybe he gives you a deal on the repair.  Fixing this yourself really isn't DIY because the tools/equipment are too costly for a one time job.


Ceiling light fitting activate by sensor wall switch

Not all motion sensors are LED-friendly. More than likely, that's your culprit.

Reinstall the manual switch and see if they work.


How should I clean and lubricate gearing for casement windows?

I was thinking vacuum with micro dust attachments and white silicone
  grease.

That's what I would do. Not too much grease though.


Should I repair this very small area of minor water damage on my bathroom floor?

If your subfloor is wood, I would verify that the wood is in OK condition.
Caulking is good, but it's not necessarily a solution here. You have a piece of wood trim by a major source of water. That trim will get wet sooner or later, caulk or not. What you should look into is getting some vinyl(PVC) trim. It's not terribly hard to find now and it avoids the need for trying to prevent water intrusion here. Just do some basic caulk for aesthetics and it should be fine.


Can a Backup Generator SubPanel Neutral be tied to the Main Panels Neutral bus, if both panels are energized at the same time from different sources?

We see a lot of really horrid transfer switches on this forum, believe you me.

The Backup Generator Subpanel (Siemens - gray panel) is my "economic" version of a Transfer Switch, with a mechanical interlock between the upper "30A generator" breaker and the lower "30A subpanel feed" breaker.

What you did there is absolutely excellent.  This is one of the best generator subpanels I've seen.  Now there are some tune-ups we can do to improve it; some trivial and some rather critical, but those are only because you understood how those hokey $350/$450/$550 6/8/10 circuit "transfer switches" work, and copied too much from their design, which is a bad design. **It isn't a matter of "economic", what you did here is actually a much better design than what you were trying to imitate.   Honestly, this is what we recommend people do, and they rarely listen lol.
Tidying it up
What you actually do have there is a subpanel.  So it needs to be wired like a subpanel, which will dictate a few changes.  Other than that most of these are just recommendations.
Mandatory: Must bring neutrals over.  When you bring a circuit over from another panel like this, you are required to bring over both hot and neutral.  It's OK to leave ground behind, in fact, since you wisely used a metal conduit nipple, that takes care of grounding.

"But transfer switches don't do it that way" - yeah... I know they don't... and it boggles my mind, because it's contrary to all modern Code practices. Not least, those hokey transfer switches break AFCI/GFCI! Your method can support them in both utility and gen mode.

Mandatory: the neutrals will require fatter/more conduit. If any of the 1/2-3/4" conduits above align, feel free to add some.  Otherwise knockout the lower conduit to the biggest hole both panels can take (be careful not to over-knock; I hate adapter rings) and fit that size of nipple.
Mandatory: Use THHN wire for the interconnects.  You just took Romex and shucked the sheath off of it to get individual wires. That's fine for pigtails but this work requires real THHN.  Also: Hot can't be white.  Hots must be other than white, gray or green.  That's because you're working in individual wires; remarking a white wire to be a hot is only allowed in cables.

You're also required to group or mark hot-neutral pairs; but you have that covered.

Mandatory: Backfeed breakers need tie-down so they can't be rocked out by accident.  That'd be the two breakers on the interlock. You can buy tie-down kits, or since you're in the Siemens world, the ECSBPK01 interlock inherently provides that tiedown by placing the breakers at the top across from each other.  It's $27.
Suggestion: Upsize the utility-side feed.  It can be any size you like up to wire limits (rounding up). Remember THHN uses the 75C ampacity rating, so #8=50A..... #6=65A (use 70A breaker).... #3=100A... #2=115A (round up to 125A).
Suggestion: Upsize the panel. While you're in there, think about a panel swap to a much larger panel, e.g. 30 space.  Seriously, pretty much our slogan on this stack is "Go BIG or go home" - spaces are dirt cheap, and running out of spaces really sucks.  As said, there's no trouble whatsoever sending as much as 125A over to this panel, so you can put any circuit you please over here, you're not limited to 6/8/10 like those transfer switches.  You're also able to use AFCI or GFCI on this type of setup (once neutrals come over), but those are full-space breakers so you need lots of space.
When I'm mocking the 6/8/10 circuit transfer switches, I typically choose a 24-space panel at around $55 just to show people they can have 3 times the spaces for 1/3 the money lol.
Suggestion: Blank cover plates.  I hate them, I find them fragile, hokey and dangerous. I just fit real breakers there and just stick red electrical tape across them to indicate they are unused.
No alien breakers - you have Siemens breakers in the Siemens box and Square D breakers in the HOM box.  Well done.  By the way if you have need for a "universal" breaker that fits both, Eaton CL series is UL-approved for both panels, and they do come in AFCI/GFCI (1-pole only). Do not use Eaton BR.
Wiring up inlet for 240V + using 120V adapter cable is excellent and the correct way to do it.  That way on the happy day you get a 240V generator, it'll just plug in.  You are on top of the MWBC issue.


I recently had the same question when building a home in N. Alabama for a relative. I asked all local HVAC contractors about it and they all recommended against it for two reasons. 1) cost 2) reliability. They stated their typical installs require replacement in 6-8 yrs. They did state, however, that they were a good option for things such as small additions or bonus rooms above garages where upsizing the main system would be difficult or expensive due to additional ducting requirement.  I am surprised any heat-pumps would be sold in climates as cold as yours. They might maintain temps but I am certain one would never truly feel warm in a heat-pump heated home with temperatures THAT cold. Here in the deep south, I set my dual-fuel unit to switch to propane at ~30 deg. I would freeze to death if that cut-over were at -15!


It is absolutely normal for some water getting into a chimney with driven wind. Even with a wood stove that has a wind driven deflector on the stack those get some water but not as much as a conventional brick chimney. My dad had a chimney sweep company and we installed wood stoves in the 70’s like crazy. We also had to have training for inspections and it is not unusual for a driving rain or snow to enter the chimney and be noticed as a leak especially if the chimney is not hot from use.


How do I level a 2x4 on a concrete basement floor with an irregular surface?

If I'm interpreting correctly, your framing isn't so much structural as a place to hang drywall/ whatever. If this is the case, then a bunch of construction adhesive will do fine. If you can, add an "L" bracket or two to the wall to tie it all together.

Pressure treated wood is probably what your AHJ would call for in this setting.


Mounting Framless Shower Door To Fibergalss Shower Insert

You need to install it with screws into the studs. You will need to find longer screws than those supplied, preferably stainless steel. You may have to go to a marine supply store. When fastening you will need to take care not to over drive the screws, which could distort or even crack the fiberglass surround. The surround itself is not substantial enough to use with anchors for supporting the door.


Where should the ground wire go at a light switch with no ground screw?

If you have a metal box then it should be grounded. That has been in the NEC forever. Since 2008 or 2011 (can't remember) light switches have been required to be grounded but if your house was built before that then you are not required to bring it up to code. It is grandfathered, otherwise all homeowners would have to make changes every time the code changes.

However, it is never a bad thing to bring things up to current code if you want. And yes if you have multiple ground wires in a box they should all be connected together.

Happy Day!


In order to cut a layer of the floor out flush with the bottom plate of the wall, one good tool for the job would be a Rockwell Sonicrafter


Central A/C Draining Causing Stagnant Water - Dry Well?

We see similar things like this quite often.
If the pipe is not overflowing just becoming stagnant.
Get some “summit mosquito dunks” break them in 1/2 and drop a 1/2 in every month. These are fish safe and won’t hurt plants or other animals but will eliminate the mosquitoes by killing the larva.
Depending on where you live 3 or 4 tablets will last a year (not needed in the winter months). This is safer than dropping chlorine tablets in there that may harm other critters and plants.


Why has my garage door opener (139.53975SRT1) stopped working?

You will need to consult the manuals troubleshooting section - usually the number of flashes/clicks indicates what the problem might be.

The most common issues I've seen are related to the safety sensors mounted near the door.  Sometimes they get knocked out of alignment, or there could be a short in the wire due to a staple.  The manual will likely provide instructions for temporarily shorting out this connection to bypass it.

It might also have overheated if you were operating it a lot - assuming you didn't burn out the motor, usually in this scenario you just need to wait for the unit to cool down.

The worst case scenario is that either the motor or logic board are dead.  You might be able to repair it, but the vendor will likely advice just replacing the parts.


How can I install a motion sensor for a closet light?

You didn't say if you already had lighting in your closet or not.  If you don't, I would suggest buying a stick-up (battery-operated) LED light with a motion sensor.  (In my area, most retailers have several models like this.)

Most interior motion sensors are combined with a switch, so if you don't want a switch then you may be out of luck.


Right way to disassemble radiator piping?

What I would do:

Cut the long pipe. Move the radiator, making both cut pieces accessible. Remove and and discard both pieces of the long pipe. Unscrew the elbow-and-tee assembly from the radiator. Replace the short nipple with two short nipples connected by a union. Replace the long pipe with a longer pipe to account for the added length of the added nipple and union.

This will leave you with plumbing projecting from the right side a little more than your current hookup, but it's better than pulling everything apart down to the first union on that line which may be, as you say, two floors below.

When you unscrew the elbow-and-tee assembly from the radiator, the short nipple will probably remain fast to either the elbow-and-tee assembly or the radiator. It doesn't matter which, just leave it, and add the new nipple to the other side of the union.

You may need to separate the elbow from the tee in order to re-assemble the plumbing. If they are too rusted to come apart, consider that buying new ones is not really expensive and is a lot better than gouging your new floor.

Edit: I just realized that you may be able to make the assembly a little shorter by screwing a union directly onto a street elbow. The order of the new parts (left-to-right) will be: new long pipe, tee with cleanout plug, vertical short nipple, new street elbow, new union, horizontal short nipple, radiator.


Does a bathtub spout with a diverter have to be on the same side as the valve, or can I move it over to the side of the tub?

A normal tub diverter valve works because when the tub spout is open, it requires less force for the water to come out of the spout than it does for water to get pushed up to the shower head.  The water takes the path of least resistance.  When the tub spout diverter is closed, the water is naturally forced up the pipe to the shower head.

The reason the instructions say to only use one elbow and to limit the distance is to reduce the resistance of the water flowing out of the spout.  If the plumbing to the spout is too complex and provides too much resistance, you could have some water get pushed up to the shower head no matter what.

So, this plan might work, or there might just be too much resistance in the pipe snaking around the tub to the other side.  It's hard to say for sure.  If the valve is installed lower, I think you chances are better.  Also the tub spout pipe will have to go around the tub and not over it because water would certainly flow out of the head all the time if you did that.  Try to use only 3-4 fittings on the pipe - don't make any extra bends.

I looked around a little and found this forum post where a plumber used PEX pipe and three elbows even with the tub spout on the same side.  That was enough to make water dribble out of the shower head.  PEX could have made this problem worse because the fittings don't have a full 1/2" inside diameter so they restrict flow more than copper would.  Still, doesn't look good for your plan since you'd also have a minimum of 3 elbows (with PEX, 4 elbows using copper).


What are some cheap ideas to smoothen the surface of a papier mache?

I've used setting joint compound, it has common set times of 20, 45 and 90 min.  You mix it with water to any consistency you'd like.  The setting mud will let you do 2-3 coats per day.

You might need to reinforce the first paper-joint compound layer by using mesh tape.  The tape  will let the mud hold to it and will stiffen the sculpture, so it won't flex and crack off. Resist sanding until no paper or tape shows through.  The self adhesive (of the tape) is not superstrong, so you may need to tack it down with craft glue is areas where it bends.  Once overcoated with mud, it will behave.

It can be overlapped as needed, troweling the mud over it will squeeze through and lock down.


We ended up bleeding the radiators, upping the pressure, and replacing the thermocouple.

After all of that, we discovered that flames had been shooting out of the front of the boiler and melted half of the valve, messing up the electronics for the pilot light.

We ended up replacing the entire boiler since it was 35 years old anyway, but the reason for the issue was the messed up valve.


Protecting solar panels from kids who may throw stones to get monkeys off roof

The real problem is the monkeys. The collateral damage due to flying rocks would best be dealt with by trapping and relocating the monkeys. Or, it might be helpful to use an electric (chicken wire) fence to keep the monkeys off the roof. Other deterrents might be motion activated sprinklers or ultrasonic alarms.

Obviously, there is not a perfect solution, but reducing the monkey population should cut down on the number of rocks being thrown at your house.

An alternative to chicken wire would be (bullet-proof) polycarbonate. Supposing that you have a glass solar panel, I would particularly recommend replacing glass with polycarbonate, especially if they do break the glass, because polycarbonate is much cheaper and more durable. Polycarbonate will become hazy after a few or several years, so it will need to be replaced occasionally for efficiency.

Pros and cons (polycarbonate vs glass):

Pros:

Polycarbonate is significantly cheaper than glass.
It's durable/bullet proof.
It can be cut to shape.

Cons:

If you replace the glass with polycarbonate you will get about a 9%
reduction in power. But you would definitely want to replace the glass, because if you use polycarbonate over glass, it will reduce the efficiency by about 20%.
It becomes hazy after several years and needs to be replaced.
It expands and contracts, so you need to attach it with screws and allow room (around the edge) for expansion.


Does thining wood filler make it crack when drying?

For trim work that will be painted, use paintable caulk instead of wood filler. It does not crack and it is very tolerant of shifts in the pieces, both due to structural movement and seasonal swelling and shrinkage.

Wood filler is better suited to holes and divots fully contained within a single piece of wood.


You cannot achieve R38 in only 5 1/2 inches.  One of the highest rated insulations is spray foam, and it is around R6 per inch, which would require 6 3/8 inches at least. If you did fur out the rafters with 2x2s (1.5 x 1.5) then you would have 7 inches total to use and could install 1/2 inch baffles and have closed cell spray foam installed.  It would be expensive, but would give you a thickness of 6.5 inches, and provide R38.