What are the differences between hot and cold roof systems?

Cold and hot roofs are an unfortunate terminology that leads to misconceptions. I shouldn't complain, since I'm not sure I have a better idea. Perhaps ventilated or unventilated sheathing? That is the deciding factor.

In cold roofs, the outside air is allowed to freely flow under the roof sheathing. In hot roofs, the insulation is typically installed close to the roof sheathing, but the main characteristic is the space under the sheathing is closed to fresh air flow. Thus, your unventilated roof is indeed a hot roof. You should be aware that according to most building codes, all structural voids not filled with some material should be ventilated.

The main advantage of cold roofs is for cold climates. Snow is much less likely to melt, and if it does melt, ice dams are less likely to form, or at least will be much smaller. With unventilated roofs, heat leaking from the building melts the snow. The water flows down to the eaves, which are much colder, and freezes. This causes a tiny dam which inhibits the water flow, which causes more water to freeze, making a bigger dam. The cycle repeats, and many tons of solid ice can accumulate.

Not only is the weight on an overhang an issue, but the water that hasn't frozen yet just pools. Most sloped roofs are not designed to resist pooling water. It easily backs up under the shingles and other joints and leaks into the building. This is particularly a problem in valleys.

In warm climates, a cold roof is still an advantage, but much less critical. The ventilation prevents any significant temperature differential from building up in the roofing system. The smaller the temperature change, the longer the roof will last. The ventilation will also carry off any moisture that may enter the space, avoiding mold issues. Unventilated roofs must have a good reliable vapor barrier, because any moisture entering the space will have nowhere to go.

The only advantage I can think of for a hot unventilated roof is it allows cheap, easy construction of vaulted ceilings without any special details to ensure the sheathing is being ventilated. These special details often end being a double sheathing system which significantly adds to the cost of a vaulted cold roof system.

You can use foam insulation of any type with either roof system. It's all a matter of correctly detailing the roof system to ensure it is either ventilated or that all voids are closed and filled.


What type of material is flexible but not too much, water proof, and can tolerate 80°C temperatures?

The project you linked is for a small heating pad on a chair, and uses insulated wire to prevent electrical shorts.  This is relatively safe (though not as safe as just buying one) mostly because the person using it is awake and alert - if it starts arcing or overheating they will notice.

Building your own to heat the whole bed is a much riskier proposition.  You (and potentially loved ones) will be asleep and may not notice such problems quickly enough.  Using uninsulated wires just makes it that much more dangerous.  If you start a fire, you will probably find your insurance won't pay out after the fire inspector determines the cause to be your jerry rigged heating blanket.

I am all for DIY, especially building my own electronics, but sometimes it is best to leave it to companies that can afford to do a lot of safety testing.

Heating blankets are easily available at many stores, and probably won't cost much more than the parts and material you need to build your own. They are tested for safety and usually include cutoffs to prevent overheating and shut off if more than the expected current is drawn (if a wire shorts inside).

The linked project says it is more durable than a heated blanket because it doesnt have to be cleaned.  But I have had one for years, washed regularly, with no issues.  If that is a big concern put it under a plastic sheet so it never gets dirty.

So just buy one, and use your heating wire for more interesting projects, like foam sculpting or building an awesome fog machine.


Wifi light switch needs neutral wire. Why? AND Can that wire be a skinny one?

Because unlike a normal switch, the wifi switch needs power, so it needs a neutral wire to complete a circuit at the switch between the unswitched hot wire and neutral for that power.

The neutral wire to the switch cannot be a light-gauge wire (at least if you are in an area subject to NEC codes; likely similar elsewhere in the world) because codes are based on what the circuit breaker protecting the circuit can supply when choosing wire size, so for 15A circuits the wire must be 14 Ga or larger, and for 20A circuits the wire must be 12Ga or larger. Smaller wires could overheat to the point of causing fires (without tripping the breaker) in the event of a fault condition, even if the normal current in them might be a matter of a few milliamperes.

I regard wifi switches (and thermostats) with the baleful gaze that only a network admin can view such things askance with, but I gather that there are units arranged in such a manner that the actual switch/relay can go in the ceiling where the light fixture that the switch loop originates from is, and the switch loop wires can (without adding any) be repurposed to operate the remote switch in the wall, no longer actually running the power for the lights through there. This type of unit will probably be much easier to install than to attempt to add a neutral wire to a switch box without one.


Cold water tank overflowing like crazy then stopped

If you have a shower mixer that lets through it is possible for mains pressure cold water to backflow through the mixer and into the hot water tank system.


What type of replacement door threshold do I need for a garage service door?

The one you have there was built into the door frame as a unit. You wouldn't find that exact part unless you contacted the manufacturer.

I would simply see what your local hardware or home improvement store has on hand. The crest of the curve needs to mate well with your door's bottom seal or sweep. Other than that it's not terribly critical. You'll have to consult your inner engineer and figure it out.

Fit the new threshold to the floor and door plate as necessary. Clear silicone caulk is helpful at the ends and underneath.


Is it necessary to seal a newly patched basement floor in an old house?

No it's not necessary. Sealers protect the concrete aesthetically and help keep it from soaking up oil etc. Since you don't care what it looks like then you don't need to seal it.


Can I increase the setting of my well pump's pressure switch to improve pressure?

You can raise the pressure switch-points by adjusting the pressure switch. It's not uncommon to run at 60/40, and 70/50 is also possible.

The limiting factors are:

Your pressure switch (though as Ed says, most go to 90 or so)
The fixtures in your house. Toilet valves in particular can start to leak at higher pressures, and the next big one would be connections made using compression fittings and smaller tubing like fridges, ice makers and humidifiers.
Your well pump. It may not be powerful enough to actually reach the cut-off pressure, or it may take an excessively long time.

You can also increase the size of your pressure tank. This will make the pressure drops and surges smoother and last longer as it takes longer for the pressure to drop to the cut-in pressure, but it'll also take longer to fill it up. The pump will run less frequently but for longer.

There's also a number of variable speed pumps on the market, and those will actually maintain a certain pressure fairly reliably. This is most noticeable while using water continuously such as in the shower or using a hose outside. One of the other benefits is these only need a fairly small pressure tank.

This obviously requires replacing your pump (and it's more expensive than the equivalent standard pump) so it's probably not a good option unless you needed/wanted to replacing the pump anyway.


Is there a way to change this circuit so that the receptacles are not controlled by switches?

OK, first of all, plainly this is a mess. The fact that there is a white wire hooked up to a black wire without any recolouring of it alone says that (1) there's some amateurish stuff going on here, and (2) you cannot trust any of the white wires to actually be neutral until you prove that they are.  So proceed cautiously, and take notes as you go.

There are a lot of questions here but a good one is:

  What's the easiest way to track a specific wire to see how it flows without ripping out the walls?

Start by obtaining a long three-prong extension cord. Plug it into an outlet that is on, and verify with a voltmeter that there is voltage between the hot and neutral, there is voltage between the hot and ground, and no voltage between the neutral and ground.  You now have an extension cord which you can use to provide a known ground and a known hot.

Next, turn off the power to everything that you're going to be working on.

Next, put a piece of tape with a number on every wire that you're going to be working on, and start making notes about the color and location of each numbered wire end, and what they're hooked up to now.  Take photos. You want to be able to put this back together the way you found it later.  Number the switches as well.

Next, carefully get all the wire ends exposed but not touching anything, and turn the power back on. Use your known ground and your voltmeter to determine which wires are hot under every combination of switches.  Remember, some of the whites are hot.

Turn the power back off again.

Test everything again to make sure that no, really, the power is off.

Now test everything again against the known hot to find out which wires are neutrals that run back to the panel. Again, test everything against all combinations of switches, remembering that at least one mistake has been made in this wiring so far; there might be more. Interrupting a neutral with a switch is almost always wrong, but I have found plenty of interrupted neutrals in old houses.

Now unplug your extension cord from the wall and get a flashlight. Rig yourself up a continuity tester out of the extension cord and the flashlight. (Of course if your voltmeter has a continuity tester, use it instead of jury-rigging one out of a flashlight.)

Suppose you suspect that wire ends labeled 2 and 9 are the same wire. Attach end 2 to the extension cord ground. Run the extension cord to the other. Now wire the extension cord to the battery, the battery to the light, and the light to end 9. Did the light go on? Then your hypothesis is confirmed. Did it not go on?  Try every combination of switches.  Again, record your observations.

Keep doing that until you have enough observations to form a consistent theory of how the wiring runs through the walls.  Draw a diagram.

Once you're there, you should be able to solve your problem. If you cannot, then you'll be able to post a question here with a lot more information.

Also, take this opportunity to ensure that every wire is correctly coloured, by putting tape on miscoloured or confusing wires. Also, if there are oddities such as a box that has hot wires from two different breakers, make a note of that for the next guy.


Reliable, inexpensive way to be notified of a water leak?

Apart from notification, cut off the main water line when detecting a leak. For example WaterCop. It may connect to your existing automation system; see their FAQ:

  WaterCop systems are equipped with auxiliary input/output contacts and
  can be wired into your existing home automation system with simple low
  voltage wiring (wiring not included). Please consult your security
  system manual or installation professional for details on other
  systems.

I haven't used any such system.


Tinted glass such as bronze glass affects light transmittance and changes the light that comes through.

Low-E glass (low emissivity) is used to reduce the radiance of infrared energy which keeps heat on the side of the glass where the heat originated.

Obscure glass is patterned glass and does not have a direct influence in light, but more of an influence on visibility.

None of those are mutually exclusive with one another. Comparing them isn't quite straightforward because you can have tinted obscure glass.

If you want to reduce visibility both ways go for an obscure pattern.
If you want to reduce visibility on one side use a reflective tint.
If you want to reduce thermal transfer use Low-E.
If you want to change the level of visible light transferred use a tint.

There are a great number of tints that all have different traits to them, each combination of tints and coatings vary based on application.


In addition to @Tester101's advice about clean joints, you also need tight joints. In general, most glues need to be squeezed to a very thin layer to obtain maximum strength.

In many new chairs, there is cut in the end of the stretcher tenon. A very thin wooden wedge is coated with glue and is driven in that cut to expand the end of the tenon and lock it into the mortise.  This is sometimes a blind wedge (if the tenon does not go all the way through the leg) driven in by hitting the end of the mortise pocket. Sometimes the mortise goes through the leg and the wedge is driven from the outside and then trimmed flush. These techniques give the tight fit that enhances the glue bond and creates a better mechanical fit as well.

The problem with many stretcher repairs is that the mortise hole in the leg has been expanded by shifting and rocking of the tenon. A close fit then becomes impossible.

What you may have to do is tighten the fit of the tenon. You could build up the mortise by gluing in shims and then shaping them to make a tight fit with the stretcher. This is fairly hard to get exact unless you really build up the mortise and then redrill it with a drill press. It may be easier to insert the stretcher and then tighten the fit by driving in very thin hardwood shims alongside the stretcher tenon. The shims should also be coated with glue.

Screw attachments through the leg into the end of the tenon was a fairly common attachment technique on lower end furniture in the late 19th, early 20th century. It was also a fairly common repair technique. However, A screw in an end grain, especially one experiencing both expansion pressure (pulling straight out) and lateral shift is a fairly weak connection. But if other techniques fail or are too hard, it might hold for a while (maybe even a decade or three).


Considering replacing blown cellulose on attic floor with open cell spray foam. Should I just leave well enough alone?

Not crazy but quite unnecessary and counterproductive.

Unless you are visiting your attic often there is no way for the cellulose to get into the living area of the house. Much less the cellulose in the walls since it is sealed behind the walls.

I suspect most of your dust comes from other sources.

You said adding ventilation has eliminated your moisture problem. Don't worry about it then.

So, I think you are contemplating spending a whole lot of money for much less insulation R-rating. Then you will also pay more for heating and cooling from that day forward.

It would be much cheaper to hire a maid service to come clean your house once a week.

Good luck.


help determining amp service to my house

A lot of what I am about to answer is personal opinion so there may be quite a bit of comment on this answer.

It appears that you have a 200A service being fed to a Zinsco Panel which is being used as a service panel utilizing the 6 switch disconnect rule, NEC Article 230.71 (A). The 100A breaker you are referring to appears to be servicing the subpanel.

The Bad news:
You cannot by code add a new disconnect to your main panel.

The panel is a Zinsco and it appears to be in bad shape. Also Zinsco's are no longer manufactured and are considered to be the second worst panel in the industry (FPE being the worst). They have a tendency to overheat and damage the bus and breakers. I would not recommend putting a high stress load like a tankless heater on them.

Recommendation: Replace your main panel with and install a 200A main breaker. Then I would add a second main breaker for the tankless water heater which would keep it from creating extra stress on the existing electrical system. If possible in your jurisdiction you might upgrade the entire service to a 320A service. You will need to contact your utility provider to check availability.

Final comment: In respect to your question about the 100A breaker. With different voltages (120 vs 240) it's not about amperages but available power. In other words a 120V 100A circuit would be 12,000VA on a single phase, and a 240V 100A circuit would be 24,000VA or 12,000VA per phase. That should clear things up or just muddy the water a little bit more.

Hope this helps and stay safe.


Normally your drain pipes are ABS plastic having them bedded in the rock is fine.
If your supply is copper (I do not recommend copper under a slab) it should be coated so the corrosive effects will not cause pin holes.
I have had to replace several sets of copper pipe under a slab it is very expensive the houses were not very old maybe 20 years.
I would use cpvc or maybe pex pipe under the slab. I love copper pipe but not in or under a slab.


Protecting a PVC downspout under a driveway?

I'd be surprised if the pipe was crushed by a typical car. Very heavy pickups or SUVs, maybe. PVC is surprisingly tough.

However, you could scrape away the gravel to the level of the pipe to a width of 8-10 inches and lay some treated two-by lumber or steel plate over the pipe, resting on the adjacent gravel. You could drive some large pole barn nails through the edges of the lumber (after drilling appropriately-sized holes) to keep it in position if your gravel tends to be loose. Cover again with gravel and be happy.


Yes, it's possible to rearrange things to fit what you want
The trick to this is that while Lutron's diagram shows line and load on opposite ends of the circuit, nothing stops you from wrapping that load wire back around to the first box then connecting to the existing load wire there.  So, given that you have /3 going down the spur and starting with the master dimmer at the garage:

The garage dimmer ground connects to any existing grounding wires
Line-in at the garage goes to black on the garage dimmer
White (taped black) on the spur cable (going down to the dining room + office) goes to blue on the garage dimmer
Black on the spur cable goes to brass on the garage dimmer
Red on the spur cable gets connected to the load wire
And the white wires from the line and load cables connect to each other, but not to the taped/flagged white wire in the spur cable

Moving onto fitting a remote at the four-way location (dining room) now:

The remote's ground gets connected to the existing grounding wires, as one'd expect
The two red wires get nutted together
The two black-taped white wires get nutted together and to a pigtail to the blue screw on the remote
The black wire from the garage side of the four-way goes to the black screw on the remote
And the black wire from the office side of the four-way goes to the brass screw on the remote

Finally, fitting the remote at the office is simple:

The ground wire on the remote here gets connected as-expected
The red wire goes to the brass screw
The taped/flagged white wire goes to the blue screw
And the black wire goes to the black screw


How can I disable one switch in a three-way circuit?

To know for sure, we need to see pictures of the wiring and switches. But I'll make an educated guess:
Common (Shared) Hot
The two switches shared a common hot wire. One hot in, two switched hots out. There are three ways to connect one hot to two switches:

Two switches built together with a common hot
This is the easy way - essentially two switches in the space of one. I know you didn't have this, because if you did then there would be no way to remove one switch without removing the other switch. But listing it for completeness.

Pigtail Hots
This is the preferred method because it avoids the problem you found. The hot wire comes in to the box and is connected to two short wires, pigtails. Each pigtail connects to one of the switches.

Daisy Chain Hots
Hot wire comes in and connects to switch # 1. Another wire connects from switch # 1 to switch # 2. The two connections on switch # 1 could be two wires under one screw (not usually recommended, but often done anyway) or one wire under a screw and one wire in a backstab connection. If you disconnect all wires from switch # 1, then there is no longer any hot wire for switch # 2.

You need to look at the wires going to the remaining switch. You should have one wire going out of the box to the light and one wire going out of the box back towards the circuit breaker. What I suspect you will find is that one of the wires actually has the other end loose, but capped, in the box. That is your formerly-hot wire. The hard part is figuring out which wire from the removed switch is the hot wire. The easiest way to figure this out is a non-contact voltage tester:

With the breaker on, use the tester to identify the hot wire. Turn the breaker off and then connect that wire to the switch instead of the loose/capped wire.


How to fix a tap where the handle has fallen off

From my point of view (image is very small and poorly illuminated) you face a hexagonal ending of the shaft, when looking at the top of the tap. My first try was to get a wrench socket, which fits the hexagonal stub. It may be difficult to find a matching wrench socket small enough to fit into the housing of the tap, but you could take a cheap one and grind the outer diameter down until it fits. then you screw it down with a matching screw and insert a short t-handle. Alternatively you may fix a valve handle to it via a sqare axis reaching from your wrench socket into the handle.

Update
there's another way to make place for a wrench socket (assuming there's a wrench socket fitting the hexagon, but not the inner diameter). You could saw off the upper rim of the tap surrounding the hexagonal stub of the shaft, so you can place the wrench socket on it, without having to grind its outer diameter down, which is undoubtedly the harder work to do. The wrench socket — again — can be fixated by a matching screw and some washers on the tap to prevent it from popping out.


Going back to finger safe voltages I use the contact limits in article 680 , 15v rms 30 for DC ,
However you are not talking about a body of water/pool
In chapter 9 of the NEC there are 2 tables 11a AC &11b DC.
These show the classifications based on  the available voltage and current
Inherently limited power supplies 30-60v and under 100 va are class 2.
Class 2 do not propose a hazard and the wiring methods are just about whatever you want if your wiring is rated for running in walls no conduit is needed (even speaker wire run in walls needs to be listed for use in walls).
The wiring method used out side can be either pvc or emt. If you don’t think it’s going in the ground for 10-15 years I find emt less expensive because you don’t need a fitting you bend it. If you do use emt fittings They are reusable where once conduit is glued it is solid. So it is really up to what you want to use.


Should I use pigtails for pass-through split outlet connections?

Pigtail , pigtail , pigtail, and hook up your new receptacle. The back stab (the push in connection is the largest failure point of any wiring method I have ever heard of but “safe” because when they fail they are inside a box.  Hook your 3 blacks and a short section of wire together with a wire nut then this shorter wire to the gold screw. Do the same with the white wires and connect the short white to the silver screw and you have eliminated the major possibility of a failure if someone plugs a space heater, or hair dryer with a few other devices going also down stream. Is it legal yes it will pass inspection in many jurisdictions but not all. Is it safe , according to the national electric code, but I have seen smoke damage many times and even plastic box meltdowns but no major fires. But those push in connectors are a major failure point. I like back & side receptacles they can connect up to 4 wires each side but cost a couple of $ more. So pigtail with a wire nuts or get back and side outlets. I’d your boxes are shallow spending a bit more on the receptacle is the only way to go and they last longer as they are a higher grade.


A shorted to ground compressor can't be a pre-existing condition can it?

I agree with Harper they are trying to rip you off . The unit worked when you purchased the home now a year later? They say there was a pre existing condition, I say BS! Compressor  oil can go acidic in a very short time, infact a brand new compressor installed in an acidic system that was not properly flushed and new filter dryer added can short to ground in just a few days.  What causes systems to short to ground? The leading cause is moisture getting in the system and mixing with the oil, once there is moisture in the oil it will go acidic and start etching the insulation off the wires once the insulation is gone they short to ground.  There is no way to say this was pre existing it probably happened from sitting all winter. I would fight them on this especially since you have had the home for a year, if it happened within a month I could see them calling it preexisting. Call another hvac company and get there opinion, (I do have a universal 608 hvacr license and a 609 Mvac so this is not an uninformed opinion).


Can I have 30 75-watt lights in a 15-amp circuit breaker and 230 volts?

Strictly speaking, you are correct. The circuit can handle 15 A * 230 V = 3450 W before tripping*. As a safety margin, you want to stay below 80% of that, or 2760 W. Your 30 bulbs, at 75 W per bulb, draw 2250 W total, which is within the safe operating load of the circuit. So, from a physical standpoint, you're good. #14 wire is appropriate for a 15 A circuit.

However, as mentioned, you want to be aware of any local codes which limit the number of fixtures or receptacles on the circuit. As @isherwood mentions, too, you may want to consider a lower-power bulb (like LED or CFL) if it works in your situation, or an alternative lighting solution - e.g., do you really need 30 bulbs? Could you get the same result using half as many bulbs that output more light? 2200 W is a lot of power usage for lighting, so any way you can reduce that will be beneficial to your wallet :)

*In a perfect world. In the real world, breakers don't trip immediately when reaching their current limit, etc, etc.


How come my refrigerator doesn't leak if I removed the ice maker?

There's a valve that controls water to the ice maker.  The valve is closed which is why there is no leak.


It looks like your 3 field windings are good, I am guessing that 4 is an exciter but on the units I have worked on this is normally a separate coil with a permanent magnet. To make sure you really should use a megger (high voltage ohm meter) from each leg to ground, the windings look like they have been quite hot or are just very dirty. You would want a minimum of 10 Meg ohms at 500v, a 1000v would be better. If the motor is in good shape +300M ohms at 1000v is common. If the unit has been in a damp area and reads between 1 and 10 mega ohms. At 1000v it may needed to be dried out a small electric heater blowing warm air through the motor can dry things out but keep the temp below 150F to be safe some books say up to 225F but I have overheated windings at this heat. Note it may take a couple of days but if you recheck and see the resistance to ground increasing let it keep going. I have recovered up to 200 hp motors doing this that started out at approx 5 meg breaking down at 700v after 3 days I had 2.1 Gig at 1000v.


What is this, and I can pump my dehumidifier water into it?

Should be fine.  All HVAC equipment that make condensate drain into risers just like this, no need for air gap because the source of the water is not connected to the potable water system in the house.


One isolating valve on both loft tanks inputs?

There may be (or have been in the past) rules or conventions about the F&E tank especially on solid fuel systems, to ensure they can't accidentally run dry.

However in the past some F&E tanks for gas central heating were installed without any cold supply at all, were initially topped up with a jug, and then left to get on with it. It was assumed there would be negligible evaporation loss, and the advantage of a very limited quantity of water to escape in the event of a leak. This was often on housing scheme work where hundreds of houses were done in one job and the saving of hundreds of ballvalves would mount up.

I believe current regulations require a service valve for every outlet.

It may also be useful to fit a drain tap at the base of that riser to the loft, so that pipe can be drained down if necessary.


Multiwire branch circuits (MWBCs) share a neutral.  There is a code rule that prohibits wiring devices, such as receptacles, in a way that the removing the device would open (i. e., disconnect) that shared neutral.  If the device is pigtailed, that rule is satisfied because removing the device doesn't disconnect anything else on the circuit from the neutral.
The prohibition exists for MWBCs because opening the neutral causes major trouble on those circuits.  When the neutral is opened on a MWBC, the voltage at the outlets destabilizes - on a 120V MWBC, you could see anything from 0V to 240V*, causing all kinds of problems.  So if someone removes a device and unwittingly caps the neutral, leaving it open, you can wind up with a very bad situation.
Obviously if you wind up with 240V applied to appliances and etc. intended for 120V, they may by destroyed immediately, especially sensitive electronics, and think how many things around the house have sensitive electronics.  Motors may run way too hard for a short while, then fry.
A device like a space heater, a purely resistive load, may not be destroyed or damaged, but will pull up to double the usual current, overloading the circuit.  Hopefully the breaker is functioning correctly and it will trip quickly before anything is damaged.  But if anything is wrong with that breaker, it could fail to trip and cut power, and the resulting overload can damage wiring and connections, and is a major fire risk.
I wouldn't let this go for long.  The risk is just that someone working on the wiring removes a receptacle and unintentionally leaves the neutral open.  So until it is corrected, I would not allow any other work be done on the wiring.
If everything is nice and neat and roomy like the box in your photo, it's likely a day's work with very little materials required.  Open the box, use the one pigtail that's already there, add a pigtail to the other receptacle, nut the four together, close the box, lather, repeat.
By the way - there is no 2018 NEC.
*With the neutral open, a shared neutral circuit degenerates into a 240V parallel - series circuit, such that the loads (in parallel) on L1 are collectively in series with the loads (also in parallel) on L2.  The voltage on the L1 side and the L2 side will depend on the load on each side.  If there are no loads on L2, the L1 side will see 240V.  If the loads on the L1 and L2 side are the same, the voltages will be the usual 120V on both the L1 and L2 side - until something is turned off.


Try it & see if you don't like it. ALL cooktops are zero clearance to counters & drawers, gas or electric...always have been. Bosch is no different whether it's induction or not. They just want you about 2" from the countertop front & back for pot & pan clearances.

Other than that, if you don't need the drawer for it's current use. You can turn it into a plate warmer by lining it with tin foil. This will put any fire worries to rest & you'll even be able to keep food warm, not hot, just warm.


1/4" to 1" gaps in corners of my newly "professionally" installed drywall

It might look sloppy now, but if they are conscientious when taping and finishing, that will not be a problem in the least. It really would only take one quick setting-type coat before taping to get even a 1 inch gap as ready for tape as any other corner. (Assuming there is blocking behind it to back up the compound - there should be, otherwise what is the drywall attached to?). It's important though that the corner tape reaches the drywall - if it doesn't, there needs to be an additional run of tape over the filled-in gap. But other than that slight setback, the finished corner will be as nice as any other corner.


Copper Water Pipes used as Electrical Ground

You'll want to consult a licensed electrician in your area, but you can probably simply bond a 12 or 14 gauge bare copper wire to the copper pipe on either side of the section you replace with PEX to maintain the preexisting continuous ground.

Pay more attention to the first part of this answer than the second part.


There are 2 types of concrete, concrete that cracks and concrete that hasn't cracked yet. Houses are essentially floating on dirt and with proper preparation you can minimize the likelihood of a slab cracking. From the picture it does look like a large crack if it happened all of a sudden and is heaving it may cause an issue due being unlevel/trip hazard. But in general cracks in slabs are pretty common. Sidewalks don't crack often because of the expansion joints in between each section of sidewalk but that's impractical for a basement or garage slab. If it's a new build it may be cause for conren or if your house is an area subject to landslides or the sort, you may want to have someone investigate it.


Is it ok to run a 30A water heater circuit on #12 wire?

The installer's language sounds like the standard platitudes they give people to get them to drop the subject.

You can't put a 30A breaker on a 12 AWG feeder cable, except for certain very arcane motor applications where the data plates from the numbers support it.

There is a new type of water heater which is basically an electric motor.  This is a heat pump type water heater, which is now mandatory for large tanks above (55?) gallons, and optional at lower sizes.
Gas dryers take very little power, and will be happy as a clam on 12 AWG wire; however they are not eligible for the special motor rule, which means the breaker on 12 AWG wire must be 15A or 20A.

But still, the installation must be done in accordance with the unit's instructions, NEC 110.3(b), and that definitely includes exact breaker size and minimum wire size.

By minimum, I mean if the book calls out 14 AWG, you're allowed to use the larger 12 AWG.  That's always OK. But if the unit calls out a 15A breaker, then you must use that even if you've upsized the wire to 500 kcmil.

I would share your concerns with the landlord.  If the old cable is readily accessible, it's not expensive to change it, and 30A / 10 AWG is the de facto standard for whole house water heaters.

If the landlord is a jerk about it, call the AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction) and warn them of the improper installation. However, expect backlash if you do.

The only thing that would give me pause is if this is an old FPE or Zinsco panel. In that case, your option for a new breaker is a Connecticut, and they're even worse than the breakers which got these panels condemned in the first place.  If it's a Challenger panel, Challenger breakers are bad news, but the panel is fine, and Eaton BR/C breakers are actually  listed for the panel.


Either your PRV is bad, your gauge is incorrect or being used incorrectly, or the end points in question are old and just in need of repair as these things happen (and if all installed at the same time it is not unheard of that they fail around the same time).

It does not make sense that your water heater is a culprit nor the expansion tank.


How do I relight the pilot light on my Magic Chef stove?

Do you have the manual for the thing? I've done a little poking around (I even found a bunch of parts diagrams at Sears website), and I'm getting the impression that it's got a spark ignition system, not a pilot. Is the range plugged in? Is there any chance that the circuit it's on has tripped it's breaker? I've got a cooktop with a spark ignition system, and it has a special 'light' setting on the gas control - you turn it to 'light', which turns on the gas and starts the sparker. Once it ignites you turn it further to whatever setting you want. Does yours have anything similar? Does it make a 'clicking' noise when you start the gas?

Also, has it ever worked? If so, when did it stop working? Did you make any changes to the kitchen at that time?


How can I get a neutral wire for this switch?

Somebody really made a hash of things here

Whoever put all this in really made a mess of things.  That low-voltage box they used for the switch was utterly inappropriate for the task; furthermore, they ran wires through the hole in the lower box to wire up the upper switch without a conduit to protect them, drilling a hole in the lower box in the process I am sure.  Also, they managed to pigtail the GFCI's earth grounding wire to the incoming hot(!), which explains why its mounting screws were electrified.  Finally, the presence of the GFCI means that while everything is on one circuit, you need to make sure that the smart-switch hot and neutral wind up on the same side (line vs. load) of the GFCI, lest you inadvertently turn your smart-switch into a remote-controlled GFCI tester!

I would replace this all with a single two-gang box, mounted at the current GFCI's location, with the GFCI and switch sharing it.  The GFCI LINE HOT goes to the junction of the black wires from the upper left and middle right cables in your diagram, while the GFCI LINE WHITE goes to the junction of the white wires from both those cables.  Then, GFCI LOAD HOT goes to the black wire from the lower left cable in your diagram, while GFCI LOAD WHITE goes to the junction of the white wires from both the lower left and upper right cables in the diagram, and the GFCI's green ground pigtail gets connected to the junction of the bare wires. You'll want to get new wirenuts as well, since at least one of the junctions in the GFCI box looks to have been made in a completely improper fashion.

Now that that's straightened out, we can add the smart-switch.  The smart-switch line wire gets nutted into the GFCI LOAD HOT junction (putting the outdoor lights on the GFCI's load side as they were previously), while the smart-switch load wire gets nutted to the remaining black wire, coming from the upper right cable in your diagram.  The smart-switch neutral, then, gets nutted to the GFCI LOAD WHITE since your lights are on the load side of the GFCI, and last but not least, ground on the smart-switch gets tied into the existing bundle of (bare and green) grounds.

Once all that's done, patch the drywall as needed, button the new box up with an appropriate two-gang faceplate, turn the breaker back on, and enjoy your new smart-switch!


Can I run electrical along a furring strip in EMT?

flex metal requires the spacing.  PVC and EMT do not.

300.4(D) Cables and Raceways Parallel to Framing Members and Furring Strips. ... the cable or raceway shall be installed and supported so that the nearest outside surface of the cable or raceway is not less than 32 mm (1 1/4 in.) from the nearest edge of the framing member or furring strips where nails or screws are likely to penetrate. Where this distance cannot be maintained, the cable or raceway shall be protected from penetration by nails or screws by a steel plate, sleeve, or equivalent at least 1.6 mm (1/16 in.) thick.
Exception No.1: Steel plates, sleeves, or the equivalent shall not be required to protect rigid metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit, rigid nonmetallic conduit, or electrical metallic tubing.

Flex is not on the exception list.
EMT is on the exception list.
NEC is rather cryptic about what exactly it means by "rigid nonmetallic conduit".  However the table at 392.10(a) says RNmC is controlled by Article 352, and Article 352 claims to govern PVC conduit. So it appears PVC does rate an exception.


Why don't electrical receptacles have more than one ground?

This is because removing a device isn't allowed to interrupt grounding connections

Removing a wiring device from the circuit cannot break grounding connections, or else you are violating NEC 250.148(B):

  (B) Grounding Continuity. The arrangement of grounding
  connections shall be such that the disconnection or the
  removal of a receptacle, luminaire, or other device fed from
  the box does not interfere with or interrupt the grounding
  continuity.

As a result, manufacturers only put one ground screw or terminal on wiring devices, so that you're required to do the right thing and pigtail grounds using a splicing connector of some sort or another (whether it be a wirenut, a crimp, or a push-in type splicing connector).


You have this right-on-the-money, save for one thing.  I'd pull a 14/4 instead of the 14/3 -- that way, if you want to have two separate switched hots at the fan location as well as a switched hot for the cans, you can do that.  Copper is cheap compared to the hassle of re-pulling wires!


Is it okay to replace the Relief valve on a water heater, or do I need to get a new water heater?

Water ran into the electronics of the heater and caused a small fire?

Yeah, probably going to be cheaper and easier replacing the whole thing than trying to figure out every part that damaged by that.  Especially since it had to be manfunctioning in the first place to overheat like that.

Water coming out the relief valve like that can indicate a serious malfunction - that valve isn't the whole problem. It is what makes the tank leak instead of explode.


How to wire L1, L2, n1, n2 and pe wires to install 220v-240v stove?

None of the drawings in pic 2 want 2 neutrals.  So the relevant  lineside wiring in pic 4  is the one your hand is covering, with black-brown as two hots, and gray as 1 neutral.

Now we need to sanity-check our power requirements for the stove.  The stove lists its max power as 7kw.  That is 30.4 amps at 230V.  Two 16A hots can just feed that, if the loads are balanced in the machine.

Now there is only one wiring diagram in pic 2 that wants L1-L2-N-PE.  That is the drawing on the lower left.


What could be causing my A/C not to come on?

If the system run normally when the thermostat is calling for heat, and when the fan control is switched to the ON position. Then the first thing I'd look at, is the contactor in the condensing unit.

WARNING: If you're not comfortable opening the condensing unit, and/or working with electrical devices. PLEASE contact a licensed and insured HVAC technician.

Start by turning off the breakers for both the furnace, and condensing units.
Next pull the serviceman disconnect at the condensing unit, and place the pull out in your pocket, or place a lock (that only you have a key to) on the disconnect switch.
Open up the condensing unit to expose the electrical components.
Locate and discharge any capacitors.
Locate the contactor.

Label and remove the two low voltage wires connected to the contactor coil.
Using a multimeter set to measure resistance, measure the resistance across the coil.

Typically the coil should measure between 9-12 ohms, though this may vary by manufacturer. You may want to contact the condensing unit dealer, or the contactor manufacturer for model specific values.

High resistance

If the value is higher than 12 ohms, it's likely that the coil will not be able to pull the contactor closed. Which means the condensing unit will never turn on.

Infinite resistance

If there's infinite resistance across the coil, the coil is completely broken. Again, this will never pull the contactor closed.

Low resistance

If a low resistance is measured, it's likely there's a short in the coil. This will typically result in burnt out transformers, and/or blown fuses.


How to Fill Gap Between Steel Beam and Concrete Pillar?

mortar is not really structural, I would go with steel, perhaps half-inch plate and some washers


A front door is just a controlled hole in the wall.  But it is very controlled. You are right to think that there are structural issues.  The wall where the door is located has several of its upright structural members (studs) removed. There has to be a horizontal support (header) added to make up for that, and extra vertical supports under that.  The exact size depends on span and what is over the new door area. You may need an architect or engineer to confirm the ability to bear the load above.

There is also the issue of sealing against weather, both air and water. Flashing, insulation and a variety of seals are needed to keep the outside outside.

Finally, the entry landing has to be appropriate. If above grade, adequate steps or decking is needed.

Since you are asking, it sounds like this is not a do-it-yourself project that would be within your comfort zone. You may want to get a contractor in to give you an estimate.


Put lower power bulbs in the offending fixtures. If you were sneaky about this, you could reduce the power in stages so that the insubordinate bunch you are afflicted with would not notice that the fixture was putting out less light than formerly.

If you wanted to be public about taking charge, you could put a filter on the cans that are too bright. A black wire screen would reduce light output but still allow air flow to keep the lamp at the desired temperature.


Don't improvise.

A breaker is a combination of an overcurrent detector and a switch, with a motor mechanism which causes one to throw the other.  The motor mechanism is passive; it is a spring.

Each single breaker has enough motive power to throw its own switch, and also its partner switch.

It does not necessarily have enough motive power to throw four.  You could have a horrible situation where none of the breakers trip because the other 3 are preventing the first's mechanism from operating.

You should not improvise such a thing.  Contact the manufacturer for advice.

Can you live with three?

They may make 3-phase breakers for your style of panel.  Obviously they are designed for phase A-B-C, but they will work fine with phase A-B-A which is what would happen if you put that breaker in a 120/240 split phase panel.  Don't share the neutral!

They will not be duplex/double-stuff breakers, however.

Or use shunt trip breakers with a SCADA system

It's a "cost is no object" option, but it'll work.  Most makers produce a "shunt trip" breaker - which gives you a 24-volt pigtail. Applying 24 volts causes the breaker to trip.  Square D HOMeline probably doesn't offer one, but Eaton CL is UL-classified for that panel.

So now you have a supervisory device that works one of two ways:  Either it listens for a breaker tripping (hot goes away) and shunt-trips the other 3 breakers.  Or, it monitors the underlying conditions you are concerned about and trips all 4 breakers if programmed conditions are met.  This is easy peasy with a simple Arduino or any other hobbyist-tier process control system. Rather than have the Arduino throw the 24V, you have it throw a 5V relay which throws the 24V.  24V can be sourced from a $15 thermostat transformer located in a panel knockout.


Is there a way to make a worn laminate floor shine again?

According to their web site at http://na.pergo.com/HowTo_FAQ.aspx they state:

  Pergo floors must never be waxed, polished, sanded or refinished and never use a wet or jet mop when cleaning.

Given that Pergo's surface is just a printed substrate, odds are the printing, itself, has faded. Probably time to replace.

An easy 'fix' might be to get some runners (narrow rugs) to cover the heavily trafficked areas.

That said, given that it's a printed surface, one option--if you don't want to pull it out and replace completely--might be to repaint it. Talk to a paint professional to see if there are any primers that would work on the Pergo. You could then roll on a new painted finish.


Can I hook up a subpanel to an existing 220 line that isn't in use?

Yes you could go with your plan but most of us will strongly suggest a larger panel. As it is for outside circuits everything will require GFCI protection. If the box or panel location is outside the panel will need to be rated 3R (for outdoor use).
But yes you can do as you have planned.
If the panel is not located on the house an additional grounding electrode will be needed.


Recessed fixtures would seem like a perfectly good option, since they won't project down below the ceiling. If you wanted to get complicated (a bit of drywall work) you could actually bump them up into the ceiling a bit.

LED (generically) or "relatively efficient LED" more specifically without getting any more specific (it's a moving target anyway) is an excellent idea - you can light the whole basement on what one or two old-style bulbs took for power, and bulb replacement is a non-issue. Just do keep an eye on the lumens-per-watt figure - some are just selling not very efficient fixtures that happen to have LEDs in them in the hope that you'll see LED and ignore lumens per watt.

Given that you have the open side to fish to, I'd just wire them up and call it a day. If you also replace the switched fixture they'll connect to, you might consider dimmable LEDs (many are these days) and an LED dimmer. OTOH, if you can't think of a reason you'd want it dim/half-bright in the basement, leave the switch.


Why would power go off and on after replacing an electrical panel?

A loose connection could explain the problem, and could also cause a fire. You should have the installation inspected by a professional.


What could be causing a leak on the supply side of a washing machine hose

There should be a rubber "rubber" washer in the plastic union that screws onto the tap.

(the washer is usually some sort of flexible plastic, not actual rubber)

It's called a hose union washer and should be available at most places that sell hardware or plumbing supplies.

I have in the past used slices of actual rubber hose to replace lost washers.

If there is a piece of fibre in the joint that could cause a slow leak. so when you undo the union to check for the washer, if you do find a washer make sure that it and the surface below it are clean and undamaged, and that the mating face of the tap is also clean.


This flexible supply line hose is often called "braided stainless steel" tubing, but the SS is just armoring. The hose inside is some sort of rubber or elastomer. It will not last as long as copper, PEX, etc. and I must assume is not code approved for placement inside wall cavities. For one thing the connections are plastic seals which dry out or compress over time. They can only be used where they can be inspected without opening a wall.


Caster type and placement for rotating cabinet

Make the axle of the wheel intersect the axis of rotation of the door through the hinges.


What to use to harden up a gravel driveway

What shape is the gravel?  Go look at railroad ballast, you want that stuff, aka "crushed stone", very jaggy and will interlock when tamped down. Very hard to shovel for that reason. You want a smaller size though.

Any sort of round or half-round pea gravel type stuff has to go.  Get a loader, shovel it outta there, save it for aggregate for concrete.

The difference is night and day.


LED Strip Light Fixture/Luminaire - Is Junction box required?

The electrical connections in the box the Cable protected with the plastic clamp sounds like you have it covered no box is needed when the fixture has one.


I can assure you that is most definitely dip tube debris. If your water is excessively hot it could fail prematurely. If it was installed with heat directly on the water heater nipple the heat could have damaged it, causing it to fall into the tank and now it is falling apart from flopping around the tank and laying up against the heat exchanger if gas, or against the elements if electric. Easy way to tell is to remove the nipple on the cold side of the water heater. If the dip tube isn't there, you know it fell in from installation damage or has fallen apart.


Expect to experiment to obtain the finer points.  You can do that on the actual repair surface.  If an attempt doesn't come out well, wipe it off immediately while it is still wet and workable.  Then let the wall dry (10-30 minutes depending on ambient temperature and humidity) and repeat.

Start with the wall clean, free of dust and dirt.  Depending on the project, you might prime the surface first to better match the old work.

Prepare the mud to be fairly soupy—perhaps 10% wetter than mud is usually worked for joints.  Load a trowel lightly with mud, spread it across the trowel evenly, and spatter it by throwing at the wall in such a way that it spreads out as it travels (as with an exaggerated flourish).  Professionals don't throw it, but spread it on the wall very rapidly.  (I find it easier to throw.)  Don't worry about leveling the applied thickness at this stage.  If you make a mistake or otherwise don't like the layout, scrape it off with the trowel, then a damp cloth, and let it dry somewhat before trying again in that area.

Once you like the texture layout, let it set for awhile:  usually 10 to 20 minutes under typical ambient conditions.  Then knock it down by running the trowel edge lightly over it (scraping off excess) to make the correct thickness.


What is the best type of door/barrier for a 96" H x 48" W uncased opening?

Easy reversibility, awkward walls and sound deadening lead me to suggest heavy (probably multi-layered or quilted) drapes/curtains. Do be sure the material is fire-treated (or else fire treat it yourself) since that is one easily preventable issue with this approach.


What are the differences between GE arc-fault breaker models?

It's a generational design difference

The early generation AFCIs (all branch/feeder units, and the earlier combination-type units) relied on a ~30mA differential (equipment protection ground fault) trip to detect arcs to ground.  While some still do this to the best of my knowledge, this does mean that you need two-pole AFCIs for shared neutral/multi-wire branch circuits, and that's not something that people "get", so to speak, leading to quite a bit of befuddlement and false tripping.

So, the GE engineers went back to the drawing board, and figured out how to make an AFCI that can detect arcing to ground using the arc detection logic, eliminating the need for a ground fault trip.  This allows a pair of handle-tied single-pole breakers to be used on a two-pole circuit, and is the design change denoted by the "AF2" suffix (vs "AF") in the catalog number + the "MOD 3" designation, as per this GE appnote.


How can I repair the lower sash of a window

whittle something out of wood
identify the manufacturer and ask them
use it as an excuse to buy a 3-d printer.
ditto forge, casting sand, aluminium etc
ditto clapped-out Bridgeport ...


I need help regarding 3 way wiring and receptacle testers

Your receptacle tester definitely should work normally. Nothing about a 3-way makes it weird, unless you mess up, which is very easy to do with 3-ways.

Why don't your receptacles work?  Red black and white spaghetti - who can tell anything in all that schtuff?

They did the minimum legally required: they taped the white wires to indicate not neutral.  Why on earth stop there? Let's get some blue and orange tape, and tape-wrap those wires for what they actually do. And let's see if it doesn't make a lot more sense.

Pretty straightforward. Any wires still black are definitely always-hot.
Any wire still white is neutral.
Blues are messengers - they both do exactly the same thing, and you're free to swap them anywhere along here, so, no need to distinguish one from the other.
Orange is switched hot intended for the bulbs (or you say receptacles? hmm.)

My guess is, you got the black red white spaghetti all mixed up and grabbed the wrong wire.  Label the wires properly and I bet it falls into place.

By the way, using two cables like that, C3 and C4, is illegal because you have imbalanced currents on the wires. The power goes out on C3, but comes back on C4. This will induce eddy current heating on any part, box entry, staple or nail between them.  The right thing is to use /4 or /2/2 cable, which gives you 4 in one cable.  ----- Or run /3 and /2: the /2 would connect the two lamps to each other, connecting switched-hot and neutral.  C3 would be both messengers and switched hot - out on the messengers, back on the switched-hot, balanced. C4 would be simply a "spur line" to the other lamp, out on orange back on white, again balanced.   C4 could even be a "tee" to another location.


Can I insulate under my condo's subfloor?

You can easily unscrew off cover of "dummy register" and see if there is a duct on them. No matter what they are a doubt they are big enough to fit through.
Most of the time an access hole is in the floor of a closet or utility room. If you dont have one I would create one there. Look hard though you might find an opening somewhere. If there is ducts down there probably also plumbing. The plumber had to get down there after the house was built to install them.   There is probably a foundation wall and box/floor joist in the way from the garage or anywhere else outside unless an openning was created when house was built.


How can I avoid marking up a toilet with a toilet auger?

I've had to use one a couple of times, and haven't had any problems with it marking the toilet.  The auger is flexible, so it's going to bend before you damage the porcelain... that is, unless you're using a lot more force than you should be.  IME, the clog is softer than the porcelain: the auger will take the path of least resistance through the clog, so you just need to apply enough pressure to keep the bit moving forward.

More instructions for using one are on about.com, ehow.com and acmehowto.com.


That depends on how you plan to re-install it. If you plan on face nailing it's fine to just lay it down as though it were a ship lapped. This might sound a bit half arsed to some but I've seen reclaimed flooring face nailed down with cut nails (into the joists) and it looked very nice. You can run a bead of construction adhesive down the seams for a little added insurance if your worried about it lifting.

If you want to install it as it was intended to be installed, you need that bottom shoulder because it's what you nail through, which is probably why it broke off in the first place. In this case you can re-groove it easily enough with a router, dado stack, or shaper just make sure to check it for shrapnel first or you may be sorry. Good Luck!


Is there a way to simply splice in an additional length of 12/2 NM-B cable?

Tyco makes NM splices which are concealable and acceptable under NEC for use for rewiring in an existing building.

NM Cable Splices

NEC 2008

  334.40 Boxes and Fittings.

  (B) Devices of Insulating Material. Switch, outlet, and tap devices of insulating material shall be permitted to be used without
  boxes in exposed cable wiring and for rewiring in existing buildings
  where the cable is concealed and ﬁshed. Openings in such devices shall
  form a close ﬁt around the outer covering of the cable, and the device
  shall fully enclose the part of the cable from which any part of the
  covering has been removed. Where connections to conductors are by
  binding-screw terminals, there shall be available as many terminals as
  conductors.


Was this countertop stabilized properly?

What you're actually looking at are drywall clips. They are used to patch holes in drywall by supporting the patch to the existing wall.

Here's what they look like before being bent and used incorrectly.

The counter wasn't designed for this unit. My concern is that those screws are in drywall and will pull out. Definitely don't sit on that counter or put anything heavy on that edge. This should be fixed right before someone gets hurt.


Are there any join charts similar to span charts?

For vertical orientation of PT 4x4 you should simply plan to purchase the timbers that will be used as posts full length. So if you need posts 11' 2" then purchase 12'. If you need 14' 8 1/2" then purchase 16'. In fact if you plan your overlengths right you can use the cutoffs for locations where you will need a short piece such as over the door or for lookout blocks.

There are really no real good strategies to splice a vertical post when you can get the material that you need. Spliced posts just cannot take the same lateral stresses that a non-sliced post can withstand. Plus there is the consideration that making splices is a lot of work.


As Reece notes, you may have to pull another wire but in fact they do make these.

Combination Double Switch/GFCI Outlet: (Amazon)


Electric Bidet Toilet seat started tripping GFCI

It broke

My bet? The appliance is tripping the GFCI because the appliance has a ground fault.  Shocking, I know, right?  I'd have a qualified technician examine it for signs of what went wrong, or replace it outright if repair is not an option.


Is there a simple way to retrofit an existing toilet with a top-mounted sink?

You are probably looking for something like this?  If you google "grey water toilet sink" you will get lots of results.


Utility Sink and Washing Machine Drain Pipe

Yes, the picture you included shows a good plumbing layout for a washer and laundry sink. In particular, it provides good ventilation for both the washer standpipe and laundry sink, and accommodates a P-trap in both locations (only the washer trap is shown because the sink trap will be installed outside the wall). Another advantage of this layout is that it uses a 2" PVC line for the washer drain, which is code for washers because a more powerful washer drain can overwhelm a 1 1/2" pipe.

You are working under some tighter constraints but it looks like you should be able to implement a similar layout. You might want to draw it out and see if you can achieve workable slopes (min 1/4" per foot) and get the vent pipe to the right height (above the overflow height of the sink). It may be helpful to swap the washer and dryer locations -- you should also switch the flexible dryer vent out in favor of some rigid ductwork.


Can I use mortar to level out a patio made of cinder blocks?

No. Mortar isn't designed to carry span loads, and your block patio will almost certainly sag and settle, meaning your mortar will disintegrate in short order. Proper concrete would even need to be poured at a thickness adequate to span gaps, say 3".

To my knowledge, polyurethane isn't an appropriate masonry sealer. There are other products for that purpose.


Paint peeled off with wall border sticker

If this were my wall I would:

Scrape off all loose paint.
Sand area with sanding block - heavy grit.
Feather in joint compound.  Do another coat.
Sand area until flat.
Prime beyond damaged area.
Repaint.


Want to know how hex bit shank works and the history behind it's design

I'm going to throw out some opinions here that I don't have hard evidence to back up in form of citations.

The Wikipedia article you liked kind of mentions this, but the reason hex shank (6 sides) is a thing is most likely because drills normally have chucks with 3 jaws.  A shank with 6 sides is a natural result of that.

The extendable bits you show with the small notches are only good in very low force situations.  I have a driver with a bit like that and it never gets used because when I really need to press on a screw, the bit slips into the handle.  The small notches are designed so that a metal ring can tighten around the shank in the grooves to hold the bit.  The grooves are small, so it can only support so much weight.

The larger round groove in the hex shank is made to hold the bit from slipping in or out and the deepness of the groove means it can support much more weight.  The circular profile allows locking to be done with a thick ball bearing rather than a thin metal ring.  Ball bearing locking mechanisms are found in many well made padlocks because of their simplicity and ability to resist very strong forces.

Ball bearing locking mechanism from LockLab

The 1/4" diameter is based on the typical torque these tools are used at.  Cordless drills are the main users of hex shank, and then driving screws is the main end goal.  Screws have a maximum torque they can accept before breaking, and the drill obviously has a maximum force it can apply.  It's arguable that todays technology can over-torque a 1/4" shank, but in the past a cordless drill just wasn't that strong.  Anything thicker would be overkill for the common task at hand.


Will I lose water pressure going from a 2" pipe to a 1/2" pipe then back to 2"?

I believe the pressure loss depends on the flow rate. There will be some loss of pressure.

To avoid it you need 2" copper pipe or multiple parallel 1/2" pipes (probably more than 16).


Shower base installation: screws through the flange, or not?

I wouldn't put holes there unless you carefully waterproof them and are 100% sure they won't show. Some panels don't sit down tight on the bottom. You'll also want to be sure not to crack the flange if it's not tight. Use shims if needed.

The mud base, floor caulk and plumbing combined will keep it from moving.


How do I determine if my basement leak is a foundation problem

It's nearly impossible for us to diagnose this without being there in person, but typically wet basements are caused by ground water--rather than a leaky window or the like.

The ground water needs to go somewhere. If the soil can't drain, it builds up pressure and looks for a way into your basement--either via the walls or, more often, where the wall connects to the footer at the floor.

Cheaper/easier things to try first:

Add/fix gutters and downspouts
run downspouts further away from house
properly slope the ground away from the foundation around the house.
install surface drains (such as a dry river bed)
have gutters/surface drains go to dry wells

More expensive/complex solutions:

Install internal footer french drains and a sump pump
dig down exterior to install exterior footer french drains and waterproof exterior

Fixing gutters and such is fairly inexpensive and a weekend project. Sloping the yard and surface drains are a bit more work, but still in the realm of DIY.

Installing footer drains and waterproofing the exterior below grade, however, is not a DIY project and will cost quite a bit.


Why does my sink supply shutoff valve spray water when I close it?

Globe/gate valves will often do this if they are not completely opened or completely shut.  A loose packing nut can also cause this - have you tried tightening the screw/nut on it?

If it continues to be a problem I'd recommend replacing it with a ball valve (1/4 turn opens or shuts the valve).


Should I move this support post in my basement?

That is really sketchy. Built-up 2x4s aren't great for carry loads - something like a 4x4 is much much better.

If you want to replace it, a temporary support on each side, take out the wall, dig out a section of the floor, and then pour a footing underneath, let it cure, then put in a replacement post. Steel is a lot more common for this usage than wood.


What is the best way to hang a weight lifting pulley system in my detached garage?

I'd go with the 4x2, those trusses each look sufficient to hold a 100kg or more,

Spreading the load won't hurt,  place the 4x2 above the bottom chord of the trusses and use nails or screws to hold it in place,


The cure for this is a surface conduit starter box.   This box will sit on top of the existing box about 1-1/4" proud of the wall.  It will provide both the statutory cubic inches you need for all those wires and yokes, and the practical cubic inches for your dimmers.

Normally it's intended that you then use its sides as a launch point for surface conduit, but if you don't do that, I won't tell :)

Now, I can't guess what's going on with all those black and white wires.  I surely hope you can.  Normally I expect to see some of them be wire-nutted to each other, and this positional data is very important. Usually the only evidence that tells you which wire does what is how they are connected in the box.  I gather two of the blacks are switched hots, and the other two are supply and onward, which need to be connected together obviously.

With those ground wires, I would tuck 3 of them back, and send the fourth into a wire-nut to meet the pigtails from each switch.

Now as far as cubic inches statutorially, you need to count the wires and the "wires".

I see 8 wires in there - 4 pairs of black-white.  I also see a bunch of grounds - all grounds together count as 1 wire.   If any of the switches have pigtails, pigtails do not count.  Each switch (or to be more precise, yoke) counts as 2 "wires".   So I see a total of 8+1+2+2=13 "wires" in the box.

#14 wires require 2.0 cubic inches each, for 26 cubic inches.  #12 uses 2.25 cubic inches per wire, or 29.25 cubic inches.  The 24 c.i. plus a starter conduit cover should get the job done.

If you want flush mount, you must replace the junction box in the wall. What you want is a 4-11/16" square box with a 2-gang mud ring of appropriate depth.  This will be bigger than your normal box, but will undoubtedly fit the two large dimmers.  You can try getting it done with a 4x4" square box with a 2-gang mud ring, and this will fit in the footprint of the existing box... but it could be a tight fit.


Every furnace that has an R wire also has a C wire.  Those are the two low-voltage terminals on the transformer.

Generally wiring is in a functional triangle.  R goes from transformer to thermostat, W/G/Y and other circuits go from thermostat to relay, and C goes from relay back to transformer to complete the circuit.

You can grab C anywhere you find convenient.   Usually the thermostat wire goes close to the transformer or control board so most people grab it there.  But wherever!


Will returning two 1/2" lines to 3/4" get a volume return?

It depends on your flow rate, and the length of your run. The short answer is you won't have a noticeable pressure drop for a relatively short run.

Using this table, the nominal inside diameters of the pipes actually give you a slightly greater cross sectional area from the two 1/2" pipes (0.608 sq. in. vs 0.533 sq. in.).

However, the head loss is still greater for the two 1/2" pipes. For the 9 GPM you'll need for the body jets, you'll have a loss of about 15.8 ft/100 ft pipe on the 3/4". For the 4.5 GPM you'll need through each 1/2" pipe, you'll have a loss of 16.9 ft/100 ft pipe.*

This comes out to a loss of 6.85 psi per 100 feet of pipe for the 3/4" pipe, or 7.33 psi per 100 feet of pipe for the two 1/2" pipes. You'll have to add another 15.6' of equivalent footage for the two extra T and elbow fittings as well.

*Note: I linearly interpolated these values, but the head loss curve is NOT linear. So not an EXACT answer, but probably close enough.


I have had the same problem and it can go several different ways.

After realizing the extractor method was not going to work, I resolved to drill it out all the way through and try to chase the threads with the same size tap, to use the same size screw as the original. This has worked, and it has not. It has on occasion, because the hole I drilled was off center a bit, the tap would get the old threads to move, but because of the off centeredness the old threads jammed the tap. That is tedious at best to get through... I also have went the next size up and drilled out the old threads and retapped to the next size up. In some cases going to metric because it "was that just big enough" to get new threads but not so big it messed with the size of the screw head and change things there.

I failed to mention that when drilling out the old screw, combined with the heat generated and the WD40 used, also as typically done when the last bit of metal has drilled through, how the bit grabs the hole and wants to twist the drill out of your hand (with larger holes) or sometime snaps the bit, the short threaded section will dislodge and come out of the bottom of the original tapped hole. That could be good, that could be bad, depending on how easy it is to get the drill back out of the remaining screw.

Now back on track, If all else fails and your framing is wood around the window, run a long enough wood screw with the right sized head and profile to match the others if need be, and get you solid anchoring in the framing under the window jamb.


What product will insulate an exterior PVC pipe coming out of the ground with a faucet on it?

You need a "frost-proof hydrant" (which will have a garden hose thread, not a fire hose thread.)

That is a valve that is buried below frost line. On the hose side of the valve, there is a small, deliberate leak (this should not leak when the valve is open.) When the valve is closed, the leak drains water from the standing part of the pipe.

Without heat, even a fairly absurd amount of insulation will not prevent a pipe standing in the cold with non-moving water from freezing; so this type of valve removes the standing water.

Here is a picture, from the state of Indiana (they evidently don't want this type to be used due to the subsurface drain.):

Here  (from Simmons, a manufacturer - no affiliation or recommendation implied) is the more complex "sanitary" alternative type with a sealed canister and a Venturi to drain it when water is next used:


How do I secure wooden balusters to an exterior stair railing?

Toenailing through the baluster on the uphill side with a finishing nail gun should be quite sufficient. The plowed channel holds them laterally. If you wanted extra strength, you could add glue just before nailing.

16 or 18 gauge nails about 1 inch to 1 1/4 long should suffice. The hole will likely be nearly invisible.

Additionally, plowed railings usually come with a filler strip that is angle cut to sit between the balusters after they are attached.  If you use the nailing gun (and glue if you wish) to attach those as well, they would further lock in the baluster.


Building a small panel with a panel mounted meter would be doable but it can be more work than meets they eye, you have to cut the cover for the meter, and you need a lot of room inside - the terminal studs on the back of the meter are usually pretty long and uninsulated.

An alternative would be to use a good heavy duty plug strip with a 12A breaker in the strip.  This way with any luck the breaker on the power strip would trip before the breaker in the panel.  You could use a Kill-a-watt with the power strip to get an idea what kind of load your tools demand.

If someone in the other room plugs in a space heater or hair dryer when you're already drawing a few amps, there's not much you can do from your end to avoid tripping the breaker.


Pressure tank rusts, leak, and draw down questions

Visually the system looks dated

The tank itself is glass lined you can test this by using a magnet. Lower grades of stainless steel are still magnetic but only slightly, due to them being only moderately ferrite. Glass lined tanks are only good for 10 to 15 years if maintained well they can see 20 but it's very uncommon. By the look of the tank there's no anode in it therefore it would only last 10 years max
Glass-lined tanks can and will indeed rust and they will Rust completely through if given enough time. Low grade stainless is capable of rusting but usually to a lesser degree.
Losing pressure without a leak is most likely due to the water going back down the pump. It's possible that there is a leak in the tank at the top weld allowing a small amount of air to escape without being evident because water hasn't made it there yet the possibilities are endless.
Bladder tanks such as the Aquaflow mentioned are far superior to standard expansion tanks. The downside is perforations are possible rendering your expansion tank relatively useless but with proper maintenance perforations are very uncommon.


Does a Skylight need to be installed with the dedicated flashing system

I just searched for a kit and it looks like the one you have picture is by Velux, and it illustrates it on the same roof you plan to use. Perhaps that is the way to go.
It may tell you this in the instructions for the flashing install, but on the piece below the skylight, I would flatten out the standing ribs just a bit to help ease the membrane over the top of the lower piece. That way no sharp corner could pierce the membrane.


After calling Rheem customer service, I was told I must replace the entire control unit which controls the igniter.


What is the best way to attach a timber block to IKEA Linnmon desktop?

you probably don't need the timber block, just Use "Molly"s  (hollow wall anchors) or banana-peel rivets.


Rheem furnace ,RGGE Contour ,communicating ,modulating , 2 stage

Here's the relevant page from the manufacturer manual:

More on the memory card and the D1 error:


What could be causing my kitchen faucet to not work?

The diverter for your sprayer is faulty. Typically, when the sprayer is used, the faucet will completely stop. Once you stop using the sprayer, the diverter redirects the flow back to the faucet. Depending on your faucet model, this part may be replaceable, and you may be able to open up the valve and find something clogged or broken inside. But I'd personally take the opportunity to replace the entire faucet. Pull-out faucets eliminate this valve, look cleaner, and leave the old sprayer hole available for a soap dispenser.


how critical are temperature and humidity when installing laminate floors?

Their install guide says

  "Under normal conditions, Harmonics® flooring requires no acclimation
  period. Normal conditions are defined as a difference of no more than
  25°F and 20% relative humidity between the stocking/transportation
  environment of the flooring and the final installation environment of
  the flooring. Outside of normal conditions, let the planks acclimate
  for 48 hours in the unopened packaging at the normal room temperature
  in the middle of the room where the floor is to be installed.Allow air
  space between packages"

So looks like you can get installing right away.


How long should I wait before plugging in a new refrigerator?

The short answer is to check with the manufacturer.  That way you can be sure to stay within warranty guidelines.

The longer answer is that it varies from model to model.  When a refrigerator is placed in a non-standard position (for example on its side), compressor oil can run out of the compressor and up refrigerant lines.  So if you don't stand it upright and wait, the compressor will pump without sufficient oil -- not good.

-M


To fill the hole, glue in a 5/8 wooden rod/dowel  using white glue, panel adhesive, epoxy, or polyurethane wood glue. Then drill into the end of that and use some sort of long wood screw to attach the bracket.

Alternatively, get a threaded insert or connector nut that accepts the machine screw part of the toggle bolt and fix that into the oversize hole using wooden wedges and epoxy putty or builder's filler.


I don't know if you ever got this worked out or not, but I'm in the same boat.  Bought an Ecobee3 and I have the RA832A relay.  It doesn't appear as though it has any sort of C wire capability.

Awhile back before I bought the unit or knew what my boiler was using in any sort of detail I reached out to Ecobee and this is what they said (I was planning to merge the boiler and AC into one thermostat as they are two separate now).

They said:

  The boiler would use Rh and W. The AC would use Rc C G and Y

On their support site they have an article talking about what you can do if you don't have a C wire and one of the options was use a transformer and isolation relay.


The first question in regards to the channel outside the garage floor is to leave it be. It appears to me to be a sluice-way cut into the concrete to  direct rain water away from the interior floor or to channel it in a safe direction.   The photo doesn't show the bottom of the channel, but it's probably was cut after the driveway (not the garage slab) was poured (my assumption). If you are concerned about water undermining or eroding the concrete you can verify either by cleaning the channel out. If you see sharp angular corners the flowing water hasn't effected the composition or integrity of the slab.  If you prefer not to have an open trough crossing your driveway there are channel grates specifically designed to dress-up open drainage channels.  Lastly, to answer your last concern regarding the garage floor expansion joints; leave them be. They are purposely formed into the slab when the concrete is still un-cured in order to reduce stress cracks that may occur. The idea is if you engrave joints at regular measurements (and keep them relatively deep) any forces that may act on the concrete won't produce cracks in the slab face , but along the thin control joints.    If you paint the floor filling the joints shouldn't have any detrimental effect on their not working. It might be wise to not flood the joints with excess paint.


Why does the pilot light go out when the furnace is running?

The pilot light worked fine before a tech came out.

The tech left with your furnace in an incorrect state - namely - he removed the filters.

Furnaces are supposed to have filters.  That alone is enough reason to call him back.

Call him up, say, 'You left w/o replacing the filters and now the pilot lite is going out.  Get back here please, and fix it.'


Refrigerator Side Wall Hole Closure - Need suggestions

The fridge side cools from the freezer side. If you cover holes, then your fridge side won't cool anymore. The fridge side doesn't have cooling coils. If you have issues where it is to cold, then you need to close it down and adjust the freezer side as well. If it is cold right there, and items directly next to it freeze, either move the items and leave that area clear, or create a funnel of sorts, to force the air up into the fridge compartment as cold air falls.


What type of exterior coating will allow water vapor to pass through cinder block?

Any "breathable" exterior coating will work.  The traditional one is limewash, others are silicate paint, or silane-siloxane sealer as mentioned by @LeeSam.


Old house, old windows. Ways to save on gas this winter?

You should have a thermography of your house to address where major leaks are (leaky windows and thermal bridges at least).
Best option, if you don't want to replace all windows, is, at least, to have the ones you already have, at least for north north/east side double-glazed.
Another effective, and not as expensive as double glazing, thing that help is insulating your roof from outside, if attic i living space, or just put some centimetres of insulation on attic's floor. Also you can go haunting for draughts and seal them with silicone.


How do I ground my replacement outside porch light?

You're going to want to connect the fixture grounding conductor directly to the supply grounding conductor, using either a twist-on wire connector or crimp connector. You'll also want to use a pigtail, to connect the supply grounding conductor to the grounding screw on the metal box.

You should not rely on the support straps attachment means to provide an adequate grounding path.


Move a shed vs. Demolish and install a new shed

How heavy is the shed? Depending on the size, say 12 x 12, you can move it using 2x4x or 4x4s easier than you think. You slide it right onto a foundation. Again this depends on how solid your shed is. In this area, anything with a side of 10 feet has to be permitted, so we just moved ours using above technique. Look at floor joists, and point loads of the current set up and match that up on the new.

Then again, a new shed is a chance to start over...


Newby Heat-Pump question - runs in the winter?

Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps and  are just refrigeration systems. The following are the differences:

Air Conditioners

Dedicated cooling only systems are often referred to as Air Conditioners and have a single usage cycle that dehumidifies and cools the interior air in the living space. These are turned off in winter time for the obvious reason that you no longer need cool air inside and so often are winter-proofed to also prevent air leakage and precipitation intrusion.

Heat Pumps

Dual purpose heating/cooling systems are referred to as Heat Pumps and have a reversible cycle. They can be used to both Air Condition and Heat the living space by switching the direction of refrigerant flow.

In the summer time, they cool the interior by heating the outside atmosphere. In winter time, they heat the interior by cooling the outside atmosphere. Hence the name Heat Pump.

They run year around and therefore must have free airflow through them year around (not be winter-proofed with air-tight coverings). Having some sort of roof with clearance to allow free airflow and to keep the snow out would be a really good idea.


What can I do about a Rough opening that is REALLY out of square?

You can order custom size window at homedepot , low's or Pella etc, which is more expensive than standard size. If feasible and depend on the interior and exterior of your building and compatibility with other window sizes, I suggest you make a rough-in for 5'0x3'0 window, that is standard size window, and after the installing the window you can correct the imperfection by triming the window. Ofcourse the answer could be easier if you post the picture of your building and the area that you have problem with.


painting a cork floor (previously coated with polyurethane varnish)

I honestly do not think painting a floor would be a good idea. A solid color paint or stain will likely chip and wear unevenly. As in wherever your high traffic areas are will look awful in no time at all.

If you are to paint it you will need to sand the gloss of the previous coating. This glass will prevent any other paints or stains from correctly adhering to the surface. The same exact rule applies to painting a glossy wall or any other surface.


Should PEX connections rotate?

Yes, this is normal, and true of both crimp and cinch style connectors. It's also a useful property of PEX during installation, as it makes it even easier to dry-fit and pre-assemble sections and then fit them into place.

Can the connection be used as a union?

A union is designed to come apart, and in copper or PVC plumbing are typically used in two situations:

To make a part accessible for removal for servicing/replacement (such as an in-line filter)
In a tricky installation where there's no other option for the final connection to be made

In the first case, a simple PEX connection obviously doesn't satisfy the need since it doesn't come apart, and so you'll need an actual union.

In the second case, the flexibility of PEX and fact that the connections can rotate does allow installations that aren't possible with copper or PVC. I've installed dozens of water treatment systems (typically involving complex turns and tight spaces) and cannot think of a situation where an actual union was needed because of the install. But if this is what you mean, then I'd say yes, you can avoid using a union and just rotate the PEX.

Rotary union

If you are trying to do something that involves regular rotation, where you'd normally use a rotary union, I'd say no -- you should just use a rotary union. The fittings aren't designed with rotation in mind, it's just a property of the style of connection. I'd expect if used this way, it's going to wear out the pipe and/or connector itself and the connection will eventually fail.


Your flashing will need to be fastened in place with something. I made 3 sketches the illustrate hopefully on of the ways to reset your flashing back in place.

The first of three labeled, "Not good" ids the least desirable way to set flashing to a wall but it is done everywhere. It is simply a piece of metal liad to the wall and held in place with masonry nails and caulked. Hot and cold weather will make the caulk fail when the metal buckles between nails.

The second is "good", the flashing is turned into a deep cut mortar joint (about 1")and nails are placed so the head of the nail laps over the bend edge (about 3/4") to hold the flashing in place. With the rigidity created by the bent corner and the nail not penetrating the flashing, the metal can move more freely when the temps change. In both cases mentioned already I have seen nails rust or fall out or both, in time.

The third, to me is the best, it has its down side but there are no nails to rust. I have seen this on old roofs I helped redo and was impressed how well it worked, using wood shims. It is the same procedure as the second sketch but no nails are used. The technique is, 2 cedar shims are used, in each spot, cut to allow the whole shim to fit in the joint with the metal. They are laid one on top of the other, points together, and driven so they snug in place as they slide by each other with in the joint. Needless to say the shims need to be cut to 3/4" wide to fit behind the surface of the brick or drive wider ones in then cut off the excess an caulk the joint, covering the shim, actually that is much simpler.

The caulk to use is made by many manufacturers, OSI, Geocel, Locktite and others, all have a caulk that is rated to do what you need. The big box stores will have them on hand, or even your local small hardware stores will carry the line of caulk you need. It is just roofing caulk, see that it has a warranty long enough to last the lifetime of your roof.


Since 1 outlet worked when the gfci was reset and the other did not look for a light switch that could be controlling the upper outlet this is quite common. If there is no switch close by pull the outlet and see if the connecting tabs on the side of the outlet is/are broke. if broke and a wire goes to the upper section there is a switch some place or a circuit breaker is tripped, yes it could be a bad back stab but I would look for a switch or breaker first because 1/2 of the outlet is working.


According to the manual:

  Note: The pump is only self-priming
  when filled with water. Refilling is
  only necessary if the pump has
  been drained, or if all the water
  has been lost.

So, the "self-priming" label just means you don't have to fill the entire inlet hose. (Seems a bit misleading to me, but such is life.)

Edit: since this pump is designed to be a permanent part of a pool, just pouring some water into the pump the few times it's allowed to go dry isn't a big deal. It's a bigger problem for your application where (presumably) the pump is drained and put away between uses, but that isn't what the pump is designed for, so that's probably as good as you'll do with this pump.


What are the possible consequences of excavating an exterior basement wall?

Knowing very little about your home's design, I can only say that it's unlikely that you'd cause problems by excavating along that wall. Backfill soil is almost never a structural component of a building. In fact, it causes many problems.

It is possible that you'll encounter drain tile or other utility items that you'll need to deal with. Drain tile that's above the footing would need to be routed elsewhere or left in place.


How should I plaster a hole in the wall on top of thermalite?

I'm from the US, so I'm not familiar with them either, but on page 42 and 45 of the Forterra product spec sheet it mentions plasterboard being adhered on dabs... which means using materials and methods like the ones found here:

http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/how-to/plastering/direct-bond


Yes, you can change the panel and the circuits will remain grandfathered.  Since you are not working on the circuits themselves.

It would need to be that way, otherwise replacing a dangerous FPE or Zinsco panel would leap from a $300 job to a $1500 job.  But just to be sure on that, I would check with your AHJ.

Regardless of that, don't plan on using double-stuff breakers. Size the panel so every now and future circuit has a whole space, or 2 spaces for 240V.  Also give yourself some spaces for unanticipated future expansion. Plus 4 more for a gen interlock and a whole house surge suppressor.


How do I remove musty smell in coat closet?

A dehumidifier should remove the moisture (I've also had success with DampRid) along with some kind of scent remover like Febreeze or something similar, but I'd be more concerned with additional moisture building up. I'd check more into how the moisture is getting in to begin with. The caulk may have sealed the gap but do you know for sure that no more water is getting behind the wall or under the sub floor?

I'd be afraid of additional mold building up or water backing up somewhere and causing you additional damage.


How to secure 20 lb light fixture install?

Toggle bolts. Put them in the drywall on either end. There's no chance it will pull out.

Let me expand on this by telling you a true story. I bought a house that had been reposessed by the bank. I can only assume the previous owners ransacked the place (even the fireplace mantle had been removed) and the bank had hired a contractor to come in and replace all the light fixtures. So he put a new fluorescent light (not dissimilar to yours) up in the kitchen.

With screw-in drywall anchors (insert duhn-duhn-duhnnn here).

This is what my wife walked into one morning not long after we moved in.

The screw-in anchors are rated for the weight, but not the parallel downward force (they're designed for perpendicular force). So I promptly went to the local big-box and bought some toggle bolts. Since I now had two brand-new holes, I only needed to slightly enlarge them to get the toggles through. That fixture hasn't moved since.

The toggles are your best bet because they

Distribute the weight of the anchor across a wider area
Would require the complete destruction of the drywall to pull out

Even the smallest toggles are rated far more than your fixture weight (a single 2" toggle is typically rated for 50-70lbs).

So what size do you need? Any size toggle will do, just be sure to check the size of the head. It should cover the hole on your fixture easily, but you might need a washer if the holes are large enough.


What type of subflooring should I use for a basement?

DriCore is a subflooring that is specifically designed for light or occasional moisture.  The portion of the product that touches the floor is all plastic and it lifts the upper portion more than 1/2 inch away from the concrete floor.  The joints are fairly tight (although not actually sealed). It is intended to allow water to accumulate in the open spaces under the plastic waffling and drain or seep away without reaching the upper layer.

The particle board that makes up the surface is impregnated with resin and is meant to be fairly impervious to moisture. If you have an actual flood that occurs which is high enough to reach and damage the surface, you have much bigger problems.


Door jamb and molding too short after replacing carpet with hardwood floor?

If you are going to replace the molding, I would replace the jam as well.  I looks to me like you are due for an upgrade in all of your wood-work. With the new floors and new wood-work, I think you would see a marked improvement in the overall look of he space.


Some component has failed in the a/c unit. This act of failing caused the breaker to trip. Now the failed component is preventing the a/c unit form starting.

The unit needs checking to find out which component has failed so it can be replaced. Disconnect the supply and use a multimeter to trace the control path.


Is a 2-prong plug item plugged into a 3-prong surge protector and wall outlet still protected?

The surge protector will dump high voltage spikes from hot to the ground and many will drop from hot to neutral, so it would depend on the model, if internally the mov’s or metal oxide varistors are wired hot to neutral you would still have spike protection. If only wired got to ground it will do no good as their is no connection.


Buy some wall mounts. You should be able to find new or used (Salvage yard, Ebay, Hardware store) mounts that will work. Most are just an angled piece of cast iron or steel that the sink hangs on. Since your sink has legs most of the weight will be on the legs and the wall brackets will keep it from falling forward.


Single tile and drywall repair with a backing stud

I would cut out that square.   Cut drywall to size and get 3-4 screws on that stud.   Little thinset... might even use mastic here.    Pop another tile over it (need to cut hole in tile and take the inlet valve off - TURN OFF WATER).   There is no reason you should overdo the wall behind a toilet.   No one will be pushing right at the edge of that tile... and if there is someone doing that they are the problem not your fix.


I'm tempted to say that venting a pantry outside could be a bad idea as I imagine it would be a very attractive smell to rodents who will find their way in.  You'd also be forcing conditioned air outside for no real reason which will just increase utility costs.

As suggested in the answer by The Evil Greenbo, two passive vents would probably do the trick just to get the air circulating, and then you could fill the exterior hole.

If you need more airflow you could try a fan in the room, or even just leaving the door open a bit.


Is conduit required for running wiring in an attic?

No, conduit is NOT required in attics. Not unless conduit is required in your area.

There are other factors involved in wiring in attic spaces, but your question is a bit too vague to go into that.


Once outlet removed others in separate room don’t work

Connect the wires as they were on the outlet (using wirenuts, or another approved connector type if preferred) and use a blank junction box cover over the box (you must leave the junction box cover accessible.)