What height to set baseboards before carpet is installed?

3/8-5/8" but most 1/2"

Reasoning:

you have padding and carpet.  With a plush carpet and pad you might be at almost an inch or even over.
you don't want the tuck to be so tight that it looks like the carpet is being smashed under the baseboards.  The carpet should look like it is just flowing under.
Note that most floors aren't exactly flat.  So make sure you are measuring this gap every few feet so that it doesn't become too big or little.
We actually have little wood blocks that we use when setting the baseboards to keep consistency.  We knock these out after a room has been nailed.
Completely ridiculous to put baseboards in after carpet.  If I am doing a complete gut I want the baseboards in, nailed, spackled, and repainted where needed.  I don't want paint on new carpet or guys walking around on carpet.  We carpet just a day or two before open house.


What is the best way to fix this garage floor?

Ahh, the ancient quest for flatness.

You could put down a mortar bed, but it will degrade over time if it is unsurfaced.

In general, putting good concrete over bad concrete doesn't work. Trying to flatten just one area of a garage will not be easy. One possible procedure would be to get a jack hammer and remove about 1 to 2 inches of concrete everywhere you want to be flat. Then get down on your hand and knees with a level and chisel it all out so it is pretty smooth and level. Then pour new concrete into the draft, or better yet get an experienced paver to do it. Making really smooth flat concrete surfaces takes a lot of skill.

Also, you could do all that, and whatever caused the crack in the first place will crack your new concrete.


How to find type of wall separating flats in same building

Concrete block wall and dot and dab plasterboard would be pretty standard between two dwellings because of fire regs.

Grab some post-it notes and stick them on the wall where it sounds solid. See if you discern a pattern, i.e rows of 'dots' (or 'dabs', I never did figure out the difference!). It will (or should be) solid along the bottom and the top (a continuous dot or dab).

Make sure your bracket sits on solid areas or you'll crush the plasterboard into the 10mm (or so) gap behind the boards.

If you have to go where it's hollow, drill an oversized hole and pump/push plasterboard adhesive into each hole forcing it in to spread it out behind the board as much as you can. We push the plastic disk out of an empty caulk tube with a long dowel etc., fill it up with board adhesive and pop a fresh nozzle on and you're good to go. Pump away!

Wait until it's dried for a day or three and then drill your holes into the concrete block.

Make sure your fastener is wholly holding in the block, i.e. not the plasterboard or its adhesive.


You want to use plumbers putty for a drain pipe like that. If you put silicone between those two parts, especially if these are new and pristine clean, you would likely never get it back out without a huge amount of work. And in trying to remove it you would risk major damage to the porcelain sink bowl.


Add new light and switch from existing lighting circuit

Yes, you want to tap off the existing switch.

First, get a 5-pack of colored electrical tape ($4 at the big-box).  Go into the existing switch box, make sure the black wires are switched and not the white (if not fix it).  Find the cable to the existing switch; the black wire will be switched-hot.  Mark it with red electrical tape.   Now, everything in the box is color-coded by function.

Now, bring the black-white /2 supply cable to the other switch-light into the switch box.  Match up similar colors. And yer done!

If you need to bring 3 wires together, use a wire-nut.  If you need to tie a second wire to a wire that's already going to a switch, use a pigtail with a wire-nut.  Alternately you can upgrade to more deluxe  $3-range switches which have a feature called "Screw-and-clamp"; these switch screws can take 2 wires each.


Shed with gaps at the top, wasp nest come back every year

Wire mesh is a good idea in that it maintains the same level of ventilation offered by the current openings. Only you can decide of the ventilation is necessary or desired. I could see problems of blowing and drifting snow getting inside the shed in the winter time and if that is a problem then you may be up to eliminating the openings.

If you do decide to go the route of using the wire mesh then the best method of fastening cut and fitted pieces in place is to use staples. These come in a variety of forms depending upon how they are applied. There are staples that can be installed with a hammer which may be the simplest as you may very well already have a hammer. Many sizes are available. For mesh you will want ones that are fairly small with legs of say 1/2 to 5/8 inches long.

Another type of staple is applied using a staple gun. These can be purchased fairly inexpensive and the staple gun for the type of staples may look something like below. The staples best to use for this application would have rounded tops and have legs 9/16 inch in length. Sometimes a staple gun like these will not sink the staple fully and if this happens just tap it in the rest of the way with a hammer.

The third choice is to use a pneumatic brad nailer that is able to use staples. These are great because they shoot the staples in quickly and with enough force that they will be sunk way in. One slight disadvantage with many brad nailers with staples is that the staples are narrow and the nose of the gun does not typically have a guide to line up the staple over the wire of the mesh. So until you get the eye for it you may get some staples that do not bridge across the wires of the mesh.

photos show examples only and are not meant to imply endorsement for any particular product


Chicago doesn't have ground wires.  Everything in Chicago is in metal conduit with metal boxes.  Those, together, provide the grounding system for everything.
I mean, you're allowed to add ground wires if you really want to - belt and suspenders.
Every junction box should have a screw hole that is pre-tapped #10-32 for a ground screw. (you can also add them with a drill).   Sometimes installers accidentally use that hole for a mounting screw.  The ground screw is where you attach any "belt and suspenders" ground wires and any appliances with a ground pigtail.
Switches ground via the steel yoke and steel mounting screws.  Even though the yoke won't be landing hard on the steel box (since it's recessed into the wall), "via the screw head" is good enough for a switch.
Not for a receptacle. That needs clean-metal hard-bottomed-out contact between yoke, optional spacer, and box.  No rust, paint or those little squares that hold the screws on.
OR, a receptacle labeled "Self-grounding" can ground through the screws like a switch does.


Unconventional thermostat wire labels on boiler

Easy answer: use a relay

Since your heater expects a contact-closure across its TH terminals, and doesn't document what voltage it provides there, I would use a garden-variety SPST-NO 24VAC fan relay to adapt a modern thermostat to this heater.  It can be mounted at the heater, with its contact terminals connected to the TH terminals on the heater with short lengths of 18AWG wire and female crimp quick-connects, one coil terminal connected to the C terminal in the same fashion, and the other coil terminal connected to the white wire in a new thermostat cable run up to the thermostat location, using another crimp quick-connect terminal.

You then can connect the red wire in the thermostat cable to the 24VAC (R) wire on the heater and the blue (or green, if you're using 3-wire cable) wire in the thermostat cable to the C terminal on the heater; this gives you roughly 12-15VA of 24VAC to run the thermostat with, which is enough for a basic programmable thermostat.


Look into the Mr Heater brand of propane heaters. They make a round one that attaches on top of a standard propane tank like your bbq grill probably uses.

They make a full range of heaters up to giant ones that contractors use, but I'm only familiar with the round tank mounted ones.

I've been in house boats that use the single round burner mounted on a propane tank setup and they get unbearably hot after running the heater for a few minutes every so often.


Unexpected voltage with switch turned off

Unexpected voltage

Just to recap, a "phantom voltage" is where a wire from a switch to a light or outlet runs next to a permanently live wire, when the switch is off, the AC voltage in the other wire can induce a voltage in the switched-off wire. However, there is very little energy transferred so the phantom voltage is usually not dangerous because it can produce almost no current. However it can cause confusion and confusion can cause dangerous mistakes.

Most voltage testers and most multimeters are not useful for telling the difference between real and phantom voltages.

In When doing electrical work, what do I use to check wires are safe? I have a long answer that covers the different types of tester and some of their advantages and disadvantages - however it is very long and doesn't show how to use a tester.

Here's how I used mine when replacing a ceiling light:

First, with the breaker on and the switch on, I test that my voltage-tester is working.

Good, it shows 230 volts as expected.

Now I turn the switch off and check the voltage again. At this point you'd expect no voltage.

But no, it is reading 50 volts! what does this mean?

As explained above, this is a phantom voltage. How can we be sure?

The tester has a button marked "test". This puts a lower resistance across the live connection and allows a small current to flow (only about 3 thousandths of an amp)

When pressing the test button, the 50V dissapears. That shows that this is a phantom voltage with no real power behind it.

I can now turn off the breaker, check my tester again elsewhere and proceed to work on the wiring in safety.

UK wiring

Some notes about the wiring and light fittings shown above.

Don't worry if your wire-colours, connectors and light look nothing like this. The same principles apply wherever you are in the world, whether your voltage is 120 or 230 and no matter what colours your wires are.

If you are interested, read on, otherwise ignore what follows.

What is shown is a Swedish light fitting in a UK home. It uses a "2D" fluorescent bulb - which are no longer very popular and might not be found in your part of the world. However it works like any light bulb in that it lights up when mains/live/hot voltage is applied to it.

A common UK practice is to use the light fitting as a junction box for wiring fromthe supply, to and from the light-switch and onward to the next light fitting.

The three red wires on the right are

live in from supply
live out to switch
live out to next light fitting

The black wire with the red-tape on it is a "switched live" coming back from the switch. This is what gets connected to one side of the light itself.

The two black wires are

neutral in from supply
neutral out to next light fitting

the green/yellow wires are three bare-copper ground wires which the electrician covered with a yellow-green sleeve.

ground from supply
ground to switch
ground to next light fitting

In some countries you wont have any ground wires.

In some countries or some homes you won't have all the other wiring coming to the light fitting, you'll just have one one live/hot wire and one neutral wire. The colours depend on country. In the UK the colours have changed for European harmonisation. These are the old colours.

In other parts of the world, different types of connector are used. In the USA you will find "wire-nuts" twisted onto groups of wires.

Note that the connector blocks used in the UK allow you to fairly easily test voltages without undoing the connectors. The plastic insulation protrudes far enough from the metal inside that it is safe to handle the connectors with your fingers with wires in place. Howver there is room to get either an insulated screwdriver or a voltage-tester probe into the connector and touching the clamp-screw.


Old Skilsaw model 77 blade won't tighten

Some things to consider.

Some of the newest blade, especially the thin cut carbide tipped ones, are quite a bit thinner than the blades from 20 or 30 years ago. It is possible that the truss washers on either side of the blade just do not tighten down enough on a super thin blade.
You may have made a mistake assembling the blade mount. The truss washer on at least the outside end of the shaft usually has a flatted hole on one side so that it fits down on the flat on the saw shaft. It is possible you had this rotated around the wrong way and the bolt went tight but the washer did not seat tight down to the blade.
Maybe there is debris or rusted threads down in the bottom of the threaded hole on the end of the saw shaft. This could prevent the bolt from entering the shaft the required amount to tighten up the blade.


I notice you have 4 wires on this GFCI using all 4 terminals.

Two of them, the LINE terminals, are connected to the power source, and will allow this GFCI to power up and do its thing.  Hook up only these wires and tape off the others.  Does the GFCI power up and behave correctly?

The other two, LOAD, are not there for convenience.  They have a very specific job. They extend the GFCI's "zone of protection" to other loads.  Doing this is both a blessing and a curse: it confers GFCI protection to the loads; but it means this GFCI will trip if the downline load has a ground fault.  That is why these terminals should not be used lightly or frivolously.

The reason it trips now, when it didn't before, is that it didn't have a ground fault before, and now it does.  The old GFCI's test button wasn't stuck, it was refusing to reset because of the ground fault.  That "retest  before allowing reset" is a more advanced feature of better GFCIs.

If you followed my instructions above, some things in your house are now out.  One of them is the culprit: the source of the ground fault.  Once it is removed from the circuit, the GFCI will reset.

So you can reconnect the LOAD wires and start unhooking each of the possible culprits until you find the one responsible.


Does a water heater have to be completely full for the water to heat?

Any leak large enough to stop the water from filling the heater tank would have to be so large as to basically be an open ended line. It would be impossible not to notice the flooding caused by a leak this large. A smaller leak would not stop the heater from filling and operating and you would have some hot/warm water delivery. I am not saying you don't have a leak, but I strongly suspect an electrical issue. It could be related to power supply, or it could be related to damage caused by improper heater installation or operation. Call a reputable professional plumber please.


What you are using are the most basic drywall anchors available.  They're inexpensive and included in many products because of that, but they aren't good for much, and wouldn't be up to the task of holding something a toddler will be climbing on (you know they will...)

Look for products that spread out or lock into place when they enter the wall.  The name of the product might have the word "toggle" or "lock" or "twist".  There are several brands.  Here is one random example:

For the strongest hold (and also a larger hole that must be drilled in the wall) Toggle bolts are hard to beat.  I use them as a last resort because I've had great luck with plastic anchors and the hole these leave is large.  Of course for something as important as a stair gate, it might be worth it.


What's an easy way to fix a damaged floor tile?

Glop some epoxy on it. For a less blatant but still visible repair, mix some marble dust (given the tile color) into the epoxy, or choose a white rather than clear epoxy and mix (but do not mix too well, for this pattern) some pigment into it (after throughly mixing the epoxy, first.)

Age can somewhat be inferred by how clean or dirty it is, as a chip will tend to collect dirt and be harder to clean than the surface of the floor.

The proper fix is to reach for your stash of spare tiles (problem if there isn't such a stash) and break out the remainder of this tile, then replace it. But you wanted easy...


Is 14.2 acceptable for an electric baseboard?

The limits on wire size are based on amps, not watts, so we would need to know the amps the heaters require before determining the wiring requirements. 14 gauge wire is good for a 15 amp breaker, but for a continuous load you are supposed to derate to 80%, which is 12 amps. On a 120V circuit that would be 1450 watts and on a 240V circuit that would be 2900 W.

Also, how and why would you wire these in series? Virtually nothing in household wiring should be in series (except for switches). A simple resistive load like an electric heater would probably work if wired in series but it would dramatically reduce the heat output of both and is certainly a violation of the manufacturer's installation procedure.


My house breaker box have only breakers which seat only 1 wire. No seat for a load neutral. Can I still install a GFCI Breaker?

For "reasons", the US electrical system normally only has breakers on hot and not neutral. That is why hot goes to breakers while neutral goes to a bar. That is also one of the reasons keeping neutrals matching their hot wires is so important - an overloaded mismatched neutral won't trip a breaker.

GFCI breakers need to monitor neutral in order to detect ground faults. That is why GFCI breakers have a neutral connection as well as the traditional hot connection. If you don't connect the neutral to a GFCI breaker then even a small load will register as a ground fault. The result is that when you install a GFCI breaker to replace a regular breaker you move the neutral wire from the bar to the breaker, resulting in the configuration you've seen elsewhere but not (yet) in your panel.

Most breakers will have a one-to-one match between hot and neutral - i.e., one white (or gray, but far more commonly white) neutral wire for each colored (most commonly black, but can be red or blue or any other color except green, white or gray) hot wire. However, there are some legitimate exceptions:

MultiWire Branch Circuits (MWBC) - These will have two hots and one neutral. The two hots need to be on opposite legs (i.e., the voltage from hot to hot will be ~ 240V while the voltage from each hot to neutral will be ~ 120V) and breakered so that they are turned On/Off together. An MWBC provides two 120V circuits that share a neutral.
240V circuits with Neutral - These will have two hots and one neutral, similar to MWBC. These are used typically for ovens & dryers which need 120V power for controls/lights and 240V for heat.
240V circuits without Neutral - These will have two hots and no neutral. These are used typically for water heaters and similar large loads that need lots of power but don't have any 120V components.

The end result is that the number of neutral wires will typically be a little lower than the number of hot wires.

In a main panel (but not a subpanel) you can also legitimately have ground wires (green or bare) connected to the neutral bar. It is debatable whether that is "good" or not, but it is legal as the ground & neutral are bonded together in the main panel.

Finding the matching neutral for each hot can be tricky. With cables it is usually not too hard as everything in a single cable has to be part of the same circuit. But with conduit it can get tricky as multiple circuits can share a single conduit.


Laying Stone on a unlevel concrete surface

I like it and it should get rid of that trip hazard door threshold. I'd stay away from the self-leveling anything and you don't want nor should now have level anyway. As you said, you just want to bring the dips up.

Self-leveling concrete/cement would destroy the porch's pitch for water to run away from the house. You just want Flat, which is not the same thing as level...like a stairway handrail is flat, but not level.

Also, new cement doesn't really stick to old with much strength, so either way, you'll need Bonding Agent if you plan on a full-bed mortar job. Since, you don't want things shifting and you don't want people sliding off an edge of loose stone. Yep, I've been to quite a few places that just laid stuff naked or on a sand bed.

I'd go with Type-S mortar and just back buttering for the deep areas, as it's hard as the stone and much better at standing up to weather. Type-N is what a lot of people use, but I've found it to crack easily and even crumble back to a sand quite quickly at a number of places I've visited.


Grout recommendation and how to get at corners?

That grout looks like it should work, the problem is that most grout require you to take out most of the previous grout. Certain groups, such as Mapei flexcolor, is built so you can add more to previous grout jobs, but it might have to be the same type.

As for the corners, you should use a colour matched caulking rather then grout. This allows for contraction/expansion. Most brands of grout have caulking in the same colours to make it easy to match.


How do I use a multimeter to determine why one of my lights is not turning on?

From your description, it appears that you have 1 switch that controls one duplex outlet and 2 lights that are plugged into those outlet receptacles.  If my interpretation is correct, then do the following:

Reverse the light plugs at the outlet receptacles & test to see if the lights illuminate.  If only the left light illuminates, then both of your outlet receptacles are working properly & the fault is in the right plug/wiring/fixture/etc.  If the left light does not illuminate & the right light does illuminate, then one of your outlet receptacles is bad.  If neither light illuminates, then you probably have multiple problems to troubleshoot.
Assuming you are in the US:  Use this video procedure to properly test your outlet power.  Note:  If your multimeter is not auto-ranging, then you would manually set your multimeter to AC mode & your voltage scale to 200V before testing your 120V outlets.
To test an incandescent bulb or the wiring to your light fixture, you would first disconnect power to your light & then use the Ohms mode of your multimeter.  Click here to see a video of generally how to do this.  You are essentially searching for an open circuit.  That means electric power cannot pass through the plug or wiring or contacts or bulb filament or through some other part of the light circuit.
In your situation, the most common fix actions are:  replace a bulb, clean corrosion off a metal contact point/s or switch, and/or fix a loose/disconnected/broken wire.  If you have florescent lights, then you may need to replace a starter (condenser) or a ballast.

hth, best regards!


Does polymeric sand make patio repairs impossible?

No that is not true at all. Maybe your contractor was thinking of mortar but a) no contractor should be confusing those and b) even if you used mortar, it'd still be repairable (albeit with a bit more work).


Trying to install Cooper surface LED down light to ceiling but don't see a ground wire

If you look inside the box, there is a raised hump with a tapped hole for a ground screw.

Since it looks like your ceiling box is wired with armored cable, the box has no ground conductor as the armor around the cable is the ground conductor. The screw size is 10-32 and you can find packs of green grounding screws at home improvement centers.


How can I mount cabinetry to metal furring strips with shallow depth?

I usually use cement anchors. There are several types. Hammer-set are like a nail--you push them in through the support into the cement, then use a hammer to drive a pin in the center that causes the anchor to expand. They're quick and  easy but not easily removable.

Another type of expanding anchor is referred to by a brand name Red Head. Drill similar holes to the hammer-set, but with this one the sleeve is pushed into the hole and a bolt is tightened, causing the expansion (the bolt holds the support in place). If you want to remove this type of anchor, remove the bolt and the anchor can be pushed into the hole.

These are the 2 types I use the most often and neither requires the wall to be opened. Both are many times stronger than toggle bolts.


How can I remove calcium deposits from a drain?

Acid. Vinegar, Citric (aka sour salt), CLR, Barkeepers friend, phosphoric, etc. Keep applying (and re-applying) it, and see if perhaps you can get dry citric acid or barkeepers friend mixed to a "paste" or "slurry" form that might cling to the problem area - or fill the trap with acid and use sections of rope or rags (secured against going down the drain) to act as wicks.

You might also want to install a softener if your water is so hard it's growing stalactites. Yeesh.


Well we don’t add breakers for the total. Your example a 30 amp feed with a 30/40/50 amp oven and a dryer would exceed the load calculations for a 30 amp feeder this is true a 50 amp oven alone would trip the 30 amp breaker if both elements were on.
But I could put 5ea 20 amp 120v  circuits  and be fine even with the total being 100 amps of 120, how could this be?
The actual load is what is used in the calculation and don’t forget 30 amps at 240 is 60 amps at 120.
Now to see if you can use some of your existing gear to do what you want.
Check the size of existing sub panel if it is 60 amp or greater it is likely you can upsize the wire and breaker from the main (I would keep the gas dryer).
if you go with a oven at 40a or smaller a 60 amp sub could do this with what you have listed with the gas dryer.
Where you could run into problems is the 100 amp main with gas heat dryer and oven 100 amps is a no brainer.
But convert these gas over to electric and your service will need to be upgraded here is an example of the ovens I have measured they run ~38 amps, dryers 24 amps and both of these are 240v loads so right there you are at 62 amps of true load, add another 13 for lighting and outlets (13 amps each leg) in this “small area” and you are up to 75 amps of load at that level most electricians would be adding a 100 amp sub.  Is the rest of your house only drawing only 25 amps? So with all you want sure it could be done and if you want to learn and your state allows it you can add the sub.
Many states allow you to even set your main panel. With code updates a new main panel that turns your existing main into a sub may be the best route, then pull from the new main or old main to feed the new area sub. Or sub of a sub.
Your question is quite broad and I tried to give you the info needed to decide if you can do it or hire it out


What is this dryer part, and how do i fix it?

Your dryer's front drum felt seal's glue failed. The seal keeps gasses from leaking out the front of your dryer into the dryer housing, and also helps support the weight of the front of the rotating drum.

You'll need to get a replacement felt seal and then install it. They're glued in place with heat-resistant glue (apparently your glue wasn't heat-resistant enough). It isn't a hard job if you're handy; you'll have to remove the front of the dryer (probably after propping up the top of the dryer), remove the old seal, and then install the new one.

If you give us the make and model of your dryer we can give you more details.


What would be a good material for a portable video projection surface?

Maybe showerboard? I've used it in the past as a dry erase board. It comes in large sheets which you could attach to the wall via screws or hangers of some sort. A dab of white paint over the screw holes and you should be ok.

I don't remember exactly how expensive it was but I don't think it was more than $20 per sheet ... and they were fairly large sheets.


What's the significance of orbit diameter in a random orbit sander?

Orbit diameter is related to how aggressively the sander removes material; the larger the orbit, the quicker it removes material (all else held equal).  This article on American Woodworker's site seems to agree.  It also mentions that larger orbits leave more visible swirl marks.

However, orbit size is not the only determining factor in how quickly material removal happens.  Your best bet is probably to find a good review that compares sanders rather than relying solely on the orbital diameter.  For example in this Popular Woodworking article, the sander with the largest orbit wasn't the most aggressive.


Is it possible for wind driven rain to be forced into soffit vents?

Yep, that's perfectly plausible. You're saying that there's only wire mesh in the soffits -- not actual metal soffit vents? That would be the first thing I'd fix. The louvers on the soffit vents make it much harder for rain to blow up and into the attic structure. The second thing you might consider is then putting soffit baffles in ... they may make it harder for water to blow up into and across the attic space, and are generally considered a good idea anyway.


I have done this with granite tiles in two different sizes, 12 by 12 inches (30x30cm) and 18 by 26 inches (45x65cm).  Not a full slab, but it should basically work the same.

Tools

You have two tasks involved: cutting it, and smoothing/polishing the edges.

For both cutting and polishing, I used an angle grinder.  In my case, I bought a 4-1/2 inch grinder like this one for very cheap from a discount tool import store (about US$20; works great).

For straight cuts, I used a diamond blade (metal blade embedded with diamond chips).

I clamped a board to the granite to use as a guide rail or fence, and ran the grinder along using a guard like this:

For the round sink opening, I cut out most of it with a series of straight cuts using the diamond blade (inside my desired line), and then smoothed out the curve using a masonry grinding wheel on the angle grinder.

I wore a respirator dust mask and ran the shop vac while cutting, to collect as much dust as possible.

To smooth and polish the edges, I used polishing/"surface conditioning disks" designed for stone and masonry, in the angle grinder.  They come in a set of various grains from coarse to fine.  Just like sanding, start with the coarse and work your way up to the fine.

All of the above parts were done dry; no water involved.

I finished by hand with some diamond polishing pads that come mounted on spongy rubber holders.  These are done wet; using water to lubricate the process and wash away grit while you are doing it.  I used an old plastic milk jug and poked a pin-hole in the side near the bottom, and let it dribble out water continuously while polishing.

All in all, I would say it was easy and inexpensive; it just took time and created a lot of dust.  Get a proper respirator face mask and don't use those little paper masks; your sinuses and lungs are worth proper protection.

I'm sure I spent less than US$100 on the grinder and cutting/grinding/polishing supplies.  I already had the respirator but they aren't too expensive either.

For the 12 inch tiles, I also used a small tile wet saw, built like a tiny table saw.  It produced nice clean cuts, but since that involves moving the tiles on the saw, it didn't work for the 26 inch tiles, and would not work for slab either.

Results

I used granite tiles for kitchen and bathroom counter tops.  At the time I did the kitchen, I was only aware of square granite tiles in relatively small sizes like the 12 inch ones here.  When I later did the bathroom, I discovered the larger size tiles, which were large enough to run a full tile from back to front edges.  This 5 foot wide counter is only four tiles for the main surface.

Here is the kitchen with 12 inch granite tiles:

And the bathroom with 18 by 26 inch granite tiles:


What's the difference between pottery plaster and plaster used on interior walls?

Up until the turn of the twentieth century, lime plaster was always used for interior applications. Gypsum plaster, which is what plaster of paris is, was only used in decorative applications, but gradually replaced lime plaster as it was much faster to put a house up with it. Lime takes some time to cure, as it cures by chemical reaction with the carbon dioxide in the air. Gypsum cures by evaporating moisture (drying).

Lime is by far the superior material. Gypsum plaster has neither the beauty of lime plaster nor the durability, nor the alkalinity to repel mold, mildew, and other house ailments. If you cover it with latex paint, you can't tell the difference, if you want something truly gorgeous use lime wash to color it. An unpainted lime plaster wall feels like polished marble and is very hard. Gypsum is very soft.

Now to more directly answer your question, compound bought from Home Depot, etc. has a lot of binders, drying agents, and other material in it. Straight gypsum does not. I'd not expect it to last very long.


Which adapter am I missing for my washing mashine?

Unscrew the spigot from the tap and then the washing machine pipe will screw straight on to the 3/4 thread.
Edit based on comments:
This is a picture of a "normal" standard replacement hose. Do note both ends have plastic fittings which are standard. there are stainless wrapped versions but they are only rated to the same working pressure anyway.
Used these many times and the only time I ever saw one of the plastic nuts break was when it had a gorilla crush it with mole-grips, hand tight is more than ample.

Edit 2:
To help those who have not seen the pipe style with the electric valve, here is a picture:


Do ceiling roses need to be moved when earthing lights?

In general, no.

  lights in my house all needed earthing

I'm surprised that your UK house had no earth wires in the lighting circuit. So far as I know it has been standard since at least 1966 (14th Edition).

In addition, so far as I know, many or most ceiling or pendant lights have no exposed conductive parts and no extraneous conductive parts. There is often nothing exposed below the ceiling that can be earthed even if you wanted to.

  Could the job have been completed without moving the ceiling roses?

Yes.

I know of no compelling reason to change the location of the ceiling roses.

  If so what would an electrician have needed to do

My guess is that there was a problem with the condition and resistance/continuity of the existing conduit used as an earth (more properly called a circuit protective conductor or CPC nowadays).

Running a new earth wire through a conduit can be troublesome and many electricians might not be willing to attempt it. It seems plausible that the electrician abandoned the use of the old conduit and ran new twin and earth (T&E) cable alongside without taking the time to remove any of the existing conduit.

This might have made it difficult to run the new wiring to the places occupied by the now-disused conduit or by fittings associated with it.

  and would it have cost a lot more?

If my guesses above are right, it would have taken more time to remove the ends of existing conduit and properly deal with the associated old wiring.

We don't know exactly what the electrician did or what other options were available to them. Having a letting agent act as a middleman may have meant there was no opportunity for you and the electrician to discuss options.

This work doesn't seem to have properly met your needs. Note that I am not a qualified electrician - you might like to get an independent assessment from a reputable firm.

I suspect your main concern is the poor quality of the visible remedial work. If so, it might be best to focus on that.

The quality of the workmanship on the repair to the ceiling is certainly very poor. I would say that is unacceptable. I think you have reasonable grounds to complain to the letting agents about the work carried out by their contractor.


Mineral wool (or rock wool) insulation won't burn at all. You can buy it in bats and cut it to appropriate size.


What is this "on" cap that's adjacent to my tankless water heater's service valve?

i need a side pic but as of right now i think that valve is closed. so if this is the case it is a valve to open or close the T pipe. im guessing the black screw cap is there just to cover another connection. so the valve is closed. you could take that black cover off and add another pipe there and open valve. from your other question your trying to clean it. thats the hot water side of the water heater. so this is im guessing you would clean it from


Can I use dry concrete mix to set a post in saturated soil?

You should not put dry concrete mix into a hole.   The wetness is really not the big thing it is the fact that you may not mix it properly meaning you will have pockets of dust as things settle.   These small pockets of unmixed mix will make the concrete extremely weak and will crack or crumble apart - "a buddy had this issue one time" haha.

You mix the concrete as normal (maybe shy on the side of drier mix) and simply dump it in the hole. It will displace the water since it is heavier. I have also dammed up holes and pumped out the water while filling - this just takes a few minutes a hole and keeps the hole integrity better and keeps from getting concrete slopped everywhere.

For wet conditions I use Quickcrete fast setting. It won't cure/set in 40 mins under water but it does harden enough to hold a post and move on.   Others may have personal favorites for wet conditions but I can say that using the right type is a big deal.


Why might a double-pole breaker have the same phase on each wire lug?

Your double-pole breaker is not switching both legs simultaneously as it should be.
The top D-F pole is connected, while the bottom E-G pole is not connected.

Whatever 240V appliance you have connected to that circuit is feeding the  'B' phase from D-F back into your G terminal.
Even with no appliance connected, capacitive coupling between the wires in that cable will fool your mutimeter.

If you had a load to neutral from both poles you would see 120V on one and 0V on the other.


What's the best way to relocate my wall vent?

Yes, you can shorten the duct as needed. If you need a crimped end to fit the new boot, a needle-nose pliers from the end and a bit of twist will create that for you.
If you're not running full ducting*, you'll need to either relocate the outlet or box around it with lumber so that it's not technically in the same cavity as the duct flow. Use silicone or some other fire-resistant caulk to seal the holes in the studs.

* Modern code may require full fire-resistant ducting for supply vents.


If the tile is well bonded, there's no reason to remove it. I would use construction adhesive under your wall plate, and I would use a masonry drill to put holes through the tile for your fasteners.

If someone wants to replace the tile down the road, they'll end up making the same cuts you would have. Why do it now if it may never need to be done at all?

If you do decide to make the cuts, a diamond wheel in an angle grinder will do well. Run a large vacuum directly behind the wheel to collect dust. It should leave very little chipping, and won't crack anything unless there's a loose tile or you get rough with it.


Does installing electric heated floors require dedicated electrical?

Electric resistance heat is a great long-term solution for the electric power supplier; it's usually one of the most expensive heat options for the homeowner to run, barring power subsidies or absurdly cheap power, which happens a few places, but not many. The details will be local, so you'll have to investigate the relative costs of the heat sources you have available. If you have natural gas, I'd be very surprised if electric didn't cost you 3-4 times as much to run, for instance.

In general, you are not only going to need new wires to rooms, you may need upgraded electrical service to the house. Start with "what is the BTU/Hr output of your furnace" and you can work back to kilowatts and amperes required for equivalent heat output.

3412.14 BTU/hr=1 kilowatt. 1 therm (100,000 BTU) = 29.3 KWh (if gas heater was 100% efficient) or that number multiplied by the furnace efficiency (ie, 93% high-eff furnace, 1 therm = 27.25 KWh) - fill in your local prices and furnace efficiency and you'll have a quick idea what it will cost you. For my electric cost of 15 cents/KWh, a therm would have to cost $4.08 to be equivalent to electric - while a therm around here actually costs about $1.48 - unfortunately I don't have a gas line on my road.

Hydronic radiant can be retrofit - options vary depending on construction details, and how much of the house you intend to rip apart - but you'll be similarly inconvenienced to install electric radiant, so that may be a wash.

If you have concrete floors that are not adequately insulated from the ground, radiant may never work right for those floors.

In some cases it may make more sense to install radiant in the walls or ceiling.


subpanel location - proximity to in-wall heater and other junctions

You're fine, as long as you don't cook the subpanel that is

The clearance rules for electrical equipment (NEC 110.26(A)) start at the front of the electrical equipment and extend out from there, as they're intended to provide the electrician with enough space to work on it without having to perform a contortionist act.  This means that having the subpanel share a stud bay with other stuff is fine.

You do have to make sure that the in-wall heater doesn't raise the subpanel above about 40°C though, otherwise the ampacity of the breakers needs to be derated to prevent false tripping due to excessive heat.  If the heater is trying to overheat the subpanel, sticking a rockwool batt into the stud bay between the heater and the subpanel should solve the problem and obviate the need for breaker derating.


What is a cheap patio solution for a muddy area in my backyard?

What about putting down sod to give the area a jump start?


Wiring a new thermostat without a C wire, extra wires from furnace

You said your old thermostats C-Wire did not work so you wired a new one.
You said your meter only measures 50V or higher (I never saw a tool like that before) - so how do you know the c wire was not working?

Your old thermostat was not working ?

Your old thermostat picture shows something like this:

C or G?? , [Y?orX? - most likely Y], W , [RH RC]

It would have been a better photo if the letter codes were visible; these codes are standardized and they do have meaning as to what circuit they operate.

Common (24VAC) - should be a black wire - blue is for other things, G is for Ground green wire ,  if Y Cooling On Signal [Most likely Y for Yellow] ,  W Heating on Signal - white wire , [ Rh 24VAC Heating , Rc 24VAC Cooling  - red wires ].

The additional wires that you show removed - I am thinking out loud here - they go to your outside Air conditioner Condenser? They turn it on. You can check the wiring diagram for the condenser to find out for sure - and ohm the leads ..by opening the condenser panel - disconnect the red and white wire that goes into the unit - tie them together - then go back inside and measure continuity - if continuity - then you know which wires go to the AC unit - put the wires in the condenser back to the way they were before and connect the wires inside to the proper terminals. Red probably ties in to your Yellow Wire that is wrapped, and the white wire to the common - (Black tape the white wire so you know it is really black).

Now if they do not go there - then they must turn something else on - that will need to be verified where they really go to by continuity testing .. but I think the AC Condenser is where they go.

I can't see your Air Handler control board terminal labeling very well - so under the white wire - the label is ? and next to it is that a Y ? for Yellow like if AC is on don't allow heater to run ?

Your yellow line is not hooked up so it goes somewhere - perhaps to that Y terminal on the AH control board and something like the red wire ?

The answer here has a layout of what wire is what and the proper color scheme - although there are some missing exceptions like X which could be a heat circuit if I am not mistaken ..

Oh and by the way if all else fails - and you have not done so already - Please check your circuit breakers and check for any fuses that you might have in the system - just in case (sometimes that old adage of making sure we really have power gets skipped - especially when we have pulled things apart and perhaps mislabeled something or did not take note - figuring that out makes people forget that simple stuff - even the pros - we are all human. I remember having a 20 year old washer and dryer set - I replaced the timer in the washer and my dryer went out a month later - I had no heat but it spun - with no time to spend checking anything I quickly ordered a timer as I assumed what my problem was. Upon pulling the dryer out and getting behind the unit - I did that yes let me check the power before I go digging.  One leg of my circuit breaker in the service panel was blown. I had that Homer Simpson moment Doh!


How to connect a 14-30r outlet with only three wires?

A NEMA 14-30R requires four conductors.  Two ungrounded (hot) conductors, one grounded (neutral) conductor, and one equipment grounding conductor.

Both the grounded (neutral), and equipment grounding conductors are connected to ground. But only at the service equipment.  Outside of the service equipment they are separate conductors, and cannot be interchanged or interconnected.


Putting washer dryer hookups through nearby interior wall

NO!
SJ Cord ( That cord that the dryer and washer whips are made from ) is not permitted to pass through the interior of a finished wall.


What is the best way to fix a large rectangular shaped glass table top?

Call up a glass shop and order a hunk of tempered glass the right size. You can't change the size or shape after it's ordered (tempered glass can't be cut after tempering), so get the size exactly right.

The one you had was not tempered, or you'd have a few thousand more pieces - which is a lot safer than one that breaks into fewer large sharp pieces.

Tempered glass is much stronger than normal glass of the same thickness, so one the same thickness should hold up to your use, but you could always go to 3/4" or 1" thick tempered for even more durability while staying with glass.

Or go with a few thousand years of experience and choose wood ;-)


Ceiling fan wiring with dual switches but only one red hot wire at ceiling box

If there is only the red hot in the ceiling, make sure for one that the box is fan rated.  If you have two switches on the wall, it'd be interesting to know where the other hot goes, so I'd be investigating your wall switch.
An easy fix would be to get a ceiling fan with remote, as it can be wired for just one hot, neutral and ground and is easier, though more expensive.  Otherwise, you're wiring the red hot to both fan hots and controlling it through pull cords if you don't want the fan and lights on or off all the time.
But if you have a dual switch, definitely follow that up carefully.


New sink installation: garbage disposal sits lower and p-trap no longer at the right height for the drain

A reversible p-trap

would allow you use an extension attached to the black elbow on the disposal. By using the reversible trap you are moving the long part of the trap to the j pipe side and creating distance on the disposal side that you then fill with and extension.


Roof Ridge Venting - When in 2012 did roof venting become required instead of standard roofing codes?

Each state “adopts” the new Building Code after it has been reviewed, changes made, and approved by the State Building Codes Office. Adoption occurs on October 1, (start of the new fiscal year/budget,) with amendments adopted throughout the year.

Little known fact is that the Code is divided into two parts: 1) construction, additions, etc., and 2) maintenance.

You don’t need a Permit for “maintenance”, (I.e.: painting, carpet replacement, etc.) Re-roofing is often placed in the “maintenance” category. Each jurisdiction makes their own determination regarding re-roofing.

However, roofing (initial installation) is usually in the construction category and needs a permit.


Insulation in the attic : choice between fire retardant and allergenic

TL;DR Don't worry, be happy, use the rock wool.
I am NOT an expert on insulation, so if anyone has better/more complete information, I will defer to them.
As a general rule, allergies have to do with specific organic materials - e.g., pollen - that cause an actual allergic reaction. This is a specific medical term and, as I understand it, allergies are not normally to minerals, synthetic fibers, etc. In other words, I doubt (but I could be wrong) that rock wool can actually cause an allergic reaction.
On the other hand, there are other types of irritants which can cause rashes (contact dermatitis), lung problems (asbestos being the classic example) and other symptoms, many of them quite serious, that are similar to allergies in certain respects. But they are not allergies.
My gut feeling is that none of these 3 choices (fiberglass, rock wool, synthetic insulation) will cause a true allergy, with the possible exception of outgassing of some chemicals used in production of the material. Such outgassing would be, in my opinion, a total non-issue for residents of a building if the materials are installed in a non-accessed attic. Any outgassing would escape through attic vents and dissipate into the atmosphere at very low levels.
Similarly, any particulate matter that comes out from any of these materials would be essentially indistinguishable from ordinary dust and other particles in the air from a variety of sources - soil, automobile exhaust, fireplaces, etc. In addition, properly installed insulation should have almost no loose particulate matter except as part of the initial installation. That initial installation should include cleanup of any loose particles (e.g., with a shop vacuum). The only exception would be if you used loose-fill (e.g., blown in) insulation, which would not be a good idea with these concerns, and in fact is probably best left to totally concealed spaces such as post-construction fill in external walls.
Fire is an issue. Attics get hot. Sometimes very hot. If (I haven't checked the specs) rock wool is significantly more fire retardant than other materials, use the rock wool. While the concrete should provide a lot of protection - hopefully enough for everyone to exit the building safely in the event of an attic fire - there could still be extensive (and expensive) damage. Best to avoid adding fuel to the fire.
But probably every one of these items has a Prop. 65 warning.


Why is there open/deadspace under most wooden furniture

The main reason is that woodworking of old days, Joinery was more of an art than a mechanised given. The structure was designed to accommodate for wood settling and fluctuating due to weather conditions (humidity etc) ...

Basically, the most stable structure was one, where the weight rested on the four points which were the most stable (the legs or balls) As Rozwel noted, a flat board on the floor would be susceptible to high points which would unsettle the joinery of the piece as the wood base would most certainly flex to accommodate for the high point and in doing so, throw the piece out of square.

Short answer, the four contact points would lead to a more stable cabinet over a more diverse set of floor types.


Can I use both a grounded 120V circuit and 2 wire + ground 240V circuit for 3 wire + ground wall oven?

No, you can't combine the two circuits because of NEC 300.3(B).  (funny I was just answering another question about that one).  It says all related wires must be together in the same cable.  But also, they must be in the same circuit.
That bare "ground" from the wall
Now, if the ground wire from the wall is bare, it's probably illegal.  When grounding came in in the 1960s, they did a bargain with appliance makers to continue allowing 3-prong H-H-Neutral connections, but with a big asterisk, and the asterisk was to start using 3-wire+ground cable as soon as stocks of the old cables ran out.  So at least someone could convert to a safer 4-prong connection later.   The legal cable types were:

SE service entrance cable (in small sizes) -- two hots and a bare neutral in a mesh around the hots.  This is made for the service entrance or lateral from the utility, which supplies 2 hots and a bare neutral.  If this is the type of cable you have, then it's legal to wire N+G to the bare mesh Neutral... but only because you are grandfathered.
/3 no-ground cable -- insulated white neutral.  Deprecated because /3 has ground now.
/3 w/ground cable, when stock ran out of the above cables. The ground went unused.
NEVER legal: /2 w/ground cable misusing ground as neutral.  Ground can't be re-tasked to be neutral.

Some electricians felt the other cables going out of stock was their "license" to use /2 w/ground.  Wrong.
However... /2 w/ground actually is fine for a 240V-only range.
So if your cable is /2 w/ground, then something goes in the trash, either the cable or the neutral-hungry oven/range.  Either replace the cable with /3 or get a range that is 240V-only.
If your cable type is SE (meshed neutral), then you have an option... but not quite as good.  You can carefully insulate neutral, and then retrofit ground by running a #10 ground wire from that location to anywhere else that has a #10 or larger ground wire going back to that same panel.  The list of possible appliances are water heater, dryer (if it's not in the same pickle), air conditioner, any non-flexible metal conduit, or the bare mesh copper "Grounding Electrode System" carrying ground out to the water pipe or ground rods. You need a split-bolt to tap the GES, you must not cut it.
Another very, very wackadoodle option, if you have the oven's schematics, is to re-wire the oven so the 120V loads on the oven are completely separated from the 240V power going to the oven heating elements.  This may be quite easy if it has a big 2-pole contactor to control oven power.   Now you can have two line cords - a NEMA 5-15 common recep with H-N-G that runs everything but the heating element -- that can go onto any 120V circuit including kitchen recep circuits........ and 2 fat hots and a ground which can go to that /2 cable. This must not have any conductors tied together or in common, except for safety ground.


What is this panel in basement wall of 1940s house?

Would this be in an area that snows or could get cold. It's not a coal chute as most of those were not under the front door. My thinking is this - Warmer air from the cellar escapes and keeps the area in front of the door free from ice and snow -hence the gravel which probably extends down the outside wall. Its a simple convection heat source and very energy efficient.


What product to use for sealing a wood tv stand

Polyurethane will be a durable and glossy finish and will really bring out the beauty in the stain you used. I can tell you, however, it will take at least a couple weeks to fully cure and stop smelling.

The key to a great finish is to use many thin coats.  Brushing it on can be the most economical way, but its important to maintain a wet edge so you have a smooth application.  Thin coats.  An easier way to apply poly is to spray it on.  You can buy it in spray cans for a little higher price per unit.  Again just remember to make very thin coats.  You do not want any drips or else you are laying it on way too thick.  Let it dry until its just tacky and apply another coat.  You shouldn't need to sand in between coats if you are applying them in succession before the layer before totally cures, and looks smooth.


How do I patch a medium size hole so that I can install a baby gate securely?

Since you're going to fix the drywall anyhow, you could cut out a section of it and install a piece of wood blocking across the inside of the studs to fasten the baby gate hardware to. (The picture you posted looks like you used pocket-hole screws to attach the board to the wall so I'm thinking you could make use of pocket holes to attach the board between the studs.)

Something like this (disregard the notes on the image pertaining to steel studs. The concept is the same for wooden ones):

Then replace the drywall and attach the baby gate to the wood through the drywall patch. This not only gives you something good and strong to attach the baby gate to, it also makes it much easier to patch the drywall because there's something solid behind the patch to hold it. Also, when the baby gate comes down, the screw holes can be filled and nobody will know the blocking board is in the wall.


The national electrical code only specifies extra duty or in use covers. Both plastic and diecast meet this requirement. I will not use the plastic ones as they are worse than no cover in most cases as they are always broken when I see them. Just my opinion but the few extra dollars for a diecast metal cover will last for years where the plastic ones are junk in my opinion.


What is the best way to move this electrical box a few inches?

If you don't object to having a junction box cover below your new light fixture, consider leaving the original box right where it is. Install the new box above it, and connect the two boxes with a short conduit nipple in a pair of knockouts that line up (or if there's a bit more space than shown, use an offset nipple if that helps to line things up.)

Wire as needed, put a plain cover on the original box and the light fixture on the new box.

If going with the conduit extension approach, consider an FMC to EMT transition rather than FMC to rigid - a 90 degree EMT bend would do the job nicely from the new box to where the FMC ends, and in general EMT is a lot cheaper than rigid (or flex) even comparing a 4 inch nipple to having to buy a 10 foot stick (though by the time you put connectors on the ends you are closer to the same price, but you have more than 9 feet of EMT left for your next project...

If you don't have a bender or a friend you can borrow one from, you can find pre-bent EMT sweeps to purchase, though they may cost more than 10 feet of straight EMT.


My copper pipe has a leak right at the basement slab surface

You can solder a copper repair coupler over the hole. It's basically just like a sleeve. You don't have to cut the pipe near the concrete.

Sand and flux the bottom inch of the copper pipe above the concrete. Cut off the copper pipe maybe 1 foot higher than the concrete, and drop a copper repair coupler that doesn't have an internal stop onto the pipe and slide it down to the top of the concrete.

Next shorten the copper pipe enough to add a second copper coupler that does have internal stops. Sand and flux the pipe. Add the coupler, solder both couplers at the same time.

The first coupler seals the leak, and the second coupler is needed to repair the pipe after cutting it.

Make sure to sand and flux the inside of the couplers too.


36" inch fridge won't fit 36" cabinet void

The fridge's user manual should have clearances / installation dimensions listed. I would start there. It may be a 36" model but actually a slightly different dimension.

If the fridge is not the size described in the manual I would contact the store and/or GE. It's possible that as part of the refurbishing process it was dismantled and not put back together to original factory specs.

Also do not forget to check the required clearances. Most fridges require 1/8" of clearance on the sides, and maybe more at the top and back. (Also you will have a very tough time installing the fridge if there is literally 0 clearance.)


What size Generator and what voltage and amps to power a large 3 phase well pump?

250 ft head for the well = about 125 psi.  You typically run the local system at 60 psi, so 180-200 psi.

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/pumps-power-d_505.html

says 15 hp.  If we use the usual 1000W power to produce 1 hp, that's 15 kW.  Your Granddad's 25 kW generator wasn't overkill. (It's actually 745 w/hp, but you've got a bunch of inefficiencies nibbling at you too.)

Alternatives:

Newer pumps are considerably more efficient.  Gould has a line that has a built in VFD (variable frequency drive) You feed it single phase, it converts it to 3 phase, and also adusts the speed of the pump so that it doesn't cycle nearly as often.  Do they have 3 phase VFD?  Never looked.

If the place was set up and working with 3phase, then keep it.  If you are going to do a lot of repairing/converting to solar to reduce the generator run time, etc, then getting a largish single phase generator, and converting where needed to 3 ph using VFDs may save you a lot of aggravation.

With an 8 inch casing, you may be able to run a windmill pump as well as your electric one at the same time.  If the windmill fills a lined dugout, your power bill is cut in half.

Generators don't loaf well.  You want to avoid having a generator under less than half load -- the engine runs too cool, and you are using too much fuel chasing bits of metal around in cicles.

Having a generator house with temperature controlled louvers, or exhaust fan will help keep the engine at it's best operating temperature.

If you are really concerned with efficiency, then have several units of various sizes, that cut in and out to match the demand.  This is a difficult control set up, well beyond my expertise.

I would consider consulting a power engineer for this setup.  If you have to replace the generator, and are thinking about the pump, then a few hundred bucks for a professional opinion may save you a lot of time and money.

Meanwhile, you can get a feel for how things are really operating by renting a 25 kW 3ph generator, and put a recorder to figure out how much of the time it's running, and how much power it's using.  An engineer will want this information anyway.

Or Buy the generator at an equipment auction, if you need to resize later, sell it -- probably get what you paid for it.


How can I treat and prevent rust in steel wire rope?

That horse has already left the barn.
You striped off the protective  rubberized coating and exposed the cable underneath which is not galvanized and the rust has already started to eat the cable. Had you left the coating on it would have lasted much longer, at least until UV light cracked and compromised the coating and exposed the cable to the elements.
The best cable for outdoor applications is stainless steel (especially in your location).
Also you should have use the protective Wire Rope Thimbles on the loop going around the eye bolt.
Coating the already rusted cable will be futile, the rust is already there and probably deep in the strands of wire.
I suppose you could coat the rusted cable with naval jelly and then spray a coating of liquid rubber but that is really just a hack  which is unlikely to stop the rust and you will need to replace the cable in the future anyway.


How to water proof chipped concrete around garage door

The Loctite PL seal you want to use is good for a crack depth up half an inch according to its datasheet. Since this a window-like sill, if it was properly installed, it already has some kind of PU or similar foam under it to prevent water infiltration between it and the concrete. So, if the crack looks even more superficial than that half inch, you may get away with just plastering the surface of the crack with quick-set mortar.

There's no easy way to rigorously test crack depth here because any serious test setup (e.g. dye injection & core drilling) is just as involved as a deep crack repair, which would involve first sealing the surface with the aforementioned mortar and then injecting a PU foam deeper using injection ports. I don't suggest using this method until you have an actual leak (which insofar you didn't see).

Also, ultrasonic crack depth measurement (for which you can rent equipment) is fairly difficult to apply here because the crack is very close to edge of concrete and it is going to have to deal a other unknowns like whether the cavity under the sill is filled with some foam which has lots of air bubbles in it. You might as well take the sill off and take a look.


Troubleshooting outdoor electrical outlet

If there is no GFCI on the outside outlet it likely is chained off of a GFCI outlet inside.  The first thing to look for would be any other outlets inside, probably but not necessarily near where the outside wire enters the building.

There may instead be just a GFCI (without the outlets) somewhere inside.


When an air conditioner is first turned on, the compressor motor encounters high back-pressure from the warm gas, which goes down a bit while running. If nothing is broken in the AC, then perhaps there is a high initial inrush, causing the mains circuit breaker to trip. Try the following:

Make sure all other appliances and lamps on that circuit are off when starting the AC.
If the circuit breaker is less than  20 amperes, try a heavy duty extension cord (rated for more than 15 A)  to an outlet on a 20 A or greater circuit.
If you can remove the AC from its case, see if the fans are free to rotate. Sometimes debris can block them. Lubricate bearing, if possible.

If that does not get it working, then, regrettably, mechanical problems often cost more to fix than the price of a new AC, so there is probably little point in probing further.

BTW, the manufacturer's user manual, p. 24, is less than helpful: "Is There a Problem?
Call the dealer immediately."


Not a hard no but you may want to reconsider for a few reasons:

As @dandavis pointed out - the compounds may not work well together.  This could cause long term negative effects.  OTOH it might not.
The hand mixing of paint will take a lot of mixing to get it even.  However, if you're going for a tie-die look this might work in your favor (but probably not)
All paint is sold as white - the paint store will happily, for free (usually) make it whatever color you like at no charge and mix it for you.


Where to Caulk Around Windows on Exterior of Home? Is this a Drip Edge?

That looks like a metal L-bar which is holding up the bricks.
Overall I would not caulk that because water will have nowhere to escape. Here is how water will likely travel:

Don't close off its escape route or else you're asking for trouble.
Overall I do not see an accessible place to caulk which would prevent drafts.
I would schedule a consultation with some window or energy companies to assess how to best seal your windows. They will likely point out problem areas and explain how they would fix them.
If you do end up caulking things then make sure to use exterior paintable silicone and not that cheap acrylic stuff.
The best bang for your buck is going to be to take off the interior trim and insulate the space between the window and rough-in frame with expanding foam. As you re-install the trim you should caulk with a high quality paintable silicone. This should fix draft issues. If you find that you also have moisture or rot issues then that is a completely different ball-game.

Other sources of draft/coldness:

Bad wool pile weather stripping
Window sash is not straight
Double pane seal is broken and argon insulating gas has escaped


Be careful “using water” in a creative way. When water is exposed and distributed around your yard, it can erode, flood, create algae, etc. It becomes high maintenance. I especially dislike large chains as downspouts.

Remember the Princess Diana memorial in London. They had to permanent close a portion of it, because they couldn’t control the algae.


Why isn't my table built from lumber taking stain well?

Some woods, especially softwoods such as pine/fir/spruce, are notorious for taking stain oddly. The usual solution is to "condition" the wood before staining, to reduce absorbancy overall and make them behave more like we would expect. There are products sold specifically for the purpose, or dewaxed shellac can be used.

Many discussions of this exist on the web. Let me see if I can find a good link to one of the magazines.


Any recommendation depends on your location - I wouldn't provide the same answer for Yuma, AZ as I might for Edmonton, AB.

When water vapor diffuses through a wall and reaches the exterior sheathing, if that sheathing temperature is below the dew point the vapor will condense. Depending on the amount of water vapor and the rate at which the wall cavity is able to dry out, this may lead to moisture problems.

Installing insulation in the wall cavity will help reduce heating costs, but won't address the problem of sheathing temperature. As a result, some builders are specifying 2" to 4" or more foil faced polyiso panels be installed outside of the sheathing to raise the temperature above the dew point. In these designs, some don't even advocate using cavity insulation. Vapor will still diffuse into the cavity, but it will not condense on the sheathing surface.

Installing foil faced polyiso on the interior of the wall, properly air sealed and with taped joints, forms an effective vapor barrier which will reduce the problem of moisture diffusing through the walls. However it may not solve all of the problems with vapor diffusion so it's quite possible to still have problems.

Additionally, while most people look to insulation as a primary solution for energy savings, often older homes would find greater benefit from air sealing. There is almost no way you can make an older house with plaster walls "too tight." In fact, the idea of houses being "too tight" is something of a myth. Your goal should be to have "managed ventilation" rather than the unmanaged ventilation common in older homes.

In my 1870's New England house as an "inside" solution I removed the plaster, installed fiberglass batt insulation in the cavities, applied 2" foil faced polyiso over the studs (for a thermal break and vapor barrier), with 1x3 furring strips and gypsum on top.


Will latex paint dry thoroughly if applied too thickly

Yes it will dry and it will "dry" in a couple days with right temp and air flow controls.

However with the amount that you put on there it could be a long time before the paint actually cures and it may never cure to the point of a good paint job.   Depending on a lot of variables even after it cures the inner paint may become rubbery or even worse it could become chalky and never bind right.


Can I realistically replace my drill with a rotary hammer?

Not really. I did this and regretted it.

The problem is that the rotary hammers that are worth it are very heavy and overbuilt (the larger Bosch SDS series etc.). They make fantastic rotary hammers but are too heavy for use as a drill for extended use unless you have really beefy forearms. In this scenario, you should get a 18v cordless drill for when  you want to drill.

Then there are very lightweight rotary hammers (such as from Harbor Freight) where the rotary hammer action is extremely weak. These do a good job as drills but not as rotary hammers.


Awning materials for deck under dirty trees

You will probably find that the best material to use is Translucent Corrugated Fiberglass Panels. These are available at building supply and some big-box stores, along with accessories and fittings needed to make a sloping roof.

According to product reviews: stay away from PVC because it it too brittle, and avoid polycarbonate because it is too expensive.


Flooring almost always goes in before trim work in new construction or remodeling because door jambs and casing should be fit to the tile for the best appearance. You don't want grout joints around woodwork if you can help it, and fitting tile under trim is a pain.

You'll want to run tile a short distance into the pocket as well, as the edge will show under the door otherwise, lending to an unfinished appearance.

One related tip: Your pocket door probably comes with a rubber bumper installed on the rough frame behind the door. Once your split jambs are installed, seat the door fully and measure how far behind the jamb the door slab sits. Rip a strip of wood that thickness and attach it to the back edge of the slab where that bumper is. Now your door and jamb are flush when the door is open, which looks vastly more polished. The pull latch is also easier to grab than if the door sits back inside the slot too far.

Yet another unsolicited tip on pocket door installs: 1. Set the rough head rail level. 2. Set the full-width finish jamb plumb and straight. 3. Hang the door and plumb it using the hardware adjusters to mate nicely with the full jamb. 4. Open the door fully. 5. Set the side finish split jambs to parallel the edge of the door (not necessarily perfectly plumb). 5. Set the head split jambs.


I found virtually identical manuals for openers from Chamberlain & Liftmaster, so I called Chamberlain support.  She said the procedure is:

Have the door closed.
Disconnect the trolley (that's the thing I was calling "manual override").  Don't move the door.
Check the tension (1/4 inch above bottom of rail half way along the rail).


Can I repurpose this RJ45 setup for phone to run as Ethernet?

For the last couple of decades, many new homes have been wired using UTP cabling because its not significantly more expensive than plain old phone cabling.

So its not uncommon for cat5 and cat6 cable to have only one pair used for a `phone, and the other pairs idle.   It will be relatively straightforward to reterminate both ends of each wire.

At the room end, you will need a new faceplate and a new jack for each wire.  One jack per cable is correct - ethernet can't be daisy chained like a phone.

  There's some cost saving putting a cat5 jack on cat6 wiring, but there's literally no gain putting a cat6 jack on cat5 wires.

At the central point, there should be one run of cable to each remote room.  If you don't have this, then someone's done daisy chaining and you need to investigate further.

The wires in the walls should be Solid Core.  While it is possible to get plugs for this, the normal best-practice is to terminate the solid core wiring on a patch panel, something like this :

And then to run short stranded patch cords into your switch or router.

Tools: Crimp for plugs, punch-down tool for jacks, a cable stripper for ethernet.  Optionally a tone source tool can help with discovery, and a cheap link tester helps show if any of the individual wires are broken.  And the usual screwdrivers etc.

Consumables: wall plates, jacks, one patch panel(the most expensive item), a short stranded patch cable per link, a longer stranded patch cable for use in the remote rooms.

You also need to think how your router can connect to this switch.  Its possible to use one link to backfeed the LAN through to a switch at the central point.  It may work for you to move the router into the central point, though this can cause issues with wireless ethernet signal strength.

This is all a bit generic, but we can be more specific as you provide more details.


Do I have to bury PVC pipe if used outdoors?

PVC does not need to be buried, however the advantages are:

Protection from impact breakage (schedule 40 PVC is relatively brittle and can break easily).
Protection from UV light (PVC like most plastics is affected by UV, this can be overcome by painting the pipe).
Protection from freezing, if buried below the frost line.

As for pipe size, it depends on the size of hose spigot you use. It will most likely be 1/2" or 3/4" (some come with both sizes). When dealing with different materials, use the same nominal pipe size (3/4" copper = 3/4" PVC).

Personally, I would look at using PEX pipe and bury where possible. The exposed pipe will be less susceptible to breakage than PVC. Also due to its flexibility, you can run it without the need for additional fittings. If you don't have PEX crimpers, you can use Sharkbite push-on fittings (the same fittings can be used to transition from copper to PEX).


There are a lot of varieties of these systems. The more modern ones work over phone lines, and a phone line (POTS) is just two wires.

Intercom is actually a small computer with a directory of names
Select a name and the intercom dials the phone number associated with that name, hopefully ringing a phone in the correct apartment
When you answer the phone and press a button on your phone, the intercom detects that button via DTMF and triggers the latch to open the door (typically an electromagnet).

However, older systems may work differently - e.g., using separate buttons and wires to trigger the door opening mechanism instead of DTMF signaling.


Repair pressure washer around area where hose attaches to machine

Here is a link to the manual:

Manual

There is a parts diagram and list near the back.  It's somewhat difficult to tell from your photos vs. the diagram but it looks like the parts 20, 21, 22, 23 are involve here.

You will probably have to go to the dealer who sold you the unit and get them to order the parts.


Get yourself a drywall sander

Sand down the high spots using rough grit (100 grit) sand paper (they sell it to fit the sander - you'll find the sander in the drywall area and the sandpaper in paints) then smooth it with 200 grit.

If you have low points, fill them in after sanding.

Next time use less mud (little applications, not big ones) and then use a really really big sponge that's been slightly dampened to even it out.


How to build a wooden ladder for a loft bed?

A nice ladder can be built similar to the following. Use 1x4 sized material and bore holes through it to accept closet pole for rungs. Select the angle of the vertical rails to suit your space and desired usage preferences. Rung spacing should be even - but not too close together.

Ladder can be simply screwed through the side rail of the bed into the edge of the vertical ladder rail.


Don't hook stuff like this to mains wiring.  This product is not listed by BSI, TUV, CSA, UL or any reputable testing lab.  As such it may not be legal to install.

A quick peruse of the brand says that they don't even bother faking a CE stamp, CE being not a testing lab at all, but a mere promise of self-certification, that is meaningless unless the seller is a bricks-and-mortar manufacturer or importer with substantial physical presence in the EU.  If Siemens builds it in Germany, CE means something. If Siemens imports it to their warehouse in Rotterdam and then ships pallets to Wickes, then CE means something because Siemens is the importer. Anything having to do with Alibaba, Banggood, eBay, or Amazon Marketplace, they are doing that to evade safety regs: you're the importer.

So no, leave those products behind, unless they run on batteries.


It may just have been a loose connection.
With the disconnect off loosen the lug and remove & inspect the wire.
If the lug and wire are not burned off you can clean them up and torque the lug(you have enough wire to trim and strip a new piece if needed).
I see this quite often many times at the disconnect. Checking the lugs at the disconnect (on the load side) if they are loose it would be a good idea to kill the feed to the disconnect and torque them, once everything is snug turn the disconnect and feeder breaker back on.
If everything fires up the loose connections were the cause, if it won’t start it may have blown a fuse but I don’t normally find blown fuses with loose connections.
I have seen much worse that when properly cleaned up and tightened have worked fine, I would suggest giving it a try, if it starts know you just saved a c note at least. If it won’t start after that then looking at the starting cap and contactor would be the next steps also a diy project you may want to do.


What do I use to level out with between green board and hardy backer board?

You can use thinset mortar to float the gap. If the difference in surfaces is significant then you will need to float it out on the low side quite a bit.

It does not need to be to pretty but it should be relatively smooth. Use fiberglass mesh tape made for hardy backer on the seams to add strength; make sure the screw heads are counter sunk properly.

For 1/6 inch I am not sure it is necessary.


It's a plug for a hole. It should pry out - doubtful that it will allow you to adjust airflow.

Beware of random self-adjustments to a furnace's airflow done without checking the current to the fan motor - you can overload the fan (and the overload will happen in the opposite direction than you expect, unless you are unusually well educated in the ways of centrifugal fans.)


Electrical - Please review my well pump installation

Always make sure when tightening wires under screws that you stay to the left side - this pulls the wire tighter as you fasten the screw down. I noticed in your first picture, you inserted the black wire to the breaker properly, but inserted the red wire backwards. All 3 connections on your start relay need to be reversed as well.
Most standard 1.5 HP well pump motors will pull around 20A +/- at 120VAC. At 240VAC this should drop in half to around 10A +/-. You could have gotten by with #12 wire depending upon how long the wire run is. The #10 stranded is a bit too big for the screws from the looks of your pictures. In your case you really could have left out your white neutral wire as it is not needed.
I personally like to use a scotch-bright pad rather than sandpaper or steel wool as it is less damaging and far less messy. There appears to be a good amount of oxidation in your panel box, I don't think there is anything on the market to clean effectively other than good old-fashioned elbow grease.
As for the voltage difference, ??? Test between your red and black for 240VAC. Check at the panel first, then at the pump relay. I have concerns about the amount of visible oxidation in your pictures. I personally would kill the power to the panel and then clean all of the connections of oxidation. Then I would lightly coat the contact points with dielectric grease to inhibit any further oxidation.
As far as the white neutral wire, you will need it if you plan on installing that sub panel and GFI later on. The neutral is needed for 120VAC in the future sub panel upgrade.


I'd try a good bleach soak first. I have mosaic tile countertops with white grout, and a good bleach soak removes any of the evils my wife can dole out...


when better replace carpet in the basement

Around Xmas and January.  Generally new carpet lines go out in the spring.  So in December and January we have found that we can get carpet much cheaper and the installers aren't busy at all.

Also don't let them glue down your pad or carpet.  You need to be able to move your carpet if you have a water problem.  (good installers would never think about glueing down in a basement but I see it all the time)


How should I caulk between bathtub and drywall?

Yep, use a paintable latex bathroom caulk. We always use PolySeamSeal (now owned by LockTite, available at Lowe's).


Want to build a trap door in the guest bedroom for easier furnace access

I agree with @ecnerwal about planning for the future.

If that's too big a plan, and as an alternative to cutting a whole new access hatch, you might just do some light excavating between your access and the filter to turn 30 minutes of misery into 10 minutes of misery. If your dirt is horrible clay, rent a light jackhammer with a shovel attachment.

Having said that, if you still want a hole in your guest bedroom floor, the closet is an ideal place for it, but of course your floor joists might not cooperate.

Wherever you end up putting the hatch, the basic plan would look like this to me:

figure out if you have enough space between the joists to make a reasonable hatch. 24" would be the minimum I'd consider. If your floor joists are on 16" centers, you'll have to put headers (doubles of whatever the floor joists are) at each end of the hole and cut out the middle joist. (If you google, "headers for skylight", you'll get good images of what I'm on about.)
drill holes from below in opposite corners, close to the inside of the joists as you can, to mark 2 of your corners. Then, from above, drill the other 2 corners of the rectangle perpendicular/parallel to the flooring. Hopefully, these holes make a rectangle that's also approximately perpendicular/parallel to your joists. The underlying idea is that you really want your hole to be as close to the joists as possible without going over the joists themselves. If you need to cheat, make the hole smaller and still cut parallel to the finish floor. You'll need to add extra support later, but that's not a big deal.
make a note of the thickness of your finish floor and subfloor combined.
mark the rectangle 1/2" smaller on each side from the drill holes. (Masking tape and a marker might make the line easier to see.)
assuming you're competent plunge cutting with a circular saw, set the depth of cut to just a hair deeper than your combined floor thickness and go ahead and cut. Don't let the saw kerf go past the confines of the rectangle. (Don't use your favorite circular saw blade -- you'll probably hit nails. Which reminds me to mention eye/ear protection.)
finish the corners with a jigsaw, reciprocating saw, or oscillating tool.
if the subfloor of the bit you've cut out is in good condition, it can stay. Otherwise, get some 3/4" plywood and cut it a bit smaller than the hole. Either way, attach the hardwood by screwing through from the underside.
if you have joists on 16" centers, now is the time to cut the middle joist and install headers. Cut the middle joist 1-1/2" back from the edge of the hole so that the headers will be half in and half out with respect to the sides of the hole. (Reciprocating saw would be the weapon of choice for this, as you'll be able to cut the joist almost all the way without too much damage to the subfloor. Jigsaw would be next best, but that would involve some chisel work.) Hopefully the existing floor joists are between flush and 3/4" of the sides of the hole.
if needed, headers should be double thickness of whatever the existing floor joist is. If your joists are actual 8", then doubled 2x8s are close enough. Don't make the headers much smaller, though. Use double joist hangers (4 in total) to connect the headers to the existing joists. Use a single joist hanger (2 in total) to connect the old joist to the back of the headers.
now you need to add material for the hatch cover to sit on. 2x4s can run down the length of the old joists. Make them flush with the top of your joist. 4 or 5 3" screws per side seems about right. If you're re-using your subfloor, the height will be perfect. If you substituted some ply, then you'll have to shim on top to get the floor level right. If there's not at least 3/4" of the hatch cover bearing on this support, add another layer.
for the hatch cover support that is perpendicular to the joists, either your new header will do or you'll run a 2x4 on the flat, half in and half out of the hole. Attach it well to the joists at both ends and screw up into the subfloor. (But don't expect the subfloor screws to be very good.) This might need shimming like the others.
add a handle of some description to your hatch. Commercial ones exist, though a very basic one is to drop a long (6-8") timber bolt (distinct from a carriage bolt in that there's no square section under the head) through a slightly oversized hole. Put a nut right at the end and you'll have a bolt that usually falls down into the hole and can be picked up when needed.
add trim around the hatch cover (like a thin door casing), throw it on the hole and you're done.

Whew! After all that, I'm guessing that a bit of digging sounds pretty good. Don't hesitate to comment if anything needs clarification.


The terminals on the back side of that speaker connection adapter are meant to be used with a type of crimp on terminal such as those pictured below:

(Picture source - https://www.arc-components.com/2-001-34-pack-of-100-durite-coloured-crimp-terminal-480mm-push-on-red.html)

These come in various sizes, colors and styles. Some types are covered with insulation and others like above are insulated only in the crimp area. The terminal is pushed onto the short stripped end of the in wall wire then crimped in place using a special tool designed for this purpose. The terminal is then pushed onto the flat ends of the terminals on the back side of that mount plate.

You can source these from many places including your local auto parts store.


What kind of wire do I need for 3 LED strips?

A rule of thumb for 3528's is 2 amps per 16ft (5m)  section.  They are rated to connect up two strips (not 3) nose-to-tail (4 amps through their internal bus-bars).  I recommend limiting it to 3 amps (1-1/2 strips) but even then you'll have noticeable fade.  To avoid it, you need feeder wire.  18AWG intercom cable is ample, as it is nominally good for 6-7 amps.  Anything heavier will be difficult to attach to the strip ends anyway.  I prefer 20.

Option 1: Ring (no feeder)

Wire the LED strips in a total loop.  Always, black (-) to black... and red (+) to red. The power supply feeds the loop in both directions.  Yes, there are redundant current paths.  That helps carry the load and evens out fading.

However you'll readily notice fading between the power supply location and the opposite side.

Option 2: Ring, with feeders

Lay it out as in a ring, but also add 18-20 AWG feeder wire.  (18 AWG intercom wire probably being the cheapest choice).  Splice it in wherever makes sense - at the ends of the strip runs, or in the corners if you are cutting.

So imagine your room is a clock face with the power supply at 12:00.  I'd run feeders to the LED strip junctions at 4:00 and 8:00.   Or if you are cutting for the corners, I'd feed there instead at 3:00 and 9:00 (wouldn't bother with 6:00).

Since each LED is no farther than 1/2 strip (8 feet) from a feeder, there'll be no visible fading and you'll get max light out of the LEDs.


What kind of filter do I need if I want to reuse the shower water?

Step one is up to the local jurisdiction having authority - is this even legal in the specific place you want to do it? If not, fugeddaboutit.

After that there are many options - a reed bed filter is common in "permaculture" applications, a sand filter is another approach.


Two thoughts.

If you remember which side the valve was on. That is most likely your input. It could have been installed backwards however.
Crank up the heat and give feel test it. One of the pipes should be stone cold.


Massive reduction in air flow in furnance with air filters

First, does the 3m filter meet the furnace manufacturer specs?  Second, do a simple test. Observe the air flow with the 3M filter in, change it out to an old filter or no filter at all. Is there a big difference in air flow?  Are any of the returns covered with a carpet or other obstruction?  If the no filter test greatly improves flow and there are no obstructions, you may have the wrong filter. If if doesn't improve with no filter, then call a tech and start looking at the furnace blower.


When installing rigid dryer vent and connecting pieces

Each piece of duct should fit into each other piece, in such a way that the piece closest to the dryer should fit into the piece further from the dryer.  This way,  there's no ridges for lint to get caught on.  You'll use a crimping tool, to crimp the end of ducts so that they fit into the next section.

You can then seal the seam with foil faced tape, that is listed for the use. This will prevent leaks, and hold the duct sections together.

It's not recommend to use screws for attaching sections of duct, as they could provide places for lint to get snagged.

You'll also want to support and secure the duct, so that it's held firmly in place. This will reduce the stresses on the joints.


If you want no holes, you have to compact it, easiest is with vibration but that needs a special tool. Or you can poke a stick in and out of it for a while. I've had great success by fastening a bit of wood plank on the business end of a vibrating sander and using that as a vibrating float.
Don't worry though, you're not building a suspension bridge, it's not going to come apart. If it was a thin load-bearing shape like a slab, then it would be worrying to have it "pre-fractured" like that, but this is a big chunky block whose only job is to be heavy and take a few screw anchors.
If the holes are an aesthetic problem, you can always cover it with a mortar made with a mix of fine sand and cement, apply like plaster.
For next time:
Since this is not a load bearing item like a slab, you can put in a bit too much water so it flows better. It will be a bit weaker, and have a bit more cracks, none of it matter for what is basically a concrete boat anchor. Or you could mix in some concrete plasticizer, which makes it a lot easier to work with without compromise in solidity, but that's a bit expensive and way overkill for this job.


What size conduit should I use? (I was thinking 3/4")

Since you're pulling more than 2 wires through the conduit, you're only going to be able to fill the conduit to 40%.  Since you didn't specifically mention what type of conduit you're using, I'll list all metallic and PVC conduit.

3/4" Intermediate Metal Conduit (IMC) @40% = 0.235 in.²
3/4" Rigid Metal Conduit (RMC) @40% = 0.220 in.²
3/4" Schedule 80 PVC @40% = 0.164 in.²
3/4" Schedule 40 PVC @40% = 0.203 in.²

I'll assume you're using THHN/THWN/THWN-2 conductors, so you'll need to know the area of these conductors in the various sizes.

12 AWG = 0.0133 in.²
8 AWG = 0.0366 in.²

To figure out if the conductors will fit, you just have to add them up.

3 #8 x 0.0366 in.² = 0.1098 in²
3 #12 x 0.0133 in.² = 0.0399 in.²
0.1098 in.² + 0.0399 in.² = 0.1497 in.²

You end up with a conductor fill value of 0.1497 in.², which means you'll be able to use 3/4" conduit no matter what type you choose.

NOTES: For a look at some of the tables where these numbers came from, see this answer.

  Can I snake all wires for the AC and outlet in one conduit (2 conductor 1 ground for ac [8awg] / 1 conductor 1 neutral 1 ground for outlet [12awg]) - not sure the fill on this size

No problem, see above.

  When I stub up, I need to wrap around the foundation a little bit; any issue going above a hose spigot?

Shouldn't be a problem.

  Am I crazy for using rigid metal conduit? A lot of people I know say just go 'as deep as I can' and use PVC. But that's against code and even though this won't be inspected I try to stick to code as much as possible

You can use metallic conduit if you want, but it will likely be cheaper to use PVC (even though you'll have to dig deeper).

I think you may be confusing PVC pipe (used for plumbing), and PVC conduit (used for electrical).  There's no problem at all with using PVC conduit, unless there's a local amendment that restricts its use.  However, you'll only have to bury metallic conduit 6" deep, whereas PVC will have to be 18" deep. So if you don't like digging, metallic conduit might be worth the extra cost.


Why are some outlets not working in two bedrooms?

It is probably broken wire or bad connection at a back stab that feeds the chain of outlets. The problem is at the last working outlet (closest to the breakers usually) or the first non working outlet. Figure out this location and turn the breaker off, pull the outlet look for a loose or broken wire it could be either the black or white,  if back stabs were used into the outlet many times the insulation will be melted back at the bad connection, when found replace the outlet and don't use the back stabs pigtail and or use the screw terminals. I have repaired hundreds of these failures and 98% of the time it is a loose backstab connection in the outlet. If you pull the 2 outlets and don't find anything but the other outlets now work , get 2 new outlets and replace those because this will happen again when a good load like a vacuum is plugged in.


Why not use a powder actuated tool (like Ramset) and use short drive pins with a washer?

Insert these in a line where you want the cable. Before firing, wrap a wire/cable tie of some sort under the washer.

 Images and links are illustrative, not an endorsement of goods or sources.


Replacing bathroom exhaust fan without ground

If you choose a class-II (double-insulated) fan you won't need to add the ground wire.


When you can avoid using the toilet for a bit, put a little food coloring in the tank. If the water in the bowl changes color after an hour or so, the flapper isn't sealing properly and should be replaced. If the water is still clear but you see a flow of water, the fill valve isn't fully closing and water is entering via the line attached to the overflow tube. Typically, if I go through the trouble of replacing either of these, I replace the entire innards of the toilet.


Even if you are absolutely sure there is no water leaking into the attic you still have a problem. I am guessing that the water is getting pushed up and under the drip edge. It is migrating under the soffit trim and dripping out where it meets the siding. Potentially the water may get behind the siding if it builds up far enough. There are a variety of methods for dealing with the ice. Try to remove as much of the snow as you safely can. Melt the ice with an ice melt product that doesn't contain rock salt. If the roof is higher than you are comfortable working on you can buy ice melt in a block form that can be thrown onto the roof from the ground. You can also throw pantyhose filled with ice melt onto the roof. All the ice doesn't need to be removed you just need several channels that run from the eave toward the ridge to allow the water to drain from under the ice.


Why does the kitchen faucet lose pressure and sputter?

The washer in your kitchen faucet's hot water tap is loose or worn, and is flopping around when the tap is opened. Replace the washer and you should be fine.


Bathtub valve that changes flow to shower head leaks

I take it from your description that the diverter is in the tub spout and so it leaks out the spout into the tub. The leak is not going into the wall, right? This type of diverter does leak much more than the diverter inside the wall, but the leak is of no real consequence.

But if the leak is really excessive or it bothers you, then AFIK the only solution is replacement of the spout. AFIK there is no replaceable seal inside Sometimes it's metal-on-metal in the spout and the sealing surfaces wear with use.

See video.