GFCI tester is tripping 15A breaker in panel; outlets on circuit do not appear to be GFCI outlets - is this a problem?

Worth noting(?) this 15A breaker that keeps tripping is the only one in the panel with a test button.

Because it is a GFCI breaker.
Yup.  That's a thing.
The GFCI rabbit hole gets weirder: Any GFCI device (recep, breaker, deadfront, switch, combo switch/recep) can protect downline circuits.  So if you have a GFCI recep at spot 1, and cable going onward to spot 2, there is an option to wire it so the GFCI recep at 1 protects both the cable to 2 and the outlet at 2.  Or 3 or beyond.
In fact that is exactly what a GFCI breaker is doing: protecting the whole circuit.
The reason this wasn't apparent to you is that the receps did not have the mandatory sticker: GFCI Protected.  As such, they were a code violation and need to have the sticker added.
This puts the "random trips" in a whole new light.
It's simply ground-faulting of the various appliances.  Keep in mind that small leakage from several appliances can add up to enough leakage to trip a GFCI device.  So an additional appliance (like the vacuum) can "push it over the edge" as it were.
However, a 2-prong appliance is unlikely to cause a GFCI trip unless it is ground faulting internally and it contacts something grounded.  (E.G. if the vacuum tripped everytime you vac'd under a water pipe or something).
If you have a cyclical load like an air conditioner that sometimes trips it, then the trip will appear to sporadically occur with any appliance you regularly plug in: the appliance isn't at fault, the other load just happened to choose that moment to trip it.
If unrelated circuits trip it, it's possible the 2 circuits' neutral wires have been bridged together at some point.  Current from that circuit returning on this circuit's neutral will cause a trip.
Lastly, it's not impossible for a GFCI to fail outright.  I strongly discourage people from thinking in those terms, because experience has shown most people will instantly leap to that conclusion: a version of "shoot the messenger". I am glad you are not vulnerable to that.
It wouldn't hurt to buy a second GFCI breaker with an aim to fit it on a second circuit, and use it to test this circuit before assigning it that task.


Automating water to flow through one of two paths

Searching "online stores" for "three way valve" "L-port" shows a manual version.  Sometimes these are labeled as "diverter valves".


I can't speak to the issue of ground requirements - one of the pros will have to answer that. Note that references below to /2, /3, /4 refer to the number of wires in each cable, excluding ground.
But I can answer the rest:
You will need two cables for each fan. In the old days, you could use a /2 from power (the sconce) to the ceiling and a /3 from the ceiling to the switches. However, due to the requirement for neutral at switches (relatively new requirement), you would need a /4 - which is a more unusual cable - in order to provide neutral. So I would recommend the alternative setup: /2 from power to the switches and /3 from the switches to the fan.

If the existing circuit is a 15A circuit then you can use 12 AWG or 14 AWG wire/cable. If the existing circuit is a 20A circuit then you must use 12 AWG wire/cable.
In the sconce box (hopefully it is mounted on a proper junction box), you will either find one cable (power to sconce) or two (power to sconce and power going on to another room). You need to connect all hot wires (normally all black) together with a wire nut, including the new cable's black wire. You need to connect all neutral wires (normally all white) together with a wire nut, including the new cable's white wire. If the wires are currently in wire nuts then it may be advisable to replace with newer wire nuts (you can check on the package as to which color wire nuts handle different numbers of wires). If the wires are not in wire nuts - e.g., if there is only one black and one white going to the sconce - then you will need to add some short pieces of matching wire ("pigtails") to connect the sconce since the sconce wires will now instead go to wire nuts. You can get these extra pieces of black & white wire by taking some cable and stripping off the outer insulation.
Run the new /2 cable to the switch box.
Run a new /3 cable from the switch box up to the fan.
In the switch box, connect the black wire together with two black pigtails using a wire nut. Connect each pigtail to one screw on a switch (doesn't matter top or bottom, but wire the switches identically.) Connect the red and black wires to the other switch screws. Connect the two white wires together with a wire nut.
In the ceiling fan box, connect the white wire to the fan/light neutral. There may be one neutral but there could be two - they all go together. Connect the black and red wires to the fan & light hot wires. Those wires may be black and red or black and blue - or potentially any colors except white (neutral), gray (neutral), green (ground) or bare wire (ground).
Not knowing for sure about the final ground configuration, it would make sense to me (but if Ed or Harper or one of the other experts says otherwise, do what they say!) to connect the round wires of the fan/light and the cable together with a wire nut, and connect the /2 and /3 ground wires together and pigtail them to the switches. The big question is what to do with the ground at the other end (sconce/power source).


How to join a vertical and horizontal pole?

"Structural pipe fittings" seems to be the most common generic term for that.  Note that it may be difficult to find a lot of selection of 1/2" hardware, because the typical use for this stuff is constructing railings, and railings need to be thicker than that, but there's probably some 1/2" stuff out there.  McMaster has some options that might work for you here.  Other search terms for similar types of pipe clamps that may work for you are "kee klamp" and "cheeseburough".


Oil, no. Lubricate, yes. Common oils have multiple problems for electrical devices, the worst of which is possible flammability. You can get specific electrical "contact lubricant" for this though. It is usually not sold in hardware stores, you may have to order it on-line and the smallest package will be a lot more than you need, but don't substitute. And to those who will tell you "WD-40", that is NOT a good lubricant, despite what people think. It's main purpose is as a water displacement agent, in fact that's what the "WD" stands for (Water Displacer, attempt #40 is where the name came from). As a lube, it only lasts a couple of weeks before it breaks down and evaporates.
And NEVER apply any lubricant to an energized device.


There seems to be many others with Hozelock reels that have problems.
fixya.com/troubleshoot/hozelock
It could be just jammed from pulling it out a little to far, not necessarily to hard but to far, or it could be the very low quality plastic parts inside have broken or the belt has broken or stripped.
If jiggling the real while jiggling the lock lever does not free it up then I think obtaining the specialty, star or torx, head screwdriver and investigating the internals is the only option to assess its repair-ability.


2 outlets in kitchen have no power to them

Sounds like they're protected by a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), and the GFCI has tripped. You'll want to start by searching for the GFCI device, and resetting it. In most cases, it will look like a receptacle, except that there will be two button in the center of the face.  Press the RESET button in as far as it will go, you may or may not hear a click.

If these receptacles are not GFCI protected, then there's likely a loose, broken, or damaged wire somewhere.  You'll have to determine everything that's on the circuit, then try and figure out where the line feeding the first dead receptacle comes from.  With the circuit breaker off, carefully inspect the wiring of all the devices on the circuit.  Look for damaged, loose, or broken connections.

If you're not comfortable with electrical work, or don't have the knowledge and tools necessary, please contact a local licensed electrician.


Circuit breaker + panel selection -- make and breaker series?

I am of the strong opinion that for a residential application it almost does not matter what brand you choose. They are all nearly the same, even QO and CH series. Sure, copper buss is nice, but not mandatory. I have seen and installed pretty much every major brand in the last 25 years or so, they are ALL ok.

I would choose something that you can get breakers and parts locally and easily.


Why do these outlets appear to be "hot"?

If you only disconnected the neutral, it would explain why both wires show 120V. Any load anywhere in the circuit, even the miniscule vampire load of a GFCI, would "pull up" the neutral to 120V. That is normal and will happen in any circuit where neutral is interrupted.

Is that safe?  Yes - in a system built to modern code.  Neutral and ground are isolated from each other everywhere except the main panel. (And that's why.) Neutral from circuit 1 isn't cross-connected to circuit 2 (which could overload circuit 2's neutral if it were).

Of course old work can have a variety of defects. In modern work, there's one place in particular where neutral floating to 120V would be a problem, and that's in NEMA 10 outlets for stoves or dryers, because they treat neutral as ground and put neutral on the metal frame of the appliance.


The first thing I'd do is one-by-one, remove the screws in the hinges and replace them with 3" #8 screws.  This should definitely secure the frame to the stud, and the door to the frame.  It might also fix your lock alignment problem, but if not, usually all that is needed is to move the strike up/down or in/out a bit.  Take the strike off completely - does the door latch correctly now? If so, you just need to position the strike correctly.  If it does not, that means the original hole is not aligned correctly and you will need to either enlarge it, or if it is way off, drill another hole and re-install the strike.


How can I know the 'capacity' of an electric socket?

If you have a device that draws 10amps, then the entire circuit needs to support that draw. This includes the circuit breaker, wire gauge, length and receptacle rating.

In the US where the household voltage is 120V, a typical lighting or outlet circuit is 15Amps, but you're only supposed to use 80%, so that leaves 12amps available. All other devices on the circuit count towards this limit.

So if your device needs 10amp, that means you can only have an additional 2 on the circuit.

Watts = Volts * Amps

240 Watts = 120V * 2amps

So as long as the wattage of other devices on the circuit add up to 240 or less, you would have enough capacity.


Help identify this electric clothes dryer part from an Asko T701 dryer?

Indeed, it does look like a "Guard, Door Switch", part number 8064187.  See item 336 on page 6 of this.

Unfortunately, that diagram does not show how it is assembled.  It does show that it goes roughly at the top of the opening, just like you suspected.


Dual zone vs single zone mini split Air/heat

This skates awfully close to a shopping question - but. What I have observed in my consideration of the same question is that the most efficient units are essentially always single-zone. This makes a degree of sense, as an outdoor unit that can run 2 (or more) inside units will be oversized when less than the full number of units are calling for service at the same time.

That is treating the running cost as a prime motivator (which I do) - purchase cost can be and is all over the map, but is more often in favor of a multi-zone system.

The factor of not having a single point of failure for the entire system is also a consideration, as @Jim Stewart points out in a comment. Systems do fail or require maintenance, and there's a big difference between everything not working and half of things not working when that happens.

If you have no A/C now, your electric bill is hard to predict, considering no information about insulation (probably bad at that era unless it's been upgraded) and sun exposure. If you use window units now, very probably the cost will go down, so long as the mini-splits are more efficient (higher SEER) than the window units.

I note that only one of your brands expresses a SEER number as you're presented them to us. You should find out what the other one's SEER rating is, as that greatly influences the cost of operation.

Relative cost of heating with the mini-splits .vs. propane will depend on the price of each fuel and efficiencies.


Allow for the possibility that you or the next owner might want to use them again, and try closing them off "less destructively" - metal flashing as @bib suggests, or my personal favorite for this job, a glazed ceramic tile mortared onto the top of the flue. Stays put, sheds water, can be knocked free in the future if there's ever a need for it.


Can I use ratchet straps to lift a dolly into a truck bed?

Having had to manhandle quite a few appliances on my own I would do this. Put the truck tray down. Tip the appliance over until the top just rests on the edge of the tray. Lift the back of the appliance and push forward. Use cardboard under it if you don't want to damage the side. Once it is all in, stand the appliance up. This way you are never deadlifting the appliance, more pushing and rotating it. You can use rachet straps like lifting straps to get better purchase if you want.


Can a termite inspection report declare a house irreparable?

Bring in an engineer. The termite inspector's job is to tell you that there is damage and where. The engineer's job is to tell you how that affects the building and what can be done about it. (A home inspector likewise is generally tasked with pointing out what's an issue rather than telling you how big an issue it is, though you can sometimes read between the lines, especially if you walked through the inspection with him.)

Damage that affects structural members of a house may not be repairable. Folks in my neighborhood had to demolish an old farmhouse they'd bought because it had a combination of problems (not termite-related), and nobody was willing to try to fix either one for fear of causing the other to fail catastrophically.

(The termite inspector may give you a general sense of whether the damage is cosmetic, minor, or serious... which will at least tell you whether you do need the engineer's opinion.)


Attic flue vent pipe...asbestos? If so, what should I do?

Searching online using the phrase ""Transite flue pipe" leads to a large number of hits that indicate this type of pipe is for sure an asbestos cement pipe. It does need to be handled as a hazardous material when working with it and removing it.

Transite piping was commonly used as a flue pipe and chimney liner for gas appliance venting. It has had to be discontinued from use because the inside of the pipe would degrade from age, use and temperature changes and then start to flake off. With enough flaking the pipe could become blocked and cause serious problems with gas appliance back drafting.

Check with local requirements with regard to disposal requirements for this material.


This isn't a shopping channel, but unless money is no object, money will rear its ugly head. So I will heavily price the options, based on prices from random USA big-box stores.  (and these are "by-the-foot" prices for the wire, a whole 500' spool may be cheaper.)

How deep do you want to bury this thing?

This is a factor. The expensive rigid conduit only needs 6" deep burial, the cheap PVC conduit needs 18".  You can (in some sizes) buy direct-burial wire that must be buried 24".  That's a lot of trenching for 350', consider the cost difference there.  The cost of conduit also interlocks with the thickness of wire, as smaller wires need smaller conduit.  As some examples of cost for conduit alone:

$300 -- 2" PVC conduit legal to bury 18" deep
$1400 -- 2" RMC conduit legal to bury 6" deep
$1200 -- 1-1/2" RMC conduit legal for 6" deep (barely worth the savings)
$500 -- 3/4" RMC conduit legal for 6" deep

Before you rush to use the minimum size conduit, price the next larger size.  This will make wire pulling a lot easier, which means you are less likely to get stuck and need to call an electrician for the pull.

Do you really need copper?  How big a deal is voltage drop?

People often go to copper by default, or because of "problems they hear about". That was never an issue for large cables like this.  The fact is, large-wire lugs are made of aluminum.  The cost of copper is insane, and nobody buys direct burial cable in it, anyone splurging for Cu also splurges for conduit.  I'll price both ways and add conduit to the Cu pricing.

Voltage drop: Realistically your RV will rarely use 30A and almost never use 50A.  The "conventional wisdom" is to size for 3% voltage drop of your realistic usage (30-50A).  However some people nonetheless spec wire for 3% voltage at absolute max current capacity (100A). Your call.  Assuming the latter:

$3600 -- copper 2/0 conductors (#1 ground) in 2" PVC conduit (buried 18")
$1340 -- aluminum 4/0-4/0-4/0-2/0  MH feeder cable (direct buried 24")
$1700 -- aluminum 4/0 conductors (2/0 ground) in 2" PVC conduit (buried 18")
add $1100 if you'd rather bury rigid conduit 6".

Size voltage drop for actual use

Now if you want to size for 3% at 50 amps, and 6% at absolute max 100A - so a 7V drop on a 120V circuit - you can save some coin.  Unfortunately I could not find direct burial cable in these sizes, they would expect you to bump up to the above sizes, or use conduit.  So we shall.

$2750 -- copper #1 (#3 ground) in 2" PVC conduit (18" burial)
$1400 -- aluminum #1/0 (#1 ground) in 2" PVC conduit (18" burial)
add $900 if you want to use Rigid conduit buried 6" deep.

Transformers

When you increase voltage, transmission losses drop dramatically.  Just for chuckles, let's look at using transformers to kick up the long-haul transmission voltage to 480V.   Now you want 240V at 100A, which is 24,000 watts, or 24 KVA.  24 KVA is 50 amps at 480 volts.  To contain voltage drop within 3.3 percent, you'd use

$560 -- #6 copper direct-burial UF-B cable (buried 24")
$500 -- two copper #6 wires in 3/4" PVC conduit (buried 18")
add $500 for rigid conduit buried 6".

25 KVA is a common transformer size.  With aggressive shopping/deal-hunting, you can find 25 KVA 480V transformers for $300-400 each.  With two of those, the total bumps to $1100-1800.  Much as I love to throw this option in, this one is a wobbler - is the slightly lower cost worth the added complexity?  On the other hand, it sure makes the wires and conduit small!

Keep in mind you are not running neutral or ground, in fact, your two 480V wires are entirely isolated from the electrical system at both ends. This isolation causes your remote site to be separately derived service, thus a *main service" and the panel there will be a main panel.


I don't think your problem is the switch, but another outlet in your room. Check all of the outlets.

Any of the outlets that you DON'T want to be switched or half-switched MUST NOT have the red wires to attached to the outlet.
Only switched outlets should be connected to the red wire and their tab should be broken.


Is there a cheap way to test for mold spores?

Amazon carries home mold tests. I have no idea if these are any good, but they are pretty inexpensive:


All of those are sediment (or possibly carbon) filters.

Three of them in a row is common for having increasing levels of filtration, eg: 20 micron -> 5 micron -> 1 micron.  This captures bigger particles earlier, which increases the longevity and effectiveness of the smaller filters.

The pressure gauges give you an idea of which filters are getting clogged so you know what to replace.

There's no functional difference between opaque, translucent and clear filter housings -- it's just a different design. Arguably with the clear housings you can see how "dirty" the filter is, but practically speaking, it's much more useful to have pressure gauges. A filter that looks "dirty" may still be quite effective, while one that still looks fairly new may actually be clogged internally and need to be changed.


I had a similar situation, only it involved removing some load bearing walls.  The wall framed what originally was the furnace (boiler) room in the house.  Inside that room was a ~3'x6' entry into the attic.  So the wall on two sides of the room provided the support for the ceiling joists, similar to the way your floor joists rested on the old wall for the stairway.

When I removed the furnace room and it's walls, I had to provide a new support beam for the ceiling joists, which are also the floor joists for the attic above, to replace the load carrying walls that were removed.

I cut back the existing joists enough so I could get a doubled up 2x12 glulam up there.  Then I fastened the existing, cut back joists to the glulam beam with joist hangars.  I also had to provide required posts back in the two wall that the beam rested on, which carries the load down to the foundation.  Note that I had to do this two times because I did not want to move the access to the attic, and had to provide the beams on both sides of the attic opening.  Here are some pictures:

First shows the existing joists cut back to provide room for the beam.

Second shows one of the two beam in place and the joists attached to it-

Here's a view of both beams.  Note the double or tripled-up 2x4 posts added in the existing wall to carry the load from the beams.

And yes, the flowered contact paper is still on the hatch covering to the attic.  Wife thinks its whimsical.

I can put together an overall sketch if people think that will help

EDIT 1 - Added sketch of joist layout


Is it normal for GFCI receptacles to explode and burn?

This happens all the time if an exterior GFCI is not weather-resistant. I've never had a weather resistant GFCI go up in smoke.

Yes, they can be in a metal box, but they still should be marked WR (weather resistant) - this means the electronics inside are coated to reduce the chances of moisture causing exactly what happened with your GFCI.

If it had shorted to the box, the metal screw would have arced and tripped the breaker. If it had shorted on the load side, it would have tripped the GFCI. But, in this case, enough moisture got in and the electronics shorted and let the magic smoke out.

Last item on the list is that it should have an in-use cover or an extra duty cover, that allows a cord to be plugged in with the cover protecting from rain.

In this case, replace your GFCI with a WR rated GFCI and add an in-use cover to greatly reduce the chance of this happening again. In some jurisdictions the local ordinances require the outlet itself to be GFCI so it can be reset (not running cords inside because of tripping the GFCI in wet grass with an electric mower is the "why" the inspector told me).


My door doesn't close without having to push it upwards first

The door is sagging, as is common over time. Or the house is sagging, and the frame's gone out of square.

In either case you have a number of options depending on what's wrong. Closing the door you should be able to see where the gaps are, and likewise with the door nearly ajar.

Then shim the appropriate hinges. In a perfect world you'd shim behind the stud, but that requires opening the wall and I'm guessing you don't own the house (and it's a pain even if you do). I've used a few layers of cardboard as a thin hinge before, or you can use real wood shims if you have a huge gap to make up (use them in pairs, and snap off the parts you don't need). Obviously the screws have to have enough to bite into even with the shims in place, or you might need slightly longer screws.

It's also possible the wood that the screws are going into is weak and can't hold a screw; you may be able to recover this by shoving toothpicks and superglue in the holes, then redrilling new holes once that dries.

If the house is sagging, you may be able to straighten the frame through brute force. I didn't think this would work, but it made a difference in the house I used to live in. It was a non-load-bearing wall and I literally just pushed the door frame back into square, shoving from corner to corner on the shorter diagonal.


Garage door sticking: WD-40 temporary solution but still sticks: need to change hinges or what?

WD-40 is NOT a lubricant.  In fact it will dissolve and wash away any lubricant that was there to begin with.
If you think the problem is lack of lubrication, white lithium grease or similar is a good choice.  There is a WD-40 branded white lithium spray that is quite convenient but there are other brands as well.
As far as whether your hinges and rollers need to be replaced, well that depends on whether they are worn or not.  What you have said doesn't really give much guidance as to their condition.


Can you ID this shower system/panel product?

The answer: Swanstone

How I found it: I got lucky. I just grabbed it and started taking it to local big-box places (I assumed it was a big-box as the materials in this house aren't necessarily 'high end').

I stopped at Lowes and the initial guy in the kitchen section had no clue, but I was fortunate that a curious co-worker popped his head over the counter, thought for a minute, then declared it 'Bermuda Sand' from 'Swanstone'. We found the swatches and, sure enough, he was right-on. So kudos tot he very helpful Lowes employee.

Apparently, these type of shower systems are just large panels of solid surface material that is glued up on the wall. They idea is that the panels abut, then caulked. The corner cove is more of an 'extra' piece that can be used if desired. The underlayment SHOULD be your standard tile surface...water proof cement board that is then sealed with some sort of water sealant. However, I don't know that in this case, so this particular piece seems to be a rather critical for my shower. So, glad we were able to find it.

The challenge for future people reading this is that I guess the solid surface companies are many, and the patterns all tend to be unique to each company, so it is a bit of a needle-in-a-haystack hunt trying to find these.

For contractors, I'd like to suggest leaving a note on the inside of a bath or kitchen vanity with the manufacturer's info. That'd be handy. ;)


What can we do about previously filled holes so I can varnish wood?

Test it first. You may be able to just stain the filler as is.

If that does not work, dig out the existing filler with whatever tool works (putty knife, old drill bit, a thick nail) and replace it with something you can stain. Not sure if paint stripper works on filler, but it's work a short.

If there's any other stains or treatments on the door though, you need to remove those with chemicals like The Evil Greebo, and sand it down nice and fine.


How can I touch up the paint on crown molding where I inadvertently applied wall paint?

Yes you can just take a small brush, pour a bit of paint in a plastic cup and go along and touch it up. Make sure to wipe off the brush very well, so only a little paint is applied and you reduce the chance of drips.

Another positive you have going for you is this is up high so people aren't going to be looking at it too closely.


My ceiling light won't turn off, how do I wire it up correctly? (UK)

It seems apparent from your second-light picture that the light carries both switched-hot for the lamp (on yellow) and onward always-hot power for onward points (on red-hot and blue-neutral).  So that tells us you are correct about cable A.

Between cable B and C, one of them is more likely than not a switch loop.  I note B is a twin-and-earth using red+red conductors.  Use of specially color coded cable for switch loops is a British thing. That notable lack of color coding makes it only useful in switch loops, so that's cable B.  You can double-check by opening up your switch and checking the colors there.

That leaves cable C.  Since the cable to the other lamp is accounted for, cable C can only be onward power to other points of use.

When I say "onward power" in both boxes, one or both of those could be going to supply. I don't really care which one is supply and which one is onward to loads. It makes no difference here; the point is those cables are intended to have always-on power.

So all neutrals should be joined together, including the neutral wire from this here lamp.
All always-hots should be joined together, and if B is a switch loop, one of the two wires in B must be always-hot. - Then all switched-hots are joined together, in this case it'll be 3 wires: 1 wire from the switch loop, one to the other lamp, and the hot from this lamp.


open neutral caused from changing water tank?

In short and to answer your immediate question-- yes, you most likely need an electrician to come perform troubleshooting. However, there seems to be some ambiguity here.

I'm going to make the assumption that "water tank" means 240V electric water
heater? Did you install the new tank or was it installed by a professional? If all of this happened immediately after the installation, I suggest having your installer come back to verify the installation before hiring anyone else.

It sounds like your receptacle tester is not telling you the full truth. You said your receptacles work, but they physically cannot with an open neutral-- you would have an open circuit and be in the dark. However, you can have an open neutral and still have a live "hot" wire, so don't take anything for granted.

If the neutral is indeed open on all of your receptacles, that would most likely indicate a problem at your breaker panel. This would bring us back around full circle to calling an electrician.


How can I determine if there is any damage to the conductors of a circuit?

The quickest and safest may be to check the resistance of the conductors with the power off, and determine the resistance it should be based on the material, length, and cross sectional area. Testing in various locations.
Of course this requires some math, and guessing about the conductor length.

Another quick way is to test for voltages with the power turned on. You may also need to have some sort of dummy load to check for high resistance connections, this could be done with a solenoid type voltage tester.

The easiest is to go based on the assumption that the problem is at the connections. That means that it is likely in a electrical box. Make sure that none of the connections are loose or charred in every one of the boxes. You would have still needed to do this with the other tests, but they would have helped to narrow down the location of the problem.

Actually that still isn't the easiest; which is of course to call an electrician.

I will say that it is very unlikely that you blew open the conductor anywhere else. According to a chart on Wikipedia it would take about 600 amps to melt a 14 gauge wire in one second, which is more time that it would take for a fuse to blow. So unless the cable was severely damaged beforehand somewhere along it's length; the problem is in a box.


Replace light switch connected to a power outlet with dimmer - two black wires to one black and red

Yes, go ahead and replace the receptacle with a GFCI receptacle

Your idea of replacing this receptacle with a GFCI is a good call, considering that Code has required GFCIs in bathrooms for a good few decades now.  You'll want to remove the current pigtail since your dimmer has wire leads, by the way.  Also, leave the sticker on the GFCI's LOAD terminals since you have no use for them here.

Once that's done, the dimmer is easy

The dimmer's black lead gets bundled in with the always-hot coming into the receptacle (you may need to pigtail the receptacle's hot for this), the black wire going out to the cable to the light gets connected to the red wire on the dimmer, and the dimmer's green wire gets bundled in with the grounds in the box.


What is needed to fix or replace a cracked old seal on a refrigerator door?

The refrigerator gasket is replaceable, but you'll need to find an exact replacement, possibly from the manufacturer.

Before doing that, make sure that the door hasn't warped, which would cause one of the corners to not close tightly. To straighten a warped door, loosen the screws that are beneath the current gasket (when you open the door, you can pull the gasket away to expose the screws). With the screws loosened, you can pull or push on the corners to get the door back to straight, and then re-tighten the screws.

If you decide to replace the gasket, then the process is to remove the existing gasket by loosening those same screws, and then installing the new gasket, starting at the top and working your way down and around the door. Designs may vary, but it should slide behind a metal or plastic clip/gap that is tightened via the screws. When you're done, verify the gasket is straight and tighten the screws in each corner. Check that the door isn't warped, and correct it now while it's still easy to fix, and then tighten the remaining screws.

When finished, double check for any gaps. I've seen suggestions to use a flashlight inside the refrigerator, close the door, and see if the light can be seen with the room dark. I've also seen suggestions from talcum power to a thin coat of petroleum jelly to lubricate the seal and/or prevent sticking. Follow your manufacturers suggestions or use your own best judgment there.


How do you keep bugs/dust out of electrical conduit which terminates in the open?

Electrical insulation putty (duct seal) is ideal for this. Most bugs aren't going to have the perseverance to chew through it.

You could also run through a junction box and use a strain relief clamp to close things off where the cable exits.


Is there a second floor?  You don't really want an extra "vapor barrier" on anything that is (now) an interior surface.

And in general you want one and only one vapor barrier: all building spaces need to exchange humidity in at least one direction.  Put up two vapor barriers and the space in the middle will have the wrong humidity.


Permanent solution for cockroach problem

Stop using over the counter products.  They don't really work.  There are some sure fire ways to get rid of roaches inside.  Of course this is only for moderate infestations.  If you have small children you may not be able to take the approach I recommend.  Read all warnings on pest control products, especially if you have birds or small pets.  The suggestions I make below come from my experience researching and dealing with a moderate roach problem (and huge ant problem) I inherited after I bought a house in Florida, which had been vacant for a couple of years.

Clean up everything.  Remove clutter, vacuum up any debris. Clutter is a roach's best friend. Use a mild cleaner to clean up anywhere they've been.  If you can vacuum up the roaches themselves, that's great.
Put a barrier around entry points.  A barrier is a poison that insects pick up when they walk through it, and eventually die.  Dust outside window ledges with a product like
Delta dust. You will need a duster (Use tip: you have to shake the whole container  before you pump it). Spray a barrier spray along the outside of the house on the ground if you want.  Bonus: the dust works even better on flying insects, like wasps.
See if you can find the nests.  Common hiding places are in, behind, and under fridges, dishwashers, stoves, and electrical boxes.  They like nesting in loose paper, behind some wallpapers, etc.  If you can find the nests.  Hit them with the powder.  Use some powder under appliances even if you don't think there's a nest.
Bait the roaches.  Powders and barrier sprays are good, but most killing will be done with the bait.  I pretend I'm a mad/evil insect villain when I place it.  Baits allow the roaches to bring the poison back to the nest. I have used Dupont Advion and MaxForce(Fipronil) with success.  Put small droplets of the bait in corners and along baseboards.  Anywhere the roaches may travel, including counter-tops.  Put the bait on small pieces of paper to avoid staining.  Don't powder or spray where you've baited. If you have kids, you'll want to use a bait trap as a minimum precaution.

If you do the above, the roaches will be all but gone in a couple of weeks.  That is unless there are extreme circumstances, like a hoarder in an adjoining townhome.


Hanging medium weight things from popcorn ceiling in rental

The issue is with popcorn ceiling you won't get a good clean surface for adhesive. I would just screw a hanger in the ceiling and patch it with a tiny amount of drywall compound when done. With the popcorn ceiling your landlord will never notice because of the popcorn texture of the ceiling. You can even get popcorn ceiling texture in a can if you are concerned about it and re-spray over the area when you move out.


Another wrench type for this situation is the socket type. I have seen some in plastic that may come with the faucet. socket basin wrench

Here is an ingenious tool video to use of plastic tube wrench and another video of same Rigid wrench

I think I have seen simple ones that are little more than an 8 inch long tube with a slot along the length to slip over the supply hose. One end fits the nut holding the faucet and some other wrench is used on the bottom end. It is possible that you could have one fabricated locally out of steel pipe. The bottom end could be turned by pliers or a pipe wrench. The upper end could have wrenching flats soldered (or glued) inside the pipe.


What is the life expectancy of an air conditioning unit with a booster?

Sounds like your compressor is dying.  You are probably on borrowed time.  Hard to say how long it will last, because it depends on how much the unit is running (depends on climate).

A total lifespan of 15 years is reasonable for a unit before major repairs are required.

Note that newer systems are usually far more efficient (SEER and EER ratings).  And so they can pay for themselves pretty quickly.  Especially with the tax credits that are available now.


Consider searching for "wood anchor bolts". Something like this might work for you, essentially providing a machine screw threaded hole in the stud for you to screw your bracket to.

EDIT: "threaded wood inserts" appears to be a good search term, too -- it finds more like this.


if i turn off cold water valve at hot water heater will the pressure in hot water line be empty?

Short answer: Yes
It depends on where the water heater is, relative to the pipes you want to work on. With a typical water heater in the basement, there will be very little pressure. If the water heater is on one level and you want to work on pipes a floor below then you may have to drain the entire tank. In any case, open up a couple of hot faucets and let them run until dry and you're all set.
Keep in mind that if you have mixing valves then you might have a problem of cold crossing to the hot side. If so, you may need to turn off the main supply instead of just the hot water, even though you're only working on the hot pipes.


How to avoid spinng sharkbite on moen spout?

Sharkbites always spin when connected properly.  Well the seal part doesn't but the cover does.  If you don't want it to spin I would use copper.


Will my stove's pilot light ignite automatically when the gas is turned back on?

If there were a way to spark the pilot light automatically, you would not even have the pilot light at all (you would just use THAT thing to spark the flame only when needed).   This is how my stove works:  I have no pilot light, but I have "spark plugs" at the burners (they make a loud clicking noise when the gas knob is in the Start position).

So, by definition, if you have pilot lights, then you need them.  If you snuffed them then you need to be ready to re-kindle them, they won't re-kindle themselves.


Unfasten unfamiliar springs that fix an old mirror to its frame

Pull gently outward (axially, away from the spring loop) while pulling the bent spring tabs up and out of the holes. Spring tension will increase while you pull so it may help to have someone hold the frame. The wire is pretty rusty so do not overstretch or it could break.


Removing a light switch cuts power to my entire room. Breaker not tripped. Smart Switch Install

Because of what you did with the neutrals

You needed a neutral so you unbundled one from that bunch of "spare neutrals back there".  That's what broke it.  It is a common misconception.

All those neutrals already had a job to do.  Since you have seen the results of disconnecting them, you know what that job is.  I bet if you plug a 3-light tester into the downline sockets, you'd get only 1 yellow on the end.

Anyway, reconnect all those neutrals the way you found them. This should restore your plugs.   I understand your smart switch needs a neutral, you need to add it to all those neutrals.  If it binds 3 neutrals it will now bind 4.

Not all whites are neutral.  All neutrals are white, but not the other way 'round. Wire color does not designate function, but is simply how cables are made.

Now there are two other potential problems.

That brand is not sold by any reputable shop.  It is sold only on Amazon "Marketplace" and eBay (and Walmart which simply relabels Amazon listings).  That almost certainly means the brand is a Chinese cheapie that is sold that way to evade product safety laws. It cannot be sold retail because is unable to qualify for a UL listing (or equivalent Nationally Recognized Testing Lab), becuase it is unsafe. You should never install products like this, and you will face severe civil liability if there's fire or injury as a result.  The sick thing is, they're not even that much cheaper than listed product.
it sounds like you are renting. You must never do any electrical work without the permission of the landlord.  Even with permission, electrical work in a rental unit must be done by a licensed electrician, though your local jurisdiction may allow self-changes of receptacles and light switches because they are pretty simple.


What is the proper and accurate way to measure space for window screens?

Don't get to hung up on the exact size the piece of screen needs to be. simply measure the width and height of the frame and buy a piece of screen large enough. Normally it comes in standard widths and cut to length.  Once you lay and stretch the screen  over your frame, install the spline on one end, stretch, install sides and opposite end. An inexpensive spline roller comes in handy here. Use some sharp scissors, utility knife or shears and trim off the excess close to the spline. Done!


How can I strip & Refinish this window frame?

While a heat gun can remove a large amount of paint, there will always be some residue that needs to be removed with scrapers and sanding. Scraping can mar and gouge wood (less an issue when you can fill and paint) and sanding in tight crevasses in molding is hard.

There are commercial scrapers available, but they don't always fit your needs. On important projects, I have made scrapers out of large nails with their heads ground down to a sharp edge for tight curves and grooves, and pieces of curved cut glass for shallow curves (I'm a glass worker, so handling this risky stuff is comfortable to me, but not necessarily easy).

Sanding is tedious and, with old lead paint (yours looks old enough to be that), risky. You need masks and goggles.

You also may want to consider chemical strippers. There are newer citrus based versions that are a lot less caustic and foul smelling than the traditional solvent based ones. Even so, these will also need some scraping and sanding before finishing.

The wood had better be pretty good to warrant this care.  If not either removal and replacement, or build up of new facing molding seems the better course.


Temporarily attach wood or vinyl flooring to a stage

We managed to do by purchasing a roll of white vinyl dance floor from Harlequin and attaching it to the stage using floor tape. It was relatively easy to lay - we cut it using a Stanley knife and with ~10 students attached it to the floor over about an hour.
Our choice was primarily driven by budget, time constraints and limited woodworking experience - it was a project for a Uni opera society - but the vinyl worked great for us! if we were to do it again, the only thing I'd change would be taking more time to attach it to ensure it's completely flat.


I purchased new washer and dryer and the breakers for them are tripping after using dryer

Up-sizing the breaker will only work if the right size wires are used. Adding a larger breaker will allow it more breathing room so as not to trip, but if the wires aren't sized right then it'll just burn them up (without tripping) and lead to a fire hazard.

You'd want to have #10 wires ran for a 30A breaker. As long as they are, there'll be no problem.

I'll say though, typically a dryer uses a 30A breaker to begin with and it's odd that Both breakers are tripping when the dryer runs. Your washer circuit should have no influence from the dryer's.


instead of removing low area..........puddles in my concrete patio

Grinding down concrete in a wide area (enough area to fix your problem) takes special equipment (a large concrete surface grinder) and is usually not aesthetically pleasing. It will change the texture and appearance and often exposes the aggregate (think pebbles, rocks, gravel) which lies under the surface. It would work but you would have to hire it done, and live with the new look.

You might consider cutting narrow drain slots from the low area/depression out to the edge, at just enough depth to facilitate drainage. With a bit of creativity this can be done in a way that may not be altogether hideous. You would start shallow and go progress slightly deeper to provide just enough slope for water to drain down. It is a fairly common method, and you can do it yourself with a circular saw and masonry blade:

P.S.- trying to resurface/level it by troweling products on top of the existing slab usually results, over time, with you apologizing to yourself and anyone else who sees it.


Alternative to toggle bolt for toilet roll holder?

Mount the holder to the center of a notebook size piece of wood, sort of like a thin cutting board. Then mount the wood panel to the wall with a screw in each corner. If you like, you can add a bit of glue/adhesive.


Different options to convert brick wall outlet box to junction box with more outlets

This is one of things extension boxes are for

Your usecase is one of several that extension boxes are meant for -- you'll either want to use a standard one-gang metal extension box with THHN in EMT running to surface mounted one gang boxes for the new receptacles, or a surface raceway (sometimes called 'wiremold' after Legrand's brand name for the stuff, not to be confused with a product Legrand calls "cordmate" that is only intended for signal cables) extension box ("starter box") along with matching raceway and surface mount receptacle boxes, with either NM or THHN run in the raceways.

An example of the latter is shown below.


According to online documentation, this model uses a glow bar.  For an oven (not a stove top) one should NOT have to press any button to get anything to ignite - the thermostat and circuitry will take care of that for you, provided everything is intact and working.

If it were my oven, I'd open the door, remove the lower metal cover from within the oven (removing the grates first if necessary) and watch what happens when you turn the oven on.  With glow bar designs, for safety reasons, the gas valve may not even open if the glow bar has failed (when it generally becomes an open circuit).

In my experience, glow bars are not very reliable and yours may have failed "open".


What's the minimum fall for a flat roof with edpm perpex polycarbonate

No, you have to follow manufacturer’s recommendations for fall.  And by the way, fall is discussed as a ratio of rise/run.  Nobody uses degrees for that; it’s an unwieldy unit that you have to keep converting in/out of.  Build some roofs; you’ll get it.
The reason for the fall is simply that an EPDM roof is a membrane. It is glued and sealed, and it could nearly be used as pool liner.
Whereas, “tin roof”, perspex etc. rely entirely on lap seams to keep rain out.  If the roof is too shallow, water will do an “S-curve” and run backward up the lap seam and get into the roof.


Even spring steel will hold a bend if you take it far enough. The only question is whether it snaps before you get an acute enough angle.
I'd snip off the damaged length, then drop the new end in a vice, but a fair bit longer than the final hook should be. Slowly hammer it over until you're at 90 degrees, then take it out and mount it sideways in the vice. While holding the long hook down as far as you can by hand, continue to hammer the bend tighter. Once it's to about 135 degrees you can probably take it out of the vice and rest it on top for the final bending. Then trim the hook to length.
If you find that the metal wants to snap off or tear you may have to heat it with a torch and work it hot, or maybe ask a friend to weld a hook on it. I'm no blacksmith, though, and can't offer much advice there.


Hacksaw?
If you saw thru the rusty plate (twice, one for left slot and one for right) and remove it by pulling it out from under the screw, the remaining screw will be sticking up enough for you to get hold of the whole head with a pliers and unscrew it.
It is hard to argue w Alaska Man (or you) re merits of replacing the whole box.  But it seems like you would need these screws out to do that too.


This looks like a switch loop where the hot is the white wire the switched hot going back on the red and black. Very common to do this at the initial wire pull for a fan and a light. You can get a neutral to this location but it will require moving wires around and eliminating 1 switch (you loose the fan option to gain smart switch).
The white should have been reidentified as a hot usually with a black permanent marker or tape. This step is regularly overlooked and homeowners not knowing this causing miswires, it will again be a neutral so don’t fix it now.
With the breaker off.
The wiring would need to be changed in the ceiling from this cable.
the white wire now connected to black would be moved to the other group of white wires now the white down in the switch box is neutral.
The black going to the light or not used goes to the black where the white was usually a black this goes Down in the switch box this is your hot or line now.
Place the red on the other side of the same switch the black wire is on, this is now the switched hot going back on the red to the black of the light  (red wire to black of light).
Turn the power back on and it should work, just the 1 switch now convert it to your smart switch.
Get a double gang cover plate with one side blanked off or put the switch in knowing it is not connected to anything.


How can I remove the cylinder from a Bernzomatic QuickFire propane torch?

This torch was discontinued, and finding replacement cylinders will be a chore. I read that the company did have an exchange program at one time, but that was several years ago so that may no longer be an option. You could try calling the Bernzomatic customer service line to see if they still will allow you to return it for credit towards a replacement torch.

The canister may be seized onto the torch, and I would not try to use force to remove it. The contents are under pressure, and may cause an explosion if excessive force is applied. My advice would be to light it and burn off all of the gas in the cylinder, and then safely dispose of it. They sell other torches just like this that accept full size cylinders that have all of the same features. I have had mine for many years and never had any issues.


Sash window design / security - parting bead vulnerable to attack?

Being in the security trade, I can tell you that burglars are smart. It doesnt really matter if they know about that particular shortcoming or not. The main element to theft is speed. It will simply take too long to fiddle around with the bead strip in the hope to neatly displace the window. If someone wanted to get into your house a crowbar and a good kick will do the job just as well!

With that said.. its your job to make as many aspects of your home as secure as possible. The sash security parting bead is probably the best thing you can do if you dont like the bolts, try fixing it with one way screws

Another option is to drill a metal pin into the bottom portion of the bead, but you may end up doing some damage. Or you could get some brass or stainless screws drill pilot holes into the bottom of the beading, set your screw till the head is almost in, then get a hacksaw and remove the head of the screw, then polish with a file..
that way, if they remove the beading there will still be a pin to make life more difficult.


How do I smooth patio concrete for tile while maintaining slope?

Isn't  it a little late to be asking that question??  Get a 2x4 and run it along the framing for the concrete, smoothing it out.

Even if the concrete isn't totally smooth, when you install the tile you can smooth the rough surface of the concrete with the mortar... If the slab you poured has the proper slope make sure each tile is flush with the slab and you'll get the slope you desire. Good luck


What is the best way to install insulation batts in an attic?

Since you are in zone 4, R-38 is a reasonable insulation level. That doesn't tell us how much an issue a lack of vapor barrier is. It is less of an issue in dry climates. What a barrier does for you is prevent moisture from condensing inside the insulation, significantly reducing it's insulating value. Ever notice how hypothermia victims have invariably gotten themselves wet? Unfortunately, properly installing one can be very difficult (read: expensive). As it happens, plywood acts somewhat as a barrier, depending on it's construction. Thus, you may need to just focus on gaps and openings.

Another possible make-do vapor barrier is a good heavy coating of latex paint on the ceiling. You may already have this! Truth be told, the best way to insulate would be to remove the plywood and blow in the needed insulation. This gets sealed around all the joists and other ins and outs nicely and makes effective use of what little insulation is already there. However, it may not be worth the effort.

You can still get a good insulation job by layering it on top as you suggest. The draw back is the dead space under the plywood effectively becomes part of your conditioned space, greatly diminishing the value of what's there. Even a plaster ceiling alone is worth something. And you've increased the top story volume you're heating 5-6%. Another issue with this approach is the plywood becomes your vapor barrier. What are the ramifications of moisture condensing on the under side? There's poor air circulation, so it will not dry easily. It could be the cause of a mold colony gaining a foothold, which can have serious health consequences. Or it may not be an issue if you're in a dry climate.

Whichever way you go, try to ensure what ever passes as a vapor barrier is a complete as possible. Ensure any recessed light fixtures are not insulated over, and that no insulation contacts the cans. It may seem more efficient to cover them, but you greatly increase the chance of them overheating and starting a fire. Insulation is little good if your house burns down! A truly efficient ceiling has no recessed light fixtures for this very reason. Note that there are supposedly fixtures rated to be covered, but I don't think I've ever seen one.


What animal are these coffee-ground-like leavings around my doorframe from?

I'm not a pest control specialist but that's got insect written all over it, and given the proximity to that wooden architrave/post/whatever-it-is I'd be worried about termites or some other wood boring critter. Call an exterminator post haste.


I would rent an "undercut saw" and put a diamond blade in it. Cut a channel along the floor at a suitable height. Brick cuts fairly easily and you'll have a dead-straight, perfect fit to your floor. Here's a video
You'll have to do a little creative grinding with other tools near the wall where the circular saw won't reach. You can get diamond-grit blades for reciprocating saws, or maybe go at it with some patience and a rotary tool with grinding bit.
This work is very dusty. Use a vacuum held by a helper and seal off the room.


How should I interpret the results of a lead paint test?

The details for the 3M LeadCheck product read:

  turning bright pink when lead is present

I don't see any "bright pink" in your photo, so it seems that there isn't a significant amount of lead present.
Your test kit should contain a "Test confirmation card" which you can use to compare your results with their examples.

Even if it did indicate some lead though - if you have to tear the walls apart to get to it, then it doesn't matter.  Lead in paint is harmful when ingested, so unless you or someone you know is planning to eat your walls, you'll be fine.


What should be the maximum PSI on the cold water line while the water heater is heating?

The maximum PSI for a home water line is 80PSI. Low water pressure is below 40 PSI. You typically want 50-60PSI for your home. If the water pressure is rising while the water heater is running, you need to install an expansion tank (as Wallace mentions, +1). If the water pressure is always high, then you need to install a pressure reducing valve in addition to the expansion tank. It's possible for both of these to fail over time, so if you see symptoms indicating that you don't have one of these, then consider replacing it.


How to set Nest Thermostat to control blower without heat

Alright, I figured out why it wasn't working. Had nothing to do with ACC not having a lead.
I was looking at my setup closely and noticed that only 2 wires were coming up from the motor, but it needs 3.
I noticed that there was a wire coming from pin 3, but it was crimped and didn't run to the motor. So I looked at the speed table and decided I wanted to run the Brown wire up. Connected it to pin 3. Now when I short R and G, the fan turns on :)


Help with Kanto mount, 55" tv, and 24" between studs

It is not uncommon to hang one studs that are 24" apart so.  I have a 60" TV hung on 24" studs.   As long as the steel mount is spanned across two studs and securely fastened to the studs (with lag bolts), you'll be fine.

Edit:
Well, now that your answer says the specs are only for 16" studs (and after reading the specs, it shows the wall plate is only 21"), then, NO, this won't work obviously.  You'll need a different wall plate that can accomodate the span of two studs.  I would not attempt to make this work unless you get crafty with a welder (it isn't worth it, buy a different plate).  You need it spanned across two studs, with very strong fasteners.  Considering this is a swivel out mount, it will put great stress on your fasteners, and they need to be lag bolts into studs.


The way you mentioned is usually the correct way to go, as long as the settlement was not only developing recently. You might want to find some self-leveling concrete product. An example would be the Rapid Set CTS concrete leveler (in US).

Please do follow the manufacture's instructions, especially about properly preparing the old concrete surface so that the nearly poured concrete could bound well with your existing surface.

If your settlement started recently, it would be better to figure out the cause before repairing. For example, examine if there is any water leak that could washout your soil.


How can I repair the cool deck around the pool?

To repair cool deck flaking (not cracks in concrete):

Step One:
All of the flaking or cracked texture needs to be removed. This is accomplished by using a scraper in conjunction with a high pressure washer. If the flaking is excessive and severe it may not be necessary to use the pressure washer. Bottom line is the old patch needs to be removed to expose the underlying cement. The cement also needs to be cleaned and all loose dirt or sand needs to be removed. On areas where the patch is solid and sticks firmly to the cement the sides of those areas should be smoothed at 90 degree angle to prepare for the new cool deck coating.

Step Two:
After the removal of the old texture, wash off the exposed concrete and make sure all loose material is also removed. Using a mixture of half muriatic acid and half water, scrub the exposed cement to "score" the cement and also to clean off contaminants. After 3 or 4 minutes completely rinse off concrete and scrub with a hard brush to ensure all acid is removed. Again, a high pressure washer is always recommended for the best removal of all acid and residue. I let the concrete dry completely before moving on to the next step. I've found that any moisture remaining in the concrete will cause the new decking to flake and peel within a few years.

Step Three:
Several products exist on the market for cool decking. The easiest is a product I've found is by a company by the name of E-Z Patch. My best advise is to use the internet to find a store that carries the product. The coating product is applied directly to the concrete with a roller. Two coats are typically required. Dry time is normally 3 to 4 hours depending on the day.


What do I use to fill in the crack between the wall and floor of my tiled bathrooms?

In the bath with the tile base, there is caulk available that is colored to closely resemble a number of colored grouts. Any of the big box stores will carry a good selection of colors.
The wood base will need only a good version of white painters caulk, wiped in with a dampened cloth to make the line only in the joint. I forgot to add this detail about the tile base.


I might try some angle L in plastic or aluminum. I looked on line and there were lots of options  I did see 1 MFG that had a few colors. I searched with the term “plastic angle L” the aluminum did show up also.


My toggle bolt hole hit a stud. What do I do now?

That sounds like a good problem to have. Go to the store and get a lag screw, and use that instead.

(source: china-ogpe.com)

Attaching the sink to a stud is preferable, and will offer a more solid install.

Hanging a sink from drywall, sounds like a bad idea to begin with. So I'd say you got lucky to hit the stud.


How to cut out a rotted portion of exterior corner vertical trim?

This is a great project for an oscilating multitool.

The front blade (and there are several to choose from) oscilates from side to side in small strokes, allowing a precise cut in both depth and width.

There are corded and cordless models availble in a wide price range. Almost all would suit for your type of project. I think you will also find many other uses for the tool, making it a pretty good DIY investment, even for a beginner.

 Images and links are for illustration only and not an endorsement of any product or source


How to make a vanity top structurely sound for a vessel sink

While a picture would be nice, I'm confident that 3/4" or even 5/8" ply, alone, will carry the load of the sink on that small of an area.


I would check on the type of shower curtain they use in hotels that have an arced curtain rod. This would give a slightly more room.

The reason the shower curtain sucks in when you turn the water on probably has to do with hot air rising and pulling in cold air at the bottom of the shower. Try leaving the curtain slightly open at the back of the shower to allow air to enter the shower without pulling the curtain in.

You could also put a layer of opaque material on the window and get rid of the window curtain.

Good luck!


Potential complications running data cables

The problems you are trying to solve -- so is everybody else.  There are a lot of consumer products on the market aiming to solve the "how do I put my TV here" problem.  Their "universal solvent" seems to be ethernet or WiFi.

You're saying pre-run all the above wires to an appropriate central place - somewhere a wife would authorize a bunch of tech gear to be stacked up.

I wouldn't do that.  I'd run the fattest conduit you can manage.  That way you can pull any cable that may be required in the future - Cat7, Lightning, USB3, whatever.

Coax (I assume you mean RG6 cable TV coax) generally implies RF frequency.  Two Coax devices can drive into each other without incident.

RCA (which is also coax)  - I would not expect two outputs to damage each other since their output is line-level.  (a line output against a phonograph needle output - different deal.)  Anyway that makes me laugh - I haven't used RCA connectors in AV for over a decade, except obviously for line-level audio, and that doesn't like going a long distance.

Ethernet will be fine.  Plugging nose-to-nose happens all the time when you use a regular cable when you should've used a crossover cable, or vice versa.

HDMI is negotiated. But HDMI is not going to work over any kind of distance, and you have a lot of gratuitous distance going to the concentration point and back out to the other room.  Also several connectors.


Is there a type of extension cord I can use with a gutter heater?

In your place, I would try to find the shortest length (25' maybe) of gauge 12.


How can I build a partition wall in room without damaging marble floor

If you don't want to damage the floor, the best way around this is to attach your bottom plate, usually a 2x4, to the floor with construction adhesive. Then add your studs and top plate. You could also just assemble all the framing on the floor and then raise the walls, using construction adhesive for the bottom plates, walls and ceiling if desired. The wall would be permanent but could be removed without damaging the floor


Your idea to use shims on the ends will work fine. No need to get too critical on how they are made. They can be 1/4" all the way through or they could be tapered.
If I may make a suggestion, if you left the end that will be shimmed lay on the beam to be shimmed and set the other end with the joist hanger, and nail the center of the new joist, once it is roughly in place, so to speak to the existing joist. Te joists when finished should be nailed together with 4 nails every 16" +/-. Back at the center of the span.... Nail 2 groups of nails to attach the joists together firmly for now only as part of the finished product. Once those 8 nails are in, then shim the end with the shims you choose. This will "pre-load" the joist so it is already taking on some of the load the floor has and will not need to allow the floor to sag anymore before it takes on it's own load.
FWIW, you will enjoy the idea of the joists being slightly smaller than the originals. Since the floor system will sag over time, that process make it quite difficult to install new material beside the old. You still may have to drive them in with a block of wood to protect the new joist from being damaged by the heavy hammer. Lay the new joist in so the top is leaning against the joist you wish to sister and drive in the bottom to meet it fully. Nails going through the subfloor above will give you a hard time if you don't get them out of the way too.


How do I remove a blower wheel from a shaft that uses a slip ring?

If you look close where the shaft and the squirrel cage or blower connect there is a thick piece of metal. Rotate the blower and look for a hole there. It's usually a set screw or grub screw holding the blower to the shaft. Most of the time these are Allen screws but I have found a few that are standard slot screws, normally on the inside through the fins unless a larger blower then sometimes on the outside. Or that is what I have found in the past.


Go ahead -- although you may have to run THHN through the nipple from the panel

Coming out the side of a panelboard is a nothingburger under the NEC under most cases.  The reason why you're confused is you're thinking this whole assembly is a protective sleeve under the 312.5(C) exception, which requires the sleeve come out the top, when it really isn't as the receptacle box interrupts it.

The easiest way to dispel any confusion is to use short lengths of THHN in the nipple for the home run, if you will, and then run the NM from the first receptacle up the sleeve from the receptacle box to wherever it needs to go.  This bypasses 312.5(C) and its rather limiting exception altogether.

Just remember to use a conduit-to-NM transition fitting (EMT-to-NM transition fittings are standard parts) on the free ends of the conduit sleeves.


Is it appropriate to put polyethylene between hardwood and subfloor?

It is a moisture barrier. See
Moisture Barrier and Underlayments: Don’t Leave It Out!  for a little more explanation. However, in your case that appears to have been an unnecessary expense. I doubt it would hurt anything except your wallet.


Is spot treatment of Drywood Termites (airborne) ineffective?

The only real solution is to kill the colony and ring the whole house with slow-acting termiticide, like fipronil. Spot treatment is a start, but only if using long-acting poison and when followed up with a whole-house perimeter treatment, including the area where they got in. Not much help only treating the perimeter if they came in under the bathtub.

Or, you can tear down the building and rebuild it with masonry walls and a metal roof structure and plaster instead of paper-faced drywall, and then termites become your friends, turning dead wood on the property into healthy soil you can grow your food in. What a colossal shame that we make buildings out of termite food in parts of the country with aggressive and omnipresent termites.


Help installing ceiling fan in old house

There are almost certainly more colored (non-white) wires in the back of the box which are for other hots.

Is the blue wire blue or green?   It matters a lot.

A green wire should be attached to the ground wire bundle that may be in the back of the box.  Absent that, look and see if the wires enter the box via cable or pipe.  If cable and no ground wires, connecting a ground is pointless.  If pipe, most likely this conduit is the ground, and the green wire  can be attached to the steel box.  There may be a tapped hole for a 10-32 screw somewhere in the back of the box.   If not and you are crafty you can drill and tap one (any machine screw 6 or larger will do as long as the thread is at least -32).

If the wire is honest-to-gosh blue, then is it light blue?  That might be a Euro neutral, but that would be strange.  Otherwise it is assuredly one of the hots, you have a separate hot for fan and light, allowing you to control the two of them individually.   If you want, you can do some extra wiring to exploit it... Or you can simply connect the blue and black together to the power supply,  and fan and light will operate together.    Some fans permit local control of light and fan i.e. With 2 pull cords.  Those are always fun!


How do I take down my kitchen ceiling to expose my roof above?

If you remove any joists it will change the structural load. You need to have a Civil Engineer  design a new structure that can replace the joists (if that's even possible).


How do I turn builder rough-in plumbing into a basement bathroom?

Given what we know (virtually nothing), the question is too broad. Order of operations depends on a number of design and product choices. Here's a rough outline.

Frame the walls. Be sure that your toilet flange is centered 12" from framing. Be sure that your other plumbing and cabinetry plans fit as expected.
Run plumbing through the walls for your fixtures. Cap pipe stubs.
Rough in electrical.
Insulate and install vapor barrier as appropriate.
Install tub or shower pan. Install shower surround if it goes against framing.
Install drywall. Tape. Texture. Paint.
Install flooring and cabinetry in the desired order. Depends on flooring which comes first. Ceramic tile tends to go in after cabinetry. Vinyl may go in before.
Install trim woodwork (doors, casing, base, shoe).
Install electrical devices and trim.
Install shower surround if it goes over drywall.


Why does the ground appear to be connected to the hot in a 240v single-phase circuit?

Red, black and blue are the classic colors for 3-phase power (other than wild-leg).  The color combination does not specify voltage; that's what voltmeters are for.

An important factor is the lack of neutral.  In the U.S. neutrals must be white or gray.  It is illegal to "tape" or "paint" another wire color to be neutral, unless the wire is 4 AWG or larger.  Measure the voltage between each wire and ground/earth.  You should get a significant voltage if the wires are not wrong-colored.

How well do you really know the wiring here?  Are you sure you don't already have 3-phase or maybe someone beat you to it and installed a phase converter somewhere?  Maybe that has since been removed?   No kidding, I have a 240V 3-phase converter at a 120-240 service panel, that panel's transformer is fed from 3-phase service which is literally 20 feet away from it.  The things people do!

Now, the red wire being grounded is just wrong.  However this could occur if the grounding system is not proper, or if the neutral-ground bond has failed.  (And I have one of those in a panel right now.) All it takes is one ground-fault to "lift the ground" to hot potential (or more accurately, lower the hot to grounding potential, lifting the neutral away from ground.)


Convert Mortice Lock to Cylindrical Lock

Short answer, no.

The new lock is a cylindrical type that requires a standard hole in the door, usually 2 1/8", set back a certain distance from the edge. Most mortise locks do not have that size hole, so it must be drilled with a hole saw. Also, the mortise mechanism must be removed and the door needs to be filled in where the mortise has been taken out to hold the latch mechanism. A hole for the latch will also have to be drilled into the newly built up edge.

You also need to remove the existing deadbolt from the bottom and replace it with a cylindrical type deadbolt. Again, the hole may be different and the mortise channel must be filled and drilled to hold the bolt mechanism.

None of this is very difficult, but requires the right tools and some patience. Care must be taken, because misdrilled holes in a door are difficult to fix aesthetically.


Blue, or blueish-purple (ie, at a slight angle so it's away from both the house and garage, but closer to blue.) You want to get the water away from the building, not funnel it alongside the building.

Responding to comment: developing a grade is a "simple-yet-tedious" process, for the most part. My preferred method is to set some stakes 3-4 feet tall, mark them all with a level (laser these days, dumpy or transit or water or... in the past), and then mark a line on each, depending where it is, at some fixed distance above the desired grade - say 30" above. Then I run strings, tightly, between those marks, and mark my rake and/or tamper handle at 30" - it's then a simple matter to line up the strings (to form a plane floating 30" above grade) and see if the rake or tamper is too high (mark above) too low (mark below) or right on (mark even with) when set on the surface at any given spot. For convenience the plane should not be too low (or it's a lot of bending to see if things line up) nor too high (it's difficult to get stakes well-anchored for a taught string when the string is 5 feet up the stake.)

You could set something to screed on by adapting the same method - I don't recommend screeding for a sand base - it needs to be well compacted, or it will shift, so screeding it doesn't really do anything much to develop the base you need, IME.

In either case "sloping two ways" is a simple operation of referencing an imaginary LEVEL plane & subtracting for the position in both X and Y before making the mark on the post or setting the plank, pipe, or whatever you'd be using to guide your screed on the non-level plane you are creating.

For a concrete example, suppose we slope 1/8" per foot in blue and 1/32" per foot on red. The high corner is where the garage and house meet. The outside corner by the garage is dropped 1.83 inches. The house side of the end away from the garage is dropped 1.09 inches, and the outside corner at that end is dropped 1.09 + 1.83 inches. Any spot in the middle can have a precise elevation computed, and then you do your best to approximate that in practice, and don't sweat 0.05" too much. For the sake of simplicity and sanity in measuring you can set your grade stakes on an 8 foot grid, for instance, rather than "right at the edge of the patio" and you can actually set a row beyond that if it makes it easier to "see the plane" while working.


You say an X-Ray machine? To be honest if you can afford one of those you need a certified electrical to install it. Otherwise, poof - Something will burn and insurance (assuming you got some?) is out the door!

100A machine, assuming 220Volt, that is 22Killowats typical rating! Assuming the machine runs at 220volts, it could run at 500volts or 1000volts?

As the comments suggest its really difficult by just looking at the wires.

My guess is that the central bars are separate phases on which the breakers draw power from, at 220 volts, without extra information there is no way to tell. The top left and right rails are neutral rails because they are split, but even ground/earth rails can be split and joined somewhere else. We really need to see the bigger picture here.

Because this is an commercial device, by what it looks like running in a domestic environment, the safe answer will be No. You cannot connect the XRAY machine into that panel.

You should find out the maximum rating of the current phase/phases you got there and or apply for a new phase if needed. But even if they are more that sub panel just simply cannot handle 100A@220Volts using those power rails, long term load could be disastrous. Typically you will need a dedicated sub panel for to supply such a device.


Wiring GU10 Sockets: Cables are of same color - which one should be “live”?

GU10 sockets are symmetrical:

So there is no need to pay attention to where you hook the live and neutral wires, because the lamp can be inserted either way. As the wiring is AC the main reason to wire it up one way or another is for safety considerations.

If you are wiring the switch too, put it on the live wire if possible, so that changing the lamp with the switch off is actually safe. The socket looks pretty safe to me anyway.


What could cause a new pressure release valve to drip water?

Did you test the valve after you installed it? If so you'll need to replace it again. The moment you test the valve you allow calcium and dirty water that can again make the valve lose its seal and continue to leak. They are very temperamental!


Reading your question, it appears you are familiar with NEC Article 310.14 so lets not get into that. The biggest problem I have ever faced with multiple wire and devices was not meeting the box fill requirements but getting all that stuff into the box and mounted properly. So plan how you are going to splice and connect all of your conductors carefully. Bundle all of the common conductors together, try not to crossover too many conductors and plan to keep your splices in different areas of the box and not interfering with the installation of the devices.

One last thing, these boxes come in different depths, traditionally 1 1/2, 2 1/2 and 3 1/2. If it's not too late you might try to purchase and install the 3 1/2" variety.

Good luck.


Tape under the nut isn't the right way to do it.

Read the instructions on your wire nuts they may or may not require that the wires be pre-twisted. I get the ones that don't require pre-twist, line the conductors up so the ends are even, and twist the nut on. Give each individual wire a tug and if any pulls out, start over again.

Sometimes I just can't get the wire nut to twist on and make a tight connection. In that case I line up the ends of the wires and pre-twist them with lineman's pliers. In order to get a good twist I've had to resort to using my needle-nose vice grips across the three wires to hold them in place while I get a twist started with the lineman's pliers (if you do something like this, be careful not to damage the insulation where you grip the wires).

Of course, this all assumes you're using a correctly sized wire nut. Read the instructions on the packaging and there should be a capacity chart for your particular wire nuts.


What is a durable, child-safe finish for a child's cot?

Most modern enamels (aka "oil paints" or "alkyd paints") cure fully in 14 days, at least according to the product data sheet provided for the Sherwin Williams paint I just used for my friend's kitchen cabinets. Either way, an oil or water based enamel will provide a much more durable and resilient finish than a latex will.

I would suggest sanding the wood with 220 grit sandpaper, applying a high quality primer compatible with the final finish that you choose, and then a high quality water-based or oil-based enamel paint. I've really liked the results I've gotten with Sherwin Williams Interior Water-Based Alkyd and Benjamin Moore Advance Water-borne Enamel paints. They are true enamels, but clean up with water. Again, be sure to use a compatible primer. According to the attached technical data sheets, the waterborne alkyd paints take 30 days to reach their full hardness.


Why is my dishwasher drain pump constantly running?

Answer is in the comments to the OP, based on suggestions given there.

Summary (but note that I may be calling some things by an incorrect name!):

Used a voltmeter to determine the voltage across the solenoid when I hit "cancel/drain" on the control panel. 120V. The solenoid/valve was thus most likely "normal closed".
Disconnected the leads to the solenoid and tested it with an applied 120V. Loud click/bang; the solenoid was clearly functional.
Reconnected the lead wires to the solenoid, and used the voltmeter to determine that 120V was applied during the drain portion of the cycle, not the fill/wash portion, meaning that the controller unit seemed to be functioning properly.
Removed the solenoid/valve unit from the frame/chassis and disconnected the tubes. Upon visual inspection, there was clearly a foreign object stuck inside that was preventing the valve from closing fully.
Was able to remove the foreign object, put everything back together, and voila! It worked.

[Note - I'm omitting all the other steps I took, when I was originally suspected that the controller unit was the problem. I still don't know what I did that originally caused that piece of glass to get dislodged from wherever it had been sitting for however many years, and get stuck in the drain valve. But the fact that I tried running a cycle that I had never used before seems to be ... unrelated. Or at least, I can't figure out the relation. It seems to be just a bizarre coincidence.]


How to safely wire fluorescent lighting with three prong plug on the ceiling?

Extension cords are not supposed to be used for permanent fixtures. These fixtures are supposed to be hard wired or directly plugged into a permanent outlet.

A common approach to solve this problem would be to install a switched outlet on the ceiling near the fluorescent lights. In many jurisdictions, you could use non-metallic cable to run the outlet and the switch. In some, you might have to either snake the cables in the wall or use surface raceways.

You could ask your landlord to make this change. Good luck.

Reducing the number of extension connections would somewhat improve safety, and ensuring that cords are not dangling in walking space or prone to being pulled or tripped over would reduce risk. One extension cord to the fixture is better than a cord and a power strip. Also make sure that any extension cord is three wire. DO NOT BYPASS THE GROUND PIN! But any of these patches are less than what is considered safe practice.

At very least, you may want to install a GFCI outlet wherever the cords are ultimately plugged in. This would provide some protection in the event of failure of the fixture or the cords.


How long can a freshly sanded deck wait before sealing without do overs?

How quickly the pores will close depends on ambient humidity, but I'm having trouble even finding a ballpark. I'd never heard of 'water popping' before. Personally, I wouldn't stain anything that's left my chain of custody after having sanded it, without arbitrarily resanding it.

I think they told you to stain it because they saw you sanding. The wait time after which should be as little as possible. You can either build a tent and heat it, or cover everything so that their greasy hands don't make stains. And then you get to resand it anyway in two months.

At least you didn't do the floor. If you're going to open up pores, then you should coat them immediately, as per the specifications of the product.


How can I clean windows and gutters from a ladder in a narrow side yard?

Talk with your neighbor to see if you can place your long ladder onto their property for the cleaning. Hopefully the ladder would just touch the top of the fence. At the bottom you may need plywood pads and even a rope tie from the bottom rung to the fence using a screw eye.


Align kitchen cabinets to wall, or align face frames?

You want the faces of the cabinets on the same plane, and the entire assembly as close to the wall as can be easily achieved. On average, the wall and the cabinet assembly should be roughly parallel.

If you're dealing with two sets of cabinets at right angles, you'd still want the faces of each set on plane, respectively, but you may not be able to keep a 90 degree included angle.

In this case, your biggest concern is the countertop. A pre-cut 45 degree miter affords you maybe half an inch at the most of scribe-fit depth. You need more than than, which means you'll need your countertop miter pre-cut at a custom angle. That's not a problem if the shop measures in place, but if you're buying tops from a big-box store you're in for a challenge.

Another consideration is how the cabinets align with any relevant patterns in the floor. Diverging lines can make a high-quality installation look shoddy in a hurry.


Which pipe thread compound/dope options can be combined with PTFE tape?

The Teflon in pipe dope paste advertised as containing Teflon is not in solution, but in the form of fine particles. There is nothing in any pipe dope which could dissolve Teflon


Try www.smallparts.com. I once got a quote from them for some .111 diameter aluminum balls. I see 0.15 and 0.16 stainless tubing. Ask if you don't see exactly what you need.


Where does the voltage in a circuit go from 120v down to 0v?

Think of voltage as electrical pressure.

It doesn't "go" anywhere. It is the difference in potential between point A and point B. You can never measure voltage at a single point, it is always in comparison to another point. So, if you put both leads of your meter on the same electrical point, as you did with the neutral and the ground since they are terminated on the same electrical point, you read zero. Birds sitting on a high voltage wire are only touching the wire at one point and there is no comparison point for a measurable voltage. So they are not hurt.

We create electricity by creating a difference in potential (voltage) between two points and then allowing the difference to flow (current) through a load (resistance) to create work.

As long as you don't get between those two points, you are safe.

Learn more here for free. Go to the education tab for the open source textbook and lectures.

Good luck in you learning and stay safe!


Within a European apartment, bad wiring causes appliances to shut off, not fry.

Check it with a voltmeter. I suspect you have excessive voltage, due to a lost neutral between the building and the supply.

Generally in Europe, power is distributed as 3-phase "wye" (230V leg to neutral, 400V leg to leg).  However, a freestanding home gets 2 wires from the pole, just one phase and neutral. If neutral breaks, power simply goes out.

However, in a multi-unit building, the building typically gets all three phases and neutral.  Each apartment gets a different phase and neutral.  Now, if neutral breaks, power doesn't fail exactly.  Power can still get from phase to phase, via the appliances that are plugged into it.  So for instance, power flows from L1, via your toaster, to Neutral, via your neigbhor's lights, to L2.  Meanwhile it's also flowing via your other neighbor's PC to L3. This 3-way flow is a marvel of 3-phase, and you can thank Nikola Tesla.

If all these appliance loads were equal, this would actually work. The problem is, the loads are not equal.  The imbalance is causing voltage to go up for some people, and down for others.

Imagine a triangle, 400 on a side.  Each corner has a pulley.  Each apartment has a string that goes through one of the three pulleys, to a knot in the middle. Each apartment pulls on the string in proportion to how much electricity it is using.  There is a pin,holding the knot in the middle so it's exactly 230 from knot to corner.   Now remove the pin.  Now, the knot can be dragged anywhere in the triangle, depending on how hard each apartment pulls on the rope.  The length of the rope from knot to corner is your voltage.

When apartments on other corners pull harder than the apartments on your corner, your voltage goes up.  And the excessive voltage fries your appliances. So you would see voltages that are not 230V and at different times, roam between 0V and 400V. (Typically 150-300V). Turning on a large load would make the measured voltage dip.

The power company should be contacted immediately.

In my complex (same exact thing but only 2 phases), it took us a week to notice the problem, and 2 hours to get the power company out and fix it.

In the meantime it is best to shut off circuit breakers to any appliances you value.


How do I create concrete or fiberglass outdoor seating that will last?

Concrete will definitely be strong enough if done right.

Make sure you use the right mix.  I would use sakrete 5000 plus, NOT quikcrete 5000, and add a hand full of Portland cement to better hold the mosaic.  Then add superplasticizers.  More water is bad, but you want it to flow into an odd shaped mold and around mosaic tiles, superplasticizers will solve this.  You can get this at http://www.expressions-ltd.com/default.asp You can get some integral coloring for the concrete there too.

The forms will be tricky, but i think i would build a wood box and drape some cloth in it the way you want.  Then spread some glue on it to stiffen it up.  Then use bondo and sand it down to smooth.  Then you can use some spray adhesive or silicone to put your mosaic tiles in upside down.

You are going to need to vibrate it after you pour it.  Maybe just hammer on the wood box.

I am saying this would be solid concrete, but this will be very heavy when you demold it.  You could put something lighter in the mix after you pour it, maybe some empty bottles?

Anyway, yes, this can be done with concrete.  Concrete would be very strong, and no you don't need mesh in this setting.  The tensile strength of concrete is terrible but the compressive strength is amazing.


How to implement a zoned low-voltage lighting?

I'd use relays for this
The simplest way to get out of this jam without throwing a bunch of lighting transformers at it would be to use single-pole/single-throw switches to switch on and off SPDT relays that control the lighting loads, as SPDT relay contacts can be wired in the same fashion as 3-way switches.  For the switches, you can use Leviton 56021s with Bell 5123 (single) and 5127 (double) weatherproof covers; you have a couple options for relays, though.  If you have space around where you're installing the switches, you can thread Functional Devices RIBU1C-N4 relays into hubs on the switch boxes; an alternative approach would be to use AP&C PAM-4 relays mounted inside the boxes, but this requires a fair bit of box real estate at each switch location.  Both of these relays are rated for switching significant resistive load at 28VDC (7A for the PAM-4, 10A for the RIBU1C-N4), so 3A of LED lighting shouldn't be a significant challenge.


I would just mix some thinset or grout and fill the gap. This would keep moisture from getting into the wood below when moping or a splash or leak.


Shrink film - works irrespective of window type. Apply doublestick tape around window frame, apply shrink film, heat with hairdryer or heat gun to shrink, remove in spring. Quite clear, quite effective, not very easy to remove/replace if you decide to open the windows in January, though it can be removed/replaced with care if you don't trim all the excess film when installing. "Shrink film window kit" will find a vast array in a search, or try your hardware store.


You have a simple setup with R (24V power) and W1 (HEAT).  The fan is turned on automatically, along with HEAT, when the thermostat applies the power from R to the W1 connection.
The FAN terminal is labelled G and you need to connect that to the G terminal on your thermostat.  Then, provided you have a FAN ONLY setting on your thermostat, it can control the fan independently.
You're going to have to run a "G" wire though since the currently line appears to only have 2 wires.


Torque for receptacles and light switches

Generally, 14 inch-pounds is safe, although you can go somewhat higher if you wish
UL 498 (i.e the standard for receptacles in the US) calls out a tightening torque of 12-14 inch-pounds for wire binding screws (depending on size) in Table 123.3 as part of the Terminal Strength Test, and repeats that 14 inch-pound figure for 12AWG wire in 113.13 for the Terminal Temperature Test.  Given that you're generally dealing with duplex receptacles, and those almost always support through-wiring, 14 inch-pounds is a reasonable figure as 113.4 requires their terminals to be temperature tested with 12AWG wire if they aren't based on a 20A design, and most are based on a 20A design anyway.
Likewise, UL 20's terminal retention tests (found in clause 5.30) repeat those figures in Table 16, and Leviton's own specifications for their residential receptacles call out 14-18 inch-pounds of torque.


Septic tank treatments ok for dry wells?

A septic tank breaks the waste into three categories: 1) scum that floats to the top, 2) waste that settles to the bottom and is eaten by bacteria and decomposes the solids, and 3) effluent (liquid) that is in the middle and runs out to the drainfield.

There is a delicate balance in your septic tank to keep the bacteria healthy and working. When you use too much soap, Clorox, etc. it will kill the bacteria and the septic tank will stop working. Adding a treatment neutralizes the soap, etc. and keeps the bacteria healthy.

Your dry well does not have this layer of waste and bacteria. Rather, the waste is scattered throughout the well. So, no, adding a treatment like Rid-x will not help.


Does water pressure drop when opening a faucet?

The PRV won't always keep the pressure from dropping below the pressure it's set at - in this case 75 psi. Its primary purpose is to keep the pressure from going over the set limit in the event of pressure surges. It's a safety device.
The pressure coming into most homes (curb pressure) is usually anywhere from 120 PSI upward. Usually the closer you are to the water supplier the higher the pressure. This curb pressure is generally too high for most faucets and other domestic water controllers and if it isn't reduced can cause damage and leaks.
As more faucets are opened the pressure will drop since the water has more outlets to flow through. The PRV will compensate for the pressure drop to some degree by allowing more flow but there is almost always some drop in pressure for various reasons. Sometimes this can be partially corrected by replacing the PRV, resizing water supply lines, or simply cleaning out hard water deposits or debris.
However, it would be helpful to know the curb pressure in your situation. The PRV cannot provide more pressure than what is available.


I would start with a good quality area rug placed over the worst offending area.  Next get the feet of you bed up off the floor set on anti-vibration pads.  If this in not enough, consider a full layer of interlocking exercise mats across the entire floor.  Set all of the legs of the furniture in the room on furniture coasters/sliders. If all this fails consider a Christmas gift to the neighbors of a new, quality ceiling paddle fan. Good Luck.


Adapting an outside wall outlet to suface mount conduit?

The appropriate extension box will look like this. Hole plugs in unused openings then conduit can be run on the surface for an additional outlet with a weather tight box.


Can I run a single 12 guage wire outside of 12-2 to provide power to a fan?

If the existing wire is the plastic Romex type then you should plan to run another 12-2 with GND wire up to the fan from the switching location. A single insulated conductor is not going to cut the safety mustard. When you run such wire then just common connect the added Neutral and GND wires into those existing connections within the boxes at each end.

It may actually (in some cases) be easier to simply remove the existing 12-2 connection and replace it with a 12-3 connection.

If your existing wiring is in conduit, flex or other shielded connection scheme according to current jurisdiction requirements then you should be adding the additional or replacement wiring in like form.


How do I change a light bulb I can't grip?

Take a piece of duct tape and wrap it in the shape of an "O", with the sticky side of the tape on the outside.  Stick the loop of tape to the face of the light bulb such that it is secure. Put your hand (four fingers) inside the loop and twist counterclockwise to loosen the bulb.

Credit: https://youtu.be/NNGyhRu7c0I?t=2m


What are ways to clean glass top ranges undergoing heavy use?

Have you tried ceramic cooktop cleaner? It's exactly designed for this type of mess, and you can get pastes and scrubbing pads for big messes, and wet wipes for smaller spills and every day use.


It could be the transformer for your house. Do you know where it is?  On a pole?  In a box on the ground?  The noise should be distinctly louder as you get closer.


What kind of material is this (for a shower pan) and how to remove it

This looks like a Terrazzo flooring, which is marble chips poured in place with a bonding agent over a concrete floor. That looks like a sill so you should be able to whack it a few times with a sledge hammer and break it apart or break it free.