If this was done by a licensed contractor it should be all one color.call and ask if they know why and if they will fix it. the next step would be to call the state contractor's board. no matter what color of stain you use it will have dark areas.depending on the variegations between light and dark it could look very good if the right color is used. an epoxy paint might cover it if heavy enough.the main issue is if the concrete was mixed properly.If it was not it could deteriorate far before its life expectancy is reached.


Is this a gas leak from back the back of my oven and is it dangerous?

Yes it is a leak, a slow leak but a leak nonetheless and it does need to be addressed.

Any leak no matter how small is potentially dangerous. You should turn the valve off And address the problem.

Some jurisdictions require that all gas connections be handled by a licensed contractor but if you are allowed then you could turn the gas off, use two adjustable wrenches to disconnect the supply line from the fitting,  clean it up with a brush and apply pipe dope to the threads and reattach.

Retest with soapy water after you have finished reconnecting.


What's an easy way to build a level 6'x4' platform over uneven indoor floors?

This is small enough that you can simply build a deck out of 2x4 with a 1/2" plywood top (or thicker, depending on flex tolerance). You're essentially building a typical interior wall structure, but smaller.

Lay out a simple rectangle with joists at 16" centers (across the short dimension). Fasten it together with 16d nails or 3" gold construction screws. Slightly shorter fasteners could be used for the plywood.
Using a 6' level (or a shorter level with a straightedge extension), find the difference from the highest point to the other three corners, and cut legs or simple spacer blocks to level up the platform.

Large felt pads under each corner would make it quieter as you step up and move around.


Best way to get rid of ceramic tiles over an asbestos tiled floor

I'd like to get rid of the ceramic tile without disturbing the asbestos tiles underneath. Is this possible??

Probably not.

The ceramic tiles are serving as the "encapsulant" for the old asbestos, so if you disturb them you'll almost certainly disturb the asbestos.

You can either add another layer on top, or get the whole mess removed by somone licensed to deal with asbestos.


237V seen across terminals of a dimmer switch when 'off'

There is always voltage across the circuit, supplied by the power company. By Kirchhoffs's Voltage Law, the sum of the voltages across the individual components must always equal the supply voltage. When the light is on, there is little or no voltage across the switch and all of the voltage appears across the light. But when the light is off, all of the voltage appears across the switch and there is no voltage across the light (and no current through it).


Pilot light on gas log fireplace extinguishes when turn gas control knob to "on"

Once you light the pilot hold it there for up to a minute then turn to on.
It is possible the thermal pile or thermocouple is not quite hot enough.
I find giving it a minute usually works if it still goes out and the flame is hitting the probe of the TC it is time for a new one.
The good thing is they are inexpensive and easy to change.


No.

It's a cellphone radio, of which there are probably another 3+ in your home.

It's also got a switchmode power supply, which there are probably 20+ of in your home.


What should I do about a gap between a kitchen backsplash and the cupboards?

The grout lines in the mosaic tile look like 1/8" is that right?

If that's the case you need to space the tiles up off the counter using 1/8" spacers. They shouldn't be directly on the counter as shown in your picture where you're just holding it. When grouting don't grout that area. Use a silicon caulk that matches your grout instead.

That leaves 1/4"  grout line between the top of the tile and the bottom of the cupboard which isn't ideal but shouldn't really be noticeable at that spot. That covers the 3/8" gap.

Or you can split the difference and do a 3/16" on top and bottom. May even want to try a black caulk for the top so you don't notice it against the black cabinets.


... is that just over the top and too visually intrusive?

Yes, but that would be opinion; beauty is in the eye of the beerholder

  Why not silicone?

Caulking would be better here (not necessarily silicone) because of vibration induced cracking of hard grout (as seen in your picture). The problem with caulk is color matching, that's why I would use paintable caulk and carry the door jamb paint over the caulk and up to the tile line.


What is the difference between an interlock and a transfer switch?

Interlock
An interlock, is a device that prevents a switch (usually a breaker) from being turned on. In the context of switching between generator and utility power. An interlock is a device that prevents you from supplying a panel from both power sources at the same time.  It's typically a simple, low cost device, that has to be manually operated.

To operate this device, a user would have to:

Turn off the main breaker.
Slide the interlock device up.
Turn on the backfed "generator" breaker.

It may also require the user to turn off some of the breakers in the panel, if the generator is not capable of supplying the entire load. Therefore, interlocks may require additional knowledge and understanding to operate.
Interlock kits tend to be cheap, in comparison to transfer switches.
Transfer switch
A transfer switch (or sometimes transfer panel), is a device (or group of devices) that allows you to switch between two or more power sources.  It can be an automatic, or manual device.  It's similar to a single pole double throw switch, and allows you to select which power source is used.
A two source transfer switch will have three positions:

Utility (Util.)
OFF
Generator (Gen.)

Transfer switches typically require special knowledge to install, but are very easy to operate (sometimes being operated automatically).
Transfer switches tend to be more expensive than interlocks, especially automatic transfers. Though they may make up for the additional costs, in convenience, ease of use, and safety.


Why won't my toilet hold the refill water?

Nothing has changed, your toilet still drains too slowly, you still need to clear the obstruction. The bowl completely clearing will sometimes happen with partially obstructed toilets because, due to the very restricted passage, the vent air that normally breaks the siphon action cannot make its way to the bowl until long after all the tank water has been completely drained into the bowl, leaving no fresh water to refill the bowl.

As soon as the passage is cleared to its normal size, the vent air will have room to work towards the bowl and quickly break the siphon. The bowl is then refilled with the remaining fresh water, ready for another flush cycle.

ADDENDUM

Depending on the nature of the obstruction, if it's difficult to completely clear with an auger, and assuming the toilet bolts are not too badly corroded, it's worth removing the toilet and working at the obstruction from both ends. It's usually easier than most people think. There is still a portion of the passage that is difficult to reach, but you've doubled your chances. For the typical floor mounted residential toilet you will at least need a fresh wax ring to reinstall the toilet.


Short answer:  no, you can't bury a pulling elbow, the cover must remain accessible.

It may be tempting, but really it's better to find another way.

As mentioned in the comments - you could add an access panel in the drywall, and make the pull elbow accessible. You could even hang a picture over the access panel.  You could install a pull box with the cover accessible.


Flipped Home - Cracks Appearing on Wall Corners - Cause for Concern or Normal?

I wouldn't call it "normal", unless you're talking about the quality of work to expect in a flipped house.  The cracks don't look as much structural as caused by an atrocious job of finishing the corner.  It's hard to tell from the posted pictures, but it looks like they ran a corner trowel over the joint without taping it and on top of a couple coats of paint.  Between that and likely painting it hurriedly (they didn't really even sand that much), the existing paint separated in the corner.  This should be relatively straight-forward to fix - scrape off all the loose material, and then properly tape (I'd use fiberglass), mud and sand the joint.


Unable to remove hard turmeric stains on the apartment common carpet

Tumeric is the most colorful component of curry. Good luck, tumeric can be used as a fabric dye. It doesn't come out of nice Brooks Brothers white shirts.

Good Housekeeping suggests the following for curry stains in carpet:

  Carpet

  Mix one tablespoon of liquid hand dishwashing detergent and one tablespoon of white vinegar with two cups of warm water.
  Using a clean white cloth, sponge the stain with the detergent/vinegar solution. Blot frequently with a dry cloth until the stain disappears.
  Sponge with plain water; blot until the liquid is absorbed.
  Sponge the stain with rubbing alcohol; blot to remove the stain.
  Sponge with water; blot until the liquid is absorbed.
  If the stain remains, mix one teaspoon of liquid hand dishwashing detergent and one tablespoon of ammonia with two cups of warm water.
  Sponge the stain with the detergent/ammonia solution. Leave it on the stain for at least 30 minutes, blotting every five minutes with a clean white cloth and more solution.
  Sponge with cold water and blot dry.

Personally, I would try it in an inconspicuous portion of carpet first in case it makes things worse in some way.


There are two likely possibilities here, and one a little more unusual:
Regular Switch
If this is a regular, single switch controlling the light, then it will typically have embossed on it "ON" and "OFF" indicators. If it does, and the operation seems to be opposite of what those indicate then I don't know what is going on. But if has those and they are upside down - i.e., the switch is actually functioning correctly but the labels actually indicate that "ON" is down instead of up, then simply remove the switch and replace it right-side up and you're done.
If it doesn't have "ON" and "OFF" marked on it, but it only has two wires attached (except for ground, of course), then it is a regular switch and you can simply remove the switch and replace it right-side up and you're done.
3-Way Switch
If the switch does not have "ON" and "OFF" marked on it then it is typically a 3-way switch. This means there is another switch somewhere that also controls the light. It might be on the other side of the room next to another room you rarely use. Or it might simply be in a hard-to-reach location so that you just don't think of using that switch. If you can find the other switch, flip it once and now this switch will be reversed and work the way you expect it.
If it is a 3-way switch and you can't find the other end, you can simply remove the switch and replace it right-side up and you're done. Or you can swap the two travelers (two of the three wires that have the same color screws), but since you have to remove and replace the switch to do that, just leave the wires as-is and turn the switch around.
3-Way Switch With One Switched Hot
There is one more wacky but safe & legal possibility: You have a 3-way switch used in place of a regular switch with only one switched hot instead of two travelers. In this case, you won't find a 2nd switch and you will only see 2 wires (not counting ground) connected to the switch. This will happen if:

There was a 2nd 3-way switch and it was removed (e.g., in order to install a switch for something else in that location)
The installer ran out of regular switches and used a 3-way switch

But again, the easiest solution is still remove the switch and replace it right-side up and you're done.


Is Black & Decker's "Codes for Homeowners" (3rd edition, 2015) a useful resource?

Yes, but in at least one instance, the text and the graphic are completely wrong, so be cautious. On pp. 40-41, the book indicates that you must have a smoke alarm "within 3 horizontal feet of the door of a bathroom containing a tub or shower." The actual code (in California, at least) requires that no smoke detector be any closer than 3 feet--to prevent false alarms from steam. (CA Residential Code chapter 3, section R314). A pretty serious misinterpretation.


Would there be a problem installing 20A switches on a 15A circuit?

You are correct on both counts:

There is no problem with using a 20A switch on a 15A circuit, as the breaker will trip and protect the switch from over-current.

Using a 15A switch on a 20A circuit is potentially dangerous though: the circuit may draw up to 20A, but the switch will be overloaded at that point which may cause it to overheat/melt/start a fire.
Really this is the same as wiring: you can use larger wires (with higher current ratings) but not smaller wires

A 20A outlet is not allowed on a 15A circuit. It's not really "dangerous" since the breaker will (should) trip at 15A anyway, but it is bad to knowingly install it this way.


Use of joint compound for these repairs?

Remove Highs, Fill Lows

Knock down the high points with a putty knife or other similar tool so that nothing is higher than the final surface that you are after. Fill in the lows with two layers of different types of dry wall mud as noted below.

Fill in most of the holes or voids with setting-type drywall joint compound commonly called 'hot  mud' which is a chemically setting dry wall mud. The hot mud has a working time frame that is noted on the product bag. I suggest using 90 minute to give plenty of working time and there is not a lot of advantage in this case for using a shorter time. Be sure to use it within the set-time, there is no way to extend the time by adding more water.

We use this mud instead of regular type because it does not lose volume when drying and therefore will not crack or need additional layers for the deeper voids. A downside, which is also an upside in many cases, is that it is creates a much harder surface that will be hard to change later.

Use a putty knife to just below your desired surface level. Be careful not to allow high spots as it is difficult to sand down and not easy to remove.

Then apply a thin layer of finish type dry wall mud for a nice finished surface that can be lightly sanded if needed

Finally, apply a thin bean of painters caulk in the corner where the drywall meets the window frame, this will hide the wall/window interface where a crack might appear.


Need some help with wall behind rangetop

If you are installing tile then just wait to use the back burners on high until that is done.   Any type of tile should be an adequate fire barrier for a stove top.

If you have to have something in the interim then I suggest taping up some aluminum foil or if you want to get semi-permanent some fire retardant paint.


I would have cut the bricks with a masonary saw to give the straight neat line then sorted the mortar lines.

You can still do this to tidy the edges up and use some of the half bricks to fill the gaps and then finish the mortar lines.

One point about the construction was the wall was built and just the pillar part continued upwards leaving the wall surface at its height.


A narrow slab door might fit the bill. 80" is a very common height. Architectural recycling places, such as Habitat For Humanity Restores (if you're in North America) have them for nearly nothing.
If you get a hollow core and it's too wide, be aware that it's a bit fiddly to make it work well.


vinyl plank flooring, entry way door trim question

You installed your floor properly as long as it is maintaining the minimum gap at the door, but you needed also make room for a transition strip which requires about an inch of room from the door.

To include a transition strip I made my cut about 1 inch away from the surface where the transition strip was to go. Then the metal track that holds the transition strip in place still allow the 1/2 inch minimum required for the transition strip and the floor to work together. After setting the transition strip in place it cover the edge of the floor and kept the minimum requirements needed for they allow for the expansion and contraction. I included a few pictures to show what I have left.

Since there was no clean way in my eye to terminate the transition strip, I let it run from trim edge to trim edge as Illustrated one picture but since it blended in with the flow of the floor, it is not highlighted very well. I included another picture that I have not trimmed out yet

I do not have any pics of the process, but some of the space was too tight on some of the doors and needed to be cut in place. I used a multi-tool and a straight edge to do this but it can be done with a razor knife with much care and a straight edge. I also modified the transition strip to make it more narrow. I do not like transitions strips as it is, but the nature of the floor requires them


Capacitor values and compatible replacements

Are you sure that is "pf" and not microfarads?

The symbol for micro is a Greek letter mu with a descending tail in the "μ". It could be confused for a "p" fairly easily if the printing is faint. A picofarad rated capacitor would be too small for a motor capacitor and is normally used in very low power electronics circuits.

Here is what I found when I searched your numbers:
https://www.amazon.com/Motor-Dual-Capacitor-Round-12892/dp/B00C0YSBTG

The double numbers are because it is a start/run capacitor so it has a dual value. One for start one for run.  Check the dimensions on it and see if it matches up. If so then give it a try.

Good luck!


Over the Range Microwave not bolted from cupboard above

It's hard to say without looking at it. Some have a mounting plate that attaches to the back wall and mounts from the side or from above. Some have a tray that gets mounted and the microwave slides in/onto the tray.


Should AC coolant pipes be mounted on the exterior?

This is the way it's done many times. In new construction they may be put underground but if they fail, they are replaced up the exterior wall and through the attic. I must say that it's a pretty sloppy job though. The installers could have made a better effort to keep them straight and up against the wall the entire way. There are shields that are usually placed over the pipes to hide them and further protect the insulation from the elements (see below). The safety and reliability won't be affected by this installation.
Picture from Metal Roofing Screws.


I push the cable back into the wall or floor until just the connector is sticking out.  You may not want cable right now, but never say never - you might want high speed internet or have a tenant or a next homeowner.  I know cable will install it for "free" but it's not really free, it costs you some discounts/rebates for an installer to come.


What is longest distance without attaching a top plate of interior wall

In my opinion this should be done 3 times per span at a minimum.  So really it depends what you are building with.  If you use your stock 2x4s that are 8 feet then 3.  But If you get longer 2x4s I think you can also go with 3, given there are no breaks.

(This is also assuming that you can fasten the bottom every couple feet)


What is the cause of the common impression that European electrical wiring is safer than (North) American?

A few things that immediately strike me.

American plugs have no protection against people or items touching the live pin(s) if the plug is partially withdrawn from the socket. Most European plugs protect against this either through pain insulation or through having the socket at the bottom of the recessed cavity.
Until relatively recently the Americans used combined neutral and Earth connections in some domestic wiring (IIRC subpanels, ranges and clothes driers). If a combined Neutral and Earth conductor breaks you can easily develop dangerous voltages on exposed metalwork.
While the lower voltage does reduce the risks posed by electric shocks it also means increased currents which can lead to increase fire risks.
Lots more exposed metal inside enclosures, americans don't sleeve their earth wires and their sockets have exposed live screws, it seems the only thing stopping them touching is the neatness with which the wiring is inserted into the box. You can take the lid off a modern European DB and you would still have to go out of your way to touch live parts while the American breaker panels I have seen pictures of have lots of live metal exposed to direct touch.

Of course there are issues on the European side too.

Earthed plugs will often fit in non-earthed sockets or sockets using a different earthing system in such a way that the appliance receives live and Neutral connections but not an Earth connection.
Accessories are often designed in such a way that they are mounted to the plate, so you can't see what is happening to the wiring as you push it into the box.

A lot of other stuff depends on exactly where in Europe you are comparing to, for example here in the UK a socket without a proper earth would be considered virtually unthinkable, but from what I can gather in both mainland Europe and north America they are relatively common.


Dishwasher leaving residue, needing frequent cleaning

Check the drain hose attachment. The inner diameter is reduced around the nipple and something can be caught there, possibly causing back-wash of drain water.

Image: https://howtofixit.net/dishwasher-not-draining/


Does reverse-cycle airconditioning in heating mode dry the air?

Yes, that is correct. A closed-loop heat pump work by circulating a refrigerant in a loop, where there are two heat exchangers separated on one side by a compressor and on the other by a valve. Your expectation is correct: In heating mode, the inside heat exchanger does not cause condensation and therefore does not dry out the air.

Having said that, there is one factor to mention. Humidity is often expressed as relative humidity, which is the percentage of water vapor in the air expressed as a percentage of the saturated amount. Raising the temperature of the air inside your house will increase that saturation amount of water vapor. But the actual amount of water vapor in terms of mass is essentially the same, so the net effect is that you lower the relative humidity, even though you don't take any water out of the air. (The dew point stays constant too.)


Does using an existing attic exhaust pipe to also serve air flow from a range hood cause smells/micro particles of oil/soot/etc to get into attic?

Yes, this will cause a problem.

You say, “with an opening in the side of this pipe...” If there isn’t a solid pipe (without openings) in your new exhaust pipe, it will partially vent kitchen air into your attic. (Good practice calls for the pipe joints to be lapped in the direction of the exhaust and sealed...no openings.)

Having a “gravity” vent in your attic does not allow for backdraft flaps...so it can’t be fixed.

These are two separate venting procedures. One is power vented and one is gravity. They cannot be combined. The power exhaust vent will blow smells into your attic.

I’d check with your Building Department and they’ll tell you that the new kitchen exhaust vent must be vented to the exterior...without “openings in the side of the pipe”.


Can I use the Simpson Strong Tie EB-TY product with ChoiceDek?

Contact the ChoiceDek folks; all manufacturers have technical support to answer just that kind of questions.


What you "heard" is incorrect, but Harper's advice is wise just the same.

You can paint the outer cover of the panel as long as you don't obscure any critical labels. Use a good primer and several thin topcoats to prevent runs and avoid filling stamped text. I'd probably remove the plastic latch, mask the opening from behind, and reinstall it later for a more professional appearance (or simply mask it in place).


This is what the generic "National Electrical Code" calls the Grounding Electrode System.  It is USA-published but widely used, and widely subject to the sincerest form of flattery.  My answer conforms with this Code

1)  2.5M depth is fine.  5m separation is fine, but more is better.  On the other hand, copper wires aren't free so I understand if you don't put them on opposite corners.  By using two rods, you are exempt from the need to test the conductance.

2) It's not critical to be close to the building.  More important is to be far enough away not to strike its foundation or nick utilities.  Closer to the building is somewhat better insofar as protecting the ground wires.  You don't want to be on the far side of the property since you want to equipotential bond to the dirt near your house, on the off chance there is a significant voltage gradient across your property.

3) It's not a telephone pole. You don't need to auger it.  Lots of people have found inventive ways to drive them.  Code doesn't care how you drive it.

Often, a fence post driver and some patience will suffice.
Here's a guy working in clayish soil who does it tool-less, he adds a small amount of water to churn the dirt in the hole into mud.  Works for him.
Some people connect a garden hose to a pipe to drive the hole hydraulically. That's kind of nice because it's less likely to damage to any utilities you might hit.   A few people say this leaves excessive voids around the rod; I don't believe it. The ground does not like having voids in it, and they'll silt up after a few rains.  You could accelerate this process.

4) 5) NEC rules say you only need to test if you are on one ground rod.  If you use two ground rods, you are exempt from needing to test/prove the rods. Professionally around here, most installers just install two and don't look back.  Simply because testing is so laborious and expensive.

All rods need to have a ground wire going back to the panel.  The wire must be continuous without splices.  It must be copper. It can be direct buried. I'm not sure if you can daisy chain from one ground rod to the next, but that creates a single point of failure, so I would not.

If you're that worried about it, install three.

6) Don't overthink it or assume it's laborious. Read up (i.e. watch youtube) on how others do it.  It's not a highly technical project, you are sticking a copper rod in the ground.  Success is when the copper rod is in the ground. Acceptance testing is "there are two rods in the ground".

Ground rods do several things for you.

return natural electricity (ESD and lightning) to their source, which is earth.
keep your electrical conductors within 250V of earth, which is useful if there is transformer miswiring or leakage that might pull it up to thousands of volts.
assure that you are not likely to be bitten getting in or out of the tub
help RCDs by providing an easier fault path

Here's what they do not do:

they do not return human-generated electricity to source. Quite often in the North American 3-phase system, people will wire an outbuilding and go "Hey, don't need a neutral, just drive a ground rod" -- nuh-uh.  Dirt doesn't conduct electricity well enough.
they do not make RCDs work.  RCDs don't use ground.  They observe only current on hot and neutral, and want to see that current be equal.  RCDs are a great option if you don't have grounding, so if there are circuits in the building that are ungrounded, slapping an RCD on them is your best bet.


How to seal marble tile mixed with glass?

Alternative idea.

Test the sealer on a piece of left over tile.

Let the sealer get onto the glass and wipe it up shortly thereafter.

Compare the before/after -- if you see no notable damage, just put the stuff on and have someone clean up the glass right behind you.


Is a sub panel necessary to wire this 10.5kw 43.75amp sauna heater?

Normally you'd need the sub panel if for no other reason than to have a means to disconnect the sauna for maintenance. Since the sauna is in the same room you can go directly to it from the main panel as long as you have clear line of sight from the panel to the sauna.
Your instructions show a sub panel and you shouldn't deviate from them but they also give wire sizes for going from main breaker to power unit (4#8,N & G) so I guess it's OK.

I think going to the sub panel would be cheaper.


What is the grounding requirement one a second sub panel in a steel building

I'm assuming this new panel is in the same outbuilding shop as the 125A panel.

Any sub panels fed from the "main" panel for a structure (in this case the existing 125A panel is the main panel for your shop) should be grounded with a dedicated grounding conductor in addition to the hot and neutral conductors. So yes, you must run a ground wire to the new panel.

Note that connecting your panels to other metallic things like the metal building (or copper pipes, etc.) does NOT count as grounding. From a safety standpoint they are irrelevant. Your metal building is probably grounded to your existing panel/ground, not the other way around.


What are the proper steps needed to install a grounding rod?

The rod must be at least 8 feet in the ground, and should be below or flush with the ground level.  If the electrode is above the ground, it has to be protected from physical damage.
So if the rod is 8 feet in the ground, you'll simply have to protect the aboveground portion from physical damage.

National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 2 Wiring and Protection
Article 250 Grounding and Bonding
250.53 Grounding Electrode System Installation.
(G) Rod and Pipe Elecgtrodes. The electrode shall be installed such that at least 2.44 m (8 ft) of length is in contact with the soil. It shall be driven to a depth of not less than 2.44 m (8 ft)... The upper end of the electrode shall be flush with or below ground level unless the aboveground end and the grounding electrode conductor attachment are protected against physical damage as specified in 250.10.
250.10 Protection of Ground Clamps and Fittings. Ground clamps or other fittings exposed to physical damage shall be enclosed in metal, wood, or equivalent protective covering.


Can Armored Cable and Nonmetallic sheathed cable be used together?

If both wiring methods are allowed in your area then both can be used together.

As always, proper terminations and grounding must be considered.

Also be very careful. Even though you have AC cable, the older stuff, like what you have, is rarely an accepted or safe grounding path. These circuits cannot be extended.


The 58/196 pressures mentioned is the low (suction) side pressure and the high side pressure.  Those aren't horrible values since I believe 68/250 would be typical.  If the system was 33F outside, then that is cooling better than 40F, so you should be fine there.
Is there any chance that your evaporator inside the house froze?  That can happen if humidity is high and the air flow is too low.  The solution is to turn off the A/C and leave the fan running until the ice melts.
If it working again, check your airflow.  You mentioned that you replaced the blower motor -- did you happen to change the fan speed to a lower setting at the same time?


What diameter PVC conduit should I bury under my front yard?

Code defines minimum sizes, based on fill percentage. Larger also meets code (by exceeding it.)

Anyone who has ever pulled a conduit at/near maximum fill % (40 for 3 or more wires in conduit longer than 24") can tell you it's not fun to do.

You have a short run across the yard, so the conduit expense is not a huge factor. In general, the conduit expense is always much, much less than the trench to put it in expense.

I would use schedule 80 PVC for a job like this; while it will mean finding your local electrical supply unless you have the oddest home cheapo I've never met (never seen sch. 80 at any of the ones near me, other than the odd sweep) it is far more robust than schedule 40. I would also use 1 inch - not because "code says you need it" (it does not) but because it is somewhat stronger and provides considerably more room than you require - and more room makes pulling wires easier. It also means you don't really have to define exactly what you are doing (so the absolute minimum size you need can be specified) because it's more than large enough for considerably more than you have stated no matter how you do what you've stated.

I would (but you don't need to) put in a second 1" conduit while the trench was there, if there was the remotest chance on the face of the planet that I might ever want to run phone, network (perhaps an outside wireless access point), garage door opener or any other sort of low voltage wiring to the location. See cost of conduit .vs. cost of trench again. But it's your call.

Finally, don't skip the "buried electric line below" warning tape in the top 6 inches of fill for the trench. Digsafe won't know your private line is there, so they won't mark it.


...This is one school of thought: seal the chimney to prevent air flow. By preventing air flow, you also prevent the flow of moisture the air carries with it, and the formation of condensation on the colder, interior face of the flue. FYI, the insulation you push up into the flue works simply because it blocks the flow of air; insulation 'warms' nothing. What it does is slow heat transfer from warmer to cooler areas.

The second school of thought is to increase air flow. The theory is that, with constant air flow, moisture that settles on the inner surfaces of the flue will be evaporated.

For this system to work, the flue has to pull in dryer, ambient air from a lower floor; this requires creating an opening below the damp area. This is the preferred method in Britain, for example.

Incidently, houses built in the US Northeast throughout the 1800s had just such an air circulation system built into their exterior walls. In old houses, you have a cavity between the brick and the plaster walls and that cavity extends from the basement to the attic. Air in the attic is heated and exits, creating a partial vacuum which draws air in the cavity upwards. As the air is drawn upwards through the wall, it is heated, which increases its capacity to absorb moisture. This wicking system removes moisture from the inside surface of the brickwork and prevents moisture setting into the lathe.


What's the best way to repair or replace window sill & apron that's been sawed off?

Drop the wood putty idea. That is just not workable for this situation. I believe you are on the right track with the apron...just replace it...but fix the sill as below before installing the new apron.

For the sill I would recommend getting some paint stripper and taking off the existing paint on the sill. Once you have exposed the cut off area of the sill you can evaluate whether the cut is nice and straight and smooth. If not it may be necessary to make it so. The next step involves getting a piece of nice wood of the same thickness (pine would be good to work with). Cut out a triangle of the wood that will be glued to the cut off area. When you size and cut this piece leave it a bit larger in the direction facing into the room so that once attached you can plane and and sand the front edge to match the existing sill.

For attaching the triangle of wood to the cut corner of the sill you will be using a good quality carpenters wood glue. Success with this is going to depend on several things:

How nice of a match you can get between the edges of the mating parts.
Ability to clamp the triangle piece into place.
Consider the possibility to screw or nail the triangle piece into place although this could be very difficult due to the approximate 45 degree angles involved.
Consider the possibility to use dowels or biscuits to hold strengthen the joint when it is glued. Using these does require special tools and may be tricky to use when dealing with the still installed existing sill board.

Once you have success in attaching the new piece you can plane and sand the the corner till the surface and edge merge points are smooth and even. After that you can prime and repaint the sill area. (Remember the stripping recommendation at the beginning...you will appreciate that when it comes to repainting and how you can get it looking nice. It would be a pain to try to make the corner look good if you just tried to patch paint the corner).


Diagnosing instant circuit breaker tripping, with nothing connected

Here's what you're supposed to have.

Live to neutral: some value of resistance depending on your load.  Don't be surprised if the figure doesn't strictly follow Ohm's Law; many devices have their effective resistance change after they warm up.   If there are no loads on the circuit, hot-neutral should be infinity ohms.

Live to ground/earth: this should always be infinity ohms if the breaker  is switched off.  If it is not, you have a ground fault on either hot or neutral.  If hot-neutral is infinity ohms, then a lesser reading is definitely a ground fault.

Neutral to ground/earth: should be zero ohms if the proper neutral-ground bond is connected, and should be infinity ohms if the hot and neutral wire are lifted off the breaker or neutral bus.

Non-infinite resistance (conductivity) between hot and neutral is normal if any loads are attached.  However, if you disconnect hot/neutral from the panel, there must always be infinity ohms/zero conductance between hot/neutral and ground.   If there is conductance between hot/neutral and ground, then you have a problem that you must fix.


You have a series arcing fault inside the receptacle.  There is a gap in the conductors somewhere just large enough to make electricity leap across the gap.   You know that because you saw it arc.

Left alone it can burn your house down.  The arcing makes a lot of heat, and then it's a race between whether the arcing will erode enough material to widen the gap enough to arrest the arcing, or make enough heat to set something on fire inside the walls. Hard to fight a fire inside walls.

This type of problem is common, and it's caused either by the cheap 50 cent tier receptacles losing their grip strength or cracking, or "backstab" wire connections where a wire is jabbed into a hole and grabbed by a spring.  The backstab only touches at a couple points, not a long edge the way screw connections attach.

The arc is in series with loads you plug into this receptacle, or possibly ones downline in the circuit.  Removing the loads should stop the arcing for now, but this needs to be fixed.

The cure is to replace the receptacle.  This is handyman work not even electrician work, and shouldn't need a permit. A handyman should watch for "tabs" on the side of the receptacle to make sure they are not broken off, as they need to be in some comfigurations.  And should use the side screws, not troublesome backstabs.  If you attempt it yourself, turn off the breaker first, use the better $3-tier receptacles, shoot pix of the "as-found" wiring before and check the wires for arc damage, more to conclusively determine the source.  Don't hesitate to ask us if you get stuck.

Your "trip" didn't detect it because trips only look for one kind of failure: overload.  This arc fault couldn't flow any more current than the appliances normally take.    If you want a circuit breaker that also looks for that problem, get an AFCI ("Combination" Arc Fault Circuit Interruptor), which literally listens for arcish sounds.  "Combination" means both series faults (which you've met) and parallel arc faults (where the wires short together, but do not flow enough current to trip the overload breaker).   If you want one that also protects humans from electric shock, get a dual-mode AFCI/GFCI.  GFCI, or Ground fault Circuit Interruptor, looks for wayward current that could zap someone.  It is called RCD in Europe.


How to repair a wire in a light switch box

I can't see the clamp on the NM cable is it plastic or metal? If metal there is probably a screw on the outside you may be able to pull the Phillips screws(s) holding the box in place and move the box to gain access. If plastic you can break It and try, replacing the clamp with a raco "insider" it is a clamp that installs from inside the box quick and easy compared to other types. It looks to short to make a splice,  sometimes you have to open a wall when this happens hopefully you can get enough slack to splice in the box.


My kitchen lights won't turn on, what could be the problem?

Assuming florescent lights, the most likely cause is a failed ballast. Generally a bulb or socket issue will only affect 1 or 2 lights, not all 4.

Replacing a ballast is pretty straight forward and just requires re-connecting the necessary wires.  Make sure you note the old ballast type, as well as the bulb types and wattages when selecting a replacement.

If it is an older fixture with T-12 bulbs, you will most likely need to replace the ballast and bulbs with newer T8 bulbs that are more energy efficient.


Joist hangers would be fine. You can bury concrete post piers to act as your actual piers as well. Do try to leave at least a few inches of clearance though th facilitate air flow so it doesn't get too soggy underneath.

But when building a deck that low, I'd suggest you also consider a patio, instead. A stone, concrete or tile patio will outlive any wooden deck.


What should I consider when choosing a pocket door system?

There are a number of pocket door appraches. Usually is makes sense to buy a frame kit such as this one

There are many grades and sizes, some of which are meant for heavy doors. You do need to make sure that the thickness of your doors do not exceed the limits of the kits. If they do, you may be able to buy parts and create your own combination that will suit. Also, there are standard heights, which could be adjusted for (e.g., with bottom blocking) if your doors are especially tall.

There are other brands that may provide additional features, such as this one which has a color matched header insert, and this one which can be used in thicker walls , and perhaps with thicker doors.


Why can't I connect a dimmer in line with an outdoor security light?

Generally, schemes where you want to control a light 2 ways at once, do not work.  The two methods end up in contention/conflict with each other.
The motion sensor and photocell units need 24x7 power. They do not work on reduced power, partial power or the wacky waveform you get out of a triac dimmer, which is made only for lights. Since you are using a single light+motion sensor+photocell unit, you can't separate out and dim only the light, unless the internal arrangement of the unit allows you to do so, which is pretty rare these days.
Modern motion sensor+photocell+LED units generally have a single power supply on board that makes 12V, both for the motion sensor and the light.  (12V motion sensors are ~$10, 120V motion sensors are ~$20 due to the need for an internal power conversion and a higher safety rating switch).  If you could access the internals of the unit, it's certainly easy to get a PWM dimmer for ~12V LEDs, that could go between the sensor and the LED.  The cheapies have a physical knob that will stay where you put it.
Honestly, your best option - though it'll be a little complex - is to do exactly that with discrete components.  The photocell is generally part of the motion sensor, and so you don't need 2 components there.
So you have a 12V power supply... then a 12V motion sensor... then a 12V PWM dimmer... then 12V LED lights of your choice, which are readily available.
It'd be possible to do that same thing in 120V, however choosing a dimmer would be a challenge.  Most dimmers these days do not like being downline of a switch, and will do undesirable things like reset themselves to full brightness etc.


After staining a deck how long until rain is no longer a concern?

Most oil-based deck stains need at least 24 hours of dry time. High humidity and/or low temperatures will increase that time, so will over-applying the stain. I would not apply it unless I was fairly confident that I had at least 48 hours with no rain. Better to wait.


Assuming that cable is in fact 6 AWG, that cable was always correct for a NEMA 6-50 receptacle.  It was always wrong for a NEMA 10-50.

It really matters.  Some people have seen the inside of a panel and see where neutrals and grounds land on the same bus.  That's not quite what's happening. Neutral and ground serve very different purposes. One returns current normally, the other one is a safety net that saves lives. They are supposed to be kept totally separate, with equipotential bonding created between neutral and ground in one place - the main panel.  However in a simple residence, there is only one panel, so they allow the shortcut of simply putting them all on one bus.  That's all.

The only wire relabeling that is permitted is a white wire in a cable can be relabeled to be a hot, so what you have done is correct.  This is the normal way of powering NEMA 6 circuits using common multiconductor cable.

Being a modern house, if this was a range circuit they would have already used /3 cable and your range receptacle would already be a NEMA 14-50.  So I gather this is in a utility space and is intended for welders, kilns, EV chargers and the like.  A great many of those work fine without neutral, so you may never need a neutral. If you did, you'd need to replace the entire cable. You cannot retask that green wire to be anything else.  You also cannot use the MC shield as a ground path, so you do need the green wire.


Why do anti-mold products avoid stating it kills mold?

Products that remove mold stains are generally cleaning products, not designed to deal with the mold spores. Killing the spores, in a meaningful sense, involves specific products to kill spores (like this one).

The reason why you need a spore killer specifically, is that cleaning surfaces (like with bleach) can kill the mold on the surface, however it does not prevent mold regrowth. So you can bleach a surface and still have mold come back and be just as bad as it was before.


How do I replace a bathtub drain trip lever?

Admittedly, I haven't done it before but I came across instructions awhile ago (courtesy of eHow and Google).  Maybe they'll be helpful.

http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-fix-a-broken-tub-trip-lever

http://www.ehow.com/how_3391064_replace-triplever-bathtub-drain.html

-M


That's how it's done, don't forget to apply chemical tape to the seams and seal the areas around the wall prior to installing it. You won't have another chance with out removing the wall first.


How to correct burying cement board into shower pan concrete?

You can read my past answers that go into pretty big detail on how I do showers - and I have done a lot but there are no hard rules in creating a working/functional non-molding shower.  Yes there are guidelines but they are written in an in-general way and do not factor in materials being used.

Number one you used hardieboard. It is my preferred choice for bathrooms (durarock preferred in most other areas) because in all of my tests, I have not seen hardie fiber "leak".   Meaning you can pour a cup of water on top of a board and it will not go through the board.   Will it wick over time... I don't know but it would be minimal.

I really wanted to test this last time I did a shower in my house but I was just too lazy but I wanted to see if JUST a hardieboard shower would work.  I was going to tape, fill, redgard the seams..     I 100% believe that the shower would function and not leak.   (yes I know over time it is likely for a hole to develop)

Here is the deal, you regarded the outside.   That is your moisture barrier plus using an almost-waterproof product.   The barrier behind is serving no purpose at all.   If anything it is channeling an issue to one area to make it a bigger issue in that area.   The fallacy here is that this would funnel back to the pan, but the pan having a gap in my opinion is way way way more of a probable future problem then water wicking past a regarded hardieboard.

Your concern is the shower pan.   The moisture issue of burying the hardie is the water wicking up behind it from the concrete pan.   Basically I would do a shower almost exactly like you did with a gap between pan and hardie - pan extending a little behind.  In my opinion I would do nothing.   Although not a perfect install it seems like a good one.   I would much rather take my chances with your current install vs. start mucking around and cause more issues.   The fact is showers function pretty well on drywall/tile and a good pan/tub.

It is the upkeep on the outside that diverts most of the issues.    You have already gave your first line a really good backup redgarded, backed it up again with hardie and now you are worried about your back-ups, back-ups, back-up with some plastic.   Leave your shower alone.   If it has an issue in the future it is going include removing the pan and that is just silly to do at this point.


What is the following type of hinge called?

This is commonly called a Lid Support Hinge, I have also heard them called "toybox lid supports".

Yours is different then the ones I used to sell and might have been equipment specific design.


Buzzing sound from junction box when dimmer switch is on

Yellow is indeed not a ground

Your house was wired up using conduit (rigid and flexible) instead of cable -- therefore, the electrician could use whatever wire colors he so pleased (with the only ones off limits being white, grey, and green) instead of being stuck with the NM-cable defaults.  Furthermore, the conduit itself is a grounding conductor, so there's no need for further grounding wires running inside it.

So, simply use a green or bare jumper to a grounding screw in the box (there are dedicated holes in the back for a standard 10-32 grounding screw) to ground your dishwasher.  And the yellow is likely a switched hot indeed -- the buzzing was the dimmer's way of complaining about the wiring.


How can I remove hair dye stains from a porcelain sink?

I ended up using a Magic Eraser. That did the job.


Should I expect a level ceiling when my kitchen was completely gutted?

First, let's assume the cabinets and floor are level and the ceiling is not. I would have taken the time to shim the strapping on the ceiling before installing the new drywall or ceiling tiles. This is standard procedure in a good renovation project. Normally, one would shoot a laser around the room and level the ceiling as a first step in the process before cabinets were installed. Depending how far off and how long the wall of cabinets are, it is very difficult to camouflage an unlevel space between the upper cabinets and ceiling with trim.  Can you give us some pics or measurements of the offending area?


Can I replace an old closet light with multiple electrical outlets?

The best answer to this is to leave the light as a light and have a qualified electrician run a three wire circuit (hot, neutral, ground) direct to your soon-to-be office. Your modern equipment needs it and disturbing any old turn of the century wiring is asking for disaster.

Having lived in an old house with Range, Pump and four circuits, adding any extra load to an ancient system without upgrading the wiring is a good indicator for having several fire detectors located in strategic places and keeping their batteries up to date.


Why are adjacent breakers for unrelated circuits ganged?

They are Multi-Wire Branch Circuits

This is a wiring strategy that depends on North America's system of having "neutral in the middle" of 240V, giving two legs of 120V.

A circuit can be wired so that it brings out both legs, giving a single circuit which is effectively two 120V circuits which share a neutral and ground.

This provides a savings in wire, at the cost of complicating use of GFCI and AFCI devices.

This makes even more sense when the outlets are far from the panel, both for the savings and because MWBCs have less voltage drop than single circuits. It appears this builder also gave you a wire size bump above the mandatory #14/15A... allowing 20A breakers; single 12/3 was cheaper than dual 14/2. And more useful, nuisance trips notwithstanding.

Breakering an MWBC

Since it is in fact one circuit, it needs one maintenance shutoff.  Otherwise, a person might plug a radio into one half of the circuit, flip off breakers until the radio goes silent, declare the circuit "cold", and then go get nailed by the other half of the circuit.  For this same reason, 2 independent circuits need to be handle-tied when they service the same receptacle. Who checks both sockets??

What it does not need is common trip.  Note that these are actual, proper 2-pole breakers; those have internal mechanisms which guarantee common-trip, which is appropriate for dryers and ranges.  On a MWBC, it's perfectly acceptable to use two independent breakers and a factory Handle-tie (not a nail).  Handle-ties do not guarantee common trip, but realistically, it will probably happen. So don't waste money switching.

If you do any work with MWBCs, you need to follow some special rules, such as pigtailing neutrals instead of using a receptacle as a splice block.

It shouldn't be an inconvenience

Because you shouldn't be tripping breakers much.  If you are, then the root problem is a lack of a sense of how much load a circuit can support. Review the labeling of each appliance to see how much it draws in amps.  And know which outlets are on which circuits. (I'll grant you, distinguishing half-circuits can be a challenge when dealing with MWBCs).

The off-chance

J.. suggested this might be a case of "builder just had a few extra 2-poles lying around".  I consider that highly unlikely. I suspect they're all MWBC for the same reason, e.g. distance. However, if you're comfortable groping around in a live panel, we can test that. And we'll ignore grounds, which are green, yellow-green or bare.

Pick a double breaker. Follow the two hot wires back to where they enter the panel.  If they enter one cable containing one neutral, it's MWBC.  If they enter one single conduit pipe, see if every hot has its own neutral - they should be paired with tape or sleeving.   You can only exclude it from being MWBC if you can confirm both hots have their own separate partner neutral.

Now that you have two hot-neutral pairs you think are singletons, one more test.  Look at circuits 5 and 6 - those are GFCI or possibly AFCI breakers.  They have zero tolerance of misconfigured neutrals. So put one of your singletons on them (either pull the original load off, or just put both there temporarily).  Put loads on both of your "supposedly separate" circuits. If the GFCI/AFCI holds, you're good.


Heil gas Furnace -- water in the pressure switch vacuum hose

My American Standard has a drain trap that has to be flushed every so often or it will fill up the tubing and I can hear that it is affecting the ID fan. You may have a similar problem


How to keep the dust down when sawing indoors in the dead of winter?

A decent vac and dust collection will make a huge difference.

Many saws / tools have a vac connection and using this will collect most of the dust and will reduce the risk of blockages.


Multiple in-wall bathroom heaters on same circuit

No, every hardwired appliance does not need to be on its own circuit. But...

Provision power for heaters with a 125% derate

You need to study the unit's specs carefully, and note the amps or VA drawn by it (note a resistive electric heating element will have VA identical to Watts, but a fan motor may knock that off a little).  Then, multiply that figure by 125% (8A -> 10A).  The +125% number is how much power you must provison (allocate) on that circuit.

So for instance if you have two heaters that are 8.1 amps each. Those derate to 10.125 amps.  Two of them would be 20.25 amps, which is too much for a 20A circuit.  Most heater manufacturers understand this intimately, and will size their heaters to be just under a threshold number, i.e. not 8.1A :)

Also beware of  heaters whose spec rating is at 125V instead of 120V.  Due to Ohm's Law, a reduction in voltage causes an equal reduction in amperage.  So if you have an 8A heater @125V, then you have to multiply by (120/125) to get the 120V amperage.

An interesting idea

Oftentimes, people speccing power for bathrooms and kitchens will be thinking only about the Code book (which is complicated enough), and forget that the main user of a bathroom is people who do a lot of "Beauty stuff" in the bathroom with heat appliances, often several.  For instance  Code allows one single 120V/20A circuit to serve all receptacles in all bathrooms, and you know the men who specced that didn't have a wife and teenage daughter!  That's because Code is written by the National Fire Prevention Association not by the National Hair Care Association.

Well, look at the rules.

First, it is legal to have 240V and 120V loads on the same (Multi-Wire Branch) circuit.
Second, it is legal to have receptacles on a circuit with hardwired things, if the hardwired things draw less than 50% of rated circuit amps.
Third, it's legal to put receps and non-recep loads on the same circuit if they're all in the same bathroom.

So, if the heater provisions out to <=10 amps, I would be inclined to run a 4-wire circuit for each heater.  Then, continue the circuit to a 2-gang box containing two GFCI receps, wired in multi-wire branch circuit fashion - sharing the neutral, and one hot per recep.  Now, you can plug a curler and hair dryer in at the same time!  (you'd be kissing 20A if the heater was on also, but the user could turn off the heater while using the appliances - they'll be making plenty of heat of their own.)   So for about $30 extra, you've made the beauty enthusiasts in the house very happy.


Questions about a fire suppression system breaking

Wet fire sprinkler systems are installed where the spaces are heated. Dry fire sprinkler systems are installed where there is no heat, (i.e.: attics, parking garages, etc.)

If your sprinkler system failed “where it passes between condos” then I suspect each condo wall is insulated but not between them. (Code requires a “fire separation” between units and a “sound wall” between units.) This is easily accomplished by building two separate walls. The space between them is generally not heated.

So, the “wet” system that passes from unit to unit is probably going to freeze...the water in the pipes is stagnant (not moving) so easily frozen.

This is a “design error” not a “repair issue” from 5 years ago. Your system needs to be re-designed to account for this error.

The statue of limitations is 10 years in the U.S. for designers. If it’s been less than that I’d contact the architect/engineer that designed the building and sprinkler system. If it’s been longer, I’d notify the HOA they have a problem that will continue...mold is a byproduct that must be corrected. (BTW, if your insurance company finds out mold is an existing condition, they may not cover you...be careful what you tell them. I hate insurance companies...I’ve spent a lifetime arguing with them.)

BTW, “dry” systems have an air compressor that keeps air in the sprinkler lines 24/7. When a sprinkler head detects a fire or an alarm is pulled, the compressor is shut down which allows water to flow through the lines and out the heads. (Do you have a compressor? Was it shut off? The electrical breaker for the compressor should have a lock on it.)

You say there was a 3’ split from 5 years ago just discovered. If so, how could the dry system work?

If your condo burns down, your insurance company could deny the claim if the HOA or maintenance did something to disarm the sprinkler system.

I’d get a consultant to review your system, including taking mold samples. (If I lived there and my son didn’t graduate from Harvard, I’d blame mold and sue the HOA. I’d probably have a case too.)


How can I level and finish a slanted deck that was enclosed?

Basically you build a new deck on top of it:

In your situation, I'd cut long triangles to use as sleepers, opposed to the shim technique shown here. Subfloor it with 3/4" plywood. Finish with your desired floor covering.

Use a table saw to rip 2x4's; having one end zero inches and the other 2". Install them directly above the existing joists, drilling pockets from the top down if needed, for screws.

Blocking between the joists is advised.

The finished floor will be slightly higher than the adjacent one (that's what thresholds are for), take into account the clearance for any doors that open out, onto it.

If the height discrepancy or if clearance is an issue, you're looking at having to gut the decking. This would enable you to sister to the old joists and bring it up to level, while keeping a low profile.


How to repair anchor holes and re-mount bathroom tissue dispenser

If you  are repairing the wall and re-installing the tissue dispenser it would be wise to "multi-task" the repair.

Cut the damaged area to an opening smaller than the length of the dispensers screw holes. Cut a piece of 1/2 or 3/4 inch plywood 2 inches longer and slightly narrower than the cut you just made. Secure the plywood into the wall incision so that it will be held in place by a screw at each end of the wall opening (the plywood should extend an equal distance behind the drywall).

The newly installed plywood can now be used to attach a drywall plug and then the dispenser.


How to insulate brick gap behind steam radiator?

The "metal grate" you refer to appears to be a metal mesh to reinforce and support plaster trowelled onto/into it to form a finished wall.  Perhaps the plasterers missed it.

In some jurisdictions the missing plaster may be required for fire/fumes blockage.  For example:  if there is a garage on the other side of the brick wall.

One type is here: http://tianmaiwiremesh.en.made-in-china.com/product/qyPEcSAlYThr/China-Wall-Plaster-Mesh-Metal-Rib-Lath.html

In any event the simplest approach may be to trowel the plaster into the grill as intended...


What is this Verizon device on my Kitchen's wall?

It is a power supply for a Verizon ONT.  Look for where your Verizon fiber is connected to your house wiring via their box (ONT) or to a Verizon modem.  You'll probably find a pair of power lines coming to it from your house phone wiring.
Usually the power supply would go next to or inside the ONT.  Why it is installed here, we can guess:  The Verizon fiber termination was wanted in a location where there is no power receptacle, so they ran power to it via your internal phone wiring.  From there perhaps you use an ethernet cable to get to your router somewhere else.  It seems odd but that's my guess.
Can you move it?   As long as your ONT gets power somehow, you can move this or it.
Here for comparison is a more typical configuration:

Edit: a bit more advice: Stop using obsolete wiring for critical new services.  In most homes these days the internal phone wiring is disused.  If you have a home phone line at all, it usually serves only a portable phone base station.  So when rooms get redecorated, any surface wiring or wall jacks like this one tend to be cut out and removed without thought to phone service.  For that reason, you SHOULD, when convenient, move this power supply and the Verizon ONT to a location where they do not depend on your 1970s phone wires, but instead are connected in a more obvious and maintainable way.


Is a junction box "accessible" if it is mounted behind/above a recessed light housing?

Since the same switch will control the light over the sink (which you are swapping to a recessed light) and the lights over the island, this is easy.

When you add the wire for the island lights, use the junction box on the new recessed light can for the make up.  This is no different then connecting multiple recessed light cans together.


Ecnerwal gave you a VERY good answer, and I'd like to underscore one point in a separate answer ("accept" Ecnerwal's answer, mine's just supplemental).

I have a neighbor who did something similar, laid pipes into a well-sunlit concrete floor. He learned a strong lesson from doing that: while heat RISES through masonry very very well, heat does NOT travel downward through masonry very well at all; you can't count on the blazing-hot upper surface to heat any pipes below it if the pipes are more than one or two inches below the surface. Experiment by (reversibly) peeling up a little of the terrace surface on a blazing hot sunny day, and feel its underside. I think you'll find that if that stone is more than a couple of inches thick, its underside will be easily 50*F cooler than the top surface, and possibly as much as 100*F cooler.

My neighbor never DID get any benefit to his under-floor pipe, so he abandoned it. You, too, may get no measurable benefit. Too, you should know that the long run of pipe may slow down the hot-water flow by virtue of friction.


Reversing an inswing door to an outswing door?

Ok I think I just answered my own question, I understand that an outswing door can be purchased in the local box stores. I was under the misunderstanding that they were a costly online purchase.


Partial answer is if you don't have and don't want to purchase a reliable electric meter/voltage tester than you should hire an electrician, the meter is to ensure the circuit is truly dead off. Don't use a $20 cheapo multimeter on mains circuits they have poor fusing and are dangerous. Always begin by checking the meter is working by testing a live circuit.

If the wiring just comes through a plain hole in the siding without an outlet box then it was not installed properly, it will need a remodel-box installed, assuming the remainder of the wiring install is acceptable this is a simple matter of buying the right size for your lamp's mounting screws. If there is no box and the wire looks old, less than 6 inches of extra, undersized, or lacks a ground wire then hire an electrician.

If there is a box, is it the right size and style for the lamp base? It is somewhat odd to have it screwed right into the siding rather than the box, but not inherently wrong as a few are designed for that. If the screws pulled out due to wood rot then you have much bigger issues, if they were just undersized screws then you can put in some wall anchors of appropriate style and size.


Options for mounting a ceiling fan box directly to interior wooden Ridge Beam

Routing into the beam is probably not a practical option, you can't notch the bottom of the center of a beam without compromising it structurally.

I would use a surface raceway, wiremold is popular but there are others.  Wiremold makes a Solid Base Fan Box Fitting that will make things very straightforward, the instructions illustrate things very clearly.

If the customer doesn't like the appearance of a surface raceway, it's always possible to strip off the drywall, surface mount conduit, then rebox around the beam and conduit - but in most cases, the expense of that work will make the surface raceway seem a lot prettier.


The "correct" way to do it, is to remove or cut the tile where the wall will go.  Whether or not you want to do that, is up to your personal preference.


Who can I ask to install a 30 amp rated range on a 30 amp circuit (not as easy as it sounds)

The appliance installers are not electricians.  They are refusing to install only because it's not what they're used to, and they don't know why it's different.    They gave you bad instructions: You cannot install a 50A range socket on this circuit.  It is illegal to do that because socket sizes must match the circuit/breaker size.  Even if the wiring in the walls really was 8 or 6 AWG, the breaker is 30A so the socket must be as well.

Given that the manufacturer's instructions say to use a 30A cord, and plug into the socket, that is the Word From On High.  If it specifically calls out "do not use a 40/50A range cord", that too is gospel.  It is mandatory to obey the instructions and labeling of an appliance.

The NEMA 14 type connector is definitely the right thing.  Don't let them talk you into installing the old 3-prong NEMA 10.


rigid foam board in basement with exterior guard overkill?

The 'Mike Holmes' way is also the Building Science Corporation's recommendation--though they don't recommend any formal vapor barrier--just XPS and tape. The idea is that XPS is a vapor retarder, but can ultimately dry one way or the other if it ever has to.

That said, if you are absolutely 100% sure your basement will be forever dry, it probably doesn't matter what method you go for. You do have a strong advantage by having exterior waterproofing.

Regardless, I wouldn't use wood in the basement (treated or otherwise) and instead go with metal studs. They're just so much easier to work with. I outline my other reasons for that here: https://diy.stackexchange.com/a/8644/1209


You have a degraded or broken neutral wire.  This is an emergency and you should shut off main power immediately!    This may be a power company problem which they would need to fix.

North American power is provisioned by two "hot" legs 240V apart, and a neutral in the middle.  If the neutral fails, then the hot-hot voltage will still be 240V.  However, the neutral will be untied, and will "wander around", not being in the middle anymore.  If loads are exactly equal on both sides, it will be near 120V.  However usually, loads are unequal, often quite unequal, and that will pull neutral off center.  This will undervoltage some appliances which is sometimes dangerous, and overvoltage some appliances, which is often dangerous!

There's a complication.  Inside your main panel, neutral is bonded to a grounding system to a ground rod or water pipe in the earth.  Meanwhile your neighborhood has a supply transformer a couple of poles away from hour house.  This transformer also connects its neutral tap to a ground rod out there at the pole.  Your neutral current is trying to return via this path.  It's a very poor path, so when you load up your system you are overloading it. You are also electrifying your grounding system and the soil around your house!   Obviously this is a very bad thing to do.

If the problem is evident inside your main panel, call the power company and ask them to fix it quick.  It might be a problem inside the main panel where the neutral wire splices to the panel.  But more likely it's out in the meter housing or the wiring drop to your house, which makes it definitely in the power company's bailiwick.  (they might be happy fixing a neutral problem in your main panel too, if you seem like a DIY type; messing with the neutral is dangerous if anything is energized.)


Where to get the semi gloss black paper that is used to cover particle board furniture

Most factory furniture is covered in a thermal foil resin paper. It's not something you can purchase or work with as a consumer. You could probably make a pretty close match by covering the piece with some matte black laminate which is pretty easy to work with and will hold up much better than the desk itself. A counter top maker would probably sell you a remnant on the cheap.


Ceiling box has 2 black wires and 1 white wire

The white wire tucked into the back of the box, that isn't stripped or capped, is your actual neutral.

We know that "White 1" is not neutral, because it is spliced to a black wire, and a black wire can only be a hot wire (remarking hot-colored wires to change their purpose is forbidden).  Therefore "White 1" is certainly a hot wire, and should have been marked with black tape -- marking white wires to make them hot is allowed.

This means that the remaining loose black wire (surely hot-white's partner) is coming from the switch.

So, the white+black that were already spliced together should not be touched.  The lamp needs to take its hot from the solo black wire, and its neutral from the white wire in the back of the box.

I am surprised at the number of mistakes here.

The white (actual neutral) needed a cap. Neutrals absolutely can be energized with hot voltage; that's why they use insulated wire.
The other white (always-hot) needed to be marked a hot color (e.g. black). That's been mandatory for over a decade; the person was following the old code which said "unnecessary if the usage is obvious". Was it obvious to you? :) That's why they changed the rule :)
Wiring a switch loop without a neutral. (the white has been re-tasked to be hot). That's been illegal since 2008? 11?
If this is conduit, it's legal to omit neutral because it's easy to add later, but it's illegal to remark white wires to be hot (you're using individual wires so you must use the correct color, end of subject).

I would consider having your own electrician come in and do a forensic inspection, and going after the condo association for the cost of going through this work with a fine-tooth comb to look for other mistakes.  This is a lot of mistakes for new construction, but the building boom has left them "scraping the bottom of the barrel" for electricians.


Tracing elctrical outlets that suddenly stopped working.

Bryce mentioned the answer.   Go to your downstairs bathroom and hit the 'reset' button on the outlet.  Betcha this fixes it.


Is a toilet drain permitted to run through I Joists?

Yes, this is common. The load in any joist is carried in the top and bottom surfaces (the flanges) of the joist. That's why I beams/I joists work. The thinner web between the flanges basically serves to keep the flanges at the same distance from each other. There is no load in the center of the web. Thus, the center of the beam does not need to be the same width as the flanges.

The manufacturer of your I joists has a guide for cutting holes in the joist, indicating how big the holes can be, where the holes can be located and how close to each other and to the ends of the joists the holes can be. I included an example below, but of course you should get the guide or template for your specific brand of joist.

Never notch the top or bottom flange of a prefabricated joist. If you do, you will compromise the joist.


diagram of a double p-trap for a double kitchen sink

A separate trap won't solve this problem when the water backs up through the trap it will do the same thing. The trap is there to stop sewer gas from entering the home.


Replacing old 3-wire line voltage single-pole thermostat with a 2-wire one

The M221sp is a single pole that uses the neutral for a heat anticipator feature, which is really almost pointless with a baseboard. The Honeywell you indicated doesn't have that feature.

After you connect the new stat you will have one less wire in the wire connector with the remaining whites. Sometimes when installers twist the wires so hard that the wires spiral I have found the internal metal cone in the connector becomes flared at the tip and won't thread onto a new connection well. It would be a good idea to replace the wire connectors or at least be very sure that the existing connector makes a good bite, it could be most problematic on the white splice since it is now smaller.


What to do about the cracks on my wood floor?

First, this doesn't look like like solid wood flooring.  At best, this is an engineering wood flooring (plywood).  Mostly likely, since there are 3 boards to a plank, this is a laminate floor.

Second, the finish, in general, is in really bad shape.  Any type of spot refinishing is just going to stick out, maybe as bad as the damage you are trying to cover.

Since this floor is most likely laminate, the typical means of refinishing a floor (sand and refinish) is out the question.  The dark areas is primarily dirt, but using any type of harsh cleaner to get it out and then reseal is also out of the question.  The cleaners will mostly destroy what is left of the finish and the wood look.

If this damage is localized, lets say the entry way, you can always use an area rug to cover.  This I feel is your best option.


You could attach the beams and posts using a lap joint where you cut away the thickness of the beam from the posts so that they can lock together. Similar to the picture, where the green board is the beam.

Then fasten them with a couple of lag bolts through the joint. That will provide a strong and durable joint.


Karen, this type of question has come up several times.  The basic answer to to provide better ventilation and assure there are no water leaks.  Humidity will collect in any attic that is not properly vented. It can condense on rafters, roof sheathing and insulation, then drip. As you are seeing, mildew and mold will result if moisture is trapped.  If the problem does not improve after the venting situation is corrected, then you may have to consider replacing the insulation.   Mold can cause health problems, an air mold spore test may be a good idea. If any toxic molds are present, remediation will be required.  DO NOT ADD any more insulation over the existing insulation until the venting and mold tests are done.


What could be causing my water heater inlet pipe to corrode?

I'm thinking that the installation is missing this dialectic union. Your "dialectric" nipple has an ABS plastic coating inside a galvanized steel pipe. If the dialectic union were used in conjunction with this nipple it would provide electrical isolation from the copper - galvanize connection. This document explains this in better detail.


What safety/testing measure should I take for this whole-house electrical project?

My SOP is to do switches or outlets one by one, in the sequence I find convenient.  I turn off the one circuit it's on.

And then I handle it as if it's energized.  (Electrocution requires a path through your body, so you are particularly in danger if your body is also in contact with some other wire or object such as a pipe that is grounded) that would complete the circuit.)  So aside from never touching a line conductor, I also make sure my body is touching no other thing, so even if I do bump an energized conductor, nothing happens.  I'm not advocating working on energized equipment.  I'm saying "belt and suspenders".

I discuss with everyone else in the house about what I'm doing, so they won't be messing with breakers or coming up and touching me and potentially "completing a circuit".

For identifying circuits, a few dollar-store night lights are convenient.

I don't get too formal with my work planning.  I leave a marking behind saying "I've been there", piece of masking tape, etc.

As far as aluminum, there's "good" and "bad" aluminum. During postwar reconstruction (or in the US, a housing boom) there was a worldwide copper shortage, so they hastily made household wiring out of the AA-1300 alloys intended for transmission lines.  Good conductor, but very bad mechanical characteristics at terminations. Aside from metal interactions, the stuff creeps, so it will "unspring" the force of a firm clamp.  The industry fixed this in 1972 with a new alloy, AA-8000 series, specifically made for household wiring, marketed as such, so brazenly marked as such.  These are legal today for new work.  (NEC 310.14).

If it is not marked, it is a 1300 alloy.

Given the timing, your home might be using the new stuff so it's worth looking.   If it is AA-8000 series, I would not rewire, just use parts or pigtails listed for CO-ALR.  (Copper-Aluminum Revised; the old CU-AL standard proved insufficient.)  There's a lot of scaremongering about aluminum wire, but it is only true for the 1300 series. Nonetheless, you'll take a hit on resale value even with 8000 for 8 AWG and smaller wire.  AA-8000 is ok for the big stuff, 4 AWG and up.

With several million homes out there with the bad stuff, there are solutions to fix the termination problems - typically a pigtail, a special splice made to bind the 1300 series to a short length of copper for connection to the fixture proper.  I would evaluate those.


Does the rough opening for this door need to be reframed?

Now that I've seen the photos, it's clear to me that at least the jack studs should be replaced; fortunately, their replacement should be fairly easy. The one on the latch side could be replaced by a 4x4, but it should have a tiny "sill plate" attached to half its bottom end with contruction adhesive because otherwise it'll overhang the existing sill plate.

If you don't reframe at this point, you're going to have a hard time keeping fasteners (nails, screws) in place - especially in that left-side jack stud, which is so badly split & weathered.


Expired caulk

You bet it expires, and fast.  That is because of the chemistry of this type of caulk.  The stuff is nearly magic, but that comes at a price.

Extremes of temperature are not kind to it either.  That's not a surprise, even latex paint has that problem.

I have had your experience myself, grabbing random caulk found around the shop and going "this must be OK", only to have to redo the project. Removing the old material completely is a huge chore, and the job will fail if you don't.  Never again!


What should I do about small cracks when painting a homes exterior?

The most common cause of cracked paint is moisture. If removing the paint takes wood with it, that suggests water may have gotten into the siding through the cracks and weakened the wood.

Lightly tap the siding with a hammer where the cracks appear. It should not leave a noticeable impression; if it does the clapboard is rotting and should be replaced. You can check how much moisture is in the siding by blowing a hair dryer on it for a minute or two at close range. If there is excess moisture in the wood, the heated spot will get darker as water is pulled out, then lighter again as it dries from the surface. As long as the wood isn't softened though, a little moisture is okay.

In any case, you should definitely sand those cracks before painting over them. Use 400-600 grit sandpaper to smooth it out but don't sand all the way through the paint. Also, use primer before your color coat if switching from oil to latex or vice-versa. If you don't know which the old paint is, it's always best to prime anyway.

Source: friend who is a painting contractor.


Is any depth change allowed on electrical panel wall?

The NEC's clearance requirements are for the safety of people working on equipment once it is installed.

With that being said the NEC width requirement is a minimum of 30", and the door swing if there is one minimum is 90 degrees. However your panel does not have to sit in the center of the 30" it can be moved from side to side.

Reading you question I can't determine whether you panel is against the block wall and the wall depth change is 6" and runs the other direction at that same depth at least 30" or there is just a recess that the panel fits in and it is recessed in an area less than 30". So with the first situation the panel is fine and with the latter, it needs to be brought out to meet clearance.

Also I don't know if you are speaking about a horizontal recess and the panel is mounted below the block wall. Most AHJ will allow 8" before they consider overhead being an interference.

Hope this helps


What is this electrical box with a button?

It's how the city reads your water meter. You should be able to trace the wires back to your water meter, or if that isn't feasible, look at your water meter and you'll probably see a device on it with two wires of the same color.

I doubt that "button" can actually be pressed, rather it's the contact point where the meter reader places their probe to take the reading.

(source: thetimes-tribune.com)


How do I change a bulb from my recessed lighting fixture?

Here is what the process of pulling the cover down will look like. The bulb is inside. If you can't get your fingers around it to unscrew it and need to use the suction cup, you can squeeze the spring clips and remove the entire trim ring assembly. Pay attention to how it came out, you'll need to reverse that process to get it back in.


Can't remove twist-style / turn-style / knob cap on overflow drain in tub

(Answering my own question.) After trying a million things, I went with the destructive option. I used a metal file to shave a hole into the knob so I could access the screws on the plate behind it. I unscrewed the screws, turning the knob to be able to access each screw, and then took the whole assembly out. Afterwards, I soaked the still-fused-together knob and plate in CLR for 10 hours, and by the end, it still didn't come apart. After looking closer, it might be the case that the knob was held in place by a screw on the opposite side of the plate, which, when mounted to the tub, is completely inaccessible unless you open up the wall behind the tub and cut into the overflow waste pipe. What genius designed this?


Disclaimer: Consult local electrical code, and/or utilize a licensed and experienced electrician.

Typically there are code restrictions for what kind of supply wire should be present for different installations. This is usually a function of the Amperage of the system, not the device plugged in. For instance, a 20 amp service at 120 v in the US is typically required to be wired in 12 GA solid copper (or 3.31mm2).

Since this amperage is the primary concern, I would stick to anything larger than or equal to at least the equivalent of 14ga wire. However to minimize things like dimmer of other related circuits, I would stick to 12Ga wire where possible.

Wire size conversions - http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/awg-wire-gauge-d_731.html


How can I secure a canvas carport to a concrete pad?

To secure the base of the steel support you can use a concrete screw. TapCon is a ubiquitous brand TapCon screw that has worked well for me. You will need to drill into the concrete with the correct size bit (5/32" or 3/16") to accommodate the screw length.

Another fastener type (Redhead is one brand) Redhead bolt is one in which after drilling a proper sized hole the fastener is inserted and then sharply struck with a hammer. The force of the hammer drives a metal shield around the bolt to expand outward which wedges the threaded post rigidly in the concrete. The machine screw threads can be used to fasten the base with SAE nuts.  Lastly, you can drill an opening in the concrete and insert a lead shield. This is basically a HD wall anchor. After tapping into the concrete a bolt is tightened into the shield it will  expand to tighten against the wall of the hole.

Using a hammer-type drill with a masonry bit will facilitate the job of drilling into the concrete. I found when using expansion-type bolts that vacuuming the dust from the hole enables the expansion shield to hold and stay wedged as it is being tightened.


How do I anchor wall-mount hooks to studs if the mounting points need specific spacing?

The standard advice is to use the stud finder, mount the bike hooks on studs, and make do with a few lost inches. But if you must get those extra inches, you can mount a 2x4 on the wall horizontally, with at least each end anchored into a stud. And then you can install your bike hook on the 2x4.


Best method for rear venting a microwave on an interior wall?

From the clarification in the comments, you're lucky!

First, double check that your floor joists are lined up well enough that you can get a 10" duct through the floor where you need it. If a floor joist (or a beam) is massively in the way, you'll need some custom ducting or cancel the job entirely.

I'd cut a generous square at the bottom of the wall so you can cut out the plate in the stud bay. I'd cut slightly generously behind the range hood. (Give a few inches below the hood to allow a connection.)

Make sure you don't have fire blocking/ diagonal bracing/ wiring/ plumbing in the way.

Assemble the hood with a short-way 90 degree elbow. Hang the hood, then push a length of assembled duct up to that elbow from the basement.

If you're lucky again, your floor joists in the basement will let you run the ducting up in them. If the run can be straight out, you'll just need another short-way 90. Otherwise, if you have to zig-zag across the basement, you'll need a couple of long-way 45 degree elbows.

Typical ducting rules apply: use metal tape, screw where necessary, strap to support, and cut slices out of the corners of the duct to nest sections (don't waste your time crimping).

Having just done a very similar job, I can assure you that it's a pain. However, the result will be much better than recirculating.


electrical - Basement stairs 3 way switch with 2 lights

I can't make sense of what you have going on but, the smoke detectors are simple black and white to each of them in the house and the red involved in the smokes is just a signal wire to turn them all on if one goes on. That being said the, aside from the line and neutral wire you can largely ignore the smoke detectors. And yes that picture is a 3 way switch.


How to install a 4-wire a/c & fan thermostat with only 3 wires

Replace the old thermostat wire bundle with a new bundle with 4+ wires, or
Return the new thermostat you have and obtain a wireless version instead.  (Examples:  Honeywell YTH 6320, Venstar T1100—or the Honeywell RTH 7600 needs only two wires.)

The first suggestion might be very difficult.  You may have to tear off sheetrock, or do many tricky bits of drilling and coaxing wire through.  Or, if there is a short distance between thermostat and heat plant, it could be as easy as pie if the wire is not tacked inside the wall.


Prevent wood color bleeding through paint

A Shellac based primer is what you need this will normally seal in 1 coat.
The 2 main types I can think of are kilz and zinser these stop the bleeding through.
I have found this is the only way to go for freshly milled wood, covering things like smoke stained surfaces that cleaners like Tri sodium phosphate won’t remove.
A good coat of shellac primer and then even white won’t show or that has been my experience. I don’t work for or have any interest in either company I have used there products successfully for many years after having similar results with regular primer.


Looking for a Kitchen Sink Hole Cover with a opening

Buy a 1-3/4-Inch Sink Hole Cover and drill a hole in the middle. voila problem solved.

You may want to get a grommet to protect the hose from the edge of the hole you are drilling. You would need a grommet with a hole sized right for your pipe and then drill the appropriate size hole for the grommet to fit in.


How to add a 400v 3 phase plug and/or extra distribution panel with only two breaker spaces left?

When you're out of room, you add a subpanel. Relocate 3 or 4 of the breakers from the current main panel to the new subpanel to make room for the new high amperage 3 pole breaker you're going to need to add to it.


Why my hot water goes out in less than 2 mins?

Check the dip tubes on hot water heater.
Isolate the hot water heater to make sure the heater was running properly.
Turn off the radiant heat systems and bypass them with the built-in valves.
Open up each shower fixture and close off the water valves to take those out of the equation.
If the hot water still run cold do next:
Remove the recirculating pump and check the system.
Remove the check valves beginning with the one near the recirculating pump and discover the broken valve. If this still didn't work, they would've kept going to check every check valve in the system(three total).

Maybe it helps


Standing water at back of shower need suggestions

The short answer

As others have said in comments, the slope of the shower - called the "fall" - is the most fundamental thing to get right.  You need a gentle fall from the edges of the shower to the drain on all four sides, so that any water immediately flows to the drain.  This is "bathroom installation 101", and an installer who does not know this should not be licenced to operate.

I'm sure you won't want to hear this, but the solution is likely to require a contractor removing the shower, ripping up the tiles, re-levelling the floor to apply the correct fall, re-tiling and then reinstalling the shower.  Worse, if the contractor was really dodgy, you may find that the waterproofing on the walls & floor is substandard, the implications of which are serious.

It's essential that you do not pay the contractor (if you haven't done so already) and that you let them know that you will take legal action if they do not fix it. The bad news is that cost of the rework will now be several times the cost of original work.

The longer answer

From a "doing" point of view, this is what needs to happen if it is done properly.

If the shower frame was installed after the tiles went down (as would be the case with a frameless shower), then the glass and frame need to be taken out and put gently into another room.
Next, all the tiles on the shower floor need to be chiselled out.  Worse, if the wall tiles were laid down after the floor tiles, then the bottom one or two rows of wall tiles need to come off before the floor tiles.
Then the precise edges of the shower frame need to be marked perfectly on the floor, so there is no ambiguity about precisely where the high points need to be.
Next, a competent floor-leveller needs to use re-level the floor under the shower, so that it falls correctly down to the drain on all sides.  This could end up an even bigger job, because if the level of the shower is ends up higher than the surrounding bathroom and there is no drain in the rest of the bathroom, then the existing ardit may need to be jack-hammered up before new ardit is laid.
Then the floor tiles need to be re-laid.  Depending on how well the ardit work was done at the previous step, there may also be a need to add some extra slope with the tiles (e.g. by adding thicker blobs of glue to the outside edges of the tiles near the frame and less glue immediately near the drain).
Finally, the wall tiles and shower need to be put back.

I note further that an installer who hasn't installed the correct slope may also have taken short-cuts in other areas.  For instance, were the shower walls and floor fully water-proofed?

If not, you have an even bigger problem on your hands.  A bath is obviously water-proof, but a shower is not: grout is porous and therefore water will seep into the walls and floor every time you shower.  The problem will be especially bad if water is pooling on the shower tiles instead of flowing down the drain, because it will soak through the grout and then into the sub-floor and eventually into other rooms as well.

Alternatives??

Notwithstanding all the bad news above, depending on what exactly what done by the contractor, there may be short-cuts to fix the problem.  As someone suggested in the comments, more information about the installation would help us answer your problem.

Please note that I'm not a builder, just a person who has done renovations myself (including a very recent complete bathroom demolition & rebuild).


How can I conceal the underside of roof sheathing with protruding roofing nails?

I had the same situation one time and the carpenters just put a sheathing over it to hide everything.  The sheathing was no thicker that wood paneling and finished very nicely after painting.


How can I dim LED recessed lights that are on the same switch as two ceiling fans without slowing the fans down?

Not possible given the way the power reaches the fan

Do not use a dimmer on this fan setup.  The switches must remain plain switches.

The only option I see is to go to some sort of "smart tech" such as Philips HUE bulbs, with a stick-on wireless dimmer control.


What could be causing my dishwasher not to drain?

After ensuring that the drain is clear, the next thing to check is the drain hose that connects your dishwasher to your drain under your sink.  Make sure that hose is not clogged or pinched.


What steps are involved when replacing control board on Carrier unit?

It was pretty easy.

First and foremost I killed the power to the unit. I turned off the power to the unit from the breaker box and then pulled the master fuse near the outside unit.

After that it was extremely simple. I took a picture of the current control board and all the wire placements so that I could hook them all up the same way.  I then unplugged all the cables from the board, removed the screws, lifted it out, grabbed the new board, lowered it in, screwed it back in, put all the cables back on, replaced the fuse, and turned the power back on at the breaker box.

Once I turned the heat on from the thermostat it took a few minutes for the system to wake up but then it was fine. My heat pump runs like a champ again.

The HVAC guy was going to charge me $425 to do this job (that included the new board).  I instead ordered the replacement board myself from repairclinic.com for about $110.  The whole job took me less than 15 minutes.  Saved $300.


New kitchen, new home runs for appliances...lights flicker, what could be the cause?

Put a peak load on the circuit and measure the voltage. If the voltage droops more than the permitted droop of 5% (that's 6 volts on 120V) -- less is preferable for incandescent lights and motors -- then you definitely have excessive resistance in the circuit wiring.

And then have to check that the wires are properly rated for the load and the length of run and also have to inspect every junction box on that circuit and check each connection -- clean the wires, replace the connection device (wire nut, etc.), and retighten them preferably with a torque driver.