Do I need to relocate the shower and open the floor again if I rotate by basement bathtub 90 degree around the drain point?

The location where the tub drain is, typically has an area of the floor where the drain is that is not poured, so the p-trap can be adjusted the final amount for the connection to the tub. You most likely will need to cut out the old p-trap to configure the new one.
I am not certain of the code, but for one sink you can use 1 1/2" pipe for the drain, but since you have 2 sinks, you will need to run 2" pipe. That means drilling 2 1/2" to 2 5/8" holes through the 3 1/2" studs, not leaving much for strength. In addition, you will need to run a vent line to tie back in to the original as well. Vents are to be within 5' of a sink or tub. If the vent comes off the tub drain, you may be in luck, but if it come off the old sink location, it will need to be added. Back at the drilling, you cold notch the pipe, leaving 1" on one side and use a reinforcement piece that guards the pipe from fasteners and strengthens the notch.


How much of this wood molding has to be completely replaced?

Depends on what your goal is: saving money, saving time, easy repair for you to do, good enough vs. historically accurate, etc.

The trim is quite square, so replacing it will be low labor, and therefore cheaper if you have someone else do it (interior/trim carpenter). Pry it off carefully, measure new boards, cut, a few pins and a little glue, and you're ready for finishing. In the bottom picture, the trim is starting to show a gap in the mitre anyway (at the opposite end from the damage)--so if you want it to look perfect, it's worth it to pull it all off. You could also go with a different trim look if you wanted.
You could probably get away with filling all of that with wood putty or (preferably) epoxy and smoothing it out. There are a ton of guides about how to do this available on YouTube/etc.; here's one on This Old House. This is more highly-skilled work (IMHO) than simply pulling the board out and cutting a new one to match, but it is less invasive.
Another option is to round or champfer the trim in that area. This is clearly a place where wear occurs, so why make it perfect just to have it banged up again? Take a plane and match the angle of the damage. You'll still have to fill the damage on the face of the trim. Obviously this will change the aesthetic, but sometimes there is a design element from nearby woodwork that you can emulate.

(You do any of these yourself, but unless you've got skill and experience it's likely to look...like you did it yourself. Which may be fine, but if you want a perfect home, this isn't a great place to start learning as it looks like it's a public, visible spot.)

Whichever way you go, the hard step will be matching that patina. It could be quite tricky and eat up much more budget than the actual carpentry--depending on how perfect you want it. If you're planning on repainting the trim anyway, of course, this is already part of the project--but don't underestimate the effort to match what looks like an old stain.


What are the legal considerations of installing a new light in my own house in the UK?

If, for any reason, damage to the property or (worse) to a person should be caused by the electrical work you performed you could be held liable (at least here in the States). Having to go before a magistrate to defend your actions or paying for others injuries is stressful and a serious issue. If you are naturally adept in home repair and astute with the electrical problem then chances are your work will be sound and safe. It would be wise to not only familiarize yourself with the work to be performed (through books and videos), but to have it inspected by someone more knowledgeable.


Why did my generator trip the feed breaker in the subpanel?

Frame challenge:
You need a generator interlock. Full stop.
You need a mechanical device that positively ensures the generator cannot backfeed the power grid.
You cannot replace this with a checklist, or with "being super smart". The rest of us need to do that, and you are not smarter than the rest of us - especially not during a power failure when you're running around trying to get the lights back on, in the dark, in the rain.
If you doubt that, consider the difficulty you're having solving this problem, in good conditions. You are not Superman and you CAN make mistakes.  The interlock's job is to ensure those mistakes don't kill someone. And it is mandatory.
So the idea of backfeeding your pool subpanel is Right Out, because it makes the proper interlock impossible.  You are either going to have to
a) lay a new cable, or
b) "permanently" re-task the pool supply cable to be the generator supply cable, resulting in the pool ONLY being powerable off the generator.
Yes, I'm aware that's exactly what you're trying to avoid.  The rest of us don't get to do that, neither do you.
I say "permanently" because there is nothing wrong with doing permanent and proper wiring seasonally, as long as it is proper and to Code.
Now, if you get us some information about your main panel, we can guide you to some good choices in generator interlock. (We're not normally a shopping site, but we can give some guidance).
Why?
Because power flows both ways, as you well know from your efforts to backfeed the pool sub.  It also backfeeds out onto the neighborhood grid.  It also backfeeds through transformers.  When you energize the 120/240V side of a 120/240--9600V transformer, the high side of the transformer energizes at -- anyone, anyone, Bueller?  Correct, 9600 volts.
And that's how you kill linemen with a Harbor Freight generator.


Re-Wiring to add new main panel and make existing panel a sub

This is a feasible undertaking. You should be able to reuse the existing run from the meter and land it at the new main panel. You can also have the electrician pre-run the wires for the car charger
For the new main panel, install a panel with more spaces that you think you'll need, you already saw the result of not having enough spaces.
The biggest thing to make sure is that the current panel has it's neutral and ground completely separated when it becomes a subpanel. Many times in the main panel the grounds and neutrals will be on the same bar, but in a subpanel they must be completely isolated from each other. How easy this conversion is depends on how much slack the previous installer left on each wire.


Will my floating shelf hold a fish tank weighing approx 33kg?

Probably. 4 brackets rated at 20kg should, in theory, carry 80kg, loaded uniformly. This depends entirely on the integrity of the fasteners and the wall, of course. The original rating of the shelf as a floating assembly isn't particularly relevant.

I'd set it up, then do a test with progressively heavier dead (non-fishy) weight. It should be apparent if it's dramatically overloaded.


Best way to cover basement tiles containing asbestos

adrex feather finish, is what i use to encapsulate asbestos tile and old cut back adhesive. just be sure skim it thick enough. It appear ppl don't like my ardex answer, well let me explain further.
FLOOR LEVELER is not the best choice for your situation becuase, its likely that the asbestos tile are bonded to the older black adhesive. The tiles are easy to pop off that glue, that means its good odds the floor leveler will begin to break apart, now you have a crunchy floor. Using a highly modified skim coat give more flex ability and better adhesion. Floor leveler can work a lot of the time but you have to adjust to the job conditions. In this case its a gamble using a floor level if tiles aren't well bonded. You will spend alot of time and money to give your self a 50/50 shot it fails. Adex is less cost, time, and is absolutely rated for this very thing. Leveler needs a primer coat and its likely that tiles filthy and have some kind of finish added to it. The prep needed to insure a good bond can't be done because it will disturb the old floor. You being the home owner mean you can take out a certain amount, where i live its only 15sqft but may be different where you live. Its worth calling a abatement company to find out. Work the with what the job gives you, their all different.


Using a flat plastic tool (like a putty knife), pop off the small cap at the end of the lever (handle). Then use an Allen wrench or well-fitting screwdriver, as appropriate, to loosen the attachment screw, which may act as a set screw for the lever base.


Your house is grounded but doesn’t have an equipment ground. How a 2 wire system works (120v) is one side is actually grounded and the other is at 120v. A 240v receptacle has 2 each 120v legs that are 180 out of phase but single phase or split phase is the proper name for residential us power. So your maximum voltage to ground is 120v , leg to leg is 240. The common leg is grounded at the transformer that supplies your home and is called the neutral. If your receptacles that show a voltage are switched it is normal to measure a “phantom” voltage of 40 to 120v phantom voltage is induced into a wire that is not powered by running parallel to a live wire this is how transformers work. If you plug a load like a light into the receptacle the voltage will normally drop to zero.
Phantom voltages can be found in just about any home.
To have an equipment ground or a 3 prong outlet that is functional you can add a ground wire to that circuit this is a recent code change. The other way that you can add 3 prong receptacles is to add GFCI protection and label them GFCI protected no equipment ground.
So your system has a grounded conductor by code the white or gray colored one but no grounding conductor the bare or green one. Hope this helps.


Basement window with cinderblock. Do I need to fill cinderblock?

Weep holes are supposed to be outside of the facade or over a downward sloping sill. Windows are supposed to sit in a frame. Caulk will not seal the window for long in your situation. Also, be aware that cinder block is porous, so if you just put a little around the edges, water will go right around it through the cinder block.

Basically the problem is that you have no frame, so you need to get a smaller window and build a frame, or chip out enough of the cinder block that you can fit a proper liner and sill around the window.


What can I do in this vented crawlspace to keep the room above warmer?

It is a good idea to seal any apertures between the crawlspace and the main house.  If you have to rely on caulk and spray foam you're probably in a situation where the house has some weird structural problems - that is, you should not have giant gaps between the crawlspace and the floor above in any normal construction regimen.

It is not a good idea to seal off the crawlspace, ventilation is not only a good idea but it's required by code in locations where crawlspaces are an accepted norm (note that in places where winters are exceptionally cold the norm is finished and unfinished basements, not crawlspaces).  The fact that you have had mold in the crawlspace is actually an indication that you might need MORE ventilation not less.

A proper insulation/vapor barrier installation at the level of the floor joists should solve any draft problems.  Also, looking at your photos I would recommend that you insulate your ductwork/boots/wyes per local code.

So to reiterate, please do insulate and install a vapor barrier!  Do not seal off the ventilation for the crawlspace - indeed look into your local code to see if you have enough ventilation.

As a side note - any issues of moisture (and therefore mold) in the crawlspace need to be addressed.  Possible sources of moisture include but are not limited to:  leaky plumbing supply or waste lines, inadequate drainage system at the perimeter of the house (undersized gutters/downspouts, poor grading, no storm drain, etc.), and a possible high water table.

Good luck staying warm this winter!


What is the proper method to creating butcher block for a computer workstation?

I honestly have to recommend that you buy the work bench top pre-built. You can buy these for about the same cost of the raw material itself. The ready built ones are beautiful, nicely sanded and sealed with rounded edges. Look for work bench tops at certain online business supply places. Tops can be found that are about 1.75 inches thick which are very sturdy. A typical top is 60x30 inches in size.

As I recall the IKEA ones are way thinner. Maybe 1.00 or at most 1.25 inches thick.

A web search will turn up many sources. One name to keep an eye out for would be ULINE.


You may have already tried this but I am assuming you haven't. First disconnect the circuit from the circuit breaker. Make sure the breaker is reset and see if you can turn it on. Use a voltmeter or a non contact indicator to see if there is voltage at the termination. Now you know It's either the breaker or the circuit.

If the breaker resets and stays on, then examine the circuit conductor that was attached to it for it shorting in the box. Do a visual inspection will and look for a nicked wire, discoloration or a burned spot inside the panel.

Now check the circuit with an ohmmeter or a continuity tester to ground and see if you get a "ring". If you do it's the circuit and if you can't see where it is shorted in the panel then it is down line in the circuit and the moving of the breaker was just a coincidence. If you don't get a ring then connect up the wire and you are good to go.

Also check the circuit and locate all of the devices that may be connected or plugged into a receptacle or if it is a light turn all switches to off while checking.

At this point your has been isolated and identified, now all that is left is repairing the damage.

Hope this helps and good luck


How to connect metal conduit to in-wall NM cable?

It sounds like you're sheetrocking over the existing wiring.  If that's correct, I think this would work.  The challenge is you want to make the transition from conduit to plain NM in a box, and you want the plain NM concealed inside a wall, not out in the open where it's exposed to damage.

remove the box from the end of the conduit
install two boxes in the face of the new wall, maybe one at switch or sconce height, one at receptacle height.  (These boxes will be accessible through the new sheetrock.)
Cut the existing NM mid way between the new boxes
extend the conduit to the upper box (with the NM in it)
splice in a new piece of NM from the upper box to the lower box


What is best way to wire a ceiling receptacle in this situation?

They make lampholders that have an outlet built in. Solves the problem of mounting this to that octagon box.


There is some water leak inside your appliance.

You can diagnose it carefully. First statically, then you can try to observe the problem when the appliance is running.

Ensure being safe - check your loose clothes, long hair, gloves or jewellery, the following operation is at your own risk.
Remove the covers of the washing machine, so you can see inside, but keep everything plugged in.

rear cover
top cover (optional)

This is only for observation. Do not touch anything inside.

Pour some water into open door, then inspect the bottom of the appliance case for accumulating water (use torch to see better). If the water starts appearing, skip to the last step below.
Start the washing cycle (can be without load, without detergent).
Using bright torch, inspect the bottom of the appliance case for accumulating water and try to identify location where the water comes in. (Do not get close, do not touch, stay in safe distance, just observe.)
If you got an idea, end the cycle, drain the water, unplug the machine completely and continue with regular repair/replacement of the defective part. If you did not get an idea, then this is probably beyond your DIY capabilities and call repair service.


If you shift more airflow upstairs, it's likely it will become noisy. Do not restrict anything unless detailed duct size analysis indicate it is indeed oversized. Insulating ducts will reduce resonant noise, and slightly reduce carried noise such as combustion noise, but it will not stop the whistling and air flow noise at the grille. If you do get insulated ducts, they need to be upsized to make up for the insulation thickness.

To reduce whistling and air flow noise right at the grille, you need a less restrictive grille. Sometimes just a different grille of a different configuration will stop whistling, but not air flow noise. If a less restrictive grille is not possible, the only other solution is to increase the size or add another inlet so there is less demand on the one by the bedrooms.


Why won't this bed's feet touch the floor?

It is a possibility that when the previous owner set it up originally they set it up that way for medical problems, like excess stomach acid.  I've been told by doctors to raise the head of my bed before, but I never did.  He just told me to put wood underneath the feet or wheels at the head of the bed.

If any of the screw holes match up where all the feet rest then try that.  If the wood is not drilled out behind the holes you choose then pre-drill them.


What corrosion protection for nails, screws and bolts?

Stainless Steel
If you want the best in corrosion protection, pick a metal that is difficult to corrode. Stainless steel is not impossible to corrode (there are various grades of stainless), but it survives in any outdoor environment and usually stays as shiny as the day you bought it. It even survives the highly corrosive environment inside pressure-treat wood.
The cons? It's a much softer metal than its regular steel cousin. If you need serious structural support, stainless is not the way to go (this is why stainless nails really aren't much of a thing). You also want to pre-drill holes (unless you buy the nice non-drill variety) because you can strip regular stainless screws far more easily.
Galvanized
There's two kinds

Electro galvanized is meant for indirect moisture contact like roofing (where the nail isn't directly exposed, but it could get some moisture). This is the weaker of the galvanized because the process doesn't get much zinc on the fastener
Hot-dipped is the far more common. It comes in all sorts of fasteners and can even be used for water pipe (not as good as plastic, but it'll work)

Because they're steel, you can find these in pretty much any type of fastener. Galvanized slows the process down by coating the fastener (usually steel) in zinc. As such, the zinc coating needs to corrode first before the underlying steel corrodes. But these still corrode, and they corrode fairly quickly in any place they are exposed to moisture. Don't use these anywhere you want to avoid visible rust.
Painted
Depends a lot on the paint. What you want are screws that have a semi-gloss finish (the gloss resists moisture better). These will still corrode (the threads will have their coating stripped when you screw them in), but they are generally designed to last a very long time (they are most commonly sold as deck screws). Beyond that, painted is usually slightly above galvanized in price and tends to be less prone to displaying rust (because the head is coated).
Also look for powder coating. This provides a superior paint grade as well, but it's a less-touted feature.
Other
There are some other types of coatings as well. I'm not sure what GRK/Tapcon uses in their screws but they don't tout any of the above. I doubt they're the only ones with a premium coating (GRK and Tapcon can be more expensive than stainless in some instances).
What to use?
If you're building a fence, galvanized is the cheapest (largely due to you have the option of nails). Galvanized will also offer you steel bolts, for which there isn't much substitute if you need structural support.
Screws offer more types of fastener (including the coveted stainless) and a wider variety of costs as well. I prefer screws because they often drive in easily with a power driver and you can always re-torque them if they work out of the material. I find painted work fairly well for a decent price (in fact I only keep painted ones around in longer sizes for small projects because they're only slightly more expensive than their un-coated brethren).


Installing panel off the meter box through 60A breaker

I think you're 90% "on it", but there are a few yellow-flags I see. Don't infer that I think it's a bad plan; like I say you're 90% there.

"60A panel" - Go BIG.

The future happens. A very common question here is "I ran out of breaker spaces in my panel. What can I do?"  And that has a sad and expensive answer.  (Other than "Go back in time to when you bought the panel, and spend a few latté's more on a panel with a lot more spaces", but we're not allowed to say that.)

Since the panel is main-lug (no main breaker), that means "60A" refers to the busing.  That implies this is a very, very small panel.  So let me tell you now: Spend a few latté's more on a lot more spaces.

Beware "X space / Y circuit". The "circuits" number is a lie. It relies on "double-stuff" breakers. NEC 2014, 2017 and 2020 have wiped those out, by requiring AFCI and GFCI on so many circuits. Those aren't available in double-stuffs.

"Gotcha 5x5. I'll use this 18-space panel. But it's rated 200A! My breaker is 60A."  Right, the 60A is an absolute amp limit on the panel. Like HR-rated tires are rated 112 mph, or CRJ-200 airliners are rated for 41,000 foot altitude.  That doesn't make it a best-practice!

So you are absolutely free to feed a 100, 125, 200 or 225A panel from a 60A breaker.

60A on #6 copper THHN aka THWN

Actually, because you are running THWN, you are allowed a 70A breaker.  (Technically you are allowed 65A, but you are also allowed to round up to the next offered breaker size).

Also, #4 aluminum is the right stuff; on a heavy or long run, copper is a waste of money, with two exceptions: a)  if you have to splice in a box, rules for #6 are easier to follow than #4. And b) it may require larger diameter conduit, but PVC conduit is so cheap that aluminum is sure to win that one.

There's some ooga-booga about aluminum out there, but that was about a) the obsolete AA-1350 alloy, b) used on small 15-20A branch circuits with c) terminals not properly rated for aluminum.  In your case you'll be using AA-8000 on a heavy feeder, on aluminum-rated lugs, that probably are aluminum.

Your ground wire only needs to be bare #10 copper or insulated #8 aluminum. Yes, I know they make prefab cables with ground -2 sizes from the conductors; don't use that as a guide because there's no Code basis for doing that. Shrug... maybe it's a UL requirement because it's a cable.  (a 1/1/1/6 might be too brittle?)

Main breaker! Main breaker!

I almost forgot. You're specifying a main-lug panel which means no main breaker.  Stop and see if it's an outbuilding.  (if it's connected with a breezeway, it is not an outbuilding). Outbuildings require main disconnects.

You can have a separate disconnect switch if you really want to, but usually, the most cost-expedient way to get a disconnect switch is to get one "built into the panel with a number on it".  I.E. get a main-breaker panel instead, and let the main breaker be the disconnect switch and ignore the number on it.

Of course you want main breaker larger or equal than the supply breaker (otherwise you're wasting feeder).  Now some people get the idea "if I make them equal, the nearby one will trip first and save me walking". No, it won't, both because of Murphy's Law and the way trip curves differ somewhat on main vs feeder breakers.


Installing ductless units in my apartment. What am I supposed to do with all these coolant and drain lines?

The condenser lines are most likely loops.  Each air handler (inside device) has a refrigerant loop to circulate fluid out to the exterior condenser/chiller.  If you are thinking of combining them into a common conduit of some kind, or simply covering them (like surface-mount electrical work) as they run on the walls, I think that's fine as long as the conduit/covering doesn't hold water in.
The drain lines are another matter.  It's easy to connect them together into a common line.  You can also direct that water into a plumbing drain.  It doesn't necessarily have to go outside.
Take care to plan the drain path so they have enough slope to avoid collecting water inside them long-term.  1/4" slope per foot of drain line is a good amount.  If there are low spots in the line, those can clog up with organic growth such as mold or fungus, and then the AC unit ends up dripping water instead of draining correctly.
Condensate pumps are very small pumps commonly used if you need your AC drain line to go up, for example, if it's easier to route the line through an attic than under a floor; or if you need a way to get the water back up from a basement.
Hope this helps.


Should I use waterproofing product or caulk at the base of my foundation walls?

The waterproofing material's spec sheet will tell you how wide of cracks it's designed to accommodate. That should be your guide. If your joints are wider than that, move to a caulk. If they're extremely wide (over 3/8" or so), consider a rope caulk or a masonry patch product as support for the sealer product.


How to determine what 3-way switch system was used?

Take a look at the diagrams in the Wikipedia article you linked to. These will tell you what you're dealing with. There are some big red flags that are easy to look for:

First, kill the power to this circuit at the panel. This will allow you to poke around in the wiring safely. Use a non-contact voltage tester to make absolutely sure there's nothing live in the box before you start work.
Now, examine the switch that is getting the "hot" lead from the panel. This may be hard to identify, especially with K&T wiring; I would recommend labeling where each wire to the first switch is connected, and then disconnecting and separating all wires from the switch. Then, turn the power back on and use a non-contact voltage tester to identify the "hot" wire. It will also be helpful to identify the "neutral"; it will be the wire between the panel and this box that completes the circuit but does NOT carry voltage when disconnected.
With the power to the circuit back off, and the hot and neutral identified, look at where each wire connects. If the neutral wire coming from the panel is connected to any terminal on this switch, you have an illegal circuit, whether it's Carter (the hot would also be connected to the switch) or somebody just swapped hot and neutral while messing with it (the hot would then be "hard-wired" elsewhere in the box). This is unsafe, because of the "switched neutral"; if the switches are positioned such that the neutral is disconnected to break the circuit but the hot still has continuity, even though the light is off, the socket is still energized from the "hot" side and can give you a nasty or fatal shock of you touch it.
Pretty much any other system that could have been used is "safe", as long as the neutral is never the side being disconnected (or the design of the switch guarantees that BOTH sides are disconnected simultaneously, such as DPDT switches; these are common in electronics but rare in home wiring).
If the hot was connected to a terminal labelled on the switch as "Common", or somehow identifiable as such, and the neutral is not connected to the switch at all, you likely have Traveller-system wiring, which is perfectly safe and has been the best practice since "single-conduit" wire like the current Romex wire became available.
If the hot side was connected to a terminal other than the common terminal, there is another wire coming from that same terminal going to the second switch, and the neutral is not connected to the switch in any way, that's California-system. As long as both switches are wired to properly follow the same system (understand this is an older system rarely used anymore, and may confuse even a competent electrical pro), it's fine to keep using.

Understand that this is all rather moot according to most modern building codes. It is illegal, under any circumstances, to:

Install new knob & tube wiring systems; K&T hasn't been code-compliant since the '40s.
Re-route existing knob & tube; even if you're using pre-existing wires, moving them to a new place counts as "new work", usually requiring a permit and inspections which will never pass if they involve K&T.
Add new wire runs to a knob & tube system; You can't add K&T because of the prior points, and you can't join the current Romex wiring to K&T because it's a fire hazard in itself and because it's misleading to anyone who's looking at the endpoint; they'll assume the whole circuit's Romex, join to it, overload the circuit and burn the house down.
Run more than 10A through K&T. K&T is quite safe from a fire hazard perspective if you keep it under 10A. However, you can't run much on 10A; you'll blow a fuse with the average modern vacuum cleaner. Fuses are interchangeable enough that it seems like a no-brainer to simply put in a larger fuse like 20A; this is how K&T wiring causes house fires (and the reason neither K&T nor fuses have been acceptable by code since better stuff became available).
Use copper-rated electrical nodes (switches and outlets) with aluminum wire of any type including K&T; quite a bit of K&T is aluminum, which has higher electrical resistance and thus gets hotter for the same amperage than copper or copper-clad wire, especially at junction points like screw terminals. Cu-only switches/outlets are not rated to withstand this heat; you have to pay extra for Al-rated stuff.

Given all the above, if you're doing anything more than an in-place replacement of a light switch, you could be in for an expensive renovation. If you are moving any part of the K&T circuit, it loses the grandfathered status, meaning the whole circuit has to be taken out back to the panel and replaced with Romex. That may also require the panel be brought up to code (I can't imagine you having K&T and a modern breaker box); if you need to do that, you'll likely invalidate ALL the K&T in the house and have to rewire the whole thing.

For peace of mind, if it were my house, I would contact either my home insurer, a trusted local licensed electrician, or the county clerk, and get the straight dope on where the upgrades would have to stop in certain situations. If messing with the wiring is going to result in you needing a full house rewire, DON'T TOUCH THE WIRING unless you have the scratch to take it all out, even if it's illegal; it's not your fault it's illegal until you change something.


How can I install a Honeywell RTH65800WF Wifi thermostat?

I've labeled your photo, which should help you understand what's going on.

What you describe as a "blue" wire at the thermostat, you describe as "gray" at the air handler. I can't be sure, since I'm not there, but I think they are one in the same.

If you want to install a fancy new WiFi thermostat, you're going to have to pull an additional wire from the air handler to the thermostat. Once you have that, you'll connect one end to the C terminal of the air handler, and the other end to the C terminal of the thermostat.


TV mount is 16.5" wide but stud centers are 17" apart. Is it still safe to mount?

Last time I encountered that, I put two 2x4's across the stud span, chamfered the edges too a 45 angle and painted it to match the wall. Mounted the bracket onto that, if it's a rental or you just don't want to wreck the walls, put a thin piece of cardboard between the 2x4 and wall before you mount it to make sure it doesn't pull up any paint when you remove it. You might be able to get away with one on stud one with anchor, but if it fails......


What's the best way to insulate an outdoor sauna?

A vapor barrier is essential. Without it, moisture will pass into the insulation and condense there when in reaches the dew-point temperature. At the very least, this will degrade the R-value of the insulation. Far more likely, it will create a lovely environment for mold and insects.


How do I troubleshoot a newly installed non-working outlet?

Some breaker panels have blank slots at the end, which could mechanically accept a breaker, but their tabs are not live, if they have tabs at all.  This is done to lower manufacturing costs and reuse one chassis with different bus bar assemblies.

It could also be a piece of tape, clear insulation, or severe corrosion over that spot on the bus bar.  Depending on the resistance, it may let a charge large enough to measure get through, but when an real load is placed on it, the resistance is too high for it to run.


How can I identify the manufacturer of my windows?

Contact a builder or building supply store in your area to see if they can help you identify the manufacturer using the information.

If you cannot identify the manufacture, consider repairing the damage to the window without completely replacing it. You can replace a broken latch or window pane, or have a professional do it for you, and this may be more affordable than replacing the entire window. On the other hand, if the windows are generic in appearance, you may be able to replace the whole window without destroying the overall look of your property.


Warp resistance of plywood vs solid SPF lumber

Plywood is inherently more stable than solid wood due to having been constructed in layers with grain at alternating right angles. Specifically, plywood with many thin layers will be more stable, and hardwoods will typically move less than softwoods.

I'd consider BC grade (commonly found at lumber suppliers) to be a minimum standard of quality for this purpose. You could look to a specialty supplier for thin-veneer hardwood plywood for maximum stability.


How to remove a stuck bayonet-mounted light bulb?

I would disassemble the fixture so you can get to the socket and bulb itself.  Normally you push in, turn left and pull, but it sounds like something is wrong.   Go with a quality LED and you'll never have to replace it again.


It shouldn't make a huge difference but higher is better as you ideally don't want it to spend most of its time submerged.  Using the provided clips is a better solution long run as this puts less stress on all the components of the system.


square D QO 240V AC @ 30 Amp, 2-pole circuit breaker

You mention Square D QOU which is not a panel bus circuit breaker.  The QOU parts have lugs on both sides (line & load).  You must have connected both line lugs to the same phase by mistake.
Check your feed configuration.  The problem must be there.


How to run 10/2 THHN outdoor wire in finished basement along ceiling?

You need a conduit. For that matter you would need a conduit if running them inside the ceiling space.


Note: This was based on insufficient information. I had no idea what this was for, and based on the initial information I came up with a way to effectively fill an empty box (with a balloon as a liner) with argon. Since the actual use is for storage of items within that box, as opposed to some scientific experiment involving small items placed into the box through an airtight hole or similar usage, the balloon method is not too practical as placing the items inside an uninflated balloon would not be easy. But since the answer still has some potential use, I am leaving it on the page.

I think you are going to have problems doing that. I will assume for the moment that it is really airtight - many times things are "basically" airtight but not 100%.

Start off by a common similar situation - filling a balloon with helium.

Do you start with a balloon full of air and push out the air with helium? No, because that would be very hard to do. In fact, if you tried to do that, you would actually end up with either the helium going in but no air going out - and end up with a 2x pressure mix of helium and air, or you would have to figure out a way to get the helium (which is lighter than air) in while getting air - and only air - to go out. Despite the difference in weight, that would not be an easy thing to do.

What do you do instead? You take an empty balloon and fill it with helium. There is no air to push out, so this works just fine.

With a hard plastic container (like a typical storage box), that just won't work - trying to push in argon would be similar to pushing helium into an air-filled balloon.

But that gave me an idea:

Get a LARGE latex balloon or similar airtight very flexible material. Large enough that filled/expanded it can fill the entire box but that initially it is empty.
Cut a hole in the lid of the box. Put a valve in the hole (bicycle tire valve?) and seal around it well.
Attach the empty balloon to the inside of the lid.
Put the lid on the box and make sure it is not sealed well. This is to allow the gas outside the balloon to escape as the balloon expands.
Attach your argon supply (tank?) to the valve and fill 'er up.
Seal the lid well. The balloon will be the primary airtight enclosure but the box, provided it is truly airtight, will be a secondary enclosure.

If you want to have a mixture - e.g., argon + air, or argon + helium or hydrogen + oxygen (not recommended!), use the same setup and fill up first with one gas and then the other.


Please contact an approved qualified service technician to troubleshoot this generator.

A 100kW generator and transfer switch for a 400A service IS ABSOLUTELY NOT a DIY situation.


Do Old Houses Have a Pre-determined Lifespan?

I don't think it is much of an issue with individual materials.  In general most of them last a long time, and when they do fail, they simply get replaced.  Of course, it can be a problem if the item that is failing cannot easily be replaced.

Off the top of my head I think the only issue could be the foundation.  Many homes built that long ago did not really have a foundation or may have compromised foundation by now.  That is something that is very expensive to fix.  Though not impossible, the fix usually involves lifting the house and rebuilding the foundation and then dropping the house back on it.


what kind of amperage does this heater draw?

Your device has 3 heater elements - so for the 9kW version, each element produces 3kW of heat.

Your drawing indicates that each element is fed with a 230V supply - so 3kW from 230V requires 13A each.

Now if you refer to the "Circuit breaker" column you'll see that your 9kW device can be supplied by a 3-phase supply with 3 x 16A breakers, or if you connect all 3 elements together to the same single-phase breaker then it must be 50A.

The "Power cable" column appears to be telling you what size cables you need, and the numbers given include the Neutral and Earth/Ground wires.
So if you feed your 9kW device from a 3-phase supply, you need 5-wire cable, each wire 2.5mm2, or for a single-phase supply you need 3-wire cable, each wire 10mm2.


Since the Pest Controller didn't find any pest cause or problem, very good news. Go ahead & patch, tape & mud it. Make sure the patch doesn't touch the masonry. The moisture down there may get it again or any paper break. If it starts happening all over, eventually, then painted fiberglass faced drywall would last or you might opt for cement board at that time. But, just patch what you've got to gauge what works & what doesn't & for how long.


Can we use both caulk and Durabond to fill in hairline cracks in old plaster walls?

Fiberglass tape and a couple coats of compound will give you the best results.

Just a thought not sure how textured your walls are that you're trying to smooth out but sometimes this can be more work and leave you with inferior results instead of just taking it down and replacing with drywall.


Is biofuel safe for this indoor fireplace with an open flame?

Although some bio fuels produce much less carbon monoxide they still produce some. I would not use it without some kind of venting until there is a UL listing stating it is safe for indoor use and only use the specific blend of fuel listed.


The cheapest solution is to cut a weep path that runs from the pooling point out the door, as long as you start shallow and keep increasing the depth the water would flow out.  Depending on what the drive way looks like if it is a hill that slopes down that might be all that is required.  Possibly make a cross type design with cuts to direct the water from the area your tires normally sit to a middle cut line.  I'd probably start with a 6' straight edge and find the lowest spots to mark them.

The more expensive solution is to get the garage epoxy people to do it for you.  They'll grind the concrete for it to accept the epoxy coating and should be able to use self leveler to achieve a slope before doing the epoxy.


Did your flooring come from Lumber Liquidators or China?

There is a huge problem with formaldehyde out gassing from any hardwood flooring, AND especially if it came from China. Here’s some info:

https://www.consumerreports.org/flooring/breathe-easier-about-your-flooring/


Safety Cover for Decommissioned (Empty) Swimming Pool

If you are really decommissioning it, a truckload of stone (or multiple truckloads of stone) will do nicely and comparatively inexpensively. Ain't nobody going to fall into it or drown in it.

If you have doubts about ever using it again (or some future homeowner doing so) then leaving water and freeze damage prevention (if a freezing climate) pillows in it with a cover over is a lot more easily reversible.


Kilz over old oil based finished exterior ceiling yes or no

Yes you can, but you will want to ensure the existing old oil-based paint is properly deglossed and clean to ensure a good bond with the water-based Kilz.


if the water is dangerously hot it's probably the thermostat that needs attention , if it's warm or cold probably the valve itself or the pressure regulator.


No, it's not normal at all for the new ERV's (last 15-years). The defrost sensor that's supposed to close the intake damper isn't working. It won't cause air problems for anyone, but it will rust the unit & possibly allow mold to take up residence in the unit's area & you don't want either.


Is is safe to plug a surge protector into a 2-prong outlet using a 3-to-2-prong adapter?

According to howstuffworks.com the most common type of surge protectors contain a metal oxide varistor or a gas discharge arrestor that utilizes the grounding wire to divert extra current.

However, as others have commented, the neutral wire is usually also used in conjunction with the ground, and therefore, you should get some, but not full protection when bypassing the 3rd prong.

That said, it's never considered safe to use bypass the 3rd prong (even with 2 to 3 prong adapters) and it is likely your insurance / the manufactures insurance will not cover damages caused as a result of such use.


Correct drainage setup for a wall-mounted AC?

First, the damage that can be caused is severe. Don't run the unit until this is fixed.  Here's the deal, these units are indeed installed on the wall, typically high up on the wall relatively near the ceiling.  The tubing package is designed to exit out of the back of the unit and down the outside of the wall the unit is installed on. Here is the key though:  As soon at this tubing package, (the refrigerant lines, the electrical line and the drain line)as soon as they exit  the back, at the very same time this package must drop significantly in elevation.  The first hole in the wall, through the surface the unit is hung on must be centered a good inch to two inches below where this package is coming off the back of the unit.  Right from the start this drain line must fall down and away for the condensate collection tray.  The second hole, the hole in the exterior siding of this same wall should be a good 4" to 6" below the first hole.  Then the tubing package must extend straight downwards for a good 3+ feet before turning in any other direction.  That drain line must continually slope downward from the time it leaves the collection tray until the time it drains on the ground. At no time can this drain line run horizontal or slope up even for a short distance.


How to flash a roof valley on parallel roofs

Since you are redoing the roof deck, you are at an ideal time to fix this right, or as right as you can without redoing the major framing.

Depending whether you want the water to all go one direction, or go two ways, you build a flat (but sloping) triangular roof in the valley - either raised at least one foot and sloping all the way to one end, or raised at least 6" in the middle and sloping both ways.Cover with ice and water shield (first) and metal flashing in a wide continuous sheet running up both roof slopes. Essentially, you are giving this valley floor some slope - to do so you have to give it some width as it rises from where it is now.


Do I need to seal the rotating seams of a duct elbow?

You don't have to seal those but when I did mine, I did seal it simply to prevent it from turn and shift angle while I was working on it. I would use foil tape on the inside, foil tape is very thin. Also, wipe the elbow with some alcohol or some sort of degreaser as they most likely little oily.


What type of primer should be used on moisture resistant drywall?

Very simple, don't waste $$$ on fancy primers.  For new drywall, do not use high hiding or shellac based primers. Use PVA sealer/primer. Amen! See my other answers on primers and sealers.


How to install wood laminate flooring against existing hardwood transition in doorway?

You are almost certainly going to need to remove the existing transition strips and replace them with a different type. The upper portion of picture below shows what is most probably the configuration of existing strip. The lower portion shows the what you will need to transition to the new floor on the right.

It was hard to tell from your picture if the hardwood floor was a full 3/4" type with the transition strip actually also 3/4" thick and joined to the hardwood by tongue and groove. If so then my picture is not going to be exactly correct. For now lets go with the existing hardwood being some type of engineered flooring that may be 3/8" or 7/16" thick like my picture.

In any case if you were able to remove the existing strips without damage AND if you had the proper tools you could probably cut the additional rabbet cut off the right side to accommodate the thickness of your laminate flooring. Short that possibility you will have to make or purchase the proper type of T type transition strip. With luck your engineered hardwood and the laminate flooring are the same thickness and then you will be in a much better position to purchase a more standard T strip that has the same size rabbet cut on both sides.

Removal and replacement of the existing transition strip looks like at a minimum that you will have to temporarily remove the door stop moldings as well. It the the new transition ends up being thinner (which is possible of you use one of the newer ones that are made of plastic) you may even want to fully replace the door stops so they can extend down to the new transition.

Note that the finishing touches that go with what seems like a relatively simple choice to rip out the old carpet can cascade to a lot of extra work and added expense. A new carpet may be an overall easier choice being as you are selling anyway and I think most people prefer carpet in a bedroom anyway.


Drywall patching using 3M Patch Plus Primer

I have never used 3m patch.

I use drywall mud, you have to feather out quite far from the hole you patch so you do not notice the raised area. You apply the mud and sand it down as much as you can without revealing the tape or mesh patch, then feather out more mud to make the raise area very gradual. Sand it all so there is no lines, smooth transition between old wall and new mud, then use a can of spray texture to match the existing wall texture to make it blend in better. Then you prime and paint.

If you search YouTube for how to mud a drywall but-joint you will see what feathering involves.


If the stringers are compromised: Add a proper header or headers across the underside of your stringers to replace the support you had removed. Either that or replace the supporting wall. If it were just squeaking, there are other solutions, but obvious flexing is a safety problem that needs fixing.
If the stringers are not compromised, look for fasteners that aren't fully embedded. Start with the toenails at the top, I find they're usually the culprit. Remove and replace with a screw of the same diameter that is properly sunk.
When we talk about flex in a residential wood frame stair stringer, it is not out of the ordinary to see movement with the naked eye. However, if the flex is pronounced bowing, you have a problem. If it's the former case, simply a little movement, then you are likely getting worked up by a squeak that used to not be audible when the cavity below the stairs was walled off. Ripping the drywall off let the sound out. A key question is: are those stringers resting on top of the wall, or are they nailed to a rim board at the top (newer construction might have them hung in metal clips (hangers))?

If no hangers and you want to delete the wall, remove the wall and add hangers at the center two stingers where you can access both sides, and then lag the stringers at the walls to the wall studs. Put a little dab of subfloor glue in the bottom of the saddle before pushing it up tight and nailing it off.
If hangers are present and the stringers aren't flexing drastically, the wall is doing nothing and you are just hearing a loose fastener rubbing.
If the stringers are bowing dramatically, add additional header material. I can't tell you what would be adequate in your case because that depends on a lot more than you've detailed here, but start with two 2x8 nailed together to be installed vertically (narrow edge top and bottom, wide side vertical), ripped across their top edge at an angle matching the slope of the stringers. You can either support them with 2x4 studs each end, or you can lag them to the studs at each side of the staircase. Either way, you can nail through the face of the beveled edge into the bottom of the stringers to provide some bracing, that really is not needed. Bracing for a stringer resists roll, and with the tops of stringers being braced by the treads and possibly the riser board, you would have to put enough weight on those stairs to break the stringers before they would flex down enough to roll for a standard slope length as this staircase is. (Bracing in a floor system improves stiffness by transferring point loads, dispersing the load to adjacent joists, this does not come into play with stringers).
If a stringer is severed, and you still want to delete the remaining wall elements, you would sandwich the compromised stringer between new continuous full length 2x or simply cut a new stringer and sister it onto a damaged stringer.


Will a toilet flange bolt cause a problem if dropped into the drain pipe?

It's probably not an issue. There's a very small chance that it will get caught on a fitting and cause a clog, but more likely it'll either settle somewhere forever or make its way to the septic or municipal sewer. If it does clog a simple auger job should clear it.

Years ago I had my drain augered and the guy dropped a full size Vice-Grip down my aging 3" cast-iron pipe system. He tried for half an hour to retrieve it (magnets not being an option) but was unable. I figured it would come back to haunt me for sure, but it never did.


If you can feel the scratch with your finger nail then there is a good chance that it is too deep to remove by yourself, but you can certainly try!  Removing scratches from glass is similar to removing them from car paint - you use a polishing compound (made for glass) and ideally an orbital polisher to try and remove the scratch (lots of muscle power works too).  Make sure the area is very clean before you start and that all polishing pads, cloths, etc. are also very clean.  If there is any dirt then when you start polishing, you will end up scratching the glass even more by grinding the dirt into the surface.


What type of regular maintenance should I be doing on my central air conditioning unit?

Every year or two I call out a professional company to check the coolant levels and check for any mechanical defects since I don't have all the gear to do it myself.

Aside from that I just try and keep the area free of debris and anything that could damage the unit. In my case I have a tree off to the side and several branches hang over the unit which I trim back, don't want a branch falling off and spearing through the unit.


Replacing a septic system is a really crappy job, you'll want to let the pros handle this one.  A job like this requires special licenses, permits, equipment, and knowledge. It may seem like your just digging a hole and dropping a tank in it, but there is a lot more planning and hassle involved.  It's worth paying to have this done, rather than doing it yourself and then finding out it's not right and has to be ripped out and redone.


Are 20V batteries of Parkside Performance series and Parkside X20V Team series compatible?

No, they are not. Locking mechanism has a different shape.


Can I safely affix tile to a panel of plywood?

I would use an external grade ply, seal underside and edges with acrylic primer
and stick the tiles with an adhesive suitable for glass mosaic.


Should I replace my fridge for power savings?

To give an example, in Europe with costs of 0.3 Euro per kWh, a new fridge (size of a dishwasher or washing machine, price starting from ca. 150 Euro) will pay off in under a year, if the fridge is older then 15 years.

The insulation will be much better, but since there is some space around the old fridge, glueing polystyrol foam insulation panels to the left, right and upper side and to the doors would reduce the energy consumption - and the noise level when the compressor is running.

Otherwise there should be a forum or test in your market to find a new energy saving model which is reliable and not expensive.

And what could also help to reduce the energy bill: installing a small balcony photovoltaic system. Depending on the subsidiaries, procurement and feed -in and -out costs, it will save money after some years, especially if the local code allows simple plug-in systems. During day time, it could harvest some  energy for the fridge, the router, computers, TVs etc.
Again an example from Europe: a 2 panel system (peak power ca. 600W) can pay off in under 5 years without subsidiaries and without any feed-in payments, if the installation is done by DIY. Some owners decide to feed-in the energy for free that is exceeding the own consumption, since the burocratic efforts/complicated tax declarations and additional meter rents are not paying off.

And in case of power outages/emergencies photovoltaic systems are a reliable daytime electric power source which should supply enough power to run a cell phone loader or laptop or receiver or TV, even in cloudy weather.


Repair a lawnmower engine that was left exposed to the elements for a year?

Most common problems have nothing to do with your engine. Fuel, air, and fire are the key ingredients to your mower starting.

Fuel - if you left fuel in the tank for more than a couple of months without adding a fuel stabilizer, empty the tank and put new fuel in it.
Air - most mowers have an air filter. Look at it and clean it or replace it. It could also be the carburetor as that is where the fuel and air are mixed, but this would be the last thing I would look at.
Fire - spark plugs don’t last forever. Replace them every couple of years and make sure the electric wiring is making a good connection

Also, change your oil.

Mowers can be torn down for a thorough cleaning pretty quick (afternoon project). You’d need a socket set, flathead screwdriver, a can of brake cleaner, and nitrile gloves. Funnels and Mason jars are nice for this as well. The cost is really cheap: I lightweight tore down my mower last year and replaced the spark plug, primer, fuel line, fuel filter, and air filter for about $20.

Non-maintenance things that can also make for a hard/impossible start:

Bad primer bulb - normally will leak gas when pressed if bad
Pull cord and starter - never had this been a problem for me
Seized engine - if you can afford a new mower, you probably are better off


What is recommended method for mounting chandelier canopy that has 2 screws?

After you figure out the spacing of the bolts hanging down, you thread a nut on the bolts on the side of the bracket opposite the heads.

Cinch down the nuts, check the alignment. If okay, install the bracket and the bolts should stay put as you try to tighten the nut.


Coat hook rack above a wall with fuse boxes

In the US code prohibits the panel from being in the vicinity of easily ignitible material with clothes closets specifically listed NEC 240.24.D.  So based on that I would say it's not a good idea.


Stamped concrete is dangerously slippery

That's a tricky one. Wax? It's supposed to be sealed but not with wax. If you can't identify exactly what it's composition is you'll have to resort to trial and error. Test removal methods in small inconspicuous areas. It may be extremely hard to remove the finish in winter. I would start with gentle solvents and progress up to etchants (acid that will actually eat a fine layer of concrete. Aggressive treatment will change the look of the concrete and will need to be resealed in the appropriate weather conditions. I would use salt and sand for the remainder of the winter and address it in the spring.


What is the difference between a GFCI ungrounded circuit and a grounded circuit?

Protection, in theory, no.  The GFCI takes care of the “killing” risk of an outlet, at least, it does as well as grounding does.
However actual grounding does something GFCI does not: provides a place for natural electricity to go, notably ESD from shuffling your feet across the carpet in winter.  With a ground wire, that simply goes into the building’s grounding electrode system.
Without a ground wire, it finds a place the equipment is not insulated for 20,000 volts (many such places), and leaps to the hot or neutral wire, then goes through equipment if necessary to the neutral wire, then via the house’s neutral-ground equipotential bond to grounding electrode.  The equipment might not enjoy this too much.


Should you turn off and drain gas water heater if you leave for 6 months?

I was a snow bird for many years and I would always shut off the gas for the water heater and also shut the valve for the supply line to the water heater. Like Ed mentioned, if the water heater is in an area where the temp will drop below 30 degrees then you'll need to drain it. I left the heat on, set very low, so I didn't have to worry about this, I didn't want to freeze out the home checkers.


Can an entry door unit with sidelight be disassembled and reversed?

If the two units are indeed modular as you've described, then you can probably make this work. Some caveats:

The two units are obviously connected somehow. This is probably done with a combination of mechanical fasteners (screws, brackets) and sealant. You'll need to figure out how to separate them without damaging the other seals and joints, and then you'll need to reconnect them using metal plates, etc., along with sealant.
There may have been a weatherseal/mounting flange around the outside of the assembly when it was installed. This would now be behind the stucco finish on the building, and you'd have to cut it away without damaging your stucco.
When you reinstall you'll need to weatherproof without the benefit of the flanges. Strategically placed, high quality caulk could do the job, possibly backed by rope caulk or other filler. I doubt that you'll have room for spray foam insulation, but you could use that if you do. I'd use urethane caulk on the outside. It's extremely sticky and durable.
I'm not sure what the threshold situation will look like. That's an area of particular concern, since leaks can eventually damage the floor system framing as well as the finished floor. I'd have a plan before I begin.

Now if you have the means to re-work the stucco, you can cut it back a few inches and work the project as if it was new construction. That would be ideal, but obviously much more expensive.

Original answer:

Not really. It was constructed as a unit, and reversing it would require all the hardware mounting locations to be reversed as well as the frame members. It would be a massive operation and you'd probably lose both structural integrity and weather sealing in the process.


Mystery constant, fast, and barely audible vibration in private home

I had the exact same problem for over two years and sometimes I could hear the vibration. It drove me just about crazy. I would feel it when I laid down in my bed, lay on the floor, standing in the kitchen, laying on my couch, etc. the vibration and sometimes noise would come and go and odd thing is that some people said they felt it but most could not.  I tried everything to trace the vibration down. Checked with my neighbors but no one had the problem. Call specialist but they were honest and said that it would cost a small fortune to set up equipment and no gaurentee that they would find any thing. I add the water and electricity company check it out, both negative. I went on line and found people around the world (English speaking) had the same problem but no solutions.
Then one early morning around 3 am laying in bed the solution came to me. I realized it and that morning I booked an appointment with my GP. I told him about feeling these vibrations and sometimes noise and told him I think it is my body that is actually vibrating. He never heard of such a problem. I beg him for sleeping pills so I could get a good nights sleep. He reluctantly gave me a 5 day supply.
For 5 days I took the pills, slept well, and the vibrations stopped.
Every once in awhile the vibrations come back, like tonight which prompted me to write this and post it on line.
But that is because I've been under stress and not sleeping well. I'll take some 5mg Melatonin (find it among vitamins in drug store) along with a glass of warm milk, get a good nights sleep - may take a few nights of good sound sleep, rest my body, and the vibrations will go away.


This is actually relatively easy - many hobby shops (eg Maplin in the UK) have kits which require very little technical know-how.

I guess the pre-requisites are:

Understanding your perimeter -

use break sensors on the highest risk areas (doors and easily accessible windows)
use motion sensors in key hallways
do you include your garage
do you include external sensors
do you want to trigger a camera or similar

Control requirements -

where will your control panel need to be?
should it have a panic alarm

Compatibility requirements -

break sensors may be passive, or may be powered. If powered, what voltage is required
usually easiest to go with one brand throughout


Is there a term for making an addition to a Bill of Quantities?

Change Order is the only term I know of involving an amendment to an accepted contract.

The Wikipedia article covers it well:

  In project management, a change order is a component of the change management process whereby changes in the Scope of Work agreed to by the Owner, Contractor and Architect/Engineer are implemented.

  A change order is work that is added to or deleted from the original scope of work of a contract, however, depending on the magnitude of the change, it may or may not alter the original contract amount and/or completion date. A change order may force a new project to handle significant changes to the current project.

  Change orders are common to most projects, and very common with large projects. After the original scope (or contract) is formed, complete with the total price to be paid and the specific work to be completed, a client may decide that the original plans do not best represent his or her definition for the finished project. Accordingly, the client will suggest an alternate approach.

  Common causes for change orders to be created are:

  The project's work was incorrectly estimated
  The customer or project team discovers obstacles or possible efficiencies that require them to deviate from the original plan
  The customer or project team are inefficient or incapable of completing their required deliverables within budget, and additional money, time, or resources must be added to the project
  During the course of the project, additional features or options are perceived and requested.
  If the contractor has to add work items to the original scope of work at a later time in order to achieve the customer's demands, a fair price for the work items and fees must be added for the materials and labor.
  Extreme weather conditions cause delays or require additional work to complete construction.

  A project manager then typically generates a change order that describes the new work to be done (or not done in some cases), and the price to be paid for this new work. Once this change order is submitted and approved it generally serves to alter the original contract such that the change order now becomes part of the contract.


Tread boards in external stairs for houses

Spacing between the tread pieces allows for water drainage and for the wood in that area to dry out. And yes the spacings between the tread pieces also help with the slip resistance.

It is common to use multiple narrower pieces for outdoor decking stair treads because they will tend to stay flatter overall when the wood has been exposed to the elements over time. If you use tread pieces that are full width lumber there is much greater chance that it will twist and warp over time. A wider flat piece can also get quite slippery when it is wet.

Another thing to consider, if you are using treated lumber, is that the chemicals in the wood will penetrate to a greater percentage of the cross section of narrower pieces. This will help to preserve the wood over a longer period of time.


How to unfasten electrical subpanel attached with ramset

Powder-actuated gun nails are extremely hard. You don't want to have to cut them with a saw, and you probably won't have room anyway.

Get yourself an angle grinder with an abrasive wheel. Bracing your hands well against the box, carefully grind away just the heads of the nails. You should then be able to pull the box off the nail shafts.

Obviously, take all necessary precautions when working around electrical current, and use eye and ear protection.

Caveat: Be sure that you have enough length available on your primary conductors to make the move you have planned. You may also be required to install conduit behind the box, where the wires are exposed.


Effective approach to running Romex on existing lines.

You're always allowed to upsize the wire.

So if you have a 15A circuit with 15A breaker, you are required to use at least 14AWG wire.. But if you want to use some 12AWG that is also ok.

There are some reasonable reasons for doing that.


What sizes of DWV pipe are commonly used for (very) small residential homes?

Find a better store, if the ones you are going to don't have 2" PVC in full sticks (or possibly look higher up in the store you are in, and get someone to drag it down.)

In MY house, the only place you'll find 1-1/2 or 1-1/4" is the tailpieces on the sinks - as soon as it hits pipe, it goes up to 2", because it's not that much more expensive and it greatly reduces the odds of having any issue with it. I don't recall having any trouble finding it in full sticks. The main line is 4" (not 3") for the same reason. Builders looking to squeeze maximum profit don't do that sort of thing, but builders who plan to live in the building for a while sometimes do.

In retrofitting, you might need to use 1-1/2" due to space constraints. In any case, if you are redoing the pipes, you should probably bring the venting up to current code while you are at it.


You can't get one big one.  You'll smack into 310.15(B)(3)(a), which says no more than four circuits per conduit even if you can walk through the conduit standing up.   In residential split-phase wiring, all properly wired cables count as 2 conductors for the purpose of this chart, and 70% derate is harmless. 50% is a serious problem.

Having 10 wires (5 circuits) requires a 50% derate, which requires bumping up to the next size of wire (#10 for a 20A circuit, ouch, and that takes more space which means fewer wires can fit etc.)

Instead, switch to THHN wires inside that conduit

It looks like he used nice big pipe - either a 1/2 and 3/4, or a 3/4 and 1".  Not clear.  (a 3/4" pipe is about 1" diameter). You can easily fit 3-4 circuits in each one as individual THHN wires.

Get some black #12 stranded THHN, white #12 also, green ground screws, and a few feet of solid #12 bare wire.  Also a 5-pack of colored electrical tape (for marking circuits).  Also some 4-11/16 large deep square junction boxes with knockouts that'll fit your pipe, and conduit knockout adapters as needed.  The big boxes are cheapest at a real electrical supply, "big box" stores overcharge for them.

Pull the existing cable out of the pipe.  (you can do this one pipe at a time so you only knock out 1 circuit; once we've done one pipe you can put both existing circuits in that).
Install a junction box on the end of the pipe (cut or bend if necessary) using a proper EMT-junction box fitting into a knockout.
Do this to both ends.
Bring the Romex cable into the junction box via a knockout, using a cable clamp of the right size, clamp it, and cut it with 12" of extra length inside the box. Shuck it back most of the way back to the clamp.
Figure out the length of the pipe, add 24" and that's how long your THHN wires need to be. Check first, before cutting.
Neutrals must use white THHN. (or gray)
Hots must use black THHN. (or any other color but green).  That includes 240V circuits - so if it comes in in black/white /2 Romex, it must go through the pipe in black/black.
Use colored tape to mark wires.  First group them by circuit (black-blue and white-blue is circuit 2), and then to distinguish hots from each other.
Mark every circuit. Leave "plain-black" and "plain-white" for the future.

In each box, for the Romex grounds, put a 9" pigtail on green ground screw, and attach it to the grounding screw inside the box.  Splice that ground to all the Romex grounds. The rest of the way, ground will be carried by the pipe itself.  If you don't like that, feel free to throw a single #12* bare solid wire into the pipe also. This will be redundant, but redundant grounds are allowed.

* If there is #10, #8 or #6 wire in the pipe, the ground wire must be #10.

Now, for each cable set's conductors, do wire-nut splices from the Romex to the THHN.  Do one circuit at a time.  It's no big deal attaching a stranded to solid wire, no need to pre-twist, just use good wire nuts (Ideal) and tighten rather firmly!  Hold the nut and yank the wire for your pull test. No need for tape; if you feel like you need tape to hold the wirenut on, that's a bad connection that will arc-fault; fix your technique instead.

Conduit fill limits: No more than nine #12 wires per conduit. That is the limit for 1/2" conduit, but that's also where you'll hit the cubic-inch limit of those 4-11/16" square junction boxes (42 cubic inches). If you use larger boxes, you can take 3/4" conduit right up to the 4-circuit limit.

Why are we using #12 wire on 15A circuits?  Fewer wire spools to buy and less leftovers.  A 50' spool each of #12 + #14 is more expensive than a 100' spool of #12.

Why not just shuck the sheath off the Romex cable and use it?  It's not tough enough to handle life inside conduit, it's too stiff, and it lacks the markings on the side of the wire  "12 AWG THHN/THWN-2 ABC Wire Co. (UL) blah blah" that make it legal to use.


PVC leak under slab in outdoor waterfall feature

If you can get to both ends of that pipe, then I would slide a flexible pipe inside the broken one and connect to that...


No bracket included for wall-mounted bathroom sink

It looks like it's designed to use a standard "old school" adjustable lavatory mounting bracket:

I would fasten it at the lower holes as well.


Can you elaborate on what you mean by "reverse wired?"

If you're saying you want to put the switch at the far end, near the last light,the most straightforward way to do that is to pull power into that switch box, then feed the lights from there (don't feed the lights directly from the panel).

Or, I suppose you could pull 3-rope all the way through from the first light to the last light. You'd run 2-rope from the panel to the first light.

EDIT: a commentor pointed out that code now requires a neutral in all switch boxes. So run 3-rope from the last light fixture to the switch box, use the red and black for your switch leg, and cap the neutral for future use (presence-detecting switches and so on).

Connect the black wire straight through all the light fixture boxes. Then connect the switch leg (the 3-rope running from the last light fixture to the switch) to the black and red wires. At each light fixture, pigtail and connect the red (hot) and white (neutral) to each light fixture. Or you could switch black and red (wire red straight through, wire black to each fixture)--doesn't matter.

You always want to switch the hot wire, not the neutral. Otherwise, you end up with power at the fixtures even when the switch is off and it's a shock hazard.

I'm not sure why I feel compelled to say this, but if the lights in question are all on the same circuit, they should be wired in parallel (not in series), so the hot and neutral wires need to be pigtailed in the box at each light fixture to connect to each light, but also run directly to the next light (not wired through each light to the next).


Existing 3 way switch light - add a light

Looking at your diagram. If you are going to parallel a light by tapping the black conductor and you want it switched with the ceiling light. Then yes you can do that. The problem is where are you going to get a neutral? Does the box for SW1 have a neutral in it?


There is no doubt a larger sized nut and washer around a threaded part of the faucet body that clamps up under the bottom of the rear sink shelf. Once any water piping is removed the nut and washer can be removed and the faucet lifts out from the top.

On some there is just a washer and a retainer clip on the bottom side and then the skirt part of the faucet on the top screws onto the lower part and is tightened down from the top side.


How do I hard wire new oven to existing wires?

Remove the clamp -- cut off the clamped end and restrip the neutral if you have to

If the clamp is too tight, you may have to cut off the clamp and then strip the insulation from the cut end of the neutral.  This is mentioned in step 8A of the install instructions for your oven:

  Free the neutral (white) lead from being restrained to any other
  wires. If necessary, cut the neutral (white) lead and then re-strip
  it to expose the proper length of conductor.

From there, it's a matter of attaching like to like with the wirenuts -- red goes to red, black to black, white to white, and bare to bare + the box ground pigtail (bare or green) if there is one.  If there isn't a box ground pigtail and the box is made from metal -- get a bag of 'em and screw the screw-end into the screw-hole in the box, then nut the wire-end in with the bare wires.


What tool should I use for carving deep shapes in a desk top?

I agree with Steven that a router is the way to go.  However, I think it important to point out a few things to consider if you use a router for the project you described, especially if you have never used a router before.

First off, you shouldn't try to cut the full depth of the pockets you describe in a single pass.  You will need to make several passes, taking out a little bit at a time.  The amount you should take per pass depends on the material but I would start with 1/4" or less.  The less you take the easier it will be to control the router.

Second, let's consider for a moment that the base of the router pictured above is about 5" diameter.  You need to keep about half the base (at least) pressed against the surface to maintain control of the router.  How will you route the center section after the first pass if your hole is 10" square?  The answer is you need to make a larger base, one that will span both edges of your hole.  Most routers are made so the base can be removed so you can make and attach a custom one for instances such as this.

Third, generally you should move a router against the rotation of the cutter in order to prevent the cutter from grabbing.  If you are using the router handheld and working on the inside this means you should be working in a clockwise spiral around the inside of the pocket you are cutting.

Finally, it is always easier to control the router if you are working against a guide surface.  A template router bit has a bearing above the cutter which you can ride against either a template or at least a straight edge.  I think it is the right cutter for this job.  Even if you don't make a complete template you can clamp a straight edge to the each edge of the pocket in succession to establish the outside edges.


Insulation type to use on a hinged metal attic door

One recommendation is to use rigid foam insulation attached with caulking, liquid nails, or silicone.


Here is a good picture showing the bottoms of the lift slide doors I installed. The 16' ones were on another job, these are only offer a 10' opening. The pics showing the upper half are kinda dark.

Is this something that may work for you?


Concrete will deteriorate over time depending on the mineral content of the soil that is in contact with the concrete. Removal of the entire pour is not required or recommended. This would be costly and time consuming. The areas that sound hollow will have to be removed. These areas act like a cancerous pocket and will harbor the moisture that is partly causing the deterioration.Steps to consider:

Remove all hollow sounding areas with a pneumatic chisel hammer. (small one would be better).
Retrofit some rebar into the areas removed into the good concrete and set with epoxy.
Reinforce your basement with new shotcrete concrete.

Note: you will be tying into your existing concrete with new rebar and epoxy. Then set some screte boards to the depth of the new shotcrete wall thickness. Then you will be ready to hire a contractor who will apply the shotcrete with a pumper. You might want to contact a structural engineer to confirm this course of action... Good luck.


Use a 3-gang box for 2 switches and feed to outlet - to have more space to play - ok

Yes, you can do that. So you'll replace the two gang with a three gang box and just have two switches in the box. The new three gang box must be installed correctly, flush with the outer wall surface, with the hole big enough for all three gangs.

Remember to shut off all the power when doing any of this work. Take pictures and mark the wires before you disconnect any of them which you'll have to do for the box change out.

You'll probably need a cover similar to the one below when you're finished. Good luck.


Powering a 240V 15A air compressor with a 6-20 plug

Actually, it is a fielder's choice.

Either way, all you have to do is make up a cord with #10 wire that is rated for 30 amps with a male plug on one and a female plug on the other to transition between the different plugs.

Good luck and stay safe!


How to install Water Heater drain pan to sump pit?

I have a setup similar to yours and the radon installers put a foam sheet over a hole in my sump cover, almost like a thin sheet of packing foam. This is almost airtight but allows some suction for the fan. You could terminate the drain line over a small hole that was covered with foam or paper such that the the air would be sealed in, but in the case you get water from the heater it would drip through it. You could also put a check valve in the pvc line from the heater but it would have to be loose so a trickle of water would trigger it. A trap would dry out, although the HVAC trap probably dries out during the winter anyway....but the suction from the fan should override that small opening.


PVC screw fittings are unscrewed in the counter clockwise direction, but that's in reference to the pipe they are attached to. You may be upside down in some of those connections.
The popup drain connection is made to the sink drain tail piece. You don't need to remove this to gain access to the trap below, so it can remain untouched.

Note that most clogs can be easily cleared by running a plumbing snake down the drain. You'll want one sized for your pipes, which in your case will likely be a relatively small diameter snake that can get around the drain and not get jammed in the tight turns of the trap.


Laminating a second layer of the same product should stiffen it substantially. Once the first layer is positioned the way you want, spread several beads of construction adhesive across the face of it and conform a second layer over the first. Tack in place with brads using a nailgun to hold it in place until the adhesive sets.

Note: These flexible plywoods come in a variety of thicknesses. It is likely that the thicker ones will be somewhat stiffer than the thin ones. I realize that even the thick ones may not be rigid enough for your application.


Should my subpanel have a neutral conductor feeding it?

Sounds like they're trying to use the earth as a neutral, which in the US is not allowed.

If the wires are through conduit, and the conduit is large enough, you can simply pull two more conductors.

If the wires are in a cable, or the conduit is too small. You'll want to pull a new four wire cable, or four conductors through a larger conduit.

To compensate for the voltage drop across the 225' long conductors, you're going to have to use larger conductors.  In this case, you'll want 4 AWG copper conductors.  If you're going to install a new four wire cable, you can use 4-4-4-6 type USE copper cable.


How does one transition from two layers of drywall?

Why not just rip the 1/2" OSB into 1-1/2 wide strips to use as shims, and attach them to the edge of the wall studs?


Two light switches and three black wires

The wire nut in the middle has three black wires going to it, so it's likely the feed in, that then gets daisy-chained out to other fixtures. Looks like all 4 neutrals (one in, one out to other fixtures, and the two to the fixtures switched here) are commoned in the wire nut at the back of the box.

From that live junction, it then feeds the switch on the right, and then the loop going to the other terminal of the same switch is clearly in the wrong place.

I'd guess that the two wires to the left switch are the two switched feeds out to your two loads, so you need to swap one (back) with the loop wire on the right switch, such that the feed goes to both switches, and the switched sides are one to each switch.

How exactly did these wires get swapped? It clearly has not been like this from the beginning.


Is it permissible to have exposed mains conductors in holiday lights?

You are correct in assuming there should not be any live connections exposed in any situation. I suppose it should be said that this is a dangerous situation and could be fixed fairly easy with a set of wire cutters and some appropriate wire nuts. So call the installer and see if they want to make the repair. If they give you any static I would report it to the AHJ in you area and let them deal with it.

Regardless I would not recommend you turn these lights on until a repair was made. As I said before this is a potential fire and shock hazard.


What kind of wire would i need to carry 20 amps 100 feet underground

Wire size

You can use a calculator like http://wiresizecalculator.net/ to figure this out.

Keep in mind that the distance is not just the distance underground, but the entire wire distance from the panel to the receptacle/switch/fixture.

For 140', you'll need #6 copper or #4 aluminum.

Burial depth

For a 120V, 20A circuit, protected by GFCI, in residential use, using direct-burial rated wire (UF), the minimum depth requirement is 12".

See also:

What is the best way to run underground electrical and low voltage in the same trench?
How do I run a wire underground to an outdoor post lamp?


Metering gas used for heating water in a multi-dwell building with one boiler

Nope. One boiler means only one opportunity to meter the gas.


What is the best way to bridge a huge gap between hardwood and tile?

Updated based on revisions to the question.
The way I see it you have two options, neither of which is nearly as complicated as your proposed solution.

Install a tile accent row with a beveled or bullnose edge or reducing edger (metal trim). This could be from leftover original tile or something else. 1/2" cement board on the subfloor boards will be enough of a filler to bring the new tile level with the existing. Grout to the existing tile.

____  _______________
____||_______________\ ________________
____||________________|__________________
 ^             ^             ^
existing   new backer    existing wood
  tile      & tile           floor

Install a hardwood strip with a beveled edge, stained to match the existing floor. This could be ripped from a 1x6, then set in construction adhesive and attached with a few finish nails. Optionally rabbet a small distance to overlay the existing wood floor, creating a clean transition line and covering any rough edges. Keep this minimal to keep it robust. I picture it like so:

____  __________________
____||                __\________________
____||________________|__________________
 ^             ^             ^
existing    transition    existing wood
  tile        strip         floor

If you have more specific questions about either approach, go ahead and ask.


That's not cool. Don't know your codes in the UK but that certainly is a fail in Canada and the US. Hanging a picture with a thumb tac can potentially puncture that. Actually no it's not to code, it can't be unless there is literally no code in place. (highly unlikely in the UK it might be code in a third world country)

You need to have it fixed before you conceal it. If this is the only spot that is like this, it could be a apprentice or just a moment of extreme laziness on the part of the worker. Ask the person to fix it to code by at least notching the stud if it's not load bearing and adding a striker plate.

I don't know why guys do stupid things like this. If you have to do a patch it really doesn't matter if it's 12x12" or 6x1" in just make the whole big enough to do your job.

Once the repairs done properly patching the holes will be a lot easier. If you ever did have to patch a hole similar to this it's often easier to just make it bigger anyway so you can add blocking into the back.


Is the Gap Between the Window Header and the Header a Problem?

If it hasn't been a problem in the past, it won't be in the future. 50 years is a pretty good test.

I am also pretty sure that when the home was built the header was tight, but shrank when everything dried out over time. It happens in every wood framed house.

If you choose to, you can add a shim in the middle or in two places and snug it up in place, but that would at the most. I would think that the sheathing on the outside is helping to hold everything up, which in reality, isn't a whole lot of weight over that window as long as there is no snow load.

I would think the rafters are situated so that they are near the ends of the beam, not in the center so that minimized the use of the header.


I would go over sized rather than undersized if you have the room to do it.
An undersized unit will limit your maximum flow, unless you always will be reducing the flow to that area then go undersized.
Strips of ducting can be purchased at most home stores that you can rivet from one side to the other then use a good quality duct tape to seal.
They make a tool to bend the sheet metal makes nice easy bends.
Hope this helps.


Does light fixture itself impact dimmer compatibility or the bulbs?

Not normally, no.
But ceiling fans, yes.  Because ceiling fans typically insert one of two troublemakers:

A current limiter, to prevent you from over-bulbing the light with 100W incandescent bulbs when they're only approved for 25/40/60W
A "remote control module" so you can use a wireless remote to control fan and light.

Both of them might play badly with LEDs, and both of them may well play badly with dimmers on LED. They were never designed with LED in mind.
And by "LEDs" I mean lightbulb replacement units with LED technology and an Edison screw base, along with an electronic driver to convert 120VAC into DC to run the LED emitters.


What is the proper way to install a junction box above a dropped ceiling?

There is no problem with installing junction boxes above a suspended ceiling, as long as the box is less than 100 in.³ and securely fastened.  National Electrical Code has this to say...

National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 3 Wiring Methods and Materials
Article 314 Outlet, Device, Pull, and Junction Boxes; Conduit Bodies; Fittings; and Handhole Enclosures
II. Installation
314.23 Supports. Enclosures within the scope of this article shall be supported in accordance with one or more of the provisions in 314.23(A) through (H).
(D) Suspended Ceilings. An enclosure mounted to structural or supporting elements of a suspended ceiling shall be not more than 1650 cm3 (100 in.3) in size and shall be securely fastened in place in accordance with either (D)(1) or (D)(2).
(1) Framing Members. An enclosure shall be fastened to the framing members by mechanical means such as bolts, screws, or rivets, or by the use of clips or other securing means identified for use with the type of ceiling framing member(s) and enclosure(s) employed. The framing members shall be adequately supported and securely fastened to each other and to the building structure.
(2) Support Wires. The installation shall comply with the provisions of 300.11(A). The enclosure shall be secured, using methods identified for the purpose, to ceiling support wire(s), including any additional support wire(s) installed for that purpose. Support wire(s) used for enclosure support shall be fastened at each end so as to be taut within the ceiling cavity.

Code Violations
In the first image, the wires being spliced together like that violates NEC 300.15.

300.15 Boxes, Conduit Bodies, or Fittings Where Required.  ... Where the wiring method is conduit, tubing, Type AC cable, Type MC cable, Type MI cable, nonmetallic-sheathed cable, or other cables, a box or conduit body shall be installed at each conductor splice point, outlet point, switch point, junction point, termination point, or pull point...

I've also noted some violations in the second image.

Click for larger view


Why is there moisture on some parts of my basement slab?

The pipe could be cool and condensing humidity on the pipe (like a glass of ice water condenses moisture) . As for the moisture at the wall floor junction this is a common place for moisture to enter if there is standing water outside the foundation. We usually install a drain and gravel at the footings to prevent this and some times sumps (a pit that collects the water) with a pump to pump it out as the level rises. When I put bottom plates on concrete I use a sill seal (foam sheet to prevent the wood from sitting on the damp concrete. If this is new construction and your contract specified a dry basement you should be talking to the contractor. This is not an uncommon issue and there are measures to prevent the moisture from entering but usually excavation, draining and sealing are required. In some cases an internal sump is added to keep the water level below the slab.


Grounding requirements for main panel and subpanel

The NEC only requires two ground rods if one doesn't suffice the 25ohms requirement.  If an additional ground is installed then a minium of 6' spacing is required between them.  The only time the neutrals and grounds are allowed to tie together are in the main disconnect.
To keep the neutrals and grounds separated, a 4 wire should have been used to feed your sub panel.


Is it safe to use old, rotted wood fixed to an attic joist?

Since mold and structural integrity are safety issues, any answer that isn't "yes" is "no" -

and the answer isn't "yes."


Cover exposed insulation behind bathroom wall in basement

I would use plywood, which would make hanging various items easy. I would also mark the stud locations lightly on the floor and above and transfer those as vertical lines on the plywood, for the same reason.
Alternatively, you could use pegboard which would allow air movement and also facilitate using various wall hooks (although I personally am not a pegboard fan...)


How can I stop a draft from an attic hatch lid?

If you can't feel a leak then there probably isn't one, at least not there. It could be that your loft hatch (attic door for the US crowd) is leaking a load of heat. Is the door itself cold? Loft hatches are typically made of very thin wood, which doesn't have much in the way of insulating properties. I've always found it helps to pull a layer of insulation over the loft opening before closing the door to help prevent loss of heat.

One thing about home improvements is that sometimes when you fix something you notice something else that was covered up before. You insulate your loft and your upstairs is much warmer, so now you notice the leak that was always there but was covered up by the massive heat loss from your loft. You'll fix that leak and then notice another one, and another. Then after fixing all those leaks you'll have to re-balance your radiators because people are getting heat stroke in the study. So it may be that the loft hatch isn't the problem in which case you need to have a hunt for the real culprit. I use the back of my hand and fingers to search for leaks, which could come from badly sealed windows, light fixtures leaking air through the ceiling, a hole for a waste pipe in the bathroom, etc.


How would I ground an internal ethernet surge protector?

It's like the old three wire to two wire plug adapters that had the grounding wire. That attaches to the screw on the outlet cover. You may want to get new screw that is bare metal and not coated to make better contact.


Help translate terminology relating to concrete floor construction

I'm only answering because an educated guess is hopefully better than no information at all. Is this in the UK? I'm not recognising some of the terms, and of course metric units are alien to us Yanks :) I hope you get a more definitive answer, but in the mean time...

A 30mm screed topping layer just means it was struck off level, there is no indication of finish quality. It may be anything from level with a rough finish to a very smooth finish. This is on a 175bar concrete slab of unknown thickness. 175bar is a typical utility strength concrete.

I would expect the next 50mm layer to be some sort of granular material. It may be something like expanded slag which has some insulating value. A poly (polyethylene) sheeting layer as the next layer is very typical, I've no idea what the remainder of the description line means.

I'm hoping the final 75mm layer is some sort of insulation board like extruded polystyrene. If so, 75mm is a good thickness. The problem is I've no idea what this material really is. As I said, this is an educated guess based on construction knowledge in a completely different country. It could be the 50mm is insulation and the 75mm is is a granular base, or they're both insulation, or neither are, I really don't know for sure.

I am reasonably confident you have a level floor that is properly insulated. Best of luck getting a better answer.


Is gravel necessary for post hole drainage in sandy Florida soil?

You may not need to concern yourself with the gravel if sand is present at the bottom of the hole. It will drain. I imagine the reason for drainage is that if water got into the hollow post and froze, would ruin the post. You may not have a freezing problem there in Florida.

What I would recommend is adding a brick or something else like that so the post bears on that instead of sand. The sand may give way and allow the posts to settle more than you want over time.

Do give consideration for the high winds mentioned in an earlier comment.


Is clorox outdoor + jomax safe on vinyl decking?

Just tried it on my Azek vinyl decking and it worked great just like it does on vinyl siding. No problems whatsoever.