Should I replace this cracked bathroom wall tile?

I had posted this as a comment but believe it should be an answer.
Wow to me from that photo this is a full blown broken tile not a hair line crack that you would see in a natural stone. This porcelain tile should have no broken tiles. I hope you have not made the final payment and if you have contact your local contractors board this is unacceptable in my opinion and not a hairline crack. It looks like they used snipers and not a saw to make that crappy cut out. Just my opinion but it looks like a DIY job for a first time tile person to me.


How to stop Central Air unit from freezing over inside and outside

There are a few causes for this, and the most common are in two categories - bad air flow and low refrigerant.

Bad airflow can be caused by a dirty filter, clogged ducts, or a poorly performing fan.  If the (relatively) warm air from your house isn't blowing over the coils, the condensation they normally create starts to freeze.  Once they start to freeze, airflow is reduced, the coils get colder, and even more ice forms.

The other common problem is something a technician will have to check.  It sounds counterintuitive, but low refrigerant can end up making the coils too cold.  The results are the same runaway reaction described above - lots of ice, reduced airflow, and a compressor that never stops because the house isn't getting cooler.

Once the system thaws, check all your filters and make sure the blower fan works fine.  You can check the coil temperatures with an IR thermometer while the system is running.  If it gets below freezing and airflow seems good, it's probably time to call a tech.


What's the proper way to go about replacing this faucet fixture? Is it always replace every part at once or can I mix and match if I like part of it?

Unfortunately, Pull-Outs work very differently and can't just screw-on to the old faucet...anywhere in your case. Their sprayer's quite long hose must nest down into the sink cabinet or the wall's void.

Although, if you can remove the handle caps and unscrew the handles to take them to the store, then you may find a new faucet setup that lets you use the old handles on the new faucet.

Lastly, you may also keep the perfectly fine faucet and plumb-in a separate sprayer installed in the wall next to your faucet or on the countertop. This is a bit involved and a sprayer and hose intended/rated for constant pressure is needed...like a Pot-Filler's separate setup.

A Plumber would be best to use for that last bit and they can renew washers and whatnot in the old faucet to ensure a decade or more of continued admiration.


ac condenser spins slower than normal and buzzes on occasion

For posterity - replacing the cap seems to have resolved the issue.


How can I visually conceal a crack in my concrete driveway?

There are really only two solutions from a aesthetic standpoint:

Coat the entire slab with a surfacing product (which may or may not conceal the crack for the long term--depends on seasonal/traffic movement)
Replace the slab

You can't visually "fix" cracks like that in concrete. The color and texture will never match well, making the situation much more conspicuous than it is now.


Why is my portable air conditioning unit increasing relative humidity?

If the A/C unit is cooling the room but not running long enough to remove the humidity, then YES, the % of relative humidity will rise. If by chance the A/C unit is too large for the space it is cooling then it will not run long enough to reduce the relative humidity.
Also, those type units exhaust air from the room as it is running and unconditioned air has to be migrating to that room to make up for the air that is being expelled. A better choice would be a portable unit that has 2 pipes; 1 to bring in the required air for the unit to operate properly and one to exhaust the warmed air that is produced by the units operation. I call the units with 1 hose a 1/2 A/C unit since they only satisfy 1/2 of the air requirements for proper operation. For a more comfortable room you need to install the correct unit.
To better understand humidity, you need to get a book or search online and learn about the relationship between % of relative humidity and air temperatures. A quick learn is that as air temperatures fall the % of relative  humidity rises and visa-versa.


no water coming out of the hot water faucet in my tub

Start under the house with the space heater. The house temp inside is fine. Turn on all the cold water sources all the way. The more water you can get flowing the better. The cold water feeds the hot water heater. Go to the street and place some insulation inside the meter box (towels, rags,etc.) If you have any exposed piping outside... wrap it. If it's a townhome you may be sharing water with a neighbor and its on their side. If your water is off and the meter is spinning it may not be on your side.


Best way to install gutters on roof with no vertical facia or eaves

This would be a situation where you'll have to use gutter straps (usually in T or K style):

Image credit to acehardware.com

They install on the roof decking - make sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions, as  you'll be penetrating the singles.

Image credit to www.heritagehillweb.org


Subpanel or not? Neutral and ground bonded?

Given that you are feeding two separate structures, I see two problems with your setup so far:

The house is relying on the grounding electrodes at the pole, which improperly multiplexes the equipment grounding conductor from the panel to the house with the grounding electrode conductor for the house.  This is easily fixed by driving and connecting a ground rod or grounding to an underground metal water pipe at the house, using #4 bare copper or equivalent Bare Armored Ground cable if you prefer.
The neutral and ground need to be separated at the garage subpanel, and a ground wire needs to be run from the main panel .  This requires pulling the bonding screw or strap from the panel (it'll be green on more modern ones), installing an extra ground bar to the panel (ground bar kits are available for all panel types in current production, just ask your local electrical supply house; if you can't find one, post here with information/photos of the panel and we can help), and moving the ground wire connections over to the new ground bar, as well as pulling a #8 (or larger) bare or green THHN/THWN through the existing conduit to serve as a new ground wire -- it will connect to the combination ground/neutral bar in the main panel and the new ground bar in the garage panel.  (You have plenty of room in the conduit, by the way -- roughly 680mm^2 used to 1660mm^2 available by the 40% fill rule for more than 2 conductors, and the new wire puts you at roughly 710mm^2 used.)


What is a safe way to ground this light fixture?

Yes you can cut the hole but you need some protection for the wire coming through the hole I would find a large snap in gromet drill a hole to fit the gromet   I would move that 10-32 green screw to the point the wire comes through and tie your ground there but you can make a jumper in this case with a wire nut.
You need to protect the wires from getting cut  if you can’t easily find a large enough firewall gromet , snap in gromet , snap in bushing  you need some type of protection I like 3/4 snap in bushings the big box orange store has a bag of 3/4 acc snap ins for 2.23 a bag of 10.


What are the steps for pouring more cement around metal fence posts that are leaning?

I live in a "high wind area" and you don't need to go with deeper holes.

I think your 30" depth is adequate and the size of the hole is more than adequate for a 6' fence. The problem is that you need to pour a concrete "collar" at the top of the hole.

I guess you could fill the post hole up with concrete, but you have rather large holes and that could be expensive. I'd dig out the dirt backfill down to the concrete at the bottom of the hole. (I'm assuming the metal fence post is partially encased in the concrete at the bottom of the post hole.) Then, I'd fill the hole up with crushed rock to the point that about 1 bag of concrete would fill the balance of the hole...creating a collar at the top of the post hole.


Replaced a dimmer switch but the dimmer doesn't work

There are different colored plates to go over the light switch. If the switch, dimmer knob etc. are all not on an up position, the dimmer won't be able to toggle up and down.


For your new shed I would have built 2x6 stud walls @ 16''oc and the same for the roof joists. In Ontario, you will need 6'' walls to get a minimum of insulation. You can always fur out to get more depth for insulation if you have already built the walls but that won't change the strength of your walls. I'm not sure what the snow and wind loads are in your region. You should check that out. Those loads ultimately have to come down via the stud walls. Your existing roof is supported by a triangular structure rather than a roof ridge beam, which is fine.(rule of thumb; ties no higher than 1/3 the height). 2x4's should be fine to build up your 'truss', the bottom chord will be in tension as will be the vertical tie to the ridge beam as any deflection of the bottom chord due to the weight of finishes and insulation will pull on that tie. Normally, to create a truss, one would add diagonals from the bottom of your vertical tie to the centre of the roof joists, but if you tie your new structure well to the existing horizontal roof ties 1/3 the way up, the whole assembly should be sufficient.


I can purchase a new 25 lb cylinder of R410A online 160$
Brand new 5 ton outside unit 1700.00  includes shipping.
how many ton is the system? Goodman is a low cost system but if properly installed it should last 10+ years,
If there is a leak it was small the system is still cooling right.
you wanted a second opinion if the unit is smaller the cost is less. The outside unit includes the compressor, controls, coil, fan etc.
A coil would be much less expensive.
I smell a scam just saying.


What happened is that you broke off the MDF tab that was holding that plank in place. That's why it slides freely now; nothing's mechanically holding it in place anymore. Since the core is MDF, any kind of wood glue should be totally fine to fuse them together, and once glued, those two planks will probably be more strongly held to one another than the other ones that are only mechanically fastened. Once you apply the glue, tape the planks together with masking tape or blue painter's tape to prevent the glue from expanding and pushing them apart.

If you really wanna make sure it never comes loose again, you can get some of the wood wood glue that's specifically made for this use: Titebond!


I don't know of a requirement to separate them & haven't had an Inspector ever say anything, they always cross paths & run the same path somewhere. Of course, separate would be best for everything.

The only possible Code that might be violated is a floor penetration that isn't fire blocked & sealed. Depends if it was done prior to that part of The Code.

You can stuff (tightly pack) it with Rockwool or Mineral-Wool Insulation to address that for big gaps. Fire Caulk burns, but The Code has it as it's blocking of choice for small gaps or an overall smear seal of everything...the thicker the better with that stuff.


The thermostat is what senses the temperature so you want it where you want the most accurate temperature which would be in the bedroom however all other rooms will be a little off. The hallway may provide a good mix of temperatures or all the rooms may be hotter or colder than the hall. I have been using the Honeywell 8000 series thermostat with remote sensors and getting good results. You can add up to 6 sensors and they will all average. Put the thermostat in the hall for easy access and install wireless sensors in the bedrooms. There are of course other brands with remote sensors, I am just not to familiar with them.


Can I nail mass loaded vynl onto plywood?

Obviously, the wall can’t be made to be floppy; but the soundproofing inside the wall can be floppy.  In the Science of Acoustics, we call it a “Limp Mass Barrier.”  This is typically why the Mass Loaded Vinyl is instructed to be installed against the studs and then drywall over it. This allows the barrier to move in 3-Dimensional space and bleed off the energy of the sound, resulting in greater net losses of sound propagation through the wall.
“But I don’t want to rip down my sheet rock to put this stuff up.”  That’s fine, no need to really.  The solution here is to find the studs behind the existing sheetrock with a stud finder, mark them with a blue line, and screw in some Furring strips vertically-through the sheetrock – into the studs.
– acousticalsolutions.com

Stick with nails if that's what you got. No glue if it's temporary. I'd probably use exterior screws.
It's supposed to be furred out so that at least one side can move freely. Then you could even sandwich the furring strips with two layers of vinyl and then plywood it.


How can I protect a heat pump from heavy snow?

There are several advantages to having a permanent roof over an outdoor heat pump:

keeps direct sunlight off during cooling season
keeps rain, leaves, twigs, and branches further away and keeps the unit cleaner
no freezing rain can put the blower out of balance with lopsided icing
keeps snow away from the top and sides where it would impede airflow
possibly provide some noise reduction

The first installation manual I could find says (page 7) there should be a 48 inch (120 cm) minimum space above the unit.

Depending on the typical maximum snow accumulation, I would extend the roof out at least three feet from the edges of the unit.  This also avoids the problem of the roof supports from blocking service access (some units have hinged panel doors).


What's the best way to insulate an attic with 2x4 joists?

Blown in cellulose can be quite effective if all air gaps are located and sealed with expanding foam for this purpose. Look for gaps around light boxes/electrical, fan vents, and those in corners. Unless sealed, you'll lose heating and waste money. If the previous fiberglass batts had dark marks, they generally indicate an air leak.
You can lay insulation batts in the directions you mentioned, but I'd go with the most effective insulation at the lowest cost. If your attic has an access panel, insure you've built a "surround" and tightly sealing door, as well.


Breakers loose in main panel, does whole panel need to be replaced?

Boy, that's a classic. Is it a GE?

It's fine, just replace the offending breaker, and have your electrician check the others while he's there. The looseness is in the breaker, not the panel itself.


Will my wood platform support my generator?

As long as everything is joined and fastened properly a 6'x4' platform framed and decked with 2x6 will hold much more than a 500 lbs generator.

Though I don't think I'd count a driveway as a proper footing for your posts.


Most often, a rattling sound could be a piece of debris that is not getting fully lifted and ejected out with the water, like a small rock. Also, some pumps come with internal backwater valves that can become loose or broken and cause rattling.  And a third possible cause would be the bearings or stator giving out on the motor.
I recently replaced my third sump pump over seven years of using them (year 1, 4 and 7). I would estimate the life expectancy for a pump that I use to be about 3 years.


I highly doubt a paint store sells what you are looking for.  When you join two pieces of PVC, you aren't joining them together, but welding them together.  PVC Cleaner (AKA Primer) cleans all dirt, and oils off the parts and soften them a bit, so they weld together properly and the glue can penetrate the PVC deeper.  The glue then works on a molecular level I think to "melt" the pieces together to make one piece of PVC.  You need to go to a hardware store to get the correct product.  You can get PVC Cleaner/Primer and Glue separate, or you can get a Cleaner/Glue product in one can.


It looks like the glass needs to be strong enough for 72 inches depth.  But besides the pressure there is the span.

A standard aquarium glass thickness calculator only goes to a depth of 36 inches, but using the 5 foot width with a safety factor of 2, that calls for 16 mm glass, and 22 mm for a safety factor of 3.

Using a more general calculator and making all sides glass for a 256 x 366 x 183 cm aquarium using a safety factor of 3 gives 55 mm glass (which is 5.3 tonnes of glass) and an overall weight when filled of nearly 22,000 kg (24 U.S. ton).

If people will be near this structure, of course you want tempered glass.


How to remove a shelf fastener with a round head and no slot

That's an expanding plug anchor as is commonly supplied by closet system manufacturers. Pull the nail out by the head (a locking plier works well), then pull the plastic plug out.

Here's a representative item:

ClosetMaid has a blog post on removal.


Problem installing outlet off pull chain light fixture

This is a pull switch that's on the light fixture??? Somehow you spliced into the wrong side of the pull switch.

Move the hot wire to the other side of the pull switch, that should take care of it.

Or, well I don't know what stage of work you are at, but this might be a great time to install a proper light switch and dispense with the pull switch entirely.


What can I use to build a short retaining wall for a patio extension?

Retaining wall block is made to have heavily compacted backfill. Some of it, if not all of it would have to be crushed stone though. After that patio pavers would probably be more forgiving of any future ground movement than poured concrete, but it all depends.

A wooden deck patio extension might be the easiest way to go.


What safety equipment is best for live multimeter testing on 240v?

Most important equipment is the right multimeter.
If you're working on your panel you want CAT III or higher.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Measurement_category
These will typically come with anti-slip probes which will help your confidence some.


Is it against NEC to reverse NM cable clamps?

Approved Installations
The NEC often states "Approved method" of installation, which in other words is what the manufacture instructs. In the case of the non metallic NM wire connector, Halex© offers an online manual.
Other Items That Should Be Fixed
The metal stud looks to be 3.5" inch and Code requires no less than 1.25" from the edge of the stud.  In other words, the wire needs to be moved to the center of the stud or use FHA straps to protect it from sheetmetal screws. See NEC 2014 300.4 Protection Against Physical Damage Cables and Raceways Parallel to Framing Members and Furring Strips.
Also NEC 2014 300.4 B Requires protection for NM cable passing through metal stud bored holes.
Excerpt....."where nonmetallic-sheathed cables pass through either factory- or field-punched, cut, or drilled slots or holes in metal members, the cable shall be protected by listed bushings or listed grommets covering all metal edges that are securely fastened in the opening prior to installation of the cable."


Is it rusted enough that you can pull the old one out?  If so, you might be able to find a similar model that could slot right back in the hole, possibly with a little modification.  A plastic one might be a good candidate, both for ease of modification and for weather resistance.

If you do manage to do this, I wouldn't try to mortar the new one in, but instead hold it in with Tap-Cons or similar self-tapping concrete screws.  A few of these could be driven into the inside brick surface through the mailbox shell, just to keep things from rattling around too much when you open the door.


Did the previous painter neglect to prime?

It would appear to be that way.  There should be a layer of primer.  If they did I am sure you would have seen some white on the other side instead of just yellow.


Dumb switches care not

A simple, dumb SPST light switch cares not which end is "line" and which end is "load".  In fact, in North America, the two live terminals on a basic light switch are not distinguishable from each other!  The labeling on your switch is probably a matter of convention, to keep with how more complex switches (such as multi-way switches) and lighting controls are labeled.


In a low water pressure area, why would water from a shower take several seconds to flow after the shower is turned on?

As requested:
Is this low pressure system for your shower part of a tub also? If the water is being diverted up to a shower head it may take that long to fill the pipe, turn the pressure off the pipe is still full so it flows when turned on. Other than that we would need to know more about the controls on the pump.


Grounding chandelier in old pan junction box

You want a grounding lug of the proper size to fit over the nipple, between the hickey and the lock nut. These are sometimes available with a grounding wire already attached.

Trim the grounding wire to about 6" and attach to the lamp ground wire with a wire nut.


How to supply power outside under soffit

Gray Romex is normally type UF (underground feeder) look at the info printed on it it should say UV resistant, if it is it would be legal to attach it as you have in the photo if that low point is above 8’ (but look like a hack job) the part that would not be legal or “code compliant” would be plugging it in. There should be a splice inside the box that has the outlet, if the box fill is two large or two many wires for that sized box a larger box or box extension will be needed to make the splice.


As mentioned by one user, the grout was most likely not sealed before the silicone was put on. The grout is brownish/grey and indeed it looks like it changed color a bit and now looks yellow underneath the transparent silicone.


How to wire a 2 bulb ceiling light to two different circuit breakers

Any fixture with separate leads for each bulb socket exposed in the housing should do. In many cases they pairs of leads are connected together in such a way that you can clip off the ends to separate the wires. While such modification may void warranties and UL listing, it's not inherently unsafe.


Sledgehammer will work, but it is way too hard work. Use hammer drill instead.

These drills usually have three or four modes of operation:

Drill Like normal drill, usually with higher torque
Hammer drill. Drill with additional hammering for drilling through concrete, stone etc.
Fixed hammer. The head is locked in rotation and the tool is just ramming.
Free hammer. same as 3 but the head rotates freely.

Option 3. is for you. Works like sledgehammer but it is much faster and much easier to do the job. You can lend it at some DIY stores for a good money.


Does my new soil pipe need additional venting?

The plumbing code and good common sense requires that you vent every fixture somehow.

I am not a plumber but in my reading of their code this branch would require a minimum of a 2" vent for the bathroom group run up to the attic and through the roof or terminate in an air admittance valve a minimum of 6" above the flood rim of the highest fixture (sink). (Some people hate AAVs, some say they are fine.) The waste line would have to be a minimum of 3" to the toilet and the shower and sink should have their own vents joining the main vent. These need to go vertical until they are at least 6" above the flood rim of the sink.

I am sure there are some finer points a real plumber could show you but the gist of it is: every fixture needs to be vented or you will siphon the trap and have sewer gas backing up into the house and boy will you be sorry then. A little plastic pipe now will save you from being very unpopular later.

Good luck!


You'll likely have to do some testing to figure out what's what, since you didn't keep track while disconnecting the old fixture.  Start by opening up the switch box, and taking a look at what's going on in there.

Here are two possible wiring configurations, based on your description.

These diagrams could be completely incorrect, so don't follow them blindly.

Connecting wires simply based on color, is almost never a good idea. A multimeter, and some basic electrical knowledge will help you figure out what goes where. If you lack either of these two things, you might want to consider contacting a local licensed Electrician.


How do I prepare a painted wall before applying an orange peel texture?

If there is any sheen, de-gloss by sanding then thoroughly clean the wall.


Is a 200 amp service adequate for two RVs?

The gold standard way to provide power to an RV site is to provide each of these:

50A @ 240V on a 50A breaker supplying a NEMA 14-50 socket
30A @ 120V on a 30A breaker supplying a NEMA "TT30" socket
And typically a 120V/20A recep just for general use at the site.

Because an RV site can only hold one RV, you only have to assume one is in use at a time - the 30A or 50A.  Not both.  So you only need to provision 50A@240V to the site.
Most novices either know nothing about wire metal, or have heard "scary stories" about aluminum.  Those stories do not apply to feeder in the 50A and larger range.  For a 300' run, aluminum is the only correct choice.
There's no money savings to supporting only the smaller capacity, because voltage drop is 4 times worse at half the voltage, so it actually has the need for the largest wire size.
The 300' run: Decide on one main feeder or 2 separate feeders
The advantage to separate feeders is you can wire it straight to commercially available RV "pedestals".  However you pay for it dearly in higher wire cost.  And worse, each RV experiences the worst voltage drop; if only one RV is present, the wire capacity of the other feeder is completely wasted.
The advantage to a single feeder is you only need one cable run.  You either have one subpanel and build your own sockets at the stands; or you simply install two RV pedestals and daisy-chain your feeder from one to the other. See notes at the end.  But more importantly, single feeder will perform extremely well with one RV.
Let's follow the Canadian rules: 3% (ish) at 80% of load.   (so 40A @ 240V or 24A @ 120V).
2 separate feeders:

Large RV: For 40A @ 240V, you get 2.9% voltage drop with #2 aluminum wire. $800.
Small RV: For 24A @ 120V, you get 2.9% voltage drop with #1 aluminum wire. $1200.

Worse, the #1 size is difficult to find; it's not made in MH or URD cable, forcing you into individual XHHW wires in conduit.  Now I happen to recommend conduit, but still.
Single feeder:
And here's where a trick comes in.  NEC allows for the fact that both RVs are unlikely to be maxed out at once.  That's covered in Table 551.73, which gives a 90% derate for two RV stands.   So we don't double it to 80A, quite.  We only compute on 90% of that, or 72A.  With the 120V/30A circuits, we can use a "trick" where we "balance" the two 120V RVs on opposite "legs" of power. It's legal in principle but doesn't work that well in practice, because their A/C units don't cycle at the same time.

For 72A @ 240V, you get 2.9% voltage drop using #2/0 aluminum wire.  $675 of wire.

For the 120V RV, the worst case scenario is one RV at max draw, so 24A @ 120V gives us 1.9% voltage drop on 2/0 aluminum. That's plenty fine.
But again we're following the rules in the People's Republic of Canada.  In the USA we have freedom... Yes, we have to provision 90 amps to these dual 50A RV stands, but that only requires #2 aluminum wire ($400) if we don't mind getting murdered by voltage drop when two RVs are going hot and heavy at the same time.  Freedom isn't free :)
With only one RV, #2 aluminum won't be an issue.  When two 50A RVs are running all A/C packs on full and somebody's doing a dryer load, that's when voltage drop will be apparent.
What I would do
I would definitely run a single feeder to a subpanel out at the RV stands, which then feeds 50A, 30A and 20A receps at each RV stand.    As far as wire size:
In Canada you must use #2/0 cable and you must breaker it at 100A - that's Code there.
In the US I would back it down to exactly what you suggested - #1/0 aluminum ($525).  That more reflects real world usage. Even with both RVs heavily drawing (80A) that will only have 4.16% voltage drop.  5.20% at 100A, but that isn't likely to happen and it's still not terrible.
For 120V RVs, the worst-case of one RV pulling 24A gives 2.5% voltage drop, or at full 30%, 3.1% drop.  That is fine.
For the short feeders from the subpanel to the RV stands, I would run Rigid Metal Conduit (RMC) - hella expensive, but it only needs trenching to 6" cover.  THHN wire can handle 50A with #8 wire (most cables need #6).  #10 for the 30A and #12 for the 20A.  One ground wire for all of them.

ThreePhaseEel's comments on feeding to multiple RVs:

The nifty trick with a single feeder is you can either get a RV pedestal with loop feed lugs, or a back-to-back unit that has two pedestal "heads" fed from the same feed lugs, and not need a separate subpanel to feed both RVs from one feeder as a result...
...(For instance, a Milbank U5220-XL-75 or a Midwest Electric U075CB6010 would take care of all the OP's RV power outlet needs)


Trying to snake a clogged external tower style drain/standing waste overflow and can't seem to go further down

I know you don't want to hear this, but as a plumber/maintenance person, I will tell you this - There is no science to your dilemna. When we are called to your issue, we will try the same things you did, only we never use chemicals before snaking. I only use chemicals for under-concrete-pad-or-crawlspace hopeless clogs, because I use acids only available to licensed plumbers, that will melt your pipes if left to set too long.

Other than that, it's persistance. Keep jamming coat hangers, augers, electrician fish tape, whatever you can dig out of your truck or closet, into that booger until you pull out a plum. Without getting underneath the plumbing and physically seeing your piping, there's no way to know what you could be hitting.

There is a water jet drain opener, but that could get messy fast if you've never used one. Google "water jet drain cleaning", maybe Youtube it as well. The tool is about $10 at Walmart, and only needs a garden hose.


How do I wire this 30A 250V straight blade pass and seymour receptacle?

Assuming you mean this 6-30R:

After you wire the green (ground, not neutral), it doesn't matter which of the two ungrounded (hot) wires are placed on the 2 'flat' blades.  240VAC (in the North American split single phase) is not polarized with respect to ground, because the neutral is not being used.

This connector can also be used with 2 hot connectors in a 3 phase system, which would then provide 208 VAC.  This is not common for residential use.

A Wikipedia article on NEMA connectors in general and NEMA 6 in particular may be helpful.


Is it possible to use the same key when replacing a door knob?

Most brands of locks can be re-keyed, but it usually requires specialized techniques and sometimes tools. Many retailers will do it in-house free or for a small fee. Otherwise, any locksmith* should be able to help you out.
Be aware that keys have brand-specific cross-sectional shapes, so be sure to buy a new lockset of the same brand (or compatible with) the old one.
* I'll concede that locksmiths may have a slightly higher than average rate of crookery among them, but it goes without saying that any company performing service on or involving your home should be vetted properly. Any implies any reputable locksmith.


Reduce it to inches. 15 feet is 180 inches, plus 7 & 3/16 inches

Total distance 187.1875 inches. Divide by 6 (4" space and 2" slat) 31.1979166666667

Per my understanding of stair code (LESS than 4", not 4") use 32 2" slats. Or 3" or 4" slats, for that matter.

Alternatively, divide by 32 (proposed number of slats) and get a unit (slat and space) of 5.849609375 ; or divide by 31 and get a unit of 6.0383064516129


Clicking sound from water heater after flushing toilet?

The click-click-click sound is probably coming from the water meter.

Check if it makes the same sound when you run COLD water, in a kitchen sink, for example.

Sometimes a mixing valve is used to put some hot and some cold water into the toilet tank to prevent or limit the tank sweating in the summertime. The mixing valve is adjusted to "temper" the water by adding just enough hot water to raise the temperature of the water in the tank from cold, to I'd say "lukewarm", but not hot. The water is then much closer to room temperature, so it won't "feel" hot, or even particularly warm. If a mixing valve is installed and the water feels hot or even particularly warm, or even on the cold side, the valve needs to be adjusted.

In either case, cold water only, or a mixture of hot and cold, some water meters just "click" as they measure the amount of water flowing through it.


How do I force pump to force supply to radiators at top of house,

If you are not getting heat to the radiators in your loft area, the problem is probably not enough system pressure. GO to the loft radiator and open the vent. you should get water out of that vent or air first then water. If you do not get water out of that vent, you do not have enough system pressure. Go to the boiler and check the system pressure. If the system pressure is 10 psi then the water in the system will be 23.1 feet high. (1 psi = 2.31 feet high). You could measure from the top of the highest radiator to the pressure gauge and divide the distance in feet by 2.31 and get the required system pressure, and add 2-3 psig for safety. From your writing, I will guess that you have what is called a monoflo  heating system. If that is the case then poor installation practices may cause one radiator to heat quicker than the others. By the way, where are you located since you are using mm instead of inches as we use in the USA. (0.0999Kg/CM2 = 1 meter) You should not have to close off 1 radiator to get heat somewhere else. All radiators should heat at about the same time.


Two sided reinforced "clamp" for creating a hole in screen

Yes, look up "cat door for sliding screen door". These have a 2 flat frame pieces that snap together, suspended within the screen mesh itself. They also come with a lightweight swinging screen door that hangs from the frame.
If the cat door is too large for you, you could go down to the hardware store and have them make a tiny window screen frame. You would then use the frame spline channel and rubber spline to suspend the frame into your screen wall, cutting the screen fabric from the middle to make a hole. I would actually cut the sides and bottom of the fabric and let the flap hang to keep bugs out, maybe weighting it at the bottom.


unable to turn room light on all the time

Bryant Low voltage relays are no longer made.  However the GE RR7 is a direct replacement. Google "GE RR7" or talk to an electrical supply house in your area.

Same thing, for the switches.  You probably have Bryant branded low voltage switches (since the relays were Bryant). You can purchase the P&S/Legrand brand for replacements.  Again google to purchase or contact and Electrical Supply house in your area, like the relays these will not be in carried at a big box store.

In your case, the component that likely has gone bad is the relay.  When you push the switch can you hear the relay click even when the light doesn't come on? If so, the switch is working correctly but the relay is not making contact.  On the other hand if there is no noise from the relay then it's likely the switch.  Since your problem is intermittent its not likely there is a wiring issue either on low or line voltage side, it's most likely that the relay contacts just aren't good anymore.


Range hood installation for non built-in stove

Your stove slides back to the wall. Your venting mounts to the wall - how much over hang of the stove and how much height you have to be able move pans in and out has some factor in this and aesthetics play a part as well - because if you do not have a perfect overhang of the vent - the fan will cause forced air venting.

The Vent you purchased may or may not be suitable for your taste - for example you might not want it to sit back a little but instead cover the entire stove area. Your vent might be for a cook top and not a stove or for a smaller stove.

Many if not most people prefer the unit to cover the burners in their entirety - I will assume your local code does not require a vent for the stove, if it did there might be some local laws that specify what is acceptable or not acceptable.

I would suggest a properly sized vent - typically they are 24 inches deep.


Sevin (carbaryl) is extremely toxic to wasps, hornets, and bees; however, for safety, you want to use something with instant knock down like gasoline, or any can of wasp and hornet killer (which contains petroleum distillates). Gasoline works great (always), but has obvious environmental and fire hazards, and it doesn't leave an insecticidal residue like a can of wasp and hornet killer does (which means if you missed some of the wasps they won't be killed by returning to the gasoline treated nest... unless you use like a gallon of gas).

Starting fluid (diethyl ether), acetone, paint thinner, diesel fuel, and even isopropyl alcohol will all provide a quick knock down, but again- they don't leave an insecticidal residue. Soapy water will also knock them down pretty quickly, but not as fast as the petrols. Also, as Ed Beal said, brake cleaner will knock them down quickly. There are generally two kinds of brake cleaner: petrol (like diethyl ether) and chlorinated (like tetrachloroethylene)... both work rapidly.

It's always best to apply pesticides to wasps' nests at night, but if you must use a flashlight or lantern to see, set the light down (illuminating the nest) at least 10 ft away from yourself (because wasps will fly toward the light).

With regard to organic pesticides and essential oils, there are basically two classes of essential oils, phenols and terpenes (incidentally, gasoline is composed of phenolic and terpenic molecules, too). Thyme oil, clove oil, and cinnamon oil are examples of phenolic oils while peppermint, lemon, and lavender are examples of terpenic essential oils that add a rapid stunning effect against most insects. Generally, a combination of phenolic and terpenic oils are chosen to give (many) organic insecticides a more rapid knock down (like 0.5% to 2% is common). Of the essential oils, thyme and lavender oil have fastest effect on wasps. Peppermint and clove would also be pretty fast. Lemongrass will encourage honey bees to nest, and (generally) discourage yellow jacket nesting... this is more of a pheromonal cue. Lavender oil may attract bumble bees, and peppermint oil may attract felines (it's true). I have found that thyme oil has a more calming effect on wasps while cinnamon oil has a provoking/enraging effect on wasps.

A light weight vegetable oil or mineral oil provides the final kill for organic insecticides (like 3% to 8% is common)- via suffocation... although lighter oils like capric acid (10 carbons), caprylic acid (8 carbons), and caproic acid (6 carbons) have a more rapid effect. Oils are suspended in water with soap or a surfactant like SLS (1% to 3% is common), which again, is an all-around insecticide.

The only current examples of organic insecticides which leave a residue are naturally sourced pyrethrum, spinosad, neem oil, sesamin, bacteria, fungi, and extracts like abamectin. However, nicotine and ryanis/ryanodine (which no longer allowed by EPA) would also be considered organic insectides. I would not consider any of the current viral pesticides to be residual. Only pyrethrum (aka chrysanthemum extract) would be a suitable choice for an organic, residual wasp killer.


I see two solutions: 1) add slope to your roof, and/or 2) install a tank liner roofing

1) Adding slope can be done two ways: a) cut tapered wood members and install new roof sheathing and a new roof. This can be done on top of the existing roof sheathing or remove the existing sheathing and sister in sloped joists. Either way it will be difficult. b) install tapered insulation on top of the existing sheathing. Then install a low slope roofing. You can buy rigid board insulation that starts at 0” height and increases 1/4” per foot. It can slope one way or two ways (with a ridge or hip).

Either alternative has consequences. You’ll be increasing the slope so the roof will get higher and could encroach on the upper roof.

2) Tank liner roofing is basically used to hold water. So, the ponding water you’re experiencing is not a problem. However, tank liners are not made to resist ultra violet rays from the sun so it will decompose in a few years if not protected. I’d install a painted roof coating that reflects the suns rays. You’ll need to reinstall every few years due to wear.


How can I fix a leaky door with new compression stripping?

Something moved or warped. The door, the door jambs, the wall...

Easiest thing to do is add additional weather stripping. They make weather stripping that comes on either wood or aluminum strips for attaching to the door jambs. Comes with either the D style weatherstrip or the kerf style which you purchased. It's basically what you bought with a rigid piece that you can drive screws through. Kits come with 2 long pieces for the sides and 1 for the top.

Cut each to size place on door stop on outside of door and screw it into place. If the door isn't perfectly plumb you can install it a little off plum. If there's a little warp in the door you can notch the back of the aluminum ones to bend it into shape a little.

Lock your door, including deadbolt then attach them from the outside making sure not to press them up against the door too tight or you won't be able to unlock the deadbolt.


Jet water pump runs forever and water tank never fills

Sounds like there is too much air in the tank. Or he bladder is actually broken in the tank.

Depending on where the valve stem is you can check by removing the valve core and seeing if water come out of where the air should be.  Meaning you have to replace the tank. Or add air to the tank with a nearby faucet open and if possible close all valves leading to the house in order to shorten up and isolate the tank. If air comes out of the open tap. Bad tank.   Also the tank could be flat.  In which case add air and start draining the tank.  Don't add too much air this could rupture the bladder

If you get the tank drained you want to set the air at around 2-3 psi lower than your low pressure switch setting


How do I turn off this two-pipe steam radiator?

The item on the left is the steam trap and can not be regulated or shut off. stay away from this item. The shut-off valve is the item with the screw on the top. Turn the nut ccw (counter clockwise), just slightly about a 1/4 turn, then put a wrench on the stem above the nut, I would use a 6" or 8" pipe wrench or vise grips, and try to turn cw (clockwise) until it stops. This be the closed position. Do not put too much torque on this  stem. If you can't turn it, have someone that works on steam valves turn it. You do not want to break it or twist it off. After shutting the valve "off" turn the nut cw to tighten, not too tight.  You could also turn it part way to control the heat output if needed. If you still can not get this valve to close and want to control the heat output try covering the top with a board, cardboard, or wrap part or all of it with aluminum cooking foil. This is a steam system and the noise could be coming from above or beneath your apartment. Noise will travel in the pipes.   HOPE THIS HELPS


How much temporary bracing do you need when cutting a new exterior door opening in an existing house?

Look where the joists meet the ridge beam where you're going to put the door.

Get some dimensional lumber about 4 feet long, at least  as thick as the existing beam.   Nailing a couple of 2x6's together would probably suffice in the short term.

Give yourself enough room to work, and using a jack post and this 4 foot beam segment, support the joists in the area where you are going to work.  Don't over support, as you'll lift the floor above.  The idea is that you want to take the weight off the wall where you're working.  Jack the post until it's snug, and take out one wall stud in the middle of the door.  Check the supported joists for level, and jack up if necessary.

If required, remove another stud, and adjust the jack again.

Put in your door frame and header, and slowly jack the temporary beam down.


I think your earlier info about main bearing or roller guide wheels sounds good. Let me recommend RepairClinic.com, they have a section there on repair help, common problems, and specifically noisy dryer. They typically recommend replacing guide wheels, etc, for noise issues. Let me recommend AGAINST soaping the belt. That sounds like a bad idea. If the belt is what transfers motor power to the drum, to spin the drum, soaping it (which would reduce the friction) sounds very bad indeed.
Hope this helps.


Does cement smell/gas off after a few hours?

I have never heard of concrete "off gassing". It takes 28 days to reach is major compressive strength and to loose most of its moisture when curing properly, but the only thing I have ever know concrete to give of is moisture, lots of it, since water is one of the main components.
I have never noticed concrete/cement to have an odor that was a VOC concern. The materials that make up concrete are lime based or naturally occurring products. It has been around for centuries. I think the Roman Empire used concrete in some of their work. Seriously, I just found this out just a few years ago myself.


Neutral and ground seperation at a sub-panel

We don't build the system for normal circumstances.  If we did, we wouldn't need circuit breakers, would we? :)
Ever hear of a "Lost Neutral" situation?  This is where neutral becomes loose or broken, and is no longer pegged in the middle at 0V between the two opposite 120V phases (or at 0V in between the three 230V phases in Europe).   Neutral is subject to a "tug-of-war" amongst the various phases - the more load on a phase, the harder it pulls.  This causes the weaker phase's voltage to go higher than spec, which often burns out equipment.
Suffice it to say, neutral is no longer at 0V, and could be as high as 120V or 230V if only a single appliance is turned on (or still functioning).
Now, what would happen if the ground was attached to that lost neutral, i.e. the chassis of all equipment?  Well that would be at a high voltage along with the neutral, and people would be getting nailed off switch plate cover screws.
That's... why you maintain ground separately at all points beyond the main disconnect.


Can I stack new beam to the top of old beam to extend span?

There is no problem flush framing the LVL in the ceiling as you suggest, provided it physically fits in the space available. If the LVL is placed directly over the 4x10, the ceiling joists will need to be cut to make room for the LVL. If this cutting keeps them from bearing on the 4x10, they need to be shored up until the LVL and hangers can be fitted. A temporary ledger on the 4x10 will suffice. Since LVLs can be narrower than sawn timbers, shoring/ledger may not be needed.

You might consider removing the 4x10 beam to open up the new opening so it is taller. Once you remove the supporting walls, it will more or less fall down anyway, unless it is well attached to the new LVL, essentially hanging it beneath the LVL. Why leave it there? It's not doing anything but getting in the way. Unless it's hiding the end of a soffited area, the taller opening would be an added benefit of flush framing the new LVL.


A prehung door is usually hung centered in a wall. The molding that forms the sides of the prehung door, called jambs, are generally 4 1/2 inches wide, the thickness of a 2x4 (actually about 1 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches) stud plus 2 sheets of 1/2 inch drywall.

The door does swing to one side, and you can turn it either way. You need to decide which room you want the door to open into and which side you want the hinges on in that room. Prehung doors come in left hinged and right hinged versions.

If you are cutting a hole in the wall for the door (as opposed to putting it in an existing opening), you need to frame out the opening

The prehung door then fits within this frame. All illustrated boards are 2x4 studs except the header which is usually either 2x4 or 2x6 depending on the width of the door.


Why can't a swamp cooler and a furnace be active at the same time?

As long as the heat is turned off the air handler fan can be run while the swamp cooler is running.
Swamp coolers work on evaporation the water flowing over the plates causes the cooler and more humid air then the blower pushes this into the home.
Folks may think the fan on the furnace air handler can’t be run because you don’t heat and cool at the same time.
When I lived in Ohio back in the early 80’s one place had a swamp cooler and the way it was set up the furnace could not be turned on.
I added a fan switch to turn on and circulate the furnace air handler and our unit was much cooler.
We had an office party at our place and the next week I was fixing all my coworkers units and eventually all the units in our block. I got a few attaboys from senior enlisted as it made the units much cooler and back then AC was not available in enlisted housing. So I think it may be the way it was set up the thermostat only had heat or cool. I came from the west coast and had been involved in building several housing tracks and had only seen 1 swamp cooler in my life so I did not know it was unusual and added the simple toggle switch to turn on the fan but the thermostat still controlled the gas valve and would turn the fan on if the switch was in the off position.
So possibly because it has always been that way and many did not know it could be done.


Pull insulated flex duct over rigid duct

Going from R-4 to R-8 isn't a very big difference, and I doubt your plan would result in measurable savings, even if it were feasible. And it's not really feasible, since pulling flex duct around rigid duct is going to be nigh-impossible without removing and reinstalling the rigid duct and ripping the inner plastic liner of the rigid duct to pieces.

There are better solutions for the problem of ducts in an attic. Easy and cheap solutions:

Spray foam new insulation around ducts. This would give them R-15+, depending on thickness, and with a perfect air barrier, too
Wrap the insulated ducts in even more insulation
Bury the ducts in a new layer of cellulose covering the entire attic floor (easiest if they're resting on the attic floor)

Hard and expensive solutions:

Spray foam the entire attic at the roofline to bring it into the conditioned space of the house
Build entirely new ducts within the conditioned space of the house, possible hidden in new chases and bulkheads


Repair frayed electrical wire with strain-relief stopper

Well, it's hard to tell.  That part is called a "strain relief" but in these types of mass produced products, it's often molded onto the cord when manufactured.  Unless the manufacturer sells a replacement part, it will be near impossible to exactly replace.

There is a possibility that you could slide it off that cord, but will be difficult to thread your "slack" cord though it.

Another potential, depending on your Xacto knife skills would be to try to cleanly cut into it from the side, coax it off, and then put it over the new cord, perhaps securing with some wraps of white electrical tape.  The part is held in place by the slot in the cover you removed.

Given the state of the cord, you are doing the right thing, even without the external strain relief, that first cable clamp is doing the internal work.  Your repaired device , even without the external strain relief, would be safer than the current condition.


Tapping into the external tankless water heater for outdoor shower

I would say it is fine. ( code issues aside )

If you do not want to drill new holes in the side of your house then I would suggest to not use your hose bib.

If you are going to be plumbing a new line anyway you might as well plumb the cold as well and save your hose bib for alternative uses. Presumably you have an accessible cold water supply to the water heater and plenty of water pressure, T off the cold going into the WH for the cold and T into the hot coming out of the WH. Run both lines ( copper or pex ) to a shower mixing valve, put 1/4 turn valves in line so you can service/shut it off.

I would build some sort of cover/housing to put over the supply lines to the mixing valve to protect them and for aesthetics.

As to freezing. Keep in mind the planet will (more then likely) experience another ice age. South Carolina will freeze/thaw many time before a full ice age ensues but humans will probably be long gone. ( Either through self destruction or leaving this planet to find another planet to  ---abuse for profit?  . )

The planet will survive long after any parasites render their host uninhabitable.  ( alter its climate to the point of not being able to support the life that has evolved to exist within its specific climate parameters. )

But I digress.

I think you should ( PROBABLY ) be good for the near future.


Easy way to temporarily insulate gap between hardwood floor and baseboard?

You could use "seal and peel" type removable weatherstripping caulk.

Some type of caulk would probably be the permanent solution as well.


Which cable straps / staples for 12/2 BX/AC90

If memory serves, you want CI-2 2 hole cable straps, but you should call the hardware store before you order to confirm.  If you get the right size strap you can bend it around the cable and run a single screw through both holes.  10 by 1" pan head wood screws with #2 Robertson heads work well.  You can use them on wood and also in concrete with 1/4" plastic inserts.  For a nice surface mount look it's important to get the right size strap.


How should I fix cracking wood around door lock?

You have an old wood door that used to have a Mortise lock in it.  Someone 'upgraded' it.
You have 2 choices:

stuff the cavity with whatever you can find, bondo, wood putty, etc.  Then buy a metal plate that "wraps around" the lock area.

Pull the lock out, pull out everything that smacks of wood filler.  Carefully measure the cavity and use a bandsaw, planer, jointer, etc. to take a piece of wood and shape it to slide into the cavity.  Make it just a bit wider and taller than the cavity so that it has to be tapped in with a hammer.  Then liberally smear it and the cavity with wood glue, tap it in, and clamp the door down tight in between 2x4's.  When everything has hardened redrill the doorknob holes.


Is there a proven technique for removing grout joints without chipping porcelain tiles?

There is a Dremel Grout removal attachment, which consists of a fixture to hold the tool at a 45 degree angle, and you can get a 1/16 inch carbide cutter bit.

I've used this setup several times to remove grout for renewal or tile replacement.   It can work quite well if the grout is really a sixteenth wide.  Its not easy, but you can chip the tiles if you're not careful.   I inevitably break the bit, and will always buy at least two.

https://www.dremel.com/en_US/products/-/show-product/accessories/568-grout-removal-attachment


attaching a coupling to copper pipe very close to wood

Use a soldering mat and that will protect the wood.

If you don’t have a soldering mat, then anything that will stop direct flame contact with the wood will work - I have used non-flamnable fibre board very effectively. Good because you can cut a slot with a hole to fit around the pipe.

More of an issue will be getting that copper pipe clean and using a decent flux - I use Powerflux in those situations as it is very strong but you do need to wash it after.


What size/type wire for a 300ft run from house to shed?

Just drop a conduit in there instead, you'll thank yourself later
Instead of rushing to buy wire and getting the wrong thing, then having to dig it up later, why don't you get yourself some fat PVC conduit (such as 1.5" or 2") and lay that in the trench instead, with prefabricated sweeps and expansion fittings at each end? That way, you can pull the wire at your leisure, and don't have to worry about digging things back up if you want to upgrade later.  While you're at it, you can also lay a second conduit, say 1", if you want to to provide a convenient way to run a telecom cable (of any sort: phone, Ethernet, fiber, you name it) out to the shed.


That gap is to relieve stresses due to expansion/contraction caused by temperature changes.  It's not a thermal break.  You need some kind of flexible filler to keep water from getting into the gap, freezing, and cracking the concrete.
There are numerous materials than can be used to fill in the gap, so it's hard to say what may have been used in your case.  Looks like it may some sort of tar/oil impregnated material.  It's usually the depth of the concrete pour, probably 4"-6".


How do I fill in the grooves in wood paneling in order to paint over it?

I might consider wallpaper as an option. You can surely find it in a plain paper, in your choice of colors, or any of a million patterns. First, you would need to fill in the grooves with spackle, but now you can do it very quickly. No worries there, just ensure that there are no voids behind the paper. And a plain paper would be relatively inexpensive.

Another choice is to use a product that is closer to a latex caulk to fill the grooves. It stays semi-flexible (so less fear of cracking) and is paintable, and you can buy it in a tub form to spread with a knife. I used a product from DAP (sold as a crack filler) once to solve a similar problem, filling cracks in a ceiling.

A third option is to buy battens - thin strips of wood moulding, perhaps 1/4 inch thick, and perhaps an inch wide. You can even choose the profile for the moulding if you wish to give it a custom look. Nail these vertically over the grooves, and paint it all. You might also paint the battens a different color to highlight them. This will give the wall a completely different look, rather than just looking like painted paneling, and no spackle will be required.


Dimensional lumber when green can vary in size depending on the day it is cut as it dries it gets worse because some beams are tighter grain than others. Since you have good access you could shim the areas that have the squeak with wood shims. Put some gorilla glue or wood glue on the shims and slide 1 in from either side. Don’t drive them in two far or the squeak will move. This is normal for dimensional lumber joist. Many builders now use LVL I beams to create a squeak less floors. By taking a few hours and shimming the gaps your floors will feel solid and the cost is minimal.
If you screw down without the shims the problem will get worse and your floor will show the uneven surface.


How can I remove a jammed, broken key from a lock?

The key sounds like a lost cause. The lock will probably need to be changed.

The mail carrier has access to the box, usually through a large panel at the top (above the doors you open). It is likely that access to the lock is possible when that large panel is open.

You probably need to coordinate with her or him and the superintendent of your building to remove and replace the lock.


Oven tripping after aluminium foil touched element

The heat rod it self was probably damaged by overheating and it probably needs to be replaced. Examine the area the foil was contacting the element and you might find a small hole (or possibly a large one) the heater outer core is not energized but if it cannot radiate the heat. the shield cracks and or melts and then the insulation is damaged allowing the inner hot (both electrically and physically) to short to the shield. Make sure to turn the breaker off and tag it out so no one turns it on while you are working on it.
Remove the damaged heater and insulate the ends of the wire with tape (then the stove top could be used until the new heating element arrives.


Newly installed 3/4 ball valve is slightly leaking between the stem and nut

You could try tightening the packing nut (just about where your leak is - the one under the handle - probably easier with the handle off.)

Very unlikely that the packing will swell, as it's typically teflon or similar plastic.


Ideas on how to fix a void at the bottom edge of my concrete steps?

That's not a hole. That's just the bottom. Steps like this are poured on the dirt, and while the dirt level probably should have been flatter and lower (for aesthetic reasons), this isn't a structural flaw.

Attempting to patch it will make things worse, visually speaking. Put some mulch over the bottom edge or raise the soil level a bit and be happy.


How difficult would it be to replace these fuses with circuit breakers?

Yes you can get pop in breaker replacements.

They look something like this:

The important thing is to ensure that you use a breaker that is the same ampage as your fuse (or very close to).  When I did mine (before rewiring the house) I had some fuse wire that was something like 15A.  But the closest breaker was 16A.  That's usually ok because the wiring is actually rated higher than that.  But for safety make it as close as you can.

Breakers on ebay in UK...


Extending line using switch boxes as j-boxes?

Yes, it's fine to repurpose a switch box just to house a splice.


How do you replace missing vertical blind slats?

Honestly, vertical blind sets are so relatively inexpensive that if you've lost/broken this many slats I would seriously consider replacing the entire vertical blind. There are blind sets available from HIW stores as cheaply as $20. Even if you don't want to actually replace the whole thing, a kit like this is cheap enough to justify cannibalizing it for spare parts, so you could buy a cheap kit with the same color slats as what you already have, and just throw away the rail assembly, keeping the slats in storage for when more slats break (and they will; it's a guarantee).

As far as I have ever been able to tell, replacement vertical blind slats are not sold individually. Being made of vinyl, they have to be stored flat during shipping or else they'll never hang right; this makes packaging, stocking and selling replacement slats a bulkier proposition than you might think. Then, they have to keep a selection of popular color schemes in stock long after that color or pattern has been discontinued (a vertical blind set can last years if not abused, but those slats eventually WILL break up at the attachment to the rail, or split along their length when accidentally folded in half). All to sell them for maybe a dollar a slat. It just isn't worth it to the manufacturer or retailer.

As far as cutting to length, the default height for a vertical blind installation is that of the standard doorway, 84" (7 feet). You very rarely see vertical blinds in windows (though it can happen) and so there's less requirement for customization. However, any HIW should be able to cut vertical blinds to length using much the same equipment they'd use for cutting window blinds (if not the same method). I doubt though that they could customize the width of a blind set; unlike horizontal blinds such as for windows, vertical blinds have that bar mounted along the entire rail with bearings on both ends. You can't just lop some of that rail off and still expect it to work.


How to tell whether metal junction box is properly grounded?

Properly assembled metal conduit is an approved grounding conductor.
If the conduit feeding the garage from the house is metallic and connected to the box at the garage, to which the conduits are attached, it's grounded. If there's a proper 4-wire feed (or 3 wires and metallic conduit) the neutral at the garage should be isolated (visibly insulated from the breaker box) and the box itself should be grounded, either to a grounding wire or to conduit (and also to local grounding rods, or concrete encased electrodes.)


How do I add an independently controlled light fixture to an exiting three way circuit?

I believe this is what you are requesting:  the new light must always be off when the original light is off but can optionally be turned on while the original light is on.

To accomplish this you can connect the new light in parallel with the original light, but with a switch on the hot leg, like this:

Or use a new light that has a built-in pull-chain, which is a switch that will accomplish the same thing.

Image source


How do I determine when to replace a carbon block water filter?

I find with mine that I notice slower flow and reduced pressure which is usually when I change it. Typically this is in the 6-8 month range, but as you mentioned it really depends on your water quality.

I don't believe bacteria growth is an issue but overtime the filtering ability will diminish along with the pressure and flow.

I think ultimately it is just easiest to replace on a fixed schedule. In the grand scheme of costs, if you change it 1 month earlier then you should, over the lifespan of your fridge you are probably only changing it a handful of extra times.

If your fridge has a built-in ice maker then the reduced pressure might be more of an issue - if you notice small ice cubes then this could be a sign its time to replace the filter.


Water-Damaged Faced Insulatiion - but before install. Can I use it?

I would just cut out the bad part and tape the two pieces together  that would give you much more even insulation than trying to patch and keep the existing kraft face. If the bat is not long enough for the wall cavity the kraft face should be taped to prevent excessive air movement anyway. The kraft face should almost always go towards the interior. If right along the coast there may be a few exceptions. Make sure there is no mold still in the insulation before installing.


Rewire outlet without drilling through drywall

The best way I have found is to break the old box out and remove the staple if possible and possibly use the old wire for a pull but not often will this work. If it won't I  will drill a hole from the attic or crawel space and fish the new romex in. I use an old work box because you can't really secure the box with nails , the old work box hangs onto the sheetrock or plaster. No staples are required behind the finished spaces but they are required in the attic if not run through holes. Have done many old homes this way that were permitted and inspected .
Glow sticks are helpfull (1/8" or larger fiberglass that glows after being in the light) and a coat hanger formed to grab the end of the stick and pull it to the hole and then the wire connected to the end


Most cost effective thermostat setting: consistent temperature vs. lowest temperature possible

An Old Debate
There are is a very old debate about whether it's better to leave the thermostat at a constant temperature or to turn the temperature down when unoccupied and up when occupied.  I am in the heat-as-needed camp that believes in turning the heat up and down.
One Argument
From a theoretical perspective, I think about it this way:  Your furnace runs to replace the heat that escapes your house in cold weather.  The greater the difference between the outside temperature and the inside temperature, the faster you lose heat.  So with the temperature down when possible, the difference between outside and inside is less at those times, and you lose less heat over the course of the day.
There are those that say the furnace operates less efficiently this way.  There are furnaces that run in two modes, one less efficient and faster, another more efficient but slower.  I don't think this counters my argument.  If this is the case, the right thing to do is start the heat up earlier and run at the slower / more efficient rate, not abandon the idea of changing temperature during unoccupied periods.
Actual Results
From a practical perspective, I have installed many programmable thermostats to lower heat in homes so that the temperature goes down to 60 all day when everyone's at work and up to 70 when everyone's home, with consistent results - lower heating bills.  I don't have detailed data matching weather conditions to the bills but I am confident in the results - there are plenty of people with large commercial buildings that have maintenance staff that monitor these things very carefully, and looking at all the data have come to the same conclusion.

The Set Up: We have a natural gas forced air heating system, set up with two zones. Zone 1 is where we sleep. Zone 2 is the rest of the house. We live in New England, so we do have freezing temperatures in winter.
The Question: What would you suggest as our timed pre-sets for Zone 1 and Zone 2, especially in the winter?

I'd turn set both zones to 55-60 during the day, weekdays, if everyone's out at work or school.
I'd set the living area zone to 68 from an hour before people get home from work or school - maybe 4PM? to bedtime, say 10PM.
If the bedrooms are only occupied overnight, I'd set them to 68 from an hour before bedtime, whatever that is in your household, until 8AM or whenever everyone's up and out.  If there are kids using the bedrooms after school before bedtime, you might want them up to 68 from 4PM to 8AM.
Don't forget, it's no big deal to turn up the thermostats for a temporary override if you happen to be in a zone outside of the usual schedule, so it's no big deal if there's a holiday or something.
I'd definitely want thermostats that allow a different program on the weekend unless the household is occupied the same hours on weekends as it is during the week.
How Low Can You Go?
If you want to take this to the extreme you could turn the heat all the way down when unoccupied.  That would be a bit extreme for a house you come home to every day, but it's not uncommon for vacation homes.  Of course you'd want to heat to a level temperature where the pipes won't freeze, and the temperature at the thermostat is no doubt warmer than the temperature where pipes are in outside walls - so 32°F is not a safe setting.  The lowest safe thermostat setting would depend on how your plumbing runs, how your walls are insulated, and the outside temperature.  I know in my area many people set the thermostat in their vacation home to 40°F or so off season when they might only be occupied one weekend a month.  When there are extreme cold snaps, a few people will find they were a little too aggressive with the setting and wind up with burst pipes.
(Incidentally - if the outside temperature is above freezing, there's no way it can freeze your pipes.  At worst, it could get as cold inside the house as the lowest temperature outside, but under normal conditions, even with no heat, it won't get quite as cold inside as it gets outside.  There is always some insulation, some greenhouse effect, some appliances running inside, etc.)
Other Potential Problems
If your heat bills are higher than expected, there are lots of possibilities.  If your heat bill is higher than your neighbors with similar homes by 25%, it's not because they have better thermostat schedules than you.  There must be some other issue.  For example, a common culprit is a hot water leak.  Even a drip leak can drain a lot of hot water over the course of a month, and that's heat escaping your house - your water heater will have to run more to make it up.  If your water heater and furnace are both natural gas, you may assume the culprit is the furnace, but the real problem is money dripping down a drain all day.


Should I sand my frame or buy a custom storm door for an opening that's 1/8" too short?

You can spend an hour or two with a sharp utility knife, a saw, some sandpaper and a can of paint, or you can triple (or more) the cost of your storm door by getting a custom built one that's 1/8" smaller than standard.
To be honest, though, an 80x32" storm door is the nominal listing size - the actual door will probably be 79-3x4" x 31-3/4" and will fit quite nicely. Stop by your local storm door retailer with a tape measure in hand and measure the physical size. Or, ask the sales guy for the actual dimensions. Odds are good an off-the-shelf door will fit without any tailoring at all.


Garage door opener makes noise but doesn't move

It sounds to me like the motor is not starting. If you can manually lift the door, then I'd start by checking the motor capacitor.  If it's on the way out, that could explain the intermittent failure.

You may notice physical damage to the capacitor (leaking, buldging, etc.). More likely you'll have to measure the capacitance, to make sure it's within a good operating range.

While the unit is open, inspect all the gears and sprockets.  Look for worn teeth, or gears that don't mesh properly. Also inspect the sprocket on top of the unit (you'll have to remove the guard), to make sure it's meshing with the lift chain/belt.


Can I fit hardboard of two different thicknesses?

I don't think using two different heights is a good idea. For one, you'll introduce water pooling, depending on where the heights vary. For another, you're ensuring that the vinyl is always under the risk of stress where different heights meet under the same sheet.

The easy solution is to use only one height of hardboard - stick to either 2mm or 3mm.


Moved into house with only 2 prong outlets. What to do with fridge and other outlets?

According to the article at this link, replacing an ungrounded receptacle with an ungrounded GFCI receptacle will offer more safety than an ungrounded receptacle (with presumably a 2-3 prong adapter). A fault in the plugged-in appliance will still trip the GFCI even though there is no path to ground. This seems highly superior to using a 2-3 prong converter with a do-it-yourself ground path, as that would just allow any stray current to follow the ground path versus tripping a GFCI.

http://communities.leviton.com/thread/1080

I don't know why a fridge would trip a GFCI.

Assessing your risk is a bit tougher. In my simple mind, user-triggered electrical faults come in two basic varieties - overloading the circuit or providing an alternate current path to ground. Do you plan to run extension cords under carpets? Are your electrical items in good condition - e.g. relatively new, no frayed cords, etc? Do you plan to use any appliances in wet conditions? GFCIs protect against these types of faults. If you are careful in these areas, there is less risk. Most home receptacles don't have GFCIs unless they are in damp locations (e.g. bathrooms, kitchen, outside). So I would focus on these areas first.

Here is a great article on why some appliances have 2- versus 3- prong plugs. Maybe it will help you assess your individual appliances and usage for risk.

https://www.quora.com/Does-the-third-ground-prong-on-electrical-plugs-improve-safety

GFCIs do not protect against circuit overloads. (Overloads may happen either from plugging too many things into the same circuit or from a short circuit.) That is what fuses and circuit breakers are for. They work regardless of the presence of a ground wire. As an owner of a couple of rental homes, I am as concerned about overloading the circuits through normal use (resulting in wires overheating in the walls) as I am about electrical faults (which may do the same thing, but it requires a failure versus a situation that may occur during normal day-to-day activities). If you have a lot of equipment that draws power (kitchen appliances, space heaters, amplifiers, etc.) you may want to figure out which receptacles are on separate circuits so you can spread out the electrical load. The fuses/breakers should protect you against overload, assuming the system was built/updated to code. But if you don't want to assume, you might want to think about how best to plug in all the stuff you have to distribute the load as evenly as possible.


What am I doing wrong?

If you're stripping the heads, Phillips head screws probably aren't the right kind for the job.  They cam out under excessive torque [1].  And once they do, the bit becomes a grinding tool, chipping away the head.  They're good for uses where high torque isn't required.  Phillips head screws intended for use where they might require some torque are hardened, which reduces the chipping if they cam out.

The solution is to use the right kind of screw for the job, and to not substitute brute force for proper technique in a demanding situation.  Excessive torque shouldn't be required if you don't cut corners on technique.  But if a lot of torque is needed, use screws that can handle it.

Drill a pilot hole.  There are actually different optimum-sized pilot holes recommended for different materials.  With soft wood, a precisely sized pilot hole often isn't critical if you are close, but If you are screwing into hardwood or metal, the right size pilot hole is important.
Lubricate the threads by rubbing the screw on some candle wax or bar soap (not liquid soap), before you drive it.
Don't use a worn driver bit or one that is not the exact size for the head.  This is especially important for Phillips head bits because camming out and grinding away the head also grinds away the bit, making it more prone to cam out.
In a demanding situation, use hardened screws or a different type of head.  For example, square, hex (Allen), or star (Torx) socket heads are common for high-torque applications, or a hex head that you use a socket to turn.

[1] There's a long-running argument on whether cam out was an intentional design objective or just a characteristic of the design.  According to Wikipedia:  The design is often criticized for its tendency to cam out at lower torque levels than other "cross head" designs. There has long been a popular belief that this was actually a deliberate feature of the design, for the purpose of assembling aluminum aircraft without overtightening the fasteners. Extensive evidence is lacking for this specific narrative, and the feature is not mentioned in the original patents. However, a 1949 refinement to the original design described in US Patent #2,474,994 describes this feature.


It sounds like you answered your question. With no voltage on b2 and reading 120v b1-b2 it looks like b2 has opened and is in contact with earth since there was 240 at the breaker panel.
 Some tracers may get confused with 240v because the 1 hot continues, I have seen this and disconnected the good hot then finding the break was fairly quick as the signal disappears at the break. Make sure to open the disconnect since you know the break is prior to that and the signal won't be able to return through the pump windings, makes for a clean signal.


Problem attaching the door of the storage unit of a IKEA MALM desk

There are two screws that are NOT for fastening, but for adjustment. They are on top of the hinge, and are visible even after assembly. The hinge clicks into its bracket. These screws are for alignment of the door.
And there are other screws for fastening. They are on the hinge bracket, and screw into the wood. These are not visible after assembly.
Can you add a picture please? Let's get that cleared up first.


How to I repair moulding damaged by Blue Scotch tape?

Your best bet then would to get an artist brush and acrylic paint from an art supply or craft store. That can be blended to get the color you need to touch it in, though replacing it would be my choice to do. All told it would take less time, and about the same cost, if you have the cutting tools.


What could cause my gas oven not to ignite?

Since the oven has two burners, it would of course have two igniters - but either igniter could be busted and the other would still make noise. Can you look at the igniters? Are you sure both are firing? Because it would be easy for something to have fouled the lower igniter.

You really want to see that the igniter sparks at least as bright as the upper one before you say that it works.


Related.  Or at least, you shouldn't take the chance that it's not.

Turn the main breaker off to the entire house and see if it still happens.  That will be the final word on the subject of whether it is electrical related or not.  I suspect it is.

Other than that, don't test it.  Don't tease the dragon.  What feels like a minor pinprick when the rest of you is well insulated from anything metal, can become lethal current flow if you get between something hot and something grounded.

I would not be looking at breakers, I'd be looking at the grounds and neutrals.

A possible cause is the A/C guy misusing a ground as a neutral.  This can easily combine with another type of failure to put dangerous voltage on every ground in the house, i.e. Every switch cover plate, all metal conduit, dryer or stove chassis, even the circuit breaker panel itself.  The "other type of failure" might be the original problem.


How can I seal the gap around a bathroom exhaust fan?

You could use a spray foam insulation like Great Stuff.  It sticks to just about everything and expands to fill voids.


Why does my toilet make air noises when nothing is being used?

On the other hand, if you mean a hissing sound, that's probably a float valve not completely closing.

Metallic flush handles are sometimes hard to press after they corrode a bit or after excessive use; they form a catch that's been worn into their housing (plastic levers are less susceptible to this).


Is there an easy way to measure the height of a tree?

Find a stick the same length as your arm. Hold your arm out straight and level with the stick pointing straight up (90° to your outstretched arm). Walk forward/backward until the tip of the stick coincides with the top of the tree. Your feet are now at approximately the same distance from the tree as it is high.  (For a more precise approximation, back up by the additional distance of the height of your arm above the ground.)  The relationship is true only if the tree is significantly taller than you are, and the ground is relatively level.  Time-tested logger method. Simple.


How can I make a clothes rack from this pipe?

Here's another idea. Hang it from the ceiling with chain. You can then use both the top and bottom bar to hang clothes. You'll need a couple of heavy hooks to screw into the ceiling joist, some attractive chain, and a clasp to connect the chain over the pipe. You can find all of this at Lowes, Home Depot, or a hardware store. Tell them what you're doing and they'll probably be glad to help.


Coax directly to box vs. through face plate?

Every join in the cable reduces the signal strength.

At 1200 Mhz satellite cable frequencies it's about 1dB for a F connector pass-thru at UHF and VHF frequencies the loss is less.

That's probably not going to harm your TV reception noticeably.
a wall plate or skirting socket is going to look better than just a wire coming out of the floor/wall, but yeah, usually you're looking at the front side of the telly, not the back.


It looks like that one brick has a lot of iron oxide in it which is leaching into the grout and dripping down. Could be an interesting chromatography experiment.

You will need to remove that brick and examine it to determine the problem. It is also slightly possible there is something behind the brick that is rusting, but that is less likely.

Probably you need to replace that brick and then re-grout the stained areas.


Protecting electronics from electrical surges - plugs with fuses

The UK uses fused plugs because instead of using individual spurs or "home runs" rated at the receptacle rating to feed a few outlets at a time, they put all receptacles on a single "ring main" circuit that can provide more current (32A is typical) than appliances and their cords can handle (16A max, although smaller is common with BS1363 plugs).  It has nothing to do with surges or grid instability.


Where is the pilot light on my Carrier Infinity Series 48XT dual fuel hybrid furnace/Air Conditioner?

Pilot lights went out of style sometime in the 90s

Your furnace, being a modern-day unit, does not use a pilot for ignition.  Instead, what you have is most likely what's called a direct spark ignition (DSI) system that has the furnace board trigger a spark at the appropriate time to light the gas -- it indeed is a computer control system!

As to how you turn this thing on -- you should be able to turn on the serviceman's switch/disconnect and the thing will be ready and waiting for a call for heat.  Your system won't call all the time though, because it's a hybrid system with gas backing up a modulating heat pump -- this means that the gas will only kick in when the outdoor reset shuts down the heat pump (if it gets cold enough, the heat pump can't run), or the heat pump itself is inoperable.


I'm not totally sure about salt water, but I don't think it poses any special problem.  I would give the threads 2 or 3 wraps, then also coat the female threads with pipe joint cement, not plumber's putty.  Save the plumber's putty for drains and escutcheons.


Is it work making a small bedroom smaller by installing built in booksheves?

Most house buyers won't be going in with a tape measure. If it's likely to be  a problem, your realtor will let you know when its time to sell. They will probably recommend a short list of work to be done anyways (paint is a huge bonus).

In my limited experience as a home-buyer, it wouldn't make a lick of difference. If it looks nice, its a bonus. If it doesn't, I'll plan to tear it off the wall and paint.


Ceramic tile on conrete floor: caulk or grout to cinder block wall

There isn't a right way to do this.  In my opinion I would grout the area unless it is razor thin.  In most cases this won't be uniform as a wall isn't exactly flat and so you may end up with a rather large gap in some areas - more than 1/8th inch.  If your grout does crack in the future it looks just fine with a layer of caulk over it.


Diagnosing root cause of garage door stall

Garage doors have a counterbalance mechanism (usually springs).   You don't actually lift the door, only move it.  When lifting a garage door, you should only be fighting the friction of the rollers in tracks, and the inertia of the door's weight.

It's very important that you keep a door in tip-top condition.  The problem with a binding door is you end up forcing it.  Forcing an already binding door makes it bind more.  And eventually damages the mechanism.  Eventually the damage and spring force tears the door apart, killing someone.  This is serious business, don't turn your back on a damaged garage door.

The power opener makes you blind

We have a factory with six huge doors on big 240V industrial power openers. Every door had serious problems.  Nobody knew, because when an opener could no longer open the door, they just bought a bigger opener!

Unhook the opener.  Work it by hand.

You'll find out in a right hurry where the problem is.  (or isn't).

There are about a dozen things that can go wrong with doors, and other sites have good checkout lists.  Just to name a few:

door rollers wobbly (bearings failed)
hinges sloppy due to excessive wear
door very hard-moving because it's skewed/trammed (higher on one side) due to slipped drum
unliftable due to counterbalance problem e.g. broken spring, cable problem or loose cable drum.
drifting up/down due to spring too loose, too tight, or wrong spring
door panels bent, e.g. from vehicle hit
hinges badly aligned, causing binding

With our huge doors, each door had at least 3 of these.  Now they open so well we didn't bother reconnecting the openers.

These parts are mostly standardized and not particularly expensive.


How should I connect this new ceiling light?

Thanks everyone who provided advice.  I was able to get the light working properly.  I had to connect the fixture's:

Black wire to the junction box pink/red wire
White wire to white wire
Green wire to green wire


Dishwasher across from the sink? Way to make the pump stronger?

I can only think of three options here...
Water flows downhill
The first (less optimal) option, is to raise the discharge up and allow it to flow down to the drain connection.  In this scenario, you'll want to have the discharge tube go up to an air admittance device (AAV) or air gap. From there it should flow downhill (1/4" per foot), until it reaches the garburator connection.

Use a separate drain
The other option, is to discharge the dishwasher to its own drain.  Install a properly vented standpipe near the dishwasher, and connect the discharge tubing to that (follow local plumbing codes).

Go under the floor
The last option is to run a drain line under the floor, and attach to the sink drain below the floor. Install a trap near the dishwasher, and run a proper drain that tees into the sink drain (follow local plumbing codes).


How do I measure a standard sliding glass door?

What you need to know is the rough opening size. This is the dimensions between the vertical studs and the horizontal dimension from the floor to the bottom of the header. You may have to remove some trim to see these components. If you are going to have a contractor install the new door, have that person give you the proper measurements for the replacement door. You can always go slightly smaller, but not larger.


Is the recommendation for Gauge 14 cables with 13A devices overly conservative?

Many buyers clueless.  Guidelines for extension cord wire size are only adequate for connected equipment and not conservative.

With an undersized cord for the load:

(1) The voltage supplied to a motor will be more than 10% below nominal, causing motor overheating and premature winding failure;

(2)  The cord will run hot causing the cord insulation to fail prematurely;

(3)  The manufacturer warranties of both equipment and cord will be void (if they know what happened);

However, if the utility supplies voltage at the high end of nominal (122v) and the mower is never used to cut thick grass then one will probably get away with using a #16 cord.  The #16 cord is cheaper and less weight to haul around in the yard.  Besides, someone is probably going to accidentally drive the mower over the cord in a couple of months chopping the cord to little bits...


How do I replace a sub-floor that goes under a wall before reaching the nearest I-joist?

Your plan, as diagrammed seems pretty reasonable.

Does the 3/4" thickness of the 1/8 that you were proposing to glue to the center web of the I-beam bridge out the whole width of the top flange of the I-beam? If not you may want to consider using 2-by material instead. Your joist hangers will nail or screw much better into the 2-by construction lumber than they will the soft pine of the 1x8 board and the OSB of the I-beam webbing.

As you suggested you really do want to screw that filler piece in after applying the glue because you will not have access to add clamps to hold the pieces in place until the glue dries. You will definitely want to pre-drill clearance holes for the screws in the filler pieces to that the screws can pull them up snug to the I-beam webbing. Make sure to deploy screws of a type and thread size so that they bite into the OSB webbing securely without stripping out.


Based on the previous answers and a reverse image lookup which turned out to be pretty accurate. I was able to identify these as:

  "COIL CRIMPING PLIERS"

These are a few features listed from an online store detailing the tool:

  Cut and crimp your plastic spiral coil in one clip.
  Comfortable Plastic Grip for easy crimping.
  Pliers utilize a twin metal spring design to bounce back. The
  mechanism retracts after the pliers cut and crimp actions are
  complete.
  A Red dot marks the orientation for the proper direction to cut and crimp.

To be honest with you, I don't exactly know why you would need a special tool for this. Can I link video links?

Here's one in action:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtClAvRoQUU

And here's a close-up image of the "desired" end result which was produced by a coil crimping machine! Added this to my answer because you can really see the details of the cut & crimp.


Is it necessary to replace plastic covering pink insulation in bedroom exterior wall?

You are fine. Vapor barrier holes of that size and bigger are typical in wall construction, in the form of switches, outlets, plumbing, etc.

Let's keep calling it a vapor barrier. Makes geeky engineers squirm in their ergonomic wheeled chairs....


You have something else in the circuit that uses a small amount of power and which bypasses the switch.

A smart-switch of some sort will do this but there are other devices that also do this, for example a switch illuminator (so you can find it in the dark)

The issue here is that, at switch locations you generally do not have neutral present. Just live and switched live (and earth). So the illuminator cannot be wired in parallel but mus be in series with the lighting circuit. When you turn the switch on, it turns the illuminator off because the switch shorts the illuminator so that there is no longer a potential difference across it.

These things pass a very small current, at lower voltage, through the rest of the circuit. This is insufficient to make incandescent or halogen bulbs glow, but is enough for some LED driver circuits to start to work.


I think your two choices are

make the shelf stiffer by making it thicker
support the shelf more inventively.

An example of the former would be to make the shelf into a T-beam (or use keshlam's suggestion of a torsion box)

An example of the latter might be support wires up to the top of the wall or to the ceiling, or a glass-brick pillar, or a wooden arch support.

I would think about the myriad of ways bridge builders have tackled the same structural problem over hundreds of years.


Can I modify the vent from my high efficiency furnace to prevent possible damage to the exterior of my home?

I am a Local HVAC Tech in the Toronto area. As stated, this exhaust is not installed according to local codes and the manufacturers installation instructions. There is no surprise that you are getting freezing condensation on the brick of the house. The reason for having the vent terminate straight out and away from the building is to avoid this. The facing of the brick will chip off after a few years of this. Another issue i see is that any exhaust for a high efficiency gas appliance must be insulated when being run in an unconditioned space (such as in a garage or running under a deck). Now if the termination is 2ft or less, you do not need to insulate the exhaust. However, in your situation there is a long termination, which requires it being insulated to prevent freezing.

My solution would be to cut off the tee at the end of the termination, slide on armaflex pipe insulation around the exhaust. You should have from where the tee started, to where the pipe enters the house fully insulated. Then using system 636 PVC glue and primer if doing it in cold weather, glue a system 636 PVC elbow onto the end of the termination so that it is blowing the exhaust straight away from the house. Then cut a 6" piece of system 636 2" PVC pipe and glue that into the elbow to help throw the exhaust further away from the structure. Doing all of the above would solve all the termination issues, and bring it back up to code.


The jumper is installed between Rh and Rc, because your setup does not use two transformers.  Rh is powered from the heating system transformer, while Rc is powered from the cooling system transformer.  However, it's common to only have a single transformer for both systems. In which case, the jumper between the terminals may be required.

The only way to tell if and where the blue wire is connected, is to open up the furnace or air handler and have a look. Without knowing the exact model unit you have, it's not possible to tell you exactly what to look for.  Basically you'll want to follow the thermostat cable, and try to locate where the wires terminate inside the unit.


I understand not wanting to risk damaging that original trim, but it appears the piece is only a few inches long and not solidly attached. It's probably easiest to carefully remove it, use plaster and/or drywall to fill in the area behind, then reattach the short piece of trim.  If you damage it slightly, you can fill dents and cracks with wood putty, then just sand and paint.


Is it OK to have multiple different rooms on one breaker?

You can logically have many rooms on one breaker.  It is really about what size the breaker/wire is and what it will be powering.

Given that you have a kitchen (usually 2-3 breakers minimum) and 2 bathrooms (usually on their own) plus extra I would tend to say that you have too much on it.  I doubt it would pass any current inspection.

Would I be concerned as far as safety?  Maybe.  If you are using too much your breaker should flip.  However when things are maxed out over long periods of time there are usually degradation points.  I would personally have it looked at by local inspector then  electrician.

This is really an over simplified answer but I hope it gets the point across.  What you are describing isn't normal by current standards and should be looked at.  If you give us more exacts - number of lights and outlets and breaker/wire size we can provide more science around it.


Can power outlets and HDMI wall-jacks be installed with right-angle bends to accommodate very thin walls?

If you have access under the wall, could you put a brass floor plate on the floor and eliminate the hassle of the wall?
If you installed something like this, it could be flush with the carpet. You could easily plug in when needed and not worry about it being a tripping hazard.


Should the outlet that my space heater uses be getting warm?

Line voltage varies slightly by home and by region. 110v and 120v are more or less interchangeable, nominal approximations. 117v is (was?) an average. The current spec is 120v +/- 5% if I'm not mistaken.

Your heater draws a lot of current, and weak points in the circuit, such as plug connections, will often show some heat accumulation.

It is a bit odd that other outlets would be warm as well, though. It's possible that the wiring runs through the outlet side jumpers, but that should be a sturdy connection that isn't a high-resistance point.

Anyway, "slightly warm" isn't too concerning. Many devices will do that, such as battery chargers. When it approaches hot to the touch you have a real problem. Keep a close eye on it and try not to rely on portable heaters for long periods of time.