Yes but No.

You can plug into a 5A socket an appliance or lead that contains a switch rated at 15A.

You can use a 15A switch to turn on/off an appliance rated at 5A.

However the appliance connected must not draw more than 5A - it's rating must not exceed 5A.
No

You cannot normally increase the rating of a socket without running a thicker wire back to the main fusebox/consumer-unit.


Inswing door over the rising pitch on a porch floor

I can see four options, two of which have been mentioned so far:

Increase the threshold height
I can see this going poorly, as a trip hazard at the top of some stairs
Using an out-swing door instead
This is probably the simplest option, but can look odd from an exterior perspective
Use a drop-down weather strip with enough clearance
It could look a bit odd when the door is closed, but it looks like there are options for up to 1 5/8" (42mm) of height difference between the door being open and shut.  See this supplier for an overview.  Probably the most expensive.
Use a "rising butt" hinge.
These lift the door as it swings in, and can provide maybe 1/2" of lift.  They are also self-closing by design.


How do I fix a squeaky floor below my carpet?

Fixing a squeaky floor beneath a carpet is a fairly complicated process that's probably best illustrated with video. This Old House provides a wonderful tutorial.

The procedure demonstrated at that link does not require you to pull up any carpet and uses scored screws to hide your work. This seems to be the most hassle-free way to do what one might expect to be a huge job.


Can I use blocking between floor joists to support off-center jack studs in a load-bearing wall?

That should be just fine. A few points for clarity:

Use substantial (joist-size) lumber. These are essentially joists themselves. I wouldn't go smaller than 2x6.
Consider using joist hangers or lag screws. Sheer nails don't meet modern code in a load-bearing situation like this--either at the ends or into the existing beam.
You might double them to give better bearing. Double joist hangers are easy to come by.
You could drop these new joists 1-1/2" and lay in a wide plate on top of them, and under the wall plate, to give yourself flooring/subfloor support around the wall plate.


You need to use a voltage tester while the circuit is on to identify which is the load and which is the line. The line comes from the circuit break to the switch. As long as you have power, that will be hot. The load is from the switch to the light/outlet/etc. That will only be hot when the switch is in the on state.
Neutral is its own wire. Generally white, and will be in the back of the junction box capped (unused). You connect the smart/dimmer white wire to this wire.


Why are there four electrical lines (12 wires) in this ceiling fan box?

This is not strange at all. It's because you have a feed in, two feeds out (going to other things on the circuit), and one switch loop.

The switch loop is not using a "neutral" as a live. It is simply using a white conductor as a feed to the switch, or at least it should. The way it is wired now is incorrect. The white of the switch loop should be connected to the constant feeds in the box, and the black of the switch loop brings back the switched line.

If you don't remember how it was wired you need to do a continuity test to see which cable is the switch loop.


Fill Count For 14/3 G NM With 'Unused' Red

1 unit per black wire.
1 unit per red wire.
1 unit per white wire.
1 unit for grounds.
1 unit for stud or hickey (if that's what you're going to use to attach the fixture).

That's 5 total units, times 2 cu. in. per unit (since you're using 14 AWG conductors).  That's a total of 10 cu. in., which is well over the 6 cu. in. the box is rated for. Even if you attach the fixture directly to the box, the fill calculation would be 8 cu. in.

NOTE: Above count is based on a single conductor of each color. If there are more than one, you have to count one unit per wire.

It makes no difference if the wire is live or not, all conductors that enter the box are counted.

And yes, according to 314.17(A) the unused knockouts should be closed.

On a side note. Grounding conductors don't count for 1 cu. in., they count as 1 unit. That unit is then multiplied by the value from Table 314.16(B), based on the largest conductor in the box. So in your example, all the grounds require 2 cu. in., because you're using 14 AWG conductors.


it depends on a lot of things:

1)  dead load above
2)  live load (do you get lots of snow, rain, etc.)
3)  wall finish (for practical reasons you may have difficulty changing the header on a stucco wall, which is what it looks like from the cement stains on the interior of the sheathing boards)
4)  material.  steel is much stronger than wood.  spruce is stronger than pine.

in a 2 x 4 wall, you can do a double header construction with a 5/8" ply liner between them as a spacer.  given this, the fact that you are increasing the span from 20" to 36", then the span will be almost twice what was there before, but its still only 36".  generally, you need a 2x6 double header minimum for just about any scenario, so if you are worried about it, go to a double 2x8.  here in ontario, lintels under 2x8 are not permitted (table a-12), but your span is so small it doesn't even fit the minimum requirements.  just use a doubled 2x8.  its overkill, but thats the best way to build anything.


New GFCI outlet; green light is on but no power

The key is that is the Leviton GFCI is lit green from the start it means its wired wrong. Counter-intuitive but true. Had the same problem and some searches finally told me this. I switched both sides top to bottom and bottom to top, and the light flashed red and then went off. Reset it and it went green and THEN I had power. Guess Leviton is wired opposite of others. Remember though, don’t switch left to right...just top to bottom. Black to brass, white to silver.

Just to help clarify: Read where the live and load are on the old unit and which wires go where, then read where live and load are located on the new unit and wire it the same.


How to seal a leak in a plastic tubing connection?

Thanks to Tester101 for the answer (in the comments): the brown tube just needed to be pushed back into the clear one.  Fixed!


What is a really good light-bulb changing tool

My answer is duct tape. Make a loop, sticky side out, room enough for a couple of fingers on the inside, and press the tape to the front of the dry and clean light.  Put your fingers inside the loop, and twist counterclockwise. Important: make sure you have a secure ladder and an assistant with a phone handy in case you need help.  Let us know how you do.


Drywall installation on the ceiling without help

Get a 12' 2x4 and a 3' to 4' 1x4. Screw the 1x4 at right angles to the 2x4 near one end. The 1x4 should be centered lengthwise on the 2x4 and overhang the end about 1/2". See sketch below. In the sketch I showed screwing the Tee board on the edge of the 2x4 but you may want to screw it to the flat of the 2x4 to get a better screwing to make the 1x4 fairly solid. Use 4 or 5 screws for this.

Cut the total length of the 2x4 to be about 3 to 4 inches longer than the floor to ceiling height. Now you climb the ladder and hold the drywall in place and have another helper hoist the 2x4 up with the cross piece coming up under the piece of drywall. The helper should be able to wedge the 2x4 in place to hold up the drywall until it can be screwed into place. If the wedge wants to kick out on the bottom then it may be necessary to shorten the 2x4 a slight amount.

The power drill you can purchased can be used for installing drywall screws but it can take practice to avoid sinking the screws too far or even all the way through the drywall. I would recommend instead using a hand screwdriver for this small job. Make sure to use proper drywall screws. A common size for this will be 1 5/8" length screws. When installing drywall screws you do not pre-drill the drywall itself. The screws are also very sharp and will not need any pre-drilling into the framing members either. When setting the screws use care to tighten them down just enough so that they dimple the paper and recess a small amount. You do not want to tighten so far that the outer paper layer tears.


Why is my HI HEAT terminal causing blower to run non-stop?

Yeah, your control board is shot

I'd replace the control board if I was in your shoes; the behavior you are seeing is a sign that the relays on the board that control the blower motor are failing, or something is causing it to drive them uncommandedly for that matter.


What should I do about a gap between hardwood and drywall?

Killing the ants is one thing, and the comments from others are good.  However, you need to fix the root cause of the problem, which is hole that you can see daylight from.  Spray foam will only deter them for a while.  You should NEVER be able to see daylight through a wall from the inside of a home.  I would take a good look outside and see how much of a gap existed before the foamed it.  You may have to remove the siding to see everything, but I suspect the exterior wall may need to be patched.


Why isn't my garage door opener button working on new installation?

I finally got the new button in the mail from the warranty claim that I made.  I replaced the button and the door works perfectly now.

Thanks for your help and advice.


Any issue with GFCI outlet touching sides of outlet extender?

Don't take any chances. Give the receptacle a couple of wraps of tape around its perimeter, to cover up the screw terminals for sure.

The other way to solve a "GFCI in a hard location" problem is to install the GFCI device instead in a location between this one and the service panel... then feed this outlet off the LOAD terminals of the other GFCI.  It can be a recep at an earlier location, a deadfront at a new location (e.g. next to the panel), or a GFCI breaker.


What's the correct way to attach stovepipe to a wood stove?

I didn't see it before, but there were two small holes in the stove's flue collar. I put sheet metal screws through the holes in to the stovepipe, and things feel really solid.

Before inserting the pipe, I put some fire cement on the crimped end. After inserting, I spread some more around the joint, like caulking around a bathtub.

(click for full size)


Is Electric Central Heating worth it if using Solar Panels?

Passive solar design before you build

On a new build, your very first stop is passive solar design.  Strutting forward and designing a bad old stickhouse, and then bolting on solar as an afterthought, is wasteful.

Passive solar design means engineering the building so it does not need active heating (except on rare occasion.  The occasion is rare enough that you can get away with cheapie resistive electric heat).

One way to make passive solar work is to angle the windows and overhangs so the buildings reject sun by summer, but drink up sun by winter... And capture the prevalent temperature (solarization by winter, shade by summer) in the building's rather considerable thermal mass.  This does not happen by default obviously, you have to swerve out of your way to design the building for that. Design time is the time to do this.

Another method is to make a building partially earth-sheltered, so that by summer, you have an easier time resisting solar heat. Several feet of earth is great insulation and you can't beat the price. Obviously you have to compromise that with having a nice well-windowed home.

Another design aspect is heat pumps, though with passive solar design they are 99%  of the time in A/C mode.  And ideally you want to interchange with groundwater as your ultimate heat sink.  See, normally, AC/heat pumps are pushing heat "uphill": it's 90 degrees out, and you want your house at 70, so you're dumping the heat in the 90 degree outside air - "pumping uphill".  If your ultimate heat sink is 55 degree ground water, you are "pumping downhill".  It's still pumping, but it's much more efficient.

Think about what it means for heat-pump (A/C is a type of heat pump) efficiency when the pl, since it is cooler than you want your house to be, and therefore in A/C mode, your heat pump is "pushing heat downhill. Which makes it more efficient.

The overall point is, don't design for inefficiency just because it is conventional, and then try to bolt on efficiency as an afterthought. Really explore the state of the art.

Another option is a double roof.  It doesn't need to be a contiguous roof; it just needs to put the primary roof in shade.  Solar panels might do that, but firemen are usally kitchy about covering too much of your roof with solar panels.

Use the grid as a buffer... or not?

How your electricity is billed is a big factor. If you are on net metering, meaning every KWH the solar generates unwinds a KWH off your bill, then you are using the grid as a storage device - you can run a 9pm dryer load using power you generated at noon.

However if you are paying peak/off-peak charges, or are credited a lower rate for reverse-flow power than forward, then you want solar to operate when you are at energy consumption peaks - in other words when  the A/C is working the hardest. The good news is that A/C requirement is due to solar load, which is exactly what makes solar panels work, so they work in unison.

The bad news is, in reality, A/C need considerably lags solar load; 3 hours after sunrise my house is chilly, 3 hours before sunset it's unbearable, even though they have exactly the same solarization as far as the panels are concerned.  I suspect that is the house's normal thermal mass at work. That is why one strategy is to greatly increase that thermal mass and insulation, to greatly slow that rate of swing.


Is it practical to have a wooden floor installed in an apt in India?

Humidity is more likely to be a problem than temperature - constant high temperature is OK, it's temperature changes that are an issue.

Hardwood floors are nice and warm when it's cold - you might want a think about why cold stone tiles are popular there


Does plywood over rigid foam meet the fire barrier requirements?

There are 3 considerations: 1) Fire Walls, 2) Flame Spread Index, and 3) Smoke Development Index.

1) Fire walls prohibit (or slow) the passage of fire from one room to another. Fire walls are used to contain the fire to allow a.) occupants to escape, and b.) contain the fire to protect the structure. In residential construction the only fire walls are between a garage and living spaces. That is not your issue.

2) Flame spread is based on a materials ability to burn and spread through a building. All building materials have a Flame Spread Rating and all buildings are rated for the type of Flame Spread allowed within the building.

Residential buildings allow a “Class C” Flame Spread Rating. (See ICC Code Section 803 and Table 803.5.) A “Class C” Flame Spread Rating is between 76-200. (Just to give you an idea of ratings, oak has a rating of 100.)

So, if your rigid insulation has a rating of more than 200, it needs to be “protected”. Protected means covered. Drywall, plywood, etc. qualifies as an allowed protection.

3) Smoke Development Index is similar to Flame Spread Rating and requires a “Class C” Smoke Development Index too, which is between 0-450.

Again, if your rigid insulation is rated above 450, then it needs to be protected AND drywall and plywood qualifies as protection.

Summary:

Yes, plywood is allowed to protect the rigid insulation. Any thickness is allowed, but plywood is rated for various spans “for best performance.” Look on the plywood sheets and they have a grade stamp, like 24/16. The 24 means a maximum span of 24” on the roof and the 16 represents a maximum span of 16” on the floor. (They don’t rate plywood for wall coverings.) I’d use 3/8” on walls up to 24” on center spans in your case, because appearance is not important.

Btw, span is based on the exterior layer installed perpendicular to supports.


Your windows are very old and things have worn out, warped, etc.  The sash weights are there to counterbalance the weight of the window. When the tracks (guides on each side of the frame) are clear and the pulleys are not frozen, these windows move quite smoothly.  Unless some major incorrect repair was done on the window, it'll stop fully open, fully closed, or anywhere in between because it's in balance with the weights.

If one pulley & rope is not moving, then of course there'll be slack somewhere and the counterbalancing sash weight doesn't come into play.

That said, they are infamous for not sealing well. That's the price of having a wooden guide with a wooden runner.   At some  point someone will have to cough up installing new energy-efficient windows and frames.


Low-cost way to bullnose & polish edge of granite tile

There are dry polishing pads made for marble and other stones:

Amazon: Dry stone polishing pad set

These are made for an angle polisher that runs around 3000-4000RPM, so one of your drills would work, but you'd need a mandril adapter that you could chuck up in the drill since the pads don't have a post for the drill.

The process is to start with the roughest pad and make several passes with each pad (remove all visible scratches from the last pad before moving up to the next one), so it's a time consuming endeavor.  It takes a little skill to keep the pad moving and buff it all evenly, but it should be too much of a challenge.

The description says that for the best results, use with water.  That could be a challenge depending on your drill setup - just don't use too much water.

And for what it's worth - I've never seen this in stock in any major retail store.  It's just too specialty of a product for them to devote shelf space to.  Most people still leave any stonework to professionals.


What is the best way to seal caulk tube?

I always leave a blob of caulk on the tip that's large enough for me to grab onto. It dries and seals the rest of the tube. When I'm ready to use the tube again, I just pull it off.


Should I install radiant-barrier insulation in a walk-up attic roof in Pennsylvania?

I have the same situation in Pa but have also tried radiant barrier with the ventilation holes. I am still in a quandry about how to use it. This is what I have experienced: I laid the foil over my insulation as often recommended. In the spring I went into the attic to check on the nature of things. I lifted a section and my fiberglass insulation was short of sopping wet! It took me short time to yank it all off of the fiberglass for it to dry out.

I have concluded that I am not able to put down radiant barrier as I most likely have airs leakage through the ceiling causing heat to meet the cold. I do have an attic fan and could put baffles in for even better ventilation.

I am left with this last attempt to achieve at least some temporary benefit before the big redo: I am tracking the sun and will staple foil in a strategic spot on the attic rafters. The spot that is potentially hot in the summer (in my case the NW corner) but receives little warmth in the winter because of daylight hours. This should help the summer AC.  I am not ready to yank out all my insulation and look for leaks. One step toward betterment at a time.

I keep wanting to believe radiant barrier is wonderful but people with season changes better do their insulation/ventilation/air leakage homework before they think radiant barrier is going to be the best thing since sliced bread!


How do I fix a sticking toilet refill float?

Try to clean the valve by following these steps:

Shutoff the water to the toilet.
Flush the toilet to empty the tank (doesn't have to be completely empty, but you want some working space).
Open the valve by lifting the float to the top position, pressing down on the black plastic cap that covers the valve, and giving it a 1/8 to 1/4 turn. You should then be able to lift the cap directly off.
Clean sediment or other buildup off any small components of the valve, and if anything is easily detached, remove it temporarily for the next step. Be sure to check inside of the cap where the lever is attached.
While the cap is off, place a cup over the top of the valve and open the water supply for a few short bursts. The cup prevents a small geyser from appearing in your bathroom and the water will drain into the toilet tank (this is why you flushed it earlier). This process will clear any sediment out of the valve and supply line, including any sediment that may break free from the toilet shutoff valve.
With the water shutoff again, reassemble the valve, and attach it in the reverse process (lifting the lever on the float allows you to turn the cap with a little downward pressure on the cap).
Cross your fingers and turn the water supply back on.


Best way to stick a very long Ethernet cable semi-permanently to walls?

The problem with almost any adhesive is that the longer it stays on, the more likely it is to either fall off when you don't want it to fall off, or stay on when you don't want it to (typically this means "top layer of paint comes off with the tape"). Aesthetic considerations may not be an issue right now (when I was a kid, I definitely ran wires around in unattractive ways, though not Ethernet, that wasn't an option at the time), but a "temporary" wire hanging around is less troublesome than peeled patches of paint.
My recommendation is cable clips/staples. There are plenty of varieties, but generally something like this:

There are some with a single nail and some with two nails. For Ethernet (and similar), a single nail is strong enough. If the main part is white and you switched to a white Ethernet cable then the whole thing would come pretty close to "background noise" on a white wall. But if you don't care about the look, stick with the existing cable, it is just fine.
I definitely advise against switching to WiFi as others have suggested. Nothing beats a wired connection.


You could probably shorten the sleeve through which the hose feeds so there's more clearance above the box. This alone would probably resolve the problem. The extra length doesn't appear to be necessary in this case. It's mostly to accommodate thicker mounting situations. Be sure to ease (bevel or smooth) the edge of the cut so it doesn't abrade the hose.

You could also try bending that sleeve, but brass tends to tear before it bends.


How should I restore these cames in leadlight window?

In my honest opinion, I would not do a thing to them. Sanding will scratch up everything, paint will get on the glass, polishing will ruin the patina, besides the polishing agent will get around places that will be hard to get out, taking away from what you are trying to accomplish. Let alone, all these procedures making it possible to crack the glass


What factors influence the security of a front door lock?

Lockpicking is tremendously sensitive to the accuracy of manufacture. A good-quality cylinder really is more secure than a cheap equivalent. (There are good-quality second-source cylinders, but don't expect to find them in a $3 lock set.)

Degree and kind of protection from brute-force attacks varies; that's a lot of what the lock grading system is about. Grade 2 locks are physically more durable than the cheap grade 3 versions. (Grade 1, commercial, is more so but is mostly needed where you're also concerned about how well the lock will stand up to the wear and tear of being used frequently.)

High-security cylinders do make a difference. So do higher-security strikes, anchored to the framing rather than the trim.

Master keying should be used only when necessary and should always start with a more-secure-than-usual cylinder. (Some locksmiths describe master keying as "the controlled destruction of security" -- I'd say reduction but they aren't far off.)

And so on. Seriously, the number of ways to get security wrong or right approaches the number of lock designs on the market, and there are real limits on what can be discussed in a public forum .... or should be, anyway.


Quarter round and shoe molding are two different things.

Quarter round is just that...one quarter of a circle. Shoe molding, on the other hand, is much flatter with a rounded top.

Lots of people install quarter round when they intended to install shoe molding instead.

Choose shoe molding over quarter round whenever possible, as it looks better.

As for your question, it sounds like your baseboard and shoe molding is 'floating' above the floor. The best solution would be to simply remove the baseboard and molding and put up new stuff (or if the original stuff is of a particularly good finish/quality, then out it back)

If you don't want to remove the baseboard itself, you could remove the quarter round and then look for trim pieces that can act like a shoe molding but a bit taller so that they cover the gap. Visit your local big-box hardware store and you'll find an entire aisle of molding styles to choose from.

If the gap is especially large, you may want to use a molding to cover the gap, then a shoe molding at the bottom of that to create a built-up baseboard.


Max wattage on 120v outlet on 20A 80% breaker on 3 phase

No.  You don't multiply by the square root of 3 unless you're drawing all 3 phases in a delta configuration, and then, you multiply the pole-pole voltage (208) not the pole-neutral voltage (120).

When dealing with a single phase of wye or split-phase, it's exactly what it says on the tin:

120V x 20A x PF1.00 x 80%.  1920W.

It's not "downgraded somehow", 3-phase wye service is simply three single-phase supplies that happen to be out of phase with each other 120 degrees.   Just as split-phase is two single-phase supplies that happen to be 180 deg out of phase with each other.


Been going around caulking the inside windows and ran into a bigger gap

It looks like it has been there since the dry wall was mudded and not something new. I would not expect water damage to look like that. I don't know what is the reason for the wall flex or if it is excessive. More than likely it was either a poor fit of the dry wall during installation or these are newer windows that were narrower than the originals. I suggest filling in with 'hot' mud which is a chemical set dry wall mud that is fast setting and won't shrink and crack


Can I tie grounded/white and ground/bare from a subpanel to any grounding bar in in the main panel?

Neutral needs to go to the neutral bar.
The purpose of neutral is to be the normal path for return current which flows as part of the circuit's operation.  As such, it can only go to the neutral bar, since only that is rated to handle that current continuously and on a routine basis.
Safety ground certainly can't do that.  Think about it, that bonding screw in the main panel, is that a 4/0 AWG screw?? :) No, it's 10-32 and steel, which is a several times worse conductor than copper.  That bonding screw was never imagined to handle normal service currents.
That's why you can't land any neutrals on grounding bars and other facilities intended only for safety ground.
Safety ground is not used for anything; it only handles fault currents for the duration of a ground fault (i.e. long enough to trip the breaker).  Ergo it does not need to be rated for continuous service current.


Why are almost all of my house's HVAC floor registers placed near exterior windows?

Yes, placing registers (or other heat sources such as radiators) near exterior windows and doors is the usual practice. This is done in order to combat cold drafts and ensure a more even temperature throughout the room. Here's a Q&A on the subject from Ask This Old House:

  Window glass is the coldest part of a wall. When warm room air hits
  it, the air cools, and cool air sinks. The movement of cool air
  creates floor drafts that most people find uncomfortable. The
  placement of forced-air heat registers or baseboard heating units
  under the windows counteracts this process by sending up warm air to
  mix with the cool. The end result is that the room feels more
  comfortable.


Ceiling Fan Install - detecting voltage in fixture

Non-contact voltage detectors can commonly give false-positive voltage indications from what is known as "phantom voltage".  This alerts you that there may be voltage present in the circuit, but isn't a reliable way to tell which wire the voltage is on or if it's even "real" voltage.

Since the red wire is capped, you should be fine, but if you want to double check with a multi-meter, connect the black lead to a bare ground wire and then touch some non-panted areas of the mounting bracket and fan casing (screw holes are good non-painted areas to test) with the red lead.  Try not to touch any bare metal with your hands while the breaker is on since you are concerned with stray voltage.  You may also want to check the voltage on the red wire to make sure it is independent of the black.  If you get readings of considerably less than 120v, this can also be phantom or induced voltage (like 50v or 60v, etc).


French drain issue and best way to correct it

What Lee Sam's answer describes is the right way to do the job on new construction.  Everything is already exposed.  However, it's REALLY an expensive, messy, long-term job to do after the fact.

Excavating the foundation to the footings involves a really deep and wide, reinforced trench, moving a lot of soil.  In addition to the work of accessing the foundation wall, it will destroy the surrounding yard.  When you're done, putting the soil back will start a multi-year process of settlement and regrading, landscape cleanup, etc.  In addition to the drain channel, you need to clean the foundation wall to examine the condition of any waterproofing and to apply any form of barrier.

In a case like yours, where the foundation walls are hollow-core blocks, it's much simpler to retrofit a solution inside the basement because everything you need to do can be done right below the basement floor.  You can cleanly cut away the access area with a concrete saw, and reseal the area with concrete when you're done.  It does create a mess, though.

You've been trying to fix small sections, but the job can't be done right in that manner.  The existing system is too silted up to be useful, and you don't have a good way to drain the walls into the system.  My recommendation would be redo the interior system.  Bite the bullet and do the whole job correctly.  Then it will be done and be permanent.

I had this approach done on a house of my own and it was a successful solution.  Ground water, rising with a high water table or collecting around the foundation, collects in the interior drain the same way it would with an exterior drain.  Water entering the foundation wall from the surrounding soil drains from weep holes in the hollow cores into the system.  You generally use a sump pump to discharge the collected water well away from the foundation.

A key element missing from your attempt is getting water from the weep holes into the system in a way that is sealed from the interior living space.  I found a good description online of the right way to do the job (website of the aquaGUARD waterproofing company).  Disclaimer: I know nothing about this company other than their web site has a good description.  Some excerpts:

This part you already know.  However, you really need to do the entire perimeter at once rather than a small section at a time so that you can effectively clean out the old material and put in a properly graded pipe and clean stone.  An integrated wall treatment is involved, and that needs to be done before replacing the concrete.

The pipe, stone and weep holes are the next step.

This is your missing step.  An air gap membrane is applied to the interior wall, then extends over the footer and drain pipe.  This completely seals any water behind and under it and channels water from the weep holes into the drain pipe.  The new concrete goes over this membrane.

There are a number of membrane styles.  The one used by the company that created the web site is a heavy dimpled plastic sheet that is flexible enough to bend over the footer but strong enough to support the new concrete without the air channels collapsing:

To finish the interior space, you can cover the membrane and there is no sign of the system except for the sump pump:

Possible Alternative

All that said, given the point your project is at, I might be tempted to explore another solution because you don't have much to lose.  If it doesn't work, you could rip it out and do the job right.  I'm referring to "baseboard" drain channels.  I have no idea how good, reliable, or long-lasting they are, but it is a simple add-on to what you've created that doesn't involve busting up any concrete (and it does nothing for any remaining bad drain pipe in your system; it only deals with your weep holes).

There are a few styles on the market.  Basically, it's a plastic channel that you glue to the floor, and sometimes the wall.  It covers the cove where the weep holes are and seals the water inside.  You run the channel around the perimeter and it drains into the sump pump.  This particular one is from this web site (just an example, no personal knowledge).

A similar system sold for DIYers:

I'm a bit skeptical, but the cost is advertised at $6/ft, and at least it's a better solution than leaving the exposed weep holes.  Worst case, you waste a few hundred dollars without changing anything that affects doing the job the conventional way later, if needed.


How to do I calculate how much sand and cement needed for bedding mortar

An 80 pound bag is about half a cubic foot (sorry, as for metric, you're on your own).

  The finished volume of an 80# bag of Sacrete or Quikrete (pre-mixed cement, sand and gravel) is 0.6 cubic foot (stated on the bag). There are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard. Dividing 27 cubic feet by the volume of the bag will give you the number of bags you need. –Google


Your best bet would be to get some 1/2" PVC Couplings with threaded port

and some Misting Nozzles.

You should be able to find them both online, or at your local landscaping/gardening center. This setup would allow you to get the desired spray pattern, by selecting the appropriate nozzles.


Replacing A Ceramic Hob With An Induction Hob

As long as the spur to your hob is rated for sufficient current for whatever induction hob you may buy in the future and the oven, the two hobs are interchangable without any rewiring.

The only caveat is that if your ceramic hob is single-phase, you must get an induction hob that supports single phase. Most UK marketed ones will.

The more powerful induction hobs require >30A nominal so a standard 32A rated spur may be insufficient for the hob alone, let alone an induction hob and and oven.

As such it would make sense to install a seperate spur for the hob when you change over to induction at a later date. I would go for cabling and switches designed for a 40A or 50A spur.


Can a homeowner perform regular maintenance to prevent their HVAC system from leaking refrigerant?

Is there some preventative maintenance that can help alleviate this common issue?
Other than keeping your furnace filter clean (check it once a month) and washing out the fuzz stuck inside the condenser with a garden hose every spring, unless you notice a ridiculous amount of vibration or unless you know you're low on refrigerant, then there's no reason to call a guy out and nothing more you can really do.
That "Leak Stop" stuff is a stop-gap (it's worth a shot though). If your system is low due to a leak then it's on its way out. It's up to you to spend ~$100 a year to probably continually leak Freon, or drop several thousand up front to not to.
Anecdotally, no one 'goes on' about their working AC unit. The failure rate on condensers by year five is less than 10%.

Why are HVAC systems so susceptible to failure?
It's probably the most complicated machine in your home, subjects itself to vibrations and the weather, runs at pressures upwards of 400 psi, passing refrigerant through flimsy copper or aluminum tubes that have about a thousand solder joints.
Most manufacturers have different grades of equipment, but most of the improvements they offer are for comfort or a slight increase in efficiency - but every split system ever made still has to contend with the above.

Is this the way the "industry" or "man" keeps HVAC service companies in business?
Yes, but not in the way you're thinking. The 'industry' could care less about service companies. What they care about are the installers they sell equipment to, and you'd better believe that they build them as cheaply as possible. And that's why the term builder grade A/C unit exists. It just needs to work well and long enough to sell the place. Like all things (they fall apart), it comes down to economics.
I'll take a wild guess that your system doesn't have a nameplate on it that says Carrier or Train (or any of their subsidiaries) - you get what you pay for... I'm looking at you, Goodman :\
Most Reliable Central Air Conditioning Systems – Consumer Reports

Still, two-thirds of the owners of American Standard systems are likely to be completely satisfied with the performance of their A/C system by year five. Owners of Goodman systems are predicted to be the least satisfied followed by Rheem.
By the fifth year of ownership, the evaporator coil is the part most likely to break, with Rudd, Rheem and York being the brands most susceptible to this problem. However, this problem is only likely to affect less than 10 percent of all units by year five.
Regardless of brand, when a repair is needed, most of our readers told us they pay out of pocket. Rheem owners paid a median repair cost of $252. Lennox wasn’t too far behind at $236. Somewhat less expensive to repair out of pocket was Carrier, at $200, followed by Goodman at $204 and Trane at $219. We didn’t have enough repair cost data on systems from Amana, American Standard, York, Bryant, and Ruud to report on them.

Therefore, fixing the problem will require a professional.
Well, not literally. You just need the tools, the knowledge, and a license to buy refrigerant. Free free to become an AC tech at any point... No? Well, that's why it costs so much money ;)


how to stop the smell of cigarette from other units coming into our bathroom air vent

That is a tough situation and I think the only real solution is to have separate ventilation pipes.  Is there a clause in your agreement that addresses the issue.  I would do some legal research before bringing it up again with building management.


How to remove already installed laminate panel in cabinet?

Cut through particle board panels as far as you can with jig saw. Most likely they are not attached in the back.  The remaining 1-2 inches of the panel may be easy to break apart. If not finish cutting through with small hand saw. When 2 halves are separated pry each straight back from side panel to disengage the dowels .
On the top panel if you don't have space to run jig saw flip the saw over and cut through from bottom of shelf panel.


High Water Pressure After Rebuilding the Regulator

Thermal expansion in a water heater on a feed that has a check valve can indeed significantly raise the water pressure, I had a house that my son was living in that the water company just installed meters with check valves.   He complained the TPR on the water heater was leaking.  I told him to put a pressure gauge on the drain, open it up and let me know.  Sure enough it was over 100PSI.  Whats bothering me is why the TPR on your WH isn't popping off? You have one, right? If so, it might not be working right. I'd still install the expansion tank.  There is a maximum "working limit" and usually a much larger maximum limit. It's not going to blow at just 10 psi over it's working limit.  Unless your PRV is leaking a bit of water thru it, I can't see a reason for the overnight high PSI.     I could be wrong and others with more knowledge might have better ideas, but these are mine.


How do I prevent runoff from bar soap damaging the caulk in my shower?

I am assuming that you have cleaned off the surface thoroughly. I would probably try to sand the area where you want the caulk. I would only imagine that if there is any soap residue that the caulk would just slip away. Curious if you tried that, I'm sure you have, if not I hope this helps.


No hot water after teeing to outside spigot

In the normal faucets and showers in your house, the valves governing the flow of hot and cold water are before the mixing of the two. Even when these valves are wide open, the water pressure will decrease across these valves, so that where the water mixes is at a substantially lower pressure than in the source pipes. This prevents the mixed water from pushing back up the cold/hot water lines.

Here, though, your valve is after the mixing, so there's no pressure differential keeping water from backflowing. Depending on your pipe routing, the altitude change (hot water rises), and whatever's in the middle, you could get all hot, all cold, or some mixture in between. Generally not what you want.


What is the most cost-effective way to reduce sound coming up my staircase?

The "most efficient" way would probably be best determined by a full acoustical analysis of your house. Since that would take time and money you probably don't want to spend...
As a way to temporarily test it out:

lay a 2x4 flat on the upstairs floor, along the bottom of the railing.
Use string to attach the panels to the 2x4 and hang them along the walls.
Move them around until you find an arrangement that seems to provide the best noise attenuation.
Permanently attach panels at these locations.

Since those panels are a bit... unattractive (unless you're into the whole "recording studio" vibe), consider hanging paintings, artwork and tapestries on the walls of the stairwell. Anything that has depth (paintings with chunky frames, artwork), or softness (the tapestries) will interfere with the reflection of sound waves coming up the stairs and help attenuate the sounds. A thick carpet on the stairs will help, too.
As noted in other answers, though, your best bet is going to be blocking the sounds from getting into this space in the first place. Since you have an open staircase that you can't install a permanent door on, consider a temporary door made of heavy fabric (like a blanket) that can be hung from upstairs (consider the 2x4 on the floor trick again), dropped down when you're working, and raised back up to regain the look when not needed.


Fixing a kitchen sink pipe that is leaking

It appears to be leaking at the compression fitting from brass or copper to ABS. Simply tightening the nut there should do, but you may need to disassemble and clean off any calcium deposits to get a good seal. A ChannelLock type plier works well.

The reason it's leaking, though, is probably because the trap is clogged. You wouldn't normally have enough back-pressure to push water out at that point. If the trap is constructed with similar compression fittings, simply take it a part and clean things out. The clog is probably grease and soap goo.


What is causing my kitchen drain to back up into my dishwasher?

It sounds like your dishwasher drain line is not installed correctly. You should have a loop so the drain line goes above the bottom of the sink before it goes to the dishwasher. Generally, the loop is attached to the bottom of the countertop itself.

Without the loop, when water is draining from the sink, it will naturally flow down the dish washer line. If there is a restriction in the sink drain, it will make things even worse, as the dishwasher drain is likely to the path of least resistance.

The loop prevents water from draining down the line so long as the standing water level is lower than the high point of the loop. If your sink is almost completely full of water without
the drain stopper in (to the point it drains into the dishwasher), you have an upstream clog that must be dealt with either way (you'll have the same issue with the dishwasher draining into the sink and/or not draining at all).


I can't work out what this switch is for

In the UK, switches with fuses are normally used for high-power and/or permanently wired appliances such as heating systems, electric-showers, ovens and so on.

It is possible your consumer unit (AKA distribution board or fusebox) has a circuit labelled for that outlet. I would check that and try to match up every circuit.

A normal small UK home might have

downstairs ring-main
upstairs ring main
downstairs lighting
upstairs lighting
central heating
kitchen (electric oven, hob etc)
electric shower
garage

If there is something extra it might be associated with your mystery-switch.

Fused switches are usually located right next to the appliance they control e.g. next to oven, next to immersion heater.

The fused switch seems to be in an awkward location for anything outside the room (e.g. outside floodlights, immersion heater on other side of wall).

Perhaps a voltage or metal detector will detect that the switched live wire leads to a spot on the wall where an electric fire has been removed?


Unable to screw through plaster and lath wall

Best case is you've probably hit a concrete structural wall.  In that case use a hammer drill and cement screws or anchors if you really need more support than you get from the 1.5" in front of it.

Worst case is you're hitting a conduit or water pipe, in which case thank goodness you haven't managed to puncture it.

I'd look for a work box or some access where you might probe the wall to determine what's back there.  If it's the former case you'll see that.  If you don't see a cement backer then carefully drill probe holes around where you were trying to screw and see if you end up to one side of the thing you shouldn't be hitting.


To answer your questions in reverse order: 3) Install your floor coverings first. It will go faster and easier if you have no obstacles to work around. You can always cover the new floor with tarps if you need to paint, drywall, etc. in the future. 2) If you need to lower the height of the cabinets ,as you noted, the toe-kick can be sawed off so as to decrease the cabinets height by (+/-) 3 inches. If you need the height lowered further you will have to modify the cabinet carcass (think auto body chopping). 1) Laminate or wood? Completely discretionary. Whatever appeals to you. Laminate will take more abuse and more scratch resistant. Wood, on the other hand, is pure and elemental. Sealed with the right product wood will endure years before it needs to be re-sealed.


Can I use corner brackets to rebuild a wall frame that has the horizontal 2x4s extended in an adjacent room?

Toe nailing is acceptable so anything stronger like repair brackets or structural screws will work too.


No worries, the switch is just a mechanical contact- closed or open. It doesn't matter. I won't tell you for sure it will start because you must have had some other problem or you would not have removed the front panel.


Sewer smell in bathroom ONLY when central a/c is on and kitchen sink is running water

This sounds like a similar problem I saw with a utility sink in a home.
You could see the gas bubble in the sink, so I made a larger trap about an inch deeper. It slowed the bubbling, but now another sink in a bathroom on the other side of the wall started doing the same.
When this was happening the house was developing slightly negative air pressure. I found the make up air duct (which is supposed to bring in fresh air from outside) had broken and was just pulling from the inside. A few air leaks in the attic and the home went negative and started sucking air through the P-traps.
I pulled the insulation that had been sucked into the duct, reconnected the flex pipe, and the problem was solved.
It sounds like you have a similar issue but it takes the additional water being added to the drain to cause the smell. I would add a make up air duct. They do waste a small amount of energy but make the home air healthier (even without the sewer issue). You may need the plumbing checked but if the house is positively pressurized this probably will quit happening.
That house had multiple sinks on the same vent that trapped air in the 2 back to back, this may be the same issue that a new vent or make up air would solve.


Old kitchen light fixture was wired backwards, should I reverse it with the new one?

The fixture was in fact wired up backwards before. After some more searching I found out that by measuring the voltage from each wire to ground I could determine which one was hot. The black wire read 115V to ground so I went with black to black and white to white and it works!


GCFI "test" button will not cause a trip

This can happen, just replace the GFCI outlets in question

The TEST button on a GFCI creates an actual ground fault (about 6-8mA, maybe up to 10mA, from load-hot to line-neutral or vice versa), so if a GFCI fails to trip when the TEST button is pressed, then it's dead and needs to be replaced.  This can happen due to improper wiring (backfeeding a GFCI's LOAD terminals will burn out the trip solenoid), or more commonly due to damage to the GFCI's (largely analog!!) electronics package caused by mains surges and spikes.  (More modern GFCI designs may have a varistor connected across line-hot and line-neutral to help protect the electronics from surges, but this is by no means guaranteed.)


Pipe from wall too low to go into vanity

All the fittings you see there (including the one just inside the wall) are compression fittings. You can loosen the nuts and take everything apart. Then install your cabinet and reassemble the trap. Pay attention to which direction the tapered plastic washers are oriented.

A strong person can hand-tighten those enough so they don't leak. The rest of us should add another 1/4 or 1/2 turn using such tools as a channel-lock pliers.

It appears as though the bottom shelf in your cabinet is too high to allow the trap to reside in its normal position. Do not attempt to raise the trap, then drop back down to the wall connection with another elbow. This would result in what are called S-traps, which have a tendency to siphon water out of the trap and allow gas escape.

Instead, you'll need to cleanly cut an opening in the shelf to fit the trap. I like to use about a 2" hole saw at each end of a slotted opening, then I'll bullnose the hole edge with a router.

If hacking up your cabinet doesn't appeal, it wouldn't be the end of the world to raise the trap hub in the wall. You'd cut out a section of drywall that's concealed by the cabinet. No need to repair that. Then you'd cut out the section of pipe around the sanitary tee and use slip-couplers to install a new one a few inches up. These will all be cement-welded connections. Plan carefully to avoid ending up too high. I'd consider stubbing a pipe out of the wall to move the threaded fitting into the cabinet a few inches. Makes for easier connection of the trap assembly.


How do I fill a hole surrounding a boiler flue?

There are several spray foams in the marketplace designed specifically for this situation. I have used Great Stuff Fireblock and Pur Fill Fireblock in many commercial applications and have passed all Fire Marshal inspections. They should work well in a residential application as well. Both of these products are rated at a 240 degree flashpoint and can also be trimmed flush after drying.

Here's a neat video that shows how well these products work.


Should I be using wire nuts to connect my light socket?

As long as the wiring is copper, there should be no problem using the screw terminals. If you're in the US, black (hot) to brass, white (neutral) to silver.


How do i know how many amps to send to my subpanel?

You haven't been very specific about what type of equipment you'll have in the shop, so it's impossible to give an accurate estimate.

I generally recommend 60-100 amperes, depending on what type of equipment and how much time you'll be spending on the shop.


Isolation relay for Ecobee smart thermostat: NC or NO?

You're correct, you'll use the normally open (NO) terminal. When the thermostat calls for heat, it will energize the relay coil. The energized coil will close the contact in the relay between common (C, COM, etc.) and normally open (NO).

When the coil is not energized, the contact connects the common (C) terminal to the normally closed (NC) terminal. When the coil is energized, the contact connects the common (C) terminal to the normally open (NO) terminal.

NOTES:

When looking at schematics/wiring diagrams, all the components will be shown in the "normal state" ("shelf state").  That is to say, they'll be shown as if they were laying on a storage shelf, with no power sources connected to them.

The relay you linked to should work, however, it's probably a bit overkill.  If you're only switching the thermostat terminals from a boiler, you're probably talking about milliamps @ 24 VAC. The relay in the link can switch 10 amps @ 240 VAC.


If you mean leaking from the tub spout I don't think that's likely. In those ceramic disc cartridge valves all the turning on and off is contained in the valve. There's no mechanical force applied to the rough-in portion to wear it out.

Are you sure all the o-rings on the cartridge are in place and intact?

I think your best bet would be to call American Standard to help diagnose the issue.


Is it possible/recommended to use AFCI/GFCI breakers when replacing subpanel?

Go ahead with AFCI for the 15/20A circuits
As long as you don't have any shared neutral situations (look out for 14/3 or 12/3 cables entering the panel as you're wiring it), you shouldn't have any trouble putting your new 15A and 20A branch circuits on AFCIs.  I would familiarize yourself with the way Square-D does AFCI trip diagnostics at least, though, so that you can understand how to troubleshoot a case where one of your new AFCI's is tripping.
If you do find a shared neutral or Multi-Wire Branch Circuit, you'll need to use a two-pole AFCI for it, though.  This will also ensure that both hots wind up on opposite legs of the feed, preventing the neutral from becoming overloaded.
GFCI breakers aren't going to be useful for much, though
Since you have a 3-wire dryer feed and GFCI protection in most of the required places to begin with, you won't need GFCI breakers at all under the 2017 NEC, and will only need one for an air conditioner circuit (if present) under the 2020 NEC.  You may wish to use one if that's the easiest way to extend GFCI protection to the basement, though.


Two Black wires and 2 red wires behind outlet

You can map out all the circuits and count up the number of outlets and lights on this one to see how many there actually is, but it might not be a big deal.  Older homes tend to have fewer outlets because they didn't have as complex codes back then.  My parents have a similar house, and I think all the lights and outlets are on only 2 or 3 different fuses (not even a breaker box...)

If the house was built in the 50's and all the wiring is original, I'm surprised you can tell what color the wires are.  I don't know all of the "standards" back then, but it would seem they used red for neutral in at least some places in your house.  You should open up the breaker box to get a better idea of whats going on (with the power off) and also test the wires in that outlet box to make sure that black isn't neutral.  Over the years some DIY'er could have messed things up even more.

GFI can be installed without a ground, but again, make sure you know which is hot and which is neutral.  Also, I wouldn't wire up "the rest of the house" to the load terminals of that GFI outlet, so you may have to wire nut your reds and blacks and pigtail off of that to go to the outlet in the bathroom.  That extra wire and the extra size of the GFI outlet might also mean that you need a deeper outlet box - don't try to cram everything in there, especially with old wires that will have brittle insulation.


Clear silicone caulk or project adhesive (in marble-sized dabs at intervals--tape in place for 12 hours)
Double-sided foam mounting tape
Hot glue
Trim nails (into framing, not just drywall)


need to connect a c wire to my furnace/air conditioner

Your C wire should be connected the GND terminal on the ignition module.


How can I extend my pre-built cabinets to the ceiling?

Cabinets aren't usually extended to the ceiling. Either a soffit is built before cabinets are installed, or crown is installed directly on the cabinets (well below ceiling height). In your case, crown around the full-height cabinet and on the lower cabinets might look great, with all that detail and height variation to add interest.

However, if you're set on doing this, I'd build shells out of white melamine that are slightly smaller than the cabinet footprint, so as to avoid flush joints, and that reach to about 1/2" from the ceiling. This reduced height is to avoid the need to custom-fit to the ceiling. Then you can install your crown to the shells.

 _________________________________________________ <-- ceiling
    \\  _                                 _  //
     \\:_:_______________________________:_:// <-- crown molding
       | :                               : |
       | :                               : |
       | :                               : | <-- shell (sides shown)
      _|_:_______________________________:_|_
     |                                       |
     |                                       | <-- cabinet
     |                                       |

If you wanted to build the shells exactly to cabinet size you'd need to wrap the joint seam with some small trim to conceal the seam.


How do you remove a dummy knob with a screw that seems to spin and spin?

After removing the two screws on the handle, you may need to pull on the handle (away from the 3rd screw) to provide some resistance so the screw can begin unthreading.


How can I extend this clothes washer drain pipe to reach the sink?

Order an extra long washer drain hose.
Since your drain exits into a laundry sink there should not be concerns about flow restrictions. Be sure to secure the end in the sink as these washers push a lot of water very fast.

https://www.amazon.com/Long-Washing-Machine-Drain-Discharge/dp/B071G3HDL3


What is the difference between MSS SP-80 Type 1 and Type 2?

It seems a Type I is a globe valve and the type II is an angle valve.


Most likely the contractor will route the line through the basement or crawlspace, and emerge from the back of the house near where the outlet will be.  Snaking around the outside of the house (even underground), is more difficult, and may make the pipe more susceptible to damage. If the piping has to travel any significant distance from the house to the destination, that length of piping will almost certainly be buried. Depending on your location, the piping will be buried anywhere from 18-36".
Notes:
If you live in an area prone to freezing. It may be worth asking the installer to install a shutoff where the piping splits off from the main line, and at the end of the run.  This way you can turn the gas on/off at the grill during grilling season, and shut the whole line off when it's not grilling season.


Does arcing occur if nothing is plugged into the outlet?

Arcing - electrical current flowing across an air gap - only occurs when there's an electrical potential - a voltage - between the material on either side of the gap.
You can get arcing in loose electrical connections, such as between the wire loop and the screw terminal on a receptacle.  This is considered a series arc - the gap is in series with the circuit.
A series arc will only occur in your example when there's a potential between the screw and the wire.  There is only a potential present if there's a load on the circuit - when something's turned on and running.
A parallel arc could occur when there's nothing plugged in.  If there was weak contact or near-contact between hot and neutral in the box that would create a parallel arc.  That can happen with a skinned hot wire touching the metal box, for example.  (If the contact is reasonably solid, there would be no air gap, and it will create a dead short, which should trip the breaker or blow the fuse quickly.)


Plumbing - what is this bag for? Moisture collection?

This bag and its content aren't related with plumbing at all. Purpose of this bag is (or was) to collect moisture. You should throw it away ASAP, because it might be toxic....after that try to find out what is causing moisture and fix the problem.


Wiring a single pole switch next to a 3-way switch

No, you cannot extend the circuit from that location. You could extend the circuit from the first switch location, or run additional wires to the second switch location.

The location you've highlight lacks  a grounded (neutral) conductor, and an unswitched ungrounded (hot) conductor.


How to stop copper pipe corrosion (green copper stain in sinks and tubs)

This may not be much help or have anything to do with your installation, but I was told this by a large water heater tank company 30+ years ago. "Very Soft water heated close to and above 140 degrees F. becomes very aggressive and has very detrimental effects on metals it comes in contact with". I do not know if this is true or not, that is what I was told. The next time you speak with someone in the water field, you could ask their opinion and could this be a part of your problem. Also, water with a PH below 7.0 becomes corrosive. I am not a water expert, this just what I have been told.


Your diagnostics so far point to the indirect hot water heater coil leaking potable water into the furnace loop as the most likely issue. You could perhaps verify if you can shut your hot water down for a few days (not convenient, I know.)

Depending on the overall condition of the indirect water heater tank, the coil can often be  replaced as a part, if the indirect hot water tank is otherwise in good shape. Some are not designed this way, however.

While your test might leave room for a failed expansion tank, if you did not cool the boiler down too much (so the cool water then expands as it's heated; which with a failed expansion tank would raise the pressure significantly, and with a functioning one will raise the pressure slightly) it's probably valid, especially if the pressure rise took days, rather than shooting up the first time the boiler fired to temperature (a sure sign of expansion tank troubles.)

For a typical "modern" bladder-type expansion tank, there's an easy, quick test of the tank integrity - drop the pressure to zero on the system again and check the pressure on the air fill valve for the expansion tank. If it's also zero, the tank (diaphragm/bladder) has failed. The even quicker (if crude) test is to "burp" the air fill valve very slightly (don't want to release significant air or you need to drop the system pressure and refill it) to see if air or water comes out - if it's water, the tank has failed. I would expect your service technicians to have already done one or both of these tests, given your symptoms.


Schluter... Membrane over green drywall?

The answer on what will be easier depends on how square and flat the walls are currently. If the walls are already really flat(no more than 1/16" deviation in 2 ft) and the corners are square then you proceed with the membrane. If there is any work that needs to be done it is easier to shim the studs and/or plane studs before wall install. Take a level to the wall and check it everywhere.


What are some alternatives to wall anchors?

An alternative to using a large wall anchor for heavy duty mounting is to always find a wall stud for whatever item you are hanging on the wall.  Then you can use a smaller gauge screw (or nail) without any type of anchor required.  This will leave a smaller hole in the drywall and give you all the strength you need, but limit you to the places where you can position the item.

I am not sure what the weight of the item is that you are looking to hang on the wall but another alternative could be to just use drywall screws without any wall anchor.  In my house I do this a lot with light pictures, etc.  A drywall screw positioned at a slight downward angle has a good amount of holding power especially if it is something that is not going to get a lot of use but just sit there (I do not recommend just a drywall screw for something like a coat hook).

And then you can always use picture hangers like this that would only make a small nail hole:

Or even those sticky Picture Hanging Strips like this:


Easiest, fastest, and most precise way to cut Ceramic Tile

You need a diamond tile saw, where you put the tile on a platform and slide it past the water-cooled blade. They are fast, precise and good for the hardest porcelain tiles. Expect to pay $300 and up. Straight cuts are the easiest. To cut out a square corner, make the two cuts with the tile upside down. The back of the tile will be a mess, but the business-side will be tidy.

If you want the cut edges to be velvety smooth to walk on or rub skin against, use some damp 400 grit wet/dry held at a 45degree angle to the sharp edge.

Score-and-snap tools are fast for cut edges that will be hidden by a baseboard.

Cheaper saws where you push the tile through (like a table saw) are OK, but not as fast and versatile as the sliding-table models.

For round holes for shower heads etc, use a diamond hole saw. If the tile is porcelain, submerge it in water on a bit of plywood while making the cut.

For rectangular holes for electrical boxes, use a diamond hole saw for the four corners, then use the tile saw from the back, like a mitre saw.

The wet diamond blade is pretty amazing - it will cut through tiles but is fairly safe on fingers. You can hand-hold tiles for tricky trimming without too much danger. (at least so far!)


If my wall has metal studs, is it better to anchor heavy objects through just drywall or also through the studs?

It's going to be more secure to use the studs, but depending on the weight of what you're hanging, it may not be necessary.  If you're hanging more than 40+ pounds, I'd go ahead and use the studs.

Instead of using wood screws or lag bolts as you would use in wood studs, use toggle bolts similar to the Toggler brand that you mentioned.  Starting from the center of the stud, make progressively larger holes in the drywall and stud until the toggle bolt will fit through.  Follow the instructions as if you were putting it through just drywall.  You'll only need two studs for all but the most heavy items.  I've used this method to hang a small server rack in a partition wall, and it's stronger than I expected.


Check the relay for the blower in the air handler. It could be sticking due to pitted contacts from over currents from the motor not starting when the caps failed. Also, check the thermostat fan on/auto circuit. Good luck.


Can I use primers from different paint companies in the same room?

If it's latex primer, watch the smell - or just throw it out.

Especially now with the low-VOC regulations, mold or fungus can get growing in a can of water-based paint or primer. It creates a horrible smell (but one easily attributed to "the expected stink of paint".

You don't find out until after you've painted a wall that the smell isn't leaving. Ever.  It will then defy every possible effort to seal it in, cover it up, etc.  Now you have to remove it all. What a job!  These nightmares have ended with people having to tear the drywall off the wall.

Primer's job is to create a uniform surface

So that the topcoat will behave the same all over the room - be an equally appropriate surface for paint, absorb the same, sheen the same, and have its color print through the same.  Otherwise if you painted a checkerboard wall, the checkerboard would still be printing through after 2-3 topcoats.

So you want to arrange the primer job so that the final primer coat is essentially the same throughout the room.  Whatever sequence of use makes that work best, that's what you do.   If the characteristics of the three products are similar enough, that may be enough.

Mix products together? Not without factory consultation

Because even if they are the same type (alkyd vs latex) they may not be compatible chemically.


Sewage water draining behind home below walk out deck?

You have a clogged main drain and the sewage is coming up from the drain vent in the yard. Get the drain cabled.


Generally speaking, varnish makes the wood look pretty and shiny and protects it from water although the protection is not perfect.

A much better explanation can be found in the book Understanding Wood Finishing by Bob Flexner.

It has been through several editions so your local public library should have a copy.  He debunks a lot of myths and is pretty scientific while still being practical.

[edit] I feel like I trivialized the question in my first answer.  Here is a bit more on the topic.

Wood has pores in it and so the pores will fill up with dirt, oil from your hands, and schmutz in general.  The finish you put on the wood will protect it from this and make it easier to clean off.  It also protects the wood from water although how much protection it gives depends on the finish.  Varnish does a pretty good job with both of these.

Furthermore, polyurethane varnish often has UV blockers in it to protect the wood from changes in color due to sunlight (or UV from whatever source). No finish does a very good job of protecting from scratches but some finishes are more easily repaired from scratches than others.


Is there a flush circuit breaker box cover?

Holy smokes, no! Panel covers are not junction box covers!
The panel cover MUST be flush with the panel.  There is no choice nor option to that.
It doesn't work at all to have the cover be out of position. The cover being flush is essential to the  breakers not falling out!! That would be clear if you understood how breakers attach.

Use the surface mount version of the cover for that panel.
Which manufacturers usually are willing to sell separately.
The surface-mount version, instead of having a big flange to cover up the drywall edge, simply is bent 90 degrees at the edge. It adds maybe a 1/16" margin to the box size.  You will still need to plane or saw down the 2x4's a little bit, but it should be feasible.
Honestly, I'd cut back the drywall and 2x4 a lot more.
The reason is, as usual, no thought was given to finish treatments for the inside edge of this frame.  So I'd actually remove about 1-1/4" from all four sides, so there's room to frame it in stainable wood 1-by's. And I'd create that box of 1-x's on the bench, built so the inside is 1/4" larger than the panel cover.... (and this would work with the original panel cover too).
Then having cut back the 2x4 material and drywall, I'd reinstall the panel cover, then shim the frame/lining so that it is dead nuts square on the panel cover with 1/8" margin on every side.   Screw it down.  Then stain it with a tasteful stain. Finally I'd fit a cosmetic fringe around the opening to hide the ugly gap between box and drywall.
For bonus points, you could simply put a tasteful cabinet cover over the whole shebang, then you wouldn't need all that trim wood.


How do I keep the plastic window insulators sealed when the window has a sill?

That sounds like it would work but its involved.  I do what you do and use the double stick tape on the flat top of the sill.  Then before I shrink the plastic I get normal clear packaging tape and go around the whole window again.  I get a lot of draft and condensation and over the years this technique evolved and seems to work.


Is it really a good idea to buy an old house which needs some rework?

It depends entirely on the way in which the house is run down.

Hire a reputable house inspector to thoroughly examine it.  It won't be 100% reliable, but the report will give you a good idea of what is wrong and what is still okay with the house.  For instance you might see things like:

You'll need to replace the furnace within a year or two.
The roof shingles/tiles should be good for another 10 years.
The foundation has recently cracked and part of the structure is sagging.

The first one means you know you'll need to spend some money soon, so consider that amount as part of the purchase price of the house.

The second one means you'll have a big expense down the line, so spread that amount out over time.

The third means that you are going to have leaks, with dampness or flooding, and that the building itself might no longer be structurally sound.  Repairing this might end up being more expensive than tearing it down and rebuilding.

If there are problems of that last type, stay away.

If all the problems found are of the first and second type, with predictable cost, and if all the obvious problems you can see yourself are cosmetic, then if you still think it's worth the adjusted total price, go for it.

There will of course be other problems with severity between these, and there will be seemingly small problems that turn out to be cans of worms, so you'll have to use your own judgement. There will always be risk.  Nothing is certain.

It also makes a huge difference whether you are going to do the repairs yourself or hire someone.  You can buy a lot of pipes and fittings for a few hundred pounds, but hiring a plumbing company to do the upgrades could cost you tens of thousands.


What size junction box do I need for a wall mount with a 3.5 inch base?

Generally, assume you want a 4" octagon box, which is 3.5" on the flats and 4" in the cornerish dimension. If it just fits inside a 4" square box, that's the one.

They also make a 3.5" octagon box, which is 3" across the flats and 3.5" cornerish. That is generally too small, and this size is largely deprecated.

You can get a plate to adapt 4" boxes to those looking for 3.5" boxes, but not the other way 'round.


Provided you aren't moving the expansion tank in relation to any other valves and pressure regulators moving it is fine.
The procedure for doing so is:

Determine the length of new pipe and number of sleeves you will need to move the tank.

My guess is you will be making 2 cuts and thus need 2 sleeves provided the the pipe you are working on is a straight line (one down stream of the tank and one at the place you want to reposition the tank to)

Shut the water off up stream of the site you plan to work on.
Drain the pipes downstream of what you plan to work on.
Cut the pipes
Reposition the tank
Use the bicycle pump valve (Schrader valve) and a bike pump to inflate it to the appropriate pressure (hint: it should be the same pressure as the upstream pressure reducing valve)
Open your upstream and downstream valves to check for leaks and remove any air in the lines.


Ceiling light fixture has no ground wire, and wires are of same color

It is normal not to have a ground wire if it is a legacy armored cable, which is hard to tell from inside the electrical box. If so is the case, the armoring (metal cladding around the usually cloth insulated wires) acts as grounding.
My house is old and has some of this legacy wiring. I believe one of the wires was originally insulated in black (hot), the other white (neutral), but since it's been 100 years, the dirt has made them both very dark.
To install a fixture on such a box, just put a grounding bolt (or clip) somewhere in the box and pigtail the fixture's ground wire to it and it shouldn't matter which of the hot/neutral wires from the fixture you connect to which of the feeding ones.


Electrical socket working for washer but not sump pump

Yes you should replace the socket. If there are any signs of heat damage on the plugs then you should replace those too.

It sounds like the contacts in the socket are going bad and are just about making contact with one plug and not the other. Socket contacts that are only just about making contact are not a good thing.


Why is this light fixture with 3 bulbs giving me so much trouble?

Do you have a picture of the cover? It seems very likely that all your problem simply relate to an overheating.
Is there a chance for a better air flow (thermal ventilation)?


Answer from the UK but the principles should apply wherever.

You usually want switched live, permanent live and neutral (+ earth) going to the fan via a three-pole isolating switch. The permanent live is optional but lets you use a fan with a timer or humidistat that runs even when the light is off. The switch allows you to work safely on the fan without turning off power to the entire house and lets you turn it off temporarily if the fan ever breaks while still being able to use the light. The isolator would typically be located high up on a wall or in the ceiling, out of reach of bumps and splashes, and less intrusive visually.


Maybe this could be approached from a different angle. If snoring is the only reason you desire sound deading then talk your housemate into purchasing a snore suppressor. Earplugs would be far cheaper and easier than creating a wall sound barrier.


How should I install slab doors when the jamb has been drywalled over?

Before you get started carefully evaluate if you really really want to have a pair of doors that swing out 18" into the room. In many bedrooms this is likely to be a less than desirable thing to have. If you are having a hard time visualizing what this would be like then you should get some large cardboard boxes and make up a fake set of the doors and duct tape them in place for a few days. Then with normal usage of the room you can swing the fake doors open and shut to see if the 18" interference is a pain or not.

Do not try to install the door hardware right on the top of the drywall. You will indeed regret doing that sooner as opposed to later.

The really correct way to do this is to remove the banding drywall material. (This will likely be more work than first guess because there is highly likely to be metal corner pieces installed on each corner of the opening). You would also remove the banding drywall at the upper side of the opening along with any previous door track hardware. Then you would fit in new boards to make a proper jamb for the doors. These will want to 3/4" thickness and not the 0.5" thickness that you proposed. Proper door fitting will demand that there be a small gap between the jamb and the exposed stud faces. The gap is used to allow the adjustment of the jamb opening so that it is perfectly square and plumb. Tapered wood wedges in the opening help to wedge the frame one way or another.

After the jamb is in place the trim is installed across the gap to bridge over the space from the jamb out over the drywall.

You should also plan for installing door stop molding which gives an edge for the doors to close against.

Door Comparison

I've added a couple of pictures to my answer to show the advantage of bi-fold doors in terms of how they project out into the room less than full swing doors. First off you would want to use a pair of bi-fold doors per opening for optimum usage. The second point is that the pivot point for bi-fold doors can often be recesed into the opening which lessens the projection distance into the room. The latter comment would also apply to a single bi-fold door application as well.

I can appreciate the fact that bi-fold doors use up some of the opening width. For your most often used closets you may want to consider the possibility to widen the opening which of course is not a trivial project. But then what is the price of convenience.

Also closets with deep blind ends are indeed a pain to make use of. Often it can be advantageous to re-fit the closet pole in such closets so that they go across from the front to back of the space at the ends so it is easier to take hung garments in and out.


Meaning of SA mean in "GFI - SA" electrical panel labeling?

In this context, "SA" means "Small Appliance", a specific designation required per the NEC, article 210.52. Dwellings are required to have a minimum number of SA circuits, not to be confused with GFCIs required for outdoor, bathroom and garage circuits. Labeling them that way in the panel makes it easier for an inspector to see so that the electrician can pass the inspection without having to prove to the inspector that he has the proper number of SA circuits.


Fixing wall with constant moisture over the years

I deal with excessive moisture in the house by using a portable dehumidifier. I live up in the Seattle area where we get a LOT of moisture. A side effect is that it creates heat from both the electricity used and that water vapor needs to release heat to condensate (the opposite of steam from heated water); this a positive in the winter (free heat from the water vapor) and a negative in the summer.


How to connect two different height water tank on pump?

The simplest method is to mount the tanks so that the water surfaces are level when the tanks are full. This means that they can be connected, without valves etc, together directly to the pump inlet.

If the full surfaces are not level, then one tank will fill the other and may cause an overflow, unless one-way valves etc are fitted.


Nests have no trouble with heat pumps
A simple, single-stage heat pump like yours shouldn't be an issue for a Nest, even the stripped down E model.  Your wiring goes as follows:

Red to R or Rc
Blue to C
White to AUX if present, or W1 if not
Yellow to Y1
Green to G
and Orange to O/B

Just remember to set your Nest up for a heat pump and set its O/B setting for an O wire if it isn't set that way already, and you should be good to go.


How can I use a WeMo controller on a non-standard outlet?

Adapting a 120V controller for a 240V (208 is unlikely unless you have 3-phase power) plug seems remarkably foolish...

Quoting wikipedia: "NEMA 6 devices, while specified as 250 V, may be used for either 208 V or 240 V circuits, generally depending on whether the building has a three-phase or split-phase power supply, respectively."

To Quote Belkin, Wemo ratings: "Max 120V~/16A/60Hz/1800W"

Either educate yourself far enough to use a 240V relay with a 120V coil to control the A/C (plug the COIL into the WeMo) or forget this as baaaaaaad idea.


Your wire sizing is fine

Motor conductors are sized as a continuous load (125% of Full Load Amps), so 12AWG is more than adequate for an 11A motor.

But your choice of wiring method is partly off the mark

However, unjacketed MC cable like what you linked is not suitable for wet locations or direct burial, so it can't be used outside.  Furthermore, since this is a pool pump you're wiring, NEC 680.11 governs what wiring methods you can use:

  680.11 Underground Wiring Location. Underground wiring
  shall be permitted where installed in rigid metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit, rigid polyvinyl chloride conduit, reinforced thermosetting resin conduit, or Type MC cable, suitable
  for the conditions subject to that location. Underground wiring
  shall not be permitted under the pool unless this wiring is
  necessary to supply pool equipment permitted by this article.
  Minimum cover depths shall be as given in Table 300.5.

As a result of this and the fact PVC-jacketed MC (which can be buried) isn't typical big-box fare, you cannot use direct buried cable for this, and basically are forced to go with conduit (typically, rigid PVC at Code burial depths), with individual 12AWG THWN wires inside instead of a cable.  Once you get into the house, though, you can transition at a box to a different wiring method (such as regular MC or NM).


The good (at least not burned part) MOSFET in your pictures I take it is the 04NG which is an N-channel MOSFET.  The added numbers on this parts markings have to do with various information like manufacture, location of manufacture, date or production line numbers.

As far as it being identical, I would suspect that not to be this case.  If they both were connected to the same location for the heavy sink buss terminal of that part then more likely they would be, but as seen they are connected to two different locations.  If you trace the blue wire and the white wire they likely go to opposite polarities on the battery.  This could be one is used forward and one reverse.

The one on EBAY could possibly replace the one that does not look burnt.  If the burnt one is the same yes it could work if it is instead the P-Channel version then no it will need the P-Channel version of 04NG.   The issue I see is parts sources like Mouser list 04NG as 40V but most are shown as 120amp units.  The EBAY unit is listed it as 30amp.  I would look for at least a 120A version for replacing.

There is always a chance other parts were damaged, it is a roll of the dice after a tech inspects for obvious parts and replaces those.  Before buying and replacing the obvious components check and see if there is a chance to buy the whole board cheaply.  If the board is close to the part only price you then can reduce the worry on some of the other parts on the board being bad.


3 wire cooktop, 4 wire stove, 4 wire supply - what to do about neutral and ground?

In this case, you connect like to like.

The cooktop does not have a neutral (white) wire.

This is perfectly fine. The cooktop has no 120Volt loads, so it does not NEED a white wire.

[ The concerning case is when an old device has black, red, & white, but no ground (green or bare) ]


Get yourself some shelf brackets and attach them to your wall into studs. Work out the spacing of the brackets for your screen. The brackets look like this:

Attach some 3/4" hardwood (oak, maple, etc.) planks to it to make a nice looking shelf. Attach the screen underneath the shelves which should conceal the hanging brackets and give you the clearance away from the wall you're looking for. You may want to drill a hole through the shelves and attach the screen using bolts and nuts instead of screwing directly into the wood shelves. You can also use the shelf to display some cool movie knickknacks.

You could also build something fancy using a French Cleat if you have the skills and tools.


Use 60Amp disconnect as a pass-through to another disconnect

This should be fine, but triple-check the fill if you want to be sure, and make sure it's labeled properly too!

Your usecase (extra wires run through a disconnect box to another disconnect) falls under NEC 312.8:

  312.8 Switch and Overcurrent Device Enclosures with
  Splices, Taps, and Feed-Through Conductors. The wiring space of enclosures for switches or overcurrent devices
  shall be permitted for conductors feeding through, spliced, or tapping off to other enclosures, switches, or overcurrent
  devices where all of the following conditions are met:

  (1) The total of all conductors installed at any cross section
  of the wiring space does not exceed 40 percent of the
  cross-sectional area of that space.

  (2) The total area of all conductors, splices, and taps installed at any cross section of the wiring space does not
  exceed 75 percent of the cross-sectional area of that
  space.

  (3) A warning label complying with 110.21(B) is applied
  to the enclosure that identifies the closest disconnecting
  means for any feed-through conductors.

The 40% and 75% fill rules are trivial in this case -- the gutters on even the smallest disconnects are larger than 3/4" EMT in order to provide the Code-required wire-bending space, so you'll be nowhere close to either one.  Since these are true feed-through conductors, though, the existing disconnect will need a a label applied to it in accordance with 110.21(B), though:

  (B) Field-Applied Hazard Markings. Where caution,
  warning, or danger signs or labels are required by this
  Code, the labels shall meet the following requirements:

  1) The marking shall adequately warn of the hazard using
  effective words and/or colors and/or symbols.

  Informational Note:
  ANSI Z535.4-2011, Product Safety
  Signs and Labels, provides guidelines for suitable font
  sizes, words, colors, symbols, and location requirements for
  labels.

  (2) The label shall be permanently affixed to the equipment
  or wiring method and shall not be hand written.

  Exception to (2): Portions of labels or markings that are
  variable, or that could be subject to changes, shall be permitted to be hand written and shall be legible.

  (3) The label shall be of sufficient durability to withstand
  the environment involved.

  Informational Note: ANSI Z535.4-2011, Product Safety
  Signs and Labels, provides guidelines for the design and
  durability of safety signs and labels for application to electrical equipment.

Given all that, I would simply make up a printed label that says "Caution: Feed-through conductors are disconnected by breaker XYZ in the panel" where XYZ is the label given to the new breaker in the loadcenter's directory, and apply it to the inside of the existing disconnect's cover where it's sheltered from UV, water, etal.


Shower Base over or to the side of tiles

You should put tub and tile backer board down on the floor where the shower will be and then once the tub is installed tile up to the edge.  You dont want tile underneath as it may or may not end up level, it may or may not come loose after weight is put onto it, and most importantly grout is not waterproof...it will absorb water and you definitely dont want that under the shower.


Is there a reason not to connect the ground wire to a chandelier?

The only reason not to connect the ground wire would be because there is nowhere to connect it.

Older houses have 14/2 without a ground, particularly to ceiling boxes.  The box itself may not be grounded.  In this case, it would be better NOT to connect it to the box, as a signal to the next person working in there, "Warning! This is not grounded!"

But, it there is a green or bare copper wire in there, then by all means hook it up.


Why is the neutral tied to ground in my home's electrical panel?

Current wants to return to source, not to earth

Yeah, OK.  Lightning's source is actually earth.  The same be said for ESD, aka "shock on the doorknob" static electricity.

However, for human-made electricity, that wants to get back to the artificial source -  typically the supply transformer.

Transformers are insulated, so the two sides are not electrically connected.  The secondary winding's electrons do not want to get back to the primary.  Unless it's leaking (failing insulation).

The neutral-ground bond

Your instinct is not wrong. You are thinking of an isolated system where none of the conductors contact earth.  I have had three such systems; two are intended and one was a malfunction, a loss of that same neutral-ground bond that worries you.

For instance, the three wires would be hot1-120V-neutral-120V-hot2 relative to each other, but nothing (isolated) compared to earth.  If you grab earth and hot, nothing happens.  Great idea, right?

The problem with isolated systems is they don't stay isolated without active labor of site maintenance electricians, e.g. In a factory.  You end up with leakage from something to one of the wires or transformer windings.  In my malfunction, I had a leak from Earth to Hot1.  So now,

Earth to hot1 is 0 volts
Earth to neutral is 120V
Earth to hot2 is 240V

So now, touching hot1 is safe, but hot2 is twice as bitey. In 230V Europe, "twice as bitey" would actually mean 400V because of their 3-phase.  That's nasty business!

Even worse, what if the leak is in the 2400V transformer?

Earth to hot1 is 2400 volts
Earth to neutral is 2520V
Earth to hot2 is 2640V

Yikes!

So you see, if you leave Fate to choose the first leak, you get Fate's choice instead of your own.  But if you force the choice, you can "peg" it where you want.  Then, the first leak becomes the second leak, completes the circuit, and allows circuit breakers to protect you.   In my malfunction, as soon as I installed the neutral-ground bond, that other hot-ground bond leaked enough current to hard-trip the breaker.

And because neutral is bonded to ground, the hots cannot be more than 120V from ground.  That's the whole idea.

For the neutral-ground bond, we use a strap of copper because it's cheap. But imagine what would happen if we used a 1-volt transformer?

Earth to hot1 is 121 volts
Earth to neutral is 1 volt
Earth to hot2 is 119 volts

Any problem with that?  Nope, this would serve all the purposes of a neutral-ground bond, and would be very useful for troubleshooting.

Once we pick the conductor that is bonded to ground, we name it "neutral". The code books call it the chalkboard-scratching term "grounded conductor", i.e. The active (normal current flow) conductor which is grounded somewhere (but not here). We plan for it to be near ground, but if a neutral wire breaks, neutral may ride up near hot voltage.  That is why we insulate it like a hot.

Your panel has all the neutrals and grounds all mixed on one bar. That's kind of "all your bars being the neutral-ground bond", which is legal, but tacky and misleading.  Best practice calls for rigid separation of these two, neutrals on the neutral bar, grounds on the ground bar (which you may need to buy as an accessory), and one specific neutral-ground bond and bonus points if you can easily remove it or get a clamp ammeter around it.


How can I repair damaged vinyl flooring over gypsum subfloor?

The white looking stuff is not gypsum, it is the backer that the finish facing is bonded to. If you look closely at it you will see it has the consistency of soft cardboard, it will flake a little and be slightly fibrous.

If you feel you should repair it, make sure the glue is flexible, since the flooring has a little give to it.

I would think if the movers damaged it, they would be responsible to fix it. They should have insurance to cover these items, since they are in the type of business where this type of stuff happens. They also, since that would be the case, have leads on companies that specialize in this type of repair. Take pictures of all the damage and send it to the company that did the moving, they have a reputation they want to keep in good standing, I would hope.


Can 1" thick planks take (vertical) shear loads of 200kg through bolts without splitting?

As a Structural Engineer in Training I advise to add the extension to the top of the ladder so there is no axial load through it, only shear and moment. I would recommend a minimum of a 2" thick piece so sister two 1" thick boards together nailing them every 6" together. I would advise that you match the length attached to the ladder with the length of the extension with a minimum of 12" overlap on the ladder. Add two bolts on each end with a 2" (50mm) spacing between each bolt and the edge of the ladder. Also make sure to match the rung distance if your extension is that long. Hope it works out for you!


Ceiling Fan lights turn off on their own w/ a Twist

It’s hard to tell for sure but if it was working normally until recently I’d say the electronics for the remote control receiver are failing.
You can bypass the remote unit and connect one of the wall switches directly to the light kit. You can keep using it that way or replace the remote and receiver with a universal ceiling fan remote control kit.


What type of material is this and do I have a leak?

I would be more concerned about what appears to be a low spot the toilet sets in according to the first picture. It may be the floor is bulged there, and it makes it look like the toilet is sunk, but there is an issue there. It may be the root of the problem. The red stuff may be the adhesive layer of the peel and stick tile that you have now, but I don't think it's that. I would think it is the color of the next old floor down. The picture does't show it all, but it is curious how that red layer looks like it is coming up as well as the tile above it, like the joints in the tile are lined up.

Your answer to 2 and 3, is the toilet leaking swelling the floor, in my opinion.
and 4, the floor needs to come up, down to the subfloor to expose any rot, so it can be repaired.

5, Since your house is old enough to have asbestos tile and there may be many layers on the floor, yes the possibility is there. The are asbestos remediation companies out there that test and remove the asbestos if any is found. These companies are pricey in what they do, IMHO.


Paint texture getting rough at second coat

Your roller seems very small for painting a wall. 1cm - 3/8 would work well for touching-up. Perhaps you should try a 2-3 inch roller, this would be much quicker, be more consistent and you’d be using the same tool as a professional would use. Additionally, if the paint you’ve used is old or been allowed to lose moisture it may be thicker than when new. As your paint is water-based, adding a small amount of water may help (try on a small area first). You also mention about bubbles and being ‘light with the roller’. Emulsioning can create tiny bubbles as the roller passes over the surface but theses will quickly disappear. As for being ‘light’, there shouldn’t be a requirement to be light with the roller to get a good finish. Buy a quality shirt-pile mohair roller for silk emulsion and a medium-pile sheepskin roller for Matt emulsion, avoid spongy foam rollers and you’ll be painting like a professional!


Humidifier connected to water supply WITHOUT a furnace

Search for a ductless humidifier. Aprilaire makes them as do other manufacturers. I have used the Aprilaire model 350 and it works. My 2 cents


Can a broken prong stuck in an outlet increase electrical consumption?

A prong by itself cannot make a complete circuit. Even if it did, it would immediately trip your circuit breaker and likely damage the receptacle (as in it would visibly spark/arc). It doesn't sound they they're on the surface either, or they would be a shock hazard.

If I were you, and you feel confident enough to turn the power off, you could replace it easily with a new receptacle. It's just a matter of unscrewing and screwing with wires. Take a picture of the wires before you disconnect them.


What kind of terminal is this, and how can I fix it?

It is called a spade connector, or spade lug terminal. You are holding a female connector.

You can purchase these at an electronics supply shop. As you might expect, they are available in a bewildering variety of styles and sizes. You might want to bring one of your connectors for identification.

Some are designed to be soldered onto the end of a wire, and others are made to crimp on using a bespoke tool. Either way, I think you'll find that heat-shrink tubing makes an excellent protective insulation.