Unless you have some particular reason related to plasti-dip's peel-ability to choose that, just hit it with some black paint, and be careful not to scrape it when moving it (indeed, hit it with some black paint, and then you might want to cover the paint with paper for damage protection before moving it, after you check that the paint job is perfect.)

I'd probably reach for a can of BBQ black by default, but pretty much any black paint will do. The windows in some of the old barns where I grew up had been painted black (with a brush) and from the outside looked like black mirrors, even though the inside paint job was not very smooth - the glass makes the surface from that side.

I would let the paint dry a good long time before handling it at all.


Do not pay these butchers one red cent. Immediately file a complaint with the state contractor licensing authority and ask them what the best next step should be.
Get a lawyer and file a preemptive lawsuit to prevent them from placing a lien on your home.


Are there benefits to having the dishwasher drain into the garbage disposal?

If you connect it to the garburator, any backups fill the sink, rather than the cabinet under the sink.


Surely you can but there a couple of things to consider. Concrete should not be less than 2 inches, so based on a 2x4 as your footing/frame I would not add more than 1.5inches of base loose pieces. The other thing is expansion as it cures. So you may want to add chicken wire overlay and use large enough pieces of concrete where you can tie the concrete pieces with wiring to the chicken wire. This will allow for the concrete to stick and stay regardless of expansion during the first 3 days of curing which is the most important.

If you are using crushed pieces then I would just make sure to tamper the rocks very well so the no sinkage occurs over time.


That's an odd set, really.
The ends have to be "floating" to hold any weight, at which point the usual approach is to dispense with the uprights and make the shelves fully "floating."
There are a few ways of floating shelves, all simple in concept but finicky in practice. One is long rods set into the studs (deeper than is safe if you don't know what's in the studs so you can miss wires and pipes) with matching holes in the back of the shelves. Conceptually simple, but if anything is the least bit at the wrong angle, very difficult in practice as the rods and holes won't line up and the shelves won't slide on.
Another approach uses a bracket that screws to the wall surface, and a shelf that's essentially a hollow box that slips over the bracket to hide it.


If you simply boxed around it with 2x4s, insulated with fiberglass bat insulation, and covered with a double layer of drywall, it would give you quite a reduction in noise.  You will need to blank off that receptacle and leave an access panel in the front so the box is accessible.

If you frame around it with metal studs, and use homasote rather than drywall, you will achieve even greater sound insulation.


How do I wire a 4 terminal light fixture

Black to black to black.
White to white to white.

All they've done in your light fixture's case is not bother to connect the wires for you ahead of time.  You'll just be wiring the lights up in parallel yourself.  It's always hot to hot and neutral to neutral.


Absolutely you can repair it! A photo would be helpful to give us a idea what is needed, etching and adding a new layer or maybe a thin stone veneer to help it look original. I have etch granite steps that were worn over 100 years a thin layer of mortar holding a 1/4 inch granite slab on top of the steps was approved and later awarded for a restoration project on a Vicky, ( one of about a dozen things that were mentioned in the award) but this was decades ago. The same process will still work.


Connecting dishwasher to the waste disposal

If you connect above the U bend or P trap this will work. If the connection is below the U bend or P trap sewer gasses can enter the home these can be both unhealthy and explosive.


I have seen a similar item made completely out of pvc pipe, with the pipes joined together with pvc cement. You make a couple of rectangles (instead of triangles) of pvc for the bottom of each side, say 1 ft high by 2ft wide. Then from the top middle of each rectangle (the 2ft long side), have a tee in the middle to a pipe going up, and then the topbar between the ends of these uprights. Of course, if you have the scrap wood already on hand, that is probably cheaper. You can still use a pvc top piece, just cut a hole in the wood to fit and put a bolt through the pvc on either side of the end piece to keep it in position.
Hope this helps.


How should I deal with sediment in my water lines? Whole-house filter?

Oh my goodness. This is the city's problem. Unbelievable that you are getting so much sediment OR there is a busted line getting lots of clay and iron particles to clog you up. Have you done a flow test? Hopefully before you purchased your home. Keep changing your filters and if this is truly on city water, you HAVE to start whining loudly!! Or get someone to find out if there is a break in your line to your home. That would be my suspicion. City water usually does NOT have that much sediment. Now if you are on a well, an entire different story and landlord needs to fix! – stormy 1 min ago


Belt and pulley fell off 40" attic fan & my repair failed (updated)

Check the capacitor

Since the motor starts and runs no-load, it's not the motor windings themselves, and the capacitor isn't open or shorted most likely.  I'd check it anyway though, as it's likely way out of spec, which'd explain the behavior you're seeing (starts unloaded, but fails to start up under load) and the motor is a Permanent Split Capacitor (PSC) type, so there's no start switch involved here.


Things are different here.  In that other box from the other post, there were 3 cables:

Always-hot (black) and neutral (white) from supply
Always-hot (black) and neutral (white) onward to other points of use
Always-hot (white marked with black tape*) and switched-hot (black**) from light switch

Your situation has these 3 cables (note one of them is changed):

Always-hot (black) and neutral (white) from supply
Always-hot (white marked with black tape*) and switched-hot (black**) from light switch
Switched-hot (black**) and neutral (white) onward to the other lights

You simply need to group all always-hots (certain blacks and remarked whites),  all neutrals (unmarked whites), and switched-hots (those ones I recommend you mark red).

Marking things with tape to indicate their function makes things vastly easier, the next time you're inside that box.

* Use of the white wire, and this marking, is mandatory.
** Use of red tape to mark these wires is strongly recommended by me. This indicates their function -- switched-hot.  If you don't want to do that, that's fine,  but don't complain when you're confused :)

My recommended color code for wires is:

Black -- always-hot
White -- neutral (mandatory)
Red -- switched-hot #1  (this is a general convention)
Blue -- switched-hot #2 (ditto)
Two Yellow -- 3-way travelers  (this is a Harper special :)


How can I match an existing stain color on exterior shutters? The bottom half has been faded by sprinkler hitting them

Matching stains on wood is a tricky business.  A paint store should have samples of stained wood you can take home to compare, but differences in wood species can throw off the color of a stain.  It's not likely that the store will be able to "color-match" the stain even if you brought them a shutter - solid colors are easy to match, but transparent ones are nearly impossible, due to the color variations found in the grain of the wood.  If you do decide to try that route, most stores will need a sample of the color to be matched that's about the size of a quarter or slightly larger - which you'll have to extract from your existing shutters.

Another issue you'll face is that stains and wood finishes tend to darken over time as they age and are exposed to UV light.  So, in the off-chance you do find a stain that matches, it may be significantly darker than the existing wood in a few years.

To be perfectly honest, your best bet would be to paint the shutters a solid color, or sand them down and re-stain them with all-new stain.  A solid color will be easy to retouch as the finish is exposed to the elements.

Source: I worked for a big-box retailer for about 5 years, mostly in Flooring, but I also worked in Paint when we were short-handed.  Between the two, I've probably answered most of the common questions about repairing pre-finished wood.


Specific name of this faucet / sink type

I don't know the name of this type of sink or faucet configuration.

If you are already expecting to re-use the cap, you may be able to find another faucet that will work with it.  There are a number of one-handle kitchen faucets that are now designed to be installed with or without a wide base.  For example, the Moen Essie faucet

You may be able to take a faucet like this and mount it on top of the existing cap.


Is this rat slab as useless as it seems?

I would leave the slab in since there is water down there and moving. This kind of slab in Oregon is to reduce moisture or make a storage space not rodents and I would believe this would be the case since it only partly covered. If you remove the slab all the wet earth will be exposed and the home humidity levels may drasticly increase and possible musty smell, if the slab is removed a new vapor barrier should be put down.


You're thinking about this too much. The goal is to reduce air contact with the metal. Simply get yourself some R-11 or R-13 fiberglass batts and pack the joist or ceiling space loosely around each vent component. Condensation is greatly reduced by doing so, and your obligation is fulfilled.


How strong should the air current from my heat pump be, and is there a way to adjust the power myself?

If this is a standard ducted A/C unit you could check the temperature drop across the A/C coil using a thermometer. Check the air temperature entering the coil (return air) and the discharge air above the coil (cold supply air). The temperature drop should be between 15 & 20 degrees F. If the air temperature drop exceeds the 20 degrees F more air may be required. This is about all you can do yourself. The rest should be done by the installer or another HVAC company.


Standard Vent - no dedicated air intake, a flue exiting the house, almost always through the roof. Not much different from 1920's technology.

Direct Vent - Generally a concentric pipe with air intake in the annulus between pipes, and exhaust in the center. Frequently a horizontal through-wall vent. Will be mentioned in product install literature.


There are some productive discussions here:
http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=9980.0
https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/79794/determine-with-arduino-if-220v-ac-power-is-on-or-off

A few ideas come to mind:
1) Stick an photosensor in front of the light connected to your home automation server.  Advantage is that you don't need to modify the light's circuit. Disadvantage is that you need to run 2 low-voltage wires outside.

2) Modify the circuit to have a socket, plug in a small transformer (e.g. cell phone charger) and run that wire back to your circuit.  Advantage is that it is straightforward and uses off-the shelf parts.  This works great if there's a junction box indoors that you can tap.

3) Use an AC-powered relay of the types here: (e.g. Tyco R10)
http://www.industrialelectronics.biz/potter/potter.html
Advantages: safe, disadvantage you still need to modify the circuit.

4) Use a hall effect sensor.  Advantage: no need to modify the circuit, but you still need access to it.

5)  Use a custom circuit consisting of a half-bridge rectifier, a resister network divider, and an optoisolator, which is basically what a wall-wart does, except that it has a transformer in it.  Advantage: cheap.  Disadvantage: dangerous.


Heating element in oven not working - can I still use it?

I think the oven is probably safe electrically, but you should immediately have it repaired. You could "throw parts at the problem" by just replacing the heating element yourself and this might fix it, but it could be something else.

You could remove the element and test its resistance. When our oven went I out I decided to first test the temperature sensor (thermistor). I spent a lot of time on this and the tests indicated it was OK, but testing a heating element might be simpler.

How old is the oven? Is this a stand-alone oven or is it in a stove?

The oven in our GE 30" base quality (but self cleaning) electric range was first erratic and then would not heat. It turned out to be the controller/display module (aka the "oven timer"). The range was over 20 years old and I could not get a new timer module.

I ended up removing and sending the timer to a company (in Ontario, Canada) which repairs them and within a week or 10 days got it back (total charge was about $125). That was 7 years ago and it has worked perfectly since.


Stud hole for Romex electrical wire filled with Green-glue acoustic sealant - Cause of concern?

The MDS notes that the components are latex polymer, water and CaCO3 (calcium carbonate). These are inert and should not interact with the sheathing.


How to measure air flow coming out of registers?

Use an Anemometer to measure the air velocity, then multiply that by the cross sectional area of the duct.
Circular Duct
Air Velocity x (πr²) = Air Volume
4583.67 feet/minute x 3.14159265359 x ((4 inches / 12)/2)^2 = cubic feet/minute
4583.67 x 3.14159265359 x 0.02777777777777777778 = CFM
4583.67 x 0.08726646259972222222222222222222 = CFM
400.00066662446875833333333333333 cubic feet/minute
Rectangular Duct
Air Velocity x Length x Width = Air Volume
1772.31 feet/minute x (3 1/4 inches / 12) x (10 inches / 12) = cubic feet/minute
1772.31 x 0.2708333333333333333333333333 x 0.8333333333333333333333333333 = CFM
1772.31 x 0.22569444444444444444444444444444 = CFM
400.00052083333333333333333333333 cubic feet/minute
Or pick up a handheld digital anemometer, and let it do the calculations for you.


Can i turn a light switch into an outlet?

First, is this legal?. NEC requires switches in certain specific locations.   What's more, some cities also require switches in cetain locations.   Not least, that's so emergency responders can get the lights on, so an EMT can treat you, or a cop doesn't shoot your son because she can't see that's a computer mouse.  Run this by your electrical inspector.

Ok then.

Turn off the circuit.  Look inside the lamp box. Is there 3-wire  (black white red) cable there?

We know there is 3-wire cable inside the switches, because that's how those switches work.

If this is on conduit we'll have to revisit.  But assuming this is done in cable... The 3 colors are always black white red.   Right mow the colors mean gibberish.  We will give the colors meaning.  And that means every place those 3-wire cables go, must be rewired.  The new meanings will be:

Black -- always-hot (no surprise there)
White -- actual neutral
Red - switched-hot

You must studiously follow this code everywhere in this network of 3-wire cable, or you'll get the sparky boomy.  now each device gets wired to the wires it wants:

switches get connect 2 wires to always-hot black and switched-hot red. If you are reusing 3-way switches, make sure to use a black screw, a brass will go unused.
receptacles get always-hot black on the brass screws, and neutral white on the silver screws.
lamps take switched-hot red and neutral white.   They usually have pigtail wires; the black or brown wire is switched-hot (red).  The white or light blue wire on the lamp goes to neutral.

After that, you wirenut-join all wires of the same color (remembering one lamp wire counts as red).

If you have any single wires left dangling, put a smaller wire-nut on them and tape them to keep the wirenut from falling off (they love to fall off singles).


What wall material should be used behind the Kerdi system in a tub/shower?

Schluter says that behind the Kerdi membrane a solid backing needs to be used.  They define a solid backing as :

gypsum wallboard
cementitious backer unit
fibercement underlayment
fiber-reinforced water-resistant
gypsum
backerboard/underlayment
coated glass mat water-resistant
gypsum
backerboard
portland cement mortar bed
concrete
masonry

Found this in their Shower System Installation Handbook here.
Link : http://www.schluter.com/media/ShowerHandbook.pdf


your drawing is exactly right, except that there should be no breaks in the grounded (neutral) conductor, and that you'll likely have to have a grounding conductor throughout the circuit as well. You should also be able to find a rotary switch with 3 positions plus off, though it might be a bit pricey.

So your wiring could look something like this


How likely is it that my 1980 home has asbestos in the drywall?

Asbestos in drywall was banned and regulated in 1977.    There would be an extremely low low chance that yours would contain asbestos.


Is a special circular saw blade needed to cut plastic?

Back in the day when I used to put up vinyl siding, I found that the best way to cut it with a circular saw was with a cheap 140 tooth plywood blade installed backwards (to give the teeth a negative rake and prevent chipping):

For really hard plastics, I've used a diamond abrasive blade before and that did a great job (these are incredibly expensive if we're talking about a single cut though).  I would imagine an abrasive blade for cutting metal would do just as well though:

You should be able to pick up either of these for less than $5.

Wear good safety glasses and do a trial cut first with whatever option you go with - plastic will chip long before it will bind the blade in most cases, and these can be both sharp and high velocity.


More than likely it was an oil fuel line. It was very common to encase oil lines in the floor until recently.   Gas would have been in black iron pipe. Maybe water, but 1/4 inch too small for anything but an ice maker in a fridge.


Can I run a 50 amp circuit for a hot tub from a 60 amp sub panel

It would be nice to have some of the electrical data for the hot tub. If it's going to be a 5.5KW heater and a 3 HP pump and with everything running , you'd be ok.


Daniel Griscom said (in a comment):

  I doubt the barrier is perfect enough so that you'd notice the effect
  of a couple of small holes in it. If so, then a good quality duct tape
  might do the job (depending on the vapor barrier material).

I agree with Daniel, but I would use RTV (room temperature Vulcanization) to seal the hole as tape usually fails with wires in my experience.


The proper solution is to replace the outlet with a 3 prong GFCI one, and label it "No Equipment Ground".

You are allowed to replace an ungrounded outlet with a GFCI.

Then just plug your microwave in.

Or run new wire and ground it properly, but that is a much bigger job.


A few possible causes of the issue:

There are long runs of uninsulated cold and hot water pipes next to each other. The hot water pipe should be insulated to keep the water inside hot, and the parallel pipe cold. If you have any way to access the supply lines, insulate at least the hot water pipe. It is also possible that insulation in a wall or crawlspace, as opposed to pipe wrap, has been damaged. For example, if water has leaked into a wall, perhaps from an ice dam, it can cause wall insulation, particularly cellulose insulation, to clump and settle, and rodents can remove pipe insulation in a crawlspace.

Backflow from convection and from expansion of water in the hot water tank is pushing heated hot water backwards, into the cold water supply line, wasting that heat. Install a backflow preventer. A quick test for that issue is to partially throttle the water entering the heater, but do not reduce it to a trickle, let the tank overheat and be damaged! If water in the outside tap is now noticeably cooler, backflow is at least one culprit. Reopen the heater valve after testing!~


Can gutters be installed on top of shingles?

Sometimes the stars align and answers are provided.
After i posted my comment this morning I was watching a previous episode of This old house in which they are restoring a  New England  Victorian house that is regulated by the local historic commission. One of the requirements needed to be met was the restoration of the   Yankee Gutters.
A web search led me to oldhouseguy.com where i found an article about gutters of all kinds including Yankee gutters for old houses.
More about Yankee Gutters at InspectAPedia.
More than you want to know about the history of gutters.
 Credit oldhouseguy.com


What do I need in order to install under cabinet lights?

I just installed these under some cabinets, and they work great.

Most LED under cabinet lights are similar so...  Each "strip" is made to chain to the previous strip.  In my installation, the first strip is plugged into an outlet with the large transformer you have pictured, and then a 12v jumper goes from the first to the second, second to the third, etc.  I have 6 lights in a chain.

You installed 5x 120v drops...  You could have a transformer at location #1, #2, and #5, and chain #2>#3>#4 and #5>#6.  For each separate 120v connection you will need a duplex outlet and a 12v transformer.  For the lights that I linked, the barrel connector on the transformer needs an adapter to fit the smaller barrel of the lights, so pay attention to that as well.

Amazon sells the transformers and jumper wires separately, so you can buy them as needed.

Also note that your linked question is dealing with RGB "strip lights" that are cut-to-fit, so it's much more complicated than plain'ol white, modular LED lights.


Can regular joint compound be used on blue drywall?

Yes you can, but it is meant as a backer for plaster veneer.
As a little added info. Green board is used mostly in bathrooms, not blue board. In all of the bathrooms I have seen in homes I worked on, none has ever had anything other than regular mud over the joints. As an added bonus, blue board is supposed to have mildew resistant properties too.


If there isn't a "test" button on the breakers in question, then it's not a GFCI breaker. Look for a separate panel maybe mounted on the wall by the controller.

Also the pool lights installed in your pool won't be 120V. They'll probably be 12V. There is a stepdown transformer in your control cabinet that lowers the voltage from your line voltage to 12V. Hope this helps.


Why is the second condensation drain on my central air unit active all of a sudden?

My FIL is an HVAC guy and he explained it to me when we installed a unit in a house I built.

The first drip line is the main one. Mine had a float switch that would turn off the unit in case it was clogged.
The 2nd one is a backup. In the case that the float switch fails, a clog in the drain line won't flood your attic (where the unit was installed). On mine we ran it so that it would drip in front of a window, increasing the likelihood I would notice it.
Sounds like you have a clog in the drain line and yours either doesn't have a switch, or it does and it failed, sending the condensation through the 2nd line.


Look at each side of the old outlet. There will be copper tabs connecting the two screws that can be broken off. If the tab is intact, then connect them together.

If the tab is broken, connect to only one of the wires and leave the other disconnected (put a wirenut on the wire. Make sure the nut is small enough to grab onto the wire securely). Make sure to use the wires from the same top or bottom of the outlet.


How should I install metal corner trim on this slanted roof?

Normally you'd have your wall siding overlapped by an overhang.  I don't know what your roof details are but generally the detail would look similar to this foundation outside drip except the top of the drip flashing would then have a membrane on it.  The corner wall flashing would be shy of the drip edge.


How do I compact backfill behind a retaining wall under a driveway?

You do not give details on how large an area you got to back fill. You mentioned part of the wall under the driveway. Relatively speaking that is a small area. Too small to use a "vibrating plate compactor" !

Using that will unnaturally force your back fill downwards and then sideways - damaging your wall all over again! And it wont compact it properly because it does not magically remove air pockets and other crevices.

We had to do this allot when building on uneven places and do this under driveways too.

The best way to do it is layer by layer.

Backfill layer of rubble (mixed with some ground is ok) (something like 30~60 cm)?
Dump normal ground on top of it
Hose it down with water. You should see the ground disappearing into the backfill, dump more ground until it is filled and overflowing. DO not flood it just get a reasonable stream of water. At this point the ground is naturally compacting(and getting rid of air space)
When you reckong its pretty much not going to fill any more dump a thin layer of ground and damped it.
Let it stand for while (15 minutes i n hot sun) and repeat from 1 till done.

This takes some time but will last for very very long time. When it rains, the ground is already water compacted so it wont subside. It also does not create shock damage to your retaining walls.


How to wire up a combined fan and light?

A bathroom overhead light position commonly has 3 separate loads in it:

Overhead light
Fan
Heat lamp or air blast heater

A perfect cable

source

The electrician who installed this did an excellent job future-proofing, going out of his way to use the rarely-seen 12/4 or 14/4 cable. This is perfect for a bathroom overhead light, because it provides all the wires you'll ever need, in one cable: black, red and blue are "hot" wires for all 3 of the above loads.  White is a shared neutral, and ground is ground of course.

You can choose colors as you please, or as the bathroom switches are already wired.  You can tighten the wire-nut not-so-tight to hold wires together for testing, or pop the cover off the bathroom switch and see how that's wired.

One of your wires will not be used; if it's not already capped, just put a wire-nut on top of it and tape the wire-nut onto the wire so it doesn't fall off (as they're prone to with only one wire).

All the neutrals get tied together.

Why does the fixture give two white wires?

They are both neutral.  One is the neutral for the lamp, and the other is the neutral for the fan.  This gives you the flexibility to feed the lamp and fan from separate circuits (in that case the neutrals would need to be separated.)


Which underlayment, if any, between 5" pine boards, and subfloor with radiant heat?

Nothing. You want the wood to breathe & there are plenty of 100+ year old houses to prove & approve this "method". If you're gluing & face nailing the boards, then forget the nails. Screw down the subfloor & then Finish Screw down the finish floor. You'll never have a squeak & the floor will always be solid.


Personally, I would enclose it in a soffit from the pipe to the wall (option 3). That way you may not have to rerun your power cables as long as the window doesn't interfere. Also the drywalling will be simpler.
Edit
You will need to frame out the soffit with 2x4s same as you would do if you framed a wall but it'll be a lot less work and material. Hard to tell from the picture but you may need to move those cables to frame your wall. You'll have to butt the header up against the ceiling joists and they may interfere.
Again, you need to figure out how to frame around that window, especially with the soffit. You need to maintain enough clearance. If the soffit interferes with the window you may have to just wrap the pipes with the soffit.


Suggestions for a timer for a shop heater

Not possible. Trendy pushbutton timers require neutral, and you don't have it. Wait.  You're old-school, and you want to use an Intermatic wind-up timer where the energy comes from YOU? Oh yes, that'll work just fine!

No  . . .
Yes

In fact, that's exactly what I did with a water heater.   Now, the timer might be rated for the amperage.  But I didn't take any chances; I used a 240V relay.

Mind you, I used a relay intended for an air conditioning compressor, and that is not Code legal, because that relay was not application-listed for a water heater.  But if you can find a relay that is listed for your purpose, or a general-purpose type like a RiB, then you're all set.

There are also the Aube relays with transformers built-in, which provide 24V pilot voltage, so you can do the wiring from relay to timer with low-voltage thermostat wire.

And if you're thinking "24V! That means I could use any 24V thermostat, even the Nest!" you're almost right.  Depending on the model, Aube's transformer may be too little to power the Nest, but you could use separate transformer + relay, or a relay-transformer that's a little bigger.  I've even seen transformer+relays that mount on junction box lids.


TL;DR Switch Loop, No Neutral
You have a switch loop. With a switch loop, power goes from panel to fixture to switch, instead of panel to switch to fixture. That is perfectly safe, but the problem is that you end up with no neutral at the switch. A neutral is simply unnecessary with an ordinary switch. But a neutral is required for many (not all) smart switches, timers, motion detectors, WiFi switches, etc. Current code requires a neutral (or an easily added neutral in conduit) at most switch boxes. But older houses (like yours and mine) have plenty of switch loops.
White is usually neutral. But in the case of a switch loop using standard /2 cable, white is permitted to be used as hot or switched hot. Actually, it is supposed to be hot, not switched hot, but that is irrelevant to this discussion. Since your switch has black and white wires connected, it must (unless there was some major code violation going on) be a switch loop. If it was not a switch loop then it would have two non-white wires (typically both black, but not always).
End result: You will either need to run a new cable or find a smart switch that specifically does not require neutral. A smart switch needs power. Short version: it can get power from battery (needs changing), capacitors (very limited), leak through hot (works great with incandescent bulbs but not with most LEDs), neutral (ideal, except when you don't have neutral at the switch!) or ground. You can't simply use ground as neutral - it will probably function but it will not be code-compliant and is therefore not a good idea. There are some switches actually designed and listed to use ground for power, but the amount of power is limited and this capability varies by brand - and by model within each brand.


What is the most cost-efficient design of a 16' temporary wooden ramp?

I'd suggest doing something like this:

Since this is a long ramp and your plywood is going to be joined in the middle, I'd suggest cutting your 2 of your 2x8' in half, then use full 8' lengths to bridge the plywood gap and using the 4' sections to extend them to each end. You'll have to brace each juncture (2x4) a bit more, but that can be done with a little scrap from your other cuts. This ramp has the double cross brace in the middle, which is where your plywood should meet. The only end of the plywood that shouldn't be fully supported is the one that meets the ground.

Don't forget the cross bracing between the 2 sides as well as the diagonal bracing on each side. The pic doesn't have diagonal bracing on the sides, but the taller end will need something to keep it from parallelograming out of shape. Besides the diagonal brace at the back of the ramp, like the pic shows, there should be at least one other diagonal brace on a ramp this long and tall going in the opposite diagonal.

The pic looks to be 2'-3' tall, based on the "human for scale" who is not really very close for scale, so this should scale to 16' long and 4'-5' fairly easily. It even looks like a decent grade, so you aren't pushing carts straight up.

Also, don't forget to put wheel guides on the sides of the ramp. You don't want a cart or dolly to fall off it at 4' high. That's a disaster waiting to happen, even without OSHA involved.

You might also want to at least consider adding some "outriggers" at the tall end, so it doesn't fall over if things get a little rough. That can be as simple as some more diagonals from the top of the ramp, perpendicular to the ramp itself, with some more 2x4 at the base to tie it in.

Even though you plan on having those ramp ends attached, you don't want to skimp too much on the safety aspects. If you're filling that whole container, you're going to be walking up and down the ramp very many times, probably with heavy things in tow, and even screws have a nasty tendency to rip out. You don't want to "pause" your packing for an emergency room trip.

FYI, OSHA regulations are mostly basic safety precautions to protect workers from complacent and cheap employers. There's not really much from OSHA that's overly cautious.

One last thing: your plywood should be at least 1/2" thick, nominally. Less than that at even 3/8" thick is not likely to hold up and 1/4" will break through almost immediately for anything of any significant weight. I was going to suggest 3/4", but that's overkill. You can also go with B grade ply, since you don't need the sanded smooth surface of A grade, and the knots of C grade might not stand up to the abuse of walking on it that much.

I know this sounds like overkill, but even a metal ramp that's unsupported in the middle can get serious wobble and bounce to it that will absolutely destroy a wooden ramp, unless it's made out of at least 4x4s or 2x6s. Even then, without 16' lumber going the full span, you're risking a lot on this ramp.


T is common, confirmed by reading 24VAC across T and V (24VAC should also exist across V and ground to confirm V as hot). A/C may need a few minutes to kick on.


On sharing ground, that's not a problem, it just needs to be sized for the largest circuit. You are vanishingly unlikely to have a ground fault on 2 circuits at once.   However:
You're up against a NEC 225.30 limit.  You can only run one feeder or circuit to an outside location, unless they are

Different voltages, frequencies, or uses. For example, control of outside lighting...

For instance, you can't run two 120V circuits out there.  You can, however, run two 120V circuits if one of them is switched inside the house.
You can also run, separately, a 120V, 120/240V, and 240V-only circuit.
So that gives you a fair variety.  Two 120V circuits can be accomplished as a 120/240 multi-wire branch circuit.
And then, of course, each circuit controlled differently  is entitled to a circuit - e.g. each section of outside lighting.  So if there's any question of putting the well pressure switch at the head vs at the house, put it at the house - it gives you a free circuit.
In fact, hold on -- won't that well pump be 240V*?  Of course it will.  Your shutoff needs to operate on every hot, so you need 2 blades in your shutoff switch just for the pump. Fortunately, you can have multiple shutoff switches, up to 6.

* By the way, the reason pumps are 240V is voltage drop -- it's not the run from house to well that gets ya, it's the run down the well, which can be hundreds of feet. Well pumps are at the bottom.


Should I use transitions with laminate flooring to control the size of plank needed at each wall?

No. Narrow, sometimes tapered finishers are a fact of life. In practice most installers don't rip the starter row because it's inevitable. If the first room doesn't have an awkward finisher, the next one will. Or the kitchen island will.

Your 2" standard sounds like an ideal. Carpentry is more art than ideal. One tactic is to glue the finisher to the last full row to give it more support.

If you have trouble finishing a room due to a narrow strip, raise a new question and we'll help. Bring photos!


What basic safety equipment should everyone have?

Safety glasses and ear plugs (and work gloves too).

Get a good pair of safety glasses so they are comfortable, won't fog up, and do not scratch easily and then take good care of them (just like they are regular glasses).  Wearing safety glasses when you are working below anything is huge to not only protect your eyes but also just make it so much easier to do the work.  If you are working outside then get the sunglass ones (they can double as just regular sunglasses too - I leave them in my car).

Buy a package of the foam ear plugs... and use them all the time.  This is the other item that is huge to protect your hearing but then also make it much much more comfortable to do whatever loud do-it-yourself job you are working on.  You will notice a big difference between your stamina when wearing the ear plugs.  For instance, if you are pounding in nails, with the ear plugs in you won't notice the sound, but without them, the constant high pitched noise takes a toll on your ears (and wears you out for the job faster).  (They also are great for just blocking out noise to let you concentrate.)

The other basic safety equipment is work gloves.


Has anyone heard of or have experience with a reverse pressure radon mitigation system for your home?

Background

Radon is a byproduct of radioactive decay.  You don't have to live on top of a uranium deposit; there are trace amounts of radioactive minerals in common rock, like granite.  So virtually anywhere you live, the soil slowly releases minute amounts of radon.

Outdoors, the wind disperses it.  What seeps into your basement tends to accumulate.  Your HVAC system will circulate some, and the exchange of outside air will get rid of a little.  But radon is heavier than air and basements usually aren't well-ventilated, so the basement is usually where you see the highest concentrations.

Because radon is heavy, it also tends to remain in your lungs when you breathe it, and being radioactive, it's a source of lung cancer.

The 4 pCi/L threshold isn't a magic number below which you're safe and above which you die; it's somewhat arbitrary.  Any amount carries some risk, and the government had to weigh risks and costs in order to pick a number at which they recommend doing something about it.  They may just have picked 10x the average outdoor level of 0.4, perhaps because inexpensive technology can typically keep a basement below that level, and that represents a minimal health risk compared to other things people are exposed to every day.

So if you do a radon test and it comes back 4.2, the risk to your health isn't substantively different than if it came back 3.9.  If you don't spend time in your basement, the risk to your health is relatively low.

However, you would likely need to mitigate it when you go to sell, so you might as well do what you can do cheaply now, and benefit from it yourself.

Negative pressure systems

The negative pressure systems are a pretty simple mechanism.  There is a layer of gravel under your basement slab that has air filling the voids between the stones.  The radon collects there.  A pipe is placed in that space.  The pipe contains a blower that sucks air from the gravel and vents it at roof level.  This removes a lot of the radon before it can migrate into the basement.  The pressure indicator shows the relative pressure.  As long as the pressure in the pipe going into the gravel is lower, it will theoretically be exhausting radon from under your house.

What can go wrong?

The system relies on a few things to work:

A "normal" level of radon.  The level of radioactivity in the soil varies.  If your house is located over veins of uranium, this kind of system may not be enough.
A working blower.  Like any mechanical device, the blowers don't last forever.  If it completely dies, the pressure indicator will show no pressure difference.  But before that point, it may become less efficient, and less effective at removing radon.  If the system is old, check how much air is being exhausted.
An unobstructed pipe.  Anything that reduces air flow in the pipe will reduce its effectiveness.  Check for anything that shouldn't be there at the exhaust end.  Obstruction at the intake end will leave the pressure indicator showing a pressure difference but little air being removed from the gravel.  Water in the gravel would be an obstruction.  The gravel can also accumulate silt if there is a water problem.  The amount of air being exhausted will be a clue.
Air in the gravel.  If the foundation has a water problem (high water table, rain water collecting, broken sewer pipe, etc.), the gravel voids can fill with water.  This won't reduce the release of radon, but it will prevent the abatement system from removing it (and the pressure difference will still look like the system is working).  Dampness or water in your basement will be a sign of this.  If you have a sump pump, the basement may be dry even with water in the gravel, but that will provide a path of easy access for radon.  If there is water under the slab, it will, at a minimum, reduce the effectiveness of the abatement system.

So those are a bunch of things to check.  Beyond that, there is a general process of the abatement system degrading with age while the basement becomes more permeable to radon.  The foundation settles, concrete and mortar develop more cracks, etc.  If the basement has a large footprint, a radon abatement system at one end may be challenged in exhausting radon from the entire area.

If there is no obvious cause for the system not achieving levels below the threshold, one solution may be to install a second system at the other end of the basement; they are relatively inexpensive.


Is a 2.5 Ampere relay sufficient for 24V thermostat AC only application?

I think the answer that you want is that the 24v is only used to close relays, so the amperage needed is only for the combined amperage of the coils on the relays (or not combined if you're using one relay on the board for each control wire).

I would assume that a 2.5A relay is more than enough for each control wire, but if you are trying to drive all three units from one relay, you might start to run into issues.  For instance, if the coil you are driving takes 1/2 an amp, you're ok, but if it takes 1A, and you need to drive three of them, the Pi might start to have issues.  If you are going to combine green and yellow you are powering 6 coils, then you're probably going to be over amperage - it just depends how you plan on wiring and controlling.

The relays on the control boards of the HVAC might be marked with the coil voltage and amperage, but you might just have to measure it yourself.  Even if the amperage is too high (or just to be safe), you could use the Pi to drive a higher amp relay that in turn will switch the control wires.


Will a non-dimmable LED work if the dimmer switch is on full?

Yes, LED bulbs typically work fine on dimmers set to max.  In my experience, even the "non-dimmable" ones don't seem to be harmed when dimmed although your mileage here may vary with bulb and dimmer models.

This seems to be a big improvement in comparison with "non-dimmable" CFLs, which seem to be very susceptible to destruction - I have destroyed several after just seconds of dimming.


What could be wrong with this receptacle?

How exactly do you know that the power is going back on?

If the TV is still plugged into one recepticle and simply plugging the AC tester causes the TV to come back on ---- then you need to immediately investigate repairing and replacing the duplex recepticle. It is likely that the wiring in the box is using the quick connect type connection where the wires poke into a hole in the back of the outlet. One wire must be loose and making an intermittent connection. This could be caused by a wire that is improperly installed or the internal string contact that is supposed to retain the wire is broken. Simply installing the AC tester into the other outlet is apparently moving the contact metal work inside the recepticle just enough to cause it to touch the loose wire.

Do note that a loose wire like this is unsafe and could lead to a fire - so please investigate immediately - for the sake of yourself, your family and your dwelling.


I'm not saying this is the best, perfect solution, but if you do want a paint to protect the inside of the planters and not harm the plants, you can use a spray on "pruning seal" product.  It's designed to seal up large wounds in a tree, but the spray can will also mention spraying the inside of a planter to waterproof it.  I've used it before to waterproof the inside of a wooden bowl to create a small cactus garden.

You can apply several light coats to build up thickness.  If you try to spray it too thick, it takes forever for it to dry.

(randomly picked example image, comes from several brand names and is the same stuff as far as I can tell)


What is difference between BTU and MBH for house furnaces?

BTU is how much heat is produced at one instant, BTU/hr is the amount of heat produced in an hour. MBH is 1000 BTU/hr. However, BTU is sometimes used as an equivalent to BTU/hr, so the conversion might work. Wikipedia has an article that might clear things up.

1 MBH = 1000 BTU/hr. Thousand BTUs per Hour (MBH).

Comment converted to answer


For base you need lots of solid materials like extra layers of drywall and sound breaks. Carpets and insulation won’t cut it. Softer materials have a little effect on higher frequencies. I built a sound studio with a lot of thought and planning going into sound bleeding into other rooms. We were able to reduce the base but not eliminate it. For a home, there is not much you can do.


Is it possible to use a pressure mounted curtain rod inside of the shower stall?  The lower picture (the right side of the shower stall?) looks like the start of the shower stall wall is flat but the top picture (left side of shower stall?) looks slightly curved.  But still I wonder if you move the shower curtain rod below where it curves on the left, then is it flat enough on both sides for the pressure from the curtain rod to hold it in place?


How do I turn light the oven pilot on this vintage stove?

Actually, this wasn't hard. I called the stove repair company and they talked me through it:

The pilot just lights (no idea why it wasn't coming on the first few times I tried it) and then I had to depress and release the red reset button before the oven would actually work.


You really ought to repair the original sash mechanisms. There are many types but most are repairable, albeit with various degrees of difficulty. On the plus side, you will become an expert on how your windows operate.

There are various products made to solve your problem. For an easy solution on wood frame windows the simplest is the gull-wing shaped "hold-up spring", which should be available at any decent hardware store. It basically just sits between the sash and frame, exerting tension on the sash and holding it up yet allowing it to move when needed:

https://www.allaboutdoors.com/Spring-Quickie-Wood-Window-Sash-Wood-Sash-Hardware-Steel


First, congratulations.  This is the most well-thought-through presentation of a plan that ai have ever seen on this forum, and your thoroughness has paid off - you got everything right, including an ambitious use of a MWBC, with all its details right.

By your first paragraph I was thinking "MWBC" and voilà you're already there.  Well done.

The breaker

Is absolutely fine and I would not mess with it.  Even if you were to downgrade to a simple 120V circuit, it is fine to just use half of the 2-pole breaker and disconnect the other wire from the breaker and cap it in the panel.

Your idea to go with a single breaker isn't wrong but it will leave a gaping hole in your panel.  They make blanking covers but they're hard to find, expensive, and flimsy --  so I prefer to fill empty holes with actual breakers and just mark them n/c.  So then you'd be right back where you started, but $10 poorer and with a nice 2-pole breaker to mislay.

The only breaker swap I would consider is swapping to a 2-pole GFCI breaker.  That lets you provide the GFCI protection for both half-circuits in a dry location, so you aren't paying extra for outdoor GFCIs or enduring their horrible failure rates.  The 2-pole GFCI breaker would also allow you to use every MWBC trick in the book without having to worry about how GFCIs interact with MWBCs - from hot-skipping on a long line of receptacles, to provisioning a 240V receptacle also.

How do you de-energize the panel to access the breaker?

If there's a big main breaker, that will do it -- however if this breaker sits in a zone of 4-6 breakers marked "Main Breaker", then you cannot de-energize that section.  Fortunately you don't have to - modern breakers like these "tip and snap in".   You can snap the breaker out, wires still attached, and hold it in your hand while you change the wires.


Not able to find Lennox ML193UH furnace filter

If you have a filter in the return air grille, that's likely the only one in this system. Nobody wants to climb into their attic just to replace an HVAC filter, so when a furnace or air handler is installed in the attic these filter grilles allow placement of the filter in a more accessible location. In fact, according to page 6 of this spec sheet for that model furnace, a filter rack is not built into this model and is available as an optional accessory.

So unfortunately, something else is wrong with your furnace...


Can I install electric equipment on carpeting?

The NEC is only part of the picture the NEC defines the minimum standards like the breakers being in a panel or box. The 2 places in your house a breaker panel can not be located is in a clothes closet (closet with flammable storage) and a bathroom. Other than that the panel can be just about anyplace Except on a stairway. Your panel can be mounted in the living room or any other room with carpet. If all the equipment is UL listed and you use NEC approved methods your build would be ok But you need a permit for most states to be legal, so you need an electrical permit and have it inspected (yes even for solar).


Light fixture powering other lights / garage door opener?

From your description the wiring is normal not "jerry rigged". You can add a new wire to the switch but from the wire count you may not be able to fit everything back in the box and your wire fill would exceed code. It may be better to purchase a 2 gang old work box cut the hole the right size for the box pull the old box and install the new 2 gang box. It may be easier to add a 4x4 box in the attic to make your connections to the outside lights and new feed from the 2nd switch. All connections need to be in a box. The 3 sets of wires in the original switch box are possibly the hot feed, the switched feed to the lights and a hot feed to outlets on the wall this would have been a normal setup a few years back. Remember to turn the power off prior to doing the wiring changes and good luck.


What tool to tighten nut on kitchen faucet?

You should be able to get plenty of leverage on it with either a channel-lock pliers or an adjustable (Crescent) wrench. Both give you parallel jaws, which are key to keeping them on the nut.


Plane floor joists, sand subfloor, or sand underlayment to handle hump in floor for cork plank flooring?

You should probably understand the root cause of the hump (settling? rest of the floor going down for some reason? built that way?).
Assuming it is dimensional lumber (not modern i-joists), I'd only consider cutting the subfloor up and planing the joists. You won't change the strength materially by lopping off a max of 5/8". You won't have to mess with a paper-thin layer anywhere (which is its own curse).
As an aside, I'm wondering why you opted for 5/8" underlayment. That's thicker than typical, and will make a bit more of a step if everything else is based on the subfloor. Typical underlayment is more like 1/4".


It's just cellulose insulation dust from when it was blown in. It's identical to what's below.

Your recessed can should be covered better, by the way. There should be as much above the can as there is above the ceiling elsewhere. You could also overlay some fiberglass batts.

Lee Sam says, "If the cans aren't rated for insulation contact (IC), I’d build a box out of gypsum board or wood that is a minimum of 2” away from the light on the sides and 6” away from the light on top. Then, cover the box with insulation."


What is the typical water pressure for a sprinkler system outside a home?

Not clear what the reason for the question is.  However, nominal water pressure for most residential homes is in the range of 40-70 psi (pounds per square inch).  It can vary due to the distance from the home to the water source (such as a water tower), how much water is being used by surrounding homes (higher usage will lower the pressure), the capacity of the water company to maintain pressure as usage varies, etc.  Most heating systems and water heaters require pressure reducing valves in order to make sure that the water pressure into those systems does not get too high which can cause damage.  In special situations, where the home is far from the water source and/or on high ground, a water pump may be necessary to maintain a reasonable pressure.  Getting back to your question, are you talking about a sprinkler system for watering a lawn or a sprinkler systems for putting out a fire.  In any case, both systems will have minimum pressure requirements based on how many sprinkler heads are in the system.  Too many heads would prevent either type of system from working properly.


How can I attach deck railing boards to the top of the rails?

Glue and Screw
Drill pilot holes from the bottom side of the lower 2x4 all the way through, Clamp the lower 2x4 in place and  use 4 inch deck screws to screw up through the pilot holes and into the bottom of the upper 2x4 . ( 2x4 are only 3 1/2 inches ) so a 4 inch screw will give you enough thread to bite into the upper board just be careful not to drive them to far.
Screwing from the bottom this way will keep all screw heads hidden on the bottom side.
Apply OUTDOOR rated glue. Remove clamps.


The 540 flapper has had a problem with the white silicone disk on the underside that actually seals the hole.  Some develop bubbles on the surface that prevent a good seal.  I've had some simply fatigue and not maintain the gap between the seal and the body of the flapper that allows it to conform to any irregularities.

They have a 10 year warranty.  Even if you can't prove date of purchase, this is a known manufacturing defect issue, and Fluidmaster has been sending a set of free replacement seals if that is the issue.  They have an online live chat for product support that is an easy way to contact them: https://www.fluidmaster.com/support/

The seal fits in a groove at the base of the dome where you added the weight.  It's stretchy, and you just pull off the old one, then work the new one to the groove and make sure it cleanly embeds in the groove all the way around.


If it is an old switch that is internally illuminated when off, then it probably uses a small neon bulb as the light source.  They do burn out eventually.  Usually they flicker before they completely burn out.

The neon lamp burning out is not hazardous in any way.  The lamps are not replaceable.  If you want to fix it then you will need to replace the old illuminated switch with a new one.


Three-way switches to control top outlet of multiple receptacles

Your problem is that you have looped/paralleled the neutral (white) wire both through and around the 3-way switches, which can be interpreted as a NEC 300.3(B)/310.10(H) violation.

What I would do instead is run a 14/4 between the two 3-way switches, with black as the unswitched hot and red and blue as the travelers, then run a 14/3 from the 2nd switch box to the first outlet -- this also saves you a j-box.


At what height should CO detectors be installed?

Carbon monoxide detectors should be installed according to the instructions that accompanied the unit.
From Nest Protect's website:

There’s a myth that all carbon monoxide alarms should be installed lower on the wall because carbon monoxide is heavier than air. In fact, carbon monoxide is slightly lighter than air and diffuses evenly throughout the room.
According to the carbon monoxide guidelines of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 720, 2005 edition), all carbon monoxide alarms “shall be centrally located outside of each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms,” and each alarm “shall be located on the wall, ceiling or other location as specified in the installation instructions that accompany the unit.”
Standalone carbon monoxide alarms are often placed low on the wall, but it’s not because they’re more effective at that height. It’s usually because they need to be plugged into an outlet near the floor or have a digital readout that can be easily read.


Note: the below was solved. It was a loose wire between the controller and the gas valve (the white wire on the diagram)


It's not a split-bus/Rule of Six panel.

I plainly see a huge main breaker.  The distinguishing feature of a split-bus panel, also called a Rule of Six panel, is no main breaker.

The entire point of a split-bus panel was to allow services > 60 amps so you could have all-electric houses... but avoid the (then, very expensive) cost of >60A breakers.  The strategy was to place the large 20-50A 240V electric appliance loads in the "main" or "Rule of Six" area, along with a 60A breaker which would power an internal subpanel.  In this subpanel went all your 120V loads.

Honestly I think what confused your inspector was the cluster of breakers that is 5 spaces tall x 2 wide, with a large empty section above.  I had to do a double-take myself.  It looks a lot like the 4x2 or 6x2 group of "main breakers" section of a split-bus panel.

Looks OK to me

I wouldn't replace the panel on the basis of it (not) being a split-bus panel.  It's a GE Q-line with all the spaces enabled for the double-stuff breakers, so you could fit 40 breakers in here if you didn't need GFCI or AFCI.  And if you do, there's just enough spaces to convert them all. And GE makes a magic 1-pole AFCI that can be used in pairs to protect 240V circuits.

The only reason I'd replace it is if the GE dealer (a local electrical supply house) were to say "I can't get you breakers for that panel". But I doubt that would be so.


Kenmore Power Miser 9 Water Heater turned off on its own and has become incredibly hard to reignite

It could be that the pilot orifice is partially obstructed. There are cleaning wires which can be inserted into the orifice to clear it. These are available at stores which service gas lights. To reach the orifice you might have to hold the wire with a pair of needle nose pliers or needle nose locking pliers.

Many camping stoves are supplied with a cleaner wire mounted on a light stamped steel handle.


How bad is Latex Paint down drain and how to remove it?

Latex paint uses water as it's thinner. It's water soluble and won't dry as long as it's wet. If you wash your brushes and rollers with plenty of running water you should be fine. I clean mine with the sprayer and even then it takes quite a while to remove all of the paint. You can also set your brush in a bowl of water and let water run over it for a few minutes to thoroughly flush it.

If you dumped it down the sink, you might have a problem but should be OK if you flushed it down with plenty of water. Hopefully your problem is just in the p-trap, which you can easily remove for cleaning or replacement. I'd remove the trap, clean if possible and replace if not, and see how your sink runs. If it's still slow you might need to get the drain camera'ed to see where and what is blocking it up.

As far as disposing unused paint, either leave it until your county/city/whatever has a free haz-mat drop-off, or add kitty litter to it to dry it out before throwing it away.


Filling 2" gap between a tub and existing floor tiles for 30" bathtub in 32" tub opening

2" of tile - after that it's decorating (i.e. try to match and trim 2" chunks to fit of the tile you find that most closely matches the tiles you have; 2" of "border" tiles, 2 rows of 1" tile (perhaps checkerboard-patterned) the options are endless.) Thinset, tile (with or without lots of trimming), grout, possibly sealer.

A space that small won't really be too time consuming even with all the needed steps. I can't think of a faster way that will stand a chance of lasting and looking decent, but if you want to be the guy that fills it with caulk, I'm not stopping you, simply advising that it might not prove suitable or attractive.


I would only trust a toggle bolt type anchor in a ceiling or overhead application, even if the manufacturer's information shows an auger or plastic expansion type anchor is strong enough.  With augers or plastic anchors, if the hole is just a little sloppy, the holding power is dramatically reduced.

The table below shows that even the smallest toggle in the thinnest drywall has a tension rating of 115 pounds, so at the recommended safety factor of 4x, it can support almost 29 pounds.

I would locate the nearest joists with a stud finder, just to see if there's one that's close enough to the spot;  if not, I'd use a 3/16" or 1/4" toggle.  I'd recommend a Strap-Toggle, Snaptoggle or similar, they are quite a bit easier to work with than traditional toggles, especially overhead.


Getting mild electric shocks from tap water if washing machine is switched on

This sounds like a pretty dangerous situation. There are some things you could check.

A. Look into if the earth grounding connection at your house is  good solid connection without corrosion.

B. Try seeing if you get the same tingling effect when you run a different appliance plugged into the same outlet such as a blender or toaster.

C. Check if the outlets near your kitchen sink are protected with GFCI devices.


Basement supporting wall header increase

What state are you in? You should check out the span tables for your local code. Generally, for that span outlined in the drawings above, you should be safe with triple 2 x 12s, providing you use grade no. 1 lumber. A less conservative header size might be possible, though. A laminated beam is also a valid option. These codes take climate and real life loads into consideration and they are generally VERY conservative -- for good reason.

Here are example span tables, see page 2:

http://www.southernpine.com/media/SS_7-12L.pdf

Also, I see you only have one jack stud on each side of the header. There really should be two.


How can I remove paint from slotted screw heads?

I have successfully removed paint from screw heads and slots by using a rotary tool with a small wire wheel attachment.


I have 5 natural gas appliances in my basement, can I replace just one with a power vented exhaust?

Sealed combustion is your friend

Just about all power vented gas appliances can be configured as sealed combustion appliances, where they draw their combustion air directly from outside via a 2nd pipe instead of pulling it in from the room.  This means that no matter what happens, as long as the vent integrity is good, they can't backdraft any atmospheric vented appliances that happen to be sharing the same room, nor will they have issues with starving for combustion air if the house is sealed up tight.

But...you need to use the right stuff when venting

The one caveat with most power-vented appliances is that the corrosive conditions inside the vent piping (due to the possible presence of liquid condensate from combustion moisture), along with the need to provide proper sealing to prevent combustion exhaust leakage, prevent the use of standard B-vent for venting them.  While the appliance manufacturers generally specify the use of PVC pipe as a vent material as it's cheap and easy to get, PVC is actually the wrong stuff to use for venting appliance exhaust, as it's just not rated for a high enough temperature to survive if stack temperatures rise much due to impaired appliance operation, such as if a water heater has a scaled-up heat exchanger or if a furnace filter is in need of changing.  In fact, there have been documented close calls, and a reported multi-fatality CO mishap, that were due to the use of PVC venting for condensing gas appliances.

The correct (albeit expensive) thing to use in this case is a UL 1738 rated Special Gas Vent, suitable for Category IV gas appliances.  These are made from stainless steel, and thus provide both the necessary heat resistance and the necessary corrosion resistance for this application.  While they are proprietary systems, and cannot be mixed, most manufacturers of Special Gas Vent provide comprehensive selections of fittings and sizes, and extensively warrant their systems against premature failure when professionally installed, up to and including some manufacturers offering limited lifetime warranties on their stainless steel special gas vent systems.


Water dripping from soffit - problem with the gutter, roof, or something else?

Drips are hard to locate: they can originate a good distance away and follow along a beam to emerge elsewhere.That said, check for clogs in the downspout. I've used a flexible plumbing snake to push though leaves. Use it hand-powered, since downspouts are much more fragile than drainpipe.


Why does my oven light flicker when I close the bottom drawer?

There are two switches and they are in parallel--a door plunger switch which closes when the door is open and a lever switch which is manually operated. The switches are connected so that if either switch is closed then the light goes on.

Is the flickering occurring with the oven door closed? Is the console switch on or off when the flickering occurs?

Possibly only one is bad (and most likely it is the door switch), but first check the operation of each switch manually and see if you can get any indication.
The door switch is closed when the oven door is opened. The manual switch will be on the console.


Where can I hide an AC to DC adapter for cove lighting?

I invite other answers, but since you mention cove lighting specifically, there are slim transformers that are made to be easy to hide like this model:

Armacost 12v LED Driver transformer

To use this, you could have a 120v standard electrical box behind the molding where the NM cable would exit the wall and attach to the transformer.  I'm not sure exactly how to make the transition from the wall to the transformer in a 100% by-the-code way, but the electrical contacts are covered and since it is cove lighting, the connection will be inaccessible to anyone that wanted to touch or snag the wiring.

The transformer would be easy to hide in the "tray" of the molding and comes in different output wattage depending on your needs.  Now, I've never used this model and I'm certainly not trying to advertise it - I'm just pointing it out as an example of the slim-profile transformers that are available.


What do I need to do to change from Halogen to LED?

The type of driver you need depends on the type of LED bulb you use. Apparently in your country, you can get Constant Voltage LED or Constant Current LED. Choose the matching driver.

Both types of drivers can drive more than one LED. Consult the data sheet for the exact limit.

However, if you have MR16 "fittings" with GU5.3 socket already, it is likely you don't need to replace the existing driver if you purchase Constant Voltage LED rated at 12V. If you have GU10 or screw (edison), that is more likely to be high voltage. That's how it is in the US, I don't know about your country.


Simplify the shop, reduce storage space... use hand powered tools

It's a practical reality, in any case. But if you have a business case out of getting converts, good luck with that. I've mentioned them a few times here and folks get very defensive that the "only" way to do something is with power tools.

If you can track down the old tools mailing list (e-mail) (many web-links seem to have rotted, but it runs off a server at Cornell, last I recall - try here, it moved when I wasn't looking (quite a while, actually) http://swingleydev.com/archive/faq.html) you can find a bunch of folks that have the religion, and most current Windsor chair makers do.

In many cases I can do things faster (total time) with the hand tools if I'm making one of something. Additional benefits are that the entire shop fits in a smaller space than if you need room to push sticks through machines, and some things come out with a better quality of finish due to not having rotating cutter bits. But you have to be able to make your tools sharp...

Listening to music while working and having to work harder to cut body parts off are additional advantages.

I don't really see it as "back to basics and simplicity" but as "choosing the right tool for the job." One aspect that scares many folks away is that you may need to actually practice some before you can (say) make a pretty much 90 degree cut freehand (or whatever particular thing you're doing.) SO if you are only EVER making one of something, they probably are not faster (or you need to stick to a mitre-box, for that example.) There are certain things that cannot really be done the same way with power tools, though many have been adapted to methods that are more power-tool friendly. But some adapt poorly (thus the Windsor chair folks.)


Can I run PEX water lines/PVC drain pipe in "warm" side of insulated exterior wall?

I would say this would be much better than the current surface mount of the pex. It will look better and less chance of damaging the lines.


What kind of eye protection would I need for this particular spot welding system?

You're right about the arc welding full-face mask - they use very dark glass to accommodate the bright arc. There is no arc here, so in such mask you'll see nothing. Also unlike arc welding (where you spend bit of time aligning, then you lower the mask and then spend considerable time doing the actual welding) here you spend almost all the time on aligning the material but the actual welding takes only tiny fraction of total time spent working (real spot welders use capacitors to do the job in sub-second timeframes. This is where the savings come from). So a vision-limiting full face mask won't work here, because you'll have strong incentives to simply not wear it.

I believe you should use gas-welding goggles, the convertible kind where you can lift dark glass and work with clear glass. Just make sure they are rated for operation with the clear glass alone, because cheap models have only superficial clear plastic that won't protect against larger projectile or UV. And of course, stay clear from "steampunk", "mad scientist", etc decorative goggles because they're intended for nothing more than, well, decoration. Especially now, around Halloween, the market is flooded with such toys.


Open windows to help condensation problems in winter - good or bad advice?

Ok, basic gas laws.  Warm air can hold a lot more water than cold air.  (That's why it rains on windward side of mountains).  We define "relative" humidity as the percentage of water air can hold, at its current temperature.

Fill a trash bag with outside air at 9 degree C 70% relative humidity.   Bring it indoors and let it warm to 25C.  The relative humidity goes down - and becomes so "dry" that it's uncomfortable, even though it's the same air and it didn't feel dry when you were outside.    Your indoor air is wetter than that, because of exhalation, bathing, cooking, and water penetration through floors and roof leaks.

Take a bag of your wet 25C indoor air, outside - at 9C the relative humidity will go over 100% and water must condense on the surface of the bag.

That is what is happening in your closed-off rooms.  Warm, wet household air is leaking into those rooms.

So the advantage to opening a window is mixing in the dry air from outside.  However that is only competing with the internal leaks between the room and the rest of the house.  You'll need to open the window (or seal the room) enough to win.  Of course then, you will have water ingress whenever it rains, and that water will add to the problem.

The American way is to run a dehumidifier, retrofit insulation, or just heat the house anyway.  But then, the American way is to pay 20 pence per litre for oil.


Rat mites consume blood. They may be choosy about who they bite and not everyone has an allergic reaction to the bite.

This part may be unnecessary but I took everything out of my room and put it in the garage. I put the items in sealed contractor bags with a nuvan strip each. I hung a nuvan strip in the garage. I washed the floor, wall edges, all the nooks around the windows, and the crevices around the room with diluted pinesol.

I used boric acid along the edge of walls and in the bottom of dressers. To my knowledge, boric acid kills roaches either by being consumed and destroying their stomach bacteria or on contact by cutting open their exoskeleton (like what diatomaceous earth does). So for the latter reason it might have an effect on the mites. But it's not worth counting on.

For assurance, I sprayed Lysol around the edge of the walls and that kills the mites on contact.

I set a peanut butter rat trap in the crawl space. Several hours later I heard squeaking. There was one live and one dead rat trapped. I sprayed the area with Spectracide Bug Stop and got rid of the rats. I set a new trap and expect there are more rats.

I got 1/4" hardware cloth and I'm going to patch the broken foundation screens around the house. There's also two air vents that need to be screened to prevent further problems with birds/rodents.

The mites are a symptom of the rat problem. Once the rodents are controlled, the mites should dissipate.


How can I make a mixer shower more powerful?

The water supply comes into your home with a fixed pressure from the utility and then is diverted to your hot water heater and cold supply.  Assuming everything is in working order and properly, without a tank/pump, you can never exceed the utilities pressure.

If your cold water supply puts off a lot more pressure than your hot water, this likely indiciates another problem like a partially closed valve on your hot water tank, a blockage or inproperly sized pipes. Your shower mixer (assuming 1 handle) balances the pressure so that you won't get scalded if someone flushes the toilet which means it is unlikely you will be able to get different pressures out of the valve when mixing the two supplies.

I would suggest that you verify that all of the valves for your hot water tank are fully open.  You might also try turning up the heat of your tank so that less hot water is required, but be careful when you do this as you can make the water dangerously hot.

Your shower valve might have some adjustments on it too.


What's the amperage on a circuit breaker that's "linked" together?

Each circuit is rated 20 amperes.

Handles are typically tied together when all the breakers are supplying a single piece of equipment. For example, in a 120/240 volt single phase system, two breakers might be tied together for a piece of equipment that requires 240 volts. Three breakers tied together would be common for a 3 phase systems.

In all situations, the circuits are still rated whatever is listed on the handle, not the total of the breakers.


Can I add a light fixture to an existing circuit but with its own switch?

Assuming the Fixtures are all on a 15AMP Circuit and using 14/2 wire.

The Complexity would depend on how the Switch was wired.   Power to the Switch, Switch Leg to the Fixture, or Power to the Fixture and Switch leg down and back.   If you have the Power at the Fixture then you won't have a Neutral at the Switch.  If its a newer house you should have a White wire in the Switch box that is just passing though and only connected to other white wires.

If you have a Neutral in the Switch box, and If you have Access to Drop a second 14/2 from the new Fixture to the existing switch then sure.   You just Connect up all the Neutrals, then get a Switch like this

Connect the Existing Hot Switch leg to one switch and your new Fixture's hot switch leg to the other switch.

If there is no Neutral then  you have two options:

Option #1 Branch the Incoming Power from the Existing Fixture down using a 14/2 to the Existing Switch. Then You will have a new HOT and Neutral in the Box. Then add a second 14/2 up to the new Fixture. Use the same Switch as above though remove the interlock between them so you can feed separate HOT feeds.

Option #2 is to do as they did and branch from existing Fixture to new Fixture.   Take the incoming hot at the old fixture, Tap off it to the new fixture.   You will need a 14/2 down to the switch in this case too. You connect the HOT from the existing Fixture to the HOT of the line you ran to the switch box. Then use the same switch though you are going to remove the interlock between them so you have an incoming hot for each fixture. Then use the white wire after its labeled to provide power back up to the Fixture.


Can I install a LED Transformer in a junction box?

Some are.  You can also get transformers designed to mount into a 1/2” knockout in a junction box.  The transformer proper sits outside the box. You can also find transformers which sit on the outside of a metal box cover.   These are very common in 24VAC.

These are typically true transformers.   You may be using the word "transformer" loosely to mean any low voltage power supply.  That may be a bit harder to find.

Any device you put on 120V power should be UL listed for the purpose, or inside a listed metal enclosure.

Another option, if there is a metal fixture involved, is to mount the power unit inside the fixture.

You do need to watch out for box fill limitations.   Don't overstuff the box.


6/3 Wire to a 100 amp sub panel, how many breakers?

If you’re thinking about twin breakers, it’s because you got too small a panel. Stop right now before you sink any more work into it, and get a much bigger panel.  Spaces are dirt cheap right now, and it’s one place you should splurge.
And it’s fine for the subpanel busing to be much larger than the feed breaker.  It’s a safety margin, 130 mph tires are safer than 85 mph tires even if you never drive 85 mph.
Your ability to use twin breaker depends on your local Electrical Code and any requirements it has for AFCI on any breaker or GFCI on 2-pole breakers.  Those are not available in double-stuff breakers, so you must plan a full space for each of those circuits.  Nowadays that will be most circuits, so I advise to just forget about twins.
Since you will certainly never use all circuits at once at full power, you can put quite a lot in a panel. Having 16 120V circuits would not be unreasonable.


In general the point is to filter your water.  If you want to be sure about it, check the volume of your pool, and the flow rate of your pump.  Run it long enough to go through that much volume 1-2 times a day.  In practice, that's probably around 6-8 hours.

Make sure your chemistry is good, and then try it.  If it looks nice for a few weeks, try lowering your operating time and see what happens.

As a side note, 1.5 HP is 1120W.  That's probably peak power not normal consumption, but you should still assume it consumes somewhere around $0.10/hr or so.


Mounting large mirror on drywall/studs with unknown brackets

If there are brackets (straps) on both sides about 1/3 of the way down from the top, then you could use S-hooks in the straps (remove the center clamping screw) and string a heavy steel wire between them. Then hook the wire on a heavy nail into a stud or use one of the new stronger hangers like a WingIt into drywall.


30 amp dryer plug is hooked to a 40 amp double breaker, is this ok?

The breaker is primarily in place to protect the wiring. So first thing you should evaluate is the size (gauge) of wiring on this circuit. For a summary of normal copper wire usage:

Breaker 50A Wire Size 6 AWG
Breaker 40A Wire Size 8 AWG
Breaker 30A Wire Size 10 AWG
Breaker 20A Wire Size 12 AWG

It is also recommended practice on dedicated circuits like this (circuit breaker via single branch wire run to single outlet) that the outlet be also sized to the wire and breaker.

Now with that said there is no real problem with changing your outlet to a 30A style and changing the breaker to a 30A two pole breaker as long as the wire is 10AWG or larger size. There would be a strong recommendation that you make sure to use a 4-prong type 30A outlet, as opposed to the 3-prong type, so that you get the safety ground connection all the way to the appliance.


WIll this box hold a 35 pound light fixture?

If the screws are course thread and driven solidly into the ceiling joist the box should hold your luminaire without a problem.

You could test it by hanging 35 pounds of weight from the fixture strap for a few days.

Standard ceiling boxes are manufactured to hold up to 50 pounds if they are solidly installed.

Here is the pertinent National Electrical Code Article:

  314.27(A) (2) Ceiling Outlets. At every outlet used exclusively for lighting, the box shall be designed or installed so that a luminaire or lampholder may be attached. Boxes shall be required to support a luminaire weighing a minimum of 23 kg (50 lb). A luminaire that weighs more than 23 kg (50 lb) shall be supported independently of the outlet box, unless the outlet box is listed for not less than the weight to be supported. The interior of the box shall be marked by the manufacturer to indicate the maximum weight the box shall be permitted to support.

That is a "pancake" box so your fixture should have a canopy that adds more volume for the wire connections since there is not very much room in that box.


Have Gas Water Heater...Wondering If It Needs to be in a Closet

The closet is protecting the water heater from damage. I don't think you should demolish it at the present time. I doubt leakage of unconditioned air into this heater closet is having any significant effect on your electricity bills.

It is my understanding that there is a code requirement in Dallas that tank water heaters have a pan under them, and there must be a drain from the pan to the crawl space, to the outside, or to a garage where it would drain out. But if you don't have a pan, I don't think you are required to remove the tank and install one.

For the life of the current tank water heater, forget about about a tankless water heater for this house. The cost would not make sense for this dwelling.

The first thing to do would be to get carbon monoxide (CO) detectors installed in the living space of the house (bedrooms and hall or living room). Next insure that the combustion gas flue meets code.

Then attack the rodent problem with snap traps (no poison) in the heater closet and in the attic if it is accessible. If you have children or pets, you must put the traps where they cannot get caught. If rats are in the attic or garage, they will find a way into the living space of the house. If you want to put traps in the garage, put them at a height where pets cannot get to them or put the traps in a box with an opening that denies entry to dogs, cats and children.


If you want to remove the studs for better access to the space for storage, that I did for my neighbor, you could install a header supported by jack studs that will hold the weight above. You may need to consult a professional to engineer the opening the header and supports. My neighbor now has a lot of storage space he previously did not have.


Put it in with some rebar dowels to be sure that there won't be any differential settlement of the foundations.

You might need to underpin the missing foundation to properly support the blocks.


How can I resolve drain issues in a home with no venting?

If you were to remove a p-trap from under a sink upstairs, you'd basically be opening a vent. If you do this I doubt you'd notice any change however. You sound like you have a blockage in your drain line. Lack of a vent isn't going to force your entire drain to hold water like that, it would just prevent a full volume of drain flow from occuring. You need to snake your mainline, the line leading into your septic has a blockage somewhere. That is your actual issue.


Anyone please tell me what kind hinge (name of the hinge) used in this product?

Hinges

  what kind hinge (name of the hinge) used in this product?

That looks like simple pin (perhaps steel) in a drilled hole and a couple of spacers (perhaps plastic). I don't know of a specific name for this simple arrangement. Nor for the compound hinge formed by the arrangement of three simple hinges to form a folding brace.

Addenda ...

In the Snap-Jack furniture

  All the fittings, and hinges are stainless steel, and the magnets and keepers are nickel plated, the hinge spacers are plastic

So the hinges are basically exactly as I said above. The magnets are not part of the hinge itself.

Latches

  I think [...] a rare earth magnet [...] was used as a hinge

In the Snap-Jack furniture, magnets are not part of the hinge - magnets are used to hold the furniture parts in the fully-closed and fully-open positions. Magnets are also used to help hold the chairs and tables into the wall-mount in the stored position.

  Magnetic safety latches

These magnets are not part of the hinges.

Part names

All these parts are available separately from most hardware stores.

steel rod
steel or plastic washers (maybe spacers too)
disk magnets (screw mounted or epoxy into recess)
keepers (or use a steel washer and a short wood-screw)

I would use a drill-press with a table rotated 90° to drill the holes for the pins.


I've worked in the floor covering business for several years and here is a good quick way to remove glued carpet padding: after slicing the padding in half length-wise with a utility knife pull up as much as possible. Padding usually is made into 5 foot rolls. Halving it makes it slightly easier to pull up. The installer will normally apply the glue from a gallon can directly to the concrete floor in a continuos serpentine manner so that when the pad is rolled onto the glue it makes contact to just shy of its outer-most edges. I've found a 4"-6" floor scraper helps alot ,too. Also to remove any of the stubborn residual pieces 'kick/ scrape' them with your shoe bottom. It quickly pulls up any remaining pieces. This shoe kicking action also works for padding that is stapled to wooden floors.


What leaked out of small copper line when I blew a hole in on my air handler

If by "air handler" you mean heater/air conditioner/cooler unit, then yes you have punctured your refrigerant line. The big and small pipes are the in and out circuits, the gas will only be cold if it is on the appropriate side of the cycle and if the compressor is running.

This will be an expensive mistake. Your soldering job needs to be gastight, structural (won't pop off under pressure) and not introduce contaminants (like flux) into the system. Next time, disconnect the power.

If the unit is older (say > 10 years) you should consider replacement. If you are going to spend $700 on service it is well worth checking the cost of new units. If it is over 20 years old I would simply replace the thing.


You could easily build one out of an extension cord and some screw terminals.  If you can't figure out how to wire it up, you probably shouldn't be doing it.

But you likely won't find such a thing sold since the exposed terminals likely won't pass any safety certifications.  You also have to be careful to make a good connection with your probes, eliminate any arcing that might damage the probes or start a fire, not short them, etc. Current clamps are great in this respect since you don't have to have any exposed wire.

Overall the killawatt devices are cheap, accurate enough for most uses, plentiful, and designed to be safe.  If you need something higher quality, I'd stick with the $100 current clamp and an extension cord with the individual wires separated.


No blocking is not required, but you might be using the wrong term. If what you are calling "blocking" is actually a Fire Stop, then yes it is required in certain circumstances.
Blocking is a term that describes wood flat nailed behind the wall finishes to provide faster support for materials that lay across the face of your wall finishes. It is also one of those terms like "coke" or "soda" or "sheetrock" that is misused as a general class of things when it really refers to a specific thing. The trades will use the term "blocking" to describe framing included in the wall system besides the studs and plates. Often times someone will call something "blocking" which the code classifies as serving some other specific purpose. This is why pictures are so useful to include in questions about "what is this thing".
I will say this, there are a lot of reasons to install blocking. Fixing twisted framing is very far down on the list; framing serves two main purposes: it holds up the thing above it, and it lets thing hang off the face of it to conceal things running in the space it creates ("the wires/plumbing/bodies behind the wall"). You don't need to fix the twisting to accomplish either of those things, and you don't use blocking to correct "twisting" when it does interfere with either of those things especially right now when the cost of lumber is stupid high and things like furring strips and planers or just whacking it into a different plane with a hammer will make those problems disappear.
That said, fire blocking is a must, and that's laid out by code. If you're asking about fire blocking and you want to know the specific regulations, call your building department (no need to mention your project or your home address or whatever) and ask them to point you to the local adopted codes, then go look up the regulations on fire blocking. Usually every ten feet and full height closing off from slab to joist above so no air can pass behind the wall from block section to blocked section over the wall or under the plate, and from one floor to the next. Fireblocking and Draftstopping will be in the section governing fire stops.
Read this This guy says it better than I can:

The International Building Code (IBC) Section 717 and the International Residential Code (IRC) Sections R302.11 and R302.12 address requirements for concealed combustible spaces. The code requires fireblocking and draftstopping to ensure concealed spaces are not continuous.

It is important to understand the distinct differences between fireblocking and draftstopping set by code. Construction dictionaries and common knowledge do not reflect the code distinctions.


Covering roof vents to keep out roof rats

Dryer vents are often equipped with covers that have louvers, such as this one

While a determined animal might squeeze through or gnaw a hole, it offers some protection.

There are also alternatives that use a spring loaded or weighted round flap under a cover, like this one

Again, same issues. They come in metal and plastic.  The metal may be a bit more animal proof.


Can I use this neutral wire running through the switch box for my smart switch?

Although we can’t see the GFCI it may be the same circuit I would pull the GFCI out and make sure the hot and neutral are for the same circuit.
it looks like you must have conduit make sure to remove the insulator that holds the screw on the switch so the body of the switch has a good ground.


How can I repair a puncture in a hollow-core wooden door?

You can't.  Wood doesn't "pop back out".  The wood is actually broken.

If you just want to repair it structurally, then filling in with something like a suitable epoxy and sanding would work.

Getting it to look like the undamaged original will be impossible or very difficult at best.  This is due to the grain, and no replacement piece of wood having the same matching grain pattern.

The best try would be to very carefully get the pieces of the wood back into their original positions.  Then open the cracked areas again a little, carefully insert some wood glue, back to original position, and somehow clamp or hold in that position until the glue dries.  Then you still have to sand the result to make it smooth, and hope the few inevitable interruptions in the grain won't be too noticeable.


Most residential thermostats are designed to be easily removed on one of two ways:

The entire device slides up ~ 1/2" and then pulls off the mounting screws
The front pulls forward, possibly with a plastic tab or two on top or bottom pried open with a flat screwdriver, revealing a back panel screwed into wall and containing the connections to the wires going to the furnace & air conditioning.

Either way, once you have it off the wall it is usually easy to find manufacturer/model information.


Safety differences between the various types of outlet (two-/three-prong, grounded/ungrounded, with/without GFCI)

1 is against code
2 is allowed provided the correct stickers are applied ("GFCI protected" and "no equipment ground")
3&4 allowed and safe provided it is not a bootleg ground.

Ground and neutral is only allowed to be connected at the main panel. Disconnect all those bootleg grounds from the neutrals in all other places.

You can put the GFCI protection at the panel by using GFCI breakers. The other option is GFCI receptacles and if you do things right you can protect outlets downstream.


Will I lose much by buying a spray gun not suitable for water-based materials?

You never got an answer so I will give you a simple one. I'm not a painter and just have a small amount of general knowledge...

  And since I'm a total newbie in painting, I've decided to ask a couple
  of questions here:

  What are pros and cons of water-based vs solvent-based paints?
  Will I lose much by having a spray gun not suitable for water-based materials?

Pros and cons of water-based vs solvent-based? Well a simple answer would be that water-based is easier to work with, easier to clean up, better for the environment, and healthier. Solvent-based is tougher to work with and clean up, not so good for the environment, but generally considered better and more durable. Often most professional or factory finishes are solvent-based.


Yes

  NEC 2014

  — SWIMMING POOLS, FOUNTAINS, AND SIMILAR INSTALLATIONS

  680.21 Motors.

  C) GFCI Protection. Outlets supplying pool pump motors connected to single-phase, 120-volt through 240-volt branch drains, whether by receptacle or by direct connection, shall be provided with ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel.

Check with your local inspections department for any requirements that they may have.


Personal Preference
This is purely personal preference.
If you are going to use the two sinks for different types of dishes (e.g., kosher = 1 for meat, 1 for dairy) then I would put the disposal on the one that is likely to get more use.
If you are going to use the two sinks for wash vs. rinse then put the disposal on the wash sink as it will get the most food residue.
The dishwasher hose is normally long enough to reach the extra foot or so to the farther sink, and should be connected to the disposal. Disposals normally have a knockout for easily connecting a dishwasher. Make sure the dishwasher output either has an air gap or a properly installed high hose loop.


What is the best way to seal this old fireplace vent?

Not sure exactly where this vent is, but here in the UK it's pretty much essential to include a vent whenever a fireplace is blocked off.  Otherwise the air inside the chimney goes stale and damp takes effect.  Generally the vent is to the room in which the fire used to be situated.  Just be sure that there is ventilation to the chimney before (more thoroughly) sealing the vent.


My first jig saw; is this blade fitted right? Black & Decker BDEJS600C

No worries, the blade on your saw does not simply move in a vertical path. It is designed to "orbit", which means as it travels up and down it also "orbits" forward and backward. B&D claims that this design has some benefits, including easier cutting of curves. On your saw the orbit action is adjustable.

Your blade and latch look different than on the box because the saw action just happens to be on the forward portion of the orbit. If you trigger it and let it stop again it will be on some other random angle, or may be vertical as shown on the box.


How do I make exposed wood stairs less squeaky?

There are special screws for squeaky wood floors. You drill a small pilot hole, drive in the special screw and the head of it breaks off. The screw pulls the offending pieces together eliminating the squeak. You will want to try to screw into the stringers for the best result. With the head broken off a small hole remains that can be filled. If you have large gaps between the treads and the risers you may want to get some wood glue in the gap prior to installing the screws.


How to connect a horizontal metal carport roof to a shingle roof?

The trouble is the metal roof's profile. It would be easier if it were smooth (flat).
My instinct tell's me that it would be best to tuck a strip of 30 weight felt or rolled roofing under each roof rake (edge). Starting at the bottom by sliding 4 inches of the underlayment (felt) under the asphalt shingles and the metal roof. This will close the gap at the seam of the (2) roofs. Overlap each row by 2-4 inches.
Next you can either extend the metal roof onto the asphalt roof (if you have some). Overlap each roof with 24 inch length's and secure it as normal to the metal roof.
Or you can simply glob some roof patch down the length of the roof seam and press in a fiberglass mat followed by either metal flashing that is 4 inches past the seam on either roof (and nailed/screwed to each roof) or a strip of mineral roofing (rolled roofing).
The rolled roofing can be adhered to both roofs with rolled roofing cement which essentially glues it to the roofs surface. It should be nailed also.