Could it be the oily stains are just not visible on light clothing, or the loads are run at different temperatures, or some other variation in way of explanation for the different results? Otherwise it implies there is something about your dark clothing that is the source, which I find difficult to believe.

I really think the source is the machine itself. We once had a well used machine that started doing the exact same thing. It happened to all clothing. We never really determined the cause. We eventually gave up trying to stop the stains. As soon as we used a different machine, we never had this kind of staining again.

The only thing I can imagine is oil from the machine's mechanicals somehow found its way into the wash water. This could possibly be through a perished seal at the pump, or maybe solenoid valves, or maybe it was an external source, once introduced difficult to get rid of. If we could be sure of the source, a replacement part could solve the problem. But I'm just guessing and am not confident that replacing some parts would solve the problem.

Unless you hear of plausible fix, I would consider replacing the machine straight away. Blindly replacing parts gets expensive, that money could better go towards a replacement machine. Washers are not inexpensive, but neither is clothing. It doesn't take a lot of ruined clothing to start costing more than a replacement machine. Do consider any other plausible fixes first, this is the action of last resort.

I'm sure it seems extreme to suggest a complete replacement based on a brief Internet exchange, but I've been in your position. The thought of how many clothes we ruined still sickens me. I would never suggest this if it hadn't happened to me personally.


What to do for unused shower drain? (Prevent sewer vapors and mosquito larvae.)

Pour in some heavier liquid, like vegetable oil.
Or put a plastic container lid over it, with a little weight on it so it doesn't accidentally move.


Recommended order for re-shingling a roof and rebuilding a chimney

Definitely do the chimney project first. Any foot traffic on your roof reduces its life by damaging the surface. In the case of asphalt shingles, the granules are the primary weather and UV light protection. Walking on an asphalt roof always degrades the granule surface, especially at the bottom edge of each shingle. That takes years off their useful life.


Why is there a white wire connected to multiple black wires in my light box?

It goes to the switch, technically. You have a typical switch loop where the white wire runs to the switch and returns as the black in the same cable.


how to fix a 1/4 inch gap between the tub spout and the wall

It looks like your pipe is not coming out of the wall perpendicular to the wall. Since this is copper you may be able to square the nipple so it will not hit on the bottom like it is doing now.


Confused about Ethernet wiring in new home

Read the jacket - I think I can see, but not make out, faint red printing on at least two of the gray cables in your picture. But there's no guarantee that all the gray cables are the same, if this system grew organically over time rather than having been all installed at once.
Even if it's CAT3, it will run ethernet (slowly by modern standards.) That will be fine for a printer that plugs into ethernet, and other uses that are not too demanding, but won't suit your faster goals - in which case you might examine how it's installed, and whether you can use the current cables to help you get new cables into the places you actually need faster connections.
Your best bet at this end would be to install a patch panel, rather than "plugs on cables" - plugs on fixed cables are iffy (they tend to fail,) while a patch panel is quite reliable, (and also easier to connect to) and helps to organize the mess.
You'll also need a switch, to get the signal from a cable leading to your router to all the other cables (or all the other cables you are actually using.)
Beware that as phone wiring, there's no guarantee that the wiring completely respects a "star" configuration (each cable here leads only one place) - some legs of the apparent star may be "daisy-chained" to more than one outlet, and that does not fly with Ethernet like it does with telephones.


How to cut wide shallow grooves in existing driveway slab

Put a 1" topping on your slab. Leave 3" grooves out of the topping


well, short of dismantling the frame and welding the tubes shut (WTF????), you might try an easier approach.  never seal the vertical tubes shut.  if you have water building up inside the tubes, you need larger vent holes on the bottom of the wet side of the shower.  its common that they get plugged up over time.

having assembled dozens of these units over the years, i must admit that the one you have is a little different on the top corner detail, but they are all pretty much the same.  the wall has rails mounted to it, then decorative rails slide over those to provide the wall anchor points for the glass.  then the corner rail (either stop or hinge) is held captive by the top and bottom channels, which also hold the fixed glass panels captive.  the door then hinges off the corner rail typically.  since the left and right panels are joined at the corner, this joint tends to flex in two directions and causes the usually inadequate factory seal to fail prematurely.

so, try this (the worst you will do is make it such that if you do have to disassemble the unit, you might have to scrape out some caulking) after you have left the unit to dry for a few days (you can use a hair dryer to speed up the process if need be):

1)  clean all surfaces that you are going to seal really well with methyl hydrate or methanol.  any places that have been previously siliconed over will have to be scraped clean and then cleaned with silicone sealant remover.

2)  get a renovators bar (or 10) or a butter knife (or 10) and slip them in the joint to wedge the offending corner joint apart.  just a little, just enough to get the sealant in.  then get yourself a large bore (14 ga or larger for silicone) hypodermic needle (like the kind to refill ink cartridges with) and inject clear silicone (NOT LATEX) sealant into the gap.  go slow and inject way more than seems reasonable (the metal extrusions often have convoluted profiles that are invisible from outside the joint that will allow for the silicone to not seal well).  go from top to bottom and tap the frame often to get the silicone to settle and cling to the inside of the joint.

3)  on the wet side of the shower, and only the wet side, run a vertical bead of silicone over the joint.  i would mask the joint with tape so that you can get a nice bead with little mess.

if you do all the cleaning well and be very thorough, this will solve your leak.  you may have to do it again every couple of years, but it generally works permanently.


Help identify 12” spigot internals replacement

I would be very surprised if anyone could identify the make and model of this and if they could, you probably wouldn't be able to find just the internal parts. At the end of the pipe your piece slides in a valve seat which could be bad.

This type of spigot or sillcock is about 12" long and is sold as a complete assembly. The handle at the front turns the shaft inside the pipe which, in turn,  opens the valve at the end. The end, which is indoors, is where you tighten or loosen the entire fixture to your water pipe. Hope this helps. See below for an example:


Is there such a thing as a horizontal tension rod shelf?

I've wondered this before, too. Honestly I wouldn't trust a horizontal tension rod shelf unless you're putting lightweight, and not breakable, things on it.

I know you're renting, but you could install shelves with braces and then just patch the holes when you leave, assuming you can find similar paint.

Another alternative is just something like bookshelves.


Why is 2-3 volts on 120 v circuit that is not connected

Disconnected  wires are a radio antenna. They pick up all sorts of junk which high impedance DVMs can see because they are so sensitive.   Mind you, on AC mode your meter doesn't only look for 60Hz, though crosstalk between parallel wires is a common source.

Plug an incandescent night light into the circuit.  I bet the phantom voltage instantly goes away, and the night light does not light.


How can I disconnect my water line from the toilet?

If the line is made from solid copper (often chrome plated), it sometimes has a bit of tension in it, making it appear to be stuck to the fixture.    Try gently pushing it in different directions while pulling down.

If the line is a flex line, it may be stuck with a bit of mineral buildup; try gently wiggling it back and forth.

If you're not comfortable with the amount of force needed, it may be too much.   Consider calling a pro rather than breaking something.


Why can't I get water out of my washing machine taps?

If there are shut offs further up stream you can turn them off and then remove the sharkbite elbows nearest the washing machine valves. You can then have someone briefly turn on the valves that you shut off to check if water is flowing. This will tell you if it is the washing machine valves or not.

The sharkbites can be removed by pushing the orange part into the fitting while pulling the fitting of the pipe, this can be tricky. there is a special tool for this but you can do it with crescent wrench if you size it just right .
youtube


Had kitchen cabinets repainted, new paint pulling off like rubber

Looks like the prep worked was skipped completely! He should have sanded down the cabinets to give the new paint something to bond to, as well as put a good primer on. Unfortunately based on the picture it looks like it wasn't sanded at all.

I would get him to re-do it


How can I secure the wheel of my office chair to its shaft?

If you think about the forces your wheel encounters as it rolls over the floor carrying 30+ pounds, being twisted all over the place, it might be unsurprising how the attempts so far with glue/paper have failed.
These things retain themselves by the hole in the plastic carrying some sort of restriction so the wheel can be hammered onto the shaft, and the restriction (perhaps a ring of metal with a split in it) opens up temporarily then closes around the thinner section of the metal shaft, so it's gripping the metal (loosely) but is also too big to let the wheel come off again. Ropey 2D cutaway diagram time:

Black - wheel
Silver - peg with thinner section
BLue - metal ring with split so it can open up (it has enough space inside the wheel)

This blue bit has dropped to pieces, or been lost, or the plastic is destroyed and it isn't hidden inside any more. At worse, the wheel is really cheap and the blue thing wasnt a metal ring at all, it was just some plastic fingers that pushed out of the way when the wheel was hammered on and flexed back (and theyre now chewed up and gone):

I would consider 1 of 3 options:

Just replace it, if you can find a suitable replacement. Engineering a fix will take more time-is-money than the replacement will cost

Put it back in place, and drive a couple of screws through it and into the mounting block, holding it in place and stopping it from turning. Don't roll round so much while youre sat on the chair as it will wear the wheel out, but the other wheel will take some of the load, and it'll not wear out so fast if youre not wheeling it fully loaded. Don't put your desk on the chair and roll it across your mom's new travertine floor though!

Obtain a shanked bolt* that is the diameter of the pin that holds the wheel. The length of the shank should be equal or greater than the width of the castor as a whole (the distance between your fingertips if you touch one wheel center with the left index fingertip and the other wheel center with the right index fingertip). Drill a hole in the center of the broken wheel, drill a hole in the centre of the other wheel, drive the pin out of the wheel hub. Reassemble so the shanked bolt goes through the whole assembly, replacing the pin that carried the wheels. When the wheels roll, they should rotate on the bolt shank, not the bolt threads (the threads will act like a saw, chewing the plastic). Affix a locking nut to the bolt. Do not tighten the whole assembly to the point where the wheels cannot rotate

A shanked bolt looks like this, the smooth part being the shank:

The whole repair looks like this:

Black - plastic
Silver - bolt, white diagonal lines indicating threads
Orange - locking nut


Yes, two 5” x 2” x 1/4” steel tube stringers  (with A36 steel) spanning 10’ will adequately support your stairway.
Code requires a Live Load of between 40 lbs. per square foot (psf) and 100 psf depending where it’s located. Assuming it’s 100psf x 3’ wide x 10 long = 3,000 lbs. plus a Dead Load of 15 psf x 3’ x 10’ = 450 lbs. for a Total load of 3,450 lbs.
Your tubes will support about 8,000 lbs. each, depending on connections, etc.
If you don’t have the tubes already, you may want to consider a 5” x 1 3/4” channel which will support 5,100 lbs. each.


It sounds like you have more than 1 bad valve. The valve to the home is leaking and the ones to the shower are leaking. If really old you might turn a bit harder for a gate valve, if that won’t shut it off open a hose bib they are usually the lowest point on the system. Then pull the faucet stems and replace the washers. After replacing the washers on the shower I would be checking the shut off to the water heater also many have a cold water main shutoff at that location change that washer also. If you can shut off at the street then change the washer at the house shutoff and you should have fixed everything.
I purchased a kit with 2 or 3 different sized washers they look like little volcanos
These are healed in place with brass screws my kit came with some of those also.
Over the years I have repaired hundreds of valves mostly with the washers and some valve stem packing I replace them and still have the metal box (tells you how old it is)
Every home owner should get a kit like this only 10-20$ and start adding as you do other valves, mine also has orings for washerless faucets now you can fix the valves in just a couple minutes in most cases for under a dollar.
Worst case you may need a seat cutter / reamer but most of the time a new washer will do the job.
I am sure there are videos online to provide live examples on how to do it.


There is a little flex in the PVC joints that will allow a little give to get it to set flush. If it is still a little off, the toilet does not set directly on the flange and the wax ring makes the seal. If the flange is up a little on one side in spite of all efforts you can "shim" it with grout or thinset, or perhaps a small wood shim.


The other answer is a good starting point. However you may want to look at using this style of spring hose clamp. They exert their pressure over a greater area of the hose and depending upon the hose material prevent cracking of the hose material as it ages.


Oak (and waxed) furniture over-sprayed with car-paint. How to restore?

Self answering to tell you about the results.

I started on the backpanel (which is normally out of sight so ideal for testing)  with 3 different paint-stripper products to see which one would work best with this paint.
Used paint-stripper specifically for car-paint, regular household paint-stripper (both from the DIY store, made by Alabastine). And I tried a 20% solution of dichloromethane which I had leftover from an earlier project.

All 3 worked pretty well, but the regular Alabastine stuff got the paint of better, without the need to really scrape at the residue. (Given the fine detail in some places on the furniture I really wanted to avoid scraping/heavy sanding if at all possible.)
Some remnant stuck, especially where the underlying wax had been very thin or worn away. But from the test with dichloromethane I noticed that that stuff had worked exceptionally well in similar spots.
So I tried dichloromethane as a 2nd application to those spots where the Alabastine hadn't entirely worked. That turned out to work great and got nearly everything off.

So I ended up with making to passes: First the Alabastine and then the dichloromethane.
I then gently warmed the wood with a heat-gun and used a rag soaked in methylated spirits to draw out the remaining wax. Had to do that 2 or 3 times to really bring the wood back to its raw state. This also opened up the grain of the wood which I considered a good preparation for the new layer of wax I wanted to apply later.

The end result was quite good. Here and there a small amount of paint was left stuck in a deep scratch, but I could carefully scrape those out with the point of a knife.
A sanding with fine wire-wool smoothed the wood, without destroying any fine detail on the woodwork.
The wood ended up a bit uneven in coloring, but I will be able to smooth that out with colored wax when I re-wax the furniture later this week.

All in all it was far less of a nightmare than I originally expected. I am guessing the wax underneath the paint was my savior. If the paint had gone straight on the wood, it would have been much more difficult to get off.


Usually doors and windows had two studs on each side ( cripple and King cripple ) if this is the case you should cut no more than half way into the King cripple.  From your picture  either the door is slid over to one side of the rough opening, has blocks nail to the King cripple, or you  have a stud next to the cripplebbecause of layout. I say this because of how much space you have between the switch and the trim. If you could determine if is just blocks cut away as much as you need. If it is a stud or the door is slid over I would check into some Slim-line boxes. These boxes are not as deep as regular boxes this way you can just notch a smaller depth letting you notch a wider width and keep the strength.


Can I install wide-plank solid hardwood over radiant floor heat?

There are lots of resources covering this topic, and since your question is rather broad I'm inclined to refer mostly to them. In general, you can install hardwood over floor heat if:

Subfloor temperatures are reasonable (say within 15 degrees of room air temperature)
You stick to quartersawn wood species that are known to handle heat well, or
You go with an engineered floor

More on that


Installing 'TruStone' veneer, directly on painted drywall?

Probably not a good idea. As you said, the stones are heavy. If you could guarantee a solid rest on the floor, maybe, but I'd simply cut out the drywall a few inches inside your stone area, replace it with 1/2" cementboard, and call it good. This would be simpler than the wire lath business. I'd float backing at the joint of the cementboard and drywall to firm things up. Half-inch plywood strips would do well.


This is without a doubt manufactured by International Window, that is their trademarked logo. I sold their windows for many years and they are quite common in S. California. Aftermarket replacement latches should be fairly easy to find:

prime line window parts


Can oil from a pine tree stain my exterior paint?

I bet what you are seeing is mildew growing on dust on the wall.  The dust can be formed of the white blush on the needles of the pine, or it may jsut be taht the pine protects the house from wind, so dust collects there.

I would expect dripping to be, well, more drip like -- more blobby.

If it's mildew, it should come off with a weak bleach solution.  (1 cup per gallon of water, along with a table spoon of TSP per gallon.  You may have to wash it once with the bleach, wait a day, then wash with the TSP.

it's actually sap, it is essentially oil based.  Try winter windshield washer fluid, about 40% alchohol, or diesel fuel, and a scotchbrite nylon scrubby.   DON'T use gasoline.


Pouring self-leveling cement to a given depth

Self leveling cement is not used to raise the whole floor up to where you want it, it is for filling low spots or slopes to make the floor  FLAT.

Take up the cement board, If it was not put down with some Thinset or adhesive, and put down the appropriate thickness of plywood so that when you put the cement board back down you have you floor at the proper height. ( OR ad a new layer of cement board to get your height.)

Fill the low spot on the sub-floor before you put your cement board back down.

Save your nuts !


Can I run two 12/2 wires from one 12/3 wire?

You don't even need to replace the fixture box.  Fixture boxes are allowed to be junction boxes. Boxes are a PitA to change anyway, because of the risk of damaging the cables and the close quarters.  They make blanking plates for unused ceiling boxes.

Also, presuming the box is a fan box, you may want to leave it intact, in case the next owner wants a ceiling fan or a light there.

A Multi-Wire Branch Circuit is fine as you draw, as long as the /3 cable lands on one breaker whose handles are factory-tied together, or two independent breakers with a field-installed handle-tie that is UL listed for the breakers.  There are a few other requirements for MWBCs, but they are irrelevant to your plan.


Model gw712; see the back of the top panel next to the serial number.  Go on their web page, put in the serial number and get the parts list for that machine.


How much should brick "give" when pushing against it?

Not at all.  If it's real brick.

If it's a veneer, that's different.


How do I find the master unit for an intercom?

You should be able to use an inexpensive wire tracer to follow where the wires from any of the stations are going. Even the cheap wire tracers will work through sheetrock.


How to remove insulation fasteners from concrete?

I would suggest a crowbar for removing them. The overall length of the crowbar body will determine the amount of force it's capable of producing. Obviously the fulcrum will be at the end against the wall where the head turns towards the fastener.

With a relatively long crowbar, your leverage will multiply significantly and they will come out much easier.

Basically - go to any home goods store and see how long of a crowbar you feel you could live with having around - the longer the better.

As for the damage to the cement - I'm stealing a page out of another website because it's well written:

  Patching such holes is a necessary part of keeping your concrete
  foundation wall in good repair. If your aim is to make the wall look
  better, a smooth surface is also easier to paint. An ideal patch to
  use for both purposes is hydraulic cement, which expands to fill
  cracks and holes as it dries.

  1 Remove loose material from the hole in the wall by probing it with
  the tip of a screwdriver or blade of a putty knife. Clean the hole and
  surrounding area with a wire brush. Vacuum any remaining dust or
  debris out of the hole.

  2 Dampen the hole and surrounding area with water using a spray
  bottle.

  3 Mix a small portion of hydraulic cement in a clean container
  according to package directions. Stir the cement with a putty knife
  until it has the consistency of thick peanut butter. Make only as much
  cement as you can use in three minutes or less.

  4 Pack hydraulic cement firmly into the hole with a putty knife or
  trowel. Smooth the surface of the patch as quickly as possible before
  the cement sets.

  5 Spray the patch lightgly with water several times over the next 24
  hours. Allow the patch to cure for 48 hours before painting, or for as
  long as recommended by the manufacturer. Things You Will Need

Screwdriver
Putty knife
WIre brush
Wet/dry vacuum
Spray bottle filled with water
Hydraulic cement
Clean mixing container
Trowel (optional)

  Tip

  Unless the wall is well shaded, it's best to apply hydraulic cement early in the morning when the wall surface is cooler so the
  cement won't dry too quickly.

  Warning

  Wear rubber or latex gloves when working with hydraulic cement.

Those notes apply to an interior or exterior cement surface. With a proper putty knife technique you will have a very smooth surface ideal for painting.

Happy fixing!


Attaching punch bag bracket to pebble dash exterior wall

Don't do it!

Former boxer here.  I put up a mounting kit in my joists in an apartment I had in college...  I split both joists it was mounted too.  I was using a 100lb water bag and weight makes a huge difference.  But I don't care if it is 25lb.  Don't do it.

Buy a pole and mount it to that and they sell punching bag stands.  The link isn't an endorsement, just an example.  Also if you mount it to your house you will have probably only 60 degrees of hitting - 30 on each side given you don't want to pop the bag directly into your house each time.

Note that you are probably attaching this to wood.  Assemblies like this are not supposed to go into wood - needs metal.  You screw this into wood and the constant reverberation, up/down/side forces will slowly make the screw hole bigger and they will eventually wiggle out over time - for sure.


Replace inlet screen with washer screen on washing machine?

I'm not familiar with cleaning these, just installing new stufff.
If this filter behaves as a washer does, I'm suggesting that you install another one at the valve end of the ( stainless mesh wrapped) flexible supply hose. When it gets embedded in the female threads, just dip these ends in the cleaner without removing filter screen.
I've had clients whose water supply was switched from middle of a zone to bottom of a run of hillside water main ( Berkeley, EBMUD) and had to clean the East Bay Mus from every screen in every faucet every month since.

I'm about to receive a new water main. I'll have to turn off toilets and blast outdoor spigots for a time until chunks are flushed.

Some toilet float valves have a twist drill shaped filter that catches lots of chunks but never fully clog up.  I wish there was a better angle stop ( valve) to turn off toilet for cleaning, those darn things leak from gunk stuck and I have to disconnect and discharge into buckets.

Too wordy? RSVP. Thx
I'm mostly a carpenter, plumber only in emergency


Are surface mount deadbolt latch door lock inherently unsafe?

In security the principle of weakest link applies. It's not possible to tell if the surface mounting alone will be the point of failure in your setup. The material of the door, the frame, hinges and the part which is most often overlooked: how well is the frame mounted to the wall pay equal role in providing security.

There is nothing inherently wrong in surface mounted lock - if the door is tough enough to withstand the localized stress. But if the door is weak, installing the full-width bar serves little purpose as well - it would be enough to break half of the door and crawl under the reinforcement.

I don't know what type of lock are you used to. If you're comparing surface-mounted lock with a one mounted inside the door (like knob tongue), then surface is massively more secure. Mounting a lock on the inside means removing portion of the door in the place where breaching force will be applied, while surface mounted one has full thickness to hold on to. Same goes with catch. Here where I live (Poland), surface mounted locks became dominant about 20 years ago for this very reason. Also keep in mind that adding more locks means drilling more holes, so at some point extra locks actually make the door weaker instead of stronger. If you have door with integrated locking mechanism, consider changing one of existing locks to an electronic one rather than adding extra.

You should not be concerned about regular opening and closing, pulling the locked door, etc. Properly tightened screws will not spontaneously loosen themselves. Using a proper threadlocker can also help (if and only if lock and door manual allows using threadlocker.) Which leads us to the most important part: manuals. Types of locks allowed for the door and types of doors allowed for the lock should be all explained there.


There are bits referred to as Silver and Deming bits.  They have a smaller shank than the actual bit diameter and are available at home centers or on line. They come in a traditional twist drill configuration, so they can be used for drilling metal. If you are working with wood then "paddle" or "spade" bits will work also. You have to use caution when drilling holes of a larger diameter than the drill was designed. The drill may not have the secondary handle needed to control the torque. The speed of a single speed drill may be too high to control the bit. You may also overload and over heat the motor to the point of failure.


Should I use a separate system, or extend the existing system to heat a detached garage?

Particularly if you have an oversized boiler already, extending the hot water makes more sense.

It's not terribly difficult to insulate it properly - especially for a mere 10 or 15 feet. Use 1" PEX and build an XPS (waterproof styrofoam insulation sheets) box, keeping the lines (supply and return) separated with insulation, polyurethane foam it to fill and seal, done (and done better than buying the absurd products sold with two lines in a 4" tube with not nearly enough insulation around or between them, for stupid high prices.)

This link to a more-specifically heating-related forum may provide some insight.

If you extend the gas line instead, you need another device to burn gas, venting for it, etc.

If you extend the hot water, all you need is radiators/baseboard/etc. and you do NOT have an ignition source or a fuel source in your piano-storage-barn, which may positively impact your insurance (if any) and/or peace of mind.

Here is picture of a (much larger than you need, industrial-style and steam-pipe carrying) bridge at the Wright Brother's Museum

Effectively you should have something that looks like a 15 foot long box, probably 12" square, between the buildings - rather than exposed steel as in the picture, wood or siding/roofing to match your buildings. Or it can simply look like a large metal pipe or duct, which is one way to deal with keeping it dry when not trying to match the roofing/siding. As mentioned WRT the burial depth, a long power outage causing loss of heating in the winter will be more prone to freezing this type of arrangement than one that's well-buried. Personally, I'd bury it, it's not that hard or expensive to do, and it's invisible.


How can I install craftsman-style door casing where it interferes with hinges?

The simple answer is that you adjust the reveal to accommodate your hinges. Whether you do this just on the hinge side or all the way around is up to you. It looks like you'll want to paint the jambs before installing the casing anyway, so it shouldn't be an aesthetic problem. Sand down the paint ridge a bit so it doesn't show.
It shouldn't take more than an extra 1/16" to clear the hinges, and even if the casing is against the hinge you're unlikely to have problems.
I absolutely would not carve out for the hinges. This looks amateurish and sloppy, in my opinion, as though you failed to plan well.
Of course, you could always replace your hinges--modern ones tend to have smaller barrels, but I think that's unnecessary. It's also often more hassle than it sounds since screw patterns and leaf size are not standardized.


Two Water Heaters - One off affecting the other?

It sounds like you are describing two different problems.
FIRST PROBLEM: Turning off a hot water heater.
First, there are two ways to hook up two water heaters: series and parallel.

SERIES

In series, the water comes in to the first water heater, then passes through the second hot water heater, and finally goes to your fixtures.
If you turn off the second water heater, then the water in the second one cools down between uses. This results in very long warmup times.
If you want to turn one of these off, turn off the first one. (This is actually a legit way to save on energy costs if you don't need the extra hot water volume because in many places the water supply is colder than room temperature and the first tank allows the water to sit and reach room temperature before it's heated.)

PARALLEL

In parallel, the incoming cold water is split between the two water heaters. Hot water coming out of the two heaters is combined and sent on to the fixtures.
If you want to turn off one of the water heaters, you also have to close the valve to the inlet or the outlet. Otherwise you will just be mixing the cold water in one water heater with the hot water from the other heater.
Leaving one heater closed off for a long time is a bad idea because the water can become stagnant and foul.

SECOND PROBLEM: Pilot light going out
Just turning off one heater should not cause the pilot light on the other to go out.


Do modern energy saving light bulbs class as "fluorescent lighting"?

Both of the bulbs you show are fluorescent (or more specifically, compact fluorescents "CFLs"). Fluorescent bulbs are characterized by their long opaque glass tubes and the electrical ballast in the base of the bulb which controls the light. (Commercial fluorescent lighting usually has the ballast built into the fixture instead of attached to the tube, but they work the same way).

Fluorescent lighting is one type of "energy-saving" bulbs, although it's not the only kind. Other types of energy saving bulbs are LEDs (newer, more expensive than CFLs but even more efficient). Halogens are sometimes considered "energy efficient", though they're only marginally better than old-fashioned incandescents.

You might contact the manufacturer and find out what exactly is the problem with fluorescent lights. It's possible the ballasts create some electrical "noise" that the smoke alarm doesn't like. Or maybe the alarm sends a trickle of current through the fixtures which is not noticeable for incandescents but can cause fluorescent or LED bulbs to glow slightly. See also Why does using a dimmer with this ceiling fan and lights cause energy saving bulbs to flicker? and Why do my LED lights stay on, even when the switch is off? .


Do you have to have a thermostat for an electrical baseboard heater?

You could just turn the breaker on when you are cold, and off when you are hot, I suppose. If that gets inconvenient, yes, you'd need a thermostat.

They do not normally "come with one" because one thermostat may control many heaters, or one thermostat and a bunch of relays may control even more heaters.

Some units do come with one built into one end of the baseboard itself, but that is a special option. You may be able to return the unit you have and get one like that if it would be more convenient in your application.


How should I hang racks from the garage ceiling with trusses?

2x's laying flat as opposed to on edge are going to bend or break when weight is suspended from it over time. The longer the board the faster it will compress or fail. To remedy this problem you must add support to the existing framing members. I think the simplest way is to install additional 2 x 4's (on edge) attached against the edge of the original 2 x 4's. It should have a "L" shape profile. You didn't mention the span of the rafters, but you may consider adding webbing above the platform. All this is are lengths of 2 x 4 attached to the platform joists at one end and the other to the mating roof rafter above. This is probably over kill, but still another way to prevent a failure.


How can I safely remove and replace a wall?

I did this before for a kitchen remodel, just as Mike mentioned, it looks like you have good access inside your attic. For the remodel I built a scaffold outside at the gable end that was closest to the work at hand, removed the vinyl siding in my case cut a hole in between the gable studs and pushed the LVL in from there. It took a second scaffold to get the end high enough to keep the LVL from hitting the roof before it went in far enough to re-handle from inside the attic
the remodel I did only had 18 1/2 ft of wall to remove, and it had the supplier of the LVL specify the size of the 2 LVL that would do the job. He needed all the particulars, span length, within a few inches, ceiling joist size and spacing, was the attic used for storage, ceiling finish/materials.
Before the LVLs were added the insulation was cleared back 2 ft. from either side of the wall (4ft. total). The lap of the joists in my case was very small 4" only so I added 32" plywood splice/gussets with the addition of 16" long 2X6 blocks to reinforce the splice, glued and nailed. The wall is still in place, it will not be removed until everything is in place After the beam is in place then you MUST ensure that the bearing points carry through to the foundation before the wall is removed and the hanger can be sized with all material, mine was 3 5/8" wide. The joists can be individually picked up a little to make a gap big enough to slip the hanger into, you will need to remove the nails into the top plate or cut them with a reciprocating saw.
Get an electrician to set junction boxes in the attic to rerun the electric that was eliminated by the wall removal, if needed.

I just read the note about preload that mike mentioned, I did that by setting 2 blocks cut tight between the ridge pole and LVL to bow the LVL down 1/4"to 1/2". each block was about 4 ft apart from the center. When I placed the LVL in the attic, I set it on short headers to disperse the load over the plate a bit more then I set a 1/2" piece of plywood over that so the LVL beam was above all joists by a half inch, hypothetically. The the posts in, it actually graduated down to almost nothing in the center to the 1/2" space the plywood created at the bearing ends.

If you look closely at the photo you will see the plywood and if you look really close at the joint of the top pate and joists, you will see the light color of the new blocks (short header) that carries the LVL to the jack studs below.


It is not unless someone totally incompetent built the home. Lumber is never used flat like that as a load-bearing header. It would need to be full-height in that head space.

Disclaimer: I'm looking through the internet at a fuzzy photo with relatively little context. Take Alaska Man's advice and get a local expert on scene.


Grohe Kitchen Faucet Membrane Replacement Instructions

Try and pick the old one off with a fingernail, toothpick, or some other pointy bit of plastic. (Avoid metal, as you might scratch your finish.)

The new one should pop back in with simple finger pressure.


How can I determine whether a home with common walls has good soundproofing?

While codes and regulations can be good, there may have been a bad builder or contractor in one particular house. Or an inexperienced homeowner making repairs / upgrades. So, regulations can be a good guideline, but I wouldn't treat them as gospel.

Your best bet is to either try to hear the neighbors as they go about their daily business, or go talk to them and ask how good the sound-proofing is. I'd probably do both if I really liked the house. Both require the neighbors to be home, of course, so you may need a second visit when they're home. Note that if your direct neighbors aren't home on your first visit, other neighbors may be around who could offer opinions on their houses. Not directly comparable (see first paragraph), but it's still informative.


How to properly ventilate a finished basement?

Sounds like dehumidification might be the answer. The cause of the dank "basement" smell, is high humidity. Removing moisture from the air is a side effect of refrigeration, which is why the air conditioner helps.  A dehumidifier is just like an air conditioner, except that the dehumidifier heats the air back up after cooling it and removing moisture.

You may be able to simply use a standalone dehumidifier, though then you'll have to dump the collection bucket. Another option, is to install a whole house (or whole apartment) dehumidifier. A whole house unit will be more expensive, but won't require dumping a bucket or water once a day.

If you have moisture problems in the basement, you'll want to sort those out. That should eliminate the cause of the foul air, and the need for removing it.

If you don't want to deal with the moisture problems, then you'll have to focus on removing the foul air and replacing it.  This means drawing in outside air, conditioning it (heating, cooling, filter, humidify, dehumidify, etc.), and exhausting the foul air.

If you live in a mild climate where indoor and outdoor temperatures are similar, this shouldn't be that bad. However, if you live where indoor and outdoor temperatures are extremely different, you're going to be paying a lot to condition the air.

You'll want to look in to a heat recovery ventilation (HRV), and/or energy recovery ventilation system. As these systems will help reduce the amount of heating/cooling that will have to be added to the incoming air.

Drawing air from one dwelling unit into another, is not a proper solution.  Air must be moved within a single dwelling unit, or between the inside and out.


Repairing Water Damage on a Window Frame?

A few thoughts - more than I can fit in comments but probably not a complete answer. Also a disclaimer that I'm not a pro, I've just had some similar experiences!

It looks like the window may have been improperly installed and leaking water may have done more damage than you can see. The top of the frame outside appears to have just been caulk-sealed. Even a tiny crack in the seal will cause capillary action and suck the water into the joint. You need to put appropriate flashing over the top of the window as a bare minimum, but this may require you to remove the window first. This suddenly makes it a much bigger job but it could reveal rot in the framing which, while far more time consuming to deal with, is best taken care of now. If you do take the window out I recommend getting the advice of a local builder to prepare and reinstall it properly and according to local codes so that it's properly weathertight.

Here's a video of how to install a window into new framing.  While the process of retrofitting is made harder by the existing cladding, the principles are the same - make sure that there is a layered approach to drainage.

As for the interior it looks like some mold is forming, best to remove affected drywall, scrape anything else you can see back and treat the entire area first with mold treatment (pre-paint treatment, or ask your local hardware store what they recommend).

Once the flashing is in place and the all the mold you can see has been killed (there's probably more deeper but you can't really fix it without major intervention), it's best to let the framing and wall cavity dry completely: a few days to a week, depending on humidity. Most mold can't grow below certain humidity levels. In the meantime, check for further dampness and leaks before you go and cover it all up again.

Then yes, I'd get some new drywall or timber panel and tidy up the inside.  Good luck!


Why is my plaster covered ceiling magnetic?

I would assume it's because you have plaster ceilings that use metal lath.


How do I remove construction glue from brick?

As the comment said, a heat gun may make scraping this off much easier. First, try scraping some off without a heat gun.  You might get lucky and it might "break" off the surface in large solid pieces.  If it does, the heat gun might make it more difficult.  If it does not come off easily, then I'd try the heat gun.

Start a low temperature and work your way up gradually until the adhesive softens up; you don't want to burn it, just soften it up. Please beware that heating this adhesive might release harmful vapors.  Make sure your area is well ventilated when doing this. You might even opt to wear a respirator.

I would personally stay away from solvents in this case especially if you do not know what type of adhesive it is.


Installing smart switches in 2-gang box with switch loop

Can’t do it.
There’s a “Great Wall of China” between the left switch (and its cables) and the right switch.  You cannot cross that with any wire, except safety ground.
It’s a Code violation, it’s a safety hazard to workmen working on the left circuit... and what’s more, if there are any GFCIs or AFCIs in either circuit, it will trip them.
What you might be able to do is reverse flow.
Depending on load factors, you might be able to flipper-oonie (that’s a technical term) the right-side lamp circuit so it isn’t powered at the lamp anymore.  Cap off that supply at the lamp.  Then flip this former “switch loop” so it is not a switch loop and powers the light in the normal way.
By “load factors” I mean you’re now throwing all of that light’s current onto the left circuit.  If it’s a large light, that could be a provisioning issue.


What are these droppings/dirt clods/mold clumps?

Your guess of mold is correct. The moisture that was or is still present does attract termites also. Something worth checking into, why there is excess moisture enough to harbor mold


Most blower motors are 3 or 5 speed motors, though it varies by manufacturer.  Typically they come with heat set to use LOW, cool and fan set to use HIGH.  If it's a 3 speed motor,  the HVAC tech is limited to only adjust to MED.  Whereas if it's a 5 speed, the HVAC tech has more flexibility.

In most cases the factory settings are adequate.


How can I bug proof walls before they are sealed up?

With modern construction I would ask for air sealing, if air cannot get out bugs can’t get in , some locations require it for energy conservation. As tight as modern houses are sealed up I would not want any products in the wall other than insulation.


Just installed a new sconce. When I turn it on, I blow a fuse!!! Help?

If all you changed was the light fixture the Hot and neutral may be reversed with a grounded fixture when you turn the power on it goes to ground tripping the breaker try reversing the fixture connections as that should fix the problem if this was the only change. Many times wiring in switch loops are not properly marked and are easy to get reversed.


Adjusting speed of a kitchen range hood motor

Simply put replace the 4" pipe with 6" pipe. 4" pipe is just too small for a range hood. This is going to be the only realistic way to make your range hood more efficient.

To put this into perspective....

The air movement volume is based upon cross sectional area.
The 4" pipe cross sectional area is 12.56 square inches.
The 6" pipe cross sectional area is 28.27 square inches.
The 6" pipe can thus handle more than twice as much air flow
Bends, corners and outside vent covers for 4" pipe are going to be much restrictive than corresponding 6" components.

So do the job right rather than making a science project out of modifying your range hood motor speeds!!


How to add grounded junction boxes when installing recessed lighting?

For jobs like that I am very fond of EMT conduit.  It's a semi-improved space so it's a good fit.  You lay the conduit (the metal conduit is a legit ground path) and then when it's done, you run the wires.  The material cost is pretty good except you'll need a $30 bender and waste a stick or two of 1/2" conduit tube until you get the hang of the tiny offset bends.

However, EMT inherently connects the grounds of all those locations together, and

Don't "island" grounds

I heard you mention that your house wiring has no grounds, and your receptacles are grounded "to the box".  That only works if the box is grounded!!  and "grounded" means all the way back to the main panel to the neutral-ground bond and the grounding electrode system (the intertie to ground rods or water pipe). Otherwise, it can work against you.

Consider this.  Imagine a 2-socket outlet that is grounded "to the box", but the box is not grounded.  You plug a PC into one socket, and a plastic case battery charger into the other.  Unbeknownst to you, the battery charger has a hot-ground fault.  Ok, so the fault voltage is carried to the ground wire, and is safely grounded back to the panel, right?  No, it's not.  It lifts the ground wire, and thenunction box up to 120V.  Wait, isn't the PC also grounded there?  Yes, it is.  The chassis of the PC is also lifted to 120V.  You touch the PC and blammo.

The PC does not have any problems.  It got electrified because of the ground fault over on the heater.  In effect, your ”isolated island” of grounding worked against you - it assured that if one device has a ground fault, everything has a ground fault.

The upshot is, "no half measures".  Grounds start at the link between the grounding rod /water pipe and the main panel neutral ground bond.  Then grounds propagate from there.  Anything else isn't really grounded.


Can I avoid plastering after stripping the old wall paper

Just wash it right off. Wallpaper glue is highly water soluble & should just wash right off to beautiful smoothness. Do the entire wall by spraying first & then sponging it all clean for a solid paint job.


Okay, I read this article,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Part_number ,
and I did a bunch of measurements and comparisons.

I might not be able to figure it out with 100% confidence, but I feel satisfied with my understanding now.

The 6-35 is redundant. A 6 Gauge screw is one that has a head diameter of 3.5 mm.

EDIT: Actually, the 35 probably isn't redundant. It's probably referring to the pitch (the distance between each thread)! Thus, the 35 would refer to a 0.35 mm pitch.

Some Googling suggests that you're right, @Jeff Cates , about the B: it's the strength/type of the compound.
The 20 is the diameter of the shaft (2.0 mm).
The 4 is the length of the shaft/screw in mm (whether or not length includes the head depends on the head type).
The R stands for Replacement.
The *12 is quantity (the company for the screws and the company for the laptops are different, so it's quite likely that the laptop company removes some of the original quantity).

That just leaves the 11 and the E. Considering that B is the compound, I'm inclined to think that 11 is the shaft and/or head model/style. Considering that all packs have a "1" (11, 21, AND 61), and they're all Cross-head, the "1" might refer to a Cross style. As for the E, it might be some sort of personalized/trivial note about the part (e.g. version #).

As for the question about my motive, @jsotola & @Jeff Cates: if I'm going to be working with something, I like to understand deeply how it works. Also, this can help me organize my tools better.


15-year-old fridge goes "clunk" at end of cycle

Sounds like a broken  or worn-out "vibration damping mount.the inertia of the internal moving parts at shutdown will cause the hole compressor to rotate up off  of the mounting  and slam back as gravity and the rubber nounts return it to its normal position. Common caus of the noise you describe.
Fix find a similar mount to replace the broken one. At a used appliances store,or appliances disposal site for free,or order from the manufacturer.
  Gumby stay flexible.


Is my custom shower enclosure plan reasonable?

That’s a heavy duty sandwich.
I would probably leave the ply up.
I don’t use it just backer board. I would leave it up because of the holes in the barrier would be leak points.
In the past I have tiled directly to plywood 3/4 and thicker.
using thin set to bond the backer to the ply and then screw them together this will make a very solid base.
once all the moisture from the thin set and grout are gone everything will be fine. Make sure to seal your finished job and that will last for 50 years.
I have seen tile on Sheetrock last 30 years and if it would have been sealed more often It could have lasted longer.
Thin plywood flexes with moisture changes I would not be concerned about that at this point.
Keep on going it looks like you are going to have a solid base and that is best for tile.


Why is Green Glue used so much in the USA, but hardly used at all in the UK?

Probably because it is made by the evil French frogs across the channel.

In all seriousness, though, Green Glue is widely available in the UK (Green Glue.co.uk)


Why do I have a cold draft from a return air vent?

This could also be caused by bad/torn/loose ductwork in the attic area. I would check the return ductwork in the attic for tears and/or breaks.


You have two choices:

Sand down and refinish the entire room

Can be costly. DIY tends to produce terrible results

Remove, replace, and finish just the affected planks

If you choose this then you can more easily identify the wood once it is removed


How do I remove this exterior Water Valve cap?

Careful what you are prying up on, the 5 sided nut is what removes the cast iron top. usually the city only wants a licensed plumber to open these, if not the city plumber only. I refer to it as city since it is not a well. Those plastic items on top may very well be the remote sensor to read the usage for billing. It is just a guess, I have never seen anything like that above/on the cast iron cover. Usually the cover is removed to read the gallons used. but this seems a hi-tech model....


Uneven poles for fence with wood railing?

It depends on the size of the gap. For very small gaps, washers will work just fine. For larger gaps, cut a piece of wood (same wood as the top rail) to shim the gap, and just screw through it. If the gap is excessively large, you'll want longer screws, or you'll want to screw the shim to the long 2x4 first.


What should I know before trying to make a larger deadbolt hole?

You need to know what the door is made out of and how to make the hole.

if the door will not be damaged by the larger hole, and you have the appropriate tools, go for it.

Maybe he refused because he didn't have the right tools to enlarge the existing hole in a tidy way


How to connect PBI to detect an open door

Security systems normally use a reed switch for this purpose.

It is usually mounted on the strike side at the top of the door to detect even a small opening of the door.

Good luck!


How can I figure out why my Sears Craftsman garage door opener will not work?

If both sensor lights are not on, the door opener will not close and the light will blink because the opener thinks there is something in the door path. This is a safety measure. One light being off is usually due to either the two sensors getting out of alignment, a faulty connection, or a faulty sensor.  You say that you have installed new door sensors.  If both lights are still not on, you have to troubleshoot that first. Check all connections and then try to align the 2 sensors. If both green lights are on, and the opener will still not open, then the fault is probably elsewhere.


Where is the Neutral Bus in this picture of my breaker box?

If that is your main panel both the neutral and the ground can go to the left. It looks like both A &B are isolated from ground (the metal case) .
But if this is a sub panel the neutral goes on the isolated left buss and the ground goes on the right (they should be isolated)
I believe that  rule came  out in the 99 code change so if your home was built prior to this,  and this is a sub it would have been ok back then for a sub to have both on the same buss, today’s code or since 99 a sub  the neutral is isolated from the ground.


Can I "just" concrete over the existing gravel in this carport?

Two things about an exterior concrete slab.

Proper drainage. Pitch the slab slightly so the water drains away. 1/2" to 1" for 10' of run should be enough since it is covered.
Proper compaction. Make sure the material under the slab is properly compacted. If you believe it needs more sand or gravel for better drainage or to level the area, then that added material has to be compacted before placing the concrete. Sand or road-gravel compacts better than loose stone. Undisturbed gravel with compacted sand for extra drainage or leveling would work great. Top soil makes a poor base since living matter can be compressed, so it is removed and made up with road-gravel or sand. Since you have a base that is not top soil and has been compacted by cars and settled for years you don't have that problem.

You have a well thought out design.

Good luck!


Which router bit should I use to recess a door hinge using a template

This bit is called a "hinge mortising bit"* but it looks to be essentially like other top bearing router bit.

The one difference between this and other top-bearing router bits is that the maximum depth of cut on this one is fairly shallow, which is what you'd want if you're routing into the edge of the door to recess the hinge. This particular one comes in several depths of cut, but to me, they all appear to be to deep for a standard door hinge.

The advantage of a guide bush is that you can use any old straight cutting bit and adjust the depth independently of the guide. With the linked bit (or a similar one) you're stuck with routing to the depth of the cutters, or you have to make a template the thickness of the cutter minus the depth of the mortise you're looking for.

* Amazon.com link - no specific brand/retailer recommendation implied


What design should I use for a desk that is only around 1' deep?

A "standing desk" would fit such a space, and be very easy to install:


my washing machine was automatically stop and this message was shown

It means the door is not safely closed and latched.

Insure that the door is fully closed. Check for fabric and other obstructions. When the door is closed, the latch on the door pushes into the door interlock and slides a bar over. It should latch firmly and activate an electric switch inside the lock.

Insure that the machine is properly leveled and does not rock on two diagonally opposed feet. This can twist the frame and prevent the door from seating properly.

Check the child safety interlock if your machine has this feature. See the instruction guide for your model.


What could be the cause of eroded mortar in exterior brick?

The gaps are there intentionally. They are weep holes which allow moisture to escape from inside your walls. This website has some more information as well.


How can I disable cooling with a White Rodgers thermostat?

Disconnect the wire connected to the Y terminal. This is the terminal that's energized when the thermostat calls for cool, so disconnecting the wire will prevent the thermostat from calling for cool.


How do I change an AC outlet into a switched outlet using wireless technology?

Presto!   (Emeril would say - BAM!)

Heath/Zenith BL-6136-WH Wireless Switch Outlet, White

http://www.amazon.com/Heath-Zenith-BL-6136-WH-Wireless-Switch/dp/product-description/B000OUW7MA

P.S. Did you try googling for it yourself first?  Just sayin'...


Can I vent plumbing in an old house to the crawl space?

If allowed in your location an air admittance valve can be added. It needs to be close to the level of the drain. I put them in the sink cabinet as close to the top as I can. I agree with @kris my 1930 farm house has the vent outside several Victorians I remodeled also had them outside. But an AAV if allowed is the easiest but not in the crawl space.


Here you have two ground wires: one coming from the cable, and one from the light ballast.

One possible procedure is to twist the two ground wires together, then screw the twisted portion against the fixture.

Alternatively you can screw both wires into the fixture separately, but you will need to find or make a second ground screw.

The fixture should be grounded, so solutions that just connect the two ground wires but do not attach securely to the fixture are not good.


removing grout from very narrow gaps between tiles?

I always use a Stanley knife with lots of new blades when doing re grouting jobs.


Can you install a wall ontop of a travertine floor?

I am no expert but I am going to put an 8 foot high pantry wall on top of an oak wood floor. I don't expect to have any problem. I have no idea if it meets code. In the case of travertine this is what I think:

It depends on the load you expect and what your floor is made of. Since your floor is concrete it should work but you still need to drill through the tile to make an attachment to the concrete. Oversize the hole through the tile only. You may still get cracks from the drilling. I would also think it is a good idea to put some adhesive underneath the walls bottom plate to even out the tile/joint irregularities and reduce the stress on tile high spots. Keep in mind if you decide to cut the tile you might still get stress fractures in the tile from the cutting process. You can easily cover up any small cracks that run the length of the wall with molding. If it were me I would do it, but like I stated earlier I am no expert.

on the finehomebuilding forum they seem to agree.


Is this a weird or very problematic shared neutral?

Code requires 2 things: First that all junction boxes be accessible, and second that wire splices happen only inside junction boxes.  That is why everyone is expecting this should be accessible.
So there are 2 big problems.  First that breaker's handle-tie is completely hork-a-dork (credit for having a handle-tie, but they should've gotten a proper one). Either obtain the proper handle-tie for that breaker, or replace the 2 breakers with a quadplex 15-15-15.
The far bigger problem is this violates a cardinal rule: Neutrals and hots must travel together and Neutrals must serve only their partner hots.  Any outlet must use the neutral from the same cable the hot came from.  You can't loopy-doop neutrals like this for two reasons:  Aside from current imbalance (which causes heating, this is AC power not DC!!!!) the big problem is we could overload the neutral.  Imagine a 15A load plugged into the GFCI, so 15A on the red wire. No problem, right?  Now imagine 2 boxes above it, 15A plugged in there.  What's the current on the /3 white wire?  You're darn right it's 30A!!!!  So this won't do at all.
Now, a "CABLE" contains a number of WIRES inside a sheath.  They don't sell cables with just a black wire, so there must be an undrawn white wire at top center.
Usually when "the last guy" does a dumb thing like this, it's to try to compensate for what is thought to be a broken wire.  Often it turns out to not be a broken wire at all, but some sort of blunder.  (remember anyone who does this is NOT the sharpest tool in the shed). Actual wire breaks are VERY rare.
So your task here is to complete the mapping of this circuit, account for every wire, and validate every wire to see what's really broken and what's merely a faulty wire connection at the device (notably: backstabs).
Then, you pick 1 place to break BOTH the black AND white wires: Just left of center where you did not draw a white wire, or above the GFCI.  At that junction box, you disconnect one set and cap them off.
If all wires prove out good, and one of the possible break points is a 2-gang box with 2 yokes (4 sockets), feel free to feed one yoke with one circuit, and the other yoke with the other circuit.  Do NOT split the 2 sockets on one yoke and feed 1 from each circuit (that would require something you can't do).

There's nothing abnormal about being afraid of going into an attic where blown insulation covers the rafters.  When blown insulation covers the floor, you have no way of knowing if there's even a floor there.  If there's no floor, then one misstep and your foot punches through the ceiling drywall and you have an injury, a fire department rescue, a BIG mess, and an expensive repair bill.

The correct course of action is to get a whole bunch of trash bags, a quality mask and glasses, and shovel all the blown insulation into the trash bags until the floor is easily observable.  Then create a floor using appropriate materials (quality plywood is my choice; stronger and lighter than OSB; if 4x8 sheets are unwieldy have the yard cut it to your rafter spacing typ. 16" or 24").  Then lay the floor as you advance into the attic, removing insulation as you go.  Then add a few lights at the apex, then do your work that you need to do.  Then put the insulation back over the new floor.  Do the entire floor so next time you're up there you never have to worry about if there's a floor here.


adding new power outlet, ceiling fan/switch kills the power to it when on

Something has to be different than what you say for this scenario to occur in a house that's wired in a manner even approaching code compliance.

The voltage drop on the outlet while the fan is on is normal. The fan is simply using some of the power of the circuit, decreasing the remaining potential elsewhere in the circuit.

You say that the voltage changes at the outlet when the fan is on, but the outlet does not work. This means you are getting voltage at the outlet even when the fan is on. Are you reading anything close to 120V? (anything between 110 and 125v is "normal" household voltage in the U.S.). Do you get significantly more voltage when the fan is switched off? If this is true, my hunch is that the branched connection at the J-box served by the panel is not as continuous as it should be.

With the circuit deactivated at the panel, take apart that junction (hot and neutral), make sure the wires all have about 3/4" of insulation stripped, the wires are all twisted together (you can't rely on the wire nut to secure an extra wire to an existing twisted wire junction), and the wire nut is securely screwed on to the twisted bundle. Tape around the entry to the wire nut for both the hot (black) and neutral (white) wires, then before you put everything back, turn the circuit on and try your multimeter again with the fan off and on.

If it's still cutting out, make sure all the connections in the switch and in the ceiling are kosher in much the same way.

Just a shot in the dark; are you sure the switch isn't a three-way? If it is, then the two terminals at the bottom of the switch are not continuous; you can't hook on to either of them with your new hot wire or with the wire from the panel to the J-box you're hooking into. You should instead hook into the top (Common) terminal (it will be the only one on that end of the switch body), which should be fed from the panel and will thus take the switch out of the circuit path to your outlet. If making that change means that something else is now always on, then you need to find or make a different branch of the circuit for your outlet that is fed directly from the panel.


Looking for or adding a ground to an existing NEMA 10-30 socket

A ground wire in a NM run for a dryer is indeed an unused fourth wire in the box, and it will be bare.  If your garage dryer socket was instead run using AC (BX, in other words) or metal conduit, then the box itself is grounded, and should be pigtailed to to ground the receptacle.  (In the rare case the circuit was run with MC, there will be a green ground wire in the box.)

If you're comfortable using a multimeter, you can turn the circuit off at the panel and measure the resistance to the neutral wire -- the ground will only have a few ohms to the neutral as they are connected at the service entrance.

Adding a ground to a three-wire, 120/240VAC circuit is best handled by running a separate ground wire back to an allowable grounding point as per NEC 250.130(C), using single conductor bare armored ground cable.  In the 2014 NEC, point 4 does allow you to tap the nearest EGC of a suitable size originating from the same enclosure as the recipient branch circuit; but, since a 30A circuit needs a 10AWG copper EGC, you can't use a 15 or 20A circuit's EGC as the donor.

Also, if your appliance can do it, you can install a neutral bonding jumper and change it over to a NEMA 10-30 plug on a 3 wire cord. (Just about all dryers can do this.)


How can I determine what grade air filter is appropriate?

Air filters are intended to:

Protect HVAC equipment.
Mitigate air-quality issues.

The manufacturer will specify requirements necessary for normal equipment service life.

Until there are actual air quality issues, there is no reason to upgrade filters.

Monitoring air quality may be appropriate because some air-quality issues are better mitigated elsewhere from the filter.


Re-painting drywall after patching leaves tones

Three things:

Yes, you were supposed to apply a primer.
Fresh joint compound and drywall soak up paint like crazy.  The primer serves to seal the joint compound and drywall and create a consistent surface.  However, you've already painted - and the paint will do the same thing - just not as effectively and you'll probably need to do a third coat.

Paint takes time to cure and changes color as it does
It takes about 30 days for paint to cure fully - and usually the color will deepen as it does - so after your 3rd coat let it set a week and see if it's starting to blend in.

Your paint may never match perfectly
Paint age matters - and no matter how good the technology, 2 cans of paint are 2 cans of paint.  Pro's who get multiple cans of paint at a time for a room will blend the 2 together before painting to ensure uniformity.  Obviously it's too late for you to do that - your old paint was dry - but worst case if you really can't stand it after it's cured - just paint the one wall with a new coat.  Having a whole wall be slightly off color won't stand out anywhere near as much as having a spot of paint off color.


Removing cartridge from mixer tap - recessed nut

Pretty sure that's a Carron faucet from UK. The design looks like you pull out the stem after the clip is removed. Similar to many other brand's designs like American Standard.


Most probably you have had a voltage surge on the incomming power line. There can be many reasons for this.

A bad neutral connection at your place if you have a 3 phase supply.
A bad neutral connection or connection mistake during work outside (third    party)
A voltage surge due to lightning. Could be a direct hit but does not need to be.


New Breaker, Receptacle, and Plug for New Appliance

Can't speak to if the frequency will be a problem, but 240V plus ground is a NEMA 6. Do not use a NEMA 10, it is two hots and a neutral.

I don't believe a flash dryer operates at full current for 3+ hours, #10 and a 30A breaker should be fine, if it operates more than 3 hours at full current then #8 copper wire and a 40A breaker would be needed.

Edit: After good night's sleep and a cup of coffee I realized my answer at very least violated NEC 210.21 which limits cord connected loads on a 30A circuits to 24A, you would need to use #8 copper, a 40A breaker, and a NEMA 6-50 (or a NEMA 14-50 which would probably not satisfy a strict interpretation of (UL) Listing requirements of the cord cap to only install as the instructions describe and as tested by the testing agency, but (UL) is probably thrown out the window using a 50Hz appliance that has 50Hz sensors, timers or relays on 60Hz).


Should a neutral wire ever be connected to the neutral for the power meter?

I am not sure I understand the intent of your question.  The neutral wire is not metered.  It just passes through the meter box.  Old electric meters don't have a connection to it at all.

Electric meters monitor both hot legs and add up the kilowatt hours based on current flow through those.

 photo source.

The only remarkable thing I see in your photo is the unusually small number of circuits.  That makes sense if heating, air conditioning, hot water are provided by the landlord or commons and you don't have an electric range, laundry, etc.  Nothing but some lights and electronics.


How can I replace a non-standard (20cm) bathroom faucet?

I see that it is hard to recommend a robust solution for you because of several missing pieces of data. Here is a summary of questions that really need to be answered -

Are your current 200mm centered faucets each with their own water spout?
Does your sink have two holes or three?
When you say "mixer valve" are you referring to a single handle
faucet or one with two handles but with a common water spout?
Is the space where the faucets are located and in between them a
nice flat surface on the back of the sink?

If you have a two hole setup then you may be faced with either replacing the sink or boring a third center hole in the sink. A faucet like that pictured below is a center hole mounted unit that requires a 1 3/8" to 1 1/2" hole. It comes with an optional deck plate that can be used to cover a previous 2 or 3 hole installation. (You would have to check though if the deck plate with this one would cover over the your existing 200mm spaced holes).

On-Line retailer link:

http://www.faucet.com/danze-d225525rb-ac0fw1-oil-rubbed-bronze-single-handle-centerset-bathroom-faucet-from-the-aerial-collection/f1072590


Can a GFI shutdown a second non-GFI outlet?

Yes -- GFCIs are provided with a set of LOAD terminals so that other receptacles, light fixtures, or hard-wired devices can be connected in a way that provides them GFCI protection as well.  It is common to see this used so that one GFCI protects several receptacles -- there are even "dead front" GFCI devices that have no receptacles themselves, but are solely intended to protect "downstream" loads.


A warm breaker can be normal, yes. Especially under a heavy load.

If you are running a continuous load (80% circuit max for several hours) then I would certainly check the connections to be sure that extra heat is not causing problems. A heavy load will find a poor connection or termination and point it out to you as a problem in short order.


3 Way (4 Switch) Insteon Setup for Ceiling Fan Light

I'm not getting a very good picture from your diagram. From what I can tell the switches aren't shown? Or maybe they are but the light isn't? Anyway here's what seems to be going on: The switch that blows the breaker could have a neutral or ground wire connected to the load side of the switch. When the switch contact is made you have a dead short. OR the wire that's supposed to be "hot" coming into the switch is actually a neutral or ground. To troubleshoot this I would use a volt meter. Turn off power. Remove load line from switch that blows breaker. Turn power on. If the breaker blows with the load line removed then the switch is bad. If it doesn't then connect one lead of voltmeter to ground (non insulated wire) and the other lead to the load side of switch. Turn the switch on and tell me the results.


How to fix this heavy shelving unit to solid supporting wall?

A Z bar hanger may work well. The lower half is fixed to the wall; the upper half is fixed to the object. Caveat: walls are sometimes not a flat plane, but instead have some curve to them. Use a straight edge to confirm your wall is flat where the mounting bar would go. If it isn't then it can be corrected by inserting shims behind the bar. (image credit: http://www.zbarhanger.com)

The bar will carry the weight of the cabinet with no trouble but it may be a good idea to use a few more fasteners directly through the cabinet into the wall, especially in the lower part of the cabinet. These would prevent the bottom of the cabinet being lifted away from the wall, the cabinet being slid sideways, or the cabinet being bumped upward enough to disengage the mounting bar.


Wiping the the mold with some water-diluted bleach should eliminate the mold.  For good measure consider applying a mildew-resistant primer like "Kilz".

You will want to ensure the source of the moisture causing the problem has been fixed as well as check for mold behind the baseboard.  If you want to be extra thorough, cut out a small piece of the drywall and make sure there is not mold behind the wall surface you can see.


Is an 'exterior' California corner acceptable?

These two are effectively the same corner.  One is just rotated 180 degree from the other.  you can clearly see that in this edited image:

The only thing that's different is that you are showing only the interior wall finish.
So yes, this is perfectly acceptable and commonly done.


Are "1/4 turn" water supply valves more reliable than "multi-turn" valves? Or vice-versa?

Yes, ball valves or quarter turn valves tend to be more reliable than globe valves.  Globe valves require a washer and a tight friction fit between the seat and washer, and if either of these wear out (which they do over time), leaks start.  Ball valves are much simpler in construction.

A downside to ball valves is that they are more difficult to get variable flow out  of and are best when you need either on or off states, but nothing in between.

While there are more considerations for industry-specific applications, around the house, ball valves would be my choice for any shutoff valve.


How do I install a ceiling fan with remote control when there are separate switches for the fan and light?

Always turn off the power. The wall transmitter will work in either switch spot, as long the transmitter is light and fan. The other switch would just be a dummy switch. You can get a new two gang switch cover from the HI Store if you do not have one.


Practical advice needed on house with no earth/ground

RCDs. Done.

An RCD detects ground faults, which includes "electrical shocks to humans".

In Europe, there are several types of RCD in general use - whole house and individual-circuit.  RCDs which protect humans should trip at around 8 milliamps, give or take.  RCDs designed to protect the house (not the humans) are rated higher, at 35 milliamps give or take.  This means a ground fault in that range (8-35 milliamps) would nonetheless continue to shock the human, could stun the human, and in rare instances can kill - especially if the stun causes secondary effects (drowning or falling).

Grounds have several purposes, but the raison d'être was to try to solve the electrocution problem. Grounds provide an auxiliary path back to source, to help the ground fault flow enough current to trip the breaker.  If that seems like a round-about way to solve the problem, you are right, but that was all they had at the time.

RCDs are arguably a better way to solve that problem, since they more directly act on any ground fault, even one too small to cause an over-current trip of the breaker.  Grounds have their usefulness, but I wouldn't lose any sleep in an ungrounded house with good RCD protection.


How can I mount a punching bag in a closet opening?

I have a bag like that. The steel supporting chains at the top are there for good reason. And I don't think even a short 2x4 would hold it up very long once you start pounding away at it. Beyond that, closet doors are fitted in inside walls and don't require headers in some jurisdictions.

The rigidity of a piece of wood, as a beam, is proportional to its width and proportional to the 4th power of its height. So using a 4x4 will only double the kind of strength you want. You would be better to use, say, a 2x10 or whatever you can fit inside the closet, assuming I understand you correctly. Now your problem is that this beam will have a tendency to bend in the middle along its length or topple. So you will need some framing to make it stay upright.

It's not just the static weight of the bag. It's the fact that hitting it will put a lot of weight in motion. Come to think of it, can you be sure that the framing around the closet door can stand up to this? Perhaps you should think of building a frame to support the big beam inside the closet door so that that bag won't distort the door frame?


Greenboard is sheetrock where the paper is water resistant (but not necessarily water proof). A better alternative to greenboard is to use a paperless sheetrock product like Densarmor, which uses a fiberglass backing rather than paper (it's the paper that mold likes).

Note that these products aren't designed for wet applications, however. At best, they are designed for areas that 'are sometimes damp'. If you have mold issues under your sink, the problem is water. You have a leak somewhere. That has to be fixed. Replacing the sheetrock--even with one of these other products is just a bandaid and the problem will return if the leak isn't fixed.


Could a Cadet heater release metallic nanoparticles?

A short or arcing would most likely sound more like a buzzing (but could sound like a hiss, I guess) but would also be accompanied by smoke, a nasty "fried circuitry" ozoneish smell, and black soot marks near the source. I have never heard of this being a common source of danger for anything besides fire and/or shock.
I think it is way more likely that the noise you are hearing is a vibration; one that just happens to happen at a certain point of operation and coincides with a frequency that interferes with the wireless signal from your mouse's transmitter and the receiver unit.
Occam's razor: the most likely solution is almost always the solution. Take the grille off and tighten every screw you can find, whilst also looking for any signs of arcing or electrical failure.Either way, I doubt those little Cadet heaters are the cause of your illness (which I am sorry to hear about and hope you find health and happiness).


How can raise a downspout drain from ground level (Picture)

Hopefully that downspout doesn't ultimately end up connected to the municipal [sanitary] sewer system -- my local sanitary sewer operator, and I suppose many others, bar this practice because it leads to rain flows overwhelming the sewer treatment plants, and this leads to discharge of untreated sewage.

Anyway, on to your question. That white rectangle-to-round adapter looks like an ordinary PVC downspout adapter to a 3" pipe. You could raise this by inserting a 3" coupler and short bit of pipe. These are likely available at a home improvement or building supply outlet. Some retailers might put these together with the other plumbing products; others put these drainage-related items in the sprinkler or landscape supply section instead.

Loosen the downspout from its mounting straps so that it can be lifted out of the adapter, place the coupler and piece of pipe and then re-install the adapter, and finally trim the downspout to fit the new height.


Proper way to connect joist to top plate?

The answer ultimately depends upon your local climate/weather (heavy wind loading?), but generally the way to handle that situation is to span the joists at the top plate with a "rim joist", then toenail all the joists to the top plate.

BTW... you might want your top plate to extend over the top of that corner post instead of nailing to its side.

SketchUp's neat stuff, isn't it? 8)


What is this attachment that is connected to my home's main water line?

Looks like a valve installed to tap off of your main line for an irrigation system, then either abandoned or never used. The part on the far left is a knurled knob with a slot in it, probably designed for using a special "keyed" handle so that it could not be accidentally turned off and have your landscaping die. The seals likely failed from never being used, then managed to re-seal when you turned off the pressure. Expect it to fail again now, sooner than later. You should have it replaced or removed if you are never going to use it.


Drilling rebar hole in 12" concrete footing

Drilling with a rotary hammer at a high speed with low force should not crack the footing, assuming it's in good condition.

I wonder why the one post has moved, though, and the others haven't. Is the structure that loose? You might just repair and bolster the framing and not worry about anchoring the post at the footing.


What could cause a 3-bulb fixture to blink when turned off?

Is your light fixture is controlled by a dimmer switch?  If so, it might not be capable of properly dimming the more efficient light bulbs.

I had a ceiling light fixture on a dimmer switch.  When I changed from incandescent bulbs to LEDs, the light would blink with the switch turned off.  Not dimmed, off.  I replaced the dimmer with a simple on/off switch and it works as expected now.


How can I insulate under flooring panels in my attic?

Condensation should not be a problem in SoCal. IS there insulation under the plywood now? If so, but is has compressed or something, or if not, you could drill holes in it and use blown-in insulation under there.If you put the foam on top, you eliminate the option of walking on it, in which case you may have well as removed it.


Are there manual pumps that can be use to drain water from a toilet prior to uninstalling it?

Shop vac w/ the filters removed - suck the water right out of there, easy peasy, works every time.


Is the light quality of halogen/LED low-voltage recessed light actually better than an equivalent line voltage light?

The first linked site appears to concern itself wholly with halogen bulbs. It claims of low-voltage halogen bulbs that, "They also produce a nicer light, with warmer, brighter and more vibrant colors."

The second site's entire argument for low-voltage light being better seems to rest entirely on how configurable and remote-controllable low-voltage lights are, as well as how much easier it is to scatter gobs of them about to achieve your lighting plans for world domination.

I am inclined not to trust the first site, because their argument doesn't make intuitive sense and they provide no citations to back it up. The second site's argument makes sense on its face.

I can't speak to halogen bulbs, but when it comes to LEDs, I would not expect any difference in light quality between a line-voltage and low-voltage LED.

I don't know of any LED bulbs that actually drive the LEDs at line voltage. The ones that you can just screw into a line voltage socket just include their own DC rectifier, the same way that CFL bulbs include their own ballast to drive the fluorescence.

I would expect you can get finer control by putting your own transformer in front of a line of low-voltage LEDs, and your resulting lighting system will probably be more efficient and flexible. (As an example, I know an LED retrofit lamp I recently installed could dim down to only 5%, whereas you might be able to dim the LEDs throughout their full range using your own transformer.)


What inspections/maintenance should be done before first air conditioning of summer?

The pan tablets are to prevent gunkies from growing. You do not want to be checking freon levels unless your system has a site glass. Then watching for bubbles in the glass, some fully charged systems will have bubbles. The reason you don't want to check pressures that requires opening the system and a small amount of freon is lost. HVAC techs use special sealing compounds on the threads and instruments to verify there are no leaks at the end of a service (I and the guys I have worked with do anyway). There are special gauges used for testing the high and low side pressure, the type of freon and temperature are all used to determine if the system is properly charged.
Really the only thing you can or should do is; Clean the outside condenser coil. Clean the inside evaporator coil. Verify the insulation is in good shape. Possibly add a few drops of oil to the fan motors. Install fresh air filters and keep the condensing coil drip pan clean.


How can I mount a TV with widely-spaced studs and weak wallboard?

That's not a single stud mount any more than the one you have is--it's just a different design for a different purpose. Use your mount with two or three good lag screws into the center stud and call it a day. 3/8" x 2-1/2" should do, piloted to 1/4" full depth plus half an inch.

If your mount flexes a lot it's crap and you should buy one built to a higher level of quality. The mount I bought 12 years ago weighed twice what most modern ones do, but one bolt would've done the job even with the early, heavy TV we had.


my 220v circuit breakers show a voltage but dont seem to be able to drive a load. why?

If you've bypassed all the controls in the stove itself, and the voltage still drops to zero when you apply a load, then there's either a bad connection somewhere in the wire run, or one of your breakers is bad.  (And breakers do go bad.)  I'd replace the breakers, (fairly quick and cheap) and if still no luck then replace the wiring run from the panel to the stove.


How do I add weatherproof exterior soffit lights?

You do NOT need "waterproof" recessed lights. Most can/trim combinations are damp location rated, which is what under a soffit is.

You could use a shower rated trim, but that would be completely unnecessary, restrict the light considerably, and collect bugs like no tomorrow.


What is the mounting bolt spacing of a typical toilet tank?

There is no spacing standard, friend.

Tighten all them by hand first then go around and tighten them until you think its good. You don't wanna tighten too much because it'll break the toilet. After you tighten them check 4 leaks. If it leaks then tighten them.

The tank will always have a little wobble, unless its installed close to the wall, so you'll want to ensure if its free standing, meaning nothing is bracing it, tighten it to a degree that there is a bit of stiffness in relation to movement and you should be fine.


How big should a gap be between a built-in oven and a shelf for mounting a microwave?

All appliances should list minimum clearances in the technical specifications, make sure you follow these.  There is no general rule of thumb as each appliance is different.  Some don't require any clearance and others requires a lot more then you'd expect.


How do I wire a switch and light so I can add a fan later?

First, you need to ensure there is a neutral in the switch location (A requirement of NEC 2011 section 404.2 C, assuming that applies to you) -- the easiest way to do this is to run a 14/2 NM cable (standard house wire, aka the brand name "Romex") from your power source to the switch first.

Second, run a 14/3 wire from the switch to the fan. This has a white, black and red wire (as well as ground). The white is neutral. The black and red are hot wires, and generally speaking with a fan installed you'd do one of the following:

Black as switched for the light, Red as switched for the fan: If you have a "fan control switch" (commonly availale on the market) that has separate controls for light (often as a dimmer control) and fan speed.
Black as constant power, Red as switched: If you wanted a normal light switch, and then to control the fan using pull chains.

Prior to installing the fan, install the light normally, and connect either black or red to both it and the switch (see above to help you choose). You'd just cap the other (red or black) wire -- whichever you didn't use for the light -- on both ends with a wire nut. This prevent it from shorting out on anything, and is a common convention that signifies "unused wire".


Why does my mixer shower run intermittently cold?

You seem to be describing an anti-scalding device that is malfunctioning. This could either be a thermostatic valve (as you mention) or a pressure balance valve (another type of anti-scald device).
They have been required by code for many years and while I cannot specifically tell if your shower valve has an anti-scald device in it, given that it looks newer it likely has one.
You should see some sort of manufacturer name on the shower valve. Just Google every single word you see on your shower valve. Also try "Google Image Search" and flip through the images until you see something that looks like your valve.
Googling will help you find the specific valve and see if you can replace the internal anti-scald device. These are often accessible from the front so if you're lucky, you will not need to break through the wall.


Applying large adhesive sheets onto surfaces without bubbles / creases

What you can do by hand is fairly limited. Wallpaper is adhesive backed, but slightly repositionable. If what you have sticks strongly at first contact, your choices are limited. I would suggest the following,

Use a roller, as wide as possible, and of rubber. This should eliminate most bubbles and creases.
Go slow. This will allow you to catch and fix creases.
Pull the adhesive sheet tight.
You will probably still get bubbles, but they should be fairly small. Again, if it's a wet adhesive like wallpaper, you can usually push these out with a roller or straightedge. If it's an instant adhesive, you can prick them with a needle and collapse them.

In industries that do lamination, its done using rollers. Web tension is a primary parameter in helping prevent bubbles and creases. It's also common to use a bowed roll to help get tension in the transverse direction and prevent trapped air that causes bubbles.


Just got the diverter out of the wall. It turns out the diverter was threaded in and needed to be removed. Here's a picture of the full diverter. The piece on the upper-right was what needed to be un-threaded. A pair of vice grips and a hammer did the trick:


I have t9 flourescent bulbs, what ballasts can I use?

Here is a 18-20W black light balast there are others. make sure to google the entire number F20T9/BL and look for the bi pin models. (You will get less hits on circle lamps with the BL as that is a standard bi pin).


You’re going to need to pull the bowl off the carrier/wall.  Based on the fact the leak appears to be towards the top of the bowl, I’d check the filler tube/inlet.  Make sure it’s cut to the correct length and make sure the gasket is greased so it goes in straight and smooth.  I seriously doubt it’s the carrier.


Bought a wire tracer and was able to trace the hot wire to a switch receptacle upstairs, where it was taped off. Wired that to power and everything works. Thanks for all the responses/help!


identifying drainage problems without pulling up the floor

My initial reaction is that it is still moisture from the January incident.

Concrete can be water-tight but most poured slabs are still very porous and water will seep into many of tiny bubbles of the concrete and persist for a very long time.  Though the remediation company may have come and dried the floor, the slab may still have water and it is evaporating.  Replacing the floor too soon may have just trapped the moisture, slowing its drying and placing your flooring into nearly direct contact with the moisture, barrier or not.  Your climate could affect this too, live in the southern US for example it is going to take a lot longer to evaporate than in Colorado.

I personally would rip up the flooring, buy just a consumer grade dehumidifier and run it for a few months; wait a month without it running and then test for moisture again.  Testing the sheetrock near the floor with a hydrometer will also help determine if there is a moisture problem too.

It is a pain, but the pain and patience will protect your investment.  Selling a house with suspected mold is not always easy, but not disclosing the damage is also risky.

By drainage problem you are a bit vague... or they were.  If it is a problem with the sanitary line, it might require a plumber to determine that and at worst, digging up the slab!  Drainage problem could be also that your landscaping is holding water up against the house which eventually could make its way into your living spaces as moisture.

One other thought.

If the flooring had been reinstalled in the winter, it could be the changes in humidity that could be stressing your flooring. But given your situation and what some professionals have told you, I would find it unlikely.


The usual reason is that the installer is moving the wires to the same position on the new switch, rather than looking at the screws' function -- because every 3-way has their screws in different places and the installer did not realize the screw colors are the important part.  That's the usual reason.

This is one reason I make a point to positively identify the two travelers and mark them with yellow electrical tape.   Yellow wires on yellow screws, there ya go.  In a cabinet with two unrelated 3-ways working in close proximity, I use blue, purple or green for the second set of travelers.  They sell a 5-pack of 5 colors of electrical tape for about $5 in most stores.


What are some effective methods to fix a worn out screw holes of a door hinge?

I drill the hole out to a standard wood dowel size, then put in a dowel plug and what's called "Swell-Lock", a product that isn't a glue, it gets absorbed into the wood fibers and makes them swell up and lock into the hole (it's generally sold to repair chair rungs, but it works great for this). Then re-drill a pilot hole in the dowel and you are good as new.


As I've posted before, the risks of asbestos exposure on a very infrequent basis in a residential setting are highly over-blown. The real risks were for construction workers (pipe insulators, HVAC insulators, etc. ), back 50-60 years ago who where exposed to asbestos dust on a daily basis. I know the lawyers will hate me for saying this, but frankly asbestosis only occurred in an industrial setting not one off residential exposure to tiny amounts of asbestos.   It's not a poison, just an irritant that can lead to lung damage over a long period of time.  It's serious, but a one time exposure, probably very little, isn't anything to worry about.


Should I stop to hand-sharpen my chainsaw, or bring extra chains?

When you're in the woods, you probably want to spend your time cutting, not doing things you could do back in your shop (or have the hardware store do for you). So I would bring at least at least an extra chain: as many you think you'd need, plus one.

With an extra chain along, you are additionally prepared in case one has a problem that sharpening can't fix.

Hand-file sharpening is a useful skill. If you learn to hand-sharpen your chains, you can do that to all the chains at once back in your garage.


Techniques for leveling small section of subfloor

This looks like a job for self leveling compound. I would probably do it in 2 pours it looks a bit thick for a single pour. What kind of flooring are you installing? It looks like there will be enough height at the door for just about any kind of flooring Once leveled.
Folks that haven’t worked on old homes don’t realize true dimensional lumber was once used. Plywood is thinner the 2x4” are thinner today and may be the cause of the height issue.