Can I overlay lumber perpendicular to floor joists to raise the floor height?

I would say that the main issue with putting down boards like that is cupping or bowing of the wood especially since this is a high moisture area; that's dirt beneath the joists, right? Look at any wooden deck and you will quickly see what I mean by bowing or cupping.
Additionally if you haphazardly layout the boards like that then there will obviously be unsupported areas which will sag as soon as someone steps on it.
I recommend furring up the floor joists by using a table saw to rip 2 inch pieces of wood and attach them directly to the top of the joist.
If you don't have a table saw then you should be able to buy furring strips directly from a lumber yard or supply store.


Can I remove the drywall in the area below the door to my attached garage?

If that's an exterior service door, you can do as you like with the drywall. Cut it out at a convenient location and replace it with BC plywood or other suitable material, or simply overlay a board. I've never seen horizontal drywall in that position before, and consider it a bad decision by the builder.

This original answer was given with little context in the question. I mistakenly assumed that this was an entry door connecting to the residence.

The drywall is probably there as a required fireblock. You should overlay plywood or other suitable material and leave the gypsum in place. Feel free to replace the drywall first if it's in bad condition, though technically the joints must be taped with at least a rough coat.


two circuits on a single pole GFCI breaker?

If it's on one breaker, it's one circuit.

It's true that you often see circuits wired as daisy chains, one linear thing, like a vine. Actually, we wire in "tree" topology, a vine is just one kind of tree.  You are welcome to have as many branches as you please.  What's more, there's nothing wrong with those branches splitting right at the service panel.

Can you land two wires on one breaker? Maybe. It all depends on whether the breaker is listed (UL tested) for two wires, and this must be in the instructions or labeling.  For instance, Pushmatic breakers are indeed listed for 2 wires, it's one of their charms I will miss.  If the breaker is not listed for two wires, then you have a 6" pigtail to a wire-nut.

Yes, you are allowed to wire-nut inside a service panel.


Damaged connection when replacing oven element

That looks to me like a Faston connecter. The plastic part is the housing.

You might try looking in places like this.


"Suction" is not desirable.
The main problem there is likely inadequate slope on the line coming straight out from the air handler, and/or inadequate slope on the leg to the air gap. The line across the top front appears to have adequate slope.
The actual trap is beyond the air gap, in larger diameter pipe.
In my biased opinion, the second major likely cause of problem is the use of small diameter pipes and sharp elbows rather than larger pipe and DWV sweeps for drainage plumbing. HVAC types are all about "it's just clear condensate, I can run a tiny pipe" and then they are shocked, just shocked when it clogs up (because that condensate comes from air, that has dust, that includes spores, and things grow...)
The open pipe stub (on top of the furnace) is probably intended to allow you to clean the vertical pipe, but given there's no access to clean the horizontal pipes, that is of limited benefit.
If you are actually asking about the open pipe on the P trap entrance, that's quite specifically to prevent suction from draining the trap and allowing sewer gas into the house. It's a "standpipe" forming an "Air Gap" and is utterly required. The P trap itself appears to be correctly installed to a drain line with a vent line extending upwards, though we can't tell if that drain line or vent line are clear and functioning. If you pour water into the standpipe it should drain away quickly, but water should remain in the lower part of the  trap when you stop pouring water in, not be sucked out into the drain.
Post-update Ugh. Well that was a sloppy hack job, as revealed by your latest/last picture - the vent line is not complete, and is venting sewer gas into your house. If there was an inspection of this work, the inspector should be fired and anything they passed should be re-inspected, and whoever did the work should be publicly shamed as well as being made to fix it to code. Or perhaps taken to court to force them to pay for someone actually competent to fix it to code. That open vent pipe inside the house on the smelly side of the trap is certainly the source of your sewer gas smell, and a code violation the size of a gigantic tortoise held up by 4 elephants...
It should either extend all the way through the roof, or connect to another vent line that goes all the way through the roof. Some might suggest a "Studor" vent also known as an AAV (air admittance valve.) I would not be among the "some" - those things fail, and your house stinks again, and you replace them, and they fail again - a vent through the roof works, reliably. Perhaps as a very temporary, quick stop-gap while you get the vent to the roof sorted.


Does shear strength increase with the number of fasteners?

If you have a single screw with that level of shear strength, it will also have minimum distance specifications for the material in which it is used. As an example, a fastener of 12 mm diameter should be placed no closer than 6 mm from the edge of the material.

Regarding spacing relative to one another, the material used is a factor as well as many other characteristics such as fastener diameter and material.

I found an interesting brief in PDF form here:

fastener spacing which opens directly into the PDF or a download window. It references spacing specific to wood trusses and fasteners and also takes into consideration wood grain.

There's an astonishing calculator located fastener calculator which uses a formula far beyond my comprehension:

In the PDF link, it is suggested for the reader to enlist the services of an engineer. If you are using loads of one to two thousand pounds, that might be a good idea.

On the other hand, if you are building something without an inherent catastrophe in case of failure, build it and learn. I wouldn't construct a bridge across which I would drive the family vehicle, but I might consider a bridge across a gully for a golf cart or similar transport.

Generally, if you have the spacing for three bolts, it will be stronger than one, if there is no slop or play or similar poor construction. A single bolt in a tight hole with two others in loose or misaligned holes will not be optimum and could fail prematurely.


Can I run NM wire through this type of flex legally

According to the 2015-16 UL White Book, this product is only allowed to contain the following:

Optical fiber cables (Types: OFNP,OFNR,OFN,OFNG,OFCP,OFCR,OFCR,OFC,OFCG).
Communications cable (Types: CMP,CMR,CM,CMG,Cross-connect wire).
Power-limited fire-alarm cable (Types: FPLP,FPLR,FPL).
Community antenna television cable (Types: CATVP, CATVR,CATV).
Low-power network-powered broadband communications cable (Types: BLP,BLR,BL).

Which means no NM cable, no lamp cords, no extension cords, nothing but the types of cable listed in the table above.

  2013 UL White Book

  Cable Routing Assemblies (QBAA)

  Use and Installation

  This category covers routing assemblies for installation of conductive
  and nonconductive optical fiber cable, communications cable/wire, powerlimited
  fire-alarm cable, community antenna television cable and lowpower
  network-powered broadband communications cable. Cable-routing
  assemblies are intended to be installed in accordance with ANSI/NFPA 70,
  "National Electrical Code" (NEC). Cable-routing assemblies are only suitable
  for the installation of cable/wire noted in the following information.
  Individual routing assembly systems differ in their construction and,
  therefore, their components are not interchangeable with other routing
  assemblies or fittings of other systems. This category includes pliable
  lengths, rigid straight sections, elbows, bends, and fittings such as expansion
  joints, female and male adapters, and couplings.
  These products may or may not incorporate end fixtures or covers.

NOTES:
- I had trouble finding UL marking on this product, so this information could be inaccurate. Check the product/packaging for an official UL mark and listing. Specifically look for the wording "General-use Cable Routing Assembly" and/or "ANSI/UL 2024"


Unfortunately, the Installation Guide doesn't say much. It shows the two black wires but does not have any indication as far as which one goes to hot vs. switched-hot. The implication is "it doesn't matter".
However, the marketing information (and the installation by omission) makes it clear that no neutral is required. But the switch has to get power from somewhere to run the motion sensor. The instructions indicate this is by using ground:

Both bare and green ground wires are required to connect to ground. If no ground is available, consult an electrician. Device will not function if it is not grounded.

So that tells me two things:

The green ground is NOT for safety but rather in place of neutral for the motion sensor power. According to Q&A on homedepot.com, the switch uses < 1 watt when "off". That puts in the relatively safe range as far as current running over the ground wire. While using ground in place of neutral is not normally permitted, it is still allowed within certain limitations, and it avoids the problem of either (a) requiring a neutral in the switch box which many boxes simply don't have or (b) running a small amount of current through the switched line when off, which works fine on incandescent bulbs but on LEDs will often result in either flashing lights or a very low constant glow. It might put it below the normal threshold of a GFCI, but I wouldn't count on it.

The bare ground is for safety.

Provided your box really is properly grounded, connect both grounds (green & bare) to the box, connect hot to one black, switched hot to the other black, and you're done.
This actually makes for a very simple and almost foolproof installation. But they could have made it totally foolproof by being upfront in the instructions about how it uses the wires. A classic example of dumbing down instructions too far, raising more questions instead of making things easier.
Beware of GFCI
As I understand it (pros can chime in, of course), lighting circuits in areas that require GFCI for receptacles (bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, etc.) do NOT need to be on GFCI. They can be on GFCI, and if so then a switch like this might be detected as a ground fault. If that happens then you should either move the lighting to a different circuit or (generally much simpler) pigtail the lighting to the LINE side of the receptacle instead of daisy-chaining off the LOAD side.


How do I dig out a hole for fence posts in a concrete patio?

What you want is something like this:

Get some Red-Heads or other appropriate concrete bolt and fasten it down.  Slip the 4x4 in and tighten it up.

Ideally, you should still have some posts properly embedded in the ground to help support the torque caused by someone leaning on the fence, but you can use these in between.


Should I build a deck over my existing concrete patio or other?

It's quite a drop off there on the manhole side. If it were me, the priority would be to build steps of some kind there--or a railing.

Anything that is well-drained will not rot. Rot only occurs when something sits in water.

You could certainly deck the porch over if you wanted. My pet peeve is people who just stick wood in the ground. The main thing to consider is how you are going to support the deck. The porch is so tall, that you could just anchor it to the sides, so it just hangs down. Then maybe just have two footings for the steps. Or you could put a skirt of steps all around and have footings every 3 feet or so.


Why is this panel like this and what should I do to fix this problem

There is a lot that needs to be corrected but it looks to me like it could be salvageable.

I'll focus on the box, there are probably some other issues with supporting the cables and protecting them from physical damage.  Some of the old cloth covered wire may be deteriorated to the point it must be replaced.

I think someone repurposed an old panel as a junction box using terminal blocks to splice wires within the box.  There is no cover, and there are a bunch of other issues (cables coming in over the edges rather than through clamps, improper terminations on terminals, etc.)    Most of these issues can be corrected pretty easily, but I can't see if there's anything worse going on in there - there very well may be.

You could replace this with a large junction box / wireway and new terminal blocks, or simply make wire nut splices instead of using terminal blocks.  You could also break this up into several smaller junction boxes and use wire nuts.

I'd say this is probably one to call in reinforcements.  An electrician will be able to evaluate whether there are serious issues or it's just a matter of cleaning up and replacing a hack junction box.


Where can I purchase a block of aluminium?

There are several online metal suppliers that will also make custom cuts.  Online Metals is one that I have used.  There is a minimum length that you must order (usually 1 ft) and a charge per cut.  Depending on where you live you might also find a local metal supplier that can do the same for you.

Wherever you order, I'd suggest you get two 5" pieces cut from 1ft of 1" x 5" bar and then you'd have a spare.  I would definitely try to have someone else do the cutting for a piece that size.  Rectangular tubing might also be something to consider.

Here is a reference on the same supplier for the aluminum alloys they stock.  Be sure to check the prices as they'll vary, but I believe 6061 is one of the more widely used alloys.


How can I change the bulb in this three-clawed, ceiling-mounted dome light fixture?

Usually at least one of the "claws" is spring-loaded, and can be pulled straight out to release the glass.


Why does my toilet keeps blocking and then spill out of the drain outside?

If you have waste water from the toilet spilling across your patio, you need professional help as soon as possible.


Here are things to check first:
- Check the 220V breaker serving the heat pump.
- Check the over-pressure valve breaker on the heat pump.


Probably not.  My flat has a balcony with a couple of wooden cupboards built in to one side.  Wasps have built a nest in one of those (despite there not being much of a gap).  Obviously, if you can make the shed air-tight, that will stop them, but otherwise - not so much.

To deal with wasps:

Firstly: can you live with them?  They are an important predator of garden pests, so ideally just leave them alone.  However, if you use the shed, this is probably not practical.

If you find the nest when it is small (upto 10 cm), blast it with a few seconds of a wasp-killer late one evening, and the nest should be dead a day later.

If you find the nest when it is large (upto 30 cm), same process except a) empty the full can on the nest; b) wait until a cool evening if possible; c) dress up with clothing covering tightly as much of your skin as possible (this will be hot), and prepare to run directly away if the wasps start to leave the nest.  I did this when the evening temp was about 20C without problem.

(In other words, you almost certainly don't need a pest removal firm in future).

Finally:

Don't do what my significant other did, and try to dig a wasps nest out of the ground at midday.
If your significant other does this and gets stung, "Well what did you expect?" is not the correct response.


How can I improve the security around my house and prevent theft?

Step 1: have nothing of value in the house worth stealing. This is easier to do than you might think. No reason to keep anything particularly valuable in a house that is being targeted for break-ins. Anything valuable you cannot bear to remove from the house should be hidden in a non-obvious location (think creatively). Now, if someone breaks into your house when you're not there, they don't get anything. No big deal. Eventually word will get around in the criminal underground and hooligans will stop breaking into your house.

Step 2: get a big scary dog and a handgun. Train the dog to bark at people approaching the house and bite on command, and carry the gun on your person while you are at home. Now, if someone breaks into your house while you're there your dog will bite them and/or you can shoot them (ignore whichever piece of advice offends you if you are not a dog person or a gun person). However kidnapping is an extremely serious matter and I urge you not to discount any potentially useful options.


how much weight can this square stock hold

2" at 17 feet - pretty much none. That's going to act more like a wet noodle than a beam.

The 2x2x1/4 load tables here (page 35 or 65) stops giving any load figures at 5 feet. While the steel type is probably not the same, the difference steel type makes is small compared to the difference geometry makes.

http://www.cousesteel.com/AndysPlace/Pdf/LRFDBeamLoadTables.pdf


Do I need to use an outdoor or wet electrical box for garage sink area?

If the outlet is not being splashed you can use a standard box with knockouts, also a standard outlet. This would be Similar to a kitchen or bar. If the outlet is within 6' of the sink it will need to be a GFCI or GFCI protected within 6' of the sink. Indoors water tight fittings are not needed. For example is the area finished with sheetrock? If the sheet rock is ok it is not a damp /wet area as it will fall apart quickly being in a damp / wet area. FWIW All garage outlets need to be GFCI protected by current code.


Does all wood glue need to be removed from a cement floor to use thinset to seat ceramic tile?

I was mixing thinset on my porch last year and some dropped on the cement.  My son started wiping it up and I said "don't bother" and he was a bit surprised.  Went to the porch a week later with a putty knife and popped the thinset off with a few taps of a hammer on the putty knife.  Moral of the story being thinset kind of binds to concrete but not really.  It "sticks" and if you use some bonding agents it might do a little better than stick.  But it doesn't "bond" to cured concrete.

Another example is in my area a lot of bathrooms were poured concrete over subfloor - about an inch - then thinset and tile.  I have demo'ed 50-100 of these bathrooms.  I just tap a hammer along the tiles like I am beating a drum.  The vibrations will cause the thinset to "unstick" and I can have an average bathroom floor detiled and dethinsetted in 2 hours while leaving the original concrete in almost perfect condition.

So whether you husband is applying the thinset to the concrete or concrete with a little wood glue on top, he should expect the same amount of "stick".  The only way I could see the wood glue interfering is if it were still loose or became loose during the install, and even then this doesn't seem to be a huge obstacle.  Thinset doesn't need to have a permanent bind to the subfloor to perform well.  In fact if it did it may perform worse and crack at certain points.  The important thing is the thinset binding with itself.


Framing a new basement window in cinder block

Option 1 - tapcon screws (or similar) into the solid parts of the block.

Option 2 - stuff some wire mesh a few inches down the holes. Mix a very stiff mortar/concrete, place on top of the mesh, make a lovely smooth flat surface, and drop in some anchor bolts (probably overkill for a windowframe) or just screw the board in with tapcons or the like but without having to hit the webs since you'll now have solid masonry.

Option 2.5 (modern) - sprayfoam (great stuff or similar polyurethane foam) the holes, then put your concrete/mortar on top of the sprayfoam.


Tape vs corner bead order of installation

Most tapers place the metal corner bead first. This is primarily because if you were to do any taping first you'd have to wait until that dries to install corner bead. It's a matter of efficiency.

It's also usually best to keep metal bead set snugly to the drywall, with nothing behind it. This allows you to keep it straighter and on plane. It should protrude just slightly on both walls when a straightedge is set against the drywall perpendicular to the bead.  "Tucking" the tape under the bead does nothing of value. There's tape all over the building that's not tucked under anything and it's not an issue.

All that said, drywall taping is something of an art and you're free to do what makes sense for you and your project. Just remember the cardinal rule: lighter is better. The pros I've worked with do very little sanding to produce fantastic results, and it's far easier (and less messy) to skim on another coat than to grind down humps.


What is a "Holders/Sujetadores de Sujecion"?

I think you are referring to the black plastic clips that come with the assorted pegboard hooks from Home Depot.  "Sujetadores de Sujecion" is Spanish for "Fastening Clips". These are placed over the hook to hold it to the board - this is useful for the single hole hooks that tend to come out easily. I found that these do not fit all pegboards.  They are not essential by any means.


How do I fix a couch with a protruding spring?

One of your spring wires is slipping sideways and poking your upholstery. The spring wires are held to the sinuous springs by metal clips; apparently that wire's clips are loose and are allowing the spring wire to get out of place. (Has someone been jumping on your couch?)

Your first step is to get access to the underside of the couch. Yes, you have to take off the dust cover fabric that covers the bottom of your couch and keeps your cats from hiding there, but there's nothing to be done.

With the dust cover off, you can try to slide the spring wire back into place. My guess is that's going to be very difficult, as those clips are pretty strong (although apparently not strong enough), but if it works then good on you. If not, then you'll have to cut the excess spring wire off, close to the nearest sinuous spring. The wire is quite hard (much harder than copper wire), so you'll need a good pair of cutters to handle it, otherwise you'll damage the cutters.

Now, you need to tighten the metal clips on that wire, and probably on all the wires unless you mind risking another wire going walkabout. Here, you'll need a strong pair of pliers or vice-grips. The goal is to prevent that spring wire from sliding further.

Finally, reattach the dust cover (which doesn't need to look good, unless your guests are in the habit of lifting up and examining the bottom of your couch).


Are those in a wall, I think they look like small holes like tacks, or push pins I guess my grand kids even have posters on the ceiling not only walls.

I have seen a lot of termite and carpenter ant damage and it is in wood not Sheetrock or plaster.

I sometimes use the small steel pins that have brass hooks .

OOK has 1 pin to 4 pin hooks in the style I think may have made these holes but I do not think they were made by pests. Or any kind of water damage.


How can I secure windows which have been bypassed in my security system because they're open?

If the existing sensor is a surface mounted magnet / reed type, it's very easy to add a magnet.  You want the sensor about halfway up the window, and two magnets on the window:  one down at the bottom corner, and one halfway up, same spot where the sensor is.  This way the magnet will operate the sensor in two positions.

I say half way up just because that's usually a spot where it will be hard to crawl through the window but you still get some air.  That may or may not work out for you depending on the position of the window etc.  You could set up the sensor and the magnets so you can open the window just a few inches or open wide, and still arm the system.  You get the idea.

Alarmed screens are more expensive but let you do whatever you want with the window - it no longer matters whether the windows are open or closed.  You can send the screen you have out to a shop that adds a wire trace to the screen.  The sensor has to be changed as well, which can be some work with a hardwired system, depending.


Just moved in to a new house both myself and neighbor. Have same problem not your vacuum it’s lousy breakers from Eaton good for commercial not so for residential had problem with brand new washing machine electricians tried to tell me it was the unit funny i ran an extension cord and it worked breaker flashed 6 times told him change it out bad breaker right out of box not like seimen or square d check anode make sure all the breaker’s are seated and all connections are tight hope this helps

Forgot to mention go to Eaton website and they will tell you what the flashing light is goes from 1 blinck to 6 and you can go back and check any fault


Should I use 15 amp breaker with 6awg wire?

Well, it won't fit on the breaker.  Or a 20A receptacle.
You will need to pigtail the 6 AWG down to a 10 AWG to get it to go on a breaker, and 12 AWG to get it to go on a receptacle.
Since it's all 10-12 AWG, and that's allowed 20A, you might as well use a 20A breaker.
15A receptacles are allowed on 20A breakers.  (UL requires they be internally rated for 20A). The only real difference 15 vs 20A recep is the T-shaped neutral.
Note that if the wires are black-white-bare, those must be used for hot-neutral-ground, even if  they were't before.   That means you may need to move the hot wire off the breaker.

As far as reusing the panel, most 60A panels are way too small.  If there's anything we've learned around here  helping people, it's that people always run out of breaker spaces much sooner than they expected.  As such, a subpanel is NO place to scrimp! Buy a huge subpanel that will far exceed your needs, that you'll never, ever fill up.  The cost is small - spaces are cheap.
As far as the subpanel in the garage, honestly, I'd consider leaving it put.  The X-factor is electric cars.  They're really taking off, for real this time! :)  As such, having 50A+ in the garage adds value to your house.
I'm sure the 60A garage panel is a tiny thing... I'd have you spend $60 or so on a new 20-24 space panel.  I'm very reluctant to "spend people's money" unnecessarily, but this is one cost you will not regret in the long term.
As far as a 15A circuit in the garage, just add a 15A breaker to the garage subpanel.


Do high-efficiency furnaces work well in older homes with restrictive ducting?

If by airflow you mean the flow of heated air through your home, then I would say yes: a furnace needs to be sized based on how much heated air can be pumped through your home. If your furnace is enormous, and your ducts are small enough that the total air flow is too low, then the furnace won't be able to transfer enough heat to the home air, producing too-hot output air while reducing the furnace's efficiency.

However, this does NOT mean that no high-efficiency furnace will work with an older home with few/narrow heating ducts. You just have to find one that's appropriately sized.

A side note: furnace installers have a tendency to over-size furnaces and boilers, on the theory that too big is better than too small. The truth is that many (most?) furnaces and boilers are larger than they need to be. So, get a heat loss calculation done for your home and then proceed from there.


How cut 4" wide, 2" deep hole in concrete floor

Just cut a series of parallel slices about a quarter inch apart. This should take barely a couple minutes with a diamond wheel. Since you're patching anyway, overcut somewhat so that you have full-depth cuts throughout the area needed for the laser device.

Now take a cold chisel and hammer and just snap them off. Start by driving the chisel downward to break the first plate off, then at an angle near the bottom of each plate.

If your grinder doesn't give you 2" of cut depth, do the work in two stages. I can't imagine the whole process taking more than five minutes.


fluorescent lamp messing with voltage in the house

Change it to an electronic ballast

There's nothing wrong with fluorescent lights inherently.  However the early fluorescents relied on a design which was before electronics (and therefore, before anyone cared about line noise).

Fortunately, electronic ballasts came along in the 1990's, and they made things much better.  It isn't hard to make an electronic ballast that has very little line noise and an excellent power factor, and also drives the fluorescent tube much closer to optimum conditions.

So, identify your tube type, identify the physical location of the ballast inside the lamp, and shop for a ballast that is a) rated for that tube, and b) physically fits (there are standards for fitment, so it will typically have screw holes in the same places).

If that proves difficult, then shop for an LED replacement "tube".  Those come in 2 varieties: Plug-and-play (does not require ballast to be wired around, BUT depends on the ballast being there) which is stupid.... and Direct-wire, where you feed it mains power directly and the ballast is bypassed.

Mind you, I am biased; I think real fluorescent is a perfectly fine technology and I continue to invest in it.  You may disagree when that tube burns out and you have to spend €30 to replace it!  However if you don't see dark bands on the ends of the tube, that'll be a long time, especially with an electronic ballast.


Is it better to use two nuts, rather than a single long nut on the bolt?

Two nuts can be tightened against each other so that they won't come loose. A single nut can be tightened against whatever it's holding, and if that's wood, the nut can loosen as the wood changes size with changes in humidity.


Why are ungrounded GFCIs required to be labeled?

Some surge suppressors dump surges to the grounding conductor, some audio video equipment requires a grounding conductor, some "smart" devices trickle current to the grounding conductor, etc.

It also notifies folks doing work in this box in the future, that they shouldn't expect to connect the grounding conductor. The label is also applied to all other outlets supplied by the GFCI, since it may not be obvious in remote boxes what's going on.


What exactly is this sound?

It is called the 'mains hum'. It is usually emitted by transformers or arcs. The cause of this sound is that the electricity coming to your bulb is constantly changing direction/polarity 60 times (or 50 if you're outside the US) a second. The electricity is moving either the transformer if you're on a CFL or LED, or somewhere around an arc or loose connection if you're on an incandescent bulb.

tl;dr 1. It's the mains hum. 2. If you're on an incandescent bulb, you  have to start worrying about it.


Dryer vent hose not staying connected to the dryer vent even with clamp

Just attach it with some small sheet metal screws.


Unable to remove a cross-threaded water hose

That's not a quick-disconnect. That is a backflow prevention device (aka vacuum breaker) between the faucet and the hose. It prevents your hose from becoming a water inlet point and introducing non-potable water into the municipal water system. An example of how that would happen is if a firetruck connects to your fire hydrant by your house and turns their water pump on and they suck more water out of the water main than it can supply. That causes a vacuum (negative pressure) in the water line and opening a kitchen faucet will just introduce air into the water main, but a garden hose that doesn't have one of these can introduce mud/fertilizer/pond water/etc. Other things can cause water to backflow, but that's the best example I can think of.

If your garden hose fitting is completely stuck, then I think it would be the next easiest to remove the backflow prevention device and replace it.

That is a set screw, but the set screw is designed to break off after tightening it to prevent a homeowner from inadvertently removing the device which would be against code in many places. The way to remove it is to grind a notch with a dremel tool in the top of the set screw, and then use a flat head screwdriver to back out the set screw.

It is very possible that you damaged the threads of your hose fitting by trying to unscrew this device without removing the set screw. If you remove the set screw and it still doesn't come off, then you'll probably need to replace the entire valve.

But if you're trying to avoid calling a plumber, the final thing I would try is grinding a vertical notch through either the entire backflow device or the entire garden hose fitting and literally split it apart into two pieces off of the threads. It might not work, but if you already have the dremel tool out it's worth a try. They're both made of brass, so it's soft and easy to cut with a hacksaw if that's all you have available too!

3/4" Vacuum Breaker, Brass, FNPT Connection Type


When replacing fittings that had compression rings I have found it most reliable to cut off the old tubing with a tubing cutter near the old ring and then reassemble with new ring on a fresh tubing surface. This is usually feasible because the tubing is typically a flexible type and extra length is not a problem.

In some cases it is feasible to just replace the valve itself with the same type of valve and just reuse the previous compression ring and compression nut. But watch for leaks and be prepared to use the approach in the first paragraph instead.

For rigid tubing my preference is always to use copper and sweat soldered connections. These can be easily re-soldered if needed for replacements if the proper cleanup of the reused connection is done and proper flux is applied.


Circulator (grundfos or willo) vs water pump

Circulator pumps can be used in open loop systems (though I think these are typically aluminum or brass rather than cast iron since the latter will corrode in an open loop system).

There is no way to know if your particular pump will suffice because we don't know the head loss of the hoses or the heat exchanger.  I'm assuming the 13 M^3/hr figure is pumping against no head.  You will of course flow less the more back pressure involved.  You also have not said what flow you actually need.  If you know the model number of the Grundfos, it should be a simple matter to download the pump curve.  That will tell you the flow at various head pressures.

You could measure the head loss of the heat exchanger by putting pressure gauges on the input and output of the exchanger.  The difference is the head loss.  Bear in mind, however, that the head loss will depend on flow rate.

Probably the easiest thing to do is just connect the pump as you envision and see if you get enough flow.


Flatness requirements for bamboo laminate flooring

It's really hard to provide objective advice. There are many factors, and the shape of the irregularities is critical.

Is it a gentle curve or a hard angle?
Does it curve in several directions?
Is there more than one such issue?
Do you have multiple underlayment options, whereby an upgrade could help mitigate the concerns?

It would take a booklet to lay it all out. I'd stick with mfr specs + maybe 25%.


"Plastifying" rusty integrated dish drying rack (food contact)

They are completely safe for use.  But before you apply one of these plastic products,  first get some rust reducer.  Sand or scrape to remove most of the rust, and then apply the rust reducer.  These reverse the oxidation process as well as providing a smooth surface suitable for painting or covering with those plastic products.


Do you mean purple rather than red drywall?  I see that you are from Spain, so I don't know if this answer will apply in your country - but here in the USA, the difference is that green drywall is moisture-resistant, but it is not waterproof.  Purple drywall has superior moisture- and mold-resistant characteristics that make it much more suitable for use where it might be in contact with water.


Do I need a vapor control membrane inside the roof if I have a breathable underlay outside?

Vapor barrier against the inside of the building envelope is to prevent interior moisture, caused by normal human activity, from condensing at the dew point. That usually occurs somewhere in the insulation layer and can result in very wet conditions or frost buildup.
So yes, you still want a vapor barrier inside the insulation. What you put on your roof is largely irrelevant.


Do I need wall lining between a bathtub and insulation

"Lining" usually refers to a tub surround, not the tile backer board. The scenario where you tile to the top of the lip will cause you to have a large gap that will have to be filled in by some kind of caulking which will increase maintenance(ex. mold, grime, possible cause for leakage in the future). It also is a not accepted practice and takes away from the finished look of the bathroom. Another consideration is the brick wall with studs. That type of older construction has a lot of voids so a little extra work in the beginning gives a lot better result. I suggest you seal up the entire room with backerboard and sheetrock before installing the tub. It will keep mice out too- a common old house issue. If the floor isn't in good shape install a new continuous subfloor first.
Decide what you are using for your walls and tub backer. Choices are water resistant sheet rock, some variation of cement board or one of the lighter weight boards made of foam with a masonry skim coat and mesh face. Sheetrock on most of the bathroom is fine but spend the extra money on either of the last two choices for at least the tub area.
Install the backer board of your choice to within 1/4 inch of the top of the tub lip. Do not let it touch the lip or water wicking will occur.  Install tub directly to stud wall. If your tub can use a ledger board then also install directly to studs(no board behind it) with board above and below it. Many acrylic and steel tubs with a lip can be screwed to the wall by putting a washer head screw directly above the end of the lip. Stainless is best. Not necessary for cast iron.  For extra diligence you can use caulk to fill the gap before tiling. It is crucial that the tub is leveled and shimmed before going any further. A slight backpitch to the wall is preferable to it being pitched away from the wall. Shims should be a solid plastic or something similar. Tile will be installed to but not resting on the tub surface. Waterproofing the floor as stated is not a terrible idea if you're located above a living space and will preserve the subfloor.


We don’t go by start up amps we go by what is called FLA full load amperage the 21 amps is locked rotor current, when motors start they draw 3-5 times the normal running value, that’s ok because it is usually less than 1 second so no heat has time to build up.
If the unit came with a plug that is the normal 2 parallel and a ground or the standard 15 amp 120v plug you can use a 15 amp circuit. If it is 1 blade rotated 90 degrees 120v it is a 20 amp plug and needs a 20 amp circuit.
Code has exceptions for motor circuits that require higher starting currents than normal the limit is 225%  NEC 440.22.
So there are exceptions and we work with the information on the nameplate. It will usually recommend a circuit size of 15 amps with a maximum of 10 amps.
Who wait you said the starting current was 21 amps! Well the circuit breaker is an inverse time device the higher the current the faster it trips. A 15 amp circuit will normally hold at 50 amps for a half second (you only need 21). So the amperage peak is very short and your current is already on its way back to FLA or 2 amps.
Putting a plug in device like this on a 30 amp circuit would be a code violation. And I would bet it will be fine on a 15 amp circuit.


The colors reserved for the grounded conductors (neutrals) are white and gray, and any base color with three continuous white stripes.  You can't re-identify white or gray insulated wires and use them for ungrounded conductors (hots) for circuits over 50V, unless they are a conductor in a cable or cord.  This is commonly seen when white conductors in NM (romex) or MC or AC cables are used as hots in switch loops.

The code section to refer to is

  200.7 Use of Insulation of a White or Gray Color or with Three Continuous White Stripes.

So I'd just buy black for the hots, and relabel the one leg with red.


What type and length of wiring for home security system?

Most security system have a minimum of 9v DC, but I've seen up to 60v AC or DC, running to the sensors. The concern here is voltage drop as these are extremely low current devices. If you are using magnetic/reed switches, which it sounds like you are, they are unpowered digital switches (either on or off). Digital logic circuit typically require >50% of the feed voltage to trigger as high (on) and anything else is low (off); however, you always want more than the minimum so any interference and such doesn't affect you.

VD = Voltage drop (conductor temp of 75°C) in volts

L = One-way length of the circuit's feeder (in feet)

R = Resistance factor in ohm/kft

I = Load current (in amperes)

28ga copper = 64.898 ohm/kft
24ga copper = 25.669 ohm/kft
18ga copper = 6.3851 ohm/kft

Let's assume the wire is going to a back-lit keypad and draws .5A (trying for worst case scenario)

VD(100ft, 28ga) ~= 6.5V. 9v source means 2.5v at the end which won't work

VD(100ft, 24ga) ~= 2.5V. 9V source means 6.5v, a reed switch should work fine, a keypad or motion sensor may not.

VD(100ft, 18ga) ~= .64. 9v source means 8.36v, almost anything will work.

Now that is the worst case scenario (within reason). Most modern security systems are 24v so 28ga is pushing it for keypads/motion sensor (depending on what they actually need) but 24ga should be fine for everything. It really depends on what your trying to hookup for each stretch of wire, the length, and the input voltage.

If this breaks any Low-Voltage NEC, someone please add details.

*Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voltage_drop, http://amasci.com/tesla/wire1.html


The YELLOW or Y terminal at the furncae/ air handler is a dummy terminal for convenience, it is not required to be used,  you could send Yellow directly to the AC unit out doors.
Common will be used since the Common leg of power comes from the transformer which is in the furnace.   The Yellow going to common  likely  if you trace it back it in fact is Common leg of the 24 v power supply.


If you have flexible piping running to the bottom of the faucet:

turn off both the hot & cold the water supplies
disconnect the piping from the faucet
aim the hot water pipe into a bucket and turn the hot water back on (quickly turn it off, of course)
repeat for the cold water side

If you're getting water in the bucket, the faucet's the problem. If it's the faucet, you can start working to disassemble it to see where the problem is or simply replace it.


I think that is a viable idea.  I know that the cast iron pipe can present some serious issues, cracking, collapsing, etc. Quality control in manufacturing of pipe has improved dramatically over the years.  That old cast iron pipe had thin spots.  Also, I would be concerned about the original grade as in pipe slope; was it proper and or adequate.  If I had two serious clogs in a relatively short period in a metal pipe nearly 100-years old,  I would surely be looking for a better solutions than to call the rooter man again. Use a pump for the basement sink. Good Luck. P.


What should I do about water filling the excavation for a house's foundation?

It all depends on what type of foundation it is, i.e. cement pad, basement, crawl space?

Was there water present when the footers were being poured?
Is there a crawl space or basement?
How deep are the footers?


Stop sanding immediately!  Lead based dust is the worst threat of all.   Simply painting over it to encapsulate it is the simplest measure.

To fully remove the lead paint is a big chore, and important to do right.   Look for local community classes if you can - the local one here had some classes on lead certification.  The short answer is, you have to seal the area off with plastic, wear a hazmat suit, scrape it all off and remove the paint from the premise, and then clean up all the dust.

You can google around and turn up tons of hits for lead removal procedures, here's the first I found and looks pretty good:

http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/lead/homes/interior.html

One tool I used in my own lead paint removal was http://www.speedheater.us/

While it is stated not to use heat guns to remove lead paint, this one is a much lower temperature version that is much safer.   The fumes are still an issue so make sure there is ventilation to outside while working.   (Not related to speed heater, just a happy customer)


Can I temporarily ground an outlet in my home to use a pressure washer outside it?

My solution for this sort of thing: I built a "power strip" box containing a GFCI. That provides protection as good as or better than a safety ground, in a portable form. (If you do this often I'd suggest actually permanently replacing that outlet with a GFCI. My outdoor outlets are powered via a gfci in the basement.)


Fixing leak in tub overflow with old style drain closer

I figured it out! Figured I'd answer my own question in case someone else has a similar lever. The lever handle was stuck onto the shaft. I just needed to force it off.


Care and feeding of a long kitchen drain?

Depending upon the location of the kitchen sink with the garbage disposal, you could re-pipe the drain to a dump tank with a "macerator pump" or sewage pump. This would reduce the garbage disposal stuff to an almost liquid state, thus reducing the chance for a clog further down the drain. Our worst waste product that always plugged our drains were lettuce leaves or any leaf products. This may not be the answer you are looking for but it would be a solution.


Combination boiler pressure zero after heating

When the boiler is running (especially in heating rather than hot water mode) watch the pressure gauge: does it rise almost all the way to maximum? And do you then get a sudden discharge of hot water through the pressure relief discharge (PRD) valve and pipe to the outside of the building? (If the boiler is mounted on an external wall the PRD pipe usually goes directly through the wall behind the boiler.)

If so this is where you're losing water (and hence pressure). It indicates that the expansion vessel (probably built-into the boiler) is faulty. It may just have lost pressure (there's a Schraeder(sp?) car-tyre-style valve you can use to top it up) but could have failed entirely (e.g. if water comes out of the air valve!). For expansion vessels built into boilers it's often more trouble and expense than it's worth to replace the fitted one and quite acceptable to fit a vessel externally.

The uk.d-i-y usenet newsgroup is generally a good place to discuss this sort of problem. There is also a wiki/faq at http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/


Do long roof overhangs influence ice dam formation?

Longer overhangs could impact ice dam formation, but it does not seem to be a significant factor. As this page from the University of Minnesota outlines, heat loss through the roof is the big contributing factor. They even go further and say that air leakages around light fixtures and such on the ceiling of the top story are the biggest culprits. Nowhere on that page is the size of the roof eaves even mentioned.

Longer eaves could increase the size of the ice dams, possibly preventing or delaying damage to the structure of the house. Or the water may freeze before it reaches the edge of the roof, as if the eaves were shorter. It probably depends on the temperature differential on the roof and how cold it is outside.

In any case, icicles are a sign of heat loss through the roof, and corrective action is advised. It may be as simple as adding insulation in the attic, but may involve sealing up areas around light fixtures, moving exhaust ducts (e.g., driers), using fireplaces less, etc.


How can I install a regular light fixture where a ceiling fan used to be?

You probably should have paid more attention to what was connected to what. In all likelihood, the "sw" bundle has a wire that was carrying hot (power) from the unswitched wire at the fixture to the light switch, and the other wire was returning that power from the switch. The switched wire should be but often is not re-colored red in that application (ie, a back/white/ground cable running to a switch should have red tape or paint on the white wire ends if it's a "switched hot" rather than a neutral.)

That does not meet current code (which requires a neutral wire at the switch) but met older codes and was very common (a switch loop.)

As such, the expected configuration that will probably work if things are wired normally would be cable blacks together, white from unswitched cable to white on fixture, white (recolored red for clarity) from switched cable to black on fixture, and grounds all together.


I suppose "no header" would mean that it's a passageway, clear from floor to ceiling, rather than having a foot and a half of wall overhead as a doorway would. Rather than saying the walls aren't "square," maybe it would be more clear to say there's a jog or offset between the walls on either side of the passage -- they aren't collinear.

Mounting a barn door here shouldn't be terrible. Barn doors hang from and slide along an overhead track. Choose one with a track that looks stiff enough it won't deflect sideways nor sag in the span across the passageway.

The offset between the two walls can be dealt with by shimming. Blocks or a strip of wood could be mounted to the "background" wall to create a surface about the same depth as the "foreground" wall; then the door hardware could be mounted to those blocks on the one side and directly to the wall on the other side. That's just one idea. It might be possible to use thicker blocks on one wall and thinner blocks on the other so as to keep some consistency on both sides. Or maybe the track mounting hardware for the specific door you'll choose would be adjustable so that the space between the door slab and the wall is adjustable. If so, simply adjust it far from the wall on one side and near to the wall on the other side.


Can a TV be mounted directly into a heavy wooden entertainment center?

Another way:

Vesa MIS-C mount on the TV?
Presumably the entertainment center shelf is designed to take considerable weight.

You could run a big L bracket down to the floor of the shelf, where you've installed a slot for the bracket to slide into and secure the display.
Since 1" screws are unlikely to hold the full leveraged weight of the display, you could pile 50 or more pounds of weight onto the top of the slot structure. That should eliminate the possibility of your screws yanking out of the cabinet, and also eliminate your having to put screw holes in the, no doubt pretty, front of the cabinet.


What is the height of the IKEA BILLY plinth?

Not sure if I would call anything associated with the Billy a "plinth" (in the sense that it is sturdy)... I have several and the structure is really all in the sides (and how vertical you keep them). If you put support anywhere under it that isn't directly supporting the sides, you are gonna have a bad time.

The material (hesitate to call it wood but i guess it is) you see at the front below the first shelf is just a very thin piece of fiberboard. The first (lowest) shelf is held in the same way the middle shelf and top is, via two cam screws and plastic cam locks in the shelf. For what its worth, the space under the first shelf measures 11.75cm high.

As to your plan to use an X brace, that would prevent the unit from swaying but remember this is all fiberboard (and rather loosely pressed at that) so any single point support that exerts a lot of force is going to split it open like a soft burrito.  The most popular way to make the Billy into something sturdy is to gang it together (my installation has 5 of them across the wall, each anchored to the wall at the middle and at the top, and to the one next to it with screws in both directions).

And lastly, why would you remove the front face and put feet on it with the intention that it will become easier to clean under? IMO the purpose of that little face is to keep dust and other random bits from settling back there in the first place.


How to drill the perfect hole in a kitchen cabinet drawer for a handle?

One way to avoid splintering the front of the drawer is to clamp a small piece of wood on top of the area to be drilled, and drill through that bit of wood, into the front of the drawer.

This should (if you have the clamp firm) prevent any sparring or splintering on the finished surface of the cabinet drawer.

Try it on an inconspicuous area first (like a drawer near the floor or ceiling) to be sure it will work.

Another option is to try using a brad point drill bit (like one of these). They usually create a cleaner hole than standard bits.


Ok, I guess you have to acknowledge that preventing water from reaching the wall is the best solution, followed by exterior wall protection, but I read the OP as acknowledging this already and asking specifically for interior solutions to water proofing.  Since you mention being a software engineer, I see it analogous to a question about cryptography, where you're not necessarily looking for something that's 100% unbreakable, but simply what's appropriate for the task at hand.  Really awful images can come to mind when someone says "Moisture seeping through", but it seems to me like we're not talking about standing water on the basement floor, just the presence of moisture on the wall (correct me if I'm wrong), and a partial solution able to be implemented on a short time frame (1-2 months).

I recently did some work on my basement brick wall where I have a little bit of moisture seepage and efflorescence, nothing serious, just a little. I stripped the brick clean and used Quikwall over it with an acrylic modifier, and with a sealer over that.  This has worked well for me since I'm not trying to hold back floodwaters, I just want to limit efflorescence.

I never heard of tanking slurry, but of course I did a quick Google search and can now talk about it like I'm an expert :)  Ok, but really, I have heard about similar products before and understand the science behind them well enough and it's theoretically solid.  It sounds like it'd work well, and I know there are an number of similar products out there (not sure what's best). I may end up trying it myself. You can also coat your floors if you see a need to.

A couple additional notes. Sounds like you plan on finishing with plaster.  Quikwall can be used as a plaster like finishing itself. If you plan on finishing some other way, I've used RedGuard before which helps prevent cracks and is very effective at water sealing, but is bright red so is not a good finish on its own.  Also, the other (although much smaller) cause of basement moisture is condensation, which you can't seal against, so there are situations where insulation is used to protect against that.

The OP also asks about cost. I'm not aware of any cheap solutions that delivery a reasonable level of effectiveness.  From what I've seen, it costs money to do anything you're likely to feel comfortable with.


Is it code to have electrical wire going no where?

Yes. It's legal.

Obligatory characters so the answer can be submitted


connect the black to black,  connect yellow to red,  green goes to the bare copper that should be in the box if you dont have a ground (bare copper)in the back of your box put a wirenut on the green so it cant find your hot by accident


Should I use a GFCI or AFCI circuit breaker with knob and tube wiring?

Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI)
An arc-fault circuit interruption device is designed to detect dangerous arcing within the protected circuit, and open (turn off) the circuit to prevent damage caused by the arcing.  It does this using special circuitry to analyse the electrical characteristics of the circuit, looking for characteristics that match specific pre-programmed values. If the AFCI detects suspicious goings on, it opens the circuit.
AFCI breakers are typically combination devices, meaning they also provide similar overcurrent and short-circuit protection to a standard breaker.
Installing a combination AFCI breaker on a circuit containing knob and tube wiring would be a great idea, and could potentially prevent a fire.
Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)
Ground-fault circuit interruption devices are designed to detect ground-faults, and open (turn off) the circuit when a ground-fault is detected.  They work by using a current transformer (CT) to detect current imbalances between the ungrounded (hot), and grounded (neutral) conductors of a circuit. This blog entry might help you understand how GFCI devices work.
GFCI breakers are typically combination devices, meaning they also provide similar overcurrent and short-circuit protection to a standard breaker.
Installing a GFCI breaker on a circuit containing knob and tube wiring, probably won't provide any benefit. GFCI devices are designed to prevent electrocution, not to protect the wiring.
Combination AFCI GFCI Circuit Breakers
Circuit breakers that provide AFCI, GFCI, overload, and overcurrent protection are becoming more widely available.  If you can find them for your panel (and afford therm), these would be the best option.


Is There Any Downside to Using An Air Impact Driver to Drive Screws?

You are talking about two very different machines.

an air impact wrench used in shops on bolts typically 3/8" and larger, that would be too tough to work with a ratchet or breaker bar. The classic example is a tire shop removing lug nuts.
An electric drill.  It looks, walks and quacks like an electric drill.  Except it's jazzed up with a geardown for driving screws (a "drill-driver"), and a centrifugal impact feature to give it a bit more "kick" to help you cam out screws better ("impact drill-driver").

The tool you linked is made for electric drill-drivers.

For your air impact wrench, the tool you're looking to break is called a bit holder. It's a much simpler affair. It snaps onto a common 1/4, 3/8 or 1/2 square drive meant for sockets, and gives you a standard 1/4” hex drive that takes Philips, Torx, Robertson etc. bits that you normally use for deck and drywall screws. It has a magnet or clip to keep the bit in place.

I prefer using one with a speed wrench.


Placement of transformer for indoor/outdoor LED light string

Actually this warning can be for wire wound transformers and switching power supplies that do not have a protective shell where water and or moisture can damage the device.
Adding a water / moisture tight enclosure with approved sealing grommets or bushings would be a code legal way to do this.
In most cases a NEMA 3R case will be sufficient.
In all cases A NEMA 4 -4x weather proof is enough this is normally what we use in areas close to where vehicles are pressure washed or steam cleaned to protect the controls.


Electrical: Can 20 amp breaker with AWG 14 gauge wire cause tools in garage to not run?

Yes, the wire is undersized for 20 amps - 12 gauge copper is code minimum for 20 amps - if the run is long, 10 gauge can be a smart choice, if it's very long a larger size feed (30 - 60 amps at 240V) to a subpanel run on aluminum wire of much larger size quickly makes financial sense given the relative prices of aluminum and copper.

The cycle in effect is that the motor draws a large amount of current when it starts, and that drops the voltage on the undersized wire, and that makes the motor want more current to maintain power. Since heating goes up as the square of current, the motor overheats and shuts down. Keeping the voltage up with adequately sized feed wires keeps the current more reasonable.

Rewiring to a 240V subpanel in the garage may also offer the option of switching the saw to 240V operation, which will reduce the current by half (and the heating by 3/4) so it will start more easily. Depends on the saw motor, but most have that option.


Heat is an enemy for LED bulbs, and many bulbs say specifically that they cannot be used in an enclosed fixture since there is no airflow and a build up of heat.  I tested this with some LED bulbs from IKEA, and sure enough, in an enclosed fixture they would turn on and off as they heated up.

It could be that your bulbs used to be fine, but the heat has slowly degraded them.  Check the bulbs and see if they mentioned use in an enclosed fixture.  Either way, replacing the bulbs with the appropriate type is probably your best bet.


Should we sand and prime holes in our walls or pay someone to do it?

If the holes are already patched and all your are doing is sanding it down to a smooth finish before you prime, it will be way less than 5 minutes per patch.

Personally I would do it myself but how valuable your time is something only you can answer.  If you get the sand paper made specifically for sanding joint compound (like this it will go really fast.  Obviously doing the whole house will take a while but I think your esitmate of 5 minutes per patch it high.  Though if you pay someone else, would they be doing "wet sanding" to reduce the amount of dust in the rooms (that is something I have not done and I don't know how much harder it would be)?  That may be a consideration unless your rooms are already a mess from the actual insulation procedure.


How can I reduce the sheen of Osmo Polyx hardwax oil?

I would try lightly sand the first coat (normal anyway to get a key for the second) and then continue with the matte oil for the subsequent coat or coats.
Having to thoroughly sand back the first coat would be more work but likely a surer outcome...


Do I need a moisture barrier between my bedroom and attic?

I completely disagree with BMitch here. If you live in an area with sustained freezing temperatures, you should have a plastic vapor barrier between the drywall and the studs, wherever "warm meets cold" (exterior walls, top floor ceiling). You want this vapor barrier inside your insulation so the barrier is toward the "warm" side of the thermal break provided by the barrier, thus reducing the amount of condensation that forms on it.

Paper, like the backing of your insulation rolls, is NOT a vapor barrier. Neither is the insulation itself, even though its purpose is to "trap" a bubble of air and thus provide a buffer between warm and cold. Neither of these are continuous; the insulation is cut to fit inside the studs, and so air and thus moisture can still get around the paper. Moisture also soaks into paper. 6-mil plastic vapor barrier, installed properly, has no way through it; it's sealed against the studs so the drywall screws don't break the barrier, and all J-boxes are sealed with Tuck Tape or similar vapor-proof adhesion.

As for mold concerns, there shouldn't be any, even on the back side of the wall. Because the area behind the vapor barrier can still breathe, even with the insulation, there is little chance of there being enough water in the wall to damage the studs or cause mold to form on them. The big concern is the drywall, which is a sponge for any condensation that may form on it. It will trap this water and hold it for a long time, which along with the processed wood product (paper) on its skin, is a definite attraction for mold.


What is the purpose of a double pole breaker for separate 15A circuits?

I'm guessing the circuits are sharing a neutral, and so are considered a multiwire branch circuit.

  Branch Circuit, Multiwire. A branch circuit that consists of two or more ungrounded conductors that have a voltage between them, and a
  grounded conductor that has equal voltage between it and each
  ungrounded conductor of the circuit and that is connected to the
  neutral or grounded conductor of the system.

In the 2008 version of the National Electrical Code (NEC), they introduced sub section (b) to section 210.4.  This sub section covers the disconnecting means of a multiwire branch circuit, and requires a simultaneous disconnect of all ungrounded conductors.

  NEC 2008
  210.4 Multiwire Branch Circuits.
  (B) Disconnecting Means. Each multiwire branch circuit shall be provided with a means that will simultaneously disconnect all
  ungrounded conductors at the point where the branch circuit
  originates.

This subsection can be satisfied by using a multipole breaker, which provides both simultaneous trip and simultaneous disconnect. The subsection can also be satisfied by simply attaching handle ties between multiple single pole breakers, which would provide simultaneous disconnect (and may or may not provide simultaneous trip).


Electric Furnace, no AC, blower motor starts then slows after 1 second

I would be looking for a run/start capacitor it sounds like the start side is good but when it changes to run that one may be bad. Another thing is to lube the bearings there may be small ports in the front and back of the motor that you can drip some motor oil into, blowers don't require full torque until up to about 75% because they are not pushing much of a load until that point but a capacitor would be my first check unless you see the ports and have a oil can handy it only takes a few drops.


Specs for reinstalling 10+ year old composite decking

I agree with Ecnerwal entirely. But, absolutely screw the deck boards down & don't use nails, unless you like them popping up & ripping your foot or catching a shoe or high heel. Screwing the boards down is structural, for mostly just the boards...it spreads the stress instead of snapping a board from a fatboy standing between joists.

Definitely, use the tar-paper & bravo on doing it in the past...almost no-one around me does it & laughs at me when I do it or point out it's missing. Their decks last maaaybeee 15-years & mine last easily 30+.

Go with stainless steel screws! Square-Drive like the old screws is fine, but mostly Star-Head is all I find anymore. I think chamfering the bottoms will only trap more debris on top of the tar-papered joists, this will also cause water to travel to the meat area rather than just the edge. Simply hosing, brooming or putty knifing out the new gaps annually should be greatly successful.


hot / cold copper water pipes located above main electrical panel

Mind you, all I've seen of Canadian basements was on TV (a really good show), so take this with a grain of salt. However, I can't say this is terribly unusual based on that (in later shows he did a fair amount of basement work).

Local codes might have something else to say, but generally your pipes run inside the basement (which is one of the primary purposes of basements), as well as your electrical panel is typically there (because it's out of the way). So it seems that it is assumed your pipes will be near your panel. It's also worth noting that if your pipes start leaking, you'll have larger issues than an electrical panel.

You can always install a whole house water leak shutoff valve (most of the ones I've seen are for 1" water lines, not the 1/2" line in the photo). It would stop a serious leak, but not a dribble. If you really want a cutoff valve in the basement, you can cut the pipes and put in a Sharkbite (push connect) valve.


They're normal in gardens, but it's understandable that you'd want to be rid of them.  Here are some chemical solutions, and other ways to control them.


Where you live there are many basements, if you have one it is probably normal settling , in a newer home , what do you refer to as small critters? Many times foundations are back filled with rock that can settle and cause the separation for 20+ years , if this is the case and the gap is less than 3/4 inch I would use a latex caulk to seal it if larger I would contact professionals as suggested above


Can I hook up a dryer to the gas line in my kitchen that the stove in using?

You need to check your local codes. I wouldn't be running any hoses for any great distances. I'd extend the line with galvanized steel or black steel piping and tee off to the stove and dryer with shutoff valves. Many locations do not allow homeowners to install or modify their gas lines. Many gas companies will come out and hook up your new appliances for little or no cost and they'll also check the rest of your installation.


Do I need an enclosed wall box for a cat5e cable?

For mains electrical power, you need fully enclosed boxes, to reduce chance of fires from electrical arcing.

You don't need that for low voltage wiring.  An open back box or "wish box" is just fine.  Weirdly, I priced the two types of box yesterday, and the "wish box" was 40% more expensive.

Do not under any circumstances fill any electrical junction box with foam.
You weren't saying you would, but somebody is going to read this and maybe think that.  Anyway, most foams are fire accelerants not retarders, and it is easy for even professionals to make Very Big Mistakes in this area.

I don't like the starburst shape "gasket" either.  I would install a listed wall plate receptacle so you have a proper Ethernet socket in your wall.  A listed receptacle will be tested for fire safety. Amazon tends to be glutted with Cheese junk and counterfeits, so watch out.


Can I use a 220V rated LED lamp on a 110V line?

Probably not, since it's an LED bulb; and while there seem to be very few details on the website, the link calls it out as 220-240V. Some "wide range" LED supplies work from 85V to 277V but this is almost certainly not one of those.
An old-fashioned incandescent 240V bulb will work fine on 120V, at roughly 1/4 power, and thus it will be dim and yellow (but it will also last a very long time.) But that is not what you linked.


Upgrade to 200 amp by adding another main panel?

The answer is yes, the 2020 code now requires the mains to be outside so updating to a dual main and feeding each of your panels makes sense. Your existing main will become a sub so neutrals will need to be isolated in the panel.
This kind of update is one of the easier ones and helps to move mains out to the service.


is AFCI required for 220v CA residential?

NEC AFCI requirements only apply to 120V, 15/20A circuits

NEC 210.12(A) is clear on this (list omitted):

  (A) Dwelling Units. All 120-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-
  ampere branch circuits supplying outlets or devices installed in
  dwelling unit kitchens, family rooms, dining rooms, living
  rooms, parlors, libraries, dens, bedrooms, sunrooms, recreation
  rooms, closets, hallways, laundry areas, or similar rooms or
  areas shall be protected by any of the means described in
  210.12(A)(1) through (6):

Furthermore, a quick check of the 2016 CEC reveals that it hews to the 2014 NEC language with no state amendments (the quote above is from the 2017 NEC).


Question on relative warp resistance of engineered wood

You will want plywood for the application that you desire. The 92cm (36.22 inches) width demands a thick plywood to prevent flexing and warping. Good quality plywood that is 20mm (0.75 inches) thick should be adequate for that width just a small amount of flex.

As a point of reference in the past I had built a platform bed for a daughter that used a 22mm (0.75 inch) thick fir plywood base that was supported along the two long edges very similar to what you are proposing. That plywood was 99cm (38 inches) wide and it was plenty sturdy enough. As a matter of fact to make that platform bed easier to easier to transport and assemble that base plywood was cut in two separate pieces instead of the full length of the bed frame.


What skills and tools do I need to install a whole-home humidifier?

Plan the job
It looks like your best installation location is the duct work directly above the furnace. The lower section looks like it's sloped a bit, so that isn't a good place to mount. You'll have to use the upper section or cut into the A/C evaporator box. The upper section is probably the better place.
Cut the hole
Once you have a solid plan it's a fairly simple install job. You'll need tools to cut a big rectangular hole. A set of tin snips* will do. You can make a starting hole with a drill, or as I saw an HVAC installer recently do, hold a large flat-blade screwdriver at an angle to the duct and hammer the shaft of the screwdriver until it slices into the metal. This is much faster than drilling and makes a nice big gash where it's easy to get the snips started. It also neatly avoids the problem of chips of metal falling down into the evaporator, heat exchanger, and blower.
Install
Just follow the instructions with the product. Apart from the contortions to get your arms and body into position it should be pretty easy.
Controls
The Ecobee 3 can control the humidifier. If you choose to go that route then the control included with the humidifier will go in the "left over parts" bin. You also have to figure out how to wire it on your own; the diagram in the Aprilaire installation doesn't address this situation. I have an Ecobee 3 and an Aprilaire 600. I installed mine so that the humidifier water valve is powered by the 24V transformer in the furnace, ie I did not use the 24V transformer included with the humidifier.
To the best of my recollection I have wires connected to the AUX1 and AUX2 terminals of the Ecobee. The wiring for the humidifier is a series circuit: from furnace R terminal to an Ecobee AUX terminal, from the other AUX terminal to one wire of the humidifier water valve, from the other wire of the water valve to the furnace C terminal. The wiring would be similar if using the Aprilaire 24V transformer -- instead of connecting to furnace R and C, connect to the 24V wires of that transformer.
Actually... as it turns out, I had a new furnace installed a couple weeks ago. I haven't re-installed my humidifier yet but it's on the to-do list. Maybe I'll get it done this week and make an update with respect to the wiring details.
A note about tin snips
In the US, at least, there's a convention of coloring tin snips handles red, green, and yellow. Red will cut straight or curves to the left, yellow cuts straight, and green cuts straight or curves to the right. For years I was a penny-pinching miser and forced myself to use only yellow snips rather than lay out the cash to buy all three. Finally I did, though -- and sheet metal work became SO much easier. They're worth it.


Is this an acceptable way to add a light to a 3-way circuit?

You're describing a shared neutral, and some local codes allow it, some don't.  However, it's usually described with closely related circuits, like a single 12/3 wire feeding alternate receptacles in a kitchen's two 20A circuits.

In general, I think they're a bad idea because if circuits A and B share a neutral, you could potentially still have current in A's neutral with A turned off at the service panel.  In addition, if A and B are on different phases and there's a problem with the neutral, you could have 240V across all your devices.  Using a ganged breaker mitigates those risks somewhat.

How difficult would it be to replace the 14/3 between the switches with two 14/2 wires?  That would get neutral to the downstairs switch and wouldn't raise any eyebrows come inspection time.  If that would also be difficult, next step is to talk to an electrician that knows what's allowed in your area.


Even if you could secure it to the drywall any excess downward force will pull the blind off as the surface of the drywall will separate.
The options are to either drill into the lintel with a suitable metal bit or attach the blind to the vertical part of the window jamb with mounting brackets.


How to add 30A 240V circuit to an almost full panel

Aside from the general "overfull panel" problem as already noted by others in comments, there is a much bigger concern. Adding 30A @ 240V for solar power is not the same as adding an electric dryer or other 30A @ 240V appliance. In one sense it is much easier - this is something supplying power rather than consuming power. But in fact there can be a bunch of other issues that really complicate the situation. Similar to (but not quite the same) the way that adding a generator is not as simple as adding a feed from the generator and remembering to turn off the utility power before turning on the generator (and vice versa). For example, if there is a utility power outage, what prevents the solar power from backfeeding into the utility feed and zapping the linemen?
I recommend discussing this with the technical department of the solar power company, and possibly with your regular utility as well. There may be a number of different things to be done, beside simply provisioning a 30A 240V circuit in the panel, to make sure that the solar installation will be both safe & effective.


Are water heater piezo igniters compatible across brands?

The piezo spark has no real current just high voltage so there is no chance it can damage the material around it.
If the one you found will fit and the spark is in the gas flow you should be golden.


Does this look like a crack in my heat exchanger?

I had a similar experience. I did not trust the tech's report and felt like I was being setup for a replacement instead of a repair.

The tech's report mentioned a smoke test. More research online revealed a match test. My furnace has flame injectors. Remove cover to injectors. Turn on heat. Observe flame. Any orange? Even intermittent? Possible crack. Turn off heat. Turn on fan (only). Turn off gas at valve by furnace. Ventilate to eliminate gas traces. Light a match and hold it up to each heat exchanger opening. Does the flame move as though air is passing over it? If so, exchanger is cracked and should be replaced.

I found a new exchanger for my 19 yo Goodman 92% furnace online for $100 + $40 shipping. Used Permatex Red to replace gasket to secondary heat exchanger.  It was quite an effort.

(Side note: had to replace control board before I could perform above test.)

All summed up: $80 tech visit, $75 board, $140 heat exchanger, $20 supplies, gas sniffer (forgot how much - worth peace of mind - good tool for any DIY'r)
Experience: priceless; when I finally replace this furnace I will do it myself
Alternative: $800+ new furnace (DIY) or $$$$$$$ by HVAC Inc.


Leads from wall fan control switch are aluminum wire?

Modern switches with leads will sometimes have normal copper wires that have been tinned with solder.

Nip a tiny amount off the end of the wire, and you should see copper if this is the case. (Thanks to @Dan D for this tip.)


Advice for repairing shaped glass cabinet doors

If the curve is formed by the framing (only) and the glass itself is flat, the realm of "reasonably possible without breaking the bank" is active.
Actual curved glass is typically insanely expensive (if you are not a furniture factory buying a large amount of it) for reasons that are not hard to figure out - each radius of curvature would be a different item to stock, it's harder to store and handle than flat sheets, etc. etc.
I have successfully made intricate shaped cuts in glass using a "grit-edge" hacksaw blade (a round one, specifically - can cut any direction) - there are also a variety of powered wet-grinding tools made for stained glass work, for instance, or you might simply pay someone who does stained glass to make the cuts for you. Score and snap with curved cuts is possible but experience makes the odds much better (thus the stained glass practitioner might have much better luck than the average person. Or know when and where to "cheat" with alternate tools they probably already own.)
If you saved the splines, re-use them - if some did not survive, replace them with similar wood.
I'd probably use ordinary window glazing putty to set the glass - that's what it's made for - it can be painted if you want the color to be similar to the other door.


The two options that come to  mind are as follows:

Rip out the wood and replace it

This is the traditional way to approach the issue.  This is labor intensive, but taking the time to remove all of the rotten material is usually the best way to go.  Remember, you're just seeing the surface rot.  There might be more damage inside.  The sooner you get to that damage, the sooner you can stop the spread.

When you get the new wood in place, make sure you prime and paint with good quality, exterior materials.

Inject it with an epoxy resin

This runs the risk of hiding damage and mold issues, but is sometimes expedient / convenient.  I recently took this road with my exterior door of my house.  I'm planning on eventually replacing the entire wall of doors and windows, but couldn't quite swing that on day one.

Instead, I removed the source of water (a huge dog house on our deck left by the previous owner that was shedding water directly onto the door), let it dry and injected copious amounts of epoxy.   I happened to use the West System and it turned out great (I have no relationship with the company).

If you go this route, it's worth reading a bit about the right resin and filler to use for your application.  In my case, I didn't care about appearance so I used the strongest combination.  You'll want to sand the epoxy to make it fit in, so you'll want to consider that.

The epoxy isn't cheap, but as long as you store it in a room temperature setting, it will keep for years.


Different Pressure in Parts of the House

You possibly have galvanized steel pipes which when replaced with PEX or copper would fix your low water pressure. I'm not sure why galvanized steel was ever used for water pipes, but you can use a magnet to tell if they're steel or not. Other than being a different color than steel, copper isn't magnetic and steel is magnetic.

Your T&P valve on your water heater will leak for 3 reasons. 1 if the pressure is too high, 2 if the temperature is too high, or 3 the valve is failing.

Reason 1, your pressure too high, can be corrected by adding an expansion tank to your hot water line. Water expands when heated, and it needs somewhere to go or it'll build up a pressure much higher than your normal water pressure.

Reason 2, your temperature is too high, can be corrected by turning down your water heater temperature. The US Department of Energy recommends as low as 120F, 140F is the most common, and it really shouldn't ever be set higher than 160F because the scalding/burn risk is extremely high at that temperature.

Reason 3, your T&P valve failed, is unlikely since it is new. Typically they fail where they never seal or never open. So it leaking only when the heater turns on makes it more likely to be reasons 1 and/or 2.


Microwave Sparking and several outlets not working

Sounds like the receptacles are just wearing out, and the spring contacts have gone weak so that they don't grip the pin properly. If your microwave is sparking at the socket, this would tend to reinforce this idea.

If the receptacle contacts are not gripping the pin properly, there is a chance they will arc when current is drawn (as you have seen). Replacing the receptacles is the only way forward, I would think. All of them, even the ones which are still working.


First, it shouldn't crack. If it does your putting to much on at once. Id also stop using all purpose mud after your first coat and switch over to plus 3 to make sanding easier on your body. I definitely wouldn't scrap off the mud you have already put on. If you want to sand some mud off Id probably get a finish sander and sand some off if necessary. But go easy on the sander. You can screw things up real quick if you go crazy. A pro would never do this but then again a pro wouldn't make your mistake either. Skim coat with plus 3 a few times, sand it and don't worry about it being two perfect. A wall is never perfectly flat and the only guy that's going to notice it not being perfectly flat is you. As far as primer goes I'd ask the guys at wherever your buying your paint. Normal primer probably will be fine but I'd go with drywall primer.


Can I use a single 20-amp breaker for a bathroom and adjacent small bedroom in my basement?

Nope, you'll need 2 circuits for this

Bathroom receptacles must be on a 20A branch circuit that is either dedicated to bathroom receptacles (and no other loads), or to the loads in a single bathroom (and no other rooms), as per NEC 210.11(C)(3):

  (3) Bathroom Branch Circuits. In addition to the number of
  branch circuits required by other parts of this section, at least
  one 120-volt, 20-ampere branch circuit shall be provided to
  supply the bathroom(s) receptacle outlet(s). Such circuits shall
  have no other outlets.

  Exception: Where the 20-ampere circuit supplies a single bathroom,
  outlets for other equipment within the same bathroom shall be permitted
  to be supplied in accordance with 210.23(A)(1) and (A)(2).

As a result, the 20A circuit will need to feed the bathroom receptacles (and possibly the rest of the bathroom's loads as well), while all other loads (general receptacles outside the bathroom, and lighting loads) will go on the remaining 15A circuit.  All wiring on the 20A circuit will need to be 12AWG, as well.


Electric Baseboard Heater Thermostat Replacement

Any thermostat rated at or above the heater ratings should work fine. 3600W is a good number because that is 15A @ 240V, which is also a common breaker size. My guess is that the original installer used the same thermostats everywhere, costing a little more but minimizing the number of inventory items. 3600W/15A also allows you to upgrade a bit in the future without replacing the thermostat.


It is not an error to have a gap, It is an error that the job was not finished properly.

The gap or space in not unusual. the opening ( rough opening ) is always larger then the door jam so that the door can positioned inside the opening plumb and true ( square ).

The gap is supposed to be filled with insulation of some kind. Typically  this is a spray foam product in a can. You can do this your self, You must use a spray foam called minimally expanding window and door spray foam insulation.

You should mask off the wall and the jam with painters tape so if you spray to much in and it expands outside of the gap and onto the wall/jam it will not stick to the jam or wall. ( it is tenacious stuff and not easy to remove and will leave a stain ) once dried you can trim any excess off with a knife. ( an old serrated bread knife works well for this, and then remove the painter tape. You do not fill the whole void as the foam will expand two to three times its volume. I am sure if you do  YouTube search for how to spray foam a door jam you will get plenty of instructions.

The door trim is then installed and this will hide the gap/insulation.


How can I stop my windows from leaking when mild winter weather occurs?

Are you saying that you manually insulate the window on the inside with foam board to prevent heat loss? If so, this is completely expected. What's happening is that the insulation is doing its job by preventing the movement of heat, thereby keeping the glass colder. However, it sounds like the installation is not airtight. As a result, any moist air that goes through or around the foam board and touches the glass finds the perfect surface to condense on: something vertical, hard, and cold. So it does. If you want to manually insulate a window on the inside like this, the insulation must be absolutely airtight to prevent condensation. The more expensive but more correct solution to the problem would be to replace the window with a higher-performance one, likely a triple-pane. Low-E exterior storm windows are good too, and a lot cheaper, but that might be hard to do on a bay window.


What's the standard for specifying power and voltage characteristics of domestic appliances?

RMS is used to make calculations easier for consumers.

Some UPS devices express power as VA, but most consumer appliances used in homes specify Watts.

  the voltage specified is peak voltage

RMS, not peak.

I haven't been there and measured it but I am sure the mains voltage in India is near 230V RMS (I would guess it is nominally 240 V RMS but I expect in some locations the electric power companies fail to keep voltage levels up because demand exceeds what their plant can supply)

  the heater requires a 15 A socket to work efficiently

No, it requires a 15A socket to work safely. This isn't about efficiency.

A 2000 W appliance is likely to present a too-low resistance to a 5A outlet and will likely cause the wiring inside the walls to overheat and may set fire to your home. The sockets themselves may also overheat and be damaged, possibly presenting electrocution hazards.

If Indian homes are wired to the equivalent of BS546, you only have a choice of 5A or 15A outlets, you should choose a 15A outlet for a 2000W appliance.


Garage door torsion bar support bracket not attached

Perhaps they left it unattached because there is no automatic door opener installed and they they assumed that it would be taken care of when one is installed.

It should be secured to keep the bar from flexing in the middle due to the high amount of torque in the springs.

You can attach a piece of wood of the appropriate thickness to the header with 3" screws and secure the bracket to it with 3/8 x 2 1/2" lag bolts.

If you are going to get a door opener in near future you could wait and see if the opener hardware will dictate the placement of it.


Space heater efficiency and light bulb efficiency in winter

Electric heaters are darned near 100% efficient at what they do: convert the electric potential in your home's power to heat. Other heating appliances can't claim as high an efficiency (for example, an oil boiler might be somewhere in the mid 80-90% range for efficiency, loses being related to incomplete combustion). However, what you might have heard is that the relative cost of heating with electricity is greater than other means.

Here is a nice comparison/calculator of costs to produce the same amount of heat with various heating sources.

Regarding sources of light: I believe you are correct in your assumption. If you would be heating your home anyway, an "inefficient" incandescent bulb will provide you will useful heat. However, keep in might the cost of electric heat vs cost of other heat sources available. Also consider where the lights are relative to you. If they are all near the ceiling you might not sense much benefit from their heating.


What pump for a pond where sediment keeps restricting flow?

Put the pump in a 5 gallon bucket with two bricks in it; something to keep it off the floor of even it. Improvise some kind of intake screen if necessary.

Install a 'T' fitting on the output, valved, so that you can bleed off the desired amount of over pressure in the line directly back into the pond.

It's probably clogging where you have it choked down and possibly not making the pump happy from lack of cooling water flow.


Should I use a plastic moisture barrier underneath a new deck to help prevent rot?

I would not do the plastic vapor barrier as it will not do much to help. The area under the deck is open to the outside air and that air will dominate the moisture content of the air under the deck. In a crawlspace under a house, the air moisture can easily be dominated by the soil moisture and is one reason that a vapor barrier is used.

The tar paper over the joists and under the decking is a VERY GOOD idea and it is one of the best things that can be done to prevent decay of the joists. Use pressure treated wood of course for the joists and other framing. Wood rot likes moisture, especially standing water or nearly saturated wet conditions, and this occurs at joints such as where the wood deck boards bear on the joists and is also most exposed to the weather but not directly exposed to the air to allow it to dry out well.

You can also treat any cuts into the pressure treated wood with liquid rot prevention treatment, as decay occurs faster at the end grain, and the manufacturer applied pressure treatment is greatest on the surface and decreases towards the center of the boards (the cut is into an area with less treatment). It's been a while so I don't have a brand to recommend, however the manufacturer or supplier of the pressure treated wood can make a recommendation.


Should the oven heating coil stay on the whol time you are baking?

Most likely No. Most electric ovens heat to certain temperatures by turning the heating element on and off with a thermostat, much like your home thermostat will keep your house hot. This is referred to as a 'Duty Cycle'. Basically, the element may come 'on' and start glowing as it heats. Once the inside of the oven reaches the desired temperature, it may turn off and cool as much as 5-15 degrees then cycle on again.


IC Rated, pivoting recessed (pocket) light for shower

I don't think you will find much of a selection. The 2014 NEC section 410.10.D states the fixture would need to be 8' above the shower threshold. on top of this if you had the height the fixture must be listed for a wet location. With this tight of a restriction most MFG's wont make a specialty fixture because of limited sales.


Is there any way to do an Ufer (concrete-encased) ground with a monolithic slab that has a vapor barrier?

Front Porch Grounding Electrode

An Ufer ground (concrete-encased electrode) can be made from any reinforced foundation or footing that is in direct contact with the earth, whether it is supporting a structure or not.  This means that not only is the house foundation eligible provided it is in direct contact with the earth, but a front or back porch or stoop can be used in addition or instead provided it has a sufficient length of suitable rebar or wire inside and has a footing that is in direct contact with the earth.  Since there's no need for a vapor barrier on a porch or stoop where the concrete's wearing surface is exposed to the elements anyway, this means that with perhaps a bit of trickery, you can get the benefits of an Ufer ground without having to give up a sub-slab vapor barrier for the main foundation and footings.


What type of heating is used in that added on room? That will make a difference in how you solve the problem of the room being cooler than the rest of the house. Answer #1; yes insulate the floor if the basement under that room is unheated or cooler than the rest of the house. Answer #2; If the added room has 3 sides exposed to the weather, that is probably 1 or 2  more walls than any other single room in the house. If this is the case the room should have been built with more insulation than the rest of the house, since it will loose more heat due to the number of walls exposured. The type of heating system will determine how you correct the heating deficiency. You may have to add a separate heating device to solve the problem.


Empty conduit is your best bet here. No point in guessing what (if anything) you may get, and guessing wrong. While you can leave a pull string in it, you can also just vacuum a pull string into it when the time comes (that's what is normally done to install it in the first place). If you do leave a string, don't worry about how big/strong it is:  it can be used to pull in one big/strong enough when the time comes. Do make sure it won't rot while it's waiting. And CAP THE ENDS of the empty conduit, or it may not be as empty as it should be when you need to use it.

Speaking from personal experience, assuming you don't need more than one for excessive bends/sweeps (and do use long-radius sweeps when you do need to make a bend, not the short radius stuff from home centers) you will be much happier with a pull box/hand hole/access at the halfway point.

I have hand pulled (no winch) fiber over 600 feet. It was not much fun. With correct technique (pulling on the Kevlar, not the fiber or the jacket), possible, but no fun. 330 feet/100m it should be easy (was for us) if the conduit is configured correctly (large-radius sweeps, no more than 360 degrees of bending between access points.)

Enter (and leave) the pull box with 45s, not 90s. Leave some extra cable coiled up in the pull box in case of any future need for more at either end due to damage. Before pulling cable in, see figure 8 coiling and use it so you can pull the cable in, figure 8 coil the other half, flip the coil and pull it the rest of the way - no tangles.

For political/turf (rather than electrical) reasons, it's often best to keep cable, telephone and "whatever is next" in separate conduits. It's also much less practical (or more difficult) to pull into a conduit with a cable in it - often best to remove the original cable and pull the new cable and the original cable back in together, rather than trying to pull a new cable in next to the original - but best if you can just pull the new cable in its own conduit and leave the original cable/conduit alone.

Additional suggestions -

If using PVC conduit, choose schedule 80, and deburr (remove sharp inside edges from) the male ends of the joints.
If you can get polyethylene conduit, consider it as you can get
100 meters with no joints and it's more flexible than PVC
(effectively the same as polyethylene water pipe, with different
certifications stamped on it)
Do not neglect the locating/warning tape - whether it says buried fiber optic below or buried telephone line below does not matter nearly as much as that it is there in the top of the trench, directly over but well above the conduits.


What you want to do is run the p-trap parallel to the back wall within the space between the wall and the back of the drawer.

If there is adequate space, start with a wye directly onto the pipe as it comes out of the wall with a line cleanout glued into the end of the wye (if there isn't enough space, use a 45 elbow). Use a fitting 45 or regular 45 elbow (again, depending on the available space) into the side outlet of the wye, then a short piece of pipe and the p-trap. Now you can go vertical along the back wall, then use two 90 elbows to offset to the sink's tail piece.