You might as well go all the way with your subpanel upgrade
There is absolutely no reason to put a dinky 10-space panel in your shed when you could get a 24-space or 30-space, 100 or 125A, main breaker panel for a minimal additional cost (the price differential we're looking at here pays for oh, a pizza or a few fancy cups of coffee, depending on where you are).  Keep in mind that the main breaker in your subpanel is simply a shutoff means for the shed, so it being larger than the feeder breaker in the main panel is not an issue.  Don't forget to buy and install the correct grounding bar for your panel if it doesn't come with one pre-installed!
There are better ways to invest in copper
You're far better off pulling a 2-2-4-6 Al mobile home feeder cable for your run than doing anything with copper.  It's one-third the price, has 50% more current-carrying capacity (90A at 75°C), and will happily fit in 1¼" Schedule 80 PVC conduit.
While you're at it, you might want to use some of that money you saved by not running copper to lay a continuous run of PVC conduit belowground.  While 1¼" will work for this, going up to 1½" gives you room for future upgrades, up to 100 or 125A even depending on the panel you get.
At the main panel, you'll need an 90A breaker of the correct type for your panel (although you can use a 60A breaker if you already have it fitted) to take full advantage of the mobile home feeder cable.
As to that grounding situation...
You are correct that you'll need ground rods at the shed in addition to the grounding wire in your feeder cable.  This is handled with some bare 6AWG copper run from the garage subpanel's grounding bar to two 8' ground rods driven 6-8' apart, as a single rod might not get a low enough resistance to earth to protect your shed adequately against wayward natural electricity.  Don't forget to pull the green bonding screw or strap out of the subpanel while you're doing this installation, for that matter!
TORQUE ALL LUGS TO SPEC
Last but not least, you'll want to use an inch-pound torque wrench or torque screwdriver to tighten all connection (breaker, panel) lug screws to the rated tightening torques marked on the breaker or panel labels.  This is required in 2017 NEC 110.14(D), and is a good idea even if you're on a prior edition of the NEC, lest your electrical work give your garage the loose lugnut!


Can I plug a powerline adapter into a grounded-in-wall adapter?

You can definitely plug your powerline adapter into your in wall adapter. It might take up more than one space on the in wall adapter thought preventing you from being able to use an outlet. check the sizes before you buy.


How do I mitigate moisture problems when putting up drywall over stucco with torn tar paper?

Absolutely not.  Drywall in a moist area is a sure fire way to get mold growth - you have to address the water issue first.

Since the walls have no wood sheeting, you could use a closed cell spray foam insulation inside the walls applied directly to the back of the stucco.  That will block water from getting in and act as a vapor barrier as well - then you can drywall over that.

If you had wood sheeting on the walls with tar paper and stucco over top then I'd be concerned about moisture getting trapped between the tar paper and the foam.


No, there is no requirement to make splices in a junction box.

However, if you're not making any splices, and never plan to. You can use a conduit body, instead of a junction box. Conduit bodies come in various configurations, though it sounds like a simple T type conduit body would be applicable to your situation.


What is this pipe? It leaks when the sink runs

Poly is flexible, I haven’t seen it used as a drain like abs that is rigid.
With a septic system in winter it could be your field is flooded (standing water where the field is?).
Another cause is a partial plug up below this point it’s not always a failed system heavy rain fall and a flooded drainage field the water takes longer to dissipate into the ground.
That could have been a condensate drain for the AC system but not well done. I would cap it using a rubber cap. Fernco makes them.
Cut off pipe square slide cap on and tighten the hose clamp 5$ fix for now.
There may be other ways but a fernco end cap would be my choice in this case.


Is this screw part of a furniture assembly?  What you describe sounded like a cam-lock nut, like can be seen here: http://www.swedishfurnitureparts.com/products/ikea-cam-lock-nut-103433
If that's it, then it won't actually retract, you just align it so the adjacent part can be removed.  There should be a dot or indicator showing you which way it needs to be aligned.


Did you ask the maintenance guy what he did to "fix" it the first two times?

This should give a pretty good clue as to what might have gone wrong.

Seeing the picture we can see that this is a natural gas water heater. Is it possible that the pilot is going out?

Pilot lights can be going out for a number of reasons:

1) The water tank is old and holes have rusted into the bottom and water is dripping out and extinguishing the pilot light flame.

2) The thermo sensor has gone bad and requires replacement. This is usually thin tube that runs from the gas control valve over to the pilot flame. The flame keeps the sensor end hot and keeps the gas valve armed. If the flame goes out this forces the gas valve off as a safety interlock.

3) A draft by the floor is causing the pilot light flame to go out. The missing cover  over the pilot light access hole could be the cause of this problem.

As a very first check of your missing hot water kneel down and look into the access hole and see if the pilot light is going.

Since you live in an apartment I assume that you rent. If this is the case you should certainly not be trying to fix this problem yourself. That would be the responsibility of the landlord. If you are in an owner occupied apartment then that is another issue and your best course of action would be to call in a technician to perform the proper repairs or replacement of the water heater.


Cat6/Low Voltage Termination in a wooden enclosure

No obvious code violations. You're talking about low voltage cable in a non-plenum area, and any cable you buy is almost certainly going to be plenum-rated anyway.

If you're using an enclosed box like the one you referenced, dust probably won't be a huge problem.

Heat will not be a problem if you're just pulling cable and terminating it in patch panels.

However; if you're planning to put any actual electronic equipment in that box, like network switches, the attic heat could be a serious problem even if you install fans in the box to vent hot air. The air you'd be drawing into the box from the attic will be hot.

Presumably, the entire purpose of putting the patch panel in the box is to put things like your cable or DSL modem, router and switch(es) in the box, too. Those may all be the same device, of course, depending on your configuration.

I suppose you could run some ductwork and use both intake and vent fans in the box to draw cool air through it from your living area. But that's getting pretty elaborate.

I would just put it all on a high shelf in your closet. But even then, it is possible that your equipment will generate enough heat that you'll need to vent the closet to avoid damage to the equipment.


Motion Sensor control on a carport light, with "over-ride" or "reversing" action from a 2 or 3 way light switch

You really need to go with smart switches/sensors and a smart light -- the kind that gives you a simple programming language so you can define how each sensor and switch action behaves. That way you can program exactly the effect you want for each of the large variety of conditions.

You're creating a lot more combinations of potential conditions than you think you are.  Just to name a few:

Light off, sensor detected motion, light on.  User threw switch.  Now what?
The above happened and now after 1 minute there is motion again.
Motion sensor detects motion.  User operates switch within 1 second.  Is this commanding the motion sensor off, or did user see/hear same thing?
Motion sensor times out, and turns light off. User operates switch within 1 second.  Is this a command to turn the light back on?
Light is turned on 6 hours ago because of manual command and it is now daylight.

The usual blunder here is doing the minimum wiring necessary to make the various items connect, and then expecting the assembly to do exactly what a butler would do.  They won't.

If you want to keep it simple, just have 2 lights - one under control of the switches, one with the motion sensor.


Yes, the void is the space inside the wall. It could be between joists in a wood wall or in the channels inside concrete blocks. It basically just means empty spaces in a wall.


First, you should let your landlord know ASAP, before the problem gets worse. The ceiling falling down is not your fault. Not reporting it and letting it continue to fall down would be.

Anyway, most of what you've mentioned is probably unrelated. Running a small humidifier is perfectly normal. Cockroaches are not heavy enough to pull down a ceiling (picturing that is pretty gross...). Loud music and tromping around (something all upstairs neighbors seem to enjoy) wouldn't put any stress on your ceiling beyond normal limits.

However, the water leak seems like the culprit -- the water may have damaged the drywall around the screws enough for the screws to pull through the drywall, causing the sheets to come loose. Or, the ceiling may have been installed poorly, with butt joints not fastened to joists and just taped together; such joints would have eventually failed anyway, but the water damage accelerated things.


Are outlets near kitchen sink required to be protected by GFCI?

Yes, kitchen receptacles near the sink need to be GFCI protected. Since you don't have GFCI at that location, there are three possibilities to consider:

They are protected at the circuit breaker with a combination circuit breaker/GFCI. The downside to circuit breaker/GFCI is that resetting it is not as convenient as at point-of-use.
They are protected elsewhere in the circuit. If you have some GFCI receptacles in the kitchen but others that are non-GFCI, you may find that tripping (use the TEST button) the GFCI receptacles actually cuts power to the non-GFCI receptacles as well.
Not protected! This is legal as long as the receptacles were installed before the GFCI requirements were put in place. That being said, retrofit is generally very easy and inexpensive. The complication you have is the "4 plug outlets". Those are likely 2 standard dual-receptacles underneath the faceplate. If they are all on the same circuit then you can replace just one of them with a GFCI/receptacle and connect the other regular receptacle to the "load" screws on the GFCI. If they are two separate circuits then you will need two GFCI/receptacle devices. In either case, you will need a new faceplate unless the existing receptacles are "Decora" style.


How much material would it take to cement a 1 mile driveway

Wow, this is complicated. Good road design requires a good base and any turns require an added width due to a turning vehicle. (The added width at turns depends on the size of any anticipated vehicles.)

Let’s start with the basics. Let’s say it’s straight and it’s 10’ wide. Depending on soils conditions, I’d use a minimum of 6” gravel base. I like 3” minus crushed rock. So, for the base: 5,280 ft x 10’ wide x .5’ deep = 26,400 cu. ft. OR 26,400 cu. ft. / 27 = 978 cu. yards. You want it in lbs., so gravel can weigh about 2,800 lbs. per cubic yard...so 2800 x 978 = 2.7 mil. Lbs.

Now the concrete. I’d recommend a 4” minimum slab of 3,000 psi concrete. So, 5,280 x 10’ x .33 = 17,424 cu. ft. OR, 17,424 / 27 = 645 cu. yards.

There are lots of mix designs for 3,000 psi concrete. You should order it from the local concrete company because you’ll want air entrainment too.

Big job....next: Determine how many corners and if you’ll be driving over your base before you pour, because some of the will be pushed into the ground and you’ll need to “re-level” before you pour.


How do I install floating shelves on drywall using a drill?

Attach the shelf brackets directly into the studs, no ifs, ands, or buts. Wall anchors are OK for light loads, but I wouldn't use exclusively them for a floating shelf, even if you weren't putting books on it. I would use at least 2" #8 screws, so you have at least 1.25" going into the actual stud. If your shelf bracket is rather thick, go with 2.5" screws.

If your shelf is short, or you want it positioned such that you'll only hit one stud, you should use wall anchors on the ends in addition to screwing into that one stud. The wall anchors in that case would be more to keep the shelf from rotating. Toggle anchors are certainly appropriate for this case, but the plastic anchors would be OK as well, since they're not intending to support much weight in this scenario.

I like a magnetic stud finder such as the StudBuddy, as it's dead simple to use.


My apartment has a bouncy floor, but it's the only one

The joists are undersize or the center distance is too great to provide the stiffness you want.It is likely strong enough unless you want large aquariums.


You should look to see if air flow vents around the bottom of the refrigerator are clogged up with dirt and dust bunnies. If so clean that up with a vacuum cleaner. It may be well to remove the unit from the cabinet to clean out the whole area.

Also this problem can be brought on by failure of the air circulation fan in the refrigerator.

Some questions remain:

Is this installation new and you are just experiencing this problem?
In the past has there been successful use of the refrigerator in its current configuration all through a year or more of ambient temperature cycles?
Is this a refrigerator without a freezer compartment?


How should I insulate behind the last floor joist that runs parallel to the foundation wall?

Since you have a gap, spray foam is probably your best option. During framing, there are corners and other locations that get insulated when the walls are being raised because they are inaccessible later on. At that stage, some rigid foam insulation is useful since it won't mold like fiberglass will and the structure isn't weather tight yet. If you didn't have a gap, drilling a small hole and using blown insulation would have been the best option.

For reference, a "rim joist" is the last joist on the row and wraps around the outside of the floor structure.


Is there a tiny bit of space between the bracket and the tv?  If so I'd use a hacksaw to cut through the screw and remove the bracket.  If space is really tight, try removing the blade and using it with your hands.

After that, you'll have to see what you are working with.  If you are lucky, maybe you can get some epoxy or glue around the bolt inside of the TV to freeze it and then use locking pliers to remove the rest of the screw or drill it out.


How to remove rebar passing through an inaccessible pipe

They make root cutters for cutting plant roots that have grown through pipes, but they are made to cut roots, not steel. I'm not aware of anything that is specifically designed for this. Maybe you could get a steel cutting blade made for a root cutter. You would then still have to get the pipe lined afterwards to seal the holes. This would be a pretty difficult and expensive process, and it would not be guaranteed to work.

Overall, it will probably be the best and cheapest option to cut the concrete around the pipe, fix it properly, and replace the floor. If the repair blending in is of concern, you would want to cut at existing saw joints, if the concrete will be covered, you can just cut and replace the immediate area of the repair.


How to connect old garage with the new home addition

There is absolutely no concern with a small amount of space between a new addition and the garage from the ground level.  In fact who is helping design this is smart for not attaching new structure to old, in that if garage foundation is poor you don't want an issue with new addition because of this and also vice versa.  A new addition's foundation may settle a little bit in the first 5 years - you don't want it pulling on your garage.

The main concern over this sort of practice is what happens to the roof line.  If done properly there are no issues whatsoever but you obviously don't want water going into an empty space, even if there is a drainage plan.  That is a different question you can pose on the site though.

So let's stick to the first level and how it looks and functions.  The gap you are pointing to - no one will even understand there is a gap there unless the doorway section from the garage is done really poorly.  Obviously you shouldn't be able to see into the gap from before the door threshold and this should be closed off.  So this would just be a thicker threshold to a person walking through it.  Only someone who is really thinking about it would even think there is a small gap between the rooms - because they can't see the bedroom wall from where they are.  A second point is there is nothing but good things to say about creating more of a barrier from exhaust fumes to a bedroom area.  Having exhaust fumes in a living room sucks but you are usually awake and can say wow that stinks let's open up windows, directly next to bedrooms poses a bigger risk.

On the outside behind the garage it should just be sided over continuously up to soffit.

The last part of this is just my personal opinion as I have done a bunch of additions. I would suggest jutting out the house a little further on the garage side before you angle it.  I would then create a full on mud room for the first 5 feet of the living room.  It will just be unusable space anyway as it will be filled with shoes and organizational things.  I would also rethink the exterior door.  If you already have an exterior door on that side of the house I would not put in a second one as I can't think of ever doing an addition where I had two doors going to the same room, and that close to each other.  If there was a for sure need I would feed them to the same mud room.  That way you are defining the living room as a "nice" living space instead of a cross-roads of bunch of doors.

And just more of personal opinion.  I don't like the floor layout.  Other than needing a mud room, I think having a bedroom and bathroom directly off a living area is a bit much.  I have never paid for this, although I have seen it done.  When I have seen it work is when this layout is on the corner of a house so that in effect you are creating a master suite space with its own living room.  Here this doesn't work because you have garage traffic constantly.  If your plans aren't 100% done I would get feedback on the site about a more effective layout.  (One where you don't have the ability to take a crap and talk to the guy watching t.v. on the couch)


How can I remove a screw driver bit that is stuck in the chuck of my drill motor?

Yeah, you're going to have to pull the black knurled collar forward to release the ball detent holding the bit into the impact driver.

Were it me, I'd look for a powerful magnet to touch the bit to while I pull the collar forward.


If the thing you are mounting is wide (like a shelf or TV) it will cover a few small test holes.

Drill a small hole through the board and lathe-and-plaster, then force a piece of bent wire through the hole into the void. The wire should have two right angle bends, one that goes inside the wall void and one that stays outside. The bit inside the wall must be shorter than the depth of the void, or it won't go in, but you also want it as long as possible to give you the maximum reach.

As you spin the wire, the end inside the wall will feel for the studs and you can use the other end to judge where the stud is.

If you can spin the wire right around, you know there are no studs within a few inches either side of your hole, so repeat the process double that distance to one side.

If the void between studs is full of insulation, this won't work. You may have to just drill holes every few inches until you hit a stud. You can reduce the number of visible holes by drilling diagonally in both directions,


How can you determine if an air compressor tank is safe?

Take it to a shop that either does hydrostatic testing, or has an arrangement with a place that does. It will cost far less than $100, barring a major ripoff. Any place that deals in compressed gasses (welding supply or diving supply) needs to do this on a regular basis (5 years per tank), as do fire extinguisher service shops (which might actually be the place your dive shop sends a tank to for testing.)

The formal tests (in the USA) are based on Department Of Transportation regulations for portable tanks - fixed tanks are not required to be tested (at least by the DOT), but can be. Twice working pressure may be more than is correct - I'm more familiar with dive tanks, and there it may be as little as 5/4 rated pressure - failure is not "burst only"; a tank can fail the test because it permanently deforms (the tank is submerged in a tank of water while being tested - the expansion of the tank when it is filled causes a measured about of water to leave that tank. If the tank being tested does not shrink adequately after pressure is released, the tank fails testing.)

Most fixed tanks fail from internal rust due to lack of proper maintenance (draining the tank regularly.) If your tank is 40-50 years old, it might be worth simply replacing it with a new one, particularly if you have difficulty getting it tested at a reasonable price.


How to properly support 2-3 with ground nm-b cable from floor joists

Sound like you need to replace the pipe supports with J-hooks and either zip-ties or Velcro straps.

Here is an example of a J-hook.

Notice the rounded edges to prevent cable sheath damage. These supports are required for structured cabling (Cat5) bundles to prevent wire distortion and damage. But would also work well for your application.


When there are multiple circuits in a junction box do all grounds get connected

Only one answer...  YES, all the bare grounds go together!!


Changed breaker to GFCI now it's always tripping...

Your use of GFCI is highly correct
Electric-shock drownings are an epidemic in the U.S.  This is when someone goes dockside, or to a pond, or in a fountain, and is shocked by leakage current.  Often, this takes out their rescuers, too, in a tragic daisy chain until a rescuer arrives who realizes this is an elecricity problem AND has rubberized waders OR knows how to shut off the power. By this time, the people in the water have drowned.
So you are absolutely correct to get this under GFCI protection.  As it happens, your GFCI immediately tripped  because you do, in fact, have a ground fault. I suspect you had always been one simple "loose wire" away from catastrophe, but now you have caught that.
The GFCI-end wiring is correct.  The only error is that 240V is supplied as 2 hot wires, and since you are tasking the white wire to carry "hot", you MUST re-mark it a hot color - black is fine.  Spiral of electrical tape, sharpie, shrink tube... whatever.  In reverse order of durability.
Bootlegging neutral for the timer, not so correct
Neutral is not ground.  That is an axiom you must memorize.  Neutral and ground must be kept separate at all points past the main disconnect switch (typically main breaker).
The timer you specified is a 120V timer.   Here's how it was already wired:

Timer ground to ground
Timer HOT to one of the two hot wires that provide the 240V
Timer NEUTRAL to ??????   (you did not say)

Most of us know what was done.  Neutral does not exist in the box since you are using the /2 cable for both hot wires.... so timer NEUTRAL was bootlegged off safety ground.  That will "work" as long as nothing goes wrong.  If something goes wrong, it will electrify the timer chassis, and the water, and everything connected to the water.   So... bad plan.
It's tripping the GFCI because the timer's current is coming off a hot and being returned to ground.
You are at an impasse.
To continue using this model of timer, you will either need to trench /3 cable from the house (no thanks), or install a transformer to provide a locally derived service here (and have the inspector approve that).  It can be quite small - just a few watts as it only needs to power the timer motor.
Or, you can replace this timer with a 240V model which draws hot and hot, and does not need neutral.


How do I get even water pressure from a bathtub mixer faucet?

Delta makes a line of shower valves (Monitor 17 series) that has separate Temperature and Volume controls in a single hole package.  It approximates a thermostatic valve, which is a much more expensive valve.

The little arm at 2 o'clock is the temperature setting, and the larger one at 4 o'clock is the volume.

It would be necessary to replace both the valve body and the valve trim to use this solution.


It looks like you are up against a corner on the left, which means you can't simply shift the outlet into the box location. In a perfect world you have enough cable to move the box to the other side of that stud. You would then simply repair your drywall. (We've since learned that there's a door to the right, just out of frame, making this impossible.)

Otherwise I would find a shallow box and cut the stud back so that the box can sit partially or completely in front of it. Since you are right near a corner you can safely take a third to a half of the stud out without concern. It may not strictly meet code, but experience tells me it won't be a problem.

A good way to do that is with a nice sharp spade bit of 1 inch or so. Just make a series of straight-in bores in a grid pattern to cut the wood away. Mark your depth on the side of the stud before hand so you know how deep to go.


You can reduce the output size with few problems except limiting the flow, pushing into a pressure tank will be better on the pump unless a variable frequency drive is used. Limiting the input can cause severe cavitation and damage the impeller and housing in a short period of time.

Normally a smaller size pump will cost less and have smaller ports, even using a 1/2” pump may have issues if your draw is larger than the supply this can cause a neighbors faucet when opened to suck air in.

In my area for systems that can not provide enough water we usually install a large tank like 500 gallons and put the booster on the out put of that tank, a simple float valve at the top of the tank stops the incoming water when the tank is full just like a toilet tank valve. I was thinking of a ball on a lever not a modern fluid master.

Size the tank based on several hours or daily water usage.


Furnace only blows 55 degree air! Pipes freezing, please help

You need to have an HVAC service company that works on propane appliances look at, clean and service this unit before it hurts someone. Everything you describe is an accident "waiting to happen". Do not be a victim.


How should I protect a gas line in a closet?

You basically would build a bulkhead to contain this.  Any enclosed gas pipe/water/electric should be built with a wall that meets code

This means the bulkhead should be framed out like a mini wall.  Floor plate, top plate, wall plate, joists and studs 16" O/C.  Frame it out affixed firmly to the wall (anchoring the wall plate in the studs) and glue down or preferably anchor down the floor plate.  Angle it to go all the way up the wall to enclose the vertical portion of the pipe.

Once you frame it all in, cover in sheet rock, mud and tape.  And paint.

Then you can finish it out and use the bulkhead (excluding the vertical part) to make a cool shoe shelf.


How do I fix cracked plumbing in this situation?

PVC is pretty simple to work with as long as it fits well. I'd cut off the broken elbow cleanly and leaving just enough protruding from the stack tee to connect a new elbow, say 3/4". I'd clean it up and prime it and install a new standard elbow (is that a 45?) onto the stub. Give a twist to distribute the cement well. You many need to cut back, and then extend with a coupler, the straight section.

Another option is to cut the elbow off, then carefully grind away the portion that remains inside the stack tee. If you work slowly with a rotary grinder, checking fit often, you should be able to make a new street elbow fit well. Prime it and cement it in, rotating at least 1/4 to distribute the cement.

Because this is an unfinished area, risk is low if the new connections fail. At that point you may want to get a plumber in to replace the stack tee and start fresh.


I just got a 12 x 18 foot utility shed, 120' from main 200 amp panel. What size subpanel should I use?

Fat conduit, fat aluminum, and fat panels are your friends

Given your circumstances, there is no reason not to provision ample space for future use; some would simply direct bury a 12/3 UF for now, but that means you'll have to dig it up if you want more juice at the shed.  Instead, I would provision a 1.5" and a 1" PVC, buried side by side with 18" of topcover (so about 20"-21" deep); the former provides enough room for a full-sized, 125A, four-wire feeder to the garage, while the latter will be left empty for future use as a communications duct (in case you want to extend network connectivity to the shed, for instance).

Furthermore, unless your AHJ has a severe aluminum allergy, there is no reason not to run fat aluminum for the feeder here.  1/0 Al XHHW-2 is suitable for the hots and neutral on said 125A feeder paired with a 6AWG bare copper ground; of course, if you wish to run a smaller feeder for now, nothing stops you.  Just make sure to run a four-wire feed (two hots, a neutral, and a ground) to the shed!

As to that panel? There's no reason not to get something big and beefy here, either; shop spaces consume panel spaces like a teenager addicted to Mountain Dew, especially if you're doing more than just light woodworking, due to the heavier electrical requirements of machine tools, welders, and other such heavy-duty tooling.  As a result, I'd put in a 24-space or 30-space, 125A, main breaker panel; the main breaker here simply serves as a disconnect, so it's no big deal if it's bigger than the feeder wires going to it.

Since this is a detached structure, you'll need to fit it with a grounding electrode system, too; running more 6AWG copper from the panel to a pair of 8' ground rods spaced 8' apart will get the job done.  Don't forget to make sure your panel has separate neutral and ground bars, with the neutrals all landed on the neutral bar, the grounding wires and grounding electrode conductor all landed on the ground bar, and the neutral isolated from the box!

Last but not least, don't forget to torque all panel and breaker lugs to their labeled torques with a torque screwdriver or inch-pound torque wrench, lest your shed's electrical system give you the loose lugnut!


As long as the switch is rated for the load it should be fine. Most of the cable heaters I have wired run on 12 amps or approximately 1500 watts or less (120V) if yours is similar you should be fine with 15 amp rated remote switch.


Yes, it is safe. NO, it is not what you should do.

The proper fix for this is to find out why the GFI is tripping. It is doing it's job and you need to find out why.


Is there such a thing like low profile/depth electrical box to install a power outlet on a cinder wall that has no framing?

Easy as pie with metal boxes.
The problem is most people tend to go straight for plastic boxes (which kind of ignores the whole reason we have boxes; to ground out loose wires and contain arcing fires).
The standard 4x4 metal box is only 1-1/2" deep.  They also make 1-gang boxes only 1-1/4" deep.   These are the common cheap boxes, not a pricey specialty item.
A 4x4 box, you mount it flush to the studs and then use a "Mud Ring" the thickness of the drywall and the mud ring gives you a 1-gang or 2-gang opening.  With a 1-gang box, you can mount it flush to the drywall, so you're going less than an inch into the insulation.


Guidance please? Rewiring the light switch in an old bathroom house that I can't figure out for the life of me!

You determine which of the two cables on the right is connected to the light.

Turn off the breaker to the line hot (cable on the left). Fasten the line hot to one pole of a simple switch, and fasten the black from the candidate cable (say the upper one on the right) to the other pole of the switch. (Keep the whites out of the way for the time being.)

Turn the breaker back on and use your non-contact voltage tester to see if the black at the lamp is powered when the switch is on and unpowered when the switch is off. If it is, then go turn the breaker off and connect the white in the line cable to the white in the cable whose black is connected to the switch. Now turn the breaker on and the switch on and the light should come on.

To complete the job go turn the breaker off, fold the wires, and screw in the switch. Cap the wires to the other cable which is not going to be used. Put on a cover plate. Turn the breaker on and verify operation.

NB: You should really verify that the cable you have energized goes only to the light and not also to some other cable that should not be powered.


How do I remove kitchen sink sprayer hose?

It is a "push-to-connect" fitting. You disconnect by pushing the tube, pushing the gray ring, then (while still pushing the gray ring) pulling the tube:


Should twisted wire joints to 5 kW water heater be soldered?

I'd use a lever-lock style of wire connector
Given that your profile says you're in Germany, you should have no trouble getting lever-lock style wire connectors (Wago calls these a Lever-Nut™) and matching carrier boxes for them.  These are approved for splicing basically worldwide, and provide a far more foolproof splice than just about any other device I've heard of.


Trying to identify rhythmic humming in home

I don't know if this is the same issue but I'll mention it because "WUm-WUm-WUm-WUm-WUm" is exactly how I would describe it.  When I moved into my first home, I would sometimes hear a low resonating sound like you said "WUm-WUm-WUm-WUm-WUm".  It really scared me because I thought maybe it was my furnace or something but it would happen even when the furnace wasn't running.  I finally just got used to it but I couldn't figure out where it was coming from.  It sounded kind of like how I would imagine a UFO hovering over my house might sound (no UFOs were sighted.)  I checked an 80Hz test frequency video just now and it was similar in tone.
A few years later, we had a gas fireplace put in and after a while I noticed that this sound was gone.
So here's my best guess as to what it was: there's a train yard a few miles away from where I live.  When the diesels come through, they are going very slow/idling and they make a low "WUm-WUm-WUm-WUm-WUm" sound.  Around a certain frequency, this sound was resonating in the chimney.  When the fireplace was installed, two insulated liners were added (intake and outtake) which changed the resonant frequency of the chimney and eliminated the sound.


Foundation cracks in new home construction North Texas

I would be concerned with the through thickness cracks ; at least have an independent inspector look at it. My son had a KB  home ( cable tension slab) in Round Rock , the cracks did not show up for a couple years but then no one would write a mortgage on the home. He was able to find a buyer that did not need a mortgage.


Do I need to tape inside corners where tile will be set on one wall?

I usually do tape with fiber tape and thinset , this helps to lock everything together and the corner grout between the tiles won’t crack as easily or often.


Is It Possible To Install Another Switch To Control Fan?

It looks like you have "Romex" (NM) wiring now, so you don't have the option, at least not easily, to run another wire to go to the fan.  If you have normal metal conduit, you could use a "fish line" to pull another wire.  If that were the case, you could swap out the current switch with a "double" switch without changing the box.

But, this can sometimes be tricky in any case, since you don't always have a straight shot from your switch to your fan (which may well have been wired intended to only be a light fixture).

The 2nd white wire coming out is a mystery to me.  White wires are typically the "neutral", so having it come in to this box and then go back out (with the wirenut to connect) makes sense.  But it's odd that there would be a second one in the current cable coming in -- if the cable did have 3 wires plus ground, they would normally be, for examample, white, black, and red.


How can I hang a framed picture onto a wallpapered concrete wall without damaging the wall surface?

I would be tempted to try those removable  stick up hangers from 3M. They come in different sizes for different weights. They don't penetrate or leave a stain when you remove them.


Is my plan for fixing my water heater leak bad?

If the water on the floor is from the water heater I would fix that problem before I do anything else. If it is coming from the tank then it probably needs replaced. You can raise the tank as high as you want but if you do I would also replace the copper flex water lines and the flexible gas line. Once those lines get older, the flex gets hard and rigid and may break when you re-bend them to the new height. A broken water line or gas leak could be a disaster. And, by the way, the piping off that T&P relief valve is soldered and is not welded indicating to me that you should seek help from someone more knowledgeable than yourself in what you want to accomplish.


Is this Orbit Sprinkler Timer (Model 57894) compatible with Rainbird Valve(s)?

Both the Timer and the Valves are designed for 24 VAC operation which is the standard voltage for sprinkler equipment so they should be compatible. You need to check with a voltmeter that the Timer is outputting the proper voltage and that it is present at the valves.


20 Amp single receptacle on two 15 amp breakers?

What a mess...
Assuming that your diagnosis is correct - two wires in the same cable connected to totally separate breakers, you have several different problems going on:

A 30A dryer receptacle should be on a pair of 30A breakers. This is 2 independent 15A breakers. You don't add (though it sounds logical) 15A + 15A to get 30A, because the 30A refers to 30A @ 240V. Each of those 15A breakers is actually 15A @ 120V. The two existing breakers together gives you 15A @ 240V.
Breakers for a dryer or similar 240V load need to be in a pair that trip at the same time. That is important for safety. As you already discovered, you could turn off one breaker but still have power in the box. If you had a dryer plugged in and it tripped one breaker but not the other, you might think there was no power in the box and get zapped while trying to fix it. The only way to do that properly is with a pair of breakers that are side by side and connected together (really "one device").
Most of your breakers are "double stuff"/"half size". That is not in and of itself a problem. However, a pair of breakers to provide 240V needs to be either 2 full size breakers side-by-side or the middle set of 2 pairs of double stuff breakers, as I believe is the case with the 40A pair in the lower left.
A dryer normally needs two hots + neutral + ground. There is a grandfathered way of two hots + neutral, no ground. Your cable just provides two hots + ground or hot + neutral + ground. My guess is that it was wired up using the ground wire as the neutral wire, since black & white were definitely hots. That is another Very Bad Thing.

So what you had before was:

Wrong size breakers - 15A instead of 30A
Wrong arrangement of breakers - not next to each other
Not common trip
Neutral on the ground wire

Basically, a disaster waiting to happen.
On to your new setup. You did not indicate if this is a 20A 120V device or 20A 240V device. My guess is that it is 20A 120V. If that is the case then:

You need to determine the size of the cable wires. My guess is either 12 AWG or 10 AWG. 10 AWG is what you need for 30A. 12 AWG is the minimum for 20A. 14 AWG is the minimum for 15A. If it is 14 AWG then forget about it and start over.
You need a single 20A breaker. You should be able to replace one of the existing double stuff breakers. You can replace the 15/15 with a 20/15 or the 15/20 with a 20/20. Do not upsize anything else at the same time - i.e., if you replace the 15/15, you can't put in a 20/20 because you have to assume that at least some of the wire on the other 15 is only 14 AWG.
In the panel: The black wire from the cable goes to the new breaker. The white wire goes to the neutral bar (except...GFCI, see below). The ground wire might be going to the neutral bar or the ground bar right now, or (hopefully only if this is the main panel) neutrals and grounds mixed together. But seeing what a mess you already have, anything is possible.
This will leave you with one unused 15A breaker, which can be used for another new circuit.

GFCI could complicate things here. Generally speaking, new receptacles in a garage (among other places) need to have GFCI protection. That can be at the panel, except not normally as part of double stuff breakers, and you are out of space to do anything except double stuff without a lot of extra work. So that means taking back the single plain receptacle and getting a GFCI receptacle (single or double) instead.
But I'd be really concerned about other problems. Knowing about problems with just one dryer circuit, who knows what else is possibly wrong. Touching "anything" in the panel could be a recipe for disaster.


Yes, an old work box is completely safe for what you're using it for. Just make sure the dogs are snug against the drywall.


Can having two expansion tanks above a boiler cause it to over pressurize?

Not sure why there would be two expansion tanks installed, I would look into that further.

To answer your question, yes expansion tanks can become waterlogged. There a two main types of expansion tanks, bladder and diaphragm:

  In a bladder tank, there is a rubber bladder that expands and
  contracts as fluid expands and contracts within the system.  In
  bladder tanks, there is no direct contact between the air in the tank
  and the fluid in the bladder which will reduce corrosion compared to a
  atmospheric tank.  Bladder tanks can typically fill 100% with fluid,
  reducing the size of tank needed.  The bladder is typically removable
  and/or replaceable allowing for simpler and less expensive repairs or
  inspections.  Bladder tanks also have an ASME option available.  They
  can also be floor mounted in the vertical position which can save
  valuable space.  Bladder tanks can also be purchased with FDA approved
  Butyl bladders allowing for use in potable water systems.  However,
  bladder tank usually have a higher initial cost and have a lower
  maximum allowable temperature than plain steel tanks because of the
  material of the bladder.

  In a diaphragm tank, there is a diaphragm that separates the fluid in
  the top of the tank and the air in the bottom of the tank.  Diaphragm
  tanks are similar to bladder tanks in that there is no direct contact
  between the fluid and air in the system, which reduces corrosion.
  Diaphragm tanks require less maintenance and have a lower installation
  cost.  They can be floor mounted in the vertical position to save
  space and also come with an ASME option.  Unlike bladder tanks,
  diaphragm tanks have a limited acceptance volume, requiring a larger
  tank.  The diaphragm is not replaceable and the diaphragm tank has a
  lower maximum temperature than the plain steel tank because of the
  material of the diaphragm. Source.

I find that diaphragm tanks are more common now and I would guess that your newer tank is this type. Diaphragm tanks come pre-charged with air (depending on where is is installed this pre-charge may need to be adjusted). Over time, the tank may lose this air charge and need to be re charged.

Here's some information from about.com regarding this issue and how to fix it:

  Symptoms

  Pressure relief valve on boiler is spurting water
  Expansion tank is hot to the touch lower than the middle of the tank

  Possible Causes

  Too little air and too much water in the expansion tank

  Possible Repairs

  Turn off boiler, close water shutoff valve and let tank and system
  cool.
  Water-side pressure must be at 0 psi in order to get an accurate
  read of the air pressure on the diaphragm.
  Check the pressure in the
  expansion tank by attaching a tire gage to the air recharge valve
  (Schrader valve) at the bottom of the tank;
  If air is needed, add more
  by using a bicycle tire pump to fill the valve to 12 psi or as
  otherwise indicated by manufacturer's instructions.
  Open water supply valves and let system fill back up.
  Turn boiler back on (do this after water supply is back on)
  System will recharge. Let run for 1-2 hours and recheck.


Can a 1x4 jack stud be used instead of a 2x4?

Have him re-frame it, as it almost certainly won't pass inspection.  Not sure what the code specifies in you area, but the International Residential Code is really specific as to the requirements:

  R603.7 Jack and king studs.

  The number of jack and king studs installed on each side of a header
  shall comply with Table R603.7(1). King, jack and cripple studs shall
  be of the same dimension and thickness as the adjacent wall studs.

Emphasis is mine.


Brand new air compressor trips onboard breaker on start

I would return it.  It doesn't sound like a lubrication issue - it sounds like either the motor soft starter is bad, is not well paired with the breaker, or is simply not present on that model.  AC motors can pull substantially more current on initial start, and I'm guessing that is causing the breaker trips. I don't mean to knock Harbor Freight (much), but higher quality compressors of that size and capacity aren't usually that much more expensive.  You can obviously do an exchange and hope for better luck with a replacement unit, but if you are planning on any serious use of it, reliability is a huge plus.  Nothing destroys a work plan for the day like having a bunch of air tools that you can't use because the compressor won't start.


Apart from what code requires, there are various things that you might choose to do, depending on your mindset, that are not code required (nor do they conflict with code.) For instance, I prefer to keep all lighting circuits completely separate from any outlet circuits, having basically never had  light fixtures blow a fuse/trip a breaker, but having stumbled though the dark to the fusebox (yes, literally, fuses) too many times once upon a house when outlet overloads took out combined circuits (I think there were a total of 6.)

i.e. you have chosen to give the microwave its own outlet. I prefer that the refrigerator also not share (I don't recall if code does that), code requires two separate 20A countertop outlet circuits, and I'd also put a separate light circuit in the kitchen (that might share with other rooms' lights, depending on load.)

Likewise code has some specific language and requirements for bathrooms, primarily hair-dryer-driven.

Remember that code specifies the minimum you must do; it does not limit what you do beyond that, so long as what you do meets it.


If there's a mounting location for a second ballast, yes.  Many 4-lamp fixtures do provide for 2 ballasts, and are built for same.

Try to use modern electronic ballasts.  They are plentiful dirt cheap on eBay and Craigslist now that so many people are doing LED conversion.

I would add to this, some electronic ballasts are actually made to drive 4 lamps.  The wiring can get a little bit knotty and you have to watch your wiring diagrams.


I have the same problem you had.  I am not sure of the proper impedance you should have.  One internet repair place says 200 ohms for a good motor.  I did the same thing you did (same problem - dishwasher not draining) lines were clear to disposal - I also exercised the check valve which is in the 90 degree black elbow right off the drain pump on my machine (Whirlpool model WDF760SADM) forward and backward to ensure it flowed and would stop flow in the reverse direction, which it did.  I do not have leads that are compatible with the motor to check that it runs.  I am going to replace the drain pump to see if that is the problem.  Also, the jerky motion on the impeller is due to the magnetism on the motor.


Neutral wire going into panel has ~120 volts on it

If you have a neutral wire removed from the neutral bus bar in your panel it is possible to see 120VAC on that wire if the circuit breaker for that circuit is turned on and there is a load connected to the circuit and load device is also turned on.

The disconnected neutral means that no return current is flowing in that circuit but with a connected load it is possible to see the 120VAC through the load when when measured.

This picture will help you see how you can measure the 120VAC on the neutral wire:


How can I make table legs from planks to support a heavy table top?

I think you really should plan to build your table that is 9 feet long with a full four sided apron that is just under the inside edge of the table top and attached to the top. For a table that size consider an apron that is 6 inches wide and attached to the bottom of the table.

The apron is cut short in the corners so that a square profile leg can be bolted to the apron corner as attached through diagonal brackets in each frame corner. Built properly this can provide an extremely secure fastening for the leg to the table and yet still be removable for moving and/or storing the table.

These pictures can give you an idea of how this looks from a couple of vantage points:


Basically apply more force.

They may break, depending how jammed they are - they are cheap zinc castings most of the time. The screws they connect to are usually steel so they are likely to survive, and you can get replacement cams (or join the "my knockdown furniture is missing a few cams" club, which is large and not exclusive.)

You might try the trick of tightening them slightly before going back to loosening them, sometimes that will help.

If you have a ratchet or wrench that you can apply to your screwdriver you can get a lot more force via leverage (helpful, though things may break) without the impact. If the impact is your best tool to apply more force, then use it. Square shaft screwdrivers can have a wrench directly applied, screwdriver bits can be inserted in the appropriate size socket for use with a a ratchet.


I've done exactly this, including stripping the valve stem. You can remove it!

Most valves require a special wrench to unscrew. This is a cheap single-purpose tool; you probably won't be able to use an adjustable wrench or general purpose socket. Here's an example.

You'll slip this wrench over the valve stem and onto the valve body, then unscrew using a screwdriver stuck through the other end of the wrench. Make sure you have a snug fit with the correct size; there are two sizes in common use in the US and most valve wrenches have both.

As an alternative, it is possible there's a retaining nut holding in the valve. If this is the case, there would be a small ring just on the inside of the outer valve body. It would have notches to allow you to unscrew it using snap ring pliers (though you might be able to manage with a pair of needle nose pliers held at an angle). If this is the case, you should be able to see and move the locking ring. On the other hand, if you see a hex outline when you shine a flashlight down past the valve stem, you'll need the valve wrench.


Best guess from the limited details is that you have a ground/neutral short somewhere and also a switched neutral. That would result in the lights always being hot and turning on as soon as there's a path to neutral or ground.

To diagnose this, you'll need a voltage tester that can handle line voltage (120vac). White to ground should read near 0v, white to hot should read 120v, and ground to hot should read 120v. Then disconnect the line from the load and check for continuity in the circuit. The switch should show no continuity when off, and near 0 ohms when on. And the ground should show no continuity from both the hot and neutral wiring. The neutral to hot should show continuity until the lights are removed from the sockets, at which point it should show no continuity.

If the voltage readings indicate a reversed hot/neutral, then correct them and label the issue so it doesn't confuse a future electrician. If the continuity tests show unusual readings, there's likely a short and I'd recommend disconnecting the light fixtures and retesting after connecting them back one by one until you locate the short.

Standard disclaimer: if you're at all uncomfortable around household voltage or do not know the proper safety precautions, please consider hiring a professional electrician.


What's the difference between LPG and natural gas cooktops?

Both systems operate at different pressures. Depending on the appliance, there could be different orifices, burners, regulators, and fittings.

Depending on the appliance, a conversion kit may be available from the manufacturer. Though some appliances may not be convertible. Even with a conversion kit, it may be cost prohibitive to convert some appliances.


Glass isn't very flexible and you stand a pretty good chance of breaking the glass, which could injure you directly, or allow you to fall out the window.

You didn't say how far the window is off the ground outside, but presumably you don't want to fall out the window unexpectedly amidst shards of glass that could end up sticking out of you at comically tragic angles.

You also didn't mention whether the window in question is made of plate glass (brittle, shatters easily, ends up in big pointy shards) or some kind of safety glass (specially treated, often has some kind of polycarbonate material sandwiched in the glass or coating one or both sides). Safety glass is somewhat less brittle, and tends to break into smaller, rounder pieces that won't impale you. Automobile windows are made out of safety glass.

So that's my way of saying no, I probably wouldn't make a habit of leaning on the window.

If you can't pick up an actual headboard for you bed as @Tester101 suggested, maybe you can just lie with your head at the other end of the bed and lean against whatever's on that end (a wall?). Or maybe you could screw a few wood slats across the lower half of the window and lean against those.


Can a freestanding bathtub drain be damaged by regular use?

There would be no such thing as "excessive wear" on a bathtub drain - unless there was caustic material being poured down the drain which ate away at the drain pipe and joints.....although from the sounds of it this is far from the case here.

For the sake of discussion let us assume that the tub is a quality name brand product.

It may be that there was excessive flex on the drain pipe joint to the tub, especially in the case of a plastic or fiberglass type of tub. Excessive flex would only be brought on by an improper installation of the tub where it was not supported in the correct manner or the drain pipe was improperly installed.


New home build - cracks in basement concrete floor

Those "straight lines" are control joints (as opposed to expansion joints). The contractor knows that concrete slabs invariably crack, and they install those to make the cracks less conspicuous.

That said, you do seem to have more cracks than I'd have expected, and they appear more open than is typical. The one is oddly close to the exterior wall. I'd ask your builder about backfill and compaction practices.


How to cover up a gap in a badly installed cabinet?

It looks like they had to cut it out to go around the pipe.
To seal this up I would get a can of spray foam and fill the gap, the foam will seal the gap and act as insulation.


Can I install a subpanel using only two ungrounded (hot) conductors and a grounding conductor?

Without pulling an additional wire, you'd only be able to install a 240 volt subpanel.  You won't be able to install a proper 120/240V subpanel with only two ungrounded conductors and a grounding conductor.  If you want 120 volts, you'll have to pull a proper grounded (neutral) conductor.


Supporting a fan in second (fake) ceiling

I'm not sure how acceptable this is, but it should work.

Install a brace in the attic between two joists (metal or wood should work).
Do your best to drill a straight hole, right where you need it, up through the upper ceiling and the brace you put in place.
Install the ceiling box brace between the metal drywall supports.
Drill a hole through the brace and the junction box.
Install threaded rod, nuts and washers as specified in the image.
Attach the junction box to the to the threaded rod.

Getting this all lined up is going to be a bit of a challenge. You could drill a bit larger hole through the upper ceiling, to provide a bit of wiggle room. Just do your best to contain the dust, and make sure you wear a respirator. It's only going to be a little bit of asbestos, but it's still best to avoid breathing it.

The threaded rod should provide adequate support for the fan, and the brace should prevent any side to side movement introduced by the fan. You'll want to use a metal junction box, or any box that is designed to support a ceiling fan from a brace.

You might want to use some jam nuts and/or loctite, as well as bend over the top and bottom of the all thread or install cotter pins. Just so the vibrations don't loosen anything up, or cause the all thread to unthread.

WARNING: This is a hairbrained idea that was conceived before my morning coffee. Proceed at your own risk.

Another option might be to install the junction box in the upper ceiling, then hang the fan down through the lower ceiling with a downrod. However, you'll have to find a way to mitigate any side to side motion caused by the fan. A rubber grommet in the hole in the lower ceiling might work.


How often should I run a bleach and water solution through condensate lines?

I tend to pour a cup of bleach down the line once a month. Without that at least in Florida you WILL get an algae backup in the line, which if you have bad overflow sensor can cause all kinds of fun water problems.

If it is already blocked, just pour the bleach and let it sit. Eventually enough algae will die and the block will clear itself out.


Carpeting over a ceramic tile patio- backerboard?

Most good outdoor grade carpets have a rubber mesh bottom.  Just hit lay down 8-10 double sided tape pieces.  The adhesive will come right off tiles with hot water.  If you want to allow for the carpet to be washed you can use Velcro strips.


Well, there’s only one source of power there, so if you got shocked at all, it was by 120V.
You still live because the resistances of the available current paths are wildly variable due to all sorts of factors including meteorology.  So you got lucky today.  Don’t try to get lucky tomorrow; that is to say, don’t count on that high impedance repeating itself.
It sounds like your electrical panel’s Grounding Electrode System relied on a metal water pipe which was improperly changed to plastic without addressing bonding.   There might also be other problems with the grounding system or the Neutral-Ground equipotential bond (the connection between N and G in your main panel).
Yes, as George describes, that wire going back to the service pole is neutral, not ground.  They are not the same thing.  The power company does not supply ground, but they do tie neutral to ground at the pole transformer.  This means there are some fault conditions where power will try to return via the earth to that transformer-pole ground.  Dirt is an exceedingly poor conductor, so this doesn’t flow a whole lot of current; and since it doesn’t, it creates a voltage gradient along the route.  You may have encountered some of that.
Some of your house’s appliances may have a ground fault, but this is not the time to address that; now you want to go over your Grounding Electrode System and your Neutral-Ground equipotential bond with a fine tooth comb to make sure all is in order.
Next, I’d use that voltmeter to make a perfunctory check of all the receptacles in your house (or rather, one per circuit, or rather, one per leg of service if you know what that is.  We are looking for voltages that are not 120V, but which add up to 240V-ish.   So if one leg is 99V and the other leg is 142V, that’s the red-flag.  Further this will change several volts if you turn on a big 120V appliance like a hair dryer or toaster.  This would indicate a lost neutral, which means your house is trying to return all imbalance (neutral) current via the Grounding Electrode System. That is easy to fix and it’s almost always in your power company’s bailiwick, so it’s free to you.


Outlet grounded by conduit - how do I add a second outlet with Romex?

If the box is grounded by the conduit, you can get self tapping grounding screws and screw one into the hole in the back of the box. Then wrap your ground from your NM cable around the grounding screw and tighten. Use the proper NM to box connector. Make sure you're not in an area that requires conduit.
In my humble opinion, the wiring shown in the lower box should be replaced if you're in a position to do so. It's old and will start breaking up if you mess around with it. As far as the grounding goes, if the box is grounded, you can replace the outlets with self grounding outlets and they will get grounded when screwing them into the box, or you can add a grounding wire to the box and attach it to the outlets.


You will need to change out the cartridge in your unit. They can be purchased form the manufacturer, online or some times at one of the big box stores.


Why don't any of my electric ovens actually keep the temperature that is displayed?

A variance of 50 degrees or more - both high & low - sounds extreme.
However, a consistent offset of 25 to 50 degrees is actually not that unusual. Hypothetically, that could be 35 degrees miscalibration of the thermostat combined with a 15 degree temperature swing between cycles. I don't know what the typical temperature swing is for a residential oven. For a typical HVAC thermostat, a typical temperature swing is +2, -1, or 3 degrees total - so 5 degrees if you include the extra degree in each direction to actually trigger any action. I am sure an oven will have a wider range - the chicken or cake is not as sensitive to minor variations as people are.
Thermostats are manufactured to behave a particular way, but I highly doubt they are factory calibrated, just as mass-produced cars aren't taken out on the highway before being delivered in order to make sure the speedometer accurately reads 65 MPH.
Many ovens now have a user-accessible calibration feature. For example, Kitchenaid has a page describing the calibration process.
You can also determine your oven temperature with sugar! You don't actually need a thermometer. (And thermometers themselves are often miscalibrated.) A quick search finds How to Test Your Oven Temperature with Sugar, though I first read about it in The Science of Cooking:

which is well worth reading for anyone interested in both science and cooking.


150cm X 25cm ceramic tiles - how to cut them?

Wet tile saw

The best way to cut straight lines is to use a wet tile saw. This gives you a nice clean line, and is safer and significantly less messy than a dry saw because the water keeps bits from flying everywhere.

Snap tile cutter

Another option is a snap tile cutter. This scores the tile and then you can snap it easily. It doesn't produce as clean of cuts as a wet saw so it's an ok option if you are hiding the cut edge under baseboard at the edges of the room.

Tile nipper

Another option is a tile nipper. These are only for cutting small pieces, doing detail work or cutting curves. They literally nibble a way a little bit at a time.


This won't go against any codes as long as you use the standard methods for wiring. The wires usually go through the studs via holes drilled through each board.


Can I identify window manufacture from the NAMI information?

I would recommend you just make the Window screen yourself.  They are really easy to make and I am sure you can find a clip option that will fit your needs.  Besides, if these are contractor windows, you probably can't get the OEM screen anymore and/or the manufacturer no longer exists.

Here is an example screen parts supplier: http://www.qualitywindowscreen.com/screening-supplies-parts-tools.html

Here is an example video showing how easy the screens are to build:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxZHslZduRw


should I rework this 3/4" main water line into 1/2" branch circuits?

@ Roberto, I would change the water line to exactly what you show in your bottom picture. In my home there are no 1/2X1/2X1/2" tees. All the 1/2" lines are teed off the 3/4" line and when one device uses water, say someone flushes a toilet, the person in the shower does not see a reduction of water flow or a major temperature change in the shower water. There have been many posts where people ask "how do I keep adequate water flow when I have 1/2" plumbing", Your drawing is the answer. This works for me.


How can I add a new light fixture off of a ceiling fan wired to two switches?

So long as you will not overload the circuit (figure out what all is on the circuit), you should be fine.


Should I install a moisture barrier behind drywall in house with T1-11 siding?

Increasing your wall thickness to facilitate 6in insulation is a fine idea, can't hurt. A vapor barrier of 4 mil plastic with taped seams should always be installed between the insulation and drywall. this will stop moisture from the outside from penetrating the back of the drywall and conversely, humidity from inside collecting in the insulation. T111 siding is notorious for not being a tight exterior sheathing, especially when installed without a backer such as OSB or plywood covered with a layer of Tyvec. The interior of the wall will vent itself and ambient moisture in the wall will not be a problem in most cases, as long as there is not any water infiltration into the cavity, you will be fine.


Repair path - leaking bathroom drain and drywall damage

The drywall doesn't need to be replaced unless 1) it gets moldy and gross, or 2) its structural integrity is compromised. Get some fans on it as soon as possible, from above and below. If it dries out and doesn't feel mushy you can simply prime and paint.

It's possible that the leak is at the tub connection, but it's also likely that it's in the trap assembly if it was put together with compression fittings (as opposed to being cement-welded). Do you have access to the drain area? If not, consider installing an access panel below or at the end of the tub.

A plumber won't be able to tell you anything that you can't determine on your own. They'll need to see what's in there, too. Once you know, repairs can begin. It's probably not too difficult considering you're working with PVC and modern fixtures.


Two 14/2 source cables connect to one 12/3 cable

This wiring is easier to fix than you think
Since the culprit run of wire was done using THHN in conduit instead of a cable such as NM or AC (BX), this is actually quite readily fixable.  Simply grab a suitable length of 12AWG grey or red/white striped THHN wire, run it through the conduit (this may require removing the existing wires and repulling them), and move the 2nd circuit's neutral over to the new wire at both ends.
(P.S. you only need one new wire as it's legal to have any number of circuits share a single grounding wire; in fact, if your conduit was made of metal, it would be a legal grounding conductor.)
Replace the 20A breakers with 15A ones
Since your circuits have 14 AWG wiring in them, you need to use 15A breakers.  You can only put a 20A breaker on a general receptacle circuit if every piece of wiring on it is 12 AWG or larger.


This is a problem best suited to the professionals, but if you must do it yourself the number one priority is the safety of you and those around you.  This can be a very hazardous task, if you do not take every precaution to contain and remove the spores properly.

The first thing you'll have to think about is containment, you don't want to spread the mold spores while you clean the area.  You'll want to seal off the area (under negative pressure) with plastic sheeting, making sure all seams are properly sealed.

Once the area is sealed off, you'll need the appropriate clothing.

Respirator
Tyvek suit (or other clothing that covers your whole body).
Rubber gloves.
Goggles.

Now it's time to start cleaning. Before you begin make sure the infected area is damp, this will minimize the chances the spores will become airborne. You'll start by scrubbing the affected area with a Borax-water mix (1cup Borax/1 gallon water) using a scrub brush, to remove as much of the mold as possible. Wipe up any excess mess with rags, and dispose of them in a thick plastic bag (Contractor bag). Rinse the area with a small amount of the Borax solution, then let it dry completely.  Once dry you'll want to pour a small amount of disinfectant (Isopropyl Alcohol), and allow that to dry as well.

Now that the mold has been removed, you can paint the affected area with Kilz if you like. The most important step at this point is to address the moisture problem in the area, or it's likely the infestation will return. You'll want to do what you can to make sure there is no standing water in the area, and that any moisture drains away and dries quickly.


No.  The front of your closets are not load bearing.  The back of them could be - probable.

Upon updates of the red Xs...

Left one (front) - no way in the world unless it is a metal beam (it isn't).

Right one (side of closet) - 99.9% chance no.   When you open it up you can double check by looking at header.


There are a several things you need to do.

Remove the fan from the heating duct. This will entail properly wire-nutting the wires and terminating them in a junction box that is covered but left accesible per code. If the fan is on it's own circuit (unlikely) you would want to shut down that breaker. Importantly, you want to mark the new junction box and any breakers/switches/thermostats so a future owner will understand what was done.

You'll want to close off the 8-1/2 inch hole so that it is airtight. Assuming that the inner surface around the hole is smooth (sheet metal, OSB or similar sheathing) I would cut a plywood square larger than the hole (11x11) and mount it on the interior surface with a high quality construction adhesive and secure it with either appropriately sized sheet metal or wood screws. I would then run a heavy bead of silicone caulk around the edge of the plywood to ensure there is no leakage of air. If you are attaching the plywood directly to the ductwork ideally you'll want a solid surface on the outside of the sheet metal to insure good contact. You might be able to add another piece of plywood on the exterior to accomplish that. In that situation you'll also have the option to patch it with a square of sheet metal instead of the plywood using sheet metal screws and applying silicone caulk to the seams.

Lastly you'll probably want to add some insulation and finish the exterior appropriately.


Adding Recessed Lighting to room with ceiling fan and a 4 way switch?

First of all the 4 way switches come in handy for controlling it from different spots but here are some ways you can do. you could make the recessed lights be on the 4 way switch system and replace the 3 toggles with dimmers and run an extra hot wire for the fan iself. Or you could make the neutral wire running from the switch box directly to the fan box as a hot wire tape ot black and put the fan neutral to ground and make the new hot run the fan unless it;s code voilation but i tried it myself it worked fine. and if you dont want the 4 way switch you can replace the extras with a coverplate. and the extra wires can be used for the fan and one for light. good luck.


I tried taking a multimeter to test for continuity between the house's
  ground and the hot tub water, but it didn't show anything.

You should not see anything if the ground were properly connected. Most of the time, the hot tub is fiberglass and the piping is plastic, so there should be no connection to ground, EXCEPT via the pump housing, assuming a metal volute (the chamber part of the pump) and a proper grounding conductor on that pump housing. So showing no voltage between ground and the water means they are are the same potential, which is what you want.

  If I test for voltage between a phase and the hot tub water, I get
  240V.

As you should in your system, because the neutral of your 240V TT system is connected to ground somewhere and so is your water (again, through the pump volute and the pump body being properly grounded), so measuring between those two points should show as the full 240V.


Filling gaps in a shower hob - best substance for this gap?

I have had a similar problem with the grouting in tiles missing. As we know we are to change the bathroom over the next couple of years, I have filled the gaps with bathroom silicone and smoothed it down with a wet finger.


How can I reduce the sound of my HVAC condensation drain?

The sound is coming from the fall of the condensate into the water standing in the trap. This is a dishwasher sidearm designed to allow high flow and not obstruct a kitchen drain. Some have a hood in the center that directs high flow down the drain. This hood may be causing the condensate to accelerate in the air down to the standing water.

You may be able to cut out the center hood inside the tailpiece. This might allow the condensate to drain down the side of tailpiece rather than fall into the trap.
But if that doesn't work, replace the sidearm tailpiece with a standard tailpiece. Fashion a makeshift sidearm that enters the trap just above the standing water level. You could just drill a hole in the trap and cement in a sidearm just above the level of the standing water.

In any case change the opaque hose to clear so you can observe the flow of condensate.

Note that if you ever have to use a plunger in this lavatory you should pinch off the flexible condensate line (with a shut-off clamp or locking pliers). See Siphon Hose Shut Off Clamp Small Plastic Clamp Fits 7/16 in O.d.tubing Plastic Tubing Mid-range Clamp. There are other designs for a shut-off clamp, one out of metal with a thumbscrew which actuates a bar which compresses the hose.

EDIT Should you decide to drill a hole into the trap above the standing water level you could possibly use a press fit of tubing into the hole. You'd insert a short piece of rigid tubing inside at the end of clear plastic tubing and force that into the hole. If you use silicone grease around the outside, it will make insertion easier and help seal the hole. Petroleum grease would cause deterioration of the PVC over time. Soap would lubricate, but would not promote sealing, but if you didn't have silicone and wanted to see if the sound was reduced to acceptable levels you could use soap. Candle wax would be OK, I think.

Additional EDIT

You could leave the sidearm tailpiece in place and cap off the sidearm. Then redirect the flow to go into the trap. drill into the trap above the waterline. If you would drill from the side, you'd be able to do this without disconnecting anything. The new transparent condensate drain line could be smaller in diameter and more flexible than the existing one.

More EDITING

You may be able to fix the sound without any surgery or drilling the trap. In this solution you would use a small enough clear flexible hose that it could be inserted in the sidearm and pushed down so the end of the hose was just above the standing water in the trap. This would enable you to try this idea without modifying the trap or even disconnecting the trap. This would partially obstruct the drain, but it's worth a try.


attaching floating shelves to solid wall with anchor screws

The anchor screws you show are simply too short for that type of shelf. They seem to be designed for anchoring lightweight objects to plasterboard. They are not suitable for plastered brick walls or for shelving that may carry heavy loads like books or heavy ornaments.

I would go out and buy some long screws (say 5cm) and conventional wall-plugs. You will need to drill-out the holes to a wider diameter to suit the wall plugs you buy.

You will probably need to buy a normal length masonry drill bit (probably 7 or 8 mm diameter depending on wall-plug)

Use it in a drill that has a hammer action (a combi-drill will do - borrow one if you don't own one)

If you need to buy a combi-drill - you'll find that wired drills are cheaper and more powerful - much better for drilling into brick.

If money is an issue, buy one from a local Wilco, it will likely last long enough to get this job done :-). B&Q sometimes do a special offer on the halfway-decent Bosch PSB680RE


What areas of 1st floor sheetrock sould be replaced subsequnet to a major 2nd floor water leak?

To answer the specific question, you should replace any sheetrock that has mold.  A one-time leak for a day won't cause this -- significant mold arrives when an organic material stays wet for an extended period of time (weeks or more, usually) so you should make sure it's dry before it's repaired.

The bigger problem is what is being covered up.  You need to know what was the cause of the leak and be convinced that it has been corrected properly.  You need to check what you can see for any blackness (i.e. mold).  If you find more than a couple dots, then there are moisture problems beyond this one major leak and the ceiling and walls need to be removed until the full extent of the problem is known and removed.  Don't do this yourself!  Contact a professional remediation company.

Same for the floor.  A one-time thing, even this big, won't cause mold as long as it is fully cleaned up and allowed to dry out completely.  This can be difficult if the water has gotten beneath the surface as it certainly will with carpet, hardwood, etc.; you may have to remove everything down to the subfloor, let it dry, and re-install.

The brown water is a concern.  If it was waste water, then you may have a health hazard and you'll need an environmental assessment.

I understand that this is not property you own, which makes getting this done difficult.  I suggest you do what investigation you can, consult with an unbiased professional, and talk politely with the landlord about your concerns.  If you're not satisfied with the answer, you can take your concerns to the government (mold and waste water are health hazards) and find a new place to live.


What can I do about no VOC paint that stinks after it has dried?

I can't speak to your problem directly but I have had a lot of success with Kilz Oil based primer. It is far from Low VOC and will come with a very strong odor initially. After the paint dries thoroughly the oil smell will subside and you can put on the top coat. I have used this primer to seal pet urine stains on sub floors that otherwise would have had to be removed to get rid of the smell.


How would I identify the grounded (neutral) conductor when using URD cable as an underground feeder?

The AA-1350 here is legal, but tricky

URD cable is also known as type USE (Underground Service Entrance) cable, not to be confused with type SE style U (Service Entrance - Unarmored) cable. As a result, NEC 310.106(B) permits AA-1350 alloy to be used for it:

  (B) Conductor Material. Conductors in this article shall be of
  aluminum, copper-clad aluminum, or copper unless otherwise
  specified.

  Solid aluminum conductors 8, 10, and 12 AWG shall be
  made of an AA-8000 series electrical grade aluminum alloy
  conductor material. Stranded aluminum conductors 8 AWG
  through 1000 kcmil marked as Type RHH, RHW, XHHW, THW, THHW, THWN, THHN, service-entrance Type SE
  Style U, and SE Style R shall be made of an AA-8000 series electrical grade aluminum alloy conductor material.

Since it's AA-1350, though, you need to be picky about your terminations.  Torquing the lugs at each end to manufacturer specifications with a calibrated torque wrench is essential here, and so is the proper use of anti-oxidant grease.

The neutral should be the striped wire

It appears that one of the wires in the cable should have a striped jacket.  If so, that is your neutral wire -- there is no need for further marking.

If such a marking is absent, then since you are dealing with 4AWG or larger wire, you can mark the neutral wire at each end using wraps of white electrical tape (phase tape).  (4AWG or larger wire puts you under 200.6(B) instead of 200.6(A) in the NEC, by the way.)

As to fitting it down the pipe...

Type URD/USE cables, as a rule, lack an outer jacket.  As a result, they are governed by provisions in Chapter 9, Note 9, that allow you to use the sum of the individual conductor areas instead of the cable area for fill calculations:

  (9) A multiconductor cable, optical fiber cable, or flexible
  cord of two or more conductors shall be treated as a
  single conductor for calculating percentage conduit or
  tubing fill area. For cables that have elliptical cross
  sections, the cross-sectional area calculation shall be
  based on using the major diameter of the ellipse as a
  circle diameter. Assemblies of single insulated conductors without an overall covering shall not be considered
  a cable when determining conduit or tubing fill area.
  The conduit or tubing fill for the assemblies shall be
  calculated based upon the individual conductors.

As a result of this, the cable you have comes up to 77mm2*3 for the 2AWG USE-2 insulated conductors and 21mm2 for the bare 4AWG ground, or 252mm2.  Given that the smallest 1.5" conduit in terms of usable area (Schedule 80 PVC) can accommodate 442mm2 of fill, you should have plenty of space for this pull.


Ok ,you megged it's you know more than most home owners.

This sounds like a broken conductor.

With a light load everything works. Add a few amps and the arc separates the wires. You have megged it so you know it is not going to ground. The only other problem that I have seen like this is from "back stabs" or broken conductors.

With the age of your home I would look for a broken wire in an outlet that daisy chains to the next outlet.

That or a problem in the panel.

After reading everything again your Fluke meter may be the problem with "leakage" or "phantom" voltages. I can say this as a profesional that uses many diferent models of fluke meters & meggers.

Very high impeadance meters will show a normal voltage with no real coper to copper connection.

Some times  the voltage is from leakage on solid state electronics. Other times I have found moisture & dust enough to cause phantom voltages. Once a load is on the circuit the voltage is gone.


I would suggest "brute force"; put in nuts and bolts. Although for a similar situation I have used 3 electric drills; One drill puts a pilot hole through both members, the second puts a clearance hole in one member only. the third drives a self tapping screw ( passing through the first member and threading into the second.)


Do type-2 surge protectors render type-3 protectors redundant?

The real answer is in the specific brand and model of both types you have or plan to use. Some models break down at 400 volts some as high as 800-1000 with a Courdinated system there could be Benefits to having both on sensitive / critical systems. Most homes will be fine with a type 2 but these do fail and a redundant could save that very expensive device that has the type 3 protection in addition to the type 2.


It may be time to call in a professional with a piping inspection camera system or rent such unit yourself and do an inspection of the drain line from the tub down into the sewer. This would clear up any concern that there may be a blockage or loose article that has entered the drain system.

The report that you had already removed a bunch of acorns from the roof vent line leads to concern that this vent is still clogged to the extent that free air movement below the tub trap is not being allowed and that the tub drain ends up with an air lock and thus cannot drain properly. It may be well to also scope out this line down from the roof with the piping inspection camera. (Do also make sure to install a screen on the vent pipe to prevent insertion of more acorns).

Since you already made attempts to clear the roof vent line is it somewhat possible that the vent was never installed correctly from the original construction and that this tub never drained properly. If that is the case then it may become necessary to install an additional vent pipe. The need for this of course could be eliminated if it was known of this particular bath tub did drain properly in the past. That could come from your own experience or consulting with previous owners.


Simple fix suggestions needed for damaged plywood paneling

I don't think you really have plywood there.  It looks like some OSB type mix with with a veneer - these were super popular in the 60s-80s.   With the veneer off I am afraid that painting it or anything else is going to look bad and not last.   Cardboard doesn't hold paint well.

Since it is a laundry I would go with wainscoting.  They make some super durable ones now that are thin and are almost plastic like.   You could glue these on, add a line of trim above them and the room will look better and be more durable.

I would also just think about drywalling the room too.   If the rest of your house is drywall it might be an expectation if you were ever selling.


100A sub panel from 150A Service at Body shop

First, don't be pennywise about the size of the panel.  You want a lot of spaces.  Spaces go a lot faster than you think, especially with 240V equipment.  I like to finish an installation with more than 50% of the breaker spaces unused.   I mention that because 100A panels are usually quite small.

#1 aluminum will suffice, 100' is just shy of the 115' where you start thinking about a size bump for distance.  But if you're considering that...

One option is to go clear up to 150A, or 3/0 aluminum.  Why would you do that?  It makes the subpanel feed breaker in the main panel unnecessary.  The existing 150A breaker protects the wire and the 150A+ rated subpanel.  So you can just use thru-lugs or a subfeed lug kit  (a breaker that's just lugs).

Generally commercial work requires conduit - if you use metal conduit, that serves as a ground wire, and you don't need one.


Should I repair or replace a dryer heating element and housing connector?

Do you have a picture of the actual damage?

Ceramics are used because nothing else will stand the heat which means that glue or tape will turn to smoke.

And yes it is an insulator which means that it keeps bad things from happening, you do not want anything arcing to ground if it fails.


Those plug in testers can be total crap. I have about a dozen of them and 2/3rd of them show good circuits while the other 1/3rd show problems, and not all the same problem.

You might be surprised to find out with a high impedance meters ( the type most meters are) you can plug the meter lead in the hot terminal (the smaller one) you may read a voltage very close to your supply.

As for the neutrals and grounds being in the same bar this correct at the main panel but every place else it is not allowed. Since you just replaced the water heater and are having problems I would add a ground bond to the outlet pipe, animals are more sensitive to leakage currents than we are and this might solve the issue. I would also suggest to drive a 2nd ground rod.

Standard rods are only 8' long in the past when I have used pipe I use a full stick that is usually 10' long. Current code requires 2 if this is your only grounding system 6' or further apart. Unless the single rod has a 25 ohm or less resistance (takes a special meter to measure so most just drive 2 ).

Also, I was initially thinking we were discussing a water heater, now with the edit I see it is a "cal rod heater". Put your meter probe in the water and then to ground. If you measure a voltage the heater has leakage and is faulty, take it back. All my tanks are metal and sit on the ground outside and we only have a few weeks a year where we have to break ice. I would encourage you to put this heater on a GFCI outlet! But I believe you have a faulty heater.

Even with no ground the hot conductor of the cal rod is in the center protected by a metal jacket. It is basically a big resistor that gets hot so either the jacket is cracked or the connection points are not properly sealed - this is the reason the horses are getting shocked. Not a grounding issue.


Can I tile over existing tile (on drywall) to improve waterproofing?

If you're going to the trouble and expense of re-tiling the shower, removal of the existing drywall and tile is trivial. Also, a layer of tile isn't a proper moisture barrier anyway.

I'd either seal the grout and use the shower as it is, or do it right and remove the existing.


Is it possible to retrofit an external kitchen fan in an existing house?

Running the wiring inside the duct work would be a code violation. The grease and oil in the duct will not be kind to the insulation and if a grease fire in the duct next will be an electrical fire not a good idea. Run the wiring along the outside of the duct.


How to properly seal/cover an unused chimney?

The answer is going to depend on whether or not you intend to ever use this flue again. If it is never going to be used, I'd seal it up with a solid cap, mortared down.  if you think you may need it again, then a simple rain cap with a vermin screen would be fine.


How deep should I drill a pilot hole in concrete for a 2 inch screw?

You should drill the hole at least 1/4" deeper then the screw depth.  Also make sure to blow out all of the dust from the hole once you are done drilling.

If you use a concrete screw like a Tapcon you don't need to deal with plugs or expansion bolts.


How to repair damaged lining paper for painting?

I had exactly this in one room in our house. I simply treated it like a normal wall, filling the holes and sanding until flush.

For the scratches, you could probably just paint over with a 50/50 paint/water mix to seal the fibres, and then sand and fill as necessary when dry.
I find Quick-Dry PolyFilla perfect for light surface scratches. It dries so fast that you can do two or three fill & sand operations in about half-an-hour.

NB:
Make sure you've sugar-soaped the wall really well, as any residue wallpaper-paste may cause the paint to blister.


How to get rid of a burned coal smell that's coming to my flat?

In terms of plant answers,  mother in law tongue is one of 15 plants recommended by NASA for air purification. Plus this plant releases oxygen at night as well as during that daytime(good plant to keep near your bed). I have this plant in my dorm room, works wonders.

Additionally this site will give a basic outline of a few others that work well.

In case you need more evidence, this is a CAM plant which means the plant separates the two photosynthesis pathways and performs all light dependent reactions during the day and stores the products up for use at night when the light dependent reactions take place, called Calvin's cycle. Ergo, this plant is awesome.

*Verdict, get some mother in law tongue plants, they look good, NASA proven, they can take some neglect, and they don't rack up your electric bill.


Moisture is coming up through the concrete from below. This is normal in the wet season depending on your area.

NEVER put carpet on a basement floor. It is just a really bad idea. It is a sponge for everything from a leaking water heater, to moisture from humidity in the summer to pet urine, etc. It also hides problems like this until they become moldy and unhealthy.

Clean and patch the floor as best you can and stain it (best) or paint it with epoxy basement paint (better than carpet). If you get moisture in the future it will not damage stain but it may make a small area of paint peel.

Any way you go the moisture is going to continue coming up through the floor unless you hammer up all the concrete and re-pour it with a plastic vapor barrier under it. Modern building codes require a vapor barrier under basement floors to prevent these problems.

Good luck with your project!


Ductless Mini Split heat pump not cooling / heating outside of room

Consider the flow of air to be similar to the flow of water (because it is)

You are trying to force air from one room into another through a large open space.  The problem is, you're not actually creating any pressure differential.  The air in your room is being moved around by the unit but not being pressurized.  The unit in your room creates a low pressure point and a high pressure point and the air moves around the room stirring up the air and creating an equalization of temperatures within the room.

So the air in your room is blown towards the door at an extremely low pressure.  The air in your hallway is stationary (for the most part) and at the same pressure as the air in your room.  There's really no force behind the air in your room to dislodge the air in the hall, and the air in the hall also has nowhere to go.

Forced air systems work because they have both air outputs and air returns - the returns serve to carry air needing heating/cooling back but doing so also creates that critical pressure differential needed for air to move from room to room.

Otherwise it's like the picture above  the air sits next to each other, mixing only very slowly.


Densheild tile backer board use advise needed

Whether one product is "better" than another is really subjective. What I can tell you is that denshield is a more advanced product, eliminates the need for a membrane, and I find it easier to use than cement board for sure

However, I would get four sheets instead of three. Then you only need to have three vertical seams, total: two corners and one along a stud.
Vertical seams in sheet goods are objectively better. They will be better supported, and you'll have minimal seams (as that seems to be the likely concern).

Plus, with no horizontal seam you don't need to be concerned that water can run laterally and seep through a poor seam.


Taking Measurements for Driveway Project

Measure the area of the driveway using a tape measure, walking wheel, or whatever is most appropriate for the size and layout of your driveway. If your driveway is rectangular, just multiply the length (in feet) by the width (in feet). If it's a more complicate shape, break it into smaller shapes that are rectangles, and add the area of each smaller shape together.

Take the area and multiply it by the depth of sand you wish to have, in inches. Divide that by 12, and the result is the number of cubic feet of sand you'll need. Divide that by 27 to get the number of cubic yards you'll need.

You'll probably want to add some fudge factor to account for measurement errors, the driveway edges not being straight, dips in the driveway, etc. How much depends on the size of your driveway, but 10% is probably a good starting point.


How do I retrieve a detached plunger from a bathtub drain?

Unfortunately, I think you're fixin' to go for a crawl with the crawlies. (At least you have that option -- the same task in my house would require a jackhammer.) There SHOULD be a P-trap below the drain. If you can get the tailpiece off of the bottom of the tub (unscrew the metal drain, then the tailpiece should pop out), you should be able to spear the plug.


Painting a unfinished solid wood exterior door

To do this right take the door down.remove hardware,  remove gaskets. lay door flat on saw horses, apply a  exterior oil based primer to all raw wood with a natural bristle brush 2.5-3”.Allow to dry
Rehang door and wait 24 hours.

Remove door again lay flat on saw horses. Sand the primed wood carefully smoothing the raised grain.

Dust off or blow off all  surfaces. Paint with high quality exterior 100% acrylic paint of the desired color and sheen. Use a real nice nylon brush like a Purdy 3” $20.00-$25.00

Let dry. Rehang door. Wait 24-48 hours.
Remove door. Repeat the sanding and blowing off dust. Apply second coat. Let dry. Rehang door reattach all hardware after 24-48 hours.

During each painting step be sure to coat the top and bottom of door.

After priming frame and jambs apply wood putty to any holes allow it to dry then sand. Apply caulk to any gaps after primer has dried. Allow caulk to dry before painting.

After final coat has dried for 72 hours reinstall gaskets.


How to fix A0 error code of a Daikin split system air conditioner

To fix it, I need to turn off the blue switches above (the circuit breaker) for at least 3 minute and then turn it back on. The indoor unit resets itself after this and is functioning again.


Filling gap between bottom of tiles and shower pan?

Just as a matter of terminology, grout is not used to adhere tiles.  Thin-set mortar is used to adhere tiles to floors and walls, and mastic adhesive is used to adhere tiles to walls.  Grout is similar to Portland cement and goes between the tiles.  I only bring this up because if you go to a hardware store and ask for grout, they'll probably give you grout, which is not what you want.

Your best bet would probably be to use epoxy thin-set or epoxy bonding mortar.  Being an epoxy, it should stick much better to the fiberglass and is suitable for use as a mortar.  Personally, I'd use it to adhere some cement board in that gap (pending a description of how wide the gap is) and then the rest to adhere the tile to the cement board.  Let it set, and then you can grout.


Who should I call to remove my fireplace?

Any general contractor could remove the fireplace and if the house uses the brick for suport the contractor will be able to do the needed repairs.


Trouble matching a screw - are there sizes I may be overlooking?

If your located in the States or Canada most light fixture screws will be SAE or imperial measurements. The most common screw size used for fixtures will be a 8/32. The next sizes closest to this are the smaller 6/32 and the larger 10/24.
Why not shorten the original screw? Thread the nut down the screw to below the length yyou want it to be. Cut the shaft to the desired length. Unthread the nut so it straightens the cut hreads. Voila!