Did I fry my Furnace Control Board? (C -> G rewire attempt)

How thermostat signaling works (and how to test manually)
First, a little background about the thermostat control: It's dumb. Really dumb. The signaling is done by simply shorting wires together. The R wire is shorted to W to call for heat, or R shorted to Y to call for cooling, or R shorted to G to call for fan. Stuff, like digital thermostats, can be powered between the R and C wires.
You can test the furnace controls without the thermostat. Simply short the R and W (or R and Y) wires together and verify that heating (or cooling) begins.
This can be tested right at the furnace control board too, avoiding all doubt about the thermostat wiring. Note that the control board is often found in the blower cabinet and you're going to have to defeat a safety switch to perform testing there. It's your responsibility to ensure this is done safely -- you don't want clothing, long hair, or other things being sucked into the blower while working here. There also may be high voltage terminals exposed, so be careful about what you touch. Bypass the safety switch with one hand and, with one or two other hands, touch a jumper wire (a paperclip will do) between the R/W or R/Y terminals on the control.
What probably went wrong
To call for fan the thermostat will short R to G. But you had C on the G terminal, so the thermostat shorted R to C. That's a dead short across the 24v transformer in the furnace. Either the switch in the thermostat will have failed, or something in the furnace will have failed. Control boards often have a small fuse, about 2 amps or so, to protect the 24v side of things. It could be that the fuse has been blown.
How to diagnose further
If the manual tests shorting R/W and R/Y didn't cause the furnace to operate then get a multimeter and set it for AC volts. Turn on all power to the furnace and safely bypass the blower door safety switch if appropriate. Confirm (measure) that full AC mains voltage is supplied to the controller. If it is, then measure voltage between R and C terminals. You should find something in the neighborhood of 24-32 volts. If not... we'll have to dig deeper by examining the control board for a fuse, testing continuity of the fuse, testing the output voltage of the transformer upstream of the fuse, etc.


Side penetration on an underground pull box?

These pull boxes are open bottom (most of them) and are meant to have the underground conduits elbowed up into them since they're only 12" deep. Some might have side knockouts but I haven't run across any. The sides aren't intended to have holes knocked out in them. hope this helps. I don't have code backup, only installation backup.


How to remove this fitting from hard wired dishwasher

There are spring tabs on the left side of the fitting, against the mounting plate. As you suspected, squeeze them. You'll probably need a pliers to get them tight enough to the fitting to fit back through.
Loosen the screw or press the tab to release it from the flex conduit.


The actual SharkBite push to connect fittings are not designed to press onto galvanized pipe.

For mating your PEX to galvanized, SharkBite makes a threaded to press fit transition adapter.
You will need to square cut the end of your galvanized pipe and then rethread it.


Asbestos paper-like material on sides of cold air return

Get a quote for removal or if you're uncomfortable with all of its hype, then definitely have someone else get rid of it. Do get rid of it, don't pass it on.

But, here's what you're in for if you're adventurous & it's accessible, water is the key & removes all of asbestos' harm.

Of course, get an N95 mask, goggles, nitrile gloves, duct tape & disposable jumpsuit with a hood. All go in the trash, wrap them in the tarps.

Tarp the floor & whatever else you can with a disposable tarp (tape multiple tarps together for verticals running onto horizontals) as this will be your final clean-up & catch-all. You actually want to tuck the floor's tarp edge in your belt & not actually walk on the tarp's top side (so you don't track anything out of the work area). When everything's done you'll water-down again & brush one last time onto the tarp.

But first, it's just a water soaking & clear bag wrapping process (in that order) to then pull, scrape & brush it clean off within the bag. It's not radioactive like some people try to portray in its "danger". I've done it 6-times over the last 20-years & I don't have any asbestosis whatsoever.

You'll want to rinse off the sealed bags outside or down a drain along with the tools after each section is completed. Like above, the tools get left in the rolled-up tarps. Remove excess air from the bags outside & then double bag everything so trash-men nor anyone else aren't accidentally exposed.

The next day you can brush-paint over the areas to remove any doubt & lingering "danger". Toss the brush & paint, because OMG...I'm kidding but you can for a clean & clear conscience & refreshed Aura. This is all way overkill & asbestos is in everyone's air & always has been. But, done & done right aren't the same thing & no-one should be unknowingly subjected to any bulk amount of fibers.

Let me know if I left anything out, please.


hooking up a humidifier on a carrier infinity furnace

According to the documentation for your unit.

The HUM terminal is a 24 VAC output, energized when the blower is operating during a call for heat.
Connect an accessory 24 VAC, 0.5 amp. maximum humidifier (if used) to the ¼ in. male quick-connect HUM terminal and COM-24V screw terminal on the control board thermostat strip.
NOTE: If the humidifier has its own 24 VAC power supply, an isolation relay may be required. Connect the 24 VAC coil of the isolation relay to the HUM and COM/24V screw terminal on the control board thermostat strip. (See Fig. 32.)

So if the humidifier is less than 0.5 amperes, then you can simply use the HUM and COM terminals.  Otherwise you'll need an alternate power supply, and an isolation relay.


Should my thermostat's blue wire be going to W2?

Almost every thermostat installation manual I've read always says something along the lines of "Make sure to mark you wires based on the currently connected thermostat. Do not rely on the wire coloring".

The colors are really just a guideline, there is no requirement to adhere to them.

Looking at the controller board of your furnace should confirm how they are connected.  It's possible that the blue wire isn't even connected to anything on the furnace side.  Perhaps the furnace was replaced at some point and the thermostat wasn't re-wired.

It's not uncommon to not have a C wire as older thermostats were either unpowered or powered by batteries.  New thermostats (especially the ones with LCD screens, Wifi, etc.) have larger power requirements and rely on the C wire to provide a return path for power coming from the R terminal.


Buckling notched jack studs - how to remedy?

After looking at the pictures again I think you need to go with your first solution. The other two solutions are just band aids and would probably take more work than the first one. Maybe replace the cripple first and support the window header from it. Then a floor jack to the top plate and get the king/jack studs all at once. Good luck and keep us posted... maybe a few more pictures.


Will this fence provide good wind resistance? (And is it a correctly built shiplap fence?)

If you mean will it block wind, then yes & quite well. If you mean will it hold up in the wind, as you indicate in comments, then yes it will but not long. However, the construction problems you mentioned don't have me convinced either that the boards will stay on past 5-years. Amongst many other components, due to that haphazard nailing.

2 other concerns are that it's seated on the ground & the bottoms (& up to 3') will rot out & look like termite damage in under 10-years...wetness wicking already witnessed by the camera. And, being over 6' tall is likely a local code violation. Which, frankly is a good thing because it's your only possible avenue of recourse in getting it removed or at least done a little closer to right.


Why is cold water coming from the hot part of the faucet?

When he closed the valve on the heater cold water inlet, the pressure should have dropped off and the water ceased to flow. The hot water circuit is supposed to be fed from the cold water circuit only through the shutoff valve on the water heater.

Continued flow of water in the system indicates there is a cross-connect somewhere in the system between the hot water circuit and the cold water circuit.

Usually this happens where you have one of those instant hot water circulator pumps. They monitor the temperature in the hot circuit at the remote location where you want quicker delivery of hot water and push the cool water from the hot circuit into the cold circuit till the hot water circuit reaches a set temperature. If the pressure in the hot water circuit drops, there should be a check valve that prevents cold water from pushing back through the hot water circuit.

Another potential cross-connect is where you have a shower with a balance valve. It works by first turning the cold water on full and then slowly turning on the hot water. If the plumber had the shower turned on as one of the hot water faucets, it could backfeed cold water into the hot water system as there's no pressure in the hot water system to prevent it.

The solenoid valves on the washing machine could also do this under rather odd circumstances, the easiest way of eliminating that is to just operate the water cutoff valve. In modern installations it's a dual ball, single lever valve that shuts both hot and cold off to the washing machine.

All other cross connect type water flow would require faucets to have both hot and cold water on simultaneously, feeding back some cold water into the unpressurized hot circuit, which if he only ran hot water through them, wouldn't occur.

The final issue is a plumbing misconfiguration somewhere, you probably would have already noticed that.


Should I scrape off firmly-attached, cracked exterior paint before repainting?

If you run a scraper across it and it doesn't come off then it is likely OK to leave it. You should still sand it well and prime before painting.

For aesthetics I would probably sand it smooth, it will be visible under the new paint.


If you have snow on the roof you run them when ever the temp is above about 28 °F. If you run them when it is too cold the water will melt around the cables but freeze before it drain way and this increases the risk of ice dam instead.


Any of the above are fine.  I would not be a fan of the "make a channel horizontally" method because of the destructive factor.

The "star" topology, one large junction box in the ceiling, is ideal because it keeps wiring length the shortest, just panel to box and box to receptacle.  It is also the easiest if down the road you want to increase power capacity in there to run portable heaters, gaming PC, what have you.

The box needs to be large. You will need 4.5 cubic inches, plus another 4.5 cubic inches for each cable coming into it including supply. My go-to is a 4-11/16" steel box, which has 42 c.i. good for 8 cables. A proper electrical supply will have them for $2-something, expect to overpay at a big-box store, which is ironic since you'd think they'd specialize in, well, big boxes.

However, the attic junction box must remain accessible.  It can't be "improved over" or if you do, you have to put a hatch there to allow access without disassembling any part of the building. Also don't bury the box in insulation, it needs air contact to carry away any internal heat.


Why not put a shallow triangle slightly inset from  each side and one in the center?

These could be hinged to lie flat against the bottom of the ramp for storage. Use a hook and eye on the side opposite the hinge to lock the wedges in place when in use.


can I mount the sink 50 cm away from the wall drain hole

Moving the Sink further out from a wall would be easy and not present any problems for the drain. Moving to the side may require an additional elbow. If the drain is properly sized and vented it should work in both cases. Maintaining a slope on the longer horizontal line will improve performance and reduce the possibility of solids collecting and causing problems.


Why am I showing 50 volts between neutral and ground?

I just had a similar problem. Is the voltage in your outlets fluctuating? Mine was and the problem was out at the pole. A tree branch pushed the neutral wire at the pole against the ground wire. I kept getting around the same voltage in my ground wire.


What could cause a toilet to leave the flapper up and keep running?

Check for any debris around the flapper and its hinges.  It is the flapper moving back to the original closed position that puts the handle back in the correct position, not the handle that moves the flapper (when closing, obviously when you flush the handle opens the flapper).  You have the right idea with adjusting the chain to ensure there is always slack.

There are usually a couple positions for the chain to attach on the handle itself - try a different position.

If all else fails, try replacing the flapper.


Deadbolt locks from outside with key, but not from inside

In a deadbolt, the key cylinder is often directly linked to the bolt.  But the hand turn-able knob only actuates on the cylinder.

So under normal operation, the knob turns the cylinder, causing the bolt to move.

The knob usual has a socket of some sort, and there's a shaft that comes from the key cylinder side, through the door.  During installation, the socket should be lined up with the shaft.

It's possible that the knob might not have gotten installed correctly, leading to the shaft missing the socket, and the knob indoors spinning freely with no affect.

Unscrew the deadbolt, and hold the key side in place while you slowly remove the knob side and look inside.  Either the shaft and socket are misaligned. Or the socket is broken.

ADDENDUM AFTER YOU ADDED THE PICTURE TO YOUR QUESTION:
The kind of lock you posted was entirely not the kind I had envisioned. Nonetheless, it would have he same failure.  And it's clearly been removed before and re-installed by someone clumsy enough to loose a screw.  So I'd expect it very likely to have been put back together wrong.

This could be extremely dangerous if any enemies got a hold of the keys or owned a set of lock picks.  You could burn alive if they locked you in and set the building on fire.  I'd fix this at once, and if unable, bring the lock parts from the door, to a hardware store, and get a replacement.


It might be your water heater relief valve discharging when the line pressure gets too high. It's there to relieve pressure in the tank if the water gets too hot, but will also act on high pressure. Generally the outlet of that valve is plumbed to go directly into a drain, so you never see any water flowing.


How do I replace this switch with a dimmer?

The loop in the black wire is normal when electricians are running a hot wire from device to device. It saves them time and is really safer since it involves fewer wire nuts.

The orange wire is the wire that is going to the light. The power enters the switch where the black wire is looped over the screw, and exits to the light through the orange wire.

Yes, attach the green wire to the green screw. But, you need to wire the blacks from the switch differently. One switch black is for the incoming power, and the other is for the exiting power. So, one needs to be connected to the same black that is connected to the old switch; and one needs to be connected to the orange.

I would, with the power off at the circuit breaker panel, and after testing to make sure the black at the switch is not hot, cut the existing black to form two separate wires and strip the ends appropriately. Then I would connect one of the black wires from the new switch to these two wires with a wire nut.  After that, connect the other black for the new switch to the orange with a wire nut. That should do it, and your dimmer should now work. Good luck, and be careful!

PS: I personally use a Fluke 1AC-A1-II Volt-Alert AC Non-Contact Voltage Tester to verify or locate hot wires and love it. You might want to check it out for the future. Its inexpensive too. Note: I have no personal connection to Fluke; I just think good products like this are worth spreading the word about.


The lower part is your actually sewer pipe connection - you should not remove this unless you are looking to do a lot more work.

I have had your exact issue. Here is what you need to do to remove the upper threaded unit (the drain that fits the shower) . Remove the screen so you have access to the inner part of the drain pipe. Now you can use a hacksaw blade , a dremel tool, a small cutoff wheel to cut into the drain pipe - do not cut into your threads but get close enough.

Now you will want to place a rag down the pipe - something you can retrieve - tie a string to it if need be .. in case pieces fall.

At this point you should be able to bend in the pipe using a hammer with an iron bar or iron chisel .. breaking the "seal" it has to the threads at this point you can lubricate around the unit with WD40 and wait a few moments - you might be able to unscrew it or you might need to tap on it in a CCW direction with that chisel to budge it in order to get it to to unscrew. If it still will not budge - you might need to do another slice down the length of the drain pipe and attempt the same thing of course at this point the whole unit might bend in enough to allow you to simply pull it out. The latter was what I ended up doing as mine turned a little bit and then still stuck - so instead pf playing around I did 1/3 the way to the other side and chisel bent the remaining piece and the whole thing came out nicely. I cleaned the threads with plenty of WD40 and a wire brush so I could install the new drain.

Any questions just ask.


Remodel Recessed Lighting in New Basement?

Remodel recessed lighting can be installed on drop ceiling tiles - I have done this a few times.  You can cut out holes and install them from an adjacent tile.  The install is pretty easy - but your drop ceiling has to be properly installed so it can take the extra weight.  If you have problems installing on your drop ceiling just ask on here.


Should plumber's putty be placed on the sink or on the flange during a flange install?

There is no "right way", but the "theory" is:

On a loose fitting (fitting has play inside the hole), placing the putty on the sink will create a better seal on the area actually making contact. On a tighter fitting, placing the putty on the flange will seal the areas closer to the center leaving less room for voids. See this diagram (tight fitting on top, loose fitting on bottom, "risk" for voids/incomplete seal in red):

Honestly, while the "theory" isn't bad, in practice it simply requires that you use enough putty to make a good seal. The net effect is that the putty just needs to be sandwiched between the flange and the sink to prevent water from leaking, either from an (intentionally) stopped sink into the overflow (bathroom) and thus down the drain, or from around the flange into the cabinet below when the flange acts as a reducer or on sinks without overflows (kitchen).

So, whichever way works best for you is the "right way".

Edit: Updated diagram to reflect the proper amount of putty.
Edit(2): Updated diagram to reflect proper amount of putty including over-puttying.


How to best tap into this black steel gas line

Cut the elbow at the male threads and then turn it counterclockwise to remove it from the 1/2" pipe. Then turn each of the reducers counterclockwise to remove them from the tee.


How do I drill into an existing galvanized fence post?

I would use a punch to make a small dent in the pole so my drill bit wouldn't slip.


It would be easier for people to see what's going on if you move the rug to photograph the whole affected area.  It's impossible to tell the extent or location of the crack.

Do you have a spare tile, or can you buy one?  Do you know the cause of the crack (like something being dropped on it)?

With better information, we may be able to give you a better answer, but with no other information, I would guess that either the tile wasn't properly supported, or it was installed on a surface that flexes.  Without fixing the cause, there is no real repair that will last.

Once the support surface is solid, the only repair that will look good will be replacing the tile, which is also the easiest and fastest solution.

If you can't find a matching tile, an artist may be able to mask the crack by painting filler to match the tile's pattern.  That could be an improvement, but it will still be visible and won't hold up to wear.


Can a breaker be added to the main disconnect panel?

I'll first put my disclaimer out there and say I'm not an electrician.

First, pictures are worth a thousand safety tips. Can you add some pictures of the existing panel(s)? Adding a run has it's challenges. The cable size, type, conduit type are all determined by length of run, amps, and location; might be 1 or 2 others I missed.

As far as adding a sub panel, there are some very strict code and guidelines that must be followed. Namely, the previously mentioned. If this is something you're thinking of doing on your own, be sure you know what you're doing. I had been in the trades for nearly 20 years, and I've played around with electricity plenty. When it came time to adding my sub panel for my shed, I decided there's too much to account for and know to do it myself.

I believe you would be able to do what you're looking to do with relative ease. You can tell your service by the breaker size of your main panel. If the main throw is rated at 200A, it's safe to say you have a 200A service.

As I recall, if your run is interior, you would need to run metal conduit and need no less than a 4 gauge stranded run. If it's exterior, you would need to run schedule 40 or 80 non-metallic conduit. Either way, the cabling needs to be stranded.

I would suggest calling a local electrician to verify gauge for service size and run. It's also good to note, there are specific height requirement, panel types, and grounding requirements that must be considered.


How do I fix/fill this void left by previously tiling around a bathroom vanity

It turns out there is no additional tile of the same size/style/color available, so this idea has been scrapped. For those who may stumble upon it in the future however, I offer the following...

If we had tile to match, I could have gently removed the cut tiles, and replaced them with whole tiles, after filling the under-tile void, continuing the patterns as though the vanity (and void) had never been there in the first place. This would have avoided any design issues in terms of aesthetics, or inserting designs / masking transitions. The weakness in this plan would be the 'joint' created between the old mortar floor and the new thin-set. However, I believe the matching could be done without it becoming a problem, with some well-measured work.

As it stands, we plan to gently remove this existing floor, saving as many tiles as is reasonably possible. With this saved tile, we will have backups for the other tile floors in the house that match this older tile, while taking the opportunity to modernize this room. Hopefully this is a win-win.


Very late answer: it's a "pot twiddler" for adjusting trimmer potentiometers (variable resistors) and capacitors. It's plastic so as to be non-conductive and fairly low capacitance, "wire holders" etc. are usually aluminium to withstand heat but not be solderable.
Some of the "high end" ones, e.g. made by Bourns, have a small piece of brass shim as the screwdriver tip to make it last longer... I've got one somewhere which must be 30+ years old. There are comparable tools for getting inside inductors, but these are much less important than they used to be in the days of superhet radios.


How to move my fridge for easier cleaning?

On some refrigerators the casters are adjustable up and down.

There is what looks like a bolt head or the top of a screw that you can turn with the appropriate tool that will raise or lower the casters. You may or may not have to remove the grill at the bottom of the fridge that covers the casters to access them.

Whether or not yours has this option,  Emptying the fridge will help greatly in allowing it to move better.


Running computers in basement storage room safely

3x 300 watt servers together would produce ~3070 BTU/hr. ~1023 BTU/hr each.

There's no particular hazard to running the servers near a water heater or furnace, other than the heat associated with those items raising the baseline before you add the heat thrown off by the servers. Most system administrators would choose not to but that's from a "hazard to the computer" point of view, not fire hazard - Nothing quite like having a water heater fail and spray your servers with hot water to ruin whatever service you were running on them.

You have provided no data on airflow or ventilation - it's certainly possible that the temperature may become excessive without some active ventilation and/or cooling.

If the ceiling height is 8 feet, there's about 89 lbs of air in the room. The specific heat of air is 0.24 BTU/lb/degreeF (varies somewhat with temperature and pressure), so in the absence of airflow into or out of the room and with infinitely insulating walls/floor/ceiling, you'd be looking at ~140F temperature rise per hour. Might be a bit toasty for the servers, though it would save a bit on hot water bills. Real walls, floor, ceiling will bleed off some heat, but you still might have a problem without some active ventilation. During the heating season you may well be able to arrange the cold air return so that the servers get cooler air and contribute to heating the house - in warmer weather you'll want to dump heat somewhere else, though you could get some benefit by using a heat pump water heater (or just an add-on unit) to provide some (erratic, as you use hot water) cooling and make use of the heat from the servers.


Who do I call to approve minor interior structural changes to my house?

You should be able to hire a structural engineer for consultation on your project. Find someone who does residential jobs. I did something similar for a remodeling project. The cost probably varies but the guy I work with is $180/hour. If you have to file a building permit you will have to do some kind of structural drawing showing the alteration and have the engineer put his seal on it indicating that he approves the plan.


Respirator or mask for brick (crystalline silica) and mold?

Respirators are more typically used for preventing inhalation of gaseous contaminants which aren't filtered by simple fabric masks. They force air through media which entrap those gases. While they will also catch particulates, they're usually overkill for situations with just that concern. In your case, both silica dust and mold spores are particulates, with no real gaseous hazards involved.

Masks are simple dust filters, and the N95 spec indicates the size of the particulate that will be protected against. Search 'N95 mask' and you'll see a plethora of inexpensive options to meet your needs. These offer the added benefit of not making you look like a CDC operative while doing simple home improvement work.

I'd look for one with dual straps (for better mask-to-face seal integrity), and the exhaust vents some offer prevent forceful exhalation from creating gaps at the face-to-mask seal by more effectively venting pressure.


remove single pole switch that control outlet

Leave the 3-way switch alone!

Colors don't mean half as much as you'd like.  Actually, they are there to distinguish wires in cable.  Only ground has a reserved "color", though if present, neutral must be on white.

The red wire is nothing but a pigtail, it could be purple for all it matters.  People tend to make pigtails with any old bit of scrap they have lying around.

Actually on this switch, both the screw and the backstab are in use, which is sloppy but it means the black backstabbed wire and the red pigtail are connected.  So all of these are connected together:

the black wire going to the backstab on that plain switch
the red pigtail going from that wire nut to the plain switch
the black wire going from that wire nut to the wall
the black wire going from that wire nut to the smart switch.

I would rend the wire out of that backstab and put it under the wire nut, as this will make the wiring easier to understand.  And also because the backstab and screw method is bad, and also because backstabs are lousy in the first place.

So now, the clump of blacks (and red pigtail) are almost certainly the supply hot coming into this box.

Now it becomes clear: the solitary black wire on the switch is the switched-hot wire going to the receptacle.

You can take it from here, I trust.


What are Automatic Garage Door Options for a Garage with a Low Ceiling Clearance?

One of the custom door manufacturers should be able to make you something.  Yes, it's not a typical application being that small, but there's no major issues in the design.  Doors are assembled from panels, so they can select the right size and quantity.  Track frequently has to be cut down to fit anyways.  Custom springs are no big deal (a surprising percentage of what's out there is custom).

However, you're not going to be able to walk into a local big box hardware place and pickup off the shelf components to DIY.


How should this vintage wall-mount sink be mounted? Does not fit standard cast iron brackets

I am certain that if you mount that sink to the wall using only the two holes in the tabs, no matter how strong the mounting screws nor how hard the backing, the cast iron tabs will snap off.

In the worst case, the tabs will hold the sink in place for days or even weeks, then break suddenly when you are barefoot in your underwear and the sink is full of soapy water and a wet cat.

Don't even think about using this exquisite antique until you have figured out how to construct supports between the front mounts and the wall.

Other than the thickness of the backing board, you have a lot of freedom to determine dimensions. The backing board should extend downward as far as conveniently possible to spread the levering force. Using the backing board also allows you to position the sink without regard to the wall studs.

The screws and bolts that pass through the sink should be as large as will fit thru the holes, not only for strength but to avoid lateral motion.

Here is a rough sketch of a possible installation:


Splitting a 220v line into a 110v line and a 220v line?

20A outlet on 30A circuit = no

The Code problem here has nothing to do with voltages and everything to do with currents. First off, 210.21(B)(3) and the associated table prohibit putting a 20A receptacle on a 30A branch circuit.  In addition to that, you can't run a receptacle off a tap conductor, as this is prohibited by 210.19(A)(2) (as well as being excluded by the list in 210.19(A)(4) exception 1):

  (2) Branch Circuits with More than One Receptacle. Conductors of branch circuits supplying more than one receptacle for cord-and-plug-connected portable loads shall have an
  ampacity of not less than the rating of the branch circuit.


I'd consider any color that's darker than the gray primer itself to be better suited to gray primer. It's not just about color hiding, but also edge exposure. If you prime with white and then paint a dark or bold color, it's possible that fringe white will show where you've masked, etc.


I think the answer to your question is "all of the above". Yes some valves are made better than others.  Some types (ball versus globe valve) are better than others.  The installation process might have affected them as could how frequently they are used.  Certain elements in your water might also be a factor.

If you don't want to solder a lot or call a plumber, you could replace these with compression fitting ball valves.  You don't need anything other than two wrenches to install these and a pipe cutter to remove the old valves, and of course some spare time.


Painting on drywall that has been stripped of wallpaper?

I think you missed a really important step in the process. Anytime I have to remove paper from walls that were not treated with a release sizing before the paper was applied, the drywall paper is usually damaged or lots of glue residue is left behind. I have found that a skim coat of drywall compound needs be be applied, sanded and sealed with PVA primer before painting can be done.

In most cases, a self priming paint is only effective on previously painted walls, but never on new or bare sheetrock. The primer in those paints is designed for hiding old color, not sealing new sheetrock. New rock, skim coated rock, etc., need to be sealed with a quick drying sealer like PVA primer. This type of primer seals the porous surfaces and prevents the moisture in regular paints and primers to soak into the drywall.

The skim coat is actually the key step you missed. do not use untreated regular drywall compound for this job. Modify the mud with a bit of water and some Ivory dish liquid. A gallon of mud with an ounce or two of water and a couple of tablespoons of Ivory is a good formula. Mix well. It will be loose, almost runny. You will find it flows on very smooth without a lot of bubbles with a 8 to 12 knife or trowel. After it dries (8 to 12 hours), sand lightly with a 220 grit sanding sponge. Touch up any areas that still need attention, dry and sand. Clean off all dust with a slightly damp sponge, let dry then seal with PVA primer. You can usually paint in about 2 hours after PVA.

As for the caulking you mentioned, remove as much as you can with a stiff one inch putty knife. Mineral spirits will usually remove remaining residue from the wood cabinets. Remove all of the caulking from the drywall with your knife, even if it takes some of the drywall paper with it. You can repair the divots in the rock with the skim coat as described above.


subpanel ground requirement - attached vs unattached structure - what difference does it make?

There's no longer any difference, aside from the fact that a detached structure needs to be bonded to a separate grounding electrode. In both situations you're now required to run 4 wire cable, and keep the grounded and grounding conductors separate in the second panel.

A detached structure has to be bonded to a grounding electrode, to reduce voltage transients between the structures. This is because the ground "earth" can be at slightly different electrical potentials, even over small distances. Bonding the electrode to the grounding system of the main structure, insures the entire grounding system is at the same potential.


Are easily broken slate tiles an indication of poor quality?

Slate floors are beautiful...rich colors and a great natural look. However, they need to be laid perfectly and maintained constantly.

Make sure each tile is "back-buttered" when you install. That is to say, you can't just press them into a layer of mortar when you install them. Make sure you apply a layer of mortar to the back side of each tile before you press them into the bed of mortar...and don't get too far ahead of yourself. Make sure the mortar is pliable. Otherwise the tiles could break if they are not fully embedded.

Immediately after the grouting, make sure you use a two step sealer process. The first seals the small holes to keep the dirt out and the second seals the surface. You'll need several coats, but slate is rough enough to keep the floor from being slippery.

Lastly, re-seal at least once per year, depending on traffic. If the sealer wears off and dirt gets into the slate, it will show wear marks, traffic patterns, etc. and it's nearly impossible to fix.

I like slate, but lay it right and be prepared for regular maintenance.


How can I use a multimeter to replace electrical testers, etc.?

I have a multimeter and I don't want to spend more money on other electrical test devices.

While, I understand your thought process, keep in mind that multi-meters, when combined with house wiring are not nearly as safe to operate as devices designed to perform these tests.  You are paying not only for utility but also for safety (which is far more important).

  circuit tester

I guess you mean outlet tester specifically.

Set your Cat II or better rated multimeter to a high voltage AC range. If your meter has a Low-Z range intended for 120 V AC (or 230 V AC), use that.
Double check that you have the leads in the right sockets for voltage testing.
Measure the voltage

between ground and neutral
between ground and hot
between hot and neutral

Check that the results match what you expect (e.g. 0, 120, 120).

  GFCI outlet tester

You can't test this with just a multimeter. You need a load that will pass about 8mA at 120V (or >30mA at 230V for UK/EU readers) between hot and ground.

(Note, according to NEMA, a GFCI "test" button uses a 15kΩ resistor with a suitable voltage rating. This means the test current is nominally 8mA at 120V (or up to 9mA for a 10% tolerance resistor)

A typical multimeter has a 10MΩ impedance on its AC voltage ranges, so it passes less than 12 micro-Amps at 120V - too small to trip a GFCI. A "low-Z" range might use a 3kΩ impedance and pass 40mA at 120V - this is more than is needed for safely testing a GFCI. Note that around 10mA is the let-go threshold for humans and so currents above that can be problematic.

Fabricating something that is safe for use with 120 V AC is going be difficult to do for less than the cost of a purpose built tool.


Need help painting a desk top made out of MDF

MDF is essentially a sponge when it comes to painting it. So the first thing you need to do is prime it properly so that it doesn't absorb the paint. To prime it properly, use a non-water-based primer. These are known as solvent-based primers, or, more commonly called "oil-based" primer.

If you use a water-based primer, you end up with the sponge problem...the MDF will absorb all the water and your surface will end up with a rough raised-grain texture that you can't easily sand out.

Once you get a oil based primer on the MDF, you can then paint it as you wish.

As for resilience, note that MDF is soft. So no matter what you coat the surface with, you are going to be at the mercy of the substrate when it comes to heavy objects hitting it.

Fo starters, use a good quality paint. If you are particularly concerned, consider one of the epoxy based paints used to paint over laminate countertops/kitchen cabinets.

You may ultimately want to consider just putting a laminate on top of the MDF or just replace the MDF part with a section of countertop. Remember that MDF is soft, so that might be the weak part of the entire equation


Damp on the ceiling of the flat downstairs looks like a leak - what should I do?

Sounds like a Wax seal issue to me, it would only leak when you flush, and would certainly drip through openings in the floor or tiles.
They are only good for a limited time, but good news they are only about $7 and easy to change if you have a helper.

Loosen bolts, lift toilet, have partner remove and replace seal, plop down toilet, sit on it, then tighten the bolts without breaking the toilet. Since it's a rental, Tell your landlord to credit you $100 and everyone wins.


Defeating hardwood-marring kids and dogs by using hardwood that's already marred (distressed)

Not only have I installed a few tavern grade floors but I bought both from build-direct.

I think some people are confused.  This is not engineered.  You will have a LOT of variety.  So you better like all of the character or you will throw literally half out and any savings will be out the window.

As far as holding up to kids and dogs I would do a thorough scratch test.  Really you are testing the top coat.  Take a hammer to it, a screwdriver, and put on some heels and dig them in.  Whenever doing a floor from build-direct we get at least 5 samples and go over the durability of each before purchase.  I am very surprised at the the variance, especially with the engineered.

For the wood you picked out, it requires nail down.  Which means you will need to put down a subfloor.  There are hardwoods that you can glue down to concrete subfloor but most "home" subfloors are not smoothed enough to support this type of install - which is mainly for apartment buildings.  You would need to take pictures of your subfloor to know for sure.  Anyway I certainly wouldn't plan on doing an "odd" install with tavern/utility grade.

I am not sure what type of dog you have but I am guessing you have one that would scratch a wood floor.  So I would suggest that you take the engineered flooring out of the equation.  Which means you can float vinyl planks - there are some that look a lot like the Jasper you want or you need to get the subfloor put in.


3-wire dryer plug with mismatched voltages

This is an obsolete type of dryer socket and it should be replaced with a newer 4-prong style that includes both NEUTRAL and GROUND.  Yes you probably should contact an electrician to pull a new wire and hook it up properly.  Since it's clearly not right as it is, you should get it fixed properly.


Although it looks to be functional at this point eventually the bottom tier will rot away causing the retaining wall to fail. You have a legitimate concern. There is no simple answer to this because the right answer is to rebuild the wall. I'm assuming here that the wall has compacted soil on the other side. Since the bottom tier is rotting, and if you're willing to invest some sweat equity in this project, one less expensive option might be to cut out the bottom landscape log with a wedge and sledge or axe. This will be labor intensive but not expensive. Remove one section of the log at a time, removing soil by hand and shoring each section up with pavers/landscaping blocks of the same height as the log. Work along the entire length until you have replaced the entire log with landscaping blocks.
You will mostly have vertical pressure on the bottom log from the weight of the retaining logs above it and whatever structural material is above the logs. The bottom log will not have a lot of lateral pressure from the soil behind it. The main thing you need to do is make sure that as you remove small sections (a foot or two at a time) that the pavers you put in its place fit securely and are on a solid base so as you transfer the load to the pavers there is no compression of the course of pavers. If you do that you'll be fine.
Any soil under that bottom log should be well compacted but you could put a layer of pea gravel under the pavers before you insert them. If you tap them in with a hammer be sure to hold a wooden block over the side of the paver as you tap it in so you don't crack the paver.
The blocks don't have to be flush with the logs above. It will appear to be a base for the wall.


That has a high probability of being particle board. You can doublecheck by looking at where the big gouges are... if the material is small flakes/big sawdust, then it's particle board. (Destructive triplecheck by putting a puddle of water on top and seeing if it puckers up.)

Given that you've got a fair bit of damage, now might be the time to replace it all with some water resistant plywood.


A gas or oil burner in the basement could produce a small vacuum if that burner takes the combustion air out of the room where it is installed.
If the basement windows and doors are closed, the radon could be sucked into the basement via cracks and openings in the walls/ground slabs.
Newer burners do get the combustion air through the exhaust pipe (counterflow in a ring).
Also other equipment could provide a tiny vacuum in the basement, f.e. fans blowing outward.
The layer(s) just below the first solid building layer and next to the walls under ground should always be made of material to break the capillary effect, f.e. small pebbles. This will avoid water getting sucked into the basement.
The radon can free flow in these pebble layers, and one way to reduce the radon level is to suck the air from this layer and blow it to the Lee side or over the roof of the building.


How should I stop pocket doors from scraping on the jamb?

There is a missing guide at the bottom of the door, much like a closet sliding door. Install one and it will prevent the door from moving side to side and it will stay centered and not rub.


Move the yellow wire from your thermostat to where the blue wire is connected now...
Since whoever wired this up didn't use standard color codes, we'll have to go in and clean up a bit after their work first.  The first step is to remove the blue wire in the thermostat cable from its current junction with the yellow wire from your HVAC system.  Said yellow wire then gets nutted to the currently-unused yellow wire from your thermostat-cable, making that yellow wire the Y wire going up to the thermostat.
...and connect the blue wire from your thermostat to the grey wire from the HVAC system
Now that we have that taken care of, according to the wiring diagrams you posted, the grey wire from the transformer is your C wire.  In your photos, we can trace that grey wire over to one side of the compressor contactor, then from there down on to where it hangs behind the thermostat cable.  As a result, you can connect that grey wire to the now-free blue wire in your thermostat cable, wire up your new thermostat as normal, turn the HVAC back on, and enjoy!


Why would bulbs in this DIY lamp keep burning out?

I notice that the failing bulb is next to your switch... so i'm suspecting damage from shaking the bulbs while turning them on and off. Which is a pity since I like the switch design... maybe you could redesign it as a wall-mounted switch?

(I have an old gas key which I'm planning to adapt as the knob of a dimmer switch.)


dealing with the difference in height between 2 adjoining tiled floors

There are many types of tapered transitions available. Some install under the tile, like so:

Obviously the new tile needs to be higher than the old in this case. Another type is the simple beveled marble threshold:

You could also use a hardwood strip to match your home's woodwork. Your installer should know all this, though, and provide you with options.


Wiring a box that has two switches to multiple lights

1,2, and 4 only seem to feed into the wire nuts, one of these is your power source, the other two are feeding power elsewhere.

It appears that your black wire nut is line power, your left switch controls a load on the red wire on #3 and the right switch controls a load on the black wire in #3.  This is likely split off elsewhere to the separate lights, sharing the neutral on #3.

So it appears that your switch line/load is possible reversed.

Also your smart switch likely needs a neutral to function, which doesn't appear to be connected, from the white wire nuts.


Options for fixing outside cement staircase?

Here are some options:

Keep a broom nearby and sweep away excess water.  While this does not actualy fix anything, it will eliminate the excess water.
Create a drain.  Drill a hole at the lowest spot of each step for the water to escape to.  This solution is not optimal and may only alleviate the problem.  One will need a masonry bit and hammer drill to get through the step.   Also consider the effects of having water being drained under the step, which also may not be optimal.
Level the steps.  There are some low spots, so another layer of concrete on top should allow the water to escape to a drain below the steps.  However, getting a consistent and durable finish across all the steps will be a challenge.
Refinish the steps. Add a new finish on top of the concrete and in the process eliminate the low spots so the water does not pool on each step.  As a plus the drab lichen colored gray would be updated.
Rip out the entire thing and replace/redo with a better step/drainage solution.

I'd probably go with step 4 provided the settling has stopped.  If the foundation is no good or drainage is not adequate, then option 5 would probably be the best.


Yes this looks correct. You're right about cutting away too much shingle, but it looks like you fixed it with sealant.


How to run wire through corner with lots of studs

Drill it.

Just get a spade bit, you have lots of room in the garage opening if that is a stud in the way just start by drilling through that.  Buy some extensions and self feed spade bits.  Drill from the garage opening to the corner then drill from the other direction.  Now to get from one side to the other get 2 fish tapes and insert them and then spin so they hook together then use a plumbers chain with one conductor of your 14/2 looped and twisted through one of the links then duct tape or ele tape the connections and pull your wire.


How do I extend shower cover plate without replacing a tile

Check with the manufacturer for parts for your model #. They might have a larger cover plate. You could also bring it into a plumbing supply store and see if they have a larger one. You'd be amazed at the parts a good plumbing store has. Last but not least, there is usually a bead of white caulk around cover plates in showers this color. A good bead might just cover that opening if all else fails.


Good, affordable pathway materials for sidewalk with tree root problems

Depending on where you live, reclaimed brick can be very inexpensive. The same theory still applies: if there's a problem in the future, just pull up the bricks and re-level the bed. However, bricks are thicker than bluestone, so will you have less stone/sand between the brick and the roots, and thus less room for adjustment.

Another possibility is just moving the walkway. If you're going to re-do it to deal with roots, why not run the walkway in a different spot?


The search term you are looking for is probably "greywater" (or graywater.) Basically non-toilet (watercloset) waste water.

There are two aspects - one is legal and varies by location, the other is practical and does not, so much.

The legal aspect essentially comes down to whether your local jurisdiction prohibits or allows use of graywater (rather than requiring that it go into the sewer), and any specific regulations/rules you must follow to use it in the jurisdiction. Some places essentially limit you to the output of the kitchen sink, for fear of tiny amounts of bad things that might be in laundry or shower water; others do not. Most have fairly strict rules to prevent the cross connection of sewage and greywater lines.

The  practical aspects tend to have to do with things like filtering it through a reed bed or similar wetland plant-filter before making further use of it, which deals with the soaps, toothpaste, etc. Any practical permaculture book tends to have a few diagrams of this sort of thing in it. How practical this for a given house/garden depends on available space and topography.

If you are not in a terribly dry region, storing rainwater may be easier to manage than diverting and filtering greywater.


Medium term repair for cracked shower pan

Materials Needed

A sheet of something to act as a patch (FRP, acrylic, etc.)
Good two-part epoxy
Sandpaper (150-220 grit, maybe)

Procedure

Cut a patch to the desired size. It should overlap the crack a fair bit to act as a gusset.
Trace the patch on the tub with a pencil. Optionally mask outside the patch area to protect that surface.
Scuff the patch area with the sandpaper to clean it and rough it up. Also scuff the patch sheet if it's not already rough.
Bond the patch to the tub with the epoxy. Finger out the epoxy that squeezes out to create a short taper and seal the edge.
Ease the edges of the patch with sandpaper to prevent injury.

You could also do an old airplane mechanic's trick to stop the crack from growing first: Drill a 1/8" or 3/16" hole at the ends of the crack. This distributes force over a wider area.


Screw & Glue Subfloor and Screw Underlayment

Yes, do both.  To avoid squeaks, use screws (not nails) everywhere for the flooring.

I had a very squeaky kitchen and entry-way floor, which I wanted to tile over.  I kept the existing plywood subfloor but screwed it down to the joists using drywall screws.  I used a LOT of them, one every 4 inches or so along every floor joist, and it eliminated all of the squeaks.

Then we put down Hardibacker-type cement board and screwed it to the subfloor.  We didn't worry about screwing the cement board to the joists; just screwed it to the subfloor.

That was two years ago.  No tile has cracked or shifted, and no squeaks have returned.  Definitely use screws and not nails.


Why does my stud finder detect electrical wires over a large area of my wall?

Here is an easy method to determine the location of live wires, with a stud finder. I have a stud finder on which there is no means to adjust the sensitivity of the live wire detector. However, you may use paper for the same purpose. Stud finder is sensitive to the electric field; electric field depends on the distance (i.e. how far you are from the live wire) and the medium (i.e. the material between you and wire (air or other material). If you put some paper between the stud finder and the wall you decrease the sensitivity of the stud finder. I use phone book pages for this purpose (they are free and you may add as many pages as needed). The thickness of the pages may go from one page to 1 centimeter or more depending on the current in the wire, and the paint used on the wall. You will see that the stud finder sounds for electricity only when it comes on top of the wire; you can pinpoint the location of the wire exactly. I hope this info helps someone. Good luck.


Why would a bulb need a 30mA RCD for the bathroom?

An RCD is different from a fuse.  An RCD (residual current device) is known as a GFI (ground fault interrupter) or GFCI (ground fault current interrupting) device in the US.

In non-technical terms, if the RCD device sees current "missing" on a circuit - more leaving than returning - it shuts down power, based on the idea that that missing current may be starting a fire or shocking someone.

A 30ma RCD trips when 30ma of current is "missing."  In some locations, a 30ma trip is the maximum allowable for personal protection, prevention of electrical shock injuries.

RCD / GFCI are especially important in bathrooms because people are in contact with water and pipes, which increases electrical hazards.


A blower will only work if you are content with A/C only and no heat. It's probably illegal to have a house with no heat unless you live in the tropics. AFAIK, most A/C units cannot be converted to heat pumps, so it would likely be a complete system replacement.

Also, with conventional heat pumps in all but the most temperate climates, you need a source of backup heat because the heat pump will not work well in very cold weather. So you still pretty much need a furnace with a heat pump. Only heat pumps using alternate heat sources such as ground or ground water do not need backup heat. Such systems are more costly to install than backup heat, but should pay off in the long run with better efficiency.


Determining health risks associated with carpets

I think you need to know what you're looking for. Testing for mold is about all you can do, without sending samples off to a lab. $200 (homeallergentesting.com) is an expensive way to be told: yes, you own a cat.

If it's new carpet, it may still be offgassing.
If it's old carpet, especially a previous owner's, toss it without a second thought.

Disclaimer: I've never 'tested for' anything. I just proceed with the solution as if it were the problem (and my solution to anything wrong with installed carpet is putting it in the dumpster, where it belonged in the first place).


I've been in no less than 300 attics and every one of then has had dust, grey dust, in them. Your attic has soffits installed to vent the attic. You also have vent pipes going through the roof to vent caps that allow some backdraft into the attic. If you've ever had your roof redone, stuff will be knocked down. Mold needs a fare amount of moisture and most of the attics I've been in just don't have it.

If this is going to keep you up at night, you can always have a piece of the insulation tested.


Barrier of Plastic sheeting between wood and dirt

I'd go with dimple board instead of the plastic.  The dimpleboard will allow water to drain to the bottom of the retaining wall.

If you just go with plastic, assuming the retaining wall has air on one side, I'd expect it to last longer than without plastic.  I assume the soil being retained is wet more often than dry.


Big vertical crack in brick wall and loose bricks

Yes, get a STRUCTURAL engineer (not a CIVIL engineer) or an architect to look at the wall and do not cover anything up until he/she sees it. (Just pictures won’t do.) They’ll need to see in the inspection holes.

Yes, it’s a structural issue and it’s serious and it’s going to be expensive to fix.  The good news is: it’s just the wall, it’s not the foundation. (The crack is vertical, not diagonal and there is just one.)

When this wall was built, we didn’t know as much as we know now about building materials. That wall needs some reinforcement at the crack. This wall is built by stacking various types of bricks and blocks up...but no reinforcement. Bricks are good in compression, but terrible in tension. When the wall moves, and all walls move, it creates compression and tension. Reinforcing is needed to withstand the tension in the wall.


Is this 3 switch wiring arrangement allowed by code?

Better idea: use a part listed for the job to bypass the errant current around the lights
Fortunately, there's a way to bypass the errant "phantom" current (from capacitive coupling through the parallel traveler wires) back to neutral without doing anything that'd void your insurance.  Simply nut a Lutron LUT-MLC in between switched-hot and neutral at the first light fixture on the circuit; they're listed (as an appliance control) for use in mains wiring, so there's no need to worry about your insurance complaining.
As to your original idea...
While your original idea seems sound, it falls into a grey area of Code interpretation regarding the meaning of NEC 404.2(A), which was originally put in to prohibit dangerous Carter 3-way setups:

(A) Three-Way and Four-Way Switches. Three-way and four-way switches shall be wired so that all switching is done only in
the ungrounded circuit conductor. Where in metal raceways or
metal-armored cables, wiring between switches and outlets shall
be in accordance with 300.20(A).

In your case, neutral is never broken by any switch (breaking the neutral with a multiway switch also violates NEC 404.2(B)), but simply connected to an otherwise floating traveler wire to short out a voltage that got coupled over by a parasitic capacitor.  Note that this configuration doesn't parallel the neutral either, because the neutral-connected traveler and the actual neutral are connected to opposite sides of the load, which means that the normal issues with wires in parallel and NEC 310.10(H) don't apply here.


I have repaired 2 homes that had lightning strikes 1 was direct and there were breakers all over the house (it burned the bus was even partly melted) the second one was an indirect strike. The damage to the electronic components is due to the high voltage more than the current. With that said surge suppressors clamp the voltage until they overheat and fail.

A whole house surge suppressor in your main panel may have helped if it was large enough, the second house that was a indirect strike was protected by a suppressor that could handle close to 30 amps. The suppressor was toast both elements failed but they only lost 1 TV set that was on when the strike hit.

How surge suppressors work:

Most are metal oxide varistors. These devices conduct once a voltage threshold is reached and dump the excess voltage to ground the voltage threshold on some that I have used range from ~260v and higher close to 800v.

in the U.S. the maximum voltage voltage to ground is 120v rms for residential. 240v is leg to leg but the maximum potential to ground is 120v rms so you want a MOV that breaks down in the +200v range.

Next is the amount of energy that the mov can conduct rated in joules. Once this value is exceeded they do fail. Whole house units usually have led’s that show if the elements are working, some are replaceable.

As you found out the one on your pump failed it tried to do its job but was not large enough. I suggest putting the largest one you can afford at your main panel.

I usually install these because of industrial loads causing spikes and damaging electronic equipment. Oregon is not known for its thunder storms and having seen 2 strikes is very rare here.

I can say nothing will stop a direct strike but an indirect strike or industrial loads and power line switching all generates spikes that can do damage by installing a 300$ or larger surge suppressor may save many times its cost over its life there are smaller ones for under 100$ these are very limited on the size of the spikes they can handle and some that cost close to 1000$ these monsters can almost take a direct strike.

I have found the ones that require a 30 amp breaker to be the best value for my area and they do not fail very often where the smaller ones do fail more often so in my opinion going with a larger unit will provide better protection and possibly last forever unless a close strike.

So why did the breaker not trip?

It could have been the current / duration was low enough not to trip but the voltage did the damage. This is where whole house surge protection pays off just make sure to get one that is large enough to handle the spikes that may happen in your area.


Conduit which is located outdoors is considered a wet location (even inside the conduit), so you would need THWN.


Is baseboard important? (and 3 choices for trim on wall-to-floor transition)

Baseboards provide a useful function in a house.  They are not purely aesthetic.  They protect the bottom of the drywall from being damaged, they build a stopping point for dirt, they keep drywall/paint from being damaged by feet (shoes).  Anyone buying a house with drywall walls would expect some sort of minimal baseboard.

Shoe molding has three issues.  It isn't big enough to protect anything, since you need a gap between drywall and flooring it would be very hard to install, and then since you have this gap the shoe molding will surely get pushed into it, since it is usually flimsy.

Install your floors and sit you baseboards on top of flooring.  If you cut out bottom of drywall so that the drywall depth acts as expansion gap for wood, you don't need shoe molding.

Note:  Think about what type of house you have when you put up molding and what you have in each room.  If this is every single room and you have a nice house I would at the very least put up 4"+ baseboards.  There is usually very little difference in price and installation and staining/painting isn't really any harder.  If you want cheap and fast go with the primed pine from the big boxes.  These usually take one quick coat of paint and good to go.


Wiring question regarding switching wire gauge within a circuit

Go for it

Since it's a 20A circuit, you can use any wire size 12AWG or larger to run it.  (The existing 10AWG may have simply been what the original installer had on hand, or may have been installed for voltage drop control reasons.)


Adding Ground Wire to Existing NEMA 10-30 socket

The cord lengths described in those documents involve the cord between the wall and the charger.  Looking at the item on the Web, it appears its cord is quite short, and certainly compliant.

The 25' cord you speak of is between the charger and the car, and that's a non-factor. NEC doesn't regulate that cord nearly as much, because it protected by the charger.  NEC never intended for you to need to park the car so its port is within 6' of the charger. That would make every public charging station illegal and impossible, for Pete's sake!

Retrofitting a ground wire is pretty straightforward. You can run it as a separate bare wire to any of

back to the panel the circuit is powered from
any junction box for any  other circuit that is grounded and comes out of that panel... however, the ground wire must be large enough, you need a 10 AWG ground, so a 12 AWG ground won't do.
any junction box fed by non-flexible metal conduit back to that panel
the Grounding Electrode System, i.e. The system of grounding wires that connect the service panel to the ground rod


Microwave oven blows internal fuse when door is closed

Years ago I had experience with helping an electronics shop owner next door to my office fix a similar problem. The problem turned out to be alignment of the micro switches which were all on plates with adjustment slider holes. On his unit the door interlock micro switches had an interesting contact arrangement with wiring such that when the switches sequenced incorrectly a direct short would be imposed across the power line through the fuse. This would cause the fuse to blow and render the unit non-operational. Best we could determine it was designed as a safety interlock system. It turns out that we guessed correctly.

It is a requirement that microwaves have an interlock monitoring system to pop the fuse if the switches are not operating correctly. There is a good description here:

http://www.microtechfactoryservice.com/switch.html


Will this existing Outlet Box support a 23 lb ceiling fan

It looks like just a plastic ceiling box without any extra support. If that is the case, the answer is no, you would definitely want to replace it with a fan box which you can get in kit form. See the picture. You can find these kits at Lowes for under $20. The nice thing is that it looks like you have a single cable coming in which makes the replacement much easier than if you had splices to take apart and try to get wired back together in the new box.

To get the old one out, it will probably take a hammer and screw driver. Bust it out, pry it out, whatever. Be ready for insulation to possibly fall out and make a mess. The new kit has a brace bar with feet on each end that need to be able to sit flat on the top of the ceiling drywall, lath & plaster, or whatever ceiling material you have. The brace bar expands as you twist it to spread across and wedge itself between the ceiling joists. You have to line it up with the center of the hole. Then the box attaches by way of four screws and a little horse-shoe shaped hanger that mounts over the bar. For a fan you should use the #10 screws. This kit I've shown can support up to 110 pounds.


Standard appliance cordage is usually 16 AWG and yes you can plug this device (stove) into a 120v 20 amp circuit. Toasters and hair dryers are usually larger because of the load but your range is listed for use on a 15 or 20 amp circuit.


Connecting the four terminals of a 14-50P to a homebrew 240v system with three wires

If it's 240 volt it doesn't have a neutral. So your home brew has 2 hots and a ground.

Just wire it with the reverse pattern of the receptacle except for the neutral (white) wire will be deleted from the plug.

10 gauge is good for 30 amps but understand the receptacle is protected with a 50 amp breaker so if your homebrew has a recommended max size breaker less than that you will be exceeding the recommended protection for your brewer.

Good luck!


Is it acceptable to paint kitchen walls in alkyd?

Sure, if you don't mind the texture being the same as the cabinets, there is no technical reason you can't use it, unless the walls currently have latex based paint.  Alkyd is an oil based product and may lift a latex based product if used as a top coat.


After checking with the building maintenance, the super said, because the building's main system is in "heating" mode and haven't switched back to "cooling" mode, the HVAC will automatically override and turn off the compressor.  The building officially switched to "cooling" mode yesterday and my HVAC is operating as normal again.  As it turns out, it is the building's main override.


GU24 to E26 light socket adapter -- any risks?

If I buy a GU24 to E26 adapter and install a 30- or 60-watt incandescent in it:

  Is there a risk of fire because the fixture can't handle the heat produced by a 14+ watt light bulb?
  Is there still a risk if I remove the glass fixture and just screw the light bulb into the adapter?
  Would a 14+ watt light bulb potentially cause overheating in the actual electrical wires/their plastic sleeves?

Absolutely a fire risk. Generally things are designed to handle a bit extra, so a 15W bublb probably wouldn't be a problem. But 30W = > 2X - don't do it.
Yes. The rating is based on "everything". You can't guess which parts exactly determine the problem without a lot of engineering calculations.
The wires themselves? No. The wires are typically rated for 15A or 20A - i.e., 1,875W or more. The problem in this situation is the socket and connections.

As I understand it, the GU24 (or similar) has been mandated in some jurisdictions specifically to avoid people (like you!) using it for incandescent bulbs. If they installed E26 fixtures then it would be trivially simple to install a bulb that generated too much heat for the fixture and waste energy.

Take a look at the newest LED bulbs. They are available in quite a variety of CRI and are a far cry from the first CFLs and even the first white LEDs. If you save 25W x 1,000 hrs/year (< 3 hours a day) that's 25 kWh ~ a few dollars a year, more than enough to pay for a high-quality bulb. Plus in the summer you will save double because you won't pay to remove the heat generated by incandescent bulbs.

Seriously, there is a lot of good stuff out there. Many big orange or blue stores have decent lighting departments with samples of a lot of different bulbs so that you can actually see the difference. If that doesn't satisfy you, go to a real lighting store - i.e., one that sells to the trade (but most will sell to the public too) where the only thing they sell is lighting. Hanging an incandescent bulb may have been the best answer in the early days of CFLs, but there are much better choices now with quality LEDs.


What type of tool or bit is a metal shaft with splines?

That is a straight reamer  it's used to make a hole a precise size (drill slightly under-sized, ream to size, more precise than simply drilling to size.) The hole at the tip is used in making it and/or sharpening it (as made it will be exactly 1/2" - after re-sharpening it will be slightly less than 1/2")
It is NOT a router bit (and putting side loads on a drill press can have unfortunate consequences, so I suggest not trying to use it that way anymore)


Can I use a 4x6x16 top beam for a cantilevered swing set?

Yes - I have a swing set that we purchased that was exactly that construction with 4x6 legs and a 16' 4x6 main beam with one swing cantilevered on one end. Ours was made by Woodplay


Replacing two-switch, combo paddle light switch?

You need to identify the wires in the switch box.  They are possibly like so:
      (Click for larger view)

(The Hot wire is usually either in the center or isolated on one side, in such combo switches.)
But you need a voltage tester or ohmmeter to be sure.
If you get it wrong, swap the wires around as indicated in the testing section, below.

Once you have identified the wires, hook them up like so:

Make sure the breaker(s) is/are switched off.
Use a voltage tester to ensure there are no live wires in the switch box.
Screw the COM B screw in all the way, it will not be used.
Leave the jumper alone (it is not a fuse).
Connect the Bare (ground) wire to the ground/green terminal at the bottom.
Connect the Light wire to the SP A terminal.
Connect the Hot wire to the COM A terminal.
Connect the Heat wire to the SP B terminal.
Screw the switch into to the switch box, keeping it plumb.
Install the cover plate.

Test the switch:

Turn the power back on.
The top switch should control the light (for safety and by convention) and the bottom should control the heat.
If both come on but the bottom switch controls the light, turn the power off and swap the wires on SP Aand SP B.
If only one of the 2 circuits comes on, you have the hot and that circuit's wire misidentified. Turn the power off and swap the corresponding SP wire and the COM A wire.


Mounting bat house on cedar siding - too heavy?

Nice work with those mounting brackets you made.  I think your basic plan is totally sound.
Ideally you'll want to locate studs and mount those brackets on studs, and drill through the siding and sheathing and into the studs.  I think three 4" x 1/4" lag screws on each bracket would be good, there's enough meat to lag screws that size to hold the weight of the bathouse.
Rather than seal those brackets to the siding, I'd put a thick washer between the brackets and the siding.  I'd rather have that little gap for the siding to get wet and dry out.  That's just my opinion.
I see one possible problem with the design.  The french cleat will leave space between the bathouse and the siding.
The bats won't know which crevice you intended for them to take up residence, and roost between the siding and the bathouse.  You might want to add to or modify your design to close off that space.


Wiring in a new light fixture and switch to existing switches?

There are no neutrals here.
That's exceedingly important to understand about a switch loop (extremely common, no longer to current codes, but perfectly fine in older codes, so you will find them in every moderately aged house.)
Given your 12V experience you probably think of colors as being fixed things - this is not quite true in household AC wiring.
The "sheathed, 3-wire feeds" are 2 wire cables (the grounds are not counted in residential cables. So a 14/2 or 12/2 cable has a black, a white and a bare  - 3 wires, but it's a /2 cable.) A wire is a single conductor, a cable is multiple wires bundled in an outer sheath.
Modern code would require a /3 cable to the switch location (black, white, red, bare) but you don't have to change the cable to "modern code" unless you are remodeling (changing a switch is not remodeling.) That is "grandfathered" meaning it met code at the time it was installed.
However: adding a cable to an unwired switch IS going to require using a /3 cable from someplace that does have unswitched hot and neutral, or two /2 cables (with white as neutral in both) if the place the power comes from (unswitched hot) is not the place the light (switched hot) will be.
The white wires to the switches are hot. They should be (but rarely are) marked with red or black tape or paint to indicated that they are hot. The black wires from the switches are switched hot.
There is no neutral anywhere in the switch box. Typical arrangement is that power comes to (one of) the lights, and at that light you will find a white wire (that should be, but often is not, remarked red or black) connected to a black wire from the power feed leading to the switch location. The black wire in the same cable will then connect to the black wire from the light, and the white wire from the power feed will connect to the white wire from the light. The cable with the white connected to the feed's black will lead to your switch location.
Thus, power flows from the source, to the switch, back from the switch, through the load, and back to the source.


How can I repair my Bosch dishwasher that won't drain?

You've got some large particles in there & it seems that you're running out of time before a complete draining. You likely have a partially blocked drain line from the sink side of things. Make sure your drain hose is clear to the sink drain or disposer & that your sink-top Air Gap (if you have one) is clean.

Your drain hose should enter the sink cabinet at the very top & your hose should be angled up from the sink drain or disposer inlet with no sag or dip below the top of that inlet to avoid any future clogs. You should be good to go after that's all squared away.


Can I use a copper ground with aluminum hot and neutral?

You can use the 10AWG copper for your EGC, provided the conductor is bare or insulated with a green or green + yellow stripes finish -- 250.118(A) doesn't say anything about not being able to use a grounding conductor made from a different metal than your circuit conductors:

  (1) A copper, aluminum, or copper-clad aluminum conductor. This conductor shall
  be solid or stranded; insulated, covered, or bare; and in the form of a wire or
  a busbar of any shape.

and Table 250.122 allows the use of 10AWG copper for the EGC of all circuits up to  60A in ampacity.  Since Table 310.15(B)(16) limits the ampacity of 6AWG aluminum THWN to 50A when in conduit, you'll be safe on that front.

HOWEVER, you must use receptacles of appropriate ampacity -- 15A receptacles are NOT allowed on 30 or 50A circuits!  This restriction comes from 210.21(B)(3) and the associated Table:

  Receptacle Ratings. Where connected to a branch circuit supplying two or more
  receptacles or outlets, receptacle ratings shall conform to the values listed
  in Table 210.21(B)(3), or, where rated higher than 50 amperes, the receptacle
  rating shall not be less than the branch-circuit rating.

Furthermore, you cannot run lighting in a dwelling unit occupancy off a 30A circuit -- this is prohibited by 210.23(B):

  30-Ampere Branch Circuits. A 30-ampere branch circuit shall be permitted
  to supply fixed lighting units with heavy-duty lampholders in other than a
  dwelling unit(s) or utilization equipment in any occupancy. A rating of any
  one cord-and-plug-connected utilization equipment shall not exceed 80 percent
  of the branch-circuit ampere rating.

You'd need to install a weatherproof subpanel by your driveway with the 6AWG Al as a feeder to do this, following 312.2 for the enclosure:

  Damp and Wet Locations. In damp or wet locations, surface-type enclosures
  within the scope of this article shall be placed or equipped so as to prevent
  moisture or water from entering and accumulating within the cabinet or cutout
  box, and shall be mounted so there is at least 6-mm (1/4-in.) airspace between
  the enclosure and the wall or other supporting surface. Enclosures installed
  in wet locations shall be weatherproof. For enclosures in wet locations,
  raceways or cables entering above the level of uninsulated live parts shall
  use fittings listed for wet locations.

Once that subpanel is in place, you could then use 14/2 w/ ground UF or USE cable rated for direct burial to run standard 15A branch circuits to the outlet box and light fixtures.

Either that, or just pull a bunch of THWN copper through the conduit (ensuring it's appropriately sized, of course), and run multiple branch circuits.  You'll need at least 2 in this approach -- 1 15A for the lighting, and another branch circuit of the appropriate size to feed your outlets.


What is used to seal around glass in fireplace doors?

The usual material is fiberglass rope or woven fiberglass tape.

For sealing glass, the rope fits in a groove, the tape is used between a flat surface and the glass with additional pieces under the clips to cushion their grip on the window glass.

The dark stuff is impregnated with graphite to prevent it sticking to the opposite surface (door seal).

Rutland is one brand with a broad selection of sizes and types.


What should I consider regarding recessed lighting above kitchen sink?

If you've got insulation in the ceiling, you'll need to get IC (insulation contact) rated fixtures -- they're also known as closed-can.  I have a small soffet built over my sink; if yours is similar, make sure that the fixture you select will fit.  Other than that, don't exceed the wattage for the fixture and you'll be OK.

EDIT: On second thoughts, use an IC rated fixture regardless of whether or not you have insulation.  Over a sink, you're likely to have a lot of steam and if it's an open-can fixture, the stack effect is going to draw much of it up into the space over the ceiling.


Movable kitchen island on glueless vinyl

I’m sure the unglued vinyl will “ball-up” when moving (rolling) the counter.

When we do libraries, we always glue the carpet down or it will “ball-up” when they push the book carts around.

You’d better find a way to “anchor” the counter down too. (When my drunk friends come over they always lean on the counter. ) Maybe there’s a caster with suction cups too.


Is Solar Heating of Pool worth it? Especially after Time of Use (TOU) electric rates are introduced?

Heating a swimming pool is pretty much an ideal application for solar water heating. Relatively small delta-t requirements in mild weather means you can get high output from low cost solar collectors, and you can make use of 100% of the output. Payoff times for solar heating relative to equivalent natural gas heating can be as short as two years.
You need to run the pump for most daylight hours, so in a San Diego summer, about 14 hours a day. You may be able to run your pump at a lower speed for circulation through the collectors, though, so this isn't necessarily a significant increase in operating cost
Time of Use billing will certainly increase the operating cost of a solar pool heater, although not to the point that they aren't cost effective compared to other options, but perhaps past the point where you feel heating your pool is affordable. However, this can be effectively addressed with solar photovoltaic; aside from your standard grid tie solar PV, a DC pump can be tied to a few small solar panels without requiring an inverter, which can be cost effective even without peak TOU billing.


Adapting onto a Price-Pfister bathroom sink faucet with hidden Aerator

3/4"-18 is UNS thread (Unified Special) which is a non-typical thread size.  I am in the same situation trying to adapt a Pfister bathroom faucet to accept a swivel aerator.  Still searching.


Error F3C on Whirlpool convection microwave

OK. I fixed my oven today. Here is how it happened:

First, I found my tech sheet, using my fingers instead of my old eyes, I located the black poly bag containing the data sheets for the microwave. (It is located behind the front grill, in the center next to the charcoal filter, in a slot also made of black plastic.)

From the technical data sheet, I found that my error code was for the Forced Convection Temperature Sensor, and that this is a thermistor, with a room temp resistance of about 230 K-ohms. It is wired with a red wire on one side, and white on the other.

After uninstalling the oven, and removing the outside cover, I located the thermistor on the left-hand side next to the heating element. I disconnected it from the control panel, and checked the resistance and found it to be correct. I checked it further and found that the white wire was shorted to the chassis.

After further examination, I found where the white wire from the sensor was incorrectly routed, and had been pinched during manufacture between two pieces of sharp sheet metal. The location of the short was just as the wire exited a hole near the right hand side top next to the HV capacitor. The wire seemed good, so I just routed it correctly, and placed some electrical tape around the worn insulation.

The convection part of my oven is working again!


When you talk of bad flow at the refrigerator ice maker I am assuming you are looking after the fill valve of the fridge .. because an open ended copper pipe should flow plenty of water - if the pipe has no restriction (clog or kinked).

If that is fine and you are checking at the fridge valve:

Fridge Valve is defective partially sticking.
Fridge Filter Cartridge is bad or defective.


Plugging in my dishwasher and water filter to the same outlet with an extender

Don't use an extender!
Assuming an extender is some sort of little 3-to-1 (or similar) gadget to just "make extra outlets", those are not normally recommended for (a) permanent use, (b) hidden use or (c) high power use.

Permanent Use - They get forgotten and they are an extra point of failure since they are just "hanging around" so they are not really attached in any permanent way.
Hidden Use - Since they are not really attached in any permanent way (screwed in), they can come loose without you knowing because they are hidden inside the sink cabinet. Loose is worse than out. If an extender or anything else comes totally out, you research the problem and plug it back in. But if something is loose then it can lead to high-resistance connections, arcing and other problems which can lead to fire.
High Power Use - The first two problems are multiplied when dealing with high power use (e.g., dishwasher when running the heating element), plus many extenders, extension cords, etc. are actually rated in the fine print for only low power usage. Not a problem (generally) for occasional use, but for frequent and hidden usage, this is a big problem.

The proper solution is to replace a single receptacle with the more typical duplex receptacle, or if this is already a duplex receptacle (e.g., split circuit - top = disposal, bottom = dishwasher) then add a new duplex receptacle next to it. If you do not need a new circuit (which depends on total power requirements - separate question!) then this should be a fairly straightforward upgrade, at least if you have easy access to the existing receptacle/box.


Is it typical that smoke detectors in adjacent apartments be linked?

It depends on your building/fire code jurisdiction, some do and some do not.  More importantly, if the garage is a separately occupied dwelling it should be isolated from the other apartment via fire-resistant materials.  This presumption (which is almost always a part of the local building code) is what alleviates the need for an interconnected alarm in the practical sense.  If it's not, I would sleep well knowing that a fire in the other unit would trigger the alarm and wake me up.


Someone was lazy and used the backstabs which are notorious for working loose over time. That would be your issue.
Use a screwdriver to take out the blacks stabbed in the back and instead connect those on the screws. That should fix your issue.
The ground wire should be connected only to a green screw or the connection marked as ground if present. But it doesn't look like yours has one. If you are worried you can replace the switch with a new one that will have the green ground screw.


What is the most efficient process for replacing water heater T&P relief valve and flushing water heater?

Turn off the water heater at its controls. Close the gas valve to the water heater (WH) or shut off power to it. Open the hot water faucet at the kitchen sink and tub or shower in order to purge all the hot water in the tank, let it run until it is cold, and then shut of all the faucets you opened. Go to the WH and shut off the water supply valve to the water heater.

Drain the WH by attaching a hose to the drain valve at the bottom of the WH and running it outside or to a floor drain or a drain that is below the level of the WH, then open the WH drain valve so that water can drain out of the WH through the hose. You will need to break the vacuum by opening the T&P valve (if it is funtional) or the faucets in the house which will allow water to drain out. It will take some time for all the water to drain out.

Once it is empty you can replace the T&P valve (this would be a good time to replace the anode rod). Then, reverse the whole process.

Close the drain valve, remove the hose, and open the supply valve so water will start to fill the WH. Leave the faucet open so all the air in the line will be pushed out (there will be air in lines at all faucets but you can bleed them out later). Once water is flowing and air is expelled, inspect the T&P valve for leaks. You can then turn the power on (for electric WH) or gas back on and relight the pilot (for gas WH).


Run conduit perpendicular to ceiling joists in garage

Sticking to the "running conduit" aspect...

Must be attached/supported within 3 feet of each termination. Must be supported/attached no less than 10 feet apart along run.

Given things that chew wires, I'd strongly suggest sticking to conduit the whole way. But if you want to you can have a juction box and change from wires in conduit to cable in the drywall. You CANNOT run wires that are not cable in drywall, and it's impractical to run cable in conduit. You CAN run conduit in drywall.


What are the factors in determining the cost of a septic system and what can I do to decrease it?

Costs range in price due to:

1) number of bedrooms: You're allowed to have 100 bathrooms plus the worlds largest living room, but if you have 3 bedrooms instead of 2, you'll pay more because the system is based on the number of occupants...and that's determined by the number of bedrooms.

2) Percolation test: "Good Soil" will decrease your cost because it will reduce size, depth, etc.  To insure the "best" test possible, I'd test in several locations...but remember you need a backup site too.

3) Competitive Bids: The best thing you can do to reduce your costs is get at least 3 bids...check references...make sure they're licensed...and don't pay upfront, pay when it's done AND APPROVED by the local agency.


Replace o-ring on Ideal Standard 'Silver' Bidet

This is the exploded view (from here)

From here, it appears the replacement parts numbers are:

Flow straightener (37) - A910212
Swivel (37a) - E960577AA
Aerator (37b) - A910287


Just to clear up one thing: most houses actually run as Split-phase which is single-phase, and a center-tap neutral. Two-phase power is a separate thing and basically obsolete.

Unfortunately, you can't connect a 3-phase device to single-phase power directly. I am not sure precisely what would happen, but I strongly suspect it would release the magic blue smoke (hint: this is bad).

You can get phase converters, these cost from a couple thousand to multiple thousands of dollars.

You'd be better off buying a single-phase PDU. Easier install, cheaper, and don't have a huge phase converter taking up a bunch of space.


There are many options, but concrete is very dense and makes a great heatsink.

You can try insulating and air-conditioning the inside, but this approach is costly, energy-intensive and overall wasteful.

If you have room, I suggest planting a deciduous tree between the building and the path of the sun.  During the warm season, the trees leaves will shade the building and keep it from warming during the day.

In winter, the tree will shed it leaves and allow the sun to heat the building naturally.

Great method, but not always practical due to lack of room, etc.

A third method would be to plant vines on the sun-ward side of the house.  This will also keep the sun off the walls and help cut down on solar heating.


How should I finish and protect outdoor wooden steps?

In high traffic areas I have always had the best life out of Siekens oil based stains. We have used this product on wooded docks as well and it holds up for 2 to 3 years. I would wait until warm weather, clean the steps up well and put at least two coats on, giving each coat 24 hours to soak in good. Boiled linseed oil is good stuff, but you won't be able to match the existing color very well.  Siekens is avail at Sherwin Williams stores, not cheap, but real good stuff. BTW, I don't work for a paint store, I'm a contractor.


Most likely you connect blue to blue, and brown to red or brown.

BUT you should really test it with voltage and continuity tester to be 100% sure you're connecting outside thread of a bulb to neutral and the pin to live.

How I understand colours of your wiring at the ceiling:

green/yellow: ground
blue: neutral
red: circut 1 live
brown: circuit 2 live

I assumed you have 2 switches on the wall. If you have just one switch, then possibly one of the live wires is not connected at all OR the opposite: it's permanently connected (for remote-controlled lamps).

And wiring on the fixture:

blue: bulb thread (must be connected to neutral)
brown: bulb base (must be connected to live)
metal thingy - if your fixture has extra screw that's simply connected to the metal body of the lamp, this is where the yellow-green ground wire goes)

About the testing you should do: With a neon probe on the wires coming from the ceiling: turn both switches "on" and verify which wires are live. Turn the switches off (or even better, ask someone to keep cycling one of them) to verify if they switch off properly and which switch is which circuit. With a continuity tester (eg. ohmmeter or a buzzer) on a disconnected fixture: check if blue goes to thread and if brown goes to base. Sometimes you can disassemble the fixture a tiny bit to simply see where the wires go.


What tools should I use to remove the tongue and groove from floorboards?

First, a disclaimer: Make sure the wood you are going to use will stand up in the environment you're placing them in. You may be better off using these with the T&G on an indoor project. Weather outside will quickly weather non-pressure treated wood, and decks typically require thicker boards than you'd have inside since they don't have a sub-floor.

For long cuts along the length of a board, the best tool is a table saw. And the second best would be a circular saw with a jig. If you don't have plans for more projects like this, or simply need to save space, then the circular saw makes more sense. Setup a jig with a long straight edge that you can run your saw along and clamp it on top of your boards to be cut.

To smooth the edges, a router would be best. You could also use a block plane or sander. I'd be tempted to get a belt sander to make this project go quick and to give me the chance to cleanup the finish on the boards at the same time. A small orbital sander would also work and have other uses around the house, but it would take a lot longer and wouldn't be as useful if you want to cleanup the finish on the boards.

This is not a recommendation for a specific vendor, sample images only.


You could try running a putty knife or something behind them, but my actual advice for removing them is to have the spackle or drywall compound and paint handy, as scars are to be expected.

Hmm - heat  (as from a hair dryer - not so much as to scorch paint) might also help loosen the adhesive a bit.

As for the left-behind adhesive the usual suspects - goof-off, paint thinner, cleaning sprays, try various things looking for one that gets the adhesive but not the paint, or wait for a more specific suggestion here from someone who's done it recently.


New basement cracks found on concrete floor and poured walls after changing and adding one dehumidifier

Thank you.

I have been following up on the cracks, they have stabilized.  I had a basement structural engineer review them along with the integrity of the walls and floor, no structural problems.  I used a joint/crack concrete sealant laying down a backer rod first which has remained unchanged.

May have pulled moisture too quickly with changing to 2 more efficient dehumidifiers as no cracks were noticed prior to this change.

Using concrete sealant to decrease likelihood of additional drying/crackingof concrete.


Do non-refillable gas cartridges have an expiration date?

They do not. Ideally the cartridges are filled with pure butane/propane. The only thing that could go bad is the container around it. As long as the container doesn't show any forms of corrosion it should be fine, there are some butane/propane containers that may leak after a certain period because of a rubber seal inside. The seal can eventually dry out and crack, causing small leaks that will drain the container, even though the gas in the container can't spoil, you wont be able to use it because of the absence of gas


If all 3 incandescents worked previously without issue (so you thought), then I'd have to say that the dimmer is limiting the current. LED's are very sensitive & require very tight limits to operate. Meaning, the first 2 bulbs are reducing the voltage & amperage to leave the third bulb unable to activate.

Your 3rd incandescent may have been dimmer than the other 2 or all 3 may have stepped down equally. Which leads to, put an incandescent in the 3rd sockets & see if it lights, it should. Then, try incandescent & LED combo's to see what does & doesn't happen.

You may be able to adjust the dimmer, very few have this ability & you'll need the dimmer's manual to do it. But, I'd replace the dimmer with a regular switch to confirm that the dimmer is the problem. If so, then get a new dimmer or keep getting them until one works. I say that because I doubt there's anything on the box to indicate any difference from 1 dimmer to another.


Ok, Class 1 wiring systems NEC article 725.49 (A) sizes and use and (B) Insulation which give you approved insulation for sizes 18 and 16. If it is 16 or larger you need to use Article 310. I would forget the 16 and use 14 nm instead. If you decide on 18 or 16 the equivalent to thhn would be tffn. Or I would check with whomever the manufacturer is and find out what they suggest.

Hope this helps


Will adding blown-in insulation to my floor cause a moisture problem?

Should not cause a moisture problem. Cellulose has interesting and useful properties with regards to moisture movement on the one hand, and the vapor barrier is still going to be on the warm side unless there's a lot of space.

Essentially, cellulose has been tested multiple times to have such low air movement through it that it effectively does not need a vapor barrier.

Blowing it in without tearing the Kraft face may require a good deal of care.


One possibility is that the contacts in the receptacle are corroded or burnt. Or there may be some other fault in the wiring or connections to that receptacle. Perhaps a loose wiring nut or an undersized conductor.

This would create a resistance. When no current is flowing, no voltage is dropped across the resistance - so you measure nearly full voltage. However when a load is connected and a significant current is flowing, a voltage drop will occur across this resistance.

This is of course a fire hazard. The resistive part will heat up considerably.

ratchet-freak's diagnostic suggestion is a good way to verify this - use an extension cable so you can simultaneously plug in a high-wattage lamp (as a test load) and volt meter. See if the voltage dips when you plug the lamp into the extension.