Best option for DIY water heater platform

I am disappointed that you cut down the old stand as it would have been acceptable as a base for a new platform. The reason the old stand was raised (as your new platform should also be) was to keep the burner elevated.

The burner is a source of ignition for flammable vapors that could be potentially present in utility areas or other low lying areas; garages, basements. In garages, gasoline or other flammable spirits are often stored, as well as vehicles with gasoline engines. Vapors from leaks or from handling are heavier than air, ergo the raised platform for the ignition source.

Some new water heaters are equipped with features that help prevent ignition of vapors, but it is still prudent to elevate and is very likely required by code, check with your local code enforcement authority.

If I were considering a wood platform, I would staple a sheet of waterproof roofing paper over the plywood top, then place a sheet of 1/2" cement board (like tile backer board/wonderboard) over that to set the heater on.


Can I Take off from top and side of a trunk line under same bay?

I think that should be fine, because the issue with the spacing has to do with static air pressure and flow right after a reduction in cross-section or right after a tap-off. I don't think the relative orientation of the tap-offs matters (opposing 180deg vs. 90 deg).


The problem is, the pretty ones you saw there are Chinese junk.  You can't safely fit a 50A switch in an Au/UK 1-gang space, it needs more airspace than that to arrest arcs.

This need for a shutoff switch is a common one, and you can use any variety of air conditioner or outbuilding shutoff switches or hot tub mini-panels.  In some of them, they are simply a 2-space breaker panel, and the breaker is the shut off switch; a breaker is the cheapest 50A shut-off switch made.

You may use any device rated 50 amps or more; there is no need to match the size of the equipment to the size of the load. The 50A breaker in your main panel will protect your 50A equipment regardless of any higher-rated devices in the chain.


Electric Water Heaters: Tank vs Tankless (Instant On) Energy Usage?

...in a modern tanked heater with modern levels of insulation, and people actually using hot water from time to time, standby losses are microscopic .vs. use. So a tankless electric is a very expensive electrical installation (huge power draw needs huge wiring and often a service upgrade to support something like 3X 40A breakers) that might save 1-3% on heating water.

If you want to save money on heating water, consider a tanked heat pump water heater - there you can get some serious efficiency that actually applies to the hot water you use. Unless you heat your house with electric resistance heat, it's a win even in the winter, (your heating source heats the air that the heat pump removes heat from to heat the water) and in the summer it helps keep the house cool "for free."


How can I close off crawl space vents for the winter?

Your louver (damper; shutter) doesn't  work so well anymore. Replace the whole thing with one made out of metal that has rubber seals where the blades contact: (solerpalau-usa.com)

A working louver should not leak (much) air or need an extra cover, however you may want to shove insulation or foam board in it, for over the winter. A custom cut-to-fit foam board taped-to it on the inside, may be a cheap temporary solution.

FYI, a vent cover with movable lovers is also a register. One without movement is a return grill, or simply a grill.

If your grills are metallic and relatively flat, you can use a magnetic vent cover: (always-free-shipping.com)


Can I upgrade my garage to 20amp service without a headache?

doomed..

Run at least 12/3, you get more current (20A per leg) and you get 240V if needed for a welder or compressor down the road


I presume you’re going to get a Building Permit to do the work. If so, I can see several Code violations that you’ll need to correct:

Incorrect height of handrail.

Handrail does not extend far enough at top of stair.

Height of ceiling on top landing is too low.

Incorrect bedroom window size. Window needs to be changed to egress window regardless if the door is added or not. (Egress window has a minimum opening width and height for emergency exiting...and emergency rescue.)

Smoke detector is required for sleeping rooms...

If you add the door, make sure the top landing remains the width of the stairway and has a depth of 36” in the direction of the stair, if the door swings out over the landing. (See ICC R311.5.4) No required size of landing is required if the door does not swing out over the landing.
Maybe the new door could swing into the bedroom.


Paralleling 8-gauge wires in a 220 volt 66 amp circuit

I heat S-16 requires a 70 amp breaker (it has internal sub breakers) this unit requires 240v at 66.6 amps. This requires a 240v breaker with L1, L2, neutral, and ground to properly operate using #6 copper according to the rep I talked to. Connecting any other way will not work at the rated 16Kw. (888)818-4328


Installing a generator transfer switch on an ITE Pushmatic panel

Interesting panel.  Ours is very similar but with a BR-style 4-throw 200A breaker above the two 7-row buses.  Ours went in in the 1980s, but prior to that the cost of those huge 200A breakers was prohibitive.
It appears your panel has the same 7-row buses, but it simply uses a larger value (e.g. 60A) Pushmatic breaker in the top position, back-fed... giving 1 main breaker per bus.
Having 2 main breakers was legal under the old "Rule of Six".
In point of fact, it's still legal under the rules for 320/400A service; those are simply connected to dual 200A main panels.  Think of yours as "That, inside one chassis" (which is also done on many 400A meter-mains).
Doing this as you intend is straightforward.
Much as I loathe those 6-8-10 circuit transfer switches, my top reason is the absurd price.  $350-450-550 for something that simple is just insane, especially given how limited they are.  But I have to admit when you're dealing with an "obsolete" panel like this, that's kinda the use-case for these things.
If only...
That said, I really wish I could get a closer look at this panel's innards. Both for academic curiosity, and because I suspect the internal arrangement is ... highly exploitable.  I think an external transfer switch could be wired to throw over one of the two internal buses to generator, giving you 12++ loadable circuits instead of 6.  It would be contingent on AHJ approval, but it seems doable.
The way I'd do it would be to have a second main panel right next to it, of modern stock, probably a Siemens 30-space main-lug with their $25 ECSBPK01 interlock in it.  I would double-feed the panel off the meter (exactly as done with 400A service).

Routine stuff, the "Utility" breaker has the same breaker size as the existing Pushmatic main breaker for that bus; the "Gen" breaker is whatever the generator needs. These breakers are back-fed.
Then, I'd come off the main lugs of this panel (which are on the breakered side since we're backfeeding) and go over and feed the top of the Pushmatic breaker in the bus we are switching over.   At this point, that half of the Pushmatic panel is switchable, as are all the remaining spaces in the Siemens panel for future circuits, modernization, etc.
The main snag I see is that the neutrals for the circuits on the generator-switched side need to be on their own neutral bar fed off the Siemens panel... but I bet Pushmatic gave you two neutral bars.
As time and leisure permits, you could move circuits over to the normal Siemens breaker spaces, and retire the Pushmatic panel for good, or simply leave it in place as a large junction box.
You could do AFCI/GFCI breakers in the Siemens panel.

Or make the Pushmatic the subpanel
Another plan would be to install the new panel as the one main panel (think $120 for the panel + $70 for a gen interlock for that panel)... and then, feed the Pushmatic panel as a subpanel of this panel.  That would place every breaker space in the entire house under the generator interlock, meaning absolutely no branch circuit rewiring is necessary; just the service wires from meter to new-main, and the feeder wires from new-main to Pushmatic.
In fact, this could be an outside panel, which would satisfy NEC 2020 requirements for outside interlocks... or even a meter-main, which would require almost no wires run at all.
Well, you'd have to run the cable to the generator inlet in any case.


Codes are usually enforced only when work is newly done or significantly upgraded. You are almost never legally required to upgrade old work to modern code, though sometimes it's desirable for safety, convenience, or sellability.

Assuming you're not having trouble with the existing setup, and you have the proper GFCI and overcurrent protection, there is no reason to change. When you build your next bathroom, they'll dedicate a 20A circuit just to outlets, so you can your hair dryer and curling iron at the same time!


Can I run wireless alarm sensor in same conduit as power?

If the wire for the switch and the bell that is in the existing conduit is carrying 110V, the answer is NO.  You can not mix High & Low Voltage in the same conduit, so you will need to run an additional conduit to connect to the second set of terminals.

Is this for your residence or for a business?  I question this as you are "playing with fire", in more ways than one.  For one, the wireless contact you reference is a water sensor.  Meaning it is designed to detect actual water, as in water touching the wireless contact.  These are often placed under sinks or behind toilets to be on the look out for a broken pipe, water leak, or flooded home.  Not for hooking a water flow device to it.

If this question is regarding a business, there is a whole other set of hoops you must jump through to ensure you are following what ever Code your local AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction) has adopted.

If this is for your home, you need to ensure the wireless sensor you purchase is capable of monitoring a Normal Open Circuit, WITH Supervision.  Many wireless sensors do not meet these guidelines.

Sorry for the long drawn out answer, but when dealing with fire alarms, you are dealing with peoples lives.  Please keep that in mind as you move forward with your project.


Tightening/loosening a screw spins the threaded screw well

Use a one-ended hacksaw and cut the screw (using a screwdriver to keep it from spinning). Once that's done, and you can remove the monitor frame, you'll be able to deal with (or ignore) the remains of the screw and well.


Is earthing required for a submersible water pump?

If earthing is provided, earthing should be used.

And a device-local earth is not sufficient.  Imagine if a fault develops inside the device, and the only way for the current to get out and to ground were through the water outlet.  As soon as you use the tap - zap.

Also, as with all devices in such an environment, an ELCB (Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker) should be used.  This monitors current in the earth wire, and if any current is found on that wire it cuts off the power instantly.

Did you know: Water is a very poor conductor of electricity.  Pure water will not conduct at all.  It is actually the impurities and minerals in the water that provide the conduction.


How to install an outdoor outlet in new stucco (not retrofit) -- with details done right

These boxes by Arlington Electric are wonderful for exterior stucco walls.

Arlington In-Box

Arlington In-Box

Quickflash part E-AIB is matching flashing product, for helping water behind the stucco pass the box without damage to the wood:


How to replace an anti-siphon spigot without access to the back end?

You'll have to cut the drywall.  Honestly if I were building the house I wouldn't do something special for this either.  I'd just drywall overtop and if there is a problem the guy replacing it can add an access panel if he wants.   It isn't any easier to do it at build stage than repair stage and you delay the additional cost for how ever many years it takes before it breaks.  Also chances are if it breaks and floods like this the drywall above around it will be damaged by the water so even if you did access panel it you'd still be looking at drywall repairs.  This sounds like a finished basement so I don't even see a significant advantage to an access panel given how often these things have to be replaced.

I do prefer to do a yard butler instead of house mounted hose bibs though as you can place them anywhere without trip hazards and they should be easier to replace and if they fail they don't damage your house.


I'm a bit alarmed when I hear you say "capped off my yellow wires".  A few ballasts do give that instruction, but not for 2-bulb use.  I fear you might be matching up wire colors and not following the schematic on the ballast.   Thing is, if the old ballast was instant-start, that will totally backfire. As you can see in these typical schematics, red and blue do quite different things on the two types of ballast.  (ignore the LED one).

These schematics are not universal, only common.  Yours is on the label on the ballast.

When converting instant-start to rapid-start, the other issue is shorting .  The instant-starts only connect 1 wire to each end of the bulb, but it goes to both pins.  This is almost always accomplished with a shorting lampholder (tombstone), which accepts one wire and connects it to both pins.

A shorting lampholder will have 2 holes for wires, but that's for daisy-chaining (as in the red wire above), not for 2 separate wires.  A non-shorting lampholder intended for rapid-start ballasts will have 4 wire holes, 2 for each pin.  The extras are for daisy-chaining, as in the yellow below.

Unless there's a visible wire to remove, there is no way to turn a shorting lampholder into a non-shorting one. You just need to buy replacements.  They are fairly standardized, and I buy mine online for about 60 cents a tombstone.  I buy only non-shorting types, it's easy enough to convert one into shorting with a wire.


Changing garage light socket to outlet, found wiring problem

As far as the GFCI code doesn't specify the location. There used to be an exception for outlets over 6.5' but I think that is gone now. I would add a new wire so you don't have the safety concern. If the walls are closed you may have to fish the wires through the walls because the old wires should be stapled to the studs and pulling the new wire with the old won't work with the staples holding them in place.


What is a single pole 30 amp breaker used for

Of course it is OK to use. What you use it for is the question.

You CANNOT user it for general purpose 15 & 20 amp receptacles.

Basically, about the only things you can use one for in a residence would be for a TT130 120V/30A travel trailer receptacle circuit.

Problem is, we see them installed quite often for 20A circuits that are overloaded and tripping. People with no clue about code or safety replace 20A breakers with them.


You could reduce the timing on one of these:

and add a double pole switch.


Typically A dimmer that can be used in a three way circuit will have a common (black) wire, and two (non-black, non-white, non-green) travelers.  Here is a wiring diagram from the installation instructions of a random dimmer.

It can also be installed as the second switch in the circuit.

As you can see, in this example the common wire is black, while the travelers are red. Without further detail about your current wiring, it's impossible to provide more assistance.


several outlets dont work on same circuit

You have a bad connection somewhere in the circuit. You'll have to pull apart the various junctions (outlets, switches, and fixtures) on this circuit to isolate the issue.

With the power turned off, disconnect the circuit somewhere that you suspect the issue to be located (unhook the load wires that go to the next junction). Outlets on the load side of that junction won't have any voltage when you turn the power back on. If the junction your testing had a low voltage issue, then you know that the issue isn't with any outlets that have no power with the load side disconnected. And if the junction your testing had the proper voltage, then the problem won't be with any junctions that still have power with the load side disconnected. Use this process of elimination to quickly narrow down which junctions could have a faulty connection.

You're simply trying to narrow down the problem in this chain, so here's an example:

breaker ---1---2---3---4X---5---6---7---

In the above, the numbers are your junctions on the circuit, and the X is your fault. Then:

3 won't have any voltage issues and if you disconnect it, 1 and 2 will still be live so they're eliminated and you'll know the problem is with junctions 3 through 7.
5 will have issues and if you disconnect it, 6 and 7 will lose power, so now you know that 6 and 7 are eliminated and the issue is with junctions 3 through 5.
assume 4 doesn't have issues, and when you disconnect it, you see 5 lose power. Now you know that 3 is not an issue and your left with the wire between 4 and 5 or in one of those junction boxes.

The trick is that your junctions won't be numbered, so you just have to keep track of what works and what doesn't with each test. A sensitive non-contact voltage tester or stud finder with voltage sensitivity can help with tracing the circuit to find the most likely places for the bad connection.

As Tester101 would say, if you're at all uncertain, this is a good point for an electrician to help. One bad connection could indicate a lot of other issues from poor workmanship, and these issues are potential fire or electrocution hazards.


Is my HVAC system one or two transformer based?

Your system only has 1 transformer, at the furnace

Given what we know (that the cable with the red wire back-wrapped at the junction point goes off to the outdoor unit), we can tell that the orange wire from that cable is tied into the Y connection (orange wire) from the cooling thermostat and the Y connection (yellow wire) to the furnace as well.

This means that the other (black?) wire from the cable to the outdoor unit must be connected to C for this to work in a one-transformer configuration, and indeed, it connects to the blue C wire going off to the furnace.  Furthermore, the red R wire from the furnace goes out to the red wires in both thermostat cables, which is also a sign you have a one-transformer system.


letting-in two-ply 2x12 girder to 6x6 beam

I've done that before many times on large beams and it works fine. In fact, forgo the reciprocating saw and still use your chisel. It'll easier than the other method because you'll be working with the grain instead of against it. Or you could use the reciprocating saw to finished the depth on   your cross cuts for your usual method.

The brace is called a knee brace and it's often of evenly dimensioned lumber, usually 4x4, and is usually attached on the face of the beam and post rather than the side. Lag screws are used for attachment, through the knee brace at 45 degree angle which is at the normal 90 degree angle into the post and beam. Usually a counter bore is used to both hide the screw head from view from the side and to provide a flat bearing surface


Can I cut or cover a sewer cleanout pipe in front of my house?

You will need PVC cement and primer, and a female pipe adapter (available at your local or big-box hardware store; measure your existing plug -- it looks like 4" in the photo).    Dig out around the pipe to get enough room to saw it off near ground level (any sharp hand saw will work).   De-burr the edge with a piece of course sandpaper or a file, and follow the instructions on the cement and primer to glue the adapter on.   Give it some time to set, replace the plug and backfill.   As @Scott mentions, measure where it is so that years from now when you need it, you will be able to find it.    If the sewer line runs through your basment, mark the location on or near where the pipe exists the house.


Installing a Bidet and now the coupling (connector) leaks. I may have damaged the connecting plastic pipe

It looks like you have "cross threaded" the plastic pipe. (The term comes from the new set of threads you have accidentally cut into the pipe, which cross the original threads at several points.)

The only repair that will work here is to force the metal nut straight onto the end of the pipe, forcing it to re-cut the original, correct threads. This will take some patience, some fussing, and some force, because the nut will want to follow the new threads, and you must keep it straight.

If this was my problem, I'd remove both the fill valve and the T adapter, and use a sharp knife to adjust the threads in the plastic fill valve. Then I would clamp the adapter metal nut in my vise and assemble the two pieces while working in a more comfortable position than under a toilet. Once the nut is screwed straight onto the plastic, it will be much easier to assemble correctly next time.

Then take it apart and carefully re-install everything.

If you can get the fitting assembled straight it should not leak as the seal is provided by the ends of the T adapter and the plastic pipe -- the threads serve only to lock everything together and do not hold back any water.

The plastic threaded part that you've damaged is an integral part of the fill valve assembly. If you can't patch the leak in place, you will have to replace the entire fill valve.


In the US you can almost always (almost... there's certainly exceptions) rely on hot being on the left and cold being on the right.  This will be the case for washing machine hookups, bath tubs and faucets.  I'm not sure if that is a code requirement anywhere, but it is almost universally used.  Switching sides would have safety implications because someone would assume the right handle was cold and could be scalded when it ends up being hot.

So...

This is the hot.
This is the cold.
These little levers are where you turn the water on or off.

Also, note that in different regions and even from house to house the valve types can vary quite a bit.  The values you have pictured are very modern and sleek and have built in water-hammer arresters.  Some houses would just have two gate valves like you would use for an outside water hose with red and blue handles.  Sometimes the two valves are linked and only have one handle that turns them both on or off.  This Google Image Search shows the wide variety of types out there.


What can I use to rigidly hang a lot of flat/paper artwork on a wall?

You could try painting it with a magnetic paint and use those strong small earth magnetics to hold the art up. The magnetic wall paint can be top-coated with a single coat of whatever colour you want.

There are a number of paints from different manufactures to choose from, some with better reviews than others. It seems multiple coats are needed, but other people report success. Strong magnets are a must.

I have not used this myself, but I have seen it used in a number of design magazines, etc.


Negative pressure in your garage is far more likely to be relieved through flimsy overhead door seals than from inside the adjacent home (presumably through the service door weather seals alone).

However, it's probably not doing you much economic good to have a fan running in the garage attic. What little energy you save conditioning your home (with its separate attic space) may be offset by the cost of the fan operation.

If your garage gets uncomfortably warm in the summer it may be worthwhile to run the fan. Otherwise, it's apparently not serving a purpose.


is it safe to remove soil from basement footing?

The footings need to stay on the originally compacted soil, if possible, surrounded by several feet of soil for support, which is also supported against subsidence.  They have uniformly settled to where they now sit. If you disturb any of them, you may end up replacing all of them and having to jack your posts (if not floors) to get everything back into level, plumb and square (as if).

I have an old (1920s) country house in which the original fieldstone fireplace pedestal was left surrounded by three feet of undisturbed soil, supported with a wall of reinforced concrete, with everything else in the basement excavated 8 feet deep for a new slab and all new footings and posts.

A structural engineer explained why we have to sacrifice those 120 sq ft of basement floorspace "forever".


Assuming it's like you describe, and you've done the work to code, that sounds fine.  With #10 you certainly won't have to worry about voltage drop.

I trust your THHN wire is also rated THWN-2.  Most is.


How to tell if light switch box is grounded

You have metal conduit connecting metal junction boxes.

All of it is ground.  The conduit, the boxes, all of it.  This is the ideal system.

Switches ground through the yokes and mounting screws. They don't need ground wires.

Receptacles are not allowed to do that unless they yoke has hard clean flush metal-metal contact with the box, and yours won't because the box is painted.  However, in the back of the junction box will be a hole that is tapped #10-32 for a ground screw.  Any #10-32 screw will do, but they sell little green ones very cheap.  Then you can just run a recep ground to the green screw.


lights off in one room, other rooms in the same circuit are fine, no GFCI, breaker not tripped

It's very typical for power surges -- either temporary shorts, or simply plugging in a high draw appliance for the first time -- to "blow out" a wire termination - typically at a receptacle or switch.

Usually, the blown out connection is a "backstab" aka back-wire connection.  This is one big reason we do not like backstabs on this stack.  Occasionally the failure can be in a screw connection (one very badly done) or a wire-nut connection (typically also very badly done, and likely secured with tape because the person wasn't very good at wire nutting, and had to hold it together with tape to keep it from falling apart).

The failure must be at the last working outlet in the chain, or the first defective outlet.  The "chain" being the wire jumps from the breaker panel to this outlet.


The sensors are needed because automatic garage doors without them (or with malfunctioning ones) can and do kill people, including children.

If your current opener has no photo-beam sensor, you should toss a 2x4 on the flat side on the floor and close the door - if it does not stop and reverse by itself when it hits the 2x4, then it also lacks (or is ignoring, or is massively misadjusted) the required pressure sensor reverse. The most likely cost-effective solution to that (other than adjusting) would be a whole new opener. The fact that your opener operates at all without photo-sensors is also an argument in favor of a new opener.

I had a main control board go bad after a nearby lightning strike which was causing the opener to try and drive the door through the floor - not a "fail safe" design on that one. You should check (and if needed, adjust) the safety systems at least twice a year, and any time the thing seems to be behaving oddly.

As for the kids smacking into the sensors, you can box the sensors into a more protected situation - and they do not HAVE to be mounted on the tracks - they can be mounted on the walls (the beam goes a little further, but the sensor is not hanging in space.)


When tiling a shower surround, how do you transition from backer board to greenrock?

Backer needs to go up at least 5 feet and extend a couple inches out a tub surround and used in all parts of a shower.  It only needs to be in the wet areas.

For tub surrounds I normally put two horizontal pieces of backer board (goes 6 feet over tub top).  Tubs are usually 5 feet in the US and backer is sold in 3x5 pieces.  I then put one piece vertically on each side (going out a few inches) plus a partial piece to meet the 6 foot back wall.  So I need to buy 5 pieces for a typical tub surround.

You meet your drywall from above and side from there.  Just a normal join.  I use mortar to fill backer to backer joins and drywall mud for back to drywall pieces.  I really really suggest tiling over your backer to drywall joins too since 1/2" backer isn't as thick as 1/2" drywall.  The tile coverage makes it easier and looks better.  You don't need to backer behind your toilet or anything like that.

Edit - I would also note that I almost always have to add 2x4s to allow me to attach the side backer boards and allow for a firm place for drywall to meet. If everything in the room is "down" then I would actually put up 2x4 after backer - so I can make sure it meets in the middle with no cut.  Cutting a 1/2 inch of backer board isn't worth the time!

Also I like a 2x4 right outside my tub external too - these are there a lot of time but not always.  Obviously I would have to put this in pre-backer install.  This is more for attaching your drywall.


You likely have what is known as a three-phase rotary converter. A quick google search will present uncounted returns for various designs. A friend of mine had one that required a kick-start in order to operate. He had a flywheel attached to the 220v motor which when switched on would not rotate until he struck it with his foot. Once up to speed, it then provided to the lathe motor the necessary power configuration to operate.

I would not begin to suggest that your configuration matches his, as his was home-spun and created without access to the internet! The links I've found have variations which may be challenging to match to yours.

One option you have is to replace the rotary converter with what is called a VFD converter. It is going to be a simpler device, with the added benefit of speed control as well as likely a more reliable bundle for your application. Unfortunately, it is an additional purchase, while you already have the devices on hand for the rotary phase converter.


Advice for replacement/repair of an HVAC with a cracked heat exchanger?

Check your unit's warranty. The heat exchangers on some units are warranteed for 20 years or longer. You may be able to get at least some money from the manufacturer, or a credit toward a new unit of the same brand. They may also cover all or part of the installation labor.
Find out whether there are any federal or state tax incentives that could help. A federal tax credit has been available in the last few years for improving your home's energy efficiency, and replacing an older heating unit with a higher efficiency model was one way you could qualify. I don't know if that's still available in 2012, but worth looking.
Your local utility may also offer some sort of incentive for installing a high efficiency unit (not to mention the lower monthly bills).
Some utilities have programs like this one, where you can save money on your electric bill by letting the utility reduce your energy usage during peak periods. (In simple language, that means they'll turn off your air conditioning for short periods on very hot days to help avoid brownouts.) This probably won't affect your choice of a new unit, but it's something that you might want to consider at the same time.


Why do I need 4-conductor cable to my generator?

This depends on whether your neutral-to-ground bonding is before or after the transfer switch.  If the transfer switch is your service entrance, you can bond neutral to ground there (on the common side, after the switch, inside the transfer switch enclosure), and do switching only for the hot conductors.  If neutral is bonded to ground before the transfer switch, then all points beyond the point of bonding are now 4-wire, and a transfer switch must switch both hots and also the neutral (not the ground wire).

You can't mix by having the utility power be one way (for example 4-wire) and the generator be another way (3-wire) because you can't switch the bonding.  It has to be either both 3-wire or both 4-wire coming up to the transfer switch.

Edit: since you have bonding at the entrance and at the generator, you need to switch the neutral in the transfer switch.  Because of that you need 4 wires from both sources in order to keep the neutral and ground separated so the two bondings are never connected together by more than one wire (it will be the ground wire).


How can I set up a timer for my motorized blinds?

There are numerous timer switches that replace a conventional switch in a wall box. For example, this is a seven day timer from Honeywell

The wiring for simple timers is pretty straightforward. Usually you simply replace the existing switch and wire the new switch the same way. Often you need to add a neutral wire to the switch, and most recently wired switch boxes have a neutral available, even if it is not currently attached to the old switch.

There are also more advanced home automation systems that combine switches with hand-held controls that can both turn things on and off, or program them to come on based on time, temperature or a number of other criteria.

If you are unfamiliar with electrical wiring, even a simple switch replacement can be daunting (or even dangerous). If you are not comfortable with this or if you want a more complex home automation system, you may want to consult with a pro, or find a friend or neighbor with some experience.

SUPPLEMENT Based on the additional information provided, you could accomplish this using two timers. Wire the first one to work the up mechanism and the second to operate the down mechanism. Set the timers to turn on for 5 minutes (or slightly longer than what is needed to fully operate the mechanism), and then off. Just make sure that both are not set to go on at the same time. Clearly mark which is up and which is down.

 Links and images are for illustration only, not an endorsement of products or sources.


I cleaned up the wires in my basement by removing the ones that were no longer being used for anything--old phone wires, TV cables, doorbells, even a security system that had been removed years ago.  This removed about half the wires I had.
It looks like some of yours could be similar.  Then, if you have some wires that aren't stapled up nicely and are droopy, you can fasten them to well-secured wires with cable ties.


Thermostat Where Do The Two Wires From Condenser Go?

Everything at the furnace looks good.

There seems to be an extra cable at the thermostat, which might be an old abandoned two wire thermostat cable.

You'll also notice the C wire just hanging out, which should be either used or capped off.

besides that, everything looks good at the thermostat too.

I'd investigate where that abandoned cable goes. I'd start by looking in/near the furnace. But based on what you've shown, I wouldn't suspect the problem is with the wiring.


Can I add another outlet to an existing load outlet?

You may need a different outlet but yes it can be done. Back and side outlets have a clamp that will hold 2 wires under each screw or 4 blacks on the hot side then 4 whites on the neutral side. Your limitation may be the size of the box and the wire size these would be needed to calculate the "box fill". Don't forget the outside receptacle will need to be a GFCI or the circuit protected by a GFCI Circuit breaker.


Should I bother with this 10-20 plug or replace it?

Is that plug safe, yes when properly wired there is no issue with that plug.
What would a best practice be when setting up a direct connection to a generator.
Change the plug to the appropriate 3 wire twist lock. The old plug will work but with motor loads vibrations can allow the plug to work out of the receptacle moving the plug from one source to another increases the chance the plug can vibrate out because of the stress on the wire being different.
The only real difference in today’s plug / receptacles is the ground lug each voltage hi / low has the ground lug pointing in or pointing out on twist locks.
a 120v 5-15 standard receptacle and plug 120v would work
Or a 6-15 240v 15a would also work but there is a higher chance for this plug to fall out, this is why I would suggest twist locks.
If you want to get fancy you could pay more and go to a 4 wire plug that is 120/240 rated but that is a waste because you won’t be changing your motor configuration but some folks have asked me to do this.
Last you are using a 5000w 240v generator, to power a pump with a book value 1657w (book values not nameplate is used for load calculations).
I would suggest to put in a simple interlock kit on your panel and an inlet to the panel and you could run your pump, refrigerator, Freezer and some lights off of that generator (my small backup generator is a 5000w welder and it runs all these loads) I turn the other breakers in the panel off and have had this setup for years. The issue I see with that large of a generator is fuel usage when not pumping.


Diagnosing Refridgerator Condensate Draining process

If the door seal is leaking or the door left open the coils ice up and when the fridge goes into the defrost cycle it can overflow the drip tray. This is one thing I have seen folks toss a good unit for when sometimes the seal just needed a good cleaning other times the seal needed to be replaced still much cheaper than a new unit.


Yes that is correct , the pipe generally burst where the water has not frozen. I once looked at burst tubes in a heat exchanger that was off-line. Individual exchanger tubes had 4  or 5 bursts each. The cold came in ( heat went out) through the baffles that were about two feet apart ; between the baffles there were bursts two feet apart where the water had not yet frozen.


How do I prevent my gable vents from clogging with ice?

I have to wonder if the bathroom vent is really "fine" or if it's failed in some manner so that it vents out of the bathroom, into the attic (rather than out of the bathroom, through the attic and out of the wall) - that would certainly add a lot of water vapor to the attic...which would be one way to clog up the vents.


What could be causing my sink and dishwasher to back up?

It really sounds like the drain line blockage is beyond the place where the basement drain exits the foundation and goes off to either the public sewer system or private septic system. Could be broken underground line, line filled in with tree roots seeking water through joints or holes in the piping, or sediment / deposits in the line that have restricted its flow.

Probably the best way to troubleshoot this type of problem is to use a inspection camera that is slid through the pipe on the end of a long cable with a camera display at the end. Some professional plumbers have these for sewer inspection. It may also be possible to rent one and use it yourself but then you do not get the experienced eye of the operator knowing what nuances to look for.


Does keeping downstairs air off at night force the upstairs hvac to work harder?

Let's change our nomenclature around to say your house has two zones and each zone has two states, occupied and unoccupied. Being able to adjust each zone so that it is only running while occupied is exactly what you are trying to achieve in Building Management System because there could be substantial savings to be gained.

This is just a fancy way of telling you that you are doing the right thing. If you're thinking about leaving them both on to compensate for warm air, it is not generally considered better than having them set as you originally stated. In my opinion, the important part would be to have your zone set at 80 to come on and cool down just before dawn during the cool part of the day rather to have it come on and try to cool when outside temperature is at say 100 and rising.

I don't think anyone can really put a fine point on this. Since there are a lot of factors to consider while trying to get the best efficiency from your system. It would be quite hard without a survey of your residence.


can i change out (2) 30-amp breakers with (2)40 amp breakers

Not unless you also replace the wires with 8 AWG wires, or whatever size is called for in the manufacturer's installation instructions.


What causes a HVAC control transformer to overheat?

Underpowered transformer
Sounds like you may not have gotten an equivalent replacement.  When looking for a replacement transformer, you should be concerned with

Input, or primary voltage
Output, or secondary voltage
Volt-amperes (VA) rating.

If the transformer is not designed to supply the amount of current needed by the components on the circuit, it will overheat and likely die. Current generates heat. The more current that flows through the transformers coil, the hotter those tiny wires get. Get the wires too hot, and they will break. Heating and cooling cycles of the transformer can cause the wires to become brittle, which can also lead to failure over time.
If you've recently added components to the system that draw power from the transformer (WiFi thermostat, electronic dampers, etc.), you may have to upgrade to a transformer with a higher VA rating. If you replaced an old transformer with a new one that had a lower VA rating, that could explain the overheating.
Short on transformer secondary
A short somewhere in the circuit on the secondary side of the transformer, could also lead to overheating.  Often times the secondary circuit has no overcurrent protection (fuse), so it can be easy to overload the circuit and not know until it's too late.


How should I add flooring in my "crawl" space?

Darvis,

I would build a deck out of wood and plywood. Use treated wood if you think there is ANY chance of moisture or insect issues.

Support your deck beams with short piers of their own. Then just cut the plywood to fit around the existing peirs. I don't see a need to tie the new deck into the existing posts. It doesn't sound like the new deck can pull away from a wall or fall over.

Whatever you do you might want to put down a vapor barrier and insulation.


Does a ceiling fan need to be wired to a switch?

There's no problem installing the fan without a switch.

In many cases folks replace a switched ceiling light fixture with a fan, so the fan uses the switch that used to control the light.   In other cases the ceiling is too high, so controlling the fan via the pull chain is inconvenient.

If you install the fan without a switch, you could always add a remote module later.  They're cheap, easy to install, and allow you to control both a fan and light.


How can I safely leave my air compressor on at all times?

I think you are over engineering your solution. It is a small 1HP 4.1 CFM compressor with a small 2.5 G receiver and 90 PSI max operating pressure. The copper pipes will not burst in your lifetime. You may have a very unlikely  leak at the receiver valve  or a more likely leak in your hoses and connections. I leave my compressors on all the time and have copper pipe to all the outlets avoid pressurising lengthy rubber hoses. I also have a pressure gauge at each outlet. Bursting of pipes and fire hazards resulting from that, are so low I would not consider them. If there is a leak, the motor will run more than it should and you will find out from running noise or moving gauges. Your motor has overload protection in the very unlikely case it runs all day and you do not notice.  Establish if it has leaks by monitoring if you lose pressure overnight. Use soap water to find the leaks and eliminate them. My tanks retain pressure for several months without any leaks or the need for the motor to run when not used.


Can I remove this paneling from behind the wall?

No need to cut the panel behind the dry wall.  You have already made the decision to cut the drywall to gain access behind the drywell.  Just cut a little more below your current cut .  Insert drill and drill up through the blocking.  You may have to use a 6 or 12” extension with the bit to drill through.  Extensions are only a couple of bucks.
There are flexible drill bit that can reach 6' or more.  If there are only two fire blocks these would work.  Use regular drill and extension for the first block.  then use flex drill bit to reach the second block.  The flex extension can pull the wire or a string to pull the cable back down.  These are used a lot to pull security wire through out a house.  Cheap one from HF cost about $8,  Good ones about $25-30 dollars.
If you have difficulty in fishing the wire through the blocks after the holes are drilled.  just cut a 3" circle above the block in the panel and fish it through by hand.


Can I install low voltage lighting in louvered wall register?

Not for ducts

The rules about wiring within HVAC ductwork are extremely stringent -- this is not due to anything related to voltage (i.e. shock hazard), but the potential for wiring insulation to overheat and smoke folks out.  I'm not even sure if you can run fiber optic cables through HVAC -- even that may be verboten.

But for a louver between rooms, this should be OK

However, since this is a louver connecting two rooms directly (no duct involved), you can put a low voltage luminaire there.  Either way, the precautions are the same: I'd use a type AC or type MC cable without an insulating jacket here, either that or a metal conduit wiring method, with the luminaire mounted to a metal box and using integral LEDs (vs an incandescent or halogen light bulb).  This minimizes fire and smoke risks.


Should I vent my kitchen range vertically or horizontally?

It shouldn't be a problem to vent the range hood out the wall, just make sure you check your local codes before doing so.  I wouldn't think this would be a problem, but there could be different laws in densely populated areas as apposed to rural regions.  And laws/codes can vary depending on your locale.

Make sure you install the vent properly, and include a back flow prevention device (unless you like cold/warm air coming in from outside).


Existing 3 wire service feed to sub panel: bonding grounded neutral and ground bars?

The three wire allowance is an exception to 250.32(B)(1), which allows existing installations that were compliant with previous code versions to exist.  If you want to bring the installation up to current standards, you can install a properly sized grounding conductor between the panels and separate the neutral and grounding bars in the second panel.

The reason you need to bond the neutral bar in the case of a three wire feeder, is to provide an effective ground-fault current path. Remember, electricity is trying to return to the source, not to the ground (earth). In the event of a ground-fault, you want the fault current to be able to have a low resistance path back to the source.  This low resistance path should allow the fault current to be great enough, so that a circuit breaker (or other protective device) can activate and open the circuit.

If you read the text of the code, you'll find that it says "the grounded conductor run with the supply to the building or structure shall be permitted to serve as the ground-fault return path". By bonding the grounded (neutral) and grounding bars in the panel, you're using the grounded (neutral) conductor as a ground-fault return path.

Hope this makes sense, and answers all your questions.


There are vinyl patch kits available, most often sold for use repairing car seats. I've had mediocre success with them.

However, since you have that extended warranty, it's definitely worth checking if this is covered first; anything you do might be an excuse to void that warranty. I suspect thst this will be considered normal wear and not covered but ya never know until you ask.


Is it safe to unplug my electric water heater daily to save energy?

I would suggest a timer like this. Additional start/stop pins can be added if you decide on adding a second on off time (or more) and you can always flip the over ride to the On position. This way your water will be hot in the morning instead of having to wait after you turn it back on.

The only problem is if there is a power outage you would need to adjust the clock face (very easy). I would suggest an absolute minimum rating of 30 amps. This model is rated at 40 and I have had excellent long term service with this brand and style.


Running wire for new subpanel in garage, how to best utilize existing wiring considering the scope of my project?

First, the 6/3+gnd cable can be pushed to 60A.  If it is certain types (NOT NM or UF), it can be pushed to 70A.

You need 2 grounding rods unless your grounding rod passes a particular impedance test which requires some expensive equipment to do.  For most people a second grounding rod is cheaper.  Those are called ground rods.  The wire from the panel to the ground rods is the grounding electrode.

You're not allowed to send 2 sets of the same kind of power to the same outbuilding. Except, your installation was approved and therefore is grandfathered. The approval was not an error because AHJs have the right to waive requirements like this.

And #1/0 Al or #2 Cu wire is good for 125A. (technically 115A but you get to round up to the nearest breaker.  You would be better off using Aluminum wire for this type of feeder, especially this much of it at this size.  You generally go 2 sizes larger when selecting aluminum instead of copper.

Honestly given that you are grandfathered as-is, I'd be maxing out the existing (free) 6/3 w/g cables before sweating any upgrades.  There are 2 legs to this:

Upgrade the subpanel(s).  Your first priority in panel selection is plenty of spaces. Then make sure both its busing and its main breaker are large enough for your feeder.  I recommend main-breaker panels because you must have disconnect switches, and you can't have more than 6 so you can't force people to snap off individual breakers. (or that would limit you to 6 breakers total).  The main breaker can be >= the feeder breaker size.
Upgrade the feeder breaker to 60A, or if cable rating allows, 70A.

Now you have 120-140A of power in that building, which is what you are after.  This will take a little bit of thought to provision power across 2 panels, but the savings are considerable over a trench-and-conduit job.


Appears to be a water valve with a hose bib connection.  Did you try to open the valve?  I would first locate the house main water shut off valve before you attempt to open the valve just in case the valve fails and floods you kitchen.
Try opening the valve and see if water comes out.  If it does, then I would shut off the house main water valve and replace this old valve with a new one.
Lowes or Home Depot sells the ice maker hookup kits that will connect to this type of water gate valve with the hose bib connector.


The proper way to address this is to turn off the water and replace both valves.

EVERY HOME OWNER should know where the main water supply enters the house and where the valve is located in their home. It may be coming out of the ground in a crawl space, in a wall behind an access panel, in the utility room where the water heater is or elsewhere.

  If there is very little water coming out from the supply valve could I
  still install/hook up the Fill Valve?

Yes IF the flow is slow enough that you can capture it in container before the container overflows.

If the flow is significant then it is not practical.

I have done this more than once. Leave the supply hose attached to the supply valve and put the end that connects to the fill valve in a bowl or bucket. This may be difficult in the small space between the toilet and the wall. You may need a small bowl and that could result in having to empty it frequently while you are changing the fill valve. Fortunately you have a many places to empty it in a bathroom.

Doable but not exactly fun, two containers so you can have one catching the flow while you empty the other.

Install a new 1/4 turn supply valve and a new braided supply line if it is as old as the valve.

Edit: Jack makes a good point about the age of the valve. If your main valve is a gate valve it is probable that it may have issues shutting off completely or getting it open again. The only way to change that valve is to call your water utility company and have them shut off the water supply at the curb main shut off. Then you can install a new 1/4 turn valve, much nicer. If you do get it back on make sure you open it all the way, counter clockwise until it stops. It can leak if you do  not. I flooded a basement once because i did not open it completely and it leaked, opening it completely stopped the leak.


Replacing Insulating blanket around oven (patching grease spill)

You'll have to find the right material, as this is certainly high-temperature insulation and you don't want to have a new fire. Where to find that insulation is off-topic here, but once it's in hand it doesn't look like replacing that small section will be too bad a job (certainly less work than you've already put in).


Do I need a wood hardener for worn door hinge screw holes?

You want to fill the hole in with solid wood. Wood hardener will harden the wood, but still not provide anything for the screw to bite into. Wood fillers won't have enough grip to hold a door...

There are several easy ways to do this. If you have some scrap wood around, you can cut a chunk out that is a bit bigger than the screw hole, cover it in wood glue and hammer it into the hole. Or you can buy a piece of dowel from the hardware store. Just be sure it's a big bigger than the hole, and use glue. Don't worry if the plugs sticks up a bit at first. When the glue is dry, trim the plug with a chisel. If you don't have a chisel, you can use a utility knife to trim the plug down to the surface.


Greek-Symbol Theta on Stainless-Steel Nut?

I'd have to guess it's the manufacturers' logo.

  In addition to the indicated grade marking, all grades, except A563 grades O, A and B, must be marked for manufacturer identification. –americanfastener.com


Conceptually what you are looking for is likely Fire Bricks depending on your location you might be able to get them from lowes, amazon etc.

That being said, all cooking indoors should be done inside a well vented stove, and there are many commercially available wood stoves that allow you to cook on the top easily.


Can I move this drain line from the wall to the floor?

This is forbidden by the International Plumbing Code.

2009 IPC 906.2: "Venting of fixture drains. The total fall in a fixture drain due to pipe slope shall not exceed the diameter of the fixture drain, nor shall the vent connection to a fixture drain, except for water closets, be below the weir of the trap." (Emphasis added.)


You haven't said how long the cable is, so you might want to punch your numbers into a voltage drop calculator and see what you get for voltage drop.

Your power tools that have a 15A plug are likely only 12A, so use those numbers.  Most likely you are fine.

You are using "Romex" informally to describe all jacketed multiconductor cable. There are a variety of types and some of them are correct for wet locations, and others are not.  You need to be using a "wet location rated" type for the section that is outdoors.

It is a fact of life that any conduit installed outdoors will most likely be full of water at least some of the time. That is why to use wet-location cable, it is made for that.


How does one typically do "Old Work" with metal junction boxes?

Look for a "fan" box. they have telescoping arms that expand to secure the box between the ceiling joists. they are designed to hold the weight of a fan, but work well for any heavy fixture.

If your fixture is very light, say under a couple of pounds, simply use a standard metal box with MC clamps and surface ears, and install "hold-it's" on the sides of the box and behind the sheetrock. See   http://meproducts.net/products?subcategory=C42   maybe one of my computer literate buds and find a better pic for you.


removing a circuit from a circuit breaker

Just turn it off and tape it so it stays off. Off does translate to completely dead and not even some stand-by power can be obtained. You never want to remove any wiring completely, regardless of your use or non-use...you don't know the future nor the future occupants. If you need the circuit for another new circuit, then your Electrician (not you) would just disconnect the old circuit from the breaker and run the new circuit.


Will these DIY steel plates for post to beam connections work as well as the commercially available ones?

What makes the commercial product better than just purchasing steel plates and bolts?

The commercial product doesn't rely on the screws in wood to connect the two sides. A sideways force would be spread over the area of the bracket, compressing a wide area of wood.
With the plates, the same force would lever the screws out of the wood.


What is this cable hanging against the outer wall?

Looks like Landscape wire.

It's low voltage cable (150 volts), so there's likely a transformer and/or control box at the other end. Though the previous owners may have taken all the landscape lighting (leaving the rolled up cable), and possibly the control module as well.  So you might just find where the control module used to be.


You have a open neutral somewhere. If you know what circuit that issue is in on:
 Look too see if there's anything plugged into any receptacles and unplug it ( or them ). If you find there was, then go back & check to see if there's still "hot" power on that white wire...
If there's no longer power on that white wire, shut that circuit off then open up the closest receptacle box ( pull out the receptacle ) and inspect it....
If the above didn't find it, go to the next receptacle and the next and so on until you find the culprit.

Open up every box related to that circuit. Even your main panel box....and you'll check to see if all the "whites" are connected on the common terminal... That's a start, and hopefully a "finish" too.

Good luckBe safe.


How can I tell if my counter top is silestone or granite?

There are some distinct differences between Silestone and natural granite. Granite is cut from slabs and always has some color and patterning differences if you look closely. Also, if you can see the bottom of the slab at some point under the counter top, you will see the machine marks (groves) made during the cutting process.  Silestone on the other hand is man made from granite chips and resins. A close look will not show the longer natural strands or runs and irregular shapes of solid colors as in natural solid cut stone. Silestone tends to be a bit more homogeneous in its overall color mix, especially seen on larger pieces.

Practically speaking, natural granite is a bit more porous that Silestone, and needs to be sealed occasionally to keep contaminates out of the tiny pores. Silestone is manufactured to be extremely smooth and non-porous and does not require sealing.


Can I demolish in a home with asbestos while tenants are living there?

Yes, there are industry accepted standards and various laws that must be adhered to. If the asbestos is this prevalent, do not attempt to remediate it yourself. Hire an asbestos abatement contractor and let them handle the compliance.
Consult your lawyer.
Consult your lawyer.


Connecting 2 GFCI Breakers to 2 Hot Leads and 1 Common

You need to install a 20 ampere double pole GFCI breaker, instead of two single pole breakers.


What is the best practice for grounding a shielded cat 7 ethernet cable?

Fibre/fiber is by far the preferred/best solution to the problem when running external to buildings.

It can be inexpensive or expensive, and that does not always correlate to quality. Typically the most afforable "fiber converter" is just a switch with SFP (Small Form Pluggable) [ or XFP slots if you have application for 10Gigabit. ]

The market has moved a great deal - at this point there are very affordable single-mode SFPs out there, and that makes the mutli-mode versions that have less range and need more expensive fiber far less of an attractive option. Likewise, the price premium for "reduced bend radius" singlemode fiber has come way down, as it's become the default single-mode fiber in many applications.


How can I reconnect home ethernet that has been terminated outside?

To activate it you will need to create a network with a hub, router or switch. If you are adding broadband Internet access, you will need a broadband router which will share Internet access with the network.

Only thing is, the Ethernet cables should be terminated inside the house (unless you are planning to share your network outside the house). Home networking equipment is for indoor use only. This solves the issue with not having an electrical outlet.


run water supply line to fridge from cold side of water heater

There is no issue with connecting to the cold supply line near the water heater.

However, there is a huge issue running plumbing through the attic. Attics are typically unconditioned spaces: they are not heated or cooled. In the winter, if you are in a cold climate, you have the possibility of freezing, and in summer, you will get very warm (or even hot) water from your fridge (the water that sits in the attic will heat up).

Having the pipes insulated will slow things down, but if you don't use this water regularly you'll still have problems.

Best to keep all plumbing running through conditioned spaces (and interior walls).


How can I determine why my lights flicker when the A/C is running?

What, if any work was done to the electrical system when you renovated and the problem started? In addition, what, if any work was done on the house in the immediate vicinity of the electrical service entrance?

Do you happen to own a non-contact thermometer (or know someone you could borrow one from?)

If this is a bad connection (and that's my guess), it will be heating itself (more or less depending on how much current loads in the house are drawing) - ie, if your microwave draws 10 amps, it's heating itself with 20 watts (10A X 2V) when you run that - if your AC draws 30 amps it will be heating with roughly 270 Watts (30A x 9V)

Lacking a non-contact themometer you can sometimes find these by touching the grounded exterior of electrical enclosures and feeling for heat. Having one means you can also look at specific parts inside the panel (but the problem may not be there - it may be in the meter box, which you generally can't open yourself anyway.)

Ideally you'd start at some point when nothing much has been using electricity in the house, or you've actually shut off the main for several hours, go around and feel/measure temperatures, then turn on the power and turn on as many loads as possible and feel/look for an area that is getting much warmer than the rest of the wiring/enclosures.

Since you are evidently comfortable in the open service panel, you can also check for voltage differences between the incoming wire and the terminal it connects to, and/or see if the voltage you measure is very different (under load) if measured from terminal to terminal or from incoming wire to incoming wire. That checks that end of the meter-to-service cables - the other end you generally need an electrician or the power company to check.

It is important to find and solve this issue before it gets worse; you're in the early stages of "how electrical fires get started" IMHO.


Is it possible to increase CRI of LED lights/strips by using different ones together?

OSRAM published an exhaustive document explaining the limitations of CRI and the case with deep red. It also describes the mixing of white LEDs with amber LEDs to obtain a high-CRI (including R9) light with high emission efficiency.

http://ledlight.osram-os.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/OSRAM-OS_WEBINAR_HighCRI_06-26-12.pdf


Only a guess but maybe you had some of the adhesive still on the wall and painted over it causing the sticky feel. If so, you may need to sand it very carefully just over the touched up spot and surrounding 1/4 inch to ensure the area is smooth. Dust off with a dry soft cloth or dusting brush and try touching it up again just over the sanded area. I would use 180grit or 240 grit where oil based paint is concerned. You may even try wet and dry paper with a little water to lubricate the sanding.

Touch ups are hard to get right but don't worry, you do need to make it ugly before it becomes beautiful and sometimes when you try to touch up a postage stamp sized area and the whole wall is only 30 square feet, believe it or not, it can be easier to just bite the bullet and paint the whole wall.


Pre-made rain cap for plumbing vent? (Preventing rust-through of galvanized pipe in the walls)

I used a quick and very cheap solution, taking a standard plastic elbow and jamming it on to form a vent cap:

This will not affect vent operation, but will keep a large fraction of the rainwater out of the pipe, potentially extending the pipe lifetime by a few decades.  This also has a presumably minor benefit of keeping rainwater out of the sewer.


Can you diagnose coolant leak in a refrigerator by blowing hot air on the back?

This is amusing.  No, I cannot think of how a hair dryer could be used as the key diagnostic tool in determining a refrigerant leak in a refrigerator.

That said, I have used a hair dryer on several occasions to accelerate removal of ice where a "frostless" fridge had a malfunctioning defrost cycle and ice had accumulated on the coils (caution: do not try this unless you know to avoid potentially heat sensitive parts).  Certain vintage GE units were notorious for this about 10 years ago.  Those units had several temperature sensors that would go bad, failing to regulate the temperature and activate the defrost when required and also they had main control boards that would go bad, failing to run the condenser fan as required.

The common signs of a leak are:  (1) The unit is low on charge, causing poor performance overall and the evaporator coil very rapidly accumulates ice progressively from one end until the whole coil is coated, and (2) trace amounts of oil around the area of the leak, although this is sometimes impossible to find.  To find such a leak these days, one would commonly use an electronic leak detection tool.

If someone knows how a hair dryer can be used for diagnosing refrigerant leaks (other than melting ice to see the coils), then please post it here so I can read it.

Edit:  If the fridge cools well and heavy frost takes several days or weeks to accumulate on the coil, then this could possibly be due to a failed electric defrost coil.  These can be checked with an ohm meter and are typically not too difficult to replace.

Edit 2:  It appears the SMEG FB30 is not equipped with an electric defrost coil and it merely shuts of the compressor to melt accumulated frost, so my comment above is not applicable to your unit.


Generally, interior drywall is easier to repair than exterior wall treatments. You haven't stated what your wall is made of, in my area the norm is stucco over lath and paper; much more difficult to repair properly.

I recommend an initial exploratory opening of the interior wall to assess damage and prospects for access and repair that way.


Is a leak in my sink drain caused by a connection that's too high?

First thing to consider is that that connection will always be filled with water, because it's presumably the low side of the trap (hard to tell for sure from the photo, but it should be).  So, that connection needs to have extra attention; it needs to be tight, but before being tight, it needs to be perfectly aligned.

One reason it needs to be perfectly aligned is because (I believe) there is often no washer at that connection. My experience is only with PVC drains, but with them, that section of pipe from the waste side is tapered at the end rather than straight, and should not have a tapered washer like all other connections.  The pipe itself will be shaped like the washers if this is the case. I think there are a number of different configurations here, so it may require no washer, or a different type of washer, or maybe a standard compression washer.

The extension piece seems to be necessary to align to the waste connection at the wall.  If properly connected, there should not be a problem with leaks.  It looks like a normal connection.


You don't need to use primer on a previously painted surface that is properly prepared, unless there is some problem with the surface that makes you concerned about inadequate adhesion.

Buy good quality paint with high white pigment (titanium dioxide) content and you will be (or would have been) fine. Apply 2 coats of paint if it doesn't cover for some reason (like poor technique or wrong applicator). What is this obsession with primer, do people just like to spend more money??


How to install level wood header under sloping garage door opening

The new lumber door header will not be structural.  Go ahead and frame the door rough opening plumb and level with your lumber and spacers.  Use shims to snug it up to the concrete.  Get creative with your trim to conceal the imperfections.


What is the small blue wire in my 240V air conditioner cord?

That blue wire is likely testing the integrity of the ground and if not connected correctly, will not allow it to work. ACs like this create static electricity and that needs to go safely to ground. The 240V will work fine without it, so that blue wire is making sure that you have a good ground connection before it allows it to run.

Along those lines, when you say you tested it with a multimeter, what did you test? The fact that you seemed to think there was a "neutral" on a 240V circuit kind of indicates you don't know what to look for. You need to have 120V from either hot pin to ground, and 240V from hot to hot. There is no neutral. So if you measured no difference from one of the hots to ground, thinking that was neutral, that's your problem. One of your hot's is open. That would explain why your AC is not working.


Is the power source a simple transformer or a switch mode power supply?  Changing the bulbs from halogen to led should greatly reduce the current draw so I doubt the lights are the cause.  If you have a power supply, a cap or other component inside it may have aged and changed tolerance enough to cause an internal overload... the power supply went bad.


Is it safe to flush expired food down the toilet?

Depends on the type of food.

Just because it will "go down," that doesn't necessarily mean that it's ok to flush it.  Grease is a rather popular example.

Unfortunately I don't know that anyone has compiled a list of all foods that will clog your pipes or otherwise damage your plumbing, but here's a start:

  Oil and butter
  Mayonnaise and sour cream
  Cheese
  Sauces and dips
  Salad dressing
  Cake frosting
  Pie dough
  Gravy
  Turkey and chicken pan drippings
  Fat remaining on plates from BBQ’d steak

http://www.elocalplumbers.com/blog/clog-prevention-tip-5461

Grains also aren't good, as they will expand as they soak up water.

If you want a safe place to dispose of a little extra food, imo, toss it in a bag and make a trip to a convenience store.  Toss it in the trash, go in and buy a soda.  The food that would've stunk up your trash can is gone, your toilet isn't clogged, the convenience store guy is happy to have your business, and you're drinking a soda.  Life is good.  :sunglasses:


No, drywall does not wear out. But holding excessive loads on anchors in drywall is a guarantee of failure. Drywall anchors do tolerably well in shear (loads downward, like hanging a picture) and fairly poorly when yanked on/outwards repeatedly. Once they move at all, they will quickly crumble until they come right out. Nor are they at all good for anything more than a small, lightly loaded shelf, and dubious at that.

If there's no stud where you need to support a troublesome load, and especially if you are already looking at repainting due to needed drywall repair, open the wall up more and put blocking between the studs to support the loads, then repair the larger hole by standard drywall repair methods.


Light switch with power to the light first

Depends on the location and age of the building. Modern U.S. code usually requires the presence of a neutral wire in all switch boxes.

Look at the number of conductors entering the switch box. Two conductors, both connected to switch terminals, means older style wiring, and you are out of luck. You'll have to run the new circuit from the light.

Three conductors, one capped off with a wire nut, means newer style wiring, and you can draw power from the switch box. The capped white wire is the neutral, and one of the connected wires -- usually the black one -- is the hot supply. But check everything with your favorite diagnostic device to make sure.

As always, be careful not to touch any wires when diagnosing a live circuit, turn off -- and verify that it is off -- the power at the breaker box before handling the wires, and never change or install anything until you are certain that you know the path and purpose of every existing wire.


Can I cool my south facing wall by spraying it with water?

Evaporative cooling is less effective in places with high humidity. There are mathematic formulas for how much water will be needed to cool a specified surface area by some number of degrees and they are not simple. The wiki article on this has some good information. It would be good to get some idea how much water will be needed before heading down that road.

Before I went that direction I'd look into something that is a one time cost vs. a recurring cost:

Planting trees to create shade.
Awnings - there are a variety of types. Some have the ability to retract and deploy based on the time of day.
Reflective coatings on windows
Vertical trellis (linked as an example, not an endorsement)
Painting the wall white, or a very light color.
Build a porch with a roof

Or some combination of the above.


Is it necessary to paint over window glazing?

The product I most often use for glazing wood sash windows (DAP 33 Glazing Compound) must be painted or it will shrink and pull away from the glass.

Unfortunately the stuff takes a while to firm up, like at least a week. If you mess with it before it skins over and firms up, it will deform. Also, because it is an oil-based product you have to paint it with oil based paint (or you can use oil based primer then paint over that with water-based paint). You should lap your paint over the line where the putty meets the glass, to seal the gap between glazing putty and glass.


Looking for alternatives to AutoCad to make floorplans and interior elevations for my kitchen

I personally use Google SketchUp to model both the interior and exterior of our house.  It may not have the depth of features you're looking for but if you're going for open source freeware that's pretty usable out of the gate you can't go wrong.

As a side note, I have seen some people use Blender to do modeling, though more for in-home manufacturing.


Putting this trick first but it is my last resort.

To find wiring when I don't have my scanner, a simple stud finder with a voltage alert. Turn all the other circuits off then using the stud finder watch for the voltage alert to light up.  You can get within a couple of inches of the wire path through the walls and figure out where it goes. I have used this method several times where I was not planning on doing any electrical work.  It is cheap and works well but you do need to turn the other breakers off for this method to work well.

To answer your question, here are my normal methods to trace wire and find circuit breakers.

I use a Greenlee CS-8000 it injects a signal on the wire and can trace wires through walls and even conduit. This tool is expensive ($995) and not worth it for homeowners.

When I am doing telecom I use a less expensive toner/tracer again made by Greenlee but there are lots of low voltage toner/tracers both of the above can be used with no power on the circuit or live. (The wand style for telecom is limited to phone line voltages not 120 volts.) These need to be in close proximity to the wire to use on 120 v wiring & the breaker needs to be turned off.  These are less than $100.

The last circuit tracer I use is the cheapest made to find circuit breakers most of these cost ~60$ and require a live circuit to work you plug into an outlet with the transmitter and use the receiver to find the correct breaker.


How can I remove the cartridge from my kitchen tap?

Right, so I sorted it. Will post solution here for anyone else who comes across this weird fitting!
Basically the threaded part is actually kind of a nut. So use a wrench to twist this anticlockwise, whilst trying not to ruin the thread!The cartridge then just pulls out.


How do you encapsulate vinyl asbestos tiles and black mastic in a home basement?

I would fill any voids where there are missing tiles. If you want to paint the tiles that encapsulates it but the underlayment foam for the floating floor will be enough to do the same. If you do not use a underlayment foam the flooring will wear through paint and even some less expensive epoxy paints so a quality underlayment helps in the long run to decouple cold, moisture from the slab.


Is there some sort of formula to determine how many bricks I would need to build a completely new structure?

A standard brick is 8" x 2.25" x 3.5".  Ignore the 3.5" as that's how thick the wall will be.  8" * 2.25" is 18 sq. in.  A square foot is 144 sq. in. (12 * 12).  144 sq. in. divided by 18 sq. in. is 8.  But I left out the mortar.  It's possible that the mortar on six bricks is equal to about two bricks.

Another way of looking at this is that each brick is two thirds of a foot.  So you need a brick and a half to make a foot.  If you stack bricks four high, that's nine inches without mortar.  Add three quarters of an inch of mortar to each brick, and four bricks is exactly a foot.  Now, I think that three quarters of an inch is a bit much, but you also have sideways mortar that I didn't include.

Anyway, if we assume they know what they're talking about, you have one square foot of wall is six bricks.  If you want your wall to be seven feet high and ten feet wide, you need 7 * 10 * 6 = 420 bricks.  That's $546.

This answer did the same thing with four 8' tall 14' long walls and got a total of $3494.40.

I think that the confusion is that you were trying to make a cubic foot wall.  But that's not what they mean.  They mean that a square foot of wall surface takes six bricks.  So when looking at a piece of wall and measuring out a square with one foot to a side, you'll count about six bricks.  Roughly four rows of one and a half bricks each.


How to stop fridge water line without stopping everything else?

If you're up for it, I would install a valve in the wall while you have the water shut off.  When you're done, you'll have a separate shutoff for the fridge and your bathroom available again.  To make it look nice, I'd go for a valve box that you mount in the wall:


Can I wall-mount a TV when there is an air gap between the drywall and the wooden stud?

Case 1: Bridge Air Gap By Fastening to Building Structure With Overhung-load Bearing Fasteners
The air gap problem is quite common: The sheetrock on many walls I have encountered doesn't contact the studs everywhere.  So, when you tighten down a TV mount to the wall, the drywall deflects toward the studs.  You can easily cause cracking of the drywall, particularly when there is a seam in the area.

The principle of the solutions in this case make use of a fastener's ability to support an overhung load.

The fastener and the building structure have to be strong enough to withstand the torque created by the downward force of TV and Mount acting over the distance between the drywall surface and the building structure.
Case 1.1: Use Hanger Bolts
Assuming you find wood building structure in there (furring doesn't count here because it will twist under the torque), I recommend hanger bolts.
Use a spade bit to clear a hole in the drywall big enough to accommodate a nut flush with the surface of the drywall.  Then put the mount over the hanger bolt and tighten another nut down on that.  The first nut will keep the drywall from deflecting toward the wall.  Size the hanger bolt larger than normal because of the overhung load.  From your description I would guess that 4x 1/4" hanger bolts would be adequate.
Make sure you pilot drill for your hanger bolt or you risk splitting whatever wooden structure you're screwing into.

Case 1.2: Variation for Concrete Construction
I've also encountered furred out concrete clad in drywall (common in highrise condominiums).  In that case, the same principal as Case 1.1 applies, but use "drop-in anchors" and a threaded stud instead of hanger bolts.
Case 2: Fasten to Furring with No Air Gap
Sometimes drywall is attached to and is in contact with (i.e. no air gap) furring.
Case 2.1 Furring Attached to Building Structure
Where furring is attached directly to the building structure, drive multiple wood screws directly into the furring.  If there is some hard material behind the furring, ensure that the screws are short enough. Otherwise they can jack the furring from the building structure when their points impact cinderblock or concrete.

The principle of this solution is to transfer the load to the building's structure directly through the furring.

Case 2.2 Furring Dubiously Attached to Building Structure
Where furring and drywall are creating their own structure, drive multiple wood screws into the furring to fasten your TV mount.

The principle of this solution is to use the furring to distribute the load to a large area of the composite structure of furring and drywall.

Drywall itself is rather heavy, so if the wall is able to hold itself up, there's a good chance it can hold up your TV to provided you distribute the load over a large enough area of drywall and furring.


Running AC/Heater when washing a cleanable filter

It is not advisable to run the a/c without a filter in place nor to run the washable one while it is wet. Damp may be OK but not wet.

The best practice would be to get another of the washable filters and rotate them. Alternatively get a disposable filter that you use while the washable filter is drying.

You could speed up the drying process using a shop vac to pull water out of the filter, but then you would have water in the shop vac and you have to dry it out. Don't put a shop vac away wet; it will grow mold.

Alternatively you could dry out the filter by first shaking it gently, then pressing it moderately between two towels or terry cloth bath mats, then going over it with a hair dryer, but be careful not to overheat it.


Of all your designs, the last one certainly has much to its credit. If you use sheets of plywood to create the individual inverted-U shapes, you'll gain that much more strength. Consider a combination of the design previous (with the gussets) and cut your shapes to include an arc to the inside of each leg. This provides for contiguous transfer of forces as well as looking good.

Alignment is unlikely to be critical in your application, but you'd want to have as clean alignment as possible. Drilling holes in each plate in the same location, then pinning the layers with a dowel rod will make for ease of assembly. Once glued together, you can glue the dowels in place or remove them as you like.

If your plywood source is recycled skateboard planks, your work will resemble the last image that much more!


Ground fault causing main breaker to trip

Probably Not
Note: US-centric. Basic principles apply elsewhere but due to different implementation (e.g., whole-house RCD), this may not be the case in some places around the world.
The key is that ground fault and regular breaker trip are two very different things.
Regular Breaker
The basic premise of a regular circuit breaker, whether a main breaker for the feed into a panel (typically between 60A and 200A), a circuit breaker for in the panel for an individual circuit (typically between 15A and 40A) or a circuit breaker built into a device (e.g., a surge protector - not the GFCI type in a hair dryer) is monitoring the total current flowing through on the hot wire to see if it is over the limit.
A regular breaker will trip in two modes:

A lot of current hot to neutral
A lot of current hot to ground ("ground wire", not "the earth beneath your feet" - because it is very unlikely to get a lot of current flowing through you to the earth beneath your feet because you are not a great conductor. Well, maybe if you were Leonard Bernstein.)

A regular breaker will not trip if there is a normal amount of current, even if it is enough to kill an elephant. Or a herd of elephants.
The dramatic quick trip (within 2 seconds of a problem) is from a short-circuit or a near-short-circuit. Examples include turning on a breaker after replacing a receptacle or switch with a bare ground wire touching a hot screw, animals chewing through a cable (hot exposed touching either neutral also exposed or ground or metal conduit), certain modes of receptacle, switch or appliance failure, etc. Technically speaking, in these cases it is possible for any breaker in the sequence (e.g., both the branch circuit and the main feed) to trip. Generally speaking, if the branch circuit is small (e.g., 20A) compared to the main feed (e.g., 100A), the branch circuit will trip first, providing protection to the affected circuit without turning everything else off.
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter - GFCI
A GFCI doesn't look at the total amount of current. It looks at the difference between the hot and neutral or (on a US 240V circuit) between the hot wires. The idea is that all current should go into the hot & neutral wires and no place else. That "else" is "ground". Ground in this instance does not necessarily mean the ground wire. It can mean the earth between your feet. A GFCI does not trip (except if it burns up, but that's not the same) simply because a lot of current flows through it.
A GFCI is primarily for life safety. A small amount of current is enough to kill an elephant - or a person - if the current goes through the heart. One hand on a hot wire, the other hand in a sink full of water, and you've had it. It doesn't take a lot of current (so it doesn't trip the regular breaker) and it doesn't take a lot of time. GFCIs act very fast and with a very low differential in current.
A GFCI will trip in a few modes (using hot/neutral 120V as an example, but similar for 240V):

Current leaks from hot to ground wire. Now hot < neutral.
Current leaks from neutral to ground wire. Now neutral < hot.
A person or animal touches a hot wire - current leaks from hot through person to the physical earth. Now hot < neutral.

The first of these would also cause a regular breaker (circuit or main) to trip. But it will only do so if the total current is large. That happens if there is a real short circuit. Anything short of a real short circuit (where the regular breaker will do the job just fine and the GFCI isn't needed) and the GFCI will catch it and the regular breaker won't.
A GFCI will not trip if all the current in the hot wire matches the neutral wire. Stand totally insulated (thick rubber shoes) and touch one hand to hot and one to neutral and GFCI will not activate. Thanks to the resistance of your body, your regular breaker  won't activate. When someone comes over to your spasming body and touches you, then the GFCI will activate, saving them but probably too late for you (do not try this at home!).
The end result is: Regular breakers (circuit or main) catch a different type of problem than GFCI. Both are important for safety. They are complementary, not redundant.


Anything is possible, but my bet is on a thermostat transformer. Typical (US) thermostats run on 24V AC. Typical doorbells (though there seems to be less consistency than with thermostats) use 16V AC.

Get a multimeter. Test the voltage:

24V - Thermostat
16V - Doorbell

Something else? Post it here and we can try and figure it out.


What's the best lubricant for a refrigerator water dispenser switch?

You could try silicone grease. It's usually used to lubricate O-rings. It's food safe. You can  buy a small container at the home store for a few dollars.


Do these swamp cooler pads need replacement or cleaned?

From the looks of those wet water filter pads I do not think I would want air sucked through them to be circulated around my house.

Get some clean new ones. They are not really that expensive.


Least Destructive New Heating System? Hot Water or Air?

I would maintain a hot water heating system for the increased comfort. Forced air is actually quite uncomfortable to people but it is cheap to install.

Just google "ideal heating curve" and you will see the many graphs comparing different types of heating systems. Like here. And here.

So you can choose, save money now and suffer or spend more now and be comfortable.

Good luck with your project!


How do I stop a creek from eroding my steep embankment?

This is often a complex legal situation due to regulations that affect (in many parts of the world) what you can do in or near a body or stream of water even if the land next to it or around it belongs to you; not to mention the fact that you are fighting with a force that has literally shaped the planet, and it's inexorable and quite capable of undoing many things you try to do to stop it, if, in fact, it is even legal for you to try to do those things. If the stream also is a property BOUNDARY, the legal implications of trying to move it get even more complex.

The "wire mesh" you describe is most probably gabions, which are empty wire cages which are stacked and filled (pretty much by hand, which has taken a novice contractor or two by surprise, to their cost) with rocks. Another common technique is "rip rap" which are simply large rocks layed over the face.

Your only legal option in many places would be to think about moving your fence back before it's undermined. Trying to get plant material established on the eroding slope is another approach, but many jurisdictions are less fond of people planting highly invasive species often selected in the past for that purpose, so you may need to stick with native/local species. Or, you may be able to perform some work after having hearings/meetings with the Authority Having Jurisdition over such activities in your area (conservation commission, department of environmental protection, etc.)


Do I really need a newel post at every change in direction in a banister?

The handrail is primarily a safety device, so make sure you don't sacrifice that goal to save a little bit of work now.

Based on your description it doesn't sound like the spindles will really contribute much to the lateral (sideways) strength of the railing. So if you omit the intermediate posts you need to make sure the top rail is constructed with enough strength that the C shape is strong enough to support kids running into it it, elderly people supporting their weight, people leaning against it, etc.

I believe the IRC requires railings to be able to support a 200 lbs load at any point in any direction. If you think you can build the top railing with enough strength that someone can push on it with 200 lbs of force, go for it. Personally it seems like it would be a lot easier to add the extra posts.


I had a closet once that wasn't particularly shallow, but it did have 3 closet bars mounted front-to-back, and I found the multiple bars very convenient for organizing my clothes.

The left and right bar ran between the front and back walls (the closet had a swinging door in the middle, not a full-width sliding door), and the middle bar's front end was suspended from the shelf above by a triangular wooden bracket (perpendicular to the bar). The middle bar was half the depth of the closet, so you could walk in and reach the side bars easily. Note that the shelf was supported by wooden rails fastened to the wall on three sides, not just shelf brackets on the back wall; the whole system felt quite solid.

I think a design like that would work very well for the closet you describe, and all of the parts were wood, so they could easily be made to fit.

If you are interested then I could make a drawing of the design as I remember it, or perhaps even arrange for a photograph.


Drainage fix: Flat concrete slab up over my vinyl siding by 2 inches. Is this acceptable?

From your question the part that jumps out at me is that you say it is flat.  Also that it is above your vinyl siding.

I recommend first that you examine where it comes into contact with the vinyl and add some clear silicone if there are any gaps.

Secondly, since you say it is flat, I would recommend you go out there with a hose and see how the water flows across it.

You didn't mention if this is catching water from elsewhere or maybe from a roof above, but with the hose you should be able to simulate a rainy condition and then be able to make a determination about whether the fix is going to work for you.

Good luck.


Tankless Electric water heater Electrical interference

From the Rheem website for this model:

  "Most advanced self-modulation, adjust power to meet hot water
  demand."

Most likely, that means it is using an SCR based controller (solid state power controller) to do variable power control of the heater elements and the phase-angle firing of the SCRs is causing extreme line noise and harmonics that is affecting other devices when it is on. Not a lot you can do about it, but in small doses as a HW heater would run, it's not particularly harmful. If it is causing severe negative effects that you can't stand, you could try having someone install a Line Reactor or an Isolation Transformer ahead of the HW heater. That will not be inexpensive though.


I am in total agreement with @Lee Sam, but with a different fix. As a mention, since the one side is shorter than 3', when coming down the stairs with no landing, the angled wall will crowd the walk path. The squeaking landing was a fix for that.
IMO, the original landing has to many moving parts, maybe 30 to 50 individual pieces to make up the landing you had. Each one has a potential to squeak. The fix I would recommend is to do the same thing with MUCH less material.
Using 2X8s or a material that will get you to the level of the first tread minus 3/4" to allow for the subfloor, rip the material to the width needed to bear on the concrete(?) floor and allow room for the subfloor. This at least should be done all around the perimeter, 5 pcs total, not including the blocking or extra material needed to fasten the part to the original riser. These "nailers" will then be screwed straight into the wall framing with 3 1/2" screws with the material tight to the floor. Other joints can be screwed too. To fill in the middle, you could use more of the same material ripped to width, but it is an extra effort that is not needed, but if you choose to do so, it is only extra time and money for material. I would use 2X6s at 16" on center to span the short run since that span can be handled easily by the 2x6s, It will not matter which way you run them, either way it will be strong, choose the way that works best for you. When fastening them in place, "toe screw" the pieces in by angling the screws in from the side of the 2X6 into the nailers. 3 screws per end or use joist hangers to aid in their support, but use the screws for the anchors, not nails. The action of nailing will cause things to separate in places you will not want to separate, still creating squeaks. Then set the 3/4 subfloor.
As a final layer, I would use a 1/4" piece of plywood underlayment to cover over the whole assembly, original tread and all.  Doing this will unify the surface for the laminate floor, while keeping the code required difference of one tread to another less than 3/8".


1.5 inch male thread drain coming out of the wall. How do I connect a plastic p trap on it?

You need to find the rest of that trap or purchase a new one. If you can not find a trap that matches yours you will need to cut the old stuff off and start with a new trap kit. I have found even 30+ year old plumbing matches up to brand new pieces. Take this photo to a plumbing store or big box and they can set you up for 3-15$. The house ghee price if you have to cut and replace the lower for the bend with a nut.


How to get up deck boards with rusted screws, want to plane and reuse the boards so the screws have to come out

You could try heating some screws with a sodering iron until the wood smokes.  Maybe the burnt wood will be less grippy.  Let them cool back down before you try getting them out.  Not sure the cosmetic outcome from this will be better than your drill scheme, though.
Could try a blob of penetrating oil on top of screws and leave it sit overnight.  Maybe slippery wood will be less grippy.  That wood is probably thirsty after 25 years and the oil should soak in ok.


How do i hang shelving on drywall over concrete

I would get some prefinished 1 x 4's and glue them with construction adhesive (liquid nails) to the drywall vertically to provide a solid surface to fasten the shelving to. Place one every 16 to 24 inches and you will be fine.


whirlpool top load washer stops at rinse cycle, can open and then shut lid and then starts

I'd agree with Ajeh. Check the Lid Switch connections, including the ground right near the switch. I'd throw in a new Lid Switch and see if the problem continues or disappears. They're usually cheap and you may be able to shift the drum around enough to not take anything apart.

The only other culprit, I'm familiar with, would be the Control Knob...it directs everything. In some cases those can be very pricey, so you'll have to decide if it's money better spent on a single expensive part or a whole new washer.