I think the most likely cause is that a part of the subfloor has split/broken. You can attack this from below (messy!) or from above (hard to cut hardwood out nicely). The solution would be to support it from below, probably with  lumber screwed between joists (though there are many ways to do it).

If on the off chance you have a joist that's bad enough to require jacking, I'd suggest you have a bigger problem, as joists don't "go bad" after 100 years.


Necessary to insulate the ceiling of a conditioned crawlspace

In a conditioned crawlspace the home and crawlspace are at nearly the same temperature.  The insulation is on the crawlspace walls and “floor”.  The heat loss through the floor will be very small.


In the panel just pull the wire off the dead breaker and put it on a breaker of the same ampacity that is working.

If there is already a wire on that breaker, check if the breaker is listed to accept 2 wires (a few are, e.g. pushmatic).  If not, then pull both wires off the breaker, wire-nut them to a 6" pigtail, and attach the loose end of the pigtail to the breaker.

The other option, not quite legal, is to get a power cord of same gauge as the circuit. A power cord can be obtained by chopping the socket end off an extension cord.  Have the bare-wire end of the cord enter the panel via a properly sized strain relief.  Pull the hot off the defective breaker and its partner neutral (must do both). Nut them to the hot and neutral of the power cord.  Then plug the power cord into any working receptacle.

Now, why use a flexible cord and not Romex? It's illegal to use Romex for line cord.  And it is illegal to put a plug on Solid wire cable.
Why make the Romex-cord splice inside the service panel?  Because it has to be inside some sort of junction box, gutter or panel, any would do, just the circuit already goes to the panel.
Why neutral too? Imbalance of currents / eddy current heating / other badness.  Always have the return current (neutral) in the same cable or conduit as the hot(s).


How big of access panel for DWV cleanout

An 8X8 will work great. These clean outs are rarely used, and should the occasion arise, the cavity around the clean out can be packed with towels around the perimeter of the pipe to keep what possible goo from getting out of hand.


The thing I can't understand is how it's possible if I have a siphon that always keeps a high level of water such that it blocks the passageway of air...

If the building vent gets clogged, then waste falling through the common downpipe can suck water out of your U-bends/P-traps.

The solution is one of

Get the building supervisor to fix the vents for the common downpipe(s)
Add an air-admittance valve to the plumbing for your apartment.
Replace your traps with anti-siphon traps.

Also, If you leave a sink/bath/shower unused for a month, the trap can dry-out by evaporation. This is mostly solved by pouring a litre of water down the unused sink/bath/shower once every few weeks. I read that some people add a layer of oil (maybe a tiny quantity of vegetable or mineral oil) to slow down evaporation.

Linked examples for illustration only, seek local equivalents.


Installing a 4 wire timer on a 3 way/3 wire outlet

Your timer is not set up for a 3-way switch; it is missing the blue wire. You need to get a timer switch that has the blue wire.

In the diagram, "GROUND" is the green wire.


What can I do about 2x4 wood expansion joints that are above the surface of the concrete?

Not knowing what you use this concrete pad for, you could take the plywood out and fill the gaps with polymeric sand. Once you water it in, the sand forms a locking pattern that resists weeds and is fairly easy to replace if it cracks.


Why does my drill bit destroy the screw head?

It is possible that there are several reasons for the screw head destruction.

You may be using an electrical tool that is not at all suitable for driving screws. Some tools designed for drilling holes are not going to offer enough torque at a low enough speed to properly drive screws. If your tool starts out with a huge burst of speed it can almost certainly lead to immediate stripping of the screw head.
You are using the wrong size driver bit for the type of screw that you have. If the screws are Philips head be aware that there are multiple sizes of drivers such as #1, #2 or #3.
You may attempting to use the wrong style of driver with the type of slot the screw. Do not mismatch the likes of Philips and Pozidrive. There may be other specialty type slots that are also similar but require the proper drive bit selection.
It may be that you are not properly aligned with the axis of the screw. Proper installation of screws with a driver requires that the driver be directly in line with the axis of the screw.
When driving screws with a power driver is in necessary to apply a pressure on the driver to properly keep the driver bit in the screw slot. Without proper pressure the bit can run out of the slot and strip the screw head.
It is possible that you did not properly prepare the medium into which you are trying to drive the screws. With many screws you will need a pilot hole in the area where the threads are to engage with the medium. If you are attaching another piece to the base medium you would want to provide a screw body clearance hole to the mounted piece. This can actually result in a stronger screw joint as well.


What is the name for the section of vertical tiling underneath a bay window?

As odd as it may seem, it's a roof. A bay window roof. In the picture you provide, it's actually a roof for the lower bay window, as opposed to being part of the upper bay window.


How should I connect my new motion-detecting light switch?

Run cable from the panel to the switch and another from the switch to the light. Connect the supply cable black to the switch's black wire with a wirenut. Connect the light cable's black wire to the red wire with a wirenut. Connect together the white wires with a wirenut , not connecting to the switch. Connect together the the green wires along with a separate short piece of green or bare wire with a wirenut. This short wire goes to the green screw. The yellow wire is not connected; cover the end with a wirenut.

At the light, connect black to black, white to white and green to ground.


Is it a problem that I see daylight through my shed's soffit?

My shed has (better-sheltered) gaps.  I believe my shed's gaps are on purpose, to enable air circulation.  This prevents mold and mildew problems in the unheated space.

I am surprised that your shed has fiberglass insulation in the walls, but not in the ceiling.  With no heat, and so many thermal bridges and air gaps, I would be surprised if the insulation noticeably affects the temperature inside the shed.


This is a pop rivet, not a bolt. It can only be removed destructively.

Drill out the center with a drill bit meant for metal (as opposed to a brad point bit, for instance) until the flange come off. Use a bit roughly half the diameter of the flange.

When the flange breaks free, it will get stuck on the tip of your drill bit, which you will then remove with pliers.


I found this, which looks like the right one. You didn’t list specs so I just went off of looks. Called a Non-Nema.


What type of block should I use for a small retaining wall?

It really depends mostly on the look you are going for, any kind of retaining wall blocks should work fine.  The most important thing is making sure that you put down a good foundation for the bottom row of blocks.

Make sure to trench it out a bit, put some gravel in the bottom of the trench and sand on top of that for good drainage and to prevent frost heave (if you have frost in your area).  Level it out nice and put down the first row of blocks.  Once you have that down, the rest is easy.


Help cutting/squaring floor joist for shed

Practice, practice, practice. Very few people are born with circular saw skills.

Your blade guard issues might be a crummy saw, or you might not be coming in flat and straight. Make sure it moves smoothly and clean/lube it, if needed.

Wood being oversize is just one of those things. As long as you don't get less than a 10', you should be happy.

Regarding the undersized by 1/8" bit, you could probably ignore it, or cut all the rest of your pieces to match. Chances are you won't notice it either way.

If a guide board is working for you to get square cuts, then keep doing that. Otherwise, see the above about practice. For what it's worth, a sharp blade won't try to wander like a dull blade will.


Is it acceptable that mastic was applied as a blob on the back of tiles in shower stall?

The mastic should have been put on with a notched trowel. A notched trowel is the industry standard and the best way to ensure the tile will be secure and seat at a uniform level. I would not want a hack job in my bathroom, I hope a backer board was used or at least green board.


Definitons of various sand, gravel, and rock products

I can't answer from a building perspective, but I from what I recall (working from memories over a decade old) from my geotechnical engineering classes:

over 2 cm : rock
2cm to 2mm : gravel
2mm to 0.2 mm : sand

Then you get to silt and clay at smaller sizes.   I might be wrong on the boundary between rock & gravel, as the wikipedia page for gravel lists the upper limit o gravel at 64mm / 2.5 inches, and the lower limit of sand lower as well.

You also see terms like 'coarse aggregate' and 'fine aggregate' when dealing with concrete mixing (fine tends to be sand or rock dust, coarse is larger).

You've already seen the 'smooth' (aka 'river rock', aka 'pea gravel' when small) vs. 'crushed' (aka 'sharp') issue.  Smooth will always leave voids and won't compact well, so I'd assume it'd be better in drainage situations

There are also products available that are of mixed grade for better compaction (I've beard it called 'crusher base' or 'crusher run'), which are intended for compacting before your sand course for patios and the like.  In some areas, you might also be able to find recycled crushed concrete.

I'm not going to get into larger rock products, as there's just too many (flagstone, slabs, blocks (dimensional stone), tumbled blocks, cobbles and pavers, riprap, decorative boulders, etc.)


How can I lay moulding around this ceiling protrusion?

You might not have to create a fully vertical face to apply your crown. Crown molding is usually either 38 or 45 degrees (with some exceptions, so make sure and check) and it looks like the wall angle is greater than that so all you need to do is create a flat spot for the foot of the crown to land on. Here's a drawing:

I wouldn't recommend 1/4 round because it always looks like you're trying to fix a mistake and it shows all the inconsistencies in the wall/ceiling. Hope this helps.


How do I fix bumps in carpet that only appear when it's warm and humid?

You need a building campaign for A/C and the operating funds to run it.

To verify that as a solution, rent commercial water damage dehumidifiers for a few weeks, and see if you can reduce the bumps.

Something like MovinCool might do the trick.


What's involved in an electrical inspection to obtain a Certificate of Occupancy?

As others have said, what is involved depends on the jurisdiction.

Many homes were built before there were building or electrical codes. Many never got a certificate of occupancy. Most buyers (and their banks and insurers) now require a C of O or its equivalent before a sale.

However, most jurisdictions recognize that it is generally not practical or necessary for older houses to come up to all current standards to be considered safe and occupancy worthy. Some jurisdictions offer a certificate of existing use in lieu of a certificate of occupancy.  This acknowledges that the building predates current C of O rules, but does indicate that basic requirements are met.

Exactly what will be required is jurisdiction specific. I just went through this process for a house being sold in a suburban community in New York. The house was built in 1905. While the house originally had knob and tube wiring, it had all been converted to either armored cable or non-metallic cable over the years.

The electrical inspection focused on

no exposed wires (finished spaces)
no dangling or unconnected wires (unfinished spaces)
no open junction boxes
no uncovered outlet boxes
adequate grounding of the main panel box (usually to water pipes or ground rods)
circuit breakers (no glass fuses)
presence of smoke and CO (carbon monoxide) detectors

In some jurisdictions, even old knob and tube may be allowed on existing circuits if it is undisturbed, appears sound, and as not been added to.

A common approach taken by inspectors is Does the work conform to code/standards of the period in which it was done?

Note that this type of review, often called a visual inspection, is not the same as an underwriters inspection, which involves a much more rigorous examination and has much tougher regulations.

For some items and in some jurisdictions upgrades will be required if the work or condition is considered unsafe, even if it would have been acceptable in a previous era.

Ultimately, you need to check with your local building department for the exact criteria they will follow. In most cases they try to be reasonable and recognize that historic homes are not going to be fully rewired to bring them up to current code every time they are sold.


What disadvantages do thermostatic mixing valves have?

I would say that the advantages are number one,  it’s comfort, you’re not constantly going back and forth trying to adjusts to get the right temperature and in the process you probably use less hot water and that being the case it probably saves you some money on energy.  Also the main disadvantage, if there’s a problem with it, it’s pretty expensive labor wise and material wise to dig them out from the wall and repair them.


How to cover a window well seamlessly so I can project TV onto that wall?

I saw a relevant thing at hackaday.com You can paint a large piece of hardboard and use that to cover the wall.

http://makeprojects.com/Project/Glass-Bead-Projection-Screen/685/1


Building an elevated deck over 6x6x6 posts, a beam made of 3 pressure treated 2x8x16' is too narrow

Getting the right size bracket isn't a problem, if you go to Simpson Strong Tie web site, or other comparable brand, you'll find a part number to fit your beam and post sizes.  Look at the PCZ6.  Or on this catalog page, the CC4.62-5.50:

http://embed.widencdn.net/pdf/plus/ssttoolbox/ef6qdoh2bf/C-C-2019-p090-091.pdf

Just make sure that the built up beam you made is adequately sized for the load.  A built up  beam made from three 2x8's may be strong enough for your deck but it is not as strong as a 6x8 beam.


How can I get my cupboard doors to close after installing new hinges?

Plain hinges with no springs cannot keep doors snug up against the cabinet even under the best conditions. At best the doors sort of "float" near the fully closed position. More often than not the doors drift open slightly. You need some sort of catch to use with plain hinges. There many sorts, usually relying on some sort of spring or magnetic device to hold the door closed but release easily when pulled upon.


No... & Yes... ?

perhaps you need to think this through a bit because ultimately you know (or will know) the wiring better than us.

In USA... Black "should be" HOT. White "should be" NEUTRAL. There should be a ground, you should use it. With that out of the way (noting that these are not always straight forward facts)...

Where does your supply come in? How do you intend to switch the lights on and off? If the supply goes through a switch, and your fan is currently wired to it, what do you suspect is going to happen when you switch that switch for the lights? (the fan will go off).

If the FAN has a remote, then it doesn't necessarily need a wall switch (but personally, I'd keep one anyways), however the lights will need a switch too... Right? You would need to add a switch for the lights. You can re-purpose the existing switch, but you'd still have to run a always HOT/NEUTRAL/GROUND to the fan (from a supply).

You have not mentioned how you intend to control the lights. If the supply side goes to the fan, then to the switch and back to the fan, then you can add lights off of the fan box provided you do not overload the box, or the circuit.  If the supply goes to the switch first, as is often the case, then you need to run another feed out of the switch box, to the fan, or the lights.


Adding an additional fixture to an existing three way switch

You can't.  Not with steam switches.
You will need to switcheroonie over to "smart switches" for this to work.
You will need smart switches that communicate either wirelessly or via powerline signaling. You won't have ANY spare traveler wires.
On the inter-switch 3-way cable, you will reassign all 3 wires to new jobs, which will be obvious.

White = neutral (smart switch and lamp need this)
Black = always-hot (hot at all times, the smart switch needs this)
Red = switched-hot (hot when the lamp is on)

Both lamp hots get attached to the switched-hot wire.
Both lamp neutrals get attached to neutral obviously.
One of the smart switches attaches to always-hot, switched-hot and neutral.
The other smart-switch attaches to always-hot and neutral.
Often the layout of the 3-way circuit dictates where the master must be - but not this time. You can have the master in either location here.


I used to work for Lowes and I believe you’re referring to the cordless cellular shades that you can control from the top or bottom in order to maintain privacy and allow plenty of sunlight in as you mentioned, or you can put them all the way up from the bottom, and even play with color/ filter options. Not may drawbacks that I can remember. They are typically mounted inside the window frame, as long as your window allows for inside mount you should be good to go.


Most building wood, esp. PT which usually has a very high moisture content should be stacked with stickers between the boards vertically and a half inch - inch or so between them horizontally to allow for air flow. Also best to store high moisture content wood outside, but covered only on top (like a wood shed). (posted as an answer at the request of the OP).


Is it legal to torque-seal terminal screws on electrical equipment?

I don't know of any restrictions for the use you are proposing. In fact I have used it myself. Mostly for time clocks so if we can tell if someone is jacking with it.


Before you consider the attachment mechanisms, you need to consider the structural design. There is a problem with the current version if it is intended to be load bearing.

A structure that is basically a vertical parallelogram is inherently unstable. The joints serve as pivot points and the top of the structure can effectively slide sideways and collapse.

A standard approach is to create a triangulation that prevents a sideways shift. This can be done with narrow structural members set on an angle or with a side panel attached at multple points or rigid attachment to at least two walls (or a combination of these items). Any of these techniques can prevents side shift.

In your design, you really need at least two non-opposite sides with this bracing, and preferably all four sides.

Once you do that, there are numerous techniques for attachment. A relatively easy one is the use of t-nuts

Bolt holes are drilled through two members, a t-nut is placed on one side of the hole and a bolt and washer on the other. The t-nut is embedded in the wood and the bolt can be removed with a simple wrench.


Nope, a 2 ply 1-3/4" x 11-7/8" LVL can't span that long with this much roof on it. With a 19' span (and completely guessing on the roof span and live loading for your area) you're looking at at least a 2 ply 24" LVL or a steel beam that would be impossible to install at this point.

The best solution to open this up is to run a 3 ply 11-7/8" LVL full length but with an intermediate support in the middle making two 9.5' spans with 1 beam. The intermediate bearing post will have 18,000+ pounds on it, so you'll need a PSL or steel column.

You'll also need a new column the same size directly below it in the basement. Your existing strip footing won't be able to handle a point load that large, so you'll probably need to pour a new pad with a bunch of rebar there, and that size changes based on your soil type and conditions.

So like the other answer said, get a contractor or an engineer to help you. I'm making educated guesses on everything based on one photo and knowing you want a 19' clear span, so take that for what it's worth.


Replacing old mechanical line voltage thermostat with Caleo from Casa Connect

I followed the instructions from Casa: I made A1 go into the new thermostat and then out into the blacks of B1 and C1. Then I connected A2 directly to the whites of B2 and C2. This DOES work—the thermostat did power on but the heaters were turning on and off every 3 seconds. I have since learned that CASA DOES NOT support fan-forced heaters :(

For anyone interested, I did find a smart line-voltage thermostat that does support fan-forced heater: https://getmysa.com/.


Should I use 1-inch pipe for water main?

Comparing the pressure drop between 50' of 3/4" and 1" PEX...going up to 1" saves 1 psi at 5 GPM flow rate, and 5 psi at 9 GPM and 7 psi at 11 GPM (when you hit 10 feet per second in 3/4" PEX, a velocity which shouldn't be exceeded). In other words, you need to have pretty significant concurrent demands before the pressure drop in that pipe run becomes noticeable (or where pipe erosion from high velocity becomes a concern) - like filling two tubs or taking four showers at the exact same time, plus running a dishwasher or washing machine. It's possible that with so many kids that's actually a reasonable concern for you, but for the typical household there would be little benefit.


Installing a ceiling fan into a socket with 3 wires jammed into the socket

I have a couple of observations and concerns.  First, it looks like this is a shallow box with conduit or EMT connectors. The looping conductors are usually a sign of continuous run THHN.  I also suspect this could be a 3-way switched circuit or the yellow is being used as grounding/bonding conductor.  However testing must be done to confirm these suspicions.

The other concern I have is the ability of this box to support the weight and torque of a fan. Depending on how strong the mounting is, you may want to consider a weight rated fan mounting box. If the box is not securely mounted, your fan will be unbalanced and wobble, at worse, it will pull the box out of the ceiling and drop. Perhaps they don't show in your pic, but I don't see any screws mounting the box to a framing member. If it is secured in place by the conduit only or a flimsy side ear mount, it will not work well for a fan.  Check it out carefully.  Good Luck.


Can I put my pressure tank over 200’ from the well head?

Should not be a problem. Pressure tanks are best located in or near the structure served, not near the well-head.
Mine is ~400 feet of pipe from the pump (300 up and 100 or so sideways.)


Here is the deal:

No matter how you wire things, you normally need to have two wires. One with the outgoing current and one with the return current. Otherwise you will get inductive heating of any ferrous materials.

If you split a neutral (return the outgoing current back to the source in a separate conduit) you will get inductive heating.

So, to answer your question, the neutral at point A may or may not be joined. This is a fielder's choice since all of the current leaving the panel on the black wire is returning on the two neutrals so the net current (algebraic sum of the current) in the conduit from the panel to point A is zero. However, it is bad technique to have more than one neutral return to the panel per phase conductor. It could be confusing to a future electrician.

This is the key: The algebraic sum of current at any point in the system must add to zero to avoid inductive heating.

Good luck and stay safe!


How do I wire two separate 3-way circuits from the same power source?

Here's a typical three-way switch with power to the switch box:

You'll do just that. With the second circuit, the neutral (white) simply nuts with the others.

For the hots (black), add two pigtails to the source hot and run one to each switch, just as you normally would. Easy peasy.


GFCI outlet - Why no green LED indicator?

If it is supposed to turn green and doesn't, it is faulty. Replace it.


Water seeping through where pipe exits slab foundation

I prefer all slab penetrations to be sealed, especially if you are in an area where radon is such of concern to require a vent. Your local building code should spell out what is a locally acceptable material to seal the penetration but any sealant with draft stopping capabilities and made for wet areas should do the trick.

As to the water under the slab, nearly all of us have water under our slab, just some deeper than others but enough water for intrusion through the slab, crack, or otherwise in to your home is very concerning. The fix depends on a novel of conditions that could be causing or allowing this to occur.


Can I have an MWBC plus another circuit in the same junction box?

Yes - but you must carefully mark the "Sets of wires" to associate them - specifically to tell the next installer which hot(s) go with which neutral.
I'm a little gobsmacked that you know all about MWBCs but you seem stymied by not knowing how many amps a sauna draws vs how many amps a toaster draws.  Not rocket science.
You have some "dedicated circuit" problems here.
First, the furnace requires a dedicated circuit, as per NEC 422.12. It can be one half of an MWBC, but the downside is, if something trips the other half of the MWBC, the furnace is out for the duration.  MWBCs must land on handle-tied or 2-pole breakers.
Getting the furnace off the MWBC might be a worthy addition.   Make that a simple 15A circuit.
Kitchen receptacles also must be on dedicated circuits, and they must be 20A.  But they can still be one leg of a MWBC.  You may ask "Can I run a MWBC with a 15A and a 20A leg?" The neutral would need to be #12 wire, but - aw heck, who cares? Since your house is conduit, you can simply upgrade both legs of the circuit.  Certainly the (12A?) sauna will be better off on a 20A circuit than a 15A.
The wire typically used is THHN wire, and it's readily available by-the-foot many places.  Note you cannot remark a white wire to be hot, so you'll need appropriate colors.  Gray is an acceptable "alt" neutral color, but not all places sell that by-the-foot.


Joist size calculation for attic loft conversion

I don’t know anything about metric, but I’ll try.
The “Tables” you refer to have footnotes that are not available. I’ll assume the footnotes qualify the loading, etc. Because the Tables indicate “Maximum Spans for Floor Joists” I’ll assume they’ve added a dead load factor and live load factor.
I don’t know why you’d want to use “Northern Species” or “Spruce”, when you live in the middle of Douglas Fir Larch country. However, I’ll try to answer your questions.
So, Douglas Fir Larch grade Select Structural 2x8’s at 16” on center spanning 12’ can support 40 lbs. per square foot (psf) live load plus 10 psf easily.
Likewise, your Table says Northern Species (whatever that is) 83x 400 can support a floor load spanning only 2.41 m. with a grade of Select Structural.
Likewise, your Table says Spruce can only span 2.85 m. with a grade of Select Structural.
So why not use Douglas Fir Larch. It’s probably what’s in your local lumber yard.


Can I install a plug on a hard-wired cooktop?

Canadian practice is very similar to US practice.

Stoves and ovens typically live on a 40A or 50A circuit.

It is common to provide receptacles for them, but 40A receptacles are not made, so the (US) National Electrical Code has a special exception allowing 50A receptacles on 40A circuits.

Sometimes the oven and stove are separate, but on the same 40A or 50A circuit, in which the NEC allows two receptacles to be provisioned.


Should I be concerned with my back flow valve pit filling with water?

The fact that the water is seen in the pit only after a rain is a good thing, meaning your water table is not the problem, because that would mean a sump pump for sure.  I think you are just seeing this because the valve is only 2' from the wall.  Normally, it was dissipating.  You had a good wall/slab system that wasn't leaking until a hole got poked in the slab for the repair

Some grading of the soil alongside this wall for better runoff might be in order.  Any drainspouts nearby?

Some ad-hoc pump automation in the pit would give you some peace of mind until you can get outside for some landscaping.

Self contained sump pump

To verify gutters-to-storm drain are intact and not leaking down at the slab level,
Put a bottle of easter egg dye into the storm drain connection.  If you see the color in the pit, I would disconnect the downspouts and direct them into the yard.

A pain for mowing, but the flip up ones work well. In our area, downspouts were connected into the floor drains and thence to the sewer. In the 1990s, we had to cap the connection with concrete or face a fine.


Will this work for breaker box location after remodel

The good news is that your proposed closet is big enough
The good news about your plans is that your proposed electrical closet is indeed large enough to house the clear working space for your electrical panel (30" wide by 36" deep, though not necessarily centered on the panel), as well as a future subpanel adjacent to the existing panel and sharing its working space, as long as the existing panel is 6" deep or less, which is true for just about all residential loadcenters.
Keeping pesky storage out ("Do this, Don't do that, Can't you read the signs?")
The main issue with your closet plans, like with dedicated electrical closets in many commercial spaces, is the penchant for people to not know that the NEC means what they say when they talk about clear working space for panelboards.  In fact, NEC 110.26(B) explicitly says that electrical working space shall not be used for storage:

(B) Clear Spaces. Working space required by this section shall
not be used for storage. When normally enclosed live parts are
exposed for inspection or servicing, the working space, if in a
passageway or general open space, shall be suitably guarded.

To this end, a sign on the closet door reminding you and yours that it's an electrical closet and not a storage closet:

would be wise; these signs are available both as vinyl decals for use on solid doors, or as aluminum signs that can be screwed to a solid or slatted door, and aren't all that expensive in the grand scheme of things.


I disagree that the problem has nothing to do with the safety sensors...in particular, the optical beam which is placed near the bottom of the door.
Check and make sure there aren't cobwebs or leaves or any other crud on the emitter and sensor or hanging down from the door itself which could fool the door into thinking there is an obstruction.


What to ask an Electrician when upgrading a service and adding circuits for a kitchen remodel

You shouldn't have to ask anything.

Simply provide an outline of your plans in diagram or list format. Any competent electrician should be able to infer your needs from there and ask any simple clarifying questions. If there's any confusion at all, find a better electrician. This is pretty basic stuff for a professional.


It's quite likely that 3-4" screws will grab hold of the framing behind that top hinge and pull it tight, completely fixing the issue.
It's possible that you may need to loosen the screws in the middle hinge, tighten down the top hinge, then tighten the middle hinge screws.
Also, be on the look out for any nails or screws that hold the casing against the framing. Usually, when a door is installed, the opening is 1/2 - 1" wider than the door casing so there's plenty of room to get the frame nice and square in the opening. This extra space is filled with shims to hold it in alignment, then it's nailed or screwed through the shims to hold it steady. It's these screws/nails that I'm referring to. They may have been covered with wood putty before the frame was painted, so they may not be very obvious.
If it was nailed into place, the nails may be slowly slipping out of place, but the heads are remaining buried under the putty. As you pull the frame back straight, it may actually pop the nail through. This will be obvious, and you only need to hammer it back in, then use a nail-set to get it below flush. Some putty & touch-up paint and you're done.
If it was screwed into place, the screw could cause the casing to bow as the threads hold the casing in place while your new, longer screws pull the hinge back in line. Use a long straight edge to detect this. The high spot will likely be a screw location & a magnet should confirm it. You may have to scrape some paint & putty away, loosen these screws, tighten the ones in the hinges then drive these back home.
Finally, do not try to bend the hinge. It won't fix this problem and it will create new ones.


Can't remove ice tray from GE french door fridge

DO NOT use a hair dryer in your fridge.  I've seen it many times where people destroy the fridge because they get the plastic too hot and it will actually melt.

If you have a big cooler, load it up with all of your stuff, turn the fridge off and leave the door open.  This should melt any ice that is stuck there.  If you leave the freezer closed and don't open it, don't worry about taking your stuff out of it. It'll stay cold for quite a while on it's own.


There are many reasons an oil furnace will trip out. The control box is looking at Flame, draft, fuel supply, water levels in a FHW system, heat exchanger (water) temps, fan function (FHA)  fyreye, etc. A problem with a circulator pump will cause an water high temp shutdown for example.  A one hour service call from a licensed tech probably would have cost less than replacing a bunch of parts that are not the problem.  My advice is always to consult a pro unless one is equipped with the knowledge and tools to do the job.


Is 1/2 inch plywood over 3/4 inch subfloor adequate for 12x24 ceramic tile?

I suppose if the floor won't get wet, it would be perfectly fine to just lay the porcelain tiles directly over the plywood with thinset.

If the 1/2 top layer plywood was glued to the 3/4 plywood, then it's effectively a 1-1/4" plywood.


What could have caused these step formation cracks in a plaster wall?

It could be settling. I see from the window sill it is on an outside wall. You did not mention how long the cracks have been there, but I would go outside and check if there is any water damage happening at the foundation level, missing siding, etc., to rule out settling from decay. Otherwise those cracks, I would say are normal in many cases for a wood lath and plaster home, which should be the case for your 1929 home. The cracks follow the typical way the wood lath is installed.


Under Cabinet LIghts - Anything Exist That's Not Harsh White?

What you are interested in is the color temperature rating, rated in Kelvins.

Lower K rating is redder (2700K Warm White), higher is bluer (5000K Daylight).

LEDs and fluorescent tubes use phosphor technology to produce the light and by changing the phosphor mix, unlike other lighting, can be made available a wider range of Kelvin ratings.

If you're already using T-8 (1" dia), T-5 (5/8" dia) or T-4 (1/2" dia) tubes, you might get by just by changing the tubes out from the Cool White or Daylight color you describe for Warm White.

I wouldn't bother if you have T-12 (1.5" dia) tubes, these bulky old, larger tubes require more power in both the ballast and the tube to produce light. Best to swap to LED lighting, pricing has come down and the fixtures are a lot smaller.

Kelvin ratings of common lighting:

Candle 1800K
Tungsten Incandescent 2700-2800K
Tungsten Quartz Halogen 3200K
Cool White Fluorescent 4300K
Bright Sunlight 5600K

Standard 4 ft T8 Warm White - F32-T8-827

Note: Technically, there are two types of LED systems out there, Native color LEDs that emit a certain color of light due to the elemental makeup of their PN junction and White Light LEDs that emit UltraViolet light and use phosphors embedded in their plastic casings that fluoresce in the visible spectrum to convert it to perceived white light. The first are specified by the nanometer light wavelength emitted (color), the second by their Kelvin rating.

White Light Phosphor LEDs most closely approximate the spectrum of lighting we are already acquainted with.


How to keep buried deck posts from rotting

I'm answering from Australia so building practices may be different.

I'd call your builder and insist that he come back and install the footings properly. Post brackets are expressly to keep the posts above ground so the bottoms do not rot.

Installing them below ground is not a very good idea.

Edit

This need not be a difficult fix but it is my strong view it is the builder's responsibility. I'd wait for a time when the ground is reasonably dry. It will be a pain in the butt.

Instead of replacing the footings:

Support the deck on jacks / trusses.
Dig out around each post footing until the top of the existing footing and the bracket is exposed.
Cut off the bottom of the post at the desired height, 4" - 6" above grade, or in line with local best practice .
Unbolt the cut end of the post from the existing bracket.
Obtain and, to the top of the existing bracket - bottom of the post, bolt an extension bracket. If some diligent fossicking at the local hardware store does not turn something suitable up you may need to get them fabricated. They should be externally and internally galvanised(a).
Into the existing footing drill 4 x 5/8" holes at a 6" pitch ~12" deep.
Smack a 2'(b) length of 5/8" rebar into each hole.
Box the top of the existing footing to the appropriate height.
Apply concrete.
When cured release the support jacks(c).

a.  This is a must. Copper Arsenate is a typical pressure treatment. In direct contact with steel (iron), depending on the pH of your soil, weird electrolytic things can happen.

b. The top of the rebar should be ~2" below the new top of the footing. 2' is a guestimate. Adjust appropriately.

c. Take some care with this. The post bracket extension must be installed firm so that the deck does not sag when the support is released. You may need to shim. A small piece of fibre cement sheet works a treat.

Good luck.


Stove Burner Gets too hot? But not switch

Somewhat similar models have been recalled in the past, however your model IS NOT listed (yours is Model Number: FEF368GCE, I'm assuming).

  Hazard:  Depending on the model, the surface heating elements can 1) turn on spontaneously without being switched on; 2) fail to turn off after being switched off; or, 3) heat to different temperatures than selected. This poses a fire and burn hazard to consumers. –smoothtoprangerecall.com

I have never worked on, or even used an electric stove. I suggest contacting the manufacturer. I might leave out the part about not using OEM parts, then again that could be the problem... if it's the wrong resistance or something, that could certainly be it.

(perhaps the element is fused or broken, but that's just guess work)


Sharing a receptacle box 220v with a 3 wire and 4 wire appliance

In a code free world, you would need a 4 wire receptacle and two plugs to match. You'd wire the welder with four wires as needed and wire the compressor with the three wires in the other plug and not connect the terminal for the fourth wire.
I don't think you can't do this. You shouldn't jury rig plugs and outlets like this. The other major problem is the 60 amp breaker. If either one of your pieces of equipment failed, they burn up before your 60 amp breaker tripped. They would literally have no protection.  Do this right and run two circuits, protecting them individually. If this run is in conduit, running two circuits would not be that difficult.


You cannot siphon water uphill. If two reservoirs A and B are connected by a siphon hose, water will flow from the reservoir whose surface is higher to the one whose surface is lower.


How can I join two solid surface vanity tops for a seamless appearance?

The makers of those tops will have the seam adhesive to join the tops permanently.
If they are anything like Corian by Dupont, they want to protect their warranty. You may need to do some convincing to an installer to sell you the adhesive you need. It can be done, I have done it before. It takes a router or a belt sander to get the joint down flush after the glue squeezes out.

More later if you go that route.

12-9-13 addendum

The bond is really strong, but it is always best to insure the joint is stable on both sides. This can be done with silicone under both halves. While silicone is still fresh, position your halves and use shims from the underside if needed. From the looks of it you may not have the luxury of getting a clamp block at the back edge but you may at the front. Have everything ready, and clamp the front and shim the back like you are ready to glue. Get it right at this point after this step there is no turning back. Use a straight edge of some sort to insure surface are flat and true. Remove all clamps that block access to the joint. apply your bonding cement and reset the clamps. The stick(s) I have referred to are small hardwood scraps, maybe 1/2" square to 3/4" square and 4 to 6 inches long. When this is placed on the glue joint it will spread the glue a little, but it will sand out with the rest of the joint.

After all this is said, any of this is for worst case scenario. If the joints line up perfectly as it sets on the cabinet, which it looks real good in the picture you offer, all you need is to apply the glue and let it set which will only take minutes to set, and hour to finish.


How can I get this light fixture to light up?

The pictures are great. To my eye it does appear you've wired the 3-way switches correctly; I think you're right that neutral is missing. You can confirm by measuring voltage (with the multimeter) between black and white at the light with the power on. Measure voltage from black to ground there as well. Do the same check at the switch #1 box: measure voltage hot-neutral and hot-ground. For extra points, connect the light fixture and then measure voltage between neutral and ground.

It seems likely you'll find ~120 V hot-ground at both locations and some floating voltage hot-neutral. If you have the light connected you'd probably also see ~120 V neutral-ground. All of these conditions point toward neutral being open somewhere along the way. You're probably going to have to chase this upstream of switch #1.

Content of other boxes

I count four cables in the bathroom switch box. It looks like the pair in the middle are the switched lines to the light and fan; the outer cables must be the supply coming in and going out.

The hallway switch box also appears to contain four cables. Since there are 3 switches and no /3 cables, this box must be the end of the line for the circuit -- there isn't a cable carrying hot and neutral on to anywhere else. The neutral bundle looks a little suspect - the stripped part of one conductor goes down much lower than the others do, which makes me think it may not have been pushed up into the wire nut as far as it should have been. It probably just slipped down while you had the wire nut removed, and anyway this does seem to be end-of-line.

Focus on getting neutral working at the switch #1 location first. It's probably easier to reach than the light is, and you also have an always-hot wire there. By measuring the unswitched hot to neutral you avoid the risk of accidentally collecting false data (ie measuring at the light while the switched hot is turned off).

Could there be any outlets in this circuit? Verify neutral continuity through those too.

Tracing conductors

You may have come to the point of tracing out conductors. There are many ways one could do this, most of them laborious, and with various levels of risk of shock or equipment damage.

Measure resistance. Do this with a de-energized circuit. Disconnect both ends of a conductor and measure the resistance of the conductor. Do the same with other conductor(s) in the same cable. This helps to confirm that a cable goes where you think it goes, and that all its conductors have continuity. If the meter leads don't reach you can extend with some wire, an extension cord, alligator clips, etc. Could also measure loop resistance, for example: short black to white at one end and measure resistance between them at the other end, then try shorting black to ground and do the same.
Use a cable tracer. In the world of telephone and Ethernet there's a tone generator and inductive pickup kit often used to trace wires. This can be used for tracing mains wires too. Even though the tone generator can withstand the 90 volt POTS ring voltage, this probably should be done with the circuit de-energized.
Use a test lamp. This is done with the circuit live; appropriate precautions must be taken. One would open up the connections in the switch boxes, identify which cable brings the hot (and neutral) and start adding back one cable at a time, using the test lamp to look for hot and neutral showing up at other boxes.


Should loose underlayment nails be driven in or removed?

Are they ring shank nails? If so you should be ok hitting them back in. If not, I would remove and use deck screws to fasten the subfloor back down.


Filling Gap Between External Door Frame and Wall - For Securing Strike Plate Screws

You could put some shims/wood filler/bondo in there, but it's 90% cosmetic. (The remaining 10% is that it would resist an attack with a prybar, but realistically, if someone is coming at your door with a prybar, you're doomed.)

The screws (assuming they're long enough to bite solidly into the framing), will do what they're supposed to do with or without filler.


How can I reduce the noise of a street in front of the house?

I use a white noise generator while sleeping.  These devices can provide a neutral sound that is fairly relaxing, while drowning out most of the street noise.

This isn't a 100% solution, but it's something that sits on your night stand/dresser and doesn't have to cost a lot.  It can also be taken with you on vacation.

These usually have multiple options for sounds, so if you like trains, ocean waves, birds, or whatever, there's probably a setting for you.  Mine has 11 options (IIRC), and I use the rain storm option exclusively.

I think I've even heard of phone apps to do the same thing.

You might be able to get a white noise generator device with an oil/scent option, to further help relaxing.  This is usually a paper or cotton pad that you put scented oil on, which has a tiny fan to under it to spread the aroma.  I never used it, but it's something to think about.

FYI, pink noise is not white noise.


Safe to install vinyl plank flooring under appliances?

LVP (luxury vinyl plank) floors will not warp, crack or otherwise damage by the weight of home appliances, and being a plastic, they're waterproof and impermeable, so moisture will not affect them.  This leaves temperature as the only issue with LVP.  They also have the least thermal expansion rating of all floating floors, having a rating of 0mm of expansion (none) in normal room temperatures.

They tell you not to install any floating floors under appliances only because you are tacking them down by weight and they could possibly fail to expand in any 2D direction if you lay the planks down with appliances on both ends, so they may tent.

If you leave a standard expansion gap for the flooring to expand in at least 2 of 4 directions, you will be absolutely fine.  The flooring doesn't care which way it expands, just that it can expand.

In fact, if you do not allow direct sunlight to hit your flooring (dark flooring can go above 120 F in direct sunlight), and you never let the temperature in your house go below 50 or above 100, your LVP will never expand or contract at all in the first place.

Of any floating floor, LVP are by far the most worry-free for thermal expansion.

References:

https://www.floorstoyourhome.com/blog/which-flooring-expands-and-contracts-the-least/


Safely/cheaply covering fiberglass insulation in unfinished basement

Drywall is cheap and easy to install on walls, you could just put that up across the studs.  I'd get the mold resistant stuff.


Open Neutral in Circuit - Need Help Troubleshooting

Check for a bad splice or connection in the neutral at the last good outlet
Between the outlet-tester results and the lack of power to the GFCI at the end of the chain, this is likely a bad splice or connection at the last good outlet's neutral.  Backstab-type connections on receptacles are commonly to blame for this; if you see any, converting them to side-screws is a better bet.


Do I need to use a waterproof sealant in my entryway?

You will only need the backer board for your entry way. No other waterproofing needed. If it was your bathroom at the shower entrance, it would be a good idea, but since it will only be an occasional wetting from tracking in water or snow, and porcelain tile is impervious, it will handle it very well. You should seal your grout joints too, so the color remains, not getting changed by conditions over time


Water Softener using 150 gallons of water a day to regenerate?

Water softeners do use water to recharge, but it shouldn't be that much. With a new filter and all electronic controls working, most systems should send no more than 25 gallons through during a recharge cycle.

The theory is that the filter media (special polymer beads, often stored in what looks like a high-pressure air tank) is "charged" with a high amount of sodium ions from the rock salt you load into the bin. Hard water containing calcium and magnesium carbonate, which are only slightly soluble and cause lime scale, comes into the filter from the house supply, and the sodium replaces the calcium, forming highly water-soluble sodium carbonate in the water supply, which won't cause scaling, leaving the calcium and magnesium ions in the filter. To "recharge", the softener fills the salt bin with supply water producing a brine, which is then flushed through the filter media. The sodium replaces the calcium and magnesium in the filter, which then hitch a ride down the drain as soluble chlorides.

The amount of water needed to produce the recharging brine varies by manufacturer and age of the filter media; this ion exchange does take its toll, as the charged ions are corrosive (a surplus of positive ions in a water solution makes the solution acidic). The softener also relies on several detectors to determine system status, that are exposed to hundreds of thousands of gallons of water over their rated life, much of it salty and highly corrosive. Over time, all these components wear out, with more or less detrimental effects on the system's overall efficiency.


You'll want a controller circuit then, so a pulse will activate the motor going down and will deactivate when a limit switch has been activated or the button has been pushed again (using another button for going up). The design of such a circuit is out of scope on this SE.

When you do install such a controller circuit make sure the relays for driving the motor are rated for its power.


I may regret answering this question without first seeing a picture of the joist, but I’ll try.

There is nothing in the Code about sistering joists. There are references to “alternate design methods “, which sistering joists would apply. (See ICC Section 2308.8.2)

I’d leave the split joist installed and add a new joist on each side of it. I doubt the joist has sagged much and could easily be jacked back into position without damaging plaster walls, cracking windows, etc.

The new joist should sit on the beam in the same manner as the damaged joist (minimum of 1 1/2” bearing) and installed in a matching hanger on the other end.

In order to keep the new joists from possibly creating a squeaky floor, I’d use epoxy on top of the new joists.

I’d glue the damaged joist together and install a splice on each side to hold the joist together. Nail with 16d at 24” o.c. Staggered each side. (It’s just to keep the old joist together. It’s not supporting anything anymore.)


What product should I use to adhere pavers to an old concrete sidewalk?

I have never tried to adhere pavers to a sidewalk, but can't say I wouldn't recommend it. Instead I would install paver edging along the edges of the sidewalk and set the pavers in between them. Then I would fill in between the pavers in with polymeric sand to lock them in.

Paver edging:


How to make an internal hinged door harder to open

There are premade solutions for that situation, try searching the web for "toddler proof doorknob." Here's a random one from Target.

This one is designed for your style handle. Keep in mind that it will only work if the door handles turn independently. ie, can you open the door without moving the interior handle?

In a worst-case scenario you would need to replace the lever with a conventional round knob and place a childproof cage on one side. That's a simple project you can do on your own.


Sometimes pure silicon will not stick well to vinyl.  I suggest you use a siliconized Acrylic caulk that matches color or could be painted if needed. Be sure to force the caulk into the void with your gun, then round it off smoothly. Be sure to fill deeply into the gap between the window unit and jams. If they are recent model vinyl cased windows, there is no reason to consider replacement.


Legionella and occasionally used tanked heaters

In Australia tanks must be set to bring the water to at least 60 C (140 F) and so it seems that thermostatic mixing valves at the output of the heater are promoted there to lower the temperature in the distribution lines to 50 C (122 F) or a little less. You might consider such a mixing valve on the output of the tank.

  Legionella bacteria can be present in water and become a health
  concern when present in high concentrations. Water should be heated
  and stored above 60 C for at least 35 minutes to ensure Legionella
  bacteria are killed. http://www.yourhome.gov.au/energy/hot-water-service

I wonder if Australia goes overboard on regulations? For 20 years in Dallas before the Legionella regulations were out we kept our 40 gal NG fired tanks at ~120 F, and nobody got Legionella (that I know of).


Cover/block square Schluter Kerdi tile-in shower drain

Why not simply use a large flat sink stopper?

 Images and links for illustration only, not an endorsement of goods or sources.


A simple 2x6 horizontally across the stud bay is all that is needed,
2 screws  from the back of the box into the 2x6.
Remember if in the center and no clamps NMB needs to be stapled within 8”
Make sure to set the back cross beam or horizontal box hanger so your box will protrude ~1/2” beyond the face of the stud I have seen DIY’s forget this step and the inspector flagged them on the cover inspection.
They did not know what to do but a box extension in all of there locations worked fine.  It was good they called a 1$ Fix per box (I fixed the big stuff he flagged).
It can be done with a single 2x4 but they are not as solid as a 2x6.


Why is the pressure valve repeatedly tripping on my water heater?

If the PT valve opens after hot water is used say from a shower, there are three possibilities.

There is no expansion tank connected to your hot water tank or the one installed needs serviced or replaced. The cold water that enters the tank expands as it is heated causing the discharge of water due to over-pressure in the tank.
Your incoming water pressure (the normal house pressure) is too high. Normal incoming supply pressures are usually around 80 PSIG. If that is the case you may need a pressure reducing valve on the incoming house supply line.
The replacement TPRV pressure setting is too low. Most are sold with pressure settings of 125PSI or 150PSI. I prefer the 150PSI as long as that pressure does not exceed the tanks pressure rating.

To correct your problem you may any one or a combination of all three to fix your problem. One last thing, you may want to check with your governing bodies to make sure you do not break any building codes. I never had any problems however I have been retired about 10 years and big brother is always on the prowl and watching.


Water heater sacrificial anode metal selection

I go with zinc because aluminum swells more and when aluminum breaks down it can plug flow restrictor and ariators.  you will need the model number of the water heater to get the correct length. I find solid rods last longer I have segmented break at the joints several times.
 In 1 home I installed an electronic annode it was very expensive almost 200$ but that home had very soft water and standard annodess were almost gone in 1 year I never had to replace the electronic one and it was still going strong after 10 years.


How two install hardwood floors in a long room with a subfloor that has a plane change in the middle?

Yeah, I would nix the sleeper idea too. Sand away or rent/buy a Power Planer or Belt Sander to take the hump down. Or, remove the subfloor rows (assuming they're running parallel with the hump) & replace them with thinner stock or plywood of the right thickness.

On the flip side, literally, if you have access to the floor structure from below you may find repairs needed there that can bring the old floor up. The old structure may very well be led-in into the bricks will be found to have crushed or sawed-down the bricks or mortar to explain the hump.

The joists would just need to be shimmed up & you may elect to do them all to fix other such deflection issues in the rest of the original house. Be cautious though because fixing the structure can cause cosmetic problems if you find big drops that need actual jacking.


Electric heat pump water heater with solar power vs. gas water heater

Is your water heater inside the home or outside? I ask this because heat pumps use heat transfer using the heat of the area they are in to create heat.
Ok to put it more simply if the water heater is inside the home when the water heater is extracting heat to store in the tank it is cooling that area just like an air conditioner would.
So are heat pumps more efficient inside the home envelope barely when compared to electric but compared to gas it will cost more. Also remember that 15 year old gas water heater that is still running , you now have a fancy electronic controlled thermal transfer system with a compressor to pump the process, do you think that will last as long as a new simple gas water heater?
I would gladly go back to gas, faster recovery and less monthly cost.
I you might think well I don’t like electric stuff.  I am a professional electrician that also has universal 608 and 609 (HVAC&R  & MVAC) licensees and I like gas better.
The only possible advantage is your electric utility may have incentives to go heat pump usually electric to electric but check.
My utility paid 99% of me installing my unit but I am licensed so most of the install cost was just my time.  Edit they gave me most of the cost of the heat pump unit.


How can I replace the star-shaped base of an office chair?

Ok, I did it.

Just dumped some WD-40 and let it soak for 1 minute, then I grabbed my good ol' hammer (I don't have a rubber mallet) and started gently but commitedly striking the edge of the post, with the chair turned upside down, while I grabbed any of the star's legs. It slipped off and then I just hammered its way in into the new post, good as new.


How to control a set of lights with a switch and a subset with another switch

Wire the main light and light switch as normal.

Wire the second (closet) light and switch as normal, but instead of using the always-on circuit as a feed, use the switched feed from the main light.

This means that when the main light is on, the closet switch will turn on and off the closet light. When the main light is off, the closet switch will do nothing and the closet light will stay off.

Edit: I might have misunderstood what you're trying to do.

If you want the two sets of lights completely separate, then it's just the same as wiring two separate lights.


Air Compressor Quick Connect Coupler Won't Latch

Some female quick disconnects latch the ring back as you describe. I don't expect you have an issue with the female quick disconnect on the compressor.

I suspect that while your male fitting appears to be the right "size", it is of an incompatible type. There are many different types that appear the same when held at arms length.  See this answer for a primer on the various types of quick-connects.


Pressure Cycling and Suspected Ruptured Line

Do you have a valve on the line from the well that is before the pressure tank?  If so, try this test.

Wait for the pump to run.  When turns off, shut the valve.  If the pressure tank holds, then the problem is on the well side of that valve.  If it doesn't then you have a big leak in the house plumbing somewhere.  (Imagine a broken line in a crawl space...)

Next check depends on the well hookup.

Most 20 year old houses have a pitless adapter.  Take the cap off the well. Often there is either a iron pipe even with the top of the casing.  Sometimes you will have to bring your own.  The top of the adapter is threaded, I think for 1" ID iron pipe.  You will want sufficient length of pipe to reach to the adapter and also a T connector and a couple of 6" nipples.  Put the T on one end of the pipe,  and the nipples in the side branches.  This prevents dropping the  whole pipe string down the well.

Before you start, but after you have taken the cover off do a cycle of the well.    Listen for water escaping around the pitless adapter.  Listen also for water from a cracked riser pipe.  You may be able to shine a flashlight down the well if you have a really bright one.

Turn off power to the well.

Screw the other end of the T into the pitless adapter.

There will also be a cable, usually about 3/32 or 1/8 This connects to the spring latch on the adapter. Often there is a safety rope too.  This is connected to the pump, and is used to rescue the pump if the riser pipe breaks.  Tie it to something solid.

Drill a hole in a a couple feet of 2x6, corresponding to the outer diameter of the riser pipe.  If you have no clue, drill holes of 1" 1.25" and 1.5"  Make the holes about 4-5 inches apart.  Not critical.  Run the board through a saw so that you now have half holes.  Cut a few scraps of wood.

Get help for this next step.  With the T bar pipe in the adapter, pull the latch, and pull up the pipe until the adapter is above the top of the well.  Put the two half boards on either side of the riser, and attach the scraps to the board with screws.  This will keep the pipe from dropping back into the well.

Open a tap in the house so that the pressure tank is below the cutin pressure.

Now turn on the well.  Water should gush out of the adapter. As soon as you have good flow turn it off.  Should only be a few seconds.  Walkie talkies or cell phones make coordination easier.

Wait a while.  If your pump was cycling on a 30 second round, waiting a minute is lots.

Put your hand firmly over the  opening in the pitless adapter and turn the pump on again. If the water dropped in the well, there will be a slug of air in the riser pipe, you will feel it push against your hand before the water comes out.  1"line runs about 30 feet per gallon of water.  If your well is 100 feet to the top of the water, you will have about 3 seconds of air before the water hits your hand.

If the water is immediate, (only a couple of inches of air in the top of the adapter) then the well is fine.

If there was a slug of air, then the foot valve in the well needs replacing. Or you have a big crack in the riser pipe.  Pull the entire riser string, replace the foot valve or the riser pipe and put everything back together.

If there was no slug of air, then you have a problem between the well and the pressure tank.

Note that a failed gasket between the pitless adapter and its fitting in the casing would also account for this.  Replace the gasket just 'cause.

Edit:

Wow!  This actually helped someone.

If you replace a well pump, and you are using more than residential quantities of water (You have a tap running for more than an hour a day) give thought to a VFD drive pump.  VFD pumps use a 3 phase motor.  The controller box turns residential single phase into 3phase, and also adjusts the frequency.  This allows the pump to  start slowly, which is easier on the pump and on the well.  It can also be set to approach the cutoff pressure slowly, by reducing rpm.  The one I looked at for my well was rated at 10 gpm, but could self throttle down to 1 gpm.  This means that the pump doesn't cycle as often, which keeps the water level in the well bore more constant.  Rising and falling water levels tend to wash sand and mud out of the side walls.


How worried should I be about unlevel floors/vibrations?

If you aren't seeing new cracks or other signs of this getting worse, it sounds like what you'd expect in an older house. Try supporting your bookshelf with some shims - it might just not be evenly supported where it is, and wobbling because it's unsteady.

You'll want to investigate your structure if you see:

new cracks forming
changes in floor leveling
problems operating doors or windows.

Unless that happens, don't worry! Enjoy your new house. And come up with some fun projects to do to it!


What is the best way of plumbing a bathroom so as to avoid temperature fluctuations in the shower?

One way to ensure that the shower temperature doesn't vary is to install a thermostatic mixer. While you might get reduced flow when someone else uses water in another part of the house the temperature will remain constant.


How do I repair a wooden door's hinge binding?

I think it's time for a new door.

The yellow thing is a wall anchor, and it's not intended to be used here.  They're for screwing into plaster or drywall.

The door is cracked through the screw holes, and any attempt to repair it is just going to make the problem worse.

Had the door not been cracked, you could drill out the holes and glue in a dowel.  But in this case, you will split the door further when you screw in again.

You could salvage the door by removing it, gluing and clamping the crack overnight and then re-mounting the hinge at a different location.  But any attempt to reuse that mount point will simply re-split the door.


Need help building a ceiling lamp (LED Pin-socket Bulbs to mains)

How do I connect these pin bulbs to the mains - any special holders? transformers, etc?

You can buy G4 sockets with trailing wires, these have mounting holes that can be screwed or bolted, or you could probably glue them in place with a heat-resistant glue. The trailing wires would have to be connected using a 230V connector block.

These sort of parts are available from specialist retailers and distributors (in the UK this would be Maplin, RS, Farnell etc,  but there are many equivalents in Germany)

Make sure you buy a 230V lampholder not a 12v lampholder, if it says "halogen" it is probably only rated for 12V.

So far as I know, most G4 usage is for 12V so there is a danger that, now or in future, you or someone else will end up plugging a 12V product into a 230V supply causing failure of the product with a small chance of minor explosion and fire.

  What amperage (if needed) should the fuse be?

It depends on local regulations. In the UK the main-panel provides required overcurrent protection to the lighting circuit. If you wanted to provide additional protection I'd add the smallest 230V fuse that exceeds the expected current. But this should be additional to other protections.

  The microphone shells are this hard plastic type. Should I do something about insulation so that the plastic does not melt or something?

You should ensure that the bulbs cannot come into contact with the plastic shells and that the shells provide adequate ventilation for the bulbs to prevent overheating.

I'd test the plastic shells with a temperature controlled soldering iron to see what temperature they start to soften at. I'd also take one outside and apply a flame to it for 30s to see if the plastic is the sort that produces thick black toxic smoke and which drops burning molten plastic onto your carpets and furniture setting them alight. At least you can make an informed decision about the risks.

  What have I not asked about but probably should?

Most importantly, since you are using 230V bulbs, you must ensure the whole arrangement is safe from an electrical perspective. Usually this means double insulating everything, grounding any exposed metal parts and making sure nothing bad happens when or after your 5 year old daughter/niece/visitor grabs the lowest shell and hangs her weight on it and then tries to put the broken pieces back on the now-broken exposed 230V wiring.

Personally I'd see if it is possible to use a 12V solution with transformer in/at the ceiling.


How to get rid of cooking smell in small apartment?

Ventilation, ventilation, ventilation is the only safe way to keep any building smelling good plus dehumidification. You must be sure your range hood is not the recirculating type. ie; If it blows the air back into the space it does not vent outdoors. If it does vent outdoors and does not suck the cooking vapors to the level desired you may need to equalize the pressure by opening a window in another portion of the space to make up the lost air from the ventilation fan. When showering always use the bathroom fan and/or open a window. Fans on timers are always best. Set to 60 minutes after leaving a shower to dry the room out. Dehumidification may be a requirement if fans do not help. This will help maintain low odor thresholds in any home. High humidity above 50% rh (relative humidity) will increase indoor odors and mold growth. To dehumidify you can use window fans and in some cases mechanical dehumidification may be required. (Dehumifier)
You can review the ASHRAE 62.2 or 62.1 standards for the heating and ventilation industry. Never resort to scented candles or air fresheners as they may release toxins into your living space eventually making you ill.

https://www.ashrae.org/resources--publications/bookstore/standards-62-1--62-2


3-way switch light is on when both switches on or off, otherwise works as expected.

This is how 3-ways work

You have described what is utterly normal for 3-ways.   If you don't like opposite=off, do as brhans says in his answer that he's about to write.  And I'm with you, I do that all the time.

Or go another way with a relay

You can't just use random relays out of the Mouser catalog.  However they make mains-wiring-listed relay modules legal for this, and they fit in a junction box knockout or inside a box.

Use a latching relay.   This has two coils and a common.  Energize one coil, the relay throws on and stays.  Energize the other, the relay throws off and stays.   Energizing need be only momentary.

You use these with a special momentary SPDT (in other words, a 3-way) switch that lives in the middle position until you push it up or down.  Now you can use the 3-way switch wiring to carry common and two coils.


How would you fix this cabinet not opening all the way?

You can change it so it opens the opposite direction.
I.E. Flip the door over and attach the hinges to the left side of the cabinet.
You can remove door by removing the screw on each hinge that holds them to the cabinet frame.     Once you have the door un-atached you can measure where the holes are, from top and bottom, on the right side and transfer those measurements to the left side. Then hold the door up so the hinge's line up with those the marks (the marks should be visible in the slot of the hinges) and use a pencil to trace the shape of the hole, an oval, in the hinge.
Next you want to drill a small pilot hole directly in the middle of those two ovals, The drill bit should be smaller than the screws and you only need to drill them about 3/4 of an inch deep. ( in your photo it appears that there may already be a hole on the left side for the hinges, some cabinets are made to have the door mount on either side.)
You can now hold the door up in place and secure it to the cabinet with one screw in each hinge. The hole in the hinge is oval to allow you to adjust the door up or down a little so it lines up with the door next to it.
Now your door handle will be in the wrong place at the bottom of the door. Remove the handle and find a drill bit that fits in the existing screw hole. Measure from side and edge to the hole and transfer that to the top of the door so you can drill a new hole for the handle.
You can fill the old hole with some wood filler or vinyl wall Spackle and touch up with white paint.
Now you door will open in the opposite direction and it will no longer be restricted by the column.


How can I turn on my outdoor water fountain?

In my experience (since the prior owner is not being helpful) there's probably an outlet someplace that this just plugs into. Should be outside, have an "in use cover," and should be GFCI protected (preferably by a GFCI located inside,) but none of those may be true, or all of them may be.
And in all likelihood, the wiring is not remotely up to code - All too common to see an extension cord just barely below the surface of the grass, or running through a flowerbed. So, grab a trowel and follow that wire. I'll be shocked if you actually need a shovel (implying proper burial depth, though wrong type of wire is still a strong possibility.)


What could be causing low hot water pressure to a sink?

Disconnect the hot feed from the faucet and purge it into a bucket. Then, (re-attach it and disconnect it from the valve) put the bucket under the sink (to catch the flow from the loose line) and run the faucet in the middle (or both hot and cold).

This will purge the hot side of the facet, backwards (and make a mess if you're not careful), in case there's crud in the tap now, too. Open and close ALL valves repeatedly to clear them while you purge.


How do you shim the frame of a sliding patio door from one side only (from outside)

I ended up stacking two shims and inserting them from the accessible side.
the secret is to guess the right thickness that the side that is not accessible to you can take. After that you remove the two shims, you trim them and you put them back


Add storage to hidden attic space above garage?

I just ran an analysis and you can store 20 psf safely on this, which is the code requirement for storage above ceilings. This is with the weight of the 2x4s you wish to add.


How can I fix a toilet flapper that isn't sealing due to mildew buildup?

Clean off the pink slime from the flapper and where it seals to the tank, or you could just replace the flapper. They are readily available   at your home store.


How can I find an interior wall from the crawl space?

One way to locate the wall base location in the crawl space is to go ahead and make the cutout for your component cable wall box and cover plates. Such wall plate may look similar to this:

Then using a long flexy drill bit of this type:

You can then drill down through the wall base into the crawl space. Leave the drill bit in the hole so you can see it in the crawl space.


Shorter runs should get smaller duct sizes?

Reducing airflow to one or more ducts should help increase airflow to others.

Reducing the duct size is one way to accomplish an airflow reduction in those ducts. However, I would recommend installing dampers at the takeoffs for the flex ducts to achieve your goals. You might want to check and see if you already have them. Here is an example of a takeoff with built-in damper (note: this is not an endorsement for the linked product).

Installing dampers would be much easier than swapping out whole lines of ducting and less of a gamble that downsizing your ducting will meet your airflow needs: You can adjust the dampers to allow multiple levels of airflow and better fine-tune airflow to meet your needs. If you just change to a different sized reduced fixed duct size without dampers, you only get one option and you could find that you no longer have enough airflow to the reduced size ducts.

As a note: The amount by which the airflow will increase as a result of taking either action may not be enough based on what you are looking for. If that is the case, other things to consider are (and potentially contact a professional HVAC contractor for):

Is the return air duct sized appropriately (is there even a return air duct) for bonus room #2?

Air flow requires adequately sized supply and return lines because air needs to circulate in and out of a space in order to be heated/cooled by the HVAC system. However, many people seem think about upsizing supply ducts to increase airflow before they even think about whether there is a return air duct. Without an appropriately sized return air duct, increasing the air supplied into the room will create positive pressure in the room and will not yield significant gains in circulation or comfort.
Do you have an appropriately sized furnace and/or air conditioner?

Oversized equipment can result in decreased comfort because the oversized equipment runs for shorter periods before shutting off which means there is less circulation of air and more concentrated hot/cold spots.

Undersized equipment will run more often (sometimes continuously) and may not be able to hold the desired set temperature, though temperatures will tend to be more even throughout the space because of increased circulation.

Appropriately sized equipment (and multistage HVAC equipement) operates for longer durations and helps to make sure air is circulated more evenly throughout the house.
Is the supply duct size appropriately for bonus room #2? In this case, you may wish to upsize.


How do I remove wallpaper when it is close to a cupboard?

I would use an Exacto knife or razor knife to neatly score along the edge of the cupboards.

Then soak the wallpaper with hot water from a sponge and then use a teakettle or other source of steam to loosen the paper until you can scrape it off with a putty knife.

Good luck!


Do I have to run an extra wire all the way to my new thermostat, or just to the "router"?

Trace where the wires from the thermostat to your furnace. You'll find that one connects to a relay and the other connects to a terminal on a transformer. R is the wire from the transformer, W is the wire to the relay. (Your thermostat may be connected to the wire backwards, but that doesn't matter.)

Your new C wire will be the other terminal on the transformer. Or if the transformer has multiple taps/terminals, then it will likely be labeled COM or -.

I suggest instead of trying to monkey with the wire to your existing thermostat that you just investigate where it's connected to and make new connections. That way if you run in to problems you can simply reconnect the old thermostat easily.


Half my circuit breakers are out I tryed resetting them all and reset main breakers

6 volts with a digital meter could very easily be phantom voltage.

Sounds like you have half your service out. This could be anything from a bad main breaker, problem in the meter pan, the taps at the service drop, or a utility problem at the pole or the service drop itself.

CALL YOUR POWER COMPANY right away, they'll take it from there.


Water supply tube elimination in the refrigerator icemaker

There is no such device. However, when my step-son got married and had no ice maker in his refrigerator he asked us what he could do. I told him that we all used ice trays. when I was growing up. I was shocked when he asked us, "What's an ice tray?". I only mention this because I am not sure of your age. I am certainly not trying to be funny or offend.


need help in identifying bathroom sink faucet set

I'll ante up with American Standard. Remove the top stem(s) under the handle(s), take it to the store & match up a replacement. Keep the old stem(s) until you're good & sure everything's proper.


What are the options for moisture-proofing foundation from the interior

The new information has radically changed my perception of the actual problem. Preventing moisture movement through the foundation won't help.

Instead, it is cold temperatures outside causing condensation inside:  No matter how well sealed the foundation, the problem will persist.

A much less expensive solution may have several parts which can be mixed and matched:

A dehumidifier (or other measures to limit humidity like exhaust fans) to maintain a drier environment in the basement.  If the wall temperature is 40 °F (4 °C) and the interior temperature is 68 °F (20 °C), the relative humidity would have to be below 36% to prevent condensation.  For a wall temperature of 34 °F (1 °C), 28% relative humidity prevents condensation.  At freezing and below, condensation is unavoidable this way.
Insulation on the interior basement wall, especially above and near the exterior grade.  This will keep airborne moisture from contacting the wall and prevent any condensation.  The insulation will have to be adequate enough to keep its inside face above the dew point temperature.
Wall heating:  a little bit of heat applied from the inside to keep the basement wall warmer will prevent condensation.  You could do "off label" use of an under carpet floor heater.  I wouldn't be surprised if manufacturers of the higher end products have suggestions for satisfying local building and electrical codes.  In the DIY realm, this one has 310+ feet of cable which could be looped behind the finished wall several times (more than 3 is probably be overkill).  Placing it a little lower than needed allows the heat rising effect to keep the upper wall warm.
Exterior insulation.  Rigid foam insulation covered by a protective layer will go a long way to warming up the foundation.


After accidental contact with ground wire, hot wire is dead

Thanks to everyone for the helpful hints.  mmathis and Harper had it spot on: upstream was an appliance and I immediately noticed it wasn't working.  Sure enough it was connected to GCFI outlet that was tripped, so I just reset it.

Thanks again.


What's the safest way to do electrical when forced to stand in water?

Turn off the breaker supplying the circuit you're working on. If there are many circuits, turn off the main breaker for the entire house. You may wish to lockout/tagout the breaker (box) for additional safety.


How can I put an audible notification on a yard gate?

This feels like an XY problem - you imagine a squeak would work, so you ask about how to make a squeak.   Instead, ask "how to alert a blind person when someone opens the gate"
I'd go with an Infrared interrupter beam right behind the gate, like a shop.  Have it wired to a chime inside, and do lube the gate properly to help it last longer.
If you want to be fancy, a wireless or portable chime unit could be ideal, at the cost of needing a charge or new batteries periodically.


Is it possible to use the 240V wiring for a dryer to also run a compressor?

It depends on your existing dryer receptacle

First, any electric dryer circuit will be 30A.  Dryers require two hots (for 240V) and a neutral.

Obsolete dryer circuits have a 3-pin plug connection (NEMA 10-30), which does not provide any safety ground.  If anything goes wrong with the neutral connection, the dryer chassis will be electrified. This is known to be unsafe, but is grandfathered on the rationale that the sockets are rarely disturbed.

Modern dryer circuits require a 4-pin plug connection (NEMA 14-30) which provides safety ground.

Your compressor does not need neutral but does need safety ground.   Neutral is not ground and they cannot be interchanged.

If the dryer is a 3-pin plug/socket

First, open up the dryer receptacle junction box and see if a proper ground wire (distinct from the neutral wire) is hiding back there.  Sometimes, ground is present, but someone has downgraded the socket from NEMA 14 to NEMA 10 because the buyer complains that it deoesn't match their 3-prong dryer plug.  (this is illegal; the correct course is to change the plug to 4-prong). Ground may exist either as a separate wire, or as a metal conduit pipe back to the panel. So if that's possible, simply change the socket.

Second, ground can be retrofitted. A #10 wire can be run via any achievable route back to the service panel the dryer breaker is in, or any other junction point which has a #10 wire back to the panel, or any part of the grounding electrode system (the copper wires going out to the ground rods).

However this only works if the neutral in the cable is correct; it must be either white or a bare-wire weave which wraps around the other conductors. In the latter case, it must be carefully insulated so it does not touch real ground.  In this case, the receptacle should then be changed to NEMA 14-30.

Third, the wires can be left groundless if a 2-pole GFCI breaker is used to feed the dryer.  Here, the receptacle can be changed to 14-30 even though ground is disconnected.  The receptacle must be labeled "GFCI Protected. No Equipment Ground."

In all cases where the socket is changed to NEMA 14-30, the dryer plug must also be changed to 14-30. When this is done, you must remove an internal strap on the dryer which connects neutral to ground.

You can plug the compressor into a NEMA 14-30 socket

If you do, you'd change the compressor plug from NEMA 6-30 to NEMA 14-30, but it will be fine.

Keep in mind these large 30A plugs and sockets are not rated for frequent plug/unplug, and will tend to break.  That is why it's so important not to use an obsolete, dangerous ungrounded NEMA 10-30 circuit.

You can add a second socket to the circuit

Nothing in Code prohibits placing two or more 30A receptacles on a 30A circuit.  This means the dryer and compressor could be plugged in at the same time. It goes without saying that using both at once will trip the breaker. Don't do that.

The second socket can be a NEMA 6-30. Note that if your dryer outlet is "GFCI Protected/No Equipment Ground", then the additional outlet(s) need the same mark.


Why use a screwdriver when we have drill/drivers now?

If you can use a drill with a screwdriver bit to drive a screw, then most of the time, use it.

Here's when you might be smarter to use a screwdriver:

The screw is going into a pre-tapped (threaded) hole in metal, or plastic, or any soft material.
Always at least start such screws by hand -- so that you can avoid cross-threading them.
Putting screws into delicate assemblies: eyeglasses, electronics, medical prosthetics, etc.
When working in cramped spaces, a drill/driver often can't fit.  Screwdrivers come in flexible, stubby, right-angle, etc. varieties for such occasions.
For emergencies or odd jobs.  Multi-bit screwdriver tools are dirt-cheap now. I have one in all my vehicles. I keep one in my briefcase, one at my grandmother's house, etc.  You'd be surprised how often something needs to get screwed ;) and I certainly don't have dozens of cordless drills and chargers.

When the environment is likely to damage an electric device -- working in the rain, or in the mud under a house, or in a very gritty environment, etc. (Note that this is one more reason to make employees buy their own tools.)
When working with a material where finish is important.  A driver is much more likely to strip the screw interface, or to slip and mar the material being screwed, or to drive the screw too deep and crack or warp the surface of the material.
When driving slot-head screws.  These are notoriously hard to drive with a drill; the bit flies out of the slot too easily.
When a precise torque is needed.  (NEVER trust the torque setting on a motorized driver unless it is one of the industrial models made for that purpose and it has been recently calibrated.)
When the screw itself is delicate, such as plastic screws, soft metal screws, threaded wooden dowels, etc.
When working around volatile chemicals or in an explosive environment.
When working in a clean-room environment, screwdrivers are much less likely to contaminate and are easier to sanitize/sterilize.
When chemical or radiological contamination is an issue.  A plain screwdriver is much easier to decontaminate.
When the power has failed and/or the battery is dead (batteries also stop taking a charge after a while and need to be replaced).  Thanks to ratchet freak for the reminder.
When you want a nice vodka "kick" to your orange juice.


What are my options for erosion control under this fence?

Stating the obvious. Grass. Other than that you have all dirt. Wind and water will continue the erosion. Grass seed is cheap. Try hay, if it is not windy in your area,bales of hay cost $12. You will need 3. Break them down and throw seed in, let weeds and grass grow.


How do I install a glass tile backsplash on 1/2" drywall?

You can put it onto the drywall. You want it smooth and to not have a glaze, so you may have to sand it. If its been painted with a topcoat, you may want to paint it again with a primer.

Use mortor that is specifically designed for glass tiles, not ceramic tiles.


The L1, L2 and L3 terminals are separate for a specific reason: many countries in Europe (and some homes in the UK) have access to two-phase or 3-phase power, and 16A is a common breaker size on the continent. So in a larger home in Germany, for instance, this same hob would be connected to all three phases via a 3-phase, 16A breaker.  In that case 5-wire cable would supply all three phases, neutral and ground, that would hook up in the obvious manner.

If your home has 3-phase, you too can split load like that, with appropriate breakers.  It really doesn't matter which of the 3 is connected to which phase, as long as the wire size and breaker is correct.

Or in a 1-phase home, you can connect all 3 terminals to your one supply phase.  You will need to use a 45, 48 or 50A breaker, of course.


What does code say about powered semi-permanent furniture?

Do you need actual outlets? Chargers and lights can both be run off of USB, and a USB hub+extension cables doesn't even involve real wiring. It also works in both 120V and 240V countries with just a plug adapter as long as you get a 120/240V hub, which could be an issue if you just use regular outlets.

I'm not sure there's any legal concerns, because you're not putting anything in the wall, and you're not selling it. The code is for things you do to a house, and there are rules if you're going to sell it, but for assembling something for your own use, I think you just need to care about safety.

However, the rules for selling an item such as this are a good way to see if you're doing this safely. I think you want UL 962A Standard for Furniture Power Distribution Units. This is a commercial document ($500+), which you are supposed to purchase from UL, so no link.


Single pole or dual pole relay for switching a 3KW water heater? (UK)

That item probably should not connect to AC mains

Each country has apparatus to protect its citizen from dangerous products.  Most countries require good be certified by a competent independent testing lab such as UL, CSA, BSI, TUV etc, and retail stores can get in big trouble for carrying uncertified items.  The EU allows companies to self-certify, but that only applies for businesses physically in the EU who ship from the EU to the EU.  And shipping via dropshippers like Amazon Warehouse does not count!

The CE mark (that self-certification mark) is worthless for things shipped from Amazon or outside the EU.

Certifying testing labs isn't really in USA OSHA's wheelhouse, but they've done a good job so everybody defers to them. Look for the mark of an NRTL.

From its configuration it's a USA/world market item.  The packaging/literature lied about its internal abilities.  It's a no-name or a brand you didn't think important enough to mention.

So this rings similar to what we see a lot of, which is that cheap Cheese junk brought in mail-order.  Search for a mark from an NRTL (CE isn't it). If you see ETL or TUV or UL, it's safe to let it touch mains power.  Otherwise, heck no - keep it on the low voltage side of the certified wall wart. Have it use low voltage to operate a certified relay.

Components have their own certification system; one common one us RU (with a Russian R for some reason). That is UL's component listing. Ideally you'll see a mark like that on every component capable of taking a mark, and certainly the relay.

You're right, the relay isn't strong enough

Really, you want a margin of safety anyway, even with certified stuff.

I recommend you go a somewhat different way. Rather than having the "smart WiFi device" switch the power directly, have it switch a (certified quality) relay/contactor which in turn switches the power.  If it were America I would recommend a Rib or Aube, which operate on 12-24V and fit right up into our style of junction boxes.  I don't know what equivalent equipment you have for mains switching in the UK/EU market, but I'm sure there's something.


Leveling wood floor for laminate wood floor

Those planks look really cupped and separated. Floor leveler probably isn't a good choice; too many ways for it to go through the floor. It needs a overlay with plywood to make for a solid smooth base. Just ensure that the plywood is laminated and properly fastened to the subfloor. The thinner the plywood the flatter the subfloor needs to be, that means sanding and filling the cups in the wood before laminating to it. From there you can level it off easily.


Electrical line has no juice after being shortened

Usually there is a switch before the disposal. You push a button, or flip a switch to turn on the disposal. Did you turn the switch on? If this is the case, then this was not the best option for this installation. As well as the undercounter heater may require a dedicated circuit.


Is it safe to install a wire nut inside a base board heater?

I would use a crimp ferrule the reason being the wire nut could melt and then create more problems the crimp is just a metal ring that connects the wires together nothing to melt. Years ago we had to use crimps in all the boxes for the grounds at least in the areas I worked.


Attach new interior wall to ceiling drywall?

The correct way to do it is to remove some of the drywall from the ceiling, and install cross braces between the joists.  You'll then attach the top of the wall to the cross braces.  Anything less and you'll have movement in the wall, and you don't want the wall moving (especially if it's tiled).

Sounds like you've got a nice project going. Don't half-ass it, or you'll regret it later when you're redoing it.


How much can venting cool the top floors?

Ridge vent alone should cost at most a few hundred dollars on top of the roof repair. It's a matter of ripping a channel in the roof boards, laying down a mesh or molded plastic vent, and capping it with shingles.

However, if you already have other vents lower on the roof, you probably don't want to add ridge venting. Either add more box vents or close them up and do full ridge venting. By having vents at several levels you create a flow loop that mostly bypasses the outer areas of the roof. You want flow from the soffit to high on the roof in a single loop.


Can I connect a 70 amp sub panel to a 40 amp 240 breakers?

Yes, that's fine.  The breaker in the main panel needs to protect the wiring to the subpanel.

Obviously, a 70A panel will not be damaged by 40A of power.

Just one word; don't penny-pinch when buying panels.  Buy the biggest panel  you possibly can, so  you can add circuits later.  A 40A/240V panel can support as many as 10 or more 120V/15A circuits, presuming they won't all be heavily loaded at the same time. You might even be able to upgrade the power feed later.  Many panels are sold as 4 spaces/8 circuits. Don't count on the second one, given today's requirements for GFCI and AFCI which don't fit in half spaces.


Can I safely reconnect thermostat wire on furnace controller?

The W terminal for a thermostat connection (normally also mated with a white wire) is the one used to initiate a "heat call" from the thermostat. If that wire was left open then it makes sense that the "cool call" and "fan" functions would have worked just fine during the summer months but that now heating does not.

It is possible that a furnace checkout person had opened the white wire so that they could manually trigger a heat call with a jumper lead during the testing and checkout of the furnace. This would have been done to prevent any surprises from the thermostat when service was in process.

My take is that it was an oversight to not have reconnected the white wire as the service call was wrapping up. You should have no problems connecting the wire back up when the furnace power is Off.


If you don't already have one, go buy a box of wooden toothpicks or bamboo skewers. Very handy for getting into little crevices like that.