Peeling Latex on hollow core door - is there a way to paint without removing latex?

The root problem is poor adhesion between coats

Something has gone wrong with the latex application that is causing it not to stick to the oil paint.

A glossy surface under a microscope looks flat as a board, like the Utah salt flats.  Stuff can't stick to that, this being the whole point of glossy paint.  To overpaint it, you want the new paint to be microscopically jagged, have some "tooth" for the new paint to mold into and latch on.  This doesn't mean heavy sanding, I do few swishes with a Scotchbrite green pad.

Usually, the problem is homeowners skip this step.  And they get away with it most of the time, because most house paints are flat. They are already jaggy.

The other likely issue is that they painted the topcoat before the oil had time to cure up and become ready for recoat.  The times in the instructions must be honored, even give them a little leeway.

These two layers will never bond.  There is no magic juice you can put over top of the top layer: paint simply does not work that way.

Keep trying products

Latex is a relatively weak paint when it comes to solvents.   The solvent for my 2-part Urethane paint makes a pretty good latex stripper, but it doesn't attack oil paints.  I have also heard alcohol works well.  There are also stronger strippers.

You also need to use strippers correctly.  Follow the instructions and do everything they say, in particular, cover it with plastic sheet. Lots of people skip that step.  When you find the right product and get technique dialed in, it should go pretty fast and lift the latex without damaging the oil too badly.  Don't try to force it with elbow grease, expect the chemical to do 90% of the work.

All this to say: if it's dreadfully slow going, change methods.


Toilet Sounds like it is flushing but it is not

Your flapper is leaking, allowing water to slowly drain. Once the water level drops enough, the float valve opens to refill the tank to the correct level.

Remove the tank cover and check the flapper for a sticky hinge or mildew accumulation. Often, just a cleaning will fix the problem. Otherwise, the flapper can usually be replaced separately for a small cost.


Is it common to build a mortar pan shower with no waterproof membrane?

Absolutely incorrect. Traditional shower pans are built thus:

using "dry pack" method, create sloped mortar bed to drain weep holes
waterproof sloped floor using hot asphalt or vinyl pan liner, should extend over curb and up surrounding walls at least 2" above curb
ensure drain weep holes are clear (ring with gravel and/or busted tile chunks)
float sloped floor over waterproof membrane, up to edge of drain (allowing for tile height)
tile


If the stains are due to rust, any of the commercial cleaners might work if left in place long enough. @dandavis usggested CLR, and IronOut or Barkeepers Friend should also help, if left as a poultice (e.g. covered with a paper towel wet with the cleaner) so that it doesn't evaporate before penetrating. Even "sour salt", citric acid, may work.

If the stain has penetrated deeply, though, it may take multiple applications to make it much lighter.


What should I consider when determining whether to clear coat, oil/wax or paint an old fir floor?

That’s called character.
I’d use a pre-stain (test it and the stain color in a back corner of a closet). I’d set and putty all exposed nails, you don’t have to be perfect.
You’ll enjoy it for years.
If you paint it you’ll have a “plastic” looking floor.


How can I fill small holes in drywall without painting?

For small holes like you describe, I'd use Light Weight Spackle rather than standard vinyl Spackle. The Light Weight Spackle is very easy to apply, will almost disappear in small pin holes, and you can smooth it off with a damp cloth apx 15 minutes after application. using a damp cloth also removes excess Spackle from surrounding paint so the only patch material is in the hole, not on the surrounding paint.  You can get small sample size containers of paint at HD or Lowes for a couple of bucks. Pick a close color from the cards and touch up your fixes without having to buy a gallon of paint.


What could cause my sump pump to cycle on and off rapidly?

I'm not a sump pump expert, but it sounds like perhaps your check valve isn't working properly. If it isn't closing fully then water in the pipe can drain back down into the sump when the pump stops. If enough water is able to drain back down then it would cause the pump to start again.

Assuming you actually have a check valve, it probably looks something like this:

The lower the check valve is installed, the less water will be able to drain back down.


The studs will likely be at 16" intervals from a corner, but that corner could be the corner of the building and not the room if you have a wall T'd with another wall. The first 16" could also be more like 15" depending on how the walls are laid out. There are several places you can check to give you more hints:

The first, and easiest is any outlets and switches. They should be attached to a stud in new construction.
The next is any trim around the floor or molding around the ceiling, which should be nailed at the studs. You may be able to see small bumps from any nail filler on these.
And the last method I can think of is to use a light at a sharp angle to see if you can notice bulges in the drywall at 8' intervals. Those are the non-beveled edges at the end of the drywall, and you should be able to notice them if the drywall was installed horizontally (frequently done, but not always).

Beyond those non-destructive options, and the stud finder that you've tried using, you're left with drilling test holes. I'd suggest making the holes close to the floor where they will be less obvious, but not so close that you're hitting the base plate of the wall (you need to be about 2" up).


How can I avoid hitting wood when cutting through drywall?

People typically use low-cost metal detectors and stud detectors to avoid drilling into or opening holes onto electrical wiring, metal structural members or wooden studs etc.

  It's not a stud. Some kind of panel

If a previous owner has somehow attached drywall to what was a completely wood-panelled wall of which you have no knowledge, the only way I'd expect to discover this is by accident when making a hole in the wall.

If the panel is localised, a stud-finder might give you some indications that an area is different from the rest of the wall.

You could buy or rent a DeWalt superman x-ray vision scanner (I may have the model name slightly wrong)


What is the best way to tell a water stain on a drywall is wet

Press a paper towel firmly against the wall and hold it there for a minute.  Then feel the paper towel for see if you sense dampness in the paper towel.

Hand the paper towel to somebody with neutral hands, since yours may now be cool, to sense if the paper towel is damp.


My advice would be to install the largest service that you can get regardless of how much you plan on using in the short term. 200amps is pretty typical for a lot of residential areas in North America.  Reasons:

In most residential areas, you pay for what you use, not overall capacity
There might not be capacity on the transformer later when you need it
Replacing the feeder cables can be very expensive
Replacing the meter and panel later is expensive
You won't have to worry about it again

Years ago, a lot of houses only had 60amp service.  Consumption increased for a while especially with the increase in electronics and lighting, but now with LED, it looks like it might be going the other way again.

Also consider what amenities you might add later.  A pool, hot tub and second kitchen can easily put you over capacity if only have a small service.


What the white part is on the ceiling in this tutorial?

Drywall is made of gypsum surrounded with paper.  The paper is the front and back surface of the drywall.


How to remove two-component adhesive from a stainless steel surface?

1) Heat gun - use a blow dryer or heat gun to soften the solution up.
2) Acetone - apply acetone to the spot. This will not penetrate the metal on the radiator.
3) Scrape - You can use an old t-shirt, stick the metal scraper inside the t-shirt and start chipping/smoothing away at the spot.

Repeat until it gets almost level with the radiator. You probably won't get it all up after the first pass.

After you do it again, you could get some medium grit sandpaper and try to smooth it away. Spot may still be there but raised surface shouldnt be nearly as bad.


What are my options for hiding/removing service panels from the outside of a house?

The small black box may be the exterior electronic reader end of your water meter.  Trace the wire into the house and if it connects to your water meter then you probably can't do much about that box.  You may be able to have it relocated by your water utility.

The center grey box appears to be for phone lines and the one on the right looks like cable TV.  It should be safe to open both boxes to verify the wiring.  You should see a "customer access" screw on the right side of each.  I wouldn't recommend removing ether of them unless you don't plan on selling any time soon.  A potential buyer may well want broad band internet (DSL or cable modem).  I know it would be a deal breaker for me not to have high speed. ;-)

You may have better luck hiding the boxes and lines by painting them to match the brick or with placement of plants or wall hangings.  Finally, you may also consider using some cable ties to clean up the clutter without actually removing anything.  Just bundle the wires together when they run parallel.  Be aware that this could cause interference in the data lines though.


What voltage/amperage garage circuits should I install for welding tools and an air compressor?

I'm sure this question is moot for the original writer but for anyone else with a similar interest, the important point is that the garage is going to be used as a shop and the electrical infrastructure should be flexible to accomodate future needs. Thus I would recommend you install a 100 AMP sub-panel (220V of course) and surface mount it so that you can run new romex to new surface mount receptacles as needed. Go ahead and install the receptacles you know you need now. When/if you want to rearrange your shop or get new heavy machinery, it will be easier to wire them up.


Coal (especially in cities above a certain latitude) was stored under houses, often delivered down a chute to be handled as little a possible as it is messy & dusty.The cost of removing the leftover coal (an unpleasant job) far exceeded its value, so it stayed, often getting covered up later to stop the dust.
  Heating oil & tanks today face a similar $ dynamic in houses changing to gas, geothermal, electric, etc.


According to a german key manufacturer catalog, this is a Drilled, Corrugated bit (Buntbart) with about 14 mm bit length and unknown bit height. It seems to fit a larger variant of Keyway 7 of a "Möbel- und Truhenschlüssel":


How to I cut glass and marble tiles when they are on a mesh backing?

Ahhhhh no wet saw for small glass mosaics.  First it will bounce all over when cutting and second you might get a nice chunk of glass in you.

You will be cutting everything one mosaic tile at a time.  Take it off of the mesh.

#1 Make sure when laying out your tile that your cuts are in the corners or in less seen areas.

#2 If you need to cut the corner of a tile or odd shapes use glass nippers.

The nippers are not a precision tool.  With a little practice you can get close to what you want.  Luckily doing mosaics breaking a couple of squares is relatively cheap.   If you have a weird corner cut on a tile or a circular cut and you can get it done in 2-3 tries the great job.

#3 For straight cuts you use a wheel scorer.  The picture I have below is a double sided.  Often you will just see a single wheel.  Just like cutting drywall it is most important to get a good score on the glass side.  With a little muscle you should only have to roll an area 2-3 times.

#4 Once you have a line on the top of your tile we are going to move it over to the tile cutter.  You are going to place this faced up with the edge right on the cut line.  This takes practice and is a little different with each cutter.  You will gently (do it to hard and cut may not be clean) bounce the lever to put pressure on the tile.  If it is lined up right eventually it will break clean on your scored line.  If your cut isn't clean then you may need to score a little deeper or line it up better on your cutter.  Also do one tile at a time.  I know it seems a PITA but you can do 2-3 tiles in a minute once you get it down.  Also do your cuts before you start applying thinset or have a helper.


In layman's terms how much pressure is 4000 psi?

4000 PSI is too much or a shitload of pressure.  I would never use it on high on anything that I was cleaning at a home.  Even brick work could get damaged of up close 4000 PSI.  Probably the only thing I would use it for is cleaning my driveway but even then I would probably use a fan nozzle.  4000 PSI would just rip the paint off a home - one with a really good paint job.

If you want to really clean instead of blasting the crap out of something the key isn't just PSI, it is also a factor of the waterflow rate.  This is measured on most powerwashers as GPM or gallons per minute.  You multiply GPM and the PSI to get the cleaning units (CUs) of your powerwasher.  This is the most important factor for cleaning, not PSI.  A lot of the big box stores sell their cheaper powerwashers with high PSI because that is what the consumer is used to looking for.  These high PSI, low GPM units will not clean as well and are more likely to damage the surface you're cleaning.

Note: The chart below references usage based on staying an appropriate distance for the material and PSI.   Obviously if you just look at the first column and you spray your car with a 2500 PSI powerwasher from point blank, get ready for a new pain job.

Things I have used a powerwasher for:

decks (be careful with composite)
sidewalks
driveways
non-painted fences
gutters
garage floors
houses wood (it isn't my first choice or even second.  Also if I am painting I need 4-5 days of summer after powerwashing)
brick (but very risky and must take your time and stand back and properly presoap.  You can cut mortar loose)
my trailers
greasy tools (non-electric all metal)

Things I try not to powerwash:

houses (vinyl no way, brick is a risk, even wood I will stand back a bit)
cars
windows (you will destroy the caulking)
roofs
painted fences
anything inside


Andersen casement windows show condensation and ice on the inside of the glass

Call Andersen windows and ask for a price to replace your windows.  Right now around Pittsburgh, Pa. they are giving a $300.00 discount for each replacement window. The sale ends November 4th. You may even be able to purchase replacement glass or replacement glass/sash that you can replace yourself if you are so inclined. Before you replace the glass and/or sash , check the sealing gaskets to make sure they are still OK. If you stay with Andersen windows they may have other options. I would call them, or "google" them for a phone number.


What should I do if the plastic waterline connection on my dishwasher is stripped?

The blue plastic piece itself can't be replaced. The whole inlet valve needs to be replaced. Pretty sure it's this part which costs about $50. Not very familiar with taking apart dishwashers down that far but the appliances I have taken apart have been surprisingly easy. I've always found videos online that helped. This video looks like your dishwasher. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNMd_lDdG_w looks very easy... but then again so does screwing in a supply hose. :)

Considering it's a new appliance and your inexperience with repairing dishwashers you may want to call Whirlpool. It may even be covered under warranty.

Very surprised to see that it's made of plastic.


What sort of contractor (if any) should I call for this ceiling crack?

There is, or has been a leak - those come from plumbing or from the roof, or occasionally from a water spill on the floor above that was not cleaned up quickly.

If you are quite certain it's not expanding, and you never see or feel moisture near it after the tub is used, or after a rainstorm, you could hire a painter and hope that it was from a one-time spill event.

If it comes back a plumber (or a roofer) seems like a requirement, and for the plumber to see what's up you will probably need a drywall contractor to patch the holes the plumber will need to make to find out what's going on and fix it. You do not want to pay plumbers rates for drywall repair.

You'll still need a painter, but the drywall contractor might also do painting.


How do I trace the cabling in a “Ring Main”

i don't know if this is the right way, but here's what i came up with.

THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS PROCEDURE. DO NOT ATTEMPT UNLESS YOU HAVE THE PROPER TRAINING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS BEING DESCRIBED HERE.

what i'm going to suggest is that you bridge the hot and neutral on one outlet in the ring. then. obviously, before you even think about attempting anything like this, you must turn off and disconnect the hot and neutral from the consumer unit. disconnecting the hot and neutral from BOTH sides of the ring is very important to the accuracy of your readings.

once you have bridged an outlet, you can take resistance readings between hot and neutral. if you have one outlet that you can be fairly certain is the first or last outlet on the ring, you can use that as your bridged outlet, then figuring out the order of the ring is as simple as sorting the list by resistance.

here's an example:

the black lines are wires. the red X's mark where the wires should be disconnected. notice the outlet on the right is bridged and a multimeter is connected to the outlet on the left. the green numbers are the resistances of the wires. obviously the numbers are not realistic, but this is just an example.

in the picture, the multimeter would be reading 58: 12 + 17 + 17 + 12 (that's the wires to outlet on the right and back).

the outlet on the bottom of the ring would read 34: 17 + 17.

since none of the outlets on the spar are bridged, they will not affect the reading above.

if you can't identify the outlets at the end of the ring, you can connect the hot/neutral on one side of the ring at the breaker, then measure the resistance of each outlet. the one with the lowest resistance is the outlet closest to that end of the ring.

the tricky part is identifying spars using this method. it might be obvious based on the resistance readings, but it might not be.


I built my own manifold using tees, nipples and ball valves. My supply to my manifold is 1” and all my valves are 3/4” I have several of these at my farm, my setup is fed from the top valve and the bottom valve can fill a 5-7 gallon bucket, if the weather is going to be really cold I will close off the top valve and open the bottom valve and drain the manifold the other valves are opened so they drain.
The reason I used ball valves is even when they freeze they will usually function when warmed up. I have some that were not drained and the brass cracked but the only time it leaks is when changing from on to off or on to off.
Standard valves or gate valves have always cracked and leaked more than the ball valves when it freezes or that has been my experience
The size of the manifold probably won’t be an issue because of the pipe size feeding the manifold in my case I can run a pair of rain birds to water the indoor arena at the same time and have enough pressure, but if the kids start washing a horse down in the shower stall there is insufficient pressure for the rain birds to overlap. But the automatic waterers in each stall always function and don’t use enough to affect any thing.
You may have similar results depending on your flows through the manifold.


No, there isn't really a drill accessory made that will make that job easy. I wouldn't bother with any cutoff or grinder wheel. It would take a very long time and would chatter and bounce around a lot.

Beg or borrow an electric saw, or use an abrasive circular saw blade, or use a basic hacksaw. You'll probably want an angle grinder to flatten the cut, and you could actually use the grinder to make the cut.

The long and the short of it is that a drill isn't your huckleberry.


Tiling when some old vinyl sheet flooring is impossible to remove

I would rent a power chipper, these have a blade that vibrates back and forth that chips up tile or vinyl on concrete floors. Since a bathroom is small a hand held oscillating multi tool could also do the job and you would have a handy tool for other jobs. I do not like tile over vinyl and the places I have found it I was usually pulling the floor up because of problems with tile or grout cracking.


If it is a split jamb it will not matter it will gauge itself to the wall thickness. If it is not, and you have an older home with 3 5/8" studs circa 1950-60's with 1/2 sheetrock, you will need the wider jamb. If it is a newer home, you may be able to go with the narrower jamb.

The biggest downside to a smaller jamb, is there may be a gap that can occur at the point where the trim meets the jamb. It can be caulked is it happens. This is still unlikely though since the trim has a relief to allow it to bridge over some unevenness in the assembly.

The biggest downside of the wider jamb is the reverse, a gap at the wall to the trim, but it will only happen at the corners, unless you force it back, which will then open the joint.

I would go with the wider jamb without seeing the conditions, if the walls are out of plumb a little you can use the extra width to tweak the jamb into plumb without going too far behind the face of the wall on either of the four corners. If the wall is too far out, use a plane to get the jamb edge closer to the wall face can be done too.


EMI / RFI filters for reducing dimmer-switch noise (what is available, where to install)

The problem with those modules is they're designed to go in a product

The power-line RFI filter modules you're looking at aren't useful for what you're trying to do.  Why? Because they're designed to go in a finished product, and thus are UL Component Recognized (with the RU, or Rather Useless to us, mark), vs being UL Listed as something that can be installed standalone into mains wiring.

(If you can find someone willing to sell you one, there are UL listed facility EMI/RFI filters available; however, most of them are either combination EMI filter/SPD units, and those that are standalone EMI filters are rather hard to find/obtain.  Furthermore, heavy-duty facility EMI filters have relatively high line-to-ground leakage currents, which makes them not get along well with GFCIs and many AFCIs.)

However, there is something you can use to fix this

However, if your dimmers are emitting RF noise, you still do have a couple options.  First off, upgrading to better quality, specification grade dimmer switches (such as the better stuff Lutron, Leviton, Eaton/Cooper/Arrow-Hart, or Legrand/Pass & Seymour make) will often get you dimmers that go the extra mile on built-in RFI/EMI filtering.  If that's insufficient, one can try a Lutron Lamp Debuzzing Coil in series with the dimmer wiring, as per Lutron Application Note 519.


Can I connect wall sconces to an existing switched circuit?

Technically, yes you can tie into those outlets for power.

Whether or not it is safe (and not against code) to do so would depend on what other loads are already on the circuit (will adding the lights overload the circuit?) and the size of the electrical boxes where the outlets are located (are they large enough to accommodate the wires from another branch?).

You would need to do some load calculations taking into consideration the wire gauge as well as box fill calculations.  This information is available in the NEC - always a handy reference to have available when doing this type of work.

If in doubt, it's always safest to consult a licensed electrician.


A left handed drill bit a little smaller than the thread size. Be sure to run the drill the correct direction for a left handed drill bit. The idea is to drill it out with a drill turning the direction that will tend to unthread it. If it is stubborn and does not unthread during drilling, use a screw extractor on it (the straight-splined versions (a) generally seem to be a better bet than the twist versions (b).)


Power Miter Saw, Hand Miter Saw, or Jig Saw?

I agree that for cutting 2 x 4's you absolutely do not want to use a jig saw. While a jig saw is handy to have. As Ed mentioned, you cannot get square cuts and are generally used for thin material and scroll work unless you shell out the money for a professional model with massive power.

A compound miter saw is a better choice than a chop saw. I believe that Ed may have been describing a miter saw but wanted to point this out as they are two very different things.

A chop saw is 'like' a miter saw in that it allows you to make 90 degree cuts in materials but is usually intended in a shop environment for chopping metals.

A compound miter saw allows you to make angled cuts from over 45 degrees to straight 90 degrees perpendicular to the work piece. It also can tilt to make angled cuts at varying degrees. The compound part allows you to do both at the same time. The sliding part allows you to make cuts while the blade slides on a rail allowing you to make wider cuts than a typical miter saw. You can cut 2 x 10's with a sliding version where you could only cut 2 x 6's with a non-sliding version.

You can pick up a very good entry level compound miter saw at your local Lowe's and Home Depot's for around $130 (7 1/4 inch versions - may not handle 2 x 10 cuts). While they have a slightly bigger footprint than your average manual miter saw/box combos you will get much better and lightning quick results. Plus you will find that you can actually do a lot more around the town home with it.

And best of all, these work just as well on the floor as they do on a work bench.

If a small hand unit is all you really want however. Get a power saw (a.k.a circular saw). You will get square cuts (no blade curve) and will take a fraction of the time. Not as accurate as a miter saw but much better for 2 x 4 than a jig saw. You'll save time and have better cuts using a framing triangle with the power saw.

Hope this helps.


How to remove the wall plate behind Honeywell thermostat

The back plate was meant to be held on by screws into the plastic anchors visible on one of the photos.

If the screws are out and the plate is still attached to the wall, it is likely that paint or compound are holding it on.

Try scoring around the edges with a utility knife, then slipping a putty/taping knife behind the plate and prying it off. There may be some minor cosmetic damage to the drywall or paint.


I'll suggest "don't bother" - no paint, including "Appliance Touch Up Paint" has the durability of baked on enamel, and yet that got scratched up.
It can be scratched, scratched but (obviously) painted, or scratched but painted but the paint is getting scratched off again.
It will never "look like new" again, and at least scratched doesn't look any worse when the next scratch goes in...


Using a 30-amp tandem circuit breaker for a 120/240v circuit?

It sounds like you may be mistaken as to how this is wired, or that perhaps I'm just not understanding your explanation. As others have mentioned, it's not possible to get 240 volts from a single pole in a 120/240V split phase system.  Each tandem breaker provides 2 120 V circuits, this is true. However, if you measure between the terminals on a single tandem breaker, you'll get 0 volts.  This is because the terminals are both powered from the same leg, and so are at the same voltage potential. If you measure from a terminal on the top tandem breaker to a terminal on the bottom one, then you'll measure 240 volts. This is because each breaker is connected to a different leg, which are each one half of a 240 volt circuit.

With all that said. For this setup to work, one appliance would have to be connected to both breaker. Something like this...

Notice that each appliance circuit has one wire connected to each of the tandem breakers. In this situation, you'd need a device like Speedy Petey shows.

Which ties the breaker handles together, to provide common trip characteristics.

Notice how the inner handles are tied together, and that the outer handles are also tied to each other. This way if either trip (or are turned off by the user), the entire circuit is shut off.

If this is wired the way you've explained, where the dryer is connected to the top tandem and the heater is connected to the bottom. Then there's some magic going on in those breakers.


The dimmer you are replacing is a 3-way dimmer, but the timer is a single-pole.  They both have 4 wires because the dimmer doesn't need a neutral, but the timer does (to power the timer).  You'll need to get a 3-way timer.


Replacing an sink cabinet (48") with a double sink (36")

If height is an issue, use 1/4" concrete backer board, screwed and glued down on your floor. Be sure to use backer board screws and alternate seams so tiles won't crack or shift. If height is not an issue, use 1/2". Then, thinset your tiles on the backer board.

There shouldn't be any issue with the 12" cabinet. You could use a taller cabinet to create a division of workstations (stove/sink). You could have an open spice storage on the raised area on the stove side. The front could have a fake draw front on it.

Seems like no problem piping the double sink drains.


Drilling, hit metal running vertical floor to ceiling

Quick version: You have metal studs.  Install tips below.

Long version: This is a good question with a lot of detailed information; kudos.  Perhaps I am missing something, but the information provided leads to a clear conclusion IMHO.  A building that tall built in the 90s in the US will have metal studs (99%+ chance?), so what you're finding matches expectations.

To be safe, go ahead and use that stud finder or your knuckle to confirm you have 16" OC (on-center) studs all the way across the wall that line up with the original 3.  If so, then it's pretty clear... metal studs, you have!

If you want to be really safe, or just cover your butt, ask the building super or maintenance person to stop by sometime.  A building that big almost certainly has someone who stops by daily or is maybe full-time; just find a time to say "hey, I'll be home 3-6pm today... could you stop by when you have a sec?"  They're usually happy to help.  Ask if they know the building has metal studs, and it wouldn't hurt to ask their advice for install.  If something goes horribly wrong later, at least you asked the pros.

Next, yes, use toggle bolts.  5/8" drywall and metal studs aren't designed to hold much weight, so use one toggle for every 50-100 pounds of weight to be safe.  There are lots of posts on this site about doing that, but here's a good one: If my wall has metal studs, is it better to anchor heavy objects through just drywall or also through the studs?

Depending on how your bed is designed, a plywood backer board might be wise, e.g. Can metal studs support a 64" plasma TV on a swiveling mount?  Most likely, I think, this will be unnecessary because your bed will already be designed to spread the load evenly across the wall.  Post pictures (perhaps in another question) if you aren't sure.

Finally, keep in mind that the load you're attaching will be moving a lot, unlike a TV or even a bookcase, so make sure the bolts are snug and don't allow the back of the bed to jiggle at all; err on the side of caution and put a few more toggles in than the 200-360# limit suggests in those links above.  1/2" holes are easy to patch and paint later.


Outlets and lights don't work but plug-in receptacle tester indicates all ok

A plug in electrical tester will show voltage and let you know you have power there, but it will not show amperage.  So if you have a loose wire connection or a wire break under the insulation on one of your receptacles that feed the others, you will see voltage, but if you plug a light in or something else that will draw some amperage, the voltage drops due to the amperage draw.  If you plug in your plug in voltage tester and then plug a light in to the other socket, you will see that the plug in tester shows no voltage or very little.


How to add a gfci and surge protector to pool pump line?

You can change out the old breaker feeding the pump. This would be the safest way. A surge protector should be located close to your service this would then protect everything not just the pool. I voted up because it is easy to swap an old non GFCI for a GFCI protected breaker and this will make the current pool service much safer.


Where can I find the AZ county building codes?

It looks like they are using the 2012 Edition of the International Residential Code (IRC), See here:

https://www.maricopa.gov/2262/Construction-Codes

However, for your application, You want to check the ZONING ORDINANCES rather than the BUILDING CODE. Your county Planning Department can check to see if the area you want to build in is zoned for containers. If they are, they can tell you setbacks, maximum lot coverage, etc.

Also, I’d check the CC&R’s (covenants, conditions and restrictions) for the area you live in. Some CC&R’s don’t even allow dish TV’s exposed to the street. Be careful on what is allowed...


Depending on the exact details of your heat pump, it may be functioning exactly as designed.

Modern efficient heat pumps are commonly variable speed (may say "inverter drive" or something like that), so that the compressor speed can be matched to the load

more load, more speed, more power
less load, less speed, less power.

So, rather than overshooting and turning off until the temperature falls, they simply slow down to match the output to the load and keep running, maintaining the temperature as set.

An additional factor with cold climate air-air heat pumps in cold weather is that they occasionally need to defrost the outside coils.


Can I use extra wire from two separate cables to add a washing machine in a garage?

You should definitely pull a new cable for the washing machine circuit.

Problems with your solution

You can't use a red wire as a neutral (See NEC 200.6(A)).
Circuit conductors (wires) must be contained in the same "raceway, auxiliary gutter, cable tray, cablebus assembly, trench, cable, or cord" (See NEC 300.3(B)).
You have not clearly described where all the wires in the junction box come from/go to, or what else is on those circuits.  So there's no way to know for sure if it's possible to use them to power the washing machine.
Laundry branch circuits are not allowed to have any other outlets (See NEC 210.11(C)(2)).
Laundry outlets must be GFCI protected (See NEC 210.8(A)(10)).


How do I add an electrical switch to a series of lights from an additional doorway?

Ahh, the miracles of modern science. You can control your light from multiple locations and you don't even have to run any additional wiring.

wireless 3-way switching, no power needed NOT EVEN BATTERIES!


Why do some painters leave a gap between the wall and the ceiling?

Surely this is down to personal preference, but here in the UK you might find that a room that has a picture rail painted in a similar manner.

The ceiling colour will be painted above the rail with a different colour painted below the rail.

One objective reason might be to hide imperfections in the join between the walls and ceiling. If the ceiling is uneven you'd get a wavy line around the room. Painting a stripe of the same colour around the wall could reduce the impact of this.

NOTE:

  Picture Rail Functional molding installed 7–9 feet above the floor from which framed pictures and paintings are hung using picture wire and picture rail hooks.


How to build up concrete slurry under a new bath

I have only done this once before and I have no idea if it is the correct way but we just poured the concrete onto the floor (shaped so it was cented where the tub bottom is) and then squished the tub into it before it dried.


How to properly repair water/bug damaged soffit and roof deck?

I'm planning on letting the moisture air dry for a few days before doing anything. Is this necessary?

It will help when it comes to patching up the damage on the rafter tails. For the other required repairs it doesn't really matter.

...a 12" section of 2x4. If I just leave this wood in place will the rot grow?

If left alone, yes the fungus causing the rot will likely continue to grow. You can stop it by digging out the unsound wood, letting it dry out, treating it with one of the several products available to stop the rot and harden up the wood, then properly patching and painting. This solution is assuming the damage is minimal, if its extensive you should pull the trim and fix it properly.

Is there a way to repair the deck and just shingle that area without redoing the whole roof?

Yes. Carefully remove as many shingle courses as necessary to get to good deck and felt. Be careful, old shingles are brittle and break, crack, tear easily. Cut damaged felt out in square-cut fashion at the top. Repair damaged deck. Replace damaged felt by placing it under the existing felt and troweling roof cement on the seams. Reinstall/replace shingles.

are there better materials to use than just untreated 1/2" pine?

Cedar and redwood are resistant to weather and insects and would work fine (expensive though, and may need to weather a bit before painting, use tannin-blocking primer). There is vinyl (expands and contracts and requires special installation techniques). There is composite (good but expensive and heavy, and some types are not paintable). There are also PVC and aluminum fascia covering products.
Notes-

repair the rafters with professional grade 2-part wood filler (it's like auto-body filler).
your roof deck plywood (or is it OSB, hard to tell from pics) extends all the way to the roof edge, which is unusual (at least where I am from). We would normally end the plywood at the wall top plate and use cedar ship-lap or T&G across the eaves, for both appearance and moisture resistance; we call those starter boards.


How do I put multiple lights on one switch on a timer?

They are now making in-wall single pole timers that do not need a neutral wire, for older homes that don't have a neutral run to the switch boxes. Should be easy to install (as long as your switch box is not too crowded).


What you are noticing is the difference between pipe and tube sizes.

Nominal tube size refers to an exact measurement of the finished outside diameter.   Nominal pipe historically referred to an exact measurement of the inside diameter of a particular type of iron pipe;  however, it is the outside diameter that is important regarding fittings and, as pipe construction materials changed, the wall thickness and I.D. changed causing the I.D.to be different than the nominal pipe size of modern pipe.   Roughly speaking, the actual O.D. of small pipes is around 3/8 inch larger than the nominal I.D. size.

Recent plumbing materials such as PEX are sold using tube sizes, so 3/4 inch PEX has an actual outside diameter of 3/4 inch, and a 3/4 inch quick connect valve for PEX has an actual I.D. of 3/4 inch.  On the other hand, a nominal 1/2 inch brass pipe has an actual O.D. of 0.84 inches.  A 3/4 inch tube valve will not fit on a brass 1/2 inch pipe.

The “85 red” label means the brass alloy used to make the pipe is 85% copper, which is de-zincification resistant.  Early PEX fittings were made using brass that contained less copper and more than 15% zinc, and the zinc leached out of the brass causing the metal to corrode and fail prematurely, especially when used on hot water lines.

(BTW, common 3/4 inch copper water "pipe" is actually 7/8 copper tube.)


Would a normal ethernet cable survive the conditions in an air conditioning vent?

Outdoor rated cat5/6 has temperature ranges from -5 to -15 F to 160-170 F.  I know that I have seen cable ran through commercial ducts.  Do I know if it passed local inspection?  No.

That being said a home duct would come no where close to 150 degrees F - not talking about duct work from ovens.  I guess you would worry about the casing becoming soft and sticking to the duct.  I don't see the fire hazard though.

Basically the issue is - is this code or law abiding where you live?  In the US that is a no.  I don't know about other countries though.

I was just answering the question asked.  Not trying to start a controversy - would I run it in my home through ducts?  No.  If I did I would use a variant of fireproof cat5.


Place it in a trench 40 feet long with 18" of cover. In the future you can pull wires through it. (It' been a long week).


HVAC Wiring: Any reasons for one zone to be wired different from others?

These are all AC voltages. Basically, you have a transformer output, a thermostatic switch, and a motor driver (actually a relay) all in a loop. It doesn't matter which order the three items are wired, so either of your two wiring plans should work fine. (I presume that your heating system has been working fine.)

The only reason to regularize the wiring is to lessen confusion in the future, which is a true benefit, but since you have this quite clear diagram it would be just as valuable, and much easier, to just post it by the furnace.


Do solid core doors reduce sound more than hollow-core doors?

From my experience solid core doors will block sound much better than hollow core. Solid core is also a heavier door which can be a plus although sometimes makes it a little more difficult to install.
Also, you want to make sure the door is pre-drilled for your hardware and pre-hung. The Jeld-Wen door you sited is a slab door and is not pre-hung. Slab doors need to have the hinges mortised and require more labor and knowledge to fit and hang correctly. So whichever type of door you go with (solid-core or hollow) make sure it's pre-hung.


Turn off water to closet. Empty bowl. Thoroughly inspect flapper for nicks; its attachment to the hubs that hold it; and it’s ove,tall condition; then wipe clean the flapper and the housing on which it rests. Check the water fill tube which fits into the upper end of the vertical pipe. Is it damaged? Is it snug? Is it positioned to drain into the vertical tube? Turn water back on - fill water closet. Flush. Fixed?


Is it safe to "cap" a disconnected doorbell wire using electrical tape?

Doorbells in Europe use mains voltage.  The far better way to do this is to disable the supply transformer or other voltage source, or disconnect the doorbell at the transformer if it shares the transformer with the furnace/thermostat.

For that matter, nothing keeps you from putting the doorbell transformer or other power source onto a cord-and-plug connection, and then stick a lamp timer into the socket.  Now the doorbell will only function the hours you specify.    You can put a sign on the doorbell to this effect.


Would upgrading hot water radiator heating result in much better efficiency?

Why is knob and tube top priority to replace? It's quite safe if left alone. You only need to replace it in visible areas: the stuff behind the wall doesn't need replacing.

You might want to add some circuits in certain rooms, but you don't have to remove the old ones.

No upgrading the radiators (from your description they don't sound like baseboard heaters) will not increase efficiency. Forget about "huge efficiency gain" - it's doubtful you will have a gain at all.

What might increase efficiency (somewhat) is balancing them. An old house like that probably has only one zone, so you need to adjust the settings on each radiator so that the house is balanced - that some rooms do not end up hotter than others.

This can take a long time to do. To start with, do nothing - someone might have already done it for you. Then see if the rooms without the thermostat are hotter or colder than the one with. If all the rooms are hotter/colder, then adjust the radiator near the thermostat the opposite way.

Now that you have it mostly set, start adjusting each room based on the temperature. Wait like a day between each change and be aware the correct setting may vary based on the outside temperature, which is annoying, so you'll just have to find some reasonable midpoint.

If you want to upgrade anything it should be the insulation on the house.


Proper gutter downspout location on sloped ground for shed

I would have put downspouts on the low end of the grade.  If you have it on the high end will flow across the mulch and wash it away. You could also get a plastic water tank to drain into, possibly even add a hose so you can water your lawn and plants. Also, water may pool under shed if drained from the high end .


Orange material in grout lines - need help to identify

Looks like schluter ditra waterproofing membrane.

Amazon describes it:

  This universal underlayment specifically designed for ceramic and stone tile eliminates the main cause of cracking in your tile installation. Tile and stone are rigid materials and are, therefore, sensitive to stresses originating in the sub floor. This uncoupling membrane allows independent movement between the sub floor and the finished surface, thereby neutralizing these stresses. Exclusively designed for ceramic and stone tile Waterproofs and allows moisture in the substrate to evaporate Replaces backerboard or a second layer of plywood 1/8 in. thick makes transitioning to other surfaces simple Ideal for interior and exterior tile and stone installations Easy to install

Below is an image of tile being installed over ditra using thinset mortar. This is as far as your installation progressed. Your floor was not grouted after the tiles were set.

I recommend scrubbing and rinsing thoroughly using a wet vac to remove water. Allow floor to dry well then grout with appropriate product.


How should my smart dimmer be connected?

I found the instruction sheet here.

From that:

We can’t tell which your hot feed is:  blue or yellow.  You need to determine that, one way is a meter, another way is a non-contact voltage detector with the old switch turned off.

On the new switch:
BLK is where the hot wire goes.  (My guess is the blues)

RD is where the load goes, that will be other wire on the old switch.(my guess is yellow)

WH is neutral.  You’ll need a 6” white wire scrap for this. Attach that scrap  here and add the other end to the wire-nutted bundle of neutrals in the back of the box

You won’t use YL/RD in this instance. Leave the label covering the screw per the instructions.  (It would only be used when multiple switches control the same light.)

The difference is your old switch didn’t need neutral.  Smart switches always do, and fortunately neutral is available in the box (that is not always the case.)

What is in that tape? It shouldn’t be there. Splices require wire nuts instead.


Does Manometer Tubing Size Affect Measurements?

No.
Pressure drop is caused by gas flowing through a restriction such as a narrow / long piece of tubing. Once the system reaches equilibrium (i.e. the manometer is pressurised), there is no gas flow and therefore can be no influence on the measured pressure.
The diameter / length of the tubing is therefore irrelevant.


Actually, metal conduit is better and potentially safer for a few reasons:

Grounding

Everything needs a grounding path. If you use non-metallic cable (aka Romex) or wires in a non-metallic conduit then you have to include a ground wire (green or bare). If you use metal conduit and metal boxes then the conduit does double-duty as the ground. This actually has an additional benefit because a loose hot wire inside metal conduit or a metal box is likely to short to the conduit or the box and trip a breaker. A loose hot wire inside PVC conduit or a plastic box can cause all kinds of problems.

Fire Safety

There are two main hazards with electricity - fire and shock (which can go as far as electrocution). Metal conduit and boxes are inherently safer when it comes to sparks and fire than plastic. Metal can burn, but only at a much higher temperature than plastic such as PVC.

Life Safety

If everything is installed properly, the exposed conduit will all be electrically grounded, so it is really quite safe. Most incidents that would result in a circuit that includes the conduit would trip a breaker pretty quickly. But there are exceptions, which is where GFCI protection comes into play. GFCI is typically required in kitchens, bathrooms, garages, outdoors and any wet areas. It can be added everywhere if you are really paranoid, though keep in mind that an unnoticed nuisance GFCI trip on a refrigerator could result in spoiled food, and an unnoticed nuisance GFCI trip is far more common than an unnoticed over-current (regular breaker) trip.
I'm not sure why you are not a fan of wires inside walls. Done properly, they are quite safe. AFCI protection is now required on many circuits (gradually increasing to "almost everything") which takes care of a lot of the possible "hidden damage to wires inside walls" issues.


If you really want the wainscoting to be straight, you could put shims behind the wainscot and baseboard to make them straight and level even if the wall isn't, and use a scribed board at the top to follow whatever curves exist there....


Should I replace all the copper pipe in my heating system with PEX?

How often does your heating system spring a leak? It's not particularly often in my (long) experience with closed-crcuit hot water heating systems - less than once per 20 years, I'd say, and usually with some outside cause. In general, it is a waste of money to remove/replace a system that's working. To address one of your "benefits" - where do you suppose the heat "lost" from your copper heating pipes goes? Unless the pipes are running on the outside of your house (which would be a bit unusual) it goes to heating your house. Absolutely nothing is gained by "saving" that (small amount of) heat "for the radiators." If the pipes are running outside the building, they should be insulated regardless of their material.

Quick connects are more likely to INCREASE the number of leaks you have over time .vs. leaving the copper pipes alone. Replacing a reliable soldered joint with a complex mechanical seal is not a direction that will benefit your leak statistics. Most people simply work around baseboard heat when redoing walls, floors, etc. and manage to get by just fine without "popping them out."

You need to use an oxygen barrier type PEX if your heating system is (as is typically the case) a closed circuit system. Copper pipes do that by default.

You may, or course, do what you like, but this appears to be a somewhat absurd project. There are good arguments for building a NEW system with PEX "in 2014" but really no good reason to rip out a copper system and replace it with PEX and copper.


Does it matter if I mix neutrals and grounds in the main panel?

In the main panel, ground and neutral are connected, so you're free to attach to whichever bar is most convenient. There are two bars because if it was used as a subpanel ground and neutral would have to be kept separated.

The main breaker will cut power to the bus bars and breakers, but the lugs and feeder cables near the top of the panel will still be hot. Shouldn't be too hard to avoid those since the top slots are most likely full anyway and you'll be coming up from the bottom, just pay attention.

I'm not sure what code requires for routing, but it's probably best to drop the wire down in the neighboring cavity and cross through the stud at least 6-12" below the panel before coming back up to keep things nice and tidy. Or for a surface-mounted panel just route the cable neatly and anchor with cable staples:


Should I repair, replace, or remove damaged foundation insulation?

I don't know for sure what "white thick foam" is, but any exposed foundation insulation should be covered with a finish material. It's generally the case that insulation below grade is fine, but that exposed to sun and weather degrades fairly rapidly.

You should not remove the insulation, as it was obviously installed for a purpose. What you should cover with depends on the situation, but some typical options are marine plywood, a parge coat of masonry, or vinyl sheets. Post more information about your home if you'd like a more specific suggestion.


What should I do about putty that fell in the toilet opening?

Try a bent wire coat hanger to pierce and hook the putty. If you can't, does water still seem to drain? I would pour some water down there slowly to see if it's draining properly. You could even try boiling water which might make the putty more malleable and help flush it down.

Ultimately, if it's draining I don't think you need to worry about it. Just think about all the other things that get flushed down the toilet.


How about binder clips and small individual magnets? Or, you can just use the binder clips to the edge of the roof.


Drilled a shallow hole in concrete ceiling and some water came out. What now?

Void spaces are frequently used for utilities, it could be accumulated condensation. Leave it be and see if more water comes out to find out if it's an active leak. I hope you did not drill through an HVAC line or drain line.


Often, electricians used ordinary black/red/green twin&earth for C but marked the black wire with red tape (to indicate "switched live")

You seem to have something nonstandard, perhaps a spur (therefore missing B) without an earth to the switch? You'll have to use appropriate methods to determine what is what.

See answer to similar old question https://diy.stackexchange.com/a/32251/2815


What is the purpose of Solenoid Valve in Reverse Osmosis? Can I do away with it?

Despite the fact that Amazon is no doubt delighted that you think they are the only place to order stuff online, they are not.

I would suggest expanding your online vendor search considerably.

And no, unless you somehow know when the valve should be actuated and do so at those times, and only those times, "simply bypassing it" can be clearly described as "simply breaking your RO filter differently than it's broken now."


You need more leverage. To do that use a pipe wrench with a cheater bar attached so the handle is longer. Slip a 1 inch (or comparable) diameter pipe length onto the handle. This will greatly increase the torque you exert. Counterclockwise direction is loose.
Apply force slowly and in increments. Most likely there's a sweated copper fitting behind the shower arm and it can break if over torqued.
A more passive way to remove it would be with a hacksaw. Make a diagonal cut on top of the squared shoulder of the shower arm. Cut until you see the 1/2 inch nipple that it's threaded to. Make the cut from its base to the end of the square shoulder. It will spin right off when completed.


Uponor Ecoflex is your best bet here. https://www.uponor-usa.com/~/media/uponor/sidebar%20brochures/pips_pg_h460_0113a.ashx?version=012120130317. You will need, as others mentioned, a schedule 80 sweep to sleeve the concrete penetration. Use expanding spray foam to seal the open end of the pvc. Using the foam insulation below grade....will get saturated with water over time and no longer will have any insulating value. Your goal here is to protect the pex from getting torn by rock, etc, below grade. I'd skip the insulation and go deeper and sleeve it all in PVC, or use the Ecoflex, which at the end of the day, will cost you less then the extra time and materials with your original option. Make sure you pressure test before closing things up, and as long you pass that and aren't burying any fittings, you'll never need to replace it.


Can I use a drywall anchor in a stud to hang a shower curtain rod?

Wood screws directly into a stud are going to be many times stronger then drywall anchors.  When you have hit a stud, use a screw.  When you are just in the drywall, use a drywall anchor.

Drilling out the strong wood to replace with weak plastic doesn't make any sense.

If you really wanted to just use anchors, they make metal anchors that can be driven into a stud but the description of them is:

  No pre-drilling necessary - drills directly into drywall even if you hit a wood stud. Starts easier than other self-drilling drywall anchors.

I emphasized the word even.

(source: easyanchors.com)


Increasing subfloor thickness under new shower pan

1/2" is a bit thin to span that distance, although it should not be a problem with a concrete slab above it.

If you are worried about it and need to use 1/2" sheathing for other reasons then just install 2x blocking perpendicular to the joist at a shorter distance on center, say 8"-12" O.C. in the area of concern.

As for the wall studs, we would typically leave the wall as is and shore it up from underneath with blocking, also installing blocking along edges of the new sheathing.  Therein the new sheathing would not run under the wall and the wall would be now supported by the blocking.


What is this thing with wires found on wall inside closet, and how do I remove it?

Those certainly looks like doorbell electromagnets, so my guess is you are correct in assuming it is a doorbell chime unit. Maybe a previous owner removed the door button.

Doorbell chime with electromagnets visible, for comparison:

  My idea at the moment is to shut off the main breaker (since I don't
  know which one this is on), unscrew the wires, put in a box, cap
  wires, and when I drywall put a plate over it for later access if
  needed.

Your proposed solution is correct. Because it is live, you must leave it accessible.

As you work more on your remodel, try to find where the wires originate. That location will be the transformer for your doorbell. This is where you should disconnect your low voltage wires (the ones going to the doorbell), remove your transformer, and cap your 120V wires. Alternatively, you could simply leave your transformer connected to your 120V and just disconnect the low voltage side going to the doorbell.

Either way, you won't have to leave a box & blank plate in your newly remodeled area. Here is an example of what your transformer setup might look like:


1) You do not need to add a cleanout if you put a 45 elbow on your rough in. You probably want that 45 plus a short straight piece of ABS DWV to make it easy to adjust your P-trap.

2) Go with the PVC P-trap so you can easily adjust the location of your joints. You don't want to glue up the ABS and have to shift your tailpiece a fraction of an inch, or start at the tailpiece and have your trap glued to your drain pipe with just a tiny bit of engagement because your stub is a fraction of an inch too short.


How far apart is it okay to set thermostat during night and day

The advice is for the purpose of avoiding frozen pipes.

The larger the difference in thermostat settings, the longer the heat will be off.
The longer the heat is off, the bigger the temperature differences between the cold parts of the room and the warm parts of the room.
Your thermostat is likely to be in a warmer part of the room (inside wall, at eye level) and your pipes are likely to be in the cold parts of the room (in the walls or on the baseboards, often down low).

I had frozen pipes when I was using a room the night before and had the heat up around 70.  Then the night time setting of 45 degrees took effect.  The baseboard radiators froze before the heat at the thermostat reached 45 degrees and kicked the heat on.  This was on a night when the temperature was below zero.  I also had some cold air coming in directly behind that radiator. (I have since installed additional insulation there.)

My plumber offered to install a special controller on my boiler that circulates some hot water through the radiators every half hour or so even when the thermostat doesn't call for it.  This type of setup will allow wider temperature swings with less risk of frozen pipes.  I opted not to do so because the controller itself was expensive.  Adding some insulation and having a slightly higher night time temperature were easier.

To avoid frozen pipes:

Keep the night time setting well above freezing.  At least 50 degrees.  My plumber recommends at least 55.
Avoid large temperature swings so that the corners of the room don't cool down to below freezing.  I wouldn't worry about the 10 degree difference that you are proposing, but a 20 degree difference is more worrying.
Put the heat on "hold" if the temperature outside is going to particularly cold that night.


Can I connect a black wire to one breaker and a red to another from the same circuit?

No, no, no! You would be upsizing the breaker.

The breaker that has failed is a 15A breaker. The wire going to it is on a 15A breaker for a reason.

The breaker you propose to move to is a 20A. That will compromise its protection because it'll allow 20A on a hot wire only made for 15A.  Don't do that.

But there's an even bigger risk

On a shared-neutral circuit (its proper name is Multi-Wire Branch Circuit or MWBC), the two "hots" must be on opposite poles.  There must be 240V between them. If there is, then neutral will handle only differential current.  However, if they are on the same pole, there will be 0V between them, and that means neutral handles the sum of currents.  I.e. On a 20A MWBC, neutral would be handling 40A.

Now on these Zinsco style breakers, they clip onto two parallel rails. These are funny ducks. These are "double-stuff" breakers, two independent breakers crammed into one space, and again, the lack of handle-tie gives this away.  ThreePhaseEel says they are locked into 2-pole (opposite pole) mode, which does make them suitable for MWBCs.

Regardless, Code now requires MWBCs be on breakers which are either 2-pole with tied handles (or handle-tied with a listed factory handle tie, but on this panel, that'll be a unicorn).  The reason MWBCs require tied handles is they must have common maintenance shutoff so you don't measure out a circuit, find the breaker that turns it off, disconnect the neutral and get nailed by the other half of the circuit.  A side-effect of this handle-tie requirement is it forces the sub-circuits onto opposite poles.

Don't overthink it, though

The easiest way to solve a "dead breaker, full panel" problem is to take the now-dead circuit and add it to another circuit.  So now one breaker is powering 2 former circuits.  Choose the breaker so they are the same size, obviously.

You do the splice with a wire-nut and a pigtail.  Join the 2 hots and a pigtail in a wire nut, land the pigtail on the breaker.

You must still be careful with MWBCs, and don't accidentally wire the two MWBC sides on the same pole.  However, if you excuse the Ghostbusters references, we can "cross the streams" by putting both MWBC hots together on the same single breaker.  Normally "that would be bad" (both hots are on the same pole), but since they're coming off the same (say 15A) single breaker, the summed current can't exceed 15A and the neutral can handle that.  So we're OK.

Oh, but that panel

Aside from this being dangerous...

... also, that is a "Rule of Six" or split-bus panel.  This means your house has no main Main breaker.  "Rule of Six" means "up to six" breakers in the Upper Section (the top 7 spaces) are, collectively, your main breaker, and you must turn off all 6 to deenergize your house.  In your case, 5. Those top 3 breakers are 2-pole, note the factory handle-ties.  For "Rule of Six" purposes, a handle-tied breaker counts as one throw action.

Below that is another section of the panel called the "lighting section" where all the ordinary loads are expected to be.  This section is effectively a subpanel, and it is fed from the bottom 60A breaker in the "Main Breakers" section.  You can see the fat feed wires.   Anyway, one easy option here is to fit a real subpanel adjacent to this panel, with modern breakers, and move all the "subpanel" circuits over to that real subpanel.  Then you can have real 2-pole breakers on your MWBCs or ones with handle-ties.


Waterproofing bathroom register for heating and cooling

I'm assuming you are going to tile the bathroom. Are you concerned with just moisture or accidentally overflow from the tub. Either way overdoing waterproofing is never a bad idea. Use the mesh tape and the red guard to seal the edge around the register and for an added layer of protection you could put a bead of caulking to the underside of the vent cover before installing.


An idea to mix deflection rated I Joists?

I doubt you’d notice the difference in deflection walking from L/360 to L/600.

When we design floor systems, we use the “critical span” to size the joists. That is to say, spans (from bearing wall to bearing wall) are seldom identical. So, we size the joists for the critical span and then use the same size joists throughout (so the floor sheathing is at the same height). The shorter spans will have a “stiffer” system, but it’s not noticeable.

If you’ve ever walked across a “stiff” floor system and then a “spongy” floor system, it’s noticeable. But if you walk across a stiff floor system and a “really stiff” floor system, it’s not noticeable.

So, if you mix the grade of the I-Joists, I doubt you’d notice by walking from one to another. However, if the joists are not “stiff” enough, (L/600) the tile will crack, of course.

An alternative to mixing grades, is to mix spacings of the I-Joists. I do not like joists spaced further than 16” o.c. for FLOOR systems. Perhaps you could space the joists at 12” o.c. for tile and 16” o.c. for wood and carpet areas.

BTW, the main reason we use L/360 is to keep the gypsum board ceilings below from cracking. Anything less, (i.e.: L/240, etc.) you’re asking for trouble...it will crack the plaster ceiling when fully loaded....(when you have your birthday party and everyone is in the same room.)

Also, we add 1 or 2 floor joists under the refrigerator and the freezer...making the spacing 8” o.c.

(Also, we try to determine if the client will have waterbeds.)


What is this pipe coming from the basement wall?

It appears to be abandoned hard pipe for your well. I used to run hard pipe to the well head and convert to poly at the cap so the jet or foot can be pulled up. Someone may have changed to submersible as I did in my current home because submersible pumps are much more efficient, when doing this they may have abandoned the original plumbing as it was easier than removal. I would cap them so they don’t drip. They can be cut off and plugged but if they don’t bother you you may want to leave them in place just capped.


How should I build a base floor for a large summerhouse?

Try this guide. step-by-step and easy to follow!  http://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/blog/build-a-shed-base/


Can I run a washer hose up and over a door?

This may work depending on your washing machine.  You can test it by holding the hose up high (get a longer one if needed) and see if the machine drains correctly.
In my neighborhood, it's common for washing machines to pump water from basements up to the street level.  The reason is our sewer service lines are shallow.  Many homes just let that laundry water go out to the storm drains (the city allows it) so their washing machines are pumping the water up around 7 or 8 feet.  In my house, we use the sewer for laundry, but the way it's plumbed, the drain is nearly that high.  It works fine.


Tile pattern for shower base using large porcelain format

I think you're being too hard on yourself. So far, I think it looks great. Keep in mind that once you start setting the tiles in Thinset a lot of those uneven pieces will be OK. You'll also have uniform grout lines. If you start at the drain and work outward setting all the large tiles first, you'll be fine. You'll still have to cut or trim some of the tiles as you set them but that's to be expected. Your last tile on the lower right should be cut to match the one on the other side. Definitely think about using epoxy grout on this as it's much stronger. Smooth over those outside corners.
Also think about putting two coats of RedGard on all your wall surfaces in the shower.


Place drywall joint at sagging truss center or overlap?

Your trusses are defective and done very wrong and would only be used atop columns, supporting beam or bearing wall. Call the truss manufacturer for replacements that are built right, solid and seamless sticks on the bottom.

Sagging before even installing the drywall's load is a disaster ready to happen!

After that correction, then you can put your drywall joint on the truss for very wide butt-joint treatment. Or even better is, to put your joint between trusses and very shallowly "V" back-blocking framing for a tapered treatment.


Downstairs exhaust fan venting into upstairs?

If the downstairs fan is vented into the upstairs, replacing the fan will not do anything.

In order to determine where the fan vents from the bathroom you will need to find a way to trace the ductwork from the fan to it's exit point.  A camera probe can help with this, or if it's a short enough run you might even try a flashlight and a 2nd person looking at the hall vent to see if they see the light.

If the vent is confirmed to be venting inside the house the only way to correct this is to open the walls/ceiling of the bathroom in question and re-run the ductwork.  Something that should be done as the point of the fan is to remove moisture from the bathroom (not smells although that's a secondary benefit) and get it out of the house to reduce mold risk.


Most hollow core doors have solid wood frame that forms the top,bottom and sides of the door. Remove the molding on the field of the door so you have flat surface. Remove the doorknob. Cut A piece of luan or other smooth grained thin plywood the same size as the door. Cover the door in carpenters glue and apply the plywood. Drive a few nails around the perimeter to keep it in place until the glue can dry. With a hole saw drill out the doorknob hole using the old hole as a guide. Prime and paint to match the other side. reinstall the doorknob.


european outlets in an american building

The National Electrical Code used here in the US requires that equipment be listed, marked, or approved for the use. The requirement varies with the particular part of the electrical installation. Receptacles should be listed. However, that doesn't mean they have to be UL listed. The Canadians have the CSA, the Europeans have the CE, and I am sure in Asia they have something else that I can't remember. See here.
So, the issue with an inspector could be that the receptacle(s) you install is non-standard and they would probably disallow it for satisfying any requirements of the code. At least that is what I would do. But if you want to add non-standard receptacles in a house, there is nothing in the code to prevent it. For instance, if I wanted to wire my house with DC receptacles in places where I want to use DC equipment directly from a DC system. Or I want a 240 volt receptacle next to a window for a large plug-in AC unit.
One of the things the code requires is equipment with different voltages must have receptacles that are different enough so they are not interchangeable. So 120 volt equipment cannot possibly be plugged in to a 240 volt outlet.
So, it appears that you could satisfy the code requirements by adding an extra receptacle (not by replacing an existing one) with a euro-style plug. Also you need to make sure their equipment is rated for 240 volts or you will need a transformer to step it down to 230 or 220. Then you wire it like you would the aforementioned 240 volt receptacle. (Standard NM cable in the US contains wire rated for 600 volts so the voltage rating of the wire is not a problem.)
Good luck!


how water cylinder + leaking overflow + dripping not flowing

I have to say, similar to what @Grant said in comments, that an overflow valve is not supposed to have a normal drip. In normal usage your drip/overflow line should be bone dry.

The plumber that tried to tell you that a drip is normal is not to be believed. It is also likely that the plumber was far from professional if they just said that to cover up noting the drip right after the installation.

The pressure relief valve is a safety device designed to keep the hot water tank from exploding if the internal pressure builds up too high due to the heating source failing in an always on state.


How to connect liquidtite to schedule 80 (or 40) pvc conduit?

Don't use flexible conduit for your application.
PVC is very easy to bend.  I use an electric heat gun like the kind you use for stripping paint.  The great thing about bending it is those bends remain water-tight and save you money on couplers.
If you decide to do a conduit-coupler-conduit connection you don't need a threaded connection with gaskets.  You need a PVC coupling.  You can connect them together by PVC-welding (it's like gluing), the same way PVC plumbing pipes are connected.  Notice the small amount of goo that dropped out of the connection when I welded this PVC conduit to the fitting for the box it goes into.  Check YouTube for videos on how to do this; it's really easy.  Don't get the stuff on your hands (that's why I'm wearing a latex glove in the photo) and don't inhale it.


Mold, Lead, Asbestos Testing Kits - recommended or seek a professional?

Seems reasonable to me.  IMO, if you are able to send samples to a lab, that is going to be more precise and certain than any kit you could apply in the field.

The only thing I don't like about it is that it creates a third-party record, which means now you must engage any formalities of dealing with those things, and the formalities can be more annoying and expensive than the actual work.


A gable louver might be a good option if you don't want to mess with the tiled roof.


Some washing machines have strong pumps that discharge lots of water quickly, overcoming the capacity of the drain standpipe. Yes, unless you can see it on the outside of the wall, there is a standpipe in the wall. You should consider increasing the diameter of the standpipe, thereby increasing the volume of water it can hold as the discharged water drains. I frequently use plastic pipe (PVC, ABS) and fittings for this.

This is not to say you don't need to also clear the drain, to do this you need a good quality 1/4" drum auger with a stiff cable. The good ones are expensive but will last a lifetime if used and maintained properly. I have had the same one since 1996 and have saved hundreds (thousands?) of $$ by clearing virtually every local clog myself (my neighbors' too).

There is some skill involved. Go to an actual plumbing shop to find a high quality auger and to get good advice on how to use it properly (or buy one and post another question about how to use it).

The good ones look like this:

Not like this:


20" long remote plastic breaker handle lever

There is no such device for that type of breaker. It is DESIGNED to be mounted into what's called a "dead front" panel in which only the handle sticks through. That would have prevented the collateral damage in the event of an arc flash due to breaker failure. Someone has built something with a breaker that was not intended to be used in that manner, so there is no support for off-book usage.

PROPERLY designed Arc Flash protection suits will prevent injury in an arc flash event taking place with doors open, a "40cal" suit and gloves would likely be more than adequate for the level of incident energy that can be associated with that series of breaker (10kAIC). But a "plastic handle" would not really protect anyone unless it was long enough to put them outside of the Blast Radius which I think would be 48" (I'm not going to look it up for you...)

There are different designs of Molded case Circuit Breakers that can be used and operated with the doors completely closed and have an external operating handle. You may want to rethink what you are using this for in that respect.


Do I need outdoor-rated cable for an exterior receptacle?

I have heard debates on this subject.  It's very common to do just as you say, run indoor rated NM through the wall to a surface mounted exterior box.
In my opinion, when you come through the sheath, you're outdoors, and it's not compliant.  Only for inches, and I would be really surprised if it ever amounted to anything, but still not compliant.
If you want to satisfy the sticklers, you could transition from NM to UF in a box inside before the cable goes through the wall.  This also gives you some protection where the cable goes through the wall.


If my heat pump does not have a neutral, do I still need a neutral wire?

Neutral is not ground

That thing you are calling a "neutral bar" is bolted directly to the steel of the switch box.  It cannot be a neutral, it must be a ground.

Neutral is an active, live conductor that carries current under normal conditions.  It is normal for it to have "voltage drop", or more accurately "voltage rise".  Ground is a safety shield, and should never flow current except during fault conditions.

In your installation, your appliance does not use neutral.  Cap the wire off (Put a wire-nut on it) and wrap the nut with tape because they love to fall off single wires.  The stud you have neutral on, is for ground.  A neutral bar would be insulated from chassis, since we are anywhere but the main panel.

Conflating/interchanging neutral and ground defeats the purpose of running grounds.   People tend to get misled by a couple of things.

seeing the inside of a main panel where neutrals and grounds gaggle on the same bar.  That is an exception because the main panel is the one location where neutral is bonded to ground to assure the entire system's voltages doesn't float wildly and stays within 120V of earth (which puts neutral quite near earth).
dealing with 3-prong dryer and range connections where the neutral is attached to dryer frame. That is actually bootlegging ground, and is dangerous, except that it is legalized in those particular installations on the logic that the connections are so rarely disturbed.


How is "continuous wiring" defined in context of the 2017 NEC code?

Nope.  Nope nope nope.

You cannot use 210.12(A)(4) to put AFCI at an outlet.

There are certain fairly rare cases where you can put AFCI at the first outlet.

However, there is a misconception that has turned into a regular "old wives' tale", that one can skip the expensive AFCI breaker and just slap an ACFI recep at the first outlet.  Oh no you can't!

Of course, now that it's turned into a wives' tale, everybody is running for the Codebook hellbound to find the supporting language.  The closest thing they find to support their preconceived notion is 210.12(A)(4). "That must be it!" they say.  And they stick a Post-It there ready to throw it in the inspector's face.

That wishful reading is possible if you totally ignore (4)(d): "blah blah system combination-type AFCI blah blah".  Go ogle that. That is a "married pair" of receptacle head-unit and trick breaker, both designed and UL-listed to work with each other.  The section was added to Code at Cutler Hammer's request, to support exactly one product, their SCAF20.

Its killer feature is it uses Cutler Hammer's remote control breaker tech to allow resetting the breaker from the outlet. The outlet is just a "head unit" that controls the breaker.  So the guest can do it from the hotel room without calling the front desk.  Get it?

Now go back and re-read 210.12(A)(4). See how it was written for the SCAF20?  Bingo.  It is not applicable to general AFCI outlets at all.

Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how about your original question?

Continuous means no splices.

A solid run of NM-B or whatever you're rolling.  No Tyco in-wall splices. No stopping at an intermediate junction box.  No feeding some lighting circuits. Note that options (1) through (4) require a breaker which actually is an AFCI breaker.  (5) through (6) don't, but they require conduit, and there's already a rule against splices in conduit.

Keep in mind that despite the name, AFCI is not anything like GFCI.  AFCI is mainly there to protect wires in the walls.  You can't put it at the first receptacle because that would leave the home-run totally unprotected.  That's only allowed in metal or concrete shelled conduit.


Closet where AC/Heater fan is located is very cold

There's a couple questions that have to be answered, before you'll know for sure if there's a problem or not.
First is if there's any combustion appliances in the closet (e.g. gas furnace)? If there are, they'll need to draw combustion air from somewhere.
Which leads to the second question, is there a duct to draw combustion air from the outside into the closet? Some furnaces draw air from the outside, but pull it directly into the combustion chamber. If this is the case in your situation, you don't have to worry about that. You'll only be concerned if there's a large open duct that leads to the attic, crawlspace, or outdoors.
If there are no combustion air ducts to the outside, then there's no problem with the air handler being in a conditioned closet. In fact, it's often recommended to install the HVAC system within the conditioned space.
In a lot of installations where the air handler is in the basement, you'll find a register within a few feet of the air handler.  This conditions the basement, bringing the HVAC into conditioned space.  Whereas when air handlers are in attics, they have to insulate the crap out of them. This is because the unit is in unconditioned space, so they use insulation to try and prevent the unconditioned air from interacting with the conditioned air.
tl;dr

If the closet is conditioned space, there may be no problem.
If the closet is not conditioned space, you'll want to seal up the ducts and insulate.

In either case, leaky ducts are not good. You'll want to seal them up with foil faced tape, and/or mastic.


How long should humidifier take to humidify small apartment?

The question about the humidifiers is secondary, but related, to the presenting problem "to combat some severe sinus issues".

My wife and I, both, experience Wintertime related sinus issues (drying-out, nosebleeds, increased sensitivity to allergens, etc.).

The level of humidity needed to sufficiently combat the sinus issues of a person would be problematic for everything else; therefore, it's better to treat the person rather than create the ideal environment (or, for example, create the ideal environment in the bathroom and "hang-out" there, lol).

Recommendations for "treating the person" is beyond the scope of the HI/SE.


I am very confused by your diagram. Here is how I would do it. FYI, grounds ignored but implied and always connected to each other and (as appropriate) to switches, devices, metal boxes, etc.

Combined Fan/Light - i.e., two devices in one box

Panel to switch box in the bathroom: 12/2 - Black (hot)/White (neutral)
Switch box:

Attach two black pigtails to the black wire with a wire nut. One goes to each switch.
Switch box to fan/light: 12/3 - Black (switched hot 1), Red (switched hot 2), White (neutral)
Attach all white/neutral wires together with a wire nut - incoming from panel, outgoing to fan/light, fan switch.
Attach black switched hot to one switch. Attach red switched hot to the other switch.

Fan/light box:

Attach fan hot to one switched hot (black or red). Attach light hot the other switched hot (black or red).
Depending on the fan/light design, it may have one neutral wire or it may have two neutrals. However many there are, attach them to the white wire.

Separate Fan/Light - i.e., two devices in separate boxes

Panel to switch box in the bathroom: 12/2 - Black (hot)/White (neutral)
Switch box:

Attach two black pigtails to the black wire with a wire nut. One goes to each switch.
Switch box to fan: 12/2 - Black (switched hot), White (neutral)
Switch box to light: 12/2 - Black (switched hot), White (neutral)
Attach all white/neutral wires together with a wire nut - incoming from panel, outgoing to fan, outgoing to light, fan switch.
Attach each switched hot to one switch.

Fan box:

Attach fan hot to one switched hot and attach neutral to neutral of same cable.

Light box:

Attach light hot to one switched hot and attach neutral to neutral of same cable.


I'd check that and the High Temp Cutout as well
Assuming the "ring light" is either the Oven Heating or the Oven Ready light (or both), I'd check both the Stalled Fan cutout and the High Temp cutout (which will look similar to the cutout you have) to make sure that they have continuity.  If they're both working, though, I'd send for a new oven thermostat at that point.


Test screw length with nuts removed

With the cord terminals out of the way and the nut removed, test inserting the screw through the appliance terminal. Does the screw go in easily and contact the appliance terminal? If so then the screw length is OK. (Threads on the screw and/or nut may still be damaged, but at least you'll know whether the length is good.)

Turn the cord terminals over

Look at the picture below. Notice that the appliance terminals are rotated so that the crimp is "up" ie facing the viewer. The crimps on the cord are facing "down" away from the viewer. Because the crimps stand proud of the terminal face they may be hitting the plastic barrier piece and preventing the screw from being tightened correctly. Twist each conductor 180 degrees to eliminate the interference between the crimp and the plastic.

Replacing the hardware

If you do decide to replace screws and/or nuts, be aware that it's easy to make a mistake. When you have your final selection, ensure that the nut spins onto the screw easily (that the thread pitch is correct) and also ensure that the screw doesn't wobble in the nut (ie, that the screw's diameter is correct). It's easy to get an 8-32 screw and a 10-32 nut, for example, but the combination won't hold reliably.


Bosch washing machine, E:00, unknown error when turning on

Never found a solution, but bosch did replace my machine with a new one.


Is this a bad tile work? what can we do to improve it?

Without something for scale it's hard to tell but it looks about right based on the gaps between other tiles. It's a good call to use caulking on the gaps between the wall and the tile as it allows for some movement. If you were to use the grout it would likely crack at some point.


How can I make an outlet controlled by switch always hot?

Let's take the better picture here

There's 3 areas in the picture

The Wire Nut - You have two black and a white. Whenever you see something like that it typically means the white is what's running to your switch. That means the other black wires are your incoming and outgoing hot
The black wire on the outlet - This is likely tied to the same cable as the white wire we just discussed, meaning this is your switched hot
The other white wires - These are your neutrals. It's not clear why you would have 3, however.

First off, let's get this basic outlet out of there. Do yourself a huge favor and go buy a new one. What you want is a "preferred" or "commercial grade" outlet (example) that has side plates. Expect to pay like $2-3 for this (you only need the one). While you're there, pick up some yellow wire nuts. It's not a bad idea to also have a contactless power tester and an outlet tester (buy the better one that also tests GFCIs). Now, let's rewire.

Take the wire nut apart and put one of your shiny new yellow wire nuts on the white wire, mark it with a black marker (just draw a band on the wire so it's obvious it's not a neutral), and shove it to the back of the box. Now, attach the two black wires to the brass screws on the left side (as you're looking at the back of the outlet)
Take the lone black wire from the outlet and stick a wire nut on it as well. Push it to the back of the box.
Attach the remaining whites to the other side (silver). These "side-stab" connectors support up to 4 wires, just make sure you get the screws tight

Obviously, remove and re-attach the ground wire, but that's straight forward.


What rooms or loads require AFCI protection?

Yes, you need AFCI protection

As of the 2017 NEC, AFCI protection has been extended to all 15 and 20A, 120V branch circuit outlets in all dwelling unit locations.  This includes dedicated appliances such as furnaces and dishwashers, and even smoke detector circuits.  The only exception present is for a fire alarm control panel for a protected-premises fire alarm system (i.e. with separate detectors, "brain box"/fire alarm control panel, and sounders) under NFPA 72.


Normally I'd build the two separately, as in your first plan. However, I'd use pairs of studs in an L configuration as backing for the bulkhead. This provides interior drywall backing as well as a more convenient fastening scheme.


You indeed don't need the neutral wire, just cap it off with a wirenut

Your sauna heater requires 240V only, not both 120 and 240V, so it has no use for the neutral wire.  You are correct that one hot goes into L1, the other hot goes into L2, and the bare ground goes to the ground symbol.  As to the neutral wire? Just cap it off with a wirenut.  (It's cheap insurance in case the next sauna heater that goes there does need a neutral, say to run its timer.  Yours doesn't since yours has a timer that runs off 240V.)


"...a brand new mini refrigerator in good condition except...". Such a deal. The cooling system in these low cost mini fridges is the main part of the things. It is almost a sure bet that any replacement parts to repair the compressor or evaporator will cost as much or more than a new unit at a high volume retail outlet. I would recommend not even spending the time trying to troubleshoot it. Maybe you may do good in talking your neighbor into taking the unit back so you do not end up with the hassle of disposing of the thing.


How to hang wall cabinets with the upper plaster removed

I'd presume that by "drywall shims" you mean pieces of drywall to bring the surface out to the level of the plaster. In that case, your two options are essentially the same thing, and, I think, a great idea.
I'd suggest, though, that before you start down that path, you measure the thickness of the plaster & lath from the stud face. You may be better off using strips of plywood/OSB that are a very close equivalent to the thickness of what you've got there. There is a lot more variety in plywood/OSB than there are in drywall, so you could probably match thickness in one layer instead of having to build it up. Of course, if the thickness you need to build out exactly matches a sheet of drywall, then you've got all the options in the world!
Additional items of note:

That insulation has a vapor barrier on it, but it's useless, since it's not contiguous and it's not all oriented correctly. I hope that it's simply being used for sound deadening on an interior wall. If not, you've got a really cold wall and the next point is critical...

I'm assuming this is not a load bearing wall. If so, you've got a significant issue where the top plate is cut through for the pipe on the right-hand side.

The pipe on the left-hand side appears to completely bypass the top plate, meaning that your furring will have to leave a gap to accommodate it. You'll probably want to use some steel protector plates (usually used to protect electrical wiring in the wall) to protect the pipe so you don't accidentally try to run a screw through the cabinet and directly into your water supply line.

Do note JACK's recommendation to also do something about the cable conduit run, as well.

And now you know why the previous person left this part of the wall unfinished... It's unprofessional, it looks bad, and it's going to take work to do it right.


How can I fuse galvanized sheet metal together so that it is water tight?

You can make watertight trays from flat sheet metal without soldering or riviting.

Take a sheet of metal whose

length is the length of the finished tray plus two time the height of the sides;
width is the width of the finished tray plus two time the height of the sides.

Fold the sheet so it ends up looking like this:

You can fold up one side at a time using a piece of wood (maybe 1x2), a bit shorter than the length of the side you are working on, as a bending edge.

Work around the piece, clockwise or counterclockwise.

You will have to work the angle fold in the corners as you move to each successive side. The angle corners will point outward initially. Then you bend them inward toward the short end.

All edges will end up at the height of the sides with no seams. The easiest kind of waterproof.


installing a 360 rotating wood panel from the ceiling

The 50's called, they want their decor back....sorry, I couldn't help myself.
Google:   Adjustable Threaded Pole Leveling Foot


It's probably just a broken switch. My guess would be that the switch contact is worn out to the point that it does not make contact, but jiggling it a bit (by turning off and on again) may solve the problem, at least for a little while.

Replacing a light switch is a pretty simple matter for a DIYer. I recommend swapping it out and seeing if that solves the problem.


Everything you have observed points at a bad connection with high resistance. When the load is small (voltmeter or neon test lamp), the measured voltage is high, and when there is a larger load, the voltage drops. LED and CFL lights may flicker because they can start with very little current and they have capacitors in their power supplies enabling momentary running on the tiny available power, but an incandescent bulb will stay dark because it never gets hot enough to be visibly lit.
You will need to find the bad junction. One way to do this is, while there is a load (the sconce lights), to put a voltmeter across two different points on the same wire (both hot or both neutral). Good wiring should see no more than a few volts, and usually much less; a bad connection will show somewhere up to the full 120 volts. If you see a large voltage, the bad junction is somewhere between those points, and you can then test further within that span, or inspect all the joints. You may need extensions for your meter's leads to be able to reach.


How to stop air leak in exterior door aluminum sill?

It looks like the subfloor is concrete. you can use a silicone, urethane, or acrylic caulk.
If silicone be sure to get one that's suited to concrete and aluminium.


I've only used a few pneumatics in my time & one that was doing the same thing, turned out to need a re-build. Here's one place to find parts or maybe a re-build kit. The owner of the tool tried lubrication, but it didn't do anything. I was told at the time, by another carpenter, that any abnormal behavior is the beginning signs of gasket wear.

So, I got a re-build kit from a non-local heck of a haul Bostitch dealer/distributor. Due to, my local Vac & Sew place only doing staplers & the Electronics & Power Equipment Repair places not doing pneumatics at all. A new spring here & a new seal, there, there, there & there. And, the problem was gone forever, as far as I knew, & the tool owner was pleased as punch.


How should I troubleshoot a dishwasher that stops in the last minute of the cycle?

What you might have is a loose wire in the front panel ; this appears to be a common problem with Vario Motor errors on the LG Washers.

Verify that the motor turns and does not have any rough spots or stiff spots, check your sump and impeller areas again to be sure - but you are likely looking at a loose wire in the front panel.
Apparently the cables get stuck on something in the door panel and lose their flexibility and get pulled loose or apart - or wiggle to an internal breakage (this happens when the door is opened and closed).

The other possibility could also be the main board.


It is very normal to install underfloor heating under wooden flooring, in fact in Scandinavia the majority of houses with underfloor heating have wooden floors.  Wood does insulate to a certain extent but it is no reason not to install underfloor heating. There can however be other factors such as your current floor construction that may introduce extra costs when installing the heating system that might not make it viable.


Transparent cover on the water surface of a swimming pool

You could but you need to build all sorts of hidden supports underneath.

In theory a thick polycarbonate (perspex/plexiglass/lexan) sheet could easily support the weight but you would have a job anchoring it so it couldn't tip over or tilt and flood. And there would be a big risk if somebody managed to slide under it and get trapped.


Can I replace the receptacle and breaker on a 40A circuit with 30A equivalents?

Going down to #14 is not a surprise. That is the smallest wire legal for use in any in-wall mains wiring.  This would normally be 10 AWG, but there are rare edge conditions where a smaller wire circuit is permitted to be up-breakered, and the only example I can come up with is welders with a short duty cycle.

Not being able to go to #8 is also not a surprise; the terminations are not rated for aluminum wire, and the right aluminum wire for 30A is #8.

Anyway, here the answer is you get about 6 inches of #10 wire and pigtail.  A red wire nut, cranked down hard, should suffice for a #8 to #10 join.


As long as the battery supplies the correct voltage and amperage, yes, you can use it.


I suggest you plan to sort that within 2 or 3 years, one reason being that those joint lines should not line up...


You will need to buy parts that fit that exact faucet brand and model. You might be able to get them through the store where the faucet was originally purchased, or from the original installer.

OR you can try to contact the manufacturer yourself, they are a european (Italian, I believe) company:
Ponsi
Phone: +39 030 6818511
Fax: +39 030 6818535
E-mail: info@ponsi.it