Converting from NEMA 14-50 or 10-30 outlet to a NEMA 6-15 outlet?

You will need 3 wires.

A ground wire that is bare, green, or yellow/green striped.
Two other wires that you can distinguish from all other wires. You do not need to distinguish them from each other. They can't be any of the ground colors.
any other wires, cap them off.
if any of the two wires are white or gray, you must mark both ends with black tape.

What I mean by that is if your colors are black-black-white-bare, you must use the black-black as your conductors, bare as ground, and cap the white.  You don't need to care which black is which on a NEMA 6 or 14.

Because you are using a 15A receptacle, you must get a 15 or 20 amp 2-pole breaker for your panel and fit it. Your two wires go on that. Ground to the ground bus, of course.

Then fit a NEMA 6-15 receptacle. You can use as many 6-15 receptacles as you want on the circuit, and they often come in a duplex.  Also get the correct cover plate for your box.  (If your breaker is 20A, you must use a minimum of two 6-15 receptacles, so get that duplex!)

Good chance the wires won't fit on the terminals.  Get 8 inch lengths of copper 14AWG wires (12 AWG wires if a 20A breaker) and pigtail.  You can use wire nuts or Alumiconns. If any wires are aluminum, definitely use Alumiconns. Aluminum wire is fine for large wires 4AWG and up, just terminate them properly.

Due to the 15/20 exception,  you can use a 20A breaker instead.  However: a) all your wires must be at least 12 AWG, including your pigtails.  And b) you must either use NEMA 6-20 receptacle(s), or more than one 6-15, e.g. that duplex.  6-15 plugs will work in 6-20 receptacles.

What to do with that NEMA 10-30

NEMA 10 is bad news - it is the "death socket".  It harkens back to the age before grounds, and provides two hots and a neutral.  Sadly NFPA compromised with appliance manufacturers to allow them to ground the appliance to the neutral.  Any trouble with your neutral wire will "float" the neutral at near 120V, and that electrifies the chassis.  You should smash the 10-30 to smithereens and burn the pieces... and convert it to NEMA 14-30 (or anything else with a ground) ASAP.

But good news for you.  First, you are allowed to retrofit grounds.  You don't have to go all the way back to the panel, just to any nearby ground which is large enough (and comes out of the same panel).  And look! Right next to the 10-30 is a 14-50 with a ground!  That was easy.

Sometimes NEMA 10 circuits use cables with neutral carried as a bare wire wrapped around the two main conductors like a net. You're grandfathered! and can still use that as a neutral, make sure to wrap it with insulation so it can't contact the ground wire or box.   Or you can sacrifice your grandfathering and use it as a ground for a NEMA 6.  Your call.


Can you vent electric dryer into furnace return?

Can you do this? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!

Aside from (likely multiple) code violations you will never filter the lint out and will create a dangerous situation inside the furnace plenum, aside from clogging the furnace filter probably weekly.


Smartify 50s low-voltage lighting system

I would use the system as it is and add a low voltage relay that the computer controls to fire the existing relay. With this method the existing switches would still be functional as an overide, one example might be similar to an arduino relay board using the arduino micro controller my grand son and I built a 12 channel Christmas light controller, in your case you use the relay to bypass the switch and pull in the larger relay using the existing low voltage control.


How can I plug the gap between a dishwasher and kitchen skirting board?

It's not the interior holes you need to deal with...it's the external ones. They're getting in the house somewhere/somehow and that's what you need to block.

The simplest way to do that is find the holes, and stuff them with stainless steel wool. The rodents will not want to chew through that.

Plugging the interior holes/gaps won't do much. They'll just eventually chew a new hole elsewhere.


Water dripping from freezer into fridge top shelf

(1) Turn off water to ice maker.
If it still drips you have a blocked drain line. Drain line carries condensate from freezer coil to a pan in bottom of the fridge where heat from motor causes it to evaporate.

Exact directions for unblocking drain line will depend on your specific model fridge which you have not included in the question.

Generally  (2) unplug power.   (3) remove coil cover in back of freezer. There will be ice in the tray under the coil. Allow it to melt or speed up the process with a hair dryer.

Once you can see where the hole is that carries water to the bottom pan you will (4) clear the line with a blast of compressed air.

(5) Allow all ice build up in coil to melt using towels to soak up water,keeping too much from over filling bottom pan.

(6) Re install freezer coil cover and power back on.

Of course if your leak stops after step one there is a problem with ice maker supply line.


How do I rewire LED security light to bypass motion detector - without burning out solid state board

All motion detectors have an override mode. Typically this is done by either flipping the wall switch off/on in a certain pattern, or by a switch on the motion head.
Thing is, when you put it in override mode every one I have seen reverts back to motion after the next night/day cycle. I have NEVER seen a motion detector that has a permanent manual override mode.


Power supply installation for storage water heater

Ampacity, IECland style

The IEC equivalent to the North American NEC for low voltage (<1kV) installs is IEC 60364, and its ampacity tables are in part 5-52, Annex B.  Since we're dealing with multi-conductor cable, we make the conservative assumption that it's installed directly into an insulated wall i.e. condition A2 (any other condition, such as a cable in a surface raceway, yields better cooling of the cable i.e. higher ampacity in the IEC world).  Also, since the water heater in question is cord and plug connected (vs. hardwired), we assume no ambient correction from 30degC ambient is necessary.

Since this is a 15A circuit, copper wire is recommended -- aluminum is a bit fiddlier to terminate (even if it's a good alloy i.e. AA-8000 series) and offers no real cost savings for a wire this thin.  PVC-insulated cable is fine here as well, unless local regulations require rubber or XLPE (i.e. thermoset) insulation instead.

Given all this, we get a rating of 14A for a 1.5mm^2 cable.  If this was a hardwired heater, we'd be done.  However, the heater uses a BS 546 equivalent (type M) 15A plug, so a mating 15A socket is needed, and the ampacity of the wire feeding the socket must be greater than the socket.  Hence, we go up to 2.5mm^2, the next standard wire size, which gives us an ampacity of 18.5A.

So, get the 2.5mm^2 multi-wire cable.


Moving wet appliances away from sink around kitchen L bend and past oven

Why do the contractors you've spoken with believe there will be drainage issues, and why are you unsure about what they are telling you? They have a strong incentive to do what you ask: it's what they get paid for. If some of them are apprehensive, and unless they are trying to sell you a different solution that is even more complicated (ie. expensive), what else could be motivating their response besides "doing the right thing" ?

Put another way, the ones that are willing to do whatever you ask might just be willing to move your sink into the ceiling and install your toilet on the back patio, as long as they get paid for it. The ones that are apprehensive get nothing out of it by telling you to not proceed, besides maintaining their professional integrity.

I would weight heavily the advice from the professionals that are willing to forgo a quick buck to maintain their reputation.


What do I need to replace after water damage during construction of a new home?

I'd drive to get anything that was wet replaced. For 100% sure get anything that felt "mushy" replaced. Any wet insulation needs to be replaced too. Any wood that is wet should be allowed to dry up before covering it back over.


Soundproofing a floor: How about cement backer board w/ Green Glue and mass-loaded vinyl?

The reason the floor materials aren't as effective is because this problem is best solved with an air-gap and a flexible connection spanning that air-gap. But you have a hard time supporting a floor with that air-gap. Therefore, solving this problem via the ceiling below this floor is better, using resilient or sound attenuation channel there.

That said, on your floor, carpeting over Homasote, QuietWood, or some other material will be as good as you'll get on the floor. Since I don't have experience with MLV or GG, I'll defer to others on that. However, the cement backer board seems like the weak link here since that will transmit sound rather than absorb it.


Can i wire ceiling fan ( no light) and 2 recessed lights on One dimmer switch?

You'll need a special sort of dimmer for this

What you need for this job isn't an ordinary dimmer switch, it's a combination dimmer/fan speed controller.  Fortunately, this isn't too rare a product (most of the major lighting controls manufacturers make them).

Once you have one (get one that's a self-contained unit vs. one that needs a module in the fan base), simply wire it as per the instructions, and you should have speed control of the fan and dimmed lights at that point.  (If you get stuck, ask another question here, specifying the make and model of the fan controller in question.)


re-wiring/retro-wiring a Carrier 40MVC024 ductless A/C for external thermostat: guidance

So per ThreePhaseEel's advice I've gotten a USB-UIRT and a couple blasters.  First impression of the guy who builds/supports them is excellent--great communication, answered plenty of questions before I even ordered, several more afterward.

I still need to pull/audit the codes from the remotes, but I'll update this answer as I progress.  Warning: my time is limited, so this will go slowly.

Anyone is still welcome to answer my original question.  It may not quite be an XY problem, but it's definitely a grey area therein.  If No one answers my original intent before I resolve via the IR workaround, I'll accept my own answer after updating it appropriately.

To be continued...


Baseboard radiator pipes running along edge of room

Option one - buy some baseboard radiator cover (just the cover) and put it over them. In the grander version of this you might do some replumbing to get them up inside it more neatly, but if it's heating season now, I suggest waiting for summer.
Option two - build a small pipe chase around them. Basically a board in front of the pipes, and a board on top of the pipes. That may need a board behind the pipes for stability - screw that one to the wall, screw them all together. Provide an easily unscrewed access port over that valve. The top board and supporting boards should tolerate being stepped on by normal humans, or perhaps even heavy ones.


If it is still under warranty, have it repaired under warranty service. It sounds (smells?) like a defect.

If you're stuck with it, try to locate exactly where the smell is emanating. Some of the wiring and the controller should be inside the door. Removing the outer door wall will expose this. You might see slight smoking or one the wires may feel unusually hot during operation.

If nothing in the door seems out of order, the rest of the wiring is underneath, requiring removal and placing on blocks for further investigation. Even if you find the culprit, there is probably nothing you could do DIY to repair the problem, but you don't know if you don't try. You might find a previous repair using wire with the wrong insulation and simple replacement could solve the problem. If nothing else, identifying exactly where and when in the cycle the problem is can greatly reduce diagnostic charges from the repair person, and garner you certain respect for identifying the problem.

You are probably better off calling an appliance repair person instead of an electrician. Anyone advertising themselves as an electrician will have most of their experience in wiring buildings, not appliances. They would not be clueless, but could struggle with basic things like how to remove the access panel.


How should I fasten strips of 15mm plywood to a sheet of the same?

I've built a plywood door for a shed before and ran into a few issues that I'll at least make you aware of even if it's not a direct answer to your questions.

I used a layer of T-11 Siding (plywood with grooves for the look of slats) over a 2x4 frame.  I screwed and glued the plywood siding to the lumber frame and then lined the inside of the door with some 1/4" plywood for a finished look and strength.

What I ended up with were some very heavy doors.  It seemed like a great idea in my head, but I ended up having to change the hinges I planned on for something more heavy duty.  Also, the finished thickness of the door didn't allow me to use standard door locks.  I ended up having to use a "shed" style T-handle latch and a regular lock and hasp to secure the door.

So, recommendations:  Use one layer of plywood with a layer of reinforcements on the edges and maybe some diagonals for stiffening.  Strong adhesive should be good enough, but you have to clamp it together, so you might as well use glues and screws.  Pay attention to the finished thickness of the door to make sure it's what you want.  Two layers of your plywood (one sheet, one reinforcement) is going to make a very thin door, and if it's full sized, I doubt you can stop it from twisting over time.  Plywood over a frame of different lumber seems like the best option.

Here is a 4’x4’ door I made recently for a playhouse (bottom with the large X).  It’s a layer of 15mm plywood with an exposed 2x4 lumber frame.  It’s been holding up great so far.


How to run a flex duct branch through a unreachable trunk?

Some options that come to mind are using a low profile drill to start a hole and then awkwardly cutting it with tin snips or a nibbler if you have enough space.  With a little more space you may even be able to fit a hole saw with a low profile drill.  Some "Adjustable" hole saws have shorter length than common arbor and cups.
If you really can't fit anything in there, from your picture it looks like you have access to the opposite side, so you can get a 5" holesaw and a 18-24" hole saw extension bit and drill through both sides of the duct.  Once you're done, seal the hole you don't want with a metal plate, self tapping screws and that grey duct basher goo.  That gets you a hole and just leaves you with needing to screw your flange on, which could still be a huge pain, but again a low profile drill should do the job with only 5-6" clearance.  If you don't have 5-6" clearance, you don't have room for your duct anyway, so I assume you have at least that to work with.  There may be some adhesive that is considered acceptable, but I've never seen a professional HVAC guy forego screws.
Hex head duct screws are particularly easy to work with with a magnetic bit, but an option for really hard cases is to drill a pilot hole and then put the screw in by hand with a stubby screwdriver.


How to make a wall mirror out of mirror tiles?

You definitely want to use mirror adhesive that is approved by the maker of the mirror tiles.  The reason is, some adhesives will attack the backing on the mirrors and end up showing through the mirror.  Follow the adhesive instructions carefully and it will work as designed. I have seen mirror tile installed with general  purpose liquid nails with a blob in each corner and the install looked fine, for about a three days or so. Then four brownish blobs started to appear on each tile, one in each corner. The blobs eventually turned greyish-brown and the mirror over the blobs was gone, it was just semi-transparent glass at that point.  The homeowner who did it was quite distressed but had covered an entire wall of her living room with them and decided to live with it instead of getting into the problem of taking them off the wall and what damage was going to be to the plaster wall.

Any of those products you mention will work fine a substrate.  They each have different pros and cons though.  Is this mirror you are making going to be in a damp or humid location?  If so, MDF and especially particle board are prone to absorbing moisture and will swell up and eventually begin to crumble.  Plywood can handle humidity better but it can still delaminate.  There are plywood products made for damp and wet locations, such marine plywood.  It is pricy.

How are you going to mount it?  MDF is the heaviest of the three and depending of the thickness can be substantially heavier. Plywood will tend to warp more, especially those with fewer laminations and lower grades of plys like common CDX (a "C" side, a "D" side and e"X"terior rated).

OSB (orientated strand board), which you didn't mention, will warp less than plywood because of its smaller "strands" of wood. It will work better than MDF and partial board in damp locations but worse than plywood.  Tends to be cheaper than plywood and is used a lot in the US now since it is made from fast growing trees and a lot of adhesive.

Plywood, and OSB hold screws better than MDF and particle board.  All of these products will expand with enough moisture. They are all dimensionally stable if they stay dry.  Particle board tends to off-gas a lot of formaldehyde. Not so good for the IAQ (indoor air quality) and could interfere with some adhesives. OSB, Plywood and MDF all off-gas as well, plywood the least and can be obtained with non-formaldehyde adhesives.

Another option is MDF with a veneer but the veneer is so thin and other than the cosmetic appeal of the veneer, it may as well be MDF since it has all the same characteristics.

If it where me doing it, I would choose a cabinet grade plywood with a lot of plys to resist warping. Since it will be covered with mirror, the plywood finish isn't that important and imported baltic birch plywood can often be found for reasonably good prices. I would also make a frame of birch or poplar and biscuit and glue it to the plywood edges to hide the plys.  Or, if it was on the cheap, getting edge banding with heat sensitive glue already on it and ironing it onto the edges will hide the plys just as well and can be done quickly and onsite since it hardly  requires any tools to do. You can get edge banding at Rockler or Woodcraft in the US.  I would seal all of it prior to installing the mirrors to reduce the absorption of moisture.


What is the material and how to seal it?

The painted coating (it looks to be at least the most recent coat of paint and an additional layer below, of either paint or primer) has obviously failed. The cause of the failure is most likely inadequate surface preparation prior to application, exacerbated by high-humidity conditions.
It is very unlikely that the ceiling plaster itself is "off-gassing" or that it is, in and of itself, the cause of any odor. What is likely is that the odor is mildew growth, of which there are some tell-tale signs of along the edge of the wall.
You need to:

strip all unsound material
chemically kill all mildew (there are various methods; I use dilute bleach
sand the entire substrate (while also patching any gaps and defects such as the linear crack where the wall meets the ceiling)
clean/wash the entire area
properly prime and paint using high quality paint products and professional grade applicators

NOTE- a special bonding primer (e.g. shellac) is not necessary if you prep the job as described.
NOTE- a paint with a sheen, such as gloss or semi-gloss, would tend to resist problems associated with moisture better than flat paints.
NOTE- pro-grade applicators and high-quality paints result in a better looking, better performing, and easier job.
NOTE- for longevity and bio-growth prevention, you should ensure there is adequate ventilation. Now is the time to consider upgrading your exhaust fan.


Need advice on how to move forward with self-build conservatory

Here's a nice time lapse video of our DiY conservatory going up. What's not shown were all the 'difficult' parts.

Unless you can find someone like Aloysius mentions, you'll need to straight up contract this out, as DA01 says. No contractor that I know use would let you just strap on a safety harness and start glazing some windows.


Rather than removing it, I would suggest covering it properly with greenhouse film (translucent plastic, UV-protected with typically 4 year guaranteed lifespan, typically 11-13 cents per square foot) rather than a blue tarp. With proper edge attachments it will be much more secure and weather tight, and far less unsightly as well.

You could also use (at greater cost) a twin-wall (like corrugated cardboard) rigid plastic sheet greenhouse glazing, which is available in polycarbonate or acrylic, and is much more difficult to break than glass. It looks suspiciously like your roof dumps stuff on the greenhouse roof, which is poor planning for the life of the greenhouse roof (particularly in glass) if ice falls from the house roof.

Both of the above approaches would be best served by removing at least all the broken glass, or all the glass, period. That would also be the first step in removing it, period.

Finally, you could repair the broken glass with new glass. But if the roof above dumps ice on this one, that won't be a satisfying solution.

With any of the above you could also repoint/repair the brick.

Your pictures are a bit vague, but if the "sliding glass doors" are down a set of steps from the greenhouse floor level you could simply remove the thing and place a normal basement bulkhead door over the stairs and doorway. Typically made of steel, those will take a pretty large ice impact in stride.


Is a new hand plane supposed to have a concave sole?

Take it back. The bottom of the plane should be totally flat within the reasonable ability to measure flatness.


It's impossible for an LED*  to emit noise (more than once).

This is a problem with the power supply or driver circuit.

If these are 120V screw-in LEDs, then the built-in driver is the problem and replacing the whole unit is hte only option.

If this is a "plug-n-play" LED conversion of a fluorescent tube, then the old fluorescent ballast is still in play, and that is surely the source of the noise.  It should be replaced with a ballast-bypass aka direct-wire LED, which will remove the ballast from the circuit altogether.

* If you think I mean the consumer products sold at Ikea and Walmart that replace incandescent bulbs, no. I make that clear later in my answer.  I mean LED components. Which is very relevant to trophy cabinets, because they are typically LED "strips" comprised of actual LEDs, and separate power supplies.


Exterior Window Casing in Brick Exterior

I would go around it with 2-by lumber. Maybe PT 2x2 on the sides and 2x3 or 2x4 up top depending on the size of the gap.


I would try connecting the C-wire to the existing 24V COM terminal on the relay and seeing if it works
Your relay, thankfully, makes its C (Common) connection accessible (not all HVAC relay modules of that nature do).  So, given that your Taco's transformer secondary is rated at 15VA (as per the label on the transformer) and the Nest only pulls about 5VA of power, based on this document, the Nest shouldn't have any issue working with your relay once that C wire's hooked up.


troubleshooting why tempstar PHF042 LV control fuse would intermittent every 7 days

Visual inspection;
Test using sequence of operation;
Use system voltage and ammeter to locate problems when possible; and
Double check your diagnosis visually and with an ohmmeter when possible.


Removing a window from 1930s era building

I haven't worked on vintage metal casement windows but have some experience restoring vintage wood double hung windows.
First, don't replace the entire window unit, I'm sure this window can be repaired for much less. Did you contact a company that sells new replacement windows? I would avoid those companies and try to find a company that can re-glaze the existing window. Maybe search for a local glazier that specializes in window glass replacement.
Are you able to open the window that's broken? If so, maybe there is a way to remove the brackets from the frame instead of removing the brackets from the sash. Sounds like access from the exterior would be challenging, so if you have to do this from the inside then you'll need to be careful to not drop the sash if you can get it loose.
It may be possible to replace the broken glass and re-glaze the sash with new glass without removing the sash from the frame. Since the glass is broken you could try removing all of the broken glass and then use a heat gun to remove the old glazing putty from the metal sash. Once that's done you just need to install new glass and re-glaze with glazing putty designed for use with metal window sashes. I've used Sarco Dual Glaze putty and would recommend it for this. Do not use DAP 33 glazing putty that you will find in home improvement stores since it takes forever to dry and is messy to use.


How to use an air conditioner port to bring in fresh air from the outside?

I assume you can just stick any appropriately-sized fan in front of the hole. For heating purposes, an air exchanger is designed to recover heat/cool from interior air before exhausting it to the outside, but it's annoyingly expensive for what it is. You can get air conditioners that have heating as well, (a heat pump is just an AC run in reverse) but it requires a bit of extra mechanics, so you won't find this feature on the cheapest ACs. You can look for, say, "Air Conditioner With Heat Pump", or "Air Conditioner With Heat", and get a good selection at the few hundred dollar range.

Efficiency of a heat pump is above resistive heat, but still not great, especially for a portable unit. You should absolutely insulate the hose if you plan to use this long-term.


Outside A/C Unit Keeps Running 30+ Minutes After Inside Unit Stops

You've got a wiring problem, or a bad circuit board somewhere.

It's possible that the condenser unit is wired to run all of the time, but some protection circuit is kicking in and shutting it down. If that's the case, you would probably have ice build-up on your coils.

What is more likely is a relay somewhere is sticking, and remains closed when de-energized. If you provide the model number of you air handler and your condenser, I might be able to provide more direction.


Why does my central heating system get so much air in it?

Back in the day when I lived in a house with a hot water heating system, I usually had to bleed the air out of system a couple time every winter even though there wasn't any leaks.  I just thought that was normal behavior.


I believe the electrician also disconnected another wire, from the neutral bus bar, in addition to the "two wires from two circuit breakers" you mentioned.

Follow the two you mentioned to where they exit the wall or the main panel and find a third there.  That (white) one is probably not connected to anything, but should be connected to the neutral bus bar.

Here is my rational:

Stoves use two hots.  Old stoves especially, only use two hots to operate.

Dishwashers need a hot and a neutral.

If the electrician disconnected a sub-panel, he probably did it all the way, not just the hots.  You should check for and reconnect an uninsulated ground conductor as well if its loose in the main panel.

If the neutral was not connected, the stove would work, and the dishwasher not.


Attaching Suspended Ceiling Angle to Drywall Only?

If I'm understanding correctly, the drywall extends 1" past the top of the framing, and that's where you want to attach the angle for the suspended ceiling?

I would normally suggest screw-in type anchors for this (much stronger than the push-in kind), but I'd be worried that installing one will cause damage the top edge of the drywall, and make the anchor useless. If you want to go that way, try it in a piece of scrap first.

Given that it's not a lot of weight, you'd probably be okay with push-in anchors (where you drill a hole then push them in). Just be careful during drilling and don't hammer them too hard. The tiles aren't heavy nor are they subject to dynamic loads. I'd put an anchor in every 16 or maybe 24".

A better bet would be a "Toggler": they push in through a hole (minimizing potential to damage the drywall) but flatten out and have much more strength than the typical push-in anchors.

You'll have to hold the angle up, mark the holes, then pre-drill and install the anchors before you can actually mount it, of course. Bit of a pain but not as much as taking down and then refinishing drywall.


Odd wiring problem. Novice renovating house

There is more to household wire colors than you think you know. That's pretty evident because you find a white on the hot unusual - it's not. It SHOULD be remarked with black or red (or some other color, but those are most common) tape since it's being used as a hot, but it's very common, because /2 cables are black/white/bare or green and /3 cables are red/black/white/bare or green - so in a cabled building other colors (such as your blue) are not common, and for a LONG time it was both normal and code-legal to run a "switch loop" where an old-fashioned switch had a /2 cable running to it, no neutral, and the white was hot. That's not current code, (due to "smart switches" that need a neutral) but you'll find it in almost every house from before that code change took effect.

Now, that blue wire on the neutral side is more of a potential/probable code violation, but if the setup works as wired, it should work as wired the same. Using white for hot is OK (with remarking) but neutrals are only supposed to be white or gray, and grounds are only supposed to be bare copper, green, or green with yellow stripes. Blue is one of the "hot colors" in the expanded universe that conduit and rolls of wire give you. The main question being, where does that blue wire go to or come from? (Since we cannot see that in your picture.)

Other than replicating what wires are connected to what terminals (and NOT, in my very biased opinion, replicating the use of backstab connections) the main gotcha that we cannot see in your pictures at present is whether the "tab" connecting the two halves of the receptacle is broken - this is normally only done on the hot side, and is typical in the case of a "half-switched" outlet (also typical in the case of a MWBC but this lacks several clues that would imply that case.)

If you have more wires than firmly screw-clamped connections on the outlet, you run a "pigtail" or short wire which is then used to connect multiple wires using a correctly sized wire-nut or other wire connector.


Does double brick chimney need liner for vented gas logs?

If you have a fire in that fireplace, you really need the chimney relined. Its not that it will be any deposits, that is true, but there will still be a possibility of carbon monoxide leaking into the home, if not other fumes.

There are companies that will clean the interior, place a long balloon inside, inflate it and pour a product around it to seal the brick.

Another way to do it is to have a semi-rigid stainless steel pipe set in place. I have only seen this done with furnaces, not fireplaces, but there may be a way nowadays to tie it into the smoke chamber, after it has been restored.


Do you include the concrete that squeezes out under the frame as part of the depth of the concrete driveway?

You would measure the thickness, from the base to the top of the form. If the form was an inch off the ground that extra inch is part of your new slab. It just dosenot look as nice unless putting a lawn next to the slab. I have done things like this but usually back fill because the concrete that gets out is a waste of $.


Yes, but you're not going to like it, as it involves a hunt for high-tech products which may not yet exist.   We are not a product-reco site, so we can't be a whole lot of help there.

Currently the white and black in the switch loop are always-hot, and switched-hot.   Re-designate them always-hot, and neutral.
The hard part.  Find a "smart switch" product which allows you to have a master control at the switch location, and a remote module up in the lamp housing.

Since there are no spare wires, the control and remote will need to communicate via either a) data-over-power-line, or b) a radio-based scheme like WiFi, bluetooth, or some proprietary method.

If you have a 1-gang box at the switch, you'll have a real trick - trying to obtain a module which is both a smart-switch-controller and also a convenience outlet.  If that wasn't complicated enough, since it's a bathroom, the convenience outlet must be behind a GFCI protector - either in an upstream receptacle, or the breaker in the service panel.

The switch does not need to be wired.  It could be battery powered and glued to the wall next to the old switch location.  Then you can use a common duplex receptacle in the old switch box and done.

Or, give up on a manual switch, and go with a motion sensor up in the lamp housing.  That can be done with common off-the-shelf components.  You may need to check if this is Code legal.  Commercial bathrooms do it, though.


Am I doing it wrong ?

Yes, there is no tape over the seam.
When two pieces of drywall meet it necessary to cover the seam with tape and mud, not just mud. If you do not tape it then the mud will crack eventually.  There is paper tape and fiberglass mesh tape.
The paper requires that  you to put down a layer of mud and then press the paper tape into it and flatten it out with your drywall knife.
The fiberglass has a stick back to it, you stick in place and then apply mud over it.
You then let that first coat dry and then you need to add mud and feather it out and away on both sides of the seam. It uses a lot more mud then you may think as you have to feather it out quite a ways to  make the raised seam blend in with the wall.
This is but-joint, there are many tutorials on YouTube on how to mud and tape joints and how to mud but-joints .
YouTube search for  "How to mud and tape a drywall patch"
YouTube search for "How to mud and tape a but-joint"


Nobody can tell you whether or not that is ACM (asbestos containing material) by the pictures. You have to send it to a lab to know for sure.

Does it look like other ACM I have encountered? Yes

Will it hurt you if you wet it, bag it, and throw it away? No

Could it hurt you if you keep it laying around on your desk taking pictures of it and handling it? Probably not, but you should throw it away and stop stressing out

It takes time (think repeated/prolonged occupational exposure) for adverse health effects due to asbestos exposure.

Dust would be your biggest concern, especially for children. It is in what is called a friable state, meaning easily becomes airborne and inhaled. As a precaution, in the absence of lab results, it should be handled wet, like moistened with a water spray and mopped up while wearing a particulate respirator (a regular dust mask is not recommended). Alternatively, it can be vacuumed using a HEPA filter with the aforementioned respirators. Wear disposable coveralls (we use Tyvek™) and bag those and dispose as well. In the U.S.A., for confirmed ACM, this activity is regulated and may only be performed by specially trained and licensed personnel due to likelihood of repeated occupational exposure, and the waste is treated as hazardous.


Should I use a Ridge/Soffit vent or Attic Fan?

Before I added my ridge vent when we had consecutive days of 100F the attic could get up to 120-125 easy - and my roof is heavily shaded.  I would come down completely soaked - like swimming pool soaked - when doing 15 minutes of electrical work.

I just added a ridge vent to my attic a few months ago.  Measured attic temperature after a couple of days in the high 90s and the high temp was around 7PM at low 90s but basically it stayed in the mid 80s.  So 25F temperature change, being conservative.

We did cut out 3 inches on each side of mine so a total of 6 inches.

I am not sure what an attic fan would do in comparison.  The air needs to get out of the attic. Hot air will escape upward.  The attic fan will take hot air out of your house and put it in the attic, with no where to go.  I could almost see the attic fan as barely making a difference due to the heat introduced from the component in this situation.  And from an energy stand-point it doesn't make sense to run something that is a low difference maker.  In this situation I could see just using your AC as being more efficient.

You would ALWAYS put the ridge vent before the attic fan.  Now would you want to install an attic fan with the ridge vent is a really good question.  I could see the benefit of having the attic fan going with the hot air having an easy escape route.


Is there a technique on how to remove aluminum soffit without damaging it?

Assuming you have metal fascia as well, gently remove the nails securing a section of it where you need to work. Flex it out, then remove the hidden nails holding the soffit. Lower the soffit panels slightly by tilting them downward, and slide them past the fascia individually.

Reinstallation is the reverse.


How can I implement an unused wire as a C wire for my thermostat?

Installation of a WiFi thermostat to control a forced hot air furnace, and you have a spare wire available to use for (C). Rather than get into the wiring of the furnace, I install a Taco SR501 single zone relay outside the furnace, near the service switch. The 120 volt AC for the SR501 can be connected to the furnace (usually at the service switch). The SR501 then can be wired using the T T terminals (red and white from the T-stat) and the green (or spare wire) connect to the C terminal in the SR501. Connect two wires from the burner head (T T) to terminals 5 and 6 on the SR501 (normally open). This works well, and the SR501 relay is about 50 bucks...


What's the right size pipe to buy for gas supply for this furnace?

Generally, the bigger the better. Assuming you already have gas, you should match what you have already installed. The size shown is the minimum for each of the 2 gases, Propane vs Natural Gas. You can use a pipe nipple/reducer to reduce the size of the valve inlet as needed. As for the other numbers, BTU is the heating factor (British Thermal Unit), higher number means it will heat a larger space, or a smaller one faster. The dimensions are used for the place you plan to install the furnace. Your gas valve is 1/2"ID(Inside Diameter), your measurement is 3/4"OD(Outside Diameter). So a 1/2" ID NPT(National Pipe Thread) is what you need at the valve, however, up to the valve you can plumb 3/4"ID. If you are doing a new install from the meter, best to go with the 3/4" in case you plan to upgrade in the future or add additional gas appliances.


The soil over the pipe from the well is subsiding

A well can allow oxygen into the soil where it will thin out any organic materials present, possibly causing subsidence. Without redigging the well using expensive methods it is hard to prevent this. Also, if the water is in a reservoir of some kind, reduction of that reservoir can cause subsidence. There is not much you can do about either of these problems except trying to locate the well elsewhere maybe.


Installing a Meter Socket and Safety Switch

This can be confusing when first dealing with panels.

How main panels work

The utility supplies only 2 hots and a neutral.  That is coming from the meter.

Your main service panel supplies 1-2 hots, neutral and safety ground to all circuits.

Where does safety ground come from?  From a local pair of ground rods.

There is also a Neutral-Ground equipotential bond inside the main service panel, which bonds neutral and ground.  In an ideal world, these are on two separate buses, connected by a thick wire you can put a clamp meter around.  However, it is perfectly acceptable to use one bus-bar for both inside the main panel only.

This disconnect switch is functioning as your main panel

So it needs to be wired like a main panel.

This will be where the ground rods attach, and this is where the neural-ground bond must be.  As such, you can simply put all neutrals and grounds on the same bar.   Everywhere else, they must be separate.


I use a sawzall a reciprocating saw with a wood bit and it goes through it like butter. Check for live voltage behind the area you want to cut or you may have some wires to repair , yup done that more than once.
I lay the tip lightly on the surface handle and blade touching the wall. Start the saw holding the front of the saw still wile lifting the handle away from the surface, once through hold the saw at a 90 and cut away.
I have seen a jigsaw used he drilled a hole big enough for the blade it was a bit slower but a nice reusable cut.


How do I find a replacement for this light fixture enclosure?

Firstly you could take the fixture down, examine all markings and google search any words or numbers you find on them.

If that doesn't work, and you have a picture of it or can take one of another similar fixture, you could use TinEye to find a similar photo and hope that it's on a product listing page.

Replacing a light fixture however, is pretty easy.  I recommend buying spare globes for any glass fixtures and keeping them in a safe place.


Pigtails and Wire Nuts

Use short pieces of 12 AWG wire as pigtails. If you have any 12 AWG NM (aka Romex) lying around, you can take a black and white wire out of that. Connect all the hots together with a black pigtail using a wire nut and connect the other end of the pigtail to a screw on the new receptacle. Same for all the neutrals with a white pigtail. All grounds should be together as well, using a bare or green wire.


Power wash it first, with plain water. Then use a belt sander with a 60grit paper, when the stain/sealer is off sand with a 150grit paper, when done get as much air circulation as you on the deck, open windows and fans.


Can I install Delta-FL in only part of a basement?

Here's what the Armtec rep had to say:

  We like the idea of Platon venting into an unfinished space so this
  would be good at your doorway. In regards to the partition walls, yes
  you would treat that as you would an outside wall.

So I guess not only is it ok, but they consider it a good thing to have some air circulation with unfinished spaces, while keeping the moisture out of the finished rooms.


How to fit a pvc window to a corrugated metal shed

Actually they probably will carry the load just fine. The general process is this

Buy the window size you want in vinyl. It should fit between the framing members (you do not want to cut those)
Buy some aluminum channel bars ("C" shaped). You'll need 4 at least as long/wide as your window. Construct a frame from these pieces, using two channels on the sides to support the top and bottom. You'll have to cut the top and bottom to slide over the shed wall itself. The finished frame should wrap the opening, leaving just enough room for your window. If the channel isn't painted, now is a good time to paint it. Caulk the top and sides with the best outdoor caulk you can get.
Insert the window with some exterior caulk to glue it in. Screw through the window flanges into the frame from the inside (short self-tapping screws should work)
Get some wood or metal (wood is probably cheaper) and run it vertically between the horizontal supports of the shed frame. You'll want to L-bracket it to the frame or floor and screw through the outer shell to this vertical support. This will help support the weight of the window and keep the sheet metal wall from pulling away from the frame
Make a flashing (spare sheet metal will do) to go over the top of the window frame. It should extend at least half an inch beyond the window. This will help keep some of the rain out of the top channel (caulk should prevent the rain from penetrating but you don't want water freely pooling up there either)


Washing Machine drains during wash cycle

The drain hose is probably too low. The end of it has to be higher than the top of the wash drum (not the entire machine just the drum).

i.e. For a front loader this is the top of the drum, for a top loader this is the high water mark.


How to hang exhaust fan with limited amount of space?

Google "remote exhaust fan" and see if that will work. The fan portion doesn't need to be in the bathroom ceiling.


How much of my roof do I need to clear of snow in order to prevent ice damming?

You didn't find a correct answer because there is no correct answer, just like there's no correct answer to "how much does a car cost?", or "what should I feed my pet badger?". It depends on several things, so you may need to rely on common sense and trial-and-error.

Your climate (typical temperature range)
Your weather (recent temperatures, sunlight, and snowfall amounts)
Your home's architectural type (roof slope, truss heel design)
Your home's roofing type and age (Does it have water barrier membrane underneath? How far up the slope?)
Your home's sun exposure
Your attic's insulation level
Your attic's ventilation level

You can tell if you've done enough when there's no ice forming below the lower edge of the remaining snow on days when the snow on the ground isn't melting. If the snow on your roof is melting off in that case, it's because there's significant heat escaping your home that's not being ventilated away. That's the source of the problem.

Oh, and it's perfectly possible that the answer is "zero feet".


If it is a hot water system then what you are calling an "air relief valve" is actually a vent valve and "NO" the radiator has 2 connections and you would have to shut off both connections not just one.


Hanging something from an indoor window frame (drywall)

What you need is a toggle bolt. It should easily support your hook.


Can two circuits' neutrals be tied together (not a single neutral wire, but two that have been connected)?

This is a safety hazard. An electrical system must remain safe (not hurt a user or overheat and cause a fire) even if there is a failure.

In your situation it is true that the neutrals will not be overloaded under normal conditions. But if one of the neutrals were to get disconnected at or near the breaker panel (loose screw or accidental damage to the wire itself) then the other neutral could end up carrying the current for two circuits and overheat and cause a fire.


Improve existing roof insulation from the inside

We had insulated the heated attic area with rock wool. After the winter, mold had formed on the wood. The reason was ice crystals between the wood and the rock wool. When thawing, the moisture has accumulated more and more on this layer. However, I don't have 2 cm PUR insulation on the outside. This certainly reduces the problem of condensation on the wood layer. It may not be easy to assess whether this will help 100%.

In our case we had newly installed all insulation with an intermediate ventilation space (2 cm) between insulation and wood. There were no problems until now for over 10 years.


Can I run my furnace in fan-only mode without a G wire?

I would make the assumption that the furnace and fan wires are "bonded" together somewhere between your thermostat and your control board, therefore sending 24vAC to both relays and turning both on.

I'm assuming you don't have AC since you don't mention it, so in this circumstance you're probably looking at needing four wires -- ground (C), fan on, furnace on, and a positive feeder (R) (to power the thermostat and to send back to the relays).

To make the house more future-proof, I'd run more wires than needed in the event AC is ever added or the system changes configuration.

I have casual knowledge of HVAC, but in my experience of designing microcontroller-based thermostats, this is generally a good idea.


Barry I am about to do the same job, and the video's I have seen show the rods being sealed in with Silicone sealant. I am not sure if this is correct but that is what I will be doing.


How to install kitchen shelves in a wall which conceals a pocket door?

Cut and install a plywood sheet to cover the entire space. Mark or measure the locations of the vertical wood strips (studs). Use screws just long enough to go past the drywall about 3/4" into the strips. Sand and paint the plywood, then attach shelves wherever you need.


If it "chips easily and deep", you need to remove the current finish to get a satisfactory result.

There are three basic approaches to paint/finish removal

Chemical
There are a number of chemical strippers avaialble. Some are very effective, pretty fast (meaning one application, even if it needs to steep a while) but fairly caustic

Some are less caustic, environmentally friendly and may take a bit longer or be a bit more work

In both cases, apply, let soak, scrape off, wipe clean (and sometimes neutralize) and follow up with sanding as needed.

Scraping
This is pretty useful when the lowest level of finish is not adhering well, or where several layer chip off easily. A heavy duty scraper can be used on thich finishes but can be a bit rough on wood surfaces (potential gouging), and can scrathc metal, so be careful as you get to the base.

There are also cabinet scrapers that are better for thinner finishes and more delicate work. These are also good for curved surfaces and edges.

In Both cases, scraping needs to be followed up by at least a light sanding.

Sanding
This is a brute force approach to finish removal, and generates a lot of dust, some of which could contain lead or other toxic materials. You need to wear a good mask.  This approach is genrall only used when the amount of surface to be cleaned is so large as to make the two other approaches impractical, where the finish is very thin.

Heavy duty sanding uses a belt sander. This approach can rip through paint and wood, and abrade metal. It must be used very cautionsly or you will damage the surface.  But it can be fast. You need to use a succession of grit sizes (moving toward finer as the bulk of finish is removed)

A gentler approach is an orbital sander.  These take off less, are slower, but are more controlable and are much less likely to damage the wood or metal surface. They come in a variety of sizes, and both plug-in and battery models. Again, you will probably need a number of grits as described above. The same cautions apply to the dust.

This type of sander will probably also be needed as the finishing step to follow-up on a removal that uses either chemical stripper or scraper described above.

Repainting
After the finish is removed, you need to clean, prime and paint. It is critical to get all dust off the surface. After vacuuming, a tack rag works very well. A wipe with a rag dipped in mineral spririts is also good to remove any traces. Generally a primer is needed, appropriate to the type of surface. Then finish coats. Enamels give a harder, and often smoother surface. Spray paints give a very smooth finish, but you need to work outdoors. There are a few latex paints that are pretty tough once dry. In any case, several coats are generally needed to give both full coverage and a slightly thicker coat for better wear.


Can I use a larger garage door motor as a substitute for proper springs?

Absolutely Not!!!

Garage door openers are not designed or intended to hoist the door by brute force - the door should always be adjusted for easy manual operation before the opener is connected, or in the event of the opener failing, a power outge, etc.

This is primarily a safety issue (getting killed or injured by an improperly balanced door crashing down) rather than a "how powerful is the opener" issue. Openers are not intended to hold a heavy door up by brute force, and will probably shear the (usually plastic) gear teeth under excessive loads, leading to the door crashing down and possibly injuring/killing someone.

Get the mechanicals sorted out (use a reputable company, not a guy who does a poor job), or have the whole door replaced (I'm fond of a nice insulated steel door, myself) with a properly suspended door that can be easily operated by hand. Then connect the opener to it.


Placing them on opposite poles is stupid easy but that doesn't help you.

You can't gang two cables to support the same load.  It's not allowed and it probably won't work.

As an aside, it's a little weird to have two parallel cables to the same outbuilding.   This, also, is not allowed unless the circuits are of different voltages or differently controlled (e.g. A switched circuit for a light).  This prohibition may be your salvation: If both cables are /2, their only options are 120V or 240V, so there'd need to be one of each.

So that's the answer, rewire one of the circuits to be a 240V circuit.

If you need to switch a light, then you either use wireless smart switches of some kind, or fit motion sensors, or fit efficient LEDs and just leave them on 24x7.


Those wooden circles are plugs that will pry out of the holes in the balusters.  Under that would be a pre-drilled hole for a screw (typically).  I would have never used nails on this in the first place.

The correct fix is going to be to remove the nails and replace them with screws that fit into the existing holes snugly.  If there is really just a nail hole, you may want to pre-drill a larger hole (sized appropriately for the screws you choose) and then drive in screws.  An electric driver is going to be the best for this unless you only have a few to repair.  A manual screw driver is going to get tiring and hard to use very quickly.

Once they are screwed into place, the wooden plugs can be tapped (maybe with some glue) back into place.


A good ol' scrap block of two-by does nicely. Just set your laser 1-1/2" above your slab height and kick the block around as you work.

This doesn't work for ceilings, of course, but hopefully you have fewer points to measure in that case. You'd have to use something with a suction cup or magnet otherwise.


Connecting a Pseudo-Neutral to Pig Tail of GFCI

In that case you would hook the red "outside" wires to a 240V supply, i.e. A different 240V breaker.  That would cause the center black wire to synthesize a midpoint at ~120V.

Since the GFCI breaker is getting its outside wires from the exact same bus bars, the center black would appear as a neutral to it, and should suffice to power it.

GFCI devices don't care about safety earthing, so you're all set.

It wouldn't work to attach the two red wires to the outputs of the GFCI breaker; those are inside the GFCI protected zone, and you intend to use the black (pseudo neutral) wire outside that zone, so it would be a fault, exactly what the GFCI is designed to detect and trip on!

There is one problem, though.  There is no listed method for attaching supply power to that breaker; it's designed to snap into a Siemens service panel and engage its bus bars.  Therefore your best bet is to get a small Siemens panel that is  compatible.   That panel could support several such breakers: you could set it up as a subpanel.


Almost all recessed light trim rings are held in place by spring clips that grip the interior of the recessed can. However, some of those clips have sharp prongs to better grip the can.

You often have to use some force and wiggle the trim ring downward to overcome the grip. Sometimes, if you get a little gap, you can use a flat bladed tool, small putty knife or flat screwdriver, to locate the clip and push it towards the center as you ease the ring downward. Sometimes rotating the trim as you pull downwards helps, even though the trim is not really screwed in.

The trims routinely scrape a groove in the cans as they come out, but this does not damage the can and will be covered when the trim is replaced.

Work carefully, because some cans are not well attached, especially old work cans that may not be anchored to framing. I would strongly recommend turning off the breaker to the can before working. Turning the switch off is not enough, since there may be live hot in the can, even if the wall switch is off.

Finally, I would check, before removing the trim, to make sure that the lens does not come off by itself. If the lens were removable, it probably would require a counterclockwise twist while pushing gently upward.


Why can't I (or: shouldn't I) run a power cord through a wall?

Of course it's illegal to run power cords inside walls. National Electrical Code 400.8 rolls through the things you can't do with cord, and it's mostly a list of schemes to use them as a substitute for the permanent wiring of a structure.  Nope, just nope.

Data cables, on the other hand, can go right into the wall cavity.  Punch a hole in the drywall and drop the cables down to another hole you've punched out; reach into the lower hole and fish the cables out, it's that easy.  In fact, cable ducts that don't provide power are nothing more than a pretty frame for those holes.  There's not even a real duct.

But take a close look at that cable duct that you linked.  See the 2-socket receptacle built into the cable duct?  Behind the receptacle is a  proper junction box: it is to be installed using normal and proper wiring methods for in-wall wiring, such as MC, NM, UF or conduit. Separately from that, the data-cable hatch is just an opening into the wall cavity.

...or use an inlet

Some TV ducts come in two parts, providing an upper and lower duct.  The upper duct has a receptacle but the lower duct has a power inlet, which is hardwired to the outlet via MC or other legal in-wall wiring method... as part of the kit.  In that type, you plug an extension cord between the inlet and power strip you're using for the rest of the entertainment center.  That lets you turn off the TV on a surge suppressor.

You ar also welcome to hire an electrician to install a receptacle and inlet, connected through the wall using proper wiring methods.  Or DIY if you are able.

Cheat the rule - low voltage wiring

Some TVs actually use low voltage internally. Either they have a low voltage (e.g. 12V) input, or they use a "wall wart" or power brick to convert their power to low voltage before it even reaches the TV.

Low voltage circuits of 55 watts or less follow the same rules as data cables, i.e. You are allowed to run them inside wall cavities on flexible cordage.   So if you are able to power the TV with low voltage, that is the way to beat the rule.


You need a box in that location , an "old work" box can be placed into the hole and it will provide the mounts for the fixture. Old work boxes have tabs or wings that anchor to the back side of the wall.


I had a circuit fail and trip breakers with no load, what could cause that?

The issue turned out to be rodent damage.  To diagnose, I plugged the freezer into a different circuit and it worked fine. The breaker tripped again, no load on the circuit.  Also, other electrical problems. Another circuit was failing.   As we all know, failures of cables inside walls is extremely rare. Usually somebody has drilled through one or nailed it.    I traced it down by pulling switches and outlets and testing for continuity and shorts between them. I pulled off some sheetrock and found a dead mouse in the wall and the cable chewed through.
A couple of times here I've mentioned potential rodent damage for electrical problems. It's real and have personally experienced it. It's hard to find and sometimes, even harder to fix in inaccessible areas like vaulted ceilings.


How to glue PVC wall tiles to old mastic?

Ran a test with a sample size square of Dumawall and some Loctite Heavy Duty Power Grab adhesive that I had on hand and it seems to hold just fine.  Certainly strong enough for this application.


Why is my house wired with two coax in every room and an RJ11 splitter?

Most likely this was a satellite dish hookup.

Back in the 90s, when the technology was nascent, each box got its own LNB feed from the dish. You'd also need an antenna hookup to get local broadcasts (as in two separate cable feeds). The phone line was so the satellite box could phone the company and report whatever purchases were made via the remote (like pay per view)

  It doesn't seem like a pro did the work, especially considering the rats nest of coax in the attic.

In the earliest days you didn't have a whole cottage industry of professional installers like today. Instead, you had a lot of installers who doubled as local sales associates and it was merely a side business for them. My parents had one installed in their rural house in the mid 90s by a man from a nearby town who ran a hardware store. As such, you'd have some strange things done by installers (like using a phone duplexer to join lines).

Most modern installers don't even bother with your attic nowadays. They run it around the eaves of your house, then drop it down and straight through the outer and inner walls.


What do you do/ask when hiring a contractor

A few ideas:

Ask for references.  This can work nice, but since the contractor can choose which references to give you, doesn't always give an accurate picture.
If they are in a regulated trade (electrician, plumber, builder, etc.) ask your local city code inspector.  They know all the contractors and know which ones do good work and which ones do just enough to pass inspection.
Check with your local building/plumbing/electrical supply stores.  They know the contractors and which ones are good or bad.


I don't see a non-hokeydokey way to mix mains powered E27 and LED strips in the same fixture, and USB only makes it worse.  Here's what I'd do.

Convert the whole works to 12V or 24V DC

For the LED strips, you use any of the literally thousands of 12V LED strips readily available for $7 per 5 meters, all over ebay and amazon, or hundreds of 24V LED strips.

For the E27 screw-in bulb, you use 12-24V LED bulbs intended for RVs.  Most of them work on both 12V and 24V.

If it has a lamp cord and plugs in, just put a 12v or 24v "wall wart" power supply on the end of the lamp cord.  If you have space up in the lamp,  you could also use a modular power supply such as those made by Meanwell.

This will not be dimmable.  But for the LED strips, 12/24V dimming and RGB controllers are readily available and could be tucked up inside the lamp.  They use a wireless remote.  This would work for the LED strips not the screw-in.

If someone screws in a 120V bulb into the socket, it just won't work.


Will using Redgard over a cement shower pan cause a mold sandwich if there are weep holes underneath?

I don't think I'd bother.

pvc glue melts the plastic together.  It is used in plumbing with no leak issues.

If you do red guard it, I would not be concerned about a mold sandwich.  Even if mold did somehow get enough food and water and did grow in the deck mud, how would mold spores get out of this sandwich?

How would mold growing inside deck mud - under tiles - that receives the same food and water be less worse than a mold sandwich?  Is the opinion that it can dry easier make it better?


How do I reconnect a ceiling fan light chain?

If the chain is broken inside the housing where you can't see it, you will have to disassemble the lower light cover on the fan if so equipped(usually 3 small screws). Definitely turn off the power to the fixture and always double check with a voltage tester to confirm power is off. It is not uncommon for the chain to break or actually pull out of the switch assembly. Until you determine the extent of the problem, you can't plan the fix. If the chain is broken at a ball link, a simple snap link my solve your problem.  If it is pulled completely out of the pull switch, then you will have to remove the wire nuts and switch and get a replacement, usually available at any hardware store.  Reassemble, carefully tighten the new wire nuts, a safety wrap of electrical tape around the wire nuts and put cover back on.  It is actually a very simple fix if you have any experience with electrical repairs.  CAVEAT.  Be sure power is off before working with any wires.  Good luck.


Options for replacing an at-grade hose bibb

I would definitely be worried about remembering to drain the valve, and it's also a pain that you'd have to drain it inside. Your second option is pretty good though, otherwise.

Another option, which is probably easier, would be to make up an adapter of sorts for the outside. Take a regular spigot, attach to a 90 degree elbow, and put a hose adapter on the bottom. Mount this to the outside of your house at a convenient height. Use a washing machine hose (or preferably something slightly bigger, eg: find or make a small female-female garden hose) and connect your existing sillcock to this new contraption. Leave the existing one on all the time.

You could use CPVC if you paint it (to protect from ultraviolet) or any other material that is not going to break down when exposed to sunlight. The key is that you can disconnect and drain it. If you do end up installing a frost-free sillcock, you can winterize it by simply shutting off the sillcock and disconnecting the hose.


Prior to variable frequency drives (most people call inverters) having 2 compressors was the most efficient system out there but the cost was quite high so many just oversized the compressor these systems 2 pump have longer life if well sealed because the compressor job is split up.
All heat pumps that I have seen have a reversing valve this reverses the flow of the “Freon” or refrigerant so instead of removing heat from the house it is removing heat from outside and using that heat on the inside. This is why heat pump efficiency drops off depending on the type and age efficiency roll off starts at ~24f but some newer high efficiency models can run all the way down to -5F.
The only problems I have found on 2 compressor multi zone systems is the control boards die and can be quite expensive. Some of these units are 20+ years old and only needed a recharge when they were having problems (other than the controller)
So your system appears to be a high efficiency model of its day and was quite expensive so I would not mess with it unless something is broken.
Running a big compressor all the time will cost more. The small compressor costs less to run but is not large enough to push 2 heads especially in heat mode.


Centre rail feet are not supposed to touch the floor. If they do, they interfere with the flex of the slats. They’re only there to prevent the slats breaking when folks initially get into bed - or jump on the bed. Or...

Generally, they should be a centimetre or so off the floor.
Most centre rail breakages occur when people adjust the centre rail feet to TOUCH the floor. These legs don’t have much sideways strength and if they’re in contact with the floor (carpet especially) when the bed is moved sideways for cleaning, they drag on the floor and rip away from the centre rail. I’ve had to fix MANY of these things!
(I install beds for a national bed maker).


Adding a sill to a Marvin Integrity window

I happen to have a shop built with Marvin Integrity windows. As far as I know, the customary/expected way to provide an interior sill/trim is that it either butts up to or slips behind the wood frame provided with the window. Yes, there's a visible seam - it's not a big deal.

Your photographically-challegened-ness makes it difficult to determine if you already have the most minimal form of this installed, or not. Mine are currently sitting with no interior trim, waiting for my "tuit" to get "round."


How to troubleshoot/diagnose an oven that won't heat past a certain point?

I'm guessing that coiled up wire at the top right is the thermocouple. Do I see a silver tip thing on the end of it? You can splice thermocouple wires if you use ceramic wire nuts, otherwise you have to trace that back to behind the control panel. Here's some good info at Appliance411. I'm not to keen on electric ovens, but with the door open and perhaps a fan blowing in, I'd like to think you'd see the elements glow at least briefly in order to eliminate element or control knob problems.


I drilled holes in my brick too big for my anchors. How can I fix this?

Use larger anchors/screws. IMO this is the best option.
There are dozens of different types of anchors, so it is possible to find one that will be larger but fit the smaller screw. Myself, I'd drill the rack and use the proper screw for the anchors you have.

Another possibility, since brick is pretty deep, is to use a longer Tap-Con style screw, like 3" say. You can drill past the old anchor point, but still have plenty of meat for the longer screw to bite.

Sure, you can plug the holes with wood but I would not trust a bike rack or similar item hung off such a makeshitft anchor.


Is insulating an unfinished basement worth it? If so, how should I go about it?

Absolutely it's worth insulating.

Concrete is a poor insulator.  8" concrete blocks have an R-value of 1.1 - about the same as 3/4" particleboard.

In my neck of the woods the frost line is about 3' down. So, assuming that a house here has a 40x40 foot square footprint and the basement is 8' high:

160 lineal feet x 6" = 80 square feet exposed to air;
160 lineal feet x 3' deep = 480 square feet exposed to ground above the frost line;
160 lineal feet x 4.5' deep = 720 square feet exposed to ground below the frost line.

Calculate the heat loss, using the formula (Area * (Tinside - Toutside) / (thermal_resistance) See here for a complete explanation

Assuming it's 0F outside and 70 inside (you said long and cold :) ), we'll say the above the frost line is 20F and below is 40F.

Above ground: 80*70/1.1 = 5091 BTU/hr
Frost line: 480*50/1.1 = 21818 BTU/hr
Below Frost line: 720*30/1.1 = 19636 BTU/hr
Total: 46545 BTU/hr.

Now sheath and insulate with R20 insulation.  Call it an effective R15 due to thermal bridging by the studs and because you don't do this every day so there are some gaps, etc.  Then your total comes to 3414 BTU/hr.  You save more than 16,000 BTUs/hr, or almost 400,000 BTUs/day.

In a 6 month winter that's 72 million BTUs.

Your $ savings will depend on the price of energy in your area, what you're heating with etc.  $15/million BTUs is not unusual: that's higher than it was in Alberta where I'm from, but lower than California where I'm at now.


Yeah, that advice was super wrong.  Moisture encourages mold growth.

After a water leak you need to go to extremes to dry the air to get wet things to evaporate into the air, which you then continue to dry.   I would run dehumidifiers, or shoot, if your house has A/C, just run the A/C since that is a dehumidifier.

The only risk is if you excessively chill the air, because cooler air has less capacity to hold moisture.  This drives the British crazy, their masonry buildings often have utility spaces with "the damp" which are 40-50F (5-10C) and freon dehumidifiers just don't work well at those temperatures. They are forced to heat the space just so the dehumidifier will work effectively. I've witnessed it myself, a dehumidifer that fills in 8 hours at 75F takes a week to fill at 45F.  The goal is measured in gallons, and time is a factor, so that is a total lose.   And mind you, dehumidifiers do heat the space since all the energy they use winds up in the room as heat. Air conditioners remove the heat.

So you need to also heat the house, which fortunately is something solar load (i.e. The sun hitting your roof) does automatically.  All you need to do is have a system whereby the air conditioner doesn't cool the house more  than it's being heated by the sun... Some sort of, gosh, I don't know, thermostat :)

Oh yeah, you have one of those.  Set it aggressively enough to run a lot, but not so aggressively that you create the British problem. Something like 60-ish (16C), let it go nuts.


What are some methods to align switches in a multi-gang box?

Vertical alignment is rarely an issue if you've installed your box level. There's not much play in the mounting holes of the devices. You can usually work a row of switches into a plate without a problem, for example.
To get them horizontally aligned:

Always start by centering the mounting screws in their slots.
Make adjustments if necessary.

Optionally leave the mounting screws just loose enough that you can slip the devices sideways as needed to fit the plate.


Both conductors can carry the maximum current. However, since it can either be a 240V circuit or a 120/240V circuit, it can seem a bit confusing. At no time will you be able to draw more than the max current, but it is possible to have the maximum current on both conductors.

In all cases, both ungrounded conductors will have to be rated to carry the maximum current.

Also note that the conductors only carry the current drawn by the loads attached. So the conductors will carry anywhere from 0 to the maximum current, depending on the demand of the loads.


If your area uses the National Electrical Code then it has an exception for older installations that allows you to continue to use a 3 prong (NEMA 10-30) receptacle.

The appliance can usually be fitted with a 3 prong plug and the ground and neutrals are bonded in the appliance not at the receptacle.

Get yourself a 3 prong appliance whip from the box store and replace the cord on your oven. Look for information online your model and how to bond the ground and neutral inside the connection box.

Good Luck!


On a QO breaker, how do I distinguish GFCI from overcurrent trip?

Older Square D breakers
Square D does not provide any means to distinguish type/reason of trip.
Newer Square D breakers (date code 1130 and newer)
These breakers (at this writing) have white or purple TEST buttons.
The "Time Saver" (heh) diagnostics provide a method for the breaker to tell you the cause of the last trip.
Link.... link.
Generally the procedure is to turn the breaker off, hold down TEST, turn the breaker back on continuing to hold down TEST, and time the number of seconds until the breaker trips again.   The amount of delay (if any) reveals the trip cause - ground fault, arc fault, or overcurrent.
Note that Square D arc fault breakers have weak ground fault detection (for the purpose of detecting hot-ground and neutral-ground parallel arc faults) — so they can in fact trip on a ground fault indication.


This is fishing. You can usually slice a little bit of drywall from the area above the box and stick an electrical snake in there and try to snag the cable and direct it over to one of the access points on the box. You can also loop the cable before running it in the wall and then try snagging it through one of the access points into the box. Sometimes you just have to cut the the nails with a hacksaw blade, remove the box and then get a new "old work" box that is supported by drywall clamps. Pull the cables into the box and then install it in the same hole as the old one.


Switch outlets to permanently hot. Switch to control new recessed lights

You are in luck for making the outlet always hot. It looks to be wired as a simple switch loop.

The only change required to make the outlet always hot is to separate the existing wirenut and replace the black on the outlet with the black that was pigtailed.

You hadn't given any details of how you expect the switch location to control the new lights but if it is wireless or you will fish a new cable to the switch you can pigtail white to white and black to black in the outlet location to get a neutral and live to the switch location for power from that circuit. Make sure to remove the electrical tape marker on the white that marked it as a live.


Upgrading from a 3 wire rotary thermostat to a Electronic Digital

You should be able to use the device you pictured.

You might have to bridge 2 & 3 with a short wire loop if the terminals are not internally bridged. The manual would make this clear or you could test with a continuity tester.


Comparing mixed orientation solar panels to non-mixed on a Brooklyn Solar install

Ask them for a total annual power generation estimate using NREL PVwatts. What you want to see is how many kW-hr of power each system should generate in a year under typical weather conditions.

The two systems are going to perform drastically different given their orientation and inverter arrangements. Depending on how the panels are strung together this could be a very large effect. Comparing the total # of kW is not sufficient.


Applying polyurethane to a vertical surface?

Preventing runs is as easy as following one simple approach: Start heavy, finish light.

What that means is that you immerse your brush to maybe inch of depth, scrape off one side on the can, and apply the remaining product load to the project in a new area adjacent to the previous work. The idea of "starting heavy" is that you apply enough product to thoroughly coat and fill the texture of the surface.

You then brush to distribute that load, working it outward until you achieve a uniform film that's blended with the previous area. This will not run. Finish with long strokes parallel to the grain. Do not work the finish so long that it begins to dry and get tacky.

With a bit of practice you'll be able to apply a uniform, drip-free coat to surfaces at any angle.


Unbearable rattling from one of my YORK furnaces

That looks like an condensate pump. They're used to pump the waste condensate water to a drain that's higher than or far away from the furnace's outlet. It collects water in the tank until a float triggers the pump to eject it.

It's not a part of the furnace itself. I'm not sure if it's serviceable but a replacement should be available at local home center for around $50.


Should I open my AC register in the basement to help with condensation?

My recommendation would be to run a de-humidifier in the house to control the excess humidity. If you do not want the noise in the living space as I did not then I would put the de-humidifier in the basement. You should open 2 registers in the basement and have at least 2 floor level return grills to circulate air in the basement. Set the de-humidifier at a comfortable level and now you can control the excess humidity. This is what I did and it works great. My de-humidifier is a 70 pint model bought at the 1 of the big box stores.


You could use black polyethlene (non-pex) well-water pipe, which is inherently sunlight resistant. Also helps to keep your water from growing algae. Either as a sleeve or as the actual pipe for this section.
You could enclose it in metallic ducting, or PVC that was painted to protect it from UV, or PVC electrical conduit (sunlight-resistant as made, they claim.) I don't think painting the PEX is likely to work.


Combining a Multiwire Branch Circuit on a single breaker

Since

the two hot conductors do not rejoin at any point (we know this because you'd have a 240V short on your hands otherwise), making it so that the rules about wires in parallel don't apply
the two hot conductors are being protected by the same breaker in the new configuration (i.e. two 14AWG hots on the same 15A breaker, returning via a 14AWG neutral), eliminating the possibility of an overloaded neutral, and
this is all on one breaker, making it all part of one branch circuit and avoiding a violation of 200.4(A) regarding shared neutrals

you can go ahead and do this safely by wirenutting both hots to a pigtail from the chosen breaker in the panel.  (312.8 allows splicing in the panel provided you aren't overflowing the gutter space.)

I would put a tag on the wires in the cable saying "Same Leg" at the various boxes this feeds though to avoid confusion between this (admittedly somewhat odd) configuration and an actual multi-wire branch circuit.


Remove paint from concrete floor (indoors)

For mechanical removal of paint from floors....

If you're talking about drips/splatters/spills that are on the floor from painting the walls/ceiling you can use wire or bristle disks that are meant for removing paint/rust and there's also the Wagner Paint Eater.

If you're talking about the whole floor covered in paint you can rent a floor sander with an abrasive diamond pad or a shot blaster.

All of them are messy and generate a lot of dust. Shot blaster also removes any weak/soft concrete at the surface which could improve your tile adhesion.


LNLN Motion Sensor - Replacing Switch, Help with RED wire

Normally Black is the hot supply or L, the white is the neutral N both from the supply and to the load the red wire is the switched hot. This is how all the motion sensors work that I have installed. But you don’t show which wire is red but this is the most common. Most electricians use Red as a switched hot but it is not a requirement to do so.


Removing the concrete from the top off a concrete column

You almost certainly do NOT want to cut off the rebar in the columns as suggested by @EdBeal - that should be tied in and/or bent and tied in to the rebar in the beam.

I'd think long and hard about just raising the upper floor by another 40 cm rather than chiseling all those columns - but if they are freshly poured, you may find that they will chisel easily, as the green concrete is still going to be relatively weak.


Can I regrade this gravel section of yard myself?

Given the willingness to devote time and energy to the project, sure you can regrade it, but looking at the photographs it may not solve the root problem.

It appears that water will sheet flow down the driveway and directly into the building...that's why the drain is there. The presence of the french drain suggests that the problem predates the gravel extension.

Diverting the sheet flow well uphill from the building  will reduce the amount of water hitting the building. This means regrading a portion of the driveway (perhaps prior to the asphalt to concrete driveway transition would be easier).


Yes, that's a good idea. It's essentially the same box just stronger. It also needs to be installed with the correct hardware.  Install a fan box in every room where you would typically put in a ceiling fan, the cost to do it now is minimal compared to the cost of doing it later.


How do I improve the soundproofing between two rooms?

You could cut some holes in the drywall and use some blow in insulation. Something like dense-pack cellulose.

What helps even more is to then glue another layer of drywall with something like green glue.


How to determine the correct driver bit for screws?

That's basically a #2 PSD2-2 drive. It's designed for relatively high torque driving that would make a normal Phillips drive cam out while minimizing the chance of stripping that you'd have with a square drive.  Wild (and cynical) speculation, but I'm guessing the manufacturer calls it "Unidrive" because Phillips holds a patent on it.  I'd get a #2 PSD2-2 driver (also called Phillips-Square drive, etc.):

Image courtesy of fastenal.com
They're common enough that most of the big-box home improvement stores carry them, but oddly uncommon enough that a lot of the time the screw manufacturer will sometimes include one in the box.


Your existing thermostat is just a switch - COM is the same a Permanent Live on the Hive and N/O (Normally Open) is the same as 4: Heating on (NO) on the Hive.

Everything else on the Hive you should be able to ignore - except the Permanent Neutral that the Hive needs and your old thermostat doesn't; this might be a problem.

There is a good chance the unconnected Grey cable is neutral, but I would investigate the other end of the cable, or put an electrical tester on it first.  If it isn't connected to Neutral at the other end you should be able to fix that in the boiler

The Yellow/Green is earth and should be at least connected to the backbox (although this might not be possible!)

CAREFUL THOUGH!!  This is all mains voltage stuff; make sure you understand what you're doing!


You should use plastic (ABS) for any replacement runs if possible. Yes you can use clamp couplings underground (for iron-to-iron and iron-to-plastic connections) but not just any type. You need heavy duty clamps listed for that service (not cheap "no-hubs" from the ubiquitous orange big box).
We call them "mission bands" but that is a brand name (no endorsement) that has become a common moniker.
Of course, you should check with your local code enforcement authority.


You are correct that a dead-band is needed to prevent the pump from constantly cycling on and off when it is near the set point. That is why these systems use a high and low float or sensor.

It seems like you are making this way too difficult by timing the pump off instead of using a second float.

A fill pump controller like this would do what you want.

Most tank level control systems use something like this, not a timed system.

Good luck!


What are the differences between wood and composite shoe molding?

I would go with the wood. It will paint & caulk better. Some of the PVC stuff doesn't cut well on a chop box, has a tendency to break and may crack with larger nails. PVC just looks cheap when its up, you can tell its plastic.

If the composite is MDF, I would buy that over wood. MDF is cheaper, and usualy straighter pieces. It also paints nicely. The only time I might choose wood over MDF is if I were staining the molding.


What would cause a Varathane EZV sander to rip the sandpaper?

If the ripping is always happening in one spot on the floor take a really close look for any nails, tacks or even screw heads that might still be protruding. It only takes the slightest thing like this to rip the disc given that it's spinning so fast.

Carefully go over the floor either pulling the tacks out or using a punch to drive the heads of the nails a few mm below the surface.

If the floor is screwed down anywhere it will be a good idea to remove the screw, use a countersink bit on the hole and then replace the screw. Again this should be a few mm below the surface.


How many watts max at my 220v L14 30R outlet?

0 watts.  A 30A receptacle on a 40A breaker is a code violation.

5760 watts continuous, 7200W intermittent, if you change the breaker to 30A.

7680 watts continuous, 9600W intermittent, if you change the receptacle to NEMA 14-50R.

Why are we using a NEMA 14-50 on a 40A circuit? They don't make 40A receptacles/plugs.  You are expected to use 50A sockets on 40A circuits. This exception is coded into NEC table 210.21(b)(3).


Is there a way to measure the output of a single HVAC vent?

A hand held anemometer can be used to see the flow then multiply by area to get the total flow.
There are quite a few for under 20$ .


What wall materials to use behind glass shower wall?

They are gluing it to a form of drywall in the video.  I am not sure what the choices are from the manufacturer but I will make two comments.

Glass panels are probably hung the same way as big mirrors.   Preferred on drywall and glued.   Why drywall?   It has a little bend in it.   Glass/mirrors have play too.   For instance you would think gluing mirrors on plywood or concrete board would be more secure or easier.   Nothing further from the truth.

Love this system.   Glass/Tile-like paneling will be the wave of the future.   The maintenance levels, longevity, water-proofing... this is where it is at.   I have installed some granite sheet showers.   They are great but granite is porous.  This one-ups the granite sheets.   Also these can carefully be taken out if there is an issue.

Coolest shower I have seen in my life was pure glass panels.   The inside of the walls were painted 3 different colors and it was a work of art - used antique plumbing lines.


Can a porcelain sink be fired again to repair surface cracks?

In theory, yes. But with any refiring, there's a chance of introducing new defects, like bubbling and so forth. The larger the piece, the more difficult it is to ensure all of it heats up uniformly. Otherwise you'll get more cracks than you started with. I have no experience with commercial services doing what you ask for on this scale (bathroom sink), but apparently some exist.


How do I get to the wall cavity above a double floor joist from below?

Disclaimer: We bring in outside contractors for our electrical installs, so I can give you some general tips, but I'll defer to others that may know more about this specific problem.

In general, joists, and any lumber supporting a load on its side, will lose much of its carrying capacity when it is drilled or cut on the top or bottom.  For passing through the joists, you should make the hole in the center (between the top and bottom) of the joist, and make it the smallest hole that allows the wire to pass freely.

Having a double joist running beneath a wall means that the wall and joists are designed to be load bearing.  So because of this, unless someone with more structural knowledge says it's ok to drill a hole, I'd avoid it.

While I can't think of a good way to get the wire into the wall, you could install your outlet on an adjacent wall, or you could go for a floor mounted outlet as a last resort:


What is this cement structure under ground?

It looks like a standard 4×4 post with concrete poured around it. The square in the middle should have some wood left to be sure. The hole may go 36-48" down depending on local code even deeper. I usually use a tractor and a chain to pop old fence post out when on a job but on my place I just shifted the fence post several feet and left them in the ground.


Many garage door openers use fractional horsepower PSC motors.  These motors have a run capacitor that can get weak or go bad, reducing the motor's start and run torque below acceptable levels.  This is a very common failure with single phase HVAC equipment, too.

On garage door openers I have repaired for friends and family, units that displayed the symptoms you describe had a bad run capacitor.


How can I stabilize the footing of a ladder?

The question doesn't have a specific answer since ladders, ground conditions, and tools-on-hand vary. Here are some ideas.

Use integrated spikes. Many extension ladders have feet which can be spun around to expose metal claw edges. These are not ideal on pavement, but work well on softer surfaces.
Dig small holes for the ends of the legs.
Park a vehicle bumper against the ladder, or against a strong object which is against the ladder and can't flip over or slide out.
Anchor the legs to a fixed object with the tension oriented under the ladder.


Is drywall replacement necessary where a bulkhead was removed?

I would fill in the drywall.  This is minutes of time and maybe $20 - you don't have to mud/tape.  You want all of your cabinets backing to a semi-flat surface and having the top foot or two different might present some install issues.


adding more insulation on garage side of wall, and held in place with plastic sheeting has resulted in a moisture issue

Yes, you caused the problem by putting plastic (vapor barrier) on the cold side of the insulation (and having two vapor barriers in the wall.)
You can use mesh nets (commonly intended for holding cellulose insulation.) You could use housewrap, in theory, anyway - its an air but not vapor barrier, that's the whole point of house wrap.


Should I be concerned about rusty nails just inside an outer wall?

You have to gather more information about how often the water gets there. Nails without coating (like zinc or anything else) will get rusty if you just wipe them with damp cloth and leave to dry. So nails being rusty only indicate that there was water at some point of time - it might be anything ranging from one time vapor condensation to washing floors to some major periodic leak.


Are these pigtails inside the panel and outside a junction box allowed?

Pigtails in a panel are fine...

Wire-splicing and pigtailing within a loadcenter cabinet (panel enclosure) is expressly permitted by NEC 312.8(A), and is quite safe (provided the splices are made up properly, of course):

  (A) Splices, Taps, and Feed-Through Conductors. The wiring
  space of enclosures for switches or overcurrent devices shall be
  permitted for conductors feeding through, spliced, or tapping
  off to other enclosures, switches, or overcurrent devices where
  all of the following conditions are met:

  (1) The total of all conductors installed at any cross section of
  the wiring space does not exceed 40 percent of the cross-
  sectional area of that space.

  (2) The total area of all conductors, splices, and taps installed
  at any cross section of the wiring space does not exceed
  75 percent of the cross-sectional area of that space.

  (3) A warning label complying with 110.21(B) is applied to
  the enclosure that identifies the closest disconnecting
  means for any feed-through conductors.

...but that unenclosed splice job sure isn't!

However, that unenclosed splicing job is a big problem, and a clear violation of NEC 300.15 (none of 300.15(A)-300.15(L) permit anything remotely resembling a flop-a-dop splice job out in the open like this):

  300.15 Boxes, Conduit Bodies, or Fittings — Where Required.

  A box shall be installed at each outlet and switch point for
  concealed knob-and-tube wiring.

  Fittings and connectors shall be used only with the specific
  wiring methods for which they are designed and listed.

  Where the wiring method is conduit, tubing, Type AC cable,
  Type MC cable, Type MI cable, nonmetallic-sheathed cable, or
  other cables, a box or conduit body shall be installed at each
  conductor splice point, outlet point, switch point, junction
  point, termination point, or pull point, unless otherwise
  permitted in 300.15(A) through (L).

Also, that splice needs help anyway

Furthermore, that flop-a-dop splice contains some rather overstuffed wire nuts (7-8 wires into a nut that can only take 6), as well as missing or unhooked ground wires.  That should be easy for whoever fixes it to fix, since they'll have to take the whole thing apart to get it boxed in any case, though.


Adjusting the spacing between small (2" x 2") tiles

To put this in perspective, with my current browser settings, 1/32" is only slightly wider than a capital 'I'. It's narrower than a piece of aggregate in sanded grout.

Consider the following (scaled as 1 pixel = 1/32"):

Can you tell at a glance which gap is a pixel wider?  Keep in mind that it's even less perceptable with lower contrast.  How about this one?

Do a dry layout and have somebody else (preferably somebody who doesn't know about the spacing) look at it.  I'm guessing it isn't going to be noticable at all.  Truth be told, even a fantastic tiling job isn't going to maintain spacing tolerances of 1/32" on any consistent basis.


Why do exterior decks not use 2x12 or 2x10 lumber?

There’s many reasons: 1) twisting, 2) cupping, 3) aesthetics.

A larger board will twist more than a smaller board will as it dries out. As it dries out, the grain will shrink and a larger board will have a larger variety of different sized grain throughout (across) the board. This will cause the size of the gap between boards to shrink and enlarge as it dries out. This will be unsightly.

As the boards are installed, the boards will need to be inspected (looking at the end grain at the end of the boards) so the grain is installed with the curve downward. With a large board, the grain at the end of the board will be more of a “S” rather than a “C” (that can be turned downward). This will allow part of the board to cup and collect and hold moisture, which will cause rot, etc.

Seeing a large board laying flat is a bit unusual. Yes, because a smaller board is more customary it’s more aesthetically pleasing.


Is this wall on the second floor a load bearing wall?

There's no wall directly below this one.
Only 2 of the 3 (visible) studs in this wall are full height.
This wall is 3 feet (max?) long and would only bear the weight of 2 or 3 rafters on one side of the ridge.

If this wall is bearing any load, it's because the studs were cut a fraction too long and were forced into place, slightly lifting the rafters above and, therefore taking some of their weight. It wasn't designed to do this and wasn't designed to be load bearing.

Note: I am not a structural engineer, so I cannot guarantee this answer 100%. Any failure or damage to your residence is the result of you taking advice from random strangers on the internet. However, I would pull it down in my own house without concern.


a shot glass that fell into it while running

It's pretty obvious the glass shattered and chunks were flung against the wall. Note how there's a line where the hole is. Since the bottom of shot glasses is thicker than a normal glass, it probably got enough velocity to puncture the wall (and you're lucky that's all it did)

  I'd like to know what happened here to hopefully prevent it in the future

Don't put shot glasses down the disposal. ;)


Can we capture the hot, humid air from a gas-powered clothes dryer during winter?

The dryer vent and the combustion vent are one and the same.  If you try to use the dryer vent for heating you will have two issues, first excess moisture and second carbon monoxide.  Gas dryers get their efficiency by directly venting the combustion into the damp clothes which then by the way of evaporation drastically reduces the temp of the heat.  It would be near impossible to modify a dryer to separate the combustion from drying.

Then there is the idea of using a heat exchanger to extract the excess heat.  But I don't recommend it since there really isn't enough excess heat in the line to keep the temp above 100C/212F at the vent exit (below this you risk condensation).  If you get condensation on a cold day, you then risk ice, which then risks blocking the vent, which then risks carbon monoxide poisoning.

Also take a look at the fact there isn't any commercial products to do this.  This speaks to how unfeasible it is to use this waste heat.


How do I figure out what this 30amp 2 pole breaker is doing?

Yes, it seems quite probable that there was an electric water heater at some point, and if the last two were gas, that circuit is probably unused. Leave it off, and check for anything not working; and/or follow the wires if visible, or look for a junction box near the water heater location that has a cable going in and no wire coming out.


Wiring for GFCI and 3 switches in bathroom

You need to ground your switches -- Code requires it.  And yes, standard single pole switches work here.

Also -- depending on where the fixtures are located, you may wish to put one or more of them on the load side of the GFCI.  Make sure that the existing black and white wires on your diagram go to the LINE terminals on the GFCI outlet!