How to fix big gap between aluminum double door stiles

The aluminum plate that is screwed onto the edge of one of the doors is an acceptable way to provide for the latch catch as long as it works. I do hope that one of the two mating doors has a top/bottom bolt that slides into holes in the top frame and/or the bottom threshold. Without those the center latch securement between the two opposed swinging doors is not robust at all.

The type of installation that you have just does not lend itself to use with most styles of electrical release strike plates. Those generally want to be mounted on the fixed frame part of a door frame and not on the edge of a swinging door. Wiring access is another consideration for placing the electrical release on the fixed frame.

The large gap between your doors will want to be addressed somehow. There is the consideration of heat loss or cooling loss through such a large gap. This may be can be mitigated by installation of an appropriate style of weather strip along the edge of one of the doors. The large gap also seems to indicate that there may have been an improper installation of the doors or that they were not properly adjusted. Sometimes there is room for adjustments depending upon how the hinge pivot side of the door is designed. So you may want to investigate getting the door serviced.

I would not recommend installation of the electrical release catch unless the door configuration was changed. If you really have to go that way you would have to work out a scheme to snake the electrical wires through the internal door structure over to the hinge/pivot side were a flexible wiring coupling can be installed. And if you do this you will also have to make sure that the door with the electrical release catch is equipped with the top/bottom security bolts.


Your plan is sound. Cut the damaged tile out along grout lines, being very careful to not chip the tiles that will remain.

Install new framing backing where possible, using construction adhesive to bond the original substrate to the lumber. Then, when you install your new backer, everything will be tied together well and taping the joint won't be necessary.


I did not see the motor face plate when I first looked went back to get the motor number and did see it. 115/230V so it can run on both voltages. You will need to verify how it is wired and compare that to you want. It is easy to change the connections in the "J" box on the side of the motor where the power leads come out. The wire connection diagram is just behind where the cord is cut off on a silver sticker. The wires are usually numbered, stamped into the wires or have tape numbers on them. Added: Here is a link to there motor selection chart. On page 5.7 the connection diagram shows: 120v connect T1-T3-T8 together to white standard plug, T4-T5-T2 together to black plug. The ground to the screw to the frame. The wires may just have a number stamped on them if there are additional wires tape or wire nut the ends.
To run with 240V: Connect T3-T8-T2 together connect 1 hot to T1, connect T4-T5 together with the other hot, ground goes to the screw in the motor "J" box.
Running the motor with 120V will draw (6.4 amps) 2x the current as the 240V (3.2A) connection. This information is shown on the motor face plate. the starting current can be as high as 525% as listed on page 5.14 of the link.
I did not see a thermal overload listed for this motor. Overloads are set at 115% of the above currents to protect the motor if the output shaft is locked.
Since this is a machine that you are going to be working with while running make sure to turn the power off if the motor stalls or the stater winding's will overheat and the magic smoke will escape. Good luck looks like a fun project.


What could be the sources of humidity that build up in a house in an arid environment? Outside RH: 10%; Inside RH: 40% +

I saw a question VERY similar to this answered on This Old House. Here is the
link to the video that explained why it happened and how to fix it. Hope it helps.


How do I go from 1 copper propane line to 5 propane lines? Do they make a splitter like cable tv does?

Simply put Four Tees in a line, or two Crosses. 1 in, 4 side outs, one end out.

Of course, if you are adding 4 appliances to an existing installation, you might need to upgrade the line from the tank (sized for one appliance) to maintain adequate flow.

Likewise, be careful, or consider the possibility that a propane leak is potentially dangerous, and you may not be the best choice of person to "split" your propane line if you equate it to cable TV (i.e. have zero plumbing experience.)


First off, please clarify your questions in a list, it'll help sorting through your narration! Anyway, I'll take a stab at what I think your questions are:

MDF for backing: MDF's weak point in this installation would be in its tendency to sag when supporting weight if it were to be used as shelving. As a backing it is perfectly suitable, provided it's joined properly (using pilot holes, the right screws, etc.).
are 30" segments ok vs. individual 30" carcasses? Tough to say without knowing anything about the joinery. I'm not sure why you question the ability to maintain consistent shelf height though - that's the easy part (just cut the "wall" segments to the same dimensions.

In general, built-ins are a low-risk proposition - woodworking joinery is really meant to maintain joints subject to complex and changing loads (imagine rocking on the back two legs of a 4-legged chair). The static loads associated with built in shelves (vs a movable bookcase), even large ones from many books, are less of a concern. Actually, my main concern with this is your friend's design of the shelves to minimize sagging - make sure he has taken that into account. A helpful tool for that is: http://www.woodbin.com/calcs/sagulator.htm


Dual Evaporator Refrigerator -- Evaporator Coil and drain Freeze up... Internal Fan Operational?

I've got pretty much the same fridge.

GE Profile. I can tell you that the outlet is at the top and without the ciculator running it will freeze. The circulation fan runs even with the door switch open. Also I think the defrost timer on these are solid state, not the mechanical ones that often fail. There could be a sensor somewhere cousing problems with the defrost cycle but you best course of action, based on the information provided, is to test the fan. If it's DC you can test it with batteries. A 12v DC motor will run on a 9v for testing purposes. It's voltage rating should be written on it. I'm an HVAC tech primarily but also do appliance repair, refrigeration and I'm a licensed electrician though I would never claim to be an electrician.

Unfortunately I have never had any problems with my fridge like you are having so I can't help in more detail.


How can I reliably determine whether a wall is load-bearing?

I would try calling the inspector and ask him  what he wants as far as verification.  It seems like he would want verification that it is NOT load bearing. Did he see the wall after you took the drywall off?   If he looked at it after the drywall is off and saw the joist ends, he should know whether it is okay or not.


Can I have net-metering with an ATS between utility and batteries and diverse power inputs (solar, wind, generator) behind the batteries?

As to your direct questions,

Is this a valid and code-compliant configuration for safe, utility compliant net metering ?
Have I described anything (other than the car hookup) that doesn't work the way I think it will ?
There are 4 way manual transfer switches, right ?

These reflect a "skill gap" which is rather enormous, and far too large to address in StackExchange's Q&A format.
Is the idea even feasible? Is it worth the effort to skill up? YES.
What you want to do really isn't a problem, not even with common off-the-shelf solar equipment that's been around for over a decade.
In particular, the "blending power" objective is much easier than you think, and doesn't even require switches.  The key is to do the blending on the DC side.  DC does not require synchronization the way AC does, and multiple battery chargers can act on the same battery bank simultaneously, "replenishing on the fly" power being drawn out of the system.  This is how a gas car's alternator/battery already work.
My concern, however, is that I'm already going over your head.  To build such a custom system, you simply need the prerequisite knowledge; there is no substitute.
Mind you, if you go with commercial off-the-shelf systems, they do some very complicated stuff with interlocks and transfer switches, because they are after the cost savings of using the same inverter for both grid-tie and grid-down operation.  However the way I see it, this greatly complicates the system, and requires a much higher level of certification; I think a "2-inverter" system is just a lot simpler.
Consider a simple grid-tie system.  It looks like this.

Of course in a commercial installation, the "controller" and "grid tie inverter" are simply sold as one unit.  And the one unit doesn't provide for "battery" at all; it's all dump.
"Dump" is a terminal set on better charge controllers.  If the solar system is generating more power than the battery + loads can use, it is routed to "dump".   A simple grid-tied system has no battery or DC loads, so it's all dump.
Grid-tie inverters are Very Special and Very Weird and their characteristics are quite different than off-grid inverters.  For instance, a Grid-Tie inverter actively senses for presence of the power grid, and will shut down if it's not present - that's a UL 1741 requirement.  They cannot be used for off-grid inverters.
I drew them separate for reasons which will become obvious.
Add a battery, DC inverter, and subpanel
Now, let's add a battery, and a DC side inverter, and a critical-loads subpanel (which can really be an every-load subpanel if you really want that).

What do we have here?  We now have a battery system.  It is using a second inverter, the "Off-Grid Inverter", to make AC to drive the loads in the subpanel.  The subpanel has a $50 interlock, which can be thrown over to either "utility" or "inverter".
Note that the charge controller, battery and off-grid inverter are simply tied together -- there's no fancy splitter needed here because it's a DC system.
Windmill too
OK, for a windmill, you just add another charge controller.  You need a charge controller to keep the windmill from overcharging the battery, and this also connects hotshot into the battery.  Since it's DC power, this works.
Now the wind charge controller may have its own "Dump" terminals. You can feed that into a second UL 1741 Grid-Tie inverter, and also feed that into the main panel.
Or for more money, you could select a specialty charge controller that has inputs for solar AND wind.
Subpanel switched to solar. Grid still up.
Now, I'd like you to consider what happens when the subpanel is thrown into "off-grid" mode, yet the grid is actually up.   The connection between "main panel" and "ATS/interlock" is effectively out of the picture. Here's the stripped-down diagram.

In this switch position, the subpanel loads are running off battery/inverter.  The charge controller powers loads and recharges battery, but what happens if the solar produces more than the battery and loads need?  Well, look at that. The waste energy goes out the "dump" terminals to the grid-tie inverter, and sells it to the power company since the grid is up.  Isn't that nice.
And this just happens automagically, you don't need to throw any switches.
Oh, and I added a battery charger so that in theory, you could run the subpanel 24x7 at all times off battery, with the AC power grid "making up" any power the solar or wind could not supply.  The battery charger would have to be a pretty big one, as it would be carrying all the subpanel loads while also charging the battery.   This would be a dual-conversion at all times - AC to DC back to AC -- which is less efficient than a transfer switch -- however, this is exactly what "online" UPS's do all the time.   Note that this setup does everything you are talking about, but does not have any switches at all.
I'm not suggesting you actually eliminate the ATS/interlock - a manual interlock is a measly $100 and that's cheap insurance.  I just wanted to illustrate how well the system could work if you do.
Let's support a generator and EV convenience outlet

Here, we reroute the battery charger so it is powered from an inlet such as your CS6375.   Now you can plug a generator straight into the battery charger. "That was easy"
Oh, and you have an Electric Vehicle?  Many EV's include a fairly hefty 120V or even 240V convenience outlet for use camping, or during power outages. Don't hack your EV, get one that has that feature.  (heck, the 2004 Chevy C1500 Silverado hybrid yes, that really existed had that feature, giving 3600 watts (120V@30A).  It's simply shameless that any EV ships without this feature, since it's so easy!)
Oh, the grid is up, you say, and you'd like to top up batteries with grid power? Well lookit that. Right next to the inlet is an outlet that is on utility power.  You simply have a 3 foot extension cord that jumpers inlet to outlet. "That was easy"
Let's power DCable loads on DC.
A lot of loads in your house are perfectly capable of running on DC power. Lighting, TVs, computers, most Internet modems and routers, and any cell phone charger (in the USA, many more shops sell 12V USB chargers than sell eggs).
So I suggest putting any household load on DC that can be put on DC, especially if your main battery (or an auxiliary battery) is 12 volts. As it happens, certain service panels marketed to consumers and sold at Home Depot are certified for DC - I'm talking about Square D's "QO" family.  So here I'm revising the drawing a bit more to show that.  (and I rolled back the "power inlet" just because my stock drawing doesn't have that, but you can still do it).

So you see on the bottom left, you have a DC master bus that is rather busy.  It's got 3 power inputs: battery charger; solar charge controller and wind charge controller (not pictured), all just bussed together.  That is possible because it's DC.  You can't just merge AC sources like this; that takes insane complexity (which UL 1741 grid-tie inverters do have).  But with DC it's fine.   Then you have the battery buffering while you have 2 outputs: the DC load panel and the off-grid inverter.


How to find what code is in my area for insulation in an unfinished basement?

All areas that are above ground should have insulation.  R-20 would be about the minimum - what you should ever do.  You can ask your local inspector and they will possibly differ and want more or less.  I myself do about R-30ish for basements and live close to you.

I just did my own basement 4 years ago and used Roxul at about R-30 depth and only did the portion about one foot below grade (my basement only shows 1 foot) and my basement is an oven now in the winter, even when we close vents.

In our region the biggest concern isn't the insulation on the outer wall concrete, it is making sure the joist area is packed and no air gaps.  Just doing that will be 80-90% of the conservation of energy.  The walls, while doing them is fine, remember that for all of the warming effects in the winter, you will lose cooling effects during the other seasons.  You have way more basement above grade than I do so what you have seems OK, but I would check the joist area.


Why does my kitchen faucet stop and start at full pressure only for a split second, both cold and hot?

This symptom is common with external sprayers. The diverter causes water to shutoff from the faucet when the sprayer is in use. The external sprayer may be leaking (into the sink, or under it) or the diverter valve itself may be failing. If you have a sprayer, check both ends of the hose for leaks and fix that if you find any. If not, remove the valve and make sure there's nothing that can be easily cleaned or a bad washer that can be replaced. As a last resort, take the valve to the store to find an exact replacement.


Trying to replace a standard outlet with a GFCI, but found 1 white wire unused and a different white wire used in its place. What am I missing?

OK you have one 3-way switch and one duplex receptacle in the box. The black and the white wire are the carriers for the 3-way and that is where you power is coming into the box. Then the yellow wire is the switch leg that attaches to the duplex and powers it up, along with the black wire which probably goes to the fan which we will get to in a moment.

The duplex also has a white wire that looks like it is being used as a ground to the box, but the box is not grounded or is it. You need to take a volt meter and check the voltage from the yellow switch leg when it is hot and the ground to see if you get a voltage. I am betting the white wire attached to the box is worthless.

Remember when I said we would get back to the fan. Now we come to the other white wire that appears to come through the hole in the back of the box and acts as the receptacles neutral. I would like to know where this wire comes from. Is there another box on the other side of the wall or near this box where someone has scabbed a neutral and pulled through to the box? This neutral is related to the white wire that feed down from the fan. This should be the proper neutral. Is there a reason why this neutral is not being used instead of the scabbed one? I am guessing that somewhere in the past it has failed and that is why someone scabbed in the second neutral. This is a variation of what we used to call a California 3-way. Where you are using a neutral that is not the original circuits neutral.

Conclusion: You could replace the receptacle with a GFCI but it may not operate properly since the scabbed in neutral may cause an imbalance in the circuit and keep tripping the ground fault. Also it might be ungrounded not that that causes any problems with the GFCI in fact it would be more to NEC standard that what you have in place now. You also need to find open up the fan box and see if you can trace out the original neutral and find out why it is not being used and get rid of the scabbed neutral. Keep in mind that whoever did it, they did it for a reason to correct something that was not working or originally overlooked. The only question would be how many code requirements did they violate to get it working and that leads us to how dangerous is it to an unsuspecting person?

So be careful and good luck.


Running NM wire romex along rafters in vaulted ceilings

You don't. If you're fishing cable, you don't have to secure it.

National Electrical Code
334.30 Securing and Supporting.
(B) Unsupported Cables. Nonmetallic-sheathed cable shall be permitted to be unsupported where the cable:
(1) Is ﬁshed between access points through concealed spaces in ﬁnished buildings or structures and supporting is impracticable


Generally between 40 and 60% is considered "ideal" for a controlled humidity environment. But you can set whatever you like; if "mold prevention" is a primary interest, "Below 70%" is suggested by this document from Florida Solar Energy Center. 60% might well prove more comfortable for people...but it will require more energy input to remove additional water.


How would 8x32 tiles look with one vertical seam on shower walls that measure 39.5“ by 35.5” by 39.5"?

You don't.  I have installed around 50 showers and designed maybe 5 times that.  You don't buy tile that is just a little shorter than your width.  If you did buy this tile I would run it vertically.

Also I would think if you could possibly extend the edge walls as far as the tile.  You have to think of your shower as a big puzzle.  You want to match the pieces to your shower.  Larger pieces in a small shower are just odd.  It only works well if the pieces match up somehow and in your case they don't.  You are going to spend a lot of time staggering these things to look well.

Really the only thing you could do is a diamond pattern with something that % of the width and that is a really hard install.  Good luck - (buy something that works better).


How often should heat strip turn on for a heat pump unit?

I've been told that a properly sized heat pump should run almost non-stop during the days that the temperatures are the normal low for the season and area.  Any lower than the normal seasonal lows would kick the strips on.


Finishing drywall that abuts against metal frame prone to condensation

Searched for interior soffits seems some people use it instead of bulkheads.  From the picture it just looks like you have a door with a header in an exterior wall.

When you say interior soffit this just means that a portion of the header is air space?  As the thickness of the header is less than the thickness of the door?  Typically you'd insulate the extra space using XPS.  The backside of the drywall that covers the wall above the door looks flush with the interior surface of the door.  Normally you'd use trim instead and have the surface of the drywall flush with the surface of the door frame but using drywall is sometimes done.  In your picture it just looks like they've used the factor edge of the drywall - if that isn't already a j-bead.  I don't think there is much you can do to provide more of a thermal break on the metal frame of that door.

In terms of moisture getting into the wall above the door, in a cold climate, there should be a vapor barrier (typically 6mil poly) that is on the warm side behind the drywall.  This prevents water vapor from getting into wall spaces and condensing.  Older homes (1920s) used vapor barrier paint.

Since it sounds like you have signs of moisture accumulating in the header space, I'd open it and make sure the vapor barrier is properly sealed with tape or acoustic caulking.  For the intersection between the drywall and the metal door frame I'd be tempted to put sill gasket and then tape poly to the door frame and then put the drywall on top of that and use a slightly wider j-bead to return to the frame and then caulk the jbead to the frame.  If you are already opening up the area around the door it wouldn't hurt to properly air seal the gap.  I used backrod and energy seal and then a passive house tape like tescon vana to bridge between the metal frame of the door and the rough opening wood framing.


How to remove cables from the Philips ballast for fluorescent lamps?

The solution is to use pin. Put it above cable end and remove both pin and cable at the same time

(On last picture it is below, not above)


How can I temporarily stop a bathroom water leak?

HomeDepot carries a brand called "SharkBite" that are simple, push-to-connect fittings. You can buy a cap from them for cheap. It requires an equally inexpensive plastic tool to remove. That, or something like it, should get the job done.

The cap: http://www.homedepot.com/p/SharkBite-1-2-in-Brass-Push-Fit-End-Stop-U514LFA/202270531

The removal tool: http://www.homedepot.com/p/SharkBite-1-2-in-Disconnect-Clip-U710A/100638139


How to tighten a wooden bannister (newel post)

I guess you already know that your attempted fix is a fail. One realistic way that such a newel post can be made more sturdy would be to do some re-work to the structure as follows:

A flat metal bracket is made with a round metal post welded to it. The round post (0.75 to 1.0 inches diameter recommended) would extend up through a round hole in the lower stair tread and rise up to a height of 10 -> 12 inches. The metal base plate is screwed up to the bottom side of the stair tread. The center core of the newel post would then be bored out to permit the newel post to be mounted on the projecting round post. (See picture below).


What is the failure mode of making an adapter to convert a 240 V outlet to 120 V

You can't just slap up a subpanel anytime you want to split a 240V plug.  However, with a NEMA 14, you can -- because it has all the right wires to feed a subpanel.
So, that's it.  You convert the 6/3 cable run into a "Feeder" to the subpanel.
As feeder, 6/3 cable is rated for 55A. They don't make breakers that size, so the feed breaker (in your main panel) gets bumped to 60A.
Eaton CH and Square D QO have perfectly compact 8-space panels, and that's the way to go if you are cramped for space.  Otherwise if you match your main breaker's type, you can reuse that 50A breaker.
You don't need a main breaker in this panel, unless the building is detached from the house (and then you do).  If so, either choose a panel with a main breaker, or those 8-space panels can have a main breaker added via backfeeding.
Install a 50A breaker to feed that EVSE socket.  Then install as many 15A or 20A breakers as you please to supply receptacle loads.  You can safely use two 120V circuits at the same time while charging. Realistically due to the 80% rule, your EVSE will actually pull 39A and your random power tools will pull 12A per leg.  So you're at 51A which is not a challenge for the 6/3 or the 60A feed breaker.
You can't overdo this.  If you're really going to town and running the saw, dust collector, compressor for blowing sawdust away, shop vac for your apprentice to pick up sawdust, etc. -- then the EV is certainly not in the garage at this time!


Which outlet box should I use for an unfinished basement?

Unless you're using armored (BX, or metal-sheathed) wire, you can use either type box, your preference really. If you use BX, you need to use a metal junction box.

There's a couple different types of boxes. The plastic ones with nails on them, and the metal ones with clips are designed to mount with their face 1/2" farther out than the front, which facilitates having them flush with 1/2" drywall when you finish it.

There's also a type of metal box that's more rounded, with several knock-outs in it (and many types of equivalent plastic boxes) which are not designed for going behind drywall, and look a bit better when you actually do see them (if you care).

Even if it's unfinished, you still need to put a cover plate on. The metal cover plates fit nicely over the rounded metal junction boxes, which makes them much less likely to crack if you hit them accidentally. Regular plastic covers can crack easily because they extend a far ways beyond the edge of the box.

It really comes down to personal preference on metal vs plastic, and then a question of if you will be drywalling, and intend this outlet to be available through the drywall. Also note, it's illegal to cover a junction with drywall: all boxes must be accessible. If you do put drywall up, you either have to remove this box, or have an outlet or blank faceplate on your ceiling.


Ok here's the math. NEC Article 220 requires electricians to provide 5000W/240V circuit for each dwelling dryer. Most nameplates will give you a total demand of 4500W. So 4500+4500= (9000W/240V)= 37.5A. 37.5A won't work on a 30A breaker and it exceeds the rating of the #10 conductor that is usually feeding the circuit. Also you cannot wire appliances in series, that would give you 120V drop across both dryers so it would not work. You would have to run them in parallel.

The normal method is to run a separate circuit for each dryer, which is what I would recommend. In other words don't try to reinvent the wheel. Just follow proven methods.


How to turn water valve on to dishwasher

Either get a new handle, or use a wrench on the flats of the valve shaft to turn it (just 1/4 turn, by the look of that valve.)


What kind of pipe insulation is appropriate for sun exposure?

Use a rockwool tube insulation which will withstand exterior conditions. It's sold covered with reflexive aluminium foil and it's usually enough.
Adding more shielding depends on how mechanically 'aggressive' conditions are present (walking by people, animals, traffic etc.).


Me and my mom and dad moved to a older house since we have moved in we have had health problems

You need to have your new home inspected for excess dust, mold, CO, CO2 and any other pathogens. Most of these items would have been found with a good home inspection. Also, the heating system, exhaust vents, chimneys, any air filters, water lines and sewers need to be inspected. Areas of excess humidity and wet spots need to be addressed. There may be other problems but these should be looked at first.


I think the diagram is trying to tell you do NOT put too much hose in the drain pipe.  If necessary, create a loop in the hose...as in the top picture...to take up the excess length of the hose.


Can you install an LED floodlight in a regular ceiling fan?

All lamps have a size designation which is stated in eights of an inch (1/8").

That particular lamp will most likely not fit in your fixture if it is designed to take a standard A-lamp. That is an R30 size lamp which is 3-3/4" wide. An R20 style lamp (2-1/2" wide) would be more in line size wise with an A-lamp, which is actually an A-19.


60A subpanel service - when does it trip?

The double pole common trip breaker will trip when either pole exceeds 60amps.  Double pole breakers are common trip, therefore if one side trips then both poles trip.

So  drawing .5 amps @120v on one leg, and 61 amps @120v on the other, is a trip condition--and because it's common trip, both sides will go off.

However you could pull up to 60 amps on both lines, as long as 60 is not exceed on either.


Alternatives to bituminous membranes for concrete roof?

There are several "rubber" roof materials for flat roofs; neoprene, EDPM, butyl, TPO, etc. Search "rubber roof" on the net for your location to find out what is available , what is needed for your UV, temperature, etc , and what is required for installation. I have EDPM pond liner; small parts of it have been exposed to weather for 20+ years and seem to be "good as new".


How do I attach a gate where the swing end is 90 degrees to the wall?

Take a (outdoor rated) board of appropriate thickness and attach it to the wall.

Mount the latch to that board.

Ask permission of your neighbour before drilling holes in his wall.


How should I connect my humidifier to my furnace's circuit board?

Connect to W1, yes
You are correct that you want to hook up the W wire from your humidifier to W1 on your furnace control, along with C to COM and R to R.  This is wiring diagram 6(B) in your humidifier's installation manual, BTW.


What is the best product for repairing expanding gaps in a brick wall?

Three inch gaps seem quite large - even for a 300 year old wall.

You just need to use a good mortar mix (sand and cement) on the narrower gaps.

Clean out all the old, lose material first to make sure that you get good adhesion and then push the mortar right into the gaps as far as it will go. Work on a small area (1 m2) at a time.

Adding pea gravel to give the mix more "body" might work on the wider ones.

However, I'd get a professional to have a look at the wall first to make sure you're not going to have to redo this work in a couple of years time. If the foundations have gone it might need something more substantial work doing.

Is the wall part of a house or just a garden wall? If it's the latter then dismantling and rebuilding might be the best long term option.


Use one screw-in lag bolt per hinge that can penetrate to the post for at least one bolt hole
You're wise to realize this now. I learned this one the hard way. Had someone build a gate for me and used the maybe 1.5" bolts that came with it. Over time, the weight of the gate pulled the 2x4 away from the post. I have a drive-in lag bolt there now, but you'll be far better off if you lag bolt it now rather than later.


Should I use tandem breakers or upgrade my panel?

Well first off - it really depends on what you are doing. Adding 5 Breakers sounds like a remodel operation and not a simple replace operation.

Given that context - you need AFCI breakers to be up to code and AFCI breakers do not come in Tandem Breakers - you will need a new panel for that - look for one that has at least 40 Slots and more than 40 Circuits.


How do I look up a contractor's license status in Pennsylvania?

It turns out that licensing for plumbers (and other contractors) in the city of Philadelphia is separate from whatever licensing concerns the rest of the state of Pennsylvania. I ended up calling the city's 311 information line and they were able to search their database of licenses for me (it turns out this guy is not licensed).

The city does maintain an online database of licensed professionals of several types (including plumbers) here: http://www.phila.gov/li/Pages/FindLicensedProfessional.aspx. But from what I was told by the city, that list is not comprehensive, only contractors who agree to appear there show up. So if someone is listed there, they are definitely licensed, but if they aren't listed, that doesn't necessarily mean they are not licensed. For a definitive answer, you need to call the city's 311 line.


Turn 1 Switch Into 3 Switches That Control Outdoor Lighting?

This is unfortunately not as simple as it looks

You'd think you'd be able to get by with a simple direct buried 14/4 cable, and you're almost right.  However, 14/4 UF is a non-starter (nobody makes it).  So, you'll have to lay some Schedule 80 PVC conduit in your trench instead and pull 14 AWG THWNs (3 hots, 1 neutral, 1 ground, just as you were thinking) through that.  The trench should be about 24" deep to make sure you meet the 18" minimum bury depth requirements, and should have a warning tape atop the conduit so that the next bloke who digs there gets a reminder before they get bit.

You'll want to use fat conduit (say 3/4" or 1" with reducing fittings) to make the pull not totally unmanageable, and your box inside will need to have a conduit knockout to fit the conduit (many plastic boxes don't, so you'll have to be careful when picking the box out).  It's probably best to run the conduit up the outside of the wall and then have a weatherproof nonmetallic LB body going straight into the back of the box, for that matter, instead of having conduit coming into the foundation and then up through the top plate.

At the other end, you'll run the conduit up to a weatherproof nonmetallic type X body and then run a nipple from the type X body to a nonmetallic FS box atop that for your receptacle, all mounted to some scrap 2x6 that is used as a bracket attached to a 4x4 post in the ground.  The two side ports run from the X body to weatherproof nonmetallic L bodies (an LL on the left and a LR on the right) which then run to conduits going back down into the ground to the light fixtures -- these conduits have one hot, a neutral, and a ground in them, with the splices being made in the X body.

Also, use different colors (anything besides white, grey, or green) for each of the hots here so that you can keep them straight in the outdoor wiring -- one of them will be an unswitched hot for the receptacle, while the other two are switched hots for each set of lights.  Last but not least, make sure there's a "while in use" hood on the receptacle box -- an "extra duty" type should be used, even, to provide the best ruggedness available.


Joining two areas of tongue and groove flooring in a room - disguising the join

I've been thinking about this since yesterday. There are all kinds of transition pieces for floors that allow for expansion but they all have a slight overlap and thus are raised from the floor, like the one I've shown below.

If this is in the middle of a room it stands out like a sore thumb. I'm guessing you want a transition that's flush so if I was doing it, I'd route out the space like you said you wanted to do. I'd fit in a flush transition piece and deal with any expansion later if it should happen.


When does sanding(smoothing out wood surface) sensibly apply

Sanding
The core of the sanding must be done before you finish your work; in other words, just after stripping.  Most paint strippers won't do a perfect job, sanding will help you remove the leftovers. Sanding can also be used to remove any existing scratches or dents.

Raising the grain (Optional)
Once your piece is perfect (no visible scratches and smooth), you can then choose to raise the grain or not.  Your stain's instructions will usually tell you if you have to do it or not. The goal of this step is to greatly reduce the fuzzies created by stains or finishes.

To raise the grain, you must:

Wet your piece,
Wipe the excess of water,
Let it dry overnight,
Sand the piece again with an extra fine paper (Rule of thumb: The next grit after your last sending grit.)

Maybe this is what you heard about smoothing the surface...

Staining
To be honest, read your stain's instructions and follow them.  Some products will require you to sand between coats and others will advise against it.

Varnishing
Varnishes usually requires you to lightly sand with extra fine grit between coats.  Once again, your product's instructions are your friends!

tl;dr

a) No.
b) No.

Read you product instructions.


Wiring Multiple Outlets, Switches Lights

Make the first switch box double gang, and add a GFCI receptical there.
Both incoming conductors should enter that GFCI outlet first, and that first GFCI outlet will provide GFCI protection for the whole addition in a conveniently accessible location.

On the 'load side' of that GFCI, branch off to the switch in the same box, and to the right.  GFCI outlet's usually have lugs that can accommodate two outgoing load conductors.  If not, use a wire nut.

From the switch go up to a normal outlet on the ceiling (if that's what your diagram intended).

From the wire nut (or the GFCI's second conductor), head right to the second box, and use a wire nut there to branch to the switch in that box and the unswitched outlet further right

connect the light to the switch in the second box.

Done.


Too new to comment, so I apologize in advance for this being a fairly rotten answer, but 3 treads, about 6-1/2" rise, 11" -13" run would solve your code problem.


What technique is used to cut these door moulding?

Testor101 is correct in both points. Coping this joint with the coping saw is the way it was most likely done when it was built. It does allow for a corner to be a bit of out of square, but doing this will be taxing on the blade of a coping saw, it is a lot of wood to cut through. But it can be done with patience. Trying to rush through a cut this size will break blades.

If you have access to a band saw, it would make it much easier to do, but to get it a tight fit would still require some tweaking. Whether you run the stock at a slight angle after the cut is started to give the cut an extra relief in the back, what I have been taught is "back cut", so the face of the cut is absolutely tight but the mating faces are gapped slightly, but that does not matter since it is not visible. You could use a rasp to tune the cut too. This back cut can be done with the coping saw too.


Finding the other end of an ethernet cable that's punched into a 66 Block

Encouraged by the comments to my question, I bought a tone generator and probe (I bought a Fluke). Here are the steps I performed:

I plugged the toner into the jack in the stereo cabinet and set it to generate a tone for the probe.
I took the probe to the equipment closet and set it to the same icon as I had set the toner to.
In the equipment closet, I passed the tip over all the cables coming in from the wall.
The audible signal made it completely obvious which cable was the one I was looking for.
Once I found the cable, I pulled its blue/blue-white pair off the block.
I terminated the cable with an RJ45 keystone jack.
I tested the pins with my little Ideal VDV MultiMedia Tester.
I turned off my laptop Wi-Fi, cabled it into the equipment closet, and googled a word I knew wouldn't be cached. Called it a win when Google returned results.


Removing knockouts in old work metal boxes

A lot of handy boxes and old work "gem" boxes have knockouts that are made to knock from the outside in.  This picture of a Steel City handy box shows it clearly

If you have to remove these from the inside, there is a trick.  You can't pull the KO with a hammer.  But if you drive a small self drilling screw into the KO from the inside

then back it out a few turns, you can pull on that screw with pliers to remove the knockout.  If you can't get it with pliers, try a mini prybar


How can I control water in my basement without a sump pump?

Permanent sump pumps are a common feature of homes in the U.S. Perforated piping, or "drain tile" (a reference to archaic techniques) remains in place below the concrete slab, usually embedded in washed rock. The sump pail is located in a utility room and the pump runs as needed, often year-round.

You'll need to build such a system and leave it in place, or you'll need to divert the water outside the home, perhaps using a "French drain" (gravity-driven) piping system.


First thing, you should probably shut your breaker off if you haven't already because it sounds as if you have some wires crossed here.

From your description it sounds like you have:

Lights
Downstairs Dimmer Switch
Upstairs Dimmer Switch

This is requires a 3-way switch circuit... but I'm not able to determine which one you have.

Generally, Black and Red wires are the "hot" wires (or your line wires). White is your neutral, and of course green or copper is ground. If you're getting voltage flickering on the white wire, you're likely registering return power on the circuit. If it's flickering without you touching the switch, you could have a lose connection somewhere.

You shouldn't have only 2 black wires in one of the boxes. There should also be some white wires connected via a wire nut, as well as one or two additional red wires. Without knowing more, it's difficult to determine what type of 3-way switch wiring you have. You may want to check out the diagrams here to determine what you have:  http://www.do-it-yourself-help.com/3_way_switch_wiring.html

Side note: Having 2 dimmers in series on the same circuit isn't a good idea. The 1st dimmer can only increase the power to the total level of the 2nd dimmer. Which is why normally when you have two switches on a dimmable light, only one of the switches is a dimmer.

Good luck!


Can a GFCI combo and a switch be independently connected to a light and a fan using 14/3 wire?

With GFCI Protection of Devices
If you want to provide GFCI protection of the fixture, you'd feed the switches from the LOAD side of the GFCI device.

Without GFCI Protection of Devices
If you don't want to provide GFCI protection to the devices, you'd feed the switches from the incoming feeder.

NOTE: I've labeled one of the dimmer terminals as "C" (common), as it looks like you might have a 3-way dimmer. In this case the "C" terminal will be an odd color (likely black), while the other two will be the same color (brass). Unless of course the third terminal in your diagram is green (ground), in which case you should ignore this note and connect the grounding conductor to the green terminal.


For a shed, concrete blocks should do fine. Hundreds of thousands of sheds and mobile homes across the US have proven that.


Can I vent off the top of a 90 turn down from upper floor?

Under IPC, not the way you show it. Don't know what code you are under, but they are often similar, while differing in details.
You could have a vent in that location, but there are two immediate problems I see with how you have drawn it.
Vent must be "vertical" (actual definition of "vertical" for this application is 45 degrees or more upward) to 6" above the flood rim of the highest fixture on the floor served - you appear to show it travlling horizontally well below that level. It also cannot combine with any other vents below that level, so if the existing vent passes out through the roof below that level you'll need a new vent out the roof.
Dry vent Tee (or combo Wye) connection to dry vent stack is upside down. For a dry vent connection the bend goes upwards, and the entire vent is sloped to drain back to the fixture drains it serves.


Bathroom faucet stem stops loosening; can't get out

In the close-up in photo *1 just above the first set of threads there is a "c" shaped clip. With a small screwdriver (or nail) pry it off. Be prepared for it to shoot away.
Once removed the stem should slide (or un-thread) away from the base.


What do I use to cover an insulation wrapped duct? (Silver foil wrap?)

You're looking for Duct Wrap.  It's actually an insulation in it's own right, being one side foil, and the other side fiber insulation.   I see no reason why you couldn't apply it over top of the existing insulation, provided everything is dry.

http://www.homedepot.ca/product/reflectix-duct-wrap-12x25/902353


What should we do with floor tiles that were applied with Type 1 Mapei mastic?

What's done is done. I'd grout and generally move on with life, and only revisit it if and when the tiles start popping on their own, which may never happen.

You are NOT a professional tile installer who would be well advised to rip out and do it over for the sake of their reputation. So you don't need to act like one.


The really professional way is to set a bracket in concrete, then bolt-through the posts to the brackets. While slightly more $ (cost of bracket and bolt) and more effort, this will give you a long life solution that is easy to maintain over time. The concrete for the bracket should be 24-30" deep, 8" diameter for posts of this size.

Setting the post in concrete will give longer life than simply setting teh post in the dirt. It is good to slope the top of the concrete away from the wood post so that rain does not puddle next to the post.

Some of us (who have been doing this for years) now also trim the top of the post at an angle, so that water is more likely to run off the top of the post rather than puddle.


You make the pillars using any round type of tube or pre made form. They are made from wood,metal or plastic.

This page (and this one) has an interesting product for making various forms for concrete pillars.

Depending on the finish- if you do not mind the crackled and holey look like in the small pillar on the left then you just pour the concrete into a form and leave it. If you want a smooth finish you need to use a "vibrating poker" which will remove air bubbles and separate the concrete from the aggregate making a smooth finish, like on the tall one on the right.

You can either dye the end product with some concrete stain or use a dye that you mix into the concrete it self. Either will give you various effects and they both last for many years.

Tips

Concrete can be pretty expensive and it is really heavy but also the most durable.  You can also use plaster or hollow columns to make it lighter and cheaper.
When using concrete do not use fast drying concrete as it will be more brittle and be prone to cracking and possibly snapping in half. Use a concrete that is suited for slabs and using aggregate is highly recommended.
Even though concrete columns are solid you should consider putting in atleast some wire frame reinforcement. A single steel re-bar down the middle is the minimum but making a triangular re-bar structure would be ideal. The purpose of this is in the event that the concrete does snap or break the reinforcement will keep it in place .So it wont fall over and hurt/damage anything around it.


How to tell amperage of a circuit breaker in basement? Also... adding a dedicated line for Treadmill?

Since everything is going out the circuit is overloaded. Standard breakers are inverse time trip this means if right at the max level usually printed on the handle (15 or 20) amps the circuit may hold for 10 minutes before tripping but if a short were to happen it would trip immediately. If you turn a light or 2 off you may be able to use the treadmill. Other things like freezes on the same circuit can cause the circuit to trip quicker if running at the same time as the treadmill. It is possible your old home had a 20 amp circuit and or was lightly loaded so no problem, now if a 15 amp circuit and  a heavy load the breaker is doing its job of protecting the wiring.  A new branch circuit would be a good path forward and possibly having the garage on its own circuit for the time you may want to run a power tool the same thing will happen there.


Field-stone Foundation on Top of Bedrock, Keep the Water Out?

Not sure about inside, maybe damp rid or a dehumidifier. I don't suppose it wouldn't hurt to pack concrete in that gap under the wall/foundation (but you should dig this out from outside first).

The truth is, water coming in must be taken care of from the outside. A picture of the outside might be helpful.

I understand that you are on bedrock, but just to be sure, whatever soil exists outside should be graded away from the house. If that's not possible (or is not helpful) then you need to (dig out the outside and) seal the outside of the foundation. Tar and rubber liners are good for houses built into the side of a mountain. Again, packing concrete in that gap under the wall/foundation would probably be helpful. French drains should be at the foundation level... so that sounds like work (cutting into rock?) for you. If this is in the side of a mountain or hill, a cement patio or sidewalk (sloping away from the house) with a retaining wall for the soil would be the most effective solution (for worst case scenarios).


Lag bolts vs wood screws for reinforcing garage door header

Jacob,  here is my suggestion.  I would use a 2x4 or 2x6" block at least 24" long.  Then I would use some 3" construction screws.  Make sure you pre-drill the block first.  The screws should slip through the block easily.  Then use washers.  The construction screws look a lot like sheet-rock screws but are a lot stronger.  They will have a Torx drive head.  Use at lease 5-screws.


How can I determine the manufacturer of my diverter?

Finding the manufacturer/model could be difficult.  Is This close enough?  Or
This?


How can I replace a riveted doorknob faceplate?

Go with plan B. The larger strike looks like either of two things, a reinforcement for a damaged mount for the strike bolt. The door slab looks ever so slightly thicker at the strike location, like the screws somehow split the door at the strike. Or the door originally had a mortise lock set and this part serves as an adapter so to get a standard knob to work in the large cut out for a mortise lock.

I really think it is the former, not the latter. Either way you need to at least reuse it, or replace it if you can find one at the big box stores. I have seen them before. It should be where all the replacement parts for old style doors are located, I do not know what it is called.  You can remove it temporarily if it helps you drill out the pop rivets. Also, it may help the store guy see what you need if you want a new one anyway just to freshen up the look to go with the new knob.
 You can drill out the pop rivets which MAY be 3/16" but drill first with a 1/8" bit, and if it doesn't fall apart, then use the 3/16". After that you can purchase a standard bore latch set and new pop rivets and get it all back together again.

For what its worth, you could do away with reassembling it with pop rivets and go with 8 gauge flathead machine screws in a bright brass finish to match everything, and use "stop nuts" to hold it together. Get a couple of screws to replace the drywall screws to balance it all out.

If you feel adventurous and you have worked with chisels before and you are adept at it, you could add a "Dutchman" of substantial depth to do away with the secondary metal plate, and get it closer to the way it is meant to be


What you did was rewired it so that the switch going ON causes a direct short between the HOT black wire and the NEUTRAL white wire. Not a good thing at all.

As you described the original wiring with the two white wires bonded together in the back of the box was the correct connections and should have been left that way.

The old single pole switch connected the black HOT wire over to the LOAD side black wire to supply power to the light and fan.

As described it appears that there are not sufficient wires available in the box in order to separately switch the light and the fan. To be able to achieve what you desire it will be necessary to find the downwind point that the LOAD black wire is joined to both the fan and the light and separate them at that point. Then a new wire needs to be run from that point back to your switch box so that you can independently switch the HOT black wire to the two separate LOAD black wires.

If done correctly the place where the light and fan load wires get separated would be done within a junction box, either at the fan or at the light (depends on how it was originally installed). Then an additional Romex cable with its black/white/gnd would go back to the switch box. Now in the switch box there would be three whites bonded together in the back of the box. The three bare GND wires would be bonded together. Finally the HOT black wire would connect to both of the black screws of the stack switch and the each of the two LOAD black wires would attach to one each of the brass screws on the switch unit.


I think you have your black and brown reversed. The ground green wire is connected to a black and to the box so other than color it is correct.
The copper hanging out from the wire nut at the black brown, 2 blacks and a brown is that making a good connection? If it is I would put the black on the always hot and the brown on the hot to the light, I looked online for a schematic and only found black to black and brown to brown. That did not help.
Since your original switch only had 2 terminals on , off control if wired the same way reverse them so the switch is being powered and it should work.


How to make table legs from wooden planks?

90 degree planks will be plenty strong assuming they are not super narrow. Without knowing the details, it's not possible to suggest the best connection. You will want to connect to whatever member has the greatest vertical depth for maximum stability. Do everything possible to ensure the legs are rigidly attached. Nails or screws alone may not be enough. If possible, slightly rabbet the legs into something. The rabbet does not need to be very deep to help significantly. Of course, the fit needs to be fairly snug to be of benefit. Also glue the joints unless the need for disassembly is important. Common woodworker's glue is adequate.


Why are homes wired using solid wire rather than stranded?

A few reasons:

Stranded wire is more expensive to make.
At a given wire gauge, stranded is going to be larger than solid wire (it's the cross-sectional area of conductor that counts and there are going to be some air gaps between conductors with stranded).  This could make a big difference if you have several cables in a limited space like an electrical box.
The main advantage of stranded is that it's more flexible.  You generally don't need this in home wiring because it's all put in place once and hidden behind walls/floors/ceilings.
When you screw a solid wire into a switch or receptacle, you can tell if it's secure.  I could see individual strands coming loose as you fold wires back into an electrical box.

More information in Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wire#Solid_versus_stranded


What tool would you use to cut through cinder block?

Since concrete blocks are fairly thick, I'd drill several holes along the line you want to cut with a masonry bit, then use a use a mini jack hammer such as a small DeWalt with a 1/2"  chisel bit.  The hole will not be perfect shape etc, so you will need to fill around the vent after installed with some mortar.  The pilot holes will help keep the hole in a rough shape and avoid breaking off large pieces of the block.  Even it some block breaks, you can fix it up after with the mortar mix.


If you are concerned about cardboard auto igniting in heat, then you don't need to worry.  Paper has an auto ignition around 400 deg F.


How to identify type of 3-way switch wiring

Actually since there are no white wires on the 3-ways, this gets simple.
The black and red wires that DO go to the 3-ways are part of cables.  Note which cables they are.  It matters.
Almost certainly, two cables are involved, and the 2 white wires in those cables are connected to each other.
As long as that's so, you can add the smart switch's white wire to those two white wires (might be more than 2).
Do keep in mind that with smart switches, often, the smart switch's design will dictate where it must go.  So don't just go "Imma puttin it there" and try to force it to work. Actually read the instructions and think about what you're doing.


How do I fill in this hole in my ceiling around pull light?

You call the person who did it, and say "fix it". It would have been an easier job if they moved the switch four inches inwards, and then patched in a section of crown molding.

If it has to stay there - just get a load of mud (that's the American term), and smear it into the gap. It'll look ugly, but better than the big holes you have.


What is the appropriate wire gauge for 30A DC?

The gauge of wire you use depends on:

how much voltage drop is acceptable. You can use a voltage drop calculator to estimate this. Voltage drop depends on the voltage, current, length of wire, and resistance of wire (i.e. the wire gauge, material, construction).
how much heat is acceptable. This depends partly on the specific application, and also the insulation on the wire. Running current through a wire causes some heating due to electrical resistance, and a smaller wire will heat up more. That's not necessarily a problem, unless the heating is excessive and creates a fire or melting risk.

(These two points are really just two ways of looking at the same phenomenon: loss of electric power due to heat. But they often have different ramifications or solutions so I think it is helpful to consider them separately.)

Since you haven't provided any information about the voltage, length of wire involved, application, or insulation, it is not possible to give a reasonable number.

The wiring standards that are used in building construction are based on common assumptions about voltage, acceptable losses, typical temperature ranges, etc.  They may or may not be applicable in your situation.

P.S. - I don't know what project you are working on but make sure it is properly protected from over-current conditions. Most "household" breakers, switches, etc. are not rated for DC. DC fuses are cheap and easy to use... make sure the fuse is always the weakest link in the entire project.


How do I fix a large piece of drywall not matching up on a ceiling repair?

Below is the answer...  But to fix this properly you have to take down
that piece of drywall and give us pictures.   Whatever is behind there
is the issue.   You short-cutted this install and left yourself with
way more work than it should be.   You have not installed proper
backing for this piece or adjoining pieces.   Now you want short-cuts
for your short-cut when taking this piece down and putting backing is
30-45 minutes + scrapwood - NOT OSB!  Also take a look at my last
point (about the texture), as this should be addressed before you
install this piece.

The protrusion or dip in the ceiling is not what concerns me.   The issue is you have no screws in your corners and that your screw schedule is rather random.
Your corners have to be screwed in.   Nothing to screw it in... then put wood up there to make it happen.   This is not negotiable as all of your work will turn to cracks if these corners aren't secure.

If the drywall next to it is missing backing now you need to fix that too.   You cannot float two pieces of drywall next to each other in a ceiling.
The depth issue is due to the lack of backing and bad screw schedule.   Once you fix that, sure it won't be perfect but won't be as bad either.

The other big issue, you are not duplicating that texture and that texture will make it hard to mud/tape the seams.   This is a much bigger issue than your drywall sticking out.


It appears that the trim wasn't properly toed into the door frame. However, it's also possible that there is drywall or a 2x that's proud of the doorframe.
You can fix the gap with painters caulk. However, I would pull the trim off and determine what is causing the gap. If it's drywall it should be easy enough to cut out to fit the trim properly. If it's framing causing it you can plane it down. From there the trim shouldn't be an issue.
Second Edit
Some really good points being made by contributors on possible structural issues. Some questions:

Is the trim separation a recent development since you moved in?
Are there any other signs of potential structural shifting in the house?
Cracks in the walls, ceiling, basement, foundation?
Doorways that are obviously out of plumb - including this one?
Did you have a professional do a home inspection when you bought?

These are all indicators of possible structural shifts that should be assessed by a professional through an on-site inspection and are probably beyond the scope of what we can tell you here.


Decorative hanging hooks into plaster and brick wall

There are extra sharp, thin nails used in several brands of picture hangers that reduce the chance of cracking or chipping plaster

They also can be used alone if the item is not too heavy.

You also could use an anchor and a flat head screw and then merely glue a decorative button or other item from a craft store to the head.

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


Old construction, replacing light switch, bundled ground

Yes. Modern code requires switches to be grounded. If you are not using self grounding switches and metal boxes (and you are not), you need to run a wire from the switch ground screw to the bundle.  Attaching to the end of any one of those wire will do.

Supplement: While the electrical police are unlikely to come pounding on your door, there is a reason for code. The ground serves as a safety if the switch gets damaged. It prevents the (rare) chance of you flicking a damaged switch and getting a shock. It's worth the trouble. In general, when you do an upgrade or a fix, you bring the device or system up to code if it is possible and reasonable. In this case it is both.


Removing Yellow Bleach stain from laminate counter

It took the blue stain right off. However left a much larger yellow one.

So the bleach yellowed the counter. Bleach is an oxidixer, so you'll need a reducing agent to reverse its effect. Dithionite is a good choice, and is sold in stores as "Iron out" or "Super Iron Out". Lacking that, anything that smells vaguely like sulfur, or ammonia-like even is worth a try. Ordinary surfactant based cleaning agents aren't likely to help you here.


How to properly frame/finish "trimless" interior doors?

If you look at the documentation for a commercial "trimless" door jamb kit you'll see that there's an integrated flange that creates a positive connection between the jamb and the wall. This mostly eliminates the kind of impact movement you've experienced.

The flange also acts as a taping bead, avoiding the interaction of joint compound and wood, which usually isn't a good combination.

You could probably retrofit a metal strip to serve the same purpose. Pre-formed steel found at a building supply store might work well to overlap and partially wrap the jamb. You could probably have a siding shop bend you some metal that perfectly fits your jambs. You'd then need to cut out for the hinge mortises.

Or, if your jambs are very securely fastened to the framing, and the framing is solid, try taping the joint properly with paper or fiberglass mesh. No joint should ever be finished with joint compound alone.


Flickering is caused by the voltage conversion “driver”
The driver sets the correct voltage and current level. The problem with today’s led’s Is they can be just about any voltage. For instance I have some 4’ strips that fire at ~40v but need ~60v for full brightness, so you really need to find the specs to get the proper driver for your lights. But yes flickering is a sign of the driver overheating and or starting to fail. I did look closer at your strips and they show 12v so then you would need a supply large enough in watts or amps at 12vdc to light them up.


Strain relief for cable into metal box - clamp ok?

You need to use strain reliefs/clamps which are correct (i.e. listed) for the cable you are using.   For instance if you have cordage (cable designed to be a flexible appliance power cord), don't use a strain relief intended for NM simply because it's the only thing Home Depot sells.

Home improvement shops like Home Depot or Lowes have notoriously bad selection in this sort of "oddball stuff"; they do not want to stock it because their business is all about volume.  A proper electrical supply house will have the right strain reliefs; bring them a cable sample and they'll put you right.

As an aside, you need to use flexible cable that's correct for the usage (assuming flexible cable is allowed at all).  The most common mistake is using NM cable for cordage.  Again, the electrical supply will have a variety and can also advise you.


Need to run underground wire 530 feet from main 200 amp box, not sure how to get started?

This is why Tesla won the War of the Currents

The great advantage of moving power around as AC is that one can step up the voltage easily using a transformer to move it a long distance with minimal losses, then step it back down to something more suitable for household utilization when it arrives at its destination.  While this is normally the province of electric utilities and heavy industrial facilities, nothing in the National Electrical Code prohibits the application of dry-type distribution transformers in a more...residential setting, so given the length of your run, the use of a transformer at each end to step the voltage up for the run and back down at the cabin is an option here.

I will cover the conventional (no transformers) way of doing it, first, with example pricing, and then show what it takes to use the genius of AC power distribution to your advantage here, again with example pricing.  If you are not comfortable with any of the installation instructions here, of course, please speak with an electrician -- most electricians who have worked in the commercial/industrial space should be comfortable with installing a setup of this nature.

Doing it the hard way, first

Without the aid of transformers, we wind up running 240V @ 50 or 60A over the 530' distance.  This requires fat wire in order to keep voltage drop from becoming excessive, (3% is the typical limit for feeders) -- a typical choice would be 3/0 aluminum XHHW-2 for 50A (you could use 250kcmil instead for 60A, but the bump of two wire sizes should tell you why this isn't promising already), and you'd need 3 of those + a 4AWG (10AWG is the minimum for 60A, but the upsize for voltage drop forces us to upsize the grounds by the same ratio as per 250.122(B)) bare copper ground for this, as well as 540' (the extra is so we can do the stub-ups at the end) of 2" (the wires in question take up about 465 mm2 of fill, so it's slightly too fat a run for a 1.5" conduit) Schedule 80 PVC conduit and fittings.  (We are doing the run in conduit in both cases as it'd be nonsensical to trench direct bury cable this far only to have to dig it all up again if requirements changed in the future.)

As to cost? The PVC costs $3 a foot or thereabouts, so we are out $1690 for the conduit here ($1620 for the conduit, and $70 for the fittings).  Adding the phase and neutral wires puts us at another $.85/ft, or $1377 for 540' per conductor (so we have some left over to terminate with), and last but not least, the ground wire  adds $.73/ft, or another $395. This adds up to nearly $3500, quite the sum for providing electric service to a humble cabin, no?

It's transformer time!

However, with a pair of transformers of appropriate rating, we can step the voltage up to 480V for the run, allowing us to use 6AWG copper or 4AWG aluminum for the phase and neutral conductors instead.  Furthermore, we can get rid of a wire by running the 480V as single-phase instead of split-phase, leaving us with a single hot, a neutral, and a ground, at the cost of needing a beefier overcurrent device in one spot, which isn't that big a deal in the grand scheme of things, as it turns out.

The transformers we need are what are called dry-type distribution transformers.  Unlike the oil-filled transformers on utility poles (which can burst into flame under abuse), these transformers have their windings air-cooled and use flame retardant insulation materials, rendering them fire-safe for use in or on buildings of all types.  Specifically, we need a pair of NEMA 3R (outdoor rated), 15kVA (15,000 Volt-Ampere, or equivalently 15kW of resistive load) dry-type transformers with 240/480V primaries and 120/240V secondaries, the slash indicating that that side of the transformer can be wired for either voltage.  These cost about $650 apiece if you can get a good price on them, particularly if you can find used ones in your area, and you will need two, putting your cost for the transformers at about $1300 for the pair.

With this, we can use 4AWG aluminum XHHW-2 for the hot, neutral, and ground wires, giving us a wire cost of $422.  These wires only take up 150mm2 of fill, as well, so we can downsize the conduit to 1.5" and still have ample fill left over.  This translates into a conduit cost of $1/ft, or $600 once the fittings ($20 for the pair) and expansion fittings ($40 for the pair) are included atop $540 or so of conduit.

Last but not least, we'll need a way to protect the conductors between the two transformers, and the primary side of the cabin-transformer, from overcurrent.  The most cost-effective way to do this is with fuses due to the fact modern fuses give you better voltage ratings for your money than circuit breakers do.  A fuse block will also be needed here: the appropriate fuse, namely a 30A, 600V, Class J fuse, costs roughly $10 apiece, and a matching fuse block for Class J fuses adds another $20.

This sums up to a cost of about $2400 including some miscellaneous parts (such as a 1" RMC or EMT run from the cabin's transformer to the cabin's loadcenter), or about a thousand dollars less than not using the transformers.  Even if you can only get a bad ($1000 a piece) price on 15kVA single phase transformers, this is still cost-competitive with the straightforward approach.

Implementing the transformer approach

Implementing things The Hard Way™ is a well-trodden path, so I will not cover it further here.  The transformer-based approach, though, requires a few different elements, so we will go over the implementation caveats first, and then cover the procedure involved in doing this.

Notes, cautions, and caveats

First off, the transformers will need homes -- at 220lbs a piece, these are the heaviest pieces of electrical equipment you will ever meet, atop being quite bulky (nearly 30" tall, almost 24" wide, and another 15" deep)!  If you want to hang the transformer at the pole from the pole, this is possible, but will require quite a hefty crossmember for the transformer's mounting brackets to bolt to and a metal shield attached to the bottom to prevent sparks from starting a fire should the transformer fail; otherwise, a concrete slab with appropriately placed studs can be used to padmount the transformer onto the ground.  Likewise, the transformer at the cabin can be bolted to a sturdy crossmember integrated into the frame of the cabin (with a spark shield if outdoors), or set on a studded concrete slab.

Furthermore, you must be able to mount the cabin's loadcenter in a place with sufficient clear working space -- this may require some slightly tricky conduit routing to do so.  Otherwise, trenching the conduit in and pulling the wires from the pole-transformer to the cabin-transformer is as you would do for any other underground installation, and so is the short conduit run and pull of 4AWG Al from the cabin-transformer to the cabin's loadcenter.

Note also that you will need to torque all connections (both mechanical screw lugs and bolted joints) to manufacturer specified torques using a torque screwdriver or torque wrench calibrated in inch-pounds. You will also need to identify wires correctly -- 240V wires can use conventional black/red/white phase taping in this scheme if they are not already correctly color coded, but the 480V wires should be identified using yellow for hot and grey for neutral, with green being suitable for ground as always -- this helps prevent embarrassing disasters involving 480V power being fed to 120 or 240V appliances.  In fact, you should apply the phase tape to the wires  before you put the wires together and pull them through -- this makes sure the wires are properly identified at both ends, which will avoid mixups down the road.

Last but not least, all of this, especially the 480V work, must be done with the power off, and preferably locked out at the pole using a lockoff and cheap padlock fitted to the newly installed breaker in the pole's loadcenter.  This is because 480V not only will shock the living daylights out of you, it can blow you to high heaven in what is called an arc flash event.

Finally, the how-to

As to wiring this all -- the wires from the 50A or 60A breaker that will feed this all (using whatever Chapter 3 wiring means you wish -- you only need 2 hots and a ground here, so you can use 4AWG Al XHHW-2 in 3/4" or 1" metal conduit, or a short length of 6/2 UF with cable clamps at each end for that matter) in the pole's loadcenter go to the X1 and X4 terminals on the pole-transformer, while the X2 and X3 terminals should be jumpered together if they are not shipped that way from the factory.  Likewise, H2 and H3 should be jumpered together on the 480V side, with H1 jumpered to one of the fuse block's lugs, and H4 jumpered to a connector that also is jumpered to the transformer's grounding stud -- there will need to be two ports left on this connector, as both neutral and ground will connect to it.  (It serves as a bonding point for the separately derived system created by the pole-transformer, in other words.)

We then move onto the cabin -- the H2 and H3 terminals are jumpered together on the cabin-transformer, taking care of the primary side for now.  The X2 and X3 terminals on the cabin-transformer are jumpered together and also connected to the neutral wire running off to the cabin's loadcenter, which is taped white, while the X1 and X4 terminals each connect to one hot wire running off to the cabin's loadcenter.  In the loadcenter, the white-taped neutral wire from X2/X3 lands on the neutral lug, while the wires from X1 and X4 individually land on one hot lug of the main breaker each, and the bonding screw or strap is installed if it is not already present.  Again, this is because the transformer is providing isolation from the rest of the mains-world for us, giving us a separately derived system at the cabin.

At this point, if all is going well, you will want to perform a test (or have an electrician perform a test for you) before you make the final connections and energize this configuration.  In particular, you or your electrician should perform an insulation resistance test using a special high-voltage insulation tester (often called a "Megger") on the long run of wires before hooking them up to at either end.  This will show if the wires were damaged during the pulling process, preventing a nasty breakdown and fault-finding process down the road.

Once the wires pass such a test, you can then make the final connections.  The yellow-taped hot wire in the long run connects to the open terminal on the fuse block, while the grey-taped neutral and green-taped ground wires go to the connector in the jumper from H4 to the transformer's ground stud.  At this point, the fuse can be installed into the fuse block as well.

Moving on to the final connections at the cabin, we then hook the yellow-taped hot wire up to the H1 terminal on the cabin-transformer and the grey-taped neutral wire up to the H4 terminal on the cabin-transformer.  Last but not least, the green-taped ground wire gets hooked up to the ground lug on the cabin-transformer.

As to the rest of the cabin

The rest of the cabin is wired the same way either way.  You will need a grounding electrode system at the cabin in any case, and the panel at the cabin must have a main breaker in it to serve as a shutoff, whether it is a subpanel (in the conventional approach) or a main panel (in the transformer approach).  Furthermore, there is no sense in being stingy on panel spaces here -- I would use a 100 or 125A, 30 space, main breaker panel at the cabin if I were in your shoes, as adding breaker spaces later is far more expensive.


Can I change an outside light to an outside electric plug socket?

It's not hard to change an outside light fixture to a receptacle as long as you realize it's limitations. First your receptacle will be on a switch leg not a permanent power conductor unless you bypass the switch. You can bypass the switch but if there are any other lights on the switch that you wish to control you will need to get a source conductor to the receptacle.

To bypass a switch you simply have to remove the two conductors from the switch and tie them together with a wire nut. You can then blank off the switch or just leave it in place, but the splice must be left accessible.

Also 2017 NEC pretty much requires all outdoor receptacles to be GFCI protected. The easiest way to do this is to install a GFCI receptacle and add a wet location cover.

Good luck.


Correct fixture for plasterboard that has another board behind it

You can get other fixings that "spread" behind the panel like a "star" which will work with thicker boards...

This is a supplier in the UK, you probably have an equivalent in Oz...

One supplier


Resources for repairing double swing door (center pin style)

Looks like you should be able to pry down this circular plate and the door will be released.
Shove a screwdriver in there or a spackle knife. You'll want to support the door as upright as possible when doing this because the lateral force on the pin is immense.


You have invisible grounds

Your building seems to be wired in conduit.  This is a very different wiring system than you're used to with cables.  This uses a conduit pipe laid to various destinations, and then individual wires laid in the pipes.  The individual wires are typically type THW, THHN, THWN or XHHW.

You can tell because a) the wires have writing on them, b) the wire entries look like conduit, and c) colors are atypical of what is found in cables (e.g. blue wire).

New work is often done in PVC conduit, but then, grounds would have been required.  The Zinsco panel certainly suggests it predates PVC conduit.  So my conclusion is this is metal conduit, which is a superior system you should be glad to have.

The Zinsco panels, on the other hand, are a fire looking for a place to happen. I realize the panels are "built-in" and replacing them would be a chore, but at least look into Eaton's retrofit kits for Zinsco panels.

Therefore your ground "wires" are actually in the metal conduit pipe itself.  This is a reliable and superior system.  Do not replace any segments of the metal conduit with PVC.


Local building codes in your area will dictate what kind of beam (material/size) you will need to span that distance.  Same goes for where to source the beam.

Also depending on where you live you may need to factor in snow-load if you are adding a roof to a structure that currently doesn't have one (e.g. pergola).


How often should the air filter in the furnace be changed?

Dirty filters not only make the HVAC equipment not last as long, but the low air flow makes them less energy efficient. A dirty furnace does not conduct heat into the air as well and the dirt sticks to the fan blades making it not last as long or spin as easily.

There are two main types of air filters:

The 1" thick ones that look like this:

And the 6" thick filters look like this:

(source: filterscanada.ca)

Generally the 1" filters are good for a month or two. The 6" thick ones are good for 6 months.

There are also 2", 4", and 5" filters available but generally not at the local hardware store. Some folks who have 6" filters use a 2" + 4" filter and replace the 2" one every other month and the 4" once a year. This seems like a hassle to me, but it might save you $50 a year if you have 6" filters.


White is neutral, green is ground

White is the neutral (return).  Green is ground (safety).  Think of it this way: white is the normal way for power to return (like a drain pipe).  Green is the safety (floor drain) that deals with spills.


RF controlled switch turns on first load on power restore

I think what you are saying is that the devices have a default setting of "normally on" after a power loss. There might be a way to change this. A quick call to the manufacturer could answer your question.


Do I need to brace joists after removing basement ceiling?

I think the terms you want are blocking or bridging or cross bracing: connecting adjacent floor joists together to keep them from twisting and warping.  This common, even code mandated, in new construction.  In seismic zones these can be necessary to prevent racking of the floor in an earthquake:

Chances are you already have these in your 1908 structure.  Removing the lathe ceiling will reduce total bracing somewhat, and increase potential for twisting.  But I rather think that after 100 years the joists are hard, dry and have done whatever twisting they are going to do.  In new construction, often done with wet lumber, twisting is a far greater issue.

I'd question the need to remove the old plaster and lathe.  As long as the knob & tube wiring is under-amped there is no technical conflict with blow-in insulation (there may be a code conflict, relevant or not for you).  And that's far easier, and far less messy.  Wireless technology can be used to achieve certain electrical goals without new wires.


What post size should I use for a 20'x24' deck

I wouldn't even consider using a 4x4 post on a deck that big unless it was more of a patio.  First most code requires 6x6 or greater for decks.  Then you could have some huge warping issues with 4x4s - if you used them and they are more than a couple of feet you better strap then.  Also you can notch the 6x6s for rails and stuff - you won't be able to nothing a 4x4 without taking out its whole top.  This doesn't even get into strength comparisons.


What is considered "servicing" for NEC 225.30?

Running two feeders to one building for electricity is silly -- you can get the job done with one.

There is basically no reason in this day and age to run multiple feeders to a building in the fashion you are describing.  Even if you are using multiple subpanels, you can have all of them fed from a single feeder using the feeder tap rules in 240.21(B) -- both (B)(1) and (B)(5) apply to your proposed application.

In a typical setup for this, the feeder conduit runs up to an auxiliary gutter (if you can't find an aux gutter, it's really another name for a wireway -- think fiddle vs. violin). This gutter runs over the top of the panels physically and contains the tap splices (think screw lug terminals), while the tap conductors run through conduits down to their respective subpanels.  You do need a sub-main in each subpanel to do this though, but consider it a small price to pay for only having to pull once.

As to wire size -- the taps can be sized to match the sub-main overcurrent protection devices provided they're more than 10% of the size of the feeder being tapped, while the feeder itself should be sized to provide the needed ampacity to both subpanels.

Also, the panels need to be next to each other as this setup technically falls under the "rule of six" in 225.33 (this is 225.34).

Don't tear out the other pipe if it's already there, though

However, if you already have the second conduit trenched in, leave it there!  It's handy as a convenient place to stuff phone, network, CATV, or other sorts of low voltage wiring, and you can simply reroute its ends to go wherever they need to with some conduit work.


Class 2 transformer wire (only) through electrical panel?

Two long as a comment,
If you are in the US they are called legs as residential is normally a single phase feed that is center tapped or a split phase.

Don’t expect them to be identical they will be close usually within 1% unloaded but not identical depending on loading I have seen them +15% off with no way to balance due to a single intermittent large load.

You can split a duplex receptacle to have each on its own circuit this requires handle ties at minimum and can use a common neutral with current code a double pole GFCI would be needed to feed these receptacles in most locations.

You can run your control wire or low voltage through the panel if the wiring insulation is rated for the voltage (your example of THHN is 600v would comply with code)  but the reason we usually do not is because of the electrical noise generated with the 120v circuitry and the low voltage separation that you have identified.

I hope I have hit all of your points , to get better answers a single question would help.


How can I remedy a septic system that is sometimes below the surrounding water level?

You have the wrong type of drainfield.

When there is a high watertable, alternate types of septic systems need to be installed, including: 1) curtain drains around your septic system (if the curtain drain can be discharged in a creek, swale, etc.), or 2) above ground septic system.

1)  Remember, most drain fields are not designed to allow water to drain down into the ground, but rather allow the water to evaporate. (That’s why the drain line is laid fairly close to the ground surface...18” - 24”, rather than 8’ down.) However, a careful evaluation of the soil (perk test) and the topography of the site.

Here’s a site that explains it pretty good. https://buildingadvisor.com/buying-land/septic-systems/how-a-septic-system-works/

2) Above ground systems rely 100% for the aeration of the water and the water is pumped up to it from the tank. They are expensive and seldom used. Usually, it’s just cheaper to pump after heavy rain storms that raise the watertable.


How would I go about installing a prehung door in this opening?

Your idea about the 1X6 on either side is a good start. It would give you something to fasten to, in a simple fashion on both sides, although the fastening would be minimal. You may need to increase the number of nails in the jamb to keep it in place over the long haul. Same thing if you use screws.

When the 1x6, for a 6" wall, or if it fits, 1X8 for an 8" wall, is set in place, use construction adhesive between the block and 1X and let it harden. Make sure your block are clean so the glue sticks. This will give a firm base to work to. Do not skimp on the glue. Use a 10 oz tube, a half tube at least, on each side before you set the 1X. Use concrete screws to fasten it in place, they are more reliable for a first time installer. You could use masonry nails but there are places they may not hold. The screws may fail in their holding, but that will be obvious. To increase the chances of holding, use the screws only in the block, not the joints. Keep the screws about an 1 1/4" to 1 1/2 from the edges of the block. The block is thicker there and is far enough from the edge to keep from cracking out (should be). Screws also only affect a small area when they fail, nails break out larger pieces.

To answer the other part of your question, yes you could use framing only on one side, them shimming and fastening the other side is tricky. There are case hardened finish nails to do this, or even screws. For a first timer, what I mention above should do what you need.


Will a feed through on and off switch work with a fluorescent light?

Yes, that should be just fine. Most switches on fixtures - whether a rocker or pushbutton or pull chain - simply switch the hot wire closed (on)/open (off). If that's the case, you can install an ordinary switch in the hot wire going to the light.
However, I have had some old fluorescent light fixtures with a pushbutton switch where the switch would be held on for a couple of seconds to start the light - literally triggering the fluorescent starter. On most fluorescent fixtures, the starter and ballast all magically work together, in which case an external switch will work just fine.


What's the quickest way to get rid of larvaes and [clothing] moths at home?

As a tenant I believe you've already done too much as this should be the land lords problem to rectify and not yours.

Notify the landlord verbally and in writing about the on going issue of the infestation in your apartment.

Contact your local city / town / government about your landlords responsibilities and your rights as a tenant in this type of a situation. Note: It may be possible to break the lease and move out without penalty should the landlord fail to rectify the situation in a certain amount of time.

If this was your dwelling: You've done everything you can and unfortunately the situation is beyond DIY and your control.

The best advise anyone can give is to contact an exterminator to have your hone sprayed. The problem with an infestation is that it needs to be addressed all at once, if you clear out one area and move onto another, it's possible that the moths to re-infest the original area and your at square one again. It only takes one for the cycle to start again.

  Local hardware shops have only cedar balls (new generation of moth-balls for clothes wardrobes) and spray cans that are useless for a deeper attack. Getting a pest consultant or whatever will NOT count as the desired answer, since I'm not a big fan of spending too much money on this.

Comment: In the case you have provided it is not for you the tenant to resolve.

If this was a dwelling that you owned and you were responsible for you would still need to bring in a professional. The time and effort you've spend trying to eradicate this type of infestation (that has lasted weeks) by purchasing over the counter products and your time will be far more expensive than actually bringing in a professional.


Building permit minimum fees -- is there such a thing as a job "too small to permit" in some jurisdictions?

My small town jurisdiction says you don't need a permit to change a toilet or do minor electrical work.


Can I move a joist a few inches left without the ceiling falling on my head?

Those joists carry dead/live loads of the closet floor, any walls resting on it and that transfer loads, foot of any attic stairs etc.. There is also a load transferring from the studs you mention via a bottom plate (not visible) onto the joists.
If you remove the joists during work, you have to support the flooring and bottom plate that rests on the joists.
You also have to check what's loading the double rim joist there. What exactely is resting on it?
Even if the load is minimal, supporting the joists will also prevent any temporary deformation that could crack your wall finishings or separate fastened members.
Work on one joist at a time, while supporting the others.
Building a support is easier than you think. If the load is entirely on the perimeter of the space above, you don't have to support the flooring itself (between the existing joists), but you still have to support the bottom plate on which the aforementioned studs are resting.
With support along the perimeter of the space you can remove the joists, cut them, and re-insert them. Again, it's important to check what's loading the double rim joist that shall be move back: stair stringers, wall studs, just flooring etc...?
To provide support you could use two or three vertical 2x6 or 2x4 over the width of the stair case, resting on a flat 2x4/2x6 pressing up against another flat 2x4/2x6. You can cut the verticals slightly over-length (by 1/8") and jam them in until they provide support. Or get a 20ton bottle jack lift.


Curb water shut off access pipe too high

That valve belongs to the water utility and you should not tamper with it.
To get them to address the issue promptly, tell them you fear that it will be damaged/struck by a landscaper during your work and/or that it presents a safety (tripping) hazard. They may need to replace the whole valve, which might require shutting down the water to your street at a main-line valve at the nearest road intersection.


Filling in a sunken living room to level of other floors

One way to raise the floor, and possibly the most reasonable cost wise, is to install what I would call sleeper joists sitting the top of the existing subfloor and than add new subfloor covering over those.

These "sleeper joists" would be installed as 2xX material on edge. This could be 2x6 planks spaced 16" apart. It may be necessary to rip the 2x6 planks to somewhat less than their native 5.5" width so that the subfloor and whatever flooring that you choose to put on top of that would match to the adjoining floor heights.


Electrical problems such as this, you're more than likely going to need an electrician..I will NEVER advise people to dig into wiring.

A bad sign:

You mentioned this circuit only works a couple times a year ? Oh boy, that is NOT good.

What it could be, and what a homeowner can do without digging into the wiring:

Post a person AT EACH SWITCH for ease of troubleshooting.
(person 1, person 2)
Person 1: Flip the switch, (only once) & observe the light
What happens ?
Does the light come on ?
If yes or no
Person 2: Flip the switch ( only once) & observe the light
What happens ?
Does the light come on or turn off ?

Now that both switches are in the opposite positions of where you had them:

Person 1: Flip the switch... What happens ?
If the light comes on or doesn't come on:
Flip it again. Once again, if the light comes or doesn't come on...
Person 2: Flip the switch... What happens
Wether the lights come on or not, Flip the switch again.

All the above is doing is checking to see if one or more of the switches are bad or if they were possibly MISWIRED.

If you ever remember these working fine at one time, I can say with a good degree of certainty that it's a faulty switch or switches. And if it's only one that's bad, I'd still replace both due to age alone.

It's always best to get a electrician involved when you see all your breakers are on and you've got a intermittent problem.


Hollow-core door shelves bracketed with 3 pieces of 1x1?

You should re-consider several of your ideas.

The stripping on the wall is an excellent way to support shelves. However do use something like a 1x3 or 1x4 so that the material has some substance and strength. A 1x1 is just too flimsy, can bow between studs and after accepting one screw through it there is not much meat left to the piece. A wider strip allows for two screws at each stud.
I would purge the idea of using the hollow core doors for shelves. First off for a linens closet where you have multiple shelves the thickness of the doors ends up wasting storage space! Secondly after you cut hollow core doors for length and width you are left with open sides that only will show the internal web of cardboard. That will not standup over time. So unless you intend to re-glue side and end strips back into the edges of the cut off doors I would purge the idea of using them.

With the wall stripping I would think that a decent quality 3/4" plywood would make a much better shelf. If you have concerns of it bowing across the front you can add a 1x2 strip along under the front edge of the shelf that extends the full length. But honestly the plywood will be plenty strong for linens.


Type of firm/place to contact to have house features pre-finished?

Sounds reasonable to out-source it, but you will still need to do a final coat on the casing after you install (door should be fine if you are careful).

To "do it right", you need to fill the nail holes and corner joints and sand, and then run a bead of painters caulk around the casing to make the cracks disappear, then paint again.

I just did the caulk on the inside (casing-to-jamb) not the outside (casing-to-wall), and didn't paint very far onto the side of the casing where it hits the wall. This way, you get a nice sharp line at the wall without a lot of hassle.


Why is there a one second delay before the lights turn on with this new dimmer switch?

You are right HandyMan - I called Lutron and it turns out there is a micro processor in this model which allows it to work well with led bulbs which causes this delay.  It is not defective nor the wiring.  They said they have a newer version of a similar model called the Diva, which has no delay when turning on the light.  They said that there is a newer model of the Skylark coming out soon too which will eliminate the delay.  Thank you all for your help with this question! :)


How many lights can be wired to one switch?

A 120 volt, 15 ampere circuit can provide 1800 watts (unless it's a "continuous load", then only 1440 watts). I'd guess that a "normal bulb", is a 60 watt incandescent bulb.  Which means you can have up to 30 bulbs on a 15 ampere circuit (likely a bit less to compensate for losses elsewhere in the circuit).

120 volts * 15 amperes = 1800 watts
1800 watts / 60 watts = 30 bulbs

However, the National Electrical Code says that "An outlet supplying luminaire(s) shall be calculated based on the maximum volt-ampere rating of the equipment and lamps for which the luminaire(s) is rated." (220.14(D)). So you'll have to check the rating on the fixtures you're installing, and do the calculations based on those values.

Having said all that... You should have no problem supplying 8 light fixtures from a single 120 volt 15 ampere circuit, unless the fixtures have four or five bulbs each.


In the U.S. the standard is simply called Garden Hose Thread or GHT,. It's a 3/4" straight thread with a coarse thread pitch and is not compatible with the BSP which is a finer thread pitch.