Post-less combination window & door system

As to whether it is geometrically feasible, I have no idea.  The question you should be asking is whether it is structurally feasible. I doubt there is any conceivable way to get a header that turns 120° and would provide enough support in the corner without a post there.  I'm assuming that the dashed line is an existing wall. I would also evaluate whether or not the wall is load bearing - based on the floor plan, it looks like it might need to have a header as well.

I would consult with an engineer or an architect before progressing with floor plans.


Oven heating element receives power when off?

Probably because it's a 240V oven, and the oven thermostatic switch only switches one side of the 240V.

American power is 240V, but wired with a center-tap on the transformer, with neutral attached at the center-tap and ground bonded there.   This gives 120V from either "hot" wire to the neutral, which is how most of your receptacles are wired.  Your oven uses both "hot" legs, with 240V between them.  It is also grounded to the center.  If the thermostat switch only switches one leg, that is adequate for controlling the oven, but it means the other leg is always connected to the heating element, so it is 120V above the grounded oven chassis.


Working furnace but smell like electrical fire

The filter placement looks incorrect to me. Every furnace I've seen has the filter on the other side of the venting into the fan box, causing the filter to be pulled tight against the opening. With the amount of air my furnace pulls, it would pull the filter away at the top and bottom allowing unfiltered air into the system.

My theory would be that the unfiltered air is allowing dust and lint into the heat exchanger and when it builds up enough it is burning off.

A quick image search should give a better visual of what I'm describing.


You need to reframe this opening with a bottom plate, window sill, and cripples.

Remove the existing door and trim all the way back to the header, jack studs, and subfloor.
Install a new bottom plate on the subfloor with a foam weather stripping between to prevent drafts.
Install cripple studs at 16" intervals that continue the stud spacing outside of your window framing. Locate a few studs to either side of the window frame with a stud finder and install the cripples at a continuation of this spacing. You also want one on each end of the sill, screwed into the jack studs. For now, only install the two cripples on each side.
Install the sill on the cripples and screw it to each cripple and into the jack studs. Install the other cripple studs, ensuring that they are plumb and that any bowing is the same direction, preferably bowing out.
Install an exterior sheathing over the new framing. This should be nailed about every 10" or so, more on the edges, and you can get away with smaller nails (I believe we only use 8 penny nails for this).
Install a house wrap moisture barrier (e.g. Tyvek) and use a house wrap tape to seal it to the existing barrier.
Install a rubber seal around the bottom of the window opening. It should overlap on top of the house wrap and extend up each side slightly.
Install the new window. This should be sized for your rough opening, and you should have cut your cripples for the height of this window with an allowance for shimming the window and installing trim. Make sure the window is level and plumb. A new-install window will be screwed into the outside of the house while renovation windows are screwed into the side. I'd go for the new-install style if you have the space after removing the old door frame and trim.
Install a rubber seal around the sides and top of the window starting the sides and then the top plate. You cut the top corners of the house wrap at 45 degree angles. The sides are installed top of the house wrap, but go underneath the cuts in the top corners. The seal goes under the vapor barrier at the top. This ensures that any water behind the siding runs way rather than into the house. Use house wrap tape to seal the cuts and top of the house wrap.
Caulk any cracks or joints. Place insulation into the wall under the window, with a vapor barrier facing inside your home.
Install drywall, mud and tape the seams. It's best if you avoid joints in the corners of the window, which you can do by cutting back the drywall to the next stud on each side.
Install trim and siding on the outside. Caulk the edges and paint. Advice on what type of siding will go best falls into decorating advice (off-topic per the faq).
Install a trim box around the window opening, loosely fill any spaces with insulation, and then install trim between the window box and drywall. Caulk and fill any nail holes.
Sand and paint.


Why would a 5-amp refrigerator need a 20 amp circuit?

Motors often have a surge load at startup which is much higher than their running load. If they've gone to the trouble of specifying this, I highly recommend taking their word for it.


Should second trap under kitchen sink S-trap be there?

No, there should not ever be two traps on a single drain line.

The point of the trap is to create a water barrier which prevents sewer gasses from coming up the empty pipe and into the house.

When you have two traps on the same line, you end up creating a kind of vapor block in the line which prevents it from draining properly.

What do you do?

Get yourself some 1 1/2" PVC (not CPVC, which is yellow, PVC which is white) with a 90 deg elbow, and also get two Fernco couplings (black plastic couplings with straps on each end that can be tightened) that will fit the pvc and iron drain pipe.

Use a metal blade on a sawz-all and cut out the p-trap in your basement. (Have a bucket handy!) Leave room to connect the Fernco coupling on both sides.  I'd cut the right hand side out just past the coupling.

Measure and cut the PVC so that with the 90 elbow the ends line up with the newly cut drain lines.  Glue the PVC together and confirm the fit, then connect to the old drains with the Fernco.

Viola - a proper drain line that will drain smoothly w/ no vapor lock.


How can I connect to a drain pipe in the adjacent cabinet space?

You'll simply need to bring the drain pipe and supply through the cabinet wall as you would any other wall. Set your cabinet, then cut appropriately-sized holes using a hole saw. Cut from both sides to prevent blowout of the panel's surface. Plan carefully to avoid extra holes, connection problems, and interference with any drawers above.
I would probably use a pair of 45° elbows to bring the drain forward (toward the photographer) from a low point, then 90° through the panel for a trap connection 12-14" off the floor, roughly centered in the depth of the cabinet. Do something similar with the supply.
If you're going to use an air-admittance valve as a vent, that might go well directly above the current pipe location. In that case you'd use a wye instead of the lower 45.
Obviously this disrupts your cabinet storage space, but with a little clever shelving modification you'll have a decent volume.


How to prepare previously stained trim / baseboard for painting?

Regardless of the religious factor involved in painting hardwood trim, (lololol) if you must do it, you need to buff sand the wood, 150 or 220 is fine for this step. PRIME the trim with BINs Bullseye, pigmented shellac.  After the Bins dries, very lightly sand it again with 220-400 paper or 4/0 steel wool. It will be smooth as glass. The shellac will seal the grain and block any bleeding into your new color.  Now go ahead and paint away!


Most people are right handed, but "most" of humans are versatile enough to use their other extremities.

But your conundrum is really going to satisfied best if you go middle ground and trying to satisfy most people who'd have an issue with "switching hands" I'd say.

So install the railing consistently, all on one side... ( Right or left, depends if your coming or going )

But rails on both sides throughout traversing stairs takes care of it all...Can you do that ?

Move the light switch either up or down. Probably down, because most people would "complain" that they had to "reach too high" to operate it...


I have opted out of Durock in favor of DensShield. Then coat joints with RedGard or equivalent.

I would never use plastic in a wall. It only traps moisture and promotes mold.

Happy Day!


Can I remove/brace two studs to fit a new regular sized breaker box?

I got a general contractor to look at this and he said that I could remove them without worry. They're not load bearing. He suggested I cut them above and below what I needed to install the new breaker box though. Driving a couple of nails before cutting them. I'm looking into doing that in the not so distant future.

Thanks all.


How should I use fiberglass batts to insulate between floor joists over a stone basement?

Buildingscience.com has a decent article that covers a very similar situation with floors over crawlspaces

The two key points with this:

One vapour barrier, so as not to trap moisture. Essentially, drying happens on both sides going in the direction away from the vapour barrier, and if you use two barriers you're trapping moisture which leads to mold and rot.
Condensation happens when warm meets cold. When you're using batt insulation, you want the vapour barrier on the warm side so you're not getting condensation (and thus water) on the insulation.

The situation that most closely matches what you're talking about recommends this:

The rigid foam on the bottom of the joists is your vapor barrier: it must be impermeable and this means that the connections between sheets and around the edges must be sealed too. Even though the vapour barrier is essentially on the outside of the batt insulation, because the foam has an insulating value (unlike 6mil plastic) you don't have warm meeting cold here and won't get the condensation problem.


Typically this would be a quarter turn valve, and turning the key on the left would open the valve. It may or may not rotate 360 degrees, the design does not indicate that. Adding some oil or lubricant to all surfaces around the 'wing' cannot hurt.

If you are able to cut off the flow with the blue valve, try releasing the screw on the side of the Mueller. you may get access to the parts where you can lubricate it.

It is evident that all of the metal parts of this system are deteriorated. If at all possible, cutting off the house at the blue valve and replacing the galvanized and using a ball valve cutoff would eliminate what will surely be additional problems.


Can I use the grounding rods of a main panel as the grounding rods for my sub panel

It's not a separate building

Having a breezeway between the buildings means it is one building in the eyes of NEC.  You not only can use the same ground rods, you can simply use the ground wires you already ran.

Further, you do not require a shutoff switch (typically implemented as a main breaker) in the garage's panel. Although if you're committed to it, it does no harm.


Single pole switch to combination switch

Two wires means you have a hot and a switched hot. You don't have a neutral, which is required for the outlet. So you can't hook that up.

You'll need to run 3 line wire so you have a proper neutral.


Fusible plug blew on mini-split A/C, how to fix?

Ok now with the photo that cleared things up, the fusable plug is a inexpensive overpresure protection. I haven't seen that in the past I was thinking you had an electrical plug that failed but since I hard wire I figured it was something I had not seen. Once you have the replacement installed. It would be a good idea to replace the filter dryer. pump the system with a little r22 to be used as a leak check gas then nitrogen up to 100 psi and check for leaks. If no leaks check for acid in the oil since the system has been open to atmosphere. No acid pump the system down below 500 microns. Failure to do this you will be trashing the compressor due to atmospheric moisture that will cause acid and that acid eats the varnish off the motor windings then the compressor is toast. Verify the system will hold at 500 microns or less. If the system holds a vacuum you are ready to recharge If it is not holding keep the vacuum on the system under vacuum as it may be the water boiling out of the oil. Once a stable vacuum. Recharge by weighing in the charge and it should be good to go.
If the acid test shows positive the system needs to be tested with a megger in fact this could be done at the very first step to verify the compressor is good. Low value from motor lead to ground the windings are already toast, I use 10 mega ohms to ground as a minimum anything over 50 mega ohms at 500v is good. Added to answer question to long for comment.I use quick shot acid test if the paper turns red it has acid you can use the pressure of the n2. If the windings test good to ground you can flush quick shot makes a product that works well, I would be berry surprised if there is not a filter dryer some are not much larger than a 10$ cigar , sorry that's the only comparison I can think of. With acid in the system I don't think I would recharge until the system is flushed as acid in a running system can eat the varnish in less than 72 hours and to recover you would need to recover with a filter dryer prior to your recovery machine to protect the recovery machine then flush the machine.


Is it ok for electrical wires to run underneath a beam in a basement?

Since it is in a basement it could be run along the bottom, per code 334.15.A. My state requires protection in a crawl space along the bottom.


Can I use a 15w LED bulb in a fixture that says max 40w incandescent or 11w CFL?

I would be willing to bet you are all set. but, err on the side of caution, and do not exceed the 11W for the base of the socket.

CFL's generate a lot of heat in the base, so its a better measure of that socket's rating to compare the heat the LED bulb generates to that fixture.

An incandescent generates most heat at the filament, which is not centrally located in the base of the bulb, unlike a CFL.

This is why you see many cooked CFL's. Here is a comparison chart to relay the idea (thanks Google and Milwaukee):

Another goodie from Google:


What are the pros and cons of Owens Corning shingles vs. GAF shingles?

More important question: Which contractor did you feel the most comfortable with and which has the best work history in your area -- have you checked BBB and something like Angies List? Who has the best relationship with their wholesaler/supplier and can get you support if you need it in case of roof damage?

Owens Corning and GAF make comparable products; the Owens Corning warranty is longer, but neither warranty is good unless the installer installs it properly with the proper number of nails at the proper spacing. Specifically, the two products that you're looking at are almost identical. One difference besides the warranty is that Owens Corning has a constant bead of sealant on the backside of the shingles to seal them to the shingles underneath; if you're in an area that gets significant amounts of wind-driven rain (such as a coastal area) to the point that you will be testing the wind resistance of the shignle, you will PROBABLY want to choose the GAF shingle because the Owens Corning shingles sometimes have problems draining after water has blown up underneath them.

Remember that it isn't the shingle that matters; the shingle really just protects your roof. Your roof is actually the tar paper and other membrane (such as Grace Ice & Water Shield) that goes on under the shingles. Those products should be of the highest quality and have perfect installations. Getting good shingles is essential, but it's almost secondary if you cheap out on the underlayments or your roofer installs it incorrectly.

One note that I'm suggesting all homeowners explore: If your attic is hot during the summer, look into the 'Cool Roof' shingles that both OC and GAF produce. They have a reflective substance in with the stone and will help reflect solar energy back out before it has a chance to enter your roof structure.


Never mind the wire colors

Since Romex is limited to red/white/black and the occasional blue, you pretty much have to ignore colors when dealing with wiring, save for white often but not always being neutral and green or bare almost always being ground.

As to decoding your box (grounds omitted since we know what they do :)

LR (Left-hand Red): This is the switched-hot going out to whatever the 3-way controls -- it will land on the differently-colored (usually black) screw on the 3-way switch.
LB (Left-hand Black): This is the incoming always-hot -- it goes to the black bundle with MB and the pigtail to the single pole switch.
LW (Left-hand White): This is the incoming neutral -- it goes to the white bundle with RW.
MR (Middle Red): This is a traveler wire between the two three-way switches -- it lands on one of the two same colored (usually brass) screws on the 3-way switch.
MB (Middle Black): This is the always-hot out to the other 3-way switch, forming an old-style switch loop with the two travelers in the middle cable.
MW (Middle White): This is the other traveler wire between the two three-way switches -- it lands on the other same colored screw on the 3-way switch.
RB (Right Black): This is the switched hot going from the single pole switch to whatever it controls -- it lands on the single pole switch.
RW (Right White): This is the neutral out to whatever the single pole switch controls -- it goes into the bundle of white wires with LW.

While you're in there, don't forget to stick a tape flag (use electrical tape for this) on the middle cable's white wire so that the next person working in the box knows its a traveler and not a neutral.  Or, better yet, use color-coded tape flags to mark the wires by function: black for always-hot, red for switched-hot, and say yellow or blue for travellers, for instance.  (You don't need to distinguish the two travellers from each other since they have the same job.)


Typical sink under window:

The venting issue is that you cannot connect to other vents or have a horizontal offset in the vent until it is 6" above the highest flood level rim and at minimum 42" above the floor (see the red portion in the above image).

To avoid a horizontal offset of the vent below the flood level rim, you simply arrange the drainage to come up beside the window, and pipe the sink's trap arm under the window over to the sink (see the green portion in the above image). The only limiting factor is the distance permitted on the arm (the fall cannot exceed the internal diameter of the pipe).


Don't try to seal wet wood because the wood needs to be dry to soak up the sealer.  Make your own small kiln with a dehumidifier.


Strength of a 2 x 6 when 5.5" long hole is drilled through middle of the 1.5" face?

The purpose of your construction aside, I'd like to address the strength question.
One way to figure it out is by way of an experiment. Load bearing capacity of a joist or beam is based on material strength, direction of fibres and load, point or distributed loads, fatigue and dynamic & static loads etc..
Putting all this together, a L/360 deflection limit emerges in building construction, which states that lumber of length L can be loaded up to the point it deflects no more than L/360. (Caveat emptor: there are variants to this and lots of discussions as to its merits and applicability).
In your case, where published data is lacking, you could perform a simple test: compare two pieces of 2x6, drill your holes and insert screws into one, and apply a defined load on both. Then determine at which load difference both deflect equally.
That relative load difference for a given deflection around the L/360 value is roughly equal to the relative difference in load bearing capacity.
For a 10 foot piece, the maximum deflection from L/360 is 1/3in. You could simply apply a load until the pristine 2x6 deflects perhaps 1/4 or 1/3in, and determine what (lesser) load is required to deflect the perforated 2x6 by the same amount. If the difference is within say 10% you have little to worry about.
Note that bores with screws inserted will have a different effect from empty bores: the screws restore some of the lost strength in the upper compressed portion of the lumber.
To apply the load you can rest the ends of the 2x6 on stools or chairs, sit on the centre (with a friend), and hang a bucket off the centre which you fill with water, steel weights, rocks etc.. for fine tuning. It may take 300 to 400lbs to reach 1/4in deflection (It's a guess, I haven't tried it). Longer lumber will get you there with less weight but also provide the relative difference you seek. Make sure you prevent the lumber from tipping.


How can I mount a shelf above a closet door?

I did this once when I lived in an apartment and could not modify anything.

Since I had metal working and welding experience, I created a steel frame using 1 inch angle steel. Basically, it was a 'table' that stood inside the closet and it's dimensions where precisely the inside dimensions of the closet; ie; the legs were flush against the walls of the closet.

The 1 inch steel angle iron was small enough not to interfere with the closet itself and were strong enough to support the shelf (two pieces of 1/2 inch thick plywood; each 1/2 the width of the closet so they can the inserted).

I made the steel frame so that it could be assembled using screws once its put inside the closet.

When I moved out of that apartment, I easily removed the shelf assembly and viola! I had a un-modified closet to return to the landlord.


Is sawdust really that bad for my vacuum cleaner?

I can't really see why saw dust is any different than the dust you find around your house (mostly made up of dead skin cells).  The only real difference is that you tend to clean-up a lot of saw dust at any one time, whereas it takes a long time to fill a vacuum bag with typical around-the-house cleaning.

The dust should never come in contact with the motor.  I think you're more likely to damage the motor by running it with a clogged filter (most vacuums since people tend to never clean them) then you are cleaning up saw dust with a clean filter.


Do I need to do anything for my external spigots during a short hard freeze?

A short freeze should not be a big deal for your area.  I just bought some of the spigot covers for mine.  I live in Virginia and have a bit colder temps than you do.  Normally we have no problems with our area either.  I just covered them to make sure.


Seal out draft from sliding, frameless shower door

I'd say go for winter weather stripping, but I don't see that lasting too long. So, I'd really say go with car door Edge Moldings. There are a variety of widths & colors, they just slip over the edge & can be glued if the friction fit doesn't hold-up, literally. You'll probably want to do both doors.


Impact drivers are great tools if you ever want to drive screws; they are far easier to use for this than drills are. I think a finish nailer is a bit more of a niche item; you can use it to put up trim (baseboard, casing, that kind of thing), but you can't use it for anything structural as the nails aren't big enough.

I've owned two Makita impact drivers and have been happy with them, though mine are from the pro line and I don't know about the quality of the combo kits.


Old cellulose insulation holding heat during summer

UPDATE: This answer is too simplistic and lacks understanding of the true issue. See a superior, more complete answer here: Ridge vent conversion creating heat problem

The insulation is not holding heat (i.e. acting as a thermal mass). The likelier problem is that your attic itself is what's holding heat. Attic heat gain during the summer is primarily caused by sunshine. The sun hits your shingles and heats them up, and that heat radiates down into the attic. The darker the shingles, the more pronounced the effect.

As a result, an attic during the summer can easily reach temperatures 20-40 degrees higher than the ambient temperature due to this solar gain, even in your relatively cloudy climate. You can see for yourself by going into the attic around noon or 2 PM. It should be punishingly hot.

It's your insulation's job to prevent all that heat from getting through the ceiling and heating up the house. 6-8 inches of cellulose (R-3.5/inch) + 1 inch of rock wool (R-4/inch) works out to R-25 - R-32, which are numbers that are decent but not great for an attic. You need more! Blow more cellulose in there; 10 or 12 inches is a good start.

Another approach involves changing the color or material of your roof. The next time you have to redo it, if you choose light-colored shingles, or even light-colored metal, that will help tremendously to reflect the sun's rays, preventing a lot of that heat from even making it into the attic to begin with. But by the same token, this will hurt you in the winter, when that heat is actually helping to keep your attic warmer than the outside temperature. The degree of the penalty depends on how much of a heating load you have compared to your cooling load. Adding more insulation will help with both and is the recommended approach.


What is the recommended way to destroy mold?

Bleach, when used carefully, may be effective at killing surface mold. However, when I started to research how to get invisible to the eye mold and it's related odor out of some unfinished wood, over and over I kept finding assertions that bleach is inadequate for eliminating mold issues for the following reason:

  Mold's hypae (root structures) actually grow into wood and drywall like roots. The hyphae are not killed by bleach because bleach's ion structure prevents chlorine from penetrating into porous materials such as drywall and wood. It stays on the outside surface, whereas mold has protected enzyme roots growing inside the porous construction materials. When you spray porous surface molds with bleach, the water part of the solution soaks into the wood while the bleach chemical sits atop the surface, gasses off, and thus only partially kills the surface layer of mold while the water penetration of the building materials foster further mildew and mold growth. [This quotation appears on many websites almost word for word, but no site I looked at gave any credit to the original source of this information]

How do you get those hyphae out of the wood or other material? You need a surfactants.

  Surfactants serve the purpose of significantly lowering the surface tension of water to allow a cleaning solution to penetrate porous surfaces -KleanPros

What's an example of a Surfactant? Dishwashing soap.

This is why some mold cleaning guides will suggest adding dishwashing soap into your bleach/water mixture, or say to skip the bleach entirely, and just use the surfactant cleaning properties to dislodge the mold and remove it from the surface without actually "killing" it.

A mold expert who came to do mold testing at our home claimed that, depending on the species of mold being eradicated, that bleach was the "worst thing you could do" in fixing a mold problem, because it may cause a release of highly toxic mycotoxin particles. Neither the EPA or OSHA recommend bleach for mold removal under "most" circumstances.

The EPA also points out that:

  Dead mold may still cause allergic reactions in some people, so it is not enough to simply kill the mold, it must also be removed.

Which goes back to that surfactant thing. If you're talking about a non-porous surface, sure, bleach may work well, so long as you use it properly (ventilate, don't mix with ammonia, etc), but if there's any possibly porous or crevice-filled surfaces, either the dish soap or a epa-registered mold-killing product would be a reasonable choice.


External Double Pole Thermostat to 7500 Watt Forced Air Heater

On the wiring diagram the large and small boxes marked KM are parts of a relay that carry the full current for the coils, any line voltage thermostat will be able to carry the current from the control circuit.
The thermostat can be wired with #14 because the instructionss that are part of the UL listing allow it. I'm guessing there is some internal fuse/fuselink not shown on the diagram.
I am not familiar with full Nest product line, you would need a model with separate control voltage or you would need to build one.


If it's a 60 ampere double pole breaker, in a 120/240V single split-phase panel.  Then yes, the two ungrounded (hot) conductors can be connected to either leg. As long as they are on separate legs, the color of the insulation makes no difference (as long as it's not green, and if it's white it is properly marked).


Should I leave gap between my house's slab and a new one I'm laying outside in the garden?

You definitely want to leave an expansion gap. However,  you can fill the seam using a flexible material. Foam rod covered with a seam filler, is one common solution.  There are also products sold that can simply be pushed into the seam.

Check your local hardware/home improvement store, to see what's available in your area.


Install plastic between drywall ceilings and rafters?

the plastic will trap moisture in your sheetrock and can cause black mold
some areas require hazmat teams for black mold removal, Ran into this a few years ago and it was quite expensive for the home owner.


Why were all three of my toilet bowls empty upon returning home?

This happened to me a few times when I'd be gone and the house would be vacant for a week. The water just evaporated. The tanks were full but the bowls in both bathrooms were dry. I solved the problem by covering the bowls with Glad Wrap. Worked like a charm. Just make sure to remember to remove it when you get back... Good luck.


The code requires the air from a bathroom be, “exhausted directly to the exterior.”  Also, “air from bathrooms with tubs, showers or spas shall not be exhausted to attics or crawl spaces.” (See ICC M1507.2.)

If the landlord balks, tell him you’re developing a mold issue and you’re going to contact the local Building Official.


How do I convert a double 60 amp breaker(hot tub box) to run 15 amp breaker powering an outside light and GFI receptacle?

You wired the switch from hot to neutral inadvertently, so when you turn it on, it creates a short circuit, which trips the breaker.

By the way, you did replace the 60A breaker with a 15A breaker, correct?


Is this kitchen wall parallel with the joists load-bearing?

Since that wall runs parallel to the joists above it is not a load bearing wall. That said, I always recommend that anytime you are going to remove any wall that could be a supporting wall that you hire a structural engineer to get his OK on your project. Removing any load bearing wall without the proper support could be a disaster waiting to happen.  My 2 cents.


Fence gate sagging. Post twisting. Any ideas on how to solve this?

I am not sure what the cause of your post twisting is, although it doesn't look twisted in the picture. If you didn't cement the post in using postcrete or other quick drying cement, the soil packed around it can settle allowing the post to twist.
As for the gate sagging, it seems from the photo that you have not adequately braced the gate, so it will continue to sag more in time.  It may look square at first glance but to me there is a slight crookedness (look at the distances between the top left of the gate to the top frame, and the top right of the gate to the top frame).
Adding diagonal bracing will prevent the weight of the gate pulling down on the horizontal bracing at the part furthest from the hinges.  I would take the gate down, re-square it if aesthetically it would look better, and add diagonal bracing. Brace the top edge furthest from the hinges to the bottom of the hinged side using wood.  (In the photo of the bracing you have here, brace from top left to bottom right).
Downward forces furthest from the hinges will then be transferred to the bottom of the hinged part of the gate.
You could use wire but if you do, it won't be as strong on the bracing and the diagonal would need to be in the opposite direction.
The only thing is you said you trimmed the picket bottoms so if you re-square the gate it could look slightly crooked at the bottom, but that is much less noticeable and the gate won't sag any further.
Edit after further thought
Thinking about the size of the gate, which by the photos I would guess is a 1.8m (6ft) high gate, using wire for diagonal bracing may not be adequate and considering the weight of the downward forces which will be there, using wire would put a huge amount of strain on the top hinge which isn't that big looking at the photo.
I would use wood bracing in the manner described above.  It will not be as strenuous on the bottom hinge, and it will also lower the strain on the top hinge.


Does a fluorescent lamp that does not light up still draw power?

You can remove the lamps that are not working. This will only let the one good light to work. Perhaps one light was faulty already before you moved in and the other was ready to go bad. It will use less power and will be of no concern, I believe you operate it with only one lamp.

So you will have an idea what the condition of the lamps are, and using the picture you offered, these type of lamps when they are going bad or have gone bad, get dark spots on the ends close to where they connect to the fixture. The darkening occurs in the glass, not the porcelain. Take for example the last lamp on the right, where it connects has some darkening at the base, where the other 2 lamps do not. The lamp on the right will not work anymore in time, or perhaps is already not lighting up (glowing). These words are interchangeable here. If your lamps in the fixture of your room have dark spots at the base, close to the end or ends that plug into the fixture, then it is most likely that the lamps are bad. It does not hurt to leave them in that I know of, they may still draw some power.
If you prefer not to have the room heavily lit, you will do fine by removing them temporarily and replace them in 9 months before you leave the rental, or replace them with new lamps if you wish, as a good gesture towards your landlord.


Latex paint smudged onto fake river stone fireplace and mortar

Use some painters tape and plastic to mask off the wall below.
Carefully remove the pieces of dried latex with a razor blade (If Possible).
Dip a toothbrush into rubbing alcohol and gently brush over the smudge.
Wet another toothbrush and pour dish detergent directly on the bristles.
Gently scrub the grout.
Dip the toothbrush into clean water and rinse.
Dab with a clean damp cloth.

Repeat as necessary. The paint will eventually all come out and you wont harm the grout.

Send that painter a bill.


Why do the lights turn off when I turn off the fan portion of my newly installed ceiling fan?

If the lights don't work at all, when the fan is not on: (and assuming the incoming power goes to the switches and does not come from the ceiling)

The switch for the fan, powers the switch for the lights. Instead, the incoming power at the wall switch's J-box needs a pig-tail, to feed the two switches.

Beyond that, I'd need a detailed description (preferably pictures) of the ceiling box and wall box, noting what goes where and which ones are the incoming.


Can I use old bowling alley lanes as counter tops?

I don't have direct experience but generally speaking while a circular saw blade can go through nails, it's dangerous as it increases the risk of a kick back.

Although slower, you will be far safer if you cut the counter using a reciprocating saw with a demolition or dual wood/metal blade attached.  That will cut through nails without the kickback potential.

You should cut your pieces a bit wide, say 1/8" extra, since your initial cut very likely won't be perfect.  After the initial cut, you can sand the edge down to fit.


My dad and his dad were both professional union painters.  They taught me that for small spots of spackle on the wall, all you have to do is put a quick layer of regular paint over them with a brush while you're doing your cutting-in brushwork.  The spot over the spackle will be mostly dry when you go back over it with the roller later.  I know from personal experience that this works.  Also, there's no reason to prime if you're repainting a similar color.

I also know from personal experience that if you don't pre-paint your spackle as I described, you will be able to see it after the paint job is done.  The color may hide it just fine, but where the rest of your wall is covered with a slight texture from the roller, the spot that was spackled will be smooth.  It stands out like a sore thumb.  Hitting the spackled spot with your brush while cutting in and then rolling back over it later is all that is needed to fix that problem.


What kind of treatment should I use on bottom wall plates to prevent decay?

I assume you're talking about the bottom or sole plate of framing which is laid horizontally, correct?
If you have wood resting on a concrete floor then there isn't much you can do. The floor will forever wick water into the wood from below and rot it out; even when it's not raining.
If you put some sort of sealant in the corner where the wood meets the floor then you'll prevent excessive water from flowing into the wood but concrete absorbs water and will just distribute it into the bottom of the wood anyways. This would also lock in moisture and prevent any chance of it drying.
If you fully seal the wood with some sort of paint then it will likely hasten the rot since the bottom will still be wet and have no source of fresh air drying.

So, what can you do?
You can buy pressure treatment solution, run thick bead of caulk along the floor 1/4" away from the bottom plate, and pour that solution into the makeshift "pool". You need the wood to absorb this solution so the longer it sits the better. When you're ready then pull up the caulk and finish your renovation.


Is this sort of "wrapped" eave a reasonable eave detail?

Your question is a good one. The company I worked for on the east cast followed Joes building science and worked with him too. The CEO of my company was also friends with him, so much for that.
My thoughts on you situation is to let the wall insulation cut around the rafters after the liquid applied water proofing membrane (LAWPM), is ran entirely over the roof, and of course the wall too, but add plywood between the rafters to allow the LAWPM to engage the bottom of the sheathing. The roof insulation would continue over the roof completely, the wall would continue to meet the under side of the roof sheathing, completing the thermal envelope and the soffit can be vented with a continuous screen vent to relieve heat build up.
This may help keeping down the "bulk" of the fascia, if the added layer of insulation makes it thicker than you want.
Then again, with the foam, it may not get that hot to begin with.
What the company I worked for did was apply the roofing in the usual way, sprayed foam on the attic side of the roof to make the attic a conditioned or at least a tempered space since many places had humidifiers as part of the HVAC system in the attic. The rest of the system was the same, seal up the outside completely, cover everything with LAWPM, and shoot 1/2 or 2lb foam over everything on the inside. It may have been 1/2 lb only, since I think 2 lb foam is considered non permeable.
Another note on how it was done, since the LAWPM did not have insulation over it, the soffits were skinned over with 1/4 or 1/2" plywood so the LAWPM followed a "rough" soffit. After that all finish material would fasten directly to that.
I know it is different how you are doing it, but it was the was it was done 7, maybe 10 years ago. I only mention it because you may be able to merge the 2 details together to get the system to work for you, since the illustration on the website shows a simplified commercial application, not residential with a soffit.


A Dremel Tool with a cut off wheel is going to be your tool of choice here. Here is a picture of what that looks like:

When approaching a job like this I make sure I have plenty of the cutoff wheels. I also have a half dozen of the mandrels so that I can have all of them with cutoff wheels premounted so it is quick change in the tool when one wears down or breaks.

The cutoff wheels come in thin normal thickness and thicker heavy duty style as shown above. The heavy duty ones have to grind away more to perform a cutoff bit are less prone to breakage.

You will have to cut the re-bar at an angle as shown on the below picture. It may even be necessary to break a small amount of the concrete on either side to permit the tool to have a better angle of attack on the re-bar.


Replacing an octagonal ceiling fan power outlet

Ceiling fans need to have listed Boxes NEC 314.27.C. If they are large ones there may be more hardware in the attic that you cannot access from below.
Lighter ones many times are screwed to a 2”x4” or 2”x6” that is screwed or nailed to the ceiling trusses. You may have to remove this brace to pull the box.


Why is an outlet box outside of the wall?

From what I can see in the fuzzy pic, someone wanted a double-gang outlet where there was a single-gang box. They apparently didn't want to cut the wall at all.

There's probably no concern as far as safety, but pop an outlet tester into it to be sure.


How should I prepare drywall for wallpaper?

Yes you should still mud, tape and sand all of the drywall joints especially if your drywall has beveled edges. Ideally you would also apply a coat of primer before you apply the wall paper as this makes removing it easier down the road, and if you do ever decide to paint it, at least all you'll need to do is remove the wall paper and paint and not have to deal with mudding the joints.


I broke the knockouts on the blue receptacle boxes while doing electrical rough in. Now what?

The trap doors serve a few purposes in plastic boxes:

They keep stuff in. Sparks, flames, and other rogue electrical gremlins.
They keep stuff out. Fingers, pets, or anything else capable of getting electrocuted or causing a short.
They act as the cable clamps for non-metallic cables entering the electrical box.

Fire proof foam or caulk would likely satisfy (1) and (2).

The plastic box conundrum.

On the cheaper plastic boxes (you know, those really flimsy ones), even if you don't try to break off the trap doors, they will, out of spite, break off on their own. Even if they don't break off, they typically end up so loose that there is no way they are an effective cable clamping mechanism.

This begs the question: if these boxes are manufactured this way, then shouldn't this be acceptable?

For certain single gang boxes where the cable is secured within 8 inches of the box, this is acceptable; otherwise, it is not acceptable.

  2014 NEC

  314.17 Conductors Entering Boxes, Conduit Bodies, or Fittings. Conductors entering boxes, conduit bodies, or fittings shall be
  protected from abrasion and shall comply with 314.17(A) through (D).

  (C) Nonmetallic Boxes and Conduit Bodies. [...] Where nonmetallic-sheathed cable or multiconductor Type UF cable
  is used, the sheath shall extend not less than 6 mm (1/4 in.) inside the
  box and beyond any cable clamp. In all instances, all permitted wiring
  methods shall be secured to the boxes.

  Exception: Where nonmetallic-sheathed cable or multiconductor Type UF cable is used with single gang boxes not larger than a nominal
  size 57 mm x 100 mm (2-1/4 in. x 4 in.) mounted in walls or ceilings,
  and where the cable is fastened within 200 mm (8 in.) of the box
  measured along the sheath and where the sheath extends through a
  cable knockout not less than 6 mm (1/4 in.), securing the cable to the box
  shall not be required. Multiple cable entries shall he permitted in a
  single cable knockout opening.

Solutions?

If you do not want to reinstall new boxes, you need to plug any holes that are not occupied by electrical cables. Then, be sure you have secured your cables to the stud or some other suitable surface within 8 inches of the box. Please note this exception does not extend to anything larger than a 1-gang box, so if you do have larger boxes you will need to make a judgement call.

If you do want to reinstall, I recommend using the heavier duty plastic boxes or metal boxes. From experience, the thicker blue boxes made by Carlon* are less susceptible to trap door failure.

*Other manufactures might make this style box as well, but Carlon is the only one I've seen in my area. This is not a Carlon endorsement.


That red wire is most likely part of a 3-way switch configuration, and not connected to the light at all.  Disconnecting it would rid you of the benefit of this configuration -- i.e. both switches would have to be on for the light to turn on.  With the red wire connected, either switch can turn on the light.

(A 3-way switch is an electrician's term for a single-pole, double-throw (SPDT) switch.)


Main fuse blows, individual fuses do not

In places where people say "knicked by the bohrdrill", it's common practice to use whole-house ground fault detectors (they say residual current devices) in the main panel (they say fuse box).

The two 40A boards is not weird in 230V land.  They bring 3-phase ~400V power down the block, 230V to neutral.  Having two boards means he is getting 2 phases.

In American style per-circuit GFCIs, it matters a lot when you cross up neutrals between circuits.  A whole-house GFCI/RCD won't care about neutral mixing among circuits out of that panel. ** But two whole-house GFCIs will care a great deal if circuits from the two panels have their neutrals crossed.  That is also super bad because of the 400V potential between the two hots.

I gather this recent work has to do with adding the second panel and moving any circuits over to it?   That will expose any crossed neutral problems.

Of course, crossing any hot to any ground, or any neutral to any ground, will also trip RCDs.

Sometimes the problem is only provoked when current flows, e.g. Neutral-Ground crosses.   In that case some current is going down the wrong wire.  With no load, half of 0 is 0 and that won't trip an RCD.

** Note that neutral mixing is still bad, since neutrals don't have fuses and rely on the overcurrent protection from their partner hot.


How to clean dryer ducts . Home is built on a slab

It's very important to clean your dryer air duct at least annually.  Accumulated dust in them is a common source of house fires.  Usually they come apart in sections.  Typically what you do is remove the sections and vacuum or brush out the dust.  They also make telescoping dusters that have a round duct-sized brush on a flexible wire that you can use to push the dust through.


The straight metal flex will give the internal conductors a degree of physical protection and will keep the conductors concealed from human contact.  The PVC covered flex, with the right fittings and boxes will add a layer of protection against moisture.


So if:
1) power goes into 3 way switch
2) switch legs go to other 3 way switch
3) combined switch leg which powers lights now goes into 2 dimmers
4) each dimmer feeds a wire to a different set of lights

It can work.

An easier thing might just be to get a bunch of philips hue bulbs and program and control them with home automation software - with an added benefit of colors!


What type of damage can power surges do?

[I]s it possible for power surges to inflict partial damage on electrical devices?

What you refer to as a power surge will most likely be a voltage spike, i.e. short but significant increase in the line voltage. This increased voltage will in the most general case lead to increased electrical currents in your devices, and this may kill them.

Simplest example: a light bulb that is specified for 230V will generate more light at higher voltages (because higher voltage -> higher current -> higher temperature of the filament -> more light), but due to the higher temperature, the filament will break earlier (as early as "instantly" if enough voltage is applied). Other simple examples might be motors which might run faster at higher voltages but will also suffer from the increased currents.

Any devices involving semiconductor circuits (so, almost all nowadays, I guess) are also affected in the same way. Too much current -> too much heat -> broken device. It is quite possible that only a part of a device is affected and the consequences might vary from fancy noises to complete failures.

So yes, it is possible

  and if yes, is it likely?

That totally depends on the nature of the voltage spike and the device.

  I'd like to know if those events are correlated together and to the
  electrical variability of the apartment

There's no way of telling this for sure. It might be the case that the dying fridge was causing yet another voltage spike that further damaged the microwave oven, or the events might be completely unrelated.


Where should I look to rent time on a router table?

The CNC Zone has an area for matching up people who need CNC work done.

You can also look in your yellow pages for people who make wooden signs as these are commonly made by CNC.


A 42W bulb is only going to produce 42 Watts of heat (well, a little less since some of the energy escapes as light (roughly 3 - 5% for a halogen)).

So as long as the fixture is rated for at least 42 watts, that bulb will be fine. The max wattage limit should be noted on the fixture somewhere, either on a sticker, or embossed in the metal.

I think your fear of the word "halogen" comes from the number of accidents attributable to 300W and 500W halogen floor lamps with exposed bulbs, these concerns have been mostly addressed with new safety features (primary guards over the bulbs). But a 42W replacement bulb doesn't pose the same hazard.


What type of gas generator to run a dump pump, fridge, and 3 small appliances

1/2 HP Sump Pump - 1000W Run but 2000-4000W startup
Refrigerator - 250W run but 1000-1500W startup
Coffee maker - 500W
Electronics?  You didn't specify.

So as long as your fridge and your sump pump don't startup at the same time, you could get by with a 4000W generator.  A 5000W would give you a bit of margin.

As far as run time, it depends on the fuel capacity of the generator.  You will want to keep extra fuel on hand if the outage lasts longer than the fuel tank capacity of the generator.

To be legal you will either need to run cords to each individual unit or install a lockout transfer switch to avoid the possibility of back-feeding the grid and endangering power company workers.


It depends on what your goal is.  If the goal is to never have water enter your house in any way then probably what you need to do is get one of the shingles that fell off and see what its lifetime rating is.  Most are 15-20 years.  If you are near that point and shingles are coming off then I would think about it.

However shingles falling off doesn't necessarily mean you need a new roof.  It could have been a bad install on that part of the roof - or everything.

What you read is pretty true though except for the vegetation part.  If you have tree coverage over your house you might get moss with a 2 year old roof.  The curled, cracked, badly warped shingles... this is extreme and should be replaced.

If you want to wait to the last second, then you need to venture to your attic a lot - after big rains.  Most of the time a roof will show signs of moisture before it starts letting in a lot of water - unless your roof is pretty flat.  If you don't want to get up in the attic to do this then it is purely a guess/luck.

Last thing...  How long do you plan on being in the house?  If it is less than 10 years.  Do you plan on replacing before reselling?  If yes and yes.  Then just replace it and enjoy the roof.


How much weight will a 4"x8"x20ft oak beam support?

The strength of the wood beam will depend on the specific species of oak, the grade of lumbar, whether there are any cantilevers, side bracing, and other factors. But 20 ft seems like a very long span for a 4x8. Glancing at some load tables I would say you're in the ballpark of only a few hundred pounds capacity, which is not sufficient when you take into account the weight of the structure, the weight of occupants, snow, etc. (Don't take my word for it: you must get a more accurate number before you start building). (By the way, where are you going to get a piece of solid oak that long??)

Another side note: you don't say anything about the design of the tree house but be careful about how you connect the trees. When the wind blows the trees will move independently and you need to make sure that your structure isn't rigidly fastened to both trees. There are many examples online about how to make a platform that is fixed to one tree and slides at another. If you don't allow for movement of the trees you risk damaging the treehouse or the trees themselves when a gust of wind blows.


I installed dimmer but the wall switch does not have a ground wire; is it safe?

Connecting the switch to the black wires is safe and correct if you used the proper wire nuts. You said you made sure the connected parts were covered with electrical tape. If that's all you used, it's not good enough. Go back and use wire nuts.

Never cut off a ground wire. If you don't have a ground in the box just tuck the wire in there for the future. There is a chance you've got a ground there if metal conduit or armored cable was used and screwing in the switch would ground it but not the way it should be. The switch is safe to operate as is.


Whether or not your theory about the path of the water is correct, you will need to remove any unsound material (i.e. loose paint, wallboard paper, wallboard material, plaster itself). There is no way to "re-bond" the damaged area(s).

I would start with a scraper and start taking out damage until there is nothing left but firm material. It is very likely that you will need to do some wall patching along with repainting...


How can I temporarily bypass a water heater?

If you expect to need to rework the plumbing for the new heater anyway, just cut off both the supply and outlet pipes and slip on a Sharkbite hose. They're not particularly inexpensive, but it'll make quick work of the temporary fix.


Hiding rain drain pipe below the sidewalk

Why don't you move the end a little further uphill and empty the pipe into some kind of culvert drain or splash block that slopes down to the curb?

Or you could use a pipe fixture like this:

There's a brand name behind that thing (Mitered Drain), and I'm not sure there are identical alternatives, so I'll go ahead and identify the brand. I'm not their spokesman. They just have the solution that's identical to what came into my head when I saw your question.

Or maybe you could transition to a rectangular section of pipe:


Should be fine, with a decent wide chisel bit. I used my Bosch SDS drill to completely strip the pebble-dash off my old house.
At the end of the day, though, a lot will depend on what the adhesive is like, and how strong the tiles are (whether they shatter or come off in nice large pieces)


simple niche/nook shelf: boards resting on screws

I would use 3/16 Tapcon screws. (Use 5/32 masonry bit.) The Tapcon screws are thread hardened specifically for use in masonry materials. The hardened thread will hold up better than a wood or machine screw. A lighter (smaller diameter) screw will likely suffice, but in my experience sometimes heavier weights get placed on shelves.

To level the shelves, I would apply felt adhesive pads, like those used to prevent furniture from marring surfaces, on the bottom of your shelves. They are compliant, and faced with the head of the Tapcon screw, they will deform.  That will help keep the shelf from sliding, and moving.  If the shelf is not even on the screws, you can multilayer the pads to get things approximately right.

For drilling level, you can use a level, but a laser level, if you have one available, is an easy way to get a level line projected on to the wall.  You may also wish to apply painter's tape to the wall and premark your desired holes on the tape.  If you can, avoid putting the screws into grout, and stick to the brick area, as it is more rigid, and less likely to crumble over time.

If you mess up with the Tapcon, there are soft plastic inserts.  Either re-bore to a larger size, or put the inserts in, and use a smaller hardened screw like the Tapcon.

You are perceptive to know that masonry screws are not precisely located sometimes.  If you end up with a screw that is real high, you can use a spade bit or if you have them, a Forstener bit, both nearly flat bottomed, to lightly hog out shelf material to make a better fit for a level shelf.  Still use the felt pad(s) to have a compliant resting spot on the screw.

A hammer drill is much better than a regular drill.  Should you have a friend who offers you a rotary hammer drill, be nice to them and get the appropriate size bit from him.  The rotary hammer is the best tool for boring into these materials, and is not only faster, but will place far less wear and tear on the bit.


Should I use oil primer underneath oil paint?

The rule of thumb is you can use latex paints over oil primers and latex primers. Do not use oil based paints over any surface currently coated with a latex primer or paint.  The oil based paint or primer will usually lift the latex product and leave you with a wrinkled surface that looks like alligator skin.


Why do I have voltage on a plumbing ground strap, and is it dangerous?

You're lucky you haven't been hurt!

It sounds from your description like the ground wire came off the pipe clamp

If I was you I would definitely not touch that again.  Under normal circumstances that wire should not carry any current.  If you are seeing sparks, the ground wire is energized and carrying current.

If it does, it may indicate an extremely dangerous condition.  It can shock you (possibly seriously injuring or killing you), start a fire, and damage electrical devices in the house.  The shock hazard isn't just with the loose wire, it may be there with incidental contact with the pipes, sinks, etc. in the house.  It's not really safe to be in the house.

If it is what it sounds like to me, you pulled the ground wire loose from its lug on the ground clamp - it shouldn't come loose easily, so maybe the wire was damaged, or the screw was not tight.  In any case you didn't cause this problem by pulling that wire loose;  disconnecting that wire revealed the problem.

If you have problems on multiple circuits in your house, it's especially concerning, you may have a problem with your electrical service (lost neutral or other problem).  The problem may also involve your neighbors.

It's good that the main power is off, but that doesn't necessarily make everything safe in the house.  I'd call the electric company immediately and consider it an emergency.  Call an electrician too, as soon as possible.

edit:  The original poster followed up that an electrician came and fixed the issue.  With that resolved, incidental contact with the ground wire where it's exposed in the closet isn't dangerous.  Disconnecting the ground wire from the pipe shouldn't be dangerous, but it can't be assumed to be safe, because there may be an undiscovered issue waiting to bite you.


As mentioned by Ecnerwal removing the over flow cap is the easiest way to snake a tub. Most 1/4 inch auger drain snakes have a 25 foot cable. If just the tub is not draining and the sink in the same room is draining correctly that tells you the clog is not to far in the tub drain (since both drains connect to a main drain pipe).
Snaking to clear a blockage in a pipe takes acute sensory perception. Knowing if the snake stopped advancing because of a fitting or the clog is a skill.
Try the snake again through the over flow drain. Extend the cable the full length. When you meet resistance ream the snake back and forth several times. When you retract the cable note what (if anything) is stuck on the auger tip.
When executed properly there will be a noted increase in (or complete) draining. You may need to re-snake several times depending on the type of blockage. Once it is cleared run hot water for a few minutes to remove residual clog and caustic drain opener. You must be careful when working with water that has chemicals from a drain opener still dissolved in it. Don't let the snake splash any water on your skin or face.


Double-vanity sinks drain slowly -- venting problem?

Going from a single sink to a double should not cause any problems. With the vent being close less than 6' from the drain that should also be ok. When I plumb double sinks I only use 1 trap, you mentioned 2 traps so the sink that is further offset from the drain may not drain as well. I would reduce down to 1 trap just prior to the wall and see if this solves your problem.


Could space above a drop ceiling and below sound absorbing insulation increase echo in room?

The level of echo is based on the material of the suspended ceiling itself, not what's behind it. The sound insulation between the floor and ceiling will only reduce the sound travelling between the classroom and the level above. To cut down on the echo within the room, focus on sound absorbing material on the ceiling and walls of the classroom. Soft materials like fabric and carpet are best for this job.

Edit: To better answer your question, the only reason I can think of for laying the insulation is that you have no attachment points where the insulation would have less of an effect. Also, many builders put insulation between the joists, and the joists themselves transmit and possibly reflect some sound. But your concern about limiting access above the ceiling is valid. Also, many workers are unlikely to return the insulation to its proper location after moving it to do some work above the ceiling. Some light fixtures may generate excessive heat if insulation is laid directly on top. And finally, the added weight may not be good for the suspended ceiling, possibly causing the tiles to warp or other kinds of failure. For the ease of maintenance alone, I'd go for the insulation attached to the floor above.


Granite countertop installation on top of 4x4 outdoor

1). The answer is really time. Nothing lasts forever. The more activity it sees the shorter the lifespan will be. Obviously, supporting the edges would make it more robust.

Your design may last many years, but I would be tempted to use angle brackets or cross members on the ends to prevent wobble, or perhaps use four legs (one in each corner) but that may be a matter of function vs. style. Otherwise, there are a vast array of angle brackets which would be suitable for this. Some factors to consider are whether or not you want the brackets to be ornate or hidden; material considerations (wood, wrought iron or even cable possibly); and of course, budget.

2). There may be regulations (safety tests) for commercial chairs (depending on what the retailer wants)... or if you build this for someone else, as part of a contract, you might need to stipulate repairs and liability in the contract.

As for three-leg-placement options, I think that the golden ratio is generally good. As such, I would center the outer posts at 2.472 feet (approximately 2', 5-11/16") on either side of the center post. Of course other arrangements will also work.


Is this pipe in my basement floor intended for radon mitigation?

Yes, your area is known for radon and it It looks like pipe is the rough-in for a radon system.

When we install radon piping, we install a series of perforated pipes embedded into gravel in the crawl space or under a slab-on-grade floor. We also provide a series of pipes in the ground around the exterior of the building too.

Usually the two systems are not connected, but work in tandem. The exterior pipe and gravel provide an inlet for air, so the interior pipe and gravel can exhaust the air under the building. However, the exterior gravel needs to be "connected" to the interior gravel (gravel under the building,) so air can be drawn through the gravel under building to purge the area.

The reason the two pipes seem to be connected is that the two gravel systems are connected.

However, the interior solid pipe (not perforated) needs to be extended through the attic and connected to an exhaust fan. (Often the interior pipe is extended through the attic/roof without an exhaust fan. If tests show radon has decreased, then we never install the exhaust fan.)


Water heater tank - the upper of burner is rusty - will it leak soon?

Water Heaters that you can purchase today usually have a warranty from the manufacturer. I think the average warranty is about 6-8 years. You can find ones for 8-12 years, but you will pay much more.
You can estimate fairly accurately the life-span of a water heater by looking at the warranty. This is not always true, but it's a good way to get reasonable life-span.
I believe any water heater that makes it past the 10-12 year mark is close to replacement. There are the rare ones such as your's, that should be included in the Guinness Book of Records. And although you may get some more years of service out of it you would be wise to start considering a replacement.
Looking at your photo the rust means that water has already leaked on the bottom. There is also sign's of pitted metal which means the water has been there for awhile. If it's not leaking alot now than it will be in the near future.
Yes. It's time for a new water heater.


What tool do I need to remove this screw?

Just looks like a hex set screw. An appropriately sized hex key should work.


Why does this bench design call for bevels on legs?

The legs are beveled on the top and bottom so that they can lean inward a little bit. In other words, the distance between the tops of the legs is less than the distance between their bottoms. Because the bench top and feet are intended to be level, you cut a matching bevel on the top and bottom of each leg.

These inward-leaning legs work in combination with the "stretcher" (32" arched pieces) to make the bench stronger. The angle means the bottom of the legs will be pulled outward as weight is applied to the bench. However, the stretchers prevent the legs from spreading out. It's a similar structure to a sawhorse.


You may run the risk of nuisance trips on compressor start, I suspect, but yes, that is the minimum they call for.

If wire cost is your issue, #6 (or #8 THWN in conduit if your breakers have 75C terminals as mine do) aluminum would save money but allow for a 40A breaker.


Do NEC receptacle spacing rules apply to solid (half-wall) banisters

I would consider this a hallway and hallways less than 10' do not require an outlet NEC 210.52.H. This is not a room as defined by 210.52.A.

The commentary for 210.52.a.3 says:

  any wall space that is unbroken along the floor line by doors, fireplaces, archways and similar openings must be included in the measurement. Room dividers such as bar type counters and railings are required to be in the 6' measurement.

But this would be a hallway or landing. Local code may require an outlet at the landings but since it is not defined in NEC 210.52 there is no requirement for them in landings.


How are rivnuts measured and what eyebolt fits?

They are typically listed by the size of bolt that will fit in them.  For example. RN14 1/4"-20 steel rivet nuts, would accept a 1/4" bolt that has 20 threads per inch.

If you look at the details of the "rivnut" (either in the details provided on the website, or by looking them up through the manufacturer), you should be able to find some other useful dimensions.  "Hole Size" should be listed somewhere in the details, which is the size of the hole that has to be drilled for the rivnut to fit into.  You should also find "Grip Range", which is the range of material thicknesses that the rivnut can be used in. You should also find the "Head Diameter", and the "Length" of the rivnut.


My upstairs bathroom fans don't vent properly, how should I handle this?

Pull the cover: inspect the fan to see if it is full of lint or debris, you may simply need to clean it.

While you're there: Get the model number of the fan and verify that it has the correct CFM for the size bathroom it is installed in.

If it is under rated, consider replacing the fan with one that is more powerful; some decent fans start as low as 50$ but you also need to consider the noise level that these inexpensive high CFM fans produce.

Troubleshooting:

Pull the cover verify the fan is free of debris
turn on the fan
ensure that the fan can spin freely
turn the fan off - does it stop spinning immediately? (If yes replace the fan, No continue)
turn the fan back on
locate the exhaust vent outside and ensure the vent can open freely
ensure that there is no debris preventing the fan from exhausting the air from the bathroom.
do you feel any air flowing out from the exhaust? (If no, you may have a disconnect or blockage in the system, a snake camera can quickly confirm what is going on, if there is nothing blocking the vent, replace the fan)

FANS
If you have 2 fans in the same room, it would be good to verify if they are sharing the exhaust vent; if this is the case, it may be part of the problem as they both could be fighting for ventilation making them less effective.


Our makes a weird noise when we have too much food in the freezer and it cannot circulate the air, causing the fan to run harder than normal.

It also could be that the noise is a fan that needs to be cleaned out.  There may be dust in it that has built up over the years.  Pulling the fridge out and inspecting it would be the first thing to do.


Electrical outlet installed by previous owner had Black and Green wires wired together

I ended up putting it back the way it was wired when I opened it all up, just with new outlets. I think I'm supposed to put this info in a comment, but I can't see an easy way to add the requested images to comments.

This is the first socket I opened. In this pic I have it wired to the new outlet. My wife tells me that the wire I assumed was green is actually dark gray. (I'm mildly color blind.) When wired like this, the outlet works, but the second outlet does not.

Here is the second outlet (original) pulled out.

Inside the second box there's a black and red wire twisted together. I'm not sure where the red goes. There is an outlet above the stove that the range hood is plugged into. And another outlet for the gas stove. Neither of these two outlets were affected during this. They are not on the same circuit breaker.
At some point in the house's history the stove was switched from electric to gas. So I'm not sure if the outlet for the stove was added then or what.

In the end, I went with the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach.


Ontario kitchen reno: does a gas range require a 240V 50A receptacle?

UPDATE: @doozit commented below that this document was just a proposal, which wasn't accepted. (It isn't described as such on the ESA webpage)

A quick google search found what looks like the answer in the Ontario amendments to the Canadian electrical code on the Electrical Safety Authority's page

This reference might be enough for you and your electricians to break the tie:

  31.Delete CE Code Rule 26-744(4) and replace with the following:

  (4) A receptacle of CSA Configuration 14-50R, as shown in Diagram 1, shall be
  installed at a suitable location in every single dwelling and in every dwelling unit of an apartment or similar multi-dwelling building for supplying electric energy to an electric range.

  32.Add Rules 26-744(10), (11), (12) and (13) as follows:

  ...

  (13) Notwithstanding Subrule (4), the range receptacle need not be installed in

  (a) dwelling units where a built-in gas-fired or electric cook top or a built-in gas-fired or electric oven is installed;

  (b) other than single dwellings where provision has been made for a gas range; or

  (c) dwelling units where power from a supply authority is not available and the capacity of local generation is less than 6 kW.

So it looks like you don't need the receptacle as long as a cooktop or oven is installed.


Check if propane gas tank is almost empty?

Yes there is, but it's not added to the feed line. It's an astonishingly simple device. It's a liquid crystal thermometer mounted on a magnetic strip. You apply the strip (after it's been flattened out from the packaging) to the tank in a vertical orientation.

Pour boiling hot water (is that redundant?) over the tank area around the strip. This causes the propane in the tank to vaporize in that area, cooling the liquid down and warming the gas. The thermal capacities of the strip change color and the line between the two colors shows the level.

I've used it a few times, although my color-blindness required another set of eyes to determine the correct level.

Since then, I've purchased a Flir-One which also presents temperature differences by color change. No need for the strip, just the hot water on the tank and the level is clearly indicated on the screen.

The magnetic strip is orders of magnitude less expensive than a Flir-One, but far less entertaining.

The image above shows my tanks. The left one having been doused with hot water, the right one in progress.


How can I detect the total ground fault leakage current in my home?

What about one big CT around all three service conductors?  (and NOT around the grounding wire) They SHOULD all cancel each other out in the absence of leakage, and the CT / Amp clamp would measure only the leakage.  Did I just solve this?


Is it safe/allowed to adapt a shaver socket (BS4573) to a standard BS1363 plug (UK)?

No, providing an adapter to allow a standard 3-pin plug to be used on a shaver socket means that someone else may decide to plug in an iron or hair dryer or hair curlers which it is not rated for.

The shaver socket in the UK may be protected by a ELCB (earth leakage circuit breaker) which will also limit the permitted load. But in other countries that may be different, in some countries that shaver socket is just a normal outlet protected at the supply end.


How to connect to black underground sprinker pipe

The black sprinkler pipe is probably HDPE and not PVC so you need a different connection method than with PVC.

Your best bet is to check with a local sprinkler supply company that can give you the right option for local requirements.  Around here they use hose barbs and hose clamps but other places may require different connectors when transitioning from HDPE to PVC.


Why does my light box have 2 cables for this one switch?

I see that this is a 2-gang switch box, but the picture doesn't include detail of the other switch.  It looks like there was once a ceiling fan hung here and the extra wire would be for the fan, controlled by the second switch in the box.


Capped off outlets and light switch wiring, now no power to half the house

I would feel somewhat more comfortable if you had found three hot cables, and each cablewas turned off by a different breaker.  As things are now, you have not, and you must be careful that you do not accidentally connect two breakers nose to nose, feeding power in one breaker and out another.  That will either create a loud flash-bang, or seem to work but then create a lurking safety hazard that can start a fire.

I would expect that one of your four "dead" ones is in fact live, and something has gone wrong with your testing method.

I am fond of dollar store nightlights and cheapie extension cords.  I cut off the plug (part with the blades) and throw it in the trash.   Then, I take the rest of the cord and split the wires and strip each wire 3/4".   Then I wire-nut it onto a hot and neutral I aim to test, and plug in a nightlight or a radio, then see if I can energize the circuit.

Anyway, 3 breakers, 6 cables, makes sense.  3 of them would be supply side from the breaker (possibly stopping at intermediate points first) and 3 would be onward power from each of those circuits.   I would identify every one of your 3 supply lines, as best you can, using the extension cord trick rather than a non-contact tester.

Also for each of the 3 circuits, figure out what sockets or fixed loads each bris powering now.  The ultimate goal is to identify all  the loads connected to each of the six sections of cable.

Now, turn off all of the three breakers but one. Run a cable from the hot wire over to one of the 3?4? mystery sub-circuits.  Then search the house and find out which sockets or loads that circuit powers up.  Mark accordingly.

Once you have mapped them, there will probably be some logic to how they are wired and how to match them up.


Can I run an antenna ground conductor along the dirt?

Grounding conductors smaller than #6 require protection NEC250.120.C but yes it could be run along the wall at ground level.


Can one pane of a double pane window be safely removed?

I have successfully and very gingerly broken the interior side of a double pane window and removed the shards and chips with pliers and fingers--again, gingerly.  The stain/fog inside had made them look unattractive and blurred the view. I hit carefully with a hammer in a lower corner, and started pulling from there.  However, the inside of the outer pane--which remained--had lots of stain on it.  It took a while, but with lots of rubbing, even with SOS pad plus vinegar plus kitchen soap, most came off.  I had to remove the wood trim to get to it, but the frame from the window remained.  I put the wood trim back, did a little careful wood dough filler, and it looks as good as new (if you don't look too closely).  Cost:  0


Are the bulbs you got made for dimmable applications? Unless the LED explicitly says that it is dimmer compatible, it may not always work at different voltages. The characteristics of each make and model of LED are different, so it's a bit of a crap shoot as to whether they'll work at each voltage put out by the dimmer.


What do I need to do to add stools to my vinyl windows?

Removing the sheetrock will lower the finished stool height a bit which will help maintain a more even reveal on the window, and  make it look less like the stool was added on.  Cut around the edges first with a utility knife to minimize damage to the surrounding jambs & wall below and then just pry it up.

If you really want to keep the same reveal as the old sheetrock, you could build up your new stool out of 1/2" thick stock (assuming the sheetrock was 1/2").  Make one piece that is the size and shape of the entire stool, then thicken it where it projects out from the wall by laminating another 1/2" thick piece underneath.


I have one outlet that gets power, but does not work

There are several reasons you can read a voltage and have an outlet not work. The most common is failed backstabs in the outlet that is dead or the one prior to it.  It could be a problem with the hot or the neutral causing the outlet not to power something that draws even a small amount of current but a high impedance meter draws almost no current and a slight carbon path or capacitive coupling can provide enough potential to register the voltage.

The second can be the same kind of failure where the wire has no connection of any kind or a tripped circuit breaker, but is running parallel to and many times in contact with a live circuit. The live cable induces a voltage on the dead one because there is no load your meter can measure the voltage, add a light or power supply it won't work and any voltage reading taken before is almost gone this is where the term phantom voltage comes from. Transformers use the same thing to do there job but there are hundreds of wraps of insulated wire in close proximity.

Now to fix the problem. Most of the time I have found the wires pushed into the back of the outlets to be loose if not the outlet go to the first working outlet and check the wires on that one the feed to the next outlet has failed. It is possible that one of the wires have broken or come out of a wirenut but backstabs are the cause for 98% of these failures in my experience. Make sure to turn the breaker off when pulling the devices and good luck.


What is the best way to repair and prevent cracking grout in a shower stall?

This is combined problem. Firstly, your grouting material might not be suitable, but what is even bigger problem person who did ceramic tiles work did a poor job; distance between tiles is very, VERY big, and this is the reason why grouting has cracked. You should remove all of the old grouting with some appropriate tool; beware not to damage waterproofing layer because that would be the worst thing in the world. After removing grout clean thoroughly all the dents between tiles and then apply new grout. It wouldn't make sense for me to recommend you some specific grout because it varies from country to country (and continent to continent) but explain sails man or contractor your situation and ask for recommendation. So, what you would be telling them is that you need a grouting for bathroom floor; bathtub and that distance between tiles is bigger than it should be (measure the average) so you need grouting that will not crack.


regarding concrete basement floor and adding wall/supports to reduce sag

I would add a steel plate to the top of the column to spread the load on the 2 X 10 s.  Plate about 1/4 " thick or more , This will also compensate for the crush that has already happened. I have been able to find miscellaneous pieces of steel at a local weld shop at reasonable price. There should be some foundation under the concrete floor to support the steel column ; The floor itself can be very thin, I once found a 1 / 4 " thick spot in a basement floor concrete.  So you can't just put a new column anywhere.


How many recessed lights should I install in my living room?

The questions you are asking are two fold.

1: How much light do I need to provide good visibility in this room - Lumens / Coverage.

2: Aesthetically what will this look like - good or awful ? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

What is the layout of the six lights ? You did not mention - 3 and 3  along the long length or otherwise.

See the example below I think it will help you to decide. get a lamp of at least 800 lumens - you can get 75 watt equivalent for your recess assemblies which would be about 1000 lumens and that would make the area really bright. LEDs are pretty cheap and I would suggest you use them as well.


Help reinstalling an external door threshold

If I'm understanding #1 correctly, you have the business end of nails sticking out of your door frame right now, and you can't get to the heads? You could use a cut-off wheel with a dremel to take care of that.


Running out of soft water and confused by softener settings

As suggested by Mattman944's comment, you may have a salt bridge. That's where the salt sticks together to form a crust near the top of the tank, but it's actually empty at the bottom, and therefore isn't creating the brine necessary to clean the resin tank. Poking at the top of the salt (be careful, you don't want to jab through the plastic of the tank and cause a crack and a leak) should break any salt bridges and allow you to properly fill the salt basin.

More importantly, how often is your softener set to cycle? If you have a manually set cycle, you may need to increase the frequency/reduce the days between cycles. If it's set to run every 5 days, reduce it to every 4 days to see if that fixes the problem. If you're still running out of soft water, reduce it to every 3 days. Lather, rinse, repeat until you're happy with your soft water supply.

If it cycles automatically when the water gets hard (ours does that - a lovely feature), it may be that the sensor mechanism is malfunctioning. Check your manual for troubleshooting tips and/or contact the manufacturer. If there is a failure, it may still be under warranty.


Most bang for buck approach to insulating home

I am from the Midwest and my crew and I have done green work in a number of historical home in the area.  Some of my thoughts on your situation:

Don't ever put stuff in your walls through holes.  I don't care what kind of sales pitch you are given, don't.  My standard reaction would be, "How do you prove your installation, what r-value are you giving me, I will pay you in full once I hirer an independent auditor and they OK your job".  You will never hear from that company again.  There are too many issues for me to discuss but basically you could be putting something dangerous in your home, the chances of them filling the entire cavities are none, and whatever they use will surely get in the way if you ever remodel anything else.
If you have a basement you need to stop airflow coming into it.  Caulk any gaps that are above ground.  Rock wool all of the exterior joist cavities.  Foam board is an option but this isn't generally high reward (you will lose cooling in summer and not much cold is let in below grade).
You have basically two options for your walls.  #1 You remove siding and you just have some housewrap... So you are adding traditional insulation from the outside, rewrap, reside.  Very low materials cost - would be a 2-3 day job for a crew.  #2 You have a little extra under your siding, so getting in is harder.  3-4" XPS, tape, furring strips, reside.  I have insulated the exterior of 5 homes so far.  We stucco'ed after but you could put traditional siding on too.  This is like putting a blanket on your home and is dramatic.  To go with that - future buyers of your home will pay a premium vs. treating drilled insulation as nothing (or a problem).
New windows.  These would be installed before exterior work if doing this in chronological order.  Given that during window install that you take care of any air leaks by the windows.
Make sure there aren't major drafts in attic.  Then you need to bury your attic in blown in cellulose at 2-3 feet deep.

I would start in your basement.  From there it comes down to - how bad is this problem?  If the cold is as noticeable as you say then you really need to get the walls insulated.  I gave you two options that work.  The first is much cheaper but not as effective (and maybe not doable on all houses).  2 & 5 can be done by you for $600-800.  3 is somewhere between 3-20K but is a complete game changer for your home (plus new look).  4 depends on how many windows but you can put decent windows in most homes for 3-4k.


You may be able to have a paint store match if you bring them a chip of the existing color. I think it may need to be at least the the size of a quarter. I recommend calling first to verify.


Replace 3-way toggle with Lutron Caseta Smart Toggle

Update - What is going on?

To quote Harper: "The problem is, your wiring makes no sense."

My explanation below is based on a few key items:

Red and White pass through the box together.
White is normally neutral.
Travelers (for a 3-way configuration) do not normally pass through the box - they start at one switch and end at the other.
The travelers must be Yellow and/or Blue and/or Red because those are the colors present in both boxes.
The travelers should be a pair - so that means Yellow/Blue or Red/White, since Red/White are clearly a pair. So that means Yellow/Blue because White isn't connected to the 2nd switch.

However:

Things aren't working as expected.
It is not clear which wires are/were on which connectors (common vs. travelers) on the 2 switches.

So now we get to what should have been at the beginning - "figure out the old wiring scheme" and "double-check my hunch...check for hot wires"

At this point, I am dubious that the original configuration was properly installed. It may have been working as expected but things strange behind the scenes. Or it may have been working a little "funny".

Here is what I would do next: (Actually, I would have done this much earlier, but I have tools to do so and you may need to go get some tools to continue.)

Determine what existing wire(s) is hot. My guess has been red in the 1st box. But it could be something else.
Determine which wires are the travelers.
Make sure there are no other boxes involved (e.g., 4-way instead of 3-way).
Determine what wire(s) go to the light fixture.

There are a number of ways to do these things. At this point, more information is needed because the obvious and/or logical things haven't worked.

Old Switches/Wires

The first task is to figure out the old wiring scheme. What it appears to be is:

White - Neutral. Not used with an ordinary switch but, fortunately, passing through the box.
Red - Hot. Passing through to another location. One way to tell is to turn off the breaker, cut the red wire at the stripped location (if all works, you will need to do this anyway) and see what else in the house doesn't work. You will likely find one or more lights or receptacles (besides the light you are trying to rewire) that are not working. Then use a wire nut to connect those two red wires and short piece of red wire. If you don't have red wire handy, use some black wire and mark it with red tape. There is nothing magic about "red" but it will help keep things consistent.
Yellow and Blue - Travelers. Or at least, let's hope they are travelers, because otherwise I have no idea what is going on. Open up the other 3-way switch. (already done, so updating with actual colors) You have yellow, blue & red. Yellow & blue are travelers. Red is your switched hot, which should be going to the light fixture.

One more thing you can do to double-check my hunch is to check for hot wires with a non-contact tester. If I am correct, both sides of the red wire should be always hot, either yellow or blue should be hot (depending on the position of the first switch) and the red wire coming out of the 2nd switch should only be hot when the two switches are "aligned" (i.e., light turns on).

If my hunch is correct, there is, unfortunately, one more big problem.

New Switches/Wires

The key is in the Advanced Caseta Installation Manual. See pages 28 - 30.

Unfortunately, the directions are based primarily on the Caseta being the 2nd switch - i.e., connected to the light fixture - or "load" rather than "line" side of the circuit. In your case, the Caseta is replacing the 1st switch - i.e., connected to the always hot. The instructions say "switch may be installed in either location" but they also say "red to load, black to hot". It seems that "switch may be installed in either location" is either "an exercise for the reader" or, unfortunately, may simply be wrong.

What I believe is really happening is, essentially:

Black = hot.
Blue = traveler as "toggle sensor" - i.e., it will appear to work as it used to, but actually one traveler will always be hot and the other (which must be connected to Caseta blue) will vary depending on the state of the 2nd switch. That's what the whole complicated tag, note, jumper, etc. (steps 12a/12b) process is doing.
Red = switched hot.

So the question is: How do we make this work with the Caseta as the first switch?

Black = hot - easy.
Red = switched hot - this would need to use one of the travelers to get to the other side.
Blue = traveler as "toggle sensor". I am not sure how to make this work. If you use the remaining traveler to the 2nd switch, there is no "always hot" available at the switch to toggle power on/off the traveler/blue. If you pigtail "hot" (Caseta black/red from the existing box) to one of the travelers and use the other traveler for Caseta blue (like the diagram shows for Caseta as 2nd switch), then you don't have any way to transmit Caseta red/switched hot. If you use Caseta red for the other traveler than I don't see how Caseta blue would work (unless they do some sneaky millisecond level pulses through the red - which is actually possible).

So I was going to end off with a detailed description of what to do next. But I think at this point you need to do one of the following:

Contact Lutron about how to install the Caseta as the first switch.
Give up on the Caseta and try a different brand (with a little research first)
Use the Caseta as the 2nd switch and a regular switch (rewired per steps 12a/12b) as the 1st switch.
Try using the Caseta as the first switch going with:

Green = Ground. This actually is a slight complication here as you don't appear to have an existing ground wire, which is quite common with older (and simpler) switches. Your old switch has a green ground screw, but you did not note a wire attached to it. You should be able to use a short piece of bare or green wire as a ground in the box and attach it with an appropriate screw to the metal box and then wire nut it to the green wire from the switch. See Grounded light switch box with no ground screw/wire for more details.
Black = Hot. Split the box red wire, wire nut the two sections together with the Caseta black wire.
White = Neutral. Split the box white wire, wire nut the two sections together with the Caseta white wire.
Red = Switched hot. Connect this to the box yellow wire with a wire nut.
Blue = Traveler/sensor. Connect this to the box blue wire with a wire nut.
In the 2nd switch:
Blue - stays on the switch as is
Yellow - remove from switch
Red (= existing switched hot) - remove from switch
Add a pigtail (according to the advanced instructions, there should be a jumper wire for this purpose with the Caseta) and wire nut to Yellow & Red wires and connect it to the screw on the switch which previously had the red wire ("common" screw).


using hardie backer as a temporary floor?

You can walk on HB as long as you like.  If it is of the 1/2" variety I seriously doubt you could damage it.  However it does emit silica dust.  If you walked on it vigorously you could kick some up and it is really not a good thing to breathe or be near food.  You can certainly paint it.  There are waterproofing paints used for backer boards like redgard... However these will generally smell like puke for a week or two and given it's in your kitchen maybe not a good idea.  I would then go with a primer coat - which might need to be scuffed up a bit with a brush before thinset/tile.


Laminate flooring direction in large room

You might want to consider a different laminate or switch to engineered wood.  Found this install instruction for laminate and it does mention adding an expansion joint for larger rooms.  Max room size before expansion is 33' for the panel length and 26' for the panel width.  Switching the panels to run on the short side of the room is not going to help since it will still require an expansion gap in the middle.


I think it's a little premature to try and diagnose a problem that at the time doesn't exist. There are a few micro switches, like the one in the washer door, that if not completely closed can stop the machine. Maybe a problem with the gear cam that will stop the machine at the same place each time. Is the Reset button a system reset or a load size reset? If a system reset, you might have corrected the problem like a reboot on a computer...
Monitor the operation of the machine and try to get some more information. Good luck.


How to clear pool filter pressure gauge that is stuck?

My experience with pressure gauges is that yours is broken and unrepairable. The odds of an obstruction causing your issue is a long shot at best. You may be able to replace it with off the shelf parts. If you can connect a "T" fitting to the mounting hole install a gauge on one side and maybe an automotive radiator petcock to the other side. This will give a pressure reading and a air bleed port.


Always pause in your installation after you have fitted the LINE wires, but before you have fitted any LOAD wires. Power up and run the GFCI through its paces.

This clears a number of problems, including

getting supply and downline wires confused
accidentally attaching to the LOAD terminals
shorts and other problems with the downline wiring
having an actual ground fault somewhere downline

If the GFCI works without anything on the LOAD line, then you know that if problems emerge after adding a set of wires to LOAD, this is a problem there, and can troubleshoot accordingly.

Another GFCI device on a different circuit cannot cause this.  Another GFCI upstream on this circuit would cause this GFCI to go dark entirely.


What is this piece inside the spigot supply hole, and what is it used for?

It is indeed the spray hose diverter. I would not remove it, even if you don't normally use the spray hose. If for no other reason, you'll never be able to use the hose again.

I am unsure if removing it would cause issue. I'm not brave enough to try.

I have replaced the fittings two of my Delta faucets. One with a diverter. The gaskets were always my issue. You can buy a kit at big box stores that have a complete gasket set to replace them all.


As suspected by Ecnerwal and JACK, pulling down with moderate force eventually released the whole fitting, which was being held in place with sprung fins. It did result in a bit of the ceiling plaster coming down as dust in the process, but it seems to be the way it is expected to work. Pushing back up caused it to latch back in place.


Can you tell from this frame if it is a nonbearing wall?

Given the direction of the joists in the basement, the location of the wall in the floor plan, the offset of the wall below, and the gap between the adjacent wall in some of your photos, it's likely that this wall is not load bearing. To be certain, I'd look at the the floor/attic above to see if there are joists resting on top of this wall.

Some of the reasons you can't use to know the wall isn't load bearing include:

Fully dimensional lumber (2" instead of 1.5"). This means the wall is likely original to the home, and not a renovation after all the load bearing structure was already in place. Of course there are non-load bearing walls in the original construction.
Double top plate. This is a good building practice and required with load bearing walls. But it's possible that the builder did a second top plate throughout the home to make measurements for studs easier, and a better build quality.

When removing the wall, I'd use a sawzall to cut the studs in half. If the sawzall blade starts to bind from the wood compressing on both sides, there's a load on this wall, and you'll need to take additional precautions. And if it doesn't bind, then you know there isn't any load and should be safe to remove the wall.

Note, this is just the advice of a random person on the internet that's only seen a few photos. If you're not sure, it doesn't hurt to call in a professional to give you a better assessment. This is one of those cases where being wrong can be very expensive and dangerous.