What should I do about a bad drywall job on the ceiling?

The usual approach is indeed to scrape to a sensible point and respray. If you're going with acoustical texture again you don't have to skim first if it comes off fairly cleanly.

You can rent a texture sprayer and do it yourself. Practice first to be sure you have a suitable mix and an understanding of how distance and pattern will affect the outcome.

Above all, start thin and build up. More texture is not necessarily better texture, and you can't take it back once it's on there. :)


How can I ground old 2-prong receptacles?  (120V)

The correct answer is that you cannot install a 3 prong grounded outlet without using a 2 conductor with a separate ground conductor, that's three conductors.  I know people cheat and put a wire from the ground screw of the outlet to the metal box and hope that the armor case is firmly connected to the box and grounded at the panel. This is not a good alternative to 14 or 12/2WG and can be potentially very dangerous. Example, if you were to have an open neutral, the ground can potentially take over, now you have current on the armor shield, not good.  Btw, there is no good way to remove paint from an outlet.  Just replace it. In your case, you should be looking at some new wiring.


Use 220v appliances on Japan 200v: how to connect

Japan 200V is analogous to United States 240V.  It is not similar to European 230V in that in the US/JP arrangement, neither wire is neutral, and ground is in the center.

That means, if your Euro appliance is polarized to make contact with neutral less dangerous, surprise! Neutral is now dangerous!

Also, in the USA-style system, they don't use whole-house RCD, they use RCDs per individual branch circuit. Typically, RCDs are omitted on 240V circuits, since they are only used on large appliances with good grounding, like dryers or table saws. This is a recipe for disaster if you're using ungrounded 240V small appliances in a kitchen or bathroom! Make sure your 240V small appliance circuits are placed on RCD (called GFCI), and 240V GFCIs are expensive beasts.

Also in parts of Japan you have 60Hz power not 50Hz.

We can't give generic appliance advice.  You need to consult the labeling and instructions of each appliance to see whether the manufacturer has certified it for use on the different power frequency (heaters fine; motors not so much) and somewhat lower voltage.  Some appliances will be multi-voltage and will cheerfully take anything from 100V (JP) to 240V (UK).

If it's not certified, that's probably for a reason - they wouldn't count themselves out of the Japanese market unless they had to. Check with the local Japanese authorities as to the legality of using the appliance.  I would be reluctant to use such an appliance.


You need a heavy duty construction adhesive.  PL, Loctite Power Grab, Liquid Nails, etc.

PL makes a trim adhesive that should work well on that brick - it sets up kind of slow but once it gets set up it will stick that trim to brick just fine.


Can I clean my under-the-floor dryer vent?

They make Dryer Vent Cleaning Kits for this very purpose:

As to why there is water in there - hopefully it's just condensation.


How to choose a weekend warrior's finishing nail gun?

I don't know Brad
There are no "brad nailers" in my lexicon as a former pro and perpetual home improver*. There are only finish/trim nailers that accept either 18ga. or 16ga. nails. Which you need depends on the job.

Most 18ga. guns only shoot up to 2" nails. Some only do 1-1/2". That's inadequate for things like heavy base trim and door jambs, let alone almost anything outdoors.
16 ga. guns are larger and heavier and leave a larger hole. They can also split delicate moldings more easily. They're more versatile, though, since they offer more holding power. Keep in mind that the surface area of a 16ga. nail is dramatically greater than that of an 18ga. nail. That means a lot more grab. It's not just about length.

To Hose or Not To Hose
The benefits of pneumatic air nailers:

Relatively inexpensive to purchase and operate (assuming you already own a compressor)
Endless fuel supply
Dependable power
Speed (compared to gas-powered nailers--I've never used electrics)
Lighter weight for easier operation and less fatigue

The benefits of cordless (gas or electric) nailers:

More portable
Quicker jobsite setup

Features? We don't need no stinking features.
In air nailers I look for ease of use and longevity. Simpler is better, as they tend to get banged around and weight is a concern. Good ergonomics are also important. There are many types of safety triggers, so find one you can live with. A well-designed nose is also helpful in positioning shots precisely. A big looped wire plunger can make that challenging. A poorly-designed nose can scar your woodwork.
OK, I guess those are features.

Light weight
Good ergonomics
A precise nose with a soft plunger
Simple design

Getting there from here
I might ask myself these questions when shopping:

What jobs will I be required to complete on a regular basis with my nailer?
What jobs would be nice to do with my nailer?
What are my portability and ergonomic requirements or preferences?
What's my budget?

It's a fairly subjective thing. There's no one recipe for success. Buy or rent, try, trade if necessary. Good luck.
* The term is just too nebulous to be useful for describing pneumatic nails. In fact, I think of brads as short, fat nails for making shoes and other olde fashioned crafts, closer to the diameter of a 16ga. nail. The term is centuries old and has been casually and inconsistently applied to modern nails.


HVAC compressor turns on when calling for fan only

You're going to have to go look in the air handler, to determine how the control wiring is connected.  The thermostat is nothing but a fancy switch, so it doesn't tell you much about how the system is wired.


It appears like you wired your neutral wire on the leviton switch to your hot or load wire in the box. The white wire on the leviton switch is a neutral.

Smart light switches like leviton switches require a neutral wire to operate to provide power to the timer chip constantly. The white wire on the switch should be wired to the white neutral wire in the box. Non smart light switches didn't require a neutral that's why they are just tied together in the back of the box.

Connecting the hot or load wire to the neutral wire as you have done with light switch on the right can be dangerous as that is not how the switch is designed to operate. If you're uncertain of the wiring it's probably not a bad idea to get an electrician or a friend that's familiar with electrical to help you out. That being said you can fix the issue.

I would recommend replacing both of your switches with Lutron Caseta switches which would allow you dimming control, allow you to remotely set a schedule or timer from your phone and would be less confusing to install.

Without an existing picture of how the orginal light switches were wired it's hard to diagnose which wire is the hot and which one is your load wire (the one that goes to the light fixture)

The advantage of the lutron caseta light switches is that they don't require a neutral wire and they wire up just like your old switches and if you wire the hot and load wire backwards it won't matter. Which makes them easier to install.

So on the left you would wire the new lutron switch with the red wire and black wire. On the right you would wire the two black wires to the new switch. And both new light switches should have their grounds properly terminated which it looks like you have done in the original installation.

I found this smart light switch installation guide: helpful with videos that show you how to install the lutron caseta style light switches with no neutral.

Disclaimer: I don't work for lutron but in this situation I think it's good solution for a DIY fix to the current wiring situation with the information provided. See comments below for more details.


How do you connect a long string of LED strips to power at both ends when including a controller?

Don't bother with the 120V system.  It's less safe and more expensive.  Learn to wield low voltage at long distances.  Feeder is the key.

This is a 5050 system, which means it is very power-hungry.

Because you're at 24V, you won't need to connect power to both ends of each 16.4' (5m) strip.  However, you will need to connect power to one end of each strip.  That means you will need to carry your 10AWG "feeder wire" along with the strips most or all of its way.

10 AWG wire sounds right, however it would need to be 10/3, assuming  your local Codes allow you to use the ground wire for DC return (a bold assumption). Remember you must use outdoor-rated cable, so UF for instance, never NM.

If you want to control the two sections independently, then that is fine.   However, if your reason is because you are hitting current limits for 1 controller, couple things on that.

The right way to handle that is actually 1 controller and amplifiers.  The controller's output is used either as power to some LEDs, or signal input to the amplifiers, or both at once is also fine.
Amplifiers also let you use a different power supply for each amplifier.
It is virtually impossible to keep 2 controllers in sync.  You must use the 1 controller+amplifier(s) method if you want them to match.
Don't run this Cheese junk anywhere near its rating - it will fail if you do.

That goes double for the power supply, by the way.  Don't run it at spec limits unless it says General Electric or Siemens.  I wouldn't even push a Meanwell near limits. For a cheap random Chinese thing with no UL listing, I'd derate it by about 66%.

Mind you, all that "Sold by blah-blah and Fulfilled by Amazon" stuff evades all our product-safety laws, and has never seen the inside of a NRTL testing lab.  Since it's direct-ship (or drop-ship via Amazon), you're the importer for purpose of product-safety laws.  I don't particularly care about low-voltage stuff, but anything that touches mains electric ought to be UL-listed.


I would expect this to be a wiring problem, but there is a 99% chance the problem is at one of the ends of wires, i.e. Where they connect to a device like an outlet, switch or splice.

Code requires that all junction points be accessible in junction boxes.  Almost all junction boxes are behind switches, outlets, lamps, or other points of use.

So I would shut off the breaker and note what things have lost power.  It is likely a wire connection problem at one of them.

It almost has to be at the last one which is working or the first one that failed, but that depends on the idea of them being in a "string" one to the next to the next, and it is often difficult to guess where those are.

The #1 type of wire connection problem is called a "backstab".  We have a lot of Q&A about those.


How to protect my home from high voltage?

Circuit breakers don't provide protection against over-voltage.  They might in extreme circumstances where over-voltage causes an over-current situation, but that protection occurs too late, after the electrical appliance is smoking.

What you really need is a power conditioner, also known as a voltage conditioner.  They are expensive even for small loads.  A whole-house conditioner might run $15,000.  But to target just a few appliances, there are some around $1,700.  See this and this.

If this is not a temporary power situation, you might consider a whole house standby generator.  The deluxe units switch to generator power not only when the voltage goes low, but also when it goes too high.


How can I fix a clothes washer faucet that is leaking?

The stem should be able to be removed after unscrewing the part of the faucet as pointed to here:

Remove the red tap handle first. Then use a pair of wrenches, one on the indicated part and the other on the faucet body to loosen and remove the threaded part. The usage of two wrenches is very important because you do not want to stress the soldered pipe the goes off into the wall.

I have found the following type of groove lock pliers to be one of the most effective tools for this type of job. The fine range of adjustability and the jaw shape make the grip to the faucet parts easy. Do note that these tools can cause marks to appear on the faucet parts, especially of soft brass or bronze materials or if the threaded part is really tight.


How can I get windshield wiper fluid stains out of my garage floor?

I know this post is super old but my boyfriend and I had this issue recently. We used a little laundry detergent and comet at first. That helped a little but what really worked was kaboom, the one that's for the rest rooms. This really penetrated the concrete. We let it sit about 15 minutes and pressure washed it. We did that about 3 times and it did the trick.


How should I secure stops against clear acrylic sheet in a half wall?

You would be better off anchoring each piece of trim to the wall or sill. The plexiglass will then be sandwiched between two rigid surfaces. Putting a bolt through the plexiglass won't provide any benefit over what the trim pieces already give.


It is likely the switch needs replacing - probably the switch contacts have welded together due to arcing.

If you can easily and safely remove the lightbulb, that will stop current flowing through the switch. As I'm sure you know, bulbs - especially the older incandescent tungsten-filament type - can get hot enough to burn you.

If you cannot access the light bulb, so long as the switch is not buzzing, smoking or emitting a burnt smell, it is probably not in any immediate danger of catching fire.

If you have easy access to the circuit breakers in the consumer-unit (fuse-box or main-panel), you might be able to turn off the breaker that controls the circuit for that switch and light. For peace of mind I would do this before going to sleep. In a Welsh house there is probably one circuit-breaker for all the lights on the ground floor. Your upstairs lights will still work normally. I would take a torch with me and check the torch works before switching any circuit-breakers off.

If you are really worried, you may be able to get assistance from your local fire-department on a non-emergency basis.


Remove CO detector From wired alarm system

I solved this by re-inspecting the detector that was making the noise. I discover that the original wiring had reversed white and black power connections.
Perhaps the older alarms were not polarized.
I have no confirmed idea why the external CO detector impacted this system, my theory is it helped balance the load to offset the crossed wires.
After fixing the wiring, I was able to remove the external CO detector without any further issue.


Type of screws for 2x4 shelves and benches

Do not use drywall screws. They are thin bodied and brittle. They hold because there is virtually no dynamic load and the load is spread over many screws on many studs.

I would favor construction screws, although deck screws would be fine. You can find both types with drill point tips that make predrilling unnecessary except in harder materials (such as hardwood or mdf).

Most carpenters have moved to star (Torx is a brand) over phillips, although some modified phillips (such as Pozidriv or Supadriv) have advocates, but they need special bits and screwdrivers to work at their best.

Length of screws should be determined by the thickness of the wood you are attaching. It is bad form (and dangerous) to leave tips protruding because of overlong screws. If you need to go through one 2x in places and two 2x in others, use different length screws. Usually if there is a pair of studs that are already attached, any OSB panels would likely only need to go through the stud it is facing, not the sister stud. Screws can probably be the thickness of the OSB + 1 to 1 1/4 inches. The screws to sister 2 2x studs should be 2 1/2 inches (2 3/4 would be fine, but an uncommon size)


How can I relocate this drain to accommodate the new shower pan

I know you are trying to do this your self so i will throw some spaghetti at the wall and see if it sticks.

  LEGAL DISCLAIMER: YOU PROBABLY NEED A REAL PLUMBER.

Duct Tape a piece of cardboard over the hole in the floor ( larger than the opening ) and then place a template ( or the pan for that mater ) on top of that then mark the hole location with a sharpie on lower paper and then cut that hole out of the cardboard. Remove the template/pan, you now have the piece of cardboard over the hole with a hole in it that is were the drain should be. Leave one side of the  cardboard taped so you can hinge it in and out of place.

You may be able to use a short turn 90 degree elbow coming of the shower drain bell to a short peace of pipe and the either a street 90 or short 90/pipe into the P trap. The Template will help with lining it all up if you know the height or the shower pan drain bell. Get a bunch of fittings and pipe to cut into short pieces and play around with it. Its going to take a lot of thinking and trial and error. Maybe it is something compleatly different like 45 degree fittings and ???

NOW  having said all that , you will not be able to make any connections ( I.E. glue any fittings ) after the pan in place and that means you need exact precision and placement of the fittings so that when the pan is put down into place the bell lines up and the plumbing is at the correct height. That means dry fitting EVERYTHING and putting the pan in place and checking it.

  REMEMBER: distance or measured pipe length's change from dry fitting to wet gluing. DON'T SHORT YOURSELF

I do not know anything about your pan or bell and what height it will be, and even if i was there it would tax my brain to figure it out.. ( I CHARGE BY THE HOUR )

Good luck and remember you did not pay for this "advise" If it works i am a genius and if not it is your fault.  :)


Can I use this aggregate for bedding for my patio?

Yes, what you have is stone dust, and it is what I used as the top 2.5" layer under my patios. It is perfect for making grade adjustments to the patio. Keep in mind under the 2.5" top layer there should be a 4 - 6" base of compactable gravel for best drainage.


Adding Outlets for a Stove and Refrigerator in my Basement

Not without some rearranging, unless your stove is only 110V  (which is more like a hotplate or electric grill, or a gas stove).  If that is the case you can put a 2 new breakers on the bottom row to supply 2 new 120V circuits.

In order to have a 220V electric range/oven you need a 240V breaker that spans both phases.  A 240V breaker is double height,  so you need to remove a breaker from the bottom left or bottom right to make space.   One way is remove the 2 on the bottom left, and combine them into a single tandem breaker (2 circuits that take up one space, such as you have in the bottom right).  That would leave you room (2 slots) for a 240V on the left, and you'd have a remaining slot on the right for the new 120V circuit.

Edit:
200 amp service is more than enough for almost any house.  You can put circuit breakers that add up to more than 200 it’s not a problem.  If you ever used more than 200 amps in total your main breaker would flip and at that point you’d know your limits and live with it, or decide to upgrade the service.   Realistically that probably won’t be an issue unless your oven was on cleaning cycle, with an AC running or a couple space heaters going, clothes dryer, curling iron, hot water heater, and someone welding while blow drying their hair!


You'll likely have to cobble something together. Start with a telescoping painters extension pole (found at any hardware/home improvement store in various lengths), then add a mop head or whatever you think will work best.


Touch up my garage floor after applying epoxy coating

The first layer dried quicker because of the moisture in the concrete. The part where you repainted was on top of the first coat and takes longer to completely dry. Hopefully, when it does, the colors will match.


Tape is not a mechanical fastener. It is a sealant. It is not acceptable as a way of connecting duct. The options are screws, hose clamps or zip ties depending on temperature.

I have used hose clamps to connect all the metal duct on my dryer exhaust. For the bathroom fan it will be a combination of screws and zip ties as there will be some insulated flex duct.

Also when sealing ducts you may only use one method of sealant either mastic or tape. You can't use both. They aren't rated or listed for use together.


Can I easily add a thermostat to a whole-house fan?

If you just want a timer,  it's easy to buy a line-voltage timer switch that you can drop-in where the current fan's on/off switch resides.

If you want a thermostat, as the comments said you can find a line-voltage thermostat. THen you just need to run the hot feed from the on/off switch to the hermostat and then on to the fan.

Another option would be to use any low-voltage thermostat in combination with a 120VAC relay, but then you've got more parts, and need a low-V supply for the thermostat, so I wouldn't choose this option :-)


Metal doors, Mortise locks, and ... mobile liner?

Check with the manufacturer, it may be defective. Usually something like that moving around is for adjustment...i.e. non-mortise locks having different backsets to accommodate pre-drilled doors that may differ. I haven't run across a mortise lock that was adjustable, the door has to adjust to them.


Messy tile/wood floor transition (PICTURES)

With all the various pieces that make up the sub floor, I would not run tile over any of that. I would use the wood floor all the way up to meet the tile leaving a grout joint's width away from the wood floor to tile. With the wall and tile meeting on the far side, esthetically it may be best to finish the tile there anyway. You may even choose to redo the subfloor in that area to get rid of the small pieces that make up the surface in that area.

When the floor is sanded, the wood floor that is higher than the tile, if any, can be sanded down if it is a stained/finished in place floor. The floor can be shimmed to get it higher if need be also. This looks like a pretty long run, the wood floor can twist slightly to accommodate the different planes. In the case that it may be a prefinished floor, shimming is still done the same, but if the wood floor is above the tile, then the flooring is planed down on the backside, keeping the prefinished side intact, and glued down if need be, since the chance of having a blind nail or staple holding it down is diminished.

Edit 6-24-13

Since this is a cased opening, You can treat this 2 ways either will give you what you need.

My preference, since the wall is not that far away, would to shim the floor all the way and graduate it out to zero. With a 1/2" needed, the shims will need to be about 4' long, made with a table saw. I can describe an easy way to do that if you need, I can whip out enough to place these shims 3" apart over a 8' run in about a half hour, setting them would take about another hour, and you would need to run your floor over it immediately! But first, you need to check the floor to see if it can handle an extra 1/2" incline. If the floor is level in that direction, yes. If the floor is not level, favoring being made more level by adding the shims, definitely yes. But if the floor is already running the way that exacerbates the incline, well, that will need to be studied to determine the pros and cons. You will be surprised though, how far a floor can be out of whack and not show up until a piece of furniture, or other detail is added to make a thing like that show up.

The second way is while you are fixing the subfloor issue is to bring it up to the height needed to get things to plane into the tile floor. Make all your saw cuts 1 1/2"+ away from any finish or frame to add backing/blocking to tie the new subfloor back together with the existing using glue and screws to fasten it together. If this brings the floor out of level, it would not be good for future renovations.

In my opinion, I would not use a grout joint to make up the 1/4" difference in the finish. When you approach the tile floor from the wood floor side, the joints in the main run of the floor would look much smaller than the joint you made to make the 1/4" difference, since the joint will be facing you, because it is sloped in that direction.


This is not woodworking per se, but.... I would recommend mixing mortar and creating a level surface at one level in which the subfloor can be firmly supported and either anchored or glued.  If the base concrete is loose, it should be removed down to a firm base and then refilled to the appropriate level.  Note that anchoring to the concrete may be difficult with nails and may require concrete screws in drilled openings to provide a secure base.

The pitfalls are instability from not providing a firm anchorage to support the flooring and the possibility of mold or decay if the wood comes in contact with water or excessive humidity below.


How could I insulate a thin hot roof and bring it to current Southern CA code?

I have resolved cases like this (in Minnesota, no less) in two ways:

Keep the "hot roof" but add polyiso insulation, as you described. In our case we put down two layers of ~3" panels (which gets you more than R-25), then OSB. Obviously it took some long fasteners to do that. I'm not sure why it was suggested that you put down OSB first. Of course the shingles need to be removed, leaving you with a suitable deck, I'd think. One challenge is working out fascia structure. There's not much to fasten to with the foam, so you need to embed backing lumber or fasten to the new sheathing and original decking.

Overlay scissor trusses with modern energy heels. This gives you space for blown insulation or batts, which you'd probably install from above before you put sheathing on the roof. Scissor trusses leave a very short space that's difficult to work in otherwise. This approach also provides a vented attic, which is good for efficiency. The drawback might be that you have to deal with siding on the gables.

Both are substantial and somewhat expensive projects, but if you want a modern, energy-efficient solution they're worth it. Chances are your home's value will increase comparably to cost.


Is this dry well sturdy enough to walk over?

If installed per instructions (buried a minimum of 8") walking on it should be fine. There is also an illustration of adding a vertical pipe in the middle to increase loading (probably a good idea with many of the heavier riding mowers.)


Can I attach a freestanding deck to concrete block garage wall?

The fact is that your deck's weight load must be carried underneath it and not using the cinder blocks supporting your garage.  That does not limit you from attaching it to the garage to provide horizontal stability and to keep movements in unison.

You would simply need to bolt in a faux ledger to the cinder blocks.  Make sure that you have at least two posts close to the garage that you are showing as the weight bearing points for that wall.  Any good inspector should realize this.

Note though your garage has been there for X amount of time and assuming it was made right, it probably isn't moving much.  Now build a deck and drop 4-8 posts in the ground - make sure that you are adequately putting these well below frost line and that they are big enough.  By attaching it to the cinder blocks there is a chance that your posts could cause upheaval on the garage wall. - especially with cinder blocks.


You can't use interior wire (NM aka Romex) for outdoor, underground or outside conduit applications.  As an example if the cable contains that paper wadding, that's a big no-go.  You need UF cable if direct burying, or that or THWN-2/XHHW individual wires for conduit.

#14 NM is generally white (rarely black). UF is gray.

Voltage drop wise, that sounds fine.  You don't even need to think about voltage drop til at least 60' on a 120V circuit, and even then only if you are running at hard circuit limits (which you should not) and believe in 3% (which you should not).

Given that you are well under 15A, and 3% isn't that important for a panel-final load run, you are fine.


Cutting and welding a BBQ lid to make it narrower

I would try to cut as close to one end as i could so you effectively have just the  curved end.
Then cut out the "couple of inches"  off the end that you removed the end piece from and weld your  curved end plate back on.
This would be the most aesthetically pleasing but you could remove a section of the middle, you would have a weld bead in the middle of course.


How do I fix a Well Pump that is on Constantly?

There's trouble with the pressure tank.  You are right to be concerned.  Its bad for the pump to be running constantly.

Is there a pressure gauge? What does it read?   Is the P-Tank full of water?

It could be simply needs to be charged with air compressor.  When was last time?


There should be a slope so all the water can drain. With enough water in the pipe to gurgle the back pressure may cause the system problems including shutdown and early fan failure.


AC related power outage (partial)? HVAC?

I'm going to slightly disagree with the other answers and guess you have an open hot conductor.  Either way, the answer is the same: call the power company and report a power outage. The problem is very likely at the pole, so they'll come out and fix it for free.
For more information on why losing one of your hot conductors will cause the symptoms you're seeing here, take a look at Harper's answer to this similar question: https://diy.stackexchange.com/a/153926/91556


motion sensor light with a three way switch

Sure. The three way just allows two switches to turn a light on and off. The motion sensor limits the controlled light, if it is set to go on, only when it senses motion.

Effectively, the three way switches prime the light to go on and the motion triggers it. The switches determine if there is power to the light socket.
The motion detector (which controls power after the switches) then either turns the light on or off based on motion.

The problem is that it will be difficult to determine when the light is primed to go on. Regular switches (single pole, one way) are on when up and off when down.  However, for three ways, up on a given switch an be on or off depending on the orientation of the other switch.

How do you know if the motion sensor controlled device is ready to go? If you can see both three way switches at the same time, a practical way to do this is to set up the switches so that they are on when both are up or down and off when they are not in the same position.

UPDATE: If you can't see both switches at the same time, you cannot know the motion controlled device is ready (ON) unless you set up some sort of pilot light. There are three way switches that are illuminated when off, such as this one.

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


How to wire a light with two sets of wires

Based on your description and the picture (thank you) the red wire is the hot switched loop to control your light. Connect your black wire from the light to the red wire in the box, the white to the white and the green from the light to the bare ground I see lurking in the back of the box.
You should be good to go.


Can deck posts be rested on a patio slab?

Generally speaking, floating slabs are not suitable as post footings. You're likely to see cracking under load, and if the soil underneath is unstable you'll see substantial settling.
If the question is whether it'll work in combination with your other post footings, we can only guess. It depends on the exact nature of the soil substrate, the amount and frequency of rain in your area, the total load on the posts, etc. None of us will be able to give you a better answer than what was stated in the answers to your other question.


How can I dress up a boring drop ceiling?

I have seen basement ceilings done with scrap hardwood flooring that looked really good.  Not sure if you have to have the drop ceiling...


I personally think adding trim will just draw more attention to the side of the stairs.  And no matter now nicely you trim it, it will stand out as people are not used to seeing trim on stairs.

In my opinion, I would just use caulk to fill the gap between the existing skirt and treads.  The gap looks pretty small and most people will never realize what you've done.

Edit:
I just realized...  There is no skirt board in those pictures.  You can add a skirt board after the fact but it is a very time consuming task.  See the link for an idea of how to do it.  http://www.finehomebuilding.com/how-to/tips/scribing-a-skirtboard-to-an-existing-stair.aspx


I live in the Pacific Northwest where ceiling cable heat used to be very popular. When I have found heating problems with not getting hot enough where it did heat properly in the past it has always been the thermostat with 1 exception. The 1 exception was a parallel cable set in a large room where a swagger lamp toggle bolt was drilled through 1 of the cables. Other than that my experience has always been bad contacts in the thermostat for partial heat.


Cheap way to make cardboard box waterproof?

How about plastic bags?   You will need 2.  Put inner box inside one.  Leave bag open at top so concrete can push air out of the bag and flatten it against inner box.

Put bagged box inside another bag.  Then double bagged box inside outer box.

Pour concrete between the 2 bags.  Bags will flatten against boxes as they fill and contain concrete between the 2 boxes.  Peel off bags after concrete sets.  You may get some aesthetically pleasing wrinkles in the final product.

Added bonus: it will be easy to retrieve boxes from final product.

@manassehkatz is right about the concrete collapsing the boxes.  You could address this with a hole (or a pile of sand).  Dig a hole in the ground large enough to contain planter.  Fill inner box with dirt to fortify it against collapse.  Put box/bag mold into the hole and put dirt down around outer box.  That will keep it from bursting outwards from weight of wet concrete.  Or you could just fill inside box with sand and wrap outer box with ropes.


How can I add a single pole switch next to a 3-way switch?

It entirely depends on how the existing switch is wired. You need a constant hot and a neutral wire. It would be helpful if you can check what wires are in each location - what colors, and how many actual cables are coming in. You'll need to turn off the power at the breaker panel and physically remove the switches (don't disconnect them, just pull them out), as well as the light fixture. Compare to the diagrams below (or at the original source), or ask here again and we'll try and help you out (labelled pictures == very helpful).

There are several ways to wire 3-way switches, but what you'd be concerned with is the type where power comes to the switch first:

In the above diagram ,you can add another switch to the one on the left - you'd connect to the white and black wires coming from the "power source" line.

On the switch on the right, you have a neutral, but you don't have constant hot -- hot is switched, on either the red or black, depending on how the first switch is flipped.

Another common way the switches are wired is the power goes to the fixture first.

In this case, there is no neutral at the switches. (Also note, the black tape on the white wires indicates this. White is, by code, always neutral, and has to be marked if it's used for a switched circuit. That said -- keep in mind that not everyone follows code.)

If you're missing the hot/neutral, the only option you have is to run a totally new wire, or possibly (depending on how it's wired), you can convert the 3-way to a single switch, and then re-purpose the wires to supply constant hot and neutral to the new outside switch (effectively, one of your 3 way switches would get converted to control the outside light instead). This still may not be possible, and definitely isn't a beginner task - you need to understand electrical fairly well, and map out everything involved with this circuit.


Exhaust Fan in small half bathroom on first floor

You need to remove that grill and find out what's behind . Hopefully, there will be some sort of duct work that vents to the outside. You do not want to vent humid air into plain wall space. There are many fans to choose from so look around. I would tend to look more on efficiency than appealing. You can always spray paint it white.

Here is a typical bathroom exhaust fan that has a 13.5" by 13.5" grill and 14.25" x 14.25" housing. It vents to the back.

here is a link to the site so you can get more info.

https://www.zoro.com/broan-fan-wall-10-38-in-506mg/i/G3064914/#specifications

you should also try to clean out as much of the debris from the duck as possible. It will help with the air flow.


Can I recoat my floor's matte finish with a satin sheen product?

Can I add a coat of satin...?

YES

You will need to lightly sand the surface and thoroughly clean it, then add one or more additional coats of a compatible product that has the level of gloss you prefer.


You are correct.

You have a few choices, none pretty.

Rewire the circuit

If you are in a rental unit, this option is not available to you without landlord consent; and then; a licensed electrician must do it because it's a rental unit.

Since the socket is NEMA 6-15, it is fairly likely the wire and cable behind it are 14 AWG.  Open it up and have a look.  If you're very lucky and it's actually 12 AWG wire, you can skip to the last step.  Otherwise:

You will need to remove that wire/cable from there to the breaker panel and replace it with #12 wire or cable.   This won't be so bad if it's in conduit, but if it's cable-in-the-walls, it may be prohibitive.

Once there's #12 wire in the walls, you change the receptacle to NEMA 6-20 and the breaker to 2-pole 20A.

Have them send you a different unit

NEMA 6-15 sockets are quite common for air conditioners.  The power company should have gotten more clear on your requirements. I am surprised they made this mistake.

Contact them, say they blew it, and you need one with a 6-15 plug and socket. They should oblige.

Change the plug...?

Noting that the cable is inline on both ends, you could change both the plug and the socket to a NEMA 6-15 type.

You can't leave the socket with a 6-20 because this would allow an appliance which requires a 20A circuit on a 15A circuit.  Even if it doesn't trip the breaker, it'll run the circuit beyond the design intent.  It breaks the whole system of coordination between Code requirements and UL listings that keeps appliances safe.  So change the socket also to 6-15, even though you don't "need to right now".


It's not too unusual. The carpet will collect some dust and possibly insulation, and might have problems if it ever gets wet from a roof leak. On the plus side, the carpet will act as a little insulation and is quieter and cooler in the summer to walk on.


Methods for dampening condo floor noise?

Before you tear up the floors, which is messy and expensive, how bout getting an area rug (they can be cheap at Target, etc.)?

If the area rug works, then you know the problem.

My concern is that the frame of the building is such that the noise is not related to the type of floor material.  The sound may be transferred through the joists and walls.


How to fill a big cavity on a wooden door frame?

I would push some backer rod into the space so it fills most of the void but not all, leave some space to fill with wood filler or vinyl Spackle.
Once the filler is dry you can sand it all down and paint.


Can I mount a 60" TV and mount weighing a combined 95 pounds to a drywall or plaster?

You can find the studs, I know you can!  Here is a link to many helpful tips: http://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-find-a-wall-stud/ but the short version is, measure from the corner of the room (there will be a stud within 1" of each corner of the room and look for the stud on a 16" spacing (unless your home/condo/apt is really old).  Drill a few pilot holes (in the region of the bracket) until you have found a stud, and if that doesn't work then try some of Bob's additional sleuth tips.  Once you hit one, drill a few more small holes a half inch apart to make sure you know exactly where it is and are close to the center of the stud when putting in the bolts for the bracket.

Don't worry about putting extra holes all over that section of the wall, installing the bracket will cover it and if you do go to remove it you will probably wreck most of the sheetrock (the mount will glue itself to the paint on the wall) so you will have a patch job on your hands no matter how careful you are during installation.


Can rigid foam board have an air space between it and rim joist?

Spray foam would not be either an ideal or recommended procedure to cover up all the wires where they exit from the main power panel. The first moment when some electrical problem needs troubleshooting, you need to add a new circuit or an existing wire needs moving you will be cussing that you ever thought of spraying in foam in this area.


Do I need to replace the anti-siphon valve?

That's a hose bibb vacuum breaker that's doing that, and it's shot
What you have there is a conventional hose bibb (outdoor faucet) that's been retrofitted with a hose bibb vacuum breaker to prevent a water main break from sucking whatever you left your garden hose in into the city's water system.  Unfortunately, with most of these retrofit-type devices, you need to drain them manually in order to winterize them, and if you don't, they may break, as yours clearly has.  You'll need to find and drill out the locking setscrew that holds yours on, then remove it and replace it with a new hose bibb vacuum breaker -- they're available at any hardware store.


After 6mil vapor barrier in crawl space, moister gathering between insulation and flooring

It's best to not use faced insulation here for the reasons you've noted, But new insulation may not be necessary- you can carefully peel the face paper off and re-use what you have as long as it's not moisture-laden itself. Also, the ground sheet poly isn't exactly a waterproofing. It's purpose is to reduce, not eliminate, the moisture evaporating from the soil so normally having a foot of overlap between sheets is fine without taping. You should also have good crawlspace ventilation to go with this.

Phil


Should particle board treads be removed before finishing my stairs?

Purpose-built bullnose 1-1/4" particle board treads are a common and perfectly acceptable permanent tread solution. They've been the standard under carpeting in my region since at least the 1980s.

image source

The only time they're a concern is when there's significant moisture contact, but then there are usually other problems of larger magnitude.

Now if you're asking because you're putting in full-thickness (1" or better) hardwood treads, then yes, you'd remove those.


How to remove window wood trim to replace crank operator?

Use a thin prybar, carefully.

Look closely at the joints on the bottom trim piece that's in your way, and you'll note that it's not "locked in" to the rest of the frame - because that piece was installed after the crank hardware was. Pry it out of there, replace the hardware, and tack it back in when done.


You would need to add a new wire from a new switch for the ceiling fan. If the (required) fan-rated box that will be installed is large enough you can simply leave the splice for the center light in that box just capped off.


choosing a programmable thermostat: wiring and power

You will not be able to get a "wire powered" thermostat, without at least one more wire. You'll need an additional wire, to connect to the C terminal of the new thermostat.


How to connect thermostat to newly-installed condenser/evaporator unit

In the condensing unit, locate the contactor. There should be at least two low voltage terminals on the contactor (commonly on the side). Run a two wire cable between the condensing unit, and the furnace. Connect the wires from the cable, to the low voltage terminals on the contactor. In the furnace, connect one of the wires from this cable to the Y terminal, and the other to the C terminal.

At the thermostat, connect the yellow wire (or any additional wire in the thermostat cable), to the Y terminal. Connect the other end of the yellow wire (the wire you connected to the Y terminal of the thermostat), to the Y terminal of the furnace.

Notes:

These are general instructions, as you have not listed the make and model of the equipment you're using.
You may have to adjust the blower fan speed when in cooling mode.


Is sulfur smell in my cold water only due to the hot water heater's anode?

Being in Florida and on City Water - and only the cold water is affected.

Your water heater is not the culprit.

However, you stated a very important fact and left off another possibility - you are in Florida and many homes in Florida might be equipped with an irrigation system, and if your home is equipped with one, see the following.

Usually, the irrigation system will have a back flow valve (check valve) to prevent back flow from the irrigation system running into your home.

There are also water filtration systems for homes, does your home have a filtration system ?

The other possibility is that you have a cracked pipe running into the house or a tree root has found your inlet water line and broke it a bit. Turn the water off inside the house for a 1/2 day (Take a picture) - go out for a while and when you come back take another picture and see if your water meter budged even a blip.

Your hot water heater is cooking the water - so the smell is not there - but the sulphur is sticking to / burning on the tank heating rods.


If you put baseboards first, you'd have to tuck the laminate under them. Flooring first, baseboards second.


Are there energy saving lamps which work with touch/electronic dimmers, timers, etc.?

I had the same issue when outfitting two homes with Insteon dimmers (which support both multi-location control and full home automation with an optional computer link) over the past 6 years.  For CFL bulbs, it comes down to the design of the ballast.  I used a combination of forum research and experimentation to find no-flicker bulbs, and have the following recommendations (in order of availability & price):

TCP SpringLamp series
Overdrive Lighting dimmable spiral
EarthTronics / EarthBulb
Dimmable CCFLs from LiteTronics or TCP (no high-lumen models)

All of them work wonderfully for me with a wide range of dimming and no flicker.  One caveat: very low dim levels cause an audible whine on some of the bulbs, particularly the TCP models.

I've read about positive results with LED lamps as well, but the price isn't right (for me) yet.


Outlets in living room suddenly died but there is not tripped circuit breaker

Non-contact voltage testers can be very sensitive and misleading. So don't worry too much about that.

This may have been asked before but do ANY of the outlets on the breaker that controls the dead ones have power? If you do, there is probably a connection failure in one of the outlets downstream.   That doesn't eliminate the first outlet in the circuit having the failure though, so it's not a perfect test.

2 things come to mind:  1) The infamous "back stab" outlets that frequently fail. You should get a real multi meter and test between hot and neutral, hot and ground, and neutral and ground.  If  you have power from neutral to ground, you have an open neutral someplace.  Multi-meters can be very sensitive as well as non contact testers. It's often useful to have some sort of a load plugged in (such as your lamp), to eliminate any spurious, induced voltages.

With the POWER OFF (Check with meter or non-contact tester to be sure), you might want to start removing the outlets and inspect for damage, loose connections, etc.

2)  I had this issue in a previous house I lived in and it turned out to be rodent damage.  A mouse had chewed thru a cable.  First breaking the circuit and then electrocuting himself!  I know because when I opened up the sheetrock there was his little fried body.


It really depends on the results you get after the first coat.  The purpose of primer is to lay down a surface that is uniform and consistent in

color, within reason
smoothness
texture
absorption
absence of surface contamination

Because if those things are not uniform, the irregularities will print through when you topcoat.

You can get it to stop printing through if you spam enough coats of topcoat... But since that's primer's job, it's better to resolve it at the primer stage, where you are sure to get it in 1 or 2.


Is a metal post base needed on a concrete pier?

You can sit the rails (or beams) right on the piers and level them using shims. That bracket is used for vertical mounting columns.


You could order a cheap thermal camera ($200 from http://www.thermal.com/ ) and see them. I have no affiliation with that company but own one of their products and LOVE it.


Computer desk vibrates and hits wall while I type, need solution?

It's either that all the feet are not taking equal load or the table has slack in the connections. If it's the feet issue, the plastic feet ARE adjustable, they are screwed in and you unscrew them to make a leg longer. If that issue is ruled out then it's the connections of the table, it simply isn't built to tight enough tolerances. Then, attaching to the wall is working solution.


What could cause my Carrier furnace fan to sometimes stop running?

In the manual of the Carrier Weathermaker 8000, even if the fan is switched to ON, it will stop blowing for about 30s when there is a "call for heat". p.14 4a of the 58TUA manual.


How do I fix my fridge that is not refrigerating?

Assuming someone didn't screw around with the refrigerator's thermostat or temperature setting...
Typically, that problem is due to failure of the circulating fan housed in the freezer...thermostats almost never fail. Hopefully, you notice there is no or very little noise being made by the refrigerator when you open the freezer.
It doesn't matter how cold the freezer is if the refrigerator isn't cold. There shouldn't be silence unless and until the refrigerator's desired temperature is reached.


How can I tell if the sagging in my plaster ceiling is getting worse?

Find the lowest point in the ceiling and place a small pencil mark there.  Then measure from the floor to that point and record the measurement. Periodically re-measure and if measurement is getting smaller, then the sagging is getting worse.


The best plan I saw suggested in another question was to get a second 12V based pump. Place (or adjust) it so its start sensor is higher than your AC-powered pump, and also connect the battery to a battery maintainer. You get several benefits:

If the power goes out, the second pump will kick in when the water reaches it (which should be within about an inch of when the first pump would've started)
If the first pump dies, the second pump will still operate independently
If the inflow exceeds the capacity of the first pump, the second pump will augment the pumping capacity when the water reaches it (so you'd have both pumps running together).


Existing outlet should have black (hot), neutral (white) and ground. All grounds always go together and are never switched, so we can ignore them for this answer (but do connect them all together).

Change the hot & neutral going into the outlet to pigtails. Each single wire goes into a wire nut along with a short wire (same color) going to the outlet as well as a wire (same color) going to the new switch box.

The new switch box will have two sets of wires coming in:

Black/white pigtailed as noted above to the old outlet.
Black/white going to the new, switched, outlet. Black normally goes to the brass screw, white normally goes to the silver screw. Don't use the backstab connectors as they are less reliable than screw terminals.

Wire nut the two whites together. You don't need them now, but you will in the future if you ever put in a smart switch.

The black from the old outlet goes to the switch ("line" if you have "line" & "load"). This is the hot.

The black going to the new, switched, outlet goes to the switch ("load" if you have "line" and "load"). This is the switched-hot and you may want to mark it differently (e.g., red or some other color besides black, white or green) on both ends so that anyone looking at it later will know that it is a switched-hot and not a regular hot.


Painter's putty would work, but I don't know if it'd be your best option.
First of all you'd need a ton of it to fill between every piece of flooring. Also, unless your going to use it after you put the finish on your floor, I'm not sure that the stain or lacquer wouldn't dissolve the putty.
Unfortunately, I don't know what would be your best option, but I couldn't imagine that you should entertain the notion of painter's putty. I could be wrong, though...it certainly has happened before.....once...ha


A MERV 13 filter should not let much if any pollen get through. If you still have pollen getting past, it is likely leaking around the filter.

I would check that the filter is secured tightly in the HVAC system and that there is no place for air to bypass the filter.

To increase filtration of existing plain filters, you can also spray it with a tackifier. The tackifier will catch particles small enough to bounce off the filter fibers but pass between the fibers.


The 18-gauge wire for the arms is fine. You could even go a bit smaller safely if you wanted. The code, Table 400.5 (A) & (B) says that the 18-guage can also handle the entire fixture, although I would like to see 16-guage for the entire fixture.

I would definitely use fixture wire, SVT & SJT would be good.

I would use a pre-insulated crimp connector. Use the smallest one that will handle all the wires.  Get and use the right tool.

Spice once only for each lead.


How to fit jam extensions to this window?

The right way to fix this is to cut out the spray foam insulation and move the window into proper position so that the two units align on a single plane. This isn't as difficult as it sounds. You can pilot and countersink some construction screws through the window frame at an upward angle into the framing to pull it outward if necessary. Work slowly and use caution and the window will move easily due to flex in the mounting flange. Be sure to keep shims in place to prevent the frame from bowing upward.

It looks like you have screws running through the window frame into the header. Many window manufacturers specifically prohibit this, as it increases the chance that settling will bow or jamb the window. I suggest removing them and reviewing the installation instructions. Andersen windows, for example, call for nailing through the outer flanges only (except where special clips are provided). (Correction: frame fastening is allowed, but is only done through the sides of the window.)

Otherwise, you'll have to use a jointer, powered hand planer, or sander to shape your extension jamb to the window. I wouldn't try to remove material from the window itself. You'd do this by holding the extension in place with the same gap to the window frame at each end. Measure that gap, and there you have the amount of wood that you need to remove at the center of the extension jamb, tapered evenly to the ends. How you remove the material depends on the tools you have on hand and your skill set.


Electric apartment sockets catching on fire

I'm not an electrical master, but I know this: outlets catching fire is NOT normal, ever. Furthermore, the apartment manager sounds like a real weasel. Outlets only cost a few dollars - in the face of a known fire risk, why waste time claiming nothing is wrong? Just replace the suspect part. You don't need an electrician, you need a new landlord.

That said, I understand sometimes people have reasons they can't move. At the very least, you should keep a fire extinguisher handy!

First of all, you do have a problem, so don't let anyone tell you everything is fine. Get an electrician of your own in there if you have to. This is a safety issue; life has no price tag.

Now, here are some questions I can think of that will help a professional figure out your problem:

Is it the same outlet that caught fire 4 times, or different
ones?
Has the outlet that caught fire been replaced, only to have
the new one in the same location also catch fire?
What is plugged into the outlets that catch fire? Is it always the same appliances
causing problems?
How many appliances are plugged in to the problem outlets?
Do any of the outlets seem loose?

If new outlets keep catching fire after you replace them, it could be a wiring issue, not an outlet issue.

If the outlets are seeing heavy current draw, from many appliances or a few big ones, it could be that the breaker on that circuit is too big for the associated wiring. An oversized breaker would allow more current through than the wires could handle. This could cause overheating.

If the outlets seem loose (and even if they don't) it could be that the wiring inside the  box, behind the outlet, is shorting out and causing sparks. I had GFI outlet that tripped all the time - I eventually discovered one of the terminals was arcing against the inside of the box.


It is absolutely safe. There is no clearance issue with regard to a water heater, or even a sink, and an electrical panel.  The only issue is with working clearances, and this is an issue regardless of what is around the panel. Based on the letter of the code it is perfectly feasible to have a water heater or sink immediately next to a breaker panel.

Contrary to popular belief, an electrical panel, or most other electrical equipment, will not explode and blow up the house if contact with water is made.

I have seen with my own eyes, basements flooded to the rafters, with the electrical panel completely submerged, and on and working. There are many videos online with small appliances like hair dryers, submerged in a sink full of water while still powered and working....completely under water.


Why is my 3-prong dryer outlet showing 240V between hot and neutral/ground 'L' prong?

This answer was based on a prior version of the question

The picture that Jeremy posted in his answer you is perfect. I do however disagree with the idea that there may be a short between ground and neutral. Ground and neutral should be at the same potential and intentionally connected/ bonded in the breaker box.

As far as the readings you are getting L1 to Ground/neutral = 120vac and L2 to ground/neutral = 240vac, this leads me to believe there may be an interconnection of the two power leads. It would seem to me however, if they were somehow interconnected, you would see 240vac on either leg to ground.

I would suggest taking the cover off the plug and testing the hot leads to the neural lug and case ground again. Obviously be careful and skilled with working with open wiring! The next step would be to take the same measurements at the breaker. It should be a double pole 30 amp breaker. Look for any double taps off one leg of the breaker. The readings should be 120 to ground/neutral from each side of the breaker and 240 across the hot lugs of the breakers.  If the same error exists, you may need to turn off the breaker, remove it and disconnect the wires and ohm out the individual paths looking for any shorts in the cable itself. This must be done with the wires disconnected from all power sources. Be sure to check for any voltage, even with wires off the breaker, before proceeding, just in case there is some other interconnection to a hot line.

This trouble shooting is dangerous and should only be attempted by someone qualified. If you are not sure of your abilities, call a pro.

I gotta think about this one a bit more. This situation and readings sound strange and improbable. Maybe one of my electrical guru buds on here can lend some better ideas.


Can this european sauna heater be installed in the US?

Yes you can, provided your AHJ is OK with the unit, but you should be treating it as a single phase unit -- you'll also need to take precautions with wiring methods

The instructions you linked provide for a single phase, 230V, 48A connection as well as the 3-phase, 230/400V, 16A connection you discuss in your post -- the single phase connection is what you want, since the type of 3 phase power this requires (400Y/230V) doesn't exist on this side of the pond.  Thankfully though, mains frequency doesn't matter to heaters, and a sauna heater like this does not need to be listed, just signed off on (approved) by your AHJ -- sauna-type heaters are not included in the NEC 424.6 list of space-heating equipment that requires listing.

The major caveat though is that you'll need to use a wiring method that's rated for both the high temperatures in the sauna room and a damp (at minimum) location.  While the type of cordage the installation instructions call out is not rated for North American usage, an equivalent cordage type is available through some online suppliers or electrical supply houses -- industrial-grade multiconductor type W portable power cable.  You'll want a 4/3 type W cable for this (hot, hot, ground) and to route it from the heater to a weatherproof (NEMA 3R or 4X/12) junction box located in the sauna room somewhere with an appropriately sealed gland/strain-relief where the cord enters it (at the bottom, too).  The use of cordage here is permitted by NEC 400.10(8) due to the equipment in question being identified for flexible cord connection, by the way -- in fact, I suspect we're dealing with the weird case of a fixed piece of equipment that is identified only for flexible cord connection, not for the use of a Chapter 3 wiring method directly to the device. (Which is unfortunate, if you ask me -- the proper way to do this would be a rigid conduit with type SA wire all the way to the device, but that's out of the question as the install instructions don't support that.)

From this box, you'll need to run a rigid metal conduit out of the sauna room, with properly sized individual XHHW-2 (note: NOT THHN/THWN-2 -- PVC wire insulation does not hold up well to extended exposure to wet heat -- XHHW-2 is a bare minimum for this application, but I'd use type SA wire if I can get it as it's fully rated for sauna conditions) conductors inside it.  (The manufacturer's instructions call out the metric equivalent of 6AWG wire, but if you were to apply full NEC derates to the XHHW-2 conductors, you'd need 1AWG copper or 1/0AWG aluminum instead.)  Once the conduit run exits the sauna, you can then transition to a saner wiring method for the homerun, such as 6/3 NM with the neutral capped off at the end of the homerun, at the box for the contactor that controls this thing, based on whatever you are using for a switch or thermostat.

With this, you'll want to use a 60A, 2-pole breaker (48A * 1.25 for a continuous load) of the type that's normally used in your electrical panel.  (The proper application of Eurostyle MCBs in North American electrical systems is a subject far beyond the scope of this question, and a North American panelboard-type breaker can protect a dumb heater just fine, thank you very much.)


Can I use regular pine lumber as a stair tread cover?

Sure. One technique I've used (with 2x10 lumber, in my case) is to cut partial-depth lengthwise to give the board more flex in case of warping forces. So for my 2x10 treads I cut 1" into the board on the 1/3 and 2/3 points across the board.

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If you have exposed ends, stop the cuts short accordingly so they don't show.

If you're overlaying 1x boards, just glue them down well using construction adhesive. It would be wise to acclimate the boards in the home for a week or so first.

Be aware that pine is soft. It wasn't a problem in my home because we're a shoes-off family for the most part. One issue was when an HVAC tech bounced his dolly down the steps right after I built them, leaving a pair of dents on each nosing. I was not happy. That was the only damage they sustained during the decade or so I saw them in service.

Also be aware that varnished pine is slippery. I ended up installing a carpet runner down the center to remedy that. It's fine if you're aware of it, but guests won't be.

Like Kris mentioned in a comment, actual edge-glued or clear pine treads are available (though they're not cheap). They'll be 1" or 1-1/8" thick with a bullnose.


Is a brad nail gun suitable for attaching pickets to a fence?

No -- an 18 ga. nailer is ideal for attaching small pieces of trim, like shoe molding/quarter round, inside your house. Outside, the nails will quickly rust and fall off -- they aren't galvanized, they are TINY, and they have little to no head on them. If you want to use a nailer, you need to use a framing nailer like Shirlock suggested. Make sure you use hot-dipped galvanized nails.

Personally, when building a fence, I use coated decking/exterior screws. They won't allow boards to warp and move like nails will, they absolutely won't ever rust unless you stripped the coating off somehow, and if you need to replace a fence plank because it cracked/warped/discolored, or you need to repair storm damage, or you need to remove an entire run of fencing to get a pickup truck or a large piece of equipment into the backyard, you can just unscrew a couple of screws. I haven't used nails for fencing in several years, and I've been happier as a result.


IME, the plan does not make sense. Water heaters don't last forever, and usually when they start leaking it's time to think really hard about replacing them before the leak gets worse. "Plumbers tape" is not likely going to get you very far. If the leak is due to corrosion of a thin flexible tube ("metal hose") it may fall all the way apart when you attempt to remove it, necessitating an emergency call to a professional, a quick trip to the hardware store, or doing without hot water for a while. At least make sure that you time your operation when the hardware store will be open.

1a. - if you've misidentified a flexible electrical conduit as a metal hose, it could get even more exciting. Though hopefully not if you've turned it off first.

Two. Turn off the water heater. Run hot water from any/all hot taps until it's not hot. Turn off the cold water supply to the hot water heater.  Leave a hot tap open (water should stop coming out when you turn off the cold supply to the hot water heater - leaving it open serves as a vent to allow air in when you drain the heater) Use the drain on the bottom of the hot water heater to drain it. You might be amazed at what comes out the drain at first ;-)

If all goes well, remember to refill the water heater (close the drain, leave the hot water tap open, open the cold supply valve, wait until air stops coming out the hot water tap, close the hot water tap, and check for leaks) BEFORE you turn the water heater back on. If it's turned on while full of air rather than water, it's not good...


modify fridge to temporarily defeat auto-defrost?

Auto-defrost just raises the temperature enough that the accumulated undesired ice build up (very thin at this point) melts away while still cold enough and short term enough to not melt the items frozen in the freezer. It does this with a heater inside the fridge to periodically warm the appliance during the defrost cycle. Here's a video that explains it.

If you want to disable, you can find and remove or cut the wire to the heater. There should be a wiring diagram on the back and probably down low. Due to your background, I think that you can take it from here


Should whole house humidifier be draining when heater/fan is off?

Sometimes the moisture drains when the fans and or compressor is no longer running, we would to know more about your system, it could be a bad valve in the supply to the humidifier causing the water but more information is really needed to provide a positive answer.


You'd need custom heat spreaders, and it still won't work well

The heat spreaders used for hydronic systems only spread the heat along one face (so either a subfloor or the ceiling drywall). You would need to get a custom heat spreader for a single tube to do both.

A hydronic radiant ceiling also requires much higher temperatures than a floor does, so you'd have an uncomfortably hot floor or a rather ineffectively tepid ceiling. Neither is ideal.

You could run parallel systems between ceiling/floor joists

Two systems, with different temperatures, could be placed in parallel in the same space between joists. I can only speculate that it could work, but I've never heard of this before, so you might be venturing out a bit here.


OK to run wire beneath / along track lighting?

To start I would like to say that I don't believe you should do any expansion to Knob and Tube unless you plan to at least upgrade that circuit to newer methods.

With that out of the way you can run circuits though lighting fixture and track, but only if it meets certain qualifications and that will be approved by the manufacturer.

Second I don't know of any wiring method that would allow you to run wire underneath a track.

If you really don't care much about how it looks I would suggest an exterior wiring method like "wiremold".


Main box amp requirement for 2.4 amp refrigerator

Assuming USA/Canada: 15A if it's 14Ga copper wire, 15 or 20A if it's 12Ga copper wire. I'm personally not a fan of sharing the refrigerator or freezer circuits with any other load due to the possibility that the other load will trip the circuit and spoil your food.
If the other outlets are in the kitchen, that's required to be 20A if it's one of the two required countertop outlet circuits.


Newly Installed Bifold Doors Difficult To Initiate Closure When Fully Opened

Ed Beal & User3757614 are very right. However, see if you already have stops that are integrated with the door anchors at the ends. If you have them, they're adjustable & keep the rollers from binding in the track, which sounds like is your problem. The doors shouldn't collapse tightly together.

There would be a screw at the outer edge of the anchor & you may notice a seam between a thin edge piece of metal or plastic that you may have mistaken as a bumper or cap. This, would or could be your adjustable stop that can be extended out again to where the binding is avoided.

This is a common problem & everyone eventually leans on the collapsed doors to push the stops in or never extends them in the first place. Due to leveling issues some people leave or make the binding to hold the doors open to stop the doors from closing on them, it's very annoying.


Ceiling fan install fail! I have 12 wires in 6 different colors. Please help!

The "dark gray"s are actually blacks.   Gray is also a color used in wiring, and it has a very different meaning from black.  Yours is not that.

Note that the wires aren't just random, they are grouped in cables entering the box.

Locate the cable with a red wire.  Note that it also has a white and black.   This is the run down to the switch.  Cap each of these wires individually with orange or yellow wire nuts, tape the nuts down so they don't easily fall off, and pull the wires out of the way.  You will not be using them today.

What remains should be 2 black and 2 white. One white/black pair comes from supply.  The other goes to your downline loads like the furnace.  Nut the black to the black, and white to the white.

Turn the power back on.  Everything else should work now.

Then call in a professional for the finish... or school up by getting a book on household electrical at the library, and reading most of it.  Not skimming or cherry picking.  Reading.


Depending on the filter media a soak and squeeze it out then put it back in some fiber filters you need to have 2 , pull the dirty one and put the clean one in now after cleaning in a week the fibers will be clean and dry , but if put in wet it can cause enough back pressure to rip the filter and on 1 or 2 models damage the blower motor. Some reusable filters do last for many years if regularly cleaned with non chlorinated water, I tell folks just put a few drops of jet dry in a gallon of distilled water this breaks the surface tension of the water and helps to remove any “dust” without harmful chemicals ,, heck you have it in your dishwasher to prevent spots, I have done this for years it helps to clean the 2 types of filters I have experience with. No comment for the - I give a +


Feedback on why constantly draining. It's starting to flood backyard

Water heaters have a safety device called a T & P valve, T is Temperature, P is for pressure. it sits atop or near the top of the unit and is designed to "pop off" or open in cases where the temperature or pressure is high.These can go bad by themselves or after being bled by a well meaning or curious person.
See if the temperature setting is maxed out, if so lower it some that may help, otherwise replace the T & P valve.


How to bypass this component to a Tetco Heat Pump

As per @Lukus , that unit is a geothermal heat pump that is using well water to provide for an approximately 55 degree source water. Wow, what a waste of good water! If the device you are speaking of is the item on the left side  with the gray top and the spring it is temperature sensing control valve, probably made by "Johnson Controls", that maintains a given set point temperature, at the sensing bulbs location. (NO, it is not a solenoid valve) . If you bypass this device you will affect the heat-pumps operation, good or bad, I don't know, and you will probably use much more water. A similar model number of this control would be V47AA or AC. AS for a solenoid valve I do not see one in either picture, but there probably is one somewhere. Item last; the people you called that originally installed the unit are probably not the same people that run the company now. Their advice on how to proceed was not in your best interest and shows that they have little knowledge of your installation.


Greenhouse subfloor (greenhouse on top of concrete) -- best material?

You will lose VERY little heat through the floor . Heat loss will be through glass/plastic and a little through the walls ; assuming you insulate the walls. I have some experience ; an 8 X 12 semi-greenhouse with tropical fish aquariums , about 70 F minimum water temperature. The only heat is a few hundred watts of aquarium heaters. And several tender plant pots sitting on the floor. My coldest weather is about 20F but many nights below freezing.  Concentrate all your heat loss plans on the window area.


I would expect more water to flow unless you have extremely low water pressure. You have a 3/4" line and all the water pressure of either a municipal water system or a water pump. Splitting that into two lines will not likely double the flow rate as there is a pressure drop, but it should increase the total flow rate considerably. I would expect it to almost double, but not quite.

This would be easy to test with an empty bucket. Time how long it takes to fill the bucket with one hose on and then with both.


This looks like a newer “vent “ & exhaust, I haven’t seen one quite like that but it looks like a coaxial vent & air supply for a closed system. I wonder if it is rain or a plugged condensate drain that is the problem because that small area would require much more rain to provide what I think you reported even at biblical proportions, I don’t think it has rained that much in our life times. So will a cap help , maybe but probably not. A hvac pro can probably find a problem in short order but I don’t think it could be rain.


How do I run an Ethernet cable through a doorway in a Mexican house built with brick and mortar?

Any ideas on how to pass a cable through a doorway?

Don't.

Drill a hole through the wall nearby and fit 8P8C (RJ45) outlets connected by solid (not stranded) UTP cable. An SDS drill will make this easier.

If necessary, chase channels up the wall (or down to trunking inside or alongside a baseboard/skirting) using tools designed for that job. You can use a hammer and bolster but there are power tools you might be able to buy or hire, including channeling chisel bits for SDS drills.


Do branch circuits sharing conduit with sub-panel feeder wires require separate grounding?

No, one ground wire of sufficient size will do the trick

All the branch circuits in a single cable or conduit can share a single ground wire (and are often forced to when metal conduit is used as a ground path or when a multi-circuit cable is used).  This is permitted as a consequence of NEC 250.122(C):

  (C) Multiple Circuits. Where a single equipment grounding
  conductor is run with multiple circuits in the same raceway,
  cable, or cable tray, it shall be sized for the largest overcurrent
  device protecting conductors in the raceway, cable, or cable
  tray. Equipment grounding conductors installed in cable trays
  shall meet the minimum requirements of 392.10(B)(1)(c).


How to determine which neutral to which power?

Yes, it matters.   It is vital to pair the neutrals with their partner hots.  You should have marked the wires at the time you installed them, either by tagging the wires with tape, or by bundling the pairs with tape, or any other method that makes sense.

Now, your best bet is to document carefully which outlets are on which hots.   Then, pull one of the neutrals off the neutral rail and insulate it.   Make sure that all the outlets on one circuit do work, and all the outlets on the other circuit do not work.  Now you know the still-connected neutral is associated with that hot.  Mark it!

Do not allow a situation where some outlets on hot A return on neutral A, and other outlets on hot A return on neutral B.  That is a wiring defect that should be corrected ASAP because it will result in the neutral being overloaded.   Neutrals do not have circuit breakers, so the system absolutely depends on neutrals not serving two hots.


Do I need an extra deep old-work box for a stucco wall?

Old Work Box Mounting Accessories Link

Option One: Old-work Switch Box Supports with 2-1/2” Long Legs - Most common technique, though probably not as easy as option 2, which is relatively a new design.
Option Two: Cut In Box "Old Work" Mounting Clips.

These items should never be used to support a fixture.  Strictly speaking, only switches and outlets on a vertical wall, or similar.

I would opt for 2, as it may be easier for those not familiar with item 1 and thick walls.


Lean Ikea Krabb mirror against the wall (for decoration), need something to prevent them from slipping

Your cinder block holding a board provides an indication that the answer you seek does not have to be particularly elegant. You could place another board under the block, with the same cleat, positioned outside the base of the mirror. This would prevent the mirror from sliding away from the wall.

A less bulky alternative would be to keep the cleat, extend it wider than the mirror and attach it to the bottom of the vertical board with strong cord. This would allow the entire assembly to be collapsed when needed. It would be necessary to implement additional fastening to prevent the cleat from riding up the mirror. A slot in the cleat into which the mirror would seat would serve equally well in that respect.


How do I troubleshoot my generator and transfer switch installation?

I went to test it out again, hoping elves would've fixed it while I was gone, but no such luck.  As I was playing with the oil burner, I flicked on/off the emergency shutoff switch and got shocked.  This led me to check the ground wires.  The transfer station looked ok, so I went outside to check the power inlet.  I was cautiously happy when I saw that the ground from the building wire had come loose due to some really shoddy workmanship.  I reconnected and secured the ground and everything worked just fine after that :)

Thanks Tester and everyone else for all the assistance.  It was greatly appreciated.


The other white wire is your clue

See that two-wire cable with the red wire connected to the yellow (Y) wire from the thermostat cable? That cable controls your compressor, and the white wire from it must connect to the equivalent of the C terminal on your air handler for your air conditioner to work.  So, connect whatever wire you're going to use as C to the same terminal as that white wire, and you'll be good!


How do I read circuit breaker temperature ratings?

60/75°C Wire — All circuit breakers rated 125 A or less are marked for use with 60° C, 60/75°C or 75°C only wire. This marking indicates the proper wire size for termination in accordance with Table 310.15(B)(16) of the NEC . It is acceptable to use wire with a higher insulation rating if the ampacity is based on the wire temperature rating marked on the breaker. For breakers rated more than 125 A, the proper wire temperature rating is 75°C and it is optional for the breaker to bear this marking.

REF: UL Marking and Application Guide - Molded Case Circuit Breakers 2016 Page 10 Terminations (20)


Metal drainage grate, available off the shelf, or will need to have it custom made?

If you can not find the exact size grate that you need "off the shelf" then you will have to find alternative.
Custom  made OR buy a bigger one and use an angle grinder to cut it to size. Go to steel/metal supplier, you can get grating material in a variety of sizes.
This answer is as comprehensive as possible given the information provided in the question.


Connecting Wood/Electric Furnace to Smart Thermostat

You have two 24VAC transformers here, and that's where the fun starts

Your system is unusual in that it has two 24V control transformers within it -- one for the electric side that powers the relay and contactor, and a second for the wood side that powers the servo motor.  Furthermore, the transformer for the servo motor is half the size of the transformer for the electric side of this furnace (20VA vs 40VA), limiting its ability to power a power-hungry WiFi thermostat as well.  Given that the wood-side transformer has its C wire exposed at the control terminal block and the electric side transformer doesn't, that leaves you with two options:

Replace the 20VA 24VAC transformer with a 40VA version (40VA HVAC control transformers are utterly bog standard) and then tap C at terminal 6 on the furnace's control terminal block, using a 24VAC SPST relay to allow the thermostat to control the electric side.
Tap the electric-side C terminal, likely at terminal 7 on the relay, and then use a 24VAC SPST relay to allow the thermostat to control the wood side.

Something like this would suffice for this application as far as relays go (technically, it's not UL listed for standalone use, but for mounting into a furnace, that's not a big deal).


My brand new fridge has a dirty mark and silver tape near the compressor, should I send it back?

Yes, take it back. It is obvious that the mark was caused by a burn. The silver flashing tape was placed over it in an attempt to hide the damage.


I have had and solved this problem. There are three wood dowels on each side between those cam lock screws.  You must cut them. When you do, you will be able to tilt the side piece in order to extract the screws. I did not feel like getting out my multittool for such a small job, so I used a sharp bread knife. The dowels are not even 1/4" so you will have no problem. To reassemble, I would recommend that you first insert blind nails into each dowel for stability. I suppose you could also try drilling out the dowels and replacing them, but that seems like overkill.


How do I replace shower / tub handles / spouts?

Yes: Everything in your pictures falls into the realm of trim.  If you remove the knobs, handles, and spouts, you will find valve and spout stubs.  You should be able to remove all trim without shutting off the water.

Plumbing supply houses should be able to find compatible trim pieces.


How do I disable the battery water level sensor on watchdog sump pump back up when I replace it with a sealed battery?

If it's a basement watchdog, you can attach the sensor rod to the positive battery terminal to disable it.


How can I improve the sensitivity of a motion detector light?

Removing the white plastic that covers the light sensor will make the PIR/motion sensor less sensitive/effective. The cover is actually a Fresnel lens, it has a pattern that scatters light in different directions, increasing sensitivity dramatically (e.g. when light passes through a part of the cover that is 0.5mm away from where it was before, it is sent into a different direction, making it appear as if it has moved more than it has).

I would suggest cleaning or replacing the cover (especially if it is old and has become damaged/dull/dirty). Some PIR sensors also have a dial to turn up or down sensitivity.

I know this is an old question, but it may help others.


If the bottom plate and studs were installed to finish the garage, only to support the drywall, then replacing the bottom plate would be fairly easy. You'd have to remove the drywall, remove the nails from the studs into the bottom plate and them hammer out the bottom plate. If there's any weight from the top plate, you might need a ceiling screw jack to temporarily support it. If any of the studs are rotting, you'll need to cut out the bad sections and sister in some replacement sections. Be sure to use PT wood. You'll also want to find out where the water's leaking in from the outside and seal that off.


How should I level (flatten) ceiling joists for drywall?

The way we do it is to strap the joists perpendicular with 1X3 cheap strapping.  Find the lowest point in the existing field of joists and that will be your level reference. We use a laser 360 degree level , but you can get by with a good 6 foot standard bubble level. Mark off the joists in 16" on center with an extra piece of strapping along each wall edge. Then set the first piece of strapping closest to the lowest point of the ceiling.  Use simple shims under the strapping as you go to keep each piece of strapping level side to side and row or strapping to row of strapping.  Secure the strapping with 4d or 6d ring nails to the joists.  It will take a little time, but you should get the hang of it very quickly.  The result should be a nice flat and level ceiling. I know this is a quick description, but I will be happy to give you more info and hints if you decide to use this method. BTW, this is definitely a 2 or 3 person job, and an air nailer will really help.


Removing Caulk from Quartz bathroom countertop

Once pure silicone is cured there are no cleaners or solvents, that I'm aware of (maybe an acid), to remove or dissolve it. I've had very good success removing dried silicone that had not been applied carefully by "pushing" it off the surface. With your thumb or pointer finger apply pressure on the wayward silicone smear pushing back and forth. If the bead is thin the friction that is created by your digit will start peeling it off the surface. The alternative is to very cautiously slice the sealer off with a single edged blade. Be alert, even though quartz is a fairly hard mineral a sharp edge can still nick the surface. Keep the blade angle low; 25-30 degrees and push with easy short strokes. Depending on the countertop composition, silicone is used frequently as an adhesive and a sealer. Its color is usually matched to the most prominent color of the countertop. For a neat and discreet caulk bead, blue painters tape can be placed as a protective border so that any caulking that spreads beyond the intended area will be removed with the tape.


Usually you have to turn the gas valve to pilot and hold an override button to get the gas to flow. If the pilot lights wait at least 30 seconds then turn the gas valve to on. If the pilot goes out it is usually a bad thermocouple (the little metal probe sticking up that the flame hits). If this component has failed the pilot won’t stay lit ever. They are fairly inexpensive and easy to change. They are clamped at the pilot the tube goes back to the gas valve and it unscrews. They start at about $10 and that might be the problem.


Sounds like you're low on refrigerant. The sealed loop internal pressure has dropped low enough that all the evaporation is happening in the top two layers of the evaporator coil.

You could replace the refrigerant, but the question will remain: what caused the loss? I suggest that a qualified ($$, I know) repairman is your best chance at finding and repairing the leak.


Which pipe to use to top-up refrigerant in a freezer?

The filler hose for the small cans only fits on the low pressure side.

The high pressure side should have a different fitting. This is how cars are anyway. So it is impossible to connect the refill can to the high side with the refill kit you buy at the auto store.

The small cans don't have enough pressure to overfill the system. So you can't overfill it. You could put the can in a bucket of warm water whole filling that will help get all of the refrigerant out of it.

Make sure it is running while you are filling it.

Good luck!


DIY solution for open ground wiring where electronics need to be plugged in?

Check for unused grounding wire, and connect if found (great option, but I suspect we will not find such wiring based on the age of the building)

This is the only option that will actually provide equipment grounding, assuming you find an equipment grounding conductor in the box.

  Replace receptacle with ungrounded GFCI outlet

While this will provide ground-fault protection; which is good, it will not provide equipment grounding.  In fact, when you do this you have to add a label that reads "No Equipment Ground" on each receptacle protected by the GFCI.

  Connect a ground wire from the outlet plug to it's box (presuming we discover the box is metal not plastic) and use the box for ground

This only works if the metal box is connected to an equipment grounding conductor, otherwise it offers no grounding at all.

  Ignore the lack of proper ground and cross our fingers none of our electronics get damaged

This is probably the most common solution. Though most people aren't ignoring the lack of grounding, they simply don't know they need it.

  Run an extension cord from a properly grounded outlet in a non-original part of the house to where the electronics will be?

This is a temporary solution, but you'd have to protect the cords from damage and use the proper size cord.

  Something else?

There's really not an easy solution here, the only way to do this is to run an equipment grounding conductor.

Other useful questions:

Is it OK to borrow a ground wire from a different circuit?
Can I run a ground wire of a single circuit to the panel outside the house?
How can I determine if my outlets can easily be grounded?


How can I install a kitchen drawer with only one side and no front beam?

Undermounts are the standard of the industry these days and most models don't require a side wall to support the drawer. Here's a pdf from Accuride that shows the rear hook you'll need (See page 3, figure 9), although Blum, Hettich, etc. all have there own version. The drawer will have to be made to the specs of the slides you purchase which will mean some rather serious woodworking, a pre-built drawer from a supplier, or you can get a drawer system like this. Good Luck!


Water gets cold after ten minutes of use!

The black stuff should've been from the new Water Heater installation & should've cleared right up. The Plumber likely had to shut-off the building's water & the valve had some deposits scraped off from operation of the valve.

But, the hot water running out so quickly is pointing to a hot water line leak. Since it wasn't noticed by anyone you could have pipes under the concrete slab of the ground floor or basement.

3-ways to discover & confirm a leak.

1 - Listen for hissing or slight high pitched rattling sounds or any unknown sound actually in the shower before turning anything on in the shower.

2 - Walk around in bare feet on the concrete slab to find a warm or hot spot.

3 - Turn off the Hot Water Valve at the Water Heater until your next shower & then turn the hot water back on just before your shower. Just turn it on a little & not wide open just 1/4 of the way.

If 1 & 2 don't find anything initially, but 3 does improve the showering then you do have a leak & go turn off the Hot Water after you're done using it again & until your next need.

Turning off the Hot Water Valve stops the hot water from leaving the tank & you get a full tank heating. Turning it back on just a little usually doesn't effect showering but limits how much hot water is lost through the leak. You can use the Water Heater this way indefinitely until the leak is found & repaired.


Connect two sheet materials with no access to other side

Oftentimes a riv-nut can be used. Similar to a rivet, it is installed from one side and fastened with a special tool. It is internally threaded such that a machine screw or bolt may be used. $22 US for kit including tool and "threaded inserts" at discount tool supplier:


Alternatives to conventional weep screed, for stucco to the ground homes?

I would take an angle grinder and cut a 1" channel in the stucco right where it meets the concrete foundation. Then you can slip some new tar paper into the gap underneath the existing (probably deteriorating) layer. Should help a bit. It's also enough of a capillary break to stop the rising damp and will allow you to inspect for termites.

Long-term, the best solutions would be removing and re-applying the stucco (possibly not as expensive as it sounds) or applying a new layer of stucco over the existing layer, with a few inches of rigid foam between old and new.


Can I use a tap and die kit to change the thread pitch on an existing machine screw?

If you're trying to completely change the treading on a nut or bolt with a tap and die, I don't think that's going to work very well. You may be able to get a new thread pitch, but it will be interleaved with the existing one, and all you'd be doing is weakening the thread material.

If you need to simply fix some mangled threads, then have at.

If you're looking to cut your own bolt threads, you will probably want to start with unthreaded rod. Although, as Cathode mentioned in the comments, if you have hardened steel rods, you're in for a lot of frustration and not much success.

I suppose you could chuck the bolt into a lathe and carefully (very carefully) slice the existing threads off to give you an unthreaded rod with with a nice bolt head, but then you'd have to grab a box of nuts of sufficiently small size that once you ground the threads out of the inside the resulting diameter would match up with your newly "skinified" bolt stock & you could rethread those.

All in all, I'd head to the local big-box and grab a box of what you need for your current project. You'll have some spares for the next project, and will, eventually have a few dozen of everything lying around that you can't find.


Wiring in a bath heater,vent, fan combo with power source coming from ceiling

If you were using separate switches:

Use the two wire cable to switch device #1. Use the white as the hot and mark it with black tape or marker. Use the black as the switched feed back to the ceiling box.

Use the three wire cable to power the other two devices. Use the white as the hot and mark it with black tape or marker. Use the black as the return switched hot for device #2 and the red as the return for device #3.

At the ceiling box, attach the incoming hot to the two white wires going to the switch box. Mark both of those whites with black tape or marker. Attach black and red wires from the switches to their respective devices.

Also in the ceiling box, attach the white (neutral) from the feed cable to the white on each device.

Attach all ground wires (green or bare) to all other grounds in each box.

If you re using one switch with a common hot:

Mark both white wires in the switch box with black tape or marker. Attach them together with a pigtail (a short length of wire). Attach the pigtail to the common terminal on the switch. Use the black wire from the two wire cable to one of the three other terminals. This will switch device #1.

Use the black from three wire cable as the return switched hot for device #2 and the red as the return for device #3.

At the ceiling box, attach the incoming hot to the two white wires going to the switch box. Mark both of those whites with black tape or marker. Attach black and red wires from the switches to their respective devices.

Also in the ceiling box, attach the white (neutral) from the feed cable to the white on each device.

Attach all ground wires (green or bare) to all other grounds in each box.

[Note: This may seem a bit strange since you are running parallel hot wires and attaching them to each other at both ends of the run.  This is done to comply with the rule that a circuit must be complete within each cable, to avoid possible induction heating.]


Test the working dimmer on the light that won't dim...  And test the non working dimmer on the light that you know will dim... to verify its not a bad dimmer or fixture.

Also try swapping the wires on the dimmer....  some dimmers require the hot to connect to a certain pole and the switch leg to connect to a certain pole.  Some dimmers also have an optional third wire for a three way switch configuration, be sure you aren't using that one.