How to attach steel cable to threaded rod

Most of the attachment methods I can think of will require making a loop in the cable to go through or around something.  There are crimp-on clamps that are basically a metal tube, but you need a heavy-duty crimping tool.  There are clamping U bolts, that only need a wrench, but they are ugly honking things to leave visible.

This type of clamp is pretty streamlined and doesn't need special tools (it comes in various sizes for the cable):

Since you need a loop, anyway, you could skip a separate cable clamp to pass it through for attachment to the rod.  Just loop the cable around the rod, and use a nut on each side to keep it positioned where you want it.
Actually, you can clamp a steel cable loop together without a hardware clamp.  Make the loop and bind it together by winding a piece of wire around the two a bunch of times.  Then cover the "clamp" with heat shrink tubing, making sure you enclose the cut end of the cable.  It won't be nearly as strong as a hardware clamp, but it will hold well enough for "decorative" purposes.
You mention an approach where you just pass the end of the cable through a hole.  You would still need to deal with the end of the cable to secure it and keep it from unraveling (and protect yourself from stab wounds; the ends are sharp).

If there won't be any stress on the cable, you might be able to use a really large crimp-on loop-type electrical terminal.  Steel cable doesn't compress like copper wire, so you would need a heavy-duty crimper.  The terminal would go on the end of the cable and the threaded rod would go through it.  Again, you could position it on the rod with a nut on each side.
Another approach: this would be similar to the old binding posts used for speaker connections.  If the threaded rod is a much bigger diameter than the cable (on the order of three or four times or more), drill a clearance hole through the rod at the cable locations.  Pre-position nuts above and below the hole.  Pass the cable through the hole and bind the end with something like heat shrink tubing.  Then tighten the nuts against the cable to lock it in place.  You might get away with a nut on just one side, but tightening it against the cable might sheer the cable.


Terminology - rebar "tie wire" or "tire wire"?

It has always been "tie wire". Just do a search, that is all you will come up with.


Here's the normal way to do that, which your LED vendor was expecting you to do.
Bring your Romex cables into a 4 x 4 x 1-1/2" metal box ($1) attached to the actual ceiling.  Sheath must extend at least 1/4" beyond the cable clamp.  Wires must extend at least 6" beyond end of sheath.   Box must be within 5' of the light's attach box.
Install a 10-32 ground screw in the ground screw site on the metal box.  Both Romex grounds ground there.  (in metal boxes always ground the box first).
Get a pre-made metal jacketed wire whip, or make one out of AC cable and knockout fittings. If it has a ground wire, you got MC cable by mistake.  Must be <6' long so the shell can provide ground.
Up in the box, do the expected thing.  Fit a blank junction box cover.
Down in the LED fixture, splice hot and neutral.  Ground is delivered via the cable shell and properly fit connector, so it doesn't take any space in the box.


Is it normal for actual temperature to be below target temperature during cold weather?

Your heating system is sized for your house and climate.  At some outside temperature, it will reach a point where ANY SYSTEM, running all the time, cannot input enough heat to compensate for the heat exiting via the roof, walls and windows.
The rate of heat flow equation  is analogous to Ohms law  I = V/R   Take I a rate of heat loss, V as the Temperature difference on either side of the wall and R as the Thermal Resistance of the wall.  The greater the temperature difference, the faster you lose heat.  When you lose heat, the rate slows down and you reach an equilibrium.

A heating system able to maintain 65 degrees in the coldest weather you experience is probably adequate, but barely so.

Keep in mind that the ground itself also gets cold.  In prolonged cold snaps, such as we've had this winter, it is not surprising that you have a cold floor.  The ground might even have frozen underneath it.  This is not expected behaviour in Florida.

The fact that you're using heat pumps also comes into play.  We don't use them very much up here in Canada, because our winter temperatures are too low for them to work efficiently.  A heat pump is trying to suck the heat out of the outside air and dump it in the house (like a refrigerator running backwards).  The colder the outside temperature, the less efficient this is.


Power Interruption/Outage: Outlets, Basement, Stove/Oven and Furnace

Number 4 is the big clue. One side of your electric service is dropping out, turning on the stove causes it to back feed. This is likely caused by a loose connection on one of the service lines feeding your house.  There are however a few other possibilities I'll cover below.

For the sake of explanation, let's say the location of the problem is a loose lug inside your electric meter.  Over time that loose connection has been building up heat, it's likely aluminum wire that melts and burns and produces black carbon. As this continues over time it eventually works its way "open" and will no longer feed that side of your electric service resulting in partial lights out in your house, that might mysteriously just come back on as that burning lug cools down. You turn on the stove (which uses both sides of the electric service) and it back-feeds current through the circuit back to that bad lug, when that happens and the two opposing sides of the electric service meet it arcs and it can actually create a weak "weld" of sorts, restoring the power again, until the connection once again burns open. repeat.  Eventually it will just burn open and be broken until someone finds the problem.

Connection points on the power companies side include the pole (or underground connection vault or stump), and the meter can, and possibly an outdoor disconnect.  Most often in our area the problem is one of the meter lugs was not tight.

On the customers side, where the service feeders connect to the main breaker inside your panel is also a place for a possible loose lug. (In my area the power utility will actually tighten main lugs in the customers panel, many utilities however will stop at the meter.)  Beyond that it's also possible there is a problem with the main breaker or panel buss itself, but that's less likely (IMO) than all the above.

Start with a call to your power company and report "intermittent partial light out". They will check connections outside your house and may even check your panel for loose feeders. They also may not check past the meter, in that case you would need an electrician to check your panel for loose feed--if the power company didn't solve the problem outside.

Most electric utilities don't charge for the service call for their side, if it is your equipment in the end, you will of course have to pay an electrician for their work.


It turns out that the probe works after all; I'm not sure what was wrong. I did have to twist the connector back and forth a few times to get a good connection and reading. Anyway, in the meantime I did the science experiment of measuring the resistance vs temperature for this probe.

Here's the data:
T:  41.4, 80.9,  108.5, 118.0, 135.0, 142.4, 148.7, 156.7, 166.0, 176.0    °F
R: 158.9, 44.64, 22.78, 16.31, 13.20, 10.07,  8.37,  7.00, 5.673, 4.827  kOhm


How big is a framed opening for a door relative to the finished door opening width?

Normally rough opening is 2 inches larger then the nominal door size. This leaves approximately 1/4" on each side for shimming to plumb.

Some carpenters prefer 2-1/2", leaving a 1/2" gap for shimming. In case framing isn't very precise (say when using unskilled volunteer labor), 1/4" can sometimes be inadequate.


How would you winterize this sprinkler system?

The hardware you will want is a valve like the one on your car only shorter. Rainbird and Orbit both used to sell them. Using drill a 32nd smaller than the valve you will need to install.  Punch a hole into the 5 station manifold shown. Screw and glue the valve and then get the compressor . Hook the air hose to the valve with one of the 5 water valves open. Think and remember, one of the 5 water valves open has to be open. Then you can turn on the compressor. Without knowing what you have feeding that manifold, remove the air before you switch water valves.  If you don't, you may find yourself hating life as you dig up your yard to find where the compressor caused the line to fracture.

If your luck is any good and you turn the water back on, you won't find yourself repeating the action of finding the other leak the compressor caused. When your satisfied  the air has cleared most of the water in the line, remove the air. Open the next valve in the line. Now you need to close the valve on the line you just completed. If you are wondering how to open and close those water valves, I'm going to recommend your local Craigs list to find another gardener.


Yes, but a few feet longer than the defect on either side. If you were to look at all of your joist, this is probably only one of many that would have a similar defect.


How to remove this door knob and plate with no obvious screws

There's a tool provided with the lockset that engages the heavy ring just inside the finished escutcheon. You can see the two opposing slots on the outer edge. The tool looks like a skinny metal shot glass with two tabs protruding straight out from the cup lip. You'd fit it over the shaft, engage the slots, and turn.

You can try poking the points of a needle-nose plier in there and spinning it out counter-clockwise.


What is best way to crimp a 1/4 inch copper pipe

acetone is stable at typical soldering temperatures, so that sounds feasible,
I would anneal the tube first, clean and tin the inside, clean off the flux residue then fill and proceed as described.


Old Carrier Furnace, 3-Wire Pilot Assembly, Electrode Sparks Continually While it Runs

I experience this exact same problem (sparking throughout the entire cycle) when the 646AX gas valve assembly failed and had to be replaced. No direct replacement was available but the stated equivalent replacement was the EF32CW.

I soon found out that the EF32CW doesn't actually have true separate PICK and HOLD coils -- it just ties the two connections together to energize a single PICK/HOLD coil. Unfortunately that means that the sparking that is supposed to happen only during the PICK phase now occurs throughout the entire HOLD phase.

My kludgy fix was to disconnect the fake PICK input and route the HOLD to the PICK. So the PICK signal only energizes the spark generator while the HOLD opens the PICK/HOLD valve and keeps it open. Works fine...


Toilet water valve tightened to OFF position but water keeps filling up tank

It's fairly common for gate valves to fail, causing them to not open or close properly. In this case you can either repair them (most of the time), or replace them. If you're replacing them, I'd recommend installing a ball valve instead.

I'm not sure what could have caused the fill valve in the toilet to break off. Without a photo or two of the broken valve, it's difficult to even speculate what could have caused it.

As for the trickling hot water... It's not clear if you mean it always trickles out, or trickles out when you open the hot water valve.  If you mean that it trickles out when a hot valve is open, that's completely normal.  If the main water supply is turned off, there's no pressure to push the hot water out of the tank. Remember, the hot water tank is supplied by the cold water supply line.

Without being able to come on site and investigate, it's difficult to say for sure what's going on. Obviously, you'll want to replace the broken fill valve. You'll also want to repair, or replace the shutoff valve for the toilet. If you don't have the tools or knowledge to do so, you might want to have these things handled by a plumber.

You also might want to investigate whether or not there's a pressure regulator installed on the main water supply line. If there's not, you might want to consider installing one. If there is, you'll want to make sure that it's set, and working properly.


replaceing a toggle switch for EXHAUST fan for small bathroom with a rocker switch

A simple on/off switch is best for a fan. This is a 'single-pole' switch. For a rocker style, something like this would work

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-Decora-15-Amp-Single-Pole-AC-Quiet-Switch-White-R72-05601-2WS/100058788

The switch will most likely be rated for 15 amps. This is fine, the switch must be the same as or more than the fan.


How to fix running toilet if pushing down on the fill valve is the only way to stop it?

It is probably a bad "o" ring on the plunger or a bad seat seal on the valve base. You should  be able to get replacement parts at your home store but I've found replacing the entire fill valve to be a quicker and more complete fix to the problem.


If there's no heat in this closet, and it has two external walls, and its only heat is whatever bleeds from the bedroom, then it will inevitably be colder than that bedroom. Frankly, a 2 degrees (F?) difference doesn't seem like a lot in this situation.

My reasoning? In cold weather, heat will flow from that closet through those two outside walls and into the great outdoors. The only way heat will enter the closet is through the  doors and wall shared with the bedroom, and that will only happen if there's a difference in temperature between the bedroom and the closet.

Insulation will help a bit, but either adding explicit vents between the closet and bedroom, or actually adding a heater to the closet, is the only way you'll significantly reduce that temperature drop.


How do I stop my recliner from scratching wood floor

Does the recliner have distinct "feet" under the disk?

If so, some rubber floor protecting pads under those feet should stop the scratches and the sliding:

(this one is just a representative sample, they come in many shapes, sizes, and materials)

If the entire disk contacts the floor, then how about just putting a carpet under it (with a non-slip pad under the carpet)


How do I disable a main floor thermostat and add one in a basement suite?

The thermostat wiring needs to be run to the location you want the thermostat or purchase a locking cover. Their are wifi controlled thermostats that you can install so it can be adjusted with your phone tons of option here I just grabbed one for an example.


How do I extend outlets after installing a backsplash?

If your problem is that the thickness of the back splash material has caused the electrical boxes to become recessed you may need to use electrical box extenders. These come in a number of styles depending on the type of electrical boxes you have. There are options for metal or plastic boxes for starters. Other factors would be amount of extension needed and whether you are dealing with a single width type box or a wider type.
Here is an example of a metal box extender that works in a telescopic manner to accommodate just the amount of extension that you require.

If you're in an area that follows National Electrical Code (NEC), the boxes cannot be set back more than 1/4" (6 mm). If the backsplash has caused the boxes to be set back more than this, you'll have to use extenders to bring the box out to the proper depth.

National Electrical Code 2011
ARTICLE 314 Outlet, Device, Pull, and Junction Boxes; Conduit Bodies; Fittings; and Handhole Enclosures
II. Installation
314.20 In Wall or Ceiling. In walls or ceilings with a surface of concrete, tile, gypsum, plaster, or other noncombustible material, boxes employing a flush-type cover or faceplate shall be installed so that the front edge of the box, plaster ring, extension ring, or listed extender will not be set back of the finished surface more than 6 mm (1⁄4 in.).
In walls and ceilings constructed of wood or other combustible surface material, boxes, plaster rings, extension rings, or listed extenders shall be flush with the finished surface or project therefrom.

If the box is less than 1/4" from the finished surface, you can use as many spacers as needed to mount the receptacle in such a way that the yoke is held rigidly at the finished surface.


Why does my house feel colder in one area after installing blown cellulose insulation?

You say “thermostat is in the hallway of second floor”

The hallway used to lose a lot of heat through its ceiling; it does not do so any more, so for a given temperature, it needs a lot less input of heat.

A bedroom also looses less heat through its ceiling then it did before, however it still loses heat through its outside walls.   So for a given temperature it needs a little less input of heat.

The thermostat is reducing the input of heat based on the needs of the hallway; the hallways needs have reduced more than the rest of the house.

So you need to turn down water flow to the radiator in the hallway, so it takes longer to heat up.   (If you have a hot air system you need to block up its outlet into the hallway.)

This is why it is best to put radiators under windows on outside walls, so the parts of the building with the most heat loss gets the most heat input.

The normal setup in the UK, is to set the thermostat higher then you want, then control each room using TRVs.     There are better setups but they cost a lot more.


I have hooked up motion lights and used a 12/3 wire the normal black feeder conductor to the hot black for the sensor and the red feeder to the red of the light using a 3 way switch with the switch in 1 position the black is fed in the other position the lights are on. At first to turn this off I had to use the breaker. I later replaced the single 3 way switch with a double 3 way and fed the power through 1 switch so that would kill the power and still have my motion / override function.


These are really old HAI switches (from before Leviton bought them) which use the ALC protocol over separate signaling wires.

I finally found someone who could tell me that the original switches were put in around 2005, so I used The Wayback Machine to look at HAI's website as it appeared at that time. From there, I found pictures that match these switches perfectly.

UPDATE: I finally got into the controller cabinet for the system and discovered that it has an ALC controller already hooked up with lots of wires that appear to go to these old switches all over the building. It appears that we should already be able to control the old switches from the system because of this board, so I'm guessing that something is just misconfigured in the settings.


It does not look like typical fiberglass. The era is right. Testing and reasonable care is certainly advisable, as is a reminder that most "effects of asbestos exposure" are from chronic exposure (folks that worked with the stuff) not whatever tiny bit you may have been exposed to in ripping one or two pipes open before going: Hmm, this doesn't look like what I was expecting.
The only way to know for sure is to have it tested at a lab (if you get exorbitant prices and scare tactics, keep shopping for a reasonable lab.)


How do I wire a GFCI to provide continuous power to a dishwasher and switched power to a garbage disposal?

Disclaimer: Working with electrical is dangerous -- don't do it if you can't do it safely -- call an electrician. Note: I am not an electrician, so I can NOT provide you "expert" advice.

GFCI will only protect things that are further away from the electrical panel than the items to be protected. Most people do not recommend installing more than one GFCI on a circuit unless you are certain that they are not on the same branch (one earlier on the line, one later on the same line) --this can sometimes cause you issues with random or circular tripping GFCI sockets, or waste time when trying to find which GFCI was tripped, and rarely provides a benefit.

Starting with a reference point, a three pronged receptacle has a left short spade (black/hot), a right tall spade (white/common) and the ground pin (copper/unshielded). A GFCI's connections on the back corresponded to these (except flipped); When looking at the back, white to the Silver (in U.S.) screws (tall spade side), blacks to the Brass (in U.S) screws (short spade side). Often, a red lead is added to the the black wire coming from your electrical panel (upstream) so that others will know which is the upstream and which is downstream.

With that out of the way -- You'll need to do some investigation to determine which is which.

Needed Items:

Red electrical tape OR red electrical wire OR painters tape and red marker
Electrical Socket Tester (cheap -- got mine at Wal-mart for a
Wire Nuts (to cap off disconnected wires)
Recommend: A non-contact voltage tester is always good to have with working with electricity. Again, picked mine up at wal-mart for about $10.

Only leave breaker on long enough to confirm whether tester is on or off, unbalanced connections are dangerous. Always cap disconnected wires.

Steps:

Turn off breaker. (assume this for every step)
Connect only one white and one black (and keep ground connected). Turn breaker on. If outlet has power, you have your "upstream" wires. If not:
Rinse and repeat the first two steps, except:

2nd time: swap for other white wire.
3rd time: swap for other black wire.
4th time: swap white wire back (by this time you should have found your "source" wires)

On the black "source" wire wrap it on the coated part with a short piece of red electrical tape, or add a short red wire (of same load rating) using a wire nut, or fold a piece of tape around the coated part making a flap and put a red X on each side. Just for my own knowledge, I also put a piece of red electrical tape on the white wire as well, just so I know what wires go where.
The other two wires are your "downstream" wires.
Lastly, you should confirm exactly what is "downstream" of this outlet, once you have the 2 "source" wires connected and the 2 "downstream" wires disconnected, verify that what you expect to be protected will actually be protected, and that the wiring it not connected to anything unexpected (check lights/appliances/disposal/dishwasher/etc).

Note: You will probably want to do this first before going through the trouble of finding the specific wires, so that you can confirm which outlet should be replaced in order to protect your circuit.

The GFCI, at a minimum, should be labeled on the back with "LINE" and "LOAD" markings, and may also have "white" and "black". "LINE" refers to your upstream/source/hot wires coming from the electrical panel. "LOAD" refers to your downstream outlets/appliances to be protected.

You should refer to your specific GFCI markings, but this typically means (clock-wise from top-right on back of a vertical socket -- top-left in picture below) the connections are RED (line/source hot), BLACK (downstream hot), WHITE (downstream common), WHITE (line/source common). Both whites should be on one side while the red/black wires should be on the opposite side.

 from Source Website -- I don't know anything about this website, they just had a good picture.

Hope that helps.


How can I prevent interior French Drain from further eroding soil under garage slab?

Using perf pipe allows water out just as it allows water in. The water stain half way along the garage wall could be from water backing up and out of the perf pipe. I like the solid pipe idea for "transporting" water, if you're not trying to "gather" excess water. Here we can buy one-half perf and one-half solid pipe. We install it with the solid side down and when the water table gets high enough to reach the mid-point of the pipe, it flows into the pipe. We just install the mid-point of the pipe at the level we want to keep the water table at.

How about moving the sump away from the garage to the other end of the house? Then, when it starts pumping, it won't erode (suck) all the soil from the surrounding area out the drain. Also, maybe a sump pump that moves water slower or comes on more frequently so as not to impact the drainage system so severely each time. (It could cut down on the washing of the "fines" (soil or sand) out of the french drain and from under garage slab.)

If you don't have a perf pipe along side the garage, you'll run the risk of water seeping into the garage.

Also, look at separating your water. Remove all your downspouts from this collector system and use it strictly for subterranean de-watering. Rain tends to come quickly and thus flood the system...perhaps backing up and out of the perf pipe.

Erosion is caused by water "washing" across a surface. If the material under your garage slab is dirt (or sand), then it'd be easy to erode. We use crushed rock. Can crushed rock be placed back under the slab, or is that too difficult?

Last thought: hopefully your installers used washed round rock (or crushed rock WITHOUT the fines) for your french drain. The key here is without the fines. For material to wash away from under the garage slab, it has to have a place to go. If it's confined then it won't wash away. However, if the french drain was installed using fines, then the fines in the french drain would wash into the perf pipe allowing the material under the slab to "sluff" away. Dumb!!! Are these guys licensed to do this kind of work? At least you have filter fabric encapsulating the entire french drain, right?

I'm not sure what the solid sheeting between the garage and house is suppose to do.


Can I mount wall 75 inches (50kg) tv on plasterboard?

To answer the question I would say don't do it. But an easy solution is to determine the width of the studs in your wall and then get 3/4" plywood and cut a rectangular panel long enough so that you can securely fasten both ends into a stud inside the wall. Then you can securely attach your TV bracket into the 3/4" plywood and it should hold up well. Once I actually had 2x4's and cut them to be 17" long. I used 3" screws to secure them horizontally onto the wall attaching them to the studs that were spaced 16" in the wall. I made sure the horizontal studs were placed so that the screw holes of the TV bracket were centered in the horizontal studs I attached to the wall. If you do this correctly your TV is not going anywhere. This makes your television stick out a couple more inches but if you don't mind this you will have a very securely connected TV to your wall. Good luck!


Proper method to wire through different surfaces

You can't run power cords through/inside the wall, so you'll have to install a receptacle behind the TV and fireplace.

You can run nonmetallic sheathed cable (romex) inside the wall, so there should be no problem running it from the receptacle through the wall and to the dimmer.


How to sound proof bedroom floor above garage door?

Since you are renting you likely are limited in how extensive you modifications can be. I would first contact whoever is responsible for the buildings maintenance. It is possible the door just needs some maintenance. Lubrication of the chain and rollers along with the adjustment of the up and down stop points.  You can ask if you can install thick carpet padding and thick carpet over the entire floor to dampen the noise.


Attaching a grounding pigtail to a junction without a tapped hole?

If you are certain that the box is properly grounded, you can use grounding clips

The wire is attached to the clip and the clip to the front edge of the box.

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


How do I replace one switch in a 2-gang box with a timer?

The current set-up with the wire bent into a loop and the same wire proceeding on is perfectly fine. You do not have to have separate pigtails for each switch. I have one 3-gang switch box where I used that connection method for the three switches. The city electrical inspector said it was fully acceptable.

EDIT
But it could be that the installation of the new timer switch would be easier if the two switches were each fed by a separate pigtail from the line hot. Sometimes these timers have stranded wire leads and sometimes they have hard contacts. What does yours have?


Dirt or concrete for Aluminum fence posts?

Do not use concrete.

Concrete and aluminum have incompatible issues.

Dirt and compact it well, every 2" or so as you refill the hole.


Removing baseboard heater and installing elec oven on that wall

Probably not.

There are 120V and 240V baseboard heaters. Your oven will almost certainly be 240V.
Baseboard heaters basically max out at 1500W. Ovens are more 2000W+.
The baseboard circuit probably had other things on it.

I'm ignoring the code issues, because I don't know the code, but I'd say the wiring is probably not good enough on a technical level. If this happened to be a 240V, 2500W heater on a dedicated circuit, it might be worthwhile to check the code, but anything less beefy than that isn't going to work.


rigid black 4" pipe underground about 15" impact resistant?

I'm in Minnesota (similar climate). It's been a fairly mild winter so far, but we did have one deep cold spell. All told, It was probably enough to freeze your soil sufficiently to bear that weight. The groove in your lawn is partly due to the low-density grass and topsoil, but it's hard to say without photos.

That said, if your soil is very dry or sandy, it may have shifted enough to crack the pipe. At a temperature of 10 or 20 degrees F it won't be very flexible.

One way to find out....


Recommended paint for outdoor cement patio

I would suggest using a colored sealer instead of paint. It is available in several color options. Sherwin Williams is just one of the brands I searched. The sealer will penetrate the concrete so minor surface damage will be less noticeable.


Yes!  For goodness sake, do NOT put any commonly available potential (ie 120V) on the lines, they make very easy to use tools for this.  Most sources in your house will be voltage sources, vice current sources, so how much current results is a factor of the resistance in the line.  Because these speaker wires will have low resistance when you find both ends, you will get a LARGE current in the lines which could destroy your fuse/breaker or even cause a fire.

What you are describing/seeking, though, is essentially a resistance measurement (ohm reading).  Get a multi-meter, the "ohm"/resistance measurement ("upper-case" omega) sends a small current down the wire and measures the voltage, to determine the resistance (using the equation v=ir).  In your case, you know you will have found the other end when the measurement of resistance goes to near zero (after starting at off scale, or pegged).  I would wrap one of the speaker ends around the black lead (color chosen for no particular reason) then go to each wire on the other end until you get the near 0 reading of resistance.

If the wires are too far apart, make an extender out of an available piece of speaker wire. Simply twist the free piece of wire to one end of the speaker wire on the wall to extend it far enough that your red and black meter leads are long enough to reach both ends. Then continue with the resistance measuring technique described above.  Now, use the red lead of the multi-meter to go through each wire until you find the right one.  Mark those wires and move on to the next.


How do I remove a thick layer of paint from tiles?

Try a heat gun, it will soften the paint and allow you to scrape it off more gently. Be sure to follow instructions for proper ventilation and material safety especially if there's any possibility of lead paint.

However, unless you're particularly in love with those tiles, tearing down and re-tiling will likely give you a better result in less time.


Advisable to install a service check valve in front of a thermal expansion tank

Yes, it is good practice to fit an isolation valve.

This makes replacement of the expansion tank easy without draining the whole system.

This is also a practice followed for many components in a water system, as these valves are cheap & reliable, so putting them either side of a pump can save a lot of hassle when trying to bleed a system.


If you can remove the existing grounding wire from the grounding screw, then do that and connect your 4-prong's grounding wire to the screw.

I initially misunderstood your explanation of the existing grounding wire. If this is a wire coming from inside the dryer, then you'll likely need to connect it to the neutral lug once you've connected to the grounding screw a suitable ground from your new 4 prong cable. As said in a comment, your best bet is to consult the dryer's manual to verify this is the correct action for this step.


Should window headers be set against the top plate or at rough opening height?

I was taught to put them slightly above the opening and blocking between the header and top plate. But have seen others do it at the top. For a small opening I doubt that it matters but for larger windows I would want my header close to the window for stability especially in a windy area.


Is it affordable and reasonable to create a tub using tile

My speculation is the reason you can't find resources for that specific approach is because that approach is inferior in almost all ways to modern tub construction.
Most importantly: tile and grout is mostly water-tight; fiberglass or cast-iron tubs are entirely water-tight. As you probably know, any amount of regular water leakage into unintended areas can cause huge problems. This is why tile and grout is fine for areas with indirect water (e.g., tub surrounds) - though this still should be backed by a water-barrier (e.g., Redgard) and concrete board. Even when you see tile and grout shower floors, these are always underpinned by a "shower pan" - which is 100% water-tight. Tile and grout is, to some, a better aesthetic choice, but it is worse in the practical considerations of water control.
There are other, less critical reasons that it is avoided: one, it's generally more expensive to manually tile and grout anything than it is to purchase a prefabbed, mass-produced version; two, the curves and smooth presentation of almost all tubs is much more difficult to accomplish with tile and grout; three, a smooth fiberglass wall is much more comfortable to move your bare skin across than tile and grout (ever try and slide across your kitchen floor on your stomach?). All of these can be mitigated with highly skilled craftsmanship, but that's much harder to find than a tub at your nearest hardware store.
You do see tile and grout approaches in some large-scale water containers like public pools or spas, but even these are almost always built on top of concrete and dirt (where the small water leakage is controlled or irrelevant). Here the tile is for aesthetics and durability (a porcelain tile will wear down much slower than a concrete wall due to its hardness).
To summarize and directly answer your question: it can be done, but it will be far more difficult of an approach than any standard method because the installation will be customized and extra considerations will have to be taken to control the water. At the very least, it should use porcelain tiles (more water-resistant than standard ceramics) on top of Redgard/Redgard-equivalent on top of some kind of water resistant substrate (concrete forms, concrete board, shower pans, etc.). The last part will be the most difficult and particular part of the process, as standard construction materials will not adhere to a typical bathtub shape.


You could potentially use push to connect fittings like sharkbite fittings. Some tools will still be required. If copper pipe is present then you need a copper cutter like the Ridged 118, if it's pex you need a PEX cutter. You can pick up all these tools at Home Depot and the like. You'll probably want to get a pair of Channellock pliers or splurge and get the Knipex Cobra pliers. You'll possibly need some electrical tools and need to do some drain work.
Make sure to turn the power off and the water. If you don't already own some of these basic tools it may be more expensive to buy them than to call a plumber, unless you can borrow some.
Push conections work on both copper and PEX and you may find a push to connect adapter with the dishwasher end ready to go. I do believe they sell a dishwasher kit that has much of the required material.


Can I use 14/3 wire to connect a new switch on a branch in a 4-way circuit?

You'll need something a bit fancier than a standard switch to bail you out of this mess

With standard four-way switches, a mid-loop spur like the one between boxes 2 and 3 would require a /4 cable instead of the /3 you've run.  However, a more sophisticated system like the Lutron Maestro can handle this without a hitch: simply replace the switch in box 1 with a MA-S8AM and the rest of the switches with MA-AS'es.  These can work with only a line, a load, and a single interconnect wire connecting the accessory switches together, which allows for the mid-loop spur you have to be run with the cable already in the wall.


Adding lights to a 3-way switched circuit

Smart switches

Use smart switches for this.  This makes the impossible easy.

Traditionally, you would need one cable with 4-5 active conductors plus ground. And all those must be in the same cable!! You cannot group two cables as a substitute for a cable with enough wires, ever. Nor  can you use any #14 wire on a 20A circuit.

Here, we re-task white to be neutral, black to be always-hot, red to be switched-hot, and obtain a matching pair of master and remote 3-way smart switches that communicate wirelessly or via power line signaling.

Given the ease of this approach, doing traditional 3-ways is a waste of effort.


Do I need an air space between insulation and flooring in the attic?

4 inch thick insulation is thicker than a 2x4 (only 3.5" thick), which means you'll be compressing the insulation and decreasing the R value. Instead, I'd suggest laying the new insulation on top of the old (no need to throw out the old unless it's turned moldy), without a vapor barrier on the new (you only want one vapor barrier, against the ceiling), and going perpendicular (to the old to reduce the air gaps).

With 2x4 joists, I'd suggest that they are not load bearing and I'd recommend against putting any further load on top of them.


Can I add a receptacle from a bath fan switch box?

Assuming your fan switch is wired normally, it has the following wires:

Hot (black) - this is coming in and should be connected to power in the fan box (but not connected to the fan)
White (neutral) - this is coming in and is not currently used - but you will use it shortly.
Red (switched hot) - this is going out to the fan.

Trust, but Verify
You should first verify that black and red are wired correctly. We can be fairly certain that white is indeed neutral because it is capped off, which is normal for a modern basic switch installation.

Turn off the breaker.
Open up the switch and disconnect (and pull apart for safety) the wires
Turn on the breaker and check that you have 120V (nominal) on the black wire. You can check with a non-contact tester (should light up next to the black wire but not next to the red or white wire) and with a multimeter (should show 120V between black and white and 0V between red and white). If black and red are swapped then you can still do this installation but it will be more confusing.

Install the new Cable
The new wire should be 12/2. You may only need 15A but since you (a) are installing a dual receptacle so you CAN install it on a 20A circuit and (b) if you changed to 14/2 you would have to replace the 20A breaker that is likely in place (since all the existing wiring is 12), stick with 12 so you don't have to change the breaker.
These instructions assume the black wire is hot.
In the switch box:

Turn off the breaker.
Wire nut together the original black wire, the new black wire, and a short piece of black wire (aka pigtail).
Wire nut together the original white wire and the new white wire.
Wire nut together the original ground (maybe green, probably bare) wire, the new ground and a pigtail (green or bare)
Connect the switch to the black pigtail, the ground pigtail and the red wire.

Run the new cable to the new box. In the new box:

Connect black to the Line hot screw
Connect white to the Line neutral screw
Connect ground to the ground screw

Do not use the Load screws on the GFCI receptacle at this time.
Then turn on the breaker and make sure the switch/fan and new receptacles all work.


I contacted my pest control company. It wasn't termites-- simply construction dirt from 50 yrs ago. –


Do I need to install the grounding clamp on a water softener if both input and output are PEX?

Assuming this is a water softener that uses electricity, I presume that the ground clamp is put on the lines in the even that one of the lines would become energized, so that it would protect you if you touched the device (and also protects the device).

With PEX, such ground clamps would do nothing (as PEX won't energize) but to be 100% sure you should absolutely contact the manufacturer.  Better safe than sorry.

Edit to add: You SHOULD ground the softener itself, if it uses electrical power, although odds are the electrical line hookup will do just that - you just don't need to ground the PEX lines as well.


How to properly fix these cracks in exterior window sill

I find that a urethane caulk works wonders in cases like this. It bonds like no other caulk I've used, can be had in a huge variety of custom colors, doesn't shrink much, remains very flexible, and is paintable. I'm most familiar with OSI Quad.

Be warned, it's extremely sticky--you won't get it off your clothes, and you'll have to wear it off your skin. It cures very slowly, so don't expect it to be skinned over after a few minutes like silicone or latex.

Cut a small opening on the tube and press firmly to inject the caulk deeply into the crack. Use cardboard or a plastic scraper to remove any excess, pressing very firmly to slice the extra caulk off the surface rather than smearing it wide. Ideally you'll be able to apply and tool the caulk in one pass with the tube nozzle, though.


Roofing shingle replacement: Hand nailing vs nail-gun

I believe with a properly adjusted gun better results or at least more consistent results are possible. I always carry a hammer to set nails that hit a knot but I don't think it is cheaping out. In 20 years watch him starting to have have to wear a band on his elbow and possibly surgery from swinging a hammer. Full head nails available today are the same just in a rack or tape to fit the gun. I use my coil nailer and have not had any problems.


How to connect earth(grounding) that has copper wire attached?

The bare copper wire is a "pigtail" that exists to make your connection to the light fixture easier. I'm guessing that you have a metal junction box (which requires its own ground connection).

Simply nut your fixture's ground wire to it. The key is that all grounds are connected to the panel. It's usually not critical what the actual path is as long as the connections are sound.


Can municipal authorities get warrant to search suspected building site in U.S.?

Laws and rules vary widely across the country. Most towns or counties have the right to inspect the interiors of dwellings for the purpose of tax assessment, health and safety conditions. Construction inspections fall into all these categories. Insurance companies may require inspections to assess their risk of loss.  The purpose of most govt inspections is to assure that work is done to current standards and does not create a fire or health hazard to the occupants and surrounding properties. In my business, I have seen it all, dangerous wiring, leaky gas lines, sewer gas infiltration, unsafe woodstove and heater installations and substandard structural framing.

If a homewoner refuses to allow any such inspection requested for just cause, they may face fines, loss of insurance, stop work orders, loss/denial of occupancy permit and in extreme cases forced eviction by law enforcement.


permanently closing off a crawl space under a house

The Code requires access to under floor space. (See ICC R408.3.)
If through the floor, it’s 18” x 24”, and if through a perimeter wall it’s 16” x 24”. If it’s below grade, then an areaway of not less than 16” x 24” is required.


It sounds like the switch is at the end of the electrical run; the white wire that's connected to the black wires is carrying current to the switch, then the black wire coming back from the switch is connected to the light:

You need to connect the black wire for the new outlet to the black wire going to the light, not the cluster of other black wires; all the neutrals and grounds should be OK as they are.

While you've got the electrical box open, does the white wire connected to the black wires have black electrical tape wrapped around it?  If not, it should; this will indicate that it can carry live.


At first glance, I see several problems:

The junction should be in a junction box.
Is there even an electrical nut on the live wires?  Hard to tell under all that electrical tape, but it doesn't look as if there's room for one.
Is the neutral from the red wire at top going into that tangle of lives?  If it's carrying live, it should be tagged to indicate that.
The red wire to the right shouldn't be running along the top of the ceiling joist.  If you can, run it along the middle of one of the sides.
Ideally, the yellow wire at bottom would pass through a hole drilled through the joist.  Failing that, there should be furring strips either side to prevent you from stepping on it.
The electrical tape on the neutral and ground wires isn't strictly necessary for code, but if it's there, it's customary to have it go around the nut to help hold it in place.
Thanks to @tester101: different sheath colors indicates different gauge wires.  Check that your circuit breaker has the appropriate amperage rating.
Staples: if you run wires across the joists, they should be stapled to keep them in place between the furring strips (that you also need; see #5).  You'll also need them along the length of the wires that run along the joists, and it might be a good idea to have one near where the wire drops down through the 2x4 header (given the quality of the rest of the job, whoever did this may not have used staples when running the wire through the wall cavity).
It looks as if you might have a lot of slack in those wires.  Wiring shouldn't be piano-wire taut, but you don't want enough slack that you can trip over it.

Just because the inspector didn't mention it, doesn't mean it's OK.  They're human, so they can miss things, especially in an attic where the lighting isn't good.


Why did my freezer stop freezing after being unplugged for several days?

Freezers are not really designed to freeze things (at least not an entire freezer full of unfrozen things), they're designed to keep things frozen.  They're also designed to work with stuff in them, and will likely not be as effective when empty.

From your question, it sounds like you're running an empty freezer, and waiting for it to get cold.  This will likely never happen.   Put some frozen stuff in there, and monitor it for a bit to insure it's keeping the stuff frozen.  If it is, put the rest of the stuff in. If not, you'll have to investigate further.


How can I preserve 2" x 9" wood slabs in the Florida climate?

Paraffin is a low temperature wax (around 100 F) that is inexpensive and can be melted in a pot (or disposable aluminum baking pan) to allow dipping.  Its brittle at room temperature, so your slabs must be handled gently after dipping.

It is best to dip just the end grain ends of the piece and leave the other 4 sides alone.  Keep them out of the heat and sun, a root cellar would be perfect.  (probably not an option in FLA).  Perhaps a cooler, this will let them dry very slowly, a key to minimizing splitting.

Addendum:

It is usual to make the original piece a bit oversize and then mill it to the final size after it is dry.  This is why a 2 x 4 is 1.5 x 3.5, a combination of shrinkage and final sizing.

This will allow you to trim the top and bottom so that they are parallel and will hold the vase steadily.  A block plane or sander can make one side flat and a thickness planer will make the other side parallel to it.


How can I package a relay (for lighting control)?

Someone already did all the work for you

Fortunately, you aren't the first person to run into this problem.  In fact, there have been enough people who have had this problem that the good folks at Functional Devices slap an appropriate relay into an appropriate box, dress it up slightly, get it UL listed, and sell it!

In particular, you want something like a RIB2401SB for your job -- these are SPST-N/O relays rated for ballast loads up to 20A@277VAC, with a manual override switch and a multi-voltage coil that can run off 24VAC/DC or 120VAC. (A 208-277VAC version is also available.)


The ground retrofit rules say you need to take the ground back to the same panel the circuit comes out of.  So maybe this ground you just installed actually goes to the subpanel, and the subpanel has its own ground wire back to the main.

Also, I would flip that around, and make it so the fuse box is a subpanel of the breaker panel, and have it be powered off an AFCI breaker.  That will be a good hedge against most aluminum-wire troubles.


What type of material is this shower base?

It looks like terrazzo, but it's really hard to tell the details. Stone chips are easy to identify, the material between them is tricky. It can be:

some kind of resin / polymer
concrete

Terrazzo is known to be made with both of these, and it is not possible to tell them apart just by looking on photos. So you probably need to ask for cleaning fluid safe for both.
It's tempting to assume resin because it's shower, but I did see concrete-based terrazzo in bathrooms, too.


How do we fit a pedestal sink top onto a vanity base?

This is not a trivial project, as apron front sinks have straight edges on the front sides and bottom.

2 cleats should span under the sink to support the weight.  They should be sturdy enough to make the cradle, perhaps 1x3 or 1x4, oriented like joists.  You could reinforce the cabinet sides with the same size boards laid flat and extending to the cabinet bottom (like posts).  Using two pocket screws on each end of the joist would give you a bit of adjustability. Just don't drive them home until you're happy with the positioning.

The side cuts and top cuts should be back cut to make final shaping easier.  Making a foam template will be helpful and easier than sanding the top.  Blue or pink EPS foam at 1 inch should fit your needs.  A jig saw, belt sander, and perhaps a rotary tool ( like Dremel) will be most useful.

Final affixing of bowl to top can be done by setting in a bead of sealant-caulk along top and front and perhaps a dot on each joist.


Should I synchronize programmable dual zone thermostats to come on at the same time?

Like Ecnerwal says in the comments, it probably doesn't matter much, but knowing more about your system and climate would help -- recovery time would be very different if the ambient temperature is zero or 15 degrees.   Depending on your system, if only one zone is calling for heat, it may come up to temperature a bit faster than if two are (especially if it's a forced hot air system); if one zone is more important to be warm when you return, set that one to come on first.

More importantly, you might consider whether you need both zones at 21 when you return -- perhaps one zone could stay cooler until later in the evening; the savings from delaying that increase will probably be more than any difference in how you raise both zones.


Can you use a section of 3/8" pipe in a 1/2" water pipe run?

Sure, but it's going to fill slower if you do.  The washing machine won't care, it doesn't fill by time, it fills by volume.

The narrow pipe may throw off your "warm" setting somewhat.  If the hot and cold lines are not equal, they'll flow at a different rate.

The narrow pipe will help your "hot" setting be hotter - if it's on the hot pipe and if it's a long run. You know when you open a faucet and the hot water runs cool for a few seconds? That is the water that is already in the pipe and it has cooled off. On a smaller diameter pipe, there will be less water in the pipe (almost half as much, 3/8 vs 1/2).


Why is there water dripping through my soffits?

I'm sorry for your frustrations but what a sh!t job by this roofer. What even are those flaps hanging in the gutter; drip edge backup plan?
I'd like to see more angles of your roof line but I think this picture will illustrate how water is flowing on your roof.

If you're comfortable with ladders then grab a hose and pour water on your roof while you record the flow. You should quickly see whether things are working properly.
If my illustration is accurate then expect your fascia to rot in the next few years.
For the record, water dripping from your soffits is not normal. Keep investigating until you find the source and do everything in your power to make the roofer properly fix it. Presumably you paid at least $10,000 for this new roof so if they suggest patch-work such as silicone or some mastic then be aware that they are trying to avoid doing it right.


What is the best way to clean a dryer vent?

I use a dryer vent brush like this one at Wal Mart:


What is the best way to rebuild this shower drain?

You should cut the 2" main line (at the location shown in the first picture) and rebuild the assembly entirely, eliminating the combi (reducing tee) and any 1 1/2" components and orienting a new 2" sanitary tee to the correct angle to line up with a new 2" trap located directly under the shower drain. Why on earth would you reduce to 1 1/2" here when you could very easily make this all 2"?


How can a steep driveway be kept safe in snowy climates?

Having lived a good portion of my life in an area where heavy snowfall is common I can say that the best way to deal with snow in any driveway is to keep it shoveled out down to the underlying surface. You should at all possibilities try to keep it shoveled, plowed or blown before any attempt to drive on it. In many cases driving on it compacts the snow down and begins to cause a build up of compacted snow ice that will tend to want to stay there for the rest of the winter. These comments can apply to any driveway but especially to one like you describe which is a serious grade.

In my last years of living in snow country I had a medium steep driveway that rose about 6 feet over a run of about 45 feet. I was working long days at my job and there were multiple drivers in the family that used the driveway multiple times before I could get it cleaned out each time it snowed. I can say that it was a mess of slippery iciness that was hard to drive in. Some years the icy build up was as much as 8 inches thick. The work around solution that I used was to spread liberal amounts of course sand over it to provide traction till the next snow.


How do I install an outdoor receptacle box on vinyl siding?

You can probably get away with a weather proof box on top of the siding, but here's the full procedure to make it look nice.

Vinyl siding can be pulled off and later reattached. To remove it, you need a siding removal tool that has a flat blade with a small hook on the end. You shove it up the gap between two pieces of siding and then pull to separate them. Start with the top edge that you want to remove, expose the entire piece, and then unscrew it from the wall.

There should be tyvek or similar weather proofing material under the siding. Repair the screw holes and any tears with tyvek tape.

Locate your new outlet installation location. More than likely, you'll need to remove the drywall inside to feed the lines to this outlet, so find your stud there and drill a small test hole. Make sure the hole is near where you want to place the electrical box, cut back the tyvek in an X shape with the, and then cut your opening with a drill in the corners and a reciprocating saw.

Install the new junction box to the stud. You may find it easier to screw it in since hammering requires space to swing the hammer and the vibration could cause damage to the surrounding drywall. Caulk all gaps around the box and the outside sheathing. Cut back any excess tyvek and tape around all 4 sides to make it weather tight.

Run your wiring. Don't forget to staple it to the center of the stud. Install your outlet, making sure it's GFCI protected since your outside. Use a weather protective cover over the outlet.

Install J-channel around the outlet. Install from the bottom up and overlap the joints so any drips go outside of the J-channel. Begin reinstalling your siding from the bottom piece working your way up. Measure twice around the outlet and cut your siding with tin snips (it will go through like butter and leaves the best edge for small cuts). Remember to measure so the cut is inside of the J-channel and you have a 1/4" of play to each side (siding moves with temperature changes). Don't forget to account for the overlap with the adjacent pieces when measuring, and when reinstalling, the overlap should be such that you aren't looking into a gap from the predominant view of your home. When reinstalling the siding, give it a good shove against the track on the piece below until you hear or feel it click in all the way across.

When screwing back in, I'd use different screw holes and new screws. The screws should have a flange so the siding can't slip over the head, wide threads to bite the wood, and be relatively shallow so you aren't going completely through your sheathing (1/2", maybe 5/8"). When screwing in, put your screw in the middle of the slot at the top of the siding so the siding can move from side to side. And leave the gap of a fingernail under the screw head, don't tighten it all the way down. For the last piece, after you've screwed it in, pull down the siding above into the track, and snap it in with a firm shove. The siding removal tool can help you line this up.


New home grading is only 6 inches below above grade basement windows, is that enough

The Code does not stipulate the distance from grade (soil) up to a window. However, it does REQUIRE (not recommend) that there be a minimum of 6" from grade to siding, sheathing and wood framing, or the wood needs to have a wood preservative (we call it pressure treatment and we often abbreviate it PT). (See Section R317)

However, we've all "cheated" on this and encroached on this 6" minimum to keep a good slope away from a building. In fact, the Code allows siding, sheathing and wood framing to be within 2" of concrete steps, porch slabs, patio slabs, etc.  The difference being one is measured to the dirt and one is measured to a "hard surface"...I guess they require extra protection where bugs can crawl out of the ground. (See Section R317, Item 5)

If you can keep 3"-4" from the dirt to the wood, I don't think you'd have a problem, unless you live in a termite prone area. If so, you may want to stay at 6" minimum. (Do you have a "termite shield"? It's a piece of metal flashing installed at the bottom of the siding.)


LED light needs replacing every few weeks

Unlike incandescent (in some cases) and fluorescent (in many cases), you will hardly ever see "fading" with LEDs before failure. That's because the failure is generally in the driver circuit and not the LEDs themselves. The enemy of these circuits, like most electronics, is heat. In fact, some large LED lights even have fans to remove the heat. While incandescent bulbs generate far more heat, they are not as sensitive to heat - in fact the only part that "does" anything is the filament that heats up in order to produce light - if it doesn't heat up enough, no light! As a result, an enclosed fixture (which includes a recessed can or similar fixture that is only open in one direction) needs to be designed to dissipate enough heat from the base of the light, where the driver circuits reside, to prevent shortening the life of the light.

Combine that with a cheap/poorly designed driver circuit and you end up with a recipe for failure.

A few things to look for that will help if the problem is a good-enough fixture but poor design/poor quality lights:

DLC certification This sets certain minimum standards and lights designed & manufactured to DLC specs should do well.
A good manufacturer's warranty. In a quick search on 1000 Bulbs, I found quite a range in prices on GU5.3 LED lights, with the more expensive ones generally having much longer warranties. A warranty is not necessarily all that useful due to shipping costs and other factors, but a reputable manufacturer will build things that are unlikely to fail during the warranty period as every warranty replacement costs them money.
Consider purchasing from a local store. The big stores (in the US that's Home Depot & Lowes) and many small stores that cater to the trade will have very good return policies - bring in the broken item (preferably with a receipt) during the warranty and they either refund your money or swap it for a new one.


Yes, the Shormaker Co. makes several styles of custom floor grilles/registers.

https://www.shoemakermfg.com/Product-Finder/Line/Residential/Type/Register

I’d contact them and they can tell you how to measure for correct fit. They only have a few finishes, but the quality is great (but not cheap).  Let them know if you expect a heavy load on the registers.


What to do about gap in bottom of plasterboard wall when fitting floating floor (UK)

If you're putting back the skirting boards, you can get wooden beading/moulding to cover the expansion gap.

Alternatively you could use a thin bead of hidden flexible caulk underneath the skirting board if you don't mind having a gap, as this would stop drafts coming from underneath.

In my (limited) experience this 2 inch gap is normal on both plasterboarded and normal plastered walls. It seems like there's a few advantages - e.g., it avoids damp problems from the floor or spills, and also allows expansion movement.


I do not know much about the uk boilers, but the principles are the same everywhere. Unless your boiler is ridiculously old and grossly inefficient, then it's always more effective to spend your money on weatherization and insulation first.
The price of the new boiler + the installation cost will likely take many years to recoup before you will see much savings.


This is most likely due to a partially closed shutoff valve under your sink. Most such valves are designed to stop water but not to just reduce the flow, so if the valve isn't fully opened, it may be partially obstructing the water flow in a way that generates lots of noise/vibration. So check the valves supplying hot water to your sink and make sure they're completely opened.


Where to attach clamps when using a mitre saw?

If you want clamps on your saw, buy a saw with clamps.


I am unable to find such t moldings or reducer where it fits my laminate to tile transition

I've had that exact situation, and found that the only type of transition strips that allow for this kind of height difference are ones meant for carpets. They tend to be metal, but wood ones can also be found. Below is an example. You would still need to build up the gap in between a little in order to have some support underneath and have something for the nails to go into.


If you want get more light to specific spot - use "Mirror board behind bulb".

But if you want to feel that room is more brighten, then you have to add more light sources. Feeling of brightness come from various sources: lamps, walls, objects in room. E.g. if there are lot of shadows, room may not look bright. If walls are black/dark grey, it again may not look bright.


Washing machine stops - but always restarts after I open/close lid

When is the last time you cleaned the drain filter? It could be detecting a partial clog and actuating the lid sensor causes the logic to reset the "not draining" sensor until it trips again. This happened to mine a few months ago and it all cleared up after cleaning an enormous quantity of hair out of the drain filter (part of regular washing machine maintenance).


How to connect low voltage track lighting to line voltage?

Connecting low voltage lighting to high voltage supply requires a step-down transformer or power supply unit of some kind.  You cannot connect high voltage directly to low voltage lighting; voltage doesn't magically step down that way; it is illegal because it'll cause a fire.

There should be plenty of power.

Your hookup issue is mostly mechanical.   You might use a "wall wart" transformer/power supply that simply plugs into one of the outlets.  Or you could hard-wire it using surface conduit and a spacer that extends the outlet so you make your connection underneath it.


You can drywall over the plaster, but you'll have to do the entire wall and screw through the plaster into the lath/studs.

Alternatively, you can fix the plaster itself.  The problem is, it's separated from the lath.  The fix for this is to drill shallow holes into the affected area JUST DEEP ENOUGH to penetrate the plaster, not the lath.  Drill the holes 4" apart in a grid pattern.

Then use a caulking gun and inject construction adhesive into each hole to create a glue layer behind the plaster between it and the lath.

Press the plaster up against the lath with a flat board, holding it ONLY UNTIL THE PLASTER STICKS.  Don't leave the board there too long or the glue will grab it too.  Slide the board up and down to keep it from sticking while the glue takes hold between the lath and plaster.

Allow it time to dry, then patch the holes and paint.


How do I replace part of my bathroom ceiling?

The fan may be able to be salvaged, only inspection and testing after it has been dried out can determine this. All the components should be removable from the metal box that is fastened to the ceiling joists. Be sure to turn off power at the breaker before doing any electrical work, though many fans simply unplug from the containing box. Just to be safe. Power can be restored once everything is out and any loose wires capped with wire nuts, one to each wire.

Dry out the components and inspect for mold. Any mold on non-electrical components can be cleaned with a bleach and water solution. If the motor appears moldy or water damaged, it's best to replace the fan.

Assess the limits of water damage in the ceiling, it can be much more extensive than is apparent from the painted side. All water damaged gypsum board or plaster must be replaced. From here on, I'll assume this is a gypsum board ceiling. Locate ceiling joists adjacent to the damaged area. Cut out a rectangular area slightly larger than the damage with edges falling on the center of the joists. You can cut between joists with a handsaw, but you must first be sure you are not damaging any wiring. The wet board can be pulled out by hand, allowing enough access to determine if any wiring is in the way.

The cuts along ceiling joists can be done with a utility knife. Be warned you will likely hit screws or nails along the way, remove them as you find them. Before doing this part, try to determine if the water damage extends into the next joist bay by inspecting from above, if possible.

Once you have removed all wet material, cut a new piece of gypsum board to fit the opening. Screw in place along each joist at each edge and every couple feet if it gets that big. Also screw in place the original board's new edge where nails or screws were removed. The technique for patching the joints is the same as for taping and mudding end joints of new gypsum board, there's many references on this process. It's not much more than hard core spackling.

Once the joints have been blended out enough to appear flat, prime and paint to match the remaining ceiling. This will all take some time, mainly waiting for the joint compound layers and paint coats to dry. The only hard work is cutting out a rectangular shape.


How can I eliminate one 3-way switch to leave just one switch on the lighting circuit it's on?

Your circuit contains two 3-way switches. Referring to the diagram below:

if the switch with the incoming "hot" is the one you want single control from (shown at left)-

1) replace that switch with a single-pole switch

2) connect either of the "traveler" wires to the load side

3) remove the other (unwanted) switch and connect the traveler wire used in step-2 to the "switched hot" wire that goes to the lights.

4) the unused "traveler" wire is abandoned

If the switch without the incoming "hot" is the one you want single control from (shown at right)-

1) remove the switch with the incoming hot (shown at left) and connect the incoming hot to either of the "traveler" wires

2) replace the other switch (shown at right) with a single-pole switch

3) connect the "traveler" wire used in step 1 to one side of the switch

4) connect the "switched hot" that goes to the lights to the other side of the switch.

5) the unused "traveler" wire is abandoned


Nearly New Northern MN Slab In-Floor Heat Home Needs New Water Line

Your options:

1) Add perimeter baseboard hot water heat units. Just re-route the existing master bath feed to these baseboard units.

2) Add perimeter electric units. This would be more expensive in the long run as electricity is more expensive than gas. Plus the installation would require added wiring. You could also opt for under tile electric heat.

3) Depending on the flooring in the master bath, you could tear it all up (or pour over it) and add ½" pex tubing on top of the existing slab and pour an additional 1" of concrete or gypcrete on that. This would require raising the entry door frame or cutting an inch off the door and a transition at the threshold. Aesthetically, not very pretty.

4) Or, remove the entire slab in the master bath and re-pour the whole thing with new tubing in the slab. This option would be the most expensive but would leave you with a seamless repair.

The cheapest option is to add perimeter hot water heat to the master bath. You could even add a hot water towel warmer that would actually add something to the repair. Unfortunately, the baseboard heaters will look out of place in a slab heated home.

Good luck!


What is the best way to replace a large section of 3/4" plastered drywall?

Spend the time to clean the edge of the plaster so it is straight, this will save you time and make those top two inches that will be visible look nice.  I personally would use a heaver drywall (5/8) to closer match the original and use thinner shims (they sell a cardboard like shim for drywall).  Butt the new drywall up the cleaned up line and make sure to use a drywall tape to interface the old to the new.  If you don't, the two will surfaces will form cracks between them.

You say the top two inches are the part that will show, but that will also be the hardest and most critical two inches to get right.  Drywall and plaster are two skills where experience makes huge difference in the quality of work.  It doesn't hurt to get an estimate from a couple of guys and compare that to the amount of time it will take you (plan on taking three times the amount of time as a pro)


How to unscrew a broken washing machine filter cap?

Get a piece of pipe sized to fit into the center part and cut a slot in it with a hacksaw to fit the plastic where the handle was. Then you could use a pair of channel lock pliers to turn the pipe if you need to.

Good luck.


Water spontaneously flowing from hot water faucet in bathroom sink

It is not uncommon for the cut-off valve under the lavatory to get stiff with age. I have encountered cut-off valves that needed to be turned with pliers.

As to the hot water starting to run in the middle of the night, that is a new one to me, but possibly the valve had been on the verge of failing and then suddenly did so. If this is the type with a "rubber" washer seal, then a new seal may fix it. If it is the type with a "cartridge", then a new cartridge may fix it.

If you cannot get the cut-off valve to work with pliers (used carefully), then you will have to replace the cut-off valve.

If you have the water to the entire house shut off, then it might be a good idea to turn off the water heater. Then you may be able to turn off the supply valve to the water heater and then turn on the water to the house and have cold water supply at the taps. Having running cold water will allow the toilets to fill and you will have cold water at the kitchen faucet, etc. Then you can plan a fix for the hot water valve in the lavatory.

EDIT I don't see the left (hot) handle skewed at an angle. The position of the lever is a little different which it will be in general. Pop off the little cap unscrew the screw holding the handle down and remove it. Then remove the covering to expose the valve.  Then remove the guts of the valve and I think it will be revealed as a cartridge. Take it to a big box or a plumbing supply and get a new cartridge.

EDIT #2

It could be that the handle is poorly placed so that it does not close all the way. Remove the handle and reposition it so that when closed it is not in contact with the back splash guard of the counter top. That may be all that is needed.


How can I remove this floor transition, and what should it be replaced with once I lay LVP?

Why remove it?  It's matched perfectly to the floor outside the room, and you have vinyl now so just slice the vinyl carefully where it meets the wood now, and if the new floor is a bit thicker it'll level up perfectly and look great.    If the new floor is higher than the wood floor add a narrow brass threshhold to protect its edge.


How can I stop bulbs from buzzing when dimmed?

Why do the bulbs buzz when dimmed?

When you pass AC current through the filament of an incandescent bulb, it produces a magnetic field.  This magnetic field tends to push against itself, so there's some mechanical force acting on the filament itself which causes it to vibrate slightly.  When running at full power, the AC is fairly close to a sine wave (either 50Hz or 60Hz, depending on where you are) so this vibration is pretty much constant and generally barely noticeable.

A dimmer will truncate and clip part of that sine wave; this introduces a lot of higher-order harmonics, which in turn changes the characteristics of the magnetic field, changing the way the filament vibrates.  Depending on how the filament is supported, this may cause resonance at certain dimmer settings, leading to the vibration becoming noticeable.

See this article for some more background information on how dimmers work, including a mention of this phenomenon.

  Are there other bulbs that don't buzz when they're dimmed?

If you prefer incandescent lights, look for rough service bulbs; the filament and its supports are designed to withstand more vibration than normal bulbs.  You could also try halogen bulbs or even dimmable CFLs.


Can I install a hardwood floor in the kitchen?

Sure. But it's a bad idea, because kitchens are wet and have people walking around in them all the time. A wood floor will scratch and wear quickly, and be exposed to conditions that can encourage warping, rot, or mold.

So ideally you want something durable and not affected by water, and probably something that's attractive, too. That pretty much leaves tile, which, incidentally enough, is why most kitchens are tiled nowadays.


Joining MDF shelf to extend length of spare pieces

You'd need to add substantial rigidity and strength via dowels or other means of connection. It's not a material that tolerates bending stress well. The effort to do it properly probably isn't worth the cost of a new 6' or 8' shelf board.
If you were to precisely drill for say six 1/4" x 4" hardwood dowels and liberally apply wood glue to everything it would probably hold fairly well.
Otherwise you need to support it either with a bracket at the joint or lengthwise rails of some sort.


Hot Water Tank limit switch tripping, but not over heating?

That limit is part of the Flammable Vapor Ignition-Resistant (FVIR) feature, which is required on all modern water heaters (since July 2003).  This particular limit, is designed to detect when there's a problem with inadequate combustion air.

Causes of inadequate combination air include, but are not limited to:

Explosion of combustible vapors that have seeped into the combustion chamber.
Inadequate venting.
Inadequate makeup air.
Buildup of lint, dust, dirt, or oil on the screen.

Make sure you're not storing anything that could cause flammable vapors to be near the heater (gasoline, etc.).

Make sure the exhaust vent is sized properly, and is not blocked or obstructed.

Make sure there's an adequate source of makeup air.

Make sure the lint, dust, and oil screens clean.

This is a fairly modern safety system, so it's no surprise that the old heaters didn't have the same problem.


Can I use 3/4" gravel to grade land away from my basement wall?

Won't it just allow water to go through, making it pointless to use?

You said it.

Start by checking your downspouts to make sure they direct roof water runoff away from your house.


I'm a huge fan of EPDM rubber roofs.  They are even starting to be feasible for DIY installation.

The most important thing is to glue them down correctly to the roof deck.  Otherwise weather forces will make them shift around, fold, stretch, tear seams, or pull away from corners and edges.

The roof decking must be in good condition - so it can glue down properly, and not be stressed or punctured by the decking coming up.

I would not put it over an old roof either, same reasons.

Also, it does not like tar.  Tar causes it to melt.  If you have simpleminded buffoons who work on your roof and think tar is for all roof repairs, that will be a problem.

Fortunately rubber roofs aren't terribly hard to patch provided you use proper materials.

Cost of the rubber material is quite low, often under $1/foot, but the correct glues and supplies will cost more than the rubber!  The stuff comes in widths up to 20 feet.

Almost all rubber material is black. That means your roof will get quite warm.  "The thing to do" nowadays especially in CA is to paint roofs white, if you aren't sticking solar panels up there.  You can get white rubber, or white paint, but you must be selective as to type of paint. Painting the roof will make it less repairable.

Edit: Apropos a comment, one idea I've thought of to make rubber roofing easier to work with, is to create some vertical ribs on the roof, perpendicular obviously to the water flow.  Something like this, assuming a parapet on three sides.

Those vertical ribs could become supports for the solar panels.  It's really desirable to NOT have the solar panels introduce roof penetrations, because those leak.

The ribs would be carefully positioned so they can be covered by a single sheet of rubber roof material.  A cap over the ribs and you're all set.


Why does the plaster crack beneath the window sill?

I've seen this happen often at the corners of windows and doors.  My first question would be - is there a seam in the plasterboard where the crack is occurring?  If not, is the crack just through the skim coat or is the board underneath actually cracked?

If you just plaster over the crack, it will certainly crack again.  I would try either taping over the crack with mesh tape and plastering over the tape or if it's just a hairline crack, caulk it and paint it.  The caulk should be flexible enough not to crack again.


Since you say your backup heat is electric, I'd say that's what is using all the power. It could be that the weather is unseasonably cold and that the backup emergency heat is kicking in often.
Your Nest Thermostat could be switching to AUX heat more often than your old thermostat would have.
Since you say your nest thermostat is new (last summer), It is likely that it is responsible for kicking on the aux (emergency) electric heat more often than your old thermostat. There are settings to change how often this happens described below.
Your Nest thermostat may calling for aux heat more often than your old one would have. This can be configured with Heat Pump Balance which you might try changing to Max Savings or balanced. Note that the link below states that Max Comfort, the most expensive option, is selected by default. This is probably the issue. If changing this doesn't help, then I'd call an HVAC specialist.

Because auxiliary heat is so expensive, running the heat pump longer is still cheaper than using AUX heat. Heat Pump Balance automatically turns the heat on early to reduce AUX heat use as much as possible and get to your target temperature on time. It can turn on the heat up to 5 hours before a scheduled temperature if necessary. So if your schedule says 70ºF/20ºC at 7pm, Heat Pump Balance can use Early-On technology to start heating as early as 2pm.
Heat Pump Balance gives you four options to choose from:

Max Savings - This is the best setting for saving energy. In Max Savings mode, the Nest thermostat gives the heat pump more time to get to your target temperature before turning on AUX and sets a lower AUX lockout temp.

Balanced - This setting will give the heat pump more time to work, but will still turn AUX on quickly if it looks like it won't get you to your target temperature on time. Balanced has an AUX lockout temp somewhere between Max Comfort and Max Savings.

Max Comfort - When you choose Max Comfort, the Nest thermostat will make sure you'll get to the temperature you want, even if it means using auxiliary heat. Max Comfort is the default setting for Heat Pump Balance and generally gives you a higher AUX lockout temp.

Off - You can also turn Heat Pump Balance off entirely and adjust your AUX lockout temperature yourself. The AUX lockout temperature can be changed in SETTINGS > EQUIPMENT > HEAT PUMP.

There might be something wrong with your heat pump.
It could also be that there is something wrong with your heat pump. IE, it is running and using some energy but not generating any heat. Eventually, this will lead to the thermostat switching on the emergency electric heat and that will use even more power. Call an hvac specialist and have it inspected.


Pull harder, it probably has a couple of metal arms holding it in place. http://technical.sabhlokcity.com/2013/11/how-to-open-twist-off-the-cover-of-some-really-stupid-awkward-flush-mounted-ceiling-light-dome-fittings-fixture-to-replace-change-light-bulb/


Installed Lutron Caseta, one bulb works, but two do not

There's a lot of garbage brands in the LED bulb game, and even if it's not a garbage bulb not all dimmer products are tested against all dimmable LEDs. One of these is likely your problem.

Fortunately, Lutron actually makes known compatibility information pretty easily accessible with a wizard that can be found here: http://www.lutron.com/en-US/Education-Training/Pages/LCE/DimmingCFLsandLEDs.aspx

If you are already using a bulb suggested by that wizard, then I'd start by trying to replace the dimmer with one that was already working inside to rule out a defect in that. If the dimmer is not defective and there's no compatibility problem, it must be either the wiring or the light fixtures themselves.

I've never installed one of those dimmers myself, but Lutron is a generally reliable brand. That's why I'm assuming it's incompatibility. But if you weren't using LEDs out there previously, it makes a wiring issue more likely - LEDs are more sensitive to wiring issues than other bulbs.


Open the doors of the oven - the model information should be on an information plate that's usually covered by one of the doors.


Why don't the textures of drywall patches match the room?

Painting with a roller leaves an "orange peel" type texture that you can't match exactly with a brush.  When you brushed your new paint on, the orange peel texture in the unsanded areas just telegraphed through your new brushed paint, but the smoothly sanded parts had no such base texture so they look visibly smoother.

To fix this I'd go over your patches again with a small roller and you should get the same sheen and texture as in the original paint.


Do I have to replace this entire valve or can it be fixed?

This is definitely a Moen shower valve, with a common Moen cartridge. There is no "seat" per se. You can perform a simple replacement of the cartridge and it should solve your problem. First you need to shut off the hot and cold water supply.

If you look closely, there is a horseshoe shaped retaining clip with a small hole at the top of the inverted "U", this holds the cartridge in. Once the clip is removed, there are various ways (all involve pulling) to remove the old cartridge, my favorite being using a stiff steel bar with a hole in it, screwing it to the protruding stem, and using the handle/knob screw to fasten the bar to the stem as a "pull handle". Then I twist and pull to remove the cartridge. There are brass (old) and plastic (new) cartridges, they are interchangeable.

There are various other ways to assist in cartridge removal, including a special puller tool manufactured for that purpose. You may be able to borrow or rent the puller from a good plumbing or hardware shop. There are circumstances where the puller tool is pretty much the only tool that will work.

Replacement is simple, insert the new cartridge and install the retainer clip... done! Moen guarantees them for life too, so if you send them back the old one they will send you a new one free, for next time.

Check out this video


Refrigerator water valve from wall is not dispensing water

The valve at the wall may not be the problem at all even though it was stiff. I have on quite a few occasions found water supply lines for refrigerators and ice machines connected using a saddle valve the type that you strap around a pipe and it punches a hole in the pipe, this is where I find the problem much of the time the tiny opening gets blocked or corroded and the water stops flowing, I usually turn off the water cut the pipe and install a T with a 1/4” fitting and valve reconnect the waterline and things work again. Copper and pvc/cpvc are easy with galvanized shark bite fittings do the job , I don’t use the saddle valves because they always fail in time and it is usually a leak, only sometimes no water.


I have built a few of them in kit form, they are pretty basic. Cedar finish, cedar slated benches heat and steam source. The info is out there.

This is a website for free plans so it says. Looks like it has a lot of info on it.


You can use the Honeywell,  but you must put both poles in series. Only one pole is switched thermostatically, theother is switched mechanically(on off only).

So connect one wire of pole 1 to one wire of pole 2. Then connect the remaining wires to the ones coming from the wall.


How do I determine the rough-in width and height of a window?

Remove the trim and measure the rough opening or remove one piece of the trim and measure the thickness of the window frame and incorporate it into the measurement.

Typically the window company will take 1/4" off each of the measurements to give them 1/2" clearance to allow for out of plumb / level issues.  In an older house you might want to either just the square / plumb if you are installing or be ready for the installer to have a hard time.  Worst case they can shave down the rough opening so that it is a little bigger.

Replacing a window actually has many different factors.  Are you doing the install or are you hiring that out?  How are you water proofing the rough opening?  Is your exterior siding / trim staying as is with some plan to remove it from the existing window frame?

In my climate we use window header flashing (metal pieces on the exterior above the window rough opening) and blue skin on the sill rough opening.  These modern best practices are probably ignored in a renovation depending on siding type.


Does embedding rebars along the face provide tensile strength to a load-bearing wall?

I had to read your question a few times, but I still don't know how you intend on reinforcing the walls with rebar.

You cannot simply put rebar against the existing walls and cover them with some mortar.

For rebar to be effective, it must be embedded in the proper thickness and rating of concrete for the load.  the concrete supports the weight and the rebar helps keep the concrete from failing or displacing.  I really think you may need a little on site professional help here. Unless you know how to pour walls, footers etc, you may get in over your head.


Is this a valid way to add an electrical outlet?

If there is a junction box where the cable in the conduit connects to the cable not in the conduit, then you can make your connection there. Otherwise, you'll want to run a cable from the existing receptacle to the new location.

If there is a junction not in a box at the end of the conduit, fire your electrician, and find a new one to do future work.


Does the California plumbing code require a water line shutoff behind a refrigerator?

The guy at the appliance store is correct. California plumbing code 606.5 states

  A control valve shall be installed immediately ahead of each
  water-supplied appliance and immediately ahead of each slip joint or
  appliance supply.


How would I go about fitting a window AC into a really wide window?

That is a really wide window.
At just 12 inches tall you won't be able to fit any sort of window unit. Even 6,000 btu models are usually 12.5 inches tall. If you can find a short enough model then great but then you'll have to contend with finding a wide enough accordion curtain or just fill the void with cardboard.
An alternative option is a portable A/C which sits on the floor and exhausts out the window using a vent tube.


Spraying paint is a common technique and can be safe if done properly.

You should not be present while the spraying is going on.

The paint fumes may or may not be a problem depending on the type of paint. Low VOC (volatile organic compounds) give off very little fumes, are now generally preferred, and are mandated in some locales. They have less solvents and are much less toxic. Note that some painters still prefer older style paints with higher VOCs, claiming better application and durability.

Once modern paint designed for residential use dries, it gives off little in the way of fumes, although some odors may linger for a few days (or even weeks). Some people are more sensitive than others. But aside from the day of application, the level of fumes from paint is fairly similar regardless of whether it was sprayed or applied by brush and roller.


Replacing Door Sweep in Track from House to Garage?

Some threshold cover strips are replaceable.

Try to gently pry up on it with a flat bar or putty knife, usually they are pressed into a groove, then take it to you local hardware store and look in the door threshold area to see if you can get a match. If you know the manufacturer of the door you  may be able to contact them and see about a replacement.

Even it you can not replace it, it is not a big deal to have it missing, you can get a door sweep and attach it to the door to cover the gap. You can get the kind, like this, as it can be adjusted down. It appears your door has similar fins that are missing pieces.


Why would a new water heater's PRV leak when the PRV on the old heater never leaked?

PRVs are designed to release pressure.   Heating water increases the size of the water and the pressure.  Your new water heater is likely heating the water quicker due to newer elements, less sediment in the bottom or other factors.  Heating the water quicker will cause the pressure to increase over a smaller amount of time which might trigger the PRV.  Do you have an expansion tank?
Your old PRV might have been defective or less sensitive or the new PRV could be more sensitive.  Do you have a pressure gauge can you tell what pressure it is releasing at?  There are pressure gauges that you can screw onto hose bibs so you can attach them to the tank drain and monitor.
Homedepot has some for $10.  Water Pressure Test Gauge.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Watts-3-4-in-Plastic-Water-Pressure-Test-Gauge-DP-IWTG/100175467


Looking for quick attach and release options for a table top attached to a metal frame

I would construct the table tops with an extra layer of 3/4" plywood or MDF on the bottom that is designed to just fit inside of the inner rectangular shape of the frame. This will align the top with the frame and keep it from sliding around on in a horizontal direction. With that in place the amount of hold down force that you need will be minimized.

One method to provide the hold down force would be to make some swivel blocks that are mounted on the bottom of the table. These would rotate on a single screw/lag bolt including a washer. The idea is that one end of these would be able to rotate to be under the edge of the table frame. You could cut the surface of the block that engages with the table frame at a slight taper so that the block tightens up as it is rotated.


Is it possible to build a balcony without scaffolding or street access?

Your plan has some far more serious considerations than just the change of looks, approval of the neighbors and building activity access. You cannot just hang a two meter wide balcony decking on the side of the building without some careful engineering.

Support legs for the outer edge that go to the ground or large angle braces that would attach to the side of the building above or below your floor are out of the question for obvious reasons. This means that only remaining possible option is to use a cantilever design where the deck support is provided by beams or timbers that project over the outside supporting wall of the building but then tie into the floor structure a good way back inside the building. For a 2 meter projection outside you would be looking at a good 4 meters or more of beam or timber length inside.

Whether the cantilever design would even be possible would depend upon many factors:

Does the outside wall have sufficient structural strength to support the cantilever beams? Particularly considering the ceiling height windows below.
Could you even open the outside wall up enough to make access to poke out the beams from the inside?
Is the building floor construction even allow for tearing it open for beam insertion? Some brick buildings have concrete floors.
Even if the building has an internal wooden structure for the floor joists are they parallel to the outside wall? If so then inserting cantilever beams is basically out of question.
Remember that your floor is the ceiling of the neighbors below. If you start to tear into the floor it is pretty hard to believe that it would not require some pretty serious cooperation and disruption of the neighbors.


How can I control 2 lights, that are controlled by 1 switch, independently without having to re-route wires?

There are remote controlled switches that fit a light socket, and LED lamps that have remote controls. These are just two examples; you may need a different base to fit the fixture.


How to modernise this raised concrete drain in the middle of patio?

Yes that appears to simply be set on top of a spacer which is then set on top of the buried box.  You should be able to lift it off, with some effort, and also keep in mind that some adhesive or mortar might have been used to secure it.

It looks like you should be able to remove the spacer under the lid and drop the thing down a few inches to make it flush with your surface.

A local concrete product supplier may be able to provide a nicer lid but some adapting may need to be done it order to get it to fit right.


You could build a simple box out of medium-density fiberboard (MDF).

If you really want to get fancy, you could build drawers into the front.

You could buy a piece of melamine shelf, a 4x4, and some L-brackets. And build a shelf like this.


How do I renforce a cardboard antenna for outside use?

At the risk that it might alter the properties of the cardboard in some way that might matter at radio-frequencies, I'd slather it in epoxy resin for waterproofing and follow up with a coat or two of spar varnish for UV protection.


The length of the key often corresponds to the number of pins in the lock. All else being equal, more pins makes it harder to pick the lock.

However, all else is seldom equal!

There are standards put out by ANSI/BHMA (the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association) which allow residential locksets to be graded on their security, longevity, etc. Grade 1 is the best; Grade 3 is the worst (although it still meets minimum standards). These cover ease-of-picking, but also other aspects such as brute force (such as shearing the pins with a simple screwdriver, or just kicking the lock.)

There are other assorted standards out there. You generally have to buy the standards to read them, but many websites have summarized them. Here is a webpage from doorware.com that talks about the different grades and standards. You could ask your locksmith how yours are rated.

I spent a lot of time selecting locks for my new home. I became convinced that nobody picks locks anymore!  It's become too time consuming, it requires skill, you have to carry incriminating picks. Instead, a thief will generally kick in the door or break a window, get in and out quickly, and be gone before anyone can respond.

I'd recommend keeping the existing locks and putting the saved money towards an alarm system :)


How do I safely place an extension ladder on an uneven surface?

It may be easier to find one place where you can safely place the ladder so that you can get onto the roof.  Once you are there you can remove the leaves.  Of course this depends on the how steep the roof is and your comfort level of being on the roof vs being on a ladder.

Unless you plan to buy a leaf blower anyway, make sure there are only dry leaves in the gutters.  If they're full of decomposing leaves, you'll have to scoop out the gunk and a leaf blower isn't going to cut it.