What dangers present themselves when someone uses the grounding system as a neutral?

Unlike the European   double-insulated 2-wire single-phase distribution system, the American single-phase system implements safety by using a 3-wire system consisting of a 'hot', a 'return' and a 'ground' wire. It takes just 4   milliamperes of current to flow from the 'hot' to the 'ground' to activate the ground-fault circuit interruption of a well configure 120 VAC power distribution circuit. Any more than 4 milliamperes results in sufficient current to cause cardiac arrest in large people.

If you are using the ground wire (green) as a neutral, not only do you have an unsafely configured AC power distribution circuit.  But also, you do not know what "else" is between the green wire at the point you tap it and the point where the green wire is bonded to the return (usually at the panel).  Almost all electrocutions that occur with swimmers swimming close to marinas occur because some electricity is returning via the green wire (faulty boat or marina circuit).  DO NOT DO IT YOU COULD KILL SOMEONE IN YOUR HOME!!!


Roof Rafter/Beam Joint pulling apart and sagging

It looks as though this thing was built out of scraps pieced together.  There is just no way this is ever going to be sound the way it is.

I think your best course of action is to build some temporary supports to keep the roof from collapsing, pull out the substandard rafters and rebuild using correctly sized lumber, supported properly.

If you're in doubt about how to do this, you may want to hire a professional.  I wish there was some quick and east fix but unfortunately I just don't see that in this case.


Was this damage to my ceiling caused by heat from a water heater vent?

This is common in water heater vents.  That goes up and eventually goes through the roof.  If installed properly the roof vent should last a long time and not leak, but... stuff happens.  They leak from time to time, and the leaking water will simply run down the pipe until it hits that drywall you see.

The yellowing isn't from being burned, is just dirty water seeping through the drywall which then loosens the texture on the ceiling.

So, you have a roof leak, not a faulty water heater.


What is the ideal distance between supports of a shelf?

Enter The Sagulator - it's a free online calculator for sag of shelves which is a wonderful tool exactly for these questions.

Running your 2 shelf sizes, the larger shelf span (122 CM) won't hold more than about 2 KG overall without noticeably sagging. The shorter shelf (61 CM) can hold about 10 KG overall.

As you can see, 10 MM plywood isn't that stiff for shelf use. You can add a wood support under the shelf. Even a 1X2 (20 MM by 40 MM) attached vertically will increase the load capacity of the longer shelf to about 18 KG, and the short shelf to well over 100 KG.

You might consider using three support brackets for the longer shelf so that each unsupported span is 61 CM. This, together with the wood bracing under the plywood should provide decent support.

Alternatively, if you don't want to use wood bracing under the plywood, you might increase the number of supports so that the unsupported span is shorter. With a span of 30 CM the plywood can support about 35 KG. This would mean 3 supports for the 61 CM shelf, and 5 supports for the 122 CM shelf.

Edit: as the original poster and Henry Jackson suggested, the Sagulator cannot help directly with optimizing the position of the supports for the shelf - it only calculates the sag of a given length of shelf, and cannot provide the sag for a shelf that is only supported at one end. In the following diagram, the Sagulator can help with determining B, but not with determining A:

This is due to the mechanical formula used by the Sagulator. Searching a little through the reference provided by the Sagulator, we can see that the actual formula used (for uniform load with the shelf fixed to the supports) is this: Structural Beam Bending Stress & Deflection Equations / Calculation - Fixed at Both Ends with Uniform Loading. Indeed, punching the numbers gives the same result, if the Sagulator "Apply WoodBin lab correction?" is not checked - i.e. only the mechanical formula is used (based only on the dimensions and the properties of the wood).

This is all well and good, but what about dimension A for the shelf? Here comes the following formula: Structural Beam Bending Stress & Deflection Equations / Calculation - Cantilevered Beam with Uniform Load. This is the formula for measuring the maximal deflection at A. Comparing the two formulas ("Critical Deflection" in the first vs "Deflection at the unsupported end" in the second), one notices that the calculation is the same (Wl^3 / x EI) except for the fixed denominator x - 384 in the first formula and 8 in the second. This would mean that the maximal deflection for the unsupported end would be 384 / 8 = 48 times greater than the maximal deflection for the shelf supported at both ends. So, if you have a figure of 100 KG for a supported shelf span (B) of 96 CM, the maximal length of the unsupported shelf (A) that will still be able to support 100 KG is 2 CM (96 / 48 = 2).

Naturally a 2 CM shelf won't need to support 100 KG. Here some tinkering is required to get meaningful results. Using the 122 CM shelf and ignoring the width of the supports, to support a total load of 60 KG (typical for a 122 CM bookshelf fully loaded with books), we'll get about 0.5 KG per 1 CM. A span of 16.5 CM with a load of 8.25 KG will give a sag of 0.01 MM per running foot. Converting this to a shelf supported only on one end by multiplying by 48 gives us 0.48 MM per running foot, as suggested by the Sagulator for a maximal deflection visible by the human eye (0.51 MM per running foot). This will leave us with a supported shelf span of 89 CM (122 - (16.5 * 2)). This supported span can't support the needed load of 43.5 KG (60 - (8.25 * 2)). Adding a third support at the middle of the supported shelf gives us two spans of 44.5 CM, each easily carrying the 21.75 KG load:

Two points in conclusion:

All of these calculations are theoretical. Your exact shelf material and load distribution will probably behave differently. It is always better to add a safety margin for the expected load (so if you think you will load the shelf with 60 KG, design it to support 120 KG (or even more)).
The edge of the shelf supported only on one end can support 48 times less weight than the same span supported at both ends. Again, err on the side of caution and don't expect the shelf to support exactly what the calculations showed.


How can I cover grout lines and gaps against cabinetry and base trim?

Since this looks like a kitchen, the easiest route is to buy some trim (toenail, or quarter round) and nail that to the baseboard (goes faster with a nail gun and some 2.5" nails). Paint it white first, fill the nail holes, and goodbye wall gaps. Add some white caulk to the top to hide the seam.

For a bathroom I would spend a bit more and install vinyl quarter round (won't rot if it gets water trapped).

If nailing isn't your thing, could do it with construction adhesive, but you'll have to full demo the stuff if you ever want to replace the flooring.


How should I finish a wooden countertop that will have a stovetop and a sink?

Wood works great for countertops if you are willing to live with visible wear or even welcome the scars of daily use as part of the charme of a lived-in environment.

You didn't mention which part of the world you're living in, so it's a bit difficult to recommend one wood over another - in general I'd go for something local that holds up well to rot and warp. In a rural environment, you might ask a farmer what they're using for (wooden) fenceposts. To name two less frequently mentioned choices that should be easily available in North America:
Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) is very resistant to decay, and would hold up well in a wet environment. The same would be true for Osage Orange (Maclura pomifira), though the latter tends to come in smaller and gnarlier sizes. Depending on local availability, they might both be worth looking into.

About the woods mentioned by other replies: Maple in particular would be a wood I'd rather not use in that context, since it is not exactly known to hold up well to rot (and its bright colour and smooth grain would spell out any scruffs in all their glorious details).

You have three sources of damage to your wooden countertops:

knives: Wood doesn't damage them, and sooner or later someone will forego whatever you're using as cutting surface and do the job directly on the countertop. With an oiled surface, these scars just add to the patina, and can be filled with wax or sanded off when the need arises. With a varnished surface you loose that advantage.
hot pans/pots leave visible scorch marks. Unlike fornica or sealed surfaces, these can be sanded off if so desired (provided the surface was oiled/waxed to begin with) and don't need to be considered damage.
water is your enemy #1. What may look like a neatly installed kitchen sink can grow ugly traces of rot around the edges if exposed to regular humidity. Keep in mind that you'll be splashing water liberally around a sink and faucet, and that stray jets of water will go splashing in any random direction once they hit the dishes piled up into that any-size-is-too-small sink. Add to that that the vicinity of the sink tends to clutter with tools, detergents, kitchen paraphernalia, dishes both clean(wet) and dirty, and forget all about "I'll just wipe it off when it happens".
For that reason, you will want your sink to be large enough to catch and contain most of the splashing.

From personal experience, you will want to keep both stovetop and sink installed in a way that keeps liquids from creeping into or under edges and heat sources at enough of a distance. I would aim for a flat, embedded installation, and make sure to use a flexible sealant for caulking. Depending on the wood used, the endgrain around the cutout could be primed with epoxy. This would have to be done prior to oiling the countertop.

Even more effective in the long run would be to reduce the amount of seams that need to be covered by choosing a modular sink that covers the belly-to-backsplash disaster zone with its own waterproof material without exposing wood nearby.

There are many examples to be found across the web - just don't fall for the shiny interior-decorating-magazine pictures but imagine the setup after a decade of day-to-day use.

Distance of burner:
If you already settled on a burner - experiment in a safe setup which distance would be safe: Use a large pot to find out how far the flames will reach around, and make sure that radiated heat will remain low enough to avoid charring. If you have to install some kind of heat shield, keep in mind that the shield itself may get hot and cause the wood behind it to char unless properly insulated.

Finish:

varnish: Not resistant to heat, will become damaged, exposing the wood. Looks great while new, and horrible after a few years of use. Not recommended.
PU coating: There are some products able to avoid damage. I don't know how well they hold up to heat. The result would basically be a PU-encased woodtop. I have not tried that.
Oil: Preferrably linseed oil (non toxic, food-safe): surfaces need to be re-oiled frequently (at least once a year, twice preferrable). This is less cumbersome than it might sound, though. Just rub/polish off any excess after oiling or it will take months to dry leaving you with a sticky half-dried surface meanwhile... Re-oiling also takes care of minor scruffs, larger ones can be sanded prior to oiling. Please bear in mind that rags used for oiling need to be closed off in an air-tight container to avoid self-incineration.


You need to bypass the starters electrically.   I leave them in place, saves having to fill the hole.


What type of bathroom window for max airflow?

The best types of windows for airflow are double hung windows ─ ones that open from the top and bottom. The top part lets out hot air and the bottom part allows fresh, outside air to flow indoors. This works especially well if the top window is near the ceiling, say, within a foot. Windows that open only at the bottom don't really allow a lot of airflow, since they don't allow any air exchange.Edit: If having windows that allow for good ventilation is important to you, then you should invest in one of the following window styles:
•Single/Double Hung
•Casement/Hinged
•Awning or Hopperfrom http://schmidtroofing.com/best-windows-natural-light-ventilation/AndWith a double hung window you can open the bottom and top of the window at the same time. This allows cool air to enter the bottom and hot air to escape out of the top. It makes it possible to ventilate a room using just a single window and to do it effectively. When trying to ventilate a room with single hung windows you need multiple windows in order to create airflow, and they still aren’t as effective as double hung windows at getting rid of warm air.from https://modernize.com/windows/types/double-hung-windows


Light and fan not working - is the wiring correct?

it looks like the earth has come completely off, but I wouldn't expect that to have caused the light and fan not to work...or am I wrong here?

No, you are correct, the earth is not needed here as there are no extraneous conducting parts exposed.

The earth wire, or circuit protective conductor (CPC) is a safety element and does not affect normal operation of the circuit when there is no other fault present.

Switch housings are normally plastic and non-conductive. If the fixed part of yours is conductive metal, the earth wire should be connected to it. Otherwise I would leave it alone.

  Do I connect the earth into the only obvious connector?

No, at least not if you think the normally-connected side of the switch is an obvious connector. That would be a recipe for tripping a breaker or setting fire to things.

You could, after turning the breaker off,  remove the wires from the switch completely and then test for continuity across those terminals using a continuity tester or multimeter. This would tell you if the switch is OK. If it is, I would reconnect the wires firmly and look elsewhere for the problem.

It is likely that the red wire is a permanent live and the black is a switched live (an unhelpfully inventive electrician may have wired it vice versa) - if so, the black wire should have red tape around it to indicate it is switched-live and not neutral.


Remove all the plaster/stucco that seems unstable. Wash with a mild acid solution to remove salts that have leached to the cement surface with the water penetration (efflorescence). Dampen the area to be patched and cover the exposed surface with matching stucco/plaster material. No attempt at waterproofing from the inside will be effective.


I am building a pergola. What size of beam will span 20 feet. There will be no load on the beam aside from the weight of the beam itself

For a beam that long deflection will control over strength. A 2x6 HF#2 would pass code with 0.6" sag in the middle if you are ok with that. Going with a 2x4 will result in a deflection of about 1-3/4" and it will want to roll over in the middle since there are no bracing members. If you go with cedar or pressure treated, it will be more.


Should I put down underlayment when putting a layer of tile on top of another?

Per the Armstrong subfloors and underlayment manual, all Armstrong vinyl tile installations require an underlayment.

If you don't have an approved underlayment, you may not receive full warranty coverage for the tiles.

Further, the underlayment is secured using mechanical fasteners through the old tiles to the subfloor, so you don't have to worry about whether the adhesive will secure the new tiles to the old tiles. The adhesive will bond correctly with an appropriately chosen underlayment, and the tiles will not bubble or spread due to temperature fluctuations and differing rates of expansion between the new tile and the old.  This can only be guaranteed when the adhesive works, and most tile surfaces are designed to be difficult to stick to or stain, so finding a suitable adhesive might be difficult.


Natural Gas Ventless Fireplace fittings in a fire pit and switch it to LP

You will need to change the gas orifice to a smaller size on the output of the control valve to the burner. You will also need to make sure the regulator from the tank to the control valve is 1/2 psi, other than that should work great.


What is a propane burner with multiple torches called?

I think this is what you're looking for:
http://www.amazon.com/Thunder-Group-Inc-IRBR003CL-Propane/dp/B0042QJNM4/ref=sr_1_29?ie=UTF8&qid=1304967864&sr=8-29


Are the rotting windows and window sill salvageable?

The frames for the glass are the least of your worries as they are removable.
You could attempt some sort of patchup job with bondo and paint, but it wouldn't remove the problems that caused the rot and it would be very difficult to actually bond to partially rotted wood.  Your goal would be to cut out all the rotted wood, reinforce the structure if necessary, fit wood to replace as much as possible and then re sculpt the frame with the filler product.  The difficulty level of getting decent fit and finish is incredibly high, let alone the difficulty of accomplishing a good seal and shape at the same time.  When it leaks or the edges start to rot out again, you're back to square one with the addition of a potentially extremely difficult and complicated to remove section.
You could attempt to properly repair the frame, but that might involve anything up to completely uninstalling the window, replacing any flawed pieces and reinstalling it.  This would normally only be done to protect or restore pieces of historical or sentimental value.  You could get a quote on it, but it's likely to exceed the cost of new windows.  You try not to throw away burled walnut or bubinga, but for common wood, the labor is worth more.
If you don't already know how to do this and want to do it yourself, the carpentry skill and tools could also exceed the cost of the new windows.  That said, it's not impossible, just a lot of skilled work.  You can do almost anything with fairly basic tools and ample expertise, but the right tool can turn a 9 hour task involving great precision into something you can do casually in under a minute.


I was able to figure it out. Apparently the dimmer switch ended up being the culprit. It must have shorted out when the wire sparked last night.


I think there are a few things to consider.

The Ceiling Height Rule Of Thumb.

To determine how far apart to space your recessed lights, divide the height of the ceiling by two. If a room has an 8 foot ceiling, you should space your recessed lights approximately 4 feet apart.

If the ceiling is 10 feet, you'll want the lights approximately 5 feet apart.

That being said, what one person considers too bright others do not consider bright enough.

The thing with recessed lighting is, it is more or less, a spotlight, which can be good or bad based on preference and if you intend to highlight focal points.

What I have seen: It is common for people to regret spacing lights too far apart and/or not getting larger lights

Larger Lighting Canisters:

Pros

In CA there are more hot days than cold days, and the canisters do
heat up, so larger canisters do better with withstanding the heat.
Extra 2' width means the lighting spreads out more.

Cons:

More power consumption (your dimmer can cross cancel this)

  Do you think the 6" lights as general lighting is enough?

Its close enough at 8' high ceilings and better if it's 10' ceilings.

  How much wattage should I get for the 6" and the 4" cans?

That's dependent on the maximum wattage allowed for the lighting canisters and what you like.

Colors in flooring and countertops, and cabinetry make a huge difference in terms of reflecting light or absorbing light.

I made a few examples for you to see. With some variations for you to see how colors effect lighting.

Note: Keep in mind, that with recessed lighting, you have almost no lighting on the ceiling itself.


Fixing broken fence posts with Simpson Strong-Tie E-Z Mender and concrete

I'm going through the same thing with a similar fence in a similar setting.  There appear to be three options:

Attempt to repair the existing posts.  Pros: straightforward.  Cons: expensive and you risk having to redo everything within a short time when another part of the posts rots out.  Could be ugly looking, too.
Yank the broken posts and replace them.  This requires detaching the panels from the posts (they're usually nailed or screwed on), digging out the remains of the post, setting new posts, and re-attaching the panels.  Pros: Costs are minimal--you pay for the replacement 4 by 4s plus a few nails or screws.  Cons: Digging out a well-set post (especially if concrete was poured around it) is time- and labor-intensive.
Replace the broken fence.  Do this by removing all panels between the extremal good posts.  Minimize the damage and save the panels.  Cover up the remains of the broken posts (after cutting them off below ground level if need be).  Buy one more post than you lost.  Set new posts where the middles of the panels used to be: this should be virgin territory, so it's no harder than starting a new fence.  Cut one of the panels in half: use the two pieces to span the short stretches at the ends.  Put the other panels in place.  Pros: Costs are low, not much higher than option #2.  Cons: you wind up with two short panels along the fence.  (You can choose where they are located, perhaps putting them behind existing bushes.)

I have been doing a combination of #2 and #3.  My strategy is #3 (so that replacement posts go into new holes), but I was forced into using #2 when a post I thought was still good broke off in the middle of an otherwise competent stretch of fence.  It was easier to yank the old one than to cut a couple panels and put two new posts in.  Incidentally, I'm re-using fence materials (posts and replacement panels) from another location (obtained free) because the remaining fence isn't going to last long anyway.  (Total cost for all repairs: a few dollars for a box of screws and some 10d nails.)  There's little sense in using new, costly materials to repair an installation that will need a complete replacement in a few years.  Yours looks like it's in similar shape.


The other option is to put in a "hand-hole" so called - you've walked over them, some you have driven over (those ones cost more). They are (generally) like a box missing the bottom, with a removable top, and you set them over the conduits so the top is flush with the ground surface. You still need a waterproof splice method, but if you ever need to access it again it's a whole lot easier to find. The drive-over ones are usually made of concrete, the others are commonly plastic.
If you have "brought the grade down two feet" I'm wondering how much cover your conduit (or is that water pipe being used as conduit?) now has.


How can I fill in an interior hole in a block wall?

There are as many ways as opinions.
My suggestion would be to use mortar mix.  Several layers, letting it cure between them.  One to rough it in, and at least one more to assure coverage and finish.
I would not use foam and drywall compound.  They are different from the material in the wall.  Also drywall compound may not be ideal in places like a basement, which might be more moist than the rest of the building.


Can an outdoor receptacle be supplied through a GFCI in a bathroom?

This isn't "dangerous", but it can be inconvenient when your outlet goes dead and it's tricky to figure out where the GFCI reset button is.

On the other hand, this could be against your local electrical codes. For example, NEC 210.11(C)(3) states that your bathroom circuit may only power bathroom outlets. Note that there is an exception to this rule: When the circuit supplies one bathroom (i.e. isn't shared between bedrooms), other things (such as fans and lights) in the same bathroom can share the same circuit. Regardless, the mentioned situation is against the NEC code.

As to if the builder should modify this, I can't say. When in doubt, call your local building inspector.


New house concrete slab foundation cracks

No matter what type of steel ,fiberglass,pre stress cables are used there are 2 types of concrete, #1 the concrete that is cracked and # 2 the concrete that will crack. Since it is summer and it has been hot I would hope the ground was wet when poured and after finished it was kept wet or damp for several days but other than that see the 2 types above.


Balancing your heating system would be the first step be it duct or radiant. You should have some mode of control as in dampers or balancing valves respectively. If it's forced air start by shutting down completely the second floor closing off the first floor and leaving the main ground floor open. The case with radiant should be relatively simple assuming valves are installed simply close the valves where there is too much heat. Keep in mind that the heating system knows nothing of the layout of your house it only knows what the thermostat can tell it so everything when it comes to balancing has to be centered around the thermostat.


Can someone tell me where to connect the white, black and ground wires from my new light fixture to these existing wires.

First, we do not do splicing in open space like this.  All these cables need to terminate in a proper junction box, with cable clamps attaching the cable to the junction box, clamping the undamaged full cable, not individual wires.  If you can't find a junction box big enough, get two or more steel junction boxes and an EMT nipple or short length of EMT conduit with adapters to connect them.   One of these boxes can be the lamp junction box itself.  The lamp must also attach to a junction box embedded in the ceiling.

Here's what I see.  I could be wrong.

There are three Romex cables running through the area, but with no connections.  They have nothing to do with it and can be forgotten about.

The top and left cables go to 3-way switches.   Any system of 3-way switches has two wires which are travelers.  The travelers are interchangeable.  The travelers can be any colors, but in these two cables, they are red and black in both cables.  I would run, not walk, to the nearest home improvement store and get a 5-pack of colored electrical tape, and mark all 4 of those wires with yellow tape, to designate them as travelers.  You won't be dealing with them again.

The ground wires are ground wires. They all go together and done.

From here we have two possibilities.

Single lamp, power provided here.

In this scenario the right cable is the power supply.

The flopping around loose white wire from the left cable is actually switched-hot. My preference is to mark switched-hot wires with red tape.  This goes to the lamp hot wire (black or brown).

The flopping around white wire coming from the right cable is the actual neutral.  Lamp neutral (white or light blue) goes there.

Dual lamps, power from leftside switch.

In this scenario the right cable goes to another lamp controlled with this one.

There should be a bundle of actual neutral wires.  Thing is, all the wires in this bundle will be white.  You see 2 loose white wires, and of course the white from the lamp itself.  Those had been a bundle, but were disassembled. They all go together in the neutral bundle.

Now the only wires we haven't accounted for are the white from the top cable and the black from the right cable.  I assume that bundle is switched-hot and the right cable heads off to another light.  I prefer to mark these with red tape.  Attach your lamp's hot wire to this bundle.


Is LP gas trapped between the shutoff valve and the pipe end cap potentially dangerous?

Since you don't say exactly where this is, I used your vague profile location ("NW Washington state") and referred to the code for Seattle.

The proper leak test is to pressurize the pipe to at least 15 psi with a pressure gauge monitoring and verify that there is no visible decrease in pressure reading after 15 minutes.  See section 406.4 of this.

Note that most appliances cannot withstand that kind of pressure, so the testing procedure specifies that individual appliance shut off valves should be set to block flow or be disconnected and the appliance supply line capped.

Typical natural gas residential pressure is 7 inches of water column, which is about 0.25 psi.  So the standard test is a factor of 60 times over the working pressure.

  ... since this was done years ago and the firebox did not blow up, will my charging the line the way I have trap gas between the valve and the cap that is in the firebox?

I think the answer is yes, but I don't think it is the relevant question.  If I understand correctly, you leak tested with gas line pressure only and that is insufficient to reliably detect a leak.

If it were me, I'd be doing a whole gas pipe test by:

Cutting off all the appliances (range, furnace, hot tub, dryer, water heater, etc.) with their individual input line valves.
Operate the cutoff valve at the output side of the gas meter to isolate the system.
Remove a conveniently accessible appliance flex line and attach a pressure gauge assembly.
Pressurize the system (a bicycle tire pump is useful) and observe the steadiness of pressure.
When I have done this, the test gauge itself was a significant source of leakage.  Read about it here.

As for concerns about heating causing a leak, it should be okay if the cap and the pipe are made of the same material so they both expand at the same rate.

It looks like black pipe in your photos.  The melting point of "malleable iron pipe" is 2,570 °F.  The hottest temperature a wood burning fireplace experiences is from the glowing coals after the wood has been consumed at about 1,200 °F.  The pressure rating of the threads at that temperature looks (by extrapolation) to be 10+ psi according to this table.


What size wire for a 300' run to a 60A sub-panel?

Subject to revision depending on your actual loads and how tight the budget is (cheap can be expensive later on, though) I would suggest:
3x 1 AWG aluminum (hot, neutral, hot) 1x 4 AWG Aluminum (but 6 AWG is technically acceptable if cutting it to the bone) Ground. That allows for up to a 100A feed - you may find some use for that, but it also allows for reasonable voltage drop at 50A and 300 feet.
Use 1-1/2" schedule 80 PVC conduit - trenches are expensive, conduit is cheap. If there's any odds you might want even more power at some point, consider 2" conduit. If you might yearn for telephone, intercom, or internet or camera coverage, put in an extra conduit for communications lines. If you are careful about placing the conduit and filling the trench you can save a few bucks by using schedule 40 where it's fully buried - if you are not willing to put the effort into being careful about that, schedule 80 all the way may save you agony. You need schedule 80 where it comes out of the ground anyway (unless you are running this overhead on poles - very retro but acceptable - subject to falling tree damage, though.)
If the shack is "yet to be built" put an UFER ground in the slab or footing, and drive a ground rod outside. Otherwise drive at least two ground rods outside, separated at least 8 feet. Use a 100, 125 or 200A panel at the shack (does not matter so long as it's "at least as big" as the feed breaker) and be sure to remove the bond and keep grounds and neutrals separated (grounds bond to the case, neutrals are isolated from the case.) You require both the grounding system at the "shack" and the grounding wire (connected to them) back to the main feed.
Or if you are SURE 60A is all you'll need and you want to go cheap-as-possible:
3x 4 AWG aluminum (hot neutral hot) + 1x 8 AWG aluminum (Ground) - gets about 6% drop but should still work, and will be less drop when not fully loaded.
That only gets your conduit size down to 1-1/4" - using a 10 AWG copper ground would get you down to 1".

So, the actual loads appear to be:
Vacuum pump needs 20A breaker, runs at 5.5A, 240V - continuous load (runs more than 3 hours) size for 7 amps (wire has to be sized for 20A due to the breaker, breaker presumably has to be that size to start it.)
Lights etc. 120V loads: 7.5A - use a 15A breaker, 14Ga wire, Provision for 9.5 since lights tend to be continuous loads especially in sugar season.
Reverse Osmosis - 120V at 30A.
So your "actual load at 240V" is 50A (minimum breaker size) to support the 20A 240 and the 30A 120, (the 15A 120 you get "for free" by putting it on the opposite leg from the 30A - you could even add a second one) and your "continuous" load is 16.5 between the lights and the vacuum pump, with the the RO bumping up to 35.5 A (again, the lights become "free" in terms of amperage [not power used] but you have the vacuum pump power added to the RO power, whatever that actually is (using the full 30A for now.)
If you go with the cheap option your RO will be dropping 5% or so if it pulls the full 30A - it probably uses a bit less. You could also pick a size between 4 AWG and 1 AWG to suit your price/performance/expansion or no-plans-for-expansion preferences. If your RO can be reconfigured to use 15A @ 240V you might be able to shrink the wire a bit more.


How do I find out what is under this ceiling cover for hanging a Charleston/Joshua Swing?

This isn't a complete answer, but neither is it appropriate as a comment ("to ask for more information or suggest improvements")... Just a few suggestions as to how you might get a little more information about the structure.

There's probably some eave overhanging the wall outside the space. The height of the fascia would probably reveal the vertical dimension of the rafters, because typically the eave is simply the result of the rafter tails extending beyond the wall.

Edit: The above may or may not be a useful approach. When I wrote it I was thinking of a soffit detail in which the rafter is simply cut vertically, as in the first drawing below. Not surprisingly, it turns out that there are other ways of doing this -- if the rafters are tall then the tails might also be trimmed horizontally to reduce the fascia height and move the soffits upward as in the second drawing.

Another strategy is to drill a small hole in the ceiling somewhere. Probe into the hole with a wire to measure the depth of the space inside and come to some conclusion about the thickness of the rafters.

If a visual of the space is important consider renting or buying a borescope, also known as an endoscope. These can be had as cheaply as USD$20 for a USB model which you'd view with a computer or mobile device, or at a higher price for one with a built-in screen, higher resolution, etc.

You'll need to know something about the spacing of the rafters as well. This also might be apparent at the exterior eaves. If you can see subtle undulations in the roofing surface these would also reveal the spacing between the rafters. Visible fasteners holding the bead board to the ceiling may also, and invisible fasteners might be detectable with a magnet.

When you know more about the structure you'll be in a better position to decide whether to "wing it" and just hang the swing, or whether some engineering might be appropriate.


To which side should a bi-fold door open?

The answer is, it depends which side of the door is the "public" side so to speak.

The door should be pull from the side that you open it from most often so you can use the handles.

It is hard to tell from your images, but I'm thinking the door leads to some sort of storage area so option 1 would be the best choice since you will open/close it from that side.

Remember also... Bi-Fold doors are really hard to close from the back-side without doing something weird to them to give you something to grip in the middle (as you have shown).... They are really not meant to be used as bi-directionally closable doors.

UPDATE

Clearing the rabbit hole.

In order to clear the rabbit and jamb, you need to move the pivot point a little further in. Moving the pivot points further in will allow the door to centre outside the jam when open as shown below. You may have to "Maguiver" the bottom bracket a bit if it does not let you go out that far. Remember when calculating the distance to the hole in the door to include space to allow the door to pivot.

The pin at the top on the other side of the door should be the same distance from the central door hinge as the pivot point hole.

With the swing the way you want it you would need to move the door out of the rabbit and add a piece of trim to the rabbit to create a new facia like below.

Personally. I's save myself a lot of fuss and bother and not use bifold-doors. I'd switch to the more modern French-door style.


Are two smaller septic tanks equivalent to one large tank?

Check out this answer here: diy.stackexchange.com/a/1712/928

It sounds like you have a 800 gallon septic tank, and an 800 gallon black water tank. Which means you should pump for 800, not 1600.

Cautionary note:

In some rare circumstances, most notably the rocky lake district of Muskoka in Ontario, weeping beds are illegal (lake water contamination), and the second tank is actually a holding tank.  In this situation, you need to pump out the tank fairly often, or it will fill up and overflow.

If you have a nice lawn that stays green without watering in the dog days of summer, then you most likely have a weeping tile bed.


Actually, there's a great suggestion in one of my favorite general-knowledge renovation books about how to prevent moss growth. This is a much more permanent way to solve the problem, IMHO.

Tack up a line of copper wire (not zinc) just after the first line of shingles (close to the top). Copper is bad for plant life, and so the slight copper solution from rain washing over it will kill off moss. Obviously the wire needs to be bare, so if you're using scrap, be sure to give it a good wipe with 80 grit sandpaper before putting it up. Sorry I don't have the book in front of me, so I can't name the page number or quote it precisely.

Of course, take care tacking up the wire to observe common-sense principles about putting holes in your roof. Depending where & how you attach the wire, you might want to cover the nails, staples, etc with roofing cement.

Also, while this solution makes sense to me, I haven't used it. I'm basing my suggestion on the stellar reputation of this book.


Is it legal to use different wire types for pig-tails?

It's OK to mix types of wire.
There are no exceptions to the color-coding or re-identifying rules for pigtails.  For example you could not use a green wire for pigtails with the hot or a black wire for a neutral pigtail.  What's clear to you today when you do it may not be clear to the next person looking at the wires folded up in the box.
If you were to re-identify a pigtail by taping the insulation end to end, it's pretty hard to imagine anyone complaining about that, even if it's not strictly compliant.


Some LED's just won't dim, or dim well. If it didn't say dimmable on the package, it probably isn't. G9's are typically 120v, so they shouldn't need a driver unless you bought something that is low voltage (12 or 24v). You may need a better or worse dimmer.

First check with the lamp manufacturer. If they are reputable they will have a list of commonly available Dimmers and the model you should use.

Second check the dimmer doesn't have a minimum load requirement. Many "Smart" dimmers (fade on / fade off / preset types) have a minimum wattage you have to come up to before they will work properly.

If all that pans out, you still could only get a small dimming range. Smaller LED lamps like G9 may only dim about 50% and you may get flickering at it's highest and/or lowest setting.

If there is no suggested dimmer, than try are really cheap slide or dial dimmer. Most cheap LED's were designed to work with the most basic dimmer. If that doesn't work, you may need one of the most expensive ELV type dimmers.

Additionally, some of the better "LED" (aka CL or C-L) dimmers may have trim adjustments to you can limit the dimming slide or dial range to only be responsive to what your lamp can do.


Can a dryer exhaust through PVC in a slab?

The duct is supposed to be smooth walled metal 4" in diameter, unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer. So, you should probably not be using PVC.

International Residential Code 2012
Chapter 15 Exhaust Systems
Section M1502 Clothes Dryer Exhaust
M1502.1 General. Clothes dryers shall be exhausted in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
M1502.4 Dryer exhaust ducts. Dryer exhaust ducts shall conform to the requirements of Sections M1502.4.1 through M1502.4.6.
M1502.4.1 Material and size. Exhaust ducts shall have a smooth interior finish and be constructed of metal having a minimum thickness of 0.0157 inches (0.3950 mm) (No. 28 gage). The duct shall be 4 inches (102 mm) nominal in diameter.

NOTE: I'm not familiar with California building code, or local amendments that may exist. IRC is a common building code, and lots of other building codes use similar standards.


Replacing 3-way Dimmer with Smart Dimmer

I think you might be ok since you have a white wire going to the second switch acting like a traveler.  The new GE smart switches do not need a traveller, so that white can be turned into a neutral.

I'm basing my knowledge of off this help site: https://support.cbyge.com/hc/en-us/articles/360020711551-3-Way-Multi-Switch-Installation-

In the box that has the other switch, you need to figure out which black wire is the "load" wire that goes up to the light.  The bootlegged white traveller will get bundled with the rest of the whites and turn into a true neutral in the other box.

I think that "line" in this diagram is what you have labeled as "common" in yours.  If there is a black wire shared with the other switch, you can assume that will be the "line" wire.  That "line" also needs to be present in the second box (it should be).  Line will have voltage on it at all times (it's not switched like the load and traveler wires).  You will not have a capped traveller, because you are using it as a neutral.

The second box is wired like this:

The switch only needs a neutral and line wire.  Seems kind of odd at first glance - the switch isn't switching anything!  Well, their 3-way setup is obviously using a wireless signal as the traveller.  The first switch does all the work and this second switch is really just a wireless button.

I have Lutron Casseta dimmers in my home that do the same thing except the second switch is just a battery operated remote that installs in the switch plate.  You can add more remotes as needed.  The system does require a hub, but I enjoy the flexibility and easy of installation.  Certainly pros and cons.  I think your GE setup will work.


How do I connect two insteon switches to this wire box?

It could be worse

Copper thieves could have taken a bunch of wires, leaving you no idea how things were ever hooked up.

So you have to get your multimeter and start testing stuff, and some of this must be done hot.  Figure out which wires are your power supply.  Figure out which breaker it is on.  Bonus points if you slap a GFCI breaker there to keep you honest.  Make sure it doesn't trip before you start.

Then you have to move through each group of wires and figure out what they do.  I wouldn't throw power on any lines until I have made sure they are not a switch, by checking for resistance with switch(es) in all positions.

Hook up the grounds first, in any case.

Having a few incandescent bulbs and dollar store night lights helps a lot.

One of my most useful tools for that is an appliance cord and two wire nuts. If you have a pair that reads infinity ohms until you plug in a nightlight or install a lamp bulb, splice their hot and neutral into the cord, plug in to a supply (fed off another circuit of course) and see what else lights up.

Work through it, labeling or diagraming as you go.

It really helps if you know how to do electrical wiring.  If you don't, you won't know what you're looking at.   For instance, that 3-wire bundle black/white/red probably has something else going on.


Short answer is: there is no quick fix with any kind of patching material. The trees will eventually destroy the wall.

You said the trees are not on your property so you can't remove them. You can however remove any part of them that does come over onto your property including the roots.

The only way you can affect a long term fix is to excavate behind the wall removing the offending roots and heavy soil. Replace it with sand or light gravel to increase the drainage and reduce the attraction of organic growth. You can rent a mini-excavator for a few hundred dollars and have the sand delivered for around $100 a dump truck full. Depending on the size of the wall you could get out of it for less than $1000.

After excavating, and before backfilling you need to straighten the wall and insert 1/2" re-rod into a core every couple feet and fill it with light concrete mix. This will help to stop the cracking from happening again in the near future and support the wall for backfilling. Let it cure for a week before backfilling. People falsely believe that the mortar between concrete blocks gives them strength, the truth is the mortar is only there to seal the joints. A poorly reinforced block wall is easily pushed in. Sounds like whoever built the wall didn't understand this.

Good luck!


Electronics drawing lots more amps that it should

First issue here  is safety. With 12 AWG wire on circuit, circuit breaker should not be larger than 20A. This is  code violation.

OK, where are you measuring the current? On the common wire going into panel? If you have x amps current leaving panel on one conductor on 240 VAC circuit, then must have same current going back to panel on other conductor. So 11.9A total current x 240V =  2856W. Divide that by 2 = 1428W. Sounds about right to me.


Does primer really require 3/8 -1/2 inch nap?

They're trying to help you apply it efficiently, perhaps because it is thick.

You can beat roller texture by using the "roll and tip" method.  That means rolling it out to lay it down, and swishing over it with a brush wetted in paint to remove the roller stipple.  I do it so often that I find myself doing it even when I don't need to.

The link and similar Youtube videos talk about marine paints, the best of which have very good flow-out and will "look sprayed" if roll/tip is done properly.  Disregard what they say about mineral spirits and chemical thinners, thin according to your paint's instructions.


Your local home center should have a carbide grit blade that attaches to a hacksaw handle. It looks like a thick piece of wire coated in coarse sand or a wide blade coated in a coarse material They are typically used to cut ceramic tile. Start slowly while going through the glazing. A piece of tape wrapped around the piece should limit chipping at the cut edge.


Why is my downstairs shower pressure lower than upstairs?

Your downstairs shower has a restriction of some sort in the water supply. Start at the showerhead and work backwards to find it. You need to check pressure while flow is happening - a restriction will allow full pressure when there's no flow, but will cause a large drop in pressure when there is flow.

For the easy possibilities, check any supply valves to be sure they are fully open, and check that you don't have a limed-up or otherwise overly restrictive showerhead. Other issues can be much more involved to find/resolve - my classic warhorse of a tale is the shower/tub with terrible flow on the hot water side, due (found after I reached the point of disassembling pipes, because something was clearly very wrong with them) to one elbow being 95% full of solder, leaving only a tiny hole for the water to pass through.


Should vent directly above furnace be open or closed

Looks like the supply side.  Most likely previous occupants wanted to add a little heat/AC down there.  Is it adjustable?  If not you can add an adjustable register because you may find that the climate control added there was needed.  Maybe for humidity, etc.


I think the trap is dry.   Run at least a half gallon (2 litres) of water down the drain and see if that stops the odor.


Maximum number of wires allowed for junction box

I think the most likely interpretation of the labeling would indicate since the NEC only requires the box fill calculation to count the ground once then you could have two 12/2, three 14/2, or two 14/3, but it could be argued that only one 12/2 or two 14/2 would be allowed.
The Code in section 314 specifies the volume (cm³ or in³) required per wire based on size of wire, and has a couple of details like counting certain types of fittings, only counting the largest ground once, not counting wires that start and end in the box. The confusing part is the Code also says installations shall comply with the UL (or other lab) Listing which includes the instructions supplied with products.
Normally the Listing is more restrictive, so following the Listing doesn't conflict with Code, but often light housing boxes like yours allow more fill than Code. I have always found Inspectors allow the Listing to overrule the Code. If an Inspector told me I would have to comply with both, meaning the tighter more restrictive standard I would have a hard time arguing against that, but I never have had to. Normally I do try to comply with the Code restrictions also to avoid arguments.
The size on the box is also relevant if using some combination of NM/AC/MC cable with smaller fixture whips.


How can I predict now the heat sinks that will appear in winter?

The general principle to use is that actual air leaks are a lot worse than just having poor insulation.

Look around your doors, windows, plumbing, attic/basement/crawlspace access hatches, fireplace, and anywhere else where there's a hole in the wall. Anywhere you feel air movement is an issue. Anywhere you can see daylight (that's not glass) is an issue.


Does a neutral-to-ground voltage of 0.0 indicate a bootleg ground?

The best way to check for the bootleg ground, is to open up one of the boxes and look at how the receptacle is wired.

Since the grounded (neutral) and grounding conductors are bonded at the service equipment, they should always be at about the same voltage potential.  If you had a long circuit, and an accurate meter, you might be able to measure a slight difference.

Since wire has a resistance, it's certainly possible to measure a voltage difference. However, a reading of 0 volts, does not necessarily mean there's a bootleg ground. The only way to know for sure, is to actually inspect the wiring.


Deck footing 2" above the ground -does that apply to a patio? What is the reason behind the 2" restriction?

"C" is the way to go - it has cleanest look.  The point of raising the concrete is to prevent the end grain from wicking moisture and rotting - the concrete is NOT going to deteriorate (unless its mixed poorly and not allowed to cure correctly).  Generally, you don't want wood engaging the ground, nor do you want it sitting directly on concrete.  We separate sill plates all around building foundation walls with foam because the sills will wick from the concrete and rot. Raising the concrete is not the only way to solve the problem... take preventative steps to limit/reduce/stop water from wicking.  Raise the bottom of the wood so it doesn't sit directly on the concrete.  https://www.strongtie.com/capsandbases_woodconnectors/category

We put fences in the ground all the time.  They don't rot (because preventative measures are taken), or do so over an extended period of time.  We don't want the column rotting, but we aren't sticking it in the ground either.  Your detail shows it sitting flush with crushed gravel.  I would dip the end in post preservative or better yet coat it with tar. I'd use a simpson product to keep it off of the concrete (I like the stand off post bases), but keep it below the paver.


Adding outside wood boiler to oil furnace

Just set the thermostat to the off position and turn the fan setting on the thermostat to "on". Your fan will run continuously until you set it back to "auto".


Nah, it should be OK if the RCD is rated more.  There are 2 different jobs being done here:

Overcurrent detection (at 60 amp setting) - the MCB does that
Ground fault/Residual Current detection at any current - the RCD does that

The RCD might also do overcurrent protection, but if it does, it's redundant.

So yeah, perfectly safe to use an 80 amp RCD. It can certainly handle any current a 60A MCB will let through.

Obviously a 30A RCD doesn't have the internal wiring to survive 60A going through it, so that's a no-go.


Connecting to system ground for equipment ground

Yes, in 2014 the Retrofit Ground rules were greatly liberalized to allow exactly what you're talking about.  Retrofitting a ground to the Grounding Electrode Conductor (the run between panel and ground rods/Ufer/water main clamp) is specifically allowed.
You cannot sever or cut the Grounding Electrode Conductor. You will need to clamp onto it with a split bolt etc.


How can I repair my damaged kitchen counter?

That's a laminate countertop. You may want to try to use a repair compound like SeamFill or FormFill Laminate Repair - the damaged spot is small enough where it may work. You'll need to remove the blistered material with a sharp knife before applying the compound. Instructions for application, complete with '70s style cartoons, can be found here.

If the results aren't satisfactory, you will need to cut out a section to install an inset cutting board, or re-laminate the countertop - neither option is simple or easy.


How many 5 metre strips of 5050 LED lighting will a 6 amp driver feed without overheating?

One.

Presuming you're dealing with 12 V and a 300 light strip.

A not entirely universal rule of thumb is 150 lights per amp for 3528's and 50 per amp for 5050s.  That is because 5050s have three emitters per light and each of the three draw about as much as a whole 3528.  If you're using 24V strips, double the number of lights per amp.  Of course, check your data sheets and/or put it on a power supply and test it.


Conventional residential circuit breakers are safety devices that are not subject to adjustment. They are sized based on what the wires to the outlets can safely handle.

As you surmised, if you want to draw more power to that area, you need more wiring.


Yes, your grid tie systems could see each other as a grid that is still running, but ONLY if they are putting enough power out to keep the voltage up.  If the grid is down, and still connected, it is unlikely that you would be putting enough power out to keep the grid up, so if the grid is connected they should see it go down and act appropriately.

If the grid is disconnected, each unit should find the other is unwilling to accept any current, if they are not under load, on the other hand, one unloaded unit may prop up the loaded unit.  In theory they should try to help each other, within the limits of available power.  If they can't find a happy balance, one or both will shut-down using whatever fail safe they have.

It is possible that one will not like the quality of the power from the other, especially if the sine waye isn't as pure as they need for syncing up.  In that case they should simply shut down.

However no matter what, you should discuss your intended design with the manufacturer, to be sure they don't have a problem with what you are trying to do.  There may be some additional equipment, connections or precautions to be taken.

I have found grid tie systems to be incredibly intelligent, and reliable.  I used them when I was building a critical lab that needed quality power, and I used them without solar inputs, rather I had one set being used to charge battery from the grid, and generator as backup, with a second set that simply ran off the battery.  Clearly I had both grid-tie AND battery storage capabilities, I know many newer grid-tie systems don't support battery.  No matter the issues around any power outage, my battery backed power source was solid with zero interruptions for 15 years straight.  All maintenance, including periodic refresh of battery, installing new generators, replacing pole transformers, and even weeks long power outages were all handled by the system gracefully with no issues.  I was using Trace inverters, purchased around 1996.  Trace has changed names, and has newer models now, but they were so darned flexible, and so much cheaper than the more traditional systems for lab/datacenter power...  They had three inputs, two AC inputs and one DC input and I could current limit each input to match the source capability.  the DC and City connections were bi-directional, and the generator input was input only, at least that is how the software worked.  In practice I had inter-tie functionality turned off, except when I was doing off-grid experiments that mimicked your scenario.

I did play with them when I first bought them, just to answer questions like yours, and I was very impressed with their capabilities.  If I was building a power plant again today, I would very likely try to use the same type of equipment.  Of course you have to be an engineer to know what you are doing, and know the electrical code well enough to stay safe.

Will your systems work as well as the systems I used?  Who knows?  So your mileage will vary.  Not all systems have the same features that the Trace units had in 1996.


WHY WE CAN'T ANSWER THIS QUESTION
Welcome to stackexchange JDS. The problem everyone is having with your question is that you have given an excellent physical description of your problem, but almost no electrical information. To truly answer:

How can I tell if my new AC is overloading my home electric service?

We need to get the operating amperage of your AC. Then for us to try and assist in the rest of your dialog, we need to get information using and Ammeter and probably a Multimeter that gives us voltage in 1/1000 increments. Otherwise the best we can do is try to figure out if it is a utility brownout or your panel brownout.

I have attached a Panel Report and Checklist. Look at it and try fill out as much as you can so we can see what you are looking at electrical wise. Remember all of this will do no good if we cannot get at least the circuit number, what it serves, breaker size and amperes which are the first four columns from outside to inside. Also look down at the Buss Inspection area and check off what you can, and add anything that looks funny in comments.

I know it looks like a lot but fill out what you can and we will see what we can do.

Stay safe you will be working around live equipment.


Your second image is a pretty good indicator that this is not normal. You can see rubber insulation at the end of the door. This insulation serves no purpose if it is not compressed against another surface. Light shining through is only a symptom of the problem. The fact that the right (image angle) side of your wall has an extrusion is of course a bit complicated, but simply cutting it out of the door (with a very generous offset) is definitely not the right way to approach this, especially since it is part of the frame which is static and does not need to move.
Thus answering your question if this is normal: Other countries might have different standards, but in my country I would absolutely not accept this kind of work. When I order a door I expect it to be perfectly sealed unless I tell them otherwise.
For your other question if you are able to fix this. It is hard to tell from the image, but the door seems to be at least level, so the offset between the door and its frame on the closing side seems to be constant. The simplest solution would be to remove the rubber insulation and replace it with a larger diameter rubber insulation. Since the pretty large gap on the (image angle) right part of the door does not need to move at all any kind of fixed insulation method (i.e. spraying some foam and cutting it and then paint over it) should probably do the trick.
edit: based on your 5th image, why is the gap on the right side a leak issue? From the outside it seems that the frame is properly sealed against the rest of the house. It looks horrible from the inside but leakage should not happen there.
edit2: This is also not very reasurring (huge gap and not even remotely level)


How to control the level of water in the toilet bowl?

If the level in the tank is also extremely low it could be that the fill valve is adjusted way too low, thus not allowing enough water into the bowl from the refill tube.

The level in the bowl has nothing to do with the plumbing, it has to do with the design of the bowl. The track of the drain has an up "trap" and then down to the drain, so the water will only raise as high as the up trap then spill over into the drain.

Here is a visual:


How many wires per connector, why is a black wire connected to a white wire, how to install brace bar without attic access?

Think of it this way.  A pair of 3-way switches, together, acts like a simple switch.

So when one of the 3-ways is on a spur like that, it's pretty simple.  The 2 travelers (brass screws) can be ignored, and treat it as 1 plain switch between the wires that are on the "common" (black) screws.
So that would be the white from the /2 cable, and the black from the /2 cable.
That is a classic switch loop.
I very strongly recommend using colored tape to re-mark wire colors so they match their function. In particular up in the lamp box, the black to the lamp and the black *from the switch are both switched-hot. I would strongly advise marking them with red tape.
As far as the white wire being as a hot in the switch loop, that's not an option, Code requires you to mark that black (well technically any hot color will do). So mark that black at both ends.
This makes it easy to see what is going on in your boxes.  Hopefully it will then be obvious that your fourth cable should attach to white and blacks if you want the cable to be always-hot, or white and red if you want it switched with this light.
As far as braced junction boxes designed to be installed through the final hole into existing drywall, they make "old work" fan-rated boxes.   If you put a lamp in a fan-rated boxes, I promise not to tell :)


Why is my Delta kitchen faucet dripping? How can I fix it?

I would remove the internal hose, and inspect it for damage. Also inspect the connection between the hose and the wand head.


Home AC Filter Location and Half Inch Sizes

There is no advantage of one location over the other, it's all the same air moving through.
Generally there is a bracket or sometimes just a steel rod that is jammed across the opening to prevent the filter from getting sucked in. Maybe yours got lost along the way? Mine did, so I just bought a piece of steel rod and cut it larger than the opening so that I wedge it in diagonally to hold the filter in.


Why won't propane come out of my nearly-new propane tank?

Open the tank supply valve very slowly and make sure the weed burner valve is closed when you do it. I mean if you think you are opening it slowly you are still opening it too fast. Some of these newer tanks have a safety feature that cuts back on flow if high flow is detected.

You may also have a tank with a defective valve, if the above method does not work, take it and exchange it for a different tank at one of those places that will trade a filled tank for an empty.

It could also be your weed burner valve, a lot of those weed burners are lame Chinese pieces of crap. Try it on an alternate appliance like a camp stove or BBQ.


How do I use the rubber strap with my drill's chuck key?

The rubber / stretchy plastic strap looks like the following when it is installed around the drill cord and attached to the chuck key.

A couple of quick pointers:

Pull the two holes end through the slotted end first to make the loop around the drill cord.
When installing the chuck key insert the longer arm of the key first into its hole and finish with the shorter arm.


Considerations for hardwiring electronics project in wall

Not only will you need to get your local inspector's approval, in writing (and the inspector will defer to Underwriter's Laboratories or other NRTL, so we're talking about getting a UL listing for your one-off) ...

... But all your thermostat wiring must now be re-done in Class I wiring methods  Because you are intermixing thermostat control power with mains.  You can no longer enjoy the exemptions provided for low-voltage systems such as phone, doorbell, burglar alarm, everyone else's thermostat, etc.  You'll need to rewire it in Romex or better, with proper junction boxes instead of informal splices.

Have you noticed something about every single small electronics product of the last 20 years?  They all come with wall warts etc.  You know why?  Because that is how you pass muster with Underwriter's Laboratories and the various other NRTL's (Nationally Recognized Testing Labs).  There are still standards to meet, but it is much more achievable when your product uses an external wall-wart that is already UL listed.

if you do any competitor research, how does Nest get 120V power? Ecobee? Ring doorbell?  They don't.  They use the 24 volts AC that is already present in the thermostat circuit between the R and C wire. That means they sidestep the hard part of UL listing.

So you have precisely 3 options:

set things up so your project is powered off the 24VAC thermostat transformer
use a wall wart to make a different low voltage, and feed that up via spare thermostat wires
go through the rigmarole of getting your homebrew project UL listed


Where can I find a kitchen faucet that stays in spray mode after turning the water off and turning it back on?

We have a Kohler Model K-10433 that has a pushbutton near the spray head.  Pushing it one way gives a stream and pushing it the other way gives a spray.  It will remain in whatever position it was in when the water is turned off. However this unit was installed back in 2009 so I don't know what Kohler may have available now.


What is my 3/8" concrete drill bit hitting in the basement wall and not penetrating when I try to mount a TV?

You could be dealing with a vertical cell filled with concrete or a vertical piece of rebar. If you are not using a hammer drill, try that first and see if it starts going deeper. If not, take a loot at the hammer drill bit and see if it looks like it's dulling. If it is, you will need to try a Carbide Rebar Drill Bit.


Material which absorbs water on carpet and hardwood floor?

A wet (typically "wet/dry") vacuum - most commonly the most affordable form is a shop vacuum. You can use it like a "carpet cleaner" (which is a more expensive form) by spraying a cleaning solution and then sucking that up with the vacuum. Most are quite loud.

Image is an example of the type, not an endorsement of a particular brand or supplier.


Is the live block connection to go into the STC1000 correct?

So from your image: Black is Neutral, Red is live, Green is ground. The left part I suppose is a switch. Everything OK, but the lamp will always glow, if you need to glow only when switched on, then you should connect it to black & blue wire.


Must I remove asbestos from my heating vents?

It's not really that serious in most cases. In tile or siding, it isn't a hazard unless it is broken down, generating dust that you are breathing. Even then, a lot of tile is like 1% asbestos. If you can get it up without breaking it too much, you're basically fine.

Pipe insulation that is soft is more of a problem. You can probably do it yourself if it's a small amount. It may very well be illegal though. Get a respirator like this http://www.amazon.com/MSA-Safety-Works-817664-Respirator/dp/B0009XW3ZS, take a heavy plastic bag, tape it around the insulation so it's mostly sealed, and then spray it down with water so it's saturated and won't generate dust. Then remove it, dousing with water as needed. Seal it up in the bag and dispose of it lawfully.

I was an asbestos abatement hygienist for 3 summers, and I took airborne fiber readings of thousands of hours of removal being done. Although negative air containment systems were in place on those jobs, I had probably 10 concerning readings out of thousands.

Asbestos is like smoking cigarettes in my opinion. One day isn't going to hurt you. Every day for 5 years will hurt you.


How can I remove the stopper from my sink?

You need to use a pair of long nose pliers like this:

There is also a good bet that an ordinary pair of pliers would do the trick as well:


Max water pressure of clear acrylic pipe?

Acrylic can handle 180F, and isn't rated for pressure. Clear schedule 80 PVC is rated for pressure, but can only handle 140F. Check out McMastet-Carr online if you want more material specs.

Maybe look at this problem from another direction? Air getting sucked into a water line typically only happens on/near the inlet side of a pump, so check around the pump inlet first. Often times it's from cracked PVC fittings or a leaky o-ring when I've seen it in pools.

Instead of looking for the air in the water line, intentionally pressurize the water line with air and look for where water leaks/mists from the pipe. Even without water in the line you'll be able to hear it it if you can't see it.

Depending on how large your system is, and how large of an air compressor you have, you may need to add shutoff valves to isolate parts of the line. Use a regulator if you don't want to pressurize everything to 100+ psi which is probably higher than the pressure rating of your pipe and equipment.

On the same note, you can do a pressure drop test to confirm its not leaking if you're trying to rule sections of pipe out.


Changing fluorescent tube: how many degrees to turn?

The bottom two are bi-pin fluorescent tubes. There are two types of bi-pin socket you will encounter on straight tube T5, T8 and T12 fluorescent lights.

This type requires 90 degree rotation.

Removal can be a real pain the first time you do it as the pins can weld to the brass contacts and you will end up breaking the socket if you get rough with them. I use silicone spray with a straw to shoot some into the socket when I encounter one that's semi-spotwelded itself in. It's non-conductive and prevents future issues. Rotate the tube 90 degrees so they align with the slot and pull out. Also, if the tube is too long to allow it to drop out of the fixture opening, there often will be a slot in one end to drop the pins into so the other end will clear the opening.

Align the pins vertical, insert the tube until it stops and rotate until you feel both pins click in place, it is possible to have only one set engage in the indent in the brass contacts that are visible.

This type pushes straight into the socket and removal is straightforward.

The top two tubes in that picture are compact fluorescent and pull straight out of the socket.


What type of paint can I use for exterior flagstone?

In Dallas TX people are painting perfectly good brick because they think it is a design choice. I personally would never paint perfectly good brick.

In my neighborhood of brick facade homes I have, however, seen one case I personally thought it sorta worked. A house with uniform bright red brick with off-white tooled mortar was painted with a highly diluted white latex paint. The owners described it as a "wash".

It desaturated the red and gave some variation which was interesting. If you tried that on your flagstone, wear patterns would probably develop, but maybe you could periodically "rewash" those areas. And if it didn't work at all, you might be able to remove it with a power washer. If you have an inconspicuous place, you could test this.

Personally, I would try to live with the bold flags, and try to consider them a fact of nature which is too much trouble to change by art.


Adding a 100A breaker in front of a feeder

Get a 4-prong outlet and a 4-prong cord, but don't bother with the extra breaker unless you're changing the panel out

Since the box in question is so small (a spa panel, really), I wouldn't bother with the extra circuit breaker if you can find a 40A breaker that replaces the existing 30A breaker in the box.  On the other hand, if you can get the power cut to it safely, then I would consider replacing it with a larger panel with a proper main breaker in it -- an 8-space, 200A, convertible-main mobile home panel with feed-through lugs that has been field-fitted with a 100A main breaker is a good option here, as it can easily be migrated to be a subpanel, or be a main panel instead if you want to convert the existing panel to be a subpanel.

Your choice of 6/3 W/G for the new range circuit is well and good, but you need to use a 4-prong (NEMA 14-50) range receptacle and matching 4-prong cord for your range here -- neutral and ground stay separate at the receptacle as a result, and you also need to pull the bonding strap inside the range when you fit the new cord.


Are there any decorative fire-retardant finishes for a structural steel column?

This is a very unusual request. you must have some unique building codes or you are a first floor owner with more floors above you. Normal supporting walls or columns don't have fire ratings in single family residential settings.
   With that said, you may want to look at a steel post support covered with a split round column, or a fab on site square column. The facade is strictly for appearance and the steel post for support.


OK to attach a metal electric junction box and armored cable (MC) to underside of subfloor in basement?

Some potential problems could be:

You might not have much wood in the subfloor to screw into, so the box might not hold very much weight (if a ceiling fan or heavy light is possible in the future)
You might puncture the floor above with the box's screws
If someday the subfloor were to be replaced that would be a problem for the junction box
Long screws or nails from new flooring could puncture or be stopped by the junction box.

Why not just cut & attach a 2x4 support brace between the floor joists, and then attach the box to it? Then you can screw securely to the 2x4, either on it's side or bottom. Like one of these:

 [source - Framing to Add a Ceiling Fan]

Or like this view from above (an attic):

 [source - How to Replace a Light Fixture With a Ceiling Fan]

You could also buy a special metal ceiling fan support bar, like this one at Home Depot   but it's currently $14.28 US, a small piece of 2x4 is likely much cheaper, or even free if it's scrap.


Probably not, but obviously it depends on where you are.

The main concern is insulation. It's difficult to get enough insulation on a yurt to satisfy most building codes. My yurt came with an insulation layer of foil-faced bubble wrap. It makes a difference, but it's no where near what you find in a modern house.

Consider that in much of the USA, exterior walls are framed with 2x6s, allowing 5.5" of fiberglass. A yurt doesn't have deep stud bays for insulation. You could add them, but then you'd be very close to building a house. However, if your local building codes don't require much insulation, then you may be able to get by.

In my part of the world (Washington State, USA), you're allowed to put up a yurt for up to 6 months without a permit. No heating or plumbing.

Another possibility to consider is a non-dwelling yurt, for example as an outbuilding. In my jurisdiction a non-dwelling yurt can be permitted, as long as there is no heating, no plumbing, and you can provide engineering documentation to the building department. We're in an earthquake zone.

My yurt manufacturer (Pacific Yurts) provided this documentation (it's 80 pages long!) but it depends on having a few upgrades to the yurt structure, called the "snow and wind kit". This basically adds studs (2x4s, roughly 22" O.C.) around the perimeter of the yurt, with metal brackets providing a continuous load path from the floor to the compression ring at the top of the yurt. Screws through the lattice wall in to the studs protect against racking. It also includes a pair of wires that tie the rafters together more securely. Finally, you must add blocking between the studs, somewhat like a top plate in conventional construction.

Another option is to live somewhere else! We parked an RV next to our yurt. No permitting required for RV, and it provides all dwelling needs (kitchen, bathroom, etc.) while the yurt is an open space for daytime use.


Is it code compliant for a new construction bathroom vent (no shower) to go down and then over?

I don't think there is any restriction against an exhaust going downward.

A slightly downward direction is standard in some installations, like when a soffit exhaust vent (common in extremely cold and snowy environments) is used with a fan box which sits above the ceiling joists.


Sanding is not a good idea as the material you are trying to sand off is known as thinset or mastic ; it is a mortar like cement by the time you sand it off you will most likely damage the dry wall.

The process is to first scrape it with a scraper and then use a razor scraper - very time consuming and it will not be perfect. You can then come back with high grain sand paper if need be. Patience is your friend here..

If a bit of the dry wall paper comes off :

If the new backsplash will be covering it: Just use your
thinset/mastic liek normal it will cover it and protect it.
If it is in an area where the new back splash will not cover - apply a very thin layer of joint compound in multiple steps with a 6" - 8" wide putty knife.. allow to dry between steps. Lightly sand and you will be fine.

Because your back splash is about the location of the divide between upper and lower wall - replacing the entire dry wall would require both upper and lower drywall sections (for that kitchen about 10-12 boards $150.00) - not hard and not very expensive .. just depends on how your removal work turns out.

Again this will be dependent on you as to if you want or need to replace / repair a section.


Two lights on a 3-Way Circuit with Separate Dimmers

Q1: With your existing setup, the short answer is:
No, you can't do that without separating the circuit.

Q2: You could add a dimmer at the each location that would dim each light separately but you would have to run at least one more cable depending on your current wiring diagram. Then the three way switches would just turn the lights on and off and the dimmers would dim each light. It would be complicated and a pain to install. Sounds like a lot of work to me for the result.

With a 3-way circuit the lights are all in series with the switches. Effectively, all on one wire at any moment. Whatever dimming you do at one location affects both lights.

Good luck and stay safe!


Looks suspiciously like "I'll put  board back here to screw the fixture to, and run wire there, with no box" - which would be a fairly major code violation and increase the scope of your work to correct it and make it safe.

Edit to add:

You can get rid of the board, but correcting the situation will probably involve a bit more than just cutting it out (i.e. you may need to cut and repair drywall, but that's very much in the "relatively cosmetic" sphere, and not so terribly dificult without complicating factors like tiles or a textured finish, especially if your cosmetic upgrade already includes painting.) I'm dubious that you can just cut out the board and successfully mount an "old-work" box there, as the remains of the board would be in the way.


Why won't my toilet's water valve not turn off?

First, a silly question for you. Are you sure the valve is not a 1/4 turn ball valve, and are you sure it has not turned off the water supply to the tank.  If the answer is no to both questions, then we have to assume the valve is defective and we go to plan two. Now you have two jobs ahead. First, replace defective valve with a 1/4 turn ball valve and second, replace the wax ring with rubber flange. Before you can attack the valve replacement, you must turn off the main water supply, usually found at meter or pressure tank. After you have turned off the water supply. open a couple of faucets that are below and above the valve you want to replace. This will drain water from the system and avoid a lot of water held in pipes above the toilet valve from rushing out all over the place when you unsolder or cut the old valve out. Without seeing exactly what configuration your valve is attached by, I cannot advise you if it can be unsoldered.  Another option may be to secure the body of the valve with a wrench and see if you can remove the cartridge retaining nut with a separate wrench.  This will avoid the fear of ruining the copper in the wall. you may be able to replace just the guts instead of the entire valve.  A pic of your set up would be helpful.


This is what worked for me (it's rather brute force, but functional):

Take a small C-clamp (I had a 3" one laying around) and place it in the mouth of the spigot on the right hand side with the body of the clamp facing down.
Tighten the clamp
Twist the clamp counter clockwise using the body of the clamp as a gripping surface and leverage
If it doesn't work try tapping the spigot with a hammer or mallet to jar it loose a bit then try the clamp again.

Note: this may damage the spigot a bit, it was useful to me as the spigot was already broken and all I had available was a hammer and a clamp.


How to fix a leaky toilet flapper valve over brass outpipe

From what you have said, it sounds like a better way to go might be to replace that top edge of the brass outlet pipe. They sell kits in the store to replace the flapper valve and the seat (which is what you are struggling with). Have you looked into one of those? Something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Lavelle-2003BP-Flush-Valve-Repair/dp/B001ARJR8S

Trying to sand the existing seat down, in place, until you get a good seal sounds like a lot of work with little chance of success. With a kit like this, you seal a new plastic seat down on top of the old one with a silicone sealant, then the flapper seals against the new seat. If one of those seat replacement kits will adapt to your toilet, that is your best bet, in my opinion.
Hope this helps.


How do I remove this connector from a solid electrical wire?

These don't get "removed", they get cut off. Snip the copper solid wire at the end of those connectors, strip off the insulation and then use wire nuts or some other approved connector to connect the wires for your new light.


Where should tile backer board go on a bathroom floor?

Typically, you would install the shower curb/pan first, then install your underlayment, concrete backer board in this case, up to it.

As to the floor, we usually extend the concrete board as far as we can under the wall finish, and have a gap between the bottom of the wall finish and the floor finish that gets covered up by the base to mitigate water damage if some water gets under the base.

When we get freaky about it, we paint and sometimes redguard the bottom of the base before installation, then clear silicone caulk the base to the floor after installation.  Mostly we do this if there are young kids that are going to be using the bathroom and the clients are ok with the mild funkyness of such an install.


What are good options for protecting expensive lawn equipment?

Contractors at construction sites often place their valuable gear out of reach of potential theives.

Now expecting that this approach may not be practical in your particular case the next best advice is "out of sight is less tempting". Wheel your gear into a shed or garage and lock it up.


Could I have poisoned myself by using my gas fireplace with the flue closed?

If they are not dead, and you are not dead, none of you got poisoned enough to matter. Just don't do that again.

Buy a carbon monoxide detector (or two, or three), and put a note on the fireplace reminding you to open the flue.


Fittings for conduit passing through ceiling/floor

Depending on the type of conduit used, the codes for securing and supporting it are a bit different.  In general, the conduit will have to be supported every 3-10 ft, depending on the type and size conduit used.
Fireblocking between floor may also be required.

International Residential Code 2012
Chapter 3 Building Planning
Section 302 Fire Resistant Construction
R302.11 Fireblocking. In combustible construction, fireblocking shall be provided to cut off all concealed draft openings (both vertical and horizontal) and to form an effective fire barrier between stories, and between a top story and the roof space.
Fireblocking shall be provided in wood-frame construction in the following locations:
4. At openings around vents, pipes, ducts, cables and wires at ceiling and floor level, with an approved material to resist the free passage of flame and products of combustion. The material filling this annular space shall not be required to meet the ASTM E 136 requirements


Ran out of levelling compound when fitting underfloor heating, what are my options?

Judging by this language in the instruction sheet...

Allow to set (approx. 4 hours).

Finish by levelling off with a further layer of SBR
modified Bostik Cempolatex One Pack.

I'd conclude that you may apply a second layer of the product without priming. Whether it's appropriate to modify the compound with Bostik Cementone SBR is unclear, but that seems to apply to thicker applications.


Likely one of the wire pairs is the switch connection, what your buddy calls the switch leg. probably the one that didnt have ground connected. In this case, on that wire pair, neither black nor white is common.. instead one wire is hot to switch and the other wire is hot return from the switch. Youre supposed to mark the white wire with tape or ink to indicate its not common but often its not marked. You want return from the switch to be hot for the light fixture. Dont patch it to the other whites..its not a common. This matches your buddys instructions so far. You didnt mention if you hooked up common as well as hot on the fixture. That would be a problem if it has only hot no common... The third pair is likely another connection downstream from your fixture on the circuit, so you are leaving somwthing disconnected, maybe an outlet. My guess is that if you didnt identify which pair goes to the switch you may have used the wrong wires intended to extend the circuit downstream but you thought they were the switch leg. So my advice is confirm the switch leg with a meter. The only other guess i have is there are a couple other ways the box might be wired into the house circuit.. but they are hard to explain and seldom used.


Join 2" aluminum pipe between two 4"x4" treated lumber?

Drill a hole. Put in a PVC end cap. Insert the aluminum pipe into the PVC end cap. Only trick is making sure you get exactly the right size PVC - inner diameter of PVC should be same size as (or ever so slightly bigger than) outer diameter of pipe.


What is this strange, linear light bulb?

Specifically that is a 78mm T3 halogen lamp.

I have one in my bathroom as well and love it because:

The bulbs are pretty cheap.  Usually a couple dollars.  I bought 10 on ebay for $20.
They are BRIGHT.  Much brighter than LED bulbs, and some fixtures can take 200 or 250W bulbs.  For a light over a mirror thats only on a few minutes a day, I dont care about power efficiency, I just want something bright.  A 100W halogen is much brighter than a 100W incandescent or any LED bulb.
The bulbs last for ages.  I have had to replace it once in the last 3 years.
The color of light is better than most LED or florescent bulbs.

There are LED versions available, but most would be too large a diameter to fit in that fixture by the looks of it.

The downside of them is that they get quite hot.  The heat is actually essential to their long life.  Be sure to check for a sticker on the fixture stating the max wattage and not go over that with a replacement bulb.


Adaptor for 6-awg wire to wire receptable

Wire nut a #14 or #12 pigtail to the incoming wire and screw to the receptacle. Just make sure to use the right wire nuts. A quick look at the Ideal catalog and it looks like typically these will be Blue or Blue/Gray, but check the specs to be sure.


How can I improve my gasoline can spout?

I'm sure nobody would counsel you to sidestep rules and regulations, but if you google "ez pour water spout", you might find something like a water spout that's similar to an old gas spout that ships to 50 states. (For what it's worth, I might possibly be a satisfied user of this product, but use your own judgment.)


That's "paralleling". You can't do it.

Using multiple wires to a single load is never permitted, except in industrial applications with VERY large wires, AND with special equipment on the supply side which resolves the safety issues therein, AND with very special and picayune installation requirements.  It is totally infeasible in a residence.

Also, you forgot all about neutral

This may be news, but neutral is also a wire.  Neutral can't carry any more current than hot. So in your scheme, your solitary #14 neutral will carry 20A, which is no-go obviously.

There's one more thing about neutral.  You notice it doesn't have a circuit breaker. The only thing that prevents neutral from overloading is monogamy - neutrals only return current from their partner hot.  Thus, the breaker on their partner hot protects the neutral.   What if a neutral is promiscuous and returns current from two hots?  It overloads, and the breakers will do nothing to prevent this!

But wait. I'm sure I've heard of a way to get more power out of /3!

That's correct.  That is where you put 240V across the two hots (red and black), so they are on opposite poles.  In that case you can attach 120V loads between a hot and neutral, and neutral only handles the difference in current - all other current flows from hot1 to hot2.  Hot1 can supply 15A of 120V loads, and Hot2 can supply 15A of 120V loads. **But no more than 15A of 120V, ** so this does not help this here situation at all.

But you can also ignore the neutral, and use red and black to supply 240V at 15A to an appliance.  It has to be a 240V appliance, obviously.  That is your solution here.  Tell your supplier you need the unit in 240V, where it will only draw 10A.  That will easily be supplied by your 14/3.


Put a dimmer on the room and put a lower wattage over the bed if it is bothering you.   Trying out a few bulbs with a dimmer you should be able to find something that dims pretty low compared to the others.   I would not be moving electrical and lights based on current room configuration unless you are going to be there a long long time.


I have replaced those, but I had the fortune of working for a company that had spare seats with other broken casters, so when I pulled one off of one of those it did not matter.

The part that removes is not the part you have featured in your pictures. Those are the non removable axles. The point of separation is higher where the whole wheel assembly pivots. A strong direct pull down should separate it from the support arm that it pivots in.


Grounding a receptacle when there is no ground wire?

Use self-grounding outlets. A self-grounding outlet should be labeled as such when you buy them.  If not labeled, you can tell one if it has a thin copper wire or brass tab (see picture) running across one of the screw holes that attach it to the outlet box.  These outlets, so long as you have a grounded metal box, provide a safety ground by "bonding" the outlet to the box.

Leave the bare copper wires twisted and screwed to the back of the box.  As far as connecting the black and white wires, I always use 'pigtails'.  Make two 6 inch lengths of wire (pigtails), one white and one black.  Attach one end of the pigtails to the outlet screws, and then attach the other end to the wires in the box using a wire nut.  The black wire is "hot" and attaches to the outlet's brass screw. The white wire is "neutral" and attaches to the outlet's silver colored screw. Connecting the wires in the box with a wire nut reduces the risk of continuity failures, and helps to preserve the length of the wire in the box if you have to remove the outlet in the future.


Does a General Electric washing machine have an automatic shut down function in cold environment?

Installing a washing machine in a location that freezes is extremely risky, even if the machine is disconnected and in storage.

There are many and plastic parts in the machine, that will crack easily in freezing conditions.  Some of them have water in them at all times, e.g. bottom of drain hoses.  Some have pressurized water, such as the water inlet valves: a crack here will dump thousands of gallons of water.

Your main stack is physics.se, so I'm sure I don't have to explain the behavior of freezing water and why it destroys equipment.  Allowing this equipment to be exposed to freezing temps is a foreseeable mistake.

Preparing a washing machine to be stored outdoors/in freezing conditions is called winterizing.  To be clear, the washing machine does not have any functionality that would auto-winterize the washing machine, even if it could detect ambient temp, which it could not.  It would certainly do nothing for the hoses from the wall or the plumbing in the wall.  Those, you would have to remove and disconnect yourself.

Most likely what happened is the hoses to the washer, or the pipes in the wall, froze just solid enough to block them but not enough to crack. That blocked water flow, so the machine never filled, so the timer could not advance.  You thawed those pipes in the nick of time.  I would say "you got lucky" - don't push your luck.


How to fix broken toilet flange from over tightened bolt?

You can purchase a toilet flange repair at any big box hardware store.

Remove the wax ring (buy a new one), remove the bolts, and mount this on top of the existing broken flange:

Then reattach the toilet as per normal, making sure not to over tighten.

Tip, seat the toilet firmly on the wax ring before you tighten the bolts, and use a STANDARD sized wax ring not a jumbo - if the toilet starts out firmly on the floor before you start tightening then you know you're tight enough when the washer starts to bend in just a little.


"Plunge" VS "slide" using my sliding miter saw?

No, you're not crazy. The key is to consider how many of the blade's teeth are in contact with the workpiece at a given moment. The more teeth, the more resistance because you're essentially forcing each tooth into the material with your own muscle. Pulling will usually result in less resistance for the blade because it's cutting an effectively thinner depth at any point.

That said, it's not always best to do a pull or push cut. Some reasons to do plunge cuts:

You're trying to precisely orient the blade to a mark or other point in the center of the workpiece
You're attempting to minimize tearout on one face or another
You're making an incomplete cut

Also, there's possibly more risk of "blade walking" with a pull cut. Your arm is less prepared to resist motion if the blade does grab when you're already pulling toward yourself. I've witnessed some pretty hairy situations with very large radial arm saws walking into heavy boards. A 16" industrial blade doesn't like to stop suddenly with all its rotational inertia at play.

Push cuts are often inappropriate for trim work because they result in the blade tearing out upward, though what's usually the finished face of the workpiece.


What is the proper garbage disposal/recycle process?

It sounds like you have Single Stream Recycling for most everything else, so I don't see any improvement needed there. Except, to rinse everything out so it doesn't stink up the place or the Recycling Can.

The compostables (just do food scraps) go in the regular trash for most people, put them in a plastic bag to keep the wretched stink down. If you buy into that "Eating Healthy" nonsense. But, I haven't heard of a Compost Pick Up from the Town or City Service (Public Works Dept.).

You usually dump the Food Scraps in a specific area of your yard, pouring out a bucket or tossing a paper bag on the pile. But, to do it right you need to till-it or turn & mix it with a Shovel or Pitch Fork monthly to get the composting action to happen.

However, there are Private Compost Pickup services all over the country. So, you may have 1 or more in your area. You can Google Compost Pick Up or you can search through sites like CompostNow.org for someone in your area.


Paint chipping too easily on trim and jambs

Chipping is not a problem of the finish (gloss, semi-gloss, or flat) of the paint. It's a problem of (lack of, or incorrect) preparation of the surface the paint is not sticking to. If the actual application of paint is the majority of work in painting something, you're probably doing it wrong; preparation is the majority of the work, and what the result depends on in pretty much all cases.

Your pre-primed trim may have been exposed to a number of things in its travels between priming at the factory and you putting it in place - those surface contaminants need to be removed. This might involve washing/rinsing it (and then letting it dry fully) as well as sanding it.

Giving truly adequate drying/curing time and conditions before exposing to abuse is also a factor - humid air (given your location and the season there being summer) can drastically affect paint cure times, and "not coming off on your fingers" (i.e., surface dry) and "fully cured" are two very different states, with the "fully cured" state taking considerably more time to arrive at.


How can I repair a leaking crack in a Terrazzo stone bathtub?

I'm not an expert in this material, but here's my first inclination.

Turn the tub over in a good workspace.
Using a rotary tool (Dremel) or similar, channel out the outside of the crack to a depth of at least 1/4" (6mm). Keep this channel just the width of a carving bit--say 1/8" (3mm). Channel the entire length of the crack to a uniform depth, and taper out the groove just beyond the end of the crack.
Thoroughly clean out the channel with compressed air, alcohol, or soapy water (rinse well in the case of the latter). Allow it to dry thoroughly.
Fill the channel with a quality two-part epoxy. Work from one end and use masking tape to cover the channel as you work, containing the epoxy while it cures.
After curing, carefully sand the repair smooth with medium and fine-grit sandpaper, following any manufacturer instructions for such surface maintenance.
Reinstall the tub and test thoroughly.