Making a fake wall to mount a tv, easy as it seems? will the fake studs be able to carry the same weight?

If the fake studs are mounted to the real studs, there should be no problem. We have been hanging mirrors weighing several hundreds of pounds by screwing into studs for hundreds of years.

It is important that your aesthetic wall is well anchored. Numerous screws into numerous studs. Then make sure your TV mount has several screws into the new studs. 3/8 or 1/4 inch lag screws are a good choice.


Use a sanding block (ie, do not hand sand with your fingers) which will prevent the sandpaper from pressing into the grooves.

1 mm is huge, for anything reasonably described as fine sandpaper and not applied with excess enthusiasm.

But, as is always the case, testing your complete proposed finishing process on a suitable piece of (in this case) laser-engraved scrap would be the best bet.


Adding separate wire to convert 6-2 Cable to 6-3 Wiring

The Code requirement, for good reason, is all conductors must be in the same cable or conduit. I'm not sure whether conduiting this route and stuffing old cable and new wire in the conduit would suffice, that would be up to the local inspector. The conduit would have to be quite large because it would be a nightmare to pull, and because the flat 6-2 cable gets treated same as a round wire of its largest dimension.  With 2 "wires" in the conduit, "wires" can only take up 31% of conduit cross section. One thing conduit would be very good for is allowing easy adds and change-ups, extra helpful if you're mudding up the walls! Metal conduit is allowed to serve as the ground wire.

However I would re-cable with 6-3 rather than risk having the inspector redflag it and have to bust out drywall to fix it.

There's no reason to tear the 6-2 out of the wall, unless you have another place to use it (not outdoors, mind). Just bring it into a 120mm (4-11/16") junction box ($2.50 at electrical supply, $5 at big-box) and cap it off at both ends.  It can be used later for welders, or EV chargers whose labeling/instructions allow use of a 6-20, 6-30 or 6-50 connection.

You have this.  You needed this.  Note how many lattés there are in the price difference.  I like to use frappucino's (or pizzas) as units of cost savings in cases like this.  This case is a glitch, on my screen it shows a $0.02 difference and I suspect normal pricing would put it at 30%.

I find inexperience + savings seeking = this kind of error. A lot.  Before you seal up the walls (why do that at all?? It's a garage) I suggest searching for where else this might have been done.

In both the examples you linked, you have lifted out of context.

The "retrofitting a wire" case, two things wrong there: first it applies only to ground wires, which are a different case because they are not conductors; grounds only carry current during emergencies.  And second it applies to old work that was grandfathered because it was legal at the time it was installed. Some people think grandfathering is amnesty for code violations. It's not.
In the neutralless 14-50, that case talked about the plug, not the socket.  That makes all the difference in the world. The plug is free to take only the conductors it needs, but the socket must proffer all the conductors that its design implies. A neutralless 14-x socket could actually cause a deadly problem if you plug in an appliance that had formerly been wired for NEMA 10.


Thanks to clues from folks in the comments I solved this by simply connecting the two dead ends together to form the switch loop. They had obviously come loose inside the lamp (possibly through wiggling of cable when lamp angle changed).

With these ends connected, the wall switch ON and power OFF I could confirm conductivity between the previously loose end and the live terminal on the lamp. This gave me the confidence that one of the cables indeed went to the switch and identified the live wire. (no useful colours to go by).

With power ON I could confirm 240V between the live wire and the neutral connection  on the lamp, and with the switch ON also I confirmed 240V flowing between the L+N terminals on the lamp and the bulb contacts.

Light now works. Thanks all commenters.


Standard electrical wall mounting box specifications for the USA

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Standard North American junction boxes come in a variety of shapes and sizes (round, octagon, square, rectangular); however, most wiring devices intended for junction box mounting, save for light fixtures, are designed around the standard device yoke mounting pattern -- this is defined in NEMA WD-6 (an abridged version can be found here) as a 4.1" by 1.1" metal strap with holes at each end, on the long axis centerline, 3.75" apart and equally spaced from the short axis of symmetry.  The device face itself is 2.78" by 1.625".

Each yoke (save for a rare few large receptacles that take up two gangs) mounts to a gang -- the space in a device box reserved for a single wiring device.  This is how rectangular boxes are measured -- by the number of gangs they accommodate.  Other shapes have a nominal dimension; for square boxes, this is the length of a side, while for octagons and rounds, this is the diameter of the box.

Square boxes (irrespective of size: the smallest square is 4", with 411/16" and a few 5" squares available for bigger jobs) can also be used for devices, using a mud ring or faceplate to adapt the box to the device.  Larger octagon boxes (4") can also mount devices to their faceplates; smaller octagon and all round boxes are reserved for light fixtures, though.

That's not all there is though

Even if two boxes are the same size, they may differ in other characteristics.  Metal boxes are designed for use with metal conduit or metal-sheathed cables, and thus have knockouts that can be removed to make way for conduit or cable to pass into them; non-metallic cables can be used with a metal box with a suitable cable clamp though.  Non-metallic boxes are typically used exclusively with non-metallic sheathed cables, and thus have built in cable clamps but no knockouts, although a few non-metallic boxes have knockouts as they are designed for use with non-metallic conduits instead of cables.

There are also various means of mounting boxes: surface boxes are designed to mount to the surface of a wall and stick out from it (say in an unfinished or industrial area), while new work boxes are designed to mount to wall studs and be flush with the finished wall, and old work boxes mount to the opening in the finish sheathing of the wall made for the box using integral clamps.

Special boxes for special jobs

Ceiling fans and heavy fixtures such as chandeliers are mounted to ceiling fan rated round or octagon boxes that securely anchor to the structure of the building, due to the weight and dynamic loads fans impose on their mountings.

There are also extension boxes that are used to add space to an existing box or protect the inside of material that is added to an existing wall, and larger NEMA enclosures for use in larger-scale (often industrial) applications where standard junction boxes are too tiny, or to mount parts that don't fit into a standard gang or to a standard knockout (such as industrial components that mount to DIN rail).


How can I make this stair rail less slippery?

Yes, it's called anti-skid coating (or non-skid coating, or anti-slip coating). Some brands are Non-Skid Paint and Sure Step. I have never used it, so I don't know how well it works.


Adding circuits to an outdoor surface mount electric panel for kitchen remodel

You run individual THHN wires in conduit, not NM or UF cables
The first mistake most DIYers make when they first approach conduit is trying to stuff NM or UF down it.  Instead, what you're supposed to use in conduit is individual wires of a type called THHN.  These are usually stranded, making them much more flexible than NM or UF cable, and also take up much less space than a cable since they don't twist around awkwardly during pulling.
You're better off running conduit all the way for that many circuits (no, it's not as hard as it sounds)
Furthermore, you're far better off putting a large junction box (a 6" by 6" by 4" NEMA 1 pull box would do quite fine for this) in your attic or kitchen at some convenient point and running all your NM cables to it, then taking two lengths of ¾ ENT ("smurf tube") and running them from said box out to the LB conduit bodies you'll need to use to make the turn down outside.  This lets you run quite a bit more power (in the form of up to 8 circuits normally, or 16 if you go whole-hog on MWBCs) to your kitchen without getting bit by ampacity adjustments that knock down the carrying capacity of wires once you stuff too many (more than 9 for wires 10AWG or smaller) wires down a conduit.  This solution also removes the need to provide working space for a subpanel in the kitchen, which isn't always the most practical thing in the world.
And finally...
Last but not least, from the aforementioned LBs, you'll want to run rigid PVC conduit down the side of the panel then turn into the panel with LL bodies fitted with weep holes, in the fashion of your Option 2.  This way, you won't need the special three-piece hub ("Myers hub") fittings that are required to come into the top of an outdoor breaker box or electrical cabinet at a location not factory-designated for a hub fitting.
Note that you may need to field punch knockouts in the side of the breaker box to do this; this is fine, as long as the KOs don't overlap factory KOs and don't extend above the lowest live part in the box.


Why does my Whirlpool refrigerator ice maker not make ice exactly one day a week every week?

I've never heard of this,

Here's what I could dig up:

  Hold down the "Door Alarm" button for three seconds until "F or C" or
  "On or Off" appears on the display. Many Whirlpool food appliances
  comply to Jewish religious law by including a "Sabbath" mode, which
  disables many of the refrigerator's features, including the ice maker.
  Tap the "Freezer +" or "-" buttons until "SAB" appears on the display.
  Tap "Refrigerator +" until "Off" appears on the screen. Hold down the
  "Door Alarm" button for a further three seconds to confirm the new
  settings.

  Read more: How to Fix an Ice Maker on a KitchenAid Refrigerator |
  eHow.com
  http://www.ehow.com/how_7954484_fix-ice-maker-kitchenaid-refrigerator.html#ixzz29aiNXHuy


Why are two breakers controlling the same circuit?

If both 4 + 5 must be on for the lights to be on, that's weird but safe.

If 4 turns on the lights, then (with 4 off) 5 turns on the lights, call an electrician.


How can I wire a recessed light from an existing remote controlled fan?

You didn't say what jurisdiction you are in - electrical codes do differ by location.

You will also need a neutral and a ground for your fixture.  You should fish a standard 14/2 wire for that.  In my area, all neutrals and all grounds should be combined in the box with wire nuts, so wire the neutral (white) and ground (bare) from the 14/2 wire that you fished to the nearby light, and connect the black wire from the 14/2 to the red wire you are referring to.

I am assuming that you would not be overloading your circuit by adding a new device (fixture).

Also, I would suggest you have an electrical inspection.  If your house burns down due to electrical fault in uninspected work you did, then your insurance could possibly deny any claim. :(

(In 2011, I rewired my 1959 house and brought it up to then-current code. And yes, I had it inspected.)


Running building wire across 2x4s of drop ceiling

Sure you can but it might not be as easy as you think, unless you can cut a hole large enough to be able to get above the 2x4 and push it to where it needs to be. Also just be sure the old ceiling doesn't flex and pinch the romex.

Good luck


Rather than using paint, look at some of the dozens of dry concrete dyes. There are several methods to color concrete after it has cured. Acid wash is very effective.  Check out this web site:  http://www.concretenetwork.com/concrete/walkways/existingdecorativeconcretewalkways.html

There are also several other sites you can look at including Lowes, HD, and Sherwin Williams.

Concrete floor paints are easy and quick, but may require more maintenance and refinishing over time as compared to a stains. If your area is small and not subject to lots of traffic, paint may be a good choice.


Fix Kitchen cabinets damaged due to fire

It will be best to replace any doors where the plastic laminate has been burnt, distorted or partially melted.


Why does my Qlima™ portable gas heater shut itself off?

According to Qlima website, the heater is equipped with oxygen depletion sensors (ODS). These sensors can tell how much oxygen is left in the air. If the oxygen level decreases then this activates the sensor and the gas shuts off to the logs.


Where can I find a garage door (slot) mail basket?

This guy crafted his own.

This site sells mail baskets.

You could always use a priority mail box and attach it with a few bolts and screws. Hot glue a dowel rod to the box and use the same type of clips to get the hanging effect.


Are WAGO lever splice connectors approved for use with solid aluminum #12 or #10 with WAGO joint compound

I finally found it in the WAGO online catalog WAGO 222-413 lever connector is listed for copper. There is no reference to aluminum. WAGO sells a joint compound in a syringe for injecting into these connectors and this made me hope that they were listed for solid aluminum, but it seems not so. I think it would work, but if it's not listed then one cannot use it for pigtailing aluminum wiring.

WAGO 222-413


Washing Machine Agitates, But Won't Spin

Turns out a sock had become wedged between the inner and outer tub. Once I removed it, the spin cycle worked fine. I guess the sock was enough to throw the balance off. Anyway, problem solved.


Is it safe to replace a lamp's UK 5 amp round 3 pin plug with a 13 amp rectangular 3 pin plug?

Yes - almost certainly.  You need to get the wiring right (the wires should be colour coded in the usual way - if in doubt post pictures). The pins are in the same positions in both plugs. The 13A plug is fixed unlike the 5A. A fuse should be chosen to match the rating of the cord but you're unlikely to have that information. In that case just fit a 1A fuse unless the bulb is over 200W when you should go for 3A.

The 5A plug is used in theatrical lighting (along with the 15A) but it was also used many years ago when standards weren't what they are now. Watch out for metal housings with no earth wire (double insulation is possible however) or cable with only a single layer of insulation (such as you only see on Christmas tree lights) often as two such wires twisted together.

A further thought on wiring: rather than the usual brown/blue/green&yellow you may see red/black/green for live/neutral/earth. This is based on ancient British standards like the 5A plug, that were adopted then adapted in some commonwealth countries.


Two wall switches appear orphaned... What to do?

I would caution to not remove anything you do not know what it controls.
House fans are common, an exhaust fan in the attic?
I caution that trying to make resistance measurements is normally a waste of time and I have seen a lot of ruined meters when DIY folks and apprentices have measured live circuits.
Why are resistance measurements questionable?
A thermally switched attic fan will show open in the cool winter being 1 switch and the light fixture for that fan that the light burned open.
I was called in to repair some wiring in an exactly similar case.
The owner found the dead light and fan later and wanted them to work, 4 or 5 total trips into the attic to identify the feeder and verify the removed switch’s  then to reconnect and verify took over 2 hours to get repaired and working. The owner then remembered removing the switches.
I had an emergency call a sump pump quit working and the finished basement was flooding, when you are looking for a failure not a switch the owner took out in the summer it takes longer and emergencies on a weekend night cost 2-3x if you can get someone! The owner had tested the circuit and it was open the sump was empty and the float switch opened the circuit.
So there are 3 different cases a burned out lamp, a thermal switch and a float switch that made the circuits look like nothing was there.
You mentioned putting in receptacles, this may be a possibility depending on how things are wired. Do not assume that white is a neutral in switch box especially if it connects to a switch in this case it is normally a hot and even though code recently changed requiring neutrals at most switches reality is most homes will have old style switch loops for decades to come.


what is the size or model of an add-a-tee(similar stuff) can convert a toilet water outlet working both for a toilet water tank and a washing machine

Assuming this is a rental, I do not recommend this at all. If anything goes wrong, and things can go very wrong, you will have a flood on your hands and your landlord will not be happy.
If you own this apartment, I do not recommend this at all. The chances of things going wrong are relatively big, and even if everything works correctly, the flow rate will be very low because this connection is designed for a toilet and won't simply "scale up" to fill a washing machine.
Think about all the pieces needed, normally, for a washing machine:

Cold water in
Hot water in
Electricity
Waste water out

This is specifically for cold water in.
Does your washing machine need hot water as well? Or does it heat the water if a cycle calls for hot water?
Electricity is probably the easiest piece, at least for a washing machine. Most US/Canada washing machines use a standard 120V 15A receptacle. On the other hand, if you want to install a dryer then you typically need 240V and also figure out how to handle venting the hot air out.
What about waste water drainage? That may be more than you realize. A typical washing machine pushes out the water very quickly, possibly faster than your sink drain can take it.
What I suggest looking at is a "portable" washing machine. These typically get water using an adapter on a regular kitchen faucet. No permanent installation or changes to existing plumbing, which solves the landlord problem (the only effect on the landlord is higher water usage) and solves the "things can go wrong" problem, at least with respect to plumbing installation.


Selecting proper tiles for the floor in the hall

Firstly, make sure you buy a tile that is sold as a "floor tile". Some tiles are only suitable for walls (sold as "wall tiles") and won't survive the abrasion caused by being walked on. Most tiles are sold as "wall/floor tiles" and are suitable for either.

Colour. Go for whatever you fancy. This is basically a cosmetic decision. More expensive tiles should be less likely to stain, but it's difficult to know.
Filling. I assume you mean Grout? I.e. the thing that fills in between the tiles. Again this is mostly a cosmetic decision. But in terms of staining, grout is in general less durable than tile. A light grout on the floor is likely to darken over time. This may be an issue, as it'd discolour more in the more highly trafficked areas.
Size. Mainly cosmetic, but there are other considerations.

If your floor is deliberately not flat (mainly applies to shower cubicle floors rather than hallways) then smaller tiles can follow the curve much more easily than big ones.
If your floor is unintentionally not flat then big tiles require more care to lay well (a small angle change due to an imperfection, when extended over a long tile becomes a big vertical change, meaning adjacent tiles don't meet each other properly. This can be avoided by proper preparation before tiling.)
A good tiler should make sure that there is adhesive supporting the whole tile. Poor tilers who only dab adhesive onto part of the tile risk the unadhesived part being unsupported, leading to cracking when the unsupported part is loaded. With bigger distances on bigger tiles, this could be more of a problem. But, as said, with a good tiler it wouldn't be an issue anyway.

Format/ pattern of tile shape. Completely cosmetic.
Texture. If you buy perfectly smooth tiles, then any imperfection in tile laying is more obvious. If you have a bumpier tile, then imperfections in laying are less obvious. Also a smooth shiny tile shows up scratches, whereas a rough bumpy tile will tend to hide them.
Pricing. Your guess is as good as mine. Across every product of any type I've ever bought, I've hoped that more money means better quality. But it doesn't. Sure, there's some correlation, but it's impossible for me to say that because product A costs X times what product B costs that it'll last for Y times as long.


What PVC pipe can withstand hot water, sunlight and be used for drinking water?

CPVC with a coat of paint on the outside to protect from sunlight. Of course, a non-PVC pipe might suit your actual needs better, depending on your actual needs.


If you did not properly wire the cap (start/ run) your motor may not be spinning at the correct speed if it spins up.
Frozen coils are more often when the defrost is not properly cycling.
Depending on the brand it could be time based, but more often is pressure based (with Refridgerants temps = pressure)  you could have caught it just prior to when it was going to start a defrost cycle.
The reversing valve could also not be functioning correctly.
More info on why you changed the cap may give us the information needed to help you.


Why is the non-contact voltage detector beeping over large area of a wall?

You have an extremely sensitive digital non-contact voltage detector. Buy an analog one and you'll reduce the amount of false positives.

Your current one is obviously detecting AC voltage in the wall, it's just too sensitive.

If you don't know the difference, basically just get one that doesn't beep.


How to level depressed region in plywood subfloor for laminate?

First you need to address and fix the sagging issues before proceeding with any thoughts of next steps. Get under the house and see what's going on. If it is not severe (ie. rot/mold) then get proper bracing in there.

After that, you should most certainly be dealing with a much more level floor. As for liquid level vs. replacing the subfloor. It is much more cost effective and ideal in laying fresh particle board on top and have a nice new surface to start with.  Liquid level will work well when no more than 1/4".

  Could I use 1/4" thick plywood pieces for this? If so, are there additional steps besides nailing it down?

I would go with at least 3/8" particle board and as for nails, DO NOT USE any. Screw it all down, or the nails can get loose over time and make the floors squeak.

With that, make sure to screw off all areas that squeak, or you will live to regret it.

Update Based on it is now a Second Floor Condo.
Are both floors your condo and do you know much about history?

I apologize if this type of reply is not allowed. As I will remove this portion or answer in full depending on info to come.


Ground wire in 14/2 NM-B cable is at 60+ Volts when not connected to anything

It's not connected to anything. There is non-zero capacitance between the lines in the cable, and your meter has a high input impedance. Capacitive coupling gives you a phantom voltage that will disappear as soon as anything is connected.

Connect the ground and neutral correctly and the non-problem will go away. Then there's the question of WHY you were connecting the hot wire without connecting the ground and neutral...


12' sliding door frame shimmed up against header and sagging at point where shimmed

Without a full mental picture, here are my initial suggestions...
Can I remove those shims?
Probably. Head jamb anchor points are sometimes needed to prevent horizontal (in-out) movement in the frame, but if you have mounting flanges or something else on the door to do that they aren't needed. Most doors I've installed have been done without head jamb shims for just this reason.
How do I remove them?
A reciprocating saw (Sawzall) will cut the nails or screws and leave a bit more space to remove them. A flatbar as a lever can also relieve pressure.
Should I be worried about the sag?
You haven't told us what the header is, nor how much sag you're seeing. Chances are it has sagged all it's going to sag, unless the header was drastically undersized. Do you see evidence of sag above the header? If that's substantial and growing you should get an expert on site.


Is there a commodity 3 or 4 way valve that can be electrically controlled?

I use a multi-port automatic sprinkler valve coupled to an 8-way drip irrigation manifold, and use city water pressure.


How can I tell what electrical service I have?

Having a certain level of "service" entails that the required level is supported all the way from transformer to panel. Just because you have a new panel does not necessarily mean anything about the type or size of service you have.

For example, someone could install a panel with a 100amp breaker even though the service was only designed for 60amp.

The only way to know for sure is to verify with the electrical company what your location is permitted to run based on the last permit and inspection.  If the gear in your house has changed illegally, after the electrical company reports back you should have an electrician ensure everything else is up to code and able to support that load.

The maximum service you can have is dependent on:

The capacity of the transformer feeding your house
The wire gauge used between the transformer and your house
The size of the electrical meter box (it has to safely support the conductor size)
The maximum load supported by the meter
The wire gauge used between the meter and your main circuit breaker
The maximum load supported by your main circuit breaker and load center.


Just installed Sure Vent is not working and sink is clogged. What did I do wrong?

The actual issue was the drain blocked. The Surevent was properly installed and just exposed even further the fact that our drain was clogged. A full bottle Drano and a few dead dolphins later we are good to go.


What Condition Can Concrete Be In And Be Recycled?

You're fine, as long as the amount of debris is low.  A bit of carpet glue, no problem.  Huge chunks of carpet, or mud, no good.  Of course you can ask the recycling company for a contamination rate, but pretty much if it looks clean, it's good to go.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concrete_recycling


How should I rebase a clothesline post on sloped property?

You said that one end is attached to the house, and the other end is attached to a post which is attached to a vehicle shed.

Is there any reason why you need a post on the vehicle shed end?  Could you attach the line directly to the shed (e.g. with an eye-bolt)?  That would seem like the simplest solution.

ETA:  Given the slope of the land, maybe a metal post attached to the side of the shed would be a good option?  Something similar to what you might use for a lamp post?


Can I install a sink that drains into this floor drain?

You have to ask your local building inspectors.  Some places allow grey water drainage into their overflow drain but most don't.

One of the problems you will have is if your sewer backs up it will back up into your sink drain.  This isn't a huge deal but could get messy.  Also you would be require to secure the PVC to the floor in some way.

I personally don't see an issue with it.  There is no real downside other than it looking slightly ghetto.  Most inspectors would just tell owner to set it up after they pass inspection - hence most cities won't recognize it as finished plumbing.  Will it work though, sure as long as you are not sending a ton of mud or crap down your sink.


If the voltage tester you are using is a "no-contact" or "glow stick" style tester they are not reliable beyond the presence of voltage. Induced voltages from nearby circtuits will cause these to glow.

By this I mean you need to test the circuit with another style of tester such as a solenoid style, LED, Neon or digital multimeter. Electricians for years have used the solenoid style because it puts a load on the circuit and induced voltages from nearby circtuits will not show up.

All that said, the outlets in the bathroom should not be on the same circtuit with your kitchen. If the house was built years ago this may be the case but it shouldn't be.

Step 1 double check that all your breakers are turned on. Some breakers don't appear tripped when they are and their handles only move to the center. Turn all breakers all the way off and then all the way back on.

Step 2 double check your wiring and make sure you are wired to the "Line" terminals on your GFCI receptacle NOT the "Load" terminals.

Step 3 if you have a GFCI receptable that is fed from another GFCI receptacle it cannot be coming from the "Load" terminals on the other GFCI.

Try some of that out and see what happens.

Good luck with your project!


How can I repair my shower that is leaking from the back of wall?

Gotta open it up to find out.  You can always open the drywall on the backside to get a look into the mixer valve and pipes in that area.  Drywall is much easier to repair than tile and any fixes can usually be done from there as well.  Also you might want to consider adding an access door so inspections/fixes will be easier in the future.


This isn't a hard situation. My preferred approach would be to run power into the first switch 3-way box and 12/3 or 14/3 with ground from that one to the other 3-way switch. Then run the switched cable to both ceiling boxes. That takes care of the switched outlets. Then run a 12/2 or 14/2 with grnd to the ceiling outlet boxes from the first 3-way switch box from the hot, before the switch, to both ceiling boxes. That takes care of the always hot outlets.
I like running power into the first of the 3 way switch, /3 to the next 3 way and from there to the fixture boxes.   That way there is no "code taping involved" and pretty straight forward.
Essentially you are going to have to treat this as 2 circuits.  One for the 3-way switched outlets and the other typical outlet connections in parallel from one to the other.


How do I convert a 3-way circuit with two lights into two 3-way circuits that control each light separately?

First of all: You will absolutely have to pull new wires for this, and it will involve opening the drywall in several places.

You'll also have to patch the drywall after, and almost certainly repaint each wall you put a hole into. You may be able to get away with painting just a section of the ceiling without it being noticeable, but very rarely can you get away with it on a wall.

Current wiring

What you have now is one of these two wiring variants:

Necessary Changes

You essentially need two separate 3-way circuits (take a look here for different wiring variants: http://www.buildmyowncabin.com/electrical/wire-3-way-switches.html).

In variant #1, you'd have to pull a new 14/2 between each light and switch, and change the wiring at each light.
In variant #2, You'd need a new 14/2 between the two switches, and another 14/2 between the switch and first light or to replace the current 14/2 with a 14/3.

Making diagrams for these is not simple, so if you describe or draw your current wiring diagram (or at least post pictures of the wires inside each box) then maybe I can provide some more concrete instructions.


The biggest culprit is likely environmental: your dry Colorado mountain air and low humidity. We have the same problem south of you in New Mexico. Raising your interior humidity will help a lot. There are several approaches, ranging from using a humidifier constantly (cheap up front, expensive to run over time) to sealing your house up airtight and using an ERV system to bring in fresh air and exhaust house air (expensive up front, cheap to run over time).

Electrostatic filters and air purifiers will help too, and falls into the category of "expensive to run over time." High maintenance, too.

Another possibility is that the contractor didn't do a very good job with the attic floor air sealing and the dust from the cellulose (it is basically dust, after all) is making it into the house. Likely entrance methods:

Poorly-air-sealed can lights and ceiling electrical/light boxes
Poorly-air-sealed pull-down attic hatches
Poorly-sealed ductwork and registers in the attic, if any
Poorly-air-sealed bath fans and their ductwork
Gaps around chimneys and flues that penetrate the ceiling and roof
Giant stupid egregious holes that should not be there (you might be surprised)


If you are planing on adding a threshold (also called a transition strip) and you are sure it will be wide enough to cover the gap between the laminate and the tile, then no, there is no reason to add the tile in that gap.

As you noted with the tile there nailing the transition strip is nearly impossible. (Could only be nailed on the hall side plus the door frame edges, you'd be mainly relining on glue.)

If you are worried about the empty space (some transition strips are way too thin to bridge a gap like that) then just put plywood in the gap between the tile and the laminate. That makes the tile job easy and the threshold piece secure.

To determine the thickness of the needed plywood measure the height of the finished tile and pick something close or a bit under, not over (in your case sounds like ½ inch will work.)


Do I need ledger board when expand deck?

The purpose of a ledger board is to give you surface onto which you can nail/attach the rest of the deck (and flashing to keep water out of a house- usually). Your question is, do you need it for attaching two decks.

I think the answer to this is a decision for personal convenience, tools, or need. I personally don't undersand the use of a ledger board here (as far as straight forward construction goes). Suppose you add a ledger board, then what? How would you attach the deck? How does it help you to build this deck? I think it would help you to write the steps out.

What if you didn't use a ledger board? Would you want to offset the new joists, so that you can nail through the old rim joist or will joist hangers be enough to hold the weight? Where are the new joists being supported? If you don't offset the joists, will the nails from the new hangers run into existing nails from the old hangers or joists?

Or if you build the new deck a few feet away, how difficult would it be then join the two rim joists (join two whole deck frames)? What would be required? An extra rim joist board (of course), some lag bolts, jacks, maybe a come along, pinch bar, and some large hammers. Is this a feasible option? Is it easier? At that point you might look at the second rim joist, and call it a ledger board... although I don't know if it's right to call it that.

You could also consider removing the old rim joist, lapping/sistering the old and new joists, and cutting the old rim joist into blocks. This would allow you to set the new joists on the old support beam. I know the picture from your question is not your deck, but essentially, you need support under the new joists, and adding another support beam (probably) not far from the old one isn't exactly elegant.


My guess is that it is an Air Conditioner being used as a dehumidifier to prevent the buildup of moisture in your WC. That is why you are feeling a cold air stream on the other side. Modifying it would likely be cause for eviction as it could allow mold growth in the wet areas. I would look into fabricating some sort of deflector to keep the air stream from coming right down onto your desk. Cardboard and duct tape would suffice, just don't actually block the air flow, all you need do is direct it elsewhere.


What can I fill a trench around my house with to avoid creating a drainage issue?

Below grade you should not be using EPS foam - that should be XPS (pink or blue, normally) - above grade EPS is fine. EPS is not waterproof, XPS is. You can also increase your subgrade insulation a bit by setting a sheet (or portion of a sheet) going flat or angled slightly downwards away from the house at the top of the footing.

If drainage is a concern (or even if it's not much of one) and you have the trench around the house dug, dig a trench away from the house to a lower point and place drainage tile (not usually actual tile these days - 3-4" perforated plastic pipe - the holes go down) around the footing and out to the lower point, and you'll have a solid drainage system in place. It's one of those things that should be done before the foundation is backfilled in the first place, as there will never be a cheaper time to do it, but rarely is. If filling with 16 grit sand, place filter fabric over the pipe to help keep the sand in place. Filter fabric is a good idea in general, but kind of critical with a sand fill. Pipe is already buried below the insulation, beside the footing, in the picture.

Unless it's going to be noticed by the authorities and cause you hassle for "illegally diverting rain water" (evidently happens in some areas) you might want to drain your foundation drains (and gutters, if any - otherwise it will mostly end up in the foundation drains) to a big buried tank (cistern) so you can use any water collected during the rest of the year, and only drain away the overflow, if any.


I am guessing you are in the Philippines, in a postwar development with Euro-style 220V/neutral power.

12 square mm is not a common Euro wire size.  Philippines use American Wire Gauge so "12mm" is actually 12 AWG. This is too small for your job.  You need 10 AWG.

The early electrifications were done to the American standard of 120/240VAC split phase.  In newer areas, they use the more efficient 220VAC single phase, still 60Hz, which allows sourcing appliances from nearby neighbors.  However AWG remained the standard for wire size. In America, NEC allows 20 amps on 12 AWG, and 30 amps on 10 AWG.


Is it safe to adapt a 10-30 outlet to accept 1-15 plugs?

No, you can't use dryer cord as a permanent wiring method to extend from an existing dryer receptacle. Here is the pertinent National Electrical Code article, attention to (1):

400.12 Uses Not Permitted.  Unless specifically permitted in 400.10, flexible cables, flexible cord sets, and power supply cords shall not be used for the following:
(1) As a substitute for the fixed wiring of a structure
(2) Where run through holes in walls, structural ceilings, suspended ceilings, dropped ceilings, or floors
(3) Where run through doorways, windows, or similar openings
(4) Where attached to building surfaces

Also, non-grounding type receptacles are only allowed to be used to replace other non-grounding type receptacles, NOT to be installed as new receptacles.

406.4(D)(2) Non–Grounding-Type Receptacles.  Where attachment to an equipment grounding conductor does not exist in the receptacle enclosure, the installation shall comply with (D)(2)(a), (D)(2)(b), or (D)(2)(c).
(a)   A non–grounding-type receptacle(s) shall be permitted to be replaced with another non–grounding-type receptacle(s).
(b)   A non–grounding-type receptacle(s) shall be permitted to be replaced with a ground-fault circuit interrupter-type of receptacle(s). These receptacles or their cover plates shall be marked “No Equipment Ground.” An equipment grounding conductor shall not be connected from the ground-fault circuit-interrupter-type receptacle to any outlet supplied from the ground-fault circuit-interrupter receptacle.
(c)   A non–grounding-type receptacle(s) shall be permitted to be replaced with a grounding-type receptacle(s) where supplied through a ground-fault circuit interrupter. Where grounding-type receptacles are supplied through the ground-fault circuit interrupter, grounding-type receptacles or their cover plates shall be marked “GFCI Protected” and “No Equipment Ground,” visible after installation. An equipment grounding conductor shall not be connected between the grounding-type receptacles.

You could arguably replace the non-grounding type dryer receptacle with a 120 volt NEMA 1-15 in that enclosure but you will have to replace the 30 amp two pole breaker with a 15 amp single pole breaker. Good luck finding a mounting strap for the receptacle though.
The safest course of action is to extend another available circuit with a ground or run a new circuit.


Drains backing up - will it affect my drinking water?

Blocked drains have no effect on the safety of your drinking water, if you don't contaminate the supply with the backed up drains.

Any remotely "modern" faucets (and other plumbing) are designed to prevent such contamination - they terminate above the level of the sink, so the end of the faucet cannot be submerged. Those which can be submerged or have a hose attached are outfitted with vacuum breakers to prevent backflow.

Even with a submerged faucet end (from an old faucet), there would ALSO have to be a loss of pressure on the city water to cause any backflow into the supply system.


How can I send a signal to a home server when the doorbell is pressed?

Doorbells generally run on 16-20 volts AC power.
You can detect events using a microcontroller as seen here:

https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/96136/how-to-sense-24v-ac-thermostat-with-a-5v-microcontroller

Some computers (Intel Edison, Raspberry Pi) both run linux and have GPIO inputs; otherwise you'll have to rig up a microcontroller and attach it to a home automation pc.


Measuring Electric Motor Shank Dimensions?

A little bit of research shows me that M9 taps are available in 0.5, 0.75, 1.0 and 1.5 mm pitch. This was a surprise to me. Your assessment regarding your measurements are correct, if your measurements are accurate enough.

To ensure one more level of success, consider to purchase a single nut of M9-1 and see that it easily threads onto the motor shaft. If it does, you can be confident that an M9-1 tap will do the job properly.

It is not unusual for a motor shaft to have a left hand thread. Purchasing a nut will also determine that aspect.

Consider that wood will require much more care when tapping such a fine thread. You will want very hard wood and also a sharp tap. Be sure to purchase the proper diameter drill to create a pilot hole in the pulley.

Additionally, you may want to use a nut insert, often known as a T-nut in place of tapping the hole. T-nuts are also available without the barbs, designed to be screwed to the surface.

If you are inclined to stick to wood alone, you can drill a hole slightly smaller than the appropriate size for the tap, then apply an epoxy that will soak into the wood, providing greater strength for the tapping process. Epoxy which takes longer to set will be stronger, that is to say, a five minute epoxy will cure quickly and be weaker than a one hour version.


Why the price differential between a cheap hammer and an expensive one?

The range is actually broader than that. You can get a Stiletto for about $200 US.

The difference between the cheap one and the expensive one depends. Cheaper ones may have handles that go into a head, while more expensive ones may have a cast handle that extends all the way to the base of the grip. Some of the ones that are more expensive and just have a head attached to a handle will actually be made out of composite materials that are designed to absorb the force of repeated nailings.

Cheaper handles that are one cast piece will generally be made out of brittle or light-duty metal. This will not be your father's hammer, and might (literally) shatter if you hit something too hard or wrong with it.

Personally, I never buy cheap tools. They always let me down... or worse, injure me. All of my hammers are Estwing brand with the rubber shock reduction grip. It's worth the money for an expensive hammer if you ever plan to use it all day. Otherwise, a cheap one is fine, just be careful what you hit with it lest the handle crack.


Could this corrosion be caused by faulty ground wiring?

There are any number of things that could cause corrosion:
 - leaks or other water on the corroded surface
 - grounding or some other electrical field
 - ambient corrosive elements in the air (water, overspray from other projects)

I think you did the right thing by checking and fixing your grounds. That might not be the root cause, but it doesn't hurt to have everything properly grounded.

Does your water heater have a sacrificial anode? They can be somewhat tricky to inspect and replace but if its old and used up then corrosion might attack other parts.


If you use strut get the 1/4-20 strut nuts and they will hold the panel to the strut with no problems, make sure to lag the strut in place. I use strut regularly for mounting when the box(s) or disconnect(s) need spacing or proper support.
Make sure to debur the edges if you cut it or you can end up getting a nasty cut putting the nuts in the channel.


How can I straighten bent refrigerator radiator fins?

Your efficiency probably isn't harmed too much by this—you still have basically the same area of radiator fins. If you had a fan blowing through the fins (e.g. on a computer heatsink) I might be a little more concerned because active airflow is an important part of the cooling. But how much active air circulation is really going on behind your fridge?

Anyway, if it's bothering you, you can buy a "radiator fin comb" or "fin straightener", which is basically a tough plastic comb that you can use to straighten the fins. They make them in different sizes based on the spacing of the fins, so get a multi-size comb or measure your fins first.


What do the switches that control the units look like? If there are two individual switches that feed power to the unit, it's possible that each switch is fed from two different 120 volt, single pole breakers. If this is the case, there also may be other loads, such as lights or receptacles, on each 120 volt circuit. This would be an unacceptable installation practice and would also be a violation of the National Electrical Code.


Fire table surface disintegration over winter

did something cause this... is this just a poor quality product?

Yes and yes. I suspect that freeze/thaw cycles caused this damage.

  can I reasonably repair this, and if so how?

It's hard to tell from the picture but it looks like this is a resin/fiberglass material (you can see glass mat fibers in the broken spot at lower left of picture).

You could fix it by removing all chips and dust and applying a resin putty filler (like auto-body filler/Bondo). Resin filler is easy to work with and shape if you have some experience with it.

You will still have an aesthetics issue because it will be ugly; however, you could prime and paint the whole top a color of your choice.

I do not know what you paid for it, only you can assess repair effort versus cost for a new table. I would try to fix it if I were in your shoes, but only because I hate to throw stuff out and I have filler on hand at all times.


Are there outdoor formaldehyde detection systems available?

What you are looking for is a VOC (volatile organic compounds) monitor or a IAQ (indoor air quality) monitor. They do exist for residential applications and are way much cheaper than the industrial counterparts; however, their detection/sensitivity level may not be as great.

You can try your luck by searching for "iaq monitor" on Amazon and eBay. Prices may vary and be sure to research the product a little, some may only detect CO and other "gases" (LPG, propane, and etc.) and may not make any mention of formaldehyde.

Once you find the right monitor, you will probably have to install on the inside of your home near the window you usually leave open. I don't think these monitors were made to be placed outside.


If we get to guess, I'd say the wire is somewhere in the first stud bay on the right-hand wall (as you're going down the stairs). A stud scanner with a 'deep scan' mode might give you a sense of where it is. (And it might not extend above the conduit height.) Look outside to make sure there's no coach light on the exterior wall above the door.

As for studs, you'll certainly find some in the corner. 16" is a good guess only when you've found others in an set. Outlets and switches almost always have a stud on one side, so that might help with the measuring.

I doubt you'd crowd the stairwell with a low platform, but be aware that residential code in the US usually requires at least 6'-8" headroom from the nose of a tread to the bottom of a platform.


Can a single set of conductors feed utilization equipment *and* a subpanel simultaneously under the NEC?

I'd like to see a real world example of this, but I don't think one could/would exist.

If you had a piece of equipment that required a 30 ampere circuit, for example.  If you tapped a panel off that circuit, then you'd have to increase the size of the circuit, and/or follow the tap rules. The tap rules require overcurrent protection where the tap conductors terminate, so you'd need overcurrent protection at the new panel and the equipment.

So basically, the branch circuit conductors would become a feeder, and tap conductors would be used to tap the feeder.

So no, I'm going to say you cannot tap branch circuit conductors. Maybe if it was a 15 or 20 ampere branch circuit, but what would be the point of that?


What is causing my AC to trip the breaker after running for about an hour?

If the a/c runs for the better part of an hour, it is almost certainly not a short circuit.

More likely, the air conditioner is slightly overloading the circuit.  Or possibly the circuit breaker has "derated itself."  Fix the latter by replacing the circuit breaker.

Always choose a replacement circuit breaker based on the wire capacity, not the devices connected.  For example, replacing an appropriately sized 20 amp breaker with a 30 amp could easily start a fire from inside the walls.

Addendum:  see the time-to-trip for a line of GE circuit breakers here.  Note that it is normal for slightly overloaded breakers to take hours to trip.


Is it dangerous to not replace a steam boiler pressure gauge that is stuck at 0?

Dangerous? If it malfunctions and an over-pressure event occurs, that's dangerous. Whether or not a functioning gauge will provide early warning or not would depend on the experience/knowledge level of the gauge reader and the nature of the malfunction.

Are you required to have a functioning pressure gauge? Most likely you are but it may depend on the duty rating (BTU), type of occupancy, and where you live. Some boilers in some states require regular documented inspections which include a pressure check. Inquire with your local code enforcement agency, although you may not like what you find out about responsibilities attached to steam boiler operators.

But the rules are written in somebody's blood, just do an internet search for boiler explosions and you will see.


How can I compute the force with a fulcrum on a Murphy bed?

It's going to take 71.5 pounds of force pulling straight out from the wall in order to begin moving the bed downwards. The required force will actually increase a bit as the door begins to rotate and the tension from the gas springs becomes closer to perpendicular to the bed frame, and then the force required will begin to let off as you reach closer to the bed's horizontal position.

So even if you're putting all 200 pounds of your own weight into getting it started, a good portion of that force is going down through the bed frame to the hinge, which will just add more rotational friction and cause it to be more difficult to open.

If I have time later, I can try to recommend a different mounting point for the gas springs that will alleviate some of this problem. I can tell you right now that the more acute the angle the gas spring makes with the bed when stowed, the easier it will be to get it moving downward. Then you'll have more of your weight working for you as the bed passes through perpendicular with the gas spring.

Here's the force profile for various angles and bed weights. The point where it dips negative is when the force exerted by the gas springs is not enough for the bed to be lifted, and you'll need to assist it that much to stow it upright. (All you other engineers out there on DIY.SE, feel free to make sure I didn't make any stupid mistakes. The angle graph looks right to me, but then again, there's some pretty tedious trig to get that monster formula.)

The weights listed in the graph are for actual bed weights - if you took the whole assembly off the wall and threw it on a freight scale, not the force you experienced while lifting up one side of it. The forces (colors) are the perpendicular forces required to pull the bedframe down into a useable position. Where they go negative is the area you'd have to lift the bed up to get it back in the stowed position.

Since you've already bought the gas springs, the best option may be to change the geometry of how they're mounted instead of looking for a different load capacity. Here are some graphs that give the required pull down (rather sideways) force to open the bed and then the lift force required to stow the bed. Note that it's for an assumed 220 lb bed, since I ran out of dimensions to graph things on. Hopefully these plots will allow you to make a decision on what tradeoffs you want to accept if you rearrange the gas springs mounting point on the frame. (You'll also need to check if the gas springs have the range of motion required beforehand too.) The vertical offset and horizontal offset are measured from the bed's pivot point on the frame (distances h and a in the second sketch, respectively).


Galvanized nails for ACQ treated lumber = must be hot dipped, or not?

There are different levels of zinc galvanization. If you want it to last longer, then get a thicker layer of zinc on the outside of the steel.

One way to get a thicker layer is to hot dip galvanize it. Another way is use a Simpson hanger that is Z-max plated which is basically just twice electrogalvanized steel plate and actually not hot dipped.

If it's galvanized just a little bit, it'll technically be okay for treated lumber. If you want it to last longer, then get more galvanization on there. Zinc is a sacrificial coating, so as it corrodes it protects the steel less and the steel will begin to rust.

Yes, I would definitely be worried about non-specific product information. If it just says it's galvanized, then assume it's the least amount possible. They'll brag about anything better than the minimum basic electroplating. Look up Simpson's Corrosion Resistance Recommendations and Classifications to determine your environmental situation and its requirements.


Why are my joists smaller than standard size?

Yes, there are grading rules and tolerances for lumber, timbers, etc.

You are describing "dimensional lumber". Grading rules for that (especially where you live) is established by the American Softwood Lumber Association, PS-20. (Product Standard 20.)

If you look at Table 3, "Dimensional" you'll see for 2 x 10's, the minimum size is 9 1/2" for green and 9 1/4" for dry. (This can vary somewhat based on the species.) ...but the minimum size is 9 1/4".

Where I live, grading is primarily done by Western Wood Product Association. If you look on your joists, you'll see a black ink "Grade Stamp".  I suspect you'll find several numbers and letters in a small grouping (about 1"x2" area) with one of the icons of WWPA. Next to that round icon, you'll see the "moisture" grade. If it reads GRN, then it was milled (cut at the mill) when it was green and had more than 19% moisture content. If it reads DRY, then it was milled when it was less than 15% moisture content. (There is a seldom used mark of S-DRY, which stands for Surface Dry and had a moisture content between 15%-19%.) Actually, if the stamp is smeared and "out of focus" to the point you can't read it, then it was milled "green".

I explained all that to let you know that your lumber could have been milled "green", but dried out, which caused the lumber to shrink.

If you read the text, you'll see that there is a tolerance of 1/4" in the width and 1/16" in the thickness...the 2x direction.

Also, the lumber could have been mis-cut and was rejected, so you won't find any grade stamp on your joists. The contractor could have bought the joists at a discount and was never caught by the Building Inspector.

By the way, the grain of wood in your picture indicates a better than a normal piece of lumber. If all the joists are similar, then I'd feel comfortable that it's structurally sound and would equal other lumber that is 1/4" larger.


Why do I sometimes get noise and no water from my kitchen faucet?

It appears that the problem returns after a new aerator is installed. I would put in a water filter. If you are handy you can put a whole house filter on the main water supply ( or hire a plumber ) or just a point of use filter under you sink but you would need two, one for each hot and cold.

Original answer: You can purchase new aerators for some faucets. You can also take yours off and soak in in a lime dissolving solution. You can actually take some of them apart and clean the different screens and parts with the solution and toothbrush but you need to record exactly how they all fit together to put it back in proper working order.

  P.S. do not brush your teeth with the toothbrush afterwards unless you have lime deposits on you teeth. :)


How can I protect a wall from flames of a gas hob?

Some sort of tile would do the job. If ceramic is too thick, or hard to install, adhesive stainless steel squares should be nicely heat conductive, thin, and easy to put up.

Example: https://www.google.com/search?q=Stainless+Peel+Stick+Tile.


How to Raise/Level a Sunken Patio Slab at the corner?

Since it's draining away from the house, I'd just correct the grade of the soil beyond it so that water isn't trapped and is free to keep flowing away; and leave it be. Dirt is easy to reshape - giant slabs of concrete, less so. If it's grass, peel back the sod, fix the level, roll the sod back down and water it well for a month.
There are ways it can be raised - "mud jacking" is the term of art, basically pumping grout under the slab to raise it hydrualically. Can be expensive, may be difficult to find a local who does it, may cost a lot to bring in a non-local to do it. So I'd pass. If the look of the pergola support is the hill you want to die on, consider that nobody but you will know if you make the pergola supports all the same height and let the top of the pergola not be level ;-). I bet nobody but you notices the difference in the posts if you do make it level...


Washer drain pipe flush against outside wall

Using your favorite search engine, look up "Pipe Heater Cable". Most have instructions to attach to the outside of the pipe, but some may be fed down into the pipe. Be sure to read and follow the direction coming with these and I would avoid cheap ones from ebay/amazon, you don't want the pipe or your house damaged to save a buck.


Can I run wires for neutral and ground separate from the feeds for a new sub-panel?

Ground yes. Neutral no.
You can do that with safety ground.
You cannot do that with neutral.  Neutral needs to come over to the new panel that the hots are served out of.
This is easier to justify when using a type of metal conduit which itself is a valid grounding path, which is typically NOT the flexible kinds.  EMT is a little more work but takes care of the grounds for you.
There are also good reasons to try to keep inter-panel conduits shorter than 24". Otherwise you are only allowed 4 circuits in them and must significantly derate the large feeder if there are other circuits in the pipe.
There is nothing wrong with using a service panel as a junction box to hold the wire-nuts that extend the circuit. Note this is a NEC interpretation, that may not work in Canada.


It's most probably a drain vent pipe.  Go look at the roof directly above where this pipe is.  If you see something like the picture then it is a vent pipe.  If so you can reroute this vent with a section of PVC.  Here is a link on how to connect PVC to galvanized:  PVC to galvanized  The detours should be angled up at least 45°.  If you do cut out a section of this pipe make sure that you support the upper section adequately, with braces to the studs, so that it does not drop down due to its own weight.


How can I clean the glass door on my fireplace?

This is going to sound bogus but I just got this tip the other day from a friend and it worked great on my woodstove.  Take a wet paper towel and dip it into some cool ashes from inside the fireplace, just enough to get a thin coating of ashes on the wet towel.  Then scrub the glass with the wet towel.  Within a few seconds you'll see even the toughest creosote start to disappear.  I usually finish with a dry paper towel just to get it really sparkling.  I don't know how or why this works, but I suppose it's probably some combination of abrasion and a dissolving action.  It really is amazing.

Just FYI, if your glass is totally covered in creosote, it probably means your fireplace isn't burning hot enough, and/or you're burning too much sappy wood like pine, and/or you're burning wood that's not properly seasoned.  The creosote on your glass is also being deposited on the inside of your chimney, which is bad.  Pine can be burned but needs to be well seasoned and ideally should be mixed with seasoned hardwood.


Water leaked from second floor to first (ground) floor. What should I do / be worried about?

At this point, I would make sure all the leaks are fixed. I would put fans in the bath to circulate air and help dry things out, possibly 1 downstairs where you drilled the hole, if everything drys out without the floor swelling or the wall board coming down or warping in a couple weeks patch the drilled hole and repaint as needed or replace the wall board if it sags. Over the years I have made quite a few repairs like this, if the water was not dripping for a long time and drys quickly I would not be worried about mold.


Pocket door latch side is higher than the other

If you're lucky, you can just lift the door and hook it back on to the track.

But that probably won't work. Usually, you have to remove the trim at the top of the doorway to get access to the tracks and rollers.


Sounds like a problem in the venting.  I don't grok drain venting well enough to know if it's the upstairs toilet or the downstairs one that's not properly vented (maybe both), but the rush of air getting pushed ahead of the flush needs to go somewhere, and that's what the vent stack is for.  If the vent is clogged or nonexistant, the air will find the outlet it can (in this case, the downstairs toilet).


How much drywall should I remove around a moldy area?

The industry standards, the ANSI/IICRC S520 Standard of Care for professional mold remediation, generally stipulates removal of 24" around the visibly moldy area. We would also generally remove any other wet drywall. If you see visible mold on the room facing side of the drywall, the likelihood of the problem being worse inside the walls is high.


There could be air trapped in your system - that is if the pump is working. You might have to bleed the system at the burner and/or at the radiotors.

And a good flush could help, but you might need help with that.

A : Bleeding valve
B : Trapped Air
E : Reducer boiler performance


Installing single-ended LED in a pre-existing T-8 fixture with only one connection per side

Those sockets at the end of the fixture that the tube snaps into are called lampholders.

You are correct that fluorescent tubes have 2 pins on each end (a preheat filament is between them) and some ballasts do not use that feature.  To avoid having to make a bunch of jumper wires, manufacturers use a shorting lampholder which internally shorts both pins.  You are cursed with those.

Virtually all lampholders come down to 3-4 different compatible styles (overwhelmingly one**), all of which I've been able to find online.  I've never had to abandon a fixture due to odd lampholders.  That seems even less likely with a shorting lampholder.    Get some non-shorting lampholders.  Done.

In the future you avoid this problem either by making sure you are buying direct-wire LED "tubes" that feed from opposite ends (that's safer anyway) or buy those particular plug-n-play LEDs made for your ballast type (but then you have to maintain the ballast, no thanks.)

** I just overhauled a prewar fixture.  The 4' fixture was bulletproof drawn 18 gauge steel and weighed 10 pounds without the ballast. The lampholders were trapped in a weird way, but guess what, they were the most common type.   I put a T8 ballast in it, I go for the 90CRI real tubes, better light quality.


Anytime you're designing a complex of lights and a switch, sketch it out using /3 cable (black white red, or the wire functions always-hot, neutral and switched-hot).

Switches need all 3 wires.
Lamps need switched-hot and neutral.
Supply gives always-hot and neutral, obviously.

In your case, you will find you need /3 cable between all the lamps and the switch.

Sometimes you will find a segment where you just don't need all 3 of the wires - an example is a lamp past the switch.  In that case you can use /2 cable; possibly one of the wire colors will be wrong (an example is black when you want red) - just mark both ends of that wire with colored electrical  tape.

Don't get clever with switches and say "the switch only needs always-hot and switched-hot".  No, you also need to bring neutral to the switch; that has been Code for about a decade now.

If you want to do 3-way switches 2 or more switches in a multiway configuration, you need to run a separate /3 cable between the switches just for that purpose.


What are some options for a 90 degree turn in a long hallway for laminate flooring?

It's really a matter of personal taste and the other aesthetic aspects of your home. There are basically 3 options, as I see it:

Keep the flooring oriented the same direction throughout. Obviously cross-hall boards may look odd depending on the style of the flooring. In a very short hallway run it may not be a concern.
Use a T molding to transition over a change in direction, orienting the seam perpendicular to the hallway. This is probably best done inline with the view from the living room, where it'll be less noticeable.
Use a T molding at a 45 degree angle between the wall corners to essentially miter the entire hallway (like a picture frame). You'll see this more from the living room, but it gives more symmetry from the perspective of the hallway itself.

I don't think a herringbone turn is possible with most laminates due to the disparate tongue and groove shapes. That might look nice, though.

You'll need to decide which approach results in the least disturbance to the ambiance created by your new floor.


What should one look for in fusible electrical protection hardware to avoid insurability issues?

I think this is an over generalized thought. Since you mentioned 480, many industrial equipment sets using variable frequency drives require class j fuses for protection, their are still some AC units that state max fuse size (most have changed to max fuse or hvacr breaker in the last few years) in these cases it would violate the listing to use a breaker. I have updated quite a few homes in my area from fused to breakers because of insurance requirements but there are still companies that will insure homes with fuses or even FPE stablock panels, where fuses would be safer if properly sized in my opinion. I think the bigger problem is on fused system k&t or cloth wrapped wire was used and some of that insulation is failing being the root cause of the problem.


How do we convert our drop-in sink to an undermount one?

Matt, there is a huge difference between an under mount and a drop in fixture. The first concern is the counter itself. what kind are you using?  Some counter tops cannot be used with an under mount sink.  The support and sealing of an under mount sink is completely different than a drop in.  The holes for the faucet need to be in the counter, not the sink unit, and the edges of the sink unit have to be flat and are usually epoxied and clamped in place while the counter is upside down. If you are very clever, you probably can fit the drop in under the counter, but how are you going to finish the counter edges and drill your fixture holes? They will need to be polished. This is usually a production job, not a DIY unless you give the counter maker an exact template, not something you can simply cut out and do yourself.


What do I do if drywall screws won't penetrate the studs?

I suspect the studs are really hard old-growth wood

Lubricating screws can really help when driving them into wood. I've seen various lubricants suggested. For exterior projects I've used LM grease and petroleum jelly (vaseline) but I'm not sure if there are any problems using either in your situation.

The other common solution is to drill pilot holes to the expected depth of the screws, but this would be pretty tedious. I usually pick a drill size by holding screw and drill up to the light together and checking that the screw's threads are wider than the drill and that the drill is almost as wide as the core of the screw.


Fixing poor caulk job at aluminum siding and window trim

Both vinyl and aluminum have similar issues regarding thermal expansion. The siding must be installed with a gap to fixed objects in order for there to be room for expansion. If this is not done, the siding will expand against the obstruction. Not being able to move in that direction, it will buckle along it's length, causing unsightly bulges.

Therefor, J-channel is a common element in installation of both materials and is readily available in both aluminum and vinyl. I would consider J-channel the best solution, but it does involve more work than simply re-caulking.


How to deal with soil erosion under slab floor of garage?

It doesn't look to me like the slab has shifted, since the crack appears level and isn't terribly wide.  I would contact a concrete contractor, one that specializes in repairs, if there is erosion under the slab they can usually pump a slurry under it to fill in the void. Is your garage floor "Floating"? Look around the edges, if the floor goes under the walls, it's part of the support of the building and you want to consult a professional immediately. If the floor butts up against the wall, it's a "floating" floor and isn't part of the structure, however you may still have erosion under the wall footing, and I would still consult a professional, however a floating floor will be easier for a contractor to break up, install proper drains and such so it won't erode underneath again, and re-pour.

You could get an endoscopic USB camera from Amazon for about $20 that you could probably snake under the slab and inspect it, but I would consult a professional. Most of these types of things are cheap to fix now, but could end up costing thousands to fix later.


If my air conditioner return line iced over and the fan stopped, is it broken?

ice usually means either your air handler isn't pushing enough air across the coil, or your system is out of refrigerant.

so first step is to set the cool/off switch to off. then set your fan switch to on. if the air handler fan does not turn on, then you have a problem with your air handler or thermostat. possibly cheap. possibly something you can fix yourself.

otherwise, you probably have a problem with refrigerant (which should not deplete, and if it does then you have a leak somewhere) or your compressor. in either case, you should leave your system off to avoid damaging your compressor until someone can come out and look at it.


Blown insulation may be cheaper and do a good job.
You could use a combination of foam boards and batts if the 2x’s are deep enough.
How is this room heated? This may be part of the problem also some rooms over the garage were additions and proper heating not installed so this should be part of your investigation.
I mention the heating because if built originally with the house they were normally insulated.


Ecuador is kind of on the fuzzy edge of 120V/NEC territory, so you might have Euro 230V in places.

The ACSR service drop is providing netural, not ground.  If the neutral wire breaks, it's perfectly normal for neutral to float up at hot voltage.  That's why we insulate it.  The problem with bootlegging ground off neutral is now, all the grounds in the house are also energized.

So you should fit a normal at-the-house Grounding Electrode System, to whichever level of detail you wish to replicate NEC standard practices. I don't think your AHJ is going to stand on two ground rods and AFCI/GFCI for everything.

Although, given the local fetish for removing ground pins, circuit-level GFCI protection is a VERY good idea. While it does nothing to protect equipment from ESD, GFCIs do everything to protect humans from shock, and serves that purpose better than grounding actually. However it is vital that ground not be bootlegged after a GFCI; doing so utterly defeats GFCI protection.

As long as the #12 is on an outdoor pole line, I couldn't care less. That's typical of the downsizing you see on service drops - many a 100A service has #6 aluminums, a comparable downsize.  If it's inside walls in any way, then yes, that's unacceptable and it's time for appropriate sized wire.

Seriously the money spent upsizing the service drop should be spent on GFCIs instead. I trust you know how to use LOAD to protect an entire branch circuit from one device, though, don't protect too much or the cumulative tiny leakage from many devices will cause a nuisance trip.


Slowing the [thieves] down.

I guess this is mostly a matter of fitting better locks, and/or a stronger door. You might be able to reinforce a flimsy door. You might be able to add an extra lock.

PIR triggered lights may have a slight deterrent effect.

You might contact the crime-prevention officer in your local police force. They may be able to provide advice and guidance.

  Making noise and/or signaling the attempt silently to my phone.

I would consider fitting an alarm. A typical alarm will make a beeping sound when the door is opened. This gives you ten seconds or so go to the control panel inside and enter the disarm code. The warning sound will startle an amateur burglar and they usually won't have time to do anything to disable the alarm before the full alarm sounds.


Ademco Alarm — identify these things on the wall?

This is a glass impact/break sensor. It is wall mounted and hard wired back to the control panel. It detects impact and actual glass breaking up to about 30 feet.

Per @Menace, clap your hands near them and they should light up.


How can I get a broken bolt out of the bathtub overflow drain?

Look at you lower photo.  See the pipe nut that is at the highest point in the photo?  That is a compression nut; there's a packing below this.

Loosen up that nut.  The tub overflow pipe (the thing you broke) telescopes inside that lower pipe.  The tub overflow pipe should now be able to go straight up until it comes out of the pipe, then you can wangle it down through the hole (or enlarge the hole).

Myself, I just open a cabinet door, (giving access like in this blog here), and there you can see an example of what you're looking at.  Mine is in the Victorian style, a tasteful cabinet with a latch and hinges, and tall enough for easy access to the tub faucet. Great place to hide WiFi routers, personal stash, etc. Makes very short work of tub faucet and drain repairs. I recommend the upgrade!


Fixing green coloration on clapboard siding

If it's only mildew or algae, you can probably just clean it off pretty easily with oxygen bleach (sodium percarbonate). Mix it up with water to the concentration specified by the manufacturer, spray it on the clapboard, wait about 15 minutes, then scrub it with a cleaning brush.

I'd test this on a small, non-conspicuous area first to make sure it doesn't effect the color - oxygen bleach won't bleach the pigments themselves, but it may remove oxidation or sun damage on the top of the paint. It certainly shouldn't be as noticeable as sanding and repainting the area though.


Electrical outlet has two black hot wires but one neutral white wire?

Assuming you are in the US, this could be a half-switched outlet. Do you still have the old outlet? Look at the side and see if the metal tab between the screws is broken off on one or both sides. If it is, then (at least) one of those black wires is probably controlled by a wall switch somewhere, resulting in one outlet being on all of the time and the other switched.


Should I be concerned about the repair to a ceiling after water damage?

During our renovations we had extensive leaking through our very old plaster (c1927). We found that even after the plaster had dried, the stains would continue coming through. We had the ceiling treated with a stain blocker before painting but still some stains came through.

On the ceilings with the least damage, the stain blocker + a few coats of paint worked. The plaster was as strong as ever. For the badly damaged ceilings, we ended up replacing the plaster.

For us the decision was easy since the plaster was so old and kinda wobbly.

Long and short: you should be ok but wait until it is totally dry then apply a lot of stain blocker before painting.

PS: Also check the state of your insulation (if you have any)


have power at outlets and lights, with only hot connected from panel..,, whats going on?

The circuit is finding a path back to source. At some point along the circuit there is a connection to another neutral, or someone connected the ground and neutral and the current is returning through the metal pipes.

The only way to find whats causing it is to start opening each outlet, light, and junction box until you find the shared neutral, or neutral to ground connection. You should correct this because an improperly shared neutral can cause that neutral wire to over heat.


Very old, Coleman, through the wall (double sided) mounted gas heater not working

I assume you are dealing with a gravity wall furnace, now made by Williams and Empire, and commonly found in California. They require no AC power.  They use a thermocouple on the pilot light to power (via the thermostat) a millivolt gas solenoid.  They sell special thermostats for this application.  A "common" thermostat may or may not work, depending on its ability to switch a very low voltage at comparatively high current, and function without 24v power.

Electronic thermostats cannot work, unless you supply 24v to them and supply a relay to switch the millivolt line... but that makes the furnace dependent on AC power, which defeats the purpose of this type of furnace!

Yes, touch red and white together, and the unit should come on.

If it does not, first check that the pilot is on (no pilot, no millivolts). Then check the 2 wires with a voltmeter, there should be some fraction of a volt of electricity.  If not, the pilot is out or you have a thermocouple problem.

Parts are readily available for Empire and Williams furnaces, and worse comes to worst, you can replace one in-kind, though you'll have to special order it in the northeast or midwest.  For some reason, people in those areas have a revulsion to furnaces that work without electricity.


Can I install Insulation board in the interior wall with House wrap on the exterior

That foil is probably a vapor barrier, if the foamboard isn't already

Most foamboard is made from what is called closed cell foam; this provides it with adequate rigidity, but also makes it largely impermeable to moisture, atop being an effective air barrier when taped properly at the seams.  Even if your foamboard itself wasn't a vapor barrier, the foil facing on it certainly is!

I would take off the housewrap and put the foam board on the outside instead

Generally, board-type continuous insulations are put on the outside of the studs instead of using a "housewrap" type vapor barrier in order to prevent condensation inside the cavity; this also means they are between the sheathing and the cladding, which helps keep them away from being an interior-space fire hazard.


What do you call the attach-y things on the business end of adjustable shelf brackets?

A medium duty, standard single slot, blade bracket?

Source: beta.lvmannequins.com

Another option might be removing the plastic caps off the uprights and slide something down there; put 'legs' on the board and slip it in. Isn't that how some partitions with glass tops work?


I used something like this (4 in. Round Wall Vent). It only flaps when the wind is really blowing.

Here is another option that should have no clickey clackey at all:

Cape style backdraft damper


A much simpler solution:
Build your pergola with rafters that are aligned in the most aesthetically pleasing manner to you (this is a personal preference and none of us can answer that for you). Then, once it's built, plant some leafy vines at the base of each post, or in pots near the top and train the vines to cover the roof.
As the vines grow, they'll produce leaves in the summer that will block the sun. During the winter, the leaves will drop off (providing you with some nice compost material), letting the sun through to warm the house.
Placing the rafters non-vertically will look odd, to say the least. Running the rafters at a not-parallel or not-perpendicular angle to the house will look odd.  After explaining it, your more environmentally conscientious friends may be impressed by your cleverness, but, when it comes time to sell, you probably won't be there to explain it to a perspective buyer and the weird look may well put them off before getting a chance to hear about your cleverness.
Additional considerations:

In order to allow the most sun through, you want the rafters aligned north-south and standing on edge. In order to allow the least sun through, you want the rafters aligned east-west and laid flat. You've got some diametrically opposed options there, and it's going to be really difficult to reconcile them.
The average winter highs in Denver (Dec-Feb) is in the mid 40s (F), so you're not likely going to be spending a lot of time outside. You may grill on the back patio (everyone likes a grilled steak no matter the time of year!), but that's one or two people outside for a limited amount of time - the sun factor probably isn't that significant.
If this is a free-standing structure not close enough to the house to notice a lack of symmetry to the house, do what you will with it! Letting the sun through to warm the house won't be a factor in this case.


How do I change a switched outlet to a half-hot outlet?

No. It's not possible to do what you want, without running additional wires.


What gauge wire/cord do I need for these outdoor lamps?

To determine what gauge wire you need, you need to know two things: How much current is needed, and what current capacity (ampacity) corresponds to different wire gauges.

Ampacity

You can find ampacity charts online (for example). This chart also shows resistance.

There's another factor you must consider, which is voltage drop. Long lengths of wire will have an associated resistance (because copper is not a superconductor), so you will need to take into account what that resistance is (perhaps even using a larger wire to accommodate it if necessary). This resistance means that the load won't receive the full voltage supplied at the other end of the cord; this is also known as the "voltage drop".

Ohm's Law

So, let's first calculate what current will be needed. Ohm's law allows you to determine voltage (volts), current (amperes), resistance (ohms), or power (watts) by knowing any two values.

The splitter will connect both lamps in parallel, giving each 120 volts. You know that they are 700 watts, so you can find current by using the formula I = P/E.

I = 700 / 120 = 5.83 A

The ampacity chart shows that you would need at least 14 AWG (for power transmission) for the connections between your splitter and the lamps.

The current from the splitter to the source would of course be double (11.7 A), so you would need at least 10 AWG wire (11 AWG is uncommon, so I picked the next larger size).

The Lamp Runs

In the run of 14 AWG wire, you would have an additional resistance of 2 * 2.525Ω/1000 or 0.51Ω. (Remember the length of wire is actually double; one for line and one for neutral.) You can calculate the voltage drop of the wire by treating it like a circuit where the lamp is one resistor and the wire is another, then use Ohm's law to determine the voltage on both resistors. The lamp's resistance is (R = E^2 / P):

R = 120^2 / 700 = 20.5Ω

The total resistance (lamp plus wire) is:

20.5 + 0.51 = 21Ω

Now the total current with 120V applied is (I = E/R):

I = 120 / 21 = 5.7 A

This is less than the original current (5.83 A) because with more resistance (the long wire), less current can flow. You can also determine the voltage drop and how much power the wire itself is dissipating (E = R * I, P = R * I^2): 2.9 volts dropped, 16.6 watts dissipated. (This isn't a lot (less than 3% of the total voltage) so you could just use 14 AWG for these runs. "Upgrading" to thicker wire would present slightly less resistance, but the benefit would not outweigh the added cost of more expensive wire.)

The Home Run

Doing the math on the "home run" depends on what was selected for the runs to each lamp. We'll assume that you stuck with the 14 AWG for now, so the total current is 5.7 * 2 = 11.4 A. (We can treat the splitter and downstream wires and lamps as a load of 1368 watts, or a resistance of 10.5Ω.)

Total resistance using 10 AWG wire (and remembering to double the run length) for the home run:

10.5 + 0.2 = 10.7Ω

The total current would be:

120 / 10.7 = 11.2 A

Why does the current seem to be lowering each time we calculate things? Because the wire resistance limits how much current can flow, just like a resistor in a circuit. Two 700 watt lamps with superconducting cables would actually pull 5.83 A each, or 11.7 A in total. With the extra length of wires creating resistance, the whole configuration pulls 0.5 A less.

Because 10 AWG is rated for up to 15 A power transmission, it is sufficient.

If you were to use a cheap 16 AWG extension cord for the home run, rated for only 3.7 A, you would run into trouble.


Pull-up bar hanged from drywall door-frame

While it is touching the door trim, technically it is not  mounted to or attached to the door trim, or the wall for that matter. One side is pushing against the door trim attached to the jamb and framing behind it and the other side is pushing against its trim  and door jamb and framing,  this creates a situation where leverage is being used to push both sides towards each other.  The weight of the person using it causes the two opposing sides to push harder against each other there by pinning it to the door jamb and wall framing.

I suppose the risk would be that if the rough opening behind the trim (  The space between the wall framing and the door jamb ) is of a significant gap than the forces pushing against the trim would push the drywall into that void  causing it to crack.

You could remove the trim from the door and inspect the framing and jamb behind it. You could also replace the trim with a more robust material such as a hardwood  that is wider than your average trim to spread out the force is pushing against the wall.

Personally I would just try it, any properly constructed door framing should be sufficient and since I can’t read the German Amazon link I can’t know the specific instructions for this unit.


Assuming the Nest thermostat you want is compatible with your boiler, there is no issue in replacing the existing one. Most if not all thermostats are designed to be removed in a non-destructive manner.

Mounting it may require drilling new holes. When your lease is up, simply reattach the old one. Any new holes if needed would be covered up by the thermostat, hence should not be held against you by any reasonable person.


Where do I connect the drain for my new sink in this layout and why is it better in that point specifically?

I would use a wye fitting on pipe # 3, run pipe coming off wye (45 degree angle) and use and 45 degree fitting to line up with center line of new sink,use a medium sweep to turn up  clean out tee and then 2x2x11/2 santee at proper height   Approximately 20” from floor of bathroom . Run vent up wall ,over and above finished ceiling and tie into new dry vent of same size or bigger


How to angle an edge of plywood at 45 degrees?

If you do not have a table saw and the run out table big enough for this job and you do not have a track saw you can use a straight edge and clamps.

The straight edge (hear after referred to as SE ) needs to be rigid so it will not flex in the middle, a long level works, but some times it so thick that the motor of the saw may not pass over it, and the clamps can also interfere. Testing is required with your saw.

I have a long SE that is not as rigid as i would like so i  have to cut a 2x4 the correct length and clamp it so it reaches the middle of the SE from the side to keep the saw from flexing the SE.

I  created a block of wood that is as wide as the distance from the edge of the saw fence to the blade so i can place one side of the block on my mark and the SE up against the block. Then i know that with the fence against the SE the blade will hit the mark.

For 45 deg cut with circular saw a sharp blade is needed with as many teeth as you can afford.

Because of the rotation of the blade you want the finished surface or your plywood to be on the bottom. I.E. the finshed side of the wood will be underneath and saw will be on top, this will keep the finished side from getting tear out. ( this is the opposite of a table saw )

Go slow and keep the saw fence against the SE. Do some test cuts on scrap wood.


How can I install a new lighting circuit in my kitchen?

You can in all likelihood run it off your existing circuit, but without knowing the current layout it is hard to say for sure.

You are probably better off hiring an electrician. Doing work like this requires significantly more information and technique than can be explained in a forum post or single diagram.

I am a firm believer in DIY, self-reliant amateur electricians, but just reading a few posts on a forum does not cut it. You need to have and use books that explain in detail the correct procedures, otherwise you could make serious errors with potentially dangerous ramifications.

If you have a specific problem, by all means bring it to the exchange, but just asking, "How do I wire up a whole circuit?" is not a good idea.


Water is leaking from basement toilet. help

If water is coming up through the pipe then it is because either your sewer is clogged, you septic tank is full or the leaching field has failed. What you are seeing is a sewage backup. It could be ground water entering your septic tank, or it could also be sewage from elsewhere in the house.  The basement toilet is the lowest drain in the house and this is where the water comes out.

You should check your tank.  If it's full of liquid then there's an issue with your leaching field. If its full of solids then it needs to be pumped. If it is not full, then there is a clog in your main sewer and that needs to be cleared in order for the contents of your drain pipes to empty.


Threading cable through existing pex-like tubing

I agree with Solar Mike that a vacuum may work to pull a string, If the smurf tube or flexible nonmetallic conduit is 1 piece.  The nickname is from a kids carton where the characters are blue.

Having 9 or more flex lines going through a 4” makes me think this would not be 1 piece or the flex ends at the 4”, so you will need to try a fish tape.

A fish tape is a reel of steel or plastic that is used to push through a conduit, connect a wire and pull the wire back. The only problem(s) may be if the conduits stop prior to the 4” and the tape doesn’t go into the large pipe. The second possible problem is the 180 degree turn; depending on how tight this turn is, it may be tough getting a fish tape through depending on how far from the 4” pipe the flex conduits end.

If the smurf tube exits the 4” connect a vacuum and suck a string thru the tube a little plastic like a bit of bread wrapper on the end of the string helps the vacuum work.  Fish tapes come in different lengths from 25’ to 250’, it will need to be as long as the length of the conduit.
Just finished and saw your edit I think a tape or combination of tape and string are the paths forward.

Good luck


How should I troubleshoot a refrigerator that is not cooling?

Check to see if the freezer side is working. Often times the cold air comes from the freezer side via vents/holes going from the freezer to the fridge which can be adjusted. If the freezer side is working and the fridge isn't, it's likely these are completely closed or maybe blocked by items in the freezer covering them.

This may not be your exact issue. But, I'm adding it as an answer because I'm sure it will be the source of the problem for many others.


I'm going to answer based on the assumption that this is an plain incandescent and a plain old switch.
Sounds like a couple of things are combining to cause trouble. First, The switch is wired on the neutral rather than the hot side, so there's voltage at the light fixture.  Next, the return line from the light is shorted weakly to ground somewhere, thus completing a circuit and allowing the bulb to light up.  Finally, when you flip the switch, there's a better conduction circuit than the ground short, so the full voltage is seen at the bulb, and it gets brighter.

I would start by carefully removing the bulb and using a multimeter to test both the center contact and the threaded shell of the fixture against a ground point to see if there's voltage there (there should not be).


Buy/rent a shop vac. Start from the ceiling and work your way to the floor. Repeat the process as may times as you need until you are satisfied with the results (allow time between repeats so that disturbed dust is allowed to settle).

Once done, sift through the contents of the shop vac's collection canister and remove any thing you want to keep.

If you're concerned about breathing in the dust while cleaning, get a good respirator/dust mask and use it while vacuuming.


A new fill valve costs about $10, so it's probably more cost effective to simply replace it.
Procedure

Turn off the water to the toilet using the shutoff valve
Hold the flush lever on the toilet down (not pictured), until nearly all the water has drained from the tank.
Remove the supply line from the fill valve, by turning the nut anticlockwise.
Place a bucket under the fill valve (where you just removed the supply line from).
Remove the retaining nut from the fill valve, by turning it anticlockwise.

Remove the refill tube from the overflow tube.
Lift the fill valve out of the tank.

Installation

Follow the installation instructions included with the new fill valve.


Could improper installation of a weather vane on the roof cause a collapse?

Someone is being very paranoid!!! There's ABSOLUTELY no way the structural integrity of the roof has been compromised by installing a weather vane.

Edit:
Something else to consider about your daughters worries about the structural stability of the roof... Someone had to physically get on that roof to install your weather vane. If the roof was unstable, there wouldn't be a weather vane there as the roof would've collapsed under the weight of the person that installed it.


Both comments above by Harper and bib are good reasons to start, but the biggest issue I see with bending over the nails is what the nails will do as they are being bent. The shank of the nails are substantial enough as when being bent over, the nail will shift to the side before it bends. The wood that the nail is in is typically not strong enough to keep the nail perpendicular as it was originally driven, especially if it is 1/2" plywood. This increases the chance of the large head on the exterior side to crack what it is driven through or crack the material over it, if that is the case. If it is wood siding, it could crack that, if it is cement board siding, it will do bad there too, especially if it is a nail on a corner.


Why did the grout turn white on my slate patio?

Most grouts take three days to fully cure and even then you're warned it might take longer; you only waited two.... then you power washed it.. big mistake. You removed the top coat of grout and let it set on the tile. That's where the haze came from. Get some grout remover from your home store and clean off each tile, being careful not to get in the grout lines. Where the grout lines have turned almost white, you'll probably have to remove some or all of the grout and add new grout. You might luck out and get a close match grout stain from a tile store and apply it to your grout.


Nail sticking out other side of wooden door - how do I remove the sharp end?

You can spend 30 min ( or much more ) filing them down and who know how much time repairing the file mark on door or you could spend 10 min removing them and replacing them with an appropriate size SCREW.

Tap the point of the nail until the head of the nail is out far enough to get a pry bar or the claws of a hammer on it and pull it out (gently and protect the door from the hammer or bar with a scrap of wood).

Install a screw that has a larger diameter that the nail and is shorter. If the door is hollow you may need an anchor for the screw and if it is hollow a nail is not the appropriate fastener.


What kind of bolt is this? (securing the garage door opener rail to the wall face)

It is a concrete sleeve anchor, many brands with similar names. You drill a hole, then pound it in, then twist the nut a few times to set it. If it has wiggles out then the hole is probably damaged and now oversized.

You might find it best to now set a replacement deeper wedge anchor, or maybe set with a bit of epoxy.

I don't remember what brand I was using, but somewhere instructions said to space at least 5x the diameter apart.