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It will be interesting to try - thanks!

The upper portion of the footing across the back door to my garage broke off years ago. A section of rebar is exposed and is somewhat rusted (see photo). I figure that, at minimum, I need to use something like Rust Reformer to treat the steel. I would like to rebuild the missing concrete but...

Bud, I am very intrigued by your tip about adding drywall mud to paint. Can you give me an idea of the upper limit for quantity of mud per gallon of paint or consistency of mixed product before the mud starts to affect color or ability to apply?

Havasu is making what is known as an "argument from personal incredulity." He personally, as a person with no relevant expertise, does not understand why a cloth mask might help, therefore he concludes they likely don't help - regardless of expert opinion. I am not an expert but off the top of...

That sounds very do-able! Thanks for the tip.

Brook, I don't have any suggestions for your issue - but hope you can help with mine. My 70 y.o. house (in Dixon, not that far east from you) also has redwood V-lap siding that I got started restoring this past summer and will finnish when the weather warms up. The primary issues I have faced...

I disagree with getting the mold tested. I did a lot of research on this about 10 years ago when a pest control inspection found a small amount of mold in my mother's house. A mold species that affects my health may have no affect on you - and vice versa. The bottom line is that ALL mold should...

Jeff is right about pressure on the wall. If the full height of soil against the wall is saturated, pressure on the wall is effectively the same whether or not water is coming through the wall at any level. Bob R recommended excavating to 18-24 inches below the foundation. That is a very...

Afjes, I had never heard of grounding at the cable clamp; that is great info and I will check it out - thanks! K, I don't know the year this house was built, maybe 70s, but it does not have GFCI receptacles and the breakers are not GFCI.

Thanks Bud. I am replacing a light fixture over the washing machine with one that has a receptacle, where I will plug in the new light, but found that box is not grounded. The switch for the existing light will also control the new one so there will be no need to touch the light body or a pull...

Vyacheslav, the configuration Bud describes is exactly the original wiring for a light in the garage of my 70 y.o. house. It was just dumb luck that I did not kill myself when I reconfigured the wiring. That was 30 years ago and since then I never work on wiring without turning off the circuit...

The LED shop light I bought to hang in my mother-in-law's garage has a three-prong plug but receptacles in her house are not grounded. If this was an incandescent fixture I would think nothing of using an adapter to connect it without ground. Is that OK for an LED light?

If I were doing that castle joint I could be confident the fit would be sloppy. My solution would be to glue the joint with epoxy. That way even the side-grain to end-grain part of the joint (bottom of rail to upper surface of leg) would be as strong as the wood. A few weeks ago I tested and...

Bud, Mississippi's death certificate procedures explain why the death certificate of someone who came in with a heart attack would include Covid: COVID-19 Death Reporting: Questions and Answers for Medical Examiners, Coroners and Physicians - Mississippi State Department of Health Krich...

Also, look to see if there are existing fractures or other planes of weakness. Flow banding or foliation (if partly metamorphosed), or basically anything else that kind of looks like lines in the rock, can be planes of weakness that will be easier to break.

Bits and blades capable of cutting fresh granite are not cheap, but you only need a few to get started and gauge how much time/expense the job might take. Be sure to use either wet tools or wear a respirator - silicosis is no joke.

Krich, If a person with diabetes is admitted to the hospital with Covid and dies, it is the Covid that killed them, not the disease they have lived with for years and likely would have continued living with for years more. If there are so few true Covid deaths, why is El Paso using refrigerator...

I don't recall the specifics, but where you are makes a huge difference in whether or not radon might be a problem. Here in Sacramento valley with a couple miles of sediment under my feet it is never an issue. I house built above igneous rock might have a high potential. Local building dept...

Havasu, your tip was a good one. Decided to try air into my B&D chuck before WD-40, something flew out, and bit has not slipped after a couple tries. Might not always be the solution but it worked for me.

Havasu, thanks for the tip about flushing out the chuck. I will try that on my B&D that has develop a very serious problem with the bits slipping. From reading the range of experiences, it sounds like maintenance might be a bigger factor than manufacturer.