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I haven’t dealt with this, I’m not suggesting this is expert advise. I would weight the floor and let it dry naturally. Corn starch or talc might help the drying process and help the floor ease back into line. Good luck
Sounds like you have ducts running through chases or an attic and venting down through the ceiling. These are normally connected to the air-handler with flexible duct. You need to get access to the ductwork / attic and see how things are configured. Its really pretty easy to move a vent, but you need to match up duct size and splice in.
Post back with what type and size of duct you are dealing with. FWIW, crawling in attics or tearing out ceilings is not one of my favorite jobs either.
It sounds like the bad gasoline may have varnished the carb on that motor. You could add a carburetor and injector cleaner to the gasoline, or disassemble the air cleaner and spray carb cleaner into the throat of the carb when running. I am kind of partial to Sea Foam Motor Treatment (great in motorcycles). Also, might be worthwhile to pull the spark-plug and see if it is fouled. Also be sure the air filter is clean or replaced.
These are all standard maintenance items, and will make your machine run better.
What you have to look forward to is the rot will invariably spread. Rot is caused by a fungus infection (wood destroying organism), and it easily moves to new wood. Not only that, but Luan is not generally an exterior rated panel and would quickly deteriorate anyway. I would not be comfortable with using Luan in that application, and any rot needs to be removed back to solid wood, and treated.
This has a direct effect on the value of your home as you will not be able to pass the pest inspection without significant mandatory repairs if you want to sell. The workmanship you describe is not professional, and you may have recourse through your contract or contractor licensing bureau.
Almost all wood stoves and fireplaces use a replaceable refractory brick. You can order pre-cut kits or cut your own to fit. Any wood stove shop should be able to order the pre-cut refractory if you tell them the information you posted here. Here is a possible online source: http://www.fireplaceguys.com/Parts/parts.html
That is a new one on me. Many concrete mixes do include fiberglass strand as a reinforcement to prevent cracking. These are usually prepared as mixed concrete, and delivered, as it would be very difficult to get a homogeneous blend with manual mixing. Could there be confusion between insulation and fiber reinforced concrete?
My original reply stated a number of assumptions, not the least of which was one that no supporting structures were bearing on the joists or beam above the supported living space (i.e. roof, second story, etc). In any case where a structural question is asked on the forum, we are seriously limited in providing an accurate response without proper drawings, descriptions and applicable codes. Structural questions can be responded to conceptually, but reviewing a structure, or designing load bearing pathways is the job of an engineer who can completely review the project and who is knowledgeable in local codes, soils, materials and design basis.
The supported floor is 120 square feet of living space. 2×8 joists 16-inch on center at 10 feet of span and terminated and blocked on the beam, is a conservative sizing appropriate for living space and a deflection value of less than 360 and live load of 40+ psi.
You effectively have a field constructed beam 3-2×12 (6×12 nominal) over a 12-foot distance, which is correct for that span in most framing, even as a central beam (technically this could carry twice the floor span). The unknown question is how does that transfer weight to the ground? If the beam directly ties to the foundation, and transfers load to the footer, its very unlikely to fail. I am not a structural engineer, and having your plan reviewed by one is the best idea.
You can add OSB or plywood to create storage on some garages with built roofs with rafters, joists and stringers. You should not place loads on engineered trusses. The load carrying capacity is limited by the size and span of the joists that you will attach the OSB onto. You can increase the load capacity by constructing additional joists to transfer the loads to the load-supporting walls. If you are uncertain how the load from OSB and dead storage loads will be carried, consult with a structural engineer or contractor.
Sounds like you have a laminate floor that has bowed upward in the middle on one or more boards. If this is installed as a floating floor (not glued or nailed), the problem may be no expansion gap at the floor edges. If this is a floor placed on a slab, the problem may be moisture and failure of the adhesive bond.
At this time of year, Arizona has more moisture and expansion of flooring is more likely to result in buckling. Moisture is the most likely root cause. More details on the flooring, attachment method and subfloor would help.
T-111 siding should not be sealed at the bottom. Panels mounted vertically above another panel should be separated by a Z-bar flashing. When siding is built above a roof, either L or step flashing is used behind the panel. Never caulk flashed joints as this will CAUSE rot.
The siding is typically very tight at the sill-plate with 6-inch nailing schedules. There is no reason to caulk that joint, and it is desirable to allow any moisture to move downward, rather than accumulate near the bottom of the panel. Critters cannot get behind properly fastened T-111 siding. Sealing bottom edges with primer and paint can greatly reduce moisture from being drawn into the panel, which is the most common source of rot.
Toilets are mounted on a wax ring to seal odors and ensure water goes down the right way. Yours has shifted or failed. Go to any hardware store and get a replacement. The fun part is turning off the water, flushing and bailing the toilet to make it lighter and removing the floor flange bolts. Lift the toilet off the old seal, clean the flange and toilet surfaces, and seat the new wax seal.
Here is a link http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/bath/fixt_repair/toilet/wax_ring/replace.htm
The 17′ 3×8 joist that you want to ‘T’ into needs to be reinforced to essentially make it a beam. This can be done by sistering additional dimensional lumber to the existing joist, or placing a laminated beam adjacent and parallel to it, and ensuring the load bearing connections at the ends of that 17 foot span (wall) are adequate to conduct the load to the foundation, and ultimately the ground.
The problem is not a difficult one, but you should have an engineer determine the necessary support, and evaluate how that load transfers to the ground. In addition to reinforcing the existing joist (beam), you may need additional vertical members (studs) to transfer the weight to the foundation, and its possible the footer may be reinforced in that area. I doubt that foundation reinforcement will be necessary from your description, but that is why structural changes should be engineered, and are usually subject to building permits.
What material is the tub or shower? It makes a difference if we are talking about porcelain or fiberglass.
Please, you are in Michigan. People are begging for jobs. If you are spending money on your house call a licensed contractor local to you and get an estimate for building a dormer. Building a REAL dormer into an existing roof is a challenging project, but one that can probably be done very competitively right now. Looking for a package on the internet is a complete waste of time. Call a carpenter, and you will end up with living space instead of something tacked onto your roof. Matching interior finish is what will take the most time and money. If you are flexible enough to use something like a window box, you will significantly cut costs, and can always go back and put in finish floors and trip.
