Hey there master electricians, my google abilities didn’t lead to the answers I’m looking for so I thought I might post here. Before consulting a local pro, just so I’m less ignorant.
As I understand it, federal stab-lok is bad mmmkay, but my breakers don’t seem to be the red no no’s other than the dryer circuit breaker. There are a few “newer” breakers but the rest don’t appear to be the original breakers either.
I’m looking to add a single or possibly two 15 amp single poles to run out to my pool area to replace my current extension cord setup on a pool filter pump.
But now I’m considering if I need to replace the whole panel??
Also, why did they chose to not use the top two slots 1 and 2?
Thanks I’m advanced!

Here is the quote we have settled on.
31 squares, Pacific NW (Western WA).
Thoughts?

Pest management is a crucial aspect of maintaining a healthy and pest-free environment. Whether you are dealing with insects, rodents, or other unwanted pests, implementing effective strategies is essential for long-term prevention and control. In this blog post, we will explore some key pest management strategies that can help you protect your home, garden, or business from infestations.
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Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Integrated Pest Management is an approach that focuses on using a combination of preventive measures, monitoring, and targeted treatments to manage pests effectively. This strategy aims to minimize the use of pesticides and prioritize environmentally friendly methods. IPM involves the following steps:
a) Pest Identification: Accurately identify the pests present and understand their behavior, life cycle, and vulnerabilities.
b) Monitoring and Inspection: Regularly monitor and inspect the area to detect pest activity and assess the severity of the infestation.
c) Prevention: Implement preventive measures such as sealing entry points, eliminating food and water sources, and maintaining cleanliness to minimize pest attraction.
d) Cultural and Mechanical Controls: Utilize methods like habitat modification, trapping, physical barriers, and manual removal to reduce pest populations.
e) Biological Controls: Introduce natural enemies of pests, such as predators, parasites, or pathogens, to regulate their populations.
f) Chemical Controls: As a last resort, selective and targeted use of pesticides may be necessary. However, this should be done responsibly and with consideration for non-target organisms.

Sanitation and Hygiene

Maintaining proper sanitation and hygiene practices is fundamental in preventing pest infestations. Pests are attracted to food sources, standing water, and unclean environments. To minimize their presence:
a) Store food in sealed containers and keep countertops, floors, and trash cans clean.
b) Regularly empty and clean gutters, as stagnant water can attract mosquitoes and other insects.
c) Ensure proper waste management and disposal, keeping garbage bins tightly sealed.
d) Remove clutter and debris, both indoors and outdoors, as they can serve as hiding places for pests.

Exclusion

Preventing pests from entering your property is an effective strategy for pest management. Some exclusion methods include:
a) Sealing cracks, gaps, and holes in walls, windows, doors, and foundations to block entry points.
b) Installing screens on windows and doors to keep flying insects out.
c) Applying weatherstripping to doors and windows to eliminate gaps.
d) Regularly inspecting and maintaining the integrity of your property's exterior, including the roof and siding.

Proper Storage and Waste Management

Properly storing and disposing of items can significantly reduce the risk of pest infestations. Follow these guidelines:
a) Store firewood, outdoor equipment, and other items away from the main structure of your property.
b) Dispose of waste regularly and securely in sealed bins.
c) Compost properly by using closed bins and avoiding the inclusion of meat or dairy products, which can attract pests.
d) Avoid leaving pet food outside overnight and store it in sealed containers.

Education and Awareness

Promote awareness and educate yourself and others about pests, their behavior, and prevention techniques. Stay informed about local regulations, potential risks, and the latest pest control methods. This knowledge will empower you to make informed decisions and take appropriate actions to manage pests effectively.
Implementing these pest management companies will help you create a healthier and pest-free environment. Remember, prevention is key, and by adopting a holistic approach that focuses on minimizing reliance on chemicals, you can maintain a balance between pest control and environmental sustainability.
Stay proactive, educate yourself, and consult professionals when needed for more specific pest management advice.

Hey everyone, looking for any advice on how to proceed with fixing a void under my rear patio. I'm in Western Canada, soil is mostly clay but the fill around my foundation is sandy, patio is on the north side of my house, and I am a novice landscaper.
I recently moved into a newly constructed house and noticed, following a heavy rain storm, the sod along the edge of my back patio had sunken. I removed the sod and could see clear under the patio to the basement foundation. I drilled a hole near the window well and measured the void depth at around 10 inches. I filled in around the edge as best I could with fill and considered my options. Note the patio is sloped away from the house and supported with metal attached to the foundation, there is one crack but otherwise the pads in good condition.
My main concern is water against the home foundation. The home does have a sump pump, but it's required due to the high water table in the area and has not been very active even when raining. Should also note that I will be rerouting the gutter downspouts along the fence to a drain in the back alley, that is the major source of water in the yard.
I had a few quotes from contractors who can fill the void with foam or flowable fill, but they've all commented on the fact that continued settlement and drainage issues are likely to result in the problem returning. I've fussed around with levels and it looks to me that the grade was meant to go toward the fence along the side of the home and to the front storm drain, but evidently from the photos the low point beside the pad likely brings water under the patio and into the void space.
So, all that said, im thinking about two options. Curious for input or alternatives, as stated I'm a novice and have been quite humbled by other projects! Lots to learn.

1. Get the void filled and install a French drain along the edge of the pad to the fence and alongside the fence to the front of the home. From my measurements it looks like I have the elevation drop necessary to slope the drain 1% and surface it at the front. This is less invasive and seemed that it would be cheaper, may not be the case, but i'd prefer a more permanent solution. I've watched too many videos on french drains, and I'm concerned that maintenance and freezing will make the drain a nuisance.
   
2. I can have the patio removed entirely, fill the void with fill, compact, and regrade away from the home and fence without messing up the neighbors drainage. I've been thinking about building a short deck anyways, and I'm not too attached to the patio. I figured this would be quite expensive and considered doing the work myself, but I got a quote back that is considerably less than the void fill quotes. If I do this I'll probably install a French drain, at least along the fence on the side of the house, anyways to keep the water moving.
   

Thank you!

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Our continuing research reveals that one can realize both fish and fresh vegetable produce sufficient to feed a family of four, year-long, on a plot merely big enough to park the typical family car. ( A large American style car! )
A wide range of vegetable crops may be grown in various combinations including tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, eggplant, peppers, beans, lettuce, other greens and herbs; even tree seedlings for reforestation projects. Yields from the research conducted in Raleigh NC indicate that over 50 kilograms of tilapia may be harvested per year for each cubic meter of water cultured (individual fish harvested periodically as they reach 250 grams), plus about 360 kilograms of tomatoes or other vegetable fruits.
At these yield rates, a “parking space” sized unit with 3 cubic meters of water and 14 square meters of vegetable filter bed could yield 150 kg of fish and 1100 kg of vegetable fruits per year (an average of 3 kg (7 lb) fish and 21 kg (46 lb) vegetables each week).
Including annualized losses for evapotranspiration and incorporation into biomass (food) at 85% of total input and a seepage loss of 6%, each liter of water utilized by the IAVS technique can produce 6 g FW of fish and 17 g DW of vegetables.
The IAVS technique removes the fish waste products (unconsumed feed, fish metabolites, and dead algae), which accumulate on the bottom of the fish-culture tank, and recirculates the purified water which stimulates rapid fish growth.
The waste-ladened water is passed through a physical filter (the sand bed), and a ‘living filter’ (the vegetable crops and micro-flora resident in the sand bed), and finally across an aerating cascade (or other aeration device) as it is returned to the fish-culture tank. Aeration increases the amount of oxygen dissolved in the water which increases the carrying capacity of the tank as well as increasing 2 the rate of fish growth.
The nutrient-loaded water percolates through the filter bed sand, as the largest waste particles are physically filtered from the water at the filter surface.
The finer particles and dissolved nutrients are absorbed by the plant roots and the numerous micro-organisms which inhabit the filter bed. The cleaned water tumbles across the cascade aerator by gravity as it returns to the fish tank for another cycle.
The filtration/ irrigation event is repeated at regular intervals during daylight hours for as many as eight times per day. The principle operational criterion is to incrementally and cumulatively circulate the equivalent of the total fish tank volume (at a minimum) through the filter bed every day. Once a IAVS operation is installed, the only inputs are fingerlings, seed or transplants, feed for the fish, and some form of energy by which to move the water.
Many fish-feed mixes, using locally available resources, have been formulated by various technical assistance organizations. (Note that standard commercial feed formulations are generally not desirable because they may contain high levels of certain trace elements which can build to toxic levels in a tightly-coupled system such as this.) Suitable feed may be locally produced in virtually any rural community (irregardless of region) from readily available resources or it may be prepared to order by commercial feed merchants. In any case, neither the availability nor the cost of feed need be prohibitive since each kilogram of feed input to the system will result in the production of approximately 0.75 kg of fish and 6.70 kg of fresh vegetables.
An IAVS facility can be built in the open air and the water circulated with only a bucket, or it may be enclosed within a protective structure of plastic film and/or mesh screening. Improved water movement may be accomplished by employing mechanical water pumps (human or animal powered) or with electric pumps operated by automated timers.
Some sort of roof (protective enclosure) is often desirable because it reduces evaporation losses, can double as a plant support for vertically cultivated species, can screen out many potential insect pests, can form a barrier to rain-borne plant diseases and, in areas of torrential rains, prevents flooding of the fish tank and filter bed to eliminate the consequent loss of production.
The key functional requirements of the sand are that the entire filte plant bed drain both completely and fairly rapidly. This is necessary such that the plants do not drown and to insure that a sufficient volume of fish tank water can be circulated each day by which to maintain adequate filtration of the fish wastes and to sufficiently oxygenate the returning water as it falls through the cascade aerator.
Therefore, the sand should be fairly coarse, with virtually zero “fines” content (no particles below 200 microns in diameter). The ideal filter sand has a consistency approximately that of common table salt or of granulated sugar with no powdery fraction (larger particles can easily be screened out, if necessary). It is usually relatively easy to find a source of an appropriate grade of sand.
Balancing the amount of fish to the number of plants (actually the rate of feed input to the rate of plant growth) is a crucial management consideration for attaining best results. Too few plants and the water would not be sufficiently purified for reapplication in the fish culture tank; too few fish and the plants would not receive sufficient nutrition.
To that extent, operation of an IAVS requires some managerial skill (which can, obviously, only come with experience). However, the range of fish to plant balance is fairly broad, meaning the IAVS technique is relatively “user friendly” and well buffered against rapid changes in water chemistry which could lead to less than most desirable results or longer-term problems. Some previous gardening/husbandry experience on the part of the prospective operator is considered highly desirable. Minimal training in general aquaculture management, pest prevention and mitigation techniques, and simple water quality monitoring techniques is recommended for first-time operators.
Even trained operators can sometimes make management “mistakes” in balancing the system’s biological components but these can be readily recognized with regular monitoring (or experienced observation) and “corrected” long before they adversely impair productivity
The longer an IAVS system (actually a miniature, managed, and complete ecosystem) is allowed to mature (continuously operated without interruption in, or an excess, in feed input rate), the more stable it will tend to become (biologically and chemically). Also over time, operator(s) gain experience in balancing inputs with outputs and refine (develop) management skills which further increase productivity.
Typically, IAVS facilities develop into functionally mature ecosystems within three months from initialization and are considered to be fully mature following one-year of continuous management/operation.
The INTEGRATED AQUA-VEGECULTURE SYSTEM holds substantial promise for providing limited-resource farmers an opportunity to augment both the family diet and their income. The prospect of producing meaningful quantities of nutritious food with a minimum adverse impact on the environment is significant.
Written by Doug Sanders, a world recognized expert in Horticulture.
Full text can be found at; https://iavs.info//wp-content/uploads/2015/03/NCSUOIP-IAVS-Description88.pdf
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