I'm in camp 1/2. Because if you zoom in the drywall is not tight against the wood. That's your 1/16 difference

Couple of people have already said this but use PVC to rebuild the casing after you remove all of the rotted wood. Part of the problem there is it's too close to the ground. Another problem is concrete wicks moisture. Wood should never touch concrete. PVC with a polyurethane caulk will solve all of these problems

You can also build up one by six PVC. Stack it to make 2x6 stock. You can glue it together with plumbers glue or polyurethane adhesive.

Glad we've got the responsible answers out of the way, now we can go to the practical answers

In order to remove that support you have to figure out what work it does and how you can transfer any loads it's carrying to some other structure. This is done all the time in balloon framing whenever you have an exterior penetration (Windows and doors) or mechanical or HVAC

Each truss is rated for the load it's carrying so in order to remove one the first thing would be to double up or somehow increase the strength of the trusses on either side and then bridge those two with blocking or a header. It's not rocket science but it is engineering. Because to do it correctly you have to have a good understanding of the work of each of these framing members and ideally the mathematical tools to be able to calculate loads. Trusses do more than hold up the roof. They also keep the walls from bowing out and keep the ceiling from sagging. Any solution has to solve all of these problems.

And finally there is a practical consideration. Whatever you do that deviates from standard framing practice can impact the resale value of your home.

I like it too. Easy to work with.

What is your preferred latex caulk my dood

Silicone is often a problem because it sticks to silicone better than anything else. Over time movement will cause silicone to peel off of one side of any joint and stubbornly stick to the other side and be a p i t a to remove. Quad is much better. Quad is a version of polyurethane sealant or PL. These sealants are difficult to apply and messy and they never really cure so they sort of stay gummy but they have really good performance as sealers

Siliconized latex or. Siliconized acrylic is a very different thing. Paintable. Water clean up. Stays flexible better than regular latex

Good old regular latex caulk my brand is white lightning is still a very good option for anything that's going to be painted over. It holds paint well and it's very inexpensive and easy to apply

There's also butyl rubber mostly used on metal like gutters and copolymer sealant like lexel. Very messy very difficult to apply but can provide really good performance for the right application

Good advice. I think it's neodymium not molybdenum. Home Depot has a selection

The ones telling you to mount the ceiling fan bracket directly into the joist are correct. This solution will be stronger and safer than any "fan-rated" box you can buy. Use 2.5 or 3" construction screws and make sure they are solidly into the joist

Most fan mounting brackets have slots on either side so there is plenty of space to put the screws just outside the pancake box.

Avoid using the little metal tabs inside the pancake box. They are not strong enough and over time there can be metal fatigue because fans do wobble and vibrate.

The Russian version is I wish you would gouge out one of my eyes

I like the one about the Uncle and the whiskey vat. You could end that one differently...

We tried to cremate him, and the funeral home exploded.

I'm having the same problem with mine. An older model. It doesn't remember it's route because I don't think that was a feature on early models

I would tilt the chair forward and set it on a book or a coffee mug or something. But you have to remember to set up the chair before you run the route. Not ideal. Or you could buy a newer model.

I think this comment is on the right track. Methane is lighter than air. A break or fault in the vent stack in the floor below would tend to rise.

I remember staying in a hotel in Oaxaca Mexico. Nice place but the floor drains lacked traps. I think they put a trap under the toilet but however they tied in the floor drains it bypassed that trap. The shower area always stank just a little bit. So you could be looking at a design flaw.

Or, there can be a penetration in the vent stack-- Crack, loose joint, nail hole.

I know of two methods to assess. One is a smoke test. Basically they open a clean out down low and pump smoke in it. Wherever the smoke comes out needs to be repaired

The other is by using a boroscope inspection camera. You can drop it down from the roof or anywhere there's a clean out and just inspect all the joints.

So I would ask around for plumbers that are familiar with these techniques. My first choice would probably be the smoke test.