-2
votes
0answers
69 views
What is the best way to get an elliptic transparent plastic surface? [closed]
I want to develop some weird augmented reality glasses, with a projector illuminating the glasses inner side, and the light reflecting straight to my eye. The point is to keep the glasses transparent ...
2
votes
1answer
38 views
How do I know which mold agent is best?
I've had several mold remediation specialists come to my home each touting their preferred EPA approved mold killing agent including: Cal-brite, Fiberlock Shockwave, Microban BotaniClean. I've looked ...
5
votes
0answers
60 views
How can I install a ceiling fan that needs a 4“ box where I only have a 3” box?
As part of a home renovation project I discarded my old ceiling fan and have bought a new one. When installing the new one the electrician tells me that I have a 3" junction box and that I'll need a ...
3
votes
2answers
75 views
How can I install modern locksets on these interior doors?
I've recently bought my first house which I'm very excited about, got into the decorating phase and decided to replace the door handles - some of which were damaged - with nice new ones. Being a ...
0
votes
0answers
22 views
How can I stop a dead trees roots from popping up in the grass? [migrated]
I dug up a tree a year ago and the roots seem to still be spreading under ground. Every once in a while I will see it sprout above ground. I keep pulling it out but it comes back. How do I kill ...
1
vote
1answer
54 views
What causes seasonal doors and how do you prevent it?
I understand that wood expands and contracts based on temperature, humidity, and other factors...
However in our house the doors are really subject to seasonal changes. For instance my bedroom door ...
3
votes
3answers
82 views
Do you have to have (or does it help) to have a garbage disposal with a dish washer?
I have a in sink garbage disposal but rarely use it.
I just had to replace it b/c it burned out from a children's plastic spoon getting 'eaten' ... more than just seized there was smoke coming out ...
1
vote
2answers
75 views
How can I convert switched receptacles to half switched receptacles?
In my new house, I have two outlets which are both fully switch, and can be controlled by two different switches (three way of course). I would like to convert the outlets both to half switched, but ...
1
vote
1answer
53 views
Should you chemically treat wood that is outside and under a roof?
My friend said yesterday that houses that are built with birch don't need to be chemically treated.
The wood what is now 50 years old has dark dots on the surface, but it seems to be strong. The wood ...
-4
votes
1answer
54 views
Can't get into a wall without gouging it out
My house was built in 1948 and is in St. Louis County, Missouri. I don't know what its walls are made of, but nothing is on them except paint AFAICT. For many of the walls, whenever I try to hammer a ...
0
votes
0answers
11 views
How to replace my gas hedge trimmer rope starter [migrated]
The rope starter for my Craftsman Gas Hedge Trimmer disconnected from the engine while pulling to start.
Please explain how to reattach this rope starter. I am a DIY individual.
Thanks for your help.
...
2
votes
1answer
50 views
Does outside air conditioning compressor fan run all the time?
Had some electrical issues with an air conditioner and after I rewired it, I noticed that the fan was stopping every 30 seconds or so. Is this fan supposed to shut off when unit is running?
4
votes
1answer
64 views
Is it OK to vent a first floor bathroom with a fan and a duct running through the basement?
I have a bathroom on the first floor of a two-floor house where the popcorn ceiling has dilated and cracked open twice within a year, and some mold is always coming back next to the ceiling, so I need ...
4
votes
6answers
144 views
How do I prevent doors on a media cabinet from sagging?
A friend and I have just built a floor to ceiling media shelf unit for DVDs. It has 9 shelves and is about 3' wide. The frame around it is made up of 2"x8" boards and the shelves (except for one in ...
0
votes
1answer
79 views
Why doesn't this LED strip work, even though the power supply seams appropriate?
I recently bought a 3528 SMD Flexible LED Strip, 300 LED for 5 M.
The Power Supply I have output 12V and 3A.
From what I found online, this seams okay, but it doesn't work. I managed to light them ...
5
votes
2answers
143 views
When is it time to replace the roof?
I've read several some of the guides out there (examples here and here) on this topic. I've found a shingle in the yard a couple times (after heavy wind/rain), and at times I've seen a few granules ...
1
vote
1answer
35 views
What should I do about wet insulation in my attic and walls?
We had a lot of snow this winter. In spring when it melted we got water back up from under the eaves trough in our cottage. We now have water damage in our attic along the north and south walls in the ...
4
votes
2answers
89 views
How should I connect these two yellow wires?
I don't know what this cap is... is it ok to cut it off and splice the two yellow wires together as I have been with the previous splices.
-1
votes
3answers
167 views
Is it safe to install this hot water tank from ebay?
Is it safe for me to replace my electric hot water tank with this continuous electric unit that I bought on ebay?
(I'm in Australia)
Technical Specifications
rated power 6.0KW
...
0
votes
1answer
55 views
What type of plastic is best for outdoor usage?
What type of plastic is best for outdoor usage? Like resistant to constant sunlight and water exposure and strong enough. It will be used to encolse part of (small size bird) aviary. Also please ...
0
votes
1answer
26 views
Can I use a T5 HO lamp in a non-HO luminaire?
Does anyone know what would happen?
Does the ballast limit the power?
If the T5 HO lamps were less expensive than T5 non-HO lamps, would it be ok to just use them in a non-HO luminaire?
2
votes
1answer
83 views
How can I block off scorching sunlight from coming through my windows?
Somehow, the window of my room faces directly at the scorching beams of the sun all year long. The local weather here is humid, and the heat from the sun coming in from the windows makes the room ...
1
vote
2answers
58 views
What is causing toilet supply water leaks above the coupling nut?
In my toilet, when the shut off water valve is open:
Water leaks above the coupling nut:
If I close the supply water valve and the tank is full, there is no leakage. What could be causing the ...
1
vote
4answers
68 views
How do I clear a drain pipe clogged with dried soap?
I think we have a clog of dried soap in our pipes, past the U-bend and down the pipes from upstairs to the drain at ground level.
How do I clear them?
1
vote
1answer
70 views
How can I create an enclosure that will protect an indoor camera outdoors?
My DropCam is an indoor camera and there's no outdoor version, so I would like to come up a way to have this camera outdoors.
So far I thought about creating a casing using:
an empty 2 liter soda ...
1
vote
3answers
66 views
What is involved in ripping out carpets and put in fake wood floors for an apartment floor overhaul?
I'm caught between living very frugally and hating cheapo, dirty carpets that spread wall-to-wall in every apartment I've ever leased. I'm probably handy enough to put in vinyl flooring myself, but ...
-1
votes
2answers
54 views
Where can I buy high transmission light diffuser [closed]
I keep hearing about these great high transmission light diffuser that came out to improve led lighting. For instance the Makrolon materials (Makrolon LED2643) or FusionOptix diffusers. But where can ...
14
votes
4answers
388 views
What is the use for this different threading near the head of a large screw?
I'm inquiring about the strange threading at the base of this screw:
These were used in somewhat heavy-duty outdoor construction. What is the purpose of that corkscrew, and is it safe to replace it ...
3
votes
4answers
119 views
How much will a board-on-board (shadow board) fence reduce the wind load?
I have had problems with a fence on one side of my garden because of wind in Montreal. The posts end up leaning away after a few years. Part of the problem might be how the posts were put in (perhaps ...
3
votes
1answer
79 views
Should I drywall and/or insulate my garage wall?
I'm in the process of a few projects in the garage, including raising the ceiling and insulating with spray foam. This has left me with a fair amount of leftover fiberglass batts.
There is a room ...
2
votes
1answer
50 views
Is it safe to mount a medium-sized air compressor to the floor to stop or limit vibrations?
I have a 220v 6hp 33gal oil-less horizontal air compressor that aside from being noisy rattles all over the floor.
Stock Image:
I would like to either mount it to the floor or build a small ...
1
vote
1answer
24 views
thermostat c wire question [duplicate]
I am looking to install a new thermostat that will require a C wire. I have a single stage A/C unit and my current thermostat has Rc, G, and Y wires. There is also an unused blue wire which I traced ...
0
votes
1answer
50 views
How can I tell if something is ruptured inside my lawnmower?
My lawnmower got thrown into a rolloff container by mistake. When I went to dig it out, it was upside down and when I tipped it right-side up, all sorts of black liquid (I assume oil?) came spilling ...
0
votes
0answers
90 views
How can I get rid of frogs that have settled in an unused swimming pool?
We have an inground swimming pool that we haven't used in a few years (it's just too expensive for us to maintain at the present time).
Well it's almost June and the frogs are a' plenty. Our pool ...
5
votes
1answer
61 views
What wire and conduit is required for an attached-garage subpanel?
To make my garage more usable as a workshop, I'm planning to add a subpanel which can feed a number of additional outlets. 60 amps would be plenty for my current needs, but I'd like to go with 100 so ...
2
votes
1answer
55 views
What would be involved in moving electrical panel a few inches?
My reading on the Building Science Corporation's website has convinced me I ought to remove the shoddy fiberglass+vapor barrier that the contractors put in my basement and place XPS directly against ...
3
votes
2answers
84 views
Can I screw a ceiling fan electrical box directly to the joist?
I am putting in a ceiling fan in a bedroom. It is a smaller one approx. 18 lbs.
The remodeling-type expander brace failed, so can I just screw one side of the box to the joist? (I cannot access the ...
0
votes
0answers
38 views
How do I connect up a ceiling rose in a 2-way switch circuit?
I removed a ceiling rose and forgot to at least take an image or draw the wiring before replacing it.
It is part of a 2 way switch (the other switch is upstairs). However, the wiring colours are ...
4
votes
2answers
180 views
How can I join two lengths of flexible 1/4" copper pipe?
I have found a leak coming from under my refrigerator, after pulling it out to get behind it I found the 1/4" copper pipe that supplies the water for the ice maker and water in the door was severed ...
0
votes
3answers
82 views
How to blackout bedroom that already has beautiful but ineffective blinds?
I am renting a house that has beautiful wooden venetian blinds - that I can not remove or replace - but they are not very effective at blocking the ambient night light that is abundant on my street. ...
0
votes
1answer
94 views
How much does weight affect a house?
I just demo'ed a bathroom. At 50 trashbags at 50 pounds a piece I am guesstimating that I took out 2500 pounds. The materials I am using to replace everything in the bathroom are about 800 pounds ...
3
votes
2answers
64 views
How can I have a light turn on when a pocket door is opened?
I'm building a new home with quite a few pocket doors and would like to know if there is a way for the pantry and utility room lights to come on when the pocket door slides open.
1
vote
2answers
151 views
How can one properly and tidily install this hardware for internet access?
This picture shows what my new home has for the wiring necessary for internet access. Some of the wiring here isn't necessary---in fact, most of it isn't, just the telephone wiring.
With an idea of ...
1
vote
0answers
48 views
How do I build an “internal frame” for a reclaimed wood door?
I heard that doors like the one below are made with an internal frame, and then it receives the faces of reclaimed wood.
How is the frame constructed and how are the wood boards fastened to the ...
3
votes
1answer
94 views
How do I remove a Kwikset deadbolt with no screws on the inside plate?
My exterior door deadbolt has gotten stuck - it'll open with the lever but not the key. By spraying WD-40 inside the lock, I've been able to get it to work but it's very stiff. I'd like to remove the ...
0
votes
1answer
45 views
Why doesn't the paint stick to new ingrain wallpaper?
I painted newly wallpapered walls with white color (2 times). Now I want to paint a rectangular part of the wall in a different color. To accomplish that, I used tape to get exact, well-defined ...
4
votes
2answers
162 views
How should I build the concrete footings for my deck?
I plan on making a small deck and I live in Howard County Maryland. The deck code here says that the concrete footing must be 30 in below ground level and have a thickness of at least 8 inches (i.e. ...
1
vote
1answer
63 views
What are my options for running feeder cable into an exterior main panel?
I'm trying to connect a 4/3 nm feeder cable into to my exterior mounted service entry / main panel.
There is already what looks like a 1 1/2" rigid conduit from the crawlspace through the rim joist ...
1
vote
1answer
59 views
How do I open this light fitting?
These fittings don't have any obvious affordance for removing or opening them.
Any ideas?
0
votes
1answer
72 views
What is this circuit board and how to I replace it?
I have two under counter lights in my kitchen which stopped working at the same time. I assumed some kind of fuse needed changing, and on opening the little box connecting them to the mains I found ...
