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31 votes
5 answers
16k views

What is this vertical metal pipe in my backyard? old well? septic?

Purchased this house last week and the previous owners also did not know what it was. The pipe is heavy duty and set in concrete. There's water about halfway up the length of the pipe, but I haven't ...
Drew's user avatar
  • 884
31 votes
3 answers
25k views

How do I build an ice rink in my backyard?

I'm considering building a small temporary ice skating rink in my backyard. I'm hoping to do this without buying many or any materials, and without causing any devastating damage to my lawn when ...
Alain's user avatar
  • 413
31 votes
9 answers
136k views

Why do my led bulbs state: not for use in totally enclosed luminaires?

I recently bought some nice inexepensive LED bulbs but I noticed the warning states: (see image below) not for use in totally enclosed luminaires I am guessing that it gets too hot but I find it ...
raddevus's user avatar
  • 475
31 votes
1 answer
13k views

Metal spike with heavy metal cord found in front lawn

While raking my front lawn I came across this metal stake in the ground, wrapped in a thick metal wire/cord. I could not pull the stake up. I dug around and found the wire, pulling up on it and it ...
Sean's user avatar
  • 425
31 votes
3 answers
58k views

How to open a door that has the insides of a door handle inside without a door knob

Currently this is what my doorknob looks like below I was trying to change out my doorknob and left both sides inside of the room but the AC kicked on and shut the door on me and now I am stuck ...
John Rawls's user avatar
31 votes
5 answers
130k views

Why does my dishwasher back up into the sink, but running the disposal allows it to drain?

When my dishwasher runs the kitchen sink backs up. I have a two tub sink and only the side nearest the dishwasher with the garbage disposer backs up. Running the disposal for a few seconds causes the ...
Freiheit's user avatar
  • 4,212
31 votes
9 answers
235k views

Can I paint or seal a very moist basement floor to make it waterproof?

My basement has a slight dampness issue, where if I leave things on the floor they will get wet. There are no leaks and no standing water, the moisture seems to be wicking up through the concrete. I ...
Tester101's user avatar
  • 132k
31 votes
10 answers
153k views

Are toilets supposed to be caulked to the floor?

I've heard that in some cases toilets are supposed to be caulked to the floor. I replaced both toilets in the condo I moved into last week, and one was calked to the floor, and one was not. One ...
Billy ONeal's user avatar
31 votes
4 answers
20k views

Should I agree to have more insulation added to my attic?

I have a 6 year old home with about 12 inches (R-30) of blown-in insulation in the attic. Recently door-to-door sales representatives for an insulation company offered a free inspection and quote to ...
JYelton's user avatar
  • 2,482
31 votes
6 answers
145k views

Where should I NOT use a GFCI or AFCI?

There is a lot of information out there about the benefits of GFCI and AFCI and the places where they must or should be used. But are there any circumstances where you're better off without them? If I ...
dlf's user avatar
  • 647
31 votes
9 answers
606k views

What humidity should I set my dehumidifier to?

I just bought a 50 pint dehumidifier for my basement. What humidity level should I aim for? This time of year the outside humidity is very high (over 80%) and we do not have central air. Right now ...
auujay's user avatar
  • 5,265
30 votes
14 answers
79k views

How can I get rid of a mouse in my house?

There is a mouse in my house. What's the most effective way to get rid of the mouse (and any "friends" it might have) and ensure that it doesn't come back.
30 votes
6 answers
10k views

Why is my fire extinguisher emptied after one use?

I'm planning to make a small DIY gas tank and I saw people using old or used fire extinguishers but I don't understand why my fire extinguisher can't hold pressure after one use. I have this fire ...
Mordecai's user avatar
  • 410
30 votes
10 answers
21k views

What are the most important things to check/do after buying a home?

We are in the process of purchasing a home that is over 20 years old. What are some of the most important things we should check/patch/do right away to make sure the home is running correctly and ...
30 votes
14 answers
175k views

What are cheap ways to build strong shelves with a large span?

I have removed several old and moisture damaged built in storage units from my house. I would like to replace them with shelving. There are a number of different sized gaps (width and depth to fill). ...
flamingpenguin's user avatar
30 votes
17 answers
136k views

How do I change a light bulb I can't grip?

We have two bulbs in our house that need replacing. They appear to be PAR38 bulbs. The bulbs are both in recessed sockets. There is not enough space between the bulb and the well to get fingers ...
Shay Guy's user avatar
  • 401
30 votes
4 answers
3k views

If DC adapters are so prevalent, why is AC used in construction by default?

I'm not sure if there's a better place to ask this or not. Why, at least here in America, is the standard electrical system set up for alternating current (AC) rather than direct current (DC)? I'm ...
Naftuli Kay's user avatar
  • 1,161
30 votes
9 answers
142k views

Is there a way to simply splice in an additional length of 12/2 NM-B cable?

Is there a way without using junction boxes to simply splice in additional length of 12/2 NM-B cable? Can I use twist caps? I'm putting in a dog door and as it so happens, there is some 12/2 right in ...
snicker's user avatar
  • 567
30 votes
3 answers
5k views

Is this a load bearing column?

I’m trying to determine if a column in my house is load bearing. It’s at the corner of 2 pony walls and if it isn’t we might take out the column and the pony wall. There’s an extension of the 2nd ...
StockTsi's user avatar
  • 303
30 votes
2 answers
3k views

What spacing difference is acceptable with a contracted tile job? [closed]

What is a reasonable difference in gaps between tiles? We just had our bathroom floor done by Lowe’s (first mistake), and I’m not happy with the outcome, AT ALL. Is this just me being picky, or should ...
Slink2015's user avatar
  • 301
30 votes
5 answers
21k views

What is the best method to patch a large hole (2-3 inches) in drywall?

I have a large hole where a TV wall mount once was (I believe the hole was used to run power and coax cable to the TV). I have since moved the TV and would like to patch the hole. What is the best way ...
mmattax's user avatar
  • 401
30 votes
3 answers
8k views

Is it bad practice to regularly turn a circuit breaker off/on?

I have an electric vehicle mobile charger that is plugged in to a dedicated 30 Amp circuit. When I’m done charging, I undock the charger from the car. I leave my mobile charger plugged into the 14-50 ...
milesmeow's user avatar
  • 5,020
30 votes
7 answers
9k views

How can I add an ammeter and/or voltmeter to my home breaker panel?

In my professional life, I work in datacenters and all of our PDUs have ammeter displays on them. Of course they do: we always want to know how many amps a PDU is using. But in my house, nobody has ...
user227963's user avatar
  • 1,060
30 votes
13 answers
11k views

Protecting solar panels from kids who may throw stones to get monkeys off roof

I have read this question - Solar panels and hail and my question is similar. I have the possibility that neighboring kids may throw stones at my roof top solar panels to scare off monkeys which are a ...
user avatar
30 votes
1 answer
3k views

Four outlet / Four USB charging station stuck in outlet

We have a "charging station" that has four USB ports on front and four regular outlets, two on each side, that was plugged into a bathroom outlet. Now I am trying to remove it, but it seems ...
Michael's user avatar
  • 997
30 votes
6 answers
6k views

How should I support this large drywall patch?

after the installation of a new water heater and a relatively extensive plumbing fix, I wanted to save a buck trying to patch the drywall myself. It's the very first time I buy a piece of drywall or ...
Alessio Sangalli's user avatar
30 votes
1 answer
6k views

Why does dirt kill saw blades?

What is it about dirt getting into a saw blade (as opposed to, say, sawdust, rock chips, etc (presuming the right blade is being used, of course)) that will kill a saw blade? I've seen it happen to ...
warren's user avatar
  • 951
30 votes
3 answers
950k views

What wire gauge do I need for a 100 Amp subpanel at the end of a 60' wire run?

I am adding an attached garage to my house. I'm going to be putting in a 100 Amp subpanel which is about 60 feet away and run through the basement joists. What gauge wire do you recommend for ...
Shawn Coleman's user avatar
30 votes
9 answers
310k views

How do I install a GFCI receptacle with two hot wires and common neutral?

In my kitchen, I want to replace a regular 120V receptacle with a GFCI-protected receptacle. The instructions describe what to do with a regular 2-wire + ground feed, with and without daisy chaining ...
Matt Fox's user avatar
  • 485
29 votes
5 answers
44k views

Is it unsafe to remove one stud from a load bearing wall?

I need to cut a hole for a recessed medicine cabinet. This wall is at the end of the house. I only need to cut one stud to make a frame for the cabinet. Will this damage the integrity of the bearing ...
Sonia Leon's user avatar
29 votes
10 answers
16k views

Propane appliances throwing orange flames suddenly and generator's back firing

So here's the deal: about 1.5 to 2 weeks ago, our generator started backfiring like crazy and our cookstove, water heater and heater are throwing yellow orange flames intermittently as well as ...
Vermonter802's user avatar
29 votes
9 answers
6k views

What to do with wood shavings and sawdust?

Been doing a lot of woodworking recently and have many bags of sawdust and wood shavings. I haven't the facility to compress them into the pellets I get from my local woodyard which are useful for my ...
Tim's user avatar
  • 5,308
29 votes
4 answers
12k views

Why does my shed door expand/shrink?

I built a shed door last summer and have had a few problems with it since. Using pressure treated outdoor timber I made a fairly simple shed door. I wood glued the long planks together and then used ...
GamerGypps's user avatar
29 votes
1 answer
5k views

Why is there only one receptacle in this outlet?

This looks like an outlet with only one receptacle, but why? It's mounted about 7' up, in a basement-level room in a school building. It is stamped 15A/125V, but I've never seen something like this ...
nuggethead's user avatar
  • 1,367
29 votes
3 answers
12k views

Can you cut open a plastic junction box and just lay splices inside?

This doesn't look like it should fly to me, but the "electrician" hired by the seller of this property is arguing that this is an acceptable way to put an open splice into an box. I know this shouldn'...
Shane's user avatar
  • 353
29 votes
3 answers
7k views

Unused outlets get warm when others under load

When we run moderately high power devices (around 8-9 amps, e.g. vacuum cleaner, portable AC, small space heater), the other unused outlets on the same circuit get warm/hot after 15-30 minutes. The ...
iondune's user avatar
  • 393
29 votes
5 answers
6k views

Why are we to leave a front-loader clothes washer open, but not the dishwasher?

Everywhere, everybody, says to leave the door open on your front-load laundry washer so it can dry out and not accumulate mold. But no one, anywhere, says to leave the door open on your dishwasher. ...
Steve Wellens's user avatar
29 votes
7 answers
10k views

How can I reduce noise coming in a window for under $100?

I live 200 feet from a 6 lane highway, and the noise is rather annoying to say the least. I would like to reduce the noise coming into my 58"x 70" bedroom window by at least 50%, as I think ...
fixit7's user avatar
  • 1,258
29 votes
4 answers
108k views

Why are homes wired using solid wire rather than stranded?

If stranded wire can carry more power for a given wire gauge, why are homes typically wired using solid? If solid wire is less expensive to make, that provides a compelling reason why solid is used, ...
JYelton's user avatar
  • 2,482
29 votes
3 answers
10k views

How did my ground and neutral become energized by a short in the buried main line?

Long post, because I'm not sure what information is critical. The ultimate question is what, if anything, I need to do to ensure there are no hazardous conditions in my home. Friday night, the ...
Larry's user avatar
  • 407
28 votes
7 answers
8k views

How to separate superglued fingers

I glued 2 of my fingers together with Rapid Fuse superglue. I have tried rubbing alcohol, butter, and warm soapy water.
fixit7's user avatar
  • 1,258
28 votes
6 answers
8k views

Is it normal to use a grinder to finish a new driveway?

Yesterday we had new concrete pads poured. We expected pour-day to be the last day. I saw them out there finishing, but when we went out that evening after everyone had left, it looked half done. ...
Nicholas's user avatar
  • 919
28 votes
5 answers
8k views

Is this 230V steampunk metal robot lamp safe?

I bough a steampunk robot lamp from ebay. It is made out of (painted) metal fittings. After receiving it, I was a little concerned regarding safety and disassembled it. The plug suggests that this is ...
someonr's user avatar
  • 479
28 votes
13 answers
7k views

Locating source of excessive energy use

Background Info: My house is all electric. Last month when I got my electric bill, I flipped. It was triple that of any month prior. Now I know the cold (heating) can affect this so I decided to ...
hack3rfx's user avatar
  • 1,252
28 votes
5 answers
28k views

Marijuana smoke migrating to my condo!

I just bought a condo which is a three-level townhouse and was built in 1980. I am adjacent to my neighbor and share a common wall. My neighbor, an older couple, smoke weed frequently and do not air ...
Na Sim's user avatar
  • 305
28 votes
7 answers
22k views

Are water boilers dangerous when showering?

Where I'm from (Serbia) everybody says to turn off the water boiler (the container that heats up water and stores it for use in the bathroom and shower) when you take a shower or use the bathtub. They ...
NeoXx's user avatar
  • 383
28 votes
4 answers
4k views

How can I get roof rain runoff into pond with an aboveground wall?

I'd like to collect rain water and have it run through a filter and then into a pond. The problem is, I can't simply run a pipe underground. \\ |\\ <-- house roof | \\ | | ...
Village's user avatar
  • 1,055
28 votes
8 answers
13k views

Why do British houses have "indoors" windows in some rooms?

Example: I've seen this many times. Apparently, it's a thing that in the UK, they have rooms with windows that lead to other indoors areas, located high near the ceiling. What is the purpose and ...
H T's user avatar
  • 281
28 votes
5 answers
127k views

Do I really have to fasten interior-wall electrical wire to a stud to keep it from moving?

I am fresh out of cable staples and would rather not go all the way to Lowe's just to get a box. What are the implications of not fastening loose electrical wires to a stud? It's not like there's ...
oscilatingcretin's user avatar
28 votes
5 answers
186k views

What actually happens if I vary proportions of cement and sand in mortar?

When preparing cement mortar proportions of sand and cement can AFAIK be varied. I've always been using the "default recommended" 1-to-3 (one volume of cement for every three volumes of sand) ...
sharptooth's user avatar
  • 9,607

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