30 votes

While drilling into kitchen wall, hit a wire - any advice?

Obviously, safety considerations like isolating that circuit are paramount, and note that even if that circuit's breaker is off, then the neutral touching earth can still trip the Earth Leakage ...
Solar Mike's user avatar
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30 votes

Unlock door with no knob

I would remove the hinge pins and unmount the door. Once removed, the hardware should be visible to remove the bolt assembly.
mikes's user avatar
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27 votes
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Where to locate knobs on bifold doors that must be opened and closed from both sides?

Welcome to the world of flush mount, flush ring mount. Nothing is sticking out and in your way. There are many options in finish, sizes and you can mount them on both sides. Source: Amazon
asinine's user avatar
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24 votes

Where to locate knobs on bifold doors that must be opened and closed from both sides?

For this purpose they invented the handle hinge. One of these at door-handle height and matching plain hinges in above and below, and you get a handle that dissapears into the fold when the door is ...
Jasen's user avatar
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17 votes
Accepted

How do you avoid double doors from jamming when opening at the same time?

If you have a router, you can add a slope to the edge of the doors: From the outside, this will look like they are touching, so it would probably look better than a radiused corner.
bobflux's user avatar
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15 votes

While drilling into kitchen wall, hit a wire - any advice?

Given the size and location of the wire, It looks like you hit the range feed which may draw upto 50 amps. Such high current applications require greater care in making connections such as splices. in ...
hildred's user avatar
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11 votes

Reconciling high ceilings with New England cold weather

Ceiling Fans Ceiling fans are most often installed to help keep cool in the summer but they can also help circulate the hot air in the winter. Some have adjustable blades to make them more effective ...
manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact's user avatar
11 votes

While drilling into kitchen wall, hit a wire - any advice?

Insulated crimped connections are allowed in the UK, and considered maintenance-free so they can be concealed. A proper ratchet crimper is essential. The whole should then be wrapped in self-...
Owain's user avatar
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8 votes

Where to locate knobs on bifold doors that must be opened and closed from both sides?

There's a reason that this type of door is normally only used on closets. You've discovered it. Best bet - choose a door type more suited to dual-sided opening, rather than committing to a door that ...
Ecnerwal's user avatar
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7 votes
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While drilling into kitchen wall, hit a wire - any advice?

A DIY repair may be possible, though ugly, even if the wires are trapped so you cannot pull through any extra length or a replacement length of cable. Attach a 1-gang box to the wall in exactly the ...
nigel222's user avatar
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7 votes
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How to Reduce Hinge Mortise Depth

Shims. Go to the local home center and get some of the (free?) laminate counter top samples in the kitchen cabinet section, they are about 3x5 inches. I then cut them to the same size as the hinge ...
Alaska Man's user avatar
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7 votes
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How do I prevent exterior water from seeping into interior moulding?

Those bottom corners are the only problematic locations, right? Referring to Page #7 of these Jeld-Wen installation Instructions which I recently followed. You are missing the foam wedges Go to the ...
MonkeyZeus's user avatar
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7 votes

How do you avoid double doors from jamming when opening at the same time?

So make the gap bigger and for privacy install a "soft" seal on one or both edges. That will fill the larger gap without causing locking.
Solar Mike's user avatar
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6 votes

stop cold air around window cracks

It looks like the caulk there is old and cracked. Scrape it all out so you have a good surface to work with and use a premium acrylic caulk. DAP extreme stretch or 230 would be good choices if you ...
redlude97's user avatar
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5 votes

What consistency should drywall mud be?

Actually... On the bucket is says mix and apply before adding water. Videos are kak. I'm a trade qualified plasterer blh blah experience etc. What I do is read. Read the bucket, read the data ...
H Block's user avatar
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5 votes
Accepted

Repairing holes in an interior door

Another trick, actually a variation of that of @agentp, is to use wire mesh (also called hardware cloth) instead of a wood strip. Choose one with small holes, 1/8" if you can find it, 1/4" is real ...
C Knight's user avatar
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5 votes

How do I install a distance power switch?

This seems like a shopping question, and so would be considered off-topic.. That said, a web search for 'extension cord switch' produced a number of off-the-shelf results that look like they will do ...
Greg Hill's user avatar
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5 votes
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Unlock door with no knob

Unless your house is abnormally well built, a prybar applied at the strike plate will find enough flex in the frame to pop the door open. Otherwise see @mikes answer.
Ecnerwal's user avatar
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5 votes

Unlock door with no knob

Sliding a cake knife, piece of plastic (credit card or similar) down at a 45 or 60 degree angle in the gap where the strike plate is, start above, while pushing gently on the door is usually enough to ...
Solar Mike's user avatar
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5 votes

How to Reduce Hinge Mortise Depth

Cut a plug of wood to the height and width of the two mortises. Use pine and cut the depth so the plug stands slightly proud when set in the mortises. You want the mortises to be a single mortise so ...
ojait's user avatar
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5 votes

stop cold air around window cracks

Looks like caulk was applied once before and has cracked due to movement. You'll want to scrape that all away and apply new caulk. Silicone would work, but it's not paintable, so consider that.
isherwood's user avatar
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5 votes

Is it normal for objects to stick to interior paint like this? Or is the paint not fully cured?

Some paint never gives up its tackiness. My overhead door panels still stick together in warm weather 4 years after we painted them with a semi-gloss acrylic. It opens with a series of loud snapping ...
isherwood's user avatar
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5 votes

What kind of header do I need for a 10 foot span supporting twin pocket doors?

The primary concerns here are sag and lateral stability. Since you don't have swinging door involvement you don't have a lot of lateral force being regularly applied. However, you do have two door ...
isherwood's user avatar
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5 votes

Where to locate knobs on bifold doors that must be opened and closed from both sides?

How thick is the wood? You could drill a finger-recess opposite the handle, and then route around making an undercut. The shape could be a circle, or a vertical slot with rounded ends. The recess ...
Criggie's user avatar
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4 votes

Is it worth it to replace hollow-core interior doors with solid core doors?

The other answers talk about the direct benefits. The question seems to imply an additional interest in the effect on resale value, so I'll try to focus on that. There are several aspects to resale ...
fixer1234's user avatar
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4 votes
Accepted

Strange White Box in New Apartment

Inovonics Wireless SKU: EN1723 The Inovonics EN1723 provides internal measurement and external thermistor options in a single device. The on-board sensor is excellent for monitoring ambient ...
Mazura's user avatar
  • 13.4k
4 votes

Metal object encountered when drilling into wall above radiator

Stop. You probably hit a metal plate protecting plumbing or wiring behind it. It's there specifically to prevent people like you from drilling through it and electrocuting yourself or causing a flood. ...
iLikeDirt's user avatar
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4 votes

Repairing holes in an interior door

This is a trick for small holes. Cut a strip of wood just wide enough to fit through the hole and length about 2x the size of the hole. ( form the looks a wood paint stirrer may be just the thing ) ...
agentp's user avatar
  • 402
4 votes

Unlock door with no knob

This looks like the sort of latch which is activated by pressing the end of the piston-like piece towards the strike plate. If it's not sticking this can be done with your fingers, otherwise MacGyver ...
Hot Licks's user avatar
  • 2,083
4 votes

How do I prevent exterior water from seeping into interior moulding?

You'll need to look straight on at the gaps around the door (top and sides) - any place you see daylight (like the bottom left corner in the first picture) will need to have the weather stripping ...
FreeMan's user avatar
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