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Building a Workstation (Piano Keyboard) PC DESK with MDF I am in the process of building a new desk. The table top will be about 175cm. There will be 2 simple shelf cabinet so one on each side. But in between the 2 cabinets, there will be another desk drawer slider so I can slide my keyboard out. I want to keep this ... | A relatively simple solution would be to fix 1 or 2 wooden beams to the underside of the desk and have them be supported by your side cabinets, which should provide enough support.
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Do front loader washing machines need more electricity? I am planning to buy a washing machine. I see online that front loaders use more electrical power (around 1500 watts) than top loaders (max 500 watts). If that's true, then why are front loaders called energy efficient? <Q> That 1500W is the maximum motor power o... | Front-loaders also use more power if they heat the water .
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Do you really need a p-trap on bathroom sinks? If I do away with the trap what is it going to hurt? Will something bad happen? A friend had a problem with clogs. He took his out and has had no more problems. Can you tell me why that is? <Q> It stays filled with water to form a barier. <S> You need it. <S> In the ... | The “P” trap (named after its shape, has nothing to do with urine) is there to prevent sewer gases from entering your home. Sewer gases are not good for you. These could incur huge expenses to resolve. It's not clear from your question if he replaced the P-trap with another type of trap, or just removed it completely. ... |
Fill 3/8" gap between wood and wall I have installed a new balustrade for my stair and the half wall it is attached to is not straight. Leading up from the floor, it curves away from the wood so that it is about a 3/8" gap at the top - see image below. The half wall is USA 2x4 / drywall construction. Please can anyone... | To avoid compound sticking to the wood and to also give a small shadow gap, I added strips of cardboard wrapped in plastic from a cut up letter file.
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Why do bathroom sinks have overflow holes whereas kitchen sinks and tubs do not? My understanding is that the purpose of the overflow holes is twofold-- To allow water to flow down you drain faster. To prevent overflow if the sink is filling faster than it's draining. If #1 was true, wouldn't you also see the over... | And if you have a double basin sink, they're typically designed so that the basins can overflow into each other.
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How should I lay ceramic tile in a room where one side slants? I am going to replace the tile on my kitchen floor. Part of the kitchen floor (~25%) covers an area by a sliding glass door, that was added onto the kitchen. This area used to be a porch, and has since sunk a bit since the addition was put in (we estimate... | If you have a floor that is sinking or sagging, I would seriously consider whether it is sufficiently able to handle tile.
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How one is supposed to "plug" a conduit running from basement to attic? I'm going to install a 2" conduit from my unfinished basement into the attic, through the first and second floor. It will be used primarily for getting Cat6 cables into upstairs bedrooms. 2" diameter is just for future-proofing it. I know I need ... | My favorite is to use a thin plastic bag and inject some fireblocking foam into the bag while it's stuffed in the open end of the conduit. Duct seal is a dough-like product that often carries some form of fire rating (depending on manufacturer specification) and it remains flexible.
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Is it possible to install an occupancy sensor switch to control 3 light fixtures? Renovating my bathroom, I wanted to have 3 wet proof light fixtures in the shower/tub area. The source is at the light and the instructions are vague. The sensor is a Lutron MS-OPS6M2-DVR-WH. <Q> The wiring diagram in the manufacturer's ... | May also have issues in a bathroom with the heat, can be an issue for PIRs. You simply add on additional loads (lights) to the circuit. LEDs make this a lot easier to deal with, because you can just leave a light "always-on", at only 3-5 watts it takes no more power than a common "night-light", yet provides gives a gen... |
Can hail-damaged shingles be repaired, or should they be replaced? We had a nasty hail storm recently and while none of the shingles are pierced or broken there is extensive damage to the top layer but so far we had no indication that the roof is leaking. Based on the attached images of typical damage: Could this typ... | There's tar paper or tyvek or something under the shingles that will help provide a temporary defence against leaks, but you need to repair or replace those shingles.
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What can replace this PVC toilet flange in iron pipe? The old PVC flange appeared to be sealed to the iron pipe by a rubber coating, which is not something I've encountered (in my limited research). Will a simple push-tight toilet flange like this be good enough without additional welding? Its product page mention ... | You should use a heavy duty product made for use with cast iron, and screw it securely to the floor with stainless steel screws after you set it.
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Semi-flush mounting a surface mount (NEMA 3R) panel This is a new one for me. The owner needs a new main panel in a wet location but wants the box inset in the wall. I cannot find a reason not to do it, other than it will be a bit harder to wire. The feeder is in conduit and the local AHJ allows the feed in conduit at ... | A framed-in and pan-flashed sill, like that used when framing for a window, would be needed to drain that water back to the outside -- it'd have holes in it for the conduit, which would then be caulked around once the flashed sill's in place.
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Fill drained rocks or gravels around tree base surrounding by deck I am building a low level deck around a tree that is almost 7 feet diameter. This is the framing right now: Originally I wanted to build a bench around it but I ran out of time and decking boards; BUT now, since I have tons of extra 1" drained rocks ... | I would not recommend doing what you plan as there is a good possibility of die back from branches that no longer receive enough oxygen and water from the roots.
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How do I remove these Ikea screws? (studs inside holes) I bought and assembled an Ikea sofa bed ( asssembly instructions here ). I'm moving soon and want to take apart the couch to make it easier to lift. Some of the screws needed for the assembly come in 2 parts: the head and the threads. You screw the head onto the ... | You can most likely simply use pliers to grab and turn the threaded part counterclockwise until it loosens.
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Problem plugging surge protected power strip into gfci outlet? In my science classroom all outlets on the lab benches are gfci protected--that's great. I plug in multiple computers into some of these outlets and use power strips to do this, but it seems there might be a problem occasionally with this. It seems that th... | Deterioration of insulation can also result in small intermittent leakage currents to ground before the insulation actually fails and trips the GFI or breaker every time the faulty device is plugged in.
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Existing 3 wire service feed to sub panel: bonding grounded neutral and ground bars? I know variations of this question have been asked (the closest I could find is here ), but I'm still confused. @Tester101 explained if the existing feed to the subpanel is 3 wire with a grounded neutral and two hots and is not elect... | By bonding the grounded (neutral) and grounding bars in the panel, you're using the grounded (neutral) conductor as a ground-fault return path.
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Garage Wiring: No Voltage With a Load The power recently went out in my garage. When I went to the garage and flipped on the light, there was a small spark from within the switch box (where the wires enter the garage) and then no power. Note that my garage was built in 1950, and the wiring is a bit scabby. The garage b... | After reading everything again your Fluke meter may be the problem with "leakage" or "phantom" voltages. I think you had a short somewhere, hence the spark from your switch when you closed the circuit. This sounds like a broken conductor.
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Re-done rooms now much hotter My daughters' rooms were re-done last fall - we tore out the closets, installed built-ins, replaced hollow doors with solid ones, did a bit of re-wiring for additional lights . . . During the spring we noticed that the rooms are now a lot hotter than the rest of the house. And one room mo... | If you added carpet and carpet pad, that also increases the effective insulation.
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Banging noise coming from somewhere every time when open or close the tap When open or close the tap in kitchen, bathroom or laundry knock or bang nose comes in every time. Any solutions? Thanks in advance. <Q> Turn off the water, open all the taps and connections (such as washing machine) and drain water from the pipe... | If you had "old fashioned water hammer arrestors" (just a vertical section of pipe) that will refill them with air, and might stop your problem.
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Dishwasher electrical connection up to code? When I removed my dishwasher in order to level the floors and install new flooring, this is what I found: It looks like the electrician just left the wire sticking out of a hole in the wall, but not enough, and then whoever installed the dishwasher pulled and ripped the w... | If your dishwasher does the latter (which is my suspicion), then you need to install a box and NM clamp for the cable (a surface mounted "handy box" would do, as would an old work box cut into the wall) and then use a faceplate with a knockout on the front along with a cable clamp or bushing to route the appliance whip... |
Is this weird wiring in outlet safe? I was replacing an outlet and saw this. It Looks like a wire got split in half and joined together to create a new outlet. Is it safe? <Q> This is obviously unsafe. <S> There are two problems: Safety : <S> the wires are uninsulated at their joints and present a shock hazard. <S... | In the USA it is a code violation to have two wires joined together anywhere except inside a box. As they oxidise the resistance will increase and may over time develop into a hotspot with arcing and potential to start a fire.
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My subpanel has neutral and ground all mixed together? I read that this might be bad, but it appears both neutral and grounds are mixed on two different bus bars. It isn't just one wire that doesn't follow the pattern; there are several neutral wires on the predominantly ground bus bar. Should I rewire everything to se... | The subpanel ground and neutral do need to be kept separate -- neutral is the return path, ground is a safety-drain
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How to remove wasp nest and let them leave I find that there are some wasps flying around my house, and even built their honeycomb near the roof or soffit vent. Are there any methods to remove them or let these wasps leave? Thanks. <Q> As Ed B. commented, by knocking down the nest, you'll convince the wasps to leave ... | you can wait for a very cool night, hit the nest with a long pole, and run inside.
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Can tankless water heaters be used in Europe? I just discovered tankless water heater technology while browsing alternatives to gas based water heating, more specifically the ones designed in the United States by EcoSmart . I have been trying to find if these tankless water heaters can be installed and used in Europe... | But if you're in Europe in a shop, you shouldn't have any trouble finding European models made for Europe in Europe.
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How can I be sure all the asbestos particles are gone? So we got rid of the popcorn ceiling that had asbestos. Now my wife is worried about the particles that might still be lingering in the air. How long until it settles down? Wet-mopping, HEPA vacuuming and opening the doors/windows will help? I sealed the vents. Sho... | Once spread all over your home asbestos is hard to impossible to remove completely.
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Can I put my air conditioner on a light switch? I have a window mounted air conditioner that turns on and off by twisting a knob on the front of it, it's not a smart a/c, it's either on or off. It's not always convenient to get up and turn it on or off (for instance in middle of the night). I was wondering if it would... | If it draws power when the knob is off, I wouldn't recommend it.
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Using an oscillating saw for long cuts The initial response to the proposition of doing 100-inch straight cuts with a cordless oscillating saw will be "are you mad?", but I still wonder. I'm just starting out in DIY and decided to get a jigsaw for versatility. It can do flexible, it can do long straight cuts if you c... | The proper tool for long cuts like you describe is a circular saw with a straight edge guide clamped onto the work piece.
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How do I clean cooking oil off a steel fence? My next door neighbor decided to saturate panels of our steel fence with cooking oil to stop the rust (which was expected and is a desired patina). How can we get rid of the old oil smell and get the oily stain off the fence? <Q> Knowing that you don't mind the rust, I'd ... | Spray the fence with water, and then scrub with the soapy water and let it sit for a few minutes, and then rinse.
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Opposite of double key deadbolt I'm looking for a deadbolt that has the handle/knob on both sides. Basically the opposite of a double-key deadbolt. The purpose is to put it on our basement door out of reach from the kids. An adult can lock/unlock the door from either side and would never get totally locked on either si... | I was able to accomplish your solution to this problem as you rather originally imagined it, a double sided non-keyed thumb-turn deadbolt lock – I searched for a while but was not able to find such a thing standard made - of course probably the simplest fastest solution is the prior suggestion of a deadbolt lock with t... |
Converting an outdoor light socket into a light socket and outlet I've just moved into a new apartment on the top floor of an old home. It's got a balcony / porch area big enough to put some seating out on, and the whole place is surrounded by tall trees. What I'd love to do is run a string of lights around the porch, ... | Since the lamp is just hanging by the wires why not get a 2 lamp flood light (this will fit the box) and then screw in one of these lamp to outlet adapters.
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How can I prevent water from flowing into my carport under the wall plate? The carport was enclosed but no additional concrete was poured. The sill was screwed directly into the concrete. As a result of being so close to to ground, water has come in under it about 2-3 inches. I was wondering what would be the most cost... | With the best method being to dig a new footing and put some perf pipe in a sock at the edge of the footing for drainage (Basicly a French drain).
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Will a 4" non-reinforced concrete slab support my swimming pool? I am purchasing a 7' x 10' portable above-ground exercise pool which holds 2200 gallons of water. I plan to set it on my concrete patio which is quite wide and is 4" thick, with no rebar in it. Will the 4" concrete slab support 2200 gallons of water? M... | If your slab extends more than say 10" inches beyond the 7x10' perimeter, it'll most certainly will crack near the perimeter in time, probably crack even if it did have patio grade rebar job inside.
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Drilled into studs, light flickered momentarily but everything else seems fine now - should I be worried? I was installing shelving in my closets, when drilled a hole into studs, the lights flickered momentarily for 2 seconds. I stopped drilling, and everything else seems fine now. The circuit didn't break and the li... | You should probably get a non-contact voltage detector and check the vicinity of where you are going to cut just in case there is wiring just behind the wall. The power used by your drill could've been high and made the light flicker because it was nearly the maximum this power line could provide. As such it would be a... |
Type of screws for 2x4 shelves and benches I am making some shelves and workshop benches out of 2x4 and OSB, just the standard type you see in a lot of garages/workshops. I want them to be sturdy and support a good amount of weight. My question is what type of screws should I use, drywall screws, decking screws, or s... | I have abandoned the use of Philips screws in favor of torx. A company called McFeely's makes 2 7/8" screws called "Promax" specifically designed to join standard lumber.
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On a new main 3 wire panel where do I connect green from MC lite(BX) wires? I had electrician upgrade my service to 200amp and installed a new murray breaker box. Within this box 2 wires feed the breakers and 1 wire is attached to the neutral bus bar on the lower left side of panel(There is also a neutral bar on rt sid... | Since you are adding circuits to your main panel -- where your house's safety bond between neutral and ground is made -- you can wire them into either bar, electrically speaking, and all is well.
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What could cause a 220v dryer outlet to have proper voltage but not power the dryer? I bought a used washer and dryer about a month ago from a warehouse dealer that specializes in used appliances. The dryer worked for about a month then refused to operate. I called the appliance guy who checked the dryer, said it was f... | If it still does not work run a separate ground wire straight from the panel to the outlet (temporarily) to test. The dryer was wired from old 110 wiring taking black wire to breaker 1 and then moved the white wire to breaker 2, and took the ground wire being left on the ground buss moved it to the 220 neutral. You hav... |
Bathroom Remodel; Tile laid, now told floor is unlevel? I hired a contractor to remodel my bathroom. They ripped out the old tile that was in the bathroom; underneath was a wood floor. I’m not sure what happened after this, all I know is that now, the new floor is installed (porcelain tile) and my floor has a gradual s... | In all fairness, maybe the contractor did not notice just as you did not initially. A good contractor should make sure the floor is level to begin with.
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How to make pressure treated wood look old quickly We are adding a porch onto our old tobacco barn and are using pressure treated lumber. We started in July to prepare for my daughter's outdoor wedding in late October. I would like for the porch wood to look old like the barn. I have seen a lot about making new wood ... | Some light sanding and rubbing of various objects like an old metal chain or even light hammer blows can also be used to make the wood look distressed and worn...
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How to wire this fan? How do you wire this fan? This is the fan, D2E146-HT65-14 / 455wThe spec sheet of the fan, And this is the cord for it. As the spec sheet states, the 1 to 4 wires are the speeds, so do I need to have a controller wired into it? Or can I just wire wire number 4 and disregard the rest, as I wan... | A four-position switch, typically rotary, with the common to power and each of the four leads attached to the switch will give you speed control.
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How do I remove sticky glue from a surface using baking soda after removing peel and stick tiles? I'm removing "peel and stick" tile from ceramic tile and need to know how your reader used baking soda to remove the sticky glue from the surface after the tile was removed. <Q> The tiles I removed left very little "glue",... | I use a heat gun and a 6in spatula to pull up the tiles that works very fast and easy next I take baking soda and spread it on the stickiness left on the underlayment and brush it in real hard with a hard bristle brush and that gets rid of the sticky residue.
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How to drill a hole in plexiglass (acrylic sheet)? What kind of bit should I use to drill a 1/2" hole into acrylic glass (plexiglass)? The local hardware store does not have a 1/2" hole saw - which was my first inclination. I am now considering these options in the following order: Spade bit Forstner bit 1/2" stra... | to drill a hole in plexi, you can use a standard fluted twist drill, but you have to grind the cutting edge.
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How can I power IP camera from same lan cable as wifi AP over POE? I want to mount IP camera on my house , problem is that I do not want to drill into isolation or have cables hanging around house. There is already one lan cable mounted and connected to wifi ap which is powerd by POE injector. Now how can I use this ... | You're probably going to need to either install a PoE passthrough Ethernet switch somewhere near your AP and run separate Ethernet cables to the AP and the camera, or just pull another Ethernet home run back to the switch
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How to clean this oil spill stain from driveway if council cant help? I am not sure whether this is Engine Oil, Diesel or Transmission Fluid because I was not here when this happened. What i certainly know is that it was a Diesel tractor that caused it. Council won't help with the clean up and that stain just won't go... | If there is any residual petro/oil material there that has not reacted with the asphalt road surface the clay material should absorb it and help to clean the surface.
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Why is my fridge causing my lights to dim? We've been having problems with our lights dimming recently. We've had similar problems with bathroom fans slowing, plus the TV and dishwasher will reset. I have a suspicion that it caused by the fridge. It's been making bad motor sounds and freezing up. When we unplug the... | If it would be a overload of your fridge a fuse should go off normally. In your case calling an electrician is the safest course of action.
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Sanity check mini split layout for old brick house I have a three story brick duplex built in 1925. There is currently no ductwork (steam heat) and I doubt that it's feasible to install. Windows are wooden double hung with storm glass, they are in fantastic shape and I'm not particularly interested in replacing them. ... | You might find that the split system is cheaper to run as some rooms on the upper floors require much less heat and can be adjusted to the occupants comfort.
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Is moisture a concern with solid hardwood flooring over a crawl space? I recently purchased around 600 sq feet of 3 1/4 inch solid hickory from Bruce, which I'm installing over a crawl space. I put down a 6 mil vapor barrier in the crawl space. I'm measuring the moisture level of my plywood subfloor as the wood has b... | If the crawl space cools the floor below the dew point of the air in the room, there will be expansion of the flooring, and there could be condensation. Let the flooring, sub-floor and hickory, dry before installing the hardwood. Be sure you open your foundation vents when the outside temps start to rise. A house with ... |
Why do the wires to my dryer's thermostat keep burning off? I have a Kenmore/Whirlpool dryer that a week ago stopped working. The motor and timing would work, but there was no heat produced. I disassembled the entire dryer and vacuumed and brushed every nook and cranny of lint. I ordered an entire set of thermostats,... | As a final point, a damaged motor can cause huge voltage and amperage flux. Clean the built up lint from your vent duct, and also from inside the dryer - from duct connection in the back, to the lint screen. I discovered there were burn marks on the wire terminals and the component it lead to.
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We painted new drywall before it was primed. Now I am painting a few years later and some of that paint peeled off. How do I fix this? A few years ago we painted some drywall without priming it. Currently we are redoing the room with different colors. I am a novice painter so I put masking tape on that wall to have a c... | Paint that has not properly adhered to the surface below could definitely peel off with the slightest touch.
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How can I find my bathroom's GFCI? I have a half-bath on the main floor of our house that is small and has only 3 electrical items in it: Light above the sink (and corresponding light switch) Fart fan (and corresponding light switch) Two non-GFCI receptacles (one box, two plug-ins) next to the sink I understand t... | Regarding #2 - if the wall that your bathroom outlets are on have other outlets on the other side, its possible that is where the GFCI is. In fact you can use a 15 amp outlet on a 20 amp circuit as long as there are other outlets on that circuit. Our resident code geeks can tell us for sure. They're commonly located in... |
Is it ok to turn off fridge for 2 hours in the evening? I live in a small studio. The fridge is really noisy. I want to put it on a timer and turn it off for 2 hours when I go to bed. Is it safe (food hygiene wise) to do so? I have a relativley old fridge, but I think the insulation is not too bad. It's a very large ... | If you open the door a lot, or the insulation / seals are bad, or the temp starts out high to begin with, you may be tempting fate with food spoilage.
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Can a GFI shutdown a second non-GFI outlet? GFI= Ground Fault Interrupt Two KITCHEN outlets (one GFI the other non-GFI) are on the same circuit (I believe). The non GFI circuit stopped working and I noticed the GFI unit will not reset and automatically pop. The disposal in the sink stopped working and is leaking water... | Yes -- GFCIs are provided with a set of LOAD terminals so that other receptacles, light fixtures, or hard-wired devices can be connected in a way that provides them GFCI protection as well.
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What kind of gloves should I wear during electrical work? What kind of gloves should I wear during electrical work? I need to know which glove material is most suitable for this kind of work, as I wish to purchase the proper gloves. <Q> Depends on the voltage you're working with. <S> If you're working in a resident... | Get a bulk pack of cheap mechanics gloves.
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Weather Resistant or GFCI outlet outside? I am putting an outlet under the eaves in my front yard to use for seasonal lighting. I am connecting it to a breaker that is only powering 2 outside wall mounted lights. The eaves are about 10 ft tall. I also will install a weatherproof flip lid outlet cover. My question... | It has to be GFCI protected, and a weather-resistant type receptacle must be used. And, they do make WR GFCI receptacles, so you could do both.
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Remove floorboard glue from mitre saw I just bought a cheap Bosch mitre saw from eBay in pretty good working condition. Only thing is that its covered in what I have been told is floorboard adhesive. Kind of light brown glue. Its over all the metal and plastic. Is there a solvent that won't harm the metal or plastic... | Heat up the cutting blade with a blow torch, then use a chisel or scraper to remove the softened adhesive.
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Where is the best place to put a light on basement stairs? The stairs leading to my unfinished basement are a bit dark. I'd like to add a simple light fixture to brighten them but I don't know the best place to put it to minimize shadows and glare. Above the door? In the ceiling? At the foot of the stairs? On the ... | An alternative idea would be to install LED strip lights, like the ones designed to replace fluorescent tube lights.
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Nail gun and curled nails I've never owned or used pneumatic tools, but recently I thought it would make a good addition to my tools. I bought an 18ga nail gun and 2" 18ga nails. When I used it to nail together 1/2" plywood to make a small box, I had some problems with the nails curling and punching out at odd spots. ... | You didn't ask, but a tip for those nasty curl outs: bend the end of the nail back and forth.
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radon mitigation fan running, but u-tube manometer shows no pressure differential We moved into this house in New Hampshire a year ago. Tons of radon off-gassing in this area due to granite rock substrate . Home inspection showed that the mitigation system was functioning properly, long-term test results below 2 pc/L.... | IMO, the hole is the problem: the pump is sucking air from the basement, making both sides of the tube at the same (basement) pressure.
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Automatic water pump for water tank I am really tired of turning on and off the water pump (a motor that moves water to the tank and the tank is located on the top of the house ) everyday. I am looking forward for a way to automate the water pump so it turns on and off itself according to the water level in the tank. S... | A battery or low voltage transformer would provide power for the driving the relay on and off with float switch's open and closing.
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To rewire or not to rewire I got two electricians to come out and look at my 1939 house. I wanted to see if the wiring needed upgrading. One person opened up a receptacle and said I had cloth insulated wires and that I need to rewire the house...including bringing everything up to code. This includes adding outlets t... | You could replace the ungrounded outlets on the BX circuits with what are known as self-grounding outlets if you wanted some sort of ground connection on them instead of none whatsoever, but I'm not sure that's essential with modern levels of GFCI and AFCI protection. The old wiring in your house appears to be old-styl... |
Will 300W lights be too much for a 200W timer box? I have six 50 watt Hampton Bay outdoor flood lights hooked up to a 200W Hampton Bay controller. The lights total 300W. The lights work as of now, but do I need to be concerned about any part of the system failing? Is the controller in jeopardy of having any dangerous m... | Mechanical relays will weld and the relay contacts will fail.
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How to stop a wall from falling My Beloved Barn roof has almost gone and, without the money to repair it, I had to let it go. This has meant the walls have started to go and, as you can see from the picture, half the front part has gone. I now have to protect the road from debris if it goes. What is my best (i.e., ch... | If you have absolutely no cash you could try pulling the truss down with a rope and grappling iron thrown from a 'safe' distance.
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Mount pergola post at an angle I want to build a pergola similar to the one below and was wondering what to use to connect the posts to the ground (notice how they are at an angle to the vertical) Also, what is the connector/connection type used for the top angle, so that there are no visible fasteners? <Q> At the gr... | The top could be a traditional mortise and tenon joint (possibly haunched for resistance to twist).
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House wiring and grounding. How do you retrofit an old house and ground it? A contractor looked at our house and told me that you can't fix a house (with old wiring) that has some outlets that are not grounded. He said that you can go on YouTube and search the internet and it will tell you that you can. He says that ... | If you open an ungrounded outlet and find a metal box with metal conduit connections, simply replace the outlet with a grounded outlet and connect the ground by a wire to the metal box.
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Transitioning run of pipe without reducing flow Starting with a collection basin in a small creek using a 1 1/2 inch pipe outlet. Going downhill 100 ft vertically can I transition to a 1 inch pipe without reducing flow. <Q> This is really quite simple, even if vaguely asked. <S> As @Daniel Griscom accurately stat... | If the length of reduced pipe size is short and or you are not demanding more flow that can flow through the smaller pipe you may not see any difference.
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How to reinforce a curtain rod I have a ceiling that literally cannot be drilled into. An experienced handyman couldn't do it with high quality masonry bits. I'm wondering if there is any easy way to reinforce a curtain rod, so that it will span a longer distance without slouching. There isn't much room on either si... | Best thought I've got is to put a valance across the top of that opening, and put a middle support from the valance to the rod.
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What gauge extension cord should I use for dehumidifier in basement? I run a Frigidaire 50-pint dehumidifier in my basement, which I am currently emptying the bucket once/twice every day since the power outlet is far away from the drain hole in the basement, and the drain hose that came with the dehumidifier is prett... | If you want to use an extension cord, do so at your own risk. I prefer to get at least 14gauge cords as the price is usually very near those for the 16gauge cords.
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Replacing a switch with something that is always on I recently installed a dusk to dawn light for the front porch and would like to keep the switch Always On at all times. This is more for the overzealous kind at home who want to switch everything off at night :) I am thinking of replacing the normal switch on the wa... | If you just want to lock the switch in the ON/OFF position Switch guard Switch lockout Switch shield
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What breaker size and wire gauge should I use for a new garage outlet circuit? I would like to add some much-needed electrical outlets in my garage. As of right now it seems like the power that's going to the garage door opener and the garage light is also on the same line as some kitchen lights and some bedroom lights... | Garage outlets are often wired with #12 so that you're able to use 20A breakers, which are more suitable for heavier power equipment. It's considered good practice (and is often required by code) to protect each outlet run with a GFCI outlet, or to protect the entire circuit with a GFCI breaker. Feeding each receptacle... |
What material to use for replacing interior porch panels? I really have two questions, both pertaining to the enclosed porch on the front of my house. The first is, what material should I use to replace the panels that are starting to warp (bottom of the picture). I can't really tell if they're warped from pressure or... | Expanded vinyl is the material used for most "permanent" house trim.
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Is it possible to add fluoride to my tap water? I live in a city without fluoridated drinking water. Do I have any options for adding fluoride to my tap water? I found countless results online for filters that can remove fluoride from tap water, but I would like to do the reverse and add fluoride to my water. I ... | Have an open conversation with your dentist about how to get enough fluoride if you are drinking mostly bottled water, or if you use any alternative to tap water.
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Do new wire runs in an existing ceiling need to be stapled down? I've heard some people say that code requires wiring in the wall to be stapled to framing every so often (how often?), but when you are doing a remodel, is that necessary? I have a two story house, and would like to remove one standard dome light on the ... | Second reason to staple is for strain relief so that if someone pulls hard on one end of the wire (e.g. trying to get a bit more slack or tripping over it elsewhere in the house) it doesn't loosen the connection at the other end and cause a short circuit or fire hazard. Staple if you can (every 4' in attics, within 12"... |
Swap out 20amp breaker with a 15amp for kitchen circuit I currently have 14 gauge wire going into a 20 amp breaker that is used for the kitchen. I want to just swap out the 20 amp breaker for a 15 amp instead of replacing the wiring. Can I do that? I read somewhere that the kitchen can't have a 15 amp breaker. Need adv... | But code also requires that 14 AWG wire be protected by no larger than 15A circuit breaker or fuse. You need to check the total power of your kitchen appliances and whatever else is running off that breaker. Existing wiring may be left as-is.
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is it safe to drill into this wall? I'm going to install a small loft platform above the stairs in this picture. The most secure way would be to drill into the studs behind the paneling here, but i'm not sure about the wiring thats going into the walls here. Is it safe to drill into one or both of these walls? Do peo... | Outlets and switches almost always have a stud on one side, so that might help with the measuring. Use joists hangers on the right wall and screw the floor joists into the face board on the left side. If someone installed wiring improperly, that might not be true, and that is an unknowable unknown. 16" is a good guess ... |
Is it safe to hang a 39lb projector screen from a drywall ceiling without using the joists? Is it safe to hang a 39lb projector screen from a drywall ceiling without using the joists? I'm having a debate with someone over how we should hang a projector from the ceiling. I want to place screws into the framing, however ... | It would be much better to span the joists with something and tie into that.
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How risky is it to drain window wells into an interior drain tile system? During some recent heavy rains one of my window wells filled with water, which started coming into the basement through the deteriorating window. I have a drain tile system around the interior of the basement walls but no drain around the exteri... | It is critical to have a reliable and redundant system to get rid of the water or your basement can become the collection system.
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Are these my ground wires? So I'm replacing a ceiling fixture and my new fixture has a ground wire but the old one didn't. My outlet box has two places where wires come in - one with a black, white, and bare and the other with a black, red, white and bare. The bare wires are both attached to screws to the outlet box - ... | The two bare wires are your ground wires, but they are not installed properly according to current codes (even though as long as the screws remain tight it should provide sufficient fault protection).
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What is this white powder on my foundation? Can anyone tell me what this white powder might be? I was ripping up the carpet from my basement when I saw this underneath the padding and on the cement foundation. It's white and cakey. I at first thought I would just vacuum it up, so I took a wire brush and started rubb... | Efflorescence, salts rising to the surface due to presence of moisture.
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Electric Lawnmower - Is The Problem With the Mower or the Extension Cord? I have an electric lawnmower that's about 8 years old. I use a 100-foot extension cord with it that's probably 20 years old. While mowing the other day, I smelled a faint electrical smell. When I finished, I noticed that one of the holes on th... | This problem generally happens because the extension cord isn't secured in place.
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How to fix side of bathroom vanity damaged by water My kids use the bath tub and water spills over almost everyday. I noticed that the bottom part of the side of the vanity is damaged with water. The water at times, goes beneath and I find the nearby wood affected mildly. My question is .. how do I fix this ? And prot... | Investing in a small (mini) dehumidifier is a great idea for any room in your house, especially a bathroom, this should take care of any mold formation!
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Sink clogged completely when using NaOH drain cleaner I used a drain cleaner containing sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to unclog it. I followed the drain cleaner's instructions to the letter: pour the NaOH into the pipe entrance. pour hot water. As soon as I started pouring hot water, it started pooling. No water would... | My assumption is that the excessive amount of NaOH you used, along with the reduced water flow right after, caused the NaOH to boil instantly the small amount of water that was already present and formed the solid NaOH layer which you described. Gallons of water went in, and I spent 20 minutes working at it with the st... |
What is this cable hanging against the outer wall? We moved into our house within the past year. In the front of the house, underneath the staircase leading up to the front door, is a tied off cable that looks like this. Does anyone know what kind of cable it is or what purpose it might serve? I attempted to point a... | It could have been an extension cord for some device, although an outlet end would usually be left rather than cutting it off to a plain wire. Your best bet is to try to trace it back to a source. Get a sense of where it enters the building and see if there is any indication of it on the inside of the house.
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How can I preserve paint and brushes between projects? I'm painting up a project, where I don't have the space to place all the pieces in the open and paint them all at once. So it's prime a piece (wait X hours) lightly sand it spackle/fill spots topcoat one (wait) topcoat two (wait) install it repeat This pr... | If the paint is water based I have had some luck with plastic containers after cleaning the brushes and putting a block on top of them so they stay under water.
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Can filling up a 75 gallon water heater tank without opening a faucet cause damage? Had a bit of a snafu at home today that resulted in an empty 75 gallon tank getting refilled without opening a faucet. Faucet was opened only after the tank was full, which resulted in a long burst of pressurized air coming out. I'm wor... | I wouldn't worry about it at all.
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Can I mount 3 blades on a 5 blade ceiling fan? In my son's bedroom I currently have a standard five-blade ceiling fan. We are currently changing the decorating motif in his room to "airplanes". I thought it would be really cool to change the ceiling fan to look like a propeller. I have found a vintage three-blade imita... | If you mount on only three of the five brackets, two blades will be next to each other and one will be opposite. The blades of a three-blade propeller, assuming it's actually an airplane propeller, will have a significantly greater angle of attack than the blades of a normal ceiling fan.
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Where to install a carbon monoxide detector when the boiler is in a closet? I have a boiler in my kitchen closet. The installation instructions for my carbon monoxide detector say the detector should be: at a horizontal distance of between 1m and 3m from the potential source So it should be outside the closet. ... | If you place the CO detector in that living space, it should warn you of danger without being overloaded by proximity to the appliance. However, there are exceptions to rules sometimes. So, I'd put it in the hall by the closet.
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How can I pull a wire through a pipe that has too many turns for fish tape? I need to replace a sump pump, but have run into a problem. The route for the cord goes through a 2" pipe with two 90 degree bends, and fish tape is ineffective. The pipe appears poorly jointed as well and uneven. Is there a way to get the co... | Then we put the fish wire the way it would go (easy way) and pulled a small nylon rope through. Just be a little cautious: the bag can travel through the pipe in a blink of an eye, and you might not want to have to fish the bag out of the vacuum. This technique worked great. We just pulled 3 THHN-2 gage 2 (two power on... |
Horizontal fire blocking when using rigid foam in basement? There are lots and lots of how-to's out there on how to put rigid foam against a concrete basement wall before putting up 2 X 4 framing. Seal the joints, etc...doesn't seem to complicated. On to framing...it also seems easy (and stupid not to) to get the requi... | In combustible construction, fireblocking shall be installed to cut off concealed draft openings (both vertical and horizontal) and shall form an effective barrier between floors, between a top story and a roof or attic space.
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Why are my some of my LED lights flickering? Something is causing some of my LED lights to flicker in three locations. Here are two examples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J-g2z_YtYM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlbPdvkZ-BU There are a few peculiar aspects. The lights flicker sometimes and not at other tim... | This issue may be due to the power factor of the bulbs.
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How can I access the water in my pipes during a supply outage? I am trying to think about how many times I could flush a toilet in my house if I have to shut off the water to do a DIY project or if some disaster disrupts our water service. Since atmospheric pressure can push water up to a height of 10 meters (33 fee... | You can refill a toilet tank yourself by just pouring water into the tank until the float lifts up.
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Electrical outlet on a dimmer switch? I live in an older house and have some outlets in our kitchen that don't make sense to me. We have one outlet that is tied to a dimmer switch on the opposite side of the room. I can detect that the outlet is hot using my voltage detector (when the dimmer switch is all the way on), ... | If the lamp doesn't work, the issue may be in the dimmer or in the wiring. Dimmers are not listed for standard outlets. It is forbidden under 404.14(E):
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Suggestions for HDMI/aerial/audio socket I'm planning to hang my TV on the wall. To avoid having cables hanging fro the TV to the sockets and other apparatus I was thinking of adding a socket just behind the TV and have all wires go behind the wall. Job should be pretty straightforward for power connections but I do... | I personally like just having a cable sticking out of the wall, rather than putting connectors behind the TV and requiring a bunch of short patch cables. For HDMI/signal/etc low voltage stuff, there are a number of options. My standard practice is to use a low-voltage "box": ... and a blank cover plate: ... to which I ... |
I need to find out how to straighten a wall Just bought my first house and doing a lot of the work myself. I want to add electrical and audio lines but I want to make sure the walls are straight first. I've seen some videos where the guy cracks new wall studs to move them back, but I don't have the luxury as the vanity... | Then... If you've cut the convex (protruding) side of the stud: Push or lever the stud slightly past straight and screw a 3-4' or longer scab stud to the side of it. You can do the same with the top plates though you know if the bottom is square and the studs are plumb that the top would also be square. More often the ... |
Why does a cordless circular saw have the blade on the left? At the moment considering the purchase of a circular saw for light work. I'm looking at a corded model and a cordless model. But the question I have is not about which one is better. My question today is why the corded one has the blade on the right of my h... | With the blade to the left you are positioned to comfortably view the cut (for a right handed person).
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Need help removing bolt and nuts from a mailbox I'm not really handy, and so this is the first time doing something like this. I have a 15+ year old mailbox which is fastened to a metal post by four quite rusted bolts and nuts on the side. The bolts are of the slot types, so I thought it would be a simple as unscrewing... | The last resort is to get a Dremel moto-tool and saw off the bolt, nut or head.
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Liquid in Clothes Washing Machine for balance? When my washer was brand new (not connected to any hoses), I noticed a liquid sloshing sound whenever I moved it around. The washer has been disconnected for about 2 years now and the liquid sloshing sound is still there, so I don't think this is water that has accumulated... | The balance ring is not likely leaking and the wet spot is likely from when the washer was tested. Usually the balance mechanisms are mechanical.
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Shower in one bathroom causing moisture in the second We have two bathrooms side by side on our second floor. They both have the same exact layout (about 6'x7'). Both have their own separate exhaust fans (Nutone, 80CFM, 1.6amps), but share the same vent to the roof through a Y-shaped connector and flex 4" pipe. When we... | One solution is to have two input grilles (one per bathroom), then a Y-connector, then an in-line fan, then the exhaust vent. (This solution may not be the most cost effective in your situation given you already have two fans.)
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Lock type for a door on a large box I have this large wooden box (2x4's and plywood) that I am making, with a single door (blue) on the front, hinged at the bottom. It might not be clear from my crappy sketch but the door is the full width, the sides (pink) are behind it when it is closed (it rests on the front edge of... | The red rectangle is a handle attached to the rotating plate, so that the key in the lock doesn't have to supply the force to rotate the plate and pull the locking rods.
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How to Make Freestanding Pegboard Walls? I was just over at a place called "Value IT" which used to be called "Value City", and the owners were really creative; they dropped the "C" and the "Y: from the sign to rename the store without buying an entirely new sign. That's just the spirit of that place. Anyway, aside f... | A free standing wall is not difficult to build with pegboard on both sides and feet to support.
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Gravel under solid drain pipe? I'm putting in a drainage system on my property including 12" drain basins in low spots on one side of the house and under downspouts. Probably going to use a light weight solid drainage pipe like, http://m.homedepot.com/p/4-in-x-10-ft-Triplewall-Pipe-Solid-4550010/100135310 I often se... | One is yes use filter rock to bed the pipe for ease of grading and to prevent build up of water under the pipe.
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Automate and schedule button press on an apliance? I'd like to automate and schedule pressing of an "On" button on one of my appliances. (I can't do that by cutting power to it, it has to be powered on all the time, just on standby. I'd also prefer not to disassemble the appliance / button but really have it pressed me... | They should be able to hook you up with a servo and actuator that could press a button, you could control it with a plug-in appliance timer maybe, or maybe they could offer some other automated solution. I highly suggesting using a service like this to accomplish your task as you can schedule it virtually anyway you wo... |
Ceiling lights (fluorescent) takes too long to light My kitchen fluorescent ceiling light does not come on and another (smaller) fluorescent over sink is dim. Both come on later. Now my dishwasher won't come on. When the lights came on, the dishwasher lights came on for a few seconds. I checked the breakers, and I turn... | If it comes to this, you might consider replacing the light fittings with a LED based alternative. Fluorescent light tubes have a limited lifetime.
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