Home Improvement Stack Exchange
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1500 questions
23
votes
6 answers

Must these old pipes be replaced?

We are currently renovating our bathroom ourselves on the 2nd floor. We were going to redo the tiles only, and we found a newspaper from 1947 around the old pipes which means it was installed a long time ago. We started to wonder if the pipes have…
sol1000
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23
votes
4 answers

Where does the lawn string trimmer line go?

I'm learning how to use a string trimmer before buying one. I know that it uses a line to cut the grass. But the line will wear and get shorter. Where does the line go? I guess into the grass and ground. Then it will be plastic waste into the…
Tony B
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23
votes
2 answers

Is this correct? Welder suggests 15A outlet on 20A breaker, or 20A outlet on 30A breaker

I just bought a lower-mid priced 120V/20A welder (Forney Easy Weld 140MP), and the manual details that the welder be plugged into a 20A outlet (with a 30A circuit breaker), or you can use a provided adapter to plug into a 15A outlet (with a 20A…
b. insler
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23
votes
5 answers

subpanel breaker tripped as well as main breaker - should I be concerned?

All... My garage had only one outlet so I extended it using surface raceways. Like a dummy, I did not turn off the breaker when I started the installation of the raceway. "I know what I'm doing and I wrapped electrical tape around the existing…
Clint
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23
votes
6 answers

Will window shrink-wrap make a noticeable difference in heating bill in house with single-paned windows?

I'm curious how well the window shrink wrap really works. I moved into an older house (1927) in Lincoln, Nebraska, this summer. It's all single pane windows with a window screen and a storm window, as well. We have about 20 windows, so I'm…
JWB
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23
votes
8 answers

Why does Tesla recommend such a small gauge wire for their chargers compared to this chart I found online?

We are looking to install two NEMA 14-50 outlets for our kids to charge their electric cars, and I'm confused about wire choice. I thought I understood the correct wire to use, but then ran across a Tesla document that said something completely…
Nicholas
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23
votes
4 answers

Is my repair to this plug safe?

The red copper wire was burned so I took out the burnt part of the wire and reinserted all the wires by myself.
Nilamber
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23
votes
8 answers

Do I have to secure an IKEA TV stand to the wall?

I'm a young adult preparing to move out into an apartment the first time, and I'm trying to fill out some gaps in terms of furniture before I get going. I found this IKEA tv stand that's perfectly small and cheap, but there's this business about…
Aria Holmes
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23
votes
5 answers

Bathroom exhaust fan without duct

I just found out that our bathroom exhaust fan has no duct attached to it. Our current fan is Panasonic FV-08VQ2 (90 CFM, 4" duct diameter). The fan just blows the air to the inaccessible attic. There is what looks like an attic exhaust close to the…
user2503795
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23
votes
7 answers

Is it safe to flush newspaper down the toilet?

Recently an Australian newspaper printed several blank pages to help readers who may have run out of toilet paper. Would it be safe to flush pieces of newspaper down the toilet?
pacoverflow
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23
votes
3 answers

Replacing 2-prong outlets in basement - existing wiring has two hot wires, one neutral?

I'm replacing the two-pronged outlets in my basement with 3-pronged grounded outlets in the United States (Illinois). All the wiring is in metal conduit with metal conduit boxes, which are grounded to the breaker box (I checked with a multimeter…
David
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23
votes
2 answers

Will removing shelving screws from studs damage the studs?

We live in a newly built home. My husband hung some Ikea shoe bins on the wall and mounted them in to the studs. I am going to paint the hallway and would like to remove the bins and hooks, patch the holes and have an even coat of paint from floor…
Lauren
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23
votes
3 answers

Repurpose telephone line to ethernet

I have a (UK) telephone socket in the same corner of each of the three floors in my house. My broadband router is connected to the socket on the bottom floor. The wiring looks like the following: Top floor: Middle floor: Bottom floor: What…
gozzilli
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23
votes
3 answers

How can I remove material from this wood beam?

I am trying to mount a roller shade in between two wood beams on my porch. The problem is that the beams are a hair too close together to accommodate mounting the shade. I am trying to remove a small amount of material (~1/4") from the side of each…
Ian McClaskey
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23
votes
11 answers

How can I close a gap between my fence and my neighbor's that's on his side of the property line?

My heighbor erected a fence about 4" into his property. I recently erected my fence and put the post about 2" from the property line. I then extended the fence (boards only) to come as close to his fence as possible. Problem is he approached me and…
Paul
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