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1500 questions
22
votes
6 answers
Is this light switch installation safe and legal?
I did this wiring in my bonus room years ago, and now I'm wondering if it is in fact legal and safe. This is a built-in book case that I built and installed myself. The bookshelf went in over a light switch box, so I moved the light switches with…
TreyGuy
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22
votes
6 answers
How can I fix this gap between bookcases I made?
I just built two bookcases to line the wall of a room in my house and apparently didn't build them square enough so, when I put them next to each other, I get this giant gap. (I think the one on the right is pretty square but the one on the left…
jevron1984
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22
votes
10 answers
Turning a hard to access nut?
Working on the propane conversion of my gas stove. One of the orifices to be changed is in a very hard to access location - shown in the photo. The orifice is the "nut" I'm referring to, which you can fit a wrench onto.
Although it is possible to…
StayOnTarget
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22
votes
2 answers
Half my house losing power, HVAC the key factor
For the past couple of weeks I have been losing power occasionally to half my house. My central AC goes out, half my kitchen, living room and my kids' rooms. There are no tripped breakers though.
I have noticed that when the AC finally turns back…
ALBERT YBARRA
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22
votes
8 answers
Is there a lifetime failure count for a breaker?
I have an external cutoff for my air conditioner that has two physical fuses (TR-50's, time delay 50 amps) outside. This is between the condenser unit and the main power panel, where it is protected by a 50 amp circuit breaker.
An electrician is…
geoffc
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22
votes
10 answers
What is the recommended way to destroy mold?
Back in the day I've heard that bleach is a good way to kill mold. The other day a home inspector suggested that Dawn dish soap actually works much better than bleach. I've heard from another home inspector to use the store-bought mold killer.
Does…
Joe Phillips
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22
votes
4 answers
Is it OK to create a third prong ground from a cold water pipe, for a 2-wire circuit?
When or is it NEC code compliant to upgrade a 2-wire circuit, by adding a third prong equipment ground from a nearby cold water pipe?
A different case of borrowing a ground from a nearby circuit is covered at: Is it OK to borrow a ground wire from a…
Bryce
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22
votes
7 answers
Why is it safe to use 15 A receptacles on a 20 A circuit?
OK, the one answer I got was way off target, and another commenter couldn't figure out what I was asking, so I'm restating the question...
Are 15A 3-prong grounded outlets actually rated to 20A, allowing them to be used on 20A circuits? And if so,…
KeithS
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22
votes
9 answers
Which tools should not be operated while wearing gloves?
Does anyone know of any safety organization like OSHA that gives a list of tools that should not be operated while wearing gloves? It has always been my understanding that a person should not wear gloves when operating any rotating tool because of…
Louis Woods
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22
votes
5 answers
How much weight can I hang from a drywall ceiling?
I have a potted plant (approx 5kg/10lbs) that I wish to hang from a drywall ceiling of a window aisle.
Unfortunately, I have no idea about what specific kind of drywall plate it is or how it was attached; at any rate there is only a fixed place that…
Gnudiff
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22
votes
5 answers
What is the best way to incrementally finish an unfinished basement?
my wife and I are in the process of buying our first house. The house has a 750 square foot unfinished basement (cinderblock walls and concrete floor), and is brand new (rather, it will be brand new when it is finished in a week or two). We don't…
Brendon Dugan
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22
votes
3 answers
How do I feed an ethernet cable through a doorway without damaging the door or wall?
My wife and I recently moved into a new apartment. We've had it for just a few days.
When our internet company came to hook up our landline, I had them hook it into one of our bedrooms and set up my home office.
Now my wife wants to set up her…
Zibbobz
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22
votes
11 answers
How do you protect solar panels from hail?
Saw another question on solar panels and it reminded me of one big thing that always made me hesitant to consider them.
We get several hail storms each year and having an expensive glass covered(?) panel facing almost straight up seems like it is…
JohnFx
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22
votes
2 answers
What danger/code violation is oversized breakers?
I just got the results of a home inspection where they claim there is mismatched breakers and wires in my electrical panel. Specifically, the range (40A breaker) and heat pump (50A). He claims the wires are 30A.
Assuming this is true, is this a…
kinar
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21
votes
3 answers
What types of home radon mitigation systems have you used, and how well do they work?
What types of home radon mitigation systems have you used, and how well do they work? Do recommended types of mitigation systems vary significantly with varying levels of excess radon? Does climate have any impact on the mitigation system of…
stack
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