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1500 questions
16
votes
2 answers
Purpose of sleeve on sledge hammer handle
What is the intended purpose of the wedge-shaped sleeve on this sledgehammer handle near the head?
POWERFIST 12 lb Sledge Hammer
User1974
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16
votes
2 answers
Should I be worried about this giant crack?
I live in an old apartment that was built in the 1900s. In the last 2 years, this crack has appeared and grown every month. It had been patched 2 years ago as well.
I am worried about the structural integrity. The crack is visible from outside of…
Mary Elizabeth
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16
votes
7 answers
How do I repair a curtain rod anchor that was ripped out of the wall?
My children managed to pull on the curtains hard enough to yank the bracket which attached the curtain rod to the wall out. What is the best way to repair this?
Here's what it looks like:
Shane
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16
votes
4 answers
What do I do if there are only two wires coming from my ceiling electrical box?
I'm about to install several Hunter ceiling fans. The instructions that came with the fan show three wires coming from the ceiling box for a single switch light. When I remove the light, there are only two wires leading to it. And the wires are…
user13891
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16
votes
8 answers
Why do so many of my screws break?
I wouldn’t be surprised if I had got my wood screw pack from AliExpress but it’s from Home Depot and I believe Everbilt is at least not a random brand.
Yet many of the screws just break if I screw them into hard wood. The worst is that the piece…
divB
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16
votes
2 answers
Why does my waffle maker regularly trip AFCI?
Our house (built in 2017) has per code a large percentage of combination GFCI/AFCI breakers. We have a waffle maker that regularly trips the breaker just as its heating up cycle is about to complete. We initially got the appliance replaced by the…
jcoleman
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16
votes
1 answer
What is this humming machine in my basement hooked up to a pipe?
There is a machine in my basement/crawl space that is making a loud hum. The sound is really loud and needs attention. It normally does not do this. The text on the pipe says "waste and vent only." If I had to guess I would say it went to one of…
Bernie2436
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16
votes
4 answers
How do I build a French drain?
There's a shed near the side of the house with a roof that's pitched to shoot water at the house's foundation. That side of the house also has no gutters. There's a very slight grade to send water towards the front of the house. House is brick…
Steve Jackson
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16
votes
6 answers
Why do instruction manuals specify, "Do not use extension cord and provide a separate circuit"?
Could someone shed some light on the "do not use extension cord" and "provide a separate circuit" instructions that come with every single refrigerator and freezer?
Context:
I own this mini freezer and this refrigerator.
I'd like to plug them both…
Yuri Niyazov
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16
votes
3 answers
What kind of mortar should I use to point a fieldstone foundation?
What kind of mortar should I use to point a fieldstone foundation?
The old mortar is crumbling, and sandy mortar is falling out onto the basement floor. I plan to remove the crumbling mortar (see related question on how to remove), then point the…
Vebjorn Ljosa
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16
votes
5 answers
How good do I need to make my primer coat?
When doing a primer coat do I need to get everything or can I pretty much fly through it leaving it kinda blochy?
Mike
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16
votes
8 answers
How can I hang a shelf with no visible fasteners?
I just built a shelf for a bedroom based on instructions found at Happy at Home. Problem is: the blog doesn't explain how to hang it!
Can someone help me figure out a clean way to hang this shelf that doesn't involve screws on the exterior of the…
Neal Kruis
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16
votes
4 answers
Permanently disable security system
We moved house about a year ago. The previous owner had an alarm system, which we assumed was inactive, but whenever we lose/regain power, the panels beep intermittently.
We've somehow armed the system though, and now the alarm goes off whenever we…
user123965
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16
votes
3 answers
Can I use two wire nuts instead of one to connect 6 wires inside a 3-gang box?
Is it considered acceptable practice to use two wirenuts in a situation where it is possible to use only one but may be easier to use two?
I have a three-gang box with six cables coming into it. The person who wired it previously (homeowner, I…
susie derkins
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16
votes
5 answers
How can I (or a plumber) locate a mysterious internal leak?
Last week I got hit with a colossal water bill. After contacting the supplier I was told to conduct a stop tap test on my water meter. I was confident this would reveal an external leak as we'd seen no sign water is leaking anywhere indoors.…
Bob Tway
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