Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

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1500 questions
37
votes
18 answers

How do I finish off a silicone sealant like a professional?

I have patched a couple of places at the base of my shower with silicone rubber sealant, using a caulking gun and it has worked well. The water no longer escapes from the shower. However, where I have done the patching, it is lumpy. Where the…
Guy
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37
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2 answers

Is there a proper name for this kind of toothed disk?

I'm building a piece of furniture with an adjustable part and would like to use a toothed disk similar in concept to the examples show below. Before having it custom made, I am searching for a manufacturer, maybe buy something off-the-shelf. Problem…
frIT
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36
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18 answers

How do I ensure the bathroom door stays open unless someone is inside?

When my windows are open, the wind can slam the bathroom door shut. I don't want this to happen when my cat is in the doorway (dead cat), or inside the bathroom with no one home (locked in with nowhere to pee). I want the door fully closeable when…
endolith
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36
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4 answers

Is there a way to safely have exposed electrical wires?

We have a dumpster on our property for another home project and are hoping to take advantage of this by disposing of some bathroom lights and a ceiling fan. However, we do not currently have a replacement for these items. I don't believe turning the…
MogulBomb
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35
votes
11 answers

Is this cracking foundation under a jack post a problem that requires repair?

I am buying an already-built new home. I find this in the basement. The builder says it's okay, but I am really concerned. Is this really a big issue? What steps would be required to repair it? This house is close to the retention pond. Is that the…
John
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35
votes
8 answers

How do I wire an old house with Cat6?

I have a older home (build in the 50's) with 1/2" dry wall and then plaster on top. I would like to run Cat6 cable through most of the house (living room, kitchen, entertainment room,etc). So, I'm looking for pointers on how to do this. At first…
cbrulak
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35
votes
11 answers

Why do electricians in some areas choose wire nuts over reusable terminal blocks like Wago offers?

Why do Americans (and others) choose wire nuts over reusable terminal blocks like Wago offers? Do they offer any benefits? More current, longer lifetime,...? Or are there regulatory restrictions?
Fritz
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35
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6 answers

When should pipe dope vs thread tape be used?

For threaded plumbing connections, you typically use pipe dope or thread tape (aka teflon tape). Are there situations when one is preferred over another? Does the size of the pipe, type of pipe, part being connected, or other variable make a…
BMitch
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35
votes
2 answers

How can we dry out a soaked water heater (and restore a novice plumber's dignity)?

Suppose a novice plumber -- a completely hypothetical novice plumber -- removed the top heating element in their electric water heater before the tank had sufficiently drained, resulting in about a gallon of water spurting out not only into the…
universalhandle
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35
votes
4 answers

Can I DIY fix the broken main feeder support cable?

After trimming the old tree, we found out that the steel cable supporting the main feeder lines is broken: Must have been like that for years. The actual feeder wires are fine, the electricity is on. The steel cable seem not to be really connected…
George Y.
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35
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10 answers

Need to understand my home electrical meter to see why bill is so high and/or if neighbor is on same meter

I would like to know how to understand my digital home electrical meter. This picture shows what my home meter CURRENTLY reads. I intend to unplug everything in my tiny apartment in order to get another read. My reason? My apartment consists of 1…
Lord Of Thunder
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35
votes
8 answers

How many CFM for a range hood do I REALLY need?

I like to cook. I would like to put in a fairly powerful range (nothing huge, though; I don't need six burners and a griddle), and will need a hood that can carry smoke, heat, steam, grease, etc. from cooking out of the house. The trend seems to be…
Adam Jaskiewicz
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35
votes
4 answers

What kind of IKEA screw is this?

This is a screw on the side of an IKEA drawer. On line videos say turn it left or right to level the front of the door. Instructions are to use a Phillips screwdriver. It's not a Phillips head and the local hardware store doesn't recognize it.
Jim Baxter
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35
votes
11 answers

Home electronics break daily and wiring is OK. Any ideas?

We have a very old house, circa 1850-1900. It seems that as often as every week we have had to replace an electronic device. In the past six months, we have had to in total, replace: 1 washing machine 1 refrigerator 1 PC motherboard (of my custom…
matthapkidokarate
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34
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6 answers

Why are carpenters' pencils flat?

My assumption is that it's so they don't roll away. But if a carpenter spends the majority of his/her day working on a flat surface, a regular pencil wouldn't seem to have the tendency to get away from them.
InbetweenWeekends
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