Most Popular
1500 questions
34
votes
4 answers
Why is there a voltage on my HDMI and coaxial cables?
So, weird stuff is afoot and even my electrician is lost.
All my HDMIs are hot, as well as my COAX coming from the cable company.
Details of what is going on.
Internet & cable went out, called service repair, cable guys noticed the HDMI & COAX were…
Alexia Wilson
34
votes
10 answers
Is it worth spending extra to get a nicer circular saw?
I'm doing some small projects such as building a workbench, and I don't have a saw to cut plywood with. I've got a 12" compound miter saw, so I don't currently need a circular saw for anything other than cutting plywood.
I looked around and I think…
Doresoom
- 15,873
- 32
- 83
- 122
34
votes
5 answers
How should I remove a swimming pool from my back yard?
Our house had a nice cedar pergola in the backyard, about 20'x16', whose posts began to rot at the base. It was covered in grape vine... Nice for shade but not for a falling down pergola. Needless to say, a few months ago we got a pretty good wind…
tbox
- 769
- 3
- 12
- 23
34
votes
8 answers
LED Light bulbs burning out much sooner than expected
My family at my house use EcoSmart LED lightbulbs that are rated for 9W, and the box says they are replacements for 60W incandescent bulbs. It says have a "long life". However, upon connecting them to light sockets, they immediately get very hot.…
Proxy303
- 594
- 1
- 6
- 16
34
votes
5 answers
How to fix bathroom tiles falling off
This happened in my bathroom just now.
The build got completed approx 12 months ago and now tiles are coming off this extended wall.
During construction, the builders told me, that the bathtub didn't fill out the length of the room. So they wanted…
ChrisRich
- 638
- 1
- 7
- 12
34
votes
7 answers
Are soldered electrical connections code-compliant?
I was changing a switch in my house when I found a number of connections in the electrical box that were soldered rather than secured with a wire nut. The solder joints look very well done, the conductors were twisted together nicely and the solder…
Ukko
- 549
- 2
- 6
- 13
34
votes
12 answers
How do I make around-the-room shelves for a seriously skewed room?
I've been given the Christmas task of setting up an HO model train and rails around a child's room, so I researched a bit and found a shelf train would be the thing. So I go to measure the room in order to figure out how much wood I have to buy to…
QuestionerNo7
- 477
- 5
- 8
34
votes
6 answers
What do you call the fastener that's like a metal zip tie with a screw?
I assure you that this is not the beginning of a fastener-related standup routine.
While working out at the gym, I saw a fastener that looks like a metal zip tie, with a screw to tighten it. Two pictures below. This can be useful for me in some of…
Ram Rachum
- 839
- 2
- 7
- 12
34
votes
7 answers
Are there skilled professionals who will supervise unskilled DIY labor?
As somebody who is interested in improving my home, learning things and acquiring tools, I would like to know if there is an existing market for professionals advising and supervising DIY projects.
In my naive opinion, it seems like it should be a…
andyortlieb
- 617
- 2
- 7
- 12
34
votes
5 answers
Why does my home's power fade and surge when I plug things in?
I live in Texas. I ran 300 ft of aluminum electric direct-bury 4-4-2 from the pole on street to my new home. The pole is metered and yes, I had my utility's blessing to do so.
Everything worked perfectly for 6 months, but now suddenly if I plug…
Sarita W
- 349
- 1
- 3
- 4
33
votes
9 answers
How much load can a (wood) board support, if it is supported only at the ends?
How much load can a board support, if it is supported only at the ends?
At the moment my specific problem is hanging a tire swing between two trees, and depending on which trees I choose they could be 10, 12, or 14 feet apart (center to center). If…
evil otto
- 513
- 1
- 5
- 10
33
votes
13 answers
Is there a technique to make a shower mirror fog-free?
We want to install a permanent mirror in a new shower, but hope to find a permanent way to prevent it from fogging up.
I have seen gooseneck mirrors that hook up to the showerhead itself so as to run hot water behind the mirror, which supposedly…
Joel Spolsky
- 1,691
- 5
- 19
- 28
33
votes
4 answers
How to future-proof a long cable run
I'm starting on a project that will involve digging a long (roughly 150-200 meter) trench from my house down to the road. The trench itself will be a considerable expense and so while the ground is open, I plan on laying additional conduit(s)…
Jack Lloyd
- 433
- 4
- 6
33
votes
4 answers
Should all Federal Pacific panels be replaced?
I understand that Federal Panel Stab Lok breakers have the potential for becoming stuck, overheating, and starting fires. My home has a Federal Pacific panel but no outward markings of being a Stab Lok model, the breakers cannot be identified as I…
STW
- 766
- 4
- 10
- 22
33
votes
3 answers
What's the practical difference between "latex" and "acrylic" water dispersion paint?
I see lots of water dispersion paints in shops and they usually come in two flavors - "latex" and "acrylic". The application range and procedure seem the same, they are all relatively safe, don't emit anything toxic while drying, prices are more or…
sharptooth
- 9,717
- 20
- 65
- 89