Home Improvement Stack Exchange
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1500 questions
13
votes
5 answers

Drywall surrounding vent no longer supports screws;

Screws that normally fix the vent in place can't do their job anymore. The drywall has crumbled to the point that the tapped hole for the screw lacks a boundary with the duct. (Picture attached.) Perhaps: The cutout for the original vent larger…
Cameron Hurd
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If an AC guy checks a system and finds it 100% out of refrigerant, what is the correct next step?

I'm doing a sort of feasibility follow up regarding a visit from our neighborhood AC repair person. He checked our system and found it was completely out of refrigerant. He added 7.5 lbs. I'll add more to this after I see some answers, but I wanted…
jason
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1 answer

How can I fix the noise level in my home?

When anyone walks above me in our two level home it sounds like a herd of elephants stomping through. Is there any way to fix this?
Liz
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13
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5 answers

What type of screw is the most resistant to rust: galvanized, stainless steel, or deck screws?

How do the following screw types fare in an outdoor (wet) long-term application? Galvanized screw: Stainless steel screw: "Deck" screw:
Fil
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3 answers

Can ground shock me? It's bonded to neutral in my panel

I have no outdoor outlets. I want to install a GFCI outlet underneath my main service panel. Inside the panel there is only one bar with both ground and neutral wires connected to it. If I connect the ground wire for the outlet to that bar wouldn't…
handymanb
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3 answers

Can filling up a 75 gallon water heater tank without opening a faucet cause damage?

Had a bit of a snafu at home today that resulted in an empty 75 gallon tank getting refilled without opening a faucet. Faucet was opened only after the tank was full, which resulted in a long burst of pressurized air coming out. I'm worried this…
sw1337
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What should I keep in mind when building my house myself?

I inherited a piece of land and want to build a house on it. Nothing fancy: one floor, 2-3 rooms. Since I don't really have the money :D to build it "in one go", I'm going to build it over a longer period of time, bit by bit. Also, I want to build…
user9898
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3 answers

Turn one light bulb ON and another OFF at the same time with one switch

I am trying to operate two AC current light bulbs with one switch so that while the switch is in the OFF position, bulb B1 is OFF and bulb B2 is ON, and while the switch is in the ON position, bulb B1 is ON and bulb B2 is OFF. Only one bulb needs to…
user56865
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3 answers

Causes of Corroded or Burned Wires

Beginning Disclaimer - I am not a Serious DIYer. (I'm more of a Seriously Try to Avoid Paying Someone Else to Do Iter). So anyways, I've been having trouble with lights flickering or not working in a room. I checked the voltage, and found that 3…
user56722
12
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6 answers

Are CFL bulbs safe for enclosed fixtures?

I just got 3 dozen CFL bulbs for free, and was planning on replacing all the non-downward exposed fixture lights in my home with these bulbs. In the past I haven't even considered switching to CFL because of the light temperature, but after seeing…
Nicole
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Can I raise a sagging shed roof by winching the walls back into place?

TL;DR Can I fix the sag by slowly jacking up the ridge, simultaneously tightening some steel cables attached to the top of each wall? Measuring between the top of the wall and the top of the ridge, I see about a 3.75" dip in the middle. Details I…
3Dave
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12
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8 answers

How can I break up a small boulder without power tools?

I have a boulder/rock that is about 2 feet long and 1.5 feet in diameter. It is too heavy to lift and I would like to break it into smaller pieces. Without power tools, are there any good methods besides going at it with a sledgehammer?
Programmer
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3 answers

What are some of the best books/resources on home inspection for first time home buyers?

I'm looking at buying my first home. Considering the amount of money involved, it seems logical to make sense the inspection is solid. (I've seen a few "Holmes Inspection"s to have the reinforced.) I know "Holmes Inspection—Everything you Need…
Bill
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12
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3 answers

Are CAT 5 sockets compatible with CAT 7 cable?

I am planning to add Ethernet wiring to my house (semi-detached three-storey town house). I will be using this network to connect several (4-6) computers together in a typical (geek) home setting. I have worked out the topology and most of the…
Lightsider
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12
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4 answers

Is this gravel stabilizing underlament an effective product?

Does anyone have any experience with a gravel stabilizing product? I'll say, somehow I've never seen this before, but it looks genius; especially if you could create a reasonable driveway out of this stuff that wouldn't buckle under a car's load.…
TFK
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