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1500 questions
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3 answers

Is there a limit to the number of holes bored in a joist?

I already know that a hole bored in a sawn lumber joist cannot be within 2" of any edge or any other notch or hole. And that the hole can only be a maximum of 1/3 the depth of the member (International Residential Code 2012 R502.8). Given all this,…
Tester101
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What can I use to hang a frameless mirror?

I'm looking to hang a mirror on the wall on my bathroom. It weighs about 20 or so lbs. There are no built in hooks on the back of the mirror? What should I use to hang this thing?
Mike Sherov
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What device can remotely close a water main?

Trial run of http://meta.homeautomation.stackexchange.com/questions/17/are-questions-asking-for-home-automation-hardware-allowed, which got an overwhelmingly positive response. Answers must be detailed with real-life pros and cons. I have a…
user18944
12
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6 answers

Should my first power saw be a circular or jig saw?

I'm just beginning DIY projects, and do not own a power saw. The projects I plan to begin with will be simple, and I mostly plan to cut wood < 2" thick, PVC, and maybe some thin metal. I've read a few blogs, and it seems that experts recommend…
Chris Hoover
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7 answers

How do I clean stainless steel?

We have just finished building a house and we have some small stains on a stainless steel door handle. I was wondering what was the best way to remove them? Unfortunately I'm not sure what's caused them. They appear as small "smudges" along the…
Ben
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2 answers

How do I do a minor grout repair properly?

I've got grout between some floor tiles that is cracking and coming out in small chips, over time. The tiles and remaining grout are otherwise in great shape. I suspect this is just a problem high-traffic area of the floor in our hallway. I'm not…
Chris W. Rea
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Toilet not flushing properly because flapper is closing too soon

I installed a new flapper and it doesn't stay open long enough. The chain is short to the point not much left to shorten. It was the proper flapper, but just does not stay open long enough unless I hold the handle down. When held down, it flushes…
Cazrcon
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4 answers

What's the recommended order for completing these bathroom remodel tasks?

I realize that this question is similar to What is the order of tasks when refitting a bathroom? but since I have some different projects, I thought it would be appropriate to ask in a separate question. I'm getting ready to remodel a bathroom and…
Mike B
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7 answers

Why does my shower switch keep burning out?

I have a Mira Shower 10.8 kW. My switch is a 45A switch. I have a 50A fuse for the shower. The shower uses 10mm2 cable. 9 months ago the switch sparked and refused to turn off and the fuse tripped. Opening up the switch, the cables were black and…
Jon
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6 answers

What is a good way to cat-proof (or child-proof) kitchen cabinets?

Our 6-month-old kitten has figured out how to reliably open kitchen cabinets at floor-level, by standing on his hind legs and grabbing the knob. What are some good ways to make it harder for him to get these doors open wide enough for him to walk in…
Ed Brannin
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6 answers

Can I upgrade existing T12 fluorescent fixtures to T8 just by replacing the ballast and bulbs?

I was going to replace the fluorescent T12 fixtures around my house with T8 fixtures, but I noticed that the T8 bulbs seem to fit just fine into the T12 fixtures. It seems like I could save myself a few bucks and maybe some hassle if I just replace…
rob
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12
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6 answers

How should I deal with an animal in the attic?

My tenants tell me that they hear an animal (possibly a raccoon) in the attic. This is an old (1880s) three story row house with a flat roof and a pretty low (2 ft average, maybe) attic. The house was totally renovated 10 years ago and I'm not…
Victor
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What's the difference between three phase 240 V and standard household 240 V?

I don't understand the difference between household 240 and 3 phase 240. Isn't household 240 just two 120 phases, making 240V two-phase? If so, wouldn't three phase just be 360v? How, then, is there 240 and 480v three phase? Does each conductor…
kewltek
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How can I level a sloped floor?

I have a 10x13 first-floor room which used to be a porch but at some point was closed in by the previous owners, and sheet linoleum was glued down to the plywood subfloor. Unfortunately they didn't correct for the built in slope of the original…
Jay Lance Photography
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Is there a more rugged finish than Polyurethane for a heavy use table?

A few years go I sanded a stained table we had. Upon doing so, we discovered that it had really nice wood underneath. So instead of restaining, I applied about 4 coats of satin polyurethane. It looked nice. Since that time, a few small spots have…
DA01
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