Home Improvement Stack Exchange
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1500 questions
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5 answers

Is this plastic pipe connecting city water to the main line dangerous?

I bought a whole house water filter to hook up to the main water line. The plumber who came in said that he won't be able to install it because the pipe that comes from the ground hooked up to the copper pipe is plastic. He says that this plastic…
coder net
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Wiring IKEA light fixture into old fixture

I am installing a simple IKEA ceiling light fixture. The new light fixture has a neutral wire, a live wire, and a ground wire. My current old light fixture has 4 wires: white, red, dark blue or black, and copper wire. And here is how it is…
user104190
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Snaking a clogged tub drain

My tub was draining slowly, so I removed the drain cover stopper and reached down into the drain with needle-nose pliers and extracted a disgusting wad of hair and soap residue, as I have done several times before. However, this time it didn't solve…
John Gordon
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1 answer

How to make this electrical main safe

An older home has a strung electrical main. The main connects with exposed lugs on the roof above the deck. Not only is the height and location unsafe, while working on the roof today I noticed that the insulation on the main electrical lines is…
Matthew
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9 answers

How to drill holes in 3/8" thick steel plates?

I had to drill some 1/2" holes in 3/8" steel plates. In addition to taking something like 15 min per hole, a brand new drill bit lasts maybe two holes and it is trash. What is the best way to drill holes in steel that thick at home, assuming no…
amphibient
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3 answers

What are these (utility?) boxes at the side of the house?

What are the four boxes in the picture below for? The fat pipe to the left goes up to the electricity meter. I've also included pictures of the two labels I could find. Also, why is there a green plastic rope coming out of the first box? I found the…
Jet Blue
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Is it safe to remove/trim jack studs to make a door opening wider?

We purchased a very expensive (at least for us 5,000+) entry door pair as replacement for an existing single door and sidelights. Today when the door contractor came to install the doors the opening was too small by 3/4 of an inch (the door…
Krjchapel
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4 answers

Do I need a vent for extending a drain to a new bathroom addition?

I am building a new full bathroom on what used to be my back porch. I am planning to extend the existing drain at a cleanout and to run it outside the house underneath the floor. I need to know if I need to add a new vent to the extension, or if I…
mogrify
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6 answers

How can I insulate my attic on a tight budget?

My attic is running 135Fahrenheit (55 Celsius) and more right now. And that's before it even gets to the hottest part of the day! The A/C guy said the A/C's are working perfectly. But he tested the ceiling, and it is a completely different…
LuxeGypsie
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2 answers

Can I use a neutral wire from another outlet to repair a broken neutral?

Recently one wall of outlets quit working. Testing shows the hots are all good and the grounds are all good but the neutrals are all dead. They are all connected to each other but somewhere have lost the connection to the panel. Can I add a …
James Wolf
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5 answers

Most cost effective thermostat setting: consistent temperature vs. lowest temperature possible

The problem: Our heating bills are about 25% higher than our average neighbors according to our bill, yet our temperature is always as low as we can stand it (mid 50's), we have excellent insulation throughout the house, we don't have drafty…
David
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4 answers

Is my plan for fixing my water heater leak bad?

Here is the situation (with pics): See that pan on the bottom? The hole in it is covered by tape. So here is what I was gonna do. Is this a good idea? First. I've gone out and purchased a new pan for the bottom. I also purchased a round piece of…
Dallas Caley
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10 answers

Was my approach to repairing stripped holes in a door jamb appropriate?

Two of the screw holes on the doorframe of a bedroom in my house are completely stripped out, to fill them in I soaked small strips of paper towel in wood glue and carefully stuffed them deep until the hole was evenly filled. I made sure they where…
Jared L.
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8 answers

How do I disable a locking door latch?

I have the following door handle / lock combination that leads out to my garage. The key for the door has long been lost and sometimes someone will turn the internal lock and the door cannot be opened from the garage side. I wish to disable this…
Guy
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What are our options for carpeting the basement of a split-level house?

The basement level of our house (1/2 below grade) is currently just vinyl tile on concrete slab. It's cold during the winter, so we would like to carpet it. We do not get water penetration through the floor, but during the humid days of summer,…
DCNYAM
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