Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

Most Popular

more tags
1500 questions
23
votes
3 answers

Why does US Code not allow a 15A single receptacle on a 20A circuit?

Living in the UK, where we have a different system of mains wiring, my curiosity was piqued by Is it okay to install a 15A outlet on a 20A dedicated circuit for a dishwasher? and its answers. Although there is some debate in comments as to whether a…
TripeHound
  • 367
  • 2
  • 13
23
votes
6 answers

Will window shrink-wrap make a noticeable difference in heating bill in house with single-paned windows?

I'm curious how well the window shrink wrap really works. I moved into an older house (1927) in Lincoln, Nebraska, this summer. It's all single pane windows with a window screen and a storm window, as well. We have about 20 windows, so I'm…
JWB
  • 341
  • 2
  • 5
23
votes
4 answers

Is my repair to this plug safe?

The red copper wire was burned so I took out the burnt part of the wire and reinserted all the wires by myself.
Nilamber
  • 233
  • 1
  • 2
  • 4
23
votes
8 answers

Do I have to secure an IKEA TV stand to the wall?

I'm a young adult preparing to move out into an apartment the first time, and I'm trying to fill out some gaps in terms of furniture before I get going. I found this IKEA tv stand that's perfectly small and cheap, but there's this business about…
Aria Holmes
  • 339
  • 1
  • 2
  • 4
23
votes
5 answers

Bathroom exhaust fan without duct

I just found out that our bathroom exhaust fan has no duct attached to it. Our current fan is Panasonic FV-08VQ2 (90 CFM, 4" duct diameter). The fan just blows the air to the inaccessible attic. There is what looks like an attic exhaust close to the…
user2503795
  • 821
  • 3
  • 8
  • 19
23
votes
7 answers

Is it safe to flush newspaper down the toilet?

Recently an Australian newspaper printed several blank pages to help readers who may have run out of toilet paper. Would it be safe to flush pieces of newspaper down the toilet?
pacoverflow
  • 544
  • 2
  • 5
  • 15
23
votes
5 answers

Make a hole deeper than the drill bit is long

The longest drill bit I have is 23.62 inches and apparently the thickness of the concrete I need to penetrate is 27.5 inches. I don't wish to buy another drill bit, is there a smart solution? The hole is for a gas pipe to go through, so the diameter…
Blerg
  • 333
  • 1
  • 2
  • 6
23
votes
3 answers

Replacing 2-prong outlets in basement - existing wiring has two hot wires, one neutral?

I'm replacing the two-pronged outlets in my basement with 3-pronged grounded outlets in the United States (Illinois). All the wiring is in metal conduit with metal conduit boxes, which are grounded to the breaker box (I checked with a multimeter…
David
  • 231
  • 1
  • 3
23
votes
2 answers

Will removing shelving screws from studs damage the studs?

We live in a newly built home. My husband hung some Ikea shoe bins on the wall and mounted them in to the studs. I am going to paint the hallway and would like to remove the bins and hooks, patch the holes and have an even coat of paint from floor…
Lauren
  • 231
  • 2
  • 3
23
votes
3 answers

Repurpose telephone line to ethernet

I have a (UK) telephone socket in the same corner of each of the three floors in my house. My broadband router is connected to the socket on the bottom floor. The wiring looks like the following: Top floor: Middle floor: Bottom floor: What…
gozzilli
  • 333
  • 1
  • 2
  • 6
23
votes
3 answers

First time changing switches and outlets (receptacles). Anything special I should know?

I am replacing a bunch of switches and receptacles in my house. While I understand the basics, this is pretty much my first electrical project, and I figure there must be some hidden "gotchas" or surprises that people run in to when doing this. …
Harper - Reinstate Monica
  • 300,628
  • 26
  • 286
  • 734
23
votes
6 answers

Can a 40amp breaker be used safely and without issue with a 40amp device on 6AWG wire?

We are installing a Cooktop that calls for a 40amp circuit. I was given 6AWG wire (instead of the 8AWG wire I asked for) by mistake. The electrician saw the 6AWG wire (that I had already run) and used a 50amp breaker. The Cooktop installer requires…
Steve Sensabaugh
  • 259
  • 1
  • 2
  • 4
23
votes
3 answers

How can I remove material from this wood beam?

I am trying to mount a roller shade in between two wood beams on my porch. The problem is that the beams are a hair too close together to accommodate mounting the shade. I am trying to remove a small amount of material (~1/4") from the side of each…
Ian McClaskey
  • 333
  • 2
  • 4
23
votes
11 answers

How can I close a gap between my fence and my neighbor's that's on his side of the property line?

My heighbor erected a fence about 4" into his property. I recently erected my fence and put the post about 2" from the property line. I then extended the fence (boards only) to come as close to his fence as possible. Problem is he approached me and…
Paul
  • 247
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
23
votes
5 answers

How do I reattach a shelf to the wall when it ripped out of the wall?

I had attached a shelf to my wall using the hardware that came with the shelf, but then it came crashing down in the middle of the night and all of my stuff came down with it. The hardware came from Home Depot, I don't remember the name, but there…
Jakob Weisblat
  • 357
  • 1
  • 3
  • 9
1 2 3
…
99 100