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1500 questions
21
votes
3 answers

Is notching a flange on an I-Joist ever acceptable?

My home builder said that the following notch in a flange on an I-Joist was acceptable, but I've read that you're never supposed to do so. Is that true?
gibbo
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21
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8 answers

Can I backfeed a portable generator into my house's electrical system?

Is there a safe way to power my house using a portable generator? The power rating for the generator is 6kW, and I want to run my electric water heater (4.5kW) and my refrigerator (0.5kW) and possibly a few lights. The water heater is the main…
Doresoom
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21
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6 answers

What should I do to increase the dimming range of LED bulbs?

We started doing most of our homes in LED last year. I am a big dimmer fan and would pretty much put a dimmer on any light switch. One thing that I haven't gotten down is the dimming range of the LED vs what I am used to with the incandescent…
DMoore
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21
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2 answers

1lb of cure is worth 10 tons of mold: DIY repair of a poorly sealed window? lots of photos herein

Preface I live in China. Construction is largely handled by unskilled migrants, and one cannot just call up a specialist contractor to fix a major issue. Problem I've got a window that was not properly sealed when the apartment was built, and which…
Drew
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21
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3 answers

How do I fix a squeaky floor below my carpet?

I have a squealy floor below my carpet on the 2nd floor of my house. It sounds like the subfloor under the carpet is moving up and down a little and makes this awful load squeak when I step down on this specific location. It can be reproduced at…
mohlsen
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21
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17 answers

Is it worth it to insulate hot water PEX tubing?

Is it worth the time and expense to put the foam pipe wrap on pex hot water pipes? I've seen mixed statements. What is your thought? But more importantly, can you back it up?
Dilbert789
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21
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5 answers

Should I cover my air conditioner for winter?

Should I cover my air conditioner for winter? It's difficult to find an appropriate cover, but finding a cover for an evaporation cooler is easy (and because they allow for air flow from the outdoors, it makes sense). See this answer for things to…
JYelton
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21
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16 answers

Is fiberglass mesh tape a good choice for drywall?

I'm going to be doing some drywalling shortly and was wondering what experiences other have had with the self adhesive fiberglass mesh tape. Is it a good choice or am I going to regret using it?
Dilbert789
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21
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4 answers

What are some scalable, affordable home automation options?

I've been looking to set up a home automation system in my house for a while now, but I'm having trouble committing to any one starting point. I'd like to set up an initial system that controls maybe two or three outlets and one or two overhead…
Daisy Sophia Hollman
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21
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10 answers

What's the best way of replacing a plug or switch in a house with aluminum wiring?

My house has aluminum wiring, which from what I understand isn't recommended any more. How do I replace a plug or switch since the new unit only takes copper wiring?
MattGrommes
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21
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20 answers

What projects should never be DIY?

What are the most common DIY projects that you should not do yourself? What must be hired out? Edit: Just to be clear, what we're looking for here are the things that a regular homeowner might think they can do, but should not. Things that look…
Jay Bazuzi
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21
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15 answers

How can I stop bolts from loosening over time?

Here is a picture of what I intend to use: I believe (and could be wrong about this) that over time as the structure is moved, the nut that was fastened to hold the structure together will gradually loosen. Is there way to make the nut so tight and…
quantum231
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21
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10 answers

Why does bleeding radiators save energy?

I wanted to bleed my radiators by myself for the first time and I was wondering what is the reason that bleeding radiators saves energy? Most of the guides on bleeding radiators mention that this is important for saving energy but none explain the…
user161351
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21
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3 answers

Male plug installed in wall

Have a male plug installed into drywall about a foot above the baseboard level. Above that, at tv installation level, is a normal female outlet with a tv cable line. What would the male plug be used for?
Lani
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21
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2 answers

What is this tool used for?

I can’t figure out what this old tool is. Does anyone know?
Honey
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