Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

Most Popular

more tags
1500 questions
20
votes
1 answer

What is this component in my microwave?

My apartment comes with a wall-mounted microwave (KitchenAid KHMC1857WSS) that I clean periodically. While doing so, I see this component mounted on the right-side inside the microwave. It clearly has a dark discoloration, looking like it was burnt…
ChiefOfGxBxL
  • 311
  • 2
  • 4
20
votes
4 answers

How can I unscrew the faucet nuts in the tight space behind my sink basin?

My bathroom faucet is dripping, and I would like to change the washers in it. The problem I am running into is the placement of the nuts holding the faucet valves in place: This is the underside of the sink, the hot and cold valves are on either…
Joel Croteau
  • 506
  • 1
  • 4
  • 13
20
votes
2 answers

How does a ball bearing door hinge work?

I've been unable to find a clear explanation of the design principle behind a ball bearing door hinge. In the image below, the casing for a ball bearing assembly is highlighted. One description states: Ball bearings are engineered to throw the…
Brybeck
  • 971
  • 2
  • 10
  • 18
20
votes
2 answers

What is this sticking out of my wall?

I've got this small thing (see attached pictures) in my third-floor bedroom wall that previous tenants have simply painted over. It's about 1 inch in diameter, sitting about 5 feet off the floor, and has two smaller bumps on it. It also has two…
zephyr
  • 337
  • 3
  • 8
20
votes
6 answers

Is all copper pipe pretty much the same?

Is there different levels of quality in copper plumbing pipe? I see copper pipe at Home Depot and I assume plumbing supply stores sell it too. Does pretty much everybody sell the same quality of copper pipe, or are there differences I should be…
Tyler Durden
  • 6,889
  • 10
  • 53
  • 101
20
votes
2 answers

Should I sand each layer of mud when joining drywall?

I'm plastering my first drywall and have been given advice from a friend who as done it a few times before. He believes I should not sand down the mud (a.k.a. jointing compound) between coats, but I think I should. I don't think the first layer is…
Craig
  • 385
  • 1
  • 4
  • 8
20
votes
1 answer

What is this balloon with "eyes" printed on it, hanging from the eave on this house?

I have seen this, or something very similar on various houses in the city I live in. It is rare enough to be remarkable, but common enough to make me think it is a "thing". Any ideas?
zeeple
  • 303
  • 2
  • 8
20
votes
3 answers

Why would you use copper over CPVC or PEX?

Are there any advantages to using copper rather than CPVC or PEX?
jlpp
  • 1,974
  • 10
  • 24
  • 32
20
votes
7 answers

How to deal with broken compact fluorescent (and its mercury) without breaking the bank?

We're now out of the compact fluorescent era, fortunately, but we wound up with 3 or 4 broken CF bulbs from somebody not being careful with a box of them in the garage ... We're moving and I want to handle this stuff responsibly but I don't have…
Mark McWiggins
  • 333
  • 4
  • 7
20
votes
1 answer

How to add on to a concrete patio?

I would like to add on to my existing concrete patio with more concrete. I will about double the size of the patio. My question is, should I have the new patio free floating from the existing or should I attach it (as in drilling into it and have…
Kellenjb
  • 2,060
  • 5
  • 21
  • 29
20
votes
3 answers

Is it permissible to have exposed mains conductors in holiday lights?

I've just had a holiday lights company install some outside tree lights, and I found they had done it so that at several places the prongs of mains cable plugs had been left exposed, and carrying mains voltage. I've put a couple of pictures here:…
tkp
  • 359
  • 2
  • 4
  • 12
20
votes
12 answers

How can I repair a puncture in a hollow-core wooden door?

Someone punched my wooden door. Now it has a giant dent in it. The dent is similar to this one. Fortunately, it's a bit less severe than this. How can I "pop" the dent back out?
Shaun Wild
  • 311
  • 1
  • 2
  • 6
20
votes
5 answers

Can anyone help me identify this old audio cable?

I have this old Bang & Olufsen vinyl record player, with a old connector for the speakers. Do anyone know what type of connector this is? And if there exist some converters? Looks like DMX, but it can't be that? Would love to get this to work again.…
eivindml
  • 303
  • 1
  • 3
  • 8
20
votes
5 answers

How do I optimally cut a bolt to length?

Once in a while I need a bolt of exactly the right length and it is not one of the lengths available in stores. So I get a longer bolt and cut it to length. Here's the procedure I follow. I screw one or several nuts onto the bolt so that they are…
sharptooth
  • 9,617
  • 20
  • 63
  • 87
20
votes
3 answers

Damage when drilling a mirror — normal or not?

I've just had a bespoke mirrored bathroom cabinet installed. The mirrors have had holes drilled for the knobs, and one of the holes has a white mark around it and generally doesn't look very clean. The mark is visible even when the knobs are in…
Simon K
  • 321
  • 2
  • 6
1 2 3
…
99 100