Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

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1500 questions
17
votes
9 answers

How can I seal 8 inch round holes in my siding?

There is a nor'Easter coming today. What's a quick fix? My first home and just closed a few days ago! Help please. The hole is 8 inches in diameter or so.
DIYgal
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17
votes
12 answers

How to get locks that are keyed alike?

I'm looking to replace 3 sets of deadbolts and doorknobs with new keyed alike handles and deadbolts (they don't need to be high security or anything, just regular exterior entry). All of the big box home improvement stores I've been to don't have a…
user105037
17
votes
5 answers

What should I be aware of in buying second-hand sinks and toilets?

I am planning an extension to my house, including a new ensuite bathroom and a downstairs WC. To save money and embedded energy I'm thinking of buying secondhand basins and toilets. There seem to be plenty around, but I wonder if there is anything…
aucuparia
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17
votes
10 answers

What can cause a never-frozen indoor copper drain pipe to crack?

The 1-1/2" copper waste pipe than runs from our kitchen just up and cracked two days ago along its length, and for no apparent reason. The crack is in a section of pipe that runs vertically through the kitchen floor down into the basement, where it…
mrblint
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17
votes
2 answers

Why are these receptacles so difficult to plug into?

I just moved into a new apartment with these weird receptacles that make it very difficult to plug anything in. Is there a trick to these? Or is it normal for it to be extremely difficult to plug into them?
Lore
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17
votes
4 answers

240 V outlet is not delivering 240 V

I recently moved into an apartment with a 3-prong, NEMA 10-30 outlet. It looks like this: I bought an old dryer that I confirmed was working before purchasing it and hooked it up and unfortunately the dryer never heated up. I suspected something…
Clicquot the Dog
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17
votes
8 answers

How can I coil up a rope so that it doesn't get tangled?

When I get stuff for DIY projects, I regularly use rope to tie it all down to my trailer. When I coil up a rope for storage I wind it around my palm and elbow (on the same arm) then use the last approx 1 metre to bind it together. However, when I…
Highly Irregular
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17
votes
6 answers

Why is all this exterior trim rotting and how do I fix it?

We realized there was some rot on the exterior of the house when we bought it two years ago, and I knew obviously I would want to deal with it eventually. As I've been looking more around the outside of the house, getting ready for new projects…
Prototype958
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17
votes
2 answers

Considering doing a 100A sub panel install on my own. Any guidance would be much appreciated

My background: I am an Electrical Engineer by schooling and I'm a pretty handy guy overall. I have been working on and around just about everything since as long as I can remember. I have a good grasp of mechanical and electrical systems and am…
aveach
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17
votes
1 answer

Metal braided cord in the wall

I was expanding a hole in what I think is drywall in between two closets. When I took the drill out I noticed some metal protruding and it looks like I went through a braided cable, but the metal looks pretty thick. No idea if it's electrical or…
msj121
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17
votes
2 answers

Scientifically speaking, how and why does sweating (soldering) copper pipes work?

A few years ago I remodeled my bathroom and learned how to sweat copper pipes. I've always been able to do it successfully since then, but I've always wondered exactly how and why it works. I've done some searching on the web but most of what I find…
Mike Willis
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17
votes
3 answers

Are both legs of a home's power supply equally used?

This is basically just to satisfy my curiosity. Please correct me if I'm wrong about any of this: I believe power supply to a home's main panel usually consists of: A neutral wire A hot wire 120 volts AC above the neutral A hot wire 120 volts AC…
dbracey
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17
votes
5 answers

Is there an ideal height for a workbench?

Is there a universal standard height that people try to go for when building workbenches? Should DIY tabletops be tailor made to the height of the user and how does the ideal height of the tabletop correlate to the person?
Ambo100
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17
votes
6 answers

Should I hire an architect to design my house?

I am planning to build a house for my family. It's relatively simple and modest by modern American standards. I plan to do much of the work myself, and want to keep costs down. I have been working on some designs, but I wonder what a professional…
Jay Bazuzi
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17
votes
5 answers

If I install a GFCI on the first outlet in a circuit will the other receptacles on that breaker circuit have GFI protection?

I have three electrical outlets in my garage which appear to be connected to one circuit breaker. I am assuming the outlet closest to to the panel is first in the three receptacle circuit. How can I test this assumption? If it is, will…
provlima
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