Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

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1500 questions
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7 answers

What open source home automation software exists? What are the differences between them?

I just bought my first apartment and I am now looking to setup a cheap home automation system. I would like to control : light electric shutter heater thermostat other stuff in the future I am looking to an open source software that I could…
benjisail
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What is the recommended home design software?

I am going to be finishing my basement. I would like to design the new basement myself using design software. What is the recommended home design software?
SchwartzE
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How can I remove a plank from the middle of the field?

My attic has tongue and groove planking down as the floor, and I need to do some work up there. I'd like to only remove a couple planks in the middle of the field, rather than pulling up half the floor to get to the point where I need access. The…
Tester101
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What is this mysterious pipe in my back yard?

There's a plastic pipe with a vent cover in my back yard that runs to a green cap in the middle of the yard. What is this for? I don't have a septic tank. Update: this picture shows the entire length of the pipe that I'm aware of. The green cap…
Dennis
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What is involved in DIY swimming pool maintenance?

We moved into a new house last year and when cleaning out the pool shed last weekend I stumbled across a report that was done by a business that handles swimming pool maintenance. It checked different chemical levels and recommended adding certain…
going
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Is this a fire hazard?

I was going to change a light switch and repair some wall damage. When I started opening up the wall above the switch, I saw the electrical wire clamped to the stud. I noticed black marks around it. Does this look like it might be a fire hazard and…
B. Stewart
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Why is my hot water running out quickly regardless of other household water usage?

I've noticed that my shower, which used to run hot water for what seemed like forever, now can only produce about 15 minutes of hot water. This doesn't appear to be related to other water usage in the house. What are the possible causes of this?…
Madey Jay
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4 answers

Why mate two boards instead of using one thicker board?

I need to build a footbridge across a creek and, due to soft and low land around it, will need a long span crossing the creek. I found this tutorial by Ron Hazelton where he makes a bridge with a 12' span with two beams supporting it, with supports…
Tango
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What can a Dremel tool do that a drill cannot?

I'd like to understand: what is the point of a Dremel tool? I know that there are many Dremel accessories that are indeed useful, but why should I have to get the tool itself? Couldn't the whole system be implemented using an adapter for an ordinary…
200_success
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Why do many construction projects leave so many nails behind?

I just had a significant amount of work done on my house and the contractors left lots of nails scattered around my yard. I have a two-part question: Is this typical? If it's typical, why is it the case? Is it just the cost of doing business? Or…
Jim G.
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5 answers

How do I tell if my house is brick or brick veneer?

I live in a brick house, and am interested in understanding whether it is brick or brick veneer, as a way to understand what kind of risks it (and we) may face during an earthquake. I hear that brick veneer is essentially a wood frame house with a…
John
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What could happen if I use 2 cycle fuel in a 4 cycle engine?

First off, this is NOT to be confused with the following question: What could happen if I used 4 cycle fuel in a 2 cycle engine? 2 cycle oil is used for my weed eater. There is no way I could use a whole gallon in a year. Sometimes I run out of…
jp2code
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8 answers

In layman's terms how much pressure is 4000 psi?

4000 psi sounds like a lot. That's what some pressure washers can go up to. Just how much pressure is that? What are some real world examples that would help explain that kind of pressure?
Daniel Duckworth
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2 answers

Can I run a central air conditioner in the winter?

What happens if you run a central air conditioner when it's below freezing outside? Is this expected to work? I know, it sounds crazy, but that's because you don't live in an overheated New York apartment building built in 1904 where the whole…
Joel Spolsky
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Does a plumbing vent need to penetrate the roof? (Can it penetrate a wall?)

We're going to move our washer/dryer to the garage (the front loader needs to sit on concrete to keep it from shaking our house to the ground). I'll need to add a washer drain to the garage for the washer. Because this will need a p-trap, my…
DA01
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