Home Improvement Stack Exchange
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1500 questions
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5 answers

What can I do about a room over the garage with temperature problems?

I'm learning many things about our new home. This winter I learned that a room directly above a garage stays much colder than the rest of the house (up to 10+ degrees colder in our case). What options exist to eliminate or reduce this problem? Is…
Sampson
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How to fix small holes/separation in caulk around bathtub?

I'm sure this is a relatively simple task but I've never done it before and want to make sure I get it right. There are some holes/separation appearing in the caulk between the bathtub and the wall around it. Here is a picture: What would be the…
Joe M.
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Are new "low noise" whole house fans actually quieter?

I've dealt with a number of older whole house fans (10 years and older) and the one thing they all had in common was a ton of noise. Are the new "low noise" fans actually that much quieter than the old fans, and should one expect a premium price for…
Adam Davis
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What should I do with an old, unused septic tank in my yard?

I have a septic tank in my yard that is no longer used. Can I leave it there? Should I remove it? Fill it with something? I'm not entirely sure of the building material used to construct it; I assume whatever was the customary materials in the…
morganpdx
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Convert One 3-Way Light Switch to Belkin WeMo Light Switch (Single Pole)

Our foyer chandelier has three switches that control it. I want to control it with a Belkin WeMo light switch, which specifically states is not compatible with 3-way switches/fixtures, sadly. Well, if I can't convert one of the three switches to be…
purefusion
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How do I replace oven insulation that has been soiled by mice and smells bad?

We've had mice work their way into the oven insulation of our standalone range and now it stinks when we turn the oven on. Looking around on the web suggests that replacing the oven is the most common solution, but that seems extreme! Any…
mm2001
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Is it "normal" for a vacuum cleaner to trigger an arc fault breaker?

We recently had our main electric service panel upgraded (from a 50 year old 100 AMP panel to a 200 AMP panel). As part of the upgrade, the electrician installed an arc fault breaker on the bedroom circuit (15 amp). I've noticed that when the…
Mike B
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How can I determine circuit breaker requirements for an electric range?

I recently had a new range installed and when an electrician was visiting, he pointed out that the circuit was over capacity because the range was rated at 12.2KW at 240V. He said 12,200 W / 240 V = 51A minimum. However, I told him that the specs…
glenviewjeff
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What type of drywall tape should I use for a drywall to plaster patch?

What would be the best drywall tape for drywall to plaster patch? The patch is on a non-insulated garage ceiling, so there will be temperature swings from 0 to 100 probably through the year. I had to patch because of some water damage, the old…
Alex Moore
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Does lowering the blower speed of a forced-air furnace lower its efficiency?

My gas furnace has two options for the blower speed: MED, and MED-HI. It had been set on the higher speed, but that was too harsh, so I lowered it to the slower speed. Does that have any impact on the efficiency of the unit?
Dave
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Should I use a GFCI or AFCI circuit breaker with knob and tube wiring?

My American house was built in 1942, and much of the wiring is still knob-and-tube wiring (2-wire, no ground). Over the years new modern wiring has been added to the house, but we still have some KnT wiring for the ceiling lights, and a few branch…
Stefan Lasiewski
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Do the breaker amp readings sum up to dictate my current panels total / possible amperage?

So I know practically nothing about houses having rented for many years, just bought a house and was told by my inspector the panel is only a 70 amp panel and will need to be upgraded before I go to install AC. I took him at his word, and had one AC…
Jimmy Hoffa
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What size extension cord should I use for multiple computers?

We're hosting a LAN party (several computers, 50+) and I had some questions about power draw; I hope this is the right place to ask. Currently, we're assuming each PC will draw an average of 3.5 amps. We have several 20amp circuits, so we're putting…
ctote
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What do I do with the unused wire for ceiling fan installation?

I recently replaced my bedroom ceiling fan with a newer ceiling fan and with the old fan I could: Use one switch on the wall to turn on/off the light Use the other switch on the wall to turn on/off the fan The new fan came with a remote and the…
nullByteMe
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How do I install cabinets on a floating hardwood floor?

We just purchased a bunch of cabinets for installation of a bar / kitchenette in the basement. There are 4 wall cabinets and four base cabinets. These are going to be installed on the existing hardwood floating floor, which are sitting on top of…
mohlsen
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