Most Popular
1500 questions
25
votes
1 answer
Humidity Levels
What is a healthy and safe humidity level that I should try to keep my house at?
Sam Erde
- 425
- 1
- 6
- 8
25
votes
13 answers
What grit sandpaper should I use between coats of polyurethane?
I'm planning on applying polyurethane to a pine bench I've finished staining. I decided on foam brushes for application, but I wasn't sure what grit sandpaper I should use between coats. Is 400 good enough? Or should I use 600? Or both?
Also, if…
Doresoom
- 15,623
- 30
- 80
- 118
25
votes
6 answers
How to prevent batteries leaking out in devices?
Is there a common method of preventing batteries from leaking out and destroying the device? Why does this happen in the first place? I have laid another head lamp to waste because it was sitting in my truck unused for several months. Could it be…
amphibient
- 7,357
- 47
- 122
- 194
25
votes
3 answers
Does this downspout design make sense?
I've recently started smelling a musty smell in my upstairs bedroom. The bedroom closet just happens to be where the downspout from the main roof drains onto the roof for my garage and creates a kind of corner in the roof. As I have been looking…
philmonroe
- 253
- 2
- 6
25
votes
14 answers
Does Pex tubing have any advantages over copper?
What are the advantages/disadvantages of Pex tubing? How does it compare to copper?
Tester101
- 131,097
- 78
- 316
- 608
25
votes
3 answers
Is it possible for a gas fired boiler to consume more energy when heating intermitently versus having heating at all times?
I have an argument with my dad regarding energy consumption of a gas-fired wall radiator home central heating system. Their current setup involves no thermostat and the boiler deciding when to fire based on some kind of curve calibrated to use an…
KubaFYI
- 363
- 4
- 7
25
votes
4 answers
Replacing hardwood floor in 100 year old house with no subfloor
This is a 100-year-old, single family house in Washington, D.C. The floors are aged and worst of all terribly squeaky. The main issue we are trying to solve is to not have the floors squeak.
Unless we hear better advice here, I assume this means…
ssm
- 471
- 6
- 11
25
votes
5 answers
How can I protect a frozen heat pump in cold weather while waiting for service?
Yesterday I noticed that my Carrier heat pump was struggling to keep up with my thermostat settings inside the house. It was around 35°F (2°C) outside, I had the thermostat set at 72°F (22°C), but the internal temperature wasn't rising above 70°F.
I…
user3103523
- 373
- 5
- 6
25
votes
3 answers
Do I really need to include a wall switched lighting outlet in every room?
According to the Black & Decker Wiring book, the NEC indicates that each room should include at least one "switch-operated lighting outlet". Is that true even in rooms that have overhead lighting, or does that count as the "outlet"?
Trevor
- 775
- 7
- 15
25
votes
12 answers
How do I hand saw in a straight line?
Whenever I use a hand saw, I find I keep subconsciously curving the cut, no matter how much I consciously try to compensate.
In this example in photos, to get this cut straight I kept rotating the pole, but from the messy spiral shape, you can see…
Stewart
- 373
- 3
- 7
25
votes
10 answers
Is it harmful to remove gas stove knobs on a regular basis?
I have a propane stove whose knobs are at the exact height of my elderly mother's wheelchair handles. I kept finding the knobs in a semi-on position and have figured out the source is definitely the chair.
If I remove the knobs and push them back…
Bookaholic
- 597
- 5
- 12
25
votes
9 answers
How do I fix a sticking toilet refill float?
After flushing, my toilet doesn't sense that it needs to refill. See the below image. If I so much as gently touch the gray piece, the toilet starts to refill. Any easy fixes?
maxedison
- 623
- 4
- 12
- 17
25
votes
4 answers
Why don't electrical receptacles have more than one ground?
All modern receptacles have places for additional hot/neutral wires so you can add more outlets in series, but they all have a single screw or hole for the ground wire.
Why don't they have two ground holes?!? I see many receptacles wired where the…
cds333
- 373
- 3
- 5
25
votes
2 answers
What's the 1 inch square knob sticking out of the wall?
I noticed there is a square knob sticking out of my basement wall. Does anyone know what this is?
H Woo
- 251
- 3
- 4
25
votes
11 answers
Is it damaging to turn off a small fridge for two days every week?
I am a student who studies in a different city than my home so I go home almost every weekend or second weekend. I recently brought a room sized fridge and to save electricity costs, whenever I go home, I turn off the fridge which is usually for…
khawajayy
- 351
- 1
- 3
- 5