Home Improvement Stack Exchange
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1500 questions
22
votes
6 answers

Should a gas water heater be shut down if the water main has to be turned off?

I have a brand new AO Smith 50gal gas water heater. Today there was a burst pipe from the cold spell we're having currently, so I had to turn off the water main to the house until the plumbers get here tomorrow. With that, nobody had used any hot…
Chris W.
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5 answers

What types of electrical outlets are found in a typical home in the USA?

I do not live in the USA. If I were to buy a home in the USA, what are the key facts I should know about USA household electrical supply at outlets in homes? E.g. when buying a clothes dryer or other appliances. I'm asking this question for a couple…
RedGrittyBrick
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22
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6 answers

Is it OK that the frame of my house doesn't line up with the slab?

My new house is being framed. I saw that the frame extends 1-2" from the foundation: Click photograph for full size The builder told me it happens often and the city inspector will catch it if this is a problem. Is this OK? Should I ask a 3rd party…
Derek C.
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22
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10 answers

How do you release the wires from a push-in wire connector?

I would like to reposition some pot lights - before drywalling the ceiling. They have been wired using push-in wire connectors. How do you release the wires from a push-in wire connector ??
Jules
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22
votes
5 answers

How can I monitor my roof to detect roof leaks before they cause damage?

A lot of questions have been asked about how to locate a leak in a roof, but you can only locate a leak that you know exists, and the first noticeable sign that there is anything wrong might be drywall damage in your living space. By this point, the…
interfect
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22
votes
3 answers

Is white wire with grey stripes positive or negative wire?

I want to re-wire an AC to DC power adapter for an ONT (Optical Network Terminal - AKA Fibre Box mounted on a wall) and replace the adapter with a standard DC plug. This is because I want to connect it to a UPS (uninterrupted Power Supply). How do I…
Romans
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22
votes
5 answers

Why does the shower get cold when I flush, and how can I prevent it?

When the shower is running and someone flushes a toilet, why does the shower get cold (or sometimes hot) in some houses, but not others? More importantly, would fixing that require replacing the water heater, or re-doing the piping in the entire…
BlueRaja - Danny Pflughoeft
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22
votes
6 answers

Must these old pipes be replaced?

We are currently renovating our bathroom ourselves on the 2nd floor. We were going to redo the tiles only, and we found a newspaper from 1947 around the old pipes which means it was installed a long time ago. We started to wonder if the pipes have…
sol1000
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22
votes
4 answers

Where does the lawn string trimmer line go?

I'm learning how to use a string trimmer before buying one. I know that it uses a line to cut the grass. But the line will wear and get shorter. Where does the line go? I guess into the grass and ground. Then it will be plastic waste into the…
Tony B
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22
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2 answers

Is this correct? Welder suggests 15A outlet on 20A breaker, or 20A outlet on 30A breaker

I just bought a lower-mid priced 120V/20A welder (Forney Easy Weld 140MP), and the manual details that the welder be plugged into a 20A outlet (with a 30A circuit breaker), or you can use a provided adapter to plug into a 15A outlet (with a 20A…
b. insler
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22
votes
5 answers

subpanel breaker tripped as well as main breaker - should I be concerned?

All... My garage had only one outlet so I extended it using surface raceways. Like a dummy, I did not turn off the breaker when I started the installation of the raceway. "I know what I'm doing and I wrapped electrical tape around the existing…
Clint
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22
votes
2 answers

What do the numbers in screw sizes M3, M4 etc. mean?

I noticed that in some (many?) countries, screw sizes are listed as "M+number", e.g. M3, M4, M5 and so on. What does this size designation mean?
einpoklum
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22
votes
3 answers

Why does US Code not allow a 15A single receptacle on a 20A circuit?

Living in the UK, where we have a different system of mains wiring, my curiosity was piqued by Is it okay to install a 15A outlet on a 20A dedicated circuit for a dishwasher? and its answers. Although there is some debate in comments as to whether a…
TripeHound
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22
votes
6 answers

Will window shrink-wrap make a noticeable difference in heating bill in house with single-paned windows?

I'm curious how well the window shrink wrap really works. I moved into an older house (1927) in Lincoln, Nebraska, this summer. It's all single pane windows with a window screen and a storm window, as well. We have about 20 windows, so I'm…
JWB
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22
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4 answers

Is my repair to this plug safe?

The red copper wire was burned so I took out the burnt part of the wire and reinserted all the wires by myself.
Nilamber
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