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1500 questions
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2 answers

Is 3/16" plywood subfloor sufficient for a shower floor?

My contractor is installing a 3/16" plywood as a shower pan subfloor on 16" floor joists. It is for a curb-less shower. I think they did that because they built the floor too low to allow water drainage and now has to Cut into the joists for the…
manni
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Can you cut electrical cables cleanly with an angle grinder?

I need to cut a very small damaged section of a welding machine grounding 16mm² cable to remake the connection, but I only have those smaller pliers which likely won't work for cutting it. I was thinking about using an angle grinder to avoid buying…
IanC
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Is it safe to screw into a single support beam holding up an entire house?

I have a (roughly 40 year old) house with a crawlspace, and then an upstairs above it - I believe this considered a 1.5 storey house. The upstairs is being held up by a long wooden support beam, and that beam is being held up by a metal pole but…
Smith99
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5 answers

What does "can't mix neutrals" mean, and how would neutrals get mixed?

Electrician told me a problem I was having was caused by a new arc fault breaker they installed. I was told you, "can't mix neutrals" Can you describe what that means? How would these neutrals get mixed?
Marinaio
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17
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8 answers

How to (more) securely attach a latch to a frequently-used wooden gate

Our house's front yard is separated from the street with a low picket fence with a spring-operated gate. The latch of this gate has been consistently problematic because it is exposed to the weather and takes a lot of force and vibration from…
Justin Grant
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Is abandoned sewage pit hazardous?

I own a family house that used to until about 20 years ago have a sewage collector pit in use. It has been abandoned for about 20 years now. It has concrete walls and roofing and gravel on the bottom. It was never disinfected or treated in any…
Benjamin Márkus
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13 answers

How can I get a bolt with no head out of my wall?

I tried to screw this bolt into a stud to secure a 2x4. The hex head snapped off, and now the bolt is stuck. I managed to slide off the 2x4, but I have no idea how to extract the bolt. IIRC it's a 6" long, 1/4" wide bolt with about 5 inches in the…
Elliot G
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6 answers

How to convince plumber that there is a gas leak?

I had some gas lines replaced in the crawl space and the next day after the plumber left I noticed a minor gas smell. I got into crawl space with a HomeFlex leak detector and it is clearly going off full blast around one connection. However, I…
Uncle Meat
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3 answers

Bosch Drawer Microwave causes ARC Faults

I have a brand new Bosch Microwave (model: hmd8451uc) installed as the only device on the entire circuit. Anytime I use the Microwave on this circuit, it triggers the breaker's ARC Fault. Breaker (Murray MP-GAT2 20AMP). I bought one of these guys…
Arian F
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17
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3 answers

240 V dryer outlet is reading 245 V

My 30 A dryer outlet reads 122 and 123 V on my multimeter (a total of 245 V). Will this be a problem for a new modern dryer if it is higher than 240 V? It is a three prong outlet.
user129694
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3 answers

What is the difference between a "handle tie" and "common trip" in circuit breakers?

This image shows a quad-breaker with handle ties. Image borrowed from this DIY question One of the comments noted that despite the "handle ties", this is not a "common trip" breaker. I, in my ignorance, previously assumed that a trip on one of the…
FreeMan
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1 answer

What are "backstab" receptacles/outlets?

Several questions and answers on the site mention electrical outlets or receptacles with "backstab" holes (just a short while ago, here). I'm sure people in the US find that description to be obvious, but for the benefit of those of us from other…
einpoklum
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5 answers

Can I run a 15A table saw on a 15A circuit if there are also shop lights on the same circuit?

I apologize if this is a tired question, but none of the other similar questions I found are close enough to what I really need to know. I am hoping to buy a DeWalt table saw for use in my garage. The only documentation I can find shows that the saw…
Pierce
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9 answers

Why is the cut using a jigsaw not a perfect straight line?

I attempted to test-cut a straight line using my new electric jigsaw. Therefore, I clamped a piece of scrap wood and used another piece as guide, marked the cut lines using a pencil and fitted the jigsaw with the blade and cut. But my cut is like…
Dimitrios Desyllas
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17
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6 answers

Is it safe for plumbing to use rainwater to flush toilets?

A couple of articles encourage the use of rainwater to flush toilets. (article 1, article 2) However, would it be safe to do so if the rainwater in your particular area has a pH that is considered as acidic or akaline? (The risks of which are…
plu
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