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1500 questions
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4 answers

How can I remove a fridge that's trapped in my kitchen?

We bought this house 4 years ago and the kitchen was updated by the prior owner about 7-8 years ago. The Fridge is about 12-13 years old and has been acting up. I started looking at replacements and measuring out our current fridge and its 36" x…
D_D
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I think my electrician compromised a loadbearing stud

I contracted a company to remove a closet partitioning wall along with a header and a few small pieces. That work was all approved by a structural engineer in an official report. However, I was also having the company install a power outlet in the…
Kyle
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What are the advantages of running a power tool on 240 V vs 120 V?

I just purchased a band saw and I have the option of running it at 120 V or, by opening the cover on the motor and swapping around a couple of wires, running it at 240 V. In general, I understand that running it on 240 V is "better", but what are…
FreeMan
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Am I OK cutting an unused cable TV incoming service cable attached to my house?

I have some tree limbs I need to cut but there is a wire under it going to a house I own and will eventually demolish. I think the wire is for internet. I called the local company to get it removed, but I'm not a customer and will not become one, so…
MsAgentM
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What determines "old work" vs. "new work" during a re-wire project?

My Home Depot Wiring 1-2-3 manual (2000) says the following about DIY re-wiring projects: It's possible that some of the wiring in your home fails to conform to current regulations. That's usually not a problem as long as it conforms to the rules…
Syntax Junkie
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What is the official name for wiring hole stops/plugs and where can I buy them?

We have several holes in our house (floor and external wall) that are used for cables (coax and cat5e). The holes are bigger than the cable that goes through them so we'd like to minimize the excess space (to help prevent bugs from getting…
Mike B
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Why is the main breaker sparking in off position?

The power in several rooms has randomly gone out then comes back on seconds later. We consulted with an electrician that told us to replace the whole panel but we can’t afford $5000 to do that right now so instead we decided to replace the problem…
Stacie
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How do I know who planted "no dig" flags and when I can remove them?

Some underground utility flags ("call before you dig") appeared in my front yard. A couple of days later there was some work done in the road in front of my house. A few days after that I removed the flags. The very next day they were back…
jay613
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I installed a new outlet and tripped the whole power panel... Does a 30 amp circuit need special outlets?

So... I tried swapping two outlets in my kitchen, and tripped the entire power panel! The old outlets were wired with FOUR wires: red, black, white, bare. I wired the new outlets using the same scheme: Red to one of the HOT terminals Black to the…
steeveedee
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5 answers

How can I (or a plumber) locate a mysterious internal leak?

Last week I got hit with a colossal water bill. After contacting the supplier I was told to conduct a stop tap test on my water meter. I was confident this would reveal an external leak as we'd seen no sign water is leaking anywhere indoors.…
Bob Tway
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5 answers

Why do builders say that wet concrete/mortar is not as strong?

I have been watching a few videos demonstrating the mixing of mortar and cement and a constant theme is that you must not have the mix too runny. I cannot fathom the reason... Does anyone care to elaborate? My only guess is that a watery mix will…
Hightower
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How do I tighten this bathroom faucet?

My bathroom faucet is loose on the countertop. It wobbles and rotates when lifting and turning on the water. Underneath it looks like the following pictures. (It's above and behind some drywall, so most of the pictures are using an endoscope; sorry…
Phrogz
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How to reduce noise from my refrigerator?

I live in a studio appartment and there is a fridge in my room which makes sleeping difficult. Is there a way to reduce the noise it makes? Is it maybe possible to cover it with noise insulant without keeping the waste heat inside? Update: Thanks…
Lenar Hoyt
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5 answers

How to patch underwater power line

We're rural and the house plumbing is from a lake-draw system with a submersible pump. We just noticed that the power wire out to the pump had its sheath damaged in the spring time by either the ice going out, or driftwood in a storm, or something.…
Mike Ounsworth
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8 answers

Should I put a dimmer switch on a ceiling fan?

I have a ceiling fan on our bedroom's vaulted ceiling. Since we don't want 7' pull-cords, the speed is stuck at full-tilt, which is no good. The fan has separate switches on the wall for lights and fan on/off, though, so I tried putting a dimmer…
Dov
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