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1500 questions
15
votes
4 answers
How do I replace a garage door spring?
One of the springs on my garage door has snapped. I'd like to replace it, but it seems like I'm going to have to get the door up before I can do so. Of course, the door is extremely heavy with a broken spring, so that is tricky. Do I just need to…
Jim Kiley
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15
votes
3 answers
New GFCI outlet; green light is on but no power
I installed a new GFCI outlet with an one that was working. I wired it exactly as the older one and it isnt working. The green light is on but no power? I reversed the wires and no light. I replaced it back with the old one and it works.... I…
Joe
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15
votes
7 answers
How can I stop my lights dimming when my Air Conditioning turns on?
I have no noticeable problems with my house's electricity, but when my Air Conditioner kicks in (and here in Central Texas, it kicks in year round) my lights dim for a second or so and then run normally. It doesn't seem to have any bad effects,…
enkrates
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15
votes
8 answers
How to finish wide gap in drywall at edge of ceiling
I have a long narrow gap in the ceiling where it meets the wall. It is too big for plaster and tape, but too small (and uneven) to cut a piece of drywall.
Furthermore, unlike in this question, there is no wood to fill with plaster.
What is the best…
TheCatWhisperer
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15
votes
1 answer
What are these tools used for?
I have recently found in a box these two tools:
I do not have any knowledge on whether these tools are for wood or metal.
The second tool can be winded and unwinded in order to form some kind of tooth bite like shape to a material.
Many thanks…
Konstantinos Chertouras
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15
votes
6 answers
How can I detect reverse polarity on an ungrounded receptacle?
Recently moved into a 1950s-built house and am swapping out some of the older receptacles.
On one particular ungrounded circuit there are four receptacles. The first two are as expected - the two black wires were connected to the gold screws in the…
Scott Mitchell
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15
votes
3 answers
What is this electrical cord for?
I found this odd cable while cleaning out the garage of a house I recently bought. It's plugged in to a live outlet but doesn't appear to connect anywhere. It also has some wrapped junction in the middle. Super puzzling to me. Thanks!
Chris
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15
votes
6 answers
How should I run wiring for my above-fireplace mounted TV?
I'm going to mount my 47" LCD above my fireplace. I'm not looking for arguments against this decision. I'm looking for wiring solutions. The diagram below should help explain the situation.
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Jordan Ryan Moore
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15
votes
3 answers
What should I look for when choosing a stud finder?
Stud finders are notoriously unreliable at finding studs; some will indicate a "rapidly shifting network of hundreds and hundreds of studs". Is there a way to determine before purchase that a particular stud finder will be more accurately named…
intuited
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15
votes
5 answers
What is the difference between R20 and PAR20 lightbulbs?
Are they compatible? What do R and PAR prefixes represent in general?
Important decision, need to buy several replacement lightbulbs!
Meringros
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15
votes
5 answers
How do I install transition molding between my new hardwood and existing tile floors?
I have ripped out some old carpet and am preparing to install a new solid hardwood floor myself. In several places, the floor transitions to an existing tile floor. The hardwood floor guys told me the best transition between the two is a T…
mohlsen
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14
votes
4 answers
Why is this box constantly tripping?
After some heavy rain in Cornwall electricity does not work in the barns. This trip box
seems at fault, though it costs 100+GBP to replace it I'm told. Can anyone give me more information on what this is?
Kai Hendry
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14
votes
4 answers
Is plunging a toilet without a plunger a good tip or a horrible idea?
Read this elsewhere and personally, I thought it was a bad bad bad idea, but I wanted to put this out there to see if I might be mistaken:
I learned a quick tip from a handyman on how to create a plunger
without using a plunger. take a bucket of…
The Evil Greebo
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14
votes
2 answers
Are these sloppy cuts and gaps normal around roof vents?
Got a new roof last fall in southeastern Idaho. I didn't notice until this week that the shingles are cut sloppily around most of the vents (see pictures).
Should I coat the bad seams with a can of roof repair/black pitch, or are they normal and I…
Stay-at-home-dad
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14
votes
2 answers
How many power cables can a coaxial cable cross?
I am running coax RG6Q to my FiOS box. I know to cross electrical cables perpendicular, but is there a limit to how many wires I can cross in a short area? See my picture: the coax is the black line going horizontally to the vertical power wires. Is…
Nathan DeWitt
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