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1500 questions
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votes
8 answers

How can I prevent mice from entering my house?

Every fall when the weather gets cooler it is a given that a mouse will end up in my house. I understand that this happens probably to most home owners (especially considering the number of trees I have around my house, etc.). But if I wanted to…
Jeff Widmer
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4 answers

Where does the ground wire go in a 3-prong dryer cord configuration?

We moved to a new place where the dryer connection is 3-prong instead of 4-prong. The dryer was originally 4-prong, so we bought a 3-prong cord and installed it. It works fine, except I am not entirely sure if I installed the ground wire correctly.…
Confluence
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Why am I measuring 16 volts on a wire that should be at 0 volts?

I am replacing a power receptacle at my apartment. It has the standard four wires, with one of the two reds going to a nearby toggle switch. I am concerned because when the toggle switch is off, I measure 16V between one of the red wires and a…
Philip
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2 answers

Why did my water heater wire burn up?

Here is a picture of the damage. Thank goodness they're was no fire. We had our breaker panel replaced today. I don't know if that's related or just coincidence. Tonight about 8:30pm while getting showered for bed I noticed we had no hot water. …
JBurt
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13
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4 answers

damp line behind toilet

There is a damp line being formed behind the toilet commode, as seen in the picture. Any suggestions on where the problem lies would be appreciated. Edit: I've added pictures of what it looks like with the lid off (the lid is usually left on) . I…
cd234
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6 answers

Am I having trouble finding studs because my walls are lath and plaster?

I picked a TV mount from Ikea. The TV itself is being mounted to some paneling which in turn is mounted to set of wooden draws. In addition, it gives you hardware to mount the panels to the walls. It's not really meant to support any weight, just to…
merk
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2 answers

What makes a tee "sanitary"?

I'm looking at tapping into an existing drain line at the vertical vent, which I understand should be via a horizontal run to a sanitary tee. The vent is 2 inch PVC; the horizontal piece I will install is 2 inch PVC. But what makes a tee "sanitary?"…
fectin
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10 answers

How can I run Cat5e cable through a completely finished house?

My family and I are interested in buying a house that was built in 2002. This house is two floors on a concrete slab with a finished bonus room upstairs so there is no attic other than above the garage. I would like each room to have four points…
DᴀʀᴛʜVᴀᴅᴇʀ
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5 answers

How do I fix my bathtub drain plug that's not working?

I've looked online and couldn't figure out exactly what I need to do. I just moved to a new flat and found out that the bathtub drain plug doesn't work well, so water leaves from the bathtub pretty quickly, even when it's "closed". I would like to…
filaton
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6 answers

What is the point of this double-ended spanner?

QUESTION: Just, why ? I was exploring a local swap meet and found this. For the life of me I cannot figure out why one would need an adjustable spanner at each end. I mean it's ADJUSTABLE and having two on the same handle means you can't tighten a…
Criggie
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10 answers

DIY fiber optic network connection: 600ft through forest

What equipment, tools and supplies do I need, in order to build and maintain a single fiber optic network connection between two buildings that are about 600 ft apart, separated by forest? The way I am thinking about this problem is, instead of…
DavidMoksha
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13
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4 answers

Why was a screw hot after removal from a wall?

I was mounting a tv and midway I removed the bolt so I could grab the mount. When I removed the mount the tip of the bolt it was hot. I’m wondering if this is because of friction or if I’ve hit a wire. I got a little freaked out so I haven’t touched…
Fern
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1 answer

How do I remove a Kwikset deadbolt with no screws on the inside plate?

My exterior door deadbolt has gotten stuck - it'll open with the lever but not the key. By spraying WD-40 inside the lock, I've been able to get it to work but it's very stiff. I'd like to remove the lock and inspect the inside, either to clean/lube…
Goodbye Stack Exchange
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3 answers

Is it okay/safe to load a circuit breaker to 90% of its amperage rating?

To charge my EV I have a Level 2 Emporia EV Charging station (aka "EVSE") that is capable of outputting a maximum of 40 amps when using its included NEMA 14-50 plug on the supply side. Accordingly, in my home, the circuit that feeds that NEMA 14-50…
Richard B
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5 answers

Square D Homeline AFCI breakers trip for all appliances

I'm trying to install AFCI breakers on my kitchen SABCs (2x 20A circuits), in my Square D Homeline panel. Unfortunately, the breakers trip whenever I try to do anything useful on those circuits. I've spent hours going over all the wiring inside the…
peter
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