Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

Most Popular

more tags
1500 questions
12
votes
8 answers

Can't replace hardwood floors, what are my options?

My house was built in 1929 and still has the original hardwood floors. And now some 85 years later they are in terrible shape. They squeak like crazy, many boards are broken and splintered, there are gaps, they are uneven, and there are several…
hokiewalrus
  • 223
  • 1
  • 2
  • 5
12
votes
3 answers

How do I connect a new cooktop that has no white neutral wire?

My old cooktop which is being replaced connects to a j-box with black, red, white, and bare ground wires, which goes to a 40 amp circuit breaker (US here, noticed this site is popular with Europe too). We just bought a brand-new Bosch cooktop which…
mtjhax
  • 223
  • 1
  • 2
  • 6
12
votes
3 answers

Is there a limit to the number of holes bored in a joist?

I already know that a hole bored in a sawn lumber joist cannot be within 2" of any edge or any other notch or hole. And that the hole can only be a maximum of 1/3 the depth of the member (International Residential Code 2012 R502.8). Given all this,…
Tester101
  • 131,561
  • 78
  • 320
  • 610
12
votes
3 answers

What can I use to hang a frameless mirror?

I'm looking to hang a mirror on the wall on my bathroom. It weighs about 20 or so lbs. There are no built in hooks on the back of the mirror? What should I use to hang this thing?
Mike Sherov
  • 1,479
  • 7
  • 22
  • 26
12
votes
3 answers

Can I wire 3-way switches so that when they are both in the same orientation the light will be off?

I replaced my 3-way switches. Is it possible to have either switch shut the light off, by pulling down on the toggles Either switch does shut the light off, but then one toggle is up, and the other is down. I want both to be down after shutting…
andre
  • 121
  • 1
  • 1
  • 3
12
votes
1 answer

What device can remotely close a water main?

Trial run of http://meta.homeautomation.stackexchange.com/questions/17/are-questions-asking-for-home-automation-hardware-allowed, which got an overwhelmingly positive response. Answers must be detailed with real-life pros and cons. I have a…
user18944
12
votes
6 answers

Should my first power saw be a circular or jig saw?

I'm just beginning DIY projects, and do not own a power saw. The projects I plan to begin with will be simple, and I mostly plan to cut wood < 2" thick, PVC, and maybe some thin metal. I've read a few blogs, and it seems that experts recommend…
Chris Hoover
  • 121
  • 1
  • 1
  • 6
12
votes
7 answers

How do I clean stainless steel?

We have just finished building a house and we have some small stains on a stainless steel door handle. I was wondering what was the best way to remove them? Unfortunately I'm not sure what's caused them. They appear as small "smudges" along the…
Ben
  • 121
  • 5
12
votes
2 answers

How do I do a minor grout repair properly?

I've got grout between some floor tiles that is cracking and coming out in small chips, over time. The tiles and remaining grout are otherwise in great shape. I suspect this is just a problem high-traffic area of the floor in our hallway. I'm not…
Chris W. Rea
  • 1,495
  • 4
  • 15
  • 25
12
votes
7 answers

Why does my shower switch keep burning out?

I have a Mira Shower 10.8 kW. My switch is a 45A switch. I have a 50A fuse for the shower. The shower uses 10mm2 cable. 9 months ago the switch sparked and refused to turn off and the fuse tripped. Opening up the switch, the cables were black and…
Jon
  • 223
  • 1
  • 2
  • 5
12
votes
6 answers

What is a good way to cat-proof (or child-proof) kitchen cabinets?

Our 6-month-old kitten has figured out how to reliably open kitchen cabinets at floor-level, by standing on his hind legs and grabbing the knob. What are some good ways to make it harder for him to get these doors open wide enough for him to walk in…
Ed Brannin
  • 223
  • 1
  • 2
  • 6
12
votes
6 answers

Can I upgrade existing T12 fluorescent fixtures to T8 just by replacing the ballast and bulbs?

I was going to replace the fluorescent T12 fixtures around my house with T8 fixtures, but I noticed that the T8 bulbs seem to fit just fine into the T12 fixtures. It seems like I could save myself a few bucks and maybe some hassle if I just replace…
rob
  • 845
  • 6
  • 15
  • 27
12
votes
7 answers

Sink tailpiece doesn't line up with trap

After installing a new bathroom sink, the drain tailpiece doesn't line up with the trap coming out of the wall. I've seen flexible accordion hoses for this, but I think that violates code (P3002.3.1). I live in California. My tailpiece is 1.25"…
Elliott B
  • 520
  • 3
  • 8
  • 22
12
votes
6 answers

How should I deal with an animal in the attic?

My tenants tell me that they hear an animal (possibly a raccoon) in the attic. This is an old (1880s) three story row house with a flat roof and a pretty low (2 ft average, maybe) attic. The house was totally renovated 10 years ago and I'm not…
Victor
  • 143
  • 1
  • 7
12
votes
2 answers

What's the difference between three phase 240 V and standard household 240 V?

I don't understand the difference between household 240 and 3 phase 240. Isn't household 240 just two 120 phases, making 240V two-phase? If so, wouldn't three phase just be 360v? How, then, is there 240 and 480v three phase? Does each conductor…
kewltek
  • 135
  • 1
  • 1
  • 5
1 2 3
…
99 100