Most Popular
1500 questions
32
votes
3 answers
Would it be Code legal to have an all-240V house in the United States?
My goal is to have a house where all loads are powered by 240V, that is fully livable in all the normal ways. And this question concerns the hard, in-house, built-in wiring; we will armwave the availability of plug-in appliances.
Under NEC 2014/17,…
Harper - Reinstate Monica
- 300,628
- 26
- 286
- 734
32
votes
10 answers
What is a NON-self-tapping screw? What does self-tapping mean, really?
Someone on the site suggested that I use "self-tapping screws", and gave me a link to the Wikipedia page about them.
So, I went there, saw the definition:
A self-tapping screw is a screw that can tap its own hole as it is driven into the material.…
einpoklum
- 2,757
- 3
- 20
- 40
32
votes
5 answers
Is it ok to have mixed grounds and neutrals on bars in a breaker box?
So to continue my line of electrical questioning (and perhaps narrow down my flickering light problem), I took a look through the two panels in this house. There is a 200amp main service in the basement, which then feeds up to a 100amp sub-panel…
MarkD
- 5,115
- 17
- 50
- 61
32
votes
10 answers
How do I stop a creek from eroding my steep embankment?
Behind my house there is a very steep bank/slope that leads down to a decent-sized, slow moving creek about 10 - 12 ft wide. Unfortunately it meanders right behind my property at the base of this steep embankment:
When we bought our house almost…
hotmeatballsoup
- 324
- 2
- 16
- 40
32
votes
3 answers
How to determine the type of wall on which I'm putting up a shelf?
I'd like to put up a small shelf. I have never tackled any kind of DIY project before so this is a first (I don't even have the necessary tools yet!) and I have a rather newbie question: Having read a few how-to guides, I've learned it's important…
Rinzwind
- 421
- 1
- 4
- 3
31
votes
9 answers
Why do my led bulbs state: not for use in totally enclosed luminaires?
I recently bought some nice inexepensive LED bulbs but I noticed the warning states: (see image below)
not for use in totally enclosed luminaires
I am guessing that it gets too hot but I find it interesting that it doesn't add that part to the…
raddevus
- 475
- 1
- 4
- 12
31
votes
9 answers
What humidity should I set my dehumidifier to?
I just bought a 50 pint dehumidifier for my basement. What humidity level should I aim for? This time of year the outside humidity is very high (over 80%) and we do not have central air. Right now it is set to 55% and seems to be running…
auujay
- 5,265
- 14
- 42
- 55
31
votes
7 answers
Extension cord and power strip safety
I've heard that there are some safety and building code issues involved with using extension cords or power strips (surge protectors) for anything other than temporary use. What are the issues, and how can extension cords be used safely?
jrdioko
- 841
- 2
- 9
- 9
31
votes
6 answers
Where should I NOT use a GFCI or AFCI?
There is a lot of information out there about the benefits of GFCI and AFCI and the places where they must or should be used. But are there any circumstances where you're better off without them? If I won a free box of dual-function GFCI/AFCI…
dlf
- 647
- 2
- 11
- 20
31
votes
10 answers
Are toilets supposed to be caulked to the floor?
I've heard that in some cases toilets are supposed to be caulked to the floor. I replaced both toilets in the condo I moved into last week, and one was calked to the floor, and one was not. One difference was that toilet where caulk was present is…
Billy ONeal
- 727
- 2
- 9
- 18
31
votes
6 answers
Should I use nails or screws for hanging drywall on the ceiling?
I'm replacing water-damaged drywall on my ceiling and was considering using screws. Other than cost, is there any other reason I should use nails instead?
Or am I too paranoid that nails won't have enough holding power? I'd prefer the cheapest…
Doresoom
- 15,713
- 31
- 80
- 118
31
votes
9 answers
Can I paint or seal a very moist basement floor to make it waterproof?
My basement has a slight dampness issue, where if I leave things on the floor they will get wet. There are no leaks and no standing water, the moisture seems to be wicking up through the concrete.
I conducted a simple test to make sure moisture in…
Tester101
- 131,561
- 78
- 320
- 610
31
votes
4 answers
Should I agree to have more insulation added to my attic?
I have a 6 year old home with about 12 inches (R-30) of blown-in insulation in the attic. Recently door-to-door sales representatives for an insulation company offered a free inspection and quote to add additional insulation. The pitch was that the…
JYelton
- 2,482
- 8
- 28
- 32
31
votes
3 answers
How do I build an ice rink in my backyard?
I'm considering building a small temporary ice skating rink in my backyard. I'm hoping to do this without buying many or any materials, and without causing any devastating damage to my lawn when spring rolls around.
Does anyone have any…
Alain
- 413
- 1
- 6
- 12
31
votes
5 answers
Why does my dishwasher back up into the sink, but running the disposal allows it to drain?
When my dishwasher runs the kitchen sink backs up. I have a two tub sink and only the side nearest the dishwasher with the garbage disposer backs up. Running the disposal for a few seconds causes the sink to drain.
I'm not sure what to look at to…
Freiheit
- 4,212
- 12
- 48
- 68