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1500 questions
11
votes
1 answer
Is it within code to branch an exterior outlet off an interior outlet in the middle of a circuit?
My city adheres to the 2008 NEC. I've got a run of outlets around a basement room on one circuit. On an exterior wall I've got a weatherproof outlet that's on a different circuit and somewhere in between two of the interior circuits. Is it within…
user2446
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2 answers
Why is it so difficult to cut through cast iron?
Recently, I was observing someone cut through a cast iron pipe and a cast iron radiator and even using a very powerful reciprocating saw, the cut was very slow. I have also previously had discussions with contractors who have also said that cutting…
Ian Turner
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11
votes
1 answer
How do I get to the wall cavity above a double floor joist from below?
I am running some new romex for a couple of electrical outlets. One of the outlets is on one side of a wall in one bedroom and the other outlet is on the other side of the wall in another bedroom. When I went in my crawl space to see what was below…
Ryan
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Does a neutral-to-ground voltage of 0.0 indicate a bootleg ground?
As described here (for example), in a correctly-wired receptacle, there will be a small potential difference between the neutral and ground wires that increases slightly with increasing load. I'm thinking that with a bootleg ground, this voltage…
dlf
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11
votes
2 answers
Do ceiling joists need to rest on cross beams?
I am having a new home built by a national builder. They are framing now I see that ceiling joists in one area are not resting on a beam that divides two open rooms.
See the photo. The beam that runs in from the left side separates two open rooms.…
AngerClown
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11
votes
2 answers
Why is it OK to put multiple ground wires in the same bus hole in an electrical panel?
It's not clear to me why ground wires aren't subject to the same rules as neutral wires (one per bus bar hole). What's the reasoning here?
Phil Esra
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11
votes
4 answers
Does it matter whether a bedroom door swings in or out of the room?
I am looking to install french doors to help brighten the room just outside of a basement bedroom I am currently planning (egress window added and all per building codes). All the other existing bedrooms in my house have doors which swing into the…
statueuphemism
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11
votes
4 answers
HVAC system that pulls-in cold air from outside?
My house has an existing forced-air heating system and I'm looking at getting central AC added in a few weeks' time (indeed, I've booked contractors for estimates next week). An AC system would keep my house cool when it is hot outside.
...but what…
Dai
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11
votes
5 answers
What are the recommended settings for a dual-zone air conditioning unit?
What are the recommended settings for an air conditioning unit that is dual-zone? Meaning, if I have a house that is two stories I know that in Florida they recommend you keep it at 78 F in the summer and 69 in the winter, but the top half of the…
Engineer2021
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9 answers
How do I remove a 4x4 fence post that is snapped off at ground level?
I'm trying to come up with a cheap and easy way to remove a broken-off fence post. It's a 4x4 lumber post that's snapped off flush to the ground, without any concrete around it.* I'd like to pull it straight out and sink another post in the same…
Doresoom
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11
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1 answer
What is the cloth around my dishwasher and do I need it?
I have a slight bug problem in my kitchen, so today I'm doing a big cleanup. I've gotten to my dishwasher and as expected there are a ton of bugs there. I noticed it was wrapped in a large cloth, and that thing was pretty nasty and infested so I've…
David says Reinstate Monica
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votes
6 answers
Are power outlets in a home out of phase with each other?
I'm working on a science project and there's one aspect of home wiring I need to find out (don't worry, I'm not messing with wiring - this is all on paper). Since 120V outlets in a home can be wired to either of the two 120V legs that come in from…
Michael Baker
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11
votes
9 answers
How can I pour a concrete pad with a circular hole in it?
Essentially, I'd like to put down a concrete pad for a patio, but leave a couple of circular areas within that patio unpaved (for planting shrubs).
I'm familiar with the techniques for using dimensional lumber for angular concrete pads, and even…
JohnFx
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11
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1 answer
What types of tile require a wet tile saw?
I have tiled with all kind of tile in the past. When redoing my kitchen I custom ordered hand painted tiles to match the odd color of the granite. So I only had enough tiles for the project without breaking a single one. So I decided to split the…
allindal
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11
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1 answer
How can I change the bulb in this three-clawed, ceiling-mounted dome light fixture?
I am having trouble retrieving the light bulb in this fixture:
I tried bending the claws to release the dome, but that did not work. I tried twisting the whole fixture many times in either direction, but it did not seem to help to remove the…
Gareth
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