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Short Supply

The New Battleships in Europe’s Energy War Are in Short Supply By Carol Ryan, Dec. 1, 2022, WSJ Regasification ships are critical in Europe’s energy war with Russia. That is hard luck for other...

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Tools

If you know your stuff HF is not bad. You get what you pay for. No free lunch

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Creative Laser Wood Cutting

One of the logos for the Buffalo Bills is the silhouette of a Buffalo: real life, a Buffalo is not smooth. The fur often shows vertical lines: is small business in the Finger Lakes Region of Central...

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Flame sensor operation on old gas dryers

I had an ignitor that was burned out. I replaced it and after about a week it failed again. This time it was a hairline crack, as it didnt seem to be burned. My question is on the flame sensor. I know...

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Unvented Hot Water Systems

Investing in all the essentials is vital to make your living area cosier and more comfortable. Among all the essential items is an unvented hot water system. Although the electric unit is expensive...

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How to ripen Butternut "Argonaut" squash?

I grew a 24 pound Argonaut squash this season. Because of the failing summer warmth I had to pull it when it was just beginning to turn orange. It's been washed, bleach-wiped, and sitting in a sunny...

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Any Carpentars Here?

My 10x14 garden shed needs some siding repair. The exterior is T-111 all in good shape except the right side (when facing door), I put my canoe between the shed and the privacy fence (mine) when not...

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Draining a Megaflo system

Hi I want to change a radiator to a towel rail in my bathroom and want to know how to drain the heating system. I have an unvented Megaflo cyclinder (upstairs) Ideal Logic 15 boiler (downstairs) I...

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Why do many plumbers refuse to locate underground irrigation system pipe leaks in an almost 2 acres hilly rural land?

Hello. Why do many plumbers refuse to locate underground irrigation system pipe leaks in an almost 2 acres hilly rural land? Others and I can't find the underwater leak(s) even though we know it's on...

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Frequently Asked Questions All FAQs »

Laying Laminate flooring in hallway

Our hallway is fairly narrow, about 5 feet max. The Front door opens onto one part, about 4 feet to the foot of the stairs straight ahead, the hallway continues to the left of the stairs about another...

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chain saw oil

The original instructions for my electric chain saw said to use SAE 30 oil for temps under 75 degrees F, and SAE40 for temps over that**. It's a Remington 16 inch, 10.5 amps, and iirc 2.5 HP. But they...

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Dangers of Sawdust

I just came out of my dungeon covered in sawdust and I wondered, "Is this stuff dangerous?" Does anyone have a good reason why I should buy a shopvac? Thanks. eo "I love the smell of sawdust in the...

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Using a diesel air heater to heat a home workshop

Has anyone used something like this a workshop heater? I'm wondering about getting a portable one and sitting it outside the garage or shed with the hot air outlet connected to a pipe to take it...

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Pressure washer recommendation?

My old Kärcher has just died. Had it for many years and it doesn’t owe me anything. The power switch is broken and whilst attempting to get access to the switch I foolishly tried to separate the...

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Disposing of Fluorescent Tubes

My council have always taken tubes before but they are classed as hazardous waste and can't go in landfill so I will have to burn petrol, putting CO2 into the atmosphere taking one 4ft tube to the...

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How much to pay teenage house cleaner?

We are in need of a maid / house cleaner for monthly cleanings, and my neighbor's teenage daughter is interested in doing it. What's the going hourly rate for a teenage girl to do basic house...

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Who here has experience with Pellet Stoves?

I read that they are very noisy; something which I had not considered. My wood stove is quiet. I'm just tired of getting up all hours of the night to add wood. Ecoteck boast of quietness but look like...

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Eco Warm - Snake oil or not?

TechTrends | EcoWarm TechTrends | EcoWarm it is true that it is 99.whatevr efficint (all electric heating is) and it might well cost a fraction to run as a big heater, but if it takes e.g. 1/10 the...

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Window film to block heat?

Anyone have any experience with any of the film products that you can apply to windows to block heat? Looking for something that doesn't darken the window much, but blocks 50%+ of the heat. Interested...

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Best way to install a radiator in my conservatory

Hi, I am just about to buy my first house which has a currently unheated conservatory. My plan is to install a radiator into it as we plan to use it as a dinning room for the whole year. The inside...

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toilet clogged by underwear (probably)

I've had plenty of clogged toilets in the past and have always been able to eventually push the clog through with a plunger (things usually soften up and dissolve in the water after a while). After we...

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Solved Issues All Solved »

Garage door problem: I have to repeatedly adjust the travel limits.

I have a Craftsman 1/2 hp screw-drive garage door opener. It was professionally installed in 2003 on a new garage door. Never had a bit of trouble with it (until now). In the middle of January, my...

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Window Film Removal

Several years ago we put the window film on our windows to help block the sunlight. It gradually faded out and has gotten scratched in several places. Today we started trying to take it off using a...

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HELP! Son flushed his underwear down the toilet! - slow draining

Hi, My three year old son flushed his underwear down the toilet! My wife then started flushing the toilet to get the underwear down into the sewer. I even tried a plunger. When we flush the toilet,...

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How do you solder a dripping pipe?

I'm adding a radiator to my central heating and I'd like to know if there is any way to be able to immediately solder the 22mm pipes just after they've been cut and are still dripping. I could use a...

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GE Profile Dishwasher error code HrF and beeping

Just installed new GE Profile Dishwasher. Went to test and run it empty. This is what happens. 1. select quick wash 2. close door 3. select start 4. water begins to flow into tub 5. Can here relay...

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Toro Self Propelled 22" Mower Starting Proble, Help, Please

Hello, Would be most grateful for any help or thoughts on this: Have a 10 yr old Toro GPS 22" self propelled Lawn Mower. New Spark Plug New Air Filter. Prime it the 3X they say to do, hold down the...

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Window Gel Stickers removal

No.1 Daughter has some of these sort of gel window stickers on her window. have been on for a while: "couple of years, maybe". Her window is south facing. Some have "melted" and run down the glass....

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Phone goes haywire when plugged into car.

I had to change phones, the new phone, an Xioami Redmi Note 8 Pro, does not work with the car, even though the Samsung A30 worked well. As soon as I plug the phone into the car, a box at the bottom...

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How to clean outside of white aluminum gutters

They are discolored with vertical gray streaks on the sides, and gray spots on the bottom where water flowing down the sides accumulate in "puddles" along the bottom outside corner. I've tried the...

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sears coldspot frostless - freezer problem

**My very old refrigerator has never needed repair. The refrigerator section works problem free. But the 'frostless' freezer is now coating up with frost. The door gasket has been checked, but it's...

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Source of rubber feet for small tabletop appliances

I've got a couple of little tabletop kitchen gadgets (ice crusher and citrus juicer) that once had little rubber feet on the bottom, which are now gone. Anyone know where to get replacements?...

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paint for eating surface

Is there a required or desired type of paint (not brand but TYPE) of paint that should be used for surfaces that food will be served on? I'm gonna be painting my dining room table and was wondering if...

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Categories

Featured more »

Heat distribution around home | A better, long term solution is identify why there is a temperature difference and fix it with effective insulation (which at some point becomes cost negative) Bungalows ...

Heat distribution around home

The home being a bungalow. Noticing a 3C differential between ends of the house,...

Thermometers: What's the Problem with Accuracy? | I'm sure in the now almost 40 years since last actually worked inside a reactor vendor (spent last 20+ yr consulting for various utilities and US DOE rather than with ven...

Thermometers: What's the Problem with Accuracy?

I've been trying to buy four refrigerator/freezer thermometers and it's...

Converting Fireplace to Natural Gas - Gas Line Question!!! | If we were to do it we would just use a 1/2

Converting Fireplace to Natural Gas - Gas Line Question!!!

I have a question about the gas lines in my home. I am getting new lines...

EV current draw at boot up | This is topped up by the EV equivalent of an alternator, a DC to DC converter that converts power from the high voltage traction battery to low voltage DC, but to do this...

EV current draw at boot up

Anyone out there with an EV got a multi-meter with a clamp to measure current...

EV Charging | If you are charging your car on a streetside charging point, what sort of cable is uses and is there any circumstance where it can become a trip hazard to a blind person....

EV Charging

Slow chargers are 2Kw - 3Kw. 220Vac Intermediate chargers are 6Kw - 8Kw. 220Vac....

Oil furnace won't stay running... |

Oil furnace won't stay running...

My oil heater starts but dont stay on & my green light keeps flashing. It's set...

Shredding Alternatives? | of 8 1/2 x 11 sheets of paper (about 4 banker's boxes) that have financial information on them, that I'd like to shred, but shredding costs have gone up and the cost woul...

Shredding Alternatives?

I've got about 40 lbs. of 8 1/2 x 11 sheets of paper (about 4 banker's boxes)...

Connecting backup power to your house | (you could probably achieve similar results within a single CU just with a quick diagram showing which circuits to power down) The transfer switch must isolate the whole ...

Connecting backup power to your house

Given all the warnings about possible blackouts this winter, I thought it might...

Thermal store/Wood Burner Update (are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin) | After that date the stove must be EcoDesign Approved.

Thermal store/Wood Burner Update (are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin)

After what seems like the whole year... possibly because I started when the...

Installing Motion Sensor Floor Light | I have a tool shed at our cabin which has been broken into twice. There is an alarm to scare off folks after they break in, and that has been successful, but I would like...

Installing Motion Sensor Floor Light

I have a tool shed at our cabin which has been broken into twice. There is an...

Self cutting taps | In particular, apparently they cut a flap of copper pipe where the tee goes in - does this restrict the flow in the original pipe? I'm also wondering what happens if that...

Self cutting taps

I want to add some tees to my heating pipes, but I don't want to drain the...