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Engineering Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [home-improvement]

Questions on the subject of home improvement and the role of engineers in residential design and construction work. Technical questions about specific home improvement projects should not use this tag; instead, use tags that categorize the project itself. For advice on home improvement / DIY, see our sister site Home Improvement Stack Exchange.

Questions on the subject of home improvement and the role of engineers in residential design and construction work. Technical questions about specific home improvement projects should not use this tag; instead, use tags that categorize the project itself.

For advice on home improvement / DIY, see our sister site Home Improvement Stack Exchange.

23 questions
14
votes
5 answers

When do I need to consult a professional engineer during a home renovation?

I am a homeowner who likes to save money by performing DIY work. When possible, I prefer to serve as my own general contractor to reduce the cost of a project. However, when I talk with professionals about my plans and ask for advice, they often…
Air
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4
votes
1 answer

How to bend copper heat pipes?

I have purchased these copper heat-pipes; however, I am wondering how to bend them without kinking them or cutting them open due to pressure on weak points/bends. These are flat copper heat pipes, so I can't use a pipe bender; however, these are…
user15044
3
votes
3 answers

Are toilets supposed to come loose?

I have a typical, classical (but modern-made) Western porcelain toilet. Just a couple of years ago, they redid the entire bathroom (unasked for, forced "upgraded"). I've noticed many times when I'm about to get up from the toilet that it "wobbles",…
H. Cadman
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2
votes
1 answer

Hack a kitchen freezer for lower temperature

Common home freezers usually have the lowest temperatures of about -24 degrees Celsius. Freezers that go lower exist but these are much more expensive (times much). I wonder whether a common kitchen freezer (standalone without fridge) could be…
Kozuch
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2
votes
2 answers

Can I oversize my air conditioner if I use a two speed compressor?

The upper floor of my house has a split A/C, three-ton. When the temperature gets up above about 95 Fahrenheit, the unit can't keep the upstairs cool. That means that for a few weeks a year, my kids' bedrooms are still almost 80 F when it's time to…
Stephen Collings
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1
vote
1 answer

Can a WF beam run in the same direction as the wooden beams in a house?

I am creating a very basic visualization of a basement in a small house in NY that I do not have access to. I have little-to-no experience with engineering, architectural drawings, or construction. In this drawing of the basement, it appears that…
user399666
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1
vote
1 answer

Can I use a UPS in front of my A/C heat pump, to reduce surges in the house?

Hopefully this is on-topic here. I'm open if I should as on another SE site. We have an air conditioner heat pump outside, typical to most homes with one. When it kicks on, many of the lights dim for a split second. Assuming it is not an old unit…
New Alexandria
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1
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1 answer

Is there a way to find who holds the trademark?

WonderBoard is a cement-based backer board mainly used for tiling in wet places. Specifically, its components are Portland cement, expanded polystyrene (EPS) beads, aggregates, and fiberglass reinforcement. It looks like WonderBoard is also a…
zghqh
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1
vote
1 answer

In order to soundproof external noise, do I need to build wall stud on concrete walls?

I assume this wood framing is the wall stud. My room looks like as follow with concrete walls In order to soundproof external noise into my room (red circle), do I need to build wall stud?
zghqh
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1
vote
0 answers

Heat storage mass vs. AIR in an ICF house

If we would want to build a family house (ICF) regarding operational costs, should we leave the insulation on the inside, or should we remove it from the inside? If we would remove it, the walls would provide a great thermal mass. But if we would…
KollarA
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0
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0 answers

Ceiling pulley system for bed frame

I am in the initial process for a personal project I'd like to embark on. I would like to create a bed frame that hangs from the ceiling with some kind of pulley/winch system, mechanical or motorised, that allows me to retract it upwards for use of…
Papaa
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0
votes
2 answers

Are carbon fiber straps for foundation reinforcement based in research (are they effective?)

I've recently noticed that I have several long horizontal cracks in my basement foundation - likely caused by steady hydrostatic pressure (I live in a cold and wet climate in a 100~ year old house). In researching ways to reinforce the foundation,…
PropertyBrother
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0
votes
2 answers

How can I test/calculate the weight capacity of a shelf?

I have a shelf that I want to put a very small aquarium upon. However, I am concerned about how much it can hold. Is there a way I can safely test how many pounds it can safely handle? Are there methods to test what something can safely carry…
SpreadingKindness
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0
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0 answers

Which Timber LOK screws to reinforce shallow ridge, and how many?

I bought a tiny house shell that still needs some rafter reinforcement. I have chevron-shaped gussets from 1/2'' plywood that I'm going to glue and nail on either side of the middle gambrel joint on either side. For the ridge, I was thinking of…
abalter
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0
votes
1 answer

Light Switch Problem

I have a problem that I believe there is a solution to but I'm lacking in the knowledge on how to do so. There two switches in a building. Both are single pole single throw switches and cannot be changed or replaced. I need to make these operate…
denismoc
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