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All About Home Inspections

High heat for home use is created with electricity or by igniting a gas such as propane, MAPP (methylacetylene-propadiene), or acetylene, each of which burns hotter than the last. While these gases will burn on their own using the oxygen in the air, to generate the most heat they need to be burned together with pure oxygen from a separate tank. The important thing is to match a tool’s heat output to the task at hand....

With loose cabinet doors that no longer close the way they should, the best way to decide how to adjust cabinet hinges is to first determine the cause. Loose cabinet doors can be the result of: How to Adjust Loose Cabinet Hinges: How to Fix a Loose Cabinet Door That Has Stripped Hinge Holes How to Fix a Cabinet Door That’s Sagging

We’ll walk you through the uses of the right tools for the right circumstances. Before digging, call 811 or your “Dig Safe” authority. And wear protective gear when using digging equipment. Jackhammer to break up concrete that’s thick. If you’re trying to remove concrete 3 inches deep or more, a jackhammer is your go-to tool. Rentable electric units will likely knock out that run-down sidewalk at the end of the driveway or small patio....

Why do we build? For me, the motivation is often practical: I see a piece of furniture that I love, but can’t abide the hefty price. Take this console cabinet, for example. I spotted a similar one online for $400. I loved its striking black color and cane door and drawer-front details. So I snapped a photo and did some research. My penny-pinching instincts again proved correct: I found that I could build it for about half the cost of the original....

Display Coffee Table Overview How to Size Your TV Cabinet Since televisions are measured on the diagonal, screen size doesn’t tell you anything. So before you select a bifold door, first measure the actual width of your TV. A bifold door consists of two panels joined by a bifold hinge. Doors are sold by width, including both panels, and come in stock sizes—typically 24, 30, or 36 inches. To find the right size for your TV, double the width of the door and compare it to the actual width of the TV....

Always check with your homeowners association and your county’s building department before erecting any structure in your yard. Ask about permits and local codes, particularly the depth required for setting your posts. Steps for Building a Pergola Follow these instructions to construct a simple 6-by-8-foot DIY wooden pergola in your backyard. Step 1: Choose a Location Choose a flat level area of your yard. If you don’t have a level area, grade the area by removing soil....

Steps for changing a circular saw blade

How to Choose Ground Cover Tools

How To Draw an Ellipse Drawing accurate ellipses can be tricky, as they often come out uneven or slightly lopsided. However, if you need to draw a quick ellipse to make a template or guide, this method will help. Resources Measure out your center line and place a nail at each end of the line leaving a little space outside. Wrap your string around the nails but stretch it up to where you want the top of the ellipse to be before securing the string to the nail....

Instead of worrying about your garage’s contents until the repairman can get there, try the following steps. More than likely, you’ll be able to make the repair yourself and save money on a service call. 7 Simple Methods for Fixing a Garage Door that Won’t Close 1. Check the Sensors If your garage door won’t close all the way, it’s probably an issue with your sensors. Garage door openers have safety lasers mounted near the floor by the tracks....

Yearly Home Inspection Checklist Electrical Check trees around the house to be sure they’re not threatening wires. Open the panel and look for new scorch marks around breakers or fuses. Also check outlets for scorch marks, which could be a sign of loose and sparking wires. Look for loose outlet covers, receptacles, and loose boxes, which may have to be refastened to the studs while the power is turned off. Test all GFCI outlets by plugging in a lamp and then hitting the test and reset buttons to see if it turns the light off and then on again....

What is Pegboard? Using a 1/4 inch masonite board with either 1/4 inch or 1/8 inch holes; these boards can be found at most home centers. Tom shows it can be as easy as mounting it up on an open stud bay. This will give the space needed to put peg hooks in without hitting the wall. If no open stud bay is available, mount scrap wood on top of existing studs to make room for the hooks....

Steps for Installing a Range Vent Hood Tools:

What to Do If Your Basement Floods First, water conducts electricity, so do not take even one step into a flooded basement unless the electricity is turned off at its source. If you are fortunate, your circuit breaker panel will be on the first floor, and you can cut the power for the basement while retaining electricity upstairs that you can use to power a pump. (Remember to keep the extension cord and the pump’s power cord out of the water....

At the stately 1930s-something home shown here, we installed 12 Intermatic fixtures in three different areas. Alongside the walkway leading to the entryway are six decorative aluminum fixtures that have a curved shepherd’s hook profile. Two 20-watt wall-wash fixtures are used to illuminate the white-painted lattice fence on either side of the walkway. At the base of each of the four evergreen shrubs growing against the house is a 20-watt shrub uplight....

Clean. Vacuum between passes, then wipe down the treads with a tack cloth. This step will ensure that dust and foreign debris like dirt won’t get trapped between the sand paper and treads. Sanding over dust and dirt can create tiny scratches that will show through once the final finish is added. A belt sander is not recommended here; it is too aggressive for this work. A ½ sheet or ¼ sheet finish sander can be used in lieu of a random orbital, but it is important to move the sander along the grain and not across it....

How to Remove Paint from Concrete using Acetone One way to remove paint from concrete is to use acetone, which works well for oil-based, acrylic, and enamel paints. Acetone’s available in quart and gallon sizes; you’ll need enough for a few applications for each job. You’ll also need: Bucket or hose Respirator mask Gloves Eye protection Acetone Stiff-bristled or wire brush Steps: How to Remove Paint from Concrete Using a Pressure Washer Pressure washers can be very helpful for removing stains from concrete....

Steps for repairing a sewer pipe