Adjustable Support Column
Adjustable support columns like this with steel supporting pins should only be used as temporary support columns, according to an American Society of Home Inspectors article.
Bad Deck Support
Decks just aren’t something you want to mess around with no matter how high they are off the ground. The risk of harm is great when a deck collapses. Make sure you know the signs of early deck failure or safety hazards.
Bad Egress
Nothing about this screams safety or viable emergency escape. It looks bolted to the roof and there’s a chain to help keep it in place. This is one of those scary things home inspectors find, like a beaver in the attic.
Bad Deck Support
Something tells us a support system for an upper deck shouldn’t look like a woodpile. Might be a little wobbly on that upstairs landing. Then again, you may be taking flying lessons if you try to use it. Check out these 7 deck building tips to avoid any catastrophe like this.
Bad Roof Design
Hmm, hope the gutters work. Maybe who ever constructed this roof tried making some kind of artistic architectural statement. What’s sure is that a roof slanted towards a vertical wall will never work no matter how creative you get with a gutter system. Make cleaning your gutters a lot easier with these 25 gutter hints.
Baseboard Heater in Crawl Space
It might sound like a good idea to heat your crawl space in winter to perhaps prevent frozen pipes and warm your house a little more but it’s extremely dangerous. It’s a huge fire hazard and at the end of the day, it’s not going to warm your place any more, at least until the house stops burning. It’s better to insulate the crawl space because it can save you a ton of money and block it to prevent pests from getting in.
Beam Splice Not Over Post at Deck
Somebody’s tape measure must’ve been off when they put together this deck. Looks pretty unsafe considering the splice is only sitting on a sliver of the post. Most building codes require at least one inch of bearing wherever a beam is supported by a post. Fall in love with outdoor amenities like one of these gorgeous outdoor bars.
Beam Through Chimney
Yup, that’s a beam going right through a chimney. We’re guessing/hoping the chimney isn’t in use anymore. You’d never find something like this inside the most expensive home in your state.
Bent Outlet Cover
This might deserve a showing in the Museum of Modern Art for how well the outlet cover bent and hasn’t broken. It pays to put some thought into electrical box placement to avoid this stuff from happening. It reminds us of a fan we once saw with similar artistic qualities.
Boulder Footing
If this boulder wasn’t been used for a footing on a deck we swear we could’ve mistaken it for the brain of the person who came up with this idea. Discover the surefire way to get perfect deck footings with these tips.
Leaking Faucet
That's the definition of "hard water." On the plus side, the water spraying out should soon melt the icicle. Might be time for a new faucet and maybe to install a freeze detector in the house.
A Garage Prepped for Elective Surgery
Come on down to Bob's Really Good Surgery Shack! This week's special is brain transplants! Actually, this might provide pretty good shop lighting in the garage.
Plus: Check out these 16 cheap garage storage projects you can DIY.Mouse Apocalypse
More Duct Tape Ingenuity
Breaker Panel Convenience
The Rocky Throne
Mail Slot?
Legends of the Fall
Wayne Gretzky's Boyhood Home
Beaver in the Attic!
Follow the Arrows
Leaning Porch
When Copper and Steel Collide
Duct Tape Compression Fittings
Cris Carter's Basement
Shopping Notes
Salvador Dali’s Ceiling Fan
Ladder Extender Part 2
This is just a temporary solution until the 10"-thick slab is poured. Install an attic ladder as a handy way to use your rafter space in the garage.
Photo: Courtesy of Structure TechSee-Through Plumbing
That's Not PEX
Dr. Frankenstein's wall switch
Dryer Vent
Which problem solver would you choose?
Leaking fill valve repair
Flying Wallenda's Family Home
Watch Your Head!
Not a DIY Mini-Split
Plywood window well
Pillars of the earth
Brilliant extension ladder leg extender
Crop circles in the attic
Liberty Bell
Hardhat Area
Brick Work Gone Bad
Wine cork plug
Bust'n out!
Ice wars
One way to save money on flooring
Boy-O-Boy!
Ho boy!
Honey, let's have a block party?
March of the roof vents
You Can Still Use the Garbage Can
Deck Stair Layout Headache
What's wrong?
Ceiling kitchen venting
Marion loved the smell of her cooking so much, it seemed a waste to vent all of the wonderful aromas outside. Generally, most people would prefer kitchen venting to exhaust outside the house.
Photo: Courtesy of Structure TechHow not to add lighting
Duct Tape Wall
Hard hat area
Look closely
"Dear, why the heck aren’t the clothes getting dry?"
Proper grounding-not!
Hot Wired
Poor Cable Detector?
Blocked vent?
A shower found in Munchkinland
After mom and dad moved out, the toddlers decided to make the bathroom more user-friendly. But when they grow up they're gonna have to install a new shower.
Dryer vent follies
Hubcap Flue Cap
A Potentially Shocking Disposer
Toboggan ice-dam solution
Skillfully Unnecessary Scribe
No Fuse, Big Problem
Why buy studs?
Now that's a maintenance-free finish!
Liberace's guest bath
Strange brew
Find the Fuel Oil Tanks in this Picture
What the wall usually sees
Half-Hidden Outlet
Jacked-Up House
Kitchen exhaust vent routing fun
Plumbing Diverticulosis
The More the Merrier!
Floating stairs
Heat duct or exhaust vent…
Extra clothes rod
A Wee Bit of an Access Issue
Medusa
Do NOT look this mess in the eye! You'll turn to stone! I think these supply lines could be a bit shorter. Plus the water pressure is bound to be affected.
Photo: Courtesy of Structure TechYou're not fully clean unless you're Zestfully clean!
All employees MUST wash their hands before returning to work!
Genius! With this setup, you can wash your hands and your feet at the same time! A small bathroom requires a certain amount of planning.
Beer can inspection panel
I'm melllltttting
Little Johnny got a magnifying glass for his birthday and set out to harness the power of the sun and melt the neighbor's house. Obviously, this house is in need of some siding replacement!
Structural stucco
Desk fan attic venting
Don't fall for this trap
3 way switches
Return Air Downspout
A fat siding guy's nightmare
What's a TPR Valve?
Not willing to be outwitted by a water heater, Jim decided that the TPR (temperature, pressure relief) valve should only drip when he wanted it to drip. A TPR valve is an important safety feature, and the photo shown above is NOT an appropriate solution!
Redacted
Mouse trap gauntlet
Determined to have Martha's mouse-pelt coat ready for Christmas, Karl set about the task with never-before-seen enthusiasm. There are many ways to get rid of mice in your home.