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Lifestyle

Never do these 50 things to your home

· · 8 min read
Pie-tins-on-water-heater-vent
A metallic duct is connected to another pipe, positioned near a basement ceiling surrounded by various plumbing and electrical elements in a dimly lit environment.

Your newfound free time presents a perfect time to tackle some DIY projects. Just don't make the mistakes and take the shortcuts these homeowners have done.

Tin Pan Alley

Cooling fins-or radiator fins-you be the judge. Or maybe it’s an attempt to stop the mice from using the ductwork as an elevated expressway?

Garage-Door-Hinge
A metal door bolt is secured with a lever, locking the door against a wooden frame, surrounded by a textured, slightly damaged wall.

Socket wrench hinge pin

Wow! This is a huge improvement over the coat hangers in the other hinges! Brilliant! A lesson in garage door repair might be in order.
Brew-Express-1200×1200
A coffee maker is mounted under a cabinet, while a person connects it to a hidden water source in a kitchen with stone countertops and tiled backsplash.

Did You Buy Five of the Same Coffee Makers?

You’re not going to be able to replace your coffee maker unless you have the same one. Oh, the joys of custom remodeling.

Garden-hose-drain-at-sink-1200×1200
A green hose connects to plumbing fixtures under a sink, surrounded by unfinished wood and a hole in the wall, indicating potential repair needs.

Keep Your Green Thumb Outdoors

How many garden hoses have you seen sprout a leak before? You’ll be growing a garden of a different kind with this set up. Here’s the right way to clean up mold, hint it doesn’t involve bleach. 

Electric-Baseboard-heater-in-shower-1200×1200

Heated Bathroom

The thought is nice. Walk out of the shower to a warm bathroom in winter but the execution is wrong because it could end in one.

Photo: Via Structure Tech

Ceiling-fan-above-bath-tub-(1)-1200×1200
A corner bathtub sits in a bright room, illuminated by a ceiling fan's light, surrounded by floral curtains and large windows overlooking greenery.

So Much For a Relaxing Bath

Image trying to take a relaxing soak when the ceiling fan starts wobbling. There’s a way to fix a wobbling ceiling fan but a better fix would be to remove this one.

Photo: Via Structure Tech

C.U.P.-Bathroom-1200×120
A black toilet sits in a mirrored bathroom, surrounded by stripes on the floor, with toiletries placed on top.

C.U.P Bathroom

Mirrored walls in this location are an interesting choice to say the least. There’s some debate on mirrored walls in the home but these 12 bathroom trends are definitely on the way out.

Photo: Via Structure Tech

Bath-tub-1200×1200
A white, curved bathtub filled with clear water is positioned in a small, tiled bathroom. Black and white tiles surround the tub, enhancing the space's modern aesthetic.

One Piece at a Time

Make do with what you’ve got, right? Looks like someone threw in a kitchen sink faucet instead of a bath faucet. Make sure you consider tub size and these important things when you buy a new bathtub.

Photo: Via Structure Tech

Small-Bathroom-1200×1200
A shower is running inside a small bathroom. A toilet is positioned next to it, with blue walls and a wooden door.

Small Bathroom

It would’ve been nice if someone would’ve just said, “No” before this project ever got started. It might be great for a ballet dancer who can tiptoe around but functionality is certainly something left to be desired.

Photo: Via Structure Tech

Shower-Light-1200×1200
A paper towel hangs overhead, partially covering a shower setup with a handheld nozzle, situated in a small, enclosed bathroom space.

Shower Light

Fluorescent lights above a shower? Without a cover?? The second question is probably immaterial, all things considered but talk about poor planning and unnecessary danger. You could be seeing a different kind of light real quick and you won’t have any choice about heading toward it. This is probably something the homeowner doesn’t know about since it’s obscured.

Photo: Via Structure Tech

Shower-built-into-ceiling-1200×1200
A colorful shower curtain hangs in a small, angled bathroom space, adjacent to a window covered with sheer fabric. The walls have a patterned design.

Shower Built into Ceiling

It’s an interesting way to add another shower but who knows if it’ll count as another bath on the listing. Make sure to pay attention to these important things when the appraiser comes to the house.

Photo: Via Structure Tech

Microwave-too-close-to-range-1200×1200
A black microwave sits above a black gas stove, with a coffee maker positioned in between, all set against a kitchen countertop and light-colored cabinetry.

Microwave Too Close to Range

We’ve advocated for placing a microwave underneath a cabinet to create more counter space but this is not a good idea. Pretty soon you’ll have a melting microwave.

Photo: Via Structure Tech

50 Super Dangerous Signs That Could Kill a Home Buy
A kitchen features wooden cabinets, a sink with a faucet, and a countertop with a gas stove, illuminated by natural light from a nearby window.

A Hood Fan in a Far, Far Away Spot

This would work great if the stovetop was about two feet higher. The hood fan is far too far away from the range and can lead to a build up of smoke in the kitchen if you’re not careful. Make sure you’ve got these 11 tips included on your kitchen cleaning checklist.

Photo: Via Structure Tech

Huge-Shower-1200×1200
Water sprays from multiple showerheads in a modern bathroom, surrounded by tiled walls and large windows, allowing natural light to fill the space.

Spa Shower

Where to begin with this one? What? Are you running a health club? Hate to see the water bill for one shower.

Photo: Via Structure Tech

Kitchen-sink-obstructed-1200×1200
A white electric stove stands next to a stainless steel sink on a granite countertop, situated in a kitchen with wooden cabinets and light-colored walls.

Obstructed Kitchen Sink

All those yoga classes will come in handy when trying to reach something under the sink.

Photo: Via Structure Tech

JosephPasaturoBath sink on top of toilet
A wall-mounted sink is positioned above a toilet, with plumbing exposed below. Soap dispensers sit nearby in a simple, enclosed bathroom environment.

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.
Fuel-oil-tanks-painted-like-cows
A large, black-and-white painted fuel tank resembling a cow is situated against a wall, with pipes attached, in a dimly lit basement.

Find the Fuel Oil Tanks in this Picture

If you’re painting metal, do the prep work the right way. That way your artwork will stand the test of time.

Photo: Courtesy of Structure Tech

fh17may_578_53_r03 toilet with door cutout
A white toilet is positioned beside a partially open door, revealing a tiled bathroom with beige walls in the background.

Skillfully Unnecessary Scribe

Bonus: You can visit with your toddler while your taking care of business. If the door opened the correct way, there would have been no scribing required.
Toboggan ice-dam solution
A blue sled hangs from the ceiling, with a red funnel connected to a black tube leading into a white bucket on a yellow table, surrounded by snowy windows.

Toboggan ice-dam solution

Granted, this is quite a clever setup. But it seems like it might be less work to fix the ice-dam problem!
Eric-Korpon_Drove-My-Chevy hubcap flue cap
A metallic vent protrudes from a gray shingle roof, featuring a circular cap with a logo, surrounded by darkened material indicating wear or leakage.

Hubcap Flue Cap

Well that's one way to keep the rain away from your furnace. But there are official rain caps that you can buy at the home center. Photo: Courtesy of Structure Tech
Low-Shower
A white bathtub features a chrome faucet and showerhead. Surrounding it is a tiled wall with light and dark square accents in a neutral-colored room.

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.
CO-Alarm great goof home inspector nightmares carbon monoxide monitor on cable outlet
A hand installs a round smoke detector into a wall-mounted bracket in a light-colored room, with a blue object visible on the floor nearby.

Poor Cable Detector?

Determined to find out if carbon monoxide was at fault for his poor cable reception, uncle Walter devised a plan…
Kitchen-Fan not safe
A kitchen range hood is mounted above a stove, venting smoke. Below are cooking utensils, a kettle, and decorative elements on the wall.

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.
Lots-of-roof-vents
A sloped roof with dark shingles is topped with ventilation caps, surrounded by vibrant green trees under a bright, sunny sky.

March of the roof vents

Yes, attic venting is important. This, however, might be a bit much. Maybe trying to save on shingles?
Look-under-the-carpet
A rolled-up rug rests on polished wooden floors, partially revealing the flooring beneath, with a small table and doorway visible in the background.

One way to save money on flooring

I've got a great idea! We don't need new flooring under the rug. Nobody will ever know.
Hanging-Fan hung by electrical cable and hanger
A ceiling fan hangs from a wooden beam, with exposed wiring and a yellow clip, inside a dimly lit room with bare walls.

Hardhat Area

It's never a good idea to hang a ceiling fan from electrical cable only. They make ceiling fan braces that make the job safe and easy.
Corner-Toilet wall cutout fix
A white toilet tank is positioned beside a wall, with text below labeling its price as "under $100." An inset shows a different tank priced "over $300."

Which problem solver would you choose?

There are always options when it comes to buying a toilet - some better than others.
Duct-tape-drains
White pipes, wrapped in gray tape, are positioned under a sink, with a damaged wall nearby, indicating potential plumbing issues in a cluttered space.

Duct Tape Compression Fittings

What's weird about this is that it appears that the drain parts are brand new. Installing drainlines and p-traps under a sink doesn't normally call for duct tape. Bound to be a few plumbing leaks here.
Medical-Lights-in-Garage
A ceiling-mounted light fixture with adjustable arms illuminates a room featuring wall cabinets, a television, and a door, creating a functional workspace.

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 cheap garage storage projects you can DIY.

Outlet-in-fireplace-1200×1200
A collection of various candles in shades of red, yellow, blue, and green is positioned on a dusty fireplace floor beside a metal tool.

Outlet in Fireplace

The home comes with a fireplace but it’s merely decorative because there’s an outlet in it. Tough sell.

Photo: Via Structure Tech

Obstructed-Cleanout-1200×1200
A corner baseboard is slightly detached, revealing a piece of white trim lying on a light-colored carpet with visible fibers and specks.

Cleanout Cutout

Nice job with the baseboard but how the heck do you expect to get the cleanout plug out?

Photo: Via Structure Tech

Lint-Screen-1200×1200
A dirty window sits in a wall, partially obscured by debris. Green, variegated hosta leaves grow in front, enhancing the outdoor setting.

Lint Screen

Maybe it’s a good thing all the lint collects in one spot, it could be easier to clean. But then again it doesn’t look like cleaning is happening. Dryer lint is responsible for around 25,000 fires every four years. It’s one of the 20 hidden hazards in your house you need to know about.

34 Silent Signs That Your House is Failing
Wooden beams are overhead, secured with metal brackets, while a brown wall below features electrical equipment, surrounded by a gravel surface.

Joist Hangers Into Stucco

There’s no ledger board with this deck and that should be cause for concern. There is nothing right about this. Here’s the correct way to attach a deck to a house.

Homemade-undercabinet-light-1200×1200
A light socket hangs from the ceiling, while a glass tube-shaped bulb is mounted securely nearby, surrounded by a cracked ceiling and wooden shelves.

Homemade Under-Cabinet Light

Someone is tempting fate with this light under a cabinet. It plugs right into an outlet, but it looks like it could be prone to breaking by bumping into it and there’s a serious issue with the amount of heat it’s giving off. There’s not enough clearance for the light be situated there. this guy should know that inexpensive LED low-voltage kits are available at every home center. We show you how to find the right LED lights.

Photo: Via Structure Tech

High-Air-Conditioner-1200×1200
A wall-mounted air conditioning unit is suspended from a house exterior, with electrical cables connected, set against a backdrop of gray siding and foliage.

High Air Conditioner

Better hope that platform is rated to handle some incredible weight.

Photo: Via Structure Tech

Garage-door-spring-on-screw-1200×1200
A spring and bracket system is mounted on a garage ceiling beam, showing a close-up of the metal coil and its connection to the structure.

Garage Door Spring on Screw

Garage door springs carry a tremendous amount of tension and having one supported by a screw poses serious danger.

Photo: Via Structure Tech

Furnace-on-blocks-1200×1200
A heating unit rests on cinder blocks in a basement, with a wooden panel and a box partially visible in the background on the concrete floor.

Furnace on Blocks

Your car on blocks is one thing but your furnace is another thing.

Photo: Via Structure Tech

FH17JUN_579_20_025-1200×1200
A gray power cord is plugged into a white electrical outlet on a beige wall, showing minor damage around the outlet area.

You Don’t Have the Power

Don’t, just don’t, run an extension cord through a wall. Extension cords can never be buried or hidden inside a wall. In fact, you shouldn’t even hide them under rugs or carpets. There are too many things that could go wrong and it’ll be too late before you know about it.

Photo: Via Structure Tech

FH17JUN_579_20_017-1200×1200
A light bulb is suspended overhead, connected to pipes above a wooden framework. A string hangs beside it, suggesting a pull switch mechanism.

A Real Scorcher

An incandescent light bulb will kick out some heat if left on for an extended period of time and when one is near something with a low ignition point, watch out. At the very least this bulb should be replaced with an LED. Something like this is just one of the many hidden hazards in your home.

Electric-space-heater-1200×1200
A wooden shelf holds a telephone and a calculator, while various electrical cords are tangled below, adjacent to a heating unit, in a room with red carpet.

Baseboard Heater?

Does that baseboard heater … ? Yes, yes it does run through the partition and several cords rest near it. Make sure you know these important things about using baseboard heaters and space heaters before using them.

Dryer-duct-gutter-1200×1200
A brown gutter system is installed along the edge of a sloped roof, directing water flow down the side of a light-colored textured wall.

Dryer Duct Gutter

Who are they fooling with this fix? It’s admirable that they went to the trouble of painting a dryer vent the same color as the other gutters but you have to figure someone would see it. It is an unusual spot in the roof but this cheap fix isn’t the right solution. Maybe they ran out of gutters when they repurposed them into planters like this.

Photo: Via Structure Tech

Downspout-hidden-in-column-1200×1200
A green pipe extends horizontally from a white column, beneath a wooden ceiling with a textured pattern, indicating an interior architectural space.

Downspout Hidden in Column

This is either really dumb or really cool. It’s kind of hard to imagine it being dumb because if you were going to run a downspout through a column you make sure it was safe, right? Hopefully it’s not a structural column.

carpet-over-floor-register-1200×1200
A thermal camera displays a warm spot on a carpeted floor beside a wooden shelf, indicating a temperature of 92.7°F, in a living room setting.

Carpet Over Floor Register

These heat sensor photos can reveal a lot like this one that shows a floor register that has been carpeted over. Seems like quick fix but how do you forget about the register when you re-carpet?

Photo: Via Structure Tech

Boulder-Footing-1200×1200
A wooden post rests on a large, moss-covered rock, surrounded by tall green grass and leafy plants, creating a natural, overgrown setting.

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.

Photo: Via Structure Tech

Baseboard-heater-in-crawlspace-1200×1200
A duct bends under a wooden structure, connected to a heater on a dirty floor, with cables running through a cluttered, dusty environment.

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.

Photo: Via Structure Tech

Bad-Egress-1200×1200
A metal ladder leans against the side of a house, leading up to a sloped roof near a window, surrounded by greenery and a peaceful residential atmosphere.

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.

Photo: Via Structure Tech

Adjustable-support-column-1200×1200
A vertical black support post stabilizes a wooden beam under a staircase in a dimly lit basement, with concrete walls and scattered construction materials visible.

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.

Photo: Via Structure Tech

AC-Condenser-installed-in-deck-1200×1200
An air conditioning condenser sits on a wooden deck, surrounded by debris. An inset diagram outlines clearance requirements for optimal airflow around the unit.

Does the Table Go Above it Now?

Somebody booted this deck project, but then again it should’ve probably never got started. The door to the deck is low off the ground and with the air conditioner near it, it’s impossible to create a deck with enough clearance for the AC unit and not need stairs from the door. Just take the whole thing down. Generate some deck ideas after looking at these inspiring deck designs.

Photo: Via Structure Tech

34 Silent Signs That Your House is Failing
A thermal camera shows a person extending an arm in a room, while another image depicts a man touching a wall, possibly inspecting or repairing it.

Covered Basement Window

We’ve seen floor registers covered, now check out the opposite. That’s right, someone covered a window with drywall in the basement. OK. Make sure to check out these 25 tips on converting a basement into a living space before covering up windows.

Photo: Via Structure Tech

Tags: Home Garden
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