Tricks for Replacing a Broken Light Bulb
Light bulbs in exterior fixtures and damp locations like bathrooms are notorious for sticking in the socket. Turning the dead bulb to replace it, you hear the crunch of breaking glass – yuck! A new and messy fix-it job. To prevent a bulb from sticking in the first place, lubricate its round metal threads with […]
No Heat? Try This Before Calling for Service
As autumn settles in, there’s no heat in your house, and it’s getting cold. The furnace worked fine in the spring. Why is it stubborn now when you need it? You don’t want to spend money on a service call if you don’t have to, so check these things first. All heating appliances have an […]
What’s Your Home’s Largest Energy-Waster?
We all work hard at tightening up our homes to save energy and money. In fact, most energy improvements are good for the environment and also make our homes more comfortable. One of the biggest energy-wasters is the trap door to the attic. In many cases there is no weatherstripping or insulation around it. Warm […]
When Your Kitchen Faucet Slows Down
Your plumbing system works fine everywhere in the house – except at the kitchen sink, where the volume and force of water are petering out. What’s going on? There may be a quick fix. The spout often contains an aerator that introduces air into the water, so the flow seems stronger, even though the flow […]
Use the Right Plug…or Else
Electrical plugs and outlets are designed to keep you safe from electrical shock and to protect the device you’re using. Take advantage of this by making sure you match the plug with the correct electrical outlet. Once upon a time, you could insert a two-prong plug the wrong way into a wall outlet, resulting in […]
Pop-Up Stopper Sticks
Most bathroom sinks have a “pop-up” sink stopper that opens and closes when you operate a small knob or lever built into the faucet. Push it down, and the stopper pops up to drain the sink; lift it , and the stopper closes. Most of these mechanisms need adjustments from time to time, and many […]
Turn That Gas Off
If your home has natural gas or propane appliances, you should know where the gas valves are located and how to turn them off. All gas appliances are required to have a special valve located on the pipe near the appliance. Look at your gas cooking range – you should see a valve just behind […]
Compact Fluorescents
OK, for many years compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) were a bit of a pain. They provided an eerie color, took a long time to reach full brightness, never worked outdoors in cold weather, and failed early. Most of those problems have been solved in the last 20 years. Now it’s hard to resist these lamps, […]
Fixing a Drip at the Bathroom Fan
So you run the bath exhaust fan to remove moisture – but then you get that drip, drip, drip from the fan on your nice clean rug. Bath exhaust fans should not drip. If yours does, there’s something wrong with it. First, check the exhaust ducting or tubing; it should be insulated, straight, and vented […]
The Rain May Drain, But It’s Not a Pain
When a rain gutter and downspout send their discharge below grade to a pipe, it may appear that rainwater is draining into a sanitary sewer, but it really isn’t. In municipal areas with sewer systems, gutter (rainwater) discharge is normally routed into a storm sewer. This storm piping routes water to rivers and streams and […]