Water Heater Drip Needs Attention

One fine day, you walk past the water heater, and your foot gets wet. Hmm, that’s strange. You take a look and notice a very slow drip – drip – drip from the tube on the side of the water heater. That can’t be too bad. Just put a bucket under the tube to catch […]

Paint Over That Water Stain

Let’s say there was a leak in the drain for an upstairs bathroom that left a brown stain on the drywall below. No problem – you painted it with latex paint left over from painting the ceiling, and at first, it looked great. But a week later the stain started to bleed through the paint, […]

Clothes Dryer Venting – A Hidden Danger

Each year many home fires are caused by improperly maintained clothes dryers. The dryer and vent pipes can overheat and cause a fire. Vents plugged with lint will compound the problem. Don’t let your home become the next casualty. First, always follow the manufacturer’s requirements for cleaning the dryer lint screen. On most dryers, the […]

Patch the Hole Behind the Door

So the kids had a little shoving match, knocking against the bedroom door, and the doorknob smashed a hole in the drywall. They had done this before but never entirely punctured through the drywall. Those previous dents could be ignored, but the new hole needs to be fixed. Your experience with patching drywall has taught […]

Stains Around a Toilet = Serious Problem

Always be on the lookout for water leaks in your home, including little clues that could indicate bigger problems. For instance, if interior paint is bubbling or loose, you’re likely to find a water leak behind the paint. Around your toilet, check the vinyl flooring. Any gray stain in the vinyl that can’t be washed […]

Plumbing Vent? What Plumbing Vent?

All modern plumbing systems in residential construction have a plumbing vent. It doesn’t just vent unwanted odors from the drainage system to the outside; it serves an essential purpose by supplying air to the system. The plumbing drainage system in your home is called a drainage, waste, and vent (DWV) system. When water flows down […]

Paint That Metal Railing

You love the metal wrought-iron railing at the front of your home. It adds character and appeal to the entrance. What you don’t love is the rust on the rail and the brown rust stains on the concrete. Don’t fret. There’s a simple fix. Go to the hardware store and buy exterior metal primer and […]

Fix That Sticking Bifold Door

How to Fix That Sticking Bifold Door Those lousy folding doors on the closet. You can’t get them open, you can’t get them closed. A bifold door is one that is hinged in the middle and folds to open and close. In most cases, a simple adjustment will correct a sticking bifold door. Sometimes the […]

A Quick “Bucket” Fix to Flush the Toilet

A Quick Bucket Fix to Flush the Toilet You’ve turned off the water to the toilet because the tank or a plumbing fitting is leaking. But since this is your only toilet, it needs to be used before the plumber arrives tomorrow to fix the leak. How can you flush the toilet in the meantime? […]

Power Out? How To Free Your Car from the Garage

An automatic garage door operator is great. But when the power goes out, and the overhead door is down, your car is trapped inside. How do you get it out? Take a look at the garage door operator on the ceiling. It connects to the top of the garage door via a metal bar. On […]