Tableofcontents

Preface

1Understandyourplumbingsystem

2Understandyourheatingsystem

3Understandyourwaterheater

4Pushabutton,save$100

5Makeapplianceslast

6Keepyourwatersoftenerhealthy

7Savewater

8Preventburstpipes

9Dryupawetbasement

10Saveonhomeinsurance

11Makeyourcarpetlast

12Improveyourinsulation

13Cutheatingcosts

14Cleanyourairconditioner

15Cutcoolingcosts

16Protectyourelectronics

17Understandyourelectricalsystem

18Eliminateants

19Getridofmice

20Defeattermites

21Protectagainstpetdamage

22Don’tkillyourlawnmower

Bonussection:Ourfavoritestoragetips

23Guardagainstcarbonmonoxide

24Radonkills

25Testforleadpaint

26Stopmoldandmildew

27Preventhomefires

28Replacesmokealarms

29Bereadyforfire

30Cleanyourdryervent

31Keepcrooksout

32Burglar-proofyourgarage

33Hideyourvaluables

34Bereadyforblackouts

35Canyoucountonyoursumppump?

36Findyourshutoffvalves

37Worksafely

38Staysafeinastorm

39Bepreparedforroofdamage

Bonussection:Besthomehints

40Remodelwithoutregrets

41Cutremodelingcosts

42Decoratesmart

43Choosethebestflooring

44Choosethebestfaucet

45Movefurniturethesmartway

46Hangpicturesstraightandlevel

47Hangaheavymirror

48Pickapaintcoloryou’lllove

49Pickthebestpaintforthejob

50Prepforaneaterpaintjob

51Paintlikeapro

52Rollpaintright

53Spraypaintperfectly

54Hirethebestroofer

55Hirethebestpaintingcontractor

56Findyourpropertylines

Bonussection:Greatestgoofs

57Masteryourdrill

58Drivescrewslikeapro

59Masterthejigsaw

60Measureaccurately

61Masterthehammer

62Findastud

63Bereadyforanything

64Finishwoodflawlessly

65Caulklikeapro

66Installwireshelving

67Connectcoaxcableright

68Replacealightfixture

69Makehomechoreseasier

70Washwindowslikeapro

71Cleanfaster,cleanbetter

72Makeyardchoreseasier

73Growagreatlawn

74Mowsmarter

75Sharpenamowerblade

76Winagainstweeds

77Plantatree

78Prunelikeapro

Bonussection:Bestproblemsolvers

79Fixatoilet

80Unplugatoilet

81Stopleaksunderthesink

82Unclogasink

83Fixanoutdoorfaucet

84Cleanacloggedfaucet

85Fixaloosetowelbar—forever!

86Tuneupyourcabinets

87Renewgrungygrout

88Fixadoor

89Tuneupclosetdoors

90Patchwallsperfectly

91Fixfurniturefast

92Repairconcrete

93Fixappliancesyourself—andsave

94Fixyourfurnace

95Lubeitright

96Warmupacoldroom

97Coolahotroom

98Curecondensation

99Defeatodors

100Quietyourhome

Bonussection:Incrediblyeasyfixes

Quiz

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No.1

UnderstandyourplumbingsystemBasicknowledgeforbetterdecisionsWhenitcomestohomerepairsandimprovements,you’reincharge.Butwhentheplumberseemstobespeakingaforeignlanguage,it’stoughtomakeasmartcall.Sotakefiveminutestogetacquaintedwithyoursystem.Thebasicsaresimplerthanyoumightthink.

TheDWVsystemThedrain,wasteandventsystemcarrieswasteoutofyourhouseandintothecitysewerlines.Soundssimpleenough.Butforplumbers,it’strickierthanthesupplysystem.Therearemorecoderequirementstofollow,andmoreknow-howisneededtomakeitworkwell.

ThemostimportantDWVruleisthis:Everydrainmusthaveatrap,andeverytrapmusthaveavent.Traps,thoseU-shapedpipesyouseeundersinks,holdwastewater,whichpreventsnastysewergasfromflowingupintoyourhome.Ventsaresimplypipesthatleadoutsidethroughtheroof.Withoutavent,waterflowingthroughatrapcreatesavacuumandsiphonsthetrapdry.Byallowingairintothesystem,ventsactasavacuumbreaker.

Drain,wasteandventsystemDrainandwastelines(showninblue)mustincludetraps,whichkeepsewergasfromenteringyourhome.Vents(showninyellow)breakthesiphoneffectofflowingwastetokeepwaterinthetraps.

ThewatersupplysystemYourwatersupplysystemtapsintothecitywatermain,runsthroughameterthatmeasuresyourwaterusageandthenbranchesthroughoutyourhome.Thebranchlinesinyourhomemaybeanyofthetypesshownbelow.Olderhomesaresometimesmuseumsofpipehistory,includingseveraltypesofpipe.

AiradmittancevalvesAnAAVletsairintotheDWVsystem,butnotout,soitcantaketheplaceofaventpiperunningupthroughtheroof.Onremodelingprojects,thatcansavetheplumberalotofwork—andyoualotofmoney—ifit’sallowedbyyourlocalcode.AAVsaren’tallowedinallsituations.

Pipetypesforwatersupply

GalvanizedsteelUnlikeothertypesofpipe,galvanizedsteelalmostalwayshasthreaded,screw-togetherconnections.Itslifeexpectancyisabout70years,butsomecentury-oldgalvanizedpipesarestillinservice.Ifyouhavegalvanizedpipeandlowflowatfaucets,chancesarethepipeistoblame.Galvanizedpipeispronetomineralbuildupthateventuallychokesoffthewaterflow.Completereplacementisthebestcure,butyoucanoftenimproveflowjustbyreplacinganyexposedhorizontalpipes.

CopperpipeCopperwasthestandardwatersupplypipefordecadesuntillesscostly

Copperwasthestandardwatersupplypipefordecadesuntillesscostlymaterialsbecameavailable.Itcanbeconnectedinseveralways,butmostjointsaresealedbymeltingmetalsolderintothejoint.Thelifespanofcopperdependsonthelocalwater.Insomeareas,itlastsaslittleas25years.Inothers,itlaststwoorthreetimesthatlong.

PEXPEXisflexible,soit’smucheasiertoinstallthanothertypesofpipe.That,pluslowcostandimmunitytoaggressivewater,makeitthemostcommonchoicefornewwaterlines.PEXisalatecomertoNorthAmerica,buthasbeenusedfordecadesinEurope.PEXcomesinarangeofcolors.

CPVCUnlikemetals,thisplasticpipedoesn’tcorrode,soit’sbeencommoninregionswith“aggressive”waterforthepast40years.CPVCconnectionsareusuallymadewithaglue-likecement,butcompressionfittings(shownhere)andothermethodscanalsobeused.

No.2

UnderstandyourheatingsystemBasicknowledgeforsmarterdecisionsWhenanHVAC(heating,ventilating,airconditioning)systembreaksdown,mosthomeownersareatthemercyoftherepairtechnicianbecausetheyknownothingaboutthesystem.Andthat’sashame,becausethebasicsareeasytounderstand.

Mosthomeshave“forced-air”systems;airisheatedanddistributedthroughoutthehouse.Themainadvantageofthisapproachisthattheaircanalsobecooledorhumidified.Hydronicsystems(whichheatwaterratherthanair)can’tdothat.

HowitheatsTheheartofanyfurnaceistheheatexchanger,thesteelboxwheregasoroilburns.Outsidethebox,airfromthereturnductsisheatedandflowsthroughoutthehouse.Whenheatexchangerswearout,theycrack,anddangerousfumesfromtheburningfuelseepintotheair.(That’sonereasonyoumusthaveacarbonmonoxidedetectorinyourhome.)Heatexchangersareexpensive.Replacingthewholefurnaceusuallymakesmoresensethanreplacingtheexchangeronly.

HowitcoolsInsummer,theheatexchangerisidleandairflowspastitandup

Insummer,theheatexchangerisidleandairflowspastitandupthroughthe“coil”orcoolingunit.Thecoldfinsofthecoilremoveheatfromtheair.Thatheatiscarriedoutdoorsthroughtubingthatcontainsrefrigerant.Theoutdoorunitthenremovesheatfromtherefrigerant,whichflowsbacktotheindoorcoil.

TheductsystemTheductsystemhastwopartsthatworktogether:supplyducts,whichdistributeheatedorcooledairtorooms,andreturnducts,whichcarryairbacktothefurnace.Ablowerfankeepsairflowingthroughthesystem.

TheventsystemWithtraditionalventsystems,exhaustgasesarecarriedoutsidebygravity—warmgasesriseupthechimney(asshown).Butnewer,higher-efficiencyfurnacessqueezesomuchheatoutoftheburningfuelsthattheexhaustgasesaren’twarmenoughtorise.Sothosefurnacesincludeasmallfantoblowgasesoutside,oftenthroughaplasticpipethatexitsthroughawall.Asecondpipecarriesoutdoorairinsidetosupplycombustionair.

Voiceofexperience

Needanewfurnace?BuyingadvicefromanHVACpro•DON’TGOWITHTHELOWESTBIDIfyougetabidthat’smuchlowerthantheothers,besuspicious.Thecontractormaybeusinglow-cost(andlow-knowledge)labor.Mostbreakdownsarecausedbypoorinstallationratherthandefectiveequipment.

•HAVEAPROINSTALLANEWTHERMOSTATFurnacesandthermostatshavebecomecomputerized.Makingthemworktogethertakessomeseriousknow-how.

•TOPEFFICIENCYPROBABLYWON’TPAYOFFFurnaceswiththehighestefficiencyratingscostmoreupfrontandmuchmoretorepair.Soafurnaceratedinthelowormid90sislikelyabetterdealthanoneinthehigh90s.

high90s.

•GETITALLINWRITINGGowithacontractorwhoprovidesadetailed,writtenproposalcoveringeverythingthatwillandwon’tbedone.Itshouldlistthemodelnumbersoftheequipmentandthecostsofanyplumbing,ventingorelectricalwork.

DaveJones,PE,HVACengineerandTheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

Isyourductworkrobbingyou?Leakyductworkcanwaste40percentofyourheatingandcooling

Leakyductworkcanwaste40percentofyourheatingandcoolingdollars.Ductworkwithoutinsulationcanwaste30percent.Thesolutionsaretosealductconnectionswithaluminumtapeandsiliconecaulk,andtoinsulateductsinatticsandcrawlspaces.Theworkissimpleandyoucansavemoneybydoingityourself.Butworkinginatticsandcrawlspacesisjustplainmiserable.Sobeforeyougothroughthatordeal,hireanHVACprotoinspectandtestyourducts.Ifyourhomewasbuiltwithinthelast15years,yourductsareprobablywellinsulatedandsealed.

No.3

UnderstandyourwaterheaterBasicknowledgeprotectsyourhomeandyourwalletIt’soneofthebestthingsaboutlivinginmoderntimes:hotwaterwheneveryouwantit.Butitcomeswithrisks.Ignoredormistreated,awaterheatercanharmyouandyourhome.

WaterheateranatomyAwaterheaterisbasicallyabigholdingtank.Beneathagaswaterheater(shownhere),aburner—similartotheoneonagasrange—heatsthetank.Onanelectricwaterheater,twoheatingelementsinsidethetankheatthewater.

Never,everblockthereliefvalveAswaterheatsup,itexpandswithtremendousforce—enoughtofracturethetankandlaunchthewaterheaterthroughtheroof(seriously,thatdoesoccasionallyhappen).Thetemperatureandpressurereliefvalvepreventsthisbyopeningifthetankpressurebecomestoohigh.Butwhenareliefvalveletsoffalittlepressure(orjustleaks),somehomeowners“fix”itbypluggingthevalveorthepipeconnectedtoit.Avery,verybadidea.

TurndowntheheatWaterheaterssettoohotsendthousands(mostlykids)toemergencyroomseachyear.Mostsafetyexpertsrecommendasettingof120degreesF.Butsincemosttemperaturecontrolsdon’thaveanynumbersonthem,settingthemisn’tsosimple.Herewhattodo:Runhotwateratthetapclosesttothewaterheaterforatleastthreeminutes.Thenfillaglassanddropinacookingthermometer.Ifthereadingismorethan120degrees,turndownthedial,waitaboutthreehoursandtestagain.

Fixorreplace?Tomakethatdecision,keeptwothingsinmind:•Awaterheater’slifeexpectancyis10to15years.•Eventhesmallestrepairdonebyaplumberwillcostyouatleast10percentofthecostofreplacement;20to30percentismorelikely.Soifyourunitis10yearsold,replacementisusuallysmarterthanprofessionalrepairs.Evenifit’sjust8yearsold,considerreplacementratherthanlargerepairs.

Thetwomostcommonbreakdowns

GaswaterheaterfailureAbadthermocoupleshutsoffthegasandyougetnohotwater.Replacingthethermocoupleisasimplefix.

ElectricwaterheaterslowdownOneofthetwoheatingelementsburnsout,whichleavesyouwithinsufficienthotwater,lukewarmwaterorjustcoldwater.Replacingtheelementsisthesolution.

Gotapuddle?Lookout!Waterheaterssometimesleakfromthedrainvalveorreliefvalve.Thosevalvesareeasytoreplace.Butifaleakiscomingfromthetank,you’vegotserioustrouble.Thetankislinedwithathincoatofglass.Overyears,thatglassbeginstocrack,thesteelbeginstorustawayandapuddleappears.Leftalone,thetankwilleventuallyrupture,causinganinstantflood.Itmaytakemonthsforaleaktobecomeaflood,oritmaytakedays.Butitwillhappen.Don’tgamble.Replacethattimebombnow.

Willatanklesswaterheatersavemoney?Atank-stylewaterheaterwastesalotofenergy,justbykeepingwaterhotuntilyouneedit.Atanklessheater,ontheotherhand,heatswateronlywhenyouneedit.Andthatmakesit30to50percentmoreefficientthantank-styleheaters.Buttanklessheatersareexpensive;installation,plusthecostoftheunititself,oftenadduptoapricetagtwoorthreetimesthecostofatank-styleheater.Here’showtoweighthecostsandsavings:Startwithacouplebidsfromprofessionalinstallers.Makesureit’satotalbidthatcoverseverythinginvolved.Thensearchonlinefor“tanklesswaterheatersavingscalculator.”Suppliedwithdetails(yourenergycosts,wateruse,etc.),anonlinecalculatorcanestimateyoursavingsandpaybackperiod.

No.4

Pushabutton,save$100Don’tcallforarepairuntilyoucheckforpowerRepairtechniciansreportthatahugepercentage(upto30percent!)oftheirservicecallsrequireonlythepushofabuttonortheflipofaswitchtorestoretheelectricalpower.Thatcoststhehomeowneraminimumservicecharge(typically$50to$100),plusembarrassment.Here’showtomakesurethatdoesn’thappentoyou.

PresstheresetbuttononGFCIsSometimesallthebathroomoutletsorseveralexteriorlightsarepoweredthroughasingleGFCIlocatedinonebathroomorelsewhere,suchasinabasement.SimplypushtheresetbuttonontheGFCIandyoucouldbebackinbusiness.

Voiceofexperience

It’shappenedamilliontimes:Theonly‘repair’Imakeistoplugintheunpluggedappliance.ButIstillhavetochargefortheservicecall.

CostasStavrou,appliancerepairmanandTheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

CheckthebreakerWhenalightgoesoutoraswitchdoesn’twork,youshouldfirstcheckthemainelectricalpanelforatrippedcircuitbreaker.Lookforabreakerswitchthat’snotinlinewiththeothers.Thatmeansit’stripped.Switchittotheoffpositionandthenbackon.

ResetthedisposerAlldisposershaveanoverloadfeaturethatautomaticallyshutsoffthepowerwhenthemotorbecomesoverloadedandgetstoohot.Oncethemotorcools,simplypushtheresetbuttononthesideoforundertheunit.

ChecktheoutletIfanyelectronicitemsuddenlywon’tturnon,don’timmediatelyassumeit’sbroken.Pluginaradiooralamptomakesuretheoutletisworking.

CheckthetemperaturedialMakesurethetemperaturecontroldialinyourfridgeorfreezerhasn’tbeenturnedwaydown.Curiouskidsmayhavemessedwithit,someonemayhavebumpedtheknoborit’sjustsettoolow.Alsomakesuretheventsinthefridgeandfreezercompartmentaren’tblockedbyfoodcontainers—theseventssupplytheflowoffrigidair.

No.5

MakeapplianceslastBadhabitscostyou—goodhabitssavethousandsAppliancerepairtechniciansandsalespeopleoftensaythesamething:“Ifpeopletreatedtheirappliancesright,I’dhavetofindanewlineofwork.”Soifyouwanttokeepthememployed(atyourexpense)ignorethesepages.Otherwise,readonandsavebig.

Don’toverloadyourwasherordryerYoumaythinkyou'resavingtime,waterorenergybycrammingmoreclothesintoyourwasheranddryer.Butoverloadinganywasherordryercausesdamagetomotors,beltsandothermovingparts.Someoftherepairsaresoexpensivethatyou’rebetteroffbuyinganewmachine.

repairsaresoexpensivethatyou’rebetteroffbuyinganewmachine.

Don’tblockairventsFreezersandrefrigeratorsrequireproperairflowinsidethecompartmentstokeepfoodsattherighttemperature.Blockingthevents(oftenatthebackofthecompartment)cancausecoolingproblemsandforcethecompressorandfanstorunovertime.Atbest,thatwastesenergy.Atworst,you’llhavetoreplacetheappliance.Sothinktwicebeforeyoujamwarehouse-sizepacksoffrozenfoodintothefreezer.

CleanfridgegasketsIfyoukeepyourrefrigeratordoorgasketsclean,they'llsealproperlyandlastthelifeofthefridgeorfreezer.Butifyouletstickyfoodslikesyrupandjambuilduponthedoorgasket,they’llgluethegaskettotheframe.Pullingharderonastuckdooreventuallytearsthegasket,andthat'llcostyou$100ormore.Plus,ifthedoordoesn’tsealproperly,thefridgehastorunlonger,andthat'llboostyourelectricbill.Cleanthedoorgasketwithwarmwaterandasponge.Don'tusedetergents;theycandamagethegasket.

Don’tdragclothesoutofthewasherDraggingaheavybundleofclothesinoroutofafront-loadingwashingmachinemaysaveyourback,butzippersandbuttonsgraduallytearupthedoorgasket.It’sjustapieceofrubber,butitcosts$100ormore.Soliftoutthewetclothes.

Don’tslamappliancedoorsIfyoucontinuallydroporslamthelidtoyourwasherordryer(toporfrontload),you’regoingtobreakthelid/doorswitch.That'llcostyouatleast$100.Avoidthisrepairbyloweringthelidandgentlyclosingthedoor.

CleanthelintfilterAcloggedlintfiltermeansclothesdryslowerwhilethemachineworksharderandwastesenergy.Ifitgetsbadenough,thiswillleadtorepairsorevencompletereplacementofthedryer.Avoidallofthissimplybycleaningthelintfilteraftereachload.

Don’tsprayswitchesMostpeoplecleanknobsandtouch-controlpanelswithspraycleaners.Butthoseliquidscaneasilyworktheirwayintothesensitivepartsbehindthecontrolsandshortthemout.Soinstead,sprayjustalittleliquidcleanerontoaragorspongeandwipecontrolsclean.

CleantherefrigeratorcoilsDustbuilduponthecoilsunderneathoronthebackofyourfridgereducesairflowandwastesenergy.Worse,itleadstorepairsthatmaycostmorethananewfridge.That’squiteanincentivetovacuumthecoilseverysixmonths.

CleanyourdishwasherscreenIfyourdishwasherhasafilteringscreenunderthebottomsprayarm,cleanitregularly.Ifyoudon’t,thestuckfoodparticlesdegradeintoslimethatblockswaterflowandreducescleaningperformance.

No.6

KeepyourwatersoftenerhealthyEasycarepreventsexpensivebreakdownsAwatersoftenerremovesmineralsfromwater;thatmeanscleanerlaundry,alongerlifeforwater-usingappliances,lessmineralbuilduponplumbingfixturesandlotsofotherbenefits.Andwithsomebasiccare,itcanprovidethesebenefitsfor20yearsormore,trouble-free.

HowawatersoftenerworksWaterflowsdownthroughtheresintank,whichisfilledwithsalt-coatedpolystyrenebeads.Mineralsinthewatersticktothebeadsandsoftenedwaterflowsoutofthetank.Atscheduledtimes,themineralsarerinsedoffofthebeadsandflusheddownthedrainwhilesaltywaterfromthebrinetankrenewstheirsaltycoating.

BreakupsaltbridgesA“bridge”ofsaltcanforminthebrinetank—essentiallyafixedcrustontopofthesalt.Beneaththatbridge,thesaltgetsusedup,butthetankstilllooksfull.Soifyoursoftenerisn’tconsumingsaltlikeitusedto,

tankstilllooksfull.Soifyoursoftenerisn’tconsumingsaltlikeitusedto,ramabroomhandledownintothetank.Youmightfindthatthere’sahollowcavernundertheuppercrust.Breakupthatcrustandtheproblemissolved.

HowtoaddsaltRefillthebrinetankonlywhenit’snearlyemptyandthenfillitnomorethantwo-thirdsfull.Fillingittoooftenortoofullleadstosaltbridges.

CleantheresinbedIfyourwatercontainsiron,pourresinbedcleanerintothebrinetanktubeonceortwiceperyear.Withoutcleaning,yoursoftenerwilleventuallyloseitsabilitytoremoveiron.Justpickupsomeresinbedcleaneratawatersoftenerdealerandfollowthesimpledirections.

AdjustthesoftnessMostsoftenersallowyoutoremovemoremineralsorfewerjustbyturningadialorpushingabutton(checkthemanual).Themineralcontentofyourwatersupplycanchangeovertime,soyoumayhavetomakeadjustmentstomaintainthesamelevelofsoftness.

ResetafterpoweroutagesYoursoftenerisprobablysettocleanandrechargetheresinbedatnightwhileyou’resleeping.Butafteralongpoweroutage,itmightrechargeasusual,notrechargeatallordoitinthemorning,delayingyourmorningshowerandmakingyoulateforwork.Toresetthetimer,checktheowner’smanual.

Voiceofexperience

CheapsaltisexpensiveWhenIwasayoung,dumbcheapskate,Isavedafewbucksbyusingrocksaltinmysoftener.Itworkedfineforafewyears,buteventuallytheimpuritiesinthatdirtysaltpluggedupparts,wreckedvalvesandcostme$600foracompletereplacement.Asanolder,wisercheapskate,I’mnowhappytopayacouplebucksmoreforsalt.

GaryWentz,TheFamilyHandymanSeniorEditor

CleanoutthebrinetankWaituntilthesaltlevelislowandscoopoutthesaltygunkatthe

bottomofthebrinetank.Thismushconsistsofimpuritiesinthesalt,whichdon’tdissolvewellandreducetheperformanceofthesoftener.Socleanitoutonceayear.

No.7

SavewaterAndbucketsofmoneyShrinkingsupplyandgrowingdemandaredrivingwaterbillsup.Addthecostofheatingwaterandrisingsewerfeesandyoucanseehowthousandsofwastedgallonsturnintohundredsofwasteddollars.Youcansavewaterbyfixingdripsandleaks.Butinmosthomes,replacingwater-wastingfixturesresultsinthebiggestsavings.Thosesavingsdependonyourlocalwatercosts;theestimatesgivenherearebasedonaveragecosts.

Efficient(buteffective)toiletsAtoiletmanufacturedbefore1994wastesalmost$100peryear,comparedtoamodern,efficientmodel.Atoiletmadebefore1980wastesalmosttwiceasmuch.Thecostofanewtoilet,plusinstallation,istypically$200to$400—soyourreturnis25to100percentperyear,guaranteed.(TrytomatchthatonWallStreet!)Unlikeearliermodels,whichoftenrequireddouble-flushing,mostoftoday’swater-savingtoiletsdotheirjobinoneflush.

Where’sthewatergoing?Bathroomsusemorewaterthananyotherroom.Morethanaquarterofhouseholdwaterisliterallyflusheddownthetoilet.

Source:AmericanWaterWorksAssociationResearchFoundation,“ResidentialEndUsesofWater,”1999

Low-flowshowerheadsShowerheadsarenotonlythesecond-heaviestwateruserbutalsomajorenergyeaters.That’sbecause70percentofthewaterflowingthroughtheheadcomesfromyourwaterheater.Byreducingbothwaterconsumptionandwaterheating,alow-flowshowerheadcanpayforitselfinjustonemonth!Andanefficientshowerheadnolongermeanssettlingforadrizzleinsteadofadownpour.Manywater-efficientshowerheadschangetheshapeandvelocityofthewaterstream—eventhesizeofthedrops—toprovidethehigh-flowfeel.

Water-savingbathfaucetsLikeshowerheads,efficientfaucetssavebothwaterandenergy.So—forafamilyoffour—anefficientfaucetwilltypicallypayforitselfinjustayearortwoandcontinuetosavemoneyformanymoreyears.Mostwater-savingfaucetsusespecialaeratorsthatincreaseairflowtocompensatefordecreasedwaterflow,givingyouthesamefeelasotherfaucets.

Ifyourhomewasbuiltbefore1994andstillhastheoriginalplumbing

fixtures,you’reusing30to40percentmorewaterthanacomparablenewhome.

ThebadgeofefficiencyJustlookfortheWaterSenselogo.Toearnthislabel,productsmustuseatleast20percentlesswaterandstillperformaswellasorbetterthanotherproductsinthatcategory.Gotoepa.gov/watersenseformoreinfo.Someutilitiesareevenofferingrebatestosweetenthedeal.Visithttp://epa.gov/watersense/rebate_finder_saving_money_water.htmltofindrebatesinyourarea.

Whataboutkitchenfaucets?Efficiencyinkitchenfaucetsisamatterofdebate.Somesaymoreefficientisalwaysbetter.Otherssaythatinthecaseofkitchens,low-flowisbad;itjusttakeslongertofillthesinkorapitcher.Fornow,thenaysayershavetheupperhand.WaterSensedoesn’tratekitchenfaucetsandfewlow-flowmodelsareavailable.

No.8

PreventburstpipesAfrozenwaterlinecanwreckyourhomeAlittleicecantearopenawatersupplyline.That’sbadenough,buttherealdisasteroftenoccursastheicethawsandwaterflowsfreelyintoyourhome.Injustafewminutes,thatflowcandothousandsofdollarsindamage.

WhypipesburstWhenwaterfreezes,itexpandsinvolumebyabout9percent.Anditexpandswithtremendousforce:Thepressureinsidepipesmaygofrom40poundspersquareinchto40,000psi!Nopipecanholdthatmuchpressure,soitbreaksopen.Thebreakmayoccurwheretheiceforms,butmoreoften,itoccurswherewaterpressurefindsaweakspotinthepipe.Thatmaybeinchesorevenfeetfromthefrozenarea.

LetthewaterrunAtinytricklefromfaucetsprotectspipesintwoways.First,itpreventspressurefrombuildingupinsidepipes.Second,itcreatesaconstantflowofwaterthroughpipesandthatmakesfreezingmuchlesslikely.

TemporarystepsThefirstsignoficeforminginpipesisreducedflowatfaucets.Soiftheflowslowstotrickleduringacoldsnap,orifyoususpectyourpipesarevulnerable,takeaction.Hereareafewthingsyoucando:•Turnuptheheat.•Setupfanstoblowheatintocoldrooms.•Openvanityorcabinetdoorssowarmaircanreachthepipesundersinks.•Ifyouhaveexposedpipesinsideclosetsorpantries,leavedoorsopen.•Disconnectgardenhosesfromoutdoorfaucets.Even“frost-proof”faucetscanburstifahoseisconnected.•Keepthegaragedoorclosed.

•Ifyouhavereducedwaterflow,heatthemostvulnerablepipes(usuallyinbasementsandcrawlspacesornearexteriorwalls)withahairdryer.Leavethefaucetonwhileyouapplyheat.Asyoumeltice,theflowwillincrease.

PermanentprotectionLong-termfreezepreventionisusuallyamajorproject,likeinsulatingacrawlspace,replacingstandardoutdoorfaucetswithfrost-proofmodelsorevenreroutingpipesawayfromcoldspotsinsidethehome.Startbycallinginaprofessionalplumbertoassessyoursituationandmakerecommendations.

HeatthepipeElectricheatcableisgoodprotectionduringcoldspells.Athermostatswitchesontheheatonlywhenthetemperaturedrops,soheatcablewon’twasteelectricitywhenitisn’tneeded.Butifyouneedtoprotectlotsofpipesforlongperiods,heatcableisanexpensivesolution.

No.9

DryupawetbasementChancesare,youcandoitwithoutpayingacontractorSolvingbasementwaterproblemsisn’texactlyeasy.Diagnosiscanbetricky,thereareoftenmultiplecausesandmostsolutionsaren’tguaranteed.Ontheotherhand,someofthemosteffectivecuresarealsothesimplest.Sobeforeyoucallinacontractor,doyourowndetectiveworkandtrysomeeasyfixes.

MultiplemoisturesourcesBeforeyoucantacklewaterproblems,youhavetoknowwherethewateriscomingfrom.

•RainandsnowIfwatershowsupafteraheavyrainfallorsnowmelt,yourfirststrategyistochannelwaterawayfromthefoundationbyslopingthesoilandextendingdownspouts.

•GroundwaterRainfallandsnowmeltmaycompletelysaturatethesoilaroundyourbasementorraisethewatertableaboveyourbasementfloor.Sealingleaksinwallsandfloorsandcoatingthemwithwaterproofingmaysolvetheproblem.Oryoumayneeddraintileandasumppump.

•HighhumidityMoisturecarriedbyhumidaircondensesonanythingcold,formingdropletsanddrips.Mostcondensationoccursonwallsandfloors,butitcanalsoformonpipesandductwork.Tolowerthehumidity,runadehumidifierandusetheexhaustfaninabasementbathroom.Insulatingcoolwallsandpipesalsocutscondensation.

•LeakyplumbingPlumbingleakscanimitateseepagethroughwallsandfloors.Afterevaporating,waterfromleakscancontributetocondensation.Thesolutionissimple:Fixtheleaks.

Don’tgetfooledbycondensationCondensationonwallsandfloorsmakesthemwetandmightmakeyouthinkwaterisseepinginfromoutside.Sohere’sasimpletest:Tapealuminumfoiltoyourbasementwallandinspectitafewdayslater.Moistureontheoutsideofthefoiliscondensation.Moisturebehindthefoiliscomingthroughfromoutside.

InsulatewallsAsidefromsavingenergy,properlyinsulatedwallsdrasticallyreducecondensation.Thereareseveralgoodwaystoinsulatewalls,includingthemethodshownhere.Butdon’ttakethisstepuntilafteryou’vestoppedoutsidewaterfromentering—moisturetrappedbehindinsulationfeedsmold.

InsulatepipesCovercoldwaterpipeswithinsulationtopreventcondensation.Foampipeinsulationisinexpensiveandeasytoinstall.Insulatingthehotwaterpipeswon’thelptodryupyourbasement,thoughitmaysaveenergy.

SealthedryerventAleakydryerventallowswatervaporfromyourlaundrytobecomecondensationonyourwalls.Sealthejointswithfoiltape.Don’tjustuseducttape;it’lleventuallyfalloff.

ExtenddownspoutsMakesureyourdownspoutsdumpwateratleast6ft.fromthefoundation.Ifyoudon’thavegutters,consideraddingthem.Therainwaterloadfromyourroofisenormous,andchannelingthatwaterawayfromyourbasementisaneffectivewaytoreduceoreliminateincomingwater.

PatchthewallsHolesandcracksletwaterseepin.Pluggingthemprobablywon’tsolvebasement-leakingproblems,butit’llhelp.Hydrauliccement(apowderthatyoumixwithwater)istheperfectfillerforthisjob.Chiseloutanyloosematerialbeforeyoufillcracksorholes.

WaterproofthewallsBasementwaterproofinggoesonlikepaintandisaneasyDIYproject.

Inordertobondwell,itmustbeappliedtobaremasonry,notoverexistingpaint.Anddon’tskimponthecoating;applyingittoothinisacommonmistake.

SlopeawayfromthefoundationSoilorpavementshouldslopeawayfromthefoundationforatleast6ft.Inmanycases,thisisthemostpracticalwaytostopsnowmeltandrainwater.Aslopecoveredwithplasticsheetinganddecorativerockisevenbetter.Ifyouaddlandscapeedging,makesureitdoesn’ttrapwater.

Ifallelsefails…installadrainagesystemAddingdraintileandasumppumpisamajorprojectthatcoststhousandsofdollars,soit’ssmarttotryotherapproachesfirst.Butwhenothercuresforincomingwaterfail,adrainagesystemisthewaytogo.Ifproperlyinstalled,it’sasuresolution.Mostsystemsareinstalledinsidethefoundationwalls,thoughprosoccasionallyinstallthemfromoutsidebytrenchingaroundthehouse.

No.10

SaveonhomeinsuranceSurefirewaystoslashyourinsurancebillYoumightthinkyourhomeowner’sinsuranceislikeyourpropertytaxes—afixedexpensethatyoujusthavetopay.Butyoucanactuallytrimhundredsoffyourinsurancebill,cuttingyourcostsby10to45percent.Here’show:

ReplacewasherhosesWashingmachinehosesthatleakorevenburstareacommoncauseofwaterdamage.Someinsurancecompaniesofferadiscountofupto10percentonyourpremiumsifyoureplacetherubberhosesonyourwashingmachinewithno-burststainlesssteelhoses.In10minutes,youcouldsavefivetimesthecostofthehosesonyournextbill,butthisisasmartmoveevenifyourinsurerdoesn’tofferadiscount.

IncreaseyourdeductibleThisistheeasiestwaytocutyourinsurancecosts.Bumpingyourdeductiblefrom$500to$1,000cansaveyouupto25percentonyourpremium.

ThinktwicebeforefilingaclaimPayingforasmallerlossyourselfwillalmostalwayscostlessthanthe

premiumincreaseyou’llfacelater.Don‘tfileaclaimifit’sworthlessthan$1,000overyourdeductible.

GetalistofdiscountsYoumaybemissingoutondiscountsforfeaturesyourhomealreadyhas.Askyouragentifthecompanyoffersdiscountsforsafetyfeaturesandhomeimprovementssuchassprinklers,deadbolts,smokedetectors,updatedplumbingandelectricalservice.

ChooseatoughroofInsurancecompaniesofferbigdiscounts(upto45percent)fortoughroofingmaterials.Talktoyouragenttolearnabouttheexactdiscountsformaterialsotherthanstandardasphalt.Inmostcases,metalroofinggivesyouthelargestdiscount,butitalsocoststwotofourtimesasmuchasstandardasphaltshingles.

RateraisersInsurancecompanieshavealonglistofthingsthatraisethelikelihoodofclaimsforthem—andraiseratesforyou.Hereareafew:•Swimmingpool,especiallywithadivingboard•Hottub•Trampoline•Certaindogbreeds,suchaspitbullsandRottweilers

•Dangerouscracksordepressionsinstepsandwalks

InstalltroubledetectorsSomecompaniesdiscountyourpremium2to5percentforwarningdevices.Theseincludebattery-operatedorplug-intemperaturesensors($20to$60dependingonthetype),whichdetectfurnacebreakdowns,andleakdetectors($15to$200dependingonthemodel).Forpurchaseinfo,searchonlinefor“leakdetectors”and“temperaturesensors.”

Choosefire-resistantsidingIfyou’reinstallingnewsiding,installClassAratedfire-resistantmaterialssuchasmetal,fibercementshinglesandclapboards,andmasonry.Usingthesematerialscanreduceyourpremiumbyupto20percent,especiallyindryareasofthecountrythataremoresusceptibletofiredamage.

InstallstormshuttersInhurricane-proneareas,installingwind-resistantshutterscancutyourbillbyalmost20percent.Soinmanycases,theseshutterswillpayforthemselvesinthreetofiveyears.

MonitoryourcreditscoreApoorcreditscorecanincreaseyourpremiumby35to40percentsokeepaneyeonyours(getafreecreditreportatannualcreditreport.com).Ifyourcreditscorehasimprovedsinceyourpolicywasissued,haveyouragentrecalculateyourpremium.

DropadditionalstructurescoverageManyinsurersjustassumethatyourhouseisn’ttheonlybuildingonyourproperty.Ifyoudon’thaveastand-alonegarageorshed,dropthiscoverageandsave5percent.

MakeautomaticpaymentsManyinsurancecompanieswilldiscountyourpremiumby2percentifyoupaybyautomaticwithdrawalfromyourbankaccount.

ShoparoundeveryfiveyearsYoumaygetbettercoverageorareducedratewithadifferentinsurer,soitpaystocheckperiodically.

AvoidawaterdamageclaimThinktwicebeforefilingaclaimbasedonwaterdamage,andconsiderpayingforrepairsyourself.Waterdamageisaredflagtoinsurancecompaniessinceithintsatmoldeliminationcostsorchronicplumbingproblemsinthefuture.Thatcanmeanincreasedpremiums.

No.11

MakeyourcarpetlastKeepitclean,doubleitslifespanandsavethousandsDirtycarpetdoesn’tjustlookbad.Dirtisabrasive,sowhenyouwalkacrossadirtycarpet,dirtgrindsawayatthefibers.Theresultiscarpetthatlooksdull,stainseasierandsoonbecomesmatteddown.That’swhycleaningisthebestwaytomaximizethelifeofyourcarpetanddelaytheheavycostofreplacement.

Vacuumsmarts•Vacuumoften.Vacuumentranceareasandhigh-trafficareastwiceaweekandtherestofthecarpetingatleastweekly.•Settheheightright.Raiseittoitshighestsetting,turnitonandlowerituntilyoucanfeelthevacuumtryingtotugitselfforward.•Slowdown.It’sOKtomakeonequickpassoverlow-trafficareas,butmaketwoslowpassesoverhigh-trafficareas.•Startwithacleanfilter.Adirtybagorfilterreducesyourvacuum’scleaningpower.Replacefiltersonbaglessvacuumseverythreemonths.Replacevacuumbagswhenthey’rethree-quartersfull.

Usedoormats,inandoutApairofmatsateachdoorkeepscarpetsmuchcleaner.Dropacoarse-texturedmatoutsideyourdoortoremovesoil.Useawater-absorbentmatinsidetopreventwetshoesonthecarpeting.

HireaqualitycleaningproMostcarpetmanufacturersrecommendprofessionalhot-waterextractionastheprimarycleaningmethodforsyntheticcarpets.Thebeststrategyistohireaprofessionaleveryyearortwoandcleanthecarpetyourselfbetweenprocleanings.Herearesomehiringtips:•Hireaprowhousestruck-mountedequipmentratherthanportablesteamcleaningequipment.Truck-mountedequipmentexhauststhedirtyairandhumidityoutside.Itsstrongersuctionleavescarpetsdrier,too.•Askforahigh-pressurerinse.Thisagitatesthepileandneutralizesthecarpet’spH.•Asktheprotosetfurnitureonblocksorpadsaftercleaning.Thispreventsstainsfromtransferringfromfurniturelegstothedampcarpet.•Maketheestimateincludeeverything—suchasfurnituremoving,vacuuming(somechargeextraforthis,socheck),routinespotremoval,preconditioninganddeodorizingaspartofastandardcleaningpackage.

Cleancarpetyourself(sometimes)DIYcarpetcleaningsavesthecostofapro,butit’snotasubstituteforprocleaning.Rentedequipmentjustcan’tdowhatprogearandknow-howcando.SoagoodstrategyistoalternatebetweenprocleaningandDIYcleaning.Herearesomewaystogetthemostfromrentalequipment:•Cleanthecarpetbeforeitbecomesreallydirty.Ifyouwaituntilthecarpetisfilthy,cleaningitwillbemuchmoredifficult,takemuchlongerandcostmore.•Vacuumwellbeforeandaftercleaning.Vacuumbeforehandtoremovelargeparticlesofsoil.Vacuumagainafteryoucleanandthecarpetiscompletelydrytopickupsoilthatwickstothesurfaceduringdrying.•Pretreatstainsandhigh-trafficareas.Mixadropofdetergentwithhotwaterinaspraybottleandlightlymistthedirtiestareas.Letsit10minutesbeforethegeneralcleaning.•Uselesssoapthandirected.ThesoapusedinDIYmachinesfoamsalotandleavesbehindalotofresidue,whichactsasadirtmagnet.Useatablespoonorlessofsoapto1gallonofhotwatertopreventsoapresidue.

•Useamildacidrinse.DIYmachinesareoftensoldwithaneutralizingrinse,oryoucanmakeyourownusing1cupofwhitevinegarto1gallonofhotwater.Rinseafteryoumakeonepasswiththedetergentsolution.•Don’toverwetthecarpet.DIYmachinesputalotofmoistureintothecarpet,andmostdon’thaveenoughsuctiontoextractitthoroughly.Makeonlyonepasswiththesoap-and-watersolution.Makeonepasswiththeneutralizingrinse.Thenmakethreedryingpasseswiththewaterswitchedoff.•Letitdrythoroughly.Afteryoucleanyourcarpets,openthewindows,usefansandadehumidifier,orputtheAConamoderatesetting(72to78degrees)toremoveexcessmoisturefromtheair.Don’treplacethefurnitureorwalkonthecarpetuntilit’scompletelydry.Thiscantakeupto12hours,thoughsixtoeighthoursistypical.

No.12

ImproveyourinsulationIsitagoodinvestment?Here’showtofindoutBetterinsulationcanbeagreatinvestmentwithaquickpayoff.Oritcanbeanexpensivemistake.Donebadly,itcanevencauseserioustrouble.Here’showtodeterminewhetheryouneedmoreinsulationandanoverviewofyouroptions.

Isyourinsulationadequate?Thatdependsonacomplexcombinationoffactors.Luckily,there’sasimplewaytoanswerthatquestion.Contactyourutilitycompanyaboutanenergyaudit.Itcanrecommendanauditorandmayevenpaypartofthecost.Theauditorwillvisityourhome,performsometestsandmakerecommendationsonenergysavings,includinginsulationifneeded.

Insulationcheckup

Aninfraredcamerashowshowwell-insulatedwallsandceilingsare.Anenergyauditorwillalsotesttheair-tightnessofyourhome,theefficiencyofyourfurnaceandmore.

What’sR-value?R-valueistheresistancetoheatflow,awayofindicatinginsulation’spowertostopheatfrommovingthoughit.Thehigherthenumber,thebetter.InsulationislabeledbytotalR-value.Therearetwothingsthatdeterminethatnumber:Thethicknessoftheinsulationandtheinsulatingpowerofthematerial.Thefiberglassbattsshownhere,forexample,areallthesamethickness,butdifferinR-valueduetodifferentdensity.

ThebestinsulationClosed-cellfoaminsulationsealsairleaksanddeliversabouttwicetheR-valueperinchofothercommonchoices.Andsinceit’ssprayedon,it’sperfectforsituationswhereinstallingbattswouldbedifficult.Thecatch,ofcourse,istheprice.Ittypicallycostsatleasttwiceasmuchasotheroptions.Anotherversion,open-cellsprayfoam,costslessbutdoesn’tprovidethesameR-value,sealingpowerorresistancetomoisture.Foaminsulationisalsosoldin4x8-ft.sheetsathomecenters.

Wallsaren’tsoeasyInoldhomesthatwerebuiltwithoutinsulation,addinginsulationisstraightforward.Contractorscandrillholesintoeachstudcavity(frominsideorout),blowinsulationintotheemptywallsandpatchtheholes.Ifyourwallsarealreadyinsulated,improvementsaretough:Youcaneithertearintowallsoraddalayeroffoaminsulation,insideorout.Thosemethodsrarelypayoffinsavings.Inmanycases,you’rebetteroffleavingpoorlyinsulatedwallsalone.

AddatticinsulationUnlikewalls,improvinginsulationinatticsisusuallypracticalandeconomical.Therearetwostandardapproaches:addingfiberglassbattsorblowinginloose-fillinsulation.Contractorsusuallyrecommendtheblow-inmethod.Itprovidesamoreconsistent,gap-freeblanketthanbatts(plus,it’seasierforthem).DIYerscanchooseblown-inbyrentingablowerfromahomecenter.

RollbattsacrosstheatticCoveringexistinginsulationwithalayeroffiberglassbattsissimple.Butthatdoesn’tmeanit’seasy.Crawlingthroughadark,hot,crampedattic—withoutsteppingthroughtheceilingbelow—isatoughjob.

BlowininsulationAlonghoseconnectedtoabloweroutsideblastsloose-fillinsulation(fiberglassorcellulose)intotheattic.Thisisdustywork,buteasierandfasterthanrollingoutbatts.

Don’tblockventilationGoodatticventilationiscritical.Insummer,itextendsshinglelifeandallowsyoutocoolyourhousewithlessenergy.Inwinter,itpreventsicedamsontheroofandcondensationintheattic.Butaddinginsulationcanblockoffsoffitventsandstoptheairflow.Makesureyourinsulationcontractorplanstoaddorextendairchutesandtoplugtheedgesoftheattic.

No.13

CutheatingcostsLittleairleakscanleadtobigheatingbillsMajorupgradeslikemoreinsulationoranewfurnacecanpayoffinenergysavings.Butinmosthomes,especiallyolderones,sealingairleaksistheeasiest,mostefficientplacetostart.Plus,sealingleaksmakesyourhomemorecomfortableandcutscoolingbills.

SealbasementairleaksSillplatesandrimjoistsareusuallypoorlyinsulated(ifatall)andveryleaky.Soifyouhaveanunfinishedbasement,grabsomesiliconeoracryliclatexcaulktosealthesillplate.Ifyousimplyhavefiberglassinsulationstuffedagainsttherimjoist,pullitout.Runabeadofcaulkbetweentheedgeofthesillplateandthetopofthefoundationwall.Useexpandingfoamforgapslargerthan1/4in.

SealelectricalboxesElectricalboxesthatholdswitchesoroutletsaremajorsourcesofheatloss.Foamgasketsmaynotcompletelysealtheboxes,butthey’llhelp.They’requicktoinstall—justtakeoffthecoverplate,stickthegasketoverthebox,thenputtheplatebackon.

GetanenergyauditAnenergyauditincludesaseriesoftests,includingablowerdoortestthatmeasurestheoverallleakinessofyourhouse.Onthebasisofthetestresults,theauditorwillrecommendimprovementsandestimatethecostsandsavings.Auditstaketwotothreehoursandcost$250to$400.Ifyousetoneupthroughyourutilitycompany,youmightgetoneatalowercostorarebate.

FillgapsundersinksPullbacktheescutcheonswherepipesenterexteriorwallsandyou’llprobablyseegenerousgapsaroundthepipes.Useexpandingfoamtosealthosegaps.Shakethecanvigorously,thensquirtthefoamaroundthepipesinsidethewall.Don’tcompletelyfillthegap—thefoamwillexpand.

StopfireplaceheatlossWood-burningfireplacescanwarmuparoom,butmoreoften,theyrobahouseofheatbylettingitescapeupthechimney.Ifyouhaveamodernfireplacewithacoldairintakefromoutside,makesureyouequipitwithanairtightdoor.Ifyouhaveanolderfireplacethatusesroomairforcombustion,equipitwithadoorthathasoperablevents.Andonlykeepthoseventsopenwhenyouhaveafireinthefireplace.Otherwise,heatwillconstantlybesuckedoutofthehouse.

StopleaksunderdoorsIfyoucanfeelthebreezeorseedaylightunderyourentrydoor,that’sbadnews.Thegoodnewsisthatmostthresholdsadjustupordownjustbyturningafewscrews.Turnallofthescrewsequallyuntilthedooropensandcloseswithoutmuchdragandanydraftiseliminated.

SealwindowswithremovablecaulkLeakywindowsleadtomajorenergylossinatypicalhome.Aquick,low-costsolutionistosealthegapswithremovablecaulk.Justapplythecaulkovergapsandpullitoffinthespring.Cleanoffanyresiduewithmineralspirits.

ConsidernewstormwindowsStormwindowsaren’tnew,butthey’vedefinitelyimprovedovertheyears:Newonesopenandcloseandcanbeleftonyear-round.Someofferlow-emissivitycoatingstofurthercutheatloss.You’llseethebiggestpaybackwhenthey’reusedoversingle-panewindows.Butdon’tusestormwindowsoveraluminumwindows—heatbuildupbetweenthetwowindowscandamagethealuminum,anddrillingholesforinstallationcancauseleaks.

Willnewwindowspayoff?Replacingyouroldleakerswithnewwindowswillloweryourheatingbills.Butinmosthomes,theenergysavingsalonewon’tjustifythehighup-frontcosts.Otherfactors,likeappearance,draft-stoppingandeasyoperation,areusuallybetterreasonstoreplacewindows.

CoverwindowswithplasticfilmPlasticwindowfilmsealsairleaks,reduceswindowcondensationandcanbeusedwithcurtainsorblinds.Exteriororinteriorwindowfilmkitsareavailableathomecenters.

Low-techleakdetectionLocatingairleakscanbetricky,buthere’sacleverwaytofindthem.Closeallthewindowsinthehouse,turnofffansandthefurnace.Lightsomeincenseandwalkslowlyaroundtheouterwallsofthehouse.Thesmokewilltellwhereairisleakinginorout.

CheckthedryerventIfcoldaircomesinthroughyourdryervent,checkoutsidewheretheventgoesthroughthewall.Theventshouldhaveaflap(orflaps)attheendtostopairinfiltration.Makesuretheflapclosesandisn’tstuckopen.Iftheflapdoesn’tcloseonitsown,replaceit.Iftheflapworkswell,checkthecaulking.Ifit’scrackingandpeelingaway,it’sprobablyallowingairtoleakin.Cutawaytheoldcaulkingandapplynewcaulk.

Theultimateair-sealingjob:atticleaksCrawlingaroundyouratticandwallowingininsulationisabig,uglyjob.Butinmanyhomes,airflowthroughceilingsintotheatticisthebiggestsourceofheatloss.Soifyou’rereallydeterminedtotightenyourhome,getupthereandsealthoseleaks!Mostleaksoccurwherethechimneysandelectricalandplumbinglinespassthroughtheceiling.Althoughtheatticisanastyplacetowork,pluggingtheseleaksissimple—mostlycaulkingandfoaminggaps.

No.14

CleanyourairconditionerRestoreefficiencyandcutenergybills—in10minutes!Theoutsideunitofyourcentralairconditioningsystemisbasicallyafansurroundedbyawalloftubingandtinyfins.Ifthosefinsarepluggedwithdirtanddebris,airflowthroughthemisreduced.Intheshortterm,thatmeanslowerefficiencyandexpensiveenergywasted.Inthelongterm,itleadstorepairsorreplacement.Butkeepingthosefinsopentoairflowisfasterandeasierthanwashingyourcar.

TurnoffthepowerOpenthedisconnectboxandpulloutthedisconnectblock.Settheblockasideandclosethebox.Don’tforgettopushtheblockbackintoplacewhenyou’redonecleaning.

CleantheunitWashingair-blockingdebrisoffofthefinsisaseasyasusingagardenhose.Hereareafewtipsforbestresults:•Ifthefinsarecakedwithfuzzfromdandelionsorcottonwoodtrees,vacuumbeforeyourinsewithwater.•Rinsewithmoderatepressure.Thefinsaremadefromflimsymetal,whichwillbendunderstrongpressure.

•Asyouspray,peerdownintotheunitfromabove.Youshouldseewaterstreamingthroughthefins.Ifnot,thefinsareblockedandneedmorerinsing.•Rinseoffallthefins,butpayspecialattentiontothefinsjustunderthelidoftheunit.Aimthewaterupwardtodriveoutdebrisbuildupthere.

StraightencrushedfinsAbumpfromyourkneeorastraysoccerballisenoughtocrushthefins,leavingthemclosedandblockingairflow.Ifyouhaveafewcrushedfins,youcanstraightenthemwithabutterknife.Ifyouhavelargecrushedareas,dothejobfasterwithafincomb(availableatappliancepartsstoresandonline).Getakitthathasdifferentcombstosuitdifferentfinspacing.

No.15

CutcoolingcostsAndstillkeepcoolStayingcoolisexpensive.Eveninmoderateclimates,itcostsafewhundredbucksperyear.Inhotclimates,thatcostmightreachfourfigures.Soreducingcoolingbillsisworthsomeeffort.Andasabonus,manyofthestepsthatcutcoolingcostsalsosaveonheating.

KeepcoolwithshadeShadefromtrees,trellisesandvinesblocksdirectsunlightthroughtheroofandwindows,whichisresponsibleforabouthalfoftheheatgaininyourhome.Carefullypositionedtreesandhorizontaltrellisesontheeastandwestsidescansaveupto30percentofahousehold’senergyconsumptionforheatingandcooling.

FeelcoolerathighertemperaturesCeilingfanssavemoneybykeepingyoucomfortableathigherthermostatsettings.Eachdegreehigherthan78degreeswillsaveyou5to10percentonairconditioningcosts.Themovingairfromaceilingfanincreasesevaporationfromyourskinandhelpscoolyouoff.

CleanorchangefiltersmonthlyDirtyairfiltersaretheNo.1causeofairconditioningbreakdownsandtheycostabout7percentmoreinenergycostsinhotclimates.ChangecentralACfurnacefiltersmonthlyduringthesummer.Mostwindowunitshavearemovablefilterbehindtheairinletgrillethatyoucantakeoutandrinsemonthly.

InstallaprogrammablethermostatThiseasyupgradepaysbackquickly.Settingyourcoolingsystemfourtosixdegreeswarmerwhenyou’reawayatworkoronvacationandautomaticallyloweringitto78degreeswhenyou’rehomecancut5to20percentoffyourenergybill.

20percentoffyourenergybill.

ReplaceanoldairconditionerReplacinga15-year-oldwindoworcentralACunitwithanew,efficientunitcansaveyouenoughoverthenewunit’slifetimetooffsetitspurchaseprice.Thisisespeciallytrueifyouliveinahot,humidclimate.Usethesavingscalculatoratenergystar.govtofigureoutwhetheritmakesfinancialsensetoreplaceyourAC,andgetalistofthemostenergy-efficientunits.

Voiceofexperience

Mynew,moreefficient,ACunitnotonlycutmyelectricbillsinhalf,but

ismuchquieter.MyneighborsarehappyandsoamI.

GeneHamolka,TheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

MaintenancepaysAneglectedairconditioneruses10to30percentmoreenergy,soprofessionalserviceeverytwotothreeyearscutscoolingbills.Regularservicealsoaddsyearstothelifeofthesystemandreducesbreakdowns.

BlockoutthesunRoughly30percentofheatcomesinthroughyourwindows.Shades,curtainsortintedwindowfilmonsouth-andwest-facingwindowscansaveyouupto7percentannually.Insulatingcurtainswillsaveevenmoreonbothheatingandcoolingcosts.

No.16

ProtectyourelectronicsPowersurgescancostyouthousandsSensitiveelectronicsareshowingupeverywhere.Asidefromplacesyou’dexpectthem—likeTVsandcomputers—they’realsoinmanyappliances,eveninnewerfurnacesandwaterheaters.Allofthathigh-techcircuitryisvulnerabletopowersurges.Thedestructioncanbegradualorsudden,butit’salwaysexpensive;repairsoftencostmorethancompletelyreplacingthevictim.Butyoucanprotectyourelectronics(andyourwallet).

TwosourcesofsurgesThemostdangeroussurgescomefromoutsideyourhome.These“external”surgesarecausedbylightningoranunstablepowergrid.Anydeviceconnectedtocoaxialcable(cableTVoracomputer,forexample)isalsopronetolightning.Smaller“internal”surgesaregeneratedwithinyourhomebyheavypoweruserslikeyourfridgeorfurnace.Thesetwotypesofsurgesrequiredifferentsolutions—andit’ssmarttoemployboth.

Point-of-usesurgesuppressorsSmallsurgesuppressorsthatprotectoneorseveraldevicesofferonlyfairprotectionagainstexternalsurges.Butthey’regoodforinternalsurgesandmanyincludeprotectionforcoaxialcable.Somesuppressorsaremuchbetterthanothers,socheckthetechnicalspecifications(usuallyonthepackaging).Youdon’thavetounderstandthedetails—justlookforthreethings:•Clampingvoltage:Youwant330voltsorless.•Clampingspeed:5nanosecondsorless.

•Energydissipation:500joulesormore.

ThestandardversionMostsurgesuppressorsaresimilartothisone.Youjustplugthecordintoawalloutletandplugdevicesintothesuppressor.Manyincludecoaxialcableprotection.

Built-inprotectionSomeoutletscontainsurgesuppressors—muchneaterandmoreconvenientthanabulkyseparatedevice.Theylackcoaxialcableprotection,though.

FortightspacesLow-profilesurgesuppressorsarethinenoughtofitbehindmostwall-mountedTVs.Thismodelincludescoaxialcableprotection.

Whole-housesurgesuppressorsAwhole-housesuppressorprotectseverydeviceinyourhomeagainstexternalsurges,anddoesthatfarbetterthanapoint-of-usesuppressor.Butawhole-housesuppressorwon’tstopinternalsurges.Therearetwotypes,andbothrequireanelectricianforinstallation.Expectatotalcostof$400to$600.

AtthemainpanelMostwhole-housesuppressorsaremountednearthemainelectricalpanelandrequireaconnectionwithinthepanel.

Atthemeter

Somewhole-housesuppressorsconnecttotheelectricalmeter,whichistypicallyoutsidethehouse.

Doesitneedprotection?Youcan’talwaystellifaunithassensitiveelectronicsinsidejustbylookingatit.Buthere’soneclue:Ifithasadigitaldisplay,itdefinitelyneedssurgeprotection.Theowner’smanualmayalsohelp.Manymanufacturersrecommendprotectioninthefineprint.

Low-techprotection:Unplugit

Unpluggingelectronicsduringanelectricalstormisapoorsubstituteforpermanentsurgeprotection,butitwillpreventdamage.Alsounplugwhenthere’sapoweroutage.Asthepowergridsputtersbackintoservice,itoftengeneratessurges.Leavealightswitchedonsoyouknowwhenthepowerisrestored.

No.17

UnderstandyourelectricalsystemAndrestorethepowerwhenitgoesoutYourhome’selectricalsystemisaminormiracle.Ittakesoneofthemostdangerousforcesintheuniverseanddistributesitsafelythroughoutyourhome,makingeveryminuteofyourdaymoreconvenient.Here’showitworks.

HowpowergetswhereyouneeditElectricityrunsthroughundergroundoroverheadpowerlinestoanelectricalmeter,whichmeasuresyourpoweruseandtellsthepowercompanyhowmuchtochargeyou.Fromthere,itgoestoyourmainpanel,whichprovidesanenclosedspacewherethebigincomingwires

areconnectedtodozensofsmallerwiresthatsnakethroughoutyourhouse.Someofthesewiresformgeneral-purposecircuitsthatbranchofftoseverallightsandoutlets.Otherwirescreatededicatedcircuits,eachofwhichservesasinglehigh-demandpurpose,suchasafridge,electricheaterortheoutletsnearyourkitchencountertop.

ThemainpanelIt’susuallyagraymetalboxlocatedintheutilityroom,garageorbasement.There’snoneedtoworryaboutopeningthepanel’sdoor;allthedangerousstuffissafelycontainedbehindasteelcover.Behindthedooryou’llseeamainbreaker,whichcanshutoffpowertoyourentirehouse,androwsofbreakers,eachcontrollinganindividualbranch

house,androwsofbreakers,eachcontrollinganindividualbranchcircuit.

What’sabreaker?Breakersarethemostimportantsafetyfeatureofyourhome’selectricalsystem.Basically,abreakerisasafetyswitch.Whenmorepowerflowsthroughacircuitthanthecircuitwasdesignedtohandle,thebreakerinstantlyshutsoff.Andthatpreventsfires.Asidefromthat,breakersallowyoutoturnoffthepowersoyoucansafelyworkwithwiring.

FindatrippedbreakerWhenabreaker“blows”or“trips,”theswitchleversnapsawayfromthe“on”position.Butitdoesn’tgoallthewayto“off,”soyoumayhavetolookcloselytofindtheswitchthat’snotinlinewiththeothers.Somebreakershavealittlewindowthatturnsredororangetoindicateatrip.

ResetthebreakerYoucan’tpushtheswitchdirectlyfromthetrippedpositionto“on.”Firstpushtheswitchallthewayto“off,”thenbackto“on.”Don’tworryifyourhard-wiredsmokealarmsbeepaspowerisrestored;that’snormal.

normal.

BlownfusesIfyouhaveanolderhomewithfusesratherthanbreakers,you’llhavetopeerintothewindowofeachfuse.Thedifferencebetweenagoodfuseandablownfusecanbehardtosee,soyou’llhavetolookforthefusethatdoesn’tlookliketheothers.You’llseethataspringhascollapsedorametalstriphasburned,leavingagapinthestrip.Unscrewtheblownfuseandscrewinanewone,justlikealightbulb.Makesuretoinstallafusewiththesame“amp”rating.Never,everinstallafusewithahigheramprating.

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Don’ttrustlabelsInsideyourmainpanel,you’llfindlabelsorlistsindicatingwhichbreakercontrolswhichcircuit:“masterbedroomlightsandoutlets,”forexample.Theselabelsareagoodguide,butthey’renotcompletelyreliable,especiallyinolderhomesthathavebeenthroughrepeatedremodeling.Forexample,youmightfindthatalloftheoutletsinaroom—exceptone—areonthecircuitlistedonthemainpanel.Thatorphanoutletmaybeconnectedtojustaboutanyothercircuitandnotlistedonthepanel.Aseveryelectricianhaslearnedthehardway,youcan’ttrustthoselabels.

AlHildenbrand,masterelectricianandTheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

Ifabreakertripsagainandagain…Abreakerorfusethatwon’t“hold”meansoneoftwothings:Youhaveaseriousproblemsuchasashort-circuitedwire,oryou’veoverloadedthecircuitbypluggingintoomanyelectricdevices.First,trytotakesomeloadoffthecircuitbypluggingintootheroutletsthatareonothercircuits.Appliancesthatdrawlotsofpowerareusuallytheoverloadculprits(spaceheaters,windowairconditioners,hairdryers,irons,etc.).Ifyoucan’tpreventbreakertripsthisway,there’sagoodchancethatyouhaveamoreseriousproblem.Callinanelectrician.

WhatareGFCIsandAFCIs?Ground-faultcircuitinterruptersandarc-faultcircuitinterruptersdetectpotentiallydangerousflowsofelectricityandturnoffinstantly,beforetheycandoanyharm.Bothcanbebuiltintobreakersoroutlets(atestbuttononabreakeroroutletindicatesthatit’sGFCI-orAFCI-protected).ElectricalcodesrequireGFCIsinareasthatmightbedamp,likekitchens,bathrooms,outdoorsorinthegarage.AFCIsarerequiredinalllivingareas,exceptbathrooms.Thatdoesn’tmeanyouhavetocallinanelectriciantoinstallthemimmediately.Butaremodelingprojectcouldtriggertheserequirements,addingsafetytoyourhome—andmajorexpensestotheproject.

No.18

EliminateantsYoucansafelyandeasilyde-bugyourhomewithoutprohelpInsecticideskeepgettingbetterandbetter:easiertouse,moreeffectiveandsaferforyourfamily.Soyoucanhandlemostantproblemsyourself,withouttheexpenseofanexterminator.Butdon’thesitatetocallinaproforstubborninfestations.Someantsaremorethananuisanceandcandamageyourhome.

I.D.theantTakeaclose-upphotoofaninvaderande-mailittoyourlocaluniversityextensionservice(searchonlineforyourstate’snamefollowedby“universityextensionservice”).Theextensionservicewilltellyouthetypeofantyou’redealingwithandwhereitnests.Itmaygiveyoufactsheetsabouttheantspeciesandmaybeevensomeadviceongettingridofthatparticularantspecies.

MakepoisoneasytoreachPlaceliquidantbaitstationsinareaswhereyou’veseenants,likeunderthesinkandalongwalls,tomakeitaseasyaspossiblefortheantstotakethetoxicbaitbacktothenest.Expecttoseemoreants(initially)whenyousetoutthebait.That’sagoodthing.Itmeansmoreantsaretakingthebaitbacktothecolonywherethey’llshareitwiththerestoftheants,includingthequeen.

Don’tsquishthem!Aftersettingoutthetoxicbait,resistthetemptationtosteponants.Rememberthatthey’reworkingforyounow—gatheringthepoisonandtakingittothenest.

CAUTION!Antpoisonisalsotoxictopetsandhumans.Nomatterwhatproductyouuse,readtheinstructionscompletelyandfollowthemcarefully.

KillantsinyouryardSpot-treatanthillsormoundswithanoutdoorinsecticide.Forlarge-scaleantproblems,usealawnandgardeninsectkillerthatcontainsbifenthrinastheactiveingredient.Firstmowthegrass,thenspraytheinsecticideontheentirelawnintheearlymorningorlateafternoonwhentheantsaremostactive.

DestroyexteriornestsLookforholesinthesidingwhereantsarecrawlinginandout.Theholesareoftenlocatedbetweenbrickswheremortarhasfallenout,underlapsidingorincracksinstucco.Spraytheareawithinsecticide.

KillfireantswithbaitYouneedaspecialbaitdesignedtokillfireants(checkthelabel).Applythegranuleswithabroadcastspreader.Fireantscarrythetoxicbaitbacktotheirmoundswheretheyshareitwiththecolony.

EliminateanthavensTrimbackbushes,shrubsandtreesthatbrushagainstyoursidingorroof.Theseprovideabridgeforantstoreachyourhouse.Keepa3-in.to6-in.clearancespacebetweenthesoilaroundthefoundationandthebottomrowofsidingtopreventantsfromnestinginthesiding,andavoidstackingfirewoodnexttothehouse.

ErasetheirtrailsAntsleaveascentedtrailthatotherantsfollow.Sweepingormoppingisn’tenoughtoeliminatethescent.Instead,mix1partvinegarwith3

isn’tenoughtoeliminatethescent.Instead,mix1partvinegarwith3partswaterinaspraybottle,thenspraywhereveryou’veseenants.Byerasingthetrail,you’llstopoutdoorantsfromfollowingthefirstinvaders.Butyouwon’tstopantsthathavealreadynestedindoors.

HuntdownthenestThesolutiontosomeantproblems(likecarpenterants)isgettingridoftheirnest.Lookfordampareassuchasframingorflooringthat’ssoftandspongyfromaplumbingorroofleak.Lookinattics,bathroomsandexteriorwalls.Whenyoufindthenest,sprayitwithaninsecticidelabeledforindooruse.

SprayentrypointsSprayanindoorinsectkillerinplaceswhereantscanenter,includingwindowsanddoors,holesinexteriorwallsandcracksinthefoundation.Spraya4-in.-widebandalongentrypoints,justenoughtowetthesurface.Oncedry,thesprayleavesaninvisiblefilmthatrepelsantssotheywon’tenterthehouse.

SprayonabarrierIfyou’restillgettingantsinyourhouseaftersprayinginteriorentrypoints,spraya12-in.-widebandofinsecticideonthefoundationandsiding.Useanoutdoorinsecticidethatsays“barriertreatment”onthelabel.

No.19

GetridofmiceTraptheonesyouhaveandkeeptheothersoutIfyouhavemice,youneedashort-termsolutionandalong-termdefense.Simplesnaptrapsareaneffectivewaytoeliminatetheintruders.Butalsotakestepstokeepoutthenextwaveofinvaders.

Thebestbait(itisn’tcheese)Cheeseisn’tonanymouse’s“top-10list.”They’llonlyeatitifnothingelseisavailable.Plus,cheesehardensaftersittingoutforawhile,makingiteasierformicetotakethebaitwithoutsettingoffthetrap.Theperfectbaitisactuallypeanutbutterorbacon,orablendofpeanutbutterandbacongrease.Micecan’tresistthesmellandtaste.Sowipethatonthetripmechanismtogetthegreatestnumberofcatches.

Aresnaptrapscruel?Youmightthinkthatlivetrappingandreleasingismorehumane.Butoncereleasedintonewterritory,mice(orothercritters)usuallydieaslowdeathfromstarvationorexposure.Poisonusuallyleadstoapainfuldeath,too.Snaptraps,ontheotherhand,dothejobquickly.

Don’tgetmousegerms!Beforeyousweepupmousedroppings,alwaysspraythemwithadisinfectantspraysuchasLysol.Micecanpassdiseasetohumansthroughtheirwaste.

UsetherightmousetraptechniqueSnap-typemousetrapswork—ifyouusethemright.•Placetrapsalongwallsinareaswhereyou’veseenthetelltalebrownpellets.Micehavepoorvisionandprefertofeeltheirwayalongwalls.•Thebesttechniqueistosettwotraps,paralleltothewall,withthetriggersfacingout.Micesometimesjumpovertraps,buttheycan’tjumptwo.•Setlotsoftraps.Foranaverage-sizehouse,twodozenmousetrapsisn’ttoomany.

EliminateeasyentrancesMicecanslipthroughgapsassmallas1/4in.Forthosegaps,acryliclatexcaulkisagoodfiller.Forgaps1/4in.upto1/2in.,usepolyurethanecaulk.Expandingfoamisafast,convenientfillerforanythingwiderorforareaswhereappearancedoesn’tmatter.Formostcracks,“minimalexpanding”foamistheeasiesttouse.

CheckunderthesidingInspecttheundersideofyoursidingusingamirror.Ifyoufindagap,markthelocationwithmaskingtapesoyoucansealitlater.

CheckthedryerventExaminedryerventstoensurethedamperisn’tstuckopenorbrokenoffcompletely.Alsocheckthatthesealbetweentheventandthewallistight.

SealgapsatdoorandwindowsSealdoors,windowsandbasementsasheswithadhesive-backedweatherstripping.Cleanthesurfacefirstsotheweatherstripwilladherewell.

PluggapswithmeshCaulkorexpandingfoamusuallykeepsmiceout.Butsometimes,micegnawthroughthem.Fortheultimatemouse-proofseal,stuffcopperscrubbingpadsintogapsbeforesealingwithcaulkorfoam.

No.20

DefeattermitesHowtodeterthem,detectthemandkillthemTermitesaresneaky.Theycanfeastonahomeforyearsanddoenormousdamagebeforeanyonenotices.Buttherearewaystomakeyourhomelessinviting,recognizeaninfestationandwipethemout.

EliminateeasyaccesstofoodandwaterTermitesgetwaterfromwetwoodordampsoil.Theirfoodsourceisanythingmadefromwood,includingwallpaper,facingondrywall,hardboardsidingandcelluloseinsulation.Ifyouremovethesourcesofwoodandwaterfromaroundyourhome,theywon’tbeattractedinthefirstplace.

Don'tstoretermite"food"onthegroundAcrawlspacefilledwithcardboardboxesoranythingmadeofwoodsetdirectlyonthegroundisaninvitationtotermites.Ifyoumuststorewoodproductsinacrawlspace,storethemoffthegroundontopofbricksorconcreteblocks.

RepairleakyplumbingDrippingorleakyfaucetskeepthesoilmoistyear-round,evenduringdryspells.

CaulkgapsinsidingTopreventrainwaterfrompenetratingyourwalls,fillanyholesorgapsinsidingandaroundwindowordoortrimwithacryliclatexcaulk.

KeepbushestrimmedHeavyvegetationkeepssoilmoist.Anddensebranchescankeepyour

Heavyvegetationkeepssoilmoist.Anddensebranchescankeepyoursidingmoistandevenleadtomoistureinsidethewalls.Trimyourshrubssosunlightcandryupthesoilandsiding.

ChannelrunoffawayfromyourhomeLimitmoisturenearyourhousebyaddingdownspoutextensionsthatareatleast6ft.long.Fillinlowspotsthatholdwater,andslopethesoilsowaterrunsawayfromyourhome.

KeepwoodawayfromyourhomeFirewoodstackednexttoyourhouseandwoodmulchnearthefoundationcaninvitetermites.Storefirewoodatleast20ft.fromyourhomeandreplacewoodmulchwithdecorativestoneorgravel.

Watchfortermiteswarms,butdon’tconfusethemwithflyingants

Antvs.termite“Swarmers”lookmorelikewingedantsthantermites.Threekeydifferences—andamagnifyingglass—letyoudistinguishswarmersfromants.

SwarmsinthespringEachspring,wingedtermitesflyofftostartnewcolonies.Ifyouseeswarmersflyingaroundyourhouse,trytospotwherethey’recomingfrom.Ifthey’recomingoutofyourhouseoryoufindtheminside,youhaveatermitecolonyinside.Alsolookforpilesofwingsincorners,onwindowsillsorcaughtinspiderwebs.Collectswarmers(deadoralive)inajarorplasticbagtohelpaproidentifythetype.

MudtubesTermitesliveinthesoilbeneathahouseanduse“mudtubes”toreachwoodenstructureswithoutdehydrating.Mudtubesaremostcommonontheinsideoroutsideoffoundations.Youmaybetemptedtoimmediatelydestroythetubes,butholdoff.Theycanprovidecluessoproscandiagnoseandeliminatetermitecolonies.

DamagedwoodTermitescanfeedonahouseforyearswithoutleavinganyevidencebecausetheyofteneatwoodfromtheinsideandleavetheoutsideintact.Butyoucancheckaccessiblewoodinanopencrawlspaceorunfinishedbasementforhiddendamage.Juststabthewoodhardwithascrewdriverevery6in.andcheckforsoftwood.

Hireanexterminator—butdoyourresearchfirstThinktwicebeforetryingtoexterminatetermitesyourself.Whenitcomestoprotectingyourhomefromseriousdamage,professionalexpertiseisworthpayingfor.Becausetermitesworkslowly,youcantakeyourtimetofindtherightexterminationservice.Getbidsfromseveralpestcontrolcompaniesandpayattentiontowarranties.Somecoverthecostofrepairsiftermitescomebackwhileotherscoveronlythecostoftreatment.

Exterminatorsdon’tjustspraypesticidesonsurfaces.Foreffective,lastingtreatment,theyoftendrillholesandinjectchemicalsintowood,soilormasonry.

Termiterisk

Inareaswheretermiteriskismoderateorheavy,expertsoftenrecommendannualprofessionalinspections.

No.21

ProtectagainstpetdamageDon’tletbelovedpetswreckyourbelovedhome

KeepthemoffthefurnitureLayaplasticcarpetprotector—pricklysideup—onseatstotrainpetstostayoff.Carpetprotectorsareavailableatofficesupplystores.Aluminumfoiloftenworks,too.Somepetsfindthefeelandsoundof

Aluminumfoiloftenworks,too.Somepetsfindthefeelandsoundoffoilintolerable.

PreventcloggeddrainsIfyouwashyourpoochinasink,tuborshower,you’rebeggingforafurrydrainclog.Toavoidthat,youcanbuyadrainscreenatadiscountstore.Oryoucansimplycoverthedrainwithascouringpad.Itwillcatchthefurbutletwaterflowdownthedrain.Toprotectatubdrain,stuffthepadsundertheopenstopper.

RescuethecarpetIfyourpethasanaccidentonthecarpet,actfast.Urinecandamagefibersandevenchangethecolorofcarpet.Thelongeryouwait,thegreaterthatrisk.

ThebesttoolforthejobIfyourpethasfrequentaccidents,buya“carpetextractor,”asmallhandheldvacuumdesignedtosuckliquidsoutofcarpets.Otherwise,gowiththelow-techmethodshownbelow.

1.BlotthespotrightawaySoakuptheurinewithwhitepapertowels.Printedpatternscanbleedcolorintothecarpet.Presshardtosoakupasmuchaspossible.Thenaddaboutaquarter-teaspoonofdishwashingliquidtoacupoflukewarmwater.Butdon’tusethedetergentyouusewithyourdishwasher.

2.ApplythesoapywaterSoaktheareathoroughlywithpapertowels.Thenblottheareawithdry

Soaktheareathoroughlywithpapertowels.Thenblottheareawithdrypapertowelsandrepeatthiswet-and-dryprocessatleastonce.Followupwithclearwatertorinseoutthedetergentandblotthecarpetdryagain.

3.DrythecarpetApplyonepartwhitevinegarmixedwithtwopartswaterandblotthecarpetonelasttime.Coverthedampareawithabout20layersofpapertowelsandaheavystackofbooks.Changethetowelsagainandagainuntiltheynolongerabsorbmoisture.

MaskclawmarksScratchesonpainteddoorsandwoodworkcanbeerasedwithwoodfillerandafreshcoatofpaint.Stainedwoodisn’tquitesoeasytofix,butyoucanmakethedamagemuchlessvisible.Thehardpartismatchingtheexistingwoodtone.Youmayneedtoblendtwostaincolors.Gelstainismoreforgivingthanstandardliquidstain;ifyoudon’tlikethelook,youcanimmediatelywipeitoffandstartover.Tryalightercolorfirst,thenaddsomedarkerstainifneeded.Ifthestainedarealooksdullafterthestaindries,addsomesheenwithwipe-onpolyurethane.

1.SmoothoutthescratchesSandthedamagedarealightlywithafinesandingblockorsponge.Yourgoalisn’ttocompletelyremovethescratches,buttosmoothoutthedamage.

2.StainthescratchesApplygelstainwithabrush.Startbyapplyingthestainverylightlyandgraduallyaddmoreuntilyoureachthetoneyouwant.

PerfectlawnpatchHere’showtocutoutdamagedgrassandreplaceitwithaperfect-fittingpatch:Layapieceofsodoverthedamagedspotandslidethroughboththesodandtheturfbelowwithaspade.Digoutthebadgrassandpluginthenewsod.Wateritdailyforacoupleweeksanditwillblendinvisiblyintoyourlawn.

EnzymesreallyworkCleanersthatcontainenzymesaren’tlikeotherproducts.Theirkeyingredientisharmlessbacteria,whicheattheorganicmatterthatcausesstainsandodors.Justsprayiton.Whentheorganicmatterisgone,soarethestainsandsmells.Andhavingeatenalltheirfood,thebacteria

arethestainsandsmells.Andhavingeatenalltheirfood,thebacteriadie.

Timefornewcarpet?Ifyouroldcarpethasthelingeringsmellofpeturine,there’sagoodchancethattheodorhasalsopenetratedthesubfloorunderneath.Soit’ssmarttotreatthesubflooraftertheoldcarpetisoutandbeforethenewcarpetgoesin.Wetanystainedareaswitha50/50mixofwaterandbleach.Afterafive-minutesoak,wipeupthewaterandletthefloordry.Thenpaintoverthepet-stainspotswithastain-blockingprimersuchasKilz,BINor1-2-3.

Voiceofexperience

Petsandprojectsdon’tmix

Home-improvementworkzonesaredangerousplacesforpets,withallthosetoolsandchemicalsaround.Petsposeadangertoyourhome,too.WhenItookabreakfromarecentpaintingproject,myhelpfuldogfetchedmypaintbrushformeandcarrieditacrossthehouse,drippingpaintalltheway.

DaveJones,TheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

No.22

Don’tkillyourlawnmowerStalegasistheNo.1enemyofsmallenginesOldgascausesthevastmajorityofstartingproblemsinmowers,snowblowersandothersmallengines.Themostcommonfixisacarburetorrebuild,whichcostsaround$100.Andthat’sawaste—becauseavoidingtroubleisfareasierthandealingwiththeconsequences.

HowtogetridofoldgasPourdosesofitintoyourcar’stank,aboutahalfgallonatatime.Your

Pourdosesofitintoyourcar’stank,aboutahalfgallonatatime.Yourcarcanhandlestalegasmuchbetterthansmallengines,andsmalldoseswon’thurtit.Yourcitymayalsohavearecyclingcenterthatacceptsgas.

BuysmallerquantitiesGashasalimitedshelflife,sobuyonlywhatyouneedforthenearfuture.Ifyoubuyethanol(oxygenated)gas,buyonlyenoughtolastfor30days.Ifyoubuynon-oxygenatedgas,limityourpurchasetoa60-daysupply.Witheithertypeofgas,useacontainerthat’ssizedfortheamountyou’llbuy.Storing2gallonsina5-galloncontainerleavesyouwith3gallonsofair,causingthegastospoilfaster—evenifyouaddstabilizer.

AddstabilizereverytimeyoufillManypeopleaddgasolinestabilizerwhentheyputthemowerawayforthewinter.That’sagoodidea,butthat’snottheonlytimeyoushouldusestabilizer.Stabilizerworksbestwhenit’saddedtofreshgasrightatthepump.And,sincesmall-enginegastanksarevented,pre-stabilizedgascanreducetheeffectsofwateraccumulationandslowthelossofvolatilevapors.Lookforastabilizerproductthatincludesantioxidantprotection,corrosioninhibitors,detergentandmetaldeactivators.(Briggs&StrattonAdvancedFormulaFuelTreatment&StabilizerandSTA-BILaretwoexamples.)Ifyouhaveatwo-strokeengine,buyoilwithbuilt-instabilizer.

GetanewgascontainerIfyourgascontainerdoesn’tsealproperly,you’regoingtohavegasproblems.Astheairtemperaturerisesandfalls,apoorlysealedcontaineremitsgasvaporsandpullsinmoisture.Soyoulosethemostvolatileingredientsinthegas—theonesyouneedmosttostartacoldengine.Also,thehumiditythatgetssuckedincondensesonthecontainerwallsandfallstothebottom.Asyoureachthegasatthebottom,you’reliterallypouringinablendofoldgasandwater.Ifyouroldcontainerismissingcaps,buyanewone.

FillingandstoragetipsLettheenginecoolafteruseandthenrefillthetankto90percent.Thatwillreducemoisturecondensationandoxidation.Consultyourowner’smanualforoff-seasonstoragerecommendations.Mostmanualsspecify“drystorage,”whichinvolvesdrainingthetankandrunningtheengineuntilitdies.Thenpullthecorduntilyougetnosignsoflifefromtheengine.Ifthemanualrecommends“wet”storage,fillthetankto90percentwithfreshstabilizedgas.

UsetherightkindofgasNeveruseE-85orE-15gasinyoursmallengine.Thosefuelscancausecatastrophicdamage.Mostsmallenginesoperatebestwith87-octanefuel(85-octaneinhighaltitudes).Unlessspecificallyrecommendedby

fuel(85-octaneinhighaltitudes).Unlessspecificallyrecommendedbythemanufacturer,neveruseahigheroctanefuelinyoursmallengine.

Isethanolatfault?Everybodyblamesoxygenatedfuel(gaswithethanol)forcarburetorfailures.Butguesswhatcausedtheproblemsbeforewestartedaddingethanol?Yup—stalegas.Whetheryoubuyoxygenatedornon-oxygenatedgas,operatorerrorisreallytherootcauseofcarburetorcorrosionandgunkbuildup.Gasolinesimplygoesbad,anditgoesbadfasterifit’simproperlyhandledandstored.

Voiceofexperience

ThanksforusingbadgasIjustwanttosay“thanks”toallofyouwhousestalegas.Itkeepsmeandmyfellowsmall-enginerepairmeninbusiness.Weespeciallyappreciateourrepeatcustomerswhoignoreourwarningsandvisituseveryspring.

PeteNovak,TheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

BONUSSECTION

OURFAVORITESTORAGETIPSQuick,easywaystogetorganizedLikeallhomeowners,readersofTheFamilyHandymanmagazinefightanever-endingbattleagainstclutter.Andwhentheyfindawinningstrategy,theyshareitwithfellowreaders.Herearesomeoftheirbesttips.

PocketstorageHang-upshoeorganizersarethefastestwaytoaddeasy-accessstoragejustaboutanywhere.Findthematdiscountstores.

MobiletoolrackIfyouseeanoldgolfbagatarummagesale,grabit.Itwillmakeagreattoteforlawnandgardengear.

Measuringcuphang-upScrewacouplestripsinsideacabinetdoor,addsomehooksandyou’vegotaperfectroostformeasuringcups.Justmakesureyourcupswon’tbumpintotheshelves.

HangladderslowMostpeoplehangladdershighonthewall.Butoften,lowerisbetter.Itmakesladderseasiertograband,sinceladdersareskinny,leavesfloorspaceopenforparkingcars,bikesorthemower.

Tight-spaceshelvesWirepantryshelvesaren’tjustforpantries.They’reperfectforanywallwherefull-depthshelveswon’tfit:garages,laundryrooms,utilityrooms….

ClosetnookshelvesDon’tlettherecessedspaceattheendsofaclosetgotowaste.Installwireshelvingtoholdblankets,towelsorbedding.

MoreshowershelvesThoseshelvesthathangfromashowerpipearefine,butyouhaveonlyoneshowerpipe.Tohangmoreshelves,mountcabinetknobsonthewallusingNo.8-32hangerscrewsandscrewindrywallanchors.

S-hookhang-upPickupapackofS-hooksatahomecenterandturnwireshelvingintoarackforcleaninggear.

InstantminibinsPlasticjunctionboxesforelectricalworkarecheapandeasytomountanywhere.Getthemathomecenters.

ToiletpapershelfBuyadeep“shadowbox”pictureframeatacraftstore,paintitifyou’dlikeandhangitaroundyourtoiletpaperholder.

FastshelvesThoseplasticcratessoldatdiscountstoresmakegreat(andcolorful!)shelves.Mountthemonwalls,usingscrewsandfenderwashersattheuppercorners.Screwtostudswhereyoucan;usescrewindrywall

uppercorners.Screwtostudswhereyoucan;usescrewindrywallanchorswhereyoucan’t.

JunkdrawerinabagHeavy-dutyzip-topbagsareaversatilesolutionformiscellaneousjunk.Unlikeadrawerorcoffeecan,theyletyouinstantlyfindjustthethingyou’relookingfor.

CanrackWireshelvinginstalledupsidedowninacabinetmakesaneasy-accessrackforcannedgoods.Nomorediggingthroughcanstofindthecreamofmushroomsoup.

Add-onclosetrodEyescrews,carabinersandacouplechainsletyouhangasecondclosetrodfromtheexistingrod.Everythingyouneedisavailableathomecenters.

StoreonadoorAdoorthatopensintoaclosetorutilityroomprovidesahandysurfaceforhang-upstorage.Thetroubleisthatmostdoorsdon’tofferaflat,solidsurfaceforfasteninghooksorracks.Thesolutionistoscrew3/4-in.plywoodtothedoor.(Onahollow-coredoor,usescrewsandconstructionadhesive.)Thenyoucanmountasmanyhooksorracksasyoulike.

VerticalcabinetspaceCookiesheetsandpizzapansareeasiertostoreandeasiertoaccessifyoustorethemstandingonedge.Tocreateverticalspace,installaverticalpanelandshortentheexistingcabinetshelf.

ClosetbracketbikerackBracketsdesignedtosupportclosetrodsmakeabrilliantbikerack.Addsomeadhesive-backedfeltorhook-and-loopstripstopreventscratchingyourbike.

SimplestoragespoolsCutupcardboardtomakehandyspoolsforholidaylights,stringorcords.

Under-sinkarchivesDon’tfileawaythemanualsandsparepartsthatcamewithyourkitchenandbathfixtures.Instead,putthemrightwhereyou’llneedthem,inzip-topbagshungonhooksatthebackwallsofcabinets.

Stay-putballsScrewflowerpottraystoshelvessoballscan’trolloff.Cheapplastictrayscomeinsizestosuitallkindsofballs.

InstantdrawerdividersStickstripsofadhesive-backedfoamweatherstrippingtotheinsideofthedrawer.Thencut1/4-in.plywoodstripsandwedgethemintoplace.

OverheadladderArarelyusedladderdoesn’thavetotakeupvaluablestoragespaceonthewall.Buildsimpleracksbyscrewing2x4stogether,thenscrewtherackstotheceilingjoists.Besuretopositiontherackswheretheywon’tinterferewiththegaragedoor.Securetheladderwithanelasticcordsoitcan’tfalloff.

itcan’tfalloff.

JoistspacestorageMountasectionofwireshelvingtotheundersidesofjoistsandyou’vegotarowofneatstoragenooks.Unlikesolidshelving,wireletsyouseewhat’supthere.

HangabikeonthewallNeedtohangabikebutcan’treachtheceiling?Bikehooksmeantforceilingsworkonwalls,too.Justdrivethehookinat45-degreeangle.

PreservelawnsuppliesLawnproductslikeseedandfertilizersoakupmoistureindampgarages.Tokeepthemfresh,storethemingiantzip-topbags(availableatdiscountstores).

CabinetslotsAmetalfileorganizerisperfectforstoringflatkitchengearlikecuttingboardsorcookiesheets.Tokeepitinplace,setitonapadofrubberyshelfliner.

No.23

GuardagainstcarbonmonoxideIt’sdeadlyandit’sinyourhouse—butstayingsafeiseasyCarbonmonoxide,orCO,isacolorless,odorlessgasthatfirstmakesyoufeelsick,thenputsyoutosleepandthenkillsyou.It’sanormalbyproductofcombustion,soit’sproducedbyanythingthatburnsfuel.Unlessyourhomerunsentirelyonelectricity,it’sinyourhouse.Here’showtoprotectyourfamily.

SourcesofcarbonmonoxideCOisproducedbyanythingthatrunsonfuel:gaswaterheaters,oilfurnaces,woodstoves,gasolineengines,keroseneheaters…ifitburns,itemitsCO.

itemitsCO.

COdetectorsaremandatoryMostthingsthatburnfuelventexhaustgasesoutside.Butexhaustsystemscanfail,soCOdetectorsarethebestwaytostaysafe.Installoneoneachlevelofyourhome.

Locatetheminhallwaysnearbedroomsbutatleast15ft.awayfromfuel-burningappliances.COisroughlythesameweightasair,soitneitherrisestotheceilingnorsinkstothefloor.

Installacombinationcombustiblegas/COdetectorinareasheatedbynaturalgasspaceheaters.

Locatedigital-displaywall-mounteddetectorsateyelevelsoyoucanmonitortheCOlevels.

Installwall-mounteddetectorsanywhereonthewall,butatleast15in.belowtheceiling.

ReplacedetectorsregularlyCOdetectorsonlyhaveafive-toseven-yearlife.Listingabuilddateoranexpirationdateonthelabelisafairlynewpractice.Ifthere’snodate

anexpirationdateonthelabelisafairlynewpractice.Ifthere’snodateonyoursandyoucan’trememberwhenyouboughtit,you’reprobablydueforanewone.Somemodelshaveadigitalreadoutanda“peaklevel”memoryretentionfeature.That’shelpfultoemergencypersonneliftheysuspectCOpoisoning.Ifyouhavesmallchildren,considerbuyingatalkingCOdetector.Avoicewarningismoreeffectivethanahornatwakingchildren.

ThesignsofCOpoisoningTheearlysymptomsofcarbonmonoxidepoisoningresemblethoseoftheflu.IftheCOdetectoralarmsoundsandanyoneisexperiencingheadaches,dizziness,fatigueorvomiting,geteveryoneoutofthehouseandcall911.Neverignorethealarm:Don’tassumealliswellifnoonefeelsill.Openyourdoorsandwindowstothoroughlyventilatethehouse.TurnoffallpotentialsourcesofCO.Haveaproinspectyourfuel-burningappliancesandchimneystomakesurethey’reoperatingcorrectlyandthatthere’snothingblockingtheventsthatletfumesoutofthehouse.

PoweroutagesleadtoCOdeathsIntheaftermathofnaturaldisasters,morepeoplediefromCOpoisoningthanfromMotherNature’sfury.Whenthepowergridgoesdown,peoplefireupgrills,generatorsandcampstoves—sometimesingaragesorindoors.Badidea.Useoutdoorequipmentoutdoorsonlyandkeepgeneratorsatleast10ft.awayfromyourhouse.

No.24

RadonkillsButdon’tpanic—justdoasimpletestRadonisacolorless,odorlessgas,naturallyoccurringinalmostallsoils.Long-termexposurecancauselungcancer.Radonisalsounpredictable.Onehousemayhavesky-highlevels,whilethehousenextdoorisnearlyradon-free.Levelsareusuallyhighestinbasements,buthomeswithoutbasementsaren’timmune.Eveninlow-radonregions,afewhomeshavedangerouslevels.Sotestingistheonlywaytoknowifyourhomeissafe.

•Coversoilincrawlspaceswith6-milplasticsheeting.Runthesheetingupfoundationwalls,thenfastenandsealitatthetop.

•Installanairtightcoveronthesumppumpbasin.

•Caulkaroundpipesorwiringthatpenetrateswallsorfloors.

•Caulkcracksinconcretefloorsandbasementwalls.Youcanalsosealconcretefloorswithcoatings,butresearchersdisagreeabouttheeffectivenessofthis.

Howitgetsin—andhowtoblockitMostradonentershomesthroughgapsandcracks.Sosealingentrypointsisthebestfirststep.Thentestagain.Inmostcases,sealingwon’tyieldmajorresults.Butitmaylowerradonlevelsthatareslightlyelevatedandwillmakeafan-poweredmitigationsystemmoreeffective.

elevatedandwillmakeafan-poweredmitigationsystemmoreeffective.

3waystotestTestinthelowestareaofyourhomethat’soccupiedatleast8to10hoursperweek.If,forexample,yourbasementisusedonlyforstorage,testonthemainfloor.Iftheresultsare4pCi/L(picoCuriesperliter)orhigher,takestepstolowerradonlevels.

•SHORT-TERMTESTS(around$20)arelessaccuratethanlongertestsandareusedmostlyforquickresultsbeforeahomesale.Mostconsistofacharcoalcanisterthatyouexposeforafewdaysthensendtoalab.

•LONG-TERMTESTS(around$25)areconductedlikeshorttests.Butthelongertimeperiod(90daysormore)providesresultsthataren’tskewedbydailyweatherfluctuations.

•CONTINUOUSTESTINGMONITORSconstantlymeasureradonlevelsanddisplayarunningaverage.Monitorscostaround$130online.

Voiceofexperience

Alwaystrysimplesolutionsfirst.Once,Ibroughtradonlevelsway

downjustbyclearingsomeblockedventsinacrawlspace.

MattHaun,TheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

TheultimatesolutionAradonmitigationsystemconsistsofaspecialfanandplasticpipes.Thefandrawsradonandothergasesfromunderconcretefloorsandexhauststhemoutside.Thepipesandfancanbemountedinsideyourhomeorout.Thesesystemstypicallycost$1,000to$2,000,dependingonthedifficultyofinstallation.Yourstateradonofficecanprovidealistofqualifiedcontractors.

No.25

TestforleadpaintIfyouknowit’sthere,youcanlivewithitsafelyAbouthalfofhomesintheU.S.haveleadpaint,whichisaserioushealthrisk,particularlyifyou’repregnantorhavesmallchildren.Butyoucansafelylivewithleadpaint.Knowingifyouhaveitisthefirststep.

HowtotestforleadpaintMostlead-paintpoisoningoccursbyexposuretoleaddust.Testingthedustwilldetermineifyouhavealeadhazard.Thetestkitsareavailableathomecentersandhardwarestoresandincludestep-by-stepinstructionsforcollectingthesamples,bagsforthesamples,plasticglovesandanenvelopetosendthesamplestoanEPA-certifiedlabforanalysis.Results,mailedbackinabouttwoweeks,willtellifthesamplescontainedapotentiallyharmfullevelofleaddust.Ifyouhaveadusthazard,contactyourlocalhealthdepartmentforremediationguidelinesorcontacttheEnvironmentalProtectionAgencyatepa.gov/lead.

TakeasampleandsenditinWipethetestareainabackward“S”patternwithamoistcloth,pickingupdusttouseasasample.

LivingwithleadLeadpaintcanonlyhurtyouifitgetsintoyou.Usuallythathappenswhenyoubreathethedustorgetdustonyourhandsbeforeeating.Sothekeytolivingwithleadpaintistopreventitfromflaking,wearingdownorotherwisebreakingdownintodustorflakes.Leadpaintthat’singoodconditionorcoveredwithcoatsofnon-leadpaintgenerallyisn’tathreat.

However,beforeremodelingorotherwisedisturbingpaintedsurfaces,it’sbesttohaveaprofessionalleadinspectionandriskassessmentdone.Thiswilltellifyourhomehaslead-basedpaint,whereit’slocatedandifit’shazardous.Findcertifiedinspectionfirmsthroughyourstateorlocalhealthdepartment.

No.26

StopmoldandmildewIt’suglyandsometimesunhealthy—butyoucanbeatitTheairaroundusisfilledwithmoldsporeslookingforaniceplacetostartafamily.Andwhentheyfindaplace,theytakeoverfast,causinguglygrowth,stains,odorsandpossiblyevenhealthproblems.Sohere’showtopreventyourhomefrombecomingtheirhome.

First,understandthis:MoldneedsmoistureFightingmoldismucheasierifyouknowthatmoldcan’tlivewithoutadampenvironment.Controllingthemoisturesourceisusuallythebestwaytocontrolmold.

Threebiggestcausesofmold

Waterleakingintothehousefromtheroof,wallsorground.

Waterleakingfromplumbingorappliances.

Condensationproducedwhenwarm,moistaircontactsacoolsurface.

Voiceofexperience

MoldcanbeawarningsignWhenItoreintothiswallduringaremodelingjob,themoldtoldmethattherewastroubleoutside.Sureenough,Ifoundthattherewasnoflashingabovethewindow,sowaterwasleakingintothewall.Thatrepaircostthehomeownerafewbucks,butshewaslucky.Ifnotforthetelltalemold,thatleakwouldhaveeventuallycostherthousandsindamage.

MarkPetersen,contractorandTheFamilyHandymaneditor

LookforleaksIfyouseemoldnearwaterpipes,wastelines,icemakerlinesorplumbingfixtures,chancesarethemoldisfeedingoffanearbyleak.Letthewaterrunwhileyoucheckthepipesandsurroundingareafordampspots.Ifyouseemoldonornearceilings,suspectroofleaks.Rememberthatwatercantravelinanydirection—down,sidewaysorevenupwhenitwicksintoabsorbentmateriallikedrywall—sotheactualleakmaybesomedistancefromthemold.

PreventbathroommoldWiththreemoisture-producingfixtures—sink,tubandtoilet—packedintoasmallspace,abathroomistheperfecthomeformoldandmildew.Here’showtoreducethedampnessthatfeedsfungi:

SqueegeeaftershoweringSqueegeewaterofftheshowerwallsaftereverybathorshower.Thateliminatesatleastthree-fourthsofthemoisturethatsupportsmoldandmildewgrowth.

SealthegroutGroutabsorbswaterandsupportsmoldgrowthfordaysafterashower.Butyoucanlockoutwater.First,cleantileandgroutthoroughly,thensprayonanantimicrobialtreatment(suchasConcrobiumMoldControl).Finally,sealthegroutwithtwocoatsofgroutsealanttokeepwaterfrompenetratingthegroutandwall.

RunthebathfanFliponthefanjustbeforeyourbathorshowerandkeepitonfor15to30

Fliponthefanjustbeforeyourbathorshowerandkeepitonfor15to30minutesafterward.Betteryet,installatimerswitchsoyoudon’thavetoremembertoturnoffthefan.Fortheultimateinconvenienceandeffectiveness,installahumidistatswitch,whichwillturnonthefanwheneveritdetectshighhumidity.Somefanshaveahumidistatswitchbuiltin.

AttackclosetmildewClosetsareoftencool,dampanddark—fungusparadise.Here’showtodealwithmoldandmildewinclosetsoronotherwalls.

RemovemildewCleanandkillmildewwithamixofthreepartswaterandonepartbleach.Scrubthoroughly,butdon’tworryifthestainsdon’tcompletelydisappear.

PrimetheareaMildewstainscanbleedthroughpaint,socoattheareawithastain-blockingprimerbeforepainting.

Isitmoldordirt?Mostmoldisunmistakable,butsometimesitjustmakesasurfacelookdirty.Foraquicktest,dipaswabindilutedbleach(1partbleach,16partswater)anddabitonthewall.Ifthespotquicklylightens(orkeepscomingbackaftercleaning),assumeit’smold.

Anti-mildewweapons•Addmildewcidetopaintorusepaintthatalreadycontainsmildewcide(checkthelabel).•Runadehumidifierindamprooms.•Cutclosethumidity.Chemicaldehumidifiersarenontoxicproductsthatabsorbmoisturefromtheair.•Leaveclosetdoorsopenorreplacesoliddoorswithlouvereddoorstoincreaseairflow.

No.27

PreventhomefiresAvoidafewcommonmistakestodrasticallyreduceyourriskMostfiresarecausedbyordinarythingslikestoveburners,candlesandspaceheaters.Combinethesethingswithamomentofcarelessnessandyou’vegotadeadlydisaster.Butpreventionisjustaseasy.

CookingfiresTheymostlyoccuronthecooktop,usuallyinthefirst15minutesofcooking.Acommonscenarioisthegreaseinanunattendedfryingpancatchesonfireandignitesnearbycombustibles,whichinturnignitecurtains,cabinetsoranythingelseinthevicinity.

curtains,cabinetsoranythingelseinthevicinity.

Thestatistics:

23%offires,9%ofdeathsarecausedbycooking

Prevention:•Neverleavethekitchenwhilesomethingiscookingonthestove.•Keepcombustiblesatleast3ft.awayfromthecooktop.Thisincludescurtainsandwallhangings.•Ifafirestarts,slipalidovertheflames.Don’tcarrythepanoutside;manygreasefiresbecomefull-scalehousefireswhenapaniscarriedthroughthehouse,drippingaflaminggreasetrailallthewaytothedoor.

HeatingequipmentMostdeathsoccurwhenwoodstovesandspaceheatersareinuseandignitenearbycombustibleswhileeveryone’sasleep.Woodstovesalsocausefireswhenembersindiscardedashessmolderandigniteothertrash.Creosotebuildupandsparkscancauseachimneyfirethatignites

trash.Creosotebuildupandsparkscancauseachimneyfirethatignitescombustibleslocatedtooclosetoawoodstove.

Thestatistics:

15%offires,13%ofdeathsarecausedbyheaters

Prevention:•Keepspaceheatersatleast5ft.awayfromdrapes,beddingandotherflammables.•Plugspaceheatersdirectlyintooutlets,notintoextensioncords.•Don’tusespaceheaterswhilesleeping.•Emptywood-stoveashesinametalcontainerandstorethemoutsideawayfromcombustiblesforatleastaweekbeforedumpingthemintothetrash.•Haveyourchimneyinspectedandcleanedeveryyear.•Keepanyandallcombustibleobjectsatleast5ft.awayfromthestoveorfireplace.

ElectricalequipmentElectricityandheatcausedbyoverloadedextensioncords,hiddenelectricalshorts,badconnectionsandoversizedbulbsinfixturescanignitenearbycombustiblessuchaswoodframing,rugsoreventheinsulationaroundthecordorwire.Herearetelltalecluesthatcantipyouofftodangerousconcealedwiringhazards:•Electricalcordsthatarewarmtothetouchcansignaloverloading.•Charredorplasticburningodorsmayindicateoversizedbulbsandlightfixtures.•Warmswitchorreceptacleplatecoversmaymeanapoorelectricalconnection.•Frequentlytrippingcircuitbreakersmaybecausedbyadefectivebreakerorpossiblyashortinthecablesburiedinwallsorceilings.

Thestatistics:

9%offires,10%ofdeathsarecausedbyelectricalequipment

Prevention:•Replaceextensioncordsthatareundersizedorfrayed.•Neverrunextensioncordsunderrugs.•Replaceundersizedcordswithlarger-gaugeonesorplugappliancesdirectlyintooutlets.•Callanelectriciantotrackdownhiddenproblemscausingfrequentlytrippingcircuitbreakers.•Callanelectriciantoopenupandtroubleshootelectricalboxesthathavewarmcovers.•Checkallthelightbulbsinyourhometomakesurebulbwattagesdon’texceedthefixture’srecommendedmaximum.

AppliancesThebiggestculpritsarelintbuildupindryersandcombustiblesneargaswaterheaters.Sincewaterheatersareofteninthesameroomasthelaundry,clothestendtogetpiledupagainstthewaterheaterneartheflame.Theproblemisworsewhenthatflimsycoverplatefallsofftheburneraccess.Dryerventscatchonfirewhenbuilt-updustandlintignitefromeithertheburnersortheheatingelementsandcreateafirepathtobuilt-uplintwithintheventhose.Especiallydangerousaredryersthatareventedwithflexiblevinylhoses.Thevinylthencatchesonfireandlightsanythingnearit.

Thestatistics:

7%offires,4%ofdeathsarecausedbyappliances

Prevention:•Makesurethewaterheatercoverplateisinplace.•Replacevinyldryerventlineswithsmooth-walledmetalducts.•Marka“combustible-free”zone3ft.awayfromyourwaterheaterwithmaskingtape.•Cleanlintoutofdryers.

SmokingSmokingkillsmorepeoplethananyothercauseoffirebecausethefiresusuallystartwheneveryone’sasleep.Ifacigarettesmoldersinthebeddingordropsonthecarpetwhenthesmokerfallsasleep,thegasesfromsmolderingfabricswillactuallylullthesmokerintoadeepersleep.Livebuttsthatfallbetweencushionsoraretossedintotrashcanscantakehourstoignite,andwhentheyfinallydo,everyoneisinbedasleep.

Thestatistics:

5%ofhomefires,23%ofdeathsarecausedbysmoking

Prevention:

•Don’tsmokeinbed.•Uselargeashtraysontables.•Douseashtraysunderthefaucetbeforethrowingbuttsinthetrash.

CandlesLikecookingfires,mostcandlefiresoccurwhencandlesburnunattendednearcombustibles—usuallyinbedrooms.Usingcandlessafelycallsforattentionandcare.They’lloftengetsoftandfalloutofaholderandignitenearbycombustiblesorevenigniteanunderlyingwoodenholderorshelf.

Thestatistics:

5%offires,3%ofdeathsarecausedbycandles

Prevention:•Useonlytip-proofcontainers.•Burncandlesonlywhileyou’reawakeandinthesameroomwiththem.•Keepcandlesatleast3ft.awayfromcombustibles.•Neverburncandlesthathavecombustibles(flowers,leavesandpotpourri)castintothewax.•Don’tusecandlesduringablackout.UseLEDflashlightsandlanternsinstead.

PlayingwithfireChildrenoftenstartfireswhilehidinginplaceslikeclosetsorunderbeds,wherethey’resurroundedbycombustibles.Theirfirstreactionisoftentohidefromyouorthefireafteritstarts.There,theybecomeovercomebysmokeand/ormakeitdifficultforfirefighterstofindthem.It’sobviousthatyoushouldn’tleavematchesandlighterslyingaround,butyoualsohavetobevigilantaroundburningcandles.

Thestatistics:

5%offires,8%ofdeathsarecausedbychildren

Prevention:•Storematchesandlightersuphigh,welloutofthereachofchildren.

No.28

ReplacesmokealarmsBasicknow-howsaveslivesIfyouknewyoucoulddrasticallyreduceyourriskofdeathanddestructionjustbyinstallingandmaintainingafewcheapgadgets,youwoulddoit—right?Well,lotsofpeopledon’t.About60percentofhouse-firefatalitiesoccurinhomeswithmissingorneglectedsmokealarms.Toavoidbecomingastatistic,youjustneedtoknow—anddo—afewsimplethings.

WheretoputthemInstallatleastonealarmoneachlevelofahome,includingoneineachbedroomandoneineachhallwayleadingtobedrooms.That’snotjustgoodpractice;it’srequiredbymostbuildingcodes.

Smokerises,soalarmsmustbeclosetotheceiling,butnottooclose.Placewall-mountedalarms4to12in.fromtheceiling.Keepceiling-mountedalarmsatleast4in.fromwalls.

Replaceahard-wiredalarm

Replaceahard-wiredalarmEvenifyou’reawiringrookie,considerdoingthisjobyourself.It’sisoneoftheeasiestelectricalprojectsthereis,andyou’llsavethecostofhiringanelectrician.Thekeytodoingitsafelyistofirstturnoffthepoweratthemainpanelandthenmakesureit’soffbytouchingwiresinthejunctionboxwithavoltagedetector(about$5)—itwillbeeporlightupifpowerispresent.

1.RemovetheoldalarmRotatethealarmtoremoveitfromthemountingplate.Disconnectthewiresbyunscrewingtheconnectors.Thenunscrewtheoldmountingplatefromthejunctionbox.

2.InstallthenewalarmScrewonthenewmountingplate,connectthenewwiringharnesstowirescomingoutofthewallandplugtheharnessintothealarm.Mountthealarmonitsplateandyou’redone.

Mountthealarmonitsplateandyou’redone.

Theydon’tlastforeverAfter10yearsorso,alarmsbecomeunreliableandshouldbereplaced.Tocheckanalarm’sage,justremoveitfromitsmountingplate(usuallybyturningitcounterclockwise).Ontheback,youshouldfindamanufacturedate.Ifnot,replacethealarm.Anddon’tforgettochangethedeadbatteries!

TherearetwotypesBeforeyoureplaceanalarm,youhavetoknowhowit’spowered.Somealarmsarepoweredbybatteriesonly.Othersare“hard-wired”toyourhome’spowersupplyandhavebatteriesforbackuppower.Hard-wiredalarmsareusuallyinterconnected;ifonedetectssmoke,theyallscream.Totellwhatkindyouhave,removeitfromthemountingplate.Ifit’sconnectedtowires,it’shard-wired.Ifit’sconnectedtothreewires,it’saninterconnectedmodel.Inthatcase,youshouldreplaceitandallofitsneighborswithidenticalalarms.

No.29

Bereadyforfire

AnextinguishercansaveyourhomeAfireextinguishercanmakethedifferencebetweenaminorfireandtotaldestruction.Expertsrecommendthatyouhaveoneoneachlevelofyourhome.Justrememberthathouseholdextinguishersaremeantforsmallfires.Withalargerorfast-spreadingfire,forgettheextinguisherandgetoutofthehouse.

ChoosingiseasyDon’tgetboggeddowninthedetailsofthefireextinguisherclassificationsystem.Mostextinguisherssoldathomecentersarelabeled“A,B,C”—andthat’sexactlywhatyouneedtoputoutthemostcommontypesofhomefires.You’llfindseveralmodelsthatfitnicelyinadrawerorunderthesinkandevensmallerspray-canversions.

Thebasictechnique•Standafewfeetfromthefire,startblastingandmovetowardthefire.Theinstructionswilltellyouhowfarawaytostart.•Movetheextinguisher’sstreaminasweepingmotion.•Aimatthebaseofthefire.Sprayingtheflamesdoesnogood.

TheyemptyfastMostextinguishershaveaveryshort“dischargetime”beforetheyrunoutoffiresuppressant(10secondsistypical).Thatmeansyoucan’twastetimeorsuppressant.Aimcarefullybeforeyoupullthetrigger.

TheymakeamessExtinguishersblasttheareawithchemicals.Sodon’tuseoneunlessyouhaveto.Inthecaseofasmallstovetopfire,forexample,apotlidwillusuallysmothertheflames—andwon’tleaveyouwithcleanupchores.

Theydon’tlastforeverIfyouhaveanoldextinguisher,lookforanexpirationdateonthelabel.Alsomakesurethepressuregaugereads“full.”

No.30

CleanyourdryerventPreventfires,saveenergyandgetfasterdryingLintbuildupinadryeranditsventcutsthedryer’sefficiency.Clothestakelongertodryandyourenergybillsgoup.Butthebiggestreasontocleanoutlintisthis:Lintbuildupisoneofthemostcommoncausesofhomefires.Lintnearthemotor,gasburnerorelectricheatingelementcancatchfire,ignitelintintheventductandthenspreadtotherestofyourhouse.

Howtopreventadryerfire:•Emptythelinttrapaftereveryload.•Vacuumbehindthemachineregularly.•Keepflammablesawayfromthedryer.•Cleanlintfrominsidethedryercabinetandventductonceayear.•Ifyourdryerhasaplasticduct,replaceitwithmetal.

1.CleanoutthecabinetUnplugthedryer,turnoffthegasvalveandpryofftheaccesspanel.Vacuuminsidethecabinet,especiallyaroundthemotorandthegasburnerorelectricheatingelement.

2.CleantheventYoucandisassembletheventandcleanitbyhandorsimplydisconnecttheventfromthedryerandfeedinadryerventbrushfromoutside.Brushesareavailableatappliancestores,somehomecentersandonline.

CautionUnplugthedryerbeforepullingitawayfromthewall.Ifyouhaveagasdryer,alsoshutoffthegasvalve.Ifyousmellgasafterturningthevalvebackon,turnitoffimmediatelyandcallyourlocalutilitycompany.

No.31

KeepcrooksoutSmallsecurityupgradesareahugedeterrentMostburglarsaren’tcriminalmastermindsseekingprofessionalchallenges;theyjustwanttostealstuffwithminimaltime,effortandrisk.Unfortunately,therearelotsofeasytargetsinanyneighborhood.Butthat’sgoodnewsforyou.Ifyoumakeyourhomejustalittlehardertogetinto,yougreatlyincreasetheoddsthatcrookswillbypassyourhouseandlookforaneasierjob.

FocusonwindowsanddoorsAlltheusualsecurityadvice(installexteriorlighting,asktheneighborstowatchyourhouse,etc.)isworthfollowing.Butaboveall,knowthis:Thevastmajorityofbreakinsoccurthroughground-levelwindowsanddoors.Sostrengtheningthemispriorityone.

DaytimeiscrimetimeMostofusthinkofburglaryasanocturnalactivity.Thatusedtobetrue.Butthesedays,mostburglariesoccurbetween10a.m.and5p.m.Inmanycases,thecrooksgetinthroughunlockeddoorsorwindows.

Whataboutwindowbars?They’realmostimpossibletogetpast,sobarsarethetoughesttypeofwindowsecurity.Butbeforeyouinstallthem,askthelocalpoliceifthey’renecessary.Inmanyareas,crooksavoidbreakingglass.Itmakesaracketandisdangeroustothethief.Asonecopputit,“Whenwefindbrokenglass,weusuallyfinddropsofburglarblood.”

ReinforceadoorBurglarsdon’tusuallypicklocks.Thattakestoolong.Instead,theykickorprythedooropen.Thedeadboltusuallysurvivesthatbruteforce,butthedoororstrikeplategivesway.Here’showtobeefupthoseweakspots:

StrengthenthedoorWhenkickedorpried,doorsoftensplit.Evensteeldoorsaresurprisinglyeasytosplit.Topreventthat,installanedgeguard(availableathomecenters).Justremovethedeadbolt,sliptheguardoverthedoor,screwitonandreinstallthedeadbolt.Largermodelsbackupboththedeadboltandthedoorknob.

StrengthenthestrikeplateAbiggerstrikeplateisbetterthanasmallone,butthekeyfactoristhestrikeplate’sscrews.It’scriticalthattheypenetratenotonlythedoorjamb,butalsosinkdeepintothewallframingbehindthejamb.Tocheck,justremoveoneofthescrews.Ifit’slessthan3in.long,replacethescrews.Forevenbetterprotection,installalargerstrikeplatethatallowsformorethantwoscrews.

SecurewindowsThelatchesonmostdouble-hungwindowsarenomatchforaburglarwithaprybar.Butcheappinlocksaremuchtougher.Toinstallone,allyouhavetodoisdrillahole.Ifyouwanttolockthewindowinapartiallyopenposition,drillasecondhole.Mostcrank-open“casement”windowsarealittlehardertopryopen,butit’sagoodideatoaddlockstothem,too.You’llfindspecialcasementlocksandlatchesonline.

ProtectpatiodoorsTherearetwoeasywaysforburglarstogetpastaslidingpatiodoor.Sometimes,theypryopenthedoor;manypatiodoorlatchesarewimpy.Inothercases,theyprythedoorupward,liftingitoffitstrack,andsimplyremovethedoor.Herearedefensesagainstbothattacks:

AddalockorbarAthomecentersandonline,you’llfindvariouslocksforpatiodoors.Some,likethisone,allowyoutolockthedoorpartiallyopenforventilation.Therearealsobarsavailablethatjamagainstthedoorandpreventopeningfromoutside.Somepeoplesimplylayaboardorbroomhandleinthelowertracktopreventopening.That’sOK,butacrookcanslipacoathangerthroughthedoor’sweatherstrippingandpushthebroomhandleoutofplace.

KeepthedoordownTopreventthedoorfrombeingliftedoffthelowertrack,justdrivetwo3-in.-longscrewsthroughthetoptrack.Leavethemprotrudingsothedoorcanslide,butcan’tberaised.Thistrickalsoworksonmanytypesofslidingwindows.

Doalarmsystemswork?Yes,alltheexpertsagreethatmostcrooksshyawayfromhomeswithsecuritysystems.Butyouhavetoadvertise;ifthievesdon’tknowyouhaveasystem,theywon’tbedeterred.Posttheyardsignandwindowsstickerswheretheycan’tbeoverlooked.

Iftheydogetin…

•Immediatelynotifycreditbureaus,yourbankandcreditcardcompanies.•Inspectyourcheckbook.Ifanychecksaremissing,closetheaccount.•Makeyourhomemoresecure.Crooksoftencomebackaboutsixweekslatertostealthenewstuffyouboughtwiththeinsurancepayout.

Don’tlivewithabrokendeadboltAdeadboltisthekeycomponentofdoorsecurity.Thedoorknoblatchisnosubstitute.Soifyourdeadboltnolongerworks,replaceitnow.It’sasurprisinglyeasyjob.Justremovetwoscrewsinthethumblatch,thenremovetwoscrewstoremovethebolt.Installthenewdeadboltthesameway.Trytofindanewdeadboltwithaboltplateofthesamesize.Otherwise,you’llhavetoeitherenlargetherecessinthedoororlivewithanuglygaparoundtheplate.

InstallapeepholeNeveropenthedoorunlessyouknowwho’sontheotherside.Whetherthatdooriswood,steel,fiberglassorcomposite,installingapeepholeiseasy.

1.DrilltheholeDrillasmall(1/8-in.)guideholethroughthedoor.Thendrillthefull-sizehole(typically1/2in.).Stopabouthalfwaythroughandthendrillfromtheotherside.

2.InstallthepeepholeScrewthelensandsleevetogether.Therearenotchesinthesleeve,soyoucantightenitwithastiffputtyknife.

No.32

Burglar-proofyourgarageIt’sasecurityweakspot—andafavoritetargetforcrooksWhenitcomestosecurity,toomanyhomeownersoverlooktheirgarages.Butcrooksdon’t.Tothem,it’softenaneasyscore—orworse,theperfectpathintoyourhome,wheretheycanworkonyourentrydoor,unseenbyneighbors.Inabout20percentofhouseburglaries,crooksenterthroughthegarage.That’sashame,becauseboostinggaragesecurityisprettysimple.

Don’tleaveyourremoteinthecarAthiefwhobreaksintoyourcarcangrabtheremoteforeasyaccesstoyourgarage.Thisisn’tjustaproblemwhenyourcarisparkedinthedriveway;theregistrationcardinyourgloveboxgivesacrookyour

driveway;theregistrationcardinyourgloveboxgivesacrookyouraddress.Sogetridoftheremoteonyourvisorandbuyakeychainmodel.Youcaneasilytakeitwithyoueverytimeyouleavethecar.Homecentersstockonlyasmallselectionofremotes,butyou’llfindmanymoreonline.

Don’tforgettoclosethedoorLotsofgaragesgetlootedsimplybecausesomeoneforgottoclosethedoor.Agaragedoormonitorisagoodreminder.Juststickthesensortothedoorandsetthemonitorinaconspicuousspotlikeyournightstand.Thebrandofyourdoororopenerdoesn’tmatter;anymonitorwillwork.Anautomaticdoorcloserprovidesevenmoresecurity,sinceitclosesthedoorwhetheryou’rehomeornot.Installationrequiressomesimplelow-voltagewiringandtakeslessthananhour.Tofindamonitororanautomaticgaragedoorcloser,searchonline.

GaragedoormonitorThesensorsendsasignaltothemonitor,tellingyouwhetherthedoorisopenorclosed.Bothunitsarebattery-operated—nowiringisrequired.

AutomaticdoorcloserThisdeviceallowsthedoortostayopenforasetamountoftime,thenclosesit.Youcanoverrideitonthosesummerdayswhenyou’reworkinginthegarage.

CoverwindowstohidethelootDon’tletcrookswindowshopforthevaluabletoolsortoysinyourgarage.Installcurtainsorblinds.Or,ifyoudon’twanttoblocklight,applytranslucentwindowfilm;it’squick,easyandinexpensive.

LocktheoverheaddoorSomepeople“lock”thedoorwhentheygoonvacationbyunpluggingtheopener.That’sagoodidea,butphysicallylockingthedoorisevenbetter.Anunpluggedopenerwon’tstopaburglarwhohasenteredthroughthehousefromopeningthegaragedoorfrominside,backinginavanandusingthegarageasaloadingdockforhisplunder.Makeaburglar’sjobmoredifficultandtime-consumingbylockingthedooritself.Ifyourdoordoesn’thavealockablelatch,drillaholeinthetrackjustaboveoneoftherollersandslipinapadlock.

HowtochooseadeadboltJustlookforthe“ANSIGrade”onthelabel.Don’tevenconsideraGrade3,despitethetemptingpricetag.AGrade2modelisadequate,butspendanextra10bucksandgetaGrade1.Asidefromhighersecurity,you’llgetabetter-builtlockthatwillgiveyouyearsoftrouble-freeservice.

No.33

HideyourvaluablesSecretspacesthatfoilthievesYourhouseisfullofhideawaysthatmostpeoplewouldn’tthinkabout.Andmostcrookswouldn’teither.Justmakesurethatyourfamilyknowsyoursecrets,sotheydon’tdonateortossoutyourtreasurecontainer.

VacuumvaultThebagcompartmentinsideanoldvacuumprovidesahandyspotforvaluables.Lotsofotherhouseholditemsworktoo:anoldprinterorcomputertowerorkids’toys.

Paint-cansafeNocrookwillbothertoopenpaintcanslookingforloot.Beforeyouuseacan,leaveitopenforafewdayssotheleftoverpaintcanthoroughlydry.

BuriedtreasureRollupsomecash,stickitinamedicinebottleoranyotherwatertightcontainerandburyitinapottedplant.Ifyouwanttoavoiddiggingforyourtreasure,coveritwithapineconeorstone.

SecretslotbetweencabinetsBetweenalmosteverypairofuppercabinets,there’sa1/2-in.gap.Hangacash-filledenvelopeinthatslot,usingbinderclipsthataretoolargetofallin.Thisonlyworksifyouhaveopenspaceabovecabinets,ofcourse.

False-bottomdrawerPickadeepdrawersothedepthchangewon’tbeobvious.Cut1/4-in.plywood1/16in.smallerthantheopeningandrestitonacouplewoodstripsthatarehot-gluedtothedrawersides.Thenhot-gluesomeitemyou’dexpecttofindinthatdrawertothefalsebottomtoprovideahandletoliftthefalsebottomandrevealthebooty.

CounterfeitcontainersFoodcontainersofferendlesspossibilities.Forexample,spraytheinsideofamayonnaisejarwithcream-coloredspraypaintsoitlooksfull.

AppliancehideawayFridgesanddishwashershavecoverplatesorgrillesthathidealargeopenspace.Butdon’tplacelargeitemsunderafridge.Blockingtheairflowwillmakethefridgeworkharderandpossiblyevendamageit.

OutdoorkeysafePlasticLBfittingsandconduitareusedtoenclosewiresenteringabuilding.Soaphonyfittingwilllookperfectlynormaloutsideanyhouse.JuststicktheLBfittingonapieceofconduit,thenplantitinthegroundandscrewittothehouse.You’llfindeverythingyouneedintheelectricalaisleatanyhomecenter.

BewareofmiceMicelovetochewonanytypeofpaper,includingcashorimportantdocuments.Sodon’thidevaluablepaperswheremicemightgetthem.

No.34

BereadyforblackoutsWhatyouneedwhenthingsgodarkDuetoanagingpowergrid,blackoutsaremorecommonthantheyusedtobe.Andthingswon’tgetbetteranytimesoon.Soherearesometipstohelpyousurviveanelectricaloutage.

Voiceofexperience

FillthetubWhenthepowergridgoesdown,yourcitywatersupplymaysoonfollow.Sofillupbucketsandbottles.Fillthebathtub,too.Butmostdrainsarenotallthattight,andinafewhoursallthatpreciouswatermaybegone.Topreventthat,sealthedrainwithducttapebeforeyoufillthetub.

TompkinLee,TheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

GetcashInablackout,cashisking.Somestoresmaystayopen,buttheyprobablywon’tbeabletoprocesscreditcardpurchases.Andallthecashmachineswillbeonstrike.Sokeepanemergencycashstashonhand.

ConservebatteriesLEDflashlightsandlanternshaveahugeadvantageoverincandescentmodels:Theyallowbatteriestolastmuchlonger(typicallyaboutsixto10timesaslong).

TurnyourcarintoageneratorApowerinverter,whichturnsDCcurrentfromyourcarintoACcurrentforelectricgadgets,isthenextbestthingtoageneratorwhenitcomestosurvivingablackout.Smallunitscanrechargeyourcomputerorphone.Largeronescanpowerafridgeorpowertools.

StaytunedIfphoneandInternetsystemsgodownalongwiththepowergrid,abattery-poweredradiomaybeyouronlysourceofweatherandemergencyinformation.Youcouldlisteninyourcar,butaportableradioletsyoulistenanywhere.Somemodelshaveasolarpanelorahandcrankforrecharging,soyoudon’tevenneedbatteries.

Voiceofexperience

FillthegrilltankDuringathree-dayoutage,Ifeddozensoffriendsandneighborsbygrillingeverythinginmyfridgeandfreezer.Withoutpowertokeepfoodcold,itallwouldhavegonebadanyway.

ArthurBarfield,TheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

IcesavesfoodAcoupleofdayswithoutpowercancostyouafewhundredbucksasfoodspoilsinfridgesandfreezers.Filllockingfreezerbagswithwaterandkeeptheminthefreezer.Duringablackout,they’llhelpthefreezerstaycoldlonger.Oryoucantransferthemtothefridgeoracooler.Whentheythaw,you’vegotdrinkingwater.

Voiceofexperience

ACOdetectorisessentialBlackoutsoftenleadtocarbonmonoxidedeaths.Here’swhy:Togetheatduringoutages,peoplecrankupfireplaces,gasstovesandalltypesofheaters—andanythingthatburnsproducescarbonmonoxide.SoIgetoutabattery-poweredCOdetectorwheneverIuseanemergencyheatsource.

KevinYochum,TheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

Don’twreckyourTVWhenthepowergridsputtersbacktolife,itwillprobablycreatepower

Whenthepowergridsputtersbacktolife,itwillprobablycreatepowersurges,whichcandestroysensitiveelectronicsinTVs,computersandappliances.Sounpluganythingthatmaycontainelectroniccomponents.Leaveonelightswitchedontoletyouknowwhenthepowerisrestored.Andifyouhaveagenerator,checkthemanual.Mostinexpensivemodelschurnout“dirty”powerthatcanharmelectronics.

GasupYourcarisacriticalpartofyoursurvivalkit.It’syouremergencytransport,yourchargingsystemforcellphonesandmaybeeventheonlyheatedspaceyou’llhave.Sokeepyourtankfullbeforestorms.Ifyouhavegascans,fillthem,too.Whenthepowerisout,gasstationscan’tpumpgasfromtheirtanksintoyours.

Afterthepowergoesout•Don’tusecandles.Flashlightsproducemorelightandwon’tburnyourhousedown.•Bringsolarlandscapelightsinside.Don’tforgettoputthemoutforrechargingduringtheday.•Keepthefridgeclosed.Thelessyouopenfridgeandfreezerdoors,thelongeryourfoodwillstaycold.•Tapyourwaterheater.It’syourbuilt-inemergencywatersupply.Letthewatercoolbeforeyouopenthedrainvalveatthebottomofthetank.•Don’ttakechances.Poweroutagesmeanpackedemergencyroomsanddelayedambulanceservice;it’stheworsttimetogetinjured.

FlushwithabucketEvenifapoweroutagestopsyourwellpumporthecitywatersupply,youcanstillflushthetoilet.Dumpacouplegallonsintothebowlorfillthetoilettank.Thisworksjustaswellastheusualflush,butwon’trefillthebowl.

No.35

Canyoucountonyoursumppump?Testitnow—beforeyourbasementfloodsAsumppumpisoneofthemostimportantdisaster-preventiondevicesinahouse.It’salsooneofthemostignored;mosthomeownersdon’tdiscoverproblemsuntiltheirbasementsflood.

ThebuckettestRemovethebasincoveranddumpinafewbucketsofwater.Ifthepumpdoesn’trunordoesn’tejectthewater,you’vegottrouble.

Troubleshooting

IFTHEPUMPDOESN’TRUN…•Makesurethepumpispluggedin(soundsdumb,butthisacommonoversight).•Plugaradiointothepump’soutletandmakesureit’slive.•Iftheoutletisdead,checkthebreakerinthemainpanel.IftheoutletisaGFCI,pushthe“reset”button.•Ifthepumpisgettingpowerbutwon’trun,youneedanewpump.

IFTHEPUMPRUNSbutthewaterleveldoesn’tdrop…•Checkthedischargepipeoutsidethehouse.Frozenorpluggedpipesblockthewaterflow.•Ifthepipeisclear,thenreplacethepump.

DeadpumpalarmsForlessthan$20,youcangetasimplebattery-poweredalarmthathowlsifwaterreachesthetopofthebasin.Butthatonlyhelpsifyou’reathome,sotherearealsosystemsthatmakeaphonecallorsendatextmessageifthepumpfails.

Voiceofexperience

KeepareplacementonhandThreedaysofheavyraincausedapump-failureepidemicinourregion.Everyhomecenterandhardwarestorewassoldout.Sowhenoursumppumpdied,allwecoulddoiswatchwhileourbasementfilledup.Sincethatnightmare,I’vealwayskeptareplacementpumponthebasementshelf.

SteveWeller,TheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

ThepumpispartofasystemPerforatedpipesalongbasementwallscarrywatertoabasin.Risingwaterinthebasinliftsafloat,whichswitchesonthepumptoforcewateroutside.Acheckvalveinthedischargepipepreventswaterfromflowingbackintothebasin.

BackupsystemskickinwhenthepowergoesoutWetweatherandpowerfailuresoftengotogether,sosomehomeshavebackupsystems.Thisisanexpensiveoption($200andup),butcheapcomparedtoafloodedbasement.Abackupsystemwillalsotakeoverifthepumpbreaksdown.

BatterybackupAbattery—similartoacarbattery—powersasecondpumpinthebasin.A“maintainer”pluggedintoanoutletkeepsthebatteryatfullcharge.Typically,thebatterywillneedreplacementeveryfiveyears.

Water-poweredbackupThebackuppumpsiphonswateroutofthebasinusingwaterpressurefromthehome’swatersupply.Thiswilldriveupyourwaterbill,butit’sbetterthanabasementflood.

No.36

FindyourshutoffvalvesThey’rethedifferencebetweenasmallpuddleandahugefloodYourhome’swatersupplysystemisdangerous.Injustminutes,acrackedpipe,bursthoseorleakingicemakerlinecandothousandsofdollarsindamage.Butifyouknowthebasicsaboutshutoffvalves,youcanstoptheflowinstantlyandlimittheharm.

Findthem,testthemShutoffvalvesarelocatednearanydevicethatuseswater.Mostofthemareeasytofind;they’retypicallyundersinksandtoilets,behindthewashingmachineandabovethewaterheater.Shutoffsfortubsorshowersareoftenhiddenbehindawoodorplastic“accesspanel,”thoughsometubsandshowersdon’thaveshutoffs.Yourmainvalve—whichshutsoffwatertoyourentirehouse—maybeindoorsorout.Usually,thereareactuallytwovalvesflankingthewatermeterandyoucanturnoffeitherone.

Shutoffvalvesgounusedforyears,andmineraldepositscanmakethemimpossibletoclose.Soit’sagoodideatomakesureyourswork.Ifyouhavestandardvalves,justturnthehandleclockwise.Ifyouhaveball-typevalves,cranktheleverone-quarterturn.Ballvalvesrarelyfail,butit’sgoodtocheckthemanyway.

Themainhouseshutoff

Inwarmclimates…Themainshutoffistypicallyoutside,attachedtoawallorunderground.

Incolderclimates…Themainshutoffistypicallyinthebasement.Thereisalsoa“curbstop”shutoffthatrequiresaspecialtooltooperate.

IcemakershutoffscanbeanywhereValvesforicemakersmaybeunderthekitchensink,inautilityclosetorinabasementorcrawlspace.

Voiceofexperience

ThecostofnotknowingAfewweeksaftermovingintomyfirsthome,awashingmachinehoseburst,releasingageyserinmylaundryroom.Iknewenoughtotrythevalvebehindthewasher,butitwasancient.Andstuck.

totrythevalvebehindthewasher,butitwasancient.Andstuck.WhatIdidn’tknowaboutwasthemainvalve,whichcouldhaveshutoffthewatertothewholehouse.SoIjuststoodtherelikeadummy,waitingforaplumbertoshowupwhilewaterflowedfromthelaundryroomintoadjoiningrooms.Insurancecoveredmostofthedamage,butIpaidthedeductible,plushigherinsurancepremiumsforyearsafterward.

AndyCarson,TheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

SolutionforstubbornvalvesWhenavalvewon’tbudge,sometimesithelpstoloosenthepackingnutjustalittle.Turnitcounter-clockwisewhileholdingthehandlesteadywithyourhandorpliers.Ifyouevernoticealeakaroundavalvestem,tightenthepackingnut.

ThesmartestmoveyoucanmakebeforeavacationEveryinsuranceadjusterhasahundredstorieslikethisone:ThehomeownerslefttownFridayandreturnedSundayeveningtofindthousandsofdollarsinwaterdamage.Themoralofthesestoriesissimple:Beforegoingonvacation,turnoffthemainvalve.Inlessthanaminute,youcaneliminatethemostcommoncauseofhomedamage.

InsistonballvalvesIfyouhaveanyplumbingworkdonethatrequiresreplacingvalves,askforballvalves.Thatmayaddtenbuckstothecostoftheproject,butit’sabargain.Unlikeothervalves,whichrelyonscrewmechanismsandrubberseals,ballvalveshaveasimpleballinside,whichrotatestoopenorclose.Thatsimplicitymeansreliability;ballvalvesalmostalwaysworkwhenyouneedthem.

whenyouneedthem.

No.37

WorksafelyRoutinechorescanleadtoERvisitsWhenitcomestohomeownerhazards,it’stheminorjobsthatleadthelistofmajorinjuries.Ahomeownercleaningguttersorevenchangingaceilinglightbulbismorelikelytogethurtthantheelectricianworkingwithhigh-voltagecables.Soherearesomewaystostaysafewhilecaringforyourhome.

ProtectyourbrainFumesfromsolvents,adhesivesandpaintscanmakeyounauseatedordizzy.Butitgetsworse:Thosefumescanalsodamageyourbrainorlungs.Occasionally,theyevenkillusers.Goodventilation—opendoorsandwindows—isyourfirstdefense.Alsoweararespiratorwithreplaceablecarbonfilters.

ProtectyoureyesOfallhomeownerhazards,eyeinjuriesaretheeasiesttoprevent.Just

wearsafetyglasses.They’resocheapthatyoucankeeppairshandyanywhereyoumightneedthem:thegarage,basementandshed.Anddon’tjustwearthemwhenusingpowertools.Eyesgetinjuredinsurprisingcircumstances—whiletrimmingbushes,spraypainting,blowingleaves….

ProtectyourearsSure,theriskofhearingdamageishighestforthosewhouseloudequipmenteveryday.Butifyouuseashopvacuum,leafblowerorcircularsawwithouthearingprotection,you’redoingpermanentdamageeverytime.Andthat’sjustdumbbecauseprotectingyourearsissoeasy.Thegoalistoreducenoiselevelsto90dB.Allformsofhearingprotection—earmuffs,disposablefoamearplugs,reusableplugs—areadequateformostnoise.Withsuper-loudequipmentlikechainsaws,it’ssmarttousebothplugsandearmuffs.

ProtectyourlungsDustisn’tjustasneeze-inducingnuisance—heavyrepeateddosescanleadtosevereallergicreactionsandevenharmyourlungs.Youcanbuyadustmaskforaslittleas50cents,butdon’t.Instead,spendafewbucksononewithan“N95”certification.You’llgetamaskthat’smorecomfortableandtrulyeffectiveatkeepingdustoutofyourlungs.

SafeladdersetupLaddersafetystartswithcarefulsetup.Sloppysetupleadstofalls,evenifyouclimbcautiously.

SettheangleSettingaladderatthecorrectangleisthekeytostability.Toosteepanditcanslidesidewaysortipbackward.Ifnotsteepenough,thefeetmayslip.Togetitright,putyourtoesagainsttheladder’sfeet.Standstraightupandextendyourarms.Yourpalmsshouldjustreachtheladder’srung.

AnchorthefeetMakesuretheladdercan’tslipoutfromunderyou.Sweepoffhardsurfacesandmakesuretheladder’sshoepadsareclean.Onadeck,screwdownacleattolocktheladderinplace.Onconcrete,youcanoftensecuretheladderagainstsomethingheavylikealawntractor.Onsoftground,flipuptheshoessothespurscanbiteintothesoil.

StanditstraightupAladderthat’sleaningleftorrightonunevengroundcanslipsidewaysandtakeyouforalife-threateningride.Don’tstraightenaleaningladderbysettingonefootonbricksorblocks.Instead,digashallowholetolevelthefeet.Then,beforeyouclimb,jumphardonthelowestrungacoupletimestomakesuretheladderdoesn’ttilt.

Voiceofexperience

HeatmakesyoudumbBuildingadeckona100-degreeafternoon,IstoodonanoverhangingjoistasIcutitoff.Whenthejoistwentdown,Iwentdown.HowcouldIdoanythingsoincrediblystupid?TheERdoctorexplainedthatheatdoesn’tjustmakeyoumiserable—italsobakesyourbrain.Alongwithdehydration,itimpairsyourjudgment,slowsyourreactiontimeandgreatlyincreasesyouroddsofinjury.Takefrequentwaterbreaks,orbetteryet,waitforcoolerweather.

PeterKarpf,TheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

Don’tgetzappedHousechores—especiallyoutdoors—oftenbringwaterandelectricitytogether.ThebestwaytomakethosesituationssaferistouseaGFCI(ground-faultcircuitinterrupter).NewerhomeshaveGFCIprotectioninbathroom,kitchen,garageandexterioroutlets,butthoseGFCIsmaynolongerofferprotectionafter10yearsorso.Tobesafe,plugyourleafblowerintoaGFCIextensioncordbeforeyouventureintothewetgrass.

Don’tfallofftheroofIfyougetonyourroofeveryfalltocleanthegutters,considerbuyingapersonalfallarrestsystem(aka“roofharness”).Foraround$100,youcanbuyakit,installpermanentortemporaryanchorsinkeyspotsandtetheryourharnesstothemfortheultimateinroofsafety.

Don’tblowupthehouseTheflammablefumesthatevaporatefromsomeadhesives,solventsorpaintswilligniteiftheyreachaflame.Checkthelabel.Ifyouseewarningsaboutflammablevapors,don’tusetheproductneargaswaterheatersorotherapplianceswithpilotlights.Candles,smallengines—anythingthatmightflameorspark—canalsotriggeranexplosion.

Voiceofexperience

Call811beforeyoudigThat’sallittakestogetyourutilitylinesmarked.Andit’sabsolutelyfree.Thinkaboutit:Hittingapowerorgaslinecankillyou(orleaveyouwithahugebillfromtheutilitycompany).SlicingthroughacableTVlinecanalsobelife-threatening,asIlearnedoneSuperBowlSunday.

JeffGorton,TheFamilyHandymanAssociateEditor

No.38

StaysafeinastormNaturaldisastersbringunexpecteddangersYoualreadyknowtheobviousdangersofanaturaldisaster:collapsingbuildings,downedpowerlines,flyingdebris….Butinmostdisasters,morepeopleareinjuredbythingsthatdon’tseemallthatdangerous—thingsmostpeoplewouldn’teventhinkof.

Lightning:Don’tgethitindoorsYourhomeisprobablythesafestplacetobeinanelectricalstorm.Butlightningcanstillgettoyouthroughtheconductivepathsinyourhouse:yourwiring,yourplumbingandwater.Talkingonacordedphone,takingashowerorbath,workingonyourdesktopcomputerandhandlingpowertoolsduringanelectricalstormaren’tmuchsaferthanstandingoutside.Stayawayfromallwaterandappliancesuntilthestormpasses.

Don’tusecandlesforemergencylightingWhenthepowergoesout,lotsofpeoplelightlotsofcandles.Andlots

Whenthepowergoesout,lotsofpeoplelightlotsofcandles.Andlotsofpeopleburndowntheirhomes.There’snogoodreasonforthis.Today’sLEDflashlightsandlanternsburnbrighterandlastlongerthancandles,withouttheriskoffire.

StayoutofgushingfloodwaterSixinchesoffloodwaterdoesn’tlookdangerous.Butifit’smovingfastenough,it’senoughtosweepyouoffyourfeetandcarryyouintothehereafter.Rushingwateralsoerodesroadsandwalkways,creatingdrop-offsthatyoucan’tseeunderthetorrent.Thesmartestmoveistostayoutofflowingwater.

Don’tgetshockedinafloodedbasementThewaterinafloodedbasementprobablyisn’telectrifiedbyyourhome’selectricallines.Butitcouldbe.Soinsteadoffindingoutthehardway,justconsideritanenergizedpoolofinstantdeathuntilyoucallyourutilitycompanytodisconnectthepower.Andafterthewaterisgone,rememberthatanythingelectricalinthebasementmaystillbewet,damagedanddangerous.LeavethebasementpoweroffuntilyourutilitycompanyoranelectriciangivesyoutheOK.

KeepyourwheelsondrylandDrivingthroughafewinchesofwaterseemssafeenough,butmorethanhalfofflood-relateddrowningsinvolveavehicle.Injust6in.ofwater,somecarspartiallyfloatandbecomehardtocontrol.EvenamonsterSUVwillbecomearudderlessbargein2ft.ofrushingwater.Whenyoufindafloodedroad,bettertoturnaroundthanriskdrowning.

StayoutoftoxicwatersFurnitureisn’ttheonlystufffloatinginyourbasement.Chancesare,thewatercontainschemicalsstoreddownstairsandadoseofsewagethatbackedupthroughbasementdrains.That’snotjustdisgusting,butalsoatoxicsoupthatcanmakeyousick.Beforeyougodownthere,gearupwithrubberbootsandglovestopreventskincontact.Alsoweargloveswhencleaningupthepollutedsludgeleftbytheflood.

TurnoffthegasFloodwaterandfloatingjunkcanleadtodamagedgaslinesandmalfunctioninggascontrols.Leakedgasthenbubblesupthroughthewater,givingyourbasementanexplosiveatmosphereontopoftheflood.Andthesmellofgasmaybemaskedbyotherfloodwaterodors.Socalltheutilitycompanytoshutoffyourgasevenifyoudon’tsmellit.Ifyoudosmellgas,getoutofthehousebeforeyoumakethecall.

KeepyourgeneratorawayfromthehouseAgeneratoristhebestthingtohaveinablackout.Butitcanmakeyoublackout(ordie).HurricaneKatrinaledtomorethan50casesofcarbonmonoxidepoisoning.Ageneratorengineexhaustscarbonmonoxidegas,whichcangiveyouaheadache,knockyououtorevenkillyou.Don’trunageneratorinyourgarageorporch,andkeepitatleast10ft.awayfromyourhouse.

No.39

BepreparedforroofdamageWhenwaterisfloodingin,youcan’twaitforaproMinorroofdamagecanleadtomajorwaterdamageinsideyourhome.Butifyoukeepafewsimplematerialsonhand,youcansealmostroofinjuriesinjustafewminutes.

FirstaidkitforyourroofA9x12-ft.tarpisbigenoughtocoveralargeareabutsmallenoughforonepersontomanage.Ifyouhavealargeroof,keeptwoorthreeofthemonhand.A14-in.x10-ft.rollofaluminumflashingisperfectforsmallholes.

Roofsaredangerous!Emergencyroofrepairsoftenmeanwalkingonawetroofandwrestlingwithtarps,whichcancatchthewindlikeasail.Westronglyrecommendyouweararoofharness(availableathomecentersandonline).

Voiceofexperience

Trimmingtreesprotectsyourroof(usually)Inmyheavilywoodedneighborhood,almosteveryonehashadseriousdamageafterwindstorms.Fallingbrancheshavewreckedcars,crashedthroughwindowsandpunchedholesinmanyroofs.Butthatneverhappenstome.I’malwaysonthelookoutfordeadordangerousbranchesandtrimoffanythreateninglimbsrightaway.Thatprotectsagainstfallingbranchesandreducesthewindloadonthetree,soastormislesslikelytobringtheentiretreedown.Ialwaysenjoyeddoingthetrimmingmyself,untilIfelledabiglogontomyroof.Ittoreuptheshingles,knockeddownmyladderandleftmestrandedontherooffortwohours.Afterthat,mywifetookmychainsawawayandcalledaprotofinishthejob.

DrewButler,TheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

TarplargeareasForlargerareas,atarpisthebestbandage.Butbeforeyouspreadatarp,screwplywoodoverlargeholesintheroof.Leftunsupported,atarpwillsagintoahole,fillwithrainwaterandpossiblyleak.Ifshingleshaveblownoffbuttherearenoholesintheroof,youcanlaythetarpdirectlyovertheroofsheathing.Stretchthetarpsoitliessmoothlyovertheroofandbattendowntheentireperimeter;justafewinchesofloosetarpwillallowstrongwindstoripthetarp.Usescrewsandanytypeoflumberyouhaveonhandtosecurethetarp.Wheneverpossible,extendthetarpovertheroofridgesowaterwon’tflowdownandunderit.Ifthere’snowaytorunthetarpovertheridge,slipsectionsofflashingundershinglesandovertheupperedgeofthetarp.Thendrivenailsthroughboththeflashingandthetarp.

PatchasmallholeAsectionofflashingistheperfectpatchforsmallerholes—oftencausedbyblown-downtreebranches.Slidetheflashingundertheshinglesabovetheholeandnaildowntheexposedcornersoftheflashing.Don’tforgettocaulkaroundthehole.Specialroofsealantisbest,butanytypeofcaulkisbetterthannothing.

A1-in.holecanletinagallonofwatereveryminute.Andafewgallonscancausethousandsof

dollarsofdamage.

BONUSSECTION

BESTHOMEHINTSIngenioussolutionsforcommonhouseholdhasslesOverthepast50years,readersofTheFamilyHandymanmagazinehavesharedthousandsofclevertrickswiththeirfellowhomeowners.Herearesomeclassics.

RevolutionarydoorpaintingHere’showtopaintadoorwithoutwaitingforonesidetodrybeforeflippingitover:Driveonelagscrewintothecenterofthetopedgeandtwonearthebottomcorners.Setthescrewsonsawhorses,paint,flipandpainttheotherside.

LuminouslightswitchAdabofglow-in-the-darkpaintmeansnomoregropingforthelightswitchinthedark.Youcanbuyglow-in-the-darkpaintathardwarestoresandhomecenters.

Long-reachshearsSlipPVCpipesoverthehandlesofyourpruningshearsandtapetheminplacetoextendyourreachandcliphighbrancheswithoutaladder.

No-slipseatcushionsTherubberymeshdesignedtokeeprugsfromslidingworksonchairs,too.

PhoneshieldWhenyou’repaintingorgardening,keepyourphonecleananddrybysealingitinsideazip-topbag.Youcanstillworkthebuttonsrightthroughthebag.

ExtratowelbarNotenoughspacetohangtowelsinyourbathroom?Addasecondshowercurtainrodandyou’llhaveplentyofroom.Plusyourtowelwillbewithineasyreach.

Self-selectingkeyDrillasecondkeyringholeneartheedgeofyourhousekeyanditwillstandoutfromtheothers.Nomorefumblingwithyourkeysinthedark.

FlashfinderWhenyourdropsomethingsmallandcan’tfindit,turnoutthelightsandshineaflashlightacrossthefloor.Transparentitemslikeacontactlenswillglimmer.Otherobjectswillcastashadowmarkingtheirlocation.

Touch-upwithoutcleanupNoneedtomessupabrushtofixawallwound.Justdipanoldwashclothinthepaintandthrowitawaywhenyou’redone.Awashclothleavesthesametextureasapaintroller,soyourrepairwillblendnicely.

TrunkbumpersKeepacouplesectionsofpipeinsulationinyourtrunktoprotectboththecar’spaintandyouroversizedcargo.

TarptrailerWithabig,cheapplastictarpyoucandragleaves,branchesormulcharoundyouryard.

DustcatcherBeforedrillingorcuttingintoawall,tapeabagbelowtheworkzoneanditwillcatchthefallingdust.

SuckoutdrainclogsAwet-dryvacuumslurpsclogsoutofpluggeddrains.Evenplumbersusethistricksometimes.Ifyouneedtoincreasesuction,sealaroundthenozzlewithawetrag.

KeeppictureslevelApinchofmountingputty(thatstickystuffusedtohangposters)preventspicturetiltwithoutharmingwalls.

StoplosingsocksStuffastripoffoampipeinsulationintothespacebetweenyourwasheranddryeroralongthewall.Thatway,sockscan’tslipintotheabyss.

MonetarymeasurementsAdollarbillis6.14in.long.Butyoudon’thavetomemorizethat;justrememberthatabuckisabout6in.longandyou’llalwayshaveanapproximatemeasuringtoolinyourwallet.

SolidcordconnectionAknotkeepscordendsfrompullingapartasyoudragthemaround.

FindaflashlightWhenthepowergoesout,you’llbegropinginthedarkforaflashlight—unlessyouwraponewithglow-in-the-darktape.Thetapeglowsforabouteighthoursafterexposuretolight.

HiddenremotesAdhesive-backedhook-and-loopstripsletyoustickremotecontrolsunderanendtable.They’llalwaysbehandywhenyou’rereadytowatchTVbutwon’tclutteruptabletops.

GutterinspectorTimetocleanthegutters?Youdon’tneedaladdertofindout.AttachahandmirrortotheendofaPVCpipe.Cutthepipeata60-degreeanglesothemirrorreflectsaninsideviewofthegutter.

ClogclawEveryhomeownershouldhaveaflexible-shaftpick-uptoolforgrabbingstuffoutofhard-to-reachspots.They’realsogreatforyankingclogsoutofdrains!

TennisballparkingguideToparkyourcarinperfectpositioneverytime,hangatennisballfromthegarageceilingsoitjusttouchesthewindshield.Itwillshowyoupreciselywheretostop.Noguesswork!

DownspoutblowoutAleafblowerletsyoucleardownspoutswithoutclimbingaladder.Ifyou’reusinganelectricmodel,makesureallthewaterhasdrainedoutofthedownspoutbeforeyoudothis.Andbereadyforamuckyshowerofguttersludge.

PrepaintlotionCoatyourfaceandarmswithlotionbeforepaintingandthesplatterswillwashoffeffortlessly.

SecretlockcodeIfyouhavetroublerememberingyourcombination,trythis:Pickasecretnumberandaddittoeachofthecombinationnumbers.Marktheresultinghighernumbersonthelock.Whenyouneedtounlock,justsubtractyoursecretnumberfromthelistednumberstodeterminethecombination.

HeatupstickystuffAhairdryersoftenstheadhesiveundertapeorbumperstickersand

Ahairdryersoftenstheadhesiveundertapeorbumperstickersandmakesthemeasytopulloff.

PerfectkeyholetemplateWhenyou’remountingsomethingonthewallwithkeyholeslots,laypaperovertheslotsandmakeatemplatebyrubbingwithapencil.Thenlevelyourtemplateonthewallandyou’llknowpreciselywheretopositionthescrews.

No-messepoxymixerForquick,thoroughmixingoftwo-partepoxy,putthecomponentsinabagandkneadthemtogether.Punchasmallholeinthebagtomakeaneatdispenser.

No.40

RemodelwithoutregretsWhenplanning,don’trelyonyourimaginationaloneWhenplanningaremodel,mosthomeownersrelyontheirownimagination,aidedbysketches,blueprintsorcomputermodeling.Thoseareallgood,butnothingcanpreviewaremodeledspacelikelife-size,real-worldmodels.Mock-upsaren’talwayspossible,ofcourse.Butwhentheyare,theypayoffbiginlong-termsatisfaction.

BuildascalemodelAquick,crudemodelofakitchenisland,cabinetryorevenfurnitureisthebestwaytodetermineifit’stoobigorsmall.Leaveitinplaceandlivewithitforafewdaysbeforeyoudecidewhetherit’saconvenienceoracurse.

PreviewafenceWillaprivacyfencereallydeliverprivacy—orhideyourneighbor’sjunkcollection?Findingoutiseasywithabigsheetofcardboard.Alongwithahelper,youcandeterminethebestlocationandheight.

DesignonthewallSomeprojectsarejusttoobigforfull-scalemodels.Butwithsometape,chalkandpaper,youcancreateafull-scalelayoutonwallsandfloors.

LandscapinglayoutPlanningapondorpatio?Aretainingwallorplantingbed?Laydownaropeorgardenhosetomapthefootprint.Whenyou’rehappywiththeshape,markitwithspraypaint.

Voiceofexperience

MyfavoritemodelingmaterialCardboardandplywoodarefine,butIalwaysuse1-in.thickfoaminsulation.The4x8-ft.sheetsarelightenoughtocarrywithonehand,easytocutwithautilityknifeandyoucanstrappartstogetherwithmaskingtape.I’veevenusedittomockupwallsanddoorways.

GaryWentz,TheFamilyHandymanSeniorEditor

No.41

CutremodelingcostsYourchoicescansavemoneyorsquanderitAmajorremodelrequireshundredsofdecisions.Andeveryoneofthosedecisionsaffectsthecost—someinbigways,someinsmallways.Here’ssomeproadviceformakingcost-consciouschoices.

GetbidsduringtheslowseasonMostbuildingtradescyclethroughbusyseasons—andbusyperiodsaretheworsttimestogetbids.You’llgetlessattentionandhigherquotes.Slowperiods,ontheotherhand,oftenbringbetterserviceandlowercosts,eveniftheworkisn’tdoneduringthatperiod.Herearesomeslowseasonsforvarioustrades:•Roofing:Coldorrainymonths•Heating:Latesummer,beforefall•Airconditioning:Latewinter,earlyspring•Architectsanddesigners:Fallandwinter•Remodelingcontractors:Winterandrainymonths

AvoidmovingtheplumbingPlumbersareexpensive.Andsincetheirprojectsoftenrequiretearingintowallsorfloors,theycreatemoreworkforothertrades,too.Somovingthesinktotheotherendofthebathroommaycostyoudearly.Changingthelayoutofakitchenisevenmoreexpensivebecausemovingappliancesmeansrunningnewgasandelectricallinesaswellasplumbing.

TheBIGmistakeToomanyhomeownersplanaremodelwithspecialoccasionsinmindandneglectthepracticalday-to-dayconsiderations.Theresultisahomethatimpressesguests,butisn’tconvenientforeverydayliving.Thisusuallymeansexpensivematerialsandhigherup-frontcosts,followedbyregretslater.

Keeptheoldfridge,but…Keepingyourappliancesisagreatwaytodefercostsuntilyourwalletisreplenished.Buttalktoyourcontractorsandapplianceprostomake

sureyou’repreparedforreplacements.Acabinetinstaller,forexample,canincludeamovableshelfandwidefillerstripssoyoucaninstallalargerfridgewithonlyminoralterations.

LeavemeasurementstotheprosMeasuringmistakesarecostlyandcommon,especiallyforcabinets,countertopsandwindows.Soifyoufindabargainatanoutletcenter,rememberthis:Ifyoumeasureandbuyyourself,youalonewillbearthecostofmistakes.Andoften,thosebargaincabinetsendedupatanoutletstorebecausesomeoneelsemismeasured.

SetupatemporarykitchenOrderingpizzawhileyourkitchenisoutofcommissionmightblowyourremodelingbudget.Instead,setupakitcheninyourlaundryroom.Youalreadyhaveasinkthere,soallyoureallyneedareafewsmallappliances:amicrowave,coffeemaker,maybeahotplateor“dormroom”fridge.Addsomeshelvingandatowelbarandyou’llhaveafunctionalplacetopreparethosecost-cuttingmac-and-cheesedinners.

RenewcabinetsCabinetsarethelargestsingleitemonmanykitchenremodelingbids.Butmostcabinetscanberefreshed,evenifthey’reinterribleshape.

PaintAgoodpaintingcontractorcanmakeoldcabinetslookgreat,oftenforaboutone-tenththecostofnewcabinets.Ifyou’rewillingtodosomeresearchandtediousprepwork,youcandoityourselfandsavemuchmore.

RefaceRefacingstartswithalayerofrealwoodveneerappliedtotheframes.Addnewdoorsanddrawerfronts,andthecabinetslookentirelynew.Thebillistypicallylessthanhalfthecostofnewcabinets.

No.42

DecoratesmartDesigneradviceforsensiblestyle

Thefirstlawofdecorating:Startwithlimited-choiceitemsPaintcomesinamillioncolors,soyou’llhavenotroublefindingacolorthatworkswiththenewsofa.Butfindingasofatocomplementyourpaintmaybeahopelessquest.Sochooseasofafirst.Thisphilosophyappliestoalldecoratingchoices,fromflooringtolightfixturesandeverythinginbetween.

Whiteworksnow,andlaterBlandcolors—shadesofwhite,grayorbeige—areawisechoiceforpermanent,hard-to-changeitemsliketoilets,tile,tubsandcountertops.Theydon’tprovidemuchdrama,butyoucanaddpizzazzwithpaintorsimple,inexpensiveaccentslikerugsorpottery.Andasfashionschange,youcanupdatethelookwithoutcostlyremodeling.

HomedécordatabaseGetacheapplasticbinandtossinsamplesofallthematerialsyou’vechosen:Wallpaper,fabrics,paintchips—leftoverhardware,too.Whenyouneednewcurtainsorcarpet,you’llhaveeverythingyouneedtomakeamatch.

PreviewtileChoosingtilecolorsandpatternsbasedonafewsamplesisrisky—andyou’lllivewiththeresultsforyears.Sohere’saworthwhileexercise:Makephotocopiesandtapetheminplace.Whenyou’vefoundalayoutyoulike,snapaphototoguidethetileinstaller.

PermanentpaintrecordBeforeyouputtheswitchoroutletcoversbackinplaceafterapaintjob,jotdownthepaintcolor.Youmaymisplaceyourpaintsample,butyou’llneverlosethisreminder.

Voiceofexperience

BlindedbythelightOnesunnyafternoon,myhusbandandIselectedtileforourbathroomfloorandvanitytop.Thetwocomplementeachotherbeautifully—butonlyonsunnyafternoons.Oncloudydaysorevenings,thevanitytakesonabluetoneandthefloorisgreen.Looksawful.Nowwealwaysexaminecolorcombinationsindifferentlightconditions,naturalandartificial,infairweatherandfoul.

AmyHooper,TheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

No.43

ChoosethebestflooringTheyalllookgoodatfirst—butsomelookbetterlongerFlooringisabigdeal.It’samajorexpenseandalong-termcommitment.Andfewthingscanmakeorbreakyourhome’sappearancelikeflooringcan.Here’ssomeexpertorientationtoputyouonapaththatwillleadtosatisfactionratherthanregrets.

High-qualityplasticlaminatesareidealforhigh-trafficareasbecausetheywon’tstain,burn,scratch,easilyscufforfade.

PlasticlaminatePlasticlaminateisoneofthetoughestfloorsavailable;it’salmostimpossibletostainandonlyceramictileismoreresistanttoscratches.Italsoresistsmoistureandspillsfairlywell,soit’sagoodchoicefor

basementsandkitchens.Plasticlaminatesvarywidelyinpriceandquality.Here’swhatyou’lltypicallygetwhenyoupaymore:•BETTERLOOKS:Somelaminatesarehardtodistinguishfromrealwood.Othersareobviousfakes.•TIGHTERJOINTS:Allplasticlaminatesarefloatingfloors,lockedtogetherwithtongue-and-groovejoints.Butsomearemanufacturedtohigherstandardsandlocktogethermorereliably.•ATHICKER,TOUGHERWEARLAYER:AskabouttheACrating(abrasionclass).AC3floorsarebestforhigh-trafficareas.AnAC1floorcostslessbutwillstandupwellinabedroom.•BETTERMOISTURERESISTANCE:Betterlaminatesaretreatedtorepelmoisturecomingfrombeloworbetweenthejoints.Cheaperversionswillquicklyswellorbuckle.

LuxuryvinylLuxuryvinylflooringissimilartosheetvinyl,butit’sthicker,tougherandmucheasiertoinstall.It’seconomicaltoo,withlowermaterialsandlaborcoststhanmostothertypesofflooring.

LookslikewoodLuxuryvinylplanks(LVP)imitatewoodandforma“floating”floorthatsimplylaysonthesubfloorwithoutanyfastening.

LookslikeceramictileLuxuryvinyltile(LVT)canincludegroutedspacesbetweentiles—ornot.Athinlayerofadhesivefastensittothesubfloor.

Voiceofexperience

Ourcustomersloveluxuryvinylbecauseit’stoughandfeelsgood

undertheirfeet.Weloveitbecauseit’seasytoworkwith.

NateandAndy,flooringprosandTheFamilyHandymanFieldEditors

ItstandsuptowaterLuxuryvinylisanexcellentchoiceforlaundryrooms,bathroomsandotherareaswheremoistureisaconcern.Somemanufacturersactuallyrefertotheirproductsas“waterproof”ratherthanjust“waterresistant.”

It’ssoftandpliableLVPflooringfeelssofterandwarmerunderfootthanmostotherflooring,whichmakesitespeciallyniceinbathrooms.Itcomesinawidevarietyofpatternsandstylesdesignedtolooklikewood,granite,tileandothermaterials.Don’tconfuseLVproductswiththelower-priced(andlower-quality)vinylcompositiontile(VCT).LVismadewithmoresolidvinyl,whichmakesitmoredurable(andmoreexpensive).LVTcanbeglueddownorinstalledasafloatingfloordependingonthetype.

SolidwoodIntermsofauthenticityandcharacter,theimitatorscan’tmatchtraditionalwoodfloors.Theycan’tmatchthelongevity,either.Becausesolidwoodcanbesandedandrefinishedagainandagain,itoftenlastsacenturyormore.Standardsolidwoodissandedandfinishedafterinstallation.Prefinishedversionscomewithafactoryfinishthat’stougherthanon-sitefinishes.Thechiefdrawbacksofsolidwoodaredurability,stabilityandcost.Evenfactoryfinisheswilleventuallydullwithnormalwear.Woodinevitablymoveswithchangesinhumidity,sogapssometimesdevelopatjoints.Andsolidwoodisoneofthemostexpensiveflooringchoices.

EngineeredwoodEngineeredwoodfloorsarealotlikeplasticlaminate,butthey’resurfacedwithrealwood.That’sanadvantageintermsofnaturallooksandlong-termlifespan.Onceitwears,engineeredwoodcanberefinishedtolooklikenew,soanengineeredfloorcanhaveamuchlongerlifethanplasticlaminate.Woodisalsoquietertowalkonthanplastic.Butengineeredwooddoesn’tmatchthesurfacetoughnessormoistureresistanceofplasticlaminate.Italsocostsabouttwiceasmuchasplasticlaminate.

TileTileisthemostdiversecategoryofflooring.Mostversionsareextremelydurable,butsome(likemarbleorlimestonetile)arefairlyeasytoscratchorstain.Tilecanbethemostexpensivetypeofflooring,butinexpensivetilecombinedwithDIYinstallationcangiveyoualow-costfloorthatlooksgreat.Butthereisonethingthatappliestoalltypesoftile:Properinstallationiscritical.Beforeyouhireacontractor,gathersomebasicknowledge.Familyhandyman.comisaone-stopsourceforunderstandingtilebackers,adhesives,groutandotherkeystoanattractive,lastingtilejob.

Carpet

CheckthedensityBendthecarpetsamplebackward.Ifyoucanseethebackingeasily,it’salow-density,lower-qualitycarpetthatwillcrushmoreeasily.

BuyqualitypadTherightpadwillextendthelifeofyourcarpet,andthewrongpadcancutthelifeofyourcarpetinhalf.Thequalityofcarpetpadisdeterminedbydensity,notthickness.Agood-qualitypadwillbe3/8to1/2in.thickandhaveadensity/weightratingofatleast6lbs.(theresidentialstandard).Inmostcases,cheap,low-densitypadwillonlylastafewyearsbeforeitneedstobereplaced.Forhigh-trafficareas,getathinnerpadwithadensityof8lbs.ormore.

NylonistoughNylonoutperformsotherfibersindurability,resilienceandeasymaintenance.It’sagoodchoiceforhigh-trafficareaslikehallwaysorbusyfamilyrooms,andinhomeswithkidsandpets.Itcosts$10to$45persq.yd.

TriextaresistsstainsTriexta(brandsincludeSmart-StrandandSorona)isanewerfiberderivedpartlyfromcornsugar.Ithasexcellent,permanentanti-stainproperties(nylonmustbetreatedwithstainprotectorsoveritslifespan).Italsohasgoodresilience,butit’stoosoontotellwhetheritwillmatchthelong-termdurabilityofnyloninhigh-trafficareas.Expecttopay$20to$45persq.yd.

PolyesteriscomfyPolyester(alsocalledPET)isstainresistant,verysoftandluxuriousunderfoot,andisavailableindeepandvibrantcolors.However,it’shardertoclean,tendstoshedandisn’tasdurableasnylon.It’sbestusedinlow-trafficareas(likebedrooms)andinhouseholdswithoutkidsorpets.Itcosts$8to$18persq.yd.

OlefiniseconomicalOlefin(polypropylene)isinexpensivebuttoughandfade-resistant.It’smostoftenmadeintoaloopedBerberwithanubbyweavethatconcealsdirtandisoftenselectedforhigh-traffic“clean”areassuchasfamilyroomsandplayareas.Itcosts$8to$25persq.yd.

No.44

ChoosethebestfaucetStylematters,butdon’tignorethepracticalfactorsMostpeoplechooseafaucetbasedonlooksalone.Andthat’samistake.Styledoesmatter,butyoucanusuallygetthelookyouwantwithoutcompromisingonotherthings.

Ceramicpartsaretiny,buttough.Frictionandparticlesinwaterslowly

Ceramicpartsaretiny,buttough.Frictionandparticlesinwaterslowlydestroyothervalves,buthavenoeffectonceramic,whichisaboutfivetimesharderthansteel.

CeramicvalvesarebetterStandardfaucetvalvesusuallylastforyears.Buteventually,therubberpartsinsidewear—andthatmeansadrippyfaucet.Ceramicvalves,ontheotherhand,godrip-freefordecades,whetherthey’reinkitchens,bathrooms,tubsorshowers.Faucetswithceramicvalvescomeinahugevarietyofstylesandcostaboutthesameasthosewithstandardvalves.

Voiceofexperience

Theproblemwithceramicfaucetsisthatwedon’tgettosellmanyrepair

parts.

GrayUhl,trendsdirector,AmericanStandard

Maybeyoudon’tneedanewfaucetYearsofmineralbuildup,especiallyincrevices,makeafaucetlookwornoutandbeyondhelp.Butwithathoroughcleaning,mostfaucetscanlookasgoodasnew(oralmost).Cleanwithaproductthat’sformulatedtodissolveminerals(CLRisonebrand)andscrubwithatoothbrush.You’llbeamazedhowgoodyouroldfaucetlooks!Warning:Powerfulcleanersmightdamagesurroundingsurfaces,sobesuretocheckthelabel.

ConsiderasimplerstopperMostbathfaucetscomewithastopperforthesink.Mostofthosestoppersarethestandardtypefoundinthevastmajorityofbathrooms.Thetroublewiththatold,standarddesignisthatthelinkagesarehardtoadjustjustrightandoftenneedreadjustmenttoopenorsealproperly.Soconsiderafaucetthatcomeswithanimprovedstopper.AmericanStandard’sSpeedConnectandPfister’sPush&Sealaretwoexamples.

Spendenough,butnottoomuchPlantospendatleast$65forabathroomfaucetand$100forakitchenfaucet.Youmightgetagreatfaucetforless,butit’smorelikelythatyou’llgetlowquality.Ifyouspendmuchmore,you’repayingforextrafeaturesorstyleratherthanreliabilityordurability.

WatchthespoutheightandreachFaucetspoutsvaryalotinheightandreach,andmostofthetimeyoucanjustchoosethelookyoulikebest.Butifyouhaveashelfabovethesink,atallspoutmaynotfit.Withathree-bowlkitchensink,aspoutwithashortreachmaynotextendtoallthebowls.Abathfaucetwithashortreachmightcauseyoutoslopwaterbehindthespoutwhenyouwashyourhands.

Pull-downsprayersarebetterIfyou’veeverhada“side”sprayer(asprayhandlemountedinthesink),you’veprobablyhaddribblesorleaks.Andyoumightassumeyou’dhavesimilar(andmoreexpensive)troublewithafaucetmountedsprayerliketheoneshownhere.Probablynot.Allofourexpertstoldus

sprayerliketheoneshownhere.Probablynot.Allofourexpertstoldusthat“pull-down”sprayershaveprovenmuchmorereliablethantheoldsidesprayers.

CounttheholesinyoursinkIfyouwanttoswitchfromtwohandlestoone,youhavetothinkaboutthenumberofholesinthesink.Mostsinkshavethreeholes:oneforthehothandle,oneforthecoldandoneunderthespout.Somesingle-handlefaucetsincludeacoverplatetohidetheextraholes.Butsomedon’t,socheckthelabel.Ifyoucurrentlyhavea“widespread”bathroomfaucetwithtwohandlesfarfromthespout,youcan’tswitchtoasingle-handlemodel.Ifyouwantakitchenfaucetwithapull-downsprayermountedinthespout,therewillbeanemptysprayerhole.Butthesolutionissimple:Installasoapdispenser.Yournewfaucetmayevenincludeone.

SomefinishesaretougherthanothersChooseafinishthatmatchesnearbycabinethardware,towelbars,etc.Mismatcheslookbad.Themajorityoffaucetshavepolishedchrome,satinnickelorbronzefinishes.Allofthesefinishesaredurableandkeeptheirgoodlooksforyears.Butsomearemoredurablethanothers.Chromeisthemostdurablefinishandtheeasiesttokeepclean—that’swhyit’salwaysbeenthefavoriteforcommercialkitchensandpublicbathrooms.Nickelfinishesareusuallylabeled“brushed,”“satin”or“stainlesssteel”andhaveadullshine.They’redurablebutpronetofingerprintsandwaterspots,sothey’rehardertokeepclean.Somehaveacoatingthatreducesstainsandsmudges,butthatcoatingisn’tasdurableasmetal.Bronzefaucetshaveabrownishtoneandareoftencalled“oiled”or“rubbed”bronze.Butthesurfaceisacoating(suchasepoxy)ratherthanmetal.Thiscoatingistoughstuff,butwillchiporscratchmoreeasilythanmetal.

AsinglehandleismoreconvenientTwo-handlefaucetshaveastylishsymmetrythatsuitsmanybathrooms,especiallytraditionalones.Butinpracticalterms,single-handlefaucetshavealltheadvantages.They’rejustplainmoreconvenient;water

havealltheadvantages.They’rejustplainmoreconvenient;watertemperatureadjustmentiseasierandthere’sonelesshandletoclean.

No.45

MovefurniturethesmartwayProtectyourback,yourhouseandyourfurniture!Whetheryou’rerelocatingorjustrearranging,movingfurnitureisabigjob.Butheavyliftingdoesn’thavetobeback-breaking,especiallyifyouuseyourbraininsteadofyourback.Herearesimpletechniquesformovingheavy,awkwarditemswithoutwreckingyourbodyoranythingelse.

StandsofasonendIfyoueverhavetomaneuveracouchdownahallwayandthroughadoor,youmayfinditalmostimpossibletocarryithorizontallyandmaketheturnintotheroom.Beforeyouenterthehallway,placethecouchonitsendandslideittothedoorway.You’llalmostalwaysbeabletohookitthroughthedoor.Ifit’sabittallerthanthedooropening,startthetopawayfromthedoorandgainseveralinchesofclearance.

‘Hook’chairsaroundcornersFollowtheexampleofpromoversand“hook”largechairsaroundcorners.Turnthechaironitssidesoitlookslikean“L”andmoveitback-firstthroughthedoorway.Thencurlit(hookit)aroundthedoorframeandslipitthrough.

PlanwhereitlandsIfyou’removingtoanewhouse,decidebeforehandwhichfurniturewillgowhere.Beforeyoumove,sketchafloorplanwiththecorrectmeasurementsofeachroom,measureyourfurnitureandcreateyourlayout.Then,asyoumovethingsin,you(oryourhelpers,ifyou’renotthere)canplaceyourfurnitureinthecorrectspotandnothavetotouchitagain.Tomakeiteasyonthemovers,tapeacopyoftheplantothewallofeachroomsopeoplecantellataglancewherethingsgo.

CarrytallitemshighandlowAtalldresser,filingcabinetorshelvingunitisawkwardtohandle.Makeitatwo-personjob.Tiptheitembackwardatanangleandhaveonepersoncarrythetopwhiletheothercarriesthebottom.Thiscenterstheweightandkeepstheitemfromswingingoutofcontrol.Transportingtheitemupordownstairsiseasiertoo,sincethecarryinganglewillroughlymatchtheslopeofthestairs.

Voiceofexperience

Measurefirst!Beforeyoubuyanythingbig,measuretheitemandthepathwayintoyourhome.Don’tforgetaboutsmallthingsthatmightblockthepath:Youmayhavetoremovedoorknobsorwall-mountedlightfixtures,forexample.Anddon’tforgetaboutturningcorners.Wemeasureddoorwaysanddeterminedthatournewshowerenclosurewouldfitthrough.Butwedidn’tthinkaboutturningitaroundcorners,sowehadtocutaholeinthewall.Thatmethodworked,butIdon’trecommendit.

CarolynBurdge,TheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

ProtectfurniturewithblanketsYoucanrentmovingblanketsor,forafewbucksmore,buythemathomecentersormovingoutfitters,andalwayshavethemonhand.Topreventdamagetofurniture,wallsandtrim,wraptheitemcompletelywithmovingblanketsandsecuretheblanketwithstretchfilm.Find20-in.-widerollsofstretchfilmathomecentersandmovingoutfitters.

Don’tcarryit—slideitYoucanbuyfurnitureslidesinmanyshapesandsizesathomecentersandonline.It’salsoeasytomakeyourownslidersfromplasticcontainercovers,Frisbees,bedspreads,movingblankets,towelsandcarpetremnants.Usehardplasticslidersforcarpeting,andsoft,paddedslidersforhardflooring.

MakeamattressslingHandlingaheavy,floppymattressistough.Makeiteasierwithasimplehomemadesling.Justslipa5-in.pieceof1-in.PVCpipeovertheropeendsandthenloopandtieeachendtocreateacomfortableslinggrip.Threadtheropethroughthemattresshandlesandyou’reonyourway.

CutandfoldaboxspringIsyourboxspringtoobigtofitaroundatightcorner?Youcouldbuyatwo-piece“split”boxspring(andpayseveralhundredbucks)orcutyourexistingboxspringandfolditsoitfits.Soundextreme?There’sactuallyasimple,ingeniouswaytocutandfoldyourboxspringwithoutwreckingit.

1.CuttheframeRemovethefabriccovering(themosttediouspartofthiswholeprocessisremovingthestaples)andplacetheboxspringfacedown.Pullbackthemattresscoveralongeachsideandcutthroughtheframejusttotheleftorrightofthemiddlecrosspiece(don’tcutthroughthecrosspieceitself).Dothisonbothsidesandinthecenter.

2.FolditYoucannowfoldtheboxspringlikeabookandmoveit.Secureitwithastraptopreventitfromspringingopen.

3.PutitbacktogetherScrewa1x2alongthecentercrosspiececutsandagainsttheinsideoftheouterframetoreinforcethem.Thenstaplethefabriccoveringinplace.

Pickupsome‘humpstraps’Movingandliftingstraps(aka“humpstraps”)taketheweightoffyourbackbyrelyingonleverageandlargemusclegroups.Theyalsoleaveyourhandsfreetomaneuverawkwarditems.However,theycanbetrickytouseonstairsbecausetheweightshiftscompletelytothedownhillmover.Lookforliftingstrapsthatcanbeadjustedfordifferent-lengthobjectsaswellasfordifferent-sizemovers.Theliftingstrapsshownherearegreatformovingonflatsurfaces.Over-the-shoulderliftingstrapsgiveyoubettercontrolonstairs.

No.46

HangpicturesstraightandlevelPerfectionispossible—ifyouknowafewtricksHangingasinglepictureisaseasyasnailingahooktothewall.Butwhenyouwanttohangtwoormorealignedwitheachother,thingsgetcomplicated.Here’showprosachieveperfectionfastandfrustration-free.

1.LevelandalignMakepaperpatternsidenticaltothepictures,thenestablishalevellineonthewall.Aninexpensivelaserlevelisperfectforthisproject,butastandardlevelwillalsowork.Whenyou’vearrangedthepatternsperfectly,markthetopcenterofeachwiththecornerofastickynoteasareferencepoint.

2.FindthehangerlocationsUsetwohangersforeachpictureforextrasupportandtohelpkeepthepicturefromtipping.Stretchthehangerwirewithtwofingersspacedequallydistantfromtheedgesofthepictureframe.Keepthewireparalleltothetopoftheframe.Measurethedistancebetweenyourfingertips.

3.FindthedistancefromthetopedgeLeaveonefingerinplaceandmeasurefromthewiretothetop.Usethis

Leaveonefingerinplaceandmeasurefromthewiretothetop.Usethisandthepreviousdimensiontopositionthepicturehangersonthewall.

4.TransferthehangermeasurementstothewallFindthehangerpositionsbymeasuringdownfromthestickynoteandtoeachsidefromthecenter.Aninexpensivelevelwithinchesmarkedonitmakesthismucheasier.Keepthehangerslevel.

5.NailthehooksThenlineupthebottomofthehookswiththemarksanddrivethepicture-hangernailsthroughtheangledguidesonthehooks.

6.HangthepictureSlipthewireoverbothhooks.Slidethepicturesidewaysacrossthewiresuntilit’slevel.Usethesameprocesstohangtheremainingpictures.

No.47

HangaheavymirrorSafe,secureandexactlywhereyouwantitAheavymirrorhungthewimpywayisjustplaindangerous.Ifitcomesdown,itwilldamagethebaseboardandfloorandmightsendglassshardsflying.Butthere’sreallynoreasontoworryaboutit;hangingamirrorsecurelyiseasy.First,dealwiththehardwareonthebackofthemirror.Ifithasahangingwire,removethewireandinsteadscrewD-ringstotheframe.LocatetheD-ringsanequaldistancefromthetopoftheframe,aboutone-thirdofthetotalheightdown.Thenyou’rereadyforthenextsteps:

1.FindthecenterMeasuretheexactdistancebetweenthecentersoftheD-ringsbyhookingyourtapemeasureononeedgeofaD-ringandmeasuretothesameedgeofthesecondD-ring.

2.FindthedistancetothetopMeasurefromthetopoftheD-ringtothetopoftheframetodeterminethedistancedown.

3.TransferthemeasurementstothewallHoldthemirroruptothewallandchoosethebestposition.Startwiththecenterofthemirroratabout60in.fromthefloor.Whenyouliketheposition,markthetopcenterwithastickynote.Usealevelandarulertoplumbdownthecorrectdistance.Markthespotwiththecornerofastickynote.Thenusethelevelandrulertofindtheexactanchorpositions.

4.DriveintheanchorsScrewintheanchorswithascrewdriverordrill.Ifyouhitastud,noproblem—justdrivea2-in.screwintothestud.

5.HangthemirrorScrewapanheadscrewintotheanchor.Leavethescrewstickingoutabout1/4in.HooktheD-ringsontotheprotrudingscrews.Ifthetopisn’tlevelwhenyou’redone,wrapafewturnsofelectricaltapearoundtheD-ringonthelowsidetoraisethatsideslightly.

MatchtheanchorstothemirrorBeforeyoubuyanchorsforthisproject,setyourmirroronascale.Theweightwillhelpyouselectanchors.Screw-inanchorsliketheoneshownhereusuallycarryweightratingsfrom40to75lbs(checkthelabel).Ifyouhaveasuper-heavymirror,choosetoggle-styleanchors;they’reoftenratedat100lbs.ormore.

No.48

Pickapaintcoloryou’llloveYou’lllivewithitforyears,sodon’trushthedecisionWhenthetimecomestopaint,toomanyhomeownersdashofftothestore,grabsometinysamplesandspendjustafewminutesselectingacolor.Andsometimesthatworksoutjustfine.Othertimes,itleadstoyearsofregret.Here’showtoavoidthoseregrets.

HangupsamplesIt’sdifficulttotellwhatacolorisgoingtolooklikeonyourwallfromasmallpaintsamplechip,somanymanufacturersoffersamplecontainersoftheircolors.Dependingonthemanufacturer,youcanbuysamplecontainersinquarts,pintsorevensmallersizes.They’reawiseinvestmentthatwillpreventyoufromwastingmoneyonacolorthatisn’tright.Becausecolorscanchangedramaticallyunderdifferentlightingconditions,rollthesampleontoawhitetagboardinsteadofontothewall.Thatway,you’llbeabletomovethesampletootherwallsandviewitunderallthedifferentlightingconditionsintheroom.

ConsidertheneighborsYoumaythinkapurplehousewithredtrimwouldbereallygroovy,but

Youmaythinkapurplehousewithredtrimwouldbereallygroovy,butyourneighborswillhateyou.Andnocolorchoiceisasimportantasgoodrelationswithyourneighbors.

WorkwithyourpermanentcolorsBaseyourcolorchoiceonthepermanentfurnishingsintheroomorthefeaturesontheexteriorofyourhome.Inside,theflooring,rugs,artwork,blindsandupholsterywillsuggestacolordirection.Outside,factory-finishedmaterialsliketheroof,gutters,fascia,soffitsandbrickworkareexistingelementswhosecolorsrarelychangebutshouldplayaroleindeterminingyourpaintcolors.Thelandscapingisanotherimportantfactor.Selectcolorsthatfitinwiththesurroundingpalette.Ifyouhavebrilliant-coloredspringbloomingtreesoraseaofgreenfoundationplantings,choosecolorsthatwillcomplementthem.

Don’tgetcreativebeforesellingThebestinvestmentI’veevermadewastobuyahousewithapinkgaragedoor.Really,itwasPINK!Andtheownerthoughtitlookedgreat!Butitkilledthehome’scurbappealandmyrealtorestimatedthatitknockedabouttenthousandbucksoffthesalesprice.Myfriendsgavemealotofgrief,butaquickcoatofwhitepaintsolvedthatproblem.

EdMartin,propertyinvestorandTheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

UsecolorcollectionsPaintcompaniescarefullyassemblecolorsinto“families”or“collections.”Basically,thesearecombinationsofcomplementarycolorsthatmaynotoccurtoyouuntilyouseehowwelltheyworktogether.Takeadvantageofallthisresearchalreadydoneforyoubycolorexperts.FindbrochuresatpaintstoresorgoonlinetopaintmanufacturerWebsites.

LightentheceilingcolorBecauseceilingsareseeninshadow,thecoloroftenappearsdarkerthanthesamepaintonwalls.Ifyouwanttheceilingtomatchthewallcolor,buyceilingpaintoneortwoshadeslighterthanthewallcolor.Orinsteadofbuyinganothergallonofalightershade,savemoneybydilutingthewallcolorwith50percentwhitepaint.

PickotherdécorfirstPaintisavailableinanycoloryoucanimagine.Soitwillbeeasytofindacolorthatworkswithyournewcurtainsorfurniture.Butifyouchooseapaintcolorfirst,yoursearchformatchingcurtainswon’tbesoeasy.

StoreleftoversupsidedownPaintcanlidsdon’talwayssealperfectly.Butstoredupsidedown,thepaintwillformanairtightseal.Beforeyoureopenthecan,giveitalong,hardshakingsothatthesolidsinthepaintfalloffthelid.

VirtuallypaintyourhouseManymanufacturersofferopportunitiesto“paint”yourhomevirtually—youuploadaphotoofyourhomeoraroomandtryoutdifferentcolorsandpaintingschemes.Youcanalsosearchforhomessimilartoyourownandtry“painting”withvariouscombinationsandproducts.Therearealsoappsthatallowyoutotakeaphotoofacoloryoulikeandhaveitmatchedwithamanufacturer’scolororsuggestedpalette.Justbeawarethatyourcomputermonitor,phoneoriPadscreenwillaffectthecolorofthepaintyousee.

SheenmattersasmuchascolorWhenyouchooseacolor,youhavetochooseitssheen,too.Mostpaintcompaniesofferflat,eggshell,satin,semiglossandglossasoptions.Glossierfinishesoffergreaterdurabilityandareeasiertoclean,buttheyemphasizeanywallimperfections.Flatpaintwilldoamuchbetterjobofhidingimperfections,butit’seasiertodamagethangloss.Flatfinishesaregenerallybestforceilingsandlow-trafficareaslikelivinganddiningroomswhereallyou’llneedtodoiswipethemdownwithadampsponge.Iftheydogetscuffed,they’reeasytotouchup.Glossierfinishes—includingsatinandsemigloss—canwithstandmoistureandgreasesothey’regoodfortrimandcabinetsandhigh-trafficareaslikekitchensandbathrooms.

RepairbadwallsYourwallsmaylookfinewiththeirexistingcoatofflat,whitepaint.Butwithglossierpaintoradarkcolor,everylittlebumpandcraterwillshowup.Soifyou’resetonusingadarkcolororaglossysheen,inspectyourwallsfirst.Mostwallscanbesmoothedoutwithacombinationoffillingholesandsandingdownroughspots.Reallybadwallsmayrequire“skimcoating,”athincoatofjointcompoundcoveringtheentirewall.

Don’tpaintthewallsonlyJustaspaintaccentuatesfeatures,youcanuseittohideunappealingelementstoo.Paintexposedplumbing,radiators,guttersandothercomponentsthesamecolorasthewallstomakethemblendin.Youcanalsodothatwithlightfixtures,switches,outletsandjustaboutanythingelse.

VividcolorsfadefasterThemoreintenseordarkacoloris,themorelikelyitistofadeandshowdirt.Afterafewyears,vividbluesanddeepredswillbecome

showdirt.Afterafewyears,vividbluesanddeepredswillbecomesubdued,andyoumayseestreaksandsplotchesofdirtmorereadily.Darkcolorscanalsoabsorbheatandsustainmoremoistureproblemsthanlightershades.Andbecausedarkpaintfades,itcanbedifficulttomatchexactlywhenyoudosmalltouch-ups.Ontheplusside,darkcolorscangiveyourhouseanairofdignityordrama.Generally,organiccolorslikered,blue,greenandyellowtendtofademorequicklythanearthtoneslikebeiges,tansandbrowns,whicharemorestable.

BewareofdarkcolorsinbathroomsExtremelydarkcolorsdon’thandlethemoistureinabathroomverywell;theycanbecomeblotchyorchalky.

No.49

PickthebestpaintforthejobGetbetter-looking,longer-lastingresultsOnpaintingprojects,therearetwokeystosuccess:carefulpreparationofthesurfaceandusingtherightproducts.Prepworkisusuallytedious,butsimple.Choosingpaintsandprimers,ontheotherhand,isconfusing.Evensmallstorescarrydozensoftypes,andthelabelsoftenaddtotheconfusion.Sohere’saguide:

Acryliclatex:UsuallythebestchoiceMostofthepaintandprimercansonstoreshelvescontainacryliclatex

Mostofthepaintandprimercansonstoreshelvescontainacryliclatexpaint.Andthere’sagoodreasonforthat.Onmostsurfaces—wood,masonry,metal,drywall—it’saprovenperformer,indoorsandout.It’salsoreasonablypricedandwater-basedforeasycleanup.

Areexpensivepaintsworthit?Pricesforpaintandprimervarywidely.Onecanofacryliclatex,forexample,mightcostfourtimesasmuchastheacryliclatexonthenextshelf.Somedesigner-brandpaintsgiveyoumediumqualityatahighcost.Butgenerally,highercostmeansbettercoverage,asmootherfinishandlongerlife.

FightmildewGotamildewzone?Chooseapaintthatcontainsmildewcideoraddmildewcidetothepaint.Besuretocleantheareawith1:3mixofbleachandwaterfirst.

Primertips•Useprimerandpaintfromthesamemanufacturer.Manyprimersareformulatedtoworkbestwithcertainpaints.•Paintwithin48hoursofpriming.Manyprimersbondphysicallyandchemicallywiththetopcoat.Butthatbondingpowerdiminishesquickly.•Tintit.Fornoextracharge,thepaintstorecanaddsomepigmenttoprimer.Thatwillgetyouonestepclosertothefinalcoloryouwantandpossiblyeliminateonecoatofpaint.Primersareoftentintedgrayratherthanthecolorofthetopcoat.

SmoothfinishesonwoodworkForcabinets,doorsortrim,youwantasmoothfinish.Butsomepaints,evenhigh-qualitypaints,justaren’tformulatedforthat.Smoothpaintsareusuallylabeled“enamel”or“doorandtrim.”Mostareacryliclatex,butanothercategorybeatsacryliclatexforsmoothness:Water-basedalkydsleveloutanddrysmoothjustlikeold-fashionedoil-basedpaints,butcleanupwithwater.They’realsoamongthemostexpensivepaintsonthemarket.Butwhenyouconsiderallthetimeyou’llputintoafirst-classpaintjob,spending$20moredoesn’tseemsobad.Water-basedalkydsareavailableatpaintstores.

BlockstainsSomestains—fromsmoke,water,crayonsormarkers—bleedthroughstandardpaintsandprimersnomatterhowmanycoatsyouapply.Somewoods,especiallycedarandredwood,containnaturalpigmentsthatbleedthroughpaint.Thesolutionistostartwithaprimerthat’sformulatedtosealinstains.Somecomeinspraycans,convenientforquickspotpriming.Mostpropaintersreportbestresultswithoil-basedproducts,butwater-basedprimersarealsoavailable.Moststain-blockersalsosealinodorssuchastobaccosmoke.

ThebestpaintforplasticMakingpaintsticktoplasticwasaproblemfordecades.Butnowspraypaintmanufacturersofferformulasjustforthatjob.Thesepaintsdon’tjuststick;theyfusewithplasticsurfacestoformanearlyunbreakablebond.

SmootherfinishesonroughsurfacesIfyouwantasmoothfinish,checkthelabel.Somemetalprimersareformulatedtofillpockmarksandscratches.Somearealsosandable,soyoucansmoothoutroughspotsaftertheprimerdries.

No.50

PrepforaneaterpaintjobProtectagainstslop,splatterandspillsIt’sagreatfeeling:thesatisfactionofanewlypaintedroomtransformedbyafreshcolor.Buthastyprepandaccidentscanerasethatsatisfaction,leavingyouwithmessyregrets.Here’showtogoof-proofyournextpaintingproject.

BaglightfixturesPaintingaceilingisacinch—exceptforthelightfixture.Here’showtogetitoutofyourway:Firstremoveanyglassparts,includingthebulbs(makesurethepowerisoff).Unfastenthefixture,usuallybyremovingacoupleofscrews.Thenhookoneendofawirethroughthefixtureandtheothertothejunctionbox.Makesureyourhangingwire—nottheelectricalwire—supportsthefixture.Thenslipaplasticbagoverthefixture.

Dealingwithchandeliersandpendantsiseveneasier.Thedecorativeplateattheceilingisusuallyheldupbyaringnut.Justunscrewthenutandtheplatewillslidedownoverthechainortube.There’snoneedtosupportthefixturewithwire.

SheetoverdoorsandwindowsPaintrollersthrowoffamistofpaintthatspeckleseverythingbelow.Here’sthequickestwaytoprotectdoorsandwindows:Whenyoutapearounddoorandwindowtrim,usetapethat’swideenoughtoprojectatleast1/2in.fromthetrim.Thatway,youcansticklightplastictotheprotrudingtape—there’snoneedtotapetheperimeteroftheplastic

separately.Fordoors,slittheplasticwithautilityknifesoyoucanslipthrough.

CovercarpetwithcanvasCanvasdropclothsarethebestcoveringsforcarpet.They’reeasytospreadout,andunlikeplastic,theystayputwithouttape.Justbunchthemupabitalongwallsandthey’llstaywhereyouwantthem.Gooddropclothsaren’tcheap,butyoudon’thavetocovertheentirefloor.Manypropaintersusealong,narrow“runner”thattheydragaroundtheroomastheygo.Normaldripsandsplatterwon’tsoakthroughcanvas,butheavyspillsmight,socleanupmajorspillsimmediately.

Spendmoreonpainter’stapeWhenbuyingmaskingtape,letpricebeyourguide.Moreexpensivetapesblockpaintbetterandreleaseeasierwithoutharmingsurfaces.Youmightsave$3onacheaperrolloftape,butyou’llregretit.

Youmightsave$3onacheaperrolloftape,butyou’llregretit.

StackupthefurnitureCrampedworkingconditionsleadtomessyaccidents.Ifyoucan’tmovefurniturecompletelyoutoftheroom,stackitup.Setupholsteredchairsupsidedownonthesofa.Coverthediningroomtabletopwithcardboardsoyoucansetchairsontopofit.Butdon’tletyourstackbecomeanobstacle.Maintainagenerousworkspaceofatleast3ft.betweenthestackandthewalls.Coveryourfurniturestackwithplastic.

ProtecthardfloorswithpaperBothcanvasandplasticdropclothsareslipperywhenlaidoverwood,vinylortile.Forprotectionthatstaysput,youcan’tbeatrosinpaper(availableathomecenters).Justtapesheetsofittogetherandthentapetheperimetertothefloor.Besuretocleanwoodfloorsbeforelayingdownthepaper;grittrappedunderneathcanleadtoscratches.Asinglelayerwillprotectagainstpaintdrips,butwipeupanyspillsbeforetheycansoakthrough.

MaskoffsensitivewiringAlittlepaintinthewrongplacecancrippletheconnectionsthatserveyourphone,TVorcomputer.Toprotectphonejackswithoutdisconnectingallthosetinywires,unscrewthefaceplateandcoverthefrontwithmaskingtape.Thenmasktheterminalsonthebackoftheplate.Sliptheplateintothejunctionbox.Disconnectcoaxialcablefromitsplateandtapethecable’sconnector.

ShelterbaseboardwithtapeDon’twastetimebycompletelycoveringbaseboardwithseveralstripsoftape.Asingleoverhangingstripofwidetapewillcatchrollersplattersjustastheroofoverhangonyourhousekeepsrainoffthesiding.Use1-1/2-in.tapefornarrowbaseboard,2-in.tapeforwiderbaseboard.Tapewon’tstaystucktodustysurfaces,sowipedownallyourtrimbeforemasking.Tominimizepaintseepageunderthetape,pressthetapedownhardbyrunningaflexibleputtyknifeoverit.

TapeoverswitchesandoutletsDon’ttrytopaintaroundelectricalcoverplates.Removingthemtakesjustafewsecondsandmakesforafaster,neaterjob.Unscrewcoverplatesandthenshieldeachswitchoroutletwith2-in.-widemaskingtape.Alsoremovecurtainhardware,picturehooks,grillesthatcoverductopeningsandanythingelsethatmightgetinyourway.Thethermostatisoneexception—it’seasiertowrapitwithmaskingtapethantoremoveandreinstallit.Caution:Turnoffthepowerbeforeremovingcoverplates.

Voiceofexperience

Don’tmaketracksRememberthatwhenyou’rewalkingondropcloths,you’rewalkingonpaintspills.Alwayscheckyourshoesbeforewalkingaway.Myhabitistokickoffmyshoesbeforeleavingtheworkarea.

JimPeterson,propainter

Spill-proofpaintcanAfteranuglyaccident,Iboltedalargebuckettomyladder.That

Afteranuglyaccident,Iboltedalargebuckettomyladder.Thatgivesmeasafeplacetosetmypaintcan.

RusselDurrwachter,TheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

NotjustforthekitchenPaintersloveGladPress’nSealself-stickkitchenwrapbecauseitgoesonfastandstaysput.Linepainttraystoeliminatecleanuplateroruseittoshieldanysurface.

LouTaylor,propainter

PreservepictureholesAfreshcoatofpaintcanfillandhidesmallnailholes.Soifyouplantohangpicturesinthesamelocationsafterpainting,sticktoothpicksorlarge-headedpinsintheholes.Ifyouleavethemprotrudingjustalittle,youcanrollrightoverthem.

JimChristensen,TheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

No.51

PaintlikeaproEssentialtipsforexcellentresultsThere’smoretopaintingthanjustslappingiton;ittakessomeknow-howtogetgreatresults.Herearesomekeytipsgatheredthroughyearsofobservingandaskingprofessionalpainters.

AccuratemaskingWhenmaskingtrim,holdthetapetightagainstthewallasyouunrollit.Thenlowerthetapeontothetrimanditwilllandinperfectposition.

Thenlowerthetapeontothetrimanditwilllandinperfectposition.Dragaputtyknifeacrossthetapeto“bed”itfirmlyontothetrim.

CutbeforeyouremovetapeBeforeyoupulloffmaskingtape,givethepaint24hourstodry.Thenrunasharpbladealongtheedgeofthetapetoslicethroughthepaintfilm.Ifyoudon’tdothis,thepaintfilmwilltear,leavinganugly,jaggededge.

Don’tstartincornersWhenpaintingtrim,unloadyourbrushafewinchesfrominsidecorners.Thenspreaditintothecorner.Ifyouunloaddirectlyintothecorner,you’llendupwithaheavyblobthat’sdifficulttospreadout.

DeglossvarnishedwoodPaintdoesn’tstickwelltoclearcoatingsonwood.Sobeforeyoupaint,treatvarnishedwoodwithdeglosser.It’sfasterthansandingandleavesasurfacethatpaintcangrabonto.

SetupastagingareaPaintingrequiresalotofgear.Toavoidconstantlymovingstuffortrippingoverit,laydownadropclothoutsidetheroomandparkyoursuppliesthere.

Don’tpaintoutofthecanApaintcanisawkwardtoholdandeasytospill.Worse,leavingthecanopenwhileyoupaintallowspartialdryingandtheformationofchunks.Soworkfromasmallercontainer.Anycanorjarwilldo.Somestore-boughtcontainers,liketheoneshownhere,havedisposablelinerstoeliminatecleanup.

PrepareforapaintshowerPaintrollersspinoffafinemistthatspeckleseverythingbelow.Sobeforeyouroll—especiallyaceiling—putonacapandglasses.Foreasy

beforeyouroll—especiallyaceiling—putonacapandglasses.Foreasypaintremovalfromskin,rubonsomelotionbeforeyoupaint.

DumpthebumpsThebumpsalongtheedgeofatexturedceilingmakeitimpossibletogetaneat,straightpaintlinewherewallsmeettheceiling.Soscrapethemoffwithascrewdriver.

PrimeeverypatchFillerslikespackleorjointcompoundinstantlysuckthemoistureoutofpaint.Thatgivesthepatchedspotanoticeablydifferentsheenandstandsoutlikeasorethumbonafreshlypaintedwall.Alittledoseofprimersealspatchesandpreventsthoseuglyblotches.

CaulkeverylittlecrackPaintwillfillandhidetinycracks—butonlytemporarily.Withindaysormonths,eventhesmallestcrackswillcomebacktohauntyou.Abitofacryliclatexcaulkpreventsthat.

Don’tlandonedgesThinkofyourbrushasafighterjetlandingonanaircraftcarrier.Ifyoulandonedges,you’llscrapepaintoffthebrushandcreateabigdrip.Sotakeoffonly;neverland.

Super-smoothrollersWithpractice,youcanachieveasmoothfinishwithabrush.Oryoucangetafinishthat’salmostassmoothwithaminiroller.Withmostpaints,microfiberrollersprovidethesmoothestfinish.

RemovemistakesIfyouslopsomepaintonvarnishedwood,don’tdespair.Homecenterscarryliquidpaintremoverproductsjustforthatsituation.Letthepaintdryandmaskoffthepaintyoudon’twanttoremove.Gentlyscrapeoffasmuchpaintasyoucanwithaputtyknife.Thensquirtafewdropsofremoveronanoldtoothbrushandscrubawaytherest.

Don’topenthecanwithascrewdriverSure,ascrewdriverworks,butitleavesdentsintheseal.Andthatleadstogooeychunksinthepaint.Pickupapaintcanopenerwhenyoubuythepaint.

StrainoutthegoobersAhalf-fullcanofpaintthatsitsaroundforafewdayswilldevelopgooeychunksandstrandsofpartiallydriedpaintthatcanruinyourpaintjob.Tofilterthemout,buyapackofpaintstrainers.Thesecheapmeshbagscatchthegoobersandpurifythepaint.Fussypaintersusethemevenonpaintthat’sfreshoffthestoreshelf.

No.52

RollpaintrightGetsmooth,evencoverageeverytimeAsk10paintershowtorollawallandyou’llget10answers—somesimple,somecomplicated,someincomprehensible.Themethodshownhereisoneofthesimplerapproaches,easytounderstandandmaster.Asyougainexperience,you’lldevelopyourownvariationsand—likeapropainter—you’lldeterminethatyourwayistheonlyway.

BeforeyourollOnceyoustartrollingawall,youcan’tstopuntilthatwallisdone.Ifoneswathofpaintstartstodrybeforeyoucompletetheneighboringswath,you’llendupwithdifferingtextureswherethosetwoareasmeet.Sohaveeverythingreadytogo.•Maskallthewoodwork.Rememberthatrollersthrowofffinedropsofpaintthatwillfallonallsurroundingsurfaces.•Brushpaintontoalltheareaswherearollercan’tgo:Alongtrimandinsidecorners,andaroundswitchesandoutlets.•Screwalonghandleintotherollerframe.Therearespecialhandlesmadejustforthis,butapush-broomhandleworks,too.

WhattoavoidThegoalistospreadpaintevenly,withoutlightlycoveredareasorheavycoveragethatleaveslarge,stringybumps.Aboveall,youwanttoavoidridgescreatedbytheedgeoftheroller.Afterloadingtherollerwithpaint,ridgesareinevitable,sothesolutionistogobackandflattenthemaftertherollerisunloaded.

GetagoodrollerAcheaprollermightsaveyoufivebucks,butitwon’tholdmuchpaint,soyou’llhavetoreloadmoreoftenandtheprojectwilltakelonger.Worse,itwillleavehundredsoftinyfibersonyourwall.Ugly.Besuretogetarollerlabeled“shed-resistant.”

A3-stepprocess

1.GetthepaintonthewallLoadtherollerwithpaint.Startingaboutafootabovethebaseboard,rollupward.Abouthalfwayup,veeroverafewinchesandcontinueupthewall.Whentherollerisaboutafootfromtheceiling,rollstraightdown.Continuerollingupanddowntospreadthepaintfrombaseboardtoceiling.

2.RepeatsteponeReloadtherollerandcoveranotherswathofthewall.Don’tworryaboutunevencoverageorridgesatthispoint—justgetthewallcoveredquickly.Water-basedpaintsdryfast.Ifyoumovetooslow,someareaswillbecomestickybeforeyoucansmooththemandyou’llendupwithtexturedifferencesonthepaint’ssurface.

3.SmoothitoutStepsoneandtwowillgiveyouacoveredsectionabout4ft.wide,butitwon’tlookgood.Sogobacktothebeginning—withoutreloadingtheroller—andmakelongup-and-downstrokestoevenoutthepaint.Presslightlyandoverlapyourstrokesby3to4in.Repeatthisprocesstocovertheentirewall.

Troubleatthetopofthewall?It’snoteasytocovertheupperendofthewallandavoidsloppingpaintontheceiling.Ifyouseeuncoveredspotsupthere,unscrewthelonghandlefromtherollerframeandimmediatelymakeahorizontalpass.

No.53

SpraypaintperfectlyAndapplyflawlesswoodfinishes,tooDoitright,andasprayed-oncoatofpaintisabsolutelyflawless.Doitwrong,andyou’vegotasloppy,spatteredmess.Thesamegoesforclearwoodfinisheslikelacquerorspray-canpolyurethane.Whetheryou’repaintingorclear-coating,herearesometipstoavoidtroubleandachieveperfection.

OverlapthespraypatternIfyouoverlapjustalittle,you’llgetnarrowbandsofheavycoverage.Instead,overlapthesprayabouthalfwayoverthepreviouspass.Thatway,theentiresurfacewillgetthesamecoverage.

StartbeforeandstopafterSpraynozzlestendtospitoutafewlargedropletswhenyoustartsprayingandspitagainwhenyoustop.Tokeepsputtersplatteroffyourproject,pullthetriggerbeforeyou’reoverthetargetandreleasethetriggerafteryou’repasttheedge.

GetahandleIfyou’vesprayedaprojectthatrequiredafewcansofpaint,youalready

Ifyou’vesprayedaprojectthatrequiredafewcansofpaint,youalreadyknowaboutfingerstrainandpain.Forlessthanfivebucks,atriggerhandlenotonlypreventsthepain,butalsogivesyoubettercontrolofthecan.

Don’tswinganarcIt’sthemostnaturalmotionforyourarm,butitgivesyouheavybuildupatthecenterofthesurfaceandpoorcoverageattheends.Soinstead,movethecanparalleltothesurface.Concentrateonstraight,steadymotionforevencoverage.

Weararespirator

WeararespiratorSpraycansfilltheairwithafinemistandsolvents.Openwindowsanddoorstoprovideventilationandwearanorganicvaporrespiratortoprotectyourlungs.Workingoutsideisthemosteffectivewaytoavoidbreathingfumes,butwindcanblowawayyourpaintbeforeitreachesthesurface,whilebugsandfallingleaveswreckyourfinish.

GolightonverticalsurfacesYou’veprobablyheardthismanytimesbefore,butit’strue:Severallightcoatsarebetterthanoneheavycoat,especiallyonaverticalsurfacewhereheavycoatsmeanruns.Nobodyhaseverregrettedgoingtoolight,buteveryexperiencedspraypainterknowstheagonyofdrips

toolight,buteveryexperiencedspraypainterknowstheagonyofdripsandsags.

MakeasprayboothTakeatipfromprofinishersandcontainmessy“overspray”withaspraybooth.Yourscanbeasimplecardboardbox.Cutaholeinthetoptoletinlight.Theholealsoletsyoususpenditemsfromacoathangerandspintheitemsoyoucanhitallsides.

Voiceofexperience

LetitrestinpeaceMysonandIpaintedourrowboatperfectly.Forfasterdrying,Istartedupafan—andblewdustalloverit,creatingthousandsoftiny“dustwhiskers.”Therearelotsofwaystodestroyafinishwithdustbeforeitdries:Openingthegaragedoor,runningashopvacuum,sweepingthefloor…I’msureyoucaninventyourownmethod.Oryoucanjustwalkawayandletitdryinpeace.

MarkHawley,TheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

ElevatetoavoidstickingIfyourprojectissittingdirectlyonaworkbenchornewspaper,it’simpossibletopaintitwithoutalsogluingittotheworksurface.So

impossibletopaintitwithoutalsogluingittotheworksurface.Sowhetheryou’resprayingpaintorbrushing,findsomewaytoraisethework.Screwsdrivenintofurniturelegsworkgreat.Scrapsofplywoodwithprotrudingscrewsalsosolvetheproblem.

UncloganozzleWhenyou’redonepainting,holdthecanupsidedownandsprayforafewsecondsuntilonlypropellantcomesout.Thatalmostalwaysworkstoblastpaintoutofthenozzle,leavingitclearandopenforthenextjob.Ifitdoesn’t,orifyouforget,there’safix:Soakthenozzleinnailpolishremover.Itmaytakeafewhourstounclogthenozzle.

SpinandsprayOnsomeprojects,you’llwalkmilescirclingtheitemtosprayallthesurfaces.SopickupalazySusanturntableatadiscountstoreandsavesomelegwork.

No.54

HirethebestrooferKeyquestionsforalasting,leak-freeroofNailingdownasphaltshinglesisoneofthesimplestjobsinconstruction.It’sdifficulttodowrong.Butthepreparationanddetails—especiallywhereshinglesmeetdormers,chimneysorvents—aren’tsoeasy.Here’showtofindarooferwhowilldoitright.

Doyouplantotearofftheoldshinglesandpullthenails?Whenyou’recomparingbids,askiftheroofingcontractorrecommends

Whenyou’recomparingbids,askiftheroofingcontractorrecommendstearingofftheoldshingles.Removingtheoldroofingmaterialsallowstheroofingcontractortoinspecttheroofsheathingandrepairrotorotherdamage,exposesproblemswithflashingsandprovidesasmoothsurfacethat’seasiertowaterproofandroofover.

Howwillyouchargeforextrawork,likereplacingrottedwood?Regardlessofhowcarefulthecontractoristoincludeallthenecessaryworkinthebid,thereareboundtobesurprises.Forexample,it’shardtoknowtheconditionoftheroofsheathinguntiltheshinglesareremoved,andatthatpointinthejobyoudon’thavemuchbargainingpower.Includeanhourlyrateforextraworkinthecontract,orasquare-footpriceforreplacingthesheathing.

Willyoureplacedamagedorrustedflashing?Oneofthemostcommonroofleaksitesisattheintersectionoftheroofandawall,likethesidesofadormer.Theseareasarewaterproofedwithstepflashing,aseriesofoverlappingpiecesofsheetmetalthatarebenttolapontothewall.Makesureyourrooferisplanningtoinspectthestepflashingandexplainyouroptionsforreplacingorrepairingit.

Willyoureplacetheroofventsandvalleyflashing?It’sabadideatosavemoneybyreusingroofvents,plumbingventflashingorvalleymetal.Replacingallofthesewithnewmaterialsonlyaddsafewhundreddollarstothecostofatypicalroof,butensuresaleakproofjob.Forthebestappearance,alsoasktheroofertousemetalthat’sprefinishedtomatchthecoloroftheshingles.

Onceyoustart,willyoustayonthejobuntilit’sdone?Less-reputablecontractorsmaytakeyourdownpayment,startthejob,andthendisappearforafewdaystostartotherjobs.Makesureyourcontractorplanstostayuntilthejobisdone.Andtoensuretimelycompletion,don’tmakethefinalpaymentuntileverydetailiscomplete.

WhereroofsleakShinglesrarelyleak.It’swheretheshinglesstopandmeetotherthingsthattroubleusuallyoccurs.Thosearetheareastokeepaneyeonandtheareastoaskaroofingcontractorabout.Herearethreecommontroublespots:

ChimneyflashingAproperchimneytreatmentincludesstepflashing,counterflashingthatcoversthestepflashingandpossiblya“cricket”todivertwateraway

fromthechimney.Besuretoaskyourrooferaboutthesedetailsbeforeyousignacontract.

StepflashingL-shapedsectionsofflashingkeepoutwaterwheretheroofmeetsdormers,wallsorskylights.Missingnailscanallowittoslidedownandletinwater.Overmanyyears,itcanalsorustaway.Flashingthat’singoodconditioncanbeleftinplaceandreused,butdon’ttrustanyrooferwhowantstosimplyslatherroofingtaroverit.

PlumbingventsVentflashinghasalimitedlifespan.Therubbergasketcracksorthemetaleventuallyrusts.Looseormissingnailsalsocauseleaks.All-metalventflashinglastslonger,becauseitdoesn’trelyonarubbergasket.Agoodrooferwillreplace,notreuse,allventflashingsregardlessoftype.

Voiceofexperience

LittleleaksareabigdealAsacontractor,Iroofedmorethanahundredhouses.SoyoumightthinkI’dknowbetter,but….WhenIsuspectedaleakinmyownroof,Iwassobusyworkingonotherpeople’shousesthatIleftitalone.WhenIfinallygottoit,Ifoundrottensheathing.ThenIdugdeeperandfoundrottenrafters,plusathrivingmoldcolony.HadIdealtwiththeleakearly,itwouldhavebeenquickandeasy.Butwaitingcostmeacoupledaysandacouplehundredbucks.

TravisLarson,TheFamilyHandymanSeniorEditor

No.55

HirethebestpaintingcontractorKeyquestionsforlong-lastingexteriorpaint

Anyonecanslappaintonahouseandmakeitlookgood.Butalastingpaintjobrequirestonsoftediousprepwork,andsomepainterstakeshortcutsaroundthosetime-consumingsteps.Here’showtofindonewhowon’t.

Howwillyoupreparethesurfacebeforepainting?Preparationisthekeytoalastingpaintjob.Makesureyourcontractorisplanningtowashthesurfacetoremovedust,dirtandothercontaminants,eitherbyscrubbingorwithapressurewasher.Thenextstepshouldbescrapingallloosepaintfollowedbysandingandanotherwashorwipe-downtoremovesandingdust.

Willyouprimebeforecaulkingandpainting?Primersareabsolutelynecessaryoverbarewoodandagoodideaoveroldpainttoo.Iftherearelayersofoldpaintwithexposededges,askyourpaintingcontractortouseabindingprimerontheseareas.Bindingprimersformaflexiblesealtohelppreventoldlayersofpaintfrompeelingoff.Whatareasareyouplanningtocaulk?Athoroughjobofcaulkingextendsthelifeofthepaintjobbypreventingwaterfromseepingunderthepaintandlooseningit.Yourpaintershouldcaulkcrackswherethesidingmeetswindowsanddoors,andanyothercrackswherewatercouldenter(butnotthecracksunderlapsiding).

Whatkindofpaintdoyouplantouse?Goodpaintersusegoodpaint,buttheymaynotplantousethebestpaint.Askthepaintingcontractortoinclude100percentacrylicexteriorpaintintheestimate.Evenifyou’rechargedalittleextra,you’llsavemoneyinthelongrun.

No.56

FindyourpropertylinesIt’sthefirststepinanyoutdoorprojectBeforeyoubuildanythinginyouryard(adeck,fence,evenadoghouse)youhavetoknowwhereyourpropertylinesare.Ifyoubuildovertheline,oreventooclosetoit,localauthoritiescanmakeyoudemolishyourproject.

LocatethestakesIronstakesmarkpropertylinesinmostcommunities.They’retypicallylocatedatcornersandjogswherepropertylinesmeet.Togetstarted,requestaplotplanfromcityhall.Youmaybeabletofindthestakesbydraggingarakeoverthesuspectedlocation.Butmorelikely,thestakeswillbeseveralinchesunderground.Inthatcase,yourbestbetistobuyorrentametaldetector(cheapiescostlessthan$40).Whenyou’vefoundyourtarget,digtomakesurethatit’sreallyastakeandnotjustalostquarter.

Voiceofexperience

SetbackregretBeforebuildingmygarage,Igottheplansandlocationapprovedbythecity.Butduringconstruction,Iaskedthecontractortoextendtheeavesbyafewinches.Whentheinspectorshowedup,henoticedthattheeaveswentbeyondthesetbackline.Thecorrectioncostmealmost$1,000.Ouch.

GregHandler,TheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

Knowyoursetbacks,tooA“setback”istheminimumdistancebetweenthepropertylineandanystructure.Setbacksvarybycommunityandthetypeofstructure.Aprivacyfence,forexample,canbeclosertothepropertylinethanagarageordeck.Somecitiesalsohavesetbackrulesfortreeplanting.

BONUSSECTION

GREATESTGOOFSLearnfromthemistakesofothers!TheFamilyHandymanmagazineholdstheworld’slargestcollectionofhomeownerhorrorstories,allofthemsentinbyreaders.Herearesomeofthemostcommonmistakeshomeownersmake—andlessonsfortherestofus.

ThenewfandangoIwasinahurrytogetthenewceilingfaninstalledbeforemywifegothome,soIdidn’treadtheredtagattachedtoitandproceededwiththejob.Ifinishedthewiringjustasshewalkedthroughthedoorandflippedtheswitch,anticipatingheradmiration.Thefanspunfasterand

flippedtheswitch,anticipatingheradmiration.Thefanspunfasterandfaster—thencrashedtothefloor.Whilecleaningupthebrokenbits,Ifoundthatredtag,whichsaidsomethingaboutpropersupport.

AlMichaels

Editor’snote:Astandardjunctionboxdesignedtosupportalightfixturewon’tsupportafan.That’swhyspecialsupportbracketsareonthestoreshelfrightnexttotheceilingfans.

Topsy-turvyAttheendofthesummer,Idecidedtobeatthefallto-dolistandremovethewindowairconditionerunitsatmylawoffice.Iproceededtoremovethescrewsfromthewindowsashofthefirstunitandmuscleitoutmyself.Well,itslippedandfelloutthewindowafewfeetintoamulchedflowerbed.MysecretaryaskedifIcouldusesomehelpwiththenextone.Stubbornly,Iforgedaheadbymyself.Thesecondunitwasmuchlargerandmyplanofattackfailedevenmoremiserablyas

wasmuchlargerandmyplanofattackfailedevenmoremiserablyastheunitslippedfrommyhandsandwentcrashingtothesidewalk10ft.below.Luckily,noonewasinitspath.

SkipSpurling

Editor’snote:Fallingairconditionersareoneofthemostcommon(anddangerous)goofswehearabout.Gethelp!

HowmanyDIYersdoesittake...?Iwalkedintothelaundryroom,turnedonthelightswitchandnothinghappened.Luckily,Ihadthetoolsandknow-howtosolvetheproblem.Itestedthecircuitandreplacedtheswitch.Whenthatdidn’twork,Ireplacedthefluorescentlight’sballast.Stillnothing.Thenitdawnedonmethatitmustbethebulb.Sureenough,onceIreplacedthebulb,itworkedperfectly.

GailN.Shultz

Editor’snote:AsyourDIYknowledgegrows,bewareoftheexpertisetrap:atendencytolookforcomplicatedsolutions.Whetheryouknowa

littleoralot,alwaystrythesimplestfixfirst.

DismantleddryerWhenItossedaloadofwettowelsintoourclothesdryerandpushedthestartbutton,thedryermadeanunbearablyshrillsquealingnoise.“Soundslikeit’sjustabeltslipping,”saidmyhusband,pleasedwithhisbuddinghomerepairskills.Hourslater,however,hestillcouldn’tfindawayintothedryertoremovethescreamingbelt.Infact,hewasdoublyembarrassedbecausehecouldn’treassemblethepartsstrewnaroundhimonthefloor.Hedeclareddefeat.AprocameoutthenextdayandmadenocommentwhenIhandedhimthebagofdryerparts.

LarrilynLindquist

Editor’snote:Whateveryoutakeapart,thebestwaytoavoidreassemblyremorseistotakepicturesasyoudisassemble.

BigporcelaindoorstopIhelpedafriendpullouthisoldwater-wastingtoiletandinstallanewone.Afterfinishing,wedecidedtorelaxandwatchthegameonTV.Aboutahalf-hourlater,weheardlaughtercomingfromthebathroom.Werushedoverandfoundhiswifeunabletoclosethebathroomdoor.Thenewtoiletprotrudedafewinchesfarther,blockingthedoorfromclosing.

JasonSheehan

Editor’snote:Therearetwotypesoftoiletbowls:standardand“elongated.”Alongermodelmayalsoblockcabinetorshowerdoors.Inasmallbathroom,itcanalsobeashin-bruiser.

Sprayed—andsprayedagainIproppedupmynewFrenchdoorsoutsideandbeganpaintingonewithmynewspraygun.ThenIwentinside.WhileIwasgone,theautomaticsprinklerscameonandsoakedthedoors.Tomakemattersworse,thedoorsfellontothenewlymowedgrass.Ihadtosanddownthedoorsandstartover.

GregAlderete

Editor’snote:Paintingoutdoorsseemslikeagoodidea,butleadstoallkindsoftrouble.Themostcommonproblemsarebugs,leavesordustinthewetpaint.

Quickonthethaw!Itwastimetodefrosttheworkshopfreezerbeforewintersetin.Wehadalreadyreceivedadoseofcoldweather,somykerosene“bullet”heaterwasupandrunning.Inamomentofgenius,Idecidedtospeedupthethawingprocess.Iwasinahurrytomeetmyfather-in-law(whohadpurchasedthefreezerasagiftformeafewyearsbefore),soImovedtheheaterclosertotherefrigeratorandcontinuedtotidyupthegarage.

Well,thebulletheatersuredidthejob.WhenIreturnedjustafewminuteslater,ithadnotonlythawedalltheicebutalsomeltedtheplasticlinerandshelving!

RobWeisbarth

Editor’snote:Impatiencewhiledefrostingoftenleadstowreckedfreezers.Themostcommonmistakeistopryorchiptheiceaway.That’sdangerousbecauseyoucaneasilydamagetherefrigerantlinesinsidethefreezer.

ThissideupWhenwemovedintoournewhouse,myfirstprojectwastoinstallacatdoor.Ididanexcellentjob,makingperfectlystraight,accurate,splinter-freecuts.TheonlyproblemwasthatIcuttheopeningonthetopofthedoor.Thecat’snameisMagic,but….

StephenGray

Editor’snote:Doorsoftengetcutortrimmedinthewrongspot.Sofollowthisoldcarpenter’srule:Labeltheareathatneedsworkwithmaskingtapebeforeyouremovethedoorfromthehinges.

SecurelyfastenedWhenoursonmovedintoanewhouse,myhusbandbuiltabeautifuloakshelfandscrewedittothewall.Itlookedgreat.Thenextdaymysonwenttocloseapocketdoor.Itwouldn’tbudge.Afterafewsecondsofinspection,herealizedthatthelongshelfscrewswentrightthroughthedoor.Theshelfisnowhangingonadifferentwall,andthedoorworksfine,butallagree,itlooksmuchbetterclosed!

R.Groeger

Editor’snote:Whenmountingsomethingonawall,herearethreewaystoavoidtrouble:Askyourselfwhatmightbeinsidethewall,usescrewsthatarelongenough(butnotlonger)andifitfeelslikeyou’vehitsomethingunexpected,stop!

StainedwithguiltMyfatherandIdecideditwastimetostainthe7-ft.-highfenceinmybackyard.Tospeedupthejob,weusedasprayerandhitthetoughareaswithabrush.Well,allwentfineuntiltheguynextdoorcameoversteamingmad.Alloverhiscarwerespecksthatseemedtomatchthecolorofthefence.Red-facedwithembarrassment,werealizedthewindhadcarriedourstainoverandthroughthefence,depositingtinydropletsalloverhiscar.Thegoodnewsis,wedidn’thavetopayforanewpaintjob—alocalbodyshopremovedthedamageforareasonable$150!

AnthonyMisunas

Editor’snote:Whetheryou’resprayingwithagunoranaerosolcan,rememberthatpaintsandstainsdrift,especiallyoutdoors.

Snap,crackle,poof!Todampenthenoisecomingfromourwasheranddryer,Idecidedtofillthelaundryroomdoorwithexpandingfoam.Idrilledholesintheedgesofthehollow-coredoor,insertedthenozzleandinjectedfoamintoeachhole.Halfanhourlater,thedoorbulgedandthenbrokeopen,releasingastickyfloodoffoam.

ThomasWood,Sr.

Editor’snote:Theinstructionsonacanofexpandingfoamtellyouhowmuchfoamtouse:“fillgaps50%,”forexample.Overfillingcancauseahugemess—ordestruction.

No.57

MasteryourdrillBoreperfectholes—inanything!

PreventbreakoutAnytypeofdrillbitwillbustoutsliversasitbreaksthroughtheothersideofthewood.Usually,that’snotaproblem.Butwhenyouneedaneatexithole,clamponascraptopreventbreakout.Ifyou’reusingaholesaworspadebit,here’sanotherapproach:Borethroughuntilthepointofthebitemergesontheotherside.Thendrillfromtheotherside.

StraightinWhenyouneedaholethat’sperfectlyperpendiculartothesurface,tacktwoscrapsofwoodtogetherandusetheinsidecornerasaguide.

Therightbitforthejob

TwistbitThestandardchoiceformostholesupto1/2in.Itboresthroughwood,drywallandmetal.

ModifiedtwistbitIt’sliketheoldstandard,butwithareengineeredtipforfasterdrilling,easierstartingandcleanerholes.

Brad-pointbitThepointedtipletsyoupositionaholewithperfectprecision,andthesharpouteredgeseliminatesplinteringasthebitentersthewood.

MasonrybitThecarbidetipgrindsintoconcrete,mortar,brick,stuccoorstone.

TilebitItboresintoceramictileandevenglass.Someversionsworkwithporcelaintile;othersdon’t.

SpadebitThisisthemosteconomicalbitfordrillinglargeholes(upto2in.)inwoodordrywall.Somemodelshaveascrewtipforfasterdrilling.

AugerbitThescrewtippullsthebitintowood,forfastdrillingoflargeholes.Thesebitsareworththehighercostonlyifyou’redrillinghundredsofholes.

bitsareworththehighercostonlyifyou’redrillinghundredsofholes.

HolesawForreallybigholes(2in.ormore)inwood,drywallorthinmetal,thisisthemosteconomicalchoice.

Voiceofexperience

ThinkbeforeyoudrillIwasinabighurrytofinallyhangthatshelfabovethevanity.Withalittleluck,I’dbedonebeforekickoff.AsIboredthroughthedrywall,Ihitsomethinghard.Noproblem.Ahardpushbrokethroughtheobstruction—whichturnedouttobeapipe.Neverdidgettowatchthegamethatday.EverycontractorIknowhasastorywiththesamemoral:Whendrilling,rememberthattheremaybeasurpriseontheotherside.Andifyouhitsomethingthatdoesn’tfeelright,stop.

BrentBerger,carpenterandTheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

HammerintomasonryAstandarddrillequippedwithamasonrybitisfineifyoujustneedtopunchaholeortwoinsoftbrickorstucco.Butforlotsofholesorhardermaterialslikeconcrete,you’llwantahammerdrill.Ahammerdrillpoundsthebitforwardasitturnsformuchfasterdrilling.Hammerdrillscomeinseveralsizes.Biggerisfaster—andmoreexpensive.Butyoucanpickupapowerfuldrillatareasonablepriceatanyrentalcenter.

No.58

DrivescrewslikeaproHowtoavoid‘cam-out’frustrationIntheory,drivingscrewsisgoof-proof.Justturnthescrewanditgoesin.Butthere’sonecommonfrustration:Thebitsometimesslipsor“camsout,”gnawingawayatthescrewhead.Inaninstant,you’restuckwithapartiallydrivenscrew,theheadsowreckedthatyoucan’tdriveitinorbackitout.Allyoucandoisturnitoutwithapairofpliers.Here’showtoavoidallthat.

Pushhard,reallyhardPressureisthebestpreventionforcam-out.Withenoughpressurebehindit,thedriverbitsimplycan’tskipoutofthescrewhead’sslot.Sogetbehindthedrillandpush.That’snotpossiblewhenyou’rereaching

getbehindthedrillandpush.That’snotpossiblewhenyou’rereachingoverheadorofftooneside,soinmanycasesthebestwaytopreventcam-outistogetuponastoolormoveyourladdertogetclosertothescrew.

DrillbeforeyoudriveInmostcases,youcandriveconstructionscrewswithoutdrillingahole.Butifyou’rehavingtrouble,grabadrillbitthat’sslightlysmallerthanthediameterofthescrew.Drillaholeandyou’llfinddrivingmucheasier.You’llalsoavoidsplittingthewoodasthescrewsinksin.

GetabitholderIt’spossibletomountabitdirectlyintoadrill’schuck.Butinstead,spendacouplebucksonamagneticbitholder.Themagnetisahandyfeature,butthelongshaftoftheholderismoreimportant.Itletsyouseewhetheryourdrillisalignedstraightandtruewiththescrew—andthathelpstoavoidcam-out.

Voiceofexperience

TossoutbatteredbitsOverthepast30years,I’vespentcountlessSaturdayafternoonshelpinginexperiencedfriendswithbuildingprojects.Here’satypicalscene:Ihearthetelltalechatterofcam-out,walkovertomyfriend,scowl,yankthedrilloutofhishandandinsertafreshbit.Problemsolved.Asdriverbitswear,cam-outbecomesinevitable.Sokeepasupplyofnewbitsandtossouttheoldones.

TravisLarson,TheFamilyHandymanSeniorEditor

ChoosebetterscrewsPhillips-headscrewsarealoteasiertodrivethanscrewswithasingleslotinthehead.Butwhenitcomestoavoidingcam-out,someareevenbetter.“Square-drive”screws,forexample,resistcam-outwell.Fortheverybestcam-outresistance,useTorxorsimilarscrews.Avoidtraditionalwoodscrews;theysimplydon’tpenetratewoodaseasilyasmodern“construction”screwsthathavesharpertips.Someconstructionscrewsevenhaveself-drillingtipsforeasierdriving.

Drivescrewsatanangle“Toescrewing”takessomepractice,butit’sworththeeffort.Itallowsyoutomakeconnectionsyouotherwisecouldn’tandtohidescrewsunderboardswheretheywon’tbeseen(underadeckrailingasshownhere,forexample).Tomakeiteasier,drillapilotholebeforedriving.Ortryitwithoutapilothole,usingthesametwo-steptechnique.

1.StartoutstraightBorestraightintothesurfacewithadrillbitthat’sslightlysmallerthanthescrewyou’lluse.

2.ContinueatanangleWhenyou’vedrilledabout1/8in.intothewood,keepthebitspinningwhileyoushiftthedrilltoasharpangle.

No.59

MasterthejigsawMakethemostofthisincrediblyversatiletoolAjigsawisperfectforanyskilllevel.It’slessintimidatingthanacircularsawandamazinglyversatile—lotsofprojectsrequirenothingmorethanadrillandajigsaw.Here’showtodomoreanddoitbetterwithyourjigsaw.

FindtherightspeedTypically,there’sanSPM(strokesperminute)“sweetspot”wherethesawcutsfastestandcleanestandwiththeleastvibration.Trydifferentspeedsbychangingpressureonthetrigger.Onceyoufindthebestspeed,settheadjustablespeeddialsoyoucanpullthetriggerallthewaywhilemaintainingthedesiredSPM.

ProtecttheworksurfaceReducemarringbyapplyingalayerortwoofmaskingtapetothebase

Reducemarringbyapplyingalayerortwoofmaskingtapetothebaseofthejigsaw.Removethetapewhenyou’redonesoitdoesn’tleaveastickyresidueonthebase.

CutanythingThemainmissionofajigsawistocutcurvesinwood,andit’seasytooverlookitsotherabilities.Insteadofslavingawaywithyourhacksaw,grabyourjigsawtoquicklycutsteel,copperoranymetal.Youcanalsocutplasticsandtougherstufflikeceramictile.Thekeytosuccessistomatchthebladetothematerial.

SquarethebladeTogetasquare-edgecut,thebladehastobeperfectlyperpendiculartothebase.Sobeforeyoumakeacut,makesurethebladeisn’tbent.Ifitis,justtossitorsaveitforjobswhereaclean,squarecutisn’timportant.Withastraight,newbladeinthesaw,adjustthebasetosquareitup.

OscillationeducationMostjigsawsofferoscillatingaction:Whiletheblademovesupanddown,italsolungesforwardwitheachstroke.Typically,youcanturnofftheoscillationorselectlevelsofoscillation.Thehigherthesetting,thefasteryoucut.Butfasterisn’talwaysbetter.Moreoscillationmeansrougher,less-accuratecuts.Soturntheoscillationwaydownforcleanorprecisecuts.

LetthetooldotheworkPushingashardasyoucanonthesawdoesn’tnecessarilymakeitcutfaster;sometimestheoppositeistrue.Andpushingtoohardintoacurvecancauseyoutoveeroffyourline,burnthematerialorbreakablade.Easeoffonthepressureuntilthesawcutssmoothlywithlittlevibration.

Cutwiththe“good”sidedownMostjigsawbladescutontheupstroke,sochipsandsplintersoccurmostlyonthetopofthewood.Soifyouvalueonesideofaboardmorethantheother,makesureyoukeepthegoodsidefacedown,andmarkandcutthelessimportantside.

BeyondbasicbladesThereareacouplethingstoknowaboutblades:Thelargertheteeth,themoreaggressiveandrougherthecut.Andthenarrowertheblade,thetighteritcanturn.Narrow,double-sidedbladesareespeciallysuitedforsharpturns.Therearealsospecialtybladesforvariousmaterialsandevenflush-cutbladesthatextendthecuttothefrontofthebase.

DrillstarterholesIfyouneedtocutoutaholeinthecenteroftheworksurface—likeaholeforaheatregisterinasheetofbeadboardwainscoting—drillaholeslightlybiggerthanyourjigsawbladeintwooppositecorners.Thatway,youcanmakefourneatcutsstartingfromthetwoholes

MakereliefcutsforsharpturnsThere’salimittohowsharpacurveajigsawbladecancut—thenarrowertheblade,thesharpertheturnsitcanmake.Ifyoutrytoforcethebladeintoaturntighterthanit’scapableof,you’lleitherveeroffyourlineorbreaktheblade.Forthetightestturns,makereliefcuts.Thesharperthecurve,themorereliefcutsyou’llneed.

SmartstartingandstoppingBesurethebladeisuptospeedbeforeyoustartyourcut.Ifyoustartthesawwiththebladetouchingyourmaterial,itcangrabholdandrattlethematerial,possiblydamagingit.Andletthesawcometoacompletestopbeforeyouliftit.Ifyoudon’t,youmightexperiencethedreaded“woodpeckereffect,”whenamovingbladebouncesoffthesurface,leavingbehindpockmarksandabentblade.

No.60

MeasureaccuratelyProtipsforperfectprecision

BurnaninchThehookattheendofatapemeasureisdesignedtoslipinandoutalittle.Thatmovementcompensatesforthethicknessofthehook,dependingonwhetheryou’retakinginsideoroutsidemeasurements.Butabenthookorwornrivetscanleadtoinaccuracy.Sowhenyouneedprecision,bypasshook-relatederrorsbyholdingthetapeatthe1-in.markandmakingyourmarkexactly1in.beyondthedesiredmeasurement.

Atapemeasurecanhurtyou—reallySoundscrazy,butanycarpenterwillagree:Whenataperetractsfromseveralfeetout,itcanpickupspeedandslamintoyourfingerwithpainfulforce.Slowitdownbyholdingyourfingeragainsttheundersideoftheblade.

LongerisbetterA20-ft.tapemeasureisbetterthana10-footer,evenifyoudon’tneedtomeasurethatfar.Longertapesgenerallyhaveawider,stifferbladethatwillextendfartherwithoutbendingandfallingtothefloor.Thatmeansyoucanmeasurelongerdistanceswithoutahelperholdingoneend.

MeasuretwiceforlongstretchesWhenyouneedtomeasurealongspananddon’thaveahelpertoholdthetape,taketwomeasurementsandaddthemup.Thisisalsoasuper-accuratewaytomeasureaspacethat’senclosedonbothends—insideadrawer,forexample.

1.MeasurehalfwayMeasuretoaspotnearthecenterandmakeamarkexactlyatthe

nearestfoot.

2.MeasureagainMeasurefromtheothersideandtallyupthetwomeasurements

Measureup,notdownWhenmeasuringsomethingtall,workwithgravity,notagainstit.Tomeasureceilingheight,forexample,buttthetapeagainstthefloorandextendittotheceiling.Bendthetapeattheceilingand“eyeball”themeasurement.You’llbeabletogetwithin1/4in.oftheexactheight.

Mark,don’tmeasureWheneverpossible,procarpentersleavetheirtapemeasuresintheirtoolbelts.Holdinganiteminplaceandmarkingitisoftenfaster,easierandmoreaccurate.Mostimportantly,iteliminateserrors.

Voiceofexperience

WhenprecisionmattersTwotapesmaygiveyouslightlydifferentmeasurements.Andsometimes,evena1/16-in.variationspellstrouble.SowhenI’mbuildingfurniture,Ipickonetape,labelitanduseitthroughoutthejob.

StephenEvans,furnituremakerandTheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

No.61

MasterthehammerYoucandomorethanjustpoundnails

Nail-pullingknow-how

PullsidewaysTheusualwaytopullanailistolevertheclawstraightup.Butwhenanailwon’tbudge,yankthehandletotheside.Thatputsthepivotpointclosertothenailformorepullingpower.

PullagainstablockAsmallblockundertheclawdoestwothings:Itprotectsthesurfacebeneathitandprovidesmorepullingpower,especiallyafterthenailispartiallyremoved.

Whichweight?Formostpeopleandmostjobs,a16-oz.hammerisaboutright.Avoidhammerswithajagged“waffle”textureonthestrikingface.Whenyoumissanail,theydouglythingstosurfaces—oryourthumb.

TheversatileripclawIfyou’reinthemarketforahammer,buyonewithastraightclaw.Unlikeacurved-clawhammer,ariphammer—whenswungbackward—candigholes,splitwoodandwreckstuffthatneedswrecking.

No.62

FindastudWhentechnologyfails,detectiveworkprevails

What’sastud?Studsaresimplythevertical2x4s(or2x6s)thatformtheskeletoninsideawall.Forheavy-dutyprojects,youneedtoknowexactlywheretheyare.Wheninstallingstairrailings,forexample,youneedtoanchorbracketstosomethingsolidlikeastud.Butformostjobs—likehangingpicturesortowelbars—drywallanchorsarestrongenough.

Thehigh-techwayYoucanpickupanelectronicstudfinderatanyhomecenterforlessthantwentybucks.Justrunthegadgethorizontallyacrossthewallanditwilltellyouwhenitsensesastud.Studfindersworkgreatondrywall.Sometimestheyworkwellonoldplasterandlathwalls,sometimesnot.

Thedetective’swayIfyoudon’thaveastudfinderhandy,oritwon’tworkonyourplasterwalls,don’tgiveup.Thebuildersofyourhouseleftsomeclues:

NailholesBaseboardsarealmostalwaysnailedtostuds.Examinethemcloselyandyou’llfindtinydotsofwoodfillerthatrevealastudlocation.

SwitchesandoutletsElectricaljunctionboxesareusuallyfastenedtostuds.Todeterminewhichsideoftheboxisattachedtothestud,you’llhavetounscrewthecoverplate.Thenslipinabusinesscardalongtheoutersideoftheboxandfeelforthestud.

StudspacingStudsareusuallycentered16in.apart(orsometimes24in.).Soifyoufindone,youcanfindotherswithonlyatapemeasure.

Markstudswithtape

There’snoneedtomarkupwallswithapencil;ascrapofmaskingtapewilldo.Ifyouneedpinpointprecision,stickonthetape,thenmarkwithapencil.

No.63

BereadyforanythingEssentialgearformakeshiftsolutionsSomeproductshavesomanyusesthatyoujusthavetokeepthemonhand.Evenifyoudon’thaveanimmediateneedforthem,youwillsoonerorlater.Hereareafewfavorites.

DucttapeWhatevertheproblem,ducttapeisthesolution.Therearedozensofdifferentversions:light-duty,heavy-duty,transparent,glow-in-the-dark….Ifyou’reonlygoingtokeeponerollonhand,gettheexpensive,heavy-dutystuff.Itsticksbetter.Theonlythingyoushouldn’tuseducttapeforisductwork.Thatwasitsoriginalpurpose,butfoiltapeworksmuchbetter.

StretchwrapSealboxesshut,tiedownaloadorwrapupunrulyobjectsforstorage.Keeparollinthegarageandyou’lluseitregularly.There’salotofwraponaroll,soevenifyou’reaheavyuser,itwilllastforyears.

EraserspongesWhennothingelseworks,oneofthesepadsprobablywill.Thematerialthey’remadefromwasoriginallyusedforinsulation.Butitalsoprovidesveryaggressive,veryfineabrasion;thatmeansitscoursawaysurfacestainswithoutdamagingmostsurfaces.Mr.CleanMagicEraserandScotch-BriteEasyErasingPadaretwocommonbrands.

CabinetbumpersJustkeepalittlepackoftheminyourjunkdrawerandyou’llfind

Justkeepalittlepackoftheminyourjunkdrawerandyou’llfindunexpectedusesforthem.Shownhere,forexample,acouplebumperswillsilenceatoilettanklidthatrattleswhenkidsstompdownthehall.

PipeinsulationUntilyouhaveit,youwon’tunderstandhowdesperatelyyouneedit.Asidefrominsulatingpipes,itprovidesbumpprotectionwhenstoringtableleaves—andinahundredothersituations.Pipeinsulation’sclosecousin,theswimnoodle,isthickerandbetterforsometasks,likestoppingahatchbackfrombashingintotheoverheaddoor.

ZiptiesThey’regreatforholidaydecoratingandahundredotherfasteningjobs.Andthey’resocheapthatyoucankeepstashesinseveralstrategiclocations:garage,kitchen,laundryroom.Whereveryouputthem,they’llgetused.

No.64

FinishwoodflawlesslyProtipsforsilky-smoothperfectionWoodfinishingisaskillnobodytrulymasters.Eventheprosmakemistakes.Butwithsomepatienceandattentiontodetail,beginnerscandoitright.Yourbestapproachistostartonsomethingsmallandsimplebeforeyoutakeonmorechallengingprojects.

ThebasicprocessThereareadozenwaystocolorandcoatwood.ButformostDIYers,stainfollowedbyaclearcoatingofpolyurethaneisthebestcombination.

1.SanditsmoothOncoarse-grainedwoodlikeoak,startwith100-gritsandpaper,thengoto150-grit.Onfine-grainedwoodslikecherry,birchormaple,youneedtoendwithahighergrit;100-150-220isagoodcombination.

2.AddcolorApplystainwithabrushorrag,thenwipeofftheexcesswitharag.Spreadoutusedragstodrybeforeputtingtheminthetrash.Stain-soakedragsareaspontaneous-combustionhazard.

3.ApplypolyurethaneThisisthehardpart;youhavetoworkfastandapplythepolysmoothly.Beforethepolybeginstodry,dragabrushlightlyoverittosmoothit.Applytwotofourcoats,lightlysandingbetweencoats.

Water-basedpolyvs.oil:What’sthedifference?Water-andoil-basedpolyurethanesareequallytough,buttherearesomeimportantdifferences:•Water-basedpolygoesonmilkyanddriescrystalclear.Oilhasawarmambertone.•Oil-basedpolydriesmuchslower,whichmakesiteasiertosmoothoutbeforeitbecomesgummy.Thisisabigadvantageonlargesurfaces.•Water-basedpolycleansupwithwater.Oilrequiresmineralspirits.Oilalsoemitsharmfulfumes,soyouneedgoodventilation.

BewareofblotchesSomewoodsabsorbstainunevenly,whichcausesdarkblotchestoappear.Birch,maple,pineandcherrycanallplaythisuglytrickonyou.It’shardtoeliminatethiseffect,butyoucanlimititbyapplyingawoodconditionerbeforestaining.Conditioneralsopreventswood’sendgrainfromabsorbingmorestainthanthefacegrain.It’savailablewhereverstainsandfinishesaresold.

Voiceofexperience

Test,test,test!Injust30minutes,Ionceruinedabookcasethattookme65hourstobuild.ThestainwentonblotchyandthecolorwasnothinglikeIexpected.EverywoodworkerIknowhasasimilarstory(orseveral).I’velearnedthatyoucan’trelyonthestainsamplesinstores.Actualcolorvariesalot,dependingonthetypeofwoodandhowyouprepareditforfinishing.NowIalwaysdoseveralsampletests.SometimesImixstainstogetthecolorIwant.

DavidRadtke,TheFamilyHandymanContributingEditor

SandbetweencoatsEvenmasterfinishersendupwithafewimperfectionsintheclearcoating.Toremovethem,lightlysandtheentiresurfacewithextra-finesandingpadsorpaper.Becarefulnottosandthroughthefinish,especiallyalongedges.Cleanupthefinedustwithavacuumthenatackclothbeforeapplyingthenextcoat.

Ifyouchooseasatinfinish…Multiplecoatsofsatinorsemiglosspolycanobscurethewood’sgrain.

Multiplecoatsofsatinorsemiglosspolycanobscurethewood’sgrain.Ugly.That’swhyexperiencedfinishersoftenstartoutwithgloss.Then,iftheywantlesssheen,theyaddafinalcoatofsatin.

ExpensivebrushesareworthitSpendextraforagood-qualitybrush.Evenifyouspend$20ormore,youwon’tregretit.Qualitybrushesholdmorefinish,layitonsmoothlyandarelesslikelytoleavelostbristlesinyourclearcoat.Ifyoucleanyourbrushimmediatelyafteruse,it’llserveyouwellfarintothefuture.

Wipe-onpolyiswonderfulPolyurethanethat’sformulatedforapplicationwithaclothhassomeimportantadvantagesoverthebrush-onstuff:Itgoesonthin,soit’slesslikelytorun,sagorpickupairbornedust.Smoothapplicationwithaclothisalsoeasierthanbrushing,especiallyonshapedsurfaces.Thebigdisadvantageofwipe-onisthatitformsaverythincoating,soyouhavetoapplylotsofcoatstoequalonecoatofbrushed-onfinish.

SprayorwipethefinalcoatBrushingisagoodwaytobuildupathicklayerofpoly,butit’salsodifficulttoapplysmoothly.Sowoodworkersoftenbrushonafewcoats,thenusesprayorwipe-onpolyforthefinalcoatortwo.Sprayingandwipingaremorelikelytoendinperfection.

Voiceofexperience

WoodcangowildWoodexpandsandcontractsasthehumiditychanges.Andifyoufinishjustonesideofwood,theunfinishedsidewillshrinkorswelldifferentlyfromthefinished.Yearsago,IlearnedthisthehardwaywhenIfinishedonlythetopofatable.Overafewweeks,itwentfromperfectlyflattowildandwavy.Themoralofthestoryisthis:Wheneveryoufinishthe“show”sideofalargepieceofsolidwood,slapacoatofpolyonthehiddensidetoo.Thatwillequalizetheeffectsofhumiditychanges.

ElisaBernick,TheFamilyHandymanContributingEditor

No.65

CaulklikeaproAnyonecansealacrack—makingitlookgoodisthechallengeLayingasmoothbeadofcaulkislikeplayingthepiano:Youcanlearntodoitwell,butdon’texpectapplauseforyourfirstefforts.It’sbesttostartwhereperfectionislessimportant(exteriorwindowtrim,forexample),andthenmoveontohigh-visibilityworklikeatubsurround.

NeatnessstartsatthetipThebiggestmistakerookiesmakeistocuttoomuchoffthetip.That

Thebiggestmistakerookiesmakeistocuttoomuchoffthetip.Thatallowstoomuchcaulktoflowout,whichleadstoamess.Socutneartheendatasharpangle.Youcanalwaystrimoffmoreifneeded.Smoothandroundthecuttipwithsandpaper.

CleanthetipStarteverybeadwithacleantip.Plantomuckuptwoorthreeragsoverthecourseofacaulkingproject.

SmoothitwithyourfingerImmediatelyafterlayingthebead,dragyourfingeracrossit.Inordertoslidesmoothly,yourfingerneedslubrication.Foracrylic/latexcaulk,dipyourfingerinwater.Withsilicone,sliponasurgical-stylegloveandusealcohol.

Don’tuseyourwristsEverygolferknowsthatthebestwaytocontrolaputteriswiththeupperbody.Thesamegoesforcaulking.Useyourupperbody,orevenyourlegs,tomovethetube,notyourwrists.

NixthesqueezetubeSqueezetubesareOKatfirst,butastheyempty,it’sharderandhardertosqueezeoutasteady,consistentflow.Thatmeansalumpybead.Bettertospendafewbucksonacaulkgunanduseguntubes.

MeetinthemiddleWhenyouhavealongbeadtorunandcan’tgetitdoneinonepass,don’tstartagainwhereyouleftoff.It’shardtocontinueabeadwithoutcreatingaglob.Instead,startattheotherendandmeetinthemiddle.

No.66

InstallwireshelvingTipsyouwon’tfindinthemanufacturer’sinstructionsWireshelvingisfantasticstuff:versatile,inexpensiveandDIY-friendly.Manufacturersgiveyouallthedetailsyouneedtoknow,butherearesomeprotipsyoushouldknowforafaster,smoother,strongerinstallation.

BuyextrapartsEvenifyou’reputtingupjustoneshelf,haveextrathingamajigsonhand.Returningafewpartslaterisbetterthanhaltingtheprogressofyourprojectandrunningtothestore.

AboltcutterworksbestCuttingashelftolengthmeanscuttingthroughfourhardsteelrods.Ahacksawwilldothejobjustfine.Butifyou’reinstallinglotsofshelves,considerspending$30orsoonaboltcutter.Itwillsaveyoutimeandarmstrain.

CutshelvingshortBeforecuttingashelf,measurewalltowallandthensubtractaninch.Thatallowsforthethicknessoftheendbrackets,plusalittlewiggleroom.Cuttingtotheexactspacingbetweenendbracketsleadstogougesinthewallasyouinstalltheshelf.Anddon’tskiptheendcaps.Withoutthem,clotheswillsnagoncutends.

AvoidupliftBackwallclipswillholdtheshelfup,butwhenthereareabunchofclotheshangingonthefrontoftheshelf,thebackedgecanlift.Toholditdown,screwaretainingcliptoastudnearthecenteroftheshelf.Iftheshelfismorethan8ft.long,installacouple,evenlyspaced.

PreventtipoversWiremakesgreatpantryshelving,exceptforonething:Smallcansandbottlestendtotipintothegapsbetweenwires.Topreventthat,pickupsomepegboardwhenyoubuytheshelving.It’sinexpensiveandcomeswithawhitecoatingthat’seasytoclean.Somehomecenterswillevencutittosizeforyou.

Voiceofexperience

BuyingadvicefromaproI’veinstalledthousandsofwireshelvesoverthepast15yearsandhaveseentwomistakesoverandoveragain.First,toomanyhomeownerspayextraforheavy-dutyshelvingtheydon’treallyneed.Standardcloset-gaugeshelvingisfineformostclosets.Savetheheavy-gaugestuffforgarages.Second,consideraddingahangerbar.It’salotmoreconvenientthanhookinghangersontheshelf.Myclientssometimesdeclinethisfeaturebecauseitaddsaround30percenttothecost—thentheycallmelatertoaddabarortwo.

TimBischke,closetinstallerandTheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

No.67

ConnectcoaxcablerightMistakesmeanslowdownloadsandrottenreceptionCoaxialcableprovidesbrilliantlysimpleconnectionsforallkindsofhigh-techgadgetry(TVs,routers,cellphoneboosters,surveillancesystems,etc.).But“simple”doesn’tmeanfoolproof.Coaxis,infact,finickystuff;minormistakescanleadtomajorperformanceproblems.Here’showtoavoidtroubleandletthedataflowfast.

Don’tfinger-tightenconnectionsFinger-tightconnectionsdon’tprovideasolidpathforthesignalandoftenloosenovertime.Soaftertighteningwithyourfingers,givethenutanextraquarter-turnwithawrench.

Don’tuseacheapsplitterEverytimeyouconnectanothercabletothemainincomingcable,youweakenthesignal.ButyouhavetosplitthesignalinordertoaddanotherTV.Still,youcanavoidpoorpicturequality.First,buyasplitterthatcanhandlethebandwidthneededbyhigh-definitionTVandhigh-speedInternet.Ifyougetpoorpicturequalityafterinstallingasplitter,callyourcableprovider(theymayincreaseyoursignalstrength).Atelectronicsstores,youcanalsoinstallanamplifiertoboostthesignalfromyourantenna,cableserviceorsatellitedish.

Don’tbuycheapcableShieldingiswhatcountswhenitcomestocablequality.Itblocksinterferenceandkeepsthesignalclean.Soskipthe“dual-shield”or“double-shield”cableandgofora“quad-shield”product;ithastwice

“double-shield”cableandgofora“quad-shield”product;ithastwiceasmuchbraidedwireandfoilshielding.AfterspendingbigbucksonaTVorcomputer,itdoesn’tmakesensetoskimponcable.

Don’tkinkthecableWhenyoukinkcoaxcable,thecenterwiregetstooclosetotheshielding.Thatleadstointerference.Oncecoaxiskinked,thedamageisdone.Youcan’tfixitbystraighteningthecable.

Receptiongettingworse?IfyourTVreceptionseemstobeworsethanitoncewas,itmaynotbeyourimagination.Coaxconnectorsoutdoorseventuallycorrodeandweakenthesignal.Thisisoneofthemostcommoncausesofpoorreception.Yourcableprovidercansolvetheproblembyreplacingtheconnectors.Youcandoityourself,butyou’llhavetospendatleast$20onspecialtools.

No.68

ReplacealightfixtureTheinstructionscoverthebasics—here’showtohandlecomplicationsIt’stheperfectjobforarookieelectrician.Justdisconnectafewwires,takedowntheoldfixtureandconnectthenewone.Andwhileyou’reatit,eliminatethe$100electrician’scharge.Butsomeofthestepsaren’tquiteaseasyastheyappear.Herearesomesolutionsfromprofessionalelectricians.

BesurethepowerisoffThejunctionboxintheceilingmaycontainwiresfrommorethanonecircuit.Soevenifthelightswitchisoffandyou’veturnedoffpoweratthemainpanel,theremaybealivewireinthebox.Soalwaysprobe

withanoncontactvoltagedetectorbeforeyoudisconnectanywires.

CAUTION!Ifthewiresintheboxaredullgrayinsteadofbrownorcopper-colored,youhavealuminumwiringandneedtocallinanelectriciantoworkwithit.

ThirdhandConnectingafixturetakesthreehands:onetoholdthefixtureandtwotomakeconnections.Ifyoudon’thavethreehands,hangthefixturefromascrapofwire.

TwomountingsystemsIfyou’renotfamiliarwiththem(orevenifyouare),lightfixturemountingsystemscandriveyoucrazy.Therearetwotypes,andjustknowingwhat’sunderthecanopyishalfthebattle.Ifyouseetwo

knowingwhat’sunderthecanopyishalfthebattle.Ifyouseetwoscrewsorscrewcapsonthecanopy,youhavethetypewithanoffsetcrossbar(firstphotobelow).Ifnot,youhavethetypewithasinglecrossbarandathreadedpipe(secondphotobelow).

Mountingwithscrewsandcapnuts

Mountingwithathreadedpipe

BuybetterconnectorsTheconnectorssuppliedwithmostfixturesareallplastic;nometalthreadsinside.Sotheydon’tgripwiresverywell.Theonessoldseparatelyarebetter.

Voiceofexperience

BewareofobstructionsEveryonceinawhile,Ishowupatahometoinstallanewfixtureandrunintoanobstacle.Itmightbeahangingfixturethatwon’tallowadoororcabinetdoortoopenorasconcethatblocksthemedicinecabinet.TheworstpartisthatIsometimesdon’trecognizetheproblemuntilIinstallthefixture.Ouch.Measurefirst.

AlHildenbrand,electricalcontractorandTheFamilyHandymanwiringwhiz

ConnectingsolidwiretostrandedLightfixturescomewithstrandedwire,whilethewiresinyourjunctionboxaresolid.Twist-onconnectorstendtogripthesolidwire,butnotthestranded.Thatmakesalousyconnection.Topreventthat,justextendthestrandedwireabout1/8in.beyondthesolidbeforeyoutwistontheconnector.Workseverytime.

BuyextrahardwareThemountingbracketssuppliedwithyourfixturemaynotworksmoothlywithyourjunctionbox.Sopickupacoupleotherstyles—bettertospendanextrafivebucksthantostopworkandmakeatriptothestore.

SomefixturesaretoohotIfyourhomewasbuiltbefore1985,itprobablyhaswiringthatcan’thandletheheatgeneratedbymanynewerfixtures.Thesehotfixturescarryawarning:“Usewireratedforatleast90degreesC.”Theeasiestsolutionissimplytoavoidafixturewiththiswarninginapre-1985home.Butifjustmusthavethatfixture,checkyourwiring.Ifyousee“NM-B”or“UF-B”ontheoutersheathingofthecableor“THHN”or“THWN-2”ontheinsulationofindividualwires,you’reOKforhotfixtures.

Shortwires,noproblemWhenthewiresinthejunctionboxaretooshort,connectingthemisfrustrating.Here’sthesolution:Buysome“stab-in”connectors.Intightspots,they’remucheasiertousethantwist-onconnectors.Cutacouple5-in.sectionsofwire(ofthesamegaugeasthewiresinthebox)andconnectthem.Thenconnectthefixturewirestotheaddedwireswithtwist-onconnectors.

No.69

MakehomechoreseasierSimpleupgradesthatpayoffoverandoveragainYourhomeisn’tjustaplacetolive.It’salsoaworkplace.Andaswithanyworkplace,efficiencyimprovementspayoffbigintimeandlaborsavings.Hereareafewideastogetyoustarted.

Voiceofexperience

Everyyear,IpromisemyselfthatI’lldoatleasttwothingstomakehometasksmoreefficient.After15yearsofefficiencyupgrades,Ihavemoretimeforgolfthananyofmyfriends.

FrankAnderson,TheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

EveryhomeneedsahandcartAhandcartmakesallkindsofjobseasier,indoorsandout.Somemodelscostlessthan$20athomecenters.

Trash-canvacuumbreakerEverwonderwhyabagissohardtoliftoutofatrashcan?It’sbecausethebagformsanairtightsealinsidethecan,whichinturncreatesavacuuminthecan.Taketwominutestodrillaholenearthebottomofthecanandyou’llneverhavethatproblemagain.

High-reachvacuumIfyouhavecobwebsaroundskylightsorchandeliers,there’snoneedtoclimbaladder.JustmeasurethediameterofyourvacuumhoseandthenbuyPVCpipethat’ssimilarinsize.Homecenterscarrysectionsupto10ft.long.Alsoaskforarubberpipecouplertoconnectthehosetothepipe.

ClearclosetfloorsClutteredclosetfloorsgetbypassedbythevacuumorbroom.Clearingoutallthejunkisjusttoomuchwork.Butifyoumountawireshelfjustafewinchesabovethefloor,youcancleanfloorseasilyandstillhavespaceforstuffthatwouldotherwiseclutterthefloor.

EasyfilterchangesMostwaterfiltersareinstalledunderthesink.Thetroublewiththatisthatyouhavetoclearoutthecabinetjusttochangethefilter.Soifyou’regettingafiltrationsysteminstalled,putthefilterinaneasy-accessspot,likeanearbyclosetorinthebasementbelow.

LabelssavetimeIfyoudon’tlabelstoragebins,you’reguaranteedtowastetimerummagingthroughthemtofindstuff.Here’soneflexiblerecipe:alayerofmaskingtapeforlegibility,coveredwithcleartapeandthenlabeledwithadry-erasemarkerforeasychanges.Buthoweveryoudoit,labelthosebinsandboxes.

RaiseyourdryerSetyourdryeronaboxandsaveyourback.Allittakesisasimpleboxmadefrom2x8boardsandtoppedoffwith3/4-in.plywood.It’sagreatprojectforafirst-timecarpenter.Beforeyoubegin,makesureyourdryer’sexhaustduct,powercordandgaslinewillaccommodatethemoveup.Ifyouhavearigidductratherthanaflexibleduct,you’llhavetoalterit.

FurnacefiltersystemRegularfilterreplacementistheverybestthingyoucandotokeepyourfurnaceintopcondition.Andhere’sawaytokeeptrackofthattask:Buyseveralfiltersandlabelthem.Withsomesystems,monthlyfilterchangesarebest.Otherscangoafewmonthsbetweenchanges.

PowerscourEverybodysavesoldtoothbrushesforcleaningjobs,butanelectrictoothbrushisevenbetter,andyoucangetoneforlessthan10bucksatadiscountstore.

No.70

WashwindowslikeaproSqueakycleaninlessthanaminuteWashingwindowsisaslow,frustrating,miserablejob—butonlyifyoudoitwrong.Doitliketheprosandit’seasy.Allittakesisafewbasictoolsandasimpleprocess.

StartwiththerighttoolsGlasscleanerandpapertowelsarenotthewaytogo.Instead,stopbyahomecenterandspendabout$20oncleaninggear:•Ascrubberforlargeareas,oraspongeifyouhavedivided-glasswindows.

•Ahigh-qualitysqueegee.Don’tgocheap;agoodsqueegeeiswellworthanextrafivebucks.A10-or12-in.modelisbestforlargeareas.•Amicrofiberragortwo.Microfiberabsorbsmoreandcleansglassbetterthanotherfabrics.•Arazorscraperforpaintspecksorothertoughspots.Ifyoudon’tfindonealongsidecleaningsupplies,trythepaintaisle.•You’llalsoneedragstowipeoffthesqueegee,abucketanddishwashingliquid(1teaspoonper2gallonsofwater).

5stepstoperfection

1.ScrubtheglassDipthescrubberintoabucketofsoapywaterandsqueezeouttheexcesswater.Thenscrub.Besuretocovereverysquareinchofglass.

2.CreateacleanstripTipthesqueegeesothatonlytheendcontactstheglass.Thendragthesqueegeedownalongonesideofthewindow.Thiscleanstripmakesiteasiertostartthehorizontalstrokes.

3.MakethefirstsqueegeepassKeepthetopofthesqueegeeincontactwiththeupperedgeofthewindow.Wipethesqueegeeonyourpocketragaftereachpass.

4.WorkyourwaydownOverlapeachpassbyabout2in.Anglethesqueegeeslightlytodirectwaterdownthewindow.

5.WipetheperimeterWrapamicrofiberragaroundyourfingerandrunitaroundtheouteredgeofthewindow.That’sit—you’redone!

Yes,youcansqueegeeinside,tooTheprosdoitallthetime,eveninhouseswithvarnishedwoodwork.Thekeyistosqueezealmostallofthewateroutofthescrubber.Wipeupanywaterthatdribblesontowoodwork.Ifyouhavedividedwindows,you’llneedasmallersqueegee.

No.71

Cleanfaster,cleanbetterProtipsforsmartercleaning—andavoidingitEverybodyknowshowtoclean.Butaswithanytask,someknowbetterthanothers.Soevenifyou’vekeptyourhousespotlessforyears,youcanlearnafewthingsfromproswhodoitallday,everyday.

RinseoffachandelierCleaningachandelierthestandardway—wipingeachpartbyhand—takesforever.Instead,spreadaplastictarpontheflooranddousethefixturewithchandeliercleaner.Sprayitonheavytorinseoffthedust.Thecleanerthat’sleftonthechandelierevaporatesfastandwon’tleavespots.Youprobablywon’tfindchandeliercleanerinstores,butit’savailableonline.

Minimizescumwithsyntheticsoap“Synthetic”soapsmakecleaningyourshowerorbatheasierbecausetheydon’tcontaintheingredientsthatcreatetoughsoapscum.Anyliquidorgelsoapissynthetic.Mostbarsoapsarestandardsoaps.Butafew,includingZestandIvory,aresynthetic.

UseaHEPAvacuumfilterStopblowingdustalloverwithanoldvacuum.AHEPAvacuumfiltercapturesmicroscopicairborneparticulates.Old-fashionedpaperorconventionalvacuumbagspickuponlyabout30percentofdustandallergens,andblowtherestbackintotheair.

BlowoutthegarageForgetthebroom—justopenthedoorandblastoutthedustanddebriswithanelectricleafblower.Worksgreatonporches,too.Besuretowearadustmask,pluseyeandearprotection.

CoatshowerdoorstokeepthemcleanWhenthebeadsofwaterleftonyourglassshowerdoordryout,theyleavemineralsbehindthatareatbestunsightlyandatworstcanbetoughasnailstoremove.Youcanavoidbeadingwateraltogetherbycoatingtheglasswithanauto-glasstreatment.AquapelandRain-Xaretwobrandsthatyou’llfindatautopartsstoresandsomediscountstores.

Steam-cleanamicrowaveJustboilwatertosoftenupthebaked-ongunkinyourmicrowave.Forafreshscent,addasliceoflemon.Allowthesteamtoworkfor5to10minutes,thenwipeeverythingclean.

Vacuumfirst,thenscrubDoyoueverfindyourselfchasingstrandsofwethairorrunningintodustballsinthecornerswithyourspongeorcleaningrag?Youcaneliminatethisnuisancebyvacuumingthebathroombeforeyougetoutyourcleaningsolutions.

Forareallythoroughcleaning,startatthetop,vacuumingthedustfromlightfixturesandthetopofwindowcasings.Thenworkyourwaydown.Andfinally,vacuumthefloormethodicallysoyoucovereveryinch.Youdon’twanttoleaveanystrayhairordustbunniestomuckupyourcleaningwater.Asoft-bristleupholsterybrushworksbestforthistypeofvacuuming.

GetadoormatEighty-fivepercentofthedirtinahomeiscarriedinonshoes!Adoormathelpstopreventthat.Betteryet,nagyourfamilymemberstotakeshoesoff.

Cleanyourvacuumfilter—orelseBaglessvacuumfiltersareconvenientandefficient.Butifyoudon’tcleanthemregularly,thestrainofpullingairthroughadirtyfiltercanburnoutthevacuum’smotor.Thetypicalwaytocleanthefilterofabaglessvacuumistotapitagainsttheinsideofatrashcanuntilmostofthedustfallsoff.Butthatraisesacloudofdustanddoesn’tgetthefiltercompletelyclean.Forfaster,neater,moreeffectivefiltercleaning,useashopvacuum.Cleanprefilterscreensandpost-filtersthesameway.Justremembertobegentlewiththeshopvacuum’snozzle.Somefiltershaveacoatingthatyoucanscrapeoffifyoupresstoohard.

Microfiber:betterineverywayMicrofiberfabricsaremadefromincrediblytinystrandsthatreachintocrevicesandformmillionsoflittlepocketsthatholddirtparticles.Thestrandsalsohavesharpscouringedges,somicrofiberclothsoftencleaneffectivelywithoutchemicalsorevenwater(youcanusecleanersorwaterifyouchoose).Whenuseddry,microfiberclothsgeneratestatic

waterifyouchoose).Whenuseddry,microfiberclothsgeneratestaticelectricity,whichattractsandholdsdust.Tocleanoutallthatdirt,justtossmicrofiberitemsinthewashingmachine.Findmicrofiberdustcloths,mopsandothercleaninggearatmostdiscountstores.

InstalladetachabletoiletseatGetthehingesonthetoiletseatandeverythingunderneathcleanbyinstallingadetachabletoiletseat.Mostareeasytoremovebyjusttwistingtwohingecapsaboutaquarterofaturn.Thenyouhaveeasyaccesstocleanunderthehinges.You’llfinddetachableseatsathomecenters.

UseamultipurposecleanerStopusingfourtosixproductstocleanyourbathroom.Theprosuseonemultipurposecleanerthatdoesitall.OurprosrecommendMr.CleanMulti-SurfacesCleanerwithFebreze.

No.72

MakeyardchoreseasierQuickimprovementsthatsavetimeandtoilEveryonelovesaprojectthattakesalittletimenowandpaysoffbigintimesavingslater.Soherearesomeupgradesthatwillspeedupchoreseverysummerforyearstocome.

MowingborderseliminatetrimmingAground-levelrowofstonesorbricksprovidesaborderthatyoucan

Aground-levelrowofstonesorbricksprovidesaborderthatyoucanmowrightover.Noneedtogetoutthegrasstrimmer.Thistrickworksalongretainingwalls,fences,planters,evenbuildings.

GardentoolgarageMountacheapmailboxinahiddencornerofyourgardenandyou’vegotaplacetostoregardengear—rightwhereyouneedit.

BackyardpipelineIfyouhaveafence,youcanrunapermanentwaterlinetoaconvenientspotfarfromthehouse.Allittakesisafewpipeorconduitstraps(intheplumbingandelectricalaislesathomecenters).

Slowwatering,thefastwayWhenitcomestowatering,aslowtrickleisbetterthanafastflood;

watersoaksindeeplyandevenlyinsteadofrunningoff.Butleavingyourhoseonaslowtrickleletsyouwateronlyonespotatatimeandyouhavetokeepmovingthehose.Sodrillafew1/8-in.holesinbuckets.Youcanfillthebucketsfastandwalkaway,allowinggravitytodotherest.

Outofyourway—instantlyFlip-updownspoutextensionswon’tslowyoudownwhilemowing.Youcanliftthemoutofyourpathwithyourfoot.You’llfinddownspouthingesatsomehomecentersandonline.Installationisaseasyasdrivingafewscrews,thoughyoumayalsohavetocuttheextensionata45-degreeangle.

No.73

GrowagreatlawnSmarts—nothardwork—leadtolush,healthyturfYoudon’tneedtobeagrassfanatictohavethebestlawnontheblock.It’snothowmuchworkyoudo—it’swhenandhowyoudoit.Herearethekeystoahealthylawn.

TestthesoilIfthesoilpHiswrong(tooacidicortooalkaline),grasswon’tthriveevenifyoudoeverythingelseright.Grassgrowsbestinthe“pHhappyzone,”between6and7.2.TodetermineyourpH,collectonetablespoon-sizesampleacoupleofinchesunderthesodinthreedifferentplacesinyouryard.Somegardencentersoffertestingservices,othersareonline(searchfor“soiltesting”).IfthepHistoohigh,you’lltreatthelawnwithironsulfateorsulphur;toolowandyou’llusepelletizedlimestone.Whoeverdoesthetestingwilltellyouwhatandhowmuchtouse.Applyingthetreatmentisaseasyaswalkingaroundtheyardwithaspreader.

aroundtheyardwithaspreader.

FirstaidfordogspotsGypsumgranulesandplentyofwateraretheantidotefordogurine.Ifyoutreatthespotrightaway,thegrasswon’tdie.Ifitdoesdie,youstillneedtoneutralizethespotbeforereseeding.

WaterdeeplybutnotoftenHeavywateringeveryfewdaysdevelopsdeeprootsthattapintosubsurfacenutrients.Frequent,lightwateringdoesjusttheopposite,encouraginggrasstostayhealthyonlyunderidealconditions.Togiveyourlawntherightamountofwater,startwiththistest:Waterfor30minutes,thendigintothesoilwithaspade.Ifthesoiliswettoadepthoflessthan6in.,youneedtowaterlonger.Ifthemoisturedepthismorethan6in.,youcanwaterforashorterperiod.Howoftenyouwaterdependsentirelyonyoursoilandclimate.Inmostareas,twotofourtimesperweekisbest.

FertilizeonscheduleIfyoufertilizejustonceayear,doitaroundLaborDay.That’swhenyourgrasswillbenefitmost.Forevenbetterturfnutrition,fertilizeasecondtimeinmid-October.Thatgivesgrassadoseofnutrientstostorethroughwinter.Youprobablywon’tneedfertilizerinspringorsummer.Butifyoudofertilizeinthespring,golight—abouthalfthenormalamount.Ifyoufertilizeinsummer,watchtheweather.Inhot,humidconditions,fertilizerdoesmoreharmthangood.

VoiceofexperienceDon’tfertilizewhenyourgrassdoesn’tneedit.Grassgrowsfastestinlatespringandearlysummer.Whypromoteevenmoregrowth

inlatespringandearlysummer.Whypromoteevenmoregrowthwithfertilizer?

JoeChurchill,turfexpertandTheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

Fivegreatwaystowreckyouryard1.Dethatchwhenyoushouldn’tDethatchingisrarelyagoodidea.Itinvolvesflailingawayatyourlawnwithapowerful,engine-drivensteelraketorakeuptheoldwoodystemsrestingatthebaseofthegrassleaves.Ittearsupnotonlythegrassbutalsotheroots.

2.CatchtheclippingsWhenyoucutthegrass,lettheclippingslie.They’llreleasenutrientsintothesoilandformamulchtohelpkeepinsoilmoisture.

3.IgnorethedirectionsonlawntreatmentsTheyareSOimportant!It’snotonlytheconcentrationforfluidsorthespreadersetting

TheyareSOimportant!It’snotonlytheconcentrationforfluidsorthespreadersettingforgranules.Payattentiontothedetailsliketherainforecastandwhattemperaturerangesthetreatmentsrequire.Skipthemandyou’lleitherwreckyourlawnorwasteyourtimeandmoney.

4.Overfertilize!You’llkillyourwholeyardinnotime.Andifyoudon’tkillitoutright,it’llturnyellowandtakeweekstohealitself.

5.MowwithdullbladesDullmowerbladesripthroughtheleaves,whichstressestheplant.Instead,youwanttoslicethemoffcleanly.Youcanalwaystellalawnthat’sbeenmowedwithadullbladebecauseit’sbrownonthetop.

No.74

MowsmarterLesstime,lesseffortandahealthierlawnEveryonethinkstheyknowhowtomow:Justpushthemowerbackandforthacrosstheyard.Butmanyhomeownersharmtheirlawneverytimetheymow.Here’showtotreatyourturfright—andsaveyourselfsometrouble.

•Mulch,don’tcatchFinelymulchedgrassclippingsbecomefertilizerforthegrass.Sobagginggrassisbothawasteofeffortandamissedopportunityforfreefertilizer.

freefertilizer.

•GettheheightrightFormosttypesofgrass,amowersettingaround2-1/2in.isbest.Warm-climategrassesdobestabitshorter:1-1/2to2in.Todeterminethetypeofgrassyouhaveandtheidealcuttinglength,searchonlinefor“grassidentification.”Whenindoubt,erronthesideoftaller.Cuttinggrasstooshortweakenstheplants.

•Don’tfollowthesamepathChangemowingdirectioneachtimeyoumow.Thatwillminimizesoilcompactionfromyourfeetorthetiresofaridingmower.Soundsnitpicky,butcompactionreallydoesharmgrass.

•CuthighertocrowdoutweedsEveryplanthasastrategyforcompetingagainstotherplants.Forgrasses,thatstrategyistocrowdoutotherplants.Soifyouhaveaweedproblem,setyourmoweralittlehigherandletgrasssmotherweeds.

•Don’tletgrassgettootallCuttingoffalargeportionofthetotalheightstressesgrass.Soavoidcuttingoffmorethanone-thirdofthetotalheight.Ifthedesiredheightis2in.,forexample,don’tletitgettallerthan3in.beforeyoucut.

•CutitshortinthefallIfyouliveinasnowyclimate,makeyourfinalfallcuttingashortone:1-1/2to2in.Thatwillreducemoldgrowthduringthewinter.

•Don’tmowwetgrassIfyoudo,you’llhavetoscrapetheinsideofthemowerdecktoremoveathickcakeofclippings.You’llalsoleavebigclumpsofwetclippingsthatwillsmotherthegrassbeneath.

•SharpenthebladeAdullbladeripsratherthanslices.Thatstressesthegrassandleavesabrown,shreddedtiponeachbladeofgrass.

Voiceofexperience

Mowautumnleaves,tooAmulchingmowershredsdryleavesintotinyflakesthatsettleintotheturfanddecomposeintonaturalfertilizer.Overtheyears,thisshortcuthassavedmemanyhoursofrakingandprovidedtonsoffreenutritiontomylawn.

CameronLiDestri,TheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

ConsideracordlessCordlesselectricmowershavesomehugeadvantagesovergas-poweredmodels:Youdon’thavetostoregas,payfortune-ups,changetheoilorstruggle

withstartingproblems.Someelectricmowersaresmallandlightenoughtostoreonashelf,andallaremuchquieterthangasmowers.Themaindisadvantagesarecost,andforsomemodels,run-time.

No.75

SharpenamowerbladeNoneedtopaysomeoneelse;youcandoitinabout15minutesAsharpbladeisbetterforthelooksandhealthofyourgrass,soit’sbesttosharpenittwiceduringeachmowingseason.Thatmaytakeyou30minutesthefirsttime.Butonceyou’velearnedhow,you’llcutthattimeinhalf.

MarkthebladePeopleoftenreinstallbladesupsidedownandthengonutstryingtofigureoutwhyitwon’tcut.Topreventthat,marktheface-downsidewithablastofspraypaintbeforeyouremoveit.

1.DisconnectthesparkplugYankofftheplugwiretopreventaccidentalfiringoftheengine.That’sunlikely,butpossible.Don’tforgettoreconnectthewirebeforeyoutrytostarttheengine.

2.RemovethebladeTurnthemoweronitssidewiththeairfilterandcarburetorsideup.Thatpreventsoilandgasfromdrippingintotheairfilter.Wedgeablockofwoodagainstthedecktolockthebladeinplaceasyouunscrewtheboltthatsecurestheblade.Asquirtofpenetratingoilhelpstofreea

thatsecurestheblade.Asquirtofpenetratingoilhelpstofreeastubbornbolt.

3.SharpenthebladeSecurethebladewithaclamporvise,topsideup.Thengettoworkwithametalfile.Holdthefileatthesameangleasthebevelonthebladetoavoidchangingthecuttingangle.Applypressureasyoupushthefileforward;applynopressureonthebackstroke.Don’tgoforrazor-sharp.Butter-knife-sharpisgoodenough.

4.CheckthebalanceAnout-of-balancebladecausesvibrationandextrawearonbearings.Sohangthebladeonanail.Ifonesidedips,fileittoremovesomemetalandbalancetheblade.Reinstallthebladeandcutsomegrass.

No.76

WinagainstweedsWipethemoutnowandfuturecontrolwillbeeasyAfewweedsmaynotseemlikeanurgentproblem,butyoucan’tleavethemalone.Whileyou’reignoringthem,they’respreading.Waittoolong,andyoureradicationjobwillsoondouble,thendoubleagain.If,ontheotherhand,youattackwhentheirnumbersaresmall,youcanwipethemoutinjustafewminutesandfutureweedcontrolwillrequireonlyoccasionalspottreatments.

Identify,thenattackTherearethreetypesofweeds.Eachtyperequiresdifferentproductsandapplicationmethods.Sobeforeyoucandefeatthem,youhavetoknowwhichtypeyou’reupagainst.

BroadleafweedsUnlikegrasses,broadleafweedshave(surprise!)broadleaves.Somecommonexamplesaredandelions,cloverandcreepingCharlie(groundivy).

AnnualgrassesGrasseslikecrabgrassreseedthemselvesneartheendofthegrowingseasonandthendie.Theseedsgerminatethefollowingspringtogrownewplants.

PerennialgrassesGrassyweedslikequackgrassgodormantthroughthewinter,alongwithyourgrass,onlytoreemergeinthespring.Theyspreadthroughtherootsandseeds.

TheverybestweedcontrolAhealthylawnisaninhospitableplaceforweeds.Thick,lushgrasschokesoutexistingweedsandpreventsnewweedsfromtakinghold.

Voiceofexperience

Smalldosesofherbicidewillcontrolweeds.Butyouhavetousetheproductsright—andmostpeople

don’t.

JoeChurchill,turfexpertandTheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

Killannualgrasses(andfertilizeatthesametime!)Themostcost-effectivewaytocontrolcrabgrassistouseafertilizerwithcrabgrasspreventeraddedtoit.Butyouhavetodothisinthespring,beforecrabgrassseedsgerminate.Applyitwhenyouwouldnormallyapplyyourfirstapplicationoffertilizer,anddoitjustbeforeitrainstoworkboththefertilizerandtheherbicideintothesoil.Thefertilizerwillhelpthickentheturf.Thickerturfhelpstosqueezeoutcrabgrassplantsmissedbytheherbicide.

KillperennialgrassesonebyonePerennialgrassyweedshavesprawlingundergroundrootsystems.Pullingthegrassonlygetssomeoftheroots,andtheremainingoneswillquicklysproutnewplants.Theonlyeffectivesolutionistousea“nonselective”plantkillerlikeRoundup.Nonselectiveproductskillallplants,soyouhavetoapplythemtotheweedandonlytotheweed.Here’soneway:Sliponarubberchemicallyresistantglove(they’relabeledassuch)toprotectyourskin.Thenputonacheapclothglove.Dipyourfingersinherbicideandwipetheweed.Tossthegloveinthetrashwhenyou’redone.

Don’tfightweedswheregrasswon’tgrowIfyou’vetriedmorethanoncetonurturegrassinanareaandfailed,itmightbetimetothrowinthetowelandtreattheareawithalandscapingalternative.Theobviouschoicesarestone,mulchandattractivegroundcoverplantsthattoleratethesameconditionsgrasscan’thandle.

KillbroadleafweedsHerbicidesformulatedforbroadleafcontrolwillkillbroadleafsonly—theywon’tkillgrasses.Thekeyistouseonlyasmuchasneeded.Thatsavestimeandmoneyandkeepsyoufromneedlesslyintroducingchemicalsintotheenvironment.

Spot-killweedswithasmallpressuresprayerForafewisolatedweeds,spot-treattheweedswithasmall,trigger-controlled,pump-uppressuresprayerfilledwithamixofherbicideconcentrateandwater.Youcanalsobuybroadleafkillerpremixedinspraybottles.

Treatweedpatcheswitha1-or2-gallonsprayerPatchesorclumpsofweedsarebesttreatedwithatanksprayerfilledwithamixofherbicideconcentrateandwater.Thisisfasterandmoreeconomicalthanbuyingseveralspraybottlesofpremixedherbicide.Afterspraying,triple-rinsethesprayertoflushoutalltheherbicide.

TreatlargeareaswithadialsprayerIfyourwholelawnisfilledwithweeds,useadialsprayerattachedtoyourgardenhose.Addconcentratedbroadleafkillertothepotandsetthedialatthetoptothemixturecalledforontheherbicidecontainer.Hookupthegardenhoseandapplyaneventreatmenttotheweedyareas.Cleartheyardofanythingthatcangetcontaminatedbyoverspray.Andprotectyourflowersandbusheswithplasticsheetingorcardboard.Broadleafkillerswillkillorharmanythingwithleaves—includingyourflowerbed.

No.77

PlantatreeDoitrighttodayanditwillthrivefordecadesThekeytoathriving,beautiful,maturetreeisknowingwhatyou’redoingonplantingday.Herearetheessentialtipsforplantingandcaringforyournewtreesoyoucanenjoyitforyearstocome.

Digashallow,broadholeDigasaucer-shapedholethreetofivetimesthediameteroftheroot-ball(orthespreadoftherootsforabare-roottree).Thisallowstherootstoeasilypenetratethesoftenedbackfillandproperlyanchorthetree.Asyoudig,placethesoilonatarptomakebackfillingeasierandtoavoiddamagingsurroundinggrass.

PlantinspringorearlyfallTheidealtimetoplantatreeisinearlyspringbefore“budbreak”orinthefallbeforethetreegoesdormant.Coolweatherallowsthetreetoestablishrootsinitsnewlocationbeforenewtopgrowthputstoomuch

establishrootsinitsnewlocationbeforenewtopgrowthputstoomuchdemandonit.Sometreesestablishbetterifplantedinearlyspring.Theseincludeoaks,pines,dogwoods,Americanholly,willowsandblackgum.Atreeplantedduringthehotsummermonthscangetstressedbytheheatandwillbehardertokeepwateredproperly.

SettherootsfreeIftherootscircletheroot-ball,butnonearethickerthanapencil,useyourfingerstogentlyteasetheroot-ballaparttoencouragetherootstoexpandintothesurroundingsoil.Ifthetreeisseverelyroot-boundandhascirclingrootslargerthanapencilindiameter,useamethodcalled“boxcutting.”Useapruningsawtoshaveoffallfoursides,creatingasquareroot-ball.

Don’tplanttoodeepPlantthetreesoitsrootcollar—thetrunkflarerightabovetherootsystem—isabout1in.abovegroundlevel.Takethetreeoutofthecontainer(slittingthecontainersides)orcutawaythewirecageandburlap.Thenmeasurethedistancefromtherootcollartothebottomoftheroot-ballanddigtheholetothatdepth.Don’tgobythesoillevelinthecontainer.Digdownintotheplantingmediumtofindtherootcollarsoyouknowhowdeeptoplantthetree.Ifyou’replantingabare-roottree,leaveaconeofsoilatthebottomoftheplantingholeandsettherootsystemontop.Placethehandleofyourshovelflatacrosstheholefromonesidetotheothertomakesurethecrownislevelwiththesurroundingsoil.Youshouldbeabletopartiallyseetherootcollar,ortrunkflare,afterthetreeisplanted.

Don’timprovethesoilForyears,expertsrecommendedaddingcompost,peatmossorfertilizertotheplantinghole.Butmostnowagreethatyoushouldn’tbackfillwithanythingotherthantheoriginalsoilfromtheplantinghole(despitewhattheplanttagsays).Soilamendmentsintheplantingholecandiscouragethetreerootsfromspreadingintothesurroundingsoilandcancausepoorwaterdrainage.Also,insomeinstances,fertilizerscankillyoungroots.

Mulchwide,butnotdeepMakea3-ft.(orlarger)circleofmulch2to4in.deeparoundthetrunk.Butdon’tmulchtoodeep.Thiscancreatesurfacedrainageproblemsanddepriverootsofoxygen.Keepthemulch3or4in.fromthetrunktoavoiddisease,rotandpestproblems.Somegoodmulchchoicesareshreddedbarkorcompostedwoodchips.Don’tusewovenorplasticlandscapefabricorotherweedbarriersunderneaththemulch.Thesecancausemajorproblemslateronasseedsgrowrootsdownthroughthesematerialsandanchorthemselvesintothebarriers.

WatercarefullyForthefirstfewweeks,youmayhavetowatereveryfewdaysdependingontheweather.Afterthat,longer(deeper),lessfrequentwateringismuchbetterthanshorter(quicker),frequentwatering.Tohelpthetreecreatedeeprootstoresistdroughtandwind,encircleitwithasoakerhoseafewfeetoutfromthetrunkandrunitatatrickleforanhour.Stickapopsiclestick(oryourfinger)2to3in.intotheground.Ifthesoilisdampdown3in.,you’regivingitenoughwater.Ifnot,wateruntilthesoilisdampbutnotsaturatedaroundtheroot-ball.Allowthesoil’ssurfacetobegintodryoutbetweenwaterings.

Don’tplanttooclosetoabuildingPlantatreewithitsmaturesizeinmind.Manyarboristssuggestplantingatreenoclosertoastructurethanonehalfofitsexpectedmaturecanopyspread.Also,watchoutforoverheadpowerlines—mostshadetreeswillgrowatleasttotheheightofresidentialpowerlines.Chooseshorter,ornamentaltreesfortheseareas.

Voiceofexperience

Avoidproblemtrees

You’llbelivingwiththistreeforalongtime,somakesureyouplantoneyouwon’tgrowtodetestinafewyears.Treestoavoidincludecottonwoods,whichhaveinvasiverootsystems,messymulberriesandstinkyfemaleginkgoes.Beforeyoubuyatree,researchitsbenefitsandpotentialnegativessoyouwon’tresentitlateron.Contactyourlocalextensionserviceforalistofrecommendedtreesforyourarea.

Plantatreethatwillgrowwellgivenyourhardinesszone,existingsoilconditions(testifyou’renotsure),sunexposureandavailablemoisture.Oneofthebestwaystocheckhowtreeswilldoonyourlandistoobservespeciesgrowingnaturallyinthevicinitywiththesameconditions.

JeffGillman,horticulturePh.DandTheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

No.78

PrunelikeaproHealthy,handsometreesandbushes:AllittakesisanhoureachyearScraggly,lopsided,overgrowntreesandbushesareeverywhere.Andthat’sashamebecausekeepingthemattractiveissoeasy.Foratypicalyard,allittakesisahalf-houronceortwiceperyear.Asidefromlooks,properpruningalsopreventsdiseaseandencouragesfloweringandbettergrowth.

MakethreecutsWhenyou’realmostdonecuttingthroughabranch,theweightwillsnaptheuncutportionofthebranch,tearthebarkandleaveajaggedcut.Thatdoesn’tjustlookbad;italsoinjuresthetreeandleavesitvulnerabletodisease.Butyoucanavoidthatbyfirstloppingoffthebranch8to12in.fromthetrunk(Cuts1and2,below).Thatwillunloadtheweightofthebranchsoyourfinalcut(Cut3)willbeneatandclean.

Don’tdelayPruningiseasytoputoff.Butwitheveryyearofdelay,treesandshrubsbecomehardertoprune.Asbranchesgetbigger,sodoesthetaskoftrimmingthem.Ajobthatwouldtake20minutesnowmightconsumeanhournextyear.Youmayalsoneedbiggertools.Worse,neglectedtreesorbushescanbecomesohopelessthatyou’llhavetocutthemdownandstartover.

CutfrombelowfirstAcutfrombelow(Cut1)limitstearingwhenthebranchbreaksoff.Makethedepthofthatcutaboutone-thirdofthebranch’sdiameter.Ifyoucutdeeper,theweightofthebranchwillpinchandtraptheblade.Thenmoveoveracoupleinchesandcutfromthetop(Cut2).

LeavethecollarThecollaristhebulgewherethebranchmeetsthetrunk.Leaveitintactanditwillsoongrowover.Ifyoucutitoff,you’lldelayhealingandseriouslyharmthetree.Don’tleaveastubofbranchprotrudingfromthecollar.Itwillrotandpossiblybecomediseased.

Cutout‘thefourDs’Dead,damagedordiseasedbranchesareusuallyeasytospot.Cuttingthemoffnotonlymakesthetreeorbushlookbetter,butalsodiscouragesdiseasefromstartingorspreading.Thefourth“D”—derangedbranches—referstobranchesthatarecrossingandrubbingonothers,growinginadifferentdirectionorjustawkwardlooking.

Voiceofexperience

Twouniversalmistakes

After20yearsinthetree-trimmingbusiness,I’vetraineddozensofnovices.Atsomepoint,theyallmaketwomistakes—despitemywarnings.First,whencuttingabranchfromthesideorbelow,theycuttoodeep.Thedownwardweightofthebranchpinchesthebladeandthesawisstuck.Thiscanhappenwithanytypeofsaw.

Thesecondmistakeisleaningaladderagainstthebranchthey’recutting.Cuttingoffthebranchreleasesweightandtheremainingportionspringsup.Usually,thismeanstwosecondsofshriekingterror.Butsometimes,theladderandoccupantcomecrashingdown.

AlMorgan,TheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

StaysafewithapolesawAsawmountedonalongpoleletsyoutrimhighbranchesfromthesafetyoftheground.Themostbasicmodelsaremotorless;youprovidethepower.Othersareminichainsawspoweredbycords,batteriesorgasengines.

PinchoffnewgrowthWhenanevergreentreeorshrubreachestheidealheightandshape,itmayneveragainneedmajorpruning.Instead,justpinchoffthelighter-colorednewgrowtheachspring.

PromotedensegrowthBushesmadeupofmanysmallbranches—ratherthanafewlargerones—lookfullerandmoreuniform.Toencouragethis,clipoffmainbranchesabout1/4in.beyondabud.Severalsmallerbrancheswillsoonradiatefromnearthecut,resultinginadenserbush.

BONUSSECTION

BESTPROBLEMSOLVERSSecretweaponsforfaster,easierfixesTherearelotsofproductsdesignedtosidestepdifficulttasksandmakehomerepairseasier.Someareexcellent,someareadequateandafewarejustplaindumb.HerearesomethatTheFamilyHandyman’sexpertshavesuccessfullyusedoverandoveragain.

Big-jobwoodfillerStandardwoodfillerisfineforsmall,simplerepairs,butitdoesn’tworkwellforfillinglargerareas.Itshrinksasitdries,socracksformandyouhavetoapplyseverallayers.Standardfillerisalsohardtoshapetomatchneighboringsurfaces.Epoxywoodfillereliminatesthose

matchneighboringsurfaces.Epoxywoodfillereliminatesthoseproblems.Itdoesn’tshrink,andyoucansand,carve,drillorcutitjustlikewood.Plus,it’smuchmoredurablethanmostfillers,indoorsorout.Theonlydownsideisthatepoxyfillersaretwo-partproductsthatrequiresomemessymixing.Findthemathomecentersandonline.

TubandshowermakeoverWhentuborshowerfixturesgrowoldandugly,mostpeoplegoshoppingforanewfaucet,thencallaplumber.Butyoucanskipthatexpensebyleavingthefaucetvalveinthewallandreplacingthevisiblepartsonly.Tubandshower“trimkits”comeinahugerangeofstyles;someareavailableathomecenters,manymoreonline.Justmakesurethekityoubuywillworkwiththebrandandmodelofyourexistingfaucet.

ResurfacebadwallsYoucanpatchcracksinplasterwalls,butthere’sagoodchancethey’llcomeback.Wallliner,ontheotherhand,canbridgecracksandflexwithseasonalmovement.It’sbasicallywallpaper,butmuchthickerandpaintable.Someversionsaresmooth,otherstextured.Finditathomecentersandonline.

InstanttubdrainreplacementWhenatubdrainwon’tholdwaterorjustlooksbad,theusualsolutionistoreplaceit.Butremovingthecorrodedoldflangecanbeafrustratingjob,evenforplumbers.Aneasiersolutionistocovertheoldflangewithanewflangeandstopper.Theonlydrawbackisthatthenewflangestandsslightlyhigherthantheoldone,soatinymoatofwaterremainsaroundthedrainafteryouemptythetub.Youwon’tfindanadd-onstopperatmoststores,butthereareacouplestylesandseveralfinishesavailableonline.Searchfor“Nufitstopper.”

AddoutletstheeasywayIfyou’retiredofthattanglednestofcordsunderyourdesk,“surfacewiring”mightbethesolution.It’sasystemofplasticormetalchannelsthatletsyouaddswitches,outletsorlightfixturesanywhere,withouttearingintowalls.Thatsavestimeandexpense,whetheryou’redoingityourselforhiringanelectrician.You’llfindsurfacewiringcomponentsathomecenters.

PreventstuckbulbsAlittlecorrosionmakesalightbulbhardtounscrew.Thisisusuallyaproblemindampareas:outdoorsoringaragesorbasements.Thesolutionisgrease.Butyoucan’tusejustanygrease—besuretouseaproductintendedforbulbs.You’llfinditatsomehomecentersandonline.

Simple,superbdraincleanerBeforeyoutrytheusualdrain-clearingmethods,slipthisbarbedplasticstripdownthedrainandyankoutclogs.Itworksespeciallywellonhairclogsinbathroomsinks,showersandtubs,butoftenworksonotherclogs,too.You’llfind“drainzippers”athomecenters.

CleanoutyourpipesTheinsidesofdrainlinesarecoatedwithaslimymixofsoapscum,greaseandotherstuffyoudon’twanttoknowabout.Thiscoatingbuildsupgraduallyandeventuallybecomesthickenoughtoslowtheflowofsewageandmakeclogsmorelikely.Soifyou’rehavingchronicclogproblems,tryanenzymedraincleaner.Theseproductscontainharmless,dormantbacteria.Justdumpsomedownyourdrainandthey’llfeastontheslime,multiply,andfeastsomemore.Enzymedraincleanersareavailableatsomehomecentersandonline.

MakecarpetdamagedisappearIfyourcarpethasaburnorstain,youdon’thavetolivewithit.Witha“cookiecutter,”youcancutoutthedamagedspotandreplaceitwithapatchcutfromaremnant,closetorunderthesofa.It’ssurprisinglyeasy.Withsometypesofcarpet,thepatchisvisible,butnotverynoticeable.Withothers,therepairisalmostimpossibletosee.Tobuyarepairkitonline,searchfor“cookiecuttercarpettool.”

No-skillpipeconnectionsGotabrokenpipe?Beforeyoucallaplumber,considerthis:Push-inplumbingconnectorsletyoujoinpipesinstantlyjustbyshovingthepipeintotheconnector.Noskills,knowledgeortoolsneeded.Push-insworkwithcopper,PEXorCPVCplasticpipe.Soifyouneedtoreplaceasectionofcopperpipe,forexample,youcansimplycutoutthebadsectionandreplaceitwithapieceofPEXandacouplepush-ins.Evenafirst-timeplumbercanmanagethat.Push-inplumbingconnectorsofvarioustypesandsizesaresoldathomecenters.

No.79

FixatoiletStopconstantrunning—andmostothermalfunctions—injustafewminutesToilettroubleisinevitable.Soonerorlater,everytoiletwillloseflushingpower,runconstantlyordevelopabadhabitlikemakingyouholddownthelevertoachieveafullflush.Luckily,toiletsaresimplecontraptions,soyoudon’tneedaplumbertofixmostproblems.

HowitworksWhenyoupushtheflushhandle,youraisetheflapperandallthewaterinthetankgushesintothebowl.Thentheflapperclosesandthetankrefills.

FilltubeAfteraflush,mostofthewaterpassingthroughthefillvalverefillsthetank.Butsomewaterrunsthroughthefilltubeandthroughtheoverflowtubtorefillthetank.

FloatAsthetankrefillsafteraflush,thefloatrisesandclosesthefillvalve.Mostnewerfillvalvesareconnectedtoasmallfloat(seefollowingphotos)ratherthanabig"ballfloat"likethisone.

FillvalveAfteraflush,theloweredfloatopensthisvalvetorefillthetank.Whenafillvalvedoesn'tclosecompletely,thetoiletrunsconstantly.

OverflowtubeTheoverflowtubepreventsthetankfromoverflowingandfloodingyourbathroom.Ifthefillvalvedoesn'tclose,forexample,theincomingwaterwillspillintothetubeanddownintothetank-ratherthanoverthetankandontoyourfloor.

FlapperPushingtheflushhandleraisestheflapper;thatallowswatertogushintothebowl.Aflapperthatdoesn'topencompletelycausesapartialflush.Aflapperthatdoesn'tsealtightlywhenclosedcausesthetoilettoruncostantly.

ReconnectthefilltubeIfthefilltubegetsdisconnectedormisaligned,itwillsquirtwaterintothetankratherthanintotheoverflowtube.Thebowlwon’trefillcompletelyandyournextflushwillbewimpy.Somakesureit’sfirmlyconnectedtoboththeoverflowtubeandthefillvalve.

AdjustthefillheightThewaterlevelinthetankisadjustedbyadjustingthefloat.Ifwaterlevelistoolow,you’llgetaweakflush.Ifit’stoohigh,waterwillspillovertheoverflowtube,thefillvalvewon’tcloseandthetoiletwillrunconstantly.Toadjustanewerfloat,pinchtheclipandslidethefloatupordownontherod.Withanold-stylefloat,bendthefloatarmtoraiseorlowerthefloat.Eitherway,you’llhavetotest-flushandrefillafewtimestogetitright.Mostoverflowtubesaremarkedtoindicatethecorrectwaterlevel.

AdjusttheflapperchainTheflushhandleraisestheflapperviaarodandachain.Thechainshouldhavejustalittleslackinitwhentheflapperisclosed.Ifthechainistoolong,you’llhavetoholdthehandledowntogetacompleteflush.Ifthechainistooshort,theflapperwon’tsealwhenitclosesandthetoiletwillrunconstantly.Toadjustthechain,justmovethecliptoadifferentlink.Ifthechainismuchlongerthannecessary,cutofftheexcesstoavoidtangles.

TesttheflapperAwornflapperthatnolongersealsproperlyallowswatertoconstantlyseepdownintothebowl.Andthat’sthemostcommoncauseofarunningtoilet.Tochecktheflapper,presslightlyonitwithayardstickandlistenforaminute.Ifthesoundofrunningwaterstops,youknowthattheproblemisrelatedtotheflapper.Butbeforeyoureplacetheflapper,runyourfingeraroundtheopeningtheflapperrestson.Mineraldepositsontherimofthisopeningwillpreventtheflapperfromsealing.Inthatcase,scrubbingthedepositsawaywithanabrasivespongeorpadmaysolvetheproblem(don’tuseanythingthatmightroughentherim).Ifnot,replacetheflapper.

ReplacetheflapperSwappingoutaflapperiseasy:Justunhookthechainanddisconnectitfromtheearsontheoverflowtube,theninstallthenewone.Butfindinganewflappermaynotbesoeasy.Turnoffthewatersupplytothetoiletattheshutoffvalvebelowthetank.Thenremovetheflapperandsearchforamatch.Ifyoucan’tfindanexactmatch,buytwoorthreeclosematches.Evenveteranplumberssometimeshavetotryafewflappersbeforegettingitright.

Don’tignorearockingtoiletIfyourtoiletisn’tsolidlyfastenedtothefloor,theremaybetroubleinyourfuture.Anymovementofthetoiletdamagesthewaxseal.Thatleadstoleaksandmajorrepairs.Tosteadyarockingtoilet,cutplasticshimstofitandslipthemunderneath(youmayhavetoremovecaulkbeforeaddingshims).Thencaulkaroundthetoiletandsnugdownthenutsonthebolts.Butdon’tcrankthemdownsuper-tight;thatcancrackthetoilet.

FlushthefillvalveIfyourtoiletwon’tstoprunningandnoneofthefixesabovesolvethe

problem,theonlypossibleculpritisthefillvalve.Ifyouhaveafillvalvesimilartotheoneshownhere,turnoffthewatersupplyandremovethecap(byturningcounterclockwiseorremovingascrew).Thenturnonthewatertoflushdebrisoutofthevalve.Holdyourhandoverthevalvesoyoudon’tgetacoldshower.Turnoffthewater,putthecapbackinplaceandtest.Ifflushingdidn’tsolvetheproblem,replacethevalve.

ReplacethefillvalveInstallinganewfillvalveismostlyamatteroffollowingtheencloseddirections.Butthereareafewthingsthataren’tintheinstructionmanual:•Beforeyoudoanything,makesuretheshutoffvalveworkssoyoucanstopthewatersupply.Ifnot,you’llhavetoshutoffthewateratthemainvalve.•Yes,youcan(andshould!)replaceanoldball-floatvalvewithanew-stylevalve.Thenewstyleiseasiertoinstallandadjust.•Whenshopping,alsopickupanewflexiblesupplyline.Chooseonethathasabraidedstainlesssteelsheath.Never,everreuseanoldflexibleline.Flexiblelinesdegradeovertimeandmayeventuallyburst.Iftheexistinglineissolidmetaltubing,youcanreuseitbutitwillbemoredifficulttoworkwith.•Themostcommonfill-valvemistakeistoovertightentheconnectionbetweenthesupplylineandthefillvalve.Finger-tight,plusonequarterturnwithpliersisusuallyenough.Ifitleaks,justtightenitalittlemore.

No.80

UnplugatoiletSimpletoolsandsimpletechniquesforfastresultsApluggedtoiletcanrequireprofessionalintervention.Butinthevastmajorityofcases,youcandoexactlywhataplumberwoulddo.Thatmeansstartingwithaplungerandthen,maybe,usinga“snake.”Untilyou’vetriedthosemethods,don’tscheduleanexpensivehousecall.

Don’tflush!Whenaflushseemsweak,you’llwonderwhetherthetoiletisplugged.Don’tfindoutbyflushingagain.Ifthetoiletisbadlyplugged,youcouldendupwithanoverflow.Instead,liftthelidoffthetankandraisetheflapperbyhandforjustacoupleseconds.Thatwillreleasealittlewaterintothebowlsoyoucanseewhetheritflowsdownthedrain.

Plungerpointers•Ifthebowlisnearlyoverflowing,wait.Inmostcases,thewaterlevelwillslowlyfall.Thatmaytake15minutesormore,butbettertodelaythantoslopsewagealloverthefloor.•Useaplungerwithafold-outflange.Itwillsealbetteraroundthetoiletdrainforamorepowerfulplunge.•Startgently.Beforeyourfirstpush,theplungerisfullofair,soahardpushwillblastoutamessysewageexplosion.Slowlyincreasetheforceofyourthrustsuntilyouknowhowhardyoucanpushwithoutmakingamess.•Youneedwaterinthebowl.Drivingairdownthedrainwon’twork.Soifthewaterleveldropstoolow,addsomebyliftingtheflapper(asshownabove).•Don’tgiveup.Clearingastubbornclogcantake20pushesormore.

SendinthesnakeYoucanuseastandarddrainsnaketounplugatoilet.Betteryet,useaspecialsnakedesignedjustfortoilets:A“closetauger”(around$20)hasarubbersleevetoprotectthetoiletbowlfromscrapemarksandalonghandlethatgivesyousomeextradistancefromthesplashyaction.It’seasytouse:Justinsertthesnakeandturnthehandlethatspinsthesnake.Asittwistsdeeperintothedrain,thecorkscrewtipwilleitherbreakuptheclogorsnagtheclogsoyoucanyankitout.Whensnakingfails,thenextstepistoremovethetoilet.Thatallowseasieraccesstotheclog,whetherit’sinthetoiletorinthedrainlines.

No.81

StopleaksunderthesinkGetridofthedrip-catchingbucket—withoutpayingaplumberUnder-sinkdrainpipesarethemostcommonsourceofplumbingleaks.Andapermanentdripbucketisthemostcommonsolution.Butyoudon’thavetolivewithadrip.Youcanendityourself,evenifyouhavenoplumbingknow-how.Thesolutionsforaleakunderabathroomsinkaresimilartothekitchen-sinkfixesshownhere.

BeadripdetectiveBeforeyoucanstopaleak,youhavetofindthesource.Andthatcanbetricky.Waterthatescapesapipemightrunhorizontallyforinches(orevenfeet)beforeitdropsontothecabinetfloor.Sodothis:Getunderthesinkwithaflashlightandlookforstainsormineraldepositsthatrevealthetrailofleakingwater.Payspecialattentiontothejointswheresectionsofpipemeet;that’swheremostleaksoccur.

Ifyoudon’tseeany“watertracks,”wipedownthepipeswitharag.Fillbothbowlsofthesinkwithwarmwater(coldwatercancausecondensationdropletstoformonthepipes,makingitimpossibletofindleaks).Letthesinkdrainwhileyouexaminethepipesbelow.Bepatient.Thetelltaleleakdropletsmaytakeafewminutestoshowup.

FixesforleakyjointsWhenyou’vefoundtheleaklocation,trythesimplestfixfirst:Justtightenthenut.Youcanusuallyturnplasticnutsbyhand,butmetalnutsrequirepliers.Eitherway,holdontonearbypipessoyoudon’tmisalignotherjointswhileyouwork(withmetalpipes,thatmeanshavingtwopliers).Herearetwomorefixestotry:

StraightencrookedjointsJointsoftenleakbecausetheywereknockedoutofalignmentbythetrashcan.Tostraightenacrookedjoint,justloosenthenut,realignthe

trashcan.Tostraightenacrookedjoint,justloosenthenut,realignthepipeandretighten.

DisassembleandreplacepartsMostjointscontainrubberorplasticwashersthatcanbereplaced(seenextpage).Taketheoldpartstothestoretofindamatch.Youmayhavetodisassembletwoormorejointstogetatabadwasher.

Replacethewholeworks(noplumbingexperiencerequired!)Thefixesshownonthepreviouspageoftenwork.Butsometimestheydon’t.Andsometimes—especiallywitholdmetalpipes—they’rejustatemporarycure.Soplumbersoftenskipthelittlefixesandreplacethewholedrainassembly.That’snotasdifficultasitsounds,andfor$25orlessyoucanhaveawholenewdrainline.Kitssoldathomecenterscontainmostoftheessentialparts.Butsnapaphotoofyoursystemandtakeittothestoretomakesureyougeteverythingyouneed.Herearesomepossibleextrapartsyoumayneed:•Longtailpieces(Photo1).Thetailpiecesthatcomewithkitsareoftenonlyacoupleofincheslong.•Atraparmextender(Photo2).Thearmthatcomeswiththekitmaynotreachthedrainpipethatprotrudesfromthewall.•Adishwasherwyethathasaconnectionforyourdishwasherhose.•Adisposerkitthatallowsthewastearmtoconnecttoagarbagedisposer.

Photos1–5detailthewholereplacementprocess.Herearesomepointersforasmoothproject:

•You’llhavetocutafewpipes:bothtailpieces,thewastearmandmaybethetraparm.Afine-toothhacksawworksbest.•Whenindoubt,markandcutpipesabitlong.Bettertocuttwicethancuttooshortandmakeanextratriptothehardwarestore.•Don’tforgettoinserttailpiecewashers(Photo1).Otherjointsrequireconewashers.Theonlyjointwithoutawasheristhegroundjointatthetrap.•Assembleeverythinglooselyuntilthewholeassemblyiscomplete.Thentightenalltheslipnuts.•Hand-tightentheslipnuts.Ifanyjointsleakwhenyoutestthenewassembly,tightenthemslightlywithpliers.•Whenyou’realldone,testtheassemblyforleaks.

1.StartwiththetailpieceAttachthetailpiecetothebasketstrainer,butdon’tfullytightenityet;you’llhavetoremoveandcutitlater.

2.ConnecttothedrainsystemSlidethetraparmintotheadapterwherethesinkdrainconnectstothedrainpipeinsidethewall.Thenattachthetrapandslidethearminorouttopositionthetrapdirectlyunderthetailpiece.Youmayneedtocutthearmoraddanextender.

3.InstalltheteeHoldthewasteteealongsidethetailpieceabout1-1/2in.belowthetopofthetrap.Markthetailpiece1/2in.belowthetopofthetee.Cutbothtailpiecestothesamelengthandinstallthem.

4.InstallthewastearmSlipthewastearmontothesecondtailpiece,makeitextendabout3/4in.intotheteeandmarkit.Cutandinstallit.

5.SlopethewastearmLoosentheslipnutsandslidetheteeupordownsothewastearmslopesslightlydowntowardthetee.Tightenallthenuts.

TIP:BrushalittleTeflonpipethreadsealantonthreads.Itlubricatesthethreadsandmakesslipnutsmucheasiertotighten.Checkthelabeltomakesurethesealantissafeforplastic.

No.82

UnclogasinkInmostcases,youcandoexactlywhataprowoulddoIfyouhaveasinkthatdrainsslowly—ornotatall—don’tcallaplumberjustyet.There’sagoodchancethathewilltaketheverysameapproachesshownhere.Soatleasttrythefirsttwomethods.Then,ifyou’rewillingtodisassemblethedrainlines,trythethird.Thesestrategiesalsoapplytobathroomsinks,tubsandshowers.Iftheclogisespeciallytoughordeepinthelines,you’llhavetocallinaprowithmoreknow-howandequipment.

First,tryacoathangerIfyouhaveatwo-bowlsink,lookunderneathtodeterminewhichbowlisabovethetrap.There’sabafflejustabovethetrapthat’smeantto

directwaterdownthedrain.Butthatbaffleisalsoanotoriousclog-causer,especiallyalongwithaheavilyusedgarbagedisposer.Bendacoathangerorotherstiffwireandslipitdownthedrain.Whenyoufeelthewirehookontothebaffle,wiggleandjiggletodislodgetheclog.

EliminateclogsFollowtworulestoavoidkitchenclogs:First,don’tuseyourgarbagedisposerasatrashcan.Instead,useyourdisposertohandlejustthetidbitsrinsedoffplatesorafewpeelsdroppedinthesink.Sendingplateloadsoffoodorheapsofpotatopeelsdownthedrainisaskingfortrouble.Second,neverpourgreasedownthedrain.Andrunninghotwaterdoesn’thelp.Thegreasewilljustcongealfartherdownthedrainwhereitwillbeevenhardertoclear.

CustomizeadrainsnakeInexpensive,effectiveandeasytouse,adrainsnakeistheprimaryclog-busterusedbymostplumbers.Andyoucanownoneforlessthan$20.Thedrumcontainsacoilofspringycablewithaspiralhookattheend.Justturnthecrankandthecablespinsasyoufeeditthroughpipes.Usually,thehookistoolargetofitthroughsmallopeningslikekitchensinkbaskets.Butyoucanclipoffthehookandbendthecable’sendtomakeasmallerhook.Sometimesitalsohelpstobendtheend.

‘Snake’thedrainIfthecoathangerdidn’tdothetrick,sendasnakedownthedrain.Loosenthesetscrewtounlockthecableandfeedthecableintothedrainuntilitwon’tgoanydeeper.Withabout8in.ofcablestickingoutofthedrain,tightenthesetscrew,withdrawthecableabout1in.andstartspinningthedrum.Asyouspinandpush,thecableshouldwinditswaythroughthetrap.Ifitgetsstuck,backoffafewinchesandtryagain.Don’tkeepspinningwhilethecableisstuck;thatwillcausethecabletotwistandbendinsidethepipe.Spinningfastwhileapplyinglightpressureisoftenthebestwaytogetpasttoughspots.Itmaytakeseveraltriestoworkthecablethroughthetrap.Thecablewilleitherbreakuptheclogorhookitsoyoucanpullitout.

breakuptheclogorhookitsoyoucanpullitout.

DisassemblethedrainIftheclogisfarpastthetrap,youprobablywon’tbeabletofeedthecablethroughalloftheturnsinthepipes,sothenextstepistoremovethedrainlinesunderthesink.Ifyouhaveplasticlines,they’lllikelycomeapartandslipbacktogetherwithouttoomuchtrouble.Metallines,especiallyoldones,aremorestubborn;plumbersoftenreplacethemtoavoidreassemblyhassles.Ineithercase,youdisconnectthejointsbylooseningthenutswithlargepliers.Besuretohaveabucketandragshandytodealwiththetrappedwater.Withthelinesdisassembled,lookintothetrapandupintothesinkdrain.Ifthey’reclear,youknowthe

intothetrapandupintothesinkdrain.Ifthey’reclear,youknowtheclogisfartherdowntheline.Sendthesnakeasfarasyoucanintothedrainpipe,thenreassemblethelines.Untilyourunwaterdownthedrain,youwon’tknowifyouclearedtheclog.

No.83

FixanoutdoorfaucetSosimpleevenafirst-timeplumbercandoitThatdrippingfaucetisn’tjustawater-wastingannoyance.Theconstantdripcontributestobasementorcrawl-spacedampness,whilemoistsoilattractsantandtermites.Butstoppingthedripisquickandeasy.Ifyouliveinawarmclimate,yourfaucetmaynotbeafreeze-proofmodelliketheoneshownhere,butthestepswillbesimilar.

Thevalveinafreeze-prooffaucetstopsthewaterflowfarinsidethewarmhouse.Thatpreventsfreezingandburstingpipesinthewinter.

1.DismantlethefaucetRemovethescrewornutinthecenterofthehandleandpullthehandleoff(itmayrequireahardtug).Thenunscrewthepackingnut.Somemodelshavetwopackingnuts.Whileyouloosenthepackingnut,holdthefaucetsteady;youdon’twanttotwistthewholefaucetandloosenconnectionsinside.Wrapplierswithtapetoavoidmarringthefaucet.

2.RemovethestemPutthehandlebackonandturnitcounterclockwisetoremovethestem.Somestemsdon’tneedtobeturnedbutcomestraightoutwithafirmpull.

3.ReplacethewasherUnscrewtherubberwasherattheendofthestem.Takeittoahomecentertofindamatch.Thenscrewonthenewwasherandreassemblethefaucetbyreversingtheprevioussteps.

WhyoutdoorfaucetsleakSometimes,therubberwasherthatsealsthevalvesimplywearsout.Butoften,thewasherisdamagedbyovertighteningthehandle.Here’show:Evenafterthevalveiscompletelyclosed,watercontinuestotrickleoutforacouplesecondswhilethelongpipeinsidethewallempties.Thattricklemakesyouthinkthatthevalveisstillopen.Soyoucrankthehandleharder—anddamagethewasher.Getinthehabitofclosingthevalvegently,andyourwasherwilllastmuchlonger.

Howtofreezeafreeze-prooffaucetWhenyouleaveagardenhoseconnectedtoafaucet,itcankeepthefaucetfilledwithwater,whetherthevalveisopenorclosed.Then,whenthetemperaturedrops,thefaucetwillfreezeandburst.Don’taskhowI

thetemperaturedrops,thefaucetwillfreezeandburst.Don’taskhowIknowthis.

GaryWentz,TheFamilyHandymanSeniorEditor

Voiceofexperience

Shutoffthewater!Whenmynew(andveryattractive)neighborcomplainedthatheroutdoorfaucetwasleaking,Isawanopportunitytoimpressherandpromisedtohaveitfixedin10minutes.Troubleis,Iforgottoturnoffthewater.Acoldblastknockedmeflatonmybackinamudpuddle.MyneighborwaslessimpressedthanIhadhoped.

DaveWelk,TheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

Instantleakfix

Asidefromoutdoorfaucets,lotsofothervalvesalsohavepackingnuts:smallshutoffvalvesundersinks(shownhere),largershutoffvalves,evensomeold-stylekitchenorbathfaucets.Allofthesevalvesarepronetoslowleaksaroundthevalvestem.Inmostcases,youstoptheseleakssimplybytighteningthepackingnutslightly.

No.84

CleanacloggedfaucetRestoretheflowinfiveminutesIftheflowfromyourkitchenorbathroomfaucetisn’twhatitusedtobe,theaeratorisprobablyplugged.That’sperfectlynormal.Anaeratorcanclogslowlyduetomineralbuilduporinstantlyafterplumbingworkloosensdebrisinsidepipes.Eitherway,thesolutionistocleanitout.Ifscrubbingwithatoothbrushandrinsingwon’tremovetoughmineralbuildup,soaktheaeratorpartsinvinegar.

1.UnscrewtheaeratorWrapductorelectricaltapearoundplierstoavoidscratchingtheaerator.Youmayneedasmallscrewdriverorknifetopryapartthecomponentsinsidetheaerator.Closethedrainstoppersosmallparts

componentsinsidetheaerator.Closethedrainstoppersosmallpartscan’tfalldownthedrain.

2.Thisiscritical!Ifyouforgethowthepartsfittogether,reassemblywilldriveyoucrazy.Solayoutthepartsinexactlytheordertheycameapart.Asyoucleaneachpart,don’tforgetwhichsidefacesup.

Showerheadsplugup,tooMineralbuildupcangraduallyturnapowerfulshowerintoaweaktrickle.Thebuildupmaybevisiblearoundthejetholesorinvisibleinsidethehead.Eitherway,thesolutionissimple,andyoudon’tevenhavetoremovethehead.Justfillafreezerbagwithahalf-and-halfmixofvinegarandwater.Securethebagwitharubberbandorducttape.Vinegardissolvesminerals,butitcanalsodamagefinisheswithprolongedcontact,soremovethebagevery15minutesandchecktheflow.

No.85

Fixaloosetowelbar—forever!Strong,simplewallanchorsarethepermanentsolutionThelittleplasticdrywallanchorsthatcomewithmosttowelbarsarewimpyandguaranteedtofailsoonerorlater.Butreplacingthemwithstronganchorsiseasy.Theprocessfortowelrings,hooksandtoiletpaperholdersisidenticaltothestepsshownhere.

1.RemovethebarandpostsLoosenthesetscrewtoremovethepost.SomesetscrewsrequireanAllenwrench,othersatinyscrewdriver.Withthepostoff,trytighteningthescrewsinthemountingplate.Ifthatdoesn’tsecuretheplatesolidly,removethescrewsandplate.Ifoneofthepostsissolid,justleaveitalone.Chancesareit’sscrewedtoastud.

2.InstallnewanchorsChancesare,you’llfindtwoplastictube-typeanchorsunderthemountingplate.Simplypokethemwithascrewdriverandletthemfallinsidethewall.Thereareseveralmorereliabletypesofanchorsfordrywall.Thescrew-intoggleanchorsshownherearestrong,easytoinstallandavailableathomecenters.Justdrivethemintotheoldanchorholeswithadrillorscrewdriver.

3.RefastenthemountingplateHoldthemountingplateinplaceanddriveinthescrewsthatcamewiththeanchors.Reattachthepostsandbarandyou’redone.

No.86

TuneupyourcabinetsMostproblemsareeasiertofixthantolivewithAsyourcabinetsage,youcanjustgiveupandlearntolivewithalltheirlittleglitches.Butthere’sreallynoreasontotoleratecabinetproblems.Themostcommonfrustrationsareamazinglyeasytoeliminate,evenifyouhavenofix-itexperience.

AdjustmisaligneddoorsIfyourdoorsareoutofwhackandyouhave“Euro”hinges,youcanalignthemperfectlyinminutes—justbyturningafewscrews.Yourhingesmaynotadjustexactlyliketheonesshownhere,butitwillbejustaseasyandyoucan’tdoanyharmbyturningthewrongscrew.Tostart,makesurethedoorscrewsaretight.Thenfollowthissimpleprocess:

1.Ifthedoorisn’tflushwithneighboringdoors,usethisscrewtomoveitinorout.Withsomehinges,thedoormovesasyouturnthescrew.Withothers,youhavetoloosenthescrew,nudgethedoorinorout,thenretighten.

2.Ifthedooriscrooked—notparalleltootherdoorsorthecabinet—turnthisscrewtomovethedoorleftorright.

3.Ifthedoorisflushandparallel,butstandingtoohighorlow,loosenthisscrewandtheidenticalonebelowit.Raiseorlowerthedoor,thenretightenthescrews.Somehingesallowthesameup-downmovementjustbyturningasinglescrew.

Tightenlooseknobs—foreverIfyouhaveaknoborhandlethatkeepscomingloose,giveitatinydoseofthreadadhesive(availableathomecenters).Somethreadadhesivesmakefuturescrewremovalalmostimpossible,sochooseonethatallowsfordisassembly.

Beefupdrawerbottoms

Whendrawerbottomsstarttosaglikeahammock,addalayerof1/4-in.-thickplywoodtotheunderside.Cuttheplywoodabout1/2in.smallerthanthecavityunderthedrawer.(Somehomecenterswillcutplywoodtosizeforyou.)Ifthedrawerbottomisunfinished,mountthenewplywoodwithwoodglue.Ifthebottomiscoated,useconstructionadhesive.Weighdowntheplywoodwithpaintcansorastackofbooks.

LubestubborndrawersTomakeastickingdrawerglide,coattheslidesandrollerswith“dry”lubricant.Itgoesonwet,butdrieswithoutleavingoilyresidue,sodustanddebriswon’tgumuptheslideslater.Dustofftheslidesinthecabinetandonthedrawerfirst.Toavoidamessinsidethecabinet,spraythelubricantonaragandwipeitontotheslides.Youcantreatthedrawerpartsthesameorspraythem.

FixstrippedscrewholesCabinethardwarescrewsoftenstrip.Youturnandturn,butthescrewdoesn’ttighten.Butthesolutionisalreadyonyourcabinetshelf:Grabafewtoothpicks,diptheminwoodglueandpackthemintothehole.Whenthegluedries,breakoffthetoothpicksanddriveinthescrew.

Voiceofexperience

MysolutionforsaggingshelvesIreplacedmyflimsycabinetshelveswithwireshelving—thestufftypicallyusedinclosets.It’sstrong,inexpensiveandsee-through,soIcanlocateitemsatthebackofthecabinetwithoutunloadingtheshelves.Cutwireshelvingtolengthwithahacksaw,jigsaworbigboltcutters.Thenjustsettheminplaceontheshelfsupports.

MaureenRiegger,TheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

HidedamagewithbackplatesNewcabinethardwarethatincludesbackplatescanhidethewearthatoccursaroundcabinetknobsandpulls.You’llfindasmallhardwareselectionathomecentersandanendlessselectiononline.

Ingenious(andeasy)kitchenimprovements

StopsprayersnagsIfthehoseconnectedtoyoursinksprayergetscaughtontheshutoffhandles,coverthemwith1/2-in.pipeinsulation.Iftheinsulationwon’tstayput,addsomeducttape.

WineglassmoldingT-moldingdesignedforwoodfloortransitionsmakesaperfectrackforstemware.Justcutittolengthandscrewittothe

rackforstemware.Justcutittolengthandscrewittotheundersideofshelves.Foraneaterlook,usefinishwashersalongwiththescrews.

BottomlesssoapdispenserConstantlyrefillingyoursink-mountedsoapsquirter?Yankoutthe

Constantlyrefillingyoursink-mountedsoapsquirter?Yankoutthedispenserandtakeittoahomecentertofindtubingthatfitsoverthesuctiontube.Runthetubingintoalargejugofsoapandyou’llhavealong-lastingreservoir.

Under-sinkmakeoverThecabinetunderthesinkgetsprettygrungy.Socoverthestainswithcheappeel-and-stickvinyltiles.They’reeasytocutwithautilityknife,easytoinstallandeasytokeepclean.

ReplacemissingbumpersYourcabinetscamewithfeltorrubberbumpers,butafewofthemhavedisappearedandyou’reaccustomedtothesmackofclosingdoors.Giveyourearsabreakforabout$3.Peeloffabumperandtakeittothehomecenter.Yournewbumpersdon’thavetomatchtheoldones,buttheyshouldbeaboutthesamethickness.

BetterthanbumpersCabinetdoordampersaretheultimateslamsolution.Theyinstallwithajustascrewortwoandprovidesoftclosings.Theyworkonlywithself-closinghingesthatholdthedoorshut,butthatcoversthemajorityofcabinethinges.Finddampersathomecentersoronline.

No.87

RenewgrungygroutWhenregularcleaningfails,hereareyouroptionsIfastiffbrushandgroutcleanerjustwon’tdothejob,don’tgiveup.Thereareotherstepsyoucantaketoclean,reneworreplaceuglygrout.

SteamcleanProfessionalsoftenusesteamtocleangrout,andsocanyou.Ahouseholdsteamcleanerdoesn’thavethepowerorspeedofapro

householdsteamcleanerdoesn’thavethepowerorspeedofapromodel,butwithalittleextrapatience,itwilldeep-cleangrouteffectively.Inmostcases,steamcleaningisfasterandeasierthanscrubbing—thoughworkingwithsteaminasmallspaceisahot,sweatyjob.Switchonthebathfan!

BleachawaymildewBleachisaneffectivewaytocleanoffandkillmildew,evenmildewthat’sgrowingdeepinthegrout’spores.Spongingonableach-and-watermixisfast.Butifyouhaveonlysmallareastotreat,useableachpenandavoidthenastyfumes.Eitherway,youmayalsohavetoscourwithabrush.Don’texpectbleachtopreventfuturetrouble—mildewalwaysreturnseventually.

CoatitwithcolorGroutcoloringproductsareavailableatmosthomecenters.They’rebasicallypaint-likecoatingsthatcanbeappliedbybrushorpentomaskstains.Ifyoudon’tfindthecoloryouwantatahomecenter,you’llfindmanymorecoloroptionsonline.Youcanchangethecolorofyourgrout,butrememberthatthecoatingwilleventuallywear.Andasthathappens,acolorthat’ssimilartotheunderlyinggroutwilllookbetterthanadrasticallydifferentcolor.

SealoutfuturestainsGroutishardtokeepcleanbecauseit’sporous.Sowhenyoufinallygetgroutclean,yournextstepshouldbetosealit.Groutsealerplugstinypores,repelsfuturestainsandmakeregularcleaningeasier.Thelifespanofsealerdependsonitslocationandthequalityofsealeritself.Onakitchenbacksplash,agoodsealerwillcontinuetorepelstainsforafewyears.Inashowerthatgetsdailyuse,youmayneedtoresealeveryyear.

BewareofacidiccleanersThetoughestgroutcleaningproductsdon’tjustremovestains;theyactuallyeatawayatgrout,removingathinlayerofitssurface.Ifyouusethemregularly,you’lleventuallydestroythegrout.Socheckthelabel.Ifitincludesacautionagainstregularuse,don’tignoreit.

ReplacinggroutSomegroutisjustplainhopeless:It’ssodeeplystainedthatcleaning

Somegroutisjustplainhopeless:It’ssodeeplystainedthatcleaningwon’thelp,it’sauniquecolorthatcan’tbecoatedover,orit’ssobadlyerodedthatit’sfallingout.Incaseslikethese,regroutingisthesolution.It’sacommonDIYproject,butrequirespatience,know-howandafewspecialtools.Thegoodnewsisthatnewergroutformulationsresiststainingmuchbetterthanyouroldgrout—soyoucanlookforwardtoeasiercleaning.Whetheryoudoityourselforhireapro,here’sthebasicprocess:

1.GrindouttheoldgroutThereareseveralwaystoremovegrout.Inmostcases,anoscillatingtoolfittedwithagroutbladeisthefastest,easiestapproach.

2.PackinthenewgroutGroutisacement-basedpowderthatyoumixwithwater.Asyouspreaditovertile,groutfillsthespacesbetweentiles.

No.88

FixadoorThemostcommonproblemsarealsotheeasiesttosolve

Fixalatchthatwon’tcatchIfadoorwon’tlatch—evenwithahardpush—it’sprobablybecausethelatchishittingthestrikeplatetoohighortoolow,soitcan’tenterthestrikeplate’sopening.First,tightenallthehingescrewsinboththedoorandthejamb.Ifthatdoesn’tsolvetheproblem,takethestepsbelow.

1.DothelipsticktestCoverthestrikeplatewithtape,smearsomelipstickonthelatchandclosethedoor.Thesmudgeonthetapewillrevealtheproblem.Ifthelatchdoesn’treachasfarasthestrikeplateopening,thedoorisprobablywarped.Butifthelatchiscontactingthestrikeplateabittoohighorlow,youcanfixit.

2.EnlargethestrikeplateopeningRemovetheplateandextendtheopeningwithametalfile.Ahalf-round“bastard”fileisperfectforthisjob.

Silenceasqueakyhinge

1.RemovethehingepinWiththedoorclosed,gentlyhammeranailupintothehingeknuckles.Whenyou’vedriventhepinasfarupasyoucan,grabitwithpliersandyankitout.

2.LubricatethepinPetroleumjellyisagoodlubricantforthisjob,becauseitstaysinplacewithoutrunning.Reinsertthepinandyou’redone.

FixastickingdoorWhenadoorrubsagainstthejambalongthelatchside,it’softenduetoloosehingescrews,sotightenthemfirst.Ifthatdoesn’twork,watchtheedgeofthedoorasyoucloseittodetermineifit’scontactingthejambnearthetop,bottomormiddle.Thentrythefixesbelow.

AdjustthehingeChoosethehingeoppositewherethedoorrubsagainstthelatchsideofthejamb.Removeoneofthehingescrewsanddriveina3-in.screw.Thatwillpullthedoorslightlyawayfromtherubbingpoint.

MovethejambAttherubbingpoint,drivea3-in.screwthroughthejambandintotheframingbehindit.Thiswilldrawthejambslightlyawayfromthedoor.Itwillalsoleaveyouwithanuglyscrewheadtoputtyandstain,sodothisonlyasalastresort.

StopadoorrattleAdoorthatrattlesisn’tclosingfirmlyagainstthedoorstopmolding.

Adoorthatrattlesisn’tclosingfirmlyagainstthedoorstopmolding.Thesimplestsolutionistostickacabinetbumpertothestopmolding.Anotherfixisalmostaseasy:Removethestrikeplateandbendthetabslightly.Thismaytakesometrialanderrorbeforeyougetitright.

Makeadoorstayopen(orclosed)Ifadoordriftsopenorclosed,youprobablyhaveaghost.Butalittleextrafrictioninthehingemighthelp.Removetheupperhinge,layitacrosstwoblocksandbenditslightlywithahammer.Ifthatdoesn’tsolvetheproblem,dothesametothebottomhinge.

No.89

TuneupclosetdoorsSimpleadjustmentsforsmoothoperation

“Bifold”closetdoorsarecompactandconvenient.Buttheyhavelotsofmovingpartsthatcangooutofwhack.Thatleadstoanugly,unevenfit,rubbing,bindingandbalkyoperation.Youcanusuallysolveallofthoseproblemsbyadjustingthefitofthedoorswithintheopening.Yourgoalisaneven1/8-in.verticalgapbetweenthedoorsandevenhorizontalgapsaboveandbelowthedoors.Here’showtorepositionthedoors:

Tomovethetopofthedoor,loosenthesetscrewonthetopbracketandslidethebracketslightlyleftorright.Retightenthesetscrew,closethedoorandcheckthefit.Youmayhavetoadjustandreadjustafewtimesbeforeyougetitright.

Tomovethebottomofthedoor,liftthedoorandsetthepivotintoadifferentnotch.Somedoorshavesetscrewadjustment(asshownabove)ratherthananotchedbracketasshownhere.

Toadjusttheheightofthedoor,turnthepivot.Somepivotscanbegrippedwithpliers;othersrequireawrench.Foreasieradjustment,liftthedoorandsetitonaspacersuchasshimsorabook.

ReplacementpartsMosthomecenterscarryagoodselectionofreplacementpartsforbifolddoors.Youmaynotfindanexactmatch,butnewpartsofthesametypeandsizeoftenworkwiththeolddoor.

Toprollersaremountednearthecornerofthedoorthatglidesalongthetrack.

Toppivotslockthedoorintothetopbracket.

Bottompivotsconnectthedoortothebottombracketandallowheightadjustment.

LubetheuppertrackForsilky-smoothoperation,spraysomelubricantonaragandwipeitontotheuppertrack.Usealubricantthat’slabeled“dry”—itwon’tgatherdust.

ReinforcealoosepivotPivotsoftenbecomelooseastheyslowlyenlargetheholestheyrestin.Torestoreatightfit,removethepivot,screwonapivotreinforcementplateandreinsertthepivot.

AdjustbypassdoorsIfyouhaveasliding“bypass”doorthatdoesn’tfitevenlyagainsttheopeningordragsonthefloor,thefixiseasy.Youcanraiseorloweroneendofthedoorortheentiredoorjustbyturningafewscrews.From

insidethecloset,loosentheadjustingscrew(theoneinanelongatedslot),raiseorlowerthedoor,andtightenthescrew.Youmayalsohavetorepositionalockingscrew.Ifanyofthescrewsarestrippedandwon’ttighten,justmovetherollerbrackettoanewspot.Withsomebypassdoors,youcanadjustthepositionbyturninganutabovethedoor.

No.90

PatchwallsperfectlyWithalittlepatience,youcangetproresults

FillsmallholesForholessmallerthan1/8in.,usespacklingcompound.Ifyouhaveamixofholesizes,somelargerthan1/8in.,somesmaller,youcanusejointcompoundforallofthem.Whateveryouuse,expectshrinkageasthecompounddries(nomatterwhatthelabelpromises).Don’tbesurprisedifyouhavetocoattheholetwooreventhreetimestocompensateforshrinkage.

ChooselightweightcompoundAtthehomecenter,you’llfindpremixedjointcompoundinplasticcontainersandpowderinbags.Unlessyouwanttotakeonamessymixingjob,buythepremixedstuff.Andchooseonethat’slabeled“lightweight.”Lightweightcompoundshrinkslessandsandseasierthanthestandardversion.

Fixnailpops—andkeepthemfromcomingbackNailpopshappenwhendrywallnailsorscrewsbreakthroughthesurface,usuallyduetoshrinkingandswellingofthewallstuds.Ifyoujustpoundtheminandpatchthem,they’llbeback.Here’showtofixthempermanently:

1.PrepareforpatchingDrivedrywallscrewsintothestudaboveandbelowthepop.Don’tusenails.Ifthedrywallhaspuckeredaroundthepop,sliceitout.Iftheareaisflat,leaveitalone.Removethepoppednailorscrew.

2.PatchtheholesFillthedepressionswithjointcompound.Letthecompounddryandcoatitagain(andprobablyagain!)untilthepatchisflat.Smooththepatchwith100-gritsandpaper,thenprimeandpaint.

PatchabigholeTheusualwaytocoveralargehole(suchasadoorknobdisaster)istocutoutthedamage,insertnewdrywallandreinforcingtape,thensmoothitoverwithjointcompound.Buthere’sashortcut:Homecenterscarryadhesive-backedmetalpatchesinvarioussizes.They’recheapandsaveafewsteps.Here’showtouseone:

1.StickonthepatchScrapeoffanyprotrudingpaintordrywallaroundthehole.Thenapplythepatch—justlikeabandage.

2.CoatthepatchSpreadjointcompoundoverthepatchwithawideknife.Smoothoutthecompound,letitdryandaddanothercoat.Keepthecoatsthinandsmooth;it’sbettertoapplythreeorfourcoatsthantocreateathickbuildup.Extendeachcoatafewinchesbeyondthepreviouscoattoformedgesthatgraduallytaper.

3.SandthecompoundSmooththedriedcompoundwithasandingsponge.Ifyoudidagoodjobofsmoothingandtaperingthecompound,thiswilltakejustafewminutesandtheslighthumponthewallwillbeinvisibleafterprimingandpainting.

No.91

FixfurniturefastExperttricksforinstantrestorationSomefurniturerequiresprofessionalattention(oratriptothelandfill).Butfurniturethatshowsthescarsofnormalusecanusuallyberestoredtoexcellentcondition.Infact,therearepeoplewhomakeagoodlivingdoingjustthat.Herearesomeoftheirtricks:

Beforeanything,cleanitupFurniturerestorationexpertKevinSouthwickstartseveryprojectwithathoroughcleaning.Hissecretformulaisplainoldsoapandwater,evenonpricelessantiques.KevinaddsafewdropsofIvorydishsoaptowaterandgentlyscrubswithadampsponge.Oncrevicesandcarvings,heusesapaintbrush.Aftercleaning,hewipesthesurfacewithaspongedampenedinwateronly.Finally,hedriesthepiecewithacleantowelandadmireshiswork.Sometimes,agoodcleaningisalladull,oldpieceoffurniturereallyneeds.

KevinSouthwick,conservationspecialistandTheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

ErasewhiteringsTherearespecialproductsformulatedforhazy,whiteblemishes(searchonlinefor“ringremover”).Buttrythisfirst:Slatherpetroleumjellyontheringandletitsitovernight.Often,theoilinthejellywillpenetratethefinishandrendertheringinvisible.

thefinishandrendertheringinvisible.

RestoretheshineinminutesAcoatortwoofwipe-onpolyurethaneistheeasiestwaytoreviveadullfinish.Justcleantheoldfinishthoroughlyandwipeonthepolywithalint-freecloth.That’sit.Itcomesingloss,semiglossandsatinversions;satinisthebestchoiceforhidingfinescratches.Yearsdowntheroad,youcanrecoatitagainifthelusterfades.Butbesuretotestinaninconspicuousspotfirst:Wipe-onpolydoesn’tstickwelltosomefinishesandmightflakeoff.

Whataboutwax?Finishingwaxcanrestoretheshinetoadullfinish.It’seasytouseandalmostgoof-proof:Wrapalint-freeragaroundaballofwax,rubiton,waitafewminutesandwipeofftheexcess.Unlikewipe-onpoly,it’savailableinseveralcolorssoyoucanchangethetoneofthewood.Butwaxisn’tnearlyastoughorlong-lastingaswipe-onpoly.

BetterscratchremoversHomecenterscarrytouch-uppensforscratchedfinishes.Butstopbyanartsupplystoreinstead.You’llfindpermanentmarkersinahugerangeofwood-tonecolors,someofthemwithfinetips—perfectforskinnyscratches.

SpraypaintupholsteryYes,youcan.Mostautopartsstoresandsomehomecenterscarrypaintformulatedjustforfabric(forahugerangeofcolors,searchonline).Fabricpainthassomedrawbacks,though:Fuzzyfabricslikevelourmightfeellikesandpaperwhenyou’redone,andlightpaintcolorsmaynothidepatternsinthefabric.Sotestonthebackofachairortheundersideofaseatcushionfirst.

MakedentsdisappearMoisturemakeswoodswelland—sometimes—healsdents.First,cuttinyslitsinthefinishparalleltothewoodgrainsothatwatercanpenetrate.Thendripalittlewateronthedentandwaituntilitdries.Youcanrepeatthisprocessacoupletimes,butafterthatyouriskdamagingthefinish.

Voiceofexperience

Strippingfurniture:PatienceisthekeyRefinishingfurniturehasbeenoneofmyhobbiesformorethan30years—andI’vemadeeverymistakeinthebook.Oneofmyfirstprojectswasasetofchairs.Iappliedstripperandwaited.Andwaited.ThenIgotabrilliantidea:heat!Ifiredupmypropanetorch,whichworkednicelyuntilthefirethatturnedmyfour-chairsetintothree.SincethenI’veusedeverytypeofstripperavailable.Someworkfasterthanothers,buttheyallwork.Thekeytosuccessispatience.Myfavoritetrickistoapplythestripper,drapepainters’plasticoverittopreventevaporationandleaveitaloneforhoursorevenovernight.

GeneSchmidt,TheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

MakestickingdrawersglideCandlewaxisamagicallubricantforolddrawersoranyfurniturethathaswoodslidingagainstwood.Justrubacandlehardagainsttherunnersunderdrawers.Rubthetracksinsidethechest,too.

No.92

RepairconcreteOptionsforcracksandcratersDamagedconcreteisn’tjustugly.Holesandcracksletinwaterand—unlessyouliveinawarmclimate—thatwaterdoesmoredamagewhenitfreezes,expandingcracksandenlargingholes.Hereareyouroptionsforfixingit.

CaulkcracksThebestcaulksforconcreteareusuallylabeled“urethane”or“polyurethane,”andmostcanfillcracks1/2in.wideormore(checkthelabel).Foranycrackwiderthan1/4in.,stuffinsomefoambackerrodfirst.Usingbackerrodsavesexpensivecaulkandresultsinastrongerjoint.Andsinceitsealsoffthecrack,itallowsyoutouserunny“self-leveling”caulk,whichusuallyprovidesamuchneaterlookonflat

leveling”caulk,whichusuallyprovidesamuchneaterlookonflatsurfaces.

PatchcratersChipoutanylooseconcreteandthenfilltheholewithconcreterepairmix.“Screed”offtheexcessbyrunningaboardacrosstherepairinasawingmotion.Whenthemixbecomeshardenoughsothatyoucan’teasilyindentitwithyourthumb,finishthesurface.Tocreateasmoothsurface,useasteeltrowel.Foraroughsurface,dragabroomacrossit.

RebuildacornerAssembleanL-shapedwoodenform,lockitinplacewithbricksandfillthevoidwithconcreterepairmix.Arepairmixwillsticktotheoldconcretebetterthanstandardconcretemix.Ifyoudon’twanttobuyaspecialedgingtooltoroundtheedgesofthepatch,carefullyshapetheedgeswithaputtyknife.

ResurfaceconcreteResurfacerisadrypowderthat’smixedwithwater.Itfillssmallerholesandcracksandformsadurablenewcoatingovertheentireslab.Theresultisasurfacethatlooksalmostasgoodasnew.Inmostcases,however,oldcrackswilleventually“telegraph”throughthenewsurface.

HideahopelessgaragefloorSometimesthebestsolutionforacracked,pockmarkedgarageflooristosimplycoveritup.Online,you’llfindahugeselectionofsnap-togetherplastictilesormatsdesignedtowithstandvehicletraffic.

RaisesunkenconcreteSinkingconcretethat’sinotherwisegoodconditioncanbeliftedbacktoitsoriginallevelbya“mudjacker.”Thecontractorfirstdrillsholesintheconcrete,theninjectsaslurrywithtremendouspressure.Thatpressurecanliftsidewalks,driveways,floors,evensinkingsteps.

CamouflagerepairsNoconcreterepair—caulkorpatch—blendsinperfectlywiththeoldconcrete.Infact,theysometimeslookworsethandamagedconcrete.Butthereareacouplewaystohidetherepair.

CoatwithresurfacerResurfacermakesconcretelooklikenew,hidingpatchesandfillingsmallholes.Thecatchisthatyouhavetocoatalltheconcrete—resurfacingonearealooksbad.

DisguisethecaulkSprinklealittledryconcretemixontothewetcaulk.Whenthecaulk

dries,sweepitoffandtherepairwillbemuchlessnoticeable.

No.93

Fixappliancesyourself—andsaveIt’scrazytopayforrepairswhenthey’rethissimpleWhenanappliancegoesontheblink,there’softenasimplewaytofixitwithoutanexpensiveservicecall.Herearesomecommonapplianceproblemsandeasyrepairstotrybeforepickingupthephone.

Jammeddisposer?TurnthebladesIfyourgarbagedisposerhumsbutdoesn’tspin,itmayhavesomethingstuckinit.Switchthedisposeroff,thenturnthebladeswithaspecialdisposerwrench(soldathomecenters)orbyturningabottombolt.ManydisposershaveanAllenwrenchforthatpurpose,insetonthebottomofthemachine.

Gasrangewon’tlight?CleantheigniterIfyourstoveburnerwon’tcomeon,thelikelyculpritisthespaghettisaucethatboiledoverafewdaysago.Useatoothbrushtocleanofffoodspillsfromtheigniter.Onanelectronicignitionstove,it’salittleceramicnublocatedeitheronthestovetoporundertheceramicsealstrikeplate.Alsomakesurethattheroundceramicsealstrikeplateisproperlyseatedontheburner.

Refrigeratorshutdown?CleanthecoilsIfyourrefrigeratorconksoutonahotday,suspectthecoils.Serviceprosfindthisproblemonhalfoftheirrefrigeratorcalls.Onmanyfridges,yougettothecoilsbyremovingthefrontgrille.Thenpushacoilcleaningbrush(soldathomecenters)intothecoils,pullitbackandvacuumitclean.Ifthecoilsarelocatedontheback,pulloutyourfridgetocleanthem.Bonus:Thecleancoilswillcoolmoreefficientlyandsaveyoumoneyonyourutilitybill!

Electricstovewon’theat?TweaktheburnerprongsTurntheburneroffandpullitoutofitssocket.Thenplugitinagainandwiggleitaround.Ifitfeelsloose,removetheburneragainandgentlybendtheburnerprongsslightlyoutwardforatighterconnection.

Ovenwon’theat?ChecktheclockandtimerBlameitonthetechnology.Itsohappensthatifyousetthe“timecook”function,theoven,muchlikeaprogrammedVCR,won’tturnonuntiltheappointedtime.Youmayhavedonethisinadvertently,butifyourdigitaldisplayreads“hold,”“delay”or“timecook,”thenthetimerisengaged.You’llhavetoclearitfirstbypushingthe“off”button.Onovenswithdials,besuretheknobisturnedto“manual.”

Oventemperaturenotright?RecalibrateitIfthetemperatureinyourovenseemsoff,orifyournewovenjustdoesn’tcooklikeyouroldone,youcanrecalibratethetemperaturesetting.Usetheinstructionsinyourmanualorgoonlineandsearchforadownloadableversionusingyouroven’smodelnumber.Placeagood-qualityoventhermometeronthecentershelfandwaitfortheoventomaintainaconstanttemperature.Thenfollowtheprocedureoutlinedinyourmanualtomatchthetemperaturesettingtothethermometerreading.

Noisywashingmachine?LevelitWhenawashingmachinerocks,itmakesahorribleracketduringthespincycle.Thesolutionistosimplyreadjustthelegs.Screwthefrontlegsupordownuntilthecabinetislevel.Whenbothlegsaresolidonthefloor,tighteneachleg’slockingnut.Inmostwashers,toadjusttherearlegs,gentlytiltthemachineforwardandgentlyloweritdown.Themovementwillself-adjusttherearlegs.

Clothesnotcomingoutclean?CheckthewatertemperatureIfthewaterinyourwashingmachineiscolderthan65degreesF,theadditivesinlaundrydetergentwon’tworkaswellandpowderdetergentswon’tfullydissolve.Coldwaterforwashingshouldbeinthe65-to85-degreerange.Checkthewatertemperaturewithacookingthermometer(onethatregisterslowtemperatures).Ifthewatertemperatureisbelow65degreesforcold-waterwashes,boostitbyselectingwarmwaterforpartoftheinitialfillcycle.Butalwaysleaverinsesettingsoncold,nomatterwhatwashingtemperatureyouchoose.Cold-waterrinsesarejustaseffectiveaswarm-waterrinses,andyou’llsavealotofenergy.

Dishwashernotwashing?CleanthefilterWhenyourdishwashernolongergetsyourdishesclean,afood-filledfilterismostoftentoblame.Ifit’sclogged,watercan’tmakeittothesprayarmstocleanthedishesinthetoprack.Thefixtakestwominutes.Simplypulloutthelowerrackandremovethefiltercoverinsidethedishwasher.(Checkyourowner’smanualifyoucan’tspotthefilter.)Thenuseawet/dryvacuumtocleanoffthescreen.Whileyou’rethere,slidethenearbyfloatswitchupanddown.Ifthecoversticks,jiggleitupanddownandcleanitwithwater.

Dryernotheating?WashthelintfilterFirstmakesurethemachineisn’tsetto“fluffair”—anon-heatsetting.Ifthat’snotit,thelintfiltermaybeclogged.Evenifthefilterlooksclean,itmaybecoveredbyanearlyinvisiblefilmcausedbydryersheets.Testyourfilterbypouringwaterintoit.Ifthefilterholdswater,it’spasttimetocleanit.Thisfilmreducesairflowandforcesthethermostattoshutofftheheatbeforeyourclothesaredry.Pulloutthefilterandscrubitinhotwaterwithalittlelaundrydetergentandastiffkitchenbrush.Alsochecktheoutsidedryerventforanylintthatmayhavebuiltupthere.

ACwon’tcomeon?CheckthefuseIfyouturnyourcentralairconditioneron,offandthenonagaininrapidorder,chancesareyou’llblowafuseorshutoffacircuitbreakerortheairconditionersimplywon’trespond.Bepatientandgivetheairconditionerthermostataboutfiveminutestoreset.Ifitstillwon’tcomeon,youmayhaveblownafuse.Locatethespecialfuseblockneartheoutsideunit.Pullouttheblockandtakethewholethingtothehardwarestore.Asalespersoncantestthecartridgefusesandtellyouifyouneedtoreplacethem.

Slow-fillingwasher?CleantheinletscreensIfyourwashingmachinefillsataslowtrickle,chancesareyouhavepluggedinletscreens.Thesescreenscatchdebrisinthewatersupplyandprotectawasher’sinternalparts.Togetatthem,turnoffthewatersupplyvalvesbehindthewasher,pullitoutanddisconnectthehoses.Removethescreenswithneedle-nosepliers.Begentle;they’reeasytodamage.Cleanthescreensorbuynewonesatahomecenterorappliancepartsstore.Carefullypressthemintoplacewithascrewdriver.Beforeyoureconnectthehoses,checkthem,too.Somecontainscreensthatcanberemovedandcleanedjustlikeinletscreens.

Flashingerrorcode?CheckthemanualorgoonlineIfyourapplianceflashesacrypticmessageonitsdigitaldisplay,it’safaultcodetellingyouwhat’swrong.Lookthecodeupintheowner’smanualoronthemanufacturer’sWebsite,orcheckanonlineappliancerepairsite.Youcanalsousuallyfindalistofcodessomewhereinorontheappliance.Armedwithadiagnosisandamakeandmodelnumber,youcanpurchasetherightpartfromasupplierandmakethefixyourself.Oratleastsavesometimeontheservicecallbylettingtherepairserviceknowwhatthey’llneedtobringalongtomakethefix.

No.94

FixyourfurnaceCheckthebasicsbeforeyoucallapro—andsave$100Whenheatingandcoolingsystemsmisbehave,prosalwayscheckthesimplestthingsfirst.Mostofthesechecksarethingsyoucandoyourself,evenifyouknowzilchaboutyoursystem.Sodoit!Inafewminutes,youjustmightsaveyourselfahundredbucksormore.

MakesurethethermostatisonThermostats,especiallyprogrammableones,canbecomplicated.Themoreoptionsathermostathas,themorethatcangowrong.•Makesuretheswitchisontherightsetting(“heat”or“cool”).•Checkthetemperaturesetting.•Comparethetemperaturesettingtotheroomtemperature.Setthetemperaturefivedegreeshigherthantheroomtemperatureandseeifthefurnacekickson.•Makesuretheprogramisdisplayingtherightdayandtime,aswellasa.m.andp.m.settings.•Replacethebattery.Ifyouhaveapoweroutagewithadeadbattery,you’llloseyoursettingsandthethermostatwillreverttothedefault

program.•Openthethermostatandgentlyblowoutanydustordebris.Makesureit’slevelandfirmlyattachedtothewall,andthatnoneofthewirescomingintoitareloose.

Thebestthingyoucando:ChangefiltersregularlyDirtyfiltersarethemostcommoncauseoffurnaceproblems.Iftheblowerisrunningbutnowarmair(orcoolinthesummer)iscomingout,replacethefilter.Adirtyfilteralsoreducestheefficiencyofthefurnaceandshortensitslife.Checkyourowner’smanualtofindoutwherethefilterislocatedandhowtoremoveit.Changeinexpensiveflatfiltersatleastonceamonth.Makesurethatthearrowpointstowardthefurnace.Inspectpleatedfiltersonceamonth.Holdthemuptothelightandifyoucan’tseethelightclearlythroughthem,replacethem.Manufacturerssaypleatedfiltersaregoodforthreemonths,butchangethemmorefrequentlyifyouhavepets,kidsorgeneratelotsofdust.

Lostyourowner’smanual?Mostmajor-brandmanualsareontheWeb—justgotothemanufacturer’sWebsite.

HVACmessageboardIt’shardtokeeptrackofthefurnacemaintenanceschedule.Tomakeiteasier,stickasmallwhitemagneticboardonyourfurnaceduct.Writedownthefurnacefiltersize,brand,datethefilterwaslastchangedandwhenthefurnacewaslastserviced.Updatetheinformationwhenyouchangethefilterorhavethefurnacecleanedorchecked.

Voiceofexperience

Overthephone,Ialwaysask:Isthepoweron?Thegas?Didyoucheck

thethermostat?Andstill—whenIgotothehome—Ioftenfindthatoneof

thesesimplethingswastheproblem.

BobSchmahl,HVACtechnicianandTheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

1.ChecktheheatpumpIfyouhaveaheatpump,clearawaygrassandleaves.Ifthefinsontheoutsideoftheunitarecakedwithdirtanddebris,rinsethemoff.

2.LookforblockedregistersIfyourfurnacecomesonbutoneortworoomsarecold,makesurealltheroomregistersareopenandclear.

3.MakesurethegasisonJustaswithswitches,someonemayhaveturnedoffagasvalveandthenforgottentoturnitbackon.Tracethegaslinebackfromthefurnacetothemeter,andifyouseeahandlethat’sperpendiculartothegaspipe,turnitsoit’sparallel.Ifyouhaveanoldfurnaceorboiler,youmayhaveapilotlight.Removethefrontpanelandtheburnercoverandchecktomakesureit’slit.

makesureit’slit.

4.ChecktheshutoffswitchandbreakerFurnacetechniciansoftenfindthattheonly“repair”afurnaceneedsistobeturnedon.Lookforastandardwallswitchonornearthefurnace.Checkthecircuitbreakerorfuseforthefurnaceaswell.Makesurethefrontpanelcoveringtheblowermotorissecurelyfastened—there’sapush-inswitchunderitthatmustbefullydepressedforthefurnacetooperate.

5.CleartheintakeandexhaustSomefurnacesexhaustthroughapipeinthewallofthehouseratherthanthroughachimney.Thesefurnacesalsodrawinairthroughapipe.Makesurebothpipesareclear,especiallyafterheavysnow.

6.FlushthedrainlineAdraintubepluggedwithsedimentormoldwillcausethefurnacetoshutdown.Tocleantheline,removeitandfillitwithamixofbleachandwater(25percentbleach).

CAUTION!Alwaysturnofftheshutoffswitchandturnthethermostatofforallthewaydownbeforechangingthefilterorworkingonthethermostatorfurnace.

No.95

LubeitrightSolutionsforsqueaking,sticking,stubbornstuffEveryhomehassomemovingpartsthatstickorsqueak.Solubricantsareanessentialtoolforeveryhomeowner.Here’showtochoosethemandusethem.

Twolubricantsyoumusthave

General-purposelubricantThisstuffisamazinglyversatile.Asidefromlubricatingjustaboutanything,itpenetratesrust,inhibitsrustandevenworksasacleanerongummystufflikeadhesives.Formostjobs,therearebetterproducts;butnootherproductcandoasmanyjobs.

DrylubricantItgoesonasathinliquidbutdriesfasttoformaslipperyfilmthatwon’tgatherdust.That’sahugeadvantage.Insomesituations—ondrawerslides,forexample—agrimymixofoilanddustlooksbad.Inothercases—likelocks—grimewillcausepartstostick.

Andtwomoreyoumightneed

LithiumgreaseAvailableasapasteorspray,thisisthebestlubricantforhigh-loadpartslikeaxlesandbearings.Italsolastslongerandinhibitsrustbetterthanmostotherproducts,soit’sgreatforoutdoortoolsandhardware.

PenetratingoilTofreeupstuckscrewsorrustybolts,thisisthebestchoicebyfar.Butit’snotagoodpermanentlubricant;afterusingit,cleanoffthepartsandthenlubewithadifferentproduct.

Avoidtheoff-brands

Cheaplubricantsoftencontainmoresolventandlessofwhatmatters.Thesetwobeakersshowhowmuchlubricantwasleftafterthesolventandpropellantevaporatedfromabrand-nameproductandano-namebrand.

LubeweatherstrippingIfyouhavestickyweatherstrippingondoorsorwindows,oronyourhomeorcar,spraysomedrylubricantonaragandwipeitontotheweatherstripping.Allowthelubricanttodrybeforeclosingthedoororwindow.

Bewareofoverspray

Spraylubricantsareeasytoapplywhereyouwantthem—andwhereyoudon’t.Asidefromjustmakingamess,sometypeswilldamagepaintorplastics,andsome(especiallydrylubricants)preventadhesionduringafuturepaintingproject.Often,thebestwaytopreventoversprayistospraylubricantonaragthenwipeiton.Whenthatwon’twork,protectsurfaceswithplasticorcardboard.

LubestubbornwindowsOften,alittlelubricantcanmakestickingoldwindowsglidelikenew.Ifyouhavedouble-hungwindows,spraysomedrylubricantonaragandwipethetracksonbothsidesofthewindowopening.Ifyouhavetilt-indouble-hungwindows,youcanalsolubricatethesidesofthesashes.Oncasementwindows,lubricateallthemovingpartsonthecrank-outmechanismandtheslidingbracketatthetop.

No.96

WarmupacoldroomRestorecozycomfort—withoutpayingaproSomeroomsarealwayscoldinwinter,somegetcoldoccasionallyandsomethathaveneverbeencoldinthepastdevelopasuddenchill.Whateverthesituation,herearesomesimplesolutionstotrybeforeconsultingapro.Ifyouhaveforced-airheatandcentralair-conditioning,someofthesetipswillapplytosummertimehotroomstoo.

Troubleshooting:CheckthesimplethingsfirstIftheroomwascomfortableinthepastbutiscoolnow,herearesomequickthingstocheck:

•ARETHEREGISTERSOPEN?Everyfurnacetechnicianhasastoryaboutacoldroomthatwascuredbyopeningaregisterortwo.Don’tmakeyourselfthestarofoneofthosestories.

•ARETHEREGISTERSBLOCKED?Rearrangingthefurnitureorshovingarugasidecanblockairflow.

•ARETHEDAMPERSOPEN?Someductworkcontainsdamperstoadjustairflow.Lookforhandlesandmarkingsontheductworksuchas“summer”and“winter.”Setthedamperhandleparalleltotheductlineformaximumairflow.

•ISTHEFURNACEFILTERFILTHY?Thisisthemostcommoncauseofheating(andcooling)troubles.Changethefilterandtheproblemusuallydisappears.

•ARETHERADIATORSCLEAR?Whetheryouhaveelectricorhydronicbaseboardunitsorold-fashioned

Whetheryouhaveelectricorhydronicbaseboardunitsorold-fashionedradiators,theywon’tthrowmaximumheatunlessaircanflowthroughthem.Ifyoumovethebedagainstabaseboardunitortossablanketacrossaradiator,theroommightgetchilly.

•ISTHERADIATORAIR-LOCKED?Ifyouhaveahot-waterradiatorthat’snotheating,thecauseisusuallytrappedair,andgettingridofitissimple.Usearadiatorkey,1/4-in.12-pointsocketoraflatscrewdriver(dependingonyourvalvetype)andslowlyturnthevalvecounterclockwiseuntilwaterdripsout.Thiswillreleasetrappedairandlethotwaterflow.Whileyou’reatit,repeattheprocessonyourotherradiators.Bleedingtheradiatorswilllowerthepressureinyoursystem,soyoumighthavetoslowlyaddwatertoincreasethepressure.Dothisbyopening,thenclosing,thevalveonthewaterpipeabovetheboiler.Ifyou’reunfamiliarwithyoursystem,callapro.Howmuchpressureyouneeddependsonhowhighthewaterhastorise.Thebasicruleis1lb.ofpressureforevery2ft.ofrise.Yourgaugemayreadinpounds,feetorboth.Abasictwo-storyhouse,withtheboilerandexpansiontankinthebasement,needs12to15lbs.,or25to30ft.,ofpressure.

GiveyourfurnaceaboostIfyouhaveforced-airheat,oneoftheeasiestwaystowarmachronicallycoldroomistosetaductboosterfan(availableathomecenters)onaregister.Itworkssimplybydrawingmorewarmairintotheroom.Therearealsoin-linefansthatcanbeinstalledintheductwork.

HeatthefloorTherearetwotypesofin-floorheat:Hydronic,whichpumpshotwaterthroughtubing,andelectric,whichheatswithcables,muchlikeanelectricblanket.

ElectricfloorheatTowarmacoolroom,electricsystemsareusuallymorepracticalthanhydronicsystems.Someelectricsystemsconsistofmatsormeshthatcontainscables.Othersrelyonchannelstoholdcablesinplace.Electriccablesaremostofteninstalledwithtileflooring.

NotjustfortileSomeelectricmatscanheatfloatingfloorssuchaslaminateorengineeredwoodflooring.Becausefloatingfloorsaren’tfastenedto

engineeredwoodflooring.Becausefloatingfloorsaren’tfastenedtothesubfloor,youcansimplylaytheflooringoverthemat.Someelectricmatsalsoworkwithcarpet,thoughthecarpetactsasaninsulatorandreducesheatgainintheroom.

HydronicfloorheatHydronicsystemsrequireahotwatersource,tubingandabuilt-upfloortoembedthetubing.It’samajorprojectthatcanheatanadditionoranentirehome.Butinmostsituations,therearemuchmoreeconomicalwaystoaddalittleheattoacoolroom.

Under-floorheatIfyoualreadyhaveahot-waterheatingsystemandunfinishedspacebelowthefloor,hydronictubinginstalledunderthefloormaybeacost-effectivewaytowarmuparoom.Otherwise,electricsystemsarefarmoreeconomical.Therearealsoelectricmatsthatcanbeinstalledfrombelow.

No.97

CoolahotroomAlternativestocentralACandwindowunitsWhetheryou’rebuildinganadditionorjusttiredofwrestlingwithyourwindowunittwiceeachyear,herearethreewaystocoolspaceswithouttheexpenseofaddingorextendingacentralACsystem.

PortableairconditionerPortableairconditionersaresimilartowindowunitsinoperation.Theysitonthefloor(oncasters)anduseanadapterkittoventthehotairthroughahoserunningthroughawindow,awalloraslidingglassdoor.

MAINADVANTAGES•Theyareeasytoinstallanduse.•Youcanmovethemfromroomtoroom.

MAINDISADVANTAGES•They’realmosttwiceasexpensiveandusemoreenergythanawindowunitwiththesamecoolingcapacity.•Theventhosecanbeanuisance.•Theytakeupvaluablefloorspace.

Voiceofexperience

SpringcleaningismandatoryAwindowairconditionercanholdsomenastysurprisesafterwinterstorage.Asidefromharmlessstufflikedustanddeadbugs,itmightcontainhealththreatslikemoldormousedroppings.Sobeforeyoulugittoawindow,vacuumallthesurfaces,especiallythefinsontheexteriorfaceoftheunit(that’sgoodforefficiencyandperformance).Alsopulloffthecoverpanel,andvacuumandcleanthefoamfilter.Finally,plugitinandfireitup.Bettertoblowdustaroundthegaragethanyourbedroom.

HarryKashuck,TheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

Mini-splitsystemLongpopularinEuropeandJapan,amini-splitsystemairconditioner(sometimescalledductlessAC),isahybridofcentralairandawindowunit.Asmallcondensersitsoutsideandconnectsthroughaconduittoaninsideevaporatormountedhighonthewallorceiling.

SplitACsystemItdoesn’trequireductworkandcanberuntooneormorerooms.The

Itdoesn’trequireductworkandcanberuntooneormorerooms.Thesmallsize,quietoperationandindividualzoningletyoucoolonlytheroomyou’reusing,whichcansaveenergyandmoney.

MAINADVANTAGES•Quietoperation.Thecondensersitsoutside,itdoesn’tletinstreetnoiseandtheindoorfaniswhisper-quiet.•Thesystemcanbemountedanywherethankstothesmallsizeoftheindoorandoutdoorcomponents.Theconduit,whichhousesthepowercable,refrigeranttubing,suctiontubingandacondensatedrain,runsthrougha3-in.holehiddenbehindtheindoorevaporator.•Zoningflexibilityletsyoucoolroomsindividually.

MAINDISADVANTAGE•Cost.Thetwounits,plusprofessionalinstallation,typicallytotal$1,500to$3,000.

In-wallACunitAnin-wallairconditionerisbasicallyawindowunitreengineeredforin-walloperation.Theprimarydifferenceisthatitstaysputyearround.

In-wallairconditionerAnin-wallairconditionermeansnomorewrestlingwithawindowuniteveryspringandfall.Youframetheopeningjustasyouwouldframeforawindow.

MAINADVANTAGES•Permanentinstallationmeansyoudon’thavetolugitinandouttwiceayear,andit’snotaneasyentrypointforburglars.•Itdoesn’tblockawindow.•Thesizeoftheunitisn’tlimitedtoastandardwindowopening,soitcanbebiggerandmorepowerfulthanawindowunit.

MAINDISADVANTAGES•Installationisasubstantialconstructionproject,involvingsiding,framingandinteriorwalls.•Youmayneedtoinstallanewelectricalcircuit.Somelargerunitsrequire240volts(althoughmostsmallerunitscanbepluggedintoastandard120-voltoutlet).

No.98

CurecondensationWaterpulledoutofthinaircandoseriousdamageEveryhomehassomecondensationsomewhere,sometime.Andmostofitisharmless.Butinheavydoses,thoselittledropletsofwatercanadduptorealdamage.Herearethemaintroublespots:

Whatiscondensation?Whenwarm,humidaircontactsacoldsurface,watervaporintheairbecomesliquid,formingdropletsonthesurface.

WindowsInwinter,windowsarethecoldestsurfaceinyourhome,sothat’swherecondensationisusuallyworst.Light,occasionalcondensationisn’tabigproblem,butheavy,continuouscondensationdamageswindowsandtrim,leadingtopeelingpaintorvarnish,stainsandrot.Worse,watercanseepintowalls,causingrotandmold.Asidefromloweringindoorhumidity,theonlyrealcureisnewwindowsthatinsulatebetterandstaywarmer.

BasementsWarm,humidsummerairreachingcoldbasementwallsandfloorsisthe

Warm,humidsummerairreachingcoldbasementwallsandfloorsistheperfectrecipeforcondensation.Theresultismold,mildewandmustyodors.Youmightbetemptedtoairoutadankbasementbyopeningwindows,butthatoftenmakestheproblemworsebyboostingthesupplyofhumidair.Finishingabasementwithwell-insulatedwallsandfloorsgreatlyreducescondensation.Aquicker,easiersolutionistorunadehumidifier.

ToiletsAfteraflush,thetankrefillswithcoldwaterandthetankcan“sweat”anddrip,causingflooringdamageandwoodrot.Thiscondensationsometimestrickshomeowners(andevenplumbers)intosearchingforatoiletleak.Onecurefortankcondensationisaninsulatedtank;somenewtoiletsofferthatoption,andinsulatingkitsforexistingtoiletsarealsoavailable.Anothersolutionistoinstallatemperingvalve,whichfeedsamixofhotandcoldwaterintothetank.

WallsLikeanyothercoldsurface,wallscangathermoisture.Condensationonwallsisusuallylight,morelikefogonamirrorthanlargedropletsonawindow.Butthatlightmoisturecangatherdirtandsupportmildewgrowth.Sincewoodisapoorinsulator,youmayseestripesofdirtandmildewthatshowtheframingbehindthedrywall,aneffectcalled“ghosting.”Condensationonwallsmayalsorevealpoorlyinsulated

“ghosting.”Condensationonwallsmayalsorevealpoorlyinsulatedareas.Asidefromupgradinginsulation,airmovementcanreducecondensationonwalls.Runningaceilingfanorleavingclosetdoorsopen,forexample,canreducecondensationbycirculatingwarmairandraisingthetemperatureofwalls.Movingairalsoquicklydriesanycondensationthatdoesoccur.

Voiceofexperience

WetwallpaperOnecoldautumnday,Iput15gallonsofmaplesaponthestove,boilingitdowntomakesyrup.Afterrakingtheyard,Ireturnedtoasteamykitchenandseriouscondensationonthewalls—somuchthatthewallpaperwasfallingoff.Iwasabletorehangthewallpaper,butcouldhaveavoidedthatmessjustbyswitchingontheexhaustfan.

NealCook,TheFamilyHandymanFieldEditor

LowerthehumidityCondensationrequirescoldsurfacesandhumidair.Sotherearetwowaystopreventit:Raisethetemperatureofsurfacesorlowerthehumidity.Raisingtemperaturesissometimesexpensive,difficultorboth.Buttherearesimplewaystocuthumidity:

•ExhaustfansCookingandbathingpumpalotofwaterintotheair.Butthesolutionisaseasyasflippingaswitch.Runkitchenandbathexhaustfansfor15to30minutesafterashowerorpotofspaghetti.

•DehumidifierItwillraiseyourelectricbillbyafewbucks,butadehumidifierisoneoftheeasiestandbestwaystofightcondensation.

•AirconditionerAirconditioningdoesn’tjustcooltheair—italsodriesit.SoyoumightsolvesummertimecondensationproblemsbyusingyourACmoreoften.

•DryerventsTheventpipecarriesallthemoistureremovedfromyourlaundryoutdoors.Makesureit’ssealedtightatjointsandblowsairoutdoors.

outdoors.Makesureit’ssealedtightatjointsandblowsairoutdoors.

•FurnacesettingsSomefurnaceshaveabuilt-inhumidifierthataddsalittlemoisturetodrywinterair.Butifthesettingistoohigh,itcancausecondensationtroubles.Checkthemanualorcallinapro.

No.99

DefeatodorsProvensolutionsforstinkysituationsDon’tbeashamed—badsmellsdevelopineventhecleanesthomes.Butwithalittleknowledge,youcanovercomeodors.Herearesolutionsforsomeofthemostcommonstinkysituations.

MoldywashingmachineEliminatingthemoldysmellinyourfront-loadingclotheswasheriseasy.Justruntheemptywasherthroughacycleonceamonthwithamoldcleanerdesignedforfrontloaders.Affreshisonebrand.Ifyoudon’twanttousethetablets,youcansubstituteacupofbleach.Topreventmoldinthefuture,keepthedooropenbetweenwashingssotheinteriorcandryout.Theultra-tightsealonfront-loaderdoorsdoesn’tlettheinteriordry,andmoldcangrowinsidebetweenwashings.

SmellyfloordrainsUndereverydraininyourhouse,there’satrapthatholdswaterandpreventssewergasfromflowingout.Butifyouhaveararelyusedshowerorfloordrain,thewaterinthetrapcaneventuallyevaporate.Thatletsinstinkysewergases.Thesolutionisafewouncesofcookingormineraloil.Dumpabucketofwaterdownthedraintorefillthetrap.Thenaddtheoil.Thefloatingoilformsasealoverthewaterandpreventsevaporation.

DisposerodorRuncoldwateranddropinafewslicesoforangeorlemonpeels.Runthedisposerforfiveseconds,thenturnoffthewaterandthedisposer.Givetheacidicpeelsabout15minutestowork.Turnonthewaterandthedisposeranddropinafewicecubesto“sandblast”thedisposerclean.Plugthedrainandfillthesinkhalf-full.Thenpulltheplugandlettheaccumulatedwaterflushthedisposerandpipesclean.Gunkbuildup

theaccumulatedwaterflushthedisposerandpipesclean.Gunkbuilduparoundthedisposer’ssplashguardcanstinktoo.Acarefulcleaningwillremovethatstinksource.

Deep-cleanthedisposerCitricacidfromorangeorlemonpeelswillsoftenthegunkinsidesoyoucanrinseitoutbyrunningthewater.

CleanthesplashguardLifttheflapsandscrubthemwithatoothbrushandgrease-cuttingcleaner.

RefrigeratorstenchWhenyourpowergoesoutandthefoodinyourfridgeandfreezergoesbad,you’vegotareallystinkymessonyourhands.Here’swhattodo:•Removethefoodandwipeeverythingdownwithadisinfectingcleaningspray.•Cleanallthenooksandcranniesinsidethefreezer,especiallytheshelfsupports.•Smashabout12charcoalbriquettesandspreadthechunksontwotrays.Onegoesinthefridge,theotherinthefreezer.•Crunchupnewspaperandfilltheshelveswithit.•Closethedoorsandwalkaway,givingthecharcoalandnewspapertimetoabsorbodors.•Replacetheoldnewspaperandcharcoalwithfreshstuffeverydayforaboutaweekoruntilthesmellisgone.

StinkydishwasherIfyourdishwasherstinks,don’treachforthebleach.Bleachiscorrosivetometalpartsanddoesn’tsolvetherootproblem.Thesmellcomesfrombacteriathatfeedontrappedfoodandgreaseinthescreenatthe

frombacteriathatfeedontrappedfoodandgreaseinthescreenatthebottomofthemachine,inthejetsinthesprayerarmsandalongthebottomedgeofthedoor.Cleantheseareas,thenpourinsomedishwashercleaner(DishwasherMagicisonebrand).

CleanthefilterRemovethebottomrackandsprayerarm.Cleanandrinseoutthefilterscreenatthebottomofthetub.

CleanthewholecompartmentWashoutanyfoodlodgedinthejetsofthesprayerarmandscrubtheareabelowthedoor.

No.100

QuietyourhomeSilenceannoyingnoisesHousesmakesounds.Someofthemaretoughtodiagnoseorcure.Butothersaresurprisinglyeasytosilence.Herearesomesimplesolutions.

AppliancehumWashersanddryerstransfervibrationstofloorsandtelegraphnoisethroughoutthehouse.Thesolutionistosettheirfeetonrubberanti-vibrationpads(availableatsomehomecentersandonline).

ExhaustventchatterWhenthewindblowsjustright,thedamperonadryerorexhaustfanventcanslamopenandclosed.Addsomeweighttothedampertoresistthewind.Onasteeldamper,stickonamagnetortwo.Thenrunthefanordryertomakesurethedamperstillopens.Addorremovemagnetsasneeded.Onaplasticoraluminumdamper,useglueandsteelwashers.Note:Don’ttrythisfixongasdryervents;toomuchweightcouldkeepthedamperclosedandpreventdangerousexhaustgasesfromexitingthehouse.

Voiceofexperience

SoffitclatterThemetalsoffitpanelsunderoverhangsfitlooselyintochannels.Andwhenthewindblows,theycanmakearacket.Afterinstallingmetalsoffitondozensofhomes,Ifinallyfoundasolutiontosoffitclatter:Pickupsomescreenspline(usedwithwindowscreens)atahomecenter.Stuffthesplineintothechannelsandtheclatterwillstop.

MarkPeterson,contractorandTheFamilyHandymanContributingEditor

Sump-pumpthumpThecheckvalveaboveasumppumppreventswaterfromflowingbackintothehouse.Italsomakesahugethumpwhenitslamsshut.Thesolutionisacheckvalvethat’sdesignedtoclosequietly(availableatsomehomecentersandonline).Installationisusuallyeasy;justloosen

somehomecentersandonline).Installationisusuallyeasy;justloosenandretightenacoupleclamps.

SlammingtoiletlidAsoft-closetoiletseat(availableathomecenters)solvestheslam-downproblem.Topreventtheseatfromslammingupagainstthetank,stickaclearcabinetdoorbumpertothetanklid.

CreakingpipesPipesexpandandcontractastheyheatupandcooldown.Thatcanmeanticks,creaksorgroansastheyslideagainstwoodandthestrapsthatsecurethem.Onesolutionistoremovestrapsandwrapthepipewithfeltbeforereinstallingthestrap.

GaragedoorrumbleNylonrollersareawholelotquieterthanmetalrollers.Youcanbuythemonlineoratgaragedoorsuppliers.Installthemoneatatime,removingeachhinge,slippingthenewrollerintothehingeandthenrefasteningthehingebeforemovingontothenexthinge.Besuretounplugthegaragedooropenerwhileyouwork.

BONUSSECTION

INCREDIBLYEASYFIXESProsolutions—buteasyenoughforbeginnersEveryprofessionalhandymanoccasionallygetscalledintoajobthat’ssoeasythatanhonestprofeelsalittleguiltyaboutcharging.Hereareafewofthosefixesfromourcrewofprofessional(andhonest!)handymen.

CleanaventhoodgreasefilterThestandardwaytocleanthefilterfromakitchenexhaustfanistostickitinthedishwasher.Ifthatdoesn’tgetyourfilterclean,tryanautomechanic’sapproach:Buysomewater-baseddegreaseratanautopartsstore,fillyourlaundrytubwithhotwateranddegreaser,andletthefiltersoakforafewminutes.Afterthat,allittakesisarinse.

Removeabrokenlightbulb

Howmanyhomeownersdoesittaketochangeabrokenlightbulb?Justone—ifheorsheknowsacoupletricks.Themostreliablemethodistofindastickthatfitsinsidethebulb’smetalbaseandslatherthestickwithabigblobofgluefromahot-meltgluegun.Shovethestickintothebaseandletthegluecoolforfewminutes.Thenjustturnthestickcounterclockwise.Anothertrickistocarvetheendofapotatotofitintothebase,pushitinhardandturnwhilepushing.Witheithermethod,turnoffthepowerbeforeyoudoanything.Youmayalsohavetobreakoutanyglassremaininginthebasewithpliers.

Deaddoorbell?Awirelessdoorbellisaneasy,inexpensivesolution:Justmountthebuttonbythefrontdoorandthechimeanywhereindoors.Butbeforeyoudothat,checkyourexistingdoorbellbutton.Thebuttonisthemostlikelyculpritandit’sconnectedtolow-voltagewiring,soyoudon’thavetoworryaboutgettingshocked.Here’showtodoit:

1.TestthedoorbellUnscrewthedoorbellbuttontoremoveitfromthewall.Loosenthescrewsonthebackofthebuttonanddisconnectthewires.Thentouch

thetwowirestogether.Ifthechimerings,thebuttonisbad.Ifnot,thechime,transformerorwiringisbad.

2.ReplacethebuttonConnectthewirestothenewbuttonjustastheywereconnectedtotheoldone.Screwthebuttontothewallandyou’redone.

PatchalaminatefloorAdroppedknifecanleaveaninstantchipinalaminatefloor.Luckily,homecenterscarryfillersformulatedtopatchlaminatedamage.Ifyouhavealeftoverscrapoftheflooring,takeittothestoretohelpyoufindagoodmatch.Youmayhavetobuytwocolorsandmixthemtogettherightcolor.Alsopickupsomesolventofthesamebrandasthefiller.Applythefillerwithaputtyknife.Don’tworryaboutperfectiononthefirstcoat;resultsareoftenbetterwhenachipisfilledtwice.Usethesolventtocleananyfilleroffthesurroundinglaminate.Asmooth,flatpatchwilllookprettygood,butyoucanmakeitevenbetter:Afterthefillerdries,scratchsomefake“woodgrain”linesinitwithautilityknife.Thenrubabrownmarkeroverthescratchesandwipeofftheexcessink.Theinkleftinscratcheswillhelpblendyourpatchwiththesurroundinglaminate.

SurgeryforsnaggedcarpetIfyouhavearunningsnagincarpetwithwovenloops,don’tworry.Youcanmakearepairsoperfectthatitwillbeinvisibletoeveryonebutyou.Allittakesisscissors,asmallscrewdriver,tapeandsomecarpetadhesive,whichisavailableathomecenters.

1.CuttheyarnGentlytugthelooseyarntofindthepointwhereit’sstillfirmlyattachedtothebacking.Snipitoffasclosetothebackingaspossible.

2.GluedowntheyarnProtectnearbycarpetwithtapeandapplyabeadofcarpetadhesiveintotherun.Useascrewdrivertopresseach“scab”—spotswherebitsofbackingclingtotheyarn—intotheadhesive.

TightenawobblytablelegWhetherit’sadiningtable,coffeetableorendtable,itprobablyhasaleg-fasteningsystemsimilartotheoneshownhere.Totightenthistypeofleg,flipthetableupsidedownorcrawlunderit.Thensimplytightentheoneortwonutsthatsecuretheleg.Whileyou’reatit,youcanmakesurethatthenutwon’tloosenupagainbyapplyingalittlethreadadhesive.Justremovethenut,applyalittleadhesiveandscrewonthenut.Butbesuretochooseaversionofthreadadhesivethatallowsforeasyremovallater.Sometypeswillmakeitalmostimpossibletodisassembleyourtable.

AdjustadraggingshowerdoorIftheslidingdoorsonyourtuborshowerdon’tslidesmoothly,repairthemsoon.Thedraggingwilleventuallycausepermanentdamagetothedoors,tracksorrollers.

First,makesuretherollersonbothdoorsareridingonthetracksinsidetheupperrail.Sometimesarollerfallsoutofthetrack.Inthatcase,allyouhavetodoisliftthedoorandguidetherollerbackintothetrack.Ifanoff-trackrollerisn’ttheproblem,you’llhavetoremovethedraggingdoorsoyoucanadjustitsheight.Manydoorshaveaplasticguideatthemiddleofthebottomrail.Toremoveit,justremoveasinglescrew.Otherdoorshaveaguiderailscrewedtothedoor(Photo1).Removethedoor(Photo2)andadjusttherollerssothedoornolongerdrags(Photo3).

1.RemovetheguiderailUnscrewtheguiderailattheloweredgeofthedoorsoyoucanremovethedoor.

2.RemovethedoorTiltthedoorinoroutandliftitcarefullyoutofitstrack.Makesuretherollersturnsmoothly.

3.AdjusttherollersLoosentheroller’sscrew,thenraiseorlowerthedoorbyrepositioningtherollerinitsslot.Tightenthescrewandhangthedoorinplacetocheckthefit.

ReplacementrollersIfyoufindabrokenrolleroranyofthemdon’tturn,removeoneandtakeittoahomecentertofindamatch.Often,arollerofslightlydifferentsizewillwork,butrollerswithflatorroundededgesaren’tinter-changeable.

AdjustastickingpatioscreendoorBadlyalignedrollersinsidethebottomofapatioscreendoorwillcausethedoortobindorstickwhenopeningorclosing.Thisstressesthecornersofthedoor,andifthecornerjointsbecomeloose,thedoorwilleventuallyfallapart.Butyoucanadjustthedoortoglidesmoothlywithjustascrewdriver.You’llfindtwoadjustmentscrewsatthebottomofthedoor,oneateachend,thatraiseorlowerseparaterollers.Adjustthemasshownhere.

1.LowerthedoorTurntheadjustmentscrewcounterclockwiseandlowerthedooruntilit

Turntheadjustmentscrewcounterclockwiseandlowerthedooruntilitrestsonthetrack.Dothesameattheotherendofthedoor.

2.RaisethedoorRaiseonerolleruntilitliftsthedoorabout1/4in.offthetrack.Slowlyraisetheotherrolleruntilthere’sanevengapbetweenthedoorandthetrack.

RegluecountertopedgingEndcapsandotherlaminateedgessometimescomelooseandcanbreakoffifleftloose.Butaslongastheparticleboardbackerisingoodshape,thefixissimple.

Gentlyscrapeoffanychunksofdebrisordriedglueonthelaminate.Thengrabyourclothesiron,switchittoamedium-hotsettingandtrytoironthelaminatebackinplace.Sometimesheatreactivatestheglue,sometimesnot.Ifnot,you’llneedtoreglueitwithcontactcementasshownhere.Chancesare,you’llendupwithlittleblobsofcementsqueezedoutalongtheedgesofthelaminate.Letthembecomegummyovernightandthensimplyrubthemawaywithyourfinger.

1.ApplycontactcementCoatboththelaminateandthebackerwithcontactcement.Openawindowforventilation.

2.LetthecementdryKeepthetwosidesapartuntilthecementisdry,butstilltacky.Usually,thattakesabout20minutes.

3.RubthelaminateintoplaceForcethelaminateagainstthecountertopwithasmoothblockofwood.Makealightpassfirst,thenrubhardtoembedthelaminate.

Reattachastormdoorcloser—forgoodAgustofwindorahigh-velocitykidcanswingastormdooropensohardthatitripsthecloseroffthedoororjamb.Butyoucanreconnecttheclosertothedoororjambasshownhere.Ifthemishapalsobentthecloser’sarm,removeitandtakeittoahomecentertofindasimilarmodel.Wheninstallinganewcloser,throwawaytheshortscrewsthatcameinthepackageanduselongscrewsasshowninPhoto1.

1.ReattachthecloserbracketDrillscrewholesanddrivescrewsatleast3in.longintothejamb.Thoselongscrewswillpassthroughthejambandbiteintotheframingbehindthejambforarock-solidconnection.

2.ReattachtheclosertothedoorIfthecloser’sscrewswereyankedoutofthedoor,simplytossouttheoldscrewsandreplacethemwiththicker(butnotlonger)screws.

StraightenacrookedfridgedoorAsaggingfridgeorfreezerdoordoesn’tjustlookbad.Itcancausethedoorgasketstosealpoorlyandmeansthefridgewillburnmoreenergytokeepthemilkcold.Itcanalsoleadtofrostbuildupinthefreezer.Torealignthedoor,justloosenandretightenhinges.Ifonlytheupperdoorneedsadjustment,movethetophingeonly.Ifthebottomdooriscrooked,you’llhavetomovethehingethat’sbetweenthetwodoors.Movingthathingealsoaffectsthefitoftheupperdoor,soyou’llhavetoadjusttheupperdoorafteradjustingthelowerdoor.

1.LoosenthehingePryofftheplastichingecapandloosenthescrews.Keeplooseninguntilyoucanliftthedoorbyhand.

2.TightenthehingeHoldthedoorevenwiththesideandtopofthefridgewhileyoutightenthescrews.

StiffenawobblydeckSomeotherwisesoliddeckstendtoswayorwobbleasyouwalkacrossthem,especiallydecksthatstandonpostsafewfeetofftheground.Ifyouhavethisproblem,you’llbeamazedathowasimple2x4bracestopsthesway.Runthebracediagonallyacrosstheundersidesofthedeckjoists,fasteningittoeachjoistwithnailsorscrews.Youcanuseasinglelong2x4oracoupleshorter2x4s.Ifyouusemorethanone,lapoveratleasttwojoists,runningthemsidebyside.

FixadeadlightfixtureLotsofthingscangowrongwithalamporlightfixture,causingbulbstoburnoutquicklyandlightstoflickerornotworkatall.Here’sthefirstthingtocheck:Unscrewthebulbandpeerintothesocket.Thelittlecontacttabinthecenterofthesocketshouldbetiltingslightlyoutward,awayfromthebottomofthesocket.Butsometimesthetabgetsbentflatagainstthesocketsoitcan’tmakecontactwiththebaseofthelightbulb.Thefixiseasy.Butbeforeyoudoanything,unplugthelamporturnoffpowertothefixture.Makesurethepowerisoffusinganoncontactvoltagetester.Thensimplybendthetaboutwardwithasmallscrewdriver.

CoveralooseflooringseamIfyouhaveanopenseaminavinylfloor,don’tprocrastinate.Foottrafficwilleventuallywrecktheexposededgesandmakerepairsdifficultorimpossible.Theusualcureforalooseseamistoreglueandresealit.Buthere’saneasierfix:Buyasectionofmetaltransitionstripatahomecenterandcutittolengthwithahacksaw.Thennailorscrewthestripovertheseamandyou’redone!

PreventfloordamageFurnituremanufacturersoftenputsmallmetalbuttonsonchairandtablelegs.That’sfineforcarpet,butthosebuttonscandamagewood,laminate,vinylorevenceramicfloors.Soit’sagoodideatoreplacethefactorybuttonswithsofterfeet.

1.RemovethemetalbuttonsUsually,youprythemoffwithascrewdriverorgrabthemwithpliers.Ifthatdoesn’twork,drilla1/4-in.holeinthebuttonandleveritoutwithascrewdriver.

2.NailonsoftfeetYoucanstickadhesive-backedpadsonfurniturelegs,butnail-onfeetstayputbetter.Withhardwoodlegs,firstdrillaholeslightlysmallerthanthenailshank.

PadsFeltorclothpadsaregentleonfloors,buttheydon’tslideaseasilyasplasticfeet.

GlidesPlasticglidesslidesmoothly,butdon’tusethemonwoodflooring—chemicalsinplasticscanstainwoodfinishes.

QUIZ

Areyouasmarthomeowner?Alittleknowledgecansaveyoumoney,helpyouavoidfrustrationandmakeyouhappierwithyourhome.Onceyou’veread100ThingsEveryHomeownerMustKnow,you’llknowtheanswerstothequestionsbelow—andawholelotmore.

•Whenanapplianceisn’tworking,whatshouldyoudobeforeyoucallarepairpro?Seehere

•What’sthebestwaytopreventcatastrophicwaterdamagewhileyou’reonvacation?Seehere

•Forbetterhomesecurity,whichtwoareasshouldyoufocusonfirst?Seehere

•Howcanyouprotectappliancesandelectronicsfrompowersurges—andinstantdestruction?Seehere

•Whenyoursmokealarmsareabout10yearsold,whatshouldyoudo?Seehere

•Whattypeofpaintisbestformostinteriorandexteriorprojects?Seehere

•Howcanyoureducesoapscumbuildupeffortlessly?Seehere

•Whichtypeoffaucetvalveisleastlikelytodevelopdrips?Seehere

•What’stheeasiestwaytoavoidfurnacetrouble?Seehere

•Whoshouldyoucallbeforedigginginyouryard?Seehere

•Whichmethodofkillingantsactuallymakesthemhardertoeradicate?Seehere

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