Home Repair & Maintenance

A sump pit is a hole located in an area where unwanted water gathers. The purpose of the pit is to collect the water so it can be easily removed either by hand or by way of a sump pump. Some pits...

Snaking cables through walls can be done quickly with the use of a tool called a fish tape, which is a long, thin metal ribbon that becomes rigid when uncoiled from a spool. The fish tape is...

Acrylic kitchen sinks are becoming increasing popular because of the wide variety of colors they come in and their shiny surface. The acrylic material is nonporous, which makes maintenance easier...

Creaking, squeaking wood floors can really grate on you after awhile. If your wood floor is creaking in specific spots, it means the boards have loosened a tiny bit, and are rubbing against the...

Your septic system is for the most part maintenance free. Other than pumping out the solid waste every three to five years, there are very few maintenance issues that will ever need to be...

Fitting a kitchen sink into an existing area can seem like a difficult task, but many sinks are equipped with templates that can make it simple for any novice to install. The template supplied by...

Owning a wall chime clock that needs to be wound manually requires setting up a regular schedule. Proper maintenance of the clock requires keeping it running smoothly and seamlessly. A symbiotic...

A common problem in many basements is the accumulation of water from seepage or leaks. Removing this unwanted water can help prevent many long term problems including health concerns. One of the...

Ceiling repairs are generally the same as wall repairs, and whether the surface is drywall or plaster, it's usually most effective to make patches with drywall and drywall compound (also called...

Carpenter bees or wood-boring bees tunnel into the unpainted wood that is found around the eaves of log homes. They overwinter in tunnels created during the summer and then tunnel further into the...

A wooden work desk makes a great place for getting homework or leftover work done in your home or shop. Most wooden desks do not come with predrilled holes for a cord or any other item you want to...

Wood paneling makes for a beautiful decorative addition to any home. And while paneling is a fairly durable wall covering, it does occasionally need to be repaired. Small holes and gouges are...

Mice can find a home in ovens that are never turned on. They are attracted to the warmth of the pilot lights, the food crumbs left in the stove, and the proximity to other food in the kitchen. ...

This iron is a very handy tool for use on automobiles, boats, tractors and much more. Once you make this little gem, it can also be portable if you have a jump pack. For those of you who do not...

Tapping threads in metal requires a properly sized hole drilled into the metal and a sharp tap to create sound threads. An improperly sized hole can result in threads that will bind the fastener...

All of us have had it happen. Maybe you banged your wall when installing that last new bed frame. Or maybe an over-assertive new puppy had helped to "redecorate" your walls with a few,...

As a safety precaution and for protection against fire, all electrical panels and junction boxes are required to be fully secure. This means that if a knockout is removed and not used, it needs to...

Mailmaster mailboxes are mounted by securing them to a wooden post. The post is buried in the ground to secure it, and the mailbox slides over the top. Two wood screws anchor the mailbox to the...

When it comes to decorating and maintaining certain rooms of your home, you may need to drill a hole in concrete and cinder block walls. While this task isn't one for the typical set of hammer and...

You just poked a hole in the drywall, now what? Following these simple instructions you will have your drywall looking like new in no time!

Screws are versatile fasteners that you may need on many home carpentry projects. They come in a variety of sizes, thread and drive types, and head shapes. Each have their uses, and it's almost...

A cylinder door lock consists of a keyed cylinder mechanism contained within the operating trim for the lock. It will typically include an inner and outer knob or lever for operating the door,...

Hollow core doors are commonly used in residential construction. Although they are not made of solid wood like exterior doors, hollow core units are not truly hollow either. In most cases, they...

Since the invention of the screw in 1513 by a German clockmaker, building everything from furniture to houses got a lot easier. Screws with their threads have much more holding and gripping power...

Inflatable mattresses are convenient for camping or for use when guests are staying over at your house. They are relatively inexpensive and easy to store. In addition the inflatable mattresses on...

Wallboard is a light, inexpensive version of drywall. It provides the same look and feel as drywall, but it is not as durable. It is easy to accidentally punch a hole in the wall and damage the...

Peepholes and door viewers allow the occupants of a home to see who is outside before opening the door. These devices provide a safe method of seeing through the door, yet are small enough that...

Screws can often be tricky to use. In many materials, a screw seems strong enough to hold, but the bond weakens in time, creating damage to the object and making it useless. Drywall is one of the...

Depending on the size and location of the hole, you can repair it by filling it with enamel paint that matches the tile or covering the hole with a small ceramic piece used for decoration....

Nothing is worse than a stripped screw or hole. Furniture and anything else breaks down much more quickly with loose screws. Not only does a loose screw provide a weaker piece of furniture, it...

Most ceilings are made of drywall. The hole left in the ceiling after you remove a light fixture can be patched using simple drywall patching techniques. The great thing about drywall is that it...

Screws are incredibly versatile construction tools. No matter what your project is or what material is being used, there is a screw made specifically for it. If you need to attach an object to a...

Whether it's been pulled out by gravity or a great tug or it's become stripped from too much retightening, repairing a screw that's lost its grip in wood is an easy fix. In most cases the repair...

Installing a mailbox is one of the easiest ways to spruce up your home's curb appeal. The project is inexpensive and takes only about half a day to complete. While you can get creative when...

Shower curtains are prone to rips and tears due to daily use. Tears usually occur around the rings because pressure is constantly put on this area. Instead of replacing your shower curtain you can...

A strike plate is a piece of hardware that works with a lock to keep a door secure. The strike is installed on the door frame and contains a hole that catches the latch or bolt extending from the...

Corian is a common material used for countertops and stove tops. Because of its makeup, it has many other applications as well and further has the ability to be manipulated and sculpted. Created...

Installing a new laminate counter top can change the look of your kitchen. Most of the job is straightforward and easy to do. However, when you are faced with the task of cutting a large hole in...

Changing the laminate on your kitchen or bathroom countertops can go a long way toward updating and improving the appearance of these rooms. Laminates come in a wide variety of colors, textures,...

Many homes and buildings are built in phases. The first phase provides for an initial complete building, and later phases are designed to expand from this existing construction. Once the...

One of the most critical parts of hanging a new door and installing the door handle is drilling the door stock for receiving the handle parts. Drilling a door handle is not overly difficult with...

Home remodeling and repairs can seem like a daunting task, but they have lifelong rewards and add value to your home. Updating lighting fixtures or ceiling fans can be part of the process. With...

Drill bits come in various sizes, from 1/16 inch or smaller, all the way up to 1 inch. When manufactured, the bits are gauged by measuring the outside edges, also known as the outside diameter....

A residential mailbox is a functional and decorative extension of your home. A mailbox can be basic or a more elaborate reflection of your taste and personality. Through the years, weather and age...

Holes in manufactured or mobile homes can be created by falling tree limbs or large hail. Once the hole begins, it can, over time, become larger. Repair should be done as soon as possible. Inspect...

Screw hooks are exactly what they sound like: a screw with a hook on the opposite end. Screw hooks are available in a variety of sizes and styles. Decorative or utilitarian screw hooks are easy to...

Wood doors bring warmth and natural beauty to any bedroom. Unlike steel or fiberglass, however, wood doors are susceptible to holes and gouges due to sharp impacts or collisions with nearby...

The major surface in any bathroom is tile because it is easy to clean and has a good resistance to water. Tile is also extremely durable and can weather changing humidity well. However, if you are...

A Greenlee knockout punch is a tool used to punch a precisely sized hole through metal. Usually, that hole is going into an electrical panel, but sometimes it's through sheet metal or steel studs....

Fellas should probably not ought to read this because it would only make them snicker but I'm here to tell all the ladies that we sure can fix things when we have to! When I do things, I always...