Home Repair & Maintenance

Whatever your reason for replacing your old doorbell, the actual installation is not very difficult. A doorbell kit and few basic tools are all you'll need. It is a very small price for the sake...

A typical homeowner may think that replacing a HVAC thermostat is a complicated project that only qualified heating and cooling specialists can perform, but this is far from the truth. Most HVAC...

When renovating a room without a ceiling light fixture, one of the easiest ways of picking up a feed for installing one is by wiring a switch off of an outlet. While this job can be tricky in some...

There are a lot of times that it would be convenient to have a switch at the other end of a room or hallway. To have a switch at every doorway entering a room just makes sense. Fortunately, there...

Many people think that when a lamp switch breaks, you have to toss the lamp and buy a new one. This couldn't be further from the truth. Lamp switches are easy to repair and replace and make a...

A three-way dimmer switch allows you to control a light fixture from two or more locations. This type of dimmer can be installed in existing three-way-controlled locations by replacing one of the...

Replacing an old dial-type thermostat to a more modern programmable version is beneficial for many reasons. Programmable thermostats are more efficient because they allow you to set different...

In time, your heating system may begin acting erratically. If it suddenly stops working properly, the problem may either be in the furnace or the thermostat. To determine the problem, some simple...

Wall switches sometimes break or wear out over time, necessitating replacements. The most common type of light or wall switch is referred to as a "toggle switch." These switches can be found at...

Fluorescent light fixtures provide a number of benefits. They're inexpensive, long-lasting and energy-efficient. But, when the fixture stops working, the solution may not be as simple as just...

When remodeling or upgrading a kitchen or bathroom, you may have to replace a regular receptacle with a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) to come up to code. If you are adding a new switched...

The simplest setup for a heating system is a thermostat that is wired with two wires. In order for a thermostat to only need two wires, the heating system can only heat the space. If any cooling...

Rope lights are the perfect answer to provide lighting around the house, particularly during the holidays. Rope lights come in large strands that are easily unrolled and can illuminate Christmas...

Double-pole thermostats are used to control line voltage -- electrical power to heating devices. Line voltage is the electricity that comes from the main circuit breaker or fuse panel. When wiring...

Many older homes have regular electrical receptacles in kitchens and bathrooms. In order to prevent accidental electrocution, in rooms such as these where water is present, the National Electric...

Telephone wiring in a house seldom breaks along its length. Construction or disruption to walls, ceilings and floors are the most likely causes of broken telephone wires. Problems at the jacks...

Many older homes still use the old mercury switch thermostat. These types of thermostats are not very energy efficient. You can change a mercury thermostat to a digital thermostat on your existing...

HVAC thermostats are wonderful devices that make climate control in your home easy. There comes a time when you might have to replace the thermostat. One reason for replacement could be that it...

Heating your garage in the winter will help to keep your vehicles warm and defrosted and allow you to continue working on projects without hesitation. For a garage without a vent, an energy...

Soldering is a skill that can take several attempts to master, but it is one of the most trusted ways to join connections. Soldering is used in many different facets of electronic or electrical...

If you're building or remodeling a house, you can save money by wiring the telephone jacks yourself. It's not hard to do, and it is less dangerous than rewiring an electrical outlet.

Wiring a 220/240-volt outlet will allow you to run many of today's heavy appliances or garage tools. The 220 volt, or as it's called today, 240-volt outlet, will carry twice as much current as a...

There are two basic ways to wire two or more light fixtures together -- in parallel and in series. Most homes feature parallel wiring. Parallel wiring allows the other lights in the circuit to...

Since the mid to late 1970s, ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) devices have been required in all bathrooms and wet environments. Later codes require these devices in crawl spaces, attics and...

The protection of residential electrical wiring falls under the regulation of the National Electrical Code (NEC). There are two basic areas for protecting these current-carrying wires: mechanical...

Three-prong electrical outlets, or grounded outlets, are important upgrades to any home or apartment. Many new appliances or sensitive electronics are strictly wired for grounded outlets, and it...

Whether you are repairing a faulty thermostat or upgrading to one that is programmable, replacing your thermostat is a quick project that can save you a lot in home heating and cooling bills. Old...

Wiring motion sensors to interior lights is a great way to save energy while adding a little convenience to your home. Interior motion sensors are perfect solutions for controlling the lights in a...

For the most part, a light switch is a simple, yet durable controller that is built to withstand thousands of toggles. But even the most expensive light switches will eventually wear down. Knowing...

Installing a digital thermostat in your home is simple and will make your heating and cooling systems more efficient. Digital thermostats can be programmed to turn on and off at various times to...

Motion sensor-activated lights are just one more thing that can give you peace of mind and are a relatively easy addition to your home. With them, there is no more need to worry about those...

Wire strippers Wire nuts Electrical tape Wire cutters Voltage tester

If your thermostat is an older model, it might be time to change to a more modern style. Having an older unit causes wild temperature swings in your home. This can cost you money by increasing the...

There are many scenarios for wiring a ceiling fan and light combo.This wiring scheme is used specifically when the source power originates at the switch. In other words, there in only one switch....

Hanging a new light fixture in a child's room can add to the decor or theme of the room. There are lots of fun lights to choose from, and if you get the child involved in picking it out it he...

Sometimes after years of use, electrical plugs can wear down. They may not stay securely in a socket, or loose wires in the plug may cause your device to turn on and off erratically. Instead of...

Wiring your own electricity is a challenging, yet do-able, project that can save you thousands of dollars. An older home may have a combination of wiring, some of which may have been improperly...

Baseboard heaters are electrical devices used to heat individual areas in a room. These long heaters are placed under exterior windows along the floor and range in size from two feet to four feet...

A lot of these outlets will burn up when they get old and it is very nice to know how to replace one of these without calling an eletrician out and charge you an arm and a leg to do such a easy...

Soldering is really an easy process. Its just one that needs to be learned before attempted, so that you don't risk hurting the joint your soldering, or causing unnecessary frustration. So learn away!

Meter bases, or meter sockets, hold the electric meter. The electric meter is what the power utility company uses to determine your monthly bill. The meter base is a standard configuration that is...

Running electrical wires through an existing piece of conduit can help save time when you're running new wires. If the conduit is in place and has room for more wires, it is a simple process. You...

When you join two wires together, this is called a splice. The way electrical wire is spliced is very important. If done wrong, you can short circuit a piece of gear or even cause a fire or...

Wire splicing is an essential part of installing lights, switches and receptacles in your home. "Splicing" electrical wire means joining the bare ends of two or more separate pieces of wire by...

A house light is wired by connecting the electric wires from the light to the corresponding electric wires at the junction box where the light will be mounted. Power to the location should be...

When it comes to trouble shooting an electrical circuit one of the most simple tests is the continuity test. The name of the test implies what the test does, it tests for a continuous circuit,...

With air conditioners becoming more and more common, it just makes sense to incorporate both your heating and air conditioning controls into one thermostat. Newer thermostats offer many more...

Outdoor light fixtures are convenient for lighting up the entryway to a home as well as brightening porches, patios and decks. An outdoor light fixture can also be a necessary safety feature. Many...

Having a light switch just where you want it can make any room more accessible and appealing, especially for guests who won't be able to find an inconveniently-placed switch. Not to mention the...

Circuit breakers are designed to prevent the wiring in a house from overheating and catching fire. The breaker is sized according to the anticipated load and the size of the wiring it serves....