House Repair Tips Made Easy to Save You Money
Here are 5 more home repair tips that everyone
should know - well, almost everyone.
Painting Over Stains - You can't paint over crayon, ballpoint pen ink, grease splatters or water stains on the ceiling. The stains will just seep through the paint. First you have to seal the stains. There
are good sealers and primers these days. A good standby product is pigmented shellac. You can also tint the primer to make it easier to blend with the finishing coat of paint. Some primers also seal in odors, especially recommended for those that smoke or
who own house cats.
Replacing Flapper Ball in Toilet - Ever hear your toilet flush itself in the middle of the night? Or how about one that leaks water from the tank to the bowl? A bad flapper ball is usually the culprit.
This is the valve that opens when you flush the toilet. Buy a replacement, read the directions on the back of the package and install it yourself. You don't need to hire a plumber. Pay attention to the proper chain length. If your chain is too short or
too long, it will interfere with proper operation. Clean the opening at the bottom of the tank before installing the new one. Sometimes grit and minerals build up and keep the ball from seating properly.
Using a Variable Speed Drill - To repair nail pops in your drywall, pull the nail out. Drive a screw into the stud or joist a few inches away from the nail hole. Make sure the screw head "dimples" the surface
(screw head should be just below the face of the drywall). Cover the screw head and nail hole with spackling, let it dry and sand smooth. You can use this same procedure to repair loose boards on your deck. Pull out the nails and replace with decking screws.
Use coated or galvanized screws if the lumber is treated. Using a speed drill is easy but you might want to first practice on a scrap of 2x4. Buy extra No. 2 Phillips screw bits. These can get torn up on decks and you'll want to make sure you always have extras.
Using a Caulking Gun - A gun's trigger gives you more control than a squeeze tube. But if you use a tube, cut the tip at an angle, smaller than you think you'll need. You can always make the hole larger, but not smaller.
Break the inner seal. Quit squeezing before you get to the end of where you're caulking. Caulk continues to come out after you stop squeezing. When you reach the end, lift the gun from the surface immediately and remove all tension on the push rod. Be sure
to choose the right caulk for the project. Use mildew-resistant bath and kitchen caulk for those rooms. Use paint-able acrylic latex for gaps between the wall and baseboard. Read all labels carefully. When you smooth caulk with your finger, don't over work
the area. Only use two passes as a third one will create a mess.
Hanging a Ceiling Fan - Hire a professional electrician. I'm not even going to attempt to deal with this one.
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The Mega Back Saving Tools - A Must Have!
Everyone gets tired of their furniture
arrangement once and a while. Most of us move from one location to another at some point. Many people move many times. Each time you move your furniture, you run the
risk of injury. So that's why having the proper tools is so important. For more details,
see: Furniture Lifter Set.
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