The Basic Home Repair: Home Improvement DVD is designed to provide complete details and lessons on home repair topics including energy conservation, home security, replacing a faucet, sweating copper pipes, replacing toilets, unclogging drain clogs, replacing the caulk on a tub, replacing lighting fixtures, repairing broken lamps, replacing tiles that are cracked and broken and replacing broken or clogged shower heads.

Basic Home Repair: Home Improvement encompasses a wide variety of different repairs that the average home owner is going to have to deal with in his or her lifetime. It is designed to give home owners an easy way to deal with small repairs, informing savvy home repair people of ways to save money while resolving these problems. Each problem is presented with step by step instructions that address these minor and more challenging repairs which become prevalent in every home at some point in time. The instructions that are included with this DVD are actually even printable right off of your computer, if your computer is capable of reading DVDs.

Most of these repairs are based on a home improvement show that aired during the mid 80s. While this DVD does not provide a lot of insight into newer techniques and tools, it is still an excellent reference tool for anyone looking to make basic home repairs to lighting fixtures, plumbing, stuck drains and other parts of the house that can often fall into basic disrepair.

This is a great resource for any homeowner, regardless of whether you just want a reference that you can occasionally skim, or an in depth description of how to make repairs on your home that you were previously unfamiliar with. Most of the details that you will find on this DVD are just your basic stuff, so you will not find much on demolition, construction or heavy duty home repair projects, but these require the assistance of a contractor anyway so don’t bother. Instead, the “Basic Home Repair: Home Improvement” DVD does exactly what it claims to: It gives you basic step by step home repair instructions for a wide variety of different home repairs and home improvements.

So whether you are looking for assistance on un-sticking a clogged drain or replacing a shower head, replacing a toilet, replacing the caulking on a bathtub or other bathroom fixture or fixing a copper pipe that is leaking or sweating, there is plenty of useful information to find within this useful DVD, and the printable directions that it offers for each project within. This is an excellent book for anyone who is a beginner to home repair, or who needs a refresher course on the basic step by step processes involved with home repair and home improvement.

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Ever sat up half the night worried about what the heck was making that noise? Need quick help in figuring out what is wrong with your home? This book from Ortho isn’t the newest one on the market, but that doesn’t make it any less important. In fact, if you have only one home improvement book in your library, this may be the one to buy.

The first section covers home safety and features some life saving tips on fires, and emergencies that can crop up in the home. The section on diagnosing odors is vital for anyone to read. Next up, the book moves into fixing common interior problems. Everything from the ceiling down to the floor is covered, and covered well. The authors excel at giving advice that is easy to understand and implement. This is an area where a lot of DIY books fall down and we were very pleased that they did such a good job with this.

Windows and Doors are next, followed by common exterior problems. Virtually anything that could go wrong with either topic is covered. We really enjoyed the section on plumbing problems since this is an area that costs home owners a fortune. For example, you’ll learn the difference between what causes a leaking sink and a running sink – as well as how to fix either one. Since plumbers are so expensive, this section is absolutely vital.

Solving electrical problems was a fascinating chapter and covered once again, life saving tips. While we don’t recommend that anyone without experience fix their home’s electrical system, this chapter will help you figure out what is wrong and help you locate someone that can get it fixed for you.

Last but not least, the section on mechanical problems was incredible. From fixing your stove, to handling strange refrigerator noises and balancing your washing machine, you’ll get plenty of tips on how to do it all. Heating and cooling systems are also covered in this chapter, as well as some great tips on home humidifiers. At the end, you’ll find a very helpful glossary of all the terms discussed in the book.

Overall, we are huge fans of this book. It is truly essential reading, even if you don’t have anything wrong with your home – yet. Chances are, over time, something is going to go wrong. With this book, you’ll have everything you need to know to fix it yourself and save money. We can’t say enough nice things about this book and highly recommend it to anyone interested in home repair and especially to new homeowners that are just getting started.

The project tips and diagnostic advice make the book more than worth the cover price. This is the perfect housewarming gift, and chances are, you’ll end up buying it for more than just one person. It’s really that good and one of the best home improvement books we have ever seen. Highly recommended!

Originally posted 2008-09-05 05:38:51. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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Adding a deck can be a great way to increase the overall value of your home, but taking care of it is a whole other matter. Unless you purchased pre-sealed wood, you are going to have to take the time to maintain your deck, or your investment will quickly go to pieces. Here are some great tips on how to weatherproof your deck and make it easier to maintain.

Whether your deck is brand new or aged, these tips can make a big difference in the amount of work you do throughout the year on your deck. They will require a weekend, or maybe more time depending on your schedule, to complete. However, once you are done, you should not have to do much to your deck throughout the rest of the year, besides washing it occasionally.

Let’s get started!

1. Power wash the entire deck.

This is a vital step and will impact the finished results. Take the time to make sure that the deck is really clean, even in between the boards. A power washer will make short work of this chore, but you can also do the same thing with a hose and a pressure sprayer.

2. Sand the whole surface.

After the deck is completely dry, it’s time to sand down any damage, imperfections or snags. A power sander is recommended for this task, and will save you a lot of time and effort. Do at least one pass on all of the boards and make sure that they are completely smooth.

3. Sweep the deck.

Once you’re done power sanding, there will be some detritus left behind so it’s now time to completely sweep away all of your shavings. Take the time to make sure you get it all to avoid common cosmetic issues that we’ll talk about in our next step.

4. To seal or stain?

This step will depend on your personal preference. If the wood is already the right color or in good shape, sealing it should be sufficient. If not, you may need to stain it first. This can take up to 3 to 4 coats, depending on the depth and intensity of the desired finished color. Decide which method is right for you, and then double check to make sure that all of the shavings are gone.

Failing to do this will cause bubbles in the finish and may impact the overall effectiveness of your weatherization preparation. Make sure that your family knows they cannot walk on the deck until this process is completely done. It may take up to two coats of sealant, depending on the brand and how bad your wood is.

5. Make a note of the date.

You will probably need to redo this in about five years, so make sure you mark down in your home improvement journal when you finished weatherproofing the deck. By keeping your maintenance up to date, you can be assured that your deck will beautify your home for many years to come.

Photo Credit: 1

Originally posted 2008-09-04 05:30:31. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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There are essentially three different ways to go when it comes to building your own shed. You can purchase a pre-built shed and simply have it moved into the right space, you can purchase kits for wood sheds and other storage sheds, and then simply put them together, or you can find free shed blueprints and other shed building plans and put the entire thing together from scratch. Obviously the last choice is the one that offers the most freedom, because you can choose the type of lumber, the type of hardware, the size, the shape, and many other features and details for wood sheds that normally cannot be chosen when following a kit or buying pre-built.

The most common material to consider when you decide to build a shed is wood, so there are plenty of plans for wood sheds out there. Before you choose and purchase the lumber intended for your shed, you should look at various shed blueprints to get a feel for how much you need, and which types of lumber will provide the best results. Outdoor storage sheds require stability so that they can withstand the weather, changes in the climate, humidity and other damage. When you buy lumber for your shed building plans, you should first inspect each piece for loose knots, twisting and warping. Unseasoned and green wood may be attractive, but as this lumber dries it can shrink and split.

When following the instruction of free shed blueprints or free shed plans, one of the best lumbers that you can consider is kiln dried lumber, especially when it comes to framing outdoor storage sheds and other types of wood sheds. The better grades of lumber dried in a kiln will resist cracking or twisting as bad as other types of lumber can. The most common lumber grades used when building based on free storage shed plans are 1, 2, 3, 4 common. 4 is the cheapest grade, but tends to have many open knots and weak spots. The best quality and price offered tends to come from the number 2 grade, at least when it comes to shed building plans. You need to choose lumber that has been pressure treated when building outdoor storage sheds, as this lumber will be protected from rotting, insect damage and decay. One of the strongest and most durable options for your shed building plans is pressure treated pine, which tends to be better than cedar or redwood, and is also more cost effective.

A good foundation to use is a gravel base, which will provide a flat surface that easily drains well, keeping the lumber in good shape. Remove four inches of soil from an area that is a foot wider on all sides than the size of your shed, then fill the area with four inches of compactable gravel and tamp it down before building atop it. Another good choice for building along to free shed blueprints is to use plywood for the basic building of your shed. Plywood is comprised of thin layers of shaved wood that are glued together, making the wood stronger and able to resist splitting and cracking. This is an ideal way to build when it comes to free plans storage shed options. Another good way to use plywood is to create an outdoor storage shed roof out of CDX plywood sheathing, which is especially useful for asphalt style shingles.

Before you finish up with your shed building plans, make sure to paint, varnish or stain your storage shed to protect it from the outdoor elements.

Photo Credits: 1

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With black and other forms of mold becoming an enormous problem for Americans, it has never been more important to make sure that your home is not a breeding ground. Mold is very harmful, and black mold in particular can be deadly. No one wants to go around breathing spores all day long, so finding ways to reduce your risk of having mold in your home is very important.

One of the biggest offenders when it comes to mold growth is the basement. Even if you have a finished basement, there are still risks for having excess moisture down there, and as such, the potential for mold. Dirt basements and under home crawlspaces should not be overlooked. Standing water can be a big problem with this type of basement, and you may never even know it is there.

So, what can you do to make sure that you’re not living over a health hazard? First, you will need to determine whether or not you have any damp areas in your basement. The best time to look is right after a rain storm. Go down to the basement and start feeling the walls, stopping every foot and a half or so to check. Don’t just rely on your visual skills, since there may only be slight dampness.

If you feel any sort of water, condensation or you can actually see puddles or water stains, the time to take action is right now. Most homes that are in a flood plain or very wet area come with sump pumps, but this won’t help much for a simple damp area. The first place to start is ventilation.

Proper ventilation reduces condensation and helps water evaporate properly. If you don’t have a big problem with dampness but you do notice a few areas that could use some help, this may be the issue. Consider installing a ventilation system into your basement to solve this problem.

Next, if the area is not bad or if you cannot locate the source of the leak, installing a dehumidifier can be a great and easy fix. Some homes now have whole house dehumidifiers, but even a simple unit can do the trick. Make sure that you place the dehumidifier away from a source the water to avoid electrocution and check to make sure the unit is rated for your space.

If all of this fails, you may need to seal the walls of your basement. Check with a contractor before you start this and make sure that you read the directions carefully before proceeding. While this isn’t the perfect fix, it may be the only solution for chronically damp basements. Typically, using a mix of these techniques is very beneficial and will dramatically reduce the humidity and dampness of your basement.

You may also want to have an air quality test done in your basement if dampness has been a problem for more than a few months. These tests will help determine if mold is already present in your basement.

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Originally posted 2008-09-03 05:25:23. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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