Review: Basic Home Repair: Home Improvement DVD

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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Basic Home Repair: Home Improvement DVD

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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Dare to Repair By Julie Sussman

This is a do-it yourself guide written mainly for women, but anyone that is interested in home repair can get a lot out of it. If you have ever wanted to tackle any kind of DIY project in your house this book is the definitive guide that can help you get the job done. The writing style is very engaging and this is an incredibly quick read for a DIY book. We really appreciated the humor that was used throughout to make it fun. This is a great book for single moms or just about anyone that needs to be able to tackle projects of all sizes around their homes.

The book is divided into five main sections, Plumbing, Electrical, Major Appliances, Windows, Walls and Doors as well as Home Safety. Each section includes plenty of drawings and illustrations to make the projects easy to understand. The detail on the drawings is quite good, a problem that many DIY publishers cannot fix. We were happy to see that even the smallest details were easy to see in print. Definitely a job well done!

The last section details how to find a contractor if the job is too big or if you don’t feel comfortable taking it on yourself. This took away a little bit from the empowerment theme of the book, but in some cases, there are times when even the best DIY’er can’t do it on their own. The tips contained here will help you avoid getting taken for a ride by a contractor and we appreciated the useful hints on how to locate the right contractor for the job.

The resource section is worth the cost of the book alone and provided some great ways to find the products and tools mentioned in the book. You can use this as a virtual shopping list to help build up your home tool kit. We liked the way that the book described the different tools needed and their uses, especially for readers that may not be used to home repair jobs on their own.

Overall, this was a fantastic book that really breaks down common tasks and makes them easy to understand. The money that can be saved by tackling these projects is significant, and the section on major appliances was an interesting addition. Most DIY projects focus only on what you can build or fixing fixtures, so this was something that we found to be very unique to this book. If you’ve ever faced a loud refrigerator in the middle of the night and didn’t have the money to get it fixed professionally, this book will definitely come in handy.

The authors have gone on to write more DIY books for women and it is easy to see why they have built up such a dedicated audience. No matter what gender you are, the books are fun to read, informative and contain some really great tips to help you get the job done right.

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Hello world!

The url, blog, theme, and plugins appear to all be working…  So Hello world!

Welcome to my handy man blog…  I will be writing about how to do (build, install, customize, demolish) absolutely anything using eco friendly energy efficient materials and techniques when appropriate around the house/office… Plumbing, Electrical, Carpentry, Painting, Landscaping, and Gardening.

I have a lifetime of experience, but have never tried to do anything like this before. While it will certainly take a while to produce enough content to cover the entire spectrum. My goal is to eventually cover the entire spectrum of blue collar skilled labor around your house.

I expect it will take me a few days to get my act together on the content production… So if you happen upon this site before the next post. Please come back again soon. Better yet subscribe to the RSS feed (the big orange button at the top right) and you will be notified of my next post.

Review: Joey Green’s Fix-It Magic: More than 1,971 Quick-and-Easy Household Solutions Using

Labeled the Mad Scientist of Home Improvement, Joey Green has come out with another book where he lists of over 1900 easy household solutions using products you probably already have around the house. This tome is definitely a good one for the green movement, as you will be reusing products that are much safer than the harsh chemicals that would normally be utilized.

The volume is organized alphabetically by topic and place within the home, and also includes strange facts and and fun and interesting sidebars. The tips that are covered will help in many endeavors around the house, such as cleaning up in the kitchen, cleaning up pipes and plumbing, the barbecue and many other places.

The organization of the book not only makes it easy to find what you are hoping to fix, thanks to a well structured index, but also provides a product index, so that you know what the products that you have will be able to do for you.

This tome is one that will make a great gift and deserves a place on your reference shelf at home. It will describe a number of fixes that are money savers, since you will have the necessary product sitting around the home. This creative use of everyday items shows a resourcefulness when it comes to solving problems that are faced everyday.

Some may find that the title is a little misleading. It is frequently the case in the book that the author will list 10 or 12 items in a row that are the same fix, but differing products. Not counting those, however, we find that there are still well over 1000 problems around the house that are addressed by the book.

A few of the tips might make the reader a bit squeamish. The tips are sometimes considered to bit a little gross or messy, but what the author is utilizing are the chemistry of the ingredients that make up the common household product. Buy the book new or used, it will be one that you will reference often around the house.

Excerpts:
- fix a broken dishwasher with Kool-Aid
- remove water stains from wood furniture with Miracle Whip
- Spackle holes in walls with S.O.S. steel wool pads
- remove wallpaper with Heinz white vinegar
- Clean driveway spills with Coca-Cola
- repair scratched woodwork with Maxwell House coffee
- start a car with Bayer aspirin
- Drop a raw egg on the floor? Just pour a heap of Morton Salt from the box onto it, let sit for one minute, then sweep away.
- Pour Coca Cola on joined pieces of pipe which have rusted together. The phosphoric acid in the Coke will eat at the rust and allow you to separate them.
- To clean a scratch from the glass face of your wristwatch, put a few drops of Purell Instant Hand Sanitizer, the soapless, antibacterial hand sanitizer, and buff.

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Review of the Complete Photo Guide to Home Repair


Black and Decker are known for the terrific DIY guides and this title is no exception. As the name suggests, you’re getting step by step photo instructions that make it easy for anyone to fix up their own home without having to be a professional handy person. You’ll get plenty of tips and ideas as well, thanks to this incredibly informative and useful book.

There are three main sections of the book and the projects will be broken down according to these sections. The first covers interiors and contains numerous helpful tips and techniques that will allow you to replace your windows, how to fix a hole in the wall and even how to fix those pesky squeaky stairs. Everything is laid out very logically and all of the projects are very easy to follow. You’ll have pretty much everything you need to know about fixing specific issues right in this section.

The second section covers the exterior of your home and this is an area that is forgotten all too frequently when it comes to fixing up your home. Remember, curb appeal is vital if you’re planning on selling your home, so this section is particularly useful to make sure that everything outside your home is as beautiful as the inside. There are some great project tips in this section that can dramatically increase the value of your home.

The next section covers the types of systems that can be found in your home, such as plumbing and electrical. If you’ve got some phantom issues that are plaguing your home, start with this section. You’ll get some great troubleshooting tips as well as advice on how to fix them easily. While some things will need to be handled by professionals, such as rewiring, there are plenty of projects that just about anyone can do in this section.

One of the nicest parts of this book is that it isn’t afraid to go into depth on important subjects. You’ll learn how to replace a garbage disposal, fix a leaky faucet or even how to install a sink. It’s little things like these projects that really improve a home and make it well worth the time and effort that you put into them. The plumbing section is incredibly useful and well worth the entire cost for your copy. Even if you’re not a weekend warrior, there are some great tips here that really come in handy during a plumbing emergency.

There are more than 2000 pictures in this incredibly large and detailed book and they are so useful that anyone, regardless of their previous DIY experience will be able to turn around and put them into action in their own homes. The fact that they take the time to walk you through not only the project itself, but the tools you’ll need and the safety features you need to know, is a rare gift indeed. Overall, this book belongs in anyone’s bookshelf.

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How to Install a Kitchen Sink

sink
If you’re sick and tired of your old kitchen sink, replacing it with a new one is not all that difficult. If you’re working with an entirely new surface, the steps for installation will be the same as provided below, but you will need to add the steps of measuring the sink and cutting in a new hole in your countertop. Most sinks now come with a template to make this easier. For the purpose of this review however, we’re going to stick with working on a replacement sink that is the exact size and shape of the old sink. If you do find that there is a size difference, you can use a saw to cut the countertop to fit.

Before we get started, you’re going to need some basic tools:

  • saw (as mentioned above)
  • pipe wrenches (appropriately sized for your pipes)
  • screwdriver
  • crowbar
  • power sander or sandpaper
  • pliers
  • empty bucket
  • silicone caulk
  • plumber’s putty
  • caulk
  • clamps
  • gloves

Turn off the water supply to the sink before proceeding any further.

Once you’ve got all of your tools organized, you’re ready to get started. Before you begin however, re-measure everything to make sure that the new sink will fit. If you still need to remove the old sink, first you will need to use your wrench to loosen the p-trap. That’s the U shaped pipe under the sink that connects the plumbing to the drain. It’s a good idea to completely remove everything under the sink to ensure that you have enough space to work and that nothing gets ruined. Place your empty bucket under the p-trap to catch any excess water.

Your old sink was most likely installed with putty or adhesive of some sort. Use your crowbar to carefully remove the sink from the counter. Lift it out and place it aside. You may need to get some help since sinks are a bit heavy. Sand any rough areas that are around the hole where the sink used to be. If you are keeping your old faucet and it’s not attached directly to the sink, re-silicone it to make sure you won’t have any leaks. If you’re replacing it, remove the old one by loosening the fittings under the counter with your pipe wrench.

You’re now ready to move to the next step. Unpack your new sink. Place plumber’s putty around the edges of the hole where the sink will go. Lift up the new sink and carefully place it into the hole. Make sure it is completely lined up and fits well before proceeding. Now, clamp it down and give it enough time to dry. If any putty squeezes out, use a damp cloth to wipe it away. Attach your new faucet, or re-attach the old one and caulk around the area. It is also a good idea to caulk around the outside edges of the sink. When it’s dry, you can sand it down to make it look better. Reconnect the p-trap and you’re all done!

Photo Credits: 1

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The Complete Idiots Guide to Simple Home Repair by Judy Ostrow

So many home repair books offer project tips and advice, but most fall into the rather dry reading category. There are few that you actually want to take up and read, and for the most part, these books fall into the reference only category. Judy Ostrow’s latest book, The Complete Idiots Guide to Simple Home Repair is definitely an exception to this rule. She manages to provide very sound home repair advice, mixed with humor, and chances are you may find yourself putting this one on your bed table instead of tucking it away in a shelf for future reference.

The book contains more than 300 absolute step by step illustrations that walk the reader through fixing just about anything in the home. While this is not the book for those that are looking to completely remodel their home, or tackle complex projects, it is ideal for all those little things that go wrong around a house. Thanks to the advice and illustrations in this book, anyone, even those with minimal experience, should be able to fix nearly everything in their own homes.

The first section is incredibly valuable and covers all the tools you will need to have on hand. You can literally take the book shopping with you to be sure that you don’t miss anything. Also discussed is the supply closet and what little extras everyone should have ready at their disposal should trouble strike. Each following part discusses each part of the home and what is in it logically.

For example, finishes and exteriors are grouped together, and then everything with plumbing is grouped into its own part. This makes it very easy to find exactly what you are looking for, especially if you are in a hurry and to implement an emergency fix. Part five should be read by all homeowners and covers safety, preventing home fix-it emergencies and preventative maintenance that can greatly reduce the amount of time you spend fixing things around your house.

We highly recommend this book to those that want to save money by doing their own home repairs and aren’t quite sure where to get started. There is a lot than can be learned in these pages and the author has done a fabulous job of making everything easy to understand and implement. While complete DIY professionals may find it overly simplistic, this is the perfect book for those that are new to owning a home, and completely new to how to fix the stuff that it is in it.

This is the perfect gift for anyone that is trying to cut costs, learn more about their home, or just have the ability to say, I can fix that. While it is designed for mainly beginners, there are a few great tips in there that even we didn’t know, so it’s safe to say that even home repair professionals would enjoy this book – and they may even be able to learn something from it.

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