Home Improvement & Appliances: Expert Guides and Resources

Don't wait hours for the next available electrician — changing out a light switch is fairly easy. Follow the steps below to learn:how to wire a light switch.how to replace single-pole light switches.how to replace three-way light switches.how to replace four-way light switches.how to replace light switches with a dimmer.

If neither cleaning the trap nor plunging clears a plumbing clog, your final weapon is a drain auger (also known as a drain snake). This tool, a coiled steel wire usually about 1/4-inch thick with a handle on one end, works the opposite way that a plunger does: You push the snake into the clog and crank it to drive the snake farther into the obstruction.

Floor squeaks happen, and when they do, most of us just tolerate them as a part of the “charm” of living in an older house! But as annoying as squeaking floors can be, they have a rather simple cause and solution – and squeaks rarely indicate a structural problem forming under foot.No matter what kind of finish flooring you may have — carpet, vinyl, tile, or hardwood — unless your home is built on a concrete slab, underneath it’s wood.

Protect your pipes from freezing this winter! Discover essential tips to prevent burst pipes and costly water damage with our expert advice.When the mercury drops, your water pipes become increasingly vulnerable and may freeze and burst. When water freezes, it expands, and the force of that expansion can split a copper pipe wide open.

When basements leak, people panic. The good news about these unplanned indoor pools is this. While wet basements are often thought of as one of life’s biggest home repair headaches, basement water problems are generally easy and inexpensive to fix. Yes, that’s right–easy and inexpensive!The basement is one of the greatest untapped spaces in any home.

Updating kitchen cabinets make tired drab kitchens look fresh again. Knowing how to update kitchen cabinets, can save you the cost of completely replacing them. Most cabinets, no matter how unattractive or outdated, can be drastically improved by following the tips below. Clean your cabinets. A good cleaning may bring new luster to tired but handsome wood.

After you have attached your faucet and water supply and set your sink, it’s time to connect the sink drain. Drain kits come in different materials and configurations, but installing them is a snap. Choose the kit with the configuration for your sink type, and you’re halfway home!You have a couple of choices for drain kits: chromed metal kits and PVC drain kits.

Much of the work of sink installation takes place before you set the sink into the countertop. Taking your time with the preliminary work ensures a smooth installation. In most cases, the old plumbing configuration will work with your new sink. But if you’re making a major change in the design of the new sink, be sure that the old plumbing fits the new sink’s requirements.