Main MenuBook & Article Categories
- Main Menu
Book & Article Categories
- Main Menu
Collections
Explore all collections
General Home Improvement & Appliances: Expert Guides and Resources
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Articles & Books From General Home Improvement & Appliances
Article / Updated 10-17-2024
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.
Article / Updated 10-16-2024
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.
Article / Updated 10-16-2024
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.
Take the intimidation out of common home repair jobs Home Maintenance For Dummies gives you the know-how you need to inspect, tune up, and make repairs to every room of your house. Learn how to stop drafty windows and doors, fix roof leaks, unclog pipes, silence squeaky floors, test your water pressure, fix a dripping faucet, and beyond.
Step by Step / Updated 07-10-2023
Unclogging a toilet with a plunger usually creates enough suction to free the clog. Knowing how to use a plunger to unclog a toilet can preclude the mess of using a plumber's snake or the expense of calling a plumber.Water that doesn’t swirl; a flush that only trickles into the drain; and water that backs up instead of flushing out are signs of clogged toilets.
Step by Step / Updated 04-18-2023
Fixing wallpaper bubbles or bumps is a simple, five-minute process. Knowing how to fix wallpaper bubbles and bumps prevents further damage like tears or rips.Wallpaper bubbles occur when a glob of wallpaper paste wasn’t smoothed out when the paper was hung or when a weak bond between the wallpaper and wall causes the wallpaper to lift.
Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-20-2022
It's a good idea to be prepared for things going wrong in your home, whether it's something relatively simple that you can fix yourself, or a more complex problem requiring a qualified professional.Following is advice for both situations. First, we list some non-tool items you'll want to have around for DIY home repair.
Article / Updated 04-14-2022
One of the best ways to protect your outdoor wood surfaces is to use a high-quality, oil-based wood preservative. Using an oil-based wood preservative with ultraviolet inhibitors keeps your deck surfaces looking newer longer.Unlike paint, oil doesn’t lay on the surface; it penetrates deeply into the pores of the wood, preventing the attack of moisture from within.
Article / Updated 03-04-2022
Carpet-cleaning professionals say that the most effective method of keeping carpeting clean — and making it last a long time — is to vacuum it regularly. In fact, they recommend vacuuming three or more times per week, and daily in high-traffic areas.They also point out that the quality of your vacuum makes a difference.
Article / Updated 03-04-2022
Glass shower doors look modern and stylish and keep water off your floors, but some people hate them because they are hard to clean and slide off their tracks too easily. You can use the hints here to clean your shower doors and get them back on track in a jiffy. ©Oleksandr Nagaiets / Shutterstock.com Cleaning solutions Try these methods to get a shower door clean and keep it that way: Using lemon-oil polish and a scouring pad, scrub the glass panels with gusto.
