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Roofing Videos
While some roof problems need urgent attention because they cause obvious leaks, many can go undetected for years until they have caused serious damage -- surprisingly, near the foundation or inside walls where you would least suspect trouble. It is prudent to inspect your roof once a year, looking for cracked shingles, rusted flashing, or brittle mastic.
A built-in look with pre-fabricated kitchen cabinets might seem to call for tricky carpentry. Not so! The cabinet manufacturer has done most of the work, providing you with perfectly square modules that you can interlock with screws or dowels. Assembly consists of leveling and plumbing each cabinet, then fastening it to the wall and it's neighboring units.
Kitchen & Bathroom Videos
diy videos
Floor Videos
If a floor has a major sag in it, you may have to add a supporting jack post under it. Break out a section of the basement floor and pour a 24x24x8 inch concrete pad for the post to sit on. Let the concrete cure for a week. Place the jack post on the pad and a 4x4 pressure-treated beam long enough to span several joists on top of the jack.
When a window binds or refuses to budge, don't try to force it. Instead take a look at the sash, both inside and out. Chances are, you will find that paint has sealed the window shut or that a stop molding has warped. Both respond to prying techniques to these areas. With double hung windows, the culprit could be a faulty spring lift or a broken/jammed sash cord.
Door & Window Videos
A power washer is one of the best methods for removing dirt and peeling paint, but don't try to use it to strip all of the old paint from wood. It will dig out the softer wood and cause ridges, as well as leaving the surface rough and fuzzy. Hold the nozzle about 12 inches from the surface to prevent damaging the wood.
Fence & Deck Videos
No furnace will keep functioning efficiently without regular maintenance. Ideally, you should have a furnace inspected and serviced annually by a qualified professional before the heat season begins. If you do your own maintenance, have it inspected professionally every 3 to 5 years. The first maintenance chore is to clean or replace the furnace filter once a month.
HVAC & Mechanical Videos
For plunger-type drains in tubs, remove and clean the stopper and strainer. Try a plunger; block the overflow drain with a wet cloth. For pop-up drain types, remove the pop-up assembly. Try the plunger here first also. If the plunger doesn't work, run a snake down through the overflow pipe, not the tub drain.
Plumbing Videos
Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside each bedroom and outside each sleeping area. Hard-wired smoke alarms operate on your household electrical current and can be inter-connected so that every alarm sounds regardless of the fire's location. Don't install smoke alarms near windows, doors, or ducts where drafts might interfere with them.
Safety Videos
Basements suffer from a special ill that doesn't affect other spaces inside your home. Moisture. Differences between temperature below ground and that of the air upstairs or outside often create the potential for a slight mustiness, especially in muggy summer weather. If the floor or walls in your basement chronically sweat it is time to take action.
Basement Videos
If a receptacle goes bad, all you have to do is wire the new outlet exactly as the old one was done -- hot (black) wire to the brass terminal screw and neutral (white) wire to the silver screw. If there is a ground wire, it is connected to the green screw on the receptacle.
Electrical Videos
Most homeowners do not undertake extensive foundation projects themselves, but many are able to correct minor defects or build the foundation for a room addition. Even if you are not planning a project that involves any foundation work, you should have a basic knowledge of what your foundation does and how to recognize serious problems.
Wall & Framing Videos
Always buy a high quality paint which usually bears the designation "premium". Major brands are usually more reliable than lesser known brands, although some local paint manufacturers are able to offer high quality paints because they distribute only through their factory. Avoid discount paints, that sometimes carry the designation "professional"; they are the lowest in price and quality.
Painting Videos
Many homeowners don't realize the importance of regular maintenance of other projects like chimney sweeps and yearly cleaning until it is too late - that is, until the system is in need of repair. These projects aren't necessarily in any category; however, they should be included with other regularly scheduled home check-ups in your home's systems.
Other Project Videos
