Archive for the ‘How to Fix’ Category
Got a dry lawn?
Sure, you can read plenty of do-it-yourself articles that focus on home improvement and fixing different appliances and fixtures in your house, but what if your lawn is the thing that needs repair? If you've just gone through a dry month and need your lawn to go from brown to green in a hurry, this post is for you. We'll take a look at some tips and techniques for getting your lawn looking, well, alive again.
- First, be sure what the source of the problem is. If you're not sure that it's the dry weather that's making your lawn brown, you'll want to figure out if it's a shortage of water or an abundance of hungry insects that's making your lawn go brown. If your lawn is brown in patches, there's a good chance that it's something other than the dryness - or at least not the dryness totally - that's effecting your lawn. If your entire front and backyard are both brown, you're probably looking at simple dryness. Hint: a good way to test this is to take out a clump of your lawn and look for the roots. If the roots are eaten up, you have bugs to blame. If not, the weather is probably the factor.
- Next, you'll want to make sure you apply the appropriate amount of water to your lawn. Look up your individual grass type or at least climate and try to find out the typical amount of water your grass needs to look green. You don't want to under-water your grass, but you don't want to over-water it either. Note: making sure you water your grass the proper amount doesn't necessarily mean that you'll want to conserve water. It seemly means that you'll want to find the right amount of water for your grass type - it might be high or low.
- Finally, you'll want to make sure you have strong blades of grass with strong roots. This is achieved by mowing your lawn with a high setting, meaning that you'll leave tall blades of grass. Why? The shorter the blades, the less need they have for strong roots to provide them with strength and nutrients. If you have longer blades of grass on a regular basis, the roots will grow strong and give your grass blades a healthy, attractive look. Remember that the more roots there are, the more water they'll need.
Photo Credits: Bill Hails
Originally posted 2009-09-28 03:38:26.
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Posted by Fix Handyman on September 2, 2010 in
Handyman, How to Fix, Landscaper, Lawn
Stuck? We'll help get it unstuck!
There might be nothing quite as frustrating as trying to open a drawer, only to force it out through a good ten seconds of struggle. If you're sick of trying to pry open a sticky drawer, or having it fly out at you once you've pried it loose, it's time to get in there and fix it for the long term. There's a good chance that the drawer in question is a wooden one, so let's figure out how to work with a wooden drawer.
Why don't metal and plastic drawers stick? Easy: they are made of moving parts meant to slide. If they do end up sticking, usually some metal lubricant or a Teflon lubricant for the plastic should be able to get things slide again.
When it comes to your wooden drawer, the task isn't so simple. Some wood drawers are made with sliding mechanisms, and others are simply put into place, assuming they will slide because they're made of wood. The first thing you'll need to do is get in there and try and figure out exactly what's causing the drawer to stick. This might be a problem unique to wood - for example, wood can swell and expand, causing it to be trickier to open up.
Check your drawer for anything that seems out of the ordinary - especially as compared to the other functioning drawers. If everything seems to be in place, you might simply need to use a lubricant. On wood, soap and beeswax will function fine as lubricants, but make sure to apply them generously and to as many areas as you can reach. If you miss one key area, it might leave the drawer still sticky even though you've applied a lubricant.
Other problems like loose nails can be causing the obstruction. If your drawer opens partially but suddenly stops, there's a good chance that something hard like a nail is getting in the way. Other hard obstructions in the sliding mechanism might be the cause, as well. If you can, try to remove the nearby drawers so that you'll have better access to the sticky drawer. This should give you the ability to have a closer look at the inner workings of your drawer, which is where you might be better able to make a diagnosis.
A sticky drawer can be caused by one obstruction, but the problem can also be a little more difficult to ascertain. Try to stick with it until you find the problem, and you should have a much better idea where to go from there.
Photo Credits: kcolwell
Originally posted 2009-08-27 03:46:32.
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Posted by Fix Handyman on August 31, 2010 in
Furniture, Handyman, How to Fix
Fixing the Garbage Disposal
When you've lived long enough in a kitchen that has a garbage disposal, it's easy to get used to the idea that you can simply let the old grime and muck off of your dishes wash down your sink drain. It's only when the garbage disposal fails to work that we realize how much easier it made our lives around the home. So what do you do when your garbage disposal won't turn on?
In this article, we'll address this question in a specific case: what do you do if your garbage disposal won't turn on and won't make any noise?
First, a note of safety: it's crucial that you don't put your hand down the garbage disposal "hopper" - where the food goes. If your garbage disposal suddenly starts up, you'll find yourself wishing you hadn't put your hand down there, so be smart and don't do it at all! That's a basic rule of safety when working with a garbage disposal.
If your garbage disposal fails to turn on and won't make any noise, the first thing to do is to check the power itself. This may seem like an obvious solution, but it's the first place you'll want to look, as lack of power can mean other "fixes" don't do the job.
Next, if the power is fine, you'll want to check the re-set button on the bottom of the disposal (it's usually red and easy to find). Give the disposal a try after this.
If this still fails to get the disposal running, you'll actually want to check the circuit breaker. This is usually a good point to ask a professional or ask your landlord to help you out with your garbage disposal, as it may put you in unfamiliar electrical territory. It's best to leave it to the experts if you're not sure as to how to proceed.
Once someone is able to take a look at your garbage disposal, make sure you ask them about how they fixed it in case you need to know for future reference. If it helps, even make sure to write it down so that you can look back at your notes if your garbage disposal fails in the future. A good professional should be willing to give you advice.
jsgphoto
Originally posted 2009-09-25 03:32:24.
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Posted by Fix Handyman on August 30, 2010 in
Handyman, How to Fix, Sink, kitchen
Understanding a Flickering Light
When we think about some common problems around the house, we don't often think about the small stuff: leaky faucets, long-term wood damage, or burnt-out light bulbs. But this "small stuff" is actually the exact kind of home repair that will consume most of your time unless you understand what they're caused by and how to fix it. At the head of this list of the "small stuff" around your house? The flickering light.
A flickering light seems like a simple problem, but it can come from a variety of causes. If you're going to understand your home electricity systems, you'll need to know just how and why these different causes effect the light, and what you can do to ensure a safe and proper repair. Let's take a look at some of these causes.
First, it's helpful to understand that it's relatively normal for a light to flicker, usually due to the nature of voltage traveling through wires - the flow won't always be stable, especially if there are other factors that are taking away "juice" from the circuit. This is why many homes are designed with two different types of circuits: larger main circuits for the appliances that will use up larger amounts of electricity, and secondary circuits for simpler devices like light bulbs. Today's modern homes have largely solved the problem of noticeable flickering due to inconsistent voltage flow.
It's important to remember that a flickering light isn't necessarily a harmless problem. Circuit connections that are broken can lead to heating at certain points in the circuit, which obviously can lead to injury or even fires. That's why you won't want to let your light flicker endlessly - at the very least, inspect the situation. A switch that is failing can also have the same problem - if you are unable to find the problem there is a possibility you have not inspected the light switch.
Some problems leading to flickering lights are less sinister. There might be electrical effects from outside electrical loads which can even come from neighboring houses.
Because a light is not simply a bulb, but the result of electrical wiring and circuitry that go into your home, understanding a flickering light is about more than understanding the bulb. You have to know the potential dangers of electrical wiring behind the scenes and what a flickering light might indicate. If you have any doubts, call in an electrician to fix the problem and answer your questions. You can at least learn some things about lights that you'll be able to use in the future.
Photo Credits: PetroleumJelliffe
Originally posted 2009-07-24 08:00:07.
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Posted by Fix Handyman on August 29, 2010 in
Electrician, How to Fix
Shower Drain
As drains age, they begin leaking. Often, the piles loosen, the putty dries up or the tape begins to lose its effectiveness, causing water to trickle down the drain. If you have a sink drain that leaks, you can mend it by following the steps outlined here. And by attending to it yourself, you’ll be saving by not calling in a plumber!
First, close the tap before starting work. Next, remove all the fittings of the drain by unscrewing them, using a screwdriver. Next, take off the tailpiece. Ask a friend or family member to hold the drain pipe from over the sink while you loosen it with pliers.
If your drain has a plastic retainer, unscrew it before the drain pipe comes loose. Now that you have disassembled everything, clean it thoroughly. Check that you have cleaned the previous plumber’s putty from the fittings of the drain. If something is left over, it will weaken the bond when you put it back altogether and begin to leak once more.
Now, coat the part under the rim of the drain pipe with 0.5” thickness of plumbers’ putty to prevent future leakages. Remove any excess putty from the pipe or you will find it very difficult to clean it once it dries. Now, replace the drain pipe into the drain and screw all the fittings to the pipe below the sink. This simple operation will repair your leaky drain.
However, if you have a leaky shower drain, water may collect around the edges and make its way to the ceiling below it. To repair this, cut a panel in your ceiling downstairs. However, if you live in a rented accommodation, speak to your landlord and have him repair it or get his approval before doing it yourself.
Now, place some cloth on the floor just where you want to get down to work. Wear a pair of goggles. Then, make a cut of about 1.5 feet square into your ceiling that’s just below your shower drain, using a saw. Remove the locking unit using pliers and then the gasket.
Now, in the bathroom, loosen and take off the packing nut from the leaky drain. Remove the drain collar and clean the area around it with a putty knife, and clean the shower drain entirely.
Next, take about an inch of plumber’s putty and coat the base of the drain collar with it. Replace the drain collar using a very firm hand or some of the putty you just applied will come off. This is normal, so don’t panic. Once this is done, screw the locking nut tightly again and then take off any extra putty from around here and replace the packaging nut where it belongs. Use silicone caulk to keep this packing nut firmly in place.
To test if the leak is plugged, open the tap and let a little cold water trickle out. Now, if there is no leakage, you will need to repair the drywall. If a leak persists, call a plumber.
Photo Credits: lavenderstreak
Originally posted 2010-04-20 17:59:08.
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Posted by Fix Handyman on August 28, 2010 in
Drains, Handyman, How to Fix, Plumber, Shower
Old Sole
Once you’ve worn a pair of shoes for far too long, it’s normal for even the most expensive and exclusive shoes to develop problems, such as the sole of the shoe coming off. If this happens, the most practical thing to do would be to repair it rather than go in for a new pair.
True, there are a number of adhesives that would do the job well enough, but is there a particular procedure involved to do this? Here’s how you go about fixing the sole of your shoe.
First, take off any stitching from the toe part of your shoe, using a craft blade. Now, pull back the sole to the maximum and clean it by putting it on a sheet of newspaper. Now, clean either side of the sole with a white cloth and alcohol. You could also use an old sock for this.
Now, sandpaper both surfaces of the sole in order to roughen it. Once this is done, it can hold the adhesive better. It’s now time to get yourself a good brand of adhesive which you will use to stick the sole of your shoe and your shoe. If there are any precautions mentioned on the label of the adhesive, pay extra attention to it. Take care of the adhesive you use as sometimes they emit very strong fumes, so repair your shoe in an airy atmosphere.
Now, squirt a bit of the adhesive on to the part of the sole that’s just coming off. Don’t use too much in case it runs down the shoe. Use a knife to spread the adhesive over the sole surface. Spread it thoroughly over the entire surface and into all the cracks of the sole. Now, you might find some extra adhesive in the areas of the sole that don’t require any. So, take it off by using a cleaner with a citrus base.
Now that you’ve stuck the sole and the shoe together, the shoe needs a heavy weight to hold the sole tightly against the shoe. Place the shoe on a sheet of newspaper. Cover the shoe with a sheet of plastic or a plastic bag and put a heavy object like a heavy book or any other object on it. With this weight, the shoe and sole should adhere tightly together. If you’re doubtful about the weight, you can add some more.
Keep the weight on the shoe until the adhesive dries completely. If you take off the weight before the drying time concludes, you might have to start all over again. So, be watchful about the time you remove the weight. If this is the only shoe to be repaired, you’re done with this, but if more have to be done, just repeat the procedure. Once you finish, take a little more of your citrus-based cleaner to take off the extra adhesive from your tools. However, it’s usually recommended to dry the adhesive for 48 hours. After this, you can safely wear your mended shoes.
Photo Credits: Robert S. Donovan
Originally posted 2010-04-19 17:58:28.
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Posted by Fix Handyman on August 27, 2010 in
How to Fix, Shoes
Fix Your Fences.
Wood is a great material with a lot of uses around the home and in your landscaping, but it is not without its drawbacks. Old wood especially can be prone to rot, which can lead to difficult repairs if you haven't worked with rotted wood before. If you plan on repairing a rotted wood fence, you'll want to know exactly which tools you'll need and the proper way to approach your repairs. In this article, you'll find some great tips for repairing and replacing rotted parts of your wooden fence.
Most of the time, rotted wood occurs in either wood that is very old or that has been untreated: this usually means that wooden fences that have been up for a long time will be prone to rotting. This might include boundary fences or even small garden fences that are on your land. How do you know when wood is starting to rot? You'll usually see the rotting spots near the wood that is most exposed to moisture and given poor air circulation - such as closer to the ground and soil.
The first step is to identify the problem in your wooden fence - see how far the rotting has taken effect. You might even pull some of your fence out of the ground in order to get a better look - this is often not a bad idea because you'll be replacing much of the fence anyway.
Gather some standard fence-building tools: hammer and nails, measuring tape, a saw, wood planks, and a level. To start repairing the rotten wood, simply remove the sections of wood that have succumbed to rot. You might even find yourself removing more than that rotted wood because it is easier to replace an entire segment of wood rather than pieces of wood. If this is the case, make sure that you remove enough wood to make replacement easier on you.
Once you have an empty spot, you'll want to begin replacing the wood. This might involve using a 2 x 4 on the ground so that you can keep the replaced wood level. The 2 x 4 can act as your reference point for the replaced area of the fence.
Knowing exactly what to replace on your fence is the trick - you'll want to make it easier on yourself without giving yourself too much to actually replace. Try to consider how you can achieve the best-looking repaired fence with the least amount of stress.
Photo Credits: SMN
Originally posted 2009-07-30 08:00:33.
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Posted by Fix Handyman on August 26, 2010 in
Fence, Handyman, How to Fix
Lopsided chair?
There's nothing quite so frustrating as sitting down and trying to do work, only to realize that your chair seems to be on a swivel. This is usually the case for wooden chairs, which often are broken apart because of poor glue, worn-down legs, and other strange causes. If you want to know how to fix an uneven chair, it's time to bring out some basic tools: glue, sandpaper, and a wood clamp. Let's fix that uneven chair.
First, you'll have to see exactly what it is that needs fixing. Where in the structure of the chair does the problem seem to be coming from? Is the chair so old that the entire frame leans one way, or can you simply wear down the other legs to make it even? The way you fix the chair will depend on your problem, so take a few minutes to really diagnose what's going on. If you need to, push the chair around and see where the swivel is coming from. You should be able to spot it pretty quickly.
Now that you know what your problem is, you'll have to ask yourself how to make it even again. If the structure of the chair itself has the problem, then you might want to see if you can take it apart and put it back together again. This is how many around-the-house items are fixed, so don't worry if you think you'll never see the chair back in its original condition. If you're able to take apart the chair, you should have better insight into why exactly it seems to be on a swivel.
If the problem is with the leg height itself, you can use something to prop the chair up as an unattractive temporary fix. But if you plan on keeping the chair for the long haul, you'll want to get all of the legs even. You can wear down the bottom edges of each chair leg with sandpaper or even steel wool. Be sure to check the chair repeatedly to see how even you're getting it. You can also use a saw to cut the other legs down to size, so make sure you bring the chair outside or in your garage so you can collect and brush away any sawdust.
If your chair repair required the use of glue to re-set the chair's structure, you'll need to keep the chair drying overnight. If you have work to do and need that chair, see if there's a temporary solution you can set up before fixing the chair itself. But be careful - you don't want it falling apart on you!
Photo Credits: WayTru
Originally posted 2009-08-13 03:43:10.
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Posted by Fix Handyman on August 25, 2010 in
Furniture, Handyman, How to Fix
Fix up your photos with computer programs.
Top 3 Graphical Editing Programs
Photo graphics programs are becoming more and more popular for photographers and artists, as well as casual users who want to edit or change the nature of their photos. As technology has become the standard for graphic editing, the market been saturated with graphic editing programs. Which program should you choose to edit your photos in though? This article will explain which programs are right for you, as well as giving you the list price that you can expect:
Photoshop
The beast from Adobe continues its domination for professional and amateur use alike. Photoshop has been described as a ‘killer application’ proving its desirability among the masses. As one of the earliest editors, dating back to 1990, Photoshop comes with a wide array of both creation tools as well as editing tools that make for an extremely powerful all-in-one program. Most notably, Photoshop’s layering system can make for splitting images into layers, making editing each individual area much easier. With credentials such as these, one must consider that Photoshop comes at a high price. If you thought this, you’re correct, as Photoshop clocks in $700 or $200 dollars if you have a university discount. Photoshop is meant for the professionals and the hardcore, if you don’t fall under this demographic, and simply want to edit as a hobby, don’t buy Photoshop as it has a high learning curve.
GIMP
With the success of Photoshop, what could possible rival it? Well, GIMP has been hailed as the ‘free Photoshop’ as it’s an open-source program that was originally created for Linux systems in 1996. As you may have just picked up, the biggest pro of using GIMP is that it’s completely free! Like Photoshop, however, GIMP has quite a steep learning curve and its large list of features may be completely mind boggling to the beginner. If you learn to utilize GIMP properly, however, it’s one of the most powerful graphical editing programs on the market.
Paint.NET
Paint.NET is a newcomer to the world of graphical editing; however, it has made an explosive entrance in 2004 as it has had a large amount of success. Paint.NET, like GIMP, is free to use. Also like GIMP, Paint.NET has often been compared to Photoshop in terms of its quality and efficiency. Paint.NET features a layering system like GIMP and Photoshop, as well as a much friendlier user environment that lowers the learning curb substantially when compared to the other two programs. One cool feature of Paint.NET is the ability to click a button the program that takes you to their online forum where many users can help you with any potential problem you may experience.
Hopefully this article gave you an idea on what kind of editing software is right for you. Remember, just because Photoshop is the most expensive software on the market may not mean its right for you. Consider your needs and what each program offers before you buy them, and that shouldn’t be too hard considering two of the greatest are free!
Photo Credits: Auzigog
Originally posted 2009-09-24 03:41:35.
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Posted by Fix Handyman on August 24, 2010 in
Computer, How to Fix
Noisy dishwasher? No problem, we can fix that!
When you have a noisy dishwasher, you don't exactly feel like doing the dishes. After all, doing the dishes alone isn't the most entertaining bit of home maintenance in the world. The prospect of adding noise to the equation when you're trying to watch the game on TV or hear your favorite television show makes the idea even less appealing. That's why you'll want to fix your noisy dishwasher as soon as you can - so you can get back to quiet evenings after a rough day at work.
Of course, in order to fix your noisy dishwasher, you'll have to know what's causing the noise in the first place. This is where most of the work in fixing the noise itself will take place. First, try to find your dishwasher's owner manual: if it gives any warnings against improper dish loading that you've been violating, the reason for the noisy dishwasher might simply be human error. Oops. Do the dishes right next time and hopefully the noise will subside.
It's not always human error, however. If the problem wasn't you, you'll have to do some dishwasher inspecting. The first place to look? The pump at the bottom of the dishwasher. Make sure that it's not clogged with debris such as stuck silverware, food, or uneaten seeds. This pump should be perfectly clean.
If that's not the problem, you also might want to make sure that your dishwasher is level. If your dishwasher sits on "feet," you should be able to adjust them manually. Use a level to check that it is not leaning forward/backward or to any one particular side.
If none of these fixes has made the noise go away, there's a possibility that your inlet valve is the source of the issues. The inlet valve is not an easy thing to replace, but you'll probably want it replaced if you want to get rid of the noise. If you're out of answers, call in a repairman who will know what makes your dishwasher become so noisy, and ask about the possibility of replacing the inlet valve. This could be the source of your noise, but it's not an easy challenge to take on yourself.
Make sure that you keep your dishwasher clean, regularly cleaning it out of debris and gunk. Even though the dishwasher seems like a self-cleaning machine, you'll want to check how clean it really is from time to time.
Photo Credits: scampion
Originally posted 2009-08-17 03:00:21.
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Posted by Fix Handyman on August 23, 2010 in
Handyman, How to Fix, appliances, kitchen
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