IF you are in need of repair, I currently have a list of recommended service providers from the Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Texas Realty agents. All you need to do is send me an email to [email protected] , call or text me at (512) 955 1973.
I am also inviting vendors to be added to my preferred Homekeepr vendors application. If you offer electrical, plumbing, carpet cleaning, insurance, home security, septic cleaning, or other vital services then contact me.
One of my favorite sources of information, and a favorite show of mine on PBS is This Old House . This is great for those who are interested in doing some remodeling of their home, possible investors wanting to flip a home, or even some of the most basic maintenance to keep your home energy efficient and avoid more costly repair bills. I found this article on their website and listed below the top five.
47 Skills You Need to Survive Homeownership
From pulling nails without denting trim to getting a big paint spill off your carpet, we’ve got the tips you need
by Jonathan Carlson
Too bad a house doesn’t come with an owner’s manual. And a week-long seminar where you learn what every button, switch, and wire is for. Alas, the keys to the castle come with no troubleshooting guide to dog-ear—and, we’re betting, no wise master to unlock the mysteries of the place you call home.
Then again, that’s what we’re here for: to provide fast fix-it advice when it’s time for you to do your homeowning duty. Because at some point, you’re going to have to know how to change out a light fixture without zapping yourself to kingdom come. Or paint a double-hung without gumming up the works. Or stem the flood when the toilet overflows. And you’re going to want to do things right. The first time.
So consider these 47 tips a crash course in homeowner self-confidence. And study them well. ‘Cause owning a house means you’re going to have questions. Lucky for you, we’ve got some answers.
1. Fix a leaky faucet
This particular type of water torture is likely due to a failed washer inside a handle. The faucet is just the messenger.
To replace the washer, turn off the water supply valve under the sink. Stuff a rag in the drain so you don’t lose parts, then take the handle apart. Pop the screw cover on top, remove the screw, and pull off the handle. Use a wrench to disassemble the stem, and line the parts up on the counter in the order they came off, so you know how it goes back together. Examine rubber parts or plastic cartridges for cracks, and take the offending piece to the hardware store for an exact replacement. Reassemble the parts you’ve laid out, in reverse. Then revel in the ensuing peace and quiet.
2. Move a refrigerator by yourself
Clarence Yuzik, aka The Fridge Doctor, has two words for you: Magic Sliders. Put these little plastic disks under the fridge’s front feet (you can lever them off the floor with a long pry bar), then pull. Most refrigerators have wheels in the back, so the whole unit should glide forward effortlessly.
3. Dig a hole
A stomp on a pointed shovel, that’s easy—and so’s electrocuting yourself when you slice into a buried power line. Which is why, says This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook, any prospective hole-maker should first visit digsafely.com to find the agency in his or her area that keeps track of underground utilities. It’ll send someone out to your place, mark any lines you have, and save you from getting buried yourself.
4. Locate a stud
Say you want to hang a shelf. Knuckling the wallboard can pinpoint a stud. But to better the odds when your electronic stud finder’s gone missing, use deductive reasoning. Most studs are placed at 16-inch intervals, so once you know where one is, you can usually find the rest.
Start at a corner, where there’s always a stud. Or take the cover plate off an electrical outlet and find out on which side it’s mounted to the stud. From there, measure 16, 32, 48 inches, and you should hit a stud at each go. Eliminate all guesswork by using a thin bit to drill a test hole at the top of the base molding, which you can easily repair with a dab of caulk.
5. Deal with a seized lock
Hit the 7-Eleven before you call that $100-a-visit locksmith. Some WD-40 sprayed into the keyhole will lube the mechanism quickly. If that doesn’t do it, you may have a broken spring or tumbler—and need that pro after all. If so, keep the new lock from locking up by giving it a yearly spritz of long-lasting Teflon spray.
