DIY Home Repair

It was a dark and windy night…

Okay, it shouldn’t be that much of a mystery, but handling a roofing repair is not the simple patch job it used to be. For one thing, if you have roof leaks, it can be pretty challenging to find the actual source. Where the water stains the ceiling might be where the rainwater ends up, but where it comes in could be on a completely different side of the house, and on a different level. To detect water leak, check out the some obvious places first. They include chimneys and chases, architectural features such as bay windows, any object that breaks the plane of the roof like a vent pipe or attic vent; the list goes on and on. Plus, you have to see it from the inside and the outside both. In my house, we have no attic space, so it could entail trying remove an interior feature such as a light fixture or a bathroom vent. No, thanks. That is what roof contractors are for.

Roof contractors are experts at finding leaks. I have seen them find roof leaks that the homeowner and 2 other contractors could not find, make the roof repair and leave his cell number behind in case there was a problem. That homeowner was grateful for having brought in a trained roof specialist and quite relieved that he had some recourse if needed. Also, the roof contractor pointed out that a rider on the homeowner’s policy covered the repair except for a $100 deductible, which no one else had bothered to investigate. Do roofers make a lot of money on small repairs? No. But, when they need a roofer they can trust to do a large job, who do you think they are going to call?

When you have a large problem (hurricanes, tornadoes, Nor’Easters, fallen trees, ice damage) it is definitely in a homeowner’s best interest to call a professional roof contractor. They understand the structure of the roofing system as well as the nature of the roofing materials. That gives them a definite edge in recommending quality roof repairs. In the event of a high wind and rain combination, you might get a leak that otherwise wouldn’t have occurred. The high winds can drive the rain places it ordinarily would not go. It could be that a simple bit of flashing will keep that from happening again.

Conversely, there could be a structural problem that needs to be addressed. I once recommended a homeowner call in a roof contractor for a leak we discovered in his attic space over his garage. What he found was that the plywood decking (the wood that covers the rafters and forms the roof structure) was too short to reach the fascia (facing board where gutters are often attached). There was a gap of nearly three inches that was simply covered with tar paper and shingled over. This gap allowed snow and ice to back up under the snow and ice shield. It formed a “dam” which diverted melting ice and snow runoff inside the soffit (bottom board below fascia, or “eaves”). From there it was leaking horizontally across the garage ceiling and down the inside wall – on the opposite side of the house! Because it did not stain the ceiling, we weren’t even looking on the correct side of the building.

It’s a good thing we called in the professionals. For one thing, they found and repaired the roof leak (with a simple piece of metal “flashing”). For another, he pointed out that the builder was still responsible for this problem as it was a defect in “materials”. The homeowner got an entire refund for the cost of the repairs, including the drywall that had to be replaced in the garage. It usually pays to use a licensed roof contractor for these kinds of roofing repairs.

The water meter in your house is put there to register the amount of water used during the utility company billing period. As far as the company is concerned, bill-gauging is the soul function of the meter, but you can use it for other purposes – to find out how much of your water bill is run by certain jobs, such as laundry or lawn-sprinkling, or even to help discover a water leak – provided you know how to read the meter correctly.

There are 2 types of meter face. The direct reading type gives a total at a glance, like a car odometer. The cumulative-reading meter has a number of dials that must be read separately, then combined to get total usage in cubit feet. Regardless of type, all meters have a special pointer that makes a complete revolution for cubic foot of water being consumed at a given moment.

To measure the water you use when sprinkling the lawn, examine the meter before turning on the sprinkler and again after turning it off. The difference between 2 figures is the number of cubic feet of water you have used on the lawn. To convert the answer to gallons, multiply it by 7.5, the number of gallons in one cubic foot. (While making such a test, you should be sure that there are no other heavy demands on your plumbing system.) The same method works, of course, if you want to determine water usage for anything from washing a car to filling a swimming pool.

If you want to find out if you have a water leak, the fast-moving pointer is the one to watch. Suppose, for example, you have a fresh water stain on a ceiling and suspect a hidden pipe leak is the cause. Or leaking roof. First, be sure that all faucets are turned off, then watch the pointer for a few minutes. If the pointer advances, however slowly, there is a leak in your plumbing. If it stands still, the stain is due to another cause, such as a faulty leaky roof.

If you have no water meter – either because you have your own well or because you live in a community where residential water meters are not required – you can verify the existence of a hidden water leak with any of the several sound-amplifying devices available from plumbing-supply stores.

A drain trap is a J-shaped piece of pipe in a sink drain that gives a low spot to hold water. This keeps gas from the sewer from coming into the house. Sometimes the drain trap clogs up and must be taken off and cleaned out.

To clean a drain trap, first put down a plastic sheeting or newspaper below the trap. The trap is full of water so protect the area beneath the sink from spills. Use a pan to catch any drips.

Use a large pipe wrench to loosen the 2 screw collars that hold the trap. They have right hand threads, which means that you turn them clockwise to tighten them. Turn them the other way to unscrew them.
After each collar has been unscrewed 2 or 3 turns with the pipe wrench, you can probably continue with the hand. Be careful, the trap is full of water, soap scum and other trapped things that you won’t want to spill.

Unscrew the collars with one hand while holding the trap with another hand so it won’t fall off when the last collar lets go of it. When both collars are completely loosened, you can lift out the trap.

Place the trap in the pan. Before you dump the trap, remove the rubber seals if they show signs of corrosion; you will need to replace them with new ones. The water can be poured into another drain, but the sludge and solid material should go in the trash. Flush out the trap outdoors with a hose, if you can.

Reverse the steps to replace the trap. Turn both collars at least two turns by hand to make sure the threads are matched up, and then make them tight with the pipe wrench. The joints need to be leakproof when you are finished with this plumbing project. If you see any drips, tighten the screw collars more or remove the trap and replace the rubber seals before putting it back.

This plumbing job is easy and can be one of do it yourself projects you can tackle on your own, if needed.

Years ago, rolled sheets of flooring were made of only one material – linoleum. Today the material is almost certain to be sheet vinyl – easy to maintain and install.
Sheet vinyl comes in 2 basic types:
- inlaid vinyl flooring material, in which the pattern is pressed through the vinyl;
- rotogravure flooring material, in which the pattern is printed on the surface.

Both come in compositions of different resiliency, some so flexible that you can roll them into a ball and others so brittle that they split if you try to press them into a corner.

Of the two types, roto vinyl flooring offers the greater variety of colors and patterns. It is softer and more nearly soundproof, because its wear surface is thin and the vinyl sheet has a thick foam-rubber backing called fatback. It is available in 6-, 12- and occasionally 9- and 15-foot widths. This is an advantage because the variety of widths virtually eliminates the need for seaming, which is the most difficult part of laying sheet vinyl. But roto’s softness makes it easier to puncture, and some furniture – a kitchen table, for instance, – can leave a permanent indentation if left too long in one spot. Inlaid sheet vinyl is harder and more durable, but it usually comes only in 6-foot rolls.

The first step in floor installation is to make a plan of the floor, marking the dimensions. Add 6 inches at each wall for overlap and note the width of the pattern repetition, usually printed on the back of the sheet together. The allowance for seaming equals this width; for example, if your pattern repeats every 3 feet, allow 3 feet of extra width when you buy the material for flooring.

Remove the shoe molding from the baseboard and generally the baseboard, too; it is best replaced with cove molding. Remove all the old wax and sweep the floor clean.

When returning heavy appliances, such as the refrigerator, to the room after vinyl flooring has been laid, push them back on top of a sheet of hardboard to avoid making deep, permanent ridges in vinyl flooring.

Leave the fitting of the vinyl to a threshold for the final step of the job. At an existing marble or wood threshold, cut the vinyl as close to the threshold as possible, shaving a little at a time to arrive at a close fit. If there is no threshold, or if you planning to replace it, use metal edging strips, which is the best transition from new vinyl flooring to the floor covering in an adjoining room. If you use a metal tuck-in strip as a threshold, leave the vinyl edge in the doorway unglued until the strip is installed.

Thorough paint prep is the key to a lasting exterior and interior paint job. We share with you paint prep tips from the pros that will help you do the job the right way, protect against slop, splatter and spills, and much more.

Prime Every Patch

You’ve filled in all the dents and dings, and now it is time to paint, right?
Wrong! All those patches, even the tiny ones, must be primed. The unprimed patches will absorb the paint and leave noticeable dull spots. This phenomenon is called “flashing”, and just like the other type of flashing, it is embarrassing and unprofessional. When you apply primer, don’t just brush it on. The tiny ridges of brush marks will show through the paint coat. Instead, “stripple” it on by dabbing your brush against the wall. The bumpy texture will better match the texture of rolled on paint.

Avoid Paint Freckles

Rolling paint on the ceiling showers you with fine mist. A baseball cap is essential and safety glasses let you watch your work without squinting. To make skin cleanup easier, rub lotion on your face, arms and hands. At the end of the day, your paint freckles will wash right off.

Plastic Drop Cloths Lead to Paint Tracks

Plastic sheets are great for protecting woodwork or furniture, but they are a bad choice for floors. They are slippery on carpet and they don’t stay put. Even worse, plastic promotes tracking. That’s because spills and drips sit on the surface and dry very slowly, giving you plenty of time to step in the paint and track it around. Fabric, on the other hand, lets paint dry fast, from above and below. Canvas drop cloths are best, but a double layer of old bed sheets works well, too.

Overnight Storage

If that “quick” painting project didn’t go as fast as you’d hoped and you need an extra day, seal your brushes in a freezer bag. As long as it is airtight, you can store brushes for up to a week without cleaning. But don’t push it; any longer, and they will dry out and stiffen up, making clean up that much harder.

Wipe Down The Walls

Static Electricity makes dust, lint and pet hair stick to walls. Rolling paint without cleaning the wall will enshrine them Pompeii-style for all to see. Plus, paint adheres better to clean walls with a damp sponge and warm water before painting. So, wipe down the walls with a damp sponge and warm water before painting, Add a smidgen of dishwashing liquid to the water. A couple of drops is enough to cut through oil and greasy fingertips without creating suds that you will have to wipe off later.

Keep a Scrapbook

Those labels on paint can lids are like the paints DNA. They contain all the information needed to duplicate the color and sheen. So the next time you buy paint, ask the clerk to print out a second set of labels and make sure you keep the color chips. Keep them together in a folder so that matching the color later will never be a problem.