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Healthy Home

Healthy Home

Develop and maintain a safe and healthy home for your family.

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Clearing a Fixture Drain Line

Clearing a Fixture Drain Line

If your sink is backed up but the clog isn't in the trap, it's probably further in the drain system - in the drain lines inside your walls. To reach this kind of clog, you'll need a snake - a tool designed just for this type of job. An inexpensive hand snake, sometimes...

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Skill: Beginner

Time: 2 hours

Running New Supply Lines

Running New Supply Lines

Running new supply lines requires planning in order to choose the best route for the pipes and break the job down into manageable phases. Hot and cold supply lines can be either copper (as shown here), CPVC, or, if code allows, PEX.

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Skill: Beginner

Time: 1 hour

Cleaning a Sink Stopper (Pop-Up)

Cleaning a Sink Stopper (Pop-Up)

Sink stoppers close off the drain hole in your sink so you can fill it with water. Occasionally, they can get gunked up with hair and soap and cause your sink to drain slowly – or not at all. Pop-up stoppers – the ones that close when you pull up on a little knob ...

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Skill: Beginner

Time: 1 hour

Patching Small Holes in Wallboard

Patching Small Holes in Wallboard

Small holes are defined as those that are less than about 2 inches in diameter. There's no need to make a wallboard patch for these little holes because a peel-and-stick repair patch works just great and provides a quick and professional looking repair.

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Skill: Beginner

Time: 2 hours

Installing a Plunger-Valve Ballcock

Installing a Plunger-Valve Ballcock

A ballcock is basically a toilet's only mechanical part. It has a number of moving components that can wear out or break. When that happens, you'll need to replace the ballcock. It's not a difficult job. There are several types of ballcocks – plunger-valve, ...

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Skill: Beginner

Time: 1 hour

Cleaning a Plunger Tub Drain

Cleaning a Plunger Tub Drain

To fix a tub that doesn't drain properly, first identify what type of drain you have. If the drain hole of your tub is open or covered by a coarse screen, you have a plunger-type stopper. Plunger-type drains are a bit complex as far as household drains go. They have moving...

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Skill: Beginner

Time: 1 hour

Patching Large Holes in Wallboard

Patching Large Holes in Wallboard

Wallboard repairs are necessary for a number of reasons. Whether it's careless movers wielding appliances, kids hustling through the house, or just natural settling of the house, wallboard cracks can appear. But these simple projects can come to the rescue.

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Skill: Beginner

Time: 2 hours

Clearing Sink Drains with a Plunger

Clearing Sink Drains with a Plunger

Sinks get clogged and backed up when soap, hair and grease build up and clog the trap or the drain line. When that happens, don't reach for the drain cleaner. Instead, try to clear the drain by cleaning gunk off the sink stopper or plunging the sink.

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Skill: Beginner

Time: 1 hour

Fixing Ceramic Disk Faucets

Fixing Ceramic Disk Faucets

A leaky faucet may be caused by a leaky disk faucet. When this happens you lose energy and money. To fix the problem, follow these instructions for fixing ceramic disk faucets.

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Skill: Beginner

Time: 1 hour

Cleaning a Pop-Up Tub Drain

Cleaning a Pop-Up Tub Drain

To fix a tub that doesn't drain properly, first identify what type of drain you have. If the drain hole features a metal plug that goes up and down, it's a pop-up type. Pop-up tub drains are a bit complex as far as household drains go. They have moving mechanical parts...

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Skill: Beginner

Time: 1 hour

Adding a New Circuit

Adding a New Circuit

To install a new electrical circuit, ensure your service panel can accept a new breaker. Now plan a circuit that won’t be overloaded. To buy a breaker to fit your panel, note the brand and model number of your current breakers, or bring a sample to the store. Install the...

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Skill: Beginner

Time: 1 hour

Patching Peeling Paint

Patching Peeling Paint

When old paint chips, flakes or peels, it leaves behind a shallow depression. You'll need to repair these spots before painting – new coats of paint won't hide the indentations. Use a fast-drying patching compound to fill the hole.

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Skill: Beginner

Time: 1 hour