Fixing a Leaky Faucet

Fixing a Leaky Faucet

Home Maintenance Home Safe

Fixing a Leaky Faucet 

At best, a leaking faucet is more than capable of being annoying. At worst, a leaking faucet is capable of being extremely wasteful. The sound of water as it continuously drips into a sink can be completely maddening over time. Luckily, the fix required for repairing a leaky faucet is relatively simple as a DIY home repair project. With a few simple tools and some basic DIY know how, there is no reason why you cannot learn what it takes to fix a leaky faucet all on your own.

First and foremost, before you attempt this fix you need to make sure that the water has been turned off. Look under the offending sink and you should find a shut off valve that will allow you to turn the water off. Older homes may not have this shut off valve beneath the sink, meaning that you would need to go into the basement to turn the water off. Once the water has been turned off, you should open up both faucets so that any water that is still in the pipes can be let out. You need to take care to make sure that a drain stopper is put down so that if you drop a loose part, you do not end up losing it down the drain while you are working on the repair process.


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If you happen to have an old lever handle faucet, then it is going to require that you use a screwdriver in order to remove the screw from the top of the faucet. Newer faucet handles are not going to have any visible hardware in the top but rather you will need to undo the set screw using a standard Allen wrench. Once the screw has been removed from the faucet handle, the handle can be removed.

If you have a knob handle, then you should remove the knob from the fixture so that you can gain access to your screw. Use an adjustable type of wrench to take apart the handle's inner workings. Make sure that the pieces are lined up as they are removed so that you can replace them in the right order. Keeping them in the right order will make reassembly easier when you are done.

Remove the washer and prepare to replace it. Bring it to the hardware store as a reference when you are buying a replacement. If you use the old washer as a guide, you will make sure to buy the proper new washer. Set the newly purchased washer in, and then replace the rest of the hardware to reassemble the faucet. If you have a double handled sink and it is still leaking, then you are going to have to repeat this same process for the other faucet in order to address the problem completely and fully.


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Closing Down a House for the Winter

Home Safe Home Tips

Closing Down a House for the Winter

Whether you have a vacation home that will not be in use for the winter, or you will be gone from your home for an extended period of time this season, it is a good idea to properly close up your home for the winter. This is not difficult and the steps you take here can save you thousands of dollars by preventing burst pipes, water damage and other damage. Here is a quick checklist to help you get prepared.

1. Drain the water heater and the pipes.
This is something that many homeowners forget, but it is the most important step to take and should be done before anything else. If you don’t get rid of excess water in your pipes, plumbing and water heater, there is a chance that they could freeze. Since you won’t be at the home, you may never know what happened until it is too late. If you are not used to flushing your home’s plumbing system, you can easily hire a plumber to help with this job. Once everything has been flushed, double check to make sure that the main water line to the house has been shut off.

Some people recommend adding antifreeze to toilet water, but this is a hazard, particularly if you have pets and small children. It is best simply to flush the house system and close down the water line for the winter.


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2. Seal all the windows.
In order to keep the temperature at a constant level, it’s a good idea to seal up and winterize all of your windows and doors. This can save you money on heating an extra home throughout the winter and will help keep the interior less dusty. You can purchase window and door sealing kits at your local hardware store and do this on your own.

3. Set your furnace to the desired level.
If you don’t mind heating the house all winter long, or if you haven’t completely flushed the house water system, you will need to make sure that you leave the heat on. Most people prefer to set the heat at about 50 to 60 degrees to keep it above freezing. This should reduce the cost for heating the house throughout the winter. If you prefer to just turn everything off, double check and make sure that no water is left in the pipes before you do.

Turn off the electricity.
If you will not be using the heating system, you can simply turn off the electricity for this portion of the year. Many people feel more comfortable doing this, since they won’t have to worry about electrical fires if something happens when they are not at the house. Talk with your power company about shutting down for the winter. If you have propane or natural gas lines in the home, you should also have those shut down for the winter.

These easy steps will help you make sure that your house is safe and sound for the winter and will be ready for you next spring.

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Keep Your Home Safe with a Maintenance Check List

Keep Your Home Safe with a Maintenance Check List

Home Maintenance Home Safe Home Tips

Every home has certain requirements, and a seasonal maintenance checklist can help you remember when you last did something, and when it needs to be done again. We all know to replace a light bulb when it burns out and to repair grout when it cracks. But those things that need to be done regularly that don't pop up and remind us can fall by the wayside without a regular maintenance checklist.

Once a year maintenance check list:

• Drain your hot water heater. Clean out any sediment.
• In the fall, have your fireplace and chimney professionally cleaned to avoid buildup that can start a fire.
• Before the cold weather hits, have your heating system professionally serviced to make sure it's safe and ready to go for winter.
• If you have a septic tank, have it professionally inspected and pumped out if they recommend it.
• Check the seal around doors and windows so you can make repairs before the cold weather arrives.
• Drain your outdoor spigots before the cold weather comes to avoid a frozen and burst pipe.
• In the spring, clean your air conditioning unit thoroughly before turning it on. If it's central air, make sure there are no tall grasses, leaves or other debris that could block the air flow around the unit.

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Twice a year maintenance check list:

• Change the batteries in your smoke detectors/and or carbon monoxide detectors. An excellent time to do this so that you don't forget is when you change your clocks each spring and fall for daylight savings time. Be sure to use the built-in tester after replacing the battery, just to make sure they're still working properly.
• Clean lint from your clothes dryer ducts and other nooks and crannies.
• Wash your range hood housing and fan to remove build-up.
• Clean the water inlet filters on your washing machine.
• Tighten fasteners and drain connections on your garbage disposal.
• nspect your roof to spot potential problems before they turn into leaks.
• Clean your gutters and check for leaks or improper drainage.
• Check the seals on your refrigerator and freezer to make sure the appliances are running at top efficiency and not leaking cold air.
• Unscrew the aerators on your kitchen or bathroom faucets and clean them. Sediment that breaks loose from your pipes can build up and block water flow.

Monthly maintenance checklist:

• Check any fire extinguishers to make sure they're charged properly.
• Flush your garbage disposal
• Refresh your sink and tub drains. Clean out any debris and then sprinkle a little baking soda into the drain. Pour a little white vinegar into the drains and wait about 5 minutes before flushing with hot water. When the baking soda and vinegar meet they'll bubble and foam, which cleans your drain and helps eliminate odors.
• If you have a water softener, check the salt drum.
• Clean your range hood's grease filter
• Replace your furnace filter.

Following a regular maintenance checklist will help you remember the little things that are important but easy to forget.