A few simple steps can get you on the right track to relaxation. 

1. You want to make sure to remove the old head first.  You can do this with a pair of pliers or a wrench that is adjustable (make sure you always use the right wrench for the job).  Turn counterclockwise while grasping the shower head firmly with your free hand.

2. You may find some buildup in your old shower head you will want to clean this from the pipe before installing the new one.

3. With the use of some plumbers tape you should wrap the pipe in a thin layer in a clockwise fashion.  Please make sure to dry the surface well before doing this or the tape will not stick.

4. Now it is time for the new shower head.  You should screw it on over the tape.

5. When you feel resistance this is a good point to stop.  Make sure you do not make it too tight.

6. Now turn on the water in the shower and make sure that there are no leaks around the new head.  If there are leaks, try tightening the shower head some more to see if that stops the leak.

 Now you are on your way to a relaxing shower without all the clogs and leaking!  You may have thought the project was difficult before but with a few simple steps you can now consider yourself the perfect do-it-yourselfer!

1.) You will need to get the carpet up off of the floor and then get it taken outside where it can begin to air out.  This is very important because you want to get the padding underneath of it out so you can replace it.  You do not want any mold growing under there.

2.) Clean the carpet with fresh, clear water so that it any dirt and residue will be removed.

3.) Use a good cleaner to clean the hard wood floor and run fans over the hard wood floor so that it will dry more quickly. You may need to replace any molding tongue and groove boards.

4.) Let the carpet air out for several days in order to ensure that it is completely dry.  You will only be defeating the purpose if you put it back while it is still wet.

5.) Place new padding on the floor and then tack the carpet back into place.

It is possible to save your carpet after you have experienced water damage.  However, you need to remember that it will be labor intensive and it will be time consuming.  If you do not have the time to do this work, or you just do not want to,  you might want to call a professional.

If you notice that the flow of water from the spray is sluggish, first make sure the hose is not kinked. If the spray hose is not kinked, then you may need to clean the aerator in the spray nozzle. If the water flow remains sluggish after you have cleaned the aerator, you may have a diverter valve problem. You’ll have to clean or replace the diverter. 

If the spray head leaks however, you just need to replace the washer from the hose. For a leak at the faucet end of the spray hose, tighten the hose coupling. For a hose that leaks itself you probably have a cracked hose and will need to replace it.

Three common problems of a sink spray and how to fix them:

Clogged Spray Nozzle: Remove the nozzle screw and clean the perforated disc with a soapy water and small scrub brush. Open the clogged holes of the nozzle with a safety pin. Replace the nozzle.

Leaking Spray Head: With the water off, unscrew the spray head and replace the spray washer. Make sure the coupling is tightened once you reattach the spray head. 

Leaking Spray Hose: Remove the spray hose with a basin wrench. Remove the coupling under the sink along with the spray-head coupling. Replace the hose with a new one and reattach the spray head coupling and the sink coupling.

How to Clean the Diverter Valve: Unscrew the sinks faucet cap to reach the diverter. Make sure you know how to take apart a faucet.  Loosen the screw that is on top of the diverter just enough that the diverter is loose to lift it out of the faucet. Once you have the whole diverter out, take it apart for cleaning. Use soapy water and a small scrub brush to clean the inside and out of the diverter. If the diverter is too corroded you may need to replace it. Once you have cleaned the diverter or had purchased a new one, you are ready to reinsert it into the faucet.

1. Turn off the water supply and drain the tank so you may disconnect the water supply pipe. For a bowl-mounted tank remove the tank bolts and gaskets left off the tank. For a wall-mounted tank, remove the connection pipe by loosening the pipe couplings.

2. Then unscrew the locknut under the tank and remove the lift wires, guide rod and stopper. Now left out the valve and overflow tube.

3. Assemble the gasket on the new flush valve by inserting the assembly through the tank bottom. Position the overflow tube and assemble the conical gasket locknut. Once complete, tighten.

4. Slip the guide rod and collar down the overflow tube to install a stopper with lift wires. Once the guide rod is centered over the valve seat, tighten the adjustment the screw.

5. Hook the upper lift wire onto the tip lever. Than slide the lower lift wire down through the upper wire and guide rod. While using the adjustment screw, adjust the rod’s height.

6. So the stopper will droop straight down, screw the tank stopper onto the lower lift wire. Replace the bowl-refill tube and reconnect the tank then reverse the above steps.

Hot Water: The safest of the below methods for thawing frozen pipe is to wrap the pipe with rags and poor boiling water on it.
Heating Pad: Warp the length of the frozen pipe with a heating pad.

 
Hair Dryer: Used like a torch, a hair dryer will gently defrost the frozen pipe from the outside in.
Heat Lap:  For pipes situated behind any walls, floors or ceilings, beam a heat lamp 8 or more inches from the surface of the frozen pipe.

If you can see water flowing out of a crack in a wall or floor, you know that the source is ground water. If water is not flowing out of a crack, you’ll have to make a test for dampness in your basement to see if the water is due to condensation or water from the ground. To do this:

1. Cut two 12in squares of plastic sheeting or aluminum foil.
2. Tape a peace to the inside of one of the basement walls and the other to the basement floor.
3. Wait 2 days.
4. Remove the plastic or aluminum foil.
5. If the wall or floor that was covered by the square is dry then you have condensation. If the wall or floor that was covered by the squares are wet, you have a ground water leak.

Controlling Condensation In The Basement:

You will need to lower your basements air humidity by:

1. Raise the temperature in the basement.
2. Make sure all vents of moist air, like your clothes dryer, are vented to the outside.
3. Place a dehumidifier in the basement.
4. Insulate basement walls.
5. Insulate cold water pipes.
6. Open basement windows, weather permitting.

Controlling Ground Water Leaks In The Basement:

1. Gutters and downspouts should be directed to clear water away from the foundation of the home.
2. If you have a leaking crack, you will need to call a professional to fix the basement foundation.

Don’t walk on the roof any more than you absolutely have to, you may cause more damage to the roof and will increase your chances of an accident. Don’t walk on tile or slate roofs do to the fact they are too slippery and breakable to safely work on.

Don’t walk on steep pitched roofs: Let a professional make any repairs on a sharply pitched roof. If your roof slopes more than 25 degrees or rises more than 4 inches vertically for every 12 horizontal inches, the roof is too unsafe to work on and you will need to call a professional.

Wear: Wear loose, comfortable clothing and non slip rubber-soled shoes with good ankle support when working on the roof.

Work on the roof only in dry days:  Calm warm weather conditions are the only conditions you can safely work on a roof.  A wet roof can be unsafe conditions with a sudden wind you can be knock you off balance.

Never: Never work on the roof when lightning is around.

Repairing damaged shingles: When repairing a roof with brittle or old roofing materials and rotted decking never place your weight on the damaged shingles you are repairing as a safety precaution. You may fall right through the roof.

No power lines: Stay well away from power lines. Make sure neither your body nor the equipment you use to fix the roof comes into contact with the power lines.

In the chart listed below are the major categories of caulks and sealants that are used for repairs around the home. Many Caulks and Sealants offer a variety similar characteristic and categories. To choose the best type for a particular job, consult the chart below.

Silicone Rubber: For interior/exterior home use on moving joints. Works well on metal, glass, masonry, tile, porcelain, and ceramic.

Polyurethane Sealants: Good for sealing cracks and for glazing. Works well with wood, masonry glass, and metal.

Polyurethane Foams: Seals interior/exterior cracks when used with a primer on unpainted wood and masonry.

Butyl Rubber: Joins like materials inside and outside of the home. Bonds well to metals, works well when fixing repairs with gutters and flashing.

Acrylic Latex: Good for narrow interior joints and for nonmoving exteriors. Joints well around painted doors and windows.

Plumbing Repair Tools

Tools you’ll need for plumbing repairs include some that are part of your homeowner toolbox collection and some you may want to add to it. Among the basic tools that you should have on hand are Standard/Phillips screwdrivers for faucet screws, adjustable and open-end wrenches for nuts and bolts, and rib-joint pliers to remove some fixtures. You may also need a set of Allen wrenches for setscrews and a hacksaw blade to cut off any rusted on bolts.

 Additional plumbing tools fall into three categories: Drain-clearing tools, Wrenches and Job-specific tools.

Drain-Clearing Tools: These three tolls are used to clear plumbing clogs, like hair clogs, in fixtures and drains:

1. Plunger: A plunger uses exchangeable pressure and suction to unclog drains and plumbing fixtures. The funnel cup types are intended for toilets, but it can fold flat for drains as well.
2. Snake: A snake, drain and trap auger, comes available in lengths from 10-75 feet. The snake stretches into a drain and clears deep clogs within pipes. By locking the snake’s thumbscrew and tuning the handle will drive the corkscrew-like tip into the clog and releasing the blockage.
3. Closet Auger: A closet auger is designed especially for toilets; it’s bent into the toilet’s trap.

Wrenches: You may need some addition wrenches then what you have that are specialized for plumbing:

1. Spud Wrenches: With its wide, smooth jaws, this wrench is useful for unfastening extra large nuts and fixtures on sinks and toilets.
2. Pipe Wrenches: With serrated jaws for gripping fittings and galvanized or cat-iron pipe. Use them in pairs on pipes. One wrench holds one section of pipe as the other turns the pipe or fitting.
3. Basin Wrenches: With its long handle you can reach out-of-the-way couplings and nuts. Its jaws allow you to tighten or lessen nuts as well.

Job-Specific Tools: Certain jobs call for very specialized tools:

1. Valve-Seat Wrenches: And valve-seat dresser is tools you will need for compression faucets. A valve-seat has both a hexagonal and a square end to remove valve seats. A valve-seat dresser cleans corroded seats and smoothes pitted non-removable seats.
2. Deep-Socket Wrenches: This wrench will remove the hard-to-reach packing nut on a tub or faucet.

Blow is a list tools every home owner should have in their toolbox. Take an inventory of the tools you already have and their condition, if any of the tools mentioned below are missing or damaged you should consider replacing them. Buy the best you can afford. Quality tools make the job easier and are safer than bargain tools. For one-time repairs you can rent power or specialty hand tools.

Fastening tools like nails and screws, with material like adhesives are items you may want to keep handy. A range of sizes for fasteners and washers come handy when you need to make those minor repairs.