With the general seepage resulting from pressure from the saturated dirt outside the basement, trenches can be built to divert the water to the basement’s sump pump. With the other two locations—corners and staircase attachments—direct action may be taken on those two areas to curb the flood potential and attempt to waterproof the basement for good!

Here are some tips to work with when learning how to waterproof your basement:

• Identify the source(s) of water entering the basement. If the water appears to be coming in through one spot, attempt to identify that spot and reinforce it.

• Prepare to dig a trench in order to divert any water to the sump, the drainage hole in the basement floor. Be certain that the drainage grate is clear and able to let the water drain freely.

• Develop means to pump water into that drainage hole, the “sump pump.” Be extra careful when dealing with water and electricity; they make a dangerous combination when mixed! Avoid using extension cords to power your sump pump. Be sure to use grounded sockets. Industry has now even come up with a solar powered sump pump; that may be a safer, less deadly option.

• Locate ways to reinforce breaches in your basement’s wall integrity. Watch carefully for leaks around corner joists, staircase attachments, and crawl space entrances. See if your local building supply is familiar with products that other persons in your locale have used with success!

When building your kitchen pantry, whether you are adding extra shelving or cabinets to your kitchen storage capacity, the added pantry space can provide style to your kitchen as well as functionality. The simple collection of your necessary items in a newly-fashioned area can breathe new life into the atmosphere of a well-organized kitchen.

Here are some tips to help you install a kitchen pantry:

• Determine how you want the pantry to look. Will it simply be a set of additional cabinets built adjacent to existing cabinets, or do you have a closet off the kitchen that can be converted and shelved to make a real pantry space complete with designated shelves for canned goods, dry goods, and extra dishes and pans. Remember, there is no requirement that the pantry be in the kitchen; you can designate a closet for that purpose outside of the kitchen.
• How will your new pantry cause you to adjust your original storage scheme, and are you prepared for what that will mean. Especially if you are using a nearby closet as your new pantry, take into consideration the increased walking distance to get to that space when considering what to relocate to that new storage space. Frequently used items need to be stored close at hand for comfort.
• Your pantry space will certainly involve building shelving for storage. Will you be using pull-out shelves installed with rollers for easy use?
• Will the pantry’s shape and size permit the placement of drawers to accommodate silverware storage and for small items? How will that be arranged?
• If space is a consideration, can existing cabinets in the kitchen be re-configured to obtain more efficient storage within the space already being used?

If you have a fireplace you probably want to be able to use it without any fears and concerns. But, chimney fires are a cause for great concern for individuals that do not know the proper steps to take in order to decrease the likelihood of them occurring. Try following these simple steps to decrease the chance of any chimney fires taking place in your home.

1.)   Only use really dry wood when you get ready for your fire. This is often called seasoned wood and it is very important in preventing fires. Your chimney may become clogged if you are using wood that has a lot of moisture in it. This can increase fires, so the dryer the better. 

2.)   Build small fires each time that you decide to have one. This will also decrease the amount of smoke that the fire produces.

3.)   Only burn wood. When you burn paper and trash you will be increasing sparks that can contribute to chimney fires. Because paper and trash is lighter than wood, it can float up out of the chimney and onto the roof. A paper that is still on fire and lands on the roof will cause the roof to become a blazed.

4.)   Have your chimney cleaned on a regular basis. If you are not able to clean the chimney yourself then you can call a professional to come and do it for you. These individuals are very easily found by looking in your local phone book or on the internet.

You should always practice safe precautions when working with any type of fire. Make sure your family knows the do’s and don’ts of using the fire place, where you keep the fire extinguishers, how to extinguish home fires, and what to do if your home is on fire.

Now that you know you should be completing regular checks on your garage doors you may want to know exactly what you should do.  Follow these simple steps and you will be good to go.

•    Check the screws in the tracks.  There may be times when the screws loosen. This causes the doors to have a difficult time opening and closing properly.  This could also result in damage to the motor for the door if it is struggling to open and close the door.

•    Wipe the tracks down with motor oil every so often to keep things running smoothly just like when they were new.

•    Check the rollers.  If they are broken then you may want to remove them and purchase new ones. This is not expensive and it does not take much time.  If they are just tight then you will want to place some lubricant on them.

It is not difficult to perform regular maintenance on your garage doors and this article proves that.  You just need to remember to add it to your year round home maintenance check list.  You might even want to write it down on a calendar every month or two so you do not forget.

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.

•  When winterizing your pipes you will need to turn off the main shut off valve or have the water company turn off water service to the home.  From the top floor and working down, open all of your faucets inside and outside of the home.

•  Once all the water has dripped for the taps, open the plug from the main water shut off and let it drain. Turn off the power/gas to the water heater and open the water heater drain valve.

•  To freeze proof the water system of your home, make sure to empty toilet bowls and tanks, remove the cleanout plugs on all the sink traps or remove the traps completely.

•  Once emptied, fill with low temperature windshield fluid. Repeat the same step with the basement floor drain and main house trap.

•  For tub and shower traps, add at least a quart of RV antifreeze or windshield fluid.

*Never place antifreeze or windshield fluid in a dishwasher or clothes washer.

If your shower head leaks where it meets the arm, you probably need to replace the washer. To replace the washer, loosen the collar using tape-wrapper rib joint pliers to avoid damaging the finish; then unscrew the head from the ring and remove the old washer with the new.

Weak water pressure from the shower head usually means there is a mineral buildup in the shower head. To remove buildup and restore water flow, clean outlet holes with a pin or unscrew a perforated face plate of the shower head and soak it overnight in vinegar. Once soaked over night scrub the face plate clean and rinse off.

If the shower head will not pivot with ease, check the washer for wear and tear. If the washer is fine than coat the swivel ball with petroleum jelly before reassembling the shower head.

Tip:

If the nuts and couplings are frozen in place, instead of using a wrench to force them loss, place penetrating oil on the connections. Wait half an hour, then loosen the nuts and couplings with a wrench.

Make sure you always have handy the tools to help with plumbing repairs. Most are need for the repairs that are mentioned above for fixing a faulty shower head.

1. Remove the cover and detach the wires of the old thermostat from their lettered terminals. Tag and label each wire to ensure you re-hook each wire up to the correct terminal. The tags will also work as a barrier to keep the wires from  siding back into the hole of the wall.

2. Attach the new bade plate to the wall with screws. Checking to ensure that the new thermostat is  level. Strip the wire ends if necessary, Wrap the ends clockwise around the terminal screws then tighten the screws with the wire attached.

3. Mount the new thermostat cover on the base plate by following the manufacture’s instructions.

Cleaning a Thermostat.

Cleaning your thermostat ensures trouble-free operation over its life . To clean your thermostat in three easy steps, simply remove the cover, many electronic thermostats are wireless and snap on and off with ease. Clean the contact points by turning the thermostat all the way up until the points are closed. Remove the cover and wiggle a strip of thin cord between the two points. Blow any lessen debris off the points. Once this is done clean the heat sensor. Brush the coil gently and then blow the heat sensor clan of debris. Then lastly clean the switch contacts. Simply do this with a cotton swab that as been moistened with a small amount of alcohol. By keeping your thermostat clean you prevent long-term damage allow for only quick fixes for heating an cooling systems.

Clean floor drain strainers. Some tubs and showers have strainers that are screwed into the drain opening of the tub. Remove the strainers with a screwdriver and reach down into the drain with a vent wire to clear out accumulated hair. Make sure to scrub the strainer clean before putting it back in place.

Clean pop-up stoppers. Clean pop-up stoppers in the bathroom sink and tub frequently. Lift out and rinse the sink pop-ups at least once a week. This will also remove hair that is attached to the pop-up and will stop the hair from accumulating down within the pipe.

Clean out spring or rocker arm. Every few months remove the pop-up assembly to reach the spring or rocker arm. Remove the buildup of hair and rinse well with warm water to flush away any soap buildup.

If you find you have a hair clog within your drain you can use a plumbers snake or chemical drain cleaners to clear out the hair clogged drain.

For maximum efficiency, you should clean the heater system and inspect the burner and thermostat throughout the colder months. If a problem with the heater dose presents itself, here are some possible causes and solutions.

*Should be performed by a professional.