Feb 23, 2017 | Maintenance Tips
Lube a Sticking Vinyl Window or Door When vinyl windows and doors don’t operate smoothly, it’s usually because gunk has built up in the channels. But sometimes even clean windows and doors can bind. Try spraying dry PTFE spray lubricant on the contact...
Feb 16, 2017 | Maintenance Tips
Flush Without Hang-Ups Here’s a quick way to avoid a running toilet caused by a kinked toilet chain. Remove the chain from the arm attachment, and slide a plastic straw over the flapper chain, covering about two-thirds of the chain. Then reattach the chain to...
Feb 9, 2017 | Maintenance Tips
Silence a Squeaky Floor To fix a squeaky floor under carpet, locate the floor joists with a stud finder, then drive in a trim head screw through the carpet, pad and subfloor, and right into the floor joist. Be sure the top inch of the screw doesn’t have threads...
Feb 2, 2017 | Maintenance Tips
Restore Free Flow to a Faucet When a kitchen or bathroom faucet loses pressure or starts spraying to the side, it’s usually due to a dirty aerator screen. Luckily, cleaning a screen is an easy job. Start by closing the drain plug (so you don’t drop parts...
Jan 26, 2017 | Maintenance Tips
Straighten a Bent Blind Unmangle mangled mini-blinds with a mini-blind slat straightener. Just slide it over the damaged slat and squeeze. The product, called the MiniBlindRx, works on 1-in. metal slats and is available for about $10. Home Maintenance Tips...
