Every home owner knows after a while, things break. But what if you can do some of your own repairs at home for much less? This simple presentation is designed to help you with 5, easy fixes that you can do on you own! To learn more visit our site http://c21indian.com

1. 5 HELPFUL TIPS
EVERY HOME
OWNER SHOULD
KNOW
BY: CENTURY 21 INDIAN RIVER REALTY
WWW.C21INDIAN.COM

2. While the thought of doing your own plumbing may
seem a little intense, a leaky sink can be an easy fix!
Most of the time this is due to a faulty washer.
Replacing the Washer:
1) Turn off the water supply valve under the sink
2) Stuff a rag in the drain so you don't lose parts,
then take the handle apart.
3) Pop the screw cover on top, remove the screw,
and pull off the handle.
4) Use a wrench to disassemble the stem (To make
the re-construction process easier we
recommend you line the parts up on the
counter)
5) Examine rubber parts or plastic cartridges for
cracks, and take the broken piece to the
hardware store for an exact replacement.
6) Reassemble the parts you've laid out, in reverse.
For more detailed diagrams, check out Fixing a Leaky
Faucet: By This Old House
TIP 1: THE LEAKY SINK!

3. While using your knuckles and tapping
on the wallboard can pinpoint a stud,
there are much better ways. Most studs
are placed at 16-inch intervals, so once
you know where one is, you can usually
find the rest.
1) Start at a corner (There's always a
stud.) Or take the cover plate off an
electrical outlet and find out on which
side it's mounted to the stud.
2) Measure 16, 32, 48 inches, and you
should hit a stud at each go.
3) Eliminate all guesswork by using a
thin bit to drill a test hole at the top of
the base molding, which you can
easily repair with a dab of caulk.
TIP 2: LOCATING A STUD

4. Chemicals will rarely clear a stoppage. A
full stoppage requires mechanical clearing.
1) Remove the stopper and block off
overflow holes.
2) With water in the bowl (the water puts
more pressure on the clog) plunge with
a flat-faced plunger.
3) If that doesn’t clear it, get under the sink
and take off the trap to see if that's
where the clog is.
4) If the blockage is deeper, rent yourself a
hand snake.
5) Slowly push the coil down the drain,
carefully twisting, pulling, and pushing
when you hit the blockage.
6) If the snake fails, then the still waters
truly run deep. Call a drain-clearing
service to get things flowing.
TIP 3: UNCLOGGING A SINK

5. Anything powered by electricity requires that the
current make a full circuit to and from the main box. All
the wiring in a house has two lines: one that brings in
the electricity (the hot wire) and one that carries it back
(the neutral wire). Connect hot wires to each other and
neutrals to each other. And just make sure you don't
become the conduit in between.
The hot is usually black and the neutral white. (If yours
looks different, use a circuit tester.) With the electricity
on, touch one node of the tester to the wire and the
other to something metal—that is NOT touching you. If
the light goes on, that's your hot wire.
1) Turn off the electricity
2) Connect the black ("hot") wire to the black wire or
the brass screw on your fixture
3) Connect the white (neutral) to white wire or silver
screw. If your fixture has two like-colored wires,
the grooved one always goes to the neutral
connection.
4) Connect the copper grounding wire from the
cable to the green grounding screw in the
junction box, then to the grounding wire coming
from the fixture, if there is one.
TIP 4: HARDWIRING A LIGHT
FIXTURE

6. Work fast—the typical extinguisher has
as little as 8 seconds of life, so know
how yours works in advance.
Make sure you stow it near an exit so
you can back out as you fight the flames.
Using the acronym "PASS” will help you
remember the steps
1) Pull the pin.
2) Aim the nozzle at the base of the
flames
3) Squeeze the trigger.
4) Sweep the spray from side to side.
Don't assume the fire is out just because
the flames are gone. Call 911 and wait for
the fire department to give you the high
sign.
TIP 5: HOW TO USE A FIRE
EXTINGUISHER

7. Fore more helpful tips check
out ThisOldHouse.com
Here you will find a number
of great tips for home
owners that will help equip
you on whatever project you
may be working on.
If you are looking for a new
home, visit our site
c21indian.com
We would be happy to assist
you with any and all of your
real estate needs.
5 HELPFUL TIPS EVERY
HOME OWNER SHOULD
KNOW