Fix It Archives - Page 7 of 15

31 Days of Handy Home Fixes, curtains, Fix It, Hanging Blinds, Hanging curtains, hanging shelves, Home & Auto Maintenance, repair

Day 15 – Use Good Wall Anchors

Curtain rods, towel bars, and other wall mounted accessories are relatively easy to hang. The trick is securing them to a stud so they can hold up to the abuse. But, how often have you found that you don’t have a stud where you want it mounted? Probably 98% of the time, right? That’s where it is important to use good wall anchors (specifically for your type walls.) Today I’m talking about drywall anchors.

Day 15: Use Good Wall Anchors

You are probably thinking, “Okay, no problem. The towel bar I bought came with wall anchors. I’ll just use those.” And that would be a mistake!

Why? Because those freebie wall anchors get mangled and they won’t hold up to regular use. DO NOT USE those El Cheapo wall anchors that come with your curtain rods, shelves, towel bars, toilet paper holders, etc. In fact, don’t even save them if you don’t use them. PITCH ‘EM…NOW… JUST DO IT!

I am a big fan of the TOGGLER wall anchors because they are easy to drill into drywall and you can remove them fairly easily with a phillips head screwdriver. There are several other brands and types of wall anchors that will work just as well. When purchasing wall anchors, pay attention to the weight limit and wall types they are designed for.

Now, pin this post because friends don’t let friends use el Cheapo Wall anchors!

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October 15, 2014/8 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

31 Days of Handy Home Fixes, cleaning, Fix It, Home & Auto Maintenance, Plumbing

Day 14 – Non-Toxic Drain Opener

Non-Toxic Drain Opener | Pretty Handy Girl

A clogged tub or sink is an inevitable situation for any homeowner. Before you reach for the toxic drain cleaner, try this easy and inexpensive Non-Toxic Drain Opener.

All you need is a box of baking soda and cheap white vinegar.

Day 14: Non-Toxic Drain Opener

Remove the drain pop up and pour a LOT of baking soda into the drain.

Pour white vinegar into the drain until it causes a bubbling reaction. Continue until the baking soda fails to bubble up.

Turn on the hot water full blast. Let it run for at least a minute.

Hopefully this quick and non-toxic solution will clear your drain. Need some help getting that pop up back in place, follow this tutorial.

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October 14, 2014/4 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

31 Days of Handy Home Fixes, Fix It, Home & Auto Maintenance, Plumbing, weatherstripping

Day 12 – Protecting Spigots from Frozen Burst Pipes

Protect Spigot from Frozen Burst Pipes | Pretty Handy Girl

Winter is coming and this year I want to help you protect your home from a burst pipe because it froze. Much like your water pipes (which should have foam insulation sleeves on them,) it’s important to protect your spigot on the outside of your house from freezing.

Luckily, Frost King makes this handy dandy Insulated Outdoor Faucet Cover.

Day 12: Protecting Spigots from Frozen Burst Pipes

To install the insulated cover, you simply slip the interior cord loop over the spigot handle.

Cinch the cord lock tight onto the styrofoam cover.

And your spigot is protected from freezing leading to a costly burst pipe.

The nice thing about these covers is they can be installed and removed in seconds. If you need to use your spigot, it’s simple to remove and then replace the cover.

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October 12, 2014/6 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

31 Days of Handy Home Fixes, Fix It, Home & Auto Maintenance, painting

Day 9 – Easy Tricks to Remove Wall Scuffs

Easy Tricks to Remove Walls Scuffs | Pretty Handy Girl

Do you have a ghost in your house? I do! Want to know how I know? Because we have scuffs that magically appear on the walls. It doesn’t bother me because I know a few easy tricks for removing wall scuffs.

Day 10: Easy Tricks for Removing Wall Scuffs

My number one tool in my arsenal against wall scuffs is the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. This guy is tough on scuffs! Before you start using that new eraser, cut it into fourths. That way you only dirty one small section at a time.

Rinse the eraser under water and ring out as much water as you can.

Locate your wall scuffs:

Gently rub the wall with the Magic Eraser until the scuffs disappear.

Instantly gone, invisible and no more ghost evidence.

Recently I accidentally marked my wall with a Sharpie marker.

The Magic Eraser worked a little too well in removing the mark. I accidentally rubbed down to the old paint color.

For true paint touch ups, I use the Shur-Line touch up painter. I poured this paint in the tube a year ago. Then stored it in the garage.

I snapped a new roller into the top. After a year, the paint clogged at the release hole. But, I was able to poke a pin though to start the paint again.

Then I rolled over the “oops” until it had good paint coverage.

And the mark/scuff is gone.

Do you have any tips or tricks for removing wall scuffs? I’m anxious to hear your tips.

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October 10, 2014/13 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

31 Days of Handy Home Fixes, bathroom, Fix It, Home & Auto Maintenance, kitchen, laundry room, Plumbing

Day 9 – Replace Water Lines with Braided Metal Hoses

Replace Water Lines with Braided Metal Hoses | Pretty Handy Girl

Welcome to Day 9 of my 31 Days of Handy Home Fixes. Would you believe that a burst water line can cause tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage to your home? It’s true! If one of your water supply lines is not braided metal, you could be putting your home in danger of a massive leak; leading to a flood; which can lead to rot, mold and termites! Yup, termites love moist wood.

Day 9: Replace All Water Lines with Braided Metal:

Take a few minutes to look behind your toilet, behind your washing machine and under sinks to see if you have water supply lines that look like these:

If you do, it’s time to change them out for braided metal water lines:

And if you are purchasing a new washer, dishwasher or refrigerator, request braided metal water supply lines instead of the basic lines that are sold with the appliance. The cost difference is literally a few dollars in some cases. That extra dollar or two could save you tens of thousands of dollars!

Replacing the water lines is as easy as attaching your garden hose. To replace your washing machine hoses, locate the water shut off (usually it is behind the washer.) Turn the knobs off. Then remove the supply line from the shut off and the back of the washer. Have a towel underneath to capture any drips.

Tighten the new braided hoses onto the washing machine and the water shut off valve. Turn the water back on and look for any drips or leaks. You might need to use a wrench to tighten up to half a turn more if you notice any drips after you turn the water back on.

Replacing the water lines to your toilet and sink is almost as easy, usually the shut off valve looks like this:

Replacing the dishwasher water line can be a bit trickier if it is behind your cabinets. You might need to call in a helper to help you remove the dishwasher.

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October 9, 2014/8 Comments/by Brittany Bailey