Plumbing

11 Plumbing Fixes You Can Do

Plumbing Fixes You Can Complete

11 Plumbing Fixes You Can Complete When I tell people that there are few reasons to call a plumber, they are usually doubtful. Today I want to show you 11 Plumbing Fixes You Can Complete on your own! Whether you have a leaky faucet, a slow…
difference in handheld shower heads

Perfect Showerhead for a Small Shower

Perfect Shower Head for a Small Shower Raise your hand if you have a small shower. Have you ever struggled to find the Perfect Shower Head for your tiny shower? I feel your pain. Recently I had to replace a worn out shower head in our bathroom…
The App That Saved My Butt | DIYZ | Pretty Handy Girl
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The App That Saved My Butt – DIYZ App Review

Just the other week we had a situation in the Handy Household. It was a recurring issue and was bound to get out of control resulting in a big mess sooner or later. Fortunately, the situation happened while Handsome Guy was traveling so…
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How Energy Efficient is Your Water Heater?

Let's talk more about energy efficiency today. Did you know that your water heater can be one of the biggest energy hogs? It's true! That conventional storage tank water heater works all day to keep your water hot. If the thermostat…
How to Protect Your Pipes from Freezing | Pretty Handy Girl
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Protect Pipes from Freezing

In the same vein as Monday's post about adding insulation, let's continue preparing for winter. While you are under the house looking at insulation, take notice of your water pipes. Are they insulated too? If not, it's important to protect…
How to Replace a Sink Drain | Pretty Handy Girl
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Replacing a Sink Drain

Have you ever needed to know How to Replace a Sink Drain? Or maybe in the past you hired a plumber. Well, I'm here today to tell you that it's not a hard project and I know you can do it! I think the plumbing Gods smiled down on me recently.…
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Fixing a Leaky Faucet – Take 2

Remember last week when I was showing you how to fix a leaky faucet in 10 minutes? Well, sometimes a fix doesn't always solve the problem. This is not unusual in home repairs. It doesn't mean you did it wrong or it's time to call a plumber.…
10 Minute Fix for a Leaky Faucet | Pretty Handy Girl
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Fix a Leaky Faucet in 10 minutes

Drip, drip, drip! Is that leaky faucet keeping you up at night? I have a 10 minute fix that will bring you sweet dreams and a lower water bill. Oftentimes the washers in faucets wear out after continuous use. Replacing them is actually…
Seal Gaps Around Pipes with GREAT STUFF | Pretty Handy Girl
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Day 30 – Seal Gaps Around Pipes

Do you have an open door policy for drafts and bugs? Of course not! Wait... you might and not know it. Have you looked under your sinks around the water pipes? If you have gaps around the pipes, you have the welcome sign up for cold…
Non-Toxic Drain Opener | Pretty Handy Girl
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Day 14 – Non-Toxic Drain Opener

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…
Protect Spigot from Frozen Burst Pipes | Pretty Handy Girl
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Day 12 – Protecting Spigots from Frozen Burst Pipes

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…
Replace Water Lines with Braided Metal Hoses | Pretty Handy Girl
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Day 9 – Replace Water Lines with Braided Metal Hoses

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…
Easy! How to Install a New Showerhead | Pretty Handy Girl
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How to Easily Install a New Shower Head

Raise your hand if you have a sad excuse for a shower head! Is it drippy, rusty or clogged? If you answered yes to any of those questions, I'm about to show you why there is no excuse for you being able to install a new shower head yourself!…
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Plumb Crazy over these Christmas Ornaments (from Plumbing Parts)

Plumb Crazy over these Christmas Ornaments You must think I have plumbing on the brain. After all our leaks, I've spent some time in the plumbing aisle. While there I came across these three things: They are beautiful, don't you think?!…
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How to Repair a Leaky Shower or Tub Faucet

You know that saying, when it rains it pours? That statement has become an actuality in our home. While we are trying to build back from the plumbing leak, one of our tub faucets developed a leak. When I tried to tighten the handles to stop…
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I’m Going to Rock Your World (While Mine is Upended)

Thank you all for your comments about my post on polybutylene pipes. Since that post my life has been squished into a duffle bag and rolled down a big hill. I'm not sure whether we are coming or going. On Wednesday night we all slept in…
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Water Leaks, Polybutylene Pipes, and Mold – What to Do

Photo courtesy of Grotuk via Creative Commons Today's regularly scheduled post has been interrupted by a leak in our laundry room. I hope my misfortune is your gain. These are the things I've learned about burst pipes, polybutylene…
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Outdoor Patio Table Planter, Vase and Serving Station – a #LowesCreator Idea

    Wanted: A better name for this invention I created! What is it? I consider it a multi-purpose centerpiece for your umbrella-shaded patio table. But, it can also be a serving station for utensils and napkins. Add some water…
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Installing Your Own Sprinkler System

Last week I shared with you how to grow a better lawn based on what I learned from my education at Pennington Seed. Part of growing a more beautiful lawn is learning how to water it properly. Did you know that the majority of homeowners…
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Toilet Repairs – Part 3 – Replacing the Overflow Tube and Flapper

I've received a few emails and comments letting me know that some of you are going to try to repair your toilets! I just wanted to say, way to go! Plus, some of you had a few questions for me as well. Here are the questions: 1. Our…
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Toilet Repairs – Part 2 – Replacing the Fill Valve

Hey, you came back! So glad you weren't scared off by my toilet repair post. Well, congratulations to you for sticking with me and wanting to learn how to fix your toilet. In Part 1 we learned how to replace the flush lever. If you found…
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Toilet Repairs – Part 1 – Replace the Lever

Today, I have Part 1 in a 3 Part Series on Toilet Repairs! Today we'll learn How To Replace the Lever! When visiting Scotland, we took a tour of Mary King's Close we learned about life in Edinburgh before the toilet was invented. It was…
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How NOT to Replace an Escutcheon

Our downstair's bathroom is a little retreat for me from the boys. It is a great place to catch up on my Country Living magazines and if I bring my iPhone with me I can check email. Best of all the boys know to respect my privacy (well, most…
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How to Retrieve Items Dropped Down the Drain (You CAN Get It Back!)

While I was working on my Goodwill sweater, I accidentally dropped one of the pins down the drain. Now, I could have just left it there, but my "Ms. Fix-It" brain knew that I couldn't do that. If I left it, I would be dealing with a…
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Repairing a Pop Up Sink Drain

We just got back from a short trip to Vienna, Virginia to visit my family for the holidays. When we arrived, my mom had left me a note in the bathroom we were using. Here it is: My mom, she's so cute, doesn't she know that this sign taunted…