Home Repair

How To Patch Drywall | Each Drywall Repair Method Explained

In order to know how to patch drywall, you must first ask yourself some important questions. This is because there are different methods of drywall repair that work best in specific situations. Each of these methods are simple fixes that can be done by novices with the right tools and motivation. Keep reading to find out what method of drywall repair is the right choice for you. Contents Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 4 Section 5 Section 6 Section 7 Section 8 Drywall Hole Size The first question that must be answered is how large of a hole are you dealing with? Is it a small nail hole, or the size of a doorknob? Any size hole in your drywall can be repaired. The answer to this question will tell you what option to use in your repair. How to Patch a Small Hole in Drywall Skill Level: low Small holes in walls are the most common size to repair. These are under one inch in diameter, and are often the size of a pin nail. Repairing them is simple, and only needs a couple of items. Required Items Spackle Putty knife Spray texture (optional) Steps to Patch a Small Hole in Drywall Follow the steps below if your hole is considered a “small hole.” Step 1 Wipe away any loose debris on the hole. You can use your finger to pick at it, or do whatever it takes to remove it from the hole. Sometimes the putty knife is good at scraping the debris out of the hole. Any loose debris that is left behind might make the final result look bad. Step 2 Once the hole is clear of any obstruction from the anchor, apply a small amount of spackle into the hole using the putty knife. Spread it on the hole ensuring it is completely filled with spackle. Scrape the remainder smooth until it is flush with the wall. Apply pressure while doing this step to remove as much putty from within the surrounding texture. Step 3 (optional) Spraying texture is optional for a hole this size, as it may not be necessary for smaller holes. Practice with the spray texture on a spare piece of cardboard. You want to hold it a certain distance from the surface you are spraying on. Start about one foot away and move closer to make larger bumps, and further for smaller ones. Once you are happy with your result, spray on the hole at that same distance. You won’t need to spray much on a small hole.  How To Patch A Drywall Anchor Hole Skill Level: Low to Medium Drywall anchors are commonly used in most homes. They come in several options, that are installled in different ways. Removing them may be slightly different as well. This portion of the article is meant to focus on plastic “hammer in” anchors. If yours is a different type, you want to understand how they are installed in order to reverse the process. The steps are listed below. Required Items Razor blade/knife Putty knife Spackle Spray Texture (optional) Steps To Patch A Drywall Anchor Hole The steps to repairing a drywall anchor hole is similar to How to Patch a Small Hole in Drywall as shown above. There is one different step that is included in this technique. Step 1 Use the razor blade to cut around the base of the anchor at the wall. Your goal is to remove any of the anchor that is sticking above the surface of the wall. Once this is done you can use something to poke the remainder of the anchor into the wall. Step 2 Once the hole is clear of any obstruction from the anchor, spread a small amount of spackle into the hole using the putty knife. Apply it to the hole, ensuring the hole is completely filled with spackle.scrape the remainder smooth until it is flush with the wall. Apply pressure while doing this step to remove as much putty from within the surrounding texture. Step 3 (optional) Spraying texture is optional for a hole this size, as it may not be necessary for smaller holes. Practice with the spray texture on a spare piece of cardboard. You want to hold it a certain distance from the surface you are spraying on. Start about one foot away and move closer to make larger bumps, and further for smaller ones. Once you are happy with your result, spray on the hole at that same distance. You won’t need to spray much on a small hole.   How to Patch a Medium Hole in Drywall Skill Level: Medium+ A medium hole is one that is large enough that spackle needs something to support it in order to stay in place. But this hole isn’t so large to need the hole cut larger and patched with a piece of sheetrock like the next method of patching a large hole in the wall.  The main factor of this technique is the hole in the wall should be wider than the width of the drywall tape you are using. Also the best results will be when using paper drywall tape, although other options will work as well. Required Items Spackle Putty knife Paper drywall tape Steps For How to Patch a Medium Size Hole in Drywall A medium size hole can not be repaired with spackle alone. The width of the hole requires a way to support the spackle, keeping it flush with the wall surface. Step 1 Use the putty knife to scrape the edges of the hole. Your goal is to get all the edges flat with the surface of the wall. You don’t want any high spots that will stick out when you move on to the following steps. Step 2 Use your putty knife to apply a healthy amount of spackle in the hole. You want the majority of the hole to be covered with the spackle, but it doesn’t need

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How To Install A Garbage Disposal

  If you don’t know how to install a garbage disposal, it would feel practically impossible. The truth is you don’t need any special tools to install one. In fact, this article will show you that anybody who knows a few DIY basics can install it in about an hour. Read this article to get a hassle-free guide on how to install a garbage disposal. There are many garbage disposals to choose from. If you haven’t decided on one for your home yet, then I am going to recommend the Insinkerator Badger 1 model. It is ⅓ horsepower, which is plenty of power for your home’s kitchen. Click the link below to take a look at it. Installing a garbage disposal is easier than you might think. This article is going to show you how to install one if you have electrical power under your sink. There are two forms this power can come in. The first is for there to be a power outlet that is available under the cabinet. The second is for it to have a hardline connection directly to the garbage disposal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hw_QrOkY7P8 Equipment The tools for this job are common to most households. If you are someone who wants to do more projects around your home it’s a good idea to purchase these for yourself. If you won’t be doing much work like this in the future you may be able to borrow them from a friend or family member. Insinkerator is a brand of garbage disposals that has high ratings. They come in multiple models that are great for different circumstances. Below is the one I installed, and if you would like to check it out you can click on the link. The equipment for this project is found in the part it is used in. I recommend taking a look at the tools and equipment ahead of time and gathering the ones you need. There is a chance you may not need the item depending on your circumstance. For instance, the hacksaw might not be needed if you are replacing an existing garbage disposal with a new one of the exact same model.  Garbage Disposal Click here How To Install a Garbage Disposal in a Double Sink The steps outlined here include how to install a garbage disposal with and without a dishwasher. If you have a dishwasher connected to your existing garbage disposal, you will follow the steps outlined below for that. If there is no dishwasher connected, skip those steps. Turn Off The Power The first step for any job that you are working on anything that has electricity running to it is to turn off the power at the breaker box. You can get a complete overview of this process by visiting the article on How To Reset A Circuit Breaker. This can be easy if you have a well labeled panel. But if it isn’t labeled very well it might be a guessing game. Test if the power is off before you make any assumptions. The easiest way to do this is to flip on the switch for the garbage disposal. It is safe to begin if it doesn’t come on. Remember to flip it off though, because you don’t want the new garbage disposal to turn on when you turn the power back on. This is also the right time to remove any products that are in the way. Find a place to put as many of them as possible. You want to have as much working space as you can. For the installation. Disconnect The Old Garbage Disposal There will be two screws attached to the discharge pipe. Back those out all the way and set them aside. If there is a dishwasher attached to the disposal this is a good time to remove the hose that attaches it. To do this turn the screw on the pipe clamp counterclockwise until the clamp is loose. Then pull the connection off the garbage disposal. There are also three screws facing upward just beneath the sink. Loosen each of these about half way. If you use a screwdriver for two of them, the third should be able to loosen by hand. You want to back them out enough to lift the bottom of the bracket up towards the sink.  Once these screws are loose and the drain pipe is disconnected from the garbage disposal, hold the bracket steady with one hand and twist the garbage disposal to the left with the other. This should pop it loose.  Multi-Screwdriver Click here After it is movable, take a flat screwdriver to pop off the metal ring that is holding the pieces of this bracket together. To do this first slide all the parts upwards towards the sink. This will allow the ring to be visible. While holding them up with one hand, use a flat screwdriver in your other hand to slide the ring downward. It should pop off pretty easily. Once you have this ring out all the pieces of the bracket should be able to be removed. There is one piece that will need to be slid upwards into the sink. After the sink is cleared you will want to wipe any leftover plumbers putty away from the hole. Remove The Electrical Cord Wire Strippers Click here Is the garbage disposal plugged into a wall outlet, or is it hardlined in? If it’s plugged in you can simply pull the plug out and the garbage disposal will be free to move. You will need to attach a power cord to the new garbage disposal, and may need to reuse the old cord. Both methods are the same from this point on. If it is hard lined in, you will need to remove the wires before you can lift the disposal away.  To do this simply turn the disposal upside down, or lay it on it’s side with the bottom facing you (whichever one is easier for you). There

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How To Install A Door | Prehung And Slab Door Installation Instructions

You want to install a new interior door, but don’t know where to begin. You want to know how hard this project will be, or if you should tackle it at all. The good news is this is a job for anyone who has the right tools and a will to learn. Keep reading for a complete set of instructions on installing a door in your home. Measuring For The Door Size Tape Measure Click here There are a few things to look for when determining what the right replacement door is for you. We will cover how to properly measure what size door you need to purchase. But first let’s talk a bit about a door’s handing. Prehung vs Slab Door There are two options of what type of door you want to choose. You can either install a prehung door, or a slab. A prehung door is a door that is connected to a frame, also known as the jamb. The benefit of this is the jamb and hinges were attached at the factory, and you know the door will open and close well when installed. A slab is the door with no hinges or anything else attached. You would choose this option if your jamb is in good condition and you want to save it. A slab door is more affordable than a prehung. It takes more work to install, and requires other tools. Prehung Door Installation Cost If you go the route of hiring a professional door installer, you can expect to pay between $200-$600 USD. This rate should include the labor and door cost. The rate may change based on the amount of work your installation requires. Slab door installation requires more work than prehung door installation. Prices may vary based on your location. Two Methods Of Installing A Prehung Interior Door Let’s talk about the two ways of installing an interior door. They vary on the types of fasteners you will use. You can install your door with either finishing nails, or screws. This article will talk about both of these methods, and the accompanying video shows you exactly how to complete either method. Safety and Required Materials Safety Glasses Click here Wood Shims Click here Why Would I Use Nails Vs Screws To Install A Door? These are two methods that will successfully install the door. There are reasons to pick one over the other because they both have their pros and cons. The reasons why you might choose one over the other are very different.  Choosing Nails To Install A Door Claw Hammer Click here Finish Nail Click here Nail Set Click here Wood Filler Click here Pro Tip: Mix sawdust from the dust collecter in your power sander with some wood glue to quickly make some wood filler. This is a great method if you don’t have any on hand, and are in need of a solution. Using nails to install a door is typically because it has a wood jamb that will not be painted. You want to salvage the wood look, and don’t want to have an obvious screw head that looks ugly.  A finish nail is the right choice in this circumstance because it is easy to hide the head. To do this you will first hammer the nail down to where it’s close to the jamb, but not flush with it. Be careful while hammering because you don’t want to miss the head of the nail, and damage the wood. Take careful, and accurate strokes while hammering. Once you have the nail about one to two head widths above the jamb, you can use the nail set to set the head below the surface of the wood. Hold the end of the nail set firmly in the cup on the head of the nail. With your other hand you can pull back on the other end, extending the spring out. While being careful not to remove the end of the set from the head of the nail, quickly let go of the other end, allowing it to tap the head of the nail down. You may need to do this several times until the head of the nail is below the surface of the jamb.  It’s okay if you miss and puncture a hole in the jamb. These holes can be filled with wood filler in the next step after all the nails are set in place. You want to choose finishing nails that are at least 2 inches long. This can vary, but you want them to be around that length to be sure they reach through the gap between the door jambs and the wall studs. The head of the finishing nails can be sunken into the jamb and covered with wood filler. You can use nails for any style door, where the screws are for a more specific application. Nails are easy to hammer in, but might be a little more tricky when you are trying to make the door plumb and level. That means when you are installing the door you need to adjust the jamb both vertically and horizontally until it’s level.  Choosing Screws To Install A Door Drill Driver Set Click here Drill Bit Set Click here Wood Screw Click here NOTE: Screw should be the “flat head” style screws. They do not need to be Phillips, as there are other options available. Square drive screws are easiest to screw in, and are less likely to slip out of the bit. Make sure you have the correct style and size drill bit for the screw you are using. Using screws, in my opinion, is the better option. It is much easier to tighten them the right amount, while also adjusting the shims as needed. Set the clutch on the drill to the right setting so it will stop tightening the screw once it’s reached the perfect depth.  One difference with using screws is yo will want to drill a pilot

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The Home Inspection Checklist For Smart Home Buyers

A thorough home inspection checklist is a great way to make sure the home you are looking at is in good condition before buying. You don’t want there to be any surprises with something as complex and expensive as a house. This article shows you what the potential issues are in various areas of the home. Keep reading to learn more about the home you are interested in. Disclaimer: This Home Inspection Checklist should not be considered a substitute for a home inspection. It is meant for a home buyer to gain more information about a home they are purchasing. After the home is selected a complete home inspection should be performed from a certified home inspector as per your local rules. The home inspection is divided up into different categories. These are the various parts of the home you will be in. Keep in mind that any issues will need to be addressed at some point or another, depending on their severity.  The Complete Home Inspection Checklist for Buyers is a printable PDF you can take with you when looking at the home. It helps you see what areas in the home are good-to-go, and which ones need work. There is plenty of blank space in the margins for you to take notes for future reference.  The PDF is meant to be used alongside this article to better understand what you are looking at in the house. The parts of the checklist are discussed in detail below for you to know what you are looking at. Now let’s take a look at the different parts of a house that need to be checked out. Exterior Driveways and Walkways The driveway and walkways are some of the most highly used areas on the property.That’s why it’s susceptible to damage over time. It’s how you enter and exit the house, making it important for it to be safe to walk on.  Look for large cracks in the concrete. These can be fixed, but they won’t look perfect. They can reappear over time, causing more maintenance down the road. The best long term solution to this problem is to have a new driveway or walkway put in. But this can be expensive. Another problem for homes with steps in the walkway is they may begin to sag over time. This becomes a slip hazard and should be addressed. The steps can be leveled out, but this is a process that can cost a lot of money. Windows and Doors The windows and doors are areas that can cause drafts and cold spots in the house. This becomes an expensive problem with the increased heating and cooling bills.  When looking for problems with the windows and doors, start at the outside of the house. Take a look at the trim and caulking around them. Is there any obvious visible damage? Does it look old and in need of replacement? Is the trim’s paint falling off?  When you go to the inside of the house check if the windows are able to latch completely. Is it hard to shut all the way? Does the door have a complete weatherstripping where the door touches the jamb?  These are all signs of problems with the windows and doors. Some of them can be an easy fix like replacing the weather stripping. Other problems may require professional help.  Grading and Foundation Take a walk around the outside perimeter of the house. Take a look at the foundation as you do this. You want to look for major cracks in the foundation that can let water in. Are there many repairs to previous cracks in the foundation? This can be a sign that the house is settling and will need more repairs in the future. You also will be looking at the grading of the earth around the foundation. This means you want to look at the direction the earth is sloping around the house. It should be at its highest at the house and slope away from it. This will prevent any water from puddling up at the foundation long term. You don’t want any of the dirt to touch the siding. You also want to keep the landscape plants from touching the siding. Siding Condition Siding is the first line of defense the house has from damage by external forces like water, UV light, and pests. There are many different types of materials that are used for siding on a house. The options are somewhat dependent on the location the house is built in. Some sidings work better for certain climates, where others are not a good choice for those locations. There are a few key factors to look for in the condition of any type of siding being used. The first is whether the paint is chipping off the siding. Are there any bare patches that allow you to see the siding beneath the paint layer? This also goes for the home’s trim. Check if the paint looks like it’s in good condition or not. If not, the home will need a new paint job sooner than later. Check the surface of the siding for any visible damage. This includes the edges, particularly near the ground. Siding is meant to prevent water and pests from damaging your home. If the siding isn’t secured very well it can cause damage to the internal layers of the home. Gutters and Downspouts The gutter system is meant to move water when it rains from the roof, down and away from the house. This prevents water from puddling up and standing near the foundation of the house for long periods of time. A gutter system that’s in good working order has multiple components that should all be working together. The first stage is the gutter itself. Check if it’s secured to the house. It should be flush against the roof line, and not pulling away at all. You can tell this by looking at it from below near

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PVC Pipe

How To Cut PVC Pipe

Knowing how to cut PVC pipe the right way is a skill every homeowner should know. PVC has many uses around the house, other than the plumbing purposes it was designed for. Cutting PVC is much easier than you think. Read on to find out what the best way to cut PVC pipe is with the use you have in mind. PVC pipe is a plastic pipe that is available in various sizes. It’s possible to cut it with a large variety of tools, and we will be discussing several of them in this article. There are three tools that are the most commonly used to cut PVC pipe. The number one tool is a hacksaw. Next is a ratcheting PVC pipe cutting tool. And the third most used option is an oscillating cutting tool. There are benefits to each of these options that we will talk about in a bit. The most common use for PVC is low pressure water transportation. An example of this is using it in a sprinkler system like one used to water a lawn. But the versatility of PVC is endless, as it is also a commonly used material for many crafts and DIY projects. Protective Equipment Safety Glasses Gloves It’s important to make sure you use proper safety equipment when doing any type of physical work that has moving parts. Cutting PVC pipe is no different. There are a few places that you can get injured, so for that reason we use protective equipment to help limit any injuries. It’s the hands and eyes that are the main places that can take an injury from this project. That means the two pieces of protective equipment to use are safety goggles, and work gloves.  The safety goggles are important because several of the methods for cutting PVC will create burrs. It’s possible for these burrs to get in your eyes, so that’s why we wear safety goggles. Gloves are helpful because any of the methods used to cut PVC use sharp objects. We don’t want to risk cutting ourselves, so we wear gloves. They are also helpful with gripping the pipe during the cut. Tape Measure Felt Tip Marker The first step for making a cut is to know where it’s going to be. You are going to do this on pvc by using a tape measure and a felt tip marker like a sharpie.  Hold the tape measure to one side of the pipe, and pull it out past the length you want to make the piece. Make a small mark with the sharpie at the location it is supposed to be.  When you are cutting the pipe you want it to be as close to this mark as possible. Don’t leave too much extra space because you will need to make another cut. An even worse problem than this is if you cut the piece too small and need to start over. Try to be as accurate as possible. Best Methods For Cutting PVC Pipe Using Hand Tools Now it’s time to talk about the method of cutting the pipe. There are two main camps we put the tools for cutting PVC pipe in. The first are hand tools, and the second are power tools.  The main goal when cutting PVC is to make the cut straight. If you are cutting it to attach fittings on the end, you are allowed to be a few degrees off of 90, but not much. Let’s talk about some of the different hand tools we use to cut PVC pipe. Cutting PVC Pipe With Hand Tools There are various tools that are commonly used for cutting PVC pipe. The first grouping we will talk about are the different types of saws. After we go through the saws, we will take a look at one hand tool that specializes in cutting PVC pipe. The common feature for all of these saws here is they have small teeth. This is a feature that is used for a fine cut when working with wood, or is needed for cutting metal. A fine toothed blade is important for cutting PVC because if the teeth were larger like on a hand saw used for cutting wood it would catch on the pipe and possibly tear it rather than cut. The biggest downside for cutting with any of the saws listed below is you will need some space around the pipe to use the saw. Saws are used by pushing and pulling it back and forth. This means they require several inches to about a foot on either side of the pipe. This will not work very well if the pipe is in a tight spot like framed into a wall. Thankfully we have a solution for this predicament. Cutting PVC With A Hacksaw The hacksaw is a commonly used tool for homeowners to have in their tool box. Using it to cut PVC is one of the most popular uses. There are a few things to focus on when cutting a piece of PVC with a hacksaw. Hack Saw Hold The Pipe Steady Like cutting anything with a saw, PVC needs to be held stable in order to make the cut. The best way to do this is to lay it on a solid surface, and hold it with one hand. If you want to be sure the cut is going to be as accurate as possible another thing you can do is use clamps to hold it down.  How To Cut PVC Pipe Straight With A Saw A miter box is an open top box with several tracks (or grooves) that a handsaw fits in. The tracks are positioned in several commonly used angles, but in this case we are going to use the straight 90 deg angle.  Use one hand to hold the pipe inside the box, but located towards the front of it. The other hand will use the saw. Place the saw in the track

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Installing A Toilet

How To Install A Toilet By Yourself

Learning how to install a toilet is not difficult. You don’t need any special tools beyond what you probably already own. This is a single person job that takes under an hour to finish. Take a look below for a list of tools, and the complete steps to successfully install a new toilet.  Some toilet installs do not require all the tools below. This is dependent on what toilet installation kit you are using. Some kits require a hacksaw to cut the bolts that secure the bowl to the flange. Jump to the Secure the Toilet section below to see if you need a hacksaw.  You may also need to replace the supply line (the water line that connects the toilet to the water valve on the wall. If your supply line is deteriorating a great deal you may want to buy a new one for this installation. You want it to be the same length as the one you have now. Measure the size of the connection attached to the valve on the wall, and talk to the people at the hardware store for help finding the exact one. Most times the existing one is fine to use again. We both know the best accessory for a toilet is a bathroom exhaust fan. Those of us who want one, but don’t have one yet, the article on How to install a bathroom fan where one doesn’t exist will take care of that problem. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbMmGao_0Ug How To Install A Toilet Step-By-Step The steps listed below will guide you through the process of removing the old toilet and installing the new one. I have a video for you to check out if that’s an easier way for you to learn how to do this type of project. The video has the same steps outlined in this article. Click on the video above for that tutorial. The most important thing to remember during this process is to not overtighten any of the bolts during this project. You will be working with porcelain which is susceptible to cracking if too much pressure is put on it. The amount of tightening should be up to where the bowl, tank, or seat does not wobble. Once you get to this point you can stop tightening. Shut Off The Water Supply To The Toilet I like to start this job by putting on rubber gloves. It makes me feel more comfortable when working with a used toilet to start by wearing gloves. Make sure you have extras handy and they are the right size because they may break during the process of this job.  The water supply line is a water valve that sticks out of the wall near the ground. It’s usually somewhere behind the toilet to the left of it. Turn the valve to the right until you can’t turn it any more.  You will need to get on your knees to find it. Remove Old Toilet Removal of the old toilet happens in a series of steps. With the water shut off you can flush the toilet to remove the water from the tank. There will still be some water in the bowl that can spill out when carrying it. This is why we use the garbage bag. Loosen the bolts at the base of the toilet. There is one bolt sticking up on either side of the bowl near the floor. Oftentimes there is a smooth cap covering the bolt. You can use the putty knife or the flat screwdriver to pry the caps off.  Once the caps are off use the crescent wrench or the channellock pliers to loosen and remove the nuts. Take the nuts and washers off. Once the nuts are off, the toilet is free and loose from the floor. Open up the garbage bag and place it on the floor next to the toilet. When you lift the toilet straight up and off the bolts, place it on the garbage bag so any spills go in there and not all over the house. We use the contractor garbage bag for this because usually the kitchen garbage bags are too small to fit the toilet. If the toilet is too heavy to lift alone, you may want to get someone else to help you lift it. If you don’t have someone to help you, remove the tank from the bowl. This can only happen if you have a two piece toilet. You may need to lay on the floor to loosen the tank from the bowl.  To remove the tank there are some plastic bolts that connect the tank to the bowl. Loosen the nuts with the channellock pliers. This can be brought directly outside when it is removed. Remove the Old Wax Ring The wax ring is used to prevent any sewer gasses from filling up the bathroom and causing a nasty smell in the house. It’s important to remove as much of the old wax ring before we can place the new one.  Use the putty knife to scrape the wax off the flange. Any pieces of wax that are removed can be put in a disposable bag. A shopping bag is the perfect size for this stage of the job. Some wax rings have a funnel shaped gasket that faces downward into the toilet flange. This gasket needs to be removed from the flange along with the majority of old wax. Not all wax rings have this part. You won’t be able to get every last bit of wax off the flange, but do your best to scrape as much off the flange as possible. The toilet flange is the circular hole that is in the floor of the bathroom. It’s the hole that the water goes down when the toilet gets flushed.  Disclaimer: Do your best to not drop anything down the flange hole, including chunks of wax. You may want to stuff a large rag in the opening of the flange while

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Circuit Breaker

How To Reset A Circuit Breaker

Knowing how to reset a circuit breaker is a valuable skill to have. It is not difficult, and can be done quickly. It can be dangerous if not done correctly. Follow the steps below to reset your circuit breaker the right way. Causes Of A Tripped Breaker Before dealing with the breaker box, it is important to understand what caused the problem in the first place. The breaker box is the location that the main electricity supply has come into the house. This supply is then divided up to various circuits around the house. This is to reduce the total electric flow going through the outlets and light fixtures, making it safer for us when using them.  We say a circuit is “tripped” when it has been overloaded and no longer has power going to it. The breaker is designed to switch off, or “trip” before the electricity in the wires gets to a dangerous level. One way a circuit trips is when a GFCI outlet overloads and switches to the off position. If this happens, every other light and outlet on the same circuit after the GFCI will be turned off as well. You want to switch the outlet back on to regain power to these locations.  GFCI Outlet Ground fault circuit interrupter or GFCI outlets are electrical outlets that are designed to be placed in proximity to water. It is recommended to have one of these outlets within 18 inches of a water source like a sink faucet. These outlets will trip, or switch to the “off” position when they are shorted or overloaded. You can push the reset button on the outlet to switch it back to the “on position. If it is not turning back on you may need to switch the breaker back on at the breaker box. How To Reset A Tripped Circuit Breaker Resetting a tripped circuit breaker is a simple process. If it tripped after you turned on a light or appliance, you want to unplug it or turn it off before switching the breaker back on. This is because you may run into the same problem of the circuit being overloaded after you switch it on. Go to the circuit panel. This is usually in the garage, but may be in another location. It should be somewhere that is easily accessed.  There is also a chance of there being a subpanel which is separate from the main circuit panel. The subpanel looks similar to the main circuit panel, but generally smaller. The circuits in this panel are the same type as the main, and are checked the same way. Open the circuit panel, and look for a circuit that is “tripped”. This is indicated by the switch on the circuit that is in a different position than the rest. When they are in the “on” position they are facing the center of the panel. When they are tripped they are facing straight out. The “off” position is facing to the side of the panel. If it’s hard to tell which breaker is tripped, it’s okay to lightly push on them in the “on” direction. The ones that are not tripped will not move. The one that has been tripped will have a bit of movement, but will spring back into the center.  Once you find the one that is tripped you want to flip it to the off position (towards the side of the panel). This will reset it. Now flip it to the on position. Congratulations, you reset a circuit breaker. Tripped Circuit Breaker Won’t Reset There is a chance the tripped circuit breaker won’t reset. If after you switch it to the on position it trips again you have a bigger issue. This can be caused by one of several problems that is happening.  If you are a novice when it comes to electrical work I recommend seeking professional help. Electrical is not something you want to mess around with if you don’t know what you are doing.  I put together a guide that will help you find a reliable contractor. This guide tells you what interview questions to ask once you found a potential candidate. It lets you know what their answers mean, and who you should avoid. And once you find the person you want to use it helps you draft up a contract to help protect yourself. It’s called The Contractor Search Guide. Check it out by clicking the image. How To Reset A Breaker In An Apartment Resetting a circuit breaker in an apartment is similar to the steps listed above. Hopefully you know where the circuit breaker is. It may be in a closet, or somewhere else hidden. This is a good thing to know where it is once you find it.  Frequently Asked Questions How do you know if a breaker needs to be reset? The first sign that you will need to reset a circuit breaker is there is no power going to something you have plugged in. This could be a light, your cellphone, or a major appliance.  Once you get to the breaker box, the first way to tell which circuit breaker is tripped is when the switch on one of them is facing the center position, when the others are all aimed at either the left or right position. You can push on this one in the direction the others are facing, and you will feel a spring like resistance. This means it is time to go through the process described above to reset it. What happens if a circuit breaker won’t reset? There are several reasons why a circuit won’t reset. The first one you want to consider is if there are any GFCI outlets on the circuit. If so, this outlet may be the culprit for why the power is not turning back on after resetting the breaker. There also may be the situation that the breaker itself has gone bad. If this is the case

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stop a toilet from running

How To Stop A Toilet From Running

Knowing how to stop a toilet from running is a quick and simple process. You don’t need any special tools, and replacement parts are inexpensive. If you are not a diy, hands on type you can still fix a running toilet yourself. Follow the process in this article instead of paying an expensive plumber. There is a chance that after you try all the options listed below, your toilet still won’t stop running. Sometimes they get so old that it’s not worth it to keep fixing. If that’s the case, you will want to consider whether you should replace it. The good news is this option is not difficult at all. In fact I am confident that with the right tools, and enough time, you can do it yourself. I have gone through all the steps in this article titled How To Install A Toilet By Yourself. It includes a video to make sure you are comfortable with what you are doing. A good bathroom fan is an important feature in any bathroom. You can find out how to do this by checking out the article How To Install A Bathroom Fan. Here you will get a full understanding on what is required to install a new bathroom fan, and how to complete the project efficiently. Contents Diagnosing The Problem Parts of a Toilet Toilet Keeps Running Randomly Toilet Runs Constantly Toilet Keeps Running After Flushing How To Stop a Running Toilet In Seconds How To Fix A Running Toilet How To Fix A Running Toilet With A Button Flush Frequently Asked Questions Diagnosing The Problem Toilet Runs After Flush Toilet Runs Constantly Toilet Runs Randomly The reason for a toilet to run after being flushed is the flush valve is not going back down after the flush. There can be more than one reason for this, but they are easy to find. A constantly running toilet happens when the float is sitting higher than the overflow pipe. If the float is unable to do its job properly, it will not turn the water supply off.  Randomly running toilets happen because the flapper/flush valve gasket is faulty. There are more than one reason for this, and there are more than one solutions to this. Parts of a Toilet There are more than one type of toilet out there. They all have similar parts, and work basically the same way. Once you understand the components that make a toilet work, you will understand more about how they may fail and cause the toilet to run. Most of the parts below are in every toilet style. The flapper and fill valve gasket serve similar functions but are different parts. And the other parts can look different but have the same functions.  Fill Valve The fill valve is a vertical pipe with a valve at the top. It regulates the water flowing into the tank. It is designed to shut the water off when the float gets to a certain height. Float The float is a piece that rises with the water level. As it reaches a certain height it shuts off the water flowing out of the fill valve. The height of the water level can be adjusted by raising or lowering the float.  Float Adjustment All floats have a way to adjust them. The floats on a newer fill valve generally have an adjustment screw. If turned to one direction it raises the float height, and the other direction lowers it. If your float is the type that is connected to a metal rod you will grip the rod with both hands, and bend it in the direction you want it to go. Overflow Pipe The overflow pipe is a requirement for all toilets. In the event of the fill valve malfunctioning, the overflow pipe transfers water to the toilet bowl instead of overflowing the tank. The height of this pipe should be below the tank rim. The water level height should be between one quarter of an inch and one inch below the top of the overflow pipe. Flapper The flapper is a rubber piece that is connected at the base of the overflow pipe. It is used for some toilet designs to create a watertight seal in the opening of the bottom of the tank. It is connected with a chain to the handle, which raises the flapper whenever the toilet is flushed. Flush Valve Gasket The flush valve gasket is a piece that has a similar function to a flapper, but on a different toilet design. Flush valves are a more compact stack that the gasket goes around, unlike a flapper that is offset.  Handle The handle is the portion of a toilet that we use to flush when necessary. Inside the tank the handle is connected to the flapper or flush valve with a chain. Toilet Keeps Running Randomly There are a handful of reasons why a toilet keeps running randomly. You can narrow the investigation to a few key parts. All of these parts will be located in the toilet tank. This is the rectangular portion that is closest to the wall and higher than the bowl. Begin by taking the lid off the tank.   Inside the tank are several parts designed to work together. If one of these parts stop working right it may be the reason for the toilet running. Let’s take a look at the different parts of a toilet, and what their functions are. This can help you understand what you are looking for. Toilet Runs Constantly The number one reason why a toilet runs constantly is because the float is set at a higher level than the top of the overflow pipe. This causes the water to spill into the bowl, keeping the water flowing and not shutting off. The fix for this is simple and does not need replacement parts.   The solution to this problem is to adjust the height of the float so that the water

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