Repair tips from intelligent people for home renovation and repair - hiring, working, managing - for women, children and pets

Big savings from fixing common home problems early and quickly are:

Roof flashings and roof leaks cause possible structural and cosmetic damage.

Gutters cause water damage inside the house and basement.

Foundation grading causes dampness or water inside the house.

Tub and shower caulking and grout causes water leaking to spread anywhere, but mainly to the room below the fixture.

Electrical outlets cause overloading existing outlets to create potential fire hazards.

Attic ventilation, roof sheathing rot and excess moisture.

Mechanical systems maintenance delays cause them not to work efficiently or last the expected life spans.

On the garage door, a drop of oil on the wheel axial (axle) will do loads of good to keep the door running smoothly. Wipe the excess off the wheel with a paper towel.

Save the surface you mix the epoxy on to check if the epoxy has hardened, rather that touching the part that is drying. A glue joint that has been loosened before the glue cures ruins the strength of the repair.

Use epoxy to repair a stripped out hole in wood or Fiberglas. Use a small nail with glue to coat the inside of the stripped out hole. Don't fill the hole; just reduce its size with the glue. When dry, reinsert the screw. The glue won't only make the screw fit better but the glue hardened the surrounding surface preventing further failure.

Take a small cardboard box with you when you are using sealing foam to carry the can from area to area. That stuff can be very messy and hard to clean up. Spray foam cleans up with foam cleaner and not much else. Once it is dry, remove it with a wire brush or let the sun rot it away.

Hardwood floor squeaks are caused by two or more boards rubbing together. Stop the movement and you stop the squeak. If you can get under the floor, as someone above walks over the squeaky spots, you may see the moving pieces. You may stop the action by putting 2x4s at right angles at the floor joists, or use wood screws to pull the subfloor and top floor together. Wedges driven between the joists and subfloor stop some types of movements. If you can't get under the floor, try finishing nails in at an angle to better hold the top floor down.

As a temporary way to stop a floor squeak, sprinkle some talcum powder over the floor and sweep the powder into the cracks. This doesn't fix the floor but acts as a lubricant to the boards.

If the weight chains in the sides of some of older windows stop working or the windows seem to be frozen, the cause is probably the pulley has become inoperable. Try a spray lube or penetrating oil. Also there is a device called sash balance that replaces the weight, pulley and rope. It fits in the space of the pulley. You'll probably have to fix both sides to get the proper balance.

You can hide a burned spot on the counter with a glazed tile. Glue the tile right over the damaged area and use it as a countertop trivet.

Maintain the garage door. Bolts on the rollers work loose to cause the door to wobble or get stuck in the tracks. If the rollers jump the overhead track, the track may be bent. If there is corrosion on any moving parts, oil them lightly. Have a professional check the springs for lost tension.

Finish any plaster repair with a topcoat of joint compound. It'll be easier to sand the repair flush with the wall.

Drywall nails pop out. Drive additional nails about 2 inches above and below the area. Then, holding the wallboard tight to the stud, hammer all the nails until recess dimples show around the heads. Don't break the paper face. Dust off loose paint and plaster, and fill the dimples with joint compound. When dry, sand with fine sandpaper and before painting.

When sanding overhead, seal out dust with a pair of ordinary swim goggles. They are airtight, lightweight and provide plenty of visibility.

Floors that creak and squeak can often be silenced by driving shims into the gaps between the joist and subflooring. Brush both sides of the shim with construction adhesive. Tap it firmly into the gap.

On steep basement steps, put glow-paint or tape a bright strip on the top and bottom steps for orientation.

Erase shallow scratches on glass by dabbing them with a little toothpaste and then polishing the area vigorously for a minute or two. Extra-whitening usually works best because it contains more abrasives.

Water in window wells means the weep holes are blocked. Use a metal wire to clean them at the base of aluminum storm frames. The holes allow condensation to drain from between the house window and storm.

Replace doorknobs with lever handles to easily open kitchen doors with your elbow when your hands are full.

In spring, while you are oiling the garage door, walk around the house with the light oil and put a drop on every door hinge, storm door closer pivots, and gate hinges. A zoom spout oilier is very handy for getting into hard to reach places.