Daylight Under the Back Door: Replacing a Worn Threshold
You could see daylight under the back door at sunrise. Pulling the worn oak threshold for an adjustable one and a new sweep, $58 in an afternoon.
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16 articles
Rot at the Bottom of the Garage Door Jamb, and How I Patched It
The side door jamb on our garage was soft for six inches. Cutting out the rot, an epoxy repair and a new sweep, for $72 and a Saturday.
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Tracking Down a GFCI That Kept Tripping in the Rain
The back patio outlet tripped every time it rained. What I tested, the cracked cover I found and the weather-resistant GFCI that fixed it.
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Re-Screening Six Windows Before Mosquito Season
Torn screens, a spline roller and the garage floor as a workbench. How I re-screened six windows for $58 and the corner trick I learned late.
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Rebuilding a Dripping Tub Faucet With Parts From Three Stores
Our two-handle tub faucet dripped day and night. Finding the right stems took three stores; the rebuild itself took twenty minutes and $46.
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New Sump Pump and a Battery Backup, Before the Old One Quit
Our 2009 sump pump still ran, which is exactly when to replace it. A Zoeller pump, a battery backup and a water alarm for about $750.
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Fixing an Ice Dam Water Stain Ourselves Instead of Filing a Claim
A brown stain showed up on the upstairs ceiling. Why we didn't file a claim with a $2,500 deductible, and how we fixed it for $186.
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Ice Dams, Year Two: What the Insulation Fixed and What It Didn't
Last winter our eaves grew thick ridges of ice. After October's insulation they're much smaller, but the dormer valley still builds ice.
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Minus Six Degrees and a Kitchen Pipe That Almost Froze
On the coldest night of the month the kitchen tap slowed to a trickle. How we warmed it up, what was wrong with that wall and what changed after.
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The Garage Door Spring Snapped at 12 Degrees
A bang from the garage on a 12-degree morning. Why I didn't touch the torsion spring myself, what the pro charged and what else he checked.
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