Roll roofing is the perfect material for the novice roofer who wishes to finish a shed or porch roof with a slight slope or flat roof. Produced in large rolls that are cut and nailed into place, installation is incredibly simple and can be completed quickly.

  Never install roll roofing unless it is at least 50 degrees to prevent cracking.

The heat will make the roll roofing easy to work with, so leave it on the roof for a few hours to warm up.

While you are waiting, install a drip edge all around the perimeter of the roof to prevent the water from working underneath the edge of the roofing. Normally made of plastic, a drip edge will further protect your roof and give it a finished edge. 
 
 

While many consumers may think that paint removal requires a chemical stripper and hours of work, there are plenty of options that are kind to the environment and your lungs as well as guaranteed to save you time.

Of course, if you plan on repainting, use a low or no VOC paint to finish the job in the greenest way possible.


 

If you own an older home, chances are part of your plumbing is made from cast iron.

Cast iron pipe holds the unique distinction of being very brittle as well as very strong, making it difficult for homeowners to modify it. While cast iron pipe is seldom installed, it is often removed and replaced as it fails.

For this reason, knowing how to cut a cast iron pipe is essential if you intend to work on your house's plumbing.

 Image courtesy Plumbing Supply

While larger masonry projects are often reserved for the professional, smaller projects, such as replacing a few damaged bricks, can be tackled by the ambitious homeowner.

Just keep in mind that any project that involves a structural element or chimney flue should be completed by the professional mason.


Match Your Existing Bricks and Save Leftover Bricks for Future Replacement Needs
 
Before attempting to replace damaged brick, it is important to locate brick that will match the existing structure. If the area you are repairing is comparatively new bricks are often saved for repairs, but older structures may require that you call salvage yards to find appropriate replacements.

A composite handrail is often as easy to build as a traditional wood handrail, without the associated maintenance concerns and with a lesser chance of rot.

It is also an excellent way to evaluate the workability and durability of a composite material before investing in a larger project.


Be Safe: Know Your Local Building Code

Keep in mind when installing any type of handrail that your local building code should be consulted for height and spacing between balusters, as well as other requirements. By following these guidelines you can help ensure that your new composite handrail will not be a hazard.

You should also consider whether what type of composite handrail will best fit your home.

Installing wood paneling on a ceiling is an excellent way to finish a room and add some subtle drama. Wood paneling is often used on a ceiling that is vaulted or has exposed beams, but this material can be installed in any room. If you are comfortable working on a ladder and have some woodworking experience, consider installing the wood paneling yourself.


Installing Wood Paneling on a Ceiling Is Easy but Fatiguing

Although this is an easy project considering the skill needed to complete it, working on the ceiling is always difficult. Keep muscle fatigue in mind, and make sure you have a sturdy ladder to work on while completing this project. A helper can also make installing wood paneling on ceiling an easier job by cutting pieces and handing them up to you to be installed.

Anode rods are used to prevent corrosion in a hot water tank. An anode rod that no longer works could allow your hot water tank to rust. Conversely, by replacing the anode rod as needed you can extend the life of your hot water tank significantly as well as reduce the chance of needing to replace your entire hot water heater.


How Does an Anode Rod Work?

An anode rod works by reducing the chance of corrosion within the tank. Normally made of magnesium, an anode rod releases electrons as it corrodes which then attach to tank imperfections that might rust. For this reason an anode rod often determines the length of the warrantee of your hot water heater.

A crack in a fiberglass tub or shower isn't always cause to replace it. Fiberglass repair, once left to the professionals, can now be completed by the meticulous homeowner using a fiberglass repair kit.

Before attempting a repair it is important to know that most likely the crack will still be slightly visible. If this bothers you, have your fiberglass tub or shower replaced, or call a professional to make the repair. However, if you just want to make a repair that will enable you to continue to use your shower, you can fix it yourself.


Step-By-Step Instructions to Repair Your Fiberglass Tub/Shower

The first step in making a repair is to figure out why the crack occurred and fix the underlying problem.

Fixing a broken kitchen sprayer hose is within the skill set of most homeowners. All that is needed is an adjustable wrench, some plumber's tape, and replacement parts for your particular kitchen sink sprayer.

Step-By-Step Instructions to Fix a Broken Kitchen Sprayer Hose

The fix required for your kitchen sink sprayer will depend on where the leak or problem lies. If the leak is occurring between the seams of the sprayer nozzle, a faulty gasket within the spray assembly could be to blame.

Replacing a toilet is more intimidating than difficult. The trip to your local home improvement store to buy a new toilet may take longer than the time required to replace it. With a few basic tools, a new wax seal, silicone caulk and a new toilet you can have this job done in about an hour.


Step-By-Step Instructions for Replacing a Toilet

When replacing the toilet you must check the off set to make sure that it is less than or equal to the off set of the old toilet.

Note: The off set is the measurement between the wall behind the toilet and the bolts that hold down the toilet bowl.

Also check the measurements of any nearby obstructions that could restrict the size of your replacement.

One of the least expensive and easiest ways to reduce heating and cooling costs is to insulate your electrical outlets. While most people don't consider this to be a major source of energy loss, keep in mind that behind every faceplate that covers a light switch or electrical outlet is a hole in your wall. Adding a foam insulating gasket allows you to create a tight seal between the wall and the faceplate without altering the appearance of the socket.

Installing a dimmer switch to an existing light fixture can allow you to alter the mood of the room with a twist of a knob.

This small home improvement project is not only a great way to update your space, but also to gain some basic electrical know how.

A sillcock, otherwise known as an outdoor faucet or bibcock, can be invaluable if you're interested in gardening, watering your lawn, or even washing a car. If your house doesn't have one or you could use a sill cock in a more convenient location, consider installing one yourself.

Would you like to put your home handyman skills to the test this coming Halloween? If you're the DIY type and you enjoy scaring the kiddies at Halloween, I've 'dug up' some great links to all sorts of scare the pants off of 'em yard props and 'killer' decorations that you can build yourself.

I'm talking about skeletons (Bucky's), torsos, hands, flying crank ghosts, skulls, zombies, spooky audio effects, lighting and fog techniques (some very detailed), demons, gargoyles and all manner of creatures and devices.

Some of these Halloween props are simple enough for beginners and others are rather involved but well worth the fun of building them yourself for a fraction of the cost of store-bought.

Come along as you prepare to greet your guests properly for Fright Night!

We recently completed removing old wallpaper and painting our master bathroom. Preparing the walls of our bathroom to paint and caulk was the hard part although the most important. Painting and caulking, to me, is the fun and easy part of this DIY home project in comparison to what it took to get to this point.

The best part of the whole ordeal is knowing that the final product looks as good, or better, than as if a professional had done the job and we saved ourselves a decent some of money in the process.

Here's how we did it.

Spackling and sanding drywall is fun! Ask anyone that's done it and they'll look at you and smile real wide.

OK...so the big smile may not mean they had fun spackling and sanding! What their smiling eyes are really trying to tell you is..."you really don't know what you're getting yourself into...do you?...but go ahead and knock yourself out."

Well...I've got news for the diy-type out there that hasn't tackled this particular project yet but is willing to give it a shot with good advice and is not afraid to get dirty.

YOU CAN DO IT!!!

I marked off another (long overdue) item from my honey-do list recently.

We removed the original wallpaper in the master bathroom, repaired the drywall, primed and painted it and replaced all of the fixtures with new ones (with the exception of plumbing fixtures). It looks 1,000% better than it did before.

If you are thinking about taking on some or all of the tasks I've just completed, I've got some great tips to help you.

This is the final installment of how we installed our free standing gas range. First, I had to tap into my existing gas supply line in the basement because our former range was electric and there was not a gas valve behind the oven. Second, I had to cut away part of the counter to make room for the free standing range because previously we had a drop-in electric model that was suspended on the counter on the sides and back.

Now for the final piece of the puzzle, converting the 220V hard-wired connection into a standard 110V plug and the actual delivery of the Kenmore range we picked out. Unfortunately, I had a couple of setbacks.

Our hard-wired, 18 year old, electric drop-in Kenmore range/oven has seen better days. It was builder-installed when we bought the house new back in the late-80's and it's been a good little oven and range...up until the past few months.

Something had to be done!

Here's why we went with a natural gas range...

Are you considering installing a natural gas range in your home?

I did it myself and I have some great practical advice for installing a natural gas stove in your home. I also had to add onto the existing natural gas supply line in my home to make this work.

It's been quite an ambitious learning experience for me but it's also been a rewarding one, as well.
Why? Because it was easier than I thought and I saved a wad of cash.

We switched out our old electric coil range with a natural gas stove. If you're thinking about doing the same or possibly want to extend your existing natural gas lines to a new outdoor grill, for instance, I invite you to get comfortable and heed my advice. The same principles will apply in dealing with cast iron pipe.

Put your common sense on overdrive and read on.