DIY Life

Want to know what my biggest pet peeve is? OK, it may not be my biggest, b/c I have quite a few, but this one's high on my list. Ready? I hate nothing more than unpacking my seasonal items, only to find that they've been broken, or were, in fact, broken upon storing them.

Naturally, I'm beginning to store my gardening tools in preparation for a chilly winter season, and I'm making sure everything is in tact for next spring. After all, there's nothing worse than dragging out your garden hose, only to realize you failed to repair it last fall. First on my repair list? The sprinkler head:



One important thing to keep in mind when tackling a sprinkler head repair:
When using a hand trowel or old serrated knife to cut through the lawn or dirt surrounding the sprinkler head, be careful not to cut into the water line, which could make this project much more costly in the long run!

That's it --- get to work! Good luck, and thank you, Eric!

My youngest dog has finally outgrown the puppy stage where he feels the need to chew on everything that exists in a two-dimensional form. I've been saving dozens of items for this glorious moment; items that need to be repaired but that I didn't want to risk fixing until I was sure it wouldn't happen again (boy, I hope my dogs read that last sentence).

So, to congratulate my young puppy (Go, George!), we have Mr. Fix-It himself, Eric Stromer, teaching us how to repair all of those incredibly broken power cords:



Such handy advice, right? I can't wait to get my hands dirty and repair some of my own, especially with such easy instructions! So gather your tools (wire cutter and replacement plug-- that's it!), get to work, and vow never to throw out a power cord or perfectly handy tool again!

Note: If anyone wants to practice this tutorial, I have plenty of broken cords to choose from!

Duct tape has to be among the handiest fix-it tools around. That big, fat roll of tape sure is bulky, though. Consider stowing just a small amount in your pocket, bag, or glove compartment. That way you'll always have some tape on hand, and there'll be no more riffling through the garage searching for the main roll of tape.

Here's how Lifehacker's Brad Isaac made his own pocket-sized duct tape dispenser from a drinking straw. You will need a roll of duct tape, a drinking straw, and a pair of scissors. Carefully wind a length of duct tape around and around the straw, then cut the excess straw on either side. Voila! You have a decent amount of duct tape that slips into your pocket for those unexpected little repair jobs around the house, car, at work, or camping out.

[via Lifehacker]

Road biking and mountain biking are as different in style as they are in culture.

Road biking requires cyclists working together in order to maximize their performance through drafting and other strategies. In my experience, the drawback is that in contrast to working together to get a better time, road biking can be very "every man for himself" when it comes to helping others with mechanical issues.

Mountain biking, on the other hand, seems to have a culture of assisting anyone who looks like they are struggling, in spite of the need for individual talent and achievement in order to excel at the sport.

There is no drafting on an intense section of single track. I have been lent tools, tubes, chain parts, tech tips, and encouragement during various rides when things have definitely not been going well. Many of these offers came entirely unsolicited from complete strangers who just happened to pass me and my friends when we had stopped to deal with a situation.

After the break I will, in the true spirit of mountain biking, share a few of the more unusual repairs I have encountered when either parts or tools have not been present to do the needed repairs properly.

There's no such thing as a good sewer odor, right? If there's a persistent, but unexplained, stink emanating from your bathroom the cause could be sewer gas. Sewer gas is supposed to stay down inside your municipal sewer system or private septic tank. Problems occur when it finds its way back up into the house via your toilet. Eeew.

Surprise, surprise. Plumbing experts say sewer gas is something you should take care of, and not just for the obvious reason that the stink is absolutely revolting. Did you know that sewer gas is toxic when breathed in repeatedly? It's also associated with a buildup of methane gas, which is explosive. Eeek! Now that's a potty problem!

According to trusty home repair extraordinaire, Tim "Ask the Builder" Carter, it's best to locate the root cause of the problem as soon as possible. Tim says the cause of the stink is usually a blockage or a crack in the plumbing drain line or vent pipe, with the latter being a lot harder to detect. Plumbers can find the leaks by forcing colored smoke from a smoke generating machine through the pipes. Cool!

Read more at AskTheBuilder.com.

Electronics DIY'ers will find this soldering how-to page from AaronCake useful. It's an awesome resource for beginners, with basic definitions, step-by-step instructions, great photos, and helpful tips. Here are a few things I learned:

1. Traditional soldering irons are a much better bet than soldering guns. That's because soldering guns give off too much heat--enough heat to damage the circuit board that you're working on. Oops!

2. You know that distinctive smoke and smell created by soldering? (With two electronics-infatuated brothers, I grew up with that smell!) Well, the odor comes from rosin that's released into the air when the solder melts. It's actually harmful to the eyes and lungs, which is why you should always solder in a well-ventilated space.

3. A bad soldering job results in what's called a "cold joint." You can tell it by sight because the solder is dull and gray-colored. A cold joint doesn't transmit electricity properly. Meaning? You need to re-do the connection.

Spring is nearly here, and for many of us that means hauling out our bicycles. Whether you're riding for fun, or commuting to work, a bike in good repair is essential to your safety and comfort.

Experts recommend a bike tune-up every year. Done professionally, this will cost you about $40, but you can easily do it yourself.

Here are 8 important things to do before heading out on your first ride. You'll find details about each step in these tips for tuning up your green-machine.

1. Pump it up!
2. Check for wear and damage
3. Check break lever and caliper action
4. Check break-pads
5. Check cables
6. Lube the chain
7. Tighten lose bolts and screws
8. Clean the bike

Once you've completed the tune up, you're ready to hit the road. Hopefully everything runs smoothly, but if you do encounter problems, this DIY bike repair site is a great resource for diagnosing and fixing common issues.

A few months back, the control knob on my clothes dryer broke. Since it involved only a minor DIY repair job, I thought this a fab opportunity to try shopping for spare parts online. Result? A 10 out of 10 experience. I used PartSelect and was really happy. Other likely-looking choices include PartStore and big box store sites like SearsPartsDirect, to name just two of the many sites out there.

I was thrilled with how easy it was to locate such a tiny and obscure plastic doo-dad via the Web. Thrilled because ordering it online was possible in the first place. Also thrilled because such sites make simple appliance repairs easier for the beginner DIY'er. Interested? After the break, I'll share what you should know before cracking out that credit card:

The Speed Factor. Buying spare parts online saves you lots of valuable time. In the olden days, you would have to flip through the phone book to find likely parts suppliers. Then you would have to make some phone calls. Next, you would waste at least an hour driving to and from the supplier.

Who isn't hard-pressed for time? Seems like myself and everyone I know are over-scheduled. Chronically. Hopelessly. Therefore, anything that needs fixing or cleaning around the house needs to be done pronto! That's why we here at DIY Life pounce on quick-fix-tips like these ones from BOOMj (that were originally gleaned from Real Simple magazine).

Here are my top 3 picks:
1. Restore sagging caning with water. Yes, plain old water. Wet the underside of whatever part is sagging (like the seat of an old chair) and leave to dry. The wood will naturally shrink back a little as it dries. Repeat if necessary.

2. Repair peeling wallpaper. Slap wallpaper paste on a piece of writing paper and gently slide it between the wall and the area that is peeling. Rub to transfer the paste, then press the wallpaper back into place. Finally, slide the writing paper back out. This fixes the problem without accidentally tearing the old wallpaper.

There was a fix for this problem discussed quite some time ago by our friends at Engadget. The solution they addressed suggested using a video file provided by Best Buy to force those stubborn pixels back into doing their jobs. The video file, which works by flashing red, green and blue colors on the display, seeks to dislodge stuck pixels and make them part of the team again. Mixed reports suggest that the process is at least marginally effective.

It seems to me that a person could attempt the same type of fix without having to hunt down that Best Buy video file. If I was required to try it for myself, here's what I'd do:

• In any paint program I'd create a set of solid color images including: black, white, cherry red, forest green, canary yellow, royal blue, teal, magenta and cyan.
• Save those images in a large enough image size so they won't tile if set to desktop background.
• Set those images to run as a screen saver, slide show. Cycle them as fast as possible.
• Let that screen saver run all night.

In theory, the rapid fire flashing of the intense colors should break loose those stuck pixels. I'd like to test this process myself but all my LCD pixels are performing pretty well. This process is not intended to bring dead pixels back to life, it's suggested simply for breaking loose a few stubborn ones.

One additional suggestion: If you suffer from epilepsy, you'd probably rather not attempt this fix.

If you haven't already put up your Christmas lights, now is the time to do it. Christmas is less than three weeks away, and by the time you get the lights up, it will be time to take them down again, storing them away for another winter.

If you have come across a string of lights that has some burned out bulbs, don't throw the lights away. Read up on how to fix those Christmas lights. Maybe you just have a bad fuse, maybe you stapled through the electrical wire, or maybe the entire string is bad. If you have had that string of lights for 10 years, then maybe it is time to replace it, and start from scratch.

My lights are so tangled up, not to mention old, that if I start checking them now, I just might have them ready to hang up by next Christmas! In the meantime, I'll be checking my properly stored lights and fixing them for another season of Christmas cheer. Make sure to check yours too, and please be careful!

How energy efficient is your home? If your heating bills are out of control and your environmental impact is worsening then it's time to do a self check on your energy usage. This DIY home energy audit is a detailed, 9 step approach to evaluating and improving upon your energy consumption.

Getting to know your energy bills is the first step. You can't notice patterns and set goals if you don't know what you're spending and why. Once you know your bills you can start to work to bring them down. The full instructions explain how to examine your heating and cooling equipment along with your appliances. Looking for and repairing air leaks and energy sucks will make a big difference. You'll also want to replace your bulbs, and be mindful of light usage. Lastly, gauge your results. How have the changes impacted your energy bills? What changes can you continue to make? If you want added information or a more in-depth energy audit, this web based audit tool will be perfect.

Review the 9 step audit process and make changes around the house. You'll notice a savings on your energy bills and you'll lessen your environmental impact.

I have wonderful old (circa 1800's) books in my house that are pretty beat up from so much use, and because they are, well, old. Some of my books are missing the binding. My bible gets used so much, we had to duct tape the cover on!

You and I can repair the binding on our beloved books, thanks to wikiHow. They have step-by-step instructions and pictures that we can easily follow to get our books back into usable condition.

Using plastic glue that you can probably buy online, binder tape, scissors, something to smooth edges, heavy rubber bands, and a sharp needle, you can repair the worn out binding on your favorite books.

WikiHow cautions not to repair the binding on really old books yourself; rather, take it to professionals. In that case, I guess I will leave my ancient books the way they are. They also caution not to use packing tape or duct tape on your books. Over time, the tape will turn to goo and eventually ruin your book. Hmmm, that hasn't been my case with my Bible, so I guess I will leave the duct tape on it for now.

There comes a time in the busy life of every home that the kitchen faucet must be replaced. That time came to my kitchen faucet today and after about one hour of light work the job is done. Not only did I replace the faucet. I upgraded it a little. The fixture I installed today is a fair standard better than the $29.95 model I installed a couple years ago.

The process is fairly simple and requires only a new faucet kit, Teflon pipe tape and a few of the proper tools. If you are a little handy, a lot patient and able to get under the sink on your back, you can do this plumbing job. I have outlined the project for you and I have included some pictures to help you along.

I think it's safe to assume that you all know how to change a light bulb. What you may not know is how to change a broken light bulb. Broken bulbs that are still in the socket can be hard to change and very dangerous. A potato can be your saving tool.

What you'll need

1. 1 raw potato
2. 1 knife
3. 1 replacement light bulb
4. 1 bag for trash/glass shards
5. Gloves
6. Protective eye wear
7. Vacuum

The instructions on how to change a broken light bulb with a potato are simple, but you should pay particular attention to the safety tips. Next time you break a bulb in the socket don't mess around trying to pick through glass, just grab a potato and remove the bulb with ease.