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Category: Home Fix-It

Toilets, faucets, drains, drywall, appliances.

How to Winterize Outdoor Faucets and Pipes

October 22, 2026 /

Arkansas doesn’t freeze often, but when it does, a busted pipe is a mess you don’t want.

Quick answer Before the first freeze, disconnect and drain your hoses. Close the indoor shutoff valve for each outdoor faucet, then open the outside faucet to drain it and leave it open. Insulate pipes in crawl spaces, garages and attics. During hard freezes, let a faucet on exposed pipes drip, open sink cabinets, and keep the heat at least 55°F if you’re away.
How to Winterize Outdoor Faucets and Pipes
Photo: MarkBuckawicki / Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Tools & materials

  • Pipe sleeves (foam pipe insulation) or UL-listed heat tape
  • Outdoor faucet covers (optional)
  • Flashlight for the crawl space

Steps

  1. Hoses off. Disconnect, drain and store garden hoses.
  2. Shut off the supply. Find the indoor valve that feeds each outdoor faucet (often in a basement, crawl space or utility area) and close it.
  3. Drain the faucet. Open the outside faucet to let the water out, and leave it open so any water left in the line has room to expand.
  4. Insulate. Wrap pipes in unheated spaces like crawl spaces, attics, garages and exterior walls with pipe sleeves or UL-listed heat tape. Add insulation to attics, basements and crawl spaces where you can.
  5. Sprinklers and pools. Drain sprinkler and pool supply lines according to the installer’s directions. Don’t add antifreeze unless directed.
  6. When a hard freeze hits: keep garage doors closed, open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors (move cleaners out of kids’ reach), let cold water drip from faucets on exposed pipes, and keep the thermostat at the same setting day and night.
  7. Going away? Leave the heat on, set no lower than 55°F.
  8. If a pipe freezes (only a trickle comes out): keep the faucet open and warm the pipe with a hair dryer, heating pad, space heater kept away from anything flammable, or towels soaked in hot water. If you can’t find or reach the frozen spot, or can’t thaw it, call a licensed plumber.
Safety: Never thaw a pipe with a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove or any open flame.

How to Reset a Tripped Breaker or GFCI Outlet

October 22, 2026 /

When half the house goes dark, this is the first thing to check before calling anybody.

Quick answer Turn off or unplug things on the dead circuit. At the panel, find the breaker that’s in the OFF or middle position, push it firmly all the way to OFF, then back to ON. If outlets in a kitchen, bathroom, garage or outdoors are still dead, look for a GFCI outlet (TEST and RESET buttons) and press RESET. If it trips again right away, stop and call an electrician.
How to Reset a Tripped Breaker or GFCI Outlet
Photo: BrokenSphere / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Tools & materials

  • Flashlight
  • A lamp or nightlight to test outlets

Steps

  1. Lighten the load. Turn off or unplug lamps, appliances and anything else on the dead circuit.
  2. Find the tripped breaker. Open the panel door. A tripped breaker sits at OFF or in a middle position close to ON, which can be hard to see.
  3. Reset it. Push the handle firmly all the way to OFF, then back to ON.
  4. Check for a GFCI. If outlets are still dead, look for an outlet with TEST and RESET buttons on the same circuit (often in a bathroom, kitchen, garage or outdoors). One GFCI can protect other outlets down the line. Press RESET firmly. Some GFCIs are breakers in the panel instead.
  5. Plug things back in one at a time.
  6. If it trips again, there’s a problem: an overloaded circuit, a bad appliance or a wiring fault. Leave it off and call a qualified electrician.
  7. Test GFCIs monthly (and after a power outage). Plug in a lamp, press TEST: the lamp should go off. Press RESET: it should come back on. If it doesn’t work either way, the GFCI needs to be replaced or checked by an electrician.
Safety: Keep your hands dry at the panel. A breaker or GFCI that keeps tripping is telling you something is wrong; don’t keep resetting it. Call a qualified electrician.

How to Clean a Dryer Vent

October 22, 2026 /

This is one of those chores that’s easy to forget and really worth doing.

Quick answer Unplug the dryer (and shut off the gas if it’s a gas dryer), pull it out, disconnect the duct, and run a dryer-vent brush through the duct and out to the outside flap. Clean the lint screen every load and the vent at least once a year, or sooner if clothes take longer to dry.
How to Clean a Dryer Vent
Photo: Chalome / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Tools & materials

  • Dryer vent brush kit (flexible rods that chain together)
  • Vacuum with a hose attachment
  • Screwdriver or nut driver
  • Foil tape (not cloth duct tape)
  • Rigid or semi-rigid metal duct if replacing plastic or foil

Steps

  1. Unplug the dryer. On a gas dryer, close the gas valve and be gentle with the gas line.
  2. Pull the dryer out and loosen the clamp holding the duct to the back.
  3. Vacuum the lint from the dryer’s outlet and from inside the duct ends.
  4. Feed the brush through the duct toward the outside, spinning it the direction the kit says, and pull lint back out. Work from both ends if you can.
  5. Go outside and clear the vent hood. Make sure the flap opens freely and isn’t screened (screens catch lint).
  6. Replace any plastic or crushed foil duct with metal duct, keeping runs short and bends few.
  7. Reconnect, push the dryer back without kinking the duct, and run it on air. Check that air blows strongly outside.
Safety: In 2014–2018, US fire departments responded to an estimated 13,820 home fires a year that involved dryers, and failure to clean was the leading cause (NFPA). Don’t run the dryer when you’re away or asleep.

How to Unclog a Drain Without Chemicals

October 22, 2026 /

I’d rather grab a plunger than a jug of harsh chemicals. Here’s the order I’d try things in.

Quick answer Pull out any hair you can reach, then use a flat-cup sink plunger with a few inches of water. If that fails, clean the P-trap under the sink, then use a hand drain snake. Use hot tap water, not boiling, if you have plastic pipes or don’t know what you have.
How to Unclog a Drain Without Chemicals
Photo: M.Minderhoud / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Tools & materials

  • Flat-bottom cup plunger (not the flanged toilet kind)
  • Bucket and rubber gloves
  • Channel-lock pliers (for the trap)
  • Hand drain snake (about $25 or less)
  • Wet rag

Steps

  1. Remove the stopper and pull out hair and gunk you can see. A cheap plastic barbed strip works well for this.
  2. Leave a few inches of water in the sink so the plunger can seal. Plug the overflow hole (or the other side of a double sink) with a wet rag.
  3. Plunge straight up and down firmly several times, then pull off quickly. Repeat a few rounds.
  4. Clean the trap: set a bucket under the U-shaped pipe, unscrew the two slip nuts, dump and rinse the trap, and reinstall it hand-tight plus a little.
  5. Snake it: feed the cable into the pipe until you feel resistance, lock it, and crank while pushing gently. Pull back slowly. You’re trying to hook the clog and bring it out, not ram it further.
  6. Run hot tap water for a few minutes to flush what’s left.
  7. For a slow (not stopped) kitchen drain, hot water can move grease. Baking soda and vinegar can freshen a drain but won’t clear a real clog.
How to Unclog a Drain Without Chemicals
Photo: Frank C. Müller / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 de
Safety: If anyone already poured chemical drain cleaner in, do not plunge or snake it. It can splash onto skin and eyes. Tell the plumber what was used. If more than one drain backs up, the problem is likely in the main line; call a pro.

How to Patch a Hole in Drywall

October 22, 2026 /

Holes in drywall happen. Doorknobs, furniture, life. Done right, nobody will ever know.

Quick answer Fill holes under 1/2 inch with spackle. Cover holes from 1/2 inch to about 6 inches with a self-adhesive mesh or metal patch, then two or three thin coats of compound. Bigger holes need a drywall piece cut to fit. Feather the edges, sand, prime, and paint.
How to Patch a Hole in Drywall
Photo: U.S. Navy NMCB4 by Petty Officer 1st Class Justin Rayburn / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Tools & materials

  • Spackle or lightweight joint compound
  • Self-adhesive patch (for medium holes)
  • 4–6 inch putty knife
  • Fine sanding sponge
  • Primer and matching paint

Steps

  1. Knock off loose paper and crumbs and wipe the area clean.
  2. Small holes: press spackle in with a putty knife (or your finger), slightly overfilled since it shrinks. Scrape level.
  3. Medium holes: center a self-adhesive patch over the hole and press it flat.
  4. Spread a thin coat of compound over the patch in a crisscross pattern, spreading it 1–2 inches beyond the edges. Press harder at the outer edges to feather them thin.
  5. Let it dry completely. Don’t keep fussing with wet compound; two or three strokes and leave it.
  6. Sand lightly until smooth. Don’t sand through to the mesh. Wipe off the dust.
  7. Add a second (and third if needed) thin coat, wider each time, sanding between coats.
  8. Prime the patch, then paint. Unprimed compound shows through as a dull spot.
Safety: Before cutting into a wall for a larger patch, use a stud finder and check for wires and pipes. Turn off power to that area if you’re unsure.

How to Fix a Leaky Faucet

October 22, 2026 /

A dripping faucet is one of those sounds you can’t unhear at night. Let’s shut it up for good.

Quick answer Shut off the valves under the sink, take the handle off, and replace whatever is worn. On a two-handle faucet that’s usually the rubber washer. On a single-handle faucet it’s usually the cartridge or its O-rings. Bring the old part to the store so you get an exact match.
How to Fix a Leaky Faucet
Photo: User:Dschwen / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5
Tools & materials

  • Screwdriver and/or Allen key
  • Adjustable wrench (wrap the jaws in tape to protect the finish)
  • Replacement washer, O-rings or cartridge for your faucet model
  • Plumber’s grease
  • Towel and a sink stopper

Steps

  1. Turn both shut-off valves under the sink clockwise until they stop. Open the faucet to drain the pressure.
  2. Plug the drain and lay a towel in the sink so small parts can’t escape.
  3. Pry off the decorative cap if there is one, remove the handle screw, and lift off the handle.
  4. Two-handle (compression) faucet: unscrew the packing nut and remove the stem. Remove the screw at the bottom of the stem and replace the rubber seat washer, plus the O-ring or packing if it’s worn. Feel the valve seat inside the faucet. If it’s pitted, it needs a seat wrench and a new seat.
  5. Single-handle (cartridge) faucet: remove the retaining nut or clip and pull the cartridge straight out. Note which way it faces. Replace the O-rings, or the whole cartridge if it’s cracked or worn.
  6. Lay parts out in the order they came off. Use a dab of plumber’s grease on new O-rings and reassemble.
  7. Turn the water on slowly, run hot and cold, and check for drips at the spout and around the handle.
Safety: Can’t tell which side drips on a two-handle faucet? Close just the hot valve. If the drip stops, it’s the hot side.

Why bother

A drip of one drop per second wastes roughly 192 gallons a month, according to the City of Rio Rancho water guide.

How to Fix a Running Toilet

October 22, 2026 /

Running toilets drive me nuts. The good news is this is usually a cheap, 20-minute fix.

Quick answer Most running toilets have a worn flapper or a water level set too high. Lift the tank lid: if water is spilling into the overflow tube, lower the float. If not, replace the flapper (bring the old one to the store so you match it).
How to Fix a Running Toilet
Photo: Tech. Sgt. Terrica Jones / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Tools & materials

  • Replacement flapper matched to your toilet (or a fill valve if that’s the problem)
  • Adjustable wrench
  • Sponge and towel
  • Pencil

Steps

  1. Take the tank lid off and set it somewhere it can’t fall. Watch what happens after a flush.
  2. Check the water level. When the tank finishes filling, the water should sit about 1/2 to 1 inch below the top of the overflow tube. If it’s running into the tube, lower the float: on a ball float, turn the adjusting screw on top of the fill valve (usually clockwise); on a cup float, squeeze the clip and slide the float down.
  3. Check the chain. It should have just a little slack when the flapper is closed. Too tight holds the flapper open; too long can get trapped under it.
  4. Test the flapper. Mark the water line with a pencil, shut off the supply valve behind the toilet, and wait 25 minutes or more. If the level drops, water is leaking past the flapper.
  5. Replace the flapper. Shut off the water, flush to drain the tank, unhook the chain and slip the old flapper off its ears. Wipe mineral grit off the valve seat, fit the new one, and reattach the chain with a little slack.
  6. Turn the water back on, let it fill, and flush a few times to check the seal and the level.
  7. Still filling nonstop? Lift the float by hand while it’s filling. If the water doesn’t stop, the fill valve is worn. Replace it following the instructions on the new valve’s package.
Safety: Turn the supply valve clockwise to close it. If that valve leaks or won’t turn, shut off the house main instead of forcing it.

Good to know

A flapper is a cheap part that wears out over time. Some water utilities suggest replacing it about every five years, before it starts leaking.

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