HomeSpot HQ

Your Home Maintenance Partner

repair

How To Fix A Stripped Hole In Wood

by

How to fix a stripped holeIt’s very frustrating when a screw gives out. It can mean a loose hinge on a door or fallen picture. Also, the hole it used to be seated in becomes almost useless. However, there are a few ways to work around this common house problem.

Go Big

Try replacing the screw with a larger screw. A longer and/or larger diameter screw can dig into new wood and create a new anchor. Consider the application first before taking this route. For example, it’s tough to use a larger diameter screw for hinges because of the hole size in the metal plates. A longer screw would be the better solution. If you do take this route, drill a tiny hole before sinking in the fastener. Otherwise, the wood may crack while driving in the screw.

Fill It In

If the hole is messed up and it’s not possible to use a bigger screw, try patching things up. Drill out the hole to a larger size and plug it with a dowel. Keep the dowel in place with glue and let it cure. Then drill a small hole and replace the screw.

How To Fix A Leaky Roof

by

Contrary to what roofers might tell you, roofing repair is not an intricately complex job that should always be handled by professionals. If you’ve noticed water leaking into your attic or home, the problem may be a leaky roof that you can fix yourself. Here are some common roof leak issues and how to take care of them.

How to Replace Shingles


How to repair a roof leakIf you have determined that broken or deteriorating shingles are the source of your leak, here’s how to replace them:

  1. 1. Find the leaky shingle(s). Then lift up the tabs on the shingle above the problematic area.
  1. 2. Pry out the nails of the leaky shingle with a pay bar or hammer claw. Then remove the bad shingle(s).
  1. 3. Check the exposed underlayment. If you seen torn or missing pieces, patch over it with new underlayment. Cut off a piece that’s half a foot larger on either side, slip it in under the surrounding shingles, and staple it in place.
  1. 4. To install the new shingles, start at the lowest part of your roof and work upward. Before driving nails in, lift up the necessary shingle tabs.
  1. 5. Affix a bead of roofing cement to the underside of the final shingle before putting it into place.

Fixing a Crooked or Stuck Door

by

how to fix a stuck door

The Door is Sticking

Doors are great. Not just because we need them to section off parts of the house or keep bugs and weather outside, but because they are simple mechanism that do a good job. However, as temperatures change and the soil shifts a house, doors can become stuck or crooked.

Loose Screws in the Hinge

Do you have to pull hard to open a door and push even harder to close it? The first spots to inspect are the hinges. Make sure each screw is tight and snug. If you try to tighten a screw and it keeps spinning, the wood hole is probably stripped. Use a longer screw to dig into more material. Hopefully this will solve the problem and the door will operate normally.

How to Repair Drywall

by

All it takes is one swift poke with a broom or a bump from furniture to damage drywall. Luckily, fixing and repairing drywall is good project for DIY homeowners.

Fix a Dent

Gouges and dents don’t need full on repair or even replacement drywall. Some spackle and new paint is all that is required. But before filling in the hole, it is best to clean up the damaged area. Use a utility knife or razor to trim away any loose paper and pieces along the edge. Wipe away dust with a slightly damp rag and dry with a towel.

Trim up the edges before applying spackle to drywall

Apply spackle in the dent using a putty knife. It is best to overfill the hole. Let the spackle dry the prescribed amount of time according to the label. Use sandpaper to remove excess material. The remaining spackle should be flush with the drywall. Paint the affected area to match the rest of the wall.

Fixing a dent in drywall

Fix a Hole

For damage larger than a small hole or dent, you will need a small piece of drywall to fill in the gap. Start by cutting out a rectangular shape around the damage. This will make it easier to repair since most times holes are odd shapes.

Next, screw in a small board, or even a paint stick, onto the backside of the wall. This will serve as a support for the drywall.

Cut a piece of drywall to match the size of the rectangle. If is better to cut the piece larger rather than smaller. A large piece can be trimmed down with a utility knife or sandpaper.

Screw the drywall into the backing board. Make sure to put pilot holes in the backing board to avoid cracking. Fill in the cracks with sheet rock puddy. Like the spackle, sand down the excess material and paint it to match the rest of the wall.

DIY: Temporary Patch Kit for a Leaky Roof

by

Roof leaks are typically caused when a home is damaged by severe weather. This includes strong wind, battering rain, and hail. The size of the leak will dictate type of temporary repair that are able to use on your roof. You can choose from many roof leak repair options. A permanent repair for a roof will require hiring a roofing company.

Sheeting

Measure the area of the roof where the leaking occurs by using a tape measure. Measure and cut pieces of plastic that will completely cover the leak or leaks on the roof. Run a bead of caulk around the edges of the leaking areas. Place a piece of the cut plastic over the leak and press it onto the caulk. Leave it to dry for about six hours. This will seal off the leaking area of the roof until you can arrange to have your roof permanently repaired. If you do not have any plastic sheeting, then rolls can be found at your local home improvement store.

If you do not want to use caulk, then another option will be needed. Measure and cut a piece the plastic sheeting to a size that will cover the leak on your roof. Staple the ends of the plastic onto a two-by-four board. The boards will keep the plastic from blowing off of the roof. Set the two-by-four boards on the roof and stretch the plastic over the leak. Nails can be used to secure the boards to the roof. The plastic will keep the roof from leaking until a permanent fix can be found.

Tarp

This is a solution that is similar to the use of plastic sheeting. The use of a tarp is a good solution if the roof has lost a section of shingles. A trap will cover more area and will hang over both sides of the roof to cover the leaking area. Nail one side of the tarp to a two-by-four board. Set this board along the eave line of the roof. Run the tarp over the roof to the other side and roll the end around another two-by-four board. Nail this board to the roof sheathing. Place more two-by-four boards along the perimeter of your tarp and nail to the roof.

How to temporarily patch a leaky roof