Home improvement covers the projects that make a house safer, more comfortable and more valuable, from small upgrades to structural work. This hub brings together practical guides on plumbing (faucets, drains, water pressure, sump pumps, PVC leaks), doors and locks (privacy locks, deadbolts, push-bar doors, lockouts), flooring and trim (baseboards on uneven floors, carpet edges, flooring weights), bathrooms (fiberglass tubs, exhaust fans, tub spouts), and exterior work such as foundations, pier skirting, gutters, soffits and porch enclosures. Every article explains the tools and materials you need, the steps in the right order, the mistakes that cause callbacks, and the point where a licensed plumber, electrician or contractor is the safer choice. Use these guides to plan your project, estimate the time involved and finish with professional-looking results.
To stop water coming in under a garage door, replace a worn bottom seal, then add a rubber threshold seal glued to the floor so the door closes against a raised barrier. Check that the door closes fully and that downspouts and the driveway do not send water toward the opening.
To level a house on piers yourself, map the low spots, then raise each low beam slowly with a rated bottle jack on solid cribbing and add steel or treated hardwood shims between pier and beam. Lift in small increments over days or weeks, and call an engineer if piers are sinking.
To tell if a sump pump check valve is bad, watch the pit right after the pump shuts off. If water rushes back down the discharge pipe and the pit level jumps several inches, the valve is not sealing. Rapid cycling, or no discharge while the motor runs, are other signs.
To fix low water pressure in only one faucet, unscrew the aerator at the spout tip and clean it, because a clogged aerator is the most common cause. If flow is still weak, make sure the shutoff valves under the sink are fully open, then clean or replace the faucet cartridge.
To remove a kitchen faucet nut that won’t budge, shut off the water, soak the nut with penetrating oil for 15 to 30 minutes, then turn it counterclockwise with a basin wrench while a helper holds the faucet still. If it still will not move, cut the nut with an oscillating tool.
To fix a kitchen sink sprayer that won’t retract, look under the sink first. Most pull-down sprayers stop retracting because the hose snags on stored items or valves, or because the counterweight slid out of place. Clear the cabinet, move the weight to the low point of the hose loop, and straighten kinks.
To unclog a shower drain full of hair without chemicals, remove the drain cover and pull the hair out with gloved fingers, needle-nose pliers, or a plastic barbed drain tool. If water still drains slowly, plunge with a cup plunger or run a 1/4-inch hand drain snake. Avoid boiling water in PVC pipes.
To caulk a fiberglass tub to a tile wall, remove all old caulk, clean the joint with isopropyl alcohol, and let it dry. Fill the tub with water, tape both edges, run a bead of 100% silicone, and smooth it. Leave the water in until the caulk cures, usually 24 hours.
To remove a stuck bathtub drain without a tool made for the job, take out the stopper, cut the old putty or caulk around the flange, then slide needle-nose pliers handles into the cross bar and turn counterclockwise using a screwdriver as a lever. Warm the flange with a hair dryer first.
To fix a bathtub drain stopper that won’t stay up, identify the type first. Toe-touch stoppers need hair cleaned out and the cartridge tightened or replaced; lift-and-turn stoppers need the knob set screw tightened; trip-lever stoppers need the linkage rod shortened.