Top 10 Skills You Need To Fix Common Household Problems (steps 4-7)

On the heels of President Obamas State Of The Union address it seems like we all are going to have to fend for ourselves for a while. It's up to us to save money here is a continuation of my real estate blog from yesterday on skills every home owner needs to fix common household problems

4. Remove a stripped screw

A hand screwdriver appropriate for the screw and a double dose of elbow grease to fix this unfortunate bit of handiwork. Gently hammer the screwdriver into the head. Then use as much downward force as you can while you slowly back out the screw.

5. Hardwire a light fixture

Anything powered by electricity requires that the current make a full circuit to and from the main box. All the wiring in a house has two lines: one that brings in the electricity (the hot wire) and one that carries it back (the neutral wire). Connect hot wires to each other and neutrals to each other. And make sure you don't become the conduit in between.  The hot is usually black and the neutral white. But if yours look different, use a circuit tester. With the electricity on, touch one node of the tester to the wire and the other to something metal that is not touching you. If the light goes on, that's your hot wire.
Turn off the electricity and connect the black ("hot") wire to the black wire or the brass screw on your fixture and the white (neutral) to white wire or silver screw. If your fixture has two like-colored wires, the grooved one always goes to the neutral connection. Be sure to connect the copper grounding wire from the cable to the green grounding screw in the junction box, then to the grounding wire coming from the fixture, if there is one. View Image Below

 

 

 

 

6. Know which breaker to turn off

When you finally get around to putting in that dimmer switch, you won't want to be stumped by a poorly labeled breaker box. Ditch the pencil and paper chart — you're not changing your wiring any time soon. Instead, write directly on the metal next to each switch with a fine permanent marker. Have a friend plug lamps into all the sockets in a room and tell you via cellphone which ones go dark when you flip a switch. Be specific ("sofa and window walls only" or "kitchen minus fridge") when you jot it down.

7. Use a fire extinguisher

Work fast — the typical extinguisher has as little as eight seconds of life, so know in advance how yours works. Make sure to stow it near an exit so you can back out as you fight the flames. Then remember the acronym "PASS": 1) Pull the pin. 2) Aim the nozzle at the base of the flames. 3) Squeeze the trigger. 4) Sweep the spray from side to side. Don't assume the fire is out just because the flames are gone. Call 911 and wait for the fire department to give you the high sign.


Steps 8-10 tomorrow