Top 10 Skills You Need To Fix Common Household Problems (steps 8-10))

Here is a continuation of my blog from the last two days on skills every home owner needs to fix common household problems

8. Stem a flood — and save your wiring

As a safety measure, you should know where your main water and electrical shutoffs are. The water shutoff will be near where the water enters the house. Look for a metal wheel or a flat handle like a paddle. Or check outside for a mini manhole cover — the shutoff may be there. The main electrical switch will be in or near the main box. On an old fuse system, it may be a big lever or a handle that pulls out a whole block. On a modern breaker box it will be an isolated switch near the top of the box. Flip it to keep the circuits (and you) from getting fried.

9. Paint a double-hung window

Forget the blue tape for this job. Your No. 1 tool is a 1½- to 2-inch sash brush. Its angled bristles come to a point, giving you a fine line. Raise the bottom sash and lower the top sash so they've almost switched places.

1. Paint the exposed parts of the top sash, now on the bottom, including the muntins.
2. Carry a thin line of paint onto the glass to seal the glazing.
3. Nearly close the window and paint the rest of the top sash.
4. Paint the entire bottom sash, without getting paint between the sash and the stops (the pieces of wood in front that hold them in place).
5. Paint the casing, sill and apron. Before the paint dries, move the sash up and down. "If you can't see a clear crack between the sash and the stop because of wet paint," says Tom Silva, "then you just glued the window shut."

10. Stop an overflowing toilet

A toilet works by gravity: The water in the tank — just enough to fill the bowl — drops down and pushes waste through the drain. The float drops, opening a valve that lets in water to refill the bowl and the tank simultaneously. The valve closes when the float rises far enough to shut off the water.
If the water from the tank can't leave the bowl fast enough, the refill will spill over. To stop the refill action, take off the top of the tank, grab the float and pull it up to close the valve. That should give you time to reach down and shut off the water, or at least wait for some of the water in the bowl to drain.

13 painting secrets used by pro's

All painting pros have different methods, but they also know the tricks of the trade. Here are a few tips I've researched from professional painters that will help make your painting project shine.

Sand away flaws  

You have to start with a perfectly smooth surface to end up with perfectly painted walls or woodwork. Sanding  removes burrs and rough spots in your trim, so sand the walls from the baseboard to the ceiling with fine-grit sandpaper and then sand horizontally along the baseboard and ceiling.

Use tinted primer
Instead of using white primer pros usually have it tinted gray, tinted primer does a better job of covering the existing paint color. So when everything is said and done your finish coat will be more vibrant and may require fewer coats.

Press tape with a putty knife

To avoid the pain-in-the-neck chore of scraping off the paint, do a thorough job of adhering the tape before you start. Apply tape over the wood, then run a putty knife over the top to press down the tape for a good seal. That should stop any paint bleeds. Use blue painter's tape instead of masking tape.

Eliminate brush and lap marks with paint extender

The secret to a finish that's free of lap and brush marks is mixing a paint extender — also called a paint conditioner — such as Floetrol, into the paint.  Manufacturer's directions tell you how much extender to add per gallon of paint.

Scrape a ridge in textured ceilings

The problem with painting along the edge of textured ceilings is that it's almost impossible to get a straight line.  Pros have a simple solution. They run a screwdriver along the perimeter of the ceiling to scrape off the texture.

Use canvas drop-cloths

Pros don't use bedsheets as dropcloths, and neither should you. Thin sheets won't stop splatters and spills from seeping through to your flooring. And while plastic can contain spills, the paint stays wet for a long time.
The pros use: canvas drop-cloths, you should still wipe up large spills or they can bleed through.

Finish one wall before starting another

It might seem easy to do all the corners and trim in a room, then go back to roll the walls, but don't. Pros get a seamless look by cutting in one wall — painting along the edges — then immediately rolling it before starting the next. This allows the brushed and the rolled paint to blend together better.

Don't bother taping windows when painting sashes

Go ahead and let paint get on the glass. Once it's dry, simply scrape it off with a razor blade. The paint peels off in seconds. Just be careful to not break the paint bond between the wood and the glass. Otherwise, moisture can get on the wood and cause rot.

Box paint for consistent color

To ensure color consistency from start to finish, pros mix their cans of paint in a five-gallon bucket, a process called "boxing."

Wash roller covers before you use them

Whether you buy cheap or expensive roller covers, washing them before their first use gets rid of the fuzz that inevitably comes off once you start painting. Wash them with water and a little bit of liquid soap, and run your hands up and down the covers to pull off any loose fibers.

Clean dirty walls with degreaser 

Pros use a degreaser to clean grimy or greasy surfaces, saying it cuts through almost anything on the walls and helps the paint adhere better. Be sure to read the label and follow directions — this stuff is potent. Wear rubber gloves and eye protection.

Start with a loaded brush

Pros load the bottom 1½ inches of their brushes with paint, tap each side against the inside of their container to knock off the heavy drips, and then start painting. By contrast, homeowners often take a "load and dump" approach of dragging the loaded brush along the sides of their container and wiping off most of the paint.