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Welcome to the Home Repair Advice Tips Page
The purpose of this site is to
provide tips for Restoring, Renovating and General Property Repair Tips. I hope I have made this site unique.
The concept is that each page has a unique topic. I provide 10 tips on
each subject then I have invited you the reader to supply your own tips to
add to the list ... in a 'Post Your Comment Box'. I have called this
posting comments for Restoring Property - RANT or RAVE. As the title
suggests you can post good ideas and ideas that certainly don't work! I
hope you enjoy...
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HOME REPAIR TIPS - General Advice
Here we have a few basic tips. Follow the
links in the side navigation to see our full lists.
1. Load bearing walls... Generally speaking
for the DIY enthusiast to knock out a load bearing wall is too much of a
task. It would be advisable to get professional help. There are too many
consequences following an incorrect job.
2. Carpet mould... Occasionally you may find
that edges of your carpet are getting stained are appear mouldy. You could
clean the carpet, but with time the same will reappear. There are two
possible answers. Firstly these patches are likely to be caused by damp;
various under floor problems could be occurring. To clean the carpet will
not resolve the cause, sadly the only way is to take up the floor and
study what is going on. Somewhere somehow damp is getting in, or not
naturally getting out. A frequent cause is the damp proof membrane.
Secondly, there could be some form of draught coming in at the floor
boards or skirting board area. Pull the carpet back and see if there any
obvious holes that is allowing this draught. Although properties should
have adequate ventilation in the loft and cellar areas, sometimes after
maintenance a brick or a floorboard could have not be fitted back
sufficiently and then what would be ventilation becomes a draught. As the
draught scurries around areas it shouldn't be it bring into the room and
onto the carpet a brick dust; and possibly a black oily solution, which
may be a mixture of dust and damp.
3. Ceiling stains... More often than not
ceiling stains are caused by condensation. Not serious damp, but natural
warming and cooling of your house timbers and bricks. In your loft for
example you will have insulation, but the beams supporting the ceiling are
more gradual in cooling and warming in comparison to the insulation. Over
time the moisture in your house is soaked up by the walls and ceiling
unless adequately ventilated. The beam areas take longer to rid themselves
of condensation so the surrounding area on the ceiling absorb dust
particles more readily, thus causing obvious stains on the ceiling in a
symmetrical way in the direction of the ceiling joists.
4. Dry Rot... This is a term used for a
multitude of sins and can be flippantly used incorrectly. What dry rot is,
is based around a fungi feeding off the moisture in the wood. It can lay
dormant for years, but if a condensation problem re-appears or a leak in
the roof re-appears the fungi will be re-activated. It is called dry rot,
as I believe, because the wood looks as if it is rotting in a dry state;
but the fungi has zapped all the moisture and the substance of the wood is
flaky and breaking off. The wood in this state has little strength and as
such should be replaced. Dry rot can also be mistakenly used for termite
infestation.
5. Paint and Grout Colour matching... To do
simple repairs it is very difficult to match paint or for that matter to
match grout colours. If you knew the original colour you may find that
even that isn't a perfect match. With age and general deterioration the
paint colours change. Especially if you use cleaning products upon them,
and to be fair if you want a clean house all such services have a regular
clean down. I can tell you there isn't an easy way to resolve this issue.
The next best solution is to decide to cover a larger area with the
nearest colour match. If you have dirty finger marks upon a wall and don't
want to paint the whole room, then perhaps you'll need to cover just one
wall with the nearest match; don't try to paint a square patch it won't
work.
6. Paint still tacky? ... There are simple
answers to this problem; and the odd occasion the only answer can come
from a laboratory test. Paint can stay tacky for months and under normal
circumstances the reasons will be: that the paint was applied too thick,
the first coat or undercoat didn't get sufficient time to dry before you
applied the top coat; reactions can occur between primer and top coat,
especially if they are two different manufacturers ... and finally the two
extreme temperatures hot or cold when the paint was applied. It has been
known for paint to remain tacky if it is exposed to hot temperatures; some
paints are designed for normal weather conditions. More sunnier climates
and colder climates can have an adverse effect on paint hardening. Even
after a few years you can sometimes hear, when a door opens, a ripping
sound as two painted surfaces still stick together, because they have
never fully dried.
7. Moth Problem? ... Most people by the time
they realise they have a moth problem can generally identify where they
are coming from, which cupboard, which room or which area outside the
house. Of course moths are renowned for nibbling at cloths... Find the
area where there appears to be a dominance of them. Empty the area, clean
and then leave the area empty for a month. The life cycle of a month isn't
very long, but they often return to a place they know is comfortable, warm
and with something to chew on to give birth again. If you take away one or
more of those comfort zones the moths may visit elsewhere. there are many
'old wives tales' as to what to put in the cupboards to rid yourself of
moths, but in modern times a good solution is pieces of spearmint chewing
gum out of the wrapper.
8. Dog Odour Problem? ... Most pet owners
can keep a curb on smells, but one of the most frustrating is the smell of
dogs on your kitchen floor tiles, even when you've cleaned them numerous
times. My tip is to add one cupful of white vinegar to your bucket of hot
soapy water before you mop. The vinegar rips away the film of dog odour
from the tiles.
9. Mice and Ants ... Little critters you
hate. Don't put cheese in mouse traps, put chocolate. If you are not so
violent and want more natural remedies try mint. Mint is a deterrent for
both mice and ants. Make up a cocktail of either peppermint or mint into a
container with a spray nozzle. Then go spray areas such as pipes, small
vents and especially across the door entrance floor. Clean houses still
attract these critters; spray with mint and see for yourself how ants take
a detour.
10. Brown stains ... A touchy subject, but
stains from different waters around the world can leave brown stains at
the bottom of your toilet. Many solutions purchased from the supermarket
just don't do the job. My tip is to pour a can of coca cola in the basin
and leave for a few hours, try using a scrubbing brush at the end of the
two hours while the cola is still there (almost working blind as the water
will be discoloured); then flush and you should have reduced the stain to
either gone or just a little left. Repeat if the problem hasn't completely
disappeared.
This information is provided as a
courtesy only...
Neither RestoringPropertyTips.com nor any other party involved in the
preparation, publication or distribution of this information makes any
representation or warranty, express or implied, that this information
contains all provisions that may be appropriate or necessary to address
the specific interests of a landlord, tenant or owners of property.
COMMENTS...
I was once having trouble draining my bathwater, it would take about an
hour to drain. I poured a cup of baking soda onto the plug hole and
managed to squeeze most of it down the plug; I then poured some white
vinegar and heard it fizz and pop. Allowing about ten minutes before I
poured a kettle full of boiling water. Worked for me...
Dianne, Glasgow
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If your home is anywhere near any trees, then I would suggest clearing
your gutters annually after autumn (fall). Leaves can clog your gutters
and cause untidy drip marks down the side of your house, plus clogged
gutters can cause dampness within the house
Todd, Manchester
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Sometimes to prepare for a painting job can take you longer than the
painting job itself. Before you start your painting project, empty the
room of as much furniture as possible; those you are leaving put in the
centre of the room. Leave yourself a clear work area at least 3 feet from
each wall. Protect all floors from drips, spills, and spatter with tarps
or drop cloths. Remove all the door and window hardware, including hinges,
latches, knobs, and strike plates.
Nigel, Ohio
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Before applying emulsion with a roller, go around the ceiling points, door
jambs and window areas with a brush, a two inch brush is good. This will
allow you a better working environment with your roller; meaning ... the
job can be deemed as finished after the roller, rather than roller first
and touching up after.
Jayne, Dallas
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