The Raleigh Handyman

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Main water shut off valve

Sooner or later your shut off valves under your kitchen or bathroom sinks will not operate and will not shut off the water. Also you might have a water line to burst unexpectively. Knowing where you main shut off valve is important so you can turn off the water during...

Preparation for cold weather

With the overnight temperature lows do not forget to close your air vents with houses that have crawlspaces. This will help lower your heating bill and possibly prevent water lines under your house from freezing and bursting. Also wrap your hose bibs (outside fauce...

Securing loose deck boards

I recommend using stainless steel deck screws to reattach loose deck boards instead of the commonly used nails. Over time nails will back out of the deck boards due to the expansion and contraction from temperature changes. Even though screws cost more than nails the...

Rotten wood on exterior doors

Exterior doors need to be caulked and painted to prevent wood decay. Unfortunately folks overlook this home maintenance resulting in wood decay around the bottom six inches of the lower door frame and sometimes to the subfloor.

To repair this damage I recommend c...

Materials to use to rescreen a porch

If you are thinking about rescreening your porch I highly recommend fiberglass over aluminum. The advantages are you are able to see better from inside out, does not cost as much as aluminum, is more flexible and does not get creases.

Also plastic lattice ...

Replacing exterior door locks

When you are replacing your front or back door locks find out the manufacturer of the lock not being replaced. Purchase a replacement lock made by the same manufacturer. By doing so you can have the new lock keyed to match your existing door lock.

Gray particles in bathtub and sink

If you see gray or black particles in your sink or bathtub water check test your expansion tank to see if the bladder has ruptured.

French doors with rotten wood

Due to the construction design of French doors the bottom four inches are notoriously known for rotten wood. During a rainstorm the sill ports do not disperse water fast enough allowing it to collect. Over time the bottom of the door will rot if not kept painted ...