Unfortunately, I’ve run into quite a few problems that I have little experience with (remember that clogged air conditioner drain line?). When that happens, I turn to a variety of resources in the hopes someone else has had a similar problem and has shared a solution.

The Internet offers a wealth of information on DIY subjects, as does many offline publications that have been around for years. And of course there is the old-fashioned, but often most effective approach of simply asking a friend or neighbor for some help.

5 Valuable Resources to Build DIY Skills

1. YouTube. It’s amazing the types of how-to videos you can find on YouTube. In the last couple months alone, I’ve watched videos on installing laminate floor, changing your own oil, and repairing a garbage disposal. For me, this is a huge benefit of having online videos. I am the type of person who can read about repairs, look at diagrams, and follow instructions well enough, but being able to actually watch someone repair or install something makes it so much easier to translate to my real-world problem.

2. DIY Magazines (and their Websites). My grandfather subscribed to Popular Mechanics magazine for as long as I can remember. He used to save feature articles like this one, 100 Skills Every Man Should Know, in a folder in his file cabinet and refer back to them often.

These days, Popular Mechanics, and other publications in the DIY genre maintain informative websites with these types of articles just a click away.

3. Repair manuals. In terms of automotive repair guides, you can’t go wrong with a Haynes Repair Manual. I have one for each model of vehicle we own. I’ve found these repair guides to be the most handy tools when working on vehicles – especially older ones (for example, here’s the repair manual for my old 1991 Chevy G10 Van). Chilton also makes a good repair manual, but I’m partial to Haynes because it’s the manual my grandfather always turned to when he had trouble with that old van.

There are plenty of good household repair guides, too. Reader’s Digest has long put out an excellent book on household repairs, the Fix-It-Yourself Manual: How to Repair, Clean and Maintain Anything and Everything In and Around Your Home.

4. Repairmen. It seems obvious that a repairman would be an excellent resource for fixing things, but the problem is you have to pay them for their expertise. Often times you can learn from them simply by watching them make repairs.

Now, after talking with a few friends in the business, few people like to be hovered over while they make a repair. But as a homeowner, I believe you have a right to watch someone perform a repair on your property. Assuming you are up-front about your intention to learn something, and stay out of the way, most people won’t have a problem with it.

We recently had trouble with our refrigerator not cooling and I had to call someone from a local appliance repair shop. The individual walked me through several troubleshooting methods I could try on my own next time, as well explaining the importance of maintaining our refrigerator (keeping the coils clean, checking door seals, keeping it adequately stocked for more efficient cooling, etc.). His visit was well worth the knowledge I gained, but I would have missed out on it had I simply sat in the next room watching television.

5. Community/Technical colleges. Growing up, I didn’t have many opportunities to work on cars, so I’m not much of a “car guy.” I know enough to perform simple maintenance, but large repairs are still intimidating to me (even armed with my Haynes Repair Manual).

I’ve decided to look into attending an automotive repair course offered by a local technical college. Most of the attendees will ultimately be looking to add to their credits towards becoming a certified mechanic. I’ll be the guy looking to make basic repairs in his driveway to avoid a huge repair bill.

Of course, no matter how much DIY knowledge we hope to learn over time, we could never account for every scenario. Knowing when to swallow your pride and call in a professional is also a valuable skill. For this, I’ve found services like Angie’s List to be invaluable because I’m able to read through others’ experiences with a particular contractor or service professional. If I am able to find someone with several positive reviews, chances are I’ll also have a good experience if I hire them.

How are your adding to your own DIY skills? Any resources you’d like to share with fellow readers?

You might be a very handy person but I’m not.

The mere thought of putting a pair of pliers or screw driver in my hand is enough to raise my body temperature 4 degrees.

So when my wife announced that the cold water wasn’t flowing in the washing machine this morning, fixing it myself wasn’t my first thought. In fact, even while I’m a bit ashamed to admit it, let me tell you what was going through my mind at first:

1. “Let’s call the repair person. I’m too busy to try to fix it. I’m right in the middle of writing a post!”
2. My wife is better at fixing things than I am. “Honey, let me get you the tool kit.”
3. “Isn’t it time to replace that 15 year old washing machine anyway?”

Within 45 seconds, I had dismissed all three alternatives.

First, it was New Years Day and it would be impossible to find a repair company. Also, I would have felt like a complete buffoon had the person spent 15 seconds on the problem and presented me with that ugly $60 bill.

Second, while my wife really is better at this kind of thing than I am, I just couldn’t pass the wrench this time. I had the time and she didn’t. Time to put the big-boy repair shoes on.

Third, this seemed like a minor problem so I couldn’t justify buying a new machine. I was half-way kidding myself when I tried to weasel out of the job with that one.

I resigned to tackle the problem head on.

The first thing I did was consider the downsides to doing the repair. If I failed, we’d be no worse off than before and at least I’d have given it the ol’ college try. Maybe, I’d even score some points with my wife. So in my estimation, it was a win-win – even if the clothes remained dirty.

Next, I assessed the problem – no cold water flow to the machine.

OK. I disassembled the water hose going to and from the machine. I checked it and the flow was perfect. This was what I feared…..it meant the problem lay deep in the bowels of the Maytag monster.

I cleared my workspace and started taking off the hoses and the cover to the inner workings of my foe. There, I was pleased to find, one simple part through which the water had to flow. The problem had to be there. But this looked like a specialty part and since it also had electronics attached to it, I figured we needed a new one. I decided to take a few pictures of it, write down the serial numbers and put my Maytag back together. I figured I’d order the part the next day.

Before I did so, I cleaned out the lines as best I could and prayed for a miracle….just in case.

Sure enough, when we hooked her back up, the water flow was back to normal.

I had become, if you will…..the Maytag Man!

I’m not sharing this story with you because I think I’m G-d’s gift to the washing machine. Far from it. I am still the least handy person you will ever meet. Outside of one good experience with a toilet and door lock, my history in the “fix it” department is dismal.

Do I think my stroll down Maytag Lane saved my money and marriage? Well….it did save a little cabbage. But outside of a few fleeting moments of admiration, I think my wife has forgotten about the entire episode.

And I’m not entirely convinced the repair will solve the long-term problem.

And as I write, the cold water is flowing to the machine, but as it works, it’s howling at me like a very sick wolf. I may have done more harm than good – violating the Maytag Man’s oath.

No, I’ll never be handy guy – but at least I’m not going to be intimidated anymore.
That’s why I’m sharing this story with you.

I’m going to try to fix things even if I don’t know how. It’s OK to learn as you go….right?

Are you intimidated by repairs, or reconciling your check book or something else? What experiences have you encountered when you pushed the envelope of your comfort zone?

Find thousands of unbiased ratings on services for home improvements, car repairs, and more. Try Angie’s List.

Photo courtesy of geocam20000

Indoor Winterizing Tasks

1.  Have chimneys cleaned and inspected.  Blockages and buildup in chimneys can lead to dangerous conditions such as fires and inadequate ventilation.

2.  Consider a thermal insulating blanket for your hot water heater.  Hot water heaters are often the least-efficient appliance in your home.  This is especially true if your tank is store in an outdoor storage room or garage (as ours is).  When temperatures drop the tank has to work extra hard to keep the contents warm.  Consider adding a thermal insulating blanket for your hot water heat to insulate the water from surrounding temperatures.

3.  If your windows are not made of newer insulated glass, consider installing storm windows.  New, energy-efficient windows often two layers of glass with insulating air in between.  Older, single-pane models allow cold air to more easily seep in and make rooms feel cooler.

4. Add insulation to attics and crawlspaces.  Inadequate insulation in attics allows heat to rise up and out of your home, forcing heating systems to work harder to keep your home warm.

5. Install a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats allow you to automatically create a heating/cooling schedule for your home.  At night you can allow inside temperatures to drop down a bit, but warm things up just before the alarm clock goes off. Similarly, you can allow the temperatures to drop inside your hours when it is empty during the day, but warm things up before you arrive home from work. Here are some thoughts on the ideal thermostat setting for winter.

6. Arrange for a professional inspection of your furnace.  Just like automobiles require periodic maintenance, furnaces require servicing by a professional.  It’s worth the cost of a service call.

7.  If you vacation during the winter months, leave your heat on and set it to 55 degrees.  This will help reduce the chance of interior pipes freezing.

8. Install a carbon monoxide detector.  Gas-log fireplaces and furnaces can give off toxic carbon monoxide gases.  Follow manufacturer recommendations on placement of monitoring device.

9. Install fresh batteries in all smoke alarms.  We change the batteries in our smoke alarms twice a year, around daylight savings time changes.  It’s a good idea to periodically test alarms to be sure batteries are still working properly.

10.  Inspect fire extinguishers and recharge if necessary.  Replace any extinguishers older than ten years.

11. Insulate water pipes that may be exposed to freezing temperatures.  If water in pipes freeze, chances are the expansion will cause them to burst and you’ll be stuck with a huge bill from a plumber.

Outdoor Winterizing Tasks

12.  Caulk around windows to prevent cold air from seeping in around cracks.  If you are not sure your windows needed additional caulking, try the candle trick.  On a windy day, light a candle and place it near your window with indoor cooling/heating systems turned off.  If the flame flickers when a gust of wind picks up it is an indication air is seeping around your windows.

13. Clean gutters. A clogged gutter can lead to a flooded basement when snow melts and the water has no where to run off.

14. Drain garden hoses and turn off any outdoor water faucets.  Remove nozzles or sprayers from the end of garden hoses and be sure to drain any water left in the line.

15. Add some antifreeze to the base of portable basketball goals filled with water.  During winter months the water in the goal’s base can freeze and expand, cracking the base.  Purchase a brand of antifreeze that is safe for kids and animals just in case.

16. Inspect driveways and pathways.  Patch cracks with a cement or asphalt kit to prevent water from entering the cracks, freezing, expanding and creating even larger cracks.

17. Make sure you have a snow shovel, rock salt, sand and other tools for dealing with snow and ice on your property.

18. Stock up on firewood.  Store it at least 50 feet away from your home to prevent fire and termites from coming too close to your home.

19. Bleed the valves on any hot-water radiators.  Open slightly until water appears and close again.

20. Be sure there are no flammable materials stored close to your furnace.  This one seems obvious, but many fires are started during the winter months because of flammable items being stored too close to furnaces.

21. Inspect fireplace damper to make sure it is opening and closing properly.  One year, in our old home, the damper wasn’t opening properly, but we did not discover it until we lit a fire and the living room filled with smoke.

22. If you installed summer screens on doors and windows, replace them with the glass equivalents stored during the summer.  Adding the extra pane of glass back to storm doors will ad a layer of insulation against colder temperatures.

23. Drain gas from lawnmower and store for the winter.  It’s also a good idea to store the lawnmower or tractor indoors during extremely cold temperatures.

24. Consider a tune-up on snow blowers and other snow removal equipment.  A little preventive maintenance goes a long way for winter equipment.

25. Apply sealant to decks. Sealant helps prevent wood damage from extreme freezing/thawing cycles.

26.  Move potted plants inside, or closer to the home to prevent damage from freezing temperatures. The temperature near your home’s exterior walls will be a little warmer than out further in your yard.  It also helps to cover outdoor plants with a sheet to insulate them from sub-freezing temperatures.

27. Clean patio furniture and store it away from winter.  In some areas winter storms are often accompanied by high winds.  During these storms, outdoor furniture can be scattered about your yard (and your neighbor’s yard).  Since you won’t likely be using it, look for a place to store it until spring.

28. Check with manufacturer to determine if spare refrigerators or freezers stored in unheated garages are safe to operate at extremely cold temperatures.  Extra refrigerators and freezers are great for stockpiling grocery deals, but if the temperature drops below the inside setting of your refrigerator or freezer it can cause the unit to operate inefficiently.

29. Seal areas around dryer vents, cable outlets and mail chutes with a caulking gun. Look for cracks or holes around outdoor fixtures such as vents and outlets as these spaces allow cold air from outside to enter your wall space and make indoor heating less effective.

For additional tips, check out this post on preparing your house for winter.

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Our old, original thermostat

We settled on a medium-grade model, not the cheapest, but not the most expensive, either. It was a 5-1-1 GE Honeywell programmable thermostat (the 5-1-1 means you can set a weekday schedule and a Saturday/Sunday schedule, independently).  This feature appealed to us because our weekday schedule varies from our weekend schedule, as I suspect is true in most households.  With new thermostat in hand, I’m ready to tackle the installation.

Disclaimer:  The following instructions are for inspirational purposes only, and are not meant to substitute manufacturer instructions that come with your particular model.

Step 1 – Turn off all power at main electrical panel.   Some instructions I found online advised to simply turn off power to the room your were working, others suggested throwing the main switch.  I always lean towards safety and decided to turn everything I could find on the electrical panel to the “Off” position.

Our old thermostat, minus cover and control board

Step 2 -  Remove cover and control panel from old thermostat.  The cover and control board on most models snap off–look for a recessed lip around the sides or bottom of the original thermostat where you can grab and remove the faceplate and control board.  Take care setting this aside as you may have to reinstall if something goes wrong further in the installation.

Step 3 – Label wires according to their current position, and remove them one by one.  Most new models of programmable thermostats come with sticker labels that you can use to wrap around the wires coming from the wall.  If your package doesn’t contain pre-printed labels you can substitute with masking tape and a Sharpie.

Step 4- Remove old thermostat plate from the wall.  Be sure not to let the mess of wires drop back into the wall when unscrewing the old plate.  Some instructions recommend taping a group of wires to the wall, but I found that the wires were so stiff that simply spreading them out a bit adequately prevented them from dropping back into the hole in the drywall.

It’s a good idea to use a level–I did when drilling, but not when taking the photos!

Step 5 – Attach new thermostat plate to the wall.  Most of the time a new model’s plate will not match up to the existing holes from the old thermostat.  This was the case with our model.  I simply drilled a couple holes for the new thermostat, and inserted the drywall anchors that came in the new packaging (don’t worry, the instructions accounted for this by indicating the drill bit size to use, etc.).  Go ahead and insert batteries if your model requires them.  Our model required two AA batteries (installed just above the wire connections) to hold the programming settings in the event of a power outage.

Step 6 – Reattach the wires according to their label and the corresponding spot on the new thermostat.   This was the most difficult part of the entire project because there wasn’t much room to work with, and depending on your heating/air conditioning system you could have several wires to attach.  We finally managed to get them all attached and were ready for the final installation step.

Step 7 – Attach control panel and face plate for new thermostat*.  This step reminded me of attaching an old parallel printer to a computer–simply match up the pins on the control panel with the pins on the back plate attached to the wall.

*Hint:  Make a handwritten note of the wires you attached (C, G, Y, R, etc.) before covering with the new control panel and face plate.  You’ll need to know this to properly program your new thermostat based on the type of system your have.  I didn’t know this ahead of time, and had to remove the faceplate to remember the letter designations I had attached.

You can see it got a little warm in the house with the power off!

Step 9 – Turn power back on and program new thermostat according to manufacturer instructions. We ran through the programming setting for weekdays, and then Saturday and Sunday.  In the summer time we let the temp get a little higher at night and sleep with ceiling fans running.  Before we wake up the thermostat is programmed to cool things down for getting ready for work and school, and then returns to a higher temperature for the day.  In the winter, we’ll reverse this process by letting things cool down after we are tucked away in bed, and warm things up during the early morning hours.

I haven’t received my power bill yet, so I can’t report on the savings (but I will in a future post). I imagine the long periods at night, and during the day, with increased temperatures will help reduce our power bill during these dog days of summer.

Still need help? Search Angie’s List for a recommended electrician in your area.

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When a suspicious drip formed above our back door I knew it was again time to channel my “Tim the Toolman” skills and get to the bottom of it, without searching Angie’s List for an air conditioner repairman.  I soon found myself in the attic staring at a nearly-overflowing air conditioner drain pan. If you have a portable air conditioner then you probably will not have to worry about this drainage issue, but if you have central air then take note.

Gain Some Altitude

I suspected a problem with the air conditioner drain since when the drip started it had not rained in a few days. I checked the main air conditioner drain pipe which comes out of the side or our home and noticed it was draining, but not with as much volume as it typically did. In fact, a small puddle had formed in the past and I added a piece of 1″ PVC pipe to extend the drain away from our foundation. I accessed our attic via the garage and found the air conditioner’s main evaporator unit. The pan underneath the unit was nearly full of water, which I knew was a problem. The source of the drip was a secondary drain pipe connected near the top of the pan and running to the back of our house with an exit just above our back door. I was thankful the builder and air conditioner installer put the secondary drain’s exit in a high-visibility spot so homeowners would know there was a problem.

Shop Vac to the Rescue!

I’d been wanting to pick up a small, inexpensive wet/dry vac for small garage spills, and fortunately a local home improvement store had one on sale. I picked up a Stinger-Vac (just a mini Shop Vac) for under $30 and returned home to put it to use. Lucky for me, the Stinger’s hose attached perfectly to the 1″ PVC drain pipe and began to immediately suck out water and sludge that had accumulated inside the pipe. As it filled I simply dumped the water in our yard, reattached the vacuum and started it up again. After a few cycles I assumed I had made a dent in the amount of water from the pan and returned to the attic to view my progress. This time I carried a container of household bleach with me.

Preventive Maintenance

If I had taken this step earlier in the spring I could have probably avoided this near-disaster, but better late than never. I accessed the air conditioner’s drain by removing a PVC cap on the top of drain pipe by hand. If the pipe was properly installed, this cap should only be tightened by hand and can easily be removed and replaced without any tools. I added a little bleach to the drain pipe to clear away any accumulated algae and mildew. Going forward, I will make this part of my checklist to prepare our home for summer.

My total material costs for the project was $32.09 for the Stinger Shop Vac. We had bleach on hand so I didn’t factor this into the cost. The whole process of unclogging the air conditioner drain took about an hour, and saved me from having to make a $50 service call to our air conditioner repairman. For a net savings of roughly $20 I am now the proud owner of a mini shop vac.

If all attempts to unclog the drain fail, it may be necessary to contact a plumber or air conditioner service professional. I recommend checking out Angie’s List to find reviews of service professionals in your area.

The internet offers a wealth of information when it comes to do-it-yourself home repairs. A quick search on the web revealed some promising leads. Apparently, they make a toilet snake, or toilet auger, that is approximately three feet long and has an extended protective coating to prevent damage to the porcelain bowl. My regular plumber’s auger is much longer, and does not have a protective surface. I shut off the computer and ventured off to the nearest home improvement store.

In the plumbing section I found several varieties of toilet augers with a wide range of prices. The Cobra Heavy-Duty Industrial auger was $48.93. Since I wasn’t planning to snake but one toilet I thought this was a bit unnecessary. The Cobra “Homeowner” edition auger was more my style – $7.48. I also picked up a wax ring just in case I had to pull up the bowl to snake the main drain in the bathroom floor. Not much selection here – just a good old-fashioned $1.54 wax ring with flange.

I returned home to test out the new toilet auger when some new evidence was introduced. My son confessed to Mrs. Frugal that he had thrown a toy “down the potty.” Hoping it would be a small toy that would eventually pass, we asked which one he threw in the toilet. He replied, “Harold the Helicopter.” Fans of Thomas the Train will recognize Harold as the helicopter who buzzes around the Island of Sodor. My main concern was that Harold’s blades would snag on the toilet’s exit and create a messy backup. Then again, this would be an ideal situation as opposed to it snagging in the main drain several feet below the house.

As excited as I was to try out my new toy I put away the auger for fear of pushing Harold further down the drain. I proceeded to turn off the water at the wall, flush several times to attempt to drain the tank and bowl, and then unbolt the toilet from the floor. I laid the bowl on its side, and guess who I found clinging to the very bottom of the exit? Yep, it was Harold. I pulled him out, along with some other stuff I won’t mention – just in case you are reading this on your lunch break. I cleaned off the existing wax ring, affixed the new one and reseated the toilet to the floor.

My household repair material costs totaled $9.65 with sales tax. I spent around an hour of actual labor time, not including my trip to the store. I’m not current on the going rate of plumbers around the country, but I imagine it would have cost more than $9.65 for one to the come to our house, diagnose and rescue Harold the Helicopter.

So what is the point of all this? Besides telling you way more than you ever wanted to know about toilet repair, the story serves as a reminder to try to develop some handy skills so you can make your own minor repairs around the house. It will save you a ton of money versus calling in a professional. However, there are times when a professional is needed. For example, I don’t pretend to know anything about electrical circuits or related equipment. Attempting to “wing it” could be hazardous to my health, so I call in an electrician when electrical repairs, or new wiring, is required.

I also consider my time valuable. Besides working full time, writing part time, and being a husband and father all the time, trying to squeeze in household repairs can create a schedule crunch. There is a break even point, financially, where you would be better off to hire someone and continue to work on money-making endeavors. This is especially true of emergency situations that happen in the middle of the week, or the middle of the night. A busted pipe, or a fried electrical panel, could potentially tie up quite a lot of your time to repair, even if you have the know-how. Instead of sacrificing time you could be using to earn money, you may very well be better off hiring someone to give you a hand.

If you are looking to get into DIY home improvement and plumbing work, check out coupons from Lowes and home depot in my coupon directory.

Image Credit: D’Arcy Norman