Most homeowners have experienced the following unfortunate scenario: You enter the kitchen or bath, turn on the faucet and out comes water filled with sediment or minerals. You can see the build-up over time on the water cup or toothbrush holder. Sometimes unseen chlorine and other distasteful chemicals are the culprit. Under-the-sink water purifiers to [...]

Just about every homeowner is familiar with the following scenario: Go into the kitchen or bathroom. Turn on the hot water. Now wait. And wait some more. Then go play a round of golf and come back to get hot water. Ok, the last is a little exaggerated. But it often seems true. Under-the-sink hot [...]

Water is amazing. It would take a thick chemistry book to describe all the possible elements and compounds that can combine with it. Over time it will dissolve nearly anything but glass and a few specialty materials. Fortunately, there is a small subset of them that are found in most typical water supplies. Knowing a [...]

Water damage is the enemy of all homeowners. It rots wood, producing mold and weakened support. It leads to foul odors and potential electrical hazards. Combating it can be time consuming and expensive. But the alternative is worse. Tackle any sign of a leak at the first opportunity. A leak doesn’t have to be an [...]

Tile and plumbing are natural neighbors. Bathrooms, kitchens and other areas that use water are often laid with tile because homeowners expect to splash it around from time to time. But those two can be good neighbors or bitter enemies. Properly laid and sealed tile will keep water from getting into unwanted areas for decades. [...]

These days most garbage disposal unit installations are really replacements. Fortunately, that requires only simple tools and a little bit of guidance. Garbage disposals are actually attached to the sink by a flange. The pipes attached provide some support, but are mainly for inputing and flushing out water. So, the key step is to undo [...]

A frozen pipe isn’t itself a problem. After all, copper pipes can get to temperatures far below the freezing point of water without cracking. But too often it is accompanied by an ice blockage inside the pipe. That can lead to a pressure build up that ultimately bursts the pipe. Not only do you lose [...]

Installing a new kitchen sink is not the most difficult do-it-yourself home project. But it will take all day, usually. Take it step by step and you can’t go wrong. First, you’ll have to disconnect any and all attachments to the sink except possibly the faucet, unless you plan to re-use it. Before that can [...]

Installing a new toilet is a lot easier than it looks. But there are still a few possible ‘gotchas’ to watch out for. It takes a bit of muscle and some care, but is a very straightforward project. First, ensure that all water supply to the toilet is turned off. In many homes this can [...]

Toilet repairs run the gamut. It can be as extensive as a complete replacement or as simple as replacing a broken flush handle. All of them are well within the ability of the average do-it-yourselfer. Leaks around the base are usually a sign that the toilet will have to be replaced. In some cases, it’s [...]