Home Repair

It's a dark and stormy night, and you hear mysterious creaking noises in your home. Perhaps you explain them away by reassuring yourself that your house is just settling. But is that a more plausible explanation than paranormal forces at work?

By Josh Clark

You catch it out of the corner of your eye -- a dark creature crawling up the wall behind your couch. Then the unspeakable -- it dives at your hair. Good grief, it flies? And why is it here?

By Cristen Conger

There's no place like home -- unless yours has been overrun by cockroaches, mice and ticks. When the exterminator is on vacation and you need an immediate fix for your pest problem, what can you do?

By Josh Clark

Their mission is covert and highly dangerous -- they've just got to heed their insatiable hunger for cellulose. But what happens when termites claim your house for dinner?

By Josh Clark

Your home is your castle, but it's also a huge financial investment. It won't hurt to use a little elbow grease and spruce things up -- starting with your cabinets.

By Charles W. Bryant

It's not just a homeowner's nightmare -- toxic mold can damage your lungs and suppress your immune system. Where does it come from, and how can you keep it out of your home?

By Josh Clark

What would happen if you stopped taking care of your house? Would it completely fall apart? How long would it take?

By Josh Clark

Vinyl makes many consumer goods safer and more affordable. However, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) releases toxic fumes and when burned, it produces hazardous smoke.

By Josh Clark

When you sell your home, you want to maximize its value, but be careful -- you could end up spending more than you get back. Choose your home improvement projects wisely.

By Josh Clark

There are two main components to a garage door: the door itself and the opener. If you can make both types of repairs, your garage-door problems will be minimal. Learn how to repair a garage door.

By Fix-It Club

Rising energy costs make a cold, drafty house a misery that grows increasingly expensive. Sealing your home with weather stripping can keep you warm all winter long. Learn how to install weather stripping.

By Fix-It Club

A deck can be a great spot for peace and tranquility. Caring for a deck, though, can be a nightmare because they constantly exposed to the elements. Learn how to repair a deck.

By Fix-It Club

Small engines serve as useful home tools and power our toys. To keep them operating efficiently, an owner should know how these engines work and what to do when they don't. Learn more.

By Fix-It Club

When clapboards or shakes are rotten or broken, your home's siding can no longer do its job. Damaged siding lets air, water, dirt, and insects through to the inside. Learn how to replace damaged siding.

By Fix-It Club

There are many electrical repairs you can make without the help of a professional electrician, including replacing wall receptacles and rewiring lamps. Read this article to learn how to do basic home electricity repairs yourself.

By Fix-It Club

Compared with a clogged toilet, tank troubles can seem relatively insignificant. Yet strange noises or continuous water running can be more than annoying; it can cost money. Learn to repair toilet tank problems.

Usually it's easy to unstick a stubborn door. To diagnose the problem, close the door, watching it carefully to locate the binding point. From here, there are several potential strategies. Learn to unstick a door.

By Walter Curtis

Hanging or installing an interior door isn't terribly difficult. You probably can tackle this home improvement project in an hour or two with the necessary materials and tools. Learn more.

By Walter Curtis

Consider replacing some of your old incandescent fixtures with fluorescent lamps. Fluorescent light provides shadow-free illumination, but, best of all, fluorescent bulbs are more efficient than incandescent bulbs. Learn how to install a fluorescent fixture.

By Walter Curtis

If fences make for better neighbors, then doors make for happier families. But not if a door is squeaking or sticking. Learn tips on how to keep doors in your home working properly.

By Walter Curtis

The fastest way to get a new ceiling is to install ceiling tiles directly to an existing drywall ceiling. If the ceiling surface isn't sound or has open joists, staple the tiles to furring strips. Here are extensive installation instructions.

By Editors of Consumer Guide

A suspended ceiling can cover a lot of flaws and obstructions, including pipes, wiring, and ductwork. It works, however, only where you can afford to lose some ceiling height. Here are extensive installation instructions.

Installing ceramic tile is easy with modern fast-setting mastics, sealants, and grout. Whatever style or size you choose to install, the principles are the same. Learn how to install ceramic tile.

By Editors of Consumer Guide

Every home-dweller eventually has to contend with pests like insects, rodents, and raccoons. But don't fret: There are time-proven ways to deter and eradicate these little beasts. We've collected some in this article.

By Editors of Consumer Guide

You probably don't spend too much time pondering the inner workings of a doorbell, but it's actually a pretty cool device once you get inside. Find out exactly what happens when someone rings your bell.

By Tom Harris