The holidays can be stressful enough—the last thing you need is for your refrigerator to shut down or the TV to crash while you miss the big game. And not all of us are lucky enough to have a handyman around the house to fix things in a hurry. And even if you are lucky like me, and have a Mister who is a carpenter, there are still times you need some quick expert advice. Luckily, The Family Handyman—The #1 in DIY Home Improvement—has delivered the ultimate tip app, filled with clever ideas and pro secrets that will save you time, money and anxiety.
This app rocks any time of year, but especially right now at the holidays!
It’s a time where life moves faster, the house if filled to the brim with friends and family and out of town guests. You’re appliances are working longer hours than the clerks in retail, and there’s no time for anything to go wrong. So, thanks to The Family Handyman, I’ve got some awesome tips to help solve some basic issues that might come up – be sure to pin this post to reference later if needed! Then download the app for yourself, to have your own personal handyman any time of day or night.
- Refrigerator Not Cooling? Spend 30 minutes on these simple maintenance steps to keep your fridge running in tip-top shape. Clean the condenser coils and fans, wipe down the door gasket, clear the freezer vents, set temperature controls to the middle setting and clear and clean the drip openings. It’s hard to believe, but six simple maintenance steps will prevent almost 100 percent of refrigerator breakdowns and eliminate the chance of spoiled food on Thanksgiving. {Trust me on this one – it works. We’ve had a fridge stop working twice, and just cleaning things up like this brought both of them back to life!}
- Stove Burner Not Heating? On holidays especially, there is no time for the stove to fail. You can solve most electric range burner problems yourself and avoid the expensive service call. It’s quick and easy to replace a burner or bad burner socket. First, test the burner by replacing the burner that doesn’t work with one you know does. Next, test the switch by unplugging the range and turning on the burner.
- TV Crash? Thanksgiving is meant to be spent with family, friends, food and football. Don’t let poor TV reception make you miss the football games! Bad cable reception may be due to something as simple as a corroded coax cable connection. Instead of waiting for the cable guy to show up, fix it yourself with a new cable end. You’ll need side-cutting pliers or another cutting tool to clip off the old cable ends, a special coax cable stripping tool to prepare the cable end for the connectors, and a compression tool to install the new ends. Get tips on how to do it on the app!
- Not Getting Enough Heat? The days are becoming colder and it is definitely important to have the house nice and warm for your guests on Thanksgiving. If you are experiencing insufficient heat, check the furnace filter to make sure that it is not unplugged. In addition, be sure that your couch or an area rug isn’t covering a cold air return vent, since this can slow the entry of heated air into the room.
- Low Water Pressure at the Faucet? Over time, aerators get clogged with minerals or other bits of stuff that break loose from inside the pipes. If there seems to be low water pressure at your faucet, remove the aerator by turning it clockwise when you’re looking at it. Once it is off, you can take the parts out of the aerator and clean them. Works like a charm!
I didn’t get any compensation for this post – I just think it’s an awesomely helpful app that might save you a ton of stress this time of year! No panic when things go wrong, prevent a lot of expensive repairmen calls, and get expert advice you can trust right from your phone. To download the app, please visit: http://www.familyhandyman.com/
About The Family Handyman
The Family Handyman is one of the most respected media brands in home improvement. The magazine celebrates the process and pride of a project well done, and gives consumers the how-to and solutions they need to create the home and lifestyle of their dreams. The brand offers accurate, fully tested content by a staff of experts and former pros. A crew of more than 1,100 reader-volunteer Field Editors contributes to every issue. The Family Handyman content is available in print; in books; online at FamilyHandyman.com and Haven Home Media; via digital download for iPad, Nook, and Zinio; and Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest.
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