Fix It Yourself 108 Damaged Cord of a Table Lamp

The Problem:

• Lamp does not light or flickers
• Damaged cord might cause a short circuit or even fire.

Tools Needed:

• A screwdriver
• A knife
• An open – end wrench

Basic Steps:

• Unplug the lamp.
• Remove shade and bulb from the lamp.
• Pry off felt pad on lamp base carefully with a knife.
• If the base contains a weigh, remove the nut holding it in place and take the weight out.
• Lift the tube that runs through the lamp body about 6 inches out of the top.
• Turn the tube counterclockwise or loosen the set screw (or both, depending on the installation) to remove the tube from the lamp socket.
• Press in at bottom of the socket’s metal outer shell.
• Lift the outer shell straight up.
• Loosen the terminal screws and remove the wire.
• Pull out the cold cord at the bottom of the lamp.
• Thread new cord through the tube.
• Strip the ends of the wires and attach them to the terminals on the socket, then reassemble.

Fix It Yourself 107 Broken Electric Bulb

The Problem:

• The base of the broken bulb is stuck in the socket of the lamp.

Tools and Materials Needed:

• A wad of newspaper
• Needle – nose pliers
• A screwdriver

Basic Steps:

• Unplug the lamp.
• Wad up newspaper, press it down firmly only at the broken bulb, and turn it clockwise until the bulb base is removed.
• If this does not work because the glass is broken off right down to the base, try turning it out with needle – nose pliers.
• If it still won’t come out, wedge a screwdriver inside the base, pressing it against the sides while turning until the base is removed.

Fix It Yourself 106 Damaged Electric Plug or Power Cord

The Problem:

• A lamp or appliance does not work properly
• A damaged plug is dangerous
• A damaged or loose cord in a plug can cause a short circuit

Tools Needed:

• A new plug (if the old one cannot be used anymore)
• A screwdriver
• A knife or a wire stripper
• A needle – nose pliers
• A line man’s pliers

The basic steps if the plug is attached to thin, flexible cord:

• Cut the cord beyond the break.
• Bare the wires at the end of the cord and reinstall the plug.
• If the original plug was a molded one, do not bare the ends of the wires after having cut the cord; replace the original plug with a lever – type – snap – on plug.
• Note: As an alternative to the snap on plug, you can use  a squeeze type plug.
• Slip body over cord
• Squeeze prongs together and
• Pull body over prongs

The basic steps if the plug is attached to a heavy appliance cord:

• Cut the cord above the molded plug or break in the wire.
• Separate wires at the end of the cord, and strip off about 5/8 insulation of each. A wire stripper is the best tool for the job; if you use a knife, be careful not to cut the wire.
• Remove the fiber insulating cover from the prongs of the plug if it is not a molded one.
• Loosen the terminal screws to release the wires, then pull off the plug.
• Untie the Underwriter’s knot, if there is one.
• Remove the old plug and slip the new one over the cord.
• Tie an Underwriter’s knot; separate about 3 inches of wire. Loop the black wire behind itself and the white wire. Loop the white wire over the end of the black and bring it up through the black loop
• Tighten the knot and pull it down snugly into the plug body.
• Bend loops in the ends of the bared wires with needle – nose pliers.
• Fit the wires inside the plug and place the loops clockwise around the terminal screws, black to brass and white to chrome.
• Tighten the screws and replace the fiber insulating cover over the prongs of the plug.

Note: Replacement of the three - prong plug is also similar to these. Follow all steps as above. Instead of the Underwriter’s knot, tie the three wires together in a tight knot and pull the cord until the knot is snug against the plug. Loop the green wire clockwise around the green colored screw, the black wire around the brass screw and the white wire around the chrome screw. Tighten the screws.

Fix It Yourself 105 Blown Fuse

Most of the time, I cram whenever I blown fuse in an electronic appliance. Reading the appliance guide carefully will help prevent certain commotions that your own home needs it. This will focus first with lamps.

The Problem:

• A portion of your electrical system is off

Materials Needed:

• A set of fuses of the same amperage that you have in your entrance panel.

Basic Steps:

• Check the entrance panel for the blown fuse.
• If the copper strip in the center of the fuse is melted apart, the cause is probably overload.
• If the window of the fuse is darkened, perhaps so much that you can’t even see the copper strip, a short circuit is the prime suspect.
• If it is overload, disconnect some appliances. If it is a short then try to find where it is located.
• If you have removed some possible source, replace the fuse, but always with one of the amperage.

Note: It is not impossible that the temporary aberration may have been caused by a sudden power surge. In this case, merely replace the blown fuse or flip the breaker switch if you have a circuit  breaker box. If the fuse does not blow again, your trouble is over.

If the entire house is plunged into darkness, either it is a general blackout or something is seriously wrong and the main fuse of the house has blown. If your neighbors do have light, you can exclude a general power failure and you should better call an electrician; the trouble that causes a main to blow is nothing for a do - it - yourself to fix.

Fix It Yourself 104 Clogged Sink Drain

Clearing clogged sinks is similar to clearing toilet as well. Dealing household problems is at ease if you have basic knowledge like what I'm sharing you. You'll only need inexpensive tools and a little practice to clear out stubborn in less than an hour. Let's start!

The Problem:

• The sink may overflow

Tools Needed:

• Dry or liquid chemical drain cleaner
• A plunger or a force pump
• An auger
• An adjustable wrench

Basic Steps:

1. If the drain is not completely clogged, try running scalding water into it for several minutes.
2. If this doesn’t work, use a chemical drain cleaner following manufacturer’s instructions.
3. If this helps, flush the drain for several minutes with hot water.
4. If the chemical doesn’t work, remove the strainer from the drain and use the plunger.
5. Make sure there is enough water in the sink to cover the plunger, providing a good seal.
6. Work the plunger up and down until the drain is cleared and the water runs out normally.
7. If you prefer to use a force pump rather than a plunger, place it squarely over the drain, covered with enough water to make a firm seal.
8. Pump the handle to clear away the obstruction by air pressure.
9. If neither the plunger nor force pump does the job, look for the cleanout plug under the sink.
10. Place a pail below it to catch the water.
11. Remove the plug and try to clear away the obstruction.
12. If that doesn’t work, or if there is no cleanout plug, loosen the slipnuts with the wrench and remove the trap.
13. If the stoppage is in the trap, then remove it. If not, use the drain auger, feeding it into the drain line.
14. Rotate auger repeatedly until the obstruction is cleared.
15. Reassemble the trap and run scalding water down the drain for several minutes.

Fix It Yourself 103 Frozen Pipe

Like the old folks always saying, Prevention is the best medicine. However, there are cold snap and deep freeze during winter. The pipe expands which exerts pressure enough to rupture itself or worse, getting itself frozen. With all sudden commotions, household operations will affect much more than you're expecting. So you should consider how to fix it it and done like a pro ;)

The Problem:

• No water runs through the pipe
• Pipes may burst
• The joints may be forced open

Tools Needed:

• A kettle with boiling water
• A piece of cloth
• A blowtorch
• Electric heating cable

Basic Steps:

1. Open all faucets in the frozen line.
2. Wrap cloth around the pipe and pour boiling water over it.
3. Keep on doing so until the water in the line is flowing freely.
4. The use of a blowtorch or propane torch might be faster but use it only if the pipe is in an absolutely safe location away from flammable walls or other materials.
5. If you use a torch, don’t concentrate on a single spot; rather move it along the pipe toward an open faucet, so that steam generated within the pipe can escape.
6. Use of electric heating cable is the best method of thawing frozen pipes, because the entire length of the pipe is thawed at the same time.

Fix It Yourself 102 Clogged Toilet

Toilet is used more often at home and but clogs sometimes happen at the most inconvenient moment. Opportunely, you can clear most clogs by doing it yourself (in minor cases) without having to pay plumber. Here are some simple steps before anyone accidentally use your toilet and clogged it even more.

The Problem:

• When you flush the toilet, the water level in the bowl rises rather than recedes.

Parts of a Closet Auger

Tools Needed:

• A Plunger
• A Closet Auger
• An Adjustable Wrench
• Rubber Gloves
• Eye Protector
• Bucket (optional)
• Old Newspapers
• Rags

Basic Steps:

1. Place the plunger over the discharge opening in the toilet bowl and work it vigorously up and down. This should clear the stoppage.
2. If this does not help, try the auger or usually it is called snake. (Take precautionary measures not to scratch the inside of the toilet bowl). Work the snake into the trap and do crank it in one direction until it becomes tight.
3. Pull it back; often it will bring the obstruction with it.
4. If it does not, try again, cranking the snake until it pushes through and clears the stoppage.
5. If this also fails, bail out as much water as possible from the bowl and soak up the rest with rags.
6. Remove the toilet from the floor, using the wrench to loosen the bolts.
7. Put the toilet (upside down) on a piece of paper to the side.
8. Work the obstruction out through the discharge opening.
9. If it has already passed into the waste and is stuck there, work it out again with a snake.
10. Put the toilet back in place.