Information & Tips

Ceiling leaks are a serious problem that you can face as a homeowner. Typically, leaks are caused by burst pipes, heavy rainfall, or an aging roof.

But regardless of the reason, if left unchecked, even a simple leak could spread and potentially bring down the entire roof.

With that in mind, it is essential to troubleshoot and fix ceiling leaks as and take preventative measures.

Here is a step-by-step guide you can use to troubleshoot and fix a ceiling leak.

Step 1: Assess The Situation

There are minor ceiling water leaks, and then there are major ones. 

Usually, smaller leaks result in a somewhat bulging drywall, drips, sagging ceiling, mildew, and slightly discoloured spots. 

With the major ones, you can see water dripping on to your floor, and can easily spot the areas in your ceiling where the water would be coming from.

A situation like this requires your immediate attention; as one leak can lead to another and there can be a possibility of mildew and mold developing inside your home.

Step 2: Establish The Water Source

After you have determined that your ceiling needs to be fixed, your next step will be to identify the source of the leakage. 

Other than an old ceiling that requires your attention, there could be plenty of possibilities. 

These can include: a leaking appliance from above the ceiling, a bathroom that hasn’t been waterproofed properly, leakages from old pipes, clogged gutters, or a rooftop flooring with cracks.

Step 3: Stop Water Flow and Fix Water Leak

Yourt next step is to stop the water supply. In case there is an appliance or toilet leak, you will have to immediately shut off all water valves before inspecting the appliance. 

For leaking plumbing pipes, turn off the main water supply to prevent water from flowing through your ceiling. 

In case you are dealing with a leaking roof, you can follow the instructions provided here, or call in professional help.

Step 4: Dry The Ceiling & Scrape Off The Damaged Parts

Before removing the damaged ceiling parts, you will have to properly dry the wall first. Get an industrial fan for intensive drying, and a dehumidifier to ensure that there’s no moisture remaining in the air as it can lead to mold and mildew.

After the wall has dried up, you can proceed with removing the damaged parts, which includes the bulging drywall, softwood, pieces having mildew, and discolored drywall bits. 

Step 5: Restore The Ceiling

Finally, you need to make the ceiling as good as new – this step does require some construction and DIY skills.

You will also have to take care of structural compliance, and insulation in the ceiling throughout your restoration process. After you are done, you can finish off your hardwork with a paint coat; to ensure that the ceiling matches the other walls in the room.

However, you need to double check whether the leak has stopped before proceeding with the paint. It is also a good idea to put in a claim for water damages, if your insurance allows for it.

 

When deciding to engage in a DIY, always weigh in the pros and cons of hiring a professional for the same task. Not sure about your skills? No problem, you can at least do the job half-way before looking for help, as this can cut down the cost of repairs considerably.

Laundry is one of those dreaded chores that most people avoid – until you’re down to your very last pair of socks.

dd to this a washing machine that simply refuses to work the way it should and the task becomes even more difficult.

Before you call in a professional and pay good money to get the job done, you should check if it is something that you can repair yourself.

Here, we have highlighted some common washer and dryer problems, and tips to repair them on your own.

Washing Machine Leaks

If the water is leaking from your washing machine, it means that the problem is directly related to the hoses and connections.

Start by checking if the hoses are connected to the faucets properly – often, the hose clamps become loose, thereby causing the leakage.

Another common reason for washing machine leaks is ‘oversudsing.’ For this, you can simply switch to an HE detergent that has low-sudsing properties.

Washer Won’t Work

If your washer is plugged in, and your breaker box has no electrical problem, then it is likely that the lid switch is causing problems.

Many washers now come with lid switches that get dirty due to lint, or detergent residue – in fact, this is a commonly overlooked problem.

So, grab a cotton pad, put some alcohol on it, and clean the dirty areas of the lid switch.

Loud Noises And Vibrations

Loud noises are often due to laundry inside the washer that may have shifted during the cycle.

For standard top load washers, distribute the clothing evenly around the tube. For washers with no central agitator, loud noises can be due to overloading.

Similarly, under-loading in front load models can cause vibrations and loud noises – simply adjust your clothing according to the model that you own.

Also check the water pump or the drain line; you may find a button or a coin stuck there that is causing the ‘clanking’ sounds.

In case of vibrations, it is most likely that your machine is not sitting level on the floor. Check under the

washer to make sure that all the feet are firmly on the ground.

Dryer Takes Long To Dry

If you notice that your clothes are taking longer than before to dry, then it’s probably time to check your lint filter.

Although a lint filter is designed to catch lint and allow the air to flow, it also requires cleaning from time to time.

It’s pretty simple; if the air is not flowing freely through it, then your clothes will take longer to dry. This also means that your machine will force the dryer to work harder.

Clean your lint filter and the exhaust fan, and you will see that your clothes will dry out in half the time.

Dryer Is Too Hot

If you feel that the dryer is heating up, immediately check the thermostat – it is usually located in the back panel of the dryer.

Set the multi-meter to RX1, and remove one of the two terminal leads from it. If you see a reading of zero, it means that you need to replace the thermostat as soon as possible.

Dryer Venting Problem

Go outside and feel the hot, moist air coming out of the vent. If you cannot feel it, then check the vent tube. Just remove the tube from the dryer and the wall, and clear it out properly.

The dryer can also get clogged due to lint, which is why it is recommended that you clean the filter after every load to avoid venting problems.

Just like we have to take care of our house and other assets, we have to ensure that our car is always in top condition. This includes taking care of all minor dents, scrapes, scratches, chipping and scuffs on the body before they turn into major expenses.

In this article, we will take you through 10 tips for car body repair and maintenance. Remember, solving these issues yourself, and on time, means that you can save a great deal of money.

1 – Repair Minor Scratches With The Right Paint Code

Every car comes with a paint color code printed on its engine room, and documentation. Knowing the correct code will help you quickly touch up any minor dents or scrapes on your car, without having to go to a professional.

Your car dealer, the paint shop, and a quick search on the internet can also help you determine your car’s original color.

2 – Repairing A Broken Or Punched Bumper

A broken bumper can be repaired with pieces cut off a speaker mesh grill, auto repair cloth, or glass fiber matt dipped in resin.

Similarly, a punched bumper with a depression can be straightened out using a heat gun, or hair dryer, as the heat makes plastic more malleable.

3 – Removing Rust From Fender Flares Or Wheel Arches

You will need to cut and grind away the existing rust, and secure the gaps with pieces of glass fiber matt dipped in resin. 

Afterwards, you can apply hardener to ‘cure’ it, and then sand the area.

4 – Sand The Dents And Dings

Do you have a million dents and dings on your car? Then a combination of body filler, sanding and buffing may be the answer for you.

Simply prep the surface by sanding down the paint, apply the filler and once it has hardened, sand down any imperfections.

For this, you can simply buy an all-purpose sander, especially if you want to opt for a smooth finish. Remember, sanding with your hands can often leave behind natural looking grooves, so it’s always better to opt for a sanding block or tool.

5 – Glaze Minor Flaws

If you only have minor damages or scratches, then a finishing glaze could do the trick. Just buy a self-leveling liquid glaze, apply it on the surface, and you’re done!

For larger repairs, you should apply the glaze right before the final coat of paint so you can have a level surface, and a smooth finish.

6 – Windshield Repair Kits For Chips

There are only a few things that can make driving more difficult than a chipped windshield; not only does it impact your visibility, but it is also a major safety hazard.

The solution? A windshield repair kit.

Such kits usually have resins that block cracks and chips before they can cause more damage. And while this isn’t a miracle solution, it can certainly help you fix minor damages yourself, and avoid a trip to an expensive repair shop.

7 – Replace Headlights

Having the fanciest trims and wheels wouldn’t matter much if your headlights are not working properly. 

A burned out light can also lead a traffic cop or highway patrol to pull you over, since it is required by law that headlights must be used from sunset to sunrise.

To avoid the hassle, you must replace faulty or burned out lights – fortunately, this is a relatively easy process. You can find detailed instructions and diagrams on how to do so for your specific car model.

8 – Replace Side Molding

Car body molding is a decorative addition that also protects your doors from denting. While a number of new models don’t come with side molding, they can help you avoid a costly trip to the auto repair shop.

If your side molding is coming loose, then you can simply replace it yourself; pry off the old molding, clean the area with an oil-based adhesive remover (or a combination of baking soda and a little oil), and reattach it. 

9 – Replace Your Broken Side View Mirrors

Broken or damaged side mirrors are as common as dents and scratches on your car – not matter how careful you are, you are bound to end up with a bashed side view mirror at some point.

Instead of taking your car to the shop, you should simply replace them yourself. All you need is a new mirror (purchase from the manufacturer or look up parts on Amazon), get your removal tools ready, and do the work yourself. 

10 – Keep Your Paint Job Smooth With A Protective Film

Last but not the least, here’s a tip for keeping your paint job fresh  – after you’re done repairing all the scratches and dents, apply a protective film to block out bugs, dirt and debris from ruining the job. 

That’s about it for the best tips for car repair or maintenance. We hope that these ideas will make it easier for you to look after your car – you can also check out these car repair manuals for more tips on your specific model.

Limited storage space in your small kitchen? Can’t figure out a way to store your million and one Tupperware boxes and tableware?

Here are five DIY creative ideas create some extra storage space in your kitchen.

Not only are these projects attractive, but they are fun to create and easy on the wallet.

1 – Storage Rack For Lids

Making space for your cookware lids is a problem faced by many of us.

Let’s admit it: We’ve all at least once dropped a cookware lid on the floor. when trying to restack them back on their respective shelves.

If you are someone that encounters this often, then noise is not the only nuisance you would face – they can also crack your expensive kitchen tiles.

Thankfully, there’s a solution to this; a rack that holds these lids to the inside of your cabinets.

Consider hanging a towel bar to catch your pot lids. Simply slide them in and the knobs on your lids should be able to hold them in place.

This not only saves space, but reduces the hassle of organizing everything too.

Bonus: Take things a step further, by building a hanging pot rack from your pantry ceiling for your pots. Not only will your pans remain accessible, but you’ll also be able to maximize your space, and store other items.

2 – Rack For Slicing Boards

Storing your cutting boards in a safe and hygienic way is crucial, especially since they serve as breeding environments for bacteria.

For this DIY hack, you can start by lining the insides of your kitchen cabinets with hooks and holders to hold your slicing racks in one place. This will not only make them easy to pull out and store, but will also keep them covered.

3 – Store Your Forks and Spoons In Containers

Tired of cutlery rattling around your kitchen? Get plain containers and decorate them – or use the ones you already own to hold your cutlery separate from your dishes. This will also provide them their own corner, as cutlery tends to increase the clutter in your drawers.

Maintaining separate containers, or boxes for cutlery means that everything stays hygienic too. You can keep all the forks and spoons in covered boxes; to further protect them from dust.

4 – Label Stickers For Storage Jars

Those who crave change might easily get bored of the plain glass jars to store essentials like sugar, salt, cinnamon, etc. If that is the case, then this is an easy way of making your jars look a lot more fun.

You can print out some labels, and stick them on the right jars – this goes for all the essentials you can store including, sugar, baking soda, flour, brown sugar, white flour, and much more.

So go on, get some paper, and start printing!

5 – Reorganize The Pantry

There are quite some ways for you to reorganize your pantry. For example, some people prefer to have bigger jars for sugar and flour, and regular-sized ones for rice.

It’s always a matter of preference, the space you have available, and the amount of a particular ingredient you will be storing.

You can increase the glamour quotient on this one by adding two or three different colored jars, each representing the ingredient stored in them. Remember to tie in the color of your jars with the overall theme of your kitchen.

That’s all for the best DIY creative kitchen storage ideas! Want more organizing or utility tips? Check out these ideas to make your kitchen more functional.

Whether you are an active Fixya user or simply visited us once to get help for your broken device, there’s a good chance you probably have come across this grey bar located on the right of every user’s profile.

                                       

This is the Fixya Dashboard. You can find it in any Fixya user’s profile page. Think of it as their “player stats”; it details the user’s activity and more importantly, tells you exactly which products they are experts in.

Some of the information is fairly self-explanatory, some of it is a little trickier to understand. Regardless, we decided to take a little time to walk you through what all of this information means and why it’s important to you as a Fixya user.

 

Fixya Points: Scoring big by helping people
We’ll start our Fixya Dashboard breakdown by going over the Fixya points system.

The main way to earn points is by answering questions and depending on how recently the question was posted, you will receive anywhere between 1 to 3 points. For example, questions answered in the first 3 hours will give you 3 points while those answered after 12 hours only give you a single point.

The number of points a user has earned helps determine their level rank, where your answers appear on the question thread, your achievements and much more. There are a few other ways to earn points besides just answering questions, but we will let you explore Fixya and find those out for yourself. To get you started on earning points, here a quick peek at the different points rewarded per answer.

The next metric in the Fixya dashboard refers to the number of people you have helped with your answers. This algorithm measures how many questions you have answered, the number of people who have viewed them and the helpfulness of those answers to determine roughly how many Fixya users have benefited from your help.

For Fixya Pros, this number is especially important because it is a great way to track how many people have seen your business. This metric also influences how often your Fixya Pro Ad appears to customers in your area. (If you haven’t joined yet, be sure to check out our Fixya Pro for Local Business).

 

Expertise and Achievements: Showcase your knowledge

Think you’re an expert on a particular product or type of device? The Expertise section is a great way to show off your knowledge.

With this section, you can obtain icons representing the different products and specific brands you are a master in. The expertise icons are awarded when you have earned enough points answering questions for a specific product or brand. To see how many points you need for a particular area, check your Account Dashboard for the Progress to Expertise widget:

                              

The final section in the Fixya Dashboard is the Achievements section, which showcases the different badges you have acquired. There are several different badges for various achievements; some are easy to earn, many are difficult. Be sure to check out the full list of Fixya Achievements.

                       

And that wraps up our walkthrough of the Fixya Dashboard. Also note, we have several additional metrics to help you track your Fixya performance in your Fixya Profile which are not viewable by other users. Now that you know how the Fixya Dashboard works, be sure to keep an eye on your performance and how you stack up against the other power Fixya users.