What is your TIP for Fixing STUFF we all have (like your fridge) around your home?

[Ironnan]

Every morning my fridge had a small pool of water accumulated in front on the floor. After trying everything, taking shelves out, YouTubing, it was a simple breaker problem. Evidently the ice cube maker does not always turn back on after a power surge.

Fix: Turn on/off the fridge circuit breaker and the ice maker is reset.

[Two Bills]

We buy the cheapest white goods, and when out of warranty, if any go wrong, we chuck them out and replace.
Most last for years without problems though, but would not waste money on repairs, given today's labor and parts costs.
Other things going wrong around the house that I cannot fix myself, I call the son in law and get him to sort it out! :shrug:

[Stu from NYC]

Call the repairman

[ThirdOfFive]

The tip I was going to offer was "YouTube". I doubt that there is anything that is broken or otherwise malfunctioning, that YouTube DOESN'T offer a video or twenty on how to fix it.

Problem is, they can be deceiving. I'm pretty good with tools and have long prided myself on being able to fix just about anything the doesn't involve a hoist or highly specialized tools to fix. Some time back I dropped my iPad, shattering the screen in the upper left corner extending about a quarter of the way across the screen. I talked to a guy at UBreakIFix and they wanted what I thought was an exhorbitant amount of money. I checked on Amazon and sure enough, they had fixit kits for iPads. Checked on YouTube...and yep. Same deal. All I needed in addition to the fixit kit was a hair dryer, some duct tape, a couple of of thin-bladed screwdrivers and a #1 Phillips, and about fifteen minutes (if the geekish YouTube guy was correct) of my time.

Nope. About two hours and a complete vocabulary of curse words later I sat at the table surrounded by shards of glass and iPad parts that to this day I'm still unsure about where and how they attached. I still have the iPad, or rather the collection of iPad parts, in a box somewhere. On the bright side I did use the incident as a reason to get the latest model iPad, which is not such a bad thing.

My tip? Do NOT always take YouTube for gospel!

[dtennent]

My tip is to ask Village Tinker what he thinks.

[JGibson]

Buy appliance insurance to cover your Refrigerator, A/C, Dishwasher, etc.
Owning a house and not being handy can be costly, especially in TV.

[Topspinmo]

Buy appliance insurance to cover your Refrigerator, A/C, Dishwasher, etc.
Owning a house and not being handy can be costly, especially in TV.


My neighbor had that insurance for years, her compressor when out and they weaseled out of it. IMO about as worthless as dental insurance. :22yikes:

[Topspinmo]

Every morning my fridge had a small pool of water accumulated in front on the floor. After trying everything, taking shelves out, YouTubing, it was a simple breaker problem. Evidently the ice cube maker does not always turn back on after a power surge.

Fix: Turn on/off the fridge circuit breaker and the ice maker is reset.

Did it explain how and ice maker turned off created water leak?

[Stu from NYC]

Buy appliance insurance to cover your Refrigerator, A/C, Dishwasher, etc.
Owning a house and not being handy can be costly, especially in TV.

Very very expensive insurance, better to find an honest repairman.

[MrFlorida]

Buy appliance insurance to cover your Refrigerator, A/C, Dishwasher, etc.
Owning a house and not being handy can be costly, especially in TV.

Not worth it most of the time... they always get your for something.

[PugMom]

My tip is to ask Village Tinker what he thinks.

:BigApplause:
my mindset is: if it can't be fixed with crazy glue, duct tape or WD40, i get a new one!

[retiredguy123]

Buy appliance insurance to cover your Refrigerator, A/C, Dishwasher, etc.
Owning a house and not being handy can be costly, especially in TV.
Do you know that companies who sell maintenance agreements only pay out about 8 percent of the money they receive in premiums to pay claims? Not a good deal.

[Stu from NYC]

Do you know that companies who sell maintenance agreements only pay out about 8 percent of the money they receive in premiums to pay claims? Not a good deal.

It is a good deal for the warranty company.:bigbow:

[villagetinker]

VT here, I like to do as much of my own repair I can, I do not have any specific tips, outside of asking for advice. I have found that many times others will have come across the same problem and will be glad to offer advice which may save money to time.

[JMintzer]

:BigApplause:
my mindset is: if it can't be fixed with crazy glue, duct tape or WD40, i get a new one!

Or, one of these...

https://www.woodsmith.com/review/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Estwing-Sure-Strike-Hammer-ws.jpg

[CoachKandSportsguy]

My tip: I try to fix it myself, . . not matter what it is. . and then if I still can't, then I call the repair man or buy a new one. . and if i call a repair man, i watch him and ask dumb questions . . .

These successful and failed attempts have provided me with a lot of experience in fixing regular stuff around the house. . or other friends houses. .

good luck. .

[jebartle]

Be the Village Tinkers good neighbor

[frayedends]

When your cabinet door hinge is loose and the screw just spins and spins, dip a toothpick or 2 in wood glue, put them in the screw hole, break them off (usually they will break off flush with the cabinet, if not cut them with wire cutters or something). Then replace the screw. It should tighten fairly well and the glue will harden and keep it in place.

[Toymeister]

My tip on predicting a bad ac capacitor is to install sense energy monitor. It sees the false starts of the compressor motor and sends you an alert.

It can save you an emergency ac repair on a hot day. You can schedule during business hours (or DIY) a capacitor replacement.

[JGibson]

My neighbor had that insurance for years, her compressor when out and they weaseled out of it. IMO about as worthless as dental insurance. :22yikes:

It's hit and miss as my friend got a brand new A/C system 3 months after buying the insurance.

[coffeebean]

:BigApplause:
my mindset is: if it can't be fixed with crazy glue, duct tape or WD40, i get a new one!

I use electrical tape for a lot of "stuff".

Just one example.......The other day I fixed two Delta bathroom faucet handles that wiggled even though the handles were screwed on as tight as they could be. I removed the handles and figured out that the square male into female part was the culprit because that is what would stabilize the handle when put back together. OR it could have been the female part was just a tad too large. Either way, the handles were not tight enough when seated.

So............I took my handy dandy electrical tape and wrapped 1 1/4 layers around the male part so it would make a tighter seal in the female part.

Wha La..... The handles are stabilized and don't wiggle at all now.

Hubby thinks I'm a genius. LOL.

[coffeebean]

When your cabinet door hinge is loose and the screw just spins and spins, dip a toothpick or 2 in Yowood glue, put them in the screw hole, break them off (usually they will break off flush with the cabinet, if not cut them with wire cutters or something). Then put replace the screw. It should tighten fairly well and the glue will harden and keep it in place.

Another use for my electrical tape. I wrap screws with electrical tape to make them tighter in the hole they go into. Works every time.

Your method looks great too.

[bcsnave]

TIP OF THE DAY

1) Google (http://www.google.com) - type "How to fix...XXX"
2) www.youtube.com - type "How to fix...XXX"
#2 comes with pictures

[Mrfriendly]

The owner of my company told me once, "the best toolbox is a checkbook". He doesn't know how to fix anything and doesn't care. Lol

[ThirdOfFive]

Or, one of these...

https://www.woodsmith.com/review/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Estwing-Sure-Strike-Hammer-ws.jpg
Heh.

The ubiquitous BFH.