Changing your air conditioner’s filter regularly will:

• keep your air conditioner functioning properly
• keep the air in your home clean and free of dust, spores, and allergens
• and help you save on utility bills by not making your air conditioner work harder than it has to.  

Thanks to Tim Gibson for making this great how to video for how to change an air conditioner filter.  (Subscribers will need to click through to this article  to watch the video.)

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Bathroom DIY Problems

We encountered some serious unexpected problems after starting this bathroom DIY, which you can see in the video below.  (Subscribers need to click through to this article to watch the video.) 

As it turns out, the wallpaper is at least 30 years old, and beneath it was a teeming population of mold an mildew which has infiltrated the drywall.  That is not what we expected to find for what was supposed to be a quick and easy “remove-wallpaper-then-paint-bathroom” project! 

The condition of the walls is so bad, due to a leak inside the walls coming from the ceiling, that the ceiling has actually turned rubbery and caves in with a simple touch.  We don’t know where the leak is coming from, as our roof was re-sealed last summer. 

We’re left with mold to contend with, as well as possibly replacing sections of the drywall and maybe having to get the ceiling repaired.  This project will be on a short hold while we get expert opinions about the extent of the damage.  I’ve already alleviated much of the mold by cleaning the walls with straight bleach.

We’ll be moving on to the kitchen cabinet makeover DIY project in the meantime, also brought to you by Dutch Boy Paint.  Stay tuned to watch brown 1970s style paneling-look cabinetry go from disco flop to country kitchen beauty!

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If you’ve ever wondered what the easiest way is to hang pictures, this home DIY is for you.  This chore is no problem if you follow our step by step instructions for how to hang pictures, which usually can be done with some basic tools available at your local home improvement store. While it is easy to do, it is also not as simple as driving a few nails into the wall.  So keep reading, and you’ll be hanging pictures like a pro in no time!

Tools You Need to Hang Pictures

• Pencil 
• Eye screws (also called screw eyes) for larger frames or triangle plated hangers for smaller frames
• Picture wire
• Hammer
• Level
• Ruler

Get Ready to Hang the Picture

Evaluate the room where you want to hang your new picture. Keep in mind the design and the layout of the furniture in the room. Notice the already existing pictures; you may need to move more than one picture to incorporate the new one into your decor.

How To Prepare a Picture Frame

Some picture frames come with a picture hanger already attached to the back.  This may look like a little silver metal piece with one jagged side (these are called saw tooth hangers), or may look like a metal wire attached on two ends with a slack between them. 

If your picture frame already has a hanger on the back, you can skip to the next section, How to Hang Pictures on the Wall.  For picture frames that do not come with a hanger already attached, you’ll need to prepare the frame yourself. 

For a small picture frame, you’ll want to use small triangle plated picture hangers.  You can see what triangle plated hangers look like and how to attach them in the video below.  (Subscribers will need to click through to this article to watch the videos.)

How to attach picture hangers to a frame:

How to attach screw eyes to a picture frame:  For hanging larger frames, you’ll want to use screw eyes for stringing the picture wire.  Place the screw eyes about 1/3 of the way from the top down the picture frame on both the right and left sides. Next, drill each screw eye into the frame by hand by turning it constantly and pressing firmly until the eye screw is secured in the frame.

How to attach picture wire:  No matter whether you chose eye screws or triangle plated hangers, you’ll want to string them with picture wire next.  Picture wire comes in various kinds of gauges and the size you choose depends on the size and weight of the frame to be hung.  Cut the wire about 1 – 1 1/2 times the width of the frame.  

Watch the video below to see how to attach picture wire to a frame:

How To Hang Pictures on the Wall

Now it’s time to choose exactly where to hang the picture on the wall. Once you have decided on the perfect spot, mark the wall lightly with a pencil of where you want the top of the picture frame to rest. With a level, make marks on the wall to ensure that the picture is straight.

Using a ruler, measure the distance from the top of the picture frame to the hanger.  Knowing that distance, you can measure the appropriate distance down from your pencil mark on the wall.  This measurement will tell you where to place the nail.  Hang the picture up on the nail, and make sure it is where you want it to be.  If the placement isn’t correct, take it down, re-measure, and try again.  After you’re satisfied with the picture frame’s location, use a level across the top of the frame to make sure your picture is straight.

Hanging pictures like a pro is a snap if you have the right tools and know the steps to follow.  Did you like our Home DIY Project: How to Hang Pictures?  If so, stay tuned for more in our series of DIY home improvement projects throughout this summer.  Subscribe now so you don’t miss a thing!

Home photo by trentsketch.

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So fire up your printer, because you’ll want to print out these useful home how-to guides and save them for later!

14 Home How-To DIYs That Every Homemaker Needs To Know

1.  How to fix a garbage disposal. From jams caused by items falling into the garbage disposal to simple clogged pipes, this how-to will show you how to fix your own garbage disposal in no time.

2.  How to eliminate rats in your home.  Learn why they chose your house, how they got inside, how to catch them, how dispose of the rats after they have been caught, and how to help prevent your house from being reinfested in the future.

3.  How to reset a circuit breaker. This great how-to explains how to tell if your fuse is blown, why it happened, and how to fix it.

4.  How to unclog a sink. Cheap and green, this how-to uses safe household ingredients.

5.  How to remove rust stains from nails.  Whether indoors or outdoors, it’s easy to remove rust stains from nails with common household materials before painting over them.

6.  How to unfreeze pipes. This complete set of of instructions should be printed out and hung on the wall next to pipes that are possible problem areas for easy access during an emergency.

7.  How to fix a toilet.  This how-to guide addresses common toilet problems such as plugged up toilets, overflowing toilets, water that keeps running, water levels too high, and even tells you how to replace a toilet seat.

8.  How to change a light bulb. The owner of a home renovation company teaches you a safe and effective way to change a light bulb in this how-to video.

9.  How to fix a dripping faucet.

10.  How to clean a dryer vent. Being able to clean your dryer vent properly will help you to eliminate the risk of fire started from your dryer.

11.  How to clean an air filter.  Not only will a clean air filter improve the quality of the air in your home, but it will also help you save money on your utility bills.

12.  How to clean out a fireplace.  This DIY only includes directions on how to clean the fireplace, not the chimney (which is a much more involved process).

13.  How to dispose of fireplace ashes.

14.  How to clean rain gutters. 

For more Works For Me Wednesday, visit Rocks In My Dryer.

How to Unclog Your Plugged Drain Using Household Products

Have you ever had your sink clog up when there doesn’t happen to be a bottle of Drano under your sink? The last time my husband was out of town the bathroom drain got plugged up. There was no Drano in my house, I didn’t want to run to the store to buy a pricey drain treatment product. I certainly didn’t want to pay for an expensive plumber to come unclog the drain! Did I mention I had never unclogged a drain before?!

Luckily, I knew this handy trick that makes it easy for homemakers to solve their own drain problems. The best part about it is the price! Using household products to unclog your drain is not only fast and simple, but it’s also easy on the environment and easy on your pocketbook!

How to Unclog Your Plugged Drain Using Baking Soda and Vinegar

To Clear a Plugged Drain:

1. Measure 1/2 cup of baking soda
2. Measure 1/2 cup plain white vinegar
3. Pour a little baking soda directly into the drain, followed by a little vinegar. You’ll see and hear sizzling or fizzing.
4. Wait a few seconds and repeat the process until you have used 1/2 cup of each ingredient.
5. Let drain sit filled with mixture for 20 minutes.
6. Run HOT water through the drain until the water does not back up into the sink.
7. When the water flows normally through the drain, your job is done!

To Keep Your Drains From Getting Clogged:

Once a month, use half the ingredients (1/4 each of baking soda and vinegar) and repeat the process above. Using this method will help to prevent the buildup that causes drain clogs in the first place!

How Much Does it Cost to Use This Method Instead of Store Bought Drain Products?

Using prices from Safeway grocery stores, we have calculated the price difference between unclogging your drain with household products and with store bought drain products. It costs this much to unclog your sink only ONE time with:

• Drano max gel, one time = $2.50
• Liquid Plummr, one time = $2.35
• Generic Safeway drain product, one time = $1.70

Using Arm & Hammer baking soda bought in a 16oz box, and regular vinegar bought in a 128oz jug, our household drain remedy costs a mere 45 cents!

During my husband’s business trip, my father called to check on me. When he asked if anything was wrong, I told him that the bathroom sink had clogged but that I fixed it with baking soda and vinegar. He was impressed, and told me I deserved a merit badge!

Homemaker Barbi Says: Every homemaker should know how easy it is to maintain her home with common household products while spending as little as possible.

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