In times of economic hardship, "do it yourself" is a tempting mantra for many homeowners with dripping faucets, running toilets, leaky windows or sticky locks. The savings can add up when you don't have to call a repair person, especially for things like painting, plumbing and appliance repair, said Ken Collier, editor-in-chief of The Family Handyman. "Parts are a small part of the cost. Labor is huge," he said. And if things go wrong? With a small job, Collier said, "Worst case, you have to hire a pro and eat some crow."

There are some home repairs, of course, that an unskilled homeowner should avoid, among them "situations where having heavy equipment makes the job go much better, especially outdoors," Collier said.

Avoid jobs where you could injure yourself or damage property.

Chris Long, a member of the Home Depot do-it-yourself team, recommends calling an expert to replace a tub or shower valve, or do more involved electrical work. And while "any reasonably careful person can hang drywall," Collier said, taping it to cover the seams and joints is "very much an art where a practiced hand makes a huge difference."

But many other household repairs and projects can be tackled by a do-it-yourselfer who takes the time to learn what's required.

David Frank of Libertyville, Ill., does just about all his own home repairs and remodeling -- "from electric to plumbing to concrete. Any of it can be done." He started working on his first house, a fixer-upper he bought in college, to save money.

"I had to learn to do it, or it wasn't going to get done," he said. Over the years, he has taught himself by reading books, watching home-improvement TV shows and talking to experts.

Besides the money saved, there's "definitely a sense of accomplishment" in doing the work himself, he said.

His advice to beginners: Use common sense, take your time and read as much as you can. "The Internet is unbelievable," he said.

When taking on a project, begin by finding out where in your home you turn off the water and gas, and how the circuit breakers work. If you need a professional to show you, hire one.

You'll also need a good set of tools. Collier recommends such things as a 20-ounce straight claw hammer, a utility knife, linesman's pliers, a flexible putty knife, a four-in-one screwdriver, a cordless drill-screwdriver, a 25-foot measuring tape and an adjustable crescent wrench. Add to that a plunger, groove-joint pliers and duct tape.

If you're going to do any electrical work, be sure to have a voltage sniffer. "Electricity is scary stuff, and a voltage sniffer is a really safe way to know everything is off," Collier said.

There's a wealth of material online, including videos for the do-it-yourselfer.

Even unskilled homeowners should be able to do some basic appliance repairs, Collier said, such as changing a dryer belt.

And as winter approaches, homeowners can do a lot of weatherizing themselves, including adding insulation, and applying adhesive-backed, foam weather stripping to prevent cold air from seeping in around doors and windows.

Other jobs that a do-it-yourselfer can learn include repairing drywall, replacing a deadbolt, or installing a new light fixture or ceiling fan.

Plumbing repairs also can be accessible even to the novice.

"A toilet is really a very simple mechanism and the parts are readily available to change out," Lipford said.

First, the cause of the problem has to be diagnosed. Find information online, in books, or talk to a worker at your hardware store.

If the toilet is running, for example, one way to figure out what's going on is to add a little food dye to the water in the tank, said Long, of Home Depot. If the water in the bowl turns the same color, the flapper valve is likely the problem. The flapper seals the tank, then lifts to allow water to flow into the bowl when the toilet is flushed. If the seal isn't tight, water will leak into the bowl.

It could be that the chain connecting the flapper to the handle is too long or too short. Adjusting that could fix the problem. Or, it could be the flapper itself.

In most cases, the flapper snaps out and you can easily replace it with a new one. But first remember to turn off the water to the toilet. It's also a good idea to bring the old part to your hardware store to make sure you're purchasing a compatible new one.

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http://www.familyhandyman.com/DIY-Projects

http://www.homedepot.com

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Home repair: Do it yourself or go with a pro?

Groton - Ron's Guitars is now Groton Guitars, as one of the region's most well-known music stores changed hands this week.

Brian Oddi, a member of the rock band The Kluge and former owner of Doug's Appliance & Repair in East Lyme, began operating the business Wednesday.

"Music was my first real passion," Oddi said in a phone interview.

So when he saw that Ron and Cathy Apicelli were closing up shop after 28 years in business, he made an offer for the inventory of Ron's Guitars. Apicelli had previously said he wouldn't sell the Ron's Guitars name, preferring to keep it in the family.

Oddi, who bought the Doug's Appliance business in 1995 from Doug Wardlaw, said he was closing down the repair shop to concentrate on the Long Hill Road music store he is leasing from the Apicellis.

An adjoining lesson-studio space will remain open, run by the Apicellis' daughter, Kym.

Oddi said he plans few changes to the store, which he has frequented for more than 25 years. Even Ron's two employees, Clint Verville and Scott Daimler, will remain with the store.

"I never did become a rock star," said the East Lyme resident. "And at the age of 42 that's probably not going to happen."

l.howard@theday.com

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A new owner and name for Ron's Guitars

By Dave Lieber

watchdog@star-telegram.com

Homeowners in Tarrant County's biggest cities -- Fort
Worth, Arlington and North Richland Hills -- contacted The
Watchdog last week to ask about a mailing they received
advertising a new company selling repair protection for water
and sewer lines. They wonder whether it's legitimate.

American Water Resources of Texas, which bought its state
license in November, is a residential service company that
promises to cover some repairs to water and sewer lines outside a
home.Generally, water and sewer lines would be covered to the
point where the cities take over the lines -- at the water meter
and where the sewer line hits the main drain.Enough homeowners
peppered their water and sewer departments with questions about
the mailing that all three cities felt compelled to take
stronger-than-usual action to address concerns.Fort Worth posted
a notice on its website with the headline "Water Department does
not endorse service line warranty programs."North Richland Hills
spokeswoman Mary Peters told me, "I'm glad you are writing about
this" because the city received questions. She wanted to counter
what she considered an exaggeration in the mailing.Arlington
officials went as far as contacting the company and asking for
changes on the website. Arlington wants residents to know that it
offers a repair program that goes beyond what many other cities
offer.Water Resources' plan works much like an extended warranty
for an appliance. Buyers gamble that they will need it someday.
The key word is gamble.First, as
Water Resources says in its mailing, cities generally do not pay
for repairs to water and sewer lines from the house to the city's
portion of the lines. That's the homeowner's responsibility.
Repairs can cost thousands of dollars but sometimes cost far
less.Many insurance companies cover little of the repair cost
from leaks. Water Resources does somewhat, but it doesn't pay to
repair any waterline clogs or blockages. The company also says it
pays for leaks or breaks in sewer lines only if they're caused by
a blockage or a clog.Water Resources charges $5 a month for up to
$5,000 in waterline repairs and $9 a month for up to $4,000 in
sewer-line repairs, with $4,000 more covered if a roadway has to
be dug up. There's also a $50 service fee per sewer line problem
but no charge for a waterline problem.Company officials told me
that those are the only out-of-pocket costs for customers. After
a problem is found -- if it is covered -- the company hires a
contractor, gets required permits and completes the covered
repairs.The company has a perfect rating from the Better Business
Bureau. The Texas Real Estate Commission, which regulates home
warranty companies, says the company is too new to have any
complaints on file.The company is a subsidiary of the
126-year-old American Water Co., a publicly traded water- and
wastewater-utility company based in New Jersey. Cities that
outsource their water and sewer services use such
companies.American Water Resources of Texas was formed as part of
the company's expansion into other states.As with any service
warranty company, it's important to look at what isn't covered.
Anything not resulting from normal wear and tear on water and
sewer lines, such as problems caused by a homeowner or other
third party, problems caused by natural disasters or anything
caused by poor construction or defective materials, isn't
covered.Arlington officials wanted the company to make sure that
the public knows that Arlington offers a repair program for the
portion of a sewer line in the public right of way or in a
utility easement, even if it's on a homeowner's property, but
only in cases of structural failure of the sewer line in that
area.North Richland Hills officials want residents to know that a
photograph on the company's brochure showing a bulldozer digging
up a front yard is a bit overdone."Most service line problems we
hear about from homeowners are minor issues such as roots getting
in the line," Peters said. "In that situation, all a homeowner
needs to do is call a plumber to clear the line."Fort Worth
offers a program for water customers who have a leak. They can
send receipts for plumbing repairs and parts to the Water
Department and request a 50 percent cut in their water bill for a
leak adjustment.Fort Worth gives sound advice on its website:
"Like with any insurance or warranty program, individuals should
do their own due diligence to learn what is and is not covered
and what exceptions apply."The Watchdog
column appears Fridays and Sundays.Dave Lieber, 817-390-7043Twitter: @davelieber

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Waterline repair insurance is legitimate, but DFW cities may have better deal

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