Door locks are a necessary part of the home’s security. In days gone by many people never locked their doors, especially in small towns, because thieves were not as brazen, nor as skilled, in their unlawful craft as they are now. This why door locks have come a long way from the skeleton-type keys of old and why many homeowners choose the revolutionary Taft YL88 Keyless Lock.

Here are some causes of jammed doors and locks:

Uneven Lock Latch Positioning:  To check the alignment between the locking mechanism, or pin, and the striker plate in the door jamb open the latch and close the door until the pin touches the edge of the strike plate. Using a felt pen mark the top and bottom of the pin position on the door jam. Open the door and check the marks you made. If they do not line up perfectly with the strike plate you can either take a portable grinder and make the plate opening larger or, in extreme case, take the screws out of the strike plate and reposition the plate to match the lock pin.

Deadbolt Alignment: Deadbolt sticking problems are usually caused by the pin not being correctly aligned to plate. Over time the sagging of the door may cause the pin to rub on the plate. This can also be corrected by grinding or re-adjusting the plate.

Stripped Screws: Door sagging can be caused by loose plate screws . These may come loose against the wood of the door jam all that may be needed is to tighten them back up. If the screw holes in the jam are stripped put a toothpick or wooden matchstick in the hole, snap off the end and the screw should fit tight again.

Stripped Screws on the Door Hinge: Loose door hinge screws can also cause a door to sag, and this can affect lock alignment. Use the toothpick method for tightening these up too.

Dirt in the Lock: Doors get dirty, especially the exterior doors facing the elements. Dust, salt and can cause  the parts inside the lock to corrode. Some items you can just take the lock out and clean the parts with steel wool. However, don’t put oil in the lock as the this will attract more dirt. Always use a dedicated lock lubricant

For the best in lock quality and long-term performance choose the Taft YL88 Keyless Lock.

Much of the wasted energy in most homes goes through the roof. Why? Because the roofs of  homes are designed to protect the living are from the elements not from heat or cold.

For protection against heat loss or unwanted heat gain homes are insulated on top of the ceiling between the ceiling joists. This works well in northern climates but in southern areas of the country an attic can get hot enough to melt wax, or160 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit. For these homes the idea is to prevent heat from getting into the attic and this is accomplished with a foil-faced radiant barrier.

Radiant barriers utilize layers of aluminum foil to reduce radiant heat coming through the roof and into the attic space. This barrier can either be placed on top of the regular insulation or, in hotter places, attached to up on the roof deck. To reflect the heat before it gets into the attic space. With proper insulation a protection like the  Ultra Touch Radiant Barrier will deflect up to 97% of the heat and this means a 30% decrease the temperature or a savings up to 12% in air conditioning costs. In one year you can get back every penny spent on the installation.

If keeping in the heat is your concern Ultra Touch Radiant Barrier can be rolled right on top of the existing insulation. Not only will the product keep heat in the home it has superior acoustical performance and Class A fire retardant capability.

And Ultra Touch products are made from recycled materials so you are not only saving energy but also re-using materials that would ordinarily be headed for a landfill!

One of the main drawbacks of many air conditioning and heating systems is poor distribution. This is because many of the vents for HVAC systems in older homes are under windows, and an old window will transfer heat and/or cool air outside raining the load on the HVAC unit and your wallet. The reason for this is that windows have poor energy retention and even double-sealed windows are rated at only R-1.5.

Rather than doing a major renovation like spending thousands of dollars in windows try installing a fan with a slow-running option like the Minka-Aire Minka Air Ceiling Fan White F574-WH. With revolutionary blade designs and a power-miser motor the Minka prevents heat from staying up on the ceiling in pockets and moves it around for even heat. By reversing the direction it will moderate the coolness on a hot summer days.

When you buy a fan make sure you have know the room dimensions as all fans are not the same size. If the ceiling is eight feet or less try a flush-mounted fan but higher ceilings get one with a down-rod. Here are a few tips for size:

1) Fan Width: 29″ – 36″ : 100 square feet or less

2) Fan Width: 36″ – 42″: 100 – 150 square feet

3) Fan Width: 44″: 150 – 225 square feet

4) Fan Width: 50″ – 55″: 225 to 400 square feet

Another tip that can have a big effect on your heating bill in older homes is to open up the the home by reducing walls. Old styles like walls between galley kitchens and dining rooms can be opened up and then one  Minka-Aire Minka Air Ceiling Fan White F574-WH can service several rooms without added fuel bills.

There are few other renovations made on a home that can increase the living space so quickly, and cheaply, as building a deck. If the homeowner is moderately-skilled a deck the project can be a do-it-yourself job, otherwise he or she can hire a contractor to complete the deck. The key to deck building is in the planning.

Here are some tips to consider before building a deck:

1.  Function: How the deck is to be used relates directly to the style of deck. For example, if the deck is going to be in a wet area like around a pool a good suggestion is a composite wood/plastic decking like Yakima Prestige Series Composite Decking - Grooved Board.

2.  Shape and Size: Most lumber is sold in 8, 10, 12 and 16 foot lengths. Planning the deck around these sizes will save wood waste and that saves money.

3.  Positioning: Homeowners should take advantage of sunlight and view and avoid the side of the home facing traffic, garbage or a neighbor’s unsightly yard.

4.  Bylaws and Codes: In many areas decks over a certain height must have a building permit. In addition the homeowner should know the property boundaries and where any underground utilities are buried.

5.  Materials: Depending on the use many homeowners choose pressure-treated lumber. It can be stained to a redwood look, or almost any other design. If the deck is used around a pool cedar, redwood, vinyl and aluminum are expensive but will offer years of maintenance-free deck surface. And so will a composite decking like Yakima Prestige Series Composite Decking - Grooved Board.

Check out deck materials at:

Before vinyl siding was developed the exterior of a home was a very high-maintenance area. Whether it was wood clapboard or or stucco, sooner or later the surface had to be refinished because of weather conditions like rain, snow and intense sunlight.

The first non-wood siding was aluminum but even its coatings had to be refinished after five years. And the newer models, although better coated, are easy to dent and this is not the best exterior surface in an area that experiences hail.

Vision Pro D4 Wood Grain Vinyl Siding is an inexpensive, great-looking product that is easy to install and lasts a lifetime. It is made by a co-extrusion process by which two layers are squeezed together before being molded. The inner layer, or substrate, that makes up around 80% of the siding is made from a dense polyvinyl chloride (PVC) product to add strength and bulk to the siding while the thin, outer layer, the one that contains the coloring, also contains approximately 15% titanium oxide to withstand the ultra-violet rays of the sun. This layer also contains the wood-grain so that it maintains the traditional clapboard styling.

There are many manufacturers of vinyl siding who produce a wide range of product qualities and thicknesses. How thick the siding is affects the durability and this can vary from .35 mm for the inexpensive grades up to a heavier .52 mil for the highest grade.

For the best quality siding at the best price choose Vision Pro D4 Wood Grain Vinyl Siding

Personally, I’ve been on Twitter for over two years.  This blog, however, has been on Twitter for two days.

Twitter is an extraordinarily awesome communication tool that lets us connect on a more real-time level.  Right now, you come here via search, bookmark, RSS or habit to read posts.  On Twitter, we can take that dialog to a whole new level.  I’ll be posting photos of the projects I undertake, home improvement tips, and, of course, cool things I find while searching around on Pricegrabber.  Readers of this blog can ask me for product recommendations, advice, and resources to help finish projects.  I’ll be glad to help!

If you’re on Twitter, consider following @FixItUpDIY.  You’ll see a lot of stuff tweeted that’s not posted here.

If you’re not on Twitter and want to learn more about it, I’ve found some books for you to reference (don’t worry - it’s super easy!):

• Twitter Tips, Tricks, and Tweets
• Twitter for Dummies (not that you’re a dummy!)
• The Twitter Book

I look forward to following you back and helping you with your home improvement questions in as real-time as I can be!

Welcome to the 2009 father’s day gift giving guide!  We’ve assembled a list of great products to buy dad that he’ll actually use - unlike that tie you gave him two years ago (you know the one I’m talking about).

If you’re looking to be “the favorite” this Father’s Day, don’t mess around with sentimental greeting cards, making a nice, light lunch or even offering to do some chores around the house.  Rather, drop some coin on this Makita 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless 3-Piece Combo Kit, wrap it up and give it to dad.

Why?

Because your father deserves the best. And this Makita 3-piece kit is flat-out awesome.

The kit contains everything you need to assume favorite child status:

• 1/2-Inch Drill-Driver
• Impact Driver
• Flashlight
• 2 18v compact batteries
• Rapid charger
• Contractor bag

The Makita 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless 3-Piece Combo Kit is designed with power in mind.  Your father will blow through most home improvement projects with horsepower to spare.  There’s a ton of power in the little Impact Driver, and that alone is enough to warrant purchasing this kit.  Throw in Drill/Driver, Flashlight, 2 batteries, charger and contractor bag and you’ve got one great bargain that’s sure to make your ‘ol man happy.

What sets this Makita set apart from the other combo kits you’ll see at your local chain megahardwarestores is the best-in-class cordless solution: the battery just kicks all sorts of butt.  For starters, you can use the tools after as little as 15 minutes on the charger, the batteries have 2.5x more cycles than a Ni-Cad battery and they charge much faster than other sets.

So if you’re gunning to be the favorite child this father’s day, you can leapfrog your siblings by purchasing this kit!

Welcome to the 2009 father’s day gift giving guide!  We’ve assembled a list of great products to buy dad that he’ll actually use - unlike that tie you gave him two years ago (you know the one I’m talking about).

We start with the Porter-Cable 2 1/2″ by 14″ Compact Belt Sander kit.  You may be asking yourself why you’d need to get your husband/father/grandfather/babydaddy a compact belt sander. That’s understandable.

Sure, the Porter-Cable Compact Belt Sander kit has a lightweight frame, but don’t let that fool ya - this belt sander has a lot under the hood.  In fact, I’m confident enough to say that it has more power than you’ll actually need, but it’s awfully nice knowing it’s there - just in case.

If you’re concerned about ergonomics, it has a very easy to handle rubber grip on the surface, allowing for precise control.  Dad will appreciate the cushioned grip, as it cuts down on a lot of the vibration that is always present with sanders.

Let’s go over some quick points:

• The Porter-Cable name is trusted. They make some really high-quality tools.
• The Porter-Cable Compact Belt Sander kit won the Handy Magazine Innovation Award in 2006 for all of it’s awesome features.
• The 120-volt, 5 amp motor is crazy powerful for a compact belt sander.
• The flush side and compact belt size (2 1/2″ x 14″) makes 90 degree angles a piece of cake.

Trust me - this is one item that Dad would love to open on June 21!

“Honey, can you help me paint the <insert room here>” is quite possibly hardest question to answer. Sure, I want to say “uh, no!“, but know that if I do say that, I’ll be sleeping on the couch until I’m needed to paint something and answer correctly.

I can paint edges freehand pretty well, but to be honest, I’m more of a roller guy.  If I have an angled brush, damp rag, painter’s tape, and a drop cloth, I am very good.  But even when I have all those things, it is still a laborious process.  I have to be in a certain position to get the brush angle right.  Most of the time I’m either on a ladder with my nose at the ceiling or kneeling on the floor.

When we tackled our dining room I put aside my painterly pride and got the Shur-Line Edger.  There were just too many doors, windows, and well, edges to do on my own.  It takes a couple tries to get the hang of the edger, I recommend practicing on a piece of cardboard first.  Once you know how much paint you need on the pad, it is so easy to use the edger.  There are two rollers on one side that go up against the trim, ceiling, or floor.  These can get some paint on them if you oversaturate the pad, so you may want to use tape, but you don’t have to be precise with it.  The pads are washable and reusable, which makes clean up no different than using a brush.

The best part? It’s under $3.00.  Go on, try it.  You’ll be glad you did!

The big adventure in our basement bathroom remodel was installing a new faucet.  Everything else for the room was pretty self-explanatory.  We had installed a kitchen faucet before, but the pop up drain made the bathroom one much more daunting.  We decided to get the Peerless Bright Chrome Lever 4″ faucet because we liked the Peerless we had in the kitchen.  It is a little more than we had planned on spending for a basement, guest, extra bathroom, but I did not want clear plastic handles.

Pop up drain instructions are confusing by nature, I think.  I read through them a couple times and laid everything out before starting to assemble everything.  As long as you do not jump into installation without going through the how-to, even the pop up drain assembly will go quickly.  It may take more time, but do not be afraid to dry fit both the drain and the pop up to see if it opens enough for your water flow – we needed to adjust ours after installation.  And it is really just not that easy when everything is already in place.  But once past that, dropping the faucet in and hooking up the supply hoses only takes a few minutes.  The faucet works and looks great, which was important since it is the first thing you see in our new bathroom.