Home Projects

Painting my fixer upper

This house has the worst paint ever. Not only did they spray every room in the house a not very attractive gold, but they used the crappiest paint known to mankind. If you bump it with your elbow it wipes off on your clothes, if you wipe it with a wet cloth the cloth comes away gold. It totally water-soluble. The only good thing about this “washable” paint is that the overspray that is all over the white woodwork washes … Read the full article…

Great source for appliance parts

When the fan on my refrigerator started sounding like an airplane propeller and my home warranty company completely failed me I started looking for the part on my own and found a company that sells on both Amazon and Ebay. They are awesome. They suggest in their ad that you call and verify it’s the correct part before ordering. I emailed the model number of my refrigerator and they promptly responded that I had the right replacement fan. I asked … Read the full article…

Insulated cover for whole house attic fan grate

Insulated cover for whole house attic fan grate - TheDIYGirl.com

The pull chain switch in my whole house attic fan broke and I ended up replacing it on a fairly hot day. While working on it I could not believe the heat coming down through the ceiling grate for the fan.  I got online to look for an economical and easy solution. What’s a whole house attic fan? In case you’re not familiar, this fan is mounted on the ceiling joists in the attic after a hole has been cut … Read the full article…

Replacing pull chain for whole house attic fan

One evening I pulled the chain on my whole house attic fan to turn it off and thought at the time it sounded a little funny. The next morning I went to turn the fan back on and found out why — the switch for the pull chain had broken. I am not a big fan of getting up in my attic since I live alone, so I got a ladder and checked to see if the switch was accessible … Read the full article…

Shower stall re-grout and re-caulk project

Shower stall re-grout and re-caulk project - The DIY Girl

Defining the problems I have two showers stalls with ceramic tile walls and floors and glass doors and both are in need of repair. The master bathroom gets the most use and is in the worst shape so I’ll start with that one. The master bathroom shower had been “repaired” by the previous owners of the house and they had chosen to use white caulk along the seam where the walls and floor meet and about 12″ up 3 corners. … Read the full article…

Repair leaking bathroom faucet handle

Repair leaking bathroom faucet handle - The DIY Girl

I have Delta/Delex faucets with separate hot and cold water handles. The first time I had a leaky faucet I took out the old valve stem and went to a home improvement store and asked them to help me match it. I purchased a box of 5 valve stems, springs, and seats. I figured this wouldn’t be the only leak since I have 6 identical faucets in three bathrooms. Tool list Phillips head screwdriver channel locks needle-nose pliers small screw … Read the full article…

Refinishing rusty metal – Ospho

Refinishing rusty metal - Ospho - The DIY Girl

When I bought my house the 2 decks on the back were cantilevered (supported by floor joints extending outside the house), but they had never been cared for and were literally rotting off the back of the house. I decided to have those decks removed and replaced with decks supports by steel posts. The steel posts will probably be standing when everything else is gone, but they are a maintenance issue since every nick or crack in the paint is … Read the full article…