For the house

How-to

Jobs a homeowner can do in the valley. Plain steps. When to stop and call.

• Do this once, before you need itFind the main shutoff
• Before the first hard freezeShut off a hose bib for winter
• When it drops hardKeep pipes alive on a cold night
• The easy things firstNo hot water — five-minute check
• Write the code. Then look once.Tankless showing a number
• Usually a flapper. Five minutes.Stop a running toilet
• Plunger first. Not drain cleaner.Clogged kitchen sink

Water on the floor, sewage, or a pipe that already split — that is not a how-to. Go to What's leaking, or call.