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When you repair a damaged porch floor, be sure to support the roof while you work. Remove existing posts and then nail two 2"x6" to a make a 4"x6" beam. Support the beam with a 2"x4" post and nail in place. Measure two 2"x4"'s to the legnth you need and nail them together at the tip. Prop under the other end of the beam and spread the legs on a base footing until the roof is supported. Attach a cross bar and toenail the base.

You can save time around the house by having a few basic tools stashed in a kitchen drawer. Here are some of the most popular items: a hammer; screwdrivers, both phillips and flathead; a small tape measure; a utility knife; a torpedo level; pliers and an adjustable wrench; and the ever useful duct tape. Most important don't forget to put everything back when you are finished.

Professional builders use a plumb bob to make sure their walls are vertical. Here's how: Measure 2" away from the top of your wall, set a nail, hang the plumb bob, and let gravity draw the string into a vertical reference line. When the plumb bob falls exactly two inches away at the floor your wall will be plumb.

Here s another great tip from BobVila.com. Choosing a room or unit air conditioner wisely and installing it correctly can keep you from getting hot under the collar this summer. Room air conditioners are rated by the number of BTUs, or British thermal units, of heat that they can remove per hour. Contrary to what you might think, it doesn t make sense to run out and buy the most powerful unit you can find. You could wind up spending much more than you need to. Upgrading to the highest efficiency you can afford, however, is a good investment. In very hot climates you need an efficiency rating of 10, but 9 will do in milder climates. To calculate the number of BTUs you need, measure the room you re cooling and multiply by 35. A room that s 12 x12 or 144 square feet, for instance, needs a unit with a capacity of around 5,000 BTUs to keep it cool. If you ve got a shady window to install the unit, you can lower that number by 10 percent. For a sunny window, add 10 percent. If it s in the kitchen, add 4,000 BTUs. And if it s a room used by more than two people during cooling hours, add 600 BTUs per person. Most room air conditioners can be plugged into a standard 110V 15- or 20-amp circuit as long as it s not shared with any other major appliance. Larger 7.5-amp units need their own dedicated circuit. Make sure to measure the window you re installing in before you buy. While it should come with expandable filler panels, you ll need weatherstripping and tape to seal the unit to the window and keep heat from leaking in. Have some spare lumber and screws handy in case you need to build up the window frame or sill to accommodate the unit. Most importantly, have a friend help you. Even small air conditioners are heavier than they look and you don t want to drop the unit out the window. Find out more at BobVila.com: the ultimate home improvement web site! 2008 BobVila.com

Here's another great tip from BobVila.com. A dining room chandelier is a great focal point for one of the most important entertaining and family-gathering spaces in your home. You can spend anywhere from $100 to several thousand dollars on a chandelier and choose from an enormous variety of styles. From Tiffany stained glass and craftsman to colonial brass, Venetian glass and the traditional cut-crystal styles, the selection is dizzying. Here are some guiding principles to help you choose. First is style: when it doubt, keep very close to the period and architectural style of your house. If you re feeling brave and your d cor will support it, you might find an intentionally unexpected mix that expresses your personal taste. A wildly colorful modern glass piece can look great in a traditional dining room, as can a rustic iron piece in a modern loft. Next, find the right size for your room. Measure the room dimensions in feet and add them to find the suitable diameter in inches. For instance, a room that s 10 by 12 feet would look great with a 22-inch chandelier. Consider the size of your table. The chandelier should measure roughly a third of its width and hang 30 inches above it. If you don t have high ceilings, a multitiered chandelier is probably not the right choice. If it s hard to visualize how your favorite pick will look in the room, do a cardboard mockup. It will give you an idea of the space the fixture will occupy and help you find its correct installation point in the ceiling. You want the chandelier centered on your table, which is not necessarily centered in the room. While it will be the focal point, don t count on the chandelier as the only light source in the room. Wall sconces, recessed lights in the ceiling or table lamps will help illuminate the room without blinding those at the table. For power, estimate you ll need between 200 and 400 watts total, divided between all the bulbs. Install the chandelier on a dimmer switch so you can control the intensity of the light based on the occasion. Like most electrical jobs, this installation is best left to a licensed electrician. Find out more at BobVila.com: The ultimate home improvement web site! BobVila.com 2008

Here's another great tip from BobVila.com. We all know that life would be very different without that wonder of modern science: the toilet. But when it acts up, we also know life can get pretty complicated in a hurry. Don t wait until you have a houseful of guests to get prepared. Homeowners should own a full-sized plunger, an auger, a bucket and some rubber gloves. In the event of a clog that s overflowing the toilet, shut off the water intake valve underneath the tank, then remove half the water from the bowl before plunging the drain opening rapidly several times. If the water goes down, plunge once more for good measure before turning the water back on and flushing. If plunging doesn t work, the auger will. Cranking clockwise, feed the auger into the drain until it tightens at the clog; reverse a bit, then continue down as far as it ll go, and pull the whole thing up at once. Remove that matchbox car that junior s been missing along with any other debris, and plunge again before you flush, just in case. As always, being prepared with the right tools can save the day! Find out more at BobVila.com: The ultimate home improvement web site! BobVila.com 2008

Here's another great tip from BobVila.com. Commonly used as the family dumping ground, the garage is undergoing a revival as a functional workspace. Installing a garage storage system that frees up some of this space can have the same effect as adding a room and it s a good way to increase your home s value. First, group the bins and bulky items you need to store by their use and measure them so you know how much space you need for each group. Tall cabinets with double doors are great, but be sure they come with enough adjustable shelves to optimize the space inside. Include at least one lockable cabinet to keep dangerous chemicals out of reach of children and pets. Add some low cabinets on casters, creating a work surface on top. With some pegboard or a vinyl slat wall system for tools, you ve got the beginning of a home workshop. For easier cleaning and less clutter, keep things off the floor: store sports gear and yard tools on heavy-duty, wall-mounted hooks and racks. If you ve got a lot of ceiling height in your garage, use it. Try an overhead storage rack for seasonal items or as a bike lift. There are lots of garage storage options, but organization hinges on consistency: choose cabinets and racks of the same color and type. Look for systems made of metal, plastic or wood specifically treated for garage use. And remember that bigger is not always better. You need a system that will allow you to find your stuff and still leave room for the car. Find out more at BobVila.com: The ultimate home improvement web site! BobVila.com 2008