How to save $30–or more–with online do-it-yourself advice

Before blindly replacing something that’s broken or otherwise needs attention, check the Internet for repair and installation help. You may save yourself a small fortune.

Recently, I was having trouble with my kitchen faucet. The sprayer worked, but there was hardly any pressure from the spout. I couldn’t find a problem after removing the handle, washers and springs. So I spent $30 on a new faucet. 

But before installing it, I decided do some investigating using various Web searches. I came up with instructions on the Delta Web site explaining how to remove the spout and access what’s known as a diverter assembly, which diverts water from the spout and sends it to the sprayer (I didn’t even know there was such a thing, which was hidden behind the spout.)

I followed the instructions and found debris lodged in the assembly, causing it to stick. I cleaned it out and reassembled the faucet. Now everything works fine. The entire job took just a few minutes. I returned the new faucet, saving my $30.

So whether it’s a Web site or forum where you can ask questions of experts or other users, don’t forget those Web resources. There are plenty of great sites, such as do-it-yourself.com, do-it-yourself network, monkeysee.com, and newsgroups and other forums (use a Web search or visit Google Groups). (Here's our blog on the stellar resources of appliancerepair.com.) Using these sites, you never know how much money and aggravation you’ll save. Plus, you’ll get the satisfaction of doing it yourself. 

Consumer Reports Home and Garden pages also include lots of tips to help save money buying, installing, and using products around the house. We've compiled a useful treasury of great do-it-yourself weekend projects, complete with how-to tips. 

Do you have your own examples of how the Web helped you with a project?  If so, then post a response below. We’d like to hear them.—Anthony Giorgianni

Think you're fully insured against a hurricane? Think again.

The potential impact of Hurricane Bill has yet to be determined, according to accounts today. But whether you're affected or not, it's a good time to review your homeowners insurance policy to see what's covered. As we note in a recent Consumer Reports article, in many areas insurance companies have reduced coverage for perils like wind storms and hurricanes, typically by increasing the deductibles for those events.

Flood damage, whether related to a hurricane or not, is never covered by a traditional homeowners insurance policy. For that protection, you'll have to buy national flood insurance from the federal government. As the hurricane season revs up, now is the time to buy such coverage, since it takes 30 days after purchase to go into effect. And FEMA experts say that fully a quarter of flood damage takes place in locations deemed moderate- and low-risk.–Tobie Stanger

Homeowners insurers don't like some dog breeds

Your dog may be the darling of your household, but in the eyes of your homeowners insurance company, your cuddly critter could be a potential liability. As we mention in our latest report on homeowners coverage, insurers are increasingly limiting liability coverage for certain dog breeds. According to the Insurance Information Institute, a New York-based trade organization, dog bites account for one-third of all homeowners liability claims.

The III says most carriers will insure you for liability if you own a dog. But once your dog bites someone, you may find it hard or more costly to maintain coverage. But a recent Los Angeles Times article cites several breeds that might be blacklisted by carriers from the get-go, including pit bulls and pit bull mixes, doberman pinschers, akitas, and chow-chows. Animal advocates say it's wrong to blame the breed, and that bad dog behavior is instead the result of bad owner behavior.

For advice on dealing with the liability issues of dog ownership, check out the III's article here. If you're looking for new homeowners' insurance, consult our Ratings of 16 different insurance groups, including the largest carriers. And if you want to know whether to purchase medical insurance for your pet, check out our report on saving money on pet care  from Consumer Reports Money Adviser.

Care to share your experience with animals and insurance? Feel free to comment below.

Back-to-school economy II: The cost of a quiet place to study

In a recent post, I noted the trend of more college kids living at home because of the recession. Note to stay-at-home-students: Don't expect too many perks besides the break on living expenses and Mom’s cooking. Like, say, a quiet room where you can study. In a recent survey, our experts found that the average cost to remodel a 12-foot by 12-foot room into a home office, including custom cabinets and wiring for phones and electronics, is $27,193. That doesn’t include the computer.–Jean Pietrobono

Lightning strikes twice? Not quite, but it's hitting homes more often.

[ Photo courtesy of vimages ]

Now that thunderstorm season is here, you’ve probably already been home when a streak of lightning seemed especially bright, the following thunder shook your house, and you thought, “Wow, that must have been close.”

For an increasing number of us, those strikes are direct hits. Homeowner claims for damage due to lightning strikes have increased dramatically, up nearly 45 percent from 2004 to 2008, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III). The III blames the increase in hits on an usually large number of storms last year, including a record season for tornadoes, which are usually accompanied by severe thunderstorms.

The average claim has risen 64 percent over that same time period. Last year about 177,000 homeowners had damages that totaled more than $1 billion (well, that’s the amount insurers covered, anyway). Claims averaged $4,329, although some losses were much higher, the result of fire or electrical surges that wiped out a home’s appliances and electronics.

So how do you protect yourself from lightning-quick losses? Damage caused by strikes, such as fire, is covered by standard homeowners insurance policies. Check your policy to see if you are also covered for damage caused by power surges.

The III suggests ways you can reduce the risk that lightning will wreak havoc in your home:

•Install a whole-house surge protector, which can protect the electrical, telephone, and cable or satellite TV lines entering your house. An electrician and your utility company can help you pick the best unit for your home. Expect to pay at least $100 to $300, plus the cost of installation if you’re not a DIY-er.

•Bond all utilities to the same grounding point. They should enter your home within 10 feet of your electrical service entrance ground wire.

For more details, as well as tips on staying safe in lightning storms, check out this advice from the Institute for Business and Home Safety.

And, for help on getting the best homeowners insurance coverage without skimping, read our article on  shoring up your coverage from Consumer Reports Money Adviser.–Amanda Walker

Hail, hail Consumers Union!

A freak July hailstorm pelted Consumers Union's Yonkers, N.Y. headquarters last night, leaving huge, bizarre piles of white pellets in our parking lot. Winds felled trees, flattened grass, and left the ground covered in green leaves peeled from branches and limbs.

This out-of-season storm reminded me of the importance of getting the right homeowners insurance for the unexpected, and of checking your current policy to see what's covered. Hail is a covered peril in the typical homeowners policy, as is damage from wind storms, fire and theft. Flood, however, is not covered, and you'd be surprised what's defined as flooding. Mudflows and water seepage through your foundation's walls, for instance, are not covered by homeowners insurance provided by a private insurer; for those risks, you'll need to buy National Flood Insurance from the Federal Government.

Click here for more on getting the best coverage for your home, and avoiding home insurance traps. For more on saving on homeowners coverage, click here. And for information on National Flood Insurance,  click here. 

Thanks to Gannett's Journal News for the video. But please, spell our facilities manager's name correctly: It's Caluori!–Tobie Stanger

State, local governments to get $10 billion for public housing, lead paint removal

The next chunk of money to be released from the economic stimulus package will be $10 billion which will be distributed by the Housing and Urban Development Department for local governments to use on public and affordable housing improvements.

The initiative was announced by Vice President Joe Biden, at the first meeting of Cabinet members and officials in charge of implementing the recovery plan.

"Today, the Department of Housing and Urban Development is taking the first step to awarding $10 billion to state and local governments to fund and create jobs through projects making public housing more energy efficient, making improvements in affordable housing; and also, making sure that we actually begin to fund the lead-based paint removal program," Biden said. "All of which are going to not only increase the public health but--and energy efficiency--but they're going to create jobs."

"I am pleased to announce that we are moving swiftly to get these much-needed funds out to states and cities to create jobs and help stimulate our economy," HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan in a statement. "Recovery Act investments in HUD programs will be not just swift, but also effective: they will generate tens of thousands of jobs, help the families and communities hardest hit by the economic crisis, and modernize homes to make them energy efficient."

The benefits of the stimulus bill, which was signed into law on February 17, are beginning to be announced.

The president told the nation's governors that their states would be getting $15 billion to support Medicaid programs starting today.

Yesterday, the IRS released details on the tax relief most Americans will be seeing in their paychecks as of April 1.

My financial resolutions for 2009, #8 in a series

Editor’s note: We asked our resident money experts to share their financial resolutions for the year ahead. Here, the eighth entry in our series:

I made an early start on my financial New Year’s resolutions. Late last fall, after the economy turned scary bad, I started saving money in little ways, such as bringing my lunch to work more often. And I made some bigger changes, like doubling the amount I have automatically transferred to my savings. Now I plan to:

Pay off my car loan. I have one year, two months left on a four-year loan. Paying it off will allow me to put an additional $400 or so away in savings.

Cut my clothing expenditures. On shoes, to be exact. That girl-shoe addiction thing runs in my family, but I thought I lacked the gene. Then in my late-30’s it kicked in. Luckily I steer clear of stores when they’re crowded. So when I pass by the mall, I shall picture the lot full. I shall picture the lot full. I shall picture the lot full.

Decide what to do with the some of the extra money. By spring or so, after I’ve bulked up my emergency fund, I’d like to do at least one of the home updates I’ve been putting off, hoping that local businesses may be in the mood to do some deep discounting. The contenders, in least to most expensive order:

1. Replace a 30-plus-year-old gas stove. If the burners start, they sometimes just pop off. And the oven knob has rotated so its starting spot now points to ‘Clean’ instead of ‘Off.' When I bake I have to guesstimate the temperature I’m setting. I suppose an alternative is to set a new Food Network Challenge show in my home.

2. Replace my homely vinyl tile kitchen floor with wood. I had some contractors look at it a year ago to give me estimates. They managed to chip a couple of the tile corners, by accident surely, which makes looking at it more annoying, and crossing it occasionally painful.

3. My long, steep, cracked cement driveway needs to be redone. In winter it’s more expensive to de-ice than asphalt, and it’s tough to find someone who will agree to plow it. It also causes multi-day muscle aches when it has to be shoveled because Mr. Plow can’t or won’t attempt to climb it. — Amanda Walker, senior project editor

The season of free shipping and other goodies

Just like the rest of us, retailers are reeling from the depressed economy, and they’re worried that once consumers empty their pockets to heat their homes and put food on the table, there won’t be anything left for holiday gifts.

So to sweeten the pot and bring in the fence-sitters, many stores are dangling discounts extra early this season. Since late September, my inbox has been flooded daily with promotions. Frankly, the incentives are so generous that I’ve drawn a line in the sand and refuse to buy from any store or e-tailer that doesn’t toss me a bone.

Most of the offers involve free shipping, but there plenty of other come-ons. And when one promotion ends, another begins. So don’t feel that you’ve missed the boat. Here are a few of the recent goodies ...

A smart strategy for saving on heating oil

If recent weather is any indication, it’s going to be a cold winter, and that means high energy bills to heat your home. For the 8.1 million homes that rely on oil, fluctuating prices is causing more than a little uncertainty. Last week, for example, the retail price of a gallon of heating oil averaged around $3.06. That’s nearly 17 percent lower than the previous week, but more than 10 percent higher than it was a year ago.

Should you commit to a contract that locks in a price for the entire heating season or take your chances and hope that prices take a tumble? My fellow staffer Gian Trotta wrestled with that one recently – and came away with some great pointers ...