Something I wish was obvious to everyone, but apparently isn’t. A whole two people I know had their washing machines break down this week, and the week isn’t over yet.

This is for all’ya folks who don’t know the obvious signs of a broken washing machine.

We can all agree that the washing machine is one appliance that would be a nightmare to do without. Who’s willing to lug clothes to the laundromat every week? Or get stuck hand washing voluminous sheets and rough, heavy denim? It always pays to be on the lookout for any indication of trouble to anticipate the problem early on. Watch out for these four clear signs that you need to get your washing machine repaired.

It’s leaking

A leak is never a good sign. A washing machine should not be leaking as that small drip can turn into a serious flooding problem if not checked.

It might be as simple as having put too much detergent. This could have produced excessive bubbles causing laundry water to overflow. But if you’ve checked and it’s nothing like that, then there may be an underlying problem.

While the machine is in use, check where the leak is coming from. It may be as simple as a damaged hose or a loose connection that you can easily remedy. Ascertain if it’s still leaking even while turned off. If it is, especially if the leak is big enough to create a puddle, then it’s best to call an appliance repairman.

It’s making strange and loud noises

Sure, washing machines are not exactly silent appliances. But neither should they be whining, grinding and making loud banging noises.

This may simply be remedied by rearranging clothes to balance the tub or making sure that the unit is properly leveled on the ground. It may also just be a shirt accessory or belt with the metal part scraping on the walls.

If it’s none of these, it’s time to ask for professional help.

Washed clothes are still dripping wet

Excess water should already be spun out of your clothes after the load has been run through the machine. The water should be all drained out too. While transferring the clothes to the dryer, if you notice that they’re still dripping wet, or if slight squeezing or wringing produces water, then something’s not right.

The first thing to do is to check the pump. It may just be blocked by a straggler piece of clothing. If you have an older unit, the hose may have to be replaced.

Check beneath and if you see a small pool, it would be best to leave the machine alone for a while and set up an appointment with your appliance repair company. They will check the internal pumps and test the controls. If necessary, they will also inspect the motor and the machine’s drive belt. 

The drum isn’t filling up with water

If it’s not excess of water, it’s a lack of water. If the drum isn’t filling up to the amount of water needed, then there’s an issue. No one will be able to get some laundry done if the machine can’t even fill the water up enough to soak clothes.

It may be tempting to check the machine yourself. And by all means, if it’s just a twisted hose or your water supply, solve away. But there are numerous potential issues in this case and there might not be an easy fix. It’s better to just leave it to more capable—and professional—hands, for diagnosis and repair.

I’ve been watching this guy rebuild an old house and turn it into a beautiful new home for like the last hour now:

That’s just the first episode, there’s more.

He’s like all alone most of the time, and I can’t help but admire his dedication and effort. It’s pretty inspiring.

In fact, so inspiring that I’m seriously considering buying an old dilapidated house for a few grand in the countryside and rebuilding it myself for another few grand. Realistic? Don’t know, need to look at what’s available and run some numbers.

Recently, I had the chance to explore an old house that was marked for demolition and I was free to take anything from the house that I liked.

Naturally, after looking through all the main rooms, I climbed onto the attic, because that’s where you find all the gems. There wasn’t much there, but one thing I found was an old cabinet, must’ve been from late 19th  century or so. It had seen a lot of use, that was obvious – there were spots from all sorts of things that had been placed on top and inside the drawers.

I decided to take it with me and see if I can restore it to make something worthwhile for my home or summer cottage. I will be updating my progress here, if there is any, because I still haven’t decided what to do with it exactly.

Here’s a thing that I’ve been having trouble with lately in my renovation projects.

Paint cracks on wooden furniture destroy its beauty. They start off like hairline cracks, growing bigger slowly and worsen even more if they are not fixed immediately. Soon the paint starts to peel off making the furniture look old.

There are several reasons why paint cracks on wooden furniture.

• The use of poor-quality paint that leads to insufficient adhesion and flexibility
• Thin application of paint
• Thick coatings were applied before the finish
• The use of oil-based paint over latex paint
• Wood surface was not prepared properly (no primer was used prior to painting
• Weather conditions that can dry the paint too fast
• Aging makes the paint brittle so it fails to expand and contract with the changes in temperature and humidity
• Applying a second or third coat of paint without waiting for the first coat to dry completely leads to extreme cracks or “alligatoring” or if the undercoat does not match with the finish coat.
• The first finishing is not compatible to the wood.
• Exposure of furniture to direct sunlight for several hours.

Prevent the cracking on furniture from getting worse by following these tips:

1. If the crack does not go deep to the substrate, get a wire brush or scraper to get rid of the flaking or loose paint. Sand the area to smoothen the edges, prime any bare areas and repaint the surface of the wooden furniture.
2. You may have to use a filler if several flaking happens in numerous layers of paint.
3. If the crack goes deep to the substrate, use a heat gun to scrape all of the paint. Smoothen the surface with a sandpaper. Prime and use a good quality latex paint to repaint the surface.

Fixing paint crack on wooden furniture extends the life of your furniture, allowing you to save on expenses.