Home & Garden Television's Complete Fix-It

From the Publisher Home and Garden Television’s The Complete Fix-It shows you how to do a variety of jobs the right way without having to hire professional help. From installing new balances on an old window to performing simple maintenance on heat pumps and air conditioners, all of the methods that professionals use are outlined in easy-to follow text. Chapters include Plumbing, Windows and Doors, Lighting and Electricity, Major Appliances, Roofing and Siding, Insulating and Weatherproofing, Heating and Cooling, Walls, Floors and Stairs, and Home Safety. *Includes hundreds of full-color step-by-step illustrations that clearly explain projects and techniques *Helpful hints of tools and materials needed to assist you in getting organized and planning projects in advance *Troubleshooting charts help you identify potential problems and solve them on your own using quick, easy steps *Contains complete safety instructions for using appliances and working with electrical systems Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Siding, Gutters & Roofing SCREENING GUTTERS AND DOWNSPOUTS Installing a leaf strainer or leafguard: Prepare to work safely with a ladder. In a moderately wooded area, prevent blockages by installing a leaf strainer in each downspout. Buy leaf strainers at a building supply center. Wear rubber gloves and insert one into the drop outlet. If the strainer is too large for the opening, squeeze the tines together. If it is too loose, bend the tines apart. Adjust the tines until the strainer fits snugly in the outlet. Installing a leaf guard: In a heavily wooded area, prevent blockages by installing a wide-mesh plastic leaf guard in the gutter. But a roll of leaf guard designed to fit your type and size of gutter. Use scissors to cut off a strip of leaf guard as long as the gutter. At a corner, or if more than one strip is necessary, overlap the ends by at least 1 inch. To install each strip, fit one side between the roofing material and the building paper along the roof edge, pushing until the other side is aligned along the outside gutter edge. If the roofing material cannot be lifted, roll the leaf guard and sit it on the gutter, notching it to fit over the hangers. To install a snap-on leaf guard along a vinyl gutter, press it into place under the hanger edges.