Opening Doors Blog

Again turn off the water to the faucet before starting a repair, open the spout drain and close the drain. Most leaks in a ceramic faucet can be repaired by cleaning the bottom of the disk cylinder and replacing three flexible washers called inlet seals. Replace the disk cylinder if the faucet continues to leak after these repairs. [...] Read More

Although analysts expect an improvement on the economy soon, the mortgage crisis is delaying our economic recovery as more homeowners lag behind their payments. But the large number of homeowners who are in default or in danger of foreclosure will have a lasting effect on the wider economy. Last Wednesday, the Mortgage Bankers Association said that more than 10 percent of homeowners with a mortgage failed to pay in the period of January to March. [...] Read More

Supply pipes, which carry water to the fixtures, may be made of copper, galvanized steel which is silver in color or plastic. Drain pipes are thicker and are made of galvanized steel, plastic or in older homes, cast iron. Steel pipes usually cause the most problems. [...] Read More

There are some situations in which you might want to explore specialty mortgages. For instance, if you have plenty of stock or bond assets but would prefer to keep your investments intact and growing you might choose a pledged-asset mortgage. Or home buyers with limited cash for a down payment might choose a loan insured by the Federal Housing Authority (FHA). [...] Read More

If water pressure from a faucet is low or if water squirts out erratically, first check the aerator which is the cylindrical piece at the end of the spout. Wrap tape around it and unscrew it with pliers. Take the small pieces apart and clean them especially the screen. Or you can replace the aerator with a new one. [...] Read More

Most faucet valves can be repaired by a householder armed with the right tools. There are essentially four types of faucets and each with many variations resulting in literally dozens of slightly different parts such as washers and rings for each model. The only way to be sure that you have the correct replacement part is to take apart the faucet, remove the worn or broken item and take it to the hardware or plumbing-supply store to make a match. [...] Read More

During the home buying process, if you have any financial skeletons in your closet expect them to come out. Lenders typically look at the "four Cs" of credit when reviewing your application. The four Cs of credit are capacity, credit history, capital and collateral. [...] Read More

Older faucets are compression valve types with rubber washers that must be replaced from time to time. Faucets with cartridge, ball and ceramic-disk valves are called washer-less but still have parts that periodically need to be repaired or replaced. So if they are made by a well-known manufacturer then you will be able to find repair parts easily. [...] Read More

What is a loan application? A loan application is a detailed form that lenders use to evaluate whether or not they can give you a loan and if so, the amount of money they will be able to lend you. Lender applications vary by company but on the application you may be asked to provide you bank account balances and account numbers as well as the bank's branch address. [...] Read More

Some shower and tub repairs are actually quite simple. For example, unclogging a tub drain is similar to unclogging a toilet or sink and replacing a shower head is essentially a matter of unscrewing the old one and screwing on the new. [...] Read More