In the US, more than 300 people get electrocuted in their homes every year! This is the reason Ground Force Circuit Interrupt or GFCI outlets are becoming more and more prevalent in today's homes. 

It used to be that municipalities required installation of GFCI outlets in moisture prone areas like kitchens and bathrooms, though now they are being considered as a requirement throughout the home for obvious reasons. 

invented in 1961 by Charles Dalziel, a Professor of Electrical Engineering at UC Berkeley, Its operation is fairly simple. It basically monitors the flow of electricity into and out of a given appliance. If the difference exceeds 5 milliamps, it basically tells itself that a ground fault may be occurring. The GFCI outlets cuts power in as little as .025 seconds. 

We can all see the benefits of the GFCI. It is a little expensive when compared to its more basic brother, but when you weigh in the potential damage it can prevent or even save a loved one's life, it's actually pretty cheap. Primarily preventing shock, fire and damage to appliances.

Installation is the same as the non-GFCI outlets. Remember to turn off power the area you are working on to avoid any problems. Again, if you are not comfortable with electricity, then leave it to the pros. otherwise, if you are handy, it should take too much brain power to install it. 

In my experience, mold and mildew stains in bathrooms seem to be caused by two factors. One is the lack of adequate ventilation which causes moisture to build up which then condensates and creates an environment for mold and mildew to propagate. Having adequate ventilation allows moisture to be expelled and diminishes the opportunity for mold or mildew to grow.

The other factor is the paint. A lot of people don't pay attention to the paint that they are using, I mean, paint is paint, right? Well, not exactly. Semi-gloss and high gloss paints have anti mold/mildew properties. That glossy sheen creates a barrier that inhibits mold growth and thus this type of paint should always be used in moisture rich places like bathrooms and kitchens and maybe even laundry rooms.

Removal is fairly easy. You will need to roll up your sleeves, put on a pair of rubber gloves and get to it. With a mixture of bleach and water or better yet, a good stain remover from your local hardware store, you apply the affected areas and let it do its magic. After several minutes grab your brush and start brushing. Once the mold/mildew is removed to your satisfaction dry any excess moisture and let dry. Use a portable fan if possible to speed up the process.

Once the walls are dry, apply a couple of coats of stain blocking primer. Make sure you tape up any trim or fixture you don't want painted with masking tape. Once the primer has dried, you can proceed to applying two coats of semigloss in your desired color. Make sure you follow the paint manufacturers directions to insure a long mold free bathroom experience.

As I am installing a garbage disposer for a customer, she mentions that she will move some items from the kitchen counter top so I have more room to work. I say thank you. Two seconds later BAM! No, it's not Emeril Lagasse spicing it up a bit in the background on TV, it's my hammer. 

As my customer moves thing away for me to work, she inadvertently drops my hammer onto her tiled kitchen floor and hence adding a crack to one of her floor tiles. The damage was done.

Luckily, I knew what to do. The first thing I did, and you can too if you have the tools, was to chisel out the grout around the damaged tile. Do this carefully as you don't want to damage adjacent good tile. This is done so that when you go chisel out the broken tile you don't pull up non damaged tiles. This is the same concept you see in concrete sidewalks. Have you ever noticed the lines or grooves cut into the concrete creating a series of squares or rectangles as you walk? What this does is basically stops cracks from moving beyond those points and confining the damage to a relatively small area that can be later repaired.

Anyway, after you remove the grout around the damaged tile you can begin the process of chiseling out the affected tile. Remember to remove as much of the mortar under the tile as possible. Once the mortar is removed you will need to vacuum a lot of dust and debris left over from the demolition. Home Depot, Lowes or your local home center should have replacement tile if yours aren't from the 1970's. Otherwise you may have to use a similar design or find tile from a online supplier. You can also find ready made mortar and grout mix to use to set the tile and use the same mix to grout. Several color options are available. Use a grooved spatula to spread mortar mix onto the tile. Set the tile and use a level to make sure it's level all around. After grouting, use a specialty sponge, also found at your home center to clean up excess grout. Use a diagonal stroke as opposed to wiping along the grout lines as this may cause more grout removal than needs be. And there you have it...

What's going on under the sink? Several problems can come from garbage disposals. To begin with, there is a lot of water going through this machine and no matter how well you take care of it, it won't last forever. Metal pieces will eventually rust. Seals will eventually break. 

But here are a few tips to understand this workhorse. Leaks coming from the garbage disposal can due to several possibilities but for the most part it's the seal that separates the main drive from the blades. While the seals can be replaced, it is usually cheaper to replace the unit when considering part costs and labor costs.

As I mentioned before, there is a lot of water going through the unit. Prolonged use will begin to rust the metal pieces in the garbage disposal. The flange that attaches the disposal to the sink itself may have come loose through years of use and vibration. 

I have found everything from egg shells to dinnerware to bottle caps to glass and everything in between inside the blade area. When a piece of foreign objects get stuck between the blade disc and the wall of the garbage disposal, the motor will seize causing it to hum and trigger the on-board circuit breaker and stops power for reaching the motor. If this happens to you, unplug your disposal, clear out any debris in the unit. Using a hex tool provided with the garbage disposal, you insert the tool at the bottom of the unit and turn until the disposal motor moves freely. There is also a reset button under the disposal to restart the unit. If repairing or replacing a garbage disposal is out of your comfort zone, Max Handyman can help.

This is a difficult question to answer since there are too many factors that contribute to a handyman's rate. I have seen average rates as low as $15 an hour to $120 an hour, depending on what part of the country you live in.  A professional handyman is more than likely running a small business and like any business, there are costs related to running a business. A handy guy with tools doing side jobs will have less overhead and thus  a lower rate. Generally speaking your looking to pay anywhere from $60 to $100 an hour.

A professional handyman will generally take more pride in his work and as a small business owner should understand basic business facts: good work equals more work, bad work equal unemployment. You will generally have a better result from an experience handyman. That's not to say you can't find a good part timer out there but they are very elusive. In general, professional handymen understand that quality is key to longevity.

How much should you pay for a handyman? That depends on how much you are willing to pay for good service. How much is it worth to you? Some handymen bid the project rather than offer an hourly rate. If you want a handyman to come out, bring his tools, provide good service for minimum wage, you are setting yourself up for a bad thing. Look for a guy that's been around for a while, is professional, guarantees his work and, more often than not, it will be a good experience. Be wary of those who promise top quality work for rock bottom rates. I have seen many handymen use that catch phrase to get work but it is impossible to provide. Top quality translates to more time on the job and that translates to more man hours. If you're willing to pay for it, great.