Owning a piece of the American dream – your own home – is one of the ultimate feelings of accomplishment and independence

And yet along with all the perks come plenty of headaches and added expense when things go wrong. That’s when the creative get going and decide to tackle what they can, hire professional help they must, and put the rest on the back burner.  How about you – think you have what it takes to roll up your sleeves, contribute to the value of your home and save some money in the process?

Here are five ways you can do just that:

1. Locate a stud – If you don’t own a stud finder, start at the corner of a room (where you’re sure to find a stud) and measure out in 16 inch increments. To ensure accuracy, use a thin drill bit or small nail to make a test hole at the top of the base molding, which can easily be patched with a dab of caulk.

2. Remove a broken light bulb – First, turn the power off or unplug the lamp. Then, cut a raw potato in half and press the cut end into the broken glass and carefully twist it out.

3. Pick an interior lock – It never fails: you’re getting ready for work and little Johnny picks that precise moment to lock himself in the bathroom. No need to panic. Simply insert a straightened bobby pin or safety pin into the small hole on or beside the handle and compress the spring inside. Crisis averted.

4. Bypass your electric garage door opener – The power is out and your car is stuck in the garage. Or so you think. Ever notice that red cord hanging from the ceiling-mounted garage door operator? Pull it to disengage the chain drive and manually lift the door up the track.

5. Use a fire extinguisher – If you don’t own one, you should and then familiarize yourself with it before the need to use it ever arises. Remember that the average extinguisher has about 8 seconds of life once you pull the trigger. We hope you never need to use it, but if you do, the following will make operation simple and successful: PASS – Pull the pin, Aim the nozzle, Squeeze the trigger, Sweep from side to side.

And then there are all those things you never should attempt on your own, and that’s anything to do with your home electrical system unless you’ve been specifically trained for that purpose.  For everything else, there’s Excel Electric, ready to assist with electrical installations and repairs, large and small, anytime you need us.