Home Inspection Insight:  Got a screw loose? Here’s your fix.

 

• Faced with a stripped screw hole?  A golf tee, toothpick or a wooden match stick (the end without the sulfur) can help with the fix. Coat the tee with wood glue, tap it into place (in the screw hole). Cut the tee flush using a sharp utility knife; next, reinsert the screw.

• Loose screws not the problem?  Before you start to drive a screw, drill a pilot hole first, smaller in diameter than the screw.  Also dip the screw in liquid soap to lubricate the threads and make driving the screw easier.

• Need to loosen a frozen nut? If you find yourself without WD-40 and need to loosen a frozen nut, try lemon juice or hydrogen peroxide to cut through the rust and corrosion.