11 How-Tos From Disaster House

1. 1. Salvaging Water-Damaged Photos and Documents

   

   3 Thumbs

   Find tips on how to save flood-damaged photos and papers.

   Cost:

   $0 to $0

2. 2. How to Replace an Electrical Outlet Receptacle

   

   4 Thumbs

   At Disaster House, we invited heavy-metal rock band Slaughter to overload our electrical system. We had the band to hook up all of thei...

   Time:

   2 hours

   Cost:

   $1 to $50

   Difficulty:

   Moderate to Hard

3. 3. How to Remove and Replace a Dishwasher

   

   1 Thumbs

   With so many moving parts and water seals, dishwashers can break or leak in a lot of places and damage the floor underneath. To simulat...

   Time:

   Under Half Day

   Cost:

   $250 to $500

   Difficulty:

   Moderate to Hard

4. 4. How to Install Fiberglass Attic Insulation

   

   0 Thumbs

   If small critters get into your attic they can cause damage to your insulation, wiring or framing. Here is the best way to repair insul...

   Time:

   Day

   Cost:

   $100 to $250

   Difficulty:

   Easy to Moderate

5. 5. How to Patch Damaged Drywall

   

   5 Thumbs

   To simulate years of major neglect and severe damage, we invited the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls to have a derby match in the Disaster H...

   Time:

   Under Half Day

   Cost:

   $50 to $100

   Difficulty:

   Easy to Moderate

6. 6. How to Install a Post and Mailbox

   

   3 Thumbs

   Learn the correct height and method for installing a new post and mailbox.

   Time:

   Under Half Day

   Cost:

   $50 to $100

   Difficulty:

   Easy to Moderate

7. 7. How to Replace a Window

   

   2 Thumbs

   We had medieval warriors attack the windows of Disaster House with axes, arrows and a battering ram just so we could show you how to in...

   Time:

   Under Half Day

   Cost:

   $100 to $250

   Difficulty:

   Moderate

8. 8. How to Remove Old Sod and Lay New Sod

   

   1 Thumbs

   We used a demolition derby to simulate the wear and tear a lawn can go though over a few years. After it was all over, we pulled up the...

   Time:

   Day

   Cost:

   $500 to $1000

   Difficulty:

   Easy to Moderate

9. 9. How to Repair Hardwood Plank Flooring

   

   5 Thumbs

   Hardwood floors can be damaged by any number things. We had professional teppanyaki chefs prepare food on our hardwood floor and take a...

   Time:

   Day

   Cost:

   $100 to $250

   Difficulty:

   Moderate to Hard

10. 10. How to Fix a Clogged Toilet

    

    3 Thumbs

    One of the most common and frustrating fixes for a homeowner is a clogged toilet. We had an 8,000-pound African elephant help us seriou...

    Time:

    Under Half Day

    Cost:

    $50 to $100

    Difficulty:

    Easy to Moderate