OK, let's learn about a type of home plumbing material that is becoming more commonly used called PEX (not "pecs" like on display in the weight lifting photo).

PEX stands for cross-linked high density polyethylene and although the material has been in use since the 1970's, it is now fast becoming the piping material of choice in new home construction and even home remodeling projects.

Although you may find PEX in newer homes, there are many more common types of piping material found in homes depending on their age. For example galvanized pipe is commonly found in older homes and copper pipe is found in homes of all ages and of course still in common use today.

But there are different types of piping used for waste lines, water supply and gas supply. It is important to know which piping material is which and how to identify them so you use the correct material in your home repair projects! I'll also explain what they are used for and how to cut and fasten them together

In the tutorial Types of Home Piping Materials, I will cover the most commonly found piping found in the home such as:

• Cast Iron, PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride),
• Chromed Brass,
• Chromed Copper,
• Galvanized Iron,
• Copper (rigid and flexible),
• CPVC (Chlorinated Poly Vinyl Chloride),
• PEX; and
• Black Iron pipe.

So take a read and learn what type of piping you have in your home.

Enjoying your deck in summer is part of our American suburban culture. But if If you're building or replacing a deck board this summer, then you'll be faced with one of the oldest questions in deck construction.

Should the boards be placed bark side up or bark side down? This is important because wood deck boards will cup and then you wind up with tripping or splintering problems.

Understanding why wood warps and cups and how grain of the wood affects this behavior is helpful. There are lots of opinions are out there about which way to orient wood decking but I'll try and shed some light on how to place your deck boards so you end up with a great looking deck!

And don't forget that refinishing a wood deck is a great summer project that will improve your outdoor living space and extend the life of your deck. And your deck is a significant investment in your home.

Deck refinishing includes several steps such as:

• inspection,
• basic deck board repair and replacement  (if needed),
• initial deck board cleaning / brightening,
• deep cleaning with a power washer,
• sanding,
• staining / sealing and
• and of course, the celebration Labor Day BBQ!

There are several tricks and tips I outline for you in How to Refinish a Wood Deck to make short work of this project and get you professional looking results. I'll give you specific product recommendations and lead you through a very detailed and photo packed tutorial of each step in the refinishing process.

So this Labor Day, fix those warped or splintered deck boards and celebrate the holiday on your new refinished wood deck and enjoy the rest of the summer!

A universal truth is that plumbing repairs never wait until it's convenient.

Sinks clog, faucets leak and toilets back up mostly when it's inconvenient or when hiring a professional plumber requires paying double time, like during the weekend.

So it pays for you, as an About.com Home Repair weekend warrior, to become familiar with the tools of the trade, like the goofy looking thing in the blog post photo called a sink auger.

In the tutorial Top 10 Plumbing Tools, we'll review what specialized tools you need to have around the house and when to use them. Better to know now and have these tools ready than try to clear your drain with a hanger. Please don't do that...

Increasing attention has been given to the harmful effects of VOC's and what paint alternatives you have. In a "Green" home I designed and built a few years ago I used what I've found to be one of the best alternative paint options available, ceramic paint It's a wonderful product.

In the tutorial Ceramic Wall Paint, I'll explain why this paint is different and how it becomes one of the healthiest paint options for you and your family. You'll want to seriously consider this next time you have a paint job for your home.