Dana Kowalczyk

Diagnose first, then fix

Dana Kowalczyk writes the troubleshooting guides: what that noise, drip or stubborn clog is telling you, and how to check before you buy a single part. Her pieces are built around symptoms, with a quick test for each likely cause and the repair that matches it, from running toilets to humming garbage disposals and holes in drywall. She keeps the language plain, names the parts as you will see them in the store, and ends with what to try next, including when it is time to call a pro.

Writes about

Faucets and fixtures
Drains and clogs
Toilets
Garbage disposals
Drywall repair
Troubleshooting

Dana Kowalczyk is a house byline of the Renovation Videos editorial team. Drafts are prepared with software help, and every fact is checked against the sources cited on the page. How we check facts

By Dana

9 guides

Baseboard and Crown Moulding: Measuring, Mitering and Nailing
Tools
Trim looks wrong when the corners are not 90 degrees. Check each corner first, adjust the miter angle to match, nail into wood and fill what is left.
4 min read
Insulation R-Values and Attic Insulation: What to Add and Where
Planning
Before you buy insulation, find out what you have and what your climate and local code call for. Seal the air leaks first, keep the attic vents open, and cover the tops of the joists.
6 min read
Installing Vinyl Plank Flooring: Subfloor, Layout and Last Row
Getting started
Click-lock vinyl plank goes down quickly, but only on a floor that is clean, dry and flat. Check the subfloor, build three straight rows before you commit, keep the expansion gap, and stagger the seams.
5 min read
Finishing a Basement: Moisture First, Then Insulation and Framing
Planning
The basement walls you want to hide are the ones telling you whether it is ready. Test for moisture first, fix any water problem, then insulate, frame, wire and finish, with a permit.
5 min read
Leaky Faucet? Identify Your Faucet Type Before You Buy Parts
Fixes
A dripping faucet is almost always one worn part, but which part depends on how the faucet works inside. Spend five minutes identifying the type and you’ll leave the store with the right washer, O-ring or cartridge instead of a bag of guesses.
4 min read
Plunger, Snake or Drain Cleaner: Which Clears Your Clog?
Fixes
Most clogged drains clear with a plunger, a bucket and a cheap hand snake, in that order. Chemical drain cleaners are the riskiest option in the house, and the one most likely to leave you with a pipe full of caustic water.
4 min read
Drywall Repair: Which Patch to Use for Which Size of Hole
Fixes
The size of the hole decides the patch. Nail and anchor holes need only spackle. Small holes take a tape patch, medium holes a California patch, and anything bigger needs a new piece of drywall with something solid behind it.
4 min read
Garbage Disposal Humming or Not Working? How to Diagnose It
Fixes
If your disposal hums but won’t spin, it’s almost always jammed, and the hex wrench that came with it frees it from underneath. If it’s silent, it has lost power or tripped its overload. Either way, the first step is the same: turn it off and never put your hand inside.
3 min read
Why Your Toilet Keeps Running: 4 Causes and the Fix for Each
Fixes
A toilet that keeps running, refills on its own or hisses is almost always one of four parts inside the tank, and all of them are cheap and replaceable without tools you don’t already own. A few drops of food colouring tell you where to start.
4 min read