Manual simplifies home repair

February 26, 2012 at 12:00a.m.

A good home repair manual is arguably just as valuable to a toolbox as a hammer or screwdriver. Stephen Fanuka and Edward Lewine have teamed up on one that’s easy for a first-time homeowner to understand and use.

“What’s a Homeowner to Do?” combines the know-how of Fanuka, a Manhattan contractor featured on DIY Network’s “Million Dollar Contractor,” and Lewine, author of the Domains and Ask the Contractor columns in the New York Times Magazine. Their book contains information for people from raw novices to more seasoned do-it-yourselfers, addressing everything from how to hammer a nail to how to replace a window.

They provide basic information on how the parts of a house are constructed or how they operate and include sections titled “The Dark Side” to warn of things to avoid or problems that might arise.

“What’s a Homeowner to Do?” is published by Artisan Books and sells for $17.95 in softcover.

Paint touch-ups

The Slobproof Paint Pen makes it easy to keep walls looking freshly painted.

The pen is a plastic tube with a brush top that you fill with the same paint used on your wall, trim or other painted surface. A cap keeps the paint from drying out between uses, so it’s always handy for touching up dings, discolorations and other small flaws. The pen was created by Debbie Wiener, an interior designer.

It can be ordered from at website, www.slobproof.com. A set of two paint pens and a syringe for filling them costs $19.99 plus shipping.

McClatchy Newspapers