3 Household Disasters and How to Deal With Them

Wild animal on the loose? Construction mishap? Don't let this mayhem terrorize your home! With our homeowner survival tips, you'll know just what to do when trouble strikes. SEE MORE HOME DISASTERS AND ALL OUR HOMEOWNER SURVIVAL TIPS AT THISOLDHOUSE.COM.

• 1. Disaster: A Wild Animal is Loose in the House

  

  What to do: "Don't try to herd a bird with a broom or tennis racket. It'll just panic and try to hide," says Tom Scollins, a zoologist turned wildlife-control agent in Baltimore. "Instead, turn off the lights and open the windows, drapes, and blinds. It’ll feel the air currents and fly toward the light." The same technique works for squirrels and raccoons, if you can corral them in a room and shut the door. If that fails, you’ll need to call in a professional wildlife wrangler or your town’s animal-control officer.  See how to keep this from happening to you... MORE: Pet-Friendly Home DIY-Projects

• 2. Problem: You May Have Just Taken Down a Bearing Wall

  

  What to do: Look into the ceiling. If the joists are perpendicular to the old wall and their ends sat on it (probably overlapping it slightly), it was a bearing wall—i.e., it held the weight of the house on its shoulders. Build two temporary walls, one on either side of the removed wall, by securing 2x4s to the floor and ceiling and inserting a stud between them under each joist. Cut the studs 1/8 to 3/16 inch longer than needed, says This Old House general contractor Tom Silva, and wedge them in place with a sledge­hammer. Then call a contractor or engineer, who should be able to cut back the joists and install a beam in the ceiling, at which point you can take down the temporary supports and enjoy your open floor plan. See how to keep this from happening to you... MORE: Home Inspection Nightmares

• 3. Problem: The Basement is Under Three Feet of Water

  

  What to do: If the water is coming from a plumbing problem (that is, if it’s not teeming outside), shut off the main right away—unless you have to swim to it. Newer houses typically have electrical wiring at least a foot off the ground, but if your heating plant is old, its electrical feed may be just inches off grade. The water could be electrified even if it's only ankle deep. Call an electrician or the utility to cut power to the building. If it's a burst pipe, call a plumber. If it's a rainstorm, sit tight and wait for the water level to drop before attempting a cleanup. See how to keep this from happening to you... FIND THE REST OF THE HOUSEHOLD DISASTERS AND WAYS TO DEAL ON THISOLDHOUSE.COM.