Home Repairing News — Field reporting on the state of your house

COPPER PIPE PRICES UP 18% THIS QUARTER RECALL WATCH: 40-GAL WATER HEATER OVERHEAT REPORTS NEW ELECTRICAL CODE TAKES EFFECT JAN. 1 FEMA FLAGS THREE ROOFING MATERIALS IN FIRE ZONES LUMBER FUTURES SLIDE FOR THIRD STRAIGHT WEEK COPPER PIPE PRICES UP 18% THIS QUARTER RECALL WATCH: 40-GAL WATER HEATER OVERHEAT REPORTS NEW ELECTRICAL CODE TAKES EFFECT JAN. 1 FEMA FLAGS THREE ROOFING MATERIALS IN FIRE ZONES LUMBER FUTURES SLIDE FOR THIRD STRAIGHT WEEK

Today's lead inspection

What your roofer isn't telling you about this year's shingles

Field-tested reporting on repairs, materials, code changes, and recalls — written by people who've actually pulled the permit. No showroom spin, no affiliate fluff.

Read today's stories Get the weekly dispatch

Roofer inspecting shingles on a residential roof

Wind-lift damage, SW corner

Flashing rusted through

Granule loss: high

FIG. 04 — INSPECTION REF #HR-2291 ROOFING DESK

Latest Stories

Updated hourly by the desk

Recall Watch

Tankless water heater installed in a home utility space

PLUMBING DESK · AUG 15, 2026 · 6 MIN READ

A popular 40-gallon water heater is linked to overheating complaints. Here's what owners should check tonight.

The manufacturer says the fix is a five-minute reset. Three licensed plumbers we spoke with disagree, and want a thermostat swap instead.

Materials

Coils of copper pipe stacked at a supply yard

MARKETS · AUG 14, 2026

Copper pipe prices jump 18% this quarter

What it means for your next repipe, and which alternative fittings are actually holding up.

Code & Permits

Electrician working inside a residential breaker panel

ELECTRICAL DESK · AUG 13, 2026

New electrical code changes take effect January 1

Three requirements that will affect any homeowner pulling a renovation permit next year.

Tools

TOOLS & MATERIALS · AUG 12, 2026

The $40 fix plumbers wish every homeowner knew

A cartridge swap that stops most faucet drips — and the tool that makes it a ten-minute job.

Seasonal

Attic insulation being installed before winter

HVAC & SEASONAL · AUG 10, 2026

Winterizing checklist: 12 things inspectors say homeowners skip

A licensed home inspector walks us through the attic, crawlspace, and exterior checks that get missed every year.

Exteriors

EXTERIORS · AUG 9, 2026

FEMA flags three roofing materials for wildfire-prone zones

An updated advisory could reshape what insurers will cover in high-risk counties starting this fall.

01Roofing & Exteriors 02Plumbing 03Electrical 04HVAC & Seasonal 05Tools & Materials 06Code & Recalls

Field Notes

Short dispatches, no byline needed

30-SECOND READ

Why your circuit breaker keeps tripping in August

Heat, not overload, is the usual culprit — an electrician explains how to tell the difference before calling anyone out.

30-SECOND READ

The caulk you're using in the bathroom is the wrong caulk

Silicone versus acrylic latex, and why the wrong pick fails in under a year around tile.

30-SECOND READ

A running toilet is costing you more than you think

One flapper valve, ninety seconds, and a meaningful line item off next month's water bill.