Fix Your House

Many of us, unless our parents or guardians are contractors, know very little about the home we grow up in. In school, we learn to factor polynomials and memorize the capitals, but can we turn off the water to our house in an emergency? This course does exactly that... it is designed to teach you about your house, inside and out, so that you can maintain it, and even potentially improve it. This course couldn't be more relevant, and is actually pretty fun, once you start to notice and tinker with the systems in your house.

Recommended Ages: 12 and Up

Recommended Number of Credits: 5- (equivalent to one semester)

1. Exterior
         1.1 Hide a Key
        1.2 Roof & Paint
        1.3 Leaky Windows & Doors
        1.4 Gutters
        1.5 Landscaping Issues
2. Plumbing
        2.1 How to Turn off Your Water to the House
        2.2 Measure Your Water Pressure
        2.3 The Sinks & Clogged Drains
        2.4 Toilets
        2.5 The Hot Water Heater
        2.6 Septic vs. Sewer
3. Electrical & HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, & Air Conditioning)
        3.1 The Breaker Box
        3.2 Understanding the Outlets
        3.3 How to Change a Light bulb
        3.4 Thermostats
        3.5 The Different Types of Heating
        3.6 The Different Types of Cooling
        3.7 Types of Energy for the Home
4. General Maintenance & Safety
        4.1 How to Find a Wall Stud
        4.2 Seasonal Maintenance Items
        4.3 Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
        4.4 Natural Disasters
        4.5 Managing Pests & Insects
        4.6 Home Security