Repair It or Replace It?

Nearly all old or damaged hardwood floors can be repaired by skilled contractors, which may save you a pretty penny on installing new flooring. However, a few key signs indicate when total replacement is necessary: floors with structural subfloor issues; extreme movement between wood boards; and floors that have been sanded too many times, revealing nails or weak joints. Read more about when it's worth saving hardwood floors.

Should you track down a spare part to fix an appliance or bite the bullet and buy new? Visit RepairClinic.com to choose among common reasons why many household appliances stop working. Then, enter your appliance's model number to quickly diagnose whether you can repair the issue and if it's cost-effective. The website even has video how-to's to get the job done yourself.

Leaky faucet? Do a quick Internet search of your faucet's make and model to determine whether it's a chronic problem or a possible one-time fix. Amazon.com reviews and online forums can reveal clues about whether O-ring or cartridge replacements are worth the time. Spare parts (if not antique or specialty) will almost always be significantly less expensive than a brand new faucet. Watch this video to see how easy it is to fix a leaky faucet.

Roof replacements can be extremely costly — at least in the mid-thousands — and the bigger the roof the higher the cost. If asphalt shingle roofing hasn't yet reached its limit of 20-25 years, try replacing individual shingles, especially "if they're brittle, many granules are missing or they've curled," says Tim Carter, builder/remodeler and founder of AskTheBuilder.com.