Straight talk for common repairs.

Patch a small drywall hole

A nail hole and a doorknob ding are different jobs. Both are doable if you go slow and use thin coats.

• Nail or screw hole. Press a little spackle in with a putty knife, wipe the extra off, let it dry, and sand it flush. Prime the spot, then touch up the paint. One coat of paint often flashes (looks dull or shiny) on a patch, so keep a little leftover wall paint if you have it.
• Doorknob-size hole (up to about 4 inches). Use a self-adhesive mesh patch or cut a tight-fitting piece of drywall. Cover it with thin coats of joint compound, letting each coat dry. Feather the edges out past the patch so you can't feel a ridge. Sand lightly between coats.
• Match the texture. A lot of Florida homes have knockdown or orange-peel texture. A perfectly smooth patch will stick out after you paint. Practice the texture on a scrap of cardboard first.
• Don't pile it on. One thick blob shrinks and cracks. Two or three thin coats beat one heavy one every time.

If the hole is bigger than your hand, if the paper face is torn over a wide area, or if the drywall is soft from water, that's a bigger repair. Cut back to solid board before you patch.

Want the full walkthrough for bigger holes and textures? No-BS Drywall Hole Repair Guide — $12

Spot window sill rot before it spreads

In Florida, windows take a beating from rain and humidity. Rot often starts at the sill, the stool (the interior ledge), or the bottom of the side jambs — and paint can hide it for a long time.

• Look. Peeling or bubbling paint, dark staining, a swollen or uneven interior stool, gaps in the caulk, or soft, fuzzy wood at the outside sill are all warning signs.
• Probe gently. Press an awl or a screwdriver into the bottom of the sill and the stool. Solid wood pushes back. If the tip sinks in, that wood is gone. Check the corners, where water sits.
• Find the water path. Failed caulk, clogged weep holes on vinyl windows, missing flashing, or a sill that tips back toward the house are common causes. If you only paint over soft wood, the rot keeps going.
• A temporary stop. You can clear weeps, recaulk sound joints, and keep water out while you plan the repair. That is not the same as a fix.
• When to call a pro. If the sill plate, jack studs, or sheathing feel soft, or if the window has dropped or won't operate, the framing may be involved. That's past a weekend patch.

Don't chip at structural wood just to "see how far it goes" if the wall feels spongy. Get someone who does this work to look at it.

Check the fascia under the gutters

The fascia is the board behind your gutters. The bottom edge, especially under roof valleys and at inside corners, is a common rot point. Clogged gutters and a drip edge that kicks water behind the gutter feed it.

• Look from the ground first. Wavy or stained fascia, sagging gutters, or paint that looks fine but the board looks thick or fuzzy at the bottom are clues. Binoculars help.
• The paint can lie. A board can look freshly painted and still be soft underneath. If you get on a ladder, press the bottom edge. Don't lean a ladder on a gutter you already think is failing.
• Fix the water, then the wood. Clean the gutters. Make sure downspouts run. Check that the drip edge sends water into the gutter, not behind it.
• Cut back to solid wood. Replacing the rotten stretch, priming all sides of the new board, and painting it is the real repair. Capping aluminum over mush just hides the problem until the gutter pulls loose.

Ladders, power lines, and two-story eaves are a safety issue. If you can't reach it comfortably, don't. Hire it out.

Musty rooms in a Florida house

A lot of "mystery leaks" here are humidity, not a roof hole. Air conditioning makes interior surfaces cold. Warm, wet air hits those surfaces and leaves moisture. Closets, unused bedrooms, and rooms with the vents closed off are frequent spots.

• Keep the air moving. Don't shut supply vents in rooms you rarely use. Run the bath fan during and after showers. Give closets a little air — packed closets against an exterior wall get damp fast.
• Check the easy water sources first. AC condensate drains and pans, a dripping line, a loose toilet supply, and window condensation are more common than a dramatic roof failure.
• Don't just paint a soft, dark spot. If drywall is soft, crumbling, or the spot keeps coming back, find the moisture source first. Paint over a wet stain and it returns.
• Know the limit. A musty closet and a bathroom that needs a better fan are homeowner jobs. Widespread growth, a strong smell you can't find, or wet insulation is a job for a professional. This tip is not mold-remediation advice.

More on damp Florida homes: Florida Humid-Home Mold & Mildew Fix-It Guide — $5

What to check when a ceiling stains

A brown or yellow ring on the ceiling is a message, not a paint problem. Find out whether it's still wet, and where the water came from, before you patch or paint.

• Is it still wet? Press a clean tissue or your fingertips (gently) against the stain. Soft, cool, or damp means it's active or recently active. A hard, old stain may be from a past leak that already stopped — but confirm that.
• Look above it. Common sources: an upstairs bathroom (toilet, tub, supply line), an air-handler or condensate line in the attic, a roof penetration (vent, chimney, or wall flashing), or a spilled overflow in a laundry closet.
• Watch for sagging. If the drywall is bulging, stepped back and catch the water in a bucket. A small, controlled hole at the low point can relieve a belly of water. If a large area is sagging, get out from under it and call for help.
• Only patch after it's dry. And only after the source is fixed. Otherwise you're decorating a leak.

Attics in Florida get very hot. Watch your step on joists, and don't walk on drywall. If you aren't comfortable up there, don't go.