Fix It First

Fix It First covers the six situations where getting the first few minutes right matters more than anything you do afterward: a gas smell, a sparking outlet, a sewage backup, storm damage from a fallen tree, a chimney fire, and a frozen pipe with no water. None of these are step-by-step repair guides, because the repair is not the point yet. The point is making the right call in the first few minutes, before a professional arrives. Each guide in this series follows the same structure: what to check immediately, what to shut off or avoid touching, and the specific signs that mean you call for help right now instead of waiting. If you are reading one of these guides because something is happening in your house right now, start there and skip the rest. If you are reading ahead of time, working through all six gives you a mental checklist for the situations most likely to catch a homeowner off guard.