Clear answers to everyday questions

A running toilet is usually a worn flapper, a chain that's too short or a fill valve set too high. Most fixes take under 30 minutes and cost under $25.

Remove what they breed in (ripe fruit, drains, trash), trap adults with vinegar and dish soap, and clean daily for a week or two to break the cycle.

Most indoor gnats are fungus gnats from wet potting soil. Let soil dry, use yellow sticky traps and treat soil with BTI to break their life cycle.

Most shower clogs are hair. Remove the drain cover, pull the hair out with a barbed tool or pliers, then flush with hot water. Use a snake if it's deeper.

Start with hot water and a cup plunger, then clean the P-trap under the sink. If that fails, use a drain snake. Save chemical cleaners for last.

Use a flange plunger with firm, steady strokes; if that fails, try hot water and dish soap, then a toilet auger. Avoid chemical drain cleaners.

Yes, dogs can eat bananas as an occasional treat. Skip the peel, keep portions small and ask your vet first if your dog is diabetic or overweight.

Cats purr mostly when they're content, but also to calm themselves when stressed, hurt or sick. Context and body language tell you which one it is.

Dogs lick you to show affection, get attention or taste salt on your skin. Constant, compulsive licking can signal anxiety or a health problem.

Dogs howl to communicate: answering sirens, calling for you, signaling stress or, sometimes, pain. Here's how to read the howl and when to call a vet.

Dogs pant mainly to cool down, but also from excitement, stress or pain. Learn what normal panting looks like and the signs that mean a vet visit now.

Adult dogs often sleep 12 to 14 hours a day, and puppies and seniors even more. Here's what's normal and the signs that extra sleep needs a vet.