Source: Consumer Reports

More shoppers are reaching for the credit cards--total consumer debt ticked up 0.3 percent in the final months of 2012, the first increase in four years, according to the New York Federal Reserve. That may be good news for the economy, but it could spell ruin for homeowners who get hit with an unexpected home repair. So before you rack up any more debt, read our checklist of problems not to be ignored.

Read Full Article: Before taking on more debt, head off these major home repairs