Privacy policy

Scope of this policy

This policy describes the public FixGraph website, including published repair guides, site search, the optional reader-comment form, the FixGraph Chrome extension, and the FixGraph mobile app for Android and iPhone. It does not describe a third-party website reached through an external source link.

Browsing and site search

You can read guides and use the site search without creating a public-site account. When you submit a search or open a search-results link, your search terms and requested page are sent to the FixGraph search API. The API searches published guides and returns one page of results; the search form does not send your query to a third-party search provider.

FixGraph uses a first-party analytics endpoint to understand page views, active reading, section views, internal-link clicks, site searches, result clicks, and successful comment submissions. It uses a random session identifier kept in session storage and removed after the browser session; this first-party tracker does not set an advertising or persistent visitor cookie. Google Analytics is a separate service described below.

Analytics records may include the page path and title, content category, referring domain, and a site search phrase after common email addresses, telephone numbers, and URLs have been removed. When the local geographic database is available, the service briefly uses the request network address to derive a coarse country and state or province code; only those codes are added to analytics, and the network address, city, postal code, and coordinates are not stored in the analytics record. The analytics application does not store the complete user-agent string, and the browser tracker honors Global Privacy Control and Do Not Track. The hosting and security layer may still process standard request data, including those values, to deliver and protect the service.

FixGraph Chrome extension

The FixGraph Chrome extension is an optional search interface for the FixGraph website. When you actively submit a query in the extension, it sends the search terms and requested page directly to our first-party search API at https://fixgraph.com/api/search. The API searches published guides and returns result metadata to the extension popup, where the results are displayed. Clicking a result opens the corresponding published guide on FixGraph.com in your browser.

Opening the extension without submitting a search does not send a search query. The extension does not read the contents of the current page or your browsing history, collect identity information, or collect data in the background.

After a successful search, the extension uses Chrome's in-memory chrome.storage.session API to retain only the last successful search's normalized query, the current page and total result count, the current page's publicly returned result metadata, and the result-area scroll position. This lets the popup restore that search state when it is reopened during the same Chrome browser session. The stored result metadata is the current page of public search results, not browsing history.

If you clear the search box, the extension immediately deletes this stored search state, including the query, result metadata, page information, and scroll position.

Chrome clears this in-memory state when the extension is disabled, reloaded, or updated, or when Chrome restarts; it is not persisted across Chrome browser sessions. The extension does not use chrome.storage.local or chrome.storage.sync, and does not use this session state for advertising or profiling. Unsubmitted input and error states are not saved.

The storage permission is used only to restore the popup search state. The extension requests access to https://fixgraph.com/* only to call our API. It does not change your default search engine or inject content into webpages. It does not use a third-party search provider.

Search requests from the extension are requests to the same FixGraph website and API described in this policy. The website and API may process standard service and security data, including request data needed to deliver and protect the service, as described above and elsewhere in this policy.

FixGraph mobile app

The FixGraph mobile app is an optional interface for searching and reading published FixGraph repair guides. No account or sign-in is required. When you submit a search, the app sends the search terms and requested page to our first-party search API at https://fixgraph.com/api/search. The API searches published guides and returns result metadata to the app.

When you open a guide, the app loads the published page from FixGraph.com in an in-app web view. FixGraph website analytics, security processing, cookies, and Google Analytics described elsewhere in this policy may operate while that content is loaded. External source links may open in your device's system browser and are governed by the privacy practices of the destination site.

The app can save guide result details as favorites and maintain a list of recently viewed guides. Favorites and browsing history are stored locally on your device and are not synchronized to a FixGraph account or server. You can remove individual entries or clear local data from the app's Settings. Removing the app may also remove its locally stored data, subject to the operating system's backup and restore behavior.

Published guide pages may display reader observations and an optional form for submitting an observation. If you submit an observation through the app, the same information, moderation, publication, abuse-prevention, and retention practices described in the sections about comments apply.

The app does not request access to your precise location, camera, microphone, contacts, photos, or advertising identifier. It requires an internet connection to search FixGraph and load published guides.

Google Analytics

The production website uses Google Analytics 4 to measure visits and use of the site. When enabled, the Google tag loads a script from Google and sends measurement data to Google, such as page URLs, page titles, referring pages, browser and device information, and interactions enabled in our Analytics settings. Google Analytics may use first-party cookies to distinguish visitors and sessions.

Our site does not load the Google tag in local development or preview builds, or when the browser signals Global Privacy Control or Do Not Track. You can also use browser controls to restrict cookies or tracking. This integration does not send comment text or display names as custom Analytics events. Avoid including personal information in search terms or URLs.

Information submitted with a comment

If comments are enabled and you submit one, the service receives the article identifier, the display name you choose, the observation text, and a hidden anti-spam field. Do not include an email address, telephone number, home address, account number, serial number, or other personal information in the display name or observation.

The client network address is converted into a keyed one-way hash for abuse prevention and rate limiting. The raw network address and user-agent value are not stored in the comment record by this application; the resulting submitter hash is stored with the comment.

Moderation and publication

New comments that pass the submission checks are approved and queued for publication automatically. A moderator may later mark a comment as not approved, approve it again, or delete it. Only approved display names, comment text, and publication time are included on public guide pages.

Moderation records may include status, timestamps, and moderator information. Rejected, deleted, or legacy pending comments are not shown on public guide pages, but records may be retained for moderation, abuse prevention, and audit continuity.

How information is used

• Deliver pages, search data, and requested site functions.
• Measure which guides and navigation paths are useful and identify searches that return no results.
• Review published comments and maintain an understandable moderation history.
• Limit repeated or automated submissions and investigate operational errors.
• Maintain site security and improve the clarity of published guidance.

Sharing and sale

FixGraph does not sell personal information. Information may be processed by infrastructure providers that are necessary to host, secure, or operate the service, and may be disclosed when required to comply with applicable law or protect the service and its users.

External source links have their own privacy practices. Opening one takes you away from FixGraph, and this policy does not control what that site collects.

Retention and choices

Operational and comment information is kept only for as long as it is needed for the purposes described above, subject to backups, security records, and applicable obligations. Exact retention periods can differ by record type and hosting configuration.

Mobile app favorites and browsing history are stored locally and can be cleared in the app's Settings. For a request concerning server-side search, analytics, or comment information, use the contact method below and provide only the information needed to understand and locate the request.

Because the public comment form intentionally does not collect an email address or account, a request about a comment should identify the guide URL, display name, approximate submission time, and enough of the text to locate the record. Do not post a privacy request or additional personal information as a public comment.

For a privacy request or a correction to a guide, email mentalroad@gmail.com. Include the guide URL and only the information needed to locate the issue.

Children's privacy

FixGraph is a general home-repair information resource and is not directed to children. The site does not knowingly ask a child to create an account or provide contact information through the public pages.

Security and policy changes

Reasonable technical and operational safeguards are used, but no website or storage system can promise absolute security. This page will be revised when public-site data practices materially change, and the last-updated date will identify the current version.