When things need repair in your home, do you immediately call a professional for help?
Professional services can cost you a lot of money. But did you know that you can actually do some of these home repairs and maintenance yourself? Yes, you can. Especially if you don’t have the luxury of putting off the work. Emergencies need immediate attention so it pays to know how to fix things up before they cause too much damage.
Today, we will look at some home repairs and maintenance that you can actually do yourself. With these DIY repairs, you not only save money, but you also become a more knowledgeable homeowner.
Do you have a leaky faucet?
Leaky faucets are found in many households. This is a very common problem.
If you decide to ignore the leaks, you are actually wasting a lot of water. You might think that it is something small. But with a faucet leaking 24/7, you are actually wasting thousands of gallons of water a year. It is also a waste of money.
It’s pretty simple to fix a leaky faucet even without the help of an expert. Most leaks are caused by deteriorated washers. You can address the leak by changing out the washer.
So, purchase a replacement washer at your home improvement store. Then, remove the old washer by following these steps.
Start by shutting off the water to the faucet. Then, remove the faucet handle by removing the screw. This screw may be concealed so keep looking for it.
Then remove the packing nut with a pair of pliers. Next, unscrew the valve stem and remove it from the housing. Then, take out the screw that holds the washer in place.
Remove the old washer and put the new one in its place. Then revere the steps you took to remove the old one. You have now fixed your leaky faucet.
Do you have a clogged toilet?
Whether you like it or not, at one time or another, you will be faced with a clogged toilet. This is especially true for households that have young children who accidentally or intentionally drop their toys inside the bowl.
It is easy to unclog a toilet using a toilet plunger. A flanged plunger has a better seal and increases the amount of pressure you send down. Accordion plungers are also very effective.
Thrust the plunger down up to ten times. This is enough to remove small clogs.
If this does not work, use an auger or a plumbing snake. Snakes are inexpensive and readily available at your home improvement outlet. The more expensive augers are strong enough for serious clogs.
Lower the snake or auger into the bowl. When it touches the clog, rotate the crank and the clog will come out. Be sure to disinfect the snake/auger, toilet bowl and bathroom floor afterward.
Is your toilet lever broken?
You can easily fix broken toilet levers. Most of the time, if the lever does not work, the chain has been disconnected. So simply open the tank and attach the disconnected chain.
Sometimes, you can have a corroded lever or broken pieces that connect it to the flapper. You can find replacements for all of these parts.
All you need is an adjustable wrench and a replacement lever kit which you can easily find in any hardware store.
Open the tank lid and drain the water from the tank by lifting the toilet flapper. Detach the chain clip attached to the lever. Then remove the mounting nut that holds the handle in place and pull out the handle.
To install the new handle, pull off the mounting nut and O-ring from the new handle. Slide the lever into the toilet tank then put the O-ring and mounting nut back on. Screw them counterclockwise. Then attach the chain to the lever.
Does your wall have holes?
If there are nail holes on your wall, you can easily patch them up to make them look new. And it will not cost you much.
First, clean the area of any debris and wipe down the wall. With a putty knife, fill each hole with lightweight putty or spackle, and let it dry. Be sure to scrape off the excess.
When the putty dried, sand it down with fine grain sandpaper until it’s flat and smooth. Then apply a coat of paint.
If the holes are large, you need to cut out a rectangular section of the drywall surrounding the hole. Then get some scrap drywall or buy some pieces of drywall at your hardware store. Place the piece of wood inside the wall.
Drill screws above and below the hole and a third screw into the drywall patch. Then add drywall tape around the seams. Then slather some joint compound and scrape down the excess with a putty knife until it’s mostly flat.
Finish it off by sanding it down when the compound has dried and paint it if needed.
Do you have a squeaky door?
Creaks or squeaks are caused by sticking or binding doors. This happens because extra pressure is put on the hinges.
Hinges also make noise when they begin to oxidize.
You simply need a lubricant to silence your creaky or squeaky door.
Sparingly apply penetrating oil to the hinges. Then open and close the door so that the lubricant works into the hinge’s moving parts. Wait for a few minutes and test the door. If the squeaking is still there, apply a few more drops and go through the process again.
IF you don’t have a penetrating oil or lubricant on hand, you can use cooking spray. Once applied, move the door back and forth to get the oil into the offending hinge.
However, if this does not solve the problem, try cleaning the hinge pins. Remove the hinge pins and scour them with steel wool. Clean the pinhole with a small circular wire brush.
Is your garbage disposal clogged?
For this, you will need a small Allen wrench for opening the hexagonal opening on the underside of the disposal.
First, cut the power to the unit to prevent accidents. Then, adjust the flywheel inside the disposal using your Allen wrench. To do this, the Allen wrench should be put in the hole in the bottom’s center. Although the flywheel cannot be seen, if you rotate it, food that is jammed inside can be loosened.
If the clog is near the top, then you can use pliers or a wooden dowel to reach or remove anything near the top that is clogging the disposal. When the obstruction is clear, connect the power and run water through the disposal. Make sure the clog is gone by turning it on.
Are your windows stuck?
Windows can get stuck when there are dirt buildup and debris in the window casing.
This can be solved by using a lubricating agent like WD-40. Then with a pizza cutter, pry the window sash away from the frame. Your window will then move again. Make sure to clean it thoroughly afterward.
Conclusion
The common household repairs given above are just some of the many do-it-yourself home repairs that you can do. Try to master all of them and you don’t have to panic every time something needs fixing in your home.
By Admin –
