Keeping your beloved ‘home sweet home safe and running smoothly requires a serious commitment. Making occasional repairs is a part of the bargain.
Home repairs can be heavy on the pocket, especially if they consume a lot of time and labour. Replacing your roof or flooring is a big task and hard to do yourself unless you’re a professional tradesman. However, there are a few around-the-house fixes you can become familiar with to save some cash.
Painting your Wall
Sprucing up your room with paint can be a part of your to-do list but covering nail holes or repainting walls where existing paint is peeling & cracking needs your urgent attention. In either case, prepping for the job is important. First, clear the wall and make it obstruction-free. Take off the curtain rods, switch plates, door hinges and other fixtures. Once you’ve cleaned up the wall, apply primer. You can also use products with primer to avoid taking that extra step. Going for washable and hard-wearing wall paints is a great idea for keeping your wall clean and looking its best for a long.
Fixing a Leak
Fixing a leaky faucet or drainpipe is the most common household repair. A DIY fix for a drainpipe may be simply tightening a slip-nut near the P-Trap. For examining a leaking faucet all you have to do is shut off the water and remove the faucet. Once the problem is determined (which could be anything from corrosion to defective gaskets and leaking valves) gather the products you need, for instance, adjustable wrench, penetrating oil, or replacement washers and O-rings and get to work.
DIY plumbing could be challenging in the beginning if you’re an amateur, but there are many tutorials available on the internet to help you do the job.
Unclogging your Toilet
Nobody likes a toilet that backs up, but we have all been there. Such toilet issues require urgent attention. The first order of business is not to panic. Get a plunger to clear the toilet. Flanged plungers are best for toilet clogs because they make a better seal and increase the amount of pressure. Another choice for clearing clogs is to dislodge them using a plumbing snake or closet auger.
As a last resort, you can uninstall the toilet, upend it and get at the clog that way. There’s a gross-out factor involved here, but it might be better than a large plumbing bill.
These small fixes will save you time and money, however, before attempting a task, it is important to understand the nature of the task, the material required for it and the skills needed to finish it. If a professional can do the job with a lot more finesse in less time and around the same cost you’ll be spending on material and tools, then calling an expert is the wise option.
