5 Common Home Repairs You Can Do Yourself
A home is among the significant investments people make in their lives. It is, therefore, shrewd to take care of it whether you are a tenant or a homeowner. However, even with the proper maintenance, your once pristine home will start showing off its ages. This can be through leaky taps, a clogged toilet, holes in the wall or other simple home repairs.
These nagging little problems are a nuisance to every homeowner but do not be so quick to call in a handyman. The good thing is that most of the repairs are simple, inexpensive and DIY-friendly. Additionally, there are various resources and helpful experts on the Internet that can offer some insight on the problem you have. You can fix some of the common problems by yourself only that you will need a few repair tools and materials.
Here are a few quick fixes that can help with common home repairs and replacements.
1) Unclogging a Toilet
Clogging toilets is a common problem in most homes so do not panic when you notice a clog. It may be that a foreign object ended up in the toilet bowl by mistake.
When unclogging the toilet, you are going to need one of two items depending on the severity of the clog. You will need a standard toilet plunger to clear the toilet when dealing with minor clogs. A flanged plunger is ideal for minor clogs since it creates a better seal and increases the amount of pressure sent down to the siphon tube. To unclog the toilet, place the plunger into the toilet, add water until the sanction cap is submerged and perform 8-10 downward thrusts into the toilet.
For major a clog, extend the auger handle to retract the coil into the shaft. Place the coil head into the toilet bowl then crank and pull the handle to extend the coil. When you feel the blockage, crank the handle until the water drains.
Here is a neat post to give you every possible way to unclog a toilet…even without a plunger.
2) Replace a Broken Toilet Handle
A broken toilet handle is one of the easiest home repairs to undertake. If your handle is corroded or one of the pieces that connect the handle to the flapper is broken, you will need to replace the handle or the broken parts with new ones.
To replace a broken toilet handle, you will need a crescent wrench and a replacement handle. Remove the tank lid and unhook the lift chain, taking note of which hole the chain is hooked to. After this, unscrew the inside nut and remove the handle. Insert the new handle through the hole and then tighten the nut. Finally, use the same hole as before to attach the lift chain. Ensure you carry the old handle when purchasing a replacement to get the right fit.
3) Repairing Damaged Kitchen Tops and Cabinets
Kitchen tops that have been exposed to wine spills and unidentified sharp objects need to be fixed in order to maintain the value of the kitchen. You can simply cover the exposed surface of the kitchen top with a thin veneer of plastic laminate or real wood that matches your kitchen décor. Additionally, you can get rid of stains by applying a mixture of paste flour and hydrogen peroxide. Try out StoneTech, Alpha, and Aqua Mix cleaners if you want to go commercial.
When undertaking a cabinet refacing project, you may want to paint or refinish the cabinet and drawer fronts or install laminate veneers or new wood over the existing cabinet and drawer fronts. Alternatively, you can install entirely new cabinet doors and drawer fronts. However, this technique is time-consuming and requires more resources compared to the first two ways of refacing cabinets.
4) Fixing a Hole in the Wall
Walls can be damaged in several ways such as through pin holes, cracks or door handles punching through dry walls. This creates unwanted surface defects. But the good thing is that holes in walls can easily be fixed without the help of a handyman. Before the repair, you will need tools like sandpaper, knife, patching compound, paint, paint brush and a wall hole patch.
For starters, use the knife to remove any loose edges from the drywall attached to the hole. Sand the edges of the hole with a fine-grit sanding paper. When sanding is complete, apply the wall patch and smooth the patch edges around the hole. Apply the patching compound and let it dry before sanding the area. Cover the area with paint, and it will look like nothing ever happened. If you are having trouble getting the wall patch to stick, lightly dampen the hole before filling the wall patch.
Sanding, patching the compound and painting are some of the easier home repairs you can you, but can mess up your floor and carpet. Therefore, cover areas that are likely to come into contact with the paint and the patching compound. In case your carpet becomes dirty during the repair, you may need to call in a commercial carpet cleaning company to get it cleaned.
5) Fixing a Leaking Tap
When repairing a leaky faucet, you will need a screwdriver, pliers, and a new washer. Once you have these tools, turn off the water at the shut-off valve and unscrew the tap handle. Replace the water by removing the packing nut, unscrew valve stem and remove it from its housing. Fix back the tap and confirm that the problem is gone.
Conclusion
You do not need a professional to patch it, paint it or make the dripping stop. You can get your house back into shape and save some cash with these simple home repairs. Just ensure you call a professional when encountering problems that need a high level of safety.
About the Publisher
Bo Kauffmann is a residential real estate agent with over 18 yrs experience in helping buyers and sellers achieve their goals. Inducted into the REMAX Hall of Fame in 2010 and receiving the REMAX Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019, Bo has sold over 500 houses and condos in the Greater Winnipeg market. He is an accredited buyer representative (A.B.R.) and a Luxury Home Marketing Specialist.
Bo provides exceptional service to First-Time Home-Buyers, Seniors looking to downsize and Home Sellers of all ages.
He can be reached easily By E-Mail or call/text him Call/Text Here
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