Why pay for expensive repairs at home when you can do it yourself? By making all of the needed home repairs yourself, you can save some money you would otherwise spend on labor. Below, you’ll find some easy tips that help you can become a DIY master much faster than you expect.
1. Replacing A Broken Faucet
Forget about calling a plumber for your broken faucet. With a little bit of knowledge and practice, you can easily replace a faucet by yourself. Start by turning off the water and removing the old faucet.
Once you have taken it off, follow these steps:
- Clean the holes in your sink with a toothbrush and some bleach. Then, clean any debris off of the sink itself with a clean rag.
- Use a wrench to loosen the supply lines that connect the faucet to the cold and hot water lines. Be careful; they can quickly become loose and break.
- Remove the old faucet deck plate and unscrew the old faucet. Once you have done that, attach the new faucet to the deck plate and hose.
- Tighten your supply lines back to your faucet and turn on the water. Make sure it is working correctly.
This is the best way to save money and quickly make repairs yourself. More so, it’s not difficult to learn how to do. Plus, if you feel confused about the process, you can always search YouTube for some great instructions.
2. Fixing A Leaky Pipe
Fixing a leaky pipe is not as complicated as it might seem. If there’s one annoying thing, it’s a leaky pipe or faucet. When it comes to DIY home repairs, fixing a leak isn’t as difficult as you might think.
Here are the steps you need to follow the issue:
- Ensure you have turned off the water supply to that pipe and have closed all valves leading to that line.
- Remove any surrounding baseboards or molding around pipes (if you have any). More so, this will make it much easier for you to remove as much of the old caulk as possible and access the pipe itself.
- Remove any leftover caulking from the pipe with a putty knife or scraper. It would be best to use a good utility knife or razor blade to clean out any old caulk left in the pipe.
- Use a putty knife or razor blade to remove as much of the damaged joint compound from around the joint as possible. Then, use a toothbrush to remove any remaining joint compound and old caulk from the pipe itself.
- Clean that area well with some bleach and water solution to free all dirt and mildew.
- Apply some new joint compound over the damaged area so that it is level with the surrounding walls. Let it dry for 24 hours before turning the water back on.
Note: If you can’t repair your leaking pipe, it might be a more severe problem. Therefore, keep in mind to call your local plumbing service for some assistance.
3. Clearing A Clogged Drain
Dealing with a clogged drain is everyone’s dilemma, especially when it comes to toilet bowls. Instead of running out and buying chemicals, there are other options for you to try.
One sure way to avoid having clogged drains is to keep them clean by regularly pouring boiling water down them. However, if a clog does pop up, you will need to fix it as soon as possible.
You can try two fixes follow:
Tip No.1:
- Pour one gallon of boiling water down the drain. You can either do this from your tap or by using a bucket of boiling water.
- Then, pour one cup of baking soda down the drain and let it sit for some time (about 15 minutes).
- Lastly, pour another gallon of boiling water down the drain. Typically, this should loosen any clogs down there and help restore your clogged drain.
Tip No.2:
- Pour a pot of boiling water down your drain.
- Then pour in about 1/2 cup baking soda.
- Let that sit for a few minutes to do its job.
- Pour a mixture of 1 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of boiling water down on top of the baking soda to continue the process.
- Be sure to cover with a drain plug as you will want to keep the reaction down below the drain surface and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Finally, flush one more time with a pot of boiling water.
You will hear it fizzing and bubbling – then after 10 minutes, add another half a cup of vinegar, cover and then leave for 30 minutes. If you find these DIY home repairs useful, you can pat yourself on the back!
4. Fix Stripped Screw Holes
Another easy tip to add to your DIY home repairs checklist is how to fix stripped screw holes. Many times, you go to screw something in, and the screw turns but won’t tighten.
How to do:
- Dip some toothpicks in glue.
- Jam as many as you can into the hole.
- Break the toothpicks off.
- Now, you don’t need to wait for the glue to dry or drill a new screw hole.
- Drive the screw right into the toothpicks.
- Now, you have a brand new hole to screw in to, and It’s that easy.
Once you get to know how to do a few simple ones, you will realize that there’s nothing to be afraid of – especially since many home repairs follow similar steps. If you have other cool tips, please leave your comment below!