Why spending on professionals when you can fix the minor repairs at home on your own? From tank leakage to roof damage, these DIY home maintenance tips really come handy.
Let’s face it; sweet homes are not “sweet” enough to be free from leaking pipes, electricity fluctuation, and roof damage. And you drain out the major part of your budget in their repair and maintenance. But it’s equally true that you can fix most the things yourself. For some minor home repairs, you don’t need to think like a professional contractor. Instead, you must have a good toolbox and some DIY home improvement ideas given below:
#1 Toilet’s Tank is Leaking:
Toilet’s tank leakage not only eating into your budget but can reach damage to the floor and toilet’s internal mechanism. Before seeking plumber services, see if there is something you can repair. To know whether the toilet tank is really leaking, you can add some food coloring drops to the water in the tank. After an hour, if you find the water in the bowl has turned pink it means there is a leakage. A leaking tank prompts you to change a toilet’s flapper. So, use this measure to fix it:
- Close the water supply to the tank by turning the water valve, which must be behind the toilet
- Take out the tank lid and empty the tank by flushing
- Wipe off the water left by sponge or towel
- Fix the new flapper in place over the overflowing tube.
- Turn the water supply on after rejoining the chain.
#2. Kitchen Sink is Clogged:
From washing utensils to draining, a kitchen sink is an ease for any homemaker. On the other hand, the same sink seems troublesome when it is blocked. A plumber usually charges the hefty amount to open up the sink which you can do yourself. Well, there are many ways to unclog the kitchen sink:
- Fill the sink with hot water and then use plunger off the drain
- Put baking soda and vinegar one by one into the sink’s drain. Run hot water
- Unscrew the trap/curved pipe below to see any blockage
#3 Dripping Faucet
Needless to say that a leaking faucet is annoying! But without spending money on a plumber, you can repair it yourself. First, turn off the water supply and do…..
- Unscrew the dripping handle that regulate the flow of the water and then check out if the rubber washer has worn out. Replace it with the new one
#4 Sagging Doors
Door starts sagging and skewing in their frames as they age. Besides, painting and weather make them misaligned. But that doesn’t mean it’s time to call carpenter. Use these DIY tips first to fix the sagging doors:
- Close the door and check the spacing at the top and latch side
- Check out the loose hinges
- Remove the loose door hinges
- Cut out the shims from cardboard and fit them in the hinge mortises
- Close the door and check the spacing
- Add or remove shims until the door clasp properly
#5 Air Filters are Blocked with Dirt
An air filters accumulated with dirt not only provides insufficient air but also pressurize your AC unit to work harder to provide coolness. Change them or clean them frequently to ensure the good cooling across your home. In this you can save from paying to electrician to making that job.
#6 Gutters and Drains are Choked
Gutters are the important aspect in your home maintenance. And irony is that most of you forget them until they are blocked. Consider cleaning the gutters once in a year to avoid the large expenses on their repairs.
- Take out the debris, moss and fallen leaves with the help of a gutter scoop. The regular cleaning will make them free from blockage and ensures a smooth functioning
- Clean the drains beneath the floors by running a baking soda and vinegar solution into them
- Use auger or plumber’s snake to open the blocked or slow drains
Conclusion
So, these DIY home maintenance tips not only save your repairing expenditure, but improve your skills. But don’t write off the professional services if the repairs are beyond your control.
Guest Author Bio:
The article is contributed by Rahul Bedi, a featured blogger at Huffington Post. He works as an editor at one of the prominent real estate developer NK Sharma Group. He loves to write on Real Estate, Home Improvement and Economy.