Calling a handyman every time you need to fix something is not necessary anymore. Save your money and time by learning how to do the most common home repairs. Here is the list of the fixes you can do it yourself.
Snaking a Drain
If you have a clogged drain, you can try to clear the clog by using chemicals, which is harmful both to the environment and yourself, or you can call a plumber. Instead of cashing out money on something you can do it yourself, try unclogging a drain with a snake drain.
Spread the towels around the drain and put on the work gloves. Put the end of the snake into the drain and start twisting it around. When the snake catches the clog, pull the snake back and put the clog into the pail you have previously prepared.
Squeaky Door Hinges
If the squeaky door hinges make the annoying sound, do not despair as you can fix them in a twinkling of an eye. Use a lubricating oil to spray the hinges, or rub them with petroleum jelly. Move the door back and forth. If the problem persists, you may need to remove the hinge pin.
Leaky Faucet
Before you start fixing a leaky faucet, shut off water to the faucet. You can do it by turning off the valve near the sink, or by shutting off house water supply in a basement, or a laundry. The most common type of faucet is a compression-type faucet and we will show you how to fix this type. If you are not sure which type you have, visit the manufacturer’s web site for more information.
Unscrew the faucet handle. Remove it. Using the side cutters, remove the packing nut. Unscrew the valve stem. Unscrew the washer and remove it. Install a new washer. Finally, reverse the previous steps.
Scratches in Floorboards
Clean the floor with a floor cleaner. Depending on the scratches, you can opt for the steel wool to rub over lighter scratches, or the sandpaper to deal with deeper scratches. Apply a little bit of white spirit on a cloth and clean the floor. Apply a wood filler in the colour of the floor into the scratched area with a putty knife. When dried, sand the wood filler to the level of the wood. Clean away the dust and revarnish the floor.
Renovating Grout
For this DIY project, you will need a grout removal tool, or a knife to remove the grout to a depth of 3 mm. Remove the dust with an old toothbrush, or with a nozzle attachment on a vacuum cleaner. Take a powdered grout and mix it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Apply it between the tiles. In addition, apply a grout sealer, too.
Repairing a Light Switch
Turn off the power at the main circuit breaker. Remove the switch plate. Make sure you turned off the power by using a voltage meter. Firstly, attach the red and black lead to each screw on the sides of the outlet. If there is light on the voltage meter, it means that the outlet has voltage. Unscrew the switch and pull it out with together with wires. Unscrew the wires and reconnect them. When finished, screw the switch into the outlet. Turn on the power.
For most of these projects, the only thing you will need are tools. Some projects require special tools. However, cordless power tool kits are worth investing your money as they are multi-functional.
Finally, if you are not sure what you are doing, the best thing you can do is to call a professional. You can make situation worse, or injure yourself and people around you.
