Minor Maintenance and Repair Skills Every Homeowner Should Know

Repairing a Door Hinge

Learning to do door hinge repairs should be high on your maintenance and repair list. It is an important maintenance skill to know and this can save you money and time from hiring a professional. We slam doors all the time and their hinges have a high tendency to get weaker as time passes. Fixing hinges is an easy straightforward process but we often end up paying 10 times more than hiring a pro. To fix the hinge, you’ll need a screw, drill and some hardware. Once the materials are ready, open the door wide, to level and hold the door, insert a wedge on the bottom corners. Remove the screws and bore out the stripped holes. Spread carpenters’ glue. Then, bore out and do the same for each screw hole. Now reposition the hinge leaf and bore pilot holes. Finish it by securing the hinge by driving screws.

Fix a Leaky Toilet

Make sure you have the valves or water to the toilet shut off before even encountering this issue. Next, using a wrench, tighten the bolts or whatever is around the toilet. If you have a hole or crack on the pipe, use a bonding putty. If the leak is gone, it is an easy fix but if the leak returns, call a professional for maintenance and repair.

Unclog a Sink or Drain

Clogging is a major hassle in almost all homes. If you are not ready to hire a plumber, know that clearing drains yourself is entirely possible. Fortunately, in many cases, the issue usually arises when leftover dishes from our plates go into the sink. And to get this fixed, you can use a chemical drain cleaner. If it still does not solve the issue, use a drain cleaning wire as you may probably be facing a blocked P trap. Check the pipe under the sink and try unscrewing it. Make sure you place a bucket underneath so you don’t mess up the floor. After you’ve removed the clog, leave the drain smelling fresh, clean it by putting a cup of baking soda mixed with a cup of boiling water and vinegar. Remember if you clean your modular kitchen and unclog sink or drain properly and prevent any deposition, your kitchen will always look spic and span.

Patch a Hole

Whether it was by accident or you had moved an old wall picture, you are bound to face a patch in the walls. It’s not so difficult to learn to patch a hole and make it look like it was done by a professional. To fix, you will need mesh tape, screws, screwdriver, putty knife and compound. Cover the hole with two or three coats of compound, sand it, prime it and paint it. The wall will be as good as new.

Replace a Light Fixture

Replacing a light fixture can be a vital thing to know as a homeowner. Be it in your living room or bedroom, most hardware finishes go out of style or need to be replaced in a span of three or four years. Replacing a light fixture isn’t something you need to call an electrician for. It is a simple matter of matching connections and securing the fixture to the ceiling. To replace, your first task is to shut off power and remove the canopy to expose the wiring and fixture. Unscrew the wires, remove the old fixture, install a new bracket and connect new fixture wires. Fix the new fixture and then adjust the length.

Water Shutoff Valve

Water is one of the major causes of damage in a home. As soon as you find a leak and if you are able to shut off the water valve quickly, you will be able to save thousands of damages. When you are repairing plumbing and the pipe bursts, you will have to shut off the water supply. It’s always best to know where the main water valve is as soon as you move into your new home. It is as simple as turning off the water supply of your washing machine. If you know, tag it so in case you are not there, others will be able to find it too.

Basic home maintenance and repair skills could help you handle certain situations. As we all know, a house with proper maintenance and in a good condition always increases in value over time. But if it is in a terrible condition, the value is bound to drop. So, it is very important to know basic home maintenance skills. This would save you money and could even save your life. But, if you are still not able to fix the issue, you need a professional service team for your home.