This is a collaborative post.
Whether you’re a homeowner or if you rent a property, something will break, fail, or fall apart during your time there. Often, these are little fixes. You can tighten the hinges on a kitchen drawer, or you can unclog the shower drain with a bit of elbow grease. These don’t take too long, and you can get back to enjoying your home in no time.
However, other issues can arise. These are mort substantial, and they always seem to happen just as you’ve put your feet up to enjoy your Friday night. Immediately, your evening, perhaps even your weekend is ruined, and you get on Google to find the best handyman in your area.
Bringing in someone else to repair things isn’t always ideal. Often, you need to wait a few days for them to come over as they have other appointments. It also costs money. Do you know what doesn’t cost money, though? Learning to do it yourself. The internet can be many things, and it’s made it possible for anyone regardless of skill level or know-how to learn to fix whatever’s broken, saving them money and time to get their home back to normal. Here are some home repairs that you can do yourself.
In the Bathroom
There is so much moisture created in the bathroom that it is a breeding ground for mould and mildew; this looks gross and can also affect your family’s health. When you see mould in the grout, use a mould remover to eliminate it to keep your bathroom looking shiny and clean.
There may also be problems with dripping taps that keep you up at night. Sure, you could bring in a plumber, but these are often simple and quick fixes that you can get done in an afternoon or evening while you’re waiting for your dinner to cook.
First, you need to turn off the water supply and work out the size of the tap. Take the tap apart using a spanner and then replace the o-ring with replacement parts. You can also add lubricant and extra sealant to make it more secure. Refit the tap parts and switch the water back on. If there’s no more dripping, then you’ve done it. If not, try again or call in a professional.
In the Garden
Those who love their garden really love their garden. It’s a great place to relax, kick back, and get creative with design, pretty colours, and layout. It may feel like the UK has more rain than anywhere else in the world, but that’s what makes those garden days even more special.
Many people believe that if you want a beautiful garden, you need to hire a landscaper to design and maintain it for you. However, this is not the case, and you can keep your garden, lawn, flowers and all looking colourful and welcoming all by yourself.
The grass ties the whole garden together, so make sure you know how to fix and prevent patchy grass from ruining the aesthetic. You need to know how to treat your lawn and when to achieve lush greenery all year-round.
In March, clear the grass of any obstructions and spread fertiliser to encourage growth. You can also use a soil activator that is rich in nutrients to create and maintain a healthy lawn that will keep you smiling. Mow as and when required, but never leave it too short.
In the Living Room
As the living room is where you will spend most of your time in the evenings and on weekends, you want everything to look and work exactly how it should. This means keeping the furniture in excellent condition (which is difficult with pets and kids, but not impossible) and also think about how to maintain the floors, curtains, and the radiator.
With the living room, all it often takes is regular vacuuming and wiping down of the surfaces, but there are always spots that are out of sight that you may miss. This includes any high surfaces, which can accumulate dust and affect air quality.
If you have curtains, you should also remove them for cleaning according to the instructions. Some curtains are suitable for the washing machine, but others will need dry cleaning.
In the Kitchen
After the living room, the kitchen is likely your most used room, so many things could go wrong and need repairing. Thankfully, many of these repairs are things you can do.
Leaking taps work the same as in your bathroom, but there are also issues like a clogged dishwasher and a smelly washing machine that are simple fixes without undertaking significant repairs. Take the dishwasher apart and scrub the parts, including spray arm and float switch. You can also set it to run with dishwasher salt to unclog the pipes.
As for the washing machine, baking soda, vinegar, and a deep scrub can fix any smelly clothes problems, and you can avoid it in the future by keeping the drum dry to prevent mould buildup.
Everywhere Else
Some problems can occur at any time, anywhere in the house. The most common problem is electrical failures. We all know how tricky electricity can be, so it’s best to be careful and switch everything off at the mains.
From here, though, you can look at flickering lights, broken sockets and more. You should also determine whether it is an electrical problem by changing any bulbs or fuses before starting, as otherwise, you may end up wasting a day on unnecessary repairs.
However, if you are not comfortable with attempting the electrical repairs yourself, then you must find a reputable company like those at Hilton Electricians to carry out the repairs for you. These companies are qualified and experienced and can do what’s needed safely and efficiently. They may even give you advice on how to keep it from breaking in the future, too.
Handy At Home
Learning new skills is something that everybody should strive to do at every opportunity in their lives. Considering how long you spend in your home, learning to make fixes that stretch a little further than merely changing a lightbulb can save you money, time, and stress. What’s more, you can then pass this knowledge onto your kids so that they can tackle any issue that they come across confidently and quickly.
