Being a homeowner can be frustrating. Just when you think all the projects you have are completed, something else comes up. There are two types of people when it comes to dealing with these issues. The natural born handyman who loves to dive in and fix it themselves. And others without any repair skills that who don’t want any part of the project no matter how big or small it is.
We all know someone on both sides of that spectrum. For those that don’t have the do-it-yourself gene, the easy approach is to call someone to fix it. However, there are several tasks that everyone should know how to perform. Those are shown below.
Why DIY?
“I don’t have enough time.” Your time is valuable. There are many other things you would rather be doing than fixing a sink, window, or gutter. So why, if given the chance the have something taken care of for you, would you want to stop and do it yourself?
- Save money: At times, we are strapped for cash. Handymen know they have a skill that not everyone possesses so they can charge higher for their services. While you still have to pay for the supplies, the cost of labor is by far the higher of the two costs. Don’t get too courageous though when it comes to certain issues like water damage or electrical work.
- Your schedule: How many of us have had to reschedule our whole week for a repairman that gives you limited days of availability but tell you to be home some time between 8 am and 5 pm? We have all had that moment. Instead of rearranging your whole day, doing the repair yourself can be done on your time, around the other activities going on.
5 Essenial Maintenance Tasks
1. Unclogging a drain
Everyone owns a plunger for those unexpected toilet clogs, right? Who knew that it can be used for other tasks too? It is best to own two to keep these two tasks separate, or some cleaning would need done before digging into this project. But try taking a plunger to any sink that is having trouble in water draining properly.
Check out this how to video.
2. Re-Caulk
Cleaning the caulking in a shower is a task that should be completed monthly at a minimum. However, showers tend to hold a lot of moisture. The presence of mold is not surprising to anyone. The caulking will reach a point where cleaning is no longer an option and needs replaced.
First, the old caulking will need removed with a sharp tool, along with some vinegar. Tape off the area that want to caulk then using a caulking gun, apply it to the shower and smooth it out with your finger to get a flat surface. Note that you should wear gloves when smoothing the surface at the end.
3. Clean the garbage disposal
I have fallen victim to this in several apartments. A gross smell when you enter the kitchen and you can’t figure out where it is coming from. It most likely is coming from your sink. Take care of your kitchen sink, as it gets used far more than you realize.
To remove the smell, pour half a cup of baking soda along with vinegar down each side of the sink. Remember to place the stopper on before the mixture spreads past the disposal. Give it a few minutes, and flush the mixture down with hot water. If the smell persists, cleaning the drain tap might be the next step. Here are steps for that or don’t feel bad about calling in a professional.
4. Clean gutters and downspouts
Gutters are one area of expertise for us. Gutters collect rain and carry the water away from the house to protect the roof and foundation. To get the most out of your gutters, leaves need to be removed regularly so the water is able to flow through. If leaves build up, it can cause rotting, or become a home for bugs.
The main time to perform this task is after the fall, once the leaves have completely fallen off of the trees, Using a leaf blower, blow the leaves to one end of the gutter. Using your hands, remove any leftover leaves and the pile at the end of the gutter. If you don’t feel comfortable on a ladder, you can find attachments for your leaf blower here.
5. Clean the dishwasher
The dishwasher may be one of the top 5 inventions ever created. So much time has been saved with this in my kitchen. Food can be left behind after clean cycles. That can leave your dishes smelly and needing a second wash. It is worth it to budget time for this task because if the dishwasher ends up breaking, it is a very costly project. Vinegar, as used in prior items on this list, can be put into a dishwasher safe container on the top shelf and run it. Once a month should be enough to keep your dishwasher running at tip top shape.
