5 Easy And Essential Home Maintenance Tips
I’m always on the hunt for easy home maintenance tips. There’s nothing better than DIYing what could otherwise turn into expensive and unnecessary costs.
Home repairs can often seem complex and intimidating, causing many to fear that their self-repairs will lead to even more damage.
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While some fix-ups require the help of a professional, there are also a number of things you can do on your own to keep your home in tip-top shape.
Whether your smoke detectors could use some TLC or your house needs pest-proofed, here are 5 essential home maintenance tips to stay on top of. Be sure to change the batteries on your smoke alarms – it’s one of the most important things you can do for your home!
Fixing the Faucets
Leaky pipes can drastically increase your water bill each month, but you can fix these with a few turns of a wrench and new washers. Start by turning off the main water supply, then unscrewing the source of the leak.
If a worn washer was the cause, which it usually is, simply unscrew the faucet and replace it. The entire process takes about 5 minutes and can save you hundreds over the course of a few months.
But if your faucet’s rusted and old, replacing the washer alone may not fix the leaks, you’ll need to replace the faucet.
We got to be pros at doing this simple fix. I can’t tell you how many times this easy repair saved us the time and money from having to call a professional for repairs.
Burnt Out Lantern
There are a number of things that can cause an outdoor lamppost or lantern to stop working. While changing the lightbulb is a simple fix, other issues take a little more work.
There could be an issue with the wiring, a dusk till dawn sensor, or the grounding of the bulb may have rusted out.
Last year, I discovered how awesome dusk till dawn sensors were and now I have them in all my outdoor lighting. They are perfect because the bulb will light up at night or when dusk sets in and go off at dawn when rooms and hallways begin to have natural light.
They are energy-saving LED bulbs with a power consumption rate of 20% of the conventional incandescent lamps.
If you’re handy with wiring, then fixing some of these issues might not be a challenge for you. Replacing a sensor is essentially the same as fixing a ceiling fan, connecting a set of three wires with wire caps.
However, some cases may require that you purchase a new unit altogether from a store like Home Depot or a site like https://lanternandscroll.com/.
Toilet Troubles
Bathroom plumbing issues can be a disaster, but you can easily make a few minor repairs to a toilet racking up your water bill or damaging your floors. The first step is to determine where the leak is.
Add some red food coloring to the tank, then wait an hour to see if the water has turned pink. If it has, you have a leak. I love this hack! It works great too. We used it this year to discover where we had a leak and thankfully, it was an easy fix.
The majority of leaks happen from the tank into the bowl, which means you’ll need to change the flapper.
Start by cutting the water supply via the valve that connects to the floor, then drain the water from the tank. Remove the old flapper, replace it with the new one, reconnect the chain and you’ve just fixed your toilet!
Drafty Windows
Many people turn to replacements when their windows are drafty, but this is actually the easiest fix on the list.
A draft means the caulking around the window has worn thin, so pick up some new caulk from your local hardware store to start.
Next, use a box cutter to remove the old caulking. Then, run a new line of caulk over the cracks. See? Anyone can fix a drafty window.
Pest Prevention
No one wants to have these issues! Every homeowner or apartment dweller has to face issues like this from time to time.
Thankfully, we have a service attend to any issues we might come across. Our community has a pest control service spray outside of every home which has been a blessing.
Having problems with:
- Rats
- Mice
- Bed Bugs
- Termites
- Cockroaches
- Or other pesky nuisances?
Getting rid of them takes professional help from a pest control service like http://www.delseapestcontrol.net/, but prevention can be a simple DIY process.
Before these pests set in, utilize mother nature to deter them from making your house their new home.
Items like boric acid and Orange Guard create highly effective barriers against a host of pests, while spearmint plants ward off a few common insects. Preventative measures now can save you hundreds down the road.
Be sure to read more money-saving and DIY tips – sharing awesome home-related hacks with you is what we do!
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Hi, I love these simple home repair tips Carolann. Stink bugs are plaguing our home a bit lately so we are reading up on them and hoping to spray ourselves or have to hire a service
Oh my gosh, I hate those bugs, they are a huge PIA. You are so lucky as your hubby is good at DIY stuff. I’m always so impressed with his work!