The average homeowner spends almost $5,000 each year on home repairs and improvements.
$5,000 is a large chunk of money, especially when it comes to unexpected, emergency repairs. But instead of running to the bank to take out a home improvement loan, roll up your sleeves and attempt to DIY the repair.
Not every home repair requires the help of a costly professional. Keep reading to learn how to do these DIY home repairs and save yourself a lot of money!
1. Patch a Hole
Accidents happen — and many accidents in your home have the potential to end with a hole in your drywall. Whether you fail to pivot when moving a heavy couch or slam a door open too forcefully, now you have an ugly hole in your drywall.
Luckily, patching a hole in drywall is one of the easiest DIY home repairs.
For small homes, home improvement stores sell patching kits. These come with a self-adhesive mesh patch to place directly over the hole. Then, cover the patch with the provided compound using a drywall tool or spatula.
You can apply two counts of the compound to secure the patch. Then, once dry, sand the compound down until the area is smooth and even with your wall. To finish, paint over the area to match the rest of your wall.
For larger holes, you can cut a piece of drywall to size to use instead of the mesh patch.
2. Stop a Leaking Pipe
Don’t let the drip, drip, drip of your bathroom pipes become the constant background music in your home. A leaking pipe is an easy fix that you can accomplish on your own.
For leaking pipes, start by turning off the water with your home’s water shut off valve. For the next steps, you’ll want to put an empty bucket under the pipes to collect the water so you don’t end up with a mess.
Then, untighten the white pieces that have ridges on them, these are your compression nuts. Tightening these compression nuts will remove that portion of the pipe from the rest of your piping. Then, you can switch out the worn-out plastic washer and reattach the piece of pipe by tightening the compression nuts.
3. Fix a Stuck Window
If your home is a little older, you’ve probably encountered a stuck window that just won’t budge. Instead of cutting your losses and giving up the fresh air, there are ways you can fix this on your own!
To start, apply a lubricant, like WD-40, into the channel area where your window frames meet. Then, grab a putty knife or a pizza cutter and run the blade along the edges of the window frame to loosen up any dirt or paint.
After this, you should be able to get the window open with a little force. You’ll want to immediately clean all around the window to remove dust and debris to prevent it from sticking again. If you’ve got a lot of excess paint that’s causing the issue, grab some paint thinner and wipe down the window frame.
At a certain point, you should consider completely replacing residential windows. If the window glass is cracked or shattered, hire an expert to replace the window immediately. Also, consider getting new windows if you have large gaps between your window frame and walls.
4. Unclog a Toilet
Clogged toilets happen to everyone, and it’s not always your fault. Instead of getting embarrassed and working up the courage to call the plumber, fix the problem yourself!
There are so many methods beyond the traditional plunger that can help unclog the mess. One of the easiest ways involves dish soap.
Pour about one-fourth of a cup of dish soap into the toilet bowl. Let this sit in the bowl for about ten minutes. Then, add hot, but not boiling, water to the mixture and let it sit another five minutes.
After sitting, the soap and hot water combination should dissolve any clog in your toilet. All you’ll have to do is flush the mess away.
You can also try this method with one cup of baking soda and one cup of vinegar if the dish soap doesn’t do the job.
5. Clean and Repair Gutters
A home improvement project that many homeowners neglect is cleaning and repairing their own gutters.
To keep your gutters, and your roof, in working order, you should clean out your gutters at the beginning of each season. Grab a sturdy ladder, a pair of gloves, and a large bucket to collect debris. Then, it’s as simple as moving the debris from your gutter into the bucket.
This prevents debris buildup that leads to overflowing gutters and a weakened roofline.
While you’re up there, you can even perform some simple gutter repairs if necessary.
If your gutters are drooping or becoming disconnected from your home, take the time to reattach them. Buy a few hanging brackets and use a drill to reconnect the gutter to the siding of your home.
Then, you can nail some simple gutter covers to the edge of your roof to prevent further debris buildup.
Save Money with These DIY Home Repairs
The next time your home encounters an emergency, use these tips to save money with DIY home repairs.
Obviously, there are some home repair projects that should be left to the professionals. In those cases, you may wish to consider getting a home improvement loan. Anything that involves electrical wiring should only be done by an expert. Attempting these projects on your own can lead to even more costly repairs.
For more great advice on keeping your home and family in tip-top shape, bookmark the Tips section of this blog and check back often for new content.
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