Owning a home is a great investment, but with homeownership comes many responsibilities people often overlook -- maintenance being one of the main ones.
When something breaks in your home for the first time, where do you turn? The good news is, Westwood Home Services has your back! While we would love to fix every issue in your home, sometimes tackling repairs yourself can be more practical That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the top DIY repairs you can do yourself and how to tackle them.
Fixing a Running Toilet
Is the water in your toilet constantly running? It might be a peaceful, white noise, but it can cost you more when it’s time to pay your bills. This issue is commonly associated with the chain and flapper. These pieces are easy to find at your local hardware store and replace on your own. If the problem is more intense, you can purchase a more detailed toilet repair kit to fix the issues.
Patching Drywall
If you have small holes in your drywall, you can easily fix these at home in no time. Start by cleaning the area where the hole is. Then use a spackle knife and fill in the hole(s) with a little lightweight putty. Scrape the excess off the wall and give the putty time to dry. Once the putty is dry, lightly sand the spot down until it’s smooth. From there, prime and paint accordingly, and your walls will be good as new!
If you have a larger hole in your drywall, repair can be more difficult. We suggest hiring a professional, like us, to handle the repair.
Fixing a Leaky Faucet
There’s truly nothing worse than listening to your faucet drip uncontrollably. Next time you find yourself experiencing this, we’ve got your solution. Start by turning off the water running to your faucet. Next, remove the faucet handle. Once the handle is removed, check all internal pieces for signs or damage. Proceed to replace the damaged piece and reassemble your faucet. Finally, turn your water back on and check again to ensure the leak has been fixed.
Cleaning your Gutters
Cleaning your gutters is commonly overlooked, but a very important piece of home maintenance. Clogged gutters can cause water damage that leads to larger problems with your home. To ensure your gutters are clean, you just need a ladder, some gloves and a hose. Start by clearing out larger debris and leaves from the gutters and then wash the any remaining residue out with a hose. We recommend performing this maintenance in the spring and fall.
Re-Caulking
Over time, areas in your home like your bathroom produce a lot of moisture which can negatively affect your caulk. When the caulk in your home can no longer be cleaned, it’s time to replace it. To start, remove the old caulk using a sharp blade and some vinegar. Then tape the area surrounding the caulk. Apply new caulk with a caulk gun to the desired area. Finish by smoothing the caulk with a gloved finger to create a concave finish.
There are many home repairs that don’t require specific handyman skills, but there are also many that do. When it comes to larger projects like electrical, major plumbing, and structural work, we recommend contacting the professionals, like us, to handle these larger jobs. Through home maintenance, the goal is to improve your home, not damage it further. Be smart about the projects you can handle and contact us for those you can’t!
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