DIY Dads-Easy Home Maintenance Tips That Will Save You Money
How often do you find yourself calling local repair contractors to fix something that you can easily fix on your own? Take a look around your house, and you will notice that there are lots of simple tasks you can handle without having to call a professional. All you need is a basic knowledge of how the different things in your home function.
In the long-run, you will not only get to save a few pennies but some valuable time as well. You will no longer have to miss work as you wait for your repair guy to arrive. Going forward, all that you will need to do is to roll up your shirt sleeves and refer to this simple DIY dads’ manual. Below is a look at how to perform simple home maintenance tasks such as pest control, toilet repair, and even how to spruce up your interior design.
Air Conditioning
Regardless of whether you live in a condo, farmhouse, or a townhouse, you will find that air conditioners easily account for some of the most overlooked machines in a home. And this is more so when you consider how often their owners perform simple maintenance. While they don’t require a lot to maintain, their repairs can prove costly and can cost hundreds of dollars.
Maintenance of an air conditioner unit should begin with an inspection of the condensation hose. Check to confirm the water is freely flowing across the line. In case you notice still water in the location where your line is supposed to drain, take a small garden trowel and use it to build a drainage path.
You will also need to line the entire length of the drainage path using gravel to prevent algae and mould from forming. The two can pose serious health risks for your family, especially when they get drawn into the HVAC unit before getting blown all over the residence.
Also, regularly check the screen around the unit to help ensure it remains free of debris. An accumulation of debris can make it harder for air to flow in and out of the house freely. It also lowers power consumption, ensuring your energy bills remain within a reasonable range.
Pest Control
Assess how often you get to see bugs, ants, and pesky houseflies in your home. If you are seeing them more than once every blue moon, Excel Pest Control recommends you contemplate putting in place some natural insect repellants. You don’t have to invest in costly pesticides when you can always use readily available home supplies such as essential oils, vinegar, spices, and citrus peels.
Interior Design
Redecorating and painting your walls tends to be a costly exercise when you involve professionals. In many cases, the paint soon starts to fade away, requiring you to have the walls repainted once again. Painting and interior design is something any dad interested in DIY home projects can easily do without any professional assistance. You only need to confirm you have purchased enough paint and to acquire all necessary painting tools.
Toilets
Leaking water from the toilet tank not only makes your utilities more expensive, but the water can also cause premature damage to the internal workings of the toilet. Moreover, your bathroom floor is also likely to suffer, especially if the problem goes unnoticed; tanks repair is often neglected and can become an expensive issue.
Get some red food colour and add it to the water already present in your toilet water tank. Give it one hour and then check whether the toilet bowl has become pink. For homes with leaking toilet water tanks, the bowl will soon start to change colour. It’s an indication that the flapper is in dire need of repairs.
To replace the flapper, you will need to start by shutting off all water supply to your toilet. Check behind the toilet to locate the water valve. The next step is to gently remove the tank lid before you can flush your toilet to remove any water still present inside the tank. Obtain a sponge or mop to dry off any excess water.
Reach for the lever to remove the chain before you can slowly slide off the faulty flapper over the overflow tubing. Take the new flapper and slide it in place off the old one, and reconnect your chain. The only thing remaining is to now turn on the water supply.
If you're experiencing problems like clogging in your toilet, you can invest in worthwhile bathroom facilities, like a new pump to improve drainage and lessen the chances of the situation happening. Any messes that could back up will be a pain to clean up later, so a gray pump is a great addition for bathrooms old or new.
Drafty Windows
Drafty home windows are a major cause of high energy bills, more so during the winter and summer months. If you’re concerned about drafty windows, you could either contact professionals for same day window repair, or have a go yourself. You will need to check the state of the caulk line regularly. It’s what guarantees that each window will remain in place. Use a sharp knife or a box cutter to get rid of any caulk that appears weathered, cracked, or otherwise dry. Once you have removed it, ensure you run a new caulk bead along each seam.
Conclusion
Access to DIY dad’s maintenance tips will guarantee your home is adequately maintained, and will also go a long way in helping to maintain the integrity of your appliances, and their longevity. The house will also become more energy-efficient, making it possible to save on your monthly utility bills.