No matter how old your home is, it needs occasional repairs and maintenance. To handle those jobs like a pro, you need to make sure you have these 45 key home repair skills under your belt. From fixing a leaking kitchen or bathroom plumbing to minimizing damage when doing home repair, these skills will be useful if you are redoing the house, upgrading a room or just trying to keep everything in top condition. Dripping from a faucet can waste more than 8 gallons of water per day.
If the accessory has two handles and is less than 20 years old, you can often buy a replacement cartridge, a brass or plastic valve that contains all the parts that control the flow of water. Before starting any repair work, make sure to turn off the mains stopcock and, if you have one, the cold water tank stopcock in the roof space. When it comes to lamps, you can usually repair the body in the same way you would repair other items made from the materials that the lamp is made of. If the repair costs are less than 50 percent of the original purchase price, then you may want to consider handling the repair yourself, only hiring someone else if you really need it.
Finishing wooden floors will not only soften them and improve their overall appearance, but this home repair work will also increase their longevity, so it is advisable to attend to them every two years. If you are renovating, you may find visible bulges and cracks on the plaster, indicating the need for home repairs. Mosquito nets on windows are an important part of your home's defense against insects, so when they get caught, repair them. Spending a few hours regularly on DIY home maintenance and repairs may never become your favorite hobby, but knowing how to perform some simple repairs will keep your costs low and help you get the job done on your schedule instead of that of your contractor.
If you encounter any problems with your toilet, try troubleshooting it with this Home Repair Tutor video and you will likely be able to fix it once and for all.
