While homeownership is the ultimate goal for most of us, and it manages to instill a sense of pride and joy, having a place you call home also means that you will have to maintain your home – and things can add up really quickly.

Still, there’s no need to be afraid of homeownership and home repairs. There are a myriad of things you can do yourself when fixing up the house or when doing minor repairs. This means that you won’t need to call professionals for every minor home repair, which can lead to significantly more money in your pocket. 

And in this article, the team at Habitat for Humanity brings you the inside scoop on how to become a DIY home repair pro with these easy home repair hacks.

Installing PEX Pipes

Installing plumbing pipes might seem intimidating, but when you’re fixing up the house and don’t want to wait for the plumber, you can always start the work by installing PEX pipes. As a matter of fact, many pros will say that this is the DIY home repair entry point to the plumbing trade. PEX pipes are made of flexible plastic and connect with crimp rings or push-fit fittings. Installing them is pretty straightforward, but the downside is that you will need to get a permit from the local authorities for plumbing installs. That said, this might not be the best DIY project to start with, but if you have the patience and want to understand plumbing systems better, this is an excellent way to get started. 

Fixing Shutoff Valves 

This is another one of those home repairs that may seem like an arduous task but is fairly simple once you get the hang of it. Shutoff valves aren’t that tricky to replace. You only need to turn the main water valve off. Then, remove the packing nut, use the right screwdriver to get the stem out, and go to the hardware store to find a replacement washer. While at it, you can also clean the valve body and just put on the new washer. 

Pro tip: take the stem with you to find the correct replacement. You don’t want to have to drive to the store twice.

Hanging Drywall 

You can also hang wallboard and drywall sheets without having to call a professional. This is a fairly straightforward home repair that only requires a hammer or cordless drill. Mudding or drying, on the other hand, may be a bit trickier, so you might want to call a pro for that, but still, if you hang the drywall yourself, you can save a few dollars. 

Unclogging the Garbage Disposal

This can be a great DIY home repair project, but you will need to use a tiny specialty wrench that can fit into the disposal’s underside, where the hexagonal opening is. Only make sure that the disposal is turned off. The wrench should help you clear the drainage, but if the problem still persists, it’s better to call a professional to unclog it. 

Small Electrical Work Projects

There are quite a few simple home repairs that you can learn after watching a few online tutorials. Smaller electrical projects are one of those. While it may be scary to work with electricity, replacing light switches and outlets are all easy DIY projects. Those who have a bit more experience in this field may also try running new circuits or wiring the bathroom or kitchen. Still, more intricate projects like servicer panel installations should be left to the professionals. 

Fixing Broken Drawers 

Broken corner joints can be a pain, but you can fix them before your entire drawer falls apart. Just remove the drawer and the drawer front from the box, if you can. Most of these fronts are held by a few screws inside the box. Remove the fastener from the lost joint and scrape the old glue away with a utility knife.

Plank Floor Install 

This is the ideal DIY home repair project for beginners who want to perform a simple job that can have a massive effect on the overall look and feel of the home or a room. Installing plank flooring (laminate or vinyl) is simple because the panels connect side to side with simple fold-and-lock joinery. Additionally, these are floating floors, meaning that you don’t have to mess too much with the subfloor; rather, simply install the plank on top of it or on an underlayment without any need for using nails or glue. 

Upholstery Cleaning With Baking Soda

Not all home repairs have to involve using tools. This is an old trick, but if you didn’t know, you don’t have to hire professional cleaners to remove unpleasant odors from upholstered furniture like couches and some chairs. 

You only need to sprinkle a fair amount of baking soda on the fabric, wait for roughly half an hour and then vacuum it. Not only will baking soda help with unpleasant smells, but it might also even break up some pesky fabric stains. 

Bleaching Water Stains

How to repair the ceiling and get rid of water stains? You don’t have to repaint the entire ceiling, nor do you have to call professionals to do it for you. Try spraying the spot with a water+bleach solution (ten percent bleach) and leave it alone for at least a day. For older stains, you can also use mildew and mold removers. In most cases, these easy fixes will remove the stain, which works great on textured and flat ceilings. Just make sure to protect the walls with plastic and your eyes with protective eyewear. 

DIY Downspout and Gutter Repair

How to repair your gutters and downspouts? Well, there’s no trick to it; you pick up the necessary tools and replacement pieces in your nearest home center, remove the old gutters and downspouts, and install the new ones. 

This may seem a little blunt, but if you don’t mind taking your time with it and investing $100 to $200 in the necessary pieces and tools, you can save thousands of dollars in foundation repairs that could result from not addressing malfunctioning downspouts and gutters. 

Coins as Toilet Shims

Yes, you’ve read that right. This is probably one of the easiest minor repairs there are: just slip a few coins under the toilet to get it leveled and use caul to hide the coins along the floor.

Get the Job Done the Smart Way

While these tips and hacks are great for most small repairs, you should always take on those tasks that you are capable of completing. You don’t want to make matters worse, and you definitely don’t want to cause any harm to yourself in the process. So, if you’re unsure whether you can pull off a certain project, it might be smarter to call the pros.

Still, if you want to learn from expert handymen, feel free to reach out to us, explore our cause, and experience the flow of these home projects first-hand.  

 

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