Having a home can be a lot of work. It’s important to keep up with maintenance so our house looks great and can maintain its value. Keeping up with maintenance also helps us to ward off major problems in the long run.
But along the way, repairs are inevitable. Those repairs can cost you big bucks if hire a professional to do the work. But that might not be necessary.
There are lots of home repairs that are simple enough to do yourself. You just have to know what you’re doing. We can help with that!
Here Are 60 Home Repairs You Don’t Need To Call The Pros For:
You tried everything, but that carpet stain just won’t come out. You don’t have to replace the entire carpet. You can just remove the stained spot and replaced it with an extra piece of carpet or one you get from an inconspicuous place like your closet. Get the details in the video below.
You don’t need to call the plumber for a leaky faucet. It’s likely that you just have to tighten, re-adjust, or replace something. All faucets aren’t exactly the same but you can likely learn how to make the repair by watching the video below.
The gates we have around our home can sag after time. This can make the gate look uneven and hard to latch. You can learn how to fix it by watching the video below.
Cracks can form in your walls over time. You can repair these cracks by covering it with drywall or plaster. Learn how you can get a super smooth finish by watching the video below.
Is it time to change the locks? No need to call the locksmith. The process is fairly simple. When you buy a new knob and lock set, it should probably come with directions on how to install. It likely just takes a screwdriver. You can also watch the video below.
Replacing your toilet might seem like a big scary job. It is a big job, but it doesn’t have to be a scary one. Learn everything you’ll need to buy and pitfalls you should avoid while installing your toilet by checking out this step-by-step guide here.
An electrician could charge you upwards of $500 to rewire a light socket. It is, however, something you can do on your own. Make sure you are very careful and safe while following the directions in the video below.
Do your hardwood floors look like a hot mess? Well, you can refinish them on your own. Sanding and buffing might not be necessary, but you can always rent sanding and buffing machines if it is. You can find a tutorial here.
Tile grout can get pretty nasty after a while. It’s fairly easy to clean. If it’s too far gone to be clean you’ll have to re-grout. It’s pretty easy to do. Just watch the video below.
Is your shingled roof leaking? It’s important to catch a leak right away before it spreads and rots the wood beams underneath your shingles. Safety is a big issue when attempting to repair your own roof which is why most people will call a professional for the job. If you have some experience or feel confident that you can safely get the job done, then check out the details in the video below on how to fix a leaky shingled roof.
Did someone have a tempertantrum and take it out on the wall? Maybe there are one too many nail marks? You can learn how to patch your walls in the video below.
Do your cabinet doors make a racket when they slam shut? Grab some drawer bumpers. They are very inexpensive (you can probably score some at the dollar store) and stick right on the corners of your cabinet doors.
Changing the lightbulbs in your car is so easy. Some cars are different but you can likely Google how to change the lights on your specific car model. You can find out what the most commonly neglected bulbs on your car are here.
Did water leave a nasty stain on your ceiling? You might not have to repaint. Try spraying it with bleach. You can also try a product called UPshot that will take care of it. Just make sure you follow the directions on the can. Whichever product you use, you’ll want to cover your walls and floor.
Carpet removal isn’t a giant expense. It’s about $60 to $100 for a 12 x 15-feet room. But you might as well put that in your own pocket. Learn how to pull up the carpet here and learn how to fix up the wood below it here.
Do you have a window that’s sticking? It might need a good cleaning. If that doesn’t work, try spraying a PTFE spray lubricant on all the points where the window moves. Wipe excess off with a rag.
Do you have a light that won’t turn on? Maybe an appliance? Check your circuit breakers before you call the repairman. Sometimes they get tripped and your fix could be as easy as flipping a switch.
I thought one of my electric stove burners wasn’t working. Turns out, all I needed to do was jiggle it around a bit. You can make lots of electric stove repairs on your own. Learn how here.
Does your home feel a bit drafty? Is light creeping through cracks where it shouldn’t be? You probably just need some weather stripping. Learn how to install the stuff here.
Do you have a stopped up toilet, sink, or tub? Some clogs can be cleared simply by using a good plunger. If that doesn’t work, check out this tutorial on how to fix more complicated clogs.
Two-part filler can be a lifesaver around your home. It’s kind of a pain in that it has to be mixed and doesn’t wash off with water but it’s a lot stronger and more durable for fixes. It can be used to mend holes that are bigger than a nail head and can be used to patch metal, fiberglass, and concrete. It can even withstand outdoor use.
Are your stainless steel appliances marked up with scratches and stains? You can make your stainless steel look good as new with sandpaper and rubbing compound. Get the details on how to do it here.
Got a chip on your car? You can up the resell value on your car and save money by touching up the chips yourself. The key is using the fine tip paint applicator. Get all the details on how to get the job done right here.
Is your wood furniture looking a little beat up? Walnuts may be the key to restoring it. Just rub a walnut over the scratches and nicks. It should cover it right up and make your furniture look brand new.
Are your drawers sticking? Use some gulf wax or another lubricant and rub it along your drawer slides and points of friction. This will make the drawer pull in and out smoothly.
Need to replace a light switch or install a dimmer? It’s not as hard as you think. Learn how to install a dimmer here and replace a three-way switch here.
Is your wallpaper coming apart at the seams? Soak a rag with some warm water and hold it over the split seam for a few minutes. Then hold the gap open and squeeze some seam sealer (or white glue) in the gap. Press it close and wipe off the excess.
To fix a stripped screw hole, first take out the screw and hardware. Dip some toothpicks in wood glue and shove as many as you can fit into the hole and break them off where they are sticking out. Reinstall your hardware by screwing your screw back into the hole over your toothpicks.
Do you have a table or chair leg that is wobbling. You might be able to steady it with a penny. Hot glue a penny to the bottom of your leg. It will act like a shim. You can also try using a wine cork.
Calling the clothes dryer repair person can cost big bucks. You might want to try fixing it yourself first. Check out the guide here to learn how you can fix common dryer problems.
Mechanics charge a lot to replace your car’s air filters. But you can buy them for super cheap instead and install them yourself. All you have to do is unclip or unscrew and remove the old one. You can tell if it needs to be replaced is the filter blocks 50 percent or more of the light behind it. You can put it back in or replace it depending on what you see. You can get details on this process here.
Do you have a bad stain on your chair cushion? Is it ripped? You don’t have to throw out your entire set of chairs. Just reupholster them. You just pop off the old cushion, cover it with fabric, put in a few staples and reattach it. Learn how here.
Is your squeaky floor driving you nuts? Just drive a trim head screw through your carpet and into the floor joist. You can find the joist with a stud finder. The top inch of the screw should not have threads. Threads will prevent the subfloor from sucking down to the joist.
A warped, splintered, or broken deck plank can cause injury. It’s important to fix this right away. You can learn how to fix your deck on your own here.
Did the wheels off your drawer slide bread? It might be time to replace your drawer slides. The new ones you buy should have instructions but you basically just unscrew the old ones and screw the new ones in place.
Is your washing machine or refrigerator looking like something you found on the curb? Just touch up those chips and scratches with appliance touch-up paint. You can buy some here.
Do you have some leaky plumbing? You can actually fix the leaks around your tub, shower, drains, sinks, and toilets yourself. Learn how to fix different plumbing leaks here.
Got a stripped screw that you can’t get out? Try placing a rubber band over the screwdriver head for a better grip. If that doesn’t work you’ll want to invest in a screw extraction kit. The cheapest ones cost about $25 but you can get a fancy one for closer to $200.
Use lemon to get rid of hard water stains. You can use a halved lemon and try to scrub it away. If you have hard water buildup on your faucet, just place a halved lemon at the end of your faucet and wrap a plastic bag around it. Secure with a rubber band and let it sit for a few hours.
Do the spark plugs on your car or lawn mower need replacing? You can easily change them yourself. Learn how to change them on your car here and your lawn mover here.
Whether it’s a broken ice maker, leaking water, or a cooling problem, you might be able to fix your own refrigerator. You might as well try. It could save you a whole lot of money. Learn how to fix common refrigerator problems here.
Is your couch starting to stink? You can mask it with sprays but that’s just a temporary fix. You can pull the smell out of your upholstery with baking soda. Sprinkle it on your fabric, let it sit for 20 minutes, then vacuum it up.
Do you have a nail hole in your aluminum or vinyl siding? You don’t have to replace the entire piece. Find some color matching caulk from a siding supplier. Fill the hole and wipe away the excess.
Replacing your older windows can get expensive. You might want to fix up your old ones instead. Get rid of drafts and upgrade your windows by learning to reglaze them here.
60 Home Repairs You Don't Need To Call The Pros For
D.G. Sciortino
04.11.19
Having a home can be a lot of work. It’s important to keep up with maintenance so our house looks great and can maintain its value. Keeping up with maintenance also helps us to ward off major problems in the long run.
But along the way, repairs are inevitable. Those repairs can cost you big bucks if hire a professional to do the work. But that might not be necessary.
There are lots of home repairs that are simple enough to do yourself. You just have to know what you’re doing. We can help with that!
Here Are 60 Home Repairs You Don’t Need To Call The Pros For:
