Your home is one of the most expensive things you’ll ever pay for, so whether you’re renting or buying, you should take good care of it. While you’ll probably be tempted to call a professional when something breaks, you can take care of a lot of problems yourself.
Most of these home repairs can be done with little to no experience. However, always be sure to do research on anything you don’t understand, particularly if you’re dealing with electricity, which can be extremely hazardous. Also, if you don’t already have a tool kit of your own, this wouldn’t be a bad time to start building your essential toolbox. Some of the repairs listed here will require special tools you may not have laying around, but we’ll list those where applicable.
Fix or Replace a Broken Toilet Lever
The handle on a toilet is an important component to any bathroom design. Not only is it integral to the function of the toilet, but the style and finish of the handle should also coordinate with the rest of the bathroom faucets and fixtures. If your toilet handle is corroded or out of date, replace it with a new one to keep your bathroom functioning in style.
A broken toilet lever is pretty easy to fix. In most cases, if pressing the lever doesn’t flush the toilet, you can just pop the tank open and re-attach the chain. However, in some cases, the handle itself can become corroded or any one of the pieces that connect the handle to the flapper (including the handle, nut, metal rod, or chain) can break. All of these parts can be replaced on the cheap, though.
Tools/materials you’ll need:
- Adjustable wrench
- Replacement toilet lever kit (if broken)
Procedure:
- Before the new handle can be installed, the old handle needs to be removed from the tank properly.
- Shut off the water valve to the toilet and flush the toilet to drain any water from the tank.
- Remove the lid from the toilet tank.
- Unscrew the wing nut that holds the tank lever to the back of the handle. Set it aside to be reinstalled with the new handle.
- Unscrew the nut from the back of the handle. Toilet nuts thread in reverse; turn the nut clockwise to remove it.
- If the nut is plastic, use your fingers to loosen it.
- If the nut is metal, use a wrench to help loosen it.
- Pull the handle through to the front of the tank and remove the nut and washer from the back of the toilet tank. Discard these parts.
- Unscrew the washer and nut from the back of the new handle. The washer is a rubber gasket that helps prevent leaks. It sits up against the nut and slides right off once the nut is removed.
- Push the new handle’s stem through the hole on the side of the toilet tank.
- Slide the washer over the handle’s stem and screw the nut back into place. Remember that it threads in reverse; screw it on counterclockwise to tighten it.
- Lift up the toilet lever and push its end down through the hole at the end of the handle’s stem.
- Screw on the wing nut to the end of the toilet lever to hold it in place.
- Turn on the water valve to refill the toilet tank.
- Flush the toilet to make sure the new handle works.
- Replace the tank lid.
Unclog a Toilet Drain
Before you call a plumber to unclog a toilet, there are two things you should try. The first is a plunger, though you’ll want to make sure you’re using the right one. Be sure you’re using the right tool for the job.
If there’s not much water in the bowl, pour enough water in to submerge the head of the plunger. Give it 8-10 good downward thrusts. Most minor clogs should clear up at this point and water should flow freely. If not, it’s auger time. Toilet augers typically cost a little more than plungers, but they can deal with tougher clogs than a simple plunger can. Run the end of the auger into the toilet until the end reaches the clog and start turning the crank. If you get a good grip on it, you should be able to pull the clog out.
Tools/materials you’ll need:
- Toilet plunger
- Toilet auger
Procedure:
Toilet Plunger
You can generally clear a clogged toilet with a plunger, otherwise known as the plumbers’ friend. Make sure that there’s enough water in the toilet bowl to cover the rubber suction cup, then work the handle of the plunger up and down. If there isn’t enough water in the bowl, do not flush the toilet; flushing a clogged toilet will just cause the bowl to overflow. Instead, bring a pan or pot of water from another source to supply the water you need to cover the plunger cup. There are two types of plungers, and the one with a bulb-type head is especially effective for toilets. Some types have a fold-out head that’s designed for toilet use.
Usually, whatever is blocking the toilet drain is not very far away. If the plunger’s action doesn’t dislodge the clog, you can try to hook the blockage and pull it free. A wire coat hanger can sometimes do the job, but it is really a substitute for the closet or toilet auger.
Before using the plunger, make sure there’s enough water in the toilet bowl to cover the suction cup. Pump the plunger to dislodge the clog.
Toilet Auger
The auger has a long sleeve or tube to guide the snake and auger hook into the trap. A crank on the end enables you to turn the hook in the drain or trap. Here’s how to use it.
Step 1: Insert the auger into the toilet trap and turn the crank until it feels tight. This means that the snake has twisted its way to and into the blockage.
Step 2: When you pull in the auger, you should be able to remove whatever is clogging the toilet. If you aren’t successful, try the closet auger several more times. In some cases, you may have to resort to pushing a regular plumbers’ snake through the blockage.
Step 3: When all else fails, the toilet may have to be removed from the floor and turned upside down so you can get a blockage. This is not what anyone would call an easy job, so you should give the simpler methods as good a try as you can before you remove the toilet. But removing the toilet is not beyond the capabilities of the average do-it-yourselfer, and this procedure is explained in the forthcoming section.
Fix a Leaky Kitchen/Bathroom Pipe
The most common types of pipe leaks occur under kitchen or bathroom sinks. These tend to involve either a worn out washer or a loose or broken compression nut that’s sealing it. To fix these, first you’ll need to turn the water off to the sink. Some sinks have a shut off valve right near the sink itself, but others may be as far away as the basement. You’ll have to follow the pipes depending on your house.
Once the water’s off, place a bucket underneath the pipe, and twist off the compression nuts (the big, white pieces you can unscrew). You can take this opportunity to rinse out the curved pipe (called a P-trap). Once you’ve replaced the washer (or the entire P-trap if necessary), you can screw it back in and turn the water back on.
Tools/materials you’ll need:
- Bucket
- Replacement P-trap or washer
Procedure:
- Remove the existing p-trap fitting by loosening and detaching the end connection nuts from both ends using a pipe wrench or adjustable pliers. Place a small bucket or container beneath the p-trap to catch water remaining in the fitting.
- Move the p-trap connection nut that remains on the sink’s vertical downpipe up slightly and slide the plastic compression ring down to remove it and the nut from the downpipe.
- Remove the end connections nuts and compression rings from the new p-trap fitting.
- Slide one of the end connection nuts from the new p-trap onto the downpipe, followed by one of the compression rings. Orient the connection nut with the threaded opening downward and the beveled edge of the compression ring toward the bottom end of the downpipe. The compression ring will slide snugly onto the downpipe and hold the connection nut in place.
- Slip the vertical opening of the p-trap up onto the downpipe until it stops. Thread the connection nut installed in Step 4 onto the p-trap and tighten it by hand.
- Slide the remaining end connection nut from the new p-trap onto the drain pipe from the wall, followed by the remaining compression ring. Orient the connection nut with the threaded opening toward the p-trap and the beveled edge of the compression ring toward the open end of the drain pipe.
- Align the other end of the p-trap fitting with the drain line from the wall and tighten the connection nut onto the end by hand.
- Tighten both of the end connection nuts using a pipe wrench or adjustable pliers to complete the p-trap repair.
Replace a Light Switch
Most electrical work in your home should probably be done by a professional if, for no other reason, than the risk of serious injury or death is much higher when dealing with electricity than a toilet or drywall. However, light switches are among the easiest to replace. If you have a switch that’s not working properly, you can do it pretty simply. Be sure to turn off the circuit breaker before beginning. Electricity can be dangerous, so take all the necessary precautions.
You can use a flathead screwdriver to remove the faceplate covering the switch. Then use a phillips head screwdriver to remove the switch from the wall. You’ll see two wires connected to screws on the switch. You’ll want to test the wires to ensure there’s no electricity running through them. Disconnect the wires and attach them to the new switch, and you’re ready to put everything back together.
Tools/materials you’ll need:
- Flathead screwdriver
- Phillips head screwdriver
- Replacement light switch
Procedure:
If a light switch fails to function, it should be replaced. Most modern switches have screw terminals on each side and may also have holes in the back to accept the end of the wire. Although plug-in connections may be more convenient, they are less reliable than those with screw terminals, so don’t use them!
You can easily loosen the screws on the side of the device with a standard screwdriver (turning counterclockwise), but you may find getting the wires out of the back of the device tricky. To remove these wires, insert the blade of a small screwdriver into the slot under the hole into which the wire is inserted and push in as you pull the wire loose. Pushing the blade of the screwdriver into the slot releases the grip on the inserted wire. Here are descriptions of the wires and where they go:
- The white (neutral) wire connects to the silver screw, or you place it in the back wire hole on the same side of the device as the silver screw.
- The black (hot) wire goes to the brass screw or into the hole in the back of the device on the same side as the brass screw. This wire is sometimes red.
- The green or bare copper (ground) wire, if the device has one, attaches to the green screw terminal on the switch or to the electrical box.
If the switch has On and Off embossed on its body and it’s the only switch that controls lights or receptacles, it’s a single-pole switch. To replace this kind of switch, follow these steps:
- Turn off the power to the switch at the main circuit breaker or fuse panel.
- Unscrew and remove the switch plate; then use a voltage tester to make sure that the circuit is dead.
- Unscrew the switch from the electrical box and pull it out with the wires still attached.
Two or three wires will be attached to the switch: an incoming hot wire, which is black; a return wire, which carries the load to the fixture and may be black, red, or any other colour except green; and sometimes a grounding wire, which is green or bare copper. There may be other wires in the box, but you are only dealing with the ones connected directly to the switch.
You may find a white wire that has black tape on it connected to the switch. This tape indicates that the white wire is being used as a black or collared wire in the switch leg, so it’s not neutral.
- Compare your new switch with the one you’re replacing to find the corresponding locations for the electrical screw connectors.
Because the power is off, you can match up the connectors the easy way: Instead of disconnecting all the wires at once and possibly getting confused, unscrew and connect one wire at a time.
2. Attach the first wire you unscrew to the same-colored screw on the new switch as it was on the old; do the same with the second.
To connect a wire to a terminal, strip off about 1/2 inch of insulation, using a wire stripper, and twist the end into a clockwise loop with long-nose pliers. The loop must wrap at least two-thirds but no more than three-quarters of the way around the terminal screw. Hook the wire clockwise around the screw so when you tighten the screw with a screwdriver, the clockwise force of the tightening screw makes the loop wrap tighter around the screw.
3. Gently push the new, wired switch back into the electrical box and screw it in place.
4. Screw on the switch plate and turn on the power.
Loosen Up a Stuck Window
If you go too long without opening a window, it can get so mucked up with dirt and crap that it’s difficult to open it. This isn’t a terribly complex problem to solve, but it can require some elbow grease (or a more proper lubricating agent like WD-40). The video above shows you how to pry the window sash away from the frame with a pizza cutter, though if you’re concerned with preserving the paint, you can use a somewhat less sharp putty knife to wiggle the edges open. Once you’ve got the window moving again, be sure to clean it thoroughly.
Tools/materials you’ll need:
- Putty knife/pizza cutter
- WD-40 or other lubricant
- Cleaning supplies
- Rag
Of course, there’s no shortage of things in your house that can break, but you’ll find that a good deal of things can be fixed with just a little bit of Google-fu and a few bucks worth of supplies from a hardware store. Some things should obviously be taken care of by a professional, particularly where safety’s concerned, but if something’s broken at your home and it’s not on this list, check online before you call the repairman. It could save you a bundle.
References;
wordofthemasses 