How to Repair a Home
Your house is one of the most expensive things you will ever buy. Not only is it a huge cost up front, but there will always be updates, upgrades, repairs and general maintenance, ongoing until the day you sell the home. Some of the things your home needs will have to be done by professionals; there is no getting around it. There are many things, however, that you are more than capable of doing yourself, if you have the correct tools. If you’re wondering how to repair a home, you don’t need to be super handy, and you don’t need a bunch of experience. If you can master a few simpler jobs and repairs around your home, you can save your money so you can pay for the big things you just can’t do by yourself.
One of the most basic things is painting. Whether you want to change the color of an entire room or just cover a hole left by a nail, painting is always a good skill to have and it is a simple thing that can really improve the appearance of your home. The most important part of painting is preparation before painting. It will take some time, but it will make the actual paint job easier, and get you better results. If painting a whole room, you’ll want to start by removing everything from the walls, wiping the walls to remove dust and grime, and look for any imperfections like holes and gouges. Fix these spots up first with spackle or sand paper, and then you’re ready to prime and paint!
When people ask us about how to repair a home, another simple issue we usually mention is maintenance for your doors. There are doors all over your home, and sometimes they can cause the biggest headaches. From squeaky hinges to swelling in humid weather, fixing up your doors is something you can certainly handle yourself. If squeaky doors are driving you nuts, the first thing to try is to oil them with some lubricant. If this doesn’t fix the issue, you can try cleaning the hinge pins right out. If your issue is a door getting stuck in rainy weather, the door may need to be planed. This is not as easy as applying some oil, but it is something you can do yourself by simply purchasing a carpenter’s plane.
Another common household issue is a leaky faucet. The faucet could be leaking for any number of reasons, but the most common cause is deteriorated washers. It is not too difficult to replace these yourself. Start by unscrewing the faucet handle to remove it. Then take out the packing nuts, which you will need pliers for. Unscrew the valve stem to separate it from the housing, and then remove the screw that is holding the washer in place. Once the washer is removed, you’ll be able to assess the damage. If it hasn’t broken down too much, you can probably make repairs to the faucet or use it as an example of what type of faucet to purchase. If it is in really bad shape though, you may need to look at the valve body to determine the size you need. Once you have obtained a new washer, simply reverse the process to put your faucet back together.
I hope these tips help you better understand how to repair a home. If you are ready to sell your house quickly in Charleston, South Carolina, without having to go through all the hassle of selling your home, call us today at (843) 553-5005 or fill out our brief seller form on this website today.