DIY Home Repairs Can Help You Save Money and Time
By brooke, December 6, 2011, Home Services, News, Tips & Information
As a homeowner, I’ve learned a lot. But what I’ve learned the most is that things break. And it seems that most of the time, they break during the most inconvenient times (really, when is it ever a good time). The A/C breaks in the summer, water heater breaks in the winter and so on. Not only are home repairs a hassle but it is an expensive one too. Now my husband and I aren’t Mr. and Mrs. Fixit, but what we’ve noticed is that by researching on the internet, you can find many home repairs are DIY. What’s so great about that is, for many issues, DIY home repairs will save you money and time. One thing to note when deciding to do home repairs yourself is that repairs should be fixed if the repair costs are less than 50% of the original purchase price. With that being said, here are a few home repair items that aren’t too hard to fix yourself and can save you money.
- Cars. Although pricey in the short-run, maintenance is necessary and can save you money in the long run. It’s a good preventative by keeping away future pricey problems. Now, if you’re handy, you can take it a step further by changing batteries, oil, fan belts, spark plugs, etc. yourself, which will save you money.
- Electronics. Many times these can be simple and inexpensive fixes. Some common examples are replacing new batteries in the remote, taking apart your mouse to clean it out, or replacing a new power cord. If it’s something more, call a service technician for repair to see if it would be cheaper to repair rather than replace.
- Building materials. With the drought we Texans experienced, many a homeowner have seen new cracks appear in and around our homes. I always thought it would be super expensive to fix, for most it is, but if you notice a problem early on there may be an easy DIY method to fix it. Just seal over the cracks with some fresh cement and the cracks are gone. If you have a broken window, you can replace a single pane rather than the whole frame.
- Leaky faucets/toilets. Over time fixtures can start to leak. Plumbers are expensive but many common problems have simple DIY solutions. For instance, small faucet leaks can by tightened at the joints with a pipe wrench or by adding caulk/sealant. For a “running” toilet, you may need to adjust the chain in the tank or replace the flapper.
For additional home repair items around the house that are an easy fix, click here.
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