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Whether it’s a damaged roof or a leaky faucet, seemingly small issues around the house can lead to some big costs.
According to estimates, the average homeowner in the United States can expect to spend between 1% to 4% of their home’s value on repairs each year.
But before you hit up YellowPages, you should know that many of these repairs are simple enough that you can knock them out in an afternoon even if you don’t consider yourself handy.
Check out these five do-it-yourself home repairs a shot and get ready to discover skills you never knew you had!
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1. Secure Your Plumbing
Nothing is more annoying than a leaky faucet. To make matters worse, faulty plumbing can run up your water bill.
For basic plumbing issues, you’ll only need a plumber’s putty or a spray-on sealant and a wrench.
Begin by making sure all piping is tight and secured. Then, take the putty or spray-on sealant and apply it to the leaking area(s). Within a matter of moments, the sealant should fix any cracks or leaks.
2. Re-Do Your Vinyl Floors
Vinyl flooring, while affordable and surprisingly durable, isn’t always the prettiest to look at. By the same token, unless you have a spare thousand dollars or so lying around, redoing your flooring is out of the picture.
Instead of a full-on floor replacement, consider painting or finishing your vinyl flooring. Grab a water based adhesive along with your favorite finish or coat of paint and apply it to your floor. Once it’s dry, you’ll have a floor that looks entirely different!
3. Spruce Up the Backyard
Fees from even the most affordable lawn care services can still drain your wallet of a few hundred dollars. And if you’re after a remodel? You’re looking at quite a bit more.
However, doing the work yourself is faster and easier than you may think. Even if you just mow your own lawn, you could save hundreds of dollars per year.
4. Weatherproof Windows and Doors
The typical household spends over $1000 per year on heating and cooling according to Energy.gov. While you can cut down on some of those costs by turning off your HVAC system when you leave the house, the biggest culprit may be the smallest problem.
Before you call up your local HVAC company, check out your doors and windows. If you can feel a slight breeze or warm air, you’ll need to replace your weatherstripping.
Weatherstripping material itself only costs a few dollars per yard, as does sealant. Remove the old materials, then apply your sealant to the new stripping and gently it around the jamb, and catch.
5. Fix Your Dryer
Before you toss out that old dryer, double-check that it still warms. If it does, there’s a good chance you’re dealing with a vent blockage.
Most hardware stores sell DIY vent cleaning kits and all you’ll need to do is disconnect your dryer from the wall (make sure it’s unplugged first), sweep out any debris, and reconnect it.
Give These Do-It-Yourself Home Repairs a Shot
Now that you know about these common do-it-yourself home repairs, you can try them on your own. Before you know it, you’ll be confident about your repair skills and your house will look as good as new! For more great DIY projects and tips, make sure to check back with our blog.
