6 Home Repair Jobs You Should Know How To Do By Yourself
Don't even think of calling manong to do these home maintenance jobs
Is your toilet bowl on the fritz or has your hanging lamp conked out? We know you would most likely text your friendly neighborhood manong, but have you actually tried to fix the problem yourself? Perhaps you should check out these six basic home repair problems you should know how to DIY (and which ones you shouldn’t), and save yourself a few hundred pesos:
Fix a toilet-flushing lever
Do you really want to call an expensive plumber for this? There are two things you can do. First: open the top of the tank; the lever is most probably detached from the chain—reattach it. If the lever is broken, you can replace it by buying a toilet lever set that matches the model of your water closet.
When to call manong: When the entire flushing mechanism is broken (from lever to flapper) or your toilet is overflowing. Call a plumber ASAP!
READ: Common Bathroom Problems And How To Fix Them
Painting a single wall or furniture piece
If you’re a painting a small accent wall or a single furniture piece like a chair or coffee table and there isn’t any surface refinishing needed, then have a go at it. Need more DIY painting and prep tips? Click the link below.
When to call manong: There really is no limit to what you want to paint on your own. You could possibly call painters when the area that you are painting is too high (meaning: you need a really long ladder or a system of scaffolding to get to it) or too big.
READ: Repaint Your Own Home In 8 Simple Steps
Caulk up leaks or seams
If a seam in between your sink’s counter and the wall is dripping, you might need to caulk it up. It’s quite easy to do, and all you need is a caulking gun and a small spatula. First, scrape off the old caulk and wipe clean. Second, use a caulking gun to slowly apply caulk to the crack or seam (you might want to practice on a test surface first). Let dry.
When to call manong: When the crack or seam is too big, or the area to be caulked is expansive.
Lubricate a sticky lock
Do you have a lock or deadbolt that has the dreaded kiliti? Prevent yourself from getting locked out again by doing this simple hack using a pencil (!). Get a pencil with soft lead, and then rub the graphite (tip) of the pencil onto the grooves of your key. Insert the key into your sticky lock a couple of times until insertions becomes smooth.
When to call manong: If your key broke and it is stuck inside the keyhole, or you have to replace the entire lock or it has dislodged itself from a loose lock hole.
Patch up a small hole
Did you accidentally knick your wall while lifting a heavy chair—or while practicing your golf swing? If you have a tiny, less-than-fist-sized hole, you can patch it up yourself with some masilya and elbow grease. Click here to find out how.
When to call manong: If the hole goes clear through the wall, or if there is some obvious structural damage.
READ: RL Tips - Patching A Hole In The Wall
Change a lightbulb
This task is the subject of a lot of jokes, but would you believe that there are still some of us out there who do not know (or refuse) to change a lightbulb? First, turn off the switch or unplug the lamp. Wrap your hand with a soft cloth to protect it (bulb may be hot). Unscrew—or if it is a bayonet-type of bulb, gently push down and lift up in a counter-clockwise direction. Replace the bulb, step back, and switch it on to test.
When to call manong: If the socket is damaged, or if the lighting fixture is too high up.
SOURCES: lifehacker.com, mywomenstuff.com
