DIY Tips For Common Home Repairs

Home ownership has its many perks, from tax deductions to equity to personal freedom; but when your North Texas home repairs need to be addressed, there is no landlord to call to fix them, you are the landlord! There are some common home repairs that many homeowners face that are not too difficult to tackle themselves and do not require much time either.

DIY Home Repair Projects

• Squeaking door hinges – While moving the door back and forth, spray some WD-40 directly onto the hinges; if you do not have WD-40, rub petroleum jelly on the hinges. After trying these and you still have a squeaky door, pull the hinge pins halfway out and apply a three-in-one lubricant and use a rag to soak up the excess.
• Floor Squeaks – To temporarily fix a squeaky floor without removing any flooring, sprinkle talcum powder over the noisy area and sweep it into the cracks; this fix is for hard floor surfaces, not carpet.
• Chandelier repair and cleaning – Due to the many small, delicate parts on a chandelier and is the fact that it is typically hanging up high, many think that you have to have someone take it down to clean it off or repair. Instead, turn off the lighting and let it cool, then put on two white cotton gloves, one dry and one damp with glass cleaner (use one part rubbing alcohol and three parts water for crystal), and wipe each section with the damp glove and wipe with the dry glove. Then, replace the burnt out bulbs and repair the missing or damaged pieces. Remember to take all safety precautions when climbing high on a ladder!
• Removing bathtub stains – Before you think you need to replace or refinish your shower and/or bathtub, you can lift and whiten those stubborn stains with a few simple ingredients. Mix equal amounts of baking soda, cream of tartar and lemon juice until it makes a thick paste, then rub the paste into the stain with your fingers or a cloth. Once it has sat for 30 minutes, rinse the area with clean water.
• Fixing a jammed sliding window – Especially in older homes, windows don’t slide up and down as easily over time; for any of the jammed windows in your home, pick up some silicone spray lubricant from your local hardware store and spray it onto a rag, then wipe along the tracks; this will grease the skids and allow the window to smoothly glide along the tracks.
• Repairing linoleum flooring – Before calculating the expense of replacing your linoleum floors due to unsightly marks and scuffs, you can renew and brighten your abused floor. With white toothpaste and a dry cloth, rub the spot thoroughly; if this doesn’t work, spray WD-40 on a towel and lightly rub the scuff marks out (make sure to clean off the surface with degreasing dish soap).

Whether it’s small damages, annoying squeaks or set in stains and marks, there are many things around your home that are not so pleasing to the eye, or ears, but that doesn’t mean they all need to be replaced. With a few simple DIY tips for home repairs, you can tackle a lot of tasks around your home. If you do come across a task or repair need that is too big, let us help you out; H&H Construction and Restoration has a crew that knows the ins and outs of home repairs.