Home Repairs: To DIY or Not?

There’s something so satisfying about being able to fix something in your house by yourself. You feel independent and capable. But some things just aren’t worth trying if you aren’t a professional. Some repairs and installations are too much of a safety hazard for the inexperienced.

 

What’s more, getting them wrong would cost you a lot more money. Knowing what you can handle will save you a lot of trouble. Here’s a list of five home repairs you can do yourself, and five you should call a professional for.

 

(1)

You can do: Interior paint jobs

 

This can be a fun activity to do with your family. If you’re looking at painting a cabinet or the walls of a room, this is perfectly safe to attempt. Just make sure to cover the surfaces you don’t want paint on. Wait for the paint to dry completely before removing stencils and painter’s tape or wet paint could spill outside its intended borders.

 

Unless they’re low fences or walls, exterior paint jobs are best left to the professionals. As a rule, work that involves an extended period on ladders and high surfaces is worth calling in an expert.

 

You SHOULDN’T do: Concrete jobs

 

Whether the task is concrete repair, lifting, or leveling, just call a professional. Concrete is a tough undertaking. What’s more, getting it wrong would mean an enormous hassle and cost for you. You would have to pay for it to be undone and then redone by a professional.

 

(2)

You can do: Light bulb changes

 

These are doable, but make sure you take the proper precautions. Before you go about changing a light bulb, make sure to turn off the power. The foolproof way to do this is to turn off the power for that room on your fuse box. Simply turning off the light switch doesn’t always mean that the fixture is no longer charged.

 

Check the bulb’s heat before twisting it off, and replace it with one that is as similar to the previous one as possible. Wattage is the most important factor here, but it also doesn’t hurt to replicate the previous bulb’s model and base size.

 

You CAN’T do: Most electrical repairs

 

Light bulb changes are about the only electrical task you’re allowed to attempt. Electricians may be expensive to hire, but that’s probably on account of the risk factor in their jobs. For potentially dangerous undertakings, always hire someone who knows what they’re doing.

 

(3)

You can: Patch a hole in the drywall

 

So long as the hole isn’t enormous, this is a job you can do yourself. Smaller holes require a filling of spackle that you should let dry completely. Rub with sandpaper to smooth the filled part before painting over it. Slightly larger holes need to go through the same process, but with an added fiber patch.

 

You SHOULDN’T do: Rebuilds and expansions

 

Structural work is an enormous responsibility and should not be taken lightly. Moving walls, for example, has certain ramifications. Remember that walls support weight, whether it’s a whole floor above, or the ceiling and roof. Removing a wall by yourself could compromise the structural integrity of your home.

 

These include major basement renovations. Basements are integral to the structural composition of your house. One wrong move may send walls or even your entire house collapsing.

 

(4)

You can: Unclog toilets and drains

 

Before you dial a plumber, make sure to try plunging the toilet or drain by yourself first. Most clogs in a toilet usually clear after about 10 pumps with a plunger. If that doesn’t work, you can also try a toilet auger.

 

You SHOULDN’T do: Most other plumbing jobs

 

Compared to electricity-related matters, a leaky faucet seems harmless. It looks incredibly simple too. Keep in mind, however, that there’s much more to your piping system than meets the eye. Repairs that are more extensive than clogged drains or toilets are best left to a plumber.

 

(5)

You can: Install a smoke detector

 

This is essential for any home, and the good news is that you can install it yourself. This involves drilling, so see to it that you avoid a spot on your wall or ceiling that has pipes or wires hidden behind or above it. You can do this by using a multi-purpose detector. If you’re attaching the smoke detector to the ceiling, make sure you’re mounted on a stable surface and that someone below is spotting you.

 

You SHOULDN’T do: Anything gas-related

 

Perhaps you want to move your gas tank to a different part of the house. You can always turn off the tank, move it, then hook it back up, right? Wrong. Much like an electrical job, the price of getting a gas appliance task wrong is too high. Gas leaks can lead to major health issues, or even fires and explosions. Let an expert handle this one.

 

 

Don’t attempt anything to do with gas, electricity, or major structural changes. Professionals are trained to tackle these problems safely. They know what precautions to take so that doing these repairs won’t have life-threatening consequences for your household. You’re free to have fun with simpler, lower-risk undertakings, but know when to call in an expert. This will ensure the safety of your household.

 

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