Plumbing and Electrical Problems that You Can Fix Yourself

If you are having plumbing problems or electrical problems in your home it is possible to fix them yourself depending on the severity of the problem. Some problems such as sinks, drains, faucets and other parts of the household plumbing are most of the time the cause of household repair bills. Most faucet leaks are caused by worn out washers. This is the rubber or synthetic ring located inside the faucet. So what can you do if you have this problem? The first thing you will need to do is find a way to shut off the water flow to the sink. Usually there is a valve underneath the sink that will do this. If not, there is a main water valve into the house, and temporarily you can shut the whole water supply off. Then remove the screw that holds the faucet handle in place and lift it off. Underneath this is a “bonnet” or cap nut on which you will have to use a wrench to remove it. Now you can lift out the “spindle” which is the shaft going down into the faucet. Looking at the end of the spindle, you will see a rubber or fiber washer held in place by a screw. Remove this washer and replace it with a new one. They are very cheap at most hardware stores.

For some jobs you will probably need to purchase a repair kit that fits with the particular brand of your sink. If you are not sure which one to purchase than you can usually ask someone who works at the store. Another big problem that you can fix yourself is a clogged drain or toilet. Almost everyone is faced with this problem at one time or another. There is usually no cause for concern unless it become a frequent problem. A clogged drain is usually caused by hair, fat from food, or numerous other things that manage to find their way down the drain. In most cases the clogs occur in or near the trap, which is the curved potion of the pipe just below the sink, or in the body of the toilet. There are so many chemicals that you can purchase to unclog your drain, however many can be damaging to your skin. If your problem still occurs even after the use of chemicals you will want to seek the help of a professional. It is possible that it can be a more serious problem. Of course there is always the plunger that can be used in addition to the chemicals, which in most cases will fix the problem. If that does not work you may have to invest in a snake or a drain auger. it is a long flexible twisted steel wire, which will unblock the drain and toilet with a little effort from you.

When it comes to electrical repairs most people are afraid to even try. But did you know that most electrical problems that occur with your appliances can be fixed. Most appliance problems involve some type of break in the electric cord. Keep in mind however you want to be very careful when attempting to make any type of electrical repairs. What you need to do is test to see if it is the appliance that is broken or if it is the cord. First try plugging it in somewhere else and see if it works if it does not than you know it is the appliance. Plug it in again and make sure you have it turned on. Then look and see if the plug of the appliance wiggles around or seems lose in the outlet. If this is the case pull it out and bend each of the metal prongs outward a little. This will make it fit tight. Or, depending on the type of plug, you may be able to slip the fiber or plastic insulator off the ends of the prongs and look inside the plug. There you may find that the wires coming into the plug need to be re-hooked around the screws inside the plug and the screws tightened. If the appliance still does not work, then it is time to unplug the appliance again and unscrew its casing or cover. Now study where the cord attaches to the appliance. Have any of the cord wires become disconnected? If not, it is most likely that a wire or wires within the cord are broken. This is often true even if the outside covering of the cord does not show a break. Since electrical cord is so inexpensive, you may well feel at this point that it is worth while to put a new cord on. How is that done?

Sometimes there are two wired running through an electric cord. Using wire strippers, make some of each wire on the new cord bare. Connect these to the appliance where you took off the old ones. Normally this is done by wrapping the wire clockwise around the screw under a screwhead and then tightening the screw down. With a three-wire cord it is important to connect up the new one exactly as the old one was. Usually each wire has a different colored covering, as black, white and green. Just be sure to attach the new green wire, for example, to where the old green one was. Then put the other end of the new cord through a plug, making the ends of the wires bare and attaching one to each of the terminals or screws inside the plug, as the old ones were attached. Keep in mind the safety rule of shutting down the electrical system by going to the home’s power box and shutting off the fuse for that outlet. There are many things that you can fix yourself around the house. Make sure that you have some type of handy guide to follow before you start. For more information you can visit the DIY on-line network at www.diynetwork.com.