4 Quick Fixes For Annoying Home Problems

FOUR QUICK FIXES FOR ANNOYING HOME PROBLEMS

Want to fix a pesky problem in your home without breaking the bank? Here are four solutions to common, annoying problems in your home that you can tackle yourself in just one weekend. Warning: Success might result in a larger “honey-do” list.

1. Running Toilet

The most common cause of a running toilet is an old rubber flapper – the part that seals out water. To test if this is the issue, put a couple of drops of food coloring in the tank and wait five minutes. If the water in the bowl changes color, it is the flapper. Before changing the flapper, check the flapper chain to make sure it’s not too short (the flapper can’t close) or too long (the chain gets caught). If the chain is fine, you need to purchase a new flapper. Be sure to take the old flapper with you to your local hardware store to make sure you get the right replacement. To learn how to replace a toilet flapper, check out this article from About.com Plumbing.

2. Leaky Faucet

Although leaky faucets may seem like a small issue, it should never be ignored as all those drops of water add up, and if it’s not addressed properly, could turn into a larger problem. All you’ll need to tackle this problem is an adjustable wrench, a flat-head screwdriver, a can of WD-40_® Multi-Use Product, and replacement washers and O-rings (available at Lowe’s). Before applying any wrench or screwdriver to your fixture, Popular Mechanics recommends turning off the water supply in your home. After this is done, remove any decorative parts from the handle knobs by prying it off with a flat-head screwdriver. Underneath each knob, there will be a screw that mounts the handle to the stem. Spray a little WD-40 Multi-Use Product to loosen the screw, and unscrew the faucet handle from the stem. Use your wrench to loosen the packing nut and from there you should notice the stem, which should be removed as well. Once this is done, you should remove the washer and O-ring from inside the valve seat and put the replacements inside the seat (click here for a visual on how to do this). From there, carefully reassemble all the parts in order, and slowly and gently turn the knob to test the running water.

3. Water Marks on Wood Furniture

To remove water marks from your wood furniture, cover the water mark with a dry cotton cloth and go over it with a medium-hot iron for several seconds. If that doesn’t work, Better Homes & Gardens recommends lightly wiping the mark with a cloth dampened with denatured alcohol.

4. Broken Tile

To fix a broken tile, remove the grout around the tile with a grout saw, a small tool available at The Home Depot. According to Better Homes & Gardens, if a tile has already started to chip, continue to break it off in little pieces until you can remove the entire damaged tile. If not, make a hole in center with a masonry drill, which will break the tile, and remove the pieces from the center, outward. Glue the new tile in place with superglue and apply fresh grout around the edges.

To learn how to tackle this project, check out This Old House’s step-by-step guide, which includes images for each step.