DIY Tips

DIY Home Repair Tips

5 DIY home repair tips

In need of a number of home repairs, but short on funds to accomplish the tasks? Consider these 5 DIY home repair tips to tackle at-home projects, while staying within your monthly budget.
Weather-Proof Your Spaces

One of the best ways to prevent drafts from increasing your heat or electric bill, is to apply weather stripping. Weather stripping can be bought for less than $20 at most stores with home improvement items. If you would like to forgo buying a new weather strip, you can create your own. There are rolls of black foam-tape available for purchase at online hardware stores, often at less than $5.00 each. Remove dirt and any debris from the draft area in the door. Cut the length of the foam, and apply tape-side down, starting at the corner. Make adjustments to the draft area if you still feel air filtering through any open spots.This should keep your home in better shape for the winter months, and help with monthly electric and heating bills.
Repair Squeaky Floors

Baby PowderTo repair squeaky flooring, consider these DIY steps.

Baby powder and squeaky floors:

Step 1: Determine which floorboards are causing the squeaking.

Step 2: Make repairs to loose boards, and replace any missing nails, or broken boards.

Step 3: Fill the spaces with enough baby powder to curb the creaking noises. A plastic ID card, or credit card can help pack the fill into the boards.

Step 4: Walk along the boards, and re-insert powder until the squeaking noise is gone.

Replenish the baby powder if the noise returns, and repeat the steps provided.
Foam Your Unstable Showerhead

spray foamIf your shower head is unstable, you may want to consider this fix, for an affordable price.Expansion foam is available at many retailers, and comes in a easy-spray can.   You can pick some up online by clicking here.

Use masking tape around the shower head and wall area to keep the area foam-free. Create a ring evenly distributed around the shower pipe. Once dry, you may cut away any foam that has expanded beyond the pipe and surrounding wall.Once dried, the expansion foam will have a bit of flexibility to allow the pipe a small amount of movement, while keeping the shower head in place.
Repair a Leaky Roof

If your roof is leaking, this can be a fix you can attempt to diagnose and solve. If there is structural damage within your roof, you may need the help of a professional. If a shingle has been damaged, it could be a simple fix. Simply remove the nails, and replace the shingle with a replacement piece. If you do not have extra shingles, you can tar the underside of the shingle. Once the shingle is nailed down, re-tar the top of the crack, and over the nails.
If you opt to repair your roof on your own, please use care and discretion while fixing. Use of a ladder, slip-resistant shoes, and a family member for assistance is recommended.
Repair Peeling Wallpaper

Use glue or wallpaper paste on the underside of the peeling wallpaper to smooth down the edges. Use a sponge to smooth the paper to the wall. Reapply as necessary.