YouTube makes it easy to learn new things and skills. It is great to have a such a resource of information available, but it can have negative effects. House repairs and DIY projects are a common item where the video looks much easier than the reality or it leaves out a crucial piece of information. We get calls every week from Scottsdale clients who started a DIY project or repair and suddenly find themselves in over their heads. Let’s begin by looking at some of the Best DIY Home Repairs.
Best Scottsdale DIY Home Repairs
Squeaky Doors and Cabinets
This is a one minute repair. All you need is WD-40 and a paper towel. Use the tiny straw attachment that comes with the WD-40 to get a more precise spray. You want to target the door or cabinet hinges. Place your paper towel directly under and around the hinge to avoid hitting any unwanted spots. After giving the hinges a small spray, open and close the door or cabinet a few times to let the product seep in better. Give the outside a quick wipe with your paper towel and say goodbye to the annoying squeaky noise.
Water Mineral Deposits on Shower Heads
Scottsdale has some the hardest water in the United States. You probably notice this primarily when you look closely at your faucets or shower head. Do you see residue build-up? You probably do. It is very common. Well, you do not have to replace the entire faucet or shower head. In fact, this is a perfect DIY home repair. Go the store and purchase a large bottle of distilled white vinegar, large plastic bags, and rubber bands. Most people have the last two items already at home. What you want to do is fill the plastic bag with vinegar and attach it to the shower head with the rubber band. It should look like this. Let the shower head soak for 1-2 hours then give it a good scrub with a cleaning brush. You should find the calcium deposits have fallen off. If you do not see enough progress, let the shower head soak for another 2 hours and repeat the scrubbing. You will also want to let the shower run for a minute after the soak. In many cases, this simple repair can save you from actually replacing the shower head due to low water flow.
Worst Scottsdale DIY Home Repairs
Sprinkler Repairs
This can apply to anything plumbing related. Do not go down the rabbit hole (or sprinkler hole). While it is fairly easy to unclog a sprinkler head, we find it is usually the case that there are bigger issues that need repairs. Sprinklers lose function from neglect over time. Either you or the previous Scottsdale homeowner did not pay attention to them until there was an obvious problem. What you need to be careful about is there could be leaks in the lines, which costs money in extra water charges every month. You also might have a faulty backflow valve, which impedes water from the garden hose getting into the water supply. It is a very important piece of outdoor plumbing and shockingly many older Scottsdale homes do not have it installed.
Drywall Repairs
It looks so easy on YouTube videos! Maybe you bumped the wall when you moved in with the edge of a table and there is a small indent in the drywall. Or perhaps the back door opened too far inwards and the knob punctured the wall. Seems like an easy fix for you. You even remembered there is old paint in the garage. Stop. Do not attempt it. Drywall is probably the most common DIY home repair that turns into a disaster. It is much more difficult than it seems to match the rest of the wall’s texture. In the end, you will likely have a spot on the wall that never looks exactly right. YouTube is amazing for teaching many things, but when it comes to drywall, you need real world experience over years to do it right.
Garage Door Repairs
You do not realize how heavy a garage door is until you install it. They can be 150 to 500 pounds and the weight is spread out. Moving and getting it into place is no easy feat. Repairing a garage door can also be labor intensive and dangerous. It is definitely not a DIY home repair. The springs are under tremendous pressure and on older models a snapped spring could mean injury and damage to your car or property.
Sliding Door Repairs
If you cannot get the sliding door unstuck by cleaning the track, it’s probably in need of a handyman from Response Crew. You can check out our post about sliding door repairs for more information.
