DIY Maintenance

Here are some tips to help you maintain your home. They have been split into the following categories:

• Outside the home,
• Inside the home, and
• Painting.

Outside the home

Cleaning Gutters and Downpipes. Firstly remove all leaves and debris using a gutter scoop or brush. Next, wash the gutters and drainpipes out using your garden hose. Perhaps consider installing a gutter guard (plastic mesh) to keep your gutters clear and clean.

Mowing. Experts suggest that grass should be at least 6cm tall before mowing. Keep your mower blades sharp, and cut the grass to no shorter than 3 cm in height.

Pruning. Fruit trees should be pruned so that their branches are shorter in the middle than on the outside. This shape will ensure that sunlight can readily penetrate all parts of the tree.

Controlling Weeds. If using a herbicide, make sure it is one that works only through green tissue, not through branches, trunks or soil. Weeding wands can make herbicide application easier.

Composting. When adding to your compost mix, avoid thick sticks or branches, weeds and parts from diseased plants. It is fine to include all vegetable scraps, fruit peelings, coffee grounds, animal manures and leaves.

Catching Rats. Traps can be bought to catch rats unhurt. If using the normal rat trap, however, bait the trap without setting it. Once the bait begins to disappear, set the trap.

Cleaning Outdoor Furniture. Use a mild detergent and water mix to clean any outdoor furniture and then rinse clean. Touch up any faded paints or varnish to protect the furniture from the damaging effects of weather.

Removing Concrete Stains. Scrub the area with hot water and scouring powder, grease-cutting detergent or solvent-based pavement cleaner.

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Inside the home

Changing Tap Washers. Turn off the water main. Then turn the tap fully open, undo the nut above the nozzle, and remove the handle to expose the valve. Lift this out and fit the new washer. Replace the handle, tighten the nut and turn on the water at the mains.

Replacing Broken Tiles. Having found a matching tile and grout color, remove the old tile. Wipe tile adhesive onto the back of the replacement tile and also onto the wall it will sit against and then press the tile into position. Hold the tile in place with masking tape for at least 24 hours. Once the masking tape is removed, press grout around the edge of the tile and remove any excess grout using a damp sponge.

Repairing Venetian Blinds. Broken strips in your blind can be repaired using packing tape. Make sure you apply the tape to the side facing the wall so that it cannot be seen.

Stopping Floorboard Squeaks. As a first attempt, dust talcum powder in the cracks between the floorboards. If this does not work, you may need to nail down loose floorboards by using a nail punch to further drive down the existing nails.

Unblocking Drains. Use a rubber plunger. Place this over the drain and fill the sink with water, submerging the plunder. Now pump the plunger up and down until the blockage is cleared.

Fixing Rising Damp. Improve sub-floor ventilation, by cleaning existing vents of debris and removing outside obstructions to the flow of air through these vents, eg high garden beds. Also check that the water from the drainpipes is flowing into the drainage system, and not leaking under the house. Air the house frequently.

Removing Mould. Scrub any mouldy surfaces with household bleach. This can be followed by a coat of fungicidal paint to ensure the mould does not reappear. Air the house frequently.

Silencing Squeaking Doors. Use a lubricant spray on the hinges or perhaps try a non-stick vegetable spray.

Fixing Jamming Doors. Check that the door’s hinges are screwed tightly. If this does not fix the problem, use a hand planer to shave off timber gradually from the side of the door that catches. Next paint the planed surface.

Mending a Fuse. First, turn off the master switch at the fuse box. Remove each fuse plug in turn to detect the damaged plug. Remove the burnt out wire from this fuse and replace it with new fuse wire that carries the same rating. Tighten the screws over the wire, cut of any excess wire, return the plug to the box and turn the power back on.

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Painting

Preparing a Surface. Always scrape away peeling paint first using a blade. If paint is tricky to remove, use an electric hot air stripper or chemical paint stripper. Smooth the edges using sandpaper and then cover with an undercoat or primer before painting.

Sealing Cracks. Force filler mix into the crack and smooth over this using a damp cloth. When this dries, smooth the area using fine sandpaper.

Learning How to Paint. Dip half the brush bristles into the paint tin and then tap excess from the brush against the inside of the tin. Use a criss-crossing stroke to spread the paint evenly. Whenever re-painting an area of wall, paint the entire wall to avoid a patchwork effect.

Covering Up. When you go to paint, make sure you are wearing overalls or clothes that can get permanently coated in paint. A good trick is to wear a garbage bag as a coverall. If you are painting the ceiling, cover your head with a shower cap and the outside of your glasses with sticky tape.

Covering Knobs and Locks. Cover over knobs, locks etc. with petroleum jelly and any paint that splashes onto these can be simply wiped off.

The Newspaper Trick. When painting window frames, the usual practice is to protect glass by using masking tape. Another method is to dampen strips of newspaper and stick their straight edges along the glass frames. When the painting if finished, simply peel off the newspaper.

Cleaning the Brush. Immediately after painting with oil based paints, clean brushes in turpentine. When painting with water based paints, clean brushes in warm soapy water.

Applying Sealant. Make sure the area is clean and dry. Use masking tape over edge of paint work, etc. to give a clean line. Apply the sealant in one continuous flow and then remove the tape.

Cleaning Painted Areas. To remove handmarks and smudges from walls, etc., use a sponge and good detergent.

Hanging Wallpaper. Hand the paper so that it overlaps door and windows. Then run a blunt tool along the side of the architrave and cut along the line made. Smooth the fitted wallpaper onto the wall.

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