Saving Money and Being a Handy Man Yourself
Fixing or replacing various appliances and fixtures in your house can be a chore. Let’s face it, it takes up time, money and it requires a special know how. The parts are usually over priced, just like the contractor that you have put them in. If you could put them in correctly you would, right? Well here are some brief descriptions of some of your common house hold problems that may be of some use.The light fan:
A fan is easy to take down and replace. First you need to go to an appliance store like Home Depot or Lowe’s. There you’ll have a big selection with help from electricians that have done the job a hundred times. If you are not sure what kind of fan to get, then they will help you find which one will best suit you and your home. After you have bought your new fan you will want to begin taking down the old one. First kill the breaker to that particular part of the house, so that there are no risks of electrocution. Next will want to take the fan off it’s mount and take the wires apart. Then just set the old fan to the side just in case you need an example of how a fan should be put together. So now you are ready to build your fan, and it can be like a puzzle. Be sure to keep track of all of the small nuts and screws because you will need them later. It’s always a good idea to assemble using a magnetic tip screw driver or drill bit so that there is a less likely chance of losing a screw in the fan motor. The fan blades are most likely going to be reversible, so just chose which side you want to be showing and put them on like the directions say. Pretty much from here the process goes on cruise control, just depending on your speed. Follow the directions all the way until you have fully assembled your fan. Finally you will wire and mount it, pretty much the same way your old one was. This can be tricky, so take your time so you don’t miss anything. Make sure you use the new wire nuts provided in the assembly kit rather than the old ones. After your fan is wired and mounted, it’s time to turn the breaker on and test for power. Make sure you have a light bulb in!The P-Trap
Ever see that little curvy drain pipe under your kitchen or bathroom sink? That is called a P-Trap, it’s designed to hold water to keep sewer gases from coming up your drain and entering your house. Sometimes they will begin leaking, or just flat out become wore out. Calling a plumber will cost you, extra for the parts too. So here’s a quick break down of how to replace it yourself. First look under the sink and see if it is PVC (plastic) or metal. If it is a bathroom sink it will probably be 1 ¼ size. If it is under your kitchen sink then most likely it will be 1 ½. Now if it is PVC and it is glued together than you may have your work cut out for you. Replacing this will require a cut and fix and it may be a good idea to call a plumber. If it is threaded, you are definitely in business. Just take apart the trap carefully so not to disturb the rest of the pipes and take it to the store with you. A plumbing representative will be easily able to help you find what you need. Once back home just put the trap in just like the old one. Then turn the water on for a few minutes and check for leaks.
One of the simplest and cheapest fixes in a house is a light switch. First turn the breaker off and unscrew the face plate. Then unscrew the switch itself. Take it with you to the store and show a representative what you have. They will ensure that you have the right switch, because there are different grades. After that, go home and wire it and mount it back into the wall. Screw in the face plate and test for power. If you are looking for the best handyman then just search for it in Google and you will find one in your area.
Simple fixes like this are what contractors love. Easy jobs that they can do within minutes and charge way too much are basically what most contractors will take advantage of. They will usually charge a minimum of $40-$50 just to show up and look at what you have. They also mark up the materials about 25% so they can turn a profit on the materials that they use. Then there is always the off chance that the contractor will be dishonest and over charge or even screw the simple job up. So if you can find the time, you may just be able to save some money and learn how to simple fixes in your house.