Things You Can Fix Around the House on Your Own

Your home will eventually require some fixing up at some point in its lifespan. Whether there’s a hole in the wall or the plumbing needs servicing, most homeowners will usually call their local handyman to solve these problems. This is a sound strategy, but you can do minor home repairs yourself.

In this post, Handyman Connection® of South Shore discusses three things you can fix around the home without the help of a handyman.

Fixing a Broken Toilet Lever

You’ll probably encounter a situation where pressing the lever down doesn’t flush the toilet. This is far from a big problem, though, because a broken toilet lever is actually simple to fix. All you need to do is just pop the tank open and reattach the chain.

In some cases, the lever is failing because it has corroded or parts of it have worn out. Thankfully, these parts are available and cheap, and it’s simply a matter of replacing them.

Unclogging the Toilet Drain

Speaking of toilets, clogs are a common occurrence that most homeowners will call a plumber to fix. While the prospect of unclogging the toilet isn’t exactly appealing, you can do it on your own. The humble plunger is your best friend here.

Start by pouring enough water to submerge the head of the plunger. Give it a good downward thrust, and you’ll probably clear most minor clogs. We recommend around 8 to 10 downward thrusts to really get rid of the clog. For more severe clogging, we recommend using a toilet auger. It costs a bit more than a plunger, but will get things done. Run the end of the auger into the toilet until it reaches the clog, and turn the crank. You’ll have the clog cleared in no time.

Clearing a Jammed Garbage Disposal

Let’s face it; the garbage disposal chute is a scary machine full of blades and metallic noises, but it’s one of the simplest to clean. Start by turning off the power to the unit. Then, use your trusty Allen wrench, and place it in the hole in the center of the unit’s bottom to open it.

Once that’s done, all you really need to do is physically get rid of the clogs with a wooden dowel or pliers. After that, you simply need to refit the base and turn on the garbage disposal, and you’re done.

These are just some of the home repairs you can do on your own. For more complex and time-consuming projects, Handyman Connection of South Shore is ready to help. Fill out our form, or call us today at (781) 318-8181 to learn more about our repair services.