Home Plumbing Projects You Can Do by Yourself
Caulk a Tub
What You'll Need: A tube of caulk, plastic razor, mineral spirits, fine-threaded rag, painter's cassette, Magic Eraser or comparable cleaning pad, scissors What It'll Cost: $5 to greater than $30, depending on the size of the project and which provides You Have to buy new Everything You Can Save: Upwards of $100, depending on the job's size Much Time It Take: 60 How to Do It: This job is easier than replacing a drain flange. It the first actual bathroom repair job I handled, long before I had an ounce of. I promise you can do it all you'll need is some patience and a steady hand. Here to do it, adapted from This Old House: Buy silicone or acrylic latex caulk. The former is harder to use, but lasts longer; the latter is a lot easier to use, but shorter-lived. Use a plastic razor (not a normal razor blade) to cut off the old caulk. Eliminate lingering chunks with a dry pad or Magic Eraser, then finish the job with a nice rag soaked in mineral oil. Follow the instructions on your own tube to get ready for application. Now you 'll need the suggestion to cut . Lay down the tape on each side of the joint of painter . Use a rag to smooth the newly caulk in a single fluid motion. Wipe away excess caulk as you proceed, taking care to leave behind a uniform application. Without disturbing the caulk, carefully remove the tape of the painter . Repeat the process that is smoothing. Await the caulk to cure completely before using the bathtub -- ideally.
Replace or Reseal a Tub Drain
Everything You'll Need: A brand new drain stopper and flange (optional), a brand new drain gasket (optional), mineral spirits, plumber's putty or silicone, a drain removal instrument, an adjustable wrench (optional), a flathead screwdriver (optional) What It'll Price: $15 to $20 to get a fundamental stopper and flange meeting (per Grainger Industrial Supply -- including stopper) What You Could Save: $200 or more (per HomeWyse) How Much Time It Take: 30 to 60 minutes The way to Do It: This how-to covers only the drain flange (basket) and stopper. It doesn't address the drain shoe, nor the piping that connects your sewer line and your drain. Replacing these items may require tearing your shower tile, putting a hole through your bathroom wall, or moving your tub. I've adapted these steps from PlumbingSupply.com's guide on replacing and removing a drain flange. Unscrew your drain stopper and place aside (if not replacement ). Insert your drain removal tool (drain key or smart barbell ) to the drain and rotate counterclockwise until the drain flange pops out. In case the removal tools don't work, use a hair dryer to heat the drain flange and soften the plumber's putty or silicone holding the flange and base in place. Try again after a few minutes. Wash out the drain hole and surrounding regions. Pat dry, then allow to air dry thoroughly. Examine the shoe gasket. If the rubber is obviously worn out or it doesn't seem to be sealing tightly against the shoe any longer, use a flathead screwdriver to pop it out. Replace the gasket if justified. Press it firmly against the screw thread to create a watertight seal. Apply plumber's putty in a ring around the bottom of the new drain flange -- sufficient to form a complete seal with the tub. Place the flange that is new and twist into the drain 's threads. Hand-tighten for your first couple of rotations, then utilize a drain removal tool to tighten (clockwise) until there's only a bit slack left. Use an adjustable wrench to your last quarter-turn. Don't overtighten -- this could squeeze the gasket or crack the tub. Use mineral spirits to remove extra plumber's putty from around the drain. Add replacement stopper or the existing , if necessary. Caution: make certain to apply a liberal quantity of silicone or plumber's putty . Inadequate coverage means flows, which can wreak havoc on your toilet floors -- not forgetting that the ceilings and walls beneath. My dining room ceilings and walls lasted countless dollars in completely preventable water damage since the last owner (or a contractor he hired) skimped on plumber's putty from the upstairs bathtub.
Turn Off the Water Supply of Your House Everything You'll Need: Your bare hands What It'll Price: $0 What You Could SaveN/A Long It'll Take: 5 minutes How to Do It: If this sounds for you, that's because it is. But as it a necessity for lots of the jobs on this list, it essential you know how to get it done. Every home has a principal water shut-off valve within your property. The valve's location depends on where the main water line enters the house: Basement: via a street-side basement walls or floor, the water line enters In homes with cellar foundations. The valve needs to be next to the entry point. Crawlspace: In homes the water line enters through the side. If you can't find the valve in the crawlspace, then it may be in the first entry point within the house itself. Slab: in a utility room, the valve is In homes built on slabs or attached garage. In areas such as Louisiana, with higher water tables, the valve could be located in the loft. Exterior: If you may 't locate your valve in crawlspace, the basement, garage, or room, check your lawn. In climates that are warm, the surface near the street occasionally breaks. Your valve should have an obvious flow manage. This handle will be parallel to the pipe, if the water is around. Turn the water off by rotating the handle 90 degrees, so it's perpendicular to the tube. Reverse to turn the water back on.
Install or Replace a Faucet Aerator
Everything You'll Need: A new aerator, a wrench or socket wrench (optional) What It Cost: $1 to $10, based on features Everything You Can Save water flow reduction on faucets How Long It'll Take: 5 to 10 minutes How to Do It: Installing an aerator is super simple. Italso one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways bring down your water bills and to cut back the water use of your house . Unscrew your aerator and take it or have it handy while you shop to get a replacement online. You'll need an identically sized and -configured replacement. If the aerator doesn't unscrew by hand, use an adjustable wrench or socket wrench. Screw in the new aerator, tightening with a wrench or socket wrench. Check for leaks if needed, and repeat.
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