The 4 Most Useful DIY Skills We Should All Know

This is a collaborative post

We all should have some form of DIY skills. The problem is knowing which are the most useful ones. We all need some basic skills because this can help to minimise the costs of renovating a home, and the most basic DIY skills can give you a good starting point.

Fixing a Leaking Tap

If you got a dripping tap in your home this can cause water build-up and damage to your home if you leave it over a long period of time. It’s always important to isolate the source of the leak. If you cannot find where the leak is coming from, it is very likely a hidden leak. In this case, you need to contact a plumbing specialist like Forge Plumbing to do it safely and securely. However, a dripping tap is something that we can all fix. You need to turn off the water supply and run the water until no more water comes out, unscrew the tap, and then you can look for any signs of wear and tear on the washer and replace it. Additionally, if you find the O-ring is worn, you can replace this as well.

Wiring a Plug

Lots of people think they should not wire a plug for a fear of getting a shock but wiring a plug is a very simple task, and there’s many resources out there that can show you how to do it. The most important thing to remember is that you minimise any conduction. When you are wiring a plug, it must not be plugged in, which may sound incredibly obvious but it’s always about safety first! You can also wire light switches, but when wiring a light switch, you have to make sure the mains are turned off! 

Clearing a Blocked Drain

Blockages are a very common occurrence and you can find them in your toilets and sinks. Additionally, the outside drain can become blocked. The best approach to unblocking a drain is to physically remove as much as humanly possible. You can also benefit from getting a pressure washer or a drain rod to work your way through the blockage. Usually, this will work, but if there’s any major issues you can always call in professionals to dive deeper into the drainage issue.

Painting a Room

Lots of people think painting a room is easy, but there’s a number of things that can go wrong. For example, not covering up your furniture when you get started. Painting can be very messy because of the little splashes that can flick onto the furniture. You need to cover any furniture on the floor of the space and seal off anything you do not want to paint with painter’s tape. You also need to make sure that you mix the paint properly by using a clean piece of wood. Once you apply one coat and it is dry, you need to apply a second coat and allow that to dry which is such a critical part of home improvement. 

There are so many things we can all do to save a little bit of money, but it’s about making sure we know what we can and cannot do.