Your home is your castle. Why rely on others to maintain it? What happens when those others are no longer available to keep it working?
It is up to you to know how to fix these things. In an emergency, no one will be around to save you from electric mishaps or flooding from clogged drains.
Know how to deal with these issues before they happen, and you’ll be set to take on any emergency, no matter how serious.
5) Circuit Breakers
Know these and have them labeled clearly. If they aren’t because either the builders left them unmarked or you moved into an older house with no tags, take the time to learn what each one connects to so you can mark them.
Purchase a few small labels and employ a friend and their mobile phone. Plug-in lights or electronics that clearly indicate when they have power.
Now start throwing switches. Your friend will call or text you with the area that was affected. Be sure, however, to label the circuits clearly. It won’t help you in an emergency if the downstairs and upstairs bedrooms are not differentiated.
4) Overflowing Toilet
Scary and unpredictable, overflowing toilets can happen for a number of reasons, resulting in water damage and a disgusting clean up once the water is stopped.
While they can’t always be prevented, they can be stopped much faster by you than if you waited around for a professional who probably won’t be there in a reasonable amount of time if they’re even available. While turning the water off is always an option, it’s not the quickest response and may already be behind the cascade of toilet water.
Instead, look to the tank. Inside is the float. When it reaches a certain height, the valve that causes the water to fill the bowl closes, stopping the water flow. If the toilet floods, chances are high the float is stuck. Take off the lid to the tank and pull the float up. This will trigger the water to stop.
3) Seized Lock
These are rarely sudden and more often can be felt happening. Each time you use the lock, you feel it take more and more pressure to turn.
Locksmiths aren’t available when you find yourself with a stuck lock and no phone. Purchase lubricant and spray it into the lock. If this does not fix the jam, buy a new lock immediately. Lubricant not working means the mechanism itself is broken and will stop working at any moment.
2) Screws and Nuts
Stripped screws and rusted nuts are the bane of any house owner. They can happen at any time no matter the age of the house and can prevent you from making the upgrades you need to keep the home in working order.
For stripped screws, find a screwdriver you can get rid of after using. Take a hammer and hammer the screwdriver into the screw head. Apply downward force as you slowly rotate the screw to extract it.
As for rusted nuts, find a blowtorch or a hairdryer. By applying heat to the metal, you cause it to expand, cracking the rust and, thereby, loosening the nut.
1) Clogged Sink
Do not assume that chemicals will fix everything. Instead of burning away the clog, they cause irreversible damage to the pipes. Invest, instead, in a plunger and some hot water.
Fill the clogged sink with hot water, making sure to plug up and connected holes. Then, plunge. Work it up and down a few times before removing. If the water drains, all is well. If not, keep plunging until the clog is destroyed.
Don’t allow your home to fall to waste. It needs upkeep just like everything else, and it is up to you to ensure it is safeguarded against the elements. Knowing how to control the water flow, electricity and structural supports gives you the advantage in the face of an emergency.
