One of the major downsides of homeownership is no longer having a landlord to call when you need something repaired. Instead, you’re responsible for either repairing something yourself or paying a fortune to have professionals take care of it. If you have the time, there are several ways you can save money on home repairs by taking matters into your own hands. Here are our favorite DIY home repair hacks to help you get the most out of your home.
Apply Caulking
Applying caulk around your bathtub, sinks and toilets is not only an easy DIY home repair, but it’s one that will save you tons of money in the long run. Caulk is the rubbery white material that goes between the wall and your tub, sink or toilet’s outer rim on the floor. It keeps water from seeping in between these cracks and getting into your flooring or wall and causing water damage or mold. Over time, caulk can change in color, peel off or disintegrate. If you don’t replace the caulking, you may wind up dealing with mold and other damage.
To replace the caulking, use a tool to scrape it off. If you don’t remove it completely, the new caulking won’t stick well. Once it’s all scraped off, wipe the area clean and let it dry. To caulk the area, use a caulking gun and apply it between the wall or floor and your tub, sink or toilet. Try to keep it in a straight line. Let it dry for at least 24 hours before you get the area wet.
Unclog a Garbage Disposal, Sink or Bathtub
Learning how to fix a clogged garbage disposal, bathtub or sink is one of the easiest ways to save money on home repairs. Plus it’s fairly straightforward to figure out.
If your disposal is clogged, pour half of a box of baking soda into the garbage disposal and the other half down the sink drain. Pour a generous amount of white vinegar into each drain. Let the mixtures sit for an hour. Then pour boiling water into each side to push the clog down the drain. You can also use this same method for clogs in bathroom sinks or shower drains.
Replace Shingles on Your Roof
If you’re not afraid of heights, you can fix broken or lost shingles or replace your shingles entirely. All you need to complete this DIY home hack is a hammer, new shingles and nails. To get started, consider wearing a harness and rope to prevent yourself from injury if you fall. Once you get on top of your roof, remove the old shingles by removing the nails holding the old shingle. Take the old shingle out and slide the new one in its place, conforming to your roof’s overlap pattern. Nail the single into place and move onto the next one. That’s it! This is one of the easiest DIY home repairs out there.
Replace a Showerhead
If the showerhead that your home came with is broken or doesn’t have enough water pressure, replacing it is an easy life hack for home. While most showerhead replacements are quite simple and only require unscrewing the old one and screwing the new one in, some are more complicated. You may need to use a pair of channel locking pliers to clamp down on the shower nozzle to remove the old one. Use the instructions on your showerhead package to find out what steps you need to take.
How to Save Money on Home Repairs: Earn Gift Cards for Repair Supplies
One of our best tips to save money at home is to earn gift cards that you can use to buy home repair supplies. Make money taking surveys with us at Branded Surveys doesn’t just help big companies gather needed market research with your opinion; it also provides an opportunity for our members to earn extra money or gift cards for their participation.
If you anticipate needing a lot of repairs around the home, it doesn’t hurt to have extra cash or gift cards ready to purchase the supplies you need to make the home repairs. All you need to do to get started is sign up for a profile with us. After you sign up, we will ask you to take a series of personal surveys so we can learn more about you! Your answers become tied to your profile, which our Survey Matching Engine uses to match you with the right questionnaires. It sends high paying surveys to your dashboard that you’re qualified to take.
To earn your gift card or cash, you need to accumulate at least 1,000 points. You can earn these points by taking surveys, participating in our daily polls, referring your friends to also take surveys, getting bonuses from our loyalty program, winning challenges or completing offers from our service partners. We make it easy to earn money fast.
Start saving money on your do-it-yourself house repairs by earning cash or earn gift cards by taking online surveys. Sign up with Branded Surveys today to get started.
