For some reason DIY is, and always has been, a man’s world. This is a shame as women (especially parents) find themselves confronted with everyday household scenarios requiring a little elbow grease and knowhow just as often as men. While parent couples can easily share household duties and assign them according to each partner’s skills and abilities, single parents don’t have this luxury. Faced with the responsibility of raising children on their own, many single mothers may be unable to call out a professional every time something goes wrong in the home, especially if it’s something that they can do themselves with a little knowhow.
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If something goes awry at home, it may be tempting to look for a professional on Snupit (and in some cases, like major renovations this is absolutely the right thing to do) but in some cases there’s absolutely no reason not to attempt it yourself. Here are some common home improvement tasks that just about any woman can do.
Sealing windows and doors
Silicone based sealant around windows and doors can perish over time, letting nasty draughts in when winter rolls around. Savvy ladies can easily repair these themselves in just a few simple steps.
- Scrape off any remaining silicone with a stiff (but not sharp) scraper.
- Use a solvent and kitchen roll to remove any remaining traces of silicone.
- Put masking tape at a roughly 5mm diameter around the window to ensure a nice neat line.
- Use a mastic gun, seal around the circumference of the window, smoothing the new silicone down with a wet finger.
If you need to reseal your bath or sinks then the principle is exactly the same. Just be sure to fill the bath while resealing it, otherwise your sealant will tear the first time you fill your bath.
Removing a door Handle or lock
Whether it’s to match a new design aesthetic for your room or to replace it with something more secure, it’s surprisingly easy to remove a door handle. This is best done with the door closed and from inside the room for maximum ease. Locate and remove the door handle screws. There are usually two (one on either side of the handle) and if you can’t see them they may be hidden by the handle plate. In this case, pry it off with a flat-bladed screwdriver. Unscrew the screws with a long Phillips head screwdriver. Pull the handle out of the door, open it and pull the handle out of the other side. If there’s a dead latch (the catch that keeps the door closed) this can easily be removed now.
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Fixing a leaky tap
There are few things more irritating than the constant drip-drip-drip of a leaky tap. Many people suffer in silence believing that any attempts to fix it will just make it worse. While there are some plumbing repairs that you absolutely shouldn’t attempt fixing a leaky tap is often quite straightforward. A leaky tap is usually caused by a worn or damaged washer that can be easily replaced. Simply turn off the water supply to a tap, place a plug in the plughole and switch the tap to the ‘on’ position. Remove the tap’s ‘headgear’, by undoing the headgear nut with a spanner and prising it off. Prise off the washer with a screwdriver and replace it with a fresh one. Et voila, your tap will now function perfectly without annoying leaks.
