To be a good handyman is a combination of skills each and all homeowners should have. By having basic know-how of simple maintenance and repairs, you’ll be surely saving a decent amount of money in both home repair costs and nerves.
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Be great with tools!
For those eager to learn how to be great with tools, there are plenty of ways and resources to aid you. There are tons of YouTube DIY videos out there on how you can do home repairs, basic to advance carpentry and a wide range of odd jobs – all on your own.
If lucky enough, you will surely learn a handful of clever maintenance tips and tricks from your old man. Alternatively, you could read instructional materials and from there on your skill set will surely grow to become an ultimate handyman.
As for knowledge of which tools to use, you can always reach out to a number of handyman tips focused websites, for their extensive information and detailed guides. You don’t need to visit a warehouse nor browse through a multitude of professional equipment, you’ve never seen before.
Nowadays one can simply visit a website for tools and read the full information – what can or cannot be of help to you. When set to buy a certain product, all you need is to place order, pay online, and get ready to pick your order up in 5 minutes. To purchase handymen tools has never been this easy.
For handymen just starting off – knowing your toolbox is highly advisable. Knowing your way around the toolbox is always mandatory when you’re a handyman beginner. Here we have three must-have maintenance and repair skills, you may want to learn by heart.
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Beginner Handyman Skill #1: How to Use Pliers When Hammering
Hammering can be a beginner handyman’s nightmare. A single slip can cause severe injuries and definitely send you straight to a hospital.
The use of any hammer is art and it can only be perfected through the use of a very simple and common handymen tool – pliers.
Let all fear of crushed fingers and unexpected injuries go away. Simply position the nail in the right place, fixate it with pliers and pound your way in.
If by any reason you lose or forget to bring your set of pliers – a plastic comb might do the trick for you. Position the nail in between the plastic comb’s teeth, the same way you do with pliers, and hammer in with ease.
Benefits of pliers for the average handyman:
- Pliers speed up any handyman’s work
- Plies reduce the risk of unexpected injuries
- Pliers allow a more accurate and faster nail positioning
Check also:
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Beginner Handyman Skill #2: Which Chemicals to Avoid Mixing
You don’t need industrial-grade strength in order to clean a mess. Mixing a little bit of vinegar with other kitchen products can and often does work wonders – from removing red wine stains to getting rid of limescale! In most cases, cleaning glass surfaces, toilet tiles, and home furniture simply requires a few tricks off the chemistry book.
Be careful though! Don’t just experiment blindly or you might literally go blind. For example, when you mix bleach and vinegar, you’ll be making chlorine gas, – a deadly and highly reactive poison. If you mix bleach with ammonia, you might knock yourself out since it releases nitrogen chlorides – airborne poison.
Here are some cleaning products that may contain ammonia:
- Toilet cleaning solutions
- Glass cleaners
- Multi-surface cleaners
For starters, if you want to clear a clogged down drain, mix one cup of baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar. That should cost you almost nothing to clean your drain compared to spending about £10 for a commercial chemical for sinks. For removing stains, all you have to do is mix baking soda with white vinegar.
Check also:
How to Find Reliable Plumbers Near You
Beginner Handyman Skill #3: How to Stop a Runny Toilet
If there’s any piece of home appliance that is easy to break down, it’s undoubtedly your toilet.
We use it quite regularly – multiple times and on a daily basis. Because of all that usage, learning basic bathroom maintenance and repairs is a must for every homeowner.
Any toilet that leaks or runs all the time can and will surely drive you crazy, especially at night when we are all asleep. Besides the nerves, such noise pollution will cost you, a runny toilet wastes both money and natural resources.
- On inspection, locate how to turn the water off. In most occasions, the faucet is placed behind the toilet itself but it could also be somewhere along the pipes. It is of crucial importance to turn the water off prior to any handyman intervention. In case you attempt to service the toilet yourself, you might accidentally hit the wrong spot. From there on things will only get worse.
- Lift the water tank top. In the common case, runny toilets are caused by either problem on the flush valve or the flapper. You can easily fix this by adjusting the float or the arm so the tank gets plugged properly. If the damage is extensive, you can easily replace the tank’s interior parts since most can be easily snapped in place.
- Recognise where parts are supposed to go. Any handyman beginner should instantly recognize where parts should fit in. Spare parts should cost you around £15 but that’s much better than paying additional labor costs.
There are plenty of issues and problems the ultimate handyman should know. These are three of the basic handymen tips for any homeowner. Know these by heart and keep expanding your handyman skills throughout the experience. With effort and persistence, you’ll surely become a great handyman in no time.
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