5 More Things Every Homeowner Should Know
Last January I wrote a blog about 5 Things Every Homeowner Should Know. Today I've decided to add 5 more to that list. Owning a home is an ongoing learning process. Generally, you don't even realize these are things you need to know until a problem arises and forces you to find a solution.
The following homeowner tips are simple things that could end up saving you money. Fixing these problems yourself saves you the cost of hiring someone, and basic know-how can keep you from making a problem worse before it gets better.
If the doors sticks in dry weather, check the screws. More than likely, tightening a loose screw will fix the problem. Another reason that you may have trouble getting a door open easily is because it has too much paint on it. Sand it lightly at the trouble spot and it should without a problem. Repaint the sanded spot with a thin layer of paint.
If your child locks themselves into a room and you need to get in, this tip will really come in handy. Breaking down the door means you have to buy a new one. Try this first. Someplace on that doorknob or on the plate surrounding it will be a small hole. Using a piece of metal small enough to fit in that hole, push on the spring inside to unlock the door. Keep that slim piece of metal that fits in a safe place where you can always get to it, maybe even keeping one in every room.
Hopefully knowing these 5 homeowner tips will save you a little time and money in the future should any of these problems arise. As a Lake of the Ozarks real estate agent, I know that if you take care of problems as soon as they arise, your house will be in its best shape when you decide it is time to sell your home.
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The following homeowner tips are simple things that could end up saving you money. Fixing these problems yourself saves you the cost of hiring someone, and basic know-how can keep you from making a problem worse before it gets better.
Secure a loose screw.
Occasionally, screws will become loose. This happens often with door hinges. Should this happen to you , it can be fixed without replacing an entire door frame. The best way to do this is to fill the whole with a piece of a small wooden dowel rod. Make the hole a bit bigger if needed to fit the rod inside. Secure it with carpenter's glue. Once the glue is dry, drill a new hole the correct size for the screw.
Locate a wall stud.
You should always try to secure anything hung on a wall in a wall stud. The best way to find a stud, by far, is to use an electronic stud finder. If you don't have one, these tips will help you to locate the stud on your own. There is always a stud in the corners of a room, and additional studs are placed about every 16 inches. Begin in the corner and assume that there will be another stud approximately 16 inches from that one. When you knock on the wall with your knuckle, it will sound solid when you are over a stud and hollow if you're not.Fix a stuck door.
Your first task is to figure out why the door is sticking. If it has swelled due to humidity, that means moisture has made its way into the wood. This can happen if paint is missing, allowing moisture to seep in. Shave down the swelled section as little as possible, only enough to make it fit exactly. Paint the entire door to seal it. When the humidity lessens, the door should shrink back down to its normal size, opening and closing easily.
If the doors sticks in dry weather, check the screws. More than likely, tightening a loose screw will fix the problem. Another reason that you may have trouble getting a door open easily is because it has too much paint on it. Sand it lightly at the trouble spot and it should without a problem. Repaint the sanded spot with a thin layer of paint.
Remove a broken light bulb from a fixture.
A broken light bulb is bad enough on its own, but if it breaks while it is still screwed into a fixture, you probably have no clue how to get it out safely. Remove power to whatever it is stuck in first. Then, cut a raw potato in half, place the cut end over the jagged glass of the broken bulb, and use it to unscrew the remaining bulb.
Open a locked door inside the house.
If your child locks themselves into a room and you need to get in, this tip will really come in handy. Breaking down the door means you have to buy a new one. Try this first. Someplace on that doorknob or on the plate surrounding it will be a small hole. Using a piece of metal small enough to fit in that hole, push on the spring inside to unlock the door. Keep that slim piece of metal that fits in a safe place where you can always get to it, maybe even keeping one in every room. Hopefully knowing these 5 homeowner tips will save you a little time and money in the future should any of these problems arise. As a Lake of the Ozarks real estate agent, I know that if you take care of problems as soon as they arise, your house will be in its best shape when you decide it is time to sell your home.
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