Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Call me Mrs. Fix-it

Home ownership is a big responsibility, not only do you have to make sure you send in your mortgage payments every month and the daily upkeep of cleaning and tidying, there is also a lot of maintenance.
I grew up with parents always fixing this or building that. They even built a cinder-block castle in our backyard for us kids to play in, 2 stories. It was pretty cool. So I learned a bit from them. At least with home maintenance, as far as cars go, I know a little. I can change a flat tire and figure out how to get a van with a dead battery parked in the middle of the garage out, unlock the wheel and get it in a position to jump start it.

Back to the house repairs.....having a leaky kitchen faucet, that could get expensive on the water bill needs to be taken care of soon. Or the Christmas outdoor lights that suddenly stopped working in the electrical outlet they are plugged into, or the toilet that keeps running after you flush.
Then there is the clogged drains and the inadequate heat to one area of the house. The loose screws holding up the cabinet doors or the handle insert on a closet door that keeps popping off(craft glue kept this one on). There is also the door(s) that don't shut right because the screws are screwed into holes that have now become to big and the door seems like it will come off when opening, or doesn't shut right. The kitchen disposal that has stopped working.
Some are easy enough to fix, others need a professional. Like the washer that stops draining water but is full of wet clothes, or the gas oven that, when opened, spits a fire ball out at you. Or the furnace that needs cleaned and checked. The dryer that smells and isn't drying. The microwave that runs when the door is opened (bought a new one! yikes!).

All of these things are things that have happened while we have lived here and all of them from the leaky kitchen faucet to the kitchen disposal have been fixed by yours truly, MOI!
Leaky kitchen faucet....that made a bit of a mess because I didn't get the hot water completely shut off while taking apart the handle to fix it. Flooded the counter.
Christmas lights needed reset on the GT electrical plug that was connected to where the Christmas lights were plugged in at.
Running toilet, needed a new seal around the base of the inside, easy fix and couple bucks later. Clogged drains, a little mix of baking soda and vinegar plus a small plunger..... unclogged.
Doors that don't shut right, require a little dowel rod glued into the holes,
new screws and a good screwdriver.
Kitchen disposal, first it was resetting the button on the bottom. (who knew sometimes you have to reset a disposal) But after it went out again, bought a new one, basically unscrewed the old one, screwed the new one back on, plugged hoses back
into it and there you go, new disposal!!
If it is a big appliance I will let the professionals handle that, but for all
these other items, bring it on house, I can take ya!!!
(if you made it through this post, Thanks, probably not one of my most exciting, but I am proud of myself for doing all this, and if you have a leaky faucet....give me a call ;)

1 comment:

Christina said...

Mom always struggles with what to get you for Christmas and Birthdays. Think I'll start suggesting tools for you from now on. Nice job. I'm pretty handy but I still dont have a clue how to change a flat tire. Thats why I have Ryan :)