Basic Home Repair

The path

1. 1
   Level 1Free

   Fix It Yourself

   Walls, drains, toilets and caulk

   15 Steps, about 34 minutes each. Renters and new homeowners who've never fixed anything. No tools or experience needed to start.

   1. Chapter 1: Know your home. Your shutoffs found, a basic kit ready, something heavy hung safely, fixtures cleaned and filters changed.
   2. Chapter 2: Walls and water. Small and medium holes patched and painted, a drain cleared, and a running toilet fixed.
   3. Chapter 3: Seal and smooth. Old caulk out, new caulk in, a sticking door fixed, drafts sealed, and a checklist to keep your home in shape.

   1. 1
      Find your shutoffs

      Your main water shutoff, the shutoffs under each sink and toilet, and your breaker panel all found and noted.

      Every home repair starts with knowing how to shut things off. If a pipe bursts or a fixture starts spraying water, the fastest fix is closing the right valve. Finding them now, calmly, is much easier than searching during a flood.

      Homes have a main water shutoff, which stops water to the whole house, and small shutoff valves under each sink and behind each toilet. The breaker panel controls electricity, with each breaker feeding a set of outlets or lights.

      The detail beginners miss is testing gently. Old valves can stick or break if forced. Turn a sink valve clockwise slowly. If it won't move with firm hand pressure, leave it and note it; a stuck valve is a job for a plumber.

      Here's an example. Main shutoff found in the basement where the pipe comes through the wall, a round wheel handle. Under the kitchen sink, two oval handles, hot and cold. One closed, faucet checked: no water. Opened again. Breaker panel found in the garage; labels are faint, so a photo is taken.

      Right is a note on your phone with each location. In this Era, you never open the breaker panel's cover, and electrical repairs are for a licensed electrician. If you rent, tell your landlord about any stuck valves.

      The Home Depot
      Show your group
   2. 2
      Build your kit

      A basic tool kit in one box or bag, ready for every job in this Era.

      Family Handyman
   3. 3
      Hang something heavy

      A mirror, shelf or large picture hung level and secure, into a stud or the right anchor.

      This Old House

   See all 15 Steps

   1. 4
      Clean an aerator and showerhead

      A faucet aerator and a showerhead cleaned of mineral buildup, with better water flow.

      This Old House
   2. 5
      Change filters and test alarms

      Your heating/cooling filter changed and every smoke alarm tested.

      The Home Depot
      Show your group
   3. 6
      Fill nail holes and dents

      Small holes and dents in a wall filled, smooth and ready to paint.

      Lowe's Home ImprovementThis Old House
   4. 7
      Patch a bigger hole

      A hole up to about 10 cm covered with a mesh patch and a first coat of compound.

      Lowe's
   5. 8
      Finish and paint the patch

      Your patch smoothed with a second coat, sanded, primed and painted to match.

      This Old House
   6. 9
      Clear a slow drain

      A slow sink or tub drain running freely, without drain chemicals.

      Family Handyman
   7. 10
      Fix a running toilet

      A running toilet stopped by adjusting the chain or replacing the flapper.

      KOHLERThis Old House
      Show your group
   8. 11
      Remove old caulk

      Old, moldy caulk fully removed from around a tub or shower, and the joint clean and dry.

      This Old House
   9. 12
      Re-caulk the tub

      A smooth, even bead of new silicone caulk around the tub, curing.

      Cleaning MachinesFamily Handyman
   10. 13
       Fix a sticking door

       A door that sticks or won't latch fixed by tightening or adjusting its hinges.

       The Home Depot
   11. 14
       Seal a drafty door

       Drafts around an exterior door found and sealed with weatherstripping or a new door sweep.

       This Old House
   12. 15
       Make a fix-it checklist

       A seasonal home checklist made, and a fix-it hour spent doing three small jobs from it.

       This Old House
       Show your group
2. Level 2Unlocks after Level 1

   Weekend Upgrades

   A new faucet, shelves and a painted room

3. Level 3Unlocks after Level 2

   Tile and Trim

   A tiled backsplash and new baseboards

Where it ends: a home you can look after

Free lessons in Fix It Yourself come from The Home Depot, Family Handyman, This Old House, Bob Vila, American Red Cross, Lowe's Home Improvement, Lowe's, KOHLER, Cleaning Machines, US EPA. We link to their work and never copy it.