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Fix it yourself

Fix it yourself

60 repairs a careful person can do at home, each with the tools, the time it takes, numbered steps, and the moment to stop and call a pro. Where the work is dangerous — gas, mains electrical, roofs above one storey — the guide says so and tells you what to do until the pro arrives.

You can do
56
Pro-only, with what to do meanwhile
4
Difficulty on every guide
easy · moderate · hard
Always listed
time · tools · when to stop

01/12

Plumber

16 guides · 15 you can do yourself

All guides
  1. 01

    Clogged drain

    easy 15–45 min· $5–30 for a zip tool, plunger or auger

  2. 02

    Dripping faucet

    moderate 30–60 min· $10–45 for a cartridge or washer kit

  3. 03

    Frozen pipes

    moderate 1–2 h· $5–20 for pipe insulation

  4. 04

    Garbage disposal humming but not spinning

    easy 10–30 min· $0–8 for a hex key

  5. 05

    Gas leak near appliance

    Don't do this yourself

  6. 06

    Hot water runs out quickly

    moderate 30–90 min· $0–35 for a hose, an element or a dip tube

  7. 07

    Leaking pipe

    moderate 30–90 min· $10–35 in tape, clamp or putty

  8. 08

    Low water pressure

    easy 20–60 min· $0–30 for vinegar, an aerator or a gauge

  9. 09

    No hot water

    easy 15–45 min· $0–40 for a thermostat or element if you are comfortable with electrical work

  10. 10

    Running toilet

    easy 15–45 min· $8–25 for a flapper or fill valve

  11. 11

    Sewage smell in the bathroom

    easy 15–45 min· $5–25 for cleaning supplies or a wax ring

  12. 12

    Slow bathtub drain

    easy 15–40 min· $5–15 for a snake and a hair catcher

  13. 13

    Toilet overflowing

    easy 10–40 min· $10–35 for a plunger or auger

  14. 14

    Water bubble forming on the ceiling

    easy 10–30 min· $0 — the fix is upstream; patching later costs $20–50 in materials

  15. 15

    Water heater making popping or rumbling noise

    moderate 45–90 min· $0–15 for a hose

  16. 16

    Water heater pilot light out

    easy 10–30 min· $0

02/12

Electrician

4 guides · 3 you can do yourself

All guides
  1. 01

    Burning smell from outlet

    Don't do this yourself

  2. 02

    Dead outlet

    easy 10–30 min· $0–10 for a tester

  3. 03

    GFCI outlet keeps tripping

    easy 15–40 min· $0 — a replacement GFCI is $15–25 if you are comfortable with outlet replacement where allowed

  4. 04

    Tripping circuit breaker

    easy 15–45 min· $0

03/12

HVAC Technician

4 guides · 4 you can do yourself

All guides
  1. 01

    AC leaking water

    easy 20–45 min· $0–15 for vinegar and a filter

  2. 02

    AC not cooling

    easy 20–60 min· $10–30 for a filter

  3. 03

    AC unit freezing up

    easy 1–4 h· $10–30 for a filter

  4. 04

    Thermostat not working

    easy 10–40 min· $3–10 for batteries; $60–200 for a new thermostat

04/12

Handyman

3 guides · 3 you can do yourself

All guides
  1. 01

    Door won't latch or close properly

    easy 15–45 min· $0–10 for screws and filler

  2. 02

    Hole in drywall

    easy 30–90 min· $10–30 for a patch kit and compound

  3. 03

    Loose or wobbly railing

    moderate 30–90 min· $5–30 for screws, glue or a bracket

05/12

Carpenter

1 guides · 1 you can do yourself

All guides
  1. 01

    Squeaky floors

    moderate 1–2 h· $10–35 for a squeak kit or shims

06/12

House Cleaner

4 guides · 4 you can do yourself

All guides
  1. 01

    Carpet stains that won't come out

    easy 20–60 min· $5–20 for household cleaners or an enzyme spray

  2. 02

    Grout Turning Black or Dark in the Shower

    easy 1–2 h· $10–35 for cleaner, grout and sealer

  3. 03

    Hard water stains and mineral buildup

    easy 20–60 min· $5–15 for vinegar and citric acid

  4. 04

    Mold in bathroom

    easy 30–90 min· $10–40 for cleaner, silicone or paint

07/12

Landscaper

4 guides · 4 you can do yourself

All guides
  1. 01

    Dead lawn patches

    easy 1–2 h· $10–40 for seed and soil

  2. 02

    Driveway weeds growing through cracks

    easy 30–90 min· $10–40 for filler or polymeric sand

  3. 03

    Overgrown shrubs blocking windows or walkways

    easy 1–3 h· $0–40 for pruning tools

  4. 04

    Sprinkler head broken or leaking

    easy 20–45 min· $3–15 for a head

08/12

Pest Control Technician

4 guides · 4 you can do yourself

All guides
  1. 01

    Ant Infestation in Kitchen

    easy 20–60 min· $8–25 for baits and caulk

  2. 02

    Bed bugs in the mattress

    hard 2–8 h· $40–120 for encasements and interceptors

  3. 03

    Mice or Rodents in Walls

    moderate 1–3 h· $15–40 for traps and sealant

  4. 04

    Mosquito Infestation

    easy 30–90 min· $10–30 for dunks and screen patches

09/12

Appliance Repair Technician

4 guides · 4 you can do yourself

All guides
  1. 01

    Dishwasher not cleaning properly

    easy 30–60 min· $5–15 for cleaner and rinse aid

  2. 02

    Dishwasher Not Draining After Cycle

    easy 20–60 min· $0–10

  3. 03

    Dryer Not Heating

    moderate 30–90 min· $10–20 for a fuse and a vent brush

  4. 04

    Fridge not cooling

    easy 20–60 min· $0–15 for a coil brush and thermometer

10/12

Painter

4 guides · 4 you can do yourself

All guides
  1. 01

    Ceiling water stain bleeding through paint

    easy 30–90 min· $10–30 for a stain-blocking primer

  2. 02

    Mildew growing on painted walls

    easy 1–2 h· $15–50 for wash, primer and paint

  3. 03

    Paint bubbling or blistering

    moderate 1–3 h· $15–40 for primer and paint

  4. 04

    Peeling paint

    moderate 1–4 h· $20–60 for primer, filler and paint

11/12

Roofer

8 guides · 6 you can do yourself

All guides
  1. 01

    Clogged gutters

    moderate 1–3 h· $0–30 for a scoop and sealant

  2. 02

    Gutters Pulling Away From the Fascia Board

    moderate 1–2 h· $15–40 for hangers and screws

  3. 03

    Ice dam on roof

    moderate 1–2 h· $30–80 for a roof rake and ice-melt

  4. 04

    Leaking roof vent or flashing

    hard 30–90 min· $10–25 for sealant or a boot, only for a safely reachable roof

  5. 05

    Missing shingles

    hard 30–90 min· $20–50 for a tarp, as a stop-gap only

  6. 06

    Roof leak

    Don't do this yourself

  7. 07

    Skylight leaking water

    moderate 30–90 min· $0–40 for a seal

  8. 08

    Standing water on a flat roof

    Don't do this yourself

12/12

Mover

4 guides · 4 you can do yourself

All guides
  1. 01

    Appliance won't fit through doorway

    moderate 30–60 min· $0 with a borrowed dolly

  2. 02

    Downsizing for a move

    easy 4–16 h· $20–60 for boxes and labels

  3. 03

    Furniture won't fit through doorway or staircase

    moderate 30–90 min· $0–30 for sliders and blankets

  4. 04

    Junk piling up in home or garage

    easy 2–8 h· $0–80 for bags, a tip run or a bulky-waste slot

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This season

Maintenance checklists for the months ahead — the problems above are cheaper to prevent than to fix.