My daughter called me to share her latest accomplishment.
She had just finished fixing her toilet. It had been leaking from the back tank so she had gone to Home Depot and picked up a kit with which to fix it. She had then gone home and simply fixed it.
I know what courage it takes to fix plumbing issues in your home and I was so proud of her.
I mentioned that she had just saved a lot of money by doing it herself, she agreed and said that they had paid a plumber $200 to do the same thing a couple of years ago on a different toilet. The kit from Home Depot had cost her $20.
She has watched my husband and I fix many sinks, toilets, disposals, and dishwashers through out the years. The knowledgeable sales people at a good plumbing store will tell you what parts and tools you need as well as give you step by step instructions on any project you feel courageous enough to handle. You can also find instructions to almost any problem on the internet.
After getting off the phone with my daughter I was reminded of my own little plumbing problem to fix.
On the back of our toilet in our bathroom sits some bamboo.
She had just finished fixing her toilet. It had been leaking from the back tank so she had gone to Home Depot and picked up a kit with which to fix it. She had then gone home and simply fixed it.
I know what courage it takes to fix plumbing issues in your home and I was so proud of her.
I mentioned that she had just saved a lot of money by doing it herself, she agreed and said that they had paid a plumber $200 to do the same thing a couple of years ago on a different toilet. The kit from Home Depot had cost her $20.
She has watched my husband and I fix many sinks, toilets, disposals, and dishwashers through out the years. The knowledgeable sales people at a good plumbing store will tell you what parts and tools you need as well as give you step by step instructions on any project you feel courageous enough to handle. You can also find instructions to almost any problem on the internet.
After getting off the phone with my daughter I was reminded of my own little plumbing problem to fix.
On the back of our toilet in our bathroom sits some bamboo.
I noticed that it was low on water and took it to the sink to add some more water.
As I pulled on the handle it came flying off.
As I pulled on the handle it came flying off.
If you have a handle like mine and this ever happens to you it is an easy fix.
Using a screw driver take off the center cover.
The screw in the middle is what holds the knob onto the faucet
Once you put the other pieces back on the faucet use a screw driver to tighten the knob on.
All that is left is to press the center cover back on the knob and you are done.
You will want to check and make sure that you attached the knob correctly so you are really turning on the cold water when you turn the handle to the right and the hot water when you turn the handle to the left. My first try it was upside down.
You will want to check and make sure that you attached the knob correctly so you are really turning on the cold water when you turn the handle to the right and the hot water when you turn the handle to the left. My first try it was upside down.
This same general concept can by used to fix knobs on many shower faucets as well.
To ask a plumber to fix my faucet it would have cost me $65 just to have them come and look at it. I would also have had to wait for them to come ( I am not a very patient person). Yet in just a couple of minutes I had running water again.
This is a really simple example of fixing plumbing problems, but if you will start with the simple things, you will be more empowered to try the harder stuff.
I would love to hear about any DIY project you have done that made you feel empowered.
To ask a plumber to fix my faucet it would have cost me $65 just to have them come and look at it. I would also have had to wait for them to come ( I am not a very patient person). Yet in just a couple of minutes I had running water again.
This is a really simple example of fixing plumbing problems, but if you will start with the simple things, you will be more empowered to try the harder stuff.
I would love to hear about any DIY project you have done that made you feel empowered.