Buying Tip"Remember the Cardinal Rule of investing in Real Estate: Land Appreciates, homes depreciate."
~David Jackson Easy Fixes for 4 Household ProblemsSqueaky stairs, leaky faucets, or oil stains in the garage? Learn how to
fix common household problems so they don't turn off buyers.
By Wendy Cole | May 2010
Problems like squeaky stairs and oil stains on the garage floor can be
quick turnoffs to buyers. But these common household troubles need not
hold your listing back-particularly if they're relatively easy for a
do-it-yourselfer to fix.
Lynda Lyday-carpenter, professional contractor, and a featured expert on
the DIY cable network-provides dozens of simple fixes for common
household problems in The Homeowner's Manual (Que Publishing, 2006).
While it's always best to bring in an expert to correct big problems,
Lyday provides these tips for capable home owners who want to try their
own hand at a solution.
Problem: Oil Stains on Garage Floor
Lyday's solution: You can remove most of a stubborn stain with a bit of
elbow grease and scrubbing. First, remove the surface oil by sprinkling
some cat litter on it to soak it up. Then clear away the cat litter and
focus on the stain.
Make a paste of hot water and dry dish or laundry detergent. Use a stiff
bristle scrub brush to scrub the area with the paste. Hose the area and
let it dry. Another method is to use a product such as Spray 'n Wash on
the stain for 10 minutes, along with a dry detergent.
Your last option is to spray on some oven cleaner. Use this sparingly,
wash it down thoroughly, and keep children and pets away from it.
Problem: Leaky Faucets
Lyday's solution: Most faucet leaks can easily be fixed with a rubber
washer, an O-ring, or seals-depending on what type of faucet it is. By
fixing the problem yourself, you can save a good bit of money since
plumbers can be expensive and will charge you a standard fee even if it
takes only 10 minutes to fix the problem.
Problem: Nail Pops
Lyday's solution: Nail pops are a problem across the country. The term
comes from the nails that hold the drywall to the studs actually popping
out through the face of the drywall. This is from either a house
settling or the wood studs drying out over time, squeezing the nail out
of the wood and pushing it through the drywall.
The fix for this isn't terribly hard, but it's tedious because there are
up to 32 nails in a 4-foot by 8-foot sheet of drywall. My suggestion is
to pound the nail through the drywall to the stud. Then, just above it,
place a drywall screw to hold the drywall to the stud, and finish it off
with a few coats of spackle or joint compound. Finally, seal and paint
it.
Most home-improvement stores also sell nail pop kits that can make this
job easier.
Problem: Squeaky Stairs
Lyday's solution: The most common problems that occur in a staircase
are the treads (horizontal surface of the steps) coming loose, which
causes squeaking. Also common are the spindles or balusters coming
loose. If you can get underneath the staircase, fixing the treads is
easy.
You will need to attach an L bracket from the underside of the tread to
the stringer (the long piece of wood that connects the treads and runs
diagonally up the wall). If you can't get underneath the staircase,
you'll have to make the repair from above.
Squeaky stair kits are available that allow you to make this fix even
through carpet. Otherwise, you can secure the tread to the stringer with
a trim screw.
Adapted from The Homeowner's Manual (Que Publishing, 2006), By Lynda
Lyday, ISBN 0-7897-3451-6 |
