Part of being an adult is creating a well-functioning place to call home. If you want to add a personal touch, such as artwork on the walls, you need to hang it. If something breaks, you have to be able to fix it. Here are instructions for five simple home maintenance tasks everyone can — and should — master.
Replace a stopper in a sink
Renters often have to suffer the consequences of previous tenants’ failed home-repair efforts, such as when someone didn’t know how to remove a sink stopper and forced it out, leaving an open drain. But you can fix this annoyance with a part that costs less than $10 (Danco’s 1 5/16-inch universal pop-up is $6.78 at Home Depot).
Clear the area under the sink, and turn on a flashlight. Find the horizontal rod that connects to the sink drain, and mark where the rod threads through the vertical plate (the clevis). Loosen the clevis screw and the nut where the rod slips into the drainpipe so you can pull out the rod enough to slip the new stopper into place. Wiggle things around, pushing in the rod and raising and lowering the lever on the top of the sink that activates the stopper, until everything is aligned. Then tighten the nut enough so the stopper doesn’t slide down, and tighten the clevis screw. If the stopper doesn’t move freely, loosen the nut a little.
Unclog a drain
You can clear most drains in just a few minutes without resorting to chemicals. Remove the stopper by loosening the horizontal rod that goes into the drain pipe. (See previous item.) With an old toothbrush, or a piece of stiff wire bent into a hook, fish out the clog. Most often, it’s a wad of hair and soap scum near the top of the drain.
If the drain is still clogged, replace the rod and tighten the nut that holds it, and place a plunger over the drain. Add enough water to cover the rubber, and seal the sink’s overflow hole with a wet sponge. Gently push the plunger down. Then, with the rubber still sealed to the sink, plunge up and down vigorously a dozen or more times. You’ll hear a whoosh when the clog breaks up.
To clear a bathtub drain, the steps are basically the same, except for removing the stopper. Sometimes you can lift and unscrew it. Or there may be a setscrew underneath the cap that you need to loosen. And on some tubs, especially older ones, the trick is to unscrew the plate covering the outflow and then pull out a set of links with a piece at the end that traps hair.
If the clog still sticks, the drain needs to be cleared with a snake. You might want to call your landlord or a plumber.
Hang art, a mirror
Picture hangers, which hold a nail at an angle, are easy to use and minimize wall damage. Some hold up to 50 pounds.
The trick is to get the hanger, or pair of hangers, in the right position. Turn the frame over and position the hanger where it would be if it were holding up the piece. Then measure up to the top of the frame and out toward one side. Make a paper template, and move it around on the wall until you like the look. Then, at the marked spot, tap in the hanger nail if your walls are drywall. (If you can’t push in a thumbtack, you have plaster walls, which means you should drill a hole and then insert the nail.)
Using two hangers helps prevent a picture from shifting out of position, but it’s critical to place them on a level line. Insert one hanger, then use a level to align the second one.
If there is no stud, buy plastic wall anchors to hold the screws or, for heaviest loads on plaster, toggle bolts.
Patch holes in a wall
Pinholes are easiest to fix. Lightweight spackle dabbed on with a fingertip is all you need. Let it dry, then touch up with paint. If the walls have a texture, apply the spackle with a toothpick so you don’t smear it beyond the hole.
Mending wider gashes requires a support membrane, usually plastic mesh, and spackle or drywall mud. You can buy a kit, such as Dap’s Wall Repair Patch Kit ($7.98 at Home Depot), which comes with a 4-inch square piece of adhesive-backed mesh for reinforcing. Apply one thin coat of spackle that fully embeds the mesh. Let that dry, then apply a second layer that completely covers the mesh and is feathered out at the edges to blend in with the wall. If the wall has a texture, get a spray can of a similar texture, for blending.
