Learn the top 5 emergency DIY fixes to the most common problems in your home

When something is broken in your home, what do you do first?

Do you call the professional handyman?

What if the problem happened in the middle of the night?

What if the emergency occurred on holiday and no one is available to fix your problem?

This could be a potential emergency DIY (Do It Yourself) type of situation

Let’s face it: there are times when you got to do what you got to do.

People will not always be there for you, and there’s no one you can count on but yourself.

Are you up for the challenge? Hopefully.

However, hoping is not enough.

When a problem looks at you in the eyes, you better know how to handle the situation.

Thankfully, in this article, you will learn five common emergency problems in your home and how to fix them yourself. 

1. Quickly Unclog a Toilet Drain

Even the thought of a clogged toilet is enough to elicit a look of disgust to any person.

And when it happens to you, it is a must that you know what to do immediately.

You surely don’t want to answer the call of nature while your toilet is still unavailable.

Thankfully, unclogging a toilet drain does not need you to be a rocket scientist.

It’s easy to fix with a handy, old-fashioned, and easy-to-use plunger. 

Emergency DIY Fix for a Clogged Toilet

1. Make sure there’s enough water in the toilet to quickly dislodge the blockage.
2. Pour about three tablespoons of dishwashing liquid into the bowl to lubricate the drain and loosen the clog.
3. Wait about five to ten minutes and then start plunging for eight to ten times.
4. Remove the plunger and let the bowl drain.
5. Repeat plunging until the bowl drains freely.

2. Quickly Fix your Leaking Roof

A leaking roof is among the most common emergency repairs in your home.

Whether a hurricane damaged your roof or it has dilapidated throughout the years, you need to quickly fix the problem before it causes further damage to your property.

The easiest and quickest way to deal with a leaking roof is by using a tarp.

Emergency DIY Fix for a Leaky Roof

1. Climb up to the roof, spread out the tarp over the leak.
2. Ideally, your tarp should extend a little bit over the peak of your roof.
3. Keep it nice, flat, and tight so water will not dam up or pool together in any way.
4. To keep the tarp in place, you can use 1×2” pieces of wood and secure it with nails.

Using a waterproof tarp should buy you some time until you do a major repair or renovation of your roof.

3. Replace a light bulb

Did you notice how your light bulb flickers and eventually just given up on you?

If this happens, you have a busted light bulb. While this is a common problem and something to be expected every once in awhile, it is also an easy thing to fix.

Now, before you do anything, remember safety first.

Emergency DIY Fix to Change a Light Bulb

1. Turn off your circuit breaker or just flip the switch off.
2. Get a stable and sturdy ladder high enough so that you can comfortably reach the light bulb.
3. Hold the bulb gently and turn it counterclockwise to remove it.
4. Replace a fresh bulb, and you are good to go.
5. Flip the switch, and you should get your light back on.

4. Fix a leaky faucet

A leaky faucet can be very annoying at times. It does not just add up to your water bill, but it creates that dripping sound that can easily disturb anyone. So, how can you deal with this problem?

You need a monkey wrench, screwdriver, and washer.

Emergency DIY Fix to Stop a Faucet from Leaking

1. The first thing you need to do is take off the decorative cap.
2. Use the wrench to tighten the loose nut. In most cases, tightening the nut would solve the problem.
3. However, if it doesn’t work, you need to replace the washer.
4. Locate the shut-off valve and turn it off.
5. Remove the packing nut, and from there, you will find the washer.
6. Replace the old one with the new washer. It is vital that you use the right washer size to ensure you adequately cover the whole pipe.

5. Fix a drywall hole

Whether you accidentally hammered too hard or you lost your temper and punched a hole in the drywall, it pays off if you know how to fix your mistake.

Fixing a drywall hole is easy if you follow these steps depending on the size of the hole.

Emergency DIY Fix to Patch a Small Hole in Drywall

1. If the hole is small, you can simply use a spatula to scrape off loosen debris.
2. Apply spackle over the hole, and wait for a few minutes for it to dry.
3. Use a sanding paper to smoothen the area.

Emergency DIY Fix to Patch a Large Hole in Drywall

1. If the hole is bigger, you can use a patch kit, which you stick over the hole.
2. Use a drywall knife to cover the hole with a lightweight joint compound in a crisscross pattern.
3. Smoothen the area with a sandpaper and let it dry.

Conclusion

There you have it. Now that you know how to fix some of the most common emergency home repair problems, you should be able to fix things by yourself.

You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars hiring a plumber or handyman.

Just keep these tips in mind, and you are on your way to be your own home repairman.

About the Author

Megan is a writer, a DIY geek, a camping lover and a happy mom of 2 who works with grizzlytarps.com. She writes just about anything, from taking your kids on a trip to an emergency DIY if your roof’s leaking.