Power Tools Aren’t Just for Professionals

September 16, 2014

Are you an HGTV fan like me? If so, you’ll probably be watching the premier tonight of The Jennie Garth Project, where the recently divorced 90210 star takes on a rehab of a 1970s ranch home in Hollywood Hills.  Based on the previews, she’s not afraid to pick up a power tool to get the job done.

It’s tough to rehab or maintain a home on your own, and it isn’t just Jennie that’s up to the task.  A co-worker of mine has a favorite saying that goes something like this – “things stay the same until they change, and they change all the time.” Seasons change, children grow up, and new houses turn into 15-year old houses that need repairs.

Her house has done that – aged with grace but not without the need for repairs. She considers herself lucky that she has some handy men to rely on after her divorce since her brother is a contractor and two nephews are master carpenters.  Over the years, she says she’s tried to pick up some skills that seem simple…but aren’t that simple. Here are some things she says that women should know how to do to save tons of money in repair costs (watch out Jennie – you have some competition).

Change a light fixture.  I am not talking about a light bulb, but a light fixture.  Putting in a new ceiling fan, for instance, is no walk in the park but once you get the new one in, you can see how much it either ages the home or updates it instantly.  There is simple wiring involved and you need to know how to turn off the electricity to that part of the home.  You don’t want to electrocute yourself.  There are also kits that can help transform dated canned lighting into beautiful pendants and even small chandeliers.

Fix a leaking sink drain or toilet, and change faucets.  Home Depot and Lowe’s each have an entire section with tons of different lengths of plastic drain piping that connects in almost unlimited ways. They even have flexible ones that can accommodate tight spaces. Putting it together was something like building with Legos or maybe Lincoln Logs, but once you put the glue on the pipe and follow the YouTube instructions, viola – you have a working drain or toilet.  Changing out a faucet is easy if the new one has the same configuration (three holes v two). If not, you may need some professional help.

Using a drill, hammer, and level. Some women stay away from power tools, but they ROCK!  Pre-drill holes when you are installing anything that screws into your walls.  It saves a ton of time and prevents wobbly curtain rods.  If you are using those little plastic holders that help hold a screw in place and you are not drilling into wood, be sure to use quality ones as the cheap ones that are way too flexible can make a bigger mess than just pounding holes in the wall. Make sure your power tools have a “slow” setting or that you work with it a little while so you can easily manipulate how fast the drill with push that screw into the wall. I do have one other tip. Thumbs really don’t like hammers.

Working with caulk.  You can seal a leaking window, protect a door frame from the weather, and keep out pesky ants all with some simple clear caulking.  It comes in a tube and you will need a “gun” to install it, but once you get the hang of how much to apply (so you aren’t scraping off the excess for days) and where to put it, it can be an easy way to extend the life of door and window frames and help keep your energy bills down.

My co-worker made sure to caveat her tips with the statement that she is far from a master carpenter – she’s sure her nephews will attest to that – but she has kept the house from falling apart and each time she tackles a new project, she seems to increase her skill level and courage without decreasing fingers. As a homeowner, there is a never-ending to-do list of maintenance and repairs, but you can save money and keep up the appearance of your home on your own, so go out and pick up a power tool!