There are times when you can grab your toolbelt and finish a task all on your own, and there are times when you should grab your smartphone and call the experts to do the job for you. Here’s a handy guide for the household tasks that you can always DIY, and the ones that are best left to the trained professionals:
DIY: Caulking Windows
Some of your windows are drafty. To block the chill from sneaking into your house, you should seal gaps in your window frames with caulk. The first step to caulking your windows is removing any old or dried-up caulk from the exterior frames with a putty scraper and wiping the area clean. Use a caulk gun to apply a trail from corner to corner and smooth it out with a popsicle stick.
Call the Pros: Replacing Windows
Caulking your windows is one thing — replacing them is another. You should avoid DIY in this case because it’s very easy to get the installment wrong. If you try it on your own, you’ll need to hire trained professionals to do the job all over again.
DIY: Clearing a Small Toilet Clog
You go to flush the toilet, and the contents don’t go down the drain. Instead, the water drifts up the bowl and threatens to spill over the edge. A simple toilet-paper clog can be solved with a toilet plunger, which should be stashed right beside the fixture.
Call the Pros: Clearing a Stubborn Clog
If a plunger can’t get rid of the clog, you need to call a company like Reliance Winnipeg to intervene and get your toilet working as it should. The professionals at Reliance can cover problems with home heating, air conditioning, ventilation and plumbing. Locals appreciate their high-quality home maintenance, repair and installation services.
A licensed plumber can do more than clear the clog. They can also investigate the drain further to see if the clog is a symptom of a bigger plumbing issue like a broken pipe or a cluster tree roots blocking up your sewer line.
DIY: Getting Rid of Bathtub Mold
Black mold will get all over your shower grout if you don’t ventilate your bathroom properly. Luckily, you can easily get rid of grout mold by putting a paste made of water and baking soda onto the area and then scrubbing it clean. Make sure to let the paste sit for an hour or two before grabbing your scrub brush.
Call the Pros: Tackling a Major Mold Problem
Health Canada warns that if you spot more than three meters of mold on your walls, ceilings or floors, you should call a professional mold removal company to clean it and prevent it from returning. This much mold can be a genuine health hazard, especially when you have asthma or another respiratory illness.
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As you can see, DIY is not meant for everything. Sometimes you need to put away your toolbelt and trust the professionals to do the best job possible. The move can save you from dealing with expensive disasters down the line.