7 Basic Home Maintenance Skills Every New Homeowner Should Have

Things like knowing how to shut off the water to your sink are essential skills to pick up soon 
after moving into your new home, wouldn’t you say?

Ah, the joys of homeownership — you can paint the bedroom walls any color you choose, let 
little Fido run free in your backyard, and finally leave your bike outside your side door, 
without getting a citation from your property-management company.

There are many perks of having a place to call your own, but the homeownership honeymoon can 
come to an abrupt stop as soon as something goes awry!

Suddenly, there’s no one to call when your toilet just won’t stop running, a leak appears below 
your bedroom window, or your garbage disposal gets clogged. You’ve got to figure out how to fix 
the problem yourself — or hire someone to do it.

But with a little patience (and some smart internet research), it’s quite possible to take on 
many common home maintenance tasks yourself.

Who knows: you may even start to take pride in your newfound handyman (or handywoman) skills!

So, whether you’re moving into a new home in Cape Town or Port Elizabeth, these maintenance 
skills are essential techniques that every new homeowner across the country should know how 
to do:

1. How to shut off your water
Ask someone, whether it’s your home inspector, a friend with construction experience, or a 
plumber, to locate and show you where the main water valve is in your home.
If you’re going to be away for longer than one or two days, you should turn off the water to 
your washing machine — it’s as simple as turning the water-valve handle behind the machine to 
the right. If there’s a leak while you’re gone, that water is going to run continuously.

2. How to turn off your gas
If you smell gas or suspect there’s a gas problem, your first step should be to call your 
gas company. However, it’s important to know how to turn off the gas yourself just in case 
you need to.The shut-off valve is usually located outside at the meter and will require an 
adjustable pipe or crescent-type wrench to operate.

3. How to turn off power to different parts of your house
We had a customer who bought a new house, and the first week the client was there, the hair 
blow-dryer suddenly stopped working. The electrician went in, hit the ‘reset’ button on the 
outlet, and the dryer started working again…

The lesson?

Look to see if your outlet has a reset button (common for grounded outlets, which are 
typically located in kitchens and bathrooms, since they are close to water); and while you’re 
at it, familiarize yourself with the circuit-breaker box.

Especially if you have an older house, the wiring was not built to handle the same capacity 
of modern electrical systems. Older homes will get overloaded quicker.

When you move into your new home, take some time to flip your circuit-breaker switches and 
figure out what controls what room — and that the switches are properly marked.

4. How to maintain your appliances
This doesn’t exactly seem like a skill, right? 

But you’d be surprised: knowing how to properly clean and maintain your appliances is key to 
extending their lifespan.
For one resource, locate your oven’s instruction manual (or look it up on ManualsOnline.com) 
and run the self-clean feature — no need to bake your cookies with lasagna leftovers from 
the previous homeowner.If your refrigerator is equipped with a water dispenser 
(i.e., it makes its own ice), we’re betting it has been a while since the filter was replaced. 
Again, use the manual to determine the correct filter model and how to replace it.
Next, clean your dryer vent of lint buildup — in the lint trap, behind the lint trap, and 
in the duct that leads to the outside of your home.
Then clean your dishwasher filter or trap (depending on your dishwasher model) and run an 
empty cycle on “hot” with a cup of white vinegar: This will remove all grease and grime.
And finally, know how to unclog the garbage disposal — a clean toilet plunger can work or, 
in more extreme cases, an auger, which is sold at home improvement stores.

5. How to fix a running toilet
A running toilet might sound like the start of a joke, but it can be very annoying — 
not to mention become a waste of water that could amp up your next water bill.

Toilets run for several reasons, where problems with the flapper, chain, or float are the most
common. A diagnosis and repair can be rather quick and easy!
And remember, the water inside the toilet tank is clean, so don’t worry about putting your 
hands in there.

6. How to clean your gutters
Clogged gutters are no joke. They can cause water to flow onto the wood trim and siding of 
your house, which can eventually lead to rot — and replacement.
If you feel confident on a ladder, you can clear the gutters yourself by suiting up (wearing long 
sleeves, gloves, even goggles and a mask all don’t have to be a luxury) and using a small garden 
shovel to clear the muck, followed by a high-pressure water rinse from your hose.
Focus on clog-prone areas: mainly where the downspouts join the gutter system.

7. How to caulk
Caulking is a simple task but delivers big impact — not to mention, it keeps air and water at 
bay. First, pick the right caulk: for a long-lasting seal, choose permanently waterproof, 
flexible, shrink-proof, crackproof silicone caulk (skip acrylic caulk, which can shrink and 
crack over time).Next, remove old caulk with a utility knife and make sure your surface is 
clean and dry.Cut the nozzle of the caulk tube to your desired bead size and run a line of 
caulk — make sure to use even pressure when applying with a caulking gun.
Finally, smooth the line with a wet finger. Need more instruction? Do a little research about 
proper caulk protocol, and you’ll be sealed up in no time.

In the end, with a healthy dose of patience and some elbow grease, you’d be surprised to see 
how many of these home maintenance projects you can actually do yourself! 

Source: Immoafrica