easy DIY car and home maintenance
June 1, 2022 9:21 PM Subscribe
I replaced the engine air filter and cabin air filter in my car after watching short YouTube videos. It was so easy that it got me wondering what other car or home repair and maintenance is equally easy to do by the owner.
Some examples of car DIY I have done in the past includes: replacement of windshield wipers, headlights, taillights, and visors. I'm looking for tasks that have a relatively high payoff for less effort/knowledge. So, replacing belts is out but turning on the sprinklers each spring is perfect.
Some examples of car DIY I have done in the past includes: replacement of windshield wipers, headlights, taillights, and visors. I'm looking for tasks that have a relatively high payoff for less effort/knowledge. So, replacing belts is out but turning on the sprinklers each spring is perfect.
Change the oil in your car yourself. It takes a bit of time, effort, and a little equipment/tools, but it’s quite doable yourself.
Replace any burnt-out interior/exterior bulbs in your car, including headlights (assuming your car doesn’t have LED headlamps).
Replace torn window screens.
Replace the air filter in the furnace/air-handler.
If you have an electric oven, it very easy to replace the heating element if it burns out.
Have a sliding patio door that seems to be dragging? There are adjustment screws found inside little holes at the bottom and top of each end of the door. All you need is a phillips screwdriver to raise/lower either end of the door to get it rolling smoothly again.
There are myriad videos online that show how to easily diagnose and repair various toilet problems.
posted by Thorzdad at 3:09 AM on June 2, 2022
Replace any burnt-out interior/exterior bulbs in your car, including headlights (assuming your car doesn’t have LED headlamps).
Replace torn window screens.
Replace the air filter in the furnace/air-handler.
If you have an electric oven, it very easy to replace the heating element if it burns out.
Have a sliding patio door that seems to be dragging? There are adjustment screws found inside little holes at the bottom and top of each end of the door. All you need is a phillips screwdriver to raise/lower either end of the door to get it rolling smoothly again.
There are myriad videos online that show how to easily diagnose and repair various toilet problems.
posted by Thorzdad at 3:09 AM on June 2, 2022
Flush your hot water heater and replace the anti-corrosion anode if your system has one.
posted by JoeZydeco at 4:45 AM on June 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by JoeZydeco at 4:45 AM on June 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
If you don't already, clean the filters in your dishwasher. It makes a huge difference! I watched a youtube video to see which parts to remove on mine to get to the filters.
posted by Eyelash at 4:54 AM on June 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Eyelash at 4:54 AM on June 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
Cleaning your full house AC unit! Just unscrew the top grill, clean out the leaves and dirt from the bottom, then hose spray from the inside through the fins to clear the dust build up. Took me 15 minutes.
posted by ananci at 5:07 AM on June 2, 2022
posted by ananci at 5:07 AM on June 2, 2022
I’ve installed a kitchen-sink faucet, fixed a refrigerator with airflow issues (got into the innards of the freezer and cleaned out the ice buildup), and replaced the belt on a clothes dryer. The latter required close adherence to a YouTube video; the others were just going step by step and just sorta mindfully exploring the device in question.
The windshield wiper reference reminded me that that’s something I need to figure out how to do — anybody got any pointers on that?
posted by sesquipedalia at 5:42 AM on June 2, 2022
The windshield wiper reference reminded me that that’s something I need to figure out how to do — anybody got any pointers on that?
posted by sesquipedalia at 5:42 AM on June 2, 2022
After replacing the front end of my honda (hit a deer) with initial help (mostly because I was afraid of screwing up) from an experienced boyfriend at the time, I feel like there's a surprising amount of car repair and maintenance that's quite easy to do if you know what needs replacing. There are youtube videos and forums out there and at least for mine, 90% of it is popping body panel clips out and using a 10mm socket. I got a little blue driver scanner and I'm learning more as my 17 year old car chugs along. Lots of sensors are just unclip, unbolt, lube the new ones gasket, and clip and bolt it in. The alternator this weekend would have been a cake walk if I had just went ahead and borrowed the specialty tool to move the auto adjuster for the belt from the auto store whose parking lot I was stuck in. :D
I've had similar "wow that was silly easy" experiences replacing a washer timer. As a woman who jumped into a construction trade with no prior knowledge 8 years ago, my perspective may be biased now, though. It's hard to answer this question because learning how to do things is payoff to me. If it is to you too, I encourage you to google every mechanical based problem you come across because it may fit the bill! If it's more about saving money, learning to google the problems is still helpful, because it gives you perspective and occasionally price points others have paid.
posted by teslacoilswoah at 6:21 AM on June 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
I've had similar "wow that was silly easy" experiences replacing a washer timer. As a woman who jumped into a construction trade with no prior knowledge 8 years ago, my perspective may be biased now, though. It's hard to answer this question because learning how to do things is payoff to me. If it is to you too, I encourage you to google every mechanical based problem you come across because it may fit the bill! If it's more about saving money, learning to google the problems is still helpful, because it gives you perspective and occasionally price points others have paid.
posted by teslacoilswoah at 6:21 AM on June 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
I replaced my car's door handle (made of plastic-why?) and a window motor. They were both terrible experiences with all the parts removed and having to do everything blind, but not really that hard.
Sprinkler systems are surprisingly simple too - the controllers just have two wires with no polarity, so you just hook them together either way with the wires running underground to the controller. The hard part is the digging and getting pipes together in confined spaces.
posted by The_Vegetables at 7:14 AM on June 2, 2022
Sprinkler systems are surprisingly simple too - the controllers just have two wires with no polarity, so you just hook them together either way with the wires running underground to the controller. The hard part is the digging and getting pipes together in confined spaces.
posted by The_Vegetables at 7:14 AM on June 2, 2022
I fixed my broken dishwasher! The little tab on the soap compartment broke off. I searched for and found a part online, and then followed a step-by-step YouTube video to install it. It took the better part of an afternoon (including the two times I watched through the video to make sure I had the tools I needed and knew what was coming up) but it worked great. It involved removing the door and taking the door apart - super intimidating but it was fine.
I was so stinkin proud of myself. The hardest part was finding the exact part I needed (just time consuming). I'm definitely going to at least investigate doing small home/car repairs on my own in the future.
posted by Gray Duck at 7:21 AM on June 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
I was so stinkin proud of myself. The hardest part was finding the exact part I needed (just time consuming). I'm definitely going to at least investigate doing small home/car repairs on my own in the future.
posted by Gray Duck at 7:21 AM on June 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
I am a huge fan of picking up a OBD2 + ABS code reader for your car. They are $50US-ish on Amazon. Saves a trip to the mechanic (even if yours will read/reset codes for free) and lets you know why that pesky "check engine" light has come on. Most will allow you to clear/reset codes after reading, which is great for those minor "hey, I've noticed a series of abnormalities; nothing urgent....yet, but you should be aware that this is happening" reasons the light turns on.
For appliance parts, use your manufacturer's website to find the OEM part number for the item you need, and then search Amazon or Ebay. Can usually find the same (or compatible) part for a fraction of the price. I just replaced the door-closing cams on my 30-yo refrigerator for $8, and wow instead of constantly accidentally leaving the door ajar, they're like brand new.
If you're willing to do a little wrenching on your car beyond bulbs and wiper blades, having the appropriate Haynes or Chilton's manual for your model + year is a huge help. They do assume a certain level of aptitude and experience, and are more of a "I mostly have an idea what I'm doing, but I need some of the particulars filled in for me" sort of guide, but that plus a good YouTube video will help you do so much. Often, you're trading time (perhaps a lot of time), blood sweat and tears for money, but it can be so satisfying to complete a suspension job quoted at $1500 yourself for $200 in parts. (Assuming you have/have access to the right tools)
Learn how to change the filters in your forced-air furnace, and do it regularly. And, at least yearly if not more, vacuum out the exhaust duct for your clothes dryer, end-to-end. There are specialized tools available for getting into the narrow channel where the lint trap goes. This not only reduces a fire hazard, if it was really clogged, it can improve the efficiency of your dryer too!
Similarly, there are specialized tools for vacuuming the coils on your fridge/freezer. Do this at least yearly.
posted by xedrik at 7:50 AM on June 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
For appliance parts, use your manufacturer's website to find the OEM part number for the item you need, and then search Amazon or Ebay. Can usually find the same (or compatible) part for a fraction of the price. I just replaced the door-closing cams on my 30-yo refrigerator for $8, and wow instead of constantly accidentally leaving the door ajar, they're like brand new.
If you're willing to do a little wrenching on your car beyond bulbs and wiper blades, having the appropriate Haynes or Chilton's manual for your model + year is a huge help. They do assume a certain level of aptitude and experience, and are more of a "I mostly have an idea what I'm doing, but I need some of the particulars filled in for me" sort of guide, but that plus a good YouTube video will help you do so much. Often, you're trading time (perhaps a lot of time), blood sweat and tears for money, but it can be so satisfying to complete a suspension job quoted at $1500 yourself for $200 in parts. (Assuming you have/have access to the right tools)
Learn how to change the filters in your forced-air furnace, and do it regularly. And, at least yearly if not more, vacuum out the exhaust duct for your clothes dryer, end-to-end. There are specialized tools available for getting into the narrow channel where the lint trap goes. This not only reduces a fire hazard, if it was really clogged, it can improve the efficiency of your dryer too!
Similarly, there are specialized tools for vacuuming the coils on your fridge/freezer. Do this at least yearly.
posted by xedrik at 7:50 AM on June 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
I replaced a bathtub cartridge to fix a minor leak after following a Youtube tutorial. Was relatively easy and I got a lot of practice because I ordered the wrong part.
Youtube also helped troubleshoot and fix the source of why my pipes made a banging sound when I flushed a toilet. I learned how to locate and shut off the main water source to my house and I was able to eventually fix the problem for less than $20.
Consider picking up an adjustable strap wrench. I used it for both of those projects as well as other random things around the house.
posted by Diskeater at 7:56 AM on June 2, 2022
Youtube also helped troubleshoot and fix the source of why my pipes made a banging sound when I flushed a toilet. I learned how to locate and shut off the main water source to my house and I was able to eventually fix the problem for less than $20.
Consider picking up an adjustable strap wrench. I used it for both of those projects as well as other random things around the house.
posted by Diskeater at 7:56 AM on June 2, 2022
Replacing the tube-flapper-bulb/ball assembly in a flush toilet was surprisingly easy, after I watched ca. 5 YT videos on the subject, and I, a relative idiot at handyman things, managed to do it with no mess in under a half-hour. I would recommend the experience.
posted by eclectist at 8:46 AM on June 2, 2022
posted by eclectist at 8:46 AM on June 2, 2022
Change the oil in your car yourself.
Sounds great and I encourage you to try, but unfortunately I've found that with modern cars, they're too low to the ground, there's not enough room to maneuver under there. And if you do raise one side, with a jack, it probably won't be level and the oil won't all drain out. Aggravating to the DIY-er.
posted by Rash at 8:59 AM on June 2, 2022
Sounds great and I encourage you to try, but unfortunately I've found that with modern cars, they're too low to the ground, there's not enough room to maneuver under there. And if you do raise one side, with a jack, it probably won't be level and the oil won't all drain out. Aggravating to the DIY-er.
posted by Rash at 8:59 AM on June 2, 2022
I have fixed my landlord's washing machine and was paid to do it. They were happy to pay me parts + $100 rather than pay a repair person probably double or triple that. YouTube video. Parts purchased on Amazon.
Took apart the steering column on my truck to do a repair where the part cost like $18, but the labor would have cost like $400.
Have recharged the AC on an older truck after finding and repairing the leak.
Took out a small dent in my truck with dry ice.
I have stitched/sutured a small wound on my arm after waiting an hour at urgent care without getting taken and during that hour watching YT video on how to do it. (Would do it again, but only in an emergency)
I think there is a YouTube video for every repair you can think of. The issue is usually the tools needed. Either buying them or renting them.
Cell phones. I have replaced the screen on two cell phones and also the battery on one. Just need a YT video and patience. Hard part was buying the parts. Lots of cheap parts and some expensive and determining when and where to pay up was a little difficult.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 9:38 AM on June 2, 2022
Took apart the steering column on my truck to do a repair where the part cost like $18, but the labor would have cost like $400.
Have recharged the AC on an older truck after finding and repairing the leak.
Took out a small dent in my truck with dry ice.
I have stitched/sutured a small wound on my arm after waiting an hour at urgent care without getting taken and during that hour watching YT video on how to do it. (Would do it again, but only in an emergency)
I think there is a YouTube video for every repair you can think of. The issue is usually the tools needed. Either buying them or renting them.
Cell phones. I have replaced the screen on two cell phones and also the battery on one. Just need a YT video and patience. Hard part was buying the parts. Lots of cheap parts and some expensive and determining when and where to pay up was a little difficult.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 9:38 AM on June 2, 2022
Replacing built-in batteries. The past few months I’ve put new life into about $2k worth of gadgets with about $60 of batteries. Phone batteries are a bit finicky, but a good opportunity to get a basic set of tools. (Not really difficult if you can be patient, orderly, and follow instructions.) iFixit sells well regarded toolkits. The easiest was my robovacuum which decided it was dead. Replacing the battery was literally one screw, one two wire plug, and a $14 battery. Now it’s essentially new.
posted by Ookseer at 11:30 AM on June 2, 2022
posted by Ookseer at 11:30 AM on June 2, 2022
If you have a front-loading washing machine, clean the drain pump filter (example video but most are similar), clean the door gasket, and remove the soap dispensing drawer and scrub off any crusty dried detergent and/or mold. Also check the cavity that holds the soap drawer (nasty example). Then run a tub clean cycle with bleach or hydrogen peroxide.
posted by JoeZydeco at 11:38 AM on June 2, 2022
posted by JoeZydeco at 11:38 AM on June 2, 2022
And if you do raise one side, with a jack, it probably won't be level and the oil won't all drain out. Aggravating to the DIY-er.
Jackstands. Cheap and easy to use.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:57 AM on June 2, 2022
Jackstands. Cheap and easy to use.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:57 AM on June 2, 2022
This rabbit hole goes deep. Beware! You start out with a few easy wins, and you end up with a garage full of things like an electric mitre saw (for skirting board), expensive plastering trowels and specialist drill attachments for channelling electrics through brick.
Basic plumbing can be great. Replacing/fixing taps for instance. Astonishing how often a drippy tap is due to a washer worth almost nothing, and ten minutes of your time.
I’ve got a second set of wheels for my car with winter tyres on, so I swap over twice a year. I replace lights, fuses, fan resistor etc if they go. Changed out the electric catch on my car boot when it malfunctioned, with a £2 part from eBay. Have charged (maintenance) and swapped (repair) car batteries too, which saves a lot vs a garage. All of these are fairly straightforward with the help of YouTube, and a bit of courage. A friend of mine even got into replacing his own brakes, but that’s too far for me.
Home electrics are easy. Adding new sockets can be very cost effective and satisfying, so long as it’s legal wherever you live. It’s not dangerous if you follow the rules and you put in a bit of time to understand how your house is wired. Making it pretty afterwards, could be a lot more work depending on your house’s construction and what you want to do - plastering is easier than I expected but also messier…
As someone else said, if your first step in any situation is to Google it, I’m often surprised how many things fall within my capabilities. A number of things will actually end up cosmetically nicer done by a careful amateur rather than a professional in a hurry, too.
posted by breakfast burrito at 7:12 PM on June 2, 2022
Basic plumbing can be great. Replacing/fixing taps for instance. Astonishing how often a drippy tap is due to a washer worth almost nothing, and ten minutes of your time.
I’ve got a second set of wheels for my car with winter tyres on, so I swap over twice a year. I replace lights, fuses, fan resistor etc if they go. Changed out the electric catch on my car boot when it malfunctioned, with a £2 part from eBay. Have charged (maintenance) and swapped (repair) car batteries too, which saves a lot vs a garage. All of these are fairly straightforward with the help of YouTube, and a bit of courage. A friend of mine even got into replacing his own brakes, but that’s too far for me.
Home electrics are easy. Adding new sockets can be very cost effective and satisfying, so long as it’s legal wherever you live. It’s not dangerous if you follow the rules and you put in a bit of time to understand how your house is wired. Making it pretty afterwards, could be a lot more work depending on your house’s construction and what you want to do - plastering is easier than I expected but also messier…
As someone else said, if your first step in any situation is to Google it, I’m often surprised how many things fall within my capabilities. A number of things will actually end up cosmetically nicer done by a careful amateur rather than a professional in a hurry, too.
posted by breakfast burrito at 7:12 PM on June 2, 2022
There's a lot of stuff you can DIY, but it of course depends on what tools you have access to, what you're comfortable doing, and how you value your time.
I've stopped changing my car's oil, because so many local shops around me will do it for absurdly low prices (like $10-15 plus oil) as a loss leader, that it's just not worth DIYing. Some guy with the right tools and a garage with a lift or a pit can do in a couple minutes what would take me an hour or more to do. So I don't.
But I do do my own brake jobs. For whatever reason the same places that charge $15 for an oil change want $400 for a 4-wheel brake job, when it's not really that much harder. (Arguably easier because you don't even have to get under the car, or deal with disposing of used oil and stuff.) I get the rotors/pads on eBay, usually, and sometimes I've sprung for the fancy drilled-and-slotted rotors (harder to warp under hard braking) because they're only a few bucks more. On my old VW, I even got super-fancy Brembo discs new-in-box for under $25/ea!
What I'd recommend doing is each time a task comes up, start looking on YouTube and find some videos showing the job, and watch them while taking notes. Write down a list of all the tools you need, particularly ones you might not have, and especially making note of safety gear. Be on the lookout for any complexity that the videos may elide (I generally try to watch multiple videos of the same process before trying anything). Also try to get an idea of how much time the project will consume, and how often you'll be likely to do it in the future. That should give you enough information to make the DIY-or-not call.
Having an idea of what dollar-per-hour rate you value your free/recreational time at also helps. If a job is going to cost me $1000 to hire a pro, I'm pretty comfortable spending 10 hours on it. But I'm not going to spend 2 hours on a Saturday just to save $15. This is a highly personal decision though, and also doesn't necessarily take into account what you actually enjoy doing.
posted by Kadin2048 at 9:09 PM on June 2, 2022
I've stopped changing my car's oil, because so many local shops around me will do it for absurdly low prices (like $10-15 plus oil) as a loss leader, that it's just not worth DIYing. Some guy with the right tools and a garage with a lift or a pit can do in a couple minutes what would take me an hour or more to do. So I don't.
But I do do my own brake jobs. For whatever reason the same places that charge $15 for an oil change want $400 for a 4-wheel brake job, when it's not really that much harder. (Arguably easier because you don't even have to get under the car, or deal with disposing of used oil and stuff.) I get the rotors/pads on eBay, usually, and sometimes I've sprung for the fancy drilled-and-slotted rotors (harder to warp under hard braking) because they're only a few bucks more. On my old VW, I even got super-fancy Brembo discs new-in-box for under $25/ea!
What I'd recommend doing is each time a task comes up, start looking on YouTube and find some videos showing the job, and watch them while taking notes. Write down a list of all the tools you need, particularly ones you might not have, and especially making note of safety gear. Be on the lookout for any complexity that the videos may elide (I generally try to watch multiple videos of the same process before trying anything). Also try to get an idea of how much time the project will consume, and how often you'll be likely to do it in the future. That should give you enough information to make the DIY-or-not call.
Having an idea of what dollar-per-hour rate you value your free/recreational time at also helps. If a job is going to cost me $1000 to hire a pro, I'm pretty comfortable spending 10 hours on it. But I'm not going to spend 2 hours on a Saturday just to save $15. This is a highly personal decision though, and also doesn't necessarily take into account what you actually enjoy doing.
posted by Kadin2048 at 9:09 PM on June 2, 2022
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posted by lovableiago at 9:38 PM on June 1, 2022 [1 favorite]